#Gave up on those pastries so fast they were almost just paste

[instability1]

Cafe Hope!

Lock transparency saved my life

And if you ask about any of the anything, I don't know. Why are the muffins falling forward when the plate is sideways? I dunno. What's that things next to the cake? I dunno. Why isn't Tallulah's plate full? No clue bro :)

[xuchiya]

let me espresso my love, again {j.yunho} [part 2]

if you want to check my cafe love m.list <- here's -> part 1

word count: 4.7k

It was a good day, a good sun morning as she woke up from her deep slumber. She leans on her arm as the sun kisses her face, and an arm weighing her down, she looks over her shoulders to see Wooyoung still fast asleep, “Woo~ wake up, we still have work.”

Her husband's eyebrow frowns, opening one eye, “Work? At the cafe?” This time it was her who had brows furrowed, “Yes because you have to work on Yunho’s .. “ As she spoke, Wooyoung's eyes snapped open and slowly rose from his position.

  “.. love story .. please don’t tell me you forgot about his ending?”

Wooyoung gave her a close eyed smile which she knew so well, her eyes twitching before reaching over for her pillow and smacking him. He squealed, dodging her attacks.

“It’s been 4 months and 4 months is equivalent to 4 years! They’re suffering you dumbass!” 

“I’m on it jeez woman!”  

 Opposite to the sunny day, Yunho walks down the drench road with his transparent umbrella as rain pours down the sky of Japan. The water drops effortlessly on his umbrella, resembling how his tears would stream down the corner of his eyes only to wipe it off with his brown coat— the coat you have given him.

Even if it has been 4 years, Yunho never moved one; not even once, a fling cannot remove the thorn in his heart so he lived on his new life with it. Who knows, maybe someday it will be forgotten and he’ll get used to it.

As he strolls past a cafe, his nose is hit with a whiff of freshly baked matcha bread. The aroma, so specific and comforting, stopped Yunho in his tracks. It was a scent he hadn't encountered since he moved to Japan, a memory that flooded back with the intensity of a tidal wave. He could practically taste the pillowy softness, the subtle bitterness of the green tea, the sweetness of the azuki bean paste that often accompanied it.

A pang of longing shot through him. It wasn't just for the bread; it was for the small, cozy cafes tucked away on side streets, the murmur of conversations in Seoul, the feeling of belonging he'd almost managed to cultivate in those four years. The thorn in his heart, a constant dull ache, seemed to throb a little more insistently.

How he missed those days. How he missed you.

But Yunho was no stranger to burying his emotions. He took a deep breath, the air crisp and cool against his lungs, and forced himself to move on. He wasn't in Seoul anymore. He had a new life here, a routine he'd painstakingly built. A single whiff of bread wasn't going to unravel it all.

Except, his traitorous feet had other ideas. They propelled him towards the cafe, a small, unassuming establishment with a hand-painted sign that read "Hoshizora Pan". Hesitantly, he shuts the umbrella and leaves it outside as he pushes open the door, a soft chime announcing his arrival.

     The interior was warm and inviting, filled with the aroma that had initially lured him in. It wasn’t crowded, not even a single person except for a young woman— with a bright smile stood behind the counter, dusting powdered sugar onto a tray of what looked suspiciously like matcha bread— is the only person inside the shop. Yunho cleared his throat, the familiar ache in his heart momentarily overshadowed by a strange mix of nervousness and anticipation.

  “Is the cafe open?” He asked quietly, the lady nodded, walking towards the pastry, “Yes, normally in a weather like this, there are at least 20 persons here but I guess they chose to stay inside.” 

 The lady placed a croissant and a matcha cake on the table and gestured for Yunho to sit down, which Yunho found a little bit odd as he hadn’t placed an order nor he picked one. The lady noticed his confusion and assured him. “You were my first customer, I don’t want to treat my customers unwelcome, here sit darling.”

 She pulled out a chair and as Yunho sat down, it was as if he was transported back to Seoul. The chair, the aroma and the soft buzz of the cafe— Cafe Love. His tears were back in his eyes as he looked down on the food on the table, it was exactly what he ordered when he first met you.

The lady softly placed the espresso beside the matcha to which Yunho burst into tears. It may be unruly and uncivil looking for Yunho to cry in public but with the emotions bottled up for so long, the dam broke. The sight of the matcha bread, a simple comfort from a life he'd tried to outrun, shattered the years of carefully constructed walls. Tears streamed down his face, hot and unchecked, as a lifetime of longing, grief, and buried emotions poured out.

  The lady behind the counter, startled at first, quickly recovered. She was expecting it and so she set down a box of tissues beside the matcha bread and espresso, her expression one of gentle concern. There were no words,  no intrusive questions, just a silent understanding that resonated deeply within Yunho.

   He took a shaky breath, wiping his face with a handful of tissues. Shame threatened to bubble up, but the woman's quiet kindness held it at bay. He mumbled a broken apology, his voice thick with emotion.

     "No need," she said softly, her voice like the tinkling of wind chimes. "Sometimes, a taste of home can bring a lot of things up."

Her words were simple, but they struck a chord within him. 

     Home. 

   It wasn't just a place, it was a feeling, a sense of belonging. And for a fleeting moment, sitting there in the cozy cafe with the scent of matcha bread filling the air, Yunho felt a flicker of that long-lost feeling.

   “Home …” He thought about you, his home. How are you? Were you still working at the Cafe Love? Have you moved on? Those questions lingered in the back of his head.

Hesitantly, he picked up the matcha bread. The warmth seeped through the paper, a comforting sensation. He took a bite, and the familiar bittersweet flavor flooded his senses. It wasn't just the taste; it was the memories – lazy afternoons spent in cherry blossom parks with you– smiling, chasing each other, picnics by the river han, and quiet mornings with a steaming cup of tea in your apartment with the sun blazing behind you, like a halo.

Tears welled up again, it was his fault things ended. It was his fault and he deserves what is happening to him. Karma.

“If you’re thinking that it’s your fault and you deserve this? It’s not.” A voice called out, Yunho slowly looks up, brushing off the tears, “W-what?”

    The same lady gave him a reassuring smile, sitting on the opposite side of him, “Love comes in different forms. Love ends on a different note. People learn and move on but people choose to stay and rebuild things. Love can be a choice, an option but love never left us.”

Yunho glanced at the espresso, “But why do I feel pain?” She reaches over to pat his hand, "...it's because you still believe the love story deserves a happy ending, the kind you envisioned," the lady spoke gently, her touch surprisingly warm. Her gaze held a quiet wisdom, one that seemed to see right through Yunho's carefully constructed walls.

    Yunho stared into his espresso, the dark liquid swirling like a storm of emotions within him. Denial, anger, and a deep, aching loneliness had been his companions for so long, masquerading as acceptance. But her words, spoken with such unwavering conviction, chipped away at the dam, threatening to release the torrent of unresolved feelings he'd kept bottled up.

"I..." he started, his voice hoarse, "I thought I had to move on. Forget everything, the pain..."

 The lady offered a small, knowing smile. "Moving on doesn't mean forgetting. It's about carrying the memories, both happy and sad, as part of your journey. The pain is a reminder of how deeply you loved, how intensely you felt. It's a testament to the beauty of what you shared."

Her words resonated within him, a seed of hope taking root amidst the desolate landscape of his grief. Maybe forgetting wasn't the key. Maybe acknowledging the love, even the pain it brought, was a way to finally begin healing.

He looked up, a flicker of curiosity sparking in his eyes. "What do you mean, 'love never left us'?"

The woman's smile widened. "Love changes form," she explained. "It evolves, it shaped you, taught you valuable lessons. It's still a part of you, a piece of the intricate tapestry of your life."

Yunho contemplated her words, a newfound sense of understanding washing over him. Maybe love wasn't just about grand gestures and happily-ever-afters. Maybe it was the quiet moments, the shared experiences, the impact one person leaves on another's soul.

He took a tentative sip of his espresso, the bitterness a reflection of his past, but with a hint of sweetness, a promise of a future where he could learn to carry the love, not as a burden, but as a cherished part of his story.

 But with all the wisdom gave to him, his heart still yearns for one more, “But what if I still want to go back?” His eyes glaze in hope as the lady smiles, a warm one, “The past is a beautiful place to visit, but we can't live there forever.  Sometimes, going back isn't an option, and sometimes, even if it were, it wouldn't be what you remember."

Her voice held a gentle honesty, a reminder of the realities of time and change. Yunho felt a flicker of defiance, a desperate hope that maybe, just maybe, things could be different.

"But what if..." he started, then stopped, struggling to voice the impossible wish in his heart.

The woman saw the yearning in his eyes. "It's okay to wonder," she said softly. "But sometimes, moving forward is the answer, to learn and to grow— to reflect and it also comes from accepting what was, cherishing the memories, and allowing yourself to open your heart to new possibilities."

Her words struck a chord within him.  The idea of new possibilities, of love taking a different form, was a seed he hadn't dared to plant.  For so long, he'd been fixated on the past, on the love he'd lost. But what if there was more out there, a love story waiting to be written, a new chapter waiting to begin?

He looked down at his matcha bread, the warmth and comfort against his cold fingers. Perhaps, the woman was right. Maybe going back wasn't the answer.  Maybe the future held something even more beautiful, a love story yet to be discovered.

With a newfound sense of resolve, Yunho took another bite of the bread. The bittersweet flavor lingered on his tongue, a reminder of the past but also a promise of the possibilities that lay ahead.  He smiled, a small, genuine smile that crinkled the corners of his eyes.

"Thank you," he said, his voice filled with a newfound lightness.  "For the bread, for the coffee, and for the reminder that love can take many forms."

The woman returned his smile, a knowing glint in her eyes. "You're welcome," she said. "Just remember, the heart may yearn for the familiar, but sometimes, the greatest adventures are found on paths yet untrodden."

   He and the lady argue about paying but the lady is stubborn and threatens him that he will be banned from the cafe which results in the lady’s victory. As Yunho picks up his umbrella to leave, the lady calls at him again.

  “Yeah?” He turns around to look at the woman, she smiles, “Just a note to what I said, past is not a place for love, the future isn’t also supposed to be the choice to grow, it’s the present. Love does win all because love is all.”

      The next day, Yunho felt amazing. The sun began to shine again, the place was lively once again and Yunho decided to visit the cafe because he suddenly craved another cup of espresso. He brought a transparent umbrella in case it rained again, the newscaster isn’t always accurate with his reports so he learned to bring an umbrella all the time.

   As he took up the stairs, located in the bustling city of Tokyo,  Yunho was surprised to hear a sob. He noticed at the other side of the railings, a woman in a long gray coat squatted down, wrapping her arms around her knees, burying themselves on their knees.

 Just then, the clouds hid the sun behind it and started to pour down. Yunho slightly panics and opens his umbrella and rushes towards the lady. His Japanese was slightly rough but at least he can speak a conversation or two, “Ano~ Are you okay?” 

  If you were gonna be honest, life wasn’t okay. Not even the past 4 years of your life inside the cafe love and decided, maybe it is time to move on and let yourself heal for a while. With a resignation letter and a heavy heart, the whole staff— which you consider as your family— gave you a hug of encouragement and motivation. It was hard leaving the place you love to grow and a place you found love but growth is part of moving forward. But you are moving forward, to look for someone to share your espresso again.

Jeong Yunho

Just the name sent a fresh wave of nausea crashing over you. 4 years. 4 measly years since he made a closure. His voice is as smooth and forgettable as the lukewarm espresso he always ordered. 

  Closure? You will take that, you accept his closure and apology. You are ready to take another step forward in healing. This time, you’re gonna look for him and let love win all the pain you both went through.

As you soon realize after you step out of the airlines of Japan, you did not know a place or a thing in this country let alone a person that can help you find Yunho.  A wave of disorientation washed over you.  

 The bustling energy of the airport, the melodic announcements in Japanese, the flashing neon signs advertising unfamiliar products - it was all a sensory overload.  Excitement battled with a rising tide of panic.  

    Unlike Yunho who'd spent years building a life here, you were a complete outsider.  You didn't speak the language, didn't know the city layout, and worst of all, you didn't have a single shred of information about where to begin your search. Taking a deep breath, you forced yourself to focus. Panicking wouldn't help. You spotted a tourist information booth and pushed your way through the throng of people.

"Excuse me," you began, hoping your fractured Japanese would be enough.  "Do you speak English?"  Relief flooded you as the attendant nodded patiently.  Explaining your situation, you learned there were online resources for locating people in Japan, but they required a Japanese resident number – something you obviously lacked.

   The attendant, sensing your growing despair, offered another option.  There was a local community center known to help foreigners navigate life in the city.  It was a long shot, but it was a lead.  

    Armed with a map and a renewed sense of purpose, you set off, vowing not to let the language barrier or the sheer scale of the city deter you.

The community center hummed with activity.  You found a volunteer willing to translate your story to a group of older Japanese women.  They listened intently, their faces etched with a mix of curiosity and concern.  While they couldn't offer a guaranteed solution, they did offer something even more valuable – a network.  One woman mentioned a friend who worked at a local newspaper, another suggested a private investigator specializing in missing persons.

Suddenly, your mission didn't seem so insurmountable.  You had a starting point, a glimmer of hope.  Over the next few days, you became a whirlwind of activity, following every lead, leaving messages, and plastering Yunho's name (carefully translated) on flyers at local cafes and shops frequented by expats.  The city, once overwhelming, became a battleground in your search.

Exhaustion gnawed at you, and your nose caught a whiff of coffee beans, your head turned to the side to see a cozy coffee shop— something that resembles the one back in Seoul. The coffee shop is named "Hoshizora Pan". You were tired from going around the city so you took this chance to recharge.

   As you enter the coffee shop, you were a little bit hesitant to take another step as the whole shop is deserted except for someone familiar on the counter, “Wooyoung?!”

Wooyoung jumps from the voice but relaxes when he finds out that it was you. He gestures for you to enter, “Long time no see, darling.” 

“Is this where you guys are living now, you and your wife?” He nodded, pointing at the small frame of him in a blue suit while his wife wore a peach-cream ball gown wedding dress. Your brows furrow at the color that resembles the characters you were familiar with but did not speak one bit about it.

   “Anything in mind?” You look at the pastry, everything is tasty until it settles on the matcha bread. The bread that Yunho loves. 

  “The matcha bread is our best seller, you have to taste it.” Wooyoung scoop up the bread and place it on a plate and serve it to you on the table. You settle down, glancing at the matcha and the espresso. Your eyes whirl with so much emotion but you blink it off.

  “How have you been?” He asks softly, not wanting to overwhelm you. Your body relaxes the moment the bread melted in your mouth, bringing you back. Home. As if the food was the trigger to your tears, you found yourself sobbing as your the home-sick hit you like a tidal wave, the longing of coming back home to your apartment and to the cafe.

A warm hand settles on your back, “Things will be okay …” You shake your head, swallowing the piece of bread down before you gasp as the pain in your heart was finally released, the burden and the home-sick syndrome, “No it’s not. I don’t know what went through my head to just get up, pack my things and go here in Japan to find Yunho without any clue about this damn country. I don’t even know where he is!”

Wooyoung understood where you were coming from and his heart leaped at the thought of you looking for Yunho, looking at love again, “I think that is brave of you to find Yunho despite encountering the biggest obstacle to find him.”

“I— It is so not me to do this but here I am, looking stupid for not even thinking this through.” Wooyoung shakes his head, disagreeing with what you said, “Love does that, it makes you act impulsively, that is because you follow your heart.” He leaned back on his seat, looking at you softly, “Maybe in this generation, love isn’t well appreciated as it was back then but you can only understand it as it is your story, of writing what is love to you.”

You look at Wooyoung, “I still love Yunho?” Wooyoung chuckles, ruffling your hair.“You still love Yunho, period. You went overseas to find love, you searched to find love, you cried and stood up again for love.”

You look back on the matcha and the espresso, “But why?” Wooyoung thought through, “Because the past is not a place for love, the future isn’t also supposed to be the choice to grow, it’s the present. Love does win all because love is all.”

“Have you thought of giving up?” You shake your head, that is the least option you had in your head. You came a long way to find him and you are not giving up, “I see that you did not and that is love. You wanted to do it again but in a different chapter, in a different form.” Wooyoung ruffles your hair, “Just remember, love is a journey, not a destination.” He got up and went back to the kitchen, leaving you in silence. Your mind was jumble with thousands of possibilities, doubts. You sigh, things were not going great and you do not want to have yourself sprialling down further.

   As you thank Wooyoung and his wife from the treat, you walk out of their cafe with a light chest, it was somehow reassuring to see Wooyoung again, it also felt home as he feed you his espresso drinks. You walk the silent night street, as you thought about your situation, you flew weeks ago, you have been looking for Yunho for the last almost 3 weeks and half yet no result, but the thought of giving up was unthinkable.  

You love Yunho, you have always love him; it may be too late for you to fought for your relationship before he step out of the coffee shop; not it wasn’t. You have always believe that there are things must happen on a right time and you held on to that fate.

Until this evening, your phone buzzed.  It was the woman from the community center – the friend with the newspaper connection had a lead.  A name. A neighborhood. Your heart hammered in your chest as you realized this might be it, the culmination of your frantic search.

And it was just around this area! 

The next day, you got up and prepared yourself as you stumbled inside your room to look at least decent in hopes of meeting him after 4 long years and weeks of searching. You bid the elder ladies as you rush outside and towards the location you receive that night.   The familiar street stretched before you, but today, every landmark held a renewed significance.  With each step, your heart hammered against your ribs, a frantic drumbeat keeping time with your racing thoughts.

The location scrawled on it was all you had, a single thread in a tapestry of unanswered questions.  Yet, it was enough to fuel your determination, to propel you forward on this journey that had consumed you for so long.  The weight of the past four years pressed down upon you, but laced through it all was a sliver of hope, a fervent belief that today, your long search would finally end. 

As you run up the flight of stairs, your phone buzzed making you halt on your tracks. You pull out your phone and to your dismay, it was a text from the community center– apologising to you as they mistaken sent you a wrong address, destroying the hope you last held onto. For a moment, you stood frozen, the world spinning around you. The carefully constructed image of your reunion dissolved, replaced by a crushing emptiness.  Tears welled in your eyes, blurring the already faded message on the screen.  Four years of relentless searching, of dead ends and dashed expectations, all culminating in this cruel twist of fate.

Tears streamed down your cheeks, pain choking you as you crumbled on the stairs, squatting down as you finally let go the las tstring of hope, determination and suddenly— your fate. You have only went this far because you love him. The weather wasn’t on your side today as it started pouring; nothing was on your side the day you started looking for him, it keeps leading you in nothing despite the multiple hands to help you look for him but it’s like the world did not want you to see your happy ending.

That was until you realise what you just said, ‘You love him’, your breath steadies as you collect yourself, you love Yunho. You love Yunho that is why you never stop believing in fate to let you lead back to him. This wrong address wouldn't break you. You had come too far, endured too much, to give up now.  Taking a shaky breath, you wiped away your tears, the sting a harsh reminder of your resolve. 

“Ano~ Are you okay?”

Maybe it is time for both of you to forget the past, maybe this is the time, the present, where a love story is waiting to be written for the both of you, a new chapter waiting to begin. A new beginning for the two of you, it doesn’t always need to be a new book, a new paper, a new pen to move on. It is the chapter that was saved just for the two of you to write again. 

You slowly look up, the familiar voice of the person you have been searching for, the 4 painstaking years of yearn of his warmth, love and affection that you crave to bring back to you. Through your blurry tears, your eyes caught the sight of Yunho.

Both of your breaths hitched like forgotten melodies, suspended in the air as your eyes met. Raindrops clung to his transparent umbrella, mirroring the glistening tears tracing paths down your flushed cheeks. The brown coat you recognized instantly, the one you gifted him years ago, hung damply on his frame. A silent testimony to the passage of time, yet the familiarity of it sparked a comforting warmth in your chest.

You rose up from your position, never breaking eye-contact with him, “Y-Yunho?” HHis own shock gave way to a soft smile. Witnessing your breathtaking features, even damp and disheveled, filled him with a kaleidoscope of emotions. This was the woman he dreamt of, the love that time hadn't diminished.

   You could no longer help it as you stride towards him— despite the red railings of the staircase and him being on the other side of the stairway— you threw your arms around his shoulders. Your embrace engulfed him, a whirlwind of emotions and years of longing compressed into a single moment.

Taking him by surprise, the umbrella falling from his hand as he caught you in his arms, “I have not and will never stop loving you, Yunho.” You spoke breathless as you the tears continued running down your cheeks— this time a happy tears, joyous about finding him through the painstaking days of searching, tumbling and close to giving up.

Yunho chuckled, a wet, shaky sound that mirrored the tears now tracing his own cheeks.  He cupped your face, his touch both familiar and new, gently brushing away the rain and your tears.  "Neither did I," he confessed, his voice rough with emotion. "You were always here," he tapped his chest, "always in my heart."

 Just like the kind lady Yunho spoke to, ‘The greatest adventures are found on paths yet untrodden’ and what Wooyoung told you, ‘Love is a journey, not a destination.’ Your lovestory was a long journey to learn, to reflect and to understand that love comes a long way to bring people together. Fate is another story that you have to learn, it comes in a right time.

You chuckled, his face, etched with the lines of time, held the same warmth you remembered.  With a gentle touch, you traced your finger along his cheek, a gesture both intimate and familiar.  "You've gotten older, Yunho," you teased, the playful glint back in your eyes.

He mirrored your smile, a playful glint of his own returning.  "And you," he countered, leaning closer until your breaths mingled.  "You've only gotten more beautiful."

The world around you faded away, the rain a mere backdrop to the symphony playing in your hearts.  In that moment, the years of searching, the wrong turns, and the crushing disappointment melted away.  All that remained was the undeniable truth whispered on your lips, a truth that echoed in his answering gaze.

"I love you," you murmured, the words carrying the weight of a thousand unspoken confessions.

Yunho's response was a silent promise, spoken in the way he held you close, the way his thumb brushed away a lingering tear.  He leaned in further, his lips brushing against yours.  "I love you more," he whispered, his voice husky with emotion before crashing his lips to yours.

