#GUTS by bennie

[miniseokminnies]

lacy — kim hongjoong

𖦹 pairing: kim hongjoong x gn!reader 𖦹 theme: acquaintances to lovers 𖦹 word count: 2.8k 𖦹 warnings: toxic friendship, anxiety, reader cries, feelings of worthlessness, mentions of reader from previous fic "get him back! named Lacy

𖦹a/n: happy comeback atiny!

moodboard by @myhimbomingi

Dear angel Lacy, eyes white as daisies, did I ever tell you I'm not doing well?

NOVEMBER

The strong aroma of coffee filled your senses, making you scrunch your nose. As often as you did your school work in the coffee shop down the street from your apartment complex you should be used to the smell by now.  The music blasting through your headphones made you thankful to be rid of one of the many sensory experiences housed within the building, making the smell almost bearable. This distraction, along with your work splayed out in front of you, however, does prevent you from noticing the figure approaching your table. 

This figure swiftly picks up your mug and takes a whiff of its contents, quickly making his face twist into an expression not unlike yours from moments ago. You look up from your work to reprimand this weirdo, only to see Kim Hongjoong, a friend of a friend, lazily plopping into the chair across from you. Hongjoong was speaking animatedly and gesticulating wildly, his voice drowned out by the music pulsing in your ears. Removing your headphones, and looking at him quizzically you catch the end of his rant, 

“I mean for goodness sake, Y/N, this is a coffee shop! A good one at that! God damn hot cider…” he trailed off finally looking at you. 

“Hello to you too, Hongjoong,” you offered, rolling your eyes “What can I help you with?” you asked removing your other headphone. When you didn’t hear Hongjoong respond you looked up to be met with him looking at you confused, “I mean…what’s happening with Seonghwa and Lacy now?” 

“What?” Hongjoong looked around dramatically, “who said something was happening with them?” he asked, leaning towards you resting his chin in his hands. 

“Well…” you hesitated, “no one I guess, but when do we really ever talk otherwise?” A brief look of hurt broke across his features before his neutral expression returned. 

“What were you listening to before I interrupted you?” He changed the subject. A smirk broke out on his face, seeing your confused expression at his random outburst.  Even so, you handed him one of your earbuds and pressed play. He bobbed his head to the song before removing the earbud, “Interesting, you study here everyday?” You nodded, “see you tomorrow” he got up and left the shop. 

***

“You ready?” you heard a familiar voice ring out behind you in line. Turning around you took in the sight of Hongjoong, he was smiling widely at you, he had gotten a haircut and half of it was now bleached to be blonde, a stark difference from the natural black on the other side. He was bundled up in his coat and a scarf around his neck, indicating that he may have walked here, or he had intentions of walking at some point today. 

“Ready for..what?” you asked, moving forward in line to order your drink. Before Hongjoong had the chance to respond, he was interrupted by the barista at the counter, 

“What can I get you today?” she smiled at you. 

“A hot spiced cider and an americano” Hongjoong chirped from behind you, he pulled out his card and extended it forward toward the barista. You looked back at him, raising an eyebrow. All you got in return was a smile and a wink before he moved forward to handle the payment pad. The two of you moved toward the order pickup counter, 

“You didn’t have to do that,” you offered looking up at him.  

“I know,” he smiled, bumping your shoulder with his, “but we’re friends, and I wanted to” this is the first time you’ve heard him refer to the two of you as friends. The statement made you smile, along with a swooping feeling in your stomach. Once the drinks were ready he took both of them and handed the cider to you, “I still can’t believe you come to this nice of a coffee shop to order something other than coffee” he said, shaking his head, “but I digress, would you like to take a walk with me?” seeing your hesitation he added, “I promise you’ll have time to study afterwards” with this addition you agreed to his offer. 

The two of you exited the shop and he led you in a way he seemed to find familiar. The walk was shrouded in silence, but not one you found uncomfortable. You clutched onto your cup for warmth, as the November air was beginning to grow brisk as the month hurdled toward winter. Out of the corner of his eye he saw you pull your cup closer to you. 

After some walking you found yourself in a park, one you never knew about despite living here for several years. The park was small and the sole bench, you saw now, was obscured by the trees that were displaying gorgeous hues of orange and red. Hongjoong drifted closer to the bench and gestured for you to follow. As you moved closer to him and the bench he turned to you and began to unwrap his own scarf. 

“C’mere” he placed the scarf around your neck and wrapped it for you, “it’s cold today” he explained, as if that would make sense of his actions. His hands lingered once the scarf was wrapped warmly around your neck. Hongjoong desperately tried to keep eye contact with you, his eyes would drift to your lips if he wasn’t careful. He knew this moment was fragile and he had no intentions of ruining it. You broke him out of his trance by clearing your throat, “oh” he mumbled, removing his hands from the scarf and taking a seat on the bench. You followed his lead, still unsure what the intentions of this excursion were. 

Hongjoong let a thoughtful silence hang in the air, and you were not going to be the one to break it. You took a breath, letting the feeling of the chilly air bloom in your chest and the aroma of fallen leaves fill your senses. You felt serene for the first time in quite some time, even next to someone you only saw at parties you felt relaxed. Soon, it was Hongjoong’s turn to break you out of a trance, “Do you really think I don’t want to talk to you?” he muttered, he was staring straight ahead, fixed on some point in the tree line across from the two of you. 

“What?” you blurted, louder than you intended, louder than he had been. 

“You said in the coffee shop we only talk when Hwa and Lacy are being Hwa and Lacy” he chuckled, turning toward you, “do you really think that’s the only time we should talk?” he said, his deep brown eyes searching yours. The attention made you flush, your cheeks growing warm. 

“I don’t know” you shrugged, pulling the scarf closer to you, trying to hide how you were squirming under his gaze, “we know each other through Lacy, so…” you trailed off as the smell of the leaves was replaced by the smell of his cologne. 

“What’s the deal with you and Lacy anyway?” he switched his tactic, clearly not getting anywhere, “I mean you guys barely seem like friends” he added. 

“We used to be” you sighed, “and I’d like to be again…but since Seonghwa she’s been different. I hope they work their shit out, but I hope we can be friends like we used to be” you surprised yourself with your honesty. “and Hongjoong? If I’m being honest, I don’t really feel like myself around her either.” feeling the sting of tears threatening in the corners of your eyes you turned away from him. 

Hongjoong felt a bit of panic settle in his gut, he wasn’t intending for this to be the way the conversation went. He reached out and hesitated for a moment before placing his hand on your shoulder and turning you toward him. Your eyes were glassy with tears threatening to spill, the sight was enough to make Hongjoong’s heart clench, he really had no idea how much you were struggling with your friendship, and feeling alone. 

“You’re amazing,” he said, barely above a whisper, “you know that right?” the tears blurring your vision threatening to spill now did just that. A few streamed down your cheeks, the cold air hitting them. You hadn’t expected to cry, let alone to Hongjoong. However, you couldn’t remember the last time someone had complimented you like that. Going to university in a city several hours away from everyone you knew, aside from Lacy, was lonely. Especially now that your friend was distant, sure you saw her at parties and every so often after your classes, but she and her friends were older than you. You felt partially fooolish for letting her convince you to come to school here now that she had graduated. Just then you felt Hongjoong’s soft hands cup both of your cheeks and you honestly thought he was going to kiss you. 

