bemyvalentinechallenge

[bemyvalentinechallenge]

Tu seras toujours une partie de moi

Fandom : Bridgerton

Relationship : Anthony x Kate

Voici ma participation pour le Be My Valentine challenge 2025 pour le prompt : « Tu seras toujours une partie de moi et je suis une partie de toi indéfiniment. »

J’espère que ça vous plaira.

Résumé : Un rayon de lune passa à travers le rideau entrouvert de la chambre. Anthony regardait Kate qui était profondément endormie.

Disclaimer : La Chronique des Bridgerton appartient à Julia Quinn.

@bemyvalentinechallenge

AO3 / FF.NET

Un rayon de lune passa à travers le rideau entrouvert de la chambre. Anthony regardait Kate qui était profondément endormie. Cela devait faire près d’une heure qu’il s’était réveillé et il savait que Kate serait mal à l’aise si elle se doutait qu’il l’observait pendant qu’elle dormait. Mais il ne pouvait s’empêcher de sourire. Il était si heureux qu’il n’arrivait plus à trouver le sommeil.

Aujourd’hui cela fera un an que lui et Kate s’étaient mariés. Cette année auprès d’elle avait été merveilleuse et il n’aurait jamais cru être un jour aussi heureux. Tout cela, il le devait à sa femme. Depuis le moment où il l’avait rencontré, sa vie avait changé. Même si le début de leur relation avait été plus que compliquée et qu’il avait tout fait pour combattre les sentiments qu’il éprouvait, il ne changerait cela pour rien au monde. Tous ces moments passés avec elle, bons ou mauvais, l’avaient conduit à cet instant.

Kate lui avait appris à ouvrir son cœur et à aimer. Dire qu’il y a encore peu de temps, il s’interdisait d’aimer. Il était persuadé qu’il allait mourir jeune, comme son père. Il était tétanisé et cette peur l’empêchait d’avancer. Mais maintenant, il savait qu’il se trompait et il refusait de vivre une vie sans l’amour de Kate.

Kate se mit bouger et Anthony rit légèrement lorsqu’elle fronça le nez. Même lorsqu’elle dormait profondément et qu’il lui arrivait de ronfler, bien qu’elle le traitait de menteur car elle ne ronflait jamais, il la trouvait magnifique. Il mit ses bras autour de sa taille et elle se blottit contre lui.

« Tu seras toujours une partie de moi et je suis une partie de toi indéfiniment, murmura-t-il à son oreille. »

Kate sourit comme si elle l’avait entendu. Anthony ferma les yeux et finit par s’endormir en se disant à quel point il était heureux d’aimer Kate et d’être aimé par elle.

Fin

[bemyvalentinechallenge]

Little secret

Summary: In 1850, a relationship between gentleman and maid are forbidden, but that doesn´t stop Damien and Lucy, the maid of his sister to ignore the romantic tension.

For @bemyvalentinechallenge 2025: prompt 5 "soulmates"

Warnings: none

“Lucy.” he said when he approached me. I stroked over the fluffy ears of Butterfly, my favorite horse in the stables of my ladys lands.

“Mr. Belton, Sir.” I managed to say the appropriate salutation, before he hectically looked around and his lips met mine in a steamy kiss. Butterfly stayed calm, he watched us for the hundredth time doing something we shouldn't be doing. 

Damiens scent of old books and cinnamon mixed up with the smell of horses and hay, this must be heaven. A heaven, I will only have in my dreams and secret moments like these.

1850, a maid was not allowed to have a fling with her lady´s brother. It was dirty, forbidden. But, goddamn it felt so right. His lips on mine, my body pressed against Butterflys box. 

“Damien.” I moaned his name. The way he kissed me made me forget my very own name or the fact that we weren't allowed to be doing whatever we were doing for the past year. 

There was no future for a couple like us. No place in the world. In intimate moments like these, he often talked about how in other countries, there weren't such things as maid and gentleman, everybody could love who he wanted. 

For a moment, I thought of how beautiful it would be to live in a far away place and have a life with Damien. But in the blink of an eye, we had to stand at least one meter apart from one another and I had to follow his orders, not look him in the eyes.

The love for horses, that's what makes us us. Whenever I was in the stables, Damien managed to get away from his father or teacher and met me in this dusty place. Sometimes, we just talked. About what was going on in our lives we shared, but still had to live apart from one another. 

At times like these, when he was kissing me with so much longing inside of him, I knew he needed me. He needed me, just like I needed him. Right by my side, taking long walks in Hyde Park or riding horses together. 

It was a dream, not worth fighting for, we both knew that. But we couldn't stay away from each other. I like to believe, we were made for each other like my lady and her significant other, she already presented to her parents. 

Damien let go of me, his ice blue looking right into mine, with so much love, so much desire. My heart clenched, I wanted this man in front of me to be mine so badly, it made me sick. 

“I love you.” For me, these words meant pain. It meant being indefinitely loved by a person to whom it is forbidden to have romantic feelings for you. 

“I love you too.” I buried my small hands in his dark brown hair, trying to remember this moment forever so I could relive it whenever I wanted it. 

“My father will soon be here.” 

He didn't have to say it, I knew it with just one look in his tired eyes. “I have to go.” 

To hide my tears from him, I skipped the space between us again and touched his lips. His touch was the only way to be alive in a killing world like this, but he pulled away.

With his hand, he softly wiped away the hot tears running down my cheek and then walked away from me, not without giving me one last longing look as he left. 

“See you later.” he mouthed, before turning back around and leaving me alone with my tears.

That was the moment I knew it. We were what the world called “Soulmates”. Destined for one another, but from society meant to stay away from each other. 

[bemyvalentinechallenge]

unspoken things

Summary: Milan works as media designer for a publisher when he meets his childhood friend Thea again and feelings start to come backt to the surface.

For @bemyvalentinechallenge 2025: Prompt 6 "childhood friends"

Warnings: none

“Milan?” The head of the editing department stands in the door of my shared office with two other employees. 

“What´s up?” I ask. 

“Could you really quickly just help with the computers? They are acting up again.” The annoyed look on his face already shows that this is the third time he is asking me that in the last 4 hours. We are both insanely tired of his laptop not wanting to save the manuscript of the newest book that should get published next winter.

“On my way.” I stand up and walk together with Frank over to his office. I greet the other editors of this publisher - for the third time today - and sit on the comfortable chair. “Let's see…” I mumble to myself as I try to find the cause for this problem. But nothing helped, the screen stays frozen, not even the mouse is moving over the screen. “Can I ask, what did you do before this happened?” I look at Frank with a curious look on my face. I seriously keep asking myself how he is able to pull this off for the fourth time today. 

“Nothing! I just wanted to save the document. If this would get lost, I would have to write to the author to send me another one!” He took a breath and I said the next sentence with him. “This would be a total–” 

“Disaster. I know.” Frank tends to get over dramatic. He was in his late 50s, for him it was hard to work with all the latest technology. It tends to drive me insane, but today I did not feel like going mental, I have better things to do. 

Frank continued talking, but I didn't completely listen to what he said because I heard a familiar voice from the distance getting closer and closer with every word I heard. My heart sunk when I realised who it was. 

Only seconds later a woman opened the door I never thought I would ever see again. A tall, blonde haired and green-eyed woman I thought I had lost forever. But there she was, standing right in front of me, in the company I had worked for for over 6 years now. All these years I thought of going back to her house and asking her mother for her phone number, but I never did. I thought there was nothing left from us. 

“Thea.” I said. When she heard my voice she suddenly turned her head into my direction and our eyes met. I could see the realization growing on her face until a hurt look swaps places with surprise.

“Milan.” A shy smile appears on her lips and with short hesitation I do the same. 

“What are you doing here?” I ask, I can't help myself. The utter surprise of seeing her walk through this door deactivated my brain cells and let the heart take the lead. “Working, I guess.” She chuckles. Oh how much I missed her laugh. “I'm the new editor.” 

At this point I was very well aware that every single eye-pair in the small office was on us. Us, and the weird connection we have. A connection I thought was lost. Thea exchanges a look with one of her colleagues, before she sets down her bag and says: “I'm just gonna go, Tamara wanted to speak to me about something.” And with that, she left the room and closed the door with a silent click.

“You know her?” Frank asked me as soon as I stopped staring at the door and my eyes focused on the frozen laptop without doing anything about the problem right in front of me. To talk to Thea again made me forget about anything else, reality suddenly felt strange to me.  

“Yes. We were neighbors when we were children and went to school together. But then she moved away for Yale while I went to state college and later started working here.” I try putting as few emotions as possible into my words. The last thing I wanted were rumours about the two of us. As much as I would love our colleagues to try and set us up, she didn’t deserve that. This was what she had always wanted, I am not going to be the one ruining this for her, not her dream job.

“Interesting.” is the only thing Frank says about it before he suspiciously exchanges a look with the woman sitting across from him. 

“Guys, seriously. We were just friends, nothing more. Alright?” I made it clear. 

“Well, now you´re the one making it highly suspicious.” responds Frank. I knew by the tone in his voice that he hopes to hear some story about a tragic love story he can share in the canteen later on. 

“I can't tell you anything because there is nothing to tell.” I state, looking him dead serious in the eyes. 

“Whatever you say, Milan. Thanks for offering to help with my computer though. I´m just going to ask the IT department.” It's like he wants me to get out of here to gossip with the other two women what they think about it. 

I gladly left, without looking at Thea´s bag a second time. Seeing her here, right then and there, I realised how many unspoken things are still between us. We never talked about her leaving and me staying and what that meant for our friendship. We just completely stopped talking about the day she posted the first picture with her new friends at Harvard. We knew it was over even though it wasn´t, we didn't even try to make it work. I still remember how I sat on my bed, crying about not being able to tell her about my first, horrible day at state uni. 

I think I always loved her, at least a little. But I never dared to say anything, too scared to ruin the entire friendship we had built up over the years. But sometimes, even now, I still catch myself scrolling through the pictures I have with her. In the library, at the football field, even at the lake we used to play when we were five. 

Seeing her and hearing her angelic voice again, made me realise that I want to talk to her more than anything. 

And I´m gonna make it work. I am going to prove my 15 year old self wrong and make a move. It can´t be that hard, right? She must have felt the sparks too, they were way too prominent to not have noticed them. 

[bemyvalentinechallenge]

Family

A story of a girl finally finding happiness

Summary: Milly and Calum are at the Old-Me video shoot and Calum proposes to her (Face claim btw is Olivia Holt)

Dedication: I am dedicating this to @niallermybabe because I know that she would have loved this and I planned about writing this in december 2023 and actually talked to her about it. Bells, you sadly never got to tell me what you think about my concrete plans for this, but at this point, I´m going to imagine all the MILLUM FLUFF messages from you. Thank you for being part of my life even though there was still so much for us to do.

