#while it was backed up so badly people were missing their flights

[ceasarslegion]

Actually so fucking sick of conspiracy theorist nutcases who come through the checkpoint when its backed up to the check in desks demanding full pat downs because theyre convinced the equipment is gonna give them brain cancer or whatever fuck else they read on a facebook qanon meme page its taken every ounce of my self control not to slap a bitch today

[luvyunjinxo]

airplane mode || karina x fem!reader

CW: s3x on an airplane 😭, y/n receiving, perv reader (not that bad I promise..), fingerfucking, possessive karina, not proofread. lmk if I missed anything<3.

You worked for an airline, to be specific you worked for the 5 star airline. It was hard to get into and had high beauty standards for the employees. Luckily you were accepted and worked with your crew, including this girl named Yu Jimin. She was the hottest amongst the group, and you couldn't lie she was mighty fine. During flights people would ask for her instagram, number, tiktok, you name it. and you couldn't lie about this either but you would get jealous even though it wasn't your place to be.

What made it worse was that you guys had short uniforms that didn't really go past your knees so you would see your colleagues shorts/sometimes only underwear. Karina would accidentally bend down every now and then which caused some travelers to look. That made you infuriated.

You guys were on your flight as usual except that it was a 14 hour flight. Always having to tell the passengers to buckle their seatbelts, or to quiet their kid down and you've had such a shitty flight you could use some karina omg.

It was now time to pass out the passengers food/dinner and you and karina were on the job. You just had to stay behind her while she would pass out the food just in case she needed help and lord .. it was a painful job.

She would have to grab food from the bottom of the food cart, which meant she had to always bend down. This time, her shorts were shorter. Almost exposing her underwear and crotch. You could clearly see she was wearing some lace underwear and it seemed like she didn't wanna hide it either.

Literally she has bent down at least 100+ times now and your princess parts were dying at this point. Your panties were drenched and soaked by the way Karina was making you feel. You were thinking about her long fingers pumping in and out of you, her bending you over, spanking your ass and calling you a good girl. Man, you needed that badly. You were getting lost in your thoughts until a calm voice spoke.

"Hey Y/n are you okay? I asked you to pass me the napkins for the passengers five times already."

"Sorry rina, I just don't feel well and getting lost in thoughts." You bowed, passed her the napkins and rushed to the back leaving her confused. No you weren't okay, your wetness spread to your thighs and your dumbass is in the back trying to clean yourself up where all your colleagues could walk in any moment.

Little did you know, the taller girl was almost about done passing out all the food and she was about to come in the back where you were. You were done cleaning yourself up, which you think you got most of the wetness off your thigh.. you think. Anyways you were bent over the small counter you guys had in the back head down, ass up, didn't care if anyone walked in now because you were so stressed and tired. You were about to fall asleep in that position I swear.

Karina on the other hand, had walked in at least 2 minutes ago but she didn't notice you till she was done cleaning the cart. She knew about all your little doings, seeing you stare, looking at her every move & you getting jealous. She knew what affect she had on you too. She obviously decided to tease you to your limits tonight knowing you guys had a 14 hour flight together.

Seeing you bent over like that.. sent an affect on her too. Something just snapped in her, and she felt like a full on beast wanting to ruin your pretty cunt completely.

She patted you gently, "Y/n .." and as soon as you looked up at her she had lust in her eyes, complete desire in her eyes and it was all just for you. You were still bent over and she had one hand trap you which meant her left hand was gripping on the small counter.

You were so confused and you felt your wetness dripping down your thighs AGAIN. lost in thought once again, you felt her slender fingers suddenly touch your clothed cunt slowly. With her ring and middle finger, she was rubbing your folds so slowly you swear you were just gonna start humping her fingers if she wouldn't do anything.

"r-rina? what are you doing?.." you asked as she kept rubbing painfully slow.

"making you beg and realize y/n. I know the way you look at me when I bend down. do I make you horny baby?"

you look up at her again seeing her seductive eyes and whimpered because she spanked your ass cause you wouldn't answer.

"answer, or else there will be consequences princess." she spanks you again.

"rina n-no were gonna get caught back h-here.." she rolled her eyes and gave you another spank, but this time to your clothed cunt.

you jumped and yelped to the sensation:(

she really didn't give a fuck so she pulled down your underwear to your knees and collecting your wetness with her fingers.

"was this why you went into the back? to get away from me hm?" she started to toy with your clit, rubbing and abusing it. you started to cry, you were really sensitive and you were bound to come just from that small foreplay.

enough with the toying around rina thought. she slammed her fingers into you roughly without saying a word to you and felt your fluids coming onto her fingers.

"if you wanted to fuck with me y/n why didn't you just say so? I would've bent you over myself and fuck your brains out."

she said while moving you right leg up to get more access to your cunt. shit, she hit your princess parts so well. with her left arm she started to undress your uniform top and groped at your titties while she continued to finger the fuck out of you.

she pinched your buds and played with it and all you could do is bend over like a good girl and take whatever she gave you:(.

"stand. I wanna taste you." you complied and stood against the counter as she ate you out, starving like you were her last meal.

"f-fuck! I-i can't anymore .." you moaned

"you can and you will. shut the fuck up you don't wanna get caught now right?" you were on edge about to cum from the ecstasy. you were moaning out all kinds of curse words at that point.

you gripped on her hair, making it all messy. before you came you looked down at her and you both made eye contact while she was sucking on your clit roughly. fuck that was such a pretty sight you thought.

"give yourself to me y/n, say your mine and say that cunt of yours is owned by me only." she mumbled while still giving you the best head ever.

"I-i cant! fuck .. i-im yours and you own me completely rina! shit just make me cum already!" you screamed while gripping her hair harder. she kept eating you out, more aggressively, and even using her fingers at the same time with the same pace.

you finally came and you screamed so loud, everyone knew someone was fucking in the back. you had your eyes rolled back and everything. you even collapsed on the floor from being so fucked out. she kissed you on the lips helped you get dressed again, and you even helped her fix her hair into a neat bun then headed out to work again.

all the passengers complained with a noise complaint, and gave both of you very weird looks knowing you two were the ones fucking back there. you both knew you guys would get scolded by your boss but it was so worth it.

whenever you guys needed to fuck again, you would just signal each other "airplane mode" from across the plane, and you would fuck all over again<3.

[pablitogavii]

Hii! I love your writing 💕

I was wondering if you could write something where Gavi misses the reader a lot and she goes to visit him and he's very clingy.

Long Distances

You were at the airport waiting patiently for your flight to Portugal. Pablo went there yesterday with his team and you couldn’t join because of your exam.

Pablo was whiny all morning when you were pushing him to pack and drive to the training stadium to meet his teammates.

“I don’t wanna go!!! I haven’t been with you in so longg!! I wanna stay home! With you!” He fell on the bed nuzzling his head into your boobs and you giggled since his kisses tickled badly.

“Fine! I’ll come tomorrow, vale? Spend some time together before the game and travel back together ??” You suggested and he got excited agreeing quickly before kissing your lips passionately.

And so, here you are sitting at your gate with Pablo on the face time call since he was feeling needy to see you immediately.

“You should take a nap cariño, until the evening training session??” You remind him but he was way too stubborn to listen.

“I only wanna nap with you! Have you play with my hair and kissing me…ughh I want you!!!” He whined and you giggled at his silliness and impatience.

"I'll be there in a few hours cariño, and then you can get all the cuddles you want?" you say and he smiled as you continued to talk all the way until you boarded the plane.

Your trip was very nice and you spent most of it reading your new book and when you came you saw your boy escorted by his security waiting for you at the terminal.

The moment he saw you, he ran wrapping you in his strong muscular arms raising you from the ground and twirling you around. Everyone was shouting his name wanting his attention but you were the only one getting it..all of it.

"I told you to take business class so I can see you sooner preciosa!!" he whined like a baby capturing your lips shortly afterwards and you kissed him back just as strongly.

"It's only few minutes difference..besides, you know I'm all coach all the way!" you giggle and he knew how careful you are with spending not being one of those extravagant girls and that's what he loved about you.

"Few looong minutes princesa mía.." he said nuzzling his nose into your neck leaving a few kisses there but you reminded him that you were in public.

"Let's get to the hotel! I wanna cuddle you so bad!" he grabbed your hand rushing to get your bag from the terminal as you giggled following after him while people were taking pictures and videos.

In the car, the two of you were sitting on the back seat while one of the security guards drove back to the hotel where team was staying at. Pablo was first holding your hand, then kissed it. and then when not even that was enough his hand traveled to your thigh as he pulled you so close your bodies were glued together side by side.

"Did you really miss me this much cariño??" you giggle running your hand through his hair and he immediately groaned nodding his head and moving his head closer so that you would do it again.

"Can't you wait until we get to the hotel??" you giggle and he shakes his head moving it on your lap and you smile starting to play with it as he just laid there like an adorable little puppy. You loved clingy Pablo...it was your favorite to be honest.

When you arrived, Pablo was already napping on your lap so you leaned down to kiss his head and get him up before the door opened and you exited to meet the team inside.

"Y/n!" Balde was the first one to greet you with an excited smile. The moment Pablo introduced you to his friends, all of them accepted and liked you very much. You all became really good friends!

"Hola!! Como estas tío!?" you say greeting all of them and laughing until you felt Pablo's grumpy groan on the back of your neck and his strong grabby arms wrapping around you from behind as he nuzzled his nose into your neck.

"You'll suffocate the girl Pablito!" Frenkie teased

"Shut up!" Pablo rolled his eyes in annoyance that you weren't already in the room cuddled up together and ALL ALONE! He craved only your company for so long

"Someone's an angry bird again?? Hola amiga!" Pedri joined hugging you and you giggled looking at Pablo who let go off you and just left angrily towards the bedroom. You knew he was just frustrated and needy so you ran after him promising to catch up with the rest later.

"Clingyy!" they yelled after him and you sighed.

"Better catch my angry bird. Bye guys!" you say waving and they all waved back laughing at Pablo's silly attitude knowing their friends was completely whipped by you.

"Oie cariño. Por favor don't be angry, I was just being nice to them..but I'm all yours now..promise!" you say jumping on his back and he gives you a piggy back ride all the way to the bedroom you'll be sharing.

The moment you came in, he pulled you on the bed laying his head on top of your boobs and nuzzling closer into your neck with a comfortable moan leaving his mouth.

"Is this what you needed cariño??" you ask playing with his hair as he rested on your chest holding you tightly like an adorable little baby holding his favorite toy.

"Mhm..all I need princesa" he said into your chest and you smile leaning down to kiss his temple while he looked up catching your lips softly.

"Am I really being clingy preciosa?" he asked with those adorable puppy dog eyes staring up at you..aaaggghhhh you could melt at that moment.

"Yes you are but so are all the boys with their girlfriends..trust me, if they tease you about it, just remind them how they act around their girls. All of them beg for cuddles before bed" you say and Pablo knew that must be true since girls talk to each other. That made him relieved and he wasn't going to take their crap for it anymore.

"I hate these long distances so much amor.." he says and you smile nodding your head. It wasn't easy but your love was worth overcoming any obstacle or inconvenience.

"Me too cariño..but we always find a way to make it work" you say and he nods happy that you would travel just to be with him when he needed you. It made him feel so special.

"Te amo muchisimo princesa!" he said and you smiled nodding your head and kissing his nose first and then his lips which made the boy blush before laying back down on your chest.

"Te amo Pablito..rest up now so you can win tomorrow! I know you will!" you reassure him and he smiled enjoying the way you were massaging his scalp, you familiar scent filling his nostrils as he could finally completely relax and fall asleep in his girl's arms.

[thefallennightmare]

One Night-Valentine's Day special

*gif created by me. feel free to use, simply give credit*

Pairings: Noah Sebastian x Reader

Warnings: lots of smut(mask play, spit play, bondage, anal, fingering, oral(m/f receiving), choking, unprotected sex), swearing, angst, fluff.

Summary: Nothing like a little Valentines Day smut for these two love birds!

Authors Note: Since this takes place during this universe, every thing that happened between Noah and Reader is still the same! Just a little pop in to see how they've been doing! Happy Valentines Day my lovelies! I hope you enjoy this little blurb!

Tags: @thescarlettvvitch @sammyjoeee @shilohrosechicken @malice-ov-mercy @thebadchic @niicoleleigh @lma1986 @dsireland86 @bellaboo967 @cookiesupplier @whenthesummerdies @bngurngheart @laurpartyprogram @thisbicc @lyinginbetween @princessmarshmallowx @loeytuan98 @cncohshit @lacktoesandtoddlerants @notingridslurkaccount @calleyx13 @jessiskyee @mrscevans @spicywhenspeaking @myownthoughts12 @br0kenangel23 @flowery-mess @lizzieseveride @illmakeyousaywow @burning-outx @xhedonistolisx @sinnamongirl @jilliemiw86 @shayzillaaaa @dream-machine-love

“Hi, who can I make this out to?” I smiled up at the person in front of me. 

The young blonde smiled wide. “Uh, Jennifer.” 

I picked up on her nerves but decided not to dwell on it like I’d done with the other 50 people before her. I opened the book Jennifer lay in front of me and wrote the same message I’d been writing all day.

Jennifer, 

Thank you so much for the support. 

XO

Y/N. 

“Thank you so much for coming out”, I said while sliding the book back to Jennifer. 

Jennifer shook her head while clutching the book close to her chest. “No, thank you, Y/N! I absolutely loved One Night. So when you were promoting Always Pretending, I knew I would have another book to add to my TBR list. Needless to say, it’s my favorite book ever.” 

My cheeks flushed. “Oh wow. Thank you so much for that, Jennifer. Truly, your praise means a lot.” 

With a wave, I continued the same thing for the next long while, signing book after book for my fans. This was the last day in a two-week-long book tour across the United States and to say I was exhausted was an understatement. Not to mention, I had a four-hour flight back home to Los Angeles as soon as I left this bookshop. Jackie, my assistant, knew how badly I wanted to get back home so she booked the earliest flight she could. 

It has been like this for the last year ever since I published One Night and now Always Pretending; both books on the bestseller list. While I was thankful for that, I wasn’t thankful for being away from home for so long. 

Away from Noah.

Our schedules didn’t seem to match up as of late. While I was away on my book signing tour, he was home resting because a week after I got back home, Bad Omens would be leaving for a round of festivals overseas. Noah wanted me to join him since I hadn’t been in a long time. We’d been dating for almost two years now and I had to miss out on the last two tours because of my own career. 

I had every intention of joining Noah now but needed to talk to Jackie about it first. She worked tirelessly to keep my schedule busy and jam-packed to promote my books but in my eyes, they didn't need any more promotion. I’d been working almost nonstop with these book tours, interviews, and not to mention trying to work on my third book. 

I needed a fucking break. 

I didn’t want it to seem to people that I was complaining because I was thankful for where I ended up. If you had told the girl two years ago who sat on that tour bus wondering if her first book would be good enough to become a best-selling author, she’d laugh in your face. 

Noticing that we were dwindling to the last few people, I powered through with a plastered smile even though my eyes were drowning in exhaustion. My phone lay on the table next to me, screen down but kept buzzing against the wood. Jackie went to reach for it but I shot her a look in between signing books. 

“I thought you’d want me to respond for you,” she tried to smile. 

I bit my tongue, not wanting to snap at the older woman because she was simply doing her job but I knew who was texting me and didn’t want her to see those messages. 

“It’s fine, thank you,” I muttered. 

Finally, after a two-hour signing, I was finished and shook out the cramps in my right hand while letting out a deep breath. It was almost 2 in the afternoon and my flight left in 3 hours which meant I had to rush across town to make it in time. 

“So, I was thinking,” Jackie started as I began to gather my things. “The local news channel would love to have you on their morning report tomorrow. I think it would be great publicity.” 

I raised a brow. “You seemed to forget that I have a flight in three hours, Jackie.” 

“I know,” she nodded. “But we can move some things around and-.” 

For the first time since she took over as my assistant, I said the word that I never wanted to because I knew how important the publicity side of my career was. 

“No.” 

Jackie blinked. “What?” 

I sighed while running a hand through my hair. “Look Jackie, while I appreciate everything you’ve done for me these past few months, I need a break. I’ve been going nonstop since One Night was published. I miss my life back in Los Angeles. I miss my quiet little apartment. I miss my boyfriend.” 

Noah’s smile flashed in my mind and my heart yearned to be back with him. About three months ago, he moved in with me but with how busy both of us had been it felt as if we didn’t have time to actually revel in living together. 

Not to mention, being away from him for two weeks made me horny as hell. Facetime sex paled in comparison to seeing and feeling the real thing. 

“But-.” 

I held up my hand to silence Jackie. “You deserve a break as well, Jackie. Take some time off, do things you love. When I’m ready to talk about book three, I’ll give you a call, alright?” 

Reluctantly, she nodded while tucking a piece of graying hair behind her ear. 

Bidding her goodbye, I threw my bag over my shoulder and then dragged my suitcase behind me to exit the bookstore only to immediately sit in the backseat of the black town car that had been waiting to take me to the airport. Once we were gliding along the road, I finally peered at my phone for the first time in a few hours. 

Noah: Angel, I’m so proud of everything you’ve done. Seeing how successful your book tour has been makes me smile. I can’t wait till you’re back home and we can celebrate. I love you so much. 

Noah: So, are you going to sign a copy of Always Pretending for me? Since you know, I was your muse for it. 

I rolled my eyes with a giggle before replying to Noah. 

Me: Oh please, you know I’d sign a book for my biggest fan. Also, I love you too. 

As I browsed through my phone, checking my social media and responding to emails, Noah texted back. 

Noah: So, we have a problem. I can’t pick you up from the airport because I forgot I had my therapy appointment at six.

My heart sunk to the depths of my stomach. All day I’d been looking forward to seeing Noah’s face as I stepped through the doors of the airport. But I knew that he couldn’t miss therapy. It was more important than picking me up. 

Me: It’s okay, love. I can order an uber. I should be back home by 8. Maybe we can have a late dinner together? 

Noah: Already taken care of, angel. 

With a yawn, I adjusted my glasses as I stepped through the gate doors of the airport, dragging my bags behind me. There was a delay in taking off at the last airport which meant I was now arriving in Los Angeles at 9 p.m rather than 7 p.m. I had to buy wifi on the plane so I could message Noah to let him know about the delay. 

Thank the gods I changed out of my professional attire at the last airport and opted to wear my Bad Omens joggers and Noah’s yellow hoodie; his smell still lingering. With my phone in one hand, I was about to order an Uber when my feet skidded to a halt at the sight in front of me. 

What a cheeky little…

Noah smirked as he held a bouquet of black daisies. 

“Hi, angel,” he mused. 

I reached for the flowers and brought them to my nose, inhaling their scent, and then peered up at Noah. 

“I thought you couldn’t pick me up.” 

Noah brushed away a loose strand of hair from my face. “I sort of lied. I had plans to pick you up then take you out to dinner for Valentine's day but when your flight got delayed, I had to switch things up.” 

“So you’ve been waiting here for two hours?” I asked. 

“Worth it.” 

He shrugged before wrapping his fingers behind my neck to bring our lips together in a long overdue kiss. His tongue immediately molded against mine and I moaned into it, my hand sprawling over his chest. The material of his Hereditary sweater felt warm underneath my palm and I let myself fall into him when his hands grasped my hips. 

“I missed you, Y/N,” Noah’s teeth grazed over my bottom lip. 

“I missed you too, love.” 

With his arm wrapped around my shoulder and other hand holding my bags, Noah led me out of the airport and towards his car parked in the parking lot. Once we were settled, he began the drive back home. I nestled into the passenger seat and let out a content sigh. 

“Tired?” Noah questioned with one hand on the wheel and the other resting on my thigh. 

“No, surprisingly. I thought I would be but I’m just happy to be back home.” 

He brought my hand to his lips to kiss along my knuckles. “I’m glad you’re back too, angel.” 

For the rest of the drive home, I told him how the book tour went while he told me what he did the last few weeks. Since it was down time for Bad Omens, Noah spent it either in the gym with Ash or in the studio with the guys. 

As we walked down the long hallway to our apartment, another yawn slipped through my lips and I nearly stumbled. Noah chuckled as he wrapped an arm around me to pull me into his chest. 

“You should get some sleep, angel.” 

I frowned while burying myself into his sweater. "I'm not tired."

His lips brushed along my forehead as we stopped in front of our door and he unlocked it. The darkness of our home escaped into the hallway as I stepped through the threshold and when I clicked on the lights, a gasp fell from my lips. 

Matching the daisies bouquet I had clutched in my arms, our entire apartment was littered. Music played softly as I noticed the steaming dinner plated on our kitchen island, candles lit and spread throughout. 

Turning on my heels, I gaped at Noah who leaned against the door with a smug smile. 

“What is this?” I asked, doing my best not to cry. 

“Happy Valentine's Day, angel. I had Jolly set this up for me while we were on our way home. He had to warm up the dinner I cooked earlier but I promise it’s still good,” he said. 

My eyes widened. “Oh, I forgot it’s Valentine's day! I was so busy with everything I didn’t get you anything.” 

Noah pushed himself off the door and immediately cupped my face so I could look up at him. The hood of his sweater was still pulled over his eyes, chocolate tendrils falling into his face. 

“You know I don’t need anything. Just you, angel. But I wanted to do something special for you because you deserve it.” 

I left a firm but quick kiss on his lips, muttering against them. “Thank you, Noah.” 

He smiled while motioning behind me. “Come on, let's eat.” 

“Fuck, Noah,” I moaned when his tongue licked up the patch of skin his teeth grazed. 

My nails dragged down his bare chest, leaving red marks along his tattoos, as he continued to slam his cock into me, the couch beneath us scraping along the wood floors. 

“So tight. I missed you,” he groaned into the crook of my neck as his hips stilled. 

I knew he was close but also knew that he didn’t want it to end yet. What started as a nice romantic dinner turned into a heavy make out session on the couch. Neither of us could wait any longer and needed to be connected once again. 

His fingers brushed along the folds of my pussy and I shook with the feeling as he slowly dragged his cock all the way out, only leaving the tip inside. 

“Noah,” I whined while raising my hips. “Please.” 

His teeth dragged along my nipples. “Please what?” 

I raked my nails through his hair and yanked back causing Noah to let out a loud hiss. “Fuck, angel.” 

“Stop teasing me and fuck me, Noah. Please.” 

My screams echoed throughout the apartment when he buried his cock deep witin me again, his pace becoming ruthless. But our position on the couch wasn’t the greatest, I needed to be able to feel him even deeper. We couldn’t make it to the bedroom when we first started and there was no way I was going to stop this now. 

Noah could tell I needed something different because with one strong arm, he lifted me from the couch to carry me over to the kitchen table. I squealed in delight as I writhed in his embrace. 

“What are you doing?” I asked as he made me lean back. 

He brushed back the sweat slicked hair from his forehead and licked his lips. “I need a taste of you.” 

With a tight grip on my thighs, he spread my legs wide apart before he knelt between them. The warmth of his tongue sent shockwaves to my entire system as he lapped up the remnants of my previous orgasm he gave me on the couch and I arched off the table when he began sucking on my clit. 

“Shit, Noah. I’m going to-.” 

With two fingers spearing me wide open before pumping in fast succession and his mouth sucking on my sensitive nub, I let the shock of my orgasm tear through me with such a force that it nearly took my breath away. 

“Such a good girl,” Noah mused while laying a kiss on the inside of my thigh. “I missed the way you taste.” 

I only had a few minutes to breath before he was yanking me off the table to now stand on my feet. He patted my ass. 

“Lean your hands against the window,” he nodded towards the patio door. 

“What-?” I shuffled on my feet. 

Noah’s lips attacked mine in a ravenous kiss and when he pulled away, he brushed my arousal off of his lips with his thumb. His bracelet and necklace glinted in the light from the lamppost outside. 

“Be a good girl, Y/N, and do what I say,” his voice was as dark as his eyes. 

Not wanting to disappoint, I quickly made my way over to the patio door that led out to our balcony and rested my psalm against the glass.Thankfully we shut off all but one of the lights so no one would be able to peer up into our apartment and see what we were doing.

"Keep your hands on the window," he demanded and then yanked my hips back to him so I was bent over. 

Nodding furiously, I spread my hands against the window of the patio door when his cocked slipped inside of me again, his name falling off my lips in a prayer. 

“That’s right, pray to your king,” Noah rasped as he bit down on my shoulder. 

One tattooed arm wrapped around my stomach while the other tightened around my throat to bring my chest against his back, this new angle making my vision blurry. It felt so good, the burn, and Noah knew how bad I needed it to hurt. 

 He squeezed until I felt the air being ripped away from me, his cock slamming into me with no sign of stopping. He never held back and I never wanted him too.  I needed it to hurt, needed it to burn, that I wouldn't be able to walk tomorrow.

When I felt the darkness creeping to the corners of my eyelids due to how tight he was gripping my throat, I let out a choked moan. 

“Safe word?” he muttered into my ear before kissing the skin behind there. 

Although his voice was soft and concerning, the way he fucked me was completley different. 

I did my best to shake my head with his tight grip around my throat. “Keep. Going. So. Close.” 

Noah eased his grip a bit so I could take a deep breath before he tightened it again. My orgasm was so close, I just needed a little something to have it wash over me. As my hand moved to my clit, Noah smacked my ass, the sound echoing through our apartment. Instead, his thumb pressed circles against my clit and that was exactly what I needed to let my orgasm finally release from the tightness of my body. I came with such vigor on Noah’s cock he groaned into my hairline. 

“Such a good girl,” he praised while letting go of the vice grip around my throat. 

