#Call 6 times leave 2 voicemails knock several time over the course of 2 hours no answer | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

shewillreadyou · 4 years ago

Text

Becoming: Chapter 8- Cater to you

As always. I hope that you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing.

A/N:Settle in for this one. It’s long. Please share, and comment. Let me know what you would like to see happen. Will Liam come through or disappoint her again? Will Raymond lay off?

Disclaimers: All characters are property of Pixelberry

Warnings: Sexual content. FLUFF, ANGST SMUT

Catch up: Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7

Word Count: 3945

Pairings: Liam Rhys and MC (Karis Vasquez)

Song inspiration: Cater 2 U- Destiny’s Child

Be Kind: Hit the heart button, leave a comment or reblog. It makes a writer so so happy.

In Paris

It’s been a long awkward day and a text message from Liam left her even more deflated. She told him that it was ok, and that she understood but in the back of her mind she wondered if this was only a glimpse of the canceled plans, a portrait of how much of a priority she would be if she became his queen. She started to pour herself a glass of wine to soothe the sting in her heart she felt. She stopped and instead took a long swig directly from the bottle. Then she tucked the entire bottle under her arm and headed back into her room.

The next few days seemed like a blur. She texted Liam every day but kept things light, knowing that anything more would spill her true feelings onto the surface. Liam called her early Thursday morning. She dared not answer, sending him directly to voicemail secretly hoping it would elicit the same response as it had last week. She also knew that he knew her well enough that he would recognize the disappointment in her voice straight away.

In Cordonia

Braxton sends a weekly report to Liam concerning Karis’ safety. He has run off a few paparazzi who have taken pictures and noticed one guy following her a few different times, but never close enough to do her harm. Each incident is immediately reported to Liam. Liam was sitting trying to balance a budget following one of his father’s recent hospital stays. After a budget meeting, Liam just can’t seem to figure out the origin of a recurring charge that started the day he came back from Paris the first time after he reconciled with Karis. He confides in Regina who confirms his suspicions.

Meanwhile in Constantine’s office

The phone rings, it’s a phone call he had been expecting.

“Sir, I have the intel on KV, faxing it over now.” The fax comes through and Constantine reads it over.

Impressive, the orphan daughter of an alcoholic and a junkie, and still manages to get a full academic scholarship. Pre-law major with a minor in political science, she had maintained a 4.0 GPA her entire collegiate career while holding down a job. No criminal record, no parking tickets, a credit score of 815. Currently in Paris on a paid internship at Alaris Avocats. Lives alone. The only company she has entertained since in Paris is Liam, one Mr. Matthew David Carusso, and Raymond C. Perry.

He tucks the report into a drawer when he hears a knock on his door.

“Liam, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Father, I wanted to come to deliver the news in person. The council met while you were in the hospital and voted that due to your health and deteriorating mental capacity you are hereby relieved of your duties as the reigning monarch of Cordonia. You are now just a figurehead until my coronation. I told myself that your mental state must be the reason you are gambling with fate.”

“Son, I don’t know what you mean?”

“Save it. Let’s make one thing clear dear Father if we have to revisit this conversation it won’t end well. I have finally managed to do an audit for the month of June.”

All the color drained from Constantine’s face.

“You will pick up the phone this instant and order your man to stand down or you both will face my wrath.”

His face falls. “How did you–”

“The moment I left Paris I put a man on her. I know you don’t know what it means to protect the woman you claim to love. You failed my mother, but you taught me what not to do. Here’s what you fail to realize. I will protect her with my life. Your guy has been made 8 different times. Fortunately for him, he never got within 100 yards of her. My guard has been given an order to end anyone who attempts to harm her.

Meanwhile Thursday afternoon in Paris

After taking a leisurely stroll alongside the Seine River to clear her mind Karis got a text from Raymond.

She was just about to respond when there was a knock on the door. She grabbed her piece and headed to the door. When she cracked the door secretly hoping that it was Liam, she was disappointed to find a stranger in a black suit. She takes the safety off the .22 Liam left with her.

“Who sent you?”

When the man spots the gun, he ducks around the corner.

“Whoa, I am sorry if I scared you ma’am. Ms. Vasquez? I have been sent by Prince Liam. Could you put away the gun and come with me?”

She closed and locked the door and put the gun down in front of her while she called Liam to check the story.

The phone rang only once before he answers.

“Hey, angel!”

“Adonis, don’t you hey angel me. Did you send someone to my place to pick me up?”

He laughs, “Yes, and you pulled a gun on him?”

“That’s not funny. I was scared. What is going on? Where is he taking me? What do I need to bring?”

“I’m sorry, your right dear. I definitely didn’t mean to scare you. I just wanted to surprise you. Just bring you and stop with all the questions, future attorney. Just leave your weapon at home.”

She removed the magazine and placed the gun back in her small safe. She grabbed her purse, locked her place and followed the stranger out to a town car where again she was expecting to see Liam. Alas, the car was empty. He opened the door and when she settled inside, there waiting was champagne, flowers and chocolates. She smiled as she wondered what Liam could have possibly meant when he said that he wanted to “surprise” her. She knew that if it was anything short of him physically being in her presence she wasn’t interested.

The car quickly navigated the streets of Paris and before long approached the airport. They pulled onto the tarmac where Karis saw the private jet with the Cordonian seal. She had never seen anything like it before. Her mouth went dry, her pulse raced and her heart felt like it was going to explode in her chest. Did the jet being here mean that Liam was inside? Before she could investigate further the door opened and the driver in the black suit took her hand to help her out of the car.

“You’ll need to board now, Ms. Vasquez.”

She made her way over to the steps of the private jet, a cocktail of nerves, adrenaline, and excitement course through her body as she ascended the stairs. When she gets to the top, there is a thin blonde who greets her.

“Lady Karis, on behalf of the captain, and flight crew welcome aboard. I’ll show you to your seat and make sure you have a comfortable flight. We should land in Cordonia in approximately 2 hours and 48 minutes. Please let me know if there is anything that I can do to make your flight more comfortable.

“I guess I’m going to Cordonia then, huh?”

The flight goes by quickly as Karis reads an ABA journal. She resists the temptation to text Liam and ask more questions. When the plane landed Karis met a handsome older gentleman named Bastien, he was the head of Liam security detail he leads her to a black suv with dark window tents. It looked very similar to the one she spotted in New York the night she met Liam. The door opened and finally, there he was; he looked exhausted. He wore dark shades to hide the dark circles under his eyes. He hadn’t shaven. Black slacks and a crisp white dress shirt with the first several buttons undone. Damn, he was sexy. She went to greet him properly but Bastien stopped her.

In Cordonia

“Not here, Ma’am.” he hastily helped her into the car and they sped off down the Cordonian roads. Liam gave her an apologetic look as he reached across the seat taking her hand.

“Hey, Angel.”

“Hey, babe. Are you ok? You look terrible. What is going on?”

“It’s a long story. I’m fine. I will explain it all when we arrive at our destination.”

“Adonis? What is the meaning of all of this? Why couldn’t I hug and kiss you? You don’t have a wife or fiance’ your hiding do you? I told you from the start I don’t like bullshit.”

He smiles. “You definitely went into the right field. You are the only woman in my life. You couldn’t kiss or hug me because the paparazzi were all over the place. I will let them know about you when the time is right. They can wait, but for now, I want you to myself.” He squeezed her hand.

She raised her eyebrow, “If you say so.”

“Where are we going? I am not dressed to visit a palace and I’m starving.”

“Then lucky for you, I have all of those things covered.”

Just then they pull into the underground garage of a modern residential building situated on a hill. There are armed guards outside and inside the garage. The driver opens the door for Liam, and he comes around to open the door for Karis. The moment she is on her feet Liam pins her against the side of the vehicle, his lips taking hers in a deep, desperate, longing kiss. She grabbed him by the collar. Her knees buckled and when he finally pulled away they were both breathless. Her eyes widened as she wiped her mouth.

“What has gotten into you?” She smirked, still catching her breath.

“Welcome to Cordonia,” his deep voice rumbled in her ear. He smiled before taking her hand and leading her past the armed guard who stood at attention, into an elevator. He scanned his thumbprint before pressing a button for the penthouse. Bastien had gone ahead of the couple to apparently make sure it was clear. The elevator beeped and the doors slide open to reveal a modern open concept floor plan with floor to ceiling windows.

“It’s my apartment. Make yourself at home.”

Liam leads her through a large bedroom into the closet which is the size of her whole apartment back home. There are mostly men’s clothes and one section with an assortment of women’s clothing.

“Adonis, whose clothes are these?”

“Your’s. Everything here was selected specifically for you. It’s all in your size. You will have several options for the entire weekend. I know that you must be tired after the flight. You will find a basket in the shower with your pear-berry shower gel, scrub, and body butter. There is another basket on the counter top with a new tooth brush and anything else you might need. If there is anything else, please don’t hesitate to ask. Meet me out on the terrace.”

She stands there as tears threaten to spill from her eyes. He snakes his arms around her waist pulling her close. Her back is firmly against his chest. He gently kisses her on the sensitive skin of her neck.

“Hey, whoa, please don’t cry. I promise to feed you after you shower,” he whispers in her ear. She smiles instead turning to gently slap him on the arm.

“You did all this for me?”

“Of course, I want to give you the world.”

“I don’t need the world, Adonis. I just need you.”

She winds her arms around his neck clasping her hands together. She kisses his lips sweetly. “Come shower with me,” she says against his lips.

He smiles nervously, “Karis, I–”

She pouts, interrupting, “You don’t want to?”

He chuckles, “I absolutely want to. But it’s not a good idea. Our food will be cold and we have some things that are very important for us to discuss. But, I promise after, we can take as many showers as you want. There’s a tub in there too.”

“Ok, I’ll be quick.”

He kisses her on the cheek and leaves her to get dressed. When she stepped out of the shower she moisturized and wrapped a towel around her body heading back into the closet. She finds an assortment of lingerie in a gift bag wrapped in tissue paper. She is impressed. There are at least a dozen sets in different styles and colors. She decided on a pair of black lacy panties, a black bra, black shorts and a white blazer. She finished the look with some black and white pumps. She finger combed her hair and put on some lipgloss and headed out to meet Liam.

Liam stands to receive her and his jaw drops eliciting a blush from Karis. She bites her lip as he pulls out her chair.

“Karis you look, wow–”

“Thank you. Please, sit down. While I am hungry, I am more eager to chat about what you wanted to discuss.”

He motions for the chef to bring their dinner. When the entrees are uncovered Karis swoons.

“Adonis! Shrimp and grits? You remembered?” Hot tears spill from her eyes.

“Of course I did. It was the very first meal we ever shared. He reaches across the table and wipes her tears with his thumb.”

“I’ll get to it. I believe that it will give you a clearer picture of why I had to alter our plans this weekend.”

She starts to eat. “I’m listening.”

“First, as you know my father is ill. He has spent a great deal of time in the hospital. In turn, I have had to assume a great deal of his day to day duties. Because of his continued absences, the council had a meeting and has officially removed him as reigning monarch of Cordonia. It has essentially ascended me to the throne as new king of Cordonia. It will be official the night of my coronation. Because of the timeline my coronation has been moved up and the traditional social season won’t happen. I have to choose a fiance by my coronation. You are who I choose. You will always be my choice. Baby, my queen, I need you here with me, by my side.”

Her breath catches at his words. He is going to be the actual king of this beautiful country and he wants her of all people to be his queen.

”I want to be by your side, Adonis. I just have to figure out how to do that without compromising who I am.”

“I’m holding on to that. It’s not a no. I know that you hadn’t made up your mind. But if you decide that this is what you want we would move forward with your citizenship. I know we talked about you needing a house to sponsor you. There will be three houses Domvallier, Ramsford, and Cormery Isle essentially courting you for the opportunity to sponsor you, starting with a welcome ball tomorrow night in the duchy of Domvallier, a brunch on Saturday at Cormery Isle and Saturday night there will be a Beaumont bash.”

Overwhelmed, Karis attempts to change the subject. “Adonis, what about you? You have been talking about me this whole time. You have been working hard, doing your father’s job, you look like you haven’t slept, and planning this weekend for me? Let me just take tonight to take care of you.”

“I’m listening.”

She stands moving around the table and kisses him sweetly on his lips before pouring apple juice into his glass. She takes his fork, feeding him forks full of food while he runs his hand up and down her soft bare leg. She noticed the swell in his pants and smirks and shakes her head.

He smiles seductively. “I have to say that I am thoroughly enjoying being fed by my woman. How else pray tell are you going to take care of me?”

She picks up his glass and places it in his hand. “Drink your apple juice.”

She grabbed the ceramic dish of apple preserves from the table and saunters back into the apartment, looking over her shoulder at him with hooded eyes.

He stands gulping his apple juice down quickly and followed her inside. She leads him to the bedroom. She grabs his hand and motions for him to sit.

“I’ll be right back.” She goes into the bathroom and starts a bath, lighting the aromatherapy candles to set the mood.

She moves back into the bedroom and kneels at Liam’s feet. His expression is unreadable. She unties his shoes and removes them, then his socks rolling them and place them neatly inside his shoe. She stands and bends at the waist making sure he gets a clear view of her cleavage as she removes his cufflinks and begins unbuttoning his shirt. She ran her fingers lightly down his chest before unbuckling his belt and pushing his trousers and boxer briefs to the floor.

