#{casually picks the closest book to me.}

[rebeccccccaaa]

Too Sweet

______________

Spencer Reid x Reader

:: Practically at his beck and call, Spencer knows you’re too sweet for him. He knows he shouldn’t use you but he can’t stop himself when you’re also all too enthusiastic to fuck him ::

warnings :: smutttt, casual sex (kinda lol), oral (fem receiving), over stimulation, insomnia!spencer, spencer spitting facts (literally), reader is described to have hair length long enough to stick to your cheeks, obviously reader is described as afab, not sure what else i should tag so let me know what i miss :)

author’s notes :: hello, hello! honestly i saw this tik tok edit of spencer with this song (Too Sweet - Hozier) and felt a bit inspired by it and also loosely by lyrics too. please be kind as it’s been a couple years since i last wrote a fic and it’s my first one about dr reid too, so let me know if you guys like it, comment, reblog, all that jazz and critiques are more than welcome! Enjoy!

WC :: ~4k

_______________

It was pretty late into the night, it was the first weekend in weeks that the team was able to really enjoy. Spencer sat in a corner of his apartment, a glass of whiskey sat on the table as he flipped the pages of a book he’s read a thousand times before, albeit it was one of favorites. 

He was hesitant to call, he didn’t want to pull you away from enjoying your weekend but when it came to his pleasure, he put himself first. You were always too nice to say no to him and he knew that. It made him feel sleazy sometimes, but this was who he was now. Rugged, damaged, fucked up. He’d been through a lot. But in those moments where you squirmed and whined beneath him, he felt satiated. You were his drug now. 

“Hello?” he mumbled when the call picked up.

“Spencer,” your voice was a whisper as  you practically sang his name.

“You’re awake,” he said.

“Yes,” you responded.

“It’s a little late don’t you think?” he poked. 

“Then why are you calling?” 

You knew why he was calling. He only ever wanted one thing from you when the sky was dark. You didn’t mind it though. You basked in it. You kind of liked it. The feeling of having sex without commitment. Your job didn’t give you enough time for a commitment. You didn’t feel humiliated or belittled by Spencer’s desires. In fact, his lust for you turned you on in most cases. Most. 

Spencer was still a good friend to you. Regardless of sleeping with him, he was your closest friend. And recently, you noticed changes in him. Maybe you’ve kept a closer eye on him more than before but you were a little concerned. You had the right after everything he’s been through. He seemed more tired than usual, even though he was still punctual with work. Although you didn’t sleep in his bed after every time you slept together, when you did, you pretended not to notice his exits and long absences in between the long hours of the night. You could barely hear his ever so quiet footsteps roaming the living room. The clanking of coffee mugs in the kitchen and his quiet ‘Shit’ when he thought he was being too loud.

Three subtle knocks rapped his door, so quiet Spencer would’ve missed if he had breathed just a bit louder. A grin spread across his face subconsciously, glancing at the clock before taking long strides to the door. It was almost midnight. You stood in the doorway with heavy eyes, not the drunk kind, but the tired kind. He moved aside to let you in. Just like last time; and all the other times you showed up at his door for him. 

“I thought you went out tonight,” he questioned, rhetorically. 

“I did. For a bit,” you told him, “I just had one drink, then went home.”

“What are you doing up so late?” you asked, you already know the answer. And Spencer knows you know too, though he tried at first to be more subtle in his nightly fixtures. He simply sighed with amusement. You set your things down on his couch, eyes adjusting to the dim lights that hardly lit the room. The glass sitting on the table in the corner caught your eyes though. 

“What are you drinking?” you asked.

“Uh, whiskey. Neat.” 

“Ew, why?” you joked.

“It’s not that bad,” he shrugged. A whiskey wouldn’t exactly be Spencer’s first choice of drink but then again his first choice of drink wouldn’t even be alcohol. If it was, he would probably be content with a beer, or something of the sort. He was sort of going through a phase during nights. He was sleeping a lot less too. 

“I just didn’t take you for a whiskey kind of guy,” you teased.

“What kind of guy did you take me for?” he poked; he wasn’t really talking about drinks anymore though. 

“Water,” you joked, making him laugh. 

Spencer stood before you now. His hands were slightly hesitant this time to rest on your hips. 

“Is everything ok, Spencer?” you asked him. 

“Yes,” his voice was a whisper. 

You didn’t believe him, but you knew better than to press him. He was a stubborn guy and whether you did or didn’t you weren’t going to get an answer. You slid your hands up his chest before cupping the back of his neck with your hands. The kiss was chaste. You didn’t want to sleep with him if he was having second thoughts.

“Are you sure? If you’ve changed your mind I can head hom-,” you were telling him.

“No, don’t,” he rushed out. 

“I’m fine; I just haven’t been sleeping well,” he confessed. This surprised you, not because you didn’t know, but because you didn’t think he would tell you. 

“Well, then maybe I should go. That way you can finally get to bed before the sun comes up for once,” you joked with him, “Besides, you’re the one who's always telling people how important sleep is to the human body.”

Your words shocked Spencer this time. Admittedly, in the back of mind he suspected that you could sense him leaving his bed, or your bed sometimes, and that one or more times he’d been a little loud dwindling in the next room. But he didn’t realize you were fully aware of his nightly escapades. You knew him too well. You were too sweet to him. Spencer knew after all the fucked up things he’s been through he didn’t deserve your friendship; or anything more despite the fact.

“Did you know that elephants sleep the least of any other animal?” he told you, he doesn’t know why. Maybe to distract you, or seduce you. Both outcomes came often enough for him to make it a guessing game.

“You’re not an elephant.”

And then there were the ultra rare times when neither outcome happened; just now being one of them. 

“Sleep deprivation has been associated with reduced sexual desire and arousal,” he tried again.

“Well, I can help with that,” you teased. There we go.

He leaned down to kiss your lips but you pulled back in tease, smile on your face; you knew how pussywhipped you had this man. He didn’t want to fight it, he was growing desperate for you with every passing second. Rolling his eyes, he dipped his head in the crook of your neck. His hands left your hips, pulling you closer to him from your waist and lower back. Your hands began to unbutton his shirt, he was still wearing the clothes you saw him working in earlier that day. 

You stopped him, never been one to have sex anywhere other than the bedroom, taking his hand already knowing where to go after doing so many times before already. Although, it wasn’t like his apartment was a confusing labyrinth. He followed you like always. 

You reached the edge of the bed, sitting instinctively. Your hand went straight to his belt, undoing it with ease. Spencer pulled your hands away from his hips before sinking to his knees to the ground. He pulled your hips to the very edge, scratching the skin as he desperately pulled at your pants bringing them down your legs. Of course you let him.

He pushed you back and you fell on your elbows, still able to see him so clearly. See him dip his head and kiss the skin on the inside of your knee, his eyes lingering on yours. You let your head go for a second, basking in the feeling of his lips. They always made you feel so warm and tingly. One thing about Spencer, he loved foreplay. All the little things that lead up to sex. Most of the time, he craved the foreplay more than the sex itself. 

He moved your legs over his shoulders, his arms wrapping around your thighs, his hands holding your hips. His nose ran along your inner thighs. Your skin erupted in goosebumps at the feeling of his warm breath coming from his nose. His fingers fiddled against your hip bones and you wiggled a bit becoming desperate by the minute for something more than just this teasing.

“Spence,” you whined, looking back at him.

“It doesn’t matter how many times we do this, you’ll never learn patience will you?” Spencer bartered. 

“Spencer, I don’t come to you to learn patience,” you spat, not with any malice however.

“You won’t come at all with that attitude,” he snapped back, hiding a grin between your legs. 

“Spencer!” you gasped.

He chuckled lowly, bringing his hand between your thighs, pulling your underwear to the side to expose you to him. You were glistening, slick beginning to leak from you already. Spencer could feel himself getting hard. He precariously tried to not buck his hips into the bed like horny teenager.  

“Fuck,” he whispered under his breath. 

He stepped up quickly letting your legs drop harshly. His fingers curled over the hem of your underwear pulling them down and tossing behind his shoulder before returning to his previous position. He felt like he was possessed. Acting and moving like it was primal, instinctive. He wanted nothing more in this moment than to satisfy you. 

He kissed all the places except the place you needed the most. You curled your toes anticipating his next move, longing for his lips, tongue, fingers, anything to bring you pleasure. Just when you were about to sit up, ready to nag at him, his lips wrapped around your bud. 

Your shoulders gave out at the feeling. Your body electrifying instantaneously. Your eyes trained on the ceiling, focusing on everything about Spencer in this moment, the sounds, his touch, his tongue. His tongue dipping in you every now and then, making you moan feverishly. His hands spread out, pinning your hips down to the bed to try and get you to stop wiggling your hips, but he wasn’t too successful in that. 

“Knock it off,” he groaned, removing a hand wrapped around your leg to bring his fingers to your entrance.

“It’s not enough; I need more,” you whined.

“No, you want more,” he debuted, “You’re being greedy.”

“And you’re being mean,” you quipped, you always had something to retort.

“Ok, fine,” he stood up.

“Stop!” you whined, “Please, come back. Do whatever you want.”

“I will,” he sat on his knees again, instantly bringing his fingers up to rub slow circles that made your toes curl. 

He purposefully let them every now and then prod at your entrance make your hips jerk in surprise. He could see how wet you were, all of the slick telling him how needy you were. He looked up to look at your face. His eyes catching your nipples peeking through the fabric of your shirt from the pleasure already, smiling to himself. 

“Sexual arousal can cause an increase in blood flow to not just female genitalia, but also the breasts,” he told you, feeling your thighs squeeze ever so slightly.

“Is that your way of telling me my nipples are hard because of you?” you teased.

“Yes,” he stated before diving straight back between your thighs. 

His tongue did circles like his fingers, the wetness and warmth much more stimulating than before. His fingers slid inside you, curling when he couldn’t push them any further. You moaned out, reaching your hand down to comb your fingers through Spencer’s shaggy hair. The noises of everything bounced off the walls of Spencer’s shallow bedroom. It sounded vulgar but so sexy. Your heavy breathing practically syncing together. 

Your thighs squeezed more and more as you got closer to your climax; you didn’t care if you were suffocating Spencer. If he died, he died pleasuring you and neither of you minded it in this moment. Your hips grinding against his tongue chasing you release frantically. Spencer pumped his fingers in and out of you rapidly, leading you to ecstasy. 

Your breaths became shaking, as did your moans. You were overcome with pleasure as your orgasm hit you so suddenly. You could feel Spencer’s smile growing against you, you knew that he wasn’t going to withdraw despite reaching your climax. 

“Oh god, too much, Spence.” 

“First it was not enough, now it’s too much?” he taunted you, fingers still pumping in and out you strenuously. 

“Spence!” you wailed, your voice trembling embarrassingly. 

When he wouldn’t give out, you pulled at his hair as you sat up and pulled his mouth away from between your thighs. 

“Oh ow, ow, ow!” he whined. 

“Jesus, you were gonna give me a heartache,” you whined. 

“Actually the possibility of having a heart attack during sexual activity is exceedingly low. So you wouldn’t have had anything to worry about; if anything you would get a small headache,” he explained. 

“You’re giving me a headache,” you whined, making him laugh.  

You pulled him from the back of his neck, crashing his lips against yours. You loved to kiss Spencer. You always felt the closest to him physically when you kissed. Which is ironic since he was quite literally inside you most nights. Kissing, the art of kissing, was practically your love language. You always gave small pecks when you were together, privately of course. 

Spencer was worried at first, that kissing was too intimate that things would complicate fast and feelings would get hurt. But as time went on and things continued to stay normal between you, he just began to relish in it rather than worry about nothing. At least that’s what he’s convinced himself of. 

He suddenly remembered the first time you slept together. You were in his apartment one night going over some details of the case. Nothing so major, or frightening, but something wasn’t adding up. You decided to take a break, cracking open some beers and just talk. One beer became two, then three, then four and then suddenly bottles littered the pitiful coffee table in front of you. You were very clear with him, “I don’t just sleep with anybody.” But you were a woman with needs just as much as Spencer was a man, “Neither do I.”

“Things have to stay the way they are if we do this,” he told you that night.

“They will,” you assured him. 

You rested your forehead against his seeing his eyes seem different. Spencer always did this. Everytime, just for a minute or even a second, he would disappear behind his eyes, like he was reminiscing on a memory you couldn’t describe. 

“You did that thing again,” you said with a small grin on your face. 

“I know,” he blushed, “Sorry.”

“You ever gonna tell me what you’re thinking about when you do that?” you questioned.

“Nope,” he smirked, making you giggle. 

Spencer stood straight up shagging his shirt off before scrambling out of his pants. He crawled back over you settling his hips between your thighs as he dipped his head down to attach his lips to your neck. Your hand curled around his neck, sliding your fingers through his hair as his breath and lips tickled your skin. Your hips fit together snuggly, grinding against desperate to chase each other’s highs.

Spencer reached into the drawer beside your head to pull out a condom. You snatched it from his hands with a devilish smirk on your face tearing it with your teeth. You spat the foil corner from your mouth, pulling the condom from its package before tossing it aside. You reached between your bodies stroking Spencer. His face blushing red, contorting with pleasure as it’s the first of the night to feel some sort of friction he needed from the beginning. The reason he called you in the first place. 

Spencer let his hands trace your skin. Though you wouldn’t react, your skin erupted in goosebumps. Feeling him prodding against your entrance, your breath hitched, your heart skipping a beat. You always anticipated this part. No matter how many times you and Spencer spent the night together, you couldn’t ever get used to the flips your stomach made at this time. 

Spencer pushed his hips into you, his length stroking your walls making your hum in delight. Spencer’s breath became heavy as he pulled out just enough before rutting back in you with skill. Your face began to feel hot as Spencer began to find a good rhythm. You could feel the sweat building on your forehead, the air cold against your scalp. 

You looked at Spencer’s face; the veins bulging from his forehead and his neck. You cupped his cheek with your hand, catching his rhythm with your hips. Your breath became heavy, your hums became moans. Spencer wasn’t exactly the most vocal lover you laid with. Not that Spencer was your lover of course. That‘s not what you meant.

“What’s going on in that pretty little brain?” Spencer’s voice took you from your sudden trance; his pace beginning to slow. He brought his hand to your face, pulling the stray hairs that stuck to your cheeks from your sweat away.

“Nothing, just don’t stop,” you sighed, pulling his lips down to yours again. 

Spencer picked up his pace again, the sound of skin slapping echoing in the room. You felt overcome with an ambitious heat throughout your body. You pushed Spencer’s shoulders up trying your best to cool down without stopping your chase to your high. Spencer sat on his knees gripping your hips, practically ramming his hips into yours. Your back arched and you gripped the sheets beneath you. 

“Oh god, fuck,” you cried out. Your thighs squeezing Spencer’s torso as you began to get closer to your climax. 

“Shit, it’s like I can’t get enough no matter how many times I have you squirming beneath me,” he gloated. 

You could see Spencer's chest begin to get red, his knuckles however turning white. Your hands reached down gripping his wrists. Prying them away, before sitting up to straddle his legs, as they stretched forward, adjusting comfortably. You held on to his shoulders sturdily, finding an entirely new rhythm to chase your high. 

Spencer’s hands ran up your back, sliding under your shirt that you had yet to take off. No wonder you were overwhelmed with heat. He peeled the tight fabric from your skin, tossing it to the ground like he has so many times before. He unhooked your bra with ease, his eyes instantly trained to your chest. He couldn’t help his hands following, massaging the soft skin. Spencer looked up to you as you bounced up and down. Sweat dripping seductively down the valley of your breasts. 

“You’re so pretty,” Spencer whispered, staring up at you.

“I know,” you joked breathlessly, giving him a playful wink. 

Spencer let out a breathy laugh at that. The both of you were itching for a release now. Your bodies squirming against one another, aching to give the other the release. You leaned back placing your hands on his thighs, moving your hips faster and harder than before. 

“Spencer, I’m getting close, I feel it,” you whimpered, “Please tell me you’re close too.”

“I’m close,” he breathed out.

“Fuck,” you cried.

“Come on, sweetheart. Let go,” Spencer mused, he reached between you two, fingers circling quickly between your thighs to bring you to climax even faster.

You gasped out, chest heaving as you felt the waves of pleasures wash over you suddenly. You couldn’t help the loud moans escaping from you as you threw your head back; arched back and thighs tensed. Spencer’s hand held your body close to himself, and you curled forward wrapping your arms around his head as you climaxed indefinitely. Spencer grunted below you, his legs stiffening and jerking upward. Curses whispered from his lips. 

“Oh, shit,” you gasped, relaxing and slumping your body over Spencer. 

“Treat me good, like always,” he whispered, his hand coming briefly to stroke your hair gently. 

He rolled you over, laying you lazily on his bed before climbing out of the bed swiftly. He stumbled his way to dispose of the rubber. He grabbed a small towel from a drawer along with something to cover himself. He sat silently on the edge of the bed, gently cleaning you as your eyes slowly blinked, telling him you were exhausted. 

“You want to stay the night? I can see how tired you are.” 

“I’ll be gone first thing in the morning,” you quipped with a small grin on your face. 

Spencer laid beside you, covering your body with the blankets. You curled by his side, your leg falling over his hips. He turned the lights out, but the soft golden glow from the lights in the room next door streamed in. His arm wrapped around you, fingers softly stretching your back. Steady breaths against his chest gave him a sense of comfort. He was always a bit jealous how easily sleep came to you; how peaceful you looked when you did. Spencer tried to close his eyes. He tried to let rest wash over him like a blanket. What felt like seconds was an hour. And another hour. He peeked at his watch laying on the nightstand beside him, three o’clock the time read. 

Sighing, he sneaked out of bed, careful to not wake you. He skulked towards the kitchen, eyeing the small glass of whiskey still on the table. He couldn’t help smirk to himself over it. He opened the cabinet grabbing a mug, pouring a bitter liquid into it. He took a big swig of his favorite beverage, basking in all the flavors, when suddenly a beautiful figure stood before him. 

“Hey,” his voice was quiet. 

“I’m guessing you haven’t slept,” you tiptoed your way to him, you could hear him sighing. 

“Is there anything at all I can do to help you?” you whispered, carefully placing your hand on Spencer’s warm back. 

“No, but having you here is enough.”

You were beginning to blur the lines between your arrangement and your friendship. But neither you nor Spencer could muster up the courage to stop what you’ve started. Spencer indulged in your sweetness, the way you were always there to satiate his desires, the way you opened yourself to him like heaven’s gate. And you, well you would never admit it. Being in love with Spencer that is. You’ve known him for years; seen the best parts of him and helped him through the worst. You knew him the best of anyone you’ve known before. And he could say the same too. He’s never opened up to anyone as much as he has to you. 

You were perfect for each other. And yet, Spencer wouldn’t allow himself to bask in it. He truly believed he didn’t deserve you. That all the demons that haunted him in these dark hours were undeserving of your kindness, compassion, gentleness. Simply thinking about you was often enough to calm him in tense situations. But he would never tell you this. So here he was, standing in the kitchen with his coffee black at three in the morning wondering why you couldn’t see that he would never be enough for you. 

[reidmotif]

Double-Booked for the Night

Summary: Reader and Spencer have been double-booked by JJ for a night of babysitting. What happens when the situation brings out some buried feelings from both parties?

Prompt: JJ accidentally double booked a babysitter for Henry. You both end up staying, and after watching the kids all night, he can't help but want you.

Couple: Spencer Reid/Fem!Reader

Category: Smut/Fluff

Content Warning: Spencer POV, coworkers to lovers, oral sex (f receiving), dirty talk, he picks her up, heavy making-out, unprotected sex, shades of breeding

Word Count: 7.7k

In my time at the BAU, I had grown accustomed to the many changes it had brought to my life. I’d been made part of a world where long hours, serial killers, and few hours of sleep were the standard, and despite what anyone had to say about it, I had yet to truly hate my job. There were times where I couldn’t fathom that this was my life, that I was being made to peer into the minds of prolific serial killers at any given day, and expected to come out fine after, but for every negative this job brought, there was always one overwhelming positive. 

My team.

 If you got me tipsy enough, though, I’d probably end up babbling about the girl I’d come to know in the years I’d been here. (Y/N). 

If you got me a little drunker, I’d probably end up whining about how in the aforementioned years I’d been here, we’d never made a move on each other, despite the obvious chemistry. Part of me just wanted to mitigate the tension that had been building for ages, pull her into some darkened hallway and  kiss her senseless. Unfortunately, I was aware of the consequences that would come from acting so rashly, and so for both our sakes, I held back.  

Thankfully, there were a thousand things to distract me from my crush on the agent, and one of those things was JJ’s adorable son. Apart from being his godfather, my known lack of  a relationship among the team caused me to become the resident babysitter for the Jareau-LaMontagne household.

 It was always wonderful to lend a helping hand to one of my closest friends at the BAU, and let her and her husband get out of the house once in a while, but it was even more of an added bonus that Henry was absolutely adorable, and had honestly stolen my heart. I’d make my way to JJ and Will’s house, opening the door to be greeted by the blonde boy, who was always equally as excited to see me. I’d grown fond of him, and genuinely looked forward to whatever time we’d end up spending together. 

Which is why, when I’d come around to JJ’s house on a Friday night at her request, it was a little staggering to not see a head of blonde hair running to cling to my legs, but rather the coworker that had been plaguing my thoughts everyday for nearly three years at that point. It took me a second to focus on the actual situation at hand, as I was momentarily stunned into silence over how she appeared before me. She looked so casual, her hair loosely strung about, with a big hoodie and yoga pants enveloping her figure. She looked cozy, and warm- a noticeable change from the professional work attire I’d become accustomed to seeing her in. It was nice. And it briefly stopped my brain for a second.  It took me about five seconds before I remembered where I was, meeting her confused expression with mine. 

“(Y/N)?” I started. “What are you doing here?” I watched her keep the door open, whilst I raised my own eyebrow. 

“Babysitting for Henry, what are you..?” She replied, knitting her brows a bit. 

“Babysitting for Henry.” I responded, a little incredulously. 

“But JJ asked me..?” She started, when I interrupted her.  

 “Will asked me.” I said, and she nodded knowingly, realizing what had happened. 

