#Fic: Chasing Fireflies

[takaraphoenix]

What’s your favorite story you’ve written?

Oh gosh that is always the hardest question to answer because I have written over 1000 fics at this point for so, so, so many different fandoms and ships and what I love always depends on what I am deeply obsessed with at the time. Which, well, is how all those fics are born in the first place.

So I usually go with the answer of what I'm proudest of, most consistently. And that's Chasing Fireflies. At over 400k it is the longest story I have ever written, I put the most thought into the actual plot (usually, my focus is the ship and all else I see more as the things to enable the ship; I don't care too much for developing intricate villain plots, but in this case, I am proud of the thought and consistency I put into the villain plot they're fighting).

[navybrat817]

Hollow

Pairing: Mob!Bucky Barnes x Female Reader

Summary: Bucky touches on memories from the past and wants to start a new tradition with you.

Word Count: Over 2.3k

Warnings: Explicit sexual content, unprotected vaginal fingering, dirty talk, slight use of knife, established relationship, feels (it's me), Bucky Barnes (he's a warning, okay?).

A/N: Fic #7 for Navy's Trick or Treat Nonsense! Newlywed Mob!Bucky won the poll.❤️ Not beta read and written on my phone, so any and all mistakes are my own. Divider by the talented @firefly-graphics . Please follow @navybrat817-sideblog for new fics and notifications. Comments, reblogs, feedback are loved and appreciated!

A different side of Bucky came out when the leaves began to change. Subtle, but different. It wasn't noticeable to most since he showed people what he wanted them to see. It was a skill he perfected over the years, almost as if he wore a mask to hide his true self. What you saw, however, was ice in his eyes, the same that no doubt ran through his veins. Something weighed on his heart and mind.

You were determined to get to the bottom of it.

As his partner, it wasn't just your job to chase his demons away, but a need to protect him from whatever haunted or hunted him. You wanted to soothe him and let him know he wasn't alone. You knew if the roles were reversed that he'd eliminate anything or anyone that removed the light from your eyes. To have someone that loved you that much was still a bit of a dream.

How thin is the line between love and obsession?

“I can hear you thinking from here, Printsessa,” Bucky said. He knew you were watching him as he sat in his study, even as he focused on something else in front of him. He didn’t turn his back to anyone, except for you. He knew you would never put a knife in it. That was how much faith and trust he had in you. “Don’t want to join me?”

“I didn’t want to interrupt,” you replied, walking further into the room so you could get a better look at him. He had the sleeves of his button up shirt rolled up, giving you a moment to admire his metal left arm and the tattoos on the right. He commanded the room without standing.

“It's never an interruption if it's you,” he reminded you.

He twirled one of his signature knives between his fingers before he went back to work. The love of your life was an expert in many weapons, but had an affinity for knives. While it didn’t surprise you to find the head of the Bratva with a weapon in hand, you hadn’t expected to see a pumpkin in front of him. “Pumpkin carving? You’re just full of surprises.”

He snorted a little. “I like that I can surprise you.”

Watching him start to carve a pattern in the pumpkin with ease, his eyes narrowed in concentration and hand moving with care, was like a dance. He led with confidence and control. It was a beautiful thing to witness.

“Do you know why some people carve pumpkins?”

You finally took a seat beside him on the sofa, resting a hand on his thigh. His muscles relaxed and you wondered what had him so tense. “I think most do it today to decorate, but some do it to ward off evil spirits,” you said, moving your hand in slow, circular motions as he hummed in acknowledgement. “Is someone haunting you? Do I need to scare them away?”

He tilted his head, a glimmer of pride flickering in his blue eyes as he smiled. “You’d scare them away? You don't think I can handle them myself?”

“I have no doubt you could handle them on your own,” you said with complete certainty. He more than earned his Winter Soldier nickname. “But if something or someone is after you, I want to help.”

He studied you as he lowered his knife and covered your hand with his, holding it like a lifeline. Some protected and fought for him because it was their sense of duty. Others did so out of loyalty to his bloodline. You did it out of love.

Because you did love him.

“No one is after me. At least not today,” he assured you, bringing your hand to his mouth to kiss it. “But thank you.”

“Then why are you holding my hand like you can't let go?”

The look he gave you melted your heart a bit. “Because I don't want to let you go.”

It was almost as if he was worried you'd bolt if he released you. The only time you'd run would be when you wanted him to chase you. Or maybe he imagined someone would try to take you away from him. He'd never let anyone get you. “What's on your mind then?”

And how do I help?

“My family,” he admitted, your eyebrows shooting up in surprise. “My mom used to carve pumpkins. I haven't done it in years.”

You didn’t speak for a moment. His family wasn’t a topic he discussed much, so you didn’t want to say the wrong thing. “Did she teach you how?”

A faint smile appeared and fell just as quickly. “She did,” he said, admiring his handiwork. “I thought it was strange at first, you know? Encouraging me to pull out the insides and leave it hollow. And to carve a face? It almost seemed like a form of torture. Probably why dad demanded I use a decent knife.”

He didn’t hide the hint of anger when he mentioned his dad. You turned your hand over so your palm connected with his, letting him squeeze it to ground him. “But that’s not why your mom did it. She was teaching you to do something beautiful instead of harmful.”

“That's exactly what she did,” he agreed, leaning forward to pick up the knife. “It also encouraged my critical thinking skills. You can’t just dive in without a plan. You have to think it through.”

Bucky sometimes teased that his best friend, Steve, was the man with a plan. The truth was, they both were. Each brilliant in their own way, there was a reason they stayed in power and why so many feared them.

“And I felt proud when she displayed them. Valued,” he continued, his voice a little choked up before he cleared his throat. “It was a tradition I didn't realize I missed.”

Maybe the nostalgia was the reason his eyes looked a bit colder in the fall. “Sounds like a beautiful memory,” you said.

“I hadn’t formed beautiful memories in years until you came along,” he said, his lips skimming your temple. “But you're my family now.”

Tears didn't fill your eyes, but you felt them in your throat. The man was ruthless when the occasion called for it. Terrifying in his rage. You were the lucky one who would never be on the receiving end of it. Only his love. His need. But you could take his rage if you had to.

Like his old memories, you could make it something beautiful.

“You're my family, too,” you told him. You hadn't expected that of Bucky when you met and part of you wanted to stay away from the dangerous world he helped rule, but how could you not want a life with him?

His gaze softened, which warmed your heart. “And I would feel very proud if you helped me finish this,” he said, moving further back against the cushion and opening his legs for you to sit between them. “Maybe it can be the start of our own tradition.”

Your heart raced as you stood up and took a seat on the edge of the cushion, exhaling as he pressed himself against you. “I’m not good at this,” you said, closing your hand around the handle as he placed the knife in it. You didn’t want to ruin the intricate design he already worked so hard on.

His warm breath tickled your ear as he whispered, “We’ll do it together.”

“Guide me?” You asked.

“Of course, Printsessa.”

At the root of everything, Bucky was a man who didn’t want to walk this earth alone. Power and money meant nothing if he didn’t have someone to share himself with. It would’ve left him as hollow as the pumpkins he worried about carving as a child. And if helping him finish this one would make him happy, you’d do just that.

Time passed as he helped you cut into the pumpkin and urged you to follow the stencil, the smell from the pumpkin seeds off to the side bringing a pleasant layer to Bucky's woodsy cologne. There was something intimate about him having you close, his hand directing where yours should go. Like when he taught you how to properly shoot a gun. He said you didn't need his help, but he gave it to you all the same.

Your hold almost slipped when his metal hand snaked between your thighs, softly rubbing your pussy through your underwear. It barely covered your mound, just like your flimsy nightgown. “How am I supposed to concentrate?” you asked, arching as he firmly pressed his palm against you.

“You asked me to guide you. I will,” he said, the light scratch from his scruff making goosebumps rise on your skin.

“You're distracting me,” you whispered, trying to keep your breathing nice and steady.

“Would distracting you be so bad?” he whispered back close to your ear. “We're almost done.”

His fingers gently played with your clit through the fabric, drawing a breathy sigh from you as you squirmed. His almost feathery touch made you all the more determined to finish up, especially since he refused to let you close your thighs to get any friction. You were on the edge of release and he was relentless in loving you.

But he didn't let you come.

“Good girl,” he praised once you finished carving, stopping his fingers as you set the knife down. You bit back a whimper as the rising pleasure faded. “It's beautiful.”

“It is,” you breathed. Instead of a smiling face you saw on so many pumpkins around Halloween, he designed a merged sun and moon. “It's us, isn't it?”

“It is,” he replied, pressing a kiss to your shoulder before he gestured for you to hand him another knife. “You're my sun.”

“That makes you my moon,” you said, stiffening when you felt the blade at your shoulder. “What are you-”

Bucky sliced through your strap and kissed your bare skin. “I'm starting a new tradition,” he said, doing the same to the other side before he slid your nightgown down. He dragged the knife across your exposed breasts, taking great care not to cut you. “Carve a pumpkin. Cut your clothes off. Make you come.”

“You mean tease my pussy without getting me off,” you said without much bite.

He chuckled, a deep rumble as he set the knife aside. “I always get you off. I’m going to make you feel so good, Solynshko.”

With gentle kisses along your jaw and neck, his large hand slid up to fondle your breasts. The rough pads of his fingers teased your nipples as you gasped and reached back to grasp his hair. He moaned as you twisted your fingers in the strands, his hand sliding down to your wet heat again. Thankfully, he didn't tease you through the fabric this time. His fingers dipped into your underwear and you knew he was eager to feel your arousal.

Everything in your core tightened when he caressed your folds. You met his gaze as you tilted your head back, wanting him to see your desperation as his gaze darkened. “Make me come, please.”

“People beg me for money. Power. Mercy,” he said in a low voice, nuzzling your cheek as he sank a finger in, your walls contracting around him. “Not you. It's only pleasure you ask for.”

“It's you I'm begging for,” you admitted in a whisper. Even when you pushed or questioned why he wanted you of all people, you gave him your love. You yielded only to him and you would never bend your will for anyone else. To deny him would be to deny yourself.

He brushed his lips along your jaw and dipped another finger in as you shuddered. “You begging for me to fuck your pretty pussy with my fingers? Make you ruin this couch before I give you my cock?”

Your head fell back against his shoulder as you bit your lip. “Yes, I am. Ruin me. Love me,” you moaned.

“I love you more than anything,” he promised as your eyes slipped shut, dots of white dancing behind your eyelids.

He gripped your jaw to turn your head back to him, seeking out your lips with his. There was nothing tentative in the kiss, his ice meeting your fire and creating an explosion of need within both of you. Your body hummed as you felt the peak of your impending climax, ready for him to tear you apart.

“Come for me, Printsessa,” he demanded against your lips.

Your pussy clamped around his fingers as you lost yourself to the daze of your orgasm, shamelessly crying out his name. Your juices dripped down his fingers as he helped you ride it out, praising you in your ear and guiding you the way he did with the carving. He was telling the truth before: He always got you off.

“Are you okay?” you asked once you caught your breath, the question you meant to ask the moment you entered his study. He seemed more at ease, though lust now clouded his eyes.

“I'm okay,” he said in a rough voice, slowly pulling his fingers out as you sagged against him. He pulled you closer, enveloping you in his strong arms. It was safe. It was home. “But I think you need my cock.”

“I think I need it, too,” you smiled once you caught your breath, knowing his cock likely twitched in his pants as he tasted you on his fingers. “And you owe me a new nightgown.”

“I ordered you a new one before you came in here,” he said, his expression smug as you turned your head to stare at him. “Now sit on my cock. We have a long night ahead of us.”

“Bossy Pakhan,” you teased.

But if giving you orgasms, ruining your clothes, and making new memories brought the light back in his eyes, you wouldn't complain.

Oh, to belong to him. Love and thanks for reading! 🧡

Masterlist ⚓ Bucky Barnes Masterlist ⚓ Ko-Fi

[jobean12-blog]

Kiss to Kiss

Pairing: Joel Miller x female reader

Word Count: 855

Summary: Joel is grumpier than usual and the only way to make it better is YOU.

Author's Note: This is a completely self-indulgent fic focused on his neck because not unknown to you all I'm obsessed with it and I could spend the rest of forever kissing his neck. Thank you all so much for reading! Much love always! ❤️❤️❤️Divider by the lovely @firefly-graphics thank you Daisy! 🥰

Warnings: soft and sweet fluff with LOTS of kisses, especially neck kiss

PS if you're looking for some yummy posts check out @iamasaddie post HERE. She has so many goodies! Thanks for the inspo sweets!

PPS I sprinkled a couple of yummy gifs in there too just bc 🫠

Pedro Pascal Character Masterlist

When the front door of your small house creaks open and then slams shut with a bang you turn off the oven and brush off your hands.

“Joel?”

The only response you get is in the form of an acknowledging grunt.

He’s standing in the hallway, one hand on his hip and the other rubbing his jaw. He looks lost in thought.

“What happened?” you ask quietly as you approach.

His brown eyes look up and you can see the lines on his forehead soften at the sight of you. He doesn’t answer and just tracks your movement until you reach him and press yourself closer.

Your fingertips lightly trace his jaw as you study his face.

“Come here,” you tell him before grabbing his hand and pulling him toward the couch.

He follows and promptly sits when you give him a little shove. Immediately, his legs spread wide and he places his elbows on his knees, massaging the bridge of his nose.

You stand between his legs and remove his fingers from his face, waiting until he sits back. Then you rest your hands on his broad shoulders and straddle his waist.

“You want to talk about why you’re so grumpy?”

As you ask the question you gently drag your fingers across his cheek and then the outline of his scruffy jaw. His gaze is trained on your face but when you lean in and press your lips to his neck you can feel him let out a deep exhale.

“Who said I’m grumpy?” he grumbles before his eyes close, dark lashes fluttering against his cheeks and his hands slowly slide up your thighs to settle on your waist.

You delicately drag your nose over his skin, stopping just below his ear to press another soft kiss there. Your lips linger on every inch of his neck and he sinks further into the couch, the tension sliding from his shoulders.

Your fingers toy with the already open collar of his shirt, dipping lower until you reach the first closed button. You pop it open and let your fingertips explore his newly exposed skin while keeping your lips on his neck. You find every little beauty mark and kiss it, nuzzling and breathing him in as you go.

He rests his head along the back of the couch and you take the opportunity to kiss along his collarbone and over the hollow of his throat, feeling the deep vibration of his satisfied hum.

When you reach the other side of his neck you start at his pulse point, nipping softly before trailing kisses all the way up to his other ear.

He slips his fingers under your shirt and digs them into your skin, holding you in place. Your lips graze his cheek until you find his mouth and press a feather light kiss there.

“Darlin’,” he murmurs, his eyes still closed. “More.”

You happily oblige and pepper his face with kisses. His forehead, his nose, his eyelids and every patch of gray that lines his cheeks. Without stopping you dip your head to his neck again and drag your mouth along his skin with light kisses.

Each time your lips pass his mouth he chases them.

He flattens his palms and slides his hands along the curve of your back then gently smooths them back down. You shiver from his touch and smile into his neck.

“That feels nice,” you whisper.

He does it again, keeping you close while you continue pressing your lips to the strong column of his neck. When you gently suck on his skin you can feel his hard swallow. His hands still and he moves you back so he can look you in the eyes.

“No more?” you ask.

“I always want more,” he answers.

“Do you want to tell me why you’re upset first?”

He slowly shakes his head no, tilting his face and gliding his hand up to your neck to bring your lips closer. His palm flattens against your cheek and he rubs his calloused thumb across your temple.

“Later,” he whispers against your mouth. “Talk later.”

His kiss is soft but still holds a desperation you’re all too familiar with and when he takes you in his arms and lays you on the couch, you welcome the comfortable and safe weight of him, wrapping you in his warmth and scent.

He cradles your cheek and brushes his lips across yours tenderly.

“I made cookies…” you tell him softly.

“Is that what I smell?”

His lips curve into a small smile and you quickly kiss them.

“Yep. You want some?”

He buries his face in your neck and runs his nose along your skin and when you feel his lips part to speak you answer for him before he has the chance.

“I know…later,” you say.

His gaze finds yours and he smiles again, his eyes closing when your fingers comb through his hair.

Your lips meet with a tug on his curls and he hums contentedly when you melt into the kiss, wrapping your arms around his neck and forgetting about everything else but him.

@littleseasiren @hiddles-rose @lizette50 @lorilane33 @blackwidownat2814

[cherienymphe]

Southern Charm (Rafe Cameron x Reader x Chase Andrews)

Warnings: NON-CON, stalking, underage drinking, crossover

➥ you don’t have to be familiar with Where The Crawdads Sing to follow along with any characters in this fic. Just know that he’s a 1960s version of Rafe with a domestic violence + attempted rape charge

➥ banner by @vase-of-lilies | divider by @firefly-graphics​

summary: Privileged assholes always want what they can’t have. Or, alternatively, you turn down the wrong guys one too many times.

~

Chase Andrews was one of the proudest men you ever knew. He was also one of the most determined, so, in truth, you didn’t know why you expected anything less when you turned him down more than three months ago. You hadn’t given it much thought, to be honest. He was a simple guy asking out a simple girl, and the rejection shouldn’t have been any more complicated than that.

You’d forgotten that you were dealing with Chase Andrews.

If you hadn’t been so determined to get home before your mom threw a fit, you might’ve paid more attention to the way his face had fallen. You might’ve noticed the slight tightening of his jaw, the way he pulled his lip between his teeth, or the way he’d completely faltered altogether as if your refusal had been the last thing he’d expected. You might have even noticed the glint that passed through his eyes, signaling less than friendly thoughts as you tossed him a quick apologetic smile.

If you hadn’t been in such a hurry, you just might have noticed the way he stared after you, half in disbelief and half affronted.

You hadn’t though, and so you’d made your way home none the wiser to the dark thoughts brewing behind a familiar face. You’d greeted your mom with a quick hug before hurrying to your room. You plopped your purse down onto your bed without another thought spared towards Chase Andrews. After all, he was a simple guy who’d asked out a simple girl that only resulted in an equally simple rejection.

What had there been to linger on?

You hadn’t even brought it up to Kie, that’s how insignificant it had been to you. You told your best friend everything, and somehow, it really had slipped your mind that pretty rich boy Chase Andrews had asked you out on a date. It was only weeks later when you were forced to think on it some more did you realize that deep down, you’d written the whole thing off as some cruel dare.

It seemed like something right up his alley, pushed into it by equally troublesome friends.

You didn’t grow up along the rougher areas of the island, but that also didn’t mean you’d spent your time growing up around guys like that either. Guys like Chase grew up with everything and anything they could want, unfamiliar with the word ‘no’. You grew up fortunate, that you would always admit, but you hadn’t grown up like people like Chase. You hadn’t been raised to walk through life with the assumption that anything—and anyone—was yours if you wanted it.

So…maybe that was why you hadn’t anticipated any of it.

The sound of your name being called made you slow to a stop, and when you turned, the face matched the voice. Dark, almost black looking, hair and steel blue eyes contrasted against fair skin that looked like it barely saw the sun in spite of how much you always saw him out and about. Before you’d felt nothing at the sight of him, apprehension now gripped you instead.

Chase Andrews was a determined man.

“You heading home?”

It was a silly question.

He knew you were.

“Yeah,” you evenly told him.

He replied before you could give him some halfhearted reason as to why you needed to hurry away from him.

“Well, let me walk you…”

It was tempting, even if just for the sake of placating him. After all, maybe if you gave him a crumb, he’d be satisfied for the time being, but you wondered what kind of effect that deep southern drawl had on other women in town. You saw the way they flocked to him and hung off of his every word. There was something about that face that was disarming, you had to admit, but you didn’t make a habit of hanging around guys like Chase for a reason.

You were just about to refuse him, the umpteenth rejection within months, when it was his turn for his name to be called.

The familiar voice had contrasting reactions from you both, a slight frown between your brows while the dark-haired man sported a teasing grin when he turned around. You took the opportunity to take a step away from him, glad that he was too distracted by the sight of his cousin to notice. Dealing with one spoiled rich boy was one too many, never mind the presence of two.

Rafe Cameron was just as tall, just as pretty, just as rich but far more entitled than his dark-haired counterpart. He was an impulsive short fuse compared to Chase’s icy disposition. Where Rafe got into fights on the beach brought on by a coke fueled rage, Chase got drunk and harassed any unsuspecting less fortunate inhabitant who crossed his path. It had been years ago, but you could still remember the sound of his voice as he threatened to have some kid’s dad fired for simply bumping into him.

Rafe was proud to be an asshole while Chase liked to pretend that he wasn’t.

On their own, they were bad enough, but once together, you shuddered to think of what they could—and had—accomplish.

You only glanced over your shoulder once more as you quietly escaped what could’ve been another awkward encounter. Chase was already grinning at the dirty blond, an excited lilt in his voice as he talked about some party happening this weekend. In your efforts to make sure you were getting away unseen, your own gaze connected with a familiar blue one.

Rafe’s expression was even as he drank you in, nary an emotion flitting across it as he somehow both listened to the other man and kept his attention on you. A soft North Carolina breeze blew by, ruffling the few strands that grazed his forehead, and when his blue eyes lowered, straying from your own gaze and to parts of you you’d rather they didn’t, you finally turned back around.

Rafe Cameron, years ahead of his cousin, had asked you out once in high school. You’d been bolder then, less mature and lacking more than half the patience you carried now. You hadn’t just rejected him, but you’d told him in no uncertain terms that you didn’t like guys like him. You’d long suspected that he never really got over that, and you didn’t need to look over your shoulder again to confirm that he was still looking at you.

You could feel the heat of his gaze pressing down onto your back.

“Just give me five more minutes and then I’ll be ready,” Kie promised you, briefly touching your arm before hurrying into the back of her family’s restaurant.

The place was pretty packed today which made her parents’ decision to let her take off all the more surprising. Sarah Cameron was in the corner somewhere with her boyfriend Topper, the blonde throwing you a friendly smile when you came in. She was a lot closer to Kie than she was to you, and in truth, that was more so your doing than hers.

Rafe just wasn’t someone you wanted to interact with if you could help it, and considering that he and Chase were joined at the hip more like brothers than cousins, the desire to steer clear was doubly so.

You had just pulled out your phone to check your messages when a shadow passed over you. You didn’t pay it much mind, but the feel of their body heat mingling with yours clued you in on the fact that whoever they were, they were too close for comfort. You were both surprised and resigned when you heard a familiar voice.

“Picking up for Cameron.”

You tensed at the sound of that smooth voice, shrinking in on yourself as you continued to look ahead. Rafe knew that you knew he was there, and you could feel his eyes on you as you stared in front of you, waiting for Kie to return. You heard the blond next to you let out a small sigh, and you only glanced at him when he dared to move closer.

“You know,” he slowly and softly began, leaning in just a tad. “…you’re kind of hurting my cousin’s feelings.”

That was the last thing you’d expected to come out of his mouth, and you looked at him with a deep frown. There was a small smirk dancing on Rafe’s lips, the corner of his mouth quirked up just a tad, but there was an earnestness in his eyes that hinted at some truth in his words.

“Is that so,” you murmured, looking away. “I doubt that.”

You heard Rafe chuckle, but it was bitter, dry and lacking humor.

“He really hasn’t been anything but nice to you…and you treat him like garbage.”

Rafe’s voice had lowered some, an edge to it that forced you to look at him again. His expression wasn’t so mirthful, a smile or anything close to it nowhere in sight. Despite the volume in the restaurant, you felt like you and Rafe were the only ones in the place, and you swallowed.

“…and how do I do that? By politely turning him down?”

You kept going before he could intervene.

“How else should I do it? Or…would you be happier if I just didn’t turn him down, at all?”

You watched Rafe’s jaw tick as he ran his eyes over you, an iciness creeping into them that made you shudder. He stared at you just like that for what felt like a long time before finally speaking again.

“What’s your problem, Y/N?” he slowly wondered. “You think you’re too good for him or something?”

Such a thought was a great sin to guys like Rafe.

They had money and looks and influence, and so, that put them at a place where no one was off limits. The mere thought that you might think you were too good for his cousin Chase had his eyes flashing…because it wasn’t just about the dark-haired man. If you thought you were too good for Chase, then you thought you were too good for Rafe, and with just one look into a familiar blue gaze, you could tell that Rafe was transported back to senior year when you told him quite plainly what you thought of him.

“I don’t like guys like Chase,” you evenly told him.

You paid no mind to the way his expression hardened as he looked away. Rafe sniffed, pulling his lip between his teeth before meeting your gaze again, his own challenging.

“…and what is Chase like? What are guys like that…like…?”

Rafe was almost daring you to say it, to insult him and his family, and foolishly, you were glad to.

“Spoiled, entitled…guys who lose their temper when they don’t get their way,” you told him, holding his gaze despite how uncomfortable you felt. “You know.”

You pushed yourself to your feet just as Kie returned. She was in the middle of apologizing for the holdup when she cut herself off, coming up short at the sight of Rafe beside you. You were already walking away and urging her to follow before she could even acknowledge him.

“Was he bothering you?” she sternly asked the second you both made it outside.

“No,” you lied with a sigh. “Just Rafe being…Rafe.”

“Good,” she said with relief. “He’s been hanging around here a lot more, and as long as he isn’t causing trouble, who am I to tell him where he can and can’t go, but if he was bothering you, I’ll get my dad to ban him, I swear.”

A laugh was caught in your throat when her words registered. You frowned a bit as you followed her to her jeep, confusion filling you as you hopped inside.

“He has?”

“Yeah, him and Chase,” she groaned, starting the vehicle. “Neither of them gave that much of a fuck about my parents’ place before…”

You clicked your seatbelt with a frown, looking out of the window.

You told yourself that it was just a coincidence. The thought was laughable because when it came to guys like Chase and Rafe…there were no coincidences. You really hadn’t taken Chase seriously when he’d asked you out all those months ago, and the sentiment had held anytime he tried to approach you after. It was exhausting to keep turning him down, politely at that, and to ignore your increasing discomfort.

Chase had a way of crowding you, making you feel so small and at his mercy. The kindness in those blue eyes of his was never genuine, and you never had been fooled by that smooth baritone of his. He always had a look on his face like he was in on some joke you’d just never get, and to make it worse, he made you feel like you were the butt of it.

Truthfully, you didn’t know what Chase wanted with a girl like you, anyway.

You weren’t the partying type, so you’d definitely be no fun for him, and you’d never been eager to stroke his ego and tell him that he was even prettier than he believed. You came from money, sure, but not the kind that would make his mom satisfied. The woman had been convinced that some poor harlot was going to trap her son and swindle him for everything he had since he was a kid.

You really didn’t get what he wanted with you.

Both him and Rafe, to be honest.

Both were about as deep as a kiddie pool, but Rafe had always had a type, and you certainly weren’t it. You saw the kind of girls he hit on at parties, the kind of girls he walked around with, the kind of girls he slipped some free coke to. Rafe was nothing if not consistent in that regard, which made that moment in high school all the more confusing.

What made it even more confusing was that Rafe was obviously still hung up on it years later.

Unlike Chase, however, one hit to his ego was one too many.

“Chase…what are you doing here?”

It was hours later when you found yourself standing on your steps. No one had been more surprised than you when your mom announced that Chase was here to see you. Your dad’s pinched face was burned into your memory as your mom forced him to mind his business.

The dark-haired man before you let out a chuckle, but it sounded…off. It didn’t sound like a laugh born from amusement, but one bred from confusion instead.

“I’m wondering the same thing,” he told you, although his smile didn’t reach his eyes. “You must have rejected me about…seven times by now.”

He laughed to himself again, his white button down pulling as he leaned against the porch post.

“I guess I just want to know why.”

His expression was polite, but his eyes told a different story, and you didn’t need to study the blue of them to know that he’d talked to Rafe. You forced yourself to take a deep breath, crossing your arms over your chest as you briefly glanced away. You could feel his unwavering gaze, both studying you just for the hell of it and because he wanted to know what you were thinking.

“I’m sure Rafe told you why,” was your remark.

When you looked at the dark-haired man, his own jaw had tensed some, face taut, and he nodded with a glance towards his feet.

“Look…I’m not the kind of guy you think I am,” he finally said, perfect teeth winking at you as he grinned, like the thought was laughable to him. “I just…”

He exhaled.

“We’ve both grown up here, and went to school together, and I don’t see the point in pretending like I don’t notice you,” he drawled. “I like you…and I’d like to take you out.”

Truthfully, you couldn’t tell how genuine Chase was, but your familiarity with him had your response on the tip of your tongue before he could even finish.

“Guys like you don’t like girls like me, Chase,” you’d started, turning to go back inside. “At least not for anything more than one fun night.”

When your eyes met his from the other side of the screen, they didn’t look so warm, now. The blue of them seemed darker, although you preferred to write that off to a trick of the light. He looked like he wanted to say more, but you continued just as he opened those pink lips of his.

“Go home, Chase.”

You didn’t wait to hear any kind of response.

You really hadn’t anticipated any of it.

Chasing you down on the sidewalk or approaching you in the street was one thing, but Chase showing up on your doorstep one evening had spooked you, and it was why you’d had no qualms about being straight with him and telling him to just go home. His determination to have you, despite your visible discomfort at the thought, had made it hard to sleep that night, but you’d hoped that your point had gotten across.

…and while Chase hadn’t made a move on you again, you still found no relief.

He and Rafe hung out at The Wreck more often than they ever had, and while they kept their distance, the feel of an oppressive gaze was hard to ignore. You told yourself that you just imagined the sound of a familiar truck driving by your house in the dead of night. It was a small town, and just like before, you’d run into a familiar face often. That was nothing new…

Chase Andrews wasn’t trying to wear you down for a date anymore, but you still felt no peace.

“Why didn’t you say something earlier?” Kie wondered one day, voice heavy with concern. “…and here I thought that they’d developed a taste for my mom’s cooking.”

“I thought he was joking at first,” you confessed. “…and then he just kept asking…”

You felt almost embarrassed to admit how wrong you’d been. After all, you were way too old for childish dares, and when Chase Andrews wanted something, he got it. He was a lot like Rafe in that way, something you’d always known, and yet…you hadn’t anticipated any of it.

From either of them.

“Just stay over at my place,” Sarah Cameron had offered one night.

It was a party that you’d been the one to drag Kie to, but your inebriation was something that took both of you by surprise. You’d felt too bad to stay and didn’t want to cut Kie’s night short too. The blonde girl had been concerned when she convinced you to let her drive you back to her place.

“I know how your mom can be sometimes.”

Almost everyone did, and you’d thanked her.

You’d been grateful.

Sarah residing in the same house as Rafe hadn’t been a concern of yours. Nor the fact that he might not be alone. You’d only been concerned with drinking lots of water and laying down to keep your head from spinning. When you woke up in the middle of the night, you were a lot more sober, and the trek to the bathroom wasn’t one filled with stumbling.

Your shower made you a lot more alert.

…and you were wide awake when you almost bumped into Rafe Cameron. He didn’t look as shocked to see you in his house like you’d expect, only mildly surprised. You did flinch at the sight of him, and you didn’t miss the way his blue eyes ran over the length of you, lingering on your legs and the shirt that kissed your knees.

He didn’t say anything like you expected, and you only forced out a small apology before hurrying back to the guest room.

It had never occurred to you to lock it.

Rafe was annoying and insufferable and an asshole. The oldest Cameron was a lot of things, but there were even some things you’d put past him. So, waking up in the early morning before day by the sound of the guest room door opening was something you hadn’t predicted. The oldest Cameron chewing you out, with blown pupils you might add, was something you hadn’t predicted.

“Do you know how much shit I could’ve put you through?”

You glared at him, but inside, you were shaking. The blond had taken it upon himself to air out his grievances with you, and you were wholly aware of just how unstable he was when he had any drug in him.

“You walk around this island like you’re too good for me,” he murmured, reaching up to touch his chest. “Like I’m just the scum you find on the bottom of your shoe…and instead of being grateful I didn’t make your life a living hell…”

He threw his arms out.

“You turn your nose up at me…like you’re so much better than me.”

You swallowed, torn between wanting to placate him and get him out or treating him like the asshole he was.

“Rafe, you’re high and…”

“…and what?” he leaned in, tilting his head at you. “What?”

Your breathing was uneven, and you wrapped your arms around yourself, taking a step back from him. The blond followed, and you worriedly looked towards the door.