For @bemyvalentinechallenge 2025: prompt 7 "marriage"

Warnings: none

Tagging @surrowndedbylights and @dyingstarsinyoursky28 because I think they would like this

The writing “ANNANDALE HOTEL” on the corner of the street sent goosebumps over my entire body. This is where it all began, where the band began. 

It´s a full life-circle moment, glancing over to Calum, I can see that he is feeling the same way. He and I never went back to this place, it all happened too fast: Going viral, being on tour with my brother Louis and 1D. Even if we wanted, we spent no time thinking about going back here. 

And as much nostalgia as I am feeling right now, the thought of setting a foot into the bar where I watched 5SOS perform in front of a crowd for the first time makes my head spin.

The guys are filming their music video for the single “Old Me” today and all four of them wanted me to be a part of it. When Calum first asked me if I wanted to be a part of this historically important project, I denied. It seemed like the most realistic thing to do, for both my anxiety of being bullied by the media for simply existing, but also to have less attention on me. 

It took Ashton, Luke and Micheal to come to our house and begging me to participate. They wanted to make the video sequence to look as realistic as possible and me not being there would apparently be unbearable. And, I mean? Who could not say yes to 3 friends pleading at you? Right, me neither. 

Fast forward, it was a warm February morning and me and Calum collectively took a moment to prepare ourselves for this nostalgic experience we were about to witness. 

We were the first to arrive besides the camera team. Patiently waiting for the others, I noticed Calum nervousness. We were standing in the middle of the bar, staring right at the stage they played on 10 years ago. I grabbed Calum´s arm and he looked down on me. “Is everything alright?” I whispered, not wanting to have the technical team eavesdropping on us. 

Calum nodded, but seemed absent, like he is lost in the past, in something that keeps his mind busy. 

“Don´t lie to me. I know there´s something on your mind.” I gave him a soft smile. “You know you can talk to me, right?” 

“Thanks, sweetie. But everything´s alright. It´s just a lot to take in, you know?” 

Even though that didn´t seem like the honest answer, I didn´t ask further. If he didn´t want to talk about it, then I should leave it. 

Sooner or later, Ashton, Luke and Micheal arrived and with them the younger actors that would portray them as teenagers, playing their first ever concert. 

What I didn´t knew, the team also casted a younger me. In front of me stood a 17 year old girl living not far from where the Annandale Hotel is, whose name would be Milly for the next hours of shooting this music video. 

To be honest, I couldn´t move. It caught me completely by surprise, but I still had enough control over my own body to go up to her and introduce myself. 

“Hey, I´m Milly. You´re me?” I asked with an amused smile on my face. 

“Hello, so nice meeting you. I´m Nico.” Her straight blonde hair did look exactly like mine and even her smile reminded me of old photos I still have of my time in Australia. 

“Come on, wanna meet the guys?” Nicos face lit up and I immediately knew she was a huge fan when it then turned into a mixture of shyness and excitement. “You like them?” I asked. 

She nodded aggressively. “Been listening to their music since their tour with One Direction.” As soon as she said that, her face was adorned with a form of horror. “Oh my god. I completely forgot you´re Louis Tomlinsons sister.” she breathed out. 

I chuckled. “Milly Tomlinson is my name, correct. So come on, let´s talk to the guys.” 

Nico hesitated, but she was too curious to let the opportunity slide to me her idols. 

“Calum, I found a fan.” I said, gently touching Nico´s back to introduce her to my boyfriend.

Before we could actually start shooting, it was a lot back and forth, we needed styling, the right outfits. There was a lot of work going into these shootings every time and I was in awe a little more every time as well. 

Me and Calum stayed close during the preparation, he knew how much pressure was on me without me saying a word, I guess he could sense my head aches by now. 

“Okay, let´s go guys.” the middle-aged man who was in charge of everything stood up and talked to the team. 

“We are first going to recreate the scene with the young actors, can I please get Harry, Tim, Peter, Lucas and Nico up on the stage?” 

The five of them walked up to the tiny staircase to get onto the stage. The group all in all had a stressed look on their face, already begging for it to be over probably. I saw so much of us in these kids, I wouldn´t even question it, if they told us, they were all secret relatives of us. 

“Aren´t they amazing?” I heard Calums voice next to me. When I glanced over to him, I saw him staring at the stage, just like he´s watching his younger self, like he travelled through time. 

“YOU are amazing.” I responded, making him smile. 

When he looked over to me and our eyes met, the brown of his eyes still made me melt like chocolate, as if there weren´t 10 years between our first meeting and today. I still love this man till death tears us apart. 

He gave me a quick kiss on the lips before he walked up to Micheal to talk something over. Even though it never seemed like it, my man is nearly as nervous as me at video shoots, but it never shows. To calm him down, it helps talking to one of his band mates who are in the same situation as him. 

Sooner or later, I had no idea where my boyfriend was, I was too focused on our younger selves doing an incredible job in front of the camera. Ashton helped his mini version how to play the drums so it look authentic and I talked to Nico a bit about how it really was to be watching the four guys 10 years ago, I guess it helped her to get more into the role and to portray my emotions better. 

“Okay, scene 3, take 5” someone shouted and the cameras rolled again. “She looks so perfect” played over someones phone audio, just so the actor for Luke could mouth the words and everyone else played their instrument to the beat. 

“CUT!” The cameras stopped filming and the actors stopped mid-action. “Okay, that´s it. Good job everyone, enjoy your break.” 

I just decided to go find Calum when Luke walked up to me. “Hey, Milly, could you get my phone from the dressing room? I must´ve left it there but don´t have enough time to go back right now.” 

I did question why he couldn´t just do it himself, since the producer officially called it a break, but I still went to do my friend a favor. 

As I walked through the door to get to the improvised dressing rooms for the band and other actors, the first thing that catched my eyes, were the rose petals on the ground.

Tons and tons of red roses lying on the ground.

I froze. Was this what I was thinking this is?

Slowly, I let my gaze wander through the dressing rooms. And there he was.

Calum, the love of my life, the man I turn to, who knows me like no one else was, kneeled in front of me. 

It all started to blur because I wasn´t able to hold back the tears that already ran down my cheeks. 

I got closer to him and asked. “What are you doing here?” I couldn´t hold back a quiet chuckle. 

“The thing I should´ve done way sooner.” tears were shimmering in his eyes as well, I noticed. “Mildred Tomlinson, do you want to marry me? Do you want to spend the rest of your life with me?” He asked the question and I couldn´t help it but think about all the times I thought of him proposing to me or marrying Calum. We never talked about it, I was too afraid to ask him, if he would even want to marry me. 

And even though I secretly hoped to marry him one day, I never in my wildest dreams imagined him on one knee with a small little box in his hand. I thought it wasn´t his thing. That he wouldn´t want to make a big scene, Calum is a silent and introverted guy after all. 

“Yes! Yes, of course!” I shouted and ran up to him to wrap my arms around him and be surrounded by the love of my life. 

He gave me a little kiss on my cheek and even after all these years of being in a relationship with him, the butterflies came alive in my stomach and flew around like they never have before. 

I´m going to get married. 

I let Calum go and he put a small silver ring with a shiny diamond on my finger. His hands were shaking, so were mine, I don´t think I´ve ever been more happy in my entire life. 

“I love you, you idiot.” 

I heard loud clapping behind my back and found myself in front of not only the bandmates of my now-fiancée, but the entire camera crew of the music video who were filming all of this. 

“Did you plan this?” I asked in utter disbelief, my gaze wandering between Calum and the other guys, standing in the door. 

They all nodded at the same time. That´s when I turned back to Calum and gave him another hug. “You are unbelievable.” I whispered in his ear. 

[bemyvalentinechallenge]

Colin and Penelope from Bridgerton for Be My Valentine challenge 2025 contribution for the prompt : "Whenever I see you, and whenever I'm with you, I feel whole."

@bemyvalentinechallenge

[bemyvalentinechallenge]

The man of my dreams

Summary: Soley suffers from anxiety attacks due to her adoption as a baby. When she spends Christmas with her boyfriends family Maddox there are some challenges for her to overcome.

For @bemyvalentinechallenge 2025: prompt 8 "holiday season"

Warnings: Anxiety attack, curse words, adoption

Maddox grabbed my hand as a last, silent ask for my approval. I nodded, I wanted to do this so badly, nobody would ever understand. 

Finally be the normal, new girlfriend wanting to get to know her boyfriend´s family on christmas. Normal and totally not diagnosed with anxiety and in therapy since her entire teenagehood. 

No one in the house me and Maddox were about to enter knew about this, they thought Maddox, the sunnyboy, had deeply fallen in love with a normal girl. Not a mentally ill one.

It could be a chance. I told myself again and again. Just do your thing right and don´t be so fucking senstive and they are going to love you. 

“We can still leave.” Maddox knew me way too well. He didn't make any move towards the wooden door of the old farm house where his lovely grandparents lived and where he had spent Christmas ever since he was a little boy. He noticed my hesitation before I even did myself and I wanted to murder him for it but at the same time give him every boyfriend-award that he could get. 

At the age of 19, he was my first boyfriend. Or shall I say, the first guy that stuck around and didn't run away as fast as he could when he found out about my anxiety and about the way it influenced my life in a way that I did not want it to. 

“No, I just for once need to act like I am not broken and everything will go just fine.” With him next to me, I was always a bit too honest. 

“Soley–” 

“No, don´t tell me that I am everything but broken. That's the job of my therapist, that is why she gets my money for too long of a time now.” 

“It's just my opinion. Here in America we have something called free speech. Ever heard of that?” 

And still, he made me laugh all the time. He never treated me like I was broken, not even when I had an attack. So why the hell was I so scared to just go up to that door and shout “Merry Christmas!”? 

With more determination that I had in me, I dragged Maddox to the door and already had the doorknob in my hands when he held me back. “Are you sure you want to?” “Yes.” 

With every second that the golden colored door knob laid still in my hands, it felt like it was burning the palm of my hand, like little flames suddenly got out of it and bruised my hand. 

So I opened the door. 

The first thing that welcomed us as soon as we entered was a comfortable warmth. Maddox took his own jacket and mine to hang it somewhere and was soon right next to me again. With him by my side I could do anything. 

We stepped into a good filled living room and the eyes of every single person in the room was on us.

Oh, how much I hated attention. 

