#when he says goodbye to sarah he knows he won't go back

[little-alien-duck]

thinking about how when the doctor says goodbye to sarah jane in the hand of fear instead of actually saying goodbye he says “until we meet again” and in the last when charley is dead and he’s saying goodbye to her the last thing he says is “until we meet again.” having Thoughts about this one.  

[cowgurrrl]

Dear Arkansas Daughter

Pairing: Joel Miller x fem!reader

Summary: A truce [2.8k]

Warnings: guilt, Andie being a menace, so much yearning, Ellie has an anxiety attack, comfort, June pushing her Mary Oliver agenda once again

You don't speak to Joel all throughout the winter break. You get so busy with family events, work, and painting that you don't even notice it until a song he recommended comes on while you're working, and you reach for your phone to tell him about it. You stared at his contact for a little too long, debating your options, before you finally sighed and threw your phone on your bed. 

Sarah's home for the break. He's probably busy with the girls. The last thing he needs is to hear from you after you got out of his truck without even saying a proper goodbye. The silence feels like a staring contest or a challenge of wills to see who will break no contact first. It sucks, but thankfully, Ellie is none the wiser and even texts you Merry Christmas with a picture of her and Sarah with reindeer ears on the abnormally cold December morning. You reason this is the best-case scenario for a really shitty situation. No reason for anyone to get more involved than they absolutely have to, right?

Andie's reappearance on Texas soil is a welcome reprieve from the guilt. You pick her up from the airport once she gets back from visiting her parents in Dallas and run into her arms like she's a long-lost lover. "You're here!" You yell as you squeeze her tight.

"You're here!" She mimics. Her dark curls tickle your face, and she laughs loudly in your ear, but you don't care. Just having her within the same zip code again makes you feel like a kid. On the drive to your apartment, you sing along to a playlist she curated specifically for your time together— a perfect mix of Beyonce, ABBA, and Joni Mitchell— and talk about everything from her parents to work to Vienna weather. She takes all of five steps into your apartment before she guns for your newest canvases drying against the wall. 

"Those aren't done!" You scold but you couldn't stop her from fawning over them if you tried.

"Are you kidding? These are amazing." She says, gasping when she sees the corner of another one peeking out behind the stack. "Babe!" 

"Alright, alright, calm down. They're still in the early stages. They probably won't look anything like this when they're done." 

"You're right. I'm sure they'll be even better when they're done," she calls as you walk into your bedroom and drop her suitcase at the foot of the bed. You don't have a guest room, and there's no way you're gonna make her sleep on the couch, so you get to have a good old-fashioned sleepover again. You’re secretly really excited just to sit in bed and do nothing with her. When you walk back into the living room, she's holding an old, reworked painting with a fond smile. "Are you going to submit these for exhibition?" She asks, and you shrug as you lean against the back of the couch.

"I don't know. Maybe? They just don't feel done." 

"That's because the longer you stare at something, the more things you want to change about it." 

"It's not a bad thing to want to make sure something's perfect." 

"If you wait for perfection, you'll never make anything, and you know that." She says, cocking an eyebrow at you, and you roll your eyes at how well she knows you. "Isn't that what you tell your students?"

"Oh, God, please don't pull the teacher card on me right now. I'm supposed to be on vacation." You groan, and she laughs.

"Does it count as vacation if we have to go to the student showcase tonight?" She asks.

"Yes, it does because you're here, and I don't have to lecture a group of thirty teenagers about pointillism," you say. "And you really don't have to come. All I have to do is show up to support the kids for a couple of hours and leave. I'll be home before nine, and then we can go out and actually do something fun." 

"Is Hot Single Dad gonna be there?" She asks, waggling her eyebrows at you, and you give her a look.

"You said you'd stop calling him Hot Single Dad."

"Hot Single Dad is so fun, though," she whines. "Also, you're avoiding the question. Is he gonna be there?"

"Ellie's work is being shown, so yeah, most likely, but there will be lots of people there. I doubt we'll even see him." 

"Oh, I'll see him."

"Andrea Lynn," you scold, and she throws her hands up. "We're gonna go and be professional and not cross any lines that could get us in trouble, right?" You think you're saying it more for your own benefit than hers, but she still puts up three fingers and nods.

"Scouts honor." 

The gallery's atrium is buzzing with conversation and excited kids from all across the district. The winter sun set long ago, but the warm lighting of the space makes it feel a little less oppressive. Small trays of refreshments make their rounds as you talk with other teachers and some parents you know. You introduce Andie to each of them, mostly to sing her praises about being a professional musician in Vienna, and she chatters away with anyone about anything. You easily kill half an hour just mingling with people before the exhibition officially starts.

At the hour, someone on the school board (you don't know their name or position, and honestly, you think it's too late to pretend like you care enough to find out) stands on a makeshift stage and says something about the importance of art in academia. You doubt it's a sentiment he actually shares, considering you've never seen him at any other art-related events, but you clap politely anyway. Halfway through his spiel, you just barely catch the sound of squeaky boots coming through the door and turn to see the source without fully thinking it through. 

There, through the crowd of heads, you lock eyes with Joel. Tommy and Ellie are at his side and wave politely. Sarah must've gone home before the New Year. You think you remember him saying something about her working at a clinic in Boston? You're a little disappointed you won't get to meet her, especially after hearing such amazing things, but you can't focus on that. Joel's eyes don't move from yours, even when Ellie and Tommy turn their attention to the speaker at the front. 

His hair has gotten long since the last time you saw him, the curls defiantly sweeping around his ears after an obvious attempt to tame it, and he looks well-rested. Despite the extra length of his hair, his beard has been recently trimmed and the salt-and-pepper stubble well maintained. He's wearing a nice dark green shirt (a Christmas gift?) and a well-broken-in denim jacket. He looks good. Of course, he does. Andie notices you're not paying attention and bumps your shoulder. 

"'S that Hot Single Dad?" She whispers, and you shake your head. 

"Not here." You beg. She seems to want to question you further about it, but she doesn't. You're sure she'll buy you a drink or two to loosen up after this and spill your guts. You sit through the rest of the speech without any more hiccups before you're finally allowed to view the gallery. 

Everyone is all smiles and excited chatter when you enter the colorful room. Thrilled parents take pictures of their kids next to their work, and proud art teachers point out their student's talents to others. There's a wide array of art. Anything from photography, drawings, paintings, sculptures, and even a video of a performance projected onto the wall. You catch bits of people’s conversations and hear a lot of chatter about the artist from your school. You don’t need any more context to know who they’re talking about. You and Andie walk side-by-side in silence as you look at the different works, only talking when you come across one of your kids' works. She makes you take a picture in front of each one, and you feel a little silly, but you can't fight the pride in your chest. 

Andie has always had the unique ability to celebrate you for things you wouldn't celebrate yourself for. In reality, all you did was push them to make the art and consult them through the process, but she reminds you that they might not even have made anything if it weren't for you. It makes you feel special and seen. It makes you wish she lived closer so you could do the same for her by showing up to performances and taking pictures of her in her element so she can cherish them. It makes you forget about Hot Single Dad until Tommy rushes up to you, calling your name. 

"Mr. Miller, it's good to see you." You greet politely, but he's out of breath and looks stressed as he looks at both of you. He softens when he sees Andie and takes a deep breath to pull himself together.

"I don't believe we've met," he charms and offers his hand to Andie. "I'm Tommy, Ellie's uncle." 

"I'm Andie, the forever teacher's pet," she shakes his hand and gives you a look over her shoulder. "Honey, you didn't tell me how handsome Ellie's uncle is." She says. Tommy smirks and looks flattered, but mentioning Ellie brings him back to the moment. 

"Ellie's askin' for you." He says, and you furrow your brows and look behind him.

"Where is she? Is she okay?" 

"She got real upset bout somethin' but wouldn't say. She just said she wanted to talk to you." Fuck, you think. Did she find out? If so, how? There's no way Joel would've told her, especially tonight of all nights. Is she upset about how her art is being shown? Is she mad at you? Possibilities run through your head and twist your stomach into knots, but you don't hesitate to follow Tommy. If she says she needs you, then you need to be there. 

Andie follows closely behind as you and Tommy weave through the crowd until you come to a stairwell off the side of the gallery, away from overlapping voices and bright colors. When the door creaks open and echoes through the empty space, you see Joel and Ellie sitting on a step, tears staining her face. Andie says something about hanging back, and Tommy agrees to wait with her, but all your focus is on the crying kid in front of you. You wait until the door shuts behind you to settle onto the step under theirs and pull Ellie's hand out of her balled-up fist. Joel watches you carefully but doesn't try to stop you. 

"Hey," you say gently, like she's a scared animal. "What's goin' on? I heard you wanted to talk to me." 

"I," she tries, but her voice catches in her throat, and more tears well in her eyes. You rub your thumb across her knuckles and shush her gently. 

"You're alright. Take a breath, okay?" She does, and Joel reaches out to rub her back soothingly. A few more tears fall down Ellie's face as you wait her out. You catch Joel's eyes over her shoulder, and he gives you a grateful look. All you do is nod. 

"I'm not good enough to be here," she finally gets out. "Everyone's work is so much better than mine, and I... I think they made a mistake. I can't compete." 

"That's not true. That's what your anxiety is telling you. That's not even close to the truth." You say firmly. She shakes her head as she looks at her dad.

"We shouldn't have even come." She says, and he pulls her under his arm, kissing her temple.

"Honey, they took your art for a reason. We're not here by accident. We're here because you worked hard and made somethin' so beautiful that they had to show it." 

"He's right," you say. "Hundreds of students apply for this exhibition every year, and every year, hundreds of students get rejected. But not you. You worked and earned your spot here. How many days did you show up early to my classroom to work on it, huh?" You ask, and she wipes her eyes. She seems to calm down a little at your words but still shrugs like she’s unsure of herself. 

"I don't know."

"Ellie, you were in my room for at least a month straight working on this. Somedays, you were painting before I even had a chance to turn on the lights. You got up early and stayed late, and it shows. You made something so wonderful the district couldn't keep it a secret. Do you know how many people are talking about your yellow painting?" 

"People were talking about it?" She asks, and you nod, squeezing her hand.

"They kept saying they'd be surprised if you didn't win, and I'm not just saying that because I'm your art teacher. I'm saying that because it's true." You say. She chews at her bottom lip and stares at her shoes as she thinks. 

You knew about Ellie's anxiety long before this moment. She's spent many planning periods in your classroom venting or crying about it, and you pointed her to the correct resources. She's in therapy and on medication to help her control it, but it still rears its ugly head every once in a while. With all the teenage emotions and daily battles, you're not surprised that it does. But it does surprise you that she can't see how special she is. She works so fucking hard— sometimes too much— and she gives her all in everything she does. Of course, people are going to recognize that greatness. Of course, she deserves to be here. Of course, she's going to be amazing.

"Every time I look at it, I just see all the bad things about it." She admits, and you sigh. Of course, she treats her work the exact same way you do.

"I do the same thing," you say, and she looks at you with wide eyes like she wasn't expecting you to actually cop to it. "It doesn't matter how much time I spend on it or if I like the concept; I will find a million things wrong with a piece before I can admit that it's a semi-okay piece of work. I have a canvas sitting in my apartment right now that makes me want to throw up every time I look at it." 

"How do you get over it?" 

"I'll let you know the second I figure it out," you say, and she smiles a little now that she knows she's not alone in her internal fight. "You deserve to be here, kid. You are hard-working, creative, and smart. You are going to make so much beautiful art in your life, you won't believe it. And it's true that it won't always be the best, and you won't always love it, but the thing all great artists have, regardless of medium, isn't talent. It's resilience. If you wait for perfection, you'll never make anything, so you have to keep going and making things even when you feel like it's bad because the world needs your art. The world needs you, Ellie." You say, echoing Andie's words from earlier. She takes a deep breath, and the weight on her shoulders seems lighter. Her anxiety rolls away like a wave from the shore. It will be back again and again, but she knows people are going to grab her before she can drown. She knows she's got lighthouses. She knows she's okay. 

"Thank you," she mumbles, and you nod as you squeeze her hand. She relaxes into Joel and looks up at him. "'M sorry."

"You've got nothin' to be sorry for, baby girl. I'm on your team," he says. He looks at you and chews the inside of his cheek. "We're both on your team." It's a peace offering. An end to the challenge. An acknowledgment that you can't ignore each other forever. You take a deep breath and let your free hand squeeze his calf where Ellie can't see, letting him know you know. 

You read a poem once in college about not being afraid of joy and taking advantage of the happiness while it's there. You remember reading the words "Joy is not made to be a crumb" and feeling your chest crack open in that funny way that only art can cause. It couldn't have been longer than two hundred words, and you read it so long ago you're surprised you even remember it, but you're glad you do. You're glad Joel and Ellie came into your life. You're glad you made so many memories with him, and you hope he'll let you in enough to make more as friends. You're glad you called the parent-teacher meeting when you did. 

You decide joy is not made to be a crumb, but neither is affection. In that cold, dingy stairwell in downtown Austin, you think you could paint something about this feeling. You think you could be okay with its imperfections. You think you could even submit it. You think you could win the bet.

TAGLISR: @abbyhaslongshorts @kiwiharrykiwi @sumsworldz @myloveistoolittle @anavatazes @marantha @cosmoscoffeee @shyminnie07 @beezusvreeland @eddiemunsonsbedroom @harriedandharassed @doodlebob-mp3 @ignorethisplz2004 @buckyispunk @d1lf-loverrr @vee-bees-blog @moel-jiller @anoverwhelmingdin @casssiopeia

[jillsandwhichs]

Our Future Day's

Joel Miller x Reader series , Chap 6 , Traversal

Masterlist

Pairing: F!reader x Joel Miller

Summary: You let Joel know over text that you'll be traveling back home to visit your family. Let's just say, he didn't like that very much, he wanted an in person goodbye

WC: 2.5k

Type: SFW

A/n: Hi! Hope you all enjoy. Please check out my masterlist, there's a lot of stuff there. You can get to know me, you can see the rules of my blog and then you can see all of my fanfictions. You'll be able to find the previous chapters to this fic and upcoming ones. You'll also be able to find my Wattpad & AO3. Comments, reblogs & likes are appreciated. Thank you

It's now Monday. Ever since Friday, Joel has been on your mind. The entire evening with him was one of a kind. You guys ended the night off with smoking and eating snacks inside of his home. You both also got to learn quite a bit more about one another. For example, he told you a bit more about his ex wife, she seemed like a cunt. In other news, he's thinking about moving to a different contracting job. Good on him.

Overall, the night was lovely. You really let loose and had a wonderful with Joel. Going home really sucked. You tossed and turned all night with him on your mind - You wonder if he was the same.

You just got home from work a little bit ago, it's almost seven now, you finished your tasty dinner. You ended up having a cheeseburger with chips, it reminded you of your childhood - The dinner. You remember days when your mother and father would have a cookout, all of the family would show up and cheeseburgers with chips would be fed to the children. You and your other cousins, the lot of them, would sit on a laid out blanket while you ate. It was memorable.

As of right now though, you're relaxing on your bed with Becker, who has just been the absolute best boy. He's learned to go outside alone and won't run off, he's really such a great boy. No need for a leash either since he has a collar with a tag attached to it. He'll be fine, for sure. Speaking of being fine, you have a fine weekend coming up. You plan to go home, back to Oregon, to be with your family for the entirety of the weekend.

You're set to leave Thursday, but you'll be there til Sunday afternoon, it'll be awesome.

You miss your little sister, Hannah, dearly. You two have had an inseperarable and special bond since you were young. You'll of course also get to see your Mother, Linda and your Father, Gary, who you also love very much, both of them. They've been so supportive and helpful with your move-in to Austin TX, they've made sure the move-in has been simpler than how it normally would have been.

The plane ride will be lengthy, but worth it. Sadly, you cannot take Becker home with you. The only way he got to TX in the first place is because your parents drove him, they were a huge help. Your work friend, Becca, has offered to house sit for you and watch over Becker. You've already introduced the two and Becker seems to have taken a liking to her, luckily. Even their names are similar, it all works out!

Although, before you leave, there's somebody you really wanna say goodbye too - Joel.

He's been so kind to you, so genuine. It would be very rude to leave for a couple days without even a peep, especially after Friday. Friday seems to have brought the two of you even closer, literally, he held you that might. The nicknames he calls you are so sweet too, but that's probably something he does with all the ladies. Even so, you'd like to give him a heads up.

He's home right now, you can see his truck out of your bedroom window, it's very extensive. He may be having dinner though, so you don't want to interrupt him. Plus, he's with Sarah, his beautiful little daughter, she deserves time with her dad. Maybe you'll just shoot him a text as your goodbye, he wouldn't mind, right? It's not as if you're leaving forever, it'll only be for a couple of days. An amazing couple of days at that.

Before texting Joel, you'll have to text Hannah, see if everything is set for you to come and visit.

"Hey girl. Is everything ready for me to come stay, my room and whatnot? I'm laying out Thursday."

And send.

She'll answer sooner or later.

Now for Joel.

"Joel, hey, just wanted to say hi and well, I suppose goodbye as well. I'll be pretty busy these next few days, I am flying out Thursday, back home, I won't be home til Sunday. Hope to see you soon."

Then you sent it to him.

Hopefully he replies and doesn't look over the message. A lot of people don't even check their messages, like ever. You've been a victim of that one too many times. Joel hasn't been that way though, not yet at least. He tends to answer rather quickly, which is totally new to you. Any other man you've actually tried to speak to takes forever, sometimes hours, even days. It's very annoying and extremely repetitive. Joel's different in such a good way.

You stood up off of your bed, treading over to your messy vanity. You have only lived here a week and yet, your makeup area is destroyed. Beauty is messy, the messiness brings out the beauty. You took a seat, gazing at yourself in the mirror. You have dark eye bags beneath your lower eye socket, you've been spent this past week. It won't get easier either. This break will do you some good, at least.

