#{ my arms get cold in february air;; }

[firewasabeast]

Can you please do a hurt/comfort Eddie + Tommy friendship with Bucktommy - Tommy gets hurt in some way (mentally/physically/sick/etc) and Eddie helps him until Buck can get there

you gave me a reason to finish the fic I started earlier today! thank you!

His teeth were chattering. Had been since he woke up after hitting the ground.

He didn't hurt anywhere, which was never a good sign.

He laid there, surrounded by trees. Cold, wet leaves underneath his body. He could hear crickets and frogs all around him. Could smell smoke somewhere nearby.

There were distinct sounds of metal creaking mixed in with nature.

Slowly, he moved his head to the right, then to the left.

Fire.

It was about fifty yards away. Thankfully, due to the recent rain, the fire was contained to the helicopter that had so gracefully fallen out of the sky.

He wasn't sure how he ended up so far from it. Had no memory of being ejected or jumping or whatever happened that made it so he wasn't inside those flames.

He lifted his hands to his face, could barely see them as the sun set below the trees. He was sure there was blood. Dirt, mud, leaves, and blood.

They shook so fiercely he wasn't sure how he had any control over them at all.

His breathing was labored, heart beating rapidly. No matter what he tried, he couldn't seem to calm himself down.

Suddenly, in the distance, he heard something.

People talking.

Not just people, familiar people.

Family.

“H- Here,” he barely managed to get out, figuring they'd be running toward the fire instead of him. He cleared his throat, tried again. “Here! I'm here!”

The talking stopped, then there was running.

He could feel the pounding of the footsteps as they approached.

“Hey, we gotcha, Buddy!”

“Howie?”

“Yeah, it's me. Saving your ass, once again.”

Hands were on him now. Lights shining in his eyes, causing him to squint. He could hear others talking. Hen, Eddie, Bobby. Couldn't quite make out what they were saying.

Chimney had him focus on him. “Can you tell me your name?” he asked.

“T- Tommy,” he answered. God, he wished he could stop shaking. He couldn't barely get out a word.

“Year?”

“2024.”

“Best paramedic you know?”

“Hen,” Tommy replied, choking out a laugh.

“Hey now!” Chimney exclaimed, mocking offense.

“I knew I liked you,” Hen said with a smile. She patted him on the shoulder before getting back to work.

Chimney chomped on his gum a couple times before asking his next question. “Can you wiggle your toes for me, Tommy?”

Tommy shook his head. He lifted his arm, tried to pull Chimney closer to him so he could whisper. “I c- can't feel anything,” he paused, sucked in a shaky breath, “b- below my waist.” He knew what this meant, and he also knew he was in shock. The adrenaline pumping through him was the only thing keeping him remotely alert.

Chimney nodded, sharing a glance with Hen. “Cervical collar for our dashing pilot here, please, Hen.”

“Already on it.”

“Ho- Howie?”

“Yeah, Buddy?”

“Ev- Evan?”

“Buck went home early today,” Eddie answered, moving into Chimney's place so he could do whatever work needed to be done. “Chief is cracking down on overtime, so he had to be sent home.”

“We've... We've been sa- saving f- for the wedding,” he explained, although he wasn't sure why. Everyone there already knew that.

Eddie took Tommy's hand and wrapped it up in his own. “You were probably already up in the air when Buck sent you the text complaining about being sent home.”

“He'd say... He'd say th- the chief didn't want us t- to have the good hors d'oeuvres.”

Eddie nodded, tried putting on a smile. “He did mention that on his way out.”

Tommy squeezed Eddie's hand. “We m- might have to re... reschedule.” His lip trembled at the thought, tears welling in his eyes. Evan was so excited for the wedding. Had been working diligently and meticulously on every detail since they got engaged in October. He wanted a winter wedding, and didn't want to wait another whole year, so February it would be. With it being December now, Tommy didn't see any way he'd be able to fully recover by then.

If he did at all.

“Let's not worry about that right now, alright, Man? I don't think Buck will care when the wedding is, as long as there is one. Let's focus on that, okay?”

Tommy nodded. Blinked a few times to rid himself of the tears.

A few fell anyway.

“Ed- Eddie?”

“Yeah?”

“Do I... Do I still have my legs?”

“You certainly do, Kinard,” Bobby interrupted. Tommy wasn't sure how long the captain had been on his other side. Bobby gave his shoulder a light squeeze. “You've got all your limbs right where they should be. You ready to move now, Kid?”

Tommy could've laughed at the nickname. He'd been called that by Bobby a couple of times, many years ago. It'd been a long while since then.

He nodded. “Ready.”

Eddie didn't let go of his hand as they lifted him and began carrying him to the ambulance. Tommy was a bit surprised. He didn't remember ever being moved onto the spine board. Hadn't felt a thing.

A part of him had wondered if they'd even been working on him during that time. That maybe Eddie was the chosen distraction until he drifted off and his breathing stopped.

He was glad to know he was wrong.

*****

Bobby drove them to the hospital, with Eddie staying in the back beside him. It was a bit cramped with him, Eddie, Chimney, and Hen all back there together, but the fact he was surrounded by these people made him feel a bit more comforted.

Tommy looked over to where his and Eddie's hands were still tightly gripped together. He wasn't sure if Eddie was refusing to let him go, or if he was refusing to let Eddie go. Didn't really matter either way. He needed something to keep him tethered to reality.

He shook his wrist back and forth a few times to get Eddie's attention. “Can you... Can you call Evan? Please?”

“Of course,” Eddie replied, grabbing his phone out of his pocket with his free hand.

“You've got some cuts on your arms, Tommy,” Hen explained as Eddie pressed Buck's name. “We're gonna work on those on the way to the hospital, so you might feel some stings, okay?”

“Yeah. That's okay.”

Eddie put the phone on speaker and Buck answered on the third ring. “What's wrong?”

“Buck-”

“Who is it, Eddie? I just left work an hour ago. Is it Bobby? Hen? Chim?”

Tommy took a deep breath. “B- Baby.”

Silence.

Then.

“Tommy? Is that you?”

“Had a... a little accident.”

“What hospital?”

“The usual,” Eddie replied.

“I'm heading there now.”

“Evan? Evan!” Tommy exclaimed, wanting to get his attention before he got in the car and started to drive.

“I'm here, Tommy,” he answered. “I'm gonna meet you at the hospital.”

“I don't wanna... wanna scare you,” Tommy said, and he could feel the tears burning his eyes again. “I can't. I can't feel my legs.”

“He's stabilized,” Chimney added quickly, before Buck could ask. “Likely a lower spinal cord injury.”

Another pause, followed by a quiet. “Okay. Okay.”

“He's doing well, Buck,” Eddie reassured him. “We're all right here with him. He won't shut up about you, like always.”

Tommy smiled. He hoped Evan did as well.

“Feeling's mutual,” Buck replied. His voice was softer now. Tommy knew the words were meant to keep him focused and thinking positively.

It worked.

“Need you t- to be safe.”

“I will, Baby. I'll drive safe and I'll be at the hospital as soon as I can, okay?”

“Okay. L- Love you.”

“I love you, too. So damn much, T- Tommy.”

Tommy wasn't sure who hung up first, but he could tell by the way Evan's voice wavered at the end that he was probably close to falling apart.

“Thank you,” Tommy said as Eddie put his phone back into his pocket.

“Whatever you need, Bud, I'm here.”

“Just... Just keep ho- holding my hand.”

Eddie nodded, squeezed a little tighter. “I can do that.”

[siddyyyyyyyy]

Red Knight in Shining Armour

Red Hood x Reader

wc: 1.3 K; part two summary: You ask Red Hood for help from a creep and he does so warnings: cat calling a/n: Something possessed me and I had to write this small drabble. Might consider writing more parts to it, dunno

Finally, you‘ve finished your shift in that overly warm bakery. After taking care of mostly elderly customers, baking fresh goods, and taking care of some more rather demanding customers, you could make your way home. The fresh february air hits you as you step before closing the small bakery, making your way to the busstop. Gotham is not known for warm or sunny weather, especially during the shortest month of the year. This is why you wrap your scarf tighter around you, making sure you won‘t catch a cold with the freezing wind that flies right against you. You eventually reach your desired destination, satisfied the bus is already standing there, possibly waiting for you.

As soon as you reach it, he cheekily drives away and leaves you waiting for the next bus… in two hours.

Now, of course you wouldn‘t wait two freezing hours around eleven PM in Gotham. It‘s probably safer and way faster to just walk the half an hour to your apartment. With that logic, you start trotting home, feeling a little moody now. What kind of bus driver just drives away even when a person clearly walks towards it? Muttering incoherent insults at the bus driver, you make sure to keep yourself warm enough at the same time. Your coat is doing a mostly good job at keeping you from trembling, so does your thick scarf. But you wish you brought your warm hat with you.

You tense at hearing heavy steps behind you. Sure, Gotham is definitely not the safest city, but you never had to actively protect yourself from any dangers because you always had the bus! That goddamn bus is driving you nuts, to the point you don‘t notice the strange man approaching you closer. He‘s about a few feet away from you now, finally raising his voice.

»Hey, princess! Are you lost?«

You finally glance behind your shoulder, not having expected for him to actually be a little closer to you now. Oh, he is taller than you. And has his hands in his pockets. This doesn‘t look good at all.

You quickly turn your head forward again, quickening your steps to get home faster and escape this creepy goon. He doesn‘t relent though and follows you, his hood over his head in a really suspicious way. You turn into a dark alley, cursing yourself internally for needing to go in there in order to get home faster. The alley is dark but also pretty long, as if a neverending hallway. Finally, the alleyway has an opening, walking a little faster again to escape the creep, but you also have to be careful not to slip on some ice.

A flash of red is appearing in the cornor of your eye, instinctively looking over to your side. Without further hesitancy, you hurry to the infamous vigilante and glance behind your shoulder briefly again.

»Red Hood! Please, there‘s someone following me, please pretend to be my boyfriend! Please!«

You plead desperately and stay by his side, your heart racing more from the paranoia of being followed and also from being so close to the real Red Hood, asking for help.

The vigilante doesn‘t flinch from his spot, studying you briefly before looking to the direction you just came from. The scary creep appears now too, eyes trained on you under his hood and possibly not even scared of the Crime Lord standing right beside you.

Without thinking, Red Hood wraps his arm around your shoulder and straightens his posture. The goon finally glances at him before his eyes fall back on you.

»C‘mon, sweetie, aren‘t you gonna spend time with me?« You shake your head urgently and press yourself more into Red‘s side, the hard material of his armour flush against your own soft coat.

»Does she know you?« The man beside you almost snarls, his voice a little distorted from his red helmet. An almost mocking scoff escapes the creep in front of you, staying there with some distance.

»Does it matter?«

A shudder runs down your spine at the words, making Red Hood squeeze your shoulder lightly with his hand.

He guides you to stand more behind him, glaring at the man under his helmet, feeling the strong urge to just beat him up into pieces. Still, he acts without any physical violence, not wanting to scare you even more.

»Listen here, you son of a bitch. Either, you go back the way you came here, or you won‘t recognise your face the next morning. If you‘ll wake up.«

He threatens, which makes the other man take a small step back. He seems to consider something, glancing to you as you still stand behind the vigilante. After what seems like a few minutes of tense silence, the weirdo walks away from you both.

You exhaled relievedly, stepping closer to Red Hood again.

»Thank you so much! You just probably saved my life from him, I don‘t know how to pay you back.«

He looks to you again, his expression unreadable due to his helmet. But he does shake his head and holds one of his hands up lightly.

»No need to, lady. I‘m always here for help, don‘t worry.«

Red feels lightly weird calming down a random person, but he feels like he needs to. After all, he just pried a man – a really creepy bastard – from you. And it feels wrong to ask for something in return for it. He never does that sort of stuff.

»Well, still… You know what? You can visit my bakery, I‘ll give you a treat. On the house, of course!«

He feels surprised at your request, thinking over your suggestion for a moment.

»I‘ll see what I can do.« He pauses before saying goodbye, glancing around the area briefly.

»Do you need a ride home? It‘s not safe around midnight.«

Now it‘s your turn to be surprised, mulling over the suggestion. It‘s only twenty minutes until you‘re back home safely, but you also don‘t want to be a further bother to him. Eventually, you decide to be truthful.

»I was just planning on walking the last twenty minutes home. I don‘t want to bother you any longer...«

Another sudden wind goes past you, which makes you wrap your scarf tighter around your neck again, the action not going unnoticed by him. Finally, despite his own pride, he suggests taking you home with his bike. You feel star-struck, never having thought someone like him – no, Red Hood would give you a ride home. After saving you, too.

Not able to miss such an opportunity, you agree, and he helps you put on his extra helmet for the quick ride. Luckily, he knows this area of the city well, just needing the name of your address, and he knows which route he needs to take.

»Hold on tight, yeah?« At this point, he muted his comms, as well as the others, not wanting for them to hear you both and the other way around. He starts driving you back to your apartment complex, feeling a small thrill as you sit behind him and have your arms wrapped around his torso. Every time he makes a turn, you hold on even tighter to him, not used to riding a motorcycle at all.

Eventually, after some minutes of driving, you arrive, and he helps you get off the bike. You take off the extra helmet he gave you, ruffling your hair to let it look less messy from the helmet. He watches, taking the helmet from you, and eventually leaves on his bike, but not without memorising your street and face. Just in case.

Finally, you made it home, having a big story to tell your best friend tomorrow morning at work.

»You‘ve got a girlfriend now, Jaybird?«

Dick‘s smug voice chimes into his earpiece once he turns the comms on again.

»None of your business, Dickhead.« Jason grumbles back, earning a brief scolding from Bruce to use their callsigns again.

←MASTERLIST

[andraxicated]

No Hard Feelings

Pairing: zayne x f! reader

tags: nsfw | mutual pining? | virgins in love | 69 | protected p in v | big dick zayne (cause he was my man before sylus and we love virgins who hide big packages) | small angst |

a/n: sitting pretty on my drafts since february. i love writing in this format it just lets your ideas flow | zayne is a harvard med alumni free from student debt cause he's rich and we all know it

inspired by one of my fav rom coms no hard feelings i swear its so funny

you are nothing but a broke college student looking for ways to make extra money. so what can you do when your friend shows you a totally suspicious ad?

"we are looking for a girl with experience to seduce our son and help him have a social life. preferably pretty. will be handsomely compensated"

you grab the opportunity after much thought and show up in the sluttiest dress to make sure you fit the 'girl with experience' part despite your v-card being intact.

and you never thought that you'd be sitting in a mansion's living room, listening to a rich mother yap about her worries for her beloved and only son's social life

"you see... it's because i'm deeply worried about our son! we are very proud he's doing well before going to medical school but it's summer and all his peers are going out on vacations, dating, and partying, but he doesn't seem to be interested in any of those since his time at university!"

let's say when you asked what he looked like and turned around to see a picture frame, you were instantly sold onto this 'fuck their son' plan

his parents said their beloved Zayne volunteers at the public park to tend to the flowers. he works under the hot son with his stoic face and meaty arms to which you space out a little.

imagine his surprise when his view got shadowed by your figure, looking up to see the expanse of your thighs, your boobs supported by a push-up bra. this was your best attempt at looking like a vixen

"heyyyy, can I touch your buds?" you giggle (cringing inwardly) and the rest is history.

Zayne didn't know what to fucking say but glare at you.

it was hard to get close to Zayne because that man was a brick wall. he was so reserved and quiet, always so serious despite your attempts at fun time. yet with every time you spent together, his walls break down bit by bit.

and when you saw a crack in his walls, you unknowingly tore it down along with yours.

because you are unexpectedly falling in love with him.

"I thought this was movie night" Both of you remove your tops amidst giggles and short kisses.

"Mhmm, you smell like Jasmines." Zayne pretends not to hear you as he rasps against your ear, kissing your neck as his fingers drag down to tug at your shorts and panty. You whine when he successfully removes it, cold air hitting your inner thighs as he shushes you through small, wet kisses.

"That perfume was on sale, I knew I had to buy it for you" You smile and Zayne mirrors it on his lips, making your heart skip out of your chest. He caresses your hips softly, dangerously inching closer to your core where you're positively throbbing.

"You know me so well. It's as if you were sent by someone for me."

You chuckle awkwardly, letting him trail down light kisses on your neck, all the way to your collarbones. His statement slaps you back to reality. That you were just a girl taking advantage of him and his parents' money. But with each kiss that matches with the beat of your heart, you feel that this acting of yours turned a little too real. You just wanted him between your thighs, lost in your body, drunk on your kisses, and never have him find out the truth.

Zayne looks up at you from an angle, wanting to ask for permission to dive in your pussy, but then he sees you spacing out, and it’s not the cockdrunk look he sees on porn videos. You looked sad and miserable while staring into nothing, he fears he might have bored you to death and he’s too much of a virgin to satisfy you. Zayne looked scared to snap you out of it, he lightly nudged your thigh, and your gaze finally shifted to him. You still haven’t gotten rid of that look yet. 

“Sorry, let’s not do this today if you aren’t feeling well” zayne speaks softly while sitting up, the care evident in his eyes, and you wanted nothing more than to jump in his arms. 

You shook your head, a smile on your face. “I’m sorry I killed the mood. Are you still hard?” 

“What?”

“I mean, is your dick hard?”

Zayne looks down for a moment and replies, “Yeah…I’m hard”

You giggle and reach over to give him a peck. “Let me suck you off. You’ll feel good, I promise” You say as if you sucked dick before. You were quite nervous to put something in your mouth for the first time, fearing for your throat and untrained gag reflex. Also, Zayne looks pretty big from the way he’s tenting from his shorts, it wasn’t going to be easy.

Your heart was beating from your chest as Zayne sat with his legs on both sides of your body, presenting you with his aching bulge. You tug down his shorts along with his underwear and you see his big cock that he’s been hiding all along. Zayne flushes red on his ears and neck as you stare at his size in awe. The tip was angry and leaking, twitching occasionally as the man before you winced. Its girth was impressively thicker than your wrist and length longer than what you’ve seen in videos, this guy was above average. But before you could try to touch him, Zayne coughs up to get your attention. 

You question him in your eyes and he blushes, struggling to get his words out. 

“I-I want to make you feel good too. Can we try that position?” 

