#Dog Christmas Day After Afternoon

[yahoo201027]

From Simon Chong over at Instagram, with the return of the table reads, so does the return of the script covers for future episodes for the upcoming 15th season later this year. And here are the first two script covers of the first table read since the start of the pandemic with "Boogie Days" and "Dog Christmas Day After Afternoon".

[yamumsyadadd]

Sometimes all you need is a little love

At 5, you were loved. Your mum and dad adored you. Everything was about you and your parents.  They worked hard, and in return you got to fulfil your dream of being a footballer. 

At 8, things started to change. Sundays that were usually filled with church in the morning, and Barcelona games in the afternoon slowly started to disappear. 

Your mum and dad were fighting. She was looking frail, unwell, a shell of herself. He looked angry, distant, with marks on his arms, coming home smelling like cigarettes and flowers. It was a weird smell, it would linger in the air for hours to come. 

Gone were the days when they would both come to your football. It was one or the other, sometimes even none of them. 

At 10, you found her. Hanging. You just sat there, watching her. Eventually going to the neighbours you thought you knew. Turns out they moved out and there was a new family. An older lady, Eli. She let you come inside and called for help while distracting you with cookies and her white fluffy dog. 

From that day, things changed. Your father’s love became less and less. His violence and drinking became more. He had a new girlfriend every other month. Barely lasting the entire calendar month. 

By age 12, La Masia came knocking. A full scholarship was on offer. It was your dream. Something you and your parents had worked hard for, together. Expect now it was just you. Forging your dad’s signature, you dropped the forms back off. Transferring to their academy the week later. 

La Masia was hard. Harder than you expect. Maybe it was because things at home were worse than ever before, your dad lost his job, the random woman continued however now there was random men added into it. Home wasn’t a safe place for you or anyone in that case. 

At 14, things hit an all time low, bruises and marks were becoming harder to hide with your promotion to the Barca B team. They were all so close to each other, hanging out after training, getting food or going shopping, their weekends were all spent together. But not with you. As much as they tried you shielded away from it. School and football were the two things that matter - there was no time for anything else, no time to worry about anything else. 

The closest thing you had to a parent was the lady across the hall, every few days there would be a plate of food at the front door when you arrived home. On Sundays it was a bigger meal, you’d divvy it out so it would last a few extra days. The limited money you did have was given to your dad, you’d keep some of it but it wasn’t enough for the bus fare and food. It was one of the other. 

Every morning you would make the one hour trek from your home in Mollet del Vallès, using that time to do your homework, study plays or rewatch games, sometimes even catching a few more minutes of sleep. Every evening, after training you’d stay and help pack away the equipment, sometime just relishing in the warmth of the facility, the endless hot water, the feeling of safety. 

One night, after missing the last bus, you hide in a supply closet. Knowing there was no way you’d get home that night, you huddled around the spare clothes and clean towels. It oddly was one of the best sleeps you’d had in years. The constant security that would walk around the facility made you feel safe. 

After that initial night, there were many more nights of sleeping at the facility. Was it the best idea? Probably not, but it was the safest, and the warmest. 

15 was when things really changed. At some point, your dad just stopped coming home. He’d be gone for days at a time. This time though, he was gone for almost three weeks. You bloomed in the silence. The apartment was clean, airy, in contrast to the dark, stuffy air that usually resides. 

On Christmas Eve things came to ahead. There wasn’t much food left. A few eggs, some bread and some cereal. No milk, vegetables or anything fresh. Biting the bullet, you made your way across the hall to the older ladies door. She had told you before that if you needed anything, to just knock. So you did, rocking back and forth on your heels, you were shocked when the door swung open and none other than Alexia Putellas, captain of the Barcelona Women’s team, 2 time Ballon D’Or winner, was standing there with a smile on her face. 

“Hola pequeña, are you ok?”

“Oh, um, hola? Is Eli here?” 

“Si, come in.” You stood there for a moment, staring at her, “mami a pequeña is here for you!” Eli, the nice, caring older woman was Alexia Putellas mother. Of course she was. 

“Neña! To what do I owe this visit?” 

“I am very sorry to interrupt and be rude, but I was wondering if you had any milk I could please have? My papi has gone away for a bit and forgot to leave some money.” 

“You’re alone? You’re no older than 16?” A smaller but almost identical person chimed in. 

“Si. I am 15”. A shy nod was all you could muster, the energy you previously had disappeared. 

“Well where did he go? Are you alone for Christmas?” 

“Uh, um a work trip? Si, si, a work trip! He will be back at some point, I’m sure.” It was a lie, a terrible horrible lie and everyone in that room knew. All three older women shared a look. 

“Here is some milk Nena. Do you want to stay for dinner?” 

“No no that’s okay. Thank you for the milk, I will give you money when I get some!” 

“Nonsense dear. It’s just milk.” 

Silently you grabbed the milk and started to walk towards the door, leaving the three women staring at you. Eli’s eyes expressed sadness, Alexia’s were confused, she knew you from somewhere but she couldn’t place it, Alba was bewildered, she remembered being 15 and there was no way in hell that Eli would’ve left her home alone, but especially not over the holiday period. 

“She is a good girl. She studies hard, she’s at La Masia. Always very polite but something is off in the house.” 

Alexia’s head whipped around, “she’s at the academy?” Eli nodded, “how does she get there? it’s a 40 minute drive and she’s not old enough?” 

“I don’t know Alexia, tonight was the most she’s spoken to me since she came asking for the ambulance when her mami died.” 

“That was her?” A nod was all alexia received. For the rest of the night they were all silent, you went to bed with a small amount of food in your stomach. The 8 pieces of French toast were enough to get you through until the farmers market opened on the 26th. 

A dread washed over you the following afternoon when there was a knock at the front door. Opening it slowly, and only half showing your face, Alexia and Alba (you learnt her name after googling Alexia), were standing there. 

“Hola pequeña. Mami asked if you and your papi wanted to join us for dinner?” Alexia voice was firm, almost as if there wasn’t room for you to say no. 

“Um, sure. My papi isn’t back yet, but what time does she want us?” 

“Now-“

“An hour-“ both girls spoke at the same time. Alba wanting to give you time to do whatever you needed, but alexia wanted you father to show himself. Unbeknownst to you, she had reached out to the La Masia staff and a few of the younger girls. 

Vicky and Martina had told her the little information that they knew. You were young, talented and a hard worker. You’d catch the bus to and from training, never really talking to anyone and certainly never hanging out with them. They’d offered to help you with your homework, Vicky realising very quickly that you were both in the same grade despite you being two years younger. Both Vicky and Martina felt that there was something off, never seeing your father or anyone supporting you at games, not even at the international friendly with the under 17s that you’d been called up too. 

“Okay? How about half an hour?” 

“That works. See you soon pequeña!” Alba grabbed her older sisters arm, pulling her away from the door. You slid down the back of yours once it was firmly closed. You needed to think of the perfect lie. Maybe you could say he was too tired, or stuck in traffic. No that wouldn’t work, if he was stuck in traffic they’d wait. The truth wasn’t an option. There’s no way you could just blurt out that you didn’t know where he was. 

The dinner was uncomfortable, the food was delicious but the unasked questions were making a lot of tension. You didn’t miss the way Alba and Eli continued to glance at you, or how their eyes went wide when you asked for more. This definitely cemented that something was wrong. 

The loud clattering of Alexia’s fork and knife, stopped you from shoveling more food in your mouth. 

“This is ridiculous. Pequeña, where is your papi?” 

“Don’t know.” You spoke nonchalantly, putting more food into your mouth. Confused looks where thrown around. Eli’s head slowly reaching for yours and taking the fork, “sweetheart, what do you mean you don’t know?” 

“I don’t know. He could be stuck at work, or in traffic or asleep.” I shrugged. It was a semi decent lie. 

“Does he leave for long periods often?” 

“No. It’s usually just a few days.” 

“Where does he go?” 

To get high, to fuck hookers, to steal, “work trips.” 

Thankfully the subject was dropped as Eli gave you back your fork. It didn’t feel like Christmas, no gifts were exchanged, no decorations or Christmas movies. It felt like a Sunday after church, all that was left was a trip to Camp Nou to watch a game but that wasn’t going to happen. Not now, not ever again. 

Eli sent you home when a lot of leftovers, ignoring the comments from her own two daughters that they would’ve liked to have some too. It was enough food for at least a month. You’d eaten plenty at dinner so the need for food tomorrow would be less. 

The following week was a blur. There was only two training sessions and school was off until after the New Year. Your father had yet to make a reappearance and due to the holidays, you were hiding in the house so you wouldn’t have to see any three of the Putellas women and answer questions. 

It worked, for three weeks, until the night you had planned to sleep in the same storage room as usual. Alexia appeared, fresh out of the shower. 

“Pequeña? What are you still doing here? It’s late.” 

“I lost track of time. I was studying.” 

“How are you getting home? Is your papi coming?” 

“No. I’m catching the bus.” You felt guilty lying to her, but it was the best option. No one would get hurt this way. 

“Let me drive you home. It’s late and you really shouldn’t be catching the bus.” 

Before you could argued, she’d grabbed the straps of your bag, dragging it and you along to her car. It was an awkward 40 minutes. Her car was much more comfortable than the bus, warmer and safer. You were still on high alert, especially when she was asking you questions. 

For the past five years you didn’t let anyone get close. It was easier that way. You didn’t have to explain the tiredness that was evident on your face, the random bruises that happened, the obvious weightless from the lack of food. 

From that moment on you silently agreed to keep everyone further way. You had to be more careful, no more roaming the halls after training. No more asking Eli for milk, or bread, or anything. Leaving extra early in the morning or as soon as training ended. No more being vulnerable. 

The day of your 16th birthday was supposed to be a good one. However your father had other plans. You’d been training with the senior team due to some injuries and then needing players, Jona had told you last night he would play you after halftime. A senior debut on your 16th birthday. 

That night you’d come home so incredibly happy only for it to come crashing down when your extremely intoxicated father decided to start a fight over the lack of money. He didn’t stop hitting you for what felt like hours. You weren’t sure if you passed out from the pain or from the exhaustion but you knew the following day it would be hell. 

The house was littered with used needles, smashed and empty bottles, and it smelt of cigarettes and stale booze. Your arms and legs were covered in bruises as well as a shiner on your face. That one would be the hardest to cover. it took an hour and large amount of makeup before you were confident about leaving the house. The bruise was mostly covered. You didn’t think it was that obvious though. The looks you received on the bus, and even as you walked through the halls, didn’t make you question your makeup job. 

True to his word, jona put you on in the 75th minute, subbing Salma off. It was electrifying, a rush you’d never felt before. Then game ended with a win, of course, there was a lot of praise from the older girls. Mario was incredibly impressed and offered to work with you more if you were interested. Something you immediately said yes too. Your bubble was burst when Alexia came over to tell her Eli was there and wanted to see you. 

The moment you were within arms reach of Eli, she could tell something was wrong. So could Alexia’s girlfriend, Olga, who she had just introduced you too. After chatting a bit more, Eli demanded she would take you home, making you hurry to gather your belongings in the locker room, forgoing a shower as you didn’t bring makeup to re-cover the bruise on your face. 

“Olga you need to help her with makeup.” Alba joked before hugging her sister goodbye. Olga and Eli shared a concerned looked. 

“Why is she wearing make up?” 

“Mami she’s 16. Teenagers wear makeup all the time. It doesn’t mean anything.” Eli shook her head, there was something wrong but she didn’t know what or how to ask you. 

“Ale, keep an eye on her yeah?”

“Olga she’s fine. She’s just a teenager.” Olga’s eyes pleaded with her, “si fine. I will watch over her.” 

Two weeks later things came crashing down horribly. You’d been moved into the senior squad officially, that came with perks. More money was the main one. It would only be a few months until you’d officially graduate high school, that meant you could pick up a part time job as well as football. What you didn’t account for was your father. 

When you walked in the door you were greeted with a random lady and a little boy, no older than 3, your father was very quickly shoving things into boxes and taping them up. 

“What’s going on?” Neither of the adults spared a glance at you. 

“I’m leaving. Thea and I are moving to Madrid.” 

“I can’t leave papi! The season is still going and i haven’t finished school yet!” 

“Good thing you weren’t invited then.” The last scoffed, flipping her son to the other hip. Your eyes were wide. Not believing what you were hearing. 

“Tomorrow, the moving truck will be here. You need to be gone by then.” 

“Wait! Where will I go? You can’t leave me here!” You yelled after them as they left the apartment. No longer caring who heard or who saw. 

“You’re not my problem anymore. I couldn’t care less about what you do or don’t do.” He turned to leave, “you could do the world a favour and hang yourself like your mother did.” With that he was gone. The apartment was mostly empty. 

You found the two biggest bags that you could carry. Filling one with all your football stuff, the other with you clothes, the few jumpers of your mothers that you had left, a sleeping bag and pillow. In your school backpack you packed your laptop and all the school work, plus your important documents (birth certificate, photo IDs, passport.) 

Though you had no idea where you would go, you knew you’d figure it out. What you didn’t account for was Eli. of course she would notice the moving vans, and the lack of you. 

Every second night you’d leave the training facility, set on finding somewhere that was semi safe to sleep. Even though it was the start of February, you knew the beach would be ok. There was enough light to keep you safe, you also had a little knife you stole from your father along time ago. 

The last morning before it all went to shit, you were sitting with your bags, still in your sleeping bag, watching the sunrise. Barcelona was quiet at this time of the morning. A few runners or cyclists around but other than that it was peaceful. 

“Pequeña? What are you doing here so early?” A semi familiar face dropped in front of you, startling you out of your thoughts. Unable to talk, you just stared at her. “I’m Olga, Alexia’s girlfriend. We met a couple of weeks ago. Do you remember?” 

I nodded, she continued on, “what are you doing here? Did you sleep here?”

“What? No! No I just like coming here in the mornings!” I hurried to get up, quickly shoving my things back into my bags, that’s when the knife dropped on the sand, right in front of Olga. We both stopped and stared at it. 

“Pequeña-“

“I better go. Enjoy your day.” I quickly picked it up and all but ran towards the bus stop. My thoughts were spiralling. She was going to tell Alexia. I wouldn’t be allowed to play, I’d be sent away somewhere else. 

Training was hell. No matter how much you tried to avoid Irene, Marta or Alexia they always appeared. It didn’t seem that Olga had told Alexia or that anyone else knew but it was only a matter of time. All you needed was a few weeks, just to get through the Copa de la Reina final and then you could figure it out. 

Thankfully the week went fast and the game on the weekend was a success. There were no more run ins with Olga, or any of the captains of the team. You went as far to complete ignore Eli, Alba and Olga after the game. Quickly running into the locker room and showering before anyone else. 

It was harder to hide in the facility after home games. It was busy with trainers, medical staff, admin staff, basically everyone but you figured it out. It was a restless sleep, the close call with Olga playing in your mind on repeat. 

Unbeknownst to you, Eli had mentioned it to Alexia at their usual family dinner post match. 

“Nena moved.” 

“To where?” Both Alba and Alexia’s head shot up. 

“I don’t know. She didn’t say anything. I heard her papi say Madrid. I’m assuming she isn’t joining since she’s still playing here.” 

“I’ll find out.” Olga knew in that moment she needed to come clean about finding you on the beach. Clearly you didn’t have somewhere safe to stay. Later that night, when it was just her and Alexia cuddled in their bed she did just that. 

“I saw Nena at the beach the other morning.” 

“Likely place for her to be. She has mentioned loving the beach in the past.” Alexia dismissed what Olga was saying, not particularly understanding why that was important. 

“No ale. I think she slept there. She had a sleeping bag and heaps of stuff.” 

Silence encapsulated the couple. “I’ll deal with it.” was all the captain said before rolling over and going to sleep. Expect, she didn’t sleep. She played through every interaction she’d had with you, every imagine of you in her mind. You looked tired, the light behind your eyes was gone, you had fully retreated back into your shell, barely talking at training or games, only answering questions when directly asked. 

Something was definitely wrong, very very wrong. Enlisting the help of Irene and Marta and Olga, they would find out exactly how wrong it was. 

It was evident when you came into training that you hadn’t slept, the truth was that the beach no longer felt safe. Not after that creepy man was watching you. Staying at the facility every night wasn’t an option, neither was staying with a teammate. So you stay at the train station all night. It was relatively safe, but the thought of that man kept you awake. 

You’d gotten half way through the day when you snapped. Usually you’d try and stick to Caro or Keira’s sides. Caro because she was quiet and Keira because she couldn’t exactly understand you and you couldn’t understand her. Unfortunately the gym groups were assigned differently today, meaning you got stuck with Mapi, Pina, Patri and Cata. The group of people you hated being around the most. There was never a quiet moment, they were always loud. So incredibly loud. 

It was after Mapi had ruffled your hair for the third time that you mumbled for her to stop. 

“We can’t hear you gallina. Speak up.” Patri laughed. 

“I said, don’t touch me. And don’t call me gallina.” Your patience was thinning, and fast. 

“Cheer up gallina. We are just playing.” Mapi went to ruffle your hair again, your hands landing on her chest and shoving her back into Cata. 

“I said don’t fucking touch me Maria!” Everyone stopped, turning in horror to see the scene unfold. Tears welled in your eyes, you bolted as fast as you could. 

“Nena-“ Ingrid tried to grab your wrists but you dodged her. 

Alexia, Irene and Marta all stopped what they were doing. It was extremely unlike you to be so aggressive and rude. No matter how shy you were, you always used your manners. They all shared a look before following you to the locker room. 

You rushed through the locker room trying to get your bags packed as fast as possible. You had no idea where you would go, but you needed to get out of here. Far away from the sympathetic looks of your teammates. You were so far in your own head that you didn’t hear the cleats on the floor or the door to the locker opening. 

“Nena? What’s wrong?” Irene’s hand on your shoulder startled you. 

“Nothing I’m fine. I need to go.” You shrugged her hand off you, putting your backpack on and grabbing your duffle that contained your pillow and sleeping bag. 

“Please let us help Nena. We want to help you but we can’t if you don’t let us.” Marta spoke up next, as you looked up you saw that Alexia was standing between you and the door, the only route out of the locker room. 

“Please move. I want to go home.” 

“Home? Where is that Nena? It’s not in Mollet del Vallès. I know that much.” 

You squeezed your eyes shut and took a deep breath, yelling at your captains was a horrible idea, truly horrible. Even in this mental state you knew that, “I do not want to be rude Alexia, but it’s none of your business. I come here, I train, I play, I do as I am told, I don’t make trouble or do anything wrong. Please let me leave.” 

Alexia looked troubled. You needed help, that much was clear, but you were right. You did everything that was asked of you, never complaining or whining about it. She looked to Irene for help, Irene simply nodded and alexia moved. 

“If you need help, somewhere to stay, you have my address and you know where Mami is.” 

A curt nod was all she received and then you were gone. As fast as you could walk without causing any attention to yourself. You spent the next few hours walking around. When it was dark and late, the train station was where you headed. It wasn’t until you were comfy that you realised you grabbed the wrong bag. You left your sleeping bag and more importantly your phone charger at the training facility. There wasn’t much that could be done now, you just had to wait it out. 