“Karis–”

“Shhhhh,” she interrupts, placing one finger on his lips.

She takes his hand leading him to the bathtub. She turns off the water and invites him to get in.

“Are you joining me?” he asks.

She winks and bites her lip, “No, this is about you. Not me.”

She soaks a towel and lathers it up and begins to bathe him. He relaxes under her touch allowing her to take care of him for a change. He was sure that as she toweled his body they would connect. She instructs him to lay across the bed where she begins a full body massage starting with his feet. While she rubs, he groans.

“Tell me, if you had your way, what would this weekend look like?”

She moves to the other foot kneading it with her hands before moving to his calves. His eyes were shut, and a smile crept slowly across his face. Clearly he was enjoying this pampering from the woman he loved.

“In a perfect world, I’d be able to convince you to move here with me when you leave Paris. There are so many reasons that it would be ideal.”

She takes more oil in her hands and starts to stroke his thighs.

“I’m listening,” she says. But touching his body the way that she is, backfires and it is turning her on just as much as it seems to be turning him on. She squeezed her thighs together trying to hold off the white hot passion pooling in between them.

“I spoke with the dean of admissions at Cordonia U and you could still graduate by December if you did your last semester here. It’s a great program and it would be an asset, seeing how you are interested in international law.”

“I’m not convinced, but I’ll consider it,” she said as she straddled him and rubbed up and down his abs and pecs.

His hands move to her waist, “Karis, I really want to talk more, but I can’t concentrate with you being this close to me, touching me like this,” he growls as his hand slowly starts roaming up her side. She moves his hands and rolls off of him.

“I didn’t tell you to touch me your highness,” she smiled.

“Please.”

“Hands behind your head.” she said in a quiet voice.

He complied. She straddles him again and rubs oil on to his bald head as she kisses him. Their tongues tangle for a few moments before Karis moves down to nip as his neck and shoulders.

“Mmmmmmm, angel.”

She takes some of the apple preserves leaving a trail of it down his torso. She then takes her tongue swirling it around his nipple, before she places hot open mouth kisses down his torso licking the apple preserves. His length is so stiff he looks like a sundial. She bites her lips, her eyes dancing.

“See something you like my queen?”

“Oh, you have no idea…”

She crooks her finger beckoning him closer. He grinned as he rose from the bed. She backed him into the wall, hands gripping his thighs. He goes to tangle his hands in her hair.

“Hands behind your head, Adonis. Let me take care of you.” He huffs, but complies. She takes her hand and with her thumb smears the bead of pre cum over his tip. She licks him from base to tip before taking the head in her mouth. Liam’s head falls back in ecstasy. She twirls her tongue around the tip while pumping the shaft with her hand. As she bobs on his length taking more and more with each movement.

“God, you’re an angel. Your mouth is heaven, my queen.”

She looks up at him and leans in making him completely disappear into her mouth. She can feel him throb and twitch and knows he won’t last long. She doubled her effort as she massaged his balls. It was enough to send him over the edge, and he exploded in her mouth. She stood licking the spillage from her lips and then swallowing while gazing into Liam’s eyes. He collapses on the bed.

“That was insane.”

She blushes, “well I am clearly crazy over you.”

He laughs.

“I know, that was cheesy.” She pops the button on her blazer letting it fall off her shoulder.

His breath visibly catches in his throat. “Karis you’re resplendent.”

She shimmies out of her shorts and panties.

“Keep the heels on.” Liam says as he sits up on the edge of the bed.

Karis slowly sways her hips over to Liam straddling his lap taking his lips in a hungry kiss. His strong arms wrapped around her, pulling her in close, his bare chest against hers. He breaks the kiss.

“I need to taste you.” he says in a deep baritone voice that vibrates her chest.

She pushes him back onto the bed and straddles his face steadying herself with her palms on his chest. His large hands palm her backside guiding her as she rolls her hips on his tongue.

“So wet and sweet,” his muffled words send electric pleasure currents through her body as he continues to use his tongue with precision. He inserts a crooked finger in search of her g-spot. He alternates from licking to sucking her swollen clit as she moans his name. “Oh, Adonis!!!”

“Let me hear you, my queen.”

His words are enough to make her come undone. Her thighs clench on his head and he continues to flick his tongue as she creams in his mouth.

He flips her over, pinning her ankles above her head. “Your legs go on for days in these heels,” he says. Her only response was a smile as she was still catching her breath. Her sensitive clit still throbbing, Liam plunges easily deep inside of her tight center and she howls.

“How does it feel?” he asks as their bodies slap together, sounding like a slow clap at first.

“Adonis, you are incredible, but I want to be on top.”

He gathers her in his arms and flips her on top without breaking their connection, “as my queen wishes.”

He takes her breast in his mouth as she plunges down on his length. Her pace picks up and he lets out a primal roar meeting her rhythm. “Yes, my king! Give it to me.”

He rolled his hips and tugged her hair. Her body spasmed and tears flowed from her eyes. Watching her orgasm is one of the most beautiful things he has ever seen. The combination of her moans, the grind of her hips and the clinching of her center around his length was enough for him to join her over the edge. He pulls her onto his chest and just as they both begin to fall into an easy slumber, there is a knock on the door. Liam slips out of bed and into his boxers before cracking the door.

“Sir, it’s your father. I need you to come with me.”

Tagging:

@txemrn

@pixie88

@khoicesbyk

@blackkingliamstan

@mom2000aggie

@shannonwrote

@shanzay44

@bbrandy2002

@hopelessromanticmonie

@fanjessfic

@dcbbw

@lucy-268

@choiceslady

@twinkleallnight

@blackkingliamstan

@bebepac

@shanzay44

@mainstreetreader

@romereadingshop

@romewritingshop

@lem-20

@texaskitten30

@maurine07

@queenjilian

@secretaryunpaid

#choices #trr #fanfic #fandom #fanfiction #the royal romance #choices fanfiction #prince liam #Meet Karis #king of cordonia #shewillreadyou #raymond who #kim reads #kim writes #kim reblogs #follow shewillreadyou

4 notes · View notes

thethoughtsfromthreeam · 5 years ago

Text

Sunshine

Pairing: Maxwell Lord x OC (Evelyn “Evie” Blaker)

Warnings: None

A/N: For the first time since I started this whole writing adventure, my posting schedule has caught up with my writing and I’m currently working on part 8, with a possible part 9. The end is in sight, y’all.

Reminder: I ain’t ever seen Pedro Pascal in FUCK ALL, I’m just coming up with this as I go along, using imdb.com, wiki, and 84,000 tabs I got open to plan out this shit. I also write soft versions of his characters so if you’re craving asshole vibes, I ain’t got any but my own to offer.

Tags: @zeldasayer , @romanticgumchewer, @beskars , @coolmaybelateruniverse , @the-feckless-wonder, @lavenderl3mons , @pascalisthepunkest , @mandoandyodito , @randomness501 , @fioccodineveautunnale

[PART 1] [PART 2] [PART 3] [PART 4] [PART 5] [PART 6] [PART 7]

Part 8

Beg for Forgiveness

The great thing about telling people you aren’t available for a whole week was that no one will come looking for you when you want to be alone. That meant that Evie could stay home and let herself cry without having to pretend everything was okay around her co-workers or anyone else. It also meant she could ignore her phone and keep it turned off. As a person who wore her emotions on her sleeves, she just wanted time to work through this without interruption.

There was a part of her that hated that she, a woman in her late thirties, was crying over a man like a simpering college co-ed. That she was feeling so broken hearted over Maxwell Lord of all people, a man she wasn’t even dating! At least not dating in the traditional sense. And they had only known each other the better part of three months.

Her brain kept screaming at her that he called her a whore, a bitch in heat. He had been unnecessarily vicious to her, even manhandled her to the point that she was bruised. Her fingers brushed her upper arm and she could feel the tears forming again. She ought to hate him with her whole being.

But she didn’t.

Yes, it had only be about three months, but she felt everything so deeply and rather quickly, too. And she had thought he felt it as well based on how he acted most of the time. She always found herself thinking that everything about what they did together felt right to her, like she was supposed to be laying next to him, talking about their day. That when she had been at the zoo, she couldn’t help but think a gorgeous hand carved wooden lion would have made a perfect addition to his desk. Those little things people who care for one another do for each other.

She dated periodically over the years and had a few serious relationships. Her last one ended when she found him in bed with a woman she never met before. That relationship had been almost four years and yet the sadness she felt now was miles beyond what she had felt then. It’s why she let herself have these long moments in bed and let herself cry.

She laid in bed for hours before she forced herself up and into the shower. As she let the warm water cascade over her exhausted body, she forced the last words out of Maxwell’s mouth from her mind. She’d allow herself another day to mull over this before she formed a game plan. Although, she couldn’t be sure what that game plan was quite yet.

---***---

You get a taste of the high life and then just go running around, throwing yourself at people like some common whore?!”

“I saw you throwing yourself at Eric! Rubbing up against him like some bitch in heat!”

The stubble along Maxwell’s jaw and cheeks was itchy, but the whiskey he had been drinking continuously since Thursday numbed him to any sensation but his self-hatred as his words continued to echo in his brain. It was Sunday morning and he had been trying for almost three days to get ahold of Evie, but her phone went directly to voicemail and she never answered her texts.

He had been out of his mind with worry but the folio on his desk told him she was safe at home and exactly where that home was. He stared at it, almost as if he could, through some weird psychic connection, will Evie to call him. He knew that wasn’t possible, of course and he had sat on the information since Friday.

Maxwell debated with himself on whether he should go to see her or not, but every time he thought he should, he held back. For the first time in a long time, he was scared. Scared that she’d hate him, but a small part of him was scared that she would be willing to forgive him because he felt unworthy of her love no matter how badly he craved it.

He pulled himself out of the chair in his study and wandered into the kitchen. Marnie had left him something to eat, but he had no appetite. Instead, he stood there, staring aimless out the window while leaning against the counter. Things felt off-kilter since she left and if he was being deeply honest with himself, it probably was before she entered his world. Instead, she had been this force that seemed to just pull everything together and it had been so impactful over the last few months that if she never came back, he wasn’t sure what his life was going to look like without her.

Looking at the clock, he realized that if he was going to do something, he had to decide now. Stop being a damn chicken shit and go see her, that voice inside his head screamed at him. He pushed himself off the counter and went upstairs to shower. If he was going to see Evie, he wasn’t going to smell like a bar or look like death.

She deserved better.

---***---

Evie sighed as she stood in her kitchen, the fridge wide open. Nothing stood out to her and she wasn’t very hungry anyway. With a groan, she closed the door and wandered into the living room. From the large windows, she could see her dog, George, running around the yard, chasing the birds and she smiled briefly.

She debated getting him from the kennel early, not wanting to talk with the chatty lady who owns it, but she needed his puppy love right now. He had been excited to see her, as always, and he snuggled against her as she laid in bed crying the last two days. But the beautiful fall day was too much, and he bounced out of the doggie door to do his patrol around the yard, leaving Evie alone inside.

She still felt restless and she wandered through the house, not really looking at anything. Her home was on the outskirts of the city, located on the Hudson River, and she called it her haven for nearly a decade now. It was a small, two-bedroom clapboard home with large windows and all its original woodwork meticulously restored by Evie and her father.

But today, this cozy space felt less of a haven and more like a cage. As she continued to pace, she debated joining George outside and doing some raking, hoping the physical exhaustion would overwhelm the emotional. But before she could do anything, she watched as George paused and began barking, running towards the side fence.

Just as the dog began his vocalizations, she heard a car door slam outside. Knowing that no one knew she was home yet, she walked to the hall closet and dragged out her trusty baseball bat. As she turned around, a knock sounded on the door and she stopped, confused. What burglar knocks on the door? When she heard the knock again, she walked over to look out the side window. Her jaw dropped when she saw Maxwell standing on her porch.

He was here.

And she was relieved.

She yanked open the door and stood there gawking at him, the surprised look on her face hard to hide. Prim and proper suit-wearing Maxwell Lord was standing on her porch wearing jeans and a long-sleeved tee shirt. She had never seen him so casual and she stayed with him for four days. He was clean shaven, though, and later she would be a little sad not to see his beard once she learned of it. She could see hints of exhaustion around his eyes, his laugh lines deeper than usual.

He stood there, looking sheepish and unsure of himself as Evie looked at him. But he smartly kept his mouth shut and patiently waited for her to tell him to go or to stay. Despite everything, there was nothing particularly awkward about their silence and after a beat, Evie jump and opened the screen door, waving him in. He saw the bat in her hands as he stepped inside and raised an eyebrow when he looked at her face.

“I’m a single woman living on my own.” She shrugged before propping it against the wall to be put back later.

“I’m glad you have it.” That deep voice she loved so much seemed to seep through her and Evie felt a little shiver skitter across her skin. She closed the door behind him as he stood in her living room, looking around. It was quaint, filled with books and photos of friends and family. He noted she loved textile art as he continued to take it all in. Everything about it felt warm and inviting, making Maxwell feel like he could sit in here, next to her, forever. He then spotted George through the window and smiled.

“I didn’t know you had a dog.” He walked closer to the window. George had gone back to his patrols after the weird man disappeared. As they looked out, they watched him as he stood, staring through the fence as a boat lazily passed by on the river. “Why didn’t you bring him with you? I wouldn’t have minded.”

