#*get fresh eyes to look at your writing.* buddy i am the fresh eyes. i have never seen this piece of writing before in my life.

[grand-theft-carbohydrates]

If you write during single-digit hours you can access New Emotions. Unfortunately there is a 80% grammar debuff.

[hxxsxxng]

JAKE 심재윤 - LOVE FROM AFAR

MINORS DNI

Word Count : 3.9k

Genre : SMUT, ANGST

Content : bar fight, jealousy, toxic ex, mention on infidelity, unprotected sex, oral f receiving, praising, creampie, implied consumption of alcohol, sloppy make out….. let me know if i missed anything!

Preview : Once Jake finds out that his girl of interest is single, who knows what measures he is willing to take it to protect her?

Authors Note : Thank you to whoever requested this, I definitely had fun writing it!

SUPPORT BY REBLOGGING if you want

You were having a great night catching up with your buddies Felix and Bangchan at the local pub. It had been too long since you all got together like the old days. As they joked and reminisced about the past, you couldn't help but feel grateful for having such caring friends in your life.

Suddenly, Felix's friend Jake arrived, pulling up a chair to join your booth. You vaguely remembered meeting the scruffy-yet-handsome guy with a warm smile once or twice before at other hangouts. He seemed nice enough, if not a little quieter and awkward around you specifically.

As the four of you continued swapping stories and laughing over fresh rounds, something about Jake's furtive glances and blushing kept catching your eye. You couldn't deny the slightly giddy feeling it gave you to rendered this usually composed guy so flustered. He was pretty cute when he got all shy like that.

Maybe it was the liquid courage, or maybe you just felt emboldened by the positive energy. Whatever the reason, you decided to be a little flirty as you leaned in closer to Jake.

"So do you boys always get this rowdy, or am I just bringing out the wild side?" you teased with a wink.

Jake's eyes went wide as his cheeks flushed an even darker crimson. He seemed to be struggling to formulate a response as he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Um...w-well, I uh, we don't want to...you know, shock you or anything--"

He was saved by the interruption of your phone ringing. Flashing an apologetic smile, you excused yourself from the booth to take the call. It was your boyfriend wanting to know if you were free later to come over and watch a movie.

"Yeah babe, I'll be there in a couple hours!" you replied affectionately before rejoining the group.

If you had turned back around just a few seconds sooner, you might have caught the way Jake's expression fell when he overheard you refer to your boyfriend. He shrunk back into himself, the brief moment of bravery evaporating.

Over the ensuing months, you noticed Jake never acted quite the same way again when you were around. He was polite and friendly, but also seemed to keep a distance, like he was afraid to let himself get too close. You figured he just wasn't someone who enjoyed casual flirting even in jest. Either way, it didn't really matter since you were happily taken anyway.

Until one day...you weren't anymore. Just like that, a two-year relationship came crashing down after you discovered your boyfriend's unfaithfulness. You were blindsided and devastated.

As you nursed your broken heart, Felix and Bangchan were there every step of the way, rallying around you with movie nights, distraction activities, and a steadfast supportive presence. True friends when you needed them most.

One evening a couple months later, you arrived at a dimly lit bar where the three of you normally met up. You were finally feeling like your old self again after weeks of sadness and anger. Ready to just be around your friends and enjoy a fun night out.

The moment you walked through the door, you heard a familiar voice call out from a booth off to the side.

"Hey! Over here!"

It was Jake, looking as handsome as you remembered even under the low lighting. He had stood up from the booth and was waving you over with a warm smile.

You couldn't help but feel a small flutter of nerves mixed with excitement. Despite the slight awkwardness that encounter at the pub, you always thought Jake seemed like a good guy deep down. And if he was here hanging out with Felix and Bangchan...maybe you could finally get to know him better without that weird tension.

As you reached the booth, exchanging greetings and hello hugs, you noticed Jake's arms linger around you perhaps a beat longer than necessary. And this time when he looked into your eyes, there wasn't a hint of shyness or restraint behind them.

"It's really great to see you out and about again," he murmured once you were all seated. "You're, uh...you're looking as beautiful as ever."

You felt your face warm at the sincere compliment, an unfamiliar bout of flustered energy starting to buzz within you. What was this all of a sudden?

"Uh thanks, Jake...you're not looking too bad yourself," you managed to reply, unable to stop yourself from chewing your lower lip nervously.

Felix and Bangchan traded looks like they were watching a private tennis match, wondering just how heated this newly charged atmosphere might get.

Before things could get too tense though, Felix cleared his throat and changed the subject, regaling you all with a story about a hilarious screw-up at his job earlier that week. You forced yourself to shift your gaze off Jake's intense stare and laugh along with the others.

By the end of the night, you almost felt...disappointed? Like there was some

elephant in the room you wished would address itself directly instead of all this subtext. You brushed it off as emotional vulnerability from your recent breakup making you read into things.

The weeks after, however, proved those suspicions false. Because every interaction, every hangout, every moment with the four of you together continued carrying the same electrifying undercurrent of tension, especially between you and Jake.

The way his warm eyes would linger on you when you laughed, the random innocent touches and grazed caresses that made your skin tingle, the undisguised admiration and want in his gaze when you caught him staring...it was all quickly becoming impossible to ignore or chalk up to simple friendliness.

You couldn't lie, you felt it too - that persistent, gnawing pull toward Jake growing stronger with each encounter. There was just something magnetic about his presence, his humor, his gentle teasing and care for your emotional wellbeing.

But you were still terrified of being vulnerable and opening yourself up again so soon after being burned. Especially to someone like Jake, who clearly had some very intense feelings starting to develop, if they weren't already there to begin with.

That fear reached a fever pitch one evening when the four of you were gathered at Felix's place before heading out. You had just finished getting ready in the bathroom when Jake poked his head in to ask if you needed any help with your hair or makeup.

"Sure, I could use another set of hands back here if you don't mind," you replied absentmindedly, turning away from the mirror to grab a comb.

The next thing you felt were Jake's strong hands gently gathering your hair as he positioned himself directly behind you. His broad chest was nearly pressed against your back, the warmth radiating off him in tantalizing waves.

"Here, let me..." he murmured in that deep, gravelly tone so close to your ear. You caught the intense look in his eyes through the mirror as his fingers deftly began running and separating through your locks.

Every brush of his knuckles against the nape of your neck made your heart skip a beat. The soft, even breaths puffing against your skin raised delicious goosebumps along your arms. And the smoldering, hooded gaze he was burning into you through the mirror reflection was quickly dampening your panties with arousal.

You were both entirely under each other's spells, the thick sexual tension swirling through the small bathroom like an intoxicating fog. All Jake would have to do is turn your chin and slant his lips over yours and you would have melted into a helpless puddle against him.

The trance was finally broken by a muffled shout from the other room of Felix yelling "You two good back there?"

As if getting doused with a bucket of cold water, you and Jake sprung apart, awkwardness and uncertainty crashing back in. You muttered a quick thanks before rushing out of the bathroom, flustered and needing to put some distance between the two of you before you did something reckless.

After tiptoeing around each other for a couple more weeks, you finally broke down one night and asked Felix what the deal was with Jake. Why he was giving you such intense, loaded vibes lately despite having barely interacted before.

Felix let out a long sigh before breaking the truth - Jake had been harboring a massive secret crush on you for years, long before you started dating your now-ex even. But he never acted on it or admitted those feelings because you were already in a committed relationship by the time you met him.

Now that you were newly single, however, all those long-simmering emotions and attractions were bubbling out from Jake at full force. He was struggling with wanting to pursue you, but also not wanting to make you uncomfortable or disrespect any boundaries while you were fresh out of your heartbreak.

You were stunned speechless, your mind swirling as you processed this information. All those small nuanced moments between you and Jake over the past couple of months finally clicked into place. How had you not seen it sooner?

More importantly...what did you want to do about it now? The thought of exploring those sparks between you and Jake made your heart race. But you were also still so freshly vulnerable from being crushed by betrayal and heartache. Could you really take that leap again so soon?

~~~~~

In the weeks that followed after Felix filled you in about Jake's long-standing romantic feelings, you couldn't stop mulling it over. Every time you saw Jake's warm smile or got pulled into his magnetic presence, your mind raced with the possibilities.

There was no denying the potent chemistry and tension that had been building between you two. Even before you knew about Jake's crush, you felt that persistent pull towards him, that fire simmering with every loaded gaze or innocent touch.

Now that you had context for what was truly driving that intensity from his end...it felt like the coals had been stoked into an inferno. You couldn't get Jake off your mind, couldn't stop imagining what it would feel like to finally act on those sparks.

The more you allowed yourself to lean into the fantasy, the more you realized you were falling for him too. Despite the all-too-fresh sting of betrayal, Jake's caring presence and unguarded desire for you were quickly healing those wounds.

Of course, you had reservations about opening yourself up again so soon. But Jake was clearly different - his intentions pure, his affections transparent. Maybe taking that terrifying leap would be worth it after all.

One night, after spending an evening together that had your skin tingling from lingering caresses and eye contact, you finally summoned the courage to go for it. As he walked you to your car, you spun around, grasped the front of his shirt, and pulled him into a searing kiss.

Jake instantly melted into you with a rumbling groan, his strong hands grasping at your waist to pull you flush against him. You lost yourselves in that fervent clash of lips and roaming touches, all those months of unresolved tension pouring out.

When you finally parted, cheeks flushed and chests heaving, the depths of Jake's gaze sparked with pure reverence and awestruck lust. No words were needed as you gazed at each other's swollen lips and tousled hair - you both knew everything had irreversibly changed in the most overwhelming way.

From that moment on, you and Jake were inseparable. You went from months of "what ifs" to not being able to keep your hands off each other. The slightest brush or heated look was enough to have you desperate to jump his bones at any opportunity.

For Jake, it was like a dream come true after pining from afar for so long. Finally being able to worship every perfect inch of you, to tangle his body with yours, to drink in your breathy moans and whimpers...he never wanted this haze to end.

You were both entirely drunk on each other, drowning in the depths of your smoldering passion. Any lingering fears or heartache you had were washed away by the passionate intensity Jake craved you with, how eternal his devotion felt.

Of course, such a whirlwind romance wasn't without ruffling some feathers. About two months into your torrid new relationship, you crossed paths with your ex at a local bar while out with friends.

"Well, well..." the snide voice called out as soon as they spotted you. "If it isn't my favorite dumped loser found someone newer, dumber, and even more desperate to settle for less."

You instinctively shrank back, feeling that old sense of shame and hurt bubble up despite Jake's arm protectively wrapped around you. But this time, you didn't have to face that menace alone.

Jake immediately stepped forward, jaw clenched as he attempted to keep his fury in check. "Why don't you do yourself a favor and get the hell out of here before I make you," he warned in a low, dangerous tone.

Your ex only scoffed, clearly finding amusement in watching Jake's anger boiling over. With a drunken saunter, they closed the gap between you, keeping their gaze locked on yours.

"Don't forget, I know you better than this sad rebound ever will," they taunted with a cruel smirk. "I know all the filthy little things that got you--"

Whatever nasty comment they hoped to sling next was cut off by Jake's hand violently shoving them backwards. Your ex's dumbfounded shock soon dissolved into equal rage as they came charging back at Jake, grabbing him by the collar as the two began exchanging shoves.

"Hey, hey! Break it up!" your other friends tried jumping in to separate the heated tussle, but not before your ex landed a hard punch square on Jake's cheekbone.

That was the final straw. Like some primal switch being flipped, Jake totally snapped. With a feral growl, he tackled your ex to the ground, taking a few more solid hits as the two rolled around in furious punches and choke holds.

"Jake! Oh my god, stop!" you cried out in horror, watching helplessly.

It wasn't until a handful of bouncers finally broke through to pull them apart that the violence ceased. Jake was dragged out back by a couple of the burly guards, clothes disheveled and sporting a split lip while the other patrons sneered at your ex being dragged out as well.

Your heart was still racing from the adrenaline and shock as you rushed out the back exit after Jake. He was leaning against the wall, chest heaving and knuckles bleeding from the brawl.

"Jake! Are you okay?" you rushed over, cradling his face to inspect the damage. He hissed at the contact against his wounded skin before melting into your touch with a heavy exhale.

Those stormy irises locked onto yours, slightly glazed but burning with pure longing and possession. "I'm so sorry, baby...I just..." he rasped, voice dripping with unrestrained desire. "I just couldn't stand the thought of that piece of shit being anywhere near you, talking to you that way..."

One of his hands slid up to tangle desperately in your hair while the other snaked around your lower back, pulling your hips flush against his hardening length. "You're mine now," he growled before capturing your mouth in a torrid, demanding kiss.

You opened for him with a heady whimper, the thrill of claiming this smoldering, dominant side of Jake setting your blood on fire. His tongue invaded greedily as he walked you backwards, pinning you against the wall with his body weighing deliciously against you.

~~~~~

Any care for location or being seen was abandoned as Jake's arousal ground shamelessly against your core, his big hands gripping and roaming with reckless possession. You gave back as good as you got - raking nails down his back, nipping at his full lips with moans muffled between heated clashes of tongue and teeth.

Just as the frenzied make-out was reaching a fever pitch, a loud clatter from behind the dumpster nearby caused you both to jump apart, chests heaving. Jake's eyes bored into yours, still glazed with lust but now mixed with frustration at the interruption.

"Get in the car," he rasped in a low rumble, grabbing your hand and pulling you towards the parking lot. "We're going somewhere more private."

You eagerly followed, legs still wobbly from the dizzying heat coursing through you. The ride to Jake's apartment felt like an agonizing eternity with how badly you were both aching to crash together again. He kept one hand firmly planted on your thigh, thumb tracing maddening circles that had you squirming.

The second you crossed the threshold into his place, Jake pinned you against the door, claiming your lips in another heated, desperate clash. You melted into him as his talented fingers quickly divested you of your dress, palms roaming every newly exposed inch of skin.

You fumbled with his belt and jeans as he attacked the sensitive spots along your neck and collarbone with a trail of opened-mouth kisses. Each graze of his teeth and insistent suckle from those full lips had you whimpering in delirious need.

Somehow you managed to get Jake's pants undone, allowing his thick hardness to spring free as he kicked them off along with his shoes. You drank in a shuddering breath at the glorious sight of his arousal, already leaking with need for you.

Jake's heated gaze followed yours, a prideful smirk tugging at his swollen lips. "You like what you see, baby?" he rumbled, giving himself a slow, teasing stroke.

You bit your lip with a tiny nod, unable to tear your eyes away. That only made his cocky grin widen further as he leaned in close, beard tantalizingly scratching your jaw.

"I'm going to make you feel so good, make you remember that you belong only to me" he murmured, the deep timbre of his gravelly desire sending shivers straight to your core. "Let me worship every perfect inch of you, nice and slow..."

As if to emphasize his point, Jake trailed a series of torturously unhurried open-mouthed kisses down your neck and chest again before dropping to his knees. His smoldering gaze remained locked on yours as his fingers hooked into your soaked underwear and slowly dragged them down your trembling legs.

You were bare before him now, glistening arousal fully exposed to his ravenous stare. Jake's hands roamed back up the smooth skin of your thighs, close to your throbbing center yet making no move to provide relief just yet.

"Such a gorgeous sight..." he husked in reverence. "All mine."

Unable to take any more teasing, you carded your fingers through his thick locks as his lips ghosted nearer to your pussy. "Please, Jake..." you mewled desperately.

That was all the encouragement he needed before diving in. You cried out at the first swipe of Jake's talented tongue, back arching against the door as waves of electric pleasure flooded through you...

He was relentless, sucking harder and deeper, plundering your wet folds until his tongue was completely coated with your slick essence. You gasped loudly with an intense wave of pleasure, leaving you breathless and panting.

The rhythmic motion driving you insane until you suddenly broke down into violent, uncontrolled moans of ecstasy. It was over too soon though as Jake pulled away, sitting back on his heels with a self satisfied smile and dark eyes glittering.

He carefully took the wet, limp package in his large hand and gently stroked your slick slit. "You're gonna be so fucking ready for me tonight, sweetheart," he assured huskily. "Trust me. There's nothing you could possibly do that would turn me off."

And then he lowered himself over you, spreading the moisture around, filling you with such potent satisfaction that you almost screamed in bliss. Your legs wrapped themselves around his waist as Jake sank slowly and surely down until he could bury himself inside you easily. As he started slowly moving, you gripped his shoulders tightly with your thighs, your entire body tensing and relaxing under his weight. His hands tightened around your arms and shoulders to make sure you weren't trying to crawl away. He held still, letting your body adjust itself to his thickness until the feeling started to fade. As your legs relaxed, they found a more comfortable place to rest, and your stomach felt better about being full. After you got used to being filled up, he reached down to gently cup your tit in one large hand as he pressed himself even deeper, burying himself within you with one hard thrust. His long fingers caressed your soft skin, drawing groans from your lips with every flick of his finger.

With the most powerful thrusts, Jake filled you completely in one go, filling you entirely and filling every single space. For a moment it seemed like there wouldn't be enough room anymore in your womb; you'd never been so far gone before with anyone else, but Jake made that possible by holding you so close and filling you so much you couldn't get enough of each other.

You held tight to his muscular back, digging your heels into the mattress as he pounded into you with a relentless rhythm, your walls clenching down on his rigid shaft with a fierce, hungry grip. He let out a feral growl of satisfaction as you writhed beneath him, grinding yourself against him faster and quicker, begging for release. Your whole body shook with pent up passion, the need to come crashing down on you like a tsunami.

With a sharp jerk, he suddenly stiffened underneath you, causing you to cry out. His breathing became labored as your pussy clenched around his girth with unrelenting intensity. You didn't think you'd ever seen his face contort in agony quite like that before. You both took a deep breath at the same time and released it in unison as he let you cum around his dick. His cock twitched inside of you, but you didn't want to break eye contact; he was still so intent on looking at you. Your hands reached up to run through his hair again, and he bent down to kiss you gently as you both enjoyed each other's company. Then it was over in an instant as he came with a deep grunt breaking the kiss, body shaking with the force of his release, painting his white masterpiece on your walls as he slumped forward, resting his forehead heavily against your naked belly with hot tears streaming down his flushed cheeks.

“I will not let him bother you ever again”

[ananiel]

Hi girlie!!! 😘😘 How are you doing? I was reading your post with Yandere! Louis x Witch! Reader and an idea popped in my mind.

How about Yandere! Mycroft and Yandere! Albert with Yae Miko! Reader from Genshin impact? Albert x Reader x Mycroft or if you want you can do them separate.

I am good, thank You, hope You are good too😍

Yandere Albert x yae! reader x yandere Mycroft!

Tw : yandere themes, posible Gore, manipulation, forcing of relathionship, read at your own risk!

Also i am very sorry it took so long, i enter a major writing slump where i felt like everything i did was bad, but glad to be back now, also go check out @kanroji-san s crossovers, they are amazing

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

When the people found about Teyvat and Their strange way of living, the first thing that the guvernement did was send people to learn more about them.

IT started of slow. Difrent soldiers, difrent people that maybe were in need of a new house, and because of the Free housing that the program offered, they were quick to accept this change.

The fartherst and the most misterious one by now, had been Inazuma, not many things were known about it, and some people even avoided talking about it period.

The queen demanded of Mycroft to know about everything, everything that those difrent people were, and telling her that they had no idea about one of the nations wasn't exactly ideal.

Now. Thinking of a timeline, i see this at the start of the moriarty plan. But maybe, in the Point where Mycroft knew about it, so, as some Time of resort in his mind to maybe protect the queen, he sends Albert, which of course, Albert figures out why, but doesn't say anything.

IT was but a long time later when they got the permision to go there, and it wasn't write by the shogun, but by you.

So that's how Albert arrived in Inazuma, the first people he tried to went to, were the guards, trying to ask how to get to You, and when he does get to the shrine, he is stunned.

"well hello, hello" You say with a teasing smile

Your soft voice was mesmerizing.

"ears..." that's all he said stunned.

"well of course, everyone has ears don't we? How would we hear if we didn't?"

He is caught embarased by her words, giving her a bow.

Why was he acting like this? Not even one lady in the whole England could make him bat an eye, and here he was, fangirling over a shrine maiden, one that posibly didn't even have the permision to return his feelings!

Oh... But the way she gigled... The teaser, the confident flirt, finally became the teased, it seemed.

And he was enjoying every bit of it.

Time passed quick with her, that he knew, that he realized, and he realized just how dangerous she was only when talking to others, talking when he could easily just be the best talking buddy, or whatever she wanted.