As you walked into training, you could feel everyone’s eyes on you. You were late, never have you been late before. The lack of proper sleep, nutrition and your body always on high alert was getting to you. By the end of training you were exhausted. Barely having the energy to walk into the locker rooms to shower. Usually when someone was late without giving a proper warning, they’d run laps. No one told you to run laps so you didn’t. 

A few days later, at the beach, Olga saw you again. This time you looked worse than before. She made her way to a local bakery, getting water, coffee and something for you to eat before making her way back towards you and hoping you wouldn’t run off. 

“¿Niña? Can I sit with you?” She startled you, that much was obvious but you nodded and she handed over everything she bought. 

“Why are you here?” 

“I like the beach.” 

“You’re sleeping here?” She could tell you were scared, it took a while for you to reply. 

“Only sometimes.” 

Olga nodded, the silence settling over the both of you. “Let me take you to training?” 

The drive seem to take forever. It was uncomfortable, Olga wanted to get more information out of you, you wanted nothing more then to be swallowed into a black hole. 

“Niña? If you don’t have anywhere safe and warm to stay, please come to mine and Ale’s? We won’t be mad, or disappointed. We want to help you. Okay?” 

You gave her a small nod, moving to wipe your tears and get out of the car. Unbeknownst to the both of you, Alexia was in her own car a few metres away watching the whole thing. 

It took a day for Alexia to coax all the information out of Olga but when she finally did, she was heartbroken. The thing she had hoped wasn’t true, was in fact true. You were living on the street. Sleeping wherever you could, your papi had left you to fend for yourself. It’s not that you were doing a horrible job at it, but it was obvious you weren’t eating or sleeping enough. 

The night of the El Classico is when things went truly horrible. Alexia had told Irene, Mapi and Marta what had happened but any time they tried to talk to you, you literally ran away.

The streets of Barcelona were well and truly alive. The Madrid fans had left the Johan feeling annoyed, angry and disappointed. Anyone would when their team lost 7-0. It probably wasn’t the smartest idea to sleep on the beach that night, but there truly wasn’t anywhere else. The train station would’ve been worse, the facility wouldn’t be quiet until after midnight, and there was no way you’d go to a teammates house. 

You’d only just drifted to sleep when you heard the group of guys approaching. They were drunk, that much was obvious. Pretty quickly you woke yourself up, but you didn’t dare to move. Maybe they would just keep walking. Your back was facing the sea, and them but as soon as they laid their hands on you, you turned around. 

“Oye, it’s the Barca puta.”

“You’re the reason we lost.”

“We should break her legs!” 

The fear set it. As soon as the hits started, they ended. Not only had they assaulted you, but they had stolen your school bag that contained your laptop, water bottle and phone charger. It look a while for the pain to become tolerable. you could recognise that you were bleeding, your ribs hurt, along with your arm, head and leg. You were scared and alone. 

Abandoning the beach, you made your way to the one place you could think of. The two women who had urged you time and time again to let them help you, you had refused but right now you needed it more than anything. With the help of your phone maps, you managed to get to their apartment. It took a lot longer than it should have, having to stop every now and then to take deep breaths when the pain was too bad. 

You weakly raised your fist to the door, the energy was zapped out of you. It felt like forever before someone answered. 

“Hol- holy fuck. Alexia! Come here neña. Let me help you. ALEXIA!” Olga answered the door, annoyed that someone was knocking so late at night. The minute she opened it, she wanted to cry. You were stood there, bloodied and bruised. Seemingly out of it, looking so small and frightened. 

She starting leading you to the kitchen when alexia finally came, “what? Oh my god, pequena! What happened?” 

“Hurt.”

“Where hurts neña?”

“Head bleeding… arm broken, I think… maybe ribs… leg too. Stole my school bag.” Alexia was freaking out, the usual calm, stoic captain was on the verge of tears. 

“We need to call the police Olga! And mami and Irene and-“

“Ale stop. Neña, drink this yes? Alexia is going to get the first aid from the bathroom and we are going to clean you up. We will need to take you to the hospital, but that can wait for a few minutes.” She gave alexia a pointed look while she opened the water bottle and helped you drink. 

Their apartment was soft. Very homey and not clinical like you imagined. There were photos of Alexia and her family, Olga and hers, then of them both. There were plants scattered around, a few awards here and there but not many, the one thing that seemed out of place was the dog bed and toys. 

“Dog?” Olga’s eyes followed yours, confused as to what you were asking. 

“Nala. She died last year but we haven’t been able to get rid of her things.”

“Sorry”. Alexia arrived back with the first aid kit, phone to her ear and a lot less panicked but a lot more mad. that stressed you out, Olga picking up on it straight away. Things moved fast from that point. Alexia and Olga cleaned you up the best they could but ultimately decided that you needed the hospital. It was all a blur. One minute you were in their apartment, the next you were in a hospital gown sitting in a room. 

Alexia was non stop pacing, you sat there, wide eyed waiting for her to say something. 

“You can say it.” You whispered. 

Both girls stopped and looked at you confused, “say what pequena?” 

“I told you so’ or ‘you should’ve let me help’, whatever you have planned just say it.” You could no longer look at them, staring down at the floor. You missed the look of heartbreak sweep across both their faces. 

“No no pequena. This isn’t your fault. None of this is your fault. There’s no ‘I told you so’ to be said. You came to use when you needed help, we are here now to help that’s all that matters. Okay?” Alexia slowly reached out to wipe the tears from your face. 

“I’m sorry.” That was it. All three of you were holding each other crying. Time seemed to blend into one second. You got stitches in your eyebrow and on your leg, your arm was in fact broken and a cast was put on. The doctor seemed to talk and talk, none of the words making any sense. It was until you saw the two police officers standing outside that you seemed to snap out of it. 

The doctor left the room, seemingly to talk to the police officers and give them a run down. Olga noticed how on edge you were very quickly. 

“Hey, neña, they are only here to ask what happened okay? You aren’t in any trouble.” 

You stood up quickly, grabbing the bag with your blood stained clothes, “no I need to go. This was a mistake.” 

“Go where pequena?” 

“They are going to take me away! I don’t have anywhere to live Alexia! Papi left. He got rid of the house. Mami is dead. I have no where so I’m going to leave before they can take me.” 

“Neña no.” Olga moved to block the door. She is small. You could take her, you thought. “You’re staying with us. They aren’t going to take you because you have a home, with us. You will stay as long as needed.” 

Alexia and Olga hadn’t exactly had the conversation about it, but they both seemed to be able to read each other’s minds. They were going to take care of you, love you like your parents should have. Sure you’re 16, almost an adult. But everyone needs a parental figure, no matter the age. 

“No. You two have your own life, I’m not your responsibility. I can take care of myself, I have been for years.” 

“But you can’t neña. You can’t get an apartment, or a phone plan, or your drivers licence. If you’ll let us, we will take care of you.” You were considering it, really considering it. Having a proper bed, proper meals, somewhere safe? It sounded like heaven. 

“It won’t be easy pequena, it’ll be hard. For all of us. We’ll have to learn to trust each other, and learn how to live with each other but it’ll be worth it. You can decorate the room however you want, we will buy you whatever you need.” 

Before the could continue, the police came in. It took a while to answer all their questions. You could see Alexia and Olga holding hands tightly, wincing slightly when you go into detail. 

“What about my school bag? It has all my school stuff and my laptop?” 

“We will look for it, but there’s no promises it’ll be found. Do you have somewhere safe to stay?” 

“With Alexia and Olga.” You could visibly feel the tension leave both the women. The officers asked Alexia and Olga to step out with them to talk, you took a few moments to gather your thoughts. How had things changed so much. You were just a kid, yet you were forced to look after yourself like you were an adult. You wanted to be vulnerable, to have someone take care of you. Sometimes all we need is a little love. 

Maybe in time, things would get better. 

[sparrowritings]

seven days to confess

pairing: geto suguru x gn!reader

summary: shoko and satoru give suguru an ultimatum to confess to you by the end of the week

tags: jealousy, not actually unrequited love

word count: 3.7k

a/n: i know this is a suguru x reader but there’s lowk more satoru and shoko x reader LMAO

Shoko has had enough. Enough of the needless pining that she somehow always finds herself in the middle of. 

She was the first to notice, before Satoru even suspected a thing. Lingering gazes and touch, Suguru is always a gentleman around you, opening doors, bringing you food when you are busy with missions all day, and giving you shoulder massages whenever you are stressed from writing reports. He didn’t treat Shoko or Satoru like that, so for Shoko, it was obvious that you were special to him.

When she brought it up to Satoru, he only made the case more damning. 

Shoko and Satoru sat under a tree, avoiding the harsh afternoon sun. A few dozen yards away, you and Suguru were sparring, curses clashing with the multiple light-constructed weapons you had summoned with your cursed technique.

“Satoru, do you know if Suguru like, has a thing for (Y/N)?”

“A thing? He hasn’t told me anything if he does.”

“Really? I feel like Suguru’s so lovesick I feel nauseous just watching them when they’re together.” 

The two of you had stopped sparring, and instead, you were playing with Rainbow Dragon, as if it was a big dog. You created a large ball of light and tossed it into the air, and Rainbow Dragon launched itself off the ground, fetching the ball in its maw and returning it to you, dropping the ball at your feet. You pet the curse’s head, and it bounds around you, playfully nudging you and licking your face.

“Ew. I’ve never seen Rainbow Dragon do that in all the three years that I’ve known it.” Satoru pointed out, placing his hand on his chin as if pondering deeply.

“Speaking of which, I ran into Suguru yesterday in the common room at ass o’clock making ramen. I asked if he was making a midnight snack, and he told me he was making it for (Y/N) because they were hungry.” He recounted, “He’s never made anything for me, no matter what I say and no matter how many puppy dog eyes I throw at him.”

“We should ask him about it later.” Shoko spoke, amused.

Satoru shrugs, still watching you play fetch with Rainbow Dragon.

“Sure, it’ll be fun.” He replies.

The chance comes when the four of you are hanging out in Suguru’s room, a week from winter break. A cheesy romcom plays on the portable DVD player set on the table. You and Suguru are sitting on the bed, while Satoru is sitting against the bed on the floor, and Shoko is plopped down on the bean bag next to him. 

Halfway into the movie, Shoko nudges Satoru. He clears his voice.

“Uh, (Y/N), I left one of my mission reports in your room after we were working on reports the other day, do you mind grabbing them for me?”

“Your mission report? The last time we worked on reports was weeks ago.”

“U-Uh yeah, I-I was, uh, looking through my reports… and I realized I was missing one.”

“Huh.” You raised an eyebrow in suspicion and confusion, before getting up to look for Satoru’s mission report, “I’ll be right back.” 

The door closes with a click after you leave the room.

“What was that about?” Suguru questions, suspicious.

“Sooooo, Suguru,” Satoru starts with a mischievous grin on his face, “Christmas is coming up.”

“Right, like it does every other year.” He answers cautiously. 

“What Satoru is trying to say, is that you should ask (Y/N) to go out because we are sick and tired of your pining.” Shoko continues.

“What? Where did you guys get that idea from?” Suguru deflects.

“We have eyes, Suguru. You guys make heart eyes at each other every time you are within a ten foot radius. You should just ask them out and spare all of our suffering.”

“Okay…? But I’m pretty sure they don’t like me like that. We’re just really good friends.”

“The only person you’re convincing is yourself, Suguru.” 

The room is plunged into a tense silence.

“Fine. I admit it. I like (Y/N) as more than just friends, but there is no way they feel the same way.” 

“So you’re not going to tell them?” Satoru asks.

“No way, especially not now.”

“Fine then, I’ll just tell them for you since you don’t have the balls to.” Shoko deadpans.

“No.” Suguru answers immediately.

“I propose a deal.” Shoko says, smirking.

“I don’t like the sound of that but go on.”

“You tell (Y/N) that you like them within the next seven days, I won’t tell them anything. But if you don’t, Satoru or I will help you, and we’ll make it very embarrassing for you.” Shoko states.

“Doesn’t really seem like I have a choice in the matter.”

“Nope! So what do you say?” Satoru says with a shit-eating grin on his face.

“Seen as I don’t have a choice, I’ll have to agree.” Suguru says.

“Great! Then we wish you to best of luck for the upcoming week.” Satoru says as he slaps Suguru in the back.

You return the same moment, pushing the door open.

“Satoru I couldn’t find your mission report.”

“Now that I think about it, I think I didn’t leave it in your room.” You frown, giving him a confused look.

“Okay,” You drag out the word, not fully believing the white haired man, “Let me know when you find it.” Satoru shoots you a double thumbs up.

Of course, Shoko and Satoru did not intend to let the week pass by easily. 

“Here’s the plan,” Shoko says, pointing at a crudely drawn diagram on the whiteboard next to her. They were hidden away in the morgue, far away from wherever Suguru and you were. She points to the stick figure which represented you.

“First, we have to take (Y/N) out on ‘dates’. They can’t be too forward, so that (Y/N) doesn’t suspect anything, but they also have to be believable enough that Suguru gets jealous.” Satoru nods in agreement. Shoko then points to a stick figure drawn with a singular bang over its forehead. 

“Then, we make sure Suguru knows about these ‘dates’. He gets jealous, then BOOM-” Shoko points to two stick figures holding hands, “we get them together.”

“Alright, sounds good to me,” Satoru says, grinning.

On Monday, Satoru asks you to grab dessert with him. You say yes since it was a regular occurrence, but normally Suguru would also tag along. When you met up with him and Suguru was nowhere to be seen, you were surprised.

“Is Suguru not coming?”

“He said he had to work on a mission report so he won’t be coming.”

“Oh, okay. Let’s go then.” 

The two of you visit a desert place in the nearest town.

“Same old?” The owner of the store asks.

“Yes please!” Satoru answers enthusiastically. You take a seat at one of the booths near the window. The owner arrives at your table, placing down a slice of strawberry cake for Satoru and sakura mochi for you. You dig in immediately, and Satoru sneakily takes a photo of you enjoying your favourite dessert.

“We should take a photo.” 

“Sure? What for?”

“To send to the group to show the other two what they’re missing out on.” You shuffle to the other side of the booth, and Satoru wraps a hand around your shoulder. Satoru had always been surprisingly physically affectionate with friends, so you thought nothing of it. 

He takes the photo with his free hand, and as he snaps a few consecutive photos, he smears some of the leftover cream from his strawberry cake onto your face. You retaliate immediately, getting some of the cream from the plate and flicking it at him. Satoru continued taking photos, but at that point, both of you were laughing so hard that you could barely sit up straight.

Satoru sends the photos into the group chat once you agree on a truce to stop assaulting each other with cream. It is a series of ten photos. The first few were normal selfies, you and Satoru smiling at the camera. Then the photos devolved into blurry messes of cream and smiles, as they captured the food fight frame by frame, first showing how Satoru started the fight, then how you got back at him.

They were cute photos, you had to admit. You responded to the photos with a growing heart emoji and “:P”, before making your way back onto campus with Satoru.

On Tuesday, Shoko invites you to self-care night. You knew that Shoko often had self-care nights with Satoru. You were invited sometimes, but oftentimes you chose to hang out with Suguru and they stopped inviting you after you turned them down a few times. 

Suguru was still out with Satoru on a mission, so you had taken Shoko up on her offer.

Shoko had set her room up for peak comfort. She had her DVD player on her table along with a collection of different DVDs to pick from. The rest of the table space was taken up with a variety of skincare products to choose from. She put a movie on in the background, and she began guiding you through her ten-step skincare routine.

You followed her instructions and put a green clay mask on your face. When your face was fully covered in green, you laughed and pulled out your phone, taking a selfie with Shoko, who pouted at the camera.

As the mask was drying, you let her do your nails, coating them in a layer of baby blue nail polish. As the night came to an end, you both sheet masks on, sitting on Shoko’s fuzzy throw blanket on her bed.

“What do you think of Suguru, (Y/N)?” Shoko asks.

“What do I think of him? Well…I think he’s kind, talented, and a really hard worker. I think he’s convinced that he’s not good enough, but he’s the only person who doesn’t see how amazing he is. He’s one of the best friends I have along with you and Satoru.” 

“So what would you say if Suguru asked you out?”

“Huh?” Your mind went blank as blood rushed to your face, “Why would you say that? He doesn’t even like me like that!” 

“So you would reject him if he did ask?” You pause.

“I would say yes, but also he would never ask me out.” You answer cautiously. 

“Okay.” Shoko didn’t say anything else related to the matter for the rest of the night, and by the time you left her room, you had forgotten about the exchange.

When you were back in your own room, you received the photos that you had taken that night, sent into the group chat with the rest of your co-years.

Like the ones you had taken with Satoru, they were cute photos. You replied with a simple “<3” and turned in for the night.

On Wednesday, you were pleasantly surprised to find out that you had no missions or classes. You were also much more surprised to find out that Satoru was inviting you out to dinner, and at a very fancy restaurant at that. He had invited you to a high-end Western restaurant in Shinjuku and had said it was his treat for putting up with him for so long. You had known Satoru to pull weird stunts here and there, but this seemed like a nice gesture so you had agreed.

Wear something nice ;) 

He had texted you that morning. In the end, you chose a going-out outfit that was classy but still showed some skin. You had done your hair as well and wore your favourite makeup look for going out. When you met up with Satoru before the dinner, even he seemed surprised at how good you looked. 

“You look good, (Y/N),” Satoru wanted to add on “Suguru would lose his shit if he saw you right now,” but decided against it before the words slipped out.

You held onto him, and a moment later, you were at the entrance of the restaurant. Satoru had already arranged what foods were going to be served ahead of time, so the two of you waited patiently for the food to arrive.

The lighting of the restaurant was dim, but the candles set on the tables along with lanterns hanging from the ceiling cast a warm glow over your faces. The floor-to-ceiling windows you sat next to provide a front-row view of Shinjuku, countless billboards and signs flashing in a sea of lights. The entire mood of the restaurant was intimate, welcoming, and cozy, and it was almost romantic-

“Satoru is this a date?” You ask suddenly, the gears in your head spinning and clicking into place.

“What." Satoru replies, startled.

“Satoru, I really appreciate you doing all of this, but I have feelings for someone else-”

“I know that you like Suguru.” He blurted.

“What- did Shoko tell you? I swear when I get back she’s-” Satoru cut you off with a sigh, taking his shades off and placing them on the table, rubbing the bridge of his nose. There was no lying out of this one.

“Look. Shoko and I came up with a plan to get Suguru to confess to you by the end of this week. Tonight is part of that.”

“And you intend to get him to ask me out by going out with me and doing it for him?” You ask incredulously.

“No, jeez. The plan is to show Suguru that you’re going on-” He makes air quotes with both hands, “-dates with us, which would make him jealous and push him to confess to you.”

You opened your mouth to respond, but no words came out.

“You know he doesn’t like me like that right? I’ve tried telling Shoko but I don’t think she took me seriously.” 

“For the record, I don’t like you like that; I like that we’re friends, and I’d like to keep it that way. Let’s just enjoy this dinner and trust me and Shoko to work our magic. I also wasn’t kidding when I said that this was to thank you for putting up with me. I just have to treat Shoko and Suguru to something similar as well after this.” Satoru offers, holding a hand out as if offering a truce. 

You ponder for a moment, before taking his hand. 

“Deal.”