“What position?” 

“...69” 

Zayne bites his lip, looking at your face for any sort of disgust but none came. A smile broke out on your face before you nodded, taking the initiative to adjust your positions accordingly. Zayne was taller than you so you had to be the one on top, your body tensing as you face his leaking cock staring at you. You wanted to put your mouth on it so bad but you knew you had to wait for Zayne to adjust at your bottom. 

“Are you okay?” 

“Yeah, I’m good.” Zayne huffs out and you involuntarily clench, feeling his hot breath around your hole. You can’t help the heat that travels to your cheeks as you recognize yourself putting your ass up in the air for a man to gape at your hole. You could feel every bone in your body praying not to fuck this up.

“I’ll start,” You say, biting your lip and squinting your eyes before hurriedly starting the job. Your lips come into contact with the tip and Zayne moans, throwing his head back as you try to engulf him in your mouth. He feels you testing how your mouth glides up and down thanks to your saliva as lubricant. Zayne thinks he could burst right then and there in your mouth but he tries to at least save himself some dignity by not finishing through a 20-second blowjob. 

He leans forward and settles his palms on your ass, squeezing the soft flesh experimentally, making you moan at his touches. His lips press outside your pussy, shying away from the main course before steeling himself with the courage of a man. 

Choked moans left your mouth as Zayne suddenly parts your ass for a clear view and dives right in to fuck your hole with his tongue. He laps up like a man starved with eyes closed, executing toe-curling techniques that you didn’t know he could do. 

“Nghh! Mmhphh!” You’re drooling on his dick, taking what you can of his size and pumping what you couldn’t reach. He’s too much of a big fit in your mouth, struggling to hollow your cheeks since most of your wet cavern is occupied by his cock. You could only bob your head up and down, moaning to get him feeling some vibrations, and rubbing your pussy along his lips. 

On the other end, Zayne was having a very much-awaited make-out session with your cunt. He sloppily kisses your hole, circling his tongue as he tastes the softness of the flesh. His hands rubbing your ass in gentle motions causes you to clench and he groans, chasing the movement of your cunt. He does it like the boys do in those videos, he closes his eyes and imagines he’s doing a good job just like them, making their girl scream like it's the end of the world. 

“So pretty” he pulls away mesmerized by your glistening cunt. Zayne couldn’t help but be addicted to your pussy, and he gives it more attention by sucking and playing around with his tongue. To hear your muffled cries sends vibrations down his spine, making him even more hard as your eyes widen. 

You gasp for air as you fix your breathing. You wanted to complain about why he was getting bigger but you just couldn’t stop yourself from sinking deeper onto his cock. You’re positive you looked like a cockhungry slut with dick in her mouth, wiggling her ass as her man eats her out because that’s exactly what you’re doing, you could picture how dirty the position was and it makes you throb, edging you to your release.

No one was saying anything, too occupied with the job at hand as wet noises filled the room. Both of you were pushing each other at the brink of release. Zayne lightly thrusts to chase the feeling of a wet heat—challenging your gag reflex, not knowing it's your first time giving a blowjob. He suddenly hits the back of your throat as cum floods inside your mouth. You’re breathing through your nose, too full of erotic sensations, and you cum following his release. Wet spurts land on Zayne’s face as he drinks up your release, relishing in his first time making a girl cum. 

You pull away from his dick, white semen landing on the bed from your mouth and Zayne’s eyes widen seeing you keeping his release inside your mouth. He thinks you probably didn’t want to swallow it so he grabs tissues, and places them below your chin. 

“Spit it out” 

You look at the tissue on his hand and swallow the cum, wincing as the taste hits you. You just wanted to do it like others do, swallowing because you worked hard for it. Zayne was flabbergasted to even move, his flaccid member unapologetically rising hard when he saw you swallow his seed. 

It made him want to put it inside you. 

“Why did you swallow?” 

You wipe the excess off your face, “I just wanted to try” You hoped he didn’t catch on that it was your first time. Both of you were tired but you wanted to keep going, driven by lust. Zayne was trying to hide his erection and you decided to just get on with it, you wanted him inside right now.

“Zayne, do you want to be on top?” Your question left him surprised. He blinks for a few seconds before nodding and positioning on top of you as you lay down. Then it hits you.

“Wait, do you have a condom?” 

He visibly freezes before reaching over to the bedside table, pulling out the drawer, grabbing a condom, and opening the package. While he puts it on, your eyes drift to the package and you notice the XL size and the ‘super ultra-thin’ inscription. You couldn’t help but be a little nervous after reading that. 

“It’s on,” he says awkwardly, the tip of his ears reddening by the minute. At this moment, the air was thick with nervousness radiating from you and Zayne. You exchange eye contact with him as his palm rests on your hip, drawing circles to coax you and relax your walls. 

“I’m ready, are you?” 

“Yeah,” he kisses your lip to distract you from the pain of your cunt breached open by his thick cockhead. You wince in discomfort, legs shaking as the thickness stops moving. Zayne panics over your pained expression, whispering sweet nothings that it will pass soon because fuck, you are incredibly tight and wet. He almost moans at the sight of your hole struggling to take all of him. 

You look down and let your head fall back onto his soft pillow. “Move”, you let out breathlessly. 

“I’m too big for you, you need to adjust”

“Zayne, just move! Let me adjust when you’re inside me” You whine, wanting to have him inside you as soon as possible. Zayne complies and pushes in slowly, all his worries about med school and sex are completely gone when he buries himself to the hilt. You moan in unison, the stretch being painfully good for your first time.

It was the kind of pain that you’d willingly take because the pleasure was too much to lose out on. He stretches you out nicely, feeling every vein inside you, especially the tip that kisses your g spot. How did he find it in one go?

“You're so tight!—Shit” Zayne picks up on his space, letting his dick rub inside you before starting to thrust full-on. His hips smoothly roll as he pistons his cock in and out of your hole. Your wetness and the condom's lubricant make him move easily inside.

“Ohhh! Zayne!” You jolt towards the headboard as his grunts fill the room, his cockhead repeatedly locking in on your sweet spot, making you clench in response. His hair falls over his face, masquerading on his eyes as his hips put in the work for your pussy. He looks so pretty like that, flushed red, breathless, as he stuffs you repeatedly with his cock.

“Ahhhh, so big~” You could only moan and clench around his member, the movements making your boobs jiggle, and Zayne couldn't help but grope one of them—giving attention to the other by going down on his mouth. You just looked so pretty under him, so messy and good at taking his cock.

“My pretty girl” he huffs while bucking his hips into you.

Then he remembers that you probably had sex before him, and you have experienced other guys. And something deep within him tears its ugly head. Zayne suddenly had a primal urge to claim you, to make sure from now on, you're showing this lewd face to him and only him. 

He was jealous and it wasn't a good feeling.

He pounds his cock faster, pouring all the anger he has into vigor. You scratch his back as Zayne goes feral at a fast pace fucking his cock back into your hole. You thrash in his arms from the pleasure, wanting to run away because the dick was too good. But his strong arms cage you in place as he ruts like an animal in heat. 

His hand suddenly flicks on your clit, pinching the bud to edge you closer to your orgasm. He wanted to make you finish first, to feel your cum coating his length before he releases. 

Your nerves were set on fire just as you think your brain is fried from too much dick. You wanted nothing but to cum and release the knot forming on your lower abdomen. He pumps exactly at a target in a frenzied state, balls swinging against your skin. Zayne continued to grunt, letting out the manliest sounds you've ever heard.

“Z-zayne I'm Cumming—Hahhh!!!” You scream as your eyes roll to the back of your head, cunt spasming and dripping around his girth, body shivering from how hard it was. You feel like floating on cloud nine as Zayne leans down to kiss your neck, leaving hickeys in his wake. 

“That's a good girl. Now take this.” 

His pace gradually falters and he slides in one last powerful thrust before exploding his cum and flooding the condom. You cried out as he did small jerks of his hips to ride out his high while cumming buckets. You fear some cum may have slipped out but you didn't care to voice it out.

Zayne learned that it wasn't good to make you oversensitive so as soon as he finished, he took out his softening cock and watched your abused cunt close. He thinks It might have been his favorite sight.

The night ends with you receiving aftercare, drinking water, and cleaning up in the bathroom to make yourselves clean for bed. You didn't even know Zayne changed the sheets, which explains why he left the tub faster. 

But as you lay in his bed with his arms wrapped around you, there wasn't any semblance of reprieve because of your anxiousness about the arrangement. 

Sooner or later he would find out and everything would come crashing down. You'd go back to your own life, paying expenses thanks to the money you received while Zayne would also go on and continue to med school, fuck a few girls since he already had a taste with a girl who duped him for money. 

Just thinking about that brings tears to your eyes. No, you don't wanna be separated from Zayne. You wanted whatever you had with him despite having no label. 

You tried to tell him the truth a few times but fear got the better of you and you find yourself backtracking, saying something else, and laughing it off. Every moment was precious with Zayne, you couldn't cut his smiles short—it would break your heart to wipe off the soft love on his face. 

So you did nothing but let time run its course.

Zayne soon expressed his want for you to meet his family. He feels like he's known you for a lifetime despite meeting just that summer. So you took his offer and had lunch with his parents who tried their best to act as if they first saw you that day. The food was delicious yet the whole dining experience was painful. You and his parents lying to his face made you unable to stomach the food very well. So you left the house and went to their garden, gazing at the flowers that you knew Zayne himself planted. 

He was looking around for you, sighing since you didn’t tell him where you ran off. He was about to ask his parents in the dining room when he accidentally eavesdropped on a conversation that made him stop in his tracks. 

“Well that was awkward, can you believe our son actually fell in love with her? I mean, she’s pretty skilled”

He wasn’t supposed to hear that.

“This isn’t what I was expecting when we hired her. I think we need to end this arrangement soon. I’ll give her the money before this situation blows up.”

He couldn’t fucking believe it. 

Skilled? Hired? Money? It didn’t take an intelligent man to connect the dots as the conversation went on. Every word that came out of their mouth froze his heart and shattered it like glass. Anger, hurt, and confusion overwhelmed him for the first time in his life. He found it hard to stabilize his breathing. He couldn’t help but let hatred cover his eyes as he stormed into the dining room.  

“Is what you’re saying true? You hired a girl to seduce me?” he demanded, voice shaking with emotion as his parents looked very much terrified to see him there. He didn’t want to believe it was true, but as the seconds went by it was all becoming clear that this was a big fat farce all along. Zayne didn’t know what hurt but he knew he’d been played by the people he loved. And that was all it took for him to break his promise of never raising his voice at his parents. 

“Is it true?!” he roared and to see his mother flinch hurt him but at that moment, Zayne was the victim. 

“Zayne, darling let me explain—”  

“Why?” 

His mother breathed out. “We thought it would be good for you. We wanted to let you have some fun since I feel like you’re constantly buried in books! You need to take some time to socialize too!”

He could only pinch the bridge of his nose as he steeled his mouth in case he said something he could not go back on.

“This conversation isn’t over yet” he uttered coldly, leaving his parents guiltily mulling over their actions.  

Overcome by the need to confront you, he walks in long strides to the garden. He honestly does not know what he wants to hear from you. Apologies? Explanation? He doesn’t know but his feet take him to you and destroy your peaceful moment. 

He sees your figure basking in rays of afternoon sun, checking on the flowers he planted. He stops and stares before storming and grabbing your wrist to make you face him. You meet his face in shock, body tensing from the dangerous aura he was emitting. His hazel eyes were swirling with hurt and you knew it was that time. Zayne knew how much you were playing him like a fool. 

“Is it true?" he pants “That my parents hired you to seduce me for the summer? So that I could get with a girl and have some fun?” 

Tears flowed from your eyes as you nodded shakily, accepting your fate. He was disgusted by how easily you admitted it. Was it that easy for you?  

“I want to hear it from you. Speak before I kick you out” he spat out with so much venom that it wrecked sobs from you. Zayne hated hearing you cry just as he hated how this was such a cruel game you played. 

“Zayne, it was all real. I swear! My feelings are real. It’s true that I accepted a deal with your parents for money but you have to know that I needed it!” You feel like ripping your hair out just to make him believe you. You were so desperate to not be a villain in his eyes. “And what I feel for you is real! I love you and I’m so sorry that I did this to you.” You sobbed, holding your face in your hands as you wiped the overflowing tears that clouded your vision. 

You took a step forward and he took a step back, reflecting the hurt in your eyes. 

“How do I believe you now? How do I know this is still not an act?” 

“I don’t know…” You shook your head, mind at a loss for words. “I just know that it would kill me to be separated from you.”

Zayne could hear the desperation in your voice and it was constantly stabbing at his heart. He longed to believe and touch you, but the pain of deception stung deep. 

He took a deep breath and calmed himself. “Who are you? Do you have any other name?”

You whip your head in shock, shaking your head frantically. “No! (y/n) is my real name! Everything I told you is real!” 

He stood frozen so you took your chance to explain, fighting the cries that shook your body. 

“I love you. I-I wanted to give my body to the guy I love and it’s you. It was my first time having sex with you! I’m not some vixen who sleeps around. I’m just me!—a college student in need of money. Believe me, I beg you.”

It honestly didn’t matter to him if the girl he loved had his first time with him or not, he loved her regardless. But when you say it like that, he knew that trusting him with your virginity must have meant a great deal to you. That almost made him want to hug you but the rational part of his mind begged him to have some dignity. 

“You broke my trust” he exhaled, barely above a whisper. “You have no idea how much pain I’m feeling. But I love you…and it would kill me if you weren’t around.”

You take a step forward and grasp his hand to place on top of your heart, making him feel how much it beats for him. 

He’s entranced to feel your racing heart, a testament to your love. This gesture was enough to repair a piece of his shattered heart. 

He uses your interlocked hands to pull you into his arms, burying your face on his chest. You snuggled close as warm tears fell slowly on your cheeks.

“I don’t wanna leave” you cried softly. 

“You’re not leaving until you make me trust you again. And if I trust you again, I won’t let you leave.” 

You nod and ask, “What do you want me to do?”

Zayne cleared his thoughts even if his emotions were a mess. But he was an intelligent and rational man, he was able to think clearly in times of distress and he knew what needed to be done. He knows how you’ll pay for your sins. 

“From now on, I want you to be honest with me. No lies or secrets between us. Tell me everything you feel because I want your full transparency.”   

It was a light sentence and you were eternally grateful to the forgiveness he showed you. Because you'd die if he didn’t.   

“I will. So let’s start on a clean slate please.” you grip his shirt, signaling him your desperation. “I’ll be that girl you met in the park. And you have to believe me when I say I loved you every step of the way. I-I won’t even take the money if it means proving my feelings are real.”

Zayne shook his head as he caressed your hair. ‘Take the money and promise me you won��t leave me. Don’t put yourself in a situation like this just for some money. If you need some, then ask me.”

“What?”

“If you need support I’ll be there to help you in any way I can. All I ask is for you to do the same for me.” 

“Of course I will!” Your voice came out louder than intended and he smiled, yet not like he used to.  

“But you’ll move to Harvard soon for med school? How-how are we going to do this?”

Zayne’s face fell at the mention of his move at the end of his vacation. He hadn’t forgotten but it was a reminder that summer was nearing its end. He had to settle all affairs before treading on a new chapter in his life. 

He sighed, arms still around you. “Long distance isn’t easy, and I don’t know how we’ll do it.” 

Fear crept into you like a snake dampening your mood.    

“But,” he continued with a promising tone. “I’m not giving up on us. I won’t let a little distance come between us. We’ll make it work.”

‘We’ll make it” 

“We will” 

He whispers in your ears, kissing the top of your head, and bathing himself with the love that he receives from you. 

You feared a second chance wouldn’t last long but if anything were the testament to your unbreakable bond with Dr. Zayne, it would be the family photo with you and the kids, standing nicely on his office desk. 

[ja3yun]

Melting Point | P.SH (teaser)

brother's rival!sunghoon x fem!reader

warnings: fluff, smut (mdni), praise kink, angst, swearing, confliction, chapters are updated with individual warnings.

synopsis: when circumstances unexpectedly bring you and your brother's long-time ice skating rival, park sunghoon, together, you discover a surprising connection. However, your brother forbids any relationship between you. Will you heed his advice or follow your heart?

wc: tba (80-100k)

release date: 09.02.24, 5pm GMT

end date: tba

tag list: CLOSED

a/n: hi! I am currently working on the final touches of this fic. It should be ready mid february. I hope you enjoy this series when it comes out <3

__

The cold hits as you walk into the arena and the sound of skates gliding along the ice fills your ears. You walk to the middle of the second row on the bleachers and sit down, unpacking your bag and crossing your legs to give you more room to lay your laptop and paper on. It’s a juggle to get everything balanced but you’re a master at it now.

Typing in your password you hear the skates coming towards you and scraping to a halt but you don’t look up.

“If you’ve come to spy on my routine you aren’t doing a very good job at hiding.” Sunghoon playfully remarks. You hadn’t even noticed it was him who was skating, since it was usually Wonyoung gracing the ice you just expected it to be her. He looks at your mess of a lap and scrunches his full eyebrows, “Like you’re really not making it discrete.” 

"Oh, no, I'm just studying," you say as you look up and gesture to your laptop. As you start typing again, you catch his sneer and turn to face him once more.

“You expect me to believe that?” The look on his face is incredulous when you don’t budge, “Don’t they have libraries at your Uni?”

Sunghoon’s tone is accusatory and you don’t like it. “Look, I don’t have beef with you okay? That’s the wrong Kang sibling.” There is no reason for him to be giving you attitude right now, you hadn’t done anything wrong, an innocent bystander in all this. 

Deep down he knew that too, but he couldn’t be too careful.

He examines you and how much of the truth you're telling, crossing his arms and resting his chin on top of the barrier. “So, what? You genuinely just sit here and study? Does the cold stimulate your brain or something?” 

“No, it’s like white noise at this point, it's comforting.” Glancing up, you see his still dubious expression, “Ugh, look I come here all the time, ask anyone!” Your arms gesturing to the empty rink is not really helping your case.

Having had enough you slam the laptop shut and stand up, “Whatever, I’ll just go somewhere else.”