The moment the shine in his eyes returned after so much time was when, after telling him that she talked with the Raiden Shogun, she told him she would be coming to England with him.

Now he was extatic, he was making plans to be her guide, take her everywhere, show her the clothes of his time ( just for... Information purpose of course, not to make her look like she is his lover, wearing something matching the family and him)

But his ideas were crushed... Crushed by Mycroft Holmes.

When Mycroft Holmes saw You, he exhaled, what did Albert bring with him? A temptress? Is he out of his mind?

But no... You weren't a temptress, but a very, very important individual from your home land...one that made his head fuzzy if he thought too much about You.

Of course, he wasn't dumb, he saw how protective the hand Albert had on You was, how he stared down at him, with anger in his stare when he made You giggle...

You were a breath of fresh air, a little Fox brought here seemingly to play with them, to be played by you.

You weren't the most social buterfly, but weren't shy, quite the oposite, and they couldn't help but frown when You winked at someone, when You chuckeld or made them blush.

They weren't dumb, they knew eachother well enough to know they fansied You, both did, and they were ready to work togheter, all if it meant having You.

And You, You figured their obsession out, and were planing an escape, too bad that a certain crime consultant was on their side, being a third mind You didn't think of, and because of that

The crux left without you... Leaving You here... With them... Eternity is truly a cruel fate, isn't it? Especially without your Ei

[slutshamethesquirrels]

Shamesy's Declassified Fanfic Writing Survival Guide - Part 3

Help! The world is burning and everything sucks!

hi hi friends!!! welcome back to the fanfic writing survival guide!

today i'm gonna cover a bit of a "no-no" topic, if you will. its something i've been struggling a lot with here recently and something i'm witnessing other authors go through as well: writer's block... or, at least, what you might think is writers block.

today, we'll be talking about what to do when you lose interest in your fic. and, respectively (possibly more importantly), what not to do.

1) Beat yourself up

Look, I know, I know. Theres a chance right now you're kicking yourself and loosing ur marbs because your little writer peanut brain has convinced you that you are satan's incarnate and everyone hates you and wants you to die.

this is, undeniably, untrue. i implore you to do whatever it takes to get out of this headspace before you do anything at all. go outside, touch some grass, maybe eat a bug, just really get in touch with the real breathing world with no fictional dick n balls for a while. however long it takes to realize your intrinsic value is not tied to the fictional dick n balls. there are no fictional dick n balls out there, friends. only real ones.

here u go, look at this:

feel better yet? if not, keep staring until you do. it'll get funny eventually, i swear.

2) Force yourself to write the damn thing anyway

this is only gonna result in a sub-par product, and your readers can tell. no, they can, i promise. it's always evident to me when an author has lost steam.

i dont want ur poo poo writing, and neither does anyone else. i would rather you abandon it entirely than ruin it-- AHT AHT! TAKE UR FINGERS OFF THE KEYBOARD RN!!! NO!!! BAD FIC AUTHOR!! BAD!!

3) Think you owe your readers anything

another controversial statement but what am i good for if not being a big ole bitch??

look, we love our readers. we ALL do but you simply cannot pour from an empty cup for them. you come first, your mental health and general health comes first. your interests come first and your wants and needs come first. if they want superhot!chad!alphamale!jimmy neutron x reader or whatever that fucking badly, they can write it themselves.

1) Write other things!

Yep yep!!! Write a one shot, a drabble, a personal self indulgent story, some poetry, whatever floats your boat!!

Remember, this is supposed to be fun! You are allowed to indulge in whatever you want to, shocker, I know!!! the world is your oyster baby! branch out to other fandoms, re-visit old dead writings you've re-gained interest in, write a character you don't usually write, jump on a roleplay forum and just chill, my dude. kick back and remember why you enjoyed it!

2) Put it on hiatus!

"NOOOOOO!" the readers shout and then immediately explode. "YEEEESSSSSS!" I respond just as violently. Seriously, push it away from your nog for a bit. Let it rest. I would rather see a good chapter from you in six months from now then to get something soulless. If you just cant rn, thats fine!!

3) Grab a buddy and have them critique you

god, i will forever be in debt to @vallification for having this type of friendship with me.

we often think of critique and feedback as a negative, but it can often breathe a new life into your work!! message your most down to earth and honest bud, send the draft over and just say "hey i fucking hate this why do i hate this" and chances are a pair of fresh eyes will be able to point out things to you you didn't see before. nut up and quit being a baby, we all have shit we can improve on. who are you, jesus christ? if yes, could you PLEASE answer my prayers and send me a hot n' spicy mcchicken to my door via drone and/or angelic delivery?? im not asking for much, dude its the best fast food sandwich.

"but shamesy, im super hermit basement dweller core and don't have a friend thats kind of a bitch that would--" yes the fart you do. im right fucking here, rude ass <3 my dm's and asks are always open.

3A) Bounce ideas off said homie

again, val could absolutely sit on my face for this. we throw ideas back and forth constantly. you have no idea how absolutely megamind brain your dogs can be until you ask them.

4) Just start virtually sharting onto a page

this is how suguru blue AND a first time for everything were created!!

just start typing and see what happens! sometimes it doesn't work out (#shamesy's failed ficlets ) but no matter the case it'll help you loosen up a little

5) Take your writing on the go!!

ooooo I LOVE THIS ONE!! Take your laptop or phone to the park, the beach, a coffee shop or cafe and just make it feel less like work and more like play! this can do WONDERS for your creativity! the library is also a great place, because you have so much literary inspiration to quickly reference!

hope this helps!! you can check out my masterlist to find the other two survival guides as well as all my writings! stay cooch!!!

[tryan-a-bex]

A Reunion in the Dreaming

1274 words, Gen, fluff and cheesecake, no dragons. Thanks to @aetheltrythh and @best-wishes for beta reading! Based on this post by @windsweptinred and a prompt by @violetoftheendless; thank you! @themirokai also wrote a version of this reunion, how cool! More cake! Unity's situation is based on Desires well-tended are a hearth by @dancinbutterfly. Read it on AO3.

“Rose! Jed!” 

Unity’s eager greeting floated from where she stood waving beside the picnic she had spread out under a stately maple tree in Fiddler’s Green. Rose blinked as her mind adjusted from regular dreaming to the lucid dreaming state that let her visit with her great-grandmother in the Dreaming. Looking around, she saw Jed beside her also blinking, and watched his face transform into a huge smile as he saw Unity.

“Nana Unity!” he cried, running over to give her a big hug. The joy in her eyes as she snuggled him almost brought tears to Rose’s eyes as she walked over more sedately, joining them in a group hug when Jed and Unity refused to relinquish each other. Laughing, they finally separated and turned to the picnic. 

“Ooh, cherry cheesecake!” Jed exclaimed. Rose had shared with Unity that Jello cheesecake from a box had been Jed’s favourite when he was little, and Unity had asked Lucienne for help replicating it in the Dreaming. It seemed to have turned out well, and Jed’s reaction was especially gratifying. Enthusiastically, they all settled down to catch up over an open-air meal. 

“My manuscript is almost ready to go to the editor,” Rose shared excitedly. At least this was one deadline she wasn’t late for! She reached for a fresh strawberry in celebration.

“And how is your application for grad school going, dear?” Unity asked, pouring some lemonade for each of them.

“I’ve applied at three schools–they all have very good reputations for their Creative Writing Master’s.”

“Excellent!”

“Yeah, my buddy Joe wrote this great story about a monster robot praying mantis!” Jed interjected. “He was telling it during soccer practice. I got a goal that day, it was super awesome!”

“Wonderful!” Unity beamed at Jed’s accomplishment, and Rose glowed with how happy and settled he was becoming. As he dug into the cucumber sandwiches and sipped his lemonade, Rose turned to Unity.

“How about you, Unity? How have you been?”

“Oh, my dear! It’s so lovely to visit with Desire again! They made me happy for over a hundred years while I was asleep, and Dream has been so kind as to allow them to continue seeing me now that I am back!”

“I’m so glad for you!” Rose said. “But I thought Dream and Desire didn’t get along very well?”

“Well, no, you know, they didn’t. But I asked for them specially, and Dream was able to allow it, as long as Desire stays with me. Dream’s been visiting too, you know, at my request.”

“Really?”

“Oh yes! I thought he could use a grandmother, you know. He needs taking care of!”

“Hey, look! What’s that?” Jed pointed as a big green bug leapt out of the grass. “Oh, cool, a grasshopper!” He ran over to see if he could catch it, and crowed with joy as he startled a handful more from the grass. Rose leaned back on the blanket, full of joy at watching him regain the simple childhood pleasures he had almost missed out on.

“For example,” Unity continued, watching Jed chase the grasshoppers, “just the other day, Dream was looking kind of down, when he came for tea, and when I asked him about it, he confessed. He was feeling guilty that it bothered him that Hob was leaving his dirty socks on the floor, and he just didn’t know how (or even whether) to talk to him about it. You see? A grandmother is just what he needs.” Rose and Unity chuckled as they sipped their lemonade, but Rose was actually quite glad that Dream was finally willing to ask for and receive wise advice from time to time. 

Suddenly, Jed came running back to them.

“Look, look, what could that be?” He pointed at a couple of dark shadows high in the sky. “Dragons, do you think? Will I get to see the roc today? What if it’s a pterodactyl?” 

Unity squinted at the sky and nodded in excitement rather than agreement. “No, I think it’s something much better than any of that!”

“What?!” Rose laughed, “Better than dragons?”

“Yes, look!” Unity said as the shapes grew closer and larger. “It’s my friends, Lucienne and Gault!”

“Oh, yes, Lucienne is even better than dragons! I remember hearing Gault’s name before,” Rose mused. ”Wait, was she the one…?”

Rose’s words dwindled off as she watched Jed run toward the two women, raven and fairy wings now clear, carrying them closer to the picnic under the tree. Jed doubled back as they passed low over him, and he ran up laughing as they came in gracefully for a landing several feet from Rose and Unity. 

“Rose! Unity!” Lucienne exclaimed. She came forward to hug each of them in turn, followed by Gault who also embraced Unity. 

“I think we’ve met,” Rose said to Gault as they came face to face.

“Yes,” Gault confirmed, turning to include Jed as well. “We have met, though not under the best circumstances.”

“Wait, I remember you!” Jed tilted his head, scrutinizing the dark, glowing fairy before him. “You’re what mom turned into right before the King of Nightmares took her away.”

“Yes.” Gault smiled gently at him. “I never was your mother, I only looked like her for a time. But I did enjoy the time I spent with you, and I’m so proud of how courageous and strong you were in all of your dream adventures. I see you’ve met your real life adventures just as bravely since we were parted.” 

A thoughtful look crossed Jed’s face and he hesitated–looking around at the four beautiful women gazing at him fondly and surrounding him with love–and found his courage once more. “I have a request. Can you be Mom again? Just for a minute, so I can say goodbye to her?”

“Oh, Jed,” Rose said. “You know it won’t be Mom? Are you sure it will help, and not just make it harder for you?”

Unity nodded. “It’s hard to say goodbye to people. Sometimes saying it out loud with someone else there helps. But living in a fantasy will not help you heal.” 

“I know. But she helped me a lot, when I was at that place, and I want to say thank you.” 

As the women all nodded in understanding, Gault transformed into the shape of Miranda. Jed’s smile broke open like the sun coming through clouds, and he threw himself into her arms. They hugged for a long moment, as tears ran down everyone’s cheeks. 

“Thank you. Thank you so much for helping me there,” he said, his face buried in her chest. “Thank you for not leaving me alone.”

“You are welcome. I’m so proud of you for being so brave, and I’m so happy about how well you are doing now.”

Jed stepped back, knuckles swiping away the tears prickling in his eyes. “Goodbye, Mom.” He nodded, and Gault transformed into herself once more. Suddenly he threw himself into her arms once more. Startled, she embraced him back. “I hope we can be friends,” he said this time.

“Of course!” Gault wiped a tear from her cheek as her face also broke into a glorious smile. “I’d love to be your friend, Jed!”

“Oh, excellent!” Unity exclaimed. “Now that we’re all friends, everyone sit down and help me eat this cheesecake!” They laughed, brushing the tears from their faces, and sat around the blanket.

“So, how have you two been doing?” Rose asked as Unity handed out cake.

“You wouldn’t believe,” Lucienne answered with a smile. “The other day, Merv got himself into such a scrape…”

For the rest of that story, read Fireflies and a Missing Person. @carnelianmeluha I described the food (a little bit) just for you, but it's very simple: cherry cheesecake, cucumber sandwiches, strawberries and lemonade. The cheesecake box link is in the endnotes! @thesandwomen this is really early for your October event and it's not a femslash. But. I was thinking of you.

[writeforfandoms]

White Christmas

Find my masterlist

Okay we are all ignoring that this is two weeks late please and thank you

I am dedicating this fic to @insomniamamma who responded so enthusiastically to this idea that I simply had to write it. J was a great help in plotting and figuring out some ways to meld these two very unalike movies. J, darling, you're incredible and thank you so much for your help.

A couple quick notes: yes I use Bing Crosby's White Christmas here. You do not have to have seen the movie but there are a lot of Easter eggs if you have. And when Benny and Will get on stage, you will want to watch this for reference. Trust me.

Warnings: swearing, fluff, Christmas fluff, seriously you're gonna get cavities from this, the team are all menaces, mistletoe!

Frankie Morales x f!reader

This hotel was supposed to be a good thing. A fresh start. A way for him to keep busy but still live. 

It was not supposed to be… this. 

"I'm a damn fool," he growled to himself as he looked at the owners manual for the water heater. "Never should have bought this place." He paused to wipe his brow, glaring. 

This had to be an unmitigated disaster, truly. There was no snow. And the previous owner had assured him that the holiday season was usually the busiest of the year. 

But this year there was no snow on the ground, only a few reservations, and never ending problems. 

The phone started ringing and Frankie swore as he ran back inside to answer it. 

"'Lo?"

"Fish!" 

Frankie nearly sagged at the voice on the other end, his eyes closing briefly. "Pope! It's been a long time, man." 

"I know, I know. Hey, listen. You got an open room? I wanna head up your way for a week or two."

"Uh, sure." Frankie blinked, taken aback. "Yeah, I've got room. Might put you to work though."

Pope just laughed. "Sure thing, Fish. Whatever you say. I'll see you on the 20th."

Frankie hung up after Pope had, looking down at his phone. His shoulders slumped at the thought of his to-do list, which was growing ever larger. Especially when contrasted with his bank account, which was getting smaller by the day. 

He really needed something to change here. 

–

You stretched as you got off the train in Pine Tree, Vermont, taking a deep breath in. The air smelled fresh and clean, and there was none of the traffic noise you associated with the city. 

In short, it was beautiful. 

Another deep breath in and you smiled, gripping the handle of your suitcase. There was someone else on the platform too, which you thought was kind of nice and kind of unusual. It was just the two of you, after all. He was texting when you glanced at him. 

So you nodded to yourself and stepped out of the station proper so you could order an Uber. 

"I thought I was the only person that got off here."

You jumped at the voice and turned to look. The man you'd noticed earlier now stood next to you, a respectful few feet away. 

"Not this time." You gave him a polite smile, shifting your weight. "Are you local?"

"No, I'm out here to visit a friend of mine. You?" He didn't try to get any closer, fortunately. 

"Just visiting." You shrugged. "Thought I'd come up here and play in the snow." 

Except there wasn't any. No snow to be seen at all. 

"Yeah, that's weird. Feels like there should be lots of snow this time of year." He frowned a little. 

"Well, I'll ask one of the locals when I get to my hotel." 

"Where are you staying?" At your openly suspicious look, he hurried to clarify. "My buddy owns a place here, The General Inn."

"Well then, I guess you will be seeing more of me. I'm staying there." 

He grinned, oddly pleased. "Hey, he's actually coming to pick me up, if you wanted to ride with us. Faster than waiting for an Uber way out here." 

You hesitated. You didn't know if he was really being honest or not, after all. So you settled on a shrug, noncommittal. But not offensive. 

"You got any plans while you're here?" He asked instead, letting the subject lie. "Fish hasn't mentioned a whole lot to me, but I also hear he's been busy with the hotel."

"Fish?" Your lips twitched with your amusement. 

"My buddy. His name is Frankie, but Catfish is an old nickname. We've called him that for years." 

"I see." You smiled and shook your head. "No, I didn't really make plans. Figured I'd wing it, really." 

"Sounds fun. I figured I'll help Fish with whatever project he's working on now, make sure he's doing okay, stay a couple weeks. But I'm sure I can make time for you." He winked. 

You chuckled, more amused than anything with the flirting. "We'll see what happens," you said instead of giving him a straight answer. "Is that your friend?" You nodded to the blue pickup truck driving towards the two of you. It was an older model, but still drove well, even with the few dings and dents you could see. 

Your new friend nodded and jogged over to the car, waving. He heaved his duffel bag into the bed of the truck, leaning on the window to talk to the driver. You waited patiently, still trying to decide whether or not this was a good idea. 

And then the driver peeked around his friend to wave to you, and your brother caught in your chest for a moment. Tousled brown curls stuffed under a ball cap, big brown eyes, dark scruff… oh. Okay he was gorgeous. You walked over closer to the two, cautious still but willing to listen at least. 

"This is my friend," the man told you, motioning in the window to his friend. 

"Frankie Morales. I own the General Inn." He held out a hand to you. 

Feeling only slightly silly, you shook his hand through the window and gave him your own name. Recognition lit in his eyes, which made you feel better. 

"Pope says he offered you a ride," Frankie started, and you blinked. 

"Pope?"

"This idiot." Frankie reached over to slap his friend on the shoulder. "Santiago Garcia. But we call him Pope." 

"Oh. Yes, he did, but you certainly don't have to–"

"It's no trouble," Frankie told you, quiet but sincere. "Since we're all going to the same place. I'll even make Pope sit in the middle." 

You ducked your head and grinned, amused and a little charmed. And. Well. He wasn't wrong - you were all going to the same hotel. "Why not," you agreed, lifting your bag into the bed as Santiago had done. 

It was a bit of a tight fit with all three of you in the cab, but it worked. Soft Christmas music came from the speakers in the car, a little staticky in places as Frankie drove. 

The hotel was set out apart from town, and Frankie parked along the side. Honestly, it looked more like a big old house than a hotel, which… probably wasn't that far off. The site had advertised it as an old fashioned bed and breakfast place, with a big barn available for event space rentals. You could see smaller buildings off to the sides and back of the main building, offering plenty of rooms for visitors.

"Come on in," Frankie told you, grabbing your bag before you could. "I'd give you the grand tour but it's honestly not that much." 

"I'd like the tour anyway." You smiled at him. Okay so maybe you were flirting a little bit. He was gorgeous and he only got cuter when he ducked his head, the tops of his ears turning pink. 

"Check in is just inside," he told you, holding the door for you and Santiago both. "I'll show you to your room, if you'd like." 

"Thank you." You had to admit, you were rather charmed by his manners and mannerisms. 

The check in process went quickly, and Frankie insisted on carrying your bag upstairs and to your room. He handed over the key to you and told you to take as long as you wanted, and he'd be at the front desk for a while if you needed anything. 

The room was beautiful, on a corner of the house overlooking a big open lawn space, with the woods beyond that. A bay window was the perfect spot to sit and look outside, the bench seat nicely padded with a folded quilt tucked to the side in case you got cold. 

The rest of the room was equally comfortable - the bed was big and nice and had extra pillows and blankets. The attached bathroom was done simply but nicely. 

Overall, the room felt quite luxurious. You made sure to note that, taking a couple pictures and making sure your bag was out of sight. 

It certainly wouldn't be hard to write a favorable review of this place. 

Tucking your phone and the room key into your pockets, you headed back downstairs, but paused on the bottom step, just out of sight. You could hear Santiago and Frankie talking, and something stopped you from interrupting them. 

"...not what I thought," Frankie was saying, quiet and resigned. "Seems like every time I fix one thing, something else breaks."

"I'll help you get it all fixed up," Santiago offered, quiet to match the mood. "You know I'm not useless with a wrench." 

"That's not why you came out here," Frankie protested, though it was weak. "I can't ask you to, Pope."

"You're not asking, I'm offering. We'll figure out the rest of it, too." 

There was a pause, so you stepped down and walked over to the two with a smile. "My room is very nice and comfortable," you told Frankie before he could ask. "And I would like to take you up on that tour, if it's no trouble?"