The rest of the night goes smoothly once the tension between you two diffuses. You had the best steak you have ever had in your entire existence, followed by the best tiramisu that you had ever put into your mouth. 

As you are walking out of the restaurant, you realize that Satoru is no longer beside you. Looking behind you, you realize that he was taking a photo. He jogs to catch up with you, showing you a candid photo of yourself. The photo caught you mid-turn and smiling at the camera, the dim yet warm lighting making your features slightly blurry, making the entire scene look dreamy.

“I’ll put it in the group chat so you can have it,” Satoru says as he taps away on his phone. He also sends another photo he took earlier when you were still at the table, smiling in front of a steak the size of your face. You didn’t reply with a message but reacted to the image with the double heart emoji.

On Thursday, Shoko invites everyone to her room to hang out. Currently, Satoru and Suguru are playing an intense game of Mario Kart, you and Shoko watching from the side. 

“You should let me do your eyeliner.” Shoko suddenly says, “I saw this look in this magazine the other day and I think it’ll fit you.”

“Sure,” You nod, leaning back on the bed. Shoko digs around her drawers for her makeup and sits in front of you. She cups your face with one hand, holding her liquid eyeliner to your eye with the other, resting the heel of her palm on your cheek to stabilize her hand. 

Before the eyeliner touches your skin, you hear the loud rustle of someone standing up from the bed.

It was Suguru. The game controller lay on the bed, the current round of Mario Kart forgotten.

“I can’t take this anymore.” He says, shooting Shoko an accusatory glare.

You and Shoko both freeze, looking over at Suguru.

“You, you’re guilty too.” He points at Satoru, who has also abandoned Mario Kart and is looking up at Suguru from where he is sitting on the bed.

“First, you take (Y/N) out on a dessert run without me. Then, you-” He points at Shoko, “Whisks (Y/N) to self-care night coincidentally when Satoru and I are out. Then-” He looks back at Satoru, “You take (Y/N) out to one of the fanciest restaurants in Shinjuku on a date. And now this?!” He gestures with both hands to Shoko, who was still frozen in the previous position, both hands on your face.

“I don’t know what the fuck you guys have been planning, but seen as you obviously can’t keep your hands off (Y/N), you guys obviously don’t care that I have feelings for them so maybe you guys should date them instead?” He throws both arms up in frustration before leaving the room. The door closes with a slam. The room is plunged into silence.

“I’m going to go after him.” You speak, rushing out of the room. You made a detour to your own room to put on and pick up an extra coat and scarf. You thought for a while where Suguru would be, then quickly decided to go to the lake. He told you about this spot that he frequented when he needed to clear his mind; you went once with him and agreed that it was a great spot when you wanted peace and quiet.

When you jogged out of the vicinity of campus, gentle snow began to fall, muffling all the noises around you.

 As you arrive at the clearing next to the lake, you see Suguru, who is sitting on a flat rock right next to the water, back faced to you. The lake had yet to completely freeze over, and gentle waves lapped at the shore. The soft gurgling of the water was the only thing you could hear through the snowfall, along with your heavy breathing and the crunching of the pebbles underfoot. Puffs of smoke dissipated into the air above him as he smoked a cigarette.

You know he hears you, but he makes no effort to look away from the lake. Silently, you wrap the extra coat around his shoulders, and you sit down on the rock next to him. You turn your head, tracing the sharp slopes and curves of his profile with your gaze.

Suguru took a drag of his cigarette, breathing out another breath of smoke. Still looking over the lake, he hands the cigarette to you. You take it, also taking a drag of the cigarette. This continues in silence for a few minutes, before you inhale, taking a full breath of the crisp, cold air, which burns the back of your throat.

“I…like you too, by the way. You could’ve just asked if you wanted to date.”

“How long have you liked me?”

“Since the first year. I didn’t want to ruin the friendship. I didn’t think you liked me like that.” You chuckled at your own blindness in hindsight.

“I didn’t want to ruin the friendship either.”

The quiet murmur of the water against the shore and your own breathing were the only sounds you could hear.

You inhaled, ready to speak, but hesitated at the last moment.

“Sorry, by the way, for last week.” You pause, “Apparently, Shoko and Satoru came up with a plan to get you jealous. I found out yesterday when I was out in Shinjuku with Satoru.”

“You what.”

“I played into it ‘cause I thought it wouldn’t affect you. I was convinced you didn’t like me like that.”

“Well, it did affect me.” Suguru finally turned to look at you, his mouth twisted into a pout.

“I know that now, that’s why I’m apologizing.”

Silence enveloped you both once again, like the soft blanket of freshly fallen snow on the treetops.

“Shoko and Satoru found out I liked you last week” It’s Suguru who breaks the silence this time, “She said something about not being able to handle all this pining and threatened to tell you if I didn’t confess by the end of the week.”

“Sounds like a Shoko thing to say.” You giggle, “Well? We’re not at the end of the week yet.”

Suguru takes your hands in his, his hands surprisingly warmer despite being outside longer. 

“(Y/N), I’ve liked you since we were in first year. Just didn’t want to admit it because I was scared.”

“Well, there’s nothing to be scared about ‘cause I like you too.” Suguru moves a hand to caress your cheek, and you lean into it.

“I know that now.” 

Suguru leans in and kisses you gently. You feel the butterflies flutter their delicate wings in your stomach as your heart beats against your ribcage. You part for air briefly before Suguru presses your lips together again, this time more confident and hungry, as if making up for lost time. He tangles his hand in your hair, pushing you towards him and deepening the kiss. A warm buzz filled your head as all you could think about was Suguru.

When you part once again, you are out of breath. You could see the quick puffs of condensed breath against the cold air. Suguru cups your face with both hands and pecks you on the lips again before getting up.

“We should go back before they think we’re dead.” You stand too, intertwining your fingers with his, and return to campus, hand in hand.

[bruhnze]

PLAYING FOR KEEPS

CHAPTER 7 - Celebrations

Summary: Ona Batlle has had a crush on Lucy Bronze for a little while now… how will it go when she joins Barça? A 10 chapter series.

Warnings: Slow burn, angst, fluff, smut. All the things, but I give this as a complete warning for the whole series. Not every chapter involves all the warnings :).

masterlist

November 26, 2023: vs. Athletic Bilbao (4-0, away) December 9, 2023: vs. SD Eibar (5-0, home) December 13, 2023: vs. FC Rosengård (6-0, away) December 17, 2023: vs. UDG Tenerife Sur (2-0, away) December 21, 2023: vs. FC Rosengård (7-0, home)

22 December 2023 – Spain

The last few weeks had been nothing short of bliss.

Since the team trip to Germany, Ona and Lucy hadn't spent another night apart. It felt almost surreal how they’d slipped into this unspoken routine of staying over at each other's places.

Whether it was Ona with her little dog Coco at Lucy’s apartment, or Lucy crashing at Ona’s with Narla, they always found an excuse to be together.

There were no labels, no discussions. Just being. It felt natural, like the most normal thing in the world.

But it felt also like something heavy and unspoken hanging in the air.

Like on this chilly December morning, they had woken up at Lucy's place. Ona cherished mornings like these, the quiet moments, waking up wrapped in Lucy's arms.

The days she loved most were the ones when they didn’t have to rush off early. On those mornings, the dogs would join them in bed as one of them made breakfast. It felt like a slice of heaven, a perfect world of just the two of them, their dogs, and the cozy quiet of the apartment.

This morning, though, they did have to wake up on time. After waking up and some brief cuddles, they had walked the dogs before heading to the club for breakfast, followed by some light recovery training after their game against FC Rosengård the day before.

By early afternoon, they were done, so everyone of the team could get ready for the special night ahead. In the car back, Ona had insisted on an afternoon to herself. She wanted to get dressed on her own as she had no idea yet what she would be wearing tonight.

..

Now, standing in front of her mirror, fixing her hair, Ona’s thoughts where occupied with the plans for the evening.

Tonight was going to be an early Christmas dinner with the team, Barça staff and everyone’s partners, followed by a night out with just the girls of the team and their partners, without the Barça-B players or staff members.

The club they were heading to later didn’t allow phones, offering a sense of privacy they rarely had. But despite the freedom, tension knotted in Ona’s stomach. She could be close to Lucy tonight, but not in a way she, or maybe they both, wanted. As much as she longed to let go, to dance with Lucy in the way her heart ached to, she couldn’t. Not in front of everyone.

The thought frustrated her more than she wanted to admit. Her and Lucy weren’t in a relationship, even though it felt like it with their routines, they were secret. They just had an arrangement.

With a sigh, Ona turned her attention back to the scattered clothes across her bed. It was a chaotic mess of indecision.

Dresses, trousers, jackets… none of it felt right. She wanted to feel confident, yet safe. The sleek black dress she’d initially picked felt wrong. It didn’t quite had the vibe she was going for. She didn’t feel like something low cut or something that sat nice around her figure. No, she didn’t want to be perceived. Well, she wanted Lucy to, but it felt wrong. Tossing it aside, she settled on something else. A suit. It was sharp, it was elegant and it most of all it looked nice on her.

She slipped on the fitted black suit, smoothing out the jacket. A small smile tugged at her lips. This was the best it was going to get. The crisp white blouse underneath completed the look, giving her the confidence she needed to face the night. It wasn’t flashy, it wasn’t daring, but it was good for now.

With one last glance in the mirror, Ona chuckled softly to herself. She didn’t really feel ready to "attack the night" at all. But there was one thing she was looking forward to, and that was cuddling up with Lucy at the end of it. And maybe something more. They’d see how tired they were after the night played out.

…

In the dimly lit car garage, the soft click of Ona’s slightly heeled shoes echoed against the concrete as she made her way to her car. She had offered to drive tonight, opting not to drink, and reassuring Lucy earlier that it was completely fine if she wanted to have a drink or two. Ona had no intention of drinking anyway.

When she arrived, Lucy was already leaning against the car, looking effortlessly stunning in a tailored black suit. Unlike Ona’s outfit, Lucy had paired hers with a sleek black vest instead of a white blouse. The sight of her took Ona’s breath away for a second, her heart skipping a beat at how natural Lucy made looking this good seem.

“You ready?” Lucy asked, her voice soft, a smile playing on her lips as the dim garage lights caught a glint in her eyes.

Ona nodded, fumbling for a second as she clicked the car open. “Yeah, let’s go.”

As they settled into the car, a silence fell over them. Ona’s hands gripped the steering wheel, occasionally glancing at Lucy from the corner of her eye. The tension was palpable but not uncomfortable, just unspoken, like there was something hanging between them that neither wanted to address first.

After a few minutes of quiet, Lucy broke the silence, her voice hesitant. “Did you, uh… did you have a good afternoon?”

Ona glanced at her, slightly surprised by the question. “Yeah… why?”

Lucy shifted awkwardly, shaking her head. “Oh, nothing, I-I’m just… it’s stupid.” She waved it off.

The silence that followed felt heavier now. Ona wanted to ask more, but the uncertainty in Lucy’s voice held her back. She reached out instead, placing her hand gently on Lucy’s knee. “You look really good tonight, by the way” she said softly, hoping to ease whatever tension Lucy was feeling.

The warmth of Lucy’s leg beneath her palm was brief. Ona immediately pulled her hand back as she felt Lucy tense slightly at her touch, worried she had overstepped. “Sorry-”

Lucy quickly caught her hand and placed it back on her knee. “No, no. It’s fine,” she murmured, her tone softer this time. “It’s nothing.”

Ona frowned, glancing over at Lucy as the car sped down the empty streets. “Is it because I said I wanted the afternoon alone?” she asked cautiously.

Lucy didn’t respond immediately, her gaze fixed out the window. They were getting close to the restaurant now, the dim lights of the street casting soft shadows across Lucy’s face.

“Is it?” Ona asked again, more confused. “I just wanted to dress up and do my hair by myself... that’s all.”

Still no response. The silence stretched out for what felt like minutes until Ona added quietly, almost shyly, “I missed you.”

Lucy’s head snapped toward her, eyes wide with surprise. “You… missed me?”

Ona’s face flushed with embarrassment. They had been spending so much time together, it felt safe to admit something like that now. She hesitated but nodded. “Yeah, of course. Why wouldn’t I?”

Lucy’s expression softened, but her voice dropped to a murmur. “I thought you finally realized you wanted your own space again.”

Ona didn’t catch the full sentence, too focused on parking the car in front of the restaurant. Her gears where still grinding about Lucy’s confused expression a few seconds ago.

As she finished reversing into the spot, she realized what she had forgotten to do. A kiss. She hadn’t kissed Lucy when they met at the car, too distracted by how incredible she looked.

“I forgot something,” Ona whispered, leaning closer to Lucy until their foreheads touched. Her voice dropped to a playful whisper. “Can I kiss you?”

Lucy chuckled softly, her breath warm against Ona’s lips. “Of course, if you want to.”

Ona frowned playfully, leaning back just a bit. “Want to? Of course, I want to.”

But Lucy’s gaze shifted slightly, something uncertain in her eyes. “I just thought… maybe you wanted things to be more casual again.”

Ona’s heart thudded in her chest. “More casual? Do you want that?”

Lucy hesitated, her words stumbling out. “I mean, we’ve gotten pretty close… and I get it if you want things to be simpler again.” Her voice was quiet, uncertain, as though she was trying to feel out how Ona truly felt.

Ona’s thoughts raced. Maybe Lucy was feeling unsure about this all. “I mean… I could do casual,” she said cautiously. “But, you know… for me, the sleeping over, the kissing… it’s nice.”

She cringed inwardly at how clumsy her words sounded. Nice? It was much more than that. She was trying to find the right balance between what she felt and what she thought Lucy might want.

Lucy smiled softly, her tension easing just a little. “Yeah. It is nice.” Then her eyes swept over Ona, and she blushed slightly. “By the way, you look perfect tonight too. I wanted to tell you earlier, but… I was a bit in my head.”

Ona smiled, her heart swelling at the compliment. “Thank you.”

There was a beat of silence before Ona leaned in again, her voice dropping to a whisper. “Well… what do you say to a kiss before we go inside and have to spend the whole night without?”

Lucy nodded, her eyes soft and warm as she leaned in closer. “Yeah.”

Their lips met in a brief but hurried kiss, not their best, but enough to send a small thrill through Ona’s body. She pulled back with a smile, leaning in to kiss Lucy’s jaw, lingering there for a moment before murmuring, “Maybe more later tonight?”

Lucy tensed beneath her touch again, and for a moment, Ona thought she’d pushed too far. But before she could say anything, Lucy’s lips crashed against hers, more insistent this time, a teasing kiss that held the promise of more to come. It sent a shiver down Ona’s spine, leaving her breathless by the time they pulled away.

“Okay,” Ona whispered, her heart racing, “let’s go before I forget why we’re here.”

..

The restaurant was bathed in a soft, golden light, casting a warm and intimate glow over everything. In the corner stood a towering Christmas tree, its decorations shimmering under the gentle twinkle of lights, adding to the festive atmosphere. The mouth-watering smell of roasted meat, rich spices, and freshly baked bread filled the air, mingling with the sound of laughter and conversation from diners already seated.

As they stepped into the wardrobe, Lucy and Ona were greeted by Paños and her girlfriend. Hugs were exchanged, but Ona couldn’t help but notice a slight strangeness in the way Sandra looked at them. It was subtle, just a flicker of something that made Ona feel a little uneasy, but she shook it off.

The four of them arrived together at the tables, greeted by the cheerful voices of their teammates, who were already scattered around the room.

“Look who finally decided to show up!” Mapi called out with a playful grin, her eyes twinkling as she saw them approach. “We thought you guys were skipping out on us!”

Ona winced inwardly. They were late, and it was probably her fault. She hadn’t even checked the time earlier, lost in the moment, but when she’d walked to the car, Lucy had already been waiting. And during the drive, well, neither of them had exactly rushed.

“We’re not that late,��� Ona shot back..

Lucy chuckled, clearly unfazed. “Just fashionably late,” she said with a chuckle, sliding into the empty seat beside Mariona.

Ona found her spot next to Aitana, directly across from Lucy. Their eyes met briefly across the table, a spark of something unspoken passing between them before Ona quickly looked away, focusing on the name card standing neatly on the plate in front of her. There was something charged in the air between them, a pull that only she and Lucy felt. Or was it just her? Ona didn’t know anymore. Lucy had been acting strange, distant, like she didn’t want to be as close anymore. It was confusing. Hadn't Lucy seemed into it just as much as she was? Ona's mind swirled with doubt.

The team, however, was in high spirits. The successful season so far had put everyone in a celebratory mood, and the promise of more than a week of vacation ahead added to the excitement. Laughter and conversation filled the room, and Ona tried her best to focus on Aitana’s enthusiastic chatter, but her mind kept drifting.

After the appetizers were served, Patri stood up, glass in hand, clearly having drawn the shortest straw and the one who had to give the toast. She rolled her eyes playfully before launching into a short but nice speech about family, health, and success.

“To a great rest of the season,” Patri said ending her toast, raising her glass high. “and happy holidays.”

The team cheered, clinking glasses as Patri finished her speech. Ona clinked her glass against Aitana’s.

Throughout the dinner, the conversations flowed effortlessly. Stories from training, memorable moments from matches, and inside jokes bounced from one end of the table to the other. Ona laughed with her teammates, but her gaze kept drifting, inevitably, back to Lucy. She couldn’t help it. Lucy had a presence that was hard to ignore, even in a room full of people.

Every time Ona tried to focus on the conversations, she found herself sneaking glances across the table. Lucy’s easy laughter, the way she threw her head back at someone’s joke, or how her face lit up when she made a joke of her own. Ona’s heart ached with an unspoken longing she was desperately trying to hide.

And then there were the moments when their gazes would meet. They were fleeting but intense. Lucy’s lips would curl into a small smile, subtle yet powerful, and it sent a rush of warmth through Ona’s chest. She tried to smile back, but each time she did, she felt her pulse quicken and her cheeks heath up.

No matter how hard she tried to shake it off, there was no escaping the pull. Lucy had a way of drawing her in, effortlessly charming everyone around her, while Ona sat across the table, feeling both lucky to be there and yet, on the verge of something breaking inside her.

Because as much as she longed to cross the invisible line between them, she knew she couldn’t. Not now. Maybe not ever. It wasn’t possible to tell her how she felt, Lucy would think she was dumb.

..

A couple of hours had passed.

The club was only a short walk from the restaurant, so the group had decided to walk over together. Now, Ona clung to her little circle of friends, hoping that keeping busy would distract her from the one person she couldn’t stop thinking about.

The club was loud and vibrant, pulsing with energy. The bass of the music thumped in Ona's chest as she and the team stepped into the dimly lit space. Neon lights flickered across the room, casting vivid colors over the dance floor, where bodies swayed, already lost to the beat. The no-phone policy added an air of intimacy, as if the world outside had disappeared, leaving just them in this chaotic, throbbing bubble.

At the bar, Ona ordered a soda, she sipped it absentmindedly. Across the room, Lucy stood, dancing with a few teammates. But it wasn’t just them. A couple of unknown girls hovered close, laughing, leaning in to talk to Lucy. Ona’s gaze lingered longer than it should have, her heart tightening at the sight of Lucy; so relaxed, swaying effortlessly to the rhythm of the music, her laugh ringing out above the noise. Or maybe Ona could just hear her laugh in her thoughts.

