#while not being the only person in said row boat

[moonlightndaydreams]

Hometown

Pairing: au Han jisung x fem reader // friends to lovers back to friends and then lovers.

Synopsis: Jisung moves back to his small hometown to find that you’ve just moved back too. But what happens when he finds out you have a kid and he’s the father?

Word Count: 7.8k

A/n: the idea for this story came to when listening to this Taylor Swift song while I was driving the other day.

I put a lot of thought and care into this story, but i couldn’t convey it as in depth as I wanted. I would have loved to have made this a 60k word story but I just don’t have it in me. I hope you enjoy this story nonetheless, and can see where I was trying to go with it.

NSFVV // MDNI CW under the cut

CW: unprotected p in v sex, accidental cumming inside, fingering, fantasising, emotional hurt, comfort, mention of paternity tests, mention of oral sex, happy ending.

Jisung felt a tug in his chest whenever he came back to his hometown. The place reminded him of you. His childhood best friend. The person whom he shared all his secrets with from being scared of the dark and the nightmares it caused him when he was six, to when he had his first wet dream as a teenager.

You both were each other’s first kiss too. A sloppy, messy attempt behind the boat shed, so that you wouldn’t be the last kids in the year to not have kissed a boy or girl. He later found out most of the kids had been lying about having kissed anyone.

You were each other’s date to your graduation dinner, both of your mums fussing and taking photos, giggling about how you would grow up and get married.

Well that didn’t happen.

You did have one night of intimacy though, before Jisung moved away for work and you stayed in your small town. Well he thought you’d stayed. The first time he came back, eager to see you and catch up, you weren’t there. You’d moved to the city. It wasn’t the same without you. He’d always find himself looking out for you everywhere he went. Just in case. The grocery store. The little cafe. The fucking library even.

But you weren’t there. You were never there.

This was how it felt for Jisung for four years whenever he returned to his hometown.

And here he was again. For the fifth year in a row. But this time he wasn’t just visiting. He was moving back for good to start his own Physiotherapy clinic and to be closer to his family.

The first thing he did was drop his bags off at his parent’s house and go for a walk by the lake to stretch his legs from the long drive.

This place still reminded him of you. He missed you. As he walked along the shoreline he let his imagination take hold. In his mind you were walking beside him hand in hand. You’d throw stones into the lake and laugh about life.

He plopped down on a patch of grass and thought about what he always thought about when he was here.

That night you made love.

The softness of your body. The warmth radiating from you when he kissed your skin. The way you tasted when he went down on you. The pretty sounds you’d made as he fucked you slow and deep. He’d felt like he was drowning and he didn’t want to be saved. Fuck. He’d even said he loved you.

Jisung ran his hands through his hair. Alright Jisung. You gotta get over her. He told himself.

He walked up to the town center to grab a burger from the town’s “famous” burger shop. It was the only burger shop and Jisung was pretty sure it wasn’t famous. But the food tasted good. He placed his order, paid with his card, and was about to turn around and take a seat.

That’s when he heard it.

“Ji?”

He knew that voice. But no. It couldn’t be. Could it?

He slowly turned around. You. Beautiful with a big beaming smile.

“Y/n?” Jisung’s heart skipped a beat. “What are doing here? Are you visiting?”

You shook your head, grinning. “No… no. I’ve moved back here.”

“Really? Me to-”

“Mummy Mummy.” A little girl about four or five years old ran up and pulled on your hand and looked up at Jisung with big round eyes.

His heart stopped beating.

You bit your lip. “So…This is my daughter, Livi.” you said, nervousness creeping into your voice.

—————

Jisung was like he was in a trance, sitting frozen in his seat as he watched you and your daughter across the table. He’d barely touched his burger and coffee, his appetite gone. You had a kid. A million questions ran through his brain simultaneously. The loudest one being, was this his little girl? Followed quickly by, why didn’t you tell him?

“Liv, sweetheart, you’re covered in sauce.” you said as you wiped her little chin with a napkin. The girl grinned at Jisung like it was the funniest thing in the world to fluster you, then on her next bite of her mini burger, smeared sauce all over her chin again. Jisung gave a silent chuckle to himself, thinking of how full your hands must be. “Oh, Liv.” you sighed, giving up on trying to keep her face clean.

Eventually, your attention turned to Jisung, and he tore his eyes from the child to meet yours. Fuck. He wasn’t sure he was ready for whatever you were about to say. Either this little girl was his, or she was someone else’s. Jisung wasn’t even sure which option he wanted to hear either. The thought of you keeping something this big from him upset him. But the thought of you being in love with another man and having a family with him, well, that made him jealous.

“Ji,” No one could say his name the way you did. He tried hard not to show you how it still affected him, even after all this time. “I suppose you have a lot of questions?” you said softly.

Jisung remained silent. Of course he had a lot of questions, but he didn’t know where to begin and he couldn’t seem to make his voice work. He sighed heavily and nodded.

“Well,” you started nervously. “I guess I’ll start with the obvious then. So… Livi…well… you see…” you hesitated.

But Jisung knew. He knew what you were going to say just from the way you took a deep breath and looked up to the ceiling as though you were trying to gather all your courage. He knew by how you were wringing your hands together on the table, and the way you swallowed a lump in your throat. He had always known when you were scared to say something. You’d just never been scared to talk to him before.

“She’s mine isn’t she?” he said. He said it so you didn’t have to.

Your eyes darted to his “Yes, Ji.” you eventually whispered. “She is.” Tears started to well up in your eyes, but you fought them back.

Jisung nodded slowly in understanding, but said nothing, playing with the coffee cup in his hand.

“Ji, please don’t be angry.” you plead. “I have so much to exp-” 

“Holy shit! Jisung…y/n!” a loud voice bellowed across the cafe. It was Binnie, one of you mutual childhood friends. “What the flying fu-” his voice trailed off as he approached your table and saw the little girl sitting next to you.

“Wow.” he said, taking in the three of you. “Channie, look who’s here!” he called out to another childhood friend who was putting in an order at the counter. Chan turned around, his face lighting up when he saw both Jisung and you at the table. He quickly made his order and came to sit down next to Binnie at your table. “The gang's back together.” Binnie announced boisterously. 

Great. This was the last thing Jisung needed. He had just been told the most life altering news of his life and now he had to socialise? Panic brewed in his chest. He was a father. A father to a preschool kid. He needed time to process this, not have a catch up with friends.

“The whole gang, plus… a mini y/n.” Chan nodded to your daughter, waving at the little girl. “So cute. What’s your name, princess?” He asked. 

“Livi.” She replied proudly, and smiled a gummy little smile and looked back at Chan with wide brown eyes. For a second Jisung thought he saw a flicker of realisation cross his friend’s face, but it was gone in an instant.

He watched as you made small talk with your friends. He didn’t know what to do with himself. He wanted to be alone to think, and probably cry, but he didn’t want to just get up and leave. So he sat quietly, nodding when he needed to, making it look like he was listening.

Jisung’s gaze kept landing on Livi, and his mind went back to that night. The only night that you and Jisung had slept together. He remembered it vividly. He remembered pulling out and cumming all over your stomach. 

But he also remembered he might not have been quick enough. He obviously wasn’t quick enough. You’d felt so good around him he wanted it to last forever. He hadn’t told you he thought he might have spilled the smallest amount inside you. He thought it would have been okay. He was certain you would have told him if you had fallen pregnant from that night. That you’d work through it together. 

It was now evident that you hadn’t told him you’d gotten pregnant, and also, that you hadn’t wanted to work through it together either. It hurt.

“I have to go.” Jisung announced all of a sudden, standing up abruptly and bumping the table. All eyes turned to him, including Livi’s. “I said I’d help my Dad with something.” he lied, feeling like everyone could see right through him.

“Okay, man. Catch up for a beer later?” Chan asked, standing to take him in a hug. “If you wanna talk, yeah?” he whispered so only Jisung could hear. 

“Talk to you later, Ji?” you asked with hopeful eyes.

“Um, yeah. Of course.” he said quickly and hurried out of the cafe.

————-

Jisung found himself sitting by the lake again, his thoughts racing. He’d walked around the entire town for the past two hours and ended up back here. The place he always ended up.

He’d fucking made a baby with you? Why hadn’t you told him? He couldn’t get his head around it. He felt so angry, hurt, confused. He’d never felt anger towards you and he hated it. He shook his head. He had so many questions, and no answers. Except the kid was his. He closed his eyes, wondering what on earth he was going to do..

“Thought you’d be here, buddy.” Jisung opened his eyes to find Chan approaching, and plopping down beside him on the grass. He offered a can of beer to Jisung.

“You know we’re not meant to drink in public places, right?” Jisung grumbled taking the drink.

“Since when has anyone ever cared?” Chan replied, popping his own can open and taking a sip. “Anyway, you look like you need it.” 

Jisung rolled his eyes. “You don’t say?” He took a long drink of his beer and looked out over the water.

“Wanna talk about it?” 

“About what?” Jisung snapped.

“I dunno, maybe about y/n being moving back to town, or that you have a kid?” Chan shrugged.

“She told you?” Jisung turned to Chan, bewildered.

Chan shook his head. “No, man. It was just…obvious.”

“Fuck.” Jisung grumbled and took another swig of beer.

The two friends sat in silence for a long while. Chan didn’t push for Jisung to talk about it, and Jisung was grateful. He couldn’t find his words even if he wanted to talk. He felt like he was going to explode with emotions, and at the same time his body felt completely numb. Was this what shock felt like? 

The sun was low in the sky and the air had become cooler. Jisung pulled his jacket tight around him. This was not how he’d expected his first day back to be like. 

He sighed and closed his eyes, and when he opened them he started to sob. “Why didn’t she tell me?” He cried looking to Chan. “Why would she keep this from me?” 

He completely broke down then, crying loud and uncontrollably. He leaned against Chan who wrapped his arm around him and stroked his back. 

“I know. I know.” His friend soothed. 

“I’m a fucking father! I don’t even know what that means, or what I am supposed to do… or how I’m meant to feel. It’s so sudden.” He wailed.

“Listen, Ji. I think we should get you home. It’s cold and late, and maybe in the morning when your head’s clearer you can think about all of this. It’s pretty big news, it’s probably gonna take time.”

Chan drove Jisung home in silence, and when he pulled up outside his house Jisung turned to him. “She still makes my heart race.” he whispered. “Even with this… I don’t know what you’d call it, betrayal? Lie? She still gets to me.”     

Chan looked at his friend empathetically. “Go inside, mate. Get some rest. Call me if you need me, yeah?” Chan squeezed Jisung’s shoulder reassuringly, before Jisung got out of the car and headed into his childhood home.

Jisung couldn’t sleep. Images of you and Livi at the cafe ran through his mind on repeat. Your smile when he’d first turned around. Your scared expression when you wanted to tell him she was his. The cheeky grin on the kid’s face when you tried to wipe her chin. 

He tossed and turned in his bed. The same bed you and him made her in. 

———————

Jisung tried to avoid you at all costs while he got his thoughts in order. He knew it was cruel to avoid you, but he just couldn’t face the situation. Not yet anyway. 

He told his parents, looking for guidance. But in the course of a two hour deep and meaningful with them, their comments ranged from “I thought we taught you about protection, son” and “the pull out method doesn’t work,” to “we’d always thought you’d make a cute kid.” 

None of these remarks were particularly helpful, but they didn’t have a bad word to say about you, and they weren’t disappointed in him. They really believed the two of you could work something out, and he was pretty sure they were secretly excited about being grandparents.

Three days had passed since you’d told him about Livi, and although he still wasn’t ready to talk, he knew he had to say something to you soon otherwise he’d look like a coward. He felt like a coward. He knew where you lived. Your parents house two streets away, you used to walk to school together. But he just couldn't physically take himself over there. He didn't know what to say. He was anxious about seeing your parents. He was nervous about seeing Livi again. Most of all he was terrified of hearing what your reasons were from hiding this from him. 

He was scared.

Yep. He was a coward.

———-

A week later, Jisung stood in front of his almost ready to be opened Physiotherapy clinic, and admired the new signage on the front window. He’d secured the lease for the premises before he moved back, and had even organised the fit out-out to be complete beforehand as well. He’d spent the past week hiding inside painting the walls and getting his equipment ready. If he was busy in there, he wouldn’t run into you.

Happy with how his sign looked, Jisung unlocked the front door and slipped inside. The front area was to be the waiting area for clients and reception desk, and a doorway led from the reception area to the main studio. The studio was a large space where he’d set up a treadmill, exercise bike and smaller equipment like hand weights and bosu balls. To the right was a private room for appointments with clients. 

He felt proud of his new set up and he couldn’t wait to officially open his doors. He’d even had some home visits this week, although they were his parent’s friends. But still, a client was a client, and that made him happy.

He settled into his chair at the reception desk to check his schedule for the next few days, and then he was going to try and set up the new accounting software he’d been avoiding almost as much as he’d been avoiding you. While he was waiting for the extra slow internet to connect his eyes wandered absentmindedly to the big window that looked out onto the main street of town. 

It was a sunny autumn day, the temperature perfect for short sleeves and pants. He enjoyed this time of year with the days warm, and the nights cool. His guilty pleasure was to snuggle in his blanket and beanie and watch anime.

There were quite a number of people going about their day, but no one was in a hurry. Not like in the city, where everyone was in a rush.

Here, people were chatting on the footpath, others were casually doing their laundry at the laundromat while they sat out the front reading a book. The old ice cream shop was busy as usual. It'd been there for as long as Jisung could remember. He and you used to take your little bag of coins down to buy your favourite ice creams after school. The row of ice cream flavours were the perfect height for kids to squish their faces against the glass and say “that one please!”, and then have to reach up so high to pay over the counter. 

The signage and colour scheme hadn’t been updated in a thousand years, and the paint was peeling and the store name faded. He wondered if the same family owned the place. 

Then he saw you coming out of the door, little Livi in tow. Jisung’s heart jumped out of his chest, and he slid lower in his chair even though you wouldn’t be able to see him through the tinted glass window. He still hadn’t spoken to you.

You were dressed in tight jeans, a plain green top with your long hair in a messy bun. You always looked beautiful even when you weren’t trying. That familiar feeling stirred inside of him. It was a feeling of yearning and heartache. Even though he’d felt it often over the years, it was a feeling he’d never got used to.

His gaze moved down to Livi. She was adorable. Her long dark hair was in two braids, and she had the cutest round cheeks. Her big Bambi-like eyes were fixed on the ice cream cone in her tiny hands. She looked so excited, going in for a bite and… splat! The entire ice cream fell off its cone onto her pink top. Her little face fell and she began to cry as though the world had ended.

Jisung didn’t think, he just acted. He was out of the clinic and across the street in a heartbeat.

“Juice-suuunnn!” Livi wailed when he approached. He was surprised she recognised him. “I lost my ice cream!” Startled, you turned to see Jisung kneeling beside you, ready to help.

“It’s okay, angel. Juice-sun’s” was that what she’d called him? “here to help.” He turned to you. “I’ve got a spare shirt over the road, if you want to change her?” He nodded his head towards his clinic.

“Thank you, but it’s fine, Ji. We can just go home and get changed. It’s no big deal. I wouldn’t want to be a bother.” You assured, trying to peel chunks of ice cream off her top.

“But you said we could go to the park!” Livi protested, and you looked at your daughter apologetically.

“It’s really okay.” Jisung said softly. “She should go to the park.”

“Yes, Mummy please! I’m okay to wear Juice-sun’s shirt! I just want to play and eat ice cream.” She blinked her eyes at you and then at Jisung. God that was cute.

He gave her a wink and you rolled your eyes. “Joining forces, I see.” She playfully patted Livi’s head.

Jisung ushered you and Livi across the road and into the clinic, and pulled out the clean tee shirt he was going to wear later for a workout. “If you just want to change her in the side room there.” He directed you to the private appointment room. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

Jisung ran back across the street, ordered a new chocolate ice cream, apparently the place was still family owned, and returned to the clinic to find you and Livi waiting in the studio. You were sitting on a chair in the corner, and Livi had found a ball and was throwing it up in the air and trying to catch it. His tee shirt fit her like a giant dress, or more accurately, a tent. 

“I hope you like chocolate flavour?” He announced with a big smile. “I know it’s my favourite.” He chuckled.

“Juice-Sun!” Her face lit up when she saw him with a fresh ice cream. She ran up to him, the ball instantly abandoned, and carefully took it from him with her tongue poking out the corner of her mouth in concentration.

“Juice-sun?” He raised an eyebrow at you. 

“Yeah, she’s insisting that’s how you pronounce your name.” you blushed, trying to hide a giggle.

“What about just Ji? That’s what you call me?” He said, sitting on a chair next to you.

“I tried, but she says she likes Juice-sun because it’s like juice and she likes apple juice. Can’t argue with a four year old.” You shrugged.

“I guess not.” He smiled. You both laughed. 

“Thank you, Ji.” you said sincerely, giving him a small smile.

“It’s the least I can do.” He shrugged. You nodded and looked at the floor. 

“So?” 

“So?” You both said at the same time.

This was awkward. Really fucking awkward.

“Can we go play at the park now, Mummy?” Livi asked, and Jisung was grateful for the interruption.

“Maybe eat your ice cream first. If that’s okay with you?” You turned to Jisung.

Jisung nodded. “Of course.”

Livi went and plonked herself on a foam mat on the floor, still holding her ice cream extra carefully. “Juice-sun. Come sit with meee.” She called.

Jisung was taken back by the child’s eagerness to make friends with him, especially since she’d only met him once. But he wandered over and sat himself cross legged next to her on the mat and smiled down a the kid.

“This is a really good set up you’ve got here.” you said looking around the studio. “When is the official opening? I saw on the front window it’s soon.”

“Next week. I’ve started seeing clients on home visits, so technically I’m in business already. That’s if my Mum’s friend from trivia night counts as a client?” he snorted.

“I’d take it as a client. I’m so proud of you.” You said sincerely, and Jisung felt himself blush at the compliment.

“Oh shit, Ji.. “ your hands came up to your mouth horrified. “I.. I’m not asking all this to know about your finances. You know I’m not after money, right?” 

“I know. Don’t worry.” he cut you off, and he could see by the way you were biting your lip that you were silently berating yourself. He knew you so well, yet he felt like he knew nothing.

“I’m full.” Livi held the half eaten cone in Jisung’s face.

“Livi, honey. I’m not sure Jisung wants your leftovers. God, I’m so sorry.” You coverered your face in embarrassment.

Jisung chuckled. “It’s really fine. I love chocolate ice cream.” He took it from her sticky little fingers, and bit into it. “Mmm. Yum!” he said with exaggerated enthusiasm.

“Juice-Sun?” She asked, standing up and delicately pushing his fluffy hair out of his eyes and staring at him. Her small hand lingered in his hair while she gazed at him.

Jisung was frozen in place as he looked into the eyes of his daughter. His daughter. He was starstruck, captivated by her cute little features, and the way she was so comfortable talking to him, touching him, stirred something inside of him. She was absolutely perfect. He’d made her. He’d never made anything so precious in his entire life. He made her with you, his favourite person in the world.

“Do you know what Mummy’s favourite flavour is?” She whispered like she was about to share a secret.

 “Yes I do.” He whispered back. It’s raspberry.”

Livi looked at Jisung like he was a magician. “How’d you know?” She gushed, amazed.

“Well, your Mum and I have known each other since we were as little as you.” His eyes met yours. “And we used to go to the ice cream shop a lot.” he added, keeping his gaze on you.

He could tell you were remembering it. Remembering your childhood together. The ‘inseparable pair’ as some people called you. But there was more than just nostalgia in your expression. There was sadness too. He could see it. You were hurting. He could feel it. 

It was time to talk.

——————

The three of you walked to the park with Livi walking in the middle, holding onto both yours and Jisung’s hands. He had felt rather privileged when she grabbed onto him like she’d known him forever, and he held her tiny hand in his as they made their way down the footpath. Several people gave them curious looks as they passed. More fuel for the gossipers. But Jisung didn’t care. 

There were already rumours about you and your daughter spreading around town. Specifically, whispers about how she was the “love child” of you and Jisung. Apparently, everyone could see the resemblance. Jisung was getting odd looks when he was in the grocery store the other day, but no one actually asked him if any of the stories were true.

The park was only a minute walk from Jisung’s clinic, and it wasn’t long before Livi was running over to the play equipment and you and Jisung found a park bench to supervise her from.

“She’s a cute kid.” He said, breaking the silence.

“She is.” You replied.

Jisung sighed. “Almost five years, y/n. Why didn't you tell me? In all this time, why haven’t you said anything?” Jisung’s voice cracked and a tear slipped from his eye and rolled down his cheek. He swiped it away, hoping he could hold himself together.

“I didn’t know you were her father.” you said in a quiet voice. Jisung looked at you confused. That wasn’t the answer he was expecting. How could you not know he was the father and then all of a sudden know that he was?

“I didn’t know. I promise.” you took in a deep breath. “Look, Ji. Just before you left I got a job offer interstate. I moved away the same week as you. I…I met someone there. Like really quickly.” you sighed and continued. “It all happened so fast, and I wanted to… to try and move on from you.” you looked up at Jisung. “I found out I was pregnant not long after meeting him.” 

“Didn’t it occur to you she could’ve been mine?” Jisung asked, surprised at how much hurt was evident in his voice.

“You pulled out when we were… and he didn’t so…” you shrugged like it was an obvious conclusion.

Guilt and regret seeped through Jisung’s veins. He should have told you he hadn’t pulled out quick enough. He cleared his throat, pushing those thoughts aside. Coward, he thought to himself. 

“So why all of a sudden are you saying she’s mine. How do you know? What changed?” It wasn’t an accusation, he was genuinely perplexed, bewildered even.

“When I told him I was pregnant, he stayed by my side. We made it work, sort of. I thought he loved me but…he kept having affairs.” You hung your head and Jisung felt anger flair inside his body. How could someone hurt you like that? “Earlier this year he told me he was leaving me for someone else.” you sniffled.

Jisung cautiously moved closer to your side and put his arm around your shoulder. “I’m so sorry.” he soothed. He was absolutely livid at this guy. He wanted to punch him in the face, hurt him. Then wrap you up and look after you. He wished he could’ve been there for you.

“I said something about child support, and he scoffed and told me he wanted to do a paternity test, because ‘fucked if I’m paying for someone else’s kid’.

“I laughed in his face. I was certain she was his, but part of me hoped that somehow she wasn’t. An asshole like that doesn’t deserve to be Livi’s dad. Anyway, the paternity test came back negative, which means he isn’t her father. You’re the only other person I’d slept with, Ji.” 

You looked at him and waited. A heavy silence hung in the air as Jisung tried to figure out what to say. 

“I shot a bit of cum in you.” He blurted out. Fuck, why’d he say it like that? “I’m so fucking sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t say anything when it happened. I thought… I hoped, I was quick enough.” he gulped and sucked his lip.

“I’m glad it happened.” you whispered. Your eyes locked. Jisung couldn’t breath. “We wouldn’t have Liv. I was so relieved to find out she’s yours.” you pulled your eyes away from him to watch Livi playing in the sandpit, while your fingers fiddled with the hem of your top. 

“I moved back here as soon as I could to be with Mum and Dad, you know, ‘cos it ‘takes a village’ and all. I didn’t know you’d be back here as well. I’d planned to get in touch with you once we’d settled in. But you were already here.” You laughed dryly.

“Don’t you hate me for not telling you?” Jisung pressed, his brain was still stuck at his admission about cumming inside you.

You looked up at him again. “What? That you’re pull-out game’s shit?” you teased, your face softening into a warm smile. Not a hint of anger laced your voice. “Look. Jisung. If you had told me, I’m not sure what I would’ve done. I’m not sure what you’d have done? You were moving away.” 

“But If I had told you. Things might’ve been different.” He said solemnly. You might have found him sooner and not have to have been with a cunt for a boyfriend for four years. He might’ve known his daughter, sooner.

You took his hand in yours. “There’s no point thinking about what if’s. The past is the past. I don’t want you to regret anything. I’m not expecting anything from you. I’m just glad she’s ‘part’ you. You’re the best person I have ever known, Jisung, and I want her to grow up as kind as you. But,” you choked. “If you ever do want to be part of her life, I think she’d like that very much. I’d like that very much.”

Jisung’s heart melted. Now that he understood the whole picture, how could he really be angry at you? Neither of you knew he was Livi’s father. But there was still hurt, and sadness. He’d missed so much of her life.

“Juice-sun! Come play on the slide.” Livi ran up to Jisung, breaking his thoughts and tugging on his arm to pull him towards the playground.

The three of you played on the equipment the rest of the afternoon. The slide was by far Livi’s favourite, followed by him holding her up on the flying fox. Jisung tried to let go of the thoughts that kept creeping into his mind. He could deal with them later. For now he wanted to simply be in the present moment and give all of his attention to you both.

Afterwards, he walked you home to your parents. It felt like old times walking you home. When he said goodbye he felt the urge to hold you in a hug, but he wasn’t sure If that was appropriate. So he didn’t. He just stood there awkwardly. 

You both looked at each other for a long minute, before Livi threw her arms around his waist and looked up at him. 

“Do you want to thank Jisung for your ice cream?” You prompted her.

“Thank you Juice-Sun!” She smiled brightly and ran inside the house.

Jisung rubbed his hands nervously on his pants. “Y/n, I’m sorry I completely ghosted you this past week. I was in shock. I needed to get my head around…everything. But I should’ve spoken to you. It was fucking rude of me.” He hung his head.

“It’s okay. I understand. It was huge news.” You said with understanding. You were always so understanding. 

“Well… um…maybe we could hang out again?” He scratched his head nervously and looked up at you sheepishly. Fuck, why was he feeling so flustered?

“I’d really like that.” You said softly.