And with that, under the soft curtain of rain, your love story found its new chapter.  A chapter not defined by the past but brimming with the promise of a present written together.

~The End ~

taglist: @analaisnunes-blog , @myentireuniverse , @hwastarsworld , @redlikemysoul

[pbandjesse]

Grief is one of those things that feels like. Static. Like it's not always there. It's not always loud. It can become white nosie in the background so easily. But startle you at the same time. That's what today felt like. Sometimes I felt like I was bursting, wanting to tell someone. But mostly I felt quiet and a little lost in thought.

I slept alright. I was pretty exhausted. I woke up and was having a hard time actually getting up. My brother had texted me. I told him I loved him.

I got dressed. I love overalls for camp. Especially when it's feild trips. I need somewhere to put my phone and my chapstick and my walkie. James helped me get ready and get out the door. They put some fruit and a pastry and a sandwich in my backpack. And told me their plan for biking to Annapolis.

Since they still didn't have a phone, when they got to the cafe they normally stop at they would ask to use their phone and call and leave me a voicemail so I knew they were safe. I really appreciated that. They would leave the house right after me and I got to say goodbye one more time before they biked away.

I had a pretty easy ride to camp and got there right after 8.

I wasn't sure that the art building would be open and I had left my key so Annabelle could finish putting her things away. But I lucked out and the key was still in the door.

I brought my stuff in that I had chosen from my studio to get stored there. Mostly small materials and containers. And then moved the table to the corner to open up the space more. I was pretty pleased.

I drove down to the office and sat on the porch and had my pastry and waited for Elizabeth to get there.

When she did she let me in the office and gave me the ropes key. Even though there are apparently 6 copies of this key none of the others could be found. So I just let the group chat know I had it and drove up to set up my program.

I was struggling with the ladder so I wasn't moving fast. But I was done in 15 minutes. Nick and Celia would drive over to get the key to set up zip, and soon after I was walking past them when Sarah called and asked for the key next. I offered to bring it to her. I got the gator and the key from Nick and sped down to the office and got Sarah and we raced to the tower.

This was because the group was already there and wanted to start almost 45 minutes early and leave an hour early. This was not going to happen. But we also didn't want them to have to start late. I helped Sarah set up and spotted her on the ladder. I have never helped set up tower so it was fun to learn. And I like working with ropes so I didnt mind.

I did struggle to get the gator turned around and she had to move the small picnic table so I could get out. And then we raced up to the lodge.

But we beat Nick and Celia and Elizabeth. Ah well. Sarah took some pieces of cake out of the freezer for us to have at lunch. And very soon we were getting our groups and heading to our programs.

And really despite my inside sadness I had a good day. I was for sure not as "on" as I normally am. But these kids are so good. Like wildly good. The day flew by.

James and me were talking about how boring ground elements and low ropes can be but everyone has fun when I do it so when the teachers kept telling me how much fun they were having it made me feel good. And the kids were super engaged.

We would start with whale watcher. Since the walk to the ground elements area is a long one, it's nice to start with a sit down program.

The first group would get 1:50, the second group 3:48, and the last group got 5:05. They could have gotten more but they got bored. Fair.

Then it was onto A frames. Which they seemed to love once they got the hang of it. I don't have them race because it's to tight but it was fun having them all get a try. The last group struggled but it was more a strength thing.

I showed all the groups my tricks for getting the ropes taut and they seemed impressed.

We would switch to low ropes after that. I had the first and third elements set up because they are the best ones. They all thought my "paws not claws" speech was funny and kept yelling it at each other to remind themselves not to grab the person on the tightrope.

We had some falls but no injuries. Mostly the kids were funny and sweet. I also just got to chat with the teachers and that was fun.

Finally we would do the team wall. Which I hate but they love. And it was funny when they would try things that absolutely would not work and just hurting themselves throwing their bodies at the wall. Also they were very sweet not wanting to touch or grab each other without checking it is okay. It was nice to see.

At the end of the day someone did get scraped on the wood and had a pretty bad abrasion on their back. I hope they are alright because it looked pretty uncomfortable.

The day would be mostly good though. We got a brief break after the first program. Which is when I discovered my water bottle had opened in my backpack and the whole back was soaked. Thankfully only my scrunchie and my wallet were wet. And nothing was ruined at all.

I took it to the office during the break and dried it out. I would leave it on the porch to dry more.

I talked to Heather and told her about my cousin. She gave me a big hug. I wanted to hide from it because I was afraid I would cry. But it was still a nice hug even if I couldn't let go of the right hold I had on my feelings today. I had to keep it in a separate box.

At lunch I sat in the field and ate my pineapple. Celia would come join me and brought me a piece of the freezer cake. We sat quietly together. She told me about the homemade tomato sauce she had with her lunch. It was nice to be outside. Even if it was humid and sticky.

The last program I had was only 7 kids. And they got through everything so fast. They were also the only group to get everyone over the team wall. Proud of them. And at the end they helped me carry all the materials up to the tool shed. And I told them I would see them in 4 years when they were seniors. Which is what this school does. Super sweet. I hope they have a good first year of highschool.

I finished putting away my ropes. I continued to struggle with the ladder. And then I remembered because I left my bag to dry on the porch I did not have my car keys. My car was parked up with my at ground elements. So I was a little annoyed I would have to walk back here but it was fine. The exercise was good for me.

I went to the office to check in with Heather about some schedule stuff. What I need to update on my lesson plans. Just a few little things. I already did part of it. And then I got called to come help Sarah. Well I got called in my walkie. Because I had 4 missed calls from Celia, Elizabeth, and Sarah. Oops. I apologized to everyone in the chat. And walked down to help her out.

It was nice to talk to her. I discovered her parents had her and her twin sister at 44 so our parents are the same age. Neat! And I helped her when she got a cut on her hand. We got everything put away and walked back to the office together.

I would go to the art building. Said goodbye until next time to Sarah. I put all my supplies away that I brought this morning. It did not take very long. But that's as alright. I said goodbye to the building and locked the door this time.

I walked back to my car. I discovered it takes me 8 minutes to get there from the art building when I'm alone. And then I drove home.

There was no traffic. And it was an easy ride. When I got back to our neighborhood I found that the cube shelf someone left on the sidewalk yesterday was still there so I pulled over and snapped it up. It needs some tightening and it needs to be painted (It was painted red and has some black floral shapes on it) but I think it will be great to have. Make some more vertical shelving in my studio maybe. Or I'll use it at camp. We will see.

I got home and James has trimmed their hair and looked very handsome. They were waiting on their new phone but Margret at the museum was bringing it to them in the next hour or so.

I took a shower. I washed my hair and got changed. And then got to work on my piggy plushie ideas. They are flat and only have two legs but I love them so far.

I was starving. James warmed me up spaghetti. I would pause my work to eat. And then right back in. I got 8 bodies done. And 3 stuffed and embroidered and ready to be sewn shut. I love how they are looking. Well see if the next set has more legs. I will charge less for their leglessness.

My back was hurting to much to do more sewing though. I will save the finishing work for tomorrow.

James would have a few video calls. And I would wait for them to be done to make me dumplings. But in the middle of their calls Margret came with the phone. And when James went down to get it they also brought up two packages for me!

One was the dress I hope to wear for a wedding were going to in October. It's a beautiful burnt orange sweater wrap dress. I feel beautiful in it. And the other package was the backpack James got me.

But I was slightly disappointed. It was not the green one I wanted because they stopped selling it apparently. James would get me black instead. Still the coordory I wanted but not the color. I let myself be a little disappointed for a moment. But I honestly love the bag. The black is really lovely. And my pins will look really nice against it. The triangle pin mom gave me this past week works so perfect on it already. And the size of the bag is excellent, it fits my back perfectly and doesn't feel to large like some standard backpacks do on me

I moved my stuff to the bag and discovered a whole pocket I didn't know it had and am thrilled about. I love my new bag. I can't wait to use it.

James finished their call and made us dinner. And got their new phone set up. Which took some doing because they couldn't transfer things over with the other ones screen not working. But the new one is really nice and seems perfect. Now they just need a waterproof case for it.

We have been hanging out in bed for a while now. We made a plan to go to a training at the museum tomorrow. Where I will sew. I love sewing during meetings. And then we'll go have a nice lunch and spend the afternoon together. I'm looking forward to it. Let's hope tomorrow is kind.

I love you all. I hope you are all taking care of yourselves. Goodnight everyone.

[dracoscene]

Hi friend! Just ran across your work and I love it!! 😍🤍 would you be willing to write something angsty where the reader overhears him talking to Blaise about how clingy she is and decides to give him space only to find out he was taking about Pansy? And then all is good and there so much fluff and love 💕

Crossed Wires | Draco Malfoy x Reader

Contains: angst, kinda mean Draco, FLUFF

A/N: Thank you so so much for the request, hope this is close to what you wanted!

Word count: 1.6k

_______________________________

"She's pathetic, Blaise."

You came to a halt when you heard the familiar voice of your boyfriend.

"No matter where I go, she's there, all the time. Like a bloody dog." His voice was filled with pure hate. It felt as if the blood in your veins froze as the words fell from his lips.

"What do you expect mate, this girl is head over heels for you. Don't you see the drool on her chin everytime you're within a five mile radius of her?"

Draco scoffed at his friend's words. "It's repulsive."

Repulsive. You weren't unfamiliar with those kind of words coming from him. He almost used them on a daily basis; when students ran past him in the hallways, when Crabbe and Goyle stuffed their faces with pastries at dinner, when first years cried after Draco had just threatened to hex them, or when Potter just so much did as breathe. What you were unfamiliar with, was him using those words in connection with you, and it made you feel sick to your stomach.

A tap on your shoulder ripped you from your thoughts, making you flinch. You turned around to see Pansy standing behind you with her hands up.

"Woah there, didn't mean to scare you." She laughed, waiting for a response that didn't come.

Pansy cleared her throat as she re-adjusted the bag on her shoulders. "So, do you think Draco and Blaise are here already?" Shit. It totally slipped your mind that the reason you came here was the study date the four of you agreed on having before dinner. You watched Pansy silently as she took a few steps forward to look around the bookshelf you two were standing next to.

"Found them!"

You didn't care to move, all you wanted to do was just turn around and get out of there, dreading to face Draco after what he'd just said. Still, you followed Pansy to where the boys were sitting.

Your heartbeat skyrocketed when you spotted the blonde already looking in your direction, the annoyance in his face very much visible. Your eyes met for a moment before you felt the urge to look away, feeling small under his gaze.

Confusion was growing inside of Draco when you took the free space on the couch next to Blaise and not him like you usually did. It felt weird doing so, but you were too embarrassed to sit next to him right now, knowing that he probably wouldn't want you to anyway.

Blaise's eyes alternated between you and Draco, trying to figure out what was going on when Pansy dropped her bag with a loud thud before making herself comfortable next to Draco, grinning. "Well then, shall we begin?"

Minutes went by like hours, the only sounds being the turning of pages and the occasional scoffs coming from Pansy when she didn't understand something in the Potions book.

"Draco could you help me with th-"

"No."

Draco didn't even bother to look at the book in front of him. His eyes had been burning into you from the second you sat down next to his friend. You shifted in your seat, staring at that one sentence in your book that you were trying to read for the seventh time now, but you just couldn't focus long enough. Your cheeks were on fire, feeling utterly intimidated by your boyfriends stare.

After what felt like an eternity, Pansy and Blaise started packing up their books. Draco didn't even move a muscle.

"See you at dinner then." Blaise stated before leaving the library with Pansy by his side. You hurried to gather your stuff, trying to catch up to them, but a firm grasp on your wrist stopped you.

"Why are you ignoring me?" Draco's voice was stern, but you could still make out a hint of insecurity.

"I wasn't ignoring you, I'm just.. tired I guess? Oh and I've been having this awful headache all day and I don't really want to bother you with that so I think I should just g-"

"I'm not stupid, y/n." he cut you off. "I know when something's up with you. What is it?"

You didn't know what to say. Confronting him about what you heard would've been the mature way to handle things, but you were hurt. Hurt about the way he talked about you, and especially how he did it; behind your back. So, you removed your hand from his grasp and looked up at him. "I'll go now. I know you don't want to have me around anyway, so don't act like you care."

You left, leaving Draco completely baffled. If you wouldn't have been in such a hurry to get away, if you would've looked a little more closely, you might have seen the effect your words had on him.

He did care. A lot.

__________________________

Draco knew you probably wouldn't want him to sit next you during dinner, that's why he did exactly that. He wasn't just going to let this go, so he plopped down next to you.

Your whole body tensed up, and Draco noticed.

The poor boy was confused as ever, you could almost see his brain working with high speed, thinking of every encounter and every conversation with you he had that day, trying to figure out what in the world he's done that made you avoid him.

Confusion turned into frustration real fast when he just couldn't seem to think of anything.

"This is ridiculous, y/n." his voice was barely above a whisper, but the desperation in it was loud and clear. "Will you just tell me what the bloody hell is going on?"

Draco's eyes followed your every move as you turned to look at him. "Can we go somewhere else?" your voice was shaking and you could feel a lump forming in your throat.

He gave you a quick nod before standing up and taking your hand to lead you out of the Great Hall. Pansy called out his name when you two walked past her, but Draco simply waved her off.

The laughter and chatting of students stopped when the doors closed behind you. He led you a little further away with your hand still in his. You felt your heart pounding in your chest when he turned to look at you, it was beating so fast you were scared he might hear it.

"Will you talk to me now?" his thumb started caressing the top of your hand when he saw how nervous you were, as an attempt to calm you down. "I need to know what's going on, did I do something?" "What happened?"

Tears fiilled your eyes when you replayed the words in your head.

"She's pathetic."

"Like a bloody dog."

"Y/n?" his soft voice pulled you out of your thoughts.

"I heard what you said." You tried your hardest to keep your composure. "In the library, about how I'm always with you and how pathetic you think that is." Your voice broke at that last part.

Draco's face fell when he realized that you thought his words were directed to you. Thinking about how hurt by his words you must've been made his heart break.

"Darling." he breathed out, gentle hands cupping your cheeks as he used his thumb to wipe away the single tear that fell from your eye. "I wasn’t talking about you."

You furrowed your brows as confusion replaced the hurt look on your face. "Huh?"

"It was Parkinson I was talking about, she's been bothering me the whole bloody day."

You felt your face heat up in embarrassment, the color of your cheeks became a crimson red, which you tried to hide as best as you could by covering your face with both of your hands.

Draco let out a laugh as he took your hands into his and pulled you into a hug, his head resting on yours. "I'm so so stupid, oh my god." your voice was muffled by the fabric of his shirt.

"Sometimes." he chuckled while rubbing soothing circles on your back with his hands. "You should know better than to think I’d ever talk about you like this, love."

"I know, I'm sorry." you lifted you head and looked up at him through wet eyelashes, hands resting flat against his upper body.

"Merlin y/n, I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of you." he planted a kiss on your forehead, lingering for a second before you buried your face back into his chest. Your arms draped around his waist, holding fast onto him.

The creaking of doors made Draco's head shoot up, looking in the direction of approaching footsteps. His face turned into a sneer as soon as he saw Pansy turn around the corner, looking for him.

"Draco why aren't you in th- oh. Am I interrupting something?" Her gaze landed on you.

You felt the muscles in Draco's arms flex around your body as he pulled you even closer into his chest like he was trying to protect you from her prying eyes.

"For fucks sake, Parkinson. Get lost." he snapped at her, voice brimming with venom. This was all it took for Pansy to leave as fast as she came.

Draco scoffed before he let one arm fall to his side, leaving the other one around your waist to keep you close.

"Pathetic, isn't she?" You leaned into him, smiling. Draco couldn't help the laugh that escaped his lips at your statement.

"Hey" he grabbed your chin, lifting it so you were looking at him. "I love you, always will. You know that, right?"

You gave him a reassuring nod before planting a kiss on his lips. "Love you too, Dray. More than anything."

[heresathreebee]

The One Where She Got A Dog

Yelena Belova X Reader

Summary: how Yelena became a dog mom Masterlist Part 2

Tags: E | 1.8k words | scary movie, winter, secret pasts, sapphic

AN: Black Widow movie really got me in my feelings about those characters, Yelena in particular. I havent watched The Thing in almost a year please look the other way if movie events are out of order.

Pretty Russian girls are not usually your type, but fuck if you weren't absolutely obsessed with this one. You laughed when she told you she was from Ohio.  She laughed when you said you were too. 

Aquavit and your grandma's biscuit recipe brought her into your cabin on the edge of the world where she admitted to you she had never seen John Carpenter's The Thing before. You turned it on just as the snow storm set in and wrapped up in your thickest blankets with her. You're trying not to get your hopes too high but she's not shy about asking you to scoot closer. 

"Skäl," you cheer just as the ominous opening credits end and they find the mysterious ship in the frozen wasteland of antarctica. 

"Have you ever been?," Yelena asked. 

You grimace at the strong taste of aquavit. It's like vodka but with caraway for 'flavor'. You look at her from the side and poor yourself a second shot. "Been…?" 

"There." She points at the screen. 

"I have actually," you admit in a way you hope is flat and uninteresting, "have you?" 

Yelena shook her head. It's possible she might think you're being sarcastic (you cross your fingers under the blanket and hope she does). She's smiling at you, thinking something (but still watching the screen with interest). 

She drops the subject until you have to pause the movie to pee. You unwrap yourself from the cocoon of blankets and as you stand she asks you another question. 

"What were you doing there? in Antarctica, I mean." 

You sigh and pretend to brush something off of your pants. "Science trip with my parents. Shitty vacation for me I'd rather be in the Bahamas." 

You resist the urge to look at her. After taking care of business, you come back just in time to put the biscuits in the oven. You hear Yelena lean into the kitchen archway as the floors creak immensely here. 

"No timer?," she asked. 

"No timer," you confirm. "I use the timer of my heart." 

Yelena scoffs. "Please don't burn them, I'm curious about these… what are they– pastries?" 

"Something like that." 

The two of you went back to the movie just as the gang on screen is trying to decipher who is human and who is not. You feel like something between you has changed and sadly not for the better. 

But she can't know. 

"I hate this part," you say, making absolutely no move to avert your gaze. 

Yelena is startled when the doctor's arms become trapped in the bear trap belly mouth of the "man" on the table. She quickly covers her eyes and giggles manically, slapping your chest for the vague and unhelpful warning. You realize she's not as close to you as before…

There's 20 minutes left of this movie and you haven't seen a single thing on screen. Yelena stopped asking you questions when you stopped being coherent with your answers. All you can think about is telling her. 

But you can't tell her. She would never understand. You barely understand and it's about you. 

"I lied." Your heart beats in your throat as you see her face you but you can't look at her directly for fear of losing your nerve. "About the science expedition? That's not why I was in Antarctica…" 

Yelena seems to wait for you to continue but… 

"Eh, no offense but, " you gesture with your hand, "I don't really know you like that." 

Yelena gave your reply a single nod. "I suppose that's fair." 

You can't help but fidget in your seat. "Idliketo" 

"What was that?" 

You cleared your throat. "I said… I said I'd like to. Know you like that, I mean…" 

Yelena gives you a smile. "I would like to know you like that, too." 

The movie ends, the biscuits are not burnt but buttery soft and golden brown, and the blizzard outside has subsided some. It's still going but at least it's not buffering the doors and windows like before. 

"How can you watch that film in a place like this?" Yelena cannot get enough of those biscuits, stuffing them in her mouth 2 at a time. "Does it make you paranoid?" 

"Yes it does," you say, putting your coat on, "I think that's what makes it so much scarier–  looking outside and being scared every person you come across ain't who they say they are. Sometimes its not a bad thing though... I think it is rather… poetic, too." 

Yelena's eyebrows furrow. "Where are you going?" 

You put on your boots and hope the duct tape stays on the hole you covered earlier. "Dogs are out in the shed. It's heated and they have food, but not for days and I'd rather have 'em in the house where I can take care of them." 

As you finished your sentence you reached for the door,  but stopped when you noticed Yelena getting dressed too. She gives you a nod as soon as her hood comes up, and you give this brave thing an appreciative once over. 

The snow that nearly all melted before is up to your knees now. Fresh, white, and fluffy. It muffles sound like the world's sidelong turning. The odd snowflake wafts lazily from the sky, but for the most part it's died down. You teach back and take Yelena's gloved hand to keep from staying too far apart. 

"You know I always wanted a dog," she said. She could have said it in a whisper from 100 yards away and you still would have heard her–  that is how eerily quiet it is. 

Yelena squeezes your hand and you squeeze back. She's probably remembering the movie. You try to distract her by saying, "Oh yeah? You can have one of mine then." 

Yelena laughs, then stops. "You serious?" 

"As a heart attack." You finally reach the door to the shed and unlatch the door. A chorus of barks begin and you charge forward to nudge them back to give Yelena space to come in as well. "I do some breeding up here–  just a side job. They're usually working dogs but they can be pets too." 

Buck licks your face from chin to forehead and you push him back. "Down, boy! Show some respect!" 

Yelena has two of the mongrels circling her, sniffing all her clothes and demanding to be pet. "That's Burt, Barney, and Bella. Buck's my stud, but these heathens are going to a farm. They've got sheep to watch." 

Yelena chuckles as her hands get covered in slobber. "I love them." 

They're almost grown, three quarters the height of their father. Buck didn't even look in Yelena's direction because he knows you give him treats. You take your scarf off as the heat of the shed threatens to smother you and search your pockets for jerky.  

"She's in there with the new puppies." You point to a darkened closet. "Don't get too close now, she's still a little protective." 

Yelena creeps closer. You see her look at you from the corner of her eye. Probably terrified by the morphing dog scene from the movie. You give her an encouraging smile and tell her where to find the light. It's a pull cord and it bathes the room in a warm golden yellow light. 

Yelena's heavy, controlled breathing turns into a coo. Mama dog is laying on her side watching the newcomer closely. There's a pup asleep in the nest of her legs, another chewing on the hay that litters the ground, and the last one is biting their mother's ear. Yelena looks back at you with an adorable pout on her lip. 