“You think Sarah’s gonna save you? You think I care if she sees what I’m going to do to you?”

His words had you frowning, and your gaze was stricken when you looked at him again.

“That’s not funny, Rafe,” you breathed.

He chuckled to himself, running his hand through already unruly hair.

“…and what makes you think I’m joking…?”

The silence between you was loud, thick, and you furiously blinked.

“You walk around this damn island like I can’t have you…when truth is, I was just being nice,” he sneered. “…because it’s actually so easy for me to do this.”

His hand completely enveloped your chin, fingers harshly pressing into your jaw as he pushed you back. The action made you stumble, and your heart skipped a beat when you landed on the bed behind you. Rafe chuckled to himself at the sight, like he genuinely found it funny, and any possibility that he was being cruel in his humor was gone when he grabbed the ankles that kicked out at him.

“Rafe, stop,” you gasped, pushing at his chest and trying to back away.

He did pause in his movements, but he kept hold of you, head tilted to the side as he studied you.

“…and why would I do that…? I don’t want to,” he slowly told you.

Movement behind him caught your eye, and relief filled you at the sight of a familiar face. It was strange that in all these months, you never thought your eyes would land on Chase Andrews in relief. Rafe, clearly having noticed your line of sight, glanced over his shoulder.

“What?” he distractedly wondered, looking at you again. “You think he’s going to save you?”

His tone was cold, and his words had your relief quickly dying out. Rafe chuckled at the sight of your falling face, heart sinking as the worst finally occurred to you.

“You think he’s not going to watch and get off on the fact that the girl he’s wanted for months is getting what she deserves?”

Rafe’s grip was firm as he pulled at your shirt, the fabric tearing in the otherwise quiet room. You fought against his hands through teary eyes, but it was like they meant nothing at all to Rafe.

“You don’t think he’s just waiting for his turn?”

Your hand connected with Rafe’s face then, but it didn’t deter him.

In that moment, it seemed like all of Rafe’s pent-up anger towards you was finally coming out. His teeth grazed your skin as he held you down, his other hand digging into your hip. Rafe seemed to take delight in your fight, your fear, and when you turned your head, your eyes connected with a blue pair that was much darker than the ones before you.

Chase didn’t look gleeful at the sight of Rafe forcing himself on you. He just looked…satisfied, and you realized then that the blond was right. Chase was scorned, he felt slighted, and you knew that he really did believe that you deserved this.

When Rafe pushed himself into you, your head pressed into the bed as you gasped in shock. His dirty blond strands were kissing your forehead as he leaned over you, pushing his cock into you almost lovingly. One hand was so tight on your wrist that it was a wonder it didn’t break, and despite how much you fought it, how much you didn’t want to give either of them the satisfaction, you weren’t able to hold in a sob.

“What’s that my mama used to always say…” Chase wondered, finally speaking. “Stop crying before I give you something to cry about?”

He was moving towards you both, and through a tearful gaze, your pleading eyes connected with his own emotionless ones. He ran them over you, taking in your naked frame and the abuse that Rafe subjected it to. In truth, Chase didn’t even look like he was enjoying himself, his hands in his pockets as he looked down his nose at the scene.

“Chase,” you tearfully begged him, trying to push Rafe off with your free hand.

“No,” he drawled, moving closer. “You don’t like guys like me, remember? So, don’t go begging for my help, now.”

When he leaned over from behind you, one hand taking yours before he did the same with the other, more tears fell. His grip was tight on your arms as he held you in place for Rafe, the blond using the opportunity to run his hands over you. His mouth left open mouth kisses to your neck and chess, and you blinked for half a second before Chase’s lips met yours.

The kiss was oddly gentle, so out of place, and a sob caught in your chest.

“That was all I ever wanted,” he murmured. “It didn’t have to be like this.”

Rafe’s cock stretched you out in a way that had you whimpering. From pain or something else, you didn’t know the answer, and you were too embarrassed to linger on it. When he lightly bit your chest, you arched into his mouth, and his hips curved into yours.

“I thought you were too good for me, Y/N,” Rafe mocked into your skin. “The way you’re gripping me says differently.”

You squeezed your eyes shut at that, and Chase chuckled.

His own teeth found your neck, and you tried to move your hands again only to hiss when he tightened his grip. The room was mostly quiet outside of your heavy breathing and the occasional moan that would escape against your will. Chase had your arms and Rafe had your legs, holding your thighs apart for him to drive himself into you without abandon.

When Chase did finally let you go, you felt no relief.

You could hear him getting undressed, and when Rafe finally came inside of you, emptying his cock and forcing you to milk him, he looked up at the other man with a chuckle. You were free for all of six seconds before Chase grabbed you and roughly threw you onto your stomach. His hand at the root of your hair forced your head down against the mattress, and if you’d doubted his motives before, they were all too clear when he finally spoke again.

“I was polite…wasn’t I?”

His lips were at your ear, but a whisper as he seemed to want something from you other than sex tonight.

“I asked you out nicely, made sure you got home safe…didn’t I?”

You reached back, pressing your nails into his skin as your tears soaked the sheets.

“Didn’t I?” he wondered again when you didn’t answer.

“Yes,” you sobbed.

You heard him take a deep breath, and his free hand curved into your hip. When he pulled you back onto his cock, you let out a whine, eyes squeezing shut at the feel of him fitting snuggly inside of you.

“…and this is how you treat me?” he wondered out loud, hips snapping against yours.

His thrusts weren’t as gentle as Rafe’s, and you gasped with each one. Rafe’s anger at your rejection was a lot calmer. It was something that had been brewing and festering for years. He’d had time to come to terms with it and just live with it, you supposed. Chase, on the other hand…

The dark-haired man had been after you for months, putting his pride and ego aside to make his intentions clear over and over again. His anger was new…fresh, and he hadn’t quite had the time to process it like Rafe had. All Chase wanted to do was take out this new anger on you.

…and that he did.

Your nails clawed at the sheets as he pushed into you, the sound of his cock thrusting into you so embarrassingly loud in the room. His grip was tight in your hair, so bad that you swore you felt a few strands pop. He was talking to you—or Rafe—but you couldn’t make it out. You were too focused on the pain in your scalp and the fire deep in the pit of your stomach.

“You think you’re better than me? Hmm?” he spat, the hand on your hip pushing your lower half down onto the bed. “You think you can just treat me like any of these second-rate assholes?”

It was clear that he wanted an answer.

“Huh?”

“No,” you sobbed, trying to push back against him to no avail.

“Is that supposed to make me feel better? You don’t sound sorry worth a damn,” he harshly whispered, the bed shaking from the force of his thrusts.

“She’s not,” you heard Rafe add, and you trembled.

“I am,” you sobbed, finally cracking. “I’m sorry.”

You sniffed, trying in vain to get Chase to loosen his hold.

“I’m sorry,” you tearfully told them again, toes curling at the feel of his cock plunging into you and sliding against your walls.

“Nah,” you heard Chase drawl, leaning down to press his face into your hair. “You’re not sorry…but I can promise you this.”

He forced you to turn your head, and his soft lips gently brushed the corner of yours.

“You will be.”

~

tags: @aniquas​​ @softcoreparadise​​

[aklaustaleteller]

Not For A Long Time

Klaus returns back to his lover omega's cottage after a long time, and he wants nothing more than to just mark her as his, all over again. But all Y/n seems to want, is to eat her dinner and get on his nerves, ...and to absentmindedly rub herself all over him.

Warnings - allusions of smut, and Alpha/Omega dynamic.

Word Count - 1.3k

Masterlist | Please reblog if you like the fic!

This is something I found in my drafts and well, let's just say I wanted to get it out of there. It's quite aimless and silly, and doesn't have my best writing skills used, but I still hope you enjoy reading hahah <3 (I lowkey enjoyed writing this type of fic though, so do let me know if I should write more stuff like this!!)

A candle flickered in the middle of the kitchen island, its crackling being the only sound other than one of the running water in the sink.

The fridge was, quite carelessly, left open ajar as Y/n kept herself busy on the other end, washing the rice before she could cook it. She hummed a very gentle tune, or it could be a rock song that her soft voice just happened to make sound similar to a lullaby.

It was as she was taking out a casserole from the fridge that she felt the night wind come in with a rather strong force, freeing some of her loose hair strands from where they were tucked behind her ear.

"Klaus, how lovely it is to see you," she smiled, closing the fridge and lifting her gaze from the stove to settle it onto the charming intruder.

"Hello, love," he pursed his lips before a smirk dug out one of his dimples. "It's been quite a long time," he continued, strolling closer to her.

Shaking her head, she turned away from him to focus on the task at hand. "A week is not a long time, Klaus," she said with a chuckle.

"Not even when it's your lover Alpha that's been gone?" He asked as a whisper in her ear, resting his chin on her shoulder while snaking his arms around his waist from behind.

"I'm afraid I cannot give you the answer to that in just words," she answered, her voice having gone quieter along with his, and turned her face to press a peck on the corner of his mouth, doing it again when a smile stretched out on his lips.

He sighed then, letting his eyes fall shut as he breathed in her scent. The smell of old books, soil after it's just rained along with some hint of a rose and finally, her blood, knocked his senses out for a couple seconds.

It reminded him of the first time he had caught the whiff of her scent from a couple miles away, the full moon shining down on him and making his night-sky fur look silkier than it was. Taking advantage of being in his wolf form, he’d chased down the scent and ended up coming to a halt in front of a front garden lit up with warm lights coming from inside the cottage.

He'd seen a couple fireflies near the ivy that crept all over the walls from outside, making the building look rather earthly and older than the time itself. The noise of plates and bowls clattering didn't go amiss by Klaus, making him near the noise with deliberate steps.

Saliva coated his tongue as he finally stood just below the window, keeping himself hidden as his eyes peered inside to see a woman stirring something in a pot, sputters of laughter falling from her soft mouth as an energized dog skittered around her feet, clawing at her skirt to reach the treat she held up high in her free hand.

His lips had pulled back in a smile then, eyes unable to move on from her.

He'd returned every night since then, catching her attention on a particular one when she'd been out by the lake, crying in her knees and that was when Klaus had realised that the woman, he'd secretly been going mad after, was an Omega, left all alone when she should've been in an Alpha's arms, being taken care of in all shape and form.

And so, very calmly he'd approached her and when she'd realised that he was an Alpha wolf, she lost even that slight control over her emotions and clutched his fur as she cried into his neck, stutters and hiccups escaping her mouth until she'd calmed down and passed out, tired, in his presence.

That was the day he'd swore to himself that he wasn't going to let her end up hurt ever again. And as he took her home in his arms, silently hoping that she wouldn't wake up to catch him naked, he'd laid her in her bed when she allowed him to enter his home in a sleepy haze.

"Stay, Alpha?" she'd asked, her eyes moistening all over again and Klaus had not the heart to leave her be, causing him to lie down beside her and hold her in his arms as she purred and slept the night away, his body merely covered by her sheets.

Since that night, he'd learned that she'd been crying that day because her puppy-dog had been adopted by someone in the town who had also adopted his siblings. He would be happier with them, she'd sobbed into his arms while telling him, trying to reassure herself over Klaus.

And also, the fact that she was, indeed, an Omega yet to be claimed by an Alpha. She'd yet to give herself to him completely, to surrender herself to be his to love and care for. But Klaus understood that, accepted her past traumas and allowed her time to open up to him day by day.

"I was just preparing dinner. Care to join this lonely Omega, Alpha?" She asked, giving him her full attention after finally placing the food on the stove.

Looking at him doe eyed as he cupped her cheeks and pressed a kiss on her mouth, she whimpered when a growl rumbled deep in his chest, meant to be heard just by her.

"Of course," he accepted gently, backing her up until she was sat on the kitchen island.

She motioned for him to wait, and Klaus looked at her confusedly before he saw her blow out the candle behind her. A chuckle came from him, finding the action cute.

Y/n faced him again with a sloppy smile on her face, letting him press kisses on her mouth over and over again until he had her laughing and pulling away from him. He chased after her nonetheless -- pressing his mouth to her forehead, cheeks, nose, chin and continued to pepper kisses down her jaw.

And it was when he reached her collarbone that he truly began marking her. He left a trail of love bites behind as he scattered his kisses all over the exposed skin. Her little whimpers and moans only made him hungrier for her, making him pull her hair back, giving him more skin to mark up.

"Klaus --" she began but he cut her off with a hiss.

"Now, darling," he breathed warningly against her skin. "It’s Alpha," he corrected her.

"Pl-please, Alpha," Y/n purred, beginning to feel sensitive. "Need to turn off the stove, please," she begged him to let her get away, and Klaus did.

Lifting her off the counter, he let her wrap her legs around his waist as he walked over and turned off the stove and moved on to speed up the stairs.

He laid her on the fluffy bed that reeked of her scent but before he could lie down over her and rid her of the clothes that got in the way of his mouth and her skin, she was out of the bed and running away from him, spurts of laughter falling from her lips.

His eyes flashed golden just for a second before he was chasing after her, finding the situation rather amusing.

"I'm hungry, Alpha. Won't you eat with me?" She said out of breath when he caught up to her, snatching her from behind and into his chest.

And her giggles stopped altogether when she heard him growl, this time louder to warn her against disobeying him as she realised that she’d begun getting on his nerves now.

"Please Alpha?" She mewled for him, getting him with those eyes all over again as he accepted her pleas and took her over to the dining table, bringing her the dinner and feeding it to her whilst she sat in his lap, talking about all the happenings that she came across while he was gone, not for a long time, clearly, as she couldn’t stop absentmindedly rubbing herself all over him.

[trinittyy]

fic recs

just a little assortment of my favorite works to keep track of them and also show love to the respective writers.

note - a majority, if not all, of the following works contain dark content that some could find triggering. tread carefully.

divider by @firefly-graphics

toxic affection - @love-toxin

warnings: harassment, bullying, some violence, forced relationship

pairing: yandere!bakugou x reader

literally unashamed to say that BNHA fanfiction is what brought me to Tumblr

but this was one of the first I found and it's epic

what's your escape - @gotnofucks

warnings: obsession, possessive behavior, non-con

pairing: dark!sherlock holmes x reader

the man is disastrously down bad for the poor reader

she was so witty and clever but in the end, he got what he wanted in the most satisfying way

infatuation - @darkficsyouneveraskedfor - masterlist

warnings: mentions of stalking, obsession, non-con

pairing: dark!clark kent x reader

poor girl didn't have a clue or a chance in the world to escape this man

sidenote: I can't add Roo to the recs without mentioning just how talented she is. She was the first proper introduction to dark fics in the Marvel fandom and I've been hooked ever since. The amount of detail and dedication that goes into her work is noticeable and she's a talent that deserves recognition. It's one thing to make me like a fic or two of my favorite Marvel men but another to have me thirst over shit I didn't think I'd like.

naughty ransom holiday tales - @jtargaryen18

warnings: kidnapping, non-con, dub-con

pairing: dark!ransom drysdale x reader

guilty pleasure series

hate to love ransom but I can't help it

what the king has - @sincerelythedarkside

warnings: dub-con, character death

pairing: soft!dark steve rogers x reader

royal au

love me a good jealous steve

plot twist shocked the shit outta me

smut was out of this fucking world

love bites - @cherienymphe - masterlist

warnings: character death, jealousy, non-con

pairing: dark!steve rogers x reader, peter parker x reader

modern vampire au (what's not to love there)

this actually made me cry like a bitch

ongoing series

sidenote: Seeing as Cherie will be on this list many times, I have to say it's difficult not to add every piece of work on this list because while some writers have a magnum opus, everything she writes is a work of art. Her range and the backstory she puts in her characters make each story feel like a movie I just can't get enough of. Will forever love her writing.

kryptonite - @cherienymphe

warnings: non-con, obsession

pairing: dark!bruce wayne x reader

the build-up and tension gave me actual chills

trailer park babydoll - @mypoisonedvine

warnings: dub-con, infidelity, age gap

pairing: wayne munson x reader

guilty pleasure fic

absolute filthy smut

wrath of the dragon - @straywords

warnings: non-con, chasing

pairing: dark!daemon targaryen x reader

yet another down bad man

overdue - @darkficsyouneveraskedfor

warnings: creepy curtis, non-con, obsessive behavior

pairing: dark!curtis everett x reader

there's little to nothing i love more than a good ole broody man with attachment issues

anxious - @syntheticavenger

warnings: stalking, kidnapping

pairing: dark!peter parker x reader

tasm peter

cutest in a way lol little fic

the dream that got away - @dotieeee

there's not nearly enough dark fics ft my fave peter so I love this one

warnings: dub-con, non-con, manipulation, controlling behavior, obsession

pairing: dark!morpheus x oc!mera

probably the first dark fic about morpheus

each chapter was a masterpiece

and i still haven't seen the show lol

thanks for the invite - @syntheticavenger

warnings: non-con, bitchy friend behavior, implied drugging (i think), oral (f receiving), slight bondage

pairing: dark!lloyd hansen x reader

a funny little unhinged lloyd fic

rsvp - @syntheticavenger

warnings: dub-con, hide and seek, exasperated bodyguard, exhibitionism (a bit)

sequel to the fic listed above

lloyd is still unhinged and reader is still suffering

[dewdropdinosaur]

Sweet Suffering - A Dead by Hazbin Production

Summary: You weaved across the map, generator after generator starting to hum with life. So close to the end, the door nearly in sight. But he stalked you every night. And this time you wouldn't escape him. Warning: Smut, P in V, slight dub con, public sex, oral sex, sub/dom dynamics, possesiveness, yandere Zestial, etc. MDNI, 18+. You're responsible for your own media consumption. WOHOO! Happy Halloween! I want to thank @fraugwinska and @macabr3-barbi3 for setting up this event. Go check out the other Dead by Hazbin fics/art on Tumblr and Ao3!

Notes: Human!Zestial x Reader → Human appearance but still has demon powers. 7e38b1d2762744aebaa89a641b39bb5b.jpg F2d0040f-d3e5-40b9-aadb-e76bcd7bb0af-1-5-400x0.webp For the loves of my horny heart @xalygatorx and @kewpikayo

The fog curled around the trees like a living thing, twisting and distorting the very fabric of reality. Zestial, found himself in this nightmarish landscape, drawn by the thrill of the hunt and the allure of control. Killed unfortunately by an attack from Heaven, The Entity offered him revenge and rewarded him well for his work, as he served dutifully. 

Landing in the Garden of Joy, nestled properly in the Gazebo, he waited for the game to begin.

He prowled the parking lot with a predatory grace, his eyes glinting with a mix of hunger and something darker. His prey was you, a survivor with a fierce determination and a spirit that intrigued him. You had survived each killer and round thus far, sometimes single-handedly starting every generator and making it to the exit gate.. Beguiling every attack and every attempt. 

As he spotted you sprinting through the underbrush, heart pounding, he felt an inexplicable pull—a sick attraction that stirred something deeper within him.

You ducked behind a crumbling wall, breath coming in frantic gasps. You could hear him, the way his footsteps echoed with confidence, each step a reminder that you were not alone in this twisted game. The thrill of survival sent adrenaline coursing through your veins, catching sight of Zestial’s silhouette against the dim light, his green eyes glinting in the moonlight sending a shiver down your spine. He had always been quick, sparing no one. The Entity loved him for that, the lack of mercy satiated Her appetite. 

Zestial's voice, smooth and taunting, slithered through the air. “You can’t hide forever, darling. The game has only just begun.” He relished the chase, the way you darted from one hiding spot to another, each movement a dance of desperation that captivated him. He loved this part the most. As you weave through the obstacles, quickly jumping from one generator to the next, like a firefly flickering in the darkness. And he, the moth, was drawn to your light. With each close call, he felt a twisted thrill—every encounter more electrifying than the last, the line between hunter and hunted blurring.

In a moment, everything was still. No rustling of leaves, no wind blowing across the Gazebo. All five generators are up and running. This was it, the chance to escape. Finally heading towards the exit gate, in a flash of black and green, you stumbled over a log; and Zestial seized the opportunity. He appeared before you in a wisp of black smoke, towering and imposing, but there was an odd gentleness in his gaze. “Why dost thou run?” he asked, a smirk playing on his lips. “Don't thou want to indulge me, darling?”

Your heart raced, not just from fear but something mild stirred within your chest at the sight of his eyes. Piercingly green, like a cool spring day in the mountains as rain fell upon a forest. One could easily sense the darkness within him, yet something about his intensity called out. “I don’t want to play.” you shot back, voice firm despite your body’s trembling.

Zestial’s smirk widened, intrigued by the defiance. “Ah, but that’s the beauty of it. Thou art challenge. And challenges make the hunt worthwhile.” He leaned closer, his voice low and seductive, “Thou thinkest you can escape me, but I promise, I’ll always find you.”

With a sudden burst of energy, you dash away, heart pounding as you navigate the maze of trees and debris. But Zestial was relentless, shadows clinging to him like a second skin. He reveled in the chase, the thrill of the hunt intertwining with a dangerous obsession.

One glancing encounter became a twisted dance—a game of cat and mouse where every near miss only heightened the tension. Each time he caught a glimpse of your defiance, Zestial felt that sick attraction grew. Sprinting towards the exit gate, a glimmer of hope surges through your heart. But Zestial was already there, blocking the path, a predator cornering its prey. “Thou canst escape, my dear,” he purred, his voice a blend of danger and allure. “And honestly, why would thou want to?”

You stood your ground, trembling but unyielding. “I won’t let you take me,” you declare, determination shining through the fear. At that moment, Zestial’s expression shifted, a flicker of something almost resembling respect sparking in his eyes. “Then let’s see how far thee can run,” he replied, stepping back, giving you a chance to flee—just this once. The Entity loved the delicious emotions that emitted from his victims, She would certainly enjoy this one.

Taking off, heart pounding, mind racing; your legs were pumping as hard as they could go, sweat making hair stick to the nape of your neck. You didn’t know what this strange occurrence meant, but one thing was clear: in this deadly game, Zestial was more than just a hunter. He was a game master, enjoying the sick thrill of the hunt. 

Wisps of shadow danced around tauntingly, Zestials cold laugh echoing throughout the parking lot. Veering left, right, and center; no escape was possible from the cold bitter gaze that followed you wherever you went. You could feel your legs starting to give out, the harsh underbrush cutting them to oblivion. And yet, mercy was not in the cards today. 

Without warning, Zestial appeared in front of you, wielding a malicious-looking scythe over his shoulder, the bloody blade glinting in the moonlight. He held the old and elegant weapon with ease, having wielded the weapon for a long while. 

 “Tch, tch. I thought thou would get farther my dear. I am disappointed in thee.” Backing up in fright and looking around frantically for any route of escape, you found none. 

“Please, come on. Can’t we work something out–” Taking a breath, summoning the last vestiges of courage. “Wait!” you shouted, voice trembling. Zestial paused, curiosity flickering in his cold gaze. “Deals…you like deals. I know you do. You…bargain with your victims.”

His lips curled into a smirk, a predatory gleam igniting his eyes. “And what could a survivor like thee possibly offer me?”

Desperation clawed at your insides. “Whatever you want…just please. I–I don’t want to die….”

He tilted his head, the air thick with tension. “Thou thinkest yourself so brave?”

Gulping, mild confusion spread across your features at his words. “Just…name your price.” 

Zestial’s laughter echoed through the trees, deep and menacing. “Interesting, indeed. Very well.” Stalking forward with calculated steps, his long robe dragged across the ground, making it look like he was a grim reaper coming to take you away. Swinging the scythe off his shoulder, Zestial brought the tip of the blade to lift the edge of your chin; he could end it all right here. One slice and it would all be over. But the thought of having a bargaining chip, to extend this already oh-so-delicious chase, the mere idea taunted his conscience. The Entity wouldn’t mind, She would love the scrumptious emotions he was about to pull out of this defiant survivor. 

Sliding the blade lower, it scratched the surface of your collarbone, leaving a small trickle of blood in its wake. His proximity is overwhelming, his presence dominating completely. Grinning down at your wild eyes, clearly enjoying the control he has. He leans in even closer, breath ghosting over the shell of your ear; voice now a low, seductive murmur.

"Tell me," he says, his tone smooth and commanding. "Dost thou know what I can do to thee? Dost thou know the power I hold over thee?"

You gulp, the sting of the blade sending shivers down your spine. This shouldn’t be this attractive, this killer, this monster shouldn’t be the object of any affection. Yet he is. "Oh, my dear," he says, "Thou continue to underestimate me. I have so many ways to make thee submit, to show thee who's in charge here."

He leans in closer, his lips now nearly brushing against you as he speaks."Would thou likest a demonstration?" he whispers. "A little taste of what thou hast agreed to?"Zestial’s eyes light up with a cold intensity as he grins down at you, clearly relishing the challenge. Nodding dumbly, awestruck by the scene unfolding before your eyes; his touch, the blood dripping down your chest, the arousal pooling in your pants, it’s almost all too overwhelming to bear.

"Very well, my dear," he says, his tone still smooth and commanding. "Thou hast asked for it. Just remember, thou hast brought this upon thyself." With that, he swipes his blade down, tearing your shirt in two. Gasping at the sudden cool air that hits your torso and attempting to shield yourself with your arms, Zestial will not allow it. He grabs your chin in a firm grip, forcing your gaze to meet his own. His eyes burn with determination, a small inkling of something that lurks beneath the black and green orbs before he slams his lips onto your chapped ones. His lips trail kisses down your neck, his hands now roaming over your hips, squeezing gently. 

"Thou canst keep fighting me all thou wants, but in the end, thou will give in. Thou shall be mine." Zestial backs you into the nearest tree, his body now pressing you against the cold wood as he devours your neck. His tongue explores the soft, sensitive flesh, claiming it as his own. Pulling back, mind reeling with emotions, you break the kiss. Panting, hair disheveled, you can’t help but marvel at the string of saliva that connected your lips. This was too much, too insane even for you, the one stuck and supposedly succeeding in this wretched game. While continued life was promised, was having relations with this most infamous killer really worth it? How did you know he would keep his promise, why was the Entity allowing this? Question after question floods your mind, a mirage of emotions and apprehensions. 

Sensing this, Zestial bends to nip at your neck, making you let out a soft moan. His eyes darken as he grins at your weakened and pliant state, the hoarseness of your voice a clear indication of the effect he's had. "Thou thinkest thou can fight this, my dear?" he says, his voice now a low growl, "Thou thinkest thee can resist my power?"

He pins his arms around you once more, inching closer, eyes fixated on the way your chest rises and falls with each gasp for air. "Thou hast already lost," he murmurs, his voice filled with a seductive menace. "Thou art too stubborn to admit it. My perfect little survivor…” Mewling in protest as he continues the assault on your neck, his lips slowly maneuvering down to suck at your breast, you desperately try to remove him. 

"Mmm, keep denying it," he whispers, his lips now moving to your hips as he sinks to his knees "But thine body betrays thee, my dear. It responds so perfectly to my touch, so willingly."

Pulling down your pants, he is hit with the luscious scent of arousal staining your underwear. Diving into your clothed cunt, not caring to remove the offending article, he sucks and laps at the juices that continue to seep through. His mind drifts to the various ways he plans on ravishing you, the images only adding to his growing desire; his own evident by the tightening of his pants. Every so often, his gaze drifts over to look into your lust-blown eyes, taking in the appearance of the way sweat clings to your chest. He can tell your pulse is racing and it drives him mad. The feeling of your blood rushing, the noises she emits, the way the blood on your neck trickles down over the way he marks your flesh, it’s driving him insane. 

Tangling your hands in his hair, the pleasure slowly mounts as he continues his assault. You can feel him shudder as you rake your nails on his shoulders, leaving a trail of faint red lines in their way. Settling your hands to tangle and tug on his hair, moaning and arching into his wicked embrace; only serves to stoke the fires of his desire even higher. Finally deciding to remove your panties, Zestial lets them pool at your ankles as he plunges two fingers into your weeping pussy, using his tongue to now lick at your clit. Stretching you open, he adds a third finger; scissoring you wide. Your eyes roll into the back of your head and your body involuntarily shifts away from the overstimulation. Digging his other hand into your hip, Zestial holds you in place.

“Unless thou would like to be restrained, it would fare thee well to heed my advisories…A second attempt on my part shall not be made…”

The thoughts and stimulation nearly have you cumming on the spot, mumbling incoherently for just a bit more to push over the edge. Out on display for the world to see, taken ruthlessly against this tree by this dangerously handsome man is enough to have you about to burst. Smirking, Zestial enjoys the way his fingers are squelching in and out of your cunt, its walls squeezing onto him for dear life. 

“Thou shalt not deny me of thine embrace–”

Feeling the tension build, the coil in your stomach snapping; you cry out in pleasure. Cum now coated his fingers, a glittering white substance in the heat of the darkness. Sucking on them, he moaned at the taste, eyeing Y/N’s weak and disheveled form. He could kill her right now, have his fill. But there was so much more fun to have with her alive.

“Thou art mine now, I own thee, my darling. Thou art mine...willingly or unwillingly…” he mutters, his voice low and possessive. 

 “And I'm going to show thee just how good it feels to be mine.”

THE END

[raitonsfw]

𝓈𝓎𝓃𝑜𝓅𝓈𝒾𝓈: Yūta's hands trembled as he slipped off the lace of your clothing, silently admiring the way you fell open for him for the first time; your wedding dress hanging neatly on the back of the door.

warnings: 18+ mdni, smut, fem!reader, virgin!reader, virgin!yūta, newlyweds!reader & yūta, first time, shyness, bit of anxiousness, slight clumsiness, p in v intercourse, creampie, implied fingering at end, yūta's the only one who cums (but it's implied he helps the reader at the end)

a/n: will probably write a part two or like an actual fic for this one (i'm enamored by the idea of newlywed!yūta- maybe i'll have him fuck reader in the wedding dress next?) wc: 600ish v-day m.list | m.list

thirst count: 1

divider credit: @hitobaby & @firefly-graphics

The moon had hung low in the night, the glow ruminating off the luxury of the sheets that littered the bed. You had finally gotten all of the pins out of your hair, freshly washed and your skin lax with moisturizer as you laid there underneath Yūta– a bit frazzled. 

You barely knew what you were doing as you ran your hand down his chest, a quiet sigh escaping you when you reached towards the drawstring of his sweats– right above his hardened cock. His hair was still damp as it tickled the near back of your neck as he pressed light kisses within the crook of it. A quiet groan had fallen from his lips seconds prior to this; it made you freeze in your tracks– pulling away to look at him. 

“Yūta, is ever–” You began, your eyes searching his face for any discomfort but you were met with a soft kiss and his arms holding you gently in an embrace. You were relieved and nervous all at the same time, his lips moving against yours in a way you’ve never quite felt before. It was intoxicating and you felt the butterflies in your stomach flutter as one of his hands trailed down towards your shorts. 

“A-Are you okay?” He breathed against you, pulling back gently to look at you with those doe eyes of his and you nodded. Yūta looped his fingers into the cotton of the shorts, tugging them down along with your panties and you gasped lightly as you felt so exposed now. Of course, he’s seen you dress before but nothing like this– your beautiful figure now on display as he stared in awe at you. 

After a bit of fumbling, he managed to get the two of you completely naked– albeit he almost tripped trying to get his sweats off from the sheer anxiousness of actually having sex with you for the first time; for the first time in general.

You had tried not to stare at his body, but his cock was hard not to stare at as it curved against your thigh, heavy and hot and waiting to fill you full. Another insistent urge hit you and you needed him inside you now, a quiet whine escaping you. 

“Yūta, you can put it in.” You eased him from his thoughts as he planted kisses down your collarbone to your chest, a shaky hand fondling your breast with slight curiosity. He wanted to see what you liked and when you looked down at him with a small smile, a blush spread throughout his cheeks at your words.

His cock twitched as he positioned himself right against your entrance and you wanted nothing more than his lips on yours as he slowly sank in. You threaded your fingers against the back of his hair, pulling him in needily as he started to push into you, a quiet moan from him being swallowed by your kiss.

It felt so intense and a slight pain sensed you raw until Yūta rolled his hips into you more adamantly, your name being the only thing he knew as he made sure you were okay.

You felt every inch of him dragging alongside your walls and he couldn’t help but bury himself into the crook of your neck after a while, fucking into you to chase his fast release.