Santiago and Frankie exchanged a look, the kind of look between old friends which spoke more than actual words. Then Frankie nodded, stepping away from the desk. 

"Of course," he agreed. "There's a dining area back this way." He started walking and you followed him. There were a couple doors on your way back to the dining area, and at one point you could peek through to a kitchen, but otherwise the place was quiet. The dining area was nice, at least, with a collection of small tables that could be arranged in various ways. 

"Very nice," you murmured, gaze lingering on the decorations. There wasn't a lot, but there were garlands and lights at least. "I read on the website that this place used to be owned by a general?" 

"Yeah, he bought the place after World War 2," Frankie said, leaning back against a wall and crossing his arms over his chest. "His granddaughter took over after he passed, changing the name to honor him. I bought it from her last year." 

You nodded. "Fascinating," you murmured. Now that you looked, you could see that some of the decorations were dated. Some of the furniture too, actually. "It is a very nice place."

His lips twisted in something that you suspected was supposed to be a smile, but he didn't say anything for several moments. "The barn was converted a long time ago to an event space," he said instead. "Haven't had much use for it recently, though." 

"I see." You nodded to yourself, looking around again. "It is nice. Do you have any recommendations for things to do outdoors?"

"There are some good hiking trails," he answered slowly. "Normally I'd also say there's skiing, but, well…" He waved a lazy hand towards the nearest window, which showed plenty of blue sky and not a single bit of snow. 

You smiled. "Hardly your fault the weather isn't cooperating," you assured him. "But the hiking does sound nice. I think I'll take a look outside." 

Frankie nodded, opening a back door for you. "Have fun," he murmured with a little smile. "And let me know if you need anything." 

You nodded to him and stepped outside. The air was crisp and cold, just burning your lungs when you drew in a deep breath. 

It really was gorgeous here. Kind of a shame it was so quiet, though. You hadn't seen another guest yet. 

You spent a while walking around the property, until the sun started to go down and you retreated back inside. Frankie was not at the front desk, so you went up to your room to warm up a bit. 

According to the website, there were restaurants in town that would deliver to the hotel. Special occasions also offered dinner at the hotel for an added fee. So, you could get food delivered, or get an Uber into town. 

Movement out back caught your attention, and you walked over to the window to look down. 

Santiago and Frankie were down there, both of them standing around a grill. Santiago was gesticulating with one hand, fingers tight around the neck of a bottle, while Frankie stood more placidly in front of the grill. 

You smiled a little, watching them. Personally, you thought they were a little crazy for deciding to grill outside in the cold, but hey. Whatever suited them. 

Santiago turned and looked unerringly up at your window. You swallowed. Well. Too late to back away now, he had definitely seen you. Whoops. 

But he merely grinned and waved to you, beckoning you to come downstairs. And when you didn't move fast enough, he waved you down yet again. 

Chuckling softly, you turned away from the window and grabbed a jacket before heading downstairs and out back to join the two. 

"Did you have fun exploring?" Santiago asked as you approached the pair. 

"I did indeed," you murmured, looking between the two of them. Frankie glanced at you with a little smile before focusing on the food again. 

"Sorry about him, he's demanding," Frankie told you, nudging Santiago with one elbow. 

"It's fine. I was just surprised to see you two out here. It's cold." 

"Just grilling these up, then we're heading inside to eat." Santiago eyed you for a moment before he smiled slowly. It was the kind of smile that you instantly associated with mischief. "Say, d'you wanna join us for dinner? We've got plenty." 

"Oh, I don't want to intrude," you started, glancing at Frankie. 

"You won't be." That quiet assurance came from the hotel owner, and he turned a little to smile at you, small and shy but genuine. "It would be our pleasure." 

"Well then." You couldn't resist smiling back. "I'll be happy to join you two. What can I do to help?"

It took a little arguing, but Frankie told you where to find utensils and plates, so you set the table for the three of you. 

Dinner really was quite pleasant. They were good friends, and they included you easily. Especially once they'd each had a beer and relaxed a little. 

You learned that they'd been friends for a long time, even before their days in the army. You learned about their other two friends, Will and Benny. You learned about Santiago's current job. 

And you learned that there were no other guests in the hotel. 

"Guess people don't want to come out here with no snow," Frankie muttered with a bitter twist to his lips. "So it's just us."

"Hm." You glanced at Santiago to see what he thought of that. Because it didn't sit right with you that there were no other guests. Santiago didn't give anything away. "Well, maybe it'll start snowing soon. It usually does." 

Frankie nodded, though he didn't look convinced. 

The rest of dinner was more pleasant, but you could see Santiago thinking. So could Frankie, based on the nudges and significant looks, but that was between them. 

You helped wash up after dinner before excusing yourself up to your room. You needed to shower and write down your notes so far. 

Fortunately there was wifi, and you let your laptop connect and load while you showered. Sitting on your bed, you started typing up notes, outlining everything you'd seen so far. 

Your shower was warm and had good water pressure, which was a blessing. You added that to your notes as you dried off. 

Faint talking caught your attention. Normally, you were not the kind of person to snoop around and eavesdrop. But when people kept doing it where you could hear? Well, you really couldn't help it. 

"...not great," the man said. Santiago, you decided after a moment when the voice got louder. "Yeah, he won't admit it, but it's bad. We gotta help." 

You took a deep breath. You really shouldn't be hearing this. So you got up and finished getting ready for bed, even though you planned to be up and reading for a little while longer. 

But Santiago's words didn't leave you. Sure, he could have been talking about anything… but you were pretty sure he had been talking about Frankie and the hotel. 

The wheels in your mind started turning, even as you finally settled down to sleep. 

The next morning was more of the same - quiet with an undercurrent of tension, especially between Frankie and Santiago. Frankie told you to help yourself to anything in the kitchen. 

You spent the day in town after getting an Uber. The town was quaint, pretty, very oldsey. Everything was decorated, with lights along the trees and wreaths on every light pole. It was all gorgeous, of course. 

But all suspiciously quiet. You would have expected a lot more tourists around in a pretty place like this. 

Honestly, you had no idea the snow was so necessary here. But your suspicions were confirmed after chatting with a couple people as you did a little shopping and exploring. 

There was no snow, so fewer tourists, especially with no other events to draw them in. 

One shopkeeper told you wistfully of days long past, when The General Inn used to have a big event every Christmas Eve. They used to have live performers, he told you. And food and hot drinks. 

The beginnings of a plan settled in your brain, and you thanked the shopkeeper before going on your way again. 

A closer look at the town and a map showed that it was in a good location. Quiet, not too close to a city, but in a good location near a major highway and the train, of course. In other words, it would be easy for people to travel here from nearby. 

You stood for a few moments, looking down the main street, watching a car turn down another street. No snow. Quiet roads. The town had sort of fallen off the map this year, it seemed. 

But maybe… 

You needed to talk to Santaigo, see if he had been talking about what you thought last night. It wasn't like you to get involved, but, well… there was something about this town and the inn and Frankie himself that made you want to help. 

You caught an Uber back to the inn before the sun went down. You had pizza that you could reheat for dinner, that would be good enough for tonight. 

Nobody was at the desk when you came in, and you put your pizza in the fridge. (Which did feel a little odd, but Frankie had told you to make yourself at home and feel free to use the kitchen, so…) 

Tapping on the kitchen window made you jump, and you pressed a hand over your heart as you whirled to look. Santiago grinned at you, waving and then beckoning you to come. You heaved a sigh, glaring weakly at him before you trudged out of the room. 

"You gave me a heart attack," you grumbled as soon as Santiago was in sight. 

"Sorry," he said, sounding not very sorry at all. "Haven't seen you all day, just wanted to make sure everything is good."

You raised one eyebrow at him. "Is that so?"

He didn't falter, just holding your gaze until you gave up. 

"I was in town, checking things out. It's all pretty quiet."

That made him grimace and nod slowly. "Yeah, Fish said the same." 

You hesitated before you decided to just go for it. You doubted you'd get a better opportunity than this. 

"I heard you last night, I think you were on the phone. Telling someone that you had to help." You paused for a moment, watching his eyes go wide. "I presume you mean Frankie. And if you do… I want to help." 

"You… do?" Santiago narrowed his eyes a little at you, clearly sizing you up. 

"I do." You licked your lips, a rush of anxiety flooding your belly. "I know this is unusual, but I feel bad for him. And for this place. It's got a great history, and I would hate to see it go empty. Frankie has been nothing but kind, and has gone above and beyond the duties of the proprietor. So, I'd like to help, however I can." 

Santiago regarded you narrowly for a few of the longest moments of your life before he smiled. "What do you have in mind?" 

You smiled, and the planning began. 

Honestly, it kind of surprised you how quickly everything came together. You'd expected to have to do a ton of work. But as it turned out, two more of Frankie and Santiago's friends were on their way up, and had started pulling some of their own strings. 

And when Santiago let you into the barn, you found a lot of the things you already needed for an event. Sure, some of the equipment was old, but it still worked fine when you tested it out. 

"We have three days," you murmured, tapping your fingers against one of the tables that you and Santiago had set up to test things out. "And we still need to spread the word." 

"My friends are arriving tomorrow morning," Santiago told you. "I can get word around town with the two of them." 

"That's a good start," you agreed with a nod. You had an idea for how to tell more people, but it would involve doing something you'd never done before. You were just hoping this would be worth it. "And… I can help with getting the word out further."

"Yeah? You got an idea?" Santiago raised one eyebrow at you. 

"I do." You swallowed, feeling a little nervous. "I have a travel blog. I could put up a notice on there." 

Santiago blinked. Twice. "Is that why you're here?" He asked, low and a little dangerous. 

"That's why I came here, yes." You lifted your chin. "But that's not why I'm trying to help. Frankie deserves the help - he's been a hell of a lot nicer to me than many other owners or managers have been. Like I told you before. I would hate to see this place fail."

Santiago huffed out a breath. "He won't like it if he finds out," he warned you. "But if you think it will help…"

"I think so. I know I've got readers in this area, within driving distance. Can't hurt to try." 

Santiago nodded. "Alright then. Let me know if you need help with any of that. And in the meantime, I picked up dinner for us." 

You chuckled and nodded. “Sounds good to me.” 

It surprised you a little, how well you got along with the two men, and how easy dinner was between you three. Of course, that only reinforced your decision to help Frankie. He needed it, and he deserved it. 

After dinner, you retreated to your room to work on your new post. You stared at the screen of your laptop, tapping your fingers against the edge of the keyboard. This was one of the harder posts you’d written up in a while. Normal reviews were easy, even the tough ones. 

But this? A call for help, a personal message? Much harder. 

Eventually, though, you decided that was as good as it was going to get and posted it. You went with simple but heartfelt in the end, asking anyone in driving distance who didn’t have plans to come out and give this place a try. 

Hopefully you wouldn’t get too much backlash on this. Hopefully this would be worth it. 

Santiago and Frankie left together the next morning to pick up their friends, and you used the time to work on decorating the barn. 

Honestly, the barn space was a stroke of luck. It was already set up as an event space, after all, and just needed some cleaning and decorating to be back in working order. 

Whoever had owned the place previously had clearly kept all of the Christmas decorations through the years, as there were several bins set aside in a storage closet. Perfect for you to go absolutely nuts. 

Finally, satisfied with your work, you dusted off your hands and nodded. Perfect. 

Okay, the barn was decorated. You’d put up the post last night asking for people to attend. Santiago and Frankie would undoubtedly be back any minute with their two friends.

You still needed supplies for this party, of course. And perhaps it would be a good idea to call some of the local businesses, too… 

You were so busy that you didn’t even notice when the group of men got back, and you didn’t have a chance to be introduced to the two newcomers until everyone sat down to dinner. (Santiago had to find you and drag you out of the barn by the back of your shirt, ignoring your indignant squawking with the ease of long practice.) 

“Guys, this is our new friend,” Santiago introduced, pulling out a chair for you. “These are Will and Benny.”

“Hi.” You waved, a little shy, and took your seat. Next to Frankie, you noticed with some amusement. 

“Nice to meet you.” Will nodded to you, and Benny smiled. 

“So what brought you way out here?” 

You chuckled. “I travel a lot, and I like staying new places. Plus, the history on the website lured me in.” You shrugged, glancing at Frankie. “It’s definitely been one of my better decisions.” 

Next to you, Frankie looked pleased and a bit abashed. Benny looked between the two of you with ill-disguised glee. 

Sensing the imposing teasing, you struck first. “Santiago has been looking forward to you arriving. And I’m pretty sure I heard Frankie say something about putting you all to work. It is nice to see such good friends willing to help out.” 

Fortunately, Santiago seemed to be on your side and helped divert the rest of the conversation to repairs that needed to be done, as well as some veiled references to the Christmas Eve event. 

You were rather hopeful that things would actually go well. 

But hoping didn't make sleep any easier, and your mind refused to slow down enough to let you sleep. Which is how you found yourself with your phone in hand late at night, sitting in the dining room with the lights down low so you didn't bother anyone else. You just had so many thoughts for this event, and for the hotel in general. You liked Frankie, quite a bit. Enough to surprise yourself. And you wanted him to succeed. 

"You're up late."

The soft observation made you jump, your phone slipping from your fingers and clattering to the tabletop. You blinked at Frankie, catching his sheepish smile as he pulled out a chair next to yours. 

"Sorry," he murmured. 

"It's fine. Just startled me. I didn't think anyone else was up." You smiled at him. 

He shrugged. "Got a lot on my mind." 

Your smile turned a little teasing. "Couldn't lull yourself to sleep by counting sheep?" 

Frankie chuckled, leaning back in his seat. "Sheep don't cut it," he admitted. "Actually…" He trailed off, his ears going pink. 

"What?" You leaned in, undeniably curious. 

"My mom always said to count my blessings, instead of sheep." He looked embarrassed, looking down at the table. 

"Count your blessings instead of sheep," you repeated in a murmur, smiling. "I like that. I might try that." 

"Please do. Mamá would be happy to know she's helped someone." His smile was more relaxed this time. 

Silence settled comfortably between you two for a few long moments as you finally tucked your phone away in your pocket. 

"Why are you still up? Something troubling you?" Frankie looked at you with a concerned little frown. 

"Just a lot on my mind," you dismissed casually. "My mind won't slow down enough for sleep." 

"I know the feeling." He was quiet for a moment before he stood. "Sounds like a cocoa problem." 

You followed him into the kitchen, watching as he got out a pan, milk, vanilla, and chocolate. "Looks like you've done this a time or two before," you joked. 

He shot you a bashful smile over his shoulder. "Not as much now," he admitted. "But before… yeah. For myself and my friends." 

You nodded, leaning back against the opposite counter to watch him work. His shoulders shifted under his shirt, broad and drawing your gaze. He really was sweet. And good looking. And tempting. 

Not something you needed to be thinking about, not if you wanted to sleep ever. 

"Here." Sooner than you expected, he handed over a mug. "Hope it helps." 

"Thank you." You took a sip and made a pleased noise. This was good shit (and added another layer to the temptation). "Really, thanks. You didn't need to go to all this trouble for me." 

He shook his head, one big hand curling around his own mug. "I don't mind," he murmured. "I know what it's like, to still be awake even when you want to sleep." 

You smiled at him over the rim of your mug. "And that's when I should be counting my blessings, hm?"

He grinned back at you. "Well, if you're worried and you can't sleep," he agreed easily. 

You hummed your agreement, eyes closing in bliss at your next sip. Just. Damn. "I might beg for cocoa every night now." 

"Any time you want." His smile was small but genuine and so warm. 

"Thank you for this. And for the advice." You returned his smile, something in your chest easing. 

"Any time." His gaze dipped for a moment and he licked his lips before he abruptly turned away to put the pot in the sink and let it to soak. "I'm gonna try and get some shut eye now. I hope you'll do the same." 

"I will," you agreed. "Sleep well, Frankie." 

He nodded to you and stepped out of the kitchen, heading back to his room. You watched him go and then finished your cocoa. 

You did do the dishes before you went upstairs to bed, though. 

When you got pulled into an impromptu breakfast meeting the next morning, you were very pleased to hear that Frankie had had someone book a room for two nights, starting the 24th. Frankie seemed to be baffled but pleased by this, and his friends immediately jumped into doing some repairs and housekeeping. You followed them into one of the guest cabins, taking a look at these rooms while you had a chance. 

These rooms were also nice, but somehow you preferred your room in the main house. 

Santiago pulled you into a meeting with Will and Benny, leaving Frankie in the main house to do his own chores while you all gathered in the barn. 

“What else do we still need?” Santiago asked, looking at you. 

“Most of the actual stuff,” you drawled. “We need refreshments, snacks, things like that. Now we are in luck, there are heated carafes that still work, and a popcorn machine. But we have no other drinks or snacks, and no entertainment.” 

“We should set up karaoke,” Benny offered, grinning in a way that made you very slightly afraid. “Or have music from the speakers. You said there are speakers, right?”

“Yeah, typical set up,” you agreed, eyeing him. Oh you did not like that mischievous look, not one bit. 

"We can do our thing!" Benny turned his slightly manic and amused expression on his brother. 

"No," came the immediate rejection. "Not a chance." 

"What?" You glanced between the two of them, undeniably curious. 

"You'll find out," Benny promised, grinning. "Soon enough." 

"No," Will grumbled. "She won't, because we're not doing it." 

"Just wait." Benny grinned, rubbing his hands together. 

"Ignore them," Santiago told you. "Music is a good idea. What else can we do?"

"Seasonal activities? Have a cookie decorating station, candles, maybe a wreath decorating station…" You trailed off, thinking. 

"Sounds like you've got it in hand," Santiago agreed with a grin. "You just tell us what you need done." 

"Careful, I'll hold you to that." You pulled out your phone to jot down ideas as fast as you could. 

The day zoomed away from you as you gathered supplies and shamelessly ordered the guys around on errands. They took turns helping you and helping Frankie, who had not been kidding about having his friends help with maintenance. 

And you expected everything to continue in this way - industrious and busy but filled with good cheer and hope. 

Except the evening of the 23rd, Frankie cornered you before dinner, a thunderous frown on his face. 

"You run a travel blog?" He asked, hands in loose fists at his sides. 

You swallowed and then lifted your chin. "I do." 

"Is that why you're here?" He demanded, shoulders rising. "To use me, use this place, for your blog?"

"That's why I came," you answered evenly. "But that's not why I'm still here. That's not what I'm doing now." 

"And what are you doing now?" He put his hands on his hips, mistrust writ across his face. 

You swallowed. "I'm trying to help you. Because you need it and I can offer it and there's no reason why I shouldn't. Besides, I…" You paused for a moment, searching his expression, which had shifted slightly more neutral. Very slightly. But it was a start.

"You what?" Frankie demanded, eyes narrowing again. "You're planning to profit off of this regardless?"

You pulled back, stung at the accusation. "What? No! I do not profit from others misfortune." You shook your head and then drew in a deep breath, trying to find that calm you so needed. "I was going to say… I think you're pretty great." 

He blinked, brows lifting and his lips parting a little in surprise. "You… do?"

"I do." You shrugged, finally looking away as your courage failed you. "But it doesn't matter. It's fine. I have some things to do to get ready for tomorrow, excuse me." You slipped past him and walked quickly away, heart hammering in your chest. 

You had known this was a possibility. Santiago had warned you. 

And yet you hadn't thought Frankie would actually be that mad. And, true, there hadn't been any yelling. But that look… you were pretty sure if looks could kill you'd be six feet under right now. 

Sighing, you let yourself into your room. You needed to relax a bit before bed. That's what you needed. That, and a minor miracle to occur and bring a good turnout tomorrow night. 

The morning was jam-packed with last minute preparations. Santiago had sweet-talked a local baker into bringing a bunch of goodies to sell. Will had taken the cider and coffee under control, with Benny running around doing everything else that needed doing. Frankie had been kept busy in the main house waiting for his guests to arrive. (He was up to two check ins, something that thrilled you no small amount.) 

And you? You were double checking the audio and making sure the room stayed warm and festive. You were determined that this was going to work. 

Even if you ended up having to find another place to stay, if Frankie's temper didn't cool. 

"You ready?" Santiago asked, stopping next to you near the front of the barn. Everything looked ready, about as ready as you could make it. 

"I'm ready." You smiled a little at him, nerves too sharp to allow you a full smile. "Are you bringing in Frankie first?"

"Yeah, although Ben says there are already a few people out there waiting to be let in." 