Butterflies erupted in your stomach at the thought. However, he just used his thumbs to brush the tears off your cheeks. Oh. Why were you slightly disappointed? You’re barely friends. What you didn’t know is that he desperately wanted to connect his lips with yours but he didn’t want to take advantage of your emotional state. He settled for continuing to stroke your cheeks with his thumbs. “I really mean it, Y/N, I think you’re amazing” 

The two of you stayed at the park for the better part of an hour after that. Hongjoong told you that he likes to come here during his lunch break at work or on the weekends to just think. He seemed to have a lot of thoughts trapped in his head you learned. He was much more thoughtful than you imagined of him, you were accustomed to seeing him at least tipsy, or trying to get there. He decided that the two of you would not talk about Lacy or Seonghwa for the rest of the day, a fact he informed you of quickly after he released your face from his soft grasp. You eagerly agreed to this. Presently you shivered on the bench due to your cider being long gone and the breeze picking up. 

“Let’s go” Hongjoong said standing up and extending his hand to you, “you need to study and I have something to show you.” sparing him a questioning glance you took his hand expecting him to let it go once he helped you up off the bench. On the contrary, he interlaced your fingers and began to walk away from the park bench. You decided not to question something for once in your life and embraced the butterflies who took up residence in your stomach that day. 

Soon, after a short walk in comfortable silence and Hongjoong’s warm hand in yours, you were standing in front of the familiar house belonging to Seonghwa and Hongjoong. He slipped his hand out of yours and dug his keys out of his pocket. 

“You know who” he started, not wanting to fully break his promise of not talking about Seonghwa, “isn’t home, hasn’t been for a few days, probably with uh-“ he looked at you sheepishly ushering you inside. Nodding, you let him invite you in and you realized you’d never been at Hongjoong’s outside of a party situation, not to mention you’ve never been alone with him. 

He led you back through the kitchen, towards his bedroom, or where you assume his bedroom was. You had seen Lacy and Seonghwa disappear back this way a time or twenty. He passed a door and then opened another that sat at the end of the hallway. You took in the room, the purple LED lights lining the ceiling and the large computer sitting on the back wall, opposite the bed. “Make yourself comfortable, I have some stuff to work on too, so I won’t disturb your studies, okay?” he slipped off his coat and his shoes, now in a hoodie and jeans. You followed suit and draped his scarf over the back of his computer chair. 

The only place to sit in the room, besides the computer chair that Hongjoong was now occupying turning his computer on, was his bed. You were trying to stay calm and not think about how strangely intimate it felt to even be sitting here in the first place. You pulled your textbook out of your bag and got to work on taking notes on your assigned passages. 

You don’t know how long Hongjoong and yourself sat together working on your own tasks. Things started off fine, you studied contentedly in the low light of his bedroom, until you dared to sneak a look. Hongjoong, even though all you could see was the back of his head, looked totally in his element. He had some software you didn’t recognize pulled up on his computer screen, but judging by the bobbing of his head and the occasional humming it probably had something to do with music. 

A few hours went by with Hongjoong completely unaware of your distraction and your desperate attempts to focus. You barely got through one chapter of note taking when he swiveled around in his chair to face you. You quickly ducked your head down to look at your book, letters swimming around the page.  He moved his headphones down around his neck and stretched his arms over his head letting a small groan leave his lips. You looked up at the sound, hopefully being convincing that you didn’t know he had turned around. 

“C’mere” he held out his hand but didn’t move any closer to you, “got something to show you” 

“Oh?” you inquired, trying to stay calm while you hopped off the bed and crossed the room, taking his hand. He dragged you closer to his chair, and hesitated for a moment. He looked up at you, “can…can you sit with me?” butterflies erupted immediately at the question, “it’s easier that way, you don’t know the controls,” he explained quickly, you could’ve sworn embarrassment dripped from his tone. However, you allowed him to guide you down to sit in his chair with him. You were practically on his lap, his chest against your back. 

He took the headphones from around his neck and placed them over your ears. His arms then moved to the keyboard, brushing your sides on the way. He typed a few commands into the program and music began to flood your ears. Hongjoong so desperately wanted to wrap his arms around your middle while you listened but not wanting to push his luck more than he already had he kept his fingers on the keyboard. 

The song was good, great even, it had no words but you could feel the emotion in the music alone. You had no idea why he was playing this for you and why it was necessary for you to be in his lap, a blushing mess, for you to listen to it. However, for the second time today, and in your life, you chose not to question something that felt right. When the music faded from your ears you pushed one side of the headset to the side. 

“Did you make that?” you asked, craning your neck trying to look at him behind you. When your eyes laid on him you realized he looked just as flustered as you felt. 

“I-uh” he blushed, “I did.” he looked at you, “I hope you liked it” 

“Hongjoong,” you whispered, once again too scared to break the moment, “it was amazing” you dared to glance at his lips briefly. Everything happened so fast after that, one of his hands was back on your cheek, the other on the ear that the headset remained on, and his lips were on yours. Momentary shock settled in your stomach before even more butterflies grew in its place. Your eyelids sunk closed and you allowed yourself to enjoy this moment. 

Hongjoong’s hands moved to your waist and assisted you in readjusting the way you were sitting so you didn’t have to be twisted uncomfortably. You took his headphones off and attempted to place them nicely on the desk. You honestly had no idea if that’s what happened or not. As you slipped your arms around his neck he swiped his tongue against your bottom lip, requesting entrance that you gladly granted. 

Hongjoong tasted like coffee, weirdly in his mouth you didn’t mind the taste. Your senses were filled with him, and you tried to understand how you’d gone this long without. Soon, he broke away from you, both of you breathing heavily. His eyes were searching yours again, he didn’t know what he was looking for he just liked looking at you. 

“That song you were listening to yesterday?” he broke the silence. 

“Mhmm?” you hummed, confused why he was bringing it up right now. 

“It sucked” he breathed, “listen to mine from now on” 

[datura-tea]

that's the ring-a-ding move, baby!

[mbenguin]

Apparently we’re making GnB OCs nowadays? Anyways, I put another ginger under abhorrent circumstances.

[clickerflight]

Clove: Part 23 - Up a Creek

Benny comfort! Well, as much as I can feasibly give at the moment.

Masterlist - Part 22

Content: Vampire whumpee, fae whumper, abusive marriage, bruising and scratches, brainwashed whumpee, whumpee defending abuser, fae politics

...................................

“Jokel is dead!”

The breakfast suddenly came to a halt, the fae falling silent as they looked to the messenger at the doorway. 

Hyrum used the distraction to press himself under Ephraim’s arm, hiding from the fae that had been trying to touch his hair and fur since breakfast began. He’d tried to do the exact thing earlier but the comments of being a rude Guest for hiding had forced him back out, flinching at every move from the strange people around him. 

Ephraim held Hyrum close as all of the fae turned their gaze on the Monarch, who seemed rather surprised by the news. 

“Dead? How?”

“There was dark magic in the wounds, you’re Majesty, and he was near to the ritual places. I suspect that the sorcerer may have done it.”

The Queen’s sharp gaze turned to Ephraim and Hyrum. “Do you know of this?”

Ephraim shook his head. He looked down at Hyrum who shook his head as well. “We were not there for it, your Highness,” Ephraim said, trying to keep the tremble out of his voice as Hyrum buried his face deeper into Ephraim’s shirt. 

The Queen pursed her lips before she broke out into a cruel grin, sharp teeth all on display. There were too many of them. No creature should have that many teeth. At least, no creature living on land. 

“Well, it seems we’ll be holding a funeral!” She announced to the table, eyes flitting over through the fae who all suddenly had expressions of jubilee and excitement. “I will have the list for our marching order this evening!” She announced, clapping her hands in glee. 