“They double booked us.” She said, with a chuckle. 

God, she was so beautiful when she laughed like that.  

“Yeah, they did, didn’t they?” I say, rubbing the back of my neck, a little self consciously with a stupid smile plastered on my face. 

I couldn’t help but watch the little crinkle that formed at the sides of her eyes as she smiled affectionately at my remark. She had this way of making my insides turn to goo with a simple look, and at this moment, that was exactly how I was feeling. The way my body reacted to her came about naturally, and it was almost impossible to keep under wraps, even in moments like this. She gave me an adorable grin, laughing with me about the absurdity of the situation. 

“I guess I’ll..  go then.” I say with a chuckle, looking down at her. “JJ and Will only need one babysitter, and you’re already here..” I reason, gesturing to her standing at the door. 

“Yeah, I.. suppose you’re right.” She says, giving me another one of her small smiles. 

“I’ll see you at work then?” I say, a little awkwardly. Her hands twitched as they approached the doorknob, and I could feel it again. The absolute strain that seemed to reside between us. The manner in which her gaze connected with mine.  The way she seemed to linger a little too close to me instead of the handle of the door. It was so obvious we were denying what we wanted from each other, and it felt so ridiculous. I could feel myself letting out a breath, stepping away before I did anything stupid, until I heard a barreling of little steps hurtling towards me. 

“Uncle Spencer!” Henry cried, pushing past (Y/N), who nearly toppled over as the boy sprang at my legs. I steadied myself by grabbing onto the frame on the door, my smile returning as I reached down to hug him. 

“Hey! Henry.” I say, ruffling the boy’s hair affectionately and bending down to meet his eye-level. “How are you doing?” 

“Auntie (Y/N) was about to put on a movie for us.” Henry says, smiling brightly and already attempting to tug me into the house. “Come watch!” 

“Aww, Henry.” I say, giving him a little frown. “I can’t, I’m sorry though.” I say, gently. “You should watch with Auntie (Y/N) though!” I say, smiling and looking up at her from my place on the floor. My gaze softened a bit as I noticed the unmistakable trace of blush on her cheeks, but my attention was quickly turned back to Henry, feeling another tug from him.  

“You don’t wanna watch with us?” He says, with the biggest puppy-dog eyes I’d ever seen. 

“Henry..” I start with an apologetic tone, about to explain that I really couldn’t impose, even if deep down,  I secretly wanted to, if not to spend time with him, but her. 

“You can stay, you know?” She interjects from above us, and I look up at her, displaying my confused smile. 

“Really?” I say, raising my eyebrows at her, as I stood back up to face her.  “You’d be okay with that?” I say, still keeping my eyes locked on hers. 

“I mean, I don’t think I’d not take up the offer of more help with him.” She says, chuckling a bit as she crossed her arms and leaned up against the door frame.

I looked at Henry once more, grinning. I asked him, “Would you be okay with that, buddy?” 

Henry nodded excitedly, already pulling me into the house with his little hands. “Auntie (Y/N) put on a movie for me.”  He continued adorably, a bounce in his step as he guided me to the couch. 

I smiled at Henry as he led me to the living room, some children’s movie I didn’t recognize playing on the screen. I could hear (Y/N) following us after closing the front door and as I sat down, she smiled at me again. 

“It’s actually kind of a miracle you showed up when you did.” She says to me, a light giggle escaping from her lips. “I had no idea how I was going to get dinner out  and watch him at the same time.” She explained, as Henry made his way next to me, getting comfortable. 

“Ah, you know.” I say, shrugging and laughing nonchalantly, opening my arms to allow Henry to lean against me. “Always happy to help. Especially if it involves this little guy.” I ruffled his hair and heard a little chuckle against me from the boy, as I kept my eyes on her, flashing her a soft smile.

Henry grinned at that, as he excitedly started talking about the movie that was playing, wildly gesticulating as he attempted to explain what I’d missed since I’d entered the room. I nodded, but out of the corner of my eye I saw (Y/N) enter the kitchen, presumably to prepare Henry’s dinner. I heard and saw her rustling about the kitchen in small flashes, and a small smile graced my face at the sight of her. It was silly, but I rarely got to see this side of her. She looked so calm and laid-back, and it was a welcomed change, one that brought a certain warmth to my chest just from the look of it. 

I watched her for a few more moments, before turning my full attention back to Henry. I listened to him, nodding like I totally understood everything he was saying, even if he was talking fifty words a minute and stumbling over his speech every step of the way. Regardless, I loved him. Loved spending time with him, and that was only made better when I saw (Y/N) approach us in the living room, plopping down next to Henry with a plate of lasagna. 

“Okay, I know Mommy doesn’t usually let you eat in front of the TV.. so this’ll be our secret, okay?” She said, a playful glint in her eye as she carefully handed the plate to Henry. “But you gotta promise me one thing.” 

Henry nodded excitedly. She spoke with mock seriousness to him, pursing her lips and nodding. “You gotta promise me you’re gonna finish everything off your plate, alright?” It wasn’t even a question, as Henry nodded, happily agreeing with her, and digging into the food she’d brought. She sat back, looking satisfied with herself.  I couldn’t help but smile to myself at the sight. She was always kind at work, and it wasn’t surprising that she was good with kids, but I never expected her to be this good. She fit into the role naturally, and it sent a feeling of endearment through me as I watched her speak to Henry. 

Henry ate quietly between the two of us as I watched the TV, but in actuality my mind was completely focused on her. The softness in her actions towards Henry, the tenderness in her eyes as she dealt with him. It was truly having an effect on me, and in a moment of weakness I allowed myself to get wrapped up in a fantasy involving her, me and a child of our own. It was insane! I’d never even kissed the girl before, but watching her like this made me desperately long for a situation in which we had a family together, a concept I had been yearning for privately, only exacerbated by the wonderful woman in front of me. 

It seemed I’d gotten a little too lost in my thoughts, because I felt Henry tugging at my shoulder, and I blinked, realizing he’d been trying to get my attention for a few seconds now.  “Uncle Spencer!” He whined, and I looked at him with a stir. 

“Ah, sorry Henry! Got really into the movie.” I say, feeling my cheeks heat up a bit as I ran my hands through my hair. “What’s up?” 

“Can you help me wash my hands?” He asked, in his little voice, and I laughed a little, nodding. 

(Y/N) took his plate from him, smiling at me and mouthing a ‘thanks’, which I returned with a smile of my own and thumbs-up, as I took Henry to the bathroom. I led him there, opening the door and watching from the door frame as he stood on the kiddie-stool, washing his hands for the full, recommended twenty seconds. I’d taught him well. When he finished, he wiped his hands on the hand towel and leapt off the stool, running past me. I rolled my eyes fondly, because as usual, Henry had left the bathroom light and door open. I closed both for him, walking to catch up with him, and before I’d even entered the living room, Henry was sitting on the couch, already back to watching the movie that played in front of him. 

I came near him, ruffling his hair. “You all good there, bud?” I asked, and Henry nodded absentmindedly, clearly focused on the TV instead of my words, and I chuckled affectionately at his total and complete disinterest in me, now that he could watch TV uninterrupted. 

“You okay if I go help out Auntie (Y/N) in the kitchen real quick? I’ll be right here.” I said, reassuringly, but Henry wasn’t even paying attention, so I smiled and walked towards the kitchen, beckoned by the sight of (Y/N) washing Henry’s dinner dish, her sleeves rolled up and her previously open hair now pinned back. 

I approached her and leaned against the counter, smiling a little dumbly as I watched her, until she looked up at me, sending me a confused grin. “What are you smiling about, Reid?” She asked, a playful lilt in her voice as she continued scrubbing away at the dishes. 

“Ah, nothing.” I responded, but she looked up, rolling her eyes with amusement. 

“You know we’re both profilers, right?” She shot back, raising an eyebrow and smirking at me. “I can tell when you’re not exactly being truthful.” She paused, before taking a second to properly look at me. “Come on, spit it out.” 

I took a breath, shrugging and turning my body to face her as she kept her gaze trained on me. “It’s really nothing, I just.. I guess I’m surprised by how good you are with kids.” I say, not trying to let on how much tonight had actually affected me in regards to my feelings about her. 

She raised her eyebrows, letting a giggle fall from her lips. “What, you think I’d suck with them or something?” She said, biting her lip a bit and I felt my heart turn a bit at that. Even though I was aware she was joking, I felt the overwhelming need to comfort her, to make my intentions more than clear. 

“No, no, (Y/N).” I say, shaking my head and chuckling. “I just meant- you’re so thoughtful at work, of course you’d be good with kids. It’s a no-brainer. But I don’t know, seeing it in front of me was just..” I took a breath, smiling. “This may be totally weird to say, but you’d make a great mom.” 

I watched her reaction, fearing I’d maybe crossed a line by saying so, but she smiled shyly, purposely keeping her eyes off me as she asked, “Yeah? You think so?” 

I kept my eyes on her, adoringly observing her as I nodded. “Yeah, no. I know so.” 

I watched her bite her lip as she kept her view away from mine, and even in the dim lighting of the kitchen, I saw a light blush fill her cheeks. She looked up at me, an innocently amused look on her face. 

“Thank you, Spencer. That means a lot.” She responds, starting to dry her hands with a dish towel off the side of the sink. As she reached forward, she shifted herself a bit closer to me and I watched as she rubbed off the water droplets on her skin with the fabric. I could physically hear her swallowing as our proximity to each other was brought closer, and I couldn’t help but watch her lips, slightly red and swollen from biting on them all night. It was a habit of hers I’d noticed since we began working, and tonight, it was driving me fucking crazy. I wondered what it’d feel like to have her lips against mine, to run my tongue over the plumpness of them. I imagined pinning her against the counter right here, kissing her until we both forgot our names and lost our breath in each other. I shakily exhaled at the thought, and at that moment, she looked up at me, and seemingly caught me in the act of staring, except she didn’t move away. We exchanged glances for a beat, and I was beginning to contemplate leaning in, repercussions be damned, but in a twisted turn of fate, we heard a little voice calling out to us in the other room. 

“Auntie (Y/N)! Uncle Spencer! The movie’s over!” He called out, starting to run into the kitchen with the remote. (Y/N) laughed nervously, moving away from me to pick up Henry in her arms. I stepped away just as fast,  going back to leaning on the counter as I watched her cradle the boy in her arms, and I could physically recognize the feeling of affection filling my body as my eyes were fixed on her. If she noticed, she pretended not to, turning her entire focus on the boy. 

“You know what that means, right, Henry?” (Y/N) asked, cooing a bit at the boy. “It’s time for bed, alright? Let’s get you upstairs.” 

“Can Uncle Spencer come too?” Henry asked, looking at me. The boy was clearly a little more tired now that it was later in the night, but he was quite clear in his demands. Henry then looked at (Y/N), his eyes big and wide. “Did you know Uncle Spencer can read me a whole story without the book?”

(Y/N) only laughed at that, looking between me and the boy. “Can he now? I guess he’s just going to have to join us for bedtime, right?” She looks at me, raising an eyebrow and I nod, beaming a little coyly. 

“Eidetic memory, remember?” I say, smirking at her. 

She makes an amused sound at that, nodding knowingly. “How could I forget?”

 She sighs softly, still supporting Henry in her arms. “Okay, let’s get you to sleep, bud.” She says, kissing the top of his head,, beginning to walk towards the stairs, looking back at me and motioning for me to follow. 

I smiled at the gesture, and again, I could sense my heart yearning for a future in which this was our life. It was ridiculous, and yet as the night progressed, my imagination only continued to go wild with the possibilities of a reality where we were each other’s. I continued to walk with her, until we reached Henry’s room, which she slowly turned the knob to. She walked in, keeping the door open for me as I trailed behind her, closing the door. She laid Henry down in the bed, looking at me. 

She ran her hands down her thighs, beaming gently at me through the low light of Henry’s bedroom. “I’ll.. um. I’ll leave you here with him?” She asked, keeping her voice low. I felt a moment of disappointment flash through me, secretly wishing she’d stay, for us to spend more time in this bubble we’d created for ourselves tonight. I know I wasn’t crazy, I know that she had to feel it too. But, at the risk of seeming clingy, I nodded, permitting her to leave the room. But a little voice protested, sitting straight up in his bed and tugging at her hand back to him. 

“No, no!” Henry whined. “I want Auntie (Y/N) and Uncle Spencer here.” 

I could hear her pause, before looking at me with a subtle, surrendering expression in her eyes. “Okay, okay, Henry.” She says, sitting down in his bed next to him.

 She smoothed over his hair, and Henry looked at me expectantly. I exchanged a quick, covert look with her, implicitly making sure she was okay with all this, and she nodded, even repositioning herself to allow me more space on the other side of Henry. I slid in, moving around until I found a more comfortable position. The three of us attempting to squish into the same, child-sized bed resulted in a slightly tight fit, but it was cozy, nonetheless. (Y/N) had adjusted to be slightly leaned on her side, her hands now lazily playing with Henry’s hair, brushing the hair away from his face. I observed her affectionately, sensing a familiar warmth suffuse me yet again, as I beheld the domesticity in front of me. She made eye contact with me, still keeping her fingers running through the strands of the boy’s hair, smirking softly at me. 

“You know.. I think someone promised us a bedtime story.” She murmured quietly, a touch of whimsy in her voice. 

I chuckled softly at that, breathing out a little harder out of my nose. “Okay, yeah. Right.” I took a breath, and tried to recall something to recite off the top of my head. I decided on a classic, Alice in Wonderland as I felt its longevity would allow Henry ample time to fall asleep. She seemed pleased with this too, relaxing into her position on her other side of Henry, watching me as I began. I started to speak, my tone low and soothing, and in about twenty or so minutes, I could hear the soft breathing of the boy slow down and I gazed upon him, but quickly realized that (Y/N)’s fingers had stilled in his hair too, and in a moment of realization, I became aware that not only was Henry asleep, but so was she. I allowed myself to stare at her sleeping figure, marveling at the way strands of her soft hair gently placed themselves around her face in a way that framed her delicate features perfectly. I swallowed, wishing more than anything that I could lean over, brush over the wisps and kiss her forehead, but I held back, opting to gently push her awake. 

“(Y/N).. hey.” I breathed out softly, keeping my voice to a low whisper so as to not wake Henry. “Come on, you don’t wanna fall asleep here.” I brought my hand to her shoulder, rubbing it softly to stir her awake and she did, blinking herself awake. She realized where she was and yawned, and let a soft giggle escape her lips. 

“Ah, I totally fell asleep, didn’t I?” She mused, keeping a hushed voice. 

“Yeah, you did.” I replied, watching as she woke up slowly, waiting for her to get up. 

“You’re good at that. Getting him to sleep, I mean.” She said in return, keeping her attention on me, never once diverting her eyes from mine. She paused, seeming to consider her next words carefully, before following with a gentle addition, “You’d make a great dad.” 

I tensed at the words, feeling my cheeks heat up from embarrassment and the sheer need to reach over and grab her by the shoulders, as if to alert her that, ‘Yes! I would! And I want that with you!’

Instead, I softly chuckled at her words, swallowing down my affection and nodding. “Yeah, I guess.”

She released a quiet breath, starting to move off the bed as slowly as she could. “We should get out of here. JJ and Will will be home soon, and we can go home.” She replied, in a faint voice. 

I nodded, already beginning to shuffle off the bed and joining her at the door. I watched her give Henry one last look, before opening the door. She held it ajar for me and I walked past her quietly, and as I did, she followed, closing the door with a gentle click, and releasing another exhale. 

“Thank god.” She said, smiling a little brighter now. We walked down the stairs, and she allowed her voice to raise as we got further and further away from Henry’s room. “It takes me forever to get him down. You’re like.. actual magic.” She continues, nudging my shoulder. 

I fidget with my fingers, feeling a little bashful. We approached the living room again, standing in the middle of the room as we continued talking. “Yeah, no. JJ and Will have been asking me to babysit since Henry was three. You learn a lot.” 

She gleamed at that, nodding. “Regardless of how you figured out how to do it, you were still a huge lifesaver tonight.” She remarked, adding to her statement in a soft voice. “Thanks.”

 Her eyes met with mine. I gave her a smile, making eye contact with her again. I’d always loved her eyes, they were always so big and expressive. They just contained so much emotion, and I’d grown to love watching her when she was happy, or excited, because those emotions were so clearly reflected on every part of her face. But right now, as I looked into her eyes, they expressed an emotion I’d become very accustomed to seeing tonight, and found myself precariously losing my will to deny.

Desire. 

And there it was again, that tenderness, that affection, and just the absolute craving to be with her, in every sense of the word. She bit her lip, and in an instant it was made clear to me that perhaps my sentiment to overlook the possible aftermath of giving into the desire that plagued us was shared, because she moved a little closer to me, her eyes moving from my eyes to my lips. I swallowed.

“Tonight was.. fun.” I murmur, eyeing her lips in a similar manner as she had.

She nodded, silent, before releasing a shaky exhale. “It was .. fun. Yeah.”  She responds, her voice barely above a whisper. 

We were barely speaking, and yet in that moment I felt entirely breathless in her presence. I wanted to say something, anything, but any thought of mine completely died, because as soon as I even attempted to open my mouth, she surged forward, planting her lips on mine. I was momentarily stunned. She kissed me once, then twice and then slowly pulled away.  I instantly missed the feeling and warmth of her mouth against mine, wanting nothing more than to pull her against me again. She, on the other hand, looked mortified, her lips parted and her complexion flushed.

“Oh god, Spencer.” She started, a little frantic. “I’m so sorry, I don’t know what came over me, and we can forget-” 

I finally gave into what I’d been yearning for the whole night, not even bothering to respond to her apologies as I pulled her back against me, bringing her face closer to mine in a heated, passionate kiss. I could feel her happily sigh into my mouth, and I took the opportunity to slip my tongue into her mouth, and she only responded more enthusiastically to that, her arms wrapping themselves around my neck. I took the opportunity to lean down, placing my hands on the back of her thighs, never once letting my lips leave hers. I heard her moan slightly into my mouth at that, and I couldn’t help the smirk that formed on my face. I’d wanted this for so long, and with the way she was reacting, I could tell the lust I felt was mirrored in her as well. 

I laid her on the couch, finally letting my lips leave hers to take a breath as I positioned myself above her and grinning wildly, She looked equally as excited, already trying to pull me back against her. 

“You have.. no idea.. how bad I’ve wanted this.” She murmured, in between breaths, attempting to kiss me yet again. 

Before I kissed her, I leaned down, letting my lips brush over the shell of her ear, lowly whispering, “I think I have a clue.”

 I heard another soft moan coming from her at my words, and I felt a wave of pride knowing I’d done that to her. She was the one under me, moaning for me like that, and it only spurred me on further. I promptly moved myself closer to kiss her again, letting both of my hands rest on either side of my face as I hovered above her, fully losing myself in the action. We continued at this, feeling our hunger for more grow. I began to let my hand trail down to her hips, slowly bringing my hand under her hoodie, feeling a shudder as my hand met her warm skin. It took nearly everything to not rip it off her, but in an unanticipated shift in circumstances, we heard the telltale noise of the front door knob moving from its locked position, signifying that JJ and Will had gotten home.

I lept off her, her body imitating my movements, instantly moving away from mine and I almost immediately yearned for her touch again, but I understood the dire situation we’d found ourselves in. She brushed over her hair, attempting to make herself look as normal as she possibly could. I took in her state, hair in disarray, her skin reddened and her lips swollen. I had a sneaking feeling that I most likely mirrored her disheveledness, and took a breath, silently begging that JJ and Will wouldn’t notice, and even if they did, they didn’t comment on it. We heard the footsteps of them approaching the living room, and (Y/N) stood up to greet them. 

“JJ, Will.” She said, smiling. “Henry’s all asleep and put down.” 

JJ smiled at her, hugging her gently. “Oh, thank you so much. Was he good?” She asked, laughing a bit. 

“An angel.” (Y/N) responded, smiling. 

As JJ’s eyes met mine, she raised an eyebrow. “Spencer, what are you doing here?” She asked, with a confused look, before Will spoke up behind us.

“I thought (Y/N) couldn’t babysit.. I called Spencer.” Will said, a little sheepishly. 

JJ looked at him, her jaw dropping a bit. “No, remember? I told you, (Y/N) wasn’t but then she could.” 

The two of them laughed a little apologetically as they realized their miscommunication, turning to face me and (Y/N). 

“We’re so sorry guys. We didn’t even realize..” JJ started, but (Y/N) interrupted her. 

“No, no. It’s okay! Spencer was a huge help.” She says, smiling at me. 

“Yeah.” I responded, nodding and affirming her statement in an attempt to alleviate any guilt JJ or Will might’ve felt about the situation (not trying to reveal how secretly pleased I was with it). “(Y/N) made the time go by faster than usual. Don’t even worry about it.” 

JJ sighed, smiling and nodding. “Thank you. It was nice to get out of the house tonight.”

“It was  no problem.” (Y/N) responds. I can tell she’s trying to play it cool, to end off the interaction before JJ looked at the two of us for a little too long and realized what had conspired in her and Will’s absence. “So.. uh. It’s late.” (Y/N) breathes out. “And I love your kid, JJ, but I’m ready for some well deserved sleep.” She said, with a little smile. 

JJ nodded, knowing the feeling all too well. “Yeah, get out of here.” She said, playfully waving a hand at (Y/N), then me. “You too, Spencer. I’m sure you’re tired too, even if you’re too polite to say so.” 

I rubbed my neck with my hand, chuckling softly. “Yeah, yeah.” I replied, trying to fake tiredness to match JJ’s expectations of what I’d be like after a night of watching her kid. However, I was probably the furthest thing from tired. My mind was racing with the possibilities of what had just occurred with (Y/N) just now, and how badly I wanted to do more. The sheer desperation I felt for her was absolutely ruining me, and honestly, I had very little willpower stopping me from just taking her hand and dragging her out of the house, and kissing her right outside on the porch. Thankfully, before that could happen, (Y/N) started walking towards the door and I followed behind her, attempting to look as normal as I could. 

“Goodnight!” She called out, opening the door. 

“Get home safe!” JJ responded, watching as we both left and closing the door behind us. I took a breath, turning towards her and exhaling. The night air was a lot colder than the warmth of the house, but even then I could feel how hot my body was becoming, absolutely begging for her once again.