Gulping for hair, I nodded. “Yes.” 

Nails dug into the skin of my hips as Noah’s pace became even more frantic, him chasing his own release, and I was so far gone in my post orgasmic haze that I nearly didn’t hear the two words he said. 

“Wh-what?” I stuttered. 

Noah’s hips stilled for a beat before he let out a deep, guttural groan when he spilled his warm release into me. 

“Marry me.” 

Before my body could fall into a heap to the ground, Noah lifted me to sit me on the edge of our kitchen island. His large hand cupped my cheek so I had no choice but to gaze upon him. His pupils were blown wide due to our actions and his chest rose and fell as he did his best to catch his breath. His warm cum dripped down my legs onto the cold marble beneath me but I didn’t dare think about the mess. I only thought about those two words. 

“What did you say?” I asked, still breathless. 

“Marry me,” Noah said again without an ounce of hesitation. 

Everything around us seemed to fall away, the eerie quiet of the apartment now ringing loudly in my ears. My heart beat loudly in my chest that I could feel it in my throat when I realized how sincere Noah was. This wasn’t a joke, he meant those words. 

As if he thought I was doubting him, he ripped open our junk drawer in the kitchen to pull out a small velvet box and my breath caught in my throat. 

“Fuck, you’re serious?” I choked out. 

Noah smiled wickedly as he opened the box, the light above the kitchen sink catching the diamond almost instantly. The gold band was thin but the oval shape of the diamond almost sat perfectly against it. 

“With you, Y/N. I’ve never been more serious about anything,” he said. 

My throat burned in the best way. Never in this lifetime did I ever expect to have such a romantic Valentine's Day. Guys in my past never gave a shit, especially Jacob, so to have Noah go all out was something I wasn't used too but knowing he loved me so much made my heart swell. 

I began to nod wildly. “Fuck yes!” 

With a laugh, Noah collided our lips together in a fever kiss before reluctantly pulling away to slide the ring onto my finger. 

“I didn’t mean to have a cliche proposal on Valentine's day. I planned on asking you if you came overseas but I couldn’t risk not asking you before,” Noah explained. 

I wrapped my legs around his naked form to bring him closer to me and I hung my arms around his neck. We were still naked and the cool air from the open window brushed along our heated skin. 

“I’m coming with you.” 

Noah’s eyes lit up. “You are?” 

“Yeah, I need a break and now that we’re engaged, I think we need to celebrate,” I waved the hand with the ring in front of his face playfully. 

He grasped it to leave a kiss upon the ring. “Say no more, angel.” 

My squeals bounced off the walls of our home as Noah carried me into our bedroom to start our engagement celebrations.

[lcvesjj]

No Surprises - Aaron Hotchner x Fem!Reader

Pairing : Aaron Hotchner x Fem!Reader 

Summary :  This job took so much from you that you decided to quit.

Warnings : angst, sadness, no happy endings, Hotch is kind of a jerk here?, yelling and swearing, break-ups, 

A/n : this was supposed to be more angsty but I didn't feel like re-writting it :) and this is a little old so it's not the best (sorry for any mistakes I missed 🥲)

masterlist

who I write for + request rules

To say that you were tired was an understatement. You were exhausted. This job was taking far too much from you. It had taken so much from you, to the point where you felt nothing. You were simply empty and you wanted to quit your job so badly. You were exhausted and burned out and all you wanted was to leave and not look back. But you stayed because of your boyfriend Aaron.

That was before it all came crashing down. You had just gotten back to the BAU building and Aaron had avoided looking at you or speaking to you for the whole flight back. He was still mad at you, after you and Derek for running into a building where the unsub was without backup. Which was not the best move but you didn’t want more people to get hurt because of the unsub

“Y/l/n, my office now.” Hotch said in a stern voice, not wanting to make him even more mad. You just dropped your bag next to your desk and walked over to his office. “Close the door.” Was all he said not even glancing up at you. “Look Aaron if you are still-” You didn’t even get to finish your sentence before he stood up and walked over to you with a stern expression on his face. “You disobeyed my direct orders and you put your coworkers in danger by running into that building. Right after I told you to wait for backup. Do you know how badly that could've ended? How am I supposed to not be mad at you? And do not Aaron me. I’m your boss, not your friend. Why do I always have to take care of you?”  He yelled at you. 

You took a small step back, with tears gathering in your eyes. You just didn’t say anything to him, you just stared at the ground. “Do you understand how stupid of a move that was? You could've gotten yourself killed or worse. You're done for today, Agent Y/l/n. And until I decide what to do with you, I don’t want you here or anywhere near me or Jack.” He raised his voice at you once again.

You could feel that you were about to start crying. In response you just nodded softly and muttered “Understood Sir.” Walking out of his office you quickly ran down the steps and grabbed your go-bag and ran out of the office before your coworkers could see your tears. Emily tried to stop you, but you just walked past her and towards the elevator. 

Aaron felt guilty, he shouldn't have yelled at you like that. But he was so mad at you since he didn’t want to lose yet another person he loved. He was tired and overworked, but he knew that isn't an excuse for being a jerk to you. 

For you that was it, you had had enough. You were exhausted and humiliated, this job and relationship was taking far too much from you. 

So that's when you decided to quit, you've been thinking about quitting for a while, but you never had the guts to do so. 

Walking over to your desk, you pulled out the sheet of paper that has been sitting there for a few months and filled it out. You had made up your mind already. There was no going back now. 

Thinking about your future you always pictured Aaron and Jack in it, but now you weren’t so sure. Aaron started being distant and he would snap at you a lot, just like he did in the office a few hours ago. You were tired and as much as you loved both Aaron and Jack, you knew staying would make it all worse.

After making a few calls to some friends, one of them offered you a job in Chicago and they also offered for you to live with them. Seeing this as your chance to get away from your current life, you agreed. It was an impulsive decision, but you knew it was probably for the best.

A few days later that friend flew over to help you pack everything you might need. When you finished packing and had everything ready to leave, you asked your friend if they could drive with you to the BAU to hand over your resignation and badge and everything. 

Your friend decided to stay in the car, saying that it’s best if you go in alone. Riding the elevator up, you smiled softly. You knew you would miss your team a lot. Especially Emily, JJ & Penelope, since sometimes you would all go out together or have a girls night in, you knew you would miss being able to spend time with them, but you knew it was for the best. Taking a deep breath you walked out of the elevator and through the glass doors. 

“Guys look who's here.” Derek yelled getting up and walking over to hug you. “OMG Y/n, I missed you so much!” Penelope exclaimed, running over to pull you into a tight embrace. JJ and Emily also walked over to say hello. “So what brings you here?” Derek asked curiously. “Uh well I’m actually here to hand this over.” You replied showing them the resignation form. Their faces immediately fell seeing it. “W-what? You're leaving us?” Pen asked in shock. “I got a new job offer in Chicago and I decided to take it. This job really took a toll on me so I decided to quit.” You smiled sadly at them. 

Hearing his office door open, didn’t even look up. You just looked at your coworkers and seeing their sad expressions made you tear up. Derek pulled you into a big and warm hug, whispering into your ear he said “I’m gonna miss you so much. I’m only a phone call away in case anything happens or I need to kick someone's ass alright? And stay safe for me.” He smiled sadly, kissing the side of your forehead softly.

Derek was like the older brother you never had. Always making sure you were alright and if you were having a bad day he would try and make you laugh with his silly jokes. JJ, Emily and Penenlope also hugged you saying that they would miss you a lot and making you promise that soon you’d come and see them so you could all have a girls night together.

“Y/n, what are you doing here?” Aaron asked in confusion, he wanted to call you and apologise for everything but he never had the guts to do it. “I’m just here to give in my resignation and my badge Sir. So you no longer have to bother looking after me.” You replied coldly. Handing him the paper he looked shocked and confused. “Y/n-” He started, but you cut him off saying. “I already have found a new job and I’m moving so don’t even bother with it. Oh and this whole relationship is over. Since as you said you don’t want me near you or Jack, so I’m just respecting your decision.” “That’s not what I meant Y/n, you know that. I was just mad.” He said softly looking at you trying to read your expression. “Just because you are mad doesn’t mean you have the right to take out your anger on someone.” You said coldly, handing him your badge before walking out of the BAU once and for all. 

Taking one last glance at the building you got into the car, driving away ready to start your new life.

[igotsnothing]

OC Deep Dive Questionnaire

Thank you for tagging me, @lynzishell! You are the best and I enjoyed reading about Atlas and Asher so much- their warmth and affection were so evident throughout the entire questionnaire! ❤️

For this I chose Sasha and Gideon. If anyone is interested in a different pair, I'd be glad to do it again!

Gideon: Oh, we’ve been invited to do a Deep Dive Questionnaire!

Sasha: No. It’s absurd.

Gideon: We were tagged by Asher and Atlas, though. They’re so nice!

Sasha:  Buuh…Fine.

-What common/uncommon fear do they have?

Gideon: Are you scared of anything, Sasha? You have to be one of the most fearless people I know. Who walks into a vampire coven meeting like you did? You are something else.

Sasha: When I was little, my mom took me to a petting zoo and bought me feeding pellets to give to the geese; they all kept crowding me and chasing me around this pond and I thought I was going to die.

Gideon: What did you do?

Sasha: I threw all the pellets at them and jumped into the pond.

Gideon: That’s actually very scary for a young child! Did your mother have to jump in after you?

Sasha: Nooo. The pond was pretty shallow.

Gideon...How old were you?

Sasha: Like 10.

Gideon: PFFFF!

Sasha: Shut up.

Gideon: You’re so dramatic.

Sasha: What about you?

Gideon: I fear... not ever having you by my side.

Sasha: [Turning red and burying his face in Gideon’s chest]

Do they have any pet peeves?

Gideon: Hmm...Probably people who are rude, especially in public. It’s not that hard to hold the door for people or say excuse me, or turn your blinker on before making a turn.

Sasha: OMG, when people sit down at a table and keep talking to each other and when I come over to take their order, they’re like, “Oh, I didn’t get a chance to look at the menu yet.” I’m like- there are FOUR things on the menu. Just order or I will choose your food for you!

Gideon: You also dislike bad tippers.

Sasha: If I get another religious tract as a tip, someone is going to be meeting their lord sooner than they expected.

What are 3 items you can find in their bedroom?

Sasha: We bought a bunch of stuff recently! We got a sofa bed and a fridge... What's one more thing?

Gideon: What about Mrs. Kachky?

Sasha: She goes where I go. She’s the only thing I have left of my mom’s.

Gideon: I'm feeling a little jealous. I think she gets more cuddles than I do...

Sasha: Awww! I’ll let you cuddle her too.

Gideon: [Inhaling deeply] I’m throwing you back into that pond.

What do they notice first in a person?

Gideon: Appearances can be deceiving. I’m more interested in seeing how people treat those they perceive as being beneath them. People often behave badly when they have any kind of power.

Sasha: I was raised in the Spice District! You think we make eye contact with people while walking around here? You keep walking- mind your business.

Gideon: Let’s combine the next two questions because I think they’re related.

On a scale of 1-10, how high is their pain tolerance?  And -do they go into fight or flight mode when under pressure?

Gideon: I was a soldier when I was mortal and as a vampire, I’ve endured my share of attempts on my unlife: I’ve been stabbed, beaten, and I’ve escaped more than one attempt to burn me into ashes. I assess a situation before fighting. I won’t necessarily run if the odds are stacked heavily against me, but I may try to explore an alternative. I’d say I have a high tolerance. A 9.

Sasha: Me too.

Gideon: [Squinting and shaking his head]

Sasha: Okay, but in my defense that comb snagged my hair really hard- I didn’t expect that. Let’s say a 7.

Gideon: Or a 4... It’s ironic, because you won’t run from a fight. Even if you know you’ll get beaten up. It’s very paradoxical.

Sasha: In Sparta, we die like men!

Gideon: [Rolls his eyes].

Do they come from a big family/are they a family person?

Gideon: My coven is my family, and it is a fairly large one. I think I’ve been somewhat absent and disconnected from them for a while now. I do miss that closeness we shared over the decades.

Sasha: Nope. It was my mom and my dad and me. After she died, I was pretty much on my own. My dad and I haven't spoken in years.

[Gideon reaches for his hand and clasps it tightly.]

Gideon: I'm always here for you, Sasha. You're not alone.

What animal represents them best?

Gideon: [Laughs]

Sasha: PASS!

What is a smell that they dislike?

Sasha: Depending on where you are walking in this city, every once in a while you’ll catch a whiff of weed that’s just skunky-ass bad. Or pee. Or trash water on the sidewalk.

Gideon: Garlic.

Have they broken any bones? if so, how?

Gideon: Oof...I’ve broken a few. I used to ride horses when I was a soldier and had my share of bad falls.

Sasha: I broke my arm falling off a jungle gym. I was in first or second grade. It wasn’t too bad. All my friends drew on my cast and then my arm was super stinky when the cast came off.

How would a stranger likely describe them?

Sasha: Gideon? Sophisticated. And...Suede.

Gideon: Suede?

Sasha: Yeah! You know, someone like super confident and elegant...

Gideon: Did you mean...suave?

Sasha: ...Wut?

Gideon: [Quickly] Sasha is completely and devastatingly adorable and endearing.

Are they a night owl or a morning bird?

Gideon: I don’t need much sleep, but I find myself keeping hours similar to Sasha’s now.

Sasha: I stay up late when I work at the diner.

What is a flavor they hate and a flavor they love?

Sasha: This man loves the flavor of his fancy-pants whiskey.

Gideon: You forgot my favorite one: you.

Sasha: Stop it...And you hated Twizzlers.

Gideon: Why someone would eat a rope of twisted wax is beyond me. You hate fine whiskey- I'll never forget “liquid leather”. But you love junk food, which baffles me. Have some Styrofoam instead- at least it doesn't pretend to be real food.

Sasha: Heh! I got you some Tootsie Rolls and Necco candy... Can't wait to see you try those...

Do they have any hobbies?

Gideon: I love the arts. I frequented the theatre, museums, and concert halls often. I'd love to take Sasha with me sometime.

Sasha: I like walking around the city. There is always something interesting or new to see. Oh, and piling stuff into the hall closet so the contents fall down on Dima when he opens it. He falls for it. Every. Time.

Boom, surprise birthday party! how do they react to surprises?

Sasha and Gideon look at each other: No.

Sasha: Let’s say what we hate about surprise parties at the count of three. Ready? 1...2...3!

Gideon: Surprises.

Sasha: People.

Do they like to wear jewelry? if so, what is their favorite piece?

Gideon: I don’t really wear anything except for my Rolex Daytona.

Sasha: F*ck. How am I supposed to follow that? A few pizza-shaped earrings from Claire’s? They were super cute, though. Oh, and a friendship bracelet Tito made me a couple years ago. It broke off but I still have it somewhere.

Do they have neat or messy handwriting?

Sasha: Have you seen his writing? It’s like he signed the Declaration of Independence. Mine is barely legible.  

What are two emotions they feel the most?

Gideon: I sense many of Sasha’s emotions, but I don’t want to put him on the spot.

Sasha: I do feel anxious and upset a lot.

Gideon: My emotions would be frustration and...Hmm...

Sasha: Horniness.

Gideon [Stares in mock surprise as Sasha snickers]

Do they have a favorite fabric?

Gideon: I like linen. It has an elegant simplicity that is timeless.

Sasha: I like flannel.

Gideon: [Playfully] Not suede?

Sasha: Oh, haha, you dick.

What kind of accent do they have?

Sasha: Do I even have an accent?

Gideon: You sound like you’re from San Myshuno. No doubt. What about me?

Sasha: You do have a pretty neutral accent, but every once in a while you’ll sound like you’re from Henford-on-Bagley.

Gideon: Well, it was more likely to hear Simlish from Henford since it is closer to where I hail from.

Sasha, imitating Gideon very hammily: Say, old chap, do you fancy a tipple of liquid leather with some freshly harvested Cheetos? No, wait- Cheeee-tooows!

[Laughing]

Sasha: Heh! I guess that wasn't so bad, after all...

I'm tagging the following storytellers who are wonderful: @agena87, @aurorangen, @eljeebee, @miss-may-i, @aheathen-conceivably, and if anyone else wants to play, please do so. And because I believe in miracles: @damseljamselI and @greighish. @lynzishell, if you wanted to do this for Phoenix and Dawn...here is your chance! I'd totally read it up! I'd tag more folks but I'm feeling a bit off these days and (irrationally- I hope) worried about bothering people. In that vein- this is totally optional! (butifyoudoitiwannareaditall!)

[lou-struck]

Midnight In the Sky

Hajime Iwaizumi x reader

WC: 1.8k

~You missed the Countdown

You missed the party

But most importantly, you miss him 

a/n: Ho ho ho, Merry Christmas to @sir-kuroo. I was think for a bit on what I wanted to do for this little gift and I thought A New Years Fic would be appropriate. 

"You're kidding me."

"I know," you sign in exasperation as you watch the large board of flights flicker as the airlines struggle to make adjustments for the winter storm. "The attendant told me that my flight won't be taking off for another 4 hours." your voice is shaky as you hold your cell phone up to your ear, trying your best not to break down in the middle of this airport.

Hajime Iwaizumi's voice softens through the speaker. "What about New Years? The party?"

"Haji, you should still go. These are your friends, and I want you to have a good time tonight. Even if I can't be there with you." although you were trying your best to sound supportive. You really wanted to go to that New Year's party. It's always fun to spend the evening with your boyfriend and his friends. They're a wild bunch and make any time a great one.

"None of those people at the party are you." he pushes back. Fighting for the happiness that he knows you deserve. "What time do you land?" he asks, the cogs turning in his head on how he can make this shitty situation better. "It's early enough we could still make it to the party."

Although he can't see it, you shake your head at his words. Your lips formed into a deep frown. "It'll be way too late then. You go to the party, I'll be too tired too anyway. I'll just get a cab from the airport, and then we can see each other tomorrow."

"This is not how it was supposed to go. I'm sorry, y/n," he says. Although his voice is in your ear, it feels like he might as well be on another planet. "I wanted to spend midnight with you."

You don't know if it's the fact that you don't get to kiss your boyfriend at midnight on New Year's Eve or it's that you have been stuck in airports for the past 16 hours after your holiday plans ran late, but nevertheless, your eyes become watery.

"Don't go kissing anyone else at midnight," You laugh, knowing that he would never do such a thing. You trust him wholeheartedly. But let's face it: your boyfriend, Hajime Iawizumi, is a snack that most people wouldn't hesitate to try to sink their teeth into.

"I'd never," he says with a bit of lighthearted humor in his voice. The shift in his tone makes you feel a little bit better, but you haven't seen him in weeks, and you miss him so badly. Even hearing his voice seems like a mockery now, especially since you were supposed to see him face-to-face hours ago. "Do you want me to stay on the line with you while you wait?"

"no, that's all right. I'm going to go charge my phone; I love you so much. Have a great time tonight."

You hang up before he has a chance to say goodbye and wonder about the airport, anxiously waiting to get back home to him.

~

"ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We are beginning our descent into Tokyo International Airport. Our estimated arrival time at the gate will be, uh… 12:37 am. On behalf of the Flight Crew, we would like to thank you for choosing to fly with us this New Year's Eve. 

The Pilot's announcement is loud enough to stir you from your light, uncomfortable slumber. 

Blinking softly, you take in the darkened cabin; the soft snores of the other passengers reach your ears. You don't blame them. Traveling is exhausting, even if the plane is doing all the work. Winter weather has delayed your flight home from visiting your relatives for the holidays drastically. You've had three unexpected layovers, and the somber tingle in the back of your mind whispers to your subconscious that the odds of you getting your checked luggage back are stupidly low.

Another feeling that's hard to ignore is the cramped sensation in your neck from the way your head has been resting against the cabin walls. 

But gut feelings and neck cramps pale in comparison to the ache in your chest. It's New Year's Eve, and you should've been home hours ago. 

You should be at some glittery party wearing some Cheesy 2024 plastic glasses, drinking something sparkling, and cozied up with the person you love most. 

You miss Hajime.

You miss his strong arms.

You miss the way he always seems to smell like Tiger Balm. 

With a longing sigh, you lean closer to the small oval window next to you. The chill of the high altitude permeates the clear plastic buffer between your hand and the outer glass. Peering down through the thin cloud cover, you can see the lights of some city. 

You should be down on the ground with him. But for reasons beyond your control, you are not.

All of a sudden, you see the first streak of light fly up towards you. It doesn't make it anywhere close to your plane before exploding into hundreds of little flares of light.

People down below are lighting off fireworks. How is it possible that it's midnight already?

You grab your phone. Although it's on airplane mode, the clock still works just fine. The four large numbers of your home screen clock stare back at you.

12:00 am 

January 1st

You've missed the countdown.

Your stomach drops as the plane starts on it's gradual descent. It's crazy how when you're up in the sky, everything looks close together. The display of New Year lights is breathtaking, but your heart aches.

Can he see the fireworks too? 

You can see it now: he's at the New Year's party with a big, handsome smile on his face, laughing with his friends. he must be so happy. And he must be having the best time. Listening to live music and drinking overpriced spirits at the venue.

there are a few strands of sparkly confetti in his spiked hair. He must look so handsome in the outfit you picked out for him.

Your matching one sits unused in your closet. Maybe you can use it next year…

You are pulled from your vivid imagination when the plane touches down on the asphalt roughly, the cabin shakes, And luggage compartments fly open, but thankfully, nothing flies out.

It skirts down the runway, leaving your stomach somewhere a few hundred meters back. Looking out the window at the dark and the sky, the fireworks have stopped, but at least you're home.

People are anxious to get off a plane, standing and rushing to the door with eagerness. They must have someone to meet, too. 

From the entrance of the plane, you see one of the stages from earlier grab the intercom.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we have reached our destination. The current time is 12:33 am. We apologize for the delay, but all luggage from connecting flights will be arriving at 3 pm the next day due to travel. If you have any questions in regard to lost luggage or of damaged items, please contact our customer support hotline available on our website. Thank you for flying with us."

A few other passengers groan, but you were expecting this. You unplug your phone charger from your seat outlet and shove the white-coated wire into the front pocket of your backpack.

After one final sweep of the plane, you stand ready to get off of this thing, ready to be home, ready to see him later today.

It's funny how the people who had been so eager to get off the plane just seconds ago now decide to be unbearably slow as they walk through the gate and into the terminal. Your little carryon trails behind as you walk through the airport. Riding shuttles, climbing escalators, and dodging those little golf cart things that drive down the center of the walkway. 

Exhaustion weighs on your travel-torn mind, And you walk as if you are in your own little world.

You don't even notice that someone is calling your name…

A gentle hand reaches out and grabs your sweatshirt-clad shoulder. You are brought out of La La Land and back to reality as your lidded eyes meet olive green, and for a moment, you are speechless.

"Hajime?" you breathe, too shocked to say the usual 'I missed you stuff' as you lunge forward and cling to him in a heartfelt embrace. "What are you doing here?"

He holds you tightly, pushing you into his broad chest. Oh, how you've missed those muscles. 

The soft fabric of his hoodie cushions your face far better than any pillow you used these past few weeks away. "Do you really think I would want to spend the New Year with anyone else?"

"How long did you-?" you ask, your jaw dropping in surprise when you take the time to take in his attire. His dryer-faded Aoba Johsai sweatshirt and blue-gray checkered pajama pants were certainly not NYE party attire.

Where is the sharp-looking black dress shirt and champagne tie?

"I was already on my way to the airport when you called earlier." he chuckles stubbornly. His calloused fingers rub little circles into your back. "Did you really think I would just go and leave you here to fend for yourself?"

"But the party-"

"Wouldn't have been the same without you." he lovingly interrupts you and tilts his chin downwards to meet your eyes. "Once I told the others that your flight got delayed, they knew there was no chance I was going to be at that party."

"And???" you ask, knowing that there is always more to the story with him.

He smiles brilliantly, and you feel yourself falling in love all over again. "So instead, we are gonna go home, get some decent rest, and meet them for brunch tomorrow."

"Sounds perfect." Your heartbeat slows and although you are still standing in the arrivals gate of the airport- you feel like you're home at last. 

"Hey," he looks down at you through his thick brows tenderly. "There's something I gotta say before anyone else does."

"What is it?" In confusion, you cock your head to the side?

"Happy New Year," he murmurs, the love he has for you coating his words like powdered sugar on the roof of your mouth. 

"Happy New Year Hajime."

His fingers tiptoe around your waist and pull you close. "It may not be midnight, but I still want that New Year's Kiss?"

It may be 12:53 am on January 1st, but who are you to care when his Carmex-dusted lips meet yours.

This is your midnight moment on the ground. 

Gone is the Baggage claim and grouchy travelers as fireworks ignite all around you as you fall under his spell. Greedy for more of these moments that are sure to come with this New Year

Tagging: @enchantedforest-network

[terrence-silver]

Formally requesting a follow up to your married-to-his-high-school-sweetheart Twig story where he finally reunites stateside with his beloved. He gets a bit carried away in his need to convey just how much he's missed her? Maybe it gets a bit dark as he wants to possess her so deeply that no one questions their relationship again?

(You know me, there are really no boundaries on my end, so take this where you will!)

The story is a continuation / expansion of this post right here.

---

Momma Back Home Ran Out of Ink

Twig!Terry Silver x Reader

—

The limousine rushes from the airbase, his chauffeur hitting the 180 miles per hour mark.