“Maddox, there you are!” an older woman, probably his grandma he talked about so often, came up to him and wrapped him in her arms, ignoring the big height difference between them. When she let him go, she noticed me for the first time.

“That is the famous Soly?” she asked. “Soley, granny.” Maddox corrected her, but she seemed to be ignoring it. 

“It's so nice finally meeting you, Maddox talks about you all the time.” She looked at me a little longer. “And my god, he didn't lie about how pretty you are. Look at the red hair, I always wished I had red hair.” His grandma made a nice and sweet first impression on me and I felt myself relaxing immediately. See, anxiety? I am doing okay. 

“I've heard an awful lot about you as well.” I responded to her. 

“Hopefully only good things?” “Of course” I smiled at her. 

I felt Maddox´ hand softly wrapping around my taille and his scent of moss and forest creeped into my nose. No reason to worry. I´m safe. 

I walked around together with Maddox who introduced me to his aunts and uncles and his parents were happy to see me again. 

After we sat down somewhere at the large table and his grandma offered us a piece of cake that I politely declined, Maddox whispered: “You good?” I gave him a small nod, feeling very comfortable even though it had been many impressions all at once. Saying Merry Christmas and shaking hands with a stranger that seems to be knowing a lot more about you than you think they do can be a trigger for my anxiety, but so far, there was no attack in sight. Yes, of course I was stressed, but everyone would be, right? It's not me being a broken mess again. 

Maddox's hand comfortably rested on mine when the youngest looking aunt of his came up to us. Small talk, again. “I wanted to talk to you two all evening!” She greets us. “It's so nice to finally meet you, Soley.” 

I give her a soft smile, Maddox now slightly grabbing my hand, noticing my discomfort. 

“What does that name mean?” It was a nice question. It's lovely for her to care. 

“It's Icelandic and means buttercup.” I inform the blonde haired woman in front of me. Her accentuated eyes through the make up were staring at me in a way that made my heart race because I knew exactly which question would follow my statement. It's like I've watched this movie too many times already. 

“How original! Do you have an Icelandic family then?” 

I nodded, not really knowing what to say. It wasn´t the truth. I didn't even know the truth and it killed me every day a bit more. That's why I spent half of my high school years in a room with floral print on the wall sitting on a cold, uncomfortable chair being asked again and again how I am feeling. Day by day, I was just surviving, never truly living. 

It necessarily wasn´t the fact that I to this day don´t know the people who gave me up for adoption. The feeling of not being wanted always seems to be creeping in, even if you have the most amazing adoptive parents in the whole entire world. Trust issues, not being enough, always and in every single situation doubting yourself whenever you can. 

It killed me. And only left behind a version of me marked by her past and the anxiety. 

Oh no, please no attack. I tried smiling at the woman in front of me again and tell her that I was adopted and never got to know my biological parents. But what would she think of me then? That I am not worthy of dating her nephew? 

“Well, yeah.. But– no.” I looked down at my fingers resting in my lap. They were shaking, I had no control over them anymore. “I never met them.” Go away, stupid Anxiety. No one wants you here.

“Oh, why is that?” 

Could she just stop asking me these questions?! She must think I am a weirdo now and talk to Maddox grandma about it then she´ll never compliment my hair again. Now a wave of warmth flooded over me, I could feel the sweat running down my back. 

“Hey, Soley. Wanna come outside with me? I need some fresh air.” Maddox's voice was calm, I nodded. 

Once the cold December air hit me, the anxiety attack reached its peak. I couldn't breathe freely and an entire roller coaster of thoughts rode through my brain. They hate me. Maddox will leave me. 

“Hey, focus on me.” He stood in front of me, grabbing my shoulders. “Breathe with me, alright? We´ve done this before.” 

His blue eyes stared into mine when I took a deep breath in and slowly let it back out. I could feel the anxiety getting smaller and smaller with every single lifting and lowering of my chest. I felt shaky, like I just went through hell. My very personal version of hell. 

But thankful there was this angel called Maddox who was able to pull me out of there again. “Thank you.” 

He gave me a smile that made me weak in the knees. “Do you want to go right back in?” 

“Are they going to hate me?” I whispered my worries to him. 

“No. As to Georgia, I think she believes we need some time for ourselves to do couple-things. And everyone else didn't even notice we went outside. You are all good.” Maddox looked at me with a searching gaze. “But if you want to leave, I´m all here for it. I´ve had several Christmas celebrations with them.” 

Going home with Maddox and sitting on the couch, wrapped up in a cozy blanket felt like the most amazing place to be right now. “But I don't want to ruin it for you.” 

He chuckled. “You are not ruining anything, Sweetie. You feeling comfortable and not having to experience any attacks is more important than celebrating the 20th Christmas with the family I see at granny's birthday in two weeks again.” He rubbed over my back before going back in to get our jackets and say goodbye to everyone. 

Oh, how I didn't deserve him. 

[bemyvalentinechallenge]

Nothing is impossible

Summary: scholarship holder Jude always had feelings for quarterback Rylee, but thought rich boys like him could never like a girl like her until he proves her wrong

for @bemyvalentinechallenge 2025: prompt 9 "getting together"

Warnings: curse words, absolute no knowledge about american fooball whatsoever, please don't get mad at me

“Are you coming to our play tonight, Jude?” I look over to Rylee and as always the emerald green eyes let the butterflies out of their cage to fly around in my stomach. 

“Yeah. I´ll see what I can do.” I smile at him, trying not to blush too hard at his gaze on me. I don’t know what this guy's deal is if I am being honest. 

Rylee Remington is the kind of person that I believe has feelings for me but actually hasn’t. Because he is friends with everyone, his dad has one of the biggest law firms in the entire county and I am standing here in the history classroom, looking after him while he goes to his other rich friends. 

Me, Jude Forester, one of the only students at the entire elite school with a scholarship most certainly cannot pull the football team captain. But he asks you to come. 

Of course he asks me, so he has enough of a female audience when he’s lifting up his shirt after the game. He doesn’t like me, never would. Not when he can have every single girl in this school. On the planet. 

And still, his eyes are too green for me to not notice them every time he makes small talk with me after our class. 

Every time, the butterflies won’t leave me alone and make my hands get sweaty. 

I never asked for any of this, I never asked for being bullied by my old fellow students in the public high school so that mom decided to try and get me into a private school. 

Until Rylee walked with me to one of his games, I was the new girl. The rich students with the incredible white sneakers and designer school bags probably wouldn’t even have accepted me here, if he wouldn’t have come and helped me. I did not need his help, I like being the underdog. But having some people to talk to at times was quite useful, I must say. 

Going to Rylees games became my tradition, I have not missed one single game. I feel like I owe him that for helping me back then. 

“Jude, I would like to lock the classroom, would you please leave?” our history teacher took me out of my thoughts spiraling again. 

“Oh, yes. Of course.” I smile and quickly leave. During break, I never know where to go. I could ask Rylee if I could come, I bet he would say yes. But among all the kids with rich families, I don’t feel welcomed and accepted, like I don’t belong there just because my mom is a middle-class worker. 

But since the butterflies would not let me go, I did not care about my rational thoughts and just went up to the group sitting outside on the benches next to the school building by a huge tree. I slowly walk up to Rylee, waiting for him to notice me. His eyes lit up the minute he saw me and he walked towards me. “Hey.” he says. 

“Hi.” I look him in the eyes. Butterflies, go away. For fucks sake. “I hope it is okay that I’m here?” I let it sound like a question, even though I believed I knew the answer. 

“Yes, of course. I’m happy you’re here.” A smile appears on his lips and I can see his perfect white teeth. God, he’s so perfect.  He looks over his shoulder over to his friends who are talking loudly about today's game. “I bet they don’t care as well.” he then added, eyes back on me. Suddenly, he grabs my hand and pulls me next to him. 

All faces turn over to us, too many to count in such a short time. “You all know Jude, I think?” He introduced me to his football friends, who I do know from every single game I had watched. The running back with the black hair stood right next to me, opposite of me, I noticed the Lineback. 

They all nodded, even though I had never spoken a single word with all of them apart from the guy standing right next to me, the running back. He pulls out his hand and I shake it. “Finn.” he whispered and I smiled at him nicely.

 “Jude.” We didn’t have any courses together but I very quickly identified him as Rylees best friend who sometimes waits for him after history class. “Nice to meet you.”

 “Coming to the game?” He asks, probably already knowing the answer. 

“Yes. I think I will.” 

The players were running across the field, Rylee shouting orders at his mates beside him. Finn came from the side and passed the ball up to Rylee. The last seconds of the game counted down on the big scoreboard ahead of me. 

A player from the other team tried tackling Rylee, but his reflexes were faster. He passed the ball back to Finn. His best friend sped up, sprinted, and— 

The entire audience held their breath at this point I believe. 

He made the point! The Lancaster Rovers won the game and moved up to the Regional League! I knew what this meant for the prestige of this school and how much each player deserved the win. 

I stood on the grandstand shouting and people were stamping their feet on the metal ground which made the entire thing shake. Looking over to the players, the biggest smiles appeared on their faces. 

I turned to my classmate behind me. We often go to the plays together, enjoying each other's company. We never talk much but share the excitement of seeing these guys win and kind of made it a tradition of sitting next to each other on the benches. “Good game, wasn't it?” I ask her. 

“Yes. The last point was absolutely mental. Did you see, he did it at the very last second before the game ended!” Zoe always tended to over exaggerate, but on this point I had to agree with her one hundred percent. 

“Yes, out of all the games I've watched, this definitely was the most exciting.” I told her, but she did not even look at me anymore, she focused her eyes on a point behind me. 

The second my head moved to the field again, I heard Rylee. “Jude?” he asked. 

He stood on the field and wanted me to come down. “Can I talk to you for a second?” he asked. 

Why did he want to talk to me? My mind was a single roller coaster. It varied between shock, surprise and the immense feeling of love. Love? Yeah, Love. Love for Rylee Remington, no matter if he’s way off limits. 

I walk up to him, trying to hide my emotions the best I can. He doesn’t have to know about my realization I just had seconds ago. He doesn’t have to know that it has something to do with him and his not-shared feelings. 

“Good game, captain.” I say, once I stood next to him. The green eyes were as green as the field we were standing on and I couldn’t help it but think that maybe in another universe, we were meant to be together. 

“Thanks.” he smiles. “Now…” he breaks eye contact and his eyes wander around not really focusing on anything. “...what I wanted to ask you for quite some time now.” Did I hallucinate or were Rylees hands shaking? 