You grinned at that. At least something was going according to plan. "Alright then, you go handle Frankie and I'll help with food." You hurried off before he could protest, taking refuge behind the pastry table. 

But you did have a good view of Frankie's face when Santiago let him in. He looked awed, nearly floored by the changes in the barn, and a slow smile stole across his lips. With the twinkling Christmas lights reflected in his eyes and the stress gone from his posture, he looked… beautiful. 

And then people started arriving behind him, and soon the barn was full of soft music, laughter, and chatting. A half dozen people had shown up so far, five of whom were staying at the inn, but you held out hope that more would come. 

And more did arrive. In groups of two or three, and one bunch of nearly a dozen. It looked like most of the town had arrived, plus some. You could only hope that some of these were your readers, that you'd helped even a little. 

It was a merry gathering, and you didn't even mind that you were more or less working through it. Just seeing Frankie laughing with Santiago and Will was enough for you. This was your good deed for the year. 

And then Benny hopped up onto the makeshift stage with a microphone (where in the world had he gotten that?) and a Cheshire cat grin. 

"Good evening everyone! Thanks for coming, we hope you enjoy, all that good stuff. There's food and drink, and for your entertainment, my brother and I will start us off with some music!" 

"No!" Will yelled, to much laughter and applause. 

"You gotta do it now," Santiago needled, grinning mercilessly. 

"Don't look at me," Frankie laughed when Will turned a reproachful look his way. "I didn't do shit." 

Will dropped his head with a sigh. Then he glared at Santiago. "You watch the drinks," he growled before he turned and stomped away. 

You blinked after him, undeniably curious. Benny had promised that you'd see whatever this was, after all, and you desperately wanted to know. It must be something interesting, for Will to protest so vehemently. 

"Just wait," Santiago said, and you jumped. "This will be good." 

You didn't have long to wait. Will and Benny walked out, each carrying a very large blue feathered fan. Benny had on a matching blue tutu over his pants and an absolutely devious grin. Music started, and you clapped a hand over your mouth as you recognized the song. 

"Sisters" was an unusual choice for the two brothers but their antics lip-syncing to the song left you (and the rest of the crowd) in stitches. Your favorite moment was when Will held the fan up in front of Benny's face, closely followed by Benny whapping Will in the stomach three times in a row with the fan. Even Will was laughing by the end of the song. 

And that seemed to open the floodgates, as soon people were requesting specific songs (mostly Christmas themes but not all) and singing along, although nobody did a performance quite like the brothers. 

Benny had shooed you out from behind the pastry cart, shoving some warm cider in your hands and telling you to go have fun. So you did. Or you started to, standing back from the established groups chatting and singing and laughing. 

"You know," Frankie said quietly from right next to you and very nearly giving you a heart attack, "I haven't thanked you yet." 

"What?" You turned to look at him properly, eyes wide. 

"For all of this. You didn't have to do any of this." He looked down at the floor, scuffing one shoe against the floor. "The guys told me what you did, all of it. I… I'm sorry, for how I acted last night." He glanced at you through his lashes. 

"It's fine," you murmured automatically. "All is forgiven." 

He finally lifted his gaze to yours and your breath caught in your throat. He was smiling, just a little, eyes warm as he looked at you. 

Oh.

"I found your blog," he muttered, shifting his weight but stubbornly holding your gaze. "It looks good. You're very eloquent."

It was your turn to warm and look at the floor. "Thanks," you murmured, clutching your cider. "I appreciate that." 

"Hey," Santiago stopped next to the two of you, grinning broadly. "You need to see this." 

You and Frankie exchanged curious looks before you followed Santiago to the back of the room, to the big barn doors. Santiago hauled one open a few inches, letting in a burst of cold air and an unmistakable flurry of snow. Frankie held out one hand, watching as a few flakes drifted onto his hand. 

"Open the doors," you told Santiago with an excited grin. "People will want to see this." 

Leaving them to open the doors, you ran back to the sound system, switching the song quickly to the most appropriate one you could think of. As Bing Crosby's crooning started, you waved to Benny and pointed excitedly to the back. 

It took only moments for word to go around, and then there was a surge as everyone ran to the back to look out at the snow slowly falling. A cheer went up and then there was more laughter and singing along. 

Somehow you ended up next to Frankie again, tucked close to his side by the press of bodies around you. 

"A little Christmas miracle," you murmured, grinning. 

"Another one." Frankie looked down at you, smiling a little. One of the kids ran past you to get outside, jostling you even closer to Frankie, who took the chance to wrap one arm around your waist. 

"Oh look!" Benny suddenly declared quite loudly from… above you? You and Frankie both looked up to find Benny clinging to the top of one door like a deranged lemur, grinning like a maniac and holding mistletoe above your heads. "Guess you gotta kiss now!" 

Frankie sighed, dropping his head to his chest. But you just laughed, raising one hand to cup his cheek. 

"It is traditional," you murmured, faux-serious, though you couldn't contain your grin. 

"Wouldn't want to deprive Will of killing Ben," Frankie agreed with a wry smile. But the warmth in his eyes held your doubts at bay as he leaned in and kissed you, soft and sweet. For those few moments in time, the rest of the world fell away. 

He pulled back, lights sparkling in his eyes, and you breathed out slowly. 

And then Ben whooped like the lunatic he clearly was, Will started scolding him, and Santiago said something about lovebirds. Frankie's shoulders shook with his laughter. 

"Welcome to the madhouse, you get used to them eventually," he told you, refusing to let go of you. 

"I bet I will." You smiled back at him, ignoring Benny as he half-fell off the door but landed on his feet. You ignored the people still around you and the cold air and everything else, instead choosing to lean in closer and sing quietly along with the last lines of the song. 

"May your days be merry and bright, and may all your Christmases be white." 

[tomtenadia]

Station 5 - chapter 2

ONE

Good evening/ day/ night

Here I am with another chapter of Station 5. I have been slowly writing this fic and I have 8 chapters but for some reason it still fights me and I can’t find the right flow to it. 

Ach well... for now I hope you will like ch 2.

CW: very light depiction of ptsd, language.

-------

Rowan lay awake in his bunk. Station 5 was a very modern firehouse and every firefighter had a small private room with a bed and a nightstand. It was not a palace but it was good enough to ensure some privacy and peace, without having people snoring around you. 

That quiet had however, the nasty downside of allowing his brain to just wander and just replay that fateful night when his career went belly up. A constant reminder and the stabbing sense of guilt that he had survived but three of his colleagues had not. 

With a deep sigh he rolled over and pushed off the bed in his sweatpants and a t-shirt then decided to wander to the common room where, to his surprise he found Lorcan.

“Hey, can’t sleep?”

Rowan shook his head and sat down on the sofa “Getting adjusted I think…”

Lorcan was silent for a moment “What happened, man? Last I heard you were a captain, and now you come back as a probie?”

Rowan looked away and ignored his friend, then looked back at the dark-haired man “Bad call.”

He was not ready yet, the wound still to fresh. Discussing it with the captain and the chief had been enough. Mentally, he was not ready yet to admit it to his new team.

Lorcan waited for more but he knew Rowan well enough that he was not going to offer more. 

On that aspect they were practically identical. People had to extract information from them with brute force.

“Well, whatever happened, you are here now and I can keep an eye on you.”

Rowan gave his friend a timid smile “Sure, Lor.”

“Shut up, smartass or I send you to the captain.”

“She hates me.”

Lorcan made a sound that resembled a chuckle “Believe me, we are not best buddies either, but I like her style.”

“What’s her deal with the kid?”

Lorcan patted his friend on the back “not my story to tell,” he stood “go back and get as much beauty sleep as you can.”

Rowan went to the kitchen, grabbed a glass of water and eventually dragged himself back to bed.

It was the middle of the night when dispatch alarm went off, awakening all the inhabitants of station 5. Rowan jumped out of his bed with practiced skill and ran to the apron where he met the rest of the team doing the same thing. Quickly wore his bunker gear, grabbed his jacket and then stopped. The captain had forgotten to tell him if he was serving on truck or engine.

“Probie, get your arse on truck.” He followed Aelin’s orders and climbed at the back with Fen and the guy with dark blue hair called Dorian. Aedion was at the wheel while Aelin was on the passenger seat since she was the captain. 

Fen yapped away happily, while Rowan stared out of the window and got mentally ready to his first call. He felt nervous. It had been a year since the fire that had changed his life. Firefighting had become like second nature, but now a pang of anxiety was tying his stomach in knots. He had to relax. He knew that nervousness in his job could be dangerous. So he closed his eyes and descended in his glacial calm.

They arrived a good five minutes later and the vehicles stopped in front of a building on fire. Oh good, a nice structure fire. Quickly he got off truck and started following Aelin’s orders. 

“Probie, you are coming in. Where I walk, you walk.”

Rowan grumbled silently, grabbed his gear and followed his captain inside. The fire was rolling and they both headed upstairs and methodically started primary search room by room. The smoke was so thick that it was hard to see much, so he went on his knees and started sweeping for victims. If he happened to get separated from the captain he could use the excuse that visibility was hell. 

He was about to call for the all clear when all of a sudden he felt a hand. Slowly followed it until he touched the person’s head. His fingers searched for a pulse and when he got one, albeit shallow, he pulled the victims towards him “I am taking this person out,” he shouted at the captain. 

When no answer came he just grabbed the victim and found his way back outside where the paramedics were waiting for the patients. In the distance he spotted the chief and hoped he was not in trouble already. Ten minutes on a call and he had already broken the rules. Quickly he ran back inside and tried to find the captain again. Maybe she had not noticed. He threw himself inside another room and started another sweep until he bumped into a familiar body. Lorcan was in front of him “you take that end. We are still looking for two victims.”

Lorcan was a lieutenant, his superior and that was an order. Screw the captain.

“Copy that.” Swiftly he moved away and went back to his job.

He crawled on his knees until he found two bodies “Lor, help me, I have someone.” The other man found his way on the other side of the room and amidst the thick smoke, they freed one victim each, shouted the all clear for their sector to the team and ran out. Outside, Rowan pulled his mask off his face and popped open his bunker jacket and coughed hard. Dorian passed him a bottle of water “The first kid you took out is at Med and he will be fine.”

Rowan nodded “Thank you.”

“She will eat you alive, you know?”

“I saved three lives,” he coughed “she can shout all she wants.”

Dorian laughed and patted him “Welcome to the team, Rowan. You will fit in perfectly.”

* 

The ride back to the station had been quiet. The captain at the front chatted away with Aedion and he, for the time being, was still alive. Back at the station everyone climbed off with loud groans while he took it a bit slower and hid in the gear room. They would all run to the bathroom to get cleaned up. He could wait.

In the locker room he met Lorcan and Fen and he felt at ease. They were friendly faces. 

His locker was just beside’s Brullo. The man had been welcoming too but Rowan still kept his distance. He removed his uniform and pulled a towel around his waist, then jumped into the sweet oblivion of a warm shower.

He had probably basked in that hot shower a bit too long, but he had been the last one in so he just indulged. After nine people took hot showers however, the room was filled with thick steam and his body clashed with the one who was getting out of the shower next to him.

“Hey, watch out.”

Blue eyes looked up at him and he saw the captain, wrapped in a blue towel. Her stare landed on him and a strange light flickered in them making him suddenly aware of his body only covered by a small towel. 

“Get dressed newbie and come to my office.” 

Rowan stood and watched the woman storm out of the shower block. Yeah, she was not nice to him, but the man in him could not deny she was hot.

*

Aelin rushed back to her quarters, shut the door quickly and sat on her bunk bed. She had crashed into him. Into his glorious, wet, hard, tattooed chest. And his eyes. They were the most stunning pine green and in that brief second they seemed to stare deep into her soul. Aelin groaned annoyed. She was not an hormonal teenager, damn it. She was a captain and a mother, she had no place in getting all flustered by a set of pretty green eyes and a muscular body.

Quickly Aelin wore her clean uniform and while dressing up she convinced herself that she was mad at him for disobeying in the fire. She had to focus on that.

But he saved three lives. 

“Blasted conscience,” she mumbled while tying her hair.

She tried to ignore the voice of reason and concentrate on her displeasure.

She sighed, went to seat behind her desk and waited for him.

Eventually Rowan knocked at the door and she called him in.

“Take a seat, Whitethorn.”

He sat down and crossed one leg above the other almost in challenge.

“Do we speak a strange language here in Terrasen? Do you require an interpreter?”

Rowan looked at her puzzled.

“I had asked you to stay attached to my backside, to be my shadow. Which part of my order you did not understand?”

Rowan breathed in and pushed his frustration down “With all due respect, I saved three people. I am not a fucking newbie fresh out of the academy. I know the hell I am doing. I know how a structure fire works, so stop treating me like an incompetent.” He shouted. He tried to control himself but in the end he failed.

Aelin stood and leaned against the windowsill “While you are in my house and until I say so, you are a candidate. That was the deal, Whitethorn,” she spat back.

“Are you fucking serious?” He stood and stared at the woman in front of him with defiance “Are you telling me that I need to ignore twenty years of training? That if I see a victim I don’t do anything until my captain tells me so?”

Aelin’s stare hardened and walked out from behind the desk and stopped in front of his towering figure “You pull a stunt and endanger one of my firefighters and you are out of the TFD forever.”

“I was a captain when you still were trying to figure out how to leave your bunker gear neatly near the truck. Stop being a spoiled brat.”

He had gone too far and from her expression he was positive of that. Well done Rowan, You idiot.

“Tomorrow before we finish our shift you will spend the morning scrubbing the kitchen. I want it so shiny that I can use it as a mirror.”

“Yes captain.”

Aelin sat back down  “you are dismissed.”

Half an hour later Elide and Lysandra popped in the office. It was in the middle of the night, but after a call, most of them struggled to go back to sleep.

“So,” started Lysandra while plopping on the sofa with a tub of pop corn “We saw our newbie come and visit you. Any scoop?”

“Lor told me that Rowan was asking about you.”

Aelin grabbed some of the pop corn too “Yeah I noticed he was quite chummy with him and Fen.”

Elide nodded “Lor said that they know him from back in Wendlyn and served together in a firehouse and added that he was a damn great firefighter.”

Until he fucked up added Aelin silently.              

Now she was intrigued by her friend’s comment.

“Any scoop? I can’t read him and he is so infuriating.”

Lysandra laughed “Or maybe you are just attracted to him? You can deny that the man is a hot piece of candy.”

Aelin scoffed loudly.

“Darling, maybe it’s time to get laid again? Your ex Chaol was the last one and you have definitely scrub away the cobwebs and hide the mistake in your closet of shame.”

“I got Aisling out of that. And she is not a mistake.” Added Aelin with a bit too much bite.

“I know,” added Lys at her friend sad expression.

“I am not dating. My daughter has the priority and I can’t allow anyone in.”

Lysandra and Elide threw popcorn at her “Booo. Boring.”

“Also, he is a candidate. So big no no.”

Lysandra chuckled “Uhhh forbidden love makes things spicy though.”

“Is he really though? A newbie, I mean. Dorian told me that the way he acted in the fire was not the way a newbie would. He was far too good.”

Aelin sighed. The real reason of Rowan’s presence at Station 5 was known only to her, Aedion and Gavriel. If he wanted to tell everyone, that was his choice but she was not going to blab on confidential details. “Maybe just very skilled.”

“Fine, keep your secrets.”

“I can ask Lor if he has some interesting tidbits about him.”

Aelin smiled “Please do.”

Elide stood “well ladies, this woman here is going to bed because I am pooped.”

Both Lys and Elide left the office and Aelin paced the space for a while until exhaustion took over and decided to go to baed.

*

After the meeting with Aelin, Rowan had gone back in the common room and tried to blend in with the team. They were all good people and Fen had helped to act as a bridge and apart from Aedion, they all had been welcoming. Even Manon had showed a hint of friendliness. To be honest, the woman scared him. 

Now it was the following morning and he was ready to go back home. As per the captain’s orders he had scrubbed the kitchen until it was perfect and met her standards, but now he was ready to go home.

He had joined halfway through the shift, but for the next one he would be in from the start. After a year he realised it would take him a bit longer to recover and get back in the groove of the long shifts.

He was on the apparatus floor when he stopped at happy the voices near the big rolling doors. Rowan stared at the image in front of him. A woman who looked like an older version of Aelin and then a little girl with brown hair and bright blue eyes. Without intruding he studied the interaction. He watched Aelin lift her daughter in his arms, and the smile that blossomed on her face was one of the most beautiful things he ever saw. He was curious. He did not spot a wedding ring and now a million questions rushed in.

He could ask Fen, the man loved to gossip. 

Maybe next shift.

For now, he was looking to go back to his flat and start to unpack and make the flat look like a liveable place.

Start to feel at home in a city where he still felt like a stranger.

TAGS:

@rowaelinismyotp @swankii-art-teacher @whimsicallyreading @elentiyawhitethorn @aelin-bitch-queen @bruiseonthefaceofhumanity  @mis-lil-red @thegreyj @sailorsassley @leiawritesstories @clairec79 @morganofthewildfire @sv0430 @heartless--aromantic @autumnbabylon @rowanaelinn @backtobl4ck @susumaus98  @gracie-rosee @mybloodrunsblue @tanvee1231 @avenrebekah @whoever-you-choose-to-love  @theywillnotsingforme @universallytreepost @black-daisy-water @goddess-aelin @whispers-in-the-darkest-heart @lovely-dove-zee @athena127

[missgurrl]

Hoofprints - Chapter 2

Summary: You are the live-in stable hand at Peña Ranch. What happens when the owner of the ranch’s son, Javier, comes back to town? Will you finally be able to open yourself up to love and trust after being hurt?

Word count: 1429

A/N: I hope you enjoy chapter 2. I had fun writing this but it was certainly difficult. Every like, reblog, and comment is appreciated and I am happy to add you to a taglist❤️

Read on AO3 Chapter 1

Javier was looking out the window by the kitchen sink while sipping on his morning coffee. He couldn’t blame himself for watching you work with your young horse in the round pen. He couldn’t stop thinking about the dinner that you two shared together last night. There was something about you that seemed special and drew him in.

The chuckling behind him made him jump and almost spill his coffee.

“Caught red handed,” Chucho teased.

Javier rolled his eyes and said, “I’m just watching her work with that new horse, pop. She was telling me about him last night over dinner.”

Chucho’s eyes widened, “I told you to bring her dinner, mijo. Not have dinner with her!”

Javier shrugged and glanced out the window again, “she seemed to enjoy my company. Said it would be nice to have another friend around here.”

“What, I’m not good enough for her now?” Chucho joked.

“You know what I mean. I can tell how much she appreciates you as a boss and a buddy” Javier replied.

“Yeah, I get it. Just don’t go breaking her heart now, yeah? She’s a real nice young lady and I want her stickin’ around,” Chucho said while grabbing himself a breakfast pastry and then heading towards the door. “If you want to be ‘friends’ with her so badly then go help her check fences before lunch!” Chucho called on his way out.

“Alright, I think that’s enough for today buddy,” you said to Beau as you walked him out of the round pen.

You tied Beau up and went to grab his box of brushes. When you returned, you saw Javier standing before the horse and giving him some scratches.

“I’ve been given orders to check fences with you this morning,” Javier said with a smirk.

“Hmm, ‘orders’, huh?” you tried to say playfully. “Well alright, you can take Sweetie. She’s an old mare that’ll take good care of you.”

“Whatever you say, cowgirl” Javier said with a wink.

You giggled and shook your head. You put Beau back in his stall and then directed Javier towards his horse.

You asked Javier if he needed any help getting the horse saddled since it had been so long, but he said it was like muscle memory for him.

After the fact, he secretly wished that he said yes just for the opportunity to be closer to you.

Once the two of you were tacked up and ready to go, you mounted your horses and headed towards the back of the ranch.

“You can follow behind me until we get to the clearing. It’s gotten really overgrown in this area,” you proclaimed.

Javier was preoccupied by the way your hips swayed back and forth as your body effortlessly followed the movement of the horse’s steps.

You eventually reached the clearing after weaving your way through the thorny bushes and trees. Javier picked up the pace to position himself on your left with Sweetie. You began around the perimeter of the cows’ fence looking for any damages due to last week’s storm.

“So, how did you end up in this area? Or have you always lived here?” Javier asked.

Trying not to get too personal, you said, “Oh I grew up about an hour away. Just kind of wanted a fresh start.”

Javier nodded understandingly. Even though he knew you were being vague, he decided not to press. “A fresh start can be exactly what you need to get back on track. That’s kind of where I’m at right now.”