He just about didn’t care who saw — who gawked — the image of him leaving in big style like this, his uniform the only thing lingering on him from the flight back home alongside the boxed in beige parcel on his lap — his luggage long since having been sent where he wanted it sent, meanwhile; all your letters, correspondence, pictures, perfumed paper, tokens collected from nearly three years overseas where with him. The first thing he asked for upon release to base and the one thing that stuck to him like a second skin after he was out of the cage was every bit of devotion showcased in written form; Terry Silver was only seventeen when he married you, before being deployed, technically needing parental consent to do so, and of course his old man fought the idea. Of course he waged war, of a different kind, at home, yelling and shouting until the walls practically shook, wagging his bejeweled finger and listing all the requirements of what a potential partner should be, what the acceptable age is, how life should be lived, our own kind of people being words dropped frequently, like a bomb, and Terry recalled that being his first bit of checkmate, telling his father that if he gave his consent he, like a good son, would compromise. He wouldn’t go off to the war and do something stupid and endanger his own future, like all the supposed lowlives did --- boys without prospects other than being live canon fodder were doing and the minute the signature was on paper and Terry had you secured and his, he left anyway.

He laughed then even as he was laughing now, into his own chin, all the way to the airfield.

That was then, his first ever victory.

And this was now.

And now? In the present? He needed you. He needed you badly.

Almost two years in the bush and there were nights where he’d secretly slide his hand into his green fatigues while laying in the sack during patrols, the scented envelope your letters arrived in pushed into his boxers and wrapped around his cock as he rubbed it on the tender flesh there, up and down, envisioning your fingers and lips wrapped around him instead, not minding the chafing sensation of paper on his skin. Quite the opposite; he found the slight discomfort exhilarating, cumming against the material and the itching sensation of pain, holding back groans, stashing the soaked, stained remains away and saving them for later like a lucky charm. Thing is, most of those punks never believed he was married back home in the first place, the same way his father never thought he had the guts to go against his word. Terry wasn’t sure if he preferred it that way, because it meant none of them would ever ask for your picture, never ask about you, never hassle him, never even contemplate you, convinced you were a fragment of his imagination or he despised it for being doubted. Looked down on. Underestimated. It was poetic justice when one of them would rip your newly arrived letter from his hand, jumping around like a rabid ape, giggling and reading your words aloud to everyone only to step on a landmine a week from then, losing the very leg they were jumping on in a state of mockery. Momma back home ran out of ink, they’d call it, whenever the letters were late. Somehow delayed. When they were on time, they’d say momma was diligent, writing to her son as per schedule, prodding and poking at him; it was this running gag, that his mother was posing as wife to make him look good out here, in front of the boys.

Those were the nights he wanted to kill.

Simultaneously the nights when he’d squeeze the collected envelopes of your letters harder.

Tighter. The pace vigorous and angry. Desperate.

Scrunching them around his dick until he could feel himself bleed.

-"So, married man, huh?"-

John Kreese remarked on one occasion, sitting beside him in the busy canteen, giving him a broad smile, seemingly eager and warm, the type someone gives you when they’re honest — genuine — regardless, Terry instinctively braced for more mockery, having been used to it by now. Desensitized in ways. Kreese fished into his pocket, lowering himself into the chair beside him, pulling out a photo of his own, tapping him on the back with a big, heavy hand with a gesture sudden and firm enough to be felt in Terry’s spine, John being almost twice his size where muscle mass was concerned. -"Right on!"- A sense of congratulation in his voice and Terry remembered sitting there, surprised. The picture offered to him. A girl. An introduction. Like they were equals. Two brothers. Not even his own father gave him such a welcome sensation after he’s gotten hitched; quite the contrary. He’s threatened to disown and disinherit him. Which he would’ve done too if he simply he had in who’s favor to disown and disinherit him. -"This is my Betsy. My Pasadena girl."- John explained with a twinge of visible, twinkling pride and Terry held that photo between shaking fingers, feeling his own mouth partially fall agape. Acceptance? This was acceptance, wasn’t it? A way of saying ‘I believe you, friend’. All the more reason then, for him to rush home now, in John’s name, in his own, and fuck you, on the foundation of everything that he lived through in Vietnam. The news that Betsy died. That you, on the other hand, were alive and well, and that he should push himself inside of you so deep you feel him in your bloodstream, precisely because you weren’t taken from him. That Captain Turner wasn’t announcing that you were the one who wasn’t alive anymore, during that fateful night when the bamboo cage sprung open and they were handpicked and led outside.

The car comes to a sudden halt and you’re already on the front porch, eagerly waving.

Waiting for him, having got his call, hour, date and all.

His cock twitches in his trousers at the sight of you as he rushes out, slamming the door behind him.

-"Terry! Sweetheart! Baby!"- 

Your arms open towards him, he doesn’t even know when he’s managed to cross the street that separated the parked vehicle from your house by a narrow road, but it’s one of those things a man does in a trance, he supposed. Instinctually. Naturally. The body didn’t need reminds to breathe at night, while it was asleep. Organs didn’t give out while he was dreaming. Having nightmares. Thinking of you. They’d just seamlessly continued to do their own thing, without reminders needed. He figured it was the case now. Terry ran to you because nothing in the world could’ve made more sense. Your soft hands encircle his face, holding his cheeks, gaze scrutinizing every feature riddled with the sheen of warm tears. You speak, exasperated, and he’s heard your voice before. In the sound or rifles. Gunfire. The rare quietude of the night. Nothing beat hearing it live, like piecing together a puzzle from memory. -"Terry, you’re here!"- You speak through gasps, like you couldn’t believe the sight of him. He changed. He was aware he changed. Internally. Externally. In every way possible. The widening of your eyes testifying as to how much exactly. He supposed he did it for himself. For you. For all the people who ever doubted him to the degree they’d fail to imagine him a married man because they couldn’t reconcile he had it in him, leading him to go to Korea after the war and take even more time away from you — make that ultimate sacrifice of discipline and willpower if it only meant how he’d look the part of everything he started being convinced he could be. -"Let me look at you!"- Your stare riddled with happy tears travels up and down his uniform in shock once you release yourself from an embrace he’s reluctant to break — allowing you only so much breathing space, backing you further away from the front yard, the lawn and further up the porch, causing you to walk backwards. Too happy to notice it too. Terry wasn’t looking at his surroundings. He was only looking at you. At this point, a car could’ve pulled up from the roadside and he swears he could’ve stopped it with desire and power of tenacity alone for daring to interrupt him. -"I swear, you got taller somehow! They've been feeding you good out there!"- You chuckle out, trying to alleviate the situation, observing his head and reaching back, finding a wisp of hair tied at the nape of his neck, tenderly tugging at the strands, needing to stand propped up on your toes to even touch him.

Quite the contrary to your endearing, adorable statement; you couldn't even imagine half of the things he was forced to eat 'out there', as you put it so poetically.

He grins at the fact.

He'd much prefer eating you, though. Right now.

 -"This is new too. I like it!"-

You remark, a smile revealing a row of teeth behind a pleased lip, eying his locks.

 -"It’s just like you described it!"-

You add, twirling a curl of hair around your finger and he unwittingly thinks of Ponytail. From his letters, you assumed the tied, long hair was simply a fashion choice, but Terry doesn’t allow himself time to fall behind any longer and get distracted by explanations, hoisting you up without warning, there and then on the sidewalk and lifting your body up, towards his shoulder, eliciting a jolted cry of surprise from you as he balances you by grabbing unto the back of your hips, right beneath your buttocks. He doesn't linger. Ponytail wouldn’t want him to linger either, in fact. Ponytail would want him to fuck your brains out right about now, regardless of the fact that he frequently believed getting married at seventeen is either some Redneck nonsense or Waspy nonsense, never anything in between. You either had to be trailer park destitute or richer than God to be pulling things like that, he'd theorize. Terry nearly cackles at the idea, beaming at the recollection. -"You like it, huh?"- He remarks with a contented hum, sauntering in wide strides towards the house, practically carrying your body forward, his nails digging into the flesh of your ass, feeling the tender skin there through the fabric of your clothes and underwear. It takes a cosmic amount of self-control not to throw you against the front porch wall and screw you right against it, in view of the entire street, letting everyone who accidentally caught ahold of the sight that you’re his. That he did it. That it was his fucking right to do this. You were his wife and he was consummating his marriage. 

The front door slams shut behind him.

He puts you down, cornering you against the nearby wall.

When the buttons of your blouse snap scattering across the floorboard, with each rolling and tumble of the fasteners disappearing under chairs, tables and cupboards like so many ants, Captain Turner’s voice echoes through his mind.

-"So help me God, you got us into this shit, and you’ll pay for it."-

His grimace flashes before Terry’s eyes, obscured by the shadows of the canopy.

His fingers unbuckle his belt like they had a mind of their own, seeking your warmth.

Your cunt hidden underneath layers of fabric.

 -"I’ll make you pay for it, kid."-

His familiar voice repeats and rumbles inside of his brain and Terry isn't certain what way he'd rather fuck you, trying to quell the noise inside of his head, yet simultaneously embracing it gladly, hoping that in some weird way, everyone he was intrusively remembering could hear him. See what he was doing right now. That they were witness to it, as they should've been, as he was getting ready to claim you and preform for each and every one of them, including you, purely so they'd all understand this was real. This was his wife. He was having her. A big collective 'screw you' to the very lot of them --- every doubter in his life so far. He grabs you underneath your hips, effectively lifting you up and spreading you, up against the wall. Thank fuck for the practicality sundresses, because your whole wetness falls open like the most delicious treat inside of a wending machine, the scent of you salty and pungent. Delectable. Soaked and obscured by the thin fabric of your panties. He could see exactly where you were split. Yearning for him. It's child's play to dig into the material and rip it open right in the middle, exposing you for him. You shriek. -"Those bozos out there will seem like a kitten in comparison and by the time they walk through to get you, you’ll beg them to finish you."- His commanding officer had the tendency of saying, moving as close as the tightly confined space of their shared cage allowed back, believing in equal measure retribution as he threatened him, even though Terry knew it was more than a threat --- it was a promise. The buzzing sound of his radio station alerted the enemy to their position out in the wild, endangering the whole platoon and the only reasonable conclusion was for the unit to take the matters of justice into their own hands and ensure clumsy little Twig pays dearly for his negligence. Code Red. Extra judicial punishment. The idea that he isn't safe outside of the cage as much as inside of it. That his own compatriots would make him suffer as much as the Gooks would've and that it would've been John and him against all of them. But, he was here. He was alive. He was devouring you.

-"That little missy of yours? Swear on my heart and hope to die, you ain't never seeing her again except in the front pews while they put to rest whatever's left to ship home of you of you and your ass."-

Turner threatened in his thoughts and you moan, lashed with velvety hot licks.

Hips bucking against Terry's mouth.

The thought of seeing you again was the chief reasons why he felt he survived.

To have someone tell him even that will be taken away from him?

He wondered how he stayed sane. If he was sane at all.

Sane? What was sane anymore?

-"I still own whatever's left of you and your ass."-

The words come out of his mouth of his own volition, repeating lines he's heard before, halfway paying homage, halfway mocking his commander's statement. Lines address for him initially. Reframing them. Causing you to moan from above him once his mouth separates from the slick moisture of your pussy. -"When I'm done."- He adds, once he catches his breath, letting you slide down against the surface of the wall right back into his embrace, not giving you too little or too much pleasure, rather just enough to make you suffer. You huff, breathless, hair falling over your forehead shiny with sweat, mouth partially open in delight, partially on the precipice of inhaling oxygen, like you were on the verge of saying something while he was feverishly massaging your slit with the tip of his cock, easing himself in. He's grown in every way he could. Even his cock would need time to re-adjust to your cunt. But, he knew you'd like that. You'd like that very much. He would too. -"I know this isn't the right time, Terry, but your dad --- he's called and called and called. Almost every day. I just think you should know. Even before we were told you were MIA."- You practically gasp your words once he's inside of you, rocking back and forth --- there was something very amusing, remising about family mid-sex, but admittedly, he barely gave you time to properly greet him after such a long time being away and so much shit he had to get through to merely come back alive, practically hoisting you up and carrying you inside, never even giving you time to say too much. -"And what did you tell him?"- Terry practically purrs, inhaling the scent of your neck. -"What did my hole tell him?"- He corrects himself, allowing himself to laugh. So? The old man did maintain some contact with the only daughter-in-law he'd ever get. He promised Terry he'd never utter a single word directed your way. Clearly, it was a short lived promise. The same way the threat that pa' would disown him if he went to 'Nam was. Funny how people tended to capitulate in strange ways when faced with someone who took the matter of agency into their own hands.

His father told him to leave the whole Karate-Vietnam business behind too.

And then he went and bought John his first dojo, as a gift.

What was the old man gonna do about it?

Get angry twice?

-"I told him the same thing every time."-

You mutter into his ear with what sounded like infinite tenderness.

Gentleness peppered with the shadow of desire.

-"That deep down, against all odds, I know you're okay."-

Terry looks at you then, separating himself from the precipice of your throat riddled with kisses that he was certain would bruise red by tomorrow, You knew he'd be okay. You knew? You told his father that? Even if he wasn't okay and had to come home in bits and pieces he'd drag himself back tooth and nail. John wouldn't let him fall behind. He'd carry him out there on his back and Terry knew that much. That's why you and him were the two most valuable people in his life. His best friend and the woman who deserved to live inside a returning soldier's locket forever as a memento. Still inside of you, Terry takes a second to tilt his head and smile. He's been doing a lot of that lately. The palm of his hand pressed against your cheek. If anything, you killed his father with kindness, believing in him when nobody else did and keeping the faith of his return even in the face of adversity. If anything, you showed your complete and utter quality. Your devotion. The very idea nearly made him salivate. The things he wanted to do to you bypassed imagination and description right about now, but Terry starts with the practical aspects of it all, grabbing the elastic lace holding the two cups of your exposed brassiere and tugging at it hard enough to allow the ribbon to snap, coming undone, exposing your chest, allowing the top to slide down, limp, lacking support. You gasp. He's had waking dreams about your tits. Imagine them every time he set his head down on any makeshift surface that could double as a pillow. But, now? He finally had the real deal, reaching out, and kneading with both hands. -"It's good my little robot's been so diligently answering the phone and taking care of correspondence."- He praises, tugging at your firm nipples --- one and then the other, listening to your breath hitch at the contact. What conversation happened happened; now that he's home he'd make use of the marital bedroom the right, proper way, holding nothing back. After all, you and him had all the time in the world now. Terry's arms envelop your waist, dragging you forward with him, down the corridor, never taking his eyes off of you. Your color drains from your face once he speaks and he didn't blame you. In fact, all of this was deliberate. He didn't know if he meant his words figuratively or literally anymore.

-"Considering this is only just the start and we're not leaving that room until you're wrecked and dead."-

Terry hums with deliberate provocation and lulling self-satisfaction.

Trapping you in an embrace, stripping pieces of clothes from you and himself.

Or rather, ripping --- slamming the bedroom door once you were inside.

Leaving the abject chaos of the foyer floor behind.

[crazyunsexycool]

Unbreakable

Chapter 9

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Reader

Word Count: 6.3k

Warning: Some angst-iness, fluff, SMUUUTTTTTT, badly written smut, oral (fem. receiving), p in v, unprotected sex (wrap it before you tap it), implied depression (Idk if it's well depicted)

A/N: These two ugh!!! my heart can't take it. They finally take their relationship to the next (physical level). Also I hated that in the infinity saga no one checked up on Thor so I'm changing that too.

Series Masterlist

“I can’t believe you.” You look over at Lisa with a scowl. “I thought we were friends.” 

“I guess we aren’t anymore.” 

You scoff and look back down at the table. Lisa had never seen you upset let alone pissed off. She couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled up. 

“Just take the cards, you drama queen.” Lisa urges you. 

“I can’t believe you stacked all of those draw twos against me.” 

“C’mon sweetheart, it’s just a game. Take your cards.”

You tilt your head to the side and look at Steve. “Just a game? I’ll have you know I’ve never lost a game of Uno before.” You say before you smile. “And I’m not about to now.” You add another draw two card to the pile. 

Steve groans but has to grab a total of ten cards. 

“It’s just a game, sweetheart.” You smile. 

“Who knew she was so competitive?” 

“All I know is we’re burning the Uno cards after this round.” Nat said before taking a sip of her beer. 

You had finally introduced Lisa and Cassie to Nat and the three of them had hit it off. So now whenever the five of you had a free night someone would host game night. This week it was Lisa and Cassie’s night to host. Their home was lovely, something you hoped to have one day. You saw the same kind of awe in Steve’s eyes as he took in the modern yet cozy living space. 

“You know what they say, if you can’t stand the heat.” 

Nat rolls her eyes as she places a card down. 

“I’m gonna take you down.” 

“Good luck Red.” You winked at her. Nat shook her head but smiled at the nickname. Something you’d started calling her when you felt more comfortable in your friendship. 

The game went on for a few more turns. 

“Uno.” You shout and soon enough you place the last card down. “Yes! I am undefeated.” 

You do a little happy dance while the others groan. This was at least the fourth game you’d won in a row. Cassie throws a balled up napkin at your head and you laugh. After picking up all of the cards and helping to clean up Nat excuses herself for the night. Soon enough you and Steve do the same with a promise of getting together again soon. 

**** 

“Thank you for coming tonight.” You tell Steve as you stand on the steps of your apartment building. 

“I wouldn’t have missed it. It was fun and I think Nat really needed it as well.” 

“Yeah,” you nod but your mood shifts. “I worry about her. If we don’t drag her out she’d stay at the compound or go out on missions forever.” 

“Some people are finding different ways to cope.” 

“Yeah.” 

“I was lucky enough to find the most amazing person to help me through my bad days.” Steve says as he places his hands on your hips and pulls you flush against him. 

You smile as your hands come up to rest on his chest. 

“Oh really?” 

“Really.” Steve mumbled before closing the distance between your lips and giving you a sweet kiss. When he pulled back you chased him for a couple of more quick pecks. “So listen.” He says once you’ve both been satisfied. “I was wondering if you could take a few days off in like a week or so.”

“Probably. What for?” 

“I am going to visit a friend and I was wondering if you wanted to go with me.” 

“Oh,” you can’t help but feel giddy at the thought of meeting another of Steve’s friends. “I’ll see what days I can take and let you know.” 

“Perfect. Is Marvin good on planes?” 

You both look down at Marvin who was sitting by your feet patiently waiting for the night to end. “I don’t know, we’ve never been on a plane together before. But he should be ok. I’ll do some research to see what I can do to make him comfortable during the flight.” 

“Ok. Perfect, I’ll talk to you later.”

“Text me when you get home.” 

Steve gives you another kiss. “Always.” 

“I love you.” 

“I love you too sweetheart.” 

You’re all smiles as you walk into the building and up to your apartment.

When Steve said you two were taking a trip you thought it would be on a commercial flight. Instead the two of you, and Marvin, were in the jet Nat used for missions. The plan was that she would take you to your destination, stay unless she was needed for a mission, and come back to pick you up. It wasn’t what you were expecting but you appreciated the privacy. 

“Are you ready for take off?” Steve asks as he double checks your seatbelt. 

“Yeah. How long is the flight?” 

“A few hours.” 

“Ok, cool. Are you going to let me use you as a pillow if I fall asleep?” 

Steve smiles as he sits next to you. “Of course you can sweetheart.” 

“Are you two ready?” Nat turns her head to look back at you. 

You and Steve nod.

“Alright. It should be a few short hours so strap in lovebirds.” 

****

It was an almost 9 hour flight. Marvin was the first to hop out of the jet in order to stretch his legs. Steve grabs your bags while you walk around with Marvin and then head down to the village you’ll be staying at. You were surprised when you saw the sign that said New Asgard. Steve and Nat had both told you about Thor and how he had brought his people to earth when their home was destroyed. 

“Captain Rogers, Black Widow.” A woman met the three of you at the village entrance. There were people working and walking around, their attention going to the four of you.

“Please call me Nat.”

“I’m Steve. This is Y/N, my girlfriend.” He introduced you. “And that’s Marvin.” He points towards the dog sitting at your feet.

“Are you an avenger too?” 

“No,” you shook your head. “I’m only here for moral support.” 

“I’m Brunnhilde. C’mon I’ll show you where you’ll be staying.” 

The three of you follow her until you get to a cottage. Brunnhilde lets you in and hands over the key. 

“You should settle down for the night. I’ll take you to see him tomorrow but you should know that he isn’t doing well.”

You say your good nights and start to settle for the night. Nat takes one room and Steve ushers you to the other one. 

“I’ll take the couch.” He says as sets your bags down just past the doorway. 

“What? Why? The bed is big enough for the two of us.” 

“I know but I didn’t want to assume you’d want to share a bed.” 

You smile up at Steve and wrap your arms around his midsection. “Thank you for your consideration but I would like it very much if you stayed with me.”

“Are you sure?” 

“Very sure.” You reach up to give Steve a quick kiss, one he accepts happily. 

“The bathroom’s free.” Nat calls from down the hallway. 

You and Steve each take a shower, have a quick dinner and head to bed for the night. 

You were sitting at the kitchen table with Nat and Steve just having breakfast and talking over the plans for the day.

“I think the two of you should go ahead. Thor might not want to meet anyone new.” You said before taking a sip of your coffee. 

“I don’t want you to be here alone.” 

“Don’t worry about it. Marvin and I can go explore the village center. You two go see Thor and we can meet here in the afternoon.” 

“Are you sure?” Steve asks as he stands to place his plate in the sink. “I’m more than ok if you join us.” 

“I’m sure. Now go.”

With Nat and Steve gone you finish getting ready yourself. Double checking that you have everything in your bag you grab Marvin’s leash and head out. 

****

New Asgard was beautiful. There were still things that needed to be done but the Asgardians had accomplished so much in the time they had been on earth. You took a stroll around the village center and ended around the rocky shore. It was early and vacant enough that you took off Marvin’s vest and leash to let him run around freely. You grabbed the ball you always carried in your bag for him and threw it far enough for him to chase. Of course it wasn’t as far Steve could throw it so he came back quickly. Marvin wagged his tail as he followed your movements to grab the ball again and throw it. 

“How are you enjoying New Asgard?” You turn to see Brunnhilde walking up to you. 

“It’s beautiful. I’m sure it’s not as beautiful as the original though.” 

She looks back and nods. 

“I’m sorry. I can’t imagine losing my home like that.” 

She gives you a tight lipped smile before her eyes move to look at something behind you. “Marvin, right?” 

“Yup.”

Marvin walks past you and lays the ball at her feet. He sits back and waits patiently for the ball to be thrown again. Brunnhilde takes it and launches it further than you had and Marvin is one happy dog as he runs full speed in order to find his target. 

“So do you work with Steve and Nat?” She asks as the two of you decide to sit and wait for Marvin. 

“No. I could never be an avenger.” You shake your head. “I don't think I’d last a day in the field and I’m probably a bit high maintenance.”

“High maintenance?” 

“Yeah, I don’t think I could go days without a working bathroom. And you know the whole getting shot at or beaten up. I’m here for moral support and taking care of Steve and Nat when they come back from their missions.” 

“Well that role is just as important.” Brunnhilde says with a smile. 

“I mean I can kick some ass. They’ve taught me self defense.” 

“Really?” She raises a brow and has a smirk that says trouble. 

“Yes.” 

“Would you like to spar? I promise it will be an easy round. Maybe I can teach you something too.” 

You smile and nod. “I’d love that.” 

“I’ll meet you at the cottage in 15 minutes then.” She says and leaves.

You call Marvin back and head to the cottage and change into more athletic clothes. 

****

By the time Steve and Nat finally get back to the house you and Brunnhilde have finished your impromptu training session and are sitting side by side talking and drinking some water. 

“What were you up to while we were out?” Steve asks as he walks in through the front door. 

“Sparring. I learned some new moves.” 

Steve nods, impressed that you wanted to learn more. “You sure you don’t want to be on the team? We could use all the help we can get.” 

“Nope. I’m fine being your cheerleader and nurse.” 

Steve smiles but it doesn’t reach his eyes and you notice immediately. 

“I’ll see you later.” Brunnhilde excuses herself and leaves the three of you alone. 

“I’m assuming things didn’t go well with Thor?” 

Steve sighs as he takes the seat next to you while Nat makes herself comfortable in an armchair. 

“I wasn’t expecting him to be the jovial person he was when we first met but seeing him like this was heartbreaking.” Steve says. 

“Initially he didn’t even want to see us. It took us a few minutes to get him to open the door. When we finally got inside he didn’t want to listen to what we had to say.” Nat adds.

You placed a hand on Steve’s back and moved it up and down in a soothing manner.

“I’m sorry guys. But we’re here a few more days right? You can try again. All you can do is let him know that he isn’t alone, even though he feels that way.” 

“Yeah, I know. It just feels a bit hopeless.” Steve murmurs. 

“You’ll figure it out and I’m right here to support you in whatever way you need.” You turn to look at Nat. “Both of you.” 

Nat gave you a tight lipped smile. She’s been under a lot of pressure lately. Most of it she put on herself. It was wearing her down, you could see it. 

“I’m gonna go shower. I’ll be right back.” 

****

Just as you’re done getting dressed Nat knocks on your door. You open it and see her dressed in her uniform.

“You’re leaving?” 

“Yeah, Rhodey needs some backup.”

“Is Steve going too?” you ask, suddenly anxious about being left alone in another country.

“No, but he’s going to walk me to the jet. He’ll be right back.” 

You nod and give Nat a hug. 

“Be safe and come back.”

“I will. Have fun will you?” She steps back and smiles. “See you in a day or so.” 