“Do you want to go to prom with me?” Once the words came out of his mouth, I thought I was dreaming. I pinched myself in the arm, but no. I did not wake up and found myself lying in my bed, staring at the ceiling, sad that it was just a dream, just like I did more times than I could count. 

No, this was real. I really was standing next to the man I thought I could never have and he just asked me to prom. Senior prom. Our graduation. 

He asked me. Riley wants to go out with me.

Now the butterflies had a real reason to fly around, I didn't even try to stop them, for that I was way too happy. Hello cloud no. 9. “Are you for real?” It came off a lot more disrespectful than I wanted it to be. 

“Yes.” he breathed out and that was when I noticed a movement from the side. I looked over and saw, straight out of my favorite romance book, five of his teammates standing behind him holding up a “PROM?” sign. I couldn’t believe it. This can’t be my reality. Reality is never that nice to me, ever. 

It was only when I saw Rylees scared look on his face that I noticed that I hadn't even said yes. 

“Yes! Yes, of course. I would love to.” I managed to say, before he wrapped his big arms around me. I did not care about the sweat on his entire body from an intense game, all that mattered in this moment were me and him. And the fact that nothing is impossible. 

[bemyvalentinechallenge]

dangerous game

Summary: Beth promised herself to never date a musician again, but when she meets Rowan at a photoshoot, it all changes.

For @bemyvalentinechallenge 2025: prompt 2 "love songs"

Warnings: curse words

“They´re all really nice, I promise.” My best friend gesticulated wildly while walking next to me. 

“Yeah, Dan. But can I remind you that you say that about every single person I am just about to meet?” I did trust him, but his knowledge of human nature simply had never been something to put a lot of trust into. I learned my lesson after 2 failed relationships with guys Daniel set me up with because they were so nice. 

“With these guys it's different.” He looked at me dead serious and I gave up. 

“Okay. You won.” He had already won when he first asked me to take photos of his new band for promo. I like him, he´s a good friend and I would do nearly anything for him to help him achieve his dream of playing in all the big stadiums.

So, we were on our way to a garage not far from his place of one of the bandmates to have the shoot. As always, I had many doubts about this. What if my photographing skills are not good enough? What if the location is not acceptable for taking photos or the guys are not as nice as Daniel tells me? 

I glanced over at Daniel who seriously seemed excited to introduce me to his new friends and biggest hope for success. 

“Here we are.” he informed me before stopping in front of the average American garage of an average American house. He lifted the garage door up and the first thing I saw were a pair of blue eyes blankly staring at me. 

Even though I was good with reading people and their first impression of me, but with this stranger, it was absolutely impossible. Emotionless was the best way to describe this handsome looking guy with his curly blonde hair and sapphire blue eyes. But who am I to judge, I wasn't going to start a relationship with any of these guys, he was Daniel's friend and probably as much of a red flag as the others before him. Not blaming Dan though. 

“Guys, this is Beth. My friend, the photographer.” I liked when he called me that. Photography had always been a big part of my identity as an artist, but was especially pushed when my art teacher saw something in my pictures that made her want more of that. 

That's when I got a professional camera for christmas and just spent hours walking through the streets, trying to find the perfect model in nature. 

Photos with a person as a model was something I hadn't been familiar with before Dan asked me, but was up to try. 

It was only when he walked up to me that I noticed a third guy at the back next to the drum set. “Nice to meet you, I´m Brendan.” I smiled as a response. He seemed a bit shy, but overall I had a good first impression of him.

“And you are?” I had the courage to ask the staring-guy. 

“Rowan” Pretty. No, Beth. Seriously, stop. Don´t even fall for this cheap mysterious-guy trap. You learned your lesson, remember? 

I nodded as a thank you for telling me his name. Well, this will be a hard day. 

It was the end of the shoot, I would have to develop them before I could safely say they were good, but the guys surprised me and followed my orders acceptably. 

Suddenly, I felt someone tapping me on the shoulder and found myself right in front of Rowan. The mysterious guy. 

“What´s up?” I tried sounding as casual as possible, but my legs felt like jelly. 

“Oh, I was just trying to find a smooth way to ask for your number, really.” 

Right. Don´t fall for this. Just politely decl–

“Yeah, why not?” My mouth was faster than my brain and I wasn't sure just yet, if I will regret this later. I handed my phone over to Rowan and he typed my number into his own. The soft smile on his lips is really cute. Oh. My. God. Beth. Just stop already. 

I did one last outfit check. And I actually had to compliment myself. The blue skirt with the white top looked amazing with my dark blonde hair. “Where are you going all dressed up?” my mom walked up behind me and I actually wanted to vanish into a magical hole in the ground.

“On… a date.” I admitted because lying to my mom doesn´t work out anyways. 

“A date?” Her eyebrows went up. “Who's the lucky guy then?” 

That's when someone rang our doorbell. “Guess you can meet him now.” I smiled and opened the door so Rowan could come in. 

This wasn't our first meeting, but the first one he called a ´date´. I know it was a dangerous game. I could get my heart broken for the third time, but the way Rowan was looking at me right then and there on our doorstep, it made me believe I did the right thing. 

“Hey.” I shyly said. 

“Hey. Ready to go?” he responded, the smile on his lips made my heart rate rise. 

“Yes.” The same type of smile started growing on my face when I quickly grabbed my back and silently asked my mom for permission. She nodded and I closed the door behind me. Rowan´s car waited for us in my driveway and I went up to the passenger door like it is the most normal thing to do.

He very quickly became a very special person in my life. He hit a nerve in me that I didn't think even existed and simply made me feel all mushy inside, like I am melting whenever our eyes meet or he secretly touched my hand in a café. 

So far, I haven´t told Dan about our meetings, I was scared he was going to be acting weird around Rowan when I tell him. “Where are we going?” I asked once this pretty man next to me started the car engine and left our driveway. 

“It's a surprise.” The mischievous smile showed me that he loved playing with me. 

“Oh come on! You know how much I hate that!” Yes of course he knows, it was literally the first thing you told him on your first meeting, Beth. 

“And that is exactly why I'm doing it.” he glanced over at me, turning red when our eyes met. The sapphire blue color of his eyes had a chokehold on me that would never leave. And to be honest, I was all here for it. 

When the car stopped on a grassy hill with a beautiful, big beech right next to it. It looked straight out of a fairytale and wondered how Rowan even knows a place like this exists in Utah. 

“See? That's why I kept it a secret.” he said. 

“Why?” I asked, my gaze still focused on the view in front of me. 

“Because I wanted to see the artistic look on your face when you see my favorite place in Utah.” 

“Artistic?” I laughed. 

“You can't deny that you want to grab your camera immediately and try to capture the magic of this place.” 

He hit the nail on the head. “How do you know?” 

“When I write songs, I go to places like these because they feel like you can reach everything, even things you know you can never have.” 

I looked over at him and met his eyes staring at me just like he did when we first met. His honest words surprised me. 

I opened the car door and stepped onto the grass with my thin sandals. Slowly I stepped toward the edge of the hill, as if I could destroy the magic when I got closer. 

Suddenly, I felt Rowan´s hand on my back and he turned me around to him. It all happened so fast that feeling his soft lips on mine caught me completely by surprise. It wasn't my first kiss, but the first where it felt like it meant more than just a kiss. I didn´t deepen the kiss. Even though I wanted to, my body froze in all its movement as soon as his lips met mine. 

Rowan let go of me and looked me in the eyes. A smile covered the lips that only a seconds ago had been on mine. 

And in this moment, I knew it was love. It was love I felt in every inch of my body. 

“How do you know you´re in love?” I asked, his face so close in front of mine that I could see every single imperfection on his skin that just made the warmth in my body grow bigger and bigger.

“All the songs make sense.” He just said and I understood. I understood that he had spent hours with the draining question of what love even was. 

And now he knows. We both know. 

[bemyvalentinechallenge]

All The Songs Make Sense

Fandom : Fairy Tail

Relationship : Greige x Nasha

My Be My Valentine challenge 2025 contribution for the prompt : “How do you know you're in love?” “All the songs make sense.”

I’m sorry for the mistakes, English is not my native language. I hope you like it.

Summary : Greige was sitting at the kitchen table. He watched his mother baked heart-shaped chocolate cookies. She was grinning from ear to ear.

“Mom, how do you know you're in love ?”

Disclaimer : Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima.

@bemyvalentinechallenge

AO3 / FF.NET

Greige looked at the window of a shop decorated with hearts of all sizes and red roses. For the past few days, all the shops in Magnolia had been decorated this way. He had asked Juvia why there were hearts and roses everywhere. Even the confectioners were selling heart-shaped chocolates.

“It's Valentine's Day,” Juvia answered.

“What is Valentine's Day ?”

“It's the lovers' day.”

Greige frowned. It was the first time he had heard of a day for lovers.

“Is it a day for you and dad ?”

“Yes, dad is Juvia’sValentine and Juvia is his Valentine. You too will have a Valentine one day.”

Greige made a face. At five years old, he did not want to have a Valentine. Not now, not ever. Then Valentine's Day had passed and Greige had forgotten about it.

The following year, at the same time, the city was once again decorated with hearts and roses. This year, Greige felt like everybody was falling in love. Even his best friend, Ryo, was in love. All he talked about was Jade, a girl in their class. Greige did not understand how he could have fallen in love so quickly.

“You'll see,” Ryo had told him, patting his shoulder as if he were an expert in love. “You too will realize that you are in love with Nasha.”

Greige turned pale. Why did he talk about Nasha ? That evening, Nasha and her parents had come to dinner. Greige felt strange. He thought about what Ryo had told him and he blushed every time Nasha looked at him. For several days, he had thought about that dinner. Was Ryo right ?

Greige was sitting at the kitchen table. He watched his mother baked heart-shaped chocolate cookies. She was grinning from ear to ear.

“Mom, how do you know you're in love ?”

Juvia stopped baking and turned her attention to Greige.

“You and dad are in love, but how did you know ?”

Juvia smiled.

“Why do you want to know ?”

Greige blushed and he wondered if it was a good idea to talk to his mother.

“I just wonder.”

Juvia thought about it, searching for the best answer.

“All the songs make sense.”

Greige frowned.

“Even the one about the lion and the antelope ?”

Juvia nodded and Greige made a face. It was a song about a lion falling in love with an antelope. Nasha loved this song and sang it often. Greige had told her that it was a ridiculous song and that lions ate antelopes. She had been furious and refused to talk to him for a whole week. He was brought out of his thoughts when Juvia hugged him.

“My baby is in love !”

“Mom, you're squeezing me !”

He really should not have talk to his mother.