“You would?” His head snapped up. “What about tomorrow afternoon?” He said eagerly.

The corner of your mouth lifted and then turned into a proper smile. “Tomorrow would be great.”

————-

Over the following month or so, Jisung’s business was in full swing. It was incredible how many people needed a phsyio. His client’s were mostly teenagers and people with sporting injuries, with some people making an appointment merely to see if he’d spill the tea about his and your relationship status. It was an expensive way for them to find out that you were just friends.

Jisung found himself spending more and more time with you and Livi. Most of the time it was buying ice creams and playing at the park, but sometimes it was having dinner at either of your parent’s houses. Jisung’s parents loved getting to know their grandchild, doting on her and spoiling her. They even tried to send you and Jisung out on a date, even though you were just friends, so they can do the whole ‘minding the grandkid’ thing.

The more time Jisung spent with Livi, the more he wanted to have a role in her life. If she ever wanted to call him ‘daddy’ at some point, he’d be over the moon. The thought of her running up to him calling out “daddy, daddy!” made him feel gooey inside. But he wasn’t going to push that. He’d let her move at her own pace, plus he was quite content with ‘Juice-sun’ for now. Even that made him feel gooey inside.

He was absolutely smitten, and everyone could tell.

He’d started printing out photos he’d taken of her doing random things that four year olds did. He bought little frames to put them in and sat them on his desk at work and bedside table, alongside a few photos you’d given him of Livi when she was smaller.

Although it pained him that he missed out on her early years, he told himself that it’s what he does moving forward that counts. He promised himself he’d be the best father he could be, and that he would always be there for her.

Things were falling into a comfortable place with you again too. You’d both caught each other up on the past few years about your time living in the big city, and how country town life felt so much better. You’d pop over to each other’s houses and watch your favourite kids movies with Livi sitting between the two of you, like a little family. You’d laugh and joke and reminisce. It felt good. You’d even started hugging him goodbye at the end of the day.

But he found himself wanting more. He still wanted you. It had always been you. He thought about all those times he’d been back here hoping you'd be in town, playing out a thousand scenarios of what might’ve happened if you had been here. Most of them were of him ending up making love to you in his childhood bed. None of them were you turning up with a kid and telling him he was a father.

But for some reason he wouldn’t trade this with any of the scenarios he’d made up in his imagination. Even if it meant he couldn’t tell you how he felt about you. You’d come back into his life, hopefully permanently, and things were really good between you. He couldn’t risk fucking this up talking about love, or pressuring you into something you might not be ready for, or even want.

He’d think about you though. In his bed. Sometimes he’d imagine obscene things. Like if you were watching a movie with him in his family’s living room and you would climb on top of him in a little skirt. He’d pull your underwear to the side and you’d sink down onto his cock and ride him until you screamed his name and made a mess all over him. 

Or he’d take you against his bedroom door. Holding you up against it, your legs wrapped around his waist, his cock reaching the deepest parts of you until your legs shook.

Most of the time, though, he’d think about laying you down on his bed and kissing your neck while he slowly undressed you. He’d worship you. He’d give every inch of your body attention. He’d say your name over and over like a mantra, and then he’d squeeze inside your warmth and fuck so slowly you begged him to either stop or go faster.

No matter the scenario, it always ended with him cumming in his hand and your name on his lips.

Gradually, you and Jisung started to spend time together without Livi, and Jisung noticed you were becoming more and more comfortable with being physically close to him. The hugs were becoming more frequent, you lingered more when saying goodbye, and when Jisung sat closer to you on the couch during a ‘grown up movie night’, you leaned into him and rested your head on his shoulder. He’d grown hard in his pants and he’d hoped you hadn’t noticed. He swore he saw your eyes linger on his lips too sometimes, and when he asked you to go on a stargazing picnic and you said yes, a glimmer of hope swirled around in his stomach.

————-

“Do you wanna know what the coolest thing about the moon is?” Jisung asked, looking up at the night sky.

You were both in the back of his Dad’s utility truck laying on a stack of exercise mats from the physio clinic. It was Spring now, and the nights were starting to be less cold, but it was still cool enough to need sweatpants, hoodies and a nest of blankets to keep snug. 

You were laying next to him, snuggled under a blanket.

“What was that, Ji?” you hummed.

“Do you know what the coolest thing about the moon is?” He repeated.

You shook your head. “No. I don’t know.”

“That you hung it.” He whispered.

“Oh Ji!” You squealed and nudged his arm. “That was-”

“The corniest shit you’ve ever heard?” Jisung laughed but inside he was dying from cringe and his cheeks burned.

“I was going to say romantic, but corny works too.” You laughed.

He turned to look at you and found you gazing at him. 

“Romantic? Huh?” He looked at you curiously.

“Yeah. In your own unique way.” You turned back to look at the sky and Jisung felt your fingers brush against his under the blanket. Bravely, Jisung threaded his fingers through yours. He was sure you could hear his heart beating. You sighed and nestled yourself against his side.

“Baby—” Fuck. “I mean, y/n. Sorry. Shit.” He hadn’t called you baby in years.

“It’s okay, Ji.” You soothed. 

“Yeah?” He choked.

“Yeah.” You whispered.

He rolled onto his side propping himself up on his forearm and gazed down at you. You didn’t move. You just looked back up at him. You really did hang the moon. 

“Say this is okay.” He whispered.

“That what’s okay, ji?” You purred. 

“This.” He cupped your cheek and leaned down and captured your lips in a kiss. He started so very slowly, and when he felt you melt into the kiss, he teased your lips with his tongue, seeking permission to deepen the kiss further. Your tongues danced together tenderly. The way your lips felt against his own, sent a rush of desire through his body. He brought his hand from your cheek to hold your waist and press his hardness against your leg. He wanted you to feel how much he burned for you. How badly he needed you.

You whimpered when you felt his erection and hooked your leg around him to bring his leg between yours, and you wrapped your arm around the back of his neck, pulling him closer to you. 

His hand snuck under your hoodie and shirt. Your skin was so soft and warm to the touch. “Is this still okay, baby.” He said with a raspy tone.

You answered with a grinding of your core against his leg, and a cute little whimper.

“You need to tell me what I’m allowed to do.”

You took his hand that was on your waist and pushed it to your waistband and hooked his fingers on it. “Absolutely anything you want.” You whispered. “I’m yours, Ji.”

“I wanna make love to you. Be inside you. But…”

“I’m on birth control.” You stated. “You know, just in case something happened… between us. So we don’t have an accident.”

Jisung pulled away and looked deep in your eyes. “I hope you know that I’ve never considered Livi to be an accident.” He said sincerely. “A Surprise? Yes.” He grinned “But never an accident.”

You beamed up at him in the way that always tugged on his heart. “I’m glad, because she’s the best thing we ever did together.”

“She is.” He agreed.

Jisung slowly peeled off your sweatpants and underwear and pulled the blanket up around you both as he began to kiss you again. His hand made its way to your inner thigh and you let out another pretty little sound. He gradually made his way up your leg and then slid a finger through your wetness. You were already so wet he could hardly believe it. His dick hardened even more than it already was, and it was absolutely throbbing to be inside you. He needed to bury himself inside your warm walls and soon, or he was going to cum untouched.

“Ji, please. I wanna feel you.” You reached for his waistband, and tugging it down enough to grasp his cock in your hand.

Jisung hissed through his teeth. “Baby, your hand… feels so good.” His eyes rolled back into his head.

“So does yours… oh—” you arched your back into him as he slid a finger inside you. “Ji…yes.” You pulled his face down to kiss him as he slowly fucked you with his fingers and you pumped his cock with your hand. 

He peppered kisses down the side of your neck, and eventually he slowly withdrew his fingers, while you let go of his cock. You parted your legs to allow him to settle in between them. 

“I love you, y/n. I’ve always loved you.” He declared. “I said it last time, do you remember?”

You nodded. “I remember.”

“I meant it then, and I still mean it now.” 

“I love you too, Jisung. I have for as long as I can remember.” You said gripping his bicep and squeezing.

Jisung took hold of his cock and ran the tip through your lips several times and then pushed inside. You both groaned in relief. 

“Is this okay, baby?” He moaned, pulling out and pushing back in. He felt like he was so deep inside you, your warm walls holding him tight while he made love to you the way he imagined so many times. 

He hooked an arm under one of your legs to get an even deeper angle. “Ji… you feel…this feels…so good.” You cried, holding onto him tighter as he picked up the pace. “Please don’t stop.”

“I’m not going anywhere, baby. I’m gonna fuck you like this every single day.” He promised.

You were soaking his cock, and as he continued to make love to you the noises coming from where you were both connected were becoming louder. You both had a sheen of sweat covering you foreheads. Jisung’s breath was becoming laboured as he neared his orgasm, but he wanted to make sure you came first. He slipped his hand between you to rub your swollen clit the way he remembered you showing him you how you liked it. You responded instantly, mumbling incoherently as you tensed up around him. 

“Ji…I’m close… I’m so…I’m gonna…”

“Please cum for me. I’m so close too, baby.” He really didn’t know if you could even last another moment. 

He felt you tense up, gripping his cock like a vice and then slowly pulsed around him. He watched your face as you came, thankful that he’ll be able to see you like this all the time from now on. He meant it. He was going to fuck you every day.

It was all too much seeing you come undone. “Fuck…I’m gonna cum, baby…where… wh—“ 

“In me, Ji…in me, please.” You cried.

That’s all Jisung needed to hear and he was filling you up, letting out a long growl as he emptied himself inside of you. Tears spilled from his eyes as he collapsed on top of you panting.

“Baby…I fucking love you so much. Please say you wanna be with me. Say you wanna give this a try? Be a family?” He looked at you hopefully.

“Yes. Yes, Ji. I want that so much.”

———

Jisung stopped at the lake to stretch his legs after a long day’s work.

This place always reminded him of you. As he walked along the shoreline he let his imagination take hold. In his mind you were walking beside him hand in hand, little Livi running ahead. He’d teach her to throw stones into the lake and he’d tell her all about what you and him were like as kids.

He’d bring her camping, and he’d bring you here for lunchtime picnics.

But it wasn’t just a fantasy. These were his plans.

He plopped down on a patch of grass and thought about what he always thought about when he was here.

The night he made love to you under the stars and you said you wanted to be a family.

Ask: livi calls Jisung “daddy”

a/n: please, if you enjoyed this consider leaving a comment, reblog, or tag someone you think will like this. x. Sorsha

@channieandhisgoonsquad @noellllslut @itshannjisung @weareapackofstrays @bethanysnow @jisunglyricist @newhope8 @chansbabyg @itshannjisung

[suspiciouspiece]

𝑾𝑯𝑨𝑻’𝑺 𝑨 𝑲𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑻𝑶 𝑨 𝑮𝑶𝑫 ❦.

𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 : 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐦𝐚𝐨 ! 𝐈’𝐦 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 . 𝐀𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐝𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐲’𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐦𝐞 🫶🏼. 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 .

𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: 𝐘/𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭. 𝐋𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 . 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐜����𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭 ? 𝐎𝐫 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 ? 

⚠️𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 : 𝐃𝐎𝐄𝐒𝐍’𝐓 𝐅𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐖 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐏𝐈𝐄𝐂𝐄 ! 𝐁𝐀𝐃 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 ! 𝐅𝐥𝐮𝐟𝐟 𝐫𝐧 . ⚠️

CHAPTER 1 Greetings and ghost stories 

Y/n had sighed, running as quickly as she could. The marines hot on her tail screaming for her to stop. Y/n had jump down into the water and pulled out a card, the black white & red card opened a portal. When she step through she was on a different island . Using another card to dry herself off and change her clothes. “ Finally some peace and quiet. “ She started walking up the hill’s path . Disappearing within view. 

.... 

“ AWWW NAMI !!!! I’M BORED !!” Screams luffy from up top of the head of sunny. He had been miserable lately. Thanks to the fact no new islands had been near them . Nami let out an irritated sigh, “ How many times have I told you luffy ? No island are near us ! Honestly it’s a miracle that I can even navigate when even the log pose is complete still. “ 

Luffy had huffed, clearly not satisfied with the answer but couldn’t do anything more about it . “ Is the island in the sky ? “ Usopp said while fixing up something new at the table. Robin had put her book down and looked at the sky .“ No like last time it would have pointed upwards. Honestly I’m scared we might be in a still area of water with nothing around us .” 

“ Don’t stress out Nami dear ! Even if that happens I would personally kick this boat so far that it’ll never become still becoming your Prince Charming and-“

“ Stealing a kiss ! Ahah ~ “ 

“ DAMN YOU BAG OF BONES DON’T STEAL MY LINE !! “ 

Nami sighed, “ Hopefully we find an island soon through, supply is running low on everyone end.” Sanji had took a smoke break ,” Yea Nami right . We only have enough food for a week . “ Usopp gasped,” but all that food I seen earlier!” “ Have you forgotten our captain eats crew worth of meals ?  2 at breakfast, 2 snack breaks, 2 lunches, another 2 snack breaks , 3 serving at dinner even though it’s only supposed to be 2 but somehow he manages to steal someone food .” ussop had fell to the floor ,” LUFFYS EATING US TO DEATH ROW !!!” 

Sanji had sighed another drag form his cigar , “doesn’t help that he’s been so bored he’s basically stress eating. Our captain has a lot of energy, the sunny can only hold him for so long . “ Franky had walk up to them,with chopper . “ How is that even possible?! “ “ Luffy’s body is rubber . His whole body is constantly stretching and unstretching subconsciously through tiny cells . Making his stomach big. It literally has no end while he eats. It also doesn’t help that while he loses a big chunk of energy it’s balanced out with more energy coming in from nothing. “ 

Zoro had popped up outta nowhere . “ So that means what exactly?” “ Think of it as lightning being held by rubber band but the rubber band is moving . It’ll attract more light while losing a little. “ Zoro still looked confused. “ In other words it’s like filling a bottle of water with a hole in the bottom.” Robin try’s to explain. Zoro still kinda lost.

“To sum it up moss head , think it as he training, he became 10 times stronger but he hungry from the hard work so he eat and has to start the workout over again .” “ Oh ? Why didn’t you explain it that way .” “ BECAUSE YOUR AN IDIOT !” “ WHO YOU CALLING IDIOT, PERVERT COOK ?!” 

“ SHUT UP BOTH OF YOU !!” Nami screamed, punching them . Luffy sighed,” I’m depressed. Me want meat . No island yet .” Luffy was deflated  on the floor, pouting . The group stared, eyes poking out their heads . “ Oh lord I hope we find an island fast !” The crew screamed. 

Thankfully the crew was able to find a island fast . It was unlikely luffy to be that sad . Chopper had made sure to test him to see if he was sick because of it . The crew had felt a sense of easiness watching luffy gum gum off the ship not even waiting for them . “ Welp, there’s no stopping him . I’m sure luffy will find his way back . This is boring quiet island after all . Sanji and chopper go get food supplies and medicine. Me and robin will get books, paper and other things. Usopp and franky get weapons and tools. Brook find me some clothes . Zoro actually stay and guard don’t fall asleep ! “ 

It was too late though. Zoro was already sleeping up a storm . “ Ugh whatever.” 

Luffy was having the time of his life. He already made some new friends. Ate good food and even got in a good fight. He miss this . 3 months on the ship was too long . He had stop at the end of the road, the little girl he made friends with, on his back was name Mico ( Mi-co ) . Had stopped him ,” Uhoh Luf! We can’t go any farther!” Luffy stared, “ Why ?” “ That forest is called “ Evil lives” . Some strange girl walked into the forest about 2 weeks ago and the forest when completely silent. We haven’t seen any animals other than fish but still. It’s creepy. Her and the animals completely disappeared !” 

Luffy had smiled,” Sounds like some fun ! We should turn back for now though I told your mom I’ll bring you home before dark .” 

The girl nodded and than when back . Luffy wasn’t surprised to bump into his crew . “ Ah alright made a friend?” The group had all ran into each other . “ YEA ! Met Mico ! “ They had said their hello to the little girl . 

“ Oh my , so many , come in . “ A woman said smiling in the doorway. “ The group in the street nodded, following. 

“ So I hear Mico told you the story I’m sorry for her but her words are truth.” Sanji had let out a puff of smoke . “I guess that explains why I couldn’t find anything other than fish and why everything around here is so expensive.” The woman shook her head,” Listen I’ll explain a little more .” 

“ About two weeks ago, a woman with 

y/c/h hair came outta nowhere. She was sleeping in the middle of the road. Head on a pillow, holding a purple blanket. We wanted to wake her up but we couldn’t, some type of weird force was on her. So we let her alone . We thought she might be a devil fruit user that was into she woke up …”

Robin had a serious look but sweet and calm vioce,” What happened?” 

“ When she woke up it was like nothing happened. She didn’t speak to anyone or bothered us . The pillow and blanket disappeared. She was walking straight to the woods . Didn’t eat or drink anything. The kids were playing, accidentally spilled sea water on her . And by sea water I mean a tank that was being pulled . She didn’t flinch. She said it was hot day and that playing in water was understandable and nobody needed to make a fuss but after she walk in the woods , nobody ever seen her or any of the animals. I haven’t even seen a bird in two weeks now .” 

“ if she’s not a devil fruit user what’s her case ?” Franky said confused. “ To not see a bird in two weeks, this chick must be smoken hot to no ends ! The animals must have great taste ! “ Sanji screamed . “ Or she could be a real threat. Animal avoid areas that they feel threatened . A huge sign of this is when large groups of birds fly away .” Chopper added in . “ Whatever the case is let’s find her ! “ Luffy said getting excited, this is just what he needed, an adventure after been bored for so long . 

“ WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT !!!!!!!! “ screamed ussop,” Are you telling me you wanna find some creepy ghost lady that took all the animals?!!!! TELL ME YOUR JOKING!!” Luffy laughed,” I’ll be fun stop being a scary cat ussop.” Luffy had jump up ready to go . He was quickly stop by robin.” We don’t know what’s waiting for us, plus it isn’t good to just walk into the woods without supplies or anything else . Also aren’t we missing a man ?” 

Luffy stared ,” brook ?” “ I’M RIGHT HERE !” “ Sanji ? “ “ FOR THE LOVE OF GOD ITS SO OBVIOUS !!! “ The crew screamed. “ Think of moss .” Robin calmly stated .” Luffy’s eyes popped out of his head ,” ZORO ?! WE GOTTA GO GET ZORO !!” The crew facepalm . “ I bet your first mate would be pretty hurt to hear you not remember like this .” “ I forgot I was thinking of the awesome fight I’m about to have ! “ “ YOU! WE’RE GOING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT GIRL AND THE ANIMALS NOT FIGHT “ nami yelled slapping luffy . 

[samieree]

Banished Heimdall x Reader (Goddess of Nature)

(Request from wattpad) The part where Kratos spared Heimdall. Well let's say he did spare him and he came back to Odin to report what happened but the gjallarhorn was stolen and Odin banished him to Midgard and did the same spell like Freya had. And for years being stuck in Midgard, there he meet the reader who is actually the Goddess/Mother Nature, melting the snows and creating flowers for the end of Fimbulwinter.

~

Several years have passed since Odin banished Heimdall to Midgard for losing the Gjallarhorn. But he still didn't accept this fact, and exile did not soften his character at all. The winter didn't help much either. Luckily it was finally coming to an end.

Heimdall was tired of wearing thick fur. He definitely preferred the climate in Asgard, his clothes and peace there. And now he had to take care of himself, and it was driving him crazy. Especially at the beginning, ugh... He doesn't even want to think about it. He shouldn't live in the past.

He was just coming back to his house, grumbling about how he hates this world and this winter better be over because... Okay, he doesn't know what he's going to do, but it better be the end of this cold weather. Though... Then he'd have to boat across Lake of Nine and row, so maybe the cold wasn't so bad after all...

"Stop!" He heard a scream but ignored it. He continued walking forward, still focused on complaining. At least until some vines suddenly sprouted from the ground in front of him. "Are you deaf?"

"Are you looking for trouble?" Irritated, he turned to the place where the voice came from and was clearly surprised.

You were standing a few feet in front of him. With a slight smile on your face, dressed in a fairly light outfit, considering the weather. But... The aura around you looked like spring. Your hands emanated pleasant magic, and the smile itself seemed to melt the snow that was no longer around you at all. Nature was beginning to come back to life, green grass sprouted from under the snow, and the scent of flowers slowly began to fill the air.

You've met each other before, when he happened to be on a mission in Midgard. And it seemed like your character has stayed the same ever since. And he won't admit it, but... The aura you spread around you calmed him down and warmed his heart.

"Be careful, don't step on my flowers." You said, drawing back the vines that were blocking his path. You just finished that meadow and it was about to get trampled by some bitter guy.

"Do you really think I care?" Okay, maybe not the usual bitter guy, because as he turned to walk away you saw his shining eyes. And you've only known one person with eyes like that - other than einherjers, but they've been gone for a while.

So it had to be Heimdall. Very dissatisfied with having to be where he is.

"Respect nature and it will respect you." You followed him, and with you spring aura, letting the world know that it's time to wake up from winter sleep.

"I don't need it. Go plant your flowers elsewhere."

"I seem to have planted quite a few around your house. I thought there were some people living there, otherwise I probably wouldn't be so nice." You said half-jokingly, clearing the snowdrifts from your path with one snap of your finger.

"You did- WHAT?! Who asked you for this?!"

"Do you have to ask for gifts?" You replied, tilting your head slightly and aligning your step with him. "I don't think that's what it's about..." You smiled and extended your hand towards him with a flower in your hand.

"I don't want any weeds." He took off his coat and draped it over his shoulder as it was actually starting to get warm.

You rolled your eyes at those words and ran in front of him, now walking backwards but facing him. You were still holding a beautiful flower in your hands, flower with large, white petals for now.

"Look." You ran your free hand over the flower and its petals began to change colour. In shades of pink, purple and blue. Its stem took on a white colour with golden accents. You smiled wider and extended your hand to him, offering this newly created plant. "Here, this is for you. It looks like you." Heimdall stopped suddenly, and so did you.

No one has ever been so insistent about giving him a gift. In general, no one ever even wanted to give him a gift... It was even... A nice feeling.

In order not to lose his image, he sighed a martyrdom before taking the plant from you, the petals of which matched the colours of his eyes. As he took the flower, your hands touched for a moment. Your skin was very smooth and radiated a warmth Heimdall didn't know, but he could tell with certainty that it was pleasant.

"And what am I supposed to do with it?" He asked, examining the plant carefully.

"Plant. Need help?" You asked as you started walking back towards Heimdall's house. "You could plant a vegetable garden. Oh, or orchard!" You smiled at that thought. Walking with him towards his house, you kept doing your job along the way, here and there stimulating more plants to grow.

"Do I look like a gardener to you?" He grunted, his eyes focused on the flower. This small gesture somehow warmed his heart, which was especially aching after the things that had happened to him.

"I'd help you." You suggested. "Of course, when I'm done with spring." You added, walking over to him.

You reached your hand towards his face, but he immediately pulled away. He knew what you wanted to do and he absolutely did not want to let it happen. I will look like an idiot. You froze with your hand next to his face.

"What a favour from Y/n, the great goddess of nature." He said it with a hint of mockery in his voice. "Why do you want to help me?"

"I have a soft spot for things that need fixing." You said honestly. He would know anyway if you lied.

"I'm not broken."

"Aren't you?"

Isn't he? He didn't know himself. And what does a not broken person look like? Behaves? Lives?

He was always lonely, even when he was surrounded by people. Even if he was in bed with someone, even if there was a family meeting. He always felt alone, as if no one cared about him, he meant nothing to anyone and the only value he had was what he was doing for his world. And now he didn't even have that. He lived from day to day, but he had no purpose. He just existed.

He sighed softly, then nodded slightly. After that small gesture, you gave him another warm smile and finally moved your hand. You touched his hair and tucked a flower like the one you gave him behind his ear.

"It suits you." You said, placing your hand on his cheek for a moment longer and it cost him all his stubbornness not to snuggle into it and it's warmth.

The warmth of sincere sympathy, caring, interest. Something he had never known, and it was an unfamiliar but pleasant feeling. And maybe, just maybe, he would like to experience it even more.

"Like a wreath suits a cow." He grunted, but there was no such obvious malice in his voice. "Can we go now or are you going to put so much weed in my hair that I'll never get it out?" Saying this, he started walking towards his house again and you followed him.

"I'll take them out, you don't have to worry." You said.

"Oh, and you think that I'm going to let you do that?"

"If you let me put a flower in your hair, you'll let me take it out." You answered with a wide smile, walking with him arm in arm and spreading your spring aura around you here and there.

Damn, she's right.

~

-> general masterlist -> God of War: Ragnarök masterlist

[cozage]

The Daughter's Return Part 3

Chapter 16: Let's Talk Strategy

Start From Beginning | Next Chapter | Table of Contents | Read on AO3

Characters: female reader x Portgas D. Ace Word Count: 1.6k

“Do I have to keep these on?” You shook your shackles in front of Marco’s face as you laid on the examination table. 

“Considering you knocked out the last person in charge of you with nothing but your fist and your sea prism bracelet? Yes. You do.”

You groaned in despair, dramatically flopping your arms back down onto the table. “What if my lack of energy harms the baby?”

“That’s why you have checkups every day,” Marco said. “Now lay still.”

You groaned again, but did as you were told. Perhaps if you did everything without complaining too much, they might take your shackles off before you got to Marineford. And then they wouldn’t be able to stop your decisions. 

Marco placed his stethoscope on your stomach, and you sucked in a deep breath at the contact of the cold metal against you. Being affected by temperature was something you weren’t sure you’d ever get used to. But you didn’t complain. 

A smile widened across his lips after a moment, and he looked at you with excitement. “Do you want to hear it?”

You frowned, unsure of what he meant. “Hear what?”

“The heartbeat.”