“So..” I started. 

“So..” She responded, and then suddenly spoke up. “Do you need a ride home?” 

I blinked in response, understanding the implicit request in her words and biting my lip at it. “Yeah, I do.” I responded. 

“Great.” She responds with purpose, grabbing my hand with a need I’d never seen from her before. It thrilled the hell out of me to know she was just as eager as me, and longed for me with the same fervor. Her gaze was intense as she led me to her car, and in a split second, I decided I couldn’t wait an entire car ride to taste her again. I quickly pinned her against the war, and I could feel her let out a noise of surprise before I dove in for another kiss, taking delight in the way she pressed against me instantly, giving into the kiss. She demonstrated her enthusiasm, nearly moaning into my mouth and I laughed, shushing her in between kisses. 

“(Y/N)!” I said, whisper-yelling. “We’re right outside JJ and Will’s house. Someone’s gonna hear us.” 

She pulled back, breathing heavily and looking at me with a glint in her eye. “Well, will you hurry up then and just take me back to your place?” She retorted, playfully, diving in for one last kiss. 

I nodded. “Gladly.” I took the car keys from her, grinning wildly. 

“Hey! It’s my car!” She said, trying to grab the keys back, a hint of amusement in her tone. 

“I know a faster way back to my place. Wouldn’t you rather get there, than argue over who drives?” I say, feeling a surge of confidence as I cockily raised an eyebrow at her. 

She rolled her eyes, but I could sense the fondness in the expression as she basically ran to the passenger side, opening the door. “Drive fast. Please.” The desperation in her tone heightened my arousal and I wondered if it’d be possible to just give up and have sex in the backseat of her car, but I quickly let go of the thought. I’d wanted this for so long, and when I fucked her tonight, I was going to take my time. I was going to savor her, worship her for everything she was. 

It took ten, painstakingly long minutes for us to reach my apartment, and less than three to stumble to my apartment, all over each other like a pair of horny teenagers. It was like we were magnets, unable to get away from each other for even a second without thinking we couldn’t live without the other. I responded passionately to each and every one of her advances against me, kissing her fervently against the wall, up the stairs, before finally leading her to my bedroom. We fell into my bed in a tangle of limbs, and I breathed heavily over her. Ultimately, we found ourselves once again in the same position we’d been in on JJ and Will’s couch, with me on top of her. I looked down at her, finally taking a break from kissing her to cradle her face with my palm, still holding myself above her body. 

“Did you mean it?” She asked, softly, biting her lip. 

“What do you mean?” I respond, starting to move my lips gently down her neck, testing out different points of sensitivity. I wanted to kiss every inch of her bare skin, to feel her in every way. I could feel her body squirm and tense as I let my lips linger on a particular spot between her ear and neck, beginning to lightly suck there until I heard a quiet moan coming out from the girl in front of me. 

“The thing about me being a good mom.” She spoke, in between moans and happy sighs. “Or was that like, flirting? For sex?” 

I suddenly retracted my position from her neck, making her whine a bit but I quickly placed a hand under her chin, forcing her to look at me. 

“(Y/N), I cannot express how devastatingly real my feelings are for you. You’re- you’re perfect. And I wish I’d said it a long time before tonight, if I knew we could’ve done this much earlier.” I looked deep into her eyes, hoping my words and the intensity of my gaze could properly convey just how sincere I was about this, about her. 

Her lips parted, and she let out a soft exhale, and then allowed the corners of her mouth to turn upwards in a smile. I smiled down at her, once again recapturing her lips in a kiss, almost as if to seal the deal between us. She reciprocated, before pulling back. “I meant it.” She admitted softly. “I’ve always thought you’d be a good dad.” 

I could feel myself blushing at that, moving in for another kiss. I was enthralled by her, addicted to her taste and the way her lips moved over mine. I felt like I could do forever, but a slight mewl alerted me that she wanted a bit more than that.

“Spence, kissing is really, really nice. But if you don’t fuck-” 

I quickly understood, beginning to kiss the expanse down her neck, already moving my hands under her hoodie and grabbing at her breast, squeezing the soft and supple skin through her bra, eliciting the sweetest sounds from her that only served to embolden me. I slowly moved to remove the pieces of fabric between us, and as soon as she registered the shuffling of her hoodie, she eagerly reached out to begin undoing the buttons of my own shirt. She paused, letting me pull off the hoodie and I leaned back, admiring her, all laid out like this for me. I ran a finger against her jawline, and watched her shudder at the intimacy of the action. 

“You’re so beautiful.” I whisper, physically unable to take my eyes off her. I could tell it was affecting her, as she looked shy under my gaze, a light tinge of pink now dusting her cheeks as I spoke the words. 

“Thank you.” She says, in a similar tone to mine. She leans up to kiss me again, and her fingers are working my buttons. I let her, shrugging the shirt off and pressing my bare chest against her. She was just so soft, and warm, and I truly couldn’t get enough of her. I moved down, kissing the swell of her breasts and moving my fingers back to unclasp her bra, slipping it off her and immediately attaching my mouth to her nipples, moving my hand to rub at the other one. I watched her mouth drop open, her face contorting with pleasure, moaning out my name. I continued my ministrations for a moment, before beginning to kiss down her stomach. I could feel the tensing of the muscles, her happy sighs and light moans indicating to me I was doing a good job at pleasing her, and at that moment, it’s all I wanted. 

I began to slip down her sweatpants, reveling in the way she lifted up her hips, kicking off the clothing. I kissed near the hem of her underwear, teasing her by lightly tracing my finger near where a wet patch had formed against them. 

“You were so good today, you know that?” I murmur, letting my breath hit her clothed core. I pressed a chaste kiss against it. “So fucking good.” 

I hear a desperate moan from her, her hips jolting against my face, begging me for more. I nod, using my fingers to slide down the fabric, watching in fascination as her glistening folds were revealed to me, and in an almost primal way, I let my tongue dart out, licking a fat stripe against her. She immediately shuddered, nearly closing her thighs around me from the intense euphoria she was experiencing. I hooked my hands underneath them, holding her open and tasting the hot flesh against my tongue, enjoying the way she tasted against me. I had never felt such a burning need for anyone in my entire life, and I’m sure she could tell by the way, given the way I was absolutely devouring into her, my tongue continuing to move against her like a man starved, lapping up whatever I could. I wanted it all. I began to feel her thighs shake uncontrollably against me, and her moans reverberating around the room as her volume got louder. 

“Please-please! Spencer. Holy fuck. Please don’t stop, please don’t-” 

I let my tongue dart harshly against her clit, and her begging fell into a string of incoherent whimpers and praises for my mouth, making me chuckle slightly. It seemed to do her in, the vibration of my mouth causing her moans reaching a peak they hadn’t this entire night, and a tension leaving her body as she looked down at me with glazed eyes, breathing heavily. I drank her arousal, feeling the entirety of her arousal coating my lower chin. She moaned at the overstimulation, but I could only focus on how fucking good she tasted. 

I moved up against her, giving her another kiss, before I felt her moving, tugging me off her. 

“Something wrong?” I asked, knitting my brows and biting my lip. 

“I need you inside me. Now. Please.” She said, the intensity of her desperation going straight to my cock as I nodded quickly. 

“Okay, yeah.” I replied, quickly beginning to undo my own pants and pulling my cock out of the confines of my briefs. I gave it a few strong tugs, before moving above her again, rubbing the head of my arousal against her folds. She moaned at the feeling, before it died out into a silent scream as I moved inside of her with no warning. She screwed her eyes shut, before moaning out, “Fuck. You feel so good.” 

That was all the incentive I needed, beginning to buck wildly against her watching as we both lost ourselves in the pleasure we were giving to the other. As she whimpered, I moaned out at the feeling of how well she was taking me. I leaned down, whispering into her ear. “You’re so good.” I moaned, feeling a particularly strong clench against my cock. “I want you so badly. I wanna make you mine.” I groaned, barely getting the words out as she tensed against me, clearly nearing her second release of the night. 

I could feel the twitch of my member inside of her, feeling the arousal fill up in the pit of my belly, my breathing getting heavier and faster as we both reached our peaks. 

“Take me.” She moaned, desperate and needy. “I’m yours. Make me yours.” She said, nearly screaming out the words. 

My hips snapped harder against her, a primal growl coming out of me as I heard the words. “Is that right? You wanna be filled? You want my cum inside you, then?” 

“Yes, yes! Spencer, please- please! I need it!” At her last beg, I groaned, feeling myself expel inside of her, feeling myself come inside of her. A few moments later, her walls spasmed against me, soft whimpers and moans leaving her lips as she convulsed against my cock. I thrust lazily, working both of us through our orgasms, before gently rolling off her, and kissing her forehead, then her cheek.

“You’re so amazing.” I whisper to her, as she gives me a dazed smile, clearly fucked out but elated. A thin sheen of sweat covered her, and it only served to make her look even more radiant in the light of my bedroom. 

“You too, doc.” She said, a teasing quality in her voice, as she shifted herself closer to me. I opened my arms up to her, letting her lay her head on my chest, and I could feel her breathing relax and slow down as she settled against me, closing her eyes. 

“Goodnight.” I murmur, kissing the top of her head one final time. I began to close my eyes, ready to fall asleep like this, before I heard her voice again, soft and light. 

“Spence?” She mumbled, half-asleep as her lips brushed the bare skin of my chest. 

“Mm?” 

“I really like you.” 

I laughed at that, feeling a bloom of absolute adoration fill my chest. “I really like you too.” I sighed, closing my eyes once more. “Sleep.” 

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of my phone ringing, groaning as I realized it was JJ. (Y/N) was still asleep in my arms, and I shifted our positions slightly, careful not to wake her. I answered the phone in a low tone. “JJ? What’s up?” 

JJ’s voice came frantic from the other line. “Spencer?! Spencer. Oh my god. Did (Y/N) get home last night? I’m here at her apartment, and I don’t see her car in the parking space and-” 

I internally groaned, realizing I was going to need to explain her whereabouts without revealing what we had done. “Erm. JJ. Don’t worry.” I responded, trying to seem nonchalant, keeping my voice down. “I’m sure she’s fine.” 

“Don’t worry?! Spencer, where the fuck is she?! Did you see her go home or-” 

I interrupted her, sighing discerning that JJ wasn't going to take a vague answer right now. “She’s with me, okay! It’s okay. She’s with me.” 

There was a beat, and then I heard the smile in her voice. “She’s with you?” 

I rubbed my forehead, letting out a low groan. “She is.” 

JJ’s voice, now growing excited erupted in a fit of giggles and laughs. “Oh god, I owe Will twenty bucks now. I knew it would happen eventually, but I never assumed all it would take would be one night spent together!” 

It was my turn to be confused, knitting my brows. “Sorry, what?” 

JJ responded simply, her coyness over the phone giving away everything. “Let’s just say we knew we were double-booking last night.” 

hello again! thank you so much for reading. as usual, likes, reblogs, feedback are all appreciated. i cannot say thank you enough. <3 p.s . thanks for everyone's help on the poll!! i hope this satisfied everyone's want for a long smut fic, haha:3

[for-a-longlongtime]

Guilty Pleasure (5/7) - dbf!Joel Miller x reader

One thing you weren't prepared for: the sight of Joel using the pool in the backyard. One thing *he* wasn't prepared for - you needing some help to put on SPF.

Rating: Explicit, 18+ only, mdni 🔞🔥 Series warnings (tba): Age gap (reader is 22, Joel is 43), masturbation (f), use of sex toys, oral sex, PiV, anal, hair pulling, dirty talk, getting caught, playful use of 'daddy', outrageous flirting, groping, reference to m/m, Joel's arms should always come with a warning. No outbreak!AU. Word count: 2.8K A/N: I'm excited to drop this chapter, because it was one of the first things I wrote for this series. Also - we have only two more chapters to go! @hellishjoel, I don't know if you accept multiple parts of a series for the #hotdilfsummerchallenge, but I'm submitting this one just in case - because dbf!Joel at the pool? WOULD.

< part 4 | series masterlist | main masterlist

Joel is fucking gorgeous in his swimming shorts.

Because of course he is. 

He can’t see you from up here, sitting in the bay window of your room that overlooks the backyard, but you’ve got ample opportunity to watch him. He’s been swimming laps in the pool for a while, and it was so pornographic that you actually considered filming him or snapping some photos. He’s tan all over, which doesn’t surprise you, with a soft belly but strong arms and thighs. Frankly, you could’ve watched him for hours, and maybe you would’ve if your mom hadn’t decided to walk out into the yard to ruin the moment.

At first Joel seems unaware of her, focused on swimming his laps, but when he gets back to the edge of the pool closest to the lounge chairs he notices her, and you hear their voices distantly. You watch as he gets out of the pool, brushing his wet hair back while he reaches for a towel with his other hand. You bite your lip hard as you track his every move, seeing how his wet swim shorts fit low - too low - on his hips, clinging onto his frame, clearly showing his large bulge.

“Fuck me,” you breathe without even realizing it, and damnit - if your mother hadn’t been down there, you would have your fingers between your legs so fast to get yourself off. You watch as he moves closer to her, tugging his shorts up a little in a feeble attempt to look a bit more modest. She says something to him that you can’t hear, but you do hear his laugh as he takes the drink she offers him, then sits down next to her on one of the lounge chairs, pointing at the notebook in her hands.

“Such a waste of the moment,” you mutter to yourself as you admire his back and broad shoulders, seeing a few stray drops clinging onto his curls before they drop on his sun kissed skin. For a moment you consider staying put so you can watch him some more once your mom leaves. But then you decide this little voyeuristic game will be a lot better when you’re at the pool too and can let your eyes wander from up close.

You know that he notices you stepping into the yard ten minutes later, but you pretend to not be aware of it and casually wander over some lounge chairs on the other side of the pool. You put your towel down over the chair, making sure to let your vape and book slip from your fingers, so you need to bend down and pick it up from the ground. He’s watching, that’s for sure, you realize as his conversation with your mom stalls for a second of two, three - and you can’t help but feel pleased as you place your book and vape on the little side table.

“Honey, come over and have a look. What do you think of this pergola?”, your mom calls over just when you’re about to settle in, and you try to not roll your eyes. She’s been talking about the garden party they’re throwing next week and her latest fixation seemed to be adding a pergola to the current setup in the large backyard. Typically her, to do that at the last moment. “Joel says Tommy is busy next week, but that he can build it on his own.”

Walking over to them at least gives you the opportunity to strut to Joel, wearing nothing but your swimsuit and a sheer sarong. You know it looks hot on you, the see through fabric swishing around your curves with every step you take. But you make sure to not pay any attention to him as you lean over to look at your mom’s notepad. Nevertheless you notice his eyes on you, which makes you feel giddy and almost distracts you from paying attention to what your mom is saying. Joel smells like sunscreen and a hint of sweat, no cologne, and it takes you serious effort to not reach out and touch his wet hair, play with the damp curls.

“Looks cool,” you say, not having a fucking clue about what exactly you should be looking at - this is probably the first time ever you’ve spend any time whatsoever thinking and talking about a pergola. “Pretty big though. You sure you can get that done in time though?”

“It’s not hard. Fair bit of work, but I can get it done within a day or two.” 

You can’t hide the smirk tugging at your lips as you watch him drink his ice water. “Welllll, if it’s not that hard…”

He gives you an amused look as he puts his drink down, and you wink at him in return before turning back to your mom. “It’ll be great, mom. Don’t stress about your party, everybody always loves them. Talk of the town, you know?”

She looks grateful for the reassurance as she nods, closing the notebook. “Yeah, I know, but this is a big one. There are a lot of eyes on your father these months, and if this goes well it’ll really help to build some contacts he’s been trying to make for a while.”

“Well, just as long as everything is about him, as usual…” You huff, unable to stop the irritation you feel creeping under your skin. “At least I don’t need to be there.”

“Actually…”

“Fuck no!” The words fly out of your mouth before you even give it a thought, and the frown on your mother’s face is almost just as instantaneous. “Mom, I don’t want to do these things. You know that.”

“It’s just a few hours of your time. I told you this before.”

“No, you didn’t.” Actually, you do vaguely remember her mentioning something like this, but you had expected to be able to get out of it. “Besides, I don’t have anything to wear, unless you want me to wear this.”

She rolls her eyes as she gets up. “This is not a negotiation. Use the AMEX you have to charge something to, unless you’d like my assistant-...”

“Yeah no, I don’t need her to pick an outfit for me,” you snap as you get up as well, pacing back to your own lounge chair. “Don’t worry, I’ll play The Perfect Daughter as I always do with this bullshit,” you scoff at her as you start scrolling through your phone for the Net-A-Porter app. Only once you hear that she has gone back into the house you look up again, your eyes immediately searching for Joel. He’s still in his seat, his head slightly cocked as he’s looking at you.

“You’re being a real brat again, you know.”

“Yeah?” You stare him down as you take another hit from your vape, feeling bold from the adrenaline rush of having him merely twenty foot away from you, wet and wearing just his swim shorts. “So spank me. Teach me a lesson.”

He laughs softly as he shakes his head. “Not my job, darling.”

“Are you sure about that, Daddy?” You bite your lip, pleased when he actually blushes, seemingly caught off guard by that. “It could be.”

You almost hold your breath when you see he’s half hard in his shorts as he gets up. Probably for the best, because else you may have whimpered at the sight. Shit. You need him in your mouth, now. Your mother is back in her home office by now, so if you don’t make too much noise…

“Can you put some sunscreen on my back?” You wave the bottle of SPF at him and see him hesitate, but you’re not giving up that easily. “Oh, come on. Don’t be such a fucking prude, Joel. You want me to burn in this hundred degree weather?”

He shifts from one foot to another, then sighs as he shrugs, coming over to you. “Alright. Give me that.”

“Thank you so much.” You move up in your lounge chair and sit with your back turned to him, hearing him sit down behind you as the cap of the bottle clicks. The moment his hands meet the back of your shoulders, you have to work hard to not let out a sigh - they’re so damn big, and the chill of the sunscreen is immediately alleviated by how warm his palms are.

You’re both quiet as his hands slide down your back, spreading the lotion with care. He’s thorough, and with every inch of skin that he touches you can feel yourself growing wetter, your nipples already hard and straining against the material of your top.

“Think I got it all.” His voice sounds a little hoarse as he finally takes his hands off you, and you immediately wish he was still touching you. So you don’t think - you just reach back and undo the ties of your bikini top, letting the flimsy material drop down. 

“Actually, do you mind?” You give him the most innocent, coy look you can muster up as you glance at him over your shoulder. You have to steel yourself, because his bare chest is so close to you since he’s still only wearing his wet swim trunks. “Nothing worse than getting burned under those strings because the spf didn’t protect everything.” 

He almost sighs, the slightest shake of his head this time as he holds your eyes - a little too diligently, really, seemingly doing everything to not look directly at your tits that are on full display with this angle. “Darling…”

“Please, Joel,” you whisper, letting your glance travel down to his mouth for a moment. His lips are parted, slightly chapped, and as you’re staring at them, he almost nervously wets them. You’ve imagined that mouth on you so many times already; kissing you, licking your neck, those plush lips pressed against your cunt as he explores you and makes you come on his tongue. Especially the latter has proven to be very effective when you’re masturbating.

He doesn’t say anything to your plea, just reaches for the bottle again, and moments after the squirting sound of the SPF bottle, his hand is on your back again. Retracing his steps to rub the lotion over the areas he missed earlier, ending with his fingers brushing the last bits of it over the back of your neck. While you’ve kept your eyes on him the entire time, despite the slightly awkward position of looking at him over your shoulder, his eyes were averted from your face - but now he’s done, he looks back up at you.

“You’re all good now,” he says, handing the bottle back to you, his voice sounding even hoarser than before. “I’m - headed inside, gonna get some lunch.”

You nod, but as he straightens up you reach out and grab his arm quickly to stop him. “Thank you, Daddy.” This time you drop the innocent act, your voice now hoarse to rival his, and you can see his eyes flit to your chest for a second before he shakes your hand off his arm. 

“Don’t say that.”

“What?”, you ask as you turn to him, now fully facing him and no longer covered by your bikini top, and he groans as he shakes his head and pointedly looks away, wiping his hands nervously on his swim shorts. “You don’t like Daddy? What do you like - Sir?” It’s clear he’s still half hard, so you push your nerves aside and reach out for his cock, wanting to feel him under your hand.

“DON’T.” This time he surprises you - his hand grabs your wrist before you can touch you, the grip strong and hard. His flustered expression from earlier is gone, and there’s just tension on his face now, his eyes dark but not in the way you were hoping for. 

“Don’t say another word.” Everything about his tone of voice and body language is a very clear warning, including the way he grits his teeth. And you know it’s fucked up, you really do, but it only makes you even more aroused. You want all of that intensity and his rough grip fully directed at you. But even through the haze of horniness you do realize that outside in the yard is not the way to go - and you’ve probably overwhelmed him. 

“I’m sorry, Joel,” you say quickly, trying to appease him, but the expression on his face makes it clear that he doesn’t believe you. So you dial it up a bit, making sure that your voice trembles. “Joel…? Please let me go. You’re hurting me,” you gasp at him, even though that’s far from the truth, but it seems a safe bet to make his anger go away. 

It works like a charm. The harshness immediately leaves his face and his voice as he lets go of you, now looking stricken as he takes a step back. His hands are carefully raised, indicating you’re safe - that he wouldn’t touch you like that again.

“Fuck. I’m - I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to hurt ya,” he stammers, looking at your pouting face, then abruptly turns around and strides back to the house, going inside without uttering another word. 

You exhale deeply, suddenly shaking as you realize you’ve been holding your breath, and you quickly retie the strings of your bikini top, putting it back in place. Your mind is racing as you take a few hits of your vape, trying to process what just happened. 

Fuck, you have to approach this differently. If he didn’t dare to make a move, you just have to be more bold.

next: part 6 >

series masterlist | main masterlist

Thank you for reading, commenting or reblogging - I appreciate it so very much 🙏

🚨 Follow @longlongtime-updates for notifications when the next part drops!

[kentobb]

The Bet (Part Five)

Characters: College!Sukuna x Female Reader

Genre: Angst

Warnings: Ok. Listen yall. There is PURE SMUT at the end. I am warning yall. Second, foul language.