She shot a look at Benny, who hadn’t stopped looking at her through the entirety of breakfast, eyes cloudy and distant. 

“You will help me, my dear. And our dear father here will have to join the procession since he was the brave warrior who killed the sorcerer for us! Oh yes, this will be fun, won’t it?”

“Of course,” Benny said almost breathlessly, seemingly overcome by her excitement. 

Ephraim bit the inside of his mouth carefully. He had suspected that Benny was charmed, and it was becoming clearer by the moment that this was the truth. His fledgling was completely gone now, a blank doll in the face of the fae queen’s magic.

“Oh, please, your Highness!” a fae with petals for hair and wings called, hands over her heart in what looked like outright ecstasy. “Please can I be put next to our guests? I have been so helpful with the gardens, haven’t I?”

The Monarch’s gaze became disgusted and cruel as she looked at the flowery fae. 

“Halia, you are not to ask for such things,” she hissed out with so much venom that the petals on Halia’s head actually withered to black. 

She whimpered, sitting back down and covering her head with a napkin, looking down as silent sparkling tears brimmed in her eyes. 

The Monarch took a deep breath. “Finish breakfast, everyone. I will start ordering the list with my dear husband here. We will retrieve Jokel’s body an hour before sundown!”

Benny stood up quickly, pulling out his wife’s seat and helping her up before walking away without so much as a backwards glance at Ephraim and Hyrum. 

Ephraim watched, listening to the buzz of the fae around the room, no longer paying attention to the two of them. 

“Come on, sweetheart,” Ephraim murmured to Hyrum. “I think it’s okay for us to go back to our room.”

“I want to go home,” Hyrum whimpered as they stood up, thankfully drawing no attention their way as they did so. 

It broke Ephraim’s heart to see Hyrum’s tail tucked between his legs, shivering and trembling in Ephraim’s hold. 

“I know, Goldenrod. I do as well. And we will. We just have to be patient and smart.”

Hyrum sniffled, nodding a little as the two of them snuck off to their rooms. Ephraim just hoped they weren’t breaking any rules by leaving, but if they were the Queen’s guests and she left the breakfast, then surely they were safe to leave after she did. Ephraim hoped he would be able to speak to Benny soon about the rest of the Hospitality pact. And to see if there was anything left of his fledgling under the charm the Queen held over him. 

………………………………….

Benny was…. Tired. He limped down the hall, hours later, stomach grumbling unhappily at him. His wife had gone over the fae in her court, picking out the ones she wanted to have in the procession to retrieve Jokel’s body. She then made sure to line them up so everyone would be standing next to someone they hated, laughing gleefully over the drama that was sure to ensue over the next three days. 

And Benny was tired. He couldn’t even remember helping her with decisions. All he knew was that he stepped out of the room and exhaustion, hunger, and pain hit him like three carts lined up one after the other. His arm hurt now, too. He couldn’t even remember what had happened, only remembering his wife’s glee getting out of hand. Eyes shining and burning and promising pain that she would enjoy and-

He stumbled, a headache shooting through his head. 

He gasped for a moment, touching his forehead before pushing forward. He should see a healer. These headaches were coming all of the time now. 

He held his arm gently, watching his feet take their mistimed steps under him. 

He stopped at a door and as he looked at it blearily he realized it wasn’t his bedroom. Why was he here? Where- oh. He could smell his sire. His instincts had brought him here, looking for kindness and love and safety when he was so tired and hurt and emotional. 

He closed his eyes, shaking his head and turned to go to his room when the door opened. 

“Benny?”

Tears sprang to Benny’s eyes before he could stop them as he turned back. Ephraim looked tired too, but that didn’t stop him from coming out into the hall and cupping his cool hands on either side of Benny’s jaw, tilting his head down so Ephraim could see him better. 

“Benny, what’s wrong?” Ephraim asked gently. “Here, come in.”

Benny allowed himself to be led in and pushed into a couch. “I’ll make some tea,” Ephraim said. Tea. Ephraim always made tea when emotions needed to be soothed. Something about the place where Ephraim came from, Benny was pretty sure. Most of the people in the village would just tell you to rub dirt in it and it would be fine. He couldn’t remember… who exactly would say that though. 

Ephraim came back from putting the tea on and pulled Benny’s heavy jewelry off, gentle hands brushing over his skin as Ephraim checked for injuries. He always did that. 

“Eef,” Benny whispered, vision cloudy from tears suddenly welling up. 

“What is it, Begonia?” Ephraim asked. 

Benny opened his mouth, but nothing would come out. He was so muddled. Something must be wrong. He was so upset but he couldn’t place why. Maybe because his arm hurt?

Ephraim caught on to the way Benny was holding his arm and gently pulled down the sleeve. The open design of the shirt made it easy to do so. 

Ephraim saw the deep bruising and scratching around Benny’s elbow and nearly lost it. He only let his fangs flash for half a second before he bit it all back. 

“Begonia, what happened? Who did this?”

Benny blinked at Ephraim, uncomprehending and blank with exhaustion. Ephraim felt desperation rising in his stomach, threatening to swallow him whole as he sat on the couch, pulling Benny into his chest. The fledgling didn’t put up any fight, letting Ephraim move him where he pleased. 

Ephraim ran gentle hands over Benny's hair and neck, pressing kiss after kiss to his forehead. 

“Come on, my boy. Come on, dear. Come back to me. It’s alright, I’m here now. Come back to me baby boy.”

Benny tensed, raising a hand to twine it in Ephraim’s shirt in a way he hadn’t since he had just barely been turned. 

Ephraim sat there and rocked Benny gently back and forth, stroking his fledgling’s head and kissing his forehead and hair, murmuring comforts to him. 

It took a while for Benny to come back to his senses, confused to find himself held in Ephraim’s arms. 

He took in his situation for a moment before he smiled a little. “You’re not mad at me anymore, then, old man?”

Ephraim did not find this amusing. The swift switch in moods was very much not a good sign. 

“Welcome back,” Ephraim said, letting Benny sit up, though keeping a hold on his injured arm. “Tea should be ready. Tell me what happened.”

Ephraim stood up, releasing Benny reluctantly to go deal with the upset kettle as Benny tilted his head, confused. “Happened? Oh, yes, Jokel is dead. There will be a three day funeral where every fae will be trying to win favor with my wife and there will be all sorts of drama.” Benny waved his hand dismissively. “I was just helping my wife with deciding who will be in the procession. It’s important to let the fae know their ranks in the procession so they can see who they will need to pass in favor. The final rankings will be made at the last feast when things settle down again, but-”

“No, what happened to your arm.”

Benny looked down at said arm and clicked his tongue. “Oh, I must have scraped it.”

“You’re a vampire, Benny,” Ephraim said, unimpressed. 

“Well,” Benny said haltingly, “My wife is fae, you know? She can get a little excited sometimes. It happens, and she always apologizes and makes it up to me. It’s fine.”

“Was she what happened to your leg too?”

Oh yeah. His leg hurt too. “Um, well, maybe, but we were just having some fun and it got a little out of hand,” Benny said dismissively. “I’ll be fine after I eat, I’m sure.”

Ephraim brought him a cup of tea, which Benny accepted with a thank you. “So, how did I come to be here?”

Ephraim simply stared at Benny for a long moment. “We’re up a creek with no paddle, Begonia,” was his only comment before he downed his tea like he wished it were alcohol. 