"So cute…" 

You chuckle and put your arm around her. Buck knows to steer clear of mama dog and slinks off. You make your guest walk closer with you to show mama she's got your confidence. 

"Yelena, this is Beyonce." Mama dog's ears perk at the sound of her name. "Beyonce, this is Yelena. Be nice." 

You reach down and scoop up the hay eating puppy at your feet. "This one's always hungry." 

You put the pup in her arms and scoop up the biter. "This one likes to play. All the time. Got more energy than the blue Energizer bunny actually." 

The pup in question is literally trying to wriggle out of your hands in its eagerness to climb you and eat your hair. 

"And that one sleeps a lot?" Yelena nodded her head at the last pup. 

"Pretty much." You put the writhing excited puppy down before it hurts itself and look up into the rafters. "And then there's the climber…" 

You both turn your heads when you hear a tiny bark. A cute little face stares down at you from the rafters and there's a feather stuck to its nose. You shake your head knowing this pup got it from ripping up pillows in another part of the dog house. 

"Better go get her," you said, not moving an inch to do so.  

Yelena sees your challenge and rises to it. As if trained to do exactly so, she assesses the wooden interior for foot and hand holds. You can see the wheels turning in her head as she calculates what will and won't support her weight. In the sweep of a single moment, she rises from the door and swings herself into the rafters using a build up a momentum to propel her fast in an upperward direction. She completes the climb and balances with ease, reaching out to collect the happy wagging miscreant from her mountain top, tucks her in her jacket and climbs a different way down. 

You stare at her. "Were you raised by trapeze artists?" 

Yelena laughs. "I thought everybody was." 

The pup is safe and happy and eager to explore its new friend. Yelena lets her lick, sniff, and scratch at her skin, her clothes, her hair. The pup catches Yelena with a tiny lick right on the tip of her nose and Yelena looks back at you with adoring eyes. 

You smile. "Got a name for her already don't you?" 

"Yes," Yelena whines, "no, are you sure about this? I should probably tell you I've never had a dog before…" 

"I can tell your good people," you reply. "And smart as a whip. You'll adapt, just call me if you ever need anything." 

~

Three weeks later you get a phone call from an unknown number. It's Yelena giving you an address and making you swear never to tell anybody about it. You don't have any friends so it's an easy secret to keep. 

You drive a few miles south and stumble upon a stationary trailer in the middle of nowhere, nothing but clearings and trees and sky. Actually very similar to your own home. 

The door opens and Yelena greets you with a beer and the pup under her arm, already almost a foot bigger than she was before. 

"Her name is Fanny." You both laugh yourselves hoarse and pile into the trailer to puppy proof the place. 

[tinyboxxtink]

Giving rafa blowjob after an argument that was your fault?

Ok FIRST of all, let's get one thing clear. It is never my fault.

But I'll give you the smutty smut.

Note: This was co-written with a...friend of mine. I'm not going to divulge the actual nature of this story, but the way it's written, I think you can deduce what it is. I gotta say, we're a pretty damn good team.

NSFW below the cut!

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

You and Rafael had been fighting all night, and you had to go to work angry. At the end of your long, tiring work day you dreaded going back home, but knew it was inevitable.

You came home to see Rafael sitting on your couch, two drinks poured for the two of you.

"Let's talk, baby," He started walking towards you.

"No talk," You shook your head. "I'm tired of talking,"

Before he could even ask if everything was okay, you had pulled him into a deep kiss and he immediately wrapped his arms around your waist. He groaned into the kiss, the drinks completely forgotten on the bar.

"Mhmm." He mumbled as his fingers slipped under the shirt you were wearing to ghost his fingers over your skin.

His groan into your mouth caused you to smile into his lips and backed him into the couch, falling onto it. He fell back onto the couch, his eyes flying open in surprise and the briefest moment of terror that he was going to hit the floor until his back hit the couch. He never stopped kissing you, however. You giggled as you noticed Rafael's eyes go wide for a micro second.

"You okay there baby?" You asked into his mouth while not moving yours from his soft lips.

You shivered with lust as you felt his fingers against your back. You moved his shirt to the top of his head and began kissing a trail down his chest towards his waist.

When you moved his shirt to the top of his head he had to stop kissing you. When you started to kiss down his chest, He let out a soft sigh while pulling his shirt completely off so he could watch you. His normally bright green eyes were dark with lust but still as gentle as ever.

You noticed Rafael watching you now, mischief in your eyes. As your mouth reached his waist you started unbuttoning his jeans, never removing your mouth from his skin.

His nostrils flared as you undid his jeans. His breathing had picked up in anticipation and he twitched in his boxer briefs, an involuntary reaction. You pulled his jeans down to his ankles to reveal quite the erection sticking out through his boxers.

"Well, looks like those drinks might have to wait, I'm getting thirsty for something else.," You bit your lip with a smile as you ran your nails across his shaft.

One hand was holding onto the couch cushion, the other he had just by his side. When you ran your nails along his shaft he bucked his hips.

"Please." He whined.

"As you wish," You smirked.

"Please what, Rafa?" Your voice was soft and sensual. "Tell me what you want me to do to you baby,"

Rafael had never been good at sexual talk so his cheeks went red when he spoke. "Suck me off.. Please."

You removed his boxers and put your second hand on his shaft. You straddled him as you teased his tip with your tongue. Rafael sucked in a breath when he felt your tongue on his tip, it took every ounce of strength to not buck his hips.

You could feel him holding back. "Raffi, just relax," you cooed. "This is all about you, and how sorry I am,"

You slowly stared back down at the bottom of his shaft and dragged your tongue up and down it while playing with his balls in your hand. Then you stopped at his tip, gave him a wink before plunging his entire cock into your mouth so far it tickled your throat.

Rafael nodded, his eyes watching your every movement. He was almost sure he stopped breathing for a moment when you took his whole cock into your mouth. His eyes had rolled back and a string of curses spilled from his lips. The hand at his hip curled into a fist to it from going into your hair. You smiled as you heard Rafael moaning and cursing in pleasure. You continued to deep throat him while now massaging his balls in your hands.

"Fucking shit.." His hand by his hip came up and went into your hair, he couldn't keep it still anymore. But instead of pulling it, he kept it out of your face the best he could. With his balls in your hand his hips bucked upward once more. His voice breathy as he spoke.

"I want you to touch yourself too."

"Whatever you want, baby" you grinned as you removed his dick from your mouth.

You spread your legs open across his lap and lightly dipped a finger inside yourself, before lowering yourself and your mouth back down to his dick. The feel of your own fingers caressing your walls made you moan with pleasure, writhing against his balls while your mouth sucked on his shaft.

As you spread yourself, Rafael's hand holding onto the couch moved to his cock to give himself a few slow strokes. His hand moved back to the couch as you took him back into your mouth. The vibration from your moan had him groaning and letting his head thump back against the couch.

Your legs wrapped tighter around his waist as you stuck one more finger inside yourself, moaning harder and rolling your hips into his groin as you did your best to keep your mind focused on keeping Rafael happy. Finally you got a rhythm going with your hips and your head, Rafael's engorged member now throbbing against your tongue.

Every time you moaned it sent a shot of pleasure up his spine and before he knew it he felt that heat start to coil in his abdomen.

"Not gonna.. I'm- Fuck." He couldn't even get out a full sentence his head was completely focused on the heat and wetness of your mouth and you rolling your hips into his groin.

You could feel him filling with cum, and you could also hear him battling with himself to keep it in. You immediately removed your mouth from his dick, stopped circling against his hips as you pulled your fingers out of yourself and stuck them in your mouth, licking them clean. You gave him a devilish smile, just feeling his aching erection desperate for release.

"...Oh I'm sorry baby, did you say something?" You asked innocently.

He let out a whine of protest as you pulled off of him, his eyes opening and looking up at you just in time to see you lick your fingers clean and he had to grab himself tight around the base of his cock to keep from spilling right there.

"Gonna cum." His voice was still breathless, his chest rising and falling quickly with his fast breaths.

"Oh, alright then," You smiled. "Fill me up, Rafael,"

You once again grabbed his practically vibrating cock in your lips, past your teeth and down your throat in one smooth quick motion, sucking every drop of cum out of him like a pastry filling.

He didn't even get to respond before you were taking him back into your mouth. His hand let go of his cock and it didn't take much before he came, shallowly thrusting into your mouth as his body shook with the impact of his orgasm. His eyes squeezed shut and groaning as he spilled every drop he had.

You kept sucking until you were absolutely sure he was done. Then you rose up and inserted your fingers back inside yourself, taking in the accomplishment as you gazed at Rafael's pleased face.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck.." Was just repeated as he came down from that high, his breathing heavy.

Getting some feeling back in his arms, he lifted his hands to your chest. Running his thumbs over your nipples as he gave your breasts attention to help up your pleasure.

He opened his eyes to look up at you, watching you pleasure herself. He would have helped, he was always about making sure you reached your peak too, but his whole body felt boneless.

You didn't mind finishing yourself off and you were already so turned on by the writhing and feeling of Rafael's cock in your mouth and his balls vibrating against your clit. You began once again bucking against his hips as you stuck a third finger in yourself, running them faster through yourself.

You bit your lip and moaned at the feel of his long fingers fondling your nipples. You could feel yourself getting closer with each stroke.

"Rafael...." You whispered softly, almost in a whine.

Sitting up he pressed kisses to your. collarbone. The movement shifted his cock, not completely soft yet, against your clit even more. His hands still fondling your nipples.

"Y/N..."

That was it, at the mention of your name coming from those lips as his dick moved across your clit and his lips touched your skin, you were done for. You felt the wave of ecstasy crash over you, as you let out one more yell of pleasure.

After what felt like a glorious forever, you collapsed against his chest. Happy and limp. He moved his hands from your chest to wrap his arms around you as you collapsed against him. He laid back on the couch again, bringing you with him while he pressed gentle kisses to your cheek and forehead.

"That was incredible, carino." He sighed.

"Mmmm," You happily mumbled against his chest. "Yeah it was,"

He let out a content sigh, his hand running along your back. With his other hand he reached out to pick up one of the drinks off the table and offer it to you. You took it from him and sipped it with a happy sigh of your own.

@agentcable

"What a welcome home," you giggled. "Let's fight all the time,"

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[beyondspaceandstars]

Pastries & Memories

Relationship: Dark!Bucky Barnes x Innocent!Reader Warnings: manipulation, mentions of stalking, gaslighting, mentions of kidnap and harm Summary: The smell of pastries brings back triggers the unsettling memory of how you actually met Bucky. But when you confront him, there's no telling what's right anymore. A/N: i’ve been really into dark fics lately and naturally wanted to give it a shot! this certainly isn’t the wildest, darkest piece out there but this is me just dipping my toes in the water. i hope it’s still enjoyable!

Masterlist

He had taken you in. Comforted you. Welcomed you. Loved you. Saved you. Protected you.

At least — that was how your brain fuzzily pieced it together. How you actually ended up living in this apartment was a bit beyond your reach mentally. You could remember the outdoors, walking somewhere… then… then you were off. Bucky, you thought, told a different story.

But none of it actually mattered, really. In reality, you felt like you had always been with him. You two had finally connected one day and the rest had become history. He was all you needed. A lover, a protector, a rock.

You reeled in your wandering mind as you stood at the kitchen counter cutting up some strawberries. There was a little farmers market that had set up in the city last week and after a little persuasion, Bucky allowed you to check it out. He gave you some cash and you had chosen the most lovely looking strawberries. You felt a bit proud of yourself for venturing out of the apartment completely unaware that he was tailing you closely as you went, always on the lookout for his best girl.

When you had gotten back to the apartment that afternoon, he had pestered you about what you were going to make with the berries. You had giggled and pushed him away, commenting on how he hovered around like an anxious puppy. You hadn’t seen the stiff stance he took as darkness flashed in his eyes.

Truthfully, you hadn’t really decided what you were going to make with them at the time. Indecisive, you asked Bucky to look for some strawberry recipes online. Your internet access was greatly limited by your protective boyfriend but you didn’t really mind. Whatever was out there nowadays couldn’t have been more important than your love — well, except for strawberry treats, you realized.

Bucky obliged and hunted around for some baking blogs for you to browse. Eventually, you had settled on a fresh strawberry pie. The filling didn’t call for a jam like the others did, instead choosing to highlight the lusciousness of the fresh fruit. That sounded perfect for these lovely berries.

So, there you stood, dicing them carefully as you waited for the pie crust to get done with its par-bake. Bucky had collected the items for you from the store earlier that week but you wouldn’t give him a clue as to what you were baking. He had seemed pretty upset with that, almost threatening to not pick up the items, but then you explained you wanted to surprise him. He worked hard, you said, and he deserved to come home to some fresh baked goods.

Although, you maybe should’ve told him when you were going to make it.

As you were just finishing up with the strawberries, Bucky walked through the apartment door, giving a resounding "hello" to you. You greeted him back.

Bucky placed a large kiss on your cheek and proceeded to place a paper bag on the counter next to you. The outside of it had a logo for the bakery you thought you had read about just a few streets over. You frowned at the sight. Why…

"Oh, gosh," Bucky sighed as he looked around at the hectic kitchen. "I’m sorry, doll. I didn’t realize you were making your strawberry thing today. I wouldn’t have stopped at the bakery."

Your eyes shot from the bag to your boyfriend. "T-That’s fine, honey. I should’ve told you."

"Well, I guess you can never have too many sweets, right?" He asked with a light chuckle. You smiled in return, your mind still taking in that bakery bag. Bucky walked over to it now and opened it, letting the fresh smell of pastries hit your nose. You nearly jumped out of your skin.

You knew that smell — how did you know that smell? You gave an odd sniff, taking in the scent of baked dough and custardy filling. You knew that. A cheese danish. How did you know that?

Tears began forming in your eyes but you weren't exactly sure why — hell, you weren’t sure of anything right now. Where had this overwhelming sensation appeared from? The danish? Were you just hungry? Your hands were shaking. You saw the bakery flash in your mind. You had walked past it before — why would you have done that? Bucky never let you go that way citing the city safety. But you had once.

You were walking past the bakery, suddenly craving a pastry. But you didn’t stop for one. No — it was early morning and you were late. Late for what? You didn’t work. Except that maybe you had.

Bucky came into frame now. His smile was wide but his eyes were dead. He said some words — you couldn’t make them out — and you tried stepping around him. He didn’t like that. Of course not. Bucky was a stickler when it came to listening to him, to say the least. But you knew that was always for the best so why did you disobey him that time? He grabbed your arm in the memory. And then there was a pain in your neck. You were under now. Into the darkness.

You gasped as the memories suddenly dissolved. A hand was gripping your arm once more. But this time was very real and it was from a very, very concerned Bucky.

"Doll?" He asked, his eyes growing with worry and…anger? "What’s wrong?"

You couldn’t blink the tears away fast enough. What was that? Your mind was swimming as you tried finding some words to answer Bucky.

"N-Nothing."

"Nothing?" He frowned. "You’re crying."

A ding came from the oven. You mumbled a silent thank you and quickly went to tend to your pie crust. You pulled it out and placed it on the cooling rack before turning back to your strawberry filling. According to this recipe it needed a few more items…

"Sweetheart," Bucky’s voice boomed through the apartment. You jumped, nearly forgetting he was standing right over you. Your obliviousness far from an accident. "What’s going on?"

You eyed the bakery bag. Bucky had now taken the pastries out and placed them on a platter. Cheese danishes confirmed. You gulped.

"Could you… Could you tell me about the day we met, again?" You asked the question slowly, carefully, as that bakery logo flooded your mind. It was abruptly disrupted by Bucky plunging something into your neck. You shook your head and turned back to the filling, adding what was instructed.

Your question wasn’t really a weird one. You enjoyed hearing the story of how you two met as your memory was not really the best these days. You never did find out why…

"We met at a coffee shop," Bucky explained. You could tell he was suspicious but he amused you nonetheless. "I had seen you a few times in there before and, thankfully, one day I got the courage to speak to you. I asked you what book you were reading and you told me about it. We talked until closing time. I couldn’t get you out of my mind from that point on."

You nodded, letting the familiar story wash over you. This time, though, it felt so foreign. Like it was a fairytale. Too perfect. Too natural. You looked at the pastries, halting all progress on the pie.

"Well, then," you said, "I guess I just had the weirdest thoughts."

Bucky took a step closer to you. His front was nearly fully pressed into your back. "What kind of thoughts?"

You shook your head. "It’s silly-,"

His hand gripped your arm tightly. "Tell me."

You wanted to turn away. Wanted somehow to get out of this position. This wasn’t how today was supposed to go. You were supposed to surprise him with a nice pie once he got home. He’d shower you with love and thank you’s before you turned your attention to dinner. While you made dinner, he’d watch some sports game on the television. You two would then eat like a nice couple and Bucky would compliment you profusely. That was how it all should’ve gone. That was how the good days went.

You wanted today to be a good day. But it was turning into a bad one real fast despite how much you really didn’t want to go down that path. Bad days were few and far between now but you remembered them in bits and pieces from the beginning of your relationship. They were just glimpses but, boy were they strong. You had forgotten things a lot or took long to understand something and Bucky had little patience for it back then. There was the pushing, the yelling, the degrading… No, no. You couldn’t turn down there but you couldn’t lie—

"I saw myself walking," you said, the words tumbling out before you could stop them. "It was a nice morning it seemed and I had walked past that bakery." You pointed to the bag. Bucky stiffened. "I thought I wanted a pastry but I was…late? I don’t remember the details and then you were suddenly there. You said something and eventually took me by the arm. Then there was a pain in my neck. It all went black."

There. The words were out. You explained it and now all you could do was pray and pray and pray that nothing bad came from this. You couldn’t stop your thoughts, really. Something happened there. That damn bakery, you guessed.

"Doll," Bucky tsked. He didn’t sound too angry just…dismissive. "Maybe you should go lay down. You’re not thinking right."

Your jaw went slack as you turned around. Bucky’s hand left your arm but you were now pressed against the counter, his body practically toppling over yours. Still, you looked up at him, in a bit of shock. He looked pretty calm — not at all mad, thankfully — as he stared down at you in worry.

"I— I think I know what I saw, Bucky," you insisted. He shook his head.

"You know your memory isn’t very good, honey," he said. "I think maybe you’ve been reading too many of those thriller novels. Might be mixing up fiction and reality." He motioned towards the bookshelf in the apartment holding your favorite books. Your brows furrowed at it. You owned maybe two thrillers and neither dealt with…anything like that.

"But it was me in the memory. I swore I was walking and there — there was that bakery!" You exclaimed, pointing at the bag. "You were there in front of me. Why were you there, Bucky? Did… Did something happen?"

Bucky’s jaw clenched as he looked over you. His eyes were a bit darker now, taking in your stubborn form. You tried holding your ground under his gaze but you were too intimidated by him. Besides, a bad day could be upon you. But you also felt your curiosity was justified and he hadn’t snapped right away. Was there really something to this?

But Bucky just shook his head again. "I really don’t know what you’re talking about," he sighed. "Why would you have even been over by that bakery? I tell you to stay away from there, don’t I? Unless you’ve been sneaking out."

Your jaw dropped fully this time. That was near to impossible it felt like not to mention it was absolutely something you’d never do. You’d never break Bucky’s trust like that. You knew the consequences that could come from it. They could even follow if he had just thought you did something. That was another part of the path you had to steer from.

"N-No!" You placed your hands on his chest, trying to reason. "I didn’t, Bucky, I swear. Y-You’re right. I’d never be over there, that’s such a silly thought to have. I must’ve read about it or something. The newspaper can be so graphic sometimes." You now prayed you were handling this right.

Bucky’s eyes searched you fiercely as you waited for his judgment to reign down upon you. He took your hands in his in an almost crushing hold. You tried to steady your breathing. Every word was pretty true. It must’ve just been something insane you had read. This could never happen to you. Not with someone like Bucky around. Your protector in many ways.

Eventually, Bucky nodded and said, "I’m canceling the paper subscription until you get better. I don’t want you getting scared like this, sweetheart." A beat. You let out a sigh of relief. "That means no more thriller novels either, okay? I need my sweet girl back. You’ve become so jittery." With that explanation, Bucky pulled you into a hug, his arms tight around you. You reciprocated, throwing your arms around his neck. You were glad he couldn’t see your confused expression. You hadn’t become jittery…had you? Maybe this outburst was a sign of something to come. Bucky was pretty smart when it came to stuff like that.

"I’m sorry to worry you," you mumbled.

Bucky pulled away. He forced you two eye-to-eye once more. His hand came to your cheek, caressing softly. "I just want to protect my girl, okay? That’s a lot of bad things out there."

You agreed and Bucky gave a small smile before placing a soft kiss on your lips. He eventually broke the hug and you watched as he took the bakery bag and its treats. Both were immediately dropped into the trash.

"What did you do that for?" You asked. You actually wouldn’t mind a cheese danish now.

Bucky shrugged, his smirk doing little to hide the concern for you. "Who needs that when my girl is making me a homemade pie?" Bucky took a strawberry from the bowl and popped it in his mouth. You gasped at his action, swatting his hands away while he laughed like a child.

The situation was now suddenly long forgotten. So fast, so swift. As he had wanted.

You turned back to the pie filling, completely oblivious to Bucky’s sudden change in expression. His dark eyes roamed over you like a hawk to prey.

[darthkruge]

Can I request something where Anakin takes the reader on a date for Valentine’s Day

Anakin Skywalker x Reader ~ Valentine’s Day

Summary: After learning that you’ve never had a romantic Valentine’s Day, Anakin decides to make his first one with you all the more special

Warnings: None <3

Words: 2.1k

A/N: I legit debated writing a Valentine’s Day fic because I’m always sad and lonely on this holiday. But then someone requested it (tysm anon btw) and I had this idea that allowed me to ~project~ so I hope y’all like it!! 

gif credit

“What would you like to do for Valentine’s Day, my love?”