Author’s note: After this part is published, part six will be next in a few minutes since its already written. Pure smut and angst that next chapter.

Part 01

Two months had passed since Sukuna and you had officially started dating, and your relationship had quickly become the talk of the campus. Everywhere you both went, people would smile and whisper, excited by the unlikely yet perfect couple. Sukuna's tough, athletic image was softened by his obvious affection for you, and you seemed to glow with happiness whenever you were by his side.

Hand in hand, you would stroll through the campus, fingers intertwined. Sukuna loved the way your hand fit perfectly in his, and he never missed a chance to pull you closer, pressing a kiss to your temple. Your dates were always filled with laughter and tender moments, from casual coffee shop visits to adventurous ones. But your favorite dates were the book dates, where Sukuna would take you to your favorite bookstore.

In the cozy aisles of the bookstore, you would each choose a book for the other. You would carefully pick out a thriller or a fantasy novel you thought he'd enjoy, and he would select a romance or a classic, knowing how much you loved getting lost in those stories. Both of you would spend hours browsing, reading excerpts to each other, and sharing your thoughts on various books. It was during these quiet moments that both of you felt closest, surrounded by the stories you both cherished.

Tonight was no different in terms of closeness. Both of you curled up in his bed, each engrossed in your own books. You were lying on his chest, and he was gently caressing your hair as you read. The low hum of the TV from the living room indicated that Yuuji and Choso were watching a game, the occasional shouts and laughter providing a comforting background noise.

You closed your book and looked up at Sukuna, a contented smile playing on your lips. He glanced down at you, his heart melting at the sight of your adoration. He closed his book, setting it aside as he shifted you so that you were on top of him.

"Why are you looking at me with those eyes?" he asked, a teasing glint in his eyes.

You giggled, leaning down to kiss the tip of his nose. "What eyes?"

He chuckled, his hands moving to your waist as he pulled you closer. "These eyes," he said, before capturing your lips in a passionate kiss.

Your kisses grew more intense, and he began to grind you gently against him. You moaned into his mouth, a sound that drove him wild. His hands roamed over your back, pulling you closer as your breathing grew heavier. Just as things were heating up, the door suddenly burst open.

Yuuji stood in the doorway, his eyes wide with shock. "Hey! I've been calling you guys for... OH MY GOD, IM SO SORRY!" He screamed, covering his eyes with his hands.

You quickly scrambled off of Sukuna, your face turning a deep shade of red. Sukuna, on the other hand, couldn't help but laugh. "The door is closed for a reason, dumbass. Learn how to knock!" he said, a smirk playing on his lips.

Yuuji stood frozen for a moment, his face a mix of embarrassment and horror. "I... I'm sorry! I didn't know you were... you know!" He turned around, practically running out of the room and slamming the door shut behind him.

You buried your face in Sukuna's chest, mortified. "Oh my god, that was so embarrassing!”

Sukuna continued to chuckle, holding you close. "He will forget.” He tilted your chin up, kissing you softly. "Now, where were we?"

You giggled, pulling back slightly, your cheeks flushed. "Actually, I have to go. I have a night study session with Utahime.”

Utahime. Your new friend. You met her two months ago and now she is your “bestie” according to Sukuna. He was proud of you for making your first friend and having someone else other than him. Although he didn’t mind having you all to himself. He was selfish like that.

Sukuna's face fell comically. "You're leaving me like this?" he pouted, trying to sound playful but clearly feeling a bit needy.

You smiled apologetically, leaning in to give him one last kiss. "I'll kiss you more later, I promise.”

Sukuna sighed dramatically but couldn't help but smile. "Alright, go be a good student. I'm happy you've made a friend, my bookworm."

You quickly gathered your things and left, giving him a final wave before disappearing out the door. Sukuna lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling and feeling the acute pang of unfulfilled desire.

A moment later, Yuuji knocked on the door, the sound exaggerated and mocking. "Knock, knock! Can I come in, or it isn’t safe yet?"

Sukuna groaned, laughing despite himself. "Yeah, come in, you idiot.

Yuuji opened the door cautiously, peeking his head in first. "You're not going to beat my ass are you?”

Sukuna rolled his eyes. "No, but I should.”

Yuuji stepped inside, his face still carrying traces of shock. "Dude, seriously, you two were like... wow. I mean, I've seen some stuff, but that was..."

"Yuuji," Sukuna interrupted, holding up a hand. "I don't need a play-by-play."

Yuuji laughed, plopping down on the bed. "I'm just saying, it's good to see you so happy. And, you know, in love and all that mushy stuff.”

Sukuna smirked, shaking his head. "Yeah, yeah. Stop trying to embarras me.”

Yuuji leaned back, crossing his arms behind his head. "So, what are you going to do now that she's gone to study with her new friend? Need any tips on how to distract yourself from, uh, pent-up energy?"

Sukuna groaned again, tossing a pillow at Yuuji. "If you don’t stop talking, I might actually kill you.”

Yuuji caught the pillow, laughing. "That's why you love me, bro."

Sukuna chuckled, shaking his head. "Yeah, yeah. Now get out of here.”

Yuuji stood up, saluting with a grin. "Yes, sir! Use your lock next time.”

Sukuna laughed, giving Yuuji a playful shove toward the door. "I'll remember that."

As Yuuji left Sukuna's bedroom, Sukuna's phone buzzed with a call from Geto.

"Yo, Sukuna, wanna hang out? We're all chilling in my dorm," Geto said, his voice filled with mischief.

"It's kinda late, man," Sukuna replied, glancing at the clock.

Geto laughed. "What, you got a curfew now? Don't tell me your girlfriend has you on a leash already!"

Sukuna laughed, shaking his head. "Alright, alright. I'll be there in five."

After hanging up, he quickly sent you a text message.

Mr. Mysterious: Hey, heading to Geto's dorm to hang out. See you later?

You replied almost instantly…

My bookworm :): Oki! I’m with Utahime. See you later! <3

Feeling a bit lighter, Sukuna made his way to Geto's dorm. As he entered, he saw his teammates sprawled around the room, chatting and laughing. The familiar camaraderie put him at ease. Even Gojo was there, though Sukuna had noticed he had become more distant recently. Still, Sukuna was determined to bridge that gap.

"Look who decided to show up!" Geto announced loudly, grinning from ear to ear.

Sukuna rolled his eyes playfully. "Yeah, yeah. Don't get too excited."

As he joined them, they handed him a drink, and he started to relax, watching a random game on the TV. The banter flowed easily, but Sukuna could feel Gojo's eyes on him, a mix of curiosity and something unspoken.

"Hey, Sukuna," Geto said, squinting at his neck. "Is that a hickey I see?"

Sukuna's hand flew to his neck, feeling the heat rise in his cheeks. "Uh, maybe."

The room erupted in laughter and teasing. "Our boy's been busy!" one of the teammates shouted.

Geto leaned in, his grin widening. "So, did you guys... you know?"

Sukuna felt the weight of Gojo's gaze intensify. "No, we haven't. She's…” He coughs, “She’s not ready yet," he said, his voice calm but firm.

The room fell silent, everyone staring at Sukuna in disbelief. Known for his reputation, this was the last thing they expected to hear.

Gojo was the first to break the silence, chuckling. "Wait, hold up. You're telling me that for two months…you haven't been getting any?"

Sukuna shrugged, his expression serious. "No."

The room buzzed with shock, and Geto finally spoke up. "Damn, man. I didn't think I'd ever see the day."

Sukuna sighed, feeling the need to explain himself. "We are just taking things slow. Whenever she is ready… I’m ready.” He said

Gojo, still chuckling, added, "Guess our Sukuna's a softie after all."

Sukuna smiled, appreciating the shift in his attitude. "I care about her a lot, and I don't want to mess this up." He said, as he saw Gojo shifted his sight away from him.

Back at your dorm, you were hanging out with your new friend Utahime, the two of you seated at a small table, books and notes spread out around you. The atmosphere was light and filled with laughter as you both attempted to study. For you, this was a new and wonderful experience. You had never really had a friend before, and the bond you were forming with Utahime was something you treasured deeply.

Utahime looked up from her notes, noticing your face light up as you received a text. You giggled softly, your eyes glued to the screen as you typed back a reply. Utahime raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile on her lips. "Sukuna again?"

You nodded, a dreamy smile on your face. "Yeah, he is going to Geto's place. They're going to hang out."

Utahime chuckled. "You guys are so cute. How's everything going with him?"

"Everything is great," you said, your voice filled with genuine happiness.

Utahime watched you for a moment, noticing the way your smile faltered slightly, turning into a small, almost pouty expression. "Hey, what's wrong?" she asked, her tone gentle.

You sighed, looking down at your hands. "I've never had a friend before. I don't really know what's right and wrong to talk about."

Utahime reached across the table, placing a reassuring hand on you.” You can talk to me about anything. That's what friends are for. Beside, you have heard about all of my fail talking stages… so whatever you have in mind can’t be worst than mine.”

You took a deep breath, deciding to share what had been weighing on your mind. "I haven't... you know…done it with Sukuna."

Utahime's eyes widened in surprise, but she didn't say anything, waiting for you to continue.

"And…we were so close of doing it today… until Yuuji came bursting on the door. But that’s not the point" you explained, your voice trembling slightly. "I don’t know if today I would’ve been ready either you know. Like… I am but… I’m scared. What if… he doesn’t like my body? Or he ends up feeling the ick with me? Or what if he changes his mind about me?”

You could feel the anxiety rising within you, your fears bubbling to the surface. Utahime squeezed your hand gently, offering silent support.

"Hey, hey," Utahime said softly, "breathe. It's okay to feel scared. But you need to remember something important—Sukuna likes you for who you are. That won't change."

You looked up, tears welling in your eyes. "But what if—”

"No 'what ifs,'" Utahime interrupted gently. "I've seen the way he looks at you. He looks at you like you're a piece of art, something precious and beautiful."

Your cheeks flushed, a small smile tugging at your lips despite your tears. "Really?"

"Really," Utahime confirmed, smiling warmly. "You don't have to worry about your body or whether he'll change his mind. He cares about you, and that won't change just because of something like that."

You felt a wave of relief wash over you, Utahime's words sinking in and calming your fears. You hugged your friend tightly, feeling grateful for the support and understanding. "Thank you, Utahime. I really needed to hear that."

Utahime hugged you back, squeezing you reassuringly. "That's what friends are for. Anytime you need to talk, I'm here for you."

She pulled back from the hug, smiling. The tension that had been hanging over you seemed to lift, replaced by a sense of peace and confidence.

"Now," Utahime said, playfully nudging you, "let's get back to studying before we both fail this test."

You laughed, feeling lighter than you had in weeks. "Alright, alright. But you know I'm going to ace this."

"Oh, confident now, are we?" Utahime teased, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Maybe just a little," you replied, grinning.

You both dove back into your studies, the room filled with the comfortable silence of turning pages and scribbling notes.

As the night went on, you couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude. You had a wonderful boyfriend who cared deeply for you and a new friend who was quickly becoming an important part of your life. The fears and doubts that had plagued you seemed smaller now, overshadowed by the love and support you felt from those around you.

When you finally decided to call it a night, you felt more at peace than you had in a long time. You hugged Utahime once more, thanking her for being such a good friend.

"Anytime," Utahime said with a smile. "Now go get some rest."

Utahime waved as she started to walk away, her heart light from the pleasant evening they had shared. She couldn't help but smile, feeling grateful for the bond they were forming. But as she walked down the quiet, dimly lit path back to her own dorm, she couldn’t help but to feel guilty. Her phone began to ring. She glanced at the screen and saw Mei Mei's name flashing.

With a sigh, she answered. "Mei Mei."

"Utahime," Mei Mei's voice came through, smooth and confident. "How did everything go?"

Utahime's smile wavered slightly as she remembered your conversation. "You don’t have anything to worry about. They haven’t done it.”

Mei Mei's laughter rang through the phone, sharp and knowing. "I knew it," she said, her tone dripping with satisfaction. “That’s why he hasn’t left yet.”

Utahime hesitated, glancing around to make sure no one was within earshot. "So? What are you planning to do?” she asked quietly.

"Nothing really. Yet. I’m just waiting for the right time.” Mei Mei replied, a smirk evident in her voice. "Sukuna won't last long in that stupid relationship.”

Utahime couldn't help but laugh nervously, though a part of her felt uneasy about the whole situation. "Are you sure? He seems… pretty in love.”

"Why don’t you just keep following the plan, hm? More to do and less talking." Mei Mei said, her voice firm. “Just wait and see.”

Utahime nodded, even though Mei Mei couldn't see her. "Yeah…”

As she hung up the phone, her smile faded completely. She pocketed her phone and continued walking, her thoughts a mix of guilt and resolve. She knew she was in too deep, and the stakes were high. But Mei Mei has been her best friend since first grade. And she would do anything for her best friend. So for now, she would have to play along, hoping that things wouldn't get too complicated.

After Utahime left, you stood in your room for a moment, taking a deep breath. The study session had been wonderful, and you felt a warm glow of friendship and support from Utahime. Now, it was time to get ready for your sleep over with Sukuna. You began packing a small bag, placing your essentials and a few overnight items inside. As you reached for a brush, your eyes caught sight of a lingerie set you had bought a few days ago while shopping.

The lingerie was delicate, white with a small red bow that made you think of Sukuna. You picked it up, running your fingers over the soft fabric. "Am I ready?" You whispered to yourself, a mix of excitement and anxiety bubbling up inside you.

You knew you were ready, but fuck, that fear lingered. What if he got a post-nut clarity, like those countless post you have read about in Reddit? The thought made your heart race with worry. You started to overthink, your mind spiraling with doubts and insecurities again.

But then you remembered Utahime's reassuring words: Sukuna liked you for who you are, and that wouldn't change. Right? You took a deep breath, trying to calm yourself.

Deciding that tonight was the night.

Determined, you ran a warm bath, letting the soothing water relax your tense muscles. You brushed your hair, feeling more confident with each stroke. After your bath, you slipped into the white lingerie, the red bow standing out against your skin. You then put on a dress to cover it, a simple yet elegant outfit that made you feel beautiful.

Taking one last look in the mirror, you gathered your courage and grabbed your bag. You left your dorm, heart pounding with anticipation and excitement. The walk to Sukuna's dorm seemed to take forever, each step filled with a mix of eagerness and nerves.

As you turned a corner, you saw your boyfriend walking towards you from the opposite direction. His face lit up with a smile when he saw you, and without a word, he closed the distance between you and kissed you gently.

"Hey, baby," he said, his voice warm and reassuring.

"Hey," you replied, your voice soft and a bit shaky.

Sukuna noticed the bag she were carrying and, without hesitation, took it from you. “Let me carry that for you," he said, slinging it over his shoulder.

Both of you started walking together, heading towards his place. He glanced at you and noticed the slight blush on your cheeks, the way your hands fidgeted nervously. He could tell something was on your mind.

"What's up?" he asked, gently ruffling your hair. "You seem a bit... distracted."

You looked up at him, trying to muster a reassuring smile, but your nerves were getting the best of you. "Oh, it's nothing," you said, though your voice betrayed your anxiety.

Sukuna chuckled softly, pulling you closer and kissing your forehead. "Come on, you can tell me," he teased. "What's got my baby blushing?”

She bit your lip, feeling the heat rise to your cheeks even more. He took one look at you and chuckled, “You’re cute.”

You both arrived at his dorm, the night air filled with anticipation. As you stepped inside, you were greeted by the sight of Yuuji and Choso lounging in the living room, engrossed in a movie.

Yuuji was the first to notice you. "Hey, you two! Welcome back," he called out with a grin.

Choso looked up and waved. "Good to see you!"

Yuuji's grin turned mischievous as he looked at Sukuna. "Don't forget to actually lock the door this time, big bro," he teased, winking exaggeratedly.

Choso chuckled and Sukuna rolled his eyes, a smirk playing on his lips. "This is why you’re adopted.”

You couldn't help but laugh at the banter, feeling more at ease despite your nerves. Sukuna said his goodbyes to his brothers, leading you to his room. You have been here before, but this was going to be your first sleepover with your boyfriend, and the thought made your heart race.

You knew he had no idea what you wanted to do tonight, but you also knew he was being incredibly patient with you. As you entered his room, you found yourself lost in thought, the nervousness building up inside you.

Sukuna's voice broke through your reverie. "I'm going to take a quick bath," he said, grabbing a towel from a nearby shelf. "Make yourself comfortable."

You nodded, trying to steady your breathing. "Okay."

As Sukuna disappeared into the bathroom, you sat on the edge of the bed, your mind racing. The nerves were getting to you, again and you felt your heart pounding in your chest. You didn't know how long you had been lost in your thoughts, but suddenly you realized you could no longer hear the shower.

The bathroom door opened, and Sukuna stepped out, steam billowing around him. He was without a shirt, droplets of water still clinging to his skin. You blushed deeply, your eyes widening. You had never seen him without a shirt before, and the sight made your heart race even faster.

Sukuna noticed your reaction, he couldn't resist teasing you. "Enjoying the view?" he asked with a playful smirk, walking over to you and kissing your forehead gently.

You couldn't bring yourself to speak, so you just nodded, feeling your face heat up even more. Your hand moved almost on its own, reaching out to touch his abs. As your fingers brushed against his skin, Sukuna's own cheeks flushed, a rare sight for someone usually so confident.

The feeling of your touch was electrifying. He took your hand in his, guiding it gently across his abs. "You okay?" he asked softly, his voice filled with reassurance.

He looked into your eyes and saw them filled with need, a mix of nervousness and lust that mirrored his own feelings. You stood up from the bed, your movements delicate and hesitant.

He watched as you took a deep breath, your fingers trembling slightly as they reached for the hem of your dress. You lifted it over your head and let it fall to the floor. The sight before him took his breath away. You stood there, almost naked, dressed in a delicate set of white lingerie that made his heart race.

In that moment, he felt as if time had stopped. The dim light of the room cast a soft glow on your skin, highlighting your curves and the intricate details of the lace. You looked like a vision, ethereal and breathtaking. He could barely contain the surge of emotions that rushed through him-desire, admiration, and an overwhelming sense of love.

Your eyes met his, and in them, he saw a mix of vulnerability and determination. You were telling him without words that you were ready, that you trusted him. He stepped closer, his gaze never leaving yours and gently took your hands in his.

He leaned in close, his warm breath tickling your ear. "Let me make you mine.” Your heart pounded in your chest as you nodded, unable to speak. You had never felt such intense desire, and the fact that it was your first time made the moment even more electric. Sukuna seemed to sense your nervousness and pulled you gently into his arms, kissing the top of yout head. "Relax, baby," he murmured.

His words sent a wave of relief through you, and you snuggled closer, inhaling his fresh, clean scent. His strong arms felt like home, and you couldn't help but let out a contented sigh.

"Better?" he whispered, nuzzling your neck, his scruff brushing softly against your sensitive skin.

"Much," you replied, tilting your head to give him better access. You closed your eyes as you felt his lips press gently against the pulse point on your neck, his hands roaming gently over your back. One hand slipped on your bra, his fingers tracing patterns on your lower back, sending sparks of pleasure throughout your body.

He continued his sensual assault, kissing a trail down your neck to the sensitive spot where your shoulder met your collarbone. He nibbled gently, causing you to gasp and arch your back, pressing yourself closer to him. Taking advantage of your position, he slipped his hand under your bra, cupping your breast and thumbing the peak through the thin fabric.

You moaned softly, your hands clutching at his shoulders. You had never felt such pleasure, and you wanted more. Sukuna seemed to read your mind, tugging your bra over your head in one smooth motion before taking your mouth in a searing kiss. His tongue teased yours mimicking the movements he wanted to make lower down your body, and you opened to him, eager to explore this new world of sensation.

Breaking the kiss, Sukuna trailed kisses down your jaw and along the curve of your neck, pausing to suck gently on the sensitive skin, leaving a mark that would remind you of this moment long after it had passed. His hand slid down your body, fingertips grazing the tops of your breasts, your nipples pebbling at the light touch. With a gentle squeeze, he rolled the peaks between his thumb and forefinger, earning a soft whimper from you.

"You like that, baby?" he murmured, his hot breath fanning over your damp skin. "You like it when I touch you here?" He pinched the peaks gently, rolling them between his fingers, and you nodded, too lost in sensation to form words.

Sukuna smiled against your skin, loving how responsive you were to his touch. He wanted to worship your body, to explore every inch of your perfect skin. Sliding his hands down your sides, he lifted you onto his lap, shifting so that you could straddled him. The position allowed him to cup your breasts fully, and he moaned softly at the feel of their weight in his palms. Leaning forward, he took one nipple into his mouth, swirling his tongue around the bud before sucking gently, then firmly, earning a soft cry from you.

"K-Kuna," you breathed, threading your fingers through his hair, encouraging him to continue his delicious torment. He switched to the other peak, giving it the same attention, before pulling back to admire your swollen, damp nipples. "So beautiful," he murmured, capturing one peak between his thumb and forefinger, rubbing it slowly as he leaned in to capture your mouth in a deep, passionate kiss.

You moaned into the kiss, your body on fire. You wanted—no, needed—more. Breaking the kiss, you looked into his dark, passionate eyes. "Please," you whispered. "I- I want you.”

Sukuna's heart swelled at your words. He had hoped, but never imagined you would offer yourself to him so willingly. "Are you sure, baby?" he asked, his voice hoarse with desire. "I don't want to rush you. We can take it slow."

"I'm sure," you replied, your eyes shining with desire. "I trust you, Sukuna. I want this moment to be with you."

He captured your lips in a fierce kiss, pouring all his love and desire into the embrace. His hands roamed over your back, tracing patterns on your soft skin, before sliding down to grip your firm ass. Squeezing gently, he urged you closer, grinding his hardening cock against your core through your panties.

The feeling of his arousal sent a jolt of need through you, and you rocked your hips, seeking more friction. Sukuna groaned, tearing his mouth from yours. “Fuck, baby, you feel so good," he growled, his voice thick with desire. "Let me take care of you.