You felt so good around him– much better than his hand and it felt like his cock was going to explode with the pleasure that clenched around it, as you squeezed him so tightly with every rock forward. His eyes rolled back as he gasped through his orgasm, his fingers digging into your hips as a desperate attempt to pull you closer to him. 

And when he pulled out, his eyes glanced down to your cunt as it dripped full of his cum– a shy expression painting his face as his fingers went to swipe into it innocently. “Here– I’ll help you finish…”

[jen-with-a-pen]

F O X ＨＵＮＴ

summary: Not only has HYDRA executed their infiltration on S.H.I.E.L.D., but they have also reclaimed their finest weapon. Your safety isn't the only thing that's compromised.

pairings: WS!Beefy!Bucky Barnes x F!Avenger!Reader

word count: 6.1k

warnings: chasing, being hunted down, implied n0n-con elements, canon-level violence, cursing, implied t0rture, blood, beat1ngs, forced nud1ty, language, HYDRA-level cruelty, Bucky gets Brainwashed (again), there's Steve x Reader if you squint REALLY REALLY hard

read here on ao3!

a/n: This was inspired by last year's Whumptober Day 2: NOWHERE TO RUN - CORNERED, CAGED AND CONFRONTATION. I know it's February JUNE, but shit came up and my motivation tanked lmao thanks adhd med trials Literally have never done a dark(er?) fic before and this one has been cooking for god knows how fucking long now. I hope y'all like it <3 (also the hydra victory au is something i discovered from the lovely @lunarbuck reset series and stewed obsessively over for literal months now. still obsessed with it whoops)

dividers by @firefly-graphics | gif by @lost-shoe | @hydravictrix

my ao3 | my masterlist

Translations

Lisitsa | лисица - fox/little fox

Soldat | солдат - soldier

Syuda | сюда - over here

Khitraya suka | хитрая сука - sly bitch

Moy priz | мой приз - my prize

Glupaya pizda | глупая пизда - stupid cunt

Moye | мое - mine

The infiltration was subtle at the start.

A few missions gone mysteriously wrong, agents killed in action or disappearing entirely, hacks that were, thankfully, contained within an inch of a full-blown data breach. All of it seemed so coincidental when it happened, swept under the rug each and every single time before Director Fury could have a swear-filled say as to what the hell was going on. 

But hindsight is 20/20. It always is.

The day S.H.I.E.L.D. fell was, ironically, the perfect day: brilliant sunshine, clear blue skies, a breeze weaving between the towering buildings and skyscrapers. It was almost eerie, in a way, how perfect of a day it was. 

You found yourself in the gym, Steve and Sam hashing it out on whose turn it was in sparring. You had all but knocked Sam out cold in the previous round as Steve watched from behind the ropes, cheering you on with a cocky, proud grin as he watched all of his hard work in your training pay off.

Of course, the stubborn ass he was, Sam wanted another go. 

“C’mon, Steve! I wanna rematch!” Sam protested, gesturing wildly in your direction with one hand while his other held an ice pack to his bruised temple. Steve stifled a laugh, tossing a glance over his shoulder to you. You shook your head, smiling back as you gulped down the rest of your water bottle. Cool strands spilled out from the corners of your lips and down your chest. You welcomed the relief from the sweat gluing your t-shirt to your skin. 

“How ‘bout I take Steve instead of giving you another concussion?” you retorted, giggling as Sam shot a narrow look at you. He huffed, forfeiting his argument by waving a dismissive hand. 

“Fine, ’m gonna go find some pain meds,” he grumbled, turning to point a swollen finger at Steve. “I better see you in the infirmary next, Cap.” 

He stomped off through the metal doors and left the two of you in silence.

“Whaddya say, sweetheart? You up for round two?” Steve teased, stepping under the ropes and into the ring. He wrapped his hands as he moved to the center, muscle memory carrying him while keeping his eager gaze on you. His eyes carried excitement as they journeyed up and down your figure, rolling his lip between his teeth as he drank you with his stare. 

You did little to hide your pride at the Captain checking you out, chewing the corner of your cheek to tame your own smirk at the beautiful blond. You turned away, hiding the heat from your cheeks as you tossed your bottle at your bag. You weaved under the ropes, coming face to face with your willing opponent in the center. You lifted your chin to meet his, the hidden smirk on your lips growing into a grin.

“With you? Always, old man,” you purred. You tossed him a teasing wink as you positioned your fists in front of you, feet planted firmly in the starting stance. Steve lingered on you for a second longer, tongue swiping across his lips hungrily as he cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders, raising his hands to mirror you.

The two of you began to circle one another, dancing in a familiar pattern you knew by heart. Steve took his first swipe at you and you ducked, managing a hit to his stomach. A grunt escaped from him– not of hurt but of thrill. He lunged for you as you dodged again, blocking his failed strike to your head. 

“Wow! You really can’t teach an old dog new tricks!” you taunted, dodging another blow, his wrapped fist only grazing your shoulder. You rolled it back, holding back a slight wince as you continued the violent waltz. 

You lunged at him, instead faltering and falling to the ground. Readying the curse on your tongue, it stopped short of your lips as you looked up at Steve. 

He stood frozen in place, panting, fists at his sides clenching tighter and tighter. As you opened your mouth to unload even more cursing questions, screeching erupted from the loudspeakers around the room. High-pitched tones screaming above, a robotic voice speaking clinically and quickly. You scrambled off the floor, unease creeping in as you latched onto Steve’s arm, his arm tensing under your touch.

CODE WHITE. CODE SILVER. ALL SECURITY AND TEAM UNITS URGENTLY NEEDED. 40th FLOOR. THREAT IS ACTIVE AND HIGHLY DANGEROUS. REPEAT. CODE WHITE. CODE SILVER. ALL SECURITY AND TEAM UNITS–

The message had cut out, static replacing it alongside the echoing alarms throughout the hallways outside the gym. You looked up at Steve. Anxiety surged upon finding his face devoid of all blood, his jaw slack, eyes boring into the metal doors leading to the hallway. He looked scared. 

You’d never seen Steve scared before. 

“Steve, what the fuck was that–”

“Get to the locker rooms and hide,” he ordered. He pulled his arm from you, jumping over the ropes and sprinting to his duffel bag on the floor. He pulled out his phone and dialed frantically as he ran to the doors. 

“Steve!” You stood trembling in the ring as your stomach churned. 

“Now!” he yelled. “I’ll come back for you!” 

He didn’t wait to hear your response as he slammed the gym doors shut, followed by a whir and click.

He locked you in. 

You didn’t– couldn’t– hesitate as a surge of urgency overtook you. You needed to hide. Now. Fast.

Your legs carried you as you jumped out of the ring and raced to grab your duffel bag, sprinting to the back of the gym through another set of double doors. You wove through the tiled maze of the locker room searching for some sort of hiding spot, settling on the showers. You snuck over to the stall at the very end, the closest one to the emergency exit, and ducked under the opaque plastic curtain. Your bag fell to the floor as you climbed onto the stall seat. Blood pumped in your ears, thumping as quickly as your shaky, shallow breathing. Millions of thoughts and questions and worries rushed through your mind at impossible speeds.

White and Silver. Which alert was that for?

You racked through fleeting memories, distant recollections of training and orientation from months ago, searching for anything remotely familiar. You remembered all of the other codes– red, orange, teal– but no white, no silver. 

A faint buzzing sounded from inside your duffel. You lunged, unzipping it and fishing out your phone. Natasha. Her name lit up the screen and you frantically hit the answer key before the call could even think about dropping.

“Where the fuck are you?” Her panicked voice hissed into your ear. Her edged tone was enough to make your stomach backflip faster. 

“Locker rooms, forty-fifth floor. What the fuck is going on, Nat?” Your voice shook as anger and confusion boiled in your blood.

A muffled swear. “Where’s Steve?”

“He ran out, locked me in, told me to hide.” More incoherent curses.

“Fuck, fuck, okay, look, trust me on this, you need to stay where you are, okay? I can get you out, I–” 

High-pitched ringing overtook the speaker, sending you reeling away from the receiver. Static echoed out of the speakers.

“You what? Natasha!”

“No– time– you–”

“Natasha! Hello?”

Beep. Beep. Beep.

You tore the phone away from your ear and choked back the bile rising in your throat. Service was out. The blinking bars at the top of the screen mocked you and your sudden plunge into isolation. 

The lights went next. 

The dull fluorescents flickered. Someone cut the electricity, sending you into almost darkness as the backup generator lights kicked on. Scattered lights from above cast an eerie yellow glow over the shower tiles. You’d only seen this kind of outage happen once before, when New York was hit with Hurricane Noah a few years back.

The fear you felt in that storm paled in comparison to what you felt now.

You sighed, shaky and surrendering, and pulled your body closer to you on the shower bench. A chill snaked its way down your spine as your skin brushed the cool ceramic, an unwelcome addition to the cold already enveloping you. Your sweat-soaked t-shirt and shorts failed to aid you and your aching muscles. Fingernails dug into your kneecaps in a struggle to stop trembling as you tried to focus on your breathing. Inhaling, exhaling, in, out. Screwing your eyes shut, praying to any deity imaginable it was all just a drill, it was all an accident or a misunderstanding or–

The ground shook as a loud bang echoed from outside the locker room. A panicked yelp escaped your throat before your hands could scramble and cover your mouth. You froze as the tremors subsided and listened. It, or they, sounded close. 

Too close. 

Another BANG! Then another. 

Rhythmic, steady blows, each quicker and more powerful than the last. Hands clamped tighter over your lips until your blood froze at the sounds of crushing steel and crumbling concrete. The lump in your throat grew as horrific realization flooded over you. 

They, or it, broke in.

You couldn’t wrap your head around it– those doors were more fortified than Tony’s lab. Four-inch-thick, steel and plexiglass doors with a three-tier secured locking system. Nothing, nobody– not even the strongest Super Soldier– was powerful enough to make the faintest of dents in them.

Racing through who, or what, could have possibly broken into the gym, your train of thought derailed as echoes of men yelling indecipherable words and mixed commands shattered the remaining air of safety you clung to. Listening intently, a mix of combat boots and tactical gear filtered in with the echoed commands.

The S.T.R.I.K.E. Team.

Your legs begged for reprieve from crouching, but your body disobeyed and froze you in place. Part of you didn’t trust who was outside. Footsteps and gruff voices became heavier, closer. The relief that greeted you was replaced again by panic as you listened closer.

Clear, Russian commands resonated at the entrance to the locker rooms. They were coming in. 

Your breath hitched, blood running cold as footsteps closed in. It was one person, but their steps didn’t sound like the heavy boots before them. They sounded more like…

Sneakers?

The rubber from the intruder’s shoes squeaked on the tiled floors. Ragged breathing echoed off the walls. A low growl, accompanied by quiet whirring. Someone big, someone mean. 

Your heart made its way to your throat as the intruder inched closer. Slow, methodical, as if trained in search and rescue. 

It didn’t feel like a rescue.

The lump almost turned into a scream as an echoed BANG carried from the bathroom stalls around the corner. Silence followed, then a growl, then another BANG. The cycle repeated for the remaining stalls, the intruder slowly creeping along. Growls became deeper upon each disappointment. 

Hostages. They were looking for hostages.

Soles squeaked as the intruder changed course, stomping around the corner to search the line of shower stalls. You hiccuped a sob, realizing tears started to trail down your cheeks. Biting your palm only proved a lame attempt to calm your racing heart, a scream threatening to leave your throat as they began tearing the plastic curtains off the stalls. Each clang of metal cracking onto the tile became closer as you ground your teeth into the meat of your hand. Eyes screwed shut, silent prayers raced in your head, pleading to wake up; to wake up from this hellscape of a sick, twisted nightmare. 

The intruder’s steps stopped. 

Your eyes opened, widening at the blurred, hulking shadow standing outside of your stall. They had to be well over six feet. Towering, bulky, monstrous. 

Slowly, the shadow’s hand reached for the curtain. One by one, its fingers closed around the plastic’s edge, preparing to rip it down and rip you open. Eyes burning, hot tears felt like molten metal as you attempted to make yourself as small as possible in your corner, huddling your knees as close as they could be. This was it. This was the end. You prayed– actually fucking prayed– hoping they couldn’t hear your pathetic whimpering, hoping they would make this quick, painless; break your neck or put a gun to your head and get it over with. Leave your body for someone else to find.

“Soldat, syuda!” 

The command made your heart stop.

The shadow froze, stopped by a call from the entrance to the locker room. Skin met your teeth as you bit harder into your hand. Lungs began panicking as you started hyperventilating, bile reaching your throat and burning the back of your tongue. 

The shadow, the monster, growled in protest. It retracted the curled hand from the curtain, wordlessly moving back towards the bathroom stalls. Footsteps faded as muffled conversation floated away from the locker room.

You needed to get the fuck out of there. 

You slid off the bench, legs aching and knees popping as you crouched silently over to the curtain, peeking out behind the plastic. It crinkled quietly and you bit your lip, leaning out ever so slightly over the threshold. 

Tiptoeing around the corner, you faced the emergency exit. The glowing sign omitted a creepy, green glow that added to the eeriness brought by the generator lights. 

This was it.

You slammed the push bar down, throwing the door open with your body and spilling out into the hallway. Sunlight flashed through the infinite glass hallway, blinding you. In your frozen state, you hear commotion from behind the door as it slammed shut. Banging from the other side, the sound of metal on metal, made your teeth grind. Indents from punches dented the door, deforming its smooth outside. You didn’t stay frozen for long as your body screamed at you to fucking move, now.

Your legs obeyed immediately, carrying you through the corridor to the closest means of escape you could find. As you rounded the corner, the crushing sounds of the door breaking off of its hinges hit your ears. You didn’t dare to look back, sprinting through the twists and turns of the infinite hallway. You followed what felt familiar, burning muscles egged on by the sound of pounding footsteps getting closer and closer.

Finally, you stumbled onto the entrance to a stairwell, pausing to gasp for air your lungs demanded. The burn in your legs and chest only aided in the physiological need to hyperventilate. Sweat dripped from your temple and your head pounded as hard as your feet hitting the ground. 

You leaned into the safety bar, inches away from further distancing yourself from whatever, whoever, was on your trail, when a yell erupted from the end of the hallway. 

It felt like slow-motion; one of those scenes in those cheesy horror movies Sam always made you and Steve watch on weekends off. The ones with cheap FX, bad sound, but somehow great editing for the budget. The scenes where realization hits the main character and suddenly everything is half the speed while they still move in real time. 

You turned your head towards the source. Then, it hit you. Blood drained from your face as the horror of realization hit you, like a speeding sixteen-wheeler head on.

Bucky Barnes stood hulking at the end of the hallway. Generator lights and setting sun illuminated his snarling teeth, gleaming from parted lips that had him panting like a rabid dog. If you hadn’t known better it would’ve looked like he was heading for the gym for his daily workout. Blown pupils, sweat-stuck hair, complimented by a shaking frame– most definitely caused by adrenaline, dopamine, and a slew of Gods-knew-what other drugs he had pumped into his system. Splotches of drying, smeared blood coated his neck and shirt while even more dripped onto the ground from his fists. The crimson contrasted with the medically white floors. 

Bile rose in your throat again. The acidic taste made you dry heave at the sight of the blood, knowing from the looks of Bucky it definitely wasn’t his.

He snarled as your eyes finally met. Fists of flesh and metal flexed. Rippling muscles shook as he readied to launch forward.

“You’re mine, lisitsa!” he barked. His voice booming louder than the speed of sound, it made your ears ring.

Your throat finally opened. You screamed as he sprinted towards you, making more ground down the hallway than an apex predator out of hibernation. You shoved the exit door open, heaving your legs forward as you ascended the stairs. No choice but to go up, you refused to look back– nay you didn’t dare to even consider it. Muscles and tendons and joints burned, yearning for you to stop, but the door slamming from flights below you only pushed you harder, flying up and passing floor after floor. 

You were fast, but he was faster. 

Dizziness overtook you as your vision began to blur. Darkened edges of your peripherals made you stop your climb at level 50, pausing for a split second to hear Bucky’s progress. He was close behind, but you still had more of an advantage. You knew the Tower better than him. You knew level 50 had another stairwell on the opposite side of the floor, through another hallway off the corner of your current one. Sneakers pounded too close for comfort as you shoved the door open and made a break for it down another corridor labyrinth.

If you made it out of this alive, you swore you’d kill Tony’s architect yourself. 

“You can’t hide forever, lisitsa!” Bucky’s voice rang out from the stairwell as you rounded the corner, sprinting through more identical-looking hallways. Another corner later and the glowing red EXIT sign appeared above the next stairwell. A beacon of hope, almost. Relieved, you head straight for it, body and mind and soul pushing against the burning and the gasping for air. You were right there, hand outstretched, fingertips grasping the metal bar–

It felt like a car crash. 

Not an accident or fender bender. No, it felt like seventy miles an hour meets a tree with no intent of moving. That split-second feeling where your stomach drops and you can all but brace for the deadly impact destined for you to meet.

Time stopped as you were yanked backwards. Cold, slick metal wrapped around your ankle, bloody hand print smearing some poor bastard’s DNA all over your calf as your body fell to the ground. Hard. Your jaw clenched as your chin slammed into the linoleum. Teeth ground into your tongue as copper flooded your tastebuds. Your lungs, with little wind left in them, gasped for oxygen. Another scream rising in your throat became stuck in your vocal cords. 

Bucky whipped you around as you struggled to free your lower half. You landed on your shoulder, head bouncing against the floor and teary eyes struggled to stay open and endure the pain. He straddled your form, the weight crashing down on your bones and organs. A sharp inhale impaled your chest as you met Bucky’s darkened eyes, then; the familiar steel blue replaced entirely with dilated, unhinged pupils. 

It was the first time you got a good look at his face. His face is speckled with blood spatter and several bruises spread across his cheek down his neck. Two black eyes, a bloody nose– one you hoped was his– and a broken lip. The bloodied collar of his shirt only aided in the mess of his hair. His soft, chocolate strands stuck in mats to his neck and temples with sweat and blood. 

Out of sheer habit, because he looked like your Bucky, you couldn’t help but reach a hand out to him. A soft plea for the man behind his eyes, one you begged everything holy was still there. He held your stare, face contorting into unrecognizable emotions. Tears brimmed your eyes as your hand stretched further, sobs escaping as your fingers inched closer and closer to his battered face.

“Bucky, it’s me–”

Your appeal transformed into a shriek, quickly snuffed out as Bucky wrapped his crimson-spattered metal hand around your throat. You choked, sputtering lost pleas as your hands flew to your neck. Fingernails flailed in futile attempts to claw off the weapons-grade titanium. 

“You’re done running, khitraya suka,” Bucky’s hot breath fanned your face as he leaned in. His mouth grazed your jaw, titanium hand on your throat flexing with each syllable. He slowly made his way down your neck, pushing harder into your chest with his forearm. A heavy growl. His grip only tightened as you tried to knee him in the groin, picking you up by your neck and slamming you down again.

Stars circled your blurred vision, eyes rolling back into your head. The corridor, the lights, everything split into two.

“You owe me for my victory, lisitsa,” Bucky’s husky whisper resonated in your ear as he licked the side of your face, his hot, wet mouth against your tear-stained cheek. As his free hand moved to the waistband of your shorts, another surge of panic washed through you. You tried to sputter a weak cry from your closed-off throat, blood turning cold, another scream building and building in your chest and aching for release. 

“You owe me what’s mine –!” 

BANG!

Something from somewhere all of a sudden. The object slammed into Bucky, throwing him off of you and spilling across the floor. 

Finally, your lungs lunged at the chance for air, leaving you a heaving, choking, coughing mess. Spitting at the ground as you made your way shakily to your hands and knees, a freed hand traveling to rub the fresh strangulation bruises forming on the column of your stiff neck. 

“Get the fuck off her, Bucky!” 

Steve.

As your vision cleared, the shield whizzed past you as it ricocheted back into Steve’s open arms. Bucky groaned, low and guttural, but only for a moment is he subdued. Slowly, he rose, like smoke from extinguished ashes, looking to his metal vice. A large dent adorned the weathered, bloodied appendage where his bicep met his shoulder. He then turned his attention to Steve, baring his teeth, anger coursing through him as he immediately disregarded you. His sights set on a new target, launching himself at Steve without a beat lost.

Steve grunted as Bucky’s metal fist met the vibranium shield with a deafening clang. Steve gritted his teeth and pushed back, managing to break Bucky’s attack and aim a kick for his stomach.

“Go! I got him!” Steve yelled to you through a gasp as Bucky countered with his own swipe at Steve’s middle. Your body stayed put, relishing in the ability to fucking breathe again, also painfully aware how screwed you’d be if you didn’t escape as you had the chance. You willed yourself to move, to run and to keep going, to no avail. As Steve landed a blow to Bucky, his eyes met yours once more. His baby blues, pained and tired, begged for you to listen to him for once in your life. 

“Now!”

The strain in Steve’s voice seemed to ignite a fire underneath you. Pushing yourself up, you willed your legs to carry you to the exit. Bloody shoe prints tracked your route as you slammed through the doorway. You cursed, knowing they’ll give away which way you’d go, knowing your life matters more than a twenty-dollar pair of sneakers. Kicking them off, throwing the pair down the exit, praying they made it far enough Bucky wouldn’t know any better. 

You threw yourself up the stars, tremors and pain afflicting every limb as the cold concrete seeped in through your socks in each step. The railing helped as you heaved yourself forward with help from the railing. Sweaty palms slipped on the bars, but your grip only grew tighter. 

You didn’t know how you, or your body, was able to do it, making it up seven more flights of stairs before your knees buckled on level 57. Heaving the door open and slamming it shut, you stumbled out into the new hallway. You hadn’t visited that level before. Something Steve and the others– especially Doctor Banner– said was “just a business floor.”

The sign on the wall directing to ‘SAFELAB’ said otherwise. Nothing in the Tower was “just business.” 

What you did know was that every SAFELAB on every floor was located in the same, far-east hallway. 

Wiping the sweat from your temple, you turned right, jogging down the darkened, emptied-out hallway. It felt like the apocalypse. No sign of anybody else. Doors left ajar, papers and bags and other employee memorabilia scattered throughout abandoned offices and cubicles. You hoped everyone was able to make it out, at least.

Part of you didn’t hope for much, though. 

The door to the lab came into view as you rounded the last corner. The door was still locked, the lab inside sterile and untouched. A sigh of relief escaped you. Holding your palm to the door’s scanner, it answered your prayers in a soft beep and whir, miraculously allowing you in. 

You maneuvered through the multiple security doors, four in total, crouching low once you managed to slip into the lab itself. The gigantic window at the front of the labspace spared no room for you to hide easily, but you had zero room to complain about it. It was your only option, after all.

Well, besides the roof. 

Crouched, you snuck your way around the counters and various equipment to one of the supply closets. The furthest corner from the entrance. You scoured through drawers and cupboards for some sort of weaponry; the most you could find was a new scalpel out of a box of extras. 

You closed in on the supply closet, reaching up and grasping the handle, turning it slowly to prevent any squeaks from the inner hinge. A tear glided down your cheek in relief. You hadn’t realized you started crying. Again. 

The door swung open. It greeted you mostly empty, deep enough for you to cram your body into. Crawling inside, bones and limbs contorted into the most comfortable position you could manage. You pinched the edges of the doors to close them as best as you can, accepting they, in fact, couldn’t close all the way from the inside. A curse under your breath, the sliver of dim light through the crack cast onto your face. Once settled, you crumpled your damp t-shirt up from the collar and shoved the fabric into your mouth. Teeth and tongue greeted sweaty cotton and hints of copper as you bit down on the collar, covering your mouth with a free hand. 

At last, after Gods knew how long it had been since you ceased moving, a silenced sob heaved out of your chest. Tremors only worsened as your nervous system rode out the fumes of its adrenaline high and flight mode instincts. Hot tears spilled down your cheeks, mixing with snot further down your face, slipping down to your neck and leaving behind streaked paths in the bloodied, hand-printed bruises adorned on your flesh. The pain from the near-strangulation you suffered broke through the shock and endorphins that were keeping you sane until then. You knew, though, you couldn’t break down. Not yet. Not until you saw Natasha or Steve or someone you trusted face-to-face. 

You started counting your breaths. Mind racing, thoughts traveling near sonic speeds through your mind carrying questions at how the hell it all happened.

You thought for sure S.H.I.E.L.D. was secure, especially after the ordeal with Bucky, Steve, and the whole ‘defeating HYDRA’ ordeal from a few years back. Hell, you thought it was safer than taking the FBI’s recon mission that was offered to you before being referred to Tony himself. Your mind raced, what-ifs and endless possibilities flashing across your eyes like a snuff film. You hoped Steve was okay. You hoped Natasha was on her way to your location any second. You hoped Sam was safe and made it out okay. You hoped Bucky –

Bucky. 

Christ, you hadn’t even stopped to think about how the hell everything happened to him. He’d been doing so well in his recovery program. Steve was even telling you about it that same morning, bragging about how well Bucky was doing, how much progress he was making, how soon they’d finally be able to move in together once Doctor Banner cleared him. Another sob overtook you. How you’d never seen him like that before, the feeling of his titanium arm slowly crushing your windpipe, the weight of his entire body crushing your internal organs as he’d held you down. The things he’d said. You tried to wrap your head around what he’d said, what he was going to do–

Crashing followed by shattering glass emitted a muffled yelp from you as your blood ran cold. Another wave of tears flooded out of your burning eyes, chest heaving unevenly. Your hand clamped even tighter over your mouth as teeth bit into the salty fabric of your shirt, drying up any more moisture your mouth was grateful to finally have.

BANG! Then another. Then more in rapid succession. Shattering, crashing, shattering, silence. The final blow to the security doors sounded from inside the lab itself. Your breath hitched and bile began bubbling in your stomach, reaching the back of your throat and across your tongue. You forced yourself to swallow the acid, listening intently to the crunch of sneakers on shattered glass.

He’d found you. 

“Lisitsaaa,” Bucky drawled, his voice dropped to a primally low octave. Lower than before. You almost couldn’t make out the words, a mixture of growled mumblings of English and Russian. Knees folded closer to your chest, you tightened your grip on the handle of the scalpel. Bucky’s footsteps were slow, methodical, predatorial. 

His heavy steps inched closer, each followed by a pause, then sudden crashing of lab equipment and smashing of drawers. More glass and metal slammed to the ground and walls after each pause. He sounded feet away. Then inches. 

Your breathing stopped as the sliver of light clouded over. The lump in your throat threatened more puke to rise as you dared to peer up through the crack, heart dropping like a dead weight to your stomach as your eyes fell on freshly bloodied sneakers. A stifled scream in your lungs choked you. You refused to think about whose blood that was.

Eyes darted back up. You could see Bucky’s blurred features clouded in shadows. The only light visible, then, was the glint from his wicked smile. Bloodied teeth shone as he licked his lips hungrily, a predator finally cornering its prey. 

Ever so slowly he crouched, shoving his face closer into the seam in the door. Tears and snot continued to stream down your face, your body hyperventilating as you forced yourself to look into his eyes. There was nothing else you could do. Nothing else to say, to cry about. There was nowhere left to run. He got you. 

“There you are, moy priz,” Bucky hissed before reaching through and throwing the doors open, heavy hands leaving imprints in the flimsy metal. Frozen, your fist was still closed around the scalpel, your muscles tensed as joints locked in place. His evil eyes scanned your body greedily, looking for which cut of meat to divulge in first. His gaze stopped at your fist and he chuckled, tisking in a disappointed tone. 

“Oh, glupaya pizda,” Bucky shook his head, amused at your meager choice of weaponry. Compared to him, you might as well have been waving a white flag. His smile only grew, tongue jutting out to lick his lips. Specks of blood coated the sides of his cheeks and edges of his mouth, smeared about from ear to ear with the back of his hand.

“Come with me and they might consider your life, lisitsa–”

You sprung into him, swinging your arm, landing the scalpel into the middle of his flesh hand, impaling straight through it. In an instant, blood spewed from the impact. Bucky screamed out in pain, a slew of mixed language curses reverberating in your skull. You scrambled out of your hiding place, bashing him with a balled fist to the face as you tumbled out and onto your feet, sprinting to the lab’s only exit. Freedom was only an arm’s length away when an overturned stool tripped you. The impact didn’t hurt near as much as the millions of shattered glass bits shredded cut into your skin, your hands and knees and arms and face littered as blood smeared under you and across the once-sterile white floors. You cried out, writhing around. Battered and bloodied, struggling to rise and run again despite the searing pain in your ankle.

Before you could form your next thought, a rough hand snatched your scalp and dragged you up by your hair. You uttered a panicked scream as Bucky hoisted you to eye level, snarling like a rabid dog as he shook you hard.

“I thought you were smarter than that, lisitsa,” he sneered, “but I was wrong.”

He hurled you back onto the floor, his bloodied, titanium fist still gripping your hair, dragging you over to one of the disheveled lab tables. More glass shredded your skin, blood and sweat and tears mixing and pouring over your face and hands and body. With ease and a free hand, he swiped the rest of the contents off another counter; beakers and burners crashed to the floor. His grip tightened as he threw you up onto the stainless steel counter, the dead weight of your body banging onto the table, landing you hard on your back. Eardrums rang into your skull and jaw, radiating down your spine and out your limbs. Your hands slip against the smooth metal from the blood, futile attempts to grab onto something, anything. You groaned and huffed excess sobs. The pain, unbearable; the fear, unimaginable. 

Bucky hoisted himself onto the table, landing on top of your broken body, his knee hitting your spine and knocking your last breath out of you. Straddling you, his thick thighs bulged through tattered sweatpants, squeezing into your rib cage. He looped another fist into your hair, raising your head and slamming it down. The side of your face smushed into the steel table, smearing around more blood as he did it again. And again. The cartilage in your nose cracked and throbbing pain radiated into your eyes, your skull. Warmth from the break and the blood poured over your face. The pain, dulling into numbness as you began to fade in and out of consciousness.

Your vision started to blur and blacken, stars and specks orbiting around Bucky like a halo of hallucination. Your body, finally surrendering to him. No fight left. Any strength you could have mustered, funneled into staying awake, proved useless. 

A new sound, then: ripping.

You didn’t have to look to witness Bucky unrelentingly tear your t-shirt away from your body, training his eyes on your open form. Bruised skin exposed to cool air, your chest still momentarily held together by your sports bra. He made quick work of it next, the nylon snapping off in one swipe, sending goosebumps racing down your spine. 

Ice-cold titanium fingers untangled from your matted hair and made their way from your nape, to the small of your back, to the waistband of your gym shorts. Muscles tensed as you felt each digit wrap almost leisurely onto the elastic. He tore them away swiftly, baring the rest of you and your skin to him. A growl, one of pleasure, vibrated into you from him, emitted he palmed the skin of your ass. His fingers journeyed languidly in a slow trail from your back to your core. You squirmed, wasting the last of your strength, a hopeless attempt to get away one last time. 

A crack came across your face. Flesh against flesh, he slapped you. A punishment. A command for obedience. Your body fell limp. Breathing raggedly and gagging on blood and spit, you shuddered as he took your wrists and tied them together with your t-shirt. 

Satisfied, his prey finally submitting, Bucky paused, panting as he leaned down to you. He wet his lips before speaking, gruff words slurred against your ringing eardrum. As he spoke, cold metal grazed your entrance, a threat of what was to come. 

“Now, I get to take what’s mine.”

Your screams echoed as the world fell dark.

[takaraphoenix]

Which is your favorite out of all the PJO fanfics you’ve written?

Thanks for the ask! Uuuuh that is actually such a hard question, especially since I'm not really attached to the fandom anymore so it's not... overly on the front of my mind *tilts head*

I will forever have the softest spot for Chasing Fireflies but since it's OC-centric I do count it different than a fic that is actually centered around the PJO characters.

For those, I think it's probably a tie for Percy Jackson, Ambassador of Hades and Percy and the Ghost King of Summers High.

[navybrat817]

Bucky Barnes Masterlist - 2

Welcome to my 2nd Bucky Barnes Masterlist, lovelies, and I hope you enjoy! Here you will find some of my darker fics. These may include triggers such as noncon, dubcon, violence, dark themes, etc. Please heed the warnings. Header and banner by @sgt-seabass​ and dividers by @firefly-graphics​. Check them out! ​

Main Masterlist | 1st Bucky Barnes Masterlist

I have discontinued my tag list. Please follow my sideblog @navybrat817-sideblog and turn on notifications to see new fics! I will only post fics, writing ideas and updates there.