Anakin’s honey smooth voice slipped through your ear, synonymous with the way he was languidly tracing patterns up and down your back with his metal hand. You lifted your head from where you were laying on top of him to smile. You leaned forward and pressed a sloppy kiss to his lips, too exhausted to try and do so properly. 

It was a week until Valentine’s Day and you would like to say you’d forgotten. Truly, it’d been on your mind for a while and, because of that, one would think you’d know exactly what you wanted to do.

And, yet, “I have no idea, Ani. Whatever you want will be wonderful, I’m sure”

“No, no, love, come on! There’s got to be something you want to do!”

You fumbled over your words for a second, wracking your brain trying to think of something that might be fun. But your mind was blank, nothing would come out. In all honesty, you didn’t know what to expect on Valentine’s Day. It was always a holiday you dreaded, as you’d never been in a relationship on the day before. You usually just curled up in your room, ate candy all day, and made sure to avoid the balcony, as you’d frequently see happy couples flaunting their love in the streets. 

Now, you were one of those happy couples! And, despite your long-standing hatred for the day, you were itching to celebrate it, to at least have a memory of one good Valentine’s. But you had no clue where to begin or even what to wish for… although you’d been dating Anakin for a bit over nine months now, you were still shy and found it difficult to ask for what you wanted. You always had this residual feeling in the back of your mind that he’d be annoyed with your request and find you too needy. Logically, you knew this was impossible, but that little voice was persistent.

“Anakin, seriously, it’s alright! We can just… watch a holovid and grab dinner or something!”

At this, Anakin sat up, pulling you with him so you were looking directly into his eyes. 

“Y/N, we don’t need to celebrate if you truly don’t want to… but it is our first Valentine’s Day together and I just thought it might be fun to do something to show that!” Anakin said, grasping your hands. He knew you were holding back and he hoped he could get it out of you.

“No, Ani, it’s not that, I want to, I do, I just-” You broke off, unable to put your feelings together. 

Anakin nodded, trying to find a way to help you vocalize your thoughts. “Okay, what have you done in the past for the holiday? Did anything feel special? Because I’m sure I could put something together along those lines, just, of course, much better than whatever any of your old relationships gave you…” 

You rolled your eyes, shaking your head at his antics. “I’ve never exactly… been in this position before” 

Anakin squinted, confused. You sighed in response, fiddling with his fingers to calm yourself. 

“I’ve never had a real Valentine’s Day,” You continued, “And I don’t want to, like, overwhelm you or something. I don’t need a whole celebration or anything, promise! We can just do what we normally do and that’ll be fine.” You said, trying to convince both him and yourself. 

Anakin looked into your eyes before placing a deep kiss on your lips.

“Angel, you’re not going to overwhelm me! And you’ve never had a real Valentine’s Day? Well, I’m going to fix that.” He said proudly

“Ani, you don’t need-”

“-Too late, my love. It’s going to be perfect.” 

You broke into a big smile before leaning in to kiss him once more. He loved it when you smiled into his kisses, he loved the tangible reminder that he made you happy. Cupping your cheek, he deepened the embrace and pulled his arms around your waist as you melted into him. 

When you finally broke away, you opted to rest your head on his chest, liking the grounding feeling his heartbeat gave you. As you drifted to sleep, Anakin’s fingers were running through your hair as his mind already started thinking of ways to create the perfect Valentine’s Day for you. 

------

You awoke, smiling as you felt Anakin’s strong arms wrapped around you. Regardless of how many times you started your days beside him, it never failed to make butterflies appear in your stomach. 

“Happy Valentine’s Day, my love.”

You hummed in agreement as Anakin leaned over to press a sloppy kiss on your cheek. 

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Ani.” You said, your happiness coating your words. 

You whined as you felt Anakin start to get out of bed, wanting to stay enveloped in his warmth forever. He just chuckled, leaning to whisper in your ear. 

“We’ll cuddle again soon, don’t worry.” And with a kiss to your cheek, he was up. 

You grinned as you saw Anakin bolt out of the bedroom in a happy skip. If you were honest, you knew you were excited, too. Anakin had a knack for making you feel special; you were looking forward to what he had put together for you.

You started laughing as soon as he came back in the room, almost toppling over from how fast he was trying to get back to you. He was carrying a bouquet of beautiful flowers in one hand and a bag of… something in the other.

He plopped them down on your lap and looked at you expectantly. You tried to hide your blush as you opened the package and realized it was full of all of your favorite treats. Rummaging through, you found candies, cookies, pastries, and basically anything else you’ve ever mentioned was delicious. 

“Ani… when did you have time to get all this?!”

“Well, I asked Obi-Wan to let me know when you were busy this week and then I swung by the market a few times.”

“Thank you,” You said softly, his sweetness almost overwhelming. It seemed like a small gesture but it meant the world to you; Anakin was so busy and the fact that he used his limited time off to do this for you, just because it might make you happy?! That meant everything.

As you pulled out some of your favorite baked goods, your eyes widened. “Where did you even find these?? I’ve searched the markets for them for ages and they’re never there!”

Anakin walked up beside you, pulling an arm around your shoulder. “Well those, my love, are actually made by me.” 

Your head snapped up, hardly believing it. “Kriff, really?! You made them for me?!”

Anakin just nodded before you put the gifts to the side and wrapped your arms around his waist, pulling him down on top of you. He landed with an “oomph!” but soon his laughter was mixing with yours as he pressed quick kisses all over your neck, making you giggle. All the while, you just held him to you, squeezing his body into yours. 

“Now,” Anakin said, breaking the silence. “I set up some of your favorite holovids for us to watch together, so I was thinking you get that started and I’ll grab us some plates and you can try some of the pastries, if you want?”

By now, your cheeks hurt from smiling and you truly didn’t think it was possibly to blush this much. You were overcome with your love for him, with the way he made you feel like the only person in the entire galaxy. Kissing him, you muttered a quick “yes” before getting the holo ready.

Anakin was back in a few minutes, carrying drinks and plates. He passed you some food before settling down beside you. You instinctively moved closer to him, resting against his chest as he pressed a kiss to your hair.

You sat in comfortable silence, enjoying the holovid, food, and each other's company. As per usual, you were constantly touching each other; whether it be leaning on him, your fingers in his hair, his hands playing with yours, your legs intertwined, or soft kisses, the physical affection remained. 

By now, the sun was beginning to set and Anakin pulled you up out of bed once more. You looked at him quizzically, unsure as to what he was doing.

“Come on, love. We’ve got somewhere to be” He said, holding his hand out for you.

Intrigued, you took his hand, allowing him to lead you out of the apartment and onto his speeder bike. He helped you in and you wrapped your arms around his waist from behind, anchoring yourself to him. Anakin smiled as you placed a few kisses and leaned your head against his clothed back. 

He took off, the air whipping through your hair. You watched the traffic around you, giddy at the fast motion of the vehicle. You loved taking rides with him; his recklessness made you feel alive and, yet, his protectiveness allowed you to feel utterly and completely safe. 

You smiled as you started to understand where he was taking you. He parked on the outskirts of Coruscant and helped you out, just as he had so many times before. You ruffled through his hair, already messy from the wind as he chuckled. 

You started climbing up the ladder on the side of the abandoned building. You still remember when Anakin found it for the first time. You’d come to him, sobbing, stressed, and feeling unfathomably trapped. So he took you away. And you drove and drove until the lights and stars blended together and eventually, somehow, ended up here. Ever since, it’s been your spot. 

When you got to the roof of the building, your breath caught in your throat. Looking around, you noticed beautiful string lights and candles illuminating the space. There was soft music playing from the speaker, the same music you danced to for the first time. A table was set up, dinner steaming from the plates and another bouquet of your favorite flowers sitting as the centerpiece. 

“You like it?” He asked.

You turned to him, your eyes sparkling with tears and adoration as you nodded, unable to trust your voice. Anakin’s mouth turned into an amused pout at your reaction as he walked up to you and hugged you, swaying you in his hold.

“I can’t believe you’d do all this for me! It’s too much, Anakin, you didn’t need to!”

“Nonsense,” He said, running a thumb over your cheekbone, “You deserve all of this and so much more.”

You walked forward but were cut off by Anakin bolting in front of you. You froze and giggled, wondering what the kriff had gotten into him. Your giggles turned into laughter as you saw him scrambling to pull out your chair for you but decided to amuse him anyway. 

“For you, my love!” Anakin combined his words with a dramatic wave of his hand, allowing you to sit before pushing your chair in and then running around the table to take his own. 

“What?” Anakin said, your laughter and happiness contagious. 

You reached across the table and took his hand. “Nothing, baby. You’re just really sweet” 

“Thank you!” He said cheekily, quite proud of himself for pulling all this together. 

Your mouth watered as you took in the wonderful food he’d prepared; you were sure Obi-Wan helped him make this happen, too, but opted not to ask. You wanted all the focus to be on Anakin and you. 

As you ate, you made conversation as you normally did. This was an underrated part of your relationship with Anakin that you always reminded yourself to not take for granted. No matter what, you could talk to him about absolutely anything. He made you laugh and comforted you when you cried. You never had to force a conversation around him, the topics flowed naturally, just like your love. 

Once dinner was over, you stood up and walked over to the side of the roof, looking at the sky. Anakin joined you, situating himself next to you as if it was where he was always meant to stand. 

“I truly can’t thank you enough for this, Anakin. I’ve never…” You trailed off, hoping he understood. “I love you so much.” 

Anakin wrapped an arm around your waist, pulling you close to him. “And I love you. Forever” 

There you stood, two beautiful flames, side by side. The cold wind whipped around you but, encompassed by each other’s warmth, you never burned out.

----

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[ohheyitsokay]

steal

part 7 of the ‘hey batter batter’ series

pairing: Francisco Morales (Frankie, Catfish) x reader

wordcount: 2.5k

warnings: strong language, mentions of previous substance abuse and mediocre family relationships, a happy, happy ending

summary: it’s a Triple Frontier Baseball AU! Trust me, you don’t need to know anything about baseball.

in baseball, to ‘steal’ is for someone already on base to to the next base when the ball is live, but before his time. 

In this chapter, Frankie takes you out to dinner, and in telling you about himself, accidently goes way too hard, way too fast. 

>>

Frankie called and asked you to an early dinner.

Early, so the restaurant wouldn’t be crowded. Early, so he wouldn’t have the chance to overthink. Early, so the boys wouldn’t catch word and cause chaos.

Early, so he’d have all the time in the world with you, if you wanted.

When he picked you up, neither of you had the time to worry about your clothes or hair or fuss with it, and it was a relief. Someday, you hoped to get the chance to dress up for each other, but for now, casual seemed most fitting. He opened the door of his truck for you, holding your hand as you stepped into it. It wasn’t that you needed the extra help, he just seemed like he wanted to. 

You didn’t see, but his hand flexed, tingling as he walked around to climb in the driver’s side.

The talk came easy - Francisco forwent superfluous pleasantries and when he asked you questions there was no doubt in your mind that he actually wanted to hear your answers. You found yourself spilling about your job, flushing when you caught him watching you talk closer than the road, something soft in his eyes.

It was a stereotype, that a baseball player would like diner food, and you were pleasantly surprised when his truck slid into the tiny parking lot of a mom ‘n pop Hispanic restaurant. It was cute, watching him run around to open your door again, and he asked “Is this okay?” as he helped you down.

In response, you shifted your hand in his until his large fingers were laced with yours, and said yes, of course a little breathlessly. There was a lovely lady both serving and hosting who acted like she knew Francisco, giving him a broad wink and rapid fire teasing in what you could only assume was Spanish. In truth, you were too distracted by the way his thumb was running over the back of your hand, and the smells of corn and peppers and homemade tortillas.

Seated, she asked if you would be alright with anything, and your date looked eager and hopeful, so you would be a monster not to agree.

“So you come here often,” you said when she left. Not a direct question, although you were sure you wanted to hear the story. Francisco grinned.

“Are you flirting with me?” His eyebrows dipped in the middles, betraying a little more hope than he intended.

“Yes?” It was easier to tease as the waitress put plate after steaming plate between you, and a container full of warm tortillas. You spread your napkin over your lap as you thanked her, ignoring the growl in your stomach. As much as you liked that he let you talk, you wanted to know more about him, wanted to give him the chance to say whatever he left out the other night. There was certainly more to the solid catcher than met the eye, learning him felt as natural as your hunger.

“I’m serious though, what should I try first?” You pointed at various things with your fork, and Francisco almost wiggled he looked so happy. It was a dream, having you tucked into the little booth across from him, trust in your eyes.

“The green chili, Anita makes it from scratch regularly and it’s fantastic,” he pointed, eyes watching with joy as you dug into the smothered burrito. Your moan shot through him, warming his whole body more than the food he swallowed in a hurry. “Good, yeah?”

“Amazing,” you didn’t ask again, how he knew, just began filling your stomach. He told you about various dishes, sharing them with you like it was the most natural thing in the world. Eventually, the story came out naturally.

“I used to come here a lot when I first moved to town,” he shrugged. “It’s halfway between the stadium and where my family is right now.”

It was easy to meet his eyes and you didn’t pry. Twirling a long string of molten cheese on his fork, it poured out of him, telling more than you felt like you deserved to know and watching you carefully.

He started at the beginning, how it felt like home, this little restaurant, but safer. His mother and sister lived in a small town nearby. It was messy, his youth, full of shit a kid shouldn’t have to deal with. Baseball had been his way out, his chance at a life he couldn’t have. To be good at something, to have a team to belong to. Clean uniforms and clean money, from prizes, that put meat on his bones and filled out his sister’s cheeks.

He became Frankie, pouring his heart into it until he excelled, working like he needed it to survive.

When the scholarships rolled in, he picked the one farthest away, sending checks from his nightshift part-time home more often than he called. He thought his life was good, that running away was working. Being drafted was a dream come true – and a nightmare. It came with and confirmed nasty truths, about the industry and people who wanted his success for all the wrong reasons. Those first few years were full of parties and bad decisions, chasing highs and losing track of himself in the thick of it all. One night, Santi dragged him back, reminded him why he did all of it, reminded him who they had dreamed of being. Showed him they could still be those people.

“I didn’t really know him then, we played on different teams. But we hit rock bottom around the same time and ended up leaving early from the same party.” Frankie pushed the final few grains of rice around his plate, and you wondered if that was the party Tom had gotten busted at. If they really had rescued each other, more than they realized.

God or fate gave him a second chance, and they got traded to the same team the next season, close to his home. He started visiting, supplying himself instead of just money, still playing the game - but allowing himself to enjoy it, be a human.

A tray of sopapillas came as he was telling you animatedly how bad his mother was at gardening, and how silly he felt trying to help her. It made him glow, his pride at how far he had come and you wanted to hug him. Frankie stared at the soft, puffed pastry, as if realizing for the first time he had no idea how long he’d been talking. Then he pushed his card into Anita's hand and shot you a nervous look. You shrugged, but it wasn’t about the payment, at least not entirely.

“Would you want to take these to go?”

“Go where?”

“I was thinking maybe… to meet them?” There was a silent beat, as your hands almost dropped the plates you’d been stacking.

“Wait, shit, sorry I just –” Frankie had never felt so stupid in his life. He blew it, he definitely fucked this up. He had just told you his entire life story and decided now, your very first date? Yeah, that would be a good time for you to meet his family. Thus far you’d listened and reacted like a dream, as kind and considerate as you’d ever been, but this was too much. 

Your laugh cut off his spiral.

“Okay,”

“What?”

“Okay, let’s do it.” You were shaking your head in disbelief, but god was your smile beautiful. Bright and genuine, it made him wonder again if you felt like he did. Like this wasn’t really your first date.

Like you were as deep as he was, already.

-

On the drive he told you the rest of it. His sister was running from herself like he had, except in sucky, deadbeat men. About how when they had conversation that carried them in circles and he wanted to lock her up and force her into therapy, or when the world of baseball became too much, how he went to that restaurant. How he would eat home cooking all on his own, and breathe until he found the right words for himself or for her.

When you offered him your hand, over the middle console, he took it without hesitation. It was soft and fit into his like it was meant to be, and he was reminded again how in awe he was of you. This was by no means what you had agreed to, not normal under any circumstances, but you were trusting him, rolling with it like he was worth it. 

He wanted to be, wanted all of this so bad he could hardly breathe. 

The rest of his story left almost no time for him to prep you, but when the door to the little mobile home opened, his mama greeted you like she knew you were coming.

You were lovely stepping into his truck with your hand in his, and you were lovely across from him with green chili sliding down your chin as you flushed, but this... was something else. It hit him full force, that you had listened and learned and stayed. With Tom hitting on you, with the mess at the party they shouldn’t have been at, with all of the shit in their pasts, and even this. You were really here, at his mother’s home, kissing her cheek and letting her call you his novia and accepting all of his life, all of him. 

His madre only hugged him after you, and her beam brightened as she watched you follow him, in slipping off your shoes. Every time he saw her, he thought she looked a little smaller - you’re just growing, mi frijol -  but she looked small next to you, too. Her voice was extra high as she cooed, ushering you into the cluttered mobile home, and he could help but smile as he followed, too in love with the moment to be embarrassed of her questions. 

You had listened closely, sympathetic but surprisingly determined not to be pushed away. This felt like simply an extension of that awkward and beautiful dinner, the way his mother welcomed you with open arms and rapid fire questions about yourself. She mercifully left out pushy questions about your relationship as you settled into the paisley couch, and Frankie was as warm and solid against your side as he had ever been.

There were little wrinkles around his eyes as he watched you and her, and as you began asking her questions about herself, he was more sure about you than he had ever been. It wasn’t gone completely, the feeling that this was ridiculous and he’d ruined whatever you had by going unreasonably fast with you, but he did his best to ignore it. Instead he focused on you, something he was learning was good luck.

His heart ached when you fit into his side, practically in his lap as you used him to ground yourself. It felt natural, in an intoxicating way, and he wanted you. Just like this.

When his madre thought she heard a knock and went to check, he found himself rubbing the top of your head with his jaw, his cheek, his nose. The whole night felt like it wasn’t real.

“Thank you for rolling with this,” he whispered into your hair. Your shoulder moved up and down again on his chest – a shrug.

“You’ve already met James, it’s almost the same,” you shifted to smile at him, nad he shook his head before noticing your eyes flit behind him.

At the door was a woman, dark stains under her eyes, belly stretching out the thin fabric of her shirt, and eyebrows drawn together.

His sister.

Then his mother came in pushing glasses of tea into your hands, almost as cool as the introduction, and you settled back against Frankie. Your life had become so strange these past few weeks, but you had known for what felt like a long time now. Together, it would be okay.

-

The drive home was dark, and silent for a long moment as you collected yourself, and Frankie was glad the evening started early.

“So this was a long date,” Frankie said, a question and an apology. You huffed in laughter and he offered his hand to you, saying your name with adoration, imploring you to talk to him.

“It was a lot,” you said, honestly, but you took his hand, thankful for the openness.

“Yeah,” his voice cracked, and you could see him struggling not to watch you anxiously. “I didn't plan on taking you home and all that happening, plus my mom calling you my- ”

“I know, Francisco,”

“Fuck. Do you�� do you have any questions? Or…” he was beginning to panic, the undercurrent of anxiety finally uncontrollable.

His sister had been short with you, as much as she’d been with him these past few months. It was a lot, so much more than you deserved.

“Do you regret it?” It was an honest question.

Frankie’s mouth opened a little bit, his eyes suddenly steady on the road, really thinking. Then he shook his head, and a knot you didn’t know you had undid itself in your chest. He used his hand to draw yours to his mouth, ghost kisses over your knuckles, mustache only tickling a little bit. “I want you to be a part of my life, querida.” 

The truck hit a bump, and you felt pressure, and then like you were floating. You nodded, trying to find the words to tell him you wanted that, too. 

Finally, you said, “Thank you for letting me,” and he laughed. It was rich and deep and full of relief, almost giddy as it broke the tension, and you laughed too. He let your hands drop back between you, but didn’t let go, squeezing gently.

 The words unsaid didn’t really seem to matter, as he cruised five under the speed limit towards your home. 

 When you asked, “Why do you still go to those parties?” it was the last thing he has been expecting. The rush of wind by the widows felt loud as he thought.

“I guess… sometimes it feels like I’ve got nothing better to do.” It sounded lame, even to him. That wasn’t all of it, it was more complicated than that, but you understood. After this whole time, you’d stuck around, of course you did.

“What about next time, instead…” The stars were twinkling, winking at you, “You go on another date with me?”

“You still want to?” Frankie had hoped, really hoped, but hearing you offer was something different. Fire in his chest, hot and bright and powerful. When he looked over, you were nodding, smiling at him with a certainty on your face that matched his own. 

“There’s a game tomorrow,” he was half joking.

You laughed. 

“Okay.”

He pulled over under a streetlight to kiss you. 

<<

translations:

madre - mother

novia - girlfriend 

mi frijol - my bean

taglist:

@fangirl-316 @scribbledghost @writeforfandoms @beautyagegoodnesssize @princess76179 @mrsbentallmadge

hey batter batter taglist:

@icanbeyourjedi @studyofawearymind @hnt-escape @athalien @the-witty-pen-name @daffodin @sarahjkl82-blog @pintsizemama @anaaaispunk @pjkimrn @dobbyjen

[wallwriterstuff]

These Violent Delights ||Alec Volturi x Female Reader||

Part 3 of a request for @tiger-khans-blog​

Part 1 - Obsession  Part 2 - When You’re Lost I’ll Leave My Gaslight On 

Warnings: Yandere!Alec, obsessive behaviour, unhealthy relationships and implied non-con later on. This is possibly one of the darkest fics I have ever written so please be aware if controlling behaviour, gaslighting etc. is triggering to you, do not read this fic. 

This fic in particular contains graphic descriptions of violence and injury further down. 

Words: 5543

Summary: With no idea what is and isn’t real anymore you’re beginning to lose your mind and suspect your loving mate isn’t all he seems to be. Desperate for some semblance of sanity you try one last time to clear your head, and the consequences are dire. 