“Oh.” You weren’t sure how to answer that. In your mind, this baby only existed when you and Ace were together. He wasn’t here to witness it, and it felt cruel doing this without him. 

“Listen,” Marco advised, holding the stethoscope up to you.

You took it from him hesitantly, but you listened. A soft whooshing filled your ears, strong and steady. 

“It’s fast,” you whispered. “Is it okay? Did I do-“

“It’s normal,” Marco reassured you. “Their heartbeats are faster while they’re developing. But everything looks and sounds completely normal.”

“A healthy baby,” you said, placing your hand protectively over your stomach. 

“A healthy baby,” Marco confirmed, a smile on his face. 

The two of you walked to the commanders and strategists meeting. You sat alone at the division two seats, trying not to think about how there were two empty commander seats now. 

Everyone eyed your sea prism shackles, but nobody said anything about them. You were thankful for that, even if it did leave an awkwardness hanging in the air. 

“Has every subordinate captain been notified?” Your father asked, looking around the table. 

“We all told everyone the same thing. Meet outside of Marineford and we’ll storm in together.”

“Good,” your father said. “Then we can all ride in together.”

“That won’t work,” you said. “They’ll see us coming a mile away.”

“There’s nothing else we can do,” Elmy said. “We just have to hope the wind is in our favor.”

“No,” you said, your mind racing to think of another solution. “Aokiji will freeze the sea before we even make it there. And Akainu will burn down our flags. Instead of saving him, we’ll have a front row seat to his execution. We can’t-“

You couldn’t keep talking in fear of your voice giving your emotion away. 

“We can do the bubble trick,” you said, changing the subject. “How we get down to Fishman Island, but head for Marineford instead.”

“That won’t work,” Elmy shot back. “We don’t know anyone skilled enough to do all of our boats in a week's time.”

Your eyes shot to your father. “I know someone,” you said. “He can do it. Please. Let me ask him.”

His eyes flashed pure anger. “I thought I told you-“

“I’ll take Marco!” You cried. “Please. We’re close to Sabaody. Me and Ace talked to him the last time we went through. He’s a genius. Please, dad-“

“No,” he hissed, glaring at you. If you hadn’t been in your current state, you probably would’ve gotten another dose of his haki treatment. 

You stayed quiet for the rest of the meeting. There was no point in strategizing what would happen after you arrived in Marineford.  If you rode into battle in the way they were proposing, everyone would die before their feet touched land. 

There had to be another way. A way to convince your father to let you go. But you would worry about that later. 

You swore you could still hear the soft, fast heartbeat of your child, fighting and growing with every passing hour. The baby was so tiny, and yet you were halfway through your pregnancy. How on earth could something that small grow to be the size of a baby in four and a half months? It simply didn’t seem possible. 

And yet, it was happening. A new person was growing inside of you. You had to believe it contained only the best parts of you and Ace. Hopefully more of Ace’s traits than yours. His kindness, his love, his willingness to sacrifice…

“Y/N,” Marco prompted, tapping your shoulder lightly. “Let’s go get dinner. You need to eat.”

You were so lost in thought, you hadn’t noticed that the meeting had ended.

You were about to argue and say that you weren’t hungry, but you decided not to. You rose without a word and followed him to the mess hall, painfully aware of your father’s eyes on your back. 

“Did that baby take all the spunk out of you?” Marco mumbled the question in your ear so nobody else could hear as you walked into the mess hall. 

“I’m thinking.” You waved him away from your ear and picked up a tray. 

“You should probably double up on fruits and vegetables,” Marco said. “And cut out the fish.”

You did as you were told. Your father had told you not to argue, so you wouldn’t argue. Maybe if you listened, then so would he.

You sat down across from Marco at an empty table, your mind still running through possibilities. 

“Hello?? Earth to Y/N?” Marco was waving his hand in front of your face, snapping you back to the present. 

“Oh.” You blinked a few times and realized your tray was still full. He must’ve thought you were trying to get out of eating. “Sorry.”

You shoveled some food into your mouth to appease Marco. You knew it was the same ingredients and recipes as always, but it tasted off. Thatch hadn’t had part in the process, and you could taste that, somehow. 

“You need to snap out of it,” Marco scolded. “We’re only going to be able to do this if you are at your very best. We can’t lose our best strategist now, okay?”

“There’s no strategy that can get us past the Vice Admirals,” you said, eating another bite of tasteless food. “Not if we’re sailing in that obvious.”

“How well do you know this coating mechanic?” Marco asked, biting his lip. 

You shrugged, trying to think of a cross between truth and lie. “I know his name and I know his work ability.”

“You’re sure he can do it?” Marco asked.

You nodded. “If I ask nicely enough.”

Marco sighed, shaking his head. “Let me see what I can do. Go get ready for bed. Any funny business and-”

“I know,” you said, finishing up your plate and standing to take your leave. You could feel your voice trembling as you spoke. “Trust me Marco, I know.”

You walked to your room and stood in front of the door, too afraid to go in. You didn’t want to know what it was like in that room without Ace. 

“Is it locked?” Izou’s voice startled you, and you wiped your eyes before you turned to face him.

“No,” you whispered, and then cleared your voice before speaking again. “No, it’s not.”

“Ah,” Izou said, his eyes darting back to the door. “Is there something you would like me to grab?”

“What happened to Jinx?” you asked, ignoring his question. 

“The cat?” Izou raised an eyebrow and then chuckled. “A day after you and Ace left, Marco heard some ungodly cries coming from the room, and we all kind of collectively remembered that you all had a cat. Marco’s been watching her since you guys left. They get along quite well.”

Tears poured out of your eyes. You shouldn’t have been so relieved over a stupid cat, but at least Jinx was still okay. At least there was still something left of Ace here. 

“Do you need me to get anything for you?” Izou asked again, looking at you.

You shook your head. You couldn’t open that door. Not yet. Instead, you took off towards Marco’s room. He would have everything you needed to get by for now. 

When you opened the door, you saw a black mound on the bed, eyes staring at you threateningly.

“Hi Jinx,” you sobbed, kneeling down next to the bed. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” you cried. You felt so guilty for returning alone. 

Jinx rose from her place on the bed and approached you, and she rubbed her face against yours. It was so surprising that for a moment, you stopped crying out of shock. Jinx purred softly against you, and you couldn’t help but feel like maybe-maybe-everything would be okay. 

“Alright,” Marco said, entering the room. “We have a private meeting with Pops tomorrow morning. I think-hey,” Marco realized you were on the ground, and he bent down next to you. “Are you okay?”

You started crying again at his question. There was no way to answer it. 

“I’m so scared,” you sobbed softly, trying not to scare Jinx away.

“Me too, kid,” he whispered. He wrapped his arms around you and held you tightly, and you could tell he was telling the truth. You could feel Marco’s fear in his grip around you. You weren’t sure if that was relieving or terrifying. 

The three of you fell asleep in a strange pile, entangled together with hope and despair.

--

Tag list! @taeyoge @teiza @tojislawyer @trafalgardnami @bloopbopsblog @dancingnewcat @dxestyi @flooofity @nyxthedragon01 @deadsnothere @h-rhodes1598  @morgyyyyyyy @trafalgardvivi  @fiestynatureweeb @frogpogjoghurt @beepboopcowboy @ms-portgas @luvyallbabes @appalost @zuchkaa @saybeyonce @stray-npc @kitsunechan707 @theyluvmesblog @heartysworld @aira-needs-sleep  @mothmomjay @ophelias-flowerss @aqualein @sehyojae @fanficwriter5 @forgotten-blues @amberash05 @firefistnoct @depressed-but-make-it-cute @stuckinthewrongworld

[silly-writes]

Prompt: Camper (Courtney, Gwen, Heather, Sky, Cody, etc.) falls for a reader who tries their best but silently suffers from Imposter Syndrome quite a bit with said camper being the only person to realize the self doubt of the reader yet still falls in love with reader. How'd things develop?

More characters with a reader who suffer from imposter syndrome!

Hello anon! I got this request already but not all the same characters are included so Courtney, Gwen and Heather are linked here! Sky and Cody for this prompt below the cut! enjoy!

Sky

Being heavily competitive, she's not in this game for the heart to hearts.

I would imagine it would take a lot for her to notice something like this, but as she started to fall for you it would become more and more apparent to her.

Based on everything that happened to Dave I also feel like she would not really ever officially confess to you, trying to keep things relatively professional, so to speak.

It wasn't until one day when she was talking to you (or rather strategizing) that she realized how deep it really ran.

"I probably shouldn't go first," you say.

She nods "you're right, you're probably our strongest player for this next challenge. We should finish strong so you should go last."

You gave her a forced smile then explained "I know you really care about winning... maybe I should just go in the middle or something."

You were terrified of screwing things up, but even more so of screwing things up for Sky. It'd be your funeral if you messed things up for her.

Meanwhile Sky is trying to figure out how you could see it fit to hide your skill, she's upfront about what she's good at, never shy about it, and she doesn't see any reason why you shouldn't be the same.

"Well that's ridiculous. I mean if you want to throw, sure you can go in the middle. We're in it to win it though, right?" She says elbowing you playfully.

Sky tries to uplift you by letting you take the lead when you offer it, and I would imagine the two of you would become sort of the unspoken leaders of your team.

Nobody makes any decisions without discussing it with the two of you first.

Cody

Cody is absolutely stunned by everything you're amazing at, absolutely in awe of it every time.

He's even more amazed that you give him the time of day, especially since you're so cool, and skilled, and he's so- well not. (sorry cody <3)

He tries to impress you always, literally at every turn.

He ends up embarrassing himself at tasks you could've cleared in under a minute while he's struggling with it for up to ten.

But to you it is oddly endearing.

He never has any reason to believe you don't know how utterly amazing you are.

Until one day he's trying again, trying to lift up the canoe to shove it into the water.

You're watching him struggle, but it would be beyond rude to offer to do it instead, so you just sit.

He sighs sliding down against the beach floor "ugh. You had better just save me any more humiliation and help me now."

"What? I think you've got it."

He scoffed, turning towards you "just do it will you?"

He got into the boat grumpily, and you easily slid the both of you into the water and started rowing.

"Why do you let me do that when you could've easily just slid us into the water. We're so behind now."

I think maybe he takes your silence as if you're making fun of him or something.

"I didn't think I could," you shrug.

"But you're so amazing at like, everything."

You hum softly a bit instead of responding.

"You had better know that by now," he scolds a little bit, catching onto your self conscious attitude.

"Whatever you say," you say quietly.

After that he's more determined than ever to show you off, and compliment and praise you over every little thing, no matter how simple, or silly it is.

He just wants you to see yourself how he sees you.

[admrlthundrbolt]

I Put A Spell On You (Tzekel-Kan x Chubby Reader)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Cortes's daughter follows Tulio and Miguel to El Dorado, how will it change their fate? Can Tzekel-Kan hold his ground in the presence of a goddess?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hey guys, I know it's been a while. But I would like to point my finger at the Red Web podcast. They recently posted an episode about the legend of El Dorado, which caused me to rewatch The Road to El Dorado. Thus this was spawned. I hope you enjoy.

---------------------------------------------------------

Tulio slammed his head against the post and held it there. His headache had caught up to his actions.

“Psst.”

He tilted his head, but only heard Miguel's pacing. So he brought his head back and started towards the post again,

“Pssssst! “

This time his friend stopped him and pointed up. Where they could see a heavier set sailor with their hands pressed against the bars of the brig. Their body were hard to make out, the baggy tunic and large hat covering most of their features.

“Would you like a hand out?”

“Yes.” The duo yelled.

The mysterious figure shushed them and looked around. Then turned back and said. “I can help you, but not directly. For a price that is.”

The friends looked at each other and seemed to have a silent conversation. With a nod Miguel looked up. “What are your terms?”

“I want off this ship. I was forced onto this crew and want to be free.”

They went back to internally chatting. Another nod was had, it appeared they were in the same boat. So why not team up.

“OK, now get us out of here.” Tulio said impatiently.

They tossed an apple between the bars. “This is the key to escaping.” Walking away they gave no explanation.

Staring at each other in bewilderment, they almost missed the beat of hooves coming their way.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was hard to believe that a horse had helped them escape. Though they were curious where the stranger had went off to as well. Getting the last of the provisions onto the rowboat, they were surprised to see a figure. Realizing it was their “savior", Tulio's temper flared.

“What was all that about?!”

“What are you talking about?” They adjusted their bag and moved towards the boat.

He stepped in front of them. “Leaving us there after making a deal. Then you reappear out of nowhere.” His hands were flailing around wildly as he spoke.

“Did Altivo not being you the keys? “ As if to cement their point the horse sauntered up to the stranger and nusseled their shoulder. “You’ve never let me down, have you, old friend. Goodbye.“ They gave the horse a few pats, then went to help Miguel with the boat.

Tulio pouted over the fact that the apple was the only reason they got the keys. Miguel however was impressed at how the stranger handled the situation. As they lowered the row boat, Altivo had a fit. They tried to talk him down, but he only got louder. Then realizing his mistake, Miguel brought out the Apple, which Tulip tossed. Then it landed in the ocean and was followed by Altivo. Prompting everyone, but Tulio to attempt a rescue.

As the rescue pair reached the horse, Tulio navigated the boat over. It was a struggle, but the trio managed the feat. Only to lose most of their supplies in the process. This led into a string of bad luck.

The stranger was finally revealed, as a woman.

“Why wouldn't you bring that up!” Tulio had only known this person for an afternoon and couldn't remember being more exasperated.

“You never ask, so I thought there was no reason to say.” With a shrug of the shoulders you wrang out her hair. “ Besides, I didn't lie about being there against my will. “

“If that’s true, then she does have a point.” Miguel said, attempting to be the voice of reason.

“Oh shut up. You’d side with the pretty girl anyways.“

Miguel didn't answering, not wanting to admit that his partner was right.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The journey was dull in some moments, but treacherous in others. With most of their provisions gone, they had a hard time not succumbing to hunger. Until birds started dropping things in their boat. Not looking a gift horse in the mouth, no offense Altivo. They happily used anything they brought.

Though when they learnt the actual reason for the blessings Tulip had a few choice words to give (Y/N).

“You’ve been feeding them behind our backs!”

“It's just a bit of dried corn. I saved it for Altivo originally. Then an opportunity presented itself.”

Miguel, ever the peace keeper, said between them. “While it may have been a good idea to discuss what we did with the remaining supplies. It did help us in the long run.” He look at the two, only to see they had went to opposite ends of the boat. Shaking his head, he knew this was far from over.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the two men lamented about their regrets, you couldn't help but feel downtrend too. “I regret not escaping my father sooner.”

This cause the duo to look up a bit. You hadn’t mentioned anything of your past, other than knowing Altivo. Miguel was the one to say something. “Is he the reason you were on the ship.”

“Yes, though he was the reason we were all on the ship.” You said, facing away from them. When you turned to contiue, you suddenly perked up. “Land!”

The rest of the passengers turned and realised they had reached shore. Leaping from the boat everyone kissed the dry, warm sand. Until Miguel reached a skull, everyone recoiled and second guessed staying.

Until Miguel brought out an oddly familiar map and exclaim that they were near El Dorado. The pair argued while (Y/N) and Altivo explored the beach. The boys continued, so you decided to be the mediator.

“Let's just see where this leads. Even if we wanted to leave, we would need to gather supplies. So why not take the long way.” You gave a small smile and went back to petting Altivo.

Tulio conceded and Miguel started blazing a trail.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The journey was as long as the one by boat. With many ups and downs, they seemed to be following the map. Or at least stumbling across the markers.

They had met many creatures along the way, they were unnaturally drawn to (Y/N). The main one being a friendly armadillo, which Altivo was not happy about. The thing followed you like a puppy. Having to fight for your attention was not at the top of the horses to do list. He already had to compete with two idiotic humans.

After countless perils, they found themselves tumbling down a cliff. As they came to Tulio was already complaining about a rock being the true El Dorado. The boys then began to argue.

(Y/N) turned your head towards the odd sound of heavy breathing and some sort of slapping. Poking your head around the slab, you saw a woman, running and glancing back. The woman darted around the slab and was surprised at the strangers.

A large group of armed men then came and surrounded the group. Seeing that the woman was the target, (Y/N) put the stranger between herself and the stone.

Chel was shocked that the first thought this other woman was protecting her. She looked between the horsemen and guards. Seeing an opportunity, she tossed the statue piece at them. This caused an impromptu game of hot potato.

Tulio attempted to explain, only to be socked in the head. They were then lead to a waterfall and loaded into boats.

The new woman stuck close to (Y/N) and the small group of animals.

After the boat landed the respective members went to alert their leaders. A tribe member to the chief and Acolyte to Tzekel-Kan.

The group stepped out of the boat and were overwhelmed by the sights around them. Tulio and Miguel couldn't believe their eyes. A whole city made of gold. Where as (Y/N) was unsure of how to feel about the wandering eyes on them. You wished that your disguise had survived the boat ride, Altivo was just more important. But you held your head high and kept a soft, reassuring hand on the other woman.

As the chief made his way to the group he was surprised. This group of strangers did seem different, but god like. He would keep that to himself for now.

The priest was only a moment behind, but what greeted him was heavenly. Two gods and a godess, including their majestic stead. His eyes lingered on the woman for longer than he would like to admit. Your ethereal appearance was almost to much for him to tear his gaze from. He greeted them boasterously, putting as much measured bravado as he could manage.

The chief welcomed the gods to the city. Not wanting to make the wrong move, the boys went along with it and you stayed silent.

The priest wanted a show of their godly power. Which started a tiff between the duo. Knowing that this could go on endlessly (Y/N) intervened. “Enough!”

Everyone turned as a nearby volcano sucked smoke back within itself. Cheers cascaded through out the crowd and all bowed.

They were then lead to their new home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the leader turned to the group the boys tried to look unbothered by the many steps. While you glanced around in a calculated manner. With a hand on the horses mane and the armadillo in the crook of your other arm you followed behind everyone.

Gesturing at the large palace, both of the important men offered a tribute. The duo put on an air of authority and agreed.

As the men left you couldn't help but shake your head. “You are both idiots. This is going to get us all killed.”

Miguel scoffed and said. “What are you talking about, they adore us.” He draped his arm around you should and sandwiched you between Tulio and himself. “Just listen to how good this sound. Miguel, (Y/N), and Tulio; mighty and powerful gods. “ Both men were beaming at the statement.

“Hello.”

The sudden intrusion caused everyone to tense. Facing the side entrance, they were surprised to see the woman they ran into earlier. While the boys tried to intimidate her, (Y/N) walked over and checked her over.

Chel knew that this was all a lie. Though since she met this woman, she could believe you were a goddess. Maybe a small part of her subconscious mind did believe it. “She's right, they will kill you. But if you had, I don’t know, an adviser. You would have a much easier time. Just a thought.”

The duo then began to discuss it, but you immediately nodded. “The choice is trust her or be completely in the dark. I say we take those odds.”

After everyone reluctantly agreed, everyone began getting ready for the feast.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chel, who had introduced herself, while leading you to an adjacent room. It contained a large pool in the center and random seating scattered about. She gestures to the pool and walked over to a carved out shelf, filled with various containers.

You gave the pool a long stare, but decided that not following their new adviser suggestion would be in poor taste. So disrobing quickly, you waded your way into the pool. Expecting the water to be frigid, you were pleasantly surprised by the warmth it held.

Relaxing against the wall of the pool, you noticed movement in the main chamber. The boys had changed and were already heading to the party. “Shouldn’t I be joining them?”

Chel laughed and shook her head. “A goddess is never late, everyone else is early.” She came over with a couple of bottles and sat behind the other woman. “Wet your hair.”

Doing as instructed, you relax further, as something was lathered into your hair. They enjoyed the peace that the bathing chamber gave. Chel pampered her savior and have you time to dry as she retrieved suitable clothing.

Waiting on one of the benches, you couldn't help but reflect on your current situation. Finally free of you r father and on a grand adventure. On the other hand you did have to keep up a lie, so as not to be killed. Though in retrospect your past and present were more similar than you would like to admit.

Chel came back and carried an ornate dress. It was closed to her own outfit, but a strapless one piece. It also had much more vivid colors, all details laid in gold. It was definitely different from your usual baggy afairs, but you supposed adhering to the local culture was a good thing. As you companion put the last touches on you, taking a deep breath, you made your way down the steps.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He despise celebrations such as these, but if it involved the gods, he felt obligated to join. He was considering making an exit, until the goddess made an appearance. You were glorious. Your gown was flowing and visage glowing. Tezel-kan wasn’t sure he had seen a more beautiful being.

As you made your way down the stairs, he couldn't help but sneer. The crowd met you. What did they think they were doing. You was leagues above them. You deserved to be with someone of a higher status. A priest perhaps. The thought made him giddy.

Heading over, his chest puffed out in assurance. He was sure to enjoy his company. But a frown mared features as he noticed the servant girl was hanging onto you. Though his features softened when he noticed the nurturing guidance his goddess gave the lowly other.

Finally reaching you, he gave a bow. “My Goddess, if you would allow it, I would love to accompany you this evening.” He met your gaze and extended a hand.

You gave the priest a discrete once over, prompted by Chel's hand squeezing your arm. But decided to disregard it. These people viewed you with the gods, so ignoring one of them would surely be frowned upon. Least of all the head priest. Nodding, you allowed him to guide you to a quieter area of the celebration. Honestly it was a relief, all the noise was becoming a bit much. When he spoke again you had to keep yourself from getting startled.

He enjoyed theses moments alone with his goddess. “How are you enjoying yourself in the city so far. My Goddess.” It was otherworldly to be with you. This close he could smell just what bathing oils you used. He was so focused on enjoying your scent, he almost missed your answer.

Smiling politely you said. “It's been pleasant. Chel has been helpful in adjusting ourselves.”

He had to keep his face from twisting into a scowl. The last thing he wanted you to speak highly of was that thief. But he could play the cordial ambassador. “It is so kind of you to take pity on such an unfortunate soul. I’m sure with your guidance she will blossom into a wonderful person.” He lays a reassuring hand on your arm.

Glancing at his hand, your heart rate raised. Living most of your life in hiding as a man and the rest locked away. It was flustering to have the attention of a handsome man. Still he believed you to be a goddess, his reality of you was warped. On top of that, it seemed he was talking down about your new ally. And that wouldn't do.

“That may very well be true. But I think your men could use a bit of ‘guidance' in not chasing unarmed girls with weapons. Now if you'll excuse me. “

As you walked away Tzekel-Kan had to keep himself from following you. Who knew a woman challenging him could be so endearing. The fire blazing in your eyes could light a thousand suns. He retired to his quarters, that beautiful expression haunting his dreams.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Waking the next morning was an experience. You were far from a hangover, unlike the boys, but waking up in a moving bed was bizarre. You woke the other two and pointed out your situation. They bounced ideas off each other until the platform was lowered. As you exited all eyes were on your group.

Chel tossed flower petals around and gave the trio a warning. Then Tzekel-Kan gave a morbid speech that ended with revealing a sickly man. You ran forward and caught him. Lowering him into your lap, you were relieved to hear Miguel and Tulio dissolve the tension. With the man's life spared, you insisted on helping take him home to rest.

While most watched you in awe for your compassion, Tzekel-Kan was seething. Not only did the tribute displeasure you, the other two gods dismissed him so flippantly. Though he too was moved by your caring nature. He couldn't help but imagine what a wonderful mother you would make. He would have to tuck that thought away for later though. Right now he needed to get on your good side.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Helping return the man to his home, you saw to it that he was accommodated to. Leaving you realized that you had no plans for the day. Looking around you noticing no people in sight. It was odd, but a break from the hustle and bustle of being a goddess was nice. A stroll seemed the most relaxing, so off you went.

The peace didn’t last long though. The armadillo ran up to you, being chased by a group of very large brightly color birds. You scooped up your small companion and looked at the birds in awe. They had to be the largest animals you had ever seen. Sticking a hand out you waited with baited breath. The smallest of the group lowered it’s head and lightly nipped at your finger tips. Jolting in surprise you splayed your fingers apart and let it explore your hand. Seeing that their friend was getting all the attention. The others joined in on checking out the new person. As they nosed around your person, you remembered that there was still a bit of grain in your pocket. Presenting it to the creatures, you were rewarded with enthusiastic pecking. You smiled at being able to offer your new friends something.

A sudden movement caught you eye. Someone that was large, with a spotted pelt, started behind a nearby corner. Squinting in the general direction, you shrugged . If they wanted to talk, they could approach you. On the other hand, with your status, you weren’t sure how many people would be comfortable with that.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Acolyte was nervous as he went up the stairs of the temple. He had been spotted rather quickly. A fact he knows Tzekel-Kan would not be happy with. Stealing himself he called out. “I’m back, sir.”

“Yes, I noticed.” He stepped from behind Acolyte and frowned. “Judging by how quickly you returned, I can on guess that you were unsuccessful in finding her.

The underling gulped. “No, she was easy to find. “

The other man’s expression brightened. “Then your quick return must be great news.

Steepling his fingers, he took a moment to think of the best way to answer. “ Not quite. She helped the man home and started to wander. Until she saw a small creature being chased by a flock of large birds. So she cradled the small animal while feeding the birds. But then she spotted me, which I knew staying would only be suspicious. So I came to tell you where she was and what information I could gather. “ He spilt out the gathered intelligence as quickly as he could. Hoping that Tzekel-Kan might not catch the part about getting caught. Though the look on his face said otherwise.

Rubbing his temple, he tried to relieve the headache that was starting to take over. “What should I expect. Sending an imbecile to complete a simple task.” With that he quickly walked out of the temple. It seemed like he was going to have to approach his goddess directly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You were enjoying cooling your feet in a small pond, when someone cleared their throat. Turning you notice the man that had started to occupy your mind, Tzekel-Kan.