Sunghoon shoots his arms up to mock surrender, “Woah, Sweets, calm down, I was just making sure. Need to air on the side of caution, yeah?” His voice softens. 

Making you uncomfortable wasn’t on his list of things to do, but his mum made it very clear your whole family wasn’t to be trusted, and he always heeded his mother's warnings even if he thought she was being overdramatic. “Listen, stay here as long as you want but if I see your brother doing a double toe loop into a triple axel I know who to blame.” 

With a smirk, you sit back down, “See now you’ve just told me your big secret,” a laugh leaves your lips, “Changed your mind on trusting a Kang so soon huh?” 

He’s flabbergasted. 

Did he really just tell you part of his routine like it was nothing in an instant after he just told himself not to be so trusting of you?  You’re more dangerous than he first thought and you aren’t even trying.

After seeing the realisation come over his face you laugh loudly, “Sunghoon, don’t worry. My brother can handle you on his own, he doesn’t need to cheat to beat you.”

“Say that to my 8 first places over him.”  The arena goes silent. It’s not like you could argue with him, Sunghoon did beat Minhee in a lot of skates. 

Trying to lighten the mood he points to you, “No pictures.” He jokes and skates away adroitly.

You don’t see the smile creeping onto his face, or the way he tries to shake you out of his head. The conversation between you both made him want it to be the start of many more, much more.

[strawberry-eden]

violence solves (most) problems — danny johnson x reader

↪ summary — you're relatively new in the fog, having been here just long enough to get a hold on the working order of this place when you catch the unfortunate eye of the most obsessive man on the planet, who decides that you're going to be his newest plaything.

or, your first encounter with the notorious ghostface killer goes very poorly.

↪ tags — canon typical violence, swearing, crack treated seriously, blood & injury, obsession at first sight, gender neutral pronouns/description for reader, no use of y/n, and danny's weird way of flirting

↪ word count — 2.4k

a/n: i wrote this originally way back in february but i found it again and figured i would share with the class. inspired by a cool piece of art i saw on twitter that ended up spiraling from there. enjoy!

The cold air of Mount Ormond ski resort bites angrily at your bare face, your shallow breaths manifesting in puffs of white fog as you fight to keep giant spidery talons from spearing through your torso. A low, guttural growl sounds from all around you and nowhere all at once, your arms shaking from effort as a particularly hard shove from the entity forces your hooked shoulder to shift, sending a ripple of white-hot agony through your body. “Fuck!”

This is your first match of the day. Not a single generator has been done and none of your teammates have been hooked yet. If anybody is coming for you, you can’t see through the cage the entity’s talons have created around you, itching to close in and take you back the campfire. You’re half tempted to let her do it.

You barely register the second pair of hands that appears and bats her away until they’re gently pulling you down from the hook by your armpits, holding you up until you’re steady on your feet. You blink away a few stray tears to look up at the face of your savior. “No offense, kiddo, but you look like shit,” says Bill.

You almost shrug instinctively but stop yourself last second. “A little bit taken. I feel like shit,” you mutter. He shoots a cautious glance over his shoulder, then takes you by the arm and leads you away from the hook towards a safer spot to patch you up. You can’t help but flit your gaze all around the area, searching for that haunting white mask or floating strips of leather, wondering if you’re being watched from somewhere.

Bill catches your paranoid expression and frowns. “Christ, what’d you do to him?”

Unable to hide your frustration, you round on Bill with an exasperated cry, “I don’t know! He just—” You make a vague gesture. “Set his eyes on me and decided he wanted me dead! I haven’t even touched a gen yet, for fuck’s sake.”

Bill pulls you behind a boulder secluded somewhere in a corner of the resort. You squint at the shape of the killer shack some ways away, trying to get your bearings. Bill whistles lowly. “Maybe he’s just trying to get an easy win, then. Lord knows it’s working. The rest of us are struggling to keep up.”

You collapse into a bloody pile into the snow, leaning against the rock and pressing a hand against your wounded shoulder while he pops open his medkit. “Yeah, well. I’m still pissed about it.”

“Oh, we all are,” he replies. “Nobody likes being down a teammate this early on. You got anything to help you out?”

Your face scrunches in confusion. “What?”

He raises a grayed eyebrow. “You know, like that trick David pulls to endure pain, or how that girl Laurie hides glass in her sleeves. They teach you any of that?”

“Uhh… No?”

Bill curses under his breath. “You’re kidding, right?” He curses again, louder this time when you shake your head. He digs into one of his many pockets, pulling out something that he clutches tightly in his palm, then motions for you to extend your hand. He places something smooth and warm into it, closing your fingers around the object. “Hide it well, okay? If he sees it, it’s game over. And make sure you don’t. Miss. That was my second chance, and I’m giving it up so you a better shot. If you end up fumbling, I’m never gonna let you live it down.”

Bill holds your gaze until you give a slow nod, retracting his hands as he returns to rustling around the supplies in his medkit. When you open up your fingers, you are greeted by your own reflection looking back at you from a small, sharp piece of glass. It’s almost shaped like a knife if you turn it right. “What do I do with it?” You ask curiously.

Bill wheezes out a laugh. “Stab him with it, obviously.” You bite back a painful hiss when he begins stitching your wounds back together, which he apologizes for under his breath. “But don’t just swing it around all willy-nilly, you gotta wait until he isn’t expecting it—like when he’s got you slung over his shoulder like a sack of meat thinking you’re gonna be an easy kill. Then, you take your opportunity to prove him wrong and stab it right into his shoulder. Always shocks ‘em so bad they drop you then and there. Gives 'em a taste of their own medicine, which they don’t like too much, y’know?”

You stare thoughtfully at the shard. If it’s such an effective tactic, then why in the world hasn’t anybody told you about it? You can’t help but feel a bit betrayed.

“Doesn’t always work, though,” he says, pulling the question straight from your mind. “After a while, they start to expect it, which means you gotta change it up. Start playing stealthier, like Zarina or Jake—the guy’s got an iron will. Real impressive. I have no idea he’s even hurt until I realize he’s left a streak of blood halfway across the map.”

This is all too much information to ingest when you feel about five seconds away from dying via blood loss. “Got it,” you mumble breathlessly.

Bill blanks at you. “You didn’t retain a thing I just said.”

"I got all the important parts."

“Sure you did,” he huffs. He starts opening up some gauze, when all of a sudden, his head shoots up and his whole body goes rigid. Bill’s wide eyes find your alarmed ones, and all that he’s able to get out before all hell breaks loose is, “Run.”

There’s an almost imperceptible rustle of clothing that doesn’t reach your ears. You’re frozen in place, barely given enough time to register the command as you watch him jump to his feet. “What?”

“God damnit, kid, I said run—!”

“There you are,” a third voice purrs, and you barely get a glimpse of the knife that glints maliciously at you just before it’s buried in Bill’s back. The hoarse scream that’s torn from the older man’s throat echoes hauntingly in your ears as it digs in deeper, forcing him against the ground. Dark red splatters across the snow when Ghostface violently wrenches it out of him.

Your shoulder cries out as you feebly scramble backwards, every little cut and bruise on your body flaring in pain as you awkwardly clamber back to your feet. Ghostface steps clean over Bill, who groans in pain on the ground, and the shard in your sweaty hand suddenly feels a thousand times heavier.

You can hear the simper in his voice when he says, “You didn’t forget about little old me, did you?” He wraps his gloved fingers around the bloody knife, wiping it clean with one swipe. “Oh, darling, I’m hurt.”

You’re running before you even know it. The cold air stings your lungs with each intake, your muscles burning with every step. You don't have a clue where you’re headed until you’re tearing through the killer shack, narrowly avoiding crashing into the generator that sits in the middle. You don’t need to look to know that he’s right behind you if the sounds of crunching snow and throaty laughter are anything to go by, and when your bare fingers find the splintered slab of wood sitting against the doorway, you waste no time throwing it down behind you.

You stop and turn to shout obscenities towards your assailant, but he’s nowhere to be found. You blink, and a knife is suddenly jammed between your ribs. “You should really look behind you sometimes,” Ghostface says coolly, pressing the blade deeper in emphasis and relishing in the way you whimper in pain. “Maybe you would have actually seen me go around the side of shack. Kind of embarrassing to fall for that, you know.”

“Fuck you.”

He tsks, ripping the knife out of your side and effectively taking away the only thing keeping you upright, letting you fall to the ground in a bloody heap. You look up at him through hazy eyes, looking like a dark mist against the pale gray sky, the screaming white mask being the only thing to come into focus. “You know, I don’t usually do this—”

You watch as one of his hands dives underneath his cloak, searching around for something for a solid five seconds until he pulls out a small handheld camera with a muted A-ha!

“—but I like you, so I’m willing to make an exception.”

“An exception?" You spit out a wad of blood and saliva. "What the hell are you—”

The air is unceremoniously knocked out of your lungs when he plops himself down on your stomach, knees caging you in and pinning your hands against the snow. You flinch when the glass shard hidden in your sleeve pinches the skin of your wrist.

Gloved fingers firmly grip your jaw and force you to turn toward the camera lens as he leans in close, the scent of cheap cologne assaulting your senses and filling up your head. You swear the smell alone would kill you before he ever could.

“Smile,” he breathes into your ear, and you’re blinded by the flash that goes off when he clicks the camera. You’re busy recoiling in the aftermath while he gazes quietly at the picture in the viewfinder, blinking away the green and purple splotches in your vision. Still gripping your jaw, he forcefully turns your head to show it to you.

The picture looks about exactly how you’d expect it to turn out. You're staring wide-eyed at the camera in shock and fear, blood seeping from your various wounds and soaking into your clothes. His mask takes up the entire left side of the photo, but if you look hard enough, you think you can spot a pair of dark eyes staring into the lens—they’re squinted at the edges, like he’s actually smiling underneath it as he casually holds up a peace sign.

"Say, you weren't a model or anything before this, were you? 'Cause damn." He lets out a low whistle. "This one’s definitely going in my collection.”

He takes one last, long look at the picture before tucking the camera back into his coat and stands, allowing the blood to resume flowing through the veins in both of your arms again as they’re overcome by that numb, prickly feeling. Too hurt and exhausted to resist, you limply allow him to maneuver you into a sitting position, his arms wrapping tightly around your waist as he effortlessly hauls you up onto his shoulder.

"Alright, playtime's over," he huffs. "Duty calls, blah blah blah, you know how it is. Ain't no rest for the wicked."

Something smooth and sharp slides into your palm from the depths of your sleeve. Catching a glimpse of your reflection in it’s surface, you let out a gasp that Ghostface assumes must be from the sight of the giant meat hook that appears at the corner of the shack, because he gently pats the backs of your thighs in what you assume is meant to be reassurance.

"Now, don't you worry, sweet-pea," he says, “the next time you and I get matched up, I promise I’ll play nice. Maybe if you’re good, I’ll even let you escape, yeah?” He laughs, and you can feel it vibrating through your ribcage. “After I kill your friends, of course.”

You grip the glass so tight in your palm, it digs into your fingers, drawing blood. You see your own eyes staring back at you through a thin stream of red, wild and angry and terrified, Bill’s words bouncing around in your skull as you raise the shard and slam it hard into the back of his shoulder, digging in viciously and twisting.

He inhales sharply, hands immediately losing their grip on you as he drops down to one knee, letting you slide off of his shoulder and land face-first in the snow. You push yourself up to your hands and knees, then to your feet, and glance nervously over your shoulder.

You meet those same eyes that had peered gleefully at you in the picture, no longer hiding behind that wretched mask as it lays by your feet in the snow, but they’re not squinting like they were before. They’re wide, pupils shrunken into tiny pinpricks as they bore into you, nostrils flaring and lips curling into a grimace as he reaches behind him and rips out the glass. Blood sprays from the wound in an arc, a fury so deep and animalistic roiling in his guttural tone as he ...

... Laughs.

Something dangerous glitters within his irises as he turns to face you. What catches you most off-guard, though, is that he's actually handsome underneath the mask—he's younger than you thought, with long lashes and full lips. A tiny scar marks the corner of his mouth, and it stretches slightly as he bares his teeth in a wide, manic grin.

"You're just full of surprises, aren't you?" He drops the glass shard and stands, and you're screaming at your body to move, but you can't. You just watch as he slowly reaches out to collect his mask and knife, refusing to take his eyes off of you even once. It's like it's just his gaze keeping you pinned. "The gift that keeps on giving?"

A loud buzzer sounds from somewhere in the distance. You flick your gaze away for just a moment to check which direction it came from, and by the time you look back, he's already secured the mask back in place.

"I'll tell you what," he begins, tilting his head at you curiously. "Let's make a bet. If you can last until your friends get alll the gens done, I'll let you go."

You swallow thickly. "And if I can't?"

Silence. You don't need to see his face to know that he's smiling. "You wanna find out?"

Strangely enough, a part of you almost does.

He lunges then, but you’re already on the move, adrenaline as well as an odd cocktail blend of terror and exhilaration pushing your body past its limits in a last-ditch effort at escaping this trial with your life.

You probably won’t, but you’re definitely gonna give him a run for his money—you figure that you've earned at least that much.

[abswife]

stranger

you find yourself alone at a party and want nothing more than some peace and quiet. but the cute girl with the braid seems to have other ideas.

cw// smut with little plot, top! abby, bottom! reader, drinking, nicotine, fingering, cunnilingus, reader's appearance is not mentioned other than being afab and having hair, abby is a sweet respectful baby

this is my first fic for abby so sorry if it kinda sucks :/

word count: 3k+

__

The accelerated bass made the whole house shake, though you’d never be able to tell with the sea of bodies that flooded every room. People jumped up and down, spinning and shimmying to the rhythm of some generic trap song. You could hardly make out the shape of the living room you were in, what with all the gyrating college students and flashing lights. You’d lost track of your friends long ago. They were likely in the midst of the chaos, dancing to their heart's content, or had already left with someone to spend the rest of the night with. Not that it mattered, this isn’t your first party. Having gotten through almost three full years of school allowed for plenty of time to get used to the ragers your school’s frats would throw. 

Someone suddenly knocked their elbow into your arm, making the liquid in your plastic cup slosh onto the floor and on your shirt. 

“Fuck.” You muttered, not bothering to say anything to the culprit considering you weren’t even sure who had done it. 

Having had enough of being jostled by the people nearest you, you made your way through the crowd toward the back door. You successfully managed to reach it, and downed what was left of your drink as you swung the door open. The cool air rushed over your face, and immediately you felt much less overwhelmed. You stepped out on the small patio, closing the door behind you. There were a few other people out here, mostly couples that wanted somewhere calmer to talk or makeout. Though, it was kind of hard to see with the only light coming from the small porchlight and the colorful flashes through the windows. Setting your now empty cup on a small table near the door, you walked down a few steps before plopping down onto the edge of the wood. You pulled your vape out of your pocket, taking a big hit. You weren’t a big smoker, but alcohol always seemed to worsen the habit. The air was colder than you initially thought, and you tugged your denim jacket closer to you. 

“It’s pretty cold out here, huh?” A voice behind you spoke up. You turned, and your eyes fell upon a tall, blonde woman. Her hazel eyes were slightly watery, likely from the wind that blew toward her face. She had on a bulky jacket, but you could tell she had a muscular frame under it nonetheless.

You blinked, unsure what to say. “Yeah, but it is February,” You said, cringing slightly at yourself. You turned back around, hoping that would be the end of that awkward interaction. However, she sat down on the step next to you, resting her elbows on her knees. The stairs weren’t very big, and no one else would be able to get through with both of you sitting there, but you didn’t really care. You looked over at her, raising your eyebrows. She gave you a soft smile, then her gaze drifted down to your vape.

“Can I get a hit?” She asked, gesturing toward it. You thought for a moment, then shrugged and handed it to her. She raised it up in a way that said ‘cheers’ and then took a hit from it, handing it back right after. You watched her as you grabbed it back from her grasp. She looked out into the yard as she held the vapor in her lungs for a few moments before blowing it out through her nose, the smoke curling through the air around her face. She glanced back over at you, and you blushed and looked down, realizing you were caught staring at her. When you met her eyes again she had a small smirk painting her face. Immediately, you copied her actions before, facing the grass and taking a hit. As you exhaled, you slipped it back into your breast pocket. 

“What’s your name?” The woman asked, causing you to face her again. You told her your name, then asked the same question. “I’m Abby.” She said, flashing her pearly teeth. You just noticed that she had freckles sprinkled over her nose. 

“Are you a freshman? How come I’ve never seen you before?” You asked, even though you could tell you guys were the same age. She chuckled and shook her head, rubbing her hands together. 

“No, no. I’m a junior. I just don’t tend to come to stuff like this. I’m pre-med so I don’t usually have the time.” She explained, brushing away stray hairs that had fallen from her braid. You hummed in acknowledgement. You didn’t know many other pre-med majors, so it took you by surprise to meet one at a party. Though, it made sense, that seemed like the sort of study that wouldn’t have much free time. 

“So, do you approach strangers like this in the cafeteria or…?” You questioned, slightly teasing her. Her eyes widened and for a moment you worried you’d offended her, but then she laughed. Her head hung down, forehead almost hitting her thumbs where they clasped atop her knees. When she looked back up at you, you couldn’t help but smile.

“Just the pretty ones.” She said, and the ease with which the flirtatious words came from her lips embarrassed you. You bit your lip and looked away, the heat from your cheeks letting you know you were sporting a light blush. You hadn’t expected this very attractive stranger to hit on you, but you certainly weren’t complaining. Another chuckle sounded through the air, and you knew she was amused at your reaction.

You weighed your options. 1. You could feign disgust, and get up. This is the easiest route, considering it meant you could leave this party and go back to your apartment, spending the rest of your night in peace. 2. You could lightly turn her down, and then disappear back into the crowd of people, drinking to your heart's desire. 3. You could flirt back. Who knew what would happen if you did that? Number three was tempting, though you were afraid of making a fool of yourself.

 ‘Fuck it’, you thought. You turned back to her and smiled lightly.

–

Her keys jingled in her unsteady grip as she desperately tried to put the right one in the lock. Admittedly, you weren’t of much help, considering you wouldn’t stop kissing her for even a second. Even when she wrenched her lips away to actually look at what she was doing, you moved your kisses down her jaw and across her throat. She swore, then finally managed to unlock the door, swinging it open and pushing you inside. You giggled at her urgency, and gripped her jacket to pull her in with you. She kicked the door shut behind her as she reattached herself to your lips. You shoved each other’s jackets off, and she led you to her bedroom. Your back briefly met the door before she opened it and continued to walk you backwards towards her bed. 