“Oh really?” You looked over at him curiously.

“I resigned from the DEA the day I flew home.”

“Oh wow, I’m surprised. I thought you were just visiting,” you looked over at him. “The way your dad talks I figured you loved it. What made you resign?”

Javier let out a long laugh. “That’s a great question. Honestly, I was burned out. Spent too much time chasing the same criminals and not enough time seeing them put away.” He looked down at the reins in his hands to avoid your eye contact. You could tell there was more to the story that was bothering him.

“I’m sorry, Javi. I’m glad you’re taking a break and using the opportunity to relax. I’m sure it wasn’t easy.”

The two of continued to ride in silence along the fence for a while.

“I could see myself being happy here,” he said while looking out at the scenery. “As long as you don’t mind another coworker, that is” he smirked at you.

“I think I could manage” you giggled.

Just then you got an idea. You pushed Whiskey forward and hollered, “if you want to work with me then you’ve got to keep up!”

Javier laughed along with you as you raced back to the barn. He leaned forward in his saddle and pushed Sweetie into a full gallop sending up a cloud of dirt behind him. He almost caught up to you, but you still remained two paces ahead of him.

You both began to slow, and Javier turned to you with a smile. “You’ve got some serious skills,” he laughed again, still out of breath from the ride. He moved his horse closer to yours, nudging his shoulder against yours and teased, “Good thing I’m not chasing you down for work.”

“Yeah, I think those DEA agents would have to watch out for me,” you gave a sly smile while wondering how something as simple as this could give you butterflies.

You spent the rest of the day cleaning stalls with nothing but the sound of the barn swallows chirping and horses munching on their hay.

Chucho mentioned he was making one of your favorite dishes tonight and with the knowledge that Javier would be there, you were sure to take a shower and change into fresh clothes. It was about time you admitted to yourself that you had a crush on the man. You tossed on a pair of pale blue cut offs and a paisley spaghetti strap top before heading over to the main house.

Your heart warmed to see Javier helping his father chop up the vegetables that accompanied dinner. He looked over his shoulder and gave you a warm smile before asking if you wanted red or white wine.

Dinner went great with Chucho sharing his favorite stories of Javier growing up. You felt like you were beginning to get to know him a lot better just by hearing what sports he used to play, the different family trips they used to go on, and most interesting of all – the trouble he would get in as a boy. You started to gather that he had the reputation of quite the ladies’ man. It didn’t come to you as a surprise, but it made you curious as to what it would be like to be called his.

After helping Chucho clear the table, you announced that it was time to turn in for the night.

“I’ll walk you back,” Javier almost murmured to you.

You smiled and nodded to him. Even though your tiny house was just across the driveway, you wouldn’t dare object to those warm, inviting eyes.

As you reached your porch, Javier put his arm on one of the supporting beams and aided his weight over you. “I had a really great time on our ride this morning,” he said in his deep, baritone voice.

“I enjoyed it too, Javi,” you whispered as he brushed a stray bunch of your hair from your face with his free hand.

Your heart beat faster as Javier moved his gaze from your eyes to your mouth. You couldn’t believe this was happening.

You both leaned in towards each other slowly, gently grazing your noses and then barely your lips to test the waters. As Javier’s lips began to part, you sucked in a sharp breath out of nerves, and then pressed your lips against his.

The kiss was soft, gentle. His plump lips moved with yours as if they were a puzzle piece. You didn’t want his moment to end. Yet before you knew it, he was leaning his forehead against yours.  

“Sweet dreams,” he said before whispering your name.

“Night, Javi,” you whispered back as you brushed your hand down his arm to find his hand.

He gave you one more tender kiss before he squeezed your hand and turned around to go back to the house.

It was the second night in a row that you watched him walk away with a smile on your face.

[oddcryptidwrites]

Knight of Dawn, Chapter 14 [NYTF]

Meetings with JUST Councilor Miles were getting worse and worse.

Combing their hair back, Piers sighed as they tried to cool their temper. Miles sat at the other end of the long table, reading through each page of their inflation reduction proposal word by word. She didn’t speak, her brow furrowed, lines cutting deep across her forehead. Her glasses sat low on her nose, as her eyes scanned every line. They weren’t sure if she was reading that slowly purposefully or not, and honestly, they didn’t care anymore.

“Overall 1% increase until…” She muttered then looked up at Piers, “Don’t you think that’s excessive on the interest rates? If you’re increasing it and tax rates simultaneously, you’re going to tank the state economy. Plus with the current loan that Rome has from the state government, you’re never going to get Councilor Green to pass this.”

Piers bit their tongue, until a metallic taste filled their mouth, avoiding direct eye contact and staring at her hands.  Rolling her eyes and shutting the proposal folio, the eldest councilor glared at Piers, frustrated, “Look. You’re not going to get me to agree to anything a royal puts in front of me that I don’t have at least some hand in writing, and that includes Councilors Johnson and Sidney, since I know you’re buddy-buddy with them both. I learned that lesson with your mother. Let me keep this, and add some of my own thoughts and experience to this. I’ve been Councilor longer than you’ve been alive...” Miles paused. Piers continued to avoid eye contact. “…This isn’t going to make me want to agree with you. You’re acting like a petulant child who isn’t getting their way.”

Piers retorted,“I am not acting like a child. I’m…thinking.” 

The large conference room fell awkwardly silent, save for the buzzing of the overhead fluorescent lights. They weren’t going to engage with her for their own sanity. 

Finally, Miles spoke, irritation creeping into her stern voice as she pushed her rolling chair away from the table, standing, “I’m going to leave this here with you. If you want my help, if you want to get anything passed, you’re going to let me have my hand at writing and editing some of these proposals. You are not going to bully me into passing whatever you want. It’s called compromising. Learn it.”

Miles left, quietly closing the door behind her and Piers was finally alone in the big conference room. They finally let the tension subside from their shoulders, getting up from their own seat, and leaving the portfolio behind. Hansel was expecting them and Piers had no intention of dealing with anything Miles had said for at least a day.

The Palace was busy, people hustling here and bustling there. With their head down, Piers made their way through the masses of servers and guardsmen and everyone in between. They managed to go unnoticed in the elevator, as five guardsmen, dressed in identical dark grey and green dress uniforms, packed in there with them. Gold emblems adorned the lapels of ther jacket collar, denoting their status as low-rank Special Operations agents. As they arrived at the main kitchen’s floor, the guards stepped out of the elevator, laughing amongst themselves. Others took their place, packing the elevator full. The line for lunch stretched all the way down the hall, a mix of military and civilian workers. While they waited, Piers scrolled through the various messages they’d received throughout their meeting, answering the most urgent questions and leaving the rest for later. 

“What can I do for you?”  A woman’ voice jerked their attention from their work. She stood behind the long counter, holding a plastic to-go box in her gloved hand. Behind the glass, a variety of food had been displayed, some likely leftovers, some fresh. They spotted a variety of fried foods and casseroles, and prayed there would be something they could eat without their stomach deciding to get sick.

”I’m actually going to be grabbing a meal for myself and a friend-“

She rolled her eyes, interrupting them in a monotone voice, “I can only do one tray at a time. If you want another tray you need to return to the back of the line.”

Piers blinked incredulously, taking a moment to just stare at the woman. The gears turned in her head before she recognized them.

“I apologize-”

They waved their hand, shushing her, “Just get two boxes, I have to run.”

The woman nodded furiously, pulling another box from the dwindling stack, then yelled back to her coworkers. Piers picked out both their food, and the list of what Hansel had sent them. Over the glass case, the woman handed Piers the two boxes, and they slipped out, not having to worry about meal points.

The elevator got emptier and emptier as they rode up to the studio floor, until they were all alone for the last stretch. They scanned their wrist as the last person got off, without even recognizing them, and pressed the button for floor 59. The ride lasted for a few more seconds, then the silver doors slid open. Bubbly pop music and Hansel’s out-of-tune singing could be heard from all the way down the hall, as they approached the large room at the end. 

“Your lunch has arrived.” Piers knocked loudly on the doorframe. The singing and music stopped, and Hansel slid around the corner, seated on a rolling stool. He grinned, hopping up and taking the plastic container that Piers offered them.

Hansel brushed his hair behind his ears, before opening the container and taking a deep inhale, “Dude, I was so excited when Gret told me they were gonna have the stewed lentils and rice at the line. I could eat it every day.”

Piers laughed, “And I remembered today why I don’t go down to the line very often.”

At one of the tables, Hansel cleared papers and fabric samples to the side before motioning for Piers to join him. They passed him a set of metal utensils, and they both began to eat. Mouth half-full, Hansel opened up a file of outfits he’d been working on for them and shared it, everything from rough sketches to fully sewn projects, just awaiting the final tailoring.

“And this one,” he pulled up one of the last files in the bunch, having just swallowed his last bite of food, “It’s a potential outfit for you to wear for your birthday event, whatever you’re calling it. It’s not done as I’m working on a complimentary outfit to go with it, but I wanted to get your thoughts. It’s not at all something you’ve worn in the past, but I think it’d be nice and get you out of wearing just suits. I know that’s what you’re comfortable with, and you generally present more masculine, but it’s just an option.” 

He showed them a rough sketch, a beautiful emerald green dress with a high neckline, but low cut sides and back, and a high slit on the right thigh that would likely be revealing a little too much if they weren’t careful.

They weren’t sure if they’d ever wear it, but it was certainly something they’d at least give a shot.

“Anyway,” Hansel closed the drawing, a grin on his face, “You ready to get ready for tonight?"

NYTF WIP PAGE

TAG LIST: @author-a-holmes, @soul-write @flowerprose @ceph-the-ghost-writer @theglitchywriterboi @when-wax-wings-melt @thechaoticflowergarden @lyralit @penspiration-writing @samatedeansbroccoli @charlesjosephwrites @italiangothicwriteblr @thetruearchmagos @pineapple-lover-boy @unilightwrites @sanguine-arena @bardic-tales @joshuaorrizonte @blind-the-winds @circa-specturgia @hymnonlips @aloeverawrites @the-stray-storyteller @writeblrsupport @starlit-skys @kyuponstories @guessillcallitart @magic-is-something-we-create @talesofsorrowandofruin @writingonmymind @imslowlydisintegrating @worldsfromhoney

[trans-spidey]

Mattfoggy fic prompt: “It was always you.”

"It was always you."

Summary: Matt accidentally confesses his feelings to Foggy while drunk and has to deal with the aftermath (his own feelings more than anything)

A/N: Ty for the prompt! I had fun with writing it!!

Also on ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/42284298

“It was always you,” Matt regretted the words the moment they slipped from his mouth, his chest tightening, the taste of the whiskey still fresh on his tongue, his grip tightening a little on the glass in his hand, “I-I mean-shit.”

He put the glass down on the bar, the back of his throat burning, tears stinging in his eyes-thank god for the terrible lighting and his dark glasses.

“I-God this is not how this was supposed to go-I didn’t mean-I didn’t think I would-could tell you. I-” Matt took a deep, shaky breath, his chest aching.

“Have you ever loved someone so much that it hurts? You want them happy no matter what but it aches, it aches because you know there is not a chance in heaven or hell that they would ever date you and even if they wanted to be with you, you feel-” Matt swallowed, sniffling and taking another swig of his whiskey, it burning the back of his throat, “You feel so-so-so unworthy of loving them or being loved by them that it hurts.”

“Foggy, I’ve loved you for years, I know it’s not going anywhere. It turned from me not knowing what I was feeling to-to accidentally falling for you and falling hard, I tried to pretend I wasn’t you were my roommate and-and you were my only friend and-fuck-you were the first person to care since my dad died. I wanted to stop having stupid feelings, I wanted to stop daydreaming about telling you how I felt, I wanted to stop daydreaming about you calling me your boyfriend and telling me you love me too, I wanted to stop my heart soaring every single time you laughed at one of my jokes. You made me family, you made me feel loved, I didn’t ever want to lose that-I didn’t want to lose you.”

“I never want to lose you, I’ve done some incredibly stupid things over the years Fogs, I know I have, but if I did anything to ever lose you, I know it’d officially be my dumbest thing. I love you and I’m so sorry this is how it came out, I’m so sorry I didn’t think before I spoke,” Matt finished, squeezing his eyes shut behind his glasses, trying to force himself not to cry. He finished his drink a moment later, placing the glass back on the bar and immediately grabbing the bottle to refill it, desperately praying he could drink himself into oblivion and forget this moment.

“You done Matty?” Foggy said softly, carefully placing a hand over Matt’s and moving the bottle.

“Yeah-yeah I’m done,” He let Foggy take the bottle from his hands, moving to pull his hands back and fidget with his cane.

“Okay, well, first, Matthew Murdock, I mean this with all the love and respect in the world, you are a colossal idiot if you think I am ever going to leave you, and if you think I am going to leave you because you love me,” He said, maintaining a gentle tone throughout, trying to calm Matt down, “Hey, seriously. After all our stupid fights in courtoom bathrooms, you think I’d leave you over this? Never, even if I didn’t feel the same way. I’m not leaving you Matt, not for anything. We’re in this together, yeah?”

“But-”

“No buts. Seriously. Look, you’re stuck with me Murdock, seriously. As long as you don’t pull some lying to my friends-my family-for years to come shit again, then I’m here. I’m here buddy. I’m not bailing on you.”

Tears rolled down Matt’s cheeks and without a second thought, Foggy wrapped him up in a hug, pulling him close, “It’s alright buddy, c’mon. I think we’ve both had enough to drink for one night, yeah?”

When he felt him nod a little, he started to get their stuff together, gently placing Matt’s jacket over his shoulders, wiping his tears once he moved back. He grabbed his cane, carefully folding it up for him and then offering him his arm. Once he felt Matt holding onto his elbow, he waved to Josie and led him out quietly.

God he felt like such an idiot. He felt like he’d blown everything. Foggy has been so nice to him, probably just because he knew he was drunk and emotional and now in the morning they were going to have to have a Talk™ about this and everything was going to be awkward again, their interactions were going to go back to being stiff and painful and forced.

He gripped a little tighter to the inside of Foggy’s elbow, anything he was saying drowned out by his loud thoughts and the overwhelming, crushing guilt he felt for putting his friend in an awkward spot yet again. His heart was aching.

“Hey,” Foggy whispered, nudging him from his thoughts, “Cab’s here Matty, just in front of you, to take us back to your place, yeah?”

“Yeah-yeah, home sounds good.” Matt felt for the car door and got in, Foggy getting in too beside him, telling the driver where to go and taking Matt’s hand gently to remind him he’s there.

The cab ride was mostly silent, the driver talking on bluetooth while driving them. Once they arrived, Foggy led him back to his apartment quietly, still holding his hand and carrying his cane.

“Alright, get ready for bed Matty. I’ll grab you some water and some aspirin for the morning.”

Matt nodded, rubbing his eyes and keeping his hand on the wall as he walked to his room, kicking off his shoes as he walked. He changed and put his glasses on his nightstand, crawling into bed under his duvet, pulling it over his head.

“G’night Matt,” He walked over, placing a glass of water and the box of aspirin beside his glasses on  the nightstand, “Water just next to you for the morning.” He walked back into the other room and Matt curled up small, hoping he could get some sleep and forget this ever happened.

 The next morning, Matt got up, pausing for a moment as bile rose up in the back of his throat. “Fuck,” He mumbled, sitting back down for a moment fumbling for the water, taking a couple sips before trying again, lightly hitting the clock beside him.

7:04AM

He pulled his sleeves over his hands, rubbing his face and walking into the next room, freezing in the doorway.

There was snoring on his couch.

There was someone on his couch.

He closed his eyes for a moment, focusing his senses on the person on the couch. It was Foggy, it was just Foggy. He should’ve just recognized the snoring by itself from college.

He went forward to the kitchen, grabbing a protein bar and sitting down, letting his head fall lightly onto the table, sighing softly.

He had no idea what he was going to do.

He had no idea how it was going to go.

Foggy stirred after a couple moments, sitting up quickly, “Matty? Matt?” He looked over, “Hey-hey, how’s your head buddy?”

“It’s okay, I’m alright. How was the couch?” He wanted to throw up making small talk after the previous night, lifting his head from the table and turning to him.

“Not too bad,” He chuckled, “So… I figured, maybe we should talk about what happened yesterday at Josie’s.”

“Listen, I-” He started, taking a deep breath, “I-”

“I am willing to forget it if you want me to, but I don’t want to. Matty, I’ve been in love with you since our first year of college. I’m in love with you. It was always you for me too buddy.”

Matt froze, his heart pounding in his chest.

“I just figured,” He continued, “With Elektra and Karen and your general you-ness, you weren’t interested in guys or..in me or anything.” He shrugged, walking over to sit with Matt.

“It was always you, man.” His voice was softer now, hoping he was making eye contact with Foggy as he faced where his voice was coming from, “Always you for me.”

His heartbeat was hammering in his ears. “Can I-?” Matt asked softly, leaning forward, his fingertips ghosting the edge of his jawline.

Foggy leaned forward, closing the gap between them, kissing him softly.

He pulled back after a brief moment, “I-I figured that was where you were going.”

Matt leaned back in and kissed him again, his hands on his cheeks, pulling him closer.

[lorellaishc]

Hiding Place

(( @daily-writing-challenge February 2023, Day 6, Devoted, Trauma, CW: none))

Turoxxien snarled as she blasted open the collapsed cave enterance, sending her tarasek minions scattering. The magics of the dragonflights subsided back into her scales as she stalked forward, full of fury. "Get in there and find that dwarf! I will have that relic she stole in the name of the Sundered Flame, or I will take out my anger on you!" she bellowed, urging her followers forward. The fires of anger still burned under her scales, she had been so -close- to the relic when that dwarf girl had run through and snatched it. The pursuit had been harrowing, but they'd finally cornered the dwarf in this cave when an explosion had collapsed the entrance. Turoxxien sneered with joy when she looked around though, there were no exits, aside from a few small cracks that allowed water to flow in. "You've led me on a merry chase, dwarf, but it's over! If you want to survive, show yourself and give me the relic, and your weapons, and I -may- choose mercy!"

"Missstress, there's no one in here! She may have fooled us with an illusion!" one of her minions reported, bowing and scraping before her, before jumping back from a firey blast.

"Impossible! I am no easy dupe for such magics! I know she's in here!"

"I am sorry mistress, but we've searched everywhere! The only living beings in here are the hornswogs!" the minion explained, cowering and pointing at the trio of dragon-frogs. Turoxxien snarled as she regarded the creatures. They were so common and stolid that as far as she was concerned they were just part of the topography. Two red-scaled and one black-scaled hornswogs sat at the back of the cave, their blank expressions completely ignoring the tarasek that crawled about, lifting up comically small rocks and digging in the dirt in search of their prey.

Turoxxien felt the rage building again, as she looked into the eyes of the hornswogs. The complete lack of care of anything around them, the confidence and fearlessness made her angry. She stalked up to the creatures, baring her teeth and letting flames dance on her lips. The hornswogs looked on placidly, the blackscaled one stupidly letting part of its tongue just sit between its lips. "RRRAGH!" Turoxxien bellowed, blasting at the roof and turning on her heel. "Enough of this! Get out there and find that dwarf if it's the last thing you do!"

The tarasek scattered into the wilds to continue their hunt. Furious at her failure, Turoxxien finally left the cavern herself, swearing vengeance on all dwarf-kind for this insult. After several minutes, the black-scaled hornswog, looking at the others conspiratorially, opened his mouth, ejecting a very drool covered Lorellai. She removed her breathing mask, and took a gulp of fresh air, then looked down at the viscous hornswog drool that now coated her from head to toe. "Good boy, Stroganoff, very good boy, not swallowin' meh. Now, if yeh promise not t' tell anyone about this part, I'll get yeh some extra special treats, how's that sound?"

Stroganoff burbled happily, licking his dwarf with his big sticky tongue. Lorellai giggled and gave her big froggy buddy a hug. "That's a good boy, come on, let's get outta here."

[thepaintedlady00]

I love your fics so much, I hope you don’t mind me asking you a question. Apart from the requests you do, how do you get ideas/inspiration? I wrote a morpheus fic a while ago and I desperately want to write more within the same universe but my brains like a soggy piece of lettuce and as soon as I pick up a pen any ideas I have just disappear.