Demetri had suspected that there was something more going on beyond the surface. Y/N Swan was quite a sweet little thing and he had missed her greatly, but he respected her decision – as had Felix – to create some distance between them so she could learn to get along with Alec. Now Demetri was wondering if she’d ever made that decision at all. With increasing frequency Alec had burst into his room or the throne room with the declaration you were missing, and Demetri had immediately put his gift to good use. In almost all the situations Demetri had prepared for the worst, perhaps he’d find you kidnapped or injured somewhere after an outing gone wrong? But every time he’d found you you had been perfectly fine and dreadfully confused as to why he was there at all.

You were always doing quite mundane things. He didn’t even need to track you half the time to tell Alec you were at that little café whose pastries you adored. Sometimes you ventured further out, wanting to see the leaves changing colour in autumn in the park nearby. Other times you were literally right on their doorstep, drawing on the edge of the fountain. On those occasions Demetri stayed with you, letting you have a few minutes more of freedom, because he had started to notice a disturbing pattern – every time he found you you looked more and more lost. You had adamantly refused to accept Alec had not seen your note the first few times, but the doubt slowly crept in until you were entirely unsure of what you had or hadn’t done. Alec was never violent upon your reunion, playing the part of the concerned mate perfectly. He was always so relieved to have you back, but the boy seemed oblivious that you were obviously suffering.

You had lost that spark you used to have in your eyes, and your posture had become more slumped over. You were meeker, agreeing to whatever was put forward to you without question more often than not. Demetri was sure he could tell you the sky was purple and you’d whole heartedly agree, even if the blue was staring you right in the face. Your withdrawn personality didn’t seem to trouble Alec but it bothered him greatly. He wasn’t sure how it had happened but you were a shell of your former self, an anxious, meek little thing who looked nowhere near as happy as she should given she had found her mate. He had caught you in the kitchen once, tired from a day of studying Italian with Marcus as you had become want to do, berating yourself for dropping a pan on your toes while cooking. To say he was surprised to hear your cursing your ‘clumsy human hands’ was an understatement.

No, no Demetri was beyond suspicious, especially when you began to go ‘missing’ more frequently, looking more and more desperate each time he found you further and further out. You had fought him the last time he found you, pounding against his chest and begging him to not take you back. His concern had brought him in all good faith to Alec’s door while you slept one night.

“What can I do for you?” Alec asked, head tilting curiously. Demetri frowned.

“It’s about Y/N. I have some concerns, Alec.” He answered. Alec’s frown immediately depeened, his eyes growing darker.

“What concerns? Is she sick? She seemed fine when I left her to sleep.”

“No, no nothing like that, though I fear her mind may not be healthy. She seems…anxious, desperate to be out of the castle. Is there something going on Alec?” he asked. Alec’s already dark eyes turned black, the red leeching out of his irises so fast Demetri was almost shocked. His expression was cold as an arctic wind and his voice held little room for argument when he answered him.

“That is of no concern to you, she’s shared her worries with me already. You overstep Demetri, she’s my mate and I’ll care for her how I see fit.”

“I simply want to know if there is anything I can do to help. It’s no secret we care for the girl to Alec, let us help.” He frowned.

“What she needs from you, Demetri, is to be left the hell alone. Stop filling her head with poison. I know you talk at the fountain. She’s upset because you suggested she might be allowed to visit her family one day. They haven’t written to her in months, the false hope crushed her. Leave my mate to me and stop poking your nose where it doesn’t belong.” He snarled quietly. Demetri hissed quietly, his irritation flaring.

“What are you talking about? A letter arrived for her Tuesday gone.” He received a door to his face as his answer, the wood actually splintering a little with the force Alec slammed it with. He knew you had been getting letters frequently from the Cullen’s and your sister, he had seen some of them when the secretary was sorting the mail out, so why hadn’t you been getting them? If you were in such a deep spiral surely it was a contributing factor. The only thing he could think of was that the secretary hadn’t delivered them. But why? he flitted straight to her desk without another moment to spare, finding her packing up to leave for the evening. She jumped at his sudden appearance.

“Demetri, I didn’t see you there, how can I help you?” she was a new girl, the fourth one in the past two months, and he didn’t care to remember her name. His head tilted.

“You received a letter the other day for Y/N Swan did you not?” he questioned, leaning against her desk. She frowned, nodding.

“I did, I gave it to Alec to deliver, did it not reach her?” she asked, looking somewhat anxious now. Demetri paused, letting his mind work it over. So, Alec had been supposed to deliver that had he? How many more had he gotten his grubby little hands on? Demetri felt a quiet sense of horror dawn on him. It made a lot more sense suddenly, why you weren’t getting any of your family’s letters. Alec had taken them all to keep you from getting in touch with them. Was your silence towards himself and Felix the same? Orchestrated by Alec so not even you knew the real reason the three of you no longer spoke?

“Not on this occasion. Not to worry, thank you for your help, sweet thing.” He shot her a charming smile to mask his sudden anxiety and disappeared as quickly as he came, heading straight for the throne room. Maybe you hadn’t been going mad at all, maybe Alec was the one driving you insane…

“What is the meaning of this intrusion?” Caius growled, beyond annoyed with the way he had flung the door open in his haste. Demetri grimaced.

“My apologies Masters, but I need to talk to you urgently.”

You had to get out this time. The walls of old buildings scraped at your hands as you bolted down one alleyway after the next, swinging around corners and doing your best to stay upright as the cobblestones did their best to trip you. You couldn’t take it anymore. Your anxiety was at an all time high, panic attacks in the morning a common thing as you dreaded the day ahead – another day of disappointing Alec in all your human imperfection. There was no one you could turn to for comfort either, not with Demetri so busy all the time. He was less of a friend and more of a guard, dragging you back each time you left as Alec had promised you his duty as a guard entailed. The worst part was that you knew your feelings of inadequacy were completely unnecessary because you weren’t the one in the wrong, Alec was.

It had become more and more obvious he wasn’t letting you leave the castle, and sneaking out when you could became your one chance to see sunlight, to have any sort of freedom. When you’d tried to ask him about it he’d brushed you off again, telling you you were being silly and reminding you of all the times he’d taken you out to the Gardens, all the gifts you’d been given as apologies for missed opportunities to venture out into the world…but he’d been lying as long as you’d known him. Maybe he had learned to control his urges, but not his darkest impulses. Alec had wanted you all to himself and he had managed to succeed with his lies and deceit. It had been a complete accident, when you came across the mountain of lies he’d told. You had been waiting to surprise him (having stayed up to wait for him to finish his guard shift) when you spilt a glass of apple juice down your shirt. His closet was the closest place to find a replacement and it would hardly be the first time you’d taken a shirt of his.

The shrine in his closet was just too much.

Everything that had gone missing lay at an alter dedicated to you. Tears blurred your vision as the flash of ivory and familiar, scribbly writing permeated your mind once more. Letters – Bella’s letters. Your sister had never forgotten you. Alec had simply made you think she had. You had been right all along, the bundled-up letters proved as such, he had always been a monster. Selfish and ugly all the way to the core, Alec Volturi had never been your Prince Charming. How many other lies had he told? He’d isolated you until all you had was him, till you relied on him to get you through your day. No more. You tripped over your own feet, vision blurred by tears. The ground rushed up to meet you, a sharp sting ripping through your knee as you cried out, catching yourself with your hands before you could smash your face into the stone. Gasping for air, you tried desperately to fill your lungs, the rising hysteria making it difficult to steady your breathing. What if you couldn’t escape? Demetri always found you and he’d drag you back there, you knew he would. He couldn’t be allowed to find you, not this time, you had to keep moving and –

“Signorina?”

Your head snapped up, body scrambling to right itself despite the deep throbbing in your knee. A young man not too much older than yourself was slowly coming towards you, hands raised and expression concerned. He had a sort of roguish charm about him, tousled dark hair and equally as dark eyes (too lose to Alec’s angry onyx to be of any comfort) set in a tanned face. He had more colour to his skin than Alec could ever hope to have. With the sleeves of a plain white shirt rolled up to his elbows, top buttons undone and smart pants on, he must have been coming home from a shift as a waiter perhaps, maybe a barista in one of the fancier coffee houses in town, but you didn’t trust him at all. How could you trust anyone when the one person you had relied on had been a lying, manipulative, deceitful little –

“S-stay back.” You stammered, scrambling to get to your feet now. The tear in your skin oozed fresh blood, dampening your skin and making you whimper. It wasn’t that it hurt necessarily, though it did sting terribly, it was more the fear that you knew what lurked in the shadows of Volterra and if anyone smelled that…well, Demetri was a hundred times more likely to find you now, wasn’t he?

“I don’t mean you any…erm…ah…hurt?” he tried, his accent thick and his English clearly not at the level of fluency. If you were in a better state of mind you’d be at least grateful he tried, however he was still approaching you and you didn’t enjoy his proximity when you needed to move. You had to keep going, had to get to a bus stop or a train station, something! Was there even a place like that in Volterra? There had to be right? You took a step away from him, your leg failing you so you half fell, half limped forward. His arms were around you in an instant and you screamed, wriggling desperately to fight him off.

“Let me go! Let me go!”

“Merda! Smettila di lottare!” (Shit! Stop fighting!) he cursed, tightening his grip on you. Legs flailing, you threw your head back in a desperate attempt to get him to let go, your skull protesting as bone crunched beneath it. His arms dropped and you darted forward, only for your knee to give way once more. With another loud curse the boy was on-top of you then, glancing around wildly to see if anyone had noticed your scuffle yet. His weight atop you was almost suffocating given how much trouble you had already had breathing, and tears filled your eyes as you wriggled to try and be free of him.

“Get off of me! Help!” you screamed. Blood dripped from his nose onto your cheeks, hot and thick and oozing slowly down your cheek. “Stop it!” Strong hands encircled your wrists, pinning them harshly to the stone beneath you. It dug into your spine uncomfortably and it became very clear very quickly you were not escaping this boy.

“Stop!” he snapped, muttering a few choice words in Italian you had heard Felix use once or twice. His expression was contorted into a mask of pain, his nose swollen but not broken and his body holding tight to your own to keep you from moving. Your struggling was only serving to make you brush against him though, and it was clear the effect it was having on him was not helping him decide to let you go. If you had been in your right mind, you would have understood this boy was only trying to help, stop you moving to ensure you didn’t hurt yourself further, but in the moment your reality was warped and far too terrifying for you to see sense.  

“Fuoco! Fuoco!” (Fire! Fire!) Your father had always taught you to tell fire rather than help, it attracted more attention he said. You didn’t attract the kind of attention you wanted. The boy was thrown off of you in a blur of movement, his body smashing into the brickwork of the house across from you. You heard the bones shattering, his ear-piercing scream ringing in your ears as a black cloak obscured his attacker. With or without the cloak you knew who it was, the smaller, lean stature, the ferocity with which he tore into his victim. You whimpered, eyes turning away from the poor boy. There was no way to help him now, not when Alec was busy popping his bones through his skin like one might spear a sausage with a cocktail stick at a party. Rolling to your front, you tried desperately to get your trembling limbs to cooperate, your hysterical screaming echoing off of the walls.

You had barely limped three steps when the screeching behind you abruptly cut away into a gurgling sound. Ice cold hands found your shoulders and you whirled desperately to try and fend Alec off, only to freeze at the sight of the poor, mangled boy behind you. His actions may not have been good, but he didn’t deserve to be folded in on himself like a human pretzel, bones poking out of his skin and blood gushing from an open wound on his throat. He was drowning in crimson, choked by the same saccharine liquid Alec was licking off of his thumb now, onyx eyes boring into your own with his usual apathetic expression hiding the pure mania in his eyes.

He hadn’t even fed, he’d killed the boy for sport.

“See what happens when you go out alone little human?” he asked. The bile rose in your throat too quickly to stop it and Alec obligingly held your hair as you turned to the side and threw up at your feet, hot acid burning the back of your throat and stomach churning violently. Panting, you kept your wide-eyed stare fixed on the cobblestones. Even then it wasn’t enough, a trail of blood slowly seeping its way towards you, descending downhill like some morbid snake writhing between the stones. You couldn’t keep the tears away this time as Alec’s breath, metallic with the scent of another man’s blood, sent a wave of dizziness over you.

“P-please…please d-don’t…I can’t…” your head spun, too many thoughts and feelings crashing and colliding and rendering you a stammering mess before you finally grew mute, your body growing cold. Alec held you tenderly, like you were the only thing in the world to him that mattered, his embrace as soft as cotton but cold, as though death itself had shrouded you. In the distant parts of your mind you recognised he was talking to you, but you didn’t dare listen. He was the serpent that tempted Eve, a voice of velvet spinning spider webs to ensnare you. Dimly, you noted that the boy’s blood was running past your toes now.

Was this how it ended for you? Had Alec finally had enough of your obedience training? Clearly it hadn’t worked. You felt filthy to the core for enjoying his embrace, but his arms were strong and held you when your legs couldn’t anymore, his honeyed words a balm to your aching soul, promising his own brand of everlasting love - the same brand he’d gotten you hopelessly addicted to. Even his scent made your head swim, fresh linen that should be so crisp and clear, refreshing, just drowned you further. Nobody would come for you now. Alec had finally gotten you in his grasp just as he wanted and you were far, far too tainted for anyone to save. The wounds his love had inflicted too deep, festering and rotting you from the inside out, and the worst part was, you had let it happen.

You had accepted every kind word, every smile, every present, every touch, as a gift bestowed on you that you were unworthy of. So blinded by the dazzling display of redemption were you you hadn’t seen beyond the surface of the superficial affection he laid at your feet, too enamoured with all he had become to see the old monster lingering in every smile and darkening of his eyes. Alec had never changed, he had simply wore you down, so when his frozen fingers pushed your jaw upward and to the left you didn’t fight, because deep down you knew you’d never stood a chance.

“It’s alright Y/N, you’re only human,” he whispered, “You can be forgiven for that…”

“How?” your voice cracked. Forgiveness seemed impossible. If Bella or your father or anyone you loved could see you now you knew forgiveness would not be the word on their lips. How could you be forgiven for letting yourself fall so far? How could you be forgiven for being the reason that poor boy didn’t go home tonight? He had chosen to try and help you and it had only gotten him brutally murdered. The only thing Alec had ever been right about was that you were only human. None of the terrible things that had happened to you or anyone surrounding you were your fault. The blame lay solely at Alec’s feet.

“By acknowledging your flaws and becoming something more.”

Somehow, despite all the evidence before you, you really hadn’t expected him to bite down. Some part of you still thought he was above that maybe. It was like lava pouring straight from his mouth into your veins, filling your wound until it spilled over and shot down your arms, through your torso, scorching your nerve endings. It spread rapidly and you couldn’t bite back the bloodcurdling scream that left you. Alec held you tight as your body jerked, trying to escape the inescapable, the agony was all internal, a fire consuming you from the inside out.

“Alec! Alec what did you do!”

“What I had to to protect my mate!”

“Good god Alec…”

“Look at this mess.” The voices were indistinguishable, heightened and then muted, blending and yet distinctive. Your vision was too blurred to figure out the faces behind the cloaks swarming you, ripping you from one cold embrace to the next. Everything was too hot and you couldn’t escape it, no way to tear yourself out of your own body as it was flooded with acid.

“Shhhh, shhh little human.”

“Demetri get her out of here before she draws attention to this scene.”

“D-D-De-“ you barely got half of his name out before another scream broke through your throat. You didn’t have the strength to hold it back, couldn’t feel the grip your friend had on you. The world was slipping away inch by inch as you drowned in a pool of molten fire, the surface disappearing and taking you with it. Maybe this was hell? Maybe your weakness had earned you a spot in eternal fire and torment and this was only the beginning of a very long forever?

“Just give in Y/N, let go, just let go.” Somewhere through the pain you were sure Demetri had said this to you, and you battered heart didn’t know how to take it. It beat erratically, every frantic thud hoping beyond hope it would take you closer to a reunion with Bella, with the Cullen’s, with anyone you held dear. Did Demetri just want you to fall unconscious or did he mean you to really let go? What did you have to wake up for in Volterra after all? Alec would never let you leave, that much was clear now. You tried to hold onto these thoughts, really debate them and use them to ground you and keep you there, but they scattered like ash with the rest of you as the fire built to a raging inferno and melted everything you ever were.

The intense agony was all you knew now. What else could you do? Trapped in your head your only option was to count the seconds between one wave and the next, each drowning bout of flame lapping at your soul, disintegrating who you were piece by piece. By the time the fire had started to recede you weren’t sure how much time had passed, if time even had meaning. You were amazed your heart had held out under the assault of venom. It started at your extremities, like something in your chest was winching the fire back in, but as the sweet and numbing relief of the cold crept in at your toes the fire in your heart burned hotter. A grunting sound was the first thing you’d heard beyond the screaming in your head for a while, and you realised it was you, desperately fighting back the cry building in your throat as the white hot core in your chest blazed through the last of your humanity.

By the time you slumped back down, your consciousness drifting back to you slowly, you were struggling to remember how you had gotten in this predicament in the first place. Where were you? Who was around you? You wanted Bella, oh you wanted your sister so badly. The air around you felt heavier on your skin, saturated with sharp scents that overpowered your nose and made your tongue tingle when you opened your mouth for that first gasp of air. Your eyes were next to snap open, immediately focusing on the cracks in the wooden beams and the stone ceiling, the dust mites floating in the air. There was an assault of noise next, voices chattering and laughing, birds twittering, cars honking and more, so much more. Hands flying up to your ears, you noticed how it felt different to move, more fluid somehow, and the bright shine in the corner of your eye mad you sit up and move your hand back towards the light.

It glittered. Your hand was crystal, reflecting light and throwing it against the walls where it shattered into rainbow patterns, dazzling your too focused eyes.

“Y/N?”

Danger. Danger danger danger danger danger –

“Felix, give her time…it’s alright young one, we are not here to harm you.” Another foreign voice. You moved so fast everything should have blurred, your body twisting and turning  agilely as you shot off of the soft mattress and hit the hard wall with crushing force, stone chipping and falling around you while you dug your nails into the natural rock of the wall. The noise that ripped from your throat was threatening, air rushing up from your lungs and pushing out between your teeth. It shocked you enough to make you freeze, brain scrambling to catch up because there was no way that noise had come from you. Wait, who were you again? Who were they? The voices seemed familiar, but different, their faces to. The men were beautiful in a way nobody should ever be allowed to be, the flawless planes of their faces also reflecting diamond light across the walls as one slowly crept closer to you. Another hiss of air escaped your throat, warning him to stay back.

“Now who needs to give her time.” Felix, that’s what he’d called him…Felix! Your mind dredged up the murky images on demand, and you couldn’t help but frown as you tried to clear the image in your head. It was like watching the memories flow through dirty water, Felix and Demetri helping decorate your room with you, avoiding you in the corridors, no longer talking to you because Alec –

Alec!

“No.” you whispered, startled again into standing up straight, hand flying to your throat as a foreign, bell-like voice rang out. Demetri paused, letting your wild eyes take in the room.

“He is not here Y/N, the Masters’ are punishing him for his…indiscretion, by making him miss your awakening.” Felix chose his words carefully as Demetri slowly continued forward. It was so hard to focus, so much noise, so much to see, so many thoughts spinning rapidly through your mind. It worked faster now, you noticed, your brain working at top speed in a way you knew you’d only achieve with a substantial amount of caffeine if you were still human. Thoughts of Alec consumed you. Where was he? What had become of the boy he had murdered? Would he be kinder to you now you were no longer human? No longer imperfect…

“Y/N, try to focus, I know there is a lot to process right now.” Demetri sounded apologetic almost and your eyes snapped to him.

“I want to go home.” You whispered. Even as you said the words there was an uncomfortable tug in your gut, like something sharp had nicked at your intestines almost. The idea made you uncomfortable.

“What you need right now is to feed.” Demetri amended, his hand gentle on your arm. His words started an inferno in your throat. It was like the worst sore throat you’d ever had multiplied ad infinitum, the burn scorching from top to bottom while your gut twisted horribly. You weren’t just hungry, you were starving.

“Of course that’s what she needs, what newborn doesn’t?” the voice was smooth, so hypnotic you couldn’t help but relax, silently pleading to hear more. If your blood hadn’t already frozen over, you swore it would have upon seeing Alec again. He held what you assumed was the secretary in his arms, given her smart attire, but it was difficult to focus on little else other than the thrumming of her pulse, the tattoo in your brain even more hypnotising than his voice had been. Neither Demetri nor Felix could catch you as you dipped beneath their arms and snatched the body straight out of Alec’s hands, desperate to stop the burning in your throat.

“Y/N don’t!” Demetri’s voice sounded far off, almost like you were listening to him through cotton wool. The sound of blood flowing, a heart thumping…it was far far louder. Your body moved on autopilot, teeth clamping onto soft flesh. After that first burst of sweet, hot blood, your mind went completely blank. The taste was sublime, so intense on your tastebuds like nothing else had ever been. It soothed the fire in your throat some, a torrent of red dousing the flames and soaking your skin. When you could no longer take mouthfuls of the saccharine substance, a needy whine bubbled up in your throat, the tap running dry far too soon for your liking. Your throat still itched.

“Shhhhhh, I know, I know. Do not worry my love, we’ll find you more.” That voice, that hypnotic voice…with the fire in your throat calmed somewhat it was clearer in your ears, helping to ease your desperation and focus your mind some. The fingers in your hair were gentle, the occasionally brush of their skin against yours warm and inviting. You leaned into the tender touch gratefully. There was a scent too, the most intoxicating, fresh linen and pine scent, a hint of something smoky lingering underneath. Inhaling deeply, you let strong arms pull you into a firm chest, taking in lungfulls of that heady scent and letting your turbulent thoughts calm to the rhythm of the fingers running through your hair.

“Alec…”

You gasped slightly, eyes snapping open from your half-lidded gaze. The name had filled you with fear, trepidation, but the sensations surrounding you right now…you were in a safe, hazy little bubble, it was difficult to feel the fear you thought you should. You had totally forgotten he was even in the room and it was no small shock to you that he was the one holding you, that he had created this internal sense of tranquillity you were drowning in.  