You picked up the shaded concealer off of your desk, shaking the tube and spinning it open, dabbing the pale substance beneath both of your eyeballs, making sure you looked better. You looked like a goblin without it, well, that's how you felt. Women and even some of the men at your work complimented you daily, especially on your eyes. Guess they didn't notice the flaw you just covered up. Or the many other flaws you so believe you have.

Through the mirror, you could see Becker admiring you. The dog was just staring at you, like he always does. He's a very loving dog. He can sense emotions too; He does it super well at that. "Hi baby boy." You smiled at him, his tongue popped out almost instantly, earning a hearty laugh out of you. Such a silly dog!

You patted your thighs, wanting him to run over to you. He immediately did, of course.

He hopped off of the bed and stood right beside you, nuzzling his head against your thigh. With a giggle, you began to scratch behind his ears - His favorite spot. He enjoys affection very much, maybe even too much. He seeks it out any chance he can get, even from complete strangers. "I'm going to miss you bubba." You said softly to him, as if he even realized you'll be gone soon. Even though it's not going to be very long, you two have an attachment to each other. No matter what, it'll be difficult.

You gave in to him, those gentle eyes get ya every time.

"Alright boy, let's cuddle." You tittered, diving onto the bed with a smile, him jumping up right after you. The both of you got cozy beneath your large comforter.

It was evening now. The sky was getting darker, but it was still somewhat light out. It was beautiful out. A couple stars began the show, showing themselves off beautifully. The sky was a dim shade of blue, it was gorgeous. The atmosphere was just calming all around. You felt at peace, Becker was a part of that. Even Joel was. Your family too. Your life has definitely been on an incline recently. Lucky you, right?

Whilst laying in bed, you could feel your eyes beginning to close. You just felt exhausted. You needed rest, especially with the week ahead.

With Becker in your arms, the two of you embracing each other, you officially fell asleep, happily too.

-

Buzz

Buzz

Buzz

-

Each buzz and each ring was loud, awakening you with haste. With dreary eyes, you tossed your hand just about everywhere searching for your phone, until you finally got a hold of it. You brought it closer to your face, your eyes adjusting to its piercing brightness, it was pure white. The contrast of your flashing phone to your pitch black room was painful. Your eyes stung. But you snapped back into reality when realizing it was Joel.

You answered the phone, holding it up to your ear, waiting to hear something.

"God dammit darlin', I've been tryna get a hold of ya' damn near the past hour, fuck was you doin'?" His tone was loud. He didn't seem angry, rather concerned and frustrated. "What?" You groaned out, your sleepy voice taking it's course. A soft sigh came from Joel, it was evident, even over the phone. "Didn't know you was asleep, I'm sorry." "It's okay Joel, is everything okay?" "Yeah, everything is fine, just a bit upset you was gonna leave without a real goodbye." He admitted truthfully.

Oh, you felt so bad.

You didn't realize what it meant to him - An in person goodbye.

"Joel, I'm sorry. I figured you were busy, you know, with work and all, I didn't want to be a disturbance." You said softly, shuffling around in bed, Becker still resting. "I ain't never too busy, you could've just came over and we could've talked about it." Joel replied, his voice deep. You were happy he was willing to let you do that, just come on over to his place.

"Tell you what, we can talk more tomorrow, I don't feel like getting up." You giggled into the phone. He snickered, a smile formed on your face when you heard it. "Of course, I'll let you get your beauty sleep." Joel responded in a friendly manner, not wanting to bother you any further; Although, he is never a bother. "And Joel... It's nice to see you care." You hummed out. There was silence for a bit before you heard him talk again.

"I care about you sweet thing." He stated, honesty painted his words. He was great. "I care about you too, Joel." You whispered back before hanging up. It was almost like a way of saying 'I love you' but you weren't going to take it that far.

Yet.

-

Bright and early the next morning, you poured yourself a nice glass of hot coffee. You put some of your butterscotch creamer into it, watching the golden liquid drizzle into the mug. It was a average morning so far, you have work in about an hour, you'll take the time to say your goodbye to Joel, you leave in two days after all.

Outside was lively.

You could hear birds chirping, cars passing by and you could see people walking down the sidewalk, either alone, with a stroller or a dog of some breed. Austin was awake all the time, but the mornings always seemed to bring that into effect moreso. It felt comforting, knowing the world wasn't silent at any time. The sun was just about up, you knew today would be a more chilly day, which was convenient, you've been wanting to wear this cute sweater.

Autumn is just around the corner. Sadly, Texas tends to always be on the warmer side. It's very mild here in Austin. You wish that was different, fall time is your personal favorite. Halloween and Thanksgiving have always been the best Holidays in your opinion. You are excited to experience them here nonetheless and besides, you'll still get to have it back home, you'll most definitely visit for the Holidays and just for fun!

While you were calmly sipping on your coffee, you spotted Joel walked out of his house, all tided up for work, this was your chance. You set your coffee down so fast and immediately bolted to your front door. When you whipped it open, he was tossing some equipment in the back of his lifted truck, at least he didn't get into his truck right away.

"Joel!" You yelled, checking both ways before you soon crossed over to his driveway. Joel turned around, looking you up and down, a small laugh coming out from him. "Mornin'." He said with a snicker. "Good morning." You gleamed at him, standing in front of him now. "Whatcha up to?" "Well, I was drinking some coffee, then I saw you, wanted to give you that proper goodbye, I leave Thursday." "I remember, I reread the damn message 'bout ten times." Oh bless his soul.

"I am sorry. I just didn't think it mattered to you all that much, figured it would've been a drag." Joel rubbed his temple as he chortled. "You're a damn silly girl, y'know that?" You snorted, your eyes going soft, your eyebrows curving slightly. "I would've went crazy if I didn't get to see ya before you left for a good bit." Joel spoke, leaning his hands back onto his tailgate. "Yeah?" "Yup, it's the truth. I kind of like havin' you 'round." He teased with a laugh, earning one from you too.

"Is that so?" "Yup. Nice havin' a neighbor who ain't old or just annoyin', you're different and I like that." He stated, it made your body heat up. The way he spoken of you made you wanna die, in an amazing, heavenly way. "Likewise." You vocalized to him. The two of you just stared into one anothers eyes for a little, you got lost in his orbs. He was very handsome, heavenly even. A God send.

"Anyways hun, I oughta get to work, being a contractor ain't for the weak." He said gruffly. You understood, his job is the only source of income they have other than Sarah's mother paying child support; That's another thing Joel opened up to you about. "I get it. Have a good day at work Joel." You began to walk off, but he quickly stopped that notion. "Woah, hey, hey, where you off too? Not even a goodbye nor a damn hug?" Joel laughed, making you embarrassed.

You didn't realize you didn't say goodbye. A hug? He never expressed he wanted one.

"Right, sorry." You shook your head whilst looking down.

"Goodbye Joel, I'll see you soon." You leered at him, your head slightly tilted to the side. "Goodbye you, c'mere." He grunted, holding his arms out, indicating he wanted a swift hug. You contained yourself, remaining content as you gave him a friendly hug. Your arms wrapped around his torso, your head on his chest. Joel rested his chin on your head, his roughened up hands caressing your slender back.

"You be safe, a woman like you travelin' all alone ain't safe, how 'bout you message me once you're at the airport Thursday?" He asked, he's such a gentleman, per usual. "I will, don't worry." You soughed against him.

You two held each other for a couple more seconds, the warmth of the hug being absolutely intoxicating. It felt like so many feelings were being released and revealed through one simple yet special hug.

You pulled away and gave him a quick smile. "See you around." "See ya." Joel smirked, his hand shooting up to your cheek for just a second before he pulled away, heading back to the side of his truck, getting in and driving off.

You felt so good about this all. His support and concern meant a lot to you.

You'll be safe, for him.

[godsfavdarling]

chapter 01

pairing: Spencer Reid x fem!oc

summary: Molly is an elementary school teacher with a simple, fulfilling life. Her romantic life, though, remains stagnant, lacking any signs of flourishing, as she faces continuous disappointments in her pursuit of love. However, a chance encounter with Spencer, a sweet and gentle genius, might just be the catalyst for a change in her romantic fortunes.

list of chapters, also available on wattpad and Ao3 my masterlist

warnings: none for this chapter

words: 2k

a/n: it's been like 6 months since i wrote this and it was my first finished and proper series so... looking back... not the best! but i still love Molly and some chapters... yeah... i ate that.

The aroma of various lunches filled the air as teachers chatted, unwinding from their morning classes. As Molly settled at a table with her lunch, her colleague Sarah joined her with a curious grin.

"Hey, Molly! Spill the beans. How was your weekend?" Sarah asked eagerly. Molly chuckled, taking a sip of her tea.

"Oh, you know, the usual. Lesson planning, grading papers, and a bit of relaxation." Sarah leaned in, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

"Come on, Molly. I know there was something more exciting than that! What was the guy's name again?"

Molly blushed slightly, a shy smile playing on her lips. Sarah's eyes widened with excitement. "Details, please! Are you gonna meet again?"

Molly giggled, "It's not like that, Sarah. It was just a casual dinner. Nothing more. And I don't think he'll want to meet again."

"But you'd like to meet again?" Sarah raised an eyebrow, a mischievous grin forming. Molly chuckled, realizing she wasn't going to escape Sarah's playful interrogation.

"His name is Mark, and I liked him. I'd give it some time, you know... One dinner is not enough, and he had potential, but I could tell when we were saying goodbye, he is no longer interested. Maybe I scared him. I don't know."

Sarah nudged Molly with her elbow. "Oh, come on. He has no idea what he's missing out on! Plus that's good if he ain't playing you! Didn't get your hopes up! There'll be another!"

Molly hesitated for a moment before speaking again "Yeah.. when? I'm honestly so fucking done with those dating apps. I can't do this anymore. I'd very much prefer to meet a guy in you know... normal life. Real life! Those dates from the internet are just sooo depressing!"

As Molly and Sarah continued their lively conversation in the break room, the door swung open, and Regina, another colleague, entered with an enthusiastic grin on her face. Her eyes lit up as she spotted the girls.

"Hey, ladies! What's the gossip today?" Regina chimed in, joining them at the table.

Sarah, always ready for a good tease, turned to Regina with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Molly here had a hot date over the weekend."

Regina's eyebrows shot up with intrigue. "Really? Do tell!"

Molly blushed but couldn't help smiling at her friends' excitement. "It was just another dinner with another guy from the dating app. Nothing too exciting. We won't meet again!"

Regina leaned in, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "No second date? Well, at least you had a fancy meal at a restaurant. Did he pay?"

"No." Molly said through her teeth.

Regina frowned, "Oh... well... enough about unsuccessful dates! Molly, are you free this Saturday? Both Sarah and Kurt are joining Alan and I! We're planning to hit the karaoke joint downtown. You should join us!"

Molly smiled, glancing at Sarah, who nudged her playfully. "Come on, Molly! A night of karaoke sounds like so much fun!"

Despite Molly's outward enthusiasm for her friends' invitations and plans, a subtle unease lingered within her. As Regina and Sarah chatted animatedly about the upcoming karaoke night, Molly couldn't shake the feeling that they might be extending the invitation out of pity for her single status and what seemed to be a less eventful personal life.

As the conversation continued, Molly found herself lost in her thoughts. She appreciated her friends' efforts to include her, but the unspoken assumption that she needed companionship to fill a perceived void stung a little. In truth, Molly enjoyed her independence and the quiet moments she spent pursuing her passions. Although part of her yearned for someone special, she liked her peaceful, simple life.

Regina noticed Molly's thoughtful expression and nudged her gently. "Hey, Molly, what do you think? Are you in for karaoke on Saturday?"

"Sorry! Um... I'd love to but this Saturday I can't. Remember that kid I'm giving piano lessons to? Alice recommended me to her neighbor's kid Henry?" The girls nodded remembering that Molly took on giving piano lessons as if being an elementary school teacher wasn't hard enough.

"Well... his mom is pregnant and they invited me to the baby shower. I thought it was really nice of them so I decided I'm gonna go! And I know I'll probably be home early that evening but I'll just try to reset on the rest of the weekend. Sorry."

Regina and Sarah exchanged understanding glances. "No worries, Molly," Regina said, offering a comforting smile. "That's sweet that they invited you! Is Alice going too? If so, don't let her eat you alive!" she laughed.

Sarah nodded in agreement, "Absolutely. Don't stress about it. We'll have plenty of opportunities to hang out in the summer."

..................................

Spencer stood nervously in front of JJ's door, holding a carefully wrapped gift for the baby shower. It had been a while since he attended any social event, and the excitement and anxiety blended into a unique mixture. Taking a deep breath, he knocked gently.

The door opened, revealing a warm and welcoming JJ. "Spencer, you made it!" she exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with joy. "Come on in!"

Inside, the room was filled with laughter and chatter. Rossi was engaged in conversation with Hotch and Garcia, discussing their last case as he sipped on a cup of coffee. Spencer joined them for a while, engaging in the familiar banter that often filled their interactions.

Suddenly, his attention was inexplicably captivated by a tall girl in an orange summer dress standing near JJ and some older lady. Spencer's gaze lingered on her, taking note of the details that made her stand out in the lively crowd. Her blonde hair, elegantly down and curled, framed her face with a natural grace. Delicate hair clips on the sides kept the strands away from her eyes, allowing him to catch glimpses of her expressive features.

As the girl listened to the conversation near the food table, the soft curls of her hair caught the light, creating a subtle halo effect that seemed to accentuate her presence. Spencer found himself inexplicably captivated by the way she effortlessly blended sophistication with an approachable warmth.

His analytical mind usually focused on details related to cases, but in this moment, it was the intricacies of Molly's appearance that occupied his thoughts. Spencer couldn't quite explain the fascination, but there was an undeniable charm in the way she carried herself, the gentle sway of her hair adding an air of casual elegance to the scene.

He made his way toward the food table. She stood gracefully, engaged in conversation with Alice and JJ about the neighbourhood.

Although Spencer didn't know her, he couldn't help but find himself subtly observing her every move. There was something about the way she carried herself, a quiet confidence mixed with a warm demeanor that intrigued him. Perhaps it was the way her laughter added a subtle melody to the surroundings or the genuine interest she showed in the conversation. Whatever the reason, he found it hard to look away.

Molly, with a thoughtful expression, interjected the conversation "The street is the river of life of the city, the place where we come together, the pathway to the centre.'"

Spencer, ever the repository of knowledge, couldn't resist adding, "William H. Whyte, 'The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces.' A classic perspective on the dynamics of public spaces."

Molly's gaze shifted towards him for the first time, her eyes locking onto his with a hint of surprise and intrigue. She smiled, appreciating Spencer's quick recognition of the quote's author.

Feeling Molly's gaze, Spencer met her eyes with a friendly smile, a subtle curiosity mirrored in his expression. Before either of them could say anything, Alice, JJ, and now Will, who had joined the conversation, sensed the unfolding moment and decided to break the silence.

JJ, with an awkward but friendly grin, nudged Molly gently. "Hey, Molly, this is Spencer Reid. We work together, and he's got a knack for remembering quotes and book titles like no one else."

Will chimed in, trying to ease the tension, "Spencer, this is Molly. She's...." Will's attempt of introducing Molly to Spencer was interrupted by Alice, who couldn't resist joining the conversation with a bright smile. "Hey there, Spencer! I couldn't help but overhear the bookish banter. I'm Alice! I'm the neighbour of the future parents of two! Nice to meet you!"

Spencer, always gracious, returned the greeting, "Likewise, Alice. It's a pleasure."

Alice turned to Molly with a playful grin. "And speaking of banter, meet Molly. She's not only our quote encyclopedia but also a fantastic teacher!" Molly smiled bashfully, staring at her feet

"Molly here has been my partner in crime in the world of education. We teach at the same school, and I also recommended her to JJ and Will as a piano teacher for Henry." Alice added.

Spencer's curiosity deepened as the layers of connection unfolded. "It's wonderful to meet both of you. Teaching and piano - that's quite the repertoire, Molly."

Alice chimed in, "Absolutely! Molly's a gem, and her piano lessons have been a hit with Henry."

As he stood near her, he couldn't shake the feeling that there was an unspoken connection, a curiosity that lingered in the air.

Spencer wondered if, in the midst of a bustling baby shower, the universe had orchestrated a moment of quiet recognition. Little did he know that this chance encounter might just be the beginning of an unexpected connection, a thread waiting to weave its way through the tapestry of their lives.

"Oh sorry! I have to go!" Alice got distracted by the arrival of a friend, and Will and JJ discreetly slipped away to attend to other guests, leaving Molly and Spencer in a momentarily awkward silence.

Molly, breaking the ice, offered a warm smile. "So, Spencer, how long have you known JJ and Will?"

Spencer, equally eager to keep the conversation flowing, replied, "We've been friends for quite some time. JJ and I have been on the same team for over a decade now!"

Molly exclaimed, "Oh wow! That's impressive! Especially given how difficult your job is. You know...FBI... that must take an emotional toll on a person."

Spencer nodded in agreement, acknowledging the emotional toll the job could take. He shifted slightly.

"Yeah, it can be emotionally challenging," he admitted, his voice carrying a weight that hinted at the gravity of the work. However, Spencer didn't elaborate further, a subtle sign that he wasn't keen on delving into the details. The complexities of the job, the cases he had worked on, and the emotional highs and lows were aspects he seemed reluctant to openly discuss.

Instead, he changed the subject, perhaps steering away from the sombre tone. "But, you know, it's also incredibly rewarding. Making a difference, protecting people - it's what keeps us going."

Molly could tell by Spencer's demeanour, a mix of guardedness and resilience, that he had learned to navigate the emotional challenges of his profession with a quiet strength. It was a glimpse into the intricate balance that he often needed to maintain, acknowledging the difficulties while emphasizing the purpose and impact of the work.