First, thank you so much! 🥺 I'm so glad you've been enjoying my fics. 🥰 Second I am always up for getting questions and I will absolutely do my best to answer them 😊

Inspiration is a pretty tough thing for me (and most writers I know). It's honestly a process and it's different for everyone, but my personal process is roughly this:

Rewatch, rewatch, rewatch. If you're writing for a fic based on a video game or movie or show I always recommend watching that media so much. I've watched Sandman about 50 times to help keep me grounded in that world and in tune with the characters.

Dedicate 5 minutes every day to writing. Even if it's bad or doesn't quite fit where you want it getting into the habit of writing consistently helps me find the inspiration more often than not. There are definitely still days where I just have a completely empty mind and thats okay too.

Give yourself a break. Writing is hard. Being creative is hard. Not getting your writing done in a specific time frame is not the end of the world and if you're posting fics I've found people are a lot more understanding than I expected.

Find a reading buddy. Having one or more people around and available for you to send bits you're feeling uncertain about is a godsend! I you're like me and just anxiously overthink every piece you write having other pairs of eyes and fresh minds look it over goes a long way. (I have very little friends, so I understand how daunting this might seem, but I am 1000℅ willing to read over things and offer constructive criticism and support if anyone needs this in their writing or art or anything. I promise I'm very nice about reviewing work! 😂🥰)

MUSIC! For me personally listening to music and just dedicating time to being alone with my thoughts and the lyrics or the instruments is where I'm we to find the most inspiration. Something about it just helps me picture scenes or hear character dialogue so much easier than I would sitting and staring at a screen.

I hope this helps you find your inspiration! 🥰 just try some things out and find what works best for you and remember to have fun! Enjoying it is the biggest part. Its not worth doing if you're stressed all day or are just miserable, so keep your head high and just do your best. 🥰

[masterjedilenawrites]

Hi! I love your blog and was hoping to get a blind date set up if you're still doing them.

I'm a full time college student and a part time barista as well as an assistant speech and debate team coach on the side. I was on the team competitively until I graduated and returned to be an assistant coach when my younger brother joined the team. I used to work in childcare and am working on a degree to be a teacher, I'm very passionate about history and literature which is what I hope to teach.

I'm plus sized and kind of have a pastel goth aesthetic, lots of bright colors and makeup but in more gothic styles of that makes sense. I've got brown eyes and black hair, roughly 5'6 but I'm usually wearing boots so who knows anymore. I put a lot of effort into my appearance and self care. I'm the human embodiment of a guinea pig and a marshmallow; I'm soft and adorable but I'm loud and not afraid to call out things when I see them.

I've got four guinea pigs and a dog who are my entire world alongside my art and writing. Kids have always been drawn to me for years, it's not uncommon for me to go to the library or grocery store and have a little buddy appear asking me to help them find their adult or a good book.

I paint with acrylic mediums as well as henna and other body safe paint , I also write and read a ton in almost every genre and have a huge passion for theater and the arts as whole. My true love in life is glitter. No outfit is complete without glitter. My motto in life has been "Eat a cookie and be happy." I enjoy cooking, especially trying out new recipes but I cant say no to fresh fruit.

I look for humor in a partner, someone who can laugh at situations and not take things too seriously. I'm a huge advocate for solid boundaries and communication as well as respecting each other's independence. Someone who can reach the top shelf would be helpful though.

I think I know just the guy for you anon. Hope you like it!

Your date is...

✨Poe Dameron!✨

This guy... he's smooth and charming, but also fun and silly. You'll have an entertaining date, to be sure. He'll want to start it off by impressing you, picking you up in a cruiser and flying all around, showing off with barrel rolls or other little maneuvers just to hear your laughter. Eventually he'll settle back on the ground. He'll take your hand and walk with you through a farmer's market, insisting you stop at every stall and try every food sample.

There'll be plenty of chit-chat as you two pick your way through the vibrant market, getting to know each other while also enjoying the moment and all the unexpected surprises it brings. Like the cookies he tried that turned out to be dog biscuits, or the several canopies that blew over in a random gust of wind. Poe loves that you not only have these fun memories to share already, but that you seem to be building a strong connection, a level of comfort with each other that could very well turn into more.

Once the sun sets and your bellies are tired from food and laughter, he'll take you for one last cruise around the skies, this one much more gentle and relaxed. This is where your conversation will turn deeper, and he'll ask you how you feel, what you want, and maybe if it's okay to kiss you. If you ask for more dates, Poe will be a committed partner, supporting your studies and art, taking you on more adventures, and giving you space when you need it.

✨

Want to be set up on a blind date with a Star Wars character?

[phoenixrising0308]

Slippery When Wet

This is my reluctant entry to @smut-tember week 3! The rules are to use two from list A and one from List B… well I’m an overachiever… I used all of the words from list  A as and mood killer I picked injuries. If you know me from my previous tumblr life you know that this is a running joke and one that I am happy to revisit for two special friends! The idea behind smut-tember can be found here but it’s basically writing smut and making it cringe-worthy. So I also used some interesting words of my own.

ALSO double duty as my wacky drabble entry for week 113 “This is [my/your/their/her/our/their] lucky day!” Prompt in bold

Books: The Royal Romance 1-3 to Royal Heir.

Rating: M (18+) Sexual situation and adult themes.

Trigger Warnings: 🍋 so NSFW cursing

Pairing: Regina (Gigi Rys) x Robin Flores & Jessica Garica Rys small cameo Mateo Garcia (Brother)

Disclaimer

A/N 1: Jessica and Regina still have their friendship bracelets... Someone gets breast implants while the other bedazzles her vagina. A chance encounter at a club leaves someone broken.

A/N 2: Dirty Regina/ Raunchy Regina  ... I believe there is a place on the fandom for geriatric love.

Story Song inspiration: The Greatest - Sia remix ft. Kendrick Lamar

Word Count: 998 *As always, forgive my typos and grammatical errors.*

Reading time: 3 minutes

Regina’s Quarters

Jessica sat in front of Regina and said, “Gigi they are still perky fun bags for a 70-year-old woman. I really don’t know why you feel they need something more.”

Regina said “Connie always said that my hooters could use a little ump. Jessie, it’s easy for you to say when you have two perfect Areola Alps.” Regina held out her hands in front of her chest and said, “I want a nice pair of knockers.”

Jessica rolled her eyes “I shouldn’t speak ill of the dead but fuck him he framed me and kept me away from Liam.” Jessica held up her wrist and Regina did the same, the two taping their friendship bracelets that immortalized their friendship despite their years of being at odds with each other.

Jessica continued “Okay well I have to say my breasts are full but that’s because I’m a Dairy pillow for the royal heir. Man, I can’t get the girl off my coconuts. But if you want to hook up your Bongo’s  This is your lucky day! I know a Doctor he is… ehhh friend. He opened up a practice with a partner in New York. They used to work together in Boston but they needed a change. He had a rough break-up; Ex she cheated on him with a phlebotomist named Cody; they were in quarantine together.”

“Well if you trust him I’ll do it. Let's turn these bubbies into bonbons!”

6 weeks later ...

Jessica stood in the waiting room flipping through a magazine waiting for Regina's final post-op appointment with Dr. Lahela when she noticed an ad “Turn your meat curtains into a treasure chest of love. Image your Secret place adored with thousands of expertly placed Austrian Swarovski crystals.” Jessica thought to herself ‘I got a fresh Brazilian so no public hair he's got a blank canvas.’  She went to the front counter and said, “Can Doctor Ramsay fit me to bedazzle my Doo-Dah?”

The Receptionist said, “Oh sure he has an opening right now I will put you in room three it should be 3 hours and you will have to wait for 24hrs for the surgical glue to dry but your Lady Garden will be like a chandelier. Also if you’re interested he can do a vaginal rejuvenation and it would feel like your hymen is intact.”

Jessica smirked “Kegels and a tip-top tight penis fly trap.. yes!”

Four seasons Hotel…

Regina looked at her new DD’s and smiled at the bounce they gave she was ready for a night out of town. She turned to Jessica who was nude from the waist down with a fan pointed at her beaver. “Gigi I wish I could join you but I got to let this air dry. Don’t worry Mateo will be your detail cause fucken Bastien is a narc. Have a good night but remember you got new Bra Buddies but you still have the same equipment lets not repeat the past here.”

Kismet Club --Soho

Regina held up her glass at the young gentleman who brought her a drink. He walked over and said, “I noticed you were alone so am I SO thought I could by you a drink.”

“Thank you, my name is Gigi who should I thank for the drink?”

“My name is Robin… Robin Flores.”

45 minutes later...

Regina gripped Robin’s shirt, pulling him down for a deep kiss. Robin returned her kiss, humming and gripping her waist to pull her closer. “Your Love stick is hard already?” she whispered with a little laugh, making Robin blush.

Robin smiled, continuing to kiss her. “I can’t help myself, I suckled on your cans and I just couldn’t hold back,” he replied, taking her hand and leading her to the men’s bathroom. He lead her into a stall and began before kissing her neck. Regina closed her eyes, smiling as she felt small shocks of pleasure run down her body. She felt warm, and based on his temperature when she grabbed his bicep to pull him closer, he was feeling the same way.

Regina lightly pushed him again the door she pulled up his shirt and then unbuttoned his pants, going onto her knees slowly on the floor pulling down his pants. Robin helped her, sighing with anticipation. Regina reached to palm him slowly through his boxer briefs, making him groan and run his fingers through her hair. “I want to fuck your mouth with my rod,” he mumbled delicately, a deep sigh leaving his lips as his head fell back.

Regina’s fingers moved under Robin’s underwear, pulling them off to reveal his throbbing twinkie. Regina licked her lips, looking up at him with lust in her eyes. She licked up the underside of his danger noddle before wrapping her lips around the head. Robin groaned, his back arching a bit. “Ah, just like that,” he gasped as she licked over a sensitive spot. Regina resisted the urge to smile, beginning to bob her head very slowly to start. Robin tried not to buck up his hips, settling on arching his back rather sharply instead. Regina went lower, eventually taking almost his whole length in her mouth. Robin groaned even louder, spreading his legs a bit more as they shook. Regina set her hands on each of his thighs, hollowing her cheeks expertly.

From above her, Robin continued to moan. Robin eventually pulled out of her mouth, stroking himself as baby batter landed all over her chest, neck, and floor.

Mateo walked into the bathroom shouting and said, “Ok Fresca (Fresh) break this shit up. Stop acting like a loca (crazy/fool) cause you got new Titas.

Robin walked out of the bathroom first and followed by Regina who shamelessly wiped her mouth as Mateo glared at them. Before she knew it she found herself flying in the air the having slipped on Robin’s love juice. As she landed on the cold hard floor she heard it crack and she knew that she had broken her hip for the 2nd time. Regina cried out in pain and shouted “Not again this damn osteoporosis!

[mindninjax]

To Shape A Home (5)

Autumn

"The glow of Summer has faded now...and the moonlight jellies carry on to the great unknown"

Last Season | Masterlist | Next Chapter

Bakugo x Reader

Warnings: None this chapter

WC: 2.5K

a/n: WELCOME TO AUTUMN! By far my favorite portion to write of this fic. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did haha. This chapter should be called “Progress” but I don’t name the chapter soooo just pretend lol. Anywhoo enjoy!

Summer wanes into Autumn as the days march on. It’s chilly, the wind nips at your nose, mornings are brisk as you stand on your porch and watch the sun rise. It slowly illuminates the bright golds and yellows and warm oranges and browns of the leaves. The air smells like spice and dead leaves.

Hot coffee warms your insides and Frenchie’s scruffy fur against your leg as he watches the sun with you is instant solace. In the quiet of the mornings, you’re able to think clearer. You can reflect on your growth in the three months you’ve been living in Pelican Town. It doesn’t quite feel like home yet, still you’re soothed by the idea that one day it will.

The days are growing shorter and less sunlight during the day means less time for your plants to get what they need. Your strawberries are coming in beautifully but your biggest accomplishment? Nursing the small peach tree in the backyard back to health. Sizable peaches are now fruiting on the branches. If it wasn’t so unbearably dumb to do, you’d high five yourself.

It’ll be time to harvest soon, which means you need to get your supplies ready to jar up your fruits and veggies for the winter. Baking the peach crumble from your grandmother’s recipe book is on your list of challenges to accomplish this season.

You’re leafing through the big recipe book your grandmother keeps in the kitchen, balancing fresh picked vegetables in your arms one chilly autumn afternoon when your phone vibrates loudly on the counter. You know who it is before looking at the caller ID and roll your eyes. Frenchie trots behind you and you crinkle your nose in frustration.

He looks like he’s rolling his eyes too, huffing a huge lazy breath out and gazing up at you with his big brown eyes. He's not panting with the big happy grin that frequents his furry  face. He huffs another deep breath before plopping down on his favorite rug and watching you traipse barefoot around the kitchen, arms full of green and red veggies.

“Yeah, you’re tellin’ me,” you complain to him, dumping the veggies on the counter. “I’m the one that actually has to talk to her. Consider yourself lucky that all you can do is bark, buddy.”

He barks in response, a well needed push of encouragement.

You click the answer button on the screen,  “Hey sorry I missed your calls. Been pretty busy with the harvest,” you say in a high pitched tone. Hopefully she doesn’t pick up on how you’re trying to overcompensate for not being thrilled to take her call.

“The harvest? Ugh, you even sound like one of them now. I really can’t believe you’re doing this. You spent all that time trying to get aw—”

“Is there anything pressing you needed to talk to me about, Neijire?” You interrupt quickly, stopping the long rant you know she’ll absentmindedly get sidetracked into.

Neijire never fails to remind you that you spent most of your life trying to get out of this town. You used to appreciate the reminder, now not so much. She always means well but she’s never been one to have a lot of tact.

“Now I know you’re just yanking my chain. ‘Do I have anything pressing to talk about?’ she says. Of course I do! I am calling to ask you to reconsider pulling your work from the gallery and canceling the exhibition. It’s disrespectful!” She’s whining, drawing her words out in that squeaky annoying voice you’ve always hated.

You huff an irritated breath, “Just tell them I couldn’t handle it. Family shit, yannow?”

You hear her scoff and slam what you assume is her third cup of coffee down on the table of the cafe she's currently sitting in.

“Tell them you couldn’t make it because you wanted to play in the dirt? Uh uhn not gonna happen,”she sasses.

Maybe a different approach will work. You soften your tone, “Neijere please this actually means a lot to me. I really do want to retire,” you plead.

It surprises you how true that is. It’s not just to get her off the phone. You do want to be done with all of the art shows.

Her tone softens as well, sounding almost apologetic. “Ok then this is the perfect way to say goodbye and tell the fans of your work that to their faces. It will mean a lot to them. As a final huzzah, just...just don’t pull the paintings. Please?“

You sigh because her voice sounds solemn. Despite being that type of annoying that borders on endearing, Neijire has been a great agent to you over the years. She’s always had your best interests at heart and she handled business and took her job seriously.

“Ok fine,” you surrender with a deep breath.

She squeals and you have to move the phone away from your ear.

“Ok don’t worry. I’ll handle everything! Your outfit, your ride, Ooh I wonder if a limo will mind driving on those dusty gravel roads. Ahh, it should be fine. I’ll have to—“

“Ok Neijire thanks for calling. I'll talk to you soon. Send me an email of the game plan!”

You quickly hit the end button as she starts a new sentence, then breathe out heavily. One last time. That's all you need. This one last time and then you won't have anymore obligations to the life you left behind in the city.

Sliding the phone on the cabinet, you walk over to your easel and attempt to finish painting the portrait of Frenchie. He’s lying in front of the window, the autumn sun shining down on his sandy fur.  He stands and stretches when you plop down on your stool. Sensing your stress, he trots over to put his big head in your lap and gaze at you sadly.

“Yeah, I know. But I guess I kinda owe her though, right?”

He lifts his head off of your lap gently then plops it back down. A clear “yeah I guess you’re right” in Frenchie language.

You sigh, “That’s what I thought you’d say.”

“We’re here to learn how to paint!”

You whip around at the familiar voice behind you, beaming as you catch his wide toothed smile. Eijirou and– to your surprise–Bakugo stand in the doorway of the little studio classroom where you teach the art classes at the community center. His hands are shoved in his pockets and he looks like he was dragged here by Eiji, but his expression is pleasant enough.

He’s swapped out the white tank top he wore during summer and somehow the lack of exposed skin makes him look even more–annoyingly–attractive. Now he wears a sienna flannel shirt open over a black shirt. The cuffs are rolled ¾ up his arms so you can see the muscles, veins and the light blond hairs on his arms. The color doesn’t clash with his golden summer tan and it makes his eyes look more smoldering than they used to. When he’s standing next to Eiji staring intensely at you with a bothered frown, you can feel the heat from his stare.

“Oh! Mr. Bakugo, I didn’t think this was your thing,” you exclaim, setting down the jars of water you’re carrying.

He rolls his eyes and nudges Eijirou with his shoulder. “This one dragged me here. Said it could help me ‘relax’,”he mutters.

The two of you are much more cordial since the day you went fishing in Gramp’s favorite spot. You’re still impressed he was able to find it and wonder how long he’d been going there when you weren’t. You’d enjoyed that time and you think about it a lot. Not just because of the pleasant conversation but because you’d conquered a fear. Meeting him at your grandpa’s spot seemed to be a sign for you to start over with him and you’re glad that it’s been going smoothly.

Now if he runs into you at Eiji’s store or in town he gives you a slight nod or gives you advice on things if he overhears the conversation.

“If ya want a cow yer gonna wanna fence in the area around your barn for it to graze.” He’d said that with his back turned to you as he nonchalantly grabbed a bag of feed in Sero’s shop. You were there inquiring about the cow again.

Eijirou chuckles, “If I don’t drag him away from his farm during the colder seasons he won’t ever leave except to get stuff for his cows,” he teases, slapping a big hand on his friend’s back.

The blonde blushes, “Aw shaddup would ya,” he drawls putting a hand behind his neck sheepishly.

You smile, “I think that’s a good thing,” you reassure him.

He blinks and raises an eyebrow in confusion. “Hah?”

“It shows how dedicated you are to your farm,” you reply, giving him a warm smile. He gulps quietly and you think for just a second that maybe you’ve made it awkward so you tack on, “But maybe getting out of the house and doing other activities will make you look less like a grumpy old man.”

Eiji laughs—thankfully—keeping the mood lighthearted and fun as he agrees with you.

“Ha see I told ya you're like a grumpy old man,” he teases.

“I ain’t old! I’m only 29! Idjits,” Bakugo grumbles in response.

“Well I hope the class does help you relax a bit. It certainly helps me out.” You grab the jars of water again and start toward the spread out easels in the classroom.

“Maybe you need to relax more often,” Bakugo says matter of factly.

His expression  tells you that might’ve come out without him thinking. Is he saying you look stressed? Is he…concerned? You don’t call attention to it but it does make one big ka-thunk sound in your chest.

“Oh well umm, choose an easel anywhere you want.  The class will start in 10 minutes,” you stammer, turning your back to them quickly.

The class runs smoothly with your two new guests and you’re only slightly aware of Bakugo’s eyes constantly finding you as you drift around the room helping others with their paintings.  When you make it over to him and Eijirou, he’s pouting and looking between his easel and Eijirou’s.

“Mine looks like shit. This sucks,” he complains, putting his paintbrush into the jar of water and folding his arms over his chest.

You giggle as Eijirou leans over to glance at his work.  “It doesn’t look like shit man. It’s nice!'' he exclaims happily.

“Tsk look, I fucked up the tree and the branches and shit,” he mutters gesturing to his painting.

You smile warmly at him, moving to take a closer look at his painting before you say in a gentle voice, “This is art. There are no fuck ups. Let me see.”

You grab the paintbrush and bend over his shoulder. You hear him take a breath and you quickly move around him to fix his fucked up tree and make it blend into the rest of his painting seamlessly. You concentrate on the canvas, sticking your tongue out as you work and trying not to pay attention to how close you are to him.

He’s watching you in amazement and you see him staring out of the corner of your eye. You can smell him, hints of fertilizer but something sweet lingers in his scent. He smells like burnt chocolate, and the earth after it’s raining, with tiny hints of smoke. He must’ve been burning the leaves on his property, you gather. The fragrance isn’t strong, just ghostly enough to draw you in and keep you wondering.

What’s wrong with you? Wasn’t it just a few months ago where you were only referring to him as ”the asshole”. It’s true you’re trying to work on “starting over” with him but that doesn’t mean you start fawning over him like a love sick school girl.

“There! I think you can take it from here right?” you say handing him the paint brush back.

He stares at your handiwork for a long time. “How’d you fix it?” he asks in a low, impressed voice.