Sitting you back on the bed, he stood and quickly shed his towel, letting you take in the sight of his muscular body. His erection pointed proudly towards you, and your mouth watered at the thought of having him inside you. He was big, that’s for sure. Reaching behind you, Sukuna slipped your panties off and tossed them aside.

His dark eyes devoured the sight of your naked breasts, full and lush, the dusky pink nipples begging for his attention. Cupping them in his palms, he lowered his head, taking one nipple into his mouth as he rolled the other between his thumb and forefinger, earning a soft moan from you. Sucking gently, he lavished attention on one peak before switching to the other, determined to drive you wild with pleasure.

You threaded your fingers through his hair, holding him to you as waves of pleasure washed over you. You had never known your breasts could be so sensitive, every touch sending sparks of desire straight to your core. "Please," you whispered again, needing more, needing him.

Sukuna released your nipple with a soft pop, trailing kisses down your abdomen, his hands reaching behind your ass, he paused to kiss the insides of your thighs, earning a soft whimper as your knees fell open on their own accord. He chuckled softly against your skin, the vibrations sending shivers through you.

"So responsive," he murmured, nipping gently at your inner thigh before trailing kisses lower, closer to your core.

You held your breath as you felt his hot breath fan over your most intimate folds. You were wet, aching for him, and couldn't wait to feel his mouth on you. Sukuna, seemingly able to read your mind, obliged, pressing a soft kiss to your swollen pussy lips before flicking his tongue across your clit, causing you to cry out and grip his hair tightly.

"That's it, baby," he murmured, the vibration of his words sending shocks of pleasure through you. "Let me hear how much you're enjoying this." He sucked your clit into his mouth, swirling his tongue around the bundle of nerves before nibbling gently with his teeth, sending you spiraling closer to the edge.

You moaned loudly, hips bucking involuntarily as Sukuna continued his assault on your sensitive bundle of nerves. His hands gripped your thighs, holding you in place as he devoured you, his tongue delving into your wet heat, tasting your essence as he sucked greedily on your clit. Your pleasure built, coiling tightly in your belly, and you knew without a doubt that you’re was his, body and soul.

Sukuna sensed your impending release and increased the pressure of his tongue, rubbing your clit in firm circles as he slid two fingers into your hot, tight channel. Your walls clenched around him, milking his fingers as he curled them upward, seeking the spot that would send you over the edge. Finding it, he rubbed firmly, his mouth working your clit relentlessly.

"K-Kuna I'm—I'm going to—" you stuttered, your breath coming in short gasps as you surged over the precipice, crying out his name as waves of bliss crashed over you. Sukuna continued his relentless assault, riding out your orgasm with you, prolonging the pleasure until you were reduced to a quivering mess, boneless in his arms.

Pulling back, he admired his handiwork, your skin dewy with a post-orgasmic glow, your chest heaving as you panted for breath. "Beautiful," he whispered, climbing onto the bed to lie beside you, pulling you into his arms. You nestled against him, feeling safe and loved in his embrace as he nuzzled your hair. "You were such a good girl baby" he murmured, a satisfied smile on his face.

"I- I want more. I want you." You muttered as you looked at him, your breathing not evenly yet.

Hearing the desire in your voice, Sukuna felt his cock twitch, ready and eager to claim you as his own. "I want you too, baby," he growled, his voice deep and husky. "But we don't have to rush. We have all night."

You shook your head, looking up at him with passionate eyes. "I want to feel you.”

His dark eyes smoldered with desire. "As you wish, my baby.” Climbing over you, he positioned himself at your entrance, the tip of his throbbing cock teasing your wet folds. "Are you ready, baby?"

Nodding, you wrapped your legs around his waist, urging him forward. With a slow thrust, he entered you, groaning at the tightness surrounding him. You gasped, your eyes widening at the sensation of being stretched, filled by him. Holding still, Sukuna gave you a moment to adjust to his size, kissing you softly as you whispered words of encouragement.

"You feel so good, baby," he murmured, nipping at your earlobe. "So tight and wet. Made just for me."

You moaned softly, your body relaxing around him as he stroked your hair and kissed you tenderly. "Move," you whispered, wanting to feel him deep inside you. "Please, Sukuna."

With a gentle thrust, Sukuna began to move, sliding in and out of your wet heat, setting a slow, sensual rhythm. You met his thrusts, your hips moving in perfect synchronization as you rose to greet each stroke, bodies creating a delicious friction. Wrapping your legs tighter around him, you urged him on, your breath coming in short gasps as pleasure spiraled through you once more.

Sukuna leaned in, capturing your mouth in a passionate kiss as he increased the pace, his hips moving faster, slamming into you with deep, hard strokes that had the headboard banging against the wall. Fuck, Yuuji and Choso are going to kill him tomorrow.

You cried out, nails digging into his back as you met his passion with your own, bodies slick with sweat, sliding against each other as both of you moved in perfect harmony.

Reaching between your bodies, Sukuna found your swollen clit, rubbing it in firm circles as he thrusted into you, aiming for that sweet spot deep inside you. You moaned, the pleasure building again, crashing over you in waves as you surged towards another climax.

"That’s it baby, cum for me, baby," Sukuna growled, his own orgasm building as your inner walls clenched around him. "Come on my cock."

His words sent you over the edge, crying out his name as your walls clamped down on him, milking his cock as he joined you in release, filling you with his hot cum. Gasping for breath, he collapsed onto you, his weight crushing you into the mattress as he struggled to catch his breath.

You laughed softly, your fingers threading through his hair as you looked up at him with adoring eyes. "K-Kuna" you breathed, pressing soft kisses to his sweaty forehead. "I love you."

He raised his head, his dark eyes filled with passion and love. "I love you too, baby," he murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to your lips.

YES. I WARNED YALL. IT WAS PURE SMUT. BUT THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR THE NEXT PART. 🩷 Also, this is my first time writing smut.

[kaciidubs]

Hiii i’m new here so let me guide you through my chan brain rot so you can decide if this request is worth it or not☝️🤓

Ok so i’ve been thinking about bff Chan picking up fem swimmer!reader from late night practice and getting there a bit early so she’s still in the pool. He gets horny seeing her legs (i’m a simp for swimmers’ legs IM SO SOREY) and soaking wet and they fuck in the dressing room (just bc i think pool sex is too messy but this part is wtv for me).

Honestly i just think Chan is such a but/legs guy, i imagine him going insane between them and fucking the mc so hard to fulfill his horny and sentimental needs towards her.

- 🎃 (pumpkin anon if i may??)

Swim Practice

Oh lovely, I've got Chan brain rot 24/7 so let's get into it!!! And of course you can be pumpkin nonie! Sorry it took me so long! 💕

❣ Summary: Chris, your best friend who picks you up after late night swim practices. Chris, your best friend who might just have a thing for your legs. ❣  ❣ Word Count: 1.2k ❣ Warnings: Smut, fluff, slight humor, unprotected sex, slight public sex [locker room], slight leg kink [Chris], Reader knows how to swim, Reader is also kinda sassy, Chris being a slightly annoying best friend [lovingly] ❣  ❣ Female! Reader [No use of Y/N] | You/Your pronouns ❣  ❣ Additional Tags: Chan is referred to as Chanstopher, Channie, and Chris, Reader is referred to as Littlest Mermaid and Baby, Chris' dad is mentioned once ❣ Stray Kids Masterlist ❣ General Masterlist

Littlest Mermaid 🪸: Channie! You’re still free to pick me up after practice, yeah? Chanstopher🐺: Yeah, I’ve got you Chanstopher🐺: What time do you get out again? Littlest Mermaid 🪸: I’ve got the place booked till 10 Chanstopher🐺: Late practice again? Littlest Mermaid 🪸: Mhm- Mr. Bahng told me I could since all the little kiddos are in their summer lessons Littlest Mermaid 🪸: I owe you big time I swear!! Chanstopher🐺: Yeah yeah, I’ll see you later!

Chris checked the text chat one last time as he pulled open the door to the community center, checking the time at the top of the screen - 9:34 PM, sure he was a bit early, but there was no way you were actually using the whole reservation time.

You and Chris had been best friends since he accidentally pushed you into the pool during your beginner swim lessons, and when he tried to help you out, you’d used all your 9-year-old strength to pull him in instead - from then on, you both have been attached to the hip. Where he was taking swimming lessons to compete in the local swim meets, you were taking swimming lessons because it was either that or gymnastics, according to your parents.

Still, despite your differing reasons for being in the swim classes - proudly led by his parents - you two managed to turn an unfortunate meeting into a friendship that would stand the test of time; from supporting him in his swim meets to supporting him in award shows, you remained a constant in his life.

Of course, he did his best to reciprocate the same support through sending you a wall of text when he learned you’d be taking up swim meets casually in your own division, and staying up late to watch the recordings of said swim meets that his mom and sister sent on your behalf. 

It was only when he went home one time two years ago that the tradition of him picking you up from late practices began; one surprise pop-up turning into him being your designated ride for as long as he was in Australia.

Walking down the all-too-familiar halls, the smell of chlorine slowly seeped into the air before he reached the double doors of the pool room, various warnings and rule lists plastered across the front. He pushed through the doors, the sound of splashing water proving him wrong as he spotted your form floating in the shallow end - eyes closed and limbs splayed out like a starfish, most likely relaxing after a few laps.

Smirking to himself, Chris snuck toward the edge of the pool you were closest to before bending down, putting his hand in the slightly cold water, and splashing water in your direction - laughing as you slipped back into wading.

“What the actual-?!” Wiping your face free of the droplets - ironically making your face even wetter in the process - your fiery glare landed on a familiar face, “Christopher! What the hell was that for?!”

“You looked too peaceful,” he taunted, tongue peaking out of the side of his mouth before a cheeky grin brightened his features.

You rolled your eyes, dipping your hand in the water before flicking some water back in his direction, “Oh whatever - what’re you doing in here anyways? You usually wait outside.”

He shrugged, “I didn’t think you’d still be in the pool - figured I’d just come in and wait this time, haven’t been inside since last year, you know?”

Puffing your cheeks, you waded your way over to the edge before resting your arms on the tiles, “I guess.. Give me one final lap then we can head out, okay?”

“Knock yourself out - we’re still on for Hungry Jacks after, yeah?”

“Of course! There’s no way I’d pass up food after a practice - or food in general.”

With that, he watched as you shuffled your way through the deep end before swimming toward the other half of the pool where they kept laned off for swim meets.

He had to admit, part of him missed competing and the rush of adrenaline when the buzzer went off and all he had to think about was ‘go’, but watching you set up for a lap made that bitterness just a bit sweeter - knowing that you were able to grow from a kid who claimed swimming like a frog was the best form, to earning a few medals in the breaststroke and butterfly stroke category.

The sound of splashing broke him from his reverie, his eyes locking onto your form as you broke into a breaststroke - simple, effective, a good choice to leave off with after hours of practicing with almost perfect technique.

By the time you had turned to finish out your lap, he was already walking toward the pool chair that had your towel draped over your bag, snatching the cloth in preparation for your grand exit.

Oh, how grand it was.

What he wouldn’t give to be the beads of water dripping down the curve of your hips and thighs, skin glistening under the fluorescent lights of the pool room as you pulled yourself out of the pool with hard-earned strength.

Now that you were up close, he could finally notice how your bathing suit was snugly hugging your shape, each bead of water acting like glitter to catch his eye effortlessly - well, almost effortlessly, as he thrusted the towel in your direction without a moment’s notice.

“Uh- Here!”

You took the towel gratefully, shooting him an earnest smile as you took the time to wipe down your arms and chest, “Thanks - just give me a second to rinse off and change, then we can head out.”

Chris meant to answer you, truly he did, but all thoughts of a reply fizzled out into nothing as his eyes began the exciting trail down your body once more - god, he never noticed how wonderfully shaped you were until now, especially your legs.

Curvy, sculpted, from your thighs to your calves, he could only imagine how strong they were - how they’d feel wrapped around his head.

He was a simple man, if he found someone attractive, it was because of a multitude of things, but those legs - your legs, were making him feel like he was a teenager going through puberty again.

“Channie?”

His eyes snapped up to yours, immediately clocking the sparkle of humor mixing with something unfamiliar - it made his stomach flip.

“I could use some help getting out of my bathing suit, if you don’t mind?”

Of course, as a great best friend, who was he to deny you help when you asked?

He could only assume that he was an even greater best friend from the way you were quivering underneath him, your hands holding onto the edge of the towel-covered bench for stability as he fucked you into next week.

“Fuck, look at you,” he groaned, one hand keeping your right leg pressed against his chest while the other gripped your hip, bathing suit laid in a wet heap somewhere along with his sweats and underwear. “You’ve got no clue how many times I’ve dreamt of this.”

Your cunt clenched around him, a shuddering moan falling from your lips as you nodded, “S-Same- fuck, wanted you so bad, Chris- E-Every time you visit.”

“You-” An incredulous scoff escaped him, lips pulling into a cocky smirk, “You waited until now to make a move? Baby, I could’ve been fucking this sweet pussy ages ago?”

You wanted to reply, maybe offer him an apology of some sorts, but his thrusts didn’t let up and the sight of him ducking his head down to press a fleeting kiss to your ankle made your brain evaporate.“It’s fine - we can make up for lost time, yeah?” Dropping his hand to the back of your knee, he pushed your leg up to your torso, mirroring the act with his other hand and your other leg, “After here, after Hungry Jacks, I’m spending the rest of the night with you, between these gorgeous legs of yours.”

[lamemaster]

Ways to Coax Your Beloved

Pairing: Glorfindel x Reader

Genre: Romance, fluff (i swear) , sprinkle of angst

Summary: What began as a minor disagreement now feels like an insurmountable chasm between you two. Never before had an argument lasted so long.

AN: written directly on Tumblr interface this is my mania. Enjoy!

"I've brought us some snacks," you carefully balance the tray on the balcony railing. "Cakes, tea, cookies, crackers, cream rolls – I've got everything." He remains facing away from you, his back tense and unyielding to your words.

"Glorfindel," you take a hesitant step closer, your hand hovering in the air. But before you can say more, he disappears once again. This has been the pattern for a week, the longest and most trying week of your life.

What began as a minor disagreement now feels like an insurmountable chasm between you two. Never before had an argument lasted so long. Your beloved simply did not care to hold on to grudges for long.

Sighing, you lifted the tray, contemplating an excuse that wouldn't draw the pitying gazes of the kitchen staff.

"How do you coax a sulking elf?" Erestor looks up from his book. You had never really conversed much with him before this. There was never a reason to. "Specifically a thousands of years old being whose been born twice and is quite a legend."

Much to your surprise, Erestor does not find your humor hilarious. Leave for slight amusement in his eyes there is little appreciation for your jest.

"I would rather you not discuss this with me," the stern looking elf replies as he simply turns back to his tomes. Yikes! Awkwardly swinging your arms you try to plan for a slightly less awkward exit. "Ah yes," picking up the closest book you plan for your emergency exit from the unforgiving company, "I would like to get this book."

With another scathing look directed your way, Erestor meticulously wrapped your borrowed book in a fancy-looking cloth. "Keep it away from any water, heat, or dirt. Any damage is unacceptable," he instructed curtly.

You solemnly nodded, understanding the gravity of his instructions. "Sounds good," you responded with a casual tone, but Erestor's raised eyebrow reminded you that casualness wasn't his forte.

As you turned to leave, you almost collided with the bookshelf, which seemed to have crept up on you. "Oof," you muttered, swaying your way out of the room.

Then, Erestor's voice halted your steps. "Try Asfaloth," he suggested.

With a wide grin, you turned around and threw a jolly salute to Erestor, who had already returned to his books as if nothing had changed.

Armed with Erestor's invaluable intel, you ventured to the stables. Before arriving there, you made sure to thoroughly search your quarters, Glorfindel's rooms, and other frequently visited areas of the dwelling. Finally, you descended to the stables, where your beloved's horse awaited.

"Asfaloth, my boy, how I've missed you!" Your heartfelt enthusiasm was met with an equally excited neigh from the elegant white stallion. Despite towering over you, Asfaloth possessed a temperament that invited nurturing from anyone.

Performing a playful dance with light stomps to celebrate your arrival was entirely unnecessary but undeniably enjoyable. Or perhaps it was the not-so-well-concealed carrots you held in your hands that fueled your jubilant display. "Have you seen him?" you posed a question to the horse, though you knew full well that, despite elven claims, horses did not possess the gift of speech.

Approaching the gentle giant that was Asfaloth, you deftly ensured that he didn't gobble the carrots too quickly. "Patience," you murmured, adjusting the treats to prevent any mishaps. Abandoning the idea of petting the eager horse, you directed all your focus toward preventing a choking incident. You were acutely aware that Glorfindel would never forgive you if Asfaloth were to asphyxiate on your offerings.

"Where is he, Asfaloth?" Your fingers continued to caress the munching horse as you briefly entertained the idea that, just maybe, the elves were right, and Asfaloth understood you.

No fancy braiding or delicate floral decorations adorned his mane this time. "Why is he avoiding you? What have you done?" you pondered aloud, earning a pitiful whine from your equine companion. "I know, incredibly rude, I must say," you commented, deciding against attempting to braid Asfaloth's mane for the sake of both the world's sanity and your own. Instead, you settled on a comfortable pile of hay, hoping you weren't sitting on Asfaloth's dinner from the previous night.

"I brought him flowers, snacks, I even endured the drudgery of laundry, and I despise laundry. I got him books, a random flute, baked him a cake, and even learned a new card trick. But not a single reaction!" You confided in Asfaloth, desperately hoping for some form of understanding and equally enthusiastic compassion. To your relief, Asfaloth seemed to offer a sympathetic snort at just the right moment.

"You wouldn't believe it, but I even dared to venture into Erestor's little cave for intel. I'm at my wit's end, my friend," you sighed, realizing that the hay pile was indeed quite comfortable.

"I mean, I could try going to the nearest town for something, but I doubt I'd find anything better than these snobbish elves. Besides, those townsfolk charge outrageous prices," you continued, and Asfaloth leaned in, sniffing your satchel in hopes of more treats. Allowing the horse to continue his investigation, you didn't stop him. "I might dip into some of those savings. Perhaps Glorfindel would appreciate some rustic tools, eh?" Tired of Asfaloth's curiosity, you playfully tossed your empty satchel into the corner, which, for some inexplicable reason, Asfaloth chased like an adorable hound.

Tucked away in Asfaloth's cozy abode, you couldn't recall when your consciousness had faded into that blissful six-hour nap – the kind you cherished above all others. In the realm of bizarre dreams, you found yourself pinned to a pile of hay, unable to relinquish the unconventional comfort. Maybe Erestor had been onto something when he recommended Asfaloth.

However, your tranquil slumber was abruptly shattered as a metaphorical tsunami wreaked havoc on your sleeping form. Gasping, you struggled to make sense of the blurry world that seemed to whirl too rapidly for your groggy vision to follow.

"Y/n, oh Eru, you're awake!" A voice echoed through your sleep-addled and hazy thoughts.

Grasping the strong arms that held you close, you attempted to piece together the disaster that had overtaken you. "Wha-" your words faltered as you laid eyes on the tearful and sniffling elf standing before you. It was your first time witnessing such an emotional display, and you couldn't quite believe that elves were capable of producing snot.

Shaking off your mental fog, you slowly realized the peculiar predicament you were in. You were seated on a pile of hay, within the stable, beneath Asfaloth's unflinching gaze, and enfolded tightly in the embrace of the Balrog-slayer himself.

"I-I thought you left. You left like you said," Glorfindel stammered, your hands gently cupped your hiccupping beloved's face as his words tumbled out faster than you could process. "I couldn't find you… I had to… I rushed here, and then, you were… your eyes closed like that." Using your sleeves, you wiped away the relentless tears (and yes, even the snot) that streamed down his face as you sought a way to soothe Glorfindel's overwhelming emotions.

You couldn't help but internally curse yourself for your rambling that had led to this emotional upheaval. Days ago, beneath the relentless blanket of snow and impenetrable clouds, your thoughts had wandered without restraint.

"It happens, Glorfindel," you offered in an attempt to console him, "weariness of the world is unavoidable, even more so for Men. A slight change in weather can trigger it. After all, we are bound to some place beyond this." Your words seemed to offer little solace, evident from your beloved's reddening face.

"It is only natural to ponder death or the end. We Men are born with this burden, so it's not unnatural for such thoughts to sneak in. We call it 'existentialism.' But those ramblings mean nothing right now. I would not leave you, vanish into thin air, or transform into an insect just because the snow wouldn't relent." Your words carried a hint of playfulness, but there was undeniable truth in them. You would depart one day, for a fate separate from his. Before that day came, you both would endure the passage of time, a force that dared not mar the Balrog-slayer.

You harbored thoughts about evading him before he witnessed such a sight, but you knew you had some time left. A few years before you would spend eons waiting for another reunion.

But you chose not to speak of those deeper truths.

"But," you interjected, and Glorfindel perked up at the unexpected word. "I would tell everyone about this if you don't stop being an absolute grump." Just like that, the tension surrounding you both dissipated. "Imagine, 'Balrog Slayer, The Balrog Slayer,' in the stables – hmph!" Your words were cut off as Glorfindel playfully covered your face with his hand.

Even with reddened eyes and a rosy nose, your beloved looked every bit his old self. All traces of your angst and his sorrow dissipated into the slightly stinky breath of Asfaloth.

[thealtoduck]

Psycho

Peter Parker x Male Black Cat!Reader

Warnings: Light-angst, Peter gets mad at reader, alcohol-use, Reader is drunk, mentions of a sex-act…

Peter Parker x Male Black Cat!Reader: Masterlist

Summary: After a night out with his friends a drunk Y/n has to be picked up by Peter to get help home…

——

Peter was at home studying for a chemistry test he had in two days. He was nose deep in a book when his phone started ringing, he looked over on the screen seeing the name ”Y/n L/n”, he streched his hand for his phone and pressed the ’answer’ button.

”Hey Y/n, what’s up?” Peter greeted. ”Hey Peter, yeah, i’m good, just hanging out” Y/n answered his words slightly slurred. Peter assumed he was out drinking somewhere with his friends. ”What about you?” Y/n asked.