******

Greige sat at a table in the guild and drank a glass of orange juice that Mirajane had brought him. He watched absently as his father and Nasha's father argued. He already knew that their argument was going to end in a general brawl. But Greige knew that it was nothing serious because despite the arguments and the fights, the guild members loved each other like family. He put his glass on the table and hummed the song of the lion and the antelope. He had it in his head all day.

“Since when do you like this song ?”

Greige turned towards Nasha who was looking at him curiously.

“It’s not that bad.”

Nasha smiled and she sat down next to him.

“We sing it together.”

She started singing the first notes and Greige sang with her, blushing. He had always been embarrassed to sing in front of someone. Suddenly, this song about the lion falling in love with an antelope made sense.

Finally, he had done well to talk to his mother. She was right, when you’re in love all the songs made sense.

The end

[bemyvalentinechallenge]

Toutes les chansons ont un sens

Fandom : Fairy Tail

Relationship : Greige x Nasha

Voici ma participation pour le Be My Valentine challenge 2025 pour le prompt : « Comment on sait quand on est amoureux ? » « Toutes les chansons ont un sens. »

J’espère que ça vous plaira.

Résumé : Greige était assis à la table de la cuisine. Il regardait sa mère préparer des biscuits au chocolat en forme de cœur. Elle chantonnait et avait un immense sourire aux lèvres.

« Maman, comment on sait quand on est amoureux ? »

Disclaimer : Fairy Tail appartient à Hiro Mashima.

@bemyvalentinechallenge

AO3 / FF.NET

Greige regarda la vitrine d'une boutique décorée avec des cœurs de toutes les tailles et des roses rouges. Depuis quelques jours, toutes les boutiques de Magnolia étaient décorées ainsi. Il avait demandé à Juvia pourquoi il y avait des cœurs et des roses partout. Même les chocolatiers vendaient des chocolats en forme de cœur.

« C'est parce que c'est la Saint Valentin, lui avait répondu Juvia.

-C'est quoi la Saint Valentin ?

-C'est la fête des amoureux. »

Greige fronça les sourcils. C'était la première fois qu'il entendait parler d'une fête pour les amoureux.

« C'est une fête pour toi et papa ?

-Oui, papa est le Valentin de Juvia et Juvia est sa Valentine. Toi aussi un jour tu auras une Valentine. »

Greige grimaça. Du haut de ses cinq ans, il n'avait aucune envie d'avoir une Valentine. Ni maintenant ni jamais. Puis la Saint Valentin était passée et Greige n'y avait plus pensé.

L'année suivante, à la même époque la ville était à nouveau décorée de cœurs et de roses. Cette année, Greige avait l'impression que tout le monde tombait amoureux. Même son meilleur ami, Ryo, était amoureux. Il ne parlait plus que de Jade, une fille de leur classe. Greige ne comprenait pas comment il avait pu tomber amoureux aussi rapidement.

« Tu verras, lui avait dit Ryo en lui tapotant l'épaule comme s'il était un expert en amour. Toi aussi tu te rendras compte que tu es amoureux de Nasha. »

Greige blêmit. Qu'est-ce que Nasha venait faire dans cette histoire ? Le soir, Nasha et ses parents étaient venus dîner. Greige se sentait bizarre. Il pensait à ce que Ryo lui avait dit et il rougissait à chaque fois que Nasha le regardait. Pendant plusieurs jours, il avait repensé à ce dîner. Est-ce que Ryo avait raison ?

Greige était assis à la table de la cuisine. Il regardait sa mère préparer des biscuits au chocolat en forme de cœur. Elle chantonnait et avait un immense sourire aux lèvres.

« Maman, comment on sait quand on est amoureux ? »

Juvia arrêta de cuisiner et porta son attention sur Greige.

« Papa et toi vous êtes amoureux, mais comment tu as su ? »

Juvia sourit.

« Pourquoi veux-tu savoir ça ? »

Greige rougit et se demanda si c’était une bonne idée d’en parler à sa mère.

« Comme ça, pour savoir. »

Juvia réfléchit, cherchant la meilleure réponse.

« Toutes les chansons ont un sens. »

Greige fronça les sourcils.

« Même celle du lion et de l’antilope ? »

Juvia acquiesça et Greige grimaça. C’était une chanson qui parlait d’un lion qui tombait amoureux d’une antilope. Nasha adorait cette chanson et elle la chantait souvent. Greige lui avait dit que c’était une chanson ridicule et que les lions mangeaient les antilopes. Elle avait été furieuse et avait refusé de lui parler pendant toute une semaine. Il fut sortit de ses pensées lorsque Juvia le serra dans ses bras.

« Mon bébé est amoureux !

-Maman, tu me serres trop fort ! »

Il n’aurait vraiment pas dû en parler à sa mère.

******

Greige était assis à une table de la guilde et buvait un verre de jus d’orange que Mirajane lui avait apporté. Il regardait distraitement son père et le père de Nasha se disputer. Il savait déjà que leur dispute allait se terminer en bagarre générale. Mais Greige savait qu’il n’y avait rien de grave car malgré les disputes et les bagarres, les membres de la guilde s’aimaient comme une famille. Il posa son verre sur la table et fredonna la chanson du lion et de l’antilope. Il l’avait eu en tête toute la journée.

« Depuis quand tu aimes cette chanson ? »

Greige se tourna vers Nasha qui le regardait avec curiosité.

« Elle n’est pas si nulle que ça. »

Nasha sourit et s’assit à côté de lui.

« On la chante tous les deux. »

Elle se mit à chanter les première notes et Greige chanta avec elle en rougissant. Il avait toujours été gêné de chanter devant quelqu’un. Tout à coup, cette chanson du lion qui tombait amoureux d’une antilope avait un sens.

Finalement, il avait bien fait de parler à sa mère. Elle avait raison, quand on est amoureux toutes les chansons avaient un sens.

Fin

[bemyvalentinechallenge]

none of it was ever worth the risk for @bemyvalentinechallenge 2025

“And when I was a kid Dad and I started doing this thing when we were talking about tough stuff. We’d go sit out on the porch, it was… easier for some reason. I don’t know, it felt like we were a little less cornered.” Chris shrugs. “D’you think we could do that? It’s just– it’s important, and I think you’re the only one who’ll get it.” Josh eyes him carefully, quirking a brow. “I’ll get us some lemonade, you head out there. And text Tommy that you made it here safe, I really do not need to get a lecture from Buck later, he’ll kill me if you go fake-missing.”

Or the one where Christopher comes knocking, and Josh offers the best advice he can give.

T | christopher diaz & josh russo | 2k day two prompts: love songs | All This and Heaven Too by Florence and the Machine | "How do you know when you are in love?"/"All the songs make sense."

read on ao3.

[bemyvalentinechallenge]

siri, play me a love song

my offering for day 2 of be my valentine 2025 i started thinking of love songs and decides to give yall the quadruple double date we deserve to see on screen! bucktommy, bathena, madney and henren all stuffed into a bar booth! enjoy!

rated G | 1767 words also on AO3

Their laughter is almost as loud as the music playing at the badge and ladder bar.

It’s a good thing it’s a quiet weeknight or else they would probably get kicked out. Although, he’d guess having five firefighters, one police officer, one dispatcher and a rocket scientist on a quadruple double date is good for business.

“It was like that movie with the bus, Tommy!” 

So maybe Buck is being the loudest. Whatever, he’ll leave a big tip later.

“Do you mean ‘Speed’?” Tommy is endlessly fond, his hand finding Buck’s thigh under the table and he is trying not to actually melt in the leather seat of the booth.

“I’m just proud that he actually watched the movie, Tommy,” Chimney points out, ignoring Buck’s eye roll and pointing at him with a french fry. “This guy didn’t know who Rambo was!”

Tommy turns to him with wide shocked eyes while Chim eats his french fry with satisfaction. Buck bites his lip with a fake innocent expression as Bobby laughs.

“In his defense,” Maddie interjects, nudging Chim’s side. “He spent his teenage years jumping off bikes and falling down trees to focus on movies.”

That does not make Tommy less shocked. On the contrary. “Evan.”

“That is not helping, Maddie.” He says through his teeth towards his sister.

Maddie shrugs, as if her objective hadn’t really been to help and shares a high-five with her husband without looking. Traitor.

“What about that drunk driver with the head wound?” Hen points out, sitting back on the booth with an arm over the back of her wife’s shoulders and holding a cider. “Our Buckaroo went after him on a bicycle and stopped right in front of the car.”

“Evan.”

“In my defense,” Buck holds up his hands. “He had kidnapped Chimney.”

“I thought I was gonna have to give your sister bad news.” Chim’s expression is slightly traumatised and Maddie rubs his chest fondly.

“Don’t think we all forgot the time you climbed a construction crane when there was a sniper targeting firefighters on the loose, Buckley.” Athena’s gaze is piercing and Buck feels himself blushing under the intensity.

“Or that time you almost took a bowling ball to the face and fell off a ladder when we got that call to the hoarder house.” Hen adds and Buck groans.

“You really are a trouble magnet,” Tommy’s tone is amazed but also very concerned. His hand unconsciously tightens on Buck’s thigh. “Maybe I should wrap you in bubble wrap, keep you out of trouble.”

Everyone laughs. 

“I don’t think even a padded room could keep him out of trouble.” Maddie teases, sticking her tongue out in response to her brother’s stuck out tongue.

“In Buck’s actual defense,” Bobby interrupts the laughter with a soft smile at Buck. “He has good instincts. He can seem impulsive but a lot of the time, he has a plan, he knows how to do his job and he is good at it.”

“And he has a great team to help him out when the plan doesn’t go his way.” Karen adds with a grin, patting Buck’s shoulder.

Tommy’s hand on his thigh rubs softly up and down his knee, taking Buck away from thoughts of the crushing weight and the pain from that day. Tommy knew about that accident, Buck finally confessing after a day of excruciating pain. Just the faintest touch of his hand reminded him of the care Tommy had massaged into his aching muscles after he finished the story.

“That is true,” Tommy murmurs and Buck has to keep himself from tracing his smile with his mouth. “At least I know that there are people keeping you safe when I’m not there.”

“Yeah.” Buck nods and really, he has drunk too much to keep the heart eyes from his face.

Hen groans. “I forgot how obnoxious the honeymoon phase was.”

Buck breaks their eye contact to stick his tongue out at his friend but leans against Tommy’s side because he can. 

“It’s been three months, Hen,” Athena points out, her smile softening as she looks at them - it feels a lot like approval. “Give them time.” 