She’d seen Lucy dance before - after victories, celebrations in the locker room - but this was different. Lucy moved with a kind of ease and charm that made Ona’s breath catch. The jacket Lucy had been wearing was discarded somewhere, and now, in the dim lighting, the curve of her biceps gleamed under flashes of purple and blue neon.

Get it together. Ona forced herself to turn away, focusing on Salma, who was animatedly telling a story about a something something Vicky. She nodded, tried to laugh at the right moments, but her attention kept slipping back to Lucy. Every time Lucy laughed, it was like a magnet, drawing her eyes back across the room.

And then she saw it.

A girl Ona didn’t recognize danced her way toward Lucy, smiling as she touched her arm and leaned in to say something, her lips close to Lucy’s ear. Lucy’s laugh in response was casual, unbothered, but the sight of it made Ona’s stomach twist painfully. Then another girl joined, moving closer, her body swaying in sync with Lucy’s.

Ona’s heart raced, the sharp sting of jealousy overwhelming her. The girl was dancing against Lucy with her behind. She could barely focus on Salma’s words, every glance toward Lucy driving the knife deeper. Lucy wasn’t pushing them away, wasn’t stopping them. And why would she? Lucy was free to do what she wants, Ona thought bitterly, but the logic didn’t make it any easier. The ache in her chest grew unbearable as one of the girls danced right in front of Lucy. It seemed like she was enjoying the attention, Ona grumbled, Lucy didn’t even budge.

That was it.

“I’ll be back,” Ona muttered to Salma, barely looking at her as she hurried away. Salma’s concerned eyes followed her, but Ona didn’t stop to explain. She needed to get out of there, to breathe, to escape the crushing weight of her own emotions.

She shoved her way through the crowd, her pulse quickening as the noise of the club pressed in on her. Finally, she reached the bathroom, the door closing behind her with a muted thud, shutting out the chaos. Ona leaned over the sink, gripping its edge tightly as she stared at her reflection. Her breath came in sharp, uneven bursts, her vision blurring with unshed tears.

She was just a fling. Just a stupid shag buddy, the words looped in her mind, twisting the knife further. Lucy’s casual comment from earlier echoed painfully; ‘if you want things to be simpler again.’ Was this what simpler meant? Staying distant, pretending the emotions that churned inside her didn’t exist?

She squeezed her eyes shut, biting her lip hard to keep the tears at bay. But it was no use. The frustration, the jealousy, the hurt. It all spilled over. A tear rolled down her cheek, and before she knew it, she was sobbing quietly into her hands, her heart breaking in the small, dark bathroom.

A creak of the door behind her made Ona freeze. Quickly, she wiped at her face, trying to compose herself, but when she glanced in the mirror, she saw Alexia stepping out of one of the stalls. Her brows furrowed in concern as she took in the sight of Ona’s tear-streaked face.

“Ona?” Alexia’s voice was soft but laced with worry. “What’s going on? Are you okay?”

Ona shook her head, forcing a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m fine. Just tired,” she said, her voice tight.

Alexia wasn’t convinced. She stepped closer, her gaze searching Ona’s face for the truth. “Tired?” she asked gently, crossing her arms. “You don’t look just tired.”

Swallowing hard, Ona turned away from the mirror, avoiding Alexia’s piercing stare. “I think I’m going to head home. I just… I need some air.”

Alexia studied her for a moment longer, her concern deepening, but finally, she nodded. “If you need to leave, go ahead. But if something’s bothering you… you can talk to me, you know?”

Ona gave a weak smile, her chest tight with the effort of holding everything in. “I know. Thanks, Alexia. I’ll see you later.”

Without waiting for a response, Ona slipped past her and out of the bathroom. She wove her way through the crowded club, brushing off questions from her teammates about where she was going. “Just tired,” she repeated to Patri, Pina, and the others, giving a strained smile. “I’m heading home.”

They let her go without pressing further, and soon, Ona found herself outside, the cool night air hitting her skin like a slap. Her breath came in shaky bursts as she hurried down the street, trying to hold back the tears threatening to spill over again.

Fuck.

She was supposed to drive Lucy home.

Fuck it, Lucy could ask those whores for a ride.

At that thought her tears started flowing again.

.. from this point on: Lucy’s pov..

The team was inside the club for a while now but Lucy was beginning to feel uncomfortable. At first, dancing with Mariona and the other girls had been fun, but the attention she was getting from the random girls who had drifted over to flirt was starting to grate on her.

She tried to brush it off, to enjoy the night with her team, but the way the girls lingered, pressing closer, was making her feel trapped.

Her mind was elsewhere. It was on Ona. Ona, Ona, Ona.

She had been thinking about Ona the whole night. Her feelings for the beautiful Spaniard had deepened in ways she hadn’t expected, but she needed to be discreet about it, for Ona’s sake.

As she glanced around the club, she realized she hadn’t seen Ona for a while. Where was she?

Lucy finally excused herself from the pushy girls, slipping past them with a polite smile, but inside she felt unsettled. She made her way to the bar, ordering a Coke. She’d had a couple of glasses of wine earlier at dinner, but now the idea of drinking anything stronger made her uneasy.

Especially with those girls hanging around like vultures. The thought made her feel gross, like she was prey being circled. They were way too clingy for her liking.

“Hey, have you seen Ona?” Lucy asked Mariona, who had followed her to the bar. Her voice was louder now, trying to cut through the music.

Mariona shook her head, then turned to Pina, standing a step away. “Have you seen Ona?”

Pina nodded, sipping her drink. “Yeah, she left a while ago. Said she was tired.”

“Tired?” Lucy’s frown deepened, a creeping worry settling in her chest. “How long ago?”

“Like 10 minutes ago,” Pina said, “she didn’t look good. Her eyes where red, but she said she was just tired.”

Lucy’s stomach twisted with worry. Red eyes? Could it be from crying? She debated whether she should text or call, but if Ona had left because she was tired, the last thing she wanted to do was wake her. She didn’t want to overstep, but the nagging feeling in her chest wouldn’t let go.

“Yeah, she looked a bit sad,” Paños said sharply, her eyes locking onto Lucy with an intensity that made Lucy’s nerves spike. She moved closer, her gaze hard and unrelenting. After turning briefly to her girlfriend, whispering something, “A beer for me, please. I’ll be back in a bit. You wait here, babe, inside.” She walked closer to Lucy.

Lucy barely had time to process what was happening before Paños turned her attention fully to her, voice quiet but cold and commanding. “You, outside. Now.” She said in her ear.

Lucy’s frown deepened as confusion swirled. Had she done something wrong? She grabbed her jacket and followed Paños out into the cold December air, the chill biting at her skin. It was late, probably past midnight, but the icy breeze was nothing compared to the tension building in her chest.

Lucy turned around as soon as they were outside, her breath visible in the cold air. “So, wha—”

She didn’t get to finish. A hard shove sent her stumbling backward, catching her completely off guard. She searched for balance, her body crashing into a streetlamp, the cold iron digging into her back. She winced, gasping as the impact knocked the breath out of her.

“What the fuck, Sa—”

The sharp sting of a slap cut her off mid-sentence, her head snapping to the side. Pain radiated across her cheek, her hand instinctively flying up to touch the burning skin. “Ouch! What—”

“Lucía!” Paños growled, gripping Lucy’s chin with rough hands, forcing her to meet her gaze.

Lucy blinked, stunned. What the hell was happening? Did Paños have too much to drink? Why was she doing this?

“I don’t think you’re in any position to act so innocent,” Paños hissed through gritted teeth, her voice dripping with… she didn’t know, was it disgust? “I know everything, and I don’t understand what Ona even sees in you. Or saw.” She spat on the ground, her disgust palpable. “The way you treat her - it’s fucking disgusting. To think I called you a friend? I despise you.”

Lucy felt her knees weaken, the weight of Sandra’s words sinking in like stones. Tears welled in her eyes, her throat tightening. Had Ona told Sandra? Did everyone now know? Did they all think she was pathetic? Her mind spun wildly, shame and fear mixing into a sickening knot in her stomach. She knew Ona was out of her league, that this arrangement between them was something she was lucky to have. But now… did Ona hate her so much that she sent Sandra to do this? Was she really that revolting to everyone?

“Why are you crying?” Sandra scoffed, her voice mocking. “Don’t act like a little bitch now. Big guy in there, but a coward here, huh?” She shoved Lucy again, this time harder, luckily she didn’t fall as she still had the pole in her back. “I saw you two, you know. Outside the restaurant, you were kissing with Ona in the car.”

Lucy’s jaw dropped, her brows knitting together in confusion. What was this even about? This had to be the most baffling, brutal scolding she’d ever experienced.

“I observed you two,” Sandra continued, her grip tightening painfully around Lucy’s chin, making sure she had her full attention. Lucy’s heart pounded in her chest as she hung on every word, her mind racing to make sense of it all. “At the wardrobe, before dinner, you were sweet—helping her with her jacket and purse. I thought, ‘Okay, they’re finally going to tell us.’ But during dinner, what did I see? Ona looking at you the entire night, and you ignoring her. Not once did you acknowledge her. Not once.” Sandra’s voice cracked slightly, her whisper laced with a raw kind of fury. “Who ignores their girlfriend?”

“I—” Lucy tried to speak, her voice shaky, but Sandra’s sharp glare silenced her.

“Shut the fuck up,” Sandra snapped, her voice darker, more dangerous now. “I haven’t even told you the worst part yet. After you ignored her all night, Ona was at the bar, talking with some of the girls. Guess who she was looking for? Guess what she saw?” Sandra’s finger jabbed into Lucy’s chest with each accusation, making her wince. “She saw her secret girlfriend dancing with a couple of pathetic, easy girls who throw themselves at any footballer they can get their hands on.”

Lucy’s tears spilled over.

Sandra scoffed, shaking her head in disgust. “You’re even worse than I thought.” She spat on the ground again, her expression cold and unforgiving. “You’re cheaper than a 76-year-old whore.”

Sandra turned to leave, but Lucy, barely holding herself together, grabbed her jacket, desperate to say something to explain. “W-wait, I-”

..

A couple of hours had passed since that painful encounter. After Sandra had let go of her anger and frustration, Lucy had managed to explain herself, though the words had come out shaky and uncertain. She told Sandra everything. She had told about her feelings for Ona, how confused she was, how she hadn’t known what to do or say. It had all come spilling out, the words, her thoughts, her insecurities leaving her mouth until there was nothing left to hide.

Sandra had listened, the intensity in her eyes softening slightly. Then, much to Lucy’s surprise, she apologized. It wasn’t a warm apology, but there was something genuine in it. She hadn’t known the whole story. She hadn’t realized how deeply Lucy cared. Her girlfriend had come outside eventually, seemingly thinking it taken way too long. But the third person with them had been nice, offering a bit of calm next to the lingering tension. In the end, the two of them had brought Lucy home, making sure she was okay before leaving her infront of her building.

Now, Lucy laid in bed, staring at the ceiling, the events of the night spinning in her head. She felt exhausted but couldn’t sleep, her thoughts were too loud, her emotions felt too raw. Sandra’s words echoed in her mind. Was Ona really looking at her in love? What did that even mean? It couldn’t be mutual right, how could Ona want to be her girlfriend too. She had just wanted something casual.

Lucy turned over in bed, pulling the blanket tighter around herself, but it didn’t help. She couldn’t stop thinking about it. About how Ona had looked at her during dinner, the subtle glances across the table, the way their eyes had met for just a second before Ona had looked away. She hadn’t imagined that, no, she had seen it with her own two eyes. She did her best to respect their secrecy, but every time she did bend and glanced over, Ona was looking at her too.

But was she looking at her with heart-eyes? Lucy’s mind raced. Had it been there all along, right in front of her, and she’d just been too blind to see it? Too scared to acknowledge it?

Her chest tightened at the thought. She wanted to believe that Ona felt the same way, that the connection between them was mutual, but doubt still gnawed at her.

What if Sandra was wrong? What if Ona doesn’t feel the same?

But then, her mind drifted back to the moments that had made her fall for Ona in the first place. She closed her eyes, memories flooding her senses like a tide she couldn’t stop.

The late-night drives after games, when the world seemed quieter, and it was just the two of them talking about everything and nothing. The recent mornings when she’d wake up with the sleepy Spaniard in her arms, their dogs jumping on the bed, when she would make breakfast to give Ona a few moments more too sleep and the perfect smile that greeted her when she woke her with some soft kisses.

And then there were the times on the pitch, the way Ona would flash her that grin as she was better at something. The way her eyes would light up when they won a match together, whether it was during training or a real one. Those moments when Lucy had felt something shift inside her, something deep and undeniable.

She was in love with Ona.

She loved the way Ona’s mind worked. And the way how even her flaws where perfect, flaws that were only cute on this girl. This girl. Ona. Ona Batlle Pascal, the girl that had been slowly taking over her mind. Ever since that moment she had seen her on Staniforth’s wedding.

She had had the best night ever that day. She had wanted to reach out to the girl, but it felt wrong to hit someone up who was 8 years younger then she was. She wanted to keep thing at Ona, let her make a move if she was in to it too.

Then the thing at the hotel had happened. She had felt bad about it, because she was the one initiating the cuddles every time, but the thing that had happened had been all Ona. After that they had agreed on friends with benefits. It had been what Ona wanted right? Lucy tried hard to remember how exactly things had gone. Had she filled things in for Ona? Afraid of what Ona really thought? Keeping in charge so she wouldn’t be hurt?

Lucy’s eyes snapped open, her heart pounding in her chest. She couldn’t keep doing this, she thought, her mind racing. She couldn’t keep pretending that this was just casual, that she didn’t care as much as she did. The ache in her chest had become too much to bear.

She had to tell her.

The thought hit her with such clarity that it made her breath catch. She couldn’t go on like this—hiding her feelings, pretending everything was fine when it wasn’t. She needed Ona. Needed her in ways she hadn’t fully realized until tonight. Especially after this night, God, Ona must feel horrible. She felt dirty, being seen by Ona like that. She hadn’t thought about it like that. Ugh, she was such a dumb bitch sometimes, she hadn’t even registered the girls until they where already dancing too close to her, invading her personal space.

She closed her eyes again. Trying to push the thoughts away, maybe even trying to fall asleep.

The truth was, she couldn’t sleep without Ona. Not anymore. The night spent apart felt empty, cold. Every night she wasn’t wrapped in Ona’s arms, she felt like she was missing something vital.

She had to tell her. The words repeated in her head like a mantra. She had to make up for the bad impression she had made. She needed to tell Ona, even it meant losing their arrangement.  

Lucy tossed and turned.

Eventually as the alarm clock said 05:38, she decided on an ice bath.

Then she would at least be awake when facing Ona.

And that was if Ona wanted to face her.

[russellsppttemplates]

So... pure and so you (Charles Leclerc)

Going back home means Charles sees how you've been healing, and your parents haven't missed it either

Note: english is not my first language. I know it's past Christmas, but this still counts, right?

Thank you so much to everyone who likes and reblogs, your feedback is appreciated 🤍 and I'm taking requests so if you have any ideas or concepts you want to share, feel free to do so as I'll try to get to them the best I can!

my masterlist

Cw: talks about having kids

Tag list: @myloverjk-blog

"Is your mother making those biscuits I really like? Those fluffy ones, they're like little cakes actually", Charles asked, his hand over the console and resting on your thigh as he turned left for the final cut to your house.

"She said she was planning on making them these afternoon, I can't wait!", you squealed, clapping your hands together at the prospect, seeing your parents left the gate open so you could drive in.

Parking the car, Charles ensured it was safe before coming out of it as well, being greeted by your family dog while you hugged your parents, "hello buddy, how are you? You're very excited to see us, hm? Yes you are!", Charles cooed, rubbing his belly as he wagged his tail at the attention he was receiving.

You hugged your parents before looking for your boyfriend, "Arlo loves Charles more than he loves me", you chuckled, seeing the labrador run back to you as Charles followed him.

"Hi, how are you?", Charles offered as he kissed your mother's cheeks, opting to shake your father's hand as you walked inside, "did you have a good drive back here?", he questioned him, "yes, not too bad actually. It wasn't too busy", your boyfriend replied, seeing you store your coats and get comfortable in your parents' house.

After lunch, your mother asked for help with baking while your father and Charles helped with preparing the table to you could then roll the dough properly.

It was a sight to behold. You were helping your mother with Christmas cookies and the cakes your boyfriend mentioned, your clothes littered with flour stains as you touched your mother's cheek with some of the mixture, containing your laugh as she didn't seem to notice the powder on her skin.

You were happy, giggly and you had a glow that Charles was sure put all of the products you had back home to shame.

"It's good to see her like this", Charles commented when he felt your father's eyes on him, "work has been a lot lately, and she'll only listen to so much of what I say and take the advice even less than I'd like", he chuckled.

Your father shook his head, "She's always been like that. It was worrisome for a little bit, and we always make sure she's not pushing herself too much. And we know we have you in our team, too", the older man touched a Charles' shoulder, rubbing it slightly before he offered him a drink.

After wishing your parents a good night, you and Charles headed to your room upstairs, needing to catch up on some sleep after the busy day. Your old bedroom had slightly changed since you moved out to live with your boyfriend. Your parents swapped your single bed for a double one, for whenever you and Charles visited, and updated the colour of the walls, wanting to keep it on the neutral side in case they needed it for other guests, "are you showering now or after me?", Charles asked, grabbing a towell from himself, "I'll go after you, I need to hang my clothes first", you smiled, kissing his lips as he went to the bathroom.

Looking through your wardrobe, you noticed your mother still kept the family albums in there, remembering something about the downstairs drawers being humid and her worry about loosing the memories. You flickered through the pages, recalling some memories from when you were younger, some of them you probably constructed by other people telling you the moments.

Charles walked in a little while later, ruffling his hair with a towell only in a t-shirt and underwear, "you can go now, amour", he said as he noticed you closing the album, pressing a kiss to your forehead when you walked to take a shower.

You were already in bed when you noticed Charles looking at the books, "you want to look at what's inside them, don't you?", you chuckled as his eyes lit up, "I'm not too tired to look at them, and I bet there are some good memories in there", he confessed.

Opening the book while your boyfriend pulled you to rest against his chest, "this is so pretty", you appreciated all the details on the pages, either doodles or descriptions from the moment when the picture was taken.

"Look at these cheeks!", Charles groaned as he pointed at a picture of you. From the date on the page, you were around four, two pigtails on your curly hair and a toothy smile, "if our kids have your cheeks, which I hope they do, I won't be able to stop kissing them, I know I just won't", he breathed out.

"Do you think about that a lot?", you wondered, looking at his face as you adjusted your position slightly, genuinely curious about the subject. It had been something you had talked about before and it seemed to come to again.

"Yes, I do. I still think we should wait a little bit longer, get married first, enjoy married life just you and me and then we can think about little ones, but everytime I see a child or someone asks, it's you I see. With a baby bump, then a little baby in your arms, and we play with them and love in them like they deserve", he cooed, rubbing the tip of his nose on your cheek, kissing it softly.

"Me too", you smiled, "I mean, its always you I see whenever I think about the future. And it looks so good. Sometimes it looks scary, because I don't know how it will play out, but I'll have you with me, so all will be well", you admitted, kissing his lips properly.

