#(Wipes sweat from brow) I love Tags!

[asfodeltide]

[zae-heeyyy]

Seraphic

Summary: You are Arthur's angel. Pairing: Arthur Morgan x female!reader Word count: 2,222 Tags: smut, high honor Arthur Warnings: 18+ MDNI

a/n: Whew 😅 I'm a little nervous to post this one. 🫣 Been sitting on it for a while (no pun intended) I've read and reread it a million times, and I'm ready to share. Also, we're pretending like Arthur's tent actually closes. Anyway thanks for reading!

Seraphic: something angelic or celestial in nature, often suggesting purity, beauty, or holiness.

By 1 a.m., the sounds of camp had reduced to the songs of crickets and the crackle of the fire. While everybody else slept, you waited up for Arthur, reading a book under lantern light in his tent. He arrived eventually, keeping his greeting short and joining you on his cot with slouched shoulders, seemingly exhausted. When he took his hat off, the grimace on his face became all the more apparent. His expression and tense body language told you all you needed to know; whatever happened out there wasn't good.

You handed him a match and a cigarette from his nightstand, and he thanked you with a nod. Using the heel of his boot, he struck the match and lit the cigarette, holding it with his thumb and index fingers. Flickering lantern light and the burning ember tip illuminated his bruised knuckles.

"Should I ask?" You traced a gentle finger over the bruises, and he shook his head.

"Best not," he replied, exhaling a ribbon of smoke.

"Well, I'm glad you're still in one piece," you said, looking him over. His shirt had seen cleaner, less wrinkled days, and sweat plastered his hair to his forehead. "Well, mostly in one piece."

He let out a gust of air, a failed attempt at a laugh, before pinching the bridge of his nose and groaning.

"Headache?" you asked, and he confirmed. The discomfort came with the life he lived. Loud gunfire, the rush of adrenaline, and focusing on his shots all combined to leave him in pain afterward. You exited the tent momentarily and returned with a bowl of warm water, a cloth, and a bottle of miracle tonic.

"Here—for your head." He took the medicine and snuffed his cigarette. Rejoining him, you sat on the cot and dabbed his face with the wet cloth, wiping away dirt and sweat. A soft kiss on his temple prompted him to lean into you, the tension finally dissipating. You wrapped your arms around his big frame and held him close. Obviously, he was your safe space, but oh—were you his. Eyes shut, he rested his head on your bosom.

Arthur found comfort in his typical role as protector and provider. But in these moments, when roles faded, he could feel the weight of the world lifted off his shoulders—a crushing weight he didn't even realize he was carrying. Being with you like this made him wonder if heaven was real because you were godsent.

To Arthur's dismay, you unraveled yourself from him to tie the tent flap closed, sealing the two of you away in the dark. Walking between his legs, you untied his neckerchief and dusted his soiled shirt.

"—Needs a wash. Your blood or someone else's?" you questioned, fingers undoing the top button.

"Not mine," he answered. Peeling the shirt off and tossing it aside, you studied him for a second time tonight. He'd seemed more relaxed than when he arrived, but his brow stayed brooding. Still positioned with his legs on either side of you, you caressed his face, one of your thumbs stroking the hairless scar on his chin.

"What else can I do?"

"You done enough; I'm fine." He gave your hand on his face a reassuring squeeze.

Leaning forward, you kissed him tenderly. His arms wrapped around your waist, drawing you nearer until your foreheads touched. You spoke low against his mouth, a playful grin forming on yours.

"You gotta stop getting yourself into so much trouble, Arthur Morgan."

Your demand was met with a chuckle, and he replied, "I'll do my best, darlin'." You peppered his lips with loving, tender kisses, making him smile against them and squeeze you tighter in a hug. You would do just about anything to see that man smile at you the way he did, all soft and endearing.

Your kisses subsided, but Arthur's affectionate gaze stayed fixed on you. The slight smile on his face had straightened, his expression mirroring the intensity of the one he wore when he first confessed his love for you.

"Got that look on your face," you told him, and he just blinked slowly, awestruck. Though he often swore he was a man of few words, he could fill volumes with his devotion for you. You loved it when he got like that, entranced and overwhelmed with love.

The way he watched you set a fire within you that warmed the most intimate parts of your being. He was surprised when you let yourself fall heavily into him, trying to get as close as possible. Maybe he was going to say something or make a noise, but he didn't have the time before your mouth was on his again, your tongue pushing through his lips to tangle with his. You only pulled away when you needed to breathe.

Instead of pressing your lips to his once more, you dropped to your knees in front of him. Eyes widening, he tried to bring you back up to your feet, shaking his head, once again astounded by you.

"Sweetheart—"

Still on your knees, you patted his cheek and looked up at him with doe eyes. "Shhh, let me take care of you, Arthur." His hand found yours on his face, and he turned to kiss it, nodding placidly. Both of you managed to keep your volume low as you helped him strip down to his union suit. You began working at the buttons of his neckline, doing more ripping than unbuttoning, shoving the fabric down his shoulders.

As more clothing fell away, you trailed sweet kisses down his abdomen. At the same time, his hands roamed wherever they could. The rough pads of his fingers lightly tracing your skin mirrored a faint electric charge. Despite being a brute of an outlaw, he was overly careful with his hands when it came to you; your body was fine china and deserved to be treated as such. Goosebumps formed in a wake left by his touch.

As you kissed down the trail of hair under his belly button, his rapid breathing hitched, and the bulge between his legs strained against the flannel fabric, begging to be unleashed. You tried to find his eyes as you groped him through the underwear, but his head was tipped back, his mouth agape.

"Look at me." You whispered, and he snapped to attention like a soldier following commands. Eyes locked on his, you unclasped the last button, and his length sprung free, the pink head of his cock primed with anticipation. A teasing laugh crept up within you as you trailed soft kisses from the base of his shaft and left one long lingering peck on the tip. The loud, rhythmic thumping of his heart was music to your ears. Not wanting to keep him waiting any longer, you took his entire length in your mouth, bobbing your head up and down, taking him deeper until your nose touched the curly hairs at the base.

Then he couldn't hold it in anymore; a deep, guttural groan escaped him.

Your mouth was the warmest, most intoxicating blanket he'd ever been wrapped in, and he never wanted to leave. He gaped at you, seeing your mouth full of him, his pupils dilated with pure lust. The blunt tip of his cock pressed to the back of your throat, making it constrict around him. His whole body shuddered.

"Look whatchu' do to me, woman," he rattled, tangling his hands in your hair. Despite his eagerness, you withdrew from his aching sex, a string of saliva joining your lips to him. Something reminiscent of a whine exited him when you stepped away, but his open mouth fell shut at the sight of your bloomers slipping down your legs. You kissed him, savoring the salty, bitter taste of his arousal mixed with the tobacco and herbs of his mouth.

"Lay back," you murmured in his ear. Obeying your command once again, he let out a grunt as he felt your weight on top of him. You straddled him, and he held you up, his fingers digging firmly into your sides. Bending at the waist, you kissed longingly, your hips undulating against his. He pulled your nightgown up around your midriff, one of his hands gripping the flesh of your ass while the other one went between your legs. His index finger sank painstakingly into your weeping cunt, then brushed over your clit, making you shiver. He raised himself on his elbows, reaching for the hem of your sleep dress.

"Take this off; let me see you." You raised your arms and let him yank the garment away, leaving you completely exposed on top of him. "Beautiful," he breathed, using the back of his hand to graze your skin. Breathy sighs escaped you as he traced delicate circles around your nipples. His eyes bored into you, absorbing every detail like you were the most captivating thing that ever lived. Hyperfocused on your body, he fondled your breasts before gliding his hands down your torso, ogling, taking all of you in.

Freezing, his stare intensified as you massaged the tip of his cock up and down your glistening slit. Touching his lips to yours, you pushed him into your wet folds. Neither of you could contain the sounds building with you. He split you open, stretching you, making room for him, filling you. You held yourself up with your hands braced on his chest, but you went weak as he bottomed out within you, brushing against that deep, tender spot. You would've fallen if he wasn't there to hold you up, a thought mirroring one he had about you so often.

"I got you," he whispered into your ear. It took every ounce of restraint he had not to snap his hips up into you, the warm embrace of your center clearing his mind and driving him mad all the same. Finally, you started to ride, surging and sinking into him. He was a simple, agnostic man, but being with you like this made him believe in all the theocracy of angels, soulmates, and divine intervention. This was his bliss. This was his heaven, and you were his seraph. He'd go through hell every day if it meant coming home to this—to you. Hypnotized in the rhythm of you, a new thought crossed his mind every time you bounced.

Up.

She's so goddamn beautiful.

Down.

So perfect.

Up.

My girl.

Down.

My girl, my girl, my girl, my girl.

Up.

My angel.

Down.

I love her so much.

Up.

So wet.

Down

So warm.

Up.

So danm tight.

Down.

Shit.

And before you could come back up again, he squeezed his eyes shut, halting your hips with all the strength he could muster, fighting the damn-near irresistible urge to cum inside of you. Sweat had built up on his brow, and his stomach rose and fell quickly with each panting breath. You folded to kiss him, your hard nipples grazing against his chest.

"It's okay," you whispered, patting his face and grinding antagonizingly slow against him. You wanted him—needed him— to come undone for you. With that goal in mind, you picked up the pace and rolled your hips relentlessly, moaning your every thought into his ear.

"You feel so good inside of me."

"I need you."

"I love you."

Your climax was building fast, and you reached to give relief to that sensitive bundle of nerves atop your center. Arthur pushed your hand away swiftly, replacing it with his own. Always a giver, he'd do anything to feel useful while you were treating him like royalty.

While one hand worked your clit, his other gripped the meat of your hip, rocking you in time with his upward thrusts. His head tipped and hit the pillow, and you could feel his thighs tensing and shaking beneath you. Lips parted, he stared up at you. You felt him twitch inside you, and his brow finally relaxed.

That did it for you.

You were wordless as your orgasm ripped through you, your head swirling, and your veins on fire. Arthur's guiding hand on your hip didn't stop, and he fucked you through your climax. Hugging your body close and nuzzling his face into your neck, he growled as he painted your inner core with his own release. You stayed like that, glued to each other as you came down from your highs.

"You're too good for me," he finally said. You clasped a hand into his, kissing the long-forgotten bruises on his knuckles.

"Shut up." You responded, and he didn't say another self-deprecating word. It was the least he could do.

You cleaned up and redressed, nestling into the small, one-man cot. Finally settled for the night, you resorted to your regular bedtime positions: your head on his chest, his arms wrapped securely around you, your legs tangled in one another's.

He rose before you in the morning, perching himself on the cot's edge while you slept behind him. He wrote in his journal, his thumb leaving a smudge on the page:

"For a long time, I believed I could not live a bad life and expect good things to happen to me. Yet somehow, this woman of pure goodness entered my life, and it is clear now that I have been a fool."

[theorphicangel]

𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐰 | 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐥 𝐱 𝐟𝐞𝐦! 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

summary: miguel being whipped for his s/o after sex :)

tags: suggestive, 18+, aftercare, soft Miguel, fluffy

panting, you lay your head back on the pillow, thighs still shaking as you come down from your high.

a whimper leaves your throat once you feel Miguel pull out, leaving behind a sore feeling of emptiness within you.

He’s quick to clean you up. tissues on the bedside table as well as two bottles of water. The way you like them, fresh and cold. his chest rises and falls heavily as sweat forms at his brow. strays of his coffee-brown locks sticking to his forehead.

He gently wipes at your inner thigh. your hand is still positioned on his shoulder, feeling his muscles flex with every move he makes.

Miguel leaves a tender kiss on your arm. “you did so good for me, mi amor.”He hands you a bottle, removing the cap before giving it to you.

you take a few small sips before gesturing the bottle back to him. He stares, unimpressed.

“a little more.”

you obey, reluctantly, sipping until the bottle is less than half full. Miguel takes your bottle and fastens the cap. And before you know it, he’s laying on your chest underneath the covers with you.

“ugh, you’re so heavy.” your hand immediately reaches for his hair, an automatic habit.

“mhm, you tired me out tonight.”

you fake a gasp, fingers running softly through his hair. “I tired out the miguel o’hara?”

you feel his chest vibrate as he chuckles softly. “don’t tell anyone, it could ruin my reputation.”

“cross my heart and swear to die.” you say as you mark an x on your chest.

the two of you bask in a comfortable silence, a natural hum heard in the room. you continue to play with his hair, fingertips lost in his locks before you notice a pair of eyes staring.

“what?” you whisper.

Miguel continues to stare at you, unresponsive. letting silence become his answer for a few moments before speaking.

“you’re glowing, nena.”

“Am I?” you chuckle softly, slightly shy at his eyes glued onto your face. you always caught him looking at you like that, like you were the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. it didn’t matter if you had just woken up or returned from work after a busy and stressful day, or if you had walked out in a simple tee and jeans.

he alwayed seemed to look at you with a starstruck look in his eyes.

And that is the very look he had now.

A smile slips onto his lips, his voice low. “Carajo, eres tan guapa.” [fuck, you’re so beautiful]

you scoff, rolling your eyes.

“I’m serious, nena.” and his tone exemplifies that too. his eyes search all over your face. “¿Cómo tuve tanta suerte?” [how was I so lucky?]

“dunno’,” your hand trails down to his cheek, caressing his skin. he’s glowing too, you think. “How did I get lucky with you?”

“maybe it was fate.” he whispers, his eyes falling to your lips.

“maybe it was.” Miguel murmurs, inching closer to you. Simultaneously, you pull him towards you, your hand still on his cheek.

The moment your lips meet, a spark is lighted within you again. you can tell he’s being gentle, making sure not to place his body weight entirely on you.

when you finally part, a rush of adrenaline runs through your body once more. a heat emerging between your thighs for an nth time.

“you think you still got enough energy for one more round, o’hara?”

“always for you, my love.”

reblogs are much appreciated!

[helaintoloki]

hi can you do a ben hargreeves angst where klaus is still able to see him in season 3 and he sees how close y/n has gotten to ben sparrow you can do whatever you want with it

warnings: language, lots of angst

notes: okay i actually loved writing this you are a genius for coming up with this scenario

summary: Ben is forced to watch you fall for a completely different version of him

Ben once thought having to watch the woman you love live her life without knowing you looked on as a spirit incapable of communicating with her was the worst fate imaginable.

But he was wrong.

Watching the woman you love grow close to another version of you while you can do absolutely nothing to interfere was more torturous than any other possible outcome.

Ben absolutely loathed the Sparrow with his entire being. He couldn’t understand why you would even consider trying to get to know the man- he was a complete jerk, absolutely hostile, and not at all understanding or compassionate to the dilemma your team found yourselves in. Ben also thought his haircut was stupid, and the Sparrow’s demeanor gave the ghost a sense of second-hand embarrassment every time he talked.

And yet you were drawn to the man like a magnet, and how could you not be? He looked and sounded exactly like what you imagined your Ben would have if he had survived the accident and been able to grown into an adult alongside you. Despite his callousness and his blatant lack of trust in you, you were eager to learn more. Did he like the same things your Ben did? Did they share the same interests? Were their mannerisms the same? You desperately needed to know, and the Sparrow did not deny you this. Though he held a certain sense of disdain for your team, he wasn’t prideful enough to turn down the company of a pretty girl who seemed to follow him around like a lost puppy. He took advantage of your kindness and your vulnerability, and your Ben hated that he could do absolutely nothing to stop this.

You sit on a lone bench and watch as the Sparrow completes his workout for the day. He’s allowed you to tag along so long as you don’t get in the way, and you agreed. You’re completely mesmerized by his toned arms and grunts of effort that escape his lips as he lifts weights, and Ben can only roll his eyes.

“Seriously? This guy?” He asks you in exasperation, but of course, you don’t hear him at all. This doesn’t deter him from continuing his attempt to persuade you to stay away from the Sparrow. “You are way too good for an asshole like him. He’s just using you to feed his ego!”

“Do you like to read?” You ask the man as he sets down his weights and reaches for his towel to wipe off the sweat from his brow.

“Read?” He retorts haughtily, almost offended by the notion. “What am I, a nerd?”

Ben knows neither of you can see him, and yet he flips the man off anyway in response to his answer. Your shoulders visibly deflate at his words, and the ghost can only frown and attempt to place a comforting hand on your shoulder. It goes right through you, the coldness prompting you to shiver involuntarily, but it makes him feel better to know you can at least sense him in some way.

“My Ben liked reading, so I just thought maybe you would too,” you offer meekly, prompting the Sparrow to roll his eyes.

“Alright, new rule. You wanna hangout with me? Then don’t bring up ‘your’ Ben. Got it?”

“Right, sorry,” you murmur quietly while awkwardly fidgeting with the rings on your fingers. You hover over the one on your index, the purple gem gleaming in the light. Ben knows that ring because he gave you that ring, and that’s why it nearly kills him all over again when he watches you hurriedly remove it and hide it away in the pocket of your sweater.

“You shouldn’t have to apologize for being you,” he gently reprimands you with a sigh before focusing his harsh gaze on his lookalike. “And you should stop being a dick to quite possibly the nicest girl you’ll ever meet. You don’t deserve her, and I’ll never understand why the universe decided you should get to have her.”

Of course, his lecture is unheard and has no impact on the scene that unfolds before him. He watches in gut wrenching agony as the Sparrow seats himself beside you on the bench, his rough hand coming to rest gently upon your thigh and squeezing to get your attention. Your eyes almost seem to sparkle as you look up at him in search of validation for your efforts to get to know him. There’s a shift in the air that fills Ben with dread, and despite all his efforts to stop it he can do nothing to prevent your lips from meeting the man’s in a purposeful kiss.

Your heart flutters in your chest as the Sparrow pulls away and carefully tucks your hair behind your ear, his voice coming out in a soft whisper as he says, “You’re with me now. Forget about him.”

And to Ben’s absolute horror, you obediently offer a silent nod in agreement to his command.

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Roads Untraveled 1

No tag lists. Do not send asks or DMs about updates. Review my pinned post for guidelines, masterlist, etc.

Warnings: this fic will include dark content such as dubcon/noncon, pregnancy, and other possible triggers. My warnings are not exhaustive, enter at your own risk.

This is a dark!fic and explicit. 18+ only. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: Single and pregnant, you discover a super soldier in the dumpster but he might not be hero you think he is. 

[This is a rewrite of a series of the same name which I removed a couple years ago]

Characters: Silverfox!Steve Rogers

Note: I finally did this.

As per usual, I humbly request your thoughts! Reblogs are always appreciated and welcomed, not only do I see them easier but it lets other people see my work. I will do my best to answer all I can. I’m trying to get better at keeping up so thanks everyone for staying with me <3

Your feedback will help in this and future works (and WiPs, I haven’t forgotten those!) Asking for more or putting ‘part 2?’ is not feedback.

Love you all. You are appreciated and your are worthy. Treat yourself with care. 💖

‘When he went away  The blues walked in and met me�� Oh, yeah if he stays away  Old rocking chair’s gonna get me  All I do is pray...’ 

You sway to the melody as you wipe dry the last plate. You set it in the rack as Etta James’ soulful crooning wafts around the kitchen. Just the simple task of washing the dishes has you out of breath. You can no longer hum along as you’re suddenly light headed with sweat speckled across your brow. Even the breeze drifting in through the open window can’t cool the constant heat brewing within you. 

You brace your lower back as you reach for the dish towel and pop open the cupboard. The music drones to silence as the next some in queue loads. Your rounded stomach presses to the counter as you take a mug and dry it inside and out. Strange, you don’t remember the song starting like that; the strange warbling noise much unlike Marvin Gaye’s rich tones. 

You set the mug on the shelf and back up. Another noise peaks your attention, too tinny to be a snare. You rub your stomach mindlessly as you sling the cloth over your shoulder. You waddle across the tile to the folding table beneath the window. You tap pause on your phone and the bluetooth speaker goes silent. 

Your fingers pick the damp fabric away from your bump. These days you can’t avoid getting soaked. Even as you can’t forget about the burden of your condition, you’re still oblivious to how it gets in the way until it does. You sigh as you listen for another clue. 

A pained deep grunt floats up from below. Distant but decisive, another rustle beneath the unexpected noise. You lean over the table, a hand on the ledge as you push the pane higher. You bend, stomach pressed to the speaker, and peer down. You expect another dumpster diver searching for empties to trade in; rather you meet a most unexpected sight. 

There is a man in the dumpster, alright, but he isn’t moving. From there, you can’t see very clearly. You squint at the figure strewn among the trash but the zigzag of the fire escape obscures your eye line. 

You shouldn’t go and see. Not only is it a lot of effort, but it’s dangerous. You shouldn’t be wandering into alleys to check on strangers in dumpsters. You don’t know any good reason someone might be swimming in garbage. Nor do you think they would want to be bothered.  

Still, the prickling in your neck urges you to do something. There’s just something so peculiar about the angle of the arm you can see clearer than the rest of the body. At least they’re moving, even if they sound agonized. 

You take your phone and untether it from the bluetooth speaker. You unlock it and keep your thumb ready to dial out. You move as quickly as you can, not very, and waddles along the back of the couch into the entry way. You take your keys from the hook near your door and step into your cushy slides. 

You turn back the latch and leave the door unlocked behind you. The slides shift on your swollen feet as you rush down to the elevator. God, your back hurts. You try not to lean too far back as it only adds to the pain. You need a belly belt but they’re so darn expensive. 

You’re out of breath as you step on and turn to watch the numbers count down. You’re still panting as you reach the lobby and push through the front doors, leaning into the heavy grated iron until it creaks loudly. You clamour down the steps to even ground and your hips pang. 

You put your hand under your stomach, trying to lift it and ease the pressure in your hips. You blow out between your lips as you have to slow down. You shuffle across the grass and into the paved lobby. The stink of the trash brings you back to those early days of morning sickness. And afternoon sickness. And night sickness. 

You try not to inhale too deeply as you step between the brick buildings. You bring your phone up, ready to hit those three digits in a heartbeat. You should’ve done so already. Even if you do, it’ll take hours for anyone to come out here. 

You stop and listen a few steps from the dumpster. You don’t hear anything now. You look up at the sky, dimming towards evening in a mixture of pink and blue, the moon peeking palely through the hue. You grip your phone tight, keys jangling with your movement as you continue forward. 

“Hello?” You call out, “is someone in there?” You linger near the corner of the dumpster, the trash reeking in your nostrils, “do you need help?” 

No answer. You stare up, wondering how you might see inside. If you weren’t built like a keg, you might be able to see from the lower level of the fire escape but you can’t even make it one rung. You blink and call out again. 

“Hello? Are you okay?” 

You wait for a response. Silence again. Maybe they found their way out on their own. You huff. So much for all that. All you’ve done is added to the pain in your arches. You turn on your heel and a groan gurgles and plastic crinkles noisily. 

You stop again, wavering, and peer back over your shoulder. A hand appears over the tops of the dumpsters edge and grips it. You face the large metal bin as the knuckles strain within the stained brown leather, fingertips poking out nakedly, blood and dirty tinged across the flesh. A long grunt follows as the figure drags himself to look over the top. 

“Sir, are you--” you begin, voice catching at the sight of the cowl and the man’s square jaw. The white star on his chest stuns you. It’s him. Everyone knows that uniform, that face, even under his helmet. New York’s own Captain America. 

You gape as the super soldier strains and swings himself out of the dumpster with one arm. His other is hanging limply as his feet hit the pavement. His knees crack and buckle. He drops down onto them and hisses. 

“Captain America?” You utter dumbly. 

He puts his fist to the ground and leans on his arm. He hangs his head and heaves. He drags a leg forward, planting his foot, and makes himself stand. He pushes his shoulders back and winces, reaching to cradle his dangling arm. 

“Steve,” he rasps, “goddamn.” 

You don’t expect the obscenity. Not from him. He leans against the dumpster and turns his chin up. He gnashes his teeth as he grips his arm and jerks, moving the heavy bin with his effort. The pop of his shoulder is sickening as he growls tightly. He stomps his foot and as he shakes out the arm he just put back into place. 

He reaches up and peels off his cowl as he puts his head straight. He looks at you as he wipes the streak of blood from lip to chin. His blond locks are streaked silver and his face is lined. He looks much older than the magazine covers and the TV screens. The magic of editing, right? 

He swipes the sweaty hair from his forehead and huffs. 

“Steve,” you rest your phone on your stomach, “are you okay?” 

He pushes himself away from the dumpster and puffs, “I’m fine. Just... a hiccup.” 

You stare at him. He looks tired and worn. You believe him when he says he’s okay. He's a super soldier and the world has seen his many feats. Yet he looks completely hollow. 

“Are you sure? I could call someone or...” you step forward and point to the slash that borders chest and shoulder, “you should clean that out, shouldn’t you?” 

He looks down and grimaces, “had worse. I got comms. HQ doesn’t care about a few scratches.” 

He goes to step forward and stumbles slightly. He snarls and kicks his foot into the gravel. He wiggles his knee and bends to rub the joint. 

“I...” your mouth opens and closes. This isn’t the man you’ve seen in the media. He's not smiling and golden and shining. Still, he’s the Captain. “I live above,” you gesture upward, “I could help... or maybe you can just... sit for a little bit. Get yourself straight?” 

He looks at you. As if for the first time. His forehead smooths as the tension eases from his jaw. His gaze slowly crawls down to his stomach and you see the dimple in his cheek. 

“Your husband okay with that? I’m a bit of a mess,” his tone is lighter as he fixes his grip on his cowl. 

“Oh no, I don’t have--” you chew your lip and look at the brick wall, “it’s just me. But I have first aid kit and learned to stitch in summer camp. I think I can still remember how.” 

He glances around and nods, “got a back door?” 

“Yeah, it’s... past you,” you nod in his direction. 

He pivots stiffly and cranes to see around the dumpster. You near him and your keys jingle again. You follow him to the metal door with the glass window and you shove the key in and twist. You pull it open a few inches. It’s heavier than the front door. He grabs it and wrenches it all the way back. 

“Thanks,” you murmur. “There’s an elevator.” 

“Hm, fewer people see me, the better,” he sniffs as the door clanks behind him. 

“It might take me a while,” you warn, “I’m slow.” 

“What floor. I’ll meet you,” he offers. 

“Sure, it’s three.” 

“Number?” 

“310.” 

“I’ll find it,” he states and marches towards the stair sign. 

You go to catch the elevator, stewing in disbelief on your ascent. You step off and continue on to your apartment. He’s already there. He stands with his hand on the frame, looking over his shoulder as you waddle down the hall towards him. 

“It’s unlocked,” you say. 

He opens it and waits for you. You thank him as you enter and he follows. He locks it and lingers behind you. You put your hand to the wall as you slip off your slides. He gently lays his cowl on the corner table and bends to unlace his boots. You hang the keys on the hook and place your phone on the small table. 

He leaves his dirtied boots on the mat and limps forward. You stand in the open doorway of the living room and peek back at him. He looks around reluctantly. 

“Please, sit down,” you insist and wave through the doorway before you pass through. 

“I...” he begins and you hear his uneven gait down the hallway. “I don’t want to dirty your couch.” 

“I have a steam cleaner,” you assure. “Sit, I’ll get the kit.” 

He stares, his eyes once more scanning the space. Does he think this is a trip? That you’re some covert agent who all too conveniently found him? That’s absurd. Look at you. 

You shrug off that ridiculous idea and cross to the kitchen. You open several drawers before you remember it’s in the bathroom. Of course. Your brain likes to play games these days. You grab the metal tin from under the sink and return to Steve.  

He pulls off his gloves and balls them on the side table next to the couch. You come around the other side of the couch and sit, leaving lots of space between you. You squeeze the kits as you’re once more out of breath. 

“You okay?” He turns the question on you. 

“I’m not the one bleeding. Just pregnant,” you smile. 

You balance the kit on your stomach as you lean back. You sanitize a needle and weave it with surgical thread. You put that aside and fish out an alcoholic swap. You shift the kit aside and push on the back of the couch as you try to sit forward. You shake and he helps you, a humbling assistance. 

“First,” you turn to him, “we’ll see how deep it is,” you tear open the swap, “can I...” 

“One sec,” he dips his fingers into the fabric and tears the sleeve, renting the fabric like tissue. His arm is thick and well-toned despite the years. A centurion like him can’t complain for the shape he’s in, even battered. “I can do it myself.” 

“Yes, but it wouldn’t be easy.” 

You reach as he angles towards you. You gingerly dab around the gash and he tenses. He takes a sharp breath, “you don’t have to be so gentle. I can handle pain.” 

“Right,” you work more diligently. 

He’s quiet as you tend to him, picking out gravel and some metal slivers. You worry that you might miss some. You lean in closer and he steels himself at your proximity. 

“So,” he clears his throat, “just you and...” the kid?” 

“We all make mistakes,” you chuckle. You can only laugh about it, as scared as you are. 

“Mmm,” he flinches as you sweep down the length of the cut. It’s not that deep, mostly superficial. 

“Let me put some steri-strips on, shouldn’t need the stitches, ” you say as you sift through the kit with one hand, “if you’re hungry, I have leftovers. You like chicken?” 

You don’t know why you’re offering. Maybe it’s because you owe him. Like everyone in the city. It’s your chance to give back to the hero who gave so much. Or maybe it’s because you’re so damn lonely talking to your own stomach. 

“I should go,” he insists as you place a strip across the cut. 

“Up to you,” you say, “I don’t mind either way, but I’m not going to chase Captain America out of ym apartment.” 

He doesn’t say anything. You finish dressing his wound and gather up the wrappers and all. You crumple it in one hand and rock yourself to stand. You’re overly aware of him watching you. You touch your stomach and rub it, soothing your nerves. You find him watching the movement of your hand. 

“You must be pretty far along,” he says. 

“Six months. Chicken tortellini, if you want. I was gonna reheat some. I haven’t eaten since work.” 

“Work?” He frowns and stands, moving better than before. “Should you be?” 

“I’m at a desk. It’s nothing. HR got me some ergonomic stuff. Nothing compared to what you do.” 

You put away the kit and toss the garbage. You wash your hands before you search out the container of pasta in the fridges. You sense him behind you, just in the wide archway that peers into the kitchen. You reach into the cupboard you left open and take the single plate that isn’t in the rack. 

“So, you want some?” You ask. 

He’s silent with contemplation, the shift of his weight creaks in the floor, “I appreciate it, yes, please.” 

“I might have something you can change into,” you say. You wonder why you’re doing all this. Maybe it’s that maternal instinct kicking in. “The father, before he took off, left a few things.” You peek over your shoulder, “he was a bit smaller than you.” 

He shrugs then winces at the careless gesture. “Do you mind if I wash up before I eat? I smell like garbage. I don’t wanna overstep--” 

“Go ahead, it’ll take a while to warm this up,” you say. 

Another long lull. He taps his fingers on the wall and inhales deep enough for you to hear, “promise, I’ll get out of your hair after dinner.” 

“Please, take your time,” you say as you put the tortellini in a glass pan to rebake. He backs away and you sense his hesitation, “oh, down the hall, to the left of the bedroom at the end.” 

“Thanks,” he intones, “oh, uh, just realised, you know who I am...” 

Your brows pop up and you stop before you can put the pan in the stove. You look back at him and give your name. He nods. 

“Pretty,” he comments, “also, it’s just Steve, not Captain.” 

[wherethefireliliesgrow]

Birds of a Feather

Pham Hanni x F reader

GENRE: fluff, slight angst

TAGS: college love, friends to lovers

TYPE: One Shot

Inspired by: Birds of a Feather - Billie Eilish

A jump and rustle in your bed woke you up with a start. Your heart raced at the shock and possibility of an intruder. But before you could turn on the lights, the familiar smell of citrus and raspberries filled the air. It was your best friend and flatmate, Hanni.

She had flopped face-first onto your pillow next to you, her annoyed groan slightly muffled. Your heart thumped loudly at the close proximity of her skin next to yours, but you quickly rubbed your eyes, trying to wipe away the drowsiness and the tingling feeling in your chest.

“What the hell, Pham?” you muttered, glancing at the clock on your nightstand. “Why are you in my room at 3 in the morning?”

She merely pushed her face deeper into your pillow and inhaled, sighing in defeat.

Hanni was many things—she may be a tiny little thing, but she was insanely loud, vibrant, and expressive. So her silence meant something was seriously wrong. That was when you remembered she had left last night for a date with another boy from her major. She had been so excited, but it seemed the date did not go well. You secretly cheered at the thought of her not falling for another guy, but guilt quickly followed. Your friend was here, wallowing in misery, and all you could think about was your own feelings.

“I take it the date with Jun didn’t go well?” you softly asked, reaching over to stroke her raven-black hair.

Finally deciding to answer, she turned around and buried her face in your neck, her small body curling toward your warmth. You wrapped your arm around her and pulled her close, soothing her like you had since you met in freshman year. Your bodies fit together perfectly, like pieces of a puzzle, or birds of a feather.

“It was… okay,” she muttered defeatedly.

“Then what’s wrong? I thought you liked him.”

Hanni let out another sigh, her cool breath brushing against your neck and sending shivers through your body.

“I thought he was cute. But it just doesn’t feel right. There’s no connection, no spark.”

“Don’t force it if it doesn’t feel right,” you said, rubbing her arm soothingly.

“But when will it ever feel right?” Her voice raised slightly, a hint of tears in her eyes.

“I’ve been on at least twenty dates in the past few months, and none of them ever feel right. I’m so tired of this. Maybe I’m just not meant to be with anyone. Maybe no one would ever like me.”

Your heart twinged at hearing Hanni say this. It pained you to see such a wonderful and sweet girl doubt herself so much, beaten down by all the failed dates and rejections.