"It's a bit just like yours!"

"Mine?"

"You know, in a way, our jobs are similar. We both deal with challenging situations, albeit in different contexts." He acknowledged, "I can imagine working with kids has its own set of difficulties. Their minds are so malleable, and you have the responsibility of shaping their future. That can be as demanding, if not more so, than some of the cases I've worked on."

"I suppose you're kind of right! I'd rather deal with little ones who learn how to read than some psychos though!" They both laughed.

"By the way, how are Henry's piano lessons going? I am his godfather actually, and honestly, I had no idea that he was taking piano lessons. So much was happening at work..."

"Oh it's kind of a new thing. I've been coming over for the past two weeks only. He's doing well! He isn't a quick learner, but his enthusiasm for music is truly remarkable. He asked JJ if he could start playing. I'm just happy to teach someone who's excited about it, you know?"

"Yeah I get that! Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere..." "Chinese Proverb" "Chinese Proverb"

They said at the same time.

[arielhopepeace]

Part Four

18+ only

Tw: slightly rough daddy smut

5,600 words

  You're tucked up comfortably in bed, your nakedness being pressed against the warm fabric of your comforter. Your brows wiggle in disapproval before opening your eyes and your palm reaches out beside yourself, feeling a cold bed where Joel should be.

With a squinting, tired gaze, you turn onto your side, pulling your phone to your face to read that it's seven in the morning. You let out a sigh, knowing that Joel has snuck back in to his house already, and you were just too sleepy to wake up this time to say goodbye.

You've been doing this with each other for the past two weeks; sneaking in and out of the other's houses in the middle of the night just to stay with each other for a few hours longer. You can't wait until it's time to start telling people, but you also enjoy the thrill of potentially getting caught.

It's Saturday, which means that it's Joel's fortieth birthday today. Your dad wanted to throw a huge party at his house just like he always does, but you convinced him to let you do it at Joel's instead since it's smaller and he has a pool.

The weather has been stifling, and the relief of the water will be lovely for everyone involved. Plus, you desperately want to sink into his pool, but more importantly see him in a bathing suit. Of course you've seen the man naked plenty of times now, but admiring him in secret in front of your parents gives you a different kind of forbidden sensation.

That same ache that resides at your entrance from Joel’s now familiar stretch makes you wince as you turn out of bed, deciding that you should probably get up and run the errands that you need to for his party.

Convincing your parents that you're just being a nice neighbor, you decided to take all the details of Joel's day on yourself. You've already ordered the cake, the food, and the decorations. You wanted it to be a surprise, so you teamed up with Sarah in secret to get Joel out of the house in the afternoon. She said she'll beg him to go to his favorite restaurant with her, and she knows he won't turn it down.

Joel is so incredible. You've never been so happy as you have these last few weeks. Not only is he indescribable in bed, but he's also the most romantic and thoughtful man you've ever been with. You want to do something as amazing for him as he's been for you, and you're hoping you can pull it off.

You want to pick up the cake and decorations now so that when the caterer is ready, you'll already have his house fully donned in the things you've chosen. You didn't do a theme, but you landed on his favorite color for the decor; red.

  Once it's already noon, you watch as Joel's truck pulls out of his driveway with Sarah in the front beside him. You quickly text your mom to come over and help you with the decorations as you head in the back door that Sarah left unlocked for you. Normally Joel checks every lock before he leaves, but she told you she'd unlock it after his routine once-over.

To your relief, the door opens and you step inside with the large cake in your right arm. You place it inside of his fridge, chuckling fondly at the beer in the bottom right hand drawer.

Even though you just saw Joel last night, you can't help but miss him. You miss his smell, the warmth of his embrace, his soft lips against yours, and the heavenly hum of his voice. You perk yourself up, though, knowing it'll only be another few hours until you see his sweet face again.

He still thinks that he’s meeting at your dad’s in the evening for his party, but everyone, including his brother, has been filled in on the surprise.

Your phone buzzes in your pocket and you see a response from Joel to your happy birthday text you sent him this morning.

Joel

12:25pm

Hey, you. Thank you. I’m at lunch with Sarah and just wanted to say hi. Wish you could be here. Excited I get to see you later, though. Hope you’re having a good day.

His message melts your heart, quickly thumbing at a reply on your phone screen.

12:30pm

I’m having a wonderful day, but today isn’t about me. It’s about you, birthday boy. I’m excited to see you later, too.

Joel

12:31pm

Definitely not a boy. Birthday man, more like.

12:32pm

Fine, birthday man. Happy?

Joel

12:33pm

Lol, much better. I’ll see you later 😘

Even something as simple as an emoji sends your heart into a spiral of giddy infatuation.

There’s a gentle knock on the front door and you quickly lock your phone, running to answer it. The door swings open and you see your mom smiling wide at you.

She pulls you in for a hug. “Hi, honey.”

“Hey, mom. Thank you for helping me. I just have a lot to do.” Your bodies separate. “I have to call the caterer and see if she can deliver or if she needs me to pick everything up.”

Your mom begins unwrapping decorations, discarding the plastic wrappings onto the table. “You’re so kind, y/n. I think Joel will really appreciate you going through all this effort for him.”

Your face splits with a large smile. “I hope so.”

“Your dad reassured me that everyone who’s coming knows it’s a surprise. He said you were very specific about that.”

“Well, if someone ruins the surprise, then it isn’t really a surprise, now is it?” you giggle.

Your mom laughs with you, nodding her head. “I can’t believe Joel is forty today. Your dad will be forty-eight this year, I’ll be forty-five. God, we’re all so old.”

“You’re not old!” you laugh. “Joel always talks like he’s on death’s door.”

“Well, it’s hard when you’re our age. You’ll understand when you get there, but you still have a long time until then.”

You swallow, the realization settling in that when you turn forty, Joel will be fifty-six later that year. You’ve always known the age difference and never cared, but thinking about it like that scares you. What if you and Joel do last? Will he die twenty years before you do?

Shaking your head, you brush all of those negative, leeching thoughts away. You’re getting way too ahead of yourself, and your future with Joel is the last thing you need to worry about right now.

You step away from your mom to call the caterer, asking her how the food will get here. She tells you she can deliver it right now and be there in twenty minutes, to which you thank her vehemently.

The spread of food you’ve chosen is simple, yet stuff you thought Joel would really like. You opted for chicken, steak or shrimp tacos served with refried beans, Spanish rice, and freshly made chips and dip on the side. The caterer made enough to feed fifty people, figuring about that many or a little less will show up.

For some reason, you’re becoming disquieted as you decorate. With every tear of scotch tape, and rip of crepe paper, your heart climbs in anticipation. Your mind begins wondering if Joel will even like anything, or if he’ll be freaked out that you went to these lengths for someone you’ve been with for only two weeks.

You’ve always felt inadequate in life, and even though Joel has never given you a reason to feel this way, you can’t help it. The overwhelming emotion consumes you and you sit down at his dining room table, gazing off into the distance as you disassociate from everything around you.

The wooden chair squeaks beneath you, but you’re not ripped from your panicked trance until your mom is standing in front of you, giving you a look of concern.

“Y/n, are you okay? You look pale,” she asks, pressing the back of her hand against your forehead.

“Yeah,” you shake your head, coming out of the dark tunnel of dread, “just distracted.”

“What were you thinking about?”

Your lip quivers, and you want to spill your guts completely, but you know you can’t, so you lie, which you hate doing. “I was thinking about everything I have to do before Joel and Sarah get back, and I just got a little overwhelmed.”

“It’s okay!” she cups your face. “I’m here to help. It’ll get done, don’t worry.”

You stand, continuing to decorate. “Why didn’t dad come to help?”

Your mom sighs heavily. “Work stuff, as usual.”

“As usual,” you echo, rolling your eyes. “Is he gonna make it to the party?”

“Of course! He’d never miss it.”

Only your birthdays he’d miss, but never his best friend’s, god forbid.

Sarah texts you to let you know they’re on the way back, and your heart is pounding. Joel’s house is packed with people, everyone in either casual clothing or a swim suit. You finally were able to break away after you set up the food and drinks, to go home and put your bathing suit on underneath your clothes.

Everything is organized neatly with plates, utensils, and cups all set up on the counter, while the catering trays take up the dining room table. There’s so many people here that you don’t know, and it somewhat upsets you that your dad knows Joel better than you do.

You know they’ve been friends for years, but you still wish you could’ve invited these people yourself. Tommy, Joel’s brother, walks up to you with a gentle smile and a beer in-hand.

“Everything looks great, y/n,” he grins. “Joel’s gonna love it.”

“I hope so.” Your eyes meet his brown ones, enjoying the similarity they have to Joel’s. “Is your wife not coming?” you ask, acting as if you don’t know the situation between them.

“Nah,” he shrugs, “she wasn’t feeling it.”

“That’s okay. I usually wanna stay home, too,” you giggle.

A few minutes later, you hear fumbling outside the front door, and Joel walks in with Sarah behind him.

“Happy birthday!” everyone yells, Joel’s face lighting up.

“What the hell? I was wondering what all the cars were outside for. I thought someone died.” His eyes land on you and you can feel yourself becoming bashful under his gaze.

Your dad cuts between you two, wrapping Joel into the biggest bro hug you’ve ever seen. You walk around to Sarah, giving her a tight embrace.

“Thank you so much for your help. You’re awesome,” you say to her with a grin.

“Y/n, everything looks so good. Thank you for doing this for him. He deserves it.”

Your heart melts, admiring the sweet little girl before you. “Yeah, he does.”

“Are you gonna get in the pool with me?” she asks excitedly.

You pull your swimsuit bottoms up from your jeans. “Locked and loaded already.”

“Yes!” she shouts, scurrying away. “I’m gonna put mine on!”

You giggle as you watch her weave through the people to make her way to her room. A throat clears beside you and you see Joel, your body tensing a bit at his strong presence.

“I was just told that this was all your doing,” he raises a brow. “Did you really do all of this for me?”

You nod slowly.

Joel gives you quick, friendly hug, briefly allowing you to inhale his cologne. “Thank you, y/n.” His voice is so soft and sincere that you want to cry, but you hold it together as best as you can.

“You’re welcome, birthday man,” you say as you look up at him with a giggle.

He chuckles, giving you a subtle wink before he turns to mingle with the rest of his party guests. You watch with adoration, loving how happy he is to be talking to all of his friends.

“See? He loves it,” Tommy says from beside you, making you dart your eyes to the side to look at him.

“I’m glad,” you say shyly. “He deserves to have a good birthday.”

“I think you’ve outdone your dad on this one, kiddo.”

Oh, god. Kiddo?

“Jesus, Tommy,” you laugh, “I’m twenty-four. I’m not a ‘kiddo’ anymore.”

“To me you are! I’ve known you since you were one. That’s never gonna change for me.”

Tommy is older than Joel by a few years, and him calling you kiddo so loudly makes you want to scream at him to shut the hell up. What if Joel heard that and it made him feel all weird again? You’d never forgive Tommy if he did.

You shake your head at him with a feigned grin as you walk away, heading into the pool cage where a few people’s kids are already splashing around. You see a group of adults watching from the sidelines, sipping out of their red plastic cups and eating their tacos.

You don’t want to be the only adult in the pool full of children, so you turn to go back inside, weaving through partying people to find Joel. He’s talking to a mini gathering of people with a beer bottle in his hand, looking as alluring and casual as always.

“Joel,” you say quietly, tapping his shoulder.

He turns, giving you a warm smile. “Hey, what’s up?”

“Do you want to go swimming with Sarah and I? We’re about to get in.”

His eyes briefly flick down your body, then back up to meet your face. “Sure, yeah. Let me go get changed.” He places his beer bottle down on the coffee table in the living room, leaving to walk to his bedroom.

You do an inward victory dance, excited that you’re getting to stare at his body in all its glory with everyone watching. You’re not sure why it gives you a blossom of arousal at the thought. Maybe it’s because the two of you being together would be seemed as ‘forbidden’ amongst almost everyone here. Why is that so damned hot?

Your phone vibrates from the back pocket of your jeans, and you retrieve it to see a text from Joel.

Joel

2:44pm

How am I supposed to go swimming with you and not be all over you?

2:45pm

I guess you’ll just have to behave, birthday man.

You giggle, tucking your phone away again as Sarah walks up to you wearing her purple one-piece bathing suit.

“You ready?” she asks excitedly.

You nod. “Is it okay if I change in your room? Don’t really want to just start stripping in front of strangers.”

Sarah giggles, nodding. “I’ll wait for you in the pool.”

You laugh as you go to her room, locking the door behind yourself. Your shirt and jeans fall to the carpeted floor, and a wicked idea pops into your brilliant head. Taking your phone’s front camera, you face it towards your body that’s sporting a black two piece and tap the shutter button. You made sure to give yourself some extra cleavage in the image, giggling as you send it to Joel.

You fold your clothes up and stack them in a pile onto Sarah’s bed, putting your shoes and socks on the floor near her dresser. Your phone buzzes and you excitedly open the message from Joel.

Joel

2:55pm

God. How are you all mine?

2:56pm

Who said I was?

Your teasing comment makes you laugh mischievously to yourself as you leave your phone on the bed, leaving Sarah’s room to make your way to the pool. Two of the adults outside have joined, and you see Sarah beaming up at you, gesturing you into the pale beryl water. You tread slowly into the shallow end, the coolness of the water offsetting the intense heat from the summer sun.

Sarah talks to one of the younger kids who practically hangs on her, making you smile fondly at them. You settle down to the deep end, the tips of your toes barely scratching the bottom as you gasp, finally submerging your head beneath the water line.

When you come up for air, you rub the water out of your eyes, seeing Joel stepping into the pool across the way. Your legs press together as you subtly bite your lip, devouring every single detail of his body. The chest hair that you’ve ran your fingers through so many times is slowly submerged beneath the water, your eyes flicking up to Joel’s.

He glides towards you, a small smirk on his face as he does. Your back is against the lip of the pool, your arms spread out on either side to grip the scalding ground above you. You can feel your face flushing crimson as he gets nearer, his head briefly dipping into the water before he finishes his slow approach.

He stays a comfortable distance away, your gaze quickly looking to the side to see that no one is paying you two any mind. The deep end is vacant except for you and Joel, making his presence seeming all the more intense.

“So you’re not all mine, huh?” he asks quietly as he smirks.

You giggle, your gaze flitting down to the ripples beneath you in the water. “I’m not sure. We haven’t really discussed the technicalities of our relationship yet,” you tease, your heart drumming in your chest.

Joel nods, amusement never leaving his lips or eyes. “Well, that’s such a shame for you. I thought it was my lovely girlfriend who put all of this together for me. I had so many ways of thanking her, too.”

“Yeah?” you squeak. “Like how?”

He opens his mouth, but then is instantly pounced on from behind by Sarah, her arms wrapping around his chest as she tries to dunk him under the water.

“Help me, y/n!” she shouts.

You laugh as you instantly spring into action, putting your hands on his shoulders as you and Sarah both quickly dunk him. Joel bursts out of the water, picking Sarah up as she squeals and laughs, tossing her in the deep end with ease. His eyes lock onto you, and you know you’re his next target.

He wraps his arms around you, taking your body and submerging it completely under water after you take a large gasp. He pulls you back up, laughter filling you.

“Sarah, help!” you cry, water flooding your vision. “He’s gonna drown me. Get him!”

Joel’s arms release you as Sarah tackles him, doing her best to try to get him beneath the water again. You laugh, coming at Joel from the other side as water splashes against him from your body slamming into his. You and Sarah both successfully sink him once again, all of the laughter making your cheeks ache.

Joel’s bubbles stop and he dramatically floats on his back, pretending to have drowned.

“Wow, I’ve been betrayed and killed at my own birthday party,” he says with his eyes closed as the water carries him deeper into the pool. “Didn’t even get to have dessert.”

“There’s no dessert for you,” you jest, crossing your arms.

“Yeah, dad. Dead guys don’t get dessert!” Sarah says from beside you, a big smile on her face.

Joel instantly pops up, coming at Sarah with his arms spread wide, resulting in a squeal from her. “Can’t die before I have dessert, now can I?” He slams her into the water, all three of you laughing as she comes back up for air.

Later, you’re wrapped in a towel, shivering and dripping with chlorinated water as you light the candles on his cake. You got him a red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting, knowing that’s his favorite since it’s what your dad has given him every year.

You decided to stray away from the number candles, knowing that it’ll only freak him out and make him melancholy about his age. You can’t help but feel like he only thinks he’s ancient now because of you, and it makes your chest tighten with guilt. You don’t want to be the cause of any negative thoughts he might have, especially when he has nothing to worry about.

You reluctantly kick off the happy birthday song, carrying the cake out to him on the glass table outside. He beams at you as everyone begins to sing, his eyes on yours the entire walk to him. You set the cake down in front of him, continuing the song until the last lyric. Everyone waits silently as Joel closes his eyes, taking a deep breath in before he blows out the candles.

Clapping echoes throughout the backyard, several people shouting with excitement as they celebrate. You hand Joel a knife to cut the cake as well as a stack of paper dessert plates. He smiles up at you, taking his beer from the table and standing as he raises it.

“I just wanted to take a second to thank y/n for putting all of this together. You and your family have always gone above and beyond to make my birthdays special, and I just want to thank you for that. I’ve been really hating the idea of turning forty, but you’ve made it really easy,” he looks to you, raising his beer. “Thank you.”

You beam, the overwhelming bashfulness consuming your cheeks as everyone claps, your dad giving you a gentle pat on the shoulder.

Joel begins to cut and serve up the cake, and you watch him with softened eyes.

“You really did do a good job,” your dad says from beside you. “I think you out did your old man.”

Your eyes widen. “What, really?”