🔥 smut 💓 fluff 💔 angst 💞 AU 🛑 dark content 💙 Navy's faves

Mini-Series and Universes

Soldat and Sparrow Universe (Ongoing)

Your fire burns for the Winter Soldier. And one day, you’ll be free. Both of you.

Winter and Fire  🔥💙

Summary: You didn’t choose to be with Hydra. Neither did the Winter Soldier. 

War and Peace 🔥

Summary: Your first mission together brings inner war...peace.

Soldat and Sparrow  

Summary: No one touches his Sparrow.

Night and Day  🔥

Summary: Will you be another one of the Soldat’s lost memories?

Dark and Light

Summary: You learn the real reason why Hydra wants to keep you.

Black and White

Moon and Sun

Past and Future

The Pakhan and the Printsessa - Mob Newlyweds Universe (Ongoing) 💞

You’re married to Bucky Barnes, one of the most powerful men in the world. And all he wants is you.

Harmonious  🔥

Summary: You may think you’re a pawn in Bucky’s life, but you are his queen.

Hollow  🔥

Summary: Bucky touches on memories from the past and wants to start a new tradition with you.

Husband and Wife  🔥💙

Summary: Bucky has to have you before you get to your wedding reception.

Honeymoon Suite 🔥

Summary: Bucky takes a call during your honeymoon, but you should know that you always come first.

Home Again  🔥

Summary: Your husband opens up to you about his past as you fall more in love.

Honesty and Lies

Honor and Obey

Hope, Faith and Love

Vampire Mob AU (Ongoing)

Power and money mean nothing to the powerful vampire ruler if you’re aren’t by his side.

Around Your Throat  🔥

Summary:  Bucky has the perfect accessory to go around your throat.

Lay Me Down  🔥💙

Summary: You look to the past and future on your last night as a human.

Disturbia - Dark Suburbia AU

You have a beautiful home and a loving partner. So, why does it feel like something is wrong with your neighborhood?

A Plum a Day  🔥🛑

Summary: You wake up beside Bucky, but you don't know how you got there.

Winter and Kisa - Mob AU 💞

The mobster doesn't care that you're an agent. He wants you to be his.

Give Me a Name

Summary: Someone put their hands on you and Bucky can't let it go.

Almost Like Home

Summary: Bucky told you his place would be your home one day. You see it firsthand with his closet.

Dark Club AU (Tagged as Turn It Up AU)

Hold You Tight  🔥🛑💞

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8

There's Something in the Water - Coming Soon

One Shots and Imagines (over 1k) *Some fics may get additional parts

Run Like Hell  🔥🛑

Summary:  You weren’t supposed to see the Winter Soldier that day. So you ran. The Soldat loves a good chase though…and you’re not getting away from him that easily.

First and Last  🔥🛑 💞 (a/b/o)💙

Summary:  Masquerading as Beta was an easy choice. Too bad Bucky Barnes had other plans for you.

You’re My Obsession  🔥🛑💙

Summary: You’re the light in Bucky’s darkness. And he doesn’t want to share you with anyone, including Steve.

Best Man 🛑

Summary: Bucky found the girl of his dreams and Steve couldn’t be happier.

Remind Me  🔥💙

Summary: The apocalyptic world is crumbling around you and you need a reminder of who you belong to.

Push and Pull  (features Nick Fowler x Reader)🔥🛑💙💞 (Club)

Summary: Nick wants what Bucky has.

Prized Possession  🔥🛑 💞 (Librarian)

Summary: You’re Bucky’s rare treasure, his most prized possession.

A Debt to Pay  🔥💙💞 (Mob)

Summary: Bucky isn’t a man to be crossed.

What Goes Around  🔥💙 💞 (DBF/BFD)

Summary:  Bucky is your friend's dad and your dad's friend and nothing more. Until he isn't.

Send Me an Angel  🔥🛑 💞 (Bartender)

Summary: Bucky thinks you’re an angel.

Follow You Home (Stalker)

Summary: Bucky just wants to see you smile when he visits you at the flower shop.

Two Sides of the Same Coin🔥 (Bucky and the Winter Soldier)

Summary: A night of passion awakens something beneath the surface of the man you love.

What Happens in Vegas  🔥🛑 💞 (Fae)

Summary: You get more than you bargained for when you decide to get married in Vegas.

Within You  🔥🛑

Summary: Bucky shows a different side of himself when you venture into a corn maze.

Ficlets (under 1k)

Read Between the Lines ~ (threat not by Bucky) 

Summary: Things are left unsaid with Bucky during your recent mission.

Loyalty  🔥 (features Dark!Andy Barber x Reader)  

Summary: Loyalty is something you’ve learned to both loathe and appreciate.

Collateral Damage  🔥🛑

Summary: You pay the price when the Avengers try to undo the snap.

Long Night

Summary: Bucky is waiting for you when you come back from a night out.

A Hero’s Reward  🔥 🛑

Summary: Bucky is a hero and every hero deserves a reward.

100 Word Drabbles

Secret Admirer Secret Admirer - Part 2 Secret Admirer - Part 3 Secret Admirer - Part 4 Forced Bond 🔥🛑 Last Call  🔥🛑 His Sparrow  🔥🛑 Stalked

[emisprocrastinatingbywriting]

Alone and Forsaken

Chapter Summary:

Four years later and Joel cannot believe the way his life has turned out. As he prepares for what he hopes is one of the best nights of your lives, will his fears get in the way of his future?

Warnings: Fluff, Smut, Soft! Joel, Possessive! Joel, Talks of Past Trauma and Character Death (Minor), Neither Joel or Reader Need a Hug For Once, Talks About The Future, Love <3.

A/N:

Hey y'all, I've missed you and this story so much that I decided to write an epilogue. This has a bit of a time jump and we are checking in on them four years after the last chapter. I won't ruin it for you but heads up, this is a whole lot of fluff and a whole lot of smut. I do fill in some blanks for you all since the dust has settled a bit, but I also wanted to feed my readers some filth after tormenting you for twenty chapters. If you guys want to see this pair again, my requests are always open but until then, that's all folks! I will starting a new series soon so stay tuned if you liked this one. Thank you for reading my first fic, I know it isn't perfect, but it has been a blast. Love ya <3

Epilogue: Alone and Forsaken, No More!

An amused grin stretched over Joel’s weathered face, his eyes following the little girl with a wild mane of curls as she chased a stocky boy across the backyard. Ellis’s chunky little legs worked hard, hard enough to keep him safe from the snake Alba was taunting him with, but he wasn’t quite as nimble as her. She screeched in delight as she gained on him, laughing maniacally at his terrified screams. If he were a better parent, perhaps he would have scolded her antics, but it was hard to do that effectively when he himself couldn’t hold in his own laughter. 

Even after four years, Joel found himself in constant awe of the dumb luck he had stumbled upon. Finding you had changed everything, leading him down a path that was more interconnected than he could have ever imagined. It had been almost ten years since he lost Ellie to the fireflies and condemned himself to a lifetime of solitude, and even longer since he had lost Sarah. Although the two girls still held their rightful places in Joel’s heart, he no longer let the sting of losing them eat him alive. Ellie and Sarah hadn’t been squished to the side with the arrival of the twins, rather his heart had expanded so that it could fit everyone inside. 

There were still days where Joel missed them so much that getting out of bed seemed impossible but instead of keeping it all in, he talked about it. Speaking about his girls breathed life into them once again and allowed their siblings to get to know their sisters better. He smiled with each question the twins threw at him about their favorite colors or their favorite books, willing to go on for hours if they wanted him to. The simple act of remembering, a feat that had once terrified him, was the thing that patched the holes in his aching soul. That, and the love of the one person who had been able to peel back the steel welded around his heart. 

Without his mate, Joel would be nothing more than the grieving shell of a man you had found waiting to die in the woods. It was bizarre for him to think about that day, and how different his life had become because of it. That morning his nightmares had pulled him out of sleep, just like they had for the past twenty four years. What had he been dreaming of? Joel couldn’t remember, all he knew was that whatever it was had served as yet another painful reminder of his failures. The morning was a blur to him now, but he would never forget standing over that trap, lifting his nose in the air as notes of lavender and peppermint drifted over to him from the river. With so much time in complete solitude, Joel remembered thinking he had finally gone insane, before a quiet whimper had smacked him in the chest and dragged him towards the rushing waters. 

After that day, Joel was in a constant state of awe at how ridiculously fortunate his life was. How could a sad sack of shit like him happen upon someone so beautiful, so understanding? It seemed impossible. And the fact that you loved him back? Well, that was a shock that he was sure he would never shake off. During the time at the cabin, the first home you shared together, Joel felt like he was always waiting for you to change your mind, like at any moment you might come to your senses and abandon him. But now? After everything the two of you had been through, he was pretty sure he deserved this slice of peace. He deserved to grow old with you at his side, watching as his children actually surpassed their teenage years and became adults. 

Five years ago, with a fresh bite mark proudly adorning his neck, Joel had gone to the river to refill the bucket after a failed breakfast attempt, only for the but of a rifle to slam into his face and knock him out. The next few weeks had been hell, followed by even more hell once he finally found you hacking soot out of your lungs as you crawled out of a burning chapel. He shivered, thinking about how his heart had broken in two as he cracked your ribs under the weight of his CPR compressions. It was like Joel was dying alongside you but the second you opened your eyes, gazing upon him for the first time in weeks, he felt himself come back into his body once more. 

The chaos that ensued after your near death experience was still something Joel couldn’t quite wrap his head around. Paul’s remaining men coming after the two of you as you healed in a lumpy childhood bed was one thing. But the cult that had stripped you naked and tried to bleed you dry in an abandoned pool? If Joel hadn’t seen it himself he would’ve thought it was bullshit. And just when he was sure he had you secured within the safe embrace of Jackson’s walls, his future had almost been snatched away again. First by the ghosts of your shared pasts, and then by the residents who had shown up to the house with pitchforks. 

Joel chuckled, thinking back on that day with kinder eyes now that a few years had passed. One thing about life was that it was filled with ups and downs, with hard losses and victories. And it just so happened that for whatever reason, mother nature had been on his side that day when the both of you were thrown face first into carnal need. Nobody could have predicted it, especially since you had only gotten the go ahead by the former town doctor to get down and dirty if you so dearly pleased. But for whatever reason, your heat had come back with a vengeance, tearing a rut out of Joel like it was nothing. He remembered you climbing him like a tree in front of the frustrated group of locals, growling at them and begging him to take you inside regardless of the crowd. 

The brief interview the both of you had been forced to sit through after Maria sent the residents away was a blur now. All Joel could remember was feeling extremely uncomfortable that his little brother and sister in law were around to see his cock straining against his jeans as he tried to muscle through the biological response you had ripped out of him. Meanwhile, he had also been tasked with trying to keep his heat fueled mate from ripping everyone’s throats out. Luckily, the small group of people you called family had come to defend Joel’s family, an act of loyalty that he would never be able to fully thank them for. 

With the looky loos dispersed, the next three days had been intense, filled with Joel trying desperately to stake his claim on you, as if he could somehow fuck a protection spell over you in case the worse came to pass. And you were no different, spouting possessive words as you marked in any way you could. He wasn’t entirely sure, but the event seemed to have prolonged the experience, so much so that the two of you had been dehydrated and exhausted by the time it finally petered off. There was no conversation about the situation during the relentless bouts of pleasure, only a silent understanding that whatever happened, you would deal with it as a team. 

Nevertheless, Joel had been sure that he would be lugging bags across Wyoming when the dust settled. Of course he never told you that, preferring to leave it until you had both regained some sanity, but he couldn’t help the feeling that he was running out of time in the home the two of you had made. The anxiety that had plagued his being had fueled his depravity, as he tried not to think of the impossible task of keeping his two newborns warm and above all else, quiet, as the two of you returned to the cabin. Joel didn’t even want to go there, he wasn’t sure what sort of state it was in or how many supplies he had left, but it seemed like the only option if Jackson ousted his family. Nevertheless, when the dust had settled and his rut had finally quelled the heat raging inside of you, he was surprised to find that the sky had not fallen during his time away. 

Joel had prepared himself for a war to protect his family from the scorn of Jackson. He had grimaced when you suggested a walk to the center of town, preferring to get it over with rather than wait it out, but what else could he do? After picking up the twins from Jake’s house, another factor that had him on edge, the two of you had set off to find Jackson’s fearless leader. Joel held Alba tight to his chest, so tight that the normally feisty newborn seemed to sense her father’s discomfort and relaxed in his arms. 

Every passerby was a possible threat and Joel remembered asking you multiple times if you needed him to take Ellis. It wasn’t because he thought you weren’t strong enough to carry an eleven pound sleeping pup, it was because he was convinced the both of you would be sprinting out of town the second Maria caught wind of your freedom. Joel was the muscle, but you had all the speed, which meant that the twins would be safer in his grasp while you covered him from any incoming danger. As much as he hated to think about going to war with his mate, he trusted in your abilities to fend for your family. Except the fight that Joel was so sure of never came to pass. Upon reaching the main square and approaching his brother’s terrifying mate, he was shocked to find that his family was old news. 

The incessant complaints of more than a few residents had dogged Maria at every turn while the two of you were indisposed, which had forced her to make an executive decision. There weren’t many options, either she tore her own family from their homes in the middle of what was the most intimate of times between mates, or she followed the path of least resistance. Maria had swiftly dismissed the two of you outside the dining hall that day, ignoring the questions sent her way about what the future would hold. Although she had been quick to dismiss any questions about nepotism, given the fact that the path she chose to follow just so happened to benefit her own family through marriage, Joel had his doubts. 

Tommy too left the two of you wondering, as the beta was uncharacteristically silent on the matter when approached thereafter. Maybe Maria wasn’t quite as unbiased as everyone believed Jackson’s fearless leader to be, or maybe she just hated the thought of separating two pups from their parents. Either way, Joel knew that he’d spend the rest of his life being thankful that she had opted for the option that kept his family away from the horrors of the outside world. 

The tale that had been concocted was just what the Jackson residents needed to spice up their monotonous lives, like something out of one of the many teen dramas Sarah used to make him watch. It featured the classic archetypes. There was your mother, the woman who had abused for so long that when her daughter went missing, she finally snapped. And there was Cooper, the incessantly disparaged younger brother who had almost had everything taken by Paul. A deal was supposedly made in secret once the two collaborators within Jackson were found, one which led to their eventual deaths. The entire town ate every bit of it up and gossip about the incident flooded the streets for months afterwards, each version getting more extreme than the last. 

Joel almost wished he had been there to see the trial, but he knew that it was probably for the best that he had been too wrapped up in his rut. It would have been hard to watch two innocent people take the blame for the crimes he had committed, and even harder to keep you from jumping to their rescue. Not that they needed saving. 

Much to Joel’s amusement, the town didn’t blame either parties for slaying the men that had worked alongside Paul’s former group of assholes and Aspen’s remaining faithful followers. All they got was a sharp slap on the wrist in the form of community service and a quick rise to the status of local legends. He tried not to be too miffed about it, reminding himself that he should be thankful that the two were willing to brave the extra attention for the sake of the people he held dear. Plus, Joel couldn’t get around the fact that at that time, his track record in Jackson was pretty awful, with everyone still remembering his grief fueled, drunken antics from years before. Still, the fact that they would’ve easily written his family off because of him had agitated him a bit, but he let it go. 

Luckily, since that fateful day four years ago, Joel’s image had been slightly refurbished, which he attributed a large chunk of to his family’s reputation. It was hard to believe that Joel was a complete monster when his mate was the town doctor and the twins were so damn cute. And with his slight reputational rehabilitation, came a small perk in the form of a new job. Taking on the role as the handyman for Jackson was not something Joel had seen himself doing, especially with how most residents had avoided him like the plague during the first year of coming back to town. But after the relentless fighting he had faced for decades and two backbreaking years with the twins running circles around him, he was exhausted, and not just physically. 

Joel was tired of kissing you goodbye, knowing that you would be worried sick until he rode through those gates again. He was tired of the forever changing patrol schedules, of leaving his family alone in the dead of night or on hectic mornings when neither of the twins felt like cooperating with their parents. He was tired of missing things whenever something went bump in the night outside of Jackson’s walls, like the time he had missed Ellis standing for the first time while he was taking down a wayward group of infected. So, after a long conversation with his beloved sister in law that had ended with him literally begging her, he gave up his spot on the patrols for simpler employment, the kind he had done before the outbreak. 

There was a never ending list of things for Joel to tinker with in Jackson and for the first time in a long time, he was actually proud of his work. Sure, it wasn’t the most glamorous job, but it was what he knew, and he was good at it. He spent his days filling an endless supply of work orders, fixing broken things and supervising construction jobs until he could sprint home to his family. It was a perfectly uncomplicated life, one that he had assumed to be off the table for him since that devastating day in 2003, and he fucking loved it.  

Despite the fact that raising two rambunctious kids was at times back breaking work, Joel tried his best to rise to the occasion. There had been multiple occasions where he felt he might crack under the pressure, but luckily he had a good foundation. He had you, someone who walked by his side, unshaken by the things that would make even the mightiest of alphas shake in their boots. It was because of you that Joel was sure he could do it all and more. The two of you had formed a united front for the rowdy pups that were weaving between the trees in the backyard, giving what the other lacked so that the twins would never go without. Which was why Joel wasn’t surprised to hear your concerned voice come from behind him as Alba shoved Ellis into the dirt with a wicked grin. 

He didn’t blame you for worrying about their wrestling, you had never had a sibling to fight over toys with. If only you had seen him and Tommy at their worst; practically strangling each other over shared action figures, or shoving the unexpecting party into a pile of horse shit when mom and dad weren’t looking. Perhaps then you would understand that the harmless tussling of two four year olds with weak limbs was nothing to write home about. In fact, as long as it didn’t get too rough Joel sanctioned it, knowing that it would make bedtime ten times easier. 

“Shouldn’t we be doing something about that?,” you asked, making him turn from the scene unfolding outside. 

Joel lit up at the sight of you clad in a set of light blue scrubs, beautiful as ever. He smiled wide, unable to tamp down the giddiness he felt as he stepped forward to embrace the woman that had set his soul ablaze. Dropping a loving kiss into your hair, he indulged in a heady whiff of your scent, as if it had been days rather than hours since he smelled it. There was a slight bite of chemicals, likely from the antiseptic used at the clinic, but he ignored it in search of a hit of the good stuff, of the delicious smell of his scent nearly overtaking your own for the first time in four years. Joel’s scent mostly cloaked your own as it pumped out of your pores, signaling to everyone in town that it was his pup you were carrying. And if his scent wasn’t enough, the swell between your hips was getting harder to ignore, proudly boasting yet another addition. 

This pup, much like the last two, had taken you both by surprise. Except that it wasn’t like before, when Joel had deluded himself into thinking everything would be fine each time he spilled inside of you, only to freak out when nature came knocking. He didn’t fear being a father anymore and after the twins had surpassed the terrible twos, he even humored your subtle hints about adding another to the mix. However, after four years of constant lovemaking, whether it was fueled by hormone induced mania or not, there was no sign of another life. It didn’t matter that Joel had stopped trying to pull out mere months after the twins were born, or that you locked your ankles around his waist to keep his cum plugged inside almost every time; your womb remained empty. 

Joel had chalked it up to his age, assuming that his swimmers had probably gone dormant with time. He was aware that before the outbreak there were some alphas who were crazy enough to have kids well into their eighties, but after a lifetime of endless physical injuries and the inability to test his sperm count, he convinced himself that his reproductive abilities had somehow been compromised. Who knows? He had been stabbed and shot so many times in the abdomen, maybe something had gotten nicked. There would be no way of knowing if Ellis and Alba were miracle babies, and with you being a perfectly healthy candidate for motherhood, he knew that it had to be him that was the problem. 

Which was fine, Joel didn’t mind the twins being the only children he would have with you, they were more than enough. Still, he couldn’t help feeling guilty about not being able to give you the one thing you wanted, the one thing he was specifically designed to give his mate. Although you had adamantly claimed it was fine, that you were perfectly happy with the life you had been given, he saw the yearning you felt as you walked by one of the few pictures of the twins that hung along the walls of the house, especially the one that had been taken when they were barely a month old. Or the jealousy that you had tried to hide when Maria gave birth to a little girl two years earlier. Or the way you looked at even your best friend’s incessant additions to his family. 

The longing on your face was enough to break Joel’s heart and so he kept trying for you, even though he was sure it was a lost cause. What else could he do? To reject your attempts would be to admit the truth, that the likelihood of another pup was probably slim to none and that it would probably be best if it was dropped altogether. Nevertheless, you remained persistent, ignoring every sign that the attempts were futile for yet another year, until he had completely forgotten why you were so keen on jumping his bones to begin with. Which of course, was when it happened. 

After an exhausting illness had knocked you down at the end of May, accompanied by a familiar distaste for meat, it became clear that a test needed to be taken. Joel had dropped the twins off at Tommy’s that night, terrified of what the fallout would be if you weren’t pregnant. However, nothing could have prepared him for what he came home to that night. He had been ready for an average, vaguely tense stroll to the clinic with his mate, only to be forced into a set of dark clothes so that he could sneak through town like some sort of burglar. 

For the last year, the clinic had been run by a new head honcho, you. The training with the previous doctor had been completed just before the twin’s second birthday, allowing the elderly woman the luxury of finally being able to retire. It had taken almost a year for you to get the hang of handling the ins and outs of being in charge, which was why you didn’t want to shock the nurses who had just gained trust in their fearless leader. According to you, there was no reason to start a panic about maternity leave for what could be the flu. So, the two of you had used the cover of night to sneak through Jackson, infiltrating the clinic like it was some sort of grand heist rather than a trip across town for a pregnancy test. 

Of course, that was the day where the clinic was fresh out of tests, meanwhile the ancient ultrasound machine had broken for the millionth time. With no other option, you decided to do it the old fashioned way, hoping like hell that you were far enough along for there to be a heartbeat. Joel had sat patiently as you dug the stethoscope out of your desk, grumbling about the clinic’s lack of supplies until your hands slid across the cold metal. He took a deep breath as you shoved the buds in your ears, watching as you pressed the circular end to your abdomen. It took a few slight adjustments but then he saw it, the way your eyes lit up with a gasp before you tore the ear buds out so that he could listen. With shaky hands he had taken the stethoscope, straining to hear it. You shifted a bit and there it was, a little heartbeat fluttering in his good ear, a new life carving more space for themselves inside of his chest. 

The two of you had cried, holding each other and making nonsensical promises that ended in a round of passionate lovemaking against your desk. It was stupid to fuck in your workplace, especially when any nonsuspecting Jackson resident in need of medical attention could waltz in, but neither of you cared, too hopped up on the good news to stop. Joel had plowed into you with abandon, incessantly praising you as his cheeks burned from smiling so hard. 

That night had been one month ago and Joel was still riding that high as his two four year olds battled in the yard. It was different this time around. The first time he hadn’t been ready to be a father again. He was scared shitless for your entire pregnancy, constantly doubting himself and praying that he wouldn’t fuck it up again. Tragedy had chased him before and he was convinced that at any moment, his life would collapse in on itself yet again. But none of that happened, Joel had two healthy pups and a woman who loved him. And in four to five months, there would be another pup for him to care for. There was nothing for him to fear anymore, only the satisfaction of having a life that was truly worth living. 

“Joel?,” you huffed, breaking Joel from the spell he was under. 

He hummed, “They’re fine baby, best they get it out now before bedtime.” 

A frustrated sigh fell from your lips, but after one more glance towards the backyard, you nodded. Joel kissed your cheek, trying to distract you from the wrestling pups. They would be fine. If they truly needed a time-out from one another, he knew that one of them would have already started screaming at the top of their lungs. 

“How are my girls today?,” Joel murmured, pressing his hands against the bump to hold his pup. 

You snorted, “Puh-lease, you always think it’s going to be a girl.”

“I do not.”

“Mm hmm, yeah you do. It’s exactly what you said last time,” you pointed out. 

“I mean… I was kinda right though,” he shot back. 

A snort came from you, followed by a smack to his arm that made him squawk and chuckle. With an almost audible roll of the eyes, you brushed past him to get a better look at the pair that tussled in the grass. 

“Only half right,” you grumbled as you peered out at them. 

The snake had been long since forgotten, probably yanked from Alba’s hands by her older brother once it had gotten too close to his face. Although Ellis had been screaming bloody murder just moments before while his sister was chasing him, Joel knew all too well that his son had been blessed with his father’s temper. A fear of snakes could easily be overcome once a certain threshold had been reached, a threshold that Alba loved to test at every turn. 

Ellis wasn’t like his sister, he wasn’t sporty or sociable. He preferred to spend his days quietly coloring or pretending to read books that were far too advanced for his age, though Joel had a sneaking suspicion that he knew more than he was letting on. If Ellis wasn’t somewhere with a book, he was shadowing one of the grownups in his life, either following you through the clinic like he was some sort of intern or watching Joel fix something in his workshop like he was learning the ropes. It was crazy how much of a little man the boy was. There were times when Joel wondered if his real son had been swapped at birth for a younger version of himself. He couldn’t help it. Every time Alba’s antics were shut down by a pointed look from her older brother, all he could see was himself and Tommy. 

However, unlike her Uncle Tommy, Alba didn’t often push for more than Ellis could give. Usually, one outburst was all she was looking for, as if shattering the illusion of his maturity was the only thing she was after. She was smart enough to walk the line of appropriateness like a tightrope to keep herself from getting in trouble. When Alba wasn’t picking on her brother, she spent most of her time tracking down one of her parents to play whatever needlessly complicated game she had made up at the top of her head, or begging anyone that would listen to take her to the park so that she could blow off some steam. Joel was close to building her an at home gym so she could exhaust herself, anything to keep her from bouncing off the walls. 

They were complete opposites, which meant that a bit of tussling was necessary to keep any grudges from forming. Joel peered out the window, chuckling a bit as Ellis finally gained the upper hand in the brawl. It took a lot to get his son to engage, but Joel was glad to see him rough house like a regular four year old. They fought over a toy, forming a small heap of flailing limbs as they grappled with each other. It made him laugh to see the doll being fought over, especially since he knew Ellis didn’t give two shits about it, likely trying to get a bit of revenge on his sister for bothering him. The kicks were a bit more enthusiastic than before, teetering on the verge of parental intervention, but Joel held back to allow them the chance to correct themselves. 

“I don’t like it when they play like that,” you commented, the small crease between your brows deepening as you watched the twins roll around in the dirt. 

Joel sighed and stepped closer, wrapping his arms around you so that he could bring his chin to your shoulder. He smiled at the two, remembering the scar on his left elbow that he had earned from a particularly rowdy game of Kill The Carrier with Tommy and the neighborhood kids. 

“Relax honey, s’not like that. They’re brother and sister, a bit of play-fighting is good for them. Plus, if one of them wasn’t keen, you know that we’d fucking hear it. Hell, the people manning the gates would probably hear those two hollerin’,” Joel pointed out. 

Alba was the worst for it, but both of them had the strongest lungs he had ever seen. During their time as toddlers, Joel was perpetually thankful that the hearing in his right ear had all but disappeared in the years since settling in Jackson, as it ensured that their shrill cries were at least somewhat drowned out by years of damage. Meanwhile, you had been left with ringing ears and splitting headaches that were so bad that tylenol had become your best friend until they grew out of it. 

“I guess you’re right,” you sighed, melting back into him. 

Joel leaned down and kissed your cheek, ghosting his lips over your neck for a second for another hit of the delicious aroma you emitted. He smiled against your skin as you tilted your head back a bit, allowing him more room to peck at the sensitive skin. His mouth watered as he peppered kisses all over, trying to keep his groans to a minimum so that the moment wouldn’t be over before it had even started. Lately, the twins seemed to have a second sense for when their parents were about to engage in some much needed adult time. Joel knew that, but he was hoping that if he stayed as still and silent as one possibly could while sucking hickeys into their mate’s neck, he would fly under their radar. However, the warning you let out soon pulled him from that fantasy. 

“J-Joel, wait. You’ve gotta - shit - gotta cut it out. We’ve got incoming.” 

“Mom! Dad! Alby’s mean, she chased me wib a snake!,” Ellis exclaimed, causing his sister to immediately come to her own defense. 

“Well Lis is a stoopid butface who's scwared of snakes AND he took my dolly!,” Alba shouted back, sticking her tongue out at him for good measure.  

“You’re the butface!,” he gasped indignantly, like being called a butface was some affront to his personal character. 

At times, Joel had to remind himself that he was the adult, which meant that he couldn’t laugh at the petty arguments of two wound up four year olds. Plus, he was not completely without blame for the situation at hand, as quite a few cookies had slid their way after he picked them up. Joel couldn’t help it, all it took was one flash of the puppy dog eyes and he was folding like a piece of wet paper. Still, he knew that he had to stay strong before the two of them started screaming about who was the biggest buttface of them all. 

“Alba Miller, that ain’t a very nice thing to say. And what have I told you about buggin’ your brother? If Ellis doesn’t wanna play, you gotta let him be. Now, say sorry to him,” Joel admonished from your side. 

“M’sorry Lis,” Alba mumbled, kicking at the carpet as she stared at her feet. 

He nodded at his daughter’s apology, “Thank you sug’, now how about you Mr. Man?” 

Joel turned towards his son with a raised eyebrow. Ellis sighed, stubbornly flashing his eyes at his father’s request. It had always been that way, from the second Ellis refused to take his first breath, to when he had ignored Joel’s attempts to get him to look up during tummy time, to his adamant rejection of any set of clothes that wasn’t picked out for him by his mom. Whereas Alba didn’t care enough to be tied down by a simple apology, or the slight corrections from either of her parents, Ellis was tougher to break. 

Well, for Joel at least. The both of them listened to you unconditionally, while he often felt like they were only humoring his corrections. He didn’t blame them, he too hung off your every word. 

“I’m sorry Alby, you’re not a buttfwace,” Ellis gritted out, glaring at his father one last time for good measure. 

Being chased around by a snake and then tackled to the ground wasn’t typically what the four year old boy preferred to be doing, so Joel allowed his poor excuse for an apology slide. If the discarded coloring book and crayons that laid against the lawn were any indicator, it had been an ambush. 

“Why don’t you two go get cleaned up? I brought home some chili that Uncle Jake made for supper,” you suggested. 

The pups looked at each other, raising their eyebrows in question before they tore out of the sunroom like two bats out of hell. They shoved each against the table in the breakfast nook, against the walls, against anything that could slow the other’s pace as they raced towards the stairs. It was only when you chastised them that they slowed down, although Joel knew that it was all for show. The second that they passed the dining room, which marked them as officially out of their parent’s sight, the pace picked up once more. 

“God, they’re going to make me go gray,” you groaned, sighing as you turned back toward him. 

Joel snorted, “Guess that leaves me shit out of luck then, I’m already there.”

What little brown Joel had left in his hair when the two of you met was almost gone, as the salt had started to completely cover the pepper, but he couldn’t complain too much about it. At least he wasn’t balding, and you didn’t seem to care. Plus, there was something about seeing himself grow old that felt like a victory. He never thought he’d live long enough to see it.  

“I love it, you’re my handsome silver fox baby,” you cooed, lovingly raking your hands through his curls, “I wouldn’t want you to change a thing, just keep being your sexy self.” 

“Whatever you say darling,” he hummed, eyes sliding closed as you rubbed circles into his scalp, “I’ll dye it fucking pink if ya want, just keep doing that.” 

A giggle came from you as Joel slumped forward, pressing his face into your neck so he could huff at the skin there. The magic of your fingers soothed each muscle in his body, until he felt like he was practically asleep standing up. Joel could spend eternity as he was, basking in the scent of his pregnant mate while she rubbed all his aches away. But he knew that with two pups, that was a pipedream. 

Until the kids were grown, Joel would have to make due with these scattered moments. But oddly enough, he didn’t mind being resigned to a few seconds of solace each day. It just made the time all the more special. And in that particular moment, with all of his strained muscles being addressed, he couldn’t help but smile at how perfect this small piece of the puzzle was. 