After spending a great afternoon together, you and Steve settled down for the night. He was sitting in bed sketching while you stared at yourself in the bathroom mirror. You took in a deep breath and tried to calm your nerves. This was supposed to be what you hoped was the next step in your relationship. You apply some lip gloss and make sure you look your best before walking back toward the bedroom you were sharing and stand at the doorway.

“Hey sweetheart, are you ready for bed or were you going to read some more?” Steve asks without looking up from his sketch. 

“Nope.” 

At your reply Steve looks up and drops his pencil and his jaw. You were wearing a light blue silk slip with lace trim that barely made it to the top of your thigh. Steve’s eyes moved all over your frame and he shifted to try and adjust the quickly growing tent in his pants. It would be a lie if Steve said he hadn’t thought about the physical aspect of your relationship. He would never push you to do something you didn’t want to do but he also craved to be close to you in this way. So his eyes were glued to the sway of your hips. His mouth parted slightly in awe that you were standing in front of him looking so beautiful. 

Steve swung his legs over the edge of the bed, his legs spread enough so that you could stand in between them. He moved the sketchbook to the nightstand as you placed your hands on his shoulders but he couldn’t stop thinking about touching you, how you clouded his senses in such a mesmerizing way by just being close to him. Slowly Steve brought his hands up to rest on your hips. The scent of your perfume was as delicate and intoxicating as you were and Steve couldn’t help but take in a deep breath in hopes that he could remember it forever. 

“You look beautiful.” He finally manages to say as he looks up at you. A bashful smile and a pink tint make their way up to Steve’s face as he compliments you. 

You stared at each other for a moment, neither of you moved a muscle. It was obvious what was about to happen. Your heart was thrashing against your ribs as nerves got the better of you. 

“Hey,” Steve squeezed your hips. “We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.” 

You gave him a questioning look and he smiled.

“I can hear your heart beating like crazy. You’re in control ok? We stop when you say stop.”

You smiled and nodded then cupped his face. Steve closed the small distance between you both and kissed you. There had been a few make out sessions in the past but compared to this kiss those were tame. In a bold move you would have never done before you straddled Steve’s lap. You were chest to chest as Steve finally moved his hands respectfully to your low back but then he grabbed your ass. He kneaded your flesh before pulling you closer causing you to moan into the kiss. 

“So beautiful.” Steve murmured between kisses down your neck and toward your chest. 

His hands move along your thighs until he reaches your slip and starts taking it off. Your breath hitches at such a moment of vulnerability. Steve had never seen you naked so he’s never seen the scars and it scares you that he will be disgusted by them. When he feels you tense against him, Steve stops. 

“Hey, talk to me. What’s wrong?” 

You run your hands back and forth on his forearms. 

“Could we maybe turn off the lights?”

Steve tilts his head slightly to the side as he studies your face. “If that’s what you want. But why?” 

“I have scars.” 

“You think I won’t want you because of that?” He asks and you nod before turning your head to hide your embarrassment. “Sweetheart, I could never do something like that to you. You know that right?” 

“Yes.” 

“Then let me show you how you make me feel. How much I love you.” 

You finally look back at him and see the sincerity in his eyes. “Ok.” You say softly and are rewarded with a beautiful smile. 

Steve grabs the hem of your slip and slowly drags it up your body and over your head, leaving you in only a pair of lacy underwear.  

“Just as I thought.” Steve murmurs. “Perfect.” 

He kisses your lips before moving back down to your chest where the first scar is. The one that represents how you almost died. Steve places a kiss there before he gives your breasts attention. A hand kneading one and his mouth on the other, tongue swirling and flicking your nipple. You moan and arch, pushing your chest closer to him. It startles you when Steve stands while still holding on to you and gently places you on the bed. His eyes are filled with lust and love. With every move he makes Steve checks in with you to make sure you’re comfortable and it warms your heart. 

Steve starts by kissing in the valley between your breasts. Every scar he finds he kisses, and there are many. His hands are gentle as they caress every inch of your body they can reach. Steve’s hands sit at your hips, playing with the edge of your panties. There’s a bit of embarrassment that you were already so wet and that Steve could see the mark of your arousal in the form of a wet patch on your underwear.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” He asks. 

“Yes, please Steve, I want to be with you. I trust you.” 

Steve smiled at your words and he slowly pulled down your panties. Now you were laying there completely bare for him. It made you want to hide but you also wanted this, more than that you needed him. And with the look he was giving you, you knew he felt the same. Steve doesn’t waste any time and settles between your thighs. His lips start a trail on your inner thigh before moving to the other. Steve places a kiss on your mound and you whine before propping yourself on your elbows and looking down at him and finding a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“Stop being a tea-ah.” Your head falls backwards as Steve licks a long stripe from your dripping hole up to your clit. He groans as he finally gets a taste of you.

Steve takes his time with you. He swirls his tongue around your clit and gives you just enough attention to push you to the edge but not over, not yet. Then Steve begins to tease your entrance with a finger before pushing in. You moan and buck your hips against him looking for more of him. Steve adds another finger and continues at a steady pace. Your hands fist the bedsheet the closer you get to your first orgasm.

“So close. Please…” You whimper and roll your hips. 

“Let go for me, sweetheart.” Steve says as he curves his fingers and adds pressure to your g-spot, his lips wrapped around your sensitive bundle of nerves. 

You gasp and tense as Steve pushes you over the edge. Steve helps you through your high. When you open your eyes you’re met with his smiling face. 

“Hi.” You whisper and he chuckles. 

“Hi. How are you feeling?” 

“So good.”

“Yeah?” Steve’s eyes are bright and so is his smile.

“Yeah.” 

You caress his cheek and pull him down to kiss him, moaning when you taste yourself on his tongue. Your hands move over Steve’s chest and wrap around his midsection. Muscles tense and relax under your touch as he moves to hover over you.

“Sweetheart, I don’t have any protection.” 

“It’s ok. I’m on birth control and I’m clean.” You murmur between kissing his jawline. 

“You’re sure you want this?” 

You smile. “I am.” 

Steve pulls away from you to undress. He first takes off his shirt and you bite your bottom lip as he continues to undress. Steve smirks when he sees you press your thighs together as he slides his sweats off staying in only a pair of boxer briefs. You sit up and reach out to touch him. Your hands lands on his abs, just above the elastic of his underwear. He takes your hand and plants a kiss on your knuckles.

“Steve I want to-“ 

“Maybe next time. Right now it’s about you.”

You shake your head. “It’s about both of us.” 

“Sweetheart, trust me when I tell you that just being here,” Steve pushes you to lay back down. You spread your legs and let him settle in between them. “with you like this, is more than enough for me.” He kisses your neck again and moves up to your jaw. “I want to make love to you, show you how much you mean to me.” He murmurs as he pushes his boxers down. 

You look in between your bodies and your jaw falls slack. Steve is big, and although you had assumed he would be, now you weren’t sure he would fit. 

“We’ll go slow ok?” Steve says as if reading your mind. 

You look back up at him and nod before your lips are on his again. Steve takes himself in his hand and moves up and down your slit. The head of his cock putting pressure on your sensitive clit. Steve groans as he collects your slick and then spreads it along his hardened length. You tense as Steve lines himself up with your entrance and looks at you one more time. He can see the momentary panic in your eyes and stops. 

“Sweetheart.”

“Hhmm.” You look up at him with wide panicked filled eyes. 

“It’s just you and me, nothing else matters. I love you.” 

“I love you too.” You said but Steve could tell that you were still tense.

He pulls back and pulls you up with him. Steve moves to sit against the headboard and has you straddling his lap. He gives you quick kisses before looking at you. 

“You’re in control. We do what you feel comfortable doing. Take what you want, sweetheart. I’m all yours.” 

That made you want to melt into a puddle. You moved closer to him, eyes trained on his lust blown ones. This was so much better and although Steve could overpower you, you knew he would never do that. With a new wave of determination you slip your hand between your bodies and take his hard, throbbing cock in your hand. You slowly move your hand up and down collecting the precum already at the tip and spreading it. Steve groans at your touch and wills himself not to thrust into your fist. 

“Now who’s the tease?” He murmurs. 

You smirk and line yourself up. Slowly you start to lower yourself on his length. A small gasp falls from your lips as your hands land on Steve’s chest. His hands are on your hips as he helps you slowly move up and down until you're fully wrapped around him. 

“So full.” You mutter through shallow breaths. “Feels so good.” 

Steve smiles before kissing you. He’s gentle and loving and the delicious stretch as he You focus on Steve and his expression of pure bliss as you flutter around him.

“Fuck, you’re so wet for me, baby.” Steve kisses you.

You slowly roll your hips slowly and gasp. With every gentle kiss, every praise that falls from his lips, Steve washes away any negative thought and insecurity you had. You relax more and soon you begin to really enjoy this moment. Steve’s mouth is on your breast and his attention to your pebbled peak combined with a roll of his hips has you digging your nails into his chest. 

“So fucking tight.” Steve says with a grunt. “You feel so good.” 

You can only moan in response as you continue to bounce on his cock. There was nothing but the sound of skin against skin, wet sloppy kisses, whimpers and groans of pleasure. It didn’t take long for you to reach your second orgasm. Steve did that, he gave you everything you didn’t know you needed in such an intimate and vulnerable moment. He lets you find your rhythm in your pleasure without forcing you. His words were somehow filthy when he praised you for being his good girl but also tender. He pushed his own needs and wants to the side to make sure you were happily satiated first. With his hands on your hips he helps in your movements.

“You’re so close, sweetheart. I can feel it, they way you’re gripping me.” He murmurs in your ear and that sends a shiver down your spine. His voice is so low when he tells you that you can let go.

 You can’t help but to do as he says while Steve slows down to help you through your high. When the haziness finally begins to fade and you blink away the stars behind your eyelids, you focus on Steve and cup his face. 

“Your turn.” You murmur. “Fill me up, Stevie. I need it.” 

Steve flips you in your back and sits back on his haunches, his eyes are lust filled. With his hands on your hips Steve pulls you closer to him, leaving only your back and shoulders on the bed. Steve picks up his pace and as he pistons into you he starts to rub tight circles around your swollen clit. Your hands grip the sheets as Steve finally cums with a grunt of your name. You follow close behind him. 

“Fuck.” Steve lowers himself hovering you again and hiding his face in the crook of your neck. You move your hand up and down Steve’s back in a soothing manner. 

After a  minute or so Steve pulls out and then turns to lay on his back bringing you to lay on top of him. You can’t help but sniffle and cuddle closer to him, hiding your face against Steve’s chest.

“Sweetheart? Are you ok?” Steve asks, concerned. He could feel the tear drop on his skin. “Oh no, did I hurt you? I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to.” 

Steve turns again so that you’re laying on your back again and he can check for any injuries. 

“No, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to cry and ruin all of this.”

“You aren’t ruining anything, sweetheart but talk to me.” 

“These are happy tears, I promise.” You look up at Steve through tear soaked lashes. “You make me happy. I was just overwhelmed for a moment.”

Steve breathes a sigh of relief and rests his forehead against yours. 

“You make me happy too.” 

The next morning had been a blissful one, waking up in Steve’s arms. He had been gentle then too. You had no fear in being with him again. It was your choice, every move you made and every touch was because you wanted to. There had been a part of you that had feared you’d never be able to be intimate with someone again but you were more than happy that it was with Steve. As much as you would have loved to stay in bed for longer, you had to take Marvin out for his morning walk even though Steve grumbled. He promised breakfast would be on the table by the time you got back. 

You head back to the beach area where you’d let Marvin run free the day before with the intention of doing it again. The Asgardians are already up and working to expand their village. Some smile and greet you as you pass by. Once you’re at your destination you take off Marvin’s vest and throw the ball you’d brought with you. After taking a few steps forward movement to your left gets your attention and you flinch. 

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you.” 

This was Thor. His beard had grown out, his hair was disheveled and he was starting to grow a beer belly but he was still recognizable. From all the stories Steve had told you though, he barely seemed like the god of thunder everyone seemed to admire. He was more like a shell of his former self. But you’d been there, in that darkness that pulled you apart and made you feel less than so you understood that he was struggling. It was why Steve and Nat wanted to come in the first place, to remind him that he wasn’t alone. 

“Don’t worry, I didn’t see you there.” You smile at him. Just then Marvin stops at your feet with the ball in his mouth. You take it and throw it again. “I’m Y/N.”

“Lady Y/N, you are who Rogers is courting then?” 

“Yes.” You smile just at the mention of Steve. 

“Well, it is a pleasure to meet you. I’m glad he was able to find someone to settle down with.” Thor gives you a sad barely there smile before his eyes move from yours to the ocean.  “I should go.” Thor murmurs as he turns back towards the village.

“Join us for breakfast.” You say to him before he can retreat into his home. “Please.” 

“I couldn’t impose.” 

“You’re not. I’m inviting you. You don’t even have to talk about anything you don’t want to. Just breakfast with an old friend, and a new one.” 

Thor turned around to look at you. He was assessing the sincerity in your words before he gave a small nod. You smile and call Marvin. Much to his dismay you put the best back on and promise to come back to the beach later. You lead the way, walking silently side by side with Thor until you reach the cottage you’d been staying in. 

“Just in time sweetheart, breakfast is almost ready.” Steve called out from the kitchen. 

“We have a guest, hun.”

“Oh?” Steve pokes his head out from the kitchen and he smiles when he sees Thor. “I’m glad you’re here. I’ll be right out.” 

“Sit, please.” You tell Thor. 

He takes a seat at the table, his eyes glued to it. You sit across from him just as Steve sets a mug of coffee down in front of you and another in front of Thor. Steve sends a wink your way and heads back to the kitchen coming in with three plates. 

Breakfast is rather quiet and awkward. Steve had tried to start a conversation with Thor but the latter would just give one word replies. 

“So Thor,” you say, trying to get anything out of him. “What’s Steve like out on missions?” 

That seemed to be the right question to ask as Thor finally looked up at you and began to talk about working with Steve and the other Avengers.  

**** 

It had been about half an hour later and Thor was chuckling with Steve. It was nice to see both of them look more lively. 

“And then as these men lined up I raised my hammer and hit Roger’s shield with it, sending a bolt of lighting right at them. We took about 8 men down in one blow.” Thor smiles. “Good times.” He says before his smile fades and that sadness you’d seen comes back. 

“They really were.”

“If we could only go back.” Thor murmured, his gaze distant. 

You look at Steve and tilt your head toward the small hallway, letting him know you’d be giving them privacy. Marvin gets up and follows you and you can only hope that Steve can somehow make Thor believe that what happened wasn’t his fault. 

Steve ran his hand up and down your arm as he called your name softly. Apparently between giving him and Thor privacy and reading the book you’d brought with you on the trip you’d fallen asleep. So when you blinked owlishly at him, Steve chuckled. 

“Hey there sleepy head.” He says softly. 

Some of his blond hair falling forward, blue eyes sparking just for you. It made you sigh happily as his eyebrow raised in amusement. 

“You’re so pretty.” 

Steve laughs but you can see him blush. You smile before sitting up and stretching your arms up above your head.

“How is your talk with Thor going?”

“It went ok. He left already.” Steve sighs as he lays down, placing his head on your lap. 

You start playing with his hair as he tells you about the conversation. It was obvious from what Steve told you that Thor blamed himself for everything. Just how Steve and Nat needed to hear that what Thanos did wasn’t their fault, Thor needed to hear it too. 

“But I don’t know, he seemed so defeated and I’ve never seen him like that before.” 

“He has lost everything, including his immediate family. It couldn’t have been easy for him. Then he comes to earth and loses another battle. As long as you continue to be there for him, maybe come back and visit him, that’s all you can do.” You tell him. 

“That’s why you’re the brains in this relationship.” 

“And the brawns.” You add while lifting your arms and flexing your muscles. Steve laughs and you join in. 

“Definitely, but does that make me?” He asks, amused.

“Eye candy of course.” 

“So you’re only with me for my looks?” Steve clutches his chest. “You wound me.” 

“Of course I am. Have you seen your ass?” 

At that Steve turns crimson and he has to look away although he still smiles. After an easy silence settles between you two, you speak up.

“I’m glad I met you when I did because I was in the same place Thor is now. I don’t think you even realize how much you helped me out of it. That’s why I know you’ll be able to help him too. And sometimes all you can do is be there for him. So don’t feel like you failed Thor if he isn’t his thundery old self.” 

Steve sighs as he thinks about what you’ve said. He watches as you move around until you practically lay on top of him completely. You wiggle your arms between him and the mattress and give him the best hug you can. 

Steve wasn’t one for naps. But at the moment with how emotionally draining his conversation with Thor had been and the comfort of your weight and affection pinning him in place he couldn’t help but doze off. 

Too soon for your liking Nat had returned to pick you up. She was a bit bruised but nothing she couldn’t handle. So Steve grabbed your bags and together you met her at the jet. Surprisingly Brunnhilde was also there having a conversation with Nat. 

“Thank you for receiving us.” Steve says as he shakes her hand. “I hope I can come back soon.” 

“You’re always welcome here. I think it was good for Thor to see you.” 

Steve gives a small nod and her attention moves from him to you. You smile brightly at her. 

“I hope to see you again as well.” 

“Definitely, maybe we can even spar again.” 

“Absolutely.” Brunnhilde nods before she pulls something out of her pocket. “For you.” She holds out a pouch in her hand. 

“What is it?” 

“A blade of course.” She opens the pouch to reveal a small dagger in its leather holster. She grabs the hilt which was made of gold and pulls it out to show you a slightly iridescent blade. 

“A dagger?” You say as you take it and look at it closely. The blade had writing carved into it and the hilt was extremely comfortable. “It’s beautiful, thank you.” 

“It is a weapon used by the Valkyrie. It’s made of the highest quality of Asgardian metal.” 

“I can’t keep this, it’s yours.” 

You look at her and hold the blade out for Brunnhilde to take back. She holds up her hand and waves you off. 

“It should continue to do its job.” 

“Thank you, again, for everything. I’ll keep in touch ok?” 

Brunnhilde smiles and brings you in for a hug. Surprisingly Thor shows up just before you, Nat and Steve get on the jet. They share a private moment as former teammates, a friends, before Thor turns his attention to you. He gives a soft, sad smile and thanks you for your visit. You inform him that there’s a place for him to stay if he wishes to visit New York. Then much to Steve’s faux annoyance Thor takes your hand and places a kiss on your knuckles. 

“Safe travels, M’lady.” 

“Thank you Thor, I hope to see you soon.” 

With a final wave goodbye you move to get on the jet with Marvin. Steve sits next to you and you both settle for the flight back home. All in all you would say it was a rather successful trip. 

Ch. 10

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[04mxfutbol]

Reality (Pt. 2) (Christen Press x Reader)

A/N: I listened to My Tears Ricochet by Taylor Swift on repeat while writing this. Safe to say my tears have been lost somewhere in the fic. Okay enjoy (:

What hurts more than a relationship breakup? A friendship breakup. Gosh do they hurt. It’s a different type of pain.

You don’t know how it got to this point but here you were. Surrounded by so many people yet not even close to the one person you so badly wanted but couldn’t have.

“You look good today.” Megan says sarcastically.

“I feel like shit, god I do this to myself. Over and over.” You say as you set your phone down. “It’s just hard not to.”

“You’re just torturing yourself Y/N.” Alex says as she sits next to you. “You’re just opening that wound even more. Let it heal.”

“I just want to see her without her knowing I’m looking.”

“So a stalker.” Megan says.

“Well.. no? I just don’t want her to know I’m lurking through her page or even her boyfriends page. That would be weird.”

“But she knows who you are.” Alex says.

“That’s still a stalker.” Megan says. “And it is weird.”

“Meg.” Alex says.

“What? It is weird.”

“Shut up already.” Alex says slapping Megan on the arm.

“We aren’t even friends anymore, not like before.” You say as you pull the hoodie over yourself. “I just wish I could go back in time and fix things. But it’s too late now.”

“It gets better with time.” Alex says as she wraps her arm around you.

“Trust me I’ve been waiting but it’s been years Al. It’s been literal years.”

“Give it time Y/N.”

“I hope you’re right Al. I hope you’re right. I can’t move on. I don’t want this to be my life.”

You pull the strings on your hoodie, covering your face as you lean against Alex.

“She’s here.” Alex whispers and you quickly let your head fall onto her lap.

“Hey girls.” You hear Christen say, you don’t look anywhere, you close your eyes pretending to be asleep. “Alex.”

“Christen.” Alex says.

“Where’s your boyfriend?” Pinoe asks and you discretely kick her shin.

“Couldn’t make it today.” Christen says and Alex puts her arm on top of your body.

“Bummer.” Alex says trying not to sound sarcastic. “Would’ve loved to finally meet him. You know, you’ve been dating for two years now.”

“Maybe another time.” Christen says. “I’m sure he’d love to meet you guys, he said he’d try and be here tomorrow.”

“Well that’s great.” Alex says.

“Is she sleeping?” Christen asks as she looks down to you.

“Knocked out.” Alex says as she places her hand on your head. “Long flight you know?”

“If I still remember correctly she probably stayed up all night to make sure she wouldn’t miss her flight.” Christen says, for some reason her remembering that made your heart flutter but also break a little.

She remembers. 

“I hate flights they stress me out.”

“Just sleep I’ll make sure I’ll wake you up if you don't wake up on time.” Christen says and you sigh.

“No because you sleep through your alarms.”

“Oh shush you. Look on the bright side, our families are going on a trip together.”

“True, it was a surprise they said yes.”

“That’s exactly what happened.” Alex says as she remembers last nights events.

“Same old Y/N/N.” Christen says with a chuckle.

“That’s Y/N for you.” Alex says patting your head.

“Well I’ll see you guys later right?” Christen asks.

“Definitely.”

You hear the wheels of a suitcase further away from you, finally lifting your head back up.

“Deep down I trick myself into thinking she loved me too at one point but never told me.” You say with a shrug.

“Come on let’s go back to our room.” Alex whispers as she stands up, extending her hand to you.

The three of you walk up to the hotel room, head rested against Alex’s arm.

As soon as you walked inside you laid down on the bed and curled up into a ball.

“Becky is on her way to grab something from here but don’t mind her.” Alex whispers and you nod.

You soon hear a knock on the door and hear the door open.

“Cap Becky!” Pinoe shouts.

“I’m just here to grab the folder.” Becky says walking into the room.

“Alex.” Becky says and then looks at the body on the bed, that body being you. “Hey Y/N what’s going on?”

“I hate feelings and love.” You say as you stare at the wall.

“Is Christen still being a total loser?” Becky asks.

“She’s not a loser.” You say.

“So it’s Christen.”

“When hasn’t it been.” You hear Pinoe say, you lift your head up and stick your tongue out at her.

“Can I state an opinion?” Alex asks, Becky looks at Alex and she tilts her head.

“Sure.” You say. “What is it?”

“I think there’s more to what happened the night it all went down, from my perspective at least. I mean there’s no reason to end a friendship over two people hanging out right?” Alex says. “I was there that night. I was that person hanging out with you.”

“I was very persistent on her calming down about you and me hanging out often. It didn’t seem like a big deal to me.”

“Then there’s more to it.” Alex says. “Just my opinion.”

“I guess, thanks.” You say as you grab a blanket, covering your head.

The sound machine beside the bed that Alex had turned on to help you fall asleep did it’s magic. Of course with a hint of Taylor Swift playing in the background, Alex knowing all too well it would knock you out, she had a playlist all made for you to sleep to.

“You know we can’t tell her.” Becky says whispering to Alex.

“Y/N needs the closure she deserves.” Alex whispers. “We’ve been lying to her the whole time.”

“We don’t even know the entire story! Christen said something just took over her that night.” Becky says. “You think I know the whole story? I don’t! Christen has been lying to us, we’re not lying to Y/N. We’ve told her all WE know.”

“All we know? Sure, but we sure as heck weren’t blind that night. You and I both know what we saw.” Alex says. “I was there Becky. It happened again that night when we all went together as a team to watch a basketball game.”

“And if we’re wrong? Then what? We give her false hope?” Becky says. “If we’re wrong we destroy her.”

“Well I wasn’t fucking blind that night that’s for sure and you know damn well what you saw that night.”

“I actually kind of agree with Becky here.” Pinoe says. “Are we certain of what we saw that night? Not necessarily but we also can’t kill her hope. We’re not even the ones to be saying what we saw because we all know Christen is the one who truly knows.”

“The same thing happened when we were in college. It was that same look of she wanted me dead.”

“Alex.”

“No I’m serious. But it happened again and this time it looked like she wanted me to know. You were there.”

“We were all there this time but the first time? You said it yourself you guys were in college. We don’t know everything.”

“Christen has been on thin fucking ice since that night.” Alex says. “It’s been years.”

“Until she wants to say something about it then we can say something.” Becky says. “Okay? Okay. We’ve agreed”

Throughout all that whisper yelling you somehow slept through it, the sound machine doing its work as it should and the power of the playlist Alex had made you did wonders.

“You know this is the first time she’s actually getting some sleep. You guys haven’t been there.” Alex says. “I was! I was there! I’ve been there! She barely gets sleep and she needs help. It’s been years!”

“Clearly her first love.”

“You don’t get it, it’s been like this since college. Christen ruined this wonderful human being over what? Stupidity. Ignorance? JEALOUSY?”

“Okay now don’t say things like that.” Becky says. “We don't know that.”

“Y/N needs help I’m talking therapist help to heal and be able to move on.” Alex whispers. "You know I'm right. Christen only ever tries to find Y/N whenever things go wrong in her love life and Y/N being Y/N she lets her back in her life. Then when Christen is better she leaves."

"Okay so Christen is a jerk." Megan says. "What do you expect us to do then?"