“Do you mind if I join you?”

“Go ahead. “

He sat beside you and joined in dipping his feet in the pond. “I’ve come to apologize for upsetting you. It was never my intention.”

“Ok.”

He wasn’t expecting that. Maybe if he turned up the charm. “ I would never wish to offend a beauty such as yourself. “

You have him a sharp look. “And I wish to never see a living being slaughtered in front of me again. ”

His brow furrowed. “Do the gods not wish to receive worthy sacrifices?”

You wanted so badly to drop the act, but knowing what the result could be, you held your tongue. “It is not what I wish. From the reaction, it seemed like most were also against it. “

He scramble for words. “But this is the way it’s always been. How could the gods not want that? “

Bringing your feet out, you stood and turned from him. “Perhaps it time to live in the future, instead of suffering in the past.” With that you left him speechless, once again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next day was much livelier. Miguel had convinced everyone that being out and about wasn’t against the gods will. So being approached was a constant. It was nice to see so many happy faces though.

It was especially nice to see Altivo getting pampered. The horse had much the same life you had, when it came to the tyrant lording over you both.

In all it was a pleasent, if not busy, day. Settling into your sleeping quarters that evening, you didn't expect someone to call out to you. Heading for the door, you were confused by who was waiting for you. A man in a familiar spotted pelt was standing in the doorway.

“Um, Tzekel-Kan would like to request your company this evening. Goddess.” He ended with a nervous bow.

Crossing your arms you considered the offer. “Is there any reason he chose night? “

This seemed to fluster the man even more. “He had many duties today and only became free this evening. Goddess.”

Knowing that it may be to much effort to refuse you agreed. But on the stipulation he would take you now. Being made an early riser, you preferred to bed down earlier than most.

He nodded and quickly lead you to the priest.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tzekel-Kan had been preparing for you all afternoon. Acolyte had done the cleaning, while he put everything in the perfect place. The temple had never looked better. Though he had personally cleaned his quarters, should anything lead there.

Now he paced and anxiously awaited your arrival. He had given what you said a lot of thought. He spent the rest of the previous day frustrated. This was how the Gods were taught to them. He had always dreamt of living to appease the Gods. But he had displeased the loveliest of them. Waking the next morning, he had an idea. Maybe if he showed you what was taught, then you would understand. And if the text was incorrect, then you could guide them back on the path of righteousness.

He grinned at that thought. That could mean countless nights of pouring over many tomes. Who knows just how long it could take.

Hearing steps aproaching, he stopped pacing. Leaning against a near by wall, he tried to seem aloof. As you strode in, he couldn't help but take your stunning form. He may not like Chel, but he knew she had gotten you to show off your voluptuous figure. The way the flowing garments hug your body made him envious of them. Your wide birthing hips were particularly tantalizing on display. He could drink up the sight of you for all of eternity. He would worship you passionately to his last breath. If only he could convince you of the truth behind his thoughts.

Tonight would be the first step to that.

“Good evening My Goddess. I am so glad you accepted my invitation.” He swept his hand over to a plush seating area in the corner. “If you’d be so so kind to join me, there is something I wish to show you. “

And so you did join him. He showed you all he had to offer in way of writings about the gods. Page upon page of stories. It was all so intriguing. There were so many legends. Many centuries of catalogs. You absorbed all of it.

He was elated at your amazement of the information his people had of the Gods. It was truly an honor to share this with you. The way your eyes shown with each new story was addictive. He could imagine regaling you with tales for his life. Even the thought of telling children, your children, if he could ever be so lucky.

Though the tone ssuddenly shifted as he brought out the book of the Jaguar. “It is actually the year of the Jaguar, My Goddess.” His skillful fingers flipped through the pages. Landing on a particular etched picture of an imposing anything armored figure.

A shudder traveled down your spine. “I don’t want to read this one.”

“Nonsense, this text is of the most importance right now. “

You placed a hand on his arm. This caused him to look at you. He was surprised at the vulnerable expression It held. He shut the book and took your hand in his own. You looked away for a moment, then faced him with a new resolve.

“It reminds me of my father. I despise him. He is nothing but a plague on this world. Something that erodes all good and leaves only a path of destruction in his wake. I would rather die than go back in his care.” Your eyes held a far off glassy look to them. Reliving all of the past torment you had gone through.

Tzekel-Kan acted without thought and brought you into an embrace. He stayed silent and gave you a physical answer. Words would have been useless anyway.

And that was where you spent your night. Embraced in each other's arms.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As you walk to your home the next morning, you couldn't wipe the smile from your face. Maybe all the heartache you had been through was worth it. If you were to spend it in a place like this, with people this wonderful.

But that feeling fell away as the boys met you at the entrace.

“Where do you think you've been young lady? “ Tulio's tone was much to authoritarian for your taste.

“I just stay somewhere else last night.” You tried to not let any annoyance slip through.

“Oh so you weren't with a certain priest, that follows you around like a puppy. “ Miguel add his two cents, though with a bit less accusation in his voice.

“What if I was? It’s not like it interferes with your plan of robbing these people.” You looked between the duo, a glare set on your face.

Tulio pointed an indignant finger at you. “ Hey! You’ve gone along with this plan. Don’t pretend like you aren’t a part of it. “

Taking the few steps that separated you, your chest met as you hissed in his face. “The only plan i’ve been apart of is not getting us killed. You two on the other hand want to take advantage of the only people who have given us a fair chance at a good life. I didn’t get us all away from Cortez just to become like him.” You were breathless by the end of your speech. Turning away to cool down and not say anything you may really regret.

Miguel however had to pry. “ What does Cortez have to do with this?”

With a expression of disheartened fury you said. “Cortez is my father.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You couldn't stand to stay another moment. Walking as quickly as you could, without seeming suspicious, you left. Heading to the secluded pond you spent time with Tzekel-Kan, you didn't notice a figure follow.

Sitting at the edge of the pool, you angrily wiped your eyes. Frustrated tears gathered and you rubbed them away before they could fall.

“Pardon Goddess.” A kind, compassionate voice called out.

Startled, you turned and saw the Chief. He was waving a hand and gestured next to you. You shrugged and curled in on yourself. Sitting beside you he gave you a few moments to compose yourself.

Hearing your breathing calm he said. “You know, Tzekel-Kan and I haven't always seen eye to eye. But the last few days, i’ve never seen him smile so much.”

This comment caused you to perk up. “ Really? “

With a knowing smile he nodded. “Yes. He always seemed to be angry. Like the world was against him and he needed to make it pay. You though, you bring out the good in him. I honestly haven't seen him this happy since we were children. “

“He makes me happy too. I’ve never felt so wanted and protected.” You almost teared up at how true that really was. “Tulio and Miguel aren’t happy about it. We haven't known each other for very long, but we’ve been through a lot together. If it wasn’t for them I would still be a slave to my father. “ You gave a hard sniffle and sunk further into yourself.

He laid a reassuring hand on your back. “If they truly care for you, then your happiness is included. No matter the decision, you are welcome to stay or go. All people are welcome to our city.”

“You’re to good to us.”

“Compassion should never turn it’s back on those in need. No matter their past.” He patted your back and stood.

Your eyes widen as you realized what could be hiding behind his kind words.

~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning was full of tension. Tulio was heading out with Chel and a boat full of gold. While Miguel, Altivo, and yourself were staying behind. It hurt to see how broken apart your group had become, but it seemed to be what everyone had settled on. Even with Miguel staying, you still said little to each other.

You hugged Chel as she went to board the ship and glanced at Tulio. There was so much left unsaid, but never the right time to say it. Sending a sad nod his way you turned to go to Tzekel-Kan. He placed an arm around your waist. He may not have liked the two others you came with. However they were the reason he had met you. So he could let them slide just a bit.

Watching the split between the boys tugged at your heart. Until you noticed the smoke in the distance. Eyes wide you rushed to their side. “He’s coming!”

Rolling his eyes at your dramatics Tulio said. “ No, i’m leaving. “

“Not you. Cortez. He must have tracked us in some way. But how could he… “ The map flashed in your mind. “I knew that map looked familiar. Did you win it from one of his crewman?”

MigueI's eyes darted as he thought, then widened in shock. “Yes.”

Grabbing both of their arms you looked at both of them with pleasing eyes. “ We have to save them. “

The duo stared at each other, then nodded. They went to the boat, but stopped you when you went to follow. “If this doesn't work, then you need to help them. You should know Cortez better than anyone.” You had never seen such a serious expression on Miguel's face.

Nodding you went over to Tzekel-Kan and drug him to the Chief. “My father is coming. The boys are coming up with a plan, but they’re going to need all the support they can get.”

~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The last minute plan wasn't perfect, but it would have to work. Tulio and Chel would guide the boat into the cave pillars. While everyone else would knock over nearby structures. The force between the water and boat should seal the entrance.

The Chief and Miguel set to gathering peop!e and materials. Tzekel-Kan pulled you towards the temple to prepare a powerful weapon. He put the ingredients in and was surprised when the incantation didn't work. Anxiety squeezed at your chest. In desperation, you sliced you palm and held it over the vat. He looked at you in astonishment and a flash of understanding was in his gaze.

A large statue at the far side of the room leaped from the wall. You were startled, until you realized that Tzekel-Kan's movements matched the stone beast.

Sprinting back to the entrance, of the city. They had already began their plan. But the sails weren’t coming down. In a panic, Miguel road Altivo and released it. Leaving behind any chance of staying in El Dorado.

You wanted to cheer as the sail caught the wind, but you noticed the left tower wasn’t falling forward. You desperately tugged Tzekel-Kan over to the stable tower. “Push!”

He quickly realized the problem and helped you shove at it. With the assistance of the stone Jaguar, you managed to level the pillar.

With a great cheer echoing through the city, you turned to him. Heart racing you brought his face to yours in a jovial kiss. He promptly reciprocate, hand tangling around you and holding you flush to him.

A second cheer rang out and you realized that all of the city had witnessed your intimate moment. Embarrassment colored your cheeks, Tzekel-Kan raised a hand and whooped out an enthusiastic yell.

Looking over the crowd, your eyes caught the Chief’s. He gave you an amused nod and smiled. You returned the smile and kissed Tzekel-Kan again. Breaking apart you let out your own exclamation. Then interlocked your hand with his, raising it.

You hoped that the friends, who had just risked themselves for this city, were ok. Still you can’t help but feel like everything was going to work itself out for the better.

[cirilla-fiona-riannon]

Francis Drake Main Story

This is a rough translation. I’ll edit this if I find the time. Expect mistakes.

Drake stopped me, and I followed his lead and got into the boat.

Drake: "On your right is a very nice tower."

Mitsuki: "Hehe, that's the Eiffel Tower."

Drake: "That's right, the Eiffel Tower."

Just as he said himself, he hadn't yet memorized all the sights in Paris, so his tour was a bit clumsy. However, I found it enjoyable how carefree he was.

Mitsuki: "What you see over there is the building of the Paris Expo. I went there before with everyone from the mansion."

Drake: "Yeah, they're having a huge festival-like event."

Mitsuki: "It was fun. Let's go together next time. Vincent's studio is also around there."

Mitsuki: "Okay, next. The theater over there often performs Shakespeare's plays. Wait, why does it seem like I'm the one giving the tour?"

Drake: "Haha! You're amazing. I'm learning a lot from you."

He stopped rowing the oar and narrowed his eyes.

Drake: "This city holds a lot of memories for you and the folks at the mansion, huh?"

Mitsuki: "Yup. I was able to get used to and enjoy the lifestyle of the 19th century, thanks to everyone."

Drake: "Do you like this world?"

Mitsuki: "Yes, I do."

When I first time-traveled here, I was bewildered by the differences in time and culture. But now, the people I've met have become dear to me, and this world has become a place I belong to. So much so that I was willing to live here.

(But…)

Drake: "Then why the gloomy face?"

Mitsuki: "Huh?"

I lifted my slightly lowered face and saw him staring intently at me.

Drake: "Don't you realize? You seem to enjoy talking about this city and the people in the mansion, but sometimes you look a little sad."

(I promise not to feel down, and yet...)

He saw through my expression that I didn't even notice myself. He leaned his elbow on his knee and looked up at me, resting his chin on his hand.

Drake: "If you're carrying something, you can let it out here. You've been around here for a while, so it might be hard to talk to everyone at the mansion about it."

Mitsuki: "........"

Prompted by his gaze, I opened my lips.

Mitsuki: "It's true that I love this world."

Mitsuki: "But the more I think that way, the more I feel guilty about it."

Drake: "Guilty?"

Mitsuki: "Because my loved ones are in my world."

Family and friends. I had left everything from my past behind as I stepped through that door.

I really gave it my all to stay positive, but those lingering attachments and regrets kept dragging me down, making it difficult for me to start over.

Mitsuki: "I felt like I was betraying my world by accepting that I couldn't go home."

(Despite being treated well by everyone, I keep looking back repeatedly.)

(I'm so half-hearted.)

I clumsily let all the worries that had accumulated in my chest out into words, and he listened without saying anything.

Mitsuki: "Sorry you have to hear me talk like this."

Drake: "It's fine."

Drake: "You're ridiculously kind."

Mitsuki: "What?"

Drake: "You're worried that you're betraying someone."

Drake: "I've seen plenty of people get angry and sad because they've been betrayed, but you're different."

He said it as if he were in front of something mysterious.

Mitsuki: "I don't want to betray anyone because it would destroy the precious bond we've built."

Drake: "Bonds, huh?"

Drake: "No matter how strong your bonds are, there's always a chance the other person might betray you."

He looked at me and spoke again.

Drake: "I understand that your world is important, but it sounds like it's become a burden for you."

Mitsuki: "It's not a burden at all."

Drake: "You sure? The only things that come out of your mouth are thoughts of betrayal, guilt, and a sense of wrongdoing."

Drake: "You haven't forgotten or discarded that world. You're continuing to carry it while making excuses about being unable to do anything to comfort yourself."

(.......)

The words he said hit me like a knife.

He straightened himself up, and the wind rustled his hair and the feathers on his hat.

Drake: "If it's really important, even if you're apart and even if you can't meet, those feelings won't change and will remain just as strong."

Drake: "You should be proud that you have many important and irreplaceable things."

Drake: "It's your life. No matter how you choose to live, it won't be a betrayal."

(It won't be a betrayal?)

His straightforward words flowed like water into my chest, making all the worries and hesitations disappear.

Drake took off his hat and gently placed it on my head.

Drake: "Well, unlike you, I've always had this burning desire to get back at my enemies."

He playfully patted my head through the hat and smiled.

Drake: "If you're always thinking about those people and sacrificing your desires, you'll miss out on life."

Drake: "Or are there people among those 'important ones' who would call your way of living a betrayal?"

Mitsuki: "No! I'm sure no one would say something like that."

Drake: "Haha! You said it confidently."

Drake: "In that case, you should choose the path you believe in."

Drake: "In my opinion, living in a way that goes against your own wishes is the real betrayal."

Mitsuki: "Drake..."

(Even if I choose my way of life, my feelings toward those important to me won't change. I won't betray them.)

I traced those words in my heart once more, and my heart felt lighter.

(As he says, rather than being trapped in regret and guilt...)

I should cherish what's important and stay true to my feelings.

I reflected on my feelings and placed my hand firmly on my chest.

Drake: "I just had an idea. Why don't we throw some bottled messages in the ocean next time?"

Mitsuki: "A message in a bottle? The one where you put a letter in a bottle and throw it into the ocean?"

The letter was then carried away by the waves, never knowing when or to whom it would be delivered.

Drake: "Yeah, that. If we use it, the letter won't get destroyed."

Drake: "The ocean goes on forever, after all."

Mitsuki: "That's true. Thank you, Drake."

The smile he gave me was kind of glowing.

I squinted my eyes without knowing if it was because of the reflection of the light on the river's surface or because of my own feelings.

(A message in a bottle, huh? That feels like a dream.)

I hoped that one day I could make it come true with him by my side.

(Talking to Drake made me feel lighter, as if something I had been holding in my chest was flowing away.)

"You're continuing to carry it while making excuses about being unable to do anything to comfort yourself."

What he said earlier really stung. But his typical words and aloof smile freed me from the cycle of emotions.

(It's all thanks to him.)

I tried to thank him again but found him staring at the river.

Drake: "But I think it's amazing that you can think about someone or the world you've lived in."

Drake: "I'll probably never understand that in my lifetime."

He spoke in a hushed, mumbling tone, and his eyes had a cold light in them, giving off a chilling sense of vulnerability.

(Drake?)

Drake: "Well, I’m sure you’ll be fine, so you don’t need to worry about it."

Drake: "Real betrayal is much more merciless."

He suddenly wore a dazzling smile, quite different from before, and casually uttered those words.

(Does that mean he has experienced that before?)

Drake: "Even so, you're quite mysterious."

Mitsuki: "Huh? Is there something strange about me? I think I'm pretty normal."

Drake: "That's what's strange about it. You time-traveled, lived with vampires, and got caught up in ridiculous destinies, but you're just an ordinary girl."

Drake: "You worry, you laugh—you're just a normal pretty lady."

Mitsuki: "........."

My heart skipped a beat at his gentle smile.

Drake: "Maybe that's the sort of person who's destined to make a difference."

Mitsuki: "Drake?"

He suddenly leaned forward, his smile vanishing.

Previous Part ╎ Masterlist ╎ Next Part

[honeeysagee]

Too Hot To Think - WSCK

shopowner!Sam x mechinac!Bucky

part one

Sam was having a day. That's the only way he could describe it.

The hot sun was leaking through the windows and glass roofs of his greenhouse. The air conditioner, which he had fixed that morning, suddenly shut off again, and the small fan was doing nothing to keep Sam cool while he worked. He'd meant to go fishing this morning, but his fishing rod was missing and, to make matters worse, his truck needed gas.

Now, as he crouched among the rows of plants, sweat dripping from his brow, he could feel the frustration mounting. The tomatoes looked wilted despite his best efforts, and the stubborn weeds seemed to mock him as they sprouted back up almost as fast as he could pull them out. He longed for the peaceful escape of the lake, but instead, he was stuck battling the relentless heat and relentless weeds. Sam sighed, wondering if he'd ever get a break from the constant stream of minor disasters that seemed to plague his mornings.

His work phone rang. The worst phone to ring when he was having one of these days. Sam loved working, he did. Yet, he hated the idea of working in this heat. He thought to let it continue ringing, but the noise was also working on his nerves. So, reluctantly, he set aside his rake and picked up the receiver. “Hello,” Sam said cautiously. “Unfortunately, the Wilson's is closed and will remain that way all weekend."

The voice on the other end chuckled, and Sam knew instantly who it was. He'd grown very familiar with this person. "Hey, Buck," he said afterward, even giving him a nickname.

"Hey, Sam," Bucky replied, still chuckling. "I didn't know Wilson's closed on random weekends."

"It usually doesn't," Sam admitted with a sigh. "But I'm having a 'me weekend'. Or at least, I was supposed to, until my plans got canceled." He continued to mindlessly pick at the things in his greenhouse until he realized that a call from his employee was making him pace like a schoolgirl.

"Oh," Buck said, his voice dropping slightly. "That's too bad. I was looking forward to being bossed around by you today." There was a moment of charged silence, the kind that made Sam's heart race a little faster. He cleared his throat. "In this heat? You're insane." He wondered if it hid the weird tingling feeling in his throat and stomach. He prayed it did.

"Speaking of heat," Bucky let out a large sigh into the phone, "Is Louisiana usually this hot? I'm dying." Sam sat the phone down, placing it on speaker. Then, he spoke, "Yeah, that's why I wanted to be by the lake. Catching that cool breeze coming off the water is my favorite thing about fishing." Sam paused, remembering younger days when he and his father had taken the boat out for the day. Just to come back with half a cooler of fish and all their bait gone. It didn't matter to him - as long as he was doing something he loved with his dad.

Buck spoke, pulling Sam back to the present, "Why aren't you there again?" Sam felt himself flush under the attention. Instead, Sam felt as if he'd just been caught red-handed in something he should've kept secret from Bucky. "Oh, I can't find my fishing rod, and I ran out of gas," Sam mumbled into the phone. The admission felt took in his throat. Why was he suddenly so embarrassed to confess things to Bucky? The two of them have grown close to each other over 2 months, but he still felt like he had to impress Bucky.

"Well, your rod is in the back of my truck, remember? I'll be more than happy to bring it to you." A couple of weeks ago, they had planned an impromptu fishing trip after a long day of work. Sam had been so excited about it that he had tossed his rod into Bucky's truck the night before. But then, a last-minute emergency at Wilson's had kept them from going. They had laughed it off, promising to reschedule, but in the chaos, Sam had forgotten all about the rod.

Sam's heart skipped a beat. "You'd do that?" he asked, trying to keep his level, even going as far as to remind himself that he was a grown man. It wasn't just the usual camaraderie between friends. The smallest compliment from Bucky felt like a triumph, and the thought of disappointing him was unbearable. He remembered the way Bucky's eyes lit up when they joked around, the way his laughter sounded like music to Sam's ears. Was it weird to say about a friend?

"Of course," Bucky replied smoothly. "I'll bring the rod, and maybe we can fill up your truck and head to the lake together. What do you say?"

The suggestion sent a rush of excitement through Sam. He glanced around the greenhouse, at the wilting tomatoes and mocking weeds, and felt a glimmer of relief. "Yeah," he said, a smile spreading across his face. "I'd like that a lot, Buck."

Bucky laughed again. "Okay. See ya soon, Wilson."

The line went silent, and Sam placed the work phone back in his pocket. He stared at his greenhouse, the flush colors of green and yellow washing away the last of the light from the overhead fixtures. The heat was starting to affect his brain, making it feel fuzzy and distant. He couldn't concentrate properly anymore, so Sam decided to leave his work alone for a few hours. He gathered his tools, grabbed a bottle of water from his fridge, and headed inside.

He made sandwiches for him and Bucky. Then, he shuffled to his living room, taking deep breaths every moment. It didn't last long because the sound of a truck horn invaded the house. When he turned to look out his front window, he saw Bucky leaning against the truck, staring into the distance. The 6'6 mechanic looked so photogenic, that Sam forgot how annoyed he'd been about the summer heat. He had a nice smile and those deep blue eyes. Sam grabbed the bag of food and locked the house.

"Well, look who came to my rescue," Sam said, walking up to his friend. His voice wavered when he added, "Thanks." Bucky smiled at him, flashing perfect white teeth. His hand reached up to brush some stray hairs behind his ear, and his expression changed. Concern flitted across his features for only a second before the grin returned.

"Hope I didn't take you away from your day off."

Sam shook his head enthusiastically. "No, you're fine. It would be nice to hang out outside of work." "Sounds great to me." He followed Bucky back toward his car and climbed in after Bucky unlocked it. After a couple of minutes, Bucky leaned forward and cranked up the AC. "This feels better." Sam snorted as he buckled up his seatbelt. "If you hate the heat so much why are you wearing long sleeves?" he teased.

Bucky's eyes flickered to his arm, and Sam instantly wanted to rip the words out of the air and swallow them. He knew about Bucky's missing arm and what now took its place - a cold metal with was a hard reminder of a life he left behind. Sam offered found himself looking at the arm, thinking of the secretive life Bucky lived before coming to Delacroix. He wondered about the stories Bucky never told, the battles fought, and the losses endured. There was a part of him that longed to know more, to understand the depth of the man who had become so important in his life. He thought about the scars Bucky carried, both visible and hidden, and the weight of his past that he seemed to bear with quiet strength.

The drive to the lake was filled with the hum of the engine and the rhythmic whoosh of the AC, providing a comfortable background for their conversation. Sam settled into the passenger seat, feeling the cool air soothe his overheated skin. He glanced over at Bucky, who was focused on the road, his hands steady on the wheel.

Sunlight streamed through the windows, casting dappled patterns on Bucky’s face as they passed through tree-lined roads. Sam observed the way Bucky's brow furrowed slightly in concentration, the casual confidence in the way he handled the truck. There was a quiet strength in Bucky's presence that always made Sam feel at ease.

"So, your buddy, Steve, he just up and left?" Sam gets comfortable with asking about Bucky's past. He, himself, was an open book. Bucky, on the other hand, was quite guarded. Although Sam liked to tease him, it was clear that he didn't have anything to hide. So if there was one thing that he could tell from observing the man closely over these months, it was that Bucky was a private individual. And even if they were friends, Sam didn't want to intrude. So for now, he just enjoyed spending time with him.

"No, not really. He was gone before he left. His mind went wandering, and one day, he just followed." Bucky answered casually. Sam nodded, but something bit at him. Nothing came of it as they pulled into a small deck. Bucky was the first to leave the truck, walking to the back of it. Sam was next with his eyes on the lake's horizon line. "This is a good spot," He threw the statement behind him and at Bucky, "Used to fish here every day in high school."

Bucky came up behind him, a smile warming his face. "Were you any good?" Sam chuckled, "Did catch one. Never have unless my old man was with me." Bucky cocked his head to the side and looked back at the water. Sam picked up his rod from the ground and walked towards it. The water was calm and clear. As soon as he sat down, his knees brushed against the soft grass surrounding the dock. He cast his line into the water.

"I can be your lucky charm." Bucky joked before running past him, catching Sam completely by surprise. Bucky's feet were in the air before Sam could stop him. He caught a glimpse of silver before Bucky dived head-first into the lake. He heard the splash of the water hitting the bottom, the faintest splash as Bucky came up. For a minute, Sam just stood there staring, his face reflecting his shock.

There, where Bucky's arm should be, was a metal one. It was smooth and shiny, like a metal sculpture. Sam's eyes were instantly drawn to it, mesmerized by its sleek and intricate design. The arm gleamed in the sunlight, every curve and joint a testament to advanced engineering. It seemed almost otherworldly, a perfect blend of form and function. The metal caught the light in a way that made it appear almost alive, a striking contrast to the natural beauty around them. Sam couldn't tear his eyes away, captivated by the strength and elegance of the arm, by the power it held.