Part 24

Clove Taglist: @wolfeyedwitch @the-blind-one-speaks @whumpsday @extrabitterbrain @inkkswhumpandstuff 

@honeycollectswhump @whump-blog-reblogs @pigeonwhumps @mj-or-say10 @percy-frayer 

@currentlyinthesprial @scoundrelwithboba @whumps-and-bumps

[corvidcentral]

Posts I found on Pinterest that i think fit Six (my courier 6 oc) that are incomprehensible to everyone except me and maybe two other people

[therealslimshakespeare]

no cause she’d be looking at him with such wide innocent eyes for reassurance and he just can’t… shoot her down. like yes lu! just like that! ur doing great! maybe if she was more sure of herself it’d be easier to be like hm maybe a little more like this but alas

I’m tittering right now, Bucky you sap

[batsydoodle]

me: I love that Bruce is always fully committed to the bit if a mission calls for it-

my twin who is not into comics: The Justice League need an improv club just so batman can excel at it

[secretagentsagainstwhatever]

Am i being to cold? is this all i can be…

[musickickztoo]

CONTRA2024-13

06092024 (ALL NEW)

TRACKLIST:

The Jesus and Mary Chain - Pop Seeds Kim Deal - Crystal Breath The Courettes - Boom Boom Boom Hinds - On My Own Nix & The Nothings - I Try The Smile - Zero Sum Humdrum - There And Back Again Tape/Off - Paris, Texas, Queensland Gut Health - Stiletto Benny Trokan - Get It In The End Fleur - Nous Continuerons A Marcher Ensemble The Bug Club - Better Than Good The Courettes - Run Run Away (feat. La La Brooks) The Mellons - Please Baby Please Vincent Reese - Chips On Your Shoulder Kim Gordon & model home - Razzamatazz The Snares - What You Said!? Santo Blanco - Blade

The 13th playlist of the year!!

Listen: https://www.mixcloud.com/Contraflow/contra2024-13-06092024-all-new/

[miniseokminnies]

get him back! — park seonghwa

𖦹 pairing: park seonghwa x fem!reader 𖦹 theme: exes to lovers-ish, nonidol!au 𖦹 word count: 2.4k 𖦹 warnings: 18+ MDNI, smut, swearing, drinking, marking, toxic!seonghwa, toxic!reader, praise kink, oral (f. receiving), softdom!seonghwa, petnames (f. receiving), unprotected penetration (wrap it before you tap it), fluff if you squint

I wanna key his car. I wanna make him lunch. I wanna break his heart, then be the one to stitch it up. Wanna kiss his face with an uppercut. I wanna meet his mom, just to tell her her son sucks

OCTOBER

✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩

“How long do you give ‘em this time?” Hongjoong asked casually, leaning against the counter.

“Hm, they’ll probably make it until the end of the night this time,” your best friend replied. Hongjoong chuckled and began mixing a drink for her,

“I don’t give them longer than two hours,” he smirked, spotting Seonghwa just as he realized who Hongjoong was talking to. He knew you were here now.

***

You took a seat on Hongjoong’s couch and fidgeted in the ridiculously short skirt you elected to wear to this party. This Halloween party is the event of the year every year. Seonghwa and Hongjoong throw incredible parties, and as your little friend group expanded and got older they scaled back to one big party a year.

This time last year, Seonghwa and yourself were hopelessly in love. Life happened, and you both decided you weren’t good for each other. The absolute worst version of both of you were present at the end of your relationship last month. Admittedly, the sex was great though.

Seonghwa slipped into the room, scanning over it. His eyes settled on your form on the couch, raking his eyes down your body from across the room. He choked back a groan when he saw just how much your costume covered, or did not cover, of your body. He knew what your game was, he knew this outfit was for him. Even though Seonghwa and you have been broken up for over a month now that doesn’t mean you had to stop sleeping together, does it?

Your friend plopped onto the couch next to you and handed you a red solo cup that matched her own,

“Compliments of Kim Hongjoong” she smiled at you and took a sip. You could tell by the look on her face the drink was a little strong. You raked your fingers through your hair and took a swig of your drink, not even caring what it was in your cup. The mixture of alcohol and soda burned your throat on the way down and warmly settled in your stomach. Your friend quickly got involved in a conversation on the other side of her with Yunho and Hongjoong. They both waved in your direction and you gave them a small smile and a wave.

You began to tune out their conversation and look around the party. You couldn’t shake the feeling that there were eyes on you from somewhere else in the room. Quickly spotting the source of this feeling you saw Seonghwa sitting across the room from you. He was lazily holding a solo cup that matched your own, you took in his form, as he did to you just minutes ago. His blonde hair was slicked back which drew attention to his cheekbones, the red lighting in the room catching the bridge of his nose strikingly. The white shirt he was wearing was untied, the neckline plunging lower than you’ve seen him wear before.

He zeroed in on you, evidently feeling your gaze on him. You hardened your gaze, realizing this was the beginning of the end of your night, now that the two of you have seen each other. Seonghwa cocked an eyebrow and plastered a smirk to his face.

You hate him. You hate how your stomach swoops when he looks at you like that. You hate that he knows the effect he has on you. He was challenging you to come over, but you, you hadn’t had your fun yet. Muttering a “I’ll be back” to your friend you got up and walked to where a group of people were mingling. Your friend followed you with her eyes before looking over at Hongjoong, afraid she was losing the unspoken bet they had going. He smiled and shrugged in response.

Sauntering up to the group of people, you recognized a few of them, and you found the person you were looking for. You placed your hand on his arm and smiled up at him.

“Mingi!” you squealed, “how are you?”

“y/n!” he leaned down to hug you, you took this opportunity to wrap your arms around his broad shoulders. He pulled back and looked at you but didn’t bother to remove himself from your embrace, “How have you been?” he asked, Mingi is sweet, but just an unfortunate pawn in your game with Seonghwa.

“I’ve been well,” you ran your hands down his muscled arms, “I’ve missed you though”. Mingi’s eyes flashed over to Seonghwa, who was watching the two of you with gritted teeth, and then back to you. You leaned into his ear, “Mingi, I don’t belong to Seonghwa. Don’t worry about him.” you drawled.

“I know you don’t belong to him,” he sputtered, “You’re your own person, feminism and shit,” just then Mingi’s eyes widened over your shoulder as you felt a strong hand wrap around your arm. Seonghwa smiled courteously at his friend and dragged you to a secluded corner of his home.

“And what are you doing?” he said in a low tone, placing his hand on the wall next to your head.

“Catching up with Mingi,” you said, sounding bored. You looked up at him from beneath your lashes. He chuckled, a wicked sound you would recognize anywhere.

“Oh, sorry to take you away from your ever important conversation with your best friend Song Mingi” he spat sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

“Yeah you should be, it was going so nicely” you folded your arms over your chest. Seonghwa leaned in close to you,

“So cute that you think you could possibly be going home with anyone other than me, doll” he smirked.

“Not this time, Seonghwa” you spat, “it’s done” Seonghwa brought up his other hand to grip your jaw, making you look in his eyes.

“See you in my room in an hour” he demanded and let go of you and walked away without looking back. You took a shaky breath before walking back to your spot on the couch, smiling apologetically at Mingi on your way.

***

“Did you go for a vampire costume,” you gasped, “to make up an excuse to bite me?” Seonghwa hummed into your neck while placing open mouth kisses against it with an intensity that was sure to leave dark purple marks in his wake.

“Do you want me to bite you” he breathed, sending a shiver down your spine feeling his breath against the saliva he left behind there. He slowly began to bite down to deepen the love marks on your neck. Meanwhile, he backed you up against his closed bedroom door. The room looked the same as it has every other time you ended up here. Except, the pictures of the two of you have been taken down and put away recently. However, Seonghwa will be hanging on to them for a long time.