“I told you it wasn’t bad. Just remember you’re in control of what’s on the canvas and you’ll be fine. I have faith in you Mr. Bakugo,” you say, smiling warmly down at him.

You think you see the tips of his ears go red, but you ignore it.

“Enough with the ‘Mr. Bakugo’ shit. You can just call me Katsuki,” he huffs, turning his attention back to the canvas.

Your eyes grow wide for just a second before you raise an eyebrow and cock your hip.

“I’ll only call you Katsuki if you call me Minnie like everyone else does.” When he rolls his eyes and pouts his lips at you, you tack on “It’s better than ‘City Trash’,” and wink at him.

Are you flirting with him? Should you be flirting with him?

No. No you should not.

He clears his throat and mutters “Fine,” under his breath and you giggle again and head back toward the front of the class, stopping yourself from glancing at him over your shoulder.

You need to get it together. Just because a man is nice to you, or in Katsuki’s case, cordial and slightly pleasant, doesn’t mean you should be hearing wedding bells. It makes sense to admit he’s attractive, that’s obviously clear. You know it. He’s most likely aware of it. He’s gotta know, and with that being said you can move on. You can be friends. Just like you’re friends with Eiji and Denki and Hanta.

Turning to address the class as a whole now, you raise your voice, “Alright everyone, class is just about over. Start wrapping up and don’t forget to sign your creations!”

When everyone is starting to leave–and you’ve talked Eiji out of staying to help you put the supplies away–the room is quiet and you’re left with your thoughts. You’re thankful it was another successful session, especially with Katsuki present.

You’re about to shut out the lights and leave when a canvas still sitting on an easel towards the back of the room catches your attention. Everyone is supposed to take them home. You tilt your head in confusion and approach the painting wondering if someone propped it there to dry.

A small gasp falls from you when you see Katsuki's painting. The tree is finished and although it’s not perfect it’s nice. The colors of the sun he included are beautiful but, what makes your heart start thumping in your chest and pulls heat to your cheeks is his signature.

“K. Bakugo and Minnie” is scrawled in red paint at the very bottom. Maybe his attractiveness isn't the only thing you’ll have to admit to liking more than you should.

—

Thanks for reading!

[sukirichi]

reckless [01.]

With a lackadaisical playboy as your boss, being reckless wasn’t an option. But on the one time you let loose and made mistakes, your life is shattered, and now you’re playing house with your insufferable boss who is the father of your baby.

✘ cw. explicit smut, accidental pregnancy, playboy! gojo, slight angst

✘ note. dedicated to wifey @7tsumurai​ who also made the banner and always supports me and showers me with love aaaa i love you baby <3 also this fic is mostly romance and fluff so i hope you enjoy this as much as i did writing it! thank you to @chosonore​ for pr-ing UWU. and we get like...10-15 chapters of this?!

one  ✘  two  ✘  three

You shouldn’t be doing this.

The night was young; streaks of gold flashing with the shimmering jewellery collared on your neck, the romantic humming of the violins pairing perfectly with the champagne that fizzed in your hand. It was supposed to be another day at work where you accompanied your boss to one of his events, considering the Casanova refused to bring his girlfriends in fear they might get the wrong idea he liked them outside the bed. It should be just another day at work; you’ve accompanied him hundreds of times before. Today wasn’t any different.

And yet it was.

You blamed it on the alcohol. On the slow dancing. On the fact he hadn’t stopped complimenting you all night and you’d been so stressed, the amount of planning and sleepless nights sacrificed in exchange of preparing for this event made you grab for three more flutes, the touch of your undeniable attractive boss permanent on your waist.

Satoru was equally aggravated. You’d worked him long enough to recognize even the smallest of cues, and the fact you’d spend nearly every hour of the day working with him for weeks straight in the office let you know he needed to let off some steam.

And what better way to relieve both of your tensions if not to give in to the cloud of lust?

The sultry gazes, the clashing perfumes between rose and musk, and the alcohol – the fucking alcohol – that gave way to you succumbing to your desire just this once.

There were no more thoughts – or if there were, they were muddled – as you kissed him back just as passionately, forgetting the fact his stylist spent an hour gelling his hair back to perfection as your eager fingers traced over his scalp. How you ended up in the back of limousine was beyond you, and neither was it your biggest concern when Satoru insisted you kept your heels on; his large hands caressing all the way from the ankle pressed beside his waist up to your waist.

You felt his daft fingers move the lacy thong you wore especially for tonight (not because you expected something, but the boost in confidence felt necessary) before he slides inside almost too easily.

Both your gasps and moans are swallowed in the stuffy compartment, windows fogged saved for the handprint you’d left when he hit a sensitive spot. He was moaning in your neck, skin slippery and sweaty as you slid from one another, seemingly never staying from one place as your hands treaded through his hair down to rake your nails on his back; his touch angry on your hips before his thumb found home in your clit.

As much as you hated him, hated his reputation, you couldn’t deny he really earned his title for being an absolute god in sex. You were no virgin, but you’d never felt this good, never felt this alive as bruises began to form in your skin and his lips hungrily sought out yours.

“S-Sir...”

“Satoru,” he corrected through your lips, the kiss barely even one when you were too busy moaning left and right. Satoru hitched your leg up to fold it right beside your waist, allowing him to explore deeper territories that not even you could mark.

His stare on you is perverted; openly wanton as he lets his empyrean gaze snake down to where your bodies connected. It was embarrassing to be this spread wide open for him, though it didn’t matter much, not when you clutched onto his bicep for dear life and panted breathlessly. He was kissing you everywhere – smearing your lipstick all over your lips and his, a stain of red on his hard, white collar and love bites marked deep into your collarbones and under your breasts. You tightened around him once he changed his rhythm into a more sensual one; the quick pace replaced with him pulling out slowly – inch by delicious inch until you felt empty with each growing second – before slamming back inside with fervidity that he never quite possessed behind his desk.

He groaned at your walls clenching down on him, his hips stuttering in the process. “Call me Satoru.”

“Satoru,” you moaned out, and his next sounds were pained. Pained because you sounded too gorgeous, felt too good, and with you following his hips thrust by thrust, neither of you would last any longer. Not even as you shake your head, lips swollen as you remind him, “We shouldn’t be doing this.”

“We shouldn’t,” he agreed with a curled lip, sweat beading from the streaks of his white hair. “But I want you – god, you’re so beautiful tonight. Need to fuck you good—”

Gojo Satoru, one of the most eligible bachelors in the entire South East Asia and ranked as the second richest man in his early twenties, was a man of his word despite his reputation. Just as he was praised and fawned over for his beauty, charisma, and power, he was equally hated for breaking the hearts of women and treating his past ‘lovers’ like they were objects. The news were so confident of it; that he fooled them, played around with them, but behind the scenes, you knew Satoru wouldn’t do such a thing – from the first time he laid his eyes on someone, he made it extremely clear they were not to be attached. Everything with him was physical and sensual – anything beyond that would simply be out of character.

You weren’t surprised that he really did keep his word and fuck you good, because you couldn’t feel your legs the next morning and even though it had been hours, you still very much felt the shape of him carve through you.

The bastard wouldn’t stop laughing, of course, snickering under his breath every now and then each time he saw you grimace from doing simple things such as standing up and giving him the files he asked for. Perhaps it was because your dislike for him was apparent that Satoru quickly went back to fooling around, pretending you didn’t exist and only approaching you when need be. There were still moments you had to clean his mess up for him; taking his drunken phone calls at 3am because he got wasted in a bar, or doing the same for his current sex buddy who he didn’t want to stay in his home.

He was terrible, terribly awful that you despised this part of him.

You were only grateful enough that neither of you brought that night up ever again, for no matter how immensely hellish of an experience it had been, it was also something you’d really rather not be reminded of.

But now, there was no more running away from it. The truth stared at you blatantly in the form of two white lines that had appeared four times already from previous tests.

You were pregnant.

The world had never been that heavy on you. You had a rough upbringing, but it was a household filled with love and patience that it was innate in your nature to keep strong, be levelled, continue moving forward even during the times it felt like everyone and everything was going against you. You’d been through so much worse and you can do this, but you still couldn’t stop the tears that pushed from your eyes, your heart shattering the same time you dropped the stick.

“No, we won’t cry, it’s okay. I can handle this – I’m strong,” you repeated to yourself like a mantra, taking deep breaths to stabilize yourself. Clearly, this was unexpected, but you wanted to do your best, had to do your best. You didn’t have time to lose your composure, so you quickly fished your phone out your purse to dial the person you trusted the most.

“Rei...?”

Your best friend picked up on the second dial. “Sweetheart, where have you been?! I’ve been calling you for like hours now and you’re not picking up, I heard you called in sick for work and you never do that even when you’re about to pass out!” Some shuffling could be heard from the background before she spoke again, her tone a lot more gentle in response to your muted sniffles. “Is there something going on? Do you need me to drop by there right now? Tell me what you need; I’ll be there right away.”

“No, no, Rei, it’s fine, I just...”

“Sweetie,” she sighed, “You know you can tell me anything, right?”

You nodded even though she couldn’t see it. Rei had been there for you in everything, starting from when you newly arrived in the city; fresh-eyed and hopeful for new opportunities. She’d been there when you first complained your boss was a creepy flirt, all the way until you’d made peace with said boss and remained firm in your boundaries. But those boundaries had clearly been crossed – no, rather, you erased those boundaries. You were drunk enough to give in to the need to be touched, but sober enough to consent to everything that happened. You couldn’t place this all on him.

“I’m pregnant,” you said eventually, voice barely above a whisper as you added, “And Satoru’s the father.”

Rei stopped munching on her – you assume – bagel.

“Satoru? Gojo Satoru, your boss, bonafide casanova, the face on billboards and one of the most “eligible” bachelors in the country, billionaire Gojo Satoru?” she let out in one breath, the image of her flipping her hand out in the air in disbelief as clear as day. “Am I really hearing this right? I’m not going crazy, am I?”

You sighed.

“We were drunk. I slept with him.”

“Did that bastard force himself on you?”

“No, gosh, never,” you defended with widened eyes, sitting back down on the toilet with the lid now closed. You couldn’t look at the tests even if you dared yourself to, the plastic bag concealed in the garbage or else you’d feel sick all over again. “I-I wanted it too...we just got carried away and the night was just...I don’t know. I don’t know what came over me and why I did that, but there’s no point in fretting about it because I’m carrying his baby now.”

“Well,” she started unsurely, “What are you going to do?”

“I’m keeping it. There’s no way I would even consider abortion.”

“But what about him?”

The back of your head throbbed in pain. Just thinking about his stupidly handsome face made you want to throw up once more. “I don’t really want to tell him, but he has a right to know that he’s going to be a father.”

“Will he even take responsibility for it?”

You swallowed nervously, nibbling on your thumbnails before snatching your hand away. Composure was something you didn’t struggle with; you were the more reliable one in the duo of you and Satoru, but you had a bad habit of picking on your nails whenever you were anxious. Had it not been for Satoru flicking your nails away from your mouth each time you dazed out a little bit, you would’ve never gotten rid of the habit, but it all came crashing back down on you in an instant.

A heavy knot formed in your belly.

“Most likely not, I know how he’s like. He loves his single life so much that he’d never allow to be tied down like this. I wouldn’t even be surprised if he tells me he doesn’t want it.”

“What an asshole!”

“Yeah, he is, but I don’t need him in my life,” you reinstated, finally feeling more confident the longer you talked to Rei. She was your instant hype machine in more ways than one; her presence itself gave you the reassurance you could handle everything your way. With hope blooming in your chest, you picked yourself of the toilet and wiped away your tears. You could do this – you can handle this. Not just for you, but this baby growing in you as well.

“In our life. I’m more than capable of taking care of the baby myself,” you told her, gaze hard and determined as your sunken reflection stared back at you in the mirror. Sighing, you shook your head and pictured Satoru’s face, already picturing a thousand ways this could go wrong. Only one way to find out.

“I have to go now. He needs to hear about this and then I’ll resign. Probably move back home – anywhere that’s away from him.”

“Doesn’t the baby deserve to meet their dad?”

“Their dad doesn’t even want to be one,” you muttered bitterly and threw your sweater back on, refusing to kick yourself around any harder. Now wasn’t the time to be illogical; you were now a mother and had to be responsible now more than ever. But first, you needed some well-deserved rest after endless agonizing of missing your period, along with the baby drop that until now, had shook you to your core. “I’ll call you back, Rei. I’m very tired.”

“You let me know if you need anything, okay?” Humming in response, you ended the call and crawled back to bed.

It wasn’t that you felt lonely, but you didn’t feel particularly belonging anywhere. You were far from home in a city that felt like the future, and each day you come home, it was mostly just a place to rest before you went back to work the next day. It was a dull, empty routine that you’d gotten used to, but never had it sunk deep into you that you did felt completely hollow.

But not anymore.

You were with your baby now, and as much as it scared you shitless to be a mother with zero preparation and knowledge, you were confident things were going to be okay.

Wrapping an arm around your belly, you had the best sleep you’d had in years.

You’d just have to worry about tomorrow. Hopefully, and you quite prayed harder than you ever did before, Satoru would let you go and keep things less complicated than it already was.

“No,” Satoru shook his head, his words dropping like a heavy boulder in the middle of nowhere. You stood in front of him shock still, hands wrung solid beneath your belly. Satoru merely shook his head, brushing back his gelled hair with a dry laugh. “No, what are you even thinking? You’re not resigning.”

You pursed your lips. “I wasn’t really asking for permission, Sir.”

Truth be told, you expected this sort of reaction from him. It may be true that you and Satoru never got along in personal levels since he was too crass and you much stiff, but it couldn’t be denied you worked well together. You balanced each other’s flaws and brought out the best in one another. If someone had asked you years ago prior to you being employed by the heir if you could even tame the renowned free spirited man, you would’ve said probably not, but after sharing struggles and quite literally forcing one another to do better, you both reached highs neither expected to achieve.

It was an experience and a whole lot lessons learned working with him.

Unfortunately, all things must come to an end, and you had to leave even if Satoru negated to it.

“We’ve been working together for years. Do you know how many people I fired and have resigned all because they’re not equipped for the job?” he plopped down atop his desk, loosening his tie out of frustration. The simple gesture made you swallow and look away – it felt impossible to look at him any other way than a boss now that you had his baby inside you. Thankfully, Satoru was mouthy as usual that he pulled you back from your train of thoughts as he gestured between the both of you. “You and I are perfectly compatible – I can’t let you go like that. I’m sorry, but I need you. There’s no one else I can work with this functionally. No one else is as willing to tolerate my bullshit except you and...I need you to stay.”

You clenched your teeth at the desperation in his voice.

Satoru admitting he needed people was one thing. But him asking others to stay? It may have just been for your value as the only person who had put up with him in both his best and worst times that made him feel that way, but you had to keep your foot down on the ground.

You wouldn’t let him sway you like this.

Taking a deep breath, you closed your eyes and willed all your energy to spring forth. “Sir...I’m more than thankful for all the opportunities, it truly was a pleasure working with you but—”

“Is this because we slept together?” he cut you off, your shoulders tensing. Upon your silence, Satoru heaved himself away from the desk and took cautious step towards you, stopping a foot away when you stepped back defensively.

You almost wished you didn’t know him so well. His eyes shone with a flicker of hurt before he masked it just as quick as it had came – for Gojo Satoru was a master of many things, and a great actor was one of them. Cautious, you had to be cautious, and you clenched your fists behind your pencil skirt as you tore your gaze away from his pleading ones. “It is, isn’t it?” he affirmed with a clear of his throat, looking just as lost as you did. Satoru stuttered for a minute before he eventually composed himself, but even then, he didn’t sound half as sure as he wanted to be.

“Listen, whatever happened that night, we can forget about it if you want. We’re both adults and professionals – we can put this aside us and just go back to normal. You don’t have feelings for me, right? So then it shouldn’t be a big deal.”

“Satoru...it’s not like that.”

“Then what is it?” he demanded, aggravated. Satoru began to round his desk and pulling out little white envelopes, stacking them before you in a haste. “Do you want a pay raise? A new car so you could get to work easily? O-or perhaps a bigger house where you can work more comfortably, somewhere nearer to the office? All you have to do is tell me and I’ll give you what you want. There’s no need for you to resign, this company has given you everything and we’ve got so much offer just as you could still be great—”

“I’m pregnant.”

Satoru’s slender fingers halted around the pen hovering over a cheque slip. “What?”

“I said I’m pregnant,” you exhaled, biting down on your bottom lip to prevent yourself from quivering. A quick sweep from your face to gather sincerity trailed down to your belly, staring at you hard enough as if he had the ability to look through your soul. “And you’re the father.”

“Is that true? Is...is it really mine?”

“Yes sir,” you nodded, “I’m not telling you this because I expect that you’ll be responsible for it. No offense, sir, but I’d really rather raise the baby alone. Plus, I understand that you’ll never settle down or suddenly abandon your old ways just to—”

“Stop right there,” he raised a palm, “You mean to tell me you’re resigning because you thought I wouldn’t take responsibility for it? For you?”

The hurt in his voice and expressions were evident, lip curled in disgust; not for you, but rather of himself. Satoru was the type of man that couldn’t be withered down even with the harshest of rumours; you’d never seen him be affected before by tabloids and nasty ex-girlfriends who only slept with him for money or fame, only to talk smack about him afterwards. But now, he was crumbling before you, and you didn’t know quite what to say or feel over the vulnerability present in his cerulean eyes. It almost pained you know that you caused this – for the comforting, blue sky to be tainted with a thunderstorm that hinted of anger, of disappointment, of betrayal.

But could he blame you for not thinking the best of him?

“I’ve worked with you for years, sir, I know you.”

“Clearly not well enough,” he chuckled sarcastically, “Admittedly, I’m surprised, but not upset. The only thing that I’m upset about is that you actually believed it would be better to raise the baby – our baby – alone like I don’t even have a right to be in their life. Sure, it was an accident, but we made that. That’s our child and I’m going to take care of you and be a great father, even if you don’t think I’m capable of it.”

“Sir, I didn’t mean—”

“That’s the first time you said something stupid. That’s our baby. We’re a family now,” Satoru’s hesitance had vanished into thin air as he was on you the next instant, hands shaky before they landed on your shoulders. It was meant to be a comforting gesture; a reassuring one, yet you couldn’t help but flinch and falter under his gaze. As if getting the message, he quickly retracted his hands and shoved them deep inside his pockets with a sigh. “You don’t need to resign or worry about anything else. I promise I’ll give you both the life you deserve, just...just please don’t go. Now that I know we have a baby, there’s just no way I can let go of this and pretend I never heard of this at all.”

You swallowed, rubbing your sweaty palms on your skirt.

Out of all the different scenarios you stayed up late at night to turning your head in one by one, none of them included this. Undeniably, he was an asshole to most, but maybe he was right.

He hadn’t done anything wrong to you and he was still the father of your baby; he deserved a chance. Satoru had the right to be the father he was willing to be. You could already tell this might completely turn into one big mess, but his eyes were so hopeful, his smile so nervous yet expectant that you couldn’t help but say –

“Okay,” you relented.

His reaction was instantaneous. Satoru beamed and lounged at you, arms wide open for an embrace before realizing at the last second you could stab him with a pen and not regret it. One warning glare sent his way and he was retracing his arm behind his head, pretending to stretch with an off-tune whistle.

The sudden switch between pained and enthusiastic gave you whiplash, but you really shouldn’t be surprised. This was Gojo Satoru in the first place – he was as unpredictable as nothing was permanent and lasting to him.

It could be both a blessing and a curse.

For the sake of your baby, you genuinely hoped it was the former.

Not wanting him to get too ahead of himself since you still didn’t trust him enough, you raised a finger to poke him in the chest. Right now, you were no longer his secretary that openly despised him but added six sugar cubes in his coffee just as he liked anyway, but rather a woman who shared this mess with him, and as the mother of his child. You had to be strong. Being with Satoru felt like playing with fire, and you had far too much at stake – both of you did – but you weren’t privileged and fortunate like Satoru. One bad thing thrown his way could be brushed off, but for you? Everything you worked hard for could disappear just like that.

If you really chose now to play with fire, you had to be careful not to be the gasoline that ignited things to burn down into ashes.

“Satoru,” you stressed with your lips pressed into a thin line, “The only thing I expect from you is to be is a good father to our child. I know that it would be difficult for you to be a new person in a day and that your old habits won’t die right away, so please do what you can to be a good parent, and I’ll be with you every step of the way. I promise you don’t have to worry about me getting in the way of your life as well.”