“Did you fix the breaker in the schoolhouse?,” you asked, speaking directly into his left ear so that he could hear you properly. 

Joel nodded groggily, “Yeah, it didn’t take me long. S’why I picked ‘em up so early.” 

“You know,” you chuckled, “Most dads would be thrilled to have some downtime. You could have left them with my mom and gone home to take a nap. With how late you stayed up with Ellis last night, I wouldn’t have blamed you for it.” 

How terrifying had it been for Joel to wake up as he had the previous night. The first thing he had seen was a small face that resembled his own, peering down at him with the focus of a deranged serial killer. Without even blinking, his son had stood there in complete silence, causing Joel to nearly jump out of his skin. Close to cardiac arrest, he had almost lunged at the small demon in front of him to protect his pregnant mate that was asleep beside him. 

But as the post-dream haze faded, Joel was relieved to find that it was just Ellis who had crept into his room after a bad dream. So instead of chanting the tiny bits of scripture he could barely remember from Sunday school to ward off a child-shaped demon, Joel spent his night reading to his son. He held Ellis close to his chest for hours, rocking him and whispering about Amelia Bedelia’s adventures until the little boy had finally dropped off around four thirty that morning. 

“Wasn’t so bad, he had another bad dream about fucking David Bowie,” Joel groaned, shaking his head at the thought of Ellis’s blubbering about the goblin king, “Plus, I wanted to see them.” 

“We shouldn’t have let them go see that stupid movie,” you sighed, “But in my defense, I had never seen Labyrinth before! Tommy said it was supposed to be for kids.”

Joel had a cheeky response, but a loud BANG echoed from upstairs, signaling that at least one of the human tornadoes were on their way. Given the swiftness of the little feet and how the steps halted at the room next to the bathroom to pound at the door until a muffled voice snapped at her to cut it out, it had to be Alba. 

“Well, I guess I can’t be mad at you for wanting to spend time with them,” you sighed, feigning a disappointment that caught his attention, “It’s a shame though, I heard you had left work early, so I thought I’d join ya. Had something special planned but whatever, there’s always next time.”

He blinked, “What? What did you have in mind?” 

“I thought we could pick up where we left off this morning.”

Joel choked on his own spit, his eyes widening as he thumped himself on the chest to cough it back up. Face was beet red, he finally caught his breath and narrowed his eyes at your sly grin. It had been far too long for you to be poking the bear, especially with how close he had been that morning. The two of you had gotten up early, both half dead from lack of sleep but desperate as he shimmied you out of the baggy sweatshirt of his that you had slept in. 

Neither of you had cared about how tired you both were or the morning breath, all that mattered was finally getting to feel each other after weeks of failed attempts. Joel had almost made it, teasing your drenched slit with his throbbing cock when a flurry of fists had slammed against the locked door. The doorknob had shuddered from one of them trying to figure out a way to break in and he sighed, groaning as he felt the moment slipping away. With no other choice, he had pulled away and dressed the two of you quickly before they beat down the door. 

Joel was quite literally starving, ready to die if he didn’t feel the tight embrace of your walls around him soon. He didn’t know how many times he had given himself a pitiful release in the few spare moments he had, holding up a pair of your used panties to his nose as he imagined what it would be like to have you splayed out for him once again. It was starting to get downright pathetic. And there you were, waving a first class dinner right in front of his face like it was some sort of joke. But little did you know, he already had a plan set in motion for tonight that would ensure the two of you got some much needed alone time. 

“Christ honey, ya can’t just say things like that to me. How am I supposed to live with myself knowing that I could be breakin’ that sweet pussy open right now?,” Joel whined.  

“Guess you’ll have to make it up to me with a little midnight snack,” you giggled, nipping at his throat in a way that made his stomach clench, “I just hope they actually stay in bed this time, it's been too long baby.”

Joel smiled wide, thanking his lucky stars that he had secured a babysitter as another playful nip to his pulse point had him close to laying you out on the ratty old futon in the sunroom. It’s not like it would have been the first time he had fucked you on it, but he refrained. Now was not the time for a quickie.

“Don’t you worry sweetheart, we just gotta put ‘em down. I’ve already asked and your mama is gonna do the rest for us,” Joel murmured. 

“My mom? What? Why?,” you asked, abruptly pulling back from his heated skin. 

He shrugged, “Figured we could use some alone time honey, so I called in the big guns. Been too long, I need ya all to myself. Wanna take care of my girl tonight, without anyone interrupting us. S’that alright darling?” 

Joel smiled at your enthusiastic nod, leaning down to steal one soft kiss from your lips as two sets of uncoordinated feet touched down on the first level of the house and sped towards the kitchen. The two of you broke apart with matching sighs, giving each other one last longing glance before turning towards the door. He motioned for you to go first, watching your hips sway as you left him behind in the sunroom. It took all of his strength not to lunge forward and tear your jeans off with his teeth, but the two little gremlins that raced into the room put any thought of that sort to bed. There were more important tasks that needed to be attended to, like getting them to sleep so that he could whisk you away for the night. 

After dinner, Joel was meticulous with how he spent the rest of the night. He kissed you on the cheek, promising to watch them while you did some self care until your mom came. First, he challenged the twins to a race in the backyard, which inevitably led to multiple rounds due to the fact that they were almost as competitive as their mother. All he had to do was lose a couple times and they ousted him from the activity, labeling him as a slowpoke before they continued to fight it out for number one. As they exhausted themselves, Joel cleaned the discarded toys around the yard, biding his time until one of them said uncle. In the end, it was Alba who won the final round, as Ellis had finally decided that the bragging rights were not worth the effort. 

Next, Joel worked through a plethora of books, trying to tire their minds as much as their bodies. He kept going until they slumped against the couch, their eyelids starting to flutter as they fought sleep, which signaled that they were ready for the final step. After filling the tub with the salts you made him use when his back hurt, Joel placed them in the warm water and watched as every bit of fight left in them melted away. They were both so out of it that they didn’t even react when their grandmother knocked on the front door, too busy trying to keep themselves upright to notice the muffled sounds of the two of you talking in the entryway. 

Joel gently rinsed the shampoo from their curls, chuckling at their little yawns and sleepy sighs. As tired as they were, it was easy for him to maneuver them however he wanted, which thankfully cut the usual bath time in half. It didn’t take long for the twins to begin to sway and he plucked them from the steaming water, chuckling as they groaned through the process of him drying and redressing them. 

Even with as tired as he was, Ellis refused to go to bed first, clinging to one last bit of stubbornness for the sake of reasserting his place as the eldest. Alba was too sleepy to argue, already gone by the time her head hit the pillow. She didn’t even react as Joel drew the sheets up around her and placed a kiss against her chubby cheek, completely dead to the world. He whispered a soft -  love ya sugar - before he pulled away, smiling as Alba snuggled deeper into her pillow in lieu of a response. It was only when he turned around that he noticed that Ellis was also fast asleep at the foot of her bed, too overcome with exhaustion to stay awake despite his adamant refusal just moments before. Joel smiled at the sight of the two of them, shaking his head as he slipped his arms under his son to carry him towards his own bedroom.

Since their third birthday, the twins had started to sleep apart. Ellis had been placed in the room next to the plum bathroom, as he was more likely to need it in the middle of the night. Which left Alba in the room at the end of the hall, due to the fact that she slept like a damn log no matter what. A storm could blow through the house and she’d be none the wiser. It had been a hard separation, one that neither of them particularly liked at first, but the change was necessary. 

Their petty arguments and late night shenanigans had started to get out of hand. All it had taken was one midnight adventure into the backyard for a game of tag and the line was drawn. Joel had almost passed out when he had passed by their empty room that night, letting out an actual cry for help that had lifted you from the depths of sleep in an instant. Half cocked fears had driven him to a state that he hadn’t been in for years as he tore through the house, tears threatening his waterline as he convinced himself that the past had somehow finally caught up to him. Meanwhile, you had been ready to call in the calvary, rightfully believing the same as him. However, after the two of you had looked outside and seen them playing in the dark, the decision to separate them had been made in an instant. 

Plus, with another Miller on the way, their old room would soon find a new occupant. It still looked the same as it had when they were infants, although it had gone through a couple much needed updates for the incoming pup. All of the sets of two had been split apart, with the extras carefully stowed away in the basement in hopes that another surprise addition wasn’t on the way. A new coat of paint brightened the walls, along with a few paintings that their excited siblings and cousins had made for them. All the room needed now was the pup. 

As Joel walked into Ellis’s new room, careful not to trip over the art supplies and books that littered the floor, the pup let out a small whine. He slowed as he neared the bed, trying not to jostle his son as he lowered him onto the sheets. A hand came up and gripped Joel’s collar, as if even in sleep Ellis knew that his father was trying to make a hasty escape, and he smiled. Stubborn didn’t even begin to cover it when it came to this one. 

“S’alright buddy, your Papa’s gotcha. M’here sweet boy,” Joel mumbled into his son’s ear as he slowly pulled the tiny fist away from his chest, “I love ya buddy, but ya gotta relax. S’alright, your mama and I will be back before ya know it, just sleep Ellis.” 

Ellis relaxed at his father’s words, completely knocked out by the time the quilt was drawn up under his chin and a kiss was dropped into his hair. With both of the twins asleep, Joel eased himself down the hall, careful to avoid all of the creaky spots along the way. The last thing he needed was a restless child coming back from the dead while he was trying to make a break for it with their mom. As quietly as he could, Joel slipped into the bedroom, holding his breath for a moment after the door clicked shut. When two sets of feet didn’t come bursting down the hall, he sighed in relief, thanking his lucky stars that the plan actually worked. 

“Did they give you any grief?,” you called out. 

Joel walked over to the bathroom, leaning against the door frame with a grin on his face as you smeared a clear goop all over your face. It was the sweet smelling stuff that you coveted, forever trading far too much for a small bottle in order to ward off any wrinkles. He had laughed when you told him the reason behind the pricey trade, only to be snapped out of his joking mood by the glare you had sent his way. Joel had switched gears after that, reminding you that you were the most beautiful woman in the world, while also jokingly pointing out the fact that his own aged face was basically made of leather. That had earned him a smile, but the goop remained a part of your routine and he learned after that to keep his mouth shut about it.

“As much as I appreciate the down time, I can’t believe you managed to get them both in bed that fast completely by yourself. What did you do? Bribe them? I read two full chapters of my book AND did a full in-depth shower before my mom came, that literally never happens.”

He laughed, “Nah, I tired them out with some laps around the backyard and a bunch of books. All they needed was a hot bath and boom, out like a light. Ellis was asleep before we even got back to his room. He did stir a bit just before I got him down, but he was out again by the time I tucked him in.” 

“Hmm, I bet he was faking it. Ten bucks says he gets up and sneaks in with his sister again tonight,” you challenged. 

Joel laughed and shook his head.

“You don’t have ten bucks baby and even if ya did, what the hell would I do with it?,” he shot back. 

“Shit, ten kisses then?”

“Yeah, alright sweetheart,” Joel agreed with a lovesick grin, ready to give them to you either way, “I’ll take that bet.” 

You smiled and turned back towards the mirror to finish your routine. Meanwhile Joel drifted over to the sink, not to halt your movements, just simply wrapping his arms around you so that he could watch from over your shoulder. He took note of every step, following your fingers as they dotted some of the thicker goop under your eyelids. The soft circles you rubbed into the sensitive skin below your eye had him in a trance, a low hum rumbling in his chest as he slumped into you.

Joel’s chest tightened as you pressed back into his embrace, the warmth of your body against his chest making him sigh. The look you gave him in the mirror was worth a million words, a million lifetimes filled with nothing but utter bliss, but he’d have to settle for trailing loving kisses down the side of your neck for now. 

The beauty of holding you in his arms was not lost on Joel, you were the only person who had ever crept through the cracks of his gnarled soul to catch a glimpse of the truth of his being and understand it completely. To be seen for who and what you are, that’s something people dreamed of even before the outbreak, or at least he had. The minx you were, you had come when he least expected you, infiltrating his self imposed imprisonment to tear open his chest and engrave your initials on the inside of his ribcage, forever marking him as yours. It made Joel want to swallow you whole, to weld his arms around you so that he could forever be a part of you, but he couldn’t. You were the sun, the stars, and everything in between, all a mortal man like him was bound to do was worship you and pray that it was enough.  

“How am I supposed to focus when you’re doing that?,” you chuckled, sighing as he snuffled at the bite mark he had left years ago. 

“Mmm, I have faith in ya honey. Just do your thing and I’ll keep lovin’ on ya,” Joel mumbled, voice muffled against the crook of your neck as he continued to nip at the skin there. 

“Alright cowboy, how about you focus on getting ready, hm? I doubt my mom is going to be too happy if she hears us banging up here when we’re supposed to be heading out,” you reminded him, drawing him out the ocean of love and lust that your presence drowned him in. 

“Yes ma’am.” 

Joel gave you one last kiss, lingering for a few seconds longer before he abruptly slapped you on the ass and walked away. A faint whine slipped from your lips and he paused in the doorway, throwing a smug grin over his shoulder that had you rolling your eyes despite how flustered you were. Joel laughed and drifted over to the dresser, filled with nerve racking excitement for the night he had planned. He tugged off his dirty clothes with a cheesy grin still plastered on his face, slipping into a cleaner pair of jeans and one of the only shirts he owned that didn’t double as work clothes, only for a singular glance into the mirror to shatter his confidence. 

For the first time in his life, Joel found himself wondering if his outfit was okay. He stared at himself, tugging at the fabric around his midsection and legs that had grown tighter in the last few years. It wasn’t that Joel was particularly unhealthy or overweight, his job in Jackson ensured that his body had remained strong. Nevertheless, four years of proper food and a comfortable life had left him with a softer tummy and thicker thighs. A flash of anxiety tightened all the muscles around Joel’s heart, ancient worries nipping at him that he tried his best to brush off. It was way too late in the game to be worrying about if you thought he was handsome or not. For Christ’s sake, you had birthed two of his kids and had another on the way. He shook his head, trying desperately to get it together before he let the panic get the best of him and called the whole thing off. 

A frustrated sigh fell from Joel’s lips and he paused, dipping his fingers into the gel he had borrowed from Tommy to tame his curls. He raked his hands through the silver strands, downright disgruntled as he tried to convince himself that he didn’t look completely absurd. Sighing at the sight of himself, he decided to leave it and moved back out of the bedroom. If you loved him as much as you said, he supposed that his newly acquired thickness and aging features wouldn’t bother you. 

Joel crept down the stairs, careful not to alert any restless pups as he made his way to the first floor. Babysitting the twins could be a handful, and he had promised that they would be asleep for your mother by the time she came. The last thing he wanted was to leave her with two excited grandkids after she had already been the one tasked with watching them all day. Especially with all she had done to ensure his plans went off without a hitch. 

“Has she figured it out yet?,” your mother called from the couch as he touched down onto the first floor, marking her place in her book so that she could look up at him. 

Joel shook his head, hoping like hell that he was right. Tonight had been a bit of an all hands on deck situation, which meant that he had to trust not one, but five other people to make it happen. Sure, he knew that Cooper, Maria, and even the woman in front of him could probably be trusted enough to keep a secret. But with two chatty-cathys like Jake and Tommy involved, Joel was in utter disbelief that the whole thing hadn’t fallen apart on day one. 

“I think everyone kept their word but Jake and her are like two peas in a pod, so I ain’t completely sure,” he sighed, “Who knows, the clinic has been so swamped that she’d probably forget it if he did tell her. Reckon I could’ve left the damn thing right on the dresser and she’d probably would've walked right by it on the way to bed.” 

She scoffed, “I’d prefer if you kept the ring somewhere safer than that until you have the chance to give it to her. I didn’t bring it halfway across the country and save it for over twenty years, hiding it from her stepfather and then those sick pricks who kept me in that damn brothel, just for you to lose it by being careless.” 

“Yes ma’am, I-I didn’t uh… That was a dumb joke, I wouldn’t do that,” Joel answered quickly, face flush from the shift in her tone.

The woman could still be as ornery as ever, but Joel knew enough not to fight her on the subject. He was right, it was a dumb joke to make, especially when he knew how precious of a thing it was that she had given him. In the time since her arrival to Jackson, your mother had softened a considerable amount, especially for her grandkids and the daughter she was still trying to mend fences with. The kindness had even been extended to Jake’s family, as well as Tommy’s, but Joel was still kept at an arm’s length. 

Joel didn’t blame her, he probably wouldn’t have liked anyone his older daughters introduced to him if they had made it that far, and he had a funny feeling that the same would be true for the twins. Who could possibly be perfect enough to deserve his kids? They would have to be a world class children’s surgeon, who somehow doubled as a school teacher and volunteered with the elderly, all while curing every disease known to man, in order to get his approval. Afterall, they deserved the best. Still, Joel knew that there was no way your mother hated him entirely. If she did, she wouldn’t have given him her most prized possession. That had to count for something. 

“I went up there to help Jake with a few things and it,” she stopped and cleared her throat, “... It looks nice Joel, really nice. I think she will appreciate it. After everything that I… Well, all I was ever worried about was keeping her alive, so much so that I couldn’t see how miserable she was. I’m glad she has someone who does things for her, someone that keeps her safe AND happy.” 

The compliment was rare, so rare that Joel wasn’t sure what to say for a moment. Some of the ice in her eyes had melted and for the first time ever, he could see a small twinkle of something. A quiet excitement radiated off of her, so subdued that the untrained eye would have missed it, but it was there. A veil of grief still masked it, like many of the other positive emotions she exuded, but he could see how happy she was for you despite her own pain. Joel understood that grief, could sense how hard this was for her as someone who had lost the only man she had ever loved, and he wished there was something he could say. But Joel only knew of the past from your perspective, and he knew even less about the father you had lost well over twenty years ago. There were no words that could fix that type of pain, so instead he refocused on her praise. 

“Thank you, I want it to be perfect. I love her so damn much and I uh… Well, I know that it ain’t much but I want her to feel um - to feel…,” Joel trailed off, slightly uncomfortable gushing about his mate in front of such a severe woman. 

She waved off Joel’s attempts at an explanation, giving him a look of understanding that calmed his frayed nerves. 

“It isn’t about material possessions,” she sighed, looking away from him, “Her father and I never married, but that was my choice. Abe showed his love in other ways instead. He built me a house, he let me pursue my career over his, he gave me a daughter who is so much like him that it hurts sometimes… The ring didn’t matter to me and he knew that.”

“So why did you keep it?,” Joel froze as her gaze snapped back towards him, fearing he might have overstepped, “I mean, shit. I’m sorry ma’am, I don’t know why I asked that. That’s not really any of my business, I just meant -” 

“It’s fine, you should know if you’re going to give it to her. I hated the thought of it, being someone’s wife just felt like admitting defeat to me. She never met my parents, but they were hard people, very strict and religious. God, I hated them so much but it’s funny, you always end up becoming the one thing you never wanted to be,” she chuckled. 

Joel felt his heart break for the unfortunate woman, standing there in silence as she worked through the past she tried hard to avoid. He wondered if you knew any of this. There had been many conversations, hard and awkward as they may be, between you and your mother since settling in Jackson. It had helped the two of you to come together, but he knew there were still a lot of things she hadn’t been able to fully express to you just yet. 

“Anyways, none that matters now I guess. I met her father and I finally had a family. He understood, so he never pushed me to marry him… Even if his mom was always asking when she’d see us under the chuppah,” she laughed, softening as she remembered your grandmother, “When she died, Abe took her ring for our daughter. She was the only granddaughter so…” 

“So, he figured it should go to her someday,” Joel finished. 

“Yes, but it was more than that. She’s not like me, Joel. Even as young as she was when he died, Abe knew that she’d want it someday, that she’d want all of the romance that came with a commitment like that, just like he did. That’s why he kept it, because he knew her…,” she said wistfully, getting a little quieter as she added, “He was always so good at knowing people.”

A beat of silence filled the air and Joel didn’t move to fill it, letting her have a chance to breathe. This was the most your mother had ever spoken to him about… Well, anything. And the information session on the family you barely remembered? That was priceless. There was no way Joel was going to ruin it. He watched as she straightened up and peered into his eyes, looking directly into his soul as she continued. 

“Everything good in her, all of that hope she has, comes from him. She is completely of him, not me. When Abe died, I promised to keep it for her until she found someone that would love her. I never gave it to that bastard Paul, I’d sooner toss it in a lake. I have made a lot of mistakes in my life, but giving you that ring was not one of them and I know that her father would agree.”

Another beat of silence passed, one where Joel stood in quiet astonishment of your mother’s words. Never had any of that information been divulged to him. Of course you had told him stories about the father you had lost over the years but not many, which he attributed to either the pain that still lingered or the simple fact that you had only been five years old when he died. There were stories about ice cream trips, dressing up in silly costumes for Purim, and how he treated your family with such care, but that was it. Joel had been able to put together that he was a good man, but to learn more about him from an adult’s perspective, someone who could actually paint a picture that wasn’t faded around the edges, that was everything. And to be given the blessing of not just your mother, but the man who had loved you both so much? It was everything to him, as your mate, as a father himself. 

“I… Thank you, I never knew any of that. She hasn’t uh… Her memories of him are few and far in between I think, so I still don’t know a lot about him, other than that he was a good man and that he really loved you two. I wish I could have known him,” Joel admitted. 

She nodded, her mouth twisting in a way that made him want to reach out and hug her.

“You do, in a way. He was… warm, like her. And she knows people, just like he did, so much so that it used to scare me but now… Now I think it helped her figure out what she wants. That’s why I know she’ll say yes, she’s known what she wanted since day one,” your mother said. 

“I-I don’t even know what to say, other than I love her and I promise that I won’t ever hurt her. All I want is to make your daughter happy,” Joel vowed, trying to keep himself from getting emotional in front of the stoic omega. 

Above all else, even if your mother still absolutely hated Joel as she had after their first encounter in the arena, he needed her to understand that he would never do you harm. If it came down to it, he’d die before he ever let anything bad happen to you.  

“I know,” she nodded, “Although, perhaps you should get better at giving explanations if you want her to say yes. The stuttering doesn’t sound very convincing and you should probably promise her more than just ensuring her safety. I think we both know she can hold her own.” 

Joel chuckled, shaking his head at the dry jab, “Yeah, maybe you’re right about that.” 

“Right about what?”

Whirling around, Joel was met with a sight that made him weak in the knees. The last days of June had been warm, which caused you to swap the scrubs out for a pair of shorts that 

perfectly framed your ass, the denim tapering off mere inches away from the swell of it. If that wasn’t bad enough, the tighter than usual t-shirt you wore nearly drove him up a wall, as the evidence of his claim on you was straining against the fabric around your tummy. That and the deep v-neck almost gave Joel a stroke, but the presence of your mother kept any lewd thoughts from turning into actions. However, he couldn’t entirely let your beauty go unaddressed and marched over, greeting you with a kiss that certainly teetered on the edge of appropriateness. It was over much too soon but he made sure to make it count, even sneaking in a small dip that made you squeal and break away from him. 

“Wow, what was that for?,” you panted, giggling as he pulled you back up. 

“Y’look real pretty baby, just had to kiss ya.” 

Entranced by the way you beamed at his compliment, Joel leaned back in, completely forgetting where he was. All he could focus on was your lips, so pretty and soft, practically calling to him. How could he leave them unkissed? Refusing to kiss the one who brought him back from the depths of hell would be a sin. However, when a throat was cleared Joel halted mid air, inches from reaching the plushness of your mouth once more. The two of you turned, breaking apart at the sight of the severe woman who cocked her hip out at the affectionate display. 

“Ugh, please go,” she muttered, grimacing as she turned back towards her book, “The twins will be fine, I can watch them until noon if you want to sleep in. For the love of everything that is holy, just get out of here before you blind me. There’s only so much a woman my age can take.” 

“Thanks mom,” you said with a sheepish grin, gesturing for Joel to follow you towards the door. 

Joel nodded, thanking your mother one last time before the two of you practically sprinted out of there. He grabbed your hand as you stepped out onto the street, squeezing it every now and again in lieu of chatting. The summer air was the perfect temperature, not too chilly and not too hot, which soothed his dilemma about slipping a pair of jeans on rather than his only pair of shorts. Sure, you loved when Joel wore them, but who was he kidding? He was not a shorts type of guy and he was pretty sure the only reason you liked them so much was because they were much too tight around his crotch. 

“Are you going to tell me where we’re going?,” you asked excitedly, making him chuckle and shake his head, “Because we passed the cafe, town hall is playing Footloose tonight, which I doubt you want to see, and considering the fact that you don’t drink anymore and we already had supper, I can’t see us going to the Bison...” 

“Ever heard of a surprise?” 

You scoffed, “Yeah and they piss me off. C’mon, just tell me baby.” 

Joel rolled his eyes, zippering his lips with one hand before he pretended to toss the key over his shoulder. He laughed as he felt you begin to drag your feet, leaving him no choice but to pull your dramatic ass along until you stumbled back into a normal pace. The sigh you let out as he forced you to walk normally was long and drawn out, but he knew that your own curiosity would be enough to convince you to follow him in the end. 

“Guess this is it then, you’re finally going to murder me. You’ve played the long game Mr. Miller but here we are, five years later and the final phase is in motion at last,” you lamented.  

Joel shook his head, keeping his mouth shut despite the fact that he knew you were trying to break him. The stable was in view, all he needed to do was keep your interest up long enough to get you on the back of a horse and outside of Jackson’s walls. If you would just stop rambling about his supposed plans to assassinate you, then maybe he could get you to the surprise without losing his mind. 

It was a field trip Joel had thought about for quite some time but after much deliberation, as well as a quick logistics session with his brother, he had figured out how to do it in a way that was safe. While the pregnancy had made him more nervous about it, Tommy had promised to be nearby for the night with Cooper, the two of them holed up in a lookout tower with a walkie talkie in case anything went sideways. Aside from a few scans over the area every few hours, the agreement was that they would keep a wide berth so the two of you could be loud if need be. Joel was incredibly excited and terribly anxious about it, feeling like he was burning from the inside out while you continued to push his buttons for information.

“Listen honey, I ain’t telling you nothing. M’just gonna take ya on a little ride and then I’ve got a few things planned, s’all I’m gonna say. Now, I know you’re itchin’ to know but let me do this right baby, please,” Joel cut in, which thankfully silenced your long winded murder accusations. 

Another look of skepticism was thrown his way but you nodded, allowing Joel to lead you into the stables and towards the jumpy horse that was somewhat of a family pet. Rusty still refused to take any other riders, but he seemed to understand that the twins were an extension of his owners, since they were the only other people that didn’t get immediately bucked off of his back. Meanwhile, the rest of Jackson remained shunned by the timid horse. Joel rolled his eyes as you approached the stallion, cooing at him like he was a sweet little puppy, rather than the grumpy brute he was. 

“Don’t baby him darling, asshole nearly tore Eugene's arm off the other day when he stuck his hand in to give him a carrot. Fucker didn’t even care that he was getting a treat,” Joel warned, keeping an eye on the finicky beast as he secured a saddle overtop of him. 

“Sh, don’t listen to him sweetie. I’m sure you had your reasons,” you murmured. 

Joel rolled his eyes as you placed a kiss on Rusty’s muzzle, which was answered by a series of excited little nods from the horse that made you smile. He sighed and patted Rusty's side in defeat, shaking his head at the way you babied him. Someone as ancient as Eugene most certainly did not deserve to be whipped around by his coat sleeves, especially when all he was trying to do was give the stallion a treat, but Joel supposed that there was no use in keeping a grudge on an animal that had never shunned him or his family.  

“Spoiled rotten,” Joel tsked, chuckling at the way you swatted at his arm in response. 

Shaking his head, Joel led Rusty out from the stables, giving him one last look over before he pulled himself up into the saddle with an audible grunt. He hauled you up next, placing you directly in front of him rather than behind so that he could wrap his arms around you as he steered the two of you towards the gates. 

“Ready darling?,” Joel whispered into your ear, noting the way you squirmed at the proximity. 

“I-I’m ready,” you stuttered, giving him the green light to head towards the exit. 

The guards at the gates had already been notified of the trip, which thankfully meant that the two of you were simply waved off rather than subject to the usual line of questioning. As he veered off to the right, Joel breathed a sigh of relief, letting the night air soothe his nerves. Would you like what he had planned? Fuck, he hoped so. Everything with the two of you had happened backwards, which meant he never really got the chance to try his hand at the whole romance thing. Not that he had ever been known for it before the outbreak, the best his hookups ever got from him was the usual aftercare and an offer of a paid cab ride home. And after the world ended? Well, let’s just say the quick fucks Joel had squeezed in here and there were dirty, more of a mean’s to an end. But once he met you, his soul mate, he suddenly felt the need to try. 

There had been attempts. Joel had carved that rose years ago, but he had given it to you after he had fucked the shit out of you for days on end. Even after that, when he thought that he might finally have a chance to woo you, to show you how much you mean to him, the two of you had been separated for weeks. Hell, by the time Tommy had found the two of you entangled in the ski lodge, any thought of pursuing cutesy little things had gone out the window. The growing life inside of you had been his only concern, and after they were born, the twins took up any remaining free time that either of you had. There had been small gestures, like the desk he made you for your office at the clinic, or the breakfast he made you each morning, or the song he wrote you for your last birthday, but it wasn’t enough. You deserved more. 

Joel needed to get better at the grand gestures, especially since his competition was you. In a world where so many commodities had become unavailable, one might think that gift giving would be nearly impossible, but you were annoyingly creative. Whether it be the long lost Fleetwood Mac CD you had found for him, or the way you had reinforced his favorite brown coat with fleece for the wintertime, or the lunch box you packed for him every day, you continuously bested him in making an effort.

It was his last birthday that had kicked Joel in the ass, and he had vowed that day to find a way to top it, even if it was the last thing he did. At first he had thought it was just a notebook, something he could use for jotting down measurements and supply lists for his job, but after some urging from you to open it, he was stunned into silence. A small collection of pictures, all taken from his brother, had been arranged for him in a small book that he now kept in his nightstand. It had a few pictures of the twins, of you, of Sarah, as well as a couple shots of the family he grew up with, but it was the last picture that had made him dissolve into a puddle of tears. 

There, on the very final page of the book, framed with terrible drawings of rockets and other space themed decorations, was a picture of Ellie. His mouth had dropped open, pure astonishment splitting his face wide open as he looked down at the girl he thought that he’d never see again making funny faces in a series of photobooth snapshots. He had no idea that the picture existed, or who the other girl was in the photos, but he swallowed it all down to ask: 

“How?” 

“Tommy said she left it in the room she stayed in. He kept it thinking she might be back for it someday but then ah… That didn’t happen so…,” you explained, trailing off when you caught the look on his face. 

Fury had whipped through Joel in that moment, deepening all of the lines in his face and darkening his eyes. All he could feel was pure rage, not towards you, but towards the brother who had kept such a treasure away from him. How dare Tommy hold on to this, especially when Joel had devoted his life to grieving her for four years. How many bi-yearly visits had his brother sat on this information, babbling about Frankie while Joel floated above himself and tried to make all the appropriate noises that an older brother should? Not once had Tommy said a single word during his lowest period, but it was that exact thought that snapped him out of it, forcing him to grit his teeth and swallow down his resentment. 

There was a reason Tommy hadn’t told him. Two things could have happened to the picture. Either Joel would have vehemently refused it in his initial drunken stupor, cussing his brother out for thinking he needed the reminder of his failure, or he would have begrudgingly accepted it later on and left it with the rest of his things at the cabin. There would be no getting it back, not when he had two living pups that needed him alive and a mate that would be broken by a pointless death. Understanding this, Joel had taken a deep breath, drinking it all in for another second before he turned to you and began to cry. 

“Darling, I-I can’t,” he groaned, his brain unable to keep up with the wave of emotions that washed over him. 

Without even thinking about it, Joel launched forward and welded his arms around you, squeezing you so tight that all of the air rushed out of you. 

“Fuck, I’m so sorry. If you don’t like it, I totally get it. This was supposed to be a happy gift. God Joel, I didn’t mean to cross a line by digging up all of this shi-” 

“No,” Joel whispered, pressing a kiss to the side of your face for good measure, “It’s perfect honey. The best gift I ever got, promise.” 