He chuckles as he nods. “Definitely. Look at him,” he gestures his head to Joel. “Have you ever seen him look that happy at my parties?”

You laugh, the embers of a low burning fire setting your heart ablaze, knowing that he’s happy because of you. It makes you want to cry. Sarah herself even said that her dad deserves a good party, and she’s completely right. He deserves everything to be good in his life.

After everyone leaves, it’s close to seven o’clock, and you are entirely beat. The sun, the decorating, and the swimming all worked together to completely drain you of all your energy. You stay behind to wrap up the leftovers, frowning once you see that Joel’s fridge is already packed full.

“I’ll have to bring this over to my place, if that’s okay. You don’t have anymore room,” you say to Joel who sadly has his shirt back on.

“Oh, of course. Let me help you take some stuff over there.”

“Thank you,” you grin, your eyes feeling heavy.

“Sarah!” Joel calls out, “I’m helping y/n take stuff over to her house. Be back in a bit.”

“Okay. I’m too tired to care right now,” she shouts back, making Joel and you both laugh.

The massive rectangular cake box rests in the grip of your right arm, as the tray of taco shells sits in your left. Joel grabs the rice, having two trays stacked on top of each other as you both walk next door to your house. You open your side door with your foot, kicking the handle down and pulling it open.

Joel sets his trays down on the counter as you do, pulling open your fridge to load the extra servings inside of it.

“Thank you so much for today, y/n. Seriously,” he says as he walks up behind you, rubbing your shoulders. “I think you might’ve officially out-niced me.”

You giggle, craning your neck to the side to allow him access. “Good.”

Joel pulls the dampened towel off from around you, your bathing suit still on underneath. Your body turns, wrapping your arms around his neck as he pulls you in for a greedy, tongue-filled kiss.

His one hand rests on your hip as the other is splayed across the center of your back. You lift your leg, wrapping it around his to pull him in closer to you.

Joel pulls away. “What was that thing you mentioned about not being mine?”

You chuckle, seeing the mischievous twinkle in his chocolatey eyes. “Well, you haven’t officially asked me to be your girlfriend yet.”

“Yeah, and taking you on dates and making you cum every night doesn’t make you think that you’re mine?” he asks with a devilish smirk.

You bite your lip, his fingers sliding the bottom of your bikini down. “Nope.”

Joel chuckles, freeing himself from his swim trunks. “I love the game you’re playing, baby, but I doubt you can keep it up for long.”

As his hands wrap around you to untie your top, you swallow thickly, shuddering. “Yeah? And why’s that?”

“Because you love my cock too much.” Joel spins you, bending you over your kitchen counter.

Your face and bare breasts press against the cold surface, making you yelp quietly. He quickly pushes himself fully inside of you, causing you to scream out in shock and pleasure.

“Fuck!” you moan, your fingertips gripping the icy marble counter.

Joel’s hand weaves into your hair, gripping it and pulling your head back as he slams ruthlessly into you. He’s never been this rough with you before, but you are loving every single second.

“Tell me,” he grunts, skin slapping to yours.

You cry out, hardly able to speak. “Tell you w-what?”

“That you’re mine.”

You bite your lip, smiling to yourself as his cock repeatedly stretches you over and over again. “No.”

Joel chuckles lowly, pulling you up to his chest by your hair, the pleasurable pain cascading down your neck in a prickling waterfall. He fucks up into you, hitting that spot inside that makes you crumble to him every single time. His fingers move to your clit, rubbing you quickly and expertly.

“Then don’t cum on me if you’re not mine,” he grunts into your ear, fucking you so good that you swear you can see stars.

“Joel,” you moan loudly, his hand still gripped onto your hair at the base of your scalp. “I can’t—”

He gives you a deep thrust that makes you jump to stand onto the pads of your toes, your gasp catching in your throat.

“You know that’s not my name, sweet girl.” Another sharp thrust thrown into the mix. “You really think you can not cum on me, hm? You know I make it so easy for you.”

His words make you squeeze tightly around his length, the sound of your wetness being even more intense than before.

“Daddy, I—” you gasp, your thighs trembling.

“Can feel you gripping me, baby. I know you’re close. Know you’re desperate to cum on me, aren’t you?”

You nod. “Yes!” you scream. “I’m so close, daddy.”

“Don’t cum unless you’re mine,” he rasps, his hips never giving up their relentless pace.

Your entrance tightens, your orgasm at the precipice. Right before you’re about to release, Joel stops rubbing you, making your body fall slightly as a whimper escapes your throat.

“No, no, no!” you protest. “No, please, daddy. Please let me cum.”

Joel grips at your scalp, shaking your head. “Are you mine?”

“Yes!” your voice breaks. “I’m yours, daddy. I’m all yours.”

“Fucking right you are. Who else could fuck you this good?”

“Nobody!” you scream, tears building in your eyes from the desperation you feel. “Please make me cum, please.”

Joel lets out a throaty moan that makes you clench around him. “Love hearing you so desperate for me, baby.” His fingers return to your clit. “Who does this cunt belong to?”

“You!” you rasp loudly. “You, daddy. Just you.”

“Good girl. Now cum on the cock that owns you.”

Instantly, you’re having an intense, life-altering orgasm. Your screams of pleasure are being bounced back to you from your ceiling as your weeping entrance grips Joel tightly. His own orgasm begins to pump out into you, the incessant throbbing against your pulsating walls only prolonging your own release.

“God,” you cry, your body sagging into Joel’s strong grip.

His plethora of moans cease, his hand releasing your hair as he pulls your back flat against his chest.

“Did so good, y/n,” he kisses your temple. “Take me so fucking good every time.”

You pant, your eyes so heavy that you can’t even dare to pry them open. Joel’s arms are wrapped across your torso, keeping you tight to him as he withdraws from inside of you. He lays gentle pecks along the line of your shoulder, his lips making their way to your neck.

“Let’s get you to bed,” he says gently. “You did a lot today.”

Reluctantly, you turn towards your bedroom, your jellied legs giving out beneath you, but Joel quickly reacts to lift you back up. He keeps his arms around your midsection, his feet stepping on the outsides of yours all the way to your bed.

You sit into bed, knowing you’ll have to wash the sheets since there will be a small puddle beneath you in the morning, but you’ll worry about that tomorrow. Your head crashes against the pillow, your eyes shut as you feel Joel lean in and kiss your forehead.

“Good night, y/n. Thank you again for my birthday. I had an amazing day,” he says gently, the dominating man from before being completely gone.

“No, don’t leave,” you whine, holding your arm out to grip onto his. “Sleep with me.”

“I can’t, baby. I’ve gotta get back home. Sarah might still be awake.”

“If she’s not, will you come back?”

Joel chuckles. “I don’t want to leave your door unlocked for that long.”

You smile, your eyes still closed. “Just take my key.”

He leans down and places a soft, lingering kiss to your lips. “Okay. I’ll be back in a few hours to sleep with you.”

“Mmm,” you hum with contentment, “thank you.”

Joel brings the blanket up over your shoulder, feeling yourself drift deeper into the realm of sleep. Before you even realize it, you’re crossing into the ethereal twilight, dreaming of Joel and the beauty in his smile.

You feel a dip in your bed, making you stir as your eyes open. Your body shifts to see Joel smiling, smelling of a fresh shower.

“Hey, you,” he whispers, placing a kiss on your nose. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“You came back,” you respond softly. “I’m so happy you came back.”

“Of course I did. How can I say no to you?”

You giggle, reaching your hand up to stroke Joel’s face, feeling his rough beard beneath your fingers.

“What time is it?” you ask sleepily.

“Almost midnight. I took a quick shower before I came over. I felt all sticky from the pool.”

You chuckle. “I’m all sticky from you and the pool.”

Joel laughs, his cheek bulging into your palm. “I love when you’re full of me.”

“Me, too.” Your eyes flick between his. “You really had a good birthday?”

“One of the best, yes,” he smiles warmly. “I still can’t believe you did all of that for me. Every day I’m just dumbfounded as to why you like me so much.”

“Because you’re perfect.” You stroke his cheek with your thumb. “Wholly and truly perfect. I’m crazy about you, Joel.”

“I’m crazy about you too, y/n. I didn’t even want to act like we weren’t together at the party. I wanted to show you off and let everyone know that I’m yours and you’re mine.”

“You’re so sweet,” you coo, admiring him. “Just a little bit longer. Sarah should definitely be first because she’ll hopefully take it the best.”

“I think she will. I loved seeing you with her today. You’re so good with her.”

You shrug, laughing slightly. “I love Sarah. And I love how much she likes me.”

“You’re very easy to like, y/n,” he smiles, pulling you in to his chest.

You giggle, placing a kiss against the fabric of his shirt. “Can I ask you something?”

“Hmm?”

“Earlier when you blew out your candles, what did you wish for?”

Joel is quiet for a minute, and you wonder if he’s going to tell you at all. “You’re gonna think I’m crazy.”

You sit up, pushing your breasts against his chest. “I thought I was crazy for throwing you a party, but you loved it. Try me,” you beam.

His eyes soften, but his gaze is serious, yet gentle. “I wished for you to be in my future.”

You blink at him, a wave of emotion overcoming your heart. “Really?”

He nods. “You are everything I could hope for in a woman, y/n. I didn’t date or hook up with anyone after my wife died. All I wanted was to be alone for the rest of my life and never do the relationship stuff again.” He smiles fondly at you. “And after ten years of being stuck in my ways, you’ve changed my mind.”

A tear cascades down your hot cheek, Joel swiping it slowly with his thumb. “God, Joel. I can’t believe you think that of me. I feel the same way about you. I hope that you’re in my future, and not just tomorrow. I want you for years.”

He sits up slightly to seal his lips to yours, his hands rubbing your sides tenderly. “You’ve got me, baby. I’m not going anywhere.”

You chuckle, running your nose along his. “Me neither.”

****

Taglist: @violet-19999

[nicoline1998enilocin]

Yours, Forever | Chapter 16

PAIRING | Boyfriend!Bucky Barnes x Girlfriend!Female!Reader

WORD COUNT | 3.2K

SUMMARY | Everyone gets invited to visit Sam's sister in Louisiana, and you and Bucky use this opportunity to get engaged. The road to the engagement goes smoothly and when you manage to catch your amazing super soldier off guard, your mood can't get any better.

WARNING(S) | This is your official trigger warning. Do not proceed if any of these topics upset you. Light angst, smut [ Lazy morning sex, unprotected sex (wrap it before you tap it!, cum on stomach), some Dutch is spoken and translated, mention of a parent who passed away.

Likes, comments and reblogs will be very much appreciated 🩷

Divider is made by @firefly-graphics | Header & 18+ banner are made by yours truly

Main Masterlist | Bucky Barnes Masterlist | Series masterlist | Chapter 15 | Chapter 17

You still remember the invitation like yesterday, even though it has been a while. Since then, there is nothing else you could think about other than Bucky, and you plan on proposing to him in Louisiana.

The first thing you did at that moment? Turn to your best friend for help, of course. He's been supportive after seeing how happy Bucky makes you, so it was a no-brainer to help you.

''Tony?'' you ask as you walk into his lab, knowing that's where you would most likely find him, and you were right.

''I'm over here, Honey,'' he says, and when you spot him, you slowly walk over so as not to disturb him.

''How's my favorite person doing?'' you ask, earning yourself a chuckle.

''I thought Bucky was your favorite person now! But I'll take what I can get,'' Tony replies, turning to you for a hug. You gladly melt into his arms because his hugs are one of your favorite things.

''So, there's something I want to talk to you about, actually,'' you start, and immediately you're getting nervous.

''Alright, let me finish this up, and afterward, I'm all yours,'' he says as he turns back to his Iron Man helmet.

You walk around the lab for what feels like an eternity, and your palms are getting increasingly sweatier with the minute.

''Yes, I'm ready!'' he says, pulling out two chairs, one for himself and one for you to sit on. When you sit down, you immediately pull your knees to your chest to make yourself feel more comfortable.

''So, I, uh, I'm not sure how to ask this, but... I would like you to help me pick an engagement ring because I've been considering proposing to Bucky for a while. We've talked about it and would love to get married, so I thought I'd be the one to propose to him,'' you say with a deep blush on your cheeks.

''When do you plan on proposing?'' he asked, a big smile on his face.

''Well, we're all invited for a week at Sarah's in Louisiana, so I was planning on proposing that week, but I'd still have to talk about it to Sarah as well,'' you tell him, with an equally big smile.

''I can't believe it, I'm so happy for you! And, of course, I would be honored to help you pick something out, as long as you let me pay for the ring,'' Tony says.

''Really? You know I can pay for it myself, right?'' you tell him, knowing he won't let you do it.

''I know, but since you're asking for my help, I want to give it to you by paying for the start of the rest of your lives together,'' Tony says, and you jump up from your chair and pull him into a hug.

''Am I interrupting something?'' you hear Bucky say as he walks in looking for you.

''No, don't worry,'' you say as you let go of Tony and walk over to Bucky, and you capture his lips in a sweet kiss.

''I wasn't worried, but we do need to go now if we still want to make it to our reservation,'' he tells you, and you say goodbye to Tony before heading out.

About a week later, you find yourself in a jewelry store with Tony, looking at engagement rings for Bucky. It doesn't take long for you to spot the perfect ring, and the man behind the counter puts it in a gorgeous black velvet box.

Now, all there is to do is propose and hope he will say yes to spending the rest of your lives with each other.

About a week before you were going to Louisiana, you pulled Sam aside to get into contact with Sarah. ''Sam? Can I talk to you in private for a few minutes?'' you ask, and he hums in response.

You walk outside and make some small talk before getting to the topic as the two of you sit outside on a bench, enjoying the sun.

''So, I want you to contact Sarah because I need to run something past her. I'm planning on proposing to Bucky when we're there next week, and I want to make it perfect, so I need her help to do that,'' you tell him, and he looks at you with the proudest look you've ever seen.

''Are you for real right now? You're going to propose to him? It makes sense; nothing in your relationship has ever been conventional, and this would be perfect. I'll call her tonight and keep you posted, okay?'' he says before pulling you into a big hug, and the two of you walk inside, making some more small talk to not seem suspicious.

The rest of the week, you were getting increasingly nervous, and Tony and Sam kept telling you to calm down and that it would be okay, but it wasn't as easy as you thought.

Bucky is different than the type of person who likes surprises, so you plan to keep it small, which is more challenging than anticipated. You've run a thousand ideas through your head, and nothing seems right, so when you get the all-clear from Sam that Sarah's okay with it, you could start planning something.

A few days before the trip, you're already packing the suitcases for yourself and Bucky when you suddenly hear Bucky gasp in the other room, and your heart sinks to your stomach.

You quickly rush to the bedroom, ready to explain why there's a ring in your suitcase, when you see Bucky standing with a set of black and yellow lingerie you've bought especially for the trip. You let out a small sigh of relief when you see the fabric in his hands.

''How long were you going to keep this from me?'' he asks as he turns around, showing you the panties.

''Who knows, maybe I would have kept it until the last day to surprise you with it then,'' you tease him, and he smiles.

''Hm, I can't wait to see you wear this, but now I need to see what you're hiding from me at this moment,'' he says as he starts undressing you and placing small kisses all over your naked skin.

The morning of your proposal is here, and you're more nervous about this than you've ever been for anything in your entire life. However, you and Bucky are starting the day in the most fantastic way possible.

You've been in Louisiana for a few days, and you and Bucky have been slowly adjusting to a new routine here, which includes the most excellent, softest, and laziest morning sex that makes you feel so loved and cherished.

The sex between you and Bucky has never been near vanilla, but the soft, slow sex to wake up in the morning has to be one of your favorite things of this trip, and you are relishing every last second of it.

Right now, you're lying against Bucky, his chest tightly against your back as he softly kisses your neck and shoulders to wake you up.

You stretch out and wiggle your butt against Bucky, feeling exactly how hard he is, but you know you're practically soaking through your panties as he keeps kissing you.

''Morning, doll,'' Bucky says as you turn around, and Bucky climbs on top of you, locking his lips perfectly with yours before swiping his tongue across your bottom lip, asking for access.

''Bucky...'' you moan softly as he breaks apart enough to pull his underwear down and your panties.

He slides home in one smooth thrust and stays like that for a little while as the two of you keep kissing and enjoying each other's bodies by exploring with featherlight touches.

When he starts moving, you let out the softest moan, and Bucky can't help but smile against your lips as pleasure courses through your veins.

The slow, loving pace sets your entire insides on fire with pleasure, and in your mind, the missionary position has never felt this good. He changes his position and folds your leg further back while sitting on his heels so he can look precisely where he slides in and out of you, making Bucky even harder than he already was.

The slow pace has made way for a slightly faster pace, not enough to push you over the edge yet. He's made sure to keep you exactly where you are for as long as possible, and the smug look on his face shows you exactly that.

Soft moans tumble from your lips each time he thrusts into you, and you're suddenly very startled and quickly pulled from your bliss when you hear your bedroom opening and Steve walking in.

''Y/N? Bucky? Are you awake?'' Steve asks, but he quickly stops as he hears your shriek, unable to look away from the sight before him.

''STEVE! GET THE FUCK OUT!'' you scream; meanwhile, Bucky doesn't even think about stopping what he's doing as he's too wrapped up in his pleasure.

''I, uh- sorry!'' he says as he turns bright red and turns around, pulling the door shut behind him with a loud thud.

You can't help but laugh at him, which is quickly replaced with a few louder moans as his hands move to your nipples, which he squeezes and tugs in par with his thrusts.

Once your attention is fully back on Bucky, he continues his slow movements to get you right to the edge, and once he knows you're there, his fingers move to your very sensitive clit. With subtle motions, you fall over the border into one of the best orgasms he manages to drag out for several minutes.