You had been friends before you dated, and it has been a whole process to get you to be this open to him when you started dating, never wanting to put too much on his plate as he had his own things to deal with, not wanting to burden him and not wanting to lose him from your life.

"We're a team, amour, there's no need to fear", he said, closing the book and setting it down on the floor, cuddling you to him.

The next morning was slow. Charles' lips littered kisses on your neck and cheeks, seeing the smile as you slowly woke up, "it's Christmas, ma belle", you heard his whisper, his eyes looking for yours, "Merry Christmas, handsome, I love you", you muttered, pulling your hands out from under the covers and cupping your boyfriend's' cheeks, rubbing the stubbly skin before kissing him.

"I love how smiley you are", Charles complimented, big coats and scarf on as you walked on the trail after having breakfast, occasionally pestering your mother with a fallen tree branch or twigs as she thought some animal was crawling up her skin.

"Am I not smiley regularly?", you wondered, knowing what he meant. Coming home meant, after a lot of work on yourself over the years, you would enjoy yourself without any outside pressures. You were amongst family and in the safe place you grew up. No prying eyes, no one commenting or second guessing what you said, wore or looked like.

"You are, but you're carefree, I think. You're not so stressed, your inner child is showing so much more, and it's so... pure. So you", he smiled, kissing the side of your head as he pulled you to walk closer to him.

They had both become adults way faster than the rest of the people their age. Charles' career forced him to grow up earlier and grow thicker skin very early on, and because you were there with him, too, you were also taken with the wave. You started working as soon as you finished your degree, and while you wouldn't complain about it, it did come with a lot of work and investment of yourself that you lost some of your younger years.

"Whenever we are not doing well, when it gets too much, we will do this. Visit your parents, do all the childish things we want to do, no matter how silly they may be", Charles stated as he rubbed your palm with his thumb, "I never want you to give up this side of you, and I'm willing to do anything to see you smile like that again and again".

Smiling at his words at chuckling slightly at the fact that there was no way this man was ever getting away from you, you held out your pinky, "I promise", you smiled as you two laced fingers, sealing it with a kiss.

[jilixthinker]

pillow puppy

=͟͟͞♡ seungmin × fem!reader

=͟͟͞♡ domestic and kinky christmas

word count: 3.1 K

content warning: smut, explicit sexual content, established relationship, sub!seungmin, dom!fem reader, puppy kink, pet play, puppy play, pet names, dumbification, nipple play, unprotected sex (piv), they are in love your honour

a/c: i confessed to my irl friends that i feel things for soft puppy seungmin with braces and i've been told i am insane, so i'm posting this here because i know someone will understand my madness my reasons. enjoy ♡

=͟͟͞♡ please, consider reblogging if you like my works!

"Noona, I am so tired".

Seungmin is splayed on the sofa, his head pressed on his favorite puppy pillow, the one that you gave him last Christmas with soft velvet ears on it. The same pillow he pretended to be upset about because "I am not your dog under any circumstance noona", but that quickly became his support item, bringing it with him any time he had to sleep away from home. His long legs, wrapped in his comfiest sweats, are crossed under you, a fluffy duvet covering them and offering you a soft support for your head.

"Minnie, we did literally nothing all afternoon" you sigh, twisting you head a bit to catch a glimpse of him. His fingers are slowly working on your scalp, braiding lazily your hair and combing it behind your ears. He is been doing that for a few minutes now and you are starting to feel a little bit sleepy.

"I know, but we've been working like crazy lately. Just two days off are not enough to restore our energy".

Seungmin is right. You both work in the complaint deparment of a big toy store and, being now Christmas just around the corner, you have been literally living inside your own offices. Even if you technically work in the same building, you have separated work places and this results in you seeing each other just at home, late at night.

This is your first day off after two long weeks, and you decided to spend it together in the way you most enjoy, staying home and watching your favorite tv show while napping on your big couch. You baked cookies after lunch, and the smell of raisins and cinnamon is still lingering in the air. You are currently on your sixth episode of your show, two mugs of hot chocolate sitting on the tv table in front of you, still too hot for you to drink them.

"I know baby. It's been really stressful. I've been missing you a lot".

Seungmin shifts a little on the couch to sit properly, gently making you lean with your back against his chest. His arms link around your tummy in a soft hug while he rests his head on top of yours, quiet puffs of air moving your hair.

"We have two days for ourselves now. I missed you like crazy too. I hate doing stuff by myself, you know. And also eating at my desk alone. I just want to share my food with you all the time".

You coo sweetly, making him scrunch his nose.

"Minnie you know I hate that seaweed stew you make from the bottom of my heart", you tease him, snuggling more on his chest and letting your head fall against his shoulder.

"Okay, is this the reward for my love? You know I cringe so bad when I say sweet stuff like this and you still make fun of me. You are mean, noona".

He laughs and dips the tip of his nose in your hair, breathing the perfume of your shampoo mixed with the cookies scent.

It's always been like this with the two of you. you've been together for years now, but the scenario never changed. Seungmin pretends to hate romance and sweet talk, but he is always the first one initiating it, exactly like he also pretends to hate when you make fun of him, but he ends up squirming and laughing and kissing you softly as a response to your teasing.

"Oh no, my poor precious baby, don't pout. You know I love my puppy's homecooked meals".

You giggle, amused by the direction your talk is taking and you scooch with your hips until you are lying completely on your boyfriend's chest, warmth spreading heavenly on your body.

Seungmin stays quiet and squeezes you in his arms a little bit more, brushing your cheek with his forehead, without answering to your joke.

"Min?" you ask, moving yourself slightly to turn your head and look at him.

When he raises his gaze to look at you, you find him blushing furiously, cheeks as red as mature apples and shy eyes, and the realization hits you. Oh, okay, this is what we are playing.

To be completely honest, this is not the first time you joke around calling Seungmin your puppy just to see him all squirmy and flustered, far from it. But it usually ends with him blabbering nothings in a frown and you peppering kisses on his face until he smiles wide, all teeth and braces. But it's been a couple of stressful weeks, as you said. And since you had no time to spend with each other except for the hours you were sleeping together at night, you didn't consider that your boyfriend, even as serious and uptight as he might seem, could be a little pent up.

Usually the dynamics between the two of you are solidly established, and Seungmin has never been embarassed to show you his submissive side, even at the beginning of your relationship. Overtime, both of you simply fell in the roles you were more comfortable with, and you really love his sweet tendency of being pliant and malleable under you. But, even if you experimented a lot in bed, talking openly about your own preferences and possible kinks that you might have, you have never addressed pet play per se, having never crossed your mind Seungmin would ever consider it.

And now, ta-dah, just a couple of dry weeks for the two of you and, out of the blue, what you did a billion times before without any problem, suddenly becomes concrete. Seungmin is currently still red and flushed and he is pressing your body against his, helped by the position you are on and the fact that you are squished firmly agains the sofa with your warm duvet covering you.

"Minnie, baby" you starts hesitantly, twisting you head a little more and readjusting yourself to face him completely, "are you okay? Did I bother you?" you ask him slowly.

If you have to do this you have to be completely, one hundred percent sure, that you are seeing things right and he is fully on board with this. But Seungmin is gripping at your hips like his life depends on it and his breathe is now beginning to be slightly herratic while he looks at you with the glassiest eyes.

"Noona..." he hiccups, frowning a bit and hiding his face on the crook of your neck. His hands are steady and firm on the fabric of your hoodie and he pulls it a little, hugging you completely.

"Baby boy", you whisper, disentagling your arms from his tight embrace to bring them on his shoulders, slowly starting to massage the upper part of his back. "Minnie" you kiss his temple and run the fingers on the feverish skin above the hem of his shirt. "Puppy", you try again, lowering your head and nibbling the lobe of his ear, sucking it into your mouth.

He moans loudly, falling completely on your body and starting to tremble against your chest. You hum pleasantly, tracing the shell of his ear with your tongue before pulling with your fingers a few locks of his hair, distancing his face from yours. Seungmin is completely wrecked already, tears forming at the corner of his eyes and lips parted, the metal of his braces tickling the soft skin of his mouth. He is truly a vision like this, all flushed and just yours, ready to take everything that you are gonna give him and to be pleasured the way he knows you will do.

You look at him fondly, slowly caressing his face with your thumbs and dragging them to his cupid bow, pinching it and then smearing the little bit of saliva collected there.

"My angel... I've been neglecting you for so long, isn't it true? What a bad owner I am, having such a nice puppy at home and leaving him alone for the longest time".

Seungmin keens at the words, closing his eyes and pushing his hips against yours, fully sitting on your lap now.

"But now I have you all for me, mh? Now I have all the time of the world to play with my sweet puppy. I am gonna give him all the things that he wants, I will make up for the time I lost".

You take your boyfriend's chin on the palm of your hand and you close the distance between the two of you, your lips brushing lightly on his. You can hear Seungmin panting, struggling to breathe properly and you could swear you can feel the beats of his heart loudly pumping blood inside his chest.

"And now? Are you gonna greet me for coming back home to play with you, mh?"

Seungmin, completely uncapable of talking, nods quickly, swallowing the pool of saliva on his mouth and he waits for your soothing voice to tell him what to do now.

"Good puppy, my good boy. I was sure. You will listen me very well, right? You will do everything I ask you".

Seungmin moans deeply. You can feel his cock throbbing under the fabric of his sweats, painfully constricted and pressed against your clothed cunt. Your tone is sickenly sweet and it makes his head light, his body feeling sticky and warm with arousal. He finds the power to nod one more time, thrusting his hips just a little, as if he was trying to contain himself.

"That's what I was thinking. I will do all the work for you, okay? You just have to obey. Don't even have to think anymore. Just empty that cute puppy head of yours and listen to me".

Seungmin doesn't even have to agree to this, his brain so floaty already that he feels almost like passing out from the embarassment and the hot feeling spreading all over his aching body. He mewls cutely when you take his face between your hands and he looks at you as if you were the only thing anchoring him to the real world.

"Open your mouth for me, puppy".

As soon as he hears you speaking, his body immediately reacts at your commands. He parts his swollen lips and his tongue automatically lolls out. You smile, humming your approval, and you bring your thumb inside his mouth, caressing his muscle until he is cutely gagging around your digit.

"Oh no, puppy, your tongue is so wet... you are drooling all over yourself. What can we do?"

Seungmin hiccups and trembles above you, losing all the control over his lower limbs. He feels like exploding and, without even wanting, he messily grinds his hips, humping once your leg. You are quick to tsk and shake your head, gripping his hips and keeping them still, pushing your covered core up against his hardened cock instead. He is so hard that you can distinctly feel his engorged head even under the layer of his pants, all puffy and swollen and wet, a small patch decorating the front.

"Oh-please... ah-p-please".

You keep maneuvering him like a doll, until you are satisfied with the position, with him straddling one of your leg, the tip of his spongy cock all pressed against your warm cunt. Then you look at him with fake disappointment.

"My sweet angel... I thought puppies didn't speak, or do they? I think I'll have to keep your pretty mouth occupied with something else then".

You make yourself enough space to take off your hoodie and shirt together, throwing them somewhere on the floor near the couch. Seungmin's eyes lay on your breasts, covered by a filmsy old bra that you usually wear just at home, making your nipples perk out of the fabric.

"You wanna suck on them, right Minnie? Puppy's gonna keep drooling if he doesn't put his mouth at use".

You unclip your bra with one hand, and one of your tits pops out, escaping from the constraint of the cotton. Seungmin whines patetically and he circles his hips on your thigh, precum leaking out from his pants and staining your sweats as well.

When you pull off completely the indument, your hand finds Seungmin's hair, pulling him towards your breasts and letting him face them, but still keeping him from touching them.

With a long sigh you let his hair go and Seungmin looks up to you, begging you with his watery eyes to let him do something.

"Go ahead, pup, lick", you concede eventually.

Seungmin wastes no time and he frantically attaches his mouth at one of your hardened nubs, cupping the breast with both of his hands and suffocating himself on it. He starts to quickly suck on your nipple as he was trying to drink from it, moaning and drooling while the room is filled with squelching and wet sounds from all the spit he is producing.

"Mh... my sweet boy, my good boy. Sucking on me like the pup he is. Go on, baby, make a mess, I want you to soak me with your spit. Making me so wet you cannot even tell the difference between my tits and my pussy".

Seungmin cries on your breast, the sound muffled by your skin, and he keep sucking your nipple messily, hands firm and hard on your tit, massaging it and stopping just to take fat licks on the skin below, drool all over your stomach and tummy, wetting the elastic of your pants.

You feel your pussy pulsating and throbbing on your panties, slick gushing rentlessly out of it and probably covering the fabric of the sofa as well. Seungmin's cock is rock hard over you, the fat tip already pocking out of his underwear band because of his movements.

You bring your hand to the hem of his pants and you lower them even more, Seungmin's cock finally springing free from the cotton. As soon as he feels the air hitting his aching muscle, Seungmin keens and bite softly at your nipple.

"Puppy, ah- you are making a mess for real... look at you, you don't even know how to move. Too dumb and sweet to do anything".

Your words make him squirm on your chest and he starts to wetly hump your abdomen, thick cock sliding on the skin of your tummy, completely drenched from all his saliva.

"Pup, you have to stop or you're gonna cum on my chest... I can feel you dripping already".

You take your hand to his cock and you fist him steadily, slick gushing out of his slit so much that it looks like he cummed already, covering your fingers with precum and making the most obscene sound.

Seungmin's legs shake violently and he lets out the more devastated sound you ever heard coming out of his mouth, tears finally spilling from his eyes and mouth hanging open.

"AH- ah mh pleas-ah please oh god oh GOD please please p-please ah mh".

At this point every second spent in torturing him is torturing you as well, so you start to jerk him off quickly, his tip bumping on your belly button at every stroke and his whines becoming sobs when you use your other hand to cup his balls and massage them.

"Pup, you have so much cum to give me, I feel it, you are so tight. I want you to pump me full until I am dripping. Can you do it? I am so wet, puppy, you can just slide in".

You stop touching him to get rid of the rest of your clothes and Seungmin almost screams at the lack of pressure on him.

"Don't cry baby, I want you too. I want you so much, look".

You schimmy your panties and you let them fall on the floor, opening your legs in front of him and bringing two of your fingers to your entrance, spreading your lips to make him see the quantity of slick gushing out of your hole, thighs trembling a bit for the position.

"See, pup? See how wet you made me? Wanna feel how wet I am inside too? Come here, puppy. Take your fat dumb cock and fuck me open. My puppy didn't fuck me for the longest time and now I am so tight, so wet for him. Two pumps and I will be full".

Seungmin moans loudly at your words and, sniffling from pleasure, he takes his cock on his hand and brushes the head against your folds, juices covering his shaft immediately while he pushes it inside. Your pussy ingulfs the tip and he falls on you, shaking and crying.

You moan at the pleasant stretch, bringing your hands to the small of his back and pushing him against you, letting his throbbing cock all inside of you in just one thrust.

"AH, I am - mh - I-I'm not - ah - Minnie's not - ah".

Seungmin sighs on your neck, hips beginning to pound without a rythm, and you know what he is trying to say.

"I'm not gonna last either pup, you made me so close, I am going to cum already".

You grip his hips and try to keep them steady to regulate his pushes, but he is so lost in pleasure that he continues to slam himelf into you messily, pounding hard and burying himself into your tight heath.

It takes just one more minute for him to start to lose it completely. Your pussy and thighs completely wet by now and his cock bumping on your cervix at every thrust.

When he pulls out almost completely and his soggy tip squelches your clit, you come with a loud moan, your cunt all drooly and pink and leaking all of your release, squeezing his cock just right. Seungmin keeps your legs wide open and he slams into you two more times before pulling out and cumming all over your pussy with a whiny sob, painting you white with his cum and soaking you even more.

He collapses on you without even breathing, your warm and sticky bodies glued together in a tight embrace. You spend a few minutes hugged like this, not worrying about how gross you are right now, but just catching breath and kissing lazily on your lips.

"I love you" you whisper softly, pushing his sweaty hair away from his forehead.

"I love you too noona. So much" he murmurs "but..."

"But what?" you look at him, frowning.

"... but that puppy pillow is now ruined forever for me" he sighs in shame.

©️ jilixthinker, 2023. please do not copy, translate, or republish my works anywhere.

[obsessivevoidkitten]

I'm sorry for dumping all this to you, you can not read it, this is not a question but Arrin has been my Roman Empire since Christmas. This is my first time writing just for the sake of it (much less NSFW) so yeah... (you can ignore this)

Ok, so imagine that one day, Darling is feeling really fucking horny. I am not talking about "Arrin's pheromones strikes again", "Usual Needy Darling", or even "Somehow A/B/O exists in this era and Darling got all the omega-ness". I'm talking talking H O R M Y. So you decide to also test out your beloved mate's stamina and see if you can outlast him in bed

It wasn't that bad at the beginning of the day. Arrin wakes up first. Cuddles your sleeping form. Spoons you or if he still has his cock inside you (you were bouncing on him last night and you just slept on top of him), maybe grind into you slowly (soft enough to not wake you up), maybe a kiss or two or ten on the face. When you wake up, one of you cooks breakfast (if you guys won't do some morning fun times before that), and you guys feed each other (mostly him feeding you). Maybe a cuddle before you both leave for the day

At first, you were just nuzzling into him. You cling his arm or torso whenever he's not doing anything and when you guys get some down time, you sit on his lap, nuzzling you face into the crook of his neck while he wraps his arms around you. By the afternoon, you're sucking him off and nibbling his neck. He is now grinding into you but you, for some reason, won't let him get you off. Your clinginess and horny levels are skyrocketing (due to the lack of release), by the end of the day and when you guys are at home, you pounce onto him. Kissing him and begging him to please BREED YOU. You guys go at it for R O U N D S. Arrin is a bit surprised at how eager you are today. You guys always want each other but this is different somehow. After 10+ rounds of you guys cumming, you are still very needy and are now on top of him after doing so many positions. Your stomach now bulging at little bit due to the amount of cum in you that there are puddles on the bed and other areas of the bedroom. Arrin is beginning to be a little bit tired and you are beginning to get overstimulated in a slightly painful way but you still want more.

Despite loving the fucked out expressions on your face and how your chubby tummy bulges due to his cum making you look pregnant (does wonders to his breeding kink fr fr ngl), he is starting to get worried for you but couldn't do anything due to how much you've been pawing at him, whimpering to not stop, begging him to kiss you and mark you, staring at him with that needy doe eyes and how even though you are now laying on his chest on top of him, you are still bouncing on him like his purpose in life is to breed you (maybe it is)

You cum on him for the nth time, your needy dripping hole also milking his cock, filling you up with once again with his cum. You ride out your orgasm which, combined with the feeling of his fresh warm cum inside of you, just makes you cum again on top of him on top of the previous orgasm. Pleasure blinding you that you pass out from it all.