"If I knew I would have been doing it already." Alex says as she gets into the bed with you. “She’s been through enough, she’s put up with Christen’s stupid games. Christen gives her false hope.”

“We don't say anything about it yet.” Becky says as she leaves the room.

“My poor Y/N has tried to face reality but can’t because she’s afraid.” Alex whispers as she runs her fingers through your hair.

“At least she has you.” Megan says with a shrug.

“She’ll always have me. That will never change.”

- - - -

“Good morning sunshine.” Alex whispers as she moves the hair out of your face. “Let’s go grab breakfast we’ve got a long day ahead of us.”

“Isn’t today a whole day of team bonding?” You grog out. “If so then I think I’ll take an extra hour of sleep.”

“Funny. Come on get up. Even if it’s team bonding, the time doesn’t change. It’s 7am. Get up.” Alex says as she pulls the first blanket off of you.

“Ugh sometimes this whole being a professional soccer player has its cons. This being one of them.” You say stretching. “A pro of being a professional soccer player is being friends with you.”

“Aww how sweet, nice try. Get up already.”

“You’re so bossy I hope you know that.” You say as you get up from the bed.

“I know.”

After dressing up you both head down to grab breakfast, naturally you sat next to Alex, always feeling protected by her.

“Feed me.” You tell Alex.

“Feed yourself I’m not going to feed you, your hands are working just fine.” Alex says.

“Alex please, I’m sad.” You say, you’re quick to give her the best puppy eyes you could.

“Ugh. Fine. Just this once.” Alex says grabbing your fork and grabbing a piece of fruit. “Open.”

“Thank you.”

Alex continues feeding you some food while also eating her own breakfast. Your head rested on your hand as you look at Alex. You’re interrupted when someone sits in front of you.

“Hi Alex.” Christen says. “Hey Y/N.”

“Hey.” You say quickly then try to scoot closer to Alex

“Christen.” Alex says.

“Al more.” You say opening your mouth.

“That’s the last of it. Now let me eat before we have to go.” Alex says and you nod.

“You two still hang out a lot huh?” Christen says and you turn to face her.

“We do, we actually live together because roommates!” Alex says making you laugh.

“Plus rent is cheap when this superstar gets paid big money with all her sponsors.” You say with a chuckle. “Gotta love living with Alex.”

“Who wouldn’t love having you around all the time. We get to stay in and watch movies and we end up falling asleep on the couch until one gets up and wakes the other up to go to bed. So fun.” Alex says.

“Sounds fun.” Christen says. “Sounds like you two really did solidify that good friendship.”

“Oh yeah, long ago. Ever since college right?” Alex says turning to look at you.

“Um? Yes?” You say.

“Awesome.”

“Very.” Alex says sternly, glaring at the green eyed woman in front of her.

“Alright everyone we’ve brought a team specified in team bonding to come and help this team become better and you know trust each other. We’ll be having activities all afternoon. So after breakfast we head to the conference room.” Vlatko announces. “Also we have Naomi Girma and Taylor Kornieck joining us for the first time. So let’s welcome them both with a good attitude. Dismissed.”

“Great, team exercises. Fun.” Pinoe says. “As if I don’t spend time enough with all of you.”

“You love us though, right?” Rose asks Pinoe.

“You my dear Rose are who I love the most.” Pinoe says patting Rose’s head.

“Ouch.” You say.

“How’s it feel to be a veteran?” Alex asks and you chuckle.

“I feel rather-.”

“Old? Yeah get used to it.” Pinoe says and you shove her.

“I was going to say I feel weird.” You say. “You on the other hand, you are old so time is ticking.”

“You little shit.” Pinoe snarls and you laugh, but soon enough she has you in a headlock.

“Y/N? You still love me even though Pinoe hates you right now right?” Rose asks and you smile.

“I’ll always love you Rose. You’re too precious.”

“Newbies in the house.” Kelley shouts, you turn around and see the two woman walking towards your table.

“Rookies.” You say looking at them.

“They’ll do great.” Alex says and you nod. "Megan let go of Y/N."

"Thanks."

"You're lucky I love you."

“I definitely see Naomi being captain in the future. She has the spirit and looks like could give good speeches.” You say. “But I’m getting ahead of myself.”

“Good thing we all play together in club.” Alex says and you chuckle.

“That’s true.”

You all head to the conference room, sitting down at one of the many tables set up in the conference room.

“I’m ready to get this over with.” You say as you clap.

“Okay everyone, with the people in your table, let’s start with your name and something like a hobby.” One of the woman says.

“So I’m Y/N and I like to sleep? That can be a hobby right?” You ask.

“I think so.” Mal says and you nod your head.

“Then that’s my hobby.”

You looked up from your table, your eyes meeting the green eyes you so hopelessly fell in love with long ago. Christen smiled at you and gave you a little wave. Waving back, you immediately leaned against Alex. Christen’s smile fading away.

“You okay?” Alex whispers and you nod. “Hey. It’s me and you. Me and you always.”

You hoped this camp would finally be the time you both would reconnect after many years of not being friends.

You hoped.

Hoping. Like you always did.

But that hope was running out. You didn’t like that.

“Okay now that you’ve all clearly shared the same hobby. Let’s see if you know each other’s birthday.”

“Birthday’s? BIRTHDAYS? As in the day people were born? I barely even remember mine.” Rose says.

“Yet you remember Wilma’s.” Mal says.

Everyone at your table attempts getting each other’s birthday right when it’s finally your turn you groan. Not wanting to have everyone guessing once again for another birthday that not anyone can barely remember you decide to just make it go quicker.

“My birthday is-.” You’re cutoff by Alex who stops you.

“Oh I know this, easy.” Alex says with a smile. “It’s-.”

“I know your birthday.” Christen says pulling a chair to your table and sitting across from you. Interrupting Alex. “Super easy, Y/N’s birthday is Y/B/D. I know that.” Christen smiles as she looks at you.

You turn to look at Alex who’s just as confused as you are. She shrugs her shoulders as she tries to understand what just happened.

“When’s mine Y/N/N?” Christen asks you as she looks at you, ignoring the others at the table. “Do you even remember mine?”

You reach for Alex’s hand under the table, trying to gain some sort of reality in what seemed fantasy. Alex squeezed your hand three times and you took a deep breath.

"Happy Birthday Chris, what do we have planned for today?" You ask Christen.

"Me and you movies and maybe go to the beach?" Christen asks and you smile.

"Sure, whatever you want. It's your birthday."

“I remember yours, it’s December 29.” You say and you feel your cheeks start to heat up, but also your heart racing.

“I can’t believe you actually remember.”

“I could never forget.”

The rest of the time you were out of it, not focused in team bonding anymore after what had occurred. Your mind still groggy, trying to understand what the hell had just happened.

It wasn’t like Christen to do what she did, plus you had initially thought she didn’t want to talk to you. Yet here she was acting the way she was. It confused you in every single way.

Everything just made you remember the night Christen saw you and Alex holding hands at a game. Which you thought wasn’t a big deal until Alex told you that Christen was practically looking at her like she wanted her dead.

You just never understood why she reacted that way when she sat behind you at the game with her boyfriend. Christen knew you and Alex had always been close you just never thought it’d be a problem.

“Alright everyone you’re dismissed for whatever shenanigans you all will be up to. Be careful.” Vlatko says. “But be careful.”

You immediately get up pulling Alex and Rose.

“I’ve been chosen. Yes.” Rose says.

“I’m terrified of what just happened in there.” You whisper to the two women in front of you.

“Maybe Chris is trying to reconnect?” Rose says shrugging her shoulders. “But it was kind of unexpected if that’s what you’re implying.”

Alex looks at you with worried eyes, wanting so badly to tell you what she had thought of that night, the night everything crumbled for you. But she held back, remembering what Becky had told her.

While you racked your brain trying to find a perfectly good explanation to what had happened, Christen was walking right behind a group of youngsters.

“Did you see Alex’s private story? They went surfing and then to a concert just the other day. How can I trade spots with Y/N? I want to go to concerts too.”

“Y/N has just been going through it, Alex just tries to distract Y/N from practically everything.” Naomi says. “She’s a great friend. They’re both great people.”

“They’re attached to the hip, wherever Alex is, Y/N is right behind. And wherever Y/N is, Alex is right behind.” Taylor says. “I think it’s kind of cute.”

“Oh definitely.” Naomi says with a chuckle. “I do love their weekend cookouts that they invite us to, it relaxes me.”

“Oh my god you’re so right.” Taylor says. 

“What are we talking about?” Ashley asks as she catches up to the two Wave players.

“Alex and Y/N.” Taylor says. 

“Oh my god, they are the cutest. Did you guys see the picture of them both spending the holidays together with their families? When I have a friendship like that I’ll be happy.” Ashley says.

“They’re the best.” Naomi says.

“Cute.” Christen says bitterly as she walks past the girls.

“What was that?” Ashley asks, the two Wave players shrugging in confusion not knowing what may have caused such a reaction from who they thought was the calmest person.

- - - -

After a long two weeks of camp, you were a bit thrilled to return to San Diego. To be in your own bed and be away from all the chaos that occurred. To be as far away from what Alex is saying to be reality you didn't want to face.

Were you not facing reality already? You sure thought you were looking at reality.

“She leaving?” Alex asks and you nod. “If it’s meant to be then it’ll happen Y/N/N.”

“Thanks for that Al but she’s gone now. She always said she didn’t feel the same, others say differently but I do always wonder if at some point she did feel the same for me, for just a little bit.”

“Only she knows I suppose. I can’t read minds or else I’d read minds.” Alex says making you laugh a little bit. “Trust me Y/N. If it’s meant to be then your paths will cross and meet again. Don’t force it.”

“I am a big sucker for hope.” You say softly. “I feel like just waving a white flag you know? I surrender, it’s been years.”

“Don’t wave it.” You hear someone behind you say. “You’re the biggest sucker when it comes to hope and I love that about you. You always have hope. I have no idea what you’re talking about but don’t wave the flag, keep hoping.” Christen says as she flashes you a big wide smile as she walks past you.

“Y-yeah thanks.” You say as you lean into Alex, trying to feel some sort of protection. Alex is quick to react as she wraps her arm around you.

Alex didn't miss the glare Christen was sending her, the same glare she had received from the green eyed woman years ago. Alex tilted her head, she knew that glare, she knew that reaction. Christen was jealous, Alex knew it, it had to be that.

“I have to go but whatever it is don’t wave it. There’s always hope.” Christen says as she opens the door to the car that had just arrived. She opens the passenger door and you see her boyfriend.

“Hi babe you ready to go home?” Christen’s boyfriend says.

“Yeah. Ready.” Christen says as she gets inside. “Y/N don’t lose hope.”

You nod your head as the car drives off.

As soon as the car is far from your sight you pulled out a napkin you had in your napkin from lunch earlier that day.

“Y/N?” Alex asks as she looks at you.

You turn to look at her as you wave the napkin in the air.

“I give up.” You say as you begin to sob.

“Oh Y/N/N.” Alex says as she pulls you in for a hug. You sobbed into her chest as you grabbed the sides of her sweater.

“I just want to talk to her, but at the same time scream.” You say in between sobs.

“Then scream, scream at the sky and scream all you wish you could tell her. Heal Y/N. You deserve to heal from the pain she has put you through.”

You clung onto Alex’s hoodie, a sobbing mess in Alex’s arms.

Some of the older girls walk out of the lobby and they’re met with the sight of you clinging onto Alex, sobbing. They stop as Alex signals them to stop where they are.

“Here I have an idea.” Alex says. “Come on everyone. Follow me.”

Alex took you to a nearby beach, a secluded area where there weren't many people.

“What are we doing here?” You ask Alex.

“Scream. Scream at the sky, scream all you wish you could tell her, scream. Talk to her by screaming at the sky.” Alex says as she holds onto your hand. “Let yourself heal.”

You look at Alex and sniffle. She gives you a supportive smile and nods. You look around and no one was around. You took in a deep breath as you looked up at the sky.

“Scream. Scream all you want.”

You sniffle and wipe your tears. Closing your eyes you replayed every memory, they just all reminded you of what she was to you. She was home. 

“Apparently home doesn't have to be a place.” Christen says as she walks into your bedroom.

“Really? So then what else can it be?” You ask.

“A person.” Christen says as she lays next to you.

“Wow that's deep.” You say as you look up at the ceiling.

“You’re my home.” Christen says making you smile.

“You’re my home too.”

You begin to scream as you open your eyes, looking up at the sky. 

“YOU BROKE ME.” You yell at the sky. “YOU WERE MY HOME. I WAS YOURS.”

“There we go let it go.”

“Me and you forever.” Christen says as she plays with your hair, your head resting on her chest.

“Me and you forever.” You repeat.

“I HATE YOU.” You scream and sob. “I love you.”

“We’re going to live together one day trust me.” Christen says and you laugh. “What? Do you think I’m kidding?”

“Come on Chris maybe for a little but then you’ll get married or something.” You say looking at her.

“Married? Pass. It’ll be me and you living together forever. Nothing can separate us.”

“It was me and you forever.” You sob out.

“You have a boyfriend?” Christen asks and you furrow your eyebrows as you grab your backpack.

“No? Who said that?” You ask as you look at Christen weirdly. “Plus if anything I think I'd have a relationship with a girl first rather than a guy.”

“Oh I just heard something around.”

“Well I don’t so can you calm down?”

“I’m calm.” Christen says making you laugh.

“Why were you losing your mind over that? I don't react that way when you have a boyfriend.”

“I gotta make sure whoever dates you is good for you just like you do for me.” Christen says and you snort.

“Yes because when have you listened to me about your boyfriends, they’ve been terrible and I tell you before. I can sense it way before you do.”

“Yeah but your love life matters to me, I want you to be with someone who loves you and treats you right. I could care less about mine.”

“Clearly. Trust me I know.”

You continue to scream at the sky as you stomp your feet on the sand.

“You ever look at stars and think just how beautiful they are?” Christen asks you as you both lay outside on the lawn.

“Actually, yes.” You say. Christen turns to look at you, a smile plastered on her face.

“Why are you smiling like that and looking at me like that?” You say with a nervous chuckle.

“I’m going to be honest.” Christen says grabbing you hand. “What if we just never get married? What if it’s just me and you forever? Wouldn’t that be nice? Just us and laughter and adventures.”

“I suppose?”

“I’m just really grateful for you and I’m really lucky to have you in my life, you've stayed friends with me for so many years and I know I don't tell you often but I do love you and I appreciate it and all you do for me. I'm sorry I’m not the best of friend, or that I push you away sometimes, I don't mean it. I just don't ever want to lose you.”

“You won't. I don't want to ever lose you either Chris, I don't want to face the world by myself, I want to have you around forever.”

“Us two facing the world together. Facing reality.” Christen says booping your nose. “I love you.”

“Us versus the world.” You say making Christen laugh.

“It's me and you forever.” Christen says as she looks back up at the sky.

As you both laid on the grass Christen reached over to grab your hand, you turned your head and saw Christen looking at you, a very interesting look on her face that you couldn't quite figure out. The soft gaze and her smile.

Christen’s mind was everywhere, but when she would look at you and you smiled, she knew she loved you so much. Everything around you both seemed to not matter, she knew you were her home.

“I’m sorry I don't show it often but I really do appreciate you and I’m sorry I push you away, I don't mean it.” Christen says as she fidgets with your fingers. “I just-.”

“It’s okay you don't have to explain. I’ll always be around.”

“But you're the one who's constantly putting so much into our friendship and I know we've talked about this before, I need to do more.”

“Christen.”

“I don't want to lose you, ever.”

“You won't. Come on Christen we both know we've gone through enough and we’re still here.”

“Yes because you're the one who's always trying to save this friendship.”

“Christen. Hey. It’s me and you. Me and you.”

“Me and you.”

You fall onto your knees as you hide your face in your hands. Trying so hard not to absolutely lose your composure, but you're pretty sure you had already lost it.

"I don't even understand why you're acting like this Chris, you're not like this." You say as you walk closer to her.

"I always say I'm gonna change the way I am to you but never do. I'm a bad person. I'm not a good person." Christen says and you look baffled.

"Don't say that, hey you're not a bad person. You are a wonderful and kind person." You say as you walk up to Christen, cupping her face in your hands.

"I don't know how you're still my friend. You are so fucking amazing Y/N. You don't even know how much you truly are worth, I'm fucking lucky to have you in my life and I should be cherishing you and appreciating you before it's too late."

"I'm right here Chris. I'm right here."

While you sobbed, letting it all out, Christen was with her boyfriend driving home.

“That was the famous Y/N?” Christen’s boyfriend asks.

“That was her with Alex yes.” Christen says.

“Are they together?”

“Who? Alex and Y/N?” Christen asks with a chuckle. “Probably, I wouldn't know.”

“I thought they were together.”

“Yeah well they might as well be.”

“Angry much?”

“No. I just want to go home.” Christen sighs, Christen’s boyfriend sighs and shakes his head as he looks at the road. ”What?”

“You get like this every single time you either hear, see or literally just know she's around. You get so- so..”

“So what?”

“Jealous! Christen you get jealous!”

“I don't know what you're talking about. Why would I be jealous? We haven't been friends since our first year of college.”

"What are you doing?" You ask Christen as you walk into her room.

"Getting ready?" Christen says, you raise your eyebrow as you see what's in her hand.

"What the hell are you going to do with a hammer?"

"Aren't you going to meet someone?" Christen asks and you snort.

"Yes but I can assure you I'll be fine."

"I just gotta make sure they're good for you."

"So you have hammer for that? Christen it's just a date."

"Okay and?" Christen asks as she looks at you, you raise your hands in defeat as you turn around and walk away.

"You're being extra weird."

“I feel like I always come second Christen. Even if she isn't in your life anymore, it seems like she's all you think about.”

“That’s not true.”

“But it is. Christen I’m tired of being second choice to your ex girlfriend.”

“Ex girlfriend? Where the hell did you come out with that conclusion? We were best friends, nothing more. Sure she liked me but I never liked her back.”

"Hey." Christen says as she looks at her neighbor opening the door to her house.

"Christen? Everything okay?" Christen's neighbor asks.

"Can we talk?"

"Sure come in." She says, Christen walks in as she sits on the couch. "No Y/N today?"

"Haha no, she's home."

"Very odd to see you both apart. You guys are always together. She cares about you a lot."

"I care about her too, a lot. She's become someone so important to me and makes me very happy."

"Oh I know." She says with a smirk, a smirk Christen doesn't see.

"Wait what do you mean by that?" Christen asks.

"Nothing. But I'm sure you know."

“She liked you? Oh wow, that explains a lot.” He says.

“Come on you can't be serious.” Christen says with a laugh. 

“I mean it all makes sense, so many times that we went to the carnival on the Fourth of July. Our anniversary. I don't know why I didn't catch that earlier. All those stories you would tell me, I just thought you missed being friends with her.”

“What? What are you talking about?”

“Are you that blind to your own feelings? You loved her or love her I don't even know anymore.” 

"Thank you for being in my life even though I don't deserve someone as great as you."

"Chris, come on. We both know you deserve a better friend than me."

"No, if I didn't have you I'm pretty sure I'd look for you. In every universe I think I'd look for you, because without you I feel like something is missing."

“No I didn't and I don't.”

“Our anniversary is something else to you, it’s a reminder of the times when you'd go with her to the carnival. You said it was a tradition. July fourth is our anniversary, but every time it comes around you seem so down, like if you have something else in mind. You have her in mind.”

“Oh my god you can't be serious.”

“I should've seen it sooner.” He says shaking his head.

"You're unbelievable, none of it is true."

"Face reality Christen, fuck."

Alex looked behind you to see the girls looking at you then Alex, a soft smile on their faces. They could see it and feel it. They all walked over to you and Alex, all sitting down on the sand as they hugged you.

"I hope you never forget how much I love you." Christen says as she fixes the blanket over you, running her fingers through your hair. "You don't even understand and you won't ever see how much I truly do love you."

“It was supposed to be me and her forever.” You sob out.

You were healing. Finally healing and they weren’t going to leave you alone to face the world, the reality, all by yourself.

“We got you.” Becky whispers. “We got you.”

It was a reality you had not wanted to face for so long, but you had to accept it sooner than later. This was reality. A reality you had to face without Christen was something you never thought you had to do, but unfortunately it had come to that.

As much as you wanted closure, as much as you wanted to know why Christen had reacted the way she did those nights. You knew you probably wouldn’t ever know, but it was time to start to do what you never wanted. It was time do so, to face reality.

[topknot32]

Miami (2/5)

Rio/OFC

summary- olivia and chris's story continues three weeks after the events of designated driver. olivia meets chris at a local diner for breakfast, but things don't go as planned, hurtling her life down a new path.

warnings- 18+. Eventual smut. Violence in general.

word count- 3K

note- I own nothing but the plot. GIFs belong to whoever made them. I found them on google 🖤

The entire flight, Olivia's nerves were on edge. Kai did his best to sit in his seat and be good, but he wasn’t quite three and perfection wasn't to be expected. She alternated between movies on the headrest television, playing rock, paper, scissors,  and pointing out the window at the city lights at night as they passed over to keep him entertained.

By the time they landed in Miami, she was exhausted, but she had to keep it together. She had no idea who or what was waiting for them at the end of this, and she started to feel stupid for bringing her son to a place she wasn't absolutely certain was safe.

I can just scream for help, she thought. Airports are filled with security.

While waiting for their turn to get off the plane, Olivia took a few deep calming breaths as Kai bounced up and down in his seat holding his favorite stuffed cow. Soon enough, it was their turn, and she carried the toddler all the way to the gate where a crowd of people were waiting for their loved ones. She searched for Chris, hoping it was him here to greet them, but he was no where to be found.

The instructions didn't say anything about what to do after arriving in Miami, but she told herself it didn't matter if no one picked her up. She had the cash that was left in the envelope, so the worst case scenario would be getting a hotel and enjoying a few days in Florida with her son alone. Just as she was about to head past the gate, she spotted a somewhat familiar face. It was Mick, but his facial hair had been shaved down to just a short goatee, and he'd lost a bunch of weight. He held a placard that said Emily Davis.

She exhaled a big breath of relief, and waved. Mick offered her a nod of acknowledgement. "Miss Davis," he said.

"Hi, um—" She didn't know what to call him, whether or not he was going by an alias.

"Michael," he said, reaching for her carryon. Olivia handed it over and situated Kai on her hip.

"Michael, huh, creative."

He glanced back behind her as if checking to see if she was followed. "Everything go okay?"

"Other than only having a day to plan a trip with a toddler, sure."

"I mean, did you notice any tails."

Olivia hadn't been paying attention, too nervous with her mind on other things, but she didn't think so. "No, not that I noticed."

Mick aka Michael nodded thoughtfully. "Okay, let's go then."

He led the way through the airport, not saying much of anything at all. Back in Detroit, Mick had always been friendly with her, and it was well known that he had a massive crush on Annie, but this version of him was different. Colder, less friendly, and Olivia felt the chill.

There was a car waiting at the curb, but no sign of Chris. "Where is he?" she asked, being mindful to not use any of the names she knew him by back home.

"Waiting on us."

That did nothing to ease her anxiety, and another wave of potential regret washed over her. She was walking into unknown territory with the most important person to her with a bunch of fugitives for company. If this went badly, Olivia had no one to blame but herself.

Mick offered nothing else, and motioned for them to get in the car where an expensive looking carseat was waiting already strapped in. They rode in silence through the city for a long time. Olivia had never been to Miami, so she was surprised by how colorful it was even at this time of night. The people, the architecture, the foliage, all of it was a myriad of shades of green and red and yellow. It was beautiful.

After a while, Mick turned the car off the main road, and they drive through  residential neighborhoods until even those were fewer and fewer, and the landscape opened up to show beaches of beautiful sand and ocean. It was hard to see without the sun shining down, but the closer to the coast they got, the easier it became.

"Look, Kai," she said softly, pointing at the blue water. He stared at in wonder, eyes wide with a smile forming, and Olivia felt her chest squeeze.

"Can we go?" he asked.

Olivia glanced at Mick who was looking back at her in the rearview mirror. "Yeah, of course we'll go to the beach."

Finally the car slowed and turned off onto a paved drive surrounded by nothing but trees. There were no other houses in sight, and not far from the road was an enormous iron gate blocking their way. Olivia pressed her hands into her thighs, squeezing the material of her sweats between her fingers. This must be the place. Mick stopped and reached out the window to push a button on the intercom. No words were exchanged, but there was a camera mounted just above it, and after a second the gate began to roll open.

The driveway seemed never ending, curving and winding through the sand until Olivia was sure they'd drive straight into the ocean. They came upon one more gate, and then the trees opened up to reveal what looked like a compound more than a house. It was a massive two story structure that made her eyes widen at the size, and behind it was nothing but sand and ocean.

"This is where he's been all this time?"

Mick chuckled, but there wasn't much humor in it. "Did you think he only had business in Detroit?"

Olivia couldn't imagine what kind of business it would take to afford something like this. This was an unimaginable display of wealth, more than she'd ever seen in her life.

Mick grabbed her singular bag while Olivia got Kai out of the carseat, but the moment they stepped inside the foyer, a handful of armed security guards came over. She felt her heart stutter a little at the guns holstered on their belts and the aggressive way they snatched up her carryon and started rifling through it. The only female in the group reached for Kai, but Olivia turned and held on tight.

"What are you doing? Please don't touch my son," she snapped, looking to Mick, but he did nothing to help. Kai latched onto her hair, pulling it at the roots to keep ahold of her, softly whining nervously under his breath at all the unfamiliar people.

"Everyone has to be searched upon entry," Mick said. "Cooperate and it'll be quick and painless."