You moved your hand to the ties of his shirt, even though they were currently jobless as they have been all night. Seonghwa didn’t have the patience for you so he broke his contact with your neck long enough to pull the shirt off over his head. You didn’t get the time to appreciate his sculpted body before he smashed his lips to yours with bruising pressure.

He wrapped his arms around your waist and let his hands drift down to your ass, which was barely covered by your skirt.

“You are just baring everything to the world, huh?” he gripped your ass, “Such a show off, what are you even supposed to be?”

“I’m a fucking Barbie, asshole” you whined. This earned you another dark chuckle before he moved to tear the poor excuse for a skirt off you.

“Oh you expected to get fucked today” Seonghwa cooed taking in the sight of your lacy thong, “What happened to, ‘it’s done’?” He placed his hands on your hips and lifted you so you could wrap your legs around his trim waist. He pressed a firm kiss to your lips and carried you across the room to his bed and dropped you down. He made quick work of removing your shirt and you thanked whatever power of the universe convinced you to go braless to this party.

The way Seonghwa looks at your body was a sight you never got tired of, no matter how much you say you hate him. Pure adoration for your form was the only way to describe it.

“So fucking beautiful” he said, mostly to himself, even though he knew you could hear him. He didn’t care. He began to kiss your neck again, and you could feel how excited he was against your thigh. You relished the fact that you could still turn him on just by letting him see you like this. He moved from your neck to your chest, capturing one of your nipples between his teeth and tenderly squeezing the other. You let out a breathy noise, halfway between a moan and a gasp at the stimulation. He looked up at you from under his long lashes and flicked his tongue across it to gauge your reaction. You choked back a moan and Seonghwa was moving on,

“Let me hear you, it’s not like they’ll notice, Honjoong keeps the music loud, and you know that” he growled. Then his mouth was at your hip, nipping at the skin near your panties. He began to deepen his nips to full on bites, once again taking pleasure in knowing that soon a deep purple hickey will bloom over this spot. You let a moan pass your lips before you could stop it and Seonghwa broke contact with your hip to smirk for a millisecond before taking the fabric at the waistline of your panties between his teeth and demanding, “off”. You followed directions and wiggled out of them letting the fabric flutter to the floor. “That’s my girl” Seonghwa muttered to himself and you tried to ignore the pang in your stomach at his words. He sat back on his heels and you finally got to take in his physique, you shamelessly raked your eyes over his arms and his torso. “Be a good girl and spread your legs for me” and once again you did as you were told.

Seonghwa began to start the process of biting and marking your inner thighs. He moved his way up until he was level with your cunt. You felt yourself tense with anticipation. “So ready and wet for me, huh? No one else works you up like I do” he commented before he began to place chaste kisses to your pussy. He attached his lips to your clit and swirled his tongue around the sensitive bud. At this point, you had no idea if the party was still going, the music drowned out by the waves of pleasure crashing into you at the mercy of Seonghwa’s masterful tongue. You moaned unabashedly as he inserted two fingers and continued to give attention to your clit.

Your hand flew to his head, your fingers tangling and slightly pulling his hair. He moaned into your cunt and the vibrations of his low voice made the knot in your stomach tighten. He curls his fingers inside you, a master of the body he spent the last year memorizing like his own. You let out a hum of pleasure and he sucked on your clit for a few more seconds before removing his fingers and his mouth. You whined at the loss of contact but he came to you and caged you in with his arms. He looked beautiful like this. His hair messy from where you pulled it, a few strands of blonde hair falling over his eyes, his lips and chin glistening with your juices. He kisses you hungrily and you can taste yourself on his tongue.

You reach for his belt and began undoing it. Seonghwa evidently didn’t like the speed at which you were undressing him because he broke the kiss to sit back on his heels again and undid his belt and wiggled out of his pants and his boxers. His cock sprang free, hard and leaking. He gave it a few pumps and positioned himself in front of you. He ran his cock through your folds, teasing you.

“Oh my God, Hwa, please just fuck me” you whined.

“Oh?” he smirked at you, “not so done with me now, are you?” before you had a chance to respond he was slamming into you. You moaned, relishing the familiar feeling of being filled up by Seonghwa. He rammed into you, clearly enjoying the feeling of your walls around him. “You’re always so perfect for me, doll, made for me” he grunted. You pulled him to you and kissed him in a way he only got when he was pleasuring you so nicely. That’s the thing about only sleeping with each other, you know one another’s little things. He continued to pull out and slam back into you like it was the last time he was ever going to be able to, which maybe it was, he never knew so he made each time count. You felt the knot in your stomach quickly tightening and threatening to break. Seonghwa’s thrusts were getting frantic and messy, so you knew he was close too.

You wrapped your legs around his waist again, chasing both of your highs. Pleasure washed over you as your orgasm began. “Perfect girl” Seonghwa said breathlessly as you felt the hot spurts of his orgasm paint your cunt. He kissed you again before pulling out and going to get a towel for you.

Once the two of you were clean he took you into his arms, and you let him. “I love you” he mumbled into your hair before planting a soft kiss there.

“I love you too, Hwa” you replied without hesitation. You didn’t have the capacity to think about what those words meant for the two of you right now, so you just let them hang in the air as Seonghwa began to draw circles on your back.

***

“They’ll end up together, you know” Hongjoong said matter of factly while holding a garbage bag and scooping empty cups into it.

“Yeah,” your friend sighed, “if they ever figure their shit out,” she picked up a few paper plates and brought them over to him and tossed them into the bag. She always stayed to help Hongjoong to clean up, to make sure you didn’t need a ride home, and because she’s impossibly polite. She turned to go search for more trash.

“Yeah…” Hongjoong mumbled, looking after her, “if they ever figure their shit out…”

✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩

a/n: i know it’s a bit late for a halloween one shot but i couldn’t just leave october without one! hope you enjoy! likes and reblogs appreciated ~bennie

[mariocki]

Double Doctors! William Hartnell has a terrible time as wounded robber Jeff Richards, while Patrick Troughton is the unnamed (and uncredited!) tramp who finds Jeff's hiding place in Dial 999: 50,000 Hands (1.16, ABC, 1959)

[venusararara]

Hi :) Gatherine talk number 1000 TW for death and sad stuff She doesn't have an identity without Bresklyn, Stacy, Dawsin, Benny, whoever it be. Her life revolves around them, they are her world, the only things she thinks of. Without loved ones, she's a desperate mess. Gatherine is aimless without someone to love. She cannot be alone, she needs someone. She doesn't know who she is. If you're all she has, she'll desperately turn herself into whatever you want or need. If you admit you love her when she's too alone, Gatherine will fall in love with you right then and there, and never let you go. Even if she's in obvious danger, she's doting over you. Unless, that's not wat you want, she can change. You need a guard dog? Will do. A living meat grinder? Yes, sir. An object? Anything you need, ma'am. She'll do everything in her power to keep you near, even if it tears at her morals or physically harms her. She will change for you so, so quickly, because she knows a never-ending bender will follow closely behind if you leave.

[bspoquemagazine]

Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz: Theaterprogramm #76

Die Volksbühne zeigt mit "Der Schnittchenkauf", der Uraufführung von "Mama Mega" und Billy Bultheels "A Short History of Decay" spannende Stücke im Dezember. Zudem gibt es Buchtips, eine neue Gesprächsreihe und weitere Highlights auf der Bühne.