“Don’t say that, Hanni. From my time with you as your best friend and roommate, I can assure you that you are very lovable and one of the best people in the world. You deserve all the love you can find. Don’t ever let anyone else make you think otherwise.”

Hanni paused in silence at your words, and you started to sweat, worried that she had caught on to your feelings. The room was too dark for you to see her expression, but finally, she softly leaned her head toward you and pressed her lips on your cheek gently before drawing back.

“Thank you, Y/N, for being here, for being my best friend,” she whispered, before cuddling back into you.

Her breathing slowed, indicating that she had fallen asleep.

Your face burned where her lips had touched. You knew this was the closest thing to love you could get from her, but you were content with just being her friend.

.

.

.

.

The blow of the whistle echoed in the gymnasium, along with the roar from the crowd in the stands. Your volleyball team had managed to catch up to the competing team, head-to-head in the final round of the quarter-finals. Hanni knew her friends were talking about something, but her eyes stayed glued to you, watching you furrow your brows in concentration as you listened to your coach discuss the next game plan.

“If you stare any harder, your eyes are going to fall out,” Minji, one of her close friends and the class president, teased the shorter girl, nudging her gently out of her trance.

“Huh?” Hanni finally drew her eyes away from you and looked back to see her group of friends all looking at her with stupid, knowing grins on their faces.

“Sorry, what were you guys saying?”

“We were talking about when you were going to ask Y/N out,” Haerin drawled, her cat-like eyes glinting with mischief.

“What?” Hanni quickly shook her head, her heart pounding at the thought. “I don’t like Y/N.”

“If you say so,” Haerin snickered, enjoying watching her friend panic.

“Seriously, I’m not gay,” Hanni’s voice raised slightly, tinged with both anger and fear that they had caught on to her feelings.

“We know, Haerin was just joking,” Danielle quickly cut in. Ever so sweet and a ball of sunshine, she smoothly changed the subject to soothe Hanni’s nerves. “What do you guys want for dinner after?”

As the girls chattered around her, all Hanni could hear was her blood rushing in her ears. She wasn’t gay; she couldn’t be. She only dated boys, even if the dates were always disappointing. She just cared for you as a friend—a best friend. Yes, that must be it. She liked paying attention to you because that’s what a good friend should do. She tried to push the thoughts of how much she enjoyed your attention, how nice it felt to be in your arms, out of her head.

You leaped up high and struck the volleyball, the ball moving so fast that Hanni couldn’t see anything but a blur of white, followed by the sound of a slam and the referee’s whistle. The crowd roared in glee as your teammates all piled on top of you. You had made the final point and secured your school’s ticket to the finals.

Hanni jumped to her feet and screamed your name, waving a towel with your last name on it in celebration.

“Whipped,” Minji muttered to Haerin, and Hyein snickered. Danielle quickly turned around to shush the older girl, but was also grinning as they watched Hanni run from the stands and onto the court to congratulate you.

You caught her mid-jump and twirled her around, the number on your jersey catching the court light as it mirrored the one on Hanni’s body.

.

.

.

.

Ever since the girls mentioned the idea of Hanni having feelings for you, she tried her hardest to avoid having these allegations whenever you guys hung out in public. Hanni, who was always around, who always filled the room with her bright energy, began to drift away. She started to avoid you. It wasn’t immediate, but you noticed. It started with her not sitting next to you  in classes, then she stopped responding to your texts as quickly as she used to. Eventually, she stopped joining in on Friday movie nights in the living room. She used to look forward to these so much.

You couldn't understand what had changed. Everything was fine until the game. The closeness you two shared, the comfort in each other's presence, was suddenly replaced by a wall that the shorter girl seemed determined to build. When you asked her if everything was okay, she’d shrug it off, avoiding your eyes.

“I’ve just been busy,” she’d say, forcing a smile that didn’t reach her honey-brown hues eyes. “Lots of assignments, you know?”

But you knew it wasn’t just assignments. The warmth that used to be in her voice when she talked to you had been replaced by something cold, something distant. She no longer confided you in her problems, no longer snuggled up towards you, and no longer wanted to spend time with you.

Your friends noticed too. Minji, Haerin, and Danielle would exchange glances when they saw the two of you together, the awkward tension between you crushing the room. They didn’t say anything directly, but their concern was evident in the way they tried to lighten the mood, filling the silence with jokes and stories. But it wasn’t the same.

One evening, after another failed attempt to talk to Hanni, you lay in your bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering where things went wrong. Your chest felt heavy, like you were carrying around a weight that you couldn’t shake off. All you wanted was to understand, to know why she was pulling away. But Hanni kept her distance, leaving you alone with your thoughts and the growing ache in your heart. Did she somehow, figure out your feelings for her? Did the thought of you liking her make her withdraw in disgust?

The dreams of her haunted you once again.

.

.

.

.

A few week passed with little change. You decided to get some fresh air, clear your mind from the confusion that had been clouding it. Your shared flat was too quiet, and Hanni’s door was always shut, as if she wanted to keep you away from her as much as she could.

You went off campus, deciding to visit your cousin Jimin. She always knew how to help you make sense of things. As you sat in a small, cozy coffee shop, you poured your heart out to her, explaining how Hanni had changed, how you didn’t understand what had gone wrong.

Jimin listened patiently, her eyes full of empathy. “Maybe she’s going through something she doesn’t know how to talk about,” she suggested, placing her hand on yours in a comforting gesture.

Unbeknownst to you, Hanni had walked past the coffee shop at that very moment. She had heard you leave the dorm and decided to go for a walk herself.

Though she seemed nonchalant, the time away from you had taken a toll on her. Dark circles shadowed her eyes, and she couldn't eat. All she wanted was to crawl back into your arms and apologize for pulling away. You must be so confused about the sudden distance. She was confused herself. She had finally come to terms with the fact that the reason all her relationships and dates had failed was that she had feelings for you all along. A part of her wanted to confess, but a bigger part had convinced herself that she could get through this silly crush on you if she just avoided you, that it was just a phase.

But maybe, just maybe, you liked her too. This thought lingered in her mind, fueled by her friends who kept insisting that you had feelings for her.

She promised herself she would talk to you soon.

As she walked through the town, the autumn chill made her pull her jacket tighter. She couldn’t help but think of the times you would take off your scarf and wrap it around her because she was too cold, or the way you’d laugh at her pink nose and buy her a cup of hot coffee.

Just when she thought things couldn’t get worse, her heart sank as she saw you in a random coffee shop with another girl. The way the girl’s hand rested on yours twisted something painfully in her chest. She felt a sudden surge of jealousy, something she didn’t want to acknowledge. In her mind, she began to piece together a story that wasn’t true—that you had moved on, that you had found someone else, or that you never liked her in the first place.

After all, she was a girl who could never find love.

The rest of the day, Hanni couldn’t focus on anything. All she could think of was the pretty girl paying attention to everything you said, the way your eyes sparkled when you talked, and the sight of her hand in yours.

That night, Hanni took a pair of scissors and chopped her hair short, the long locks that you used to run your hands through falling to the floor. Snip after snip, she chopped off her hair the way you had broken her heart, piece by piece. She stared at herself in the mirror, her heart racing as she tried to convince herself that this was a fresh start, a way to move on from the confusing feelings she had for you.

The next day, when you saw Hanni with her new haircut, you were shocked. She looked different—fierce, determined, but there was something else behind her eyes, something that didn’t quite fit the image she was trying to project. You couldn’t help but wonder what had driven her to such a drastic change. She had always adored her long hair. Though you thought she looked just as good with short hair and choppy bangs, you thought she looked good in anything, to be honest.

“You cut your hair,” you said, trying to sound casual, but the surprise in your voice was evident.

“Yeah, felt like a change,” she replied curtly, not meeting your gaze.

“Why?”

“It’s really none of your business.” She snapped, instantly regretting it when she saw the hurt look on your face.

Hanni quickly grabbed her bag and left for her morning class, the one she had with you.

.

.

.

.

The tension between you both only grew thicker. The silence that used to be comfortable now felt suffocating. Days passed without much exchange until one evening, something snapped. Hanni had had a terrible day and overheard NingNing, her classmate, talking about considering asking you out since you seemed to be open to dating now.

You were in the kitchen, preparing a late dinner, when Hanni walked in, her expression hard to read.

“Is something wrong?” you asked, trying to keep your voice steady.

“Why would anything be wrong?” Hanni shot back, her tone sharper than you expected.

“I don’t know, Hanni. You’ve been acting strange, avoiding me. If I did something, can’t you just tell me?”

She clenched her fists, her breath quickening. “Maybe you should go ask the girl you were with at the coffee shop.”

The words hit you like a punch to the gut. You blinked, trying to process what she had just said. “The coffee shop? What coffee shop? What girl?”

“The one by the train station.” Hanni rubbed her forehead in frustration, trying to calm herself down. “Aren’t you dating her or something?”

Your eyes widened, and your mouth formed an O. You looked so stupid and adorable, and all Hanni wanted to do was punch you (or kiss you).

“Hanni, that was my cousin Jimin.”

Her eyes widened slightly, the color draining from her face as the realization dawned on her.

“Your cousin? I never knew you had a cousin.”

“Yeah, she was here on a business tri—”

Before either of you could say anything more, a loud thump echoed from the window. Hanni let out a scream, her scream scaring you more than the thump itself. The room fell silent, both of you turning toward the sound.

“What was that?” Hanni whispered, her voice shaky.

You moved toward the window, your heart pounding.

“Y/N!” Hanni hissed, reaching to pull you back. “Don’t go too close. It might be a serial killer.”

At that comment, you snorted and decided to walk forward.

Pulling the curtain aside, you saw a pigeon lying on the ground, its wing awkwardly bent.

“It’s just a pigeon,” you said, opening the window carefully.

“Get it out of here,” Hanni said, her voice rising with panic. She backed away, her fear of birds evident in the way she trembled.

“Y/N, I’m serious. Pigeons are covered in germs.”

Ignoring her protests, you gently brought the pigeon inside, placing it on the table.

“It’s hurt, Hanni. I’m calling Dani. She’ll know what to do.”

A few minutes later, Danielle arrived, her vet kit in hand. She worked quickly, soothing the frightened bird and bandaging its wing. Hanni watched from the doorway, her fear momentarily forgotten as she observed the tenderness with which you handled the situation. You looked at the pigeon so softly and caringly, while Hanni just thought it was the ugliest bird ever. It was balding, and just a flurry of gray and white spots.

“Thank you, Dani,” you said as she finished up, giving you a reassuring smile before she left.

“It’s never a problem, Y/N. Bring it to the clinical room tomorrow, and our professors can check it out.” Dani said cheerfully, her grin brightening the whole room.

“I’m glad you guys are talking again,” she giggled, before shutting the door behind her.

As the door closed, the room was quiet again, but the tension between you and Hanni remained. She looked at you, her eyes filled with regret, and for a moment, you thought she might say something. But she simply averted her gaze and focused her attention on the bird.

“That bird is not staying in my room,” she said, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

You shrugged, at least she was talking to you again. “I’ll keep it in mine then.”

“It’s one of the ugliest birds I’ve ever seen.” She walked a bit closer to the pigeon, which gave a weird squawk and turned its bald head to look at her.

“Yeah, it’s kinda ugly.”

The two of you stood in the middle of the living room awkwardly, looking anywhere except at each other.

“I’m going to name it Pablo,” Hanni said suddenly before walking back to her room.

You laughed at her randomness, feeling a bit better than you had in weeks.

The door to Hanni’s room was left half-open.

.

.

.

.

.

Neither of you addressed the weird distance that had grown between you over the past few weeks. But Hanni seemed to be in a better mood, and you noticed that she was slowly warming up to you again. She even visited Pablo with you, despite her initial disgust toward birds. Sometimes, she would bring bird seeds for the pigeon to snack on or sing to him with her beautiful, sweet voice when she thought you couldn’t hear her.

You weren’t back to normal, but you were getting there.

Hanni, on the other hand, had a plan. After all the heartbreak and misunderstandings she had accidentally caused, she was determined to set things right. She couldn’t imagine herself dating anyone else but you, and the thought of you holding someone else made her heart ache.

So she was thinking of a way to confess to you. She wanted nothing more than to be in your arms again, but as the days blurred into weeks and winter’s snow melted away into spring, she still hadn’t mustered the courage.

That was until the day you were to release Pablo back into the wild.

It was spring, and Dani had said that Pablo’s wing was fully healed and that it was the perfect time for him to rejoin nature.

As you and Hanni said your goodbyes to Pablo (you teared up a bit, while Hanni, still wary of the bird, merely poked its now fluffy head with her forefinger tenderly), she insisted on tying a small pink ribbon on one of Pablo’s feet.

“Just in case he ever flies by, I’ll recognize him,” she explained with a shy smile.

You drove to a nearby park with Hanni, talking and laughing along the way, similar to what you used to do, but with a sense of shyness hanging in the air.

Hanni opened the cage to let him go.

The two of you watched as he took flight, joining a flock of pigeons in the trees.

Finally, deciding to brave yourself again, you asked, “Hanni, what did I do before to make you hate me?”

Hanni’s face fell, sadness washing over her as she realized how you’d been feeling.

“I never hated you. I hated myself.” She whispered.

“Why?”

Hanni took a deep breath, her voice trembling slightly as she spoke. “I was confused about how I felt about you. I like you, Y/N, and I was so scared of that. I was scared that you didn’t like me back or that maybe I wasn’t really... you know, into girls.”

You sighed, relief and understanding flooding your heart.

You reached down to grab her hand, squeezing it gently. “I’ve always liked you, Hanni. I just didn’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

Hanni’s eyes lit up with a mix of surprise and happiness. Her sweet face broke into a smile, the smile that she reserved only for you, and stood on her tiptoes.  She wrapped her arms around your neck, pulling you closer, so close that you could feel her breath on your lips. The smell of citrus on her skin was dizzying, in the best way.

The flock of pigeons took flight behind the two of you, their wings flapping in the background as if in celebration.

Hanni looked up at you, her voice soft and full of meaning. “I kept thinking... that’s us.”

You frowned, confused. “The pigeons?”

“Yeah,” she nodded, her smile growing. “We’re birds of a feather. We belong together.”

You chuckled, shaking your head in disbelief. “Hanni, you’re scared of birds.”

Hanni playfully rolled her eyes. “Just shut up and kiss me.”

As Hanni’s words hung in the air, a playful smirk danced on her lips, but her eyes shone with a deep, genuine vulnerability. You could feel your heart pounding in your chest, the world around you fading into the background as the moment between you grew more intense. The light breeze rustled through the trees, carrying the soft scent of blooming flowers, but all you could focus on was her.

When your lips finally met, it was gentle at first—soft, tentative, as if testing the waters. But then, as if something clicked, the kiss deepened, full of the emotions you’d both been holding back.

Her hand slid up to the back of your neck, pulling you closer, while you wrapped your arms around her, feeling the warmth of her body against yours. The world seemed to fall away, leaving just the two of you in that moment.

When you finally broke apart, it was only because you both needed to breathe. Hanni’s forehead rested against yours, her eyes half- closed, a soft smile playing on her lips. Her cheeks were flushed, and there was a sparkle in her eyes that hadn’t been there before. You could feel her breath on your face, still quick and uneven, and you realized yours was the same.

“I’ve been wanting to do that for so long,” you whispered, your voice barely audible. Your thumb gently brushed a stray lock of hair from her face.

Hanni chuckled softly, her laugh full of relief and happiness.

“Me too,” she said, pressing a quick, sweet kiss to your lips before pulling back slightly, just enough to look into your eyes again. “Me too.”

.

.

.

.

The start of the new semester filled you with a sense of excitement. It had been just a year since you and Hanni had gotten together, and everything seemed brighter.

One morning, as Hanni was drying her hair with a towel, a loud thump against the window startled her. She let out a small scream, her hands flailing in surprise and nearly poking her eye.

“Are you okay, babe?” you called out from your shared room, the term still feeling endearing and intimate.

Hurrying out of the room, you found Hanni standing by the window, her eyes wide with fear as she pointed at something outside.

You sighed and walked over to her, gently pulling the curtains aside. The scene outside was familiar yet baffling—an ugly pigeon with a pink ribbon tied around its leg was perched on the windowsill. But this time, there was something different: the pigeon had made a nest and was now sitting on a batch of eggs.

Hanni blinked in disbelief and turned to you, her confusion in her voice.

“Pablo is a girl???”

A bit rushed 🥶 Getting kind of rusty after not writing for a while

[kyleoreillylover]

𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐲 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝, 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐡 𝐖𝐞 𝐀𝐢𝐧'𝐭 𝐚 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐥𝐞 ♡

𝙅𝙚𝙮 𝙐𝙨𝙤 𝙭 𝘽𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙠!𝙁𝙚𝙢!𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧

Summary: Everyone swears something is going on between you and Jey, but you guys are just best friends. Here are a few moments to disprove that.

Warnings: SMUT!!! Unwanted advances, wrestling related violence, two idiots pining after each other.

A/N: This is one of my longest and best works and I am proud of it! I got inspired listening to Shameless by Camilla Cabello, so I’d reccomend listening to it while reading. This took so freaking long, so I hope you enjoy! Tagged: @southerngirl41 @pinkwithhearts @xbutterflius-effectusx

Word Count: 28,105

Moment One

You took off your headphones, taking a sip of your water and putting your weights away, your muscles aching from your intense workout. The gym was nearly empty, the dim lights casting long shadows across the mats.

You liked it like this, quiet and calming, unlike the rest of your schedule. You loved your career, but it nothing if not demanding and mind consuming. Long days as you were on the road while you interacted with media, fans, and even longer meeting with creative. The gym was the one place you felt like you didn't have to play a character, where you could be 100% yourself, where you could finally feel calm. It was one of your few safe spaces.

And you glanced at your other safe space, Jey- who was across the gym sparring with a training dummy. He was drenched in sweat, his muscles glistening in the low light as he hit the dummy over and over again.

You watched him for a moment as you made your way over, a grin on your face as he super kicked the dummy. "Y'know, a lot of people would pay good money for you to do that to them?"

Jey turned towards you, a playful smirk dancing on his lips. Oh, are you one of 'em?" he teased, wiping sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.

You chuckled, walking closer, the scent of his sweat and the gym's metallic tang filling your senses. "Maybe," you replied with a grin. "If you'll let me."

Jey's eyebrows raised, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "You gotta pay the price for that privilege, then, sweetheart." He smirked, beckoning you to the mat.

You listened to him and made your way into the ring, tilting your head, feigning innocence. "And what's the price, huh?"

Jey grinned at you, lips curled into a challenging smile as he wiped more sweat off his brow. "How 'bout a little match? Winner chooses punishment for the loser."

You smirked at him, rolling up your sleeve and circling him. "Can I get punished too if I win?" You pouted, making Jey laugh, a deep, hearty sound that sent a shiver down your spine.

"Sure thing. But you ain't gonna win." He teased, stepping closer and mirroring your stance.

"Whatever makes you feel better, babe." You shot back, and the two of you closed in, locking up in a grapple. The both of you knew each other inside and out, so it was like a game of chess, jey's strength against your agility. You both tried to stay serious, but Jey kept on using terrible trash talk each time he had the upper hand, making you giggle, then making him laugh, then making him lose the upper hand, and that process relating itself over and over again.

You finally got Jey in a headlock, and couldn't help but laugh as he pretended to struggle to free himself. "Come on, big man, what you got?" you taunted.

Jey chuckled as you tightened your grip. "You really tryna see what I got?" he said, still grinning. "You gonna regret it, sweetheart."

But as he tried to break free, his foot hit the edge of the ring, and he stumbled, pulling you down with him.

You both tumbled to the mat, and in that moment, everything felt like slow motion as Jey quickly turned around and moved you, trying to soften the blow for you as the two of you fell on the mat. You ended up on top of him, your breath hitching as you looked down into his dark, intense eyes.

The gym was silent except for the sounds of your heavy breathing, and you could feel the warmth of his body beneath you, his arms around your waist. Jey's eyes never left yours, and his grip on your waist didn't loosen, his chest rising up and down with each heavy breath.

What is happening? You wondered, face inches away from Jey. This is your best friend, the person you've been friends with for years and who knew you in and out. You shouldn't be feeling like this, right?

Jey's voice broke you out of your thoughts, his gaze still locked onto yours. "You good?" he asked, his voice low and husky.

You swallowed hard, finding it difficult to tear your eyes away from his. "Yeah, I'm good." You managed to stammer out, your voice slightly breathless.

Jey nodded, but his grip on your waist didn't loosen. Just as he was about to say something more, the gym door creaked open, and Jimmy's voice echoed through the room. "Yo, where you guys at? Roman's been looking for ya'll, he wants everyone at the hotel so we don't miss our flights!"

You quickly pushed yourself off Jey, your cheeks flushing as you scrambled to your feet.

"Uh, yeah, we're coming," you called out, your voice slightly higher pitched than usual. You avoided looking directly at Jey, still feeling the lingering warmth of his touch.

"Ya'll good?" Jimmy asked, eyeing the two of you in the ring, and you hopped he didn't sense the tension between you.

"Yeah, just lost track of time," Jey replied smoothly, standing up and giving you a quick, knowing glance before turning to his brother.

Jimmy looked like he wanted to ask more, but he gave his brother one more look before shrugging it off, heading back out of the gym. "Alright, just don't be slow. I'm not saving ya'll if Roman decides to go full tribal chief on ya," he chuckled, disappearing through the door.

You bit your lip, glancing at Jey who was already looking back at you. There was a mix of emotions in his eyes, but you couldn't quite place them.

"Thanks for… you know," you started, gesturing vaguely to the mat, but Jey understood what you meant. He always understood.

Jey's lips curled into a soft smile. "You know I always got your back, Uce," he said, his tone warm and reassuring. "We good?" He asked, holding out his hand to you for a handshake.

You took a breath before giving smiling back, dabbing him up. "Yeah, we're good." you replied, his skin feeling smooth on yours.

"I told ya'll to hurry up!" Jimmy yelled out again impatiently from outside the gym. You and Jey shared a look before breaking out laughing, the tension from a moment ago fading into comfortable laughter. That's what you liked about him, how no matter what, he always made you feel comfortable.

"Alright, alright," Jey chuckled, slinging an arm around your shoulders once you got your stuff. "Let's go before Roman goes all crazy on us."

And as you both headed out of the gym, your heart was still racing, but you chalked it up to the adreadine. You knew there was nothing going on, just your stupid heart mistaking fear for something else. Nothing else.

And if he brought you just a bit closer to him than needed that you were practically tucked into his side, it was probably just his way of making sure you were alright. Right? You tried to convince yourself of that, even as you felt the steady beat of his heart against your shoulder.

It was nothing else. It couldn't be anything else, and you would always make sure of that.

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

Moment Two

Jey was grumbling under his breath as he watched you flirt with Finn Balor like there was no tomorrow, his arms crossed tightly over his chest

"Jimmy, Solo, you seeing this?" Jey muttered, his gaze never leaving the scene unfolding in front of him. Jimmy chuckled, leaning in closer to his brother. Solo remained silent, but raised an eyebrow at Jey's demeanor.

"Relax, Uce. It's all part of Roman's plan, remember? She's just doing her job." Jey shot Jimmy a frustrated look, still unable to tear his eyes away from you and Finn.

"Yeah, but does she have to be so... convincing?"

Jimmy raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. "You not getting jealous, are you, Uce?"

Jey's eyes narrowed, and he huffed in annoyance. "Of course not. It's just... I don't want him trying anything with her. I don't want him playing with her."

Jimmy nodded knowingly, glancing back at you and Finn. "Trust me, she knows what she's doing. And we ain't gonna let nobody hurt her. Roman's got this all planned out. Right Solo?" Solo nodded silently in agreement.

Jey clenched his jaw before nodding as well, but his gaze never left you and Finn. A tech walked up to the three of them, informing them their match started in 10. Jey immediately bolted to you and Finn, not looking back to his smirking brothers.

"Aye, time out on all the lovey lovey crap, we gots to go." You jumped in surprise when Jey came out of nowhere, stepping between you and Finn.

"We were just having a friendly chat, nothing to worry your arse about, man." Finn smirked at him, moving to get closer to you but Jey stepped in front of you, blocking Finn's path.

"Well too bad, friendly chat's over!" Jey grabbed your arm and pulled you away, and you waved to Finn, blowing a kiss at him. "Talk to you later, Finn!"

"You ain't talking to nobody later." Jey grumbled, continuing to pull you away, guiding you to the ramp where his brothers were waiting.

"You never let me have any fun!" You pouted, trying to keep up with him.

"You look like you had plenty of fun." Jey muttered, his voice dripping with annoyance.

You couldn't help but laugh at the frustrated look on Jey's face. "Don't be jealous. You know you're still my number one boy."

Jey couldn't help but roll his eyes at your teasing "I ain't jealous," he said, though the slight smirk tugging at the corner of his lips told a different story.

You gave him a mocking pout, playfully batting your eyelashes. "Mhm, whatever you say babe." He looked ready to argue with you, but you approached the ramp, Solo and Jimmy waiting for you.

"Everything set with Finn? You guys were real close earlier." Jimmy asked, a knowing grin on his face. Jey clenched his jaw again while you smiled, oblivious to Jey's anger.

"Everything's set, trust me. Finn and Damien aren't taking your tag titles tonight, or any other night." You confidently promised, earning a nod from Solo, a wide smile from Jimmy and a more restrained nod from Jey,

"That's what I'm talking about, girl!" Jimmy hollered, clapping you on the back and dapping you up. You giggled at his enthusiasm, leaning into him and glancing at Jey, who thankfully had a small smile onto his face and slowly began to ease back into his usual self.

"You ready to put these emo freaks in their place?" You joked, moving from Jimmy and nudging Jey. Jey let out a laugh at your words, looking at his title before meeting your eyes again.

"Let's go show em why we run this place!" Jimmy hollered again, dabbing Jey up, holding their titles up and clanking them together, waving out the ramp.

You held out your hand to Solo for a fist bump, smiling up at him. "You ready?" Solo nodded and gave you a firm fist bump.

"Let's do this."

You strutted to the ring with him by your tail, your own women's championship shining around your waist as you walked to the ring, Jey and Jimmy by your side, the Judgment Day all already waiting, Rhea standing at ringside. You waved at her mockingly, taunting her as you stepped into the ring, giggling at her glare. You blew a kiss at Finn as you sat on the apron, making him smile at you before Damien elbowed him harshly, making his smile turn into a glare.

The bell soon rang, and you hopped out of the ring to ringside, Solo by your side as the match went underway. Jimmy and Jey were bringing it to Damien and Finn, but they were honestly all evenly matched, which worried you. But whenever it looked like the Twins would lose, you made sure to jump on the ramp, distracting Finn with your flirty words and pretty looks, making him lose the upper hand.

"Finn, did you look this good just for me tonight?" You purred, fluttering your eyelashes for added effect. Finn stumbled back from his attacks on Jey, not being able to take his eyes off of you, too distracted by you.

Damien noticed the distraction too. "Finn! Snap out of it!" he yelled, snapping him out of his stupor. But it was too late, Jey had gotten back up and slammed Finn back down onto the mat, and you smirked across the ropes as Jey took control over the match.

"You little minx!" Rhea yelled at you, seething with anger, moving from her corner get to you. You got off the ropes and ran to Solo, hiding behind him.

"Come get me if you want me!" You peeked out from Solo, a grin on your face. She scoffed and tried to push past Solo, but he blocked her path, not letting her get to you. They had a stare down, neither of them backing down.

You took advantage of the distraction and slipped back into the ring, just in time to see Finn hit coup de grace on Jimmy as he went for the pin. The referee counted: "One, two..."

But before the referee's hand could come down for the three-count, you grabbed Finn's leg and yanked him out of the ring, breaking the pin. Finn stumbled, anger flashing in his eyes before realizing it was you.

You gave him an innocent smile, winking playfully as you retreated a few steps. "What's the matter, Finnie?" You teased, your voice dripping with faux innocence. Your mouth opened to make another teasing remark, but a fist connecting with your face sent you reeling back.

It was Rhea, her eyes blazing with fury as she tried to land another punch on you. But this time you were prepared, ducking it and jumping on top of her, raining down punches on her. The two of you brawled all over ringside, the crowd's cheers echoing in your ear as fists flew and hair was pulled, Solo struggling to pull the two of you off of each other.

You ended up on top of the ramp, standing and leaning on the ropes to catch your breath. You stood up, breathing heavily, seeing Rhea on the ground, also out of breath. But what you didn't see was Damien hurling towards you, thinking you were one of the twins. You turned around, and Damien realized you weren't one of the twins until it was too late, crashing into you.

You shrieked as you tumbled, bracing yourself to hit the floor. But instead of landing on the floor, you landed in muscled arms that quickly caught you, the impact jolting through you.

You looked up, wide-eyed, and found yourself staring into Jey's concerned eyes.

His arms were securely around you, holding you close to his chest while yours were wrapped around his neck, almost on instinct. Everything else faded away as you looked into Jey's brown eyes, his face inches from yours. Neither of you said a word, time seeming to slow down as you were locked in an intense stare, your heart pounding in your chest.

"Are you okay?" This time it was you that broke the silence, whispering the words as your breaths mingled. The worry in Jey's eyes softened, and he nodded slowly, his grip on you relaxing just a bit. "Yeah, I got you," he murmured, his voice low and soothing. "Are you?"

You nodded, unable to tear your gaze away from his. "Yeah, thank you." Jey's grip tightened just a fraction, his thumb brushing gently against your side, reminding you you were still in his arms.

"No need to thank me, sweetheart." he said, his voice gentle. "Just doin' what I always do." You managed a small smile, but before you could respond, you saw Rhea hurling towards you.

Jey moved before you could do anything, sidestepping with you in his arms, making her miss and craah into the barricade instead. You quickly got out of Jey's arms, missing the way his arms lingered as he watched you go, his expression unreadable.

You brushed off what happened, focusing on Rhea and beating the hell out of her.

Jimmy and Jey ended up winning the match and retaining their titles, you and Solo going into the ring and celebrating with them.

You stood next to Jey, his eyes never leaving yours as you raised his arm, pretending like you didn't feel his gaze burning through you. He was probably just proud of the victory and you helping him, right? You let go of his arm, running right into a hug from Jey.

"Couldn't have won without you!" Jey exclaimed, pulling you close and lifting you off the ground, his title cold against your skin. You smiled back at him as he set you down, but your smile faltered a bit when you noticed the intensity in his gaze.

The four of you eventually left the ring, the adrenaline still coursing through your veins as you went through the curtains, the roar of the crowd still ringing in your ears. Jimmy noticed the smile leave your face, and as soon as you dragged Solo to the locker room, he approached Jey with a knowing look. "You guys alright, Uce? She seemed a little off."

Jey shifted his gaze from you, who had just left the area with Solo, to Jimmy. He had an look Jimmy couldn't read before Jey gave him a smile, "Of course, Uce. We're all good," Jey replied, though his smile seemed just a tad forced. Jimmy studied his brother for a moment, sensing there was more to the story, but he decided not to press further. If Jey wanted to talk about it, he would.

He just hopes Jey's words are true.

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

Moment Three

You clenched your phone, the cold air biting into your skin as you looked around panicking, seeing that same man from outside still following you, making you quicken your pace.

You fumbled with your phone, your glossy eyes making it hard for you to dial the number you know by heart. You managed to press the call button, the phone ringing on the other end. Your heart pounded in your chest as you prayed for him to answer. The call rang once, twice, and then, a familiar voice answered.

"Hey sweetheart. Wassup? If you wanted to see me you coulda just went to my room" He teased.

Tears welled up in your eyes, both from fear and relief. "Jey, I need you," you managed to choke out, your voice trembling.

Jey's tone immediately shifted, concern washing over him as he sat up in alarm. "What's goin' on, baby girl? Where are you?"

You took a deep, shaky breath before speaking, still keeping an eye on the man following you. "I'm... I'm outside, and there's this guy. He's been following me for a while now, and I'm scared."

Jey was already starting his car, running to the parking lot and putting his keys in. "Stay on the line with me, sweetheart. I'm coming to you. Can you tell me where you are?"

You quickly glanced around, trying to spot anything familiar that you could tell him. "I'm near that little park we passed by earlier, the one with the fountain," you managed to say, your voice trembling.

"Alright, I know where you at. Just stay on the line, okay? I'm on my way," Jey reassured you, trying to keep himself calm as he rushed to get to you.

"Okay, Jey. Please hurry," you pleaded, your voice barely above a whisper, trying to keep your composure. You looked around you when you heard a noise, and saw the same man coming closer to you, a disgusting smirk on his face.

"Get the hell away from me!" You yelled, taking a step back, your heart pounding in your chest. You were scared, but you knew you couldn't just stand there.

"What's the matter, baby? I just want to please you." You gave the man a disgusted look as he licked his lips, trying to advance on you.

"Well I don't want your musty ass, so stay away from me!" The man's eyes darkened with anger at your words, and he grabbed your wrist, making you shriek and try to push him away,

"What!? What happened, baby?" Jey yelled through the phone at your scream, hearing your yelling and panic.

You didn't respond, the phone dropping to the ground as you were pushing the man away from you and making him fall to the ground and try to grab your leg, but you managed to kick him off and scramble away, your heart pounding in your chest.

The man tried to crawl towards you, but before he could a car pulled up beside you, and the door swung open, revealing Jey, his eyes red with anger as he saw you on the floor, trembling with fear because of this disgusting man trying to get to you.

Jey lunged towards him, grabbing him by the collar and slamming him into the car, punching the man hard in the face over and over again until he was bleeding, his knuckles raw with how hard he was punching him. The man was crying, begging for forgiveness, making Jey scoff at his audacity.