A moment later, Bucky pulled his hair back from his face and smiled. "I ran all the fish your way," he called out. Sam turned, blinking rapidly and trying to focus on the conversation, to get his mind back on track. When he turned back, he saw that Bucky had moved closer. The other man was smiling, attempting to push the waters and make it near Sam.

As he stepped closer, Sam noticed the look of concern in Bucky's gaze. Sam tried to read it but, despite Bucky's efforts, he couldn't make sense of it. Whatever it was, however, Bucky's eyes shifted suddenly away to the arm. No one spoke, but the air was full of tension.

"Um, I…" A strange look crossed Bucky's face. He swallowed. Sam waited for him to continue, and he watched as Bucky's mouth worked, forming words but never getting them past his lips. Finally, he sighed loudly and lowered his eyes. "It's weird," he muttered quietly. "Now, you know why I wear the long sleeves and gloves."

Sam felt his throat tighten, but he managed to shake his head. He didn't see his prosthetic as weird. He was no longer looking at the arm because he was more focused on the body Bucky kept concealed. He studied the muscles shifting under the turtleneck, the sharp edges poking from the fabric like little spikes. Sam was sure his arms must look bad compared to Bucky's. Sam tried to keep his thoughts on something else, tried to push back the feelings building in his chest. Instead, he chose his words carefully.

"It's not weird. I think it's cool." His voice was hushed, almost unsure of his own opinions. His heart rate increased. Sam mentally slapped himself, feeling stupid as the silence stretched on. Suddenly, Bucky was laughing. Sam frowned quickly, confused and anxious. Bucky wasn't laughing because of his response to Sam's comment, which was expected. Sam saw amusement dancing in Bucky's eyes, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

Sam narrowed his eyes, still watching Bucky warily. "What?"

"Nothing," Bucky waved him off, still chuckling a little bit. "Nothing at all, Wilson." He paused again and then looked up. "No one has ever told me my arm was 'cool'. Kinda funny." He shrugged. When Sam remained silent Bucky continued, "But thank you. Now, you know all my secrets."

They stared at each other for a second. Sam swallowed. The intensity of his stare didn't go unnoticed by Bucky. He blinked slowly and gave him a shy smile, the one that always melted within Sam. He cleared his throat, his cheeks burning as he averted his eyes from Bucky. "What you thinking about, Wilson?" Bucky asked, pulling himself out of the water and onto the deck.

As Bucky emerged from the lake, water streamed off his body, shimmering in the sunlight. The droplets fell back into the lake, creating a series of ripples that expanded outward. The surface of the water, previously calm and undisturbed, now danced with the motion of Bucky's movements. Each ripple caught the light, glistening like a thousand tiny diamonds scattered across the lake's surface. The water clung to Bucky's metal arm, highlighting its contours and adding a dynamic, almost magical quality to the scene. As he sat there, the water continued to drip from him, merging with the lake in a gentle, rhythmic pattern, the sound a soft accompaniment to the serene environment around them.

"It's too hot to think, Barnes."

Sam looked over and found Bucky sitting by the railing, his eyes fixed on Sam. Sam let out a breath and shook his head, trying to find some balance. "I think you scared the fish." He stated. Bucky laughed and took a few deep breaths before standing. The smile remained plastered across his face and Sam's stomach fluttered when he caught the sight of a small trail of droplets dripping downwards from Bucky's shoulder.

He shook his head once more, his heart hammering in his chest. They'd just come to the lake to spend some time together, but already he felt like he was floating, floating away from himself, away from everything, from everyone. It hadn't happened often in Sam's life, but whenever it did, a strange sort of longing began to fill him. Something inside him wanted to escape. Something was calling him to follow its beckoning. Sam tried to shake himself free of the desire to follow whatever it was.

"Well, I guess we have to catch them by hand." Bucky grabbed Sam's hand, the cool metal caused a wave of calmness through his body. He looked up at his friend before realizing he was falling back into the water. Sam tried to let go, but Bucky was holding on tight. The moment he hit the lake, coolness enveloped him, the sensation both shocking and refreshing. He felt the resistance of the water as he plunged deeper, bubbles rising around him in a chaotic dance. Sam gasped as he broke the surface of the lake, his breathing hard. Bucky followed soon after, his lungs protesting, but he fought his urge to cough. Instead, he grinned and swam toward Sam.

He lifted his hand above the water to reveal he was holding a fish. It wiggled in his hands, trying to take flight, but Bucky only held it tighter. Both men stood there in bewilderment. Sam watched his employee grip a fish with widened eyes and a dumbfounded expression on his face. His cheeks were red from the water, his blue eyes shining with excitement. Sam couldn't help but laugh. Bucky finally looked up and met Sam's gaze. "What?" He questioned, a slight pout playing at his lips.

Sam shook his head. "Nothing." Bucky, after letting the fish back into the lake, turned to look at Sam. He started swimming closer to the dock. Sam followed closely behind, making sure to stay close enough to keep up. "Sorry, for getting you wet." Bucky whispered, almost like he was ashamed of himself, "I don't know what came over me."

"It's okay, but this is coming out of your paycheck." The men laugh softly and they continue to float along the lake. They drift into small conversations, discussing various topics, their voices echoing between the trees. Sam was glad to hear Bucky talk. He had no idea how to respond. His brain felt like static, nothing but a single sentence. He couldn't remember when had been the last time he'd spoken so many words to someone.

As the sun set, the heat began to dissipate, leaving the evening air cold and crisp, making the air seem much clearer. Sam could hear the chirping of crickets and frogs. He looked over to where Bucky sat next to him on the dock, staring at the lake in awe. Sam watched silently as Bucky's face relaxed. "This place is beautiful," Bucky muttered softly. His voice sounded strained, but Sam couldn't tell whether it was from swimming all day or something else. Sam nodded mutely. The lake reflected the setting sun in a fiery display of orange and pink, turning it an intense shade of red. After some moments, Sam spoke. "Hey…Barnes?" He said softly.

Bucky didn't turn to look at him, choosing instead to continue staring at the view in front of him. "Hm? Yeah?"

"I probably would have stayed inside, sulking in the heat. Thanks for today." Sam smiled and watched as Bucky turned to look at him. The expression he wore seemed different than usual. Sam wasn't sure why, but somehow, in this light, everything seemed more vulnerable. Like all of the barriers were gone like he was exposed.

"It was really nothing," Bucky replied softly. Then, without warning, he moved to stand. Sam didn’t move away. His lips parted and closed several times as he desperately searched for the right thing to say. He was so afraid of doing or saying something wrong. All he needed was to say the first words that came to mind, those that he knew would mean absolutely nothing because there was no way he suddenly had a crush on his employee.

But, the way Bucky looked at him right now made him rethink those thoughts. There was a fire in his eyes. A fire Sam didn't recognize. It was unfamiliar and yet familiar at the same time. Bucky took a step closer, the distance between them shrinking. Sam could feel his heart pounding in his chest, the sound of it loud in his ears. He wanted to say something, anything, but the words caught in his throat.

"You know, Sam," Bucky began, his voice low and filled with a strange intensity, "I've been through a lot of tough times. But moments like this, they make it all worth it."

Sam's breath hitched. He could see the sincerity in Bucky's eyes, the raw honesty. It was overwhelming. He swallowed hard, trying to gather his thoughts. "I feel the same way, Buck," Sam finally managed to say, his voice trembling slightly. There was an underlying truth there, but he wanted to ignore it.

Bucky smiled a genuine, warm smile that lit up his entire face. He reached out, his fingers brushing against Sam's. The touch was electrifying, sending a jolt of warmth through Sam's body. Sam tried to ignore the sensation building in his chest, a warmth that he didn't want to name, a feeling that seemed to grow with every second spent in Bucky's presence. He pushed it down, convincing himself it was just the remnants of a good day and nothing more.

"Let's pack up," Sam said, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside. Bucky nodded, and together they began gathering their things. The sun had dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows over the lake, the sky now a deep shade of blue with stars starting to twinkle. They worked in comfortable silence, the sounds of the night filling the air around them. The quiet companionship was soothing, a perfect end to an unexpectedly perfect day. Once everything was packed, they made their way back to the truck, their footsteps crunching softly on the gravel path.

Sam stole a glance at Bucky, who was walking beside him, his expression content. The fireflies danced around them, tiny sparks of light in the growing darkness. Sam's mind raced with thoughts he wasn't ready to confront, feelings he wasn't ready to admit. As they reached the truck, Bucky turned to Sam with a gentle smile. "Thanks for today, Sam. It was great."

Sam nodded, his heart pounding in his chest. "Yeah, it was. Let's do it again sometime."

Bucky's smile widened, and he opened the truck door, climbing in. Sam followed the cool air inside the truck a welcome relief from the lingering heat of the day. As they drove back, the rhythmic hum of the engine and the steady whoosh of the AC filled the truck, and Sam couldn't help but feel that something had shifted between them.

[pardi-real]

Honeymoon Knight / Chapter 4 - Gondola of Happiness

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~ After a while ~

Lucas: "Well, my lord... While talking is enjoyable, how about heading to a restaurant for lunch? The sun is getting higher, and staying outside might get you a sunburn.”

> "Got it, let's move"

> "Right, let's have lunch"

Muu: "Hehe…! I want to eat delicious fruits!

> "Yeah, sounds good!"

> "I want some as well"

Nac: "Hmm, fruits… In that case, I know a cafe where you can enjoy various fruits."

> "I'd like to visit that cafe"

Nac: "Fufu, understood. Well then, let me guide you. It's a bit of a distance from here, but if we take a gondola, we'll get there quickly."

Muu: "What's a gondola?"

Nac: "It's a small boat propelled by a person. The boatman will row us to our destination."

Muu: "Oh! So that boat is called a gondola! I remember riding it with Flure and others before! My lord!"

> "Indeed"

Lucas: "But still... a gondola during the June bride season is quite romantic, isn't it?"

> "What do you mean?"

Lucas: "Fufu, well… In Velis weddings, the married couple often takes a gondola to the venue. I've seen it a long time ago, and it's a truly beautiful sight."

> "I see..."

Lamli: "As expected, Master Lucas knows everything! I'm starting to look forward to riding the gondola with my lord! When we board and when we disembark, please hold onto my hand!"

> "Understood”

> “Thank you, Lamli”

And so, we headed to the boat dock to board the gondola.

Boatman: "Welcome. Where will you be going?"

Nac: "The destination is the West Area. As it involves an important individual, we request a safe journey."

Boatman: "Understood. We'll head to the West Area at a leisurely pace."

Muu: "Hehe… A gondola after so long! I'm excited!"

Lucas: "Muu, be careful not to fall. Let me carry you."

Muu: "Yes! Thank you very much!"

Lamli: "My lord, I'll board first... Hold onto my hand and board slowly, please!"

I carefully stepped onto the boat with Lamli supporting me.

Once everyone was on board, the gondola started moving, and the scenery began to unfold slowly.

Nac: "Fufu… The cityscape of Velis is truly beautiful. My Lord, it may only be for a short while, but please enjoy the view from the boat.”

> "I will"

> “Thank you, Nac”

Lucas: "Hmm..."

Lamli: "Oh? What's wrong, Master Lucas?"

Lucas: "Well… I was just thinking."

> "About what?"

Lucas: "Yes, a while ago...

We talked about couples taking a gondola ride in Velis, right?"

> "Yes"

Lucas: "There's actually… A little tradition associated with that."

> "A tradition?"

Lucas: "Yes. When you ride this gondola and compliment each other, it is said that happiness will visit each of you."

Muu: "Wow. That's a lovely tradition!"

Lucas: "So...♪ shall we give it a try?"

Nac: "Us too?"

Lamli: "Yes, yes! I can say lots of good things about my lord!"

> (Feels like this might get embarrassing...)

Lamli: "Alright then, may I go first?"

> "Wait a moment…!"

Lamli: "Huh?"

> "I want to hear good things about everyone first"

Lamli: "Ours?"

Nac: "Good things about us… well, I have no qualms, but why…"

> "I want each of us to be happy"

Nac: "My Lord...! Haa… How kind of you…! You always consider us so dearly."

Lucas: "Since my lord is saying that... Let's compliment each other."

Lamli: "Master Lucas… there are many wonderful things I can say about you!”

And so the butlers proceeded to compliment each other.

Lamli: “Master Lucas has a lot of good points… but your loving nature is the most charming! 

And, when we're together... I feel you're incredibly~ mature! Is this what they call adult charm...? Somehow, I admire those cool and gentlemanly behaviors!"

Nac: "And, particularly notable is… Your calm and realistic approach. Balancing kindness and rationality...

As a butler… No, as a human being, I aspire to learn from you."

> "Indeed, Lucas is level-headed"

Lucas: "Fufu… Thanks, everyone. Now, moving on to the next person… Lamli, let me share some of my positive thoughts about you.

When I think of you, Lamli, your cheerfulness and sincerity stand out, and It's truly admirable how devoted you are to our lord.

I sense that this dedication might be a bit risky, but… your ability to wholeheartedly love and prioritize them above all else is undeniably your greatest strength, Lamli.”

Lamli: "Ehehe… Thank you very much, Master Lucas!"

Muu: "Mr. Lamli seems so happy, doesn't he? Alright… Now, Mr. Nac, what are Mr. Lamli's good points from your perspective?"

Nac: "Hmm, well…

……”

Lamli: “Uhm, Nac… if you say something like 'I can't think of anything in particular,' I might get real mad, you know?"

Nac: "Good heavens… of course there's no way I would say such rude things. 

So, about your good qualities, Lamli… Well, Mr. Lucas had mentioned this too, but I suppose your sincerity is admirable.” 

Lamli: “Eh…”

Nac: “Expressing emotions and affections so openly… It's something I could never imitate.

Well… Though at the same time, it's a weakness. But still, such straightforwardness... I sometimes envy it."

Lamli: “E-err…”

Nac: "Hmm… Complimenting Lamli feels strange."

Lamli: "M-me too, hearing you complimenting me is creeping me out…"

Muu: "He said all that… but Mr. Lamli looks a bit happy."

> "Good for you, Lamli"

Lamli: “N-not at all… I'm not happy or anything getting complimented by Nac!”

Lucas: “Fufu, Lamli is… not quite honest when it comes to Nac.”

note: I wonder why they didn't call the boatman as a gondolier despite openly calling the boat as a gondola

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[ab4eva]

Putting this in your ask box because you are one of two (hiiii @thedeviltohisangel 💗) who I can say with no hesitation understands my love, thirst, and yearn for mister Callum Turner. Can we please talk about how this man can take charge of any situation without being a douchebag or coming off as imposing or threatening? I come bearing examples :

1.) In Boys in the Boat there’s a scene where the audio is cut because it’s part of a time sequence in the film and one clip is him arguing with one of his cast mates while on the rowing boat (I am totally blanking on the actor’s name but I’m 99% sure it’s the actor who plays Don) and he said it’s actual footage of them arguing that was kept in the movie. He said they were disagreeing over who kept messing up the shot of them rowing but he owned up to being at fault and apologizing.

2.) He has said that for Masters of the Air he did have to step up sometimes (along with Austin) to get the guys in line. He said it was nothing major just a “shut the fuck up!” to get them to quiet down and then there’s that bootcamp video where they’re lying in a straight line and one guy can’t keep up and he says “that’s why i said he should be in the front!” and then in the next shot Callum is beside the instructor getting the guys in formation.

It’s these tendencies of him to take charge and/or speak up but only because he cares so much and he isn’t afraid to take the stand. It’s not often, especially in the industry, that someone of a smaller stardom standing can have a voice and not be deemed a ‘diva’ or fired but he does this in a way where he’s still loved by cast and crew. George Clooney, Gary Oetzman - they all speak highly of him. This is the man who was such a big fan of Daniel Day Lewis so he took the initiative of personally reaching out to him to ask for advice and now they’re friends. Austin has listed Daniel Day Lewis as an idol, and we can argue that Austin is a more known actor, and even he hasn’t/done that! (Nothing against Austin btw.)

But it’s just Callum is so normal, so humble, effortlessly himself that it shines through and he’s able to do things like this because it’s genuinely him. I went on a rant but I just love him so much.

Oh my gosh Bri, thank you for this excellent and well thought out dissertation on the nature and temperament of our beloved Callum Robilliard Turner.

I agree wholeheartedly and I am in love with your very thoughtful observations of him. He’s a hard worker but kind, confident but not arrogant, knows when to apologize and isn’t afraid to be a leader. The man has character. How did we get so damn lucky?

P.S. You can always come talk to me about our boy 💕

[veeagainsttheday]

After some discussion in a gc I ranked the OFMD soundtrack choices for each season.

Season 1:

Gnossienne No. 5: I have a Pavlovian response to this song now. I hear it and a little movie reel in my mind starts up with The Kiss (Season 1 edition). 

The Chain: This was my most played song of 2022 on Spotify for a reason. The choreography: immaculate. That shot where the small boats are approaching the Revenge and it skips to the beat? Should have won an Emmy on its own. And Stede and Ed looking at each other as the music and the world fades away leaving only their love? Yeah, that’s the good shit. 

Avalanche: This music overlaying Ed’s transformation into the Kraken, the shots of Stede’s books falling into the water? “I have begun to long for you/I who have no greed/I have begun to ask for you/I who have no need/You say you've gone away from me/But I can feel you when you breathe” It takes a scene that could have been campy or funny and with the power of Leonard Cohen elevates it to the most emotionally devastating shit you’ve ever seen.

Our Prayer: It’s so brief but it’s SO good. The blissful music overlaying Stede’s smile at being known. 

Miles from Nowhere: Beautiful song, beautiful sentiment, Stede is finally, truly free of his old life and is on his way to discover what his new one will be: “I have my freedom/I can make my own rules/Oh yes, the ones that I choose”

High on a Rocky Ledge: I loved this choice as an opening and hearing it over the shot of all the flags always makes me so emotional. 

Perfect Day: I can’t believe I’ve put my dear Lou Reed so low on this list but that’s what the impeccable choices above do for me. Obviously the crucial lyrics here are, “You made me forget myself/I thought I was someone else/Someone good” and juxtaposed over Ed rowing alone and Stede returning to discomfort in a married state it’s just so much. 

The Empty Boat: I actually LOVE this choice, the lyrics are so good for Ed’s expression and feelings in this scene, but it just doesn’t feature as strongly as the others. 

Bonus shoutout to Il triello: Olivia, give him the old fuck eye!

Trailer interlude:

Because the Night: This choice made me absolutely deranged. Hearing this was when I was like oh they are going to fuck and I am somehow going to be seeing it in a few weeks on my screen. The night before the premiere I was so full of emotions that I took a drive and played this over and over again while screaming along to try to get some of them out. 

The Beautiful Ones: My brain became an endless loop of Baby baby baby for a week with Stede’s words and the cake toppers overlaid. 

Season 2:

This Woman’s Work: This is THE song of the season to me. We all wanted a reunion, we wrote something like 10,000 versions of it, I personally wrote something like 10 versions of it, and then the actual reunion was SO gorgeous and SO perfect and soundtracked by this and “all the things I should have said that I never said, all the things we should have done that we never did” and that piano and the build and and and I will never recover. 

Pygmy Love Song AND Seabird: I put these two as one because they’re the crux of Ed’s journey in this season and they work so well together thematically. First, the Impossible Birds - imagine hearing that there’s a piece of media about Blackbeard, infamous pirate, where one of his lines of dialogue is, “We’re never going back to land. We’re gonna sail, rob, raise hell, forever and ever without end” and instead of these words being delivered as a tough war cry they’re instead spoken in utter grief in a voice made nasal from tears. Taika’s delivery is so good it makes me want to eat through a brick wall (and all shout outs forever to Joel Fry for playing off him in this scene and several others). Playing in the background, its music lilting and warbling just as much as Ed’s voice? “My heart, my heart is full of love, I have nothing else.” So then a bunch of stuff happens (see the aforementioned reunion above) and we’re in episode 4 and Ed sees Buttons turn into an actual Impossible Bird, choosing to transform himself for love, and as Ed says “Fuck yeah brother, fly,” his face shining with revelation, we get, “There’s a road I know I must go/even though I tell myself that road is closed/like a lonely seabird/you’ve been away from land too long” MAGGIE PHILLIPS YOUR MIND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Run From Me: I was already a big Timber Timbre fan so when I read that one of their songs was in the show, I got very excited, and this did not disappoint. Its use to bookend this episode was incredible - the jilted wedding theme and the slow beginning of the song at the beginning as Ed is clearly in such a low place contrasted with the faster end of the song at the end of the episode as Ed enters this manic state during the storm - double Maggie Phillips your mind!!!

Strawberry Letter 23: The opening chords of this starting right after Ed introduces himself as the devil - just perfection. Ed’s sending 88 letters in his own way. 

Road to Moscow: This one feels like a real “I just heard it last night and if anything happened to it I would kill everyone and myself” situation. Fascinating use here because the song is about a Russian soldier witnessing the ultimately-failed German invasion of Russia in WWII - a notoriously bloody campaign with massive losses on both sides, which is of course what happens to our crew and the soldiers they encounter as well. This line gave me chills in the context of the crew fighting through the trees: “Ah, softly we move through the shadows, slip away through the trees/Crossing their lines in the mists in the fields on our hands and on our knees/And all that I ever was able to see/The fire in the air glowing red, silhouetting the smoke on the breeze”.

I Love My Baby: Perfect double use. Also further wedding foreshadowing: “Just say you love me

And we'll go to the preacherman/Just say you love me/And before him we'll stand/We'll live our lives together/As we go hand in hand.”

Baby: Can’t believe this is so low but the other ones were all so good!! 

The Times They Are A-Changing: Great use, loved that they used the Nina Simone version, it’s just not as significant to me as the others. 

Callback Gnossienne No. 5: this playing while Stede’s looking through the cabin in episode 3 made me want to lay down in the road. 

[depressedbagpipe]

"Blackbird to Robin, do you copy?" (Billy Russo x ofc)

Chapter three

Words: 5286 Warnings: coffee i guess (me knowing just too much of it, btw go drink some water instead), billy being a little mafia-ish, owen being a lil shit, harper knowing too much, dana being a bit of a pain in the ass, A/N: this took way too longer than originally expected, so thank you for waiting <3 life's been getting a bit busier yet I'm learning how to manage my time better, fingers crossed that i know how to do that haha. btw i completely made up the name of the coffee shop so if it turns out it's a real place, let me know cause i don't want to be sued xd Taglist: @badasseddy, @noortsshift, @britishbassett

Series Masterlist Previous chapter &lt;;> Next chapter

Chapter three

‘Two cappuccinos for table three, please.’

‘What’s the deal with cappuccinos, anyways?’ I said while grabbing two clean mugs, and quickly putting them on the coffee machine behind me.

‘Guess you’re good at them,’ Harper winked at me as she grabbed a clean rug and dried her hands with it.

‘No, but seriously, I like cappuccinos too but like, last time I prepared thirty in a little over an hour. I mean, is that healthy? And this is coming from someone who loves coffee!’

Harper laughed at my antics. ‘It’s a nice brewage! People just like cappuccinos,’ she shrugged, disappearing through the door and into the kitchen shortly after.

‘If they only liked tipping better…’ I mumbled.

‘I heard that!’ Harper shouted from the other room.

‘Damn it.’

My hands moved automatically as I prepared the drinks, carefully decorating the foamed milk on the mug and making sure not to spill anything as I took them to the couple sitting by the door of the café.

They barely acknowledged me when I set their cappuccinos on the table, giving a short nod in my general direction without taking their eyes off each other.

Rolling my eyes, I walked back to the counter, noticing that no new customers were waiting to be attended to. I sighed deeply, looking around the bar, busying myself with cleaning anything in sight, if only to have an excuse to avoid Billy’s dark frame on the corner, directly facing me as he pretended to read a book.

His Americano had definitely gone cold long ago, but he still took careful sips, his tongue occasionally making an appearance to lick the remains on his lips. It was a true sight to behold, but every time my eyes darted to him, his were already fixed on me. He had a sixth sense of knowing when someone was looking at him.

Harper had even complimented his eyes, which would only inflate his ego more.

‘What?’ she had asked after noticing the glare I sent her. ‘Your boyfriend’s cute.’

‘He’s not my boyfriend,’

‘Well, he certainly keeps looking your way,’ the older woman winked at me.

‘Yeah, that’s not it at all,’

‘Whatever rows your boat,’ she only laughed at me as she kept counting the money at the register, making me sigh deeply.

I absolutely adored Harper. She had taken me in the second I came stumbling into her café, wet from the sudden downpour and in heavy need of a job. Despite having no experience brewing coffee, she had thrown all reason out the window and given me a safe place beside her, becoming pretty much my sole source of income. Many hours had been spent between those four cozy wooden walls, hundreds of steaming mugs passed along, and thousands of faces asking for a drink before going on with their lives. And despite the stress and the neverending shifts, and the too-sassy personality of its owner, HarpBrews Coffee had become my second home.

My phone pinged in my pocket. Discreetly grabbing it, I peered at Owen’s message, stating he would soon be walking through the door. I took a deep breath checking the hour on the big grandfather clock on the side of the café. The afternoon rush hour had already ended, yet a few customers still came for their boost drinks before heading out to the Friday nightlife they loved so much. Unfortunately for me, I still had a few papers to write, and a late shift to cover, all while the exhaustion of having slept four hours was starting to take a toll on my body. 

Putting my phone away, I caught Billy’s eyes on me again. He was slowly turning the book's page, not even bothering to pretend he hadn’t been caught. I raised my eyebrow at him but didn’t say anything. Only when he leaned his head to the side I finally walked up to him.