That was months ago and yet, Joel still couldn’t get over the enormity of the gesture. That was why, as he neared his destination, he felt like he was about to implode. He wanted, more than anything in the world, to make you feel as special as you had made him feel that day. Joel had worked hard, scrounging up what he could and planning for months, but he was still nervous. What if you laughed at his efforts? Or worse, rejected them entirely? Sure, you had never done that before, but there was always a first time for everything. Afterall, Joel was not exactly known for being great at expressing his feelings. He tried to keep his head on straight for the last few minutes of the ride, even though he was sure that you could feel the layer of sweat that had soaked through the front of his shirt, but it was getting harder the closer the two of you got. 

“Honey, I uh… Well I wanted to do something nice but if you don’t - I mean, if it fucking sucks, we could always do something else. I don’t want you trying to spare my feelings alright? I’m a big boy, I can take it and if this ain’t -”

“Joel,” you called, breaking him from the spiral. 

“Yeah?”

“You’re better at this than you think. Everyday you make me and the twins feel so loved, it’s just what you do baby. I’m sure whatever this is, I’ll fucking love it,” you softly encouraged. 

Joe smiled, feeling his chest crack open and all of the tension rush out at your words. He pressed a small kiss to the back of your neck in thanks, nuzzling it for a moment before he straightened up in his seat. It was your words that pushed him through the last bit of the journey, giving him just enough strength to veer off into the clearing he had scoped out where Rusty could graze. 

“Alright, this is it,” Joel announced as he jumped down, holding out his arms for you to leap into. 

But you didn’t move. Eyes going cartoonishly wide at the forest that Joel had to admit, somehow looked ten times more terrifying at night, you whipped your head around before looking down at him with a raised brow. He chuckled, reaching forward so that he could yank you off of Rusty’s back and wrap your legs around his waist. 

“You’re really not beating the murder accusations Joel. I mean, all you need is a machete or something, and you’d be set to star in the world’s first post-apocalyptic slasher movie,” you teased as you pinched his side. 

Joel barked a laugh, shaking his head at the slight sting as he set you down in front of him. There was a mischievous look in your eye, one that made his heart skip a few beats. He leaned in, brushing his lips over yours for just a moment before he pulled back with a sly grin. 

“Machete is overdone, I’d be more original than that.” 

That made you laugh, a true laugh that puffed Joel’s chest up a bit despite the anxiety that still weighed it down. The fear of rejection still wriggled like worms in the pit of his stomach, but the sound of your laughter was making it a bit more bearable. 

“Oooh, like maybe your whittling tools? That could give it a little personal touch. They’d call you the Wayward Whittler,” you tried, nose scrunching up as it rolled off your tongue, “Bleh, forget that one. That sucks. You need something better, maybe something like…” 

“The Crazy Craftsman?,” Joel tried, which earned a cackle from you. 

“Yes! That’s perfect,” you laughed, throwing your head back in a way that made his heart soar, “Well, we’ve got it all figured out. Guess it’s time for me to die now, do your worst.” 

Joel shook his head, smiling as he held a hand out for you to take. A matching grin graced your lips as you took it, giving him the last boost he needed to direct you towards what could either be a romantic night, or a travesty of his own creation. 

“Sure thing sweetheart, but I was thinking we could go for a little walk first,” he joked, tugging you behind him as he weaved through the trees. 

From just beyond the treeline, Joel could hear the rushing water and he hastened towards it, wanting to get it over with before his heart gave out entirely. The two of you broke through the forest, coming out along the side of the river that powered Jackson. It was further upstream than the dam, a conscious choice he had made to ensure that no confused workers would stumble upon any intimate scenes. That, and the fact that it was tucked away, hidden from any of the usual groups of raiders or infected that passed through the area. Plus, the swimming hole just before the bridge was a nice touch. Once upon a time, Joel had promised to take you swimming in the river he had found you by when the summer came. Although this was a substitute, the waters were just as cool and the company was just as gorgeous. 

On the other side of the bridge, a lodge was built into the side of the rocky hillside. The wooden structure was slightly worn, the logs having been washed out by years of harsh weather, but the big windows and near perfect interior still boasted a rare beauty. It was the type of place where snobby rich pricks had probably escaped to when the stress of their fancy high rise had gotten to them, but not anymore. Now, it was just a beautiful building hiding in the middle of nowhere, waiting for someone like him to take advantage of it. There was a warm glow of candles coming from inside, beckoning the two of you inside. Joel turned to you with a hopeful smile on his face, praying that you weren’t completely apathetic towards the spot he had found.  

“Oh wow, this is beautiful,” you gasped.

The look of wonder on your face was something to behold and Joel tried to burn it into his memory with all of his might. This night wouldn’t necessarily change things between you, but he wanted it to be an experience that you thought about from time to time, smiling to yourself as you completed whatever mundane task life in Jackson threw at you. He wanted it to be a story that the both of you told an edited version to the kids someday, so that they could understand just how much their parents have always loved each other. So, as the look on your face filled him with hope, he took one last deep breath and began. 

“We met for the first time by a river,” Joel said, leading you across the bridge, “And I know that everything got messed up out there, but I still think about how it was at first, about how happy we were out there. That place was the first home we had. It was nothing but a coffin before you came around, but then it became a home, you made it a home.”

“Joel, this is so… What is this?,” you asked, voice thick with emotion already. 

“Hush baby, I’m gettin’ there. Look, I know the cabin is miles away and that it didn’t exactly,” he gestured towards the polished lodge, “Well, it didn’t look like that, but I wanted to take ya back. That was the place where I met my favorite person, it was where we fell in love, it’s where we bonded. Fuck, who knows, it could be where our pups were made. Honey, it’s our start.”

“Baby,” you squeaked, eyes brimming with tears that quickly spilled over onto your cheeks. 

He shook his head, pressing a chaste kiss to your forehead before he continued towards the lodge. 

“Not yet sweet girl, there’s some more stuff inside first,” Joel implored, to which you gave a shaky nod.  

Coming to a stop at the door to the lodge, Joel gave you one last hopeful look before he opened it up, gesturing for you to go first. His heart clenched as you stepped in, the sound of a sharp gasp falling from your lips making his head spin. He followed, desperately hoping that it was a good surprise as he carefully closed the door behind him. 

Flowers, courtesy of the talented gardener your best friend was married to, covered nearly every surface. The air was filled with the smell of gardenias, dahlias, peonies, and a few more that Joel couldn’t quite place. Candles were scattered throughout the first floor, giving the room a warmth that made everything feel more intimate. There was a table filled with treats that you mooned over for more than a few seconds, eyeing all of the chocolatey goodness that was left for you with a small smile before you turned towards him again. 

“Joel, you shouldn’t have. This is way too much,” you admonished, though there was no real heat behind the words, just a flustered warmth that made him blush. 

“I wanted to baby, you deserve a little pampering every now and then. And I know you probably wanna dig into that chocolate, but there’s more to see upstairs first,” Joel directed, nodding towards the stairs to the second floor. 

However good the first floor looked, nothing could have prepared either of you for the second. Although Joel had given his helpers a plethora of instructions, he was shocked at how closely they had recreated his over the top imagination. He hadn’t expected them to be able to meet half of his requests, knowing that his need for perfection was completely unreasonable in a post-apocalyptic world, but they had followed every single directive to a T. There was even some artistic license that Joel couldn’t find it in himself to hate. 

More flowers highlighted the beauty of the open concept room, along with an obnoxious amount of petals all over the bed that reddened the tips of Joel’s ears. He certainly didn’t have the guts to ask for that, but he also had a feeling that they were courtesy of your excitable best friend. The candles around the room burned low, casting a sensual glow to the room that ticked the room temperature up by a few degrees. Even with the door to the balcony open, the fresh air wafting in from outside and the sound of rushing water, it was sweltering. However, given how hot and bothered the two of you had been lately, he was pretty sure the candles had nothing to do with it.

Awestruck, your jaw popped open as you looked around. Each time your eyes met Joel’s, a few more tears would fall, but it was the little memories that he had given his minions to leave out that started the real cries. The first thing you came across was a replacement of sorts. The small rose Joel had once carved for you was long forgotten at the cabin, along with many other precious things, but there it lay on a coffee table. Or at least, a replica did. It had taken him far too many times to get it right. Not that Joel would ever admit it, but there was a closet filled with failed recreations in his work room back home. Nevertheless, the endless trial and error was worth it to see your reaction. 

“I thought I lost it,” you sobbed, clutching the rose to your chest like it was priceless. 

Joel stepped forward, grabbing your face so he could brush the tears away as they fell. He kissed your eyelids, cooing at the small whimper that bubbled to the surface in return.

“That ain’t the original baby, I made another for this. Thought you might like to remember that day… It uh, well it was a really good one for us.” 

You blinked, slowly remembering how that day had played out. The rose, the morning chores, the fight by the river, and then…

“We bonded that day.”

Joel nodded, feeling sheepish as he remembered alongside you. He didn’t mean to be an ass that day, all he had wanted to do was unwind the clock a bit, to be the chivalrous gentleman you most certainly deserved. What Joel didn’t realize at the time was that you didn’t want that, you wanted him as he was. One frustrated argument was all it had taken for him to realize it, which had ultimately led to the love making session that had ended with you sinking your teeth into his neck. 

“That day was one of the best days of my life darling,” he admitted, though he was sure you already knew that. 

You smiled, “Me too.” 

Another nudge from Joel and you turned back towards the room, reaching another artifact he had left out. Although this one was a bit unclear, with the colorful case and upbeat soundtrack listed on the back boasting a mix that he would usually steer clear of. He cleared his throat, chuckling at your look of confusion. 

“Um, this is from… Well, it wasn’t exactly the best time. I mean, we had almost just died but you brought one of these mix CDs with us for the drive to Jackson and it was the first time in a while that I was happy. I mean, things got pretty crazy after that first day on the road but just for a second, everything felt okay. We were together again and it felt so fucking good.” he explained. 

“Even after you had to listen to my horrible rendition of the Spice Girls?,” you teased. 

Joel laughed, “Yeah baby, even after that.”

You set the CD down, smiling as you dragged your finger over the cover for another second before turning back towards the last bit of scattered memories. As you walked over to the small collection of things that covered the desk in the corner, Joel took a deep breath and readied himself. Pictures and keepsakes were strewn across it, showcasing the life the two of you had built together in Jackson. A few pictures of the twins as infants, toddlers, and even one taken a couple months earlier at Tommy’s birthday party were placed in the center, showcasing the center of both of your lives. Perhaps in a different life there would be a sonogram for him to add, but for now all he could make do with was one of the many drawings the pups had done for their incoming sibling. 

Around the edges, there were a few of the notes Joel had left you over the years, the ones you had hidden from him in the box on the bookshelf, as if he didn’t also frequent the library in his own home. You giggled, plucking a few from the desk and reading them, letting more tears flow as he got into position. He watched as you picked up one of the very few pictures of you and him, the only one that he looked semi-decent in. It had been taken at the twin’s second birthday party by Maria of all people, after the two of you had snuck into the backyard for some much needed alone time while all the kids and parents were too distracted by the chaos. 

In the picture, Joel holds you close, one hand on the small of your back while the other cups your face. His face is lit up, uncharacteristically lively as he stares into the eyes of the woman he loves. Even his mouth, so often found in a grim line, is spread wide with a grin that makes him look ten years younger. But it was you that stole the show in the photo, clad in a baby blue sundress that had driven him wild as he watched you host what turned out to be a jam-packed party. Your hair is slightly tousled, probably because Joel had his hands in it just moments before when he kissed you, but it makes you even prettier. And the look you're giving him in the picture, god, that look made him more sure of what he was about to do than anything else. 

“Hmm, you look so handsome in this one baby. It’s a good thing Maria came out of the house when she did, or else she would’ve gotten quite the show,” you laughed, shaking your head as you turned, “Do you think that she saw when you - Joel? What are you doing?” 

The way you stared down at him on one knee, cocking your head at the gesture like it was the strangest thing in the world, nearly made Joel lose his nerve but he pushed through. It was now or never. 

“Honey, I-I need to tell you,” Joel stopped, taking a deep breath to steady his pounding heart, “Before I found you, I was perfectly fine dying alone. Fuck, I was ready for it even. Anything would be better than feeling so god damn miserable all the time.” 

Fat globs of tears sprung from your eyes and Joel winced. Maybe starting with how miserable he used to be wasn’t the best move, especially when he was proposing to his very pregnant mate. As you bit down on your trembling lower lip, desperately trying to keep in the shaky cries he knew were seconds away from breaking free, Joel switched gears. 

“Sorry, that was a bad start. Let me try again. For years before the outbreak, I dreamed of what it would be like to meet my person, to fall in love with someone and be a family. Then, after everything that happened, I started to think that it was just a fantasy. Or if it was real, that I’d never find someone who’d be crazy enough to love someone like me, but then I met you.” 

A cracked sob echoed throughout the room, fallen from your lips as you shakily lowered yourself onto the floor. Joel chuckled as you got down on his level, gripping his shoulders to keep yourself upright as you gazed at him through a heavy veil of tears. He lifted your left hand, pressing it to his lips before he rubbed at the finger he hoped would soon be adorned with a ring. 

“I-I don’t understand Joel, what is this? I mean, this is all so… F-Fuck, it’s so amazing baby, but why are we on the floor?,” you blubbered. 

Joel laughed, a true, full, belly laugh as he shook his head at your utter confusion. It had never once occurred to him that you might not understand the tradition of getting down on one knee, but he was a man of his time and he’d be damned if he didn’t do it for you. 

“Everything I have is because of you babygirl. My pups, my home, my fucking sanity, I wouldn’t have any of it if it weren’t for you. And I will spend the rest of my life loving you as best as I can. My heart is yours honey, now and forever. So, will you marry me?”

Joel slipped the ring from his pocket, wishing like hell he could have found a box for it in time, but the sentiment would have to do. Plus, he had to admit, the family heirloom was pretty damn impressive. An emerald sat at the center, wrapped in a thin line of peridot, with a thin gold band that glinted in the candlelight. 

“W-Where did you get this?! This is my grandmother’s ring! I don’t understand. M-My dad was supposed to save it for me but then the world ended and he… Well, he fucking died. How the hell do you have this?,” you stammered, astonished by the small piece of jewelry. 

“Your mama kept it,” Joel answered with an earnest smile, “She said that he wanted you to have it someday when you found the right person, so she um… She gave it to me so I could ask ya darling. I know that I never knew him but I… Well, I hope that’s okay.” 

“Oh my god, Joel!,” you cried out as you threw yourself at him. 

A small oomph came from his lips, the force of your body hitting his chest nearly knocking him to the floor, but Joel managed to get his balance. He wrapped his arms around you, allowing you to weep into his neck and babble about how overboard everything was. 

“So, uh… Is that a yes?,” he asked, unsure if the display of emotions was a positive thing or not. 

As quickly as you had nearly tackled him, you were pulling away, placing a plethora of kisses all over Joel’s face as you repeated your answer again and again. 

“Yes.”

A kiss to the forehead. 

“Yes.” 

His nose. 

“Yes.” 

Both of his cheeks. 

“Fucking a million times yes.” 

The last kiss was dropped onto Joel’s lips, effectively sealing the deal and forcing his heart to strain against the confines of his ribcage once more. He dove into it, allowing himself to get lost in the feeling of your tongue sliding against his, in the way you tugged at his hair and moaned into his mouth. All consumed by you, he could hardly keep in his pained whine when you pulled away much too soon. However, when you extended your left hand to him, fluttering your fingers with an excited grin, he couldn’t find it in himself to be annoyed. 

Instead, Joel grabbed your hand, placing a kiss to the back of it before he carefully slid the ring on. He held his breath, praying that it would fit, only for it to slide home like it was meant to be there all along. The air in his lungs halted when he looked down at it, a chemical reaction going off in his brain that had moisture gathering in his eyes as his cock simultaneously twitched to life in his boxers. 

“I love you sweet girl, more than anything,” Joel breathed, completely in awe at the sight of the ring glimmering in the candlelight. 

“I love you too Joel. I never thought I’d meet someone who loved me so much, someone so…,” you sighed as you cupped his face, “Perfect for me. I mean, I never thought I’d be able to choose. Then there was Paul and that stupid wedding. Fuck, I never even said yes but it didn’t matter.” 

Joel growled, a deep resentment for that awful man bubbling up to the surface. It didn’t matter that the piece of shit had been dead for years, his ghost still managed to stir up some rage. 

“Baby, I need you to understand that I will never treat you like that asshole did. I love you, I’d rather fucking die than hurt you. And if anyone ever threatens you or our pups, I will kill them myself,” he hissed through gritted teeth. 

“I know Joel, that’s one of the many reasons I’m saying yes,” you grinned, rubbing a hand over his chest until he released the tension there, “For most of my life, I felt like I was sleepwalking, but then I met you and you changed my life. You understand me in a way that nobody ever has, you showed me that I had a voice, that I could choose and I choose this. I choose you, forever.” 

“Oh sweetheart, you’re giving me waaaay too much credit. That was all you, my strong girl. You found your own voice honey, not me,” Joel admonished, heart swollen with pride as he thought about the confidence you had gained in the past five years. 

“Maybe, but I couldn’t have done it without your help. All I had ever heard was that I was worthless, that I was stupid, that I didn’t deserve respect. But you? You actually listened to me and for the first time in my life, I had someone who loved me, someone who didn’t tear me down. I might have found my own voice but Joel, it was you who gave me confidence to do it.” 

“Goddamn honey, how am I supposed to follow that? I can’t believe you’ve outdone me at the proposal that I planned,” Joel groaned, making you giggle at his theatrics, “I can’t even begin to explain how proud I am to call you mine. You’re the smartest, kindest, most beautiful and strong person that I know. And until I die honey, I’m yours. I love you so much.” 

“I love you too, now kiss me.”

The two of you met in the middle, a surge of electricity setting all of Joel’s nerves alight as his lips moved against yours. His hands grabbed at your ass, kneading the flesh beneath his fingers as you tugged on his curls like you could fuse the two of you together. Sweat formed at his hairline, the heat of the room turning downright tropical as his greedy hands grabbed every part of you he could reach. One twirl of the tongue from you and Joel was done, grunting into the kiss as he picked you up and walked to the edge of the bed. He bit your lip, causing you to whine unabashedly and grind down against the bulge in his jeans. The zipper dug into his hardened length, the sensation only worsened by the sound of your pretty moans riling him up even more. 

“Do you like rubbin’ that little cunt all over me? Tell me, who’s making that pretty pussy gush? God, she’s just so needy, isn’t she? Talk to me sweet girl,” Joel panted, unable to keep himself from shivering as you licked a stripe up the side of his neck. 

“Shit, you Joel. Only you. Need you to - ah - need you to fuck me,” you keened, already gone despite the fact that he had barely touched you yet. 

Joel grinned wolfishly, allowing you to grind against him as he sucked at the skin along your neck. His hands wandered under your shirt, drifting over your hips, across your belly, and up under the swell of your breasts. Joel nudged the pesky bra aside, sneaking his hands into the cups so that he could toy with your nipples until they were swollen and stiff. All he had to do was bite down on the sensitive skin a bit harder while he plucked at your overly sensitive peaks and you were done, letting out an uncharacteristic low warning growl. He grinned, loving how worked up you got when he toyed with you like this. 

“Are you trying to kill me?,” you grouched, all flushed and sweaty as you glared at him, 

He laughed and shook his head, “Quite the opposite sweetheart.” 

The moan you let out as Joel’s lips crashed into yours was better than any symphony, causing his knees to almost give out from the sheer beauty of it. For two weeks, the forces of life had kept him from having you this way, forcing him into a state that was embarrassingly needy. Joel needed to hear more, to tear that blinding pleasure from your core until all that could be heard throughout the room was the muffled cries as you released again and again. It riled him up just to think about it. With his cock beginning to ache against his zipper, he flung you onto the bed, fumbling with the buttons of his shirt as he watched you bounce against the mattress. 

“Take it all off. Need to see all of you honey. Shit, you’re so fucking sexy baby,” Joel commanded, his tone somehow both domineering and desperate.

Shaky hands peeled off your scant layers one by one, revealing a sight that Joel could only describe as excruciatingly beautiful. His eyes burned as he gazed upon your naked body, almost as if his retinas knew that what they were witnessing was the embodiment of divinity itself. It was as if you had fallen straight from the heavens, kindly enough to grant him a small glimpse at paradise. 

Joel stared at your soft skin, entranced by how smooth it looked compared to his. He trailed his gaze downwards, practically foaming at the mouth as he watched your pert nipples harden in the air. His mouth watered as he imagined himself launching forward, sucking and biting at them as you squealed in delight, but he had to wait. 

After two weeks with nothing, Joel wanted everything. He wanted to flip you over and drill into you like a maniac, tugging at your hair as you begged him to pump you full. He wanted to throw one of your legs over his shoulder and ease into you, kissing every inch of your face as he listed the many reasons he had fallen for you. But more than anything, Joel wanted control, to be precise in his movements in order to bring you the most pleasure he possibly could. And based on the dark look in your eye as your hips bucked up against nothing, there was only one way he could do that. You wanted him to be fucking filthy. 

“Touch yourself for me sweet girl, play with yourself just like we practiced,” he drawled, stepping forward so that he had a clear view of what lay in between your thick thighs. 

What Joel expected you to do was rub your slick cunt, perhaps stopping to tweak at your nipples first to playfully tease him. But what he didn’t expect was for you to bat your eyelashes at him, smiling as you shoved two fingers into your mouth. His eyes bulged out of his head, cock jumping at the sight of his mate fucking her own mouth with one hand while squeezing her breasts with the other. The noises you were making were lewd, the soft gagging making him sweat and regret all of his decisions immediately, but he stayed rooted to his spot. He couldn’t move even if he wanted to, the sight alone was enough to make him cum in his pants and he was worried that any slight movement would make him explode. 

“Jesus fucking Christ baby, just like that. Like choking yourself honey? Bet you wish it was daddy doing it for ya. Shit, you’re such a dirty girl, so good for me,” Joel groaned, his pained voice almost getting lost by the whines you let out around the digits. 

Nodding, you let the hand tweaking at your sensitive nipples drift downwards. Joel swallowed hard as you opened up your legs for him, revealing the drenched slit that begged for his attention. The smell of your arousal hit him like a freight train and he quickly unleashed his cock, squeezing it around the base to calm himself down. Grinning around the fingers that continued to thrust away at your throat, you reached down to toy with your neglected clit. Gentle fingers brushed over the swollen nub again and again, until slick was dripping down your wrist. He watched as you started with small circles, teasing yourself into the pleasure just as he had taught you, until you were ready for more. 

“C’mon darling, I can tell that she’s fucking starving for something inside of her. Be a good girl and give her two of those pretty fingers, wanna see her cry for me,” Joel ordered, although with how turned on he was, it sounded more like a whine. 

“Mmm-hmm,” you replied through a full mouth, thrusting two fingers deep inside of your pussy without another word. 

Joel groaned at the way your walls immediately clenched around the digits, sucking them in as you started to fuck your needy cunt. Slick dripped down from your quivering entrance, ruining the sheets below, but he didn’t give a shit. He’d happily sleep in the wet spot if it meant he got to witness such a erotic display. The way your garbled moans spilled around your fingers as you pressed a thumb against your clit almost brought Joel to his knees. Completely entranced by your pussy, he didn’t even notice that you had taken your drenched fingers out of your mouth until you called out to him. 

“Come here alpha,” you sighed, heavy lidded eyes staring him down like he was the prey. 

Those words hooked into Joel’s chest, leaving him no other choice but to stumble forward like a fool the second he heard them. He had almost rounded the bed when he saw your spit soaked fingers trail down, reaching past your pussy to toy with that tight ring of muscle that you had allowed him to take a handful of times. A flash of heat burned through Joel’s lower abdomen as he realized what your intentions were, forcing him to halt and squeeze the base of his cock again to keep himself from cumming like some sort of riled up teenager. If that wasn’t enough, the sound of the guttural groan you let as you slipped one, then two fingers inside of your ass could have killed him right then and there. 

“Jesus honey, what are you trying to fucking do? Kill me? S’not playing fair,” he moaned, almost losing it when the fingers in your ass started to thrust in time with the ones in your pussy. 

“Who s-said anyth- fuck - anything about playing fair?,” you breathily teased. 

Joel cussed, kicking himself for teaching you his ways as he tried to keep himself from dissolving into a mess of desperate pleas. He growled and shook his head, trying to remember the original request you had made for him to join you. Every step of the way, his eyes darted from your overstuffed core to your flushed face, his mind spinning with all the filthy things he wanted to do to you. By the time he got there, he was semi-convinced that he was dreaming. It was all too good to be true. 

“Closer,” you whined.

It was so desperate, so wanton, that Joel had no choice but to abide by it. He shuffled closer, until his thighs brushed against the sheets and his cock nearly touched the side of your head. 

“Where do you want me sweetheart? Fuck, just me where you need me and I’ll be there. Is this what you mea- hey! Oh shit,” he groaned, his eyes rolling into the back of his head as you turned and captured the reddened tip between your lips. 

A sweat broke out on Joel’s forehead as he looked down, watching with a slack jaw as you took him halfway down your throat and swallowed around him. He didn’t know what to say, so shocked by your actions that he couldn’t even reprimand you for foiling his plan. Instead, he hissed through his teeth as you started to bob your head, his gaze frantically switching between you fucking both of your holes with abandon and the sight of you taking his cock down your throat like a pro. 

“F-fuck yeah baby, that’s it,” he cussed, reaching forward to brush the hair away from your face, “Got all of your slutty little holes filled, hm? How’s it feel to be such a fucking whore for daddy? Oh my god, that’s it - ngh - just like that. Bet she misses me, pussy loves when I stretch her out.” 

The noise you made around Joel’s cock was nearly incoherent, but it sounded vaguely like a yes. He chuckled, locking eyes with you as he started to thrust in and out of your mouth. Keeping it slow for the first few strokes, he grinned at how well you took him, with nothing but pure lust staring back at him through unshed tears. You were just as famished as Joel, practically begging him with your eyes to be a little rough, to remind you how much he yearned to be inside of you at all hours of the day. So after your throat relaxed, he picked up the pace, groaning at the feeling of you moaning around him as he fucked your face.  

“Nngh, oh darling, look at how wet she is. That pussy is just beggin’ to cum for me, isn’t she? F-Fuck yes baby, c’mon. Fuck her a little harder for me,” Joel taunted. 

The way you fought against the tears in your eyes, batting them at Joel so prettily as you gagged around the big cock that slammed into the back of your throat with each animalistic thrust was too perfect, and he found himself moaning embarrassingly loud. With your thighs shaking, fingers thrusting desperately in and out of your gushing cunt, he could see that you were right on the edge. All you needed was one last push to launch you into space so, he did the only thing he could think of. 

Sputtering as Joel tore his cock away, you cried out, blinking wildly as you tried to comprehend what was happening. But before you could, he grabbed your face, leaning down so that he could look you right in the eye. 

“I think I know what ya want honey, but I’m just checking. Are you okay if I get a bit rough? I promise I’ll make you feel so good baby,” he asked, gently wiping some stray tears away.

A chirp of excitement came from you, along with an enthusiastic nod as you nuzzled the hand that cleaned the fluids from your face. 

“Good girl, just tell me if it gets too much,” Joel cooed, giving you one last soft caress before he hardened his stance again, “Now, open that mouth for me.” 

You obliged, even rolling your tongue out in a way that made Joel suck in a harsh breath between his teeth. He gathered all of the spit in his mouth, letting it drip down into your own. Without even having to be asked, you snapped your mouth shut, waiting patiently for him to tell you to swallow it. The way you looked at him was downright filthy, but not as filthy as the wanton moan you let out when he suddenly reared his hand back and slapped you straight across the face. He didn’t do it too hard, just enough so that the sting would add to the pressure growing between your legs. 

“Swallow it,” he snapped. 

You did, whimpering as you opened your mouth to show him that it was gone. The fingers in your core were halted, which made him tsk. 

“I never said you could stop.” 

Joel swooped down so that he could look you in the eye as your fingers started moving again, covering your mouth with his palm to muffle your high pitched whines. The wet sounds coming from your core increased the harder he stared, the fingers in your holes trying desperately to bring you up over the edge. Despite his cruel demeanor, he smiled when he felt your lips pucker beneath his palm, unable to keep himself from softening as you kissed his hand.  

“Aw, so sweet f’me honey. Such a good little slut. Fuck, always look so sexy playing with your holes. I bet that little pussy wants to cum, doesn’t she baby? I can see her twitching.That's alright, cum for me darling, want to watch her cry.” 

Joel didn’t look away from your face as you came, unwilling to miss a second of it. He watched as your face scrunched up, tears falling from your eyes as they rolled back in pleasure, taking note of every expression so that he could use it for later. With how frequently the two of you fucked and how often he found himself taking mental snapshots of your blissed out face, it was a wonder Joel got anything done with how large of an archive he had acquired over the years. Could he remember what he had for breakfast that very morning? Hell no. But could he remember exactly how many times he had made you cum and in what positions on your birthday three years ago? Absolutely. 

“Fuuuck, Joel,” you cried out as his hand left your face, followed by a sharp gasp as he ripped the fingers from your core and climbed over you. 

“I know baby, did so fucking good for me. My mate, my omega, my fucking wife, all mine. You hear that honey? Nobody else can have you like this, s’all for me,” he rambled, cock twitching at the sight of the ring wrapped around your drenched fingers. 

A gasp, followed by a litany of swears came from you as Joel leaned down and clamped down on your gland, worrying the skin under his teeth in a way that had you both making obscene sounds. He wasn’t sure what it was, but all he could think about was the day that the two of you bonded, the day that his life had come together again in a way that finally made sense. It was enough to make him bite down even harder, rendering you absolutely useless by the time he pulled back to stare at you through heavy lidded eyes. 

“I fucking love you sweetheart, so good for me. Always so fucking beautiful - shit - you drive me insane. Fuck, just wanna make you feel good, wanna keep that pussy stuffed like she deserves forever,” Joel growled, wrestling with the remainder of his clothes so that he could feel every inch of your skin against his. 

“Joel, fuck. There could never be anyone else baby, it’s you, you’ve ruined me,” you whined, reaching out to him with a pained expression, “But I love it daddy, love the filthy things you say, the way you love me, how your big cock feels inside of me. P-Please, I need it, need you alpha.” 

The last part was spoken not as a request, but as a call to his very nature. It awoke something ferocious inside of Joel, the same something that screamed at him to keep you swollen with his pups every single day of his life. His sanity drifted away, replaced only by the need to heed the call of his desperate omega that needed him to fulfill his duty. And you were no better. By the time his pants finally hit the floor, you were gone, bucking your hips at him and writhing against the drenched sheets as you wailed. The air had grown thick, both of your scents mixing together in a way that had his mouth watering and his cock aching, but the loud cry of his name you let out snapped him out of it. 

“Hush now baby, s’okay. Daddy’s gotcha, m’gonna make it all better,” Joel promised, leaning down to press a chaste kiss to your forehead before he pulled your hips towards him. 

Dragging your hips upwards, Joel kneeled against the mattress and ripped your legs apart. He placed them on each of his shoulders, rendering you absolutely useless as he laid you back against his thighs. The weight of his cock was heavy against your mound, providing the both of you with the jaw dropping sight of just how deep he was about to spear into you. With your shoulder blades pressed into the bed while your lower half was held up by nothing but his brute strength, Joel was seconds from passing out. He couldn’t get over how enchanting you looked with your back arched against his thighs, body on full display for his ravenous gaze. 

“Look at that baby, see how deep she's gonna take me? Fuck, always so tight. Such a pretty pussy, so wet and ready for me every time,” he moaned, panting as he dragged himself through your sticky folds, “What more do I have to do? Already fucked another baby into her but she wants more from daddy, doesn’t she?”

“Please,” you breathed. 

“Please what sweetheart?” 

“Please, may I have your c - oooh fuck,” you squealed, choking on air as he buried himself all the way to the hilt. 

Before you had a chance to catch your breath, Joel was off, lifting you up and down, using you in a way that had your pussy twitching around him in seconds. With how sensitive the pregnancy had made you, he wasn’t surprised that you were already so close. Each thrust hammered against your g-spot, dragging you towards an even more explosive end. He chuckled as you tried and failed to speak, amused by how easy he could take you apart like this. And Joel was no better, chewing on the inside of his cheek as he watched your tits bounce, the swollen nipples almost as enticing as the protruding belly that he had given you. 