Uraufführung: Mama Mega

Mama Mega von Ava Tabita Yul ist Mama NoSings neues Theaterstück, das nun in der Regie von Isabelle Redfern zur Uraufführung kommt. Marlis wird beim Zocken im Bad erwischt, wo sie sich vor den Kindern versteckt hat. Liv träumt unentwegt, dass ihre Tochter stirbt. Beide Mütter landen bei der unkonventionellen Psychologin Dr. Wu, die sie aus therapeutischen Zwecken mit…

[pyomatic]

man reginald of durham is truly an s-tier monk. professional yapper. loves the people*. talks about milking the testicles of a hermit. gullible as sin. blorbo from my manuscripts

*as much as a 12th c monk can

[seresinhangmanjake]

Together and More

Daddy!Benny Cross x Momma!Reader

Summary: Daddy!Benny moments from the birth of his baby to a parenting anxiety episode to a few years down the line with a little toddler.

Notes/Warnings: *Spoiler free* Unofficial Part 3 to Come Back Knockin’ and Come Back Together. I say ‘unofficial’ because it’s more like an epilogue-y time-jump thing and I might go back later and add more fics between the last part and this to bulk up the story (if people are interested. If not I’ll probably just move on to new Benny fics unrelated to this story). Fluffy family cuteness. Girl dad!Benny. Angsty-ish at brief points (if you squint, I suppose). Kissing. Mention of pregnancy. Typos.

Words: 3400

Benny Cross Masterlist

When the nurse escorts him into the delivery room, Benny freezes. Wide blue orbs flick between you and the bundle in your arms, and despite the distance, you can see his hard swallow. You can practically feel his heart thumping, reverberating off the walls, and when his lips part, you’re unsure if it’s from awe or anxiety or a mix of the both. 

When it comes to your husband’s emotions over the birth of his child, it has varied by the day. There’s been a steadiness and consistency to his excitement, thankfully, but he has vacillated between trusting in his ability to be a father and questioning what good he can bring to a kid’s life. This last week in particular was the most chaotic for his ups and downs knowing your due date was around the corner.

“Hi Daddy,” you say, hoping your smile will ease any brewing discomfort in his system. Benny doesn’t move, but his gaze has officially decided to glue to the baby. For the moment, you’ll take that as a win. Had you given birth eight months ago, you’re not sure he would have touched his child with a ten-foot pole, let alone looked at them. “Well, are you going to come see her or what?”

Benny snaps out of the shock gripping his body and he blinks. Swallows again. “It’s a girl?” he asks, a mild tremble in his voice.

With your nod, he takes a deep breath, and from the continuation of your encouraging smile, his limbs regain their functioning. It’s a snails-pace twenty steps, but eventually, he makes it to your side. 

There’s a twinge of guilt in your gut from feeling relieved while he’s tightly wound with tension, but you can’t help it. Benny is unpredictable until the last second. As much as he’s been reliable during your final months of pregnancy, nipping at your mind was the possibility of a second disappearance. But he didn’t run. He’s here. He came to you. He came for her. 

Benny’s knuckles whiten around the railing of your bed as you pull your daughter away from your chest and tilt her forward so he can take in her sleeping face. 

“Hold her,” you say, raising your arms toward him. Benny’s eyes widen. He backs up and you sigh, having expected that response. “Benny.”

“I’ll drop her.”

“Yea, because you’re so weak-muscled,” you tease with a playful roll of your eyes. You cradle your baby against your body so you have a free hand to reach out and grab him by the wrist, guiding him back to the edge of the bed. 

“Hold your arm out,” you instruct. A beat passes but he does as you say, allowing you to nestle her into the curl of his strong arm. “Cup her head with your other hand. Like that. Good. See? You’re perfect.”

He’s holding her like she’s some sort of rare, expensive bike part that took a year of his life to track down, but his shoulders slowly untighten as he starts to rock her back and forth like the natural you suspected he would be. When she opens her doe eyes to stare up at him, Benny’s brow pinches and tears start falling down your cheeks because his eyes have turned glassy and you’ve never before witnessed the sight. It’s unlikely anyone has.

“So?” you ask. “What do you think?”

Benny nods. “You did so good, baby,” he says, glancing up at you with a grin. He’s quick to return his gaze to his daughter. “You made us a beauty.”

You sniffle. “You contributed to that as well.”

“Yea, but she looks like you.”

It’s possible as she ages that she’ll develop a feature of yours here and there, but when you look at your daughter now, all you see is him. His nose, his eyes, his lips. She’s him, and you’d tell him so, but you’re not sure your words would break through the trance the baby has him in. 

—

When you wake, he’s not beside you. The sun is long from rising, and yet there’s no warmth, no lingering scent of his cologne, and when you flip over, the comforter remains smoothly spread out on his side. 

You kick the covering off your legs and stand, snatching your silk robe off the closet's doorknob to slip over its matching nightie. You know where he is. It’s where he’s spent many of his nights in the past three weeks. 

In the corner of the nursery, perched in the quilted chair, Benny is hunched forward with his elbows resting on his knees, his fingers woven and clenched as he stares at the crib where your daughter lies fast asleep under the low glow of her nightlight.

“Benny…” you start, making your way to him. His stare doesn’t break from the baby as he leans back against the cushion and spreads his legs so you can take your place on his lap. An arm slides across your lower back, a palm plants on your bare thigh, and you cuddle into his chest.

“You didn’t come to bed,” you say.

Benny hums in acknowledgment.

“You’ve got to be at the shop in four hours.” To that, he doesn’t even utter a sound. 

It’s not until you say, “Are you ready to tell me what's been going on in that head of yours?” that you get a response. 

He exhales heavily, then says, “What if I’m not good enough for her?” 

The question doesn’t surprise you. You assumed it was something along those lines, simply from observing his behaviors since you came home from the hospital. 

Benny’s smile rivals the sun whenever he takes his daughter in his arms, but the longer he looks at her, the more he thinks, and the more he thinks, the further that smile falls. He cradles his baby and his mind runs away with him. He peers too far into the future, digging up every possible problem and road bump ahead. Problems and road bumps—some of which you have no doubt are outlandish—that may never come to fruition. 

Your fingers weave into the blond tips at the nape of his neck and you delicately scrape the base of his skull with your nails. 

“That’s crazy. You’re amazing with her,” you tell him.

“She’s only three weeks old,” Benny argues. “There’s plenty of time to fuck it up.” 

“Ben–”

You’re cut off by the intensity with which his eyes drill into yours. A raw realness of concern swirls in blue irises. “What if she needs things that I can't afford to get her?”

Your brow raises. “Like what?”

“Anything,” he tells you. “What if she resents me for not havin’ better to offer? Her friends’ pops will have better jobs than me—more money in their pockets. We don’t even have a car to take her places; we’ve been borrowin’ Betty’s, for fuck’s sake. And this neighborhood? Baby, this street isn’t as safe as it used to be.”

You sigh. He’s right. You hate to admit it because you hoped he was worried over sillier matters, but every bit of what he said is fair. Your daughter will have friends whose fathers have established careers and the salaries to match. There will be lawyers and doctors and financiers living in areas that, while vastly nicer, still feed into the same schools your child will attend. You will need a car, ideally within the next few months because Benny can’t be riding to daycare with the baby clipped into the side satchel on the seat of his bike. And yes, the neighborhood has undeniably taken a turn in the past year. You should start planning your lives on a budget so you can get a small place outside the city. 