They all laugh and Buck should be embarrassed or upset but Tommy kisses his birthmark before putting his arm around his shoulders. How can he be anything but happy when he fits so perfectly in his boyfriend’s arms?

Maddie gasps loudly and everyone turns to find her gripping Chim’s arm. All sorts of emergencies flash behind Buck’s drunk mind before the couple looks at each other and exclaims. “It’s our song!”

There’s a wave of confusion before they all recognise the song playing at the bar as “Islands in the Stream” - Maddie and Chim’s go-to karaoke song. They all groan good-naturedly.

The couple sings together what is left of the song, uncaring for everyone’s put-upon annoyance as it turns to amusement. They finish with a flourish and a kiss, Buck joins on the clapping but his focus isn’t on the married couple in front of him, it’s on Tommy.

His boyfriend’s face crinkles with his happy smile, his eyes shine as they focus on his oldest friend and his wife, his hand tightens its hold on Buck’s shoulder. There is a yearning in his expression and Buck remembers the way he had smiled when Tommy found him setting the table with candles and flowers the month prior. 

Tommy likes rom-coms. He is a romantic. 

Buck likes romance too.

“You two are worse than these two.” Hen teases, gesturing with her glass towards where Buck is shifting in his seat so he can snuggle closer.

“You’re just bitter you don’t have a song, my friend.” Chim smirks at Maddie’s nudge but Hen only raises an eyebrow.

“We have a song, it’s ‘Crimson and Clover’.” 

“That is not our song.” Karen’s quick denial interrupts Hen’s smug look who looks surprised at her wife.

“What do you mean? It was playing on our first date.” 

Tommy’s chest moves with his chuckle and Buck lays a hand on his thigh, the hand on his shoulder moving slowly up and down. Warm.

“Yeah, the first date we were both tricked into going.” Karen turns accusing eyes towards Chim who does not look ashamed at all.

“Oh, Howie,” Tommy laughs. “You pulled a double bluff on them?”

“Tommy, my friend, I did more than that.” Chim grins proudly, taking a sip of his drink.

“Wha-”

“Not the point, Thomas,” Hen interrupts, glaring at a nonplussed Chim.

“No, the point is,” Karen brings everyone’s attention back to her. “Our song is ‘You are the Reason’ by Callum Scott.” Her eyes pierce into her wife’s like she’s expecting a reaction.

From the way Karen smiles pleased at the way Hen’s confused frown turns into a soft loving smile and the way they kiss each other, it must be the right reaction. Buck wonders what goes through Hen’s mind when she thinks of that song. 

“I can’t believe I forgot the cardinal rule of marriage,” Hen says in a self-chastising tone that doesn’t match the soft smile on her lips. “The wife is always right.”

“Hell yeah,” Karen grins, pulling Hen for a bigger kiss to everyone’s amusement.

Tommy lets out a sigh as he comes down from his laughter and Buck’s hand runs slowly up and down his thigh. His boyfriend pulls him closer, laying his free hand on top of Buck’s.

The way Bobby smiles at Athena brings a twinge of longing into Buck’s chest as he interlocks his fingers with Tommy’s. It brings his curiosity out.

“What about you, Bobby? Do you two have a song?”

Bobby smiles, a soft bashful thing and puts his hand over where he and his wife hold hands over the table.

“‘Can’t help falling in love’,” Athena’s voice surprises everyone as they all turn to her smirking face. “We danced to it at our wedding.”

Bobby’s smile turns soft in a way that Buck recognises in his own face whenever Tommy smiles at him. The older man brings his wife’s hand to his mouth to kiss the back of it and Athena’s face turns impossibly softer. 

“Like Hen said, the wife is always right.”

Athena winks at the table before glancing at where Hen’s mouth is still parted in shock. The police sergeant scoffs, shifting so she is plastered to her husband.

“Don’t look so surprised, Henrietta, I can be romantic.”

Bobby laughs and Hen joins with raised hands. Tommy’s hand tightens against his and Buck looks up to see the yearning again and he can’t help but feel it in his chest too.

He wants to dance with Tommy to a song all of their own. He wants to think of those times when he hears their song. He wants.

“What about you two?” 

Maddie’s voice brings his eyes to hers and everyone else’s to him and Tommy. Maybe he got a little too distracted.

“What?”

She chuckles knowingly. “Do you two have a song?”

Buck is caught off guard. He shouldn’t be, of course, they had been talking about it. But he had been lost in thought - lost in thoughts of dancing with his boyfriend, maybe forever.

Tommy seems surprised too and maybe that helps. “Oh, I don- I don’t think-”

“‘Conquer the Heart’.” Buck interrupts, looking up at Tommy.

Tommy’s eyes widen as he looks down at him. He wonders what is going through his mind.

Is he thinking about that time at the bar in WeHo? Where they played that song and Buck had pulled Tommy onto the dance floor? Or is he thinking about that time a few days later? When Buck put on the song while they were cleaning up after dinner and their smirks turned into a makeout session against the kitchen counter? Or is thinking about the time they actually held each other in the privacy of Tommy’s living room and danced together?

All of the above?

Tommy smiles, a bright smile that makes Buck’s heart do a million flips and loops in his chest. He has a second to prepare himself for the breathtaking kiss his boyfriend gives him. No complaints. 

“Yup,” Tommy agrees, his eyes twinkling with affection and gratitude and Buck doesn’t think he got his breath back yet. “That’s the one.”

Buck pulls Tommy back in for a kiss, trying to steal back the breath he took, and does not care when all the good-natured groaning is turned on them.

Maybe he knows exactly what goes through Hen’s mind when she thinks of her and Karen’s song. It goes through his too.

[bemyvalentinechallenge]

Entwined Hearts

Fandom : Fairy Tail

Relationship : Natsu x Lucy

My Be My Valentine challenge 2025 contribution for the prompt : Sharing a bed.

I’m sorry for the mistakes, English is not my native language. I hope you like it.

Summary : Lucy slowly opened her eyes when she felt someone move next to her. Two arms wrapped around her waist. She did not need to turn over, she knew who it was.

“Natsu.” “Tired.”

He did not add anything more and he fell asleep immediately. Lucy squeezed his hand in hers, reassured that he was there.

Disclaimer : Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima.

@bemyvalentinechallenge

AO3 / FF.NET

Lucy slowly opened her eyes when she felt someone move next to her. Two arms wrapped around her waist. She did not need to turn over, she knew who it was.

“Natsu.”

“Tired.”

He did not add anything more and he fell asleep immediately. Lucy squeezed his hand in hers, reassured that he was there. Natsu and Happy had left on a mission five days ago. They were supposed to return the day before. Their mission must have been more complicated than expected. Even though Lucy trusted Natsu when he told her he would be back soon, she could not help worrying. She was reassured to see that he had returned and that he was fine.

It's strange, she thought. A few months ago, when Natsu was in her bed, she would panic, she would yell at him and she would force him to leave her bedroom. Now, it reassured her to be near him. It had become something natural between them. Every time, Natsu would manage to sleep next to her. He would sleep in her bed, or he would put his sleeping bag next to hers. And every time it was the same thing, he would fall asleep with his arms around her.

The first time it happened, Lucy had not slept at night. She had never been so tense in her life and her cheeks were so red that she was sure everyone could see them in the dark. Now, it was when she was not in Natsu's arms that she could not fall asleep.

Little by little, she had realized that she had fallen in love with him. Often, she wondered if Natsu felt the same way. She was afraid to ask him, afraid of what he would say. She did not know how their relationship would evolve, but for now all she wanted was to stay with him. As if he had heard what she was thinking, Natsu tightened his embrace and Lucy smiled. She closed her eyes and fell asleep.

The end

[bemyvalentinechallenge]

Des cœurs enlacés

Fandom : Fairy Tail

Relationship : Natsu x Lucy

Voici ma participation pour le Be My Valentine challenge 2025 pour le prompt : Partager un lit.

J’espère que ça vous plaira.

Résumé : Lucy ouvrit lentement les yeux lorsqu’elle sentit bouger à côté d’elle. Deux bras l’enlacèrent autour de la taille. Elle n’avait pas besoin de se retourner, elle savait de qui il s’agissait.

« Natsu. -Fatigué. »

Il n’ajouta rien de plus et s’endormit aussitôt. Lucy serra sa main dans la sienne, rassurée qu’il soit là.

Disclaimer : Fairy Tail appartient à Hiro Mashima.

@bemyvalentinechallenge

AO3 / FF.NET

Lucy ouvrit lentement les yeux lorsqu’elle sentit bouger à côté d’elle. Deux bras l’enlacèrent autour de la taille. Elle n’avait pas besoin de se retourner, elle savait de qui il s’agissait.

« Natsu.

-Fatigué. »

Il n’ajouta rien de plus et s’endormit aussitôt. Lucy serra sa main dans la sienne, rassurée qu’il soit là. Natsu et Happy étaient partis en mission il y a cinq jours. Ils devaient rentrer la veille. Leur mission avait dû être plus compliquée que prévue. Même si Lucy faisait confiance à Natsu lorsqu’il lui avait dit qu’il reviendrait vite, elle n’avait pu s’empêcher de s’inquiéter. Elle était rassurée de voir qu’il était rentré et qu’il allait bien.

C’est étrange, pensa-t-elle. Il y a quelques mois, quand Natsu se trouvait dans son lit, elle paniquait, elle lui criait dessus et le forçait à sortir de sa chambre. Désormais, ça la rassurait d’être auprès de lui. C’était devenu quelque chose de naturel entre eux. À chaque fois, Natsu s’arrangeait pour dormir près d’elle. Que se soit dans son lit, ou qu’il mette son sac de couchage à côté du sien. Et à chaque fois c’était la même chose, il s’endormait en passant ses bras autour d’elle.

La première fois que c’était arrivé, Lucy n’avait pas dormi de la nuit. Elle n’avait jamais été aussi crispée de toute sa vie et ses joues étaient tellement rouges qu’elle était sûre qu’on pouvait les voir dans le noir. Désormais, c’est lorsqu’elle n’était pas dans les bras de Natsu qu’elle ne pouvait pas trouver le sommeil.

Petit à petit, elle s’était rendue compte qu’elle était tombée amoureuse de lui. Souvent, elle se demandait si Natsu ressentait la même chose. Elle avait peur de lui demander, peur de ce qu’il lui répondrait. Elle ne savait pas comment allait évoluer leur relation, mais pour l’instant tout ce qu’elle voulait c’était de rester auprès de lui. Comme s’il avait entendu ce qu’elle pensait, Natsu resserra un peu plus son étreinte et Lucy sourit. Elle ferma les yeux et finit par s’endormir.