The back of your knees hit the mattress making you fall backwards onto your butt. She rucked her shirt up and off, throwing it into the corner. You took the chance to admire her. You had been right about her being muscular. She had soft abs and big arms, and her sports bra covered her broad chest. You bit your lip and reached up to the nape of her neck, pulling her back down toward you. She willingly let you, and put one of her knees on the bed beside your thigh. She practically lifted you to move you further back on the bed, then properly straddled your hips. You slipped your hand into her hair as best as you could with it still neatly braided, and scratched her scalp as you kissed her. She groaned at the feeling and gripped your waist, thumbs slipping under your shirt. Your other hand found its way to her waist, and you ran your fingers over the muscles of her stomach. She pulled back to slip your shirt up slightly, before looking in your eyes.

“Is this okay?” She asked, hands shaking with anticipation where they held the hem. You couldn’t help but smile at her. Instead of replying, you helped her take the clothing item the rest of the way off, and then reached behind your back to undo your bra. She gulped as you pulled the straps down your arms, letting your tits out for her to see. The cold air in her room made your nipples instantly harden, and you grabbed the back of her neck again, attempting to drag her back down to kiss you. She resisted a moment, still wanting to look at your breasts, but gave in and leaned back down to your lips. You arched your back, pushing your chest into hers, and the feeling made you shiver. You panted as she began to kiss your neck, a hand gliding up from your waist to cradle the underside of your breast. Her thumb brushed across the soft skin, not yet touching where you wanted her to. A whine bubbled up in your throat when she sucked at a spot in the junction between your neck and shoulder. 

As she finally began to palm your full breast, you pulled the hair tie from the end of her braid, sliding your fingers through her locks to undo it. Her lips continued to trail down, kissing the skin of your left tit before taking your nipple into her mouth. You sighed and gripped her hair, making her groan again. You took note of how she seemed to like having her hair played with and pulled. She grazed her teeth over your nipple and you swore under your breath. Her responding chuckle sent heat directly to your core, and you suddenly remembered that you both still had pants on. 

“Pants. Off.” You managed to get through heavy breaths. Her lips detached from your breast with a ‘pop’ as she looked up at you with an amused smile. You could see the internal conflict over whether to make a joke about your condition, however she must have decided against it as she sat back on her knees to unbutton your jeans. You lifted your hips to help her shimmy them down your legs, and she tossed them over her shoulder. Her hands met your hips and her fingers ran over the top of your underwear. The pads of her middle and pointer finger lightly pressed over your clit through the fabric, further dampening the material. 

You grabbed a pillow and slid it under your head, gripping the sides of it. Abby continued to barely apply pressure over your underwear as she admired you under her. Her obvious staring embarrassed you slightly, and you raised an arm to cover your eyes. You hear her huff a breath through her nose, and then some shuffling. Becoming curious, you removed your arm from your eyes. She had taken off her bra, her small tits now free, and had started moving down to lay on her stomach. Her hands drifted to the inside of your thighs, pushing them apart lightly. You made eye contact as she kissed from the inside of your left knee down to the junction between your thigh and groin. 

You bit your lip, desperate for her to continue her path. However, she quickly changed direction, lips trailing their way back up. Then she switched to the other side, giving the same treatment. You bucked your hips up, seeking friction. The corner of her lips turned up, clearly entertained by your neediness. She reached a hand up to rub at your clit through the material again, a little firmer this time, while she sucked marks onto your skin. You felt your breathing pick up again, and you grasped at the sheets. The attention she was giving you was nice, but not enough. 

You huffed out, “God- Abby, please.” You were too shy to fully articulate what you wanted and hoped she would just know. 

She lifted her mouth from where she had been sucking at your inner thigh, and gave it an extra lick before asking, “What?”

You knew she was just teasing you, wanting you to actually tell her what you wanted her to do. However, you were nothing if not stubborn. “T-touch me, please.” You breathed out.

She hummed, changing the movement of her thumb to run over your whole slit, occasionally catching your clit. “But, I am touching you.” She said, and pushed your right leg further out, emphasizing her point. You groaned in frustration and clenched your eyes shut, trying to work up the courage to actually do what she wanted.

You opened your eyes and looked back down where she was waiting patiently with a smile that made you want to punch her and kiss her at the same time. “Take them off and touch me.” You pleaded, cheeks burning. Abby hummed again, as though considering what you said. Apparently that had been satisfactory since she hunched over slightly to hook her fingers under the waistband of your underwear, pulling them off and flinging them across the room. 

It was her turn to bite her lip as she gazed at your unclothed pussy, wetness spread all over your labia. She spread your legs back out, making ample room for her broad shoulders. She settled back on her stomach, but leaned over to one side in order to reach her hand up. She used two fingers to spread your lips open, putting your full core on display for her. You whined out and palmed your breasts, needing some kind of stimulation. You could feel yourself becoming wetter by the second, the seemingly eternal teasing leaving you desperate and on edge. The pads of her fingers found your clit and she made slow, broad circles over it. Unable to handle the overwhelming sensation, you threw your head back and sighed. It took all over your concentration not to cant your hips up. 

You almost cried when you felt her fingers leave your clit until you realized she was prodding at your entrance. You look down, and her eyes are fixed on your pussy. She slowly pushed a finger in, and the intrusion is not particularly pleasurable. However, she quickly crooks her finger up towards your stomach, and the new angle has you biting back a moan. Her fingers are thick, a fact you had somehow missed until now. She slowly rocked her finger in and out, transfixed on the way you seemed to pull her in deeper. Your hips jumped involuntarily, and she used her other hand to press on your lower stomach, effectively holding you down. 

Finally, she looked back up at you, a smug look overtaking her features. Maintaining eye contact, she leaned her head down and pressed a kiss against your clit before licking a broad strip up your folds. The unexpected feeling made you let out a quiet yelp and your hand shot down to hold the top of her head. She hummed, as though she was appreciating your taste, and then continued her languid ministrations. You couldn’t help but let your moans free now, unable to conceal them because of the overwhelming pleasure. The vibrations from her moans added to the feeling, and you could feel yourself squirming despite her hold on your lower half. 

She detached her mouth from you and asked, “Does that feel good?” Then immediately dove back in. You were sure it was really a courtesy, considering the sounds you were making. Even so, you breathed out an ‘uh-huh’ and combed your fingers through her blonde locks. 

It was almost embarrassing. Your shameless moans and the wet sounds of her finger plunging inside you were the only noise in the room, but you couldn’t find it in you to care in your current state. The only thing you could focus on was the blissful pleasure Abby was giving you. She swirled her tongue in circles around your clit, and then funneled her lips around it to suck it into her mouth. You arched your back and gasped. Sweat started to form on your face and neck, making your hair stick to your skin. 

Just when you thought that it couldn’t feel any better she suddenly added another finger without slowing down. A particularly loud cry slipped from your lips, and you gripped her hair. She moaned unabashedly, licking at you faster. You could feel your orgasm approaching, and tried to shut your legs around her. She used her free hand to grab your thigh and push your leg up towards your chest and out, effectively keeping you open for her. Your hand that wasn’t in her hair fisted the pillow under you, and you turned your head to try to bury your face in it. The pace of her fingers didn’t falter as she lifted her head to say, “Cum for me. C’mon, you can do it. Cum on my fingers.” 

Her words sent you over the edge, and you let out a strangled whimper as your legs trembled. She kept fucking you through it, slowing her pace as you gradually came down. You gasped for air, panting like you just ran a marathon, and released your hold on her head. You could feel her kissing your thighs as she gently removed her fingers. You watched as she brought them up to her mouth, sucking your juices off of them. The pornographic sight made you flush, and you covered your face with your hands. You could hear her moving around, and then she wrapped her hands around your wrists and pulled your palms from your face. She flashed you a beautiful smile, and pecked you on the lips.

“Was that good?” She asked, settling onto her side next to you. You were still trying to catch your breath, and the question made you laugh. “Uh, yeah. I thought that was obvious.” You answered, turning over to face her. She smiled brighter and placed a hand on your back, pulling you closer. You nuzzled into her, your face finding a home in her neck. Your breathing finally settled, and she rubbed your spine up and down. Sleep began to overtake your body, and you fought to stay awake. “You can sleep, it’s okay.” Abby said, pressing her nose into the crown of your head. Her reassurance soothed you, and you allowed yourself to drift off in her arms.

[bettysupremacy]

omg would you be down to write a soft lil remus blurby!!! maybe one where they're spending a slow sunday morn together. sleepy smiles, soft sweaters, sitting on the couch reading while they cuddle. Y'know, the type of shit that'll make you melllllt. besitos!

I genuinely know this is ask is so old but this has been sitting in my drafts forever please forgive me.

When you wake it’s warm. The sun is shining in from the cracked curtains, it beats on your back heavily, relenting coolly when you pull the covers over you. The air flows and you can feel the cold wind of Remus’ fan over the skin of your cheek. The other is pressed into his pillow. It smells like cedar and hair oil.

“Good morning” His voice is gravely, raw and thick, and you know he’s just woken up too.

“Mmm.” You murmur.

Draped across your back is his heavy arm. He’s managed to push your his large shirt up, searching for the warm skin under. He traces his fingers across the meadow of skin gently, raising goosebumps in the wake of his fingers.

“How’d you sleep?” His voice imploring as he rubs his eyes harsher than recommended. You don’t answer, rather sitting up in his hold to turn and drape yourself over him, arm around his chest. “It’s that kind of morning?”

He feels you smile into his chest. Your eyes are squeezed shut as you breathe him in. Again. Cedar and hair oil.

“It’s always that kind of morning.”

“Y’ur right.” He laughs.

He olds you into him, sharing body heat like a communal heater. Mornings like this are so rare and so cherished. Either he has work or you do. Today he does, but that’s not a focus of now.

“I want chocolate.” You murmur suddenly.

“You’ve come to the perfect man, you realize that?”

“In pancakes.”

“I can make that happen.”

You lift your head, smiling at your sandy haired boy. He raises his head from his pillow pecking your lips quickly before dropping back down. Smiling, you hold his jaw in you hand as you lean in for another kiss.

—

The kitchen is cold and bright. The sun leaks into the windows, but so does the February chill. Remus is warm though. Remus is always warm. He’s shirtless and you don’t know how. You wind your arms around his back as he stands in front of the stove. It smells good. He allows your roaming cuddle for a moment, leaning into your touch selfishly, and then,

“Go back in bed.”

You’re stumped. Caught off guard. “Rem-“

“I said,” he says, smile playing on his lips as he turns to you. “go wait in bed.”

“Oh,”

You run back in sillily, jumping into the bed and pulling the covers over your bare thighs. You can hear him laugh from the kitchen as you get comfortable. The bed creaks as you lean over it, trying to sneak a view into the kitchen.

“No peaking!”

You bounce back. “I’m not!”

[yoichew]

───── embraced by longing, but also love.

cw. itoshi rin x reader. fluff. angsty if you squint. no gender or pronouns for reader are mentioned. intentional lowercase. the itoshi brothers are unfortunately not in good terms here either. not proofread, we ball. 530 wordcount.

february, the month of love, was it? though it doesn't feel like it for the rin itoshi. love is hard, love is complicated, and he has that drilled into his brain, ever since his last interaction with his brother. family, friends, whoever, whatever, you can't make them stay, they never stay. how could he love, how could he trust, when the very person rin once looked up to barely spares him a glance? and if even they did, it'd be a glare— one look of disgust.

the window is currently open, allowing the cold air to caress rin's face gently, and he sighs contentedly. he should continue his repetitive routine to start his day— stretching, yoga, exercising... letting his heart weeps with rage. from an outsider's perspective, it'd be obvious his morning schedule was boring, he is quite aloof. the man literally lives and breathes soccer, dedicating his every waking moment to be better. people or things that won't help him improve are nothing.

he exhales deeply once more, calming himself, till a knock on the door kicks him out of his thoughts. he mutters under his breath, great. it's early in the morning. someone just had to ruin— he pauses when he opens the door. something seems to change, there's a much fresher air— it's warm, nothing like the one outside. it's you.

"good morning, rin!" you smile, so tenderly, it makes his heartache even more— in a pleasant way. "well, my morning isn't good, since you're banging on my door, it's—" "lukewarm? mediocre?" you cut him off, joking. how can you be so bright so early? the sun is barely up— he mentally scowls, yet he has to stop himself from smiling at your behavior. it's not long before you squeeze yourself into his apartment without even asking. not that he minds though, he never does when it comes to you. "you know you can't stay for long. i have to go out before it gets late." he mutters, sitting beside you— as you make yourself comfortable on the couch. "i'll make you stay here, with me—" "no." "i'll come with you outside!" "no." "why not?" "just no." you sigh, chuckling slightly at the bickering— you know you'd never be able to insist him to do anything you plead. though your laughter gets drowned by a sudden gasp you emit, as rin pushes you onto your back, now having you resting on the arm of the couch. as he lies his head on your stomach, you can hear how his breathing becomes tranquil. "so you do want to stay, don't you?" "shut it," he mumbles, as he now buries his face onto your shirt, he adds something else, it's muffled— but you still manage to catch it. "you make life bearable, really. i don't think i could continue living without you." his words make you smile, and you pray he doesn't hear how fast he makes your heart beat, gently running your fingers across his hair. and this makes the boy think that maybe this february isn't as indifferent as the ones that have passed, and maybe the intricate ways of love is worth it, just this once, just for you.

[anna-scribbles]

thirteen update 💕💍🍽️🩸

chapter 5: february

summary:

“These things do not concern you,” Papa told him flatly. “I will run my household however I see fit. Your concerns are with your schoolwork and your modeling.” Blood pumped heavy and fast through Adrien’s heart. That wasn’t—fair. Concern was about all he was capable of these days. “And what about Maman?” Adrien asked, exhausted, reckless. “May I be concerned about Maman?” Something shifted on Papa’s face, all his emotions smothered in stone.

excerpt:

The best day of Adrien’s life was eight months and six days ago. No contest.

It was a crisp kind of cold that day, the Paris sky blooming a bright and brilliant blue overhead. The sun pierced right through the brisk February air, a shock of spearmint and adrenaline in his veins. He couldn’t stop widening his eyes, couldn’t stop smiling. The city was so alive. Strains of love songs poured out of open cafe doors and onto tourists, their hands full of red roses and lovers’ hands. The cobblestones sang with the patters of paired footsteps all down the street. It was the city of love always, but today especially. Today Adrien was made of the stuff, just bursting with it.

And, like every other day in the running for the best of his life, Marinette was there.

“You’d better not pull anything,” she warned, tightening her grip on his hand as they passed by a tourist couple looking very… engrossed with each other in the middle of the street. “And—and if you do, you have to tell me. Right now.”

Marinette’s brow was lightly furrowed, the bridge of her nose just barely scrunched up. Her hair was pulled half-back with a pink ribbon, matching the shade of the skirt she wore beneath her velvety black peacoat. Her Mary Janes clipped anxiously down the road and Adrien’s heart danced and swelled and spun in his chest.

“Pull something? Me?” Adrien stepped aside so their arms were outstretched, and then pulled at Marinette’s fingers, sending her tumbling back into his arms. She looked up at him, trying to frown, smiling. He grinned. “I would never.”

“I’m serious.” Marinette untangled herself from his arms and interlocked her fingers again with his. Her hand was the warmest thing in the world. She looked at him sternly, wagging a finger in his face. “I need to know so I can—prepare. Especially if it’s something crazy. No funny business.”

“Marinette,” he moaned, draping a wounded hand over his heart. One corner of his mouth quirked into a smile, eyes darting to meet her gaze. “You think I’m funny?”

She groaned. “I think you‘re—I think you’re ridiculous, and sappy, and romantic, and I think it’s Valentine’s Day in Paris”—this part she shouted, which drew a few stares—“and I think you’re about to take me on an insanely adorable date, and I think Alya took me to get my nails done last week—!”

“You’re so thoughtful,” Adrien remarked, swinging their hands back and forth. “And observant. What a beautiful mind you have, my lady.”

“You have to tell me,” Marinette insisted. She stopped them on the street and frowned at him, pink flushing the apples of her cheeks. “Is it—are you—?”

“Hm?” Adrien murmured, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. Marinette’s cheeks went ablaze.

“I—you—you know what I mean!” she spluttered. “Are you gonna…you know!”

He tilted his head to the side. “Am I…?”

read on ao3

[starrystevie]

based on this headcanon i posted previously!

"what do you mean you've never had a valentine?"

eddie rolls his eyes and swings his arms across his front as if to gesture to his entire being at steve's question.

"consider me flattered that you think all this," he gestures again, "would land me a date at all, but it's not like i even want a valentine in the first place."

they glare at each other as steve picks at his cold diner fries and eddie finishes off his strawberry milkshake. they've landed at a stand still, steve trying to figure out how eddie can experience a real valentine's day, and eddie trying to figure out how to talk steve out of whatever sympathy thing he's planning. he opens his mouth to say something, and before he can get a word out, eddie cuts him off.

"whatever you've got cookin' up in that pretty little head of yours, i want you to stop. i don't want a bullshit pity date on a fake holiday that only puts more money in the hallmark ceo's pockets. forget it."

eddie watches as a grin spreads across steve's face and he knows then and there that there's no way in hell steve will forget it.

it's four days later that eddie is packing what is bound to be the best bowl of his life, feet up on the coffee table and the wizard of oz playing faintly in the background, when he hears a knock at the trailer door. he ignores it with a huff and shakes his curls out of his face, bringing the bowl up to his lips only to be cut off by the knocking once more.

"what?!" eddie yells out. he doesn't want to get up and see who it is. he wants to wallow in the weird liminal space of self-pity and anger about capitalism and smoke weed until the flying monkeys in the movie seem even scarier than they already are. he doesn't want to deal with someone when he feels so crushingly lonely-

"it's me!" steve's voice is muffled through the door. "let me in, munson!"

something vaguely hope-shaped catches in eddie's chest before he pushes it away with a deep breath and a shake to clear his head. "open the door yourself, lazy. it's unlocked."

he hears something hit the door, a loud thump that he thinks might be steve kicking the door, and then hears the door handle rattle for a few seconds before steve clearly gives up with a groan.