‘Doesn’t your butt hurt?’ I asked, grabbing his empty mug. ‘You’ve been sitting there for three hours without moving.’

‘It’s been three hours already? Wow, time does fly when you’re having fun,’ he smirked, checking his expensive wristwatch and widening his eyes.

‘You’re hilarious. You should audition for the circus, I heard they’re running out of clowns,’ I said with a shake of my head.

Billy put down his book. ‘Amazing wordplay, ten out of ten,’ he clapped slowly, but the mischief in his eyes didn’t leave.

‘Can I get you anything else?’ I asked him, hoping not to hear his comeback.

‘What’s your specialty?’

‘Cappuccinos, apparently.’

‘Sure, let’s see what the fuzz is all about,’ he said, leaning back again on his chair and picking up the book.

I sighed, walking back to the bar and preparing, yet again, his own cappuccino.

‘Please, don’t spit in it.’

‘I wouldn’t dream of it, Mr. Russo,’ I called back, making sure to keep a smile on my face after noticing the many heads that turned my way. 

I internally groaned, already knowing some of them would be leaving immediately, their tips long forgotten.

Only when I grabbed the cocoa powder I stopped my hands. I held the plastic template in between shaky fingers, debating whether or not Billy deserved some cocoa design on his foam. A small part of my brain was slapping itself at my childish resentment, but an even bigger part was slapping the other for even doubting. It was Harper coming back from the kitchen and seeing me with the cocoa in my hands that made me move, carefully sprinkling the powder on the mug until it took the shape of the open book of the template. 

‘He reads too?’ she whispered when I passed her by, setting the mug on a tray, together with a clean spoon and a napkin.

My stomach grumbled right as I picked it up, the realization of not having eaten anything in a while finally catching up to me. I looked over at Billy, who hadn’t eaten anything either, but this time it did seem he was too preoccupied with his book. I glanced at the small counter displaying Harper’s baking, and with another sigh, I picked up a vanilla cookie and placed it on a small plate, bringing everything to Billy.

He raised his eyebrows once I approached his table, setting everything before him.

For the first time since I met him, he seemed genuinely surprised. 

‘Oh, thank you, Dana, you didn’t have to,’ he set the book on the other edge of the table, eyeing the latte art on his cappuccino.

I shrugged. ‘Yeah, well, you must be hungry. It’s on the house, by the way.’

Nobody said anything else, for the small bell by the door rang, and Owen’s smile greeted me as soon as I turned my head to face the sound.

‘Waddup?’ he took me in his embrace, hugging my waist tightly for a few seconds before removing his arms. He barely moved away, regardless.

‘Hey, what took you so long?’ I asked him, motioning with my head to sit on one of the empty tables nearby the counter.

Owen unloaded his bag on the table, pulled out his laptop and phone, and took a seat as he adjusted his dirty blond fringe that fell unceremoniously over his eyes after taking his beanie off.

‘Sorry about that, Mrs. Russell was on a rant about the newest councilmen appointment and we pretended to be interested in it so she would forget about last week’s assignment.’

‘You didn’t turn it in?’

‘I didn’t do it,’ he said with a shrug, laughing it off.

I shook my head at the boy, remaining silent as the coffee machine whistled behind me, brewing yet more coffee despite the late hour.

‘Latte macchiato for me, please, if I take more caffeine I’ll dig a hole in the floor from buzzing,’ Owen called, his fingers already typing on his laptop.

I laughed at his comment, knowing how many energy drinks he was capable of ingesting over a day. 

‘You sure your heart can bear more of it?’ I asked him, placing our coffees down on the table.

‘It can now that you’re here,’ he winked at me, his eyes focusing once again on the screen before him.

Rolling my eyes, I went into the back of the café to retrieve my bag, ignoring the chime of the bell at the front door.

‘Harper, I’m on my break!’ 

‘Okey dokey!’

Harper’s chirping voice was heard at the bar, welcoming whoever had nothing better to do than having a coffee so late in the evening.

I quickly unknotted my apron and hung it on its respective hanger, pulling my hair out of its bun and pulling my sweater over my shoulders, knowing the lack of movement would become a problem later.

Walking out of the kitchen, I was shocked when I saw Frank Castle sitting down next to Billy, talking in hushed voices. I didn’t fail to notice the third person sitting with them, worried concentration drawn on her beautiful face. 

I walked in hurried steps back to Owen, who was sipping on his coffee completely unaware of the rising tension on the table behind him. His back was to them, allowing me to slide on the opposite seat, getting a clear view of the three adults. 

The sound the chair made when I dragged it back caught the attention of the two ex-marines, who quickly glanced up at me. I waved inadvertently at Frank, still awkward in his presence, but he returned the gesture by silently nodding his head at me.

The moment ended as soon as Harper returned to their table with steaming mugs for the two newcomers, the little party returning to their hushed conversation as if they had been going at it for hours and not just a few minutes.

I shrugged and sat down.

‘Everything okay?’ Owen asked, his eyebrows drawn in concern at me.

I shook my head, not wanting to talk.

‘Yeah, just tired.’

‘Well, I hope you’re not too tired for this because I have no idea where to start and you’re the only one I trust enough to partner up with.’

‘Always the charmer, Owen,’ I sighed, opening a new tab on my laptop, and quickly typing down the topic of our latest academic torture.

‘Don’t get me wrong, I love working with you. But I love pissing Malcolm off even more.’

‘You guys did one project together weeks ago, you surely can’t keep the feud up.’

‘He’s an asshole. It’s his fault we failed.’

‘And now he’ll hate you forever after selling him out.’

‘He deserved it.’

‘Really rough strategy.’

‘Well, I’ll have my lawyer call his lawyer.’

‘You’re your own lawyer, Owen, this is why we’re doing this in the first place.’

Owen took a few seconds to reply, his fingers stopping over the keys while he arched one eyebrow at me. ‘Someone’s moody.’

I sighed once again, already feeling a faint thump appear at the back of my head. ‘Look, I don’t wanna mess the project up, and I barely got any sleep last night, so please, can we just… concentrate on this? So we don’t have to pull another last-minute all-nighter the day before the due date?’ 

My pleading seemed effective, for Owen raised his hands in the air and apologized before returning to the task at hand.

‘Alright, alright. Look, on the way here I read a few articles that could be helpful.’

‘Cool, text me the link, and I’ll give them a quick look.’

‘Not so fast, loca,’ he laughed to himself. ‘You gotta do something for me first.’

‘Wow, not five minutes in and you’re already blackmailing me? New record.’

I was staring at him through heavy lids, knowing his plans usually ended in disaster.

‘This one’s good, I promise.’

‘Spit it out, then.’

‘I text you the articles, and you go on a date with me tomorrow.’

The sweet taste of my mocha latte turned suddenly bitter. Loud coughs left my mouth as the liquid burned my lungs. From the rim of my eyes, I saw Billy and Frank’s eyes on me, their posture tense, ready to pounce. I shook my head, only I didn’t know who it was meant for.

‘What the actual fuck, Owen?’ I managed to ask between coughs. 

He glanced up innocently as if we had been talking about clouds.

‘What? ‘

‘You can’t be serious.’

‘I am. I’ve been meaning to ask you out for a while now but it never seemed appropriate.’

Owen was now stirring his beverage a little too nonchalantly, but the little tick in his fingers made the spoon tremble ever so slightly.

‘And you think now is appropriate?’

My voice was a little hoarse, and my throat burned slightly, but I was determined to put the boy in his place.

‘It was a joke, Dana, you don’t have to be so defensive all the time!’ he brought the screen down and rested his elbows on the table, staring into my eyes. ‘Look, maybe this wasn’t the right way to ask you out, but I promise, I’m not kidding. We work well together, and you’re pretty hot, and I think we could make a nice couple if you’d give me chance.’

I stared at him for a while, scanning his face, looking for any indication that he wasn’t being genuine. I found none.

‘Look, Owen…’ I wanted to reply, but he cut me to it.

‘Just one date. If it goes well, we’ll see what we do from then. If it goes wrong, I won’t bother you again,’ he raised his hands again. His body moved as if he were trying to appease a looming beast. His eyes, though, held a confidence I had barely seen before.

‘Just one. After we’re done with the project,’ I added as soon as his lips broke in a giant smile. They quivered slightly at the afterthought but nodded his head fervently regardless.

‘Deal.’

‘Will you send me the links now?’

‘On it.’

···

We mostly worked in silence after that, only breaking it to share a few comments here and there. Harper had thankfully filled in, going as far as allowing me to double my break so we could get some work done.

‘Alright, so I’ll keep researching this and you write the rest?’ Owen confirmed.

I nodded. ‘Yeah, it honestly won’t take me long. On Monday we can meet up again and go over the next point,’ I said, rubbing my eyes.

The little mascara I had applied in the morning had certainly worn off during the day, but I didn’t care. I was too exhausted, and I still had another hour to fill.

‘Sounds great. You going out later? Jeremy said he was throwing a party,’

‘I don’t think I’ll be alive by then,’ I said in a low voice, closing down my books and putting everything away in my bag. 

‘Honestly, I don’t know how you do it.’

‘Me either.’

‘I’ll text you tomorrow. If the summaries aren’t on the shared file in the evening, feel free to call and scream at me despite my future hangover,’ Owen said with a short hug.

‘Will probably do,’ I answered back as he waved and left, the café almost too silent with his absence.

Only the small party of three refused to leave their seats.

‘Everything alright over here? Can I get you guys anything?’ I asked them, knotting my apron behind my back with practiced expertise, and pulling my hair up once again despite the strain in my arms.

‘I could use an espresso,’ Frank said, looking at me with somewhat of a smile.

‘Me too, I’m in for a long night,’ the woman replied with a kinder tone, giving me a wide smile.

‘Dana, this is Karen Page, one of the best lawyers in town and a close friend of ours,’ Billy spoke up.

Realization dawned on me as I stared at the woman, my eyes widening.

‘Oh, my gosh, I’m a huge fan of your work,’ I shook her outstretched hand a little too enthusiastically, but she didn’t seem to care.

‘Thank you, I’ve heard a lot about you too,’ she grinned.

She stood out, sitting in front of both men, with kind eyes and sweetness of manner, despite knowing how deadly she could be in her field. She truly was someone I admired dearly and had quickly become one of my main motivators to become a lawyer. 

Going back to the bar to prepare their orders, Harper tapped me on the shoulder.

‘You’re seriously gonna date the lanky kid over that greek god?’ she whispered while she untied her apron.

I rolled my eyes at her. ‘Yeah.’

‘Did you bump your head this morning?’ she rested her hands on her waist.

‘I’m perfectly fine, thank you,’ I wasn’t looking at her anymore. ‘That greek god over there is old enough to be my father.’ 

‘But he isn’t, is he?’ she wiggled her eyebrows. ‘How am I the oldest here? You should be out having fun on a Friday night with the fine specimen that has been eyeing you the entire evening, yet you’re closing down the café,’ she threw her hands in the air, her voice a little louder.

I shushed her, noticing Billy’s eyes on us for a few seconds. 

‘Yeah, well, I’m trying to be a responsible adult,’ I shrugged, pouring the hot espresso onto two smaller mugs.

‘Hell, I’m a responsible adult and still go out,’ Harper waited for me at the bar as I brought the mugs back to Billy’s table.

‘Thank you so much, Dana!’ Karen grinned appreciatively at me, quickly bringing the mug to her lips.

‘Careful, it’s still a bit hot.’

‘It’s perfect, thank you,’ she winked at me, making me chuckle softly at her before returning to Harper’s side.

‘Look, I just want you to have fun once in a while,’ Harper went back at it. 

I looked down at my feet, wishing to escape the lecture she was about to give.

‘I know, and trust me, I do have fun,’ I said.

We were no longer whispering, but the place was too deserted for us to care.

‘Reading at home is not the kind of fun I’m talking about,’ she sent me a pointed glance.

‘Well, I’m happy being by myself, Harper. I don’t need as much social interaction as everyone seems to think I do,’ I sighed, busying myself with cleaning the coffee machine, somehow knowing no one else would be ordering anything else for the rest of my shift.

‘Dana, I know your life hasn’t been easy these past years but you still deserve to be young and have fun. Hell, I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but maybe going out on a date with Owen isn’t a bad idea. At least you’ll talk with someone your age for once,’

‘Hey, I talk to people my age all the time,’ I defended myself.

‘Your classmates don’t count. I mean friends, Dana, actual friends. Not just colleagues, or neighbors, or even me.’

‘Harper…’

‘I know, I know. You’re happy. I just worry about you, that’s all.’

‘Well, don’t. I promise there is nothing to worry about. Now off you go, I know your secret man is waiting for you,’ I gently pushed her out of the way in the direction of the main door.

Harper smiled almost shyly at me, some color going to her cheeks.

‘Alright, I’m leaving. The kitchen’s clean, all that is left is the main part,’ she said, zipping up her coat. She let her hair down, making her look even younger, and matching her lively personality. ‘Don’t burn the place down while I’m gone.’

She opened the door, not without turning the Open sign backward to show the Closed written on the other side.

‘Won’t do,’ I was basically pushing her away. At least one of us would be having fun tonight.

‘Oh, and tomorrow don’t bother coming, I’m giving you the day off. You know where the check is!’

She turned and ran to the other side of the street, expertly avoiding the cars and walking with a happy strut.

I sighed, almost relieved at her absence, basking in the silence of the café despite the still low conversation taking place at the far end. Closing the door and drawing the curtains, I walked back to the kitchen, grabbed the cleaning supplies, and walked to the front yet again.

Billy caught my actions, walking to me as I started wiping the tables and bringing the chairs on top to wipe the floor.

‘You closing already?’ he asked me directly.

The sudden sound almost startled me. Hearing him address me after hours of nonexistent conversation had left my skin bare. The pounding in my head seemed to diminish slightly.

I shook my head. ‘I’m just cleaning out. I still got another thirty minutes, you can finish whatever you guys are doing.’

He nodded unconvinced, yet walked back to his table.

My body moved automatically, my mind blank and my eyes laced with exhaustion. I noticed Billy’s table full of papers and binders, with Karen scribbling down every so often. Some part of me wondered what they were working on, but then I remembered. The less I knew the better.

Shaking my head, I did a once-over, checking everything was clean and back to its respective place. With only ten minutes to go, I whisked my phone off my pocket, mindlessly scrolling through Twitter, and wishing time would pass by faster.

‘Hi,’ Karen suddenly spoke before me. I jumped a bit in my place, not expecting to find the woman with her and Frank’s empty mugs on the counter. ‘Sorry for scaring you, I just wanted to bring you these. The coffee was amazing, by the way, the best I’ve ever had,’ she smiled at me.

I grinned back at her. ‘Aw, thank you. You don’t have to lie, though, there’s better coffee out there,’ I said, quickly washing the mugs and leaving them to dry.

She shook her head. ‘No, really, it was amazing. From now on I know where to get my daily dose,’ she winked again, her good humor instantly lifting my mood. 

‘Well, we’ll be waiting with open arms,’ I laughed softly, immediately liking the idea of seeing her around.

For a split second I wondered how she could be friends with someone like Frank and Billy, but then again, how could I be friends with someone like Harper?

‘Well, I don’t know if Billy told you, but I’m also working on your case,’ she slid her hand over mine, her warm fingers wrapping around my hand and squeezing in sweet comfort. ‘Whatever you need, you can come to me, alright?’ she looked deeply into my eyes.

I froze, not expecting her forwardness, but nodded in appreciation nonetheless.

‘Thank you, Karen.’

I didn’t know what else to say, but thankfully Frank came to my aid. Or rather, Karen’s.

He slid a hand over her waist, the lightbulb suddenly going on over my head.

‘Really good coffee, Dana.’ 

He nodded at me, always the same short bow of his head. I’d like to think it was our way of greeting each other, even though I knew I wouldn’t be seeing him again once all this was over.

‘Thank you, Frank.’

‘We should get going,’ Billy finally spoke. 

I noticed their now empty table was shining, the strong bleach smell coming from the only corner I hadn’t been able to clean due to it being occupied by them. Billy was now placing the dirty rag on the sink.

‘You cleaned it?’ I asked incredulously.

He simply shrugged. ‘It’s the least I could do. I’ve been sitting there the whole time.’

I shook my head in disbelief, opting for grabbing my things. I picked the envelope under the kitchenware cabinet, Harper’s preferred spot to hide my paycheck in case we were ever robbed. I looked at the three green bills, deflating a little despite knowing it wouldn’t be much, but I still put on a smile and raised my head, noticing the three pairs of eyes on me. 

‘You can leave already, I’m just gonna head back one second,’ I said, putting the envelope on the counter and heading to the small room we used to keep our stuff while we worked. Putting on my coat, grabbing my bag, and making sure the lights at the back were off, I returned to the three adults waiting for me.

It felt weird. I wasn’t technically friends with either of them, but the way they all stood protectively in front of me as if I were some defenseless little girl –which I technically was, almost make me long for a stronger friendship. Both men were intimidating enough, clad in dark attire and harsh demeanors, and Karen, despite her softer features, was still a force to be reckoned with. I could only aspire to become half the lawyer she was, and with the three of them in their expensive clothing, with real jobs and real lives, I was brought once again to the reality of the situation.

With a small sigh, I followed them to the door, making sure to close the establishment behind me, suddenly the prospect of going home to the peace I desperately needed broke by the realization of having Billy with me.

‘Well, gentlemen, I better be going,’ Karen said out loud. ‘Dana, it was a pleasure to meet you. I know we’ll be seeing each other soon,’ she brought me into her arms, another unexpected comforting gesture from her. 

Her presence was calming, which I thoroughly appreciated.

‘You too, Karen,’ I grinned at her.

‘I’ll walk you,’ Frank offered. His voice was still deep, and despite his offering, it almost felt like he grumbled his words.

But Karen paid no attention, sending him a warm smile, and interlocked her arm with his.

‘Goodnight, guys. Billy, behave,’ Karen glared at Billy, eliciting another chuckle from me. 

I nodded at Frank before he could, and despite catching him off-guard, he reciprocated the movement, and the two turned the other way and left, Karen laughing loudly at whatever Frank had said.

I stared at the two, warmth filling my heart at the thought of them being together. They sure made some odd couple, but there was no denying the sparkle that filled both of their eyes when they looked at each other. It felt nice, knowing even Frank had someone who could bring the sun into his dangerous life.

Billy coughed beside me, effectively snapping me from my daydream.

‘Ready to go?’

‘Yeah.’

His hand on my back guided me toward his car, thankfully parked not far away from the entrance. He opened the door for me again, his eyes looking around the dark street, before walking around and getting into the driver’s seat. 

I hissed at a particularly big thump of my skull, massaging my temples hoping the growing headache would go away.

‘You okay?’ Billy asked, briefly looking at me before returning his eyes to the road.

‘Just some tension. Hopefully, I’ll get some sleep tonight.’

I noticed the way his leg pushed the pedal a bit more, the speed of the car increasing. 

‘Then let’s get you to bed,’ he answered.

‘I wanna have dinner first, though.’

He bit his lip. ‘I may have ordered something for us already. It should be ready once we get there.’

I widened my eyes. ‘Billy, you didn’t have to.’

‘You got me a cookie earlier, this is my way of saying thanks.’

‘You can’t compare a cookie to a full dinner.’

He shrugged his shoulders. ‘For someone with a headache, you sure wanna fight.’

I scoffed, despite the truth in his words. I simply leaned back on the seat and closed my eyes. I felt the passing lights on my eyelids, but the soft roaring of the engine and the silence surrounding us helped calm my racing thoughts.

It was shortly after that Billy was parking the car, the sudden halt making me open my eyes. 

‘We’re here,’ Billy announced but made no move. ‘Am I gonna have to carry you upstairs too?’

With that, I quickly unbuckled myself, almost jumping out of the car and closing the door loudly. I wanted to believe that the warmth in my cheeks was only due to the exhaustion, and not at the thought of Billy carrying me in his arms. 

He followed me into the building, crashing into my back when I stopped abruptly right before the stairs at the sight of the old man with the nastiest scowl.

I winced. 

‘Mr. Morrison, a pleasure to see you!’ I drew a wide smile on my lips, praying that he would leave soon.

‘Miss Jones, you’re late. It’s almost Saturday,’ he glanced at his wristwatch, an almost hungry smile on his face. ‘A few more minutes and I’d have to evict you.’

I knew that’s exactly what he wanted, but I kept in my remarks. ‘And, as promised, here’s the week’s payment,’ I grabbed the envelope, opening it to grab the right amount, and noticing the fourth bill right away. 

I furrowed my eyebrows, knowing Harper hadn’t given it to me.

‘And who’s the rich kid behind you? You know you’re not allowed to bring anybody in without my permission!’ he was fuming. The old man descended the steps, taking the money from my trembling fingers without looking away from Billy.

‘I’m Billy Russo,’ he introduced himself. He didn’t make an effort to extend his hand for Mr. Morrison to shake, though. 

The old man paled instantly. His eyes widened at Billy, who sent him a harsh glare while Mr. Morrison found the right words to say.

‘Oh, it certainly is a pleasure, Mr. Russo,’ he immediately hid the money in his pocket and proceeded to adjust his shirt. ‘What can we humbly offer you on this fine night, Mr. Russo?’

‘Well, I believe you’re exploiting some of the residents in this building complex. I know rent prices went up last month, but nearly not enough to completely leave them with no income,’ he continued.

I was left speechless. I hadn’t told Billy about my ongoing feud for my rent, but as always, Billy seemed to know everything about me and my life. It only reminded me how little I knew of him. 

‘Oh, well, you see, Mr. Russo, Miss Jones here…’ but Billy cut him off.

‘Here, take this,’ Billy grabbed a sealed envelope from a pocket inside his expensive jacket. ‘And if you happen to bother Miss Jones again, I’ll make sure the finest lawyers of New York City know about the many irregularities that take place here.’

He looked at him with that stoic yet fierce glare, the same look he had used with me in the interrogation room just twenty-four hours before. It felt like a lifetime, and it once again showed the many sides to Billy Russo that I wasn’t aware of.

Mr. Morrison only shook in his place, taking the envelope with shaky hands and lowering his head, moving aside to let Billy walk by and up the stairs.

I followed after him, too stunned to say anything at first, but with too many questions swirling around.

‘Did you extort him?’

‘I bought him.’

Silence.

‘Did you leave the hundred dollar bill on my envelope at the café?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Why?

‘Just a tip.’

Silence, once again. We reached the door to my apartment, heavy silence following us into the dark entrance.

‘What were you reading earlier?’

‘The Picture of Dorian Gray.’

‘How fitting.’

Next chapter

[stellari-s]

HEY SO SAW THE POST ABT THE ITHAQUA HCS. kinda tame (not sure if this is a popular one tho) but i feel like ithaqua has some. troubles with looking at reflective surfaces without his mask since all it does is remind him of his twin brother and what happened to his mom

🪞

request; yes, and they're still open. anon here is referring to this post! i decided to just make it a permanent thing in the end. i wanna hear y'all's takes.

wc; 692.

tags; angst, maybe a bit of comfort, some flashbacks, some fantasy too, bai ze! qi shiyi is a secondary character. (what is her emoji? does anyone know??)

summary; ithaqua has lost his mask thanks to some "pests", and while looking for it, he comes across a calm lake that shows a perfect reflection...

i think it’s here somewhere.

ithaqua bites his lip, hard enough to turn it white but not enough to draw blood. he managed to get rid of those who got in his way, but somehow they managed to knock off his mask, and it was like it went poof from existence.

he looks around the area. nothing.

a flame of irritation threatening to spread from within, he clicks his tongue. things will become troublesome without it - he needs this mask, or otherwise he is not “ithaqua”. he will just be a normal boy: a child who cannot protect those close to him and so can only do nothing but watch them being taken from him.

he doesn’t want that, and so he needs his mask.

the fog is starting to gather around too, thickening into a white smoke-like blanket. ithaqua decides to continue walking along the path, noticing the fog clear up gradually as he ventures deeper into the heart of the forest.

in said heart is a clear lake where no impurity can reach, said to be almost like a paradise of some sort.

when ithaqua finds himself along the edge of the lake, he can’t help but look down: the water is so calm and clear that it almost makes him uncomfortable.

down below, a perfect reflection stared back at him.

it seems to mock him, imitating his every expression with alarming precision. when ithaqua widens his eyes, his reflection does as well. when his eyes narrow in disgust, so does his reflection.

no, it could hardly be considered a reflection.

it was a person whose face was his own - the very same person who made his mother suffer, and ithaqua as well. his breathing becomes more ragged by the moment and the sound of chains, screams, and wicked voices fill his ears like buzzing as he looks into those dull cerulean blue eyes, that pale skin, the silver hair...

suddenly, a ripple distorts the figure in the lake. even the slightest ripple spreads to make that detested face unrecognizable.

“you appear quite troubled.” when ithaqua looks up, the voices in his mind becoming more and more muted, he sees a boat - when did it get here? - with a girl standing atop holding a long bamboo; she must have used it to disturb the calm waters. she is clad in a white shirt with jade-colored accents and black skirt. parts of her long, flowing onyx hair, adorned with jade and gold, is braided. while her expression remains stoic and posture coldly elegant, her voice is gentle. “reflections speak to the soul to take it away. it would do you good to be more cautious.”

ithaqua chooses not to say anything, partly because he isn’t sure what to say, but also because he can’t bring himself to fully trust her even though she had helped him. he watches as the girl rows toward him before wordlessly, she holds out a familiar mask.

it’s the mask he had been looking for.

ithaqua breathes out in relief, feeling like letting out a breath he had been holding, as he snatches the mask from her hands and quickly puts it on. the anxiety slowly building up in his chest and threatening to burst breaks down, replaced with a feeling of security and peace.

where did she find it though? the question nags his mind, but he can’t bring himself to ask.

instead, she continues speaking. “mirrors know your true self, including your deepest fears, and they will try to chain you to your past,” she says, “but in the end, it is but a mirror.”