“Yeah, that’s my baby.” She walked up beside him and tapped on the window. The dog jerked his head up and looked towards the house, his curled tail wagging. “I didn’t want to impose, not everyone likes dogs in their personal spaces. Besides, he has a best friend at the kennel, and I felt they could use some time together.”

“What is he?”

“The shelter said he was a shar-pei mix. But he’s pure-bred dumbass most days.” They watched as he turned towards the house, running straight into a tree. They both started to laugh, and the dog backed up and walked around before bounding across the yard and in through the doggie door.

George ran up immediately to Maxwell and began sniffing him, the tail still wagging. He bent down to pet the dog and was rewarded with several licks to the face. He laughed and kept petting George before the dog decided he needed a nap and ran to the bedroom.

“I’m assuming you’re here to talk.” Evie’s voice was low, and Maxwell grew serious again as he stood up. He towered over her and something about it sent little quivers to her belly. He nodded and she nodded back before waving at him to follow her into the kitchen.

He sat at the table and watched as she moved comfortably through the space, putting together drinks and food before setting them down. She sat across from him and he could see how worn she was, and it cut through his heart, compounding his guilt and sadness even more. She didn’t deserve that, and he didn’t deserve her. They sat there for a moment; hands wrapped around steaming mugs of tea. She spoked first.

“Why would you even think that let alone say it?” Evie sat back as she crossed her arms and looked at him. She saw him wince and his head dropped lower as his shoulders curled in. She was surprised to see him so. . . beaten down. This man, who exuded power and confidence, sat across from her looking and sounding worn out.

“Because I’m a fucking idiot.”

“You got that right.” She sipped her tea as he nodded. He looked up and she could see how haunted his eyes were, her heart clenching because she knew that same look was in her eyes, too. His body language told her that he was sorry, but she needed to hear it from his mouth. He sighed deeply.

“I don’t expect you to forgive me for hurting you.” His eyes flickered down to the bruise on her arm, exposed thanks to her short-sleeved shirt. “I acted like a jackass and treated you terribly. You didn’t deserve it. And I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry, Evie. I’m so fucking sorry.”

The rawness of his voice carried the wetness of tears and she could see him looking up at the ceiling, trying to will them away. She could feel a lump growing in her own throat at the scene. Before she could say anything else, he kept going.

“I don’t know why I did it, why I felt so jealous. But the idea of you being with someone else when I want you all to myself gets me twisted inside. I’m pretty sure I love you, Evie.” Her jaw dropped and she nearly did the same thing with her mug had it not been for the table. He rushed on. “I know that’s no excuse for the way I behaved! I’m not excusing that! But I had to tell you. I needed you to hear it. I don’t expect you to love me back, which would probably kill me, but I really need for you to know that I’m sorry, that I love you, and that I want you in my life.”

Maxwell looked down at his hands and noticed they were shaking, although he wasn’t sure which of the eight hundred emotions running through him was causing it. He clasped them together, hoping to still them as the silence from Evie dragged on. It was so quiet; he could hear George snoring in the bedroom and the clock in the living room ticking away. He so desperately wanted to look up at Evie, but something told him to keep looking down until she said something.

Evie stared at the blond hairs on the top of Maxwell’s head, almost glimmering in the afternoon sun. She was sure he could hear her heart hammering in her chest. He loved her. He loved her. He loved her. It was like her brain stopped processing everything after he said those words and her heart clenched painfully in her chest. He fucking loved her.

She slowly got up from the table and walked around to him, getting on her knees. His head was still bowed, and his eyes closed, as if bracing himself for bad news. When she placed her hands on his, he still didn’t open them. She had never seen him so emotional and it crept into her heart.

“Max. I love you, too.”

#maxwell lord #maxwell lord x oc #maxwell lord x reader #pedro pascal #pedro pascal x reader #fanfic #ww1984 #Wonder Woman 1984

20 notes · View notes

emospritelet · 5 years ago

Text

Twisted Fate - chapter 13

6: “I don’t want to talk”

Please send me a prompt from this list or this list to fuel the angst and smut

[Ch 1] [Ch 2] [Ch 3] [Ch 4] [Ch 5] [Ch 6] [Ch 7] [Ch 8] [Ch 9] [Ch 10] [Ch 11] [Ch 12] - [AO3]

Gold had driven back to Storybrooke in a daze, keeping his eyes on the road ahead and concentrating as hard as he could on every turn of the wheel, every change in the landscape. It was a vain attempt to stop his brain from replaying his last conversation with Belle, stuck in a loop of hearing that she loved him, but didn’t trust him. Joy and pain, turning over and over in his mind, interspersed with his own unintentional outburst about the child he had lost. She had noticed his slip, had pressed him on it, and like a coward, he had run away rather than face the truth and deal with it. Just as he had been doing ever since he met her. Little wonder she didn’t trust him.

She had tried to call several times, but he had ignored every frantic ring of his phone, telling himself it was important to keep his attention on the road. After an hour or so she appeared to give up, and so he had only the turmoil of his thoughts for company as he headed north towards Storybrooke. It was only delaying the inevitable, of course. He knew that all too well.

It was dark when he got to the town, and rather than go home, he went to his shop. Being alone in the house would only mean he had nothing to distract from his own dark thoughts, and he needed a way to block them out. He needed something to do.

The shop was cold and dark, so after locking the door he went through to the back room, turning on the lights and flicking the switch for the heating. He made himself some coffee while he waited for the room to warm up a little, keeping his coat on. The cot in the corner, where he and Belle had spent many a pleasant afternoon, would do for a bed for the night, if he ever felt the urge to sleep.

He drank the coffee standing up, pacing back and forth across the room as it scalded his lips and tongue and traced a line of fire down his throat. The old toy rabbit gazed at him sadly from its usual position on the shelf, black bead eyes seeming to follow him around the room, as though judging every one of his failings. Just as Belle would. Just as he deserved. Gold squeezed his eyes shut, trying to hold in the emotions that raged and swelled inside him, trying to push them down and snuff them out. It didn’t work, and he told himself he had been running from the truth for too long. He knew Belle; she wouldn’t let this go, not with her determination, her curiosity. She would never give up. He would have to face her eventually. He would have to face what he had done.

Growling under his breath, he set down the coffee cup and went to the cabinet to fish out a whisky glass and the bottle of single malt he kept there. Perhaps a drink or five would shut his rambling mind up for long enough to get some work done. He poured himself a large one, taking the glass and bottle to the workbench. The music box that he had started to restore was still sitting on its square of black velvet, its mechanism a jumble of pieces in a small plastic tub beside it. He had cleaned everything meticulously, had fixed one of the cogs and sourced a replacement for the other, and it was ready and waiting for him to fix it. As it had been for the past month.

A delicate and intricate job like this was just what he needed, and he was unsure why he had been ignoring it in favour of other, simpler tasks like chasing up rent arrears. Admittedly everything was a jumbled mess, and he hadn’t been sure where to start. Gold pursed his lips, drumming his fingers on the bench as he thought it over. Perhaps if he took his time, and laid everything out, looked at each element. He would be able to see the whole thing, recognise each part for what it is, handle it carefully until he understood how the pieces fitted together. Then with time, and patience, and attention, it could be made whole again. It could once more be a thing of beauty, as it was meant to be.

He took a sip of the whisky, savouring the taste of it, and took off his coat and jacket, grabbing his leather apron and tying it on over his waistcoat. This would be an excellent way to pass the time while he worked out what he was going to say to Belle.

He woke with a snort to find his head down on the square of black velvet, a cog-shaped dent in one cheek and an overwhelming need to go to the bathroom. There was a foul taste in his mouth, a mixture of coffee and whisky that accounted for his pounding headache. He groaned as he straightened up, stiff and sore from going to sleep in a sitting position. Sunlight was streaming in through the windows, and he pushed to his feet, grimacing. Staggering through to the bathroom, he ignored his reflection in the mirror, fairly certain that he had no desire to see how he looked after a night of drinking until he passed out on the workbench. At least it looked as though he had made some progress with the music box, although he would have to double-check everything he had done.

Once he had washed his hands and face and scrubbed his teeth, he felt a little better, and put on some coffee while he changed his shirt for one of the clean ones he kept in the shop. His phone was still in his pocket, and fast running out of power, so he plugged in the charger, setting the phone on the counter and staring at it as though it would bite him. He could see from his notifications that he had numerous missed calls and a voicemail message, and he was willing to bet Belle was behind them all. Taking a deep breath, and telling himself to stop being a bloody coward, he poured himself a cup of coffee, flicked at the phone screen to turn on the speaker, and dialled his voicemail.

When the connection was made, he sat down on the edge of the cot, listening to the automated announcement about his message, and the beep that followed. Belle’s voice rang out, sharper than usual, direct and insistent.

“Alex, we need to talk,” she said impatiently. “Why did you run off like that? What, I ask you a question you don’t want to answer, and you bolt? What is this?”

She paused.

“You said ‘again’,” she said. “You said you can’t go through this ‘again’. What did you mean?”

He could hear her rapid breathing, agitation plain in the tone of her voice. He would have to face it, he knew that. He would have to tell her.

“Do you have another child?” she asked then. “A child you don’t see? You don’t think this is something I needed to know? What is wrong with you?”

A moment of silence. Gold took a sip of his coffee, staring at the phone as though Belle would somehow materialise out of it, a spectral visitor sent to hold him to account for his many sins.

“We have a baby waiting to come into this world,” she went on. “A baby that will be born way before you and I can even start to work out what we’ll be to each other, and you choose to run away? Are you in Storybrooke? Are you still in Boston? I need you to call me, damn you! I need y—I need to talk to you!”

Gold took another drink, letting the coffee spread across his tongue. Belle sighed, the sound a little distorted.

“I need to talk to you,” she said, more calmly. “You don’t just get to - to drop something like that on me and then leave, do you understand?”

More silence, but for the sound of her breathing. Belle clicked her tongue, a tiny noise of frustration.

“I’m not having this conversation with your bloody voicemail,” she said. “Call me.”

There was a click as she hung up, and Gold sighed, setting down his cup and running his hands over his face. The phone started running through his saved messages, and he got up to turn it off, shoving it back in his pocket and snatching up his coffee again. He felt like hurling the cup against the wall, but breaking things wouldn’t solve anything. It never had. He needed to try to mend what was broken between them. Which meant trying to fix what was broken inside himself. He wasn’t sure if it was possible, but he owed it to his child, and to Belle, to at least try.

Mind made up, he drank the last of his coffee, checking the time before striding from the shop. The spring sun was bright and glaring, and it was a relief to put on sunglasses as he made his way swiftly down the street. Townsfolk were up and about, the shops just beginning to open, and Gold shoved open the door that led to Dr Archibald Hopper’s office, taking the stairs two at a time and pounding on the door before he could lose his nerve. Dr Hopper opened it, clearly having just entered his office. His flat tweed cap was still pulled down on his sandy curls, his coat on, and he was blinking rapidly behind his glasses.

“Mr Gold,” he said, looking puzzled. “Are - are you here for the rent?”

“Were you late in paying it?” asked Gold, in a cool tone.

“No, of course not.”

“Then let’s consider the other reason I might be knocking on your door, Dr Hopper,” he said. “You did once say it was always open, as I recall.”

“Of - of course.”

His eyes softened with a kindliness that made Gold stiffen instinctively. Dr Hopper stepped to the side, holding open the door.

“Please,” he said. “Come on in. I have an appointment in half an hour, but I’m free until then.”

“I think it’ll take a damn sight longer than half an hour,” muttered Gold.

“Oh, I wasn’t suggesting otherwise,” said Dr Hopper calmly. “But perhaps you can tell me what’s troubling you, and you and I can agree on a timetable for any further visits. Does that sound like a way forward?”

Gold hesitated, but nodded, taking a step into the office. It was decorated in calming, neutral shades, with two comfortable chairs and a long couch set with cushions. A desk was in the corner by a bookshelf stuffed with texts on medical and psychiatric topics. Gold resisted the almost overwhelming urge to turn on his heel and bolt out of the door.

“Please, take a seat,” said Dr Hopper, shrugging out of his coat.

After a moment of uncertainty, he sat down on the edge of the couch, laying his cane to the side and resting his elbows on his thighs, his fingers threading together. Dr Hopper took a chair to the left. He hadn’t picked up a notebook, and was merely sitting there, an expectant look on his face. Gold tried to quell the seething, crawling sense of shame at having come to him. At having to ask for help.

"I've never done this before," he said awkwardly. "I have no idea what you expect of me, and I don't even know if I should be here."

"Well." Dr Hopper's voice was calm and soothing. "First of all, let me say something that I hope you'll find reassuring. Firstly, there's no shame in asking for help. It's a sign of personal strength, not weakness."

Tell that to my father, thought Gold sourly, but he said nothing. He wasn't even sure he wanted to think about his father, never mind discuss him with Dr Hopper.

"Fine, yes, strength," he said dismissively, moving his hand in a turning motion as though it would enable him to get through the whole excruciating situation more quickly. "What else?"

"I also want to reassure you that whatever you may say to me, Mr Gold, it stays within this room," said Dr Hopper. "There are a few exceptions to confidentiality, which I'd be happy to go through."

"Can we just get on with it?" snapped Gold, and then sighed and ran his hands over his face. "Sorry."

"That's okay," said Dr Hopper calmly. "Let's skip the intro. Why don't you tell me why you're here?"

Gold hesitated.

"I think I need to talk to someone."

"Go on."