When you're done, it doesn't take long for him to reach his orgasm, and he pulls out, stroking himself; his cum shoots over your mound and stomach before he leans over and captures your lips in a deep kiss.

You two stay like that for a little while longer before getting up to shower, and it is a shower filled with nothing but love and kisses everywhere.

''Come on, let's make some pancakes for everyone,'' you say as you walk down the stairs and into the kitchen. You slipped on a pair of panties and one of Bucky's shirts, not minding who sees since you're very comfortable around everyone nowadays.

Bucky grabs the ingredients for the pancakes, and while he's mixing the batter, you're setting the table with plates, cutlery, and every topping you can find.

Sam wolf-whistles as he walks down the stairs and sees you and Bucky in the kitchen standing close to each other, and you just let out a laugh.

''Morning', love birds! I heard the two of you got interrupted earlier,'' he says, and your cheeks turn a deep red color. Bucky laughs loudly.

''Yeah, you could say that. I don't think he'll look at us the same way ever again,'' Bucky jokes when Steve and his fiancée Lucas walk into the kitchen.

''Speak of the devil!'' Sam says, and as soon as Steve spots you and Bucky, his cheeks turn an even deeper shade of red, and he turns around to hide his face in Lucas' neck.

The rest of the morning is spent making jokes, feeding everyone pancakes, and enjoying time with each other.

When breakfast was over, you got dressed in a dark red floral maxi dress, and you went to the farmers market to pick up some plums for Bucky and some other groceries for Sarah and the others.

''Wow, you look gorgeous!'' Bucky says as you emerge from the bathroom where you finished your hair. You decided against wearing make-up since you plan to swim later.

In the afternoon, everyone is either swimming, sunbathing, or doing other fun stuff in or around the water, and you take the opportunity to show off your new mint green and orange bikini to Bucky, which you got just for this occasion.

''Jesus, doll, you're trying to kill me, aren't you?'' he says as he pulls you on top of him, getting caught up in a heavy make-out session not long after.

When it is time for dinner, you and Bucky run upstairs and lock yourself in your shared bedroom after the steamy make-out session, and he proceeds to fuck the living daylight out of you.

The moans and shouts carry throughout the house, but neither of you cares anymore; all you need is to be close to each other, filled by Bucky, and not think about anything else.

You almost let it slip at that moment that you will propose to him.

''Bucky, m-'' is all you get out before his lips capture yours as he pounds into you, coaxing you both into an orgasm, but this time he shoots thick ropes of cum deep inside you while he rides out both your orgasms.

''Fuck, I love you so much, doll,'' he says as he's catching his breath after your quickie.

Dinner went smoothly with all the Avengers, though you got some pointed looks and comments before going out.

''So, you two were having fun, huh?'' Tony whispers in your ear when you both walk out the door, and you smack his chest as a response.

You excuse yourself for a little while after asking Sam to keep Bucky busy for about 20 minutes, and he happily does, seeing how he knows what's coming.

In those 20 minutes, you put 20 candles in two neat rows on the side of the dock you're standing on, leading to the end, where you're planning to go on one knee for Bucky.

A small speaker is playing soft jazz music, and the ring is ready to be proposed, so you text Sam to please send Bucky outside to the dock.

Bucky walks out the door and walks over to the dock, exactly like Sam told him to do, and when he sees you standing at the end of the candles, he starts to tear up a little at the sight in front of him.

He walks over to you, and you step aside so he can stand before you, ready for you to take his hands on yours. You're barely holding it together, but you're trying your hardest.

''Bucky, sweet, amazing, adorable, handsome, gorgeous, loving Bucky. You're the best boyfriend I could have ever wished for, and even though we went through literal hell and back together, I would not have changed it for the life of me,'' you start off the proposal.

''You've changed me for the better, and I know you've changed too, and I can't begin to tell you how proud I am of how far we've gotten, individually and together. And I would love to continue this journey with you by my side.

''When I think of growing old with someone, all I picture is you by my side. Friends, kids, pets, the whole nine yards, but most of all, I see you by my side. Today, I want to mark as the beginning of the rest of our lives,'' you say, wiping away tears from your face, and Bucky does the same with his.

You sit down on one knee after getting the black velvet ring box. ''James Buchanan Barnes, will you do me the honor of sharing the rest of our lives and marry me?'' you say, and you open the ring box, showing him the ring that matches his Vibranium arm.

''Yes! I would love nothing more than growing old with you, doll,'' he says, and you get up, your lips clashing together as you hear the rest of them shouting and whistling on their fingers in congratulations. You slip the ring on Bucky's finger, and you're still in disbelief that you did it. You're going to be the future, Mrs. Barnes.

Bucky grabbed your hand and interlaced his fingers with yours as the two of you walked over to your friends, and before you knew it, Nat, Wanda, and Pepper were all hanging around your neck, crying after the beautiful proposal.

After that are all the guys, and Tony holds you just a little longer. ''I'm so proud of everything you've done to get to this point. You deserve nothing but the best. But there's one more surprise for you tonight,'' he says before stepping aside.

There's the one person you wished would have been there, and to see him stand in front of you is enough to have you sink on your knees, crying uncontrollably at the relief you're feeling. Your Dad witnessed your entire proposal, and you're nothing short of grateful.

''Papa! Ik kan niet geloven dat je er bent!'' (Dad! I can't believe you are here!) you say as you fall into his arms, still sobbing while he does the same.

''Je hebt het verdiend, Y/N. Na alles wat er is gebeurd is dit wat je hebt verdiend. En ik weet zeker dat Mama van boven mee heeft gekeken,'' (You have earned it, Y/N. After everything that has happened, this is what you deserve. And I'm sure Mom has watched from above.) he says, making you cry even harder.

Bucky walks up to you and softly rubs soothing circles on your lower back. He knows how much you miss your Mom; she would have moved heaven and earth to be here today.

When you've calmed down a little, your Dad congratulates Bucky by pulling him into a long hug, saying how proud he is of him and how happy he is for the two of you.

''Take good care of her, okay? I won't always be there for her, so you need to ensure she's doing well. She deserves nothing but the best, and I know you can give it to her,'' he says, and Bucky nods.

''I promise, Will. I promise I will treat her like the Queen she is,'' Bucky says, and with that, all of you are ready for a night of dancing, laughter, and love.

When it is time for the song Endlessly by Amaranthe, Bucky pulls you into the middle of the large circle everyone created, as they are all standing around the two of you holding hands.

You and Bucky dance like it's something you've always done like it's natural. And for the two of you, it is second nature. Bucky's hand moves up to your cheek, and you look into each other's eyes before closing the distance and sharing a soft kiss that feels like it lasts for an eternity.

''I love you, Bucky,'' you say when you pull away.

''I love you more, Y/N. More than I'll ever be able to tell you, but I promise to show you every single day from here on out how much I love you. And I want you to know that I'll be yours, forever,'' he says before locking lips again and slowly dancing with you.

Right now, nothing has ever felt more right. Life feels complete with all the people around you in the arms of the love of your life. This is a day never to forget, and you can't wait to tell your kids about it one day.

[lady-murderess]

At the end of the day, there is a reason 10's face came back, and that is literally just to say goodbye to NuWho. The 15th Doctor is a complete reboot, RTD has said it himself. But coming from a character standpoint, there was reasoning for it. 14 still had all of 10's qualities. Now, he wasn't as cold as 10, he was more open and not afraid to be affectionate, but even then he still carried the same amount of shame on his shoulders and tortured himself with his trauma. To be honest, 14 seemed tired.

Bumbling about the internet, I have seen people bring up the Metacrisis Doctor when it comes to this finale, but the difference between this bi-generation and the metacrisis was the fact that the metacrisis was a two way thing. Donna became a Time Lord and the version of him that came from both Donna and 10's hand is completely human with quite a bit of her personality in him, and the bi-generation is literally just two of the exact same Time Lords. And that's it.

And to be honest, in some ways 10 wanted to have his cake and eat it. A part of him wanted to settle down and also be a Time Lord, because let's face it, he'd never be able to say goodbye to that life he's lived for all those many years, he even said that when Donna and 15 told him to let go and he was scared. And more proof of that was in series 2's School Reunion episode (which is one of my all time favourites) when Rose confronted him on why he never mentioned Sarah Jane, and then later on in the series finale of 4 where he and DoctorDonna leave the Metacrisis Doctor behind with Rose. He loved Rose, always had, but he knew it would break his heart to see her grow old and die, so really the Metacrisis Doctor got to have his happy end because he was human.

I think 15 was the part of the Doctor that still had the urge to keep going and wanted to be finally free from the pain of the past. Every Doctor has their own personalities and ways of coping with things, and I think 15 just wants to be carefree and happy and that's just what I get from the trailer for Christmas special where he is literally in a club dancing so freely... something we've never seen from the Doctor before.

I won't lie though, I don't understand the issue with it being Donna he gets to have that happy end with. He couldn't have it with Martha, she has Mickey and her family, Sarah Jane has been dead for a long time, he never got to truly know the Bannerman Road Gang, and Jack is out there doing things with Torchwood, so he couldn't have gone with any of them either, and the rest of the companions in NuWho are pretty much dead. So, why not Donna?

It's said by quite a few characters during the 10th Doctor era that he never stays, and he'll even admit multiple times he'll keep on running. And after losing Rose, we all saw how he just ran faster and grew darker. Martha gave him a phone so she could keep in contact with him, and what did he do? He denied the fact that he even had a phone when it rang and Donna asked questions about it. And let's face it, if the universe hadn't pulled him and Donna together for them to meet again, he would never have seen her again after the Racnoss. She offered him Christmas dinner with her and her family and he just didn't.

Overall, every companion of 10's all have their happy ends except for her. Yes, Donna has a family and she loves them dearly, but for those 15 years she felt that something was missing. So, she didn't really get a happy end because she had no closure and it plagued her and her family. But now here she is and 14 here is, happy because they both have closure. So, I don't know... It just seems rather fitting to me.

At the end of the day, this whole thing was just finally letting this face of the Doctor, this version of himself who's most damaged and tired, just be happy.

[mimisempai]

You're the only light in my blurry world 10/10

Chapter summary

It's time for Sarah to be reunited with her parents and for our two lovebirds to begin their life together.

Notes

Thank you so much to everyone who followed this story, for your comments and for your kudos. I hope you enjoyed this little story.

On Ao3

Rating G -  2735 words

Masterpost for this fic : here

"Azi!"

Aziraphale had barely passed through the school gates when he found himself with his arms full of Sarah.

The little girl held the angel pendant up to his eyes and said, "It's me, Sarah!"

Aziraphale laughed and said, "Thank you, sweetie. Did you get all your stuff? Did you say goodbye to the teacher?"

She showed him her school bag and then, pointing to a woman standing outside the entrance, said, "Yes, that's the teacher from the other morning, she recognized you."

Aziraphale set Sarah down, then took her hand and replied, "All right, let's go."

"Are we going home?"

"No."

"No? Where are we going?"

Aziraphale smiled and replied, "We're going to the park, your brother's meeting us there, he said something about feeding the ducks and we'll have ice cream and there's even a surprise."

Sarah jumped up and exclaimed, "A surprise? What?"

Aziraphale chuckled and replied, "If I tell you, it won't be a surprise anymore, will it?"

About twenty minutes later, they arrived at the park, and it was Sarah who immediately spotted Crowley.

"Big brother!"

She let go of Aziraphale's hand and ran to her brother.

Crowley hugged her before putting her down again, and she grabbed his hand, then when Aziraphale reached her, she held out her other hand to him.

As they entered the park, Aziraphale could hear some people talking.

"Oh, what a lovely family."

"A lovely couple with a cute little girl."

Aziraphale noticed that people were talking about them and wondered if this was really the image they were projecting.

That of a loving family.

In any case, he couldn't deny the pleasant warm feeling the thought gave him, and when his gaze shifted to Crowley, he saw a feeling in his lover's eyes that echoed his own. 

They arrived near the ice cream stand and stopped to buy some.

Moments later, they were on their way, ice cream in hand. Crowley had a vanilla flake, Aziraphale a strawberry lolly and Sarah a chocolate cone.

They soon found a bench near the pond and sat down to enjoy their ice cream.

After a few minutes, Sarah couldn't stand still, and as soon as she finished her ice cream, she jumped off the bench and started running in the grass.

But Aziraphale held her back before pulling a handkerchief from his pocket and gently wiping her chocolate smeared lips.

Crowley chuckled softly and said, "A real doting father."

Aziraphale blushed slightly and Crowley added softly, "It suits you."

They exchanged glances again when suddenly Sarah interjected, "Big brother, can I go feed the ducks?"

Aziraphale asked in amazement, "What are you going to feed them with, sweetie?"

"Oh, I'm sure Crowley has just the right thing in his pocket."

Aziraphale's eyes turned to Crowley, who was rummaging in his pocket. He soon pulled out a small bag that Aziraphale couldn't make out what it was and handed it to Sarah.

He asked, "What is it?" 

Sarah stood in front of him and waved the bag in front of him and said, like someone who had learned her lesson, "These are frozen peas. That's what you feed the ducks. They love it, and it's good for them. This is what big brother told me. He even called someone an idiot once for throwing bread at them."

"Sarah!"

But Sarah had already walked away, laughing.

Aziraphale moved a little closer to Crowley and asked with a raised eyebrow, "Tell me, how do you know so much about ducks?"

"When it was just me and Mom and we weren't rolling in dough, she'd take me out here to play and we'd come and feed the ducks. She grew up on a farm and knew a lot about it. Later, I took Sarah there, too."

Aziraphale put his hand on Crowley's, which was between them on the bench, and intertwined their fingers as he said, "I'm glad you have such a lovely relationship with Sarah, even though there's a big age difference between you.

Crowley replied quietly, "Alex is a good man, he's been good to Mom and me. He's never made a distinction between me and Sarah. I've never felt like an outcast in the family. My mother is finally happy, and that's the most important thing."

Releasing Crowley's hand to put his arm around his lover's shoulders, Aziraphal asked gently, "Are you happy, too? Because that's important, too."

Crowley turned his face fully toward him and, eyes locked with Aziraphale's, replied softly, "Now I am," then closed the distance between them and pressed his lips to his in a tender kiss.

"Is that how you keep an eye on our daughter?"

They both gasped and quickly broke off before turning their heads in the direction of the voice.

Crowley called out, "Mom, Alex, you're here a little earlier than expected!"

Alex chuckled softly and replied, "I admit we're early for once."

Aziraphale was a little apprehensive because he couldn't quite make out the expressions on Crowley's mother and stepfather's faces, and he didn't know them well enough to be able to make anything out of their voices. But he was soon reassured when Crowley's mother walked over to her son and hugged him tightly as she said, "Hello, my boy."

Then she stepped back and walked over to Aziraphale, who held out his hand in greeting.

Alice shook her head and replied, "None of that," then hugged him in turn and whispered mischievously, "Big brother Azi.

Hearing this, Aziraphale wondered what Crowley could have shared with his mother.

Then Alex shook their hands in turn, and Aziraphale appreciated his straightforward, strong grip.

"I'm Alex, Alice's husband and Sarah's father."

"Aziraphale, Crowley's..." he hesitated before continuing, "...boyfriend."

He could tell by the look on Crowley's face that he'd said the right thing as Alex replied with a smile, "Welcome to the family."

Aziraphale had no time to react as a loud cry interrupted them.

"Daddy! Mommy!"

Sarah ran toward them and threw herself into the arms of her mother, who picked her up and kissed her on the cheek, followed by Alex.

Then the little girl turned to Aziraphale and asked, "Is this the surprise?"

Aziraphale nodded and smiled.

"Great!"

Aziraphale saw Sarah's mother cast a puzzled glance at the angel-shaped pendant before she said, "I see your big brother has spoiled you."

"Oh, Mom! It's a special gift. You see, Azi has a disease, he can't see faces. When he came to pick me up from school, he didn't recognize me right away, so a mean teacher wouldn't let him take me. I was sad, and so was Azi. So big brother Crowley gave me this pendant to wear so that Azi can always recognize me. It's cool, isn't it?"

Alice nodded.

"It really is."

Then she put her hand on Aziraphale's arm and said in a gentle, sympathetic tone, "It really must not be easy every day, right? I am even more grateful for what you have done for us."

Then she turned to her husband and said, "Alex, we're going to look into pins or something to wear whenever Aziraphale is here so he knows who we are."

Aziraphale, touched beyond words, saw at that moment where Crowley got his exceptional character.

He said quietly, "Thank you, that's very thoughtful of you."

"It's nothing, we're going to see a lot of each other, aren't we? So if there's any way we can make it easier, we'll find it."

Aziraphale felt the gentle pressure of Crowley's hand on the small of his back and leaned lightly against him, nodding.

Then Alice said to Sarah, "How about we go home, I'm sure you have a lot to tell us."

"Can Crowley and Azi come with us?"

Alex winked at the two men and replied, "I think the boys would prefer to spend some time together."

"But all they're going to do is kiss!"

"Sarah!"

Aziraphale and Crowley didn't know what to do with themselves as Alice said with a playful twinkle in her eye, "Oh, Sarah, I think you really have a lot to tell us. Now say goodbye and thank you to Crowley and Aziraphale."

The goodbyes took a few moments longer as Sarah found it hard to say goodbye to her two big brothers. She shed a few tears, but soon smiled again as they promised to see each other again soon.

Aziraphale and Crowley watched them go, then Crowley turned to his lover and asked, "Do you want to go home right now?"

Aziraphale shook his head, grabbed his hand, and said, "We have time, let's walk."

They began walking along a tree-shaded path, then Aziraphale asked, "Are you sure you don't want to spend some time with your family?"

Crowley pulled Aziraphale aside and paused before leaning toward his lover, their foreheads almost touching. He murmured, "No, now I want to spend a lot of time with you."

Aziraphale gasped a little as Crowley placed a hand on his cheek and leaned in further until their lips were almost touching. 