"What for? We just got off a plane. It's not like I could've snuck weapons through security."

"Weapons aren't the only threat here. Please, allow me to search your son," the female security guard said, holding her arms out for Kai. "I won't hurt him."

"You could be wired," Mick clarified. "It'll be thorough, but they'll be gentle."

Olivia felt her stomach turn. "No, no one is searching him. Where is Chris?"

Mick took a step forward, his expression darkening. "There's no Chris here."

Olivia's lips parted in disbelief, and she started to feel panic bubbling up in her chest. "I am not wired, and neither is my child!"

Mick's phone started ringing in his pocket, breaking some of the tension, and Olivia tried to suck in a deep breath. He raised his hand to the security guards, and they took a few steps back to give her some space, but it was obvious she would go no further until a search had been done.

"Yeah, she's here. The kid, too," Mick said in response to whatever the person on the other end of the line was asking. "Are you sure? Yeah, okay."

Mick hung up. "He'll handle it," he said to the security, and stepped forward to take Olivia by the elbow. She wanted to rip free and run, but she didn't see how she had any choice. The closest thing she had to an ally here was Mick.

He led her down the hallway to their left and through a wooden door that opened up into what looked like a study. The far wall was all windows, looking out over a Spanish style veranda and beyond that, the ocean. She had to do a double take when she looked to the left to find Chris leaning against an enormous wooden desk, his hands together at his waist.

Olivia couldn't help but smile. It was more out of relief than joy, and she felt her shoulders lower several inches. "Chris, Jesus, you've got quite the welcoming party—"

He held a finger up to his lips, silencing her, and then gave a curt nod to Mick who turned and left the room, closing the door behind him. Chris approached her slowly, not saying a word but drinking in every inch of her frame as he came. She noticed him too—the tattoos on his arms that hadn't been there before, the way he was a little more toned, his shoulders wider as if he'd been working out.

Chris circled her, keeping his hands to himself, making Kai bury his face in the crook of her neck. It'd been too long and Kai had forgotten who he was. That was the downside to toddler years. They were slow for them and fast for the rest. A lifetime had gone by for Kai in the last eight months.

He circled back until he was standing in front of her, and without asking he reached for Kai. She knew she had no choice here, but she also knew Chris was no threat to her son, so she allowed it even though he struggled. She leaned forward and rubbed his back as Kai reached for her.

"It's okay, mama's right here," she soothed. "I'm right here."

Kai struggled, but Chris still said nothing. He took him over to the other side of the room where there was a toy box, and he opened it for Kai who was still clutching his stuffed cow between his chubby fingers. Kai was still nervous. He kept glancing back to make sure she hadn't gone anywhere, but he took the toy car Chris offered to him.

Chris stood and came back over to her, and she was unnerved by his silence. "I swear I'm not wired," she said, but he just shook his head no. There was none of the adoration and kindness in his eyes that she'd seen during those three weeks they were together. Instead, they were filled with wariness and suspicion.

He came to a stop in front of her, and reached for the hem of her sweatshirt. She'd traveled comfy in a matching jogger set in a neutral shade of beige, and he inched it up bit by bit. She wanted to resist, but she also wanted him to speak, so she allowed him to drag it up and over her head, leaving her in a white sports bra with a zippered front. Next he went for the tie of her sweats, and tugged until the knot came untied. He pushed them down her legs to reveal a simple pair of black cotton boy shorts.

"Please say something," she whispered, trying hard not to cry.

Chris knelt down and pulled her tennis shoes off one after the other, then her socks. Then he ran his hands up the backs of her legs, up over her thighs and the curve of her ass. She stood completely frozen, heart racing, eyes trained on the wall straight across the room as he stood back up, analyzing every inch of her skin. Under any other circumstances, she'd be enjoying his undivided attention, but she wasn't prepared for this. He even went as far as to dip his hands into the band of her panties, searching for any hint that she was here to betray him. Olivia turned to make sure Kai was thoroughly distracted to find him driving the toy car over the patterns of the rug like they were roads.

As he stood back, Chris reached for the zipper of her sport bra, but he hesitated before pulling it. For the first time since she entered the room, he met her eyes as if asking for her permission. She wanted to say no, to slap him and run from the room, but she looked away and nodded.

"Just get it over with," she said, her voice cold and foreign even to her own ears. Chris seemed to notice the difference too, because he tried to catch her eye again, but she refused.

More urgently now, he pulled the zipper down revealing her naked chest to him, and he did a quick survey, his hands running down her back to be sure before zipping it back up for her. He tugged up her sweatpants and tied them, then reached for her sweatshirt. When Olivia was fully dressed, Chris let out a sigh and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Now him," he whispered so softly she barely heard, motioning toward Kai, and Olivia frowned.

"Are you serious?"

"I am, yeah."

Olivia held his gaze for a long moment. She knew she had no choice. "This was a mistake," she said sadly, and turned to her son. "Time for pajamas, babe."

Kai looked up at her and shook his head. "I want to go to the beach."

"We will I promise, but it's late and you need to sleep. When you wake up we'll go."

He started to argue, but she gave him a look and he slumped his shoulders before coming over to the couch across from the desk where she sat down. Kai was wearing a similar outfit to hers, but she grabbed the carryon and dug out the singular pair of pajamas she'd packed for him. While Chris watched, Olivia changed him out of his sweat outfit and into the striped pajama set. Chris said nothing, and Kai was none the wiser that anything was amiss.

Finally, once all that was done, she looked up at Chris with disappointment heavy on her face. She resented him for the last ten minutes, and he could see it. He knelt down in front of the couch and took her face in his hands like it was normal, like he did it all the time, and Kai hopped up to dig through the toy box. "I'm sorry, Olivia, but it's necessary."

"You really think I'd wear a wire to help the cops find you? You think I'd endanger my son by involving him in some kind of sting operation?"

"I think that I've been betrayed by almost everyone I ever trusted."

Her eyes were burning with tears now. "I came here because I missed you, Chris. Not because I wanted to hurt you, but now I just feel stupid."

"Hey, don't be like that," he said in the voice he reserved for her before, the soft, soothing rasp that she could listen to over and over.

Olivia pushed his hands away and stood up. "Why did you invite me here? If you thought I might've been in on turning you in, why would you ask me to come? We're you going to kill me if I didn't convince you otherwise? My son?" She kept her voice low enough so Kai wouldn't hear.

"I'd never hurt your son."

Her blood ran cold. "But you'd hurt me."

Chris came over and stood in front of her. "I'll put anyone who betrays my trust in a grave, Olivia, but for eight months I kept tabs on you because I didn't want to believe that you'd play me. I hired people to watch you, to put a bug in your house, so I could make sure that you weren't in on that bitch's plan."

"You eavesdropped inside my home?"

Chris reached up and brushed his thumb against her cheek. "Yeah, I did, but you can never be too careful. I had to be sure."

"Why?"

"I missed you, mama," he said, eyes softening as he glanced down at her lips.

"You just left with no explanation, no goodbye."

"I know, and it hurt me to do it. I want you to know that."

"But why?" she asked.

Chris stepped back and took a seat on the couch, resting his elbows on his knees. "I did think in the beginning you were a distraction, that Elizabeth offered you up because she knew I was interested. But I, uh, every time I considered doin' what I've done to a hundred other rats, I couldn't. Not to you."

It was Olivia's turn to come over and kneel in front of him. She took his hands in hers, and he stared down into her eyes with so much intensity she felt nervous again. As much as she resented Beth for doing what she did, she didn't want her dead.

"Can you forgive her?" Olivia asked.

"No."

"Why not?"

"I had to take my son out of a school he loves, move him out of the only home he's ever known, bring him across the country to live in a guest house under a new name. He can't see his bisabuela, can't talk to his friends. Now unless his father goes to prison for life, or I put them up somewhere in fuckin' Kansas or Montana where even I don't know where they are, he'll never get to be himself again. That's unforgivable, Olivia." His voice wasn't soft anymore. He was angry, beyond angry even.

She sat back on her heels and cleared her throat. "Can you show me where we'll be staying? I need to get Kai to sleep. It's been a long day."

Chris stared at her for a second, the rage slowly dissipating. "Yeah, okay."

He stood and headed for the door without waiting for her to get up, and she got the feeling she'd struck a nerve. "Kai, let's go," she called out, and he grabbed up as many of the new toys that he could carry, and took her hand. Together they followed Chris back out into the hallway.

[kolour-me-kourt]

Chapter Twenty-one:Faithful

*flashback*

Let's do the things we say in text

**texting**

Today was my last day of work for a week ... idk what ima do with the free time.

You need to relax Fr maybe go get a massage or something

That sounds good ... might take the time to get my hair braided and my nails done again

Yeah all that sounds good baby... you need to take sometime I know all this stuff with me has been crazy

I wouldn't change it though ... I've only gotten a few questions at the office and they weren't bad it's just with clients... I need the news to blow over

Nah I get it .... What you doing?👀

Waiting for you to call or something 😂😂 I've already settled in I'll probably have some food delivered for the night

Mmmmm I can't wait to talk to you on the phone ... you was getting spicy last night

Spicy how?😂😂

You know what you said talking about you liked being choked ... crazy ass

That's not how the conversation went Jayson

Oh tell me then🧐😂

Wellll you were talking about that tweet and all I said was she didn't explain if she enjoyed the choking ... because some people do

And then what I say? I asked if you did

And I said probably ... that didn't mean yes

It means you do but you don't wanna tell me you do... whatever I'll find out real soon... can't wait until you start telling me you wet just thinking about me... you know I already can tell when you're horny

And how on earth can you do that?

I wish I would give you my secrets

Lol okay man you trippin

I'm not ... you like talking about sex with me cause you don't know how it feels yet... I could be the best you ever had and you don't know it yet cause you haven't had the pleasure

Do you think you will be?

I know I will be ... cause I already know you like the back of my hand

So what makes me cum?

My mouth when I get it on you

😳😳

Stop playing with me cause I'm not playing with you ... you're wet now btw

Jayson you get on my nerves 😂😂

But am I wrong though? Cause I know Im not

What if i'm not playing?

Mmmmm I guess we'll just have to wait and see... when you bringing your sexy ass back up here

When I get a proper invitation

Well.... Be on the look out for that ... I gotta go I'll call you this afternoon ... relax

😂😂 of course I will talk to you later Bae

Ttyl

*6:00 pm

"I miss you ... come see me while you free"

YN had taken a week of pto to truly relax. She was becoming a little overwhelmed with all the blogs knowing her she had traffic on her Instagram now more than ever and WAGS the blog site was watching her heavily liking and then unliking her posts just to make sure she saw them even commenting sometimes mostly when it had to do with Jayson. She wish she could could go back to their first date .... It was warm it was soft she missed him.... Badly.

It had been a month since Melo swore to leave her alone.... For the most part he had left her Alone except the occasional reaction to her story.

"I got your flowers bae ... they're beautiful" she said smiling extra hard at the screen "so you read my card? You coming?" "So when we were talking earlier... you had already had them sent?" "As soon as you told me you had a week off I was determined to get you up here" "We haven't really done a sleep over yet...." "I been waiting on it to be honest it's been a month and a half" "funny how time flies .... When you're having fun" he laughed "yeah but ... it'll be more fun when you bring your ass .... So can you for me?" "Of course like I said I was just waiting for the invitation"

"damn I should've said something last week" "yeah you should have..." "come tonight?" "Find me a ticket Jay" "fuck a ticket I'll get a private" "no... I will be fine on a commercial flight bae ... it's still too early for big gestures" "I just want you to ride comfortably" "I be comfortable in first class.... Plussss getting your staff and all that first plus a plane .... I'm trying to see you sooner than later it's just a like two hours bae" "you right ... can you be ready for the flight at 9? They have a first class seat available" "what time is it..." "6:45... pack for the week" "um yeah I can make that" "you sure?" "Mhmmmm" "well get ready I'm sending the ticket and all that to your phone" "you gotta get off the phone first I don't want you to see what I'm packing" she smiles

"mmm.... You finally ready to do the things we say over text?" YN laughed "I like when you haven't seen my outfits Jay I get real reactions" "well... I just sent the stuff ima plan some stuff while you packing ... see you soon" "you picking me up from the airport?" "Yeah of course" she smiled "yay okay... well see you soon Bae" "bye baby girl" she hangs up

Maybe during this trip they can finally have sex. One thing about it is if they weren't long distance she would've gave it up weeks ago.... Shit maybe after the second week. She knew it was getting harder to contain herself because their conversations have naturally started getting sexual... like pass the flirting. He wanted to know what she like and didn't like before he even touched her. Their conversations never truly stopped even when it went sexual it wasn't awkward... it made her ready for all of it. She didn't wanna assume he was great but it was hard not to.

*getting off the plane*

After she walked down the stairs off the plane and down the long aisles she got to her luggage searching for an exit standing outside the cool night air hit her skin it felt good to smell fresh air. The plane ride was nice enough but it was 11:30 and she was hungry. Soon enough she saw Jayson rolling in smiling ear to ear.

He parked the car even though he wasn't supposed to grabbing her luggage and placing it in the car.

"Hey baby... I know you tired of me saying I miss you .... But I missed you" he said kissing her lips and then her forehead. "Well now you don't have too" she smiled when he opens her door letting her and then getting back in the driver seats pulling off roughly. She blushed cause he kept looking at her

"Pay attention to the road Jayson" his hand rested on her thigh"how you even more beautiful in person .... That shit crazy" "you look good too... but if we wanna keep looking this way ... you gotta focus on the road" she laughed "that was a good one I'll give you that.... How was the flight?" "quick... I'm honestly a little sleepy now" "did you eat?" "No not dinner" "you wanna get something quick? So you can settle in?" She smiled "yes ... what's near your house?" "Nothing really .... Probably like a Burger King or Wendy's ... chick fil a closed ummm Arby's?" "Wendy's is fine ... I can go for a frosty" "okay bet" he grabs her hand "you eating too?" "Yeah ima get something ...you staying all week?"

"Mhm... self care days" "in that case ... I'm taking care of you all week" "in what ways?" "All— Hmm? What ways you want me to take care of you?" He started to answer but then stopped himself when he registered how she was talking to him. "I was just asking bae" "HA... I'm not convinced" "well ... what can I do to convince you?" She smirked "well shit ... I don't know I gotta look in your eyes and see innocence" they get stopped at a red light so she smiles "look now" he glances over at her staring deeply in her eyes "nah that look is sinster" she laughed "no that's how you want me looking at you" "yeah that's true... and you doing it right now" she smiled "what that mean?" "I guess you'll just have to chill and figure it out" "mmmmmm do I have a choice?" "Always baby" she laughed

"it feels good to be here with you ... I wish we could always be like this" "I was talking to my mama earlier and I just noticed how much I love you.... It's crazy" "love huh?" "Yeah love ... it's like you had made the moment you said my name in the club or when I watched you devour the hamburger ... I don't know it just happened so fast but I'm glad" "me too... I never fell for anyone so damn fast... the fact I let you lock me down the first date... mmmm crazy" she smiled "that was bold of me to ask.... But I felt the vibe" "yeah... cause it was definitely mutual"

"So what about this vibe now?" She smiled "we stay on the same wave length ... I just um I'm nervous ... if I'm being honest" "okay we'll talk more ... when we get back to my place..." she smiled "you like ... Amazing a lil bit you know that?" "Yeah I do ... but I'm wondering what made you say that" "I just love how everything can be a conversation with you... like I truly don't even have to go into detail I just tell you I'm uncomfortable and you're ready to step in and help ... I love that" "well good bae... but you do that same shit.... You don't realize how much better I've been sleeping since you told me those little tricks" she smiled "bae that's small" "nah it's big.... Sleep is hella important and I wasn't getting it ... until you" she smiled completely speechless as he pulled into the drive thru

she laughed slightly when he already knew her order down to the drink and what flavor frosty she wanted. Once he got the bag he passed it to her she immediately started eating the fries.

"Oooou these were fresh ... so hot" "let me taste" she grabs a French fry placing it in his mouth watching him chew she bit her lip ... how was everything he did really that sexy

*time skip

Before she walked out of the bathroom she opened the door already speaking. "Jayson?" "Yeah?" He laughed "you said I should be comfortable right? Do everything I normally do?" "Yes Wussup?" "Well ... you have plans for us tomorrow and I want my hair to be cute so I have something in it" "I seen you with a scarf , a bonnet, hair wild, hair in twists, Bantu knots... all on FaceTime Why would I get weird now?" "cause I'm here" "girl get yo ass out here... cause now I'm curious" she laughed "no jokes?" "Can't promise that.... But let me see"

She walked out of the bathroom. He smiled "you so damn extra" he shook his head. "It's cute?" "You always cute now come here so we can talk and you can go to sleep cause I know you tired" she sauntered to the bed leaning over to kiss his lips and then straddle him. He rubs her ass

"We clearly both want sex .... But I want you to be ready for me... like comfortable" he says looking in her eyes "I am comfortable... I just want it to not feel .... Forced. We've been talking a lot and I've enjoyed hearing the many things you wanna do to me once I'm ready but I need it to be spontaneous" "I get that... I'm just saying it's been moments were I wanted you but I didn't want you to be uncomfortable so I didn't act on it" she kisses his lips "well this is my way of telling you next time you're in the mood .... And I'm in the mood ... go for it" he smiled

"mhm I got you .... A whole lotta foreplay and teasing" "why?" " cause I know you like it" she grinds on him slowly. "I talk too much" she says softly on his lips "why you say that?" "Because I told you I like it... I should've let you figure it out" "I would have ... quick" he kisses her lips "anymore talk in you sir?" She yawns he smiles "nah I'm good ... you good?" "I'm great let go to sleep" "you sleeping on top of me?" "No" she laughed laying down beside him "you could have if you wanted too" "no Jaysonnnnnnnn I sleep wild" "okay then goodnight" "goodnight" he reaches and turns the light off

*next morning

She woke up to him fumbling around the room. "What time is it?" She moaned looking around confused "sorry bae I gotta go to practice I wasn't trying to turn on the light so you could stay sleep" "ohh okay" he kisses her forehead "I'm kinda running late so I'll see you when I get back okay? I should be back by the time you wake up" "okay baby I love you" "I love you too" he rushes out of the room she sighs when she hears his car start and he pulls off.

It was still dark outside so instead of looking at the time she just rolled back over dozing off. When she woke up again it was 8 o clock so after sitting for a while she got up using the bathroom and brushing her teeth. She was hoping Jayson would already be back when she was awake cause being in this big house by herself scared her. She turns her music up high and then steps into the shower taking a quick one after moisturizing her body she slides her robe on and then takes the hair pieces out of her hair.

The curl didn't look how she wanted she wanted a big wand curl and this was wavy at best .... It just looks heat damaged she thought. She tried to find a way to fix it but then decided she would just wear her hair half up and half down as she was finishing up Jayson walks in. "Your music loud baby... Goodmorning" he kisses her forehead as she turns it down a little bit "you like my hair" "I do" "I don't believe you" "why not?" "Cause I don't like it" she laughs "well I don't have to lie to you ... we have two different minds and I think you look cute" "not sexy?" "You're always sexy" "but you said cute .... Like adorable" "so what?" "I wanted to be.... Sexy... I want you to wanna fuck me" "like I said you're always sexy" she takes the hair tie out of her hair fluffing it out  "how was practice" "your hair could be all over your head and you would still be sexy to me ... you know that?" She smiled "I was genuinely asking bae.... Not just switching the subject" "it was great.... I was rushing home to you though" "well I'm glad you did ... it was getting lonely in here" "come here" she walks over to him and he holds her close.

"I got food for us downstairs .... Then I gotta run some errands... you wanna come?" She smiled "yes I would love too" "alright let's eat" "kiss me first" he kisses her slowly. "Can we watch movies tonight? Instead of finding somewhere to go" "whatever you want it's your world" she smiled "that's what I love to hear" "tomorrow night we going somewhere though so already be prepared" "okay daddy"

" now that's what I like to hear" he smacks her ass telling her to come on.

"Jayson ....  Stop before you be eating something else... deadass" he backs her against the wall "you know you don't mean that" he kisses her slowly making her moan "I am being sooo serious" "it's some good food downstairs though" he smiles " well let's go bae"

He lets her in front of himself to walk towards the kitchen she couldn't see him but she felt him ... watching her dissecting the way she walked and talked to him without turning back to look at his face. He couldn't wait to hear her moans bouncing off the walls.

Once they made it into the kitchen she grabbed two paper plates. "You know when you said we had food downstairs I assumed you grabbed some on the way in" "no the chef brought it  here you know she cooks every other day" "no I didn't I didn't even know she was a she" YN laughs placing his food on his plate as he sat down. She walks it over to him and then fixes her own plate.

"Oh well she's been here for years" "nice can't wait to meet her... cause this looks amazing" "can I get some water to please baby?" "Mhm" she grabbed two bottles and her plate and sat down. "So what you have in mind tonight?" "Just movies....? It didn't matter which ones" "ohhh okay thought you had something in mind" "no... do you?"  "Something... funny nothing to soft" " but I'm soft" "That's why I said that" He laughs "you know what they just put back on Netflix?" "What?" "This Christmas" "let's watch that bae" "That's my movie Fr" "shiddd mine too what else we watching"

"mean girls.... I need you to see it" " I don't know bout that" "I do" she smiled "I don't" "ima guest I get what I want ... right?" "Right.... For now" "just now?" "You a brat you eventually always get your way ... I like to put up a fight though" he kisses her lips making her smile "your brat though?" She never moves her lips "Who's brat would you be?... yes mine" she slightly pulls away "I'm all yours" she stares in his eyes "straight up I know"

After breakfast Jayson takes a nap while YN goes down to the gym working out for a solid hour and then she came up to take a shower. He was just waking up. "You good?" He asks she smiles "yes you don't have to entertain me every second ... I know you're still working so I hope you enjoyed your nap" "I did ... I dreamed my girlfriend was finally here with me for a long period of time..." "sounds like reality to me" he laughed "what you about to do?" "Head to the shower and then I'll be ready for you" "alright enjoy your shower bae" she smiles walking off

***time skip

He decided they should go grocery shopping for some snacks and whatever else she might have wanted while she was with him. Grocery shopping felt like a date to her ... she was learning alot about how they both shop. The same items they get but different brands. How something's she splurges on but he wouldn't for himself and vice versa. But at the end of the day they made it through it he placed the bags in the trunk and put the cart up.

"You didn't even get stopped... I liked that" she glances at him as he starts the car up. "Yeah I gotta know when to go.... Right now it's nothing but old people in the store" she laughed "old people don't know you?" "I mean some do... but they also respect privacy .... The same cashiers are there when I go so they've got a autograph or picture already so it's no need to fan out when you see this person every week part of asking your favorite celebrity for a picture is because you've seen them through a screen the whole time and you have no clue when and if you'll see them again" he reaches for the back of her seat to back up he focuses "that all really makes sense.... Perfectly said" he smiles "but?" "How you know it was a but?" "By your voice ... so but?" She laughed "but I hope I can add some spontaneity in your life I hate that you have to be so schedule oriented"

"if I'm not on schedule something suffers ... you know that because it would mainly be you" "mhm I do know I'm just saying with little things like switching up your food or something else idk I just wanna be a splash of color in your life"

**** back at home on the couch

The conversation had been pretty intense for the last ten minutes she truly want to know if she annoyed him cause if she didn't he didn't truly know her yet. She was asking everything in the book to get her answer.

"Do you see my flirting as teasing? Or playful?" She stared deeply at him looking for a sign to make sure he was telling the truth ... before he even said anything. "Nah it's normal ... to flirt we been flirting since we met ... why should it stop?" "I know but you had said something after you invited me here... and I guess that's why I was overthinking the situation"

"what I say?" "Am I ready to do the things we say on text?" "That in no way means we only gonna be fucking when you get here... or you have to do everything you said you would right now... it just means when ever you decide to I'll be here wanting it waiting" "so when I get horny and I tell you..." "I like that too ... I like the conversations about me fingering you or eating your pussy .... I like all of that" she twisted in her seat as her breath increased "me too ... a lot"

"you want me to finger you now? No strings attached" "Jayson you do not have too" " I just wanna try it and I clearly got you worked up from how I'm talking...it's up to you though" she bites her lip ... it's be a great way to start "where you want me?" "On my lap ... like we talked about" she stood up dropping her robe. "Damn you sexy" "thank you baby... facing you?"

"Nah put your back to my stomach" she listens getting comfortable. At first he turns her head just kissing her repeatedly then she starts to feel his hand move up her thighs slowly he travels to her panties tracing the outside of them but never entering. He continued kissing her until she grinds against his hand. "Please?" "Hm??" "Touch me ... please" he moves her panties to the side ... still teasing her for a while but then slowly sliding his fingers inside her "damn... you always this wet for me?" he had no clue she would really be this wet "'mmmmm"

Her legs spread wider and wider. As his fingers dive deeper in her and his other hand was busy keeping her close by wrapping around her neck as he kissed it. "You just drip for me... first time I'm touching you and .....just listen" "please pleaseeee don't stop.... Yes yes yessss"

she squirmed he was touching all the right places at the right time asserting his dominance. "Fuck Jayyyyy" she whined her hand rests on top of his as he rubs her clit slowly. "Hm?" "You're about to make me.... Cum I —- I'm so close" "good ... do it then" his fingers went into overdrive on her clit and then entered her once again. "I really had no plan for this .... But I wanted to feel you .... And you look so sexy with this black lace on... how you make your panties hug your curves like that? Almost like they were specially made for you? Everything you do is just amazing" she gasped as she released over his hand.