"That's it."

There was a moment of silence. He could feel nerves twisting and knotting in his belly, a rising urge to declare the whole thing a waste of time and storm out. He bit the insides of his cheeks hard.

“So.” Dr Hopper gave him a pleasant, open smile, spreading his hands. “What did you want to talk about?”

“I don’t want to talk,” said Gold immediately.

“Okay.”

There was silence. He looked down at where his fingers were laced together, his heart thumping from the anxiety of being in a highly uncomfortable situation that he knew he couldn’t escape. A clock ticked on the wall, the second hand marking the passage of time. Twenty-three minutes. Less, if he wanted to be out of there before the next patient showed up. Which he absolutely did. Gold waited for Dr Hopper to speak, to ask him something. When he didn’t, Gold felt compelled to fill the silence on his own.

“I don’t want to talk,” he repeated heavily. “But - but I think I have to. I think it’s my only chance.”

“For what?”

“For a healthy relationship with the mother of my child.”

He glanced up, and to his credit Dr Hopper didn’t look surprised. Merely curious.

“I didn’t know you had a child,” he said. “Son or daughter?”

“I don’t know yet,” he admitted. “Belle is due to give birth next month. Yesterday I drove back from Boston, where she lives now.”

He looked at Dr Hopper steadily, waiting for him to make the connection, and saw the light in his eyes when it happened.

“Belle…” he said carefully. “Belle French? Moe French’s daughter?”

“The very same.”

“I see.”

Dr Hopper nodded, but it was a brisk nod, simply confirming his assumption. There was no judgement there, no wrinkle of the brow suggesting disdain over the age difference, and Gold felt himself relax a little.

“How do you feel about becoming a father?” asked Dr Hopper.

“Oh, I’m delighted,” he said immediately. “That’s not the issue. At least - at least not directly.”

“You mentioned your relationship with Belle needing to be better,” said Dr Hopper. “Why don’t you tell me about her?”

“What do you want to know?”

“How long have you been together?”

“We’re not,” said Gold quietly. “We had a - we were seeing each other for perhaps a year. In secret.”

“And when did this end?”

“Last summer,” he said, dropping his eyes. “I ended it. I pushed her away. I pushed her away so - so brutally she would never want to come back.”

"But she's back in your life."

"Because of the baby, yes," he said. "If not for that I would never have seen her again. It would be better for her, but we are where we are."

"So the two of you had a difficult break-up, and later you found out about the baby, and you're trying to rebuild your relationship, is that right?"

Gold shrugged, but nodded.

"I know things have to be better between us," he said. "For the sake of the baby, things have to be better. I know that."

"Let's go back a little," said Dr Hopper. "You said you were the one to end the relationship."

"Yes."

“Why?”

Gold hesitated. A lie was dancing on the tip of his tongue. It would have been easy to give it life, to tell Dr Hopper the same lies he had told Belle, that he had tried to tell himself. The same lies that had almost led to him losing another child. He swallowed hard, straightening a little.

“She told me she loved me.”

“And how did that make you feel?”

“Terrified,” he whispered.

Dr Hopper nodded slowly.

“Can you tell me why?”

“No.” Gold winced at the lie. “Yes. Because I - I think I loved her too. No. I love her. I love her now.”

“And that scared you?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I knew it was hopeless,” said Gold impatiently. “Us. I knew it - it couldn’t work. Not really. Not in a way that would make her happy.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Because…” Gold shifted in agitation. “Because I couldn’t give her what she needed. What she deserved.”

“Why not?”

“Because I have - I have nothing to give!” he insisted, tapping his chest. “I’m empty. Hollow. Inside, there’s - there’s nothing. A void. Darkness just - just swallowing anything good I try to hold onto, and I didn’t want that for her.”

He wasn’t sure he was making sense, letting the words tumble out of him after so many years of keeping everything tamped down, and so he snapped his mouth shut. There was silence for a moment.

“How long have you felt like this?” asked Dr Hopper eventually, and he sat back a little, letting out a heavy sigh.

“I don’t know,” he said wearily, scratching at the back of his neck. “Decades, I suppose.”

“Was there ever a time when something filled that void?” asked Dr Hopper. “A time when you felt less - empty?”

Gold hesitated.

“Yes,” he said quietly. “When I had my son.”

“But I thought—” Dr Hopper cut off, nodding. “I see. You had another child? Some time ago?”

“Yes.” It was barely audible, the tiniest exhalation.

“What happened to your son?”

Gold felt his mouth twitch, his fingers twisting around each other.

“I lost him.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that.”

He did sound sorry. He sounded sincere, and Gold felt himself relax a little more.

“I don’t mean he’s dead,” he said. “At least - at least if he is, I never heard of it. He’s just lost. Lost to me, anyway. His mother took him from me, and I spent years looking for him. Nothing. I have no idea where he is, or what happened to him.”

“That must be incredibly painful.”

Gold didn’t trust himself to speak, so he just nodded. He could feel emotions rising up inside him, the lake of tears he had buried deep being forced upwards and making his eyes sting. God, I can’t break down! Not now, not here!

“Is Belle aware of your - loss?” asked Dr Hopper carefully, and Gold shook his head.

“I have to tell her,” he said. “I know that.”

“I think that would be a good start,” agreed Dr Hopper. “Reliving painful episodes is difficult, but honesty with those we love is essential. If you want to improve your relationship with her, you need to build a solid foundation. That takes openness, trust. Allowing each other to be vulnerable.”

Gold grimaced, shaking his head.

“That’s - that’s not gonna be easy.”

“I’m not going to sit here and pretend that the two of you will make things better with one conversation,” said Dr Hopper. “But opening that dialogue is an excellent first step. Do you think you can do that?”

“I can try.”

“Good. Do you want to arrange to see me on a regular basis?”

“I think so,” said Gold, and nodded. “Yes.”

“It may be useful for you to attend as a couple,” added Dr Hopper. “If you think she would be open to it.”

Gold winced, shaking his head.

“We’re not a couple,” he said. “I don’t know whether that will ever change. I don’t - I don’t know if any of this will help, I just know I have to try something.”

“Right.” Dr Hopper smiled at him. “In that case why don’t you and I agree on a schedule? If things change, you can let me know.”

Gold licked his lips, and nodded.

“Alright,” he said. “Yes. Good.”

#fic: twisted fate #rumbelle fic #rumbelle #my fic

56 notes · View notes

upinthestarsx3 · 5 years ago

Text

Off Limits (m) part 6

Professor!reader x College student!Jungkook au

Genre: short series|smut|mostly angst|fluff in future|au

Word count: 3.4k

Warnings: Explicit language, mature content, including some masturbation and voyeurism in this chapter.

Summary: You’re fresh out of college having just received your masters degree in Math. You begin working at a nearby college and meet your headstrong student, Jungkook. After a drunk hookup; things get complicated.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

a/n: It’s been so long. Ugh I just fixed so many typos so apologies to anyone who read before I edited lmao. This chapter was fun to write. Enjoy and sorry i’m so flaky with posting more often!

The drive to Jungkook’s house is a blur. You sped through the main road knowing that he would also be on his way home; it was a race that you had to win.

When you arrive, your fingers run over the smooth keypad; trying every combination that might possibly get you into his fancy high tech building.

“Baby.” You hear someone whisper from behind you, letting out heavy breaths as if he’d just ran a mile.

You don’t need to turn back to know that it’s Jungkook, “Leave me alone.” You demand through pursed lips; your fingers still running rapidly on the keypad.

“You’re going to set off the alarm, y/n.” He speaks up again, his tone stern as he held his keycard in his hand. This time you turn towards him, confused that he used your actual name instead of calling you baby; the nickname you grew to love hearing from him.

“Let me in; I need my things.” Your words spill from your mouth like venom, and your glare holds nothing but disgust in them.

“Not until we talk.” He tells you, instead of asking.

A look of disbelief washes over your face, you place your hands on your hips and shake your head from side to side,

“No! I don’t want to talk. I want my things.”

He lets out a loud exhale as he rolls his eyes,

“Y/N, please stop being dramatic. I’m sorry, okay? Where will you go if you leave tonight?” He grills you, walking towards you to take your hand in his; but you quickly snatch it away, catching him off guard. His hand drops to his side, his eyebrows creasing deeply as he takes his keycard and swipes it for you.

The two of you walk quietly side by side to his front door. He reaches for his keys and pauses for a minute; taking a long look at you with fluttering eyes, and you see that same admiration in them.

“What, Jungkook?” You whine, eyes rolling as you quickly break eye contact with him.

“I love you.” He whispers, “and I don’t want you to leave me.”

“I don’t even think you know what love is,” you reply bluntly. He doesn’t acknowledge your insult as he finally opens the door and allows you to walk inside.

He watches you sadly as you gather your things, sitting at the edge of the bed while rubbing his sweaty palms against his jeans.

“Will you stay if I tell you what happened between me and Taehyung? Is that why you’re upset?”

“If you don’t know why I’m upset then we really have nothing to talk about.”

“You always try to make me seem like the problem, y/n. All I do is treat you well and you drag me along like a fucking rag doll because you know I love you.” He mumbles before he breaks into sobs. It takes all your might to stay put and not rush to his side and embrace him until his sadness passes, but you don’t- you refuse to feed into this any longer.

“I’m not going to let you manipulate me. Not this time, Jungkook.” Standing your ground as you hold several boxes in your hand.

“Everyone always fucking leaves me.” He sounds wounded, broken even. You wonder if he’s been this intense since the two of you first started dating.

You stand awkwardly by the door, silent for a few minutes, debating if you should even say anything at all,

“Hey.” You call out to him.

“Just go.” He croaks, turning his face away from you as his tears continue to flow freely.

“Kookie, look at me. This is not healthy. I’m so sorry that I let it go on; I should have never crossed that line. You are my student, and I am your professor. That is all it will ever be from this point forward.”

He rolls his eyes and gives you an incredulous look,

“Baby, you and I both know we can’t go back to that, not after I’ve been inside you-“

“Stop it.” You cut him off, twisting the door knob to leave before glancing back at him once more, telling him, “I don’t like who you’re becoming.”

Jungkook skipped 3 classes during the week, no emails, no texts, and no calls. The same paranoia that drove you crazy once before, crept its way back in once again. You hand back quizzes to your class, ignoring the awkward glances from both Jimin and Taehyung.

Are you on campus?

You can’t just keep missing classes.

Stop ignoring me! It’s immature.

He reads every message and leaves you read, which only fuels your anger. You continue class with a smile plastered on your face while you glance to your phone every once in a while.

Halfway through class the door swings open, and in walks Jungkook with another female student whom hasn’t been present from class; and they walk in hand in hand. None of them spare any glances your way and you clench your fists tightly by your sides,

“You two think it’s okay to just walk into class 35 minutes late and not even apologize?” You practically growl.

“Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry. I was distracted, it won’t happen again!” Mina apologizes sincerely. Not that it made you feel any better. You look to Jungkook and raise your eyebrows, waiting for him to explain himself.

“What?” He snaps loudly, embarrassing you as the group of students look from him to you, waiting for your response.

“See me after class,” you reply, turning your back to everyone and facing the board to finish the problem on the board.

“Or what?” He sarcastically talks back, “You’ll punish me?”

You snap your head towards his direction a shocked expression as you watch him lick his lips with low sultry looking eyes- all while having his arm around Mina.

Glancing to your phone you see that it’s 20 minutes too early to end class, but end it anyway,

“Have a good weekend, guys. Remember, midterms next week; I’ll email you all an exact date this weekend.”

Students quickly dart from their seats and out of the classroom, excited for the weekend, presumably.

“Jungkook, I told you to stay after class.” You demand, staring daggers through him. He rolls his eyes dramatically and tells Mina he would text her later.

“Why are you acting like this?” You ask in a small voice, looking away from him and towards the floor.

He stands there and stares down at you, a stoic expression on his face,

“Why am I acting like this? You mean getting together with someone that will actually appreciate me?”

“I meant why are you missing classes, showing up late, and being rude to me in front of everyone.” Of course you were upset about him dating Mina, but you’d never admit that to him. This seems to bother him, his face turning into one of confusion.

“Fuck you, y/n.”

“No fuck you, asshole! I’m so sick of you and your childish games.”

The two of you stand there, arguing in low voices to avoid being heard, like two children.

A knock on the door makes the both of you jump about two feet apart,

“Oh, I’m glad to see the two of you here.” Jin smiles, “y/n, the art competition is on Monday at 7pm, don’t forget. It’s right on campus, first floor in the art building. Jungkook, I’m expecting some great work for the art show from you.” He doesn’t wait for a response before he waves and walks off.

Jungkook begins walking towards the door without another word. This was something you were not used to at all, you had grown accustomed to him always being the one to apologize, admit he’s wrong, and ask for another chance- never did you think he would stop,

“Wait!” You yell out, “I left some things at your house, I’m gonna need to pick them up.” You continue, your voice much lower than before.

“I’ll be with Mina tonight, but you can get them tomorrow night.” He walks out without a goodbye, a smile, or an I love you, and it breaks your heart.

You arrive to the motel you’ve called home for the past week, lying in bed and allowing yourself to finally cry, weeks and weeks of emotions building up, only to be uncaged as you sit on a bed in an empty room, filled with nothing but an 80s style tv and a dresser that had cat claw marks engraved in it.

Grabbing your phone and looking through your contacts you scroll through names of people you haven’t spoken to since college, only stopping when you find Jungkook’s name, labeled as, Kookie.