"Why you crying now, big boy? You were all tough a minute ago," Jey taunted the man, punching him once more before shoving him into the car, grabbing him by the throat and slamming him against the car window. The man's gasps for breath echoed in the chilly night air.

"You mess with my girl, but you don't have the balls to handle it, huh?" Jey tightened his grip on his throat, enjoying the scared noises coming from him. The man gurgled and struggled to speak, his eyes pleading for mercy. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry," he managed to croak out.

Jey's grip on the man's throat only tightened as he growled in a low, menacing tone, "Oh trust me, you gon' be real sorry." Jey slammed the man's head against the car window, causing it to crack and the man to scream in pain.

You watched with tears streaming down your face as Jey beat him unconscious, slamming his head against the car over and over again.

Jey wasn't letting up, making his head crack against the car until you feared the man not be alive anymore if you let this continue and rushed over to Jey, tugging at his arm desperately.

"Jey, please stop! He's not worth it!" Jey stopped and turned to you, breathing heavily with anger. His eyes softened as he looked at your trembling form, your tear-streaked face and the fear in your eyes. He released the man's throat, letting him slump to the ground, unconscious.

"Are you okay, babygirl?" Jey asked, hands hovering over you, not sure you wanted to be touched right now.

You threw your arms around him, burying your face in his chest as you sobbed. "If you didn't come..I don't know what would have happened," you managed to say between sobs, your voice muffled against Jey's chest.

"Shh, don't think 'bout that. I'ma always come for you." Jey whispered to you, tightening his hold around you, his heartbeat soothing your racing one. He looked down at the man he had just beaten, a sneer on his face as he looked at the piece of trash.

"This piece of shit ain't gonna bother you again," Jey said, his voice still laced with anger as he gently led you to his car. You nodded, your throat tight with fear and relief. Jey opened the car door for you, helping you get in before hopping in the drivers seat, his hand on your thigh rubbing circles into your skin helping you calm down as he drove through the streets to your shared hotel.

"Did he touch you?" You shook your head, still clinging to Jey's hand on your thigh as he drove. "No, he didn't. I managed to keep him away, but I was so scared, Jey."

Jey squeezed your thigh gently, his eyes glancing at you a couple times before going back to the road. "You did good, baby girl. Real good. You're safe now, okay? I got you," Jey's voice was soothing, a stark contrast to your racing mind.

You leaned your head against the window, letting out a shaky breath. "I know you do. I don't know what I'd do without you." Jey's grip on your thigh tightened, his thumb still tracing soothing circles.

"You ain't ever gotta find out, sweetheart. I'm always gonna be here for you. Always."

You finally arrived back at the hotel, your heart still pounding in your chest, but Jey's arm wrapped around you as he escorted you inside made you feel better. He lead you up to your room.

As you both entered your room, Jey locked the door behind you. He gently guided you to the bed, making you sit down, and then crouched in front of you, his hands cupping your face to ensure you looked into his eyes.

"I'm right here, baby girl. You're safe now," he said, his voice filled with tenderness. He brushed his thumb over your cheek, wiping away a stray tear.

You nodded, leaning in the warmth of his touch. "I'm sorry you had to see that, Jey. I didn't want you to..." Jey's fingers gently pressed against your lips, silencing you.

"Shh, none of that. You did what you had to do, and I'm glad you called me. You're safe now, that's all that matters." "

But if I didn't leave to get some air in the first place, none of this would have happened," you whispered, guilt gnawing at you.

Jey's eyebrows furrowed at your words, his fingers moving from your lips to your chin, making you meet his gaze. "Don't go blaming yourself for this sweetheart. This is on that man, not on you, okay?"

You blinked back tears at his words, his soothing touch grounding you. You nodded, your voice barely a whisper. "Okay, Jey."

Jey smiled softly, hugging you closer to him. "Good." He hugged you a moment longer before pulling away, his eyebrows furrowed again.

"I ain't mean to pry, especially right now, but is everything good? Why you needed some air in the middle of the night?"

You looked away from his gaze, a mix of emotions swirling inside you. Part of you wanted to keep everything to yourself, to not burden him further, knowing Jey's strained relationship with his cousin, but another part of you longed to confide in him.

"It's just... everything's been so overwhelming lately, Jey. The traveling, the constant pressure, especially from Roman..."

Jey's face fell at the mention of Roman, his jaw clenching at the thought of Roman making you feel this way. He reached out and gently tilted your chin up, making you meet his eyes again.

"What did he do?" You hesitated, not sure how well Jey would take it. But he wanted to know, wanted to protect you. You finally decided to open up.

"He's just been... demanding, controlling. Sometimes it feels like he's suffocating me," you admitted, tears welling up in your eyes again.

"After the show today, he called me in his hotel room to discuss my loss." Jey's eyes darkened, it must've been serious if you were talking to him about this, you hated talking about your losses.

"He was furious, yelling about how it reflects on the bloodline and how I need to step up. But it's not like I lost my title! And when I told him that he got mad and I tried to apologize.... but he started throwing stuff, and said it wasn't good enough," you continued, your voice barely above a whisper. "I just... I needed to get out of there."

Jey's eyes were red with anger and something else you couldn't decipher as he listened to you. His arms rubbed your back soothingly, the comfort just as much for him as it was for you. “I ain’t gonna let him treat you like that.” Your head perked up at the anger lacing in his words, not liking the rage consuming him.

“No, you’re not gonna do anything.” You pulled back slightly to look at Jey, concern in your eyes. "Jey, please dont do anything stupid, you know how Roman is!”

“Yeah, and I don’t care! He's crossed a line, baby girl, and now he gonna pay the consequences.” You brought your hand to his cheek, gently caressing it in an attempt to calm him down. “Jey, think is why I didn’t wanna tell you! Cause you get so mad you can’t think straight. I don’t know want Roman doing anything to do, so just drop it.”

“Drop it?” Jey scowled at your words and how easy you were brushing all this off. There must’ve been something else you weren’t telling him. “What the hell he say to you, cause I ain’t ever seen you like this.” It was true, you were one of the most independent and strong-willed people Jey knew, and seeing you like this had him on edge.

You sighed, looking down for a moment before meeting Jey's gaze again. "He... he said some things about you. Said he knew how you are and how I blab everything to you… and that if I told you he would hurt you. That he’d destroy you, and It’d all be my fault.”

You bit your lower lip, tears welling up again. “He sounded so...so serious, Jey, and it scared me. He can hurt me all he wants, but I’m not gonna let him do anything to you.”

Jey’s heart sank at your words and how serious yet sad you sounded. How dare Roman use you as his fucking pawn to keep you all in line?! He pushed away his anger as best as he could and brought you closer to him, making your head rest on his chest. His hand gently stroked your back, comforting you while his thoughts raced.

He knew how fucked up Roman could be, and all this brought him back to 2020; all that hurt, all that anger, all that pain his own family member caused him. But it was worth it to protect you, and hed do it agaun to shield you from Roman’s wrath. But now it felt like all his efforts meant nothing, like he was trapped in a cycle he couldn't escape.

"Listen to me, sweetheart." He was sitting on the bed with you, grabbing you and bringing you onto his lap, holding you in his arms. He had never been this touchy with you before, but you welcomed it, needing his touch to ground you in that moment.

"I promise you, baby girl, I ain't gonna let him touch me. I ain't gonna let him touch you either, no matter what.” Jey’s voice was scarily calm as he spoke. He held you tighter against his chest the more he spoke, but you could feel his heartbeat racing. You knew he was seething with anger, but he was doing his best to keep it in check for your sake.

You held onto Jey tightly, your fingers clutching his shirt as if he were your lifeline. And in that moment he was, he was the only thing keeping you sane. "Please, Jey," you whispered, your voice trembling. "Don't do anything. I don't want anything to happen to you. I can't have a repeat of 2020... I can't see you get hurt. Please promise me you'll let this go.

Jey's grip on you tightened at your words, his chin resting on the top of your head. "I can't just let this go, baby girl," Jey murmured, his voice conflicted. "You're my best friend, my girl, the one person other than Jimmy I trust with my life. And the thought of him hurtin' you or threatenin' you like this..." He paused for a moment, taking a deep breath to calm himself before continuing, You were holding onto him like he was your anchor, your grip never wavering, listening to every word he was saying.

"It makes me so fucking mad, tears me up inside knowing he fucking did this." Jey scowled  at the thought of Roman making you feel like this, making you feel like the way he's felt for the past 3 years. 

You lifted your head, looking into Jey's eyes with a pleading expression. "I understand, Jey, I do. How do you think I feel every time he treats you like that, every time he goes after you? It breaks my heart too, but I can't bear the thought of you getting hurt because of me." Your voice broke at the end, all your pent up emotions and the night’s effects on you coming to a head. 

Jey's heart broke at the sadness coming from your voice, his heart aching at the pain he saw in your eyes. He brought a hand to cup your cheek gently, his thumb tracing small circles not your soft skin.

"I hate seein' you like this, baby girl. I hate that he's got you feelin' this way, and I hate that I can't just... fix it." Jey opened up his own emotions getting the better of him. He wasn't the type of man to wear his heart on his sleeve, but with you, it was different. You brought out a side of him he hand't known existed. 

You sighed, leaning into Jey's touch, the warmth and care in his eyes soothing you. "I know, Jey. I wish I could fix it too. But it's not that simple, trust me. Promise me that you'll let this go. For me, please. You're all that matters to me right now."

Jey hesitated for a moment, his eyes locked onto yours and you could see the internal struggle in his gaze. He was torn between his fear of Roman, his instinct to protect you,  and to respect your wishes. He sighed, looking away from you deep in thought. You wrapped your arms around his neck, 

scratching the hairs on the back of his head gently until he was ready and finally met your eyes again. His eyes were still filled with anger, but they softened the more they looked at your begging gaze. "I can't promise anything, but for you, I'll let it go... for now. But if he ever tries anything like this again, he's gonna have to deal with me, okay?"

You nodded, relieved that Jey didn't go fists pounding and swinging to Roman's hotel room in a fit of rage. You knew Jey could be a hothead, but you also knew that he cared about you deeply, and you didn't want to see him get hurt or make things worse.

"Thank you, Jey," you whispered, hugging him tightly. You wrapped your arms around Jey, holding him close, and for a while, the two of you just sat there in silence, finding comfort in each other's presence. Jey's heart still raced with anger, but he was doing his best to control it for your sake. He continued to caress your back, trying to provide you with as much comfort as possible. "Anytime, baby girl," Jey whispered back, his lips brushing against your hair as he held you close.

After a while, your eyes began to grow heavy, from the day's work and the emotional turmoil of the night. Jey noticed you drifting off to sleep and shifted you in his arms, pulling your head from his chest. "You should get some rest, sweetheart," he murmured, his tone gentle.  You snapped awake and grabbed his arm in a panic. "Can you stay with me please? I don't think I can stay alone, not after tonight." 

Jey smiled softly, holding your hand that was clinging onto him. "Of course, baby girl. I'm not going anywhere. I'll stay right here with you all night if that's what you need." You sighed with relief, your exhaustion finally starting to take its toll.  Jey saw and gently helped you sit up, letting you lean on him. "You gotta change first, sweetheart. Want me to help you to the bathroom?"

You nodded, still feeling a bit shaky from the night's events. Jey helped you to your feet and guided you to the bathroom. He stood outside, giving you some privacy while you changed into more comfortable clothes. When you came out he let out a teasing whistle.

 "You clean up pretty good, baby girl." Despite the events of the night, he was trying to bring a smile to your face. You managed a small chuckle, which was a good sign. You settled into the bed, and Jey joined you, peeling off his shirt and pants, leaving him in just his boxers. 

Your eyes went straight to his defined and very hot abs, taking your eyes away when he brought his gaze back to you after he finished changing. He slid inside the bed and brought you close to him, holding you in his arms as you both settled in. You felt safe and warm, your head resting on his chest as you listened to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. Jey's fingers lightly traced patterns on your back, lulling you into a sense of security.

Jey pressed a soft kiss to the top of your head, his warm breath against your skin. "Sleep now, baby girl. I've got you." He murmured in a soothing tone, massaging your back gently. You closed your eyes, finally feeling at peace in his arms.

Jey continued to massage you, alternating between gentle strokes and soothing words until your breathing slowed, and you drifted into a deep, peaceful sleep.

He watched as you slept soundly in his arms, his mind racing with anxiety and anger that he had grown accustomed to. But he had not grown accustomed to seeing you hurt like this, seeing that sad look on your face and feeling your trembling form clinging onto him. It shattered and tore at his heart, knowing he couldn't completely shield you from the pain caused by Roman. It reminded him of the helplessness he felt in the past, reminded him of the part of him that was broken because of Roman. He couldn't let Roman do that to you. He looked at you, his heart aching for you, but not just at your pain, but something else he stuffed deep down inside of him for a long, long time. He sighed softly, bringing his lips down to your head one more time. 

"I love you, you're..." Jey hesitated for a moment, barely able to hear his voice from how low he was speaking. He had never said these words out loud, never allowed himself to admit it even to himself. He gazed at you, his fingers still tracing soothing patterns on your back.  "my best friend."

He still couldn't bring himself to admit what he knew out loud, partially in fear you might be secretly awake and hear him and partially because saying it out loud felt like crossing a line he wasn't sure he was ready to cross. Jey wasn't good with feelings and opening himself up, and  was terrified of the vulnerability that came with admitting his feelings.

"You're my best friend. You're my girl, and it don't matter who comes at you, Roman included, I'ma always protect you. Always." Jey promised himself, holding you a little tighter every time he spoke.

He looked down at you one last time before snuggling into you, finally closing his eyes and the weight of the world fall from his shoulders with your touch. He let sleep wash over him, drifting off to sleep with one thought in his mind.

If Roman wanted to run back 2020, then his ass better be prepared. Cause Jey wouldn't let history repeat itself.

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

Moment Four

incoming text from jeybae: why the hell you avoiding me?

another incoming text from jeybae: i know you seeing these. neither of us want our business coming out on camera, but if that the only way I'm gon' have u talk to me then it's what's gon' happen.

another incoming text from jeybae: don't say i ain't warn you. you ain't gon' run from me, ma.

You sighed as you shut your phone off, continuing to put your makeup on in the girls locker room and ignore the concerned glance that Liv was giving you.

"Everything okay, hun?" Liv finally asked, concern lacing her voice. You looked up, offering Liv a faint smile. "I'm fine, don't worry your pretty little head about me, Liv."

You were far from fine, but she didn't need to know that. You did know that you were at least kind of valid with your feelings. Ever since Sami betrayed the Bloodline, Jey had been radio-silent, not speaking to anyone, including you. You had tried calling, texting, doing anything but you hadn't heard a peep from him. He hadn't called any of his family members either, Jimmy being the most concerned for him outside of you. You had spent many nights consoling Jimmy, assuring Jey would come back when he was ready. And when he did come back, it wasn't even for you, it was for Jimmy, and even though he didn't tell Jimmy either, it felt like a slap in the face after everything you've been through.

And yeah, it might've been petty to ignore him when everyone else accepted him with open arms, but couldn't just pretend like everything was fine and peachy and go back to the way things were. You were snapped out of your thoughts when Liv gently touched your arm.

"Look, I get that you've got some stuff going on, but maybe you should talk to Jey. I've known him a long time, and he's a good guy. He's probably just trying to figure things out too."

You bit your lip, grateful for Liv's concern but not entirely convinced it was that simple.

"I appreciate your advice, but he had his space, and now I need mine." Liv gave you a sympathetic look, but didn't push anymore. "Alright babe, just know you can always talk to me if you need to."

You gave Liv a genuine smile, touched by her kindness. "Thank you, Liv." You stood up, giving her a hug before leaving the room, smoothing out your outfit as you waited for your cue to go to the ring.

Roman had surprisingly let you have your own promo tonight, saying it'll get your mind in shape and out of the sadness that seemed to consume you recently. Your music hit, and you made your way to the ring, ignoring the cheers and boos as you gestured for the crew member to give you the mic.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Smackdown, otherwise known as my show." You had an-albiet forced- cocky smile on your face as you addressed the crowd. "Everyone has been so busy with Sami that they've forgotten who the true face of the women's division is, and I am here to remind everybody that it is me."

You smirked, patting your women's championship that was shining around your waist. "You see, there are those who chase opportunities, and then there's me, who creates them. I don't wait for my moment; I seize it. And Sami had to chase for his opportunity, beg for it, and then when he finally got it, he threw it all away for Kevin Owens, his best friend who doesn't even like him!"

You laughed, reveling in the boos as you gloated. "But his time has passed, and mine has arrived. So this will be the last time I address him, and the first time I addressed what else has happened with the Bloodline."

Your tone shifted from playful to serious, as you looked directly into the camera, your smirk turning into a glare. "Everyone is saying how the Bloodline has turned vulnerable, how they're divided. But let me make something clear: the Bloodline will always stand strong. There is nothing wrong, no division, only unity, and no matter what we will always run the WWE. So if anyone wants to come test me on that, feel free to come out right now so I can teach you how wrong you are."

You paused, looking at the ramp to see if anyone would be stupid enough to challenge you. But to everyones surprise but your own, it was Jey's music that hit, and the two of you locked eyes across the arena.

Much like the other times you guys locked eyes, it was like you were the only two in the room, his steely eyes never leaving you down as he made his way into the ring, frown never leaving his face as he stepped in the ring, the two of you mere inches apart.

"Cut my music." Jey demanded sharply, the tension in the air so thick you could practically cut it with a knife. The music abruptly halted, leaving only the echoes of the crowd and your shallow breaths.

"What, no welcome hug, Jey?" You quipped with a sarcastic smile on your face, your words dripping with a mixture of bitterness and pain. Jey's gaze remained fixed on you, his expression a mix of frustration and hurt.

"This aint the time for jokes." Jey's voice was low, his tone edged with a kind of intensity that sent shivers down your spine. "You ain't answering my calls, my texts, anything!"

You scoffed, feeling anger boil up inside you. You held the microphone firmly, your voice resolute.

"You're right, Jey. I haven't been answering your calls and texts. You want to know why? Because for once, it's me who needed space. You disappeared without a word for weeks, and when you finally came back, it wasn't to see me. It was to see Jimmy. You didn't tell me what you've been going through, and I get it, you needed time, but it hurt, Jey. You hurt me. And I needed to figure out my own feelings, too."

Jey's jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing at your words. He let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through his hair.

"I had to get my head right, sweetheart. You know how it is. But I'm back now, ain't I? And I came back for Jimmy 'cause he needed me, just like you need me now." You shook your head, a mixture of frustration and sadness bubbling up within you.

"Jey, you don't get it. I needed you then, too. And it felt like you just left me in the dark. I watched you struggle with Sami, and I wanted to be there for you. But you shut me out. And then you come back, and it's like nothing happened. Like we can just pick up where we left off. And now you're mad at me for doing the same thing?" Your cocky facade slipped off and the pain was now showing on your face as you yelled your feelings at Jey.

"Where were you when I called you? When I comforted Jimmy cause he was worried as hell cause you wouldn't pick up the damn phone! Where were you when I needed you, Jey?" Jey's frown deepened at the raw hurt in your voice, and he took a step closer, reaching out a hand, wanting to touch you, to comfort you, but you took a step back, keeping a distance between you.

"I didn't mean for it to come to this, alright?" Jey's voice was low, strained. "I was dealing with my own shit, tryna sort it out. I thought you would understand like Jimmy."

You swallowed the lump in your throat, , your anger still simmering beneath the surface."Understand what? How you just left without a word? How you didn't give me a chance to support you, to be there for you? I wanted to help, Jey. I wanted to be the one you could lean on. But you shut me out, just like you're doing now."

Jey's face contorted with frustration, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. "I didn't know how to handle it, okay? I thought I could deal with it on my own. I didn't want you to see me like that."

"But I want to see you like that, I want to be there for you, no matter how tough it gets. That's what love is, Jey." Your eyes widened at the word that left your mouth, quickly backtracking before he could speak. "The love best friends show each other. The love we always show each other." You looked down onto the mat, not wanting to see his face. "But I can't give you that love if you keep shutting me out."

Jey's breath caught at your words, his heart pounding in his chest. Did you really mean it the way he wanted you to mean it? Jey's mind was racing, torn between the fear of losing you and the fear of admitting what he knew was true. 

You waited for an answer, and waited and waited and waited until you realized you wouldn't be getting one. After everything you've been through, he couldn't even give you the decencey of a response! You scoffed, turning away from him. "I can't even do this right now, I can see you don't even care about this, about us, about me. So just do me a favor and leave me alone like you've been doing since you came back." You spat at him, your word burning with the hurt in your chest. You turned to leave, but before you could move even one step, Jey's hand shot out, grabbing your wrist and stopping you in your tracks. His touch sent a jolt through your body, and you turned to face him, anger and hurt burning in your eyes.

"Please..." Jey whispered, his voice filled with a mix of desperation and longing, his eyes locking onto yours. He was standing so close to you that you could feel the heat of his body, and it was maddening.

"No, we are done here! I gave you a chance to explain yourself, to make things right, but you're just proving my point." You seethed, snatching your wrist from his grasp and dropping your mic on the mat. 

Jey's face contorted with pain, his hand still hovering in the air where your wrist had been. "Wait, please, just hear me out," he pleaded, his voice cracking with emotion.

You shook your head, biting your lip to try and contain the flood of emotions threatening to spill out. "There's nothing else to say, Jey." You looked at him one last time, his guilty expression and puppy dog eyes etched into your memory before turning  on your heel and made a beeline for the ropes, desperate to get away from the ring before you caved and let your emotions take over. 

"Wait- you  ain't gon' walk away from me again!" Jey called from behind you, slipping out the ring and trying to catch up with you. You had been avoiding him forever, and he wasn't gonna let his stupidity cost him the most important person in his life. 

You quickened your pace, the fans' cheers drowning in your ears as you made your way up the ramp. You could hear Jey's footsteps getting closer, and you  walked even faster, not wanting to see him. 

"Just leave me alone!" You shouted over your shoulder, not looking back as you made your way backstage and breezed past the crew members and other wrestlers, ignoring their concerned glances and storming past them. Whatever half baked apology he was gonna spew- you didn't wanna hear it.

But you knew he wouldn't leave you alone, and you spotted an open door to a storage closet and made a split-second decision. You darted inside, hoping he wouldn't see you.

But Jey was fast, and he caught sight of you just as you slipped into the closet. He rushed in after you, his chest heaving from the chase. He pushed the door shut behind him, leaving the two of you in the small, dimly lit space.

"Can't you just leave me be?" You rolled your eyes and tried to push past him, but he blocked your path, his body towering over you.

"I'm sorry, but I can't do that, ma." Jey whispered, his voice heavy with emotion. "I can't let you walk away like this."

You glared up at him, frustration boiling over. "And why not? You've had no problem doing it before, so it should be no problem for you to do it again. So excuse me, but I have better things to do than listen to your empty words." You tried to move past him again, but he blocked you again, making you groan in frustration.

"Move." 

"I ain't movin'. Please just listen to me-"

"I gave you a chance and you didn't take it! Now move-"

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't care about you!" Jey shouted, his voice echoing off the walls of the closet. 

"Oh so now you care about me? if you do you would listen to me and leave me alone!"

"Of course I care about you!  You're the person I care about the most! The person I love the most" 

You pushed at his chest, desperation and anger coursing through you as you poked at his chest, trying to ignore the way your heart was racing, betraying your own words. "Don't say that, Jey. Don't you dare say things you don't mean"

Jey's hand shot out, grabbing your wrist, effectively stopping your assault on his chest. He looked down at you, his puppy dog eyes searching yours, his grip on your wrist firm but not hurting.

"You know I ain't ever lie to you, and I never will." His voice was  low and filled with raw intensity. "You know me better than anyone. You know how I feel about you, even when I messed up."

You stared into his eyes, and the walls you had built to protect yourself crumbled in an instant. "Jey..." you whispered, your voice filled with a mix of vulnerability and longing.

Jey took a step closer, his other hand cupping your cheek, his thumb brushing away a stray tear that had escaped. "I'm sorry for everything I did. Everything that hurt you. And I wouldn't hurt you again by lying to you right now."

You shut your eyes, trying to wade off the emotions you always shut yourself from, that part of you you never allowed yourself to let out. This could not be happening, not right now.

"Jey...stop." Jey didn't stop, his thumb continuing to caress your skin. "I can't stop. God, I've tried so fucking hard to,  and if I could I would, but I can't." Jey's hand was shaking as he continued to stroke your cheek, his heart and mind in complete turmoil as he tried to express himself, express his emotions. 

"Every time you smile at me, every time you laugh at my dumb jokes and take care of my family, every time you hug me and make me feel like I'm worth something,c eveytime you comfort me when I need it... I fall for you all over again." Jey's voice was barely a whisper, his forehead resting against yours, his warm breath mingling with yours. "You're the best part of my life, ma. And I'm sorry, but I can't let you go."

You opened your eyes, and the tears that had been held back spilled over, mingling with Jey's own. "I don't want to let you go either," you admitted, your voice trembling. 

Jey's grip on your wrist softened, his hand now tenderly holding yours. He let out a shaky breath, relief washing over him as he heard your words. "Then don't, ma. Please, don't." And with those words, he gripped your face gently and brought his lips down to yours. 

You wrapped your arms around his neck, hands on the ends of his mullet and practically jumping into the kiss, his arms snaking around your waist, pulling you impossibly closer to him. 

The kiss was hard and heated, all your pent up desire and longing coming to a head as you brought him closer to you, teeth clashing as you longed to taste every part of his mouth, his taste familiar and new all at once, intoxicating you and making your head spin. Every movement of his mouth was like an apology, every sigh he broujht out of you a sorry for all the pain he's caused you, his arms squeezing your soft flesh, a silent confession to do better for you, to be better for you.

When he pulled away, his voice was hoarse, his gaze locked onto yours. "I've wanted this for so damn long."

You looked up at him through your lashes,  your heart pounding with a mixture of nerves and desire. "So have I," you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper. "I forgive you. I can’t keep pretending I don’t love you too."

Relief washed over Jey at your words, his thumb traced soothing circles on your hip as he looked at you with an intensity that sent shivers down your spine.

"Then let's stop pretending, ma." He molded his lips against yours, his hands running up and down your waist. You grab the back of his head, deepening the kiss and pulling on his hair, groaning into his mouth when  Jey bit your lip, his tongue brushing against yours.

"Best friend, huh? Jey teased as he pulled back slightly, his hair tousled from your eager hands. You grinned playfully, running your fingers through his hair. "Best friend, lover, whatever you want, Jey. I just want you."

Jey's eyes darkened with desire as he looked at you, his hands sliding down to your hips, pulling you even closer. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to hear you say that." He whispered, his voice low and seductive.

With a mischievous smile, you leaned in to whisper in his ear, "Well, lucky for you, you don't have to wait any longer." You trailed kisses down his jawline, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath your lips.

Jey let out a low, appreciative growl as your lips moved along his jaw, his hands caressing your back, exploring the curves of your body.

"Baby girl," Jey murmured, trying to keep his moans low. "I've missed you so damn much." He leaned in to capture your lips again,the kiss burning with pent up desire and longing that you both have been keeping to yourself. Every desperate meeting of your lips was delicious and everything you imagined. 

Your fingers deftly worked to remove Jey's shirt, and his hands trailed down your back, pulling you closer as if he couldn't get enough of you. The closet was small, but Jey made it work as he backed you against the wall, his lips trailing down your neck, nipping and kissing with a fiery hunger. You tilted your head to give him better access, relishing the sensation of his warm lips against your skin.

"I've missed you too, Jey," you whispered, your voice filled with longing. His hands moved to your hips, and he lifted you effortlessly, your legs wrapping around his waist. You gasped as he ground against you, and the friction sent a jolt of pleasure through your body.

Your fingers tangled in his hair, and you pulled him closer, your kiss growing more fervent, more heated. Jey's hands moved up your thighs, the fabric of your dress hitching higher as he gripped your hips tightly. The sensation of his hardness pressing against your core sent a shiver down your spine, and you let out a breathy moan against his lips.

You broke away from the kiss for a moment, gasping for breath as you looked into Jey's eyes, your faces inches apart. "Jey," you whispered, your voice trembling with desire. "I need you."

Jey's eyes burned with desire as he looked into your eyes, his chest heaving with longing. He didn't need to hear those words twice. 

"Then have me, sweetheart," he growled, lowering you to the ground just long enough to remove his remaining clothes before lifting you back up, pressing your back against the wall once more. He held you up with his strong arms, your legs wrapped around his waist, your dress bunched up around your hips. Jey's lips crashed against yours, the kiss wild and passionate as he held you against the wall.

You moaned into the kiss, your hands roaming over his bare, sculpted chest. You could feel the heat of his body, the hard muscles pressing against you, and it sent shivers of desire coursing through you. You nipped at his lower lip, causing him to groan in response, his hips grinding against yours, making you groan when you felt his arousal pressing firmly into you.

Jey's moans and the way his lips devoured yours drove you crazy, and any other day you would've loved the teasing, but not today. You couldn't wait any longer. You needed him, now.

Breaking the kiss again, you whispered, "Jey, please," your voice filled with desperation and longing. His eyes locked onto yours, and he understood exactly what you needed. It was the same feeling he had everytime he looked at you.  Without a word, he lowered you gently, making sure you were steady on your feet before guiding you to a nearby table in the closet.

Jey's lips moved from yours to your neck, his breath hot against your skin as he left a trail of hot, open-mouthed kisses along your collarbone. He worked his way down your body, his fingers brushing against your clothed clit gently, relishing in the soft gasps and moans he got out from you.

With a hungry look in his eyes, Jey slipped his fingers beneath the delicate lace of your underwear, his touch sending a bolt of pleasure through your body. You arched your back, pressing yourself against his hand, silently begging for more.

He obliged, his fingers expertly rubbing your clit, making your breath hitch and your moans grow louder. "No teasing, just give me what I need, Jey," you pleaded, your voice shaky with desire. Jey's lips curled into a wicked smile as he continued to work his fingers, his thumb circling your sensitive clit agonizignly slowly, relishing in the whines and moans you gave him as he tortured you He knew exactly how to push your buttons, and he reveled in the way your body responded to his touch.

"Jey, I swear to god, if-"

Jey cut you off by speeding up his fingers, making you choke on your words when he circled your clit, slipping another finger inside you

"What were you gon' say?" Jey taunted you, loving to see you like this. You rarely let your composure slip, barely let anyone else take control like this, and he was loving every moment of it. He loved this, the way you responded to his touch, your moans, your vulnerability.

"Answer me, sweetheart. " Jey slowed down his movement for an agonizing moment, never breaking eye contact with you. The heat in his gaze was scorching your skin in the best way possible.

"What were you gonna say?" You struggled to form a coherent sentence, your breath coming in shallow gasps. You tried to grind against his hand, but Jey tightened his grip on your hips and held you in place, enjoying you squirms and toying with you. You tried to grab his hand to make him move, but he kept his grip firm, making you whimper with frustration.

"Come on, baby." Jey eased as he continued to torture you, his fingers moving in a torturous slow rhythm that made you want to punch him and kiss him at the same time. "You not gon' get what you want till you answer me."

He seemed to be trying everything to get you not to answer though, moving his fingers every time you tried to speak. You tried to muster up any self-control you had left, but it was slipping away with each brush of his fingers against your aching core.

You bit your lip, locking eyes with Jey as you struggled to speak through the overwhelming pleasure. "If you don't stop and make me cum, I'm gonna kill you after this. " You panted out, making Jey chuckle softly, the sound sending a delicious shiver through your already heated body.

"Say my name," he demanded, finally picking up the pace and giving you what you craved. Your fingers left the edge of the table and dug into his shoulders harshly, but he didn't seem to mind, fingers expertly moving inside you and teasing your clit until you were a trembling mess.

"Jey!" you moaned out uncontrollably, your nails digging into his back as again and again and again, until your eyes rolled to the back of your head and you slowly went slack in his touch, chasing that heat building up in your body.

Jey could feel you tense, and he added another finger, moving even faster until you were scratching his shoulders. "That's it, baby girl," he growled, his lips finding yours for a searing kiss. "Come for me." His fingers were relentless, pushing you closer and closer to the edge, and you couldn't hold back any longer.

With one final desperate moan of his name, you came undone, shutting your eyes as pleasure hit you hard, making you gasp for air and tremble in Jey's arms, his arms and the table behind you the reasons you didn't fall in your wobbly feet. Jey continued to move his fingers gently, his lips pressed against your neck as he whispered sweet, reassuring words in your ear. You let him gently move his fingers against you and help you ride out your climax until you finally pushed his hand away, too sensitive to take it anymore.

You collapsed against the table, his arms wrapped around you, supporting you. His eyes were smoldering as he watched you catch your breath, a satisfied smile on his lips as he licked his fingers, savoring the taste of you.

"Damn, you taste so good, sweetheart." Jey groaned at the sweet taste of your nectar. You gave him a seductive smile in response, your chest still rising and falling rapidly as you walked towards him, reaching for the waistband of his pants pulling them down to free his hardened length. Jey hissed in pleasure as your fingers wrapped around him, and he let out a low, guttural groan as you softly stroked his throbbing dick, your touch light and driving him crazy.

You yelped when Jey grabbed your hips, and in one swift motion laid you on the table, the surface cool against your heated skin.  He positioned himself between your legs, the sight of that making the heat between your legs grow even more intense.