Crowley added, "Lots and lots of time. Doing this, for instance."

He let his tongue run lightly and gently over Aziraphale's lips, never slipping into his mouth. Aziraphale sighed impatiently when he realized that Crowley was teasing him, and then, unable to stand it any longer, he closed the distance between them and captured Crowley's lips, his tongue immediately seeking entry, which Crowley quickly granted. 

Aziraphale wrapped his arms around Crowley's neck, and as the kiss deepened, Crowley rubbed his thumb across his lover's cheek in a gentle caress, enjoying the soft moan Aziraphale gave in response. 

The kiss stayed just soft and slow enough not to draw any more attention to them. It tasted of strawberry and vanilla, it was perfect.

Much later, when they parted to catch their breath, Aziraphale breathed, "I want more of that too..." 

Crowley smiled, planted a light kiss on his lover's lips, then said softly, "I think we'll be better off at your place for more of this."

Aziraphale laughed softly, then took Crowley's hand, lifting it to his lips for a kiss before returning to the path they'd been on before this tender interlude.

He said softly, "I think it's your special power."

"What do you mean, my angel?"

Aziraphale said softly, "I want more with you. No, that's not quite right. It's more than that. With you, I know I am allowed to want more."

Crowley replied tenderly, "Oh, yes, you are. And you'll get what you want. Always more."

More kisses.

More tenderness.

More love.

**********

Five years later, as Aziraphale walked through the white flowered archways, he thought that words had never been truer than that day.

He had allowed himself to want and had received so much.

So much love.

So much happiness.

He had grown so much under Crowley's love, just like the plants his lover had carefully tended. His lover's precious plants that were now an integral part of the bookshop's decor.

An integral part of their home.

The bookshop, their home, where the spare room had now become Sarah's bedroom and where she regularly came to spend a few days with her two big brothers, as she called them. Although, as she'd been adding for some time, she was ten, she was all grown up now.

Sarah, who was walking in front of him, dressed in an adorable floral dress, her two braids topped with a floral crown, her angel pendant around her neck, barefoot in the grass where she threw petals, created a path that Aziraphale followed all the way to the altar where Crowley was standing.

Crowley, the only face he could see in this crowd of blurred faces.

Blurred, but some more recognizable than others.

As his eyes swept over the crowd as he moved forward, he recognized Maggie's bracelet, which fluttered as he passed her before her hand fell back to intertwine with Nina's. 

He recognized Muriel's brown curls and Eric's arm around their shoulders.

He recognized Alex and Alice when his eyes met the pins on their clothes.

Then his eyes slipped back to Crowley.

No need for signs, pins, pendants, he could make out the handsome face of the man who would soon be his husband.

As beautiful as the first day.

His miracle.

The miracle that still hadn't faded.

The doctors still hadn't found an answer.

But that didn't matter anymore.

They sat on what had become their bench in the park, and Crowley, after feeding the ducks, asked him, "Why do you think I'm the only one whose face you recognize?"

Aziraphale had turned to him, then traced his lover's features delicately with his fingertips and looked at him for a long time in silence before answering softly, "I don't know. I like to think it's ineffable."

"Ineffable?"

Aziraphale nodded.

"Yes. Ineffable. Inexplicable. I don't need to know anymore. Because it's you and because it's me. Sometimes things are too great or too beautiful to explain. And that's enough for me."

Crowley had said in an emotional voice, "I think that's enough for me, too."

As he took his place across from Crowley at the altar, placing his hand in his, he looked up at the one he loved. 

He could see the same emotion, the same love that was his.

Yes, sometimes things were too great or too beautiful to explain.

They just were.

And that was enough.

Epilogue

Aziraphale stepped outside for some fresh air, leaving the party in full swing.

The sky was clear, a light breeze was blowing, it was a warm summer night.

Perfect for the occasion.

He leaned against the balcony railing and sighed with a sense of contentment. 

The sounds of the party reached him, muffled by the closed doors.

The sounds of those who loved them and were with them on this special day.

Suddenly, he heard the door open and the sounds amplified for a brief moment before the door muffled them again.

Then he felt two familiar arms wrap around him, and Crowley's voice whispered in his ear, "So this is where you've been hiding? Not even 24 hours and you've already had enough of me, Mr. Aziraphale Crowley-Fell?"

Aziraphale chuckled and, leaning against Crowley's chest, replied softly, "As if that's something to worry about. I could never get enough of you, Mr. Anthony Fell-Crowley."

Crowley turned him in his arms and asked earnestly, "Are you sure everything's all right? "

Aziraphale nodded and replied in a firm voice, "Perfectly. Just like this day. I just needed some fresh air and maybe a moment to realize that it's all real. How far we've come since our first meeting. Since my clumsiness, since the time when I thought I'd never be happy again, and how everything has changed in just a week, until this moment."

He raised his hand and looked, overcome with emotion, at the new ring that adorned it.

Crowley raised his hand, adorned with the same ring, and took Aziraphale's, intertwining their fingers before saying softly, clearly overwhelmed as well, "It's huge, isn't it? "

Aziraphale nodded and Crowley leaned in to kiss him tenderly, their hands still intertwined.

The kiss was gentle, almost chaste.

Almost like a first kiss.

Their first real kiss as a married couple, if you didn't count the one at the ceremony.

A light breeze opened the door and the music reached them. 

Slow and languorous. 

They parted to catch their breath, forehead to forehead, and began to sway gently to the music.

Aziraphale rested his chin on Crowley's shoulder and looked out the window behind them, he could make out Alex and Alice dancing together, while Sarah was asleep on Maggie's lap, Maggie having her head resting on Nina's shoulder. Another dancing couple who were unmistakably Muriel and Eric. The young couple seemed to have seen them as they waved their hands in their direction. Aziraphale responded with a smile.

He didn't need to see the expressions on these people's faces because he could feel happiness better than he could see it.

He sighed with contentment and rested his head in the hollow of his husband's neck. Crowley tightened his arms around him as he hummed softly.

Then Aziraphale closed his eyes.

Finally, he no longer needed to see.

For love was all around him.

As visible as the face of the one he loved.

_________

Still not beta'd

Still not my native language

Still hoping you'll enjoy this story  🥰

Still thanking you for bearing with me 😝

Ineffable Husbands masterlist : here 

[mattslovergirl18]

Just helping a friend

Pope x reader

TW - Smut

Y/n was fighting with her mom, her mother wanted her to go to thus big party but y/n hated party's "Y/n come on its just for 6 hours and kie and Sarah is gonna be there" y/n mother said "can I invite my other friends to this dumass kook party" y/n asked knowing her mother is gonna say no "You can invite one of you're friends that is a Pogue" her mother said "thank you!" Y/n jumped up and hugged her mother she ran out of the houes.

"Y/n!" Jj Yelled happily "so we are gonna all have a beer or more and I got more weed!" Jj said planing what we were gonna do tonight "can't my mother is making me go to a kook party but my mom said can invite one person so the party won't be so stupid" y/n said "yeah my mom is forcing me to go too" kie said "me three" Sarah said rolling her eyes "I just realized all the girls are kooks" John b said "my dad is making me work at the party" pope said "you don't want to work?" Y/n asked "no, no I don't want to work" pope said rolling his eyes "pope you're my date" I said giggling "what?" Pope asked looking g shocked "if I take you to the party as my date then you don't have to work and you get to eat food you didn't make" I told pope he nodded "now I think I should go it starts in a 1 hour and I can't miss it now pope get dress up and come to my housei will drive" y/n said getting up and leaving kie and Sarah followed her out of the door But went their own ways

"Pope man you got a girl like y/n" jj said putting his hand up for a high five, Pope put jj hand down "no im just helping a friend out and I got to go get ready goodbye" pope Said leaving. Pope got home and ran to his room without his dad or mom noticing he had one suit he put it on and he look at himself in the mirror. He started to think about how y/n how she said "date" he really liked her but he has no idea if she likes him back or not he saw the time and ran down stairs "Pope! Hey were do you think you're going" his dad asked "y/n she invited me as her date so I'm gonna go" pope said "pope no come back" popes dad yelled but pope just ran

Pope saw y/n in a beautiful bule oeacn colour dress "pope you made it" y/n ran into popes arms and hugged him "yeah but I'm dad wasn't to happy" pope said "yeah makes sense but at least now I have a date" y/n said, y/n really likes pope but he doesn't like her that that so what she thought

When they got there the kooks gave y/n looks for pope being her date but she didn't care "pope you wanna dance" y/n asked, pope smiled and nodded they slowed dance and they just dance for a while they ate some food and took some pictures "pope give me a minute" y/n said running to Kiara and her parents "kie hi" y/n said hugging her "Mrs and Mr Carrera" y/n said "hello y/n I see that you brought a Pogue to a party" Mr Carrera said "um yeah he is my date two pogues on a date to a kook party" y/n said she hated kiaras parents and kie knew this "y/n you are not a Pogue" kiaras mother said kie shook her head, y/n just nodded "so what you're dating a Pogue" kiaras mom asked me "yeah I am but I don't get you're problem is you married a pogue" y/n said rolling my eyes I was getting angry "hey do not talk to us like that" Kiara dad said "I'm just gonna do what you're wife did I'm GONNA HAVE A FUCKING KID WITH A FUCKING POGUE" y/n yelled "y/n" kie said "oh my God I'm sorry look that was really rude of me I just I been trough a lot right now that's not excuse for my behavior you're right I'm kook" I lie I'm not sorry "it's ok" kie parents said, y/n nodded and went to pope "what the hell was that you're gonna have a baby with me huh!?!" Pope was argued "pope I'm sorry kiaras parents were being rude so I was being rude back" y/n said Defending Her actions "you made me look like a fool you made you'reself look like a fool" pope said, before y/n went to argue back her mom went to her "what the hell was that" y/n mother asked "mom I'm not a kook I may been born one but I'm a Pogue I will always be a Pogue" i said "y/n you can be what you want but you gotta be nice and you still have to go to these partys" y/n mother said "pope let's go" y/n grabbed his hand and ran out with pope

"Pope im sorry" i said "look i was only mad because everyone was looking at me y/n you told everyone i was your date and everyone wants you and you choosed a pogue" "pope i dont care about everyone else" i said "pope do you really think i like people who go 'omg guess what i got the new iphone' or who says omg i have a voat a house and 3 cars" y/n asksd pope pope just laughed a little time past pope and y/n were now laughing "so pope I stole this" y/n said pulling out a bottle of rum "y/n!" Pope said "pope its fine they won't know" y/n told pope, after a while pope grabbed it and drank some "pope" y/n laughed pope laughed with her they drank a full bottle of rum they were so drunk

Y/n try putting her house key in the hole but she couldn't get it "can I" pope said putting his hand out y/n nodded and gave him the key, pope got the door open they walked inside "pope let's go in my room I have some of youre clothes you left at my house last time" y/n said pope nodded and walked up stairs when they walked into her room, y/n pushed pope into her door and kissed him he kissed back it got heated fast pope started to leave hickys down her neck he pulled away and said"y/n are you sure you wanna do this" pope asked "Pope fuck me long and hard do what ever you want to me" y/n said, pope nodded he slid off her dress all she had on was her bra and underwear he took of his shirt so he only had is pants on, y/n dropped to her knees she unbuckled popes belt took of his pants then his boxers, she licked her lips she looked up at pope who already looking at her, she smiled and put her lips around his dick she tried to put the whole thing in her mouth but it couldn't fit so she rubed the part that couldn't fit in her mouth he grabbed her hair and threw his head back "y/n how are you so good at this" pope said not even a minute later pope felt like cuming "fuck y/n I'm cuming" pope said and thats what he did after he Caught his breath he lift her up and put her on her bed

"Hey maybe we can make a baby huh like you said at the party" pope said "I would love that" y/n giggled, pope took of her bra and underwear and He went down on her he put his lips on her cilt and started to suck on her cilt "pope fuck right there" y/n cried out "pope don't stop" y/n held his head y/n had just orgasmed but pope did stop "pope stop" so he stopped pope started to suck and her right boob and was playingwith her left one "pope" moaned out pope lifted his face "I need you in me now please" y/n begged, pope lined up his dick with her pussy he look at her for Consent she nodded so he slip in and waited for her to tell him to move "pope move now please" y/n asked, he moved he pulled out almost all the way and slammed back in he kept doing that "pope i- a- the- re" y/n moaned, "you like huh you like my dick baby girl" pope asked, y/n tried to speak but it just turned into a more so she just nodded "are you you almost at you're ciltmax" pope asked, y/n nodded "ues you're words baby girl" y--e--fuck--s" y/n moaned, pope smiled and started to rubed her cilt y/n Screamed popes name, pope almost came right there and then she looked so hot the way she Screamed his name "y/n you want me to cum inside of you?" Pope asked "yes pope!" y/n yelled so pope did he moaned y/n's name he pulled out "fuck that was amazing you were amazing" pope said rubing y/n's hair "pope I love you" y/n said turning her head so she was facing him "y/n I love you too" pope said kissing her "Wanna be my girlfriend" pope asked "I would love to be you're girlfriend" y/n said cuddling pope and with that they fell asleep

MORNING

Y/n opened her eyes she was pope naked then she looked down and saw she was naked and then she remembered "no no no no no this can not be happening" she said, "y/n" pope said she was that they were naked "oh my God I came in you I can't be a dad" pope said "I'm sorry I ruin everything I just pope I like you but I-" pope kissed her "y/n it's my fault too but if you do get pregnant I will be there" pope said, the pogues walked in "OH MY GOD" kie yelled closing the door, pope and y/n got dressed y/n threw clothes at pope he put them on and went down stairs

"Had fun last night" jj laughed "were you two at lest safe" John b asked "no we were stupid and now I may be pregnant" y/n said putting her head down "What omg" Sarah said "well take a test" jj said freaking out "I have to wait a 1-3 weeks"

3 WEEKS LATER

Y/n sat in the bathroom holding a pregnancy test it only had one line means she wasn't pregnant, y/n walked out of the bathroom, pope and everyone else heads poped up, "so what does it say" jonh b asked "are you uh pregnant" kie asked "No I'm not" I said showing them the test, Jj hugged me "that was a close one" Sarah said, "Yeah pope next time rap it before you tap it" Jj said "pope hit the back of his head "ow" jj Whispered rubbing the back of his head y/n laughed at her friends and her boyfriend pope

THE END

[runningfrom2am]

the sea around us; chapter twenty-seven

In which Rafe Cameron has to choose between his dad and a pogue who's changing his outlook on life more and more every day.

(rafe cameron x f!oc)

(eventual!jj maybank x f!oc)

warnings/tags: violence, drug/alcohol use, smoking, sexual content (if you squint), slowburn, older brother’s best friend, (these tags are obv not exhaustive but regardless it’s pretty PG13)

wc: 1.4k

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~Rafe's POV~

I stand at the edge of the police tents on the side of the water in the pouring rain, looking out into the pitch black of the ocean. I was told that Kiara and Pope were brought in by the cops, but they were alone. It was too late.

I wiped all the blood off my face, but my whole body still aches from the beating I took from Pope earlier, all I can think about is Snowy's voice, giving me the worst goodbye I've ever received.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."

I have bigger things to worry about. I'm basically Barry's bitch now- now that he knows what my father did. I doubt he'll let it go smoothly. It seems no one will- and they refuse to understand.

I look around as I hear voices pick up and as lights start to flick on down the coast, the cut is finally getting power back after hurricane Agatha. I watch as the lights get closer, and suddenly the lighthouse is illuminating the surface of the ocean, landing on a boat out on the water.

"That's them!" I hear someone yell, and I squint to try and get a better look at the boat, I don't think it's the one I saw at the garage. It's seconds before they're being chased out by police boats, and taking off into the storm.

It can't be her. I'm praying it's not her. No one knows that she was planning to run, they think it's John B and Sarah, but I know. I can't bring myself to tell anyone- though. I didn't want to let her go, but I'm not willing to sell her out either. It's impossible to choose between her and my dad- and I'm walking the fine line between the two. I don't know how this is so hard- I have to choose my dad. I have to, but I can do her one last favour by saying I don't know where she went, which isn't entirely untrue.

I hear my dad talking and walk under the cover of the tent.

"John B, son, if you can hear me, please come back. Just turn yourself in." He says as I lean on the table next to him. "If you love my daughter as much as I think you love my daughter, you'll turn around and bring her in. It's too dangerous riding out into that storm, you won't make it."

Feedback comes back through the speakers on the radio, before a voice crackles through. It sounds like they're farther away than that boat that the police are chasing, but I keep my mouth shut.

"Ward Cameron, do you hear me?" It's John B.

"Yes son, I'm right here. Please bring her back, okay? We'll work it all out when you get home." My dad lies. I clench my jaw as I feel Officer Shoupe's eyes on me.

"You killed my father. And you framed Snowy and me for a murder we did not commit, after you tried to kill us with a god damn spear gun!" He yells into the radio. "You took everything from me!"

I look over at my dad but he avoids my eyes. He looks stoic- like he really couldn't care less. But I can tell he's a little panicked with police and government eyes on us while John B accuses him of two murders- and attempting to kill Snowy. If that was true she would have told me, but I don't know why John B would lie about that. It's a bold claim just to make someone look bad.

"But I am still here." John B continues. "And I swear to god, Ward, I will come back one day and take what's mine."

"So you listen to me, alright? I'm coming for you." It's cutting out so badly now it's hardly audible. "I am coming for you."

My dad doesn't respond, and it's only a matter of seconds before someone informs us that we've lost the signal. I find myself slamming my fist against the table, but no one stops me. My dad shoots me a glare. Keep it together. He's telling me. I can practically hear his voice in my head.

"Listen, those are kids out there." Shoupe says into the radio, taking it from my dad. "Don't stop looking."