“I will not let my mate starve, the Masters’ and their punishment be damned.” The smooth bass of a sprightly young voice that filtered in your ears was so similar yet so different. Alec’s voice was nothing short of mesmerising and when you looked up at him his face was just as distracting. Smooth, flawless skin, pale as the moonlight on ocean waves, stretched like an unblemished canvas across high cheekbones and a strong jaw. You could trace the perfect curve of dark eyebrows with your finger, run your hands through the soft tresses of dark hair that framed his face and brushed his eyes. Crimson red eyes peered into your own, softened by adoration and desire.

It was as if your very heart burst forth from your chest to reach out to his. You never wanted anyone else to look at you the way Alec did. Suddenly, nothing he did had mattered, because you were the imperfect one before. This man before you…you saw it now with your new eyes, saw his God-like status for what it really was. You had been unworthy until now. He had elevated you to the same status, was able to love you deeply now.

“Alec.” You breathed his name like it was a quiet prayer. His fingers moved from your hair to your jaw, slowly tracing over your cheekbone with his thumb.

“Welcome back. You are…you’re breath taking.” He gently lowered his forehead to yours and you pushed back lightly, desperate to envelop yourself in the warmth his skin now radiated.

“Really?” you whispered.

“Of course.” Alec promised. You closed your eyes, drowning in his heavenly scent.

“Y/N…you’ll need to feed some more. Perhaps we can then contact the Cullen’s and see about getting you home. We don’t usually allow newborns to stay in the castle.” Demetri spoke up finally, shattering the peaceful quiet surrounding you. That pinching sensation in your gut was back again, your eyes widening. Alec had finally accepted you! You were finally good enough and Demetri just wanted to – to send you away? No. No absolutely not. Any thoughts of going home that you had once entertained were long gone. You couldn’t leave now, not when you had to show Alec how grateful you were, how you were better now like this.

“Do I have to go?” you whispered. Alec shook his head.

“Of course not Y/N, your place is here, with me.” His lips were so soft on your own, a shiver rolling down your spine at the rightness of it. He was your perfect fit. You were made for all of his light and dark, to bear the brunt of his best and worst. You hadn’t been before, but you were ready now, ready to survive his obsession.

These violent delights have violent ends

And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,

Which, as they kiss, consume. The sweetest honey

Is loathsome in his own deliciousness

And in the taste confounds the appetite.

Therefore love moderately. Long love doth so.

Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow. Friar Lawrence, Romeo and Juliet, Act 2 Scene 6, by William Shakespeare

[moriarty-bibliotheca]

—✧ ❝𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐬❞ ✉

— 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭 ✉

𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒏 𝒔𝒂𝒚𝒔: hello sorry for my english😌 Can you ask for the script of Reader x Albert James Moriarty?. The reader is friends with the Moriarty brothers and helps them change the world, and at one point feels stronger feelings for Albert. Which scares her because she's not a noble so she feels she shouldn't love a noble so she starts to distance herself from his lover and if she talks to him it's very brief. which Albert notices and tries to talk to her in private. can there be a happy ending. Sorry🙏

❝ 𝐚𝐥𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐭 𝐣𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲 ❞

— 𝗳𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗲! 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿

— 𝗻𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀

— 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘀!

— 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱!

☎ 𝒃𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒚'𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔: i love albert so much! 😭🥺 this is the first request i’ve received in this blog, thank you so much! hope you like it! don’t apologize, love. thank you so much! now go ahead and check out the story!  

Sounds of the pen scribbling on your journal was the only thing audible at this time of the day, you were isolating yourself in the room as it seems like your mind has been occupied with a number of thoughts lately. Thoughts that you wish you never had, if you could just have the power to make this disappear in a snap, you would immediately make it go away.

You continued writing down your inner thoughts into your journal, one that he bought for you. The older Moriarty had been nothing but nice to you, ever since the day you met him, never had he or his brothers once mistreated you because you were a commoner, someone lower in rank than he is, this caused you to have a stable friendship with the three of them.

Now, of course, you knew about their wish; their wish to change the world, this society. It was ridiculous that your status by birth dictates how you should live. If you are a noble, you get the greater things in life; you get treated with respect, have a better education, work in high-paying jobs and earn more money, and even live a very luxurious life. The rich gets richer and the poor gets poorer, doesn’t that sound terrible?

A knock came through the door, interrupting your train of thoughts and your writing, you looked towards the direction of the door and placed the pen back on its penholder. “Y/N,” the youngest Moriarty’s voice came through the wooden door, “it’s lunch.” It seems you had been so occupied with your writing and your thought process that you didn’t notice the time of the day, “I’ll be right there.” You looked at the mirror and fixed yourself, you let out a deep breath and left your room. Louis was still standing there as he gave you a smile and escorted you to the dining hall.

As you arrived, you sat on your designated seat, beside him. Out of all places that you could sit on, why did you decide to sit beside him? You’ve been distancing yourself from the older Moriarty lately, all those thoughts that kept you occupied were thoughts of him; his smile, his charms, the way he treats you, those are all the things you kept thinking of, and maybe even a few thoughts of you and him in a relationship.

How scandalous, it would be impossible for a lower class woman to be in a relationship with an upper class man, especially someone working in the military like Albert. “Y/N?” Your train of thought was interrupted once more when the second Moriarty called your name, you snapped out of your trance and looked at him, he seemed to be halfway done with his food along with his two brothers, “are you alright? You haven’t touched your food,” you hadn’t noticed that your food was already served for almost 15 minutes ago.

You gave William a smile and said that you were fine, you picked up your spoon and your smile immediately dropped, you used your spoon to grab a portion of (favorite food) and ate it, you continued eating until your plate was empty. Minutes later, everyone was finished with their meals and you were ready to leave.

“Stay, it has been a while since we all chatted together,” said the older Moriarty as he gently grabbed your wrist before you could walk away, your heart started beating fast; his smooth hands was holding your wrist, his gaze and attention were all on you, and that charming smile of his seems to be hypnotizing you even more.

How you wished you had the courage to stay and chat with your friends without looking like a tomato, but you were trying to fix this unrequited feelings of love and the only way you can think of is to be distant. “I wish I could,” you said as you looked away, “but I have things to do right now, sorry.” You pulled away from his touch and ran out of the dining room, you rushed your way to your chambers and immediately closed the door, you heaved out a sigh of relief before collapsing yourself on the floor.

After you left the dining hall, William looked at his older brother with worry. “Did something happen between you two?” asked the younger Moriarty, the older one shook his head as he grabbed his glass of wine, “not that I know of, she’s been ignoring me a lot lately.” The older Moriarty stared at the liquor as he swirled his wine glass, “I’ll speak to her later,” said Albert as he took a sip of his wine.

Hours later and it’s already half past 19:00 (7 PM), you left the room with the intention of grabbing a snack, it seems the residence was quiet today, maybe they went out without informing you. You walked your way to the kitchen and looked around and even checked in the ice box for any possible snacks that you could nibble on while staying in your room, you found your favorite pastries and grabbed a plate to place a few amount that will satisfy you.

“Ah, Y/N, perfect timing,” you froze from your spot and tried to hide the plate of pastries that you grabbed, for heaven’s sake, it looked like you were stealing. You turned around and to your surprise, it was the oldest Moriarty brother standing a few feet away from you with both of his hands behind him. “Albert,” you spoke as you tried to hide the plate, but that was useless for he already knew what you were doing minutes before he even spoke up, “is there something you need?”

“I need to talk to you,” said Albert as he walked towards you, you couldn’t walk any further without bumping your back onto the wall, so you stood still and waited for him to speak. “What is it?” you asked as you tried to maintain eye contact without turning as red as a tomato.

“I have just noticed that you were distancing yourself from me, did I do something to upset you?” You weren’t expecting him to ask you directly and notice you were ignoring him, but then again, this is a Moriarty brother we’re talking about. “You noticed?” you mumbled softly, but he heard it clearly and gave you a nod, you apologized and told him you weren’t feeling well for the past few weeks, you sputtered out an amount of excuses to cover up the fact that the sole reason you were ignoring him was because you fell in love with him.

While you were sputtering out excuses, Albert retracted his hand from behind and placed his index finger in front of your lips as a way of keeping your mouth shut, you immediately stopped talking as he handed you a (chosen flower). You were surprised as you looked at the flower and back to him, he gave you a smile and waited for you to accept the flower from him. “What’s this for?” you asked as you grabbed the flower from him, you tried to calm your quick heartbeat and placed a hand over your chest before looking back at him.

“What do you think?” said Albert, he wasn’t going to give the answer so easily, you looked back at the flower and noticed that there was a folded paper attached to the stem, you grabbed the small paper and unfolded it to see the message written inside.

“I love you,” was written neatly in a beautiful penmanship, your cheeks turned red and you felt like you were in a dream, you looked back at Albert and asked, “are you okay with me being a commoner?” He looked surprised when you asked him that question, he chuckled and shook his head as he grabbed your hand and kissed it while looking at you, “your status doesn’t matter to me, my dear.”

☎ 𝒃𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒚'𝒔 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆: well, here you go! this feels a little too short or rushed, i’m sorry about that! story requests are still closed, slots are full! thank youuuu so much! visit the bibliotheca again, darling! we’re always open for a good read! stay safe, love!

[sasa-gay-yo]

Just Us (Chapter Four: Pretend)

← Chapter Three

Levi had accustomed himself to come at one on the Saturday he had off. He would walk in and order black tea, knowing I would give him the complete opposite. When the rush of people was over, he would take the cloth from my hands, commenting on how soap adds to dryness, and clean the table tops to his liking. I never understood why it took him one pass, but when I did it, he would complain over and over again. Secretly, he must want to clean. Maybe it’s his idea of normalcy. Being able to clean up inside the walls when it was hard to do the same on the outside. It gave him a sense of being in control that he didn’t have over there, so I let him clean while I swept. 

Then, we would close the windows, lock up shop, and he would take the entrance in the back of the café up to the apartment so no one would suspect anything. It felt weird having to sneak around doing no wrong, but Levi was the master of it and insisted. We would sit across from each other, tea in hand, and just talk about anything. The topics included the best water source in the walls, the gossip that plagued Trost, and how many kicks it takes to knock out all of someone’s teeth. While certain topics about the Scouts or the current expedition would come up, they were short and never really taken care of. He never asked for my time in the underground or the details about me gaining ownership of the café. It was a good game of pretend for the time being, but it got me thinking about what we were pretending to be. As we sat there, in my home, sipping tea, what was this “normal” that Levi was playing out? If he wasn’t Captain and I wasn’t civilian, then what characters were we? And at what point will this game morph into reality… if it for me hasn’t already. 

We’ve met three times more after we started the game. Twice after expeditions and once on a random day in the middle of a blizzard. The Scouts were preparing to go out for an expedition, but it was suspended for the day until the weather had cleared up. 

I never went to see Levi off. I’d listen to their shouts from the comfort of my café, but never went to see them leave the town square. I think that’s when the game we were playing would break. Seeing Levi and Captain Levi leaving and me as the civilian, hoping he’d return. I would only go meet them on their way back and we could pretend again once I saw his face and knew he was alive. It was dangerous, like I had said before. Deep down Levi had to know that too.

Now, we were in the last month of the year, and the Scouts were off on a shortened expedition so they could spend the end of the year festival with their families. I didn’t have any idea what Levi would do then. We never had the opportunity to meet for more than one night a month. Would that change?

“What the hell are you thinking about so hard? A new recipe?” I turned to Jonas who was sitting next to me. We were going over what extra I was going to order for the holidays. People desperately wanted fresh bread and pastries, and I had to include fruit in them as tradition states. I would be busy the week before the festival time, so I would have to close up for a few days and hope that my profit for the holidays would outweigh that of which I lost. It usually did and I had most of my savings because of the year-end. Last year, I had enough saved to even go out and enjoy the festivities they put on in Trost. 

“I’m doing math in my head, hold on. If it takes four berries per pastry and twelve a batch and I plan to make twelve batches that's...I wrote it down, that's like, round up, six-hundred. And you said you can guarantee there to be twenty plus in each box, so I’ll have to buy… thirty boxes! That’s so much money!” I whined on the table and Jonas wrote down the number on the form. At least I would get a friends and family discount. 

“I think people will want more than you have anyways. I mean, this is the time of year you usually have a line outside of the café.” He put a hand on my back and I sat up again. 

“It’s just I hate spending money every year on a business gamble. Especially when I have to get gifts for people too. With the increased prices, I’ll have to dig into reserves and I have yet to buy just regular working items in the capital. That's another five or six days off.” I put my head in my hands again. Too much to think about. 

“I could go to the capital with you this time. It would be easier since I know a lot of the merchants there.” I shook my head no.

“I don’t just get supplies at the capital. Sometimes I go to get my hair cut, other times I shop for a whole day for gifts. It’s really boring, and besides you have to deliver things. I know the volume of orders is also a lot during this time.” He nodded and looked dejected that I rejected his offer, which made me smirk. Don’t think I’ve forgotten what June said to me… and I’ve noticed it too. The hand bandages, bringing in extra stuff from Reeve’s, showing up right when Levi does and talking for an hour. He may not be that smart, but the common sense he has is astounding. 

“Well, if you don’t let me go to the capital with you, then you have to go to the year-end-” 

“The Scouts are back! Only two casualties!” I cut off Jonas from whatever he was going on about and walked out the café door with the other customers. The two casualties remark got them on their feet, excited, but any talk of casualties got my stomach turning. It would never be Levi, but there was always an off chance. 

This time, lots of people gathered around the streets, probably even some visitors to see their child return from the Scouts. It was always something that happened during this time of year. A long vacation meant that the families could finally be together and rejoice about another year alive. It made me think about the families that had those hopes devastated. This year-end would be different for them. 

The Scouts turned the corner with less than before, but not because of death. People had gotten off the convoy when they had seen their family. Some people would not get off and ride to either lodgings in Trost or the HQ. Levi was one of those people. If I had known about the way the Scouts do year-end, I would have invited him to come and stay in my apartment and not have to ride back and forth from outside Trost. Even if I did that, for threat of rumors, he probably wouldn’t have gotten off at the café. 

I saw him by Erwin, all near the end this time so that the others could leave the line undisturbed. We locked eyes and he nodded once before staring ahead again. I smiled and turned back around, entering the warmth of the café. Jonas followed looking back and forth between me and the Captain on his horse. If anyone had suspicions about Levi, it was him and the older women who seemed to always show up at one on Saturday. This time, I had no idea when he would show up to the café, as he was much more freer than usual. 

“Is Captain Levi going to buy some pastries for his Scout comrades?” It was probably jealousy that made him act so hostile. I wish he would just act normal in these situations.

“I hope so. That’s a lot of pastries to buy. I might even force him to for how many cups of my tea he drinks.” That wasn’t a lie. I would need to buy peppermint tea in the capital by how much we’ve both drank in the past 2 months. Who knew three nights could ruin my supply of tea? And I was worried about the Garrison.

“He pays for all of them, right?” I nodded and signed the order form. Jonas was just trying to find one crack in Levi’s personality. Something to make it easy to hate him more.

“Every third cup is free though. Maybe I’ll eliminate that policy just for him.” I wanted to get Jonas to laugh, but I guess when talking about Levi that was impossible. 

“Since this is such a large order, you have to put fifteen percent down. Company policy.” I reached into the bag that held some of my money and sadly dished it out. Why must this world run on a monetary system? 

“Well, I’m off. The bar down the road has a lot of wine to order. I’ll see you in a few days, yeah? You’re planning to go to the festival, right?” I nodded and stood up, walking him out. 

“Of course! I have to give you your gift, too. Don’t tell anyone, but I think you’re going to like what I planned.” He smiled and raised one hand in the air to wave goodbye as he walked through the crowd. In all honesty, I had no idea what I was going to buy him or anyone. I just went to the capital and hoped the items at the marketplace spoke to me. 

“Do you have something for me planned too?” I jumped and almost slammed the door on him. Levi was leaning against the outside wall, one leg up, like he always did. I just wasn’t expecting him to come today or this quickly. My heart started beating fast again. 

“I thought you’d be going to HQ.” I looked him up and down. He was in black slacks and white shirt, his regular, everyday outfit. That was a quick change. I tried to tell him that he still stuck out because we don’t dress like that, but he refused. Even his clothes had to have crisp, clean folds and edges that made them stand out.

“Erwin thought it would be nice to have the Scouts without families to board together in town for the festival. So we wouldn’t have to go back and forth.” Convenient. 

“That’s cute. Is it also because Mitras doesn’t want to send in any MPs, so they put you all in charge for the district you’re closest to?” He smirked for a second then dropped it. 

“How did you guess that?” I smiled and moved out of the way so he could walk into the café. 

“It happened last year too. I forgot you weren’t there yet. The old ladies aren’t here to oogle at you, so you’re going to have to deal with no female attention.” He followed me behind the counter where he leans against to watch me bake or make coffee when he’s too bored of the window. With the news of the Scouts and families reuniting, the café was now empty. Levi would allow himself to play the normal game again. 

“I think I’ll be fine.” He stood there, watching me make puff pastry for what felt like forever. Even if it was comfortable to have his eyes on me, sometimes when I knew he wanted to say something, it was annoying. 

“If you’re so interested in how to fold puff pastry, I can show you tonight.” 

“O-Oh… Um, I can’t stay tonight. We have an officer’s meeting to plan all of the expeditions for next year.” Oh. That’s a first. Why did it make me so sad that he said he couldn’t stay? I’m not used to it. We’ve only done it four times.

“I’ll be going to the capital tomorrow. I guess we’ll both have to wait a few days to finish our conversation on what color to repaint the walls of the Scout HQ.” He switched sides of the counter so he was leaning on the one I was working on. When he did this, it meant he wanted to know I understood something. Very Captain of him.

“Capital? By yourself? At this time of year?” I nodded and pushed aside a finished puff pastry sheet. 

“I always do. I have to get a lot of things for the festival. I also buy gifts, so if you want to have an amazing gift like Jonas, I have to go.” That made him blink and I’d never seen that look before. He seemed dumbfounded with the idea I was going to travel there myself. 

“You’re actually buying me a gift?” Oh, so it wasn't the trip. It was the fact someone was going to get him a gift. I’m sure he’s had someone give him gifts before; his fellow officers or friends or someone.

“Of course I am. I’d consider you important enough to get a gift for.” The reddening of his face didn’t go unnoticed. Another win for me. I’ve made it my mission to get him to show emotion on a daily basis so I wouldn’t have to guess what he was thinking. So far I’ve gotten one smile, three instances of blush, and one small laugh.

This is what I meant by pretending to be normal. If he wasn’t a Captain right now, and Captain Levi would never blush, then who was he? What person was he playing that would stand right next to me and blush? Who am I playing to have the right to elicit this type of reaction from him? Right now, I wasn’t playing. When I talk about paint and not about how curious I am about Levi’s time in the underground, that's pretending. How far does Levi take it?

“I guess I’ll have to buy you a gift at the capital too.” I stopped folding dough. My heart picked up speed again. 

“Huh?” 

“Well, you can’t go on your own to the capital. Someone who’s capable of defending you from the Underground pickpocketers has to go with. I know how they work too. Plus, I have to get gifts for people. It’s just convenient that you happen to be going tomorrow.” I raised an eyebrow and remembered how easily I had denied Jonas. Was it real me or pretend me that didn’t want to deny Levi of escorting me to the capital? It all seemed like a fairytale; being escorted by a handsome, capable male. Short, but capable. Who was I to deny myself of that?

“I’ll think about it. I might leave you if you show up though. You don’t even know what time I’m going,” He pointed to the door, one hand still in the pocket of his damn slacks.

“Assuming that the sign you put on the door is correct, you’re closing tomorrow at noon. If I come at noon, I’ll catch you just in time for you to deny me.” He seemed to be in a good mood today if he was making jokes like that. Levi’s conversation depended on how that last expedition went it seems. Once he came back and barely talked to me. At that point I prepped dough while he sat on my couch staring hard at the wall. The other time he came back, he was his normal self. Not talking much in the morning, but then talking about all the ways he’d remodel the Scout HQ if they had the money at night. No matter what mood, he wouldn’t talk to me about the expeditions. The line he wouldn’t cross, I’m assuming. 

The next day the café was extra busy as everyone wanted to get their orders in before I closed early. There were bulk orders for parties, the buying of heavy amounts of bread, and regular coffee sales. When noon came around, I was proud to say I was legitimately out of bread and only had a few pastries. I decided to take those along on the ferry ride. 

I went upstairs using the back way, going to grab my bag and the amounts of money I put aside. Last night, I made sure I calculated four or five times, allotting only a few extra amounts of change if I went over budget. During year-end, I had to be very strict with my spending if I didn’t want to go in the negative like Mr. Flynn had taught me. 

“Eva.” I stopped walking up the stairs and saw the person sitting on my steps. Was it bad that I felt disappointed that it wasn’t Levi? He said he was going to come at noon.

“Jonas. What can I do for you? I gotta run soon to buy a ticket to the ferry.” He smiled and held up two pieces of paper. Oh gods. 

“I bought them already. Like it or not, I’m coming with you.” That unsettled me, because I had subconsciously accepted Levi’s offer. Jonas might be a bit heartbroken if I say that. 

“Uh, Jonas, you should go return those tickets so you don’t waste your money. If you do it an hour before the ferry, they give you a full refund.” I tried to push past him to get to get into my house, but he held his hands up. This was getting frustrating. He wouldn’t even let me get into my own house. 

“You shouldn’t be going alone at this time, Eva. You remember what happened last year, you got robbed!” I rolled my eyes and tried to push past him again, but it didn’t work because I wasn’t a six foot tall man who lifts heavy boxes everyday. 

“They tried to take my money, but it was an empty bag, Jonas. I’m not stupid enough to be carrying things around like that. If anyone knows how pickpockets work, Jonas, I’m one of them. Please, can I get into my house.” He stepped up one more step and held his arms out wide like he was doing something heroic. I couldn’t tell him that I wasn’t going alone, so he’d just have to trust me on this one. 