"You sure you want this?" Jey asked, looking into your eyes for any hesitation or hint that you're lying. He was giving you an out, giving you a final moment to reconsider this, a chance to change your mind. But he knew h if you left him like this it would completely break him, that you guys were already in too deep.

You grabbed the back of his neck, pulling him down for a passionate kiss that wiped all doubts out of his mind, made him focus on the now, on how good your body felt against him, on how the wait was worth it. 

When you pulled back for air, your brown honeyed-eyes stared at him with the heart eyes you've always looked at him with but more intense than any other time you've gazed at him, no longer hiding the desire in your eyes you've always felt for him. "I've never wanted anything more than this." You breathed, spilling the words out like you've said them a million times. "I want you."

Jey's heart was stuck in his throat at your words, the words he's been wanting to hear since the first time he laid eyes on you in catering a couple of years ago, when you were in NXT and the face of the women's division back there and he was on the smackdown low with Jimmy trying to make themselves stand out, to prove they belonged to be their and to be tag team champions. It was a chance meeting, you were on Smackdown to make a special appearance promoting your NXT main event match and happened to bump into Naomi while trying to find the locker room, and she was more than happy to help you find it. 

When he saw you talking with her, your sparkling smile that made him want to always put it on your face and your laughter ringing in the hallway, he felt his heart skip a beat, and he couldn't get himself to look away from you. There was something about you, your charisma, your beauty, something untangiable that made him want to instantly be around you, learn about you, be a part of your world.

It was like you sensed his stare on you, and you looked away from Naomi and locked eyes with him, and he forgot how to breathe when you gave him a bright smile, moving away from Naomi and walking up to him.

"Hi! You must be Jey, Naomi's already told me so much about you, you're the cute twin, right?" You introduced yourself with a teasing glint in your eye as you extended your hand to him,  your voice soft and charming.

"He better be the only cute one to you, I already got the other twin, you better remember that." Naomi glared at you playfully and nudged you, which gave Jey enough time to put on his big boy pants and act like a normal human being. "It's your first day and you already know the truth." Jey smirked, taking your hand and shaking it gently, trying to play it cool despite the way his heart raced. "Yeah, that's me, the cute one."

You giggled, the sound of it making his knees weak, but he managed to stay upright. "Well, it's lovely to meet you, Jey. I'm really looking forward to my match here on SmackDown. Naomi's been telling me about how great Smackdown is, and with you here I have no doubt that it is." You grinned at him, your kind words putting him at ease but also making his heart jump out of his chest at the same time. Naomi chuckled at you, already knowing something was up between you and Jey. "You have no idea. Jey, how about you show her around after your matches, make her feel welcome."

Jey internally gave Naomi a death glare, knowing that the look on her face meant no good. But he was also grateful she gave him an excuse to talk to you even more. "Of course, on behalf of the Uso Penetary, I'll be your tour guide."  he replied with a charming grin.  "But be careful, it can get real ucey in here."

Naomi rolled her eyes at him, while you laughed at his dumb joke, surprising him by linking your arms with his, your smile blinding his eyes and his heart. "Then let's get a head start, and we can get real ucey. Lead the way." You tightened your grip on his arm, ignoring Naomi's teasing look and looking at Jey expectingly. He glanced at your arm that was wrapped around his and looked back at you, a smile making its way onto his face.

"Whatever you say, m'lady." He flicked his hat like he was a cowboy jokingly, making you laugh again before leading you further backstage.

And ever since then, the two of you have been inseparable. You would hang out whenever your schedules were free, talk for hours at a time about anything and everything, your energies matching and his playful nature mirroring your own. You grew closer and closer to each other, and you opened him up in ways he’d never imagined he’d be comfortable with, especially when it came to how much he closed off his heart, but you managed to worm your way into his heart and throw away the key when he finally shared his soul with you.

But as you grew closer, he was afraid to make a move on you, scared he would make you run away, so he settled for being your friend, which was one of the greatest and stupidest things he'd ever done. 

Great because you were the sweetest person he had ever fucking met, and the love you showed him was something no one else had ever given him, not even his own family. But stupid because he realized he had already fallen in love with you by the time he figured it out, and now he was in way too deep to tell you. 

And now, here you were, looking up at him with those eyes, with those words he'd wanted to hear, and he was starting to wonder if he had dreamt this whole thing, if he was gonna wake up, find himself alone in his bed, with a throbbing hard-on, wishing you were really there. You caressed his cheek, and the warmth of your touch grounded him, confirmed that this was real, that he was right where he wanted to be.

Jey let out a shaky breath, his eyes locked on yours, his lips curling into a smile. "I want you too, baby girl," he whispered, as if he was trying not to wake himself up from a dream.

You smiled back at him, at the words you always dreamed he would say. You brought him into another kiss, but this time it was sweet and slow, like you were pouring everything you felt for each other into it, everything you've held back, finally realizing how far you've come and how far you're willing to go for each other.

Jey's hands moved tenderly over your body, exploring every inch as if committing it to memory as he felt himself already being addicted to the taste of you. He broke the kiss, his forehead resting against yours as he gazed deeply into your eyes.

"I can't believe how damn long it took us to get here," he admitted with a soft chuckle, his voice laced with affection. "But I wouldn't change a thing if it meant I got to be here with you right now.

Your heart softened at his words as you caressed Jey's cheek with your thumb and smiled warmly. "Sometimes the best things are worth the wait."

His smile widened, and he nodded in agreement. "Damn right, baby girl." Jey brought himself closer to you, his eyes filled with the unspoken question you already knew your answer to. You nodded, giving him permission for what you both knew was meant to be.

You both moaned once he entered you, his mouth finding yours in a kiss as he thrust into you,  slowly at first, holding back and letting you get used to his length. You breathed out for a minute, waiting for the pain to turn into pleasure and he peppered your face with soft kisses, trying to distract you from the discomfort. After a minute or two you felt yourself relaxing, and you needed him to keep going. You arched your hips, dizzy with your want for him, knowing once he started you'd be an absolute addict for him. 

"Jey, please move." You whined, wrapping your arms around his neck and trying to have a bit of self-control, but Jey always took away your self-control, made you get out of your own head the only way he could. 

"Relax, baby. I got you. Relax." Jey tried to calm you down, a smile making its way on his face at the way you were already begging for him. He thrusted slow and deep, watching your face for every moan and reaction you gave him, your eyes half-lidded and jaw slack with pleasure you never had with anyone else. 

"Eyes open, or I'll stop, sweetheart." You forced your eyes open at his command, his dominance making you clench hard around him, and he felt it and smirked, enjoying every bit of control he had over you. Your eyes locked onto his, and you could see his own pleasure overtake him, his brain overflowing with how good you felt on him. 

"Good girl," he praised, feeling your tightness around him as he continued to pound into you slowly at first, then speeding up, then slowing down again, driving you even more crazy. You let out a particularly high pitched moan when he hit a certain spot deep inside you, making you clamp a hand over your mouth, suddenly hyper-aware of even though this was secluded, anyone could walk past you at any moment and hear you. But Jey pulled your hand off of your mouth, grabbing your wrists and pinning them gently on the table, and hit that sweet spot in you, making you loudly moan out again.

"Let everyone know who you belong to, baby."  Jey whispered in a deep, sexy voice. " Let it out. Tell me how much you've missed me, baby." 

You didn't hold back, "I've missed you so damn much, Jey," you moaned, your hands trying and failing to find a grip on anything as your body rocked with the rhythm of Jey's thrusts. "Needed this. Needed you."

Jey thrusted harder into you in response, the sound of your words and the way you moaned his name fueling his encouragement to keep going until you remembered. nothing but his name. "That's it, baby. You're mine," he growled, his possessiveness turning you on even further as he nuzzled and kissed your skin, his lips working their way down your chest, his tongue tracing teasing circles around your hardened nipples. "And I aint going nowhere this time, you stuck with me now." You groaned, instinctively trying to get your hands to cover up your noises but Jey shook his head, tightening his grip on your wrists.

"Don't be shy, baby, let 'em know you're mine," he purred, his hips grinding against yours, setting a relentless pace that had you gasping and moaning uncontrollably, no matter how hard you tried to stop your moans Jey brought out every single one of em, his free arm snaking down to your legs and his fingers finding their way between your thighs. Your leg’s quivered even more when he gently played with your clit, a stark contrast to hard his dick was pistoling into your core.

“If we get caught, I’m blaming you.” You moaned out with effort, too busy to focus on anything but Jey, Jey, Jey.

 "Baby, you can blame me all you want. I’ll take full responsibility." he chuckled against your skin, his breath hot and intoxicating. "But you won't be thinking about that once I'm through with you." He finished his sentence with a powerful thrust that made you cry out his name that proved his point and made you quickly forget about anything other than him.

You felt that familiar sensation building up inside of you, and you could tell Jey was close too. You shut your eyes again, feeling overwhelmed but in the best way possible.

Jey's fingers went faster, making you open your eyes and throw your head back with a groan. Your eyes snapped open again and the breath was knocked out of you when you met Jey's eyes, the raw desire in his hungry gaze and the way he looked at you like he just wanted to eat you up made you feel like you were coming apart.

"I said keep your eyes open. I ain't gonna tell you again, got that?" You nodded, arching your neck, offering it to him as he continued to trail kisses along your throat, feeling you clench around him even more at his demanding tone.

“Oh, you like that shit, huh?” You couldn't help but let out a soft, sultry moan at his cocky tone as Jey's lips and tongue worked their magic on your sensitive skin. "I love it," you purred, your moans growing louder and louder with each slow but deliberate and delicious thrust.

"I'm yours, Jey, all yours." His lips found their way to your ear, and he bit your earlobe playfully, making you shiver and clench on him even more.

"You’re damn right." he growled. "You've always been mine, baby. It's just taken us a little while to realize it."

You felt yourself getting closer and closer, and his words didn't help the matter, they only pushed you further to the edge. Your walls clenched tightly around his cock, his thrusts speeding up more and more as Jey chased for both your releases.

"Jey," you gasped, your voice strained and needy that you trusted only him to hear. "I'm close. I'm so close."

Jey let out a rough groan against your ear, his movements growing more and more urgent as he chased his own release. "Hold it, baby," he rasped, his voice strained with reaching both your pleasures. "Hold it for me, just a little longer." He quickened his pace, the sound of your moans and the slap of skin against skin echoing in the small space.

A few tears escaped your eyes as you tried to hold, every muscle in your body tense and trembling. "You’re doing so good, baby," Jey murmured, his own voice shaky with need as he tried to control himself. "Just a little more, sweetheart."

You nodded, our breath hitching as the sensation grew almost unbearable. He thrusted into you one, two, three times, until you were too out of it to count and could barely breathe, sweat glistening on both your bodies.

"Jey, I can't hold on much longer. Please…" You begged, your body on the verge of shattering and your fingers clawing at his back, leaving red scratch marks against his tattooed skin.

Jey was barely holding back himself, his control slipping as he brought his head to the crook of your neck, groaning sexily against your skin. "Go on, baby," he whispered hoarsely, his hips moving erratically as as you were teetering on the edge.

"Let go for me, baby. Let it all out."

His sexy whispers were what pushed you over the edge. Everything turned white, and you saw stars as you came hard, your body shaking from the force of it. You didn't remember anything but the wave of pleasure that washed over you, the way Jey held you through it all, his name falling from your lips like a prayer.

The feeling of your orgasm and seeing you come undone before him was Jey's undoing. He groaned deeply as he came, closing his eyes and biting your shoulder as he shuddered, releasing inside you and trying not to float away and savor this moment forever, trying to ingrain your bodies, your moans, and the feeling of your tightness around him into his memory forever.

He held you close, both of you riding out your climaxes. You breathed heavily, trying to not slip away and leave this moment. Jey placed tender kisses alongside your neck and shoulder, his hands caressing your back soothingly to bring you back to him.

"I can feel you getting away, come back to me." Jey's soft voice helped you snap back to reality. Your eyes met his, and he was gazing at you with so much love and tenderness that it took your breath away. You couldn't help but bring your lips to his in a tender kiss your hearts pounding in sync as you melted into each other, not wanting to let each other go.

Jey pulled away from the kiss, his eyes locked onto yours as he brushed a strand of hair from your face, his touch gentle and loving. "Hope that the wait was worth it."

You chuckled at his words, leaning in for another sweet kiss. "Oh, it was definitely worth it, Jey. You have your work cut out for you, cause I'm not letting you go now."

Jey's eyes lit up with a mixture of relief and happiness as he held you close, your bodies pressed against each other. "Good, 'cause I'm not planning on going anywhere, baby." He whispered, sealing his promise with a kiss. You grabbed the back of his head, deepening the kiss, not getting enough of his addicting taste, and when he slipped his tongue between your lips, you welcomed him eagerly.

Jey pulled away before things had gotten too heated. He rested his forehead against yours, both of you trying to catch your breath.

"As much as I want to, if I kiss you again we won't be leaving this closet anytime soon," he said with a soft chuckle. You let out a breathy laugh, still trying to catch your breath.

"You're right," you admitted, your fingers gently tracing along Jey' s jawline. "It's not my fault that you're so irresistible."

Jey grinned at your words, nuzzling your nose affectionately. "I can say the same thing about you sweetheart. But we need to go or Jimmy will call the cops looking for us if he notices how long we’ve been gone.” You pouted, but reluctantly nodded and Jey moved off of you, making you hold in a whine at the emptiness. You stood up, or tried to- almost falling over if it weren’t for Jey quickly catching you from eating dust.

“Damn, I fucked you that good, huh? Jey chuckled cockily, steading you on your feet. "They don't call me ucey jucey for nothing baby.

You giggled at his cockiness. "You definitely did, Mr. Uso." You leaned in to kiss him again before leaning away from him and putting on your clothes, him doing the same with a smug grin on his face.

“What are you smiling for?” You asked once the both of you were dressed, his hand outstretched for you. Jey's smirk never faded as he took your hand, lacing his fingers with yours.

“I’m smiling cause now I can officially call you my girl. Before it was just a matter of time, baby girl, but now it's official." He brought your hand to his lips, making you smile uncontrollably when he kissed the back of it.

"And you're my man, and you better not forget it." You interlaced your fingers with his, letting Jey lead you out the closet, his hand squeezing yours as you checked if the coast was clear before yanking him out, making him giggle at the force you used.

"Damn, you tryna take me out before I even take you out?" Jey teased, his laughter filling the hallway as you playfully punched his arm.

"No, I'm making sure no one sees us so we don't get in trouble with the higher ups, dumbass." You punched his arm again, making him chuckle even more. "I can't believe how much of an ass you are."

Jey feigned offense, putting a hand over his heart as you both continued down the hallway. "Hey, I'm a gentleman, baby girl."

You rolled your eyes, but there was an affectionate smile playing on your lips. "Yeah, you're such a gentleman, 'ucey jucey'." Jey grinned, unfazed by your teasing. He was used to it, making fun of him was one of your love languages.

"Well, you're the one who can't get enough of this 'ucey jucey,' so I must be doing something right." You went to punch him again, but this time he dodged it, grabbing your other hand and holding it in his, his grin turning into a serious expression as he looked at you with genuine affection in his eyes.

"But I want to be a gentleman to you, and treat you right, y'know?" Jey's voice softened as he spoke, his thumb caressing the back of your hand. "I wanna take you out, give you everything you deserve, be the man you deserve, if you'll let me." You smiled at his words, feeling your heart swell with warmth.

"Of course I'll let you, Jey. There's no one else I'd want to be with." You leaned in and gave him a sweet, lingering kiss. ""I know you'll treat me right."

Jey smiled against your lips at your words, returning the kiss with the same level of tenderness. When he pulled back, he cupped your cheek with his hand and looked deeply into your eyes. "I'm gonna do my damn best to be the man you deserve, baby girl." You couldn't stop the wide smile that spread across your face as you looked back at Jey. "And I'm gonna do my best to be the woman you deserve, Jey." You gave him another kiss, your hearts full with happiness with the love you showed each other.

"But seriously, we gotta leave before we get caught making out in the hallway." You whispered as you teared yourself away from Jey's lips. Jey chuckled softly and reluctantly pulled away from you. "Yeah, I don't wanna be giving nobody a free show when they don't deserve it."

You giggled and let go of his hand and grabbed his arm, wrapping it around your shoulders. He raised his eyebrow, and you leaned into him before explaining. "Let's not tell anyone right now… they'll probably guess why we were gone for so long. But I still want you to hold me, so this is a win win."

Jey grinned and held you close as you walked together, his arm draped over your shoulders. "That's my smart girl." You grinned at that, you would never get sick of him calling you his girl.

As you guys made your way to the bloodline's Locker room, you passed Liv in the hallway. She wiggled her eyebrows, giving you an 'I told you so' look that you responded to with a wink, making her giggle. She exaggeratingly waved to Jey, making you both chuckle as you continued down the hallway, your secret safe for now.

Jey let you go when you arrived in front of the locker room, his hand on the small of your back guiding you in the room burning your skin. Jimmy was sitting on the couch and Roman was seated in his chair, looking up at the noise. His piercing stare made you feel like he was staring directly into your soul, like he could see right through you.

"You were right out there about the Bloodline being on top- and the only way we can stay on top is if we are united." Roman's stare never left you, his glare suffocating all the air out of the room. But you were used to it, being apart of the bloodline meant having to deal with Roman at his best, and mostly at his worst.

"We can't stay on top if we aren't united. So is whatever animosity between you and Jey settled?" You met his hard glare with one of your own, but Jey's hand on your back made you turn to him.

"It's settled, uce." You furrowed your eyebrows in confusion, he never interrupted Roman's briefings before. Roman turned his glare to Jey, his eyes flickering to his hand on your back. You could feel the tension between the two of them.

"I asked her." Roman then turned to you, and his gaze bore into you with intensity. "Is it settled?" You met Roman's penetrating stare and nodded firmly, not breaking eye contact. "It's settled, Roman." Roman's gaze held yours for a few more seconds, as if he was searching for any sign of deception. Satisfied with your response, he finally nodded, his expression relenting just a fraction.

"Good. That's what I like to hear." He gestured you to sit, and you took a seat, Jey sitting beside you, his eyes never leaving Romans until you nudged him, and he turned his attention back to you.

"Alright, let's get back to our game plan..." Roman's voice filled the room, but your mind was only half there as Jey's hand trailed up your back, rubbing slow circles that warmed you up.

After the meeting was over, Roman allowed everyone to disperse, but when Jey wrapped an arm around you to leave, Roman stopped Jey with a stern look. “Jey, I need to talk with you for a minute.”

Jey whipped around to face Roman, his expression guarded when he looked at him, and you couldn’t school what he was thinking. “Then talk to me.”

Romans eyes flickered to you and Jimmy before meeting Jey’s gaze, his voice dropping lower. "Alone."

Jey exchanged a quick glance with you, and you nodded, squeezing his hand reassuringly.

"It's okay, Jey. I’m not going anywhere.” Jey hesitated, his gaze shifting to you and Roman before nodding, giving your hand a final squeeze before turning to Roman. “Let’s talk, uce.” You watched Jey and Roman walk away, a knot of worry forming in your stomach.

Jimmy sensed your concern and moved closer to you, giving you a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry ‘bout them, Roman ain’t mad, he just making sure everything’s good.”

You smiled back at him, his words reassuring you somewhat. Jimmy then teasingly nudged you, wiggling his eyebrows. “You and Jey made up real good, huh? Ya’ll were gone for a long time.”

You rolled your eyes at his teasing and chuckled, trying not to blush. “Whatever you are thinking, stop thinking it. We just talked it out, that’s all we did.”

Jimmy smirked, giving you another playful nudge. “Sure, just talkin’. I know that look, and it ain’t just from talking.”

You swatted his arm at his words, making him yelp and pout. as he rubbed his arm. "Alright, alright, damn you can hit."

You laughed at how dramatic he was being, thankful he lightened the mood up.

"Okay, okay, no need for violence," he teased, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "But seriously, I'm happy you guys worked things out. You and Jey, you're good for each other."

You smiled warmly at him, touched by his words. "You really think that?" Jimmy nodded, his expression sincere and honest.

"Yeah, I do. I've been by Jey's side since we were babies, and I ain't never seen him ever smile the way he do when he's with you. You make him happy and that's all I ever want for my brother."

You felt a warmth spread through your chest at Jimmy's words, and you brought him into a hug, hoping he felt how much you cared for him through how tight you were hugging him.

"Thank you, Jimmy. I want to keep making him happy too. He hugged you just as tight, patting your back in a brotherly manner, smiling into you. "You're welcome , uce. You're family. Just keep making my brother happy, and we're all good."

You rolled your eyes good-naturedly as you pulled back, grinning at Jimmy. "I'll try my best, but if you become a little less of an ass I I think that would help too."

Jimmy laughed, giving you a playful shove. "Ay, now you asking for too much." The two of you laughed, and it was at that moment that Roman and Jey returned, walking out of the office and joining you in the room.

Roman's expression was composed, and when Jey glanced at you, his face was unreadable, and you couldn't see what he was feeling. But he couldn't hide his feelings from his twin when he looked at him.

Jimmy gazed at him, and a silent communication passed between them, and Jimmy nodded at Jey as if he understood something that you didn't.

Roman's voice broke through the tension. "Everyone understands how important it is that the Bloodline remains strong. No more arguing, no more disagreements, no more room for doubts, or there will be consequences. Everyone got that?"

You all nodded, and he seemed satisfied until he turned back to Jey, glare back on his face. "Did you get that, Jey?" Jey met his gaze with an equally fierce glare, reluctantly nodding. "I got that." Roman held Jey's gaze for a moment longer, then nodded, seemingly content with the response.

"Alright then. You're all free to go, Tribal Chiefs orders."

You let out a breath you didn't know you were holding as you left the room, Jey and Jimmy following behind. 

Jey's hand found its way around your shoulder once again, bringing you close to him as you walked down the hallway. 

"I can hear you thinking, babe." Jey commented, his voice low and soothing as he leaned in closer to you. "Everything's fine, trust me. He was just tryna sort me out, and we're all good now."

You sensed there was something more to the conversation, but you didn't want to push, you knew he'd come to you when he was ready. "I trust you, if you say it's fine, then it's fine."

Jey smiled at your response, a genuine and affectionate smile.  He brought you closer to his side, rubbing up and down your arm. "Thank you for understanding , sweetheart. I don't want you worrying about any of this."

You leaned into him, giving him a bright smile. "Of course, Jey." You grinned at him before seeing the exit and realizing you didn't have your bags on you. "Can ya'll wait up for me though? I need to get my stuff from the ladies locker room." 

Jey nodded, his hand still warm and comforting on your arm. "No problem, babe. Take your time, we'll be right here." You gave both of them a dazzling smile before leaving.  as soon as you were out of earshot Jimmy shot Jey a confused glare. "Why you ain't tell her the truth?"

Jey let out a heavy sigh, running a hand through his hair. "This are finally good between us again, and I aint' wanna stress her out, she's got enough on her plate as it is. I gotta do what I gotta do to protect her, no matter what. I ain't mind taking Roman's anger for her, no way in hell I'ma let him put his hands on her."

Jimmy sighed, studying Jey's expression. "She's gon' be pissed at you for taking the brunt of Roman's shit, you know that? She ain't gonna like it if she finds out you're keeping this stuff from her."

Jey's jaw tightened, knowing his brother was right. He didn't want to hide things from you, but he also didn't want to put any unnecessary stress on you. You didn't deserve that. "I know, Jimmy. But I'll figure it out. Right now, I just need to keep her safe."

Jimmy had a worried look on his face as he clasped his brother's shoulder. "Just be careful, Jey. You know how stubborn and protective she can be. When she finds out, she's ain't gonna be happy."

Jey bit his lip, his gaze distant. He knew he was walking a fine line, but in his heart, he believed he was doing what was best for you. "Then I'll make right with her when the time is right. But for now, I need to protect her." He let out a heavy sigh and his shoulders slumped. "And maybe take the heat for a while, so she doesn't have to."

Jimmy understood where his brother was coming from, he truly did, but  he couldn't shake the feeling of unease. He knew things might go south once you found out about it, and he didn't want you and Jey to go to a bad place. he couldn't shake the feeling of unease. He gave Jey's shoulder a supportive squeeze, making him look at him, his eyes filled with concern.

"Look, uce, I get why you're doin' this, but she gon' find out sooner or later, and she deserves to know the truth. You're just gonna have to be honest with her, no matter how hard it is."

Jey let out a deep breath, his brother's words sinking in. He knew Jimmy was right, and he couldn't keep this from you forever. "I know, Jimmy." He admitted, a sense of resignation in his voice. "I'll tell her, when the time is right. But for now, I need to protect her. She's been through enough."

Jimmy nodded, squeezing Jey's shoulder once more. "Just don't wait too long, uce, or it'll be too late by the time you tell her."

Jey absorbed his brother's words, a serious expression on his face. He knew his brother was right, he couldn't put off telling you forever, but for now he needed to shield you from any harm, all means necessary.  "I won't, Jimmy. I promise." 

Jimmy knew his brother was telling the truth, and with that he nodded, squeezing his shoulder one last time before dapping him up.

They heard the clacking of your heels and turned around, seeing you with your bags walking up to them. You grinned at them as you approached. "Thanks for waiting, guys. Ready to go?"

Jey nodded, grabbing one of your bags and slinging it over his shoulder with ease. "Of course, babe. Let's get you home." He looked back at Jimmy. "You coming with us or doing your own thing?"

Jimmy shook his head, giving you a warm smile. "I'm gonna head out and grab some food, uce. You guys have fun."

"Be safe, Jim!"

"Ya'll too. No funny business while I'm not around!" Jimmy yelled out as he went the other way, making you stick out the middle finger at him, making both Jimmy and Jey burst out laughing.

As Jey linked your arm with his as you both made your way out of the arena, he knew all he wanted was you like this, in his arms, with him, no matter what. You made him smile, made everything in his life feel better, made every moment of hell on earth turn into a heaven designed only for him.

And he knew he was taking a risk, keeping things from you, keeping the anger away from you, but every time he thought like that he remembered your cries that night in the hotel, the anguish on your face that he wanted nothing more to take away from you.

And if keeping things from you meant you'd never face that anguish again, that he'd be able to keep that smile on your face for as long as he could, he would do it again and again and again as long as you kept smiling at him like the world was in his eyes.

He'd just hope you'd forgive him for it.

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

Moment Five

"I thought we talked about shutting each other out sweetheart." Jey sighed across the room as he watched you fix up your hair in the mirror, his gaze locking with yours in the reflection.

"We talked about you not shutting me out, not the other way around." You continued to fix your hair, trying not to look at him, making him sigh again.

"It goes both ways, sweetheart. You said we need to communicate better, but you ain't talking to me." Jey walked over to you, his body pressing against you as he stood behind you, his arms encircling your waist. You tried to move out of his arms and ignore his warm body against yours, but he tightened his grip on you, resting his chin on your shoulder.

"What is there to talk about? I lost, that's it." You snipped, continuing brushing your hair until Jey's hand slid the brush gently from your hand.

"Try again, and this time tell me the truth." You huffed, trying not to look at him and ignore his captivating gaze in the mirror. "I am telling the truth. What more is there is to talk about? I moved on from it, and you should to." Jey planted a gentle kiss on your neck at your words, his lips lingering there for a moment.

"I can't move on until you can. And you can lie to everyone else all you want, but you can't lie to me sweetheart." he whispered, his voice laced with concern.

You finally turned to face him, meeting his deep, searching eyes. You saw the worry and love in them, and it tugged at your heart. "I let you down.... I let everyone else down. You saw what happened, I let that bitch Bianca take it...." Your voice wavered slightly, and you breathed deeply, trying to compose yourself. Jey was patient, kissing at your neck while he waited for you to find the words to describe your pain. "I failed… you know it, the fans know it, and Roman knows it.." You remembered the night all too well.

It was Night of Champions, and you and Bianca were putting on a classic, reversing moves left and right and the crowd was on their feet.

You had Bianca right where you wanted her, her laying on the ground completely helpless, with you smirking at her, ready to finish her. You climbed the turnbuckle, ready to hit your finisher on her and make her regret ever stepping up to you and challenging you for your title.

Then, out of nowhere, Bayley came out of the crowd, hitting you with a steel chair and throwing you harshly into the ring mat, making you hit the mat hard, your back arching in pain. You and her had been in a on and off feud for months, but even you didn't see this coming.

The ref didn't see it, but Bianca did, and she capitalized on it, picking you up in the K.O.D and pinning you for the three count, the bell ringing echoing through the arena.

When you came to the back after, ignoring everyone else's congratulations for how good your match was. You went inside the locker room, and Roman's expression in the ring mirrored your own. Disappointment, frustration, and perhaps a hint of anger flashed across his face. And you felt the same way.

And Jimmy kicking him in the face after he was finally fed up with Roman's bullshit didn't make the situation any better. You pushed aside your own emotions to calm Roman and Solo down, and any inner turmoil you had was shrunken down when you saw Jey's red eyes and his body shaking from all the emotions and adrenaline racing through him. You held him then, whispering sweet nothings and leading him to the locker room.

And you held him throughout the night, running your fingers through his hair and letting him hold you so tight you felt your skin against his start to bruise. He didn't say anything, but brought you on top of him and buried his face into your shoulder, trying to shield himself from the outside world. You held him in the darkness, comforting him in a way only you could, seeing him in a way only he would allow you to.

And in the morning, when the rays of dawn began to filter through the cracks in the curtains, and it was time to get back on the road again, Jey tried to do the same for you, but you didn't let him. You could handle it yourself, Jey was more important.

You simply brushed the hair out of his face, pressing a kiss to his cheek, letting him hold onto you a little more until you had to leave for the airport. And yeah, coping by yourself wasn't the smartest thing to do, but you've dealt with losses by yourself before, so you could do it again.

Except Jey wasn't letting you handle it by yourself. He would try to coax you into opening up, in the morning and at night, in the quiet moments in between.  But you'd push him away, telling him that you were fine, that you needed to focus on getting back on track. 

Jey's voice brought you back to the present, his fingers gently tracing along your jawline, his touch grounding you. "Baby, you can't keep blaming yourself for stuff you can't control. We talked about this."

You bit your lip, biting so hard that it stung, just like your heart was stinging.

“But I could have controlled it. I should have seen it coming, Jey. I should have been prepared. But I wasn’t. And I let everyone down because of it.” You shut your eyes, not wanting to see his reaction.

You pushed out of Jey’s arms, sliding down and leaning on the edge of the locker. The cold metal bit into your palms, but it was grounding in a different way.

Jey slid down next to the locker with you. He let the silence stretch for a moment, knowing how bad this was eating at you and that sometimes words were not enough. You could feel the weight of his gaze on you, and looked up at him when his hand gently hovered yours on the floor, and you gave him a nod, letting him intertwine his fingers with yours, his thumb rubbing comforting circles against your skin to try and get you to open up.

As you looked at him, the floodgates of your emotions threatened to burst. You took a deep breath, Jey's grip on your hand the only thing keeping you in check.

"It's just... I feel like I failed, Jey," you admitted, steeling yourself to composure. "And don't lie to me and say I didn't, because I saw it in Roman's face, in Jimmy's and Solo's eyes, I saw it in your expression." You fiddled with Jey's fingers, trying to find solace in his touch. "I hate that feeling, Jey. It's like a weight in my chest that won't go away. No matter what I do, it won't go away."

You choked on the last few words, not being able to speak. Jey thought that was enough for you, and he reached out, gently pulling you into his lap, his arms wrapped securely around you, allowing you to bury your face in his neck, inhaling his comforting scent and gripping onto him for dear life.

His hands rubbed your back as he let you cling to him, his voice soft and reassuring. "I ain't never gonna not be proud of you. And I know that night didn't go your way, and trust me, that night was tough for all of us. But what's tougher is seeing you beat yourself up over it."

Jey's lips softly pressed against your neck, his kisses tender and comforting. "It wasn't your fault, and i'on want you to keep thinking that it is. You did your best, stole the show and it ain't your fault you didn't get the dub, it's Bayley's. And you'll get your lick back on her, but you gotta take care of yourself first if you wanna do that."

Your grip on Jey loosened your body relaxing in his embrace at his calming words. He spoke with such love, such sincerity that even your overthinking irrational brain had to listen. You let his words wash over you, letting them seep into your soul and psyche, let them help you breathe for the first time in what felt like forever. He always had a way of bringing you out of your own head, understanding you in a way that few did. And in that moment, it was exactly what you needed.

You lifted your head from his neck, meeting Jey's gaze, your eyes still glistening with unshed tears. "I'm just… scared, Jey. Scared that I'll never be good enough, that I'll always be haunted by that one loss," you confessed, your voice quivering with vulnerability. "Scared that I'll let you down again."

Jey's eyes softened even more at your confession, and he tenderly brushed a strand of hair away from your face. His thumb traced along your cheekbone, his touch tender as hebrushed a strand of hair away from your face. "Baby, you are good enough. You've proven it every single time you've given it your all, every time you step into that ring. All them other ladies can't compare to you, and that's the truth."

He held your gaze as his thumb traced along your cheekbone, his touch gentle and reassuring and his brown eyes filled with love and understanding. "As for letting me down, that can never happen. You've been holding us up, sweetheart. You're the reason we're all still standing strong. And no matter what happens out there, win or lose, you're still the one I'm proud to call mine."

You had a watery smile tugging at your lips, your heart swelling with love for Jey. You cupped his face and brought him into a kiss, trying to convey all your unspoken emotions through the tender kiss.

He responded in kind, melting into you and giving you a sweet kiss trying to convey how much he graved for you through the gentle press of his lips. When you pulled away, your breaths mingling in the small space between you, you couldn't help but smile.