The phone rings twice before it goes right to voicemail, signaling that he ignored it; which only made you cry more. You quickly begin sending texts to his phone back after back, unconcerned that he would be with his rebound.

“Please talk to me.”

“I’m sorry, okay? I am sorry!”

“Kookie..”

“Please don’t do this to me.”

A half hour passes, and you find yourself walking to nearest place that could get you blackout drunk. You were unbothered that you were now in a bar occupied by drunk young adults no older than 30. You’re too busy impatiently calling the bartender over and asking for three shots, all for yourself, and throwing them back before asking for another round.

“Geez, y/n. Slow down, wait, I can call you y/n, right? Since we’re not on campus?” Jimin’s voice sounds alarms in your head as you turn slowly towards him.

“Just fucking great.” Is your nice way of greeting him back and you place your head in your hands.

“Hey, hey. It’s okay, we’re not on campus. Everything okay with Jungkook?” He asks, making your eyes widen and you cringe,

“Please don’t do that, don’t- don’t ask about him. It’s weird.”

“Okay, fine. How about a shot? My treat? I still feel really bad about the whole Taehyung situation.”

You contemplate asking about Jungkook and Taehyung, wondering why they hated each other so much when they apparently used to be like brothers.

“Fine, shots. Your treat.” You smile, still a little uncomfortable, but not enough to turn down free liquor.

“y/n! y/n! Are you okay?” You hear Jimin’s voice echoing as you try to gain your balance, you haven’t drank this much since you turned 21. If you were being honest, you were more of a wine drinker and hated clear liquor.

“I’m fine.” you slur. Smiling his way and ignoring his worried glances.

Towards the back you see a group of people playing beer pong, and you quickly run to join them; Jimin tries to grab your arm but you pull away and walk over to the man who needed a partner.

It wasn’t like you to meet strangers in the bar- hell, bars weren’t even your thing. But here you were, lying on the bar table with your shirt lifted preparing for body shots with your beer pong partner after winning two games in a row.

You soak in the feeling of this man sucking liquor from your stomach and licking his way down to your hips, humming as began leaving kisses there.

You turn your head to glance around the bar, suddenly worried that Jimin might be watching. Instead, you’re met with Jungkook’s wicked eyes. His arms crossed over his chest as he raises his eyebrows accusingly. You quickly jump up from your lying position and push the man away from you as you walk to the door,

“Koo-“

“Don’t talk me, y/n.” He hums defeatedly, helping you to his car and buckling you in,

“Jimin called me and told me you were out of control.”

“I was fine!” You lash out, who did Jimin think he was? Calling Jungkook on you?

He ignores you the rest of the way, and takes you straight to his apartment complex.

“Go brush your teeth. You stink like liquor.”

Pouting at his insult you run into the bathroom, opting to take a shower as well.

“Kookie, please bring me a towel.”

He walks into the bathroom and throws the towel on the counter from the doorway, not even darting his eyes your way. He goes to walk back out and you comment,

“Want to come in?” A hopeful tone in your voice,

“No.” And he slams the door behind him.

His bad attitude made you wish you were back at your lonely motel, he doesn’t want anything to do with you and it tears you apart. The both of you lie in the same bed but he lies down a foot away from you, lying on his back and staring up the ceiling.

“Kookie.” You whisper, turning on your side and reaching out for him. You reach his arm and prepare for him to pull away, but he doesn’t. Sure enough, you slowly scoot your way towards his warm body, and as if it’s instinct, he wraps his arms around you. You don’t dare say anything to ruin this moment, he loves you, and you were beginning to think you loved him back.

In the morning you wake up to an empty bed, your head feels as though it’s weighed down by bricks and you squeeze your eyes shut.

“There’s medicine and water on the night stand, I’m making breakfast. You need to eat.” He smiles softly, the smile doesn’t reach his eyes but it’s a good start.

“Thanks.” Is all you’re able to get out, afraid you might say the wrong thing and set him off.

It stays that way the entire morning, quiet but content. No words are ever needed between the two of you. It was like you spoke through touching, through facial expressions, and through helpful gestures.

You watch him sit in front of his drawing canvas, the stress on his face makes you upset for him. He had only two days to finish his art exhibit work- and he hasn’t even started.

“I don’t know what to do,” he explodes, making you jump from your position on the bed,

“Why don’t you draw a portrait of your dad, you’d automatically win, no one will turn down a school president portrait.

“Shut up.” He laughs; the soft wrinkles near his eyes make your heart melt.

“Maybe you just need some motivation,” you say, standing up from the bed, walking towards him before you stand in front of him, attempting to sit in his lap but he pushes you back down on the bed.

“Seriously? After last night you’re going to try that?”

“Jungkook, how many times do I have to say I’m sorry! I wasn’t myself last night.”

“You haven’t said sorry at all, y/n.” He’s clearly frustrated and you know you’ve screwed up whatever nice moment the two of you were having.

“If you were pleasing me than I wouldn’t have to find it somewhere else.” You snarl. His eyes shoots from his canvas and he purses his lips,

“Then you should learn to please yourself.” He grills you, waiting for another smart comment to come from your lips,

“I don’t- I’ve never done that. I mean, I’ve touched myself but I’ve never-“

“Really?” He questions, a surprised look on his face as he loses interest in the canvas.

“You can teach me.” You beg, pulling his hand and guiding it to the crotch of your shorts, he moves his chair and kneels in front you, rubbing you through the thin material, listening to you let you soft moans. Just as quickly as he started, he stops.

“What the hell.” You meant to yell, but it still comes out as light moan.

“I wanna see you touch yourself.” He bites his lip before sitting back down in front of you.

“Take of your shorts baby.” He guides you, watching your every move. You listen to him, taking it off quickly and throwing it across the room. You reach for your panties but you hear him speak,

“No. You listen to what I tell you to do.” Your eyes light up and you nod your head quickly.

“Pull your panties to the side, I wanna see your pussy.” He shifts in his seat and moves a little closer. Your run your fingers over your slit covered by a laced thong before moving the thin material to the right side.

“What next.” Squirming in your place begging for instruction to please your throbbing womanhood.

“Run a finger between your lips, baby.”

You quickly swipe a finger all the way up to your clit but he smirks,

“Slower.” Dragging out the word, and leaning in to get a better look,

“So pretty.” You look up at him with a smile and see that he’s already palming himself through his jeans,

“Touch your clit. Flick it a little bit, it’ll feel good.” He reassures.

Bringing your index finger to your clit you graze it lightly and arch your back in pleasure, feeling you pussy get wetter.

You look up at him expectantly and see that he’s drawing; looking between you and his canvas. You quickly squeeze your legs shut and sit up,

“What are you doing?”

“Drawing.” He answers as though it’s no big deal.

“Yes I know what you’re doing but- but-“

“No one will know it’s you. Has anyone ever seen you like I have? Naked? Legs spread open? You touch yourself for anyone else other than me?”

“No.”

“So nothing to worry about, open your legs.” He comforts you lovingly,

“Now show me how you finger yourself, baby. Show me how you please yourself.” His words alone make you moan and you find yourself begging for him to finish you off, he doesn’t of course. This was your lesson- your payback for last night.

“Oh gosh,” you squeal, your hips circling as you continued to finger yourself,

“Rub your clit with your other hand.” He murmurs. You quickly place your hand over your clit and rub it at a fast pace while fucking yourself with three fingers.

You hadn’t realized how long you’ve been at this until you see his finished canvas pushed to the side and his hand wrapped around his cock as he moves his tight grasp up and down.

“Fuck me, Kookie.” You whine, fingers still rubbing your clit, your body shaking.

“Apologize.” He commands, just like you demanded of him the night at the strip club, the first night you two got together.

“Apologize!” He demands a little louder this time, snapping you out of your thoughts.

“I’m sorry.” You agreed, leaning up to pull him closer. He pushes you back on the bed for a second time tonight and crawls over you. Placing an elbow next to your head and the other on his cock to guide himself inside of you.

Sex with Jungkook tonight was the opposite of what you were used to. He was slow, gentle even. Allowing his body to completely mold with yours and feeling every part of your body.

“I love you,” he declares,

“I know.”

He picks up the pace, smiling down at you and watching your eyes roll back with each thrust. His moans were driving you mad and clenched around his dick, something you did when you were about to cum. He throws your legs over his shoulders and takes a hold of your upper thighs, using them to grip you as he continues to pound into you relentlessly. You can feel him pulsating inside of you,

“Cumming.” He breathes heavily, eyes squeezed shut,

“Fuck.” He looks shocked to see you still writhing beneath him.

As soon as he releases you, you push his head lower until he’s facing your cunt. Without waiting for instruction he licks a strip up your pussy, enjoying your reaction. You run fingers through his hair and tug harshly at the strands.

His tongue pokes through and begins toying with your clit, pausing every once in a while to shove his tongue inside of you. “Oh god, Kookie.” You scream as you cum, trying to push his head away as he continues to suck your juices.

“I love you.” You finally admit as the two of you lie in bed together. He slowly looks your way with a large smile, looking just as drained as you were. He pulls you in and kisses you softly.

“Sorry to break it to you, but I’m with Mina now.” You slap his chest and the two of you break out in giggles.

“Shut up!” You complain with a smile. Your laughs die down eventually and he looks at you, a serious look in eyes as he proceeds,

“No more games, baby. I’m yours and you are mine.”

a/n: The story is on an indefinite hiatus.

masterlist is here

60 notes · View notes

hookedonapirate · 7 years ago

Photo

Tangled Up In Blue

Water Under the Bridge (Chapter 28/?)

Summary: Fear for her unborn child, a bruised and broken Emma Swan is determined to escape an abusive marriage. After she drives a long way from home to a small town in Maine, she doesn’t think her life could get more complicated… that is until she ends up falling for her OBGYN, a blue-eyed British man who’s shielded his heart from love long ago. But he may be just what she needs to begin her healing process and start a new life for her child. If only nothing gets in the way.

Notes: I have been at war with this chapter, even long before I started writing it. But thanks to @rouhn, the part at the end made the chapter better than it would've been if not for her.

The main warning here is that it's definitely a tearjerker. I was balling my eyes out writing this, so please grab your tissues!

I have tried to answer all of the unanswered questions in this chapter, but if there’s anything I’m missing or something you’re still not sure about, please let me know. There will be one more chapter and an epilogue, and though I will be very sad when I have to wrap this story up, I am very excited to finally bring you the end of this universe very soon after working on this story for over a year. Thank yo so much for all of your support and for sticking with this story through everything I've thrown at you! You are all truly amazing!Thanks for reading!

*TRIGGER WARNING* Mentions and depictions of physical and verbal abuse/domestic violence

Rated: M

Catch Up: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

Check out deleted scenes: 1 2 3

Also available on: AO3 FF.N

“I’m going to need you to work a double shift.”

Panic washed over James, hearing his brother’s words through the phone before he threw a quick retort. “I'm sorry, I can't stay. I have plans tonight.” He promised Killian he would watch over Emma and Ian to make sure they stayed safe while Killian was gone… or rather, to make sure she wasn't getting herself into any trouble. He wanted to stop by their house unexpectedly just in case she had something up her sleeve.

“Can't you cancel your plans? Mary Margaret and I have to take care of Ian for the night.”

James furrowed his brows in confusion. “Why both of you?”

“Why does it matter? Emma told us she was leaving town with Killian for a medical conference and she was not at all keen on leaving Ian behind, so Mary Margaret and I both convinced her not to worry about a thing and that we'll both be watching the little duckling. So please, can you just do me this one favor and stay tonight?”

His stomach dropped, his mouth becoming dry as it hung open. Killian had left for the conference yesterday, and he’d left alone. If Emma lied to his brother and sister-in-law, then something was definitely going on. And seeing as he was stuck at work, there was nothing he could do about it.

“James? You there?”

“Yeah… yeah, I'm here,” he murmured, his mind clouded with worry. “I'll stay,” he agreed reluctantly, “but do me one favor?”

David sighed. “We already discussed this; I'm not giving you a raise just for pulling extra shifts-"

“No, not that,” James cut him off. “Keep little duckling safe.” His voice was wrecked as he tried to mask the concern enshrouding him.

“Of course we will,” David assured, a bit offended that his brother would need to remind him to do so.

Ending the call, James withdrew a few shaky breaths. He had to find a way to escape the B&B so he could get to Emma. But how? He couldn't exactly kick all of the guests out of their rooms.

Walking to the exit, he went outside, seeing the snow starting to fall as it landed softly on the ground. His stomach was tight with nerves, his eyes wandering around as he tried to decide what to do. Perhaps he should just call Emma and talk her out of this? He peered down at his phone, pulling up her contact information, his thumb hovering over her number.

Swallowing thickly, he pressed the button and brought the phone to his ear, listening as it rang. As he looked up, it proceeded to ring and ring until he heard her voicemail. James was cursing under his breath when he disconnected the line and began turning around as his gaze drifted down the road. He suddenly froze in his spot, but his reason had nothing to do with the brisk chill of the winter air.

The streets of Storybrooke were embellished with cheerful Christmas decorations; big red bows were tied around the streetlamps, brilliant blue bulbs helping to light up the town and wreaths hanging on the shop doors. The residents were bundled up in their winter coats, roaming the sidewalks with oversized Christmas gift bags, and the evening air was growing dim, so when his eyes fell upon the bright yellow bug parked in front of the pawnshop, the color stuck out like a sore thumb.