"Right there right thereee please don't stopppp" she bits her lip "Oooou damn that was sexy" he places his same fingers in her mouth causing her to immediately suck them softly. "Your mouth feels perfect you know that?.... Just damn" he slowly takes them out and they both sit there wondering what was next. She stands up because she felt awkward that's the last thing she expected to happen and it went down like a movie ... the build up and intensity is always crazy. She stared at him nothing but his sweatpants on. She looked at his body hair that trailed from his chest to his stomach and the very intense look he had on his face because above all he needed to know how she was feeling.... She could see him poking right through his pants she could go and slide down on him with no issue.

"Tell me how you feeling don't just leave me in the dark... I crossed a line?" "You're my boyfriend no" "so what that mean?" "I liked it a lot" "and you wanna chill out?" "Yes... I stood up to get some clothes I— um I ... didn't say much because I'm still ... trying to process" "that's okay just go ahead and get what you want from upstairs and then when you come back we can talk and I won't touch you until you touch me... okay?" "Okay"

She walks off he watched her ass praying for strength because he knew she wanted him. She knew she wanted him.... So why was she almost scared to have sex? It's because it meant more she really liked him and loved him they were in a relationship she hadn't had sex since Melo and sex with a Melo made her see the moon and all the stars... could Jayson match that? Or do better? That's why she was nervous she needed Jayson to be amazing her sex drive was way too high for him not to be good. He was too sexy to not be good at sex.... And she just wanted him badly ... she didn't wanna tease but she had a hard time trusting herself. She grabbed one of his oversized hoodies walking back down the stairs sitting beside him.

"So I was thinking ....if you get uncomfortable let me know and tell me what you need " he says "okay baby" she smiles she could tell he wanted and needed to be a safe space for her "keep eye contact with me.... Did you like when I touched you?" " I liked it a lot ... the way you held me ... and talked to me.... I was relaxed" "you felt ... protected?" "Yes" " ask me something" " I could feel you ... while I was on top of you... are you just gonna stay hard?" He laughed "it'll go down ... I'm good" "it's not uncomfortable?" "Im just ... chillin ... my turn" "yes" "what makes you nervous about me?... we're serious already so why do I make you nervous" " a lot of things but above all ... I need you to enjoy me I wanna be synced I want it to be Amazing for the both of us because this relationship... is great" "when you put your hand on top of mine while I was fingering you... Is it cause I wasn't in the right spot?" "No I just wanted to contribute... did it make you uncomfortable?" "No... that whole thing was for you though so don't worry about me"

she bit her lip "you didn't like what I just said.... Where did I fuck up?" She laughed "even when I'm just giving you head I'll get pleasure from giving you pleasure so even though you're doing something to strictly make me feel good ... I need you to enjoy it" "and I did but that's the key me doing it brings the pleasure already so you don't have to be worried about what I liked and didn't it was about you"  "understood ... anything else mr.Tatum or can we start our movies?" "Nah ... I guess I'm good" "you guess or you know? I need an exact answer" she smiles staring in his eyes making him smile too. "I'm good YN" "can I come closer?" He laughed pulling her body right next to her grabbing a throw blanket placing it on her legs. She rested her head in his lap. He leans down kissing her lips he rested his hand on her thigh. "You ready?" " yes press play please"

As the movie went on she couldn't help but think about him ... inside of her. What would be the sexiest way to take control? ... pull his dick out? Sit up quickly and start kissing him? She wondered how she could take the action quickly.

He was into the movie but kept glancing at her cause he could tell her mind was racing because of the faces she was making and she wasn't laughing at the parts that she usually laugh at. And then finally they made eye contact and she sits up slowly staring in his eyes he closes the gap between their lips. She smiles inside when she felt his tongue go inside her mouth

It was the look in her eyes that made him wanna kiss her. The movie was good but she was better her soft moans let him know she wanted more "I'm taking you to the room" "mmm there's no time" she kisses his lips again straddling him. She grinds slowly . She could feel him getting harder all she could think was this was finally happening. She kept trying to slide his pants off but he moved her hands. The make out session was intense. He pulls away slowly sucking her bottom lip

"fuck" he says softly he grabs her tightly picking her up. "Mmm Jayson I want it now " "it's always time .... What you in a rush for?" And it was at that moment she relaxed

With Melo she always felt the need to rush because his girlfriend would be texting or calling or showing up.... Jayson was hers and she loved it but she wouldn't dare ruin this moment by bringing up Melo.

"I don't know" she stares in his eyes and he sees the realization all over her face. "Well don't rush with me ... stay in the moment... can you do that?" She smiles "yes" "good" when they got to the bedroom he was careful with her. Gently putting her on the bed and slowly taking her clothes off. She couldn't help but feel all over his body she was craving him it was a hunger and desire that she couldn't explain she just wanted him badly.

She was breathing heavy and she could hear her heartbeat in her ears. He kisses her slowly spreading her legs. She could feel him she wondered if he would just slide in or was he teasing like had planned to do all along. She felt his thumb rub in between her folds "oh gosh" "hmm?" He began kissing down her body

"ugh" she said softly moving her hips "you don't want me to do this?" "Of course I do... your lips just feel so good on my body" he smiled he teased as long as possible and then she felt his tongue in between her folds she gasped. "Damn" he moans pulling her closer. Her hips began to move up and down.

"Stop moving baby" "Jayson..." "hmmm? I'm eating it slow baby... I need to go slower?" he kisses her in the same spot over and over. Her legs continued to shake. "Jayson baby don't stop what you're doing... it feels so good" "then baby can you keep your legs open for me" He opens her legs wide holding them down. "Yesss" she replaces his hands "keep your legs still too" "mmmm" he slides two fingers inside of her. "Damnn baby you so wet" when he sucked her clit she thought she might actually go insane.

One of her hands went to his head pulling him in closer. "Oh Jayson please" his fingers went into over drive as his mouth continued he moaned pulling her closer. She shivers and finally cums for him. "Mmmm mmmm mmm" all he could do was moan as she released all over his face. "Yes yes yessss" he pulls away slowly kissing up her body.

"You need to ask me ... if you can cum.... You didn't do it just now or earlier " he says on her lips she pulls him in closer to kiss him. "You hear me?" "Yes I hear you" he slides inside her "you understand me?" "Ohhhhh my gosh ... you're so big" he smiled "you understand me?" "Mhm daddy I understand" "so if you don't do it next time you'll be in trouble" something he remembers from their previous conversations.... She liked to feel dominated if she felt like she had even the slightest bit of control it would turn her off ... so right down to her orgasm he choose when she lets go. He loved being the dominant one he was that way with everyone why should she be any different. He like the fact that he had to earn it cause he's 100% sure if he wasn't doing it right then she wouldn't submit at all.

he moved his hips slowly. "I'll ask... I promise" she kisses him again "You feel so fucking good... you know that?" "Mhmm... you make me feel good" he grabs her hips going deeper. The eye contact made this even crazier for her. He moved slowly but his thrust were so powerful and deep it almost sent her over edge. He went slowly on purpose he had to be different from every other person she had ever been with. She squeezes him pulling him in further "faster" she moans he listens as he continues to kiss her neck he grabs her face.

"You're so beautiful ...." Her eyes closed "mmm baby look at me" " I —-" "you what?" His hips move faster and his thumb begins to rub her clit. "Right there baby pleaseeee" "open your eyes" Her eyes flutter open he places his other thumb in her mouth.

" I wanna cum" "That's how you ask?" "Please?" He smiled laughing slightly "huh?" "Jayson please.... I'm about to ...Uhhh" "you can't hold it no more?" Her legs began shaking harder "no baby ..... it feels so goooooooood" "look at me ... cum for me" "mmmmmm yes yes yessssss" "ooooou you feel so damn good ... you hear this Pussy?" "Jayson baby please" her body shakes more intensely

"please what?" "I don't know I don't know.... I just" he kisses her lips again her eyes start to water "you wanna cum for me again?" "Nooooo" "hmmm you want me to stop?" "No sir ... please don't stop" "so you do wanna cum for me again?" "Yesssss" "why you say no?" Her legs continued to shake. "Hmmm? Answer me baby" her back arched as her tears fell this felt so amazing and they were both so in the moment that it was just too much for her to handle but she was gonna make sure she handled it

"don't cum without asking" "I—-" "what I say baby?" "Can I cum please sir... please can I?" She whined "Mhmmm with your sexy ass... cum for me" she releases while moaning his name "damn you sound so sexy baby... it still feel good? I pushed you to far?" " no baby but let me ... on top" he keeps kissing her "babyyy" she whined he grabs her hips holding her tightly flipping them over so she could be on top.

She smiles "you listened?" "why wouldn't I?.... I need you to enjoy this just as much as me" she gradually began moving her hips "I really love you baby" he grabs her ass helping her bounce. "You feel so good"

"... dick is so big" She says softly "can't ride my dick if you wanna be quiet" he holds her up moving his hips up and down "oh fuck oh fuck oh damnnnn Jaysonnnn" "that's what I wanna hear when you riding this dick ... you hear me?" "yes yesss mmmmm" he places her down on him letting her take over again he slaps her ass

"thank you baby" "you like it?" She smiled she could feel herself getting closer and he was close too "yes... I love it don't stop pleaseee I can feel you throbbing" "I know you wanna be in control but..." he grabs her hips again placing her on his face "oh fuck Jayson ...." She tries to move away "ride my face baby..." he pushes her back on to his mouth her hips moved against his tongue as he slurped every juice of hers that would leak out of her

"oh gosh it's so good I'm gonna cryyyy" right before she lost it all he slides her back on his dick "cum on this dick" she continued to move her hips bouncing and moaning loudly her eyes closed and her body shook as she loses her breath. "Damn look at you cuming on this dick ... you too damn sexy" once she got herself together she leans down kissing his lips and neck she moves her hips upwards so that he can slide out of her as she continued to kiss down his body she takes one long lick of his dick and he almost melts.

"Swallow me up bae" he groans grabbing her hair keeping it out of her face. She strokes him as her mouth focuses on his tip. "You look so fuckin beautiful sucking my dick like that..." she moans lifting her ass in the air "you still want more don't you?? Look at your hips moving in the air for me... fuck" he slaps her ass gripping her hair. "Lay down..." "Jayson I—" he cuts her off "please?"

She repositioned herself laying down he climbs on top of her kissing her as he slides in "oh fuck" her hands find his back digging her nails in. He rubs her clit as he stroked her slowly. "Look at me going in and out of you" she glanced down biting her lip his thumb relaxes on her chin pulling her lip out of her mouth 

" stop doing that" "Jay—" "moan for me I don't care how loud you are... who tf gon hear you?" "You— I don't wanna" he slows down "talk to me baby you don't wanna do what?" "I don't wanna make a noise that you don't like" "anything that's coming out your body naturally is gonna turn me on ... stop holding back" and with that he pulled out flipping her over. "Put your ass in the air ... show me you can really take this dick"

When he slide inside of her she knew she couldn't take his dick at all but she was gonna try her hardest. "It feel good baby?" Her face was burried into the mattress until he pulled her hair making her head come up and her back arch deeper. "Fuckkkk" she moans "answer me" "it's so good .,, soooooo Fuckin good" "that's what I like to hear... you taking me so well" he leans down to kiss and lick her back and then immediately went back to fucking her. "Oh daddy" she moaned he loved that shit it hit different fumbling out of her mouth

"oh say that shit again" "oh daddy I wanna cummmm please" her hips started to fucked him back "oh shit" he says softly. She smiled looking back at him ... he knew he was almost done his hand goes over her mouth making her moan louder "what you trying to tell me huh?" He slaps her as he starts to get sloppy with his thrusts "Jayson you know what I want" "still need to hear that .... What you want from me? Hm? Tell daddy what his baby need"

she moans into his hand almost losing her mind completely... he said the right things at the right time... how was his sex so good and it was just their first time

"Jaysonnnnnnnn" "hmmm?" "I wanna cum.... So bad — I — need- mmmmm" "yeah cum for me baby... with me" she gasped releasing all over him her lower body shook against him. He continued kissing her lips as she struggled to catch her breath.

"I love you..." "I love you more... thank you" "for what?" ".... Just being you I love you" "mhm baby" he begins to stand up exhaling "how was it for you?" She asked staring into his eyes. "It was great for me ... how about you" "same....almost makes me want more" he smirked "let me get some water I'll be back" he laughed walking off.

[hydn-jpg]

hello!! i am alive !!!!

how have y'all been? i've definitely been better lol

so... i can explain. or maybe not. i've never been good at talking about things but i'll do my best

under the cut bc a bunch of things happened and this'll probably be very long:

honestly where do i even start?

it has been a very rough almost month and a half for me, it was as if whatever god or entity out there went "lol wouldn't it be funny if we made this person go through several bad things all within the span of a few weeks" and then did just that

in early august i got a call from my mom that my grandmother had passed away. i had just gotten home from class at the time, but i immediately went out again and took the soonest available flight back to korea for her funeral. losing her hit me pretty hard honestly, she was the one i turned to when things were hard, and was also the only one who was generally supportive of my identity and sexuality. she didn't really get it, but she never made homophobic or transphobic comments, and was always kind and unconditionally loving. chuseok this year will be difficult without her around but at least she is in a better place i hope.

i took two weeks off from school to stay with my family after that. when i got back i was mostly catching up on all the classes i missed so i had very little time to do anything else. the stress coupled with all the physical exertion and everything else lead me to have the worst asthma attack i've experienced as of yet, it could've gotten a lot worse if it weren't for my kind neighbours who rushed to help me when they saw me struggling in the hallway

then in late august i got into a car accident. i was driving home from campus (which is an hour away), it was raining very heavily and i guess i lost control of my car. i am not sure what exactly happened honestly, one moment i was driving peacefully (and at appropriate speed for driving in the rain) and the next moment my car was spinning around and hitting the guardrails before crashing. it sounds cliché but everything was in slow motion and i literally saw my life flash before my eyes. i'm really thankful that the highway was basically empty, so no one else was affected. i somehow came out of the accident with only a concussion, a badly sprained arm and neck and some cuts and bruises. those will surely heal with time but the trauma of it will probably stay for quite a while.

so that's what happened. my mental health has not been great but i've been feeling a bit better lately! so that's good. i've been too physically, mentally and emotionally drained to do anything haha.

i probably won't be able to draw for a while thanks to my injury so you won't be seeing any art from me for at least another month or so,, to people i still owe commissions to, i will have to give you an IOU because again, i can't draw rn but also because i lost basically all the art that i haven't backed up during the crash, which unfortunately includes the commission sketches :( i'm so sorry, i'll redraw them as soon as i'm able to. i really wish procreate had an automatic cloud backup system so at least the sketches i did were saved but we can't always get what we want i guess,,

thank you to everyone who reached out and asked about my wellbeing and i'm really sorry for ignoring your messages and tags. i'll get to them as soon as i can!

tldr; my grandma passed, i had a bad asthma attack and i got into a car accident but i am okay. not really but i'll be okay maybe. lmao.

[firetrucks-fastcars]

How are the boys in the quartet spending christmas eve and day? Together? Do they take turns going to each others families? I’m so curious!! 🧡🧡

Merry Christmas friend! My gift to you, some very soft quartet verse Christmas content. I hope you enjoy

Cross-posted on Ao3 here

__________________________________________

Splitting holidays between four people is hard, as they’d recently discovered when they finally got their shit together and sat down to plan out Christmas and New Year’s celebrations. There was no physical way they could all be in their home countries and make time for each other during the holidays and going to see each other’s families was out of the question. Max could have gone with Daniel to Australia, but they felt awful leaving the other two back in Monaco without them. Plus, Christmas wouldn’t really feel complete unless they were all together. So they decided to split up the week before Christmas, Max in Holland, Daniel in Australia, Lando in Belgium and Charles home in Monaco. 

It was hard for them, being apart, especially with Daniel in a time zone ten hours ahead. Especially when Lando got whiny, bratty, and needy half-way through the five days and Max had to add Daniel to a joint facetime call where they did their best to talk him into a light sub-space and coordinate aftercare through a screen with Daniel fighting to stay awake at 2am, Australia time. Especially when poor Charles called Max sobbing in the middle of the night because he’d had a nightmare and there was nothing he could do other than talk to him gently, praying his distorted voice through tiny phone speakers was enough. 

Needless to say, when Max’s plane touched down in Nice the Monday before Christmas, his arms were aching to hold his boys. He was landing the earliest, with Lando’s plan getting in later that afternoon as he’d made a quick pit stop in England to visit Max F. and Daniel joining them late that night. 

Charles was already waiting for them at the apartment, which Max knew because he’d texted them with an update on how badly the cats had destroyed their living space while left partially unattended. Only one of Lando’s hoodies and a small potted plant had been sacrificed to their wrath so Max counted it as mostly successful. 

Amour: leaving the airport now

Schatje: good. tell them to drive quickly 

Amour: patience my love. i’ll see you soon

Max did silently will his driver to navigate the endless Monaco traffic a bit faster, but the poor man was doing the best he could in a sea of luxury cars and confusing intersections. When they finally reached their apartment, Max could have cheered, but restrained himself, instead thanking the man politely and retrieving his bag from the trunk. He was scarcely in the door before he was practically tackled by Charles. 

“I missed you so much!” he cried into Max’s shoulder, fingers fisted into his t-shirt like vices. 

“I missed you too Charlie,” Max pulled away to kiss his forehead. “How are your mom and brothers?”

“Mama and Lorenzo are doing well. Arthur was dropped from the Ferrari driver academy so it’s been a tough few days.”

“Poor Arthur,” Max tutted sympathetically. “What’s his plan now?”

“To mope for a while I’m sure. Then he’ll pick himself up and get back to work. A season off might do him some good, even if it isn’t what he wants. He puts too much pressure on himself.”

“Sounds like he takes after his big brother.”

“Oh shut up,” Charles batted at his chest lightly. “I laid out some clean clothes for you and put a towel in the warmer. I thought you might like to shower after your flight.”

“Such a sweet boy. Only if you were planning to shower with me.”

“Of course.”

Charles joined him in the shower as promised, even using one of the eucalyptus shower steamers they usually reserved for aftercare showers to relax them more. He insisted on washing Max’s hair, standing slightly on his tiptoes to make sure he got all of the suds out. Max returned the favor, enjoying the small moans and whimpers Charles let out as he scratched and massaged his scalp. Out of the shower, Max toweled him off and covered his body in the scented lotion he loved before bundling him into some sweatpants and one of his own white t-shirts. 

“Can we lie in bed for a while?” Charles asked while Max was dressing himself in the clothes the other had put out for him. “I have a week of cuddles to catch up on.”

“Of course schatje.”

They threw back the covers and climbed into bed, resolving to wait there for Lando to return to them. Max had to admit his left arm felt empty without Lando curled into the crook of it, no hair tickling Max’s chin and drool staining his shirt. He wouldn’t feel complete until the four of them were back together, squeezed right into each other’s space where they belonged. Lando had texted that the plane was taking off just as they were getting out of the shower, so Max kept an eye on his plan tracker to have a rough idea of when he’d be arriving. Charles dozed on and off beside him as Max scrolled on his phone and kept an eye on Lando’s flight information, eager for the youngest to join them. 

Eventually, he too dozed off, and was woken by the sound of a key turning in the lock and Lando’s gentle voice greeting Jimmy and Sassy.

“We’re in the bedroom,” Max called out to him and he could hear Lando’s eager footsteps headed their way almost immediately. 

Lando let out a soft whine as he practically threw himself on top of Max, pressing their bodies as close as he could physically get them. 

“Hi baby boy,” Max said, running gentle hands through his messy curls. “How was your flight?”

“Long. I missed you guys so much.”

“We missed you too love. Go shower, then you can join us.” 

Lando huffed in annoyance, but did as he was told, taking what might have been the quickest shower of his life so he could rejoin his partners quickly. He settled in on Max’s other side, pushing up his boyfriend's t-shirt to rest his head against his belly. His arm was slung over Max’s waist to curl in the waistband of Charles’s sleep pants and as soon as he got comfortable and still, he was asleep. 

They spent the rest of the day in bed, taking short naps, only getting up to use the bathroom and when Max finally convinced them that they needed to eat something for dinner. They threw together something quick from one of Charles’s prepped meals and ate together on the sofa. Lando was allowed to choose the first Christmas movie of the week which was Home Alone. Undoubtedly, they would end up watching it more than once because Daniel also loved the film. 

When Daniel finally texted that his plane to Nice was boarding, Max breathed a sigh of relief. Soon, all four of them would be back together. Charles and Lando insisted on waiting up for him, not caring how late it would be, so in order to stay awake, Charles loaded up Disney+ and began a marathon of the “Santa Clause” movies, which Lando was appalled Max had never seen. The end credits were rolling on the second movie when they heard a key in the lock and Daniel shuffled his way into the apartment, stopping briefly to greet Jimmy who was curling around his ankles. He spotted his boys on the couch, Lando in Max’s lap barely able to keep his eyes open and Charles pressed against his side, cuddling with Sassy. 

Daniel kicked off his shoes and padded into the living room. He slotted himself behind Max on the couch, tugging all three of them close so he could get his arms around them. 

“Hey,” he pressed a soft kiss to Max’s ear and one to Lando’s shoulder.

“Welcome home,” Max murmured. 

Lando rolled from Max’s lap and into his, hooking all four limbs around his body like a little koala. 

“Missed you Danny,” he grumbled against the skin of his neck. 

“I missed you too, baby boy. I missed all of you guys.” 

“Can we go back to bed now?” Charles whined, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. His hair was sticking up in all directions and Daniel thought he looked like a disgruntled hedgehog. 

They made their way back to the bedroom, Lando insisting that he was too tired to walk and Daniel humoring him because he’d missed him so much he didn’t particularly want to let him go anyway. When Daniel returned from his quick shower, there was a spot waiting for him between Lando and Charles. He settled into it, the two younger boys immediately snuggling up to his warmth. He turned his head to kiss Max over where Lando was already snoring between them. 

“This is going to be the best Christmas we’ve ever had.”

*****

The days leading up to Christmas were spent decorating the entire apartment. (Well, Charles and Lando were decorating. Daniel and Max were mostly supervising and moving the heavy boxes.) After two days of work, the place looked like Santa’s workshop had thrown up and somehow, Lando had struck a deal with the cats to not be destructive for once because the tree was still standing. 

While Lando and Charles were playing Santas’s elves, Max and Daniel braved the city to do last minute gift shopping for the two boys. It was the first time they’d be spending the actual holiday together, so they’d decided to spoil them as much as possible. Their main mission had been to pick up the boys’ surprise gifts. They’d all sent each other wish lists almost a month prior so they all had a vague idea of what they’d be getting from the others, but Max and Daniel had decided to surprise Lando and Charles with bracelets. Daniel had bought Max one of the Cartier love bracelets when they’d been together a year, and Max had gotten Daniel one for his birthday the following year. So they’d decided to purchase one for both Lando and Charles as they were coming up on a year of all four of them being together. 

When they returned home, the other two gave them a tour of the now unrecognizable apartment before they snuck away to the bedroom to wrap their gifts and place them under the tree. Lando spent a solid fifteen minutes trying to get Max and Daniel to spoil the surprise, only being deterred by Daniel swatting the back of his thigh and threatening him with a spanking. 

Their real celebrations started on Christmas Eve. They began the day with a giant breakfast spread, a tradition of Lando’s from when he was a child. They’d all agreed that nothing they ate this week counted because of the holiday and they would just work harder when they resumed training after the new year. Lando assisted Max with making pancakes and scrambled eggs, while Daniel fried bacon and sausage out on the balcony. Charles was tasked with cutting up fruit and making the yogurt dip Lando’s trainer had sent the recipe over (the only remotely healthy thing part of the spread). They ate on the living room floor, bathed in the glow of Christmas lights with “Elf” playing on the TV in the background. 

When their bellies were full, they threw the dishes in the sink and moved on to Daniel’s childhood tradition. They each got to open one gift that was under the tree. The only catch was, Daniel got to pick. He handed the three of them boxes, all the same size but wrapped in different types of paper. When the opened them, they pulled out matching sets of pajamas, covered in tiny christmas trees and formula cars, the color scheme corresponding to their respective teams.

“Where did you find these Daniel?” Max managed to ask through his laughter. 

Lando had already started stripping off his clothes to replace them with his papaya pjs. 

“I have my ways Maxy, don’t you worry.”

They spent the rest of the afternoon lounging in their apartment, snacking on junk food and taking turns showing each other their favorite Christmas movies. Max even managed to find one of his favorite Dutch movies with English subtitles. 

“Hey Max,” Lando murmured.

The younger boy was wrapped in a blanket and snuggled against Max’s side. 

“Yeah baby?”

“I love you.”

“I love you too Lando.”

“This is the best Christmas ever.”

“I’m glad.”

When they got ready to start dinner, Lando snuck off to the office to play a few games with Max F. and some of his other friends while the other three cooked. 

Charles and Max slaved over Pascale’s bread recipe to have with their Christmas dinner that had been dropped off by Brad, who knew that Max would struggle to make those types of food on his own. Conveniently, there was enough for four. Max assumed that Brad knew, though his trainer had never said anything to him. He made a mental note to send him a text later as a thank you. 

Charles wrapped his arms around his waist and pressed a kiss to the back of Max’s neck as he stood at the counter slicing the bread they’d made.

“Looks great,” he commented. 

“We did a pretty good job,” Max agreed. He turned in Charles’s arms and gave him a quick kiss. “Will you go tell Lando it’s time to eat?”

Charles nodded and padded off in the direction of the office. He knocked on the door in their secret pattern and waited for Lando to answer. 

“Come in!”