"Thank you, Jey. I needed that, needed you."

Jey smiled back at you, his eyes shining with affection. "You don't have to thank me, sweetheart. I'm always here for you," he whispered, his voice warm and reassuring.

It made you want to kiss him again in thanks, but before you could a knock sounded at the door, and a loud voice came from outside the room. "Your Tribal Chief has brought me to inform you our segment starts in 5 minutes. So if I were you, I'd get a hurry on, cause he is not in a mood to be bothered and crossed."

You moved off of Jey, rolling your eyes at Paul's annoying voice. "We'll be there Paul, don't worry. Give me a minute." You called out, sharing a look with Jey as you dusted yourself off, trying not to look like you were on the verge of crying or sucking face with Jey just a minute ago.

No one knew about your relationship, not even Jimmy. The two of you wanting to take it slow, and you wanted to keep it that way for the time being. No meddling, no one in your business, no pressure. Sure, it was hard when one of you got jealous, but the two of you knew each other in and out and knew when to reassure the other.

Jey stood up, his hand gently squeezing yours before he moved towards the door, opening it and giving Paul a look of annoyance that had you internally giggling.

"We're coming, Paul. You don't have to babysit us." Jey grumbled, letting you walk ahead of him.

"Good, because I have more important things to do than babysitting you fiend of besties." Paul huffed, leading you all to the ramp where Solo and Roman were waiting, Solo leaning against the barricade and Roman pacing back and forth, an irritated expression etched on his face.

"Finally," Roman grumbled, eyeing you both. "Let's get this over with and make them acknowledge me."

You exchanged a glance with Jey and Solo before moving into position with everybody else, putting on your best smile for the camera as Roman's music hit. You strutted confidently as you all made your way down to the ring, the roar of the crowd echoing around you as you all posed for the cameras. Jey held open the ropes for you as you stepped into the ring, his eyes never leaving you.

"Acknowledge me!" Roman began, his authoritative voice capturing the attention of the crowd.

"We all saw what happened at Night of Champions, other's rose to the occasion, while other's failed to rise up to their expectations." You shied away from the jab and pointed look Roman was giving you. Jey noticed and wrapped an arm around your shoulder, glaring at Roman. You leaned into him, grateful for his silent support.

"But other's decided to try and drag people down with them into the descent of their own failures, and that is exactly what Jimmy did to me and Solo. He betrayed me, he betrayed Solo, he betrayed all of us! The people who helped him get to the top are the same people he didn't hesitate to throw under the bus!" Roman's eyes darkened with anger as he spoke, shoulders bunched with anger.

He turned to you, Jey and Solo, pointing at each one of you. "Solo, your own brother cost you that tag team match. Your own older brother!"

He turned to you, pointing at you furiously. "He betrayed you too, stabbed you in the back without a second thought, all because he was jealous he didn't have a title."

He finally turned to Jey, who was silently brooding and glared up at Roman when he turned to him. "And Jey… your own twin brother left you, hurt you, left you hanging all because he was jealous of our success." Jey's grip on your shoulder tightened, his jaw clenching as he stared Roman down.

"But don't worry, that will all change. Jimmy will regret what he did, will regret trying to bring the Bloodline down for his own agenda. But most importantly, he will regret messing with the Tribal Chief. And trust me, I will make him acknowledge me-"

Jimmy's music suddenly cut through the arena, interrupting Roman's speech. The look on Roman's face was downright furious. Jimmy stormed down the ring, that same look of fury in his eyes as he entered the ring.

"I am sick and tired of your bullshit, Roman," Jimmy spat, standing toe to toe with Roman. "You keep lying, and lying, and lying! You are the only cause of all this chaos. You only have yourself to blame for what happened. Cause you know what?"

Jimmy locked eyes with him, anger running through his veins. "I don't regret a single thing I did that night. And you wanna know why?"

Roman's voice was laced with venom, his nostrils flaring as he stared down his brother. "Why is that, Jimmy?"

Jimmy leaned in closer, their faces inches apart, his voice low and full of conviction. "Because I had to stop you from dragging everyone down with you and having you becoming even more of a narrcastic asshole that you are. You were willing to hurt us all for your own damn ego, Roman. You've been doing that for 3 fucking years, and you know what? I got sick of it!"

Roman's glare bore into Jimmy, and you could practically feel the seething anger radiating off him. "You've always been the weak link, Jimmy. I've done nothing but carry this family on my back, give you all the opportunities you have. And this is how you repay me? By turning your back on your own blood?"

Jimmy chuckled angrily, not backing down from Roman."Carry this family? You are delusional as always, uce. You never cared about anyone but yourself. You only care about being the 'Tribal Chief' and having everyone bow down to you. Well, I'm not gonna do that anymore. I'm not gonna let you control us, use us, and then toss us aside when we don't do what you want us to do.

The two men stared at each other with fiery intensity, Roman's fists clenched at his sides, and Jimmy's knuckles white from the force of his grip.

"You were always jealous, weren't you?" Roman asked mockingly, Jealous that I was always the one to lead, the one to make the decisions, the one to take the Bloodline to the top. You never had the guts to do what it takes, Jimmy. You were always content being in my shadow, following my lead. You never even had the guts to be my right hand man like Jey."

Roman gestured to Jey, who looked conflicted as he stood nearby, torn between his loyalty to both his brothers. "You were jealous you never had the power like my right hand woman."

Roman pointed at you, and your own conflicted eyes, his words dripping with spite.

"But you know what, Jimmy? You can never be me. You'll always be the lesser Uso, the one who couldn't measure up." Jimmy's face contorted with a mix of rage and hurt at his words.

"You're wrong, Roman. I ain't jealous of you. I'm disgusted by you. You've done nothing but bring us all down to bring you up, and sooner or later everyone else will see it too." He gestured to you, Jimmy and Solo, you and Jey having a smiliar expression of concern on your face while Solo had his typical stoic look on his, arms clenched like he was ready for a fight.

Roman followed his gaze, looking at the three of you for a long moment before turning back to Jimmy and bursting out in laughter, a mocking and humorless sound that echoed through the arena.

"You really think they'll leave me for you, Jimmy? You really think they'll choose you over the Tribal Chief, over the one who's been leading this family to greatness?" Roman laughed again, shaking his head in disbelief. "How about you guys tell him what you really think? Tell him what a mistake he's making." Roman turned to you, Jey, and Solo, his gaze piercing through you all.

You spoke up first, trying not to look at Jimmy's pleading gaze but it was futile. "Look... Jimmy, I get why you're mad. The titles, the pressure, it's all getting to you. But…" You looked conflicted, your heart torn in two different directions. "Roman is right. You made your choice, and now you have to live with it."

Jimmy looked like he gotten slapped in the face at your words, his hurt showing on his face making your heart clench. Roman started cackling again, the sound making your heart ache even more.

Jimmy's eyes bore into yours, wounded and betrayed. "I thought you'd understand out of all people," he muttered, his voice heavy with disappointment. "I thought you had my back."

Roman smirked, patting you on the back and giving you a proud smile. "You see, she sees the truth you are blinding yourself from. What about you Jey? How do you feel?"

Jey stepped up, his heart heavy as he gazed at his twin, his pleading eyes filled with sorrow. Jey turned back to you, sharing a glance with you that spoke more than words could before turning back to his brother.

"Jimmy, you know I love you. And you know I always have your back. But I also have Roman's back too." He extended his hand to Roman, who took it smiling, dapping him up. Jimmy watched on with an ache in his heart. "He's the one who made me , the one who turned me into main event Jey Uso!" Jey exclaimed, Roman patting him on the back proudly.

"And now… you're out of the bloodline." You and Jey exchanged one more look, and you knew what you needed to do.

"And I'm out too!" Roman's smirk dropped, but before he could speak he was getting super kicked by Jey, sending him sprawling to the mat.

Solo moved quickly, trying to attack Jey but you super kicked him in the jaw, sending him stumbling back. A smile made its way onto Jimmy's face as he joined the fight, helping you beat down Solo as Jey speared Roman, your mind finally at peace as you finally left the Bloodline, leaving the one person that always tormented you, getting your sweet sweet revenge.

You grabbed a mic and walked towards a fallen Roman, who was lying on the mat, breathing heavily and clutching his stomach. You grabbed at his hair harshly and tugged , forcing him to look up at you.

"You thought I forgot everything that you put me through, Roman?" you spat, your voice dripping with venom. "All those years of manipulation, of making me feel small and insignificant? Well, guess what? It ends now." Your grip on his hair tightened as Jimmy and Jey looked on in satisfaction at Roman finally getting what he deserved.

"I choose my family, and you were never a part of it. And now you are all alone, and I'm out the Bloodline, " you declared, letting go of him in disgust and throwing the mic to the ground. You felt arms wrap around you, and looked up to see Jey smiling down at you with absolute pride in his eyes as you finally took control, finally stood up to the man who had abused him for months. Abused and tormented you for months. Jey felt a sink sense of glee watching him be hurt like this, hurt like the way he used to hurt and belittle you.

Jimmy hugged you both when you all walked up the ramp, unshed tears of relief in his eyes as you were squeezed by both men so tight you could barely breathe.

"We did it." Jimmy whispered into your skin as he squeezed you tighter. You nodded back, just as emotional. You did it. Finally fucking did it. You stood up to the most, abusive manipulative and emotionally draining man you'd ever fucking met.

Jey was on your other side, his smile never fading as he held onto you both. "We're free, uce. We're finally free."

The crowd's cheers echoed in your ears, but you could barely hear it over the poouding of your own heart. As you held up the ones, basking in the moment, you finally felt that weight on your heart release, and you realized that it wasn't you putting that weight on yourself, it was Roman.

And as Roman glared at you from across the ring, you promised yourself you'd get rid of that weight, no matter what.

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

"Ay, all your shots on me, uce!" Jimmy's rambunctious voice yelled throughout the bar as you danced, the music pulsating you and the alcohol coursing through your veins as you danced with Liv, her arms around your waist as you moved to the beat with her, giggling like a couple of schoolgirls.

After your revenge on Roman, Jimmy insisted on the three of you going to a local bar to celebrate and let off some steam, and lord knows you deserved to let off some steam. You and Jey needed no convincing, you ordering an Uber and heading straight to the liveliest bar you could find, inviting Liv to tag along with you.

The bar was dimly lit, with neon signs casting colorful glows across the worn wooden floors. Jimmy was already drunk as hell, dancing all over the tables and acting like a complete goof. You and Liv were already a bit tipsy, her insistence on taking a shot every time Jimmy did something stupid being the cause of that.

And Jey couldn't take his eyes of you, tipsy as well but not as much as you and Liv as he sat back at a corner booth, a contented smile on his face as he kept an eye on his twin and watched you enjoy yourself. You deserved this, to let loose and have a good time after everything you'd been through.

Liv wrapped her arms around you, bringing you to a different section of the bar and grabbing you both more fruity drinks you couldn't get enough of.

"I'm so glad you finally got rid of that toxic asshole and finally decided to act your age and party!"

You giggled, the warmth of the alcohol making you feel lighter than air. "I'm glad too. And I finally decided to take your advice and enjoy my twenties before I end up an old women like you."

Liv playfully gasped, clutching her heart dramatically." Hey, I'm not that old!" Liv protested with a mocking glare, making the two of you burst out in giggles. "But seriously, it's about time you let loose and had some fun. You've earned it."

You smiled at her words, clinking your glass with hers. "You're right. Cheers to new beginnings!" You toasted, the clinking of your glasses ringing through the air. Liv grinned back at you, her eyes sparkling with happiness for you.

"Cheers to that!" She cheered with you, taking a sip of her drink. Her eyes wandered around the bar before finally meeting your own, a mischievous glimmer in them. "And speaking of having some fun… Jey has been eyeing you all night, y'know?"

You felt your cheeks warm up as you followed Liv's gaze back to Jey, who was still sitting in the corner booth, watching you with an intensity that sent shivers down your spine that you both loved and hated at the same time. Did he have to make it so obvious?

You turned back to her, a nervous smile on your face. "You're imagining things," you replied with a nervous giggle, taking another sip of your drink. "He's probably just making sure I'm not drunk out of my ass. Y'know, typical best friend duties."

Liv narrowed her eyes at you, mockingly accusing. "Uh-huh, sure. Keep telling yourself that, sweetheart."

You rolled your eyes playfully, knowing Liv had a talent for picking up subtle cues and interpreting them in not-so-subtle ways. You couldn't risk her finding out about you and Jey, even though she was drunk she was still Liv and could figure it out at the drop of a hat. So you decided to change the subject.

"Alright, Sherlock Holmes, what about you? Anyone caught your eye lately?" you teased, trying to divert the attention away from you.

Liv smirked, taking a sip of her drink. "Maybe… maybe not. But that's a story for another time. Right now, it's all about you and Jey. Seriously, though, you should talk to him. He's been giving you that 'I'm gonna jump your bones' look all night."

You choked on your drink, eyes wide. "Liv! Don't say things like that!"

She burst into laughter, slapping your back gently. "I'm not lying though! Ya'll have mad sexual tension, and it's honestly adorable. Just talk to him, okay? Trust me, it'll be worth it."

You tried to hide your smile, knowing you and Jey already solved that problem, but she and anyone else didn't need to know that.

"Y'know what? If you won't call him over, I will." Your eyes widened in amusement and laughter as Liv waved at Jey, beckoning him to come over. Jey looked a little startled but then gave you a knowing smile before excusing himself from the booth and making his way over to where you and Liv were standing.

"How are you fine ladies doing?" Jey's voice was smooth as he not so subtly checked you out, making you internally groan as Liv clocked it, making her practically beam in excitement.

“We're doing good Jey. But this one," Liv wrapped her arm around your waist, "wants to jump your bones just as much as you want to jump hers.”

You blushed furiously, shooting Liv a playful glare. Jey, on the other hand, seemed amused by the whole situation. He leaned in closer to you, his warm breath brushing against your ear as he whispered, "Is that so?"

You tried to compose yourself from your boyfriend's teasing, ignoring Liv's laughter from next to you. "Maybe. You need to show me your moves before we can confirm anything though."

Jey's playful smirk widened, his hand gently grazing your lower back. "Oh, I'm more than happy to demonstrate, sweetheart." You giggled, feeling a mixture of nerves and excitement bubbling within you. "Alright, let's see what you've got, baby."

You walked away with Jey, Liv's laughter fading into the background as the two of you made your way to the dance floor, Jey's arms making their way around your waist , pulling you close.

Jey's body grinded against yours, the music thumping in your ears as he danced in sync with you. Your body fit into his perfectly, moving together as if you'd been dancing like this forever.

"See, this isn't so bad, isn't it?" Jey whispered into your ear as he turned you, his hands sliding down your sides. You gave him a faux glare, rolling your eyes playfully.

"I'm gonna kill you after this. Are you trying to get the entire roster to know about us?"

Jey chuckled, his breath hot against your neck. "Relax, babe. I just wanna have fun with my girl. And no one's paying attention to us, trust me."

You raised an eyebrow and shot him a teasing grin. “Mhm, that’s the reason youre being so touchy. Not because you got territorial seeing everyone here and want to claim me as yours?”

Jey's playful smirk never wavered as he continued to move with you, his eyes locked onto yours. “Maybe a lil’ bit of both.” He admitted, his voice laced with desire. His hands slid sensually down your sides as the music pulsed around you. “But can you blame me? You look absolutely stunning tonight. Can’t help but want to show you off a bit.”

Your cheeks warmed at his words, he always had a way of making you feel special no matter what: it was one of the things you loved about him. "You're such a smooth talker," you teased, letting your fingers playfully trace along his jawline.

Jey's eyes twinkled with a mix of mischief and affection. "Only for you, babe," he whispered, turning you around once more before pulling you close again.

Everyone else faded away as his lips ghosted against yours, his eyes darkening with a silent question, the alcohol making your brain fuzzy and bold. Jey’s fingers grazed across your lower back, the lights of the bar reflecting in his dark brown eyes, the colors dancing in his eyes making it impossible to look away from him.

“Can I kiss you, sweetheart?” Jey asked, his voice a gentle rumble against your ear. You gazed at him, not caring about anyone or anything else. In that moment, it was just you and him, his arms around you that you felt so safe in, the thumping of the music beating to the beat of your heart, and the desire pulsing between the two of you as you looked at each other.

A small, anticipatory smile played on your lips as you met his gaze. "Please do.”

Jey didn’t need to hear that twice. He titled your chin, leaning in, and then his lips were on yours. His smirk faded as you wrapped your arms around him, deepeing the kiss and flicking your tongue against his, tasting the salty tequila he drank earlier and the taste of sweet cherry chapstick on his lips. His chain was cold against your skin as he pressed closer to you, the cold contrasting to the heat burning through your skin at Jey’s touch. The kiss was a slow burn, Jey’s lips slowly invading all your senses, his mouth swallowing every sigh of pleasure that escaped your lips. His body melted against yours when you grabbed the ends of his mullet, tugging harder when his tongue slid against yours. He swirled it in your mouth and it was like he was trying to memorize every part of your mouth.

You were dizzy off of Jey, his lips so familiar yet felt so new everytime you kissed. Your lungs burned with need for air, but you ignored it in favor of Jey’s lips that were more intoxicating than all the alcohol you drank tonight. He was your high, and you never wanted to stop being addicted to him.

He grabbed your hips, pulling you impossibly closer and grinding against you in time with the music, making you groan into his mouth. Time didn’t matter, the only thing that mattered was the heat between your thighs as Jey helped curb your addiction to him with his hands roaming across your sensitive skin and him bringing his teeth between your bottom lip in a slow, teasing bite.

His grills flashed against the dim lights, making you groan once more before pulling him in into another searing kiss, gripping onto your favorite leather jacket of his- that he also looked so sexy in-for something to ground you.

“Oh my god! I knew it!” A squealing voice made you pull away in a panic, your heart racing for a different reason as you turned to see Liv right behind you, Zelina and Raquel on her tail looking equally as drunk.

“Best friends my ass!” Liv squealed again, practically shaking in excitment. “You guys finally stopped being wusses and did something about your sexual tension!!”

“Liv, you scared the hell outta us! Practically broke my eardrum!” Liv ignored your complaints, too elated to care. She wrapped her arms around both of you in a tight, tipsy hug. I can't believe it! You two are officially a thing!"

You tried to backtrack, laughing nervously. "Liv, you’re just drunk, you didn’t see an-“

But Liv was having none of it. "Oh, please! I may be drunk, but I've got eyes, and I'm not blind! You two have been practically glowing with sexual tension for ages. It was about damn time!"

You exchanged an embarrassed glance with Jey, who was trying his best not to burst into laughter. He wrapped his arm around you, pulling you closer, no longer caring about who saw. “You caught us, uce. And it only took you a couple months and a few tequila shots to do it."

Liv gasped at the new information while you went to punch jey in the shoulder, but he dodged it and grabbed your hand, interlacing his fingers with yours. This made Liv gasp again.

"I can't believe it! " Liv gushed, still jumping excidtley. This is… you two are… wow! Liv struggled with her words, so Zelina and Raquel spoke up for her, their smiles mirroring Liv's wide one.

"It took ya'll long enough." Zelina smirked, drinking her cocktail. "We've been placing bets on when you'd finally get together." She then turned to Raquel, her smirk widening. "Which means you owe me a hundred bucks!"

Raquel groaned, pulling out her wallet and recultanly sliding it to Zelina. "Why couldn't you guys have kept up the act a little longer? I had money riding on next month!" But she had on a smile underneath her faux anger as she looked at you and Jey's intertwined hands. "But I'm happy for you guys, honestly."

You couldn't help but smile despite your embarrassment, it warmed your heart that your friends we're happy and supportive for you, even though they could be too prying and curious for their own good. Jey leaned down and pressed a sweet kiss to your cheek,chuckling softly at the whooping from your friends at the gesture.

"We 'preciatte it, ya'll, but you mind keeping it on the down low for us? We don' need no press or rumors runnin' wild."

Your friends pouted, but nodded in understanding. No one was more annoying than the dirt sheets.

"Don't worry, we got your back!" Liv said her voice dropping to a whisper and her smile turning into a conspiratol grin. "Your secrets safe with us, chica." Zelina added, giving you an understanding smile. Raquel had a similar smile on her face, her eyes warm and supportive.

"We're here for you, both of you," Raquel reassured, her hand resting gently on your arm. "And we'll take care of Jimmy if you guys wanna leave early." She wiggled her eyebrows, making you swat her arm away with a giggle.

"We are definitely taking you up on that offer, right Jey?" Your eyes met Jey's, who was looking down at you with a soft, loving smile that dazzled your heart.

"Yeah, we definitely taking you up on that." He giggled, pulling you away from your friends and making them holler at the both of you again.

"Yeet! No take backs, uce!" Jey yelled back at them, giving his brother a wink as you passed and guiding you out the door, the chilly air wrapping around you both as you stepped out of the bar.

Jey noticed your skin break out in goosebumps and he quickly shrugged off his leather jacket, ignoring your protests and dropping it over your shoulders. It was warm, just like his eyes as he looked down at you, heart thumping with how beautiful you look in the moonlight- that dress he loved so much on you hugging all your curves the right way, your hair falling gently around your shoulders.

But most importantly, your smile that was shining brighter than any of the city lights around you that made him feel like the luckiest man alive.

"You look beautiful as hell in my leather jacket, sweetheart," Jey murmured, his voice a soft caress in the cool night air. Your cheeks warmed at his compliment, the combination of his words and jacket making you feel even more warm.

"You spoil me too much, babe." Jey chuckled softly, his hand finding its way to your cheek, his thumb gently brushing over your skin.

"Well, if you don't get used to it, I'm not doing my job right. I always wanna spoil you." His thumb caressed your soft skin, his eyes turning serious as he looked at you.

"I know I kinda didn't give you a choice considering I caused our lil' make out sesh, but are you okay with people knowing? I ain't wanna put any pressure on you, sweetheart. I understand if you're not ready for that."

You smiled, your heart swelling with affection for the man in front of you. His handsome features were softened by the streetlights, casting a warm glow on his face and making you yearn for him even more and think about how lucky you are to have bagged him. You reached up, gently tracing your fingers along his jawline, feeling the familiar stubble beneath your touch.

"Jey, I am more than ready for that, for people to know you are the one who has my heart. I'm proud to be with you, and I don't want to hide it, especially from out friends. You make me happy, and I don't want to hide my happiness anymore."

Jey's smile grew even wider, and he leaned in to kiss you softly, his lips lingering on yours for a moment before he pulled back, his eyes shining with adoration.

"You make me so fucking happy too, babe. I don't know what I did to deserve you, but I'm not letting you go. Not now, not ever."

Jey promised, punctuating his words with another kiss on your lips, the taste of his lips like a promise of forever, and you pulling him even closer and deepening the kiss was a silent agreement, and the tender slide of his tongue and the gentle arm going around your waist and squeezing out every groan from you was a vow of the love that you’d always have for each other, no matter what.

You pulled away, breathless and smiling up at Jey, your heart feeling like it might burst from the overwhelming love that filled it, and knew there was no other time to say the words you've wanted him to hear since the first moment you met. "I love you."

Jey's eyes glistened with emotion, his hand coming up to cradle your cheek. He looked at you with an intensity that took your breath away. The weight of his gaze held all the words he didn't need to say out loud. Of how many days he spent thinking about you, of how you made him laugh, how his heart fluttered every time you hugged him,  how you made him feel loved and cared for in a way he never thought possible. It was all there, in that single look.

"I love you too, sweetheart." Jey whispered, so softly that it felt like a secret meant only for the two of you. Tears glistened in your eyes, but they were tears of joy as you pulled Jey into another sweet kiss, your tears intermingling with the taste of his lips. You were sealing your love with a kiss, a promise that would forever bind your hearts together.

You both pulled away, and the look of absolute content and desire on his face was enough to make the heat between your legs come back. You let his hands roam your body,  pulling you impossibly closer as his hands explored every curve and crevice as if he was committing it all to memory, not helping the fire consuming your skin at his touch. "Jey, I need you.”

Jey's breath hitched at your words, his eyes darkening with desire. "Lemme call an uber so we can go back to the hotel and I can properly take care of you the way you deserve."

You nodded, your heart pounding in anticipatio at his words. Jey quickly fumbled for his phone, fingers tapping urgently as he ordered an Uber. In what felt like mere moments, a car arrived, and you both climbed in, Jey's hand on your thigh as the city skylines disappeared behind you. 

You shot him a look when his hand climbed higher, but Jey just smirked as he rubbed circles into your skin. 

"Relax, babe, we're almost there."  His voice was a low rumble as his hand inched even more, skimming under the hem the hem of your dress and brushing against your inner thigh, making you squirm in your seat.

Before Jey could do anything else, the car pulled up to the hotel. You both practically bolted out, Jey pulling you in  the elevator and it took everything in you to not jump his bones right then and there. Jey felt the same way, and you held in a chuckle when he kept pressing the elevator button repeatedly, frustrated with how slow it seemed to be moving. Finally, the doors opened, and you made your way to your shared room.

As soon as you were inside, Jey pinned you against the wall,  his lips crashing onto yours with a passion that been building between you all night. His teeth nibbled against your bottom lip so hard it drew blood. But you didn't mind when Jey soothed the bite with a lick, his arms going to your thighs and lifting you up effortlessly. Your legs wrapped around his waist, and you barely noticed him carrying you to the bed, too caught up in the heated kiss to care. 

Jey gently laid you down on the bed, never breaking the kiss and towering over you, arching his body so he could be closer to you. our hands roamed over his strong back, fingers tracing the lines of his tattoos, while Jey's hands traced  the contours of your body as if he were learning it all over again. Your breath caught as his fingers found their way to the lace of your panties, teasing along the edge. He bunched your dress up, revealing more of your skin to his hungry touch.

You arched into his arms, pressing yourself closer to him when his fingers pressed harshly against your cloth-covered core. Your reaction made him repeat the action again, fingers circling slowly around your clit, making you break the kiss with a soft moan.

"Jey," you gasped, your voice thick with need, "please..."

Jey lowered himself down, his breath hot against your core, his fingers toying with your lace. "Tell me what you need, babe. I'll give you anything you want."

You brought yourself to a sitting position, your elbows keeping you steady as you kept eye contact with jey, your breath coming in rapid pants. "I want you to love me, Jey. I want to feel all of you, to be completely consumed by you."

Jey's heart pounded with your words, and he leaned in closer to you, giving you a kiss that he hoped would convey all the love and desire he felt for you. How much he cared for you, how much he loves you, how he would do anything for you.

He pulled away, his eyes never leaving yours,  a loving intensity shining in them. "I'll give you everything, sweetheart. I'll love you like you've never been loved before."

With that promise, Jey lips lingered on yours once more before he moved lower, trailing kisses down your body. From your collarbone to your neck to your stomach, he worshiped every inch of your skin with his mouth and hands, leaving a trail of fire in his wake. His lips moved lower, down to the lace of your panties, and he looked up at you with a hunger that made your heart race.

He hooked his fingers into the lace and slowly peeled your panties off, his eyes locked on yours the entire time. When they were finally discarded, he pressed a gentle kiss to the inside of your thigh, his hot breath fanning across your sensitive skin.

Jey suddenly dove down, his tongue tracing slow, torturous circles against your core. Your back arched off the bed, a strangled cry escaping your lips as the plaasure coursing through your body. 

His hands gripped your hips, holding you in place as his tongue licked your folds, sucking on your clit gently, dragging his teeth gently against it before sucking against your clit again, making you moan out loudly, your fingers gripping the sheets tightly.

He sucked on your bundle of nerves with a deliberate rhythm, his fingers tracing patterns on your thighs, coaxing every sweet sound from your lips as he quickened his pace, licking up and down your cunt, making you try to grind your face against him, but he wouldn't let you. His firm grip on your hips kept you in place, continuing his sweet torutre as you writhed and moaned beneath him.

"I love you." You groaned out, the words spilling from your lips like a mantra. Jey responded by kissing your clit softly with tender affection, making you mewl loudly before his tongue delved even deeper, curling and stroking at your sweet spot and making you let out a guttural groan and tug on the sheets even more.

You thought you couldn't take anymore, but Jey added a finger, slipping it inside your pussy and curling it with surprising precision even while drunk that it made you whine uncontrollably into the mattress. 

"I love you too, sweetheart." Jey whispered against your clit, the vibrations of his voice on your clit and the swirling of his tongue and curling of his fingers finally catching up to you. You could barely breathe as you succemed to Jey’s every will, white spots dancing in your vision as you came, your body going limp in his embrace.

When you finally came too and found the energy to open your eyes, you saw Jey's face hovering over you, his lips doused in your arousal and a smirk playing on his lips as he leaned over to you.

"Was that everything you asked for?" Jey cheekily whispered against your skin, his breath warm and soothing. He lifted his head, his eyes locked onto yours, a playful glint dancing in them.

You managed to catch your breath, your chest rising and falling rapidly. "You already know what you do to me," you replied, your voice a mix of breathless and teasing. You gave him a smirk before sitting up, your hand going straight to his pants and the obvious hard on he was sporting underneath.

"But I think it's time I return the favor." You palmed him through his pants, and Jey groaned against your skin before pulling you away fro him, taking off his pants and shirt and leaving him naked. You mirroed his actions, slipping your dress and bra off with a smirk.

"Nah, it ain't about just me tonight. It's about us." Jey pulled you back to him once all his clothes were off, capturing your lips in a searing kiss, the taste of you still lingering on his tongue.

You were so distracted by his dizzying kisses you didn't even notice him sliding inside of you until he was already inside of you, your mouth going slack at the delicious stretch of him filling you up  just the way you liked it, your walls clenching around him to keep him in your pussy every time he slid out to slide back in twice as hard.

His thrusts were controlled though, his hand pushing on your stomach to make you feel how hard his dick was inside of you. His other hand slid down your thighs and circled your clit harshly, making you moan hard and throw your head back into the pillows. 

Jey didn’t let up, thrusting in time with his fingers moving inside of you, the delicious friction of his thrusts and fingers making you moan in bliss and your mind teeter from present-day to heaven with every alternating fast thrust that had you going closer and closer to the brink.

“Fuck, babe, I’m close, so close.” Each one of your whines was encouraging Jey to go faster and faster to drive you to the edge of ecstasy, to give you the slice of heaven you’ve been craving all night. His lips found yours as he thrust into you so hard you felt like he was gonna break the flimsy hotel bed you were both laying on, but you didn’t even care. All you cared about was that he broke you so hard you couldn’t even feel your legs.

Your eyes teared up as you were getting closer and closer to the brink, and Jey moved his lips from your own to your face, kissing each and every single tear off before kissing the top of your head, hitting your sweet spot so hard, making you so close to cumming.

“I love you, baby.” He whispered against your skin, making your heart ache with love before he thrust into you one more time, with that and the curl of his fingers you finally were on the brink of heaven.

You shut your eyes, your breathing scattered and your moans falling on deaf ears as your mind shut down, finally giving  into the sweet ecstasy that was heavenly and yet felt so sinful, every inch of your being consumed by its devilish pleasure as you came so so hard, midlessley gripping Jey’s hair and pulling as hard as you could. 

The feeling of his locks in your tight grip and seeing your blissed out face was what pushed Jey over the edge, making him so mind-numb with pleasure at the feeling of you cumming on his cock he almost forgot to pull out until the last minute, but you barely noticed in the post-sex bliss state that you were in. You were stuck in that haze until you felt lips press a gentle kiss to your forehead, then your nose, your cheek. Then when you finally opened your eyes one was placed on your lips, and you returned the gentle peck, sitting up and admiring the way Jey's mullet was still damp and sticking to his forehead, how his lips were slightly swollen from your passionate kisses, the way his glorious abs glistened with sweat, the contented smile that played on his lips, just admiring jey period. He looked at you with a mix of desire and adoration, his dark eyes tracing every curve of your body.

You reached out, running your fingers gently through his damp hair. "You're amazing," you murmured, your voice filled with genuine affection. "I can't believe how lucky I am to have you. To be loved by you."

Jey's gaze softened, his hand finding yours and giving it a gentle squeeze. "Nah, sweetheart, I'm the lucky one. You are the reason I am still here, the reason I am whole. You complete me.” He whispered, his voice tinged with emotion. "I don't know where I'd be without you. And I ain’t never want you to forget that."

You smiled, feeling a warmth spread through your chest at his words. You loved it when he was like this, so open and vulnerable, baring his heart to you without a second thought. It made you feel special, for you to be the only person he trusts like this. You leaned in and pressed another soft kiss to his lips, savoring the taste of him.

"I won't forget, Jey," you assured him, your voice filled with sincerity. “Trust me, I can't forget when you remind me every day how lucky I am." The way you looked at him, the hearteyes you were making as you looked up at him, the way you looked like you wanted nothing and nobody else but him made his heart so full of love he could barely breath and his eyes glisten with unshed tears and emotions he only reserved for showing you. You wiped a tear that fell from his cheek with your thumb, a tender smile on your face.

"I promise you that I'll never stop reminding you, sweetheart. No matter what happens with our family, whatever happens in that ring, you'll always be my priority, my hear, my everything." Jey's honey sweet and soft voice wavered slightly as he leaned his forehead against yours, his eyes closed as he savored the closeness between you two. He held you tight, tighter than he had ever held you, bringing your bodies so close as if he wanted to fuse your soul with his. You snuggled your head into his chest, relaxing into him and feeling the steady rhythm of his heart against your cheek, the heart he always claimed only beat for you.