Forcing himself to return inside, he occupied himself to keep from growing too antsy, and every few minutes he would go outside to see that the bug was still there. A half an hour passed and he was about to head back inside when he finally saw Neal and Gold step outside.

James darted off to the side, scurrying along the storefronts while trying to be as nonchalant and unnoticeable as possible. Reaching the alley near Gold’s shop, he quickly ducked inside poking his head around the corner of the building to get a close-up of the two men. They seemed to be having an argument as James listened intently.

“Neal, I'm telling you; if you meet her at the park you're never going to see your son. It's just a trap.”

Neal sighed, looking around to make sure no one was passing by to overhear their conversation. “Then what? I just wait for her to appear around town and grab her? I already tried that once at the French restaurant, remember? That was your brilliant plan when you heard doctor douchebag over the bug you planted in the shop discussing his plans with my wife!”

So that was how Neal knew Emma and Killian were at the restaurant that night, James thought. Gold planted a bug in his own shop because he must have known there were people in this town nosey enough to break in. He must have known Emma and the people in her life were on to him. Now the question remained - why didn’t Gold turn James and Killian in for breaking and entering? Perhaps, it would have spoiled their carefully crafted plans. If Killian ended up being brought to the station, he couldn’t exactly take Emma out of Storybrooke, making her vulnerable for the taking. Plus, it would’ve exposed the fact that Gold knew where Emma and Killian would be that night, thus possibly linking the connection between Neal and Gold, James guessed.

“Just calm down and don’t get your panties in a twist,” Gold huffed in irritation, digging into the pocket of his jacket to pull out a slip of paper. “Go to this address. You told me the doctor won't be home, so I say give the wife an unexpected visit before she leaves to meet you.”

There was a twinkle in Neal’s eye, but he immediately became unsure about the suggestion. “But what if he has an alarm system? They’ve known I’ve been in town for a while; they’re obviously going to be prepared for an unexpected visit from me.”

“Don't try to break in,” Gold demanded firmly, shaking his head. “You hide and wait for her to leave the house. She'll be pulling out of the garage, and as soon as she opens the door, you rush inside and stop her. It's that simple,” he explained in a breezy tone.

Neal frowned. “So, I'm supposed to wait outside in the freezing cold?”

The shop owner rolled his eyes, and James was pretty sure he was going to slap the other man. Not that it would knock any sense into the asshole. “Do you want your wife and son back, or not?”

“Well, yeah but-”

“But nothing. You’ll follow my instructions, Dearie, or I'm taking back the ring I bought from her. Got it?”

“It’s my ring,” Neal spat. “I proposed to Emma with it.”

“And she sold it to me, so it's mine,” Gold reminded him, gritting his teeth, irritation lacing every word. “Now, are you gonna stand here and argue with me or you gonna do as I say so you can get your family back? This is the whole reason I agreed to help you, even with knowing how risky it was. We’re family and we both know how it feels to lose loved ones. We were reunited for a reason and I don’t want my efforts to go to waste, got it?”

“Yes, I got it,” Neal grumbled resentfully as he turned around, making his way to his car, and James retreated into the alley so as not to be seen. After Neal pulled away and Gold disappeared inside, James pulled out his phone, making a brisk dash to the B&B, his fingers frantically moving as he dialed Killian’s number.

“Killian, where are you? You need to get home NOW.”

There was silence on the other line, but he knew Killian was waiting for more answers; either that or he was frozen in fear, thinking something happened to Emma. James looked behind him, glancing at the pawn shop one more time before speaking again with a bit more clarification.

“You were right about Emma - she's in danger.”

He hung up the phone without explaining himself, but he was confident that Killian would do everything he could to rush back home. James tried to stay calm, but he couldn't. He couldn't let Neal get his filthy hands on Emma again, but there were visitors piling inside the Bed and Breakfast, so he did the only thing he could think of. He knew David would finally can his ass for this, but he didn't care. He needed to get to Emma.

“Sorry, there are no more rooms available for the night.” There were several.