Arrin waits for a minute to collect himself and to check on you (seeing as you sometimes pass out for 30 seconds or go to sleep immediately after your sessions). It's been 3 minutes, he's been tapping your face and you're still limp and not waking up. So he decides to just go to sleep and maybe you'll be fi--

10 minutes later, an entire floor of the local hospital has been destroyed due to the Chief's rampage and was only stopped when you woke up

After all that mess is over, he did not touch you in a sexual way nor did he grant his darling mate's wish for breeding in fear of the same incident happening again. He turned into a fucking celibate monk that was somehow not swayed by his sexy mate's pleas and whines, not even when they're nuzzling into him and pawing at him and giving him that puppy dog eyes. You're the Beggiest Beggar in All of Begdom and he's still not budging. After all, being Chief requires strong will and sacrifice for the greater good and you, my dear, are the greatest good he's ever had and he's not gonna lose you

Well maybe it wouldn't hurt to do it, if that means you're going to stop giving him that sad teary face

You're getting only three rounds and a full body massage though ... You still need to rest

Sorry for that, I just really wanted to write a joke about Darling Reader fainting due to excessive cumming with the very very slightest touch of Cum Overdose and Arrin running to and destroying the hospital in worry... also I want feral Arrin, it can be very hot for a mostly chill and sane man plus or minus a little bit of kidnapping and neck snapping to go feral once in a while especially for our sake

The fact that someone wrote a whole fanfic about my work is extremely flattering.

Also if anyone else wants to write something like this, everyone is free to use my OCs and post their work as long as they note that it's fanfiction and link to the original fic or to my blog.

[maxsimagination]

can you make a Alanna Kennedy fic ?

𝙬𝙚 𝙙𝙞𝙙 𝙞𝙩 - 𝙖.𝙠𝙚𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙙𝙮

summary: the world cup is coming up, the players are getting their call ups.

𖦹 masterlist

𝗜𝗧 𝗪𝗔𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘 of the year again.

while most would think of christmas, as a footballer, your first thought is national team call ups.

i wasn’t old by any means, only 21 years old, but i still hadn’t had my first cap.

most of my teammates at manchester knew, especially alanna. both of us were australian, the only difference being that she’d been playing for the matilda’s years longer than i had.

it was a training day today, an early start so i was driving down to my favourite coffee shop before reaching the fields.

“yn!!”

i heard a familiar voice shout after i’d hopped out of my car in the parking lot.

“lani!!”

i knew it was the blonde waiting for me at the entrance, just like she did every morning.

we walked in together, joining the rest of the girls before the coaches called us all out onto the pitch to start training. it was a solid session today, most of the team sweating profusely at the end. gareth had us running drills for at least two hours before we had another hour rest then back in the gym for weights.

finally we were finished and all the girls walked out, so ready to head home. i was walking to my car when alanna sauntered up behind me and jumped into my car with me.

“lani why are you in my car? you have your own car and house.”

i laughed at her antics but she simply grinned at me.

“well, my dear yn. i don’t have my car here today, mary drove me in. and i want to go to your house, it has a cat.”

i should’ve known she wanted to come to see marley. i’d adopted her a year ago when i signed for city and moved to england to play. alanna was the first person i met and had helped me move into my apartment.

marley had taken an instant liking to the tall blonde defender, which had surprised me and alanna. she usually wasn’t keen on people and lani was usually a dog person.

but every time she got the chance lani would tag along to see marley, never missing the chance to see her favourite feline. and she brought cat treats with her.

when we reached my place, marley was right there waiting at the door when we got in. alanna reached down to pick her up, cradling the purring cat to her chest. i laughed at the two, they were the cutest thing i had to get a picture.

the three of us spent that afternoon and evening doing some cleaning, cooking some dinner and watching netflix. and by we i mean me, while the other two sat on the couch and waited for me to finish so they could watch the netflix too.

it was roughly 07:00 pm when my phone rang. i answered, not thinking much of it.

“yn? this is tony gustavsson. how are you?”

i froze for a second, my brain not believing what my ears were hearing.

“yea hi tony i’m good, what can i do for you?”

“well, as you know it’s almost international break, and i’ve yet to select the team for the matilda’s. i would like to personally offer you a place on the squad.”

i sat in silence for a solid minute before i remembered i had to respond.

“you’re joking.”

“i can assure you i’m not.”

tony could tell i was astounded, laughing at how unbelieving i was.

“you want me to play for the matilda’s?”

“yes.”

“oh my god. thankyou.”

“thankyou, yn. i’ll let that sink in for you. have a good night.”

he hung up the call, thank goodness, because i was stunned into a statue. alanna had been comfortably sitting on the couch with marley the whole time when she noticed how shocked i was.

“are you okay?”

i nodded, just needing a bit longer to process things.

“i got the call up.”

alanna snapped her head up.

“no. please don’t tell me you’re joking.”

“i’m not joking. tony just called me.”

it was then that we both broke into squeals and laughter. i was so excited and ecstatic, i couldn’t believe i was getting my first ever national team call up.

“you did it.”

“we did it, lani.

couldn’t have done it without you.”

[avaf00rd]

Leah Williamson relationship HC

A better fic will be out soon hang tight.

This is a scrap I made.

I would barely classify these as head cannons as they are very long. They are just about your relationship in general☺️

————————————————————————-

-you and Leah were best friends and crazy close when you first joined Arsenal in 2017. When you left to go to Barcelona in 2019 you both felt like a huge part of your lives were missing. When you came back to Arsenal in 2021 you both realised you were in love and started dating

-you always praise Leah for being the most fashionable person you know. You weren’t terrible yourself but you were always getting her to help you with what to wear daily

-whenever you two go to events together Leah will always make sure you get to the after party. Your pretty good at calling it a night often, which means Leah is dragging you for more drinks more often that not

-you, Leah and Alex Scott were sort of a trio. Sure Leah and Alex were a tad closer. But you had all been on multiple trips together

-your the cook of the house. She can’t go much further than toast. She tried to make frozen chicken one time for you both, but it ended up breaking the oven due to a weird setting she turned the oven on to.

-when she did her ACL you were in tears for her. When she walked off, She told you to get a goal for her. You didn’t in the end which made you sick to your stomach. You felt terrible and was just as devastated as Leah.

-your Australian. So bringing Leah over to your home was your favourite thing.

-Christmas in your house was amazing. You both decked out the house completely and danced and sung to Christmas songs all December.

-when buying your first house together. You had the biggest say. You had great taste is properties to buy so you kind of found a flat online and showed Leah. She said yes so you immediately booked an inspection. You got that flat two days later.

-You also bought all the furniture one night when you were both on international break and got it delivered to where Leah was. She was a bit shocked when she FaceTimed you after coming home to 45 delivery boxes.

-your taste in movies was so divergent. She liked the more fantasy movies like lord of the rings and Harry Potter. She also loved horror. Which was terrible for you. You loved romance movies, you’re either making Leah watch that or some stupid documentary you heard of.

-you were a huge dog person. And Leah already owned a dog when you first moved in together, but you had 2. So now it’s a crazy house 24/7.

-you love being together in the kitchen, listening to music and goofing around with a good bottle of wine. You both turn on old love songs and slow dance around the kitchen.

-she made you late to most trainings. Due to her stuffing around in the mornings. It got even worse when she cut her bangs

-one afternoon you were both chatting on how she used to have a fringe as a child. You said she would suit one (but you think she suits anything). So of course 2 weeks later she texts you to let you know she’s going to the hairdresser…

-Leah can be kinky asf. Come on we all know this

-sometimes after dinner you will beg her to play on the piano for you. She’s actually outstanding at it and you’re so proud of her. You will take your wine glass over and sit on the seat next to her while she plays.

-you tried to convince her to get Santa photos with the dogs. Which she very quickly declined.

-you were very good at makeup. You became obsessed with it as a teenage girl. So you find yourself doing Leah’s a lot for nights out and events. Even just doing a big look for fun.

-the girl couldn’t ride a bike to save her life. So you always tried to help teach her . She would somehow always say yes, Even if it was just an excuse to get a good laugh out of you.

-you and your Matilda’s team played in the World Cup and came fourth after being knocked out by her country in the semis. Your heart ached that you couldn’t finish it for your country, but it ached just the same at the fact that your girlfriend couldn’t lead her country to the grand finals like she had always dreamt of.

-every night you slept with your head tucked into the crook of her neck, arms cuddling onto her torso. It was just the best way both of your bodies melted together.

-sometimes she tried to take you on golfing dates. The first time she did, she told you she was good. Like the powerful Leah Williamson would. You were humble and said you would need her help. But when you swung your shot you actually made a great one and it had Leah’s jaw on the floor.

-you both had your first photo shoot together in 2020 just before covid. And you lived very minute of it. Now you have done heaps for brands like Calvin Klein, bikini brands, and more together, you both now being known for your hot couple photo shoots.

-you were both completely clumsy. The worst thing was when Leah and you had to screw a window nail tighter. Don’t ask why. But you apparently weren’t holding it properly. Causing it to fall out the other side of the frame. Completely shattering into the pool.

-though you were always chasing after her for outfit inspiration. You both looked phenomenal wherever you went. You would both be shot on camera court-side of a basketball game, on vacation or at dinner in the best outfits and hair.

-you though she was the hottest girl you had ever seen in your life. You had only had boyfriends who play football in your life before Leah. So you always blamed Leah for being gay.

-her love for country music was one of the things that made you fall in love with her. Along with her charming personality

-you were a striker for arsenal. When you scored in a game, you would do your celebration jump with your fists in the air and always try to look for Leah, to see if it was her arms you could jump into first. And she was always there, screaming at you for your goal with her arms wide open.

-your a bottom most of the time. But sometimes you switch it up and she lives for your dominant side.

-you suffered a severe back injury in 2022 while in Australia. You were scared you would never play again. Leah was on the next plane out to Australia, even though she was told not to. Just so she could sit next to your bed and hold your hand for hours.

-seeing Leah back in training after doing her ACL. With the brightest smile on her face, made your heart melt every time.

[mrs-elsie-barnes]

Solstice Eve | Loki x Reader

You and Loki enjoy the run up to the Winter Solstice, getting to know the Asgardian court and integrating into your new home. But there's always trouble brewing and this time old allies come back as new enemies.

Warnings: some language, silly fluff, Christmas vibes in August, threat of kidnapping.

AN: what do you mean this is 8 months too late!?

Dividers by @firefly-graphics & @reveriesources

Series Masterlist | Loki Masterlist | Masterlist

Winter in Tonsberg was beautiful. You watched day after day as drifts of snow filled in the crags and tarns of the mountains surrounding the village. Every morning you made coffee for two, slowly learning all of the different dials and knobs of the expensive coffee machine Loki had in his impressively equipped kitchen. His cottage wasn’t as sprawling as the compound, but it was beautifully appointed. From the open stone fireplace to the waterfall shower and roll top bath, Loki had a wonderful eye for both luxury and comfort in even the most everyday items and habits. He allowed you to make any changes you wanted though, adding blankets you bought at the Sunday market, cushions and tapestries the elders gifted you and what felt to him like hundreds of candles. 

The house was always happier with a candle burning, cycling through vanilla and cinnamon, the scent clung to him when he attended council meetings and followed him to the small pub on the wharf, The Dog and Bildgesnipe, when he met with Thor. 

Loki had started adding sticks of cinnamon to the fire in the evening too, unable to go without it regardless of if you were in the cottage or not. He loved the way you’d changed his home, fitting perfectly into the nooks and spaces of his heart and moulding new and interesting ways to live out of every vacant moment. 

He watched you now, as you wrapped the ends of your sweater over your hands to protect them, standing at the window, watching the weather changing in the distance, the people passing and waving in the street. 

The morning had started like any other, tangled in a mess of bare limbs and soft sheets, Loki had kissed you awake and you’d showered together, giggling in the steam without a care. After your shower you’d dressed first, leaving Loki to enjoy the hot water while you sought out your first coffee of the day.

 As he watched, you sighed, leaning against the wooden window frame and raised your hand as Madam Gina walked past, the stooped old woman who had revealed so much of your life on that day at the end of November. Since then you’d seen her many times, mostly in the Long Hall where she took up residence on the sidelines, watching and smiling at the children playing or the business of the court. You liked it there too and had spent many happy afternoons since beside her, topping up her teacup whenever it got low.

Thankfully, there had been no more revelations and no more surprise visitors. Just the ebb and flow of life in Tonsberg as it should be, and Loki’s heart swelled to see you so settled. Everything was as it should be, he thought, ready for another day.

Tony ushered Steve into his office, checking the corridor before locking the door. Steve rolled his eyes, the entire office was empty at this hour, but he was glad Tony was at least taking their project seriously. 

“Have you done it?” Steve went straight for the desk, bending across to pull all the paper together and leafing through.It was unlike Tony to do anything the ‘old fashioned way’, as he called it, but he was determined to keep this project a complete secret.,

“Of course I’ve done it, you’re a sceptic, Rogers, anyone ever tell you that?” He circled around the wide glass desk and dropped himself into his office chair.

“I just want to make sure it’s right, we don’t know what we’re messing with here.” He scanned the paper again, the strange symbols and pictures a blur. 

“I’m sure, if we -” Tony snatched the papers back, searching for something, “if we - god fucking damnit this is why I hate paper - a ha!” With a flourish he pulled something from the bottom of the pile and slapped it onto the glass in front of Steve. “If we use this,” he tapped his fingers on a circling of runes, “we can keep him contained. I saw him in that castle, he could’ve used his magic and had her out in seconds, but instead he -” Tony made a motion over his throat with his thumb, “why would he make such a mess unless he had too?” 

“Tony, the mans a lunatic, maybe he just likes killing?” Steve sighed, pulling another chair closer so he could sit and flick through the pages instead. 

“I don’t disagree, that’s why I want to bring him in.” Tony took the page back, keeping it neatly to one side.

Steve rubbed a hand over his face and then looked out of the window. It had started to snow across the compound in the last few days, slushy grey drifts that made him think of Brooklyn in the 40s, churned up snowmen and bitter cold nights. 

“What are you going to do with him, once he’s here?” He asked, his mind wandering to Bucky, currently safe on the sofa in his own apartment. Probably still mooning after Natasha, but at least he was safe. They’d locked him up too, and he was innocent, doubt crept into his consciousness but Tony was already answering. 

“Lock him up, throw away the key?” Tony said, glibly . 

“Tony,” Steve’s tone was firm, if they were arresting a man then they needed more of a plan than just locking him up. 

“We put him on trial. Thor says he’s served time in Asgard and been ‘rehabilitated’, something about the Mind Stone and I don’t fucking buy it. He’s a liability and Thor won’t help us, went all Prince Charming with a sore head when I suggested it.” 

Steve remembered Thor leaving, no one had heard from him since but he was fairly sure he was back in Norway. He wouldn’t leave the Asgardians for long. 

“I remember. So, we put him on trial and then?” Steve trailed off, “put him in prison? What prison would even hold him?”

Tony’s eyes lit up, “And then we charge the Federal Bureau of Prisons a small fortune to keep him here! I love it Rogers, you’re starting to get it!” 

“Tony.” 

“Then we know we’re doing the right thing, okay, girl scout. He’s got that girl all wrapped around his fingers, who knows what awful, evil things he’s twisting into her mind. We get him, we get him on trial and then we get her back.” 

“Fine.” Steve gave a heavy sigh, “When?” 

“Tomorrow.” 

“Do you know where he is?” 

“Tonsberg, where else would he be,Thor said he was under Asgard’s protection.” 

“Tomorrow, Tonsberg.” 

“Just us though, don’t worry anyone else about it now.” Tony said, cryptically. 

Steve scowled, he hated these backdoor deals, if he was doing them then so were a hundred other people and who knew what they were up to. But he had promised to keep Estrid safe and then she’d slipped away, been seduced by Loki and under his watch, kidnapped, attacked, vanished. Despite his doubts and fears about how Loki’s imprisonment might play out, he couldn’t leave a woman in such clear danger. 

“Agreed, let’s get him locked up where he can’t hurt anyone anymore.” 

“That’s the spirit, Rogers.” Tony grinned again and Steve’s stomach turned again. 

—

Loki pulled his sweater on, abandoned on the back of the sofa the night before, and kept half an eye on you while he collected his own coffee from the kitchen island. On light steps he crept up to you and wrapped an arm around your waist. 

“How’s the weather today, my Darling?” He sipped his coffee, looking down at you with that wistful smile he seemed to have permanently etched on his face. 

“Cold, snowy,” anyone else may have looked miserable at prospect of a below freezing day on the unforgiving coast, but not you. No, Loki had noticed you were always happy to enjoy the changing season and everything they had to offer. Whether it was the bright sunshine he'd met you in, the crisp autumn leaves that coated the ground are his cabin, or now the blanket of snow that has been placed like a cosy blanket across the entire horizon. “We should go for a walk later, on the cliff tops, if it’s not too windy.” You suggested, finishing your coffee. You span in his arms, reaching up to tangle your fingers in his hair. 

“That sounds wonderful, Asynja, I’ll try and get out of this council meeting early. In fact, would you like to attend? I believe we’re discussing the last preparations for the Solstice feast and Yule celebrations. I’m sure your new friends would enjoy your company while they weave the wreath.” He teased, kissing your forehead. 

The elders of the village had taken quite a shine to you and you’d easily fallen into step with the other women, helping to prepare for the feast and giving advice on the decorations. In reality, you had no idea what was happening when they asked. It has come as a surprise that they not only allowed you to join them, but sought your input with genuine interest. Especially as you had barely celebrated anything while you lived as a mortal in London. There’d been no Yule, no Christmas. Nothing. But you were excited to share this first celebration with Loki. 

“Leave my friends alone,” you chided playfully, “I’d love to come, let me just -” 

You barely had to move to use your magic now, a simple flick of your fingers and you had summoned your boots and tights, a corduroy skirt and knitted jumper. Your coat and scarf were by the door. Although it was below freezing outside it didn’t seem to bother either of you, Loki never felt the cold and you were always able to conjure enough warmth in your hands to keep the Norwegian wind at bay. 

“Are you ready?” You asked, skipping out of his grasp and opening the door, letting a swirl of snow in over the doorstep. 

“Of course I am,” he answered, a wisp of his own magic dancing in the air as a duplicate called to you from down the street. 

With a laugh you shut the door, chasing him down, your magic and laughter entwined with the softly falling snow. 

Loki was right, the council meeting was no more than a decorators committee at this point in the month, but you both revelled in the feeling of being part of something more, something soft and warm that filled you with happiness just like the hot spiced wine and thick stew that was passed around at lunch time. 

By the time Brunnhilde had called an ending to the proceedings it was already dark, the street light reflecting from the crisp snow and the moon illuminating the edges of the water. 

“I guess we’re not going for that walk on the cliffs after all,” you grouched playfully, wrapping yourself around Loki’s arm as you walked side by side. 

“As much as I’d enjoy having you all to myself in the dark of night,” Loki purred in return, freeing his arm just to wrap it around your waist, “I fear we have friends waiting.” He kissed the top of your head and you snuggled closer.

Loki led you from the Long Hall where the King held her council, and decoration, meetings to the lone pub in the village. Val had commiserated on the necessary building of some restaurants and a hotel on the edge of the village to accommodate the increasing number of tourists, but the pub remained solely for the Asgardians, their visitors, and no one else. You had a feeling there was some sort of spell or enchantment that made it invisible to the tourists that passed by the windows, but you’d never felt the need to ask when the welcome was always so warm for you. 