Jey’s arms rubbed gently up and down your back while you traced his never-ending tattoos. And as you were tangled in the sheets together, your bodies melting into each other and your souls merging together, you knew this was it for you. That Jey was it for you, that he was the one for you, that he was the one who held your heart in his hands, and had the power to crush it in a heartbeat and make you feel empty inside, yet at the same time make you feel whole in a way no one else ever could.

And the old you would have ran away at the realization, gotten scared at the fact you were letting someone in so deeply, letting yourself be vulnerable to getting hurt, letting someone see all the parts of you that you kept hidden away.

But this was different. You were now different. With Jey, it felt right. He understood every part of you, loved every part of you unconditionally, embracing it all without hesitation, cherishing your insecurities just as much as your strengths, accepting every single inch of you as if you were a diamond in need of nothing more than a gentle polish to shine brilliantly.

And that's what he always did, didn't he? He polished your soul with his love everyday, making you feel like the most precious gem in the universe every time he held you close, every time he made you giggle when he told you a stupidly funny joke, every time he looked at you like you were the only thing he ever wanted to think of, every time he kissed you like he was trying to communicate all his love and devotion in a single touch.

So as you looked up at his beautiful baby brown eyes that were staring at you with awe and affection, you knew that you were exactly where you were meant to be. In his arms, his lips on your skin whispering promises of love and forever, his heart beating in sync with yours. There was no where else you'd rather be, no one else's love you'd rather have then his, no one else you'd rather be with than him. His love was like a diamond, strong, unbreakable, and yet so tender in its touch. You felt it in the way his fingers traced gentle patterns on your skin, in the way his lips pressed against yours with a tenderness that made your heart swell.

And in that moment, with your heart in the palm of his hand and his love seeping through your skin, you promised yourself you'd never let him go, never let him slip away, never have a day go by where you don't stare at him like he hung the moon and the stars in the sky just for you and would give you the galaxy if you asked him too.

You gazed into his starry eyes and knew this was where you belonged, entwined with Jey with his eyes staring at you with consellations of love reflecting in his gaze, like you were the celestial masterpiece he had been searching for all his life.

And you'd be dammed if you let anyone take your universe away from you.

——————————————————————————

You stirred awake slowly, eyes burning at the soft rays of morning light filtering through the curtains. Your limbs ached- a reminder of the night before. You stretched before realizing you were trapped inside a warm embrace.

The strong arms wrapped around you were familiar, and the steady rise and fall of the chest against your back was comforting. You looked up and saw Jey, his features relaxed in sleep, his breath warm against your neck. Memories of the night before flooded back, the love, the intimacy, the passion you shared with him and it made you smile to yourself like a dork.

You heard your phone buzz on the nightstand, but you ignored it in favor for nuzzling your head in Jey's chest and relaxing into his warm embrace, planting a kiss on his bare chest, feeling the steady thud of his heart against your lips.

But then your phone buzzed again, and again, and again, making you groan quietly and shift slightly in Jey's arms. You reluectnaly pulled away from his comforting arms, trying not to wake him as you reached for your phone. You giggled when he immedieley pulled you back to him as soon as you got your phone, leaning into his touch and giving him a gentle kiss on the cheek as you opened your phone.

You frowned at the barrage of messages you got from Liv. She wasn't a morning person, especially after she had a few too many drinks, so you were concerned to say the least.

incoming text from livvy<3: girl, pls tell me ur awake rn!!

incoming text from livvy<3: wake up!!!!

incoming text from livvy<3: girl idc how good the sex was, you better wake ur ass up!! twitter is going wilddddd!

incoming text from livvy<3 apparently the stupid fucking paps were waiting us out, hiding their creepy asses in the bushes and they followed you and jey all the way to ur hotel and caught u kissing :( I'm sorry their such bums. if you need someone to talk to I'm here babe <3

Your heart got caught in your throat as you immedielty went to twitter, and sure enough they were going crazy, circulating the photo of you and Jey.

You sighed, rubbing your face as you went through the comments, most of them surprisingly supportive and happy for the two of you.

jeylover121: omg!! finally!! they're so cute!!

wrestlinglover: mom and dad finally got together!! brb i'm gonna cry!

uceyfanatic: i knew they weren't just besties! the way they look at each other>> them heart eyes were fooling nobody 😭

y/nstan124: i knew something was going on, jey ain't slick! they way he always has to have his hands on her and pull her close, no ones taking her away from u 😭

You couldn't help but smile at the overwhemingly positive comments, but you also knew there would be some negativity. You scrolled through the edits and messages, trying to take everything in.

Not that you cared what others thought of you, their negative words didn't really hurt you, you had to have tough skin to get in this business in the first place. But you didn't want it to affect your work life negatively and you didn't want it to affect Jey or his family.

As you were scrolling, Jey started to stir beside you. His eyes blinked open, and he looked down at you with a sleepy smile.

"Mornin', sweetheart," he murmured, his voice husky from sleep. You smiled back at him, giving him a quick peck on the lips.

"Good morning, babe." you replied sweetly, your voice soft and filled with warmth. "How did you sleep?"

Jey stretched his arms above his head, his muscles flexing. You couldn't help but ogle at them as he looked down at you, his gaze softening. "Like a damn baby, thanks to you." He chuckled. "You really wore me out."

You smirked at his words, your fingers tracing lazy circles on his chest. "I'm glad to know I could be of service" You teased, Jey smirking back at you as he leaned in closer to you, his lips brushing against yours.

"Oh, you were of service, alright. The best damn service." He punctuated his words with a sweet morning kiss, his tongue sliding softly against your lips, inviting you to deepen the kiss, and you gladly obliged. You pulled away before it could get too heated, giggling at Jey's pout and innocent expression.

You gave him one last kiss before sitting up, reaching your phone again. "Liv texted me, saying the paparazzi caught us last night," you explained, getting straight to the point, your expression turning a bit more serious. "They got a photo of us kissing outside the hotel."

You handed him the phone, and Jey's face shifted from sleepiness to alertness in an instant as he read through the messages and saw the photo on social media.

"Damn, they ain't waste no time, did they?" Jey chuckled, though slightly annoyed and worried about how you might take it. He didn't want you getting overwhelmed and running for the hills, he couldn't handle the idea of you leaving.

He came closer to you, bringing his hand to your face and caressing your cheek with his thumb, his eyes searching yours for any sadness or regret. "You okay, sweetheart? I know this how we ain't plan on coming out to the world."

You leaned into his touch, feeling the warmth of his hand against your skin. You met his gaze with a reassuring smile, your fingers gently entwining with his.

"Hey, don't worry," you said softly. "I'm okay. I knew that eventually, people would find out, and I'm not ashamed of us. I want everyone to know the man who holds my heart." You kissed the back of his hand, giving him heart eyes that were making him melt and cause his heart to swell.

"Plus, I'm sick of those women in your dm's thinking they have a chance with you when you're mine." You gave him a playful wink, making him giggle like a nerd and squeeze your hand affectionately.

"Why you jealous when you got the real thing right here." Jey teased, his eyes sparkling with affection as he brought you into a quick kiss, pulling away and giving you a real genuine smile.

"You know ain't nobody gonna take me away from you, babe. You've got me wrapped around your finger." You laughed, feeling a warmth spread through your chest at his words.

"Good to know, because I'm not letting you go anytime soon," you replied with a playful grin. "You are stuck with me for eternity, babe. No receipts accepted."

Jey's smile turned into a look of pure adoration. He pulled you into a tight hug, burying his face in the crook of your neck.

"An eternity is too short to love you, babe," He whispered into your skin, his voice so sincere and full of devotion you felt it radiate through your entire being, radiate through your heart and soul. You held him just as tight, feeling the depth of you love with how fast his heart was racing and how his body seemed to mold perfectly against yours, how his kisses and caresses felt like they were only made for you and only you to experience.

After a few minutes, you pulled away, staring at him with a lovestruck stare that conveyed all the words you didn't need to say out loud but he understood.

"If you wanna love me some more, than you can get your lazy ass out of this bed and meet me in the shower, poking his chest playfully before escaping his arms and dodging his attempt to pull you back, giggling at his mock-scowl as you walked to the bathroom.

His scowl dropped when he noticed you wearing his shirt. And nothing else but his shirt. "Ay, wait up ma! You ain't doin' nothing without me!" Jey called after you, running after you.

You were already stripped of your clothes and in the shower by the time he arrived. His eyes ran up and down your body with a possessive glint that made your insides warm, and it took him 1.5 seconds to take off his pants and pounce on you, shutting the shower curtains and snaking his arms around your waist as he pressed his chest against your back, nuzzling your neck with his lips.

"You're gonna pay for that little tease," he murmured, his voice a low, sultry rumble that sent shivers down your spine. His hands slid up your sides, and you titlted your head to give him better access to your neck.

"A punishment from you sounds like a reward." You purred sultrily, melting into his arms with each kiss. He turned you around, backing you up against the wall and turning on the water, the warm water cascading down your back, a soothing motion in contrast to the way he was harshly kissing and sucking hickies into your skin.

"Oh, you talking like that now? You aint gon' be talking that shit soon though, I promise you that." You were about to make another snarky remark, but the breath got caught in your throat at the sight of Jey lowering himself to his knees, his eyes never leaving yours as he pulled you by your thighs, dragging you to him and making the lower half of your body fill up with heat as his breath fanned over your cunt that was hover over his face.

"What I tell you?" Jey's smirk was both infurtiating and hot as he taunted you, and yet again when you are about to make another snarky remark, he cut you off with burying his face between your thighs, sucking and licking your cunt so harshly you moaned out loud pathetically and gripped your hands onto his shoulders to find some leverage to try and ground you.

Let's just say, he definitely made you eat your words.

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

LIKED BY UCEYJUCEY, TRINITY, YAONLYLIVEONCE, JIMMYUSO & 5 MILLION OTHERS

y/n: Acknowledge Us.

tagged: uceyjucey

VIEW COMMENTS

yaonlylivonce: hot couple alert hot couple alert 🚨 🚨 i told u to pick that dress!! you look so good!! 😍 ily💗

y/n: thats why ur my all in one bestie and fashion designer 😘 ilyt 💗

trinity: bad bitch!! jey is a lucky man 😍♥️

y/n: learned from the baddest bitch of them all 😘 but trust me, the lucky one is me 🥹

uceyjucey: my girl looks so good ♥️I love calling you mine ♥️

y/n: ty baby 🥹 and i love it when you call me yours ♥️

uceylover: omg omg omg omg it finally fucking happened!!!

wrestlingstan: bi panic bi panic bi panic 🚨‼️

WWE: power couple vibes 😍

jimmyuso: THIS IS HOW I MF FIND OUT!! I’m happy for ya’ll… but WHY YOU AINT TELL ME SIS 🙄 ily anyways

jeyuso: cause u talk to much uce

y/n: what he said, cause ur a blabbermouth 🙄 ilyt ♥️

jimmyuso: Now I’m being attacked by both of ya’ll… the audacity 😑

LIKED BY Y/N, JIMMYUSO, TRINITY, BIANCABELAIR, & 3 MILLION OTHERS

uceyjucey: left my headache, found my peace ♥️

tagged: y/n

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y/n: i love you ♥️

uceyjucey: i love you more sweetheart ♥️

[dilf-rot]

Hot Summer - MDNI 18+

TAGS: Wolverine x Reader, Logan Howlett x Reader, Logan has a knot, idc if wolverines are not a canid species I’m doing my best ok, Femme Reader, Friends to lovers sort of deal, Mentions of rut / heat, maybe a little feral?, also im giving this bitch fangs because he should have them, smut with very little plot, creampie, helping a horny mutant in need, PinV, oral (fem receiving) ((for like 1 moment)), marking / hickeys / scratching, this is literally just smut with minimal plot

WORD COUNT: 2560

A/N: Hey, remember when I asked if you would still love me if I wrote Logan with a knot? Yeah well here it is, may it comfort you in this terrible world <3 

If you enjoy my work consider sending me a tip at https://ko-fi.com/rotwrites  (Not required by any means, writing requests are still free!) 

—------------

The summer at the institute was always a little boring, or even very boring. You were one of the few students who hadn’t made plans and ended up stuck in the mansion, doing mindless tasks and trying to not be bored out of your mind. It was mostly empty, and as you walked the halls, you hardly even noticed the change in atmosphere. It had just been you, Charles, and a few other kids that would pop up every now and then. So, you were rather surprised when you rounded the corner and saw him standing there. 

“Logan,” You call, and he turns to look at you. Your breath catching in your throat as you take in the sight of him, sweaty and a little dirty from whatever he had been doing. “I thought you were out for the summer?”

“Yeah, was. Chuck called me back, gotta fix up some things.” He looks you over, and smiles, the flash of his sharp canines sending flutters right through your stomach. 

“Oh, well it���s good to see you.” You try not to stare, wondering if he has somehow gotten even more alluring in his brief absence. The length of your shorts, and thin fabric of your tank making you feel much more bare now than before. “I’ll let you get back to it,” 

“Thanks, doll. We’ll catch up when I’m done.” Something in his voice feels different, but you try not to focus on it as you head over towards the kitchen. He did look rather good, maybe even more than he usually did. Though you had been trying desperately not to think of him in that way, to preserve one of the few friendships you had built here. But the image of him dripping in sweat, in a dirt stained beater and jeans that were tight in all the right spots. That image would make things harder for sure. The thoughts of his teeth sliding along your neck, his rough hands clinging to your hips. 

You pushed those thoughts down as best as you could and decided you would attempt to read, lounging in the corner of the kitchen, book in hand. Your eyes flicking across the pages, barely absorbing the words, just trying to give yourself a reasonable distraction. You weren’t sure how long you had been doing this before Logan had made his way into the kitchen. 

“Reading?”

“Barely-” you laugh, but are briefly silenced when you look up to see Logan, shirtless. He has his dirty tank in his hand, using it to wipe the sweat from his brow. It wasn’t even that hot out for the season, and yet he was somehow soaked in sweat. You couldn’t imagine the work Charles had him doing to be that strenuous. 

“Oh yeah? Something on your mind?” He loops the fabric of the tank through one of his belt loops and walks over to the fridge. 

“Uh-” You can’t help the way your mind practically goes blank as you watch him. He’s taken a beer from the very back of the fridge and popped the cap off on the edge of the counter, hopefully he hadn’t chipped it or that would be another thing to add to his list of repairs. 

“You want one?” He references the drink in his hand, you nod and stand up from your chair. Whatever book you were reading was quickly forgotten and left on the floor. You stand next to him leaning against the counter as he opens the beer for you and hands it to you. He must’ve bought them and hid them in the back of the fridge whenever he had gotten back to the mansion, cause you couldn’t recall seeing any in there for the past few months. 

As you take the beer from him your fingers brush against his, and as if he had been shocked he flinches. His eyes are dark as he looks down at you. He grits his teeth and tries to regain his composure, but you can tell something is going on. You step closer to him, your hip almost touching him. He leans down towards you, as if he was going to tell you a secret.

You want to turn your face towards his, to swallow him up in a kiss, to beg him to tell you what he was thinking. But as he moves closer to you, you find yourself paralyzed.

“You smell good,” he breathes in, his face inches away from your neck.

“So do you…” You turn your head to avoid his gaze. He smells better than usual. Something about the smell of sunshine, dirt, and whatever sawdust or debris had been falling onto him made you want to reach out and grab him, but before you could, he corners you. Your back against the counter, his hands finding your hips and effortlessly lifting you on top of the counter. He presses himself against you. You're caged in by his large arms, the muscles taut and glistening.

His face against your neck, his teeth almost brushing against your skin. His rough fingers digging into your hips. The fabric of his jeans rubbing up against your thighs, now wet from his sweat and your sudden excitement.

“Logan-” you whine, practically trembling, and he seems to remember himself.

“Sorry, doll.” He steps back and looks you over, a devious glint in his eye. Without another word he is gone from the kitchen. You are unsure of what to do, or what even was happening but eventually follow him.

He has resigned himself to his room, and you can hear him pacing back and forth behind the door. You knock gently and the sounds stop. He opens the door just a crack, he seems even sweatier and disheveled from when he had found you in the kitchen. His eyes piercing and intense, his pupils blown wide, his breath slow and shaky. 

“Logan, are you alright?”

He grunts in response, shaking his head. 

“What’s wrong?” 

He looks you over, and opens the door wider. You step inside and he quickly shuts the door. He looks even wilder than he had in the kitchen, still shirtless, only in his jeans. Which you try not to make note of the very large and obvious bulge in the crotch. His hair is messy and disheveled, you imagine he had been running his hands through it as he was pacing around.

“Logan?” You walk towards him and he makes a strangled sound. “Are you feeling ok?”

When he turns towards you, your heart races and your breath catches in your throat. He looks so pathetic. Rendered down to some poor animalistic creature. He walks slowly towards you, and when he is a mere step away he grabs your hands and pins them up above you, your back pressed against the door. 

“You should go,” He growls into your ear as he brushes his nose against your jaw. “Too dangerous for you to be in here.”

“Why? You’re not gonna hurt me,” You lean into his touch, resting your head against his.

“Might,” He drops your wrists and tries to step away, but you follow. Keeping the gap between you as small as possible. He groans as you run your hands along his arms, trying to be gentle and encouraging so that he may tell you what’s going on. Before you can ask, he takes one of your hands and slides it underneath the waistband of his pants. 

Your eyes widened as you feel the weight and heat of his cock in your hand. You curiously push your hand down more and feel a swollen bulb at the base of it. Oh. 

Oh. 

Now you understood. You had at some points wondered just how animalistic his mutation was, but now you got it. Late summer was a rather common breeding season for a variety of mammals and it seems as if Logan was one of them. 

“Let me help you,” You slide your fingers up the length of him, tracing the prominent vein on the underneath of the shaft.

“Don’t think that’s a good idea,” He shudders as you wrap your fingers around his cock.

“Why not?” You smile up at him, and you feel him straining to not thrust up into your hand.

“You might regret it.”

“I don’t think so,” you lean up so that your lips are nearly brushing his, and his restrain snaps.

He closes the distance and practically devours you, kissing you rough and desperately. 

It was as if a fire had been reignited within him and he could do nothing to put it out. His hands grasping and clawing at you, wrapping his arms around your waist and squeezing you tight against him. His lips leaving frenzied kisses against your jaw and neck, his teeth grazing the soft skin and his tongue soothing the small marks left in their wake.

He lifted you easily, dragging the both of you towards the bed where he tossed you down against the mess of sheets and pillows. His hands running along the curvature of your body, as if removing himself from you would cause him great pain. His face was wild, that of a crazed man who finally had found whatever he had been searching for.

You were utterly breathless and your heart beat rang in your ears loud as could be. He makes quick work of your clothes, tossing them off somewhere, his hands hardly leaving your body for more than a few seconds. He drags himself away from you for just long enough to find himself kneeling in front of you, pulling you down to the edge of the bed, your legs resting on his shoulders, his head between them, looking up towards you with the most pathetically hungry expression you could have ever imagined.

“You’re sure doll?” His voice is strained and rough. 

You nod, your hands finding their way to tangle in his hair to softly encourage him to continue. He growls and presses his lips to your inner thigh, kissing the soft skin and taking the flesh into his mouth to nibble and bite at. Trailing up and down the length of each thigh, relishing in the small whines and moans leaving your mouth as he decorates your delicate skin with marks. Feeling satisfied that you were now his in this moment, he brings his attention to the aching spot between your thighs, dragging his tongue up through your folds to lap and suck upon your clit. The feeling electric and mind numbing. He slides his tongue along your clit in sloppy circular motions, sucking it in gently, generating small whimpers from you. He growls as he hungrily slurps you up, his patience growing thin as he becomes entirely enveloped in your scent. 

He pulls away from you, a small whine leaving your lips as you sit up and rest on your elbows to watch him. He quickly kicks off his pants, and you gasp when you see him. The tip of his cock is red with need and practically dripping. You feel a bit more intimidated now as you stare wide-eyed at the bulb throbbing at the base of his cock. You could only pray that it would fit. 

Logan smirks and hovers over you, caging you in with his large arms. “Having some regrets, princess?”

“No,” you lift your hips up to shamelessly rub yourself against his erection and he groans. One hand moving down your body to roughly grab your hip pushing you down into the mattress. He slides his cock between your wetness, your breath hitching when the head of his cock bumps against your clit. Your arousal coating him, the slick wet noises make your head spin. 

“Please,” You whine. He presses the tip against your entrance and you try to lift your hips closer to him, begging for it to slide inside. Your breath hitching when it finally does. He moves painfully slow, the drag of his cock slowly stretching you out. A sort of burning rising in your stomach as you strain to be closer to him.

“So desperate,” He huffs, wrapping an arm around you and holding you close against him as he bottoms out. Your whines make his heart ache. “I’ve got you princess, I’m right here.”

You claw at his shoulders, his arms, his back, anything you can reach. The knot at the base of his cock pressing into you, you feel like you could break. Heat spreading over your entire body. You can’t get close enough. You want him to devour you. To take what he needs and worry about you later, but he’s being so gentle that it makes your eyes water. 

His pace stays slow, once he feels you relax, he pulls himself back before pressing in again. Slow, deliberate, patient. He watches your face as you try to play tough, acting like you can handle it despite your trembling. When you flutter around him and a broken moan falls from your mouth he falters.

“I don’t think I can be gentle for much longer,” He whispers against your neck, kissing right below your ear.

“So don’t be,” your whimper flips a switch in him. He would have preferred your first time together to be different than this, to be softer and sweeter. To be kinder to you. But when you beg to help him, and try to take him so good, he can’t help himself. 

He barely hesitates before his pace quickens, and the sheer force of his movements is enough to make your brain fuzzy and dumb. The headboard smacking into the wall with every rough movement, the bed frame creaking beneath you. You’d feel bad about all the noise if you were in any position to feel anything other than Logan ruthlessly fucking you. 

His cock stretches you in such a way that each thrust presses against that sweet spot inside you. The knot at the base pressing against your clit. The slap of it sends little waves of pleasure throughout your body. His pace hardly falters, as you grip onto his arms, your legs tightly wrapped around his waist, desperately trying to take it. To help him through it. Wanting him to use you and be satiated. 

“Fuck, that’s a good girl,” he groans as he feels you tighten around him. You tremble and whine, shaking as your orgasm takes over and you can hardly think of anything as his motions begin to falter too. 

He shudders as he pumps into you, his ruthless pace being diminished into small quick thrusts. You groan as you feel the knot slip in, and he cums. You feel so utterly full as more and more cum is spilled into you. So much so that it’s dripping down onto the mattress beneath you. Your eyes rolling back in your head, and you can feel drool leaking from your open mouth. Your body feeling limp, you can hardly manage to keep your eyes open and steady enough to look at Logan. He seems hardly affected. 

“We’re gonna be here a while, Doll. Don’t get tired on me already,” Logan grins, pressing his lips against your neck and you shudder as you feel his sharp canines graze the sensitive skin.

At least the rest of your summer would be far from boring. 

[novaursa]

Hi, I love all of your work and am so excited that requests are open again! Can I please request an Aemond x reader where he has been in love with his older sister/a daughter of a noble house (if you don’t want to write for a sister) since he can first remember and has been trying to get them to notice him their entire life but they’ve only seen it as platonic so far and when they get interested in another man he distances himself and when they ask what’s wrong he confesses so basically a bit angsty and you can decide if they end up together or if she doesn’t reciprocate.

Unseen Fires

Requests are closed!

- Summary: He loved you, ever since he learned what love was. And you never noticed it.

- Paring: sister!reader/Aemond Targaryen

- Rating: Mature 16+ (just to be safe)

- Tag(s): @sachaa-ff @alyssa-dayne @oxymakestheworldgoround

The wind whistles through the Red Keep, the sound eerie as it carries over the courtyards, winding through the cracks in the stone walls. You stand by the window of your chambers, looking out over the flickering torches that illuminate King’s Landing below. The evening light fades into dusk, and the city slowly grows quieter, the shadows of the night creeping in.

Aemond had always been a shadow in your life, quiet and watchful, but ever present. From the time you were children, he followed your every move, like the ghost of a dragon you never saw but could always feel. His devotion was plain to anyone who bothered to notice—the intensity in his violet gaze, the way he held himself when you were near, always just a step behind but never far. But to you, he had always been your brother. Nothing more, nothing less. His presence was comforting, familiar. Aemond was always there, always constant.

But recently, something had shifted. You could sense it in the way he held himself, the way he distanced himself without explanation. His gaze no longer sought you out in the halls, his footsteps no longer echoed behind yours as they had for so many years. And you, distracted by the flutter of newfound interest in another man—a knight of the Kingsguard, handsome and bold—hadn’t thought much of it. Until now.

You glance over your shoulder, expecting him to walk in, to seek you out as he always had. But the door remains closed. He hadn't come to you in days, hadn’t met your eyes, hadn’t lingered in your presence the way you were used to. A sense of loss, unexpected and unsettling, creeps into your chest. It feels wrong—Aemond not being there. You never realized how much you relied on his quiet companionship until it was gone.

You find him in the training yard, a place where Aemond spends much of his time. His single eye is fixed on the dummy before him, his movements precise as he swings his sword, each blow deliberate and controlled. Sweat glistens on his brow, his silver hair pulled back tightly, the hard lines of his face set in deep concentration. He doesn’t see you at first, too focused, too lost in his thoughts.

“Aemond,” you call softly, your voice barely carrying over the rhythmic clashing of steel.

He stills immediately, his sword lowering as his gaze flicks to you. There’s a brief flicker of something in his eye—something dark, something pained—but it vanishes as quickly as it appeared. He wipes the sweat from his brow and sheathes his sword, his expression cool and unreadable, a mask you hadn’t noticed him wearing before.

“Sister,” he greets, his tone polite but distant. Too distant.

You frown, stepping closer. “You’ve been avoiding me.”

“I’ve been training,” he replies curtly, turning away as if the conversation is already over.

You aren’t so easily deterred. “You’ve been avoiding me,” you repeat, more firmly this time, stepping into his path to block him. His eye flashes, and for the first time in days, he looks directly at you—really looks at you. There’s a storm brewing beneath the surface, one you hadn’t noticed until now.

“What is it?” you ask, softer now. “What’s wrong, Aemond?”

He stares at you for a long moment, the tension between you so thick it feels like it might snap at any moment. His jaw clenches, and his hand tightens around the hilt of his sword, knuckles white. “Nothing is wrong,” he says, but the lie is obvious, even to you.

You reach out, placing a hand on his arm. “You’re my brother. You can tell me anything.

Something in him breaks then, the cold, aloof facade shattering in an instant. He steps back from your touch, shaking his head as if trying to push you away, to push the words back down, but they spill out, bitter and raw.

“I don’t want to be your brother,” he bites out, his voice low and harsh, filled with an emotion you can’t quite place. “I’ve never wanted to be your brother.”

The words hit you like a blow, confusion flooding your mind. “What are you talking about?”

Aemond’s eye blazes, the mask he’s worn for so long slipping completely. “I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember, Y/N. Not as a sister. Never as a sister. And you… you never see it. You never see me.”

Your breath catches in your throat, your heart racing as the weight of his confession sinks in. The intensity in his gaze is almost unbearable, like staring into a fire that threatens to consume you whole. You take a step back, suddenly feeling like the ground beneath you has shifted. This wasn’t what you expected, not from him. Not from your Aemond.

“You’re my brother,” you whisper, the words sounding hollow even to your own ears.

His lips curl into a bitter smile, one that holds no humor. “Yes. I’m your brother. I’m always your brother. That’s all I’ll ever be to you, isn’t it?”

You shake your head, trying to find the right words, but they slip away from you, lost in the whirlwind of emotions. “I didn’t know… I didn’t realize—”

“Of course you didn’t,” he interrupts, his voice rising with the anger that’s been simmering for years. “Because you were too busy with everyone else. Every knight, every lord, but never me. Never your brother who has loved you from the moment he could understand what love was.”

The anguish in his voice stabs at your heart, guilt and confusion swirling inside you. You reach out again, desperate to close the distance between you, but he steps back, putting more space between you than there’s ever been.

“I can’t do this anymore,” he murmurs, his voice quieter now, but no less pained. “I can’t stand by and watch you with someone else. It’s agony.”

Your heart twists painfully in your chest. You’ve known Aemond your entire life, shared every moment, every secret, but this—this is something entirely new, something you never imagined.

“Aemond…” you begin, unsure of what to say, unsure of how to fix this, if it even can be fixed.

But he doesn’t give you the chance. With one last look—filled with years of love, longing, and heartache—he turns away, walking back toward the keep, leaving you standing alone in the dimming light.

For the first time, you feel the cold absence of him, not just in the physical space he leaves behind, but in your heart. And you realize too late that you’ve taken him for granted. Too late that you’ve lost him in a way you might never get back.

[bullet-prooflove]

37)   I think you should come live with Me

Carmy berzatto 🎇

Tagging: @kmc1989 @wabi-sabi1090 @lostinwonderland314 @turtle-cant-communicate @fallout-girl219

Companion piece to:

The Farm - Carmy recalls the day you met.

Good People - Richie and Carmy discuss a potential relationship with you.

Pears - It starts when Carmy makes an order he doesn't remember.

Something Important - Carmy knows the two of you have something important together.

Mornings - Carmy sleeps better with you around.

Bubble - You have no idea that you saved Carmy's life.

Crazy, Stupid, Fucked Up World (NSFW) - Carmy tells you he lvoes you for the first time.

Doing Something - Carmy owns up to something he's been doing without telling you.

“I think you should come live with me.” You say to Carmy one morning when the two of you are at the farm. You’re wrist deep in the dirt, planting the next season’s lettuce and he’s trying to dig out the next row of holes for the seeds to go into.

The two of you have been out here every day this week with a groups of volunteers, setting everything up for the new season. The Beef is currently undergoing renovation so Carmy finds himself with pockets of free time and there is nowhere else he’d rather be than here at the farm. He enjoys the physicality of work, the fact he’s creating something that other people will benefit from and the satisfaction of seeing something grow.

“You sure that’s something you want to do?” He asks you as he jams the shovel into the soil.

You pause, your head tilting up to look at him. His brows are furrowed as he fixates on his task, his white t-shirt pulls taut over his muscular biceps as he hefts out the dirt. He does this when he’s faced with something he isn’t sure how to process. He becomes hyper focused, blocking out everything else.

“It’s fine.” You say softly. “If you’re not ready, you’re not ready.”

“It’s not that.” Carmy responds, using the back of his wrist to wipe the sweat from his forehead. “I just…”

He trails off and you wait patiently for him to find the words.

“For a long time good things didn’t happen for me. I was in a job that consumed my soul, sleeping on my cousins couch, being violently ill every moment of every day and then Mikey…”

He shakes his head as he leans on the shovel, stuck firmly in the ground.

“I’m not used to things going so well and I guess I’m scared that if we move into together you’re going to wake up one morning and realise that I’m not it for you and that thought, it’s terrifying because you’re it for me. You are the only person I ever want to be with-”

He cuts himself off then because you’re raising to your feet, brushing the dirt from your jeans. Your arms come to wrap around his waist and he inhales, breathing in the earthy scent that clings to your skin as he holds you close.

“You’re it for me Carmen Berzatto.” You say, your fingertips brushing across his clean shaven cheek. “You’re the only person I ever want to be with too.”

Love Carmy? Don’t miss any of his stories by joining the taglist here.

Interested in supporting me? Join my Patreon for Bonus Content!

Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[fangirl-dot-com]

Chapter 25 - Release the Ice Bath Thirst Traps

Ok guys! here we go!

TAG LIST IS CLOSED (sorry for those who have asked)

For the very end of the chapter, there's something I made up for Singapore (this fact is made up just for the story)

Like always comments, questions, concerns, inbox messages, reblogs, and likes are appreciated! Love you all and enjoy :D

The moment you stepped out of the cool, airconditioned car, your team shirt suddenly clung to you. Beads of sweat dripped from your forehead as you made your way through the paddock. Max had warned you that Singapore and Qatar would be impossibly hot: you just didn’t think it’d be this bad. 

All you wanted to do now was go back to the hotel where it was ice cold. You wiped your brow with your forearm as you got closer to the garage. Giant fans welcomed you with air. It wasn’t freezing cold, but it would do. You were already on your third water today, smartly forgoing the Red Bull that was bound to make you dehydrated. 

You stood next to Max as the team had a quick debrief. The heat was definitely getting to you, as you really couldn’t remember a word that anyone said. You blink your eyes as they were burning with sweat. Your older teammate could only offer you a remorseful smile. 

Max could see that the heat wasn’t going too well with you. You had told him beforehand that some females, including you, just couldn’t regulate their temperatures as well as males could. Women often gave off more body heat than men did as well. This caused the Dutchman to send out a group text, warning the other drivers to look out for you. 

You groaned as you tried to put on your fireproofs and race suit. The more you moved around, the more you seemed to sweat. You kept your suit tied around your waist. You definitely wouldn’t be putting it on until you had to be in the car.

Max was already zipped up by the time you returned. 

“Here.” He handed you another ice cold water bottle. 

“Thank you Max,” you croaked out, making the Dutchman look a little weary at you. You just smiled back. 

“Once we qualify, we can go to the ice baths.” 

Max would have thought that you would hate the idea since you always showered with the water at a boiling temperature. Yet, he could see that you were slightly “warming up” to the idea of a bath full of ice (pun intended). 

From the corner, Mitch watched as you poured the remainder of your water on your head. She had requested a few ice packs to be ready for you when you arrived, but sadly they weren’t completely frozen. She’d make sure that you’d have them for tomorrow. 

Surprisingly, your laps were great with you qualifying in P3, behind Charles once again. Halfway through, you had opened your visor, trying to get some air through your sweaty helmet. Your water pouch had to be refilled multiple times between sessions. Yet, your trainer advised you to try not to drink so much during the race, as they wouldn’t be able to refill. 