Fin

[bemyvalentinechallenge]

Best man I´ve ever met

Summary: Lennox is suffering from nightmares and his girlfriend Ivy has to wake him up.

for @bemyvalentinechallenge 2025: prompt 3 "sharing a bed"

Warnings: nightmares, shouting, panic

A loud “NO! Please, stop!” woke me up. I found myself lying in bed in the apartment of Lennox, my fast pounding heart immediately calming back down. I was safe. No danger around. 

But then I looked around and knew what was happening. The relationship with Lennox and me was new, it still scared me for a moment, when I found him next to me, suffering from his nightmares. 

“Hey, everything is okay, Len.” I sat up and slowly stroked his cheek. He was panting heavily and out of reflex tried getting my hand off of him. “GO! Leave me alone!” he shouted. 

Seeing him like this for the third time now, made me feel even more impressed by my boyfriend than I already was anyways. Through seeing his mom die in front of him at the young age of 11, he did not only suffer from bad dreams, but also panic attacks and a bad mental health. 

Still, he kept on living a normal life, lived in a big apartment and was head of his own publishing company he inherited from his mom. 

How can a person so broken, live a stable life? I stroked over his blonde, curly hair and tried calming him. “I´m here, you don´t have to be scared.” But I could feel his heart was pouding unbearably fast once I laid my hand on his chest. 

I need to wake him up, before he hurts himself. I experienced a nightmare of his a week ago where he stoke out of all directions, not only hurting his knee by hitting the wall, but I unknowingly ended up as a target as well.

Softly, I grabbed his shoulders and shook him. “Wake up, Lennox. It's not real.” Again, I laid a hand onto his cheek and slowly rubbed over it. His entire body tensed up under my touch, it made me worry to see him this hurt in front of me. No person deserves to go through this sort of personal hell. Ever single night.

“Len, it's just a dream.” I said again, hoping to at some point reach him. 

“NO! Please, no!” 

“Shhh… I am here for you.” 

Thankfully, he opened his eyes and sat up in a sudden movement and the scared look in his eyes made my heart shudder. 

“Ivy.”  my name out of his mouth will always send a warm wave of happiness through my body. Especially when it sounds like the safest place in the entire world he could possibly imagine turning to. 

“Lennox.” I smiled. My hand still covered his cheek and he took his own to rub over mine. Sweat covered his forehead, he looked exhausted. 

“You're cold.” He commented, the worry in his eyes visible.

“What do you think I am, when you scared the shit out of me?” It was partly meant as a joke and partly serious. “I didn't know what to do, I was this close to calling your Ophelia.” His older sister always knows what to do, if he didn't wake up a second ago, calling her in the middle of the night would've been the first thing I had done. 

“Sorry.” He whispered, his eyes only lying on me, like I am his savior. 

“You have nothing to be sorry for. You didn't ask for this.” 

“But you don't deserve this, you should not be waking up from my nightmares.” 

I chuckled in disbelief. “Are you joking? I am so lucky to have you. You are the best man I´ve ever met, Len. I wouldn't want to change anything about this. About us. Ever.” 

With every word I said, the small smile on his lips grew bigger and bigger, before he leaned forward and covered his lips with mine, surprising me. 

I melted into the kiss, putting my hands on his shoulders to pull him closer to me.

He buried his hands in my light brown hair, sending waves of pleasure through my body.

His tongue met mine and I got lost in a world where it was us, Lennox and Ivy, against the rest of the world, until he pulled away and reminded me of reality. 

“I´m really tired.” 

I nodded. “Same. Let's at least sleep for the next few hours.” 

Lying back down, he softly touched my bare arm, creating goosebumps all over. Did he know about the effects he had on me? “Thank you.” 

“For what?” 

“For being there every time I wake up in the morning.” he said, his voice quiet. 

I smiled to myself and fell asleep, his words echoing through my mind. 

[bemyvalentinechallenge]

on waking up beside you

day 3 of be my valentine 2025 the prompt was sharing a bed and i brought a little angst in the midst of a lot of fluff, so enjoy!

rated M | 2676 words also on AO3

5 months, 20 days and 13 hours before the breakup

He wakes up first.

The hair tickling at his nose still bears the smell of smoke. It’s hiding under the sandalwood and strawberries from the shower gel but he notices it. Notices it from how close it is, from how much he wants to keep smelling it.

His dreams had involved soot-covered kisses, strong arms wrapped around him, tired smiles and absent-minded touches. But then again, that hadn’t been just a dream.

Tommy’s arm is wrapped tight around his middle, face nestled against his neck, warm breath fanning across his skin. Buck’s arms are wrapped around Tommy as best he can, ignoring his pillow in order to lean on the other man’s head, humming at the sigh of satisfaction at his chest.

His fingers tangle in the still-smoke-scented curls, his free hand firmly planted in the strong muscles of Tommy’s back. Buck knows when the other man wakes up, his hand running slowly up and down his side, fingers teasing at the still-unknown-to-him ticklish spot on his rib. 

Buck smiles. 

There is still a lot they don’t know about each other. Practically everything.

There are kisses on Buck’s collarbone, on his shoulders, his chest. Slow presses of lips for the early hours of the morning and yet, he shivers all the same, his fingers flexing on Tommy’s scalp as a loud hum escapes him. He feels Tommy’s lips curl as he presses them to the skin of his neck. Buck looks down as Tommy looks up. 

He knows another thing now - Tommy’s eyes are soft after waking up, the veil of dreams still clinging to the corners; his smile is small but so bright, no worries or fears dampening its shine. Buck feels his heart pounding harshly against his chest. 

He can have this. Buck wants to have this.

“Thank you for taking care of me.” Tommy whispers, not wanting to disrupt the quiet of the morning and Buck clings tighter. 

He kisses the top of Tommy’s head, the side of his brow, his chest, letting the man’s pleased hums quiet his impulsive thoughts.

I would take care of you forever. Stay with me. Let me keep you.

Because it’s early. It’s new. It’s “practically everything”.

“Anytime.” He says instead and returns the bright smile Tommy gives him, the sun rising from his windows.

Buck can have this. He wants this.

They just need to get to know each other better.

---

1 week and 13 hours before the breakup

He is so warm. 

Buck burrows closer to his pillow, face nuzzling against the soft fabric. A low, deep hum reverberates under his cheek, fingers tangling deeper in his freed curls. He hides his smile on his boyfriend’s chest, wrapping his arm tighter around the other man’s torso.

Tommy turns on his side to him and Buck only whines for half a second at the loss before he is pulled closer by his boyfriend’s arms around his shoulders. Their legs tangle together and they are plastered against each other. Buck sighs in satisfaction and feels a smiling kiss on the top of his head. 

Something warm settles in his chest. A purring cat curling up. A batch of cookies cooking in the oven. The smell of a freshly printed checklist. Happy. Warm.

Tommy hums again when Buck kisses that patch of skin between shoulder and neck, the older man’s arms wrapping tighter, fingers digging into Buck’s scalp. Buck grabs hold of Tommy’s opposite shoulder with one hand, the other curled against his hip under the tank top. His boyfriend’s hand is warm across his bare back and Buck continues to kiss up his neck, relishing every sigh and quiet moan in the early hours of the morning.

His lips tease at the corner of Tommy’s mouth and that must break the tenuous hold the other man had on his control because before he can take his next breath, Buck finds himself with his back pressed against the bed and a heavy, warm body on top of him kissing him like he wants to steal all the oxygen in his lungs. Buck isn’t complaining.

“You just woke up,” Tommy half-heartedly scolds him, lips trailing across Buck’s jawline. “And you’re ready to go again?” He finishes asking in a whisper at his ear as his thigh presses gently against where he’s already hardening in his boxers. Buck moans and digs his fingers on his boyfriend’s hair.

He flutters his eyes open to look up at Tommy looking down at him with blown pupils and that awed smile on his lips. Buck can’t quite hold back the shiver that look always brings out. 

Something hot settles in his chest. A five-alarm fire blazing against his skin. The controlled flames of a successful flambé. The scorching feel of his boyfriend’s hands on his bare skin. Exciting. Hot.

“Can you blame me?” 

Buck smirks as he grinds back and Tommy chokes on a moan at the pressure on his hardening cock. The spark in his boyfriend’s eyes turns predatory and Buck’s body tingles in excitement, desperation, expectation.

“No,” Tommy grins. “I really can’t.”

As they kiss, Buck feels that heat again. Not just the heat in his skin wherever his boyfriend’s skin is touching, no, the one in his chest, in his heart. It’s comfort, it’s need, it’s want, it’s waking up in his boyfriend’s arms, it’s falling asleep with his boyfriend in his arms. 

It’s-It’s warm.

---

8 hours after the breakup

He didn’t sleep.

The sun rises outside his windows and he hasn’t slept.

His bed is cold despite the fact that he spent the night lying in it. His sheets smell like his citrusy shower gel with no hint of smoke. His hand stretches out into the empty side of the bed, his side of the bed. It’s cold.

His mouth still tastes of the beers he drank at Eddie’s, he can still feel the helplessness as he watched Tommy leave through his loft door, still wants to tear the door off its hinges to keep from seeing it, all of it. The way his nickname sounded on Tommy’s lips haunts him throughout the night and it brings fresh tears to his eyes, a coldness settling in his chest. Buck pulls his pillow to his face and when he catches that hint of sandalwood, strawberries and smoke, he shatters.

Chest wracking sobs hiccuping in his lungs, a weight suffocating him, making it hard to breathe. 

“Do you love him?” 

It was an easy question. A “yes” or “no” question and yet, Buck still failed at it. Let his hang-ups, the focused stares of his sister and her best friend make him stumble over his words. 

“And could you see a future there?”

He could, he did. 

He saw it, as he woke up alongside Tommy for the millionth time since that first time, he saw it. He felt the warmth and the comfort and the-the-

But Tommy still broke up with him. Shattered all those hopes and dreams he dared have, dared to put out into the world when he agreed with Josh’s questions. 

And now, he’s cold and alone in a big bed made for two.

And yet, he’d still do it all over again.

Because he loves him. It’s a “yes”. He still does.

---

2 months, 3 days and 6 hours after the breakup

He hasn’t slept.

He won’t when falling asleep means missing a minute of this. Tommy in his arms, Buck plastered to every inch of his back, arms tight around his middle.

Tommy hasn’t slept either. 

Buck hasn’t felt his breathing change into that deep and steady pattern it always would, creating a lullaby for him to fall asleep to. 

They haven’t slept.