“...what are you trying to say?” ithaqua asks, enunciating each word carefully.

for the first time, he sees a small, wry smile play on the girl’s lips. “that what a shame it would be if you were taken over by someone who is no longer roaming this world.”

her smile is fleeting, as her expression returns to a stoic one.

“always remember who you are, ithaqua. if you do, then maybe looking in your reflection will become more bearable, even if only a little bit.”

[i-believe-in-soriku]

I See The Light

“So... It’s here?” asks Riku with curiosity. 

“Yep! And I’m sure you’ll love it. It is full of life out there!”

Riku opens his eyes. They are in the central square of a village in the Kingdom of Corona. 

---

How did they get here, one might ask? Well, Rapunzel, the Princess of said Kingdom, invited Sora to her birthday. Sora then asked Riku to come with him; he wanted his friend to enjoy the warm, welcoming atmosphere of the Kingdom, and also to show him the splendid celebration that occured every year in the name of the Princess. Sora still kept a few things secret from him, like the fact that lanterns were to be released in the sky, offering a wonderful view. He wanted that to be an actual surprise for Riku. It reminded him of all the nights they had spent when they were little, watching the stars on the beach of their island. He thought his friend would definitely like that.

---

And so they are here. Sora looks impatient, like he can’t wait for the celebration to begin. They make their way across the crowd, trying to find Rapunzel to say hello. Riku cannot help but smile as he looks all around; everyone seems happy to be here. He likes the Kingdom so far; that is the kind of place he has always hoped to visit. 

It takes them a while to be finally able to find Rapunzel before the time comes to start dancing, given all the people there are, but eventually Riku, being taller than Sora, ends up spotting the long blond hair that Sora had described to him (the younger boy had laughed at him while descring Rapunzel’s hair, saying that she was the only person he had met with longer hair than Riku’s). 

They approach  Rapunzel, and the Princess is delighted to see Sora. 

“Sora! You came. Thank you so much. You must be Riku?”

“I am. Glad to meet you.” He doesn’t really know the appropriate way to salute a princess, but she doesn’t look offended, so he reckons it is fine. 

“I hope you’ll enjoy the celebration. But my guess is that with Sora, you definitely will. He’s such a good dancer! Did you know?”

Sora laughs so much when he sees the skeptical look Riku gives him. However, when the ball starts, Riku has to admit that Sora is, indeed, a good dancer. He switches partners and  has not a single hesitation to mix with the crowd, and he laughs so much with these people. They meet several times and each time, Riku is literally holding his breath. Sora is glowing, his aura is even more attractive like that.

 And then the ambiance and the joy of the people all around helps him getting rid of his shyness and he has plenty of fun too. The highlight of the dance is when Rapunzel arrives and that Sora and her start a very energic and cheerfull dance together. 

Sora was right, Riku thinks - that place is so alive, and partying there is refreshing. So different of what they both know. 

After the dance, everyone spreads out in the streets. The two islander boys stop at a stall to grab something to eat, then they go to the shore, talking about the best moments of the festival. It is a calm and relaxing moment and Riku cherishes those instants spent with his friend. 

As the night falls, Riku notices that everyone gathers near the row boats moored a few steps away from them. He guesses that Sora didn’t bring him here for nothing, and he is right: a few seconds after, Sora shows him a boat and tells him to wait inside. When he comes back - which takes him five minutes - he is holding two lanterns, a big smile on his face.

“Surprise!” 

“What’s going on?” asks Riku. 

“We’re going to launch the lanterns over the lake!” announces Sora, proud that he managed to keep the secret until the very end. “I wanted to surprise you. You’ll see how beautiful it is!” 

Riku observes the people around them, climbing into the row boats. They are many, as much as they were during the Ball. The Princess must be very loved by her people, he thinks. But he isn’t jealous. 

“So, all of this is on the sake of Princess Rapunzel.”   

“Yes. Her parents were looking for her, since she was kidnapped as a baby, that’s why they created that celebration for. But Rapunzel loved it so much, that even after they found each other, she insisted that they keep on celebrating her birthday that way.”

Riku knows a bit of Rapunzel’s story because Sora had talked about it a little bit before. It is a beautiful story, and most of all a story that ends well. That is enough to make him smile. 

Sora hands him a lantern. 

“We have to make a wish before throwing them, so think about yours.” 

Riku ignores why, but it looks that it is very important to his friend that he makes a wish. He said that while looking at him right in the eyes. He promises he is going to find a wish to make; he has plenty of stuff he wants, so he is pretty sure that he’s not going to have any problems in finding something to ask for. He has no idea what Sora is going to ask, though. 

“Do we tell the wishes out loud?”

“Certainly not!” says Sora.

After that, they slowly move away from the dock, rowing with their lanters placed between them. The sky is purple now, but they can still see clearly. They watch the many other spectators on boats, waiting for the signal to launch their lanterns. It is soothing to hear the the distant sound of their conversations mingled with the sound of water lapping peacefully. 

They spend dozens of minutes in silence before Riku asks: “So, why did you want to bring me here?”

“Why not?” Sora is slightly taken aback by the question. 

“I don’t know. Just asking.” 

Maybe it is a silly question, he just realizes. But somehow, he feels like he has to ask. Because he really, really wonders, why would Sora chose him among others to do this? Or why just him? But maybe there isn’t any reasons. Sora is generous, he has always been. 

Sora shrugs. “Well, it’s just that, the first time I saw these lanterns, they reminded me of something, but I couldn’t put my finder on it. Then, I just thought that I had to show you this. That’s when I realized. Light in the dark? That’s just you, isn’t it? They made me think of you, so I just had to show you.”

His smile is wide as he says that, but that isn’t that that moves Riku, it’s his words. He is perfectly aware that however kind these words were, Sora has no idea of how much they are meaningful to him. To imagine that light in the dark is a worthwhile comparison to himself is enough to make him want to cry. Yet he doesn’t. He just doesn’t know what to say. He wants to ask his friend what he really means by that but suddenly, the darkness is tinged with orange gleams. So he just says: 

“Sora, we should try to make these lanterns fly.”

“Let me light them”, proposes Sora before joigning the action to his words. 

Then he hands his light to Riku. “And don’t forget to make your wish!”

“Do I really have to though?”

“Don’t know. I just think it’s the perfect moment to do this, right?” 

Riku closes his eyes, then thinks before finding his dearest wish: to be able to share many other moments like that one with Sora. That’s just it. When he opens his eyes, his friend is staring at him, smiling. He says nothing but he offers him is own lantern. He signs him to do the same. Riku asks himself if Sora invented the “we exchange lanterns before we throw them into the sky” bit, but he likes the idea: they entrust each other with their wishes. It makes the moment even more special. Intimate. 

They do the launching of the lanterns together. The lanterns grazs the water before starting to rise into the sky, and then, they turn around each other, like they are attracted together. After a while, they disappear among the other lights in the sky, and they lose sight of them. Riku looks Sora who is pointing at a boat full of people, throwing what looked like a swarm of fireflies. 

A light in the dark, he thinks. Yeah, that defines what Sora represents to him just fine. He hopes he will one day have the courage to tell him that. He grabs Sora’s hands; his friend looks back at him. He looks so happy.

“So, do you like it?” 

“Yes. Of course I do. It’s wonderful. Thank you so much for bringing me here.”

Sora looks particularly pleased to hear that. He adds nothing and both of them just enjoy the scenery. They even talk to a few other passengers. Il is a cheerful moment, maybe a little melancholic too, but most of all, magic. 

Riku asks where the lanterns are going now. Perhaps, like them, they will find themselves scattered in distant horizons, or maybe they will be separated; perhaps they will face storms, or they will be stranded in an unknown place. But at the end, thinks Riku, looking at Sora, at the end, all that matters is the wish that binds them together. 

♥♥♥

I have been promising ya’ll to translate and post that fanfiction since mid 2020. Can’t believe me it took me that long. I’m so, so sorry for that :’) I hope you will like that fanfic. As usual I’m sorry for my English. I did my best but I don’t think it’ll ever be perfect. Thank you for reading this, do not hesitate to say what you think about it :)

[push-baby-push]

Lauren's Tale

Written by @tbgblr in conjunction with Perfectcrowning

Lauren Wood was 36 and fitted the description of the typical ‘independent woman’ to a tee.   She was very career focused but made plenty of time for her personal life around it.   Scott Jones, her boyfriend of 5 years, was in the same boat – it worked well for them.

Both were very sporty, the pair enjoyed going away for weekends together taking part in anything from mountain climbing, orienteering, even as far as running marathons together. Lauren was a keen cyclist and had dreams of doing a charity bike ride from one end of the country to the other (I suppose for our international readers, I should mention this is from the top of Scotland to the bottom of England, about 850 miles)

One thing they had not found time for in their life was to start a family.   In all honesty, it suited them both.  Lauren was not very maternal, and Scott had a son from a previous relationship which allowed both of them to practice the ‘parenting from a distance’ idea that seemed to appeal – after all, children were good in small doses, but get in the way of living your life when you’ve got such a busy schedule… or at least that was what they both said.

It was during a weekend trip camping that calamity struck the couple.   After several drinks and being cuddled up together with only their tent and the couples sleeping bag the only barriers to the cold chilly air outside, they both became amorous, arguing it was an attempt to keep warm.  Of course, their senses were a little dulled from the alcohol they had ingested, as the condom came out, Lauren grabbed it to playfully put it on Scott’s erect pole.  One slight tug too tight, and her fingernail nicked it, leaving it woefully ineffective for the task they believed it would perform.

The lovemaking was magical. Honestly, both thought they had the best sex they had ever experienced together.  Being out in the wilds, with no one around them let both release their inhibitions and gave them a new sense of freedom never previously experienced. Lauren climbed on top of her beau and rode him, bouncing up and down and yelling in wild abandon.  Scott dug his fingernails into Lauren’s back as she bounced, groaning animalistically as he was mesmerised by his lady’s undulating breasts.  As time went on, both were nearing their respective goals, both were panting with fatigue to a point where Lauren was forced to lean forward and put her hands on Scott’s shoulders to stabilise her.   That’s when it happened, leaning forward caused Scott’s cock to connect with her G spot, causing an electric spark to run through her body as she peaked, her pussy clamping down on Scott’s shaft with a tightness that you could only ever experience at the peak of an orgasm, this in turn caused Scott to finally succumb to his body’s natural desires and release a thick flow of cum as he simply groaned with the release.

The couple collapsed into each others arms, not really looking at the used condom, they discarded it into their bag of rubbish they had accumulated in the tent, and thought nothing of it, as they snuggled in under the covers and fell asleep, both satiated by their respective climaxes.

It was around about 2 weeks later, when Lauren had been feeling queasy for several days in a row, and 2 days late on her period did she even consider there could be anything up.   Dashing to the chemist on her lunch break, she purchased the pregnancy test, and after returning home and performing what was required, she was left simply with her head in her hand, and tears welling up in her eyes as she looked at the 2 lines on the pregnancy test. This changes everything.

Scott got in from work a short while later, and noticing his wife’s puffy red eyes, asked what was up.   Lauren didn’t say anything, just handed him the stick.  Scott was more than aware what this meant, he didn’t even need to look at the result. All he could utter was “oh… fuck…” trailing off dumbfounded.   Lauren simply nodded, she was speechless.

The couple spent the better part of the next month arguing.  Suggestions were made for terminating the pregnancy, but Lauren decided she could never go through with that.  It all came to a head two months into the pregnancy when Scott announced that Lauren had changed so much due to the pregnancy she was completely different to the lady he knew, and said he was going to move out.  The money he was paying towards the house would go into a bank account so he could settle up the child support payments when the baby was born, and with that, he left.  All attempts at Lauren tracking him down failed, he went completely off the grid, their last parting words involved Scott scribbling the name of his lawyer on a post it note, intended for Lauren to get in touch once the baby was born to arrange transfer of the child support money.

The next few months were tough for Lauren.  She was alone.  Her mother and father were both retired, but helped where they could with money for the baby to get things like the crib, and other essentials, but all of Lauren’s money went on the house that they both previously shared.   She begged and pleaded with the bank, but she was often met with deaf ears – their only suggestion was to move to a cheaper area – the problem was the house had negative equity – her mortgage wouldn’t cover the full price of it, and she had no way to cover the shortfall – plus moving to a cheaper area wouldn’t allow her to commute to her job as easy.

Lauren’s only reprieve in all of this chaos her life was in was that she still enjoyed to keep fit. Going out for runs in the park, or, as her pregnancy progressed, brisk walks, she took those moments to reflect on the good things she still had control over – she had her health, and the health of her baby.  She managed to find time still to cycle, and though she had to work much harder to carry her bulk, plus the frequent shifts in her centre of gravity as her belly grew and grew, she managed with relative ease.

It was on one of the cycling outings that she stopped at the water fountain in the park to grab a drink, with her back to the general world, her head dipped down to drink from the fountain, a man walked up behind her put his hand on her back and announced “Hi ‘chelle’” in a very cheery tone.  Lauren jumped up, spinning around to see the man, whose face turned dealthy pale when he saw that he had not only had a case of mistaken identity… but the lady was noticably pregnant.   He stammered “Oh s-sorry… thought you were s-someone else.  Kind of thought you were my cousin… from behind.”  Blood retuned to his face and managed to find it’s way directly to his cheeks, he blushed completely uncontrollably at his embarrassment.

Thankfully Lauren saw the funny side of it and burst out laughing.  “I really hope she’s pregnant… because this…” she pointed to her belly “is really hard to miss.”

“Actually, no… you couldn’t tell from behind.   I hope you don’t mind me saying, but you carry it extremely well”

It was Lauren’s turn to blush.  She admitted to herself that she did find the guy charming, and to be honest with herself, attractive, even though he was probably about 10 years her junior.

“So… when you aren’t touching random women in parks, what do you do with yourself… actually no… what do you call yourself, I guess I shouldn’t keep calling you, well… you” Lauren was actually finding herself tongue tied.

The stranger smiled, regaining his composure from the initial awkwardness.  “My name is Ben, right now I’m having a run in the park… and when I’m not doing that, I work for the police.”

“Well Ben, thanks for the introduction, but I really must be getting off my feet and sat down… everything’s aching right now” advised Lauren as she spied a park bench under the shade of a tree.  “Can I join you?” Ben enquired, happy to spend time chatting with a friendly face. “Sure, why not… no stranger danger when you’re sat with a cop I guess” Lauren smiled.

They both walked over to the bench, Lauren pushing her bike alongside her, whilst they chatted.  They hit it off well, chatting for an hour or so about anything and everything.  The conversation moved on to the situation with Lauren and she explained it all, including how she has been forced to basically cover the mortgage for the house since her boyfriend left, and as she was going on maternity leave soon, she was really worried about covering the costs, on her reduced wage.  That’s when Ben asked if she’d considered taking in a lodger.  

Lauren looked thoughtful.   “I did, but all enquiries I made fell apart as soon as people realised there would be a screaming infant in the house in a couple of months.”   Ben grinned… “I could be able to help you out… firstly, I love kids, my brothers and sisters have a bunch each… never been blessed myself…” he adds “but I know how to look after kids from any age now after the hands on uncle experience.   And if I’m honest, my rent is up for discussion and I think I’m paying too much right now, so if you’re up for a tenant, I’d be up for a new landlady”   He smiled, and he looked so sincere Lauren was smiling with him too.  “Of course” Ben added “I wouldn’t expect you to trust just my word for it, I mean I could be anyone… so here…” he scribbled a number down on a scrap of paper from his pocket.  “That’s the main office reception number for the police station. Ask for Bob James.   He’s chief constable, and should hopefully be able to give me a glowing reference as I work for him”

It was now Lauren’s turn to be speechless.   Ben asked “what were you hoping to get in to cover the costs.”   Lauren finally found her voice and they discussed costs, by which Ben grinned saying it would be perfect for him, it was about what he was paying now before the rent price hike comes into force next week.  He was willing to move in anytime, as long as she was ready.

They parted soon after exchanging phone numbers, both completely dumbfounded by the events of the day.   The next day, true to his word, Ben’s reference checked out, and he got a glowing review from Chief Constable Bob (as he called himself) and the pair ended up moving in together later that same week.  Bens family came along to help with the move, and his 2 sisters came along to coo over Lauren’s bump, dragging their kids in tow.   After Ben was finally settled into his room, the pair ordered in takeaway pizza and spent their first night together as housemates chatting away until late.

The next morning, Lauren woke up in a daze, her bladder the main focus of her attention at that very moment.  She walked across the landing, into the bathroom, for relief, when she finally realised that she had a new lodger, and slightly more importantly at that moment, was dressed in only her bra and panties.  She listened intently to see if there was any stirring from the spare room, which was unfortunately directly between the bathroom and her own bedroom.  After not hearing anything, she let out a sigh of relief, cleaned herself off and flushed the toilet.   Opening the bathroom door, she yelped in fright as she saw Ben at the bottom of the stairs looking up, he’d obviously gotten up much earlier than her. Ben stared back, wide eyed at the sight before him.

“Erm… hi… want some coffee, or tea or anything?” he asked, a little taken aback.  He recovered great though “Didn’t realise this was one of the perks of living here, getting such a nice show in the morning.”

Lauren blushed once more, grabbing a towel from the bathroom door and wrapping it around herself.  “Oh god, I’m so sorry… few months of living alone makes me lose all sense of decorum… None of my nighties fit me anymore, so I just reverted to this and never thought anything of it… until now where it’s pretty much all I can think of.”

Ben smiled “nothing to be ashamed of… I like looking at a beautiful feminine form as much as any other guy on the planet” he added, colour flushing to his cheeks as well… and – Lauren noticed – another part of his anatomy was seeing some of the blood flow too.   Suddenly Ben started running up the stairs, Lauren leapt back, unsure what he was doing.   “I know just the thing” as he entered his room, Lauren hearing rummaging about as a suitcase was opened.   He stepped out displaying an XXL ‘Disney’ top with Mickey and Minnie mouse on it.  He grinned “One of my brothers brought this back for me after a trip he made to America, seems they do everything big there, as I’m sure I could get 2 of me in this thing… should be more than big enough to accommodate you and the bump…” he bundled it up and handed it over to Lauren.

She grabbed it appreciatively, dropping the towel on the floor and putting the new tee shirt on, seeing it go well past her belly and halfway down her thighs.   “Oh wow, it’s perfect” she exclaimed, leaning in to give Ben a hug.   She suddenly stopped and backed away “oh… sorry… shouldn’t be so touchy feely with a new guest” she mused.   Ben just laughed and hugged her back, feeling the warmth of her bump press against him.  “Don’t mention it” he mentioned, quite quietly as he was close to her ear. “Now… about that drink”

“Oh yeah… um… coffee please, decaf… gotta think of the bump” she laughed as Ben walked past her and back down the stairs announcing “on it” as he passed.  Lauren couldn’t help but continue to think some very inappropriate thoughts about her new tenant, after all, it had been months since she had sex last, and one thing pregnancy had done was ramp up her hormones to a level where she was needing to pleasure herself every night just to scratch the itch.

Lauren headed down the stars and into the kitchen, the smell of coffee wafting up at her nostrils. Ben had finished a bowl of cereal “want one?” he enquired, “sure please” Lauren grinned.  “Sorry, wasn’t sure what was safe to eat and what was specially reserved… I’ll dash out today and get some groceries in of my own, hope you don’t mind me eating your cereal.”  Lauren grinned “don’t worry too much about it, I’m still used to buying for two as it is so there’s plenty to share… I’ll leave it up to you, if there’s anything special you want, go for it, but I’m happy just splitting the weekly shopping bill with you, for now… dig in.”   Ben smiled in response “that sounds like it would be the best option” pouring milk onto the cereals and handing the bowl to Lauren.   “So… got anything planned for the day?” he enquired.

Lauren blushed. “Nothing really planned… but I guess I should add, tomorrow is my birthday, so we might have a few family members over tonight… completely slipped my mind in the few days I’ve known you… baby brain.”  Ben nodded “want me to make myself scarce?” he asked “Hell no, you’ve as much right to be here as they have… no… more… you’re contributing.   I know, why not invite your family over as well, the few I met the other day seemed really nice”

The rest of the day passed uneventfully… Ben dashed out, grabbed some groceries, and a bunch of flowers for Lauren by way of a birthday present, whilst Lauren went out for a cycle. After getting back home and having a quick shower, she dressed for her family evening, and before Ben returned home, her family arrived – her 2 parents, and her younger brother and sister.    Lauren advised they would soon meet Ben, and not to make him feel too uncomfortable, because her meeting him was making a bad situation so much better.   With that, Ben walked through the front door announcing “Hi, I’m back… guess we have guests by the extra car outside” toting a couple of shopping bags with him.    He dropped them on the floor as he presented the bouquet of flowers to Lauren “Happy birthday” he smiled as then once again grabbed the bags and went into the kitchen.

Lauren went beet red as he retreated, both her parents stared at each other and couldn’t help but smile.  Finally her mother spoke up.   “My my, he’s a nice looking one isn’t he” she grinned.

“Guilty as charged” yelled Ben from the kitchen.   Lauren couldn’t help but shrink further into her chair hoping it would swallow her up.

Bens brothers and sisters arrived soon after, bringing some bottles with them.   “I hear there’s a party going on in here” they announce, presenting Ben with the stockpile, with a special bottle of non alcoholic fruity fizz for Lauren.   “Couldn’t leave the birthday girl without a drink” one of his brothers smiled.   Lauren’s dad said he couldn’t drink much, as he was driving, but the rest of the family all enjoyed the festivities.

As the afternoon wore on to evening, and the drinks flowed more and more freely, the various family members excused themselves leaving Lauren and Ben by themselves.  Feeling a little worse for wear after the alcohol consumption, he nonetheless was feeling very merry and uninhibited.  “Happy birthday” he slurred, walking over to Lauren and giving her a big hug, separating, and putting a hand on her bump affectionately.  Lauren reacted to the response by grabbing Ben in close, and kissing him with a passionate embrace, Ben returning the kiss.  Both were lost in each other’s arms and lips as time seemed to slow to a crawl.   Finally Lauren stepped back and could only offer “wow” as a response.   Ben reacted next, pulling Lauren back in and groping her breasts through her top, feeling her bump press tight into his abdomen. Lauren reached down between Ben’s legs and felt his erection tightening up his jeans.  “I want that” she breathily whispered into his ear “I so fucking want that so much.”

Ben didn’t need to be told twice, stripping Lauren to her bra and panties he unbuttoned his jeans and shoved them down, kicking them off with his feet.  His cock sprung up inside his underwear.   He gave Lauren some assistance in sitting back down on the sofa whilst he kneeled down in front of her, slipping her panties aside he teased her folds with his tongue as Lauren grabbed his hair and pulled in response, groaning in pleasure.  After a few minutes, surprisingly quickly she realised, she reached her orgasm and moaned breathily “back” pushing Ben to the ground.  She got on her hands and knees and crawled towards him, grabbing his underwear, Ben shimmied his ass in the air and suddenly the garment was flung across the room as Lauren pounced with her mouth onto his cock.

She slurped hard, tongue moving up and down the shaft as her hands gripped into his thighs and her lips enveloped the head of his cock.  Teasing the bulbous head she moved her tongue all around the edge and over the opening, sending shockwaves up and down Ben’s body.  Ben groaned once more as Lauren provided some suction and moved her tight lips up and down his shaft, head bobbing up and down rhythmically.

Finally, as Ben was sure he was going to cum and fill Lauren’s mouth, she felt his tension build up and pulled away… “no… in…” she gasped as she turned around, poking her ass at him, and slipped her panties to her knees, parting her legs a little.   Ben reacted immediately and got into position between her legs, sliding his soaking wet cock into her hole, which was already lubricated by her own juices.  Ben grunted as he started sliding his hips in and out “this feels so much better than any other woman I’ve been with” as he bent at the waist and leaned forwards, his hand caressing Lauren’s bump.  Suddenly he felt a movement in her belly and gasped.  “Yes, he likes it too” gasped Lauren feeling the baby kick hard within her belly.  Suddenly, she tensed, feeling another orgasm overcome her, as she yelled out with her passion.  Ben reacted and fired his load into her as he felt her vaginal walls clamp down, groaning himself as a result.

The two of them finally separated and sat down, side by side, Ben’s cum dripping from Lauren’s slit as both were panting from the exertion.  

“Well… this changes things” Ben announced.  “Agreed…” replied Lauren “but it has released some serious sexual tension I was feeling.  Come on let’s get to bed and figure it out in the morning” she said as she pulled her panties back up, licking some of the escaping cum from her finger as she did so. “You taste nice” she grinned as Ben stood completely dumbfounded as she led him to her own bedroom, stripped off his top and tucked him in bed.

…

Ben yawns, arms stretched out as he sees his girlfriend sleeping soundly in bed next to him. She’s approaching the end of her pregnancy, her bump is visible under the bed covers which are pulled tightly against her. She stirs as she feels Ben moving around the bed and blinks her eyes awake.

 “Hey, love” Lauren smiles, gently kissing her boyfriend as their fingers intertwine. “I would love to stay and cuddle with you, among other things but this baby is using my bladder as a trampoline” she laughs as Ben smirks. “Well don’t let me stop you” he comments, watching as she lifts herself out of bed and waddles to the bathroom.