Mitch had come over to your car as soon as you were back in. You gave her a big smile as you started to get out of the car. 

“How are you doing kid?” 

You took a moment to look at her outfit. Where a pantsuit should have been, there was a Red Bull Tank top and some very loose pants. You were jealous that she got to wear those while you were stuck with skin tight clothes. 

You gasped a bit for some cooler air once your helmet was off. 

“I’m good. Max said something about an ice bath?” 

Your eyes were faintly glimmering with hope for something to cool you down. Mitch smiled at you. 

“Yep. I put a change of clothes on your bed, but I think you need some help?” 

You nodded at her question before heading to your room. You didn’t want to waste any time getting out of your suit. 

The zipper came off smoothly. Mitch definitely saw that you had sweated through your fireproofs and felt terrible. Surely, there was something that the team could do. 

You giggled. “I’ve probably already lost a few pounds.” 

Mitch rolled her eyes at the terrible joke. If anything, there was truth in that statement. She had seen the numbers after you got weighed and you had lost a lot. 

“Well, there will be lots of food for you to fill up on.” 

“I hope we’re not going to go over the catering budget again.” 

Mitch let out a snort as she helped you out of the sticky fire proofs. She pulled out a bag and handed it to you. You grinned at the sight of the limited clothes in the bag. 

“I didn’t think that you’d want to go out in full bikini, so there’s a sports bra and some spandex shorts. I’ll wait for you by your door and will walk you to the back.” 

Once Mitch left, you quickly peeled the rest of your clothes off. The sports bra and spandex were all black, and covered everything that needed to be. You said a quick thank you to her in your mind as you got dressed. Your skin was definitely cooler with no clothes to stick to, but you were still sweating. 

You swung the door open. 

“Ready to go?” you asked, giving her the bag back with your other clothes. They would definitely need to be washed by tomorrow. 

You followed the woman to the back, going through multiple doors. Once she opened the door to the little outside area, your eyes landed on Max, who was already soaking. His eyes were closed as he leaned his head back on the tub. 

Yours was a bit more like a giant trough, filled to the brim with ice. 

Mitch spoke as you got closer. “We thought that you’d need more ice, hence why yours is bigger. It’s also more insulated with the metal than the plastic. Do not stay in more than 15 minutes. We don’t need your temperature dropping too much.” 

You tossed your foot over and gingerly place a toe in, just to get a feel for it. The temperature was perfect and you found yourself sinking into the ice. 

“You think it’s ok if I dunk my head?” you asked Max. 

He didn’t even bother to open his eyes. 

“Go for it kid.” 

You held your breath as you sunk below the ice layer. Your brain went a bit fuzzy as the freezing water went over your scalp. You let your eyes open under the water, just to feel the cold and relieve the stinging. 

Once you came up gasping for air, Max finally looked over. 

“Had fun?” He laughed a bit. 

You lovingly flipped him off. Your hands came and brushed your hair back. You looked over at Max’s plastic pool, and saw ducks in his. You pouted once you realized that you didn’t have any. 

“What’s wrong kid?” the Dutchman asked at the sight of your pout. 

You murmured, “I didn’t get any ducks.” 

Max rolled his eyes before gently throwing one of his ducks into your pool. Your eyes immediately lit up as you began to play with it. Max just watched as you found so much joy in something so little. You felt his gaze and you guessed that you needed to say something. 

“I never had a rubber duck growing up. It’s so cute.” 

You held the little yellow thing in your hands, right in front of your face. Max had a sad smile as he watched. 

“You have plans for after the race?” 

You sighed as you let the duck rest on the water, not breaking the surface tension. 

“Logan, Oscar, and Lando wanted to go see the city and I said I’d join them. Something about needing a good drive around Singapore.” 

Max snorted. Of course the group of three would want to invite you. The door opened, which had the two of you whip your heads to it. 

“Oh, hey David,” you greeted the photographer. You sank back into the ice, still enjoying the cold. Max groaned when he realized what David was there for. 

You smirked as you looked over at your teammate. “Ready to do some thirst traps Max?” 

The Dutchman rolled his eyes. “Let’s leave that for Ferrari and Lando.” 

You giggled at the statement. “Yeah, I would rather not show much on screen. Taken woman and all.” 

That time, Max laughed. 

David looked apologetic. “Just need to get some pictures. Trust me, this isn’t my favorite.” 

He took some pictures while you and Max tried to look as non-sexy as possibly. You definitely tried to sneak some goofy facial expressions in. You kept your whole body submerged and thankfully the ice kept anyone from seeing much below your neck. David quickly thanked the two of you for your time before leaving. 

“Instagram is going to have a field with those.” 

redbullracing has posted

redbullracing splish, splash - racers in the ice baths

liked by arthur_leclerc, y/n.nation, rookie&maxie, landonorris, and 846,294 others

redbullfan what the heck is this?? this was not the thirst traps we wanted

maximillian he's giving "moto-moto likes you"

y/n.nation everyone is focused on the lack of thirst-traps, I'm just focused on the amount of ducks that Red Bull has

oscarpiastri what are your duck's names?

landonorris probably can't top cold, as, and fuck y/n.89 max's is James Pond and mine is Duck Norris landonorris my son?? y/n.89 no - something american so you won't understand logansargeant DUCK NORRIS RAWWRRRRR

rookie&co BOOOOOO TOMATOES TOMATOES TOMATOES

f1fan I know admin is hiding the thirst traps

charles_leclerc no thirst traps?

maxverstappen1 we leave that to you and the Spaniard y/n.89 I mean, I could be sexy if I wanted carlossainz55 sure chica, sure y/n.89 who is single? and who is taken maxverstappen1 HA

iamred_iamyellow ducks, ducks, ducks, ducks

You snorted at the Dutchman’s bluntness. 

The timer on the wall signaled that it was time to get out. You let out a giant groan as you stood and climbed over. 

Mitch came in with two big towels. One for you and one for Max. Your skin was finally covered with goosebumps instead of sweat. You quickly had an idea as you walked back to put normal clothes on. 

“You think I could dunk my head in before I get in the car? I think my wet hair will keep my head cooler if I do. It’s something about heat escaping through your scalp when you overheat. If it’s covered by my balaclava and my helmet, it can’t escape.” 

Mitch finished your thought process. 

“So if you wet your hair, your scalp can be cooler longer.” 

You nodded before heading into your room. 

“Ah, Max wanted me to hand this to you.” 

It was a normal Red Bull polo, which made your brows pinch in confusion. But, you shrugged and took it anyways. 

However, once you started changing you realized that the shirt was almost three sizes too big. Yet, you grinned as you put it on. Since it was oversized, it wasn’t sticking to your skin as you started to sweat a little. 

The crew laughed a bit at the sight of the giant shirt almost swallowing you. But, you didn’t care about that. You were significantly cooler and you could follow the last debrief of the day. 

Sunday night came and went super-fast, and you were thankful this time around. You were definitely more cool that you had been for qualifying. Mitch had sent the ice vest to you early, so you didn’t start off too warm. With your hair being dunked in ice water, your head was cooler during the race. The little bit of breeze that you got helped as well. 

That bit really helped you stay focused as you gained another podium. Surprisingly, this was Max’s first time winning in Singapore. Adrian really made sure that the car could keep up with the street race and not end it like 2023. Charles came in a very close second. 

Charles and Max poured their champagne bottles onto your overheating body. Halfway through you needed to sit down. Your body was slowly becoming even more dehydrated and hot as the minutes passed by. You were kind of held by Max as the three of you left the podium. 

The Dutchman had a worried grip on your bicep as he held you upright. He needed to get you some water, quickly. You thankfully weren’t on the verge of passing out, but he knew you were thirsty. He heard your radio toward the end where you were just begging for a drink. Max couldn’t imagine being without water, but he normally didn’t drink as much while racing. 

He gently set you on a seat in the garage, before turning away to get some things. Your eyes were closed as you sat right under a fan. Max soon returned with a cooling towel and three bottles of water.

The cold of the towel made your eyes open as he put it on your neck. Your race suit was tied around your waist and your fireproof shift had been swapped for a thin, random oversized shirt. Max gently cooed as you leaned into the cold water bottle on your face. 

“There you go,” he whispered as you finally were able to take big gulps of water. He unscrewed one of the other bottles before he lightly tipped it over your head. Streams of water ran down your face as you finished off the water bottle. 

The team was glancing at the two of you. In the back of their minds, they were worried about how you’d react to Qatar, which was way worse. However, they held on to some hope that it would be cooler than last year due to it being moved later on the race calendar. 

Your water bottle was on in moments. You flashed a smile at your worried teammate. 

“Thanks,” you gasped, trying to catch your breath after guzzling. 

Mitch came from the back with another woman who was holding a device. Mitch kneeled next to Max and put her hand on your knee. 

“Hey kid, we just want to make sure that you’re okay. Brianna here is going to take your blood pressure and other vitals just to be safe.” 

You only nodded and leaned your head against the wall. The medic made quick work and started to strap the device on. Max stood up and walked a bit away, just to give everyone some space. His eyes caught glimpses of orange, red, and blue and he could only guess who it was. He took one more glance at the situation before walking out of the garage. 

Logan, Charles, Lando, and Oscar were waiting patiently by the opening. They all looked up once they heard Max walk out, but deflated when they realized it wasn’t the Red Bull driver they were looking for. 

“Is she doing okay?” Charles asked first, concerning the other three boys. 

Lando put his arms out, stopping any conversation. 

“What does he mean by ‘is she doing ok?’ Where’s Y/n?” the Brits voice going more high pitched the more he started to panic. 

Max sighed. “She’s just having a hard time with the heat. She got super dehydrated this weekend and really couldn’t get over it.” 

He pointed a thumb over his shoulder. 

“They’re just checking vitals I think, to make sure everything is ok.” 

Logan sighed loudly in concern. He definitely knew what it was like, getting memories from Qatar 2023. 

The American asked, “Is she going to race in Qatar?” 

Max blinked slowly before answering. “She wants to. The team is really hoping that it’s going to be significantly cooler than last year. And they know to get her started on hydration much earlier. I talked to her physio and she thinks that Y/n’s diet also wasn’t right.” 

Oscar raised his eyebrows. “Diet?” 

Max nodded. “Yeah. She was apparently eating foods that might dehydrate the body, like lots of salt. Her physio said that she’ll start her on more fruits and water heavy foods way in advance. And drinks as well, more electrolytes.” 

Lando nodded in agreement. “I remember when I had to do that. They took away my chips for like….months.” 

They had been so into talking that they didn’t notice that you had walked out, now changed into shorter shorts and a bigger top (one that Charles strangely recognized as one of his brother’s shirts). 

“Are we ready to go?” you asked, getting closer. “Lando is driving because I am done for today.” 

The boys looked a bit guilty at your tired face. 

Oscar spoke up first. “We don’t have to go driving if you don’t want to. We know you’re probably tired.” 

You waved your hands and made a sound. “Nope, I’m good. Nothing will ever beat the one time I spent an entire summer on a farm in the middle of Texas.” 

You pretended to shiver at the thought, making the group laugh. 

Charles suddenly remembered why he was there in the first place (well, second because he was worried about you after the podium). He handed you a small bag. Opening it up, you saw a bright colored water bottle. You raised your eyebrow in question. 

The Monegasque smirked. “From you know how.” 

Your face practically melted at the loving gesture as you looked at it. Lando, Oscar, and Logan suddenly got the memo. 

Logan wrapped an arm around you first. “Aww such a sweet little boyfriend.” 

Oscar looked at Lando. 

“Where’s my water bottle?” he mocked whined, batting his eyelashes at the Brit. Your rolled your eyes. 

Lando put his arms around the Aussie. “Don’t worry love, it’s in the car.” 

The Brit puckered his lips before pretending to lean in. You just watched with an annoyed grin on your face. You looked at Max and Charles and winked, the Dutchman and Monegasque getting what you were about to do. You shrugged Logan’s arm off before taking a step toward your teammate. 

But, you purposefully made your knees buckle and fell into Max and Charles’s waiting arms. Lando and Oscar shut up quickly, before yelling that you needed help. Except that they heard your giggles as Max put you back on your feet. 

“I was just kidding.” 

The trio huffed. 

Logan murmured, “That was not funny.” 

Charles snorted. “Oh but it was. Should have seen your faces.” 

Your giggled died out before you asked, “Are we ready to go? I think I’ll melt if I stand out here for any longer.” 

Lando flicked your forehead. “We were just waiting on you.” 

The four of you said your goodbyes to Max and Charles before heading to the parking lot. Somehow, Logan got his hands on a Jeep to take the four of you somewhere. And, he was even able to get the top off. And because he claimed it was an all American brand, Logan begged Lando to let him drive it. Lando reluctantly handed over the keys. 

You claimed earlier that you needed shotgun, because “men can’t be passenger princesses.” Oscar and Lando tried to disagree. 

The breeze from outside in addition to the cool air-conditioning from the car was perfect. You let everyone have their turn with the aux, praying that they wouldn’t pick anything too embarrassing.  

Oscar ripped the phone out of your hands when Logan tried to request Free Bird again.

The Aussie sighed as the American whined. 

“We are not having another shirt ripped or a speeding ticket.” 

You laughed as Logan tried to hit Oscar in the back. At an empty road, Lando grabbed his camera. 

“Bug, put your head out the window real fast.” 

You did as suggested and smiled toward the camera that Lando was holding. 

Immediately you had a sense of déjà vu. Except this time, it was actual friends in the car and not just your manager. You thought back to how far you’ve come since the night before going to Milton. 

Lando laughed as he looked at the camera. 

He spoke, “This reminds me about the time that me and my friends were driving around and then this car pulled up next to ours. They were blasting What Makes You Beautiful and there was this girl in the front seat.” 

Your cheeks were becoming warm as Lando kept telling the story: that was definitely about you. Lando kept blabbing about the night. 

“And then the next morning, I got out of my hotel elevator and I think the same girl literally bulldozed me over. Didn’t say sorry or anything. I just thought it was funny, she seemed like she was in a rush.” 

Logan was laughing at the story, but got concerned at your flushed appearance and sudden quietness. 

“You alright champ? Do we need to get you some more water?” 

At the sound of the question, Lando and Oscar were leaning up, trying to look to see if you were going to actually pass out. Lando was already on his phone, trying to bring up Max’s contact to call just in case. 

However, you started laughing, making the trio at ease. You tried to cover your giggles with your mouth. You had this bright look in your eyes. 

“That was actually me Lando. Sorry about that.” 

Lando’s jaw dropped at the reveal. 

You gave a half shrug. “Arthur was waiting for me in my hotel room and I was excited to see him.” 

Logan’s and Oscar’s shoulders were shaking as they kept laughing at Lando’s facial expressions. The Brit huffed and crossed his arms, mouth formed into a pout. 

“You owe me a race win now.” 

“Excuse you?”

“You heard me.” 

“Uh, guys?” Logan asked, but you and Lando ignored him. 

“Get your own race win. You’ve done it before.” 

“Cause Max crashed out.” 

“That’s not true.” 

“Guys?” Oscar’s voice also sounded, worry in his tone. 

“Lando, it’s really not that hard. You just go around him.” 

“It’s a tractor versus a rocket ship. One cannot simply just go around.” 

“GUYS!” 

“What?” you and Lando yelled at the same time. Once the car was silent, you finally noticed that it had stopped moving. 

“Logan why aren’t you driving?” 

You looked at the American, who was slightly shaking while looking in the rearview mirror. Your eyes glanced at it, blue and red lights reflecting through the glass. You looked behind you and saw the source. 

“Ah shit.”

y/n.89 has posted

y/n.89 Alexa, play free bird by lynard skynard

liked by maxverstappen1, georgerussell63, redbullrocket, and 725,028 others

box_box_express oh thank goodness she's out

y/n.nation you think she jailbreaked?

georgerussell63 good to see that I don't need to pull up any power point presentations on why you four shouldn't go to jail

y/n.89 good to know that you have one ready? landonorris you think that we'd actually get arrested?? logansargeant oh yee of little faith oscarpiastri it was already ready???????

change_ur_f-car BAHAHAHAHAH I'M DEAD - ARRESTED RACE CAR DRIVERS FOR BEING IN A CAR

formulalala_delulu this whole race/day was a fever dream

christianhorner good to see you not in cuffs kid

y/n.89 good to not be in cuffs maxverstappen1 rookie arrest before I was y/n.89 HA I BEAT MAX VERSTAPPEN IN EQUAL MACHINERY landonorris oh that's not...ok

lestappenlove your honor I love them

Race Results

Max Verstappen - 25 points

Charles Leclerc - 18 points

Y/n L/n - 16 points (fastest lap)

Carlos Sainz - 12 points

Oscar Piastri - 10 points

Alex Albon - 8 points

Lando Norris - 6 points

Logan Sargeant - 4 points

Pierre Galsy - 2 points

Daniel Ricciardo - 1 point

Champions Standings

Max Verstappen - 334 points

Charles Leclerc - 304 points

Y/n L/n - 223 points

Lando Norris - 196 points

Carlos Sainz - 157 points

Oscar Piastri - 140 points

Lewis Hamilton - 113 points

Alex Albon - 70 points

George Russell - 65 points

Fernando Alonso - 45 points

Logan Sargeant - 44 points

Daniel Ricciardo - 26 points

Lance Stroll - 17 points

Pierre Gasly - 14 points

Valtteri Bottas - 13 points

Yuki Tusnuoda - 9 points

Zhou Guanyu - 1 point

Nico Hulkenberg

Kevin Magnussen

Esteban Ocon

Constructors Standings

Red Bull - 557 points

Ferrari - 461 points

McLaren - 336 points

Mercedes - 178 points

Williams - 114 points

Aston Martin - 62 points

Alpha Tauri - 35 point

Alpha Romeo - 14 points

Alpine - 14 points

Haas - 0 points

TAG LIST: @fionaschicken @glitterquadricorn @laura-naruto-fan1998 @treehouse-mouse @sam-is-lost @kagatinkita @fangirl125reader @megatrilss1885 @myxticmoon @angsthology @cmleitora @fly-me-away @graciewrote @ashy-kit @slutofmultifandom @aexitizen-ln4 @sugarvibez @vellicora @thatgirlthatreadswattpad @33-81 @hoetel-manager @xcharlottemikaelsonx @jayda12 @ilove-tswizzle @justme2042 @itsjustkhaos @nikfigueiredo @stopeatread @cha-hot @sadg3 @iloveyou3000morgan @s4turnsl0ver @alessioayla @torchbearerkyle @leptitlu @awekbachira @shreks-sugar-daddy @v1naco @stan-josie @mellowarcadefun @badassturtle13 @beskardroids @callisposts @poppyalice2001 @juniper-july19 @lizzypiastri

[bearwithegg]

Fight Like a Girl || B.Blackwood || Part 2 ||

My thoughts have just been plagued with scenes I can write for this, i honestly intended this to be 2 parts but I ALREADY HAVE IDEAS FOR PART 3 SO FUCK IT WE BALL???

PART 1 HERE

PART 3 HERE

Kieran!Benjicot Blackwood (fancast) x f!Reader

Words: 2.2k

Warnings: Swearing??? Idiots in love but they dont know what that means

Tags <3: @spider-stark

***

War, for all that it brings with it, destruction, pain, suffering on a scale hitherto unknown remained a constant and unchanging conundrum. Were the gods so cruel as to let brother kill brother over trivial squabbles? It was a fascinating thing, to understand, to learn. You, however, decided in this current juncture it felt like a personal punishment aimed to torment and break you down. Realistically, the suffering it caused on a wider scale was insurmountable and that was something you could acknowledge. But in this instance, the way your body aches and screams from constant use makes it feel like a personal sleight.

“Your grip is weak.”

A soft groan of frustration exhales when you sigh, “I cannot hold the sword otherwise.” Dropping the sword by your side, it had been hours without respite and weeks of training for what? You still couldn’t even hold a sword properly and that frustrated you only more.

Benji laughs, softly, circling you with his head tilted to the side. You want to hit him but decide against it. After all, he didn’t need to visit your tent and assist in getting you battle ready — yet he did it either out of some sense of male honour or he secretly enjoyed overseeing your own personal agony.

“Does my ineptitude amuse you, my Lord?” You throw the sword on the ground, it landing with a thud on the canvas flooring. In the throes of frustration, you wipe the sweat from your brow and run a hand through unevenly chopped locks of hair.

“Your petulance, perhaps.” The boyish smile breaking through his hardened demeanor always caught you off guard. A gentle reminder that he was not some battle beaten man, he was young and had his innocence ripped from him; more or less like you. “You may not see it but there is improvement,” he dips down to pick the sword up, holding it out for you to take it again.

Right or not, it didn’t matter in the present. The improvement may have been so miniscule it might as well not have counted, though it was always difficult to see one's progress without the lense of the past. And with a sigh of concession, you snatch the sword from his hand and give him a goading look, lips pressed into a thin line.

“Again,” he instructs firmly, tongue protruding slightly out from between his lips — he was too good at that, switching from his natural charming disposition to a commanding authority in an instance. As if two halves of him were at odds with each other, another part of him lay dormant but the crazed look in his eyes often betrayed his steadfast composure. You weren’t sure if you liked it or feared it.

With a roll of your wrist and standing with a sturdy bearing, you take an offensive stance. His eyes wander all over you, in a completely different scenario it may have been flattering or intrusive, but there is no desire hidden away in the deep brine pools of his eyes. Under his scrutinous gaze you hold firm; at least my wrist doesn’t feel like falling off.

Improvement.

He steps to your side flank, head tilted in thought. The low hum accompanying the loud thoughts you wished he’d say out loud.

When did he get so close? You swallow nervously — he was a practical man, but often opted to show you how to do something by watching him first. Surprisingly gentle to the touch he brings a hand over yours, the one that grips the sword and adjusts your grip. Tilting your wrist slightly and nudging your thumb to a different position.

“Can you feel the difference?” He murmurs, an unexpectedly tender moment that would have floored you entirely had you not spent weeks training at his command. Even now though, you feel composure waning, creaking away like a tree that has had its trunk chopped halfway.

“Feels like… I have more control,” You utter, looking slightly over your shoulder. Oh. He was much closer than you thought.

He nods, softly adjusting your grip to keep the blade upright, though he doesn’t move his hand this time. “Your stance is good and solid. But means little if you have no strength to fortify it…” His other hand is held up so that you can see it and slowly brings it down to your hip. Not once during this small interaction does he break eye contact, it was as though he was giving you the chance to stop him if you wanted to.

You don’t, of course.

A moment of hesitation as he tentatively touches your hip before holding it and rotating you ever so slightly, “what you lack in strength, you have in speed… This stance is better for your momentum.”

“Right,” you whisper, blinking out of the daze you felt yourself fall into by the pull of his gaze. His eyes were so lovely. In moments like this they were bright with a golden hue, as if marked by the Gods. Other times they were dark, dangerous abyssal pits that you could equally get lost in. But not now.

“Good,” he smiles, the same boyish smile that makes you a little nervous and nauseous concurrently. Which was a strange feeling because you weren’t repulsed by him and yet your body reacted all the same. No one had ever elicited such strange reactions within you like he did.

“Try and disarm me.”

“What?” You feel your arm immediately drop as he steps away and unsheathes his own sword. No longer honey touched eyes boring into yours, they were void and wild. He doesn’t give you a chance to process anything before swinging his sword, you have no choice but to stumble back, practically flailing your own sword to stop from getting hurt.

Clang!

The metal blades ricochet off one another and you take the chance to scurry across the bed swiftly before he can attempt another blow, “fuck, fuck — fuck!” You hiss, standing on the other side of the tent, barely a chance to think properly before he’s back onto you like a grounded tempestuous storm.

With wide eyes you jump out of the way, his sword connects with the side table and wood splinters off into pieces. The first casualty — you’d have laughed or joked if you weren’t absolutely fearing for your life in a way. Heart pounding hard as you take a chance to counter, using a leg to disable him by going for his knees but he sees it and contorts his body just in time.

“C’mon!” He shouts, eyes wild and borderline murderous.

Unsure what possibly possessed you other than it felt right. Call it a childish rebuke or not, you instantly straighten your stance and yell back at him, a deep and guttural yell, like one would trying to fend a bear off an attack.

He licks his lips, the grin of a mad man apparent, “there she is.”

This time you swing first, kicking off the back leg gives you a good enough propulsion and wind up with the sword. Cling! He cross blocks, letting your blade slide down his own and the two of you are practically face to face, the slightest smirk pulls at his lips and you match it with a barely audible snarl.

Using your full body weight, you push into him to get distance which only just works.

Another swing from him, narrowly missing your shoulder as you jump aside, his sword clashing with one of the bed posts, it snaps under the force and limply hangs onto the unmarked wood. You take advantage of his over extension, ducking beneath his arms and opting for the best option, shouldering him in the waist and bringing him down to the ground.

Not your finest work, but he tumbles - and you with him - onto the canvas flooring, but at least you had the upper hand and though strength was not in your arsenal just yet, speed was. Pinning him to the ground, you straddle higher than the waist to keep him from bucking you off or swinging his legs around.

Both of you held your blades to each other's throat in a stalemate, chests heaving with heavy breaths.

“A fair play, my lady,” he pants quietly, though the impish grin on his face suggested otherwise. Your eyes travel down to his other hand where he had his dagger pressed softly against the leathers of your tunic, no doubt a lethal puncture in the abdomen if you were in a real fight. He lowers his blades, “you are improving — getting better at trusting your instincts.”

“You went easy on me,” you whine, tossing your blade indignantly. The semi victory loses its glory almost instantly, souring in your mouth. Standing back up seemed to be more effort today than usual, muscles shaking, screaming for a modicum of respite. But war does not rest so neither shall your body.

“If you wish for me to kill you, then you need only ask,” he jests, you knew this — he was holding out for a reason. You hadn’t seen him in battle but can very well imagine without much stretch of the imagination how he has coined the notorious namesake of ‘Bloody Ben Blackwood’. Even more it seemed, he was often harsher, stricter and more brutal when he would lead training with the younger boys.

“Don’t offer such a tempting proposal,” you laugh, tired, exhausted.

He looks at you, seriously for but a moment, “if you desire rest, it is okay to take it.” And the sweet, caring and kind Benji fronted, flecks of gold honey in his eyes as he steps forward and grabs your hand with a touch so kindly it seemed foreign. He need not force you, tugging you to the bedside and sitting you down, “you are not weak for needing rest.”

You chuckle softly, “there is no rest for someone like me, I need to be ready for when we march forward within the tenday.”

“You won’t be much use to us if your legs cannot even carry you. Rest.” He says firmly, pushing gently on your shoulder which didn’t need much for you to collapse onto the bed. “We can resume overmorrow.” He’s seated on the side of your bed now, you open your mouth to contest but he glowers immediately, tilting his head forward and setting his jaw as if to silently say ‘don’t you dare’.

So you don’t dare.

“If I was less encumbered by my exhaustion I’d have hit you for looking at me like that,” you bite, rolling onto your side and instinctively curling in on yourself.

“You certainly would have tried.” He laughs.

“And succeeded, I pinned you already today — I could do it again if I willed myself.”

“Is that so? Perhaps we should get a maester to check those ears of yours, did I not request you disarm me? I don’t recall asking you to pin me.”

“Hmmm,” you hum, narrowing your eyes at him though the barely suppressed smile betrayed your poor attempt to keep a straight face. “I stopped thinking the moment you attacked me like a brute.”

He nods along with your words and though his words are vaguely threatening, his smile indicates a hint of mischievousness, “a Brute am I? You have a crass tongue, My Lady, you’d better keep it in check.”

“Clover.”

“Hm?” His head tilts to the side, like a dog hearing a command.

“Call me Clover… Garrus finds it easier… Less likely to accidentally call attention to my identity.” You run your fingers over the furs of your bed, naturally you omit the little part of the nickname because that seemed sacred to Garrus. Only he can call you that. But Benji had your trust, and you had his, even if it be an unspoken bond that grew stronger the more time elapsed within one anothers company. He at least deserved a little part of you.

There is silence, as he sits on your words, a faint smile ghosting his lips and he nods singularly, “As you wish, Clover.” And the strangest feeling encompasses the tent, it was thick but not suffocating, warm but not a hellfire. His hand moves so deftly, you hadn’t seen it until his fingers barely grazed your temple, pushing back a loose strand of hair behind your ear.

He holds it, a moment, two moments, before his eyes blink rapidly, something reminding him of his place and he flushes red, retracting his hand quickly as though he had touched hot coals. “A-Apologies… forgive me — that was wholly inappropriate. Please do rest, I will see you overmorrow.”

It happened rather quickly, he stands and you sit up as swiftly, “Benji.” You call but he was out quicker than bat out of the hells. Your shoulders slump, a faint pout on your lips as you try to decipher what that could’ve been about. Whatever it had been, you liked it, you liked him but that could mean a plethora of things.

You sigh, falling back into the bed and staring at not particularly anything. Perhaps it would be prudent to speak on the matter with Garrus when he returned.

[v4mpgutz]

HOW TO DISAPPEAR, Rafe Cameron [ DRABBLES ]

— i know he's in over his head, but i love that man like nobody can

rafe cameron x ditzy gf reader

warnings — sfw + nsfw hcs, slightly mean rafe, ditzy (silly, forgetful) reader, corruption, choking, blood mention, dacryphilia, petnames (baby, sweets), dumbification, piv sex

note: *laughing manically* its time to give the people what they want

rafe never really thought he'd be in a committed relationship. it wasn't that he preferred non-commitment or that he didn't like being tied down — he just had some form of abandonment issues which he would never admit to.

so one day when ward welcomes you into tannyhill as wheezie's new babysitter (sarah was running around with pogue's and he didn't trust rafe), rafe is a stuttering mess at first. he saw you, this innocent, silly little thing who seemed as pure as a baby lamb and decided maybe he did want to date someone.

when you two began dating, he very quickly realised that you seemed a little out of your head at times. you were very clumsy, causing accidents such as running into doors to happen often.

-> you sat on the counter in front of rafe, sniffling and wiping stray tears from your cheeks as he gently applied rubbing alcohol to the bloody gash on your hand where you'd chopped a little more than just capsicum.

"such a clumsy little thing, huh?" rafe teased with a chuckle as he gently patted your thigh once he finished. "gotta be payin' more attention, baby," he tutted with a shake of his head. "stop bein' so up in the clouds, yeah?"

rafe absolutely thrived off of you coming to him for any kind of help but especially when you forgot things. you often forgot specific chores ward and rose would ask you to do while you babysat wheezie and would hurry up to rafe's room for help.

-> "rafey," he'd hear you whine from the doorway and turn around with a raised brow.

"whatcha want, sweets?" he asked you, tongue poking his cheek as he bit back a smirk. he already knew what you came to him for and god he'd be lying if he said he didn't love it.

"forgot what ward wanted me t'do..." you mumbled with a frown, brows pinched together as you tried to think but to no avail.

"don't you remember?" rafe chuckled lowly as he approached you, large hands coming to hold your waist as his thumb rubbed circles into your hip. "he said you don't have to do anything today other than watchin' wheeze."

— NSFW

it wasn't true, of course. but rafe knew how ward was when you didn't complete chores and he loved to see you crying when you'd get scolded. you'd come running into his arms like always, crying into his chest as he tried to hide his boner that strained against his shorts.

sometimes rafe was gentle with you, thrusting slowly which had you crying out and scratching his biceps. feeling every inch of him with the slow pace as he buried himself deeper inside you. he loved when your brain would practically grow numb, eyes rolling around in your head as you whimpered and whined.

-> "feels good, huh?" he laughed and continued to push his hips forward and back again, slowly pistoning inside your sensitive heat. "so good i've turned you completely dumb for me. stupid little doll, right?"

all you could do was let out a whine as your muscles convulsed, eyes cloudy with tears of pleasure. rafe brought a hand to your neck, squeezing the sides. small little black dots filled your vision as he cut off your oxygen, not enough for you to pass out. a strangled moan escaped your lips as he chuckled and sped up, slapping your face gently.

"come on, baby," he grinned as he let out a few groans of his own. "look at me. awe, y'can't can you? too dumbed out to even see."

WHEWWWW LORD this was fun to write i am sweating ahahaahahahhhskkdf i need him rn

tags: @ladyinbl00d

comment to be added :o

[charliekomori]

Castle of glass.

Summary: diaboys reacting to you fainting on them. Headcanons.

Characters: Kou Mukami, Subaru Sakamaki, Azusa Mukami, gn! reader.

Tags/warnings: fainting, blood sucking, mentions of blood and knifes, a usual day in dialovers.

Something with my three fav boys... I might write more if you guys like it ♡

❀ Kou Mukami.

- At first he’d tease you, say something like “eeh my M-neko-chan has finally fallen for me I see!”

- That is until he notices how the vitality seems to drain from your expression. Your eyes seem glazed over, your body is limp, not in the way it is when you and him share sweet dreams in the comfort of his room. 

- No reaction follows his usual teasing either, not your cute pouts or bashful glances when he managed to fluster you.

- There is clearly something wrong with you.

- And for an instant, he doesn’t know what to do.

- He stays there, kneeling besides your still body, his smile wiped from his face for once.

- He is very worried and low key panics for a second. There is so much he wanted to still show you, so many gifts he wants to still get for you, what if…

- No, he cannot let thoughts such as this to cloud his better judgement.

- Probably tries to ask his siblings for help (thankfully he doesn't take Azusa’s suggestion to stab you to see if you’ll react).

- With all the ruckus around you, your eyes begin to stir. Your sight is still unfocused, and yet those eyes of his his, like the bluest sky, somehow give you the strength to fight the dizziness away.