"come on, a little help here?"

"this better be fucking worth it," he grumbles under his breath. eddie rolls his eyes and set the pipe down on the coffee table next to his pbr with a huff. "fine, fine, i'm coming hold your horses."

he doesn't really know what he is expecting, but steve with his arms wrapped around a bouquet of daisies, a too-big heart shaped box of chocolates, a stuffed bear and a card is at the bottom of the list. he's smiling that smile, the one that eddie takes a mental picture of and files into the steve-shaped folder in his memory every time he sees it, and he has on a stupidly charming button up shirt to go along with it all.

"what." eddie says blankly, the cold february air making him shiver as it hits his bare arms. steve thrusts the gifts towards him with an even brighter smile that has his eyes crinkling and eddie's heart thumping painfully in his chest.

"be my valentine?" steve breathes out and eddie has half a mind to pinch himself.

"steve, i don't-"

"nope," steve responds and pushes past eddie to get into the warmth of the trailer. "you don't get to say no or tell me it's stupid or that today's only a money grab for the corporate elite or whatever-"

eddie balks as steve beelines to the kitchenette to pull out a large glass to put the flowers in. "it is, though."

"-we're going to sit and order a pizza and eat these stupid, over-priced chocolates for dessert, and you're going to like it."

there's butterflies and knots and something that's too close to love fluttering around in his stomach, so eddie sits down on the edge of the arm of the couch and watches as steve finishes adjusting the bouquet.

"daisies?" eddie asks after a beat of silence.

steve beams. "they're your birth flower so i thought..."

dorothy's in the background saying something about not being in kansas and eddie feels the same.

this is all as foreign to him as tin men and scarecrows and wicked witches would be. he's never had anyone, let alone someone like steve fucking harrington, barge into his house and demand a date. he's never wanted anyone to demand a date out of him, especially on valentine's day of all days. he sees steve reach for a phone book and start searching for a pizza delivery number to call and it all feels right in a way that it probably shouldn't.

"are you fucking with me?" eddie asks. his voice feels small.

steve looks up, face smoothing out from determination to something softer, and puts the phone back in the cradle. he hesitates before grabbing the card and teddy bear, this fuzzy brown thing that's holding a heart that says 'i love you beary much', and hands them to eddie.

"not in the slightest," he tells eddie. with a wave of his hand, steve motions for eddie to open the card before pulling his hand up to his mouth to bite at his thumbnail.

the front of the card is simple, just some hearts with a 'be mine' in a fancy script, but it has eddie's breath catching anyway. it's a real card with real stupid hearts and real meaning behind it and it forces him to pause before he can open the rest. he's too cowardly to admit that he's afraid of whatever it could say.

"open it," steve says like it's the easiest thing in the world and eddie pulls his eyes away from the front of the card to see how steve is staring at the paper like it's going to burst into flames. "but don't read it out loud. please."

it's an easy request to follow. with the card open, eddie glances down to see only a few short sentences written and yet it still hits him like an arrow through his goddamn heart.

you're going to think this is a joke, the card starts, but i promise it's not. it's not pity, either. it's just some crazy little thing called love. be my valentine? xo, steve.

eddie can feel how big his eyes are, wide as dinner plates, as he looks between the card and steve who probably won't be hungry for pizza after he finishes chewing off his thumb out of nerves. a laugh sneaks out in a gust of wind through his nose and it has steve wincing despite himself, which has eddie rushing into action.

"you mean it?" he asks, wrapping his hands around steve's shoulders. their eyes meet and steve looks as scared as eddie feels as he nods with a watery laugh of his own.

"yeah, i mean it. you haven't had a valentine and what better way to start than with a harrington that is absolutely nutty over you?"

the tin man is the background singing something about having a heart while eddie's beats out of his chest as steve connects their lips in a soft kiss. and eddie might be against valentine's day, against capitalism and the mass-produced niceties that it brings to the everyday consumer, but if steve keeps pressing into him like this, it might just become his favorite holiday yet.

[cumulo-stratus]

“you're my new pillow”

spencer reid x male!reader || drabble || master list!!

0.38k

The morning light was warm, despite the brisk February air and the ikea duvet didn't do much to keep the cold off the sleeping couple. 

But you weren't bothered, your husband  Spencer acted as a human heater unto himself. Even though you weren't cuddled close, the heat from the other side of the bed kept the whole bed warm.

Spencer was the first to wake, his unhealthy sleeping habits to blame. He rolled towards your side of the bed, pulling your back into his chest for a hug. But it didn't last long as he started to roll back over to get up and make coffee. 

Spencer groaned a bit, still slightly half-asleep. Despite trying to hold it in, he failed and this woke you up enough to see Spencer rolling away from your embrace. 

“Nooo Spence- don't leave- it's cold-” you voice was still scratchy and low from having just woken up. Spencer rolled back round to face you again, smiling. 

“I'm gonna get up to make you hot coffee love,” Spencer spoke warmly, and quietly as his face was only inches from yours. 

“No.” You said defiantly. Your voice was slightly whiny, but that just made Spencer laugh slightly. Along with your whining, you wrapped your arms around Spencer's waist, tightly. “I need my pillow,” 

Spencer chuckled at that, pressing a kiss to your forehead and saying “ darling we have real pillows- you don't need to use me,” your boyfriends tone betrayed him- as it was loving, and even a bit bashful. Spencer was glad to have you use him as a pillow.

“You're my new pillow.” Again your voice is defiant, and slightly whiny. But Spencer didn't mind, he enjoyed being your pillow. With a dramatic sigh, Spencer pulled you closer to him. He moved you so your cheek rested his chest and your arms were wrapped around each other. He then said, “Well then I'll just have to stay and be your pillow.” Spencer smiled down at you but your face was too smooshed into his chest, already falling back asleep to his heartbeat, to hear him. 

But he didn't mind, Spencer just relaxed into his pillow and let himself drift back to sleep, basking in the bliss of warmth of not only the morning light, but also you. 

Taglist- @spencers1wifey | @mvndfvelds | @mindfullycriminal | @luce-reid |@ferrjulie | @khxna | @il0vebeingdelulu | @lover-of-books-and-tea | @jaden-reid | @eli-chris

join my taglist here

[devildom-moss]

February poll story

NSFW - Simeon x Barbatos x MC

(Barbatos x Simeon x gn!MC)

(NSFW) (switch!verse!Barbatos / switch(/bratty sub?)!bottom!Simeon / dom!top!MC) (poly/threesome; MC with cock/strap-on; partially outdoor sex; exhibitionism; voyeurism; oral - receiving/strap sucking; anal - giving Simeon and Barbatos; frottage; Simeon gets double stuffed because he's a good boy; slightly cruel and teasing MC; but also plenty of soft MC; multiple orgasms - but no MC orgasm specified; no condom (bad, don't do); anal creampie; cum used as lube (also bad); begging, fingering; handjob; overstim; praise; pet names "good boy(s)" "angel"; slight degradation (slut-praising?); slight aftercare mentions) (established relationship with Simeon; relationship hierarchy) (no plot, all horny)

Word Count: +2,900

“You’re so fucking pretty like this.” You bent down to whisper in Simeon’s ear, keeping your length still inside him as he squirmed, desperate for the slightest bit of friction. You smirked. “So. Fucking. Pretty, angel.”

“Please –” Simeon begged, grinding back against your hips “– more.”

You straightened your spine and placed your hand on the small of Simeon’s back, making him arch against the railing of Purgatory Hall’s balcony. A quarter moon hung in the sky, providing just enough light to make his skin glisten, highlighting every soft edge of his body. He was luminous. The view of the stars twinkling above mountains and over colorful city lights was overshadowed when you had Simeon bent over the rail and moaning on your cock/strap. His skin burned from arousal, and the cool night air felt nice against his burning cheeks as desperation rose in him. How much more would his skin burn if he could think about the potential of someone looking up and seeing him? It bore repeating:

“So. Fucking. Pretty.” You punctuated each word by sliding out of him and thrusting back in with a ravenous force, earning a soft groan every time. Dissolving into a mess of lust and pleasure, Simeon was reduced to whimpers and loud, needy whining.

Those noises echoed into the hall, where they alerted Barbatos, who had stopped by to deliver some sweets that he had baked. Simeon was supposed to be all alone for the weekend, and Barbatos was worried that the angel might get lonely. Upon hearing Simeon groaning, Barbatos used magic to rush into Purgatory Hall and scanned for the source of the noise. The doors to the balcony were left open. Barbatos felt a cold breeze blow in, carrying the sound of Simeon’s moans on the wind. He ran outside.

“Simeon! Are you –” Barbatos stopped dead in his tracks. He should have known better.

You and Simeon both turned to the entrance to see Barbatos standing there. Simeon wanted to look shocked, but all he could manage was a blissful, desperate stare – his mouth still agape and his eyes glossy. He tightened around you, and you smirked at the sudden sensation. Well, Barbatos had already caught you, and if you were going to get in trouble anyway, you might as well keep going.  Besides, you couldn’t resist teasing Simeon. You pulled out halfway, feeling his resistance, and bucked your hips back into him.

“Simeon,” you cooed, “You got so tight when Barbatos caught us. Do you like being watched that much, my angel? Should we give him a show?”

“MC, wait, please,” Simeon whined as he tried to push himself upright. But you didn’t wait. You thrust into him, rubbing up against his prostate. He steadied himself against the railing. His sweet moans flooded the air, and without thinking, Simeon started to rock back onto you. The pleasure grew until the cusp of an orgasm brought him back to his senses. “Wait, wait. I’m –”

Yet again, you didn’t wait. Why should you? He was still grinding on you like a desperate little cumslut. You brought his hips against yours as he came over the edge of the balcony with a loud groan. Simeon bent back over the railing and buried his face in his arms, absolutely humiliated.

The mortifying silence in Simeon’s post-orgasm comedown was broken by a chuckle from Barbatos’s direction. Barbatos mused aloud, “Oh my, you know, I was actually worried for a second. I should have figured even you would indulge in such activities.”

You laughed along with Barbatos as you slowly pulled out of Simeon. Despite your careful motion, Simeon still whimpered at the emptiness. He immediately stood upright, turned to you, and attempted to hide himself in the crook of your neck. The feeling of his hot breath and soft lips moving against you as he apologized profusely only made you want to tease him all over again.

“I’m so sorry,” he apologized again, tilting his head so that Barbatos might hear him more clearly. “I didn’t mean to cum in front of you.”

When he was this adorably embarrassed, you also felt the need to dote on him. You scratched his head, massaging small circles into his scalp, and pulled back just enough to kiss his hair. With sweetness laced into your voice, you reminded him, “He stayed and watched, angel. I don’t think there’s anything to apologize for – not if that bulge in his pants is being honest.”

Simeon shivered against you and turned his eyes to Barbatos, catching his gaze before lowering it down the demon’s body. Desire reignited in him. Barbatos set the bag he had brought over down on the nearby table with a mischievous grin. “Can you blame me for getting aroused – watching a cruel, teasing master and their precious, little slut?”

The words burned in Simeon’s ears. You knew that Simeon loved knowing he was yours; to hear Barbatos call him your slut probably validated those sweet little fantasies in his head. As if you wanted to take him down a peg, you turned to Barbatos and asked, “would you like to try being a precious, little slut, too – if my angel doesn’t mind, of course?”

When you looked back at Simeon, he took your hand and brought it up to his cheek. He leaned into your touch and shook his head while nuzzling into your palm. Barbatos took his cue, and without another word, he loosened his tie and walked over to you. In one obedient gesture, Barbatos dropped to his knees at your feet and stared up at you seductively. Then, he shifted his eyes to Simeon, holding his gaze as he licked up your shaft before taking you deep down his throat. His tongue swirled around you as he pulled back, and he left kitten licks on your tip. Simeon squirmed under the heat of Barbatos’s eyes.

“Barbatos.” You clicked your tongue and tilted his gaze back to you. “I believe Simeon has had enough of your leering eyes.”

Your attention to his comfort gave Simeon butterflies; he leaned into your ear and begged seductively, “Can I help Barbatos while he cleans you up? Please?”

“Can he?” you asked Barbatos, placing your hand under his chin and running your thumb along his jawline. Barbatos pulled away from your cock/strap, saliva staining those pretty lips. He smiled up at you blissfully, showing off his sharp canines, and glanced at Simeon quickly. Then, returning his eyes to you, Barbatos bit his lower lip and nodded twice before opening his mouth and taking you halfway down his throat. You groaned and rolled your head back. Collecting yourself, you turned to Simeon and leaned over to kiss him – messy and heated. When you pulled away, you relished his lecherous gaze and gentle panting. “Play nice, angel.”

Simeon walked around Barbatos and kneeled behind him, crawling between his legs. Simeon’s hands wandered from Barbatos’s hips up to his chest. Slowly, with lingering caresses, Simeon helped Barbatos strip out of his shirt. He groped the demon and teased him through his pants with a touch unbefitting an angel. With your cock/strap still down his throat, Barbatos groaned, causing Simeon to giggle.

“You’re pretty cute, aren’t you, Barbatos?” Simeon cooed into his ear, feeling Barbatos twitch through the fabric under his hand. Still rubbing Barbatos with one hand, Simeon used the other to undo Barbatos’s pants, finally freeing his dick. Eagerly, Simeon stroked Barbatos, earning more moans from the demon. Simeon slowly stripped Barbatos of his pants and underwear as he teased him, “You’re so hard. Do my hands feel that good?”

Barbatos’s cheeks were flushed pink as he bobbed his head on your cock/strap, trying to match the pace of Simeon’s hands. You watched his brows knit together. His chest heaved. A loud whimper escaped him. Simeon hummed and showed you his cum-painted hands. Barbatos, as diligent as ever, continued to serve you.

“Good boy. That’s enough, now.” You ran your fingers through Barbatos’s hair and pulled his head back. His tongue slipped out of his mouth, shiny and slick with saliva, as he caught his breath.

It was hard not to lose your composure when Barbatos stared up at you like that – like he was silently begging for more. The dim moonlight illuminated his face, emphasizing the blush that rose up to his ears. Unfortunately, Simeon wouldn’t let your attention stay fixed on Barbatos for long, and he brought his cum-stained hand up to your cock/strap, using Barbatos’s cum to lube you up.

“Shit –” you hissed. That was sexy. You let Simeon do his job while Barbatos’s lower lip trembled in anticipation. When you were coated, you looked down, catching Barbatos’s gaze, and instructed him: “Turn around and bend over.”

Simeon tried to move out of the way as Barbatos turned, but the demon caught his arm. With one hand, Barbatos grabbed his clothes, balled them into a makeshift pillow, and set it down behind Simeon. Barbatos pushed Simeon down on his back, using the clothes to cushion Simeon’s head, and crawled over him. He scoffed through a wicked grin. “Oh no you don’t, little angel. After that, you’re not getting away so easily. I’m sorry if this is uncomfortable, but I need you to bear with it for a while.”

It was hard to believe that you had gotten so lucky as to get both Simeon and Barbatos below you. You joined them on the ground and aligned yourself against Barbatos’s ass. Without warning or preparation, you grabbed his hips and pushed into him, spreading him open with your tip. Barbatos gasped.

“MC!” Simeon glared at you over Barbatos’s shoulder, and scolded, “You should have prepared him.”

“Actually, my angel, you should have prepared him. Besides, I couldn’t let all of Barbatos’s hot cum go to waste, now could I?” Your tone was cold yet teasing, and Simeon’s defiance crumbled into a pout. You pushed yourself deeper into Barbatos’s ass – still only half-way inside. Barbatos groaned and panted, trying to relax and loosen up.

“I’m sorry, Barbatos.” Simeon sighed and brought his clean hand up to Barbatos’s cheek, caressing him gently as he endured the slight discomfort. “Do you want me to distract you with a kiss?”

“Yes,” Barbatos squeaked out as you pushed deeper. He squeezed his eyes shut and leaned closer to Simeon, but to his surprise, Simeon’s lips didn’t meet his. Instead, Simeon reached between their bodies, grabbed both of their dicks in his hand, and started to stroke them simultaneously. Simeon whined and Barbatos moaned, rolling his head back and arching his ass up. He was so overwhelmed that he was able to take you to the base. Fuck, they were cute. When the initial wave of pleasure died down, Barbatos grit his teeth and growled. “You dirty fucking tease.”

Unlike you, Barbatos had the decency to prepare Simeon’s ass before fucking him – although he did have your cock/strap in him just a few minutes ago. Barbatos balanced himself on one arm and stuck his fingers in Simeon’s mouth, teasing his tongue. Being so obediently trained, Simeon sucked on Barbatos’s fingers until they were all wet. Between your hips slapping against him as you filled him up and the feeling of Simeon’s hot tongue, Barbatos found it hard to focus. He pulled his fingers out of Simeon’s mouth with a pop and slipped them into the angel’s ass, stretching him out slowly.

You took a wicked pleasure in watching them both fall apart, melting into pants and moans. Barbatos was at his limit. The sight of Simeon writhing under him, still stroking their cocks simultaneously, was too sexy. Barbatos took his fingers out of Simeon and pulled his hips back, forcing your cock/strap deep inside himself. He aligned his aching cock with Simeon’s ass and pushed into him – your thrusting nudging him deeper than he intended.

“You’re so tight, angel,” Barbatos groaned, finally burying himself to the hilt. “No wonder you’re MC’s precious little slut.”

“My favorite little slut,” you corrected him. Your tone softened to lather on a bit of praise, “and my good angel.”

Simeon’s face burned from both of your words – but your praise ruined him more than he wanted to admit. He would do anything to hear you praise him more – for you to call him “yours.” Your sweetness made his hard cock twitch against Barbatos’s stomach.

“What does that make me? Your good demon?” Barbatos tried to tease you through his moaning as his thrusting picked up. He synced up with you, slamming his hips back when you rocked into him. “Your second favorite toy? Better than eighth, I suppose.”

You chuckled in his ear, acknowledging his little joke. As good as he was making you feel, you were pleased that he knew his place. You rewarded him with quicker, harder thrusts. In a low whisper, you praised them both, “my good boys.”