Something about that makes reality hit me. She's so young- I can't take it anymore. I will face her anger for selling her out when she gets back, but it will be worth it just to hear her voice again."Snowy is out there. Her and that friend of hers, uh, JJ, have a second boat and they're out there too and you have to find her." I say, trying not to display the panic I'm feeling in my voice.

"Where are they going?" Shoupe asks me and I shake my head.

"I don't know."

"Alright. You two stay here- we're going to need to talk to you." He says, patting the table and joining the officers who are reeling over what I said, trying to fit that into their planned approach on how to catch them.

I feel like I betrayed her. I know I shouldn't, because so far what I assume was their plan has already worked and John B and Sarah aren't being followed. I'm just struggling with the idea that she is out there on the ocean when I can hardly see a foot outside this tent because of the hurricane.

I step outside the tent to try and catch my breath. It felt like the walls were closing in on me just thinking about what Snowy's facing out there- if she's even still alive.

"Rafe, son, did you say Snowy is out there?" I hear a man's voice as they approach me. I recognize him as her father.

"Yes sir." I nod, looking past him and seeing his family in tow. "She's with JJ, on the boat they're chasing now. I think."

"Shit..." He mumbles, rubbing his forehead. "You guys get inside." He says to his wife, who leads the twins inside. I make brief eye contact with Declan as he walks past, holding tight onto his moms hand. I feel guilty because I couldn't stop Snowy from leaving him.

Their dad follows them into another tent, designated for families to wait, and Kegs stops right next to me, not saying anything for a few moments.

"You want to come wait with us?" He asks, as we're both looking at my dad inside.

I nod, and we both walk in where we see his mom talking to the Heyward's. They don't look pleased to see me, but they have bigger problems. We all do.

It's only a few minutes before we get news from an officer, but it felt like forever.

They hesitate before speaking, and that's how I know it's not good news. "We, uh... We lost them." He says, rubbing his arm nervously. I feel totally disconnected from my own body- I feel numb.

I look over at Snowy's parents, who look devastated, then angry. "They're dead? They're just kids, please, you have to do more!" Her father insists. "You have to find her!"

"No, sir, we don't know that. We just lost track of the boat. They could still be out there." I can tell her dad doesn't believe that's possible when he shakes his head, turning away from the kids as he tries to hide his tears. Kegs is gone from my side and over with the twins, who are sitting on some camping chairs in the corner. He's talking to them quietly, but I can still hear the shake in his voice as he tries to explain what's going on without outright saying that their sister is dead. They start to cry, and I can't take it anymore.

I quickly walk outside, trying to create as much distance between me and that tent as possible. I can't cry. I won't. Keep it together, my father's voice echoes in my mind but I can't take it anymore. I know there are tears streaming down my face but I can't feel them with the company of the relentless rain. I squint out at the water, the flashing police lights are long gone from the ocean now, but I know she is still out there. Alone. I did everything I could to try and get her to stay but it wasn't enough and now I'm paying for it, and I can feel her drowning. I could scream. I just want to scream into this storm until it hears me and lets her out the other side alive.

So I do.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･

omg that is part one finished! now on to part two/s2. thanks so much for all the love on this series so far, it's not my most popular one but it has such a special place in my heart and i guarantee it won't stop until the box is cancelled or ends lol. maybe not even then- honestly. anyway, thank you guys so much!!

taglist: @boo22sstuff @madelynie @username5786451 @peachprairie @slut4drudy @sadfury @mutual-mendes @cecesrings (i also tagged some mutuals for the last chapter of part one!! message me or reply if you want to be added (or removed lol)!!)

[fluffydavey]

a prompt thing!

davey is sick and doesn’t show up to sell (or modern au to school/work/etc)

i'm distracting myself with writing so feel free to send me any prompts and i will try my best to write them!! <3

At first, they barely notice anything is wrong. Davey's back in school, but he's continued selling papes with the boys in the evenings and at the weekends. Although Davey had been a quick learner in the early days, he's becoming slower and he looks distracted.

It's brushed off with jokes, until Davey doesn't even have the energy to respond. "Sore throat," he musters, and Jack sends him home and promises to give their equal share to Les when he gets home that evening. He doesn't think much of it - the cold New York winters are harsh, especially during your first time selling in Demeber, and Davey looks like a strong gust of wind could knock him over on the best of days.

He walks Les home that night, refusing a dinner proposal again, and bids the younger boy goodbye and shouts out "make sure that brother of yours doesn't skip out on any more hard work!"

But Davey doesn't show up the next day, and neither does Les. Nor do they show up for three more days after that. Jack gets tired of waiting for the boys with no answer. He climbs up the fire escape to try and get into David's room, when he sees the outlines of tall figures looming in the background.

"He's burning up," one of the men say, leaning over Davey's bed. "Hot to the touch!"

He tries to make it through another window, when he's blocked by Sarah. "You can't be here," she says, worry dripping from every word.

"Davey?"

"They say it's scarlet fever," she says, and Jack's read too many headlines about how it's been killing children all over the world. His heart sinks, feeling utterly hopeless.

"Les?" he asks, clinging onto some hope.

"He's okay, he's with our grandparents. They wanted me to go too, but I told them I wouldn't go anywhere without Davey," she says confidently. "He'll be okay Jack."

"I..."

She places an arm on Jack's shoulder, giving him a sad, knowing look. "I know, Jack."

"What happened?"

"He came home from school, and ma caught him coughing up blood into a handkerchief. She told him to rest, but he only got worse. He was getting sick, kept complaining about pains. I've never seen him like that before Jack, it was scary. I haven't been able to see him since," she says, and Jack can tell she feels as lost without Davey as he does. "Go back Jack, they won't let you anywhere near him. I'll let you know when there's news."

Jack knows better than to argue with Sarah, so he lets himself wander off, walking back to the lodgings on autopilot. He doesn't say anything when he returns, not sure how to break the news to all of their friends who had been waiting for Jack to turn up with the Jacobs' boys behind. Instead, their eager faces begin to fall, and Jack runs straight up to the penthouse. He tells them eventually, and the lodgings don't feel the same as they used to anymore, not without the infectious laugh that follows the two wherever they go.

It's a long week, until finally Davey and Les join the line to pay for their papers. It's Crutchie who spots them first, and the boys run to crowd their friends. Les looks like he's eating up every bit of fame it takes, although Jack can see the protective grip he has on his older brother's hand.

"What? You miss me?" Davey asks, as Jack watches him smiling at the sight before him.

"Don't do that again," Race says, barging in to be the first to give Davey a hug. "You had us worried sick. I couldn't win a game of cards for days."

"I'm sorry that I through you off, your game" Davey says, as Specs is the next person to hug him, Les still holding onto him with a strong clutch. "Guys, I'm okay. I swear. Got it all out of my system."

One by one the Newsies say their hellos, and get on with their days, but before he catches up with the two, he watches Davey divide his share with Les, giving the young boy a few more papes than usual. Jack joins them then, puts his satchel around his arm, and he tells Les to run ahead to some women in the park talking.

"You really scared me Dave," Jack says, and watches as Davey's eyes wander from his excitable brother to his selling partner. "I saw you one night, when the docs were all crowded round you. And I just kept dreaming that I'd wake up and you weren't with us no more."

"Hey, hey. Jack, it's me. I'm here. I'm here and I'm okay," Davey says, grabbing Jack's hand. There's no one too close by, so Davey seemingly decides to risk such a bold move. "I'm really sorry that I scared you like that, but it's okay now."

Jack looks down at their hands, and wishes he could capture this moment with his new paint. Instead, he begins to trace the lines on Davey's hands. "I was afraid you wouldn't know just how much you mean to me."

"Jack -"

"You can't go anywhere, okay? Because I can't stop thinking about you and it's driving me crazy. I was too cowardly to say it before, but you've been it for me. And I've been crazy gone after you from the very beginning."

"Okay," Davey says, and Jack watches him.

"Okay?"

"Okay, I'll stay. Here with you, for as long as you'll let me."

Les runs up to them, dime in his hand before he looks at them both. "Gross. Come on, these papes won't sell themselves!"

Jack watches the kid run off, proud as punch, and he wraps an arm around Davey's shoulder, bumping into him. "One day I'll have you selling like him."

Davey pokes him in the side, before laughing to himself. "Oh shut up. You're the worse."

"You love it though."

"Yeah," Davey says, staring earnestly into Jack's eyes. "I really do."

[reallydumbdannyphantomaus]

Switch

Spectra underestimates Jazz. I'm sure this won't come back to bite her later. (ao3) (masterpost)

Interlude III

The miasma of Kwan Huang’s misery hung heavy in the air. Penelope reveled in it, breathed it in and felt it tingle through her spine. Nothing felt better than teenage misery. She’d tried making them happy once, but it just didn’t feel anywhere near as good to eat joy. Misery was delicious. Flavorful. The difference between rice crackers and a ribeye—at least, from what she remembered. She and Bertrand hadn’t eaten human food in nearly twenty years.

She kept a hint of it in her hand as she walked out into the waiting room. “That’s the last one for today, right Bertrand?” she said, tossing the concentrated depression at her assistant.

Bertrand sucked the emotion down before replying. “Yes, we’re all done.”

“A very productive day, I must say. That Tyson kid has everyone either sad he’s dead or guilty that they aren’t sad. You really picked a good one.” Bertrand’s face flushed at the praise. “And I think it’ll actually turn out for the best that you didn’t kill that Huang kid. I don’t know what all’s going on with him, but we could probably live on him alone for at least a year.”

“He’s that good?”

“Better. Didn’t that taste amazing? And I only gave you just the smallest morsel.” She burped. “Sorry, dear. Couldn’t contain myself.”

Bertrand blinked. “That was only a taste?”

“Mmhmm. Just a tiny sliver. And, I mean, I barely had to work on him before he was convinced that everything was his fault. He’s desperate to come back so we can work on his self-improvement. And he hates the idea of being a burden, so he’s not going to complain to anyone either. Honestly, I’m half tempted just to kidnap him and squirrel him away as a personal chef.”

Bertrand patted her shoulder. “No, dear. That’s way too reckless. Remember what happened last time?”

Penelope sighed. Sarah had been such a delight, except that Penelope had pushed her way too hard. They’d had to skip town when her body was found and people started asking questions.

This time, it would be slow and steady. They’d milk these kids for years and, with any luck, none of them would kill themselves until they went off to college.

“This won’t be like last time,” Penelope said. “I think we’ll be very happy here.”

—

Penelope waved goodbye at Mikey as he slumped into the hallway. Honestly, he wasn’t half-bad, but he was still a let-down after the young Mr. Huang.

And really, she tried not to pick favorites among her students, but she couldn’t help herself. There was Kwan, obviously, a delicious little grief-and-guilt factory, but a couple others had caught her attention as well. Dash Baxter was repressing so much she hardly knew where to begin, from his clear homosexuality to his building grief that he was trying to hold back like a pebble holding back a waterfall. She was hoping that she could help him repress enough that once it finally broke, he’d drown in the resulting flood.

Metaphorically, of course. She couldn’t feed on ghosts, much to her chagrin.

There was something odd about his relationship with Paulina, too, something more than just the fact that he clearly wasn’t attracted to her, but she couldn’t quite nail it down. Hopefully, she could convince him to bring Paulina to her. Whatever fucked-up thing they had was sure to bring an avalanche of misery if she handled it just right.

Then there was Valerie Gray.

Valerie was a little more closed off, but the grief was there. The guilt, too. Surprisingly, it didn’t seem like the guilt had anything to do with Tyson. She’d poked at that wound as much as she could without arousing suspicion, but Valerie’s guilt never fluctuated. She was a bit of a tougher nut to crack than the others, but Penelope could appreciate a challenge. Maybe, when she was done, Valerie would be an even better meal than Kwan.

A shudder went up her spine at the thought. Two meal tickets of such delicious quality was almost more than she could dream of. Only one week here and already she was eating better than she had in years.

A knock on the door startled her out of her musings. She frowned, glancing at her calendar; she didn’t have any students scheduled right now. Bertrand took this hour to rob banks since neither of them had any interest in living on public school salaries, and besides, he’d just let himself in. Maybe it was Principal Ishiyama, checking in on how her new grief counselor was doing?

One way to find out.

“Come in,” she said, hands folded in front of her and winning smile on her face.

A bright orange head of hair poked in. “Sorry to intrude, Dr. Spectra, but they said you didn’t have any clients right now? I know you’re probably on break, but do you… have a minute?”

Penelope swallowed a scowl. She’d been looking forward to watching cat videos during this break period, but she needed to keep up the appearance that she was always approachable. “Of course,” she said. “What did you need, Miss…”

“Fenton,” the girl said. “Jazz Fenton.” And oh but Penelope had heard the name Fenton bandied around quite a bit. Ghost hunters, apparently, though maybe only in their dreams. There was a new portal in their house, though, which gave Penelope and Bertrand even better cover. With all the ghosts that would soon be pouring out of their ill-conceived dimensional rift, anyone with any idea of the truth of the world would be focused on the invading ghosts, not on Penelope’s questionable therapy.

Plus, more people would start dying soon enough. Oh, she never wanted to leave this town.

“I was hoping you might be in need of an assistant?”

“Dear, I’m sorry but I’m not sure—”

“Well, really I was hoping you could be kinda my mentor?” Jazz Fenton said, talking over Penelope and lowering herself into a seat in front the desk. “I just—I want to help, and if you could train me a little, give me some tips… I mean, I want to be a psychologist, too. I want to help people, like you do. Please, please, I’ll come anytime day or night. I’ll pay you, I’ll do your filing, just please, please train me.”

Jazz was anxious, that much was obvious just by looking at her. Still, there was something else there, too, beneath the waves of nerves. Penelope couldn’t quite tell what it was, but it would be fun to tease out, if she said yes to Jazz’s ridiculous proposition.

Penelope sat back in her chair and considered. On the one hand, having one of these snot-nosed brats hanging around all the time could prove tricky to work around, not to mention the work involved in actually teaching her. On the other, she could use Jazz to her advantage as well. Already, Penelope could envision sending Jazz on glorified spy missions, gathering new intel on the other students, all in the name of psychology training.

Risky, for sure, but Penelope was smart, and humans were so, so very dumb at noticing what was right under their noses. She looked at the young girl in front of her, practically vibrating in her seat with desperation. Good; desperate people were even dumber than average. She’d take those odds any day of the week.

“Well,” she said, tapping her chin, “I am pretty busy right now, but I could use a hand with my administrative work during the lunch hour. And I could maybe find some time to teach you a little of what I know.”

Before she’d finished speaking, Jazz was out of her seat and squealing. She rushed around the desk to nearly tackle Penelope in a hug; Penelope bit back an instinctive hiss. It would be annoying to be around someone so obnoxiously peppy all the time, but it would be well worth it.

Finally, the girl let go and moved toward the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow!” she said, waving goodbye.

Penelope wiggled her fingers. “Can’t wait!”

—

Penelope inspected her eyeliner in the compact mirror, ignoring the noise of Bertrand pacing. “I can’t believe you agreed to something like this. Are you stupid now, Penny?”

“Berty, dear,” Penelope said, closing her compact, “there’s no need to be rude. I thought it through first. Besides, since when do I consult with you on how I talk to the meals?”

“Since you decided that one of them would be your student and not your prey!”

“I think you forget which one of us is the talent in this arrangement.” Penelope’s eyes flashed and her skin darkened, just a little. “I love you, Bertrand, but don’t forget that I’m in charge here.”

Bertrand flinched. “I hope you know what you’re doing,” he said.

“Don’t I always?”

“Sarah?”

Her hand squeezed on the compact, cracking it. “Get out.”

Bertrand shifted into his blobby ghost form and flew through the wall just as her compact shattered against the floor where he’d stood.

Stupid Bertrand. She loved him dearly, of course, but he was nearly as paranoid as Vlad sometimes. Nearly as paranoid and nowhere near as brilliant.

Penelope glanced at the phone. She could call him. Vlad. She did miss him.

She reached out, then jerked her hand back. No. No. Both she and Vlad had made their choices long ago. She wouldn’t change her mind now.

Bertrand would come back soon enough. She didn’t need anyone else.

—

Jazz Fenton was annoyingly well-prepared. Penelope had assumed that she could breeze through the whole “teaching” part of the agreement: toss out some Freud and a little Jungian bullshit and let Jazz take it as gospel. She hadn’t counted on Jazz Fenton being the world’s most meticulous overachiever.

“Um, Dr. Spectra,” Jazz said, interrupting Penelope as soon as she said the name Freud, “you’re not counseling based on his ideas, are you? Because I’ve read that they’re largely discredited and no one takes them seriously anymore.”

Penelope’s smile stretched over her teeth. “Of course not, dear! But he’s still a good starting point,” she said, drawing out her words for a little extra time to think, “because… he’s really the first person to bring the concept of psychology into the mainstream!” There. That was even true!

Jazz’s furrowed brow smoothed out and she blushed a little. “Oh. Right. So sorry to interrupt, Dr. Spectra.”

“That’s quite all right, dear. It’s the sign of an eager mind!” A little too eager. Now Penelope had to think back to her long-ago college days and remember actual psychology facts. Even then, how much of that was even usable now? Who had been discredited? She had a feeling that google was about to be her new best friend.

Jazz grinned. “Thank you, Dr. Spectra. But, if you don’t mind, I have some specific questions?”

Penelope felt her eye twitch. “Hit me!”

“So, what is your opinion on cognitive behavioral therapy?”

“Well, I think it’s a useful tool when used properly.” There. That was vague enough to pass muster, right? “What do you think about it?”

Jazz tapped her pen on her notebook. “Well,” she said, “I think it’s certainly helpful, but I feel like we’re a little too reliant on it to solve every single person’s every single problem nowadays, you know?”

“That’s a fair assessment,” Penelope said. “Do you have any examples that you can think of? Maybe some of your classmates?”