Ben casts his mind back to the events leading up to this. A few weeks have passed since their first time together, and Ben has become embedded into Lauren’s life. They developed fast from becoming housemates and friends to a couple, even to the point where Ben attended Lauren’s doctors appointments. In early March the global pandemic caused absolute chaos as ultimately everyone was forced to spend time at home, but thankfully this had not dulled the passion these two shared, and both were eager to begin the next stage of their lives. Ben swung his legs out of bed and plodded downstairs as he checked over the bikes that were stashed by the front door “you sure you want to go for a ride later babe?” He yelled up the stairs at Lauren, silently concerned that as she entered her 40th week of pregnancy, essentially full term, bike riding might not be the best idea “I know you said you wanted to go out on the bikes but perhaps we should go for a walk instead?”

“You know how much I enjoy biking. Dr. Smith also said it was good for me” Lauren says, slowly coming down the stairs into the kitchen.

The global pandemic had caused governments to essentially make everyone stay indoors, and only venture out for essential shopping, or for a short duration each day for exercise, as long as everyone kept their distance from each other so there was no risk of transmitting the infection to those close by you.  Lauren had been taking the most of that opportunity to get out to the park each day on her bike to keep fit, especially as the crowds were a lot lower than would have normally been expected for this time of the year, as spring develops and the weather starts getting warmer.

She pours herself a large cup of decaf coffee as she rests her hand on her belly. She thinks about what her birth would have been. She had always loved the outdoors and dreamed of birthing at the local birth centre in the garden designed specifically for labouring mothers. Now, the birth centre has been shut down and Lauren refuses to give birth in a clinical setting with stirrups.  In the end Lauren and Ben agreed with the slightly unconventional approach of giving birth unassisted in their own home.

“You don’t have to come with me. Maybe you can put the finishing touches on the nursery, yeah? Truth be told, we’re really behind on where we should be with that” She says, giving Ben a kiss on the cheek.

Ben responded “If you’re sure… go on let’s get some breakfast down us and you can go out, I’ll do some final bits and pieces out there and I’ll meet you in the park… I know we can’t sit around in the sun anymore but let’s at least bike back together”

Ben continued “I mean sure you’re much more comfy in the saddle than me but I need to get my stamina up… thankfully my stamina hasn’t been lacking in other areas” he winked as he turned away to put some food on for both of them.

“Oh you don’t have to remind me” Lauren says, hugging him from behind and letting her bump press hard against him. “I might go bike down to the park and take a short walk. I’ll text you once I’m done -  you can come and we can bike home together. Deal?” She asks, taking a sip of her coffee. Her other hand holds her belly as she gives a little sigh. “Scott texted me last night” Lauren says, looking down at her coffee

“Oh… hope you’re going to say he’s being an asshole or something?” Ben replied whilst busting himself in the kitchen “what did he want?”

“He wanted to see if the baby was born. That’s really it” she sighs as she puts a bit of sugar in her coffee. “Probably wants to know when he wants to start paying child support” Lauren grumbles. “I’ll admit, I guess he’s working out by my due date thinking the baby could be here by now…”  Lauren absentmindedly rubbed her belly, feeling the life within react to her touch with a quick kick.

“Well that’s ok, at least he didn’t want to come sidling back into your life a couple of months after he left you because that would be a real dick move… and I think I’d want to have something to say about that” Ben grumbles, turning around and grabbing Lauren by the waist, managing to get his arm about half way around her. “But right now… you need this” as he hands her some gorgeous smelling pancakes and a bottle of syrup “perfect for fuelling up for a bike ride” he grins.

“These are perfect” Lauren giggles, kissing him softly. “You’re the best” she says, digging into them. “I don’t want to freak you out or anything but if things work out between us…what do you think about adopting this little guy” she asks, taking a bite of the pancakes and moaning with delight. “How come everything you make is so good?” She asks, continuing with her breakfast.

“You know… I might really consider that” he replies contemplatively. “Always dreamed of having a big family, who’s to care where the first one came from… plenty more to come… “

“Someone’s parents are not defined by DNA” Lauren huffs indignantly. “You’re going to be the father, no matter who’s speed they came from” she smiles, taking a sip of her coffee before sighing. “And you know…biologically we probably can’t have a lot, right? You know my clock is about to hit zero”

“All the more reason to get another in you right about as soon as I can” Ben grinned. “Now go on out and get that bike ride done so I can have some fun in the shower with you afterwards!” Ben laughed as he grabbed his tool kit and set out to the nursery to put the final few bits and pieces together

“I’ll see you later” Lauren says, grabbing a water bottle and her helmet before jumping on her bike. Seeing a heavily pregnant woman biking is a sight to be seen, but Lauren didn’t mind. She rode to the local park, only about 2 miles from the house and locked her bike before she started to hike around the area.

Ben spent quite a while assembling the parts in the nursery, a changing table, finishing off the crib, and a few other things, all the while quietly scolding himself for not getting around to it sooner… he had to admit to himself the prospect of becoming an unexpected father certainly threw him for a loop, but that’s how life just happens sometimes. He realised that Lauren hadn’t texted to say she was done as she said she would, and he had spent much longer than expected on the DIY. After finally downing his tools he walked back to get his bike and texted Lauren “be there in a few.” He set off towards the park enjoying the early spring weather on his back.   Lauren texted back a few minutes later “Get here quick, I’m waiting for you” sending a ping of her location to his phone.

Ben headed towards the location, to find Lauren squatting against a tree, biting her lip and breathing heavily. She looks up and gives Ben a little smile as he pulls up. “My water broke a couple minutes ago” she says calmly.

“Oh…fuck” Ben exclaims, seeing Lauren in distress. He jumps off the bike and goes to comfort her. “Can you walk… we need to get home? How are you feeling? Can I do anything for you?” Ben’s mind is running a mile a minute as adrenaline kicks in completely unprepared for what he has seen. He reaches down to feel Lauren’s belly and he’s greeted by a contraction. “How long have you been having them?”

“Hey I’m fine” Lauren says softly, holding his hand and squeezing it softly through the contraction. “I’m doing good besides these pesky contractions. I can bike, they aren’t that bad. It’ll be faster anyways” she says, chuckling at how nervous Ben is. “I’m fine, I promise. We can’t stress over this”

Once Lauren regained her composure after the contraction ended, she got up from her squat and brushed herself down, admittedly a little embarrassed from the circumstances. Ben took her hand as they started walking at a leisurely pace towards the bike racks where Lauren’s bike was chained up. They chatted about the situation, Lauren mentioning that her Braxton Hicks contractions had been building up over the past few days but she thought that the real ones would be noticeably different. “Guess not” Ben chuckled. Lauren took a bit of solace that the park was fairly empty because of the lockdown so no one actually witnessed her waters breaking, and it was only spotting Bens message on her phone that made her realise that he was on his way made her think to stay in the same place and wait. Ben and Lauren eventually walk past the same fountain they first met at, Lauren asking to stop for a moment for a rest as another contraction builds, leaning against the water fountain for support.

Ben smiles as a flood of memories come back. He gently stands behind her, rubbing her hips and back. “There we go, L. Nice and easy. You’re doing great” he gently coaches as she lets out a soft moan and rocks her hip some. She continues this rhythm until the contraction subsided. “Looks like we’re having a baby” she says, wrapping an arm around Ben’s waist as they continue to make the short walk to the bike rack

“I know” Ben can’t help but show the smile on his face as he walks with his arm wrapped around Lauren. Eventually the couple get to the bikes “sure you can ride ?” He asks as he unlocks the bike to save Lauren leaning over, his own bike resting on the floor. “It’s a couple of miles but it’s an easy walk? I’d not like to think what will happen if you tense up right in the middle of pedalling, you might fall off and hurt yourself?”

“I’ll be fine. This will get us home a lot faster. I’ll go slow, I promise” Lauren says, giving Ben a little smile. “It’ll be okay. Now let’s go” she says, grabbing her bike. She puts her helmet on and starts riding. Lauren isn’t sure how she’s being so calm. While she’s read extensively about child birth, she still was extremely anxious, but now with things happening, she’s calm, knowing that she was as prepared as she thought she could be and that she’s about to do what she needs to do.

Ben follows close to Lauren’s side, keeping a cautious eye on her as she cycles. About halfway home, Lauren stops and clamps her feet to the ground, wincing as a contraction builds. Ben drops his bike to the ground and goes to rub Lauren’s back digging his palms and rubbing circles. “These seem to be coming quick” he mused.

She bites her lip and nods. “Yeah things are progressing a bit faster than what I was told they would for a first time mother” she says, gripping the handlebars and breathing heavily. “Can you check my dilation once we get home?” She asks, looking at Ben as he continues to gently put counter pressure on Lauren’s lower back.

“Of course… truth be told, I’m kinda looking forward to it… new experiences and all that” Ben winked, wondering if it was lost on Lauren as she focused on the current contraction. Lauren breathed out deeply as the contraction passed and waved on Ben as she pushed on ahead to get home.

They get home a few minutes later. Lauren basically throws down her bike and helmet as she walks inside and immediately starts stripping. Her leggings and underwear were wet from her waters but her shirt and bra also just felt so…rough. By the time Ben got in, he found her naked and in a deep squat, moaning softly through a contraction

“Whoa… erm… phew… wasn’t expecting that” Ben announced as he walked in. He admitted to himself that Lauren was beautiful, especially as she was displaying this… primal version of herself. “Get yourself comfortable” he said “just going to get myself washed up” as he dashed to the kitchen to wash his hands, thoughts that he wanted to be sure that he wasn’t carrying any infection. He grabbed a towel and dried himself off.

As he was grabbing a towel out of the laundry room, he feels two arms wrap around him. “I think I’m going get a bath going. Join me soon, preferably with these things off” she murmurs, kissing his cheek before going to their bathroom. She pauses a minute and examines herself in the mirror. Her milk filled breasts sit on top of her large belly, which hangs low in front of her. “We can’t wait to meet you” she says to her belly before sitting in the bath and turning the water on

Ben didn’t have to be told twice. He headed into the bathroom to find Lauren sprawled out into the nice wide jacuzzi tub - Ben begrudgingly acknowledged that it was a really good purchasing decision by Scott - just as she was starting up the jets. She moaned deep and low as her back was blasted by the water. Ben took his clothes off and bundled them into a pile as he climbed into the bath himself, Lauren’s eyes hungrily following him as she noticed his cock showing the first signs of an erection. Lauren and Ben ended up sat at opposite ends of the tub, Lauren’s legs wrapped around Ben’s waist, her pussy somewhat on display to him. Ben tried to imagine what it would look like as the baby started to emerge and the resulting thoughts caused his cock to stir yet further. Lauren noticed the effect and teased her toes against his cock, her big toe sliding up and down his rapidly hardening shaft

It’s his turn to moan softly, throwing his head back as Lauren slowly glides to his side of the tub. She kisses him softly, slowly leaning him back some before she turns around and sits on his lap. “Is it bad that I’m really, really turned on right now?” She asks softly

Ben can only groan in response, feeling the silky smooth skin of his girlfriend nestling in his lap and grinding against his now rock hard penis. Lauren leans forward, slipping her hands down Bens legs until she’s bent a little forward, her belly preventing her leaning all the way over, then wiggles her hips, causing Bens cock to slick and slide around her lips. Ben announced breathily “is it safe for me to be in you after your waters have broken?”

He ran his hands up the side of Lauren’s belly and up to her breasts, squeezing the full mounds and teasing her nipples. Ben noticed a reaction from a Lauren, unsure if it was pleasure or pain, as he moved his hands back down to her belly, feeling the tell-tale signs of another contraction building up

“I mean…I don’t think it can hurt” she giggles. She moans loudly in pain and pleasure as she feels Ben gently stimulate her nipples. “Doing…nipple…stimulation…can help” she manages to pant out between deep breaths as the contractions rack her body

Ben is now somewhat controlled by his lust. Lauren writhed on his lap as she struggled to get comfortable, finally Ben grabbed her hips and positioned her so his cock plunged deeply into her, Lauren winced with the unexpected intrusion but felt the fullness within her as it helped counteract the pressure of the contraction, she simply moaned as the contraction finally released its grip and she sank down feeling the length of Bens shaft as she took it all in within her

“This feels really, really good” Lauren murmurs. She doesn’t have the strength to start thrusting but simply just sitting on Ben’s hard member feels so good. “The pain feels really low” she says, rubbing her belly. “They’re coming very quickly”

Lauren braced herself against Bens legs as she breathed and panted, another contraction building up seemingly moments after the other finished. She gritted her teeth and felt the tightening. Ben felt the pressure on his cock from within and returned to pressing his hands into Lauren’s back. Lauren’s hand snuck between her legs and felt her clit, slowly rubbing it as she breathed out, feeling the thickness of Bens shaft at the same time. Ben couldn’t help but groan at the touch. Lauren finally growled low trying to vocalise the building pain.

“You’re doing really good, L” Ben murmurs to her, his hips slowly moving to her hips and gently massaging them. He lets out a soft moan as she continues to stroke his cock while she rubs her clit. Her other hand grips the side of the tub, breathing heavily and whimpering as the contraction washes over her slowly.

Ben does his best to comfort Lauren as she struggles to get comfortable, the pressure mounting due to the contractions. Ben’s hands explore Lauren’s back, neck and shoulders as he does his best to distract her from the increasing pain that is building up as each contraction picks up. Both the intensity and the frequency of them are ramping up, much to the point where after about 30 minutes of being in the bath, she is now groaning and moaning as each peaks in intensity. The sounds, surprisingly to Ben, are a real turn on, sounding much like Lauren’s orgasm, and whilst she has been internally focusing over the last 10 of those minutes, not even uttering a word to Ben as a means to cope with the pain, Lauren has been grinding on Ben’s lap, and his erect cock all the while, getting what pleasure she can from the contact before practicalities force her to move off it as the area is filled by the child’s head on its way to meet the mother to be.

Finally, Lauren pipes out after a long silent meditation. “I have to push” she announces loudly, whimpering softly as she grips the sides of the tub. “He’s right there Ben…I can feel him…there’s so, so much pressure” she whines as she bites her lip. “Can you help me off you?” She asks, turning around and looking at Ben. “Please?”

Ben used his thighs to help lift Lauren’s weight up, keeping some support under her. As she lifted off, Ben’s erect cock pressed hard against her G spot, finding the sensitive place just inside the inner walls of her vagina… Lauren yelped out with the unexpected flash of pleasure as it surged through her body, a flash of memory shooting through her mind to the day the baby was conceived. Internally she felt guilty about it, but admitted to herself that she was in a happy place with Ben.   Finally, she was able to get on her hands and knees in the tub where she gave a tentative push to feel if anything was happening. She mewled as she felt some movement, but asked Ben to check. “Sure” he offered, leaning forward and inserted two fingers into her, plunging deep to reach her cervix. He sounded a little shocked “I don’t know how you did it L, but the baby seems to be past your cervix now, I can feel all the way around his head… I think you’re ready to push”

“Oh thank god” groaned Lauren, simultaneously giving in to her needs and starting to push, rocking back on her legs as she pushed forward with her hands to give some leverage.  “Shit… I needed that” as she gasped after letting off the pressure.  “I need you though… now” she urged to Ben.  She rotated in the tub again and faced Ben, her belly hanging low.  She shuffled forward and wrapped her arms around his neck for support as Ben did the same, both of them intertwined with each other.  The urge to push came back and Lauren went with it, bearing down hard, pressing her head into Bens shoulder.  

Ben quietly counted into Lauren’s ear “1…2…3. Good girl, keep it up, 5… 6… 7… that’s it well done, 9… 10… OK relax L… that’s it, relax, don’t wear yourself out, we’ve got plenty of time”

Lauren had tears in her eyes as she looked up at Ben… “you know… this hurts about as much as they say… I thought I had a pain tolerance, but I’ve NEVER felt pain like this.”

“Oh god baby, I’m so sorry, I know I can’t do anything to help but…” Ben was interrupted by Lauren “hands down my back, press hard” which he adjusted his position to do as he was asked.  The result was instantaneous for Lauren who let out a laugh at the relief she felt then suddenly groaned again as the urge to push took over, digging her fingers into Bens back as she pushed, hard.

“I feel cold in here now Ben, the waters getting chilly, I need to move” Lauren announced as she got her wits back to her after the contraction passed.  Ben helped her back into her haunches as she stabilised herself against the tub walls.  Ben managed to get out of the bath and towel off.  He made sure the heating was on to do what he could to keep Lauren comfortable. He then gave some assistance to Lauren to stand up and step out of the tub.  “Quick, quick” Lauren urged as she grabbed the outside edge of the tub and started to squat down as the next contraction hit.  She vocalised during this contraction, being vertical caused gravity to assist and Lauren felt so much more pressure than she had felt before as she pushed this time.    She stood up and flexed her ass back showing off her vagina to Ben urging “can you see anything, feels like it’s almost poking through!”

Ben took a look at the offered area and sounded elated “oh L you’re doing great, I can see you bulging… doing so well, keep on doing what you’re doing my sexy wonderful girl”

Lauren blew out a big breath as contraction subsided, knowing she didn’t have long before the next was upon her she turned her head and grinned “aww you find me sexy”

Ben couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of the image in front of him “you know it.”

Another urgent need to push took over and Lauren yelled “help meeeee” as Ben placed his hand on her bulging crotch and back, applying pressure to both.  Ben felt Lauren’s labia start to part as she yelled out “this pressure is unbearable” only to feel the head retreat back in as she let off the push.  “Come on, we need more L baby” urged Ben “I felt the head a little there, but you need to give me more.”

Lauren was panting with the effort “Don’t know if I can” she wheezed.  “Oh I know you can” encouraged Ben “you’re already doing it, I feel so much movement.”  That bolstered Lauren as she pushed again, once again the head pushing out to part the lips and retreating once more.  Ben noticed that the head didn’t fully go back in like last time though, the lips remained slightly parted.  He traced his fingers around them in circles as Lauren shivered.  “Good girl, each push opens these out a little more, I can feel you making so much progress… let’s see if I can make a reward for you being so good at this…” Ben trailed off as Lauren relaxed, the contraction having passed.

 Suddenly Lauren felt unexpected pleasure.  Ben was trailing his finger lightly down her spine, down the cheeks of her ass, around the lips he so delicately touched a moment ago until his finger circled her clit, where it played a merry dance.  Lauren couldn’t help herself… she orgasmed, which lead to another contraction, feeling all the more forceful because of her body’s response clamping everything up.  “Oh… oh… oh… FUCK!” She yelled and continued to loudly grunt through the full push. The head made excellent progress and yet more was to be seen at the end of this effort.

“That was fun but please keep that to a minimum, I’m seeing stars” Lauren panted.  Ben leaned back and fished his phone from his trouser pocket, snapping a photo of Lauren’s crotch to show her.  “Look, you’re making progress” he offered the phone to Lauren. She looked and sighed contentedly as she saw her crotch forming the teardrop shape at the first signs of the baby poking through.  The contentment was short lived though as she was forced to push again.

For the next 5 minutes Lauren pushed again and again, each time the head moving a little further out, but seeming to do less and less each time.  Eventually Lauren gasped, once again on the edge of tears.  “I feel like I can’t go on” she sighs.  Ben bolstered her once again “you need to, this is all on you, come on I believe in you… change position it might help.”  Lauren pondered for a second “I need to face you, see your positive feedback.”

Ben agreed it was a good idea and offered to sit down in front of Lauren, she moved, wide legged, step by step moving hand over hand until she was squatting in front of Ben with her hands on his shoulders for support.  Ben raised his knees to give Lauren something to rest against and parted his own knees so there was a clear path for the head to go.  Bens arms were braced behind him for support but it was what Lauren needed.  

“Hi there mummy” Ben grinned as Lauren looked deep into his eyes as she pushed once more, not able to reply.  5 minutes of pushing like this and finally the baby was nearly crowned.

“Oh shit, shit, shit, fuck, fuck, fuck, aaaargh” Lauren complained “ring of fire… burns, so much” as the heads widest part began to pass through her. Ben urged back “pant now, don’t push, remember what we read, don’t hurt yourself” as he felt powerless to help with his arms behind him, but he needed them as a counterbalance so his knees would stay in place.  Lauren did as asked, blowing and panting as the pain burned in her crotch until finally she couldn’t help it and pushed.  The head sprung out of her with a gush of fluid splashing on the floor between both of their legs.

“Wow, well done, heads out, relax” Ben urged, letting his knees sag lowering Lauren closer to the floor as he took the pressure off his own arms.

Lauren hoarsely gasped “lie back” to Ben as he did so, she leaned into the space where his torso was a moment earlier, hands either side of him and pushed once more.  She moved both shoulders and then the full body out of her in 2 monumental pushes.  The baby slid out of her and onto the floor, Lauren collapsing, panting onto Ben, the baby between both their legs.   They heard a cry from the baby and both had tears in their eyes at the happy result. Resting a moment at her exhaustion, Lauren finally pushed herself up off Ben to meet her… no… their firstborn son.

[gifseafins]

Just like the first fic I posted here on Tumblr, the VVR one.

The moment I regain access to AO3, this fic will receive a "deluxe version", with the addition of poetry, images and gifs, as well as its respective Portuguese version !

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Fanfic: The Master of the Casino Chapter 1: Tarak Rama Rao

Chapter 2: Ram Konidela

If there was one certainty the Ram had in life, it's that he definitely shouldn't have come on this trip.

But his friends eventually convinced him. Saying it would be the perfect celebration. And in a way they were right.

As Bokkala Kumar, one of Ram's best friends, who ended up being the organizer of the whole trip, said…

-Las Vegas is an amazing destination. -Far enough from home. -And perfect for having fun without the constant supervision of the family. -And with an almost endless variety of fun, even the Ram can have fun !

And everyone laughed at that statement. Ram's personality was a constant joke between them. They knew he really didn't want to go. That Ram was never given to travel, parties or large gatherings.

But Ram agreed with his friends this time. They were definitely right ! Everyone deserved a rest after so many college assignments and exams.

Las Vegas was the place to be. And Las Vegas turned out to be an amazing place for everyone. The lights were almost blinding they were so strong and bright. The sounds, the smells, everything was wonderful. And the limousine that Bokkala rented so that everyone could tour the city, just completed the spectacle that trip had become.

Then the limousine stops in front of an extremely luxurious building with an incredible 60 floors. But Ram couldn't help but laugh when he saw the name of the casino his friend chose.

-Casino Hyderabad ? -Serious ?

Trust Bokkala Kumar to cross the ocean, for the sole purpose of gambling, drinking, running away from home and having fun, and yet choosing a place that references India itself.

And Ram knew that whoever decorated that place was definitely a fan of S.S. Rajamouli. It was like being inside Baahubali's palace. In fact, if Ram wasn't miscalculating, and he never was ! That casino had the same layout as the throne room in the movie.

Gigantic columns divided the space into three rooms, with a central corridor flanked by a row of slot machines.

In the space where princes and generals would sit, luxurious Poker, Baccarat and Three Card Poker tables.

The left and right sides of the columns were true mirrors of each other.

Roulette, Blackjack, and many other tables mingled harmoniously with electronic games of all kinds, as well as several arcade machines.

And on both sides, at the end of the casino's side spaces, bars built in the same architecture as the flying boat shown in the film, making the whole place something grand and magnificent.

The central corridor, which in the film would serve to take people to the throne, in the casino, performed the same function.

The corridor directs you to several replicas of all the thrones shown in the film, in an area free for photographs, where people could feel part of that history.

Behind the thrones was a grand staircase, and on either side of it, luxurious elevators, all of which had the same function, taking them to the upper floors where the nightclub was located, as well as the rooms available for rent.

But the most impressive thing about it all was a kind of box made of mirrors that projected over the thrones, and that seemed to be supported only by steel cables that came from the ceiling.

And Ram was willing to bet anything that the casino's security center worked inside that mirrored box, because if those mirrors were like the mirrors found in police stations, whoever was in that room would have a 180 degree view of the entire casino.

While Ram was gaping, admiring the place. He noticed Bokkala looking at him expectantly.

-Okay, you did well, good choice. -Happy now ?

-The introverted genius praising me ? -Of course ! -And now the best part, LET'S ENJOY !!!!

And at first they were having a lot of fun together. Betting on slot machines. Acting like kids in the arcade hall. And taking pictures like real pre-teens.

But in a short time each one ended up going to one side. Seeking amidst that spectacle, his own entertainment.

And that's when things started to go wrong for the Ram. When he found himself alone and started wandering the halls of the casino… When he found himself alone and in front of Black Jack's table… When he found himself alone and with no one to stop his mathematical mind from working…

There were no secrets in Black Jack for Ram. At least, not for a mind like his. And hand after hand, the Ram always won !

He'd seen enough movies about casinos to know this could go terribly wrong. But Ram just couldn't stop.

The emotion of every bet… The ecstasy felt with each victory… Everything acted like drugs on Ram's system. He quickly became addicted to these feelings. And the ecstasy those emotions gave her.

And because of this euphoria, Ram did not realize when a security guard declared in a loud voice:

-This table is closed !

Nor the danger that phrase represented for him, until two security guards grabbed him by the arms and took him into an elevator.

On the way, Ram tried to reason with the guards. Explain what was going on. Looking around in an attempt to find his friends. But all actions were in vain.

And the moment the elevator doors closed, Ram knew he was likely to be killed. And he just hoped the casino would tell his friends where his body would be dumped…

The moment the elevator doors opened he was pushed with such violence that Ram ended up losing his balance.

And Ram found himself lying at someone's feet. Slowly he raised his eyes. Gradually bringing to mind the image of the most handsome man Ram had ever seen in his life.

And before he could realize it, his face was covered in an intense shade of red.

-Hello boy !

And that man's voice, awakening in Ram all kinds of desire…

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End of Chapter 2

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And no, I haven't started chapter 3 yet. I said I was going to hold this one off for a while until I started the third one, but my curiosity to know what you would think of this chapter spoke louder.

I overreacted with the description of the casino, so sorry !

For those who don't remember, the throne room in Baahubali that served as a model was this one 👇

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