At the entrance, Loki held the door for you, whisking away your coat in a flurry of magic and ice cold wind. Beyond the bar was already bustling with laughter and bodies, each hand raised in greeting as you both passed, some muttering “your highness” still, unable to lose their deference. 

“Evening,” Loki shook hands politely with some and patted others on the shoulder, leading you to a booth by the window already occupied by Thor, beside him was a slender woman with dark brown hair and delicate features, tapping on a table and trying to show Thor something while he shuffled closer. Every time he moved, the woman moved away, just slightly, but you didn’t need to read their body language to know this was not a couple that’d last, you felt it deep inside, like an instinct. 

Loki stopped and coughed loudly, “good evening, brother.” He smirked at Thor’s blush. 

“Good evening, Loki.” Thor replied, stiffly, “good evening, Trouble.” He stood and crushed you into a hug, startling you out of your thoughts. “Let me introduce you to my-” 

“Friend,” the woman interrupted, “Jane Foster, it’s lovely to meet you.” She smiled, shaking your hand, and scooched over enough to make space for you both on the bench seat. But as you looked at her, you could sense there was more. Images of her and Thor rose unbidden in your mind, and that golden thread of connection still hung between them, slack and dim, but still there in your mind’s eye. Interesting. 

“I’m Estrid,” the name still didn’t feel right, and you’d suggested to some of the others they could use your old name as a sort of nickname, but it hadn’t stuck, not with Loki around. 

“Princess Estrid,” he said, proudly, draping a protective arm around the back of the seat and rubbing his thumb against your shoulder. 

“Well I sure Jane doesn’t care about all of that,” you smiled at her, and she smiled back, but before you could say anything else Thor had reached over the table and tapped a large finger on the wood. 

“Doctor Jane, she’s a Doctor.”

“Yes, well, I’m sure Estrid doesn’t care about all that either,” she pushed his hand away, “I’m really pleased to meet you, Thor’s told me all about you and, well, I’ve got some experience with Asgardian nonsense too. It’s good to meet you, is what I was trying to say, and maybe I could read your electromagnetic impulses some time, if that’s okay?” Jane rushed her words out, the tablet clutched in one hand, her eyes twinkling with excitement. 

“I don’t know about that,” Loki squeezed your shoulder.

“I’m sure it’ll be fine, Loki, don’t worry about it. I’d be happy for you to read my electromagnetic impulses, I think -”

The bar tender set down a tray of glasses, a tankard of ale for Thor, a glass of aged fifteen year old whiskey for Loki and a bottle of chilled white wine with two glasses. 

“Loki, Thor,” the bartender nodded at them both, polite, but without the obsessive reverential treatment of the older Asgardians. “Princess,” you smiled back and thanked him.

“Doctor!” Thor tapped his finger again. 

“My apologies, Doctor Foster,” he stammered, retreating to the bar. 

“God he’s so embarrassing, I’m so sorry.” Jane turned to you, ignoring Thor’s aghast expression and opening the wine, “I’ll pour.”

Safe in the knowledge that you and Jane were perfectly able to handle yourselves, Thor and Loki took a polite turn around the bar, speaking with the villagers and their friends in turn. 

After the first bottle, Brunnhilde appeared, signalling for the bartender for three more drinks and joining you and Jane in your booth. 

“I don’t know how you both put up with those two.” She said, sliding into the seat, a bottle of wine in one hand and mead in the other. 

You hadn’t realised how lovesick your sigh was until Brunnhilde laughed, shaking your shoulder, “sorry,” you blinked a few times, tearing yourself away from the sight of Loki half bent over a cards table a few feet away. His black jeans were pulled tight around the curve of his thighs and you just knew if he turned you’d be able to see the outline of every wonderful inch of him hidden beneath. He’d discarded his aran sweater when the fire had roared to life at the edge of the room, leaving him in a forest green shirt, rolled up to his elbows. As he moved you watched as the veins in his hands became more pronounced, gliding your gaze up to his broad shoulders and the black curls that fell over his face when he laughed. 

It wasn’t just that he looked good enough to eat, he also looked happy, rested and content, his friends around him and purpose every day. He gave you purpose too, joining in the council activities and practising your magic.

“Hate to break it to you, B’, but I don’t put up with him anymore.” Jane said, sadly. 

“What? I thought you two were-” you hesitated to elaborate and Jane took pity on you. 

“We broke up, it just wasn’t working. But I’d already agreed to spend the Solstice and Yule here, so - maybe it was a stupid idea.” 

“No, no-” Brunnhilde pulled her into a hug and it occurred to you that they probably already knew each other, if Thor had brought her here before. “You’re always welcome in Asgard.” The King winked and Jane blushed. 

“I’m sorry - that things didn’t work - I didn’t mean,” you stammered acutely aware that this was now a reunion of friends and you knew nothing about them. “I can go, if you want to talk and catch up-” 

“No, stay, please.” Jane smiled a lot, there was always something in the corner of her lips, wanting to be happy, but this smile was softer so you sat back down. “Now, tell me what it’s like having fire magic.” 

The wine, beer and mead flowed freely in the tavern that night, every villager in their cups excited for the celebrations to come. At midnight you decided to head home, passing Loki on your way to the door, he slung an arm around your hips, pulling you to his side. 

“I’m going to stay awhile, my darling, if you don’t mind,” he looked up at you from his cards table, his blue eyes like sparkling frost in the firelight, and you bent to kiss his quickly. 

“I don’t mind, handsome, you stay.” You ran a hand through the errant curls that had formed in the warm atmosphere. 

“Are you walking with someone?” Despite the many empty glasses spread across the table, he was still alert and concerned, scanning the pub for any danger. You both bore the memory of your kidnapping, a sense of fear when you were alone without anyone, despite being stronger now. 

“B’ is going home too, Jane is staying in the rooms at the back, but Thor said he’d see me home if you wanted to stay.” 

At the sound of his name Thor thundered towards you both, clapping a hand on your shoulder and giving you a little shake. You could almost feel the wine sloshing inside of you and you patted his fingers, hoping he’d stop. 

“Fear not, brother, I can escort the maidens home.” Thor bowed theatrically, behind him Jane and Brunnhilde snorted with unrestrained laughter and you couldn’t help joining in. 

“Very well, take care of my Asynja,” he tugged you down and kissed you again, the taste of whisky and honey dancing on his tongue as he deepened the kiss. 

“That’s enough, either let her leave or walk her yourself.” Brunnhilde gave you a shove, waving behind her as Loki turned back to his game. 

You were happy to let him stay, pleased to see he’d taken up new friendships since you’d both become so settled. You’d miss falling asleep next to him, but you knew he’d be home soon and you needed your bed immediately, your head was already swimming. 

Jane left your party first, taking the steep steps at the back of the tavern to the rooms above. You’d offered her your spare room tomorrow, but tonight just thinking about removing your makeup and brushing your teeth seemed too much, making the spare bed was unimaginable. 

The King took the side street behind the Long Hall, waving goodnight as you and Thor made your way to Loki’s cottage. You’d left a light on above the door and it illuminated the wreath you’d made and hung there earlier in the week. 

Opening the door the soft scent of cinnamon and pine drifted into the crisp night and Thor once more embraced your arm. 

“Estrid,” he looked down at you, suddenly very serious, even the way he said that name held a gravitas that gave you goosebumps. 

“Yes?” 

“Thank you,” he smiled, pulling you into a bear hug and squeezing you tight. 

“What for?” You laughed, trying to squirm free. 

“For making your home here, for trusting Loki and I. I have seldom seen him as happy as when he’s with you. I’m glad to have you here, Trouble.” He ruffled your hair playfully, his own drinking catching up to him. “May you be here for many more celebrations.” 

“Well, thank you for welcoming me, Thor.” This time you lifted your arms and wrapped them around his neck, hugging him back, and he lifted you off the ground, shaking you from side to side until you were both crying with laughter. “I think -” you hiccuped, “I think we should both go to bed and sleep. Lots to do tomorrow.” 

“Yes, yes,” he wiped a tear from his eye, “I must fight Loki tomorrow.” 

“What?” In your bewilderment you couldn’t stop laughing.

“Oh not truly fight him. But we must pretend to fight, so I can beat winter and spring will come again. Have no fear, I shall return your beloved to you unharmed.” And with that he patted your back and wandered into the village, humming to himself. He tripped slightly on the decorations that had appeared along the harbour as you’d drunk. With a happy giggle he danced around the wreath and meandered back to his own home. 

Across the harbour there was a flicker in the window of the now abandoned harbour master’s house and Steve sat back on his haunches. 

“He hasn’t left that bar,” he groused, rubbing the arms of his stealth suit against the cold of the night. “But she seems safe, Thor is here as well.”

Next to him, Tony turned the heater of his suit up, “of course he is, I’ve never met a worse double agent in my life.” 

“He’s hardly a double agent, he’s loyal to his brother, I can’t exactly blame him for not following orders.” He thought of his best friend, safely tucked up in the compound with his budding relationship with Natasha to distract him. He knew what it was to choose loyalty over command. 

“Well, he’s not on our side. We just have to get him alone and then we can lock him up and forget about it.” Tony leant back on the creaking wicker chair. 

“You said we'd do this properly.” 

“Yes, yes, whatever you need to help you sleep at night Spangles.” Tony waved his hand, the gauntlet of his suit catching the faint light. 

The little house had stood empty since the it’s two inhabitants had been arrested by the King of Asgard and her guards. It had been damp and cold enough before then, but now the frost lay thick on the inside, as well as the outside, of the small windows and Steve was jealous of Tony’s heating system, the soldier rubbed his hands together. 

“Let's just be quick.”

“Wouldn't want you becoming a Capsicle again.” 

Across the bay the tavern door opened again and a square of warm light cut across the black cobbles. In the doorway a familiar figure filled the space leaving a silhouette of his lean body dancing on the ground as he waved drunkenly behind him. 

“Let’s go.” Steve ordered, pulling the dark cowl of his suit over his head. 

<< Chapter 17

Chapter 19>>

[storiesofsvu]

Cocoa

Amanda Rollins x reader warnings: none? brief mention of pet abandonment. all cutesy fluff. Man. I rarely ever get requests for Amanda, and every time I do I am reminded of HOW MUCH I LOVE HER. More justice and love for Ms Rollins please. I need to think of more ideas for her. Love Amanda? Sign up for the taglist here! Got an idea for a story? Send it on in here!

1.4k

Even though you missed the jingling of Amanda’s keys in the hallway you knew she was a few steps from the front door at the way Frannie’s head popped up, looking over the back of the couch at the incoming noise. After a couple of sniffs she seemed satisfied, plopping her head back down beside you, continuing to chew on her bone. You gave her a little scratch behind the ears and let out a breath, your pulse quickening at the sound of Amanda’s keys in the lock.

She opened the door to find you on the couch, television turned on to Bluey as you were (presumably) cooing to Frannie.

“Oh, that’s it.” You laughed softly, “such a good girl. Okay, ohhkkay, ssssh.” Your hand reached out to pet her as she let out a low whine. “I know, I know. She’s home now, okay.”

“Awee.” Amanda let out a chuckle, “did someone miss me?” She whistled quietly, “c’mere girl.”

Frannie popped up on the opposite end of the couch from where you were facing, quickly jumping down and trotting over to her mom to say hello. At first, distracted, Amanda didn’t notice, cooing at her dog as she gave her a very welcoming pet and big scratch. Her ears picked up another whine that definitely wasn’t human and her head titled back up to catch you with a sheepish look on your face.

“So… if Frannie is over here…”

“That was… my stomach?” You offered with a wince and Amanda let out a small scoff of a laugh. She straightened up, letting out a small sigh as whatever you were hiding on the other side of the couch let out a yip.

“Sounds like you haven’t eaten all day.” Her hands fell to her hips, “what’d you do?”

“I… did not do anything.” You made a little kissing noise and the other dog finally popped up into Amanda’s sight line over the back of the couch. It looked like a chocolate lab, big enough to look like a fully grown dog but small enough Amanda knew it was likely still just a big puppy. You cupped its head in your hands, making more kissing noises as it sniffed at your face as your voice slipped into puppy dog mode. “But some big meanie left this gorgeous angel in the alley way.” You turned to look at her, “I told you I heard something crying last night. Bastard left her outside in the storm all night tied to the damn dumpster. I saw her when I went out this morning.”

“Are you absolutely sure someone wasn’t coming back for her?” Amanda asked, slowly approaching the back of the couch as you went back to playing with the dog.

“Yes.” You nodded, nodding the dog’s head in your hands as you did so, “yes, I am.” You looked back to your girlfriend, “I went back down with some food and water right away, she was super friendly and just wanted some love. I left her all afternoon just in case, it was already getting dark and the poor thing starting crying again. Frannie and I just couldn’t bare listening to it anymore.” Your lips formed a pout and Amanda could almost see the glistening of tears starting in your eyes, “when I went back down she was just so happy to see us! Instant friends with this one, I tell ya.” Your hand reached out to give Frannie a little scratch. “Then I found the note on her collar…”

“Someone really just left her?” It was her turn to pout, finally reaching out, letting the dog sniff the back of her hand, giving it a few licks before she scratched her behind the ears.

“Yeah. Note said she was a Christmas present for the kids, but the kids weren’t ‘doing their chores’ of taking care of her and the family didn’t want her anymore.” You said the last part in just over a whisper as you covered the dogs ears, “she’s house trained, no issues and is up to date on all her shots and stuff. Though I did make an appointment with the vet for tomorrow just in case.”

“Baby…” Amanda’s head tilted and you let out a sigh at what you knew must be coming. “We can’t keep her.”

“Why not?!” You whined and Amanda nearly laughed as both the new dog and Frannie let out whines in practically the same pitch as all three of you stared up at her.

“We… already have Frannie.” She gestured, “and I work late hours. I feel guilty enough leaving one dog cooped up in a one bedroom apartment all day.”

“I work from home like, eighty percent of the time, you wouldn’t have to worry about us. Besides, another big dog means another level of protection.” You countered, “you always say you wish I was safer out at night, or when you’re working overnights. Can’t get much safer than this.” You gestured to your lap which was slowly being taken over by both dogs, Frannie nuzzling at ear while the other one licked your cheek.

“She does really seem to like you.” The blonde replied, chewing on her lip.

“They get along perfectly too!” You bartered, gesturing to the dogs as you picked up a toy, swinging it between them before tossing it down the hall and they both ran off, instantly starting to play with each other like they’d grown up together. “See? Instant best friends. You can’t deny Frannie that.”

“Oh my god.” Amanda laughed, running a hand over her face. “What happens when you’re out for a walk and the kids see their dog and come crying wanting it back?”

“Note said they live in Staten Island, left her here so that wouldn’t happen.”

“They seriously drove all that way to dump her in the garbage? When there’s plenty of shelters all around the city?” She wasn’t just frustrated, she was pissed now, a feeling the dog could sense as it jogged down the hallway and went right up to Amanda, nudging at her legs until it was getting pets, “oh you poor thing.”

You knew it, a smile creeping up on your lips as Amanda crouched down to actually greet the dog and her face instantly melted. The look of love and adoration immediately taking over her eyes as she cooed at the dog who nuzzled as deep into her as it could.

“Oh, you’re a good girl.” She cooed, “such a sweet girl. What’s your name, hmm?”

“Cocoa.” You replied, and the dog let out a quiet bark.

Amanda stood back up with a small sigh, glancing between the two dogs who immediately started playing together again before looking over at you.

“Puh-leeeeaaase.” You pulled an overdramatic pout and faked crying.

“You are worse than a child, you know that?”

“At least I have my own source of income to support Cocoa and now we’ll each have one to walk when we take them out. I mean, Manda… look at them. They’re so happy, she’s so much happier not being tied to a dumpster in the rain… you’re not going to ruin that, are you?”

“Wow.” She laughed, rounding around the couch to drop down beside you.

“Well?” You batted your eyelashes, “yes?”

“Fine.” She finally agreed with a small smile and you let out a shriek, launching toward her to pepper her face with kisses.

The noise alone was enough to pull both of the dog’s attention, barks echoing through the apartment as they jumped back up onto the couch, jumping on the both of you, cold noses and wet kisses getting everywhere they could.

“Okay, okay.” Amanda laughed, gently pushing Frannie down onto her lap, “you win, you win.” She booped her nose, “you got a new sister, happy?” Frannie agreed with a small woof, rubbing her head into Amanda’s hands.

“You hear that?” You cooed to Cocoa, scratching underneath her chin, “you get to stay! Welcome home Cocoa.”

You looked back to Amanda with such love and happiness in your eyes that she knew there was never a way in a million years she would have actually said no to the whole thing. She loved you too much, loved seeing you happy too much and this way Frannie would have someone to play with when no one was home.

It was a win win for everyone.

__________________

@mickey-gomez @hbkpop @bisexualcrowley @red1culous @imlike-so-gaydude @altsvu @lesbianspacecowboy @wannabe-fic-reader @gaylorrds @beccabarba @mysticfalls01 @alexbllake @infernumlilith @australiancarisi @wandas-wife @emskisworld @samwithnoplan @multifandomlesbianic @sia2raw @dxtery @anlin2058 @itisdoctortoyousir @alexxavicry @daddy-heather-dunbar @evilregal2002 @7thavenger @m00nkn1ghts @sapphicprentiss @geekyandgay98 @onmykneesformarvel @desperate-gay @kmc1989 @irishavengersassemble @noahrex @temp0rary-bliss @wittygutsy

[s8nny]

SOME RANDOM INA11 HEADCANONS

—Sakuma has done some modeling jobs. His family name has helped him a couple of times, but it is usually his hair and eyelashes that catch the attention of modeling agencies.

—When Shirou decided to settle down in Hokkaido to train Hakuren, the first thing he did was adopt a big dog.

—Being an orphan makes Christmas hard, but after adopting Kariya, Hiroto loves Christmas. He spends a lot of money on gifts for the kids in Sun Garden.

—Gouenji loves cooking. When he went to Italy to play in the pro leagues, his favorite hobby was cooking at home.

— Kidou owns a beach house and he absolutely adores it. He hopes to get to the day where Haruna and him have their own kids and get to spend their holidays together there.

— Kazemaru was convinced by his teammates to get TikTok, and he was embarrassed to see how many edits people had made of him.

— Hakuren students absolutely love Shirou, but his training sessions are sometimes too hard. They usually try to make him laugh to ease the level of training for that day.

— Yukimura doesn’t have a good relationship with his parents, and Fubuki is aware of that. That’s usually why the teen spends his afternoons training with him or studying in Fubuki’s living room.

i love Shirou way too much and have so many thoughts about him and his cute brotherhood with yukimura🌷🤍⭐️

[esmedelacroix]

6 days til' Christmas

barely surviving morning and day sickness with help from husband!miguel o'hara⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆

7 days til' christmas ← previous part

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The moment your eyes opened the only word that could describe the way you were feeling was: discomfort. The room was spinning and all you wanted was a bottle of water. But even water was making you feel sicker just thinking about it. You were drenched in sweat, it felt like honey on your skin the way your hair stuck to your forehead and neck.

Your lips felt like all moisture had been sucked out of them with a freeze-dryer. You felt oddly frail like you could barely move your limbs. You started having morning sickness days ago but not at this level of intensity.