Joel was so wrapped up in the way you shook and moaned beneath him that he didn’t even realize how close you were until you suddenly let out a pinched whine, glossy eyes begging him for something, anything. His lungs burned from his relentless pace, sweat dampening his hairline as he continued to plough into you but he kept going. It was not usual for him to have you like this, so wanton and open, with no fear of anything or anyone interrupting and he needed to take advantage of it properly. There was no need for him to worry about the bed slamming into the wall, or the sound of his thighs clapping against the cradle of your hips as he drove into you, he could fuck you just how you wanted.

“I know, I know babygirl. She’s so desperate isn’t she? Can’t even let go unless daddy tells her to. S’alright honey, cum for me, I know you want to,” Joel demanded, hissing through his teeth when you answered by spraying him with a stream of slick, “Fuuck, just like that honey.”

Joel fucked you through it, uncaring of the way your body twitched from the overstimulation as he continued to jackhammer into you. It didn’t matter to him that you were barely cognitive, a mess of slick and tears as he pulled you up from his thighs and wrapped your legs around him. What mattered was making you understand just how obsessed with you he was. If it were up to him, this would be his job, pulling as much pleasure from your core as you would allow whenever you needed. 

A scream was muffled against his mouth when Joel pulled you up, the new angle somehow making him spear into you even deeper than before. The tip of his throbbing cock kissed your cervix, causing you to shudder and clamp down on him like vice. He whined at how tight your walls hugged him, clutching your hip hard with one hand while the other buried itself in your hair. Joel made a fist with your messy strands, tugging on your hair so he could hear the litany of curses you spat at him as even more slick dribbled into his lap. 

“Shit darling, love this, love you so much. So pretty, so smart, so sweet, I can’t - fuck - can’t believe you’re mine and I’m-  ungh - I’m yours. Never gonna want anyone else, never needed anyone else before you, my sweet girl, my wife - oh fuuuuck. You’re gonna be my fucking wife.” 

The feeling of your warm breath against his neck was driving him crazy, along with the way you moaned oh so sweetly as you came around him yet again, your walls weakly clutching at the base of his cock, trying desperately to tease his knot inside. Teeth buried themselves into his gland and Joel made a warning noise, his thrusts stuttering for just a moment before he got himself back in check. He was a man possessed, completely deranged in his incessant need to bring you mind numbing pleasure. 

Joel wasn’t sure, but he had an idea of what was making him so feral. Each flash of the rock on your hand made his cock scream for release. The rock, the bite mark he had left on your neck, the pregnant belly he had given you, the way you looked up at him oh so lovingly, it all spoke to the beast within. A possessive streak bubbled up from deep inside, making Joel absolutely insatiable despite the crescent moons you dug into his skin as another wave of pleasure soon followed the last. As your orgasm petered off, he pulled his glistening cock out, ignoring your choked sob as he flipped you over onto your hands and knees. 

“No, no, no, no, no, please. N-Need you daddy, Joel, alpha, please, I c-can’t,” you cried, dutifully folding over the pillow he shoved underneath your belly to protect it as he forced his way back inside. 

A garbled scream was muffled into the sheets as Joel slid home, followed by a desperate whine as he pulled your cheeks apart to look at the hole he had been neglecting. 

“M’not going anywhere sweetheart, gonna make you cum until you can’t see. Then m’gonna give you want, gonna fill you up so good that you’re leaking for days,” he promised, chuckling at the way you clenched around him as he teased the puckered skin. 

“Please,” was whispered into the mattress, followed by a broken wail as Joel started to thrust once more. 

One hand snuck into your hair, forcing you to arch against him so that his cock nailed that devastating spot every single time. Joel gritted his teeth, the sound of your high pitched mewls and his heavy sack slapping your clit making his stomach clench. He groaned as you started to throw yourself back onto him, so far gone that he wasn’t even sure you were speaking English anymore. Chuckling at the endless stream of nonsense, he continued to tease your back entrance, pressing tight the ring of muscle until you let out a garbled demand that forced him to shove two fingers inside. It was quite the stretch, with his thick fingers more than double the size of your own, but the wad of spit he let fall from his mouth eased the glide. 

“More, more, more, more,” you sobbed, legs shaking as he started to thrust his fingers in time with his cock. 

Joel swore, “Such a slut for me, aren’t ya? Both of these greedy holes are filled up baby, what more do you want? What does daddy need to do? Want me to take you the Bison and you fuck you on the bar? Want me to break that little cunt open in front of everyone? Show the whole town just how good that pretty pussy is at taking daddy’s cock?” 

A broken cry tumbled from your lips, rivulets of your cum running down his thighs as you reached your peak, this one even more brutal than the last. How many times had Joel made you cum so far? He had lost count, all he knew was that he needed to keep going. The pleas you were letting out were getting downright sinful, nothing but jumbled nonsense that made his balls draw up, forcing him to chew on the inside of his cheek to work through it. The sweet, nonsensical pleas would have broken his heart, if he didn’t know how much you fucking loved it when he treated you like this. After spending the day calling all of the shots, running the clinic, while also being a mom, what you needed was for someone to take the reins. 

And Joel was more than happy to. The way you undulated beneath him, working yourself back against his steadily throbbing cock, made him want to propose to you all over again. You were slack jawed and shaking with every brutal thrust Joel gave you, making him thank ever higher power above that his stamina hadn’t wavered despite his age. He didn’t care if it killed him, he would continue fuck you into the mattress until his legs gave out. It didn’t matter that his cock was aching, knot demanding to be locked inside as he continued to fuck you silly, what mattered was making good on his promise to break you into a million little pieces. That’s what his mate deserved, what his wife deserved. 

“J-Joel - mmfph - I can’t, need more,” you choked, gripping his arms hard as you tried to muscle through the sharp bolts of pleasure Joel was pulling from your swollen pussy, “Need you closer, want you close to me, please daddy. I can’t - I don’t wanna, not without you, please, please…”

The desperation in your voice this time was different, like you would die if Joel didn’t give you a taste of adoration, and he quickly pulled out so that he could flip you around again. However, upon turning you over, he immediately regretted the decision as he grabbed the base of his cock to stave off the cum that threatened to spurt out of him. Sweat glistened across your skin, illuminating your figure beautifully in the soft candlelight. 

If Joel was a smarter or more creative man, he would write poems about the gorgeous woman beneath him. You were ethereal, glowing with the pregnancy and drenched in lust, all while you looked at him like HE was the perfect one. It broke through every single one of his defenses and set his heart on fire. The hand adorned with a glittering ring reached out to Joel and he smiled, plucking it from the air so that he could kiss the back of it. You tugged on his hand, letting out a soft come here that had him climbing over you in seconds. 

“Darling, I could live a million lives and still never get over how fucking beautiful you are. Like a goddamn goddess babygirl, and I don’t tell you nearly as much as I should. Just so, so sexy. And you want to be with me forever? Fuck, I’m a lucky man,” Joel praised as he placed a smattering of kisses over your face. 

You giggled at his soft touch, “You tell me every day Joel, I think you’re in the clear.” 

He shook his head, giving you a cheeky grin before he said, “Then I should tell ya twice.” 

The laugh you let out in response was cut off by Joel easing himself back inside. He smiled as you wrapped your shaky legs around him, allowing him to slide in just a few more inches. His forearms bracketed your head, giving you no choice but to look him in the eye as he started at a slow but forceful pace. Each thrust knocked the air out of your lungs and forced a small squeak from your lips, which he couldn’t help but think was so goddamn cute. 

“That’s it sweetheart, take it like I know ya can,” Joel sighed, letting his hands roam all over your sweaty body.  

The way you squeezed his cock and scratched at his back told him you were close. Joel pressed his mouth against yours, nipping at your swollen lips and sucking on your tongue until he was sure you were on the edge. Pulling away, he grunted at the feeling of your walls tightening up even more, hugging him almost painfully hard and knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was doomed the second you let go. 

“Let me have it baby and I’ll give you what you want, shit. Dammit, I’ll fill that tight little pussy up so good sweetheart, just fucking cum for me. Know ya can do it, fu-uck, please. Christ honey, need to feel you choke my cock. Please, please, please,” Joel rambled, the desperation in his voice evident as his cock started to twitch. 

A squeak came from you, followed by a full body shudder as you released so hard that Joel had to trap you against him so that the force of it didn’t push him out. He groaned as you came, eyes rolling into the back of his head as your cunt greedily milked his reddened cock. With his lap soaked and your walls clenching around him so good, he couldn’t handle it anymore, thrusting forward so that he could lock himself inside. Joel let out an uncharacteristically high pitched whimper, calling your name like a goddamn whore as he released inside of you, right where his seed belonged. Thick torrents of cum spurted out of his cock, making you both moan as you both shook from the overwhelming surges of pleasures that just kept coming.

Again and again, Joel flooded your womb, until he was sure that if it was possible for him to somehow get you pregnant again, he would have. It was all so mind blowing that he found himself shaking under the weight of his own body, close to collapsing as the two of you were thrown off the edge once more. He groaned, rolling the both of you onto your sides so that he didn’t squash the precious bump that stuck out from your midsection with the next round of mind melting pleasure. 

“Oh fuck, Joel, I d-don’t, shit. Baby, that was so, oh my god,” you stammered, shaking like a newborn deer as you came down from the last wave. 

Joel held you close to him, tangling his legs with your own while he drew shapes on your hip bones and played with your hair. He nuzzled your neck, kissing the thin skin there until you had caught your breath and called his name. After giving your gland one last peck, he pulled away, coming face to face with a more disheveled version of you than he had seen in a while. The sight of it made his heart soar, knowing that it had been him who fucked you so good. 

“Beautiful honey, just the prettiest woman I’ve ever seen,” Joel confessed, unable to keep all the gooey-ness from spilling from his lips with how exhausted he was. 

“I love you,” you whispered, which only caused his heart to burn even brighter in the solace of the quiet lodge. 

“I love you too,” he answered, like it was the only thing in his life he had ever been sure of. 

And to a certain extent, it was. Joel’s love for you had been one of the first things he had been sure of in over twenty years. A light had filtered into his life again with just one smile from you, knocking him on his ass and driving away all his demons in an instant. Everything that had come since then, the bond, the twins, the home the two of you had made in Jackson, it was all a derivative of the love Joel had been so afraid of for decades. 

So, as Joel knocked his nose against yours and sighed at the way your fingers made soothing circles across his scalp, he couldn’t help but feel victorious. There was nothing else he had ever longed for as much as a family, a partner to love him as much as he loved them, a home to call his own, perhaps even a few pups that bore his image. But after the world had ended, after his first daughter had been torn from him so cruelly, he had resigned himself to a life of pain. And after Ellie died? Fate seemed to be giving him the middle finger, laughing at him for allowing himself to fall for it again. Joel had tucked away his sense of self, his hopes, his dreams, his humanity, anything that could possibly make him feel. 

But you? You had changed the game, stumbling into Joel’s life and unknowingly jumpstarting his heart in a way that had scared the absolute shit out of him. And after everything; the kidnapping, the arena, the cult, the traumatic birth of the twins, the murder of the two men that had threatened his peace, holding you in post engagement bliss made him want to gloat. It had taken fifty six years, but Joel had found a home, and he had you to thank for it. Laying one last kiss into your hair, he let himself drift, feeling like a champion of the odds for the first time in forever. 

- You - 

The nap that you had taken was necessary, given the relentless pounding Joel had rained down on your poor pussy after you had said yes to the proposal. It had been so mind breaking that you had awoken groggy and disoriented, unsure of where the hell you were until you caught the sparkling ring that now adorned your left hand. As carefully as you could, you disentangled yourself from Joel, wanting to get a better look at the heirloom that had been hidden from you for decades. 

The candles throughout the room flickered still, although most had gone out since you fell asleep. Padding towards the staircase, you stopped before the first step, casting a glance back at the devilishly handsome man that was your mate. Joel hugged the pillow that had just cradled your head, snuggling it closer to his chest as if it was you as he muttered nonsense in his sleep. That man loved you so much that it was surreal, like looking at the sun for too long as a curious child and coming away with dizzying holes in your vision. With one final glance, you turned back towards the steps, not wanting to wake the alpha that had so kindly fucked you into another dimension just a few hours earlier. 

Joel had been running on little to no sleep lately, too stubborn to wake you in the middle of the night when one of the twins came knocking. And with how many times he had just made you cum, you decided to let him rest for a bit longer before you jumped his bones again. Although, you had to admit that it was hard not to with how handsome Joel looked, naked and splayed out against the sheets. 

The first floor was slightly brighter, with many of the candles still going strong and the moonlight leaking in from the huge windows. You toyed with the ring as you drifted over to the table of treats, snagging the bowl of chocolate covered fruit to munch on as you stared out at the scenery. The trees shuddered under a gust of the humid wind, the warmth of it creeping in through the cracks of the molding. The quietness reminded you of the peaceful home that you had once shared with Joel in the forest. All of the memories, both bad and good, rushed over you in an instant, and  you couldn’t help but smile. It had all been worth it. 

Absentmindedly, you brushed a hand over the growing swell between your hips, smiling at the small kick that nudged you. There was a part of you that wanted to leave the comfort of the lodge so that you could bask in the cool waters and enjoy the sanctity of the forest, but you refrained. The last time the two of you had been separated in the woods, it hadn’t ended well and you weren’t willing to risk it again in the state you were in. The last thing you needed was the father of your children having a stroke when he realized that you had left the lodge without him, especially with how your last pregnancy had ended.  

Joel had relaxed some since then, but that didn’t mean he was particularly keen on letting you wander too far with how traumatizing the birth of the twins had been for the both of you. This time around, he stayed close, glaring at anyone in town that stared at you for too long no matter how many times you reminded him that he wasn’t hated in Jackson anymore. It was hard for people in town to stay mad at Joel when he had two pups who so clearly worshiped the ground he walked on, who babbled excitedly about their days to him as they strolled through the streets, all while he hung off of every word. He was a good dad, anyone could see it, and it forced everyone who once hated him to see the man he was, the man you loved. 

Plus, with how ruggedly handsome Joel was, you guessed it had something to do with that as well. He was the town handyman, and you knew just how good he looked while he worked, all sweaty and flushed as he put something back together. With how jaw dropping he was and how attentive he could be towards his family, you weren’t surprised how many residents suddenly needed various home appliances repaired. You didn’t mind. They could look all they liked, just so long as they also got a good look of Joel kissing you in the street, holding the swell that he had given you. Just so long as everyone in town knew that the sexy handyman belonged to you. 

Not that you were worried. With how relentless Joel’s public displays of affection had been since he found out about the newest edition, you were sure that the entirety of Jackson was well aware of the bond the two of you shared. He was so excited that it made you giddy, and it also made the pregnancy a lot less nerve racking than your first. That and the fact that you were pretty sure that there was only one pup this time around. Although you had no way of knowing, you remembered how much larger the bump had been and how drained you had felt growing two pups instead of one. Sure, there had still been the month of morning sickness, along with the unusual cravings and the mobility issues that came with growing a new life, but you were relieved at how much easier it was to only house one. 

Four years after the twins had come into the world and the fear that had once plagued your union was all but gone. Joel had become the man you knew he could be, the one he had always been capable of being but was too scared to after everything terrible that had happened to him. A part of you would like to think it had something to do with you, with how much the two of you loved each other, but you couldn’t discount the work he had put in. Being a dad again had terrified him, yet Joel had shown up for his pups and you every single day. You could tell that the responsibility of caring for Ellis and Alba at times felt like an anvil hanging above his head, could see it in the layer of sweat that glistened on his skin during the days that his past haunted him, but his broken heart had somehow started to mend around the people he loved. 

And now Joel was your fiance. Or was he your husband now? You had no idea how this was supposed to work. The only weddings you had been to had all been awful, including your own travesty that had ended with you being shoved out the window by the two women in your life that loved you the most. Was the puffy white dress and boring churchy vows what you wanted? Surely not, but you had never experienced anything else. Not to mention the fact that the proposal had taken you completely off guard. Regardless of the few comments Joel had made over the five years of being together, along with the matching bite marks and house filled with his kids, you were never sure if it was something he truly wanted. Hell, you weren’t even about it until you saw the beautifully broad man down on one knee. 

Although the purpose of such a gallant display had eluded you, the sight of the ring had drawn something out, the ghost of a memory long since forgotten. It sent you back to a time before Joel, or Josiah, or even Jake, when the world had been free of infected beings that shambled around in search of fresh meat. It was then that you had watched your parents laugh as they danced around the kitchen, had seen the princess meet her prince charming in one of the few films you were able to squeeze in before the world fell apart. As any little girl would, you had begun to dream of Prince Charming, someone who would love you unconditionally and be your best friend for the rest of your life. Never once had the younger dreamed that you would find him in the way you did, but every day since the first had proved to you that dreams could come true. 

Even if one of the many adversaries had succeeded, at the very least you would have been able to say that you had been truly loved and known by someone beautiful. The way you felt about Joel Miller was intense. It was like being in love with the wind itself. He was all encompassing, wrapping around you during every storm and carrying you away from the merciless talons of reality. But it could also be gentle, soothing you on days when it felt like everything and everyone was against you. 

Joel knew every piece of you, even the pieces that you had tried desperately to hide, and he loved them all. He could take you apart and put you back together without even breaking a sweat. And you tried to do the same for him, every single day. Which was why you didn’t care if Joel wanted a big ceremony, a small agreement in front of the family, or just a set of rings for one another. He was your mate, the love of your life, the father of your children, and your fucking husband as far as you were concerned. The specifics meant little to you when the end result was spending the rest of your life being loved by such a goddamn hunk. 

“How’d I know you’d be down here getting into the chocolate?,” a syrupy voice, still thick from sleep, drawled from the bottom of the stairs. 

The smile that spread across your face was involuntary, along with the small flutter of your heart. That was the effect Joel Miller had on you. Even after five years, two rowdy kids and another on the way, he could still make you weak in the knees. Before you had a chance to turn, Joel was already at your side, spinning you around and bending down to kiss you. He flooded your senses as his lips moved against yours, leaving you dazed that you missed when he snuck a hand into the bowl of sweet treats you held and stole one. As Joel pulled away, you laughed and beamed up at him, admiring how his curls looked all tousled from sleep. Although it had only been a few hours, he somehow looked completely refreshed, like all he had truly needed was a few hours buried in between your thighs and a quick nap to rejuvenate. 

“Hm, maybe don’t knock me up if you want me to stay in bed and wait around for your ass to wake up babe. Mama was starving,” you shot back, giggling at the wary look he sent your way. 

“Last time I checked, it was you that was begging me to cum inside and get you all round again. It takes two to tango sweetheart,” Joel joked, shaking his head at the jab, “You know, you could’ve woke me up honey. I would’ve gotten you something to eat, s’not good for you or her to wait if you’re hungry.” 

“Roger that cowboy, no naps for you,” you teased, getting up on your tippy toes to press a kiss to his lips, “Don’t worry Joel, I was fine. Plus, I really just wanted to get a better look at this bad boy. It’s just so pretty.” 

Joel grinned at that, plucking the hand in question from your belly to examine it himself. The way he lit up - god - it made you want to rewind time so that you could see it over and over again. He kissed the finger that he had adorned with the ring, admiring the shiny jewels for another second before he placed your palm over his steadily beating heart. 

“M’glad you like it sweet girl. I wasn’t sure how you'd feel about it all. We’ve never really talked about getting married, especially not since Ellis and Alba came, but I knew that if I didn’t ask I’d regret it for the rest of my life. You’re my missing piece honey, and I want to be yours in every single way I can,” Joel admitted, his words hitting you square in the chest. 

“Baby,” you admonished, “I can’t believe you thought I’d say no. It’s only ever been you and I’d like to keep it that way. You’re a part of me Joel, it feels like I can’t breathe when you’re not around. All I do while we’re apart is think about you and how much I love you. Fuck, or how good it feels to have you love me back. There’s nothing I’d rather do than - ah!”

You squeaked as Joel abruptly picked you up, kissing every inch of your face and neck as he carried you across the room. The nearly empty bowl was torn from your grasp, slammed down onto the coffee table before he fell back onto the couch with you in his lap. A series of giggles came from you as his mustache tickled your skin, only intensifying as Joel laid you back against the cushions and relentlessly tickled your sides. His laugh bounced off the high ceilings as he playfully wrestled you into a mess of breathless cackling. It was only when you begged him to stop that the assault finally ended. He pulled back to let you get some air, leaning over you with a soft smile as he did. 

“I know that you love me darling, I just get nervous sometimes,” Joel said as he knocked his forehead against yours, “A good nervous honey, like I’m going to go nuts if I don’t remind you how much that I love ya. I just… I needed it to be perfect baby, you deserve nothing less.” 

“It was Joel, I loved it. And for the record, I would have said yes if you asked while I was on the toilet. Don’t get me wrong, this is probably the most romantic thing I’ve ever experienced, but all I need is you baby. That’s all there has to be for it to be perfect Joel, just you,” you cooed. 

And it was true. The grand gesture was heartwarming and amazing, but unnecessary. Joel could have asked you at the Tipsy Bison over greasy steak sandwiches, he could have asked you at the end of dinner while you both cleared the table, he could have asked you when you were curled up in bed with your reading glasses on while you thumbed through a book, or hell, like you said; he could’ve asked you on the toilet. In any scenario, you would have accepted and remembered the moment as one of the top ten of your lifetime. Joel was what made the whole thing special. 

“Christ darling, I’m the luckiest man alive. I thought for sure you were gonna say no when you started asking me what the hell I was doing, damn near shit my pants,” Joel laughed, letting the weight of the admission roll off of his shoulders. 

“To be fair, you don’t usually get down on your knees for me,” you chuckled. 

The look Joel gave you at that statement was pointed, as if to say, do you wanna bet? It made you flush and giggle, rolling your eyes at his innuendo. Of course, he did get on his knees for you quite a bit, more so than you did for him as of late, but that wasn’t what you had meant. He wiggled his eyebrows at you and you groaned, playfully shoving at shoulders until he relented. 

“Okay, you do get on your knees for me quite a bit. My bad baby, that was a poor choice of words. What I meant was… Well, you don’t usually get down on one knee for me. I didn’t understand what you were doing. For a second I thought that you were trying to help me take my shoes off like you used to when I was pregnant with the twins and I was about to tell you to get the hell up but then you started saying all of these incredibly sweet things,” you explained. 

Joel guffawed, “Have you really never seen anyone do that? I guess I don’t really know what people do nowadays, but that used to be what ya did when you proposed. It’s tradition.” 

Scrunching your nose, you tried to pry out any memory of the odd practice from your brain but came up blank. Perhaps you had seen it in passing on a TV show as a kid, but any recollections of that were long gone. All that remained were the memories of various community members, your mother, Jake, Cooper, and finally yourself, being dragged towards the council to be matched up with someone. It never mattered to those people what anyone thought about their designated match. Paul never got down on one knee, he just made a shady deal with your stepfather and boom, he was assigned to be your husband. 

“No, I’ve never seen it. Where I’m from, alphas would never get down on their knees - in any context - for their omega. They just bought them by making a deal with someone on the council and then there would be a wedding. Nobody gave a fuck what we thought,” you admitted quietly, sighing as your past bubbled up from the depths once more. 

The way Joel’s face dropped made you frown, but he was quick to haul you up, maneuvering you until you were straddling his lap again. His face was wide open as he gazed upon you, uncaring of the mess the two of you were as he brushed his hands over every inch of your naked body. Peering at Joel in the soft light, he too was a mess of sweat and cum. It didn’t make you nervous to be so bare in front of him anymore, he had seen it all by now. In fact, it made you feel like you were on solid ground, like the two of you were equals in the soft glow of the candlelight. 

“M’sorry baby, I didn’t even consider that,” Joel sighed, “I guess that I always just dreamed of doing it that way. It’s a real old tradition that’s supposed to be a sign of devotion, of love, which is why I thought it was fitting. There’s no one else I’m more devoted to, or love more than you honey. You and our pups, that’s it, s’all I need.”  

A rush of dopamine filled you, his sweet words making you practically glow. Perhaps Joel was not the Prince Charming most people would dream of but he was yours, and he somehow always knew just how to make you squirm like a lovestruck teenager. 

“Please don’t apologize Joel. I didn’t understand, but I still loved it and I…” you trailed off, unsure of how to finish the sentence. 

With nothing else to say, you pressed your lips against his. Joel hummed, cradling your face as he allowed you to take charge. The kiss was slow and loving, leaving the both of you yearning to weld yourselves to one another so that you’d never have to part. If you could, you’d keep him in your back pocket instead of leaving for the clinic every day but that was impossible. Joel had a job to do and the twins needed parents that weren’t so busy mooning over each other that they forgot to feed them. But you supposed that these moments were for that, cherishing one another in the solitude of a paradise found. 

“Darling, whatever you need, I’ve got you,” he sighed as he pulled back. 

You grinned and nuzzled his jaw, breathing his scent for another few seconds until the spicy aroma coated the back of your throat. Pulling away, you smiled at his heavy lidded eyes, reveling in the fact that you could get Joel drunk off of you with just the briefest of touches. The air was thick, the candles and your overheated bodies seeming to make the summer night even more stifling, but you didn’t mind. With sweat covering every inch of you, along with a steady stream of his cum trickling down your thighs, you looked out at the fast moving waters outside. 

“What do you say we go for a dip?,” you asked as you turned towards him with a grin, “You did promise to take me swimming once.” 

Joel answered your grin with an even bigger one, nodding wildly as he pulled the both of you up from the couch. In seconds, the two of you were scampering towards the door, laughing like kids as you hurried towards the ultimate cool off. There was only one pause, when you begrudgingly slipped off the ring and left it on the table by the door to ensure that it didn’t get swept away, but then you were both back to racing towards the water. 

“Geronimo,” Joel called, his voice muffled by the heavy stream pounding off the rocks as he leaped from the bridge. 

You came to a halt at the very edge, waiting for him to surface before you followed him in. It was a bit daunting for you to jump into water without him, especially with the memory of your last dip in the moving waters of Montana still fresh in your mind. The grin he gave you when his head breached through the water was infectious, but that didn’t stop you from glancing at the edge of the swimming hole, remembering how you had almost drowned before being flung into one that looked just like it. 

A sinking feeling crept over you as your eyes followed the current, thinking about how you had shivered and puked after dragging yourself up onto the bank. You remembered crying out for Joel, despite the fact that he was nowhere to be found. Those memories were ones you tried hard to avoid, but the sight of the rushing waters flung you into the moments after you first jumped in and you drifted away from the man in the water who grinned at you.

The shock of the cold held you down beneath the waves and you felt your body quickly torn away from the shore. You flipped and somersaulted weightlessly in the rushing waters, every attempt at paddling to the surface useless against the current. More pain erupted from your side as the river slammed you against one of the rocks and a groan was muffled by the water. Desperate to breathe, you sucked in a mouthful of the frigid water but it stung your chest. Panic bloomed from within at the realization that you were drowning. 

Your lungs screamed for oxygen but you were stuck, shoved against the solid stone and weighed down by the rapids. Opening your eyes didn’t help, as all you could see from the bottom of the river was black. Was this it? Was this how you would die? You were infuriated at the thought. How could this be the thing that killed you? After everything you had been through, drowning seemed absolutely ridiculous. No, this couldn’t be it. Not with Joel somewhere alone and in pain. Not when you finally had a home.

“Come on sweetheart, what’s the hold up? Are ya chicken or something?,” Joel’s cut into your panic fueled remembrance, snapping you back to the present in an instant. 

You focused on the way Joel smiled at you, letting it bring you back down to earth. Joel Miller was right in front of you, he had survived the arena and you had survived going after the people that had made the mistake of taking him away from you. As scary as almost drowning had been, you didn’t die that day. And if Joel’s face wasn’t enough to soothe the swirling memories that locked you in place, all you had to do was look down at the swell sticking out from your tummy or think about the twins back home with their grandmother. They wouldn’t even exist if the worst had come to pass. A midnight swim in the river with the love of your life was not going to be the thing that killed you, the universe would have to try harder than that. 

“Not scared baby, just taking it all in,” you answered him, taking a deep breath before you leaped in behind him. 

There were no excruciating pins and needles from the temperature this time, nor were there ice chunks thumping you in the back, just a cool embrace that immediately shooed away the overwhelming heat that plagued you back in the lodge. That and the man that grinned at you as your head broke the surface made it perfect. Joel swam over in an instant, pulling you into the shallow end so he could wrap your legs around him. The two of you bobbed with the waves and you breathed a sigh of relief. The night had gotten progressively more humid, signaling an incoming burst of rain, but the water was perfect and so was he. 

“See, s’not so bad, is it sweet girl?,” Joel teased, whispering it into your ear as he nibbled on your neck. 

“Hmmm, nope,” you answered, tilting your head so that he could get better access to his mark, “Plus, the company is pretty good. I never thought I’d get to see you run but-ass naked into a river and yell geronimo, but now you’ve truly sold me on this whole marriage thing. My husband, the absolute dork.” 

He snorted, “Takes one to know darling.” 

With that, Joel bit down on your gland hard and you moaned. It was maddening how easily he could get to you, as you could already feel all of the tired muscles in your abdomen that had been fucked into submission tighten up again at the small move. He wasn’t ignorant of his abilities either. Each move by him was incredibly precise, like taking you apart was down to a mathematical equation that only he knew the answer to. The way Joel laved his tongue over the indents he made over your skin, his fingers digging into your asscheeks to keep you still as your hips began to twitch, all worked in tandem to have you dripping for him in seconds. 

The water, once so refreshing to the both of you, was now in the way of the heat growing between you, and Joel wasted no time pulling you from it. He laid you out against the soft ground, keeping his lips on yours the entire time. His tongue teased the seam of your mouth and you gladly let him in, sighing in frustration when he continued to err on the side of caution. Exasperated, you wrapped your legs around Joel and flipped the two of you over, straddling him just as a crack of lightning flashed through the sky. 

“Christ baby, maybe we should - ungh - oh fuck me,” he groaned, eyes going round as you grasped his length and dropped down hard. 

“I don’t care,” you snapped, lifting yourself up so that only the tip remained before you slammed down again. 

The pace you set was rough and desperate, Joel’s cock making your mind go completely blank as you rode him into slack jawed submission. He gripped your hips, your breasts, anything he could reach as raindrops started to fall from the sky. And still, you kept on going, moaning and throwing your head back like a depraved whore as another crack of lightning illuminated your bare skin. The rain started as a sprinkle at first, but it soon picked up, drenching the two of you as he grabbed your hips and began to help you ride him. 

“Fuck, just like that babygirl. Ungh, so fucking tight every time. Can you hear how wet she is for me? Goddammit, such a needy thing aren’t you? Can’t even wait to get inside, gotta have it out here. Christ, I fucking love you honey, such a good fucking girl for me,” Joel groaned. 

The words made you throw your head back, pace faltering slightly as your walls clenched and unclenched around him. With the curls around the base of his cock tickling your clit, his strong arms forcing you to stretch around his wide girth with every downstroke, you couldn’t help but lock up. A garbled shriek fell from your lips, dwarfed only by the sound of thunder, so close that it almost shook the ground. Still, you couldn’t find it in you to care about the danger, not when you were cumming and falling over him as you tore at his graying curls. 

“Joel, I can’t, ohmyfuckinggod, yes, yes, yes,” you mewled, shaking against him as the orgasm tore through you. 

Joel grunted as he flipped you over, tearing his cock out of you the seconds that the last vestiges of your orgasm petered away. Before you even had a chance to whine about it, he had already plucked you from the ground. He ignored all of your nonsensical pleas for him to release you, letting out a low growl when you tried to wiggle out of his grasp. That stilled you, along with the dark look he gave you. 

“Nope, stay fucking still,” Joel snipped, readjusting so that he could carry you bridal style towards the lodge, “S’not safe for you two out here. It’s way too dangerous, shouldn’t of even let you start but fuck, that pussy is just so fucking perfect. How could I say no to her?” 

“Joooel, c’mon, it’s fine!,” you pleaded, letting out a yelp when he leaned down and bit the spot on your neck that sent a wave of tingles down to your core. 