Barbatos moaned your name as he tightened around you, and his thrusting got erratic until, at last, he came inside Simeon. He didn’t even have enough time to come down from his high before you pulled out of him, earning a pathetic, needy whine from the demon.

“MC,” Simeon interrupted, moaning your name like a sweet, desperate plea.

It was all too clear that he wanted more. As precious as Simeon was when he begged for more, and as much as that turned you on, you couldn’t bring yourself to leave him unsatisfied tonight. You gently pushed Barbatos down onto Simeon – forcing him deeper but also giving you just enough access to shove your cock/strap into Simeon’s ass. They both whined and gasped.

“MC, please,” Barbatos whimpered.

“Don’t be selfish, Barbatos,” you scolded him teasingly. “My poor angel didn’t get to cum a second time yet.”

Barbatos looked down at Simeon’s pleading face and nodded. He started to rock his hips again and used one hand to play with Simeon’s chest, pinching and rolling his thumb over Simeon’s nipples. A bit of overstimulation was worth it to watch Simeon’s face twist up in desperate lust as he whined and moaned. Simeon wrapped his arms around Barbatos’s neck, and their lips crashed in a sloppy, hazy kiss. It was a sweet, tender distraction from the pleasure ravaging them both – and Simeon would do anything to savor the feeling of you and Barbatos filling him up. But Barbatos could feel Simeon throbbing against his stomach and tightening around you both, and he broke the kiss, causing Simeon to whine again.

“No more kissing, angel,” Barbatos growled through his panting. “Let me see that face as you cum again.”

Simeon’s eyes screwed shut and his moans hit a fever pitch as he came all over Barbatos’s chest and stomach. When he opened his eyes, Barbatos was staring down at him affectionately. Simeon craned his neck to catch a glimpse of you behind Barbatos. His voice was spent, and he wasn’t certain he had the energy to speak, so he mouthed the words “thank you.”

“Cutie,” you teased.

You grinned and slowly pulled out of Simeon. Apparently, his voice was strong enough for a quiet yelp. Barbatos sighed, trying to calm himself. As you got to your feet, you looked down at them and started to laugh. Barbatos’s back was covered in bright pink scratch marks – with some breaking the skin enough to form small pinpoints of blood.

“I might have to start calling you my kitten, angel. You really did a number on his back,” you informed him with a melodious chuckle.

Once again, Simeon was mortified. He slapped his hands up to cover his face, but Barbatos moved them aside by pinning Simeon’s wrists above his head with one hand. Barbatos gave him a reassuring smile. “Not to worry, angel. I quite enjoyed myself with the both of you. I’ve never had a threesome with a human and an angel before. It was an amusing experience – and now I have a temporary memento. Although, I suppose you do, too.”

Finally, Barbatos pulled out of Simeon. As if prompted by an all-commanding narrator, all three of you looked down to watch cum leaking from Simeon. You pulled yourself together, resisting the urge to milk another round out of Simeon that instant, and offered Barbatos a hand up. He took it, stumbling to your side with shaking legs.

“I’m glad you enjoyed yourself. I had a good time, too,” you told Barbatos. You leaned in to kiss him – just passionate enough to pull a content sigh from each of you without riling you up. When you parted, you both offered Simeon a hand, pulling him into your arms. “I think it’s about time to give my good boys a shower – or would you prefer a bath?”

“A shower is fine with me,” Barbatos replied.

“And you, angel? Is a shower good?” you asked, caressing his cheek. Simeon nodded against your hand. You cooed, “my good boy. My sweet angel.”

“Shall I prepare some tea afterwards?” Barbatos offered, slowly returning to baseline. “I can choose something to go with the pastries I brought with me.”

“So that’s what was in that bag,” you laughed as you guided them both back inside. “Yes, Barbatos, thank you. that would be very nice, my sweet demon.”

“Of course, master,” Barbatos teased. Simeon, still in a daze, could only bring himself to pout. Barbatos noticed and stopped in his tracks to snake a hand up Simeon’s neck. “However, I brought them for you, angel.”

Simeon’s face burned, but Barbatos was no better with a noticeable blush on his cheeks as he turned and continued towards the bathroom. You were in for an interesting weekend.

A/N: Sorry I'm a little late on this one. I hope you enjoy this everyone. I hope it's not too out of character... I just really wanted them to get ruined. It felt kinda dirtier than the other stuff I've done. Anyway, yeah. This one's really for the doms/dommes and tops. Also, expect a new poll up March 1st at midnight PST.

[atlafan]

Layna's never been so ravenous for her boyfriend. Which is shocking because there have been many times where she's felt more than desperate to have his body on hers, but this is something different entirely.

Normally, she doesn't like winter by the time February hits. The holidays are long since over, and the snow is less magical. There's black ice everywhere, and the air hurts her face. All that being said, she just found a new reason to like winter.

Sweater vests.

She had no idea Harry even owned them until she saw him wearing one at the latest showing at her gallery. He looked so handsome. All dressed up in a pair of slacks, loafers, sweater vest, and a long jacket. He hasn't exactly been dressing appropriately for winter, so when she sees him walk into the gallery, she feels like the wind has been knocked out of her. Layna is a professional, but she only has so much willpower when it comes to Harry. She's let him fuck her in the backseat of her car in the gym parking lot for fuck's sake.

They lock eyes from across the room. Layna takes out her phone and sends him a text. He raises an eyebrow when he sees her name lit up on his phone.

You're mean

how am I mean?

You look too good

not sry

Bet you're wearing that nice cologne I like so much too

u bet ur🍑

need you

ur werking

come to my office, no one will notice if I slip away for a few minutes

bet

Harry shoves his phone into his jacket pocket and makes his way to Layna's office. It's in such a private area, she's not worried about being caught. Besides, the gallery sold out. Her work is essentially done for the night.

So, that's how Layna ended up clutching at Harry's chest with her leg up over his hip, pressed up against the door of her office on a work night. His lips are on her neck, sucking on her like a leech as her fucks her with his fingers. Her fingers twirl in the material of the vest and she's doing her best not to make too much noise. Her lips are going to be incredibly swollen by the time they're done. She's panting and near convulsing in his arms. Her fingers move up to his hair to rug on. It's finally grown out to a length where she can actually tug on it again. He moans into her neck and pushes her harder up against the door. One of his hands presses flat against it by her head, and she can't help but whimper as she looks at his pulsing veins and rings.

"Shit, I'm gonna make a mess." She gasps when she feels Harry's fingers fucking shallowly into her while his thumb rubs her clit. "I don't want to ruin your pants."

Harry pulls away and looks at her before sinking to his knees and wrapping his lips around her clit as he continues to fuck her with his fingers. Her hands fly right back to his hair. She nearly loses her balance, but Harry keeps her stead, placing one of her legs over his shoulder. He looks up at her and smirks, and that's when she loses it. She lets out a loud cry of his name as he laps away at her juices. He drags her panties back up when he's done and stands up slowly as he runs his hands up her body. He cups her jaw and licks into her mouth. She melts into him.

"I knew you'd like this outfit." He smirks. "Daddy cleans up real good when he wants to, hm?"

"You mean you did this to me on purpose?" She pouts.

"Payback for all your relentless teasing the last few weeks."

"You can't tell me that wearing shorts in the freezing cold doesn't look funny." She scoffs. "Besides, thought we made up from all of that."

"We did." He nods, squeezing her hips. "But I couldn't resist making you sweat."

"Well, you succeeded, and then some. Let me-"

"Nope." He steps back from her. "You can wait until we get home. I'm gonna shove my dick so far down your throat you'll be gagging all over it, and it'll ruin your pretty makeup. You're working, Layna. Compose yourself and be professional." He moves her, she's too stunned to speak. He wacks her ass before leaving the office.

A shiver runs up her spine. How much longer does she have to stay at work for?

NO COMPLAINTS BLURB

[red-riding-wood]

Made For You

"I've been loved before, but right now in this moment, I feel more and more like I was made for you."

A oneshot based off the song Halley's Comet by Billie Eillish. Was inspired to write this back in February of 2023 thanks to @cillmequick's House Party Event. This has been stewing in my brain for nearly a YEAR and I'm finally writing it! Thank you for the muse and for introducing me to this song, Alex! <3

Pairing: Robert Capa x Reader

Fandom: Sunshine (2007)

Warnings: angst, lots of angst, some fluff?, childhood friends to lovers trope

WC: ~2620

Time always ran different here, beneath the blanket of shattered stars and hollow black sky.

You’d lost track of the hours you’d spent, lost in them, eyes tracing each constellation but mostly lingering in the gaps between them, the blackness that stretched endlessly into the sky. That spanned between you and the other half of your soul, the boy you’d loved and the man you’d lost.

Sixteen months ago, you’d said goodbye as he boarded his plane. Sixteen months ago, you’d watched the shuttle launch on national television, feeling as though a piece of you had been stripped, raw and bleeding, from your chest.

“Someday…” he’d said, when you were barely old enough to understand the concepts of space and time. “… I’ll be up there, and you’ll be down here, and I’ll bring you back one of those stars.”

You’d scoffed, and playfully hit him on the arm. “And just how are you gonna do that?” you’d said.

“I don’t know.” He’d smiled. “But I’ll find a way.”

Sixteen months ago, he’d been sent on a mission to renew the dying sun that plunged the world into a winter so cold, the green of summer turned to a white death, and the waters of the Caribbean nearly froze over.

Shards of ice prickled at the back of your hair, the slight gaps of flushed skin where your scarf and toque left you bare, crystals of snow kissing your cheeks and the cold seeping in past the dampness of your scalp and the down of your parka, but as you shut your eyes, you imagined the snow to be blades of grass. And your fingers, to be digging into the earth instead of the fleece of your mittens.

“You see that star, right next to the Big Dipper?” he said, pointing up at the diamonds in the sky. Propped up on one elbow, the warmth of his arm brushed yours in the cool air of the spring night, the sleeve of his shirt tickling your shoulder, his lashes limned like chalk outlines by the soft sheen of the moon.

You opened your eyes, the low rumble of his voice having practically lulled you to sleep. You didn’t get much sleep in those days, when he was in university obtaining his astrophysics degree and you were working early shifts at your dead-end job, when the innocence of childhood was lost to the bitter realities of the world but you had no idea just how empty you’d one day find yourself to be. You still saw glimpses of this innocence on his face, in the grin that stretched his lips across freckled cheeks and the glint of awe in bright blue eyes. You had no idea how lucky you were just to be able to reach out and touch him, to bear witness to these traces of happiness that were tangible and not hidden behind a screen.

You spent almost every night with him beneath the stars. Dreaming of greater things, of the day when you’d both break free of your cages and return to your innocence, when you’d become greater than your past and he’d change the world. When he’d bring you your star and you’d display it in your glass heart.

“Mhm.” Your eyes followed the tip of his finger to a star that gleamed particularly bright.

“That star died seven-thousand years ago,” he told you. “It’s so far away, we just can’t see it yet.”

You scrunched your face and narrowed your eyes, a smile quirking your lip. “Then how come it’s so bright?” you asked.

His grin softened into an almost sad smile, his hand lowering to the earth and his head turning on his shoulder to lock bright eyes with yours. Your breath hitched in your chest, and for one moment so fleeting you could’ve imagined it, you thought his gaze darted to the parting of your lips.

“Light does not always equate to life,” he told you. And each day onward, you would ponder the mysterious woe laced in a silk tone.

Your warm palm cupped your face, mitten cast aside, the brush of your cold fingers laying a kiss to your tear-streaked lips. Muffling the choked sobs that rose from a chest void of hope and full of shattered dreams and shattered glass.

Here you lay, in your cage, your tomb. Not knowing if you’d ever see him again, not knowing if you’d have the chance to tell him that you’d broken your promise.

“What is it?” His soft voice was laden with worry as you buried your face in the warmth of his chest, and his arms wrapped tentatively around your back.

“It was all a lie,” you sobbed weakly, his shirt damp with your tears. “He broke up with me.”

“Oh,” he said, his thumb tracing small circles along your spine.

You sank into his chest, weighing heavy against him, knees shaking beneath you. He kept you standing, allowing your tired body some respite. Thinking that when you were done crying, he might be able to tell you a story that would tempt you to sleep and you wouldn’t feel the crash of pain against your ribs anymore.

“I’m worthless,” you whispered. “He said so himself, he never wanted me…”

“What?” His reaction was so sudden, so sharp, you nearly flinched, sobs stilling as they rose to your chest. Damp threads of hair clung to his shirt, splintering the blurry visage of his freckled cheeks and dark, messy hair as he pushed you softly back to look him in bright, blue eyes. His palm cupped your jaw, thumbing at your cheekbone as he said,

“You’re not worthless. You’re – “

“No. No.” Shaking your head, your eyes gleamed with pain as you began to plead with your friend. “Promise me, Robbie, that you’ll never fall in love with me, and I promise the same. I hate this… this feeling in my chest, like I can’t breathe, like…” You chuffed out a nervous laugh. “… I don’t know. I just don’t wanna feel this again. I don’t wanna lose you, too.”

Robert had stared back at you, silent for a while, the bright of his eyes fading ever-so-slightly. You wondered, for a moment, what he’d been about to say before you'd cut him off, until he pulled you to his chest and murmured in your ear,

“I promise.”

And each day onward, he would keep his promise, watching through high school as you would try to date dumb boys and lend a shoulder to cry on when you’d denounce each one, and after graduation came and went and he’d break up with his own sweetheart, he’d tell you it was because he wanted to focus on his studies.    

How had you been so blind, you thought to yourself. How had you not realised that each relationship you’d sabotaged hadn’t been because of your trust issues, or your self-esteem. It had been because the only guy you’d ever wanted had been right there, letting you sob into his shirt and stare up at the stars with you and tell you about all the things you’d both achieve when you were older.

And now that you were older and wiser, you cursed your foolish heart that bled like the stars across the hollowness of the black sky. Blinking away tears that clung, cold, to your flushed cheeks, you tried to chase away the sobs that echoed through the abyss that stretched from one rib to another.

What a fool you were, to fall in love with nothing but stardust. 

You reached a hand up to the stars as if you could pull them down from the sky, let them spill over you in thousands of glittering lights, make a halo of them until they burned away the snow and brought forth a blue-eyed angel from the white fire.

His transmission came to you when the darkness was just beginning to peel away from the dying light over the horizon, when what was left of the sun began to usurp the night, snaking its tendrils of rose-gold through the black canvas sky.

You swore that his hair had grown longer since the last time he’d sent a message, darkly framing the sides of his pale neck. Those blue eyes stared back at you from the artificial light of your phone, stirring something within the hollowness of your chest. Something warm, like hope.

“I… don’t think there’s really any easy way to say this,” he said. Your hope seemed to sink to your stomach.

Robert cupped his hands over his mouth, as if in prayer, and those piercing blue eyes stared back at you for what must have been an eternity, something cruel and malignant weaving tightly in your gut. You longed for that gaze to rest on you again, to be able to reach out and run your fingers through his messy brown locks, to wipe away the tear that beaded on his lower lash. He scarcely cried, always so stoic. That was how you knew that something was truly, dreadfully wrong.

That you’d realised too little, too late, that you were made for him, and him for you.

“There are only a few of us left,” he said, clearing his throat as his hands came down from his chapped lips. “Some miscalculations were made, and at this point, we only have enough oxygen to deliver the payload. It takes exactly eight minutes for light to travel from the sun to the earth, and so… if one day you’re watching the stars and you see the sun rise with a little extra brightness, you’ll know we made it.” He swallowed again, Adam’s apple bobbing along his throat. “But you’ll know that I’m…” His words were breaking now, just like the sobs that wracked your chest.

“…  I wish there was an easier way to say this, dear God…” his voice tapered into a mere whisper, and he ran a hand over his face. Blue irises were rimmed by red, fatigue and sadness showing through the cracks. “There’s no easy way to say this to you, of all people.”

Your heart stopped in your chest. You sucked in a breath of frozen air, tickling your burning lungs.

“You know that I’ll be gone,” he said at last. “Only stardust.” His lip quirked into a sad, almost ironic smile, and he said, “I did this for you, Y/N. So that someday, those things we talked about under the stars… someday you’d be able to achieve those things, in a world that isn’t dying.”

He paused again, his emotion clawing its way thick into his throat with the way his words came out so strangulated. “I wanted you to know, I’m sorry for breaking our promise… I’m sorry for falling in love with you, Y/N. But up here… with the stars and the blackness and this… impossibly bleak dread, this knowing for once that anything I do or say won’t matter because everything will be gone, including you… ” He shook his head, inhaling sharply, and your breath caught in your chest. “… I loved you since we were kids, and I never told you and I wish I had. Believe me, I wish I had.”

You wanted to reach out and comfort him, run a finger along his freckled cheek, to pull him into your arms as he had you countless times. You wanted to tell him it was okay, that you’d broken your promise, too, and it was all your fault, really, for not realising sooner that you were made for him. That he shouldn’t blame himself for any of it because it was you who should’ve said something, you who should’ve kissed him that night he boarded his plane.

“So, I guess I’ll be seeing you in a few years,” he said, swallowing hard against his throat as baby blue eyes looked at you with some unexplainable emptiness that you were unable to identify. It was the same look he’d given you so many times before, and yet, despite knowing him better than you knew yourself, you still couldn’t quite put your finger on what the mysterious emotion or reason behind it was.

“Soon,” you corrected him, fighting back tears. Sniffling, from the cold or your own emotions you could tell not. “I’ll be seeing you soon, okay?” You squeezed his arm, if only to ground yourself, to remind yourself in the years to come that he was tangible, that he existed not only in your mind.

He nodded, smile playing sadly at his mouth. “Soon,” he repeated.

You had drawn so close to him that his familiar scent engulfed you, took you away from the bustle of the airport and drowned out all the noise. Your tongue darted to wet your lips as you glanced down at his, a few threads of some strange yearning tugging at the empty of your chest in that moment. You were so close, yet, not enough. This feeling, of needing to be closer, of needing to express your affection in more than words and friendly touch, was foreign to you, and you weren’t sure what to do with it.

For one moment, you thought that you might’ve kissed him.