“Well, I’m not actually a psychologist…” Jazz frowned. “Isn’t that a little unethical? Me trying to diagnose people?”

“Nonsense. If you were posting about it publicly and telling all your friends, sure, but think of this as… as two professionals, sharing opinions. Real psychologists do it all the time.”

Jazz’s face cleared again and her swirls of suspicion died down. Penelope would have to be really careful with what she said; the girl was entirely too well-informed.

(Maybe Bertrand was right.) 

“Hm. Well, in that case, I’d probably have to think about it. Get back to you, you know?”

No. No. This would work. This would work just fine. A good challenge.

Her pleasant smile became just the tiniest bit feral.

“Very good! A bright mind knows when to take a step back and assess, after all.”

Jazz preened. So she wasn’t immune to a little flattery.

She clicked her pen on and pulled out her notebook. Usually, during sessions, this was reserved for making notes of where to hurt and doodling pictures of Vlad getting stabbed. For right now, though, it would be for earnest note-taking of her new student.

“I will admit,” she said, “I did underestimate your base of knowledge. Please, give me a rundown of everything you know so I know where to start.”

As Jazz launched into her (frighteningly extensive) knowledge of psychology, Penelope’s smile only grew. This would be fun.

[doctorbrown]

DOCTOBER '23 ⸺ 「 31 / 31 * FINALE | HEART 」

March 8, 1929

Whenever Erhardt was at the courthouse, if Emmett wasn't in his room, pouring over works that would make his father red-faced and angry, he could be found with a pillow propped up against the grandfather clock in the living room, leaning back and reading whatever caught his eye this time.

It had become a pattern over the years, one Sarah had learned quite quickly after the first two times wondering where her son had run off to when he wasn't anywhere to be found in his room. Emmett was at his most comfortable when his father wasn't at home—and she couldn't blame him for that, despite how she'd tried to soften the tension between her husband and her child—and he didn't hesitate to take full advantage of the house when it was open to him.

Sarah quirks a brow upon seeing the book clutched in Emmett's hands. ❝Are you reading one of my science-fiction novels again?❞

❝Father isn't home to yell at me for wasting my time reading this worthless trash.❞ He puts on his best impression of his father as he can, mimicking the gruffness of his voice and the accent he'd yet to lose even after nearly twenty years here. ❝He wouldn't even listen to me when I told them they were educational, because they were about science.❞

Sometimes, his parents seem like fire and ice compared to each other, opposites in every way eternally fated to clash, especially where their interests are concerned; there are days he simply can't understand how they get along.

❝I found this hidden in your library.❞ He holds up the copy of A Voyage to Arcturus he'd swiped, knowing he won't be reproached for his choice in reading material. Finally, he looks away from the book, and Emmett purses his lips, studying his mother's done-up hair and full state of dress, coming to the conclusion she must be going out again for some of the day's chores.

He wonders if this time, he'll be forced to go along.

❝You know your father usually gets home around five,❞ she says, prompting Emmett to lift his head as high as he can to see the hands of the grandfather clock above him, ❝so be cautious how long you spend out here, dear.❞ The time currently reads 11:00 exactly and he frowns.

❝Is Father ever going to get our grandfather clock repaired? It has been broken for weeks and I really liked the hourly chimes.❞

❝He said he sent out for a repairman, but that was two weeks ago and I've heard nothing since. At this rate, I don't know when it'll be repaired. I'll bring it up to him tonight at dinner. Speaking of—Emmett, I'm going out to pick up some groceries. I trust you'll behave for a few hours while I'm out?❞

Emmett nods and with a quick goodbye, Sarah closes the door behind her, leaving him alone.

The book in his hands no longer holds his interest. Now that they've brought it up, all he can think about is the broken clock, whose mechanical songs have been sorely missed over the past few weeks. The clock had always been a constant, a comfort, a staple in the house as far back as he can remember, and he'd found himself on more than one occasion peering into the glass, watching the pendulum swing and the weights dance with their precise, rhythmic grace.

It was as close to watching time live and breathe as he could get and it had captivated him, as did the smaller clocks set up in the house.

Just a few months ago, he'd disassembled the small bedside clock in his room to see how it worked and had managed to put it back together without either of his parents figuring out.

If he could do that, surely he could fix this one, his favourite clock in the entire house.

His father clearly didn't see the importance of having it operational again—that, or he simply didn't care—and he could already imagine how the conversation at dinner would go. Poorly. And the clock would remain broken for another several weeks.

If he didn't, nobody else would.

Emmett checks to make sure his mother really has left before he hurries to the storage room to dig out the toolbox he'd seen his father use several times.

It's heavier than he remembers, but his mind is made up and nothing is going to get in the way of his goal, even if he has to drag the box the rest of the way towards the house.

As he peers inside the glass, he starts to take stock of all the pieces within, studying each of them carefully as if the answer will suddenly leap out at him. There could be any number of things that silenced the clock and as far as he's concerned, the best solution is to start carefully removing pieces until he can pinpoint the culprit.

For a moment, the task feels gargantuan, what with all the sprawling, delicate clockwork, but he's got his wits, his determination, and his trusty toolbox, so as he stands on his toes, reminding himself to be slow and cautious, it starts to feel more doable.

I should start from the top down.

The side door only takes a little wiggling to get loose and Emmett marvels at the first real look he's ever gotten at the movement, glittering gold in its wooden case. His eyes widen at the mechanical marvel twisting before him and he finds it even more appealing than the ornate carvings inlaid into the dark cabinet.

The front door swings open easily and Emmett's touch is almost featherlight as he pulls the hands off the movement. The clock face looks unsettling without the hands there, almost like it's naked, and he frowns as he sticks the hands in his pockets for safekeeping.

Everything has to come out in order for him to properly inspect it, but the question now becomes how. How does he remove the movement without further damaging what he's trying to repair?

Emmett sticks his head through the open side panel again and lets out an excited aha! when he spots the latches holding the face of the clock in place. A firm push knocks it free and sends the face clattering to the ground. He winces at the sound, but a quick inspection reveals no new damage—nothing has snapped off or bent or broken, so he must still be okay.

The relief he feels at that is short-lived when he realises he has no idea what to do next.

He presses his lips together in thought and reaches back through time to try and feel around the different pieces of the machine. This is all just another puzzle, one created by someone who may understand time better than him, but he has science on his side, and if he follows the cables and pulleys back to their origin point, where they connect must be the problem.

A broken gear, perhaps, or a bent hammer, or something has gotten knocked out of place.

When he tries to pull at the movement again, it remains stubbornly locked in place, and so he drops his focus down to the weights dangling lifelessly at the end of their golden ropes.

Those, too, clatter to the ground in perfect synchronisation with the loud yelp of surprise he lets out.

The rest of the pieces follow unceremoniously after, one-by-one until he's left cradling the silent heart of the clock in his hands.

Emmett turns it over in his hands, scrutinising it from corner-to-corner to try and spot anything that screams this, this is the problem!

❝Emmett Lathrop Brown!❞ That cold, booming voice strikes fear straight into his chest and Emmett immediately freezes, clutching the clock's heart to his chest like a shield. He's sitting in the centre of the half-circle of dismembered clock parts and no amount of trying to talk his way out of this one is going to make him look any less guilty than he is.

His father's anger could level the house. He can feel it, a thousand white-hot blades digging into his skin, even from across the room.

He tries to look up at the clock above him, but instead of helping him, it screams accusations.

❝Y-Yes, Father?❞

[rosetheex-editor]

[Video transcript begin.]

[The transcript begins from inside a car, the camera facing the road as someone can be heard sobbing as the car pulls into what looks like a graveyard. A person can barely be seen punching the ground in front of a grave, the car door opens and the camera changes position to someone's front shirt pocket. The person with the camera begins running, making the video go out of focus.]

?: NESS!

[Voice identified: Henry.]

H: Ness, thank god you're ok! I've been looking everywhere for you!

?: Go away henry…

[Voice identified: Ness.]

H: What do you mean go aw-

[Henry is interrupted by a rock being thrown in his direction, Ness remains looking at the ground, sobbing.]

Ne: GO AWAY, HENRY! LEAVE ME ALONE!

H: I…

Ne: WHEN WERE YOU GOING TO TELL ME ABOUT MARINA?

H: I was going to tell you when you got home.

Ne: HOW LONG HAS SHE BEEN DEAD, HENRY?

H: Nes–

[Henry is interrupted by another rock.]

Ne: HOW. LONG?

H: 3 days. As of today, it's been three days.

Ne: W– Why didn't you tell me?

H: I couldn't find the right words, I didn’t know how.

[Ness grabs something out of a box, holding her hand out to Henry to show him, It’s a note. The note reads "Marina and I both had so much fun on the 16th! Honestly, if I were you, I’d be eating my heart out! Whoops! It looks like I already had a bite of hers. ;) –Cassius" in red. Ness' hand drops to the ground, dropping the note with it. she begins sobbing once again.]

H: …

Ne: Do you understand henry… What it's like to be working… then, you get a box that has the heart of someone you knew and cared about in it?!

H: Ness…

[Ness turns her head, her face covered in cuts and dirt tears running down her face, her eyes bloodshot from crying. She holds out the other thing in the box. A heart with a few bites taken out of it.]

Ne: HENRY. I HAD TO SEE HER HEART WITH A FUCKIN CHUNK TAKEN OUT OF IT! I DIDN'T EVEN GET TO SAY GOODBYE! I'M HOLDING MARINA'S FUCKING HEART!

H: I'm sorry.

Ne: I DON'T WANT YOUR FUCKING SORRY, HENRY! SHE'S DEAD! SOMEONE I KNEW AND CARED ABOUT IS DEAD! A SORRY WON'T BRING MARINA BACK, HENRY! EVERYTIME I TURN AROUND SOMETHING HAPPENS TO PEOPLE I CARE ABOUT! MARI AND SARAH ARE STUCK IN THAT FUCKIN’ MALL! ROSE ALMOST DIED! MARINA HAS BEEN DEAD FOR THREE FUCKIN’ DAYS, AND NO ONE FUCKING TOLD ME!

H: I-

[Ness hops up and grabs Henry by the shoulders.]

Ne: You can't tell me it's gonna be ok! Because it's not! So go!

H: Rose is gonna kick my ass if I leave without you.

[Ness falls back to the ground, placing her head on the gravestone, her words muffled as she speaks.]

Ne: Tell her I'll be there later. You know why I'm here.

H: Yeah. You're apologizing to Leanne. Look, it’s not your fault Mari's missing. Just like it's not your fault Marina's gone.

Ne: I promised I'd make sure nothing happened to Mari… Just like Me and Marina promised each other to take care of one another. I'm a fuckin’ coward Henry.

H: There's nothing you could have done…

[Henry throws his car keys at Ness, she turns around and looks at him in confusion.]

H: I'll call an uber, be safe driving back and don't wreck my car.

Ne: Got it… Thanks for letting me stay here.

H: Yeah no problem. I'll tell Rose you just need some time.

[Henry bends down and gives Ness a hug, before standing back up and starting to walk off. Before he can actually leave, he's interrupted by Ness.]

Ne: Can we find her tomorrow? Marina?

H: Sure.

[Henry continues walking off, no words, just the sound of footsteps on gravel for 25 minutes before the transcript automatically ends.]

[End transcript.]

[lucianinsanity-only-art]

Find the word Tag Game!

@sarah-sandwich-writes tagged me, thank you so much!

My words are: hint, blow, tremble, smile, and flat

Searching them in Unfinished farewell and The sea, it calls you

Hint: I couldn't find it in both.

Blow:

The boy is silent, his body following the man's path carefully. The question of what feelings could consume the little ghost begins to fill his thoughts. The boy's voice seems to be filled with deep sadness, but it doesn't seem to be the main cause of his distractions. The wind blows at both of their clothes and for a moment Katsuki feels like he's just looking at a lost child. (Unfinished farewell).

When he reached out one of his hands to touch his tail the man pushes him away. His eyes look around him and widen in horror, staring at a point out of his sight. Looking in that direction, he notices a strange movement. And just as quickly as he sees it, a huge wave rises up. The arms of the other cling to him, the tail around his waist tightens. He somehow knows this won't be enough and yet he buries his head in the stranger's neck. The blow is brutal. Hard, fast and deadly. The pain starts immediately; his body stops responding. He again sinks into the cold, dark water. The first drops of rain start falling. (The sea, it calls you).

Tremble:

Katsuki extends his arms towards him. His head still trying to figure out everything that happened so far. The boy drops. His light and cold body beginning to tremble in the warmth of the living body. They both just stay there for a long time. (Unfinished farewell).

The situation was beginning to get on his nerves. The fear from before filling his chest again. His breathing becoming faster and faster. Hot tears falling to the ground. His mind going back to his parents, his work, his few friends, the animals he couldn't investigate. Saying goodbye to everything while his body trembles in the dark. Katsuki misses his glasses. His glasses. It had been so stupid to leave his clothes on the shore. In any case, he would have died at sea anyway. Maybe he was dead at the time and it was all just some weird hell made just for him. He would never speak to or see anyone of his own kind again. Maybe he could have been nicer to the beach boy. Maybe he could even have gone with him instead of going into the sea. It was likely that he had been struck by lightning going into the sea with a storm about to break. Obviously he was hallucinating. His crying filling the hidden shapes of the cave. The echo coming back to him embarrassing him. So pathetic So vulnerable. (The sea, it calls you).

Smile:

The man comes to a complete stop and lowers his hands to the ground. The boy watches his surprise sadly. The smile on his lips is small, more a grimace of deep nostalgia than a real smile. Green eyes filled with a pain that could not be described, dark despite the light coming through the window. His entire body covered by a white sheet, like a coat with a hood. Legs that do not end in feet protrude from under it. Transparent, the open door visible through it. (Unfinished farewell).

The man noticed that he was awake and waved at him, causing the other mermaid's eyes to fix on him as well. Raising his head on his hands he greeted them both. The smaller creature came closer to where he was, even climbing up the skin that supported him to be right in front of him. The smile on his face told him that everything seemed to be going well. The concern in the man's eyes had disappeared, leaving only the relief of seeing him well. Katsuki felt so close to Kirishima, even knowing that he had only known him for a couple of days. There was something about being near death at the mercy of another person that was always a good way to form a bond. (The sea, it calls you).

Flat:

The man had dark black hair flattened against his head, the red tips trailing down toward his waist. His skin and face looked ordinary, someone he could see walking through town and he wouldn't look twice at. The only difference being some marks on his neck, deep and elongated, surrounded by skin that looked unusually wet, the color also different from the rest. The man was watching him too, his large eyes fixed on him. From the amount of muscle and build he appeared to be a swimmer. He had no doubt that he was the one who scared the surfer. (The sea, it calls you).

Tagging: @jaden5oo @coulson-is-an-avenger @aceing-on-the-cake @banashee @belatedbday69 only if you want of course

Your words: hide, below, touch, face and alarm.

[thesadvampire]

With your Vance being Jim Hopper's son post, I've got more to say, but I don't want to blow your inbox with comments, and I just love that au so much, I don't care it was technically five years before Stranger Things even begins. That just fuels the angst if you want Vance to be his son who also passed away before the events in Hawkins and have his death be the last straw for his and his wife's marriage.

If you do want to go with the last, that just makes his overprotectiveness of El so much more sad, because like I said, it would mean he lost two kids to things he couldn't save them from so knows now with El, almost anything can happen that you can't predict that could take her from him, too. But with Vance, Vance would basically make it clear that one day El could leave the house and just...never come back home. That, even on what seems like the most normal of days, he could say goodbye and then never see her again.

Like, Jim's anger at El for going outside alone without his permission or knowledge, into a world she knows nothing about would have more weight than just being discovered if you added Vance's death into the mix, even though he knows El can protect herself. While Sarah died from cancer, which while tragic, is so because it's something you can't possibly predict or stop, Vance, tough as nails Vance, who carried knives and whom I'm willing to bet has been in enough fights, the police has the Hoppers' home phone memorized, died because he was kidnapped. Vance, who had always been so strong, hotheaded, and independent by thirteen, and had only gotten worse after Sarah's death, pushing both his parents away claiming he didn't need them or anyone, and spending nearly all his time out of the house, who didn't lose fights until this last one.

He would have died from being grabbed off the street in broad daylight (if the Grabber's pattern is anything to go by), while walking outside alone, before spending about a year imprisoned in the Grabber's basement until he was brutally murdered and his body wasn't even found until months later. Jim would know his son didn't go down without a fight, but he still went down, and Jim wasn't there. Whether or not he was a cop back then, he'd still blame himself because he wasn't there, not to keep Vance from being taken, and not to save him after realizing that he had time to try and find him before it was too late (he'd just thought Vance was killed from the get-go after the first month or two with how much of a fighter he was).

So, he stays vigilante with El because if something like that could happen to his son, he can't take the chance of what could happen to his new daughter if he takes his eyes away for too long, when she doesn't have half the street smarts Vance did and is still new and naive to the outside world. And he's most certainly not making the same mistake of assuming El is safe just because she can protect herself.

I'm also really sorry for how much I wrote, I just got really excited because I just discovered the Black Phone at the same time I was hyperfixating on Stranger Things, so sorry for how long this is and I hope you're having a nice day. :)

NONONONONO I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS! All this just makes me want to rewatch ST and the black phone they may be two separate universes but it just adds so much more to these characters! Hoppers anguish at the loss of his children and then becoming the parent to child that although can defend herself she's still so naive and new to the world making him be protective but he also won't open up to why he's like that! Vance will never know how much his father still misses him and how he was searching for him day and night or how he's still protecting other children to prevent them from suffering a similar fate 😭🤲🏼 Eleven reminds him so much of both of his children the innocence and vulnerability the headstrong and hot headed sides he loves El just as he loved his other children and wants to keep her safe but he can't always be there