But the difference between you and Benny is that you know all of this is attainable. You know the two of you can do this. You know you’re both good enough and smart enough and resourceful enough to raise your baby. 

Benny removes his palm from your thigh and rubs his fingers across his forehead. You put your hands on his cheeks to turn his face back to yours. 

“Benny Cross, you are not going to fuck up. Our daughter is not going to resent you,” you say with absolute certainty, adding extra force to your tone. “She needs you and she needs me, and that's it. Everything else we will figure out in time.”

—

Three Years Later

You love to watch them. You love to watch how they exist together. You love how Benny tucks her into bed at night; how he wakes her extra early on Saturdays to make pancakes—one of the few meals he managed to master; how she stares up at him with a trembling bottom lip until he reluctantly agrees to play dollies with her; and how eager she is to take interest in anything and everything he has to show her. 

In the beginning, it wiggled your nerves to see her so curious about bikes—what mother wants to imagine her daughter on the back of a motorcycle—but she is her father’s daughter. Trying to shield her from her interests would only make her want to pursue them more, whether you agreed to it or not, so you took a step back and let it happen, knowing Benny would approach it appropriately. 

Now, it’s another one of those moments between them that you love to watch—this time watching without their knowledge as you peek through the sliver of space in the barely open door that connects the kitchen to the garage. 

The garage door is up to permit some natural lighting, and Benny, ratchet in hand, sits on a section of concrete that is shaded from the prying heat of Summer’s sun. He’s messing with the body of his bike as Lucy stands to his side; close, but not so close that she could be harmed should he accidentally lose his grip on a tool. 

“Ok,” he says, wiping the sweat from his forehead. He offers Lucy the ratchet and says, “Wrench please.”

Lucy carefully takes the tool by the handle—just as Benny taught her—before looking into the open box at her feet. Her head tilts as she examines its contents, and then she leans down, places the ratchet back where it belongs, and wraps her little fingers around the wrench. Pulling it out, she waves it back and forth with great enthusiasm before presenting it to her father. 

Benny smiles and she places the tool in his open palm. “Good job, nugget,” he praises as he softly pinches her round cheek. She giggles. 

Lucy takes in Benny’s every movement, observing like a tiny apprentice would a master. She’s attentive and nods along with everything he says even though she has no idea what a lick of it means. She does so until Benny finishes the job and closes up the toolbox. 

The second both of his hands are free, Lucy vaults herself into her father’s arms with such vigor that she nearly knocks him onto his back.

“Fixed it?” she asks, placing her hands on his shoulders and hoisting herself up so she’s at his eye level. 

“Fixed it,” Benny confirms with a nod, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

When you push the door open, their heads whip in your direction. Benny’s face splits to reveal a row of white teeth, and Lucy’s eyes—the same shade as Benny’s—light up, sparkling so stunningly that you almost don’t want to let the next words out of your mouth. 

“I hate to be the bearer of bad news,” you say, “but it’s nap time Lady Lu.”

Lucy gasps and looks at Benny to verify that he’s just as shocked. To her great enjoyment, he plays the part. 

“Momma’s got us on a schedule,” he tells her.

Her face scrunches in distaste. “Yucky!”

“Yucky?” Your eyebrows shoot up your forehead in mock offense. “Sounds like Daddy is teaching you to rebel against authority,” you say, crossing your arms as you give your husband a pointed look, “which I would really prefer he hold off on for a few years.”

Benny’s faux shock fades to a chuckle. “Alright,” he concedes, setting Lucy on her feet so he can stand. “Momma’s right, nugget.”

He winks at you and you grin as you reach toward him, grabbing his face to draw him in for a quick, thankful kiss. Just as he’s about to go in for a second peck, Lucy tugs on his hand to redirect his attention where she wants it: on her distress. 

“But–But you guys don’t have nap time!”

“Oh sure we do,” Benny says as he lifts her into his arms and settles her on his hip. “We nap when you nap.”

She glances at you, and when you nod she mutters an unconfident “Oh.” 

Not wanting to insult her feelings, you suck in your laugh. Your daughter despises the thought of missing out on any fun and has decided that it must be when she naps that her parents go wild. Little does she know that you take any opportunity to rest, and if Benny is home, so does he. 

It’s been a hardworking three years. Exhausting. Taxing to a degree that your bodies still haven’t fully recovered. Benny spent the majority of his waking hours at the shop while Kathy and Betty offered to watch Lucy so you could get a job as an office assistant; painfully dull work, but not an opportunity you took for granted considering you had no training in the area before you were hired. You both worked as often as you could for as many hours as your employers would allow, so much so that Benny would hold you through the tears you shed worrying if it was subconsciously affecting Lucy. You didn’t want her to know her parents for their absence, but at the end of the day, it was all for her, so you pressed on. 

You and Benny found peace and relaxation in the simple things—late-night rides; bonfires with the club; Saturday morning cartoons with Lu—but the rest of the time you were wearing yourselves out, and not always in the pleasurable way. 

But it was worth it. Every headache from lack of sleep, every aching joint from your constant desk sitting and Benny’s physical labor, every emotional outburst that the two of you would coax one another out of—worth it. 

Six months in, you got that car you needed. By a year, Benny had bought into the shop for fifty percent. And at the end of two years, you found a house just outside the city—a modest three-bedroom with a yard and a garage.

“Are you sleepy now?” Lucy asks, her voice already beginning to lose the oomph of its energy.

You softly snicker. Your daughter always hits her marks. Like clockwork, about two minutes post-nap-time announcement, regardless of whether or not she fights you on it, her eyelids struggle to open after each blink and her words leave her mouth at a more sluggish pace. 

“Very,” you nod again. “But we certainly won't nap if you won't. We wouldn’t want to miss out on any fun with you.” The tip of your index finger taps her tiny nose. 

“N-No, I'll do it,” she says, “if you guys are tired too.”

“We are, nugget,” Benny tells her. “So let's get you to bed, sound good?”

She’s fading fast but she uses some of that remaining energy to give a little grin before laying her head on her father’s shoulder and releasing a yawn. “Yea, Daddy.”

—

“Well, that took all of fifteen seconds,” you say as Benny gently closes Lucy’s bedroom door behind him. 

You start heading for your room with your husband trailing after you, but then there’s a tight grip on your waist and you’re spun to face in the opposite direction. Fumbling your steps, your chest bumps against Benny’s before he bends down, wraps a thick arm around your thighs, and tosses you over his shoulder. 

When you yelp, you’re punished with a swat on the ass. “Hush, baby. You wake Lu and we don’t get our nap, and after workin’ on the bike all mornin’, I could really use one.”

He carries you to your bedroom, sets you on the edge of the bed, and throws himself onto his back atop the mattress. Then, arms spread wide, smirk across his face, he says, “C’mere,” and you crawl into your usual space against his body. After a synced sigh, Benny crooks his knuckle under your chin and tips your head back so he can seal his lips to yours. 

You’ll never tire of this. Of him. The feel of him around you. The taste of him. The scent of cologne and motor oil. The way he nips at your bottom lip to pull a muffled squeak from your throat and how he smiles into the kiss at his achievement. It’s too damn good and nothing could match it. 

Knowing how your future would have evolved if Benny hadn’t returned after learning of your pregnancy is impossible. Maybe you would have found happiness if you had moved on and met another man, but you wholeheartedly believe that that man, whoever he might have been, wouldn’t have had the capacity to be what you need. When Benny stepped into your world, he took the mold—your ideal image of the love of your life—and stretched it out to fit him perfectly, and then he immediately broke it so no man could so much as attempt to take his place. And it worked. There was never going to be anyone else for you. At least, not anyone who could give you what you have now. 