As disappointed as the group was, James was able to usher them out without problems before making a sign to leave on the desk, letting people know he'd be returning soon.

~~~

Emma was sipping a soothing cup of hot cocoa in her cozy pink pajamas and fuzzy slippers, her lips forming a weary smile. Her body was still sore, but it was difficult to complain when she was surrounded by people who loved her. They were all sitting around the fireplace enjoying the company and celebration of the holiday. And Ian was safe and secure in Mary Margaret’s arms as David sat next to her with his arm wrapped around her shoulder and kissed her forehead.

It was a bright, cheerful Christmas morning, and it certainly looked the part. Everything that had been ruined by Neal was cleaned up, the photo frames were replaced and the decorations were still intact. The Christmas tree was lit up next to the window and the curtains were open, affording a wintery view of the backyard with the woods behind the house stretching wide and covered in a soft blanket of white. The only thing that could make the morning more perfect would be the addition of little children running around and playing with their new toys. But the group didn't seem to mind; they opened presents in between passing Ian around the room, making sure everyone got their chance to spend time with him.

The last several days had been rough. She'd spent the night in the hospital before she couldn't stand being there anymore and wanted to leave. She had to go the Sheriff's station for questioning, and still had this feeling in the pit of her stomach. It was something she couldn't quite explain, but Killian had to keep reminding her that Neal was in a cell and he could be sent to prison for a very long time. There were so many things going against him - bank robbery, breaking and entering, threatening and assaulting an officer, abuse, kidnapping. The list went on and on.

Gold was also arrested for kidnapping, and he confessed to everything in hopes of shortening his sentence while Belle took Collette and went to live with her father. It turned out Gold and Neal were half-brothers and had the same father, and Hades Underbrooke had dug up this information when he was trying to locate Neal’s whereabouts so he could contact him. James had informed her Hades previously ran a small private investigative firm, and had hired James in the past to perform his dirty work. When James wouldn’t take the job, Hades wanted him to pay for turning him down, so when he found Neal in Tallahassee, he told him he was James. He also used the information he found on the connection between the half-brothers to bribe Gold into helping him. As soon as the kidnapping scheme had failed, Hades had fled town and no one had seen him since.

There was also the fact that Killian didn’t actually go to the conference like he’d said, but she couldn’t be too upset because she hadn’t exactly been honest with him either. They both lied to protect each other, and she guessed it was a good thing he was able to get to her when he did. She didn’t even want to think of the damage Neal would’ve done before the police arrived, and although Emma couldn’t rid herself completely from the memories of that night, she was hopeful for the future.

It still felt surreal though. She didn’t have to be on the edge anymore. She didn’t have to twitch with fear, afraid that Neal might jump out of nowhere and attack her at any moment. She was still opening up to the idea of being free from him, but it would take some time for her to fully believe she could be.

“Emma, would you like to open your gift from me?” Killian’s voice towed Emma from her thoughts, and she looked over at him as he held a small, rectangular-shaped gift on his hand.

She smiled, accepting it while bracing herself. She hoped he didn’t go all out, and she hoped he liked the gift she got for him. Peeling back the perfect, silver wrapping paper, she revealed a dark blue gift box and carefully removed the lid. The gift inside stole her breath. It was a sterling silver bracelet, and held two charms with twenty-four karat gold-plated accents. One was a heart engraved with her son’s name and a blue topaz crystal birthstone, representing the month of December - the month he was born. The other was a pair of baby feet aligned with the same birthstones.

“I hope it’s okay, love. You can of course add more charms to it with the names of loved ones and their birthstones, or whatever you’d like.”

Emma looked up at him, her eyes clouded with tears. It still amazed her that she actually had people in her life she could call loved ones, although she was pretty sure he was referring to future loved ones, as in additions to their family. Emma wasn’t opposed to the idea.

“It’s absolutely perfect.” Her words were strangled as she managed a smile. “Thank you.”

“Of course, sweetness,” he cooed, offering a small grin as he took the bracelet out of the box and fastened it around her wrist, dropping a kiss to her forehead. “Anything for you, my love.”

Emma’s stomach was coiled with knots as she handed him his gift. “It’s… I hope you’ll like it,” she stuttered. “I’m not very good at picking out gifts,” she admitted timidly.

Killian’s smile only grew. “That is okay, love. It would be difficult to top the gifts you’ve already blessed me with - you and Ian.”

Emma’s heart fluttered, and he accepted the proffered present, removing the wrapping paper to expose a square gift box. Opening it up, he pulled out a bronze mechanical pocket watch hanging from a chain adorned with beads, the case mounted with a skull and crossbones. To Emma’s relief, a wide grin overtook Killian’s face as he opened it up. The inside revealed the watch face and the gold cogs and inner workings behind it.

“Turn it over,” Emma told him, and he raised a brow in curiosity as he complied, closing the watch and flipping it over.

The back was engraved in beautiful lettering that he read out loud, “Every second that goes by, my heart contracts for you.”

“I would’ve gotten you a stethoscope but a watch seemed way less lame. Plus you can use it to keep track of your patients’ labor contractions too,” she laughed.

“Aww, that is so sweet,” Cordelia chirped with googly eyes.

“That’s a wonderful gift, Emma,” Rosabell complimented.

“And the most romantic gift award goes to Emma,” David added with a soft chuckle. “Although, the bracelet is a very close second.”

“Ruby and I helped her pick it out,” Mary Margaret boasted with a vibrant smile.

“When I saw this in the jewelry case, I knew it would perfect for you,” she told Killian.

He laughed, sweetly kissing Emma’s lips. “And you said you weren’t good at picking out gifts. This is brilliant, love. Thank you.”

Emma was blushing as she gave a soft shrug.

They all finished opening their presents, and had a big Christmas dinner in the afternoon that the ladies prepared while the men watched football. The day was flying by pleasantly, and after dinner, the guys washed the dishes, allowing the women to relax in the living room. Emma was laying a sleeping Ian in his bassinet in the other room when Mary Margaret came up behind her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“You okay, Emma?”

Emma was surprised as she turned around, facing her friend who had a concerned expression on her face. “Yeah, I’m fine,” she assured with a smile.

“Well, I know you’ve been through a lot, and I just wanted to make sure. What you did was really risky… but I’m glad you’re okay,” Mary Margaret confessed, and Emma was taken aback. She wasn’t surprised that her friend cared for her, but she didn’t realize how much. Judging the deeply worried look in her eyes, Emma could see the wreckage embedded within.

“I know it was. And I’m sorry I worried everyone, but it was something I needed to do. I had to make sure my son was safe. I couldn’t let Neal hurt him.”

“I know, Emma. You don’t have to explain yourself to me. You were thinking like a mother. I just wanted to say that… you’ve grown so much since you came here. And I’m glad you showed up in our lives.”

Again, Emma felt like crying as a smile bloomed over her face. She didn’t realize the effect her actions had on everyone. “I’m glad too,” she murmured adamantly.

“Oh and I know that you used the money you got from your engagement ring to pay for our trip,” the brunette pointed out suddenly.

Emma’s eyes widened in surprise. “How did you-?”

“Killian told us. And don’t be mad at him; I kind of forced it out of him,” she laughed.

“Well, I wanted to do something special for the both of you.”

“I know, and I just wanted to thank you again. You’re a good friend, Emma.”

“You are too.” Emma’s heart was surrounded in warmth, and she was drawing Mary Margaret into a hug when she peered up, seeing James quietly enter the room so as not to disturb Ian.

The brunette left as Emma crossed her arms, eyeing him suspiciously.

“How is it that whenever hugs are involved, you always show up?”

James chuckled. “I don’t know, I guess I’m attracted to them.” He opened his arms, and she answered him with a hug, sighing in to him. “At least I’m not the last person to get one this time,” James murmured, kissing her cheek and tucking his face into the crook of her neck.

Emma's heart twisted. She knew he’d been concerned about her. She knew she’d put him - all of her friends and Killian - through hell by bating Neal into Killian's home and turning off the alarm so he could get in. Plus she’d had doubts when Neal pointed fingers at James. Of all the people in her life, she had believed the one person who had hurt her and damaged her the most. That was the influence Neal had over her before that night. She had guessed until she was finally able to stand her ground, he would've always had his claws in her - always had power over her - no matter how much she hated him.

“I’m sorry I didn’t believe you...”

“Hey, none of that,” he soothed, affectionately stroking her hair. “You don’t have to apologize. I deserved it. I haven’t exactly been the ideal citizen of this town. And you are too important to me to let him get in between our friendship.”

Emma’s heart fluttered at the sincerity in his voice, and she squeezed him a bit tighter, resting her head on his shoulder, feeling comforted by his words. It had been a while since they had been together like this. Everything had been hectic lately and with James seeing someone and Emma doubting him, she felt like had lost her best friend, so it was nice to be in his arms and hear his voice. “I missed you, James,” she whispered softly.

“Missed you, too… so much. You had us worried though. I’m just glad Killian made it when he did.” James pulled away, his eyes full of emotion.

“I know… I’m…” Flooded with guilt, Emma lowered her gaze to the floor. She hated what she had put everyone through.

“Hey…” James captured her chin, lifting it up so she was looking him in his vibrant blue eyes. “It’s all over with now. Neal can’t hurt you anymore, and none of us are going anywhere. We all love you Emma, and that’s not going to change.”

“I know,” she breathed, offering a small smile. “I’m just thankful to have all of you in my life, even though I don’t deserve it.”

“You deserve all of it and more,” he argued quickly and took her hand, lifting it to his lips and pressing a kiss to the back of it. When he lifted his head again, a storm was brewing in his eyes as he encased her hand with his, rubbing the knuckles with his thumb. “Besides, if anyone’s to blame, it should be me.”

“But, James, you turned down the job. None of this was your fault.”

“If I had never become involved with Hades in the first place, he would have-”

“He would have done the exact same thing. You are not responsible for his actions.”

“But maybe he would have left town if he couldn’t get anyone to do his dirty work and if he had to pay for a room at the B&B. He would’ve gone off to find someone else.”

“Yeah and maybe if I had left Neal a long time ago, if I had never married him, he would’ve found someone else to hurt and abuse. The important thing is you stood up to Hades and turned him down. You’re a good guy, James. Don’t forget it.”

The corner of his mouth pulled into a bashful grin. “Thanks, Emma.”

She offered a similar smile in return. “No problem.”

James stepped up to Ian’s bassinet, watching him as he slept. “I’m just glad the little duckling’s okay.”

“I don’t know what I would do if anything happened to him. He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I would do anything to protect him.”

“And he will grow up and do anything to protect his mother. He will be strong and caring like her, and he’ll have the women swooning over him because he’ll be a handsome stud since he’s acquired his mother’s good looks. Plus, he has those big blue eyes to make the ladies melt.”

Emma smiled and nodded in agreement. “Men with blue eyes tend to have that effect.”

James shrugged as though he were unsure of the statement. “I know I do. I mean, do you think Rose is with me because of my charming personality? I think not; that’s David's department.”

Emma laughed. “I think there’s more to like about you than just your blue eyes.”

James blushed and smiled. “Well thank you, Emma. I do try. I mean, I still think Rose is way too good for me, but I’ve been an outstanding gentleman with her. And very respectful. You could say I’ve come a long way.”

“I know you have, James. And I have complete confidence that you won’t disappoint her.”

A wide, cocky grin cracked his lips, his eyes lighting up with mischief. “Oh, I’m quite confident I won't either.”

Emma knitted her brows in confusion. “I was talking about in the long run, but why do I have a feeling you’re referring to something else?”

James shrugged, feigning innocence. “I’m truly touched that you have faith in me, believe me. No one else ever has, but I know there is one thing she won’t be disappointed with.”

“And what’s that?” She narrowed her eyes, not sure if she actually wanted to know the answer to that.

He cleared his throat and suddenly seemed nervous as he spoke quietly. “I will tell you, but it’s our secret, okay?”

She nodded. “Of course.”

“Rose and I haven’t had sex yet.”

Emma’s mouth dropped almost instantly, surprised by this information.

“I told you I’ve been an outstanding gentleman,” he reminded her.

“Are you sure you aren’t gay?” she teased, throwing his own words back at him from when he asked the same thing about Killian.

James frowned. “No, I’m not gay.”

“That’s something I didn’t really need to know.”

The sound of Killian’s voice made Emma’s heart flutter as he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing gentle kisses to her cheek. She melted, her body surrendering to him and getting caught up in his warmth.

“Just don’t go around kissing my Swan, and you and I have no problems.”

James rolled his eyes in irritation. “It was just a small peck, showing affection for my friend after I was afraid I would never see her again. Should I just be prepared, knowing that you’re going to constantly toss that in my face in the future?”

Killian shrugged, considering the idea. “Perhaps, but since you helped me out with Neal and have proven to me over and over that you care for Emma, this will be the last time,” he promised sincerely as he nosed her cheek and tightened his hold around her.

James suddenly looked up, a broad smile blooming over his face.

“There you are. I’ve been looking for you,” Rosabell said, approaching James and kissing his cheek. “What do you say we go home now? A big dinner makes me want to take a long nap.”

“I agree,” James took her hand, glancing between Emma and Killian. “Thank you for having us over.”

“Of course, mate,” Killian said with a small smile as he extended his hand.

Accepting the gesture, James shook it before drawing Emma into a hug.

Emma looked over his shoulder, seeing the uneasiness and tension brewing between Killian and Rosabell. When they were all in a group together, it was different, but with just the two of them standing in front of each other and staring awkwardly away from each other, Emma knew there was something going on that she wasn’t aware of.

“Thanks for everything Killian,” Rosabell said and tentatively shook his hand.

“Thank you both for coming over to join us.”

The four of them walked out of the room, and James and Rosabell said goodbye to rest of the gang before they left.

Emma didn’t question it, but there was an unsettling feeling seated in the pit of her stomach that wouldn’t disappear.

With warm hugs and goodbyes, Liam, Cordelia and the Nolan couple left shortly afterwards. Killian shut the front door behind them and turned around as Emma crossed her arms, staring at him with uncertain eyes. He observed her in concern, the smile that had been etched into his lips for most of the day slowly fading. “Emma? What’s wrong, love?”

Emma decided she was just going to be blunt. She needed to know the truth. She needed everything to be laid out on the table. “What’s going on between you and Rosabell?”

Confusion flashed in his eyes and he stepped closer, but Emma didn’t budge. “What do you mean?” he asked, hurt by her words.

“I mean you’re supposed to be friends and yet neither of you have barely said two words to each other all day. You both seem awkward and uncomfortable around each other. You told me that you worked things out with her, but there’s something you’re not telling me,” Emma accused wearily. “I trust you, Killian, with all my heart, but you’ve proven to me you’re capable of hiding things from me to protect me. I don't want that. I want us to be open and honest with each other.”

Killian appeared to be stunned. “Like you've been honest with me? You could’ve gotten yourself killed, love,” he bit out in a harsh tone.

The words screeched through her ears; she didn’t want to start a fight, but there were too many things that had been unspoken and needed to be spoken. They needed to be acknowledged. “Killian, I know that, but I told you, I did it for us.”

A wave of apology came over him and his eyes fell to the ground as he expelled a soft sigh. “I know that, love. But I was still worried sick about you and Ian. I love you both and I don't want to lose either of you.”

“I can’t take back what I did, but I can tell you I hated lying to you. I hated that we had to lie to each other, even though we did it for the right reasons. I want us to tell each other everything.”

“Agreed, Emma. And I assure you the only thing I kept from you regarding me and Rosabell is… she threatened to go to the board about us if I didn’t take the initiative and do it myself. And I hated how she looked at me all day and how she felt bad that she had given me this ultimatum, so on Monday I’m going to tell them.”

Emma’s eyes widened in disbelief. “What? Why? You haven’t been my doctor in months.”

“It doesn’t matter love. Romantic relationships between doctors and patients are forbidden, even after treatment or care has ended. And with Neal and the hearings coming up, you know he’s going to bring up our relationship. It’s best to confess now before it blows up in my face and I lose my patients and my practice.”

Emma shook her head. She couldn’t believe he was actually going to do this. “I can’t let you do that.”

“Emma-”

“No, I can’t let you get in trouble because of me. I’ve already put your job at risk by falling for you. I can’t let you do this.”

“And why not? You risk your life for me and your son, but you can’t let me risk my career for you and Ian?”

“Killian…” Emma’s voice was strangled as she stumbled for words. She didn’t know how to respond to that. He raised a fair point but she still couldn’t let him ruin his life for her. “You’re an amazing doctor. You help women through their pregnancy, you encourage and inspire them and you help them give birth, and I…” her voice trailed off as she felt the threat of tears wetting her eyes, “I’m just a waitress. I’m not worth ruining your life.”

Killian’s eyes grew dark and hooded; he appeared to be completely and utterly wrecked. “You really have no idea, do you? You still don’t understand that I would literally do anything for you. You ask me to run through fire, and I’d run through fire, gladly.”

“Then please don’t go to the board,” she pleaded.

“I have to, Emma. I don’t have a choice. If I don’t, Rose will. And once I do then we can put this all behind us.”

“But don’t you see? I can’t! This is all far from being over! Yes, Neal’s in jail, but I’ll have to face him in court and I’ll have to rehash everything he ever did to me. I’ll have to relive those moments when he belittled me and hit me and made me feel like nothing! When he tore me apart in every possible way he could.” The last few words were strangled before she suddenly burst out crying, no longer able to hold back.

Killian’s demeanor visibly transformed, his heart clearly aching for her. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to his chest and allowing her to sob into his shirt. “I know, love,” he whispered, gently stroking her hair. “I know, and I will be there for you through everything.”

Emma shook her head and pulled away from him, wiping her tears and sniffling. “I can’t let you do that. I can’t drag you through this mess with me.”

Killian stared at her blankly. “What do you mean? I’m already in this.”

“But, I need you not to be. Killian, I came to this town a damaged woman, and I barely started healing when you came into my life. I started loving you when I thought I could never give my heart to anyone ever again. And I want to give you everything I am - everything I have - but right now I don't even know who I am anymore. I need to figure that out. I don't want to drag you through what I have to face with Neal. I want you to be able to live your life and fulfill your dream of opening a fertility clinic.”

Killian’s eyes were welling up with tears as he stared back at her. “What are you- what are you saying, Emma?”

Emma swallowed down her fear as she held his gaze. “I’m saying I should leave with Ian for a while. I think I need some time to figure out who I am again. I’ve been with Neal since I was seventeen and then I met you, and I haven’t had a chance to breathe.”

A tear slid down Killian’s cheek, making her heart hurt. But she knew this was for the best.

She lifted her hand, wiping his tear away with her thumb as she mustered a small smile. “It won’t be forever. I couldn’t stay away from you if I wanted to.” Emma pressed her forehead to his and she closed her eyes, another tear rolling down her cheek. “Please… I need to do this.”

“But where will you go?” he asked, cupping her face in his hands.

“I’m not sure. Maybe Boston. Or maybe Regina would have a good recommendation since I’ll still have to present in court.”

He nodded and pulled her close, holding her tight. She could feel him starting to shake as a choked-out sob left his lips. “If you think this is the best thing for you and Ian, I will… I will let you go.” The whispered, broken words barely escaped his mouth, but the tears were flowing freely down his face. “I don’t want you to leave, but I want you to be comfortable with who you are. And just know that you’ll always be my Swan, no matter what.”

“Always.”

~~~

Killian couldn't believe Emma was actually leaving. Even if it wouldn’t be for good, he was dreading it with everything inside of him. He cursed himself for every time he wasn’t honest with her and for not going to the board immediately, but none of that mattered now. Emma needed to do this and he knew that. All he wanted was for her and Ian to be happy. All he wanted was for them to feed off of each other’s strength. He never wanted to see them hurting or in pain. He wanted the best for them, even if he didn’t get to witness it.

He couldn’t believe how much of an impact she had on him over the course of a few months, but if felt like much longer. If felt like he had known her for years. When she touched him, it sure as hell felt like years’ worth of healing - years’ worth of love.

“We will miss you Emma… very much,” Mary Margaret murmured, embracing Emma into a hug.

It was a sunny winter afternoon, and unseasonably warm as they gathered outside of the Nolan’s loft, but to Killian, it was cold and dreary and unpleasant. He kept telling himself he couldn’t think like that though. This was Emma’s chance. It was her chance to go out of this small, boring town of Storybrooke and to heal and find happiness.

Besides, it wouldn't be forever, he kept reminding himself.

“I will miss you all so much.”

There were many tears and hugs and long, heartfelt words of endearment as Emma said goodbye to all of the people she’d grown to love. Liam and Cordelia were taking the situation better than Killian had originally expected, but he knew they were sad to see her go.

Emma promised to keep in touch with all of them and send them updates about Ian. James was traveling with her to make she arrived to Boston safely and got settled in properly. Rosabell wasn’t happy about it, but if given the choice, James would pick his best friend who had gone through hell and back. Killian wasn’t all that happy about it either, but then again, there was nothing that could really make it better. Only knowing that Emma and Ian would get there safely was what kept him sane.

“If anything happens to them, I’ll have your head, James. You know that right?”

“Then it’s a good thing nothing will.”

Killian was swaying Emma’s son delicately in his arms, smiling down at him through teary eyes, knowing the inevitable end was near. He knew Ian would soon be taken away, but he tried not to think too much about that. He wanted to enjoy the few moments while they lasted.

“Now remember, lad…” he whispered with a shaky breath, his thumb stroking his cheek as Ian blinked up at Killian with those big blue eyes that were brighter than the sun. “Be good for your mum. And don’t let her get into trouble.” Killian tried desperately to hold back his tears. And it didn’t matter that there were many people to witness him in shambles, but he had to stay strong because he knew this was the best thing for Emma. He wanted her to able to cope with things in her own way. He wanted her to be healthy and strong and not be held down or haunted by her traumatic past. The future he envisioned for Emma and Ian didn’t allow for anything less. “I know you’ll look out for each other.” A tear managed to roll down his cheek as he lifted Emma’s baby boy, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead. “And maybe one day we will be a family again.”

“Of course we will.” Emma’s sweet voice pulled Killian’s gaze and he flashed a frail smile. “You’ll always be our home no matter where we are. We both love you, and we’ll never stop.”

Her words had a comforting effect on him, his heart overwhelmed with joy. “And both of you will always be my home. But never forget you’ll always have a home here with me. Whenever you decide, or if you decide to come back. I’ll always be here waiting for you, my love.”

Emma’s green eyes were glossy with tears as she smiled and threw her arms around him and Ian, holding them close. “I love you so much,” she whispered in his ear.