You look at your alarm which read [4:00], which was far too early for Miguel to be at work. You felt his side of the bed and thankfully he was there and not saving other universes. You woke him up by shaking him. "Miguel I don't feel well," you started as his eyes began to open slowly.

Before you could get any more words out, you felt your stomach do a backflip. You quickly stumbled into your bathroom crouched over the toilet and vomited.

You hadn't even eaten but you couldn't stop. Miguel rushed to your side with water but the moment you took a huge much-needed sip, you started vomiting again. Miguel felt like he couldn't do anything but watch and be there for you and rub your back. "Small sips, take small sips mama," Miguel said softly.

You took the tiniest sips of water. Miguel put both of his hands on your shoulders and looked deep into your eyes. "Close your eyes, and just breathe in, and out," he said, his voice getting softer.

He exaggerated his breaths, breathing in through his nose and out through his mouth and you joined him and you felt a lot more calm. He ran his hand through your hair and massaged your scalp. "I'll take the day off from work, this seems like those stomach bugs you get sometimes but if you think maybe you need to go to the hospital, I'll take you there," he assured.

"Thank you for always taking care of me bae," you said as you wrapped your arms around him.

"Of course amor," he answered as he planted a kiss on your temple.

"C'mon let's find something to eat. No pickles," he joked as he helped you get up.

Miguel only let you have bread for breakfast and you had to take the smallest bites so you wouldn't vomit it all out. Why do they call it morning sickness when it hits at random parts of the day? You asked yourself in the afternoon when you vomited again after eating some soup.

Miguel was insisting that you have hot meals at night and just stick to eating cold things during the day. You didn't know how he knew exactly what to do. But he just did, and you were thankful for that.

On top of your sickness, you were also constipated. It was a rough day, but you called your doctor about what to do. You decided to take a walk with Miguel to increase your bowel movements and you drank a lot more water than usual.

You had a long way to go in getting used to your 'morning' sickness. But you knew you could get through it with Miguel's help. "Hey, I really want a corn dog," you blurted out as the two of you sat in your living room doing a puzzle. You usually had wine on nights like this but you insisted on just having water.

"That's random, what kind?" he answered.

"The one from that store in Chinatown," you said.

"Two hands?" Miguel asked.

"Yeah Two Hands Korean corn dogs, that's the name of the place," you said.

"Okay, but I'm not sure how you'll do in the car so we'll order it here, you're still a little sick," he said as he took his phone out.

"Thanks," you said as you kissed his cheek.

Everything went crashing and burning that morning, but things were starting to look up. Besides, it was only 5 more days until Christmas anyway.

. . .

next part → 5 days til' Christmas

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taglist: @aripet22@to-the-endoftheline

[icycoldninja]

Can you write the DMC men with a reader who’ve never seen snow for once in her life so the first time they spent their Christmas together, she is extremely excited

To the point in which her first reaction to seeing snow for the first time is to dive her head first into the snow like a fox despite possible chances of brain freeze

The first time she saw a frozen lake, she immediately jumped down skating. Imagine a dog having zoomies, that’s basically her initial reaction to experiencing actual winter for the first time

She gets curious of everything like Christmas traditions, customs, what do people eat during Christmas, etc They have to remind her that it’s okay if she doesn’t have enough money buying Christmas stuffs because this will not be the only Christmas she’ll ever celebrate in her life

(Like a mom telling her kids that they’ll go to Disneyland next year, promising to buy merchandises and stuffs meanwhile the kid is worried that their mom is bluffing)

P/S: As someone who grew up in a Tropical country, there is basically no concept of Christmas other than the cool uncle cosplaying as the Santa, a worn down Christmas tree used year after year; the mall and the l thing I’ve got to experience that is somewhat close to Christmas is the Christian neighborhood and the local church 🙁

Oh that sucks, man. Where I'm from, we have snow 3/4 of the year. Some people don't even bother to take down their outdoor Christmas lights.

Sparda boys + V x Reader who has never seen snow headcannons

¤ Dante ¤

-Dante was used to snow, so he didn't think there was anything interesting about it.

-You, on the other hand, had never seen snow in your life, so the moment it began snowing, you beheld the scene like you were watching a new planet come into existence--and for you, it kinda was.

-He watched in amusement as you leaped into a nearby snowdrift, sinking into the powdery white and quite possibly suffering a brain freeze seconds afterwards. He laughed as you tried to eat snow, and laughed some more when you started rolling around in it, now drenched because of the snow that melted on your skin.

-Dante made sure to rescue you when you got stuck, however that happened, and spent the afternoon making snowmen with you.

-He also had you help him hang up the Christmas lights, even if the majority of your job was untangling the knots since he was too lazy to do it.

-Teaches you all the Christmas traditions like decorating the tree, making cookies, decking the halls, and such, but your favorite is drinking hot chocolate while cuddling up to a movie.

■ Vergil ■

-Vergil doesn't understand why you freak out over snow. It's just frozen water, what's so interesting?

-Oh, but it does entertain him to see you frolic and leap about with joy, so he stands there and smiles, arms folded tightly against his chest.

-Had to pull you out of a snowdrift because you don't understand snow isn't water and cannot be swum in.

-Snows you Christmas traditions such as baking, decorating, gift giving and such.

-You were a bit down when you learned gift giving was important to Christmas celebrations, as you didn't have much money to your name, but Vergil told you not to worry. Your gift doesn't have to be expensive, it can be something as simple as your presence.

-You guys have a lot of fun baking cookies together, that's for sure, even you're the one doing most of the cooking since Vergil is useless in the kitchen.

□ Nero □

-Nero thought it was so cute how you got so worked up over snow.

-He took you to a frozen lake nearby and watched as you tried to skate in your snowboots.

-Of course you fell down several times, but he was there to pick you back up.

-Made you hot cocoa while you watched movies after a long day of decking the halls, and now that's your favorite Christmas memory.

-He teaches you about the traditions and stuff, but tells you not to worry about giving expensive gifts. Handmade things or hugs and kisses suffice just fine.

-You guys ended up under the mistletoe once and both of you were blushing madly about it for hours, even though you're already dating.

● V ●

-It's V's first Christmas too, so you guys can be innocent little idiots together.

-Both of you were freaking out over snow, except you tried to dive in while he cautiously poked the surface with his cane.

-Neither of you know anything about Christmas traditions, so you hung out at Devil May Cry to soak up information.

-Had a blast helping Nero and Kyrie make the Christmas feast, as well as assisting the others with setting up the tree.

-You went out to a frozen lake, where both of you nearly died from fall damage when you slipped on the ice and fell down.

-Don't worry, other than being a little bruised, you guys are both fine and have been laughing about the incident ever since.

[jungle-angel]

Lessons In Nursing (Calvin Evans x Reader)

Summary: You decide to have your mother-in-law come and give a lecture to your class, but woe to the heckler who incurs her wrath

Tagging: @floydsmuse Meggy, I hope you're good with it, but the entire time I wrote this I was picturing Emma from White Christmas as Patricia and could literally hear her voice as I wrote it (lol).

Warnings: Pregnancy, college admin being a sexist moron, misogynistic remarks, etc.

"You nervous Pat?" you asked as the three of you made your way towards the science buildings on campus.

"Not in the least (y/n)," Pat answered confidently. "I've had to give numerous lectures in the past and have yet to face one that I couldn't do. How about yourself? How are things?"

"I'm tired," you answered.

"I tried that home remedy you suggested the other day Ma," Calvin answered. "The one with the raw ginger?"

"Did it help with the morning sickness?" Pat asked.

"Morning sickness, yes but the fatigue is a different story," Cal said.

"A mug full of chamomile tea in the morning will do you good," Patricia explained. "Did it with every single one of my kids and it hasn't failed me since."

The three of you had at last arrived at Franklin Hall, a tall, imposing gothic monstrosity of a building that looked more like a medieval church than a reputable college institution. Here was where the science classes were all held, chemistry, biology, anatomy and physiology as well as the nursing courses that you taught.

"You gonna be able to make it this afternoon?" you asked Calvin as he handed Six-Thirty and his leash off to you.

"I'll make it," Calvin promised. "Dr. Powers and I will both be there after our classes get out at twelve. But after that I need you down to the cafeteria so you can get something to eat. I don't want you faint in the middle of the lecture."

You chuckled and kissed your husband, even as Six-Thirty nudged your belly with his nose. "Now you knock that off," you told the dog. "That's Daddy's job."

Calvin smiled as he gave you one last hug, his hands trailing to the slightly evident bump that had shown up overnight. He couldn't feel the baby kicking quite yet, but you knew that when he did, he wouldn't be able to keep his hands off you.

"Good luck Sweetpea," he said, pressing one last kiss to your lips. "I'll see you at noon."

"I'll see you then."

Cal pulled open the heavy oak and iron doors, letting you, Six-Thirty and his mother in first before he followed you both down the hall. He headed straight for the chemistry labs with Dr. Powers while you and Pat headed for the anatomy lecture room.

Your girls were all awaiting in the room, each one in their lab coats, chattering away as you and Pat took yours from the rack. "Good morning ladies," you chirped.

"GOOD MORNING PROFESSOR EVANS!" they chimed in.

"Alright ladies," you announced, taking your place in the lecture pit. "We've got our demonstration today at noon and to prepare, I've brought a little guest to help. So without further adieu, I present to you all, my mother-in-law, Patricia Evans."

"Thank you sweetheart," Patricia said, taking her place at the stand. "Alright ladies, none of the usual bullshit this morning. Lets get down to business....."

********************

"So am I technically doing this right?" the eighteen year old asked Calvin.

"Yep, you're good," Calvin assured him. "Just let it drip into the beaker and let it do its thing."

Calvin absolutely loved working with the eager, fresh-faced students who had come from all the local high schools in the area. To him it meant being able to get back to basics, to go back to the roots of chemistry and to teach them from the ground up. He loved when they got creative with their notebooks, drawing colorful pictures and diagrams and experimented with their handwriting. Any other professor would have turned their noses up at it, but Calvin and Anthony Powers absolutely loved it.

"Hey Professor Evans?"

"What's up Frank?"

"Remind me again what color the fluids are supposed to be again after they've boiled?"

"It's supposed to be pale pink," Calvin answered. "What color is it now?"

"It's a dark pink."

"Let it go another five to ten minutes but no more than that," Calvin instructed.

He looked up at the wall clock and saw that it was ten minutes till noon. As soon as he had the chance, Calvin ordered everyone to clean up and to put their experiments in the glass cabinets until tomorrow. He dropped his lab coat in the laundry and made his way down to the other end of the wing, eager to hear and see your demonstration.

*******************

"..........Now these particular tests are quite easy, but determining the results can be a real hassle," Patricia explained to the audience. "Back in the day you wouldn't have thought to test the patient's blood at all and half the time you'd wait until really, truly, severe symptoms appeared......."

"Your mother's a knowledgeable lady that's for sure," Dr. Powers remarked to Calvin, the two of them sitting higher up from the pit.

"Knowledgeable isn't even the half of it," Calvin whispered back to him. "You should see when she really gets going."

"Now after the blood test has been done," Patricia continued to explained. "It's best to continue the treatment as is, until further notice or until the results come in and then determine the course of action therewith."

"Sounds like a brilliant plan," someone in the crowd spoke. "Coming from a woman."

The entire room fell so silent one would have been able to hear a dog whistle. "I'm sorry?' Patricia enquired.

"It just seems funny to me to think that you know more than the doctors on this campus," the grey-haired young man said to her. "After all, nursing is one of the lesser sciences."

Calvin wide-eyed and made a face, Dr. Powers groaning and running his hands over his chubby, round face. "Oh no, he didn't," Powers groaned.

"Brace yourself, this shitshow's about to get worse," Calvin warned him under his breath.

You and Patricia glanced at each other, your mother-in-law noticing the way your jaw clenched and how your posture stiffened.

"Young man do you work here?" she asked.

"Well......yes but I....."

"And to what department do you belong?" Patricia questioned sharply.

"Well, the medical arts," the young man replied. "You see I had studied at the Harvard Medical College and......."

"Oh and Ivy Leaguer huh?" Patricia said. "Tell me now, have you ever stitched up a man with shrapnel flying around you in all directions?"

"No I......."

"Have you ever had to repair a torn aorta in a tent before?"

"No I......"

"What about trenchfoot?" Patricia questioned again. "Ever had to deal with any of that?"

"No ma'am I......"

"Then I wouldn't consider you much of a doctor in that case," Patricia scoffed.

"Now ma'am you see here for a moment!"

"Young man, I had to earn my stripes in the middle of a shelled out church in France, rearraigning men's guts day after day while everywhere else was having the living daylights pounded out of them," Patricia snapped. "So until you yourself have been there, I suggest you sit up a little straighter, keep your legs crossed, shut your mouth and mind your own business!"

The young man cleared his throat and sat up a little straighter, as did everyone else including Six-Thirty who was in the corner at your feet. Not a single soul in that lecture hall dared to make another snide comment to Patricia Evans or to you.

***************

"Well that went a little better than expected," Patricia commented as you, her and Cal made your way up the little brick path to the house. "Although I could've done without Mr. Ivy Leaguer there making those snide remarks."

"I saw him cross his legs the minute you snapped Ma," Calvin chuckled, unlocking the door.

"My apologies, but the damn fool had it coming," Patricia remarked. "Besides, if that had been your father, he would have said things that would have Ulysses S. Grant himself rolling over in his grave."

"Or blushing in most cases," you chuckled.

You both entered the house, the place warm and cozy as ever with the smell of dinner cooking on the stove. One could say whatever they liked about Henry Evans Jr., but the man was a damn good cook.

Henry and Pat both conversed about the happenings of the day while you and Cal enjoyed their company. All of you laughed at the lecture incident, but when Calvin looked at you and mouthed a silent "I love you", you couldn't help but lean into him, one arm round you and the warmth of your husband surrounding you.

[junkiepunkie]

Whats that? You want a sneak peek of the next chapter in my wolfstar fic that'll be posted in a few hours? Sure! Here's a flashback scene that comes to Remus in a dream...

December 24th, 1976.

It was getting close to midnight, to the day Sirius and Remus would finally get to join the rest of their friends at the Potter house for their annual Christmas celebrations. Remus had been going since third year, and Sirius since fourth, so they knew the drill. They'd go by flu early the next morning and music would be blaring while presents were being flung from Dorcas to Mary and from Mary to Pete and so on. This year it was even rumoured that Regulus Black may make a brief appearance under the guise of some meeting with Barty. The whole thing always had Remus' nerves working overtime, especially considering the moon was only a day ago. What if he was just as tired as he was now? What if he killed the mood with his new wounds? and how could he explain Sirius'. 

It had all gone wrong. Remus was meant to spend the full moon alone, content with enduring some nasty injuries if it meant not seeing Sirius until he absolutely had to. It had only been a month since the prank, and the boy still weren't on talking terms, but Sirius -stubborn as ever- had decided somehow that it would be a good idea to surprise Remus by staying behind for the holiday and joining him on the full moon. The wolf had freaked out, the betrayal in Remus' head over the prank overriding their usual bond, and clawed Sirius' dog form across one leg. The dog fought back on instinct of course -getting a good few bites and scratches on the wolf's torso- and so suddenly there was a fight. Lucky for Sirius, the wolf had heard some distant cry and got distracted after only one more scratch that wrapped around his lower waist and up his back. The dog had fled by the time the wolf refocused, and the rest of the moon played out almost normally. 

When Remus had woken, Sirius was asleep and just outside the shack, curled up in a ball shivering like Remus always had to on the nights he spent in the decrepit building. Both boys were covered in blood and cuts. He had carried Sirius upstairs and dressed his own wounds while he waited for the boy to wake up. Sirius eventually did, but not until late afternoon, when his gashes were expertly bandaged by the taller boy who'd caused them.

That took them to where they were as the clock closed in on midnight, sitting, record player up loud as they drowned in Bowie record after Bowie record, neither talking at all. The song switched from suffragette city to rock and roll suicide, causing Sirius to snap. The boy stood suddenly, teary eyed and wearing nothing but a vest and a small skirt Remus had handed him from the lost and found so he could wear something that wasn't tight against the bandages on his inner thigh. 

"dance with me." he whispered, so quietly Remus barely believed he'd heard it at all.

Remus looked up at him blankly.

"why?" he scoffed

"because I need you to-"

"yeah? well I'm still not over you trying to murder snap-"

"I DON'T NEED YOU TO FORGIVE ME REMUS!! I JUST- I just need you... us to dance."

The second the first tear streamed down Sirius' cheek Remus was out of his seat and holding him, swaying as easily as most people breathed. He hated Sirius, he reminded himself, but seeing him cry? That wasn't torturing Sirius that was torturing himself. Sirius wrapped his hands round his neck and sobbed into his torso and for a moment their common room was the whole world. 

That world got smaller as the next verse of the song began and Sirius maneuvered his head to be laying on Remus' shoulder, and gently pressed a kiss to the taller boys neck. Remus felt a shiver run up his spine. They had been snogging back and fourth for years, but this was further somehow, more intimate than a kiss on the lips, his head fell back to give Sirius more access to his scarred skin. Sirius allowed a sad smile to be felt against Remus neck as he sucked on the boys pulse point. Remus almost jumped.

"What're you doing?" he asked cautiously "Sirius we aren't..."

Sirius' wet, sad yet beautiful face looked up at Remus "shh... we aren't together, you hate me... I just- I want to give you one happy injury. One good scar." 

It was Remus' turn to cry as he felt Sirius go back to creating a hickey. Remus pulled away, scaring Sirius into thinking he'd overstepped for a split-second, and raised a fingernail to his new mark, without hesitation tearing his skin with it, following the shape of the risen skin.

"there," he sighed wiping any small traces of blood that came from the shallow wound. "werewolf's touch means its permanent."

Sirius began crying again and rushed back into Remus' arms. Remus held him, allowing his hand to run under the thin fabric of Sirius' vest and caressing the edges of the boys new scars, the parts that weren't hidden under a layer of gauze.

Sirius spoke, his words muffled against Remus' skin "bite me."

"what." 

The music, everything, stopped. Remus hunched to Sirius' level and locked eyes with his icy blues. The smaller boy just stared back, his eyes stinging and tinged red.

"I think- I think that's the only way you'll forgive me. You know? If I become one of you. If I feel the pain." 

Remus laughed gently. "oh baby no. No... I love you too much for that."

The air thickened around them. That was the first time he'd said that he loved Sirius. Everything had been passed off as being "between friends" up until this moment. Sirius didn't answer with words, he just pulled Remus' face down to his neck and held it there. Remus smiled,

"this doesn't turn you into a werewolf you know? It just makes you a little more like me."

Sirius pressed his head down farther, "I would die for you. To be with you. Please."

It wasn't a question, it was a demand. Remus did as he was told. Sirius sank to his knees, dragging Remus down with him and then it all flooded back in. The music, the world, the future. Remus broke away and flopped to the ground, laying down inches from the fireplace, and Sirius followed suit. 

"forgiven?" he pleaded.

Remus shook his head. "loved."

Sirius giggled. "I think I can work with that."

Remus turned to face the man he loved, brushing their noses together sweetly. 

Sirius grinned, placing a hand to the new bite on his neck and another on Remus' new mark. He met Remus' eyes peacefully.

"Moony, one day i'm going to marry you."