Cheeks flushing in embarrassment, you chastised yourself. The last thing he needed was for you to complicate things on the last day you’d see each other for so long, and so you pushed the childish notion from your brain and you smiled past your anguish and you bid him farewell.

And each day onward, you felt as though you had left things incomplete, this emptiness spanning wider between each rib, like a black hole that swept away all joy and feeling and semblance of being human.

“I’m so sorry,” you whispered into your balled fist, fingers trembling from the cold. You blinked away your tears so you could see him better for the last time, capture his image in your mind before your angel burned his wings for flying too close to the sun.

That sad, ironic smile tugged at the corner of his lip again, and he said, “I always promised I’d bring you a star.”

Your shaking hand tucked your phone back in your pocket as the video ended, and you didn’t even silence your cries as you wept to the heavens, wanting them to hear of your anguish and your loss.

And slowly, after what must have been hours or perhaps minutes, in this plane of altered reality where time ran differently beneath your blanket of stars, your sobs came weaker from your chest, and a warm glow painted the backs of your dark eyelids. The harsh cold had frozen your lashes together, and you blinked, pulling them back to witness the sun’s conquest over the night, the tendrils of pink and orange turning to a fierce gold that you hadn’t seen in years.

You stood, slipping your mitten back over your damp, shaking hand, and trudged, weary and sleepless, through the snow. Your eyes burned, squinting against the swell of the sun, unaccustomed to the brilliance of its lost light. Your heart still clenched, bleeding, shatters of glass falling to the vacuous pit between your ribs, but you couldn’t help but stop for a moment and just look.

Warmth caressed your face, chasing away the bite of the cold, reminding you of spring, of slushy snowball fights with Robert and picking flowers by the local stream.

“Light does not always equate to life,” he'd told you, all those years ago as you'd laid beneath the stars.

And with this pain searing white-hot in your soul and your chest torn empty, and the burning warmth of his confessed love shattering your heart to cold glass, you finally understood.

But despite your pain, it was beautiful.

MASTERLIST • REQUEST

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[elliehase-blog]

The Valentine's Surprise

It’s just a random day in February and Roman bursts through the door, bringing a blast of cold air from outside into Virgil’s room.

“We have a problem!”

“Hm,” Virgil replies without looking up from his book.

“It’s an emergency,” Roman says more emphatically.

Virgil lifts an eyebrow slightly. “Is the house on fire? Should I run for my life?”

“Much worse.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Roman unceremoniously flop down on the armchair next to him, burying his face in his arms.

“We have no date for Valentine’s Day,” he says in a tone of voice in which other people say, ‘I only have six months to live’. “Why do I think of this so late every year? Why? Why is Valentine’s Day always so sudden?”

Virgil smirks behind the pages. “Yes, it’s hard to believe that they put it so spontaneously and completely arbitrarily on February the 14th again. Is it no longer possible to rely on anything in life?”

Roman fishes for a pillow and throws it in Virgil’s direction. “Not funny, Mister Sarcasm!”

It becomes more than clear that Roman, with all his pre-Valentine’s heartbreak, isn’t going anywhere else. Virgil struggles with himself for a moment before finally putting the book aside and turning to Roman.

“Why are you bothering me with this anyway? Patton seems to me the right side to contact for your problem.”

Roman sighs deeply and tragically. “No, it has to be you,” he confesses and comes finally to the point. “You’re the one who can push this problem into focus.”

‘Ah’ thinks Virgil, only mildly surprised. No one ever comes to him for advice. Especially not Roman.

“Listen, Princey, weren’t we all agreeing on not psyching ourself out over some day and instead celebrating love in all its forms?”

He knew that the topic would come up again, no matter how well Roman coped with the whole thing on the outside. You don’t have to be a genius to realize that his thoughts still revolve around Nico Flores and the unclear relationship.

“Ugh.” Roman sighs again. “It’s just…,” he starts to explain and his voice sounds husky, as if he had a cold. “I’m Thomas’s romantic side and I should do something, right? Valentine’s Day makes me sentimental, and I want to throw around grand gestures, but… What’s the point of embracing love if you never get anything back?”

That was too much of an exaggeration, even by Roman’s standards. Virgil would like to make a sarcastic remark again, but he can’t. Not when Roman looks like that, so worked up and hurt. It always causes a strange tug in his chest that he can’t quite explain.

“Wow, that’s a gloomy way of seeing it.” Virgil swings his legs over the edge of the couch and stands up. “Come on, you stayed already for too long in my room. Breathe, okay?”

Roman allows Virgil to grab him by the arm and carefully escort him out of this dark corner of the mind.

“Better?”

“Better,” Roman agrees, but still sounding a little helpless.

It’s unbearable.

“Okay, you know what, let me show you something.”

Almost energetically, Virgil manoeuvres them in the direction of the stairs. It’s kind of surprising how little defensive Roman is about all of it. Usually, he is protesting and whining a lot more. For now, he just raises his arms in a questioning manner.

“Virge, what-” he stops abruptly. Roman has the widened, panicked gaze of a deer on the highway that suddenly and abruptly finds itself in the middle of the headlights of an approaching truck.

“Oh my goodness! Are you kidding me?! What’s… Why…?”

Virgil bites his lower lip, amused. “My pet spider wanted a friend, and you’re always into battling monsters, so…”

“No, no, no… No!”

“Isn’t this what you wanted? Unconditional, requited love.”

Roman looks at Virgil, then at the spider and his tiny self, and finally back to Virgil again.

“You’re unbelievable.”

Virgil crosses his arms over his chest and shrugs. To be honest, he’s just a little smug about it. You can’t choose where Cupid’s arrow will land.

“What can I say, you make my spider feel special and awesome.”

The corners of Roman’s mouth twitch. It looks like a smile he’s suppressing. “I will tolerate this nonsense,” he says benevolently. “But it’s not at all solving my problem.”

Virgil should walk away now, leaving Roman behind with nothing but his self-doubts and fears. That’s at least what the old anxiety would do. Damn it, he is not the one who is usually comforting people! But then again… it’s all about family, right? At least, that’s what Patton would say.

“I can’t believe that I have to point it out.” Virgil sighs and feels a little uncomfortable all of a sudden. “Love always comes around for us when we least expect it. You don’t have to force anything, Roman. Accept and acknowledge what you already have. There’s a lot of affection in different ways and forms around you. You’re just not seeing it clear.”

It’s strange to have said it out loud after it’s been rumbling in his stomach like an ulcer. Strange and relieving at the same time.

Virgil clears his throat. Anyway, it’s not that he meant anyone specific. What matters is, that Roman’s face suddenly lights up with a warm, knowing smile. It makes Virgil feel a whole lot better too.

"I knew I could count on you," says Roman softly, and no one is commenting it.

💜❤️💜❤️💜❤️💜❤️💜❤️💜❤️💜❤️💜❤️

I hope you enjoyed the small (not beta-read) story. I apologize in advance for any grammar or spelling mistakes my german brain wasn't seeing.

[clarisse0o]

Camp Wiegman-Part 52

Lucy Bronze x Ona Batlle

Alternative Universe : Military School

Words : 6k

Masterlist

———————————————————————-

Saturday, February 13th; 5:00 PM - Hotel

When I challenged Lucy, I expected many things, but certainly not for her to let loose like she did. She’s usually so calm that she caught me completely off guard. Let’s just say I won’t be making the mistake of challenging her again, especially when it comes to vehicles. I’ve never felt so awful during a ride. The jolts along the way were so intense that I stumbled when I finally - finally - got back on solid ground. Lucy chuckled and grabbed my shoulders.

“Easy, babe. Are you okay?”

“Oh, misery…”

Nausea hit me, but I closed my eyes to push it away. I couldn’t even be mad at her for making fun of me because the scene must have been hilarious. I had been teasing her all afternoon about it, so I guess I deserved it. Lucy didn’t say anything, though. She waited for a moment for me to catch my breath before helping me take off my helmet. That gesture did me a world of good. I could finally take the breath of fresh air I’d been missing. I looked up at Lucy, who had a sly smile behind her helmet. Unlike me, she stayed on the snowmobile, waiting for Beth to return with the receptionist to open the hangar. I would have stayed on it too, but I was just too weak. I playfully hit her arm and replied:

“You’re making fun of me! That’s really mean,” I pouted.

“Sorry, baby, but you gave me free rein, remember?” she defended herself. “I expected you to handle some thrills if you were going to provoke me.”

“I can handle it!” I protested. “You were the one zigzagging the whole way down!”

“You’re exaggerating,” she teased. “Just admit you can’t handle anything.”

“That’s not true.”

Lucy laughed when I turned my head away and crossed my arms. I’m the first to love a good thrill, but this time, it was really too much for me. Between the speed, the turns, and the sheer drops… I thought we’d end up in the ravine more than once. I snapped out of my thoughts when Lucy brushed a few stray strands of hair behind my ear.

“I’m really sorry. I tend to lose myself when I’m driving,” she confessed with a small smile.

How could I be mad at her when she looked at me like that? I understood well that she loves all kinds of vehicles. Just look at her garage with her Audi and her motorcycle. I doubt the snowmobile is the only other thing she knows how to drive.

“No more snowmobiles for the week, huh?” she teased.

“I didn’t say that,” I mumbled, relaxing my arms.

“Then I’m saying it. I don’t want you getting sick because of me.”

“That’s not it. You just surprised me.”

“We’ll see. There are plenty of other activities here anyway. We’ll have other things to do.”

“Hmm… I’ll wait for you inside,” I said as I saw Beth return and the girls waiting for me.

They were clearly mocking me, laughing and pointing fingers. After all, I spent most of the return trip screaming and clinging desperately to Lucy.

“I’ll be quick,” Lucy said, catching my attention. “See you in a bit.”

“See you.”

She winked at me before revving the snowmobile’s engine. I smiled and shook my head as I watched her leave. I really need to remember that she loves anything with a motor. It would make a great gift one day. I didn’t linger and walked toward Alexia and Mapi, who had moved closer to the entrance. They teased me all the way inside, even though I had just managed to calm down. I’d like to see them in my place! They didn’t seem to realize how awful it was. The warmth of the lobby made me sigh with relief. It enveloped me immediately. I took off my gloves and jacket, which had started to feel cumbersome. I’m not used to wearing so many clothes. Since we spent the whole afternoon wandering around the village, I didn’t have much choice. We started with a café, then wandered around some souvenir shops and admired the architecture. It was a good day. We had a lot of fun, but I’m glad to be back. The cold was starting to freeze me, and truth be told, I’m exhausted from all the walking.

“Everything went well?” the young receptionist asked us as we arrived.

“Yeah, we had a blast,” Mapi replied. “Especially the return trip, right, Ona?” she giggled, nudging me.

“Ha, ha, ha!” I rolled my eyes.

This story is going to follow me for a long time, it seems. I had told Lucy she didn’t know how to let loose. She sure proved me wrong. She knows exactly how to do it. She even agreed to race the others on the way back. We won, arriving at least two full minutes ahead. No wonder I ended up in this state. The girls continued chatting with the young receptionist, recounting our day. He glanced at me a few times, while I kept an eye out for my girlfriend. He should have realized I’m taken by the way Lucy asserted herself last night. I had never seen her like that before. Speaking of her, I smiled when I saw her coming in with Jenni, laughing together. She stopped to smile at me when she noticed me.

“Did you finish putting everything away?” I asked when they reached us.

“Yeah. We’ve got some time before dinner, so I thought we could go for a swim.”

My eyes lit up, and I nodded immediately. She smiled, understanding. I had mentioned it this morning, but she wasn’t keen on going tonight. Either I was wrong, or she just wants to make me happy. If it’s the latter, I can only thank her. Given how sore my muscles are and my recent emotional rollercoaster, it’s exactly what I need to relax. I hope the pool is heated, though. I’m not a fan of cold water.

“Oh yes! Great idea,” Mapi chimed in.

“We didn’t say you were invited,” Lucy replied, raising an eyebrow.

“Well, I don’t need an invitation. As far as I know, the pool is open to all hotel guests,” she retorted proudly.

I groaned quietly and rolled my eyes at Lucy, who stood in front of me. What’s her problem today? Is she going to keep this up much longer, keeping me away from Lucy? Everyone understood that we wanted to spend time together during this trip, except her. That was the first thing I told Alexia back at school, and she wasn’t bothered at all. She intended to do the same with Jenni since they didn’t see each other much. I glanced at her, who seemed to be smirking discreetly. As if that wasn’t enough, Mapi started calling out to Ingrid and the others who had just walked in, announcing that we’d all meet at the pool in fifteen minutes. Lucy chuckled and finally put her arm around my shoulders.

“Well, I guess we’ll see you later.”

“Yeah, see you soon,” Jenni smiled.

I let Lucy guide me, completely frustrated with my best friend for ruining such a promising plan. I exploded as soon as the elevator doors closed on us.

“How dare she invite everyone? Didn’t she get that we wanted to be alone? Why aren’t you reacting? Doesn’t this bother you at all?” I ranted.

“Relax,” she said calmly.

“Relax?! How can you be so calm? We were already apart all afternoon because of her! I really wanted that moment alone to end the day…” I complained.

Lucy chuckled and pulled me closer to her. I sighed and snuggled into her. I don’t understand Mapi on this one. It was like she was doing it on purpose. She already dragged Alexia and me around all afternoon at every opportunity. It felt more like an afternoon with friends than with couples. It was great because the girls were finally getting to know each other face-to-face, which made me happy. I’m the first to want them to get along, and it looks like we’re off to a good start with all the laughter we shared this afternoon. However, all I’m dreaming of now is being in my girlfriend’s arms.

“Who said we’d stay with them?”

“Well, you heard her,” I mumbled. “She invited everyone!”

"I reserved a private jacuzzi for us, baby."

"What... a jacuzzi?" I repeated, a mix of confusion and excitement in my voice.

"Mmhmm," she smiled. "Jenni and Alexia teased me because they knew about it. I booked it this morning after you mentioned wanting one. Mapi won't find us if we head down before everyone else."

"Oh my God! You're amazing. What are you waiting for then? Let's not waste any time!"

She laughed as I pulled her towards the door of our room. I've never gotten ready so quickly. I put on my swimsuit and followed Lucy’s lead, slipping on a pair of flip-flops and the robe the hotel provided. We each grabbed a towel before heading back down to the basement. There, I discovered a spa and pool area I hadn’t seen before. We walked through the glass door, and I was thrilled not to see anyone from our group. We weren’t alone, of course, but there was no one we knew.

"It’s beautiful," I whispered.

The hotel had made sure the place felt incredibly relaxing, at least that’s how it felt to me. There were sounds of nature playing softly in the background. The floors and walls were covered in smooth stone, and I could even feel a slight warmth beneath my feet. I had no doubt the floor was heated, contributing to the cozy atmosphere of the hallway. I was almost tempted to touch the ground with my bare foot to check, but Lucy pulled me out of my thoughts before I could.

"Follow me," she murmured.

I took her hand as she led me down the long corridor. We stopped in front of a window overlooking the pool. It was surrounded by large windows that opened onto an outdoor terrace, now slowly being covered by snow. The staff member had warned us this morning that it would start snowing in the evening, and he was right. We had planned to go out into the city tonight, but I suppose those plans might change.

"Are you coming?" she whispered. "The jacuzzi is a little further."

"Do you know this place by heart?" I giggled.

"Let’s just say I’ve had the chance to explore it before."

It’s true, she had been here before. I wondered who she had been with... But before I could think further, she led me to a room a bit farther from the pool. A staff member warmly greeted us in front of this wooden door.

"Hello. One of you must be Lucy Bronze?"

"In the flesh," my girlfriend replied, showing our room key.

The young woman nodded kindly, I guess the key was proof of her identity.

"Great," she smiled. "Here’s your private room. There’s a button inside if you need anything."

"Thank you very much."

"Have a wonderful evening."

The woman discreetly disappeared after opening the door. I was the first to step into the room, which was just as soothing and cozy... We were welcomed by dimmed lights, creating an almost sensual ambiance. Lucy closed the door behind us as I walked toward the jacuzzi, which was partially sunk into the floor, emitting soft, changing colors. I smiled as Lucy gently pulled the robe off my shoulders. I untied the knot at the front to let her slide it off completely. When I turned around, I saw that hers was already hanging on a hook on the wall, and mine quickly joined it on the other. I took off my flip-flops and dipped my foot into the steaming hot water, suppressing a moan that almost escaped. I could already tell I was going to enjoy this moment if we had it all to ourselves.

"Do you think anyone will join us?"

"No. No one will know where we are."

"Yes. But you said Jenni and Ale know."

"True, but even though they know, they won’t know which door we’re behind. There are other rooms like this one," she explained. "I doubt they’ll go around opening all of them, and I don’t think they’ll tell the others."

I smiled and nodded. She really does think of everything. If there’s anyone I trust with keeping things discreet, it’s Alexia and Jenni. They must understand how precious privacy is. Besides, the jacuzzi is way too small. It could only fit one other couple at most.

"Who knows. Mapi might try. We should probably lock the door to be sure."

"Ingrid won’t let her," she reassured me. "So, are you going to get in, or are you just going to keep dipping your toes?" she teased.

I bit my lip as I felt her hands settle on my bare hips. I pulled my foot out to remove my other flip-flop, then decided to slip into the water with her support. The hot water immediately relaxed my muscles. I let myself fall heavily onto one of the seats. Lucy chuckled lightly as she got in beside me. Her goddess-like body disappeared beneath the water as she sat down, sighing in satisfaction as she stretched out her arms and leaned her head back. I smiled as I watched her. Finally, we were alone, in a completely unexpected setting. A moment passed before she broke the silence.

"What are you thinking about?"

Her words were barely a whisper. How could she know I was deep in thought when her eyes were still closed? A smile appeared on her lips as she lowered her head to meet my confused expression.

"You’re too quiet not to be thinking," she explained.

I tried to hide my blush by turning my head away. It’s disconcerting how well she knows me.

"Am I making you blush?" she teased.

"Idiot," I laughed, playfully hitting her arm.

I took a deep breath before straddling her in a sudden burst of confidence. I needed to feel her bare skin against mine. Her body tensed for a moment, clearly not expecting that. I’ve been pushing her away too much lately. She gently placed her hands on my waist, caressing me with her thumbs.

"Hey," she murmured.

"Hey..."