The room is still dark in the late hours of the night and they’ve been quiet, tears dried on their faces hours ago, cherishing the quiet, the warmth.

“I love you! I should have told you before but I-I was scared and you left!”“Bu- Evan, I-I was scared too, I thought y-you didn’t, you said-”

“I know, I-I said the wrong thing, b-but I do, I love you.”

“I love you too.”

It wasn’t just declaring their love. They talked. Talked for hours, really, bodies plastered to one another as they confessed fears and desires and pasts. Everything.

He is tired of talking. Buries his face on the back of Tommy’s neck and inhales, feels the man in his arms burrow closer to his chest and Buck wishes he could bring him closer, fused to him, to hold, to keep.

“I love you,” Buck whispers against the warm skin of his boyfriend, matching the quiet of the room, of the night. “I love you.”

Tommy stutters out a breath and Buck’s arms wrap tighter around him. The power three simple words have is exhilarating, terrifying. 

He holds his breath as Tommy starts shuffling, first away and then around before he takes back the space he left. Buck thinks he can see Tommy’s blue eyes, soft and sparkling with tears, mirrored on his own. 

“I love you,” Tommy whispers and Buck nuzzles into the hand that he brings up to his face, a large, warm hand. “I love you so much.”

His chest is a blazing inferno and Buck feels too large for his own skin. Tommy’s arms around him fan the flames and control them all at once, bring him back into the present just as much as they prepare him for the future. 

Their future. 

As Buck wraps his arms around Tommy’s body, eliminating any space left between them, he clings, holds, grabs. Makes a silent promise to keep him, no matter what. He knows what it feels like to lose Tommy and he doesn’t want to go through that again, never again.

As Tommy clings, holds, grabs, back, he hears the same promise.

They fall asleep in a warm bed.

---

5 years, 10 months and 9 hours after the breakup

He wakes up first. 

Tommy wakes up right after.

They both heard it, feet falling onto the hardwood floor.

Buck scratches his husband’s scalp, dropping a firm kiss onto the side of his head, wedding ring flashing in the rising sunlight. Tommy hums content, nuzzling against his neck and dropping a kiss there, his hand running against his side, under the loose t-shirt, the golden band warmed from sleep teasing at his very-well-known ticklish spot on his ribs.

Buck smiles.

They know practically everything now.

“Good morning,” Tommy mumbles, looking up at Buck with a bright smile that begs for a kiss. He gives into the silent begging. “Did you sleep well?”

“Good morning,” Buck smirks, hearing the rushing footsteps down the hall. “I don’t think that’ll matter much as soon as she makes it through that door.

Tommy laughs as the doorknob rattles a bunch before their 5 year-old daughter finally manages to get it open, a bright beautiful smile on her face that manages to outshine the sun.

“It’s my birthday!” She declares with arms outstretched and far too awake for 6 in the morning.

Correction, 6 year-old daughter.

“Happy birthday, baby!” Buck grins, holding out his arms for Tommy to sit up and giving silent permission for Piper to crawl onto the bed.

“Happy birthday!” Tommy smiles back, pulling her onto his lap while her legs end up on Buck’s.

“What are you guys still doing in bed? It’s my birthday!” She crosses her little arms over his chest and gives them her most impressive pout, more impressive that Buck’s own. 

Tommy raises an eyebrow at him and he knows what he would say - “Are you sure she isn’t yours?”. They've had this conversation many times. Piper was a safe haven baby that had spent the better part of a day at the 118 before Child Services managed to get there. Buck was the man behind that day - he took care of her, held her, fed her. It was torture to let her go but he wasn’t ready. He was barely ready to take care of himself so soon after the breakup.

Two years ago, Piper was returned to the foster care system. 

Buck had done his best to keep informed of how she was doing. Joan, the social worker responsible for Piper’s case, had reverted to giving him the same answer every time he called. That “the baby is in good hands and she’s doing well” and that’s all he knew for almost four years. He still remembers the day he got Joan’s call - remembers being shocked at seeing the woman’s caller ID, remembers almost burning the pancakes for that morning’s breakfast, remembers how Tommy had found him almost biting his lip raw. 

Most of all, he remembers telling Tommy what Joan had told him - that the baby, Piper, was given back into foster care and that they were full and since Buck cared so much, would he consider becoming an emergency placement? 

Tommy, aware of the whole situation - of how attached he became to the baby during such an emotional time, of how he had ran into Joan a couple of weeks after and talked to her about the baby again, of how he had gotten her number, of his weekly calls -, didn’t hesitate to support his husband through it. Their house was big enough to accommodate a 3 year-old. He remembers Tommy’s supportive smile as he agreed, of their teeth clashing against each other as they smiled into a kiss. 

He remembers Piper’s first day at their house. He remembers the way Tommy and Piper made drawings over the coffee table, the way she’d stand on her stepladder to help him around the kitchen, the way she started to smile more, laugh more, talk more. He remembers the day they painted her room yellow, only to switch it to green, and then blue, until they decided on a rainbow wall that caught the sunlight. He remembers the first time Piper called him “daddy” in the middle of a laughing fit, remembers Tommy’s face when she very casually asked “daddy” to pass her the yellow crayon while the two were coloring in the living room.

He remembers the day they signed the papers to make Piper an official Buckley-Kinard, the way her blue dress matched their ties, the smile on their family’s faces, the happy tears in his and Tommy’s and the wide grin in Piper’s when she ran into their arms. He remembers the day they became a family.

And as he smothers his daughter’s face with kisses and cherishes her giggles and the low rumble of his husband’s laughter, he remembers the laughter still to come, the kisses, the love.

“Come on, daddy,” Piper finally pushes on his face as he laughs. “We have a lot to do!”

Tommy laughs as he helps Piper jump off the bed safely before she begins to pull on his hand towards the bedroom door. “Yeah, come on, daddy.” His husband urges holding out a hand for Buck to take.

He takes Tommy’s hand, as if he would ever refuse, eager to start their birthday plans - birthdays were special occasions. Tommy pulls him towards his chest and Buck’s arms wrap around his neck. “That’s my line,” Buck whispers against Tommy’s ear, relishing the pleased hum from his husband with a smirk.

Before their lips can touch though, Piper uses all of her 6 year-old strength to pull on Tommy’s hand. “Come on, come on!” Her very commanding tone is too adorable and they exit the bedroom wrapped in excitement and laughter.

He wouldn’t mind waking up to this everyday. He wants to.

And with a smile, he remembers.

He can wake up to this love, this laughter, this family, every day. 

Tommy smiles back at him. “What?”

“Nothing,” Buck shrugs, his eyes running over his husband’s smiling face before they look down at where his daughter is tucked against his hip. He places a kiss on her head and one on Tommy’s lips. “I’m just happy.”

[bemyvalentinechallenge]

See you later

Summary: Katie has taken a job offer as a riding coach in Sweden, but has to leave behind her boyfriend Lysander because he promised himself to never have a long-distance relationship.

For @bemyvalentinechallenge 2025: prompt 4 "right person, wrong time"

Warnings: break up, angst

“I need to talk to you.” I say, wrapped up in my boyfriend's arms who didn’t know I would break up with him in the next moment. I could feel his heartbeat under my head on his chest. This is why I did not want to accept the offer, but once I told him, there’s no going back. 

“Always. What’s up?” It hurt me to do this to him, his voice would change from careless into devastated in the blink of an eye. And I was the reason. I sat up from my position, I wanted to look into his eyes when I say that I had to leave him. 

“You know how I applied to these riding coach jobs back in December?” I ask him, my voice already trembling. I didn’t think I am able to do this without breaking down crying before he even knows what is going on. Lysander nods.

“I heard back from them.” I took a deep breath. “And the stables in Sweden would love to take me.” Here it is, the truth I have been carrying around for the past weeks or so which I was too scared to say, I did not want to break the peace that we have been living in for the past year since I entirely cut off the contact with my toxic mom and moved in with Lysander. 

“But that’s great, Katie!” He has a big smile on my lips, clearly not understanding what my new job in Sweden means for us. For our relationship. “Why are you sad? Your dream came true!” He grabbed me on my shoulders and the warmth from my hands that I felt on my shoulders gave me the rest. Silent tears streamed down my face and I just let it happen. I was too busy, trying to find the nicest way to break Lysanders heart, but came to the conclusion that it would hurt, no matter what I would say next. 

“We can’t be together, Lys. Not when I am in Sweden and you’re here.” my voice broke and I covered my mouth with my hands to silent the sobs coming from my mouth. 

Now the realisation hit him, I could see the way the look in his eyes changed into something indescribably devastated. 

“No, but– we can. We just have to find a way how.” Tears built up in his eyes. “Don’t do this, Kit.” He shook his head, begging me to not rip his heart apart, but there we were, sitting next to each other, crying.  

We knew it was final, this was the end. 

But it had just started didn’t it? 

It felt like yesterday when I met him jogging in the forest and my horse was scared of his bright yellow jacket. What had been a first encounter turned into a second, third and fourth, until he gave me his number. Chats turned into phone calls, into dates. 

Lysander had been my home for the past 3 years and now I threw it away for a riding coach job in Sweden. A country that I knew nothing about and not even a single person, I carelessly exchanged for the love of my life.

“You did everything for me, going with me through my highs and lows. I can’t expect you to break your one last rule for me. I won’t be doing that to you, ever.” The blue in his eyes got more intense before the tears left them. 

I grabbed his hand and squeezed it to let him know I was right here by his side and it hurt me as much as it hurt him. 

“I would risk everything for you. I would ruin my goddamn life if that makes you happy.” 

“But I want us to be happy. And maybe we can’t be that with each other.” The smile on my lips was a goodbye, a first last goodbye. “This job has been my dream since I first sat on a horse. I would love to live it together with you, but California means everything to you. I respect that, but I won’t let you do something that I know you will regret later.” I meant every word I said, and still with every single tear escaping my eyes, I lost another piece of my heart. To him and to the best three years I had the honor to spend with him.

Lysander closed his eyes, taking my hand up to his mouth and planting a soft, mindful kiss on it. “Don’t let it end like this.” 

My heart wrenched at his words. Love or dream, dream or love. At this point, I had to choose dream, but I hated life for only letting me choose one.  

“It doesn’t have to be the end, Lys. Let it be “see you later”.” I told him. 

In his eyes, there was a storm fighting, and I knew that if there was anything he could do about this, he would. But I was too stubborn to let him ruin his life, just to make me happy. 

Maybe my new happiness can’t include Lysander. “I love you. So I let you go.” He finally said and we cried in each other's arms until there were no more tears left to cry.