As Benny’s fingertips graze over your cheek and bury into your hair, he shifts his weight, rolling you onto your back. Lips press harder into yours and then they disappear. Your eyes snap open, a pout rapidly forming that he quickly kisses away. 

“Wanna talk to you about somethin’,” Benny says lowly, whisper-like as his nose nudges yours. You do your best to straighten out your thoughts and pay attention, but it’s made difficult by the comforting weight of his body bleeding into yours and his thumb brushing back and forth along your cheekbone. “You know, Johnny and Betty said they’d watch Lu tonight if we want.”

With narrowing eyes, you reply “Yes,” drawing out the word, wondering where he’s going with this and why it has to interrupt the kissing.

“If you wanna take ‘em up on that, I was thinkin’ we could go for a ride, and then—” he shrugs the shoulder not supporting his weight above you, “I don’t know, maybe we come home and make another kid.”

Your eyes shift from mildly irritated slits to round saucers. “What?”

“Yea,” he says. “Thought it might be nice.” 

“Seriously?” 

“I mean, if you’re willin’ to birth another one, I’d be happy to put one in you.”

A laugh bubbles from your chest. “Would you now?”

Benny nods, planting a kiss on your mouth. That kiss moves to your cheek, then his lips ghost along your jawline before landing on the sensitive spot just under your ear. “You just gotta say yes, baby,” he says, warm breath heating your skin, “and nine months from tonight, we could have our second one.”

Your fingers glide through his hair, fisting the strands as you angle your head to give him better access to your neck. He licks and sucks until you moan, and then you say, “You’re that confident you can get me pregnant on the first shot?”

Benny pulls his head back to look at you. “Course I am. When I did it last time, I wasn’t even tryin’,” he says, cocky grin in place. But then his features soften. “So? What do you think?”

Your lips quirk to the side and you hum. “Alright, Benny Cross,” you say. “Let’s make another baby.”

---

A/N: I keep writing scenes with mothers eavesdropping on father/child bonding moments 🫣

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[navybrat817]

Puppy Dog Eyes

Pairing: William Miller x Female Reader

Summary: Will feels betrayed by someone he thought was his ally.

Word Count: Over 1k

Warnings: Fluff, humor, established relationship, talk of threats and interrogation, slight feels (it's me, okay?), William Miller (he's a warning, okay?).

A/N: Inspired by this post @ghotifishreads tagged me in. ❤️ Not beta read and written on my phone, so any and all mistakes are my own. Please follow @navybrat817-sideblog for new fics and notifications. Comments, reblogs, feedback are loved and appreciated!

Will counted the seconds in his mind as he stared his adversary down. Someone he should've considered an ally. Maybe even a friend. But now? He didn't recognize the beast in front of him.

He was used to people playing dirty behind enemy lines, but this? Betrayal in familiar territory? The sting was like a bullet to the gut.

“Before you test my resolve, I want you to know that I have forty three confirmed kills.”

A huff was the only reply he got.

Crouching down so he was at eye level, he huffed, too. His enemy was much smaller in size, but looks could be deceiving. “Now, I’m not going to hurt you. It wouldn't do either of us any good,” he said, tapping a finger against his thigh. “I just want to know why.”

He didn't get an answer. Only a defiant stare. The silent treatment. That was fine. Nothing he hadn't faced before. He had ways to make enemies talk if it came to that. And the puppy dog eyes wouldn't garner sympathy from him.

Battle had hardened him too much for that.

Shut down. Control. Manipulate. That’s what he did with his human instincts until he completed his mission.

Will continued the staring contest until the smaller one whined. It wasn't an answer, but it was a start. “You made this personal, you know. And I’ll throw you out in the rain if you push your luck,” he threatened, tilting his head to maintain eye contact. “No. You don't get to look away. Not after what you did. After I took you into my home.”

And how did he repay him?

“Honey?”

Your voice pulled Will’s attention away from the task at hand. “Yeah, baby?”

You leaned against the doorway, a smile tugging at your kissable lips. “Are you interrogating Bandit?”

Bandit, the puppy Benny got weeks ago. The puppy you offered to watch since his brother was going out of town for a few days and he didn't want to board him. The same little rascal who chewed up a pair of tennis shoes. New tennis shoes.

And hadn't touched a single one of his chew toys.

Will nodded to his ruined shoes. “You saw what he did.”

“I did and I'm sorry,” you said, though you had no reason to apologize. It wasn't like you chewed them up. “He’s a puppy and they’re going to do those kinds of things from time to time. Is it really worthy of an interrogation?”

“Yes, it is.” Bandit swung his head toward you and whimpered. “No, don’t you-”

“Aww. Is the former Captain bothering you?” You walked over and scooped him into your arms. The light golden puppy snuggled close, but looked at Will like he was taunting him. You had a soft spot for dogs and Bandit sensed that. Used it to his advantage.

“Taking his side?”

“I’m always on your side, Will,” you said, softening his resolve. “Now, Bandit, you know you aren't supposed to do that. Play with your toys, not shoes. Okay?”

Bandit barked. He actually barked for you. How did you do that?

“And apologize to Will,” you urged.

He barked again.

“Good boy,” you smiled as Will stood up and crossed his arms. “And don't worry, we won't throw you out in the rain.”

“I still might just to teach him a lesson,” Will half teased. “Or I can just put him in his cage.”

Bandit whined and hid his face. “Don’t you dare. He’s a puppy, not a soldier. And you were happy with watching him until now. Besides, he said he was sorry,” you said, giving Will your own set of puppy dog eyes.

You had a point. Bandit was a pretty well-behaved puppy, all things considered. He didn't bite. Didn't make a mess when he ate. Went to the door when he had to go outside. And he seemed content to sleep in his dog bed and didn't demand to sleep with the two of you.

“Fine. No cage,” he relented.

“Thank you. And I’m sure Benny will buy you a new pair of shoes once he gets back,” you added.

“Maybe,” he said. He wouldn't hold his breath to get new shoes or money for the damage done. He may be Benny’s big brother, but Benny adored his puppy and would likely blame him for leaving them out in the first place. He had a routine though. He put his shoes in the same spot after he exercised.

To be fair, he should've been more careful. He would be in the future. If anything, he could try to see the positive side of things and use this as a learning experience. That's what you tried to do when you ran into unfortunate situations.

“Is it a bad time to suggest we get our own puppy?” You asked, smiling as you lifted Bandit up higher and put his cheek against yours. “Chewed up shoes and a scratched up couch aside, it might be nice.”

Dogs did make for great companions. He’d be lying if he said he hadn't pictured the two of you having a kid and a dog for them to grow up with. Someone who would be a friend to and watch over his child.

“What do you think?” You smiled when he stayed quiet for too long.

He softly smiled. Most people couldn't sway him to do anything, but you had a way about you. Maybe it was because he loved you. “I’ll think about it.”

You put Bandit down before you leaned in and brushed your lips against Will’s. “Thank you.”

He went in for another kiss, but stopped when the words fully registered. “Wait.” He narrowed his eyes. “Did you say scratched up couch?”

“...Did I say that? I don't recall.”

“I remember everything you’ve ever said to me,” he told you.

You put a hand over your heart. “That is so romantic.”

“And you said ‘chewed up shoes and a scratched up couch aside, it might be nice’, so what exactly did he do to our couch?”

Your eyes widened as you took a step back. “Run, Bandit!”

And he did.

I couldn't help myself. Love and thanks for reading! ❤️

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