“I love you. More than you will ever know.” Emma found his lips, capturing them softly and tenderly, and yet her movements were desperate as she curled her hand around the back of his neck, her fingers sifting through his hair. He didn’t even care who was watching them.

Killian breathed her in, memorizing everything about her - her scent, her warmth, the feel of her body against his, her lips, the taste of her tongue, the taste of her, the sound of her voice, her breathing - before he had to let her go. It was one of the most difficult things he had to do, but somehow he let her go… eventually.

Emma licked her lips, her cheeks stained with tears as she held his scruffy cheeks in her hands. Both of them were silent for a few moments; there were so many things he wanted to say, but he didn’t have the energy to say them out loud.

“Please don’t say goodbye,” he muttered, his voice cracked and shattered. Hearing her say goodbye may possibly kill him.

“I’ll see you again. How’s that?”

A smile curved his lips as he cradled the back of her head and placed one more kiss on her lips. “I’ll be counting on it.”

Letting go of Ian was another one of the most difficult things he ever had to do, and when Emma scooped her son up in her arms, he never tore his eyes away.

“Are you ready, Emma?” James asked as he waited patiently by the passenger’s side. He would be driving them there but then flying back without being an interference with Emma's need to be on her own.

Her eyes were glued to Killian’s and she didn’t nod or acknowledge the question; she only said everything to Killian with her eyes she couldn’t possibly put together in words as he did the same.

When she started to turn around, she paused, looking back at Killian. “Oh and if you do go to the board… I know everything will work out fine. Everyone has faith in you and trusts you. If they can’t see what a great doctor you are then it’s their loss.”

With that said, she walked away and strapped Ian into his car seat before she stole one more glance of him and waved before getting in the passenger seat.

Killian waved back as he watched James drive them away, his heart crumbling a bit in his chest.

~~~

“You doing okay, Em?” James asked, and as they crossed the town line, Emma couldn’t help but remember the first time she came to this town. And it was all because of a flat tire that she decided to get a room for the night. A flat tire changed everything for her. She had been scared, a nervous wreck, but the people in Storybrooke had quickly wormed their way into her heart. And she would never forget that.

Now, because of her, she had worried so many of them. She had put Killian and James in danger because they wanted to protect her. Not to mention, what if Gold or Hades had wanted to find Ian while he was under the care of the Nolan’s? She could have put all three of them in danger. And August had gotten shot in the leg, causing extensive permanent damage, so Graham was taking over as Sheriff for the time being. Ad it was all because of her. She was afraid that the guilt would always be plaguing her and eating way her insides - another reason why she needed to leave. She felt too guilty.

“Yeah, I’m fine. What were you saying?”

She was sure James didn’t believe her, but he didn’t pressure her, and instead continued talking about whatever he was talking about when she’d become lost in her thoughts. She was grateful he was going with her and that she and her son wouldn’t be alone during the drive there. At the same time, she knew she needed some space and she needed time to reflect on everything that had happened. During her time with Neal, she had lost her identity somewhere along the line, and she’d never had a chance to really get it back. Emma always had issues with self-confidence, probably because nothing she ever did for Neal was ever good enough. Most of time, he treated her like chewed up gum on the bottom of his shoe, so that was the value she had placed on herself.

Being with Killian had helped her gain some of that confidence back, but to Emma, it wasn’t good enough. How could she give her heart and soul to someone and accept them completely if she didn’t completely love and accept herself? The last thing she wanted to do was hurt Killian, but knowing she wouldn’t be able stay away for too long was the only thing helping her cope with all of this. Emma wanted to be open with him; she wanted to give him everything he deserved and in order to do that, she needed to take this trip. She needed to take a step back and separate herself from everything. She needed to forgive herself for everything she allowed Neal to do to her, for what she put herself through and for what she had put all of her loved ones through.

But to be completely honest, she really just wanted to go back home, run into Killian’s arms and hold him and Ian like there was no tomorrow.

A/N: To those of you who read A Helping Hand, I'm taking votes on which story I should update after this because I don't like to leave you lovelies hanging for too long, so let me know. You can leave a comment, send me a pm or an ask :)

@resident-of-storybrooke @followbatb @weplaydumbb @strawberrycupcakeprincess @shady-swan-jones @kmomof4 @ultraluckycatnd @phoenixsxul @eala-captian @teamhook @i-love-books2014 @andiirivera @piratesbooty63fan @missclois86 @fallensites @harrietmjones @winterbaby89 @wordsmith-storyweaver @andiirivera @slimacwrites @jennjenn615 @its-about-bloody-time-cs @liloproductions @followbatb @klar425 @hey-it-is-jess @ascolinwishes

#cs ff #cs ff au #captain swan #cs fic #tangled up in blue #my fic

41 notes · View notes

philosopherofnothing · 6 years ago

Text

Chapter 2. The Book.

“No fucking way” you muttered, using your left hand to locate the chair behind you. You sat down, your eyes fixed on the little slip of paper being held in your right hand.

You could not believe even for a second that what had just happened was in fact true. It couldn’t be true, it had to be a hallucination. You had probably been drugged on the Underground and were now lying in some side street losing your mind and surely about to get mugged. Edward Redmayne. Eddie Fucking Redmayne had been inside that very shop. And he insisted on purchasing something from you. He could go anywhere else to find that book. Christ, he could have even asked someone to buy it for him. But he didn’t. He picked your shop to buy it because he always walked past it. He even gave you his number so you could call him when the book got there. Who does that? Maybe he was… no, it couldn’t be. It was impossible. He’s just a kind, kind man. How could you believe that Eddie Redmayne was somehow flirting with you? How foolish. Stupid.

----

You contacted the supplier a few times during the week to try and get the books earlier, but the demand was such you were lucky you were even getting them on Friday. You spent all week thinking about what you would say to Eddie when you called him. You had to sound sure of yourself, grounded. No rambling, straight to the point. God, you had to chill down. You were clearly overthinking. It was just a call; a business call.

Luckily, the shop was so busy during the week there were few moments in which you could actually sit down and think of what was about to come. Then Friday finally came and you were a bundle of nerves. You had called the supplier several times on Thursday to make sure you were indeed getting the books. You had rearranged your outfit for the following day three different times before you actually settled for one. You had set your alarm an hour earlier so you could get to the shop at 8 and wait for the supplier… and maybe call Eddie. But your hopes were shattered when on Friday you saw the growing queue that had formed outside the shop as soon as you turned around the corner. There were mostly people wearing robes and big two-colour scarves; some of them also had wands and hats. You knew you had to hide one of the copies if you ever wanted to talk to Eddie again. You greeted and thanked the customers with a polite smile as you walked into the shop, reassuring them that they would go in as soon as you signed the delivery form. Thank God the supplier hadn’t arrived yet; that gave you a little bit of time to make the so desired call.

Once at the desk and with everything ready, you sat down and opened one of the drawers that was under lock and key. You grabbed the slip of paper - yes, you were keeping Edward Redmayne’s phone number in a locked drawer- and proceeded to save it on your phone. Just when you were about to call him, a Gmail notification popped up on the screen: an email from the mailing company saying that your parcel was reaching destination. You quickly searched through your contact list and tapped Eddie’s name. You held your breath as you waited for the call to get through but it went straight to voicemail. Ok, Emma, think fast.

“Hey, E-Eddie. This is Emma. Emma Cook? From Erised Books. I just wanted to let you know that your book is already here, but we have a bit of a predicament. You see, there are a lot of people waiting outside to buy it too. Er- don’t get me wrong, I’ve already saved a copy for you, but I don’t think coming here now or even later is a sensible move. Today I’m closing at about 6, so why don’t you come round at 6.30? I’m looking forward to hearing from you!”

I’m looking forward to hearing from you? Who the fuck are you, Queen Elizabeth? You sure are as daft as they come you cursed yourself, feeling utterly embarrassed. Even if you had had a slight chance with Eddie, you surely had ruined it with that dumb voice message. But the show had to go on, and as soon as the delivery van came through and every book was placed where it was supposed to be, you opened the door to the shop and hoped for the best.

----

“Ahhh, finally” you groaned as you plopped down on your chair. It was 6.15; everything was in their place and the door sign read “CLOSED” now. The day had been a nightmare but fruitful nonetheless, and now it was finally over. The books had sold out like hot cakes; every single copy you had received was gone. Puff. Vanished. Well… all but one. You could see it peeking out from under a box below your desk: Eddie’s copy. You didn’t know what to do with it. Should you put it in a bag, like everyone else’s copies? Or maybe you could wrap it up and give it to him as a present. Actually, that wasn’t such a bad idea. Even though you knew it was stupid, you didn’t feel very comfortable with him paying for the book. Plus, you were an amazing gift wrapper. You rummaged through your drawers and boxer for the prettiest wrapping paper you could find.

“Aha!” you exclaimed as you pulled out a roll of dark blue paper with yellow wizard hats on it. “Perfect for the occasion,”

Just as you were giving it the final touches -a blue bow with curly ends and a small card that said “Congratulations!” on it- you heard a knock on the door, leaving you feeling like your heart was about to burst out of your thoracic cavity. You slowly walked towards the door, fearing that moving quickly would wake you up from this beautiful dream. You turned the key and with a soft click the door opened.

“Hullo,” Eddie said as he walked through the door. He was wearing a black leather jacket with a white tee under it, deep blue skinny jeans and what resembled cowboy boots. “Everything alright?”

“H-hey” you stuttered, trying very hard not to embarrass yourself in front of that gorgeous man.

“Thanks for waiting for me,” he said, smiling apologetically. “and sorry I couldn’t answer your call, it was a very busy day today at set. I almost didn’t make it,”

“No worries, it was a really busy day here too. The shop was crammed with people until 5.30,“ you told him with a little bit more confidence.

“I can see that,” he chuckled, looking at the wiped-out shelves. “It feels like you have been robbed,”

“Yeah, they bought every single one of the books that came in today and more,” you explained. “Luckily, I was thinking ahead of myself and saved a copy for you before they attacked the shop,”

“And for that I’ll be eternally grateful” he said, bowing down before you jokingly. When he looked up, his face was mildly blushed. You wonder if it was because of the effort or something else.

You walked towards the counter and picked the package lying on it. You took in a deep breath and turned around, hoping for the best.

“Here you go,” you said shyly as you handed it to him.

“What a lovely wrapping. Very appropriate,” he said, turning the package around in his hands. “How much do I owe you?”

“Nothing at all,” you replied, feeling your face getting hotter by the second. “Consider it a gift for your marvellous performance,”

“What? No!” he exclaimed, blushing too. “No, I cannot take it, Emma. It’s your job!”

“It’s just one book, Eddie. I won’t run out of business because of one book. Please, take it,” you encouraged him, trying to keep your coolness.

“Still. It’s not acceptable. There must be a way I can pay you back,” he said, scratching his head with his left hand. You shrugged your shoulders, unable to produce an answer.

“I think I have an idea,” he spoke with a glint in his eyes. Eddie examined you carefully, as if he was trying to detect something; your stomach was in knots. “Are you doing anything now? After closing the shop,”

Is he really saying what I think he is saying? you thought as you shook your head. Is this real life?

“We could go and grab a bite. Only if you want to” he quickly added lowering his head a bit, his ears turning a bright red.

You didn’t know what to say. Of course you wanted to. God, you’d be a fucking git if you said no, but you couldn’t find the words. You feared to speak in case you said something utterly stupid. You tried to remain calm and cool, but you could almost hear you inner self screaming YES! FUCK, YES!

“That sounds nice,” you managed to utter, looking at the floor. God, you are a fucking child. He is just a man, for fuck’s sake.

“Brilliant! Where would you like to go?” he said, smiling with relief. That made you gain a bit more confidence.

You pondered for a bit. “Hmm, nothing too expensive, really. Just regular take-away. We could even eat here. I don’t mind,”

“That sounds like a plan. Nando’s, maybe?” he suggested.

Ugh, chicken. Not keen. And I am not really in the mood for salad- not again. “Maybe something less… meaty?” you replied, trying not to show disgust.

“Oh, sorry, I did not know you were a vegetarian. How silly of me. Well, it’s not that strange actually- that I don’t know, I mean. We only met a few days ago and we actually didn’t talk much so how was I supposed to know, right?” he rambled, wearing a half-nervous, half-apologetic smile. “Wait, are you? Sorry, I feel like an odd sense of shame now. Maybe I ought to stop talking,”

“Eddie, it’s fine,” you giggled. There was actually someone else in this world who was almost as awkward as you were. “Yes, I am. Although I rarely eat dairy or eggs, so you could say I’m more of a vegan, actually,”

“Good to know. A pizza, maybe? I’m sure they have vegan cheese options. Let me check on my mobile,” he said, immersing himself in the screen.

You could not believe that he hadn’t said anything rude about you not eating animal products. It was not like all people did say something cruel or mocked you when they found out that you were almost vegan, but you usually got weird looks and muffled laughs. It had been long before someone did not comment on it, and you really appreciated it.

“Do you like mushrooms? Because I do,” you caught him muttering still deeply lost in his phone. He was swiping up and down, checking the list of extras. “What about vegan sausage?”

“Sounds good to me” you replied, gazing at him earnestly. He was so sweet… and so handsome.

“Alright, everything set. So, where should we settle?” he said, looking around.

#eddieredmayne fanfic #lovestory #EddieRedmayne #smut #man #woman #harry potter #wizarding world #fantastic beats and where to find them #books

0 notes