”I’m studying for the chemistry test” Peter said while reading through his notes, he heard your friends being loud as usual in the background. ”Oh yeah right, we have chem” Y/n answered messily. ”Why are you calling? Do you need anything?” Peter asked curiously.

”No, just wanted to check in on you, haven’t seen you much this week” Y/n mumbled. ”Y/n, you sound like you’ve been drinking, will you be able to get home safely?” Peter asked worried knowing Y/n’s friends weren’t the most reliable people.

”Uhh yeah, Caleb’s driving i think” Y/n answered casually. ”Is Caleb sober?” Peter asked seriously. ”He’s the most sober” Y/n insisted, knowing Peter would get worried. ”Where are you? I’ll come pick you up” Peter stated. ”No Peter it’s fine, keep studying, i’m fine, plus it’s gonna start raining soon” Y/n told him but Peter had alredy gotten up and walked towards the front door.

”Y/n, where are you?” Peter asked sternly, Y/n sighed and said in defeat ”We’re in the school parking lot”. ”I’ll be there in 20 minutes” Peter said putting on a raincoat. ”Okay… see you…” Y/n said weakly and hung up and Peter left his apartment.

When Peter arrived it was raining heavily and he found a soaked Y/n with an almost empty bottle in hand sitting on the curb. ”Where are your friends?” Peter asked looking around the now empty parking lot. ”I said they could leave, i told them i was getting picked up” you said taking a small sip from the bottle.

”You could’ve at least waited in their car til i arrived, you might catch a cold like this” Peter said helping Y/n up from the curb. ”It’s fine” Y/n said as he found his balance.

”Come on, let’s go to my place” Peter grabbing your arm lightly to try make you come with him and you knew there was no point arguing back. You threw your bottle in the closest trashcan after taking one last sip and you made your way to Peter’s apartment.

When the two arrived and stepped through the door you were drippig wet from top to bottom. You sneaked in to Peter’s room and Peter helped you out of your wet clothes and in to a pair of his boxers. ”Thanks Peter, i promise i’ll be out before May wakes up, you two shoudn’t have to deal with me like this” you said as Peter came back from putting your clothes in the dryer.

”Don’t worry about it, just get some rest” Peter said tired as he walked back to his desk where his chemistry book and notes were waiting for him to continue where he left off. You walked up and hugged him from behind suggesting ”Can’t i do something to thank you, like a blow-job or something?”.

”No! Y/n the only thing i need you to do is go to bed so i can study, okay? This test is important” Peter said annoyed. Y/n let go of him and softly said ”Okay…” and stumbled quietly to the bottom bunk and laid down. You watched as Peter sat down and started studying again.

You didn’t fall asleep tho you just laid there watching Peter study while you felt bad for calling and bothering him in the first place. About an hour later Peter got up and changed in to his pyjamas and got ready for bed.

He was about to climb up to the top bunk but you stopped him saying ”Hey Peter” through your drunk daze. ”Yeah” Peter said crouching down beside you. ”I’m sorry, i interrupted your studying and about all this, you shouldn’t have to deal with me like this” you apologised.

”It’s fine, Y/n, just be more careful” Peter said holding his warm hand on your cold bare shoulder. ”I will” you answered. Peter then climbed up to the top bunk.

”Hey Peter, we’ll be okay right?” you asked softly.

”We’ll be okay” Peter answered.

Then you both fell asleep…

The next day Peter woke up and climbed down from the top bunk and saw that Y/n wasn’t there. He looked around the room and noticed a note on top of his chemistry book.

He picked it up and read ”Hi Peter, sorry i left early but i needed to get home to get stuff for school. Plus, I didn’t want May to see me. But thank you so much for everything tonight and again, sorry i interrupted your studying. You’re my hero. - Y/n”. Peter smiled and put the note inside his chemistry book. He picked up the book to go get ready for school.

[yeahtimesten]

How Your Relationship Started With Patrick, Art, or Tashi

As much as it pains me to say it because I’m such a slow burn girly, I think Patrick moves quick in relationships. I know he gives the impression that he’s a player and doesn’t like to get tied down. And maybe that’s what he thinks he’s doing. But really, I think he develops crushes quickly and dates around because he appreciates the art of connecting with people. And I think when he finds a person worth the trouble, he fixates on them with total earnest. He wants to take you on like three dates a week as soon he realizes he likes you. He’s not only quick to get you in bed, but also to ask you to be official with him. He wants to make it clear asap that you are just for him, and he’s just for you. If you insist on taking it slow, he’ll oblige. If you tell him you only want to be fwb or a casual relationship, fine then. But really, if you give him the opening, he’ll be on the topic of marriage and babies in no time. At first, he’s raising red flags with your friends who think he’s love bombing you. But like, he actually loves you, and he eventually proves it to your friends just how down bad he is for you. He’s the total definition of “talking stage? just move in babe we can talk at home.”

Art on the other hand? He takes his sweet ass time. For one, he loves the dance of courtship. Bringing you flowers, opening doors for you. He was raised to be respectful, to be a gentleman. But, I also think he’s scared of rejection and he’s not quick to pick up on reciprocated feelings. He’ll be so respectful, so patient, that maybe you’ll figure he’s not interested and he’s just a nice guy that wants to be your friend. But my god, he’s pining, he’s yearning. His skin burns *so good* if you brush past him or set your hand on his knee. He’s scared to make a real move. Maybe, he even watches you go through a painful break up with another man and is ready to pick up the pieces when you give him the chance. He wants to scream ‘I’m right here! In front of you. Look at me. Don’t make me say it, I’m so in love with you.’ I picture that it takes him a good year to finally confess his feelings. You’ll laugh, and he’ll get totally taken aback, sad, ashamed. But then you’ll say something like ‘what took you so long?’ A wave of relief will wash over him and only then will he be ready to ACTUALLY start the courting process. And the rest of your relationship will be him treating you like he’s still trying to win your heart.

Tashi? Ha. Yearning is too delicate. Whatever she goes through is much more disgusting. The scene in the movie where Art tells her Patrick doesn’t love her and she gets mad and asks if she ever said she needed him to love her (not verbatim lol), my heart breaks for her. I interpret that as her defense mechanism 100%. I wish I knew why, but I see that as she doesn’t think she deserves love. And that’s how she navigates her love life. “Love is 28 different things……. There’s fear and jealousy and revenge, control…” I think being in love is sort of a foreign feeling for her. And, especially if you’re a girl, it’s confusing for her to navigate. When you meet, you probably think she hates you, she acts totally cold to you. You wonder why she hangs around you so often. But you catch her reading a non-academic book that you finished reading about a week ago. And she asks to study with you after class. And she wants to borrow a couple of CDs she sees in your dorm room. And otherwise she’s extremely nosey about all your possessions. One night, she texts to you come to her dorm as soon as possible, and bring ice cream. And because you love her, despite being so confused on where you stand with her, you stop at the closest convenience store to grab her favorite ben and jerry’s (you did your own research, unbeknownst to her) and rush to her side. She’s distraught and she’s not opening up about it at all. You both eat your ice cream with a side of small talk. Eventually, after you poke and prod and offer her some stories about your life, she opens up, not about her feelings, but about her life as well. Growing up, her love for tennis, her other interests. She tells you she really enjoyed that book you were reading, but doesn’t admit she read it because of you. It gets late and you aren’t ready to go home but she looks sleepy and you offer to let her sleep and quietly she says ‘you can stay’ when you’re already halfway out the door. She doesn’t even think she wanted you to hear. But you did, and you join her on her twin sized bed. And for a beat, your laying squished awkwardly like sardines side by side until you adjust your arm above her head, and that’s all the invite she needs to readjust and rest her head on your chest. And without thinking you run your fingers through her hair. And she’s practically purring, until she’s snoring in your arms. That’s when you realize this was never about her hating you.

[lauraneedstochill]

The Greens headcanons (modern!au)

I was inspired by @phiasaban post. the second I saw these photos I had an idea for the modern au and just wrote it all down in 10 minutes (this has nothing to do with the show! it’s just me looking at the photos, mind you):

Alicent is a single mom. loves to cook (def cooks when she’s nervous or upset), has a record collection, loves to dance when she’s tipsy. can be a strict parent when she’s pissed (or really tired) but overall is a mama bear (to the point of getting into arguments with teachers — “yeah, I think I know what’s best for my kids”). she’s an angry driver, keeps her car super clean. dresses casually (plaid shirts and jeans), but whenever she puts on a dress she looks so smoking hot it makes every man turn around after her. tons of them flirt with her but she mostly looks uninterested. deep inside is afraid to get her heart broken again. makes friends with her neighbor Criston (he let her borrow flour a few times). he is totally in love with Alicent and everyone sees it but her. he’s okay with her taking all the time she needs.

Aegon is a fuckboy but a very apologetic one. has no cruel intentions, he just “loves women so much, he can’t help himself”. either writes songs or poetry. has the weirdest captions on instagram. drinks wine 24/7 but manages to look sober when needed. ends up falling in love with one of his closest friends who’s been tolerating him for years, helping him sober up, making him breakfasts, giving cruel reviews of his sappy poems. one day she just casually picks him up in her car, they’re driving in comfortable silence, she asks him how his day went — and it suddenly strikes him that she’s the one. he’ll probably tell her right away (“I think I’m in love with you” — and she sharply presses the brakes). but it will take a couple of weeks for him to fully sober up, convince her to go on a date with him and then to give him a chance. will plant kisses all over her face whenever she’s upset. he loves movie dates, but his sense of humor is questionable.

Aemond is into sports (pick whatever you like, but he doesn’t look like a team player to me lol). very competitive, self-disciplined, doesn’t talk much. girls swoon over him and he ignores them completely. secretly is a nerd, reads a lot (and pretty much anything). falls in love with a girl who challenges him but will also stand by his side in every situation imaginable even if he’s wrong (she won’t shy away from telling him the truth when it’s just the two of them, though). he’s incredibly protective yet very gentle. it’s all about forehead kisses, leaving sweet notes for her, buying flowers for no reason. not a fan of PDA’s but will hold her hand every chance he gets. remembers every single anniversary. they’ll probably adopt a dog. he gives the best hugs and loves when she plays with his hair. they can talk about their favorite books for hours and she loves being the only one who gets to see that side of him.

Helaena is into astrology and tarot cards. has a cat (or three) and probably a little pet snake. talks to animals (I also think she’ll be vegan but don’t quote me on that). buys a lot of plants (and gives them names), maybe in attempt to compensate for her smoking. some may say she has a resting bitch face, but those ppl clearly never saw her smile, 'cause it lights up her face and she looks absolutely adorable. she’s the first one to steal their mother’s car (Alicent is not surprised and just texts her “no smoking in the car!”). annoyed with her brothers most of the time but god forbid someone dares to hurt them. carries a pocketknife (it looks very pretty, decorated with crystals and stuff), wears long t-shirts. adventurous but it takes time for her to trust people. will fall in love with someone who’s kind (and maybe introverted?). they’ll get matching tattoos (smth very small and simple), go on road trips and music festivals. yes, I can totally imagine her being queer.

➡ next: modern!Aemond Targaryen, college au part 1 — “All yours” part 2 — First time for everything 💌 my masterlist

[lovelynim]

Daily report

Eighty Six - Shin & Theo and Raiden (feat. Lena)

A/N: Of course my first (official) client would be @wertzunge! Thank you so much for your constant support and your trust! I hope this is of your liking, my dear, dear customer ~

Summary: As the captain of the squad, Shin is giving Lena his daily report, but the call starts to get a little... unstable.

Word count: 1118 words

“And that’s how it went today, major,” Shin spoke softly, his eyes lost in the barren fields that surrounded the squad’s base at the Eastern Front First Ward. The night would be dead silent if it weren’t for the girl on the other side of the line and, obviously, the rest of the group that was still inside the old house. “That's all I have to report.”

“I’m glad to hear everything went well, captain,” Lena hummed on the other side of the line, her gaze fixed on the sketch book in front of her. “But this isn’t really the kind of answer I was expecting, if I’m being honest with you.”

Shin arched his eyebrow, puzzled. He already knew the girl wasn’t like the other handlers the Spearhead Squadron had in the past, but, still, what else did she want to hear? “Is that so? What were you expecting, major?” He muttered, leaning back in his chair, crossing his hands behind his back and one knee over the other. 

Lena giggled on the call, imagining what kind face the captain would be making. “When I asked you ‘how was your day’, I wasn’t requesting an official report, captain.”

“Ah,” he looked up to the starless sky, letting out a small chuckle, “my mistake, then.”

“Let me try again,” Lena smiled, twirling a strand of hair in her hand, “how was your day, captain?”

“Peaceful, I suppose,” Shin muttered, closing his eyes as he barely gave his own words much thought before speaking them out loud. There was no need for those formalities, after all. 

While Shin let himself sink in the casual - and private - conversation with the squad’s handler, two pairs of eyes peeked at him from the corner of the closest doorframe. Theo and Raiden slowly retreated back inside, with Shin’s voice almost fading in the distance.

“They are doing it again,” Theo mumbled, a pinch of annoyance in his voice. “Tsk, ‘let’s wrap up for today’ my foot, they just wanted to talk by themselves.”

“Hah, and you are jealous? Of him or the major?” Raiden teased, scoffing. Still, he couldn’t deny that it was - at least - curious that the oh-so-reserved Undertaker agreed in spending some hours of each of his nights chit chatting with the handler. 

Theo frowned, leaning to get another peek at his captain, “whatever. Are you ready?” The blonde grinned, looking at Raiden with the corner of his eyes and feeling excitement sparkle inside his chest when the other man nodded.

It was time to put their plan into action.

“...and then we had lunch together. It was pretty nice,” Shin commented, not aware of the shy smile that took place in his lips while talking to Lena - and also not aware of the two figures silently moving in the background. 

“I can imagine,” Lena, on the other end of the call, had already moved away from her desk. Strolling around her bedroom, the handler eyed the balcony, thinking about the squad under her care. “So, according to your report,” she continued, jokingly, “the squad went through some training during the afternoon. Did you join them this time, captain?”

“Someone needs to keep an eye on the group,” Shin replied in a monotone, making Lena wonder if he was being serious or joking back at her. While some other members were like an open book, it was pretty hard to get a grip on Shin's feelings sometimes. 

Walking over her bed, Lena sat on the edge of the mattress before allowing herself to fall on the soft surface. Swinging her feet in the air, the handler pondered about her next words, not wanting to let the conversation end at that point.

“But,” Shin resumed, picking up the topic from where he had left it. “I did take pa-ahart- h-hey!”

“Huh?” Lena frowned, rolling onto her side and laying on her stomach. “Captain, is everything all right?” She narrowed her eyes, doubling the attention she was paying to the conversation, but all she could hear from the other sound were… some sort of static? Or some other type of unknown noise. “Shin,” Lena insisted, “did something happen?”

“G-give meheh a secohond!”

Eh?

Lena pinched the bridge of her nose, gently rubbing her eyes. She must’ve misheard it, but, for a moment, she could swear that Shin was… laughing?

“S-sure, but you’re ok, right?”

“Y-yehes, it’s just- agh, you two, stohohop it!”

“Huh? W-who is there?” Lena inquired, but nothing that sounded like an answer came from Shin’s end - just more noise, lots of noise. On the other side of the line, Shin fought as if his life depended on it. Sadly, it all seemed like a losing battle.

Theo and Raiden, working together like they never did, grinned at the Undertaker. 

“What’s wrong? ~ Aren’t you going to answer the major? ~” Theo teased, keeping his arm wrapped around Shin’s leg while his other hand dug and prodded at the sides of Shin’s thigh and the back of his restrained knee.

Raiden, standing behind the captain, held Shin’s head in an armlock while his other hand moved against the captain’s sides and ribs, playing him like some sort of instrument. Unlike Theo, Raiden remained quiet, not wanting his voice to be captured by the mic - still, there was no need for words when his expression said all he wanted to.

“I-it’s nohohoting, m-major,” Shin gritted his teeth, trying to somehow coordinate his moves between punching Raiden in the face and kicking Theo away - but it was all for nought. “J-just sohohome minor i-issues!”

Lena felt the back of her throat going dry, unable to say something back while Shin’s laughter echoed through the voice call. Lena felt some heat spreading up to her face, tainting her pale skin with a bright shade of red. “S-should we stop for today? I don’t want to-”

“NOHohoh,” Shin laughed, his voice raising slightly as Raiden managed to dig his fingers under his arm, “a-ahah, i-it’s fihihine!”

The handler jumped in her bed, sitting up in a hurry. “A-are you sure?” She chuckled nervously, pressing her hands against her flustered cheeks.

“Y-yehehes!” Shin pressed his eyes shut while a large grin spread over his face. “J-just gihihive me a sehecond t-to- agh, dahahamn it!”

“O-ok, ok,” Lena smiled, “I will call you back in a few minutes.”

click

As soon as her fingers hit the button, the handler fell back into her bed and let out a huge, dreamy sigh. “I can’t believe… they actually followed my orders. I need to thank Theo and Raiden later…” 

Lena reached for one of her pillows, wrapping it into a tight hug while she hid her flustered face. “Poor Shin, heheh…”

[starskq]

SEVEN MINUTES / H.J

Pairing ◊ college student!reader x college student!Jinsik (ft. Sumin and Hyunwoo)

Genre ◊ fluff, slightly suggesting

Warnings ◊ making out, hair pulling, neck kisses

Word count ◊ 3k

Summary ◊ Your friend Hyunwoo invited you to a party, and you never expected to found yourself in a closet with your crush.

It was a warm Friday afternoon on the sprawling campus of Haneul University. You were sitting under the old oak tree, your usual spot between classes, flipping through your psychology textbook but barely absorbing any information. Your mind wandered, as it often did, to Jinsik. You had admired him from afar since their first year. He was not just handsome but also effortlessly charming, known for his goofy sense of humor and being one of the most intelligent guys on campus. You had exchanged words a few times, as you had some friends in common, but you always felt your shyness hold you back from engaging him further.

Just then, Hyunwoo plopped down beside you, his backpack thudding to the ground. Hyunwoo was one of your closest friends and, coincidentally, Jinsik’s best friend. 

"Hey, y/n, what’s up?" Hyunwoo said, releasing a big sigh when he touched the grass. 

You closed your book, a small smile creeping onto your face. "Just trying to study, but it's not going well."

"Well, then, it’s perfect timing! There's a party at Sumin’s place tonight. You should come."

You hesitated, pouting your lips slightly. You weren't much of a party person, preferring quieter settings where you could blend into the background. "I don't know, Woo. I have a lot of work to do, and parties aren’t my thing."

He raised an eyebrow, leaning back on his hands, signing innocence as he looked up at the tree’s branches. "Jinsik's going to be there."

Your heart skipped a beat at the mention of Jinsik’s name. You quickly composed yourself, rolling your eyes. "Oh, come on. Just because he’s gonna be there doesn’t mean I have to go. I don’t care,’’ you scoffed, trying to sound convincing.

He smirked, not buying it for a second. "Sure, sure. I believe you," he said sarcastically. "But really, it’ll be fun. And who knows, maybe you’ll get to talk to him more. Plus, you owe me for covering for you in cogn last week."

You sighed, knowing he wouldn’t let it go. "Fine, I’ll go. But only for a little while, and only because you’re so persistent."

Hyunwoo grinned triumphantly. "Awesome! I'll pick you up at eight."

As evening fell, you found yourself in front of the mirror, second-guessing your outfit for the fifth time. You settled on a casual yet flattering ensemble—a pair of high-waisted jeans and a cute crop top. With a final deep breath, you grabbed your phone and headed out to meet Hyunwoo.

As you and Hyunwoo stepped into Sumin’s apartment, you were immediately greeted by a burst of loud music and a drunk college student. The place was alive with laughter, music, and the hum of conversations. The living room was packed, with people mingling around the snack table while others danced.

Hyunwoo led you through the crowd, pausing occasionally to exchange greetings with familiar faces. You soon found Sumin, another close friend of yours, who was chatting animatedly with a group near the kitchen.

"Y/n, Hyunwoo!" Sumin called out, waving you over. "Glad you guys could make it!’’

You smiled, feeling a bit more at ease with Sumin's welcoming presence. You did not know that many people, so it was nice to see a familiar face. "Hey, Sumin. You good?’’ 

Sumin grinned. "Pretty good! Come on, let's get you guys some drinks.’’

As you moved towards the makeshift bar area, Hyunwoo whispered in your ear, "Remember, just relax and have fun. You look great, by the way.’’

You gave him a grateful smile, taking a cup from Sumin. You honestly had no idea what was inside, but oh well. The three of you chatted and laughed, reminiscing about your last study session and the latest gossip.

Just then, Jinsik appeared, his usual aura of confidence and charm making its way through the crowd. He spotted you and Hyunwoo, a wide grin spreading across his face.

"Hey, look who it is!" Jinsik called out, striding over to you. "Y/n, you made it! I'm so happy you're here.’’

You felt your cheeks heat up, but you managed a shy smile. "Hi, Jinsik. Yeah, Hyunwoo dragged me here.’’

Jinsik's eyes sparkled with genuine delight. "You look amazing tonight," he said, his tone sincere but hinting at his trademark playfulness. "I was hoping you'd come.’’

Your heart fluttered at his words, but you tried to play it cool. "Thanks. It's nice to see you too. It’s been a while.’’

As the night progressed, you found yourself standing on the balcony with Jinsik, the cool night air a welcome relief from the warmth inside. You really were not a party person, but you had to admit that Jinsik made it pretty fun. Hyunwoo was probably somewhere with some girl by now, and you did not mind spending the rest of your night talking with Jinsik like you had been doing for the past hour or so. 

Jinsik let out a big sigh as he leaned against the railing and looked out at the view, enjoying the wind hitting his face lightly. ‘’Sometimes these parties get a bit overwhelming.’’ 

You nodded, your nerves finally settling as you stood beside him. ‘’Yeah, it’s a bit more peaceful out here. Plus, it’s nice to just talk.’’ 

He turned to you, a playful grin on his face. ‘’I agree. You’re pretty fun to talk to.’’ 

You chuckled a bit, smirking. ‘’Why? You doubted it?’’

He shook his head lightly, ‘’No,’’ he chuckled a bit. ‘’But it’s nice.’’ 