“Do I have to kick you off these stairs?” Jonas froze and his eyes almost bugged out of his head. I had to lean over so I could see where the harsh voice came from. Curiously enough, he was standing there in my opened door. How the hell did he get into my apartment? Did I not lock it this morning? His voice was the harshest I’ve ever heard it.

“What are you doing here?” Jonas snapped his head back and almost hit mine. This was the first time Jonas had probably said a full sentence to Levi that wasn’t full of stutters. 

Levi’s eyes were scary too. Meeting them, I could see his unfaltering glare towards Jonas. Chills. It didn’t help that he was looking down at us the whole time. 

“I’m here to escort Miss. Flynn to the capital so she can fill out a personal order for the Scouts.” It was a good lie that even I wouldn’t have been able to think of. He even used my last name which made it sound more legitimate. The only thing that might have been against us were those damn black slacks. 

“Is that true?” Jonas whipped his head back around and again almost hit me. I gave him an annoyed look before scratching the back of my head. 

“Yes, it’s true. Now, if you’ll let me by, I need to get my bag.” He looked defeated when I walked by him and I honestly didn’t think it was this serious. Maybe he had something planned but now Levi had come by and ruined it. Money was wasted on those tickets.

Without a word, I walked into the door past Levi and he slammed it behind me. I didn’t think he’d do that and thought it a bit rude to Jonas, but we didn’t have time for apologies. I’d give him a free cookie when I got back. The ferry was going to leave in about an hour and it takes twenty minutes to walk, not even mentioning the lines. 

“Do you have money to buy a ticket to the ferry? I didn’t budget two people.” He put on a tan winter coat before shaking his head no. It was a nice coat with the wings of freedom on the back and a fur lining in the hood. It mimicked that of their capes, but these were definitely for winter. It looked nice and warm. 

“We’re taking horses.” I dropped my bag and turned quickly to him. 

“Huh?! I don’t even know how to ride a horse!” He let out a huff in laughter and slung his bag over his shoulder. I hated horses. 

“It’s not hard. Besides, your horse is tied to mine. All you have to do is sit.” Oh, yeah, sit on an animal running at top speed. Of course the soldier is making it sound so easy. I’m even in a skirt, how is that going to work?

“I’d rather buy you the extra ticket.” 

“Don’t tell me you’re afraid of a horse.” He sounded… annoyed? Tough. I wasn’t going to tell him he was right though.  

“I’m just more comfortable going on the ferry. It’s what I always do.” I put on my coat and he opened the door slightly, probably checking to see if Jonas was still there. 

“Your boy seemed extra confident today. He even glared at me from less than 5 feet away. Usually he stands by your counter and does it. You should tell him I’m proud.” I rolled my eyes and headed out the door. My boy. What kind of… 

“Are we still trying to get on the ferry or have you snapped out of your delusion that it's better than horseback?” I shook my head and put my hands in my pockets. I couldn’t risk them getting any dryer in this weather. Hopefully, he had some spare gloves.

“You can take the horse. I’ll meet you in a few days.” He groaned but kept walking next to me. 

“If we take the horses we’ll get there early in the morning tomorrow. It would reduce it down to a three day trip instead of a six day one. You’d lose less money that way.” 

“I have enough money. Even more now that the Scouts want to order some pastries from me.” It was supposed to be a jab at him, but he didn’t falter at all. 

“Erwin said he wants something sweet. I’m assuming something with fruit too. I don’t know what these people like, so I’ll just order the most common thing I can.” I stopped walking and he went a few steps ahead of me before turning around. 

“You were… Y-you were serious about the order?” He nodded.

“At the meeting yesterday, I volunteered to get desserts for the officer’s year-end party they always have. You’re the best in Trost, aren’t you?”

Somehow that got me on his damn horse.

Chapter Five → 

Chapter Masterlist

[avengerscompound]

Running to a Standstill - 15

Running to a Standstill: A Captain America Fanfic

Masterlist PREVIOUS //

Buy me a ☕ Character Pairing:  Bucky Barnes x Steve Rogers x F!Reader

Word Count:  1610

Rating:  E

Warnings: Nothing for this chapter

Synopsis: While on the run from an unknown organization trying to take your son, you meet two super-soldiers.  While they try to help you get to the bottom of who is hunting you and your son, feelings come out and admissions are made that make your personal life even more tricky.

Chapter 15

It was too easy to fall into a sense of comfortable security while you were navigating your relationship with Bucky and Steve.  Whether it was false or not, you still had moments where it scared you how many defenses you’d let down when you were with them.  Two weeks after the incident at the library and you were heading out to parks again with Geo and Bucky.  A month of nothing popping up on your radar and you were relaxed enough not to keep looking around everywhere while you were out.  It wasn’t a conscious thing, but if you were asked why you’d relaxed so much you might have said that it was just a hope that the people after you had seen you with the Avengers and figured you were too difficult a target to pin down.

It was hard to say if it was exactly that.  The truth was that being that relaxed most of the time made those times you weren’t relaxed worse.  When it all bubbled up that it was quite possible that there were people out there that still wanted to get their hands on Geo you’d have a panic attack and on more than one occasion Steve and Bucky had needed to talk you down from doing something really rash or stupid.

You wished that there would be some kind of break in the case so that whoever the hell it was that had been hunting you could be arrested and your son could get a normal fucking life.  Or at least a happy and stable one.  Steve kept you up-to-date with what was going on, but even after almost two months of having people undercover they’d only managed to get in with a few of the larger dealers on the island and they still didn’t have the supplier.

You figured it had to happen some time though, so even when those panic attacks hit, you didn’t run.  You were falling in love and as much as you were trying to protect Geo from becoming attached to Bucky or Steve you knew he already was.  And not just to Bucky or Steve, but to Tony, Pepper, Natasha, Clint, and FRIDAY too.  You had to commit to this working for his sake and hope it wasn’t the worst decision you’d ever made.

They made it easy to commit to though.  The three of you had been following the plan you and Steve had set out.  Bucky had been sticking to your side for every outing.  He came to parks and museums with you, always making sure to stay alert ever when Geo was babbling away to him or using him as some kind of organic jungle gym.  Even after a month and a half of no signs of being followed he stayed alert in ways you had stopped being.  He noticed everything, and it might have been part of the reason why you had started to relax so much.

The three of you had been taking time to bond with each other individually as well as together. It was working well and even when you did have small flares of jealousy over what might have been perceived as a special bond between Bucky and Steve that you didn't always feel you shared, they were quickly chased away when your own unique bond with each man was pulled into the spotlight.

This was not at all the life you had envisioned for yourself when you’d started college all those years ago, but considering the huge dip the roller coaster that was your life had taken, while this new high was unique, but you were definitely enjoying it.

Bucky had organized a trip to the Math Museum.  He’d had to call ahead because the security at the venue was pretty tight and he didn’t want to have to explain why he was carrying two different handguns and three different knives into a children’s museum.

They let the three of you through the gift shop and as soon as you’d entered the play area Geo had rushed to the square wheeled tricycles and started riding one of them around in circles, occasionally needing Bucky to give him a little push but squealing with excitement anytime he got any kind of speed up.

“We really need to get that kid a bike,” Bucky said.

“Yeah, things like bikes were never really very practical,” you admitted. “I guess if we’re sticking around we can get one.”

Bucky smiled.  It was a smile that made his eyes look soft and content and he wrapped his arm around your waist.  “Next time we go out, we should take him to get one.”

Geo climbed off the bike and toddled over to you.  You crouched down to face him and he flopped down onto the ground, his fingers opening and closing on the ground.  “Down dare,” he said.

“You want to go downstairs?”  You asked.

“They down dare,” he said and patted the floor.

“Okay, come on kiddo,” Bucky said, picking him up so he was upside down, kicking and giggling in delight.  “Let’s go see downstairs.”

Bucky carried Geo down the stairs and it was clear even by halfway down what had been calling to Geo.  The room was filled with interactive screens, battling robots, and floors that lit up with different games.  Geo came alive.  Running from activity to activity with no pattern you could follow but a smile that wouldn’t leave his face.  There was no other kid there, regardless of their age that could keep up with him.  Every machine seemed to want to please Geo and they all performed their roles perfectly for him.

It felt like you were down there for hours.  Geo just jumping from one thing to the next.  Eventually he started to wane and he ended up just lying down in the middle of the mathsquare - much to the annoyance at the kids trying to play on it.

Bucky went and scooped him up.  “Okay, Gee, how about we go and get some hotdogs?”

“Bug-key,” Geo whined, flopping dramatically in his arms.

“Maybe we should just get him home, he looks pretty tired,” you said, as you walked upstairs with Bucky.

“Didn’t you want to head down to the farmer’s market?”  Bucky asked.  “You have the stroller right?”

You nodded.  “Okay, if you’re sure.”

You grabbed the stroller and Bucky put the little boy in it.  Geo immediately shoved his thumb in his mouth and held his hand up.  Bucky dug around in this backpack and pulled out the tablet, giving it to Geo who immediately hugged it and closed his eyes.

Moments like these gave you such mixed feelings.  Bucky had gotten so good with Geo he could read him without Geo using his words.  He was becoming a dad to him more and more each day.  It was wonderful in so many ways.  Both Steve and Bucky seemed to love that role and it was rare to find men like that and here you had two who not only obviously liked Geo and cared about his wellbeing, but cared about you too and accepted that the two of you came as a package.  Yet it was also terrifying.  The more they fit that role the worse it would hurt if it didn’t last.  It was so soon in your romantic relationship and it was so much pressure to love up to that even under normal circumstances things would feel like they were moving too fast and were too fragile to hold onto.  And these were far from normal circumstances.

Bucky offered you his arm and you hooked yours around it and began the walk past Madison Square Park.

It wasn’t a long walk to Union Square Park and it was a nice day out.  Geo was deep asleep by the time you arrived at the bustling markets.

“I consider myself a native and I don’t think I’ve ever been to these markets before,” Bucky said as you passed under the banner welcoming you to the markets.   “There’s so much stuff.”

“What do you want to get?  Purple carrots?  Edible flowers? Little chilies that blow your head off?”  You asked.

“Yes to all of those things,” he agreed.  “But I’m hungry right now, so let's find something we can eat as we walk around.”

You found a place selling pastries and paninis and grabbed a sandwich each to eat as you strolled the markets. Bucky kept getting ideas for meals with every new stall.  Your reusable bags were soon filled with colorful tomatoes and chilies, purple carrots, rainbow chard, edible flowers, crusty bread, pickles bottled in Amish country, fresh herbs, raw honey and milk, and a selection of cured meats and cheeses. 

“I think we might have enough,” you said as Bucky started browsing punnets of fresh berries.

“We don’t have any fruit,” he argued.  Geo likes blueberries and I could make a mixed berry pie.”

“Okay, okay, I won’t argue with pie,” you said.

Bucky had selected a few punnets and his phone rang as he went to pay.  You took over for him as he answered the phone.

“Hey, Steve, what’s up?”  He said, pressing the phone to his ear.  “We’re at Union Square… Five minutes if I can get a cab…  Alright, see you soon.”

He hung up the phone and looked at you.  “Gonna have to go.  Steve said it’s urgent.”

“Good urgent or bad?”  You said, a familiar panic starting to close in around your heart like a snake.

“I don’t know. Come on,” he said, leading you back out of the markets. “We’ll find out soon enough.”

// NEXT

[lu-undy]

Un-alone, chapter 10

Here it is!

“So you have come on the promise of nothing, hm?”

The air was cold and the morning, slightly foggy in Boston. Jérémy couldn't see his father's sly smirk.

“You said I’d get a job.”

“So you came here for the job?”

“What else?” The young man answered, raising his hood above his head to cover himself from the cold. He looked on the bench and the older man was smoking. 

“You are three minutes late however.” Lucien rose to his feet and glanced at his watch. 

"It's only three minutes." Jérémy shrugged.

"A lot can happen in three minutes." 

"Like what?"

"I held your friend Johnny back in less than three minutes."

Jérémy fell silent for a while.

"So, you gonna tell me what the job is or what?" 

"Impatient. You remind me of myself when I was… about half of your age." Lucien started walking away.

"Hey…!"

"What do you see around you?" Lucien asked as Jérémy caught up with him.

"What?"

"Describe it." 

Jérémy looked around. 

"Uh… We're in a park and uh… It's freakin' empty and I got the feeling that I woke up for nothin'?"

"Uh-uh." Lucien stopped and raised an index finger. "The surroundings, not your emotions."

Jérémy sighed and followed when the French stranger walked again.

"Alright, alright…" Lucien couldn't help but smirk seeing his son obey him so easily. "There are trees and benches and… Grass grows, sun shines and I don't know what I'm doin' here!"

"Again." Lucien said. "Surroundings, not yourself." 

"Why the hell am I doin' all this?!" 

"Silence and resume at once." Lucien calmly answered. 

"Raaah…!" Jérémy's frustration grew a notch more. "There's no one and nothing, man! Now either you tell me what the fuck this job's about or I'll go with my pals!"

Lucien chuckled. 

“What?!”

“You might be fast on your legs, but you are blind.”

“What?!” Jérémy’s voice jumped an octave.

“Look around you. There are people.”

“Yeah, and?”

“Describe them to me.” Lucien repeated. 

“Ugh…” The young man sighed and his shoulders sank. “There’s a guy with a… A coat and a beanie cause it’s freakin’ cold and uh… There’s an old woman walking her tiny dog, God I hate those, they look like mad rats…!”

“Description.”

“Right, right… There’s another guy with a dog and that’s it.”

Lucien stopped walking. 

“Tsk, tsk, tsk.” He threw the cigarette nonchalantly and it landed in the bin. “You have not finished.”

“Yeah, I have, there’s nothing else!”

“But there is.” Lucien insisted and turned to face his son. “What about that man far to your right? And the squirrels fighting in that tree? And the bench in front of us, you have not mentioned them.”

“That dude’s homeless and who cares about squirrels and benches?”

“The question has never been about who cares. I asked you for a simple task, yet you did not complete it."

Jérémy shook his head before lowering it. 

"Let us see something else." Lucien approached a tree. "Stay where you are. I will hide behind this tree. Count five seconds and try to find me." 

"So now we're playin' hide-and-seek?" 

Lucien ignored the question and went behind the tree. 

“Do I have to close my eyes to count or…?”

“I shall leave this to your discretion.” The voice with the French accent answered from behind the tree trunk.

“Alright then…” He kept his eyes open and counted out loud. “One… Two.. Three… Four… And five. Ready or not, here I come!” Jérémy approached the tree decidedly and went behind it. “What the-?”

The older man wasn’t there. 

“How the hell did you manage to go anywhere? I was there and watching everything!” The young man looked left and right, up and down, as if the Frenchman could have flown to the nearest cloud or hid underground. “Hey…? Uh… I don’t even know your name! Uh… You… Frenchie?”

Lucien rolled his eyes. 

“Frenchie…? Oi! Where are you?” Jérémy started walking around. 

Lucien made his son’s wandering around last for a while longer, mildly amused by his bewilderment. 

“For fuck’s sake - ouch?!”

“Language.” Lucien had appeared out of a cloud of thin smoke and gave a light tap at the back of his son’s head.

“Where were you?!”

“Waiting for you to find me and again, you left me disappointed. I am starting to think that you might not suit the job.” Lucien got his cigarette case out and flipped it open. His hands went on autopilot to take a cigarette and flick his silver lighter. “Nevermind then, I wish you luck on your path.”

He started walking away and counted down in his head. He knew Jérémy would not let the opportunity slip. But of course, he wanted to show the boy that he had to hang on and fight for what he wanted. It was a stroke of luck that Lucien offered to train him and follow his steps. Never had the Frenchman thought that he would be training his son and putting him in the same train of life as his, but something deep down inside yearned to see Jérémy have a better life than his own. Jérémy wasn’t him. Maybe, maybe he could pull it off. Maybe, if Lucien helped, just maybe he could fabricate himself a life that made sense.

And like the desperate man he was, Lucien believed it. He believed his own imagination and his own little narrative. Again. 

Some people never learn, others don’t want to. 

“Hey! Hold on!”

A sly smile flashed on his thin lips as he stopped. Lucien slipped his gloved hands in the pockets of his long, dark blue coat.

"You can't just make me wake up super early and leave me there?!" 

"Then, try to follow me." Lucien walked decidedly and Jérémy caught up with him. As the morning sun rose and more people came to the park, the young man got distracted by the passer-bys -- Lucien noticed his gaze wander and stick to any and every woman he could glue his eyes on -- and as he reached the gates of the park's entrance, Jérémy looked to his left to the Frenchman but he wasn't there. 

"Oh, jeez! Again? Seriously?!" He shook his head and frowned, annoyed. He looked around him and saw a silhouette with salt and pepper hair make a turn at the end of the street. "Oh!" 

Jérémy ran to it and took the same turn only to look for the man again. He should have been right there! Jérémy walked in the streets, looking left and right at people, at each alley and crossroads. 

"Where the fuck is he - ouch?!" 

"Language." Lucien appeared out of a thin cloud of smoke and had tapped the back of his son's head again. 

"Where were you?!" 

"Right behind you." 

They now walked side by side.

"Look, you gotta tell me what the job is, I'm tired of playin' with you." 

Lucien pulled the door to a café and held it open. 

"I presume you skipped breakfast this morning." 

The door was open long enough for the smell of coffee and warm pastries to reach Jérémy's nose. 

"Yeah but this place is not for people like me." He answered, ashamed to just admit bluntly that he lacked the money to afford something there. 

"Come on, I don't have all day." Lucien insisted, and Jérémy sighed as he walked past his father, entering the warm café. 

There was some faint jazz music playing in the background and people were all dressed in suits and ties. Jérémy blushed and lowered his head. His hoodie and jeans full of holes screamed louder than he ever could in that decor. 

"A table for two. Thank you." 

Father and son followed the waiter. As Jérémy sat down, Lucien pulled his hoodie off of his head. 

"You are inside. Covering your head is impolite." He said before his son could protest.

Lucien went to his seat and removed his scarf and long, navy blue coat. They both were seated in a corner. 

"What will you have?" Lucien asked, still reading the menu in his gloved hand.

"First, your name." 

The older man's eyebrows twitched. Ah, finally, something he did not see coming. Interesting. 

"You may call me L."

"L?"

"Oui." 

"L like what?" 

"A lot of things." Lucien's eyes never left the leather-back menu. 

"L like liar." 

The Frenchman's eyes flashed from the menu to his son's blue eyes. 

"Pardon?" He asked in his mother tongue. 

"You told me I'd get a job and I'm sittin' here with you with nothin'. You're a liar." 

Lucien frowned and put the menu back on the table.

"You should watch your tongue."

"Why? What're you gonna do, huh?" 

Lucien took a deep breath. 

"I am sure you can remember Johnny. If I can stop him from causing a scene with three fingers, you may wonder what I might do to stop you, young man." 

Jérémy stared back at his father fiercely. There was something in the Frenchman's beard, in his neck-long, salt and pepper hair that tickled his eyes whenever he looked at the Frenchman. And those glasses… 

The Bostonian sighed. 

"So, what will you have?" Lucien resumed and picked up the menu again, as if nothing had happened. 

"Nothin'... L." 

"Yet, you clearly crave it." 

"I-!" Jérémy stopped himself and lowered his voice again. "I can't pay anythin' from here." He almost whispered, looking left and right. 

Lucien lowered the menu enough for the young man to see his eyes. 

"That was not my question." He answered. "Young and starving as you are, you may go for the full English breakfast."

Jérémy wanted to both thank him for the free meal but also beat him up. The arrogance of that guy, seriously! There he was in his little suit and tie, lookin' all prim and proper, about to pay a breakfast for a guy half his age like he's doing charity work!

"Hold on." The young man frowned and stopped his train of thought.

Lucien hid his eyes behind the menu again. 

"You don't wanna know my name?" 

"I already know it. I think I will go for a cappuccino and a croissant, or maybe a pain au chocolat…? Hm, I am hesitating."

"How d'you know my name?" 

"I could ask you the same with the negative form. Non, it is definitely cold this morning, I shall go with both a croissant and a pain au chocolat. I might have the appetite for both. Hm, who would have thought?"

"What…?" Jérémy blinked repeatedly and squinted. "What's that supposed to mean…? Anyway, what's my name then, fancypants - ouch?!" 

Lucien tapped him at the back of his head again. 

"What was that for?! I didn't say the f-word!"

"Non, you did not, but you lacked the respect you owe me." Lucien calmly answered and a waiter approached. 

"Have you made your choice, gentlemen?" 

Lucien looked at his son. 

"Y-yeah, I get the full English thing… Ouch?!"

"Ask politely."

"Please…!" Jérémy added, rubbing the back of his head. 

"And for me, a cappuccino with a croissant and a pain au chocolat. Merci." 

The waiter disappeared and left father and son alone. 

"Jérémy."

The young man opened wide eyes. 

"Your name is Jérémy. You were born on a day of early June, a Saturday if I remember and it all happened here, in Boston. You were raised by your single mother, in the chaos that is a household dominated by seven half-brothers, all older than you are. May I add that they are far from good examples to you and you are at a point in your life now where you must decide." 

Jérémy's jaw dropped. The waiter came back and placed their order on the table. 

"Merci." Lucien answered with a polite nod and a smile. He waited for the waiter to disappear before he took the sugar cubes, two, and dipped them in his coffee. 

"I must decide what?" 

"What indeed." Lucien answered as he lazily stirred his coffee. “You should eat while it is hot.”

Jérémy pulled the plate closer to himself and didn’t waste time. The father watched as his son dived in his plate. Poor boy, he must have been quite hungry…

“You can either follow your half-brothers and friends.”

“Or…? What can I mph-ouch?!”

“Do not speak with your mouth full, it is impolite.”

Jérémy grumbled and between speaking or eating, he chose eating. His eyes darted back down to his plate. 

“Or you could follow me.” Lucien finished and Jérémy finished chewing and gulping down on his strips of bacon before speaking. 

“Follow you?”

Lucien took a sip of his coffee and put the cup down. 

"I must warn you however. Accepting to be trained by me, means that you will have to leave your half-brothers." 