His smile slowly vanished.

“Is that how low you really think of me?” he echoed rather sadly, “That I would still sleep around knowing I’ve got a family now?”

“We’re not a family, Sir. I have no intentions of marrying you nor would I ever want it. I’m just staying for the baby.”

“Fine. For the baby, let’s both do our best,” he crossed his arms on his chest, pumping out the hard muscles from how tight his shirt was. You were stuck between wanting to slap him or be closer to him; the hormones too much of a mess that you had to grip your thigh for restraint. “But tomorrow, you’re moving in with me. I’m going to take care of you from now on – I’ll get you whatever you need so whatever it is, just tell me. My credit card is yours to use as well.”

Move in with him? You wanted to laugh. That was the last thing you would want to happen.

“Sir, it’s fine, I’m capable of taking care of myself.”

“I didn’t say you weren’t, but I want to take care of you both,” he reiterated, growing slightly annoyed from your rigidness. You professed that you were being difficult right now, but it was much better than being easy around someone like him.

“We don’t have to be friends or lovers, alright? I know you don’t see me that way and I’m probably repulsive in your eyes – which is understandable since you always clean my mess up for me – but as a father, at least, let me do my job. There doesn’t have to be anything between us other than a mutual want to be good parents. Is that alright with you?”

You mulled the thought over in your head. So he was capable of being sensible sometimes, and after a few moments of silence, you narrowed your eyes at him.

Still suspicious and your guard was most definitely still up, but he was right. You both had a mutual want to be good parents and that was the most important thing right now. Everything else that complicated matters would be handled afterwards.

“I’m okay with that, but I would have to set down lots of boundaries if I’m living with you.”

“So you’ll really stay with me then?” You regretted nodding in response because Satoru was now fishing his phone out, a goofy smile on his face.

He took the news...surprisingly well, and you didn’t know what to make of it.

“Perfect! I’ll have your room prepared!” You tried to grab his arm to stop him from going overboard; knowing full well Satoru always had rushes in which he impulsively overdoes things. He might turn your room into some sort of grand suite that you wouldn’t really like, but he was far too excited and lost in his own thoughts that your words went from one ear and out the other. “Fuck,” he laughed to himself, “I’m going to be a dad.”

Whether it was relief or anxiety that bubbled through you, you had no idea.

It was definitely anxiety.

Satoru felt like a hyper child to be around, and as much as you were grateful that he was happy about this, you also wished he would calm down. You didn’t even have enough chance to settle in before he’s shoving you inside room by room, announcing that what was his was also yours and he would have a baby room set up next week.

You followed him around like a puppy as he marched into the kitchen, mumbling incoherently to himself about baby proofing furniture.

“Sir,” you called out, “Sir, listen to me. We need to talk about boundaries.”

Satoru blinked owlishly at your tired eyes, sheepishly smiling at you. It must’ve dawned on him that his speed tour of his penthouse felt a lot more overwhelming than welcoming, and he sat you down on the island stools before drumming his fingers impatiently on the cool marble. “Sorry, you were saying? I kind of got carried away.”

Carried away was far an understatement.

“I said, we need to talk about boundaries.”

“Oh, yeah, right,” he paused with a furrow in his brow. “Also can you just call me Satoru? We’re going to be parents anyway and it’s awkward if you keep uh, calling me Sir.”

“Fine,” you rolled your eyes, not really in the mood to argue with him right now. You had to keep intact with him while you still had his full attention. Taking out a little notepad you prepared the night before, you slid it over Satoru who tilted his head to the side rather cutely to read it. “So here are my boundaries. One, I don’t want this pregnancy to be announced in the media unless I’m ready. I understand that we can’t keep this a secret forever but I need time to process this. Two, just because we’re living in the same roof together doesn’t mean that I get to go anywhere and everywhere with you. I’m going to work by myself—”

“No.”

“What do you mean no?”

“I said no,” he repeated more firmly this time. “You’re pregnant and I want to make sure you’re safe at all times. I’m driving you to work.”

“Didn’t you just hear what I said? I don’t want to be seen with you.”

“You’re my secretary. People see us together all the time.”

“But you never drove me to work! I live far from the office and I most definitely don’t drive an Audi.”

“Things change, that’s your life now,” Satoru shrugged nonchalantly, stealing the pen you twirled in your hands. The sudden contact sent jolts of electricity from your knuckles, one that had you recanting your hands back to yourself. Satoru didn’t seem to notice as he crosses out the second rule, “Sorry not sorry but I don’t want to let you go places like that. Fine by me if you don’t want me to drive you, but at least have one of the chauffeurs take you somewhere if you really don’t wanna be seen with me.”

“Fine,” you gritted your teeth. Compromise, compromise, meet in the middle – you repeated to yourself to keep your sanity. “Rule number three: I don’t want you changing your attitude around me. We may have a baby on the way, but you’re still my boss and I want to keep our relationship professional.”

“You’re saying I’m not allowed to fall in love with you?”

You flicked his forehead, effectively erasing the teasing grin he wore. “That’s not going to happen,” you interjected irritably, although your heart skip a beat. That was a massive red flag already; you could never be too comfortable with him. For Satoru, his little comments here and there may come naturally and probably meant nothing to him, but there was a chance you could receive it with different interpretations. Shaking your head at him, you ignored his grumblings on how ‘mean’ you were. “We’re never going to be a couple. We’re just raising a child together. I don’t want you acting weird or too comfortable with me.”

Satoru scratched the side of his head as he mulled about it, “Are we allowed to be friends, at least? I understand the professional part, but I can’t imagine the both of us getting along for nine months and more when we act like boss and employee even alone at home,” before you could say anything, Satoru raised his hands in surrender. “I promise I won’t do anything weird to you. No offense, but you’re not really my type, so same as you, I view you platonically.”

Right. The heart surely was stupid and confusing.

You didn’t want him getting any ideas that this could lead to something more, but at the same time, it hurt a little to know you weren’t his type.

Hiding that pang of hurt behind a tight lipped smile, you forced yourself to agree with him. “I view you professionally, Sir.”

“Satoru.”

“Whatever,” you grumbled. “Rule number four: don’t bring home any of your fuck buddies or flavour of the night. I really don’t care if you sleep around, but respect my privacy and my standing as the mother of your childIf you’re really desperate to get your dick wet, go fuck them somewhere else.”

“You’ve never been this vulgar with me.”

He wasn’t wrong about that. Despite countless of times that he tried being friendly with you to ease your stiffness in the office, you always shot him down.

You came to the city to work and provide for your family, not to be friends with your annoyingly hot boss who enjoyed his life way too much. Unlike him, you were more work than play, and eventually Satoru respected the fact you would never speak or treat him casually.

Until now.

“Try being in my shoes and see if you’d still have the patience of a saint,” you mumbled under your breath, sighing when Satoru’s smile got more awkward. “Listen, Satoru, I don’t mean to be difficult, okay? It’s just...this is a lot. This isn’t just us about anymore – we’re going to be parents and that’s a huge responsibility. It’s not only our lives changing here, a child will be relying on us in the future and I simply want to be a good mother, but I also don’t trust you very well to be comfortable enough to act like we’re suddenly friends.”

“I understand that.”

“Good.”

“Do you have rule number five?”

“No, not really, but I can add more as we go.”

“I have a rule number five,” he piped in, flipping the notepad his way as he scribbled something down. “And it’s that if you need help – and I mean with anything – you would let me help you. I’ve worked with you for a long time and I’m not dumb enough to not notice you like to do things by yourself. Like you said, things are different now, and especially with this pregnancy, you’re not alone in this. You need to let me take over the wheel sometimes. I can’t be just a passenger in the car – you and I are both in this together.”

“Just keep your hands to yourself.”

“That’s easy,” he chirped, and there was that uncomfortable knot in your chest again. However, it didn’t sink in too deep because Satoru was blatantly staring at your belly, a small smile tugging at his lips. “So do we have a name for them already?”

“Satoru, I’ve only been a few weeks pregnant, I don’t—”

Conflicting his previous statement that he’d keep his hands to himself, Satoru suddenly dropped to his knees. You watched with wide eyes, too flabbergasted to move as he places his ear on your belly.

“Hi there, little one,” he spoke in a soft tone, large hands caressing the tiny bump beginning to form. You couldn’t move; hell, you could barely breathe from how comforting his touch seemed in contrast to your mind ringing warning bells above. His voice quickly pulled you back to reality as he flattened his palm, white lashes fluttering against the cotton of your shirt. “I’m your daddy; I can’t wait to meet you. Daddy promises to take good care of you and make you the happiest kid ever, alright? You don’t have to worry about anything as long as I’m here.”

“D-don’t spoil them too much, Satoru.”

“I’ll try not to,” he chuckled. Satisfied with that small moment he had, he straightened up and trudged over the dining table that was far too big for a man who lived alone. In that moment, an image flashed in your mind – that someday that table would no longer look empty as you and your child shared meals with him. You could already imagine how heavenly the sun would shine on the glass windows behind it, the flowers gathered in the middle of the table blooming to life.

Out of nowhere, it struck you.

Could it be that this was why he loved this baby so much after only knowing about it for a few days? Could it be that Satoru really was alone?

“Okay, we should probably have a welcoming dinner! The chefs left me something tonight. I forgot what it’s called but I think you’ll like it. Grab some wine on the cellar for me?”

“Satoru, I’m pregnant.”

“Oh, right! My bad,” he clapped his hands together before pulling out ceramics and a cold pitcher, “Just water for mommy then,” Satoru said absentmindedly, completely oblivious to how your mind short-circuited a few feet away from him. He went about his way ignorant to it all and gently tugged you to sit with him, eagerly digging into the heated meals as you realized both of you hadn’t eaten.

For a guy who talked a lot, dinner with him was surprisingly quiet. Other than the occasional clinking of utensils against the plate, you enjoyed the silence with him.

You wouldn’t have believed it to be possible since Satoru made it his daily business to always fill in the gaps. Peace and comfort stretched before you the whole time, however, that for a moment, just a short moment, you found yourself letting your guard down. Even when you both caught each other’s in the middle of a bite, you found no tension or awkwardness in it. Perhaps it was the familiarity of being beside each other for years now that this should feel natural, or maybe it was because you both mutually agreed on wanting the best for your baby. Whatever it was, you didn’t want to overcomplicate it right now.

“You know, I’m really excited about this. I can’t believe I’m actually going to be a father,” he mused through a bite, swirling his red wine through his glass. Satoru gazed at his reflection almost dreamily, seemingly too deep in thought that he felt far from reach.

Or maybe you were the one who was detached, the one who kept pushing him away, because you could offer him nothing but a lame nod. “I’m glad to hear that...”

“What about you? You don’t look too happy.”

Your eyes widened at his worry. “No, I-I’m happy, of course. It’s just...it’s unplanned, and I’ve had my whole life planned out that I’m not really sure how this will all fall into place together.”

“Hey,” he laced his fingers with yours, squeezing warmth back into your skin that you hadn’t noticed turned cold from the nerves. Unlike his usual self with eyes brimming with glee, you could only see tenderness in him now, some sort of silent vow through a private smile shared only between the two of you in that moment in the solace of his home. Your home. “I promise I’ll be there for you and the baby every step of the way. I know that I haven’t had the best reputation and I have zero idea on parenting, but you’re not alone in this. You can trust me on this one, just like how we always trusted each other during work. Being a parent and running a business are both responsibilities right?”

“Yeah...”

“Well then you already know we work well together. We’re great partners!” he cheered, patting your shoulder way too bro-like. You resisted the urge to cringe. “We’ll be great parents, Y/N. I’m sure of that.”

Unsure of what else to do, you squeezed his hand back. He was right, you would be great parents as long as both of you never gave up. The thought of eating meals with him again with another addition to the table made you smile, and you hadn’t noticed you were spacing out, thumb running over his knuckles that were smooth for a man who never knew a day of hard labour. It wasn’t until you felt something prodding at you metaphorically, and you chuckled nervously as you saw Satoru smiling mysteriously at you.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Nothing,” he grinned, “I’ve just never seen you this close before; not so much that I paid attention anyway. But this is nice – having you here, I mean. It gets lonely here sometimes.”

“Don’t you bring your girlfriends around?”

“I never make them stay,” was all he said, and just like that, whatever thread that was beginning to form snapped. Satoru released his hold on you and gestured to your plate, carrying the dishes in his hand before leaving you alone on the table. Like always – a whiplash. “I’ll clean up, you can rest in your room now. I’ll take care of the dishes.”

“Do you even know how to do them?”

“Yeah, my mother forced me to wash dishes because she didn’t want me to rely on the house help too much,” he informed, the new information shocking you right to the core as he put on dishwashing gloves and started scrubbing. From this angle, he sure looked damn nice and domestic in just a white shirt, hair ruffled down to bangs.  “I’ll be right there with you,” Satoru announces casually, spinning on his heel with red cheeks once he realized what he said. “For just a goodnight, I mean! We’re not sharing rooms!”

“Yeah, no,” you coughed out, “We’re definitely not.”

It felt…surreal, to wake up in a room much grandiose than yours yet felt like home even for the first night. Satoru handled your moving in rather happily; you found him singing to himself this morning as he brewed his own coffee before realizing you were right behind him, sleepy as you lazily made waffles for the both of you. Everything flowed nicely and normally, like this had always been a normal thing that for a moment, you questioned once more what would happen next.

You were now getting ready for work, hands tugging at his tie because he was such a man-child who couldn’t even properly knot his own tie. His suit was custom tailored and he looked effortlessly gorgeous – beauty ripped straight from magazines he was constantly a front page of, but his tie was skewered and loose that it irritated you.

“You’re such a mess without me.”

Satoru bent down to wiggle his brows at you, thought you didn’t notice because he wouldn’t stay still for you to fix his tie fast enough. “Isn’t this sweet; you fixing my tie for me as we both get ready for work?” he teased, “We’re like a married couple already.”

“If you don’t shut up, I’m kicking you in the nuts.”

“Then how can I give you more babies?” picking up the newspaper on the coffee table beside you, you rolled it and started whacking him, a string of profanities colorfully painting his otherwise monochrome and sleek walls. Satoru’s laughter boomed all over the room even as he wiggled away from you, clutching his bicep that had been the victim of your abuse. “Ow, ow, I was joking! Jeez, woman, you are strong. Fight men a lot like this?”

“I work with you. My fighting instincts are always activated.”

His laugh really was annoying. But it did help ease your nerves – though you’d never tell him that – as you sat beside him in his car, the expensive leather seats no longer strange to you. It would’ve felt like any other day where you accompanied him somewhere, except the reason was different now, and it came crashing down on you of your current situation that things were undeniably different from now on.

You immediately stepped away from him the moment you got out of the car, clutching your clipboard to your tummy when Satoru bumped his shoulder with yours. “Come closer, it’s fine. No one will suspect a thing,” he points to the crowded building with people bumping and walking past each other, everyone too occupied in their own heads to even notice you.

It wasn’t much, but hearing his voice and reassurances relaxed you, even for just a little bit. Maybe your first day at work after the baby news wouldn’t be so bad, after all, but it seemed you had spoken too early.

Satoru heavily insisted that you worked inside his office from now on.

Your desk was located right outside his office, the phone line always within reach in case you needed to pass calls to him or if he needed you to come. Satoru preferred the privacy of his own space – or so he said; he actually just didn’t want you to witness him slacking around and experience your wrath – but now he was dragging you inside his office, pushing your shoulders down until you were ‘settled in.’

You didn’t even want to ask where he got a new desk from, or why it had to be right across from him. His desk remained elevated on a few levels, the welcoming lobby of the room filled with couches and stacks of coffee with a rich amount of sugar cubes.

Safe to say, most of the morning was spent (or rather, wasted) on you telling Satoru off. The man was too persistent, coming in on the office at random times of the hour with either snacks or heaps of biscuits on his arms. He always greeted you with a wide grin on his face, only to be kicked out of his own office because you had his hellish schedule and events to deal with. That was around three hours ago when you’d asked him to shut up and go bother someone else. You were halfway around finishing your workload for today when the door swung open, a tuft of white hair and mischievous eyes peeking through.

“Hey! Just checking in on mommy—”

“Satoru!”

“What? It’s just you and I,” he defended with a shrug, welcoming himself inside. Surprisingly, he was empty handed, though the pout on his lips told you it was against his will. “Seriously though, do you need anything? Do you want snacks? Tea? Do you need help going to the bathroom? You haven’t moved in your desk for an hour now.”

“Satoru, I’m pregnant, not disabled,” you ignored him for a while, resuming to working back on his schedule for the month. There were a bunch of e-mails you still had to respond to, which normally wouldn’t be such a daunting task if Satoru wasn’t shifting his weight from one foot to another, the sounds of his shoes hitting the tiles in an annoying click-clack rhythm getting to you. “Will you stop fidgeting! Your anxiety gives me anxiety, stop that!”

“I’m sorry, I can’t help it, I just feel like there’s something I should be doing.”

“Shutting up and letting me work in peace would be great, thank you.”

“You really don’t need anything?” Sending him a warning glare, Satoru sucked in his cheeks and ran back to his desk where he hid behind the safety of his large monitor. “Nope, yeah, I got the message: leave you alone. Good luck with that then, I’ll need those archives to pull up for our meeting with the directors later at five.”

Muttering a sarcastic finally under your breath, you resumed working.

The routine was per usual – answer the calls professionally with a welcoming and sweet voice, a pen always in one hand to jot down notes in reminders, adjust his schedules, work out his plans, go to him whenever he needed to sign something before responding back to e-mails. You were focused as you always were, but someone wasn’t, and it was getting harder and harder to keep being placated.

It didn’t help that he made no effort to hide the fact he was slacking off, the tip-taps of him randomly pressing keys on the keyboard similar to a fork dragging down a plate.

“I can feel you burning holes at the back of my head,” you twittered, “What do you need?”

“Nothing at all. I’m just realizing how beautiful you are right now.”

You paused. Unable to deny your curiosity over how serious he sounded, you spun around in your swivel chair. Satoru had his chin on his hands as he stared right back at you, his face devoid of expression that you couldn’t pick up on a single clue. “Are you okay?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

You rolled your eyes at him. Of course the bastard would be teasing you, his loud chuckles a painful reminder of that. It was best to ignore him, so you went back to reading e-mails and forced yourself to focus on the task at hand. “We’re at work. Please stop distracting me; I can’t focus when you’re staring at me like a creep.”

“Sorry, babe, I’ll try to be less distracting next time, though I can’t control my charisma, you know!”

You jotted your thumb to your desk outside, “I can walk back to my desk where you can’t see me. That’d be a great for both of us.”

“Stay right there, I was joking!”

“Do you promise to be quiet and actually do your job if I stay?”

“With you disciplining and ordering me around like that, why not?” Mouth open for another heated retort, Satoru stopped you before you could say anything, his aura more serious this time. He was always like this; fooling around and maturing the next second, only for the cycle to repeat and test your patience. “I’m just teasing you, Y/N, I’ll shut up now. You’re free to end work as soon as you’re tired though; the driver is waiting in the parking lot whenever you want to go home.”

“I’ll go home with you.” Home. It felt weird to say that, but also…natural.

“You’ll stay with me at work today?” He sounded genuinely surprised, and you responded with a one-shoulder shrug. That seemed to be enough for him, however, and it wasn’t long before Satoru found the oh so rare and fleeting motivation to work hard.

Once he was settled, sleeves rolled up to expose his veiny forearms and brows furrowed as he centered all his attention on the pile of paperwork before him, there was no stopping him.

Roles reversed and positions switched, you were now the one unable to take your eyes off him.

In this light, in this moment, Gojo Satoru had never looked more beautiful. He was much the same as you in the manner you never really noticed each other this way before; not romantically, but even just person to person. In your eyes, he was nothing but your irritating boss whose boisterous self always crowded over your peace, and in his eyes, you were nothing but his secretary who he knew always silently hoped would leave you alone.

But things were different now. You were different now.

Boundaries there may be, you couldn’t help that fluttering forming in your stomach. Contentment, happiness, relief, nervousness – all of them jumbled into one big mess. Out of them all, however, there was most definitely adoration, either out of respect for his unexpected kindness, or simply because it felt nice to feel for once.

Turning away from him until your back was the only thing he could see, you hid your smile as you secretly held your belly.

You’d never been reckless before, but what was to be a good story when there wasn’t a mistake or two made?