You felt your cheek heating up a bit. You never really had a one-on-one conversation with him, and you had to admit, he was hilarious and charming. And he was so handsome up close. It should be a crime. The worst part was he seemed utterly oblivious of how handsome he was. 

You continued talking, sharing stories, and laughing easily. The conversation flowed naturally, and you felt a growing connection with him. The more you talked with him, the more your crush intensified. His goofy charm and genuine interest in your life and opinions made you feel so special, and you wondered if he was that way with everyone. 

Just as you were laughing about one of his ridiculous high school stories, Sumin appeared at the balcony door, his signature smile on his face. ‘’Hey, you two. We’re about to start a game of truth or dare in the bedroom. You in ?’’

Jinsik turned to look at you, raising an eyebrow. ‘’We don’t have to go if you don’t want to.’’ 

You hesitated for a moment, but his playful look and Sumin’s pleading eyes convinced you. ‘’I don’t mind. Let’s go.’’ 

You followed Sumin to the bedroom, which you assumed was his because of the way everything was well organized and clean. You saw a group, in which you recognized Hyunwoo and a girl from your chemistry class, Jiwon, who seemed particularly close to your friend. You smirked. It was so obvious how she was crushing on Hyunwoo anyway. 

You quickly found a spot and settled in. Hyunwoo, who seemed to be the unofficial game master, clapped his hands. "Alright, everyone. Let’s get this game started. Y/n, truth or dare?’’

You glanced around the circle, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. "Um, truth.’’

Hyunwoo grinned, rubbing his hands together. "Alright. What’s the most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to you in school?’’

You laughed, covering your face with your hands. ‘’Oh, my god. Okay, let's see. In high school, I once tripped on stage during a school play. I was supposed to make this grand entrance, but I ended up face-planting in front of the entire school.’’

Everyone burst into laughter, and Jinsik gave you a sympathetic look. "Ouch, that sounds rough.’’

You nodded, still giggling. ‘’Well, it makes a great story now.’’

The game continued, each turn revealing more secrets and laughter. As everyone around you laughed, you finally let loose completely, your initial shyness melting away. 

"Alright, Jinsik," Sumin said, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "Truth or dare?"

Jinsik, emboldened by the night's events, chose dare without hesitation. "Dare."

Sumin's grin widened. "I dare you to spend seven minutes in heaven in the closet with y/n."

The room burst into whistles and shouts of encouragement. You felt your heart pound in your chest, a mix of excitement and nerves washing over you. Jinsik looked at you, his expression serious for a moment before breaking into a reassuring smile. ‘’We don’t have to if you don’t want to.’’ 

‘’It’s fine, a dare’s a dare.’’ You said, getting up, and you both made your way to the closet, the cheers of your friends ringing in your ears. 

You stepped into Summit’s closet, which was surpassingly spacious for a closet but definitely not for fitting two people inside. You were a bit cramped. The door closed behind you, plunging you both into darkness. 

‘'Well, this is cozy,’’ Jinsik said, his voice warm with laughter.

You laughed, feeling some of your nerves dissipate. "Yeah, I didn’t think I’d be ending my night in a closet."

Jinsik chuckled. "There’s a first time for everything."

You stood in the dark; the only sounds were the muffled laughter and conversation from the party outside.  The doors were thick enough to practically cancel all noise from outside. The tension between you was palpable, but Jinsik's humor kept things light.

"So, any fun closet stories?" Jinsik asked, leaning slightly closer.

You laughed softly. "Not really. This is definitely the most exciting one."

Jinsik pretended to look shocked. "No way! This is a first for me, too. Guess we’re both making memories tonight."

You talked and joked, the initial awkwardness fading as you relaxed into each other’s presence. At one point, Jinsik shifted his weight and lost his balance, stumbling slightly. He caught himself by placing his hands on either side of your face, on the wall just behind you, your faces now mere inches apart.

"Oops," he said softly, his voice barely a whisper.

Your breath hitched as you looked up at him, your closeness making you acutely aware of every detail—the way his eyes searched yours, the warmth of his breath, the tension that crackled between you.

"Y/n," Jinsik murmured, his voice husky, "can I kiss you?"

You felt your heart leap in your chest, your lips parting as you whispered, "God, yes, please."

He closed the distance between you, his lips meeting yours in a soft kiss at first. The moment your lips met, it was as if the world outside ceased to exist. His lips were warm and firm, moving against yours with a tenderness that weakened your knees. You responded eagerly, your hands moving up to his shoulders, gripping slightly at his shirt. 

His hands slid from your face to your waist, pulling you closer until there was no space left between you. The kiss deepened, becoming more urgent, more intense. His tongue brushed against your lower lip, seeking permission, which you granted without hesitation. Your tongues meet, the kiss growing more passionate. 

Your fingers tangled in his hair. You could feel the rapid beat of his heart against your chest, matching your own frantic pulse. The kiss turned messy, your mouths moving against each other with fervor. His taste was intoxicating, and you could feel the alcohol on his tongue. 

His hands roamed your back, exploring the curves and lines of your body through your clothes. One hand moved to the small of your back, pressing you even closer against him, while the other slid up to tangle in your hair, gently tugging to tilt your head and deepen the kiss further. You felt a rush of heat as his fingers threaded through your hair, a soft moan escaping your lips.

The air around you seemed to grow hotter, thicker, as your kiss turned more fervent. You could feel your own desire mirrored in Jinsik’s touch, in the way his hands gripped you as if he couldn’t get enough. Your own hands moved restlessly over his shoulders, down his back, feeling the play of muscles under his shirt.

Your breaths came in ragged gasps between kisses, each one more intense than the last. The taste, the feel, the very essence of Jinsik consumed you, leaving you dizzy and breathless. His mouth left your only to trail hot kisses along your jawline, down your neck, each touch setting your skin on fire.

His lips met yours again, more insistent, more demanding. The kiss tuned feverish; your movement desperate as you were trapped between his warm body and the wall behind you. 

Just as the heat between you reached a fever pitch, the sound of Sumin’s voice cut through the haze. "Thirty seconds left!" he called, his tone teasing but insistent.

Jinsik pulled back slightly, his breathing heavy, his forehead resting against yours. You were both panting, your faces flushed, eyes locked in a gaze that spoke volumes. His fingers traced the line of your jaw, his touch still electric.

"Guess our time’s almost up," he said, his voice a mix of regret and lingering desire.

‘’Unfortunately,’’ you said, still breathless. 

You quickly smoothed the fabric of your clothes, trying to look as put together as possible. You saw Jinsik straightening his shirt. You stepped into the closet when Sumin opened the door, and you were met with a chorus of cheers and playful comments. But in that moment, all you could think about was the taste of his lips, and how much you wanted to taste him again. 

The party wound down as the night slipped into the early hours of the morning. You and Jinsik had returned to the group, but there was a new, unspoken connection between you. Each glance you shared was charged with the memory of you intense kiss, and you were finding it difficult to focus on anything else. 

Eventually, the gathering began to disperse, and you found yourself standing with Hyunwoo and Sumin near the door, preparing to leave. Jinsik had been chatting with some friends across the room, but his eyes kept drifting back to you. He took a deep breath, steeling himself, and made his way over.

“Hey, y/n,” Jinsik said, his voice slightly more hesitant than usual. “Can we talk for a second?”

You looked up, surprised but intrigued. “Sure,” you said, giving Hyunwoo and Sumin a brief smile before following Jinsik to a quieter corner of the room.

Once you were alone, Jinsik ran a hand through his hair, which he did only when he was nervous. “So, tonight was… unexpected,” he began, trying to find the right words. “I mean, it was amazing, but we definitely skipped a few steps by, you know, making out in the closet.”

You laughed softly, nodding. “Yeah, it was a bit out of order, wasn’t it?”

Jinsik’s eyes met yours, and he smiled, his nerves evident. “I’m really glad it happened, though. But I was thinking… I’d like to do this right. Properly.”

Your heart fluttered, anticipation building. “What do you mean?”

Jinsik took another deep breath, his confidence returning as he looked at you with genuine warmth. “I want to take you out, y/n. On a real date. Dinner, maybe a movie. Whatever you’d like. I just… I want to spend more time with you and get to know you better. Properly.”

You felt a rush of warmth at his words. The thought of a date with Jinsik outside the chaotic atmosphere of a party was more appealing than you could express. “That’d be really nice, actually” you said softly, a smile spreading across your face.

Jinsik’s relief was palpable, and he laughed, a sound of pure joy. “Great! To be honest, I was really nervous to ask you.”

You raised an eyebrow, teasingly. “You? Nervous?”

Jinsik chuckled, shaking his head. “Yeah, believe it or not, you make me a bit nervous. In a good way, though. Tonight just gave me the push I needed to finally do something. I’ve always thought you were beautiful. I just… didn’t know how to approach you. Tonight was a bit of a crash course, but I’m glad it happened.”

You felt a warmth spread through you at his words, and your eyes widened. “Wow. And here I thought you didn’t notice me.”

Jinsik’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “How could I not? You’re kind of hard to miss, in the best way.”

You stood there, a comfortable silence settling between you. The party around you continued to wind down, but in that moment, it was just the two of you.

“So, how about tomorrow night?” Jinsik asked, his tone hopeful. “Are you free?”

You nodded, you smile widening. “I am. Tomorrow night sounds perfect.”

“Great. I’ll text you the details.”

As you walked back to join Hyunwoo and Sumin, who had been watching you with barely concealed curiosity, you felt a sense of excitement and anticipation. The kiss had been incredible, but this—this was the start of something real, something promising.

Hyunwoo grinned as you approached. “So, what’s the verdict?”

Jinsik laughed, looking at you with a smile. “We’ve got a date.”

Sumin clapped his hands together, a wide smile on his face. “About time!”

you laughed, feeling lighter than you had in a long time. The night had been unexpected and intense, but it had led to this—a chance to explore something real with Jinsik. As you all left the party and headed home, you couldn’t help but feel that this was just the beginning of something great.

[comtedelafere]

So I just read this afternoon that Ray Stevenson has died at the age of 58 (which is absolutely no age, the poor fella, what a shock).

I'm not gonna pretend to know much about his back catalogue of work or say I was an especial fan or anything disingenuous like that, but I do really want to talk for a quick moment about the one role I really know and love him for - Porthos in the 2011 adaptation of The Three Musketeers.

Now, I know and you know that this version of The Musketeers is massively unpopular for a whole host of reasons - most notably the silly airship storyline (personally, I have such a well-trained suspension of disbelief that I can 100% deal with the airship aspect of it, but I totally get why it's an unpopular addition to the story) - but I will happily die on the hill that it is the closest combination of writing and portrayal of the Core Four yet (sorry, BBC version). Logan Lerman's d'Artagnan was a cheeky 19-year-old rascal who thought he was all that and a bag of chips and didn't care who knew it. Matthew Macfadyen's Athos was sullen and morose (but in a really hot way obvs, cos yknow - Athos) and didn't waste a word of dialogue. Luke Evans' Aramis was quiet, sober, extremely spiritual and didn't go around trying to seduce everything that moved the whole time.

But Ray Stevenson's Porthos? Oh. Oh this was sublime. Up until this adaptation, Porthos had more often than not been played as the comic relief: the large, overweight, affable drunk of no fixed IQ whose prowess at fighting was more down to luck and subtle slapstick than his good judgement. This version of Porthos couldn't have been further away from those portrayals.

He was a quick-witted, smart, physically powerful and agile fighter, whose hand-to-hand combat skills were so notorious that he never needed to use his sword. My absolute favourite moment that showed this fact so beautifully was at the end of the big fight scene with the Red Guards ("Four against FORTY? And you beat them like a drum?! *snort*!" oh, Louis!) when the Guards were reeling a bit, and trying to decide whether to go another round. At that point, Porthos casually pushed his sword from the scabbard with his thumb by about 2 inches - and that was enough to send the Red Guards running for the hills!! I screamed!! Perfect characterisation!! Porthos to an absolute T!!!!!

Not only that, but his version of Porthos was an unashamed yet impoverished dandy, a dedicated follower of fashion who took his time to choose exactly the right cut of new clothes in exactly the right colours - while his rich, married lover happily picked up the tab for him. He understood the way the right clothes and the right combination of appearance and demeanour in any given scenario could give him the upper hand, not only in fighting but also in all of his interpersonal relationships and encounters.

This is the Porthos I had wanted for years. This is the Porthos I cheered and applauded for when I finally saw the version that had lived in my head all those years had finally made it to the screen.

Don't get me wrong, of course the BBC Musketeers owns a huge part of my heart and soul and I love so much about them - but the 2011 Musketeers was so special because for me it was probably the very first time I finally got to see the Musketeers as the book described them, rather than just as the standard accepted carbon copies that had been passed down by Hollywood over the decades, and which bear little to no resemblance to the actual characters in the book. I have no idea if I've actually seen any of Ray's other performances or not, to be honest. Porthos may not be his finest hour onscreen, I really don't know. It may not be the part he's best known for. But if nothing else, Ray finally gave the world a Porthos that Dumas would have recognised.

Despite the fact the film as a whole was received poorly, his portrayal was a genuine gift, and I am privileged to be able to remember him as having given this Musketeer fangirl the abject joy of finally seeing Porthos played as he should have been all along. Not as a large, loud drunk who was just there to be big, strong and funny - but as a highly skilled, intelligent, audacious soldier with a sharp sense of humour and an even sharper dress sense; and who, rather than simply bringing up the rear as The Other Guy or the Big Fella, showed that he was quite possibly the Musketeers' MVP.

Thank you, Ray. Goodnight, and rest well.

[laxyaklovesloz]

DannyMay 2024 #13 D&D AU

I made character sheets for the characters in Danny Phantom and my OC.

Sam: Tiefling Sorcerer “Moondagger” https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/124056875/ImInp2

Danny: Aasimar Druid https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/124057969/SWBt4k

Tucker: Rock Gnome Rogue https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/124058942/pwd63N

Jazz: Aarakocra Bard https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/124059885/uz3kI3

Chelsea: Wood Elf Cleric https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/124059256/YITS3E

Jacob is the DM, so he doesn’t get a sheet.

Now let’s see if I can actually write something about it. LOL!

≈∞≈

“I’m going to start you all out at level five,” Jacob said, passing out blank character sheets. “That will give you more options.”

Chelsea groaned, “More options? How am I supposed to pick with what options we already have? It’s so confusing.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll help you out,” Jacob said confidently.

“I’m with Chelsea,” Jazz said. “We’re all new to D&D. Shouldn’t we start with the basics?”

“Trust me, level one isn’t nearly as fun as level five,” Jacob said. He gave everyone a copy of the Player’s Handbook. Why he had so many copies was anyone’s guess. “Start with level one and I’ll help you level up. It’s a lot easier than you think.”

“If you say so…” Chelsea said. She wrote down the first name that came to mind on her character sheet: Khend. “Well, I’m definitely going to be a healer.”

“So you’ll want cleric,” Jacob said, pointing to the class spot on her sheet.

“Is there anything to do with technology?” Tucker asked eagerly.

“Gnomes have the tinker feature,” Jacob said. “That’s probably as close as you’re going to get. I don’t have any of the artificer material. I just have the basic books.”

“Okay, whatever you say, man,” Tucker said, writing things down.

“Danny,” Jacob started, “you can be an Aasimar. That’s a special class in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Here, I’ll show you.”

“What’s an Aasimar?” Danny asked.

“It’s an angel basically,” Jacob said. “It’s the closest we’ll get to a ghost.” He moved over to Danny’s spot at the table and flipped open the DMG to the correct page. “Here, read up on it.”

“Thanks,” Danny muttered.

“Is there anything relating to motivational speaking?” Jazz asked.

“Actually, there is!” Jacob replied. “The bard is the perfect class for you.”

“Oh, cool!” Tucker said suddenly. “The rogue looks totally fun. I’m picking rogue.”

“Good choice,” Jacob said. He was glad someone was getting into the spirit of things. “What about you, Sam? You haven’t said anything yet.”

“I’m thinking this demonic-looking thing is good,” Sam said casually, pointing to the image of the tiefling.

“That’s a tiefling,” Jacob told her. “You might try the sorcerer class to go with it.”

“Nice,” Sam said.

The six of them continued working on characters for a few minutes, Jacob jumping around the table to help where needed.

[emma-m-black]

The Daughter - Chapter Three

Tim Gutterson x OC (FanFiction) - MATURE 18+

Tim Gutterson comes to the unconventional aid of one Elenora Crowder, ward of Art Mullen and daughter of Raylan Givens.

This will be a multi chapter story and will get spicy as it goes. This is a rough draft and only slightly edited for grammar and spelling. Just needed to finally get it out because Tim Gutterson is one of my favorite characters, and there is not nearly enough fanfic for him.

Author Master List

Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three,

Chapter Three:

When Elenora awoke, she did not remember how she had gotten into bed.

She felt hungover, maybe almost worse than hungover. Her head was fine, but her body was stiff. After a slug of a walk to her bathroom, she showered under the hottest water she could stand, and when she had washed both her body and hair twice, she felt a hundred times better.

Elenora had gotten dressed in a simple pair of black skinny jeans and a loose fitting thin white sweater. Its collar was high on her neck to ward off some of the chill from both the night air and the air-conditioning at the school. A pair of large gold-rimmed glasses sat perched on her nose and her slightly damp hair clung to her cheeks. She moved to collect her jacket from the back of her desk chair, only to discover a green jacket that was not hers. For a moment, she had forgotten that hers would still be in her SUV, which was at the school. Lifting the jacket towards her face, she inhaled Tim’s scent. Something sweaty and a hint of fire smoke. It reminded her of the night after the bar, when they had gone back to his place, and she had laid with her head on his chest as he ran a finger up and down her arm. Something that had felt so natural that she would have thought they had done it a hundred times.

Draping the jacket over her arm, Elenora picked up her book bag and plucked a pencil from her desk. Heading to the kitchen, Elenora found Art and Leslie sitting at the table, each with a cup of coffee in their hand. “Good morning.”

“Moring Elenora. Did you sleep okay?”

“Yeah, surprisingly. Would you mind if I came with you to the office with you today, Art? I would like to thank that Deputy for helping me last night and return his jacket.”

“I need you to sign a statement for me about what happened, so we can do that as well.”

Elenora gave a nod and draped Tim’s jacket over her bag. With the pencil she took, she spun her hair around it and shoved the point through the bun that had been created, effectively holding it in place. “I’m ready when you are.”

“Okay.” Art stood up and placed his coffee on the table. Moving past Leslie, he dipped down and gave her a kiss on the top of her head. “See you at dinner.”

“You have a good day now, and say hi to Tim for me, Elenora. It was mighty nice of him to bring you home last night.” Leslie gave Elenora a wink, and she wondered if something had happened during the missing time in her memory from the night before.

The ride to the courthouse was quiet and once Art had escorted Elenora through security, the two made their way into the elevator. When the doors opened on the floor, the two stepped out, along with a small throng of other people going about their day. Art held the door open for her and allowed Elenora to enter first.

Her eyes zeroed in on him right away. Tim was sitting behind the desk closest to Art’s office. He was leaned back in his chair, rocking it back and forth as he focused on whatever was on his computer screen.

“I’ll go grab the papers from my desk. Just meet me in the conference room when you're done talkin’ with Deputy Marshal Gutterson.”

Art saying his name seemed to grab Tim’s attention and his eyes shot up from his computer screen to lock onto hers. He got up from his seat a little too fast to be casual, but if it appeared unusual, Art did not say anything as he walked into his office.

“I wanted to return your jacket to you, and thank you for what you did last night.” Elenora held out Tim’s jacket to him and he took it with a smile. She noticed Art look at her through the glass of his office and point to the room next door. She nodded her head in response.

“I’ll let you return the favor one day.” Said Tim with a smile.

“What save you from being kidnapped?”

“Have you seen me? Lookin like this, I’m getting jumped at once, twice a week.”

Eleanor laughed. “Your getting jumped because you wear a badge, although.” She took a step towards the conference room and next to Tim. “I wouldn’t blame them for jumping ya.”

“Cause I carry a badge or because of my dashing good looks?”

“I’ll let you decide, Marshal.”

With that, Elenora walked into the conference room. Art directed her to sit and quickly he went over what the papers said and told her where she needed to sign. Before she knew it, she was done, and she and Art were walking back out into the main room. “Let me just make a phone call and I can drop you off at your SUV.” Said Art as he walked into his office. Elenora looked around and found Tim talking to Rachel, whom Elenora has visited with the few times she had been in the courthouse.

“Hey Rachel.” Greeted Elenora as she approached the two.

“Hey Elenora. I heard about what happened. I’m glad you’re okay.”

“You should have seen her. It was quite the takedown.” Said Tim, a tone of pride in his voice.

A smile raised on Elenora’s lips and she could feel her cheeks warm. “If only my daddy hadn’t banned me from law enforcement.”

“How is school going? You must be about to graduate?”

“Yeah. Last final is Friday. Already got a job lined up at Sayre’s Private School.”

“That’s great, and just across the street. It’ll make it easy for us to grab a coffee.” Said Rachel, with a genuine smile on her face.

“Ah, that explains this sexy authority thing you got goin’.” Said Tim. “You can put me in detention any time, Ma’am. Use the paddle and everything.”

Elenora felt the heat spread all over her body in both embarrassment and horror.

“Tim!” Rachel gasped in horror as she looked at her team mate. Then she turned to look at Elenora. “I apologize for him. The man has no filter and generally speaks without thinking.”

“It be weird if I didn’t.” Replied Tim with a casual shrug as he shoved his hands into his pockets. “Did you need a ride to your car? I still need to finish up my lead in that area.”

“That be great, thank you. Rachel, can you let Art know Tim’s gonna drop me off?”

“Of course. Just don’t be afraid to smack him when he gets goin’ now.”

As if to emphasize Rachel’s words, Tim threw an arm out toward the doors and took a deep bow. “This way, my lady.”

Both Rachel and Elenora let out a laugh as Tim righted himself. Without another word, Tim and Elenora headed out of the office and towards the elevator. They waited casually until the doors finally opened, and once everyone had filed out, they went in. Tim pushed the button for the garage and the two watched as the doors closed, leaving them together, alone in the elevator.