I buried my face in her neck, trying to hide. Bad idea, as the waves from the bubbles splashed onto my face. I groaned, wiping away the water. Lucy chuckled, wrapping her arms around me, pulling me closer. There wasn’t a mirror to see myself, but I could imagine my makeup must have run. I should have taken it off in our room like I had planned. I ran my fingers under my eyes, trying to remove what I could. I placed my hands on her shoulders, unsure where else to put them. We gazed at each other for a moment before she leaned in to kiss me softly. I closed my eyes, savoring this gesture that had been rare today. We had been together without really being together, so I missed her lips. The girls were wrong when they said I was addicted to Lucy a month ago. I was just starting to become so, and it’s been growing day by day since we’ve been together. I can’t deny it anymore. She’s become my new addiction, one I can’t do without. It’s much better than what I used to take. As if reading my mind, she gently teased my lips with her tongue, deepening the kiss. I granted her access, letting her take full control so she could convey all her passion. We regrettably parted when we ran out of breath. She smiled softly, letting one hand trace along the back of my neck. I was glad I had thought to tie my hair back earlier. Her touch sent a shiver through me from head to toe. The quiet made me realize that the music from the hallway had followed us here.

"Did you enjoy the day?"

"Yeah... It was really fun."

"Sorry for shaking you up a bit too much on the way back. I hope you’ve recovered."

"It was just... unexpected. I didn’t know you could be so... I don’t even know how to say it."

"So playful? So fun, or maybe so willing to accept a challenge?"

"Yeah. All of that, I suppose," I giggled. "I mean, you’re usually so serious. It’s almost like you scold me when I have too much fun."

"Hey, I’ve never lectured you about that."

"Yes, you have," I chuckled. "When I used to go to parties."

"That was different," she sighed. "Parties don’t mean ‘fun’ for everyone. They were dangerous, and I was worried about you. If I was harsh about it, it was because we were rarely on the same page."

"I’m sorry for bringing it up again..."

"No, you were right to mention it. We might as well clear the air."

"Well... in that case, I admit you were right. It was dangerous for me... And it’s cute that you cared about me."

Her expression softened as I spoke. She probably thought I was going to argue with her again, but I couldn’t do that. She was absolutely right. I was just a lost kid before I met her. I had nothing left to lose, so I was throwing my life away. That’s not the case anymore. I have her. She means everything to me. She smiled back, tightening her hold around me.

"I’ll always worry about you..."

"You’re really too sweet," I murmured, nuzzling into her neck.

I've never been someone who liked expressing my feelings. Yet, everything is different with Lucy. I intend to show her that she's the one and only, over and over again. I'd be willing to do a lot for those beautiful eyes of hers, especially after everything she's done for me. She makes me strong.

"Hey...?" I murmured.

"Hmm?"

"Can we talk about next week?" I asked nervously, playing with the elastic of her swimsuit.

"What do you want to talk about? What we can do with your brother?"

"No... Actually, I’ve changed my mind. But only if you agree, of course."

She looked at me curiously. I didn’t want to share my thoughts too late, so she’d have time to consider them. I wasn’t sure if she’d like the change, but I hoped deep down that she would accept it.

"What do you mean by 'changed your mind'? You don’t want your brother to come anymore?"

"No, I mean... actually, I’d prefer if we went back to Barcelona, rather than having him come here," I said, biting my lip.

She looked at me for a moment before taking a deep breath, her fingers gently tracing patterns on my back. She seemed to be considering my request, which was already a good sign. Finally, she smiled and tilted her head slightly.

"What’s going through your mind that makes you want that?" she asked with her adorable smile. "I thought you didn’t like going back home anymore."

I shrugged thoughtfully. The only weekend she had accompanied me was amazing. If we went back, it would be slightly different with my mother and Marcus there, but I didn’t doubt that it would still be great. My thoughts were interrupted when she surprised me with a kiss on the nose. I smiled at her shyly.

"Don’t be afraid to talk to me, Ona," she encouraged.

I took a deep breath and nodded. If there’s one thing I don’t feel anymore when confiding in her, it’s embarrassment—depending on the topic, of course. We’ve reached a point where I have nothing left to hide from her anyway. She knows everything about me, and yet she’s still here, as she’s always told me.

"I feel like my mom really likes you," I began. "It’s like, for once, I made the right decision for her... I think that... Actually, I’m sure that you’re the person who could help rebuild the bond between us."

"You’ve always wanted to reconcile with her, haven’t you?"

"I-I don’t really know, to be honest..."

"And if you explain to me what happened between you two? I know it’s been tense, but you never told me why."

"I couldn’t even tell you when it started," I sighed.

"I thought it was since you moved to Barcelona ?"

"No, it was long before that..."

"Really? I thought she was just absent when you were in Portugal ?"

"That was the problem. She wasn’t there, and my dad was. We became very close. Sometimes, I wonder if it was because of me that they separated."

"Why would they? You know, you were young, and kids often don’t understand adults' decisions at the time."

"I overheard them one night. I might have been a kid, but I understood the gist of their conversation. It was just a few weeks before they told me about their separation..."

I hate thinking back to that night. My parents never knew I had woken up and overheard them behind the door. Their conversation upset me for a long time. Lucy tightened her hold on me, reminding me of her presence and unwavering support.

"What were they saying?" she gently encouraged me to continue.

"They were arguing about me. I... I was really the center of their dispute. My mom was never around, and my dad let me do whatever I wanted when he got back from his missions because he was so happy to see me."

"I see... They disagreed on how to raise you, if I understand correctly."

"My dad always defended me. I was his little girl, after all. My mom thought he spoiled me too much..."

"And did he?"

"No. When we were alone and I messed up, he didn’t hesitate to be fair and give me advice afterward. It was a bit like with you when we first met, but my mom didn’t know that. I still don’t understand why my dad didn’t defend himself that night. He could have, but he didn’t even try to stop her when she talked about her job offer in Miami. It was like everything was already over between them."

"Sweetheart, you have no reason to feel guilty about this. Like I said before, your parents probably had their own issues that you weren’t aware of. It’s possible they no longer had feelings for each other, and you were the reason they stayed together as long as they did. That happens a lot in married couples."

"Maybe you’re right," I murmured. "In any case, going home after what happened with Feli was the only time I felt like I had my mom’s attention. I noticed how worried she was about me, but I couldn’t trust her. It was... I don’t know. There was so much history. I couldn’t just let her back into my life with a snap of my fingers, no matter what I had gone through and how much support I needed."

"That’s normal... You were never close, and she hurt you a lot. But she’s still your mom. You have every right to want to reconcile with her. From what I understand, all you ever really wanted was her attention, right?"

I sighed and cuddled up to Lucy, nodding. She was right, as always. There was a long time when I wanted to make her proud of me by becoming the daughter she wanted me to be. She wanted me to succeed like her. But starting our new life together, I quickly realized we didn’t know each other and had no affection for one another. She didn’t even know my food preferences. My motivation crumbled when I discovered Marcus’s identity at twelve years old. I was devastated that she could replace my dad. It felt like betrayal to me. I completely shut down. The only things that saved me were Sophia’s presence, who had just come into my life, and my stays with my dad. He was the first to tell me I should accept this new relationship. I’ve always wondered about his reaction. Did he know? Was that why my mom wanted to leave? After all, my mom was from Barcelona, just like Marcus. They must have known each other before. And he was in the military before joining the Police. For all I know, my dad might have known him too. He was always very friendly with him, the few times they met.

"What are you thinking about now?"

I looked up at Lucy. It seemed like she hadn’t missed a single thought of mine the entire time.

"It doesn’t matter," I murmured. "So, about my idea to go home?"

She looked at me for a moment, as if she was hesitating to say something. After thinking it over, she finally spoke.

"I’d love for us to go back to Barcelona next week, but I’ve already got something planned... An appointment, actually."

"Oh?"

"Do you remember what I told your mom about your future?"

"About the possibility of continuing my studies?"

"Yeah. The gallery director wants to meet you. I didn’t want to tell you so I could surprise you... But anyway... I managed to get you an appointment with him next Tuesday."

"Oh..."

"Yeah, 'oh'," she repeated, giggling.

"Is that why you insisted on hosting Joan only at the end of the week?"

"Yeah," she smiled. "But if you really want to go, we can. It just means canceling an appointment that you might not be able to reschedule. Otherwise, we could go at the end of the week instead of bringing Joan, but there's no guarantee."

"And why not?"

"Well... who’s to say this man wouldn’t want to see you again?"

"You think he’d want to see me again?"

"Who knows," she smiled. "If you make a good impression, he probably would."

"You’re right... And what if it doesn’t go well? There’s a good chance of that, right? Why would he be interested in a kid like me? I mean, I’m in a private school for troubled youth. If he finds out, I’m doomed."

"Hey, relax. Seriously, do you hear yourself?" she chuckled. "Troubled youth, really? »

- "Well, it's true! I had addiction problems. If I hadn't met you, who knows how I might have ended up."

- "See, that's exactly why I wanted to tell you at the last moment. If it were up to me, I wouldn’t have said anything until the meeting, just to avoid you panicking."

- "I’m not panicking," I pouted.

- "Yes, you are," she smiled. "You lack confidence, so you doubt everything. He knows where you are. If he didn’t want to meet you, you wouldn’t have gotten an appointment, trust me."

- "Really? I’m surprised. You told him!? You were in contact with him?"

- "I was in contact with him, and yes, I had to tell him. He wouldn’t waste his time if he wasn’t interested in you, baby, I assure you. It’s a big gallery, which is even more interesting for you."

- "Do you really think I have a chance...? I never considered enrolling in a higher school before today. In fact, I wanted to do the complete opposite of what my mother had planned for me."

She sighed heavily, running her hand along my neck. I bit my lip, thinking I probably shouldn’t have brought it up again. A small smile formed on her lips as she tilted her head.

- "Your mother always wanted the best for you. You’ll understand that one day when you have your own children. If she pushed you into medicine like her, it’s because she thought it was a safe career since she succeeded."

I was about to respond, but she stopped me by placing a finger on my lips.

- "I’m not saying she was right. I believe a parent shouldn’t force their child to do something they don’t want to. She should have advised and supported you, but certainly not forced you. It’s your life. Everyone has the right to live their dreams, even if it means they might fall on their face afterward. Remember that when you become a mother."

- "When that happens, you’ll be by my side to remind me."

- "I hope so," she smiled.

- "In any case, my father understood that. He did exactly what you just said. I think his death and my leaving home opened my mother’s eyes. She became different toward me after the incident with Feli. For the first time, she wanted to take care of me... It was so strange."

- "And you let her?"

- "I... Yes and no... I was in a bad state when I returned, Luce," I admitted to her. "I isolated myself most of the time. The only people I allowed into my room were my mother, Mapi, Joan, and Sophia. I didn’t even sleep at night. The only time I could sleep was when Mapi slept with me, and even then. She would come to see me every day and spend hours in my room because, for a long time, neither Marcus, Sam, nor any other person could get within five meters of me..."

Lucy, who usually hides her emotions so well, couldn’t do so at that moment. I wished she didn’t know about this, but if we were going to spend our lives together, she had a right to know what kind of person she was agreeing to live with.

- "I went through real trauma," I continued. "It took me three months to leave my room. Six months to accept the presence of an other person in the same room as me. The first one I was able to talk to was Sam, which is why our friendship became even stronger than before."

Once again, I could see the surprise in her eyes. No one outside the people who were around me at home knew about this. It was a real ordeal I had to overcome when I returned. Seeing where I am now, I wonder how I managed it in just one year. I still struggle to trust people, even though it’s much better now. I can see how pained Lucy is. She tries to speak, but I cut her off, continuing my monologue. If I don’t do it now, I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to say it again.

- "My mother wanted me to see someone, but I categorically refused. She granted me that, but in return, she forced me to go to rehab for six months, allowing me to come home every day. She wanted me to be in contact with people who had gone through similar stories, or even worse."

- "That was actually a good idea..." she murmured. "Did it help?"

- "I resisted the idea for a long time, but yes. Deep down, being in contact with others helped me open up again in a way. I managed to find my humanity, even though I remained cautious about everything."

- "You hid it very well. I mean, I pushed you so hard when we met. I saw you as a bold girl, though I quickly understood that you had a painful past... But even now, I didn’t think you were so deeply affected by it."

- "You were a woman, and I knew what I was getting into when I came to Camp Wiegman. I expected to meet someone like you, and I was prepared to resist you at all costs," I admitted to her.

- "Did your mother never force you to press charges against Feli?"

I bit my lip, lowering my head. Of course, she wanted me to press charges. However, I was too mentally and physically affected to do it. I stayed honest and nodded.

- "Yes... She built a case with lots of evidence, but I never had the courage to go through with it."

I dreaded her reaction to this new information. We had argued about it in Spain. I had even told her I would do it in the heat of the moment. She didn’t respond, but everything was clear from her expression.

- "Lucy..." I said apprehensively.

- "No, don’t talk to me like that. What’s holding you back, Ona? Really, I don’t understand you. You have everything you need to get revenge for all the harm she’s done to you, and you do nothing. So what? What are your reasons this time? Don’t tell me you still care for her or anything like that after everything you’ve just told me. You’re terrified of her ! I’ve seen it with my own eyes, countless times."

What was supposed to be a relaxed moment had turned into a nightmare. I wanted to flee, but she held me too firmly around the waist for me to slip off her lap. I hate arguing, but that’s what’s going to happen again if I don’t find a coherent answer. What can I possibly say to her? I’ve been living like this for more than a year and a half. I sighed, playing with a strand of her hair.

- "I... I don’t care about taking her to court, Luce. No matter how much she deserves it, all that matters to me is that this whole story ends."

With the utmost gentleness, she slid her fingers under my chin to lift my head. My tear-filled eyes met her emerald jewels. Surprisingly, there was no trace of anger in them.

- "Taking her to court is how you’ll close this chapter. She won’t stop until you do, believe me. He needs to understand that he means nothing to you anymore and that you’re capable of moving on."

And I know she’s right. Feli has been bolder than I expected since I left her. I didn’t expect her to keep harassing me again and again. Would she be capable of coming back ten years later if I don’t take action? A shiver ran down my spine. Yes, I think she would, unfortunately. As if Lucy knew what I was thinking, she pulled me closer to her.

- "Hey... You’re not alone anymore, remember?"

- "Would you do it with me...?"

My question seemed to surprise her, judging by her expression and the time it took her to respond.

- "Of course, baby. I’ve been by your side from the beginning, and that won’t ever change. You’ll have my support in everything you decide to do... within reason," she added with amusement.

- "Thank you..." I murmured. "We’ll review the case when we get back to Spain then if that’s okay with you."

- "Alright. We’ll go back soon."

- "You really want to?"

- "If the only thing that can make you happy is for me to go home with you, then I’ll do it."

- "I don’t want to impose it on you..."

- "Ona," she chuckled. "You’re not imposing anything on me. I’d love to learn more about your family."

- "Are you sure it doesn’t bother you?"

- "Why would it? We’re building our life together now, and our families are part of that. You’ll meet mine one day too."

I blushed at the thought of her wanting to introduce me to her parents. That would mean going back to Portugal. It would be a good opportunity to return after all this time. Maybe I’ll ask her then if we could take a detour to Lisbon to see my grandfather. I doubt she’d have a problem with that. I smiled just thinking about it. My grandfather is going to love her, just like my father would have.

- "Actually, I was planning to tell them about you after the trip."

- "Really?" I asked, surprised.

"Mm-hmm. I usually visit them in the summer, but it won’t be possible this year because of the gym. I was thinking of going in April and taking you with me... if you’re okay with that.

My heart races. I can't refuse, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't panicking. Having her meet my family is one thing, but meeting hers is entirely different.

"O-OK... We need to get to know each other outside, after all," I replied, making her smile.

"I wasn't asking for an answer right now," she teased. "Just think about it, OK?"

"I won’t have time to think about it with school."

"There you go again," she sighed.

"What? I still have three months left!"

"You're exaggerating," she teased. "You’ve got two and a half left. That’s half of the five months you've already completed."

"Seen that way..."

"They’re going to be tough because you need to prepare for your exam, but I’ll help you study."

"Hum..."

Too much information was shared in just a few seconds. The thought of what lies ahead makes me a bit depressed. I wrap my arms around her shoulders and rest my head there, keeping my face away from the splashes. I sigh with contentment, enjoying the closeness of our bodies. It's been so long since I've had this kind of intimacy with someone. I could stay here, with her, forever. I close my eyes and nestle my head a little deeper into my arms.

"Are you someone who celebrates month anniversaries?" I asked spontaneously, making Lucy laugh.

"Really, babe?"

"It’s an important question, I think," I said, reluctantly pulling back to see her face. "Not everyone celebrates that kind of thing."

"Well, I suppose, yes," she finally replied. "I'm a bit of a romantic at heart. Why do you ask?"

"I was just wondering. It's been ten days since we got together."

"And you? Do you want to celebrate our first month?"

"Of course! I’d love to plan something if that’s okay with you."

"And why should you do all the planning? I could just as easily do it."

"No," I shook my head. "I want to show you how grateful I am and how much..."

I stopped for a moment. I'm not ready to say it yet, no matter how intense my feelings are. She smiled and kissed my forehead.

"I know. And I'm not going to stop you if you want to plan a special evening for just the two of us. Just know that I’m not someone who likes overly fancy things."

"I’ll find something you'll like, then."

"A simple dinner or a movie is enough for me," she suggested. "All that matters is that we spend the evening together."

"You’ll see what it will be," I teased.

"Hmm... I’m already looking forward to it," she murmured against my lips.

I closed the distance to kiss her. I could do this all day. I'm not a natural romantic, as she might wish I were, but I'm willing to learn if that's what it takes. I want to be romantic for her if she likes that. She deserves all the love in the world, and I intend to give it to her. I pressed closer to her and closed my eyes. I love her, I’m sure of it. She knows it, and I’ll tell her when the time is right. I just hope she feels the same... I suppose she does; otherwise, she wouldn't have changed her mind about our relationship. She knows how broken I am inside, and giving me false hope would hurt more than anything. Lucy isn’t that kind of person, and that's why I love her. She’s fair, gentle, and caring. I couldn’t have dreamed of a better person to share my life with.