“Enough honey, I need to keep you safe - fuck - need to protect what is mine. My pup and my fucking wife can’t be out here in the storm. Need to take care of ya, so hush up,” he stammered, the truth behind his hardened features peaking through. 

The alpha in your mate was ready to breathe fire, causing Joel’s chest to rumble with useless threats pointed towards a force of nature of all things. He wouldn’t be soothed until you and his unborn pup were out of danger, even if the likelihood of you actually being struck by lightning were slim to none. Still, you didn’t fight him on it, too distracted by the way he continued to nip and suck at your neck each step of the way. As miffed as you were about the quick venue change, you had to admit, it was sexy when Joel let himself be overcome by his instincts. His need to fulfill his biological duty made you squirm in excitement, and you quickly decided to rile him up just a little bit more. 

“Shhh, I know baby,” you cooed in between soft moans, going crazy at the way Joel continued to spit possessive mantras between his teeth, “You’re so good at protecting us, so glad that’s I’m yours Joel. And you’re mine, do you hear that? Nobody else can have you - fuck - I fucking love you.” 

Joel let out a pained whine and pulled his face away from the love bites he had left as he neared the door. Any of the brown in his puppy dog eyes were gone, replaced by a pitch black that was ravenous for every inch of you. He ripped open the door, practically tearing it off as he marched inside and kicked it shut behind him. Ignoring the treats and the ridiculous amount of flowers, he hurried over to the couch so that he could throw you down against the cushions. 

“I’m yours darling, nobody else can make me feel like this,” Joel admitted, clambering between your thighs and tearing them apart so he could stare at your drenched slit, “And look at that, she’s still so fucking needy. Fucking hell, I gotta taste that sweet little pussy on my tongue.” 

Before you even had the chance to respond, Joel had lifted both of your legs up over his shoulders and was devouring your pussy like it was a four course meal. A slew of curse words fell from your lips, followed by a drawn out wail as he suckled your throbbing clit into his mouth. Joel chuckled against your folds as you pulled at his hair, yanking the strands and squirming so much that he had to double down on the hold he had on your hips. The way he was building you up was too much, sucking your nub even further into his mouth so he could bat at it with his tongue. The pressure inside of you continued to build, until you were sure it was going to kill you, but Joel knew you too well. Just as you started to suppress the urge to explode, he had already reached up to tweak at your nipples, giving you just enough stimulation to break.  

“Oh my god, f-fuck yes. Please daddy, m’gonna -  ouu shit,” you shrieked, shaking as liquid ecstasy flooded your veins. 

The way Joel groaned into your sopping cunt, his desperate sounds vibrating against you, had you twitching as the pleasure washed over you. He was relentless, sucking up every bit of moisture as slick poured out of you with each devastating wave. And just when it had petered off, when you thought he might let you go so that he could slam his cock back inside again, you felt him double down on his efforts. A choked whine was torn from your throat, ignored by Joel as he used you however he damn well pleased. It was only worse when you looked down and caught a glimpse of his pinched brow, moaning at the sight of his closed eyes as he focused all of his attention on forcing you into another orgasm. 

“D-Daddy please - ungh - SHIT baby, just like that. Fuck, you’re gonna make me cum again already. Ooooooh my fucking god!,” you cried out, thrashing against his hold as your walls began to clench around nothing. 

A request was on the tip of your tongue, but Joel was much too attuned to your every desire. As the storm raged outside, the rain now pounding against the windows and the thunder making the foundation shudder, the embarrassingly loud praises were drowned out as he slipped two, then one more finger inside of you. With how soaked you were, the three digits slipped in and out easily, working you into a frenzy as the rough pads rubbed so attentively over that sensitive spot inside of you that had your legs shaking over his shoulders. 

The command for you to cum was muffled into your folds, almost drowned out by your relentless babbling, but you caught it. All it took was one particularly harsh thrust of his fingers, combined with a devastating suckle and flick combo from his mouth, and you were gone once more. Every thought flew out of your mind, the pleasure burning so bright, spreading out from your core until you were boneless and sobbing. As you orgasm petered off, you pushed at Joel’s head with more insistence, signaling to him that you were much too sensitive for a third. 

“Mmmm, fucking delicous babygirl,” Joel sighed as he pulled away, shoving his fingers into his mouth the second they were released from your twitching core. 

Watching him through hazy eyes, you couldn’t help but moan at the show he was giving you. It was so filthy, so downright depraved, that you couldn’t help but buck your hips up at him. A breeze filtered in from outside, hardening your nipples in a way that had Joel licking his lips. You reached a hand out to him, the desire in his eyes making you squirm, but he didn’t grab it. Instead he stared at it for a moment, letting out a frustrated noise before he was suddenly retreating. 

“J-Joel? What?,” you called, lifting yourself up onto your elbows to watch him go. 

Joel ignored your soft voice and you whimpered, desperate for him to return despite the fact that he hadn’t even left the room. Naked and splayed out, pussy crying for attention from the man with the monster between his legs, you were a disaster. But he was too busy, completely ignoring you as he headed towards the door. Tears blurred your vision at his refusal to say anything, a deep seeded desperation coming from within, and you cried out.  

“Please,” you squeaked, overwhelmed by the pangs of desire that came from your very being. 

It wasn’t just Joel’s cock you needed. No, it was his touch, his gentle words, his loving gaze. All of him was so perfect that you knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that you would yearn for his presence until the day you died. But with his attention elsewhere at that moment, you felt like you were going to wither and die. 

“Hush now darling, m’right here. You’re gonna be okay baby, I’ve gotcha,” Joel cooed, dropping down onto the couch so he could blanket himself over you. 

The weight of his heated skin against yours was one thing, but the smell of him was another. As you shoved your nose into the crook of Joel’s neck, taking in lungfuls of the delicious scent that was forever entwined with yours. A heavy sigh came from him, followed by an excited little chirp from you when he pulled back to kiss you on the tip of the nose. 

“Wasn’t going nowhere honey, just wanted to give ya this,” Joel chuckled as he held up the ring you had slipped off before heading out to the river. 

“Mmm, I guess I can forgive you, ring pleeease,” you giggled, fluttering your fingers at him until he grabbed the hand. 

The ring slid back onto your finger so perfectly that you couldn’t help but grin. It was toothy and wide, much too dorky to be sexy but Joel didn’t seem to mind. Instead, he matched your energy, looking like a kid in a candy store as his nose brushed yours. However, the second you felt his forgotten length rub against your core, reminding you of how the two of you were but naked and pressed together against the couch, the mood changed. The gaze upon you went from light and loving, to possessive and so devoted that one could mistake it for insanity. A shiver inched up your spine, goosebumps prickling the skin he brushed his hands over again and again. 

“Fuck baby, this is how I want you from now on. No clothes, just that fucking ring. God, s’like the mark, drives me wild every time I see it. Just another reminder that you’re fucking mine, mine to fuck, mine to take care of - shit - to marry, oh sweet Jesus,” Joel groaned, his words working the both of you up. 

“I want to get you a ring too,” you rushed out, hissing through your teeth as he started to rut against you, “Want to see it every single day, want everyone else to see it too, want all of the people in town to know that you’re my alpha, my mate, my husband, you’re mine too Joel.” 

That tore an animalistic groan from Joel and he nodded, grabbing the base of his cock so he could place it at your entrance. Even though he had just been inside of you, he halted for a moment, looking at you for confirmation that this was what you wanted. It filled you with warmth, your sweet alpha always checking in on you no matter how obvious it might seem to anyone else that you wanted him. And you knew that Joel would stop if you wanted him to, no questions asked. He only ever wanted to make you feel good. 

“Please baby,” was all you had to say and then Joel was pressing into you, draping himself over your nude form as your mouth dropped open from the stretch. 

You felt every ridge, every throbbing vein of his thick cock. A grunt came from you as Joel’s reddened tip brushed against your cervix. He pressed a line of kisses into your neck, ending it with a final peck to your swollen lips. A breathy whine tumbled out as he started a slow pace, circling his hips into the cradle of your own on every downstroke. The way his pubic hair scrubbed at your oversensitive clit was perfect. That and the way you panted into each other’s mouths, sharing breaths in between desperate kisses as strings of arousal dribbled down both of your thighs. 

“Pretty girl, my girl, so good for me, TOO good for me,” Joel joked your legs up a little higher around his waist, drawing a breathy moan from you as he slid a little deeper, “Just like that, hm? Is that the spot? Right there honey? Feels so good, you’re so good, shi-it.” 

“Yes, right there Joel. S’good baby, you make me feel so fucking good,” you answered, tearing at his shoulders with your claws as he dug into you a bit harder. 

The air was sweltering as you writhed against one another, every inch of your bodies pressed together so perfectly. Keeping a passionate pace, Joel grabbed one of your hands, the other slithering down to cup the growing life between you. Tears sprung to your eyes at the simple gesture and when you looked into his eyes, you saw how his glimmered as well. Ever the caretaker, Joel made a sympathetic noise and bent down to kiss your eyelids, doting upon you despite his own swelling emotions. 

“I love you Joel,” you whispered, heart bursting at the seams. 

“I love you too darling, so much that it scares me sometimes. I’d die for you, I’d kill for you, fuck - m’gonna live for you. My whole life is yours baby, gonna keep you nice and full, gonna take care of you - ohmygod - gonna make sure you never need a thing. I’ll give it to you baby, anything you fucking want, just ask,” Joel rambled. 

“Kiss me, make me feel it,” you whined, not even fully sure what it was you were asking him for. 

The whine Joel let out as kissed you was pornographic, so much so that you wished you had the means to record it. Although you had heard about the joys of sex tapes and somewhat understood how the vague concept of the internet had revolutionized the masturbation of many. However, you had never truly understood the appeal. It all seemed so crass and disconnected. Why would you want to watch two strangers fuck when you could go find Joel? However, the first time the need for him had hit while your mate was too busy with work to do anything about it, you couldn’t help but wish you had some footage to aid in the experience. Fuck, who were you kidding? You didn’t even need a video, just the sound of his deep grunts as he thrusted into you would be more than enough to get you there. 

“I w-wish I could take a video of us like this,” you admitted when he pulled back, too drunk off of him to censor yourself, “Would be so fucking hot, I’d watch it every - gah mmph - every single day baby. God, all I need is the audio and I’d be happy, wanna listen to the sexy noises my husband makes when he - oooh fuck - when he fucks me.” 

Joel chuckled, pulling back so he could look you in the eye as he said, “I don’t know how sweetheart, but m’gonna make that happen if it’s the last fucking thing I do.” 

The response you had died on your lips as the angle of his thrusts changed, his cock now brushing up against every pleasure spot inside, lighting up all of your nerve endings like the fourth of July. A wicked grin came from Joel when you let out a throaty groan, your head thumping back against the cushion as slick gushed from your throbbing cunt. 

“Oh, that’s it, isn’t it sweetheart? Did daddy find the spot? Fuck yeah I did, can feel her squeezing me like a goddamn vice. Choking my cock so fucking good, like you were made for it. Love it, love you so much baby,” Joel keened, his voice going up a few octaves with the strain of holding off. 

“G-Gonna cum, shit, gonna cum Joel,” you warned him. 

A choked noise came from your mate, followed by a litany of broken whines as Joel slammed his knot into your silken walls. You howled, exploding around the thickness of his flared base in a way that had you both boneless and wailing as his cum started to pour into you. His fingers dug into your hips, keeping them still so he could grind up into you, prolonging each and every release until you disintegrated into an overstimulated mess. The pleasure was so intense that you clamped down onto Joel’s shoulder, muffling your whines into his skin as you were thrown into space. By the time you were done cumming, he had filled you up so much that you were sure it would be leaking out of you for fucking days. 

“Holy shit,” Joel panted, rolling the two of you over so that he could steer clear of squashing your abdomen. 

A chuckle was all you could give, too fucked out to do anything else but rub his scalp in the way you knew Joel liked. Moaning from the attention, he melted into you. He nosed at your breasts, sighing into them as you pressed a kiss onto the top of his head. It didn’t matter that the couch was slightly cramped, or that there was a storm slamming into the sides of the house, or that the two of you were covered in sweat, what mattered was the way he hummed in satisfaction as you whispered a soft I love you baby into his curls, quickly answering it with his own slurred admission of adoration. 

Soon, Joel’s knot would go down and the two of you would drag yourselves off to bed, perhaps even going a couple more rounds before you had to return to Jackson. But for now, with your bodies entangled and your hearts one, you couldn’t think of anywhere else you’d rather be. As Joel dozed, his hands cradling your tummy as he dreamt about god knows what, you smiled to yourself. Despite everything that had taken place, you had made it. In that moment, with the two of you snuggled so close and the rest of your family waiting back home, you realized that neither of you were alone anymore and you’d never have to be ever again. 

The world was a ruthless place and many times your spine had almost snapped under the pressure but luckily there was someone who made it easier. Joel lifted the burden that came with existence, a cross which every human being was forced to bear, by simply existing. All of the chains around your soul had been torn off by that man, freeing you in ways that even he could never fully understand. Joel Miller was the first good thing in your life and after years of nothing but horror, you finally had proof that it wasn’t senseless to hope, to dream, to want something more for yourself. It was rare, but sometimes good things did come for those with the stomach to wait for it. So many times you had wanted to give up, to throw away any chance at happiness for the sake of comfort, but you hadn’t. 

And now, with the home you had always dreamed of embodied in the man who brought color into your life, you knew that it was all worth it. The two of you had felt the sharp sting of rejection, of loss, of grief, of spite, that sting had been the only thing keeping either of you alive before meeting each other. The tragedy of knowing true pain, not the kind that people mentioned in passing, but a true overwhelming grief surrounding the wretchedness of one’s own existence, had driven you both to the point of madness. It had seemed like hope was lost, only for the impossible to become reality in the blink of an eye. 

Fate had brought you both to the river that day, braiding your souls together so painfully tight that they could never possibly be torn apart again. And as the night slowly bled into dawn, you found comfort in the knowledge that the two of you finally had a life of peace. The world would turn in on itself as it always did, ensuring pain and perhaps even violence in the futures of many, but you were unshaken. Joel was your future. The family the two of you had built together with blood, sweat, and tears was your future. 

In a world poisoned by such constant agony, one might wonder what the point of any of it was and whether anything really mattered at all, but not you. No, you had learned first hand how to appreciate the simple things. 

The masterpiece of unending devotion that was created between two lovers. 

The divinity in a broken spirit when it finally loves and is loved in return. 

The violence that could come from protecting the person who made life more than just surviving. 

The transcendence of becoming the person you always wanted to be, the person you were always meant to become. 

The wholeness that came as a result of it all. 

To have Joel, to love him and be loved by him, was worth whatever price. There was nothing else more noble, more commendable to fight for than the gift that was true love. So as the man in question muttered in his sleep, yanking you even further into his embrace, you went willingly, allowing yourself to relish in the victory that was being happy in spite of it all. With Joel, you were home, the rest of it was meaningless. 

[steddiebang2024]

an elitist’s guide to superior music | explicit | 37k

Author: @callunavulgari

Artist: @firefly-party

Beta Reader: @mollymawkwrites

[Link to fic] | [Link to art]

Pairings: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson, Background Robin Buckley/Chrissy Cunningham

Characters: Eddie Munson, Steve Harrington, Chrissy Cunningham, Robin Buckley, Dustin Henderson, Heather Holloway, Gareth, Jeff, Freak, Mike Wheeler, Maxine Mayfield, Will Byers, Joyce Byers, Wayne Munson

Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Upside Down, Meet-Cute, Meet-Ugly, Neighbors, Slow Burn, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, Accidental Voyeurism, Explicit Sexual Content, References to Depression, Mental Health Issues, References to ABBA

Trigger Warnings: Accidental Voyeurism, Mildly Dubious Consent (due to accidental voyeurism)

↳ Keep reading below for a sneak peek!

Eddie has always dreamed of getting his own place. Parties every night, wailing guitars, maybe a babe or two. More importantly, he's dreamed of a place for his boys to crash after a late night gig or a rowdy night of D&D. But when he gets his own apartment at long last, he finds reality to be a far lonelier experience than what he'd expected. Enter Steve, the neighbor in 6B who Eddie shares a very thin wall with. His neighbor who, for better or for worse, sings at the top of his lungs whenever he’s in a good mood and dances around his kitchen every morning before 6am.

At first, the endless parade of pop hits annoy him, but after a time, it begins to chase away some of that loneliness. The fact that it devolves into a petty back and forth war on who has a better taste in music is neither here nor there. Now, if only Eddie could manage to actually meet the guy...

-

A modern day meet-cute featuring two shitty apartments, one hideous cat, misunderstandings, mutual pining, some truly inaccurate hopes and dreams about first time apartment living, at least some accidental voyeurism, and a whole lot of ABBA.

[anika-ann]

Little Miss Red (R.D.)

Type: blurb, one-shot, drabble (for me it's drabble-length okay)

Pairing: Ransom Drysdale x reader          Word count: 1800

Summary: Ransom’s looking for a good time tonight.

When you walk through the door, he knows he’ll get it. And you? Oh you’ll get it too. He's going to make sure of it.

Warnings: NSFW FILTH, 18+, smut!!! I mean it. Filth, y’all. Fingering, oral sex. Written in Ransom’s voice, so language and greyish lizard brain. Hints of degradation, praise kink and innocence kink.

A/N: this is COMPLETELY on @chase-your-dreams-away who claimed she has no time to write it after just throwing the plot bunny out here with @murdock-and-the-sea supporting her.

A/N: divider by amazing @firefly-graphics; the title of the fic does not refer to dd/lg dynamics nor the actual body proportions of the reader

Ransom knew he was going to have fun with you the moment you walked through the door.

A little unsteady on your feet, but deeply embarrassed expression coating your face when you stumbled and swiftly righted yourself; unsure on your high heels, not drunk out of your mind. Little red dress hugging your ass and not much else lower, the hem riding up higher than midthigh as it had probably been intended, your hands quick to remedy it. Cheap make-up which he could spot a mile away, a courtesy of being the child of small-business-loving mother.

You looked so out of place in the luxurious club and so out of your debt that Ransom knew he wanted to play cat and mouse with you.

Except you were definitely a kitten; there was no arguing it later when you nervously tasted the head of his cock, shy kitten licks turning into a small purr around his head when you tried to wrap your lips around him, clearly doing so for the first time.

He knew that was what you were looking for when you came in. He was good at reading people – that was what made him so good at his game. Your sinfully red lipstick spoke for itself and he predicted that the night was going to end up with that colour smeared all over him, with mascara running down your cheeks. He had you blinking up at him with tender wonder and want with just a few sweet words and lured you in into the private saloon with a promise of a good time and being a gentleman.

When his mouth found yours after two minutes of idle meaningless chitchat, you had smiled contentedly into the kiss. Your breath quickened as soon as his tongue pushed between your lips, a silent squeak into his mouth – but leaning into his touch eagerly, heart like a cute little hummingbird – when his hands started wandering to your breasts, so prettily wrapped in the crimson dress. Yes. You might be of limited experience and playing coy, but you came here for one thing and Ransom was happy to give it as long as he got to take from you much more.

You responded to even the faintest touch. When he ran his fingers through your folds over the absurdly thin excuse for an underwear, you were already soaking and fuck, the needy whine that escaped your swollen lips when he circled your puffy nub… it almost made him cum in his damn pants. He was going to eat you up.

If he wasn’t so determined to see your red mouth around him, he’d take your cunt. She was sucking his fingers right in, greedy for more, and yet it was almost as tight as if you were a virgin and was just as sensitive. He’d know; he had taken plenty. He loved stealing their innocence, ruining them for other men. He breathed in the power he gained when he was the first to claim that territory, all warm, wet and so damn snug; having them cry his name as their pain, that delicious pain he both caused and took away, blended into pleasure and pleas for more. Breathy. Needy. Begging so sweet and filthy, obscenities spilling from those good girl lips that had trembled a bit at the size of his cock and yet took it so well.  

You asked for more too, weak voice coming out in gasps as he stuffed the third finger in, the squelch of your juices filling the space and sending blood straight under his belt. By the time you were trapping his fingers in with how hard he made you cum, he was ready to burst the second you’d take him to your throat. It was a thrilling game of control and self-control; and he’d always win.

You were a fast learner. After paying attention to the head, you took him in and sucked experimentally, eyes fluttering shut when he placed his big hand on your nape, encouraging you to take more. And so you did. Fast learner; eager learner. Ransom loved them eager to please him, especially when they were first timers, face all flushed at the mere suggestion of sucking him off at first. Now? Your nose was on his pubic bone, hair ruffled from how he gripped you close for his tip to brush your throat, your pretty cheap make-up running, lipstick all where he needed it.

As a bonus, you clawed your hands on him all over; over his thighs, over his ass, pushing away and pulling closer, your hips bucking forward in search of friction. And fuck if that didn’t get him going; his Little Miss Red enjoyed the hell out of sucking a cock and choking at it, gagging and grabbing at him as if she didn’t feel him deep enough. Who would have thought.

“That’s it, kitten, that’s it, take my load…” he coaxed you and caressed your hair with his free hand, lost to the vibration around him when you hummed in agreement, purring like a little obedient affection-hungry kitten indeed.

“Oh baby, look at you, a good little girl acting like such a whore for a big cock, hm? Fucking love that virgin mouth. Look at the mess you’re making of yourself for me.”

You had. You struggled to swallow and breathe, saliva pooling and escaping your mouth but damn, you were so excited to do better, holding onto his ass, his inner thighs, trying to brush your weepy core against his shin to earn some of that friction you so obviously craved.

Your fingers stroked over his balls and he spilled down your throat with a satisfied groan, fingers in your hair flexing to keep you there and swallow it all as you coughed and sputters, more black streaks painted your pretty face, throat spasming with a choked sound.

You curiously left him in your mouth as he softened, that little experimental lick almost enough for him to get hard again. He pulled you up and walked back to the couch to tug you into his lap, claiming your mouth with his own, tasting his victory in the salty tang on your tongue. What a sweet picture you made; a fucked out mess, eager for more, innocence ruined. He almost took a photo to make the euphoria last longer.

But you got shy again, all wide-eyed, when he pulled out a wipe from his breast pocket, spitting a bit to clean your face up from the worst smudges.

“Told you I’d be a gentleman, didn’t I, kitten? Can’t have you walk around the club like this, everyone would know what you’ve been up to,” he smirked, cock twitching at your meek thank you and the little spark in your eye that told him that you might like that. You might enjoy other people knowing what was in your mouth and now in your belly, wear your ruined cute face like a badge of honour.

Fuck, he could keep you. If he only cared enough for the shit that came with keeping just one girl at his arm. Keeping anyone, really.

Your legs were a little wobbly after he tested you were wet for him again and you buckled into his touch, but he sent you walking out with your purse all alone, satisfied for the night – or at least half of it. Still sprawled on the couch, he tucked himself in and gathered his breath and composure before he returned to the few bearable members of his fraternity fraction. They hit up a club every once in a while, a little hunting trip for pussy. The one who’d score first during the night out paid for the drinks.

Ransom’s smirk widened as he stepped back into the main room. He had no doubt he was the winner tonight; that feeling was damn worth the few hundred bucks he’d pull out of his Valentino-

The smirk slipped from his face when all his palm was the fabric of his empty pocket, his lips parting with mute shock, anger flaring up in an instant.

“Son of bitch-“

His head snapped up, instinctively searching for you; and finding you by the entrance again. You smiled at him sweetly, one corner of your sinfully red lips higher in a smirk as you waved his wallet at him. He froze mid-step.

Blowing him a cheeky kiss, you dropped your timid demeanour like a paper-thin mask, letting it drift towards the floor as slowly as you sunk to your knees for him.

An act. He had fallen for a cheap fucking act. You were no first timer; you were far from shy, apparently.

With bitter clarity, he recalled your hands clawing at his ass when he had thought he had it all under his control, including you, as you struggled to breathe. Your throat spasmed so sweetly, showing him heaven, while he dragged you to hell.

Or he had believed so. Now, watching you disappear behind the door as if you had been nothing but a fever dream, it was easy to see it was the other way around; or maybe you were both going to hell already.

A fist bumped into his shoulder, laughter of his wannabe friends reaching his ears.

“Well, well, well, looks like someone already scored tonight,” Harold howled, cackling as other guys booed and whistled. “Drinks are on Drysdale tonight, y’all!”

Oh Ransom would be drinking tonight, alright. Son of a bitch. That little, little bitch.

“She stole my wallet,” Ransom muttered, barely audible, still hypnotizing the door as if you were to come back. Yeah right.

“Wait what? Dude! You gotta block your credit card and call the cops before she buys a fucking Ferrari at your expense or something! Come on!”

The outrage in his Bryan’s voice snapped Ransom from his stupor, his head slowly turning to the man who spoke the sound advice.

The image of the check Little Miss Red buying a luxury sports car just as red for his money. It should strike him with terror. It should make his blood boil. It should make him want to grab your cute little neck and choke the life out of you.

But his surprise and exasperation gradually blended into the strangest feeling of pride.

You participated in his game of cat and mouse; you were the kitten. You were the cat.

You won fair and square even as both of you played more than dirty.

He could respect that.

“Nah. I’ll let her have it for a bit. It’s kinda like having a sugar baby…” Ransom mused, shrugging it off. “When she least expects it, I’m gonna find her and make her show how sorry she is. …or maybe make her my sugar thing for real. I mean… those lips looked really pretty around my dick after all.”

Mics masterlist

Yeah, the stealing the wallet bit and Ransom kinda respecting the reader for it was the “innocent remark” @chase and @murdock came with and my brain went hggggnnnn, because yeah, he would.

Thank you for reading. I'm gonna go bath in holy water, excuse me.

(the convo that inspired this filth... we know he would)

[jensenscomedyelbows]

edit by the amazing and talented and generous @lemondropsonice

SPN FIC REC FEST #11

All-Time Favorites/Free Recs

The only pairing is Wincest

Most are explicit, but those that aren’t are marked accordingly.

THE FIREFLY THAT LOVED METALLICA by fleshflutter

Rated R, but WARNING: MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH/RESURRECTION. I passionately adore this indescribably poignant story. Get tissues.

LIKE STARING INTO THE SUN by nyxocity

It was never about the girls. It was about them.

A new OFC in each part, until there are no more FCs at all and it’s just them.

There is also a sequel, linked to the original

RUN IT ALL OVER (THE WEST SERIES) by runawaydr3amer

I LOVE this series with a passion not too dissimilar from Sam and Dean’s for each other

When you live a life like theirs, chasing tail isn't always an option. But sometimes you just want someone to touch your dick, and your brother’s hand is as good as any.

THE LAST OUTPOST OF ALL THAT IS by gekizetsu

I’m sure this will end up on multiple lists during this event, as it’s a fandom classic that everyone loves. I don’t even want to try to describe it. 60K words. Casefic. First time. I think there’s some H/C. Beautiful. So so sad. Joy amidst the wreckage and heartache. I love it so much I should probably get the title tattooed on my body somewhere

NOT FOR SAMSON IN THE TEMPLE by maygra-fic

Coda to my all time favorite, see above. You have to read that one first to truly appreciate how this coda maintains the tone, voice, and prose quality. You feel like it’s from the same author, but surprise! it’s not, and that’s remarkable. Mature Sam and Dean. Elderly Sam and Dean

THE GHOST OF SOMEBODY AT HIS SIDE by runedgirl

Prepare to weep. When I need pain, this one guarantees I’ll get it. Author Description: The night before Sam Winchester meets with his 12th grade guidance counselor for the second time, something very bad happens. One of those somethings that takes only a ridiculously short amount of time – in this case, about three minutes – yet manages to change the course of two lives forever. Or: Sam goes to Stanford, and takes most of Dean's heart with him.

COGNITIVE DISSONANCE by Morgan

This one just…stuck with me. The events that unfold are awful for Dean in particular, but I’m sure it wasn’t a great time for Sam, either. Bobby makes an appearance. Angst for daaaaays, and NON CON/DUB CON warning is red-flag-level. Author Description: Sam loses his mind. It's that simple. Dean doesn't know what to do, but he's not going to walk away from this, he's never backed down in all his life. If you're looking for happy endings, don't come here. This shit is dark.

THE SILENCE OF A SUMMER DAY by wanttobeatree

***Everyone who loves the Winchesters should read this amazing future fic***

Rated PG. The world has moved on. This is their legacy. Haha, yes, of course I’m recommending this one again. No sex whatsoever! Weird, right?!?!

@spnficrecfest

RESTRAINT by DarkEmeralds

Free rec. Rated M. 200k+ words. It's not Spn or Wincest or even J2, not really. I guess it’s technically a J2 AU. I’m sneaking it in here because it’s an all-time favorite of mine. This might not be your cup of tea, fanfic wise. I certainly didn’t think it was mine. But but but…it’s absolutely lovely, it’s extremely well-written, the tone/voice/verbiage is accurate for its time, and it has a happy ending that made me cry HAPPY tears when I was finished. If you like historical romance, you’ll like this. It’s set in Regency England! Author Description: The calling card said Tristan Jarrett, Viscount Penrith. Beneath that, in a lazy scrawl, was the addendum Mr Acklebury, be so good as to wait on me tomorrow, number 10, Half Moon Street. Yours, &c., Penrith. Mr Acklebury was not sure how he felt about being thus summarily commanded to paint his lordship's portrait.

[eternallyyours-z]

Haikyuu!! AO3 TBR (WIP)

Last updated: 11.21.24

[E] - Explicit, contains smut

The fics listed below are completed, (im pretty sure, like a good 97% sure)

SakuAtsu

Jumping Through Hoops (sakusa kiyoomi's dilf hunt diaries) [E]

Idiots in love 

ah, fuck it. [E]

chasing home [E]

People Will Say We're in Love

Miscommunicating

Tale as Old as Time

The MSBY Black Jackals Read Thirst Tweets

bet on it

conflict of interest

The SakuAtsu Documentary by the MSBY Black Jackals

in the stars, down to mars [E]

this time around [E]

my body tells me no (but i want more) [E]

Immortal Ties

you are the cause of my euphoria (series)

The Dos and Don’ts of Loving Sakusa Kiyoomi

to mend broken glass [E]

fucking hell (literally) [E]

dogshit (first comes the fall) [E]

Achilles, come down (series)

Smile For The Camera [E]

The Art of the Thirst Trap [E]

The Kingfisher's Refuge [E]

human and hooked (on your flesh) [E]

Four Years (series)

i look for you when i’m lost (so i don’t go insane) [E]

ATSU101: how to fall in love with your fake boyfriend

Snatching a Twin for Christmas

sketches of a firefly [E]

Heart Piercing Butterflies [E]

My Greatest Weakness [E]

BokuAka

in the stars, down to mars [E]

mine and only mine [E]

Bokuto's Accidental Thirst Traps: A Horny Misadventure in Seven Acts [E]

steam [E]

Rules [E]

It's my right to be hellish, I still get jealous

Knocked Up [E]

Sunshine Eyes

Get Up

third wheel

better than spy films

Upstairs [E]

Akaashi's Series of Unfortunate Events [E]

i could say that you're the best my eyes have ever seen

An Exercise in Losing Control

Kiss Me (Like You Wanna Be Loved) [E]

A social experiment [E]

Perhaps a great love is never returned

Come Downstairs

AtsuHina

'til the darkness softly clears

Jealousy: the fic

you can coax the cold right out of me

The past always comes back

38º C

A fox's banquet

we made a start, be it a false one i know

Under the spotlight

Fox in the Hole

OsaSunaKomo

KuroKen

OsaSuna

OmiHina

Suspended In These Moments

snowflakes and gold

good to you

feelings of love

don't go baking my heart.

What Kiyoomi Knows Firsthand

The Sound of Fear is the Sound of Love

vertically challenged

when you came in the air went out [E]

Sun-Kissed

The Sun That Never Sets

I'll head towards tomorrow (towards that place with only two of us)

i keep a close watch on this heart of mine

comfy.

you guys are the worst -sakusa

f in the chat.

venus

felt the warmth within your touch

A Dri-Fit named Desire

conscientious

KageHina

No Retakes!

On Great Rivalries and General Dumbassery

Famous V-League Players Make Fools of Themselves on Twitter dot com

conflict of interest

On Cold Nights

heart lines

'cause i'm getting pretty fucking tired

Ali Roma's on the Case (INCOMPLETE - 7/9 Chapters)