- “Kou-kun…” he hears the weak call of his name, and within seconds he is pulling you close to his chest, his forehead against yours to make sure you are here with him.

- “Stay with me…” a barely there utterance of your name leaves his perfect lips, not the nickname he often used, but your name, reserved often only for the intimacy shared in the privacy of his or your bed.

- Afterwards, he is totally giving you the princess treatment.

- You are always there for him when nightmares shatter his sleep in fragments of a painful past. He has to give back all the kindness and love you showered him in every time.

- Kou will bring you your favorite snack, even try to make it himself, despite the result maybe not being perfect (please accept it, he put so much effort into it!).

- If you’d rather cuddle, he’ll hold you all night, in the same way you did when the phantom of his scars still ached; he’ll sing to you, lyrics only you get to hear, the affection in his voice rivaling his tender touches.

- He just wants to be there for you as much as you have always been for him, he is such a sweet baby who loves you unconditionally.

❀ Subaru Sakamaki.

- “Tsk, oi! oi!” The anger in his voice is mixed with the shadows of worry and underlying dark hues of panic as he calls for you.

- To no avail, for you slump unresponsive against his chest.

- His arms wrap protectively around your form.

- “You idiot!” He grits his teeth, fear and anger rising in his heart, almost choking him like wilted rose thorns.

- Why are you not answering him? Why is a crease forming in between your brows?

- Is it his fault after all? Does he really always ruin everything? 

- “Subaru…” You call, half unconscious. In your daze and shallow breathing, you cling to him.

- Clenching his jaw, Subaru picks you up in his arms.

- “You really are an idiot…” He softly utters, voice devoid of any malice.

- “Don’t go…” You mumble, skin coated in a sheen of sweat.

- Well, at least you seem to be conscious enough to still know he is by your side. He just hopes this is indeed not too bad.

- Brings you to your bed and when you fully wake up he is most likely losing it because why did you agree to him having your blood if you were feeling weak?

- You know he can go without it for a little longer, it’s not like he cares about you of course (his words not mine) it’s more that it’s a hassle to have to care for you afterwards and besides what if something had really happened to you or what if you hadn’t been with him-

- His speech is interrupted by your hands gently cupping his face and your lips on top of his.

- For an instant, ruby eyes widen, his cheeks matching their hue, but then he is quick to return the kiss.

- There is desperation written all over it, filling the sensation with subtle layers of fear, white wilted petals on moonless nights.

- “I love you…” You think you hear, barely above a whisper, when you part ways.

- “What did you say, Subaru?” You ask, half teasing.

- His face’s hue deepens, as he pouts, looking away.

- “I told you! You have to tell me when you are too exhausted to give me blood! Don’t you dare do that again!” He sputters, stomping away.

- Well, you’d rather he be his tsundere self that have him worried about you (as cute as he is).

❀ Azusa Mukami.

- Not a good idea to fall unconscious by his side, just saying /hj.

- See, Azusa is a sweet boy. It’s just that he might use… rather… eh… unconventional methods to try and wake you up.

- I mean, yes, he sure is scared that you just have fainted on him, but also the pained expression on your face… That means you are enjoying this, no?

- Then, is this really bad? Maybe if he gives you some new “friends” you might come to.

- He really is trying his best, poor baby :(

- But this isn’t right… you usually flinch or try to resist when he tries to cut you.

- Why are you completely unresponsive now?

- “Hey… Eve…” Azusa calls, his voice slightly quivering, the usual aloofness in it threatening to crack.

- This is definitely not good, you always answered him, after all.

- Now he is beginning to become frightened. What if he ends up losing you too? He doesn't want you to be just a permanently etched wound on his skin. He needs you, your here and now.

- “Azusa, what are you doing?” Ruki’s voice cuts through his disarrayed thoughts.

- “Eve… they… they fainted.”

- “It’s not severe, I told you not to cut her too much, figure it out by yourself.” Is Ruki’s statement as he walks away.

- After a few minutes, you finally regain consciousness.

- You are met by dull amethyst eyes, a silver lining illuminating them beautifully the moment you react.

- “You’re awake… Eve…” 

- He wraps his arms around you before you’ve had time to fully sit up from the daze.

- “Azusa!” You yelp, not expecting the sudden embrace.

- Despite him always having a cold body temperature, his hug feels… comforting, a welcome warmth fending off the chills that raked your skin up until moments ago.

- A smile tugs at your lips, as you return the embrace. Perhaps Azusa is learning about this gentler kid of affection now.

- In that case, you’ll give him plenty of it. You stay like that for a while, neither of you wanting to pull away.

- “Eve… is safe…” He whispers, pulling away enough to lock eyes with you with a tender smile.

- And his gentleness does certainly make you feel that way right now.

[wholoveseggs]

hi! ik youve done smth similar to this but i'd like to request like an enemy-to-lover elijahxreader with him just being an asshole. with eventual smut and teasing. ty!

The Gardener {Part One}

18+ ---- {Masterlist} {Tag-List}

Part One

The relationship between witches and vampires has always been fraught with complexity— a toxic mix of power and revenge. Raised to preserve nature’s balance, you’ve been taught that vampires are a perversion of life itself. You have a duty and a purpose, to eliminate all vampires. You're willing to do whatever it takes to fulfill it, even if that means falling into bed with the enemy.

♡♡ Thanks for the request beautiful anon! This is a story I've wanted to tell for a while, I hope y'all enjoy it...♡♡

3.7k words - Warnings: no smut in this one, but lots of drama, angst, violence and deception... reader is a bit of a fanatic, witches, magic, murder && vervain...

{Part Two}{Part Three}{Part Four}

{Elijah Mikaelson Tag-List }

@gorgeouslydangerous @starkleila @lydia1369sworld @notleylaaa @vampiresluv

@myanmy @xflowerbombxo @maryvibess @always-and-forever-daydreaming

@spnaquakindgdom @amournoir @meeom @damienmorton @wickedmuse

@cs-please @complicatedandconfusing-25 @youcanhavemybuckanyday @akala6670229 @yeaiamme2

@itsjulzandmydiamonds @witch-of-letters @elijahstwink @rosecentury

@amanda08319 @starshipcookie @li-da-savage @veggie-eggrolls @spideybv28

@sunkissedebony97 @idk00sblog @savannaounana @sekaishell @b1tchy

@loving-and-dreaming @fancycassie-stayfancy @hcqwxrtss123 @iamawkwardandshy @ziayamikaelson

@absolutemarveltrash @darkened-writer @nina6708 @evasmlp

You wiped the sweat off your brow before picking up another bag of soil. Entering through the front gates of the compound, you dropped the bag next to the others and paused to catch your breath. You took a few more steps down the hall, entering a lavishly decorated courtyard. You had always been curious about what the compound looked like on the inside; you were not disappointed. Beautiful ivy laced up the old walls, spanning over arched balconies and expensive antique furniture was thoughtfully placed throughout. It was cozy, fantastical, and a little medieval; the only hint of modernity was string lights artfully hanging about.

It was easy to get swept up in the beauty of the place, so you had to remind yourself of all the evil the people that lived here had done. It was a sobering thought and you felt a surge of righteous anger. Your mind raced back to the countless people who had been hurt by these monsters. The innocent lives lost.

The ancestors had bestowed a glorious mission upon you and you were honored to be chosen. To take down one of the oldest and most powerful families of vampires was no small feat. It was not something you took lightly.

You returned to your task and carried on with your work. Gathering your tools from your car and retrieving the last bag of soil from the trunk. It was all very heavy, and the warm Louisiana weather was making you thirsty. You lugged the remaining supplies back inside the gate, dropping them down into a pile. Letting out a relieved sigh, you leaned against the wall and took a long sip from your water bottle, then another, then a third one to finally quench your thirst. You pooled a bit more of the water into your hands and splashed it on your warm face.

"Can I fetch you a wheelbarrow?" said a smooth voice from across the courtyard.

You spun around to find an amused looking gentleman, dressed in a three-piece suit. The infamous Elijah Mikaelson. He was not exactly what you had imagined, though it wasn't entirely surprising. A good predator hides behind a pleasing facade.

He was attractive, that was certain and he had the sort of charisma that could disarm you. He was smiling, his eyes dark and intense, like he could see right through to your skin and bones.

You put on your best smile, trying to be friendly and non-threatening. "Yes, that would be very helpful, thank you," you said breathlessly, wiping the water and sweat from your face.

He nodded and disappeared down the hall. You watched him go, admiring his handsome features as he left. You had a good feeling about this, he could be your way in.

You stepped further into the center of the courtyard, straining your neck trying to get a look at the opulent rooms beyond the second-floor balconies. What you were looking for was probably up there somewhere, just waiting for you to take it.

Elijah returned, pushing a large wheelbarrow before him.

"Thank you," you said, as he handed it off to you.

"It's nothing," he replied with a soft smile.

"Are you Klaus? I'm the one you hired to plant your garden," you replied politely, extending your hand. You needed to play the part of the naive gardener, clueless to who and what he was.

He chuckled, glancing at the bags of soil piled at the entrance. "No, I'm not Niklaus, but I did deduce what you were here for. My name is Elijah; Niklaus is my brother," he took your hand and shook it gently.

You knew exactly who he was, practically learning his name not long after you learned your own. He was the poised one, the liar, the deceiver. You had been taught to be wary of him, for his soft words and empty promises always led to death.

You didn't let any of this show, smiling back at him and saying, "Well, it's nice to meet you, Elijah."

It was a simple performance, all you needed to do was maintain it, add a bit of sincerity to your mannerisms. You pretended to be flustered by his charm, reaching up and twiddling the piece of verbena you had braided into your hair.

"So do you two own this place? It's beautiful," you remarked, looking up once again at the stunning architecture. "The ivy is incredible."

"Thank you; it's been in our family for years. Would you like a tour of the place?" He said, his eyes on your twiddling hand. You immediately put your arm down.

"I would love to, but I promised your brother I would finish setting everything up before the end of the day," you replied, pointing to the pile of supplies.

"It's quite alright, I will help you."

"Oh no, it's okay, I can manage-"

"Please," he said, his brown eyes looking deeply into yours.

This almost felt too easy, a part of you was suspicious, but you couldn't deny the thrill of playing the game. If you could win the favor of a Mikaelson, it would certainly help your cause.

"Alright," you replied with a nod. "Could you show me to your greenhouse?"

"Of course, follow me," he replied, walking ahead.

You picked up your bag of fertilizer and began the task of wheeling the heavy materials across the courtyard. Elijah glanced back at you with a concerned look on his face.

"Let me," he offered.

"That's alright, I've got it," you said, pushing the wheelbarrow with a grunt.

He didn't look convinced, but he didn't press the matter further. He led the way towards the back of the estate, opening the doors for you. He had a way about him, a posture and stride of a man who had the confidence to do anything.

Because he wasn't a man, but a beast, and the world was his prey. You had to remind yourself not to be intimidated, even if it was difficult. You had trained for this, prepared yourself to face the most vile of creatures.

The greenhouse was large, with old, wooden tables full of tools and gardening supplies. The sunlight shone through the glass, illuminating the rows and rows of empty flower beds. You smiled, admiring the beauty of the space. It was the perfect place to create, to nurture life. The irony of it being located at the center of the den of death made you laugh.

Elijah gave you a curious look. "Is something funny?"

"It's nothing," you replied. "I'm just excited to get started. The weather is perfect."

He raised an eyebrow, looking a bit skeptical, his eyes traveling down your body, taking in your appearance. You looked a bit eccentric, with a pair of overalls covered in colorful patches and flowers braided into your hair. It was all a part of the persona, an act, and it worked. He relaxed his stance and gave you a smile, then he took the wheelbarrow from your hands and unloaded the soil with ease.

"You didn't have to do that. If you keep helping me like this, I might have to pay you and not the other way around," you joked, setting down your bag of tools on the workbench across from the door.

He smiled, taking a step back and raising his hands playfully in mock surrender. He leaned against the door frame, surveying you as you unpacked your things. "How long have you been a gardener?" He asked.

"I've been doing this professionally since I was eighteen, but I've loved it my whole life," you replied honestly, setting the seeds you had brought with you on the table. "I own a shop not far from here."

He nodded, glancing at the bags of fertilizer and plants, then back at you. "Do you enjoy it?"

"Of course. What's not to enjoy? Being able to create something beautiful, nurturing it, watching it grow. I love it."

You were being sincere and honest this time, no need to change everything about yourself. He studied you carefully, then made his way towards you, pulling out his handkerchief and gesturing for you to take it. "You have some soil on your forehead."

You blushed, taking the fabric and cleaning yourself; that was entirely on accident, but it was working well for your act. "Hazards of the job," you said, giving him a sweet smile and handing it back to him.

He smirked, sliding the used handkerchief into his pocket with a practiced grace. "It's no problem at all; I'll leave you to your work," he moved to leave when he suddenly paused and turned back to face you. "I don't mean to be impolite, but what do you have in your hair?"

"What?" You replied, feeling the side of your head where your hair was braided. You knew exactly what he was talking about, but it was important to feign innocence. "Oh, it's verbena, one of the plants your brother asked me to grow," you pulled the flower out of your hair and twirled it between your fingers. "It's an herb, and it smells nice, too," you lifted the blossom towards him.

He didn't make any move to take it from you, and you knew exactly why. Verbena was known for repelling vampires, you had braided the sprigs into your hair and woven it into the band of your hat. They were small enough to be ignored, but they were powerful.

"Out of curiosity, what else did he ask you to grow?" He asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Hmm, let's see," you turned away from him searching for the list you had left in your bag. "Monkshood, Sage, Yarrow, Verbena, and Winter bloom," you read off to him. "Klaus told me he liked the colors together."

You both knew that was utter bull shit. All of the plants were herbs with various magical properties, especially in the hands of a witch.

"Hmmm, of course he did, my brother can be very particular," he replied, looking a bit uneasy.

"It sounds like a diabolical witch's brew straight out of a fairy tale," you laughed, and so did he, but the tension was still there.

"It does, doesn't it." He paused for a moment, as though he was debating whether or not he should say something. "The verbena suits you. You should keep wearing it in your hair."

You smiled, blushing and twirling the flower between your fingers, "Thank you, I think I will."

"I will leave you to your work. My brother will be returning shortly, so if you have any questions, please feel free to ask him."

"Thank you," you replied cheerfully, "I appreciate that."

With that, he walked out of the greenhouse, shutting the door behind him. Once you were alone, the smile dropped from your face. Your hands were shaking and the adrenaline was coursing through your body. You were scared and excited all at the same time, the rush was overwhelming. It had been a risk, to flirt so brazenly with danger, but it had paid off.

Soon you would have your prize and the ancestors would honor you for generations to come.

You had your headphones on, humming along to your music as you worked on planting a row of winter bloom. It had taken a couple of hours to organize all the flowerbeds and fill them with soil. Now, the hardest part was getting everything planted.

You felt a large vibration through the floor, then another. You stood, pulling off your headphones; a blood-curdling scream echoed through the hallway, along with a loud crash coming from the courtyard. You quickly shut off the music and crept towards the door, peeking your head out. You heard angry voices and saw the shadow of a fight moving along the walls.

You stepped out into the open, walking slowly towards the noise, your spade clutched tightly in your fist. You peeked around the corner to find a gruesome sight.

Crumbled on the floor was what looked to be a pile of bodies, blood pooling out around them. Another scream came from above. You looked up to see Klaus on the third floor, holding a woman by her neck as he dangled her over the railing. Her feet kicking erratically as she helplessly struggled.

"You know the rules, no magic in the quarter," he yelled, his voice crackling with rage, pulling the woman close to his face. "You witches think you can make moves against my family and live," he said in hushed fury. "Now I have to use you and your conspirators as an example."

The woman gasped and clawed at his arm. Her face was turning blue, and her eyes were bulging. Klaus glanced down, meeting your eyes. Then he dropped her, her scream cut off as she hit the floor, a loud crack reverberating through the compound.

Suddenly, Klaus was in front of you. You tried to use the spade to defend yourself, striking out in his direction. He laughed and grabbed it from you with extreme ease. He then planted both of his hands against the wall on either side of your head. His eyes were black with murder, blood dripping from his grinning mouth. You tried to look away from his horrifying face, too frightened to even scream.

It was him, the fabled beast, the abomination. You could hear the voices of your ancestors, thousands of voices yelling out in anger, screaming at him.

Kill him, kill him, kill him, they chanted, louder and louder until it was all you could hear.

He grabbed your face, forcing you to look into his eyes and all the chanting turned to screams of fear and agony. Like they were being slaughtered by him all over again.

"Hello love, you must be the new gardener," he said, his words soft and gentle, "I'll be sure to give you a generous tip, for services rendered."

You wanted to tell him that he was the devil, the monster, the bringer of death. That you would be the one to end him. But you were paralyzed with terror, the screams and images were too much. You shut your eyes tight, trying to block it all out, but it was impossible. You started to sob, tears rolling down your cheeks, mixing with the dirt on your face.

"Look at me," he said softly, his fingers digging painfully into your cheeks.

You opened your eyes, your vision blurry and your head spinning. He had a strange look on his face, half amused, half concerned. He brushed away your tears with his thumbs, his touch surprisingly gentle.

"You won't remember anything about today; all you know is that you did another excellent day of work and finished all the planting," he said slowly, staring deeply into your eyes.

He let go of your face and offered you the spade. You looked down, taking it from his steady hand with your shaking one. He believed he could compel you, and you had to convince him that was true. You swallowed, taking a deep breath, remembering your training, focusing on slowing down your heart, relaxing your muscles. You couldn't panic, or you would die.

You looked back up at him, and he seemed pleased with himself, smiling brightly, his blue eyes twinkling.

"Go back to your work," he said, patting you on the shoulder before disappearing down the hall.

You took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as you tried to compose yourself. You were so scared you could barely stand. You had faced the beast, and you had survived. The screams in your head were deafening, the images of the dead witches flashed through your mind, the pain of their deaths searing through your body. But slowly, all their garbled words turned into one unifying chant.

Death to all vampires, death to all vampires, you whispered, echoing their words, clutching your spade tightly in your fist.

You half walked, half ran from your car to your shop, scrambling inside. You threw your tool bag behind the counter and headed to the back room. You faced the stone wall, and with trembling fingers, you slid aside the brick that hid the hidden latch. Your hand was shaking so hard you could barely get the door open.

Once it swung open, the scent of incense wafted through the air, filling your nose. The others had already gathered, all seven of them, the other witches who were brave enough to make a stand against the vampire scourge.

You rushed into the small room and shut the door behind you, turning to face them. They were waiting for you, looking at you expectantly.

"Report," Agnes demanded, her eyes narrowed and her hands gripping her cane tightly.

"They don't suspect a thing," you said, your voice still a little shaky. "The abominations bought my act,"

"And the ash?" Agnes asked.

"Location still unknown," you replied.

She nodded, seeming satisfied with the news, "very well,"

"How was it? Facing them, what were they like?" Your friend Beatrice asked, her brown eyes wide with concern.

"It was horrible," you replied, "they are just as ancestors say,"

"We need to plan the next steps," Maeve interjected, she was always impatient, wanting everything to happen as soon as possible.

"Maeve," Beatrice chastised. "If they suspect something is amiss, this could all fall to ruin,"

"We have a way in, that's the first step completed, we should not waste any time," Maeve argued. "Y/n can only plant a garden so slowly, when she is done we will lose all access to the compound."

Agnes was about to reply, but the door chime of the shop rang, cutting her off. "I will handle this," you said, taking a deep breath.

You looked to your sisters and nodded, leaving them and going back out into the shop. You would be right back to finish the meeting, you just had to quickly deal with a customer.

You put a smile on your face and rounded the corner, only to come face to face with one of the monsters you were just talking about.

Elijah.

He was standing by a shelf, looking at a potted plant. You swallowed, composing yourself before walking towards him.

"Mr. Mikaelson," you said as cheerfully as you could, "what can I do for you today?"

He looked up at you and smiled, putting the pot back down.

"I apologize for the intrusion," he said politely. "I wanted to see your shop, it's lovely," he gestured to the display shelves and many plants hanging from the ceiling.

"Thank you, I've spent a lot of time making it this way," you replied, feeling a bit proud.

"Your work in the greenhouse is quite impressive," he said, looking back at you, a curious expression on his face.

"It was nothing," you laughed nervously, rubbing the back of your neck, trying not to meet his gaze.

"I wanted to ask you something," he continued, walking around the store, looking at the various plants.

"Ask away,"

"You're a witch," he said casually, picking up a pot of herbs, taking in their fragrance.

You felt your heart stop, but you tried to remain calm. You had prepared for this, bumps in the road are to be expected.

"That's more of a statement than a question." You said as calmly as you could.

"Yes, well, you've done a very good job of hiding it, so much so that my brother didn't even suspect," he glanced at you, his brown eyes dark, almost black. "It seems strange that you would take a job as a gardener in a vampire's home."

"Why does that matter?" You asked, trying to keep your voice steady.

He stepped closer, and you backed up, bumping into the shelving behind you. Leaning down, his face hovering inches from yours, you could feel the heat of his breath on your face, and you were frozen in place.

"I like you," he whispered, "and I want to give you a chance to explain yourself."

You stared him directly in the eye, trying not to flinch or show any emotion. "It's important to protect yourself in these times,"

He chuckled, looking amused. "You speak of the ban on magic? My brother's rule of the quarter?"

"Yes," you replied simply.

He nodded, a small smile on his lips. "And how would you like to change that?"

You swallowed, the voices of your ancestors ringing in your ears. Lie, lie, lie, they commanded.

"I'm simply trying to survive," you answered, it wasn't a lie, just an incomplete truth. "I have no love for my kind,"

"Hmm," he mused, his dark eyes studying your face. He reached up, brushing a stray strand of hair from your cheek. "So, tell me, are you planning on harming my family?"

You could feel his energy, his power. He was ancient, powerful, and deadly. "Of course not," you replied, looking up at him, praying your face didn't betray you.

He didn't respond, his gaze searching yours. He was close, so close, you could smell the cologne on his skin, the subtle hints of soap and shampoo. You knew the stories, the horrors, here you were, staring into the eyes of death himself.

You leaned in and kissed him, placing a hand on his chest. It was a wild gamble, but one that you hoped would explain your nervous energy.

He stiffened, surprised at the sudden contact. Then, as if he remembered himself, his hands grabbed you, pulling you in tightly against him. You had been told over and over that vampires were monsters, cold and heartless, but the heat radiating from him was overwhelming. He was so gentle and his lips were so soft. He pulled away, his eyes boring into yours. You were sure that he could see into your soul, see all the secrets and plans you were hiding. But, if he did, he didn't say anything.

"Well," he said, releasing you and straightening his suit jacket, "I'll see you tomorrow then."

You were about to say something when he was gone. You let out a sigh of relief, slumping against the shelves.

"Shit," you whispered.

You could see your path now, the way forward to victory, to eliminate the world of vampires. You took a deep breath and steadied yourself. You couldn't fail, not now, not when you had come so far.

All that was required was that you seduce a monster.

{Part Two}{Part Three}{Part Four}

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

End Game 9

No tag lists. Do not send asks or DMs about updates. Review my pinned post for guidelines, masterlist, etc.

Warnings: this fic will include dark content such as noncon/dubcon, age gap, stalking, and possible untagged elements. My warnings are not exhaustive, enter at your own risk.

This is a dark!fic and explicit. 18+ only. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: Your gaming buddy asks to meet up but it doesn’t go exactly as planned.

Characters: Andy Barber

Note: this wasn't my planned update but here we go.

As per usual, I humbly request your thoughts! Reblogs are always appreciated and welcomed, not only do I see them easier but it lets other people see my work. I will do my best to answer all I can. I’m trying to get better at keeping up so thanks everyone for staying with me.

Your feedback will help in this and future works (and WiPs, I haven’t forgotten those!) Please do not just put ‘more’. I will block you.

I love you all immensely. Take care. 💖

Your grandmother is where she always is. In her chair reading her book. She doesn’t look up and you don’t bother saying a word. She’s getting exactly what she’s always wanted and she doesn’t even realise it. She’s getting rid of you. Another thing you’ve done for her that she’ll never acknowledge. 

You go into your room and look around. You sit on the bed and examine each wall. You’re not going to miss this place, just your freedom. There is no illusion left around Andy. He’s shown how far he’ll go to make his will your own. You don’t expect him to ‘take care of you’ as he keeps promising, not in the way it sounds. 

You huff and hold your head. You’re not going to sleep. You don’t have time to. You have to figure out what to take with you. What do you tell your grandmother? She won’t care either way, will she. She’ll finally have her empty nest. At least someone will have what they want. 

You don’t have much to your name. Your switch, your headset, controllers; that’s the expensive stuff. Your clothes are mostly used, easily replaceable. You’re not really worried about dressing up. 

You spend the hours going through every little nook and cranny. You’re not sentimental, you don’t have much that it more than material. Only a box of keepsakes from the few years of your life; a friendship bracelet the neighbour girl gave you before she moved away, some meaningless award you won in grade school for attendance, and the only thing left to you by your parents, besides resent; a baby sweater you wore when they thought they could love you. 

You fit everything you’re taking in a single bag. The rest you box up and drag out to the curb. In the early hours, the house is quiet and you try not to make too much noise. Your grandmother’s snores stir from her room. She’s blissfully ignorant just as always. 

You strip the bed and put the sheets and blanket in the wash. Hopefully you can switch it over before you go. You wipe down the furniture with a wet cloth and dust the corners and the empty closet. You’re covered in sweat and breathless by the time you have the entire space barren. You’re so tired you’re dizzy but closing your eyes only brings Andy’s voice to mind. 

There’s a creak and you raise your head as the ripples dissipate. Your grandmother slouches as she clings to the door handle and scowls. She looks around the room and her grey brow twitches. 

“Eh, what’re you doing?” She growls, “making all this noise.” 

“Leaving,” you shrug. 

“Leaving? To where?” 

You’re dumbfounded she’s even asked. You sit up and show your hands, “gotta go back to school soon anyway so I’m going to crash with Kara. I’ll leave money on the table when I go.” 

“Oh.” 

That’s all she says before she goes. She believes you only because she doesn’t care enough to doubt you. You hang your head and sigh. You can’t help but think of what Andy said. You hate to admit it but he’s right. There’s no one else who wants you. It doesn’t make him a better option, just the only. 

Thinking makes your head hurt. Or maybe that’s the lack of sleep. You check your phone and wrap up the charging cord. Morning already. Nearly 7am. You spent hours clearing out your old life; a life that was never really living. 

There’s a message waiting for you. Two. Both from Andy. The first is a good night you never answered and the second from just twenty minutes ago, asking if you’re awake. You send a thumbs up. That’s all you can handle right now. 

The call comes almost as soon as the message sends and the check mark turns blue. You answer without hesitation. Your so numb to the inevitability of it all, there’s no sense in avoiding any of it. You just want this over with even though you know it won’t be. 

“Morning, sweetheart,” Andy purrs from the other end. Your throat clenches and your cheeks tug into a frown. “How are you?” 

You go to speak and cough, your mouth dry. You clear your throat and rub your forehead as it throbs with the effort, “awake. Packed.” 

“Oh, honey, you sound tired.” 

“Mm,” you hum flatly. 

“I couldn’t sleep either,” he says, “I couldn’t stop thinking of you.” He pauses, waiting for the lies you won’t give him. “Well, when do you wanna head out? Do you need a little more time?” 

“Ready,” you utter. Not really ready but resigned.  

“Sure, sweetheart, I’ll just get myself together and be over in twenty minutes, how does that sound?” 

Why is he asking you like you have a choice? You garble an agreement and hang up. You put the phone down as you sit on the naked mattress and stare. Your head is swimming with fatigue. As you close your eyes, the fear returns. You’re really doing this. 

You fold over your lap and whimper. It’s over, not that it ever really begun. Not that you were ever really expected much. You just wanted to be your own person, have your own space, make your own way. For once in your life, you just wanted to be you. 

Andy isn’t going to let that happen. You don’t know him but you know he wants you to be something you aren’t. Whether it’s delusion or cruelty, you don’t know, but you know something isn’t right. It can never be right. 

You get up and unlock your phone. You key in a message with the last of your strength; ‘meet me at the corner’. You don’t think she’ll bother herself but you wouldn’t want your grandma to see the truth. You’re not sure she’d even care enough to judge you. 

You come out as she grumbles into a coffee cup. You roll your bag behind you and grab your jacket from the hook by the door; a light canvas one you wear in the mornings when the dew chills the air. She stares at the television as the news blares at her. 

“Here,” you take out the little bit of cash you have left to your name and place it on the table at her elbow, “I’m... going now.” 

“Erm,” she grunts and slurps the coffee. She doesn’t even look at you. Should you tell her you’re not coming back? You leave your keys with the money 

You just turn and pull your bag after you to the door, stopping only to put your shoes on. You open the front door and step out into the soft hues of morning. It would be a beautiful day if the world hadn’t gone gray. 

Your bag wheels scratch the pavement behind you, the whole thing jostling at the end of the long handle. You head down to the corner and park yourself on the curb, waiting as your eyes rove the area. You take it all in; the fences, the hedges, the cracked birdbath, and the few welcome signs on doors. 

The low whir of an engine approaches. You know without looking it’s him. But you do. You have to face it. 

“Hey,” Andy steps out as you stand on the curb. “Let me get this, sweetheart.” 

He reaches back inside the car and hits a switch. The trunk opens on its own. Is it pathetic that you’re kind of impressed by that? You’ve only seen trunks that you open with your hands. He lifts your bag inside easily and taps another button, the hatch closing slowly behind him. 

“Come on, you look beat,” he touches your shoulder and you flinch, curling inward as you shake his hand away. “I brought you a coffee. Not the hotel brew, the good stuff.” 

You numbly follow him around to the other side. He opens the car door and you stare at the interior. You take a breath and grab the trim of the door and haul yourself inside. You drop heavily into the seat and your head bounces against the rest. 

He lingers. You feel his gaze on you. He’s expecting something you can’t give him. Not yet. You don’t know if ever. You let out a murmur as he leans in to kiss your cheek. You fight not to show your disgust. 

“Just relax. I’ll drive, you get some sleep, sweetheart,” he caresses your arm. You don’t react. Not a look, not a flinch. 

He shuts the door and walks along the hood. You watch him through the windshield. He’s wearing one of those suits. Dark navy slacks and white shirt with a black tie. You let your head loll and see the matching jacket folded neatly in the back seat. 

He gets in the car, his weight felt in the axle. He hits the button to wake the engine and buckles his belt. He glances over. 

“Hey, safety first.” 

You huff. He's acting like the dad you never had. You click the seat belt into place and turn your face to the window. He inhales deeply and lets it out slow before he puts the SUV into gear. 

“You say goodbye to grandma?” 

“Mm... mhmm,” you grumble. 

“She’ll miss you, huh?” 

Your lip curls and you hide your face as you focus on the houses rolling slowly by. Why is he playing this game? Did he not throw her apathy in your face to get here? 

“Did you bring your switch? We could play some at the hotel,” he offers. 

You close your eyes and ball your fists. It takes everything you have left not to scream and hit him. It’s like he’s rubbing it in. He won! He won! 

And you lost. Just like always. 

“What about Kara?” You ask crisply. 

“Oh, sweetheart, you’re hoarse. Try some of the coffee,” he reaches to flick the top of a travel mug. You narrow your eyes as you follow the gesture. The purplish pink metal is topped with a white plastic lid. On the side, the outline of a game controller is patterned on the multicoloured finish. “It’s a good brew. Only a few places I’ve found have it. I’ll take you to the shop back home once you’re settled.” 

You’re not arguing with him. You’ve seen how far that gets you. You take the cup and pop the tab on top. You take a tentative sip as you feel the heat within. 

“I added some sugar,” he says. 

“I don’t like sugar,” you snap the lid shut and put the lid back. 

“Oh, sorry, sweetheart,” he chuckles, “guess we have a lot to learn about each other.” 

“Kara,” you insist again. 

He sighs and taps his fingers on the wheel, “I called last night. They’re holding her so we can pay the bond.” 

We? He’s not subtle. You sniff as your back racks with the sort of achiness that comes from being so tired. 

“I’ll talk to them. Get the charges knocked down. If anything, I can get them piled onto that boy she keeps around. He’s trouble, if I’ve ever seen it--” 

“Seen?” You echo, “have you... seen him?” 

He hesitates and his cheek dimples under his dark beard. He stares at the road ahead as his lips move as if he’s talking silently. Finally, he answers. 

“I only wanted to make sure you were safe. I know better than any that hanging out with the wrong crowd can get you into a lot of trouble--” 

“No, Andy, tell me. Were you watching her too?” You sit up with effort. 

“You should sleep, it’s a long drive,” he girds. 

“Andy, tell me--” 

“I had too. You cut me off and I had to be sure you were okay,” he insists. “And you weren’t. Not really. Sweetheart, things are going to be a lot better. Together. You just can’t see it right now because you never--” 

“Oh, I know what I’ve never had,” you fall back and slump against the door, “you don’t need to keep reminding me.” 

A roiling silence fills the compartment. He exhales again and slows as his blinker clicks noisily. He turns onto the next road as you feel his anxiety. Or maybe it’s your own. 

“I’m sorry. I only want...” he trails of as he measures his words, “I want to take care of you. To give you all that stuff. I don’t want you to feel bad.” 

“I’m tired,” you snip and fold your arms. 

“Right,” he says tensely, “yeah, get some sleep. Easier to talk after.” 

Talk? You’re done talking to him. He only says the same thing over and over again.