Once they were closed and before Elenora could even comprehend what had happened, she found herself pinned against the elevator wall, the buzz of the emergency stop ringing in her ears and Tim’s lips against her own. One of his hands was on her hip and the other had wormed its way into her hair, effectively knocking the pencil from its home. At some point, and what she figured must have been instinct, she had dropped her bag as her own hands moved to the back of Tim’s neck. The kiss was hard and hungry, and just as fast as it happened, it was over, and the two had pulled away from each other. Each deeply breathing and with an itch they could not scratch in the elevator. “I’ve had this dream before.” Elenora whispered with a smile.

“Ooo, I expect you to tell me all about it later.” Tim responded with a smirk before restarting the elevator, and Elenora picked up her bag and pencil.

Right away, the doors opened on the next floor down and a few patrons entered, so Elenora and Tim shifted towards the back. They stood shoulder to shoulder as they watched the people file in and out of the elevator. As they were nearing the garage level, Elenora felt Tim lean into her. “You know, never thought my type was a naughty school teacher.” It came out as nothing more than a whisper and she was sure had anyone else in the elevator heard, they would have turned around.

After what seemed like an eternity, the doors to the elevator opened and everyone filed out including themselves and Elenora noticed Tim’s hand had fallen to her lower back like it had in the past, and she let him softly guide her through the garage to where he was parked. Once they arrived at the SUV, Elenora turned to look at Tim and leaned against the door. “So what happened last night when you dropped me off? I don’t really remember much after gettin’ in the SUV, and Leslie was looking at me like she knew a secret.”

Tim gave up a smirk and stuck his hands in his pockets. “You may have muttered something about being madly in love with me when we got in the house.”

“No...” Elenora’s eyes went wide and her hand, which still held the pencil, moved up to cover her mouth in horror.

“You fell asleep shortly after we started the journey. Didn’t wanna wake you so I carried you inside. It wasn’t anything special.” Tim said with a shrug of his shoulders, but Elenora knew there was more to the story.

Elenora just smiled in response. “Would that lead of yours involve some coffee and breakfast?” Turning around, Elenora allowed Tim to open the passenger door for her and she hopped in before Tim placed a hand on the frame of the SUV and another on the inside of the door before leaning in towards her.

“Don’t you have class?”

“No, it’s just a week of studying and my final. I can spare some time for food, ooh! Ice cream. Can we go somewhere with ice cream and coffee?”

Tim’s eyes scrunched up and Elenora knew exactly what was going through his brain. It was the same thing everyone thought when she mentioned ice cream for breakfast. “You want ice cream for breakfast?”

“Yeah, eggs, milk. It’s no worse than a pancake slathered in syrup.”

“I don’t know if I can be friends with someone who has ice cream for breakfast.”

“I don’t know if I can be friends with someone who doesn’t have ice cream for breakfast.”

Leaning in a little more, Elenora watched as Tim’s eyes fluttered down to look at her lips before looking back into her eyes. “Well, I guess that’s that.”

“Your lips say one thing, but your eyes are sayin’ another there, Marshal.”

“Ma’am, I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about. Besides, maybe it’s not friendship I’m after.”

Elenora’s lips turned upwards. The smirk was hard to keep down. “Acquaintance then?

“Range buddy? Bum Chum? Girlfriend?”

“Are you saying you want me to be your girlfriend, Marshal? You don’t even know me.”

“I’m not good at this stuff. I’m not a sleep around type of guy. I shoot people and have shit hours. I got a slight drinkin’ problem, and some P.T.S.D. I’m not the type of guy girls continue to talk to unless they got daddy issues or arrest warrants. Honestly, I will probably forget whatever anniversary you feel is most important and I don’t know if I would ever want kids considering how fucked up growing up was for me. But you, you are all that I can think about right now, and I’ve never felt the way I did seeing that guy attack you last night. Maybe arrestin’ you was the best decision I ever made.” Tim’s voice held a monotone that Elenora was sure most would take as uncaring, but she could see the emotion in his eyes, that he was baring his soul to her in this moment.

“I’m not good at this either. I cling real hard and real fast. My momma was a junkie and a criminal. Who I found on our kitchen floor after she OD’d. The rest of my family is no better. They are racists, drug dealers and thieves. I have serious daddy issues. I’ll also probably forget what ever anniversary we are on, as well as your birthday. Kids scare the shit out of me, and I would much rather borrow them for the day and hand them back so I can go home, drink and selfishly spend my money on myself. I’ve never had a mutually serious long-term relationship of any kind. I usually scare them away before that, and while I was supposed to be studying yesterday, all I could think about was you, and that our wedding colours would be dark grey and teal.”

Tim said nothing in response. His eyes just moved around her face as if he was searching for something, and Elenora just watched him as her nerves ate away at her. Folding her lip in and between her teeth, she bit down, hoping the pain would distract her.

It felt like hours before Tim’s eyes settled back on hers. “Teal’s a nice colour.”

Chapter Four

[forgivemeforgetmenot]

Unwritten

(Cloud x Aerith Fanfic)

Chapter 3: Intoxicated

"Daddy!!" cried Marlene, dashing past a beaming Elmyra. Barret chuckled as he scooped up his daughter and kissed her tiny face.

"How you doin' baby girl? You been good for Elmyra, yeah?"

"Always, Daddy!"

The gang exchanged greetings as Aerith's mother ushered them inside the cozy cottage. "Something smells delicious," chimed Aerith, bouncing to the kitchen.

"You all are back just in time; I'm making Miso Yasai Ramen for dinner," Elmyra said. "Please, please, everyone, make yourselves comfortable. Wash up, unpack your things, and decompress. There's still some time before the food's ready."

"Thank you so much for your hospitality, Ms. Gainsborough," Tifa exhaled. She ruffled Marlene's hair on her way upstairs, earning a giggle from the child clinging closely to Red XIII.

Cloud's eyes trailed after her as she vacated the room. They hadn't had the chance to talk since last night when she pelted him with Aerith-related questions and raced off. He nearly rose from his seat at the coffee table but decided to leave her be.

"Yeah," added Barret awkwardly, "Thanks again for keepin' an eye on my Marlene. I can't tell ya how much it… means to me."

Elmyra, now overlooking a pot on the stove, waved him off, "Oh, dear, I've told you repeatedly that you don't need to keep thanking me. Spending time with Marlene is a pleasure. She kind of reminds me of you when you were younger." She pointed a wooden spoon toward Aerith, spurring the brunette to smile.

"Marlene's far more well-behaved than I was," Aerith giggled, winking at her. Marlene laughed, mimicking her wink.

"Oh!" the little girl suddenly exclaimed, "Daddy, Elmyra helped me plant my first flower! Wanna see?"

Before Barret could respond, Marlene jumped up, grabbed her father's hand, and started pulling toward the door. "Come too, Red!" Marlene pleaded to the smiling beast.

Red nodded, "Aye, aye, captain," and casually followed the two outside.

"Did you plant azaleas?" Aerith asked her mother, strolling over to the table. Although all the seats were empty, she picked the spot closest to Cloud's; he swallowed.

Elmyra eyed her daughter, then smiled tenderly. "Actually, yes. I don't know why I still feel surprised after all these years."

"Surprised? About?" Aerith repeated, tilting her head.

"About your intuition," she laughed.

Aerith smiled, facing Cloud. "Azaleas represent family and unity. Planting them is a good reminder for Marlene that even though Barret can't always be here physically," Aerith placed her hand gently on his chest, "he'll always be right there."

His heart raced; he hoped she couldn't feel it pounding against her palm. Embarrassment flushed Cloud's cheeks, forcing him to avert his gaze. He hated it when she did things like this, especially in front of others."You've been awfully quiet this evening, Cloud," commented Elmyra.

"Cloud's always quiet," Aerith teased, nudging him.

"Well, you talk enough for the both of us," he retorted. Elmyra emitted a hearty laugh as Aerith feigned a hurt expression.

"Oh, you. Don't act like you aren't hanging onto every word."

He blushed, then ascended to his feet. He needed a break from all of Aerith's poking and prodding. "I'm going to wash up," Cloud announced shortly before escaping to the restroom.

After devouring Elmyra's delectable meal, the group migrated outside to relax. The Gainsborough's property was already breathtaking during the day; it appeared like a page torn out of a fairytale book Barret might read to Marlene at night.

Fireflies floated to and fro, illuminating the massive garden with an ethereal glow. The air smelled of fresh flowers and herbs; Cloud inhaled deeply, relishing in the sweet aroma; its ambiance soothed him in a way no other place could.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Marlene wordlessly slip her hand into Aerith's, guiding her out of sight. "Probably showing off her Azaleas," Red remarked, sidling beside Cloud.

"Mm," he nodded.

"Don't be jealous; I'm sure she'll show you too," he joked.

Marlene had warmed up to Cloud considerably over the last several months, but he could tell she was still somewhat leery of him. He was never a people person, but kids were the ultimate test of patience. "Don't care. Flowers aren't my thing anyway," he replied nonchalantly.

Red chuckled, "Maybe if you were more honest about the fact that you do care, she'd braid your hair and pick flowers with you too."

"And she'll treat me like a housecat like you, too? No thanks," Cloud quipped.

Red smiled, his eyes trailing after the fireflies, "It's not what you think. Caring doesn't make you weak. It's okay to be transparent about it. In fact, people tend to like it."

"I don't care what people like," the merc folded his arms.

Aerith and Marlene reemerged hand-in-hand. Cloud followed the Cetra's every movement. Marlene started bouncing beside her, urging her to "dance" with the fireflies. Aerith gleefully complied, and the two twirled around, laughing. 

"Are you sure about that?" Red smirked, sauntering past Cloud and over to the girls. After some convincing, Tifa and Barret joined the trio. Cloud observed as they pranced around each other, laughing without a care.

Aerith caught him watching and waved him over. Cloud looked away shyly; he'd rather dive headfirst into a pool full of lava than ever dance again. 

Aerith abandoned the frolicking group and advanced toward him. Before she could speak, Cloud was already shaking his head. "No, no, no," he stated firmly, backing away from her.

She sped up and seized his hand, giggling, "Yes, yes, yes!"

"Aerith," he complained as she jerked him closer.

"Cloud," she imitated his tone, swaying their arms back and forth playfully, "Come ooon! All of Midgar knows how well you can dance; you can't just squander your talent away brooding in the shadows."

Without further protest, he allowed the exuberant woman to position his hand on her waist. She placed a hand on his shoulder and interlocked her other with his. They clumsily wobbled around; Cloud nervously followed her lead as they rocked back and forth.

Aerith giggled, gazing into his eyes as they danced. Cloud worried he was blushing; he wanted to avoid her face but, for some reason, couldn't pry himself away. Her green eyes glimmered as bright as the lightning bugs encircling the pair. Mesmerized, his bottom lip dropped slightly,

"What is it?" she asked, tilting her head.

"Hm?" he replied, transfixed.

"Your face; you look thoughtful. Wistful," Aerith specified, still guiding their haphazard movements.

"I'm…not thinking anything."

It wasn't entirely dishonest. Cloud felt disoriented. Anxious? No, intoxicated. He wasn't exactly thinking anything specific, but his being was overwhelmed with feelings—sensations he wasn't sure how to convey. "Hmm," she eyed him skeptically.

Feeling overwhelmed, Cloud pulled away abruptly. He glanced at the house as Aerith whined. "We didn't even do the Moogle Dance!"

Cloud rasped, striding past her. He noticed Tifa staring glumly. Earlier, she looked so joyful with their friends. What happened? "Going to bed?" she asked softly as he walked toward the door. Barret, Marlene, and Red were still bopping around happily.

He nodded, uncertain of what to say to her. Should he ask what's wrong? Should he address last night? He feared saying something that might make her feel worse. Instead, he sat down silently beside her on the porch. "Tired of dancing?" Cloud asked while observing the others. His eyes instinctively drifted to Aerith, now gazing up at the sky.

"Kind of," Tifa laughed, then added, "How about you? You were really grooving over there."

"I was being held hostage," he muttered, lounging.

"I don't know. You looked like…you were having fun to me," Tifa reflected quietly.

Cloud studied her. She altered her sorrowful expression with a smile, "It's nice. You know, to see you loosen up."

"You just enjoy watching me make a fool of myself."

"That too," Tifa giggled.

The two friends sat in silence for a moment. Then Cloud asked, "You okay?"

The question seemingly startled Tifa, who stood almost immediately. "Yeah, of course," she smiled, "Just tired."

Cloud nodded slowly, hesitant to accept her excuse. 

"I'm gonna try to get some sleep," she decided, "Goodnight, Cloud."

"Night," he replied.

Tifa stepped to the door but paused before twisting the knob. Cloud expected her to say something else, but she finally went inside without another word.

Gradually, everyone else filed inside. First, Barret and Marlene. Shortly after, Red XIII. A half-hour later, Aerith approached the porch with a peaceful smile. "Are you stargazing too?" she asked, plopping beside him.

"Something like that." Truthfully, he'd been watching her more than anything else out there. 

"Oooor, are you avoiding sleep?"

Cloud looked at her with a curious expression and asked, "What?"

Aerith met his gaze, "You won't have any nightmares here. Promise."

He diverted his view upward to spot a patch of shimmering stars.

"Do you trust me, Cloud?"

The question caught him off guard, "W-What?"

"Do you trust me?" she reprised, leaning closer.

"Of course," he replied, to his surprise, without hesitation.

"Good!" Aerith beamed, slipping her hand into his and guiding him to his feet.

"Where are we going," he questioned. She pulled him down a path and to a cluster of pink Azaleas.

"Marlene asked me to show you. Aren't they so beautiful?"

"Yeah, they're um… pretty," Cloud awkwardly agreed.

He scanned the flowers surrounding them and settled on a patch of yellow lilies—the same flower Aerith gifted him when they first met.

"Are those your favorite?" she asked, noticing.

Cloud folded his arms, "Dunno."

"Do you remember what they symbolize?" she asked, plucking one and placing it on his chest, just as she had done a lifetime ago.

"Reunion," he answered, lifting his eyes from the flower to her.

"That's right!" she said merrily, "Now for your prize."

Before he could respond, Aerith's pursed lips were pressed to his cheek. The kiss was mere centimeters away from the corner of his mouth. For a moment, Cloud wondered if she'd intended something more intimate. Part of him was relieved she missed her potential mark; another part felt…disappointed?

Her hands lingered against his chest, careful not to crush the yellow lily she gave him. Cloud swallowed hard, voiceless. Stop doing that, he should tell her. You mess around too much. 

Cloud's eyes descended to her mouth. She placed the back of her hand on his forehead. "Are you feeling okay, Cloud? You look a little sweaty."

He grabbed her wrist, pulled it away from his face, and held it. "Stop doing that," he scolded.

"Doing what?"

"You know what," he griped, still clutching her.

Aerith's head tilted to the side with a confused expression.

Cloud scowled, clarifying, "You can't just… go around touching and kissing people like that."

Aerith laughed, "You're not people, silly."

"I'm not," Cloud paused, unsure how to express his issue, "I'm not your boyfriend."  

For the first time in a long time, Aerith broke eye contact first, her gaze plunging to the ground. Her usual warm smile vanished. Had he hurt her feelings? "I didn't realize it bothered you," she said quietly.

He lowered her arm to her side before letting go. The desire to hold her bubbled inside of him; Cloud wasn't a physically affectionate person or affectionate, at all. Comforting people wasn't his specialty; fighting was. Right now, however, he felt the impulse to at least try. Take it back. Tell her you don't mind. Hug her.

Cloud only stared at her, "Aerith…"

"I know," she said with glistening eyes, "you're not my boyfriend." Much like Tifa had done earlier that evening, Aerith disguised her sorrow with a smile and a joke, "You're my bodyguard!"

She brushed past him; he turned and recaptured her arm, suspending her. She pivoted to face him and smiled, "Bedtime, Cloud."

"Just wait," he ordered.

"For?"

"I…don't mind. Not really," The confession rolled from Cloud's mouth as though he'd been struggling to cough up a boulder.

"Jeez, Cloud," Aerith playfully pouted, "Make up your mind; now you're confusing me."

"I'm confusing you?" he scoffed. Says the woman who can't keep her lips to herself.

Cloud groaned, released Aerith, and plodded past her. He didn't get paid enough for this. Or at all, actually.

[nitpickrider]

And so, with that, we conclude Captain America Vol 1. (1968-1996) I'll give a short sum up for anyone who doesn't want to jump below the cut. This volume is a classic. A 30 year epic that prospered under the hands of some of the best in the business and under the mind of one creative genius in particular who shaped and defined our understanding of one of the greatest characters in the Marvel canon. From the heaving ruckus of the Marvel 60s to the stumbling aftermath of the 90s Dark Age, Captain America shared some of the greatest moments, stories and emotions that you could ever pick off a rack. I thought I appreciated Cap before. I know much, MUCH better now. If you're interested in my thoughts on breaking the book down into eras, or want a sneak peak at the next Marvel book on the list. Peek below.

ERA 1, THE SIXTIES: What can even be SAID about Marvel in the 60s? A constant flooding river of new ideas tossed thick and fast one right after the other in a verbose style that we joke on because we love it. This was a foundational stepping stone of the modern comic book and Captain America is no exception. Weird science, kirby dots, story straining with a countercultural need to be about something, to turn into something people had never seen before and yet still with a casual familiarity that mad the bullpen feel like a gaggle of college yucksters making it up as they went along. Often imitated, never duplicated, Captain America in the 60s had about 5 too many Sleeper storylines but an energy that kept me hopping along gladly.

ERA 2, THE FALCON:

Words can hardly describe the breath of fresh air that Sam Wilson AKA The Falcon represented. Cap in the 60s could on run on that early Marvel energy for so long before the Bronze Age crept in and it needed something new, something modern, something that gave the stories some meat to sink into. Sam Wilson was that and more, a new perspective to every story that kept Captain America honest in how his symbol was viewed and accepted from the ground up by marginalized communities, not to mention someone who could bounce ideas and banter off Steve in every sense. There's a reason they become one of, if not THE enduring duo of equals in Marvel's canon. Captain America and The Falcon will always have a special resonance to anyone who knows them and this run getting it right the first time is why. Plus, cute birb.

ERA 3, THE BROOKLYN ERA:

With the 80s came a new style, a new grit and reality that came with New York's growth or degeneration depending on how you look at it. Urban sprawl and smog became a constant backdrop and ideas of street crime and urban decay become frightening realities for the residents. So Captain America was forced to confront and integrate himself into that new reality. He got an apartment, he got a job, he got a girlfriend, he lived in a tenement with people who lived and worked and toiled the same way he did. It's the closest he's ever come to being a Spider-Man style street level hero, fighting the ills of a world that feels real and tactile all around him.

ERA 4, EARLY GRUENWALD:

Now we get to the core of this volume, a single writer and creative that would steer the ship of defining Captain America to the largest extent since his original creators. Mark Gruenwald. A writer who had every idea of how one examined, deconstructed, reconstructed and puzzled with the inherent questions and contradictions inherent in the Sentinel of Liberty. Never does the comic go any length of time without making Cap question who he is and what his purpose is. It's an era that feels like nothing so much as building momentum, creating an engine to tell stories about a fascinating man and the fascinating people around him, never one to shy away from beloved secondary heroes like Nomad, D-Man and Steve's supporting cast like Bernie Rosenthal or Arnie Roth.

ERA 5, THE JOHN WALKER ERA:

Gruenwald's masterstroke, making Captain America look a modern, cynical world in the eye and ask "who am I, what is my purpose, and what does my symbol mean in a world where freedom and America are not synonymous terms." Not content to JUST look at that through Steve's eyes, the character of John Walker (Later USAgent) is a dark reflection of Steve that asks him what the consequences would be if his patriotism become jingoism by even one degree over the line. Forcing Steve to define for himself what kind of American ideal he is fighting to protect and what he's willing to sacrifice to back it up when the American Dream and the American Reality couldn't be further apart.

ERA 6, LATER GRUENWALD: Established with a world class storyline under its belt and nothing left to do but hit the gas and see where it goes, the later Gruenwald era is an expression of the joyous fun that can be taken from a comic that takes itself dramatically but not too seriously. New villains, new twists and pulling old favorites out of mothballs it's a comic that can go anywhere and do anything under an established writer who knows the character like the back of his hand. The Bloodstone Hunt, Capwolf, Superia. The kind of consistently good storytelling you can only get from a comic that has comfortably gotten into a once in a lifetime kind of groove.

ERA 7, THE @#$%^& 90S:

Like any comic that runs long enough in certain period of time, any good groove is going to run head first into the 90s and end up breaking its nose. I won't lie or sugarcoat it in the name of preserving the book's legacy. The armor storyline and everything surrounding it is ROUGH. The art is ugly, the power armor is dumb and the entire series seems content to wallow in a sense of its own cleverness for examining Cap physically in ways Gruenwald topped 100x over by taking the character apart mentally and emotionally. I WILL say however, that if you honestly meet this era's emotions on their level, if you're able to get past its flaws, you find that that Gruenwald spark is still right where it was. The new additions, Free Spirit and Jack Flag show promise in the mold of Cap's partners of old and the issue where Cap confronts his own mortality is truly poignant.

ERA 8, CURTAIN CALL:

Outside of the helm of Gruenwald for the first time in more than 10 years, it's easy to see that the series can't last too much longer in its current form. These issues are all about setting up something new, forcing Cap out of the comfortable spot he's made for himself and confronting an oncoming millennium with the sobering realization that this continuous stream must come to an end to plant something new. Returns of old concepts but with a millennial sheen that gives a hope for the future, it truly feels like the passing of the torch from the old guard to a new one that would take on the Event Comics era and the modern Marvel landscape one way or the other.

CONCLUSION, A LIVING LEGEND:

Captain America is a classic character. We all know it however as a fixture of the universe's main superhero team it's often hard to really frame him in your mind as a character in his own right with his own, independent stories to tell and a timeline that's rich and begging to be mined outside of The Avengers. Gruenwald forged a new path for Cap, dozens of other creators from 3 decades of Marvel comics reaching in to lend a hand to the tapestry of one of the true legends of comics. A story that twists, turned and sometimes stumbled but never the less kept itself to one, truly unalterable standard. Legendary. For those of you interesting in what Marvel book comes along next...Follow me on a journey to the Hyborean Age.