"What?" Jérémy frowned again. "What d'you mean 'trained by you'? And are you sayin' I'll have to leave my brothers behind?"

"I'm afraid that it is much safer this way, for you and for them." 

"What the f-ouch! Ok, I got it… What's the job about? And why did you have me do all this weird stuff this mornin' in the park?" 

"Simple tasks, simple tests."

"And what's the result then?" 

"You have some precious qualities…" Lucien started and Jérémy smiled widely, inflating his chest like a proud rooster. "But a lot to learn still and the attention span of a chicken." 

"A chicken?!" 

"Non, actually… Uhm, what are they called in English again…?" Lucien took a split second to think. "Ah, oui, the attention span of a fly." 

"What?!" Jérémy's jaw dropped. 

"You cannot focus on anything for longer than a few seconds and your eyes are not trained to see but to ignore. You choose to pay attention to ladies passing by in the street when you should let the surroundings offer their richness for you to absorb."

"You make no f-" Lucien raised his gloved hand. "Freakin' sense." Jérémy said and nonetheless ducked his head slightly, in anticipation for the hit behind it. 

"But I know you can be patient. If you put your attention in something, and by that I mean something other than women passing by, then we can work."

"Mh…" Jérémy continued eating. 

"Do you know Washington square?"

"Yeah, why?" 

"We are heading there after breakfast." 

"Why?" 

"This is the location of your new job."

"What? There's only offices and skyscrapers there!"

"Oui, the main building is the headquarters."

"The headquarters of what?" 

"It matters very little, I am taking you underground."

"Uh…"

"There is a gymnasium. I need to test your fitness." Lucien said and grabbed his croissant. 

"So you remove the gloves only for the croissants? Man, you're so French…" Jérémy shook his head and looked back down at his plate. 

And you are half that. Lucien thought with an amused smile on his lips. 

When both gentlemen finished, Jérémy was surprised to see that indeed, L was taking him in the direction of Washington square. 

"You sure know your way around here but you haven't been here long, have you?" Jérémy asked.

Lucien's eyes twinkled and he smirked. Jérémy must have thought that given the strength of his French accent, Lucien wasn't from these parts of the world. He however knew how to navigate through the streets with ease. Ah, oui, oui! The deductive mind! There it was!

"This gives me great hope." He answered. 

"What? Why? Wanna become a tourist guide or something?" Jérémy asked. 

"Non." Lucien answered with a chuckle. 

"Then what?" 

They crossed the square and arrived at the foot of the main skyscraper. Lucien stood in front of the door and turned to his son. 

"Les chiens ne font pas des chats."

"Y'know I don't get a bit of French, right?"

"I think in English you say 'The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.' Now, I must say that I am pleased that you prefer following me rather than the path of your half-brothers."

"H-hold on, what? Who said I'm acceptin' the job? I don't even know what it is?" Jérémy asked. 

"You have followed me this far, haven’t you?” Lucien cocked an eyebrow.

“Yeah but-”

“Exactly.” Lucien cut him. “If you walk through this door, there is no means to turn back and return to your life. If you follow me through this door, you sign your life to your new employer.”

“You?”

“Non. Much bigger, so big in fact that it is surrounding you.”

“What?”

“Jérémy.” Lucien put his hands on his son’s shoulders and looked him dead in the eye, bending slightly down to be at eye-level. “Are you sure you want to choose this life? You renounce your family, your friends, your life as it is. Do not think of the money, for if I train you, you will make plenty of it. Think about what your heart wants right now.”

Jérémy frowned and looked down. 

“What do you want right this instant?” Lucien asked. 

“You sure this job’s not illegal?”

“Absolutely not.” Lucien answered. 

“It’s clean? I’m not doin’ things to hurt people without them knowing?” Jérémy looked back up at his father’s light blue eyes.

“You might hurt people, but trust me, more often than not, they know there is a threat. Part of  your job is precisely for them not to know that you are it.” The father answered.

Jérémy took a deep breath. 

“Why are you asking me this? I would have expected you to ask me about the pay and such, yet you are asking me something about the rightness of this? You were about to deal drugs, Jérémy.”

“I know - I just… My Ma’…”

Lucien’s eyebrows jumped. 

“What about her?” He asked.

“She used to hurt people without them knowing. It’s awful.”

“That is very thoughtful of you.” Lucien answered and Jérémy saw that his father’s gaze changed. “I… I did not think you would think in such a compassionate way.”

“Well, it’s just that… Because of her, I never got to see my Dad and… Now, I can’t even ask her.”

“I am sorry.” Lucien answered. “I am really sorry for you and I wish things could have been different.” Both took a deep breath. “But now, you have to make a choice.”

“Can I at least know what the job is?”

“You will know only if you accept. What I can tell you is that it is a delicate job. But, Jérémy, I know that you have it in you to shine and strive with it.”

“How could you know that after a game of hide-and-seek and a fancy breakfast?”

Lucien smiled. 

“Trust me, I do.”

Jérémy took a deep breath and looked left and right. 

“Right, ok.”

“Are you sure?”

“No but… I guess, yeah.”

Lucien couldn’t help but grin, his smile was however tinted with something that was a mix of pride, with a hint of sadness. Jérémy reminded him of himself, years and years ago, when Lucien himself had taken up the job.

“You will not see your brothers or your family ever again.”

“I don’t have a family.”

“Nor will you see your friends.”

“You should be happy about that.” Lucien raised a curious eyebrow. “You didn’t seem too keen on me hangin’ with them, eh?”

They exchanged a smile. 

“Oui, but this isn’t about what I would like for you or not. This is your decision to make.”

“Yeah, ok, I’ll take the job, whatever it is.”

"I can give you a few days to think about it." Lucien offered but he knew how impatient his son was…

"Nah, I'll go for it." 

“No regrets?”

“Open the door already…!”

“Fine.” Lucien pulled the door open for his son. Jérémy entered and his father followed him. The son raised his eyes to the sign at the reception. 

“You’ve got to be shittin’ me.... Ouch?!”

“Language.” Lucien answered as he passed his son to walk to reception. 

Jérémy was left in awe. Now, he couldn’t read well but those three letters, he knew them. He looked up at the screens, lines flashing that meant nothing to him but he could only imagine their value. And then people passing him, most of them in suits and ties, ladies in tight skirts and white shirts, glasses on their noses and looking busy, important even…!

“Agent L, French DGSE. Is the gymnasium open?”

“It sure is, Sir, it’s down the stairs to your left.”

“I know, merci.” Lucien headed for the stairs and stopped when he realised that his son wasn’t at his side. He turned to see him in awe in front of the sign hanging above reception. “Jérémy? Please, let us not waste time.”

“Uh? Hold on…!”

Lucien had started to go down the stairs and his son caught up with him. 

“Hold on, L…!” Jérémy held his father back by his sleeve when they finished hurtling down the stairs. Lucien turned to him. “Is this really…?”

“Is this really what?” Lucien asked. 

“The motherfu-ouch?!”

“Language! You are in headquarters here, young man, watch your tongue.”

“Who cares about it?! I’m at the CIA - Wouch?! What was that for?”

“Lacking respect. I do care about it. Now, follow me. Physical training starts now.”

Jérémy’s eyes shone bright, scintillating with excitement. Oh if only his Ma’ could see it! No doubt she’d be proud…

Right?

[notalwaysthevillian]

Parent Trapped

Warnings: Kissing, implied NSFW

Pairings: Romantic Remile, platonic LAMP

Word Count: ~1k

Masterlist

Chapter 15: On One Knee

Before either parent knew it, summer had come. The boys finished their sophomore year, ecstatic to become juniors.

“There are so many more elective choices in the final two years of high school. It’s when we are expected to begin to think of our career paths.” Logan rambled as the boys piled into the car after school. “Of course, there are many who find their optimal career paths later in life, so this isn’t do or die.”

A huge sigh of relief came from Virgil. “That’s reassuring, thanks Logan.”

“There are many career aptitude tests online if you’re curious about an idea of what might be the best fit for you.”

“Ooooh, that sounds like fun! We should do those when we get home and compare the results!”

Emile smiled at them through the rear view mirror. “That’s a great idea Patton!”

“You and Dad should take them too!”

Without glancing up from playing Candy Crush, Remy said, “Oh, I don’t need to take a test to know I should be a sugar baby.”

“REMY!”

“Ew, Dad, why?”

“What’s a sugar baby?”

Emile shot a glance at his boyfriend, who was cackling. “You get to explain that one, Mr.”

A glint in his eye, Remy immediately started to explain, earning a chorus of yells from the backseat.

Once they’d gotten home, each of the boys pulled up the test on their phone. It was the quietest their household had ever been for a good half hour, as each of the boys took their time answering the questions. Logan finished quickly, but pulled out a book and waited for the others to be done.

Once Roman had his results, being the last one to finish, he gestured toward his brother. “Go on, you were first.”

Pushing up his glasses, Logan pulled up his results. “Surprisingly, I received teacher as my most likely path.”

“What do you mean surprisingly?” Virgil gave Logan a confused look. “You constantly are helping one of us out with our homework, and explaining things in ways that make sense to each of us. You’re one of the most patient people I’ve ever seen too.”

Patton nodded, bouncing on the couch cushions. “Yeah you could totally be a teacher! Mr. Sanders.”

“That has a nice ring to it.”

“I finished next, can I go?” Virgil asked. After receiving a collection of nods, he looked at his phone. “I got therapist.”

“Just like Dad!”

Emile couldn’t help but smile at hearing the excitement in all the boys' voices. He knew that they would all be his sons in the future, and he couldn’t wait.

“Pat, what did you get?”

“Oh, I got baker! I would love to make people happy with different pastries and things!”

“And I got actor, which surprises no one.”

Remy leaned against the kitchen counter and flicked his bangs out of his face. “You know, sugar baby is a viable career.”

“You say that like you aren’t already my sugar baby.”

The sputtering made Emile laugh, the sound bringing the kids to the kitchen.

“What’s for dinner?”

As the summer went by, neither of the parents could stop thinking about how much they wanted to adopt the boys.

And given what Emile had said about Virgil, that meant neither could stop thinking about a wedding either.

Emile caught himself looking at various decorations online, closing out of the browser when someone startled him.

Remy managed to get Emile’s ring size without him knowing, and went shopping to get the absolute perfect ring. Patton had caught him on the way home, so he could only assume all the kids knew.

The energy in the house was palpable the night of their one year anniversary.

Remy was looking in the mirror, putting on cuff links and making sure his bow tie was straight when he felt arms encircle his waist.

Grinning, he leaned back into the embrace. “You know, we could just kick the kids out tonight, send them over to the Tasks and -“

A kiss to his neck caused his next words to turn into air. Emile laughed, the vibrations making Remy weak kneed. “You think I haven’t already set up a sleepover for them?”

“God I love you.”

“No need to call me God, Emile is just fine.”

Spinning, Remy tugged on Emile’s jacket. “Sounds like I’m rubbing off on you.”

“Oh, please.” Firm hands shoved Remy into the wall, making his eyes go wide. “I’ve dated my fair share, I know how to be confident.”

“Fuck, Em.”

“Later, my love.”

The redness was still on Remy’s cheeks ten minutes later as they headed out.

“Mrs. Task will be here to pick you guys up soon. Make sure you’re all packed and ready to go!”

“Yeah, Dad, we know!” The boys chorused, practically shoving them out the door. “We’ll be good, see you tomorrow.”

The door shut behind them, and Emile held out the keys. “You’re driving.”

“You never let me drive, why now?”

“We’re late.”

Not too long later, they walked up to the restaurant, Emile’s knuckles regaining color.

“You didn’t have to go that fast.”

“You’re the one who gave me the keys.”

Rolling his eyes, Emile opened the door, gesturing Remy in. They were seated almost immediately, having made their reservation months ago.

“Remember our not-first date?”

Emile sipped his wine, eyes crinkling behind the glass. “The one our kids set us up on? Yes, I remember.”

“It was a bit similar to this one.” Remy waved his hand around. “Though this place is obviously nicer.”

“We’ve come full circle.”

A flash of something flickered through Remy’s eyes as he reached into his pocket. “Not quite.”

He knelt next to the table on one knee, getting the attention of most of the restaurant. “Emile Steven Picani, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know you so much better over the past year. We’ve moved in together, and we practically already co-parent. We each want to adopt each other’s kids, but you told me we had to get married first. So, should we move things along? Will you marry me?”

“Oh, Rem, yes, absolutely!”

There were some cheers as Emile dragged Remy up and kissed him hard, tears pouring down his face.

They sped through the rest of dinner, getting home a mere hour and a half after they’d left.

“Now, I think I made a promise earlier.” Emile whispered in Remy’s ear the minute the door was closed. “Let me keep that.”

[mikauzoran]

Lukadrien: Your Hands Hold Home: Chapter Eighteen

@lukadrien-june

Read it on AO3: Your Hands Hold Home: Chapter Eighteen: Pastries

“What if she hates me now?” Adrien fretted, pacing the main cabin of the Liberty as he fiddled with the good luck charm Marinette had given him years ago at the start of their friendship.

Luka sighed, looking up from the glass armonica he’d been fooling around with. “Adrien, why would Marinette hate you?”

“Because she’s been brainwashed by those monks she’s been studying with for the past month,” Adrien retorted in a manner that indicated that he thought his logic was entirely reasonable.

Seeing the doubt on Luka’s face, Adrien elaborated. “They hate me. They’re just like Maître Fu, only a hundred times worse. Maître Fu never talked to me about anything. He pretended I didn’t exist and kept me in the dark unless it was absolutely necessary to tell me something.”

Luka dried his hands off on his pant legs and came over to catch Adrien by the shoulders, stopping him in his tracks.

“I’m sorry the previous Guardian treated you like that,” Luka sympathized softly. “I’m sure that felt awful.”

Adrien nodded in affirmation, his gaze lowered. “It certainly didn’t do anything for my self-esteem, being treated like crap by yet another authority figure.”

“Yeah, I bet…. I don’t see what any of this has to do with Marinette hating you, though.” Luka gently pushed them back on topic.

“Because those monks she’s spent the past month with are even worse than Fu, and they’ve brainwashed her into thinking like them, so now she thinks I’m a useless failure who didn’t even notice that his own father was Papillon,” Adrien muttered.

“Adrien, no,” Luka insisted.

“Adrien, yes,” Adrien growled bitterly. “Plagg’s told me about them. They’re awful. They treat him like a monster and a screwup too. I’ll be lucky if Marinette even gives me my ring back now…. Plagg’s going to be stuck in that box forever.”

“Okay,” Luka sighed, seeing that some action was in order. “So, whenever you have a negative thought, what does Doctor Katsuragi encourage you to do?”

Adrien frowned, not seeing the connection between his therapy exercises and his inevitable permanent separation from Plagg and the catastrophic end of his friendship with Marinette.

“I don’t understand,” he confessed, looking to Luka for clarification.

Luka took Adrien’s cheeks in his hands and tipped up Adrien’s chin. “Whenever you have a negative thought, you’re supposed to challenge it, right? Reframe it?”

Adrien’s brows pinched even closer together. “These aren’t negative thoughts, Luka. These are just facts. They’ve turned her against me.”

“…Okay. Well, how about we do an experiment?” Luka suggested, remembering his own therapy sessions about fighting distorted thinking.

Adrien quirked an eyebrow. “Experiment?”

Luka nodded encouragingly. “You have your hypothesis: Marinette hates you and is going to exclude you from all things Miraculous going forward. Let’s go test that hypothesis and see what happens.”

The frown quickly returned to Adrien’s face. “What’s the point?”

“The point is, you could be wrong,” Luka informed.

Adrien rolled his eyes. “Or I could be right.”

“Or you could be right,” Luka agreed, “but at least we’ll know that you’re right. Then, afterwards, we can make decisions about what to do from there based on concrete facts instead of assumptions. How does that sound?”

Adrien stared, considering for a long stretch before he realized that Luka’s reasoning was sound.

“So…you’ll go with me?”

“If you want me there, I’m happy to go,” Luka assured.

Adrien bit his lip. “…Can we take the motorcycle?”

He could really use an excuse to plaster himself to Luka’s back.

“Absolutely,” Luka instantly agreed. “You ready?”

 Luka practically had to drag an antsy Adrien into the bakery.

Thankfully, business was slow, so there were no customers to witness the heroes’ reunion.

Marinette was standing at the register, her eyes buried in an old, dusty tome.

“Good afternoon,” she greeted automatically at the sound of the bell over the door. “Welcome to Tom and Sabine’s. Just let me know if you need help with anything.”

“We’re actually here for you, Chanson, not so much the pastries,” Luka chuckled.

Marinette’s head snapped up, and her eyes brightened like fireworks when she spotted them.

“Luka! Adrien!” she gasped, forgetting her book entirely as she sprinted across the room to catch them both in a crushing group hug. “It’s so good to see you! I’ve missed you so much.”

“R-Really?” Adrien choked on the overwhelming swirl of emotions welling up inside of him.

“Of course,” she scoffed, pulling back to get a good look at her boys. “I haven’t seen you in a month, and I’ve been worried about you constantly!”

Adrien blinked dumbly as his expectations were summarily overturned like so many wheelbarrows of cabbage. “Wait. Me?”

Marinette clicked her tongue. “Of course you. I barely got to talk to you after everything that happened. They practically dragged me off to Tibet immediately afterward, so…”

She studied his face intently, eyes darting from here to there, trying to absorb everything all at once. “…Are you okay?”

Adrien bit his lip and swallowed, preparing to tell the biggest lie of his life. “I’m f—”

His voice broke as tears started to bubble up through the cracks in his flimsy mask.

Marinette looked to Luka.

Luka rested a supportive hand on Adrien’s shoulder. “He’s doing all right. Some days are tough, but I’m really proud of him. He’s doing his best, and he’s doing a great job.”

Adrien shot Luka a look of gratitude.

A thin, faint smile of relief spread across Marinette’s lips. “Good. I’m really glad to hear that. It killed me not being able to be there for you. I mean, I’m your partner. I should have been there, but…”

She trailed off, looking to Luka with gratitude overflowing in her eyes. “…I’m really glad you were here.”

“Me too,” Luka agreed, squeezing Adrien’s shoulder. “I’m happy I could help—At least, I hope I’ve helped.”

Adrien gave a snort. “You know you’ve helped.”

Luka shrugged, smiling noncommittally.

“Oh!” Marinette gave a start, suddenly remembering. “Your ring! I need to give back—”

She pulled a small, octagonal box out of her purse and paused, a frown beginning to form over the bridge of her nose. “—but we probably shouldn’t do this in the middle of the shop.”

Luka and Adrien looked around, taking note of the panorama of windows.

“You could sneak around back for a few minutes,” Luka suggested.

Marinette looked like she was about to agree, but then she glanced back at the cash register with a pout. “But I need to watch the shop.”

“Allow me,” Luka offered.

“Oh, I couldn’t ask you to—” she started to protest.

“—I’m doing this for him,” Luka cut in with a wink.

Marinette blinked, and Adrien blushed, a sliver of a pleased grin peeking out of the corner of his mouth.

“It’s not like this is my first time working the counter,” Luka pointed out.

Marinette was quickly convinced. “Well, if you don’t mind. Thank you,” she responded, taking Adrien by the wrist and tugging him around back.

“Here you go.” She held out the Miraculous box, and he eagerly took it.

He couldn’t get the ring on fast enough, and when Plagg finally appeared, Adrien could no longer contain the tears.

He silently wept, pulling a purring Plagg into his chest and holding him close, determined never to willingly part with him ever again.

“I’m so sorry, Chaton,” Marinette whispered, the guilt that had been building over the last month finally coming to a head. “I never should have let them pressure me into bringing him with me. I’m his Guardian. I should have put my foot down and told them Plagg was where he belonged.”

“It’s okay, Buguinette,” Adrien tried to assure her, but she was having none of it.

“No. No, it isn’t, Adrien,” she insisted, disappointed in herself and angry at the monks who had treated her partner so poorly.

“I knew I was making a mistake the moment I took him from you,” she confessed penitently. “I can’t tell you how many times I almost used Kaalki to open a portal and bring him back, but…”

She grimaced, averting her gaze and shaking her head, determined to do better going forward.

“I’m so sorry, Adrien,” she repeated, forcing herself to meet his gaze to let him see how earnest she was. “They may not trust you or want you to be involved, but I do.”

He gaped at her, jaw descending several centimeters. “You…You do?”

She nodded, smiling tentatively as she hoped he’d forgive her. She desperately wanted the chance to fix things between them and start doing things right.

“Of course I do. You’re my partner, and I couldn’t ask for a better one. There’s no one on earth I trust more than you. I know things between us haven’t always been ideal, but…I want to do better…if you’ll let me?”

He nodded, swiping away tears. “I’d like that.”

Her smile grew in strength at his favorable response.

“Can we meet up for patrol tomorrow night, then?” she suggested, excited to get started repairing their partnership. “There’s so much I need to catch you up on.”

His ears perked up at that.

He’d always wanted to be included, kept in the loop.

“Tomorrow night sounds great,” he agreed. “Nine o’clock at the top of the Eiffel Tower?”

“Yes, please,” she replied eagerly. “And thank you for hearing me out and giving me a chance.”

He rolled his eyes disarmingly even as he wondered if she had been afraid of him hating her as well.

“My Lady…we’re okay,” he informed, gently pulling her into a hug. “We seriously need to talk, but…we’re okay.”

Silence fell between them as they clung to one another, trying to sort out all the feelings raging wildly inside of themselves.

Back in the bakery, Luka sighed, resting his chin in his hand.

He could guess what the silence meant. Either they were hugging or they were kissing. He conjectured that he’d hear if they were kissing, but hugging wasn’t that much more of a cheery prospect.

Luka knew he’d only been kidding himself when he’d daydreamed of Adrien and him ending up together, but…

It hurt to have his fantasies ripped to shreds right before his very eyes.

Likely, Adrien and Marinette would make up, make out, and forget all about Luka.

He took solace in the fact that Marinette sent them home with free pastries and the feeling of Adrien’s arms around him as they drove home on Luka’s motorcycle.