Lando was sitting in front of the computer, face lit by the screen, headset half on his head so he could hear Charles.

“Are you muted?’ he murmured, low enough to not be picked up by the mic.

“It’s just Max, you’re safe.”

Charles nodded and made his way into the office fully, pressing a kiss to Lando’s head.

“Dinner is ready.”

“Great, I’m starving.” He turned back to the monitor and tapped a few buttons on his keyboard to turn off the game. “Hey Max, I’m going to eat. I’ll talk to you later.”

From his proximity to Lando’s headset, Charles could vaguely hear his friend’s response, “Alright mate. Have a good night, Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas mate.”

They ate their dinner much in the same way they ate their breakfast, the dim lights of the tree bathing them in a warm, yellow glow. 

When their plates were clear and the dishes for the day were clean, Daniel stood and clapped his hands. 

“Alright boys, better get to bed early or Santa won’t come.”

They all chuckled at Daniel’s antics but followed the oldest to the bedroom and climbed into bed together.

“Merry Christmas my loves,” Max said when they were settled, wrapped up in each other.

“Merry Christmas,” the other three chorused. 

*****

Lando woke them up early the next morning like a little boy, dragging his partners to the living room. The youngest of them had been frothing at the mouth for days, both to open his gifts and give gifts to the other three. They made him sit and wait, the poor boy practically bouncing in his seat as Daniel passed the presents around. They’d set a gift limit, one from each person to the others, to keep the pile of gifts from being bigger than was necessary. 

When all of the gifts had been opened, and Daniel scooped up the wrapping paper like a dad, Max snuck off to the bedroom to retrieve their surprise gifts.

“Lando and Charles, we have one more gift for you,” he said, handing each of the boys a wrapped box. “This is from both me and Daniel.”

They slid the ribbons off carefully, pulling off the lids to the boxes to look inside. 

Lando gasped when he realized what it was, looking up at them with tears already welling in his eyes.

“Really?” he asked, voice soft. 

“Yes really. We wanted you two to have your own.”

“Will you put it on me?”

“Of course.”

Max gently tightened the screws on Lando’s band and Daniel did the same for Charles.

“Does it feel alright?”

“It feels great. Thank you Maxy.”

“You’re welcome Lando.”

He pressed a kiss to the youngest’s head, pulling him in for a tight hug. Lando pulled him down onto the couch for a cuddle and Charles did the same to Daniel. Lando and Charles curled up between them, clinging to their partners. Daniel pressed a kiss to Charles’s head and turned to look at Max. 

“I told you, best Christmas ever.”

[unovasrose]

time capsule thread: plasma confession with @/luckynatured ft. @/twilightheater's moral support

summary: it's not right to keep secrets from people you love, so Rosa bites the bullet.

Have you ever kept a secret from someone you cared about just because you’re afraid that they won’t look at you the same way after?

Her own words to Red still haunt her, but it’s been almost two weeks and Rosa has moped enough.

While avoiding Hilbert had been a necessary evil while she recovered and got her head on straight, it’s only made her miss him more. She eyes her phone warily. She’s long since resigned herself to this conversation having a painful outcome; however, it still needs to happen if she even wants to continue being friends with him...

Besides, what would he do? That’s right, he’d just rip off the band-aid, like he always does, so she wouldn't have to angst for weeks on end over how this would affect their friendship.

A glance at her watch reminds her that it’s much too late for any reasonable person to be out and about but if she waits any longer, she’ll probably lose her nerve. She takes a deep breath and makes a grab for her phone.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Hilbert ] hey, I know it’s sorta late but… can we talk? like, in person

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Hilbert ] I can meet you somewhere if it makes things easier.

—

When he heard his phone vibrating, Hilbert didn’t expect to see Rosa’s name flashing on the screen. How long had it been since they last spoke with each other? He would be lying if he said that he hadn’t gotten worried as the days passed.

It was a surprise, but not an unwelcome one. As he read the contents of the texts, though, he got an uneasy feeling. He didn’t know why. This was Rosa, she’s never given him any reason to feel uneasy. Maybe it was because she asked to talk in person after they didn’t see each other for so long?

Yeah, that had to be it. What was it she wanted to talk about?

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Rosa ] Sure, I’m open to talk.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Rosa ] I’m in Black City if you want to meet around there? It’s close to Undella Town if that makes it easier for you.

Black City could get pretty crowded, so if Rosa wasn’t comfortable with talking about whatever it was there he was more than willing to go to Undella Town. It was starting to get pretty quiet around this time of year.

—

The buzzing of her phone rattles her more than she cares to admit. A small part of her — the nervous wreck within her — had been hoping that Hilbert had long since turned in for the night. But apparently, much like his hometown, Hilbert doesn’t sleep.

She glances back at her clock. It would take her much too long to fly to Black City from Village Bridge, but Undella would be a good middle ground. Elliot could make that flight in about twenty minutes... maybe even less if the winds are in their favor. Best of all, it’s finally fall, so the beach-side town will be relatively sleepy. If things go south, well... at least they won’t make a scene.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Hilbert ] Okay, thank you. Again, I’m sorry… I know it’s super late.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Hilbert ] Can I ask you to meet me in Undella? Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to make it to Black City ‘til about midnight. I can be there in 20.

Her hands are shaking so badly, she’d have dropped her phone ages ago if she hadn’t been firmly grasping it between both her hands.

—

Black City was a city that never slept, so it made sense that Hilbert would be up this late. As much of a morning person as he was, he found a certain kind of solace in being up this late. In fact, he wouldn’t consider this time of night ‘late’ at all, but that’s a whole other thing.

The fact remained, Rosa had agreed to Undella Town. That was probably the best bet. As previously mentioned, Black City never slept, so…there were still the couple of crowds that Hilbert had to squeeze through to make it to Undella Town (and that’s ignoring the fact that he’d still have to walk through Route 16).

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Rosa ] If I leave now I should be there in 20 to 30 minutes.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Rosa ] Depending on how long it takes me to get out of Black City; it’s still kinda active this time of night.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Rosa ] Be seeing you! :)

With that, Hilbert got his jacket and grabbed his keys. Then it crossed his mind that maybe he should bring Michelle with him. If only so he’ll have some counter for the wild Pokemon he could encounter on the way, but she loved swimming through Undella’s shores anyway.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Rosa ] Do you mind if I brought Michelle with me? She won’t listen in on our conversation or anything like that. She loves night swimming, so she’ll probably be too occupied to want to listen in anyway.

—

Twenty to thirty minutes... no matter how long, she’d wait for him. If anything, it’ll give her time to steel her nerves.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Hilbert ] of course I don’t mind! I was planning on bringing at least Elliot with me… let’s meet at the beach in front of the pokécenter, okay? i’ll see you then.

As soon as she’s done scheduling a meeting time with Hilbert, she finally drops her phone in panic. The knots in her stomach are making her sick. Shit. Is she going to be able to do this? Frantically, she picks up her phone again and haphazardly smashes the keys as she texts the only person who’d understand what she’s feeling right now.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Red ] Red, help… I think I fucked up!!!

His reply comes soon after.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ from Red ] Okay first, can you tell me what happened?

Rosa forces herself to breathe a sigh. Thank Arceus that he responded. She has no idea what the time difference is between Johto and Unova but she’s glad that Dialga had been in her favor.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Red ] I… messaged him on a whim tonight. asked him to meet up with me so I could tell him about… you know

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Red ] not the feelings thing, but the other thing

She hides half her face in one hand. Hopefully, Red knows what she means.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Red ] and now, I’m supposed to meet him in like 20 minutes to talk but I suddenly don’t feel like I can do this

She flops onto her bed spread-eagle like a defeated Staryu, moving only to check her phone when Red replies back.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ from Red ] You can, and I know it’s hard to accept but you have to. [ 📲 • sms ⇢ from Red ] It’s like we talked about, you just have to get it over with. Because the sooner you do, the sooner you can both move past it and go on with your friendship. [ 📲 • sms ⇢ from Red ] but I know that’s much easier said than it is done. It’s going to be hard for you to do and I know it’s going to hurt. [ 📲 • sms ⇢ from Red ] But from what I’ve gathered about the guy so far… I think he’ll end up being glad you told him in the end.

It’s what she expected to hear… and also the reality slap that she needs right now. Red’s absolutely right. Things just haven’t been the same between her and Hilbert since… pretty much the Hall of Origins, but especially since her conversation with the former Kantonian champion. The secret weighs down on her too much to even carry on with their friendship properly and she knows things won’t regain a sense of normalcy until she’s come clean… as if there’s anything normal about their situation anymore.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Red ] yeah… I know what the right answer is. I’m just so afraid. He means so much to me, even as just a friend, and I don’t know what I’d do if he were to walk away from me after this.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Red ] But also… it just doesn’t feel right being close to him and hiding this from him

She chews on her bottom lip, contemplating her next message. It’s something she almost accidentally brought up during their last conversation but, at the time, it had felt much too heavy and would have immediately outed her to Red as well. The situation hasn’t really changed but, but fuck it, if she’s going to be sharing secrets tonight, she might as well go all in.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Red ] can I ask you something, Red?

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Red ] if someone you have come to love and trust recently ever told you that they used to be a part of Team Rocket, like while you were actively fighting against them on your journey… how would you feel about it?

It takes a bit for Red’s next reply to come in, so much that her pulse actually spikes when her phone buzzes to life.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ from Red ] Conflicted at first, I’ll admit. I’d wonder why but, personally the why and how aren’t all that important to me anyway. People end up part of these teams for lots of reasons, and though I do loathe Team Rocket not everyone who is part of it is necessarily a bad person. [ 📲 • sms ⇢ from Red ] What would matter to me is what they do despite that old connection to the team I hate, but the problem is already pretty much solved by the key words about all of it: they used to be part of it. Not anymore, the person they were back then is likely not the same person they are today. With ties cut with Team Rocket in present day and assuming they're the type of person i could come to love and trust, I’d be able to forgive their involvement. [ 📲 • sms ⇢ from Red ] I feel like it would speak volumes to me that they would’ve wanted to tell me the truth too even with that history. It shows how much they trust me. So in the end… [ 📲 • sms ⇢ from Red ] it probably wouldn't change how I feel about them [ 📲 • sms ⇢ from Red ] So if Hilbert is worth it, it won’t change how he views you either. He’d probably just need time.

Her eyes widen a bit more with every text. When she had shot off that last loaded text of hers, her expectations of what she’d get back had been very different than what was on her screen now, even if she had been hoping that this would be the case. She holds no doubt that Red meant every word he said. Suddenly, the lump in her throat doesn’t seem so hard to swallow around.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Red ] …I really, truly hope he feels the same way you do about this. i’d like to think that I’m a good person, Red. everything I did was because I wanted to protect pokémon… and I’ve fought tooth and nail to redeem the wrongs that I turned a blind eye on in the past. but of course, I can’t judge myself in the end.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Red ] my entire life, I’ve been keeping secrets just to save my skin but I don’t want to keep secrets just to keep him. if I can’t be honest with him, I don’t deserve him.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Red ] he’s suffered so much at the hands of my old group… some of which I’m surprised he’s shared with me at all. all the more reason why I can’t NOT return that type of honesty.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Red ] so, I guess… I'm telling him tonight. let’s see where the chips fall.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ Red ] and Red? thank you so much for listening to me. you’re a good friend.

She didn't say all that just to get a pat on the back, so she's surprised by Red's incoming barrage of supportive texts. As she reads them, her smile grows wider.

[ 📲 • sms ⇢ from Red ] I can’t speak for him, but I think he will really. surely he values your friendship that much. It’s honestly what you deserve, don’t settle for anything less. [ 📲 • sms ⇢ from Red ] Bad people don’t fight tooth and nail to right their wrongs like that, owning up to your mistakes honestly takes more effort than it does to just avoid making them in the first place. And people are bound to screw up, it’s a bump in the road. You’ll get through this Rosa. [ 📲 • sms ⇢ from Red ] And it’s no problem, I’m on your side through this and I’ll help you get through it if I can at all. Keep me posted on how it goes if you can, okay? But no pressure if you can’t either, and good luck anyway. 🍀

Red probably doesn’t know it, but that small four-leaf clover at the end of his text means the world to her.

A quick glance at the clock reminds her that she'll be late if she doesn't leave soon.

Though it’s still early September and decently warm most days, the nights are starting to bring with them the inevitable chill of fall so she throws on a sweatshirt and slips on a pair of worn hi-tops. The sand’s bound to get everywhere anyway. Despite her nerves, she ventures a glance at herself in her bedroom mirror. Other than the subtle dark circles underneath her eyes, she at least looks… presentable. Not that it matters, anyway. She takes one last peek at her phone — Red’s last few texts — for strength and then heads out the door.

All she has is her courage and a green lucky charm to get her through this but at least, at the end of the night, she’ll be able to say she did it.

Once outside, she releases her Flygon amid a shower of sparkles. Elliot is more than thrilled at the opportunity to take a cool nighttime flight, so he cries out excitedly and offers his head down to his trainer for pets. A smile ghosts across her face as she strokes the smooth skin. Once she’s lavished enough TLC on the pokémon, she climbs up on his back and sets off for Undella.

Surprisingly, they manage to beat Hilbert and Michelle to their rendezvous point.

With Elliot returned to his Luxury Ball, she finds herself alone in the quiet of the shore. Undella’s normally turquoise waters are painted a deep indigo now, to the point where she can't tell where the ocean ends and the sky begins. Her only comforts are the stars and the moon overhead, casting their gentle glow down on the beach. She balls her hands into fists and shoves them into the pockets of her sweatshirt. Her heart is pounding so hard in her chest that she fears it'll break her ribs. Why does it feel like this is the most difficult thing she'll ever do?

After a few minutes of rolling waves and nighttime breeze, the eerie calm is broken by Hilbert and Michelle's arrival. She glances over her shoulder to greet them with a forced smile. Time to face the music.

—

It didn’t surprise Hilbert to find that Rosa had already beaten them to Undella. He didn’t know where she and Elliot had been coming from, but between the lingering crowds surrounding the Black City borders and the long walk through Route 16, he would have been shocked if he got here first.

Michelle had been walking alongside him too, which may have added to the time that it took Hilbert to get here. Samurott weren’t exactly known for their walking speed, after all. She had a solemn look on her face, but the warrior’s expression seemed to fade into glee when she took note of the water.

Once they got close enough to the shore, Hilbert stopped to give his starter a pat on the head, and then nodded. Michelle took that as her cue to dive right into the water.

As she swam further and further into the ocean, that was when Hilbert finally caught sight of Rosa. He jogged over with a smile, absolutely oblivious to her inner turmoil.

“Hey! Hope you didn’t wait too long.” The fact that Rosa’s smile seemed forced didn’t escape him. He wasn’t going to pry about it, though. Whatever it was she wanted to say, he wanted to make sure there was no pressure or anything like that.

—

“No worries. We got here not too long ago.” The corners of her lips twitch upward a bit more, more genuine this time around.

Hilbert’s smile does all sorts of unfair things to her, though he truly has no idea, does he? She inhales sharply and turns her back to him in an attempt to steel her nerves.

“Thanks for coming, especially on such short notice,” she says softly, digging one of her heels in the sand. “First, I wanna apologize if things have seemed kinda weird between us lately.” The avoidance, mainly. After being used to spending so much time together, it had been jarring even for her. She can only imagine how he must’ve felt... if he had noticed, that is.

“I've had a lot on my mind and it was just easier to…” Run? Hide? She's been doing both pretty well up to this point.

She shifts uncomfortably and slides her trembling hands into the pockets of her sweatshirt before they betray how terrified she is. “Anyway…”

Why does it feel like it would be easier to confess her feelings to him right now than to have this conversation? Even with how terrified she is of rejection, she would take that a thousand times over what's bound to be his reaction when she finally comes clean. However, a confession like that would be meaningless in the shadows of what she needs to say.

“Listen, Hilbert...” she turns to face him suddenly, her eyes finding his. “I need to tell you something important, something that I should have probably told you long ago, but I was so scared to...”

Her bottom lip quivers. Arceus, please, don't let her cry now.

“Even now I'm so terrified because there's no way you'll ever look at me the same way once you know. But I don't want to keep secrets... not from you. You're too important to me.” Her hands are balled into fists so tight that her nails are digging crescents into her skin. Just rip the bandaid off, Rosa.

She unclenches her fists, her eyes downcast. “I… used to be a part of the original Team Plasma.”

The Plasma that Hilbert fought fiercely against during his journey. The Plasma that killed Jude and tried to kill him. The Plasma that might very well end their friendship for good.

—

Of course, Hilbert noticed when Rosa hadn’t been talking to him lately — after spending so much time together, how could he not? He just figured she wanted space for some reason, and didn’t want to pry too much.

Not that he could work out why she’d need space in the first place, but that’s a whole other issue.

“Rosa?” It did make him worry when Rosa said that she had been scared to tell him…well, whatever it was. The thought that she’d be scared to tell him anything stung a bit, but after how hard it was to tell her about Jude…well, he really wouldn’t be one to talk, would he?

Hilbert’s smile had faded gradually as Rosa spoke, but it was gone by the time Rosa got to the point. What replaced it was this mixture of shock and confusion.

…Well. That’s definitely some kind of secret to keep.

And she wasn’t lying. That much was obvious; she had avoided him for weeks leading up to this, she literally just said that she was terrified to even be telling him this in the first place, why would any of that lead up to a lie? Especially about something like this, and especially when she knew that he lost a dear friend to them?

The only answer to that question was simple: she wouldn’t. A lie would be crueler than keeping the truth from him, and Rosa wasn’t a cruel person.

As much as he appreciated her being honest about this, it’s not something he would’ve ever suspected. Rosa was nothing but kind to him and his pokémon, for the entire time they’d known each other. He couldn’t have thought up a person who was the furthest from the Plasma Grunts he fought if he tried.

The group he met in Driftveil crossed his mind, and things started to make a little more sense from there. Maybe she fell into that category too — good intentions that had been taken advantage of? He couldn’t be certain unless she chose to elaborate, but he just…couldn’t see her be anything but kind towards pokémon. Rosa was probably expecting him to be angry, but Hilbert was honestly more confused than anything.

“…The original Team Plasma. As in, the one I fought.” It’s more statement than question.

A moment passed as he absorbed the information before he spoke again, “And, uh…why tell me this now? Is it because I told you about what happened with…?”

—

“W-what?”

Like the wild card that he is, Hilbert manages to throw her off with his response. Knowing of his well-placed disdain and hate toward Team Plasma, she’d been expecting him to be upset, even angry… not confused and as oddly calm as he seems. As to why she decided to tell him, well…

“To tell you the truth, I didn’t always plan on telling you. When you opened up to me about Jude, you made me not want to tell you even more at first. And I mean, how could I? Team Plasma hurt you and your pokémon so much through your journey. They took a close friend and teammate from you… I figured that if I were to tell you that I was once one of them, you’d hate me. You and Carmen especially… and that would have broken my heart.”

Two hot tears suddenly streak down her cheek and she swipes them away with the sleeve of her sweatshirt. Arceus dammit, can she please make it through this conversation without turning into a complete mess?

“But then, the more I thought about it…” some of that with Red’s gentle prodding, “I realized that this is NOT a secret I want to keep from you. You trusted me enough to open up about something so deeply personal and painful, and that meant so much to me. I’ve wanted so badly for you to trust me because I lo-…” she pauses, her lips forming around a word she most definitely shouldn’t say right now. “…I-I care about you so much.”

“And, secrets like this? They tear people apart when they come to light unexpectedly.” She would know. Just look at her very missing father. “At the end of the day, no matter what you think of me, at least you heard this from me. Because I chose to tell you. Because I trust you.”

—

Hilbert was quiet as Rosa explained herself. It was hard not to be, he just needed to absorb the information he was just given.

So…originally, she didn’t want to tell him about her former affiliation, especially after he told her about Jude. As much as he might hate to admit it, that was probably fair. The fact that he lost a pokémon to Team Plasma wasn’t really a secret, and neither was the fact that it was the reason he fought as fiercely as he did in the first place. There was a point in time where his main reason for beating Team Plasma had been soley to avenge Jude.

And it was true that he hated all of them in that time, but then he stormed N’s Castle and learned the truth about Team Plasma. That not everyone in Team Plasma was llike the one who killed Jude. That the whole thing was Ghetsis’ doing; how he had manipulated not only N, but the people that joined Team Plasma because they genuinely believed in that ideal.

Between that and observing Rood’s group in Driftveil for that week, it was safe to say that his opinion about Team Plasma had changed, somewhat. The split between Rood’s Plasma and Neo-Team Plasma admittedly made that change a little easier. He could direct any hatred or anger at Neo Plasma, while Rood’s Plasma had taken a more sympathetic light.

And Rosa? Maybe the same could be said for her too — after all, she used to be a part of the Plasma he had fought. Not only that, didn’t she help fight Neo Plasma when they tried to freeze Unova over? He wasn’t sure why she’d think he’d hate her if she fought against the team she used to be a part of.

And honestly? It was a little heartwarming that she trusted him with that big a secret. He wondered if that’s how she felt when she told him about Jude.

“Well…” He couldn’t think of anything to say for a moment.

“Thanks for telling me. I really appreciate that level of honesty, you know? I’d much rather hear it from you than just find out about it somewhere down the line.”

—

Her shoulders slump slightly, most of the tension bunched up beneath her shoulder blades suddenly released. That’s… it?

Granted, she hadn’t expected much of a response in the way of words. She’d just dropped a hell of a bomb on him and he’d taken it in surprising stride. But what shocks her the most is the emotion behind his words, across his face. He doesn’t seem... angry. Not even a little.

She has never been as confused and conflicted as she is at this very moment.

“I... you’re welcome...?” she replies uncertainly.

In none of her nightmares, in none of the versions she’d concocted in her mind of this very moment does this conversation end like this. Maybe she��s sorely miscalculated Hilbert’s anger toward Plasma all along...

I feel like it would speak volumes to me that they would’ve wanted to tell me the truth too even with that history. It shows how much they trust me. So in the end... it probably wouldn't change how I feel about them. So if Hilbert is worth it, it won’t change how he views you either...

Her eyes widen as Red’s texts suddenly come back to mind. What he’d said, how he would’ve reacted had he been in Hilbert’s shoes… it’s mirrored in Hilbert’s own words.

What if her miscalculation hadn’t been just about Hilbert’s thoughts of Plasma, but also about how much he cares about her?

Briefly, she presses her palm to her heart... still wildly beating, like she’d just finished running for her life. A heart that beats for him, whatever the reason... Arceus, what does she do now?

Realizing that he probably thinks she’s acting super-weird right now, she shakes her head and takes a step back.

“I guess I should be thanking you too… for being so understanding about it, I mean. You have more right than anyone else to be mad, and you’re not…” A pause, in which she takes a deep breath. “So… thank you for not turning your back on me. I can't fully express how much that means.”

[thessalian]

Thess vs Missing Mobility Aids

Well, I'm kind of screwed for a couple of days.

A little something about my block of flats: we have four communal dumpsters for the entire block - two for regular garbage, two for recycling. In order to minimise the chance of vermin in the building, these four dumpsters are in a building outside the block of flats which we will call the dumpster shed. Now, the little dumpster shed is right up against the kerb (curb for you Americans; I don't know why they spell it differently here either, but they do) so that the bin men can get to it. Meanwhile, the actual apartment building is down a fairly steep downgrade from the road. And to encourage people to use the small flight of steps or the driveway if they want to get to the front door, there's some retaining wall and landscaping blocked off by mid-height fencing and/or mid-height brick wall. The kind of thing that it takes effort to vault over or climb. Now, the dumpster shed is accessible to those of us putting stuff into the dumpsters by means of going around to the side of the shed, where there's a little platform and some glassless windows at a level that's somewhat easier to lift the dumpster lids and put things in them. This platform overlooks the landscaping and retaining walls for a space of about two feet, and is separated from the landscaping by a steep drop and a bit of safety rail.

Note the bit of safety rail and the steep drop. It is relevant.

I wanted to do some tidying so I figured I'd take the recycling out, come back for the kitchen garbage, and head out to the corner shop for ibuprofen etc on my second trip with the kitchen garbage. As usual, they haven't collected our recycling recently and the recycling dumpsters were a bit full, so I had to play some Tetris with it. And because I needed both hands to do this, I leaned my cane up against the wall, sort of wedged into the corner between what I think is a drainpipe and the wall of the dumpster shed, near to the retaining wall.

Note I said "sort of" wedged. It is also relevant.

While digging recycling out of bags and stuffing it into anyplace it'd fit, I heard a clang. I thought it was a can shifting. It was not a can shifting. It was my cane, falling through the gaps in the safety rail. Made a maybe 7-foot drop into a bush.

I can't get to that bush. I can't vault the fence that might give me a chance to get there, and I sure as hell can't boost myself onto one of the walls. Even if I could, I'd have to get out again. I have no the fuck idea who to ask about retrieving it - probably the landscapers, but they only just turned up last week so we won't be seeing them for awhile. And, at the end of the day, it was a cheap thing and several years old and I probably needed a new one anyway.

Point is that I am without my cane. And I rediscovered just how badly I do actually need the damn thing, because after all that, I still had to take out the kitchen garbage and head out to the corner shop for some now even more badly needed ibuprofen. I'd forgotten how badly walking hurts without the cane.

Anyway, payday's Friday, but honestly, even with an Amazon rush order I probably wouldn't get a new cane until then anyway. I'll cope for the time being. I'll just have to be very careful about any walks longer than getting around the flat. Ugh. I did not need this today, after a particularly shitty day at work.

Just please remind me to get a spare cane. That sort of thing is good practice anyway. Shit happens.