#Girl who cares about the damn loom!!!

[sylvies-kablooie]

just getting some thoughts re:loki s2 off of my chest

i think anytime you LOVE s1 of a show getting a second season can be a terrifying thing that almost always leads to disappointment. but i guess my biggest problem with s2 is the lack of follow up on certain things…?

what’s the deal with brad? what’s the deal with him escaping to the sacred timeline and being a movie star? is that genuinely all he wants and he’s just a giant jerk because that’s the way he is? what’s his relationship w dox?

what’s the deal with dox? what was her motivation for pruning all of those branches? what was the motivation for the TVA workers she recruited to go along with her? why was she willing to betray and die for the TVA?

what’s the deal with ravonna? last season we learned she was a school principal on the sacred timeline. now we learn she was kang’s general. why did she want to stabilize the timeline but refuse to cooperate with our heroes? what is it she wants beyond being the head of the TVA? why is she so willing to toss everything she had with mobius aside? what’s the implication of miss minutes saying they never needed him at all?

what’s the deal with victor? we get to meet this HWR variant and then… we see him die? we see him beg for his life and plead to get the autonomy he would have been denied and then… spaghetti? i liked seeing him prove his valor, but don’t you think there could have been more to explore? we see miss minutes say he will never be him but then don’t get to explore what that would mean?

what’s the deal with loki? why can’t he see beyond the TVA? he wants to keep the world safe but when sylvie asked do you care about anything BUT the TVA… was she really wrong? why are they rehashing the fight from the end of s1 instead of saying what they mean? why does he have the nerve to call sylvie selfish? why can’t he tell her he cares?

you see how there’s a lot of stuff that i would like to be resolved but with only one episode left i can predict about half of these will be on the chopping block, a quarter will be addressed, and the other quarter resolved in another MCU film or show you have to do homework to enjoy?

granted!!! an episode can change a lot and maybe they can answer all of these things within that timeframe. but i have Many Questions and few answers.

[helaintoloki]

The Unbearable Truth

pairing: Five Hargreeves x reader

warnings: angst with no happy ending, spoilers

notes: so i actually hated this storyline in the show but i also recognize angst potential when i see it so here’s this

summary: after getting lost in the subway system, Five comes to a grave realization

Five Hargreeves doesn’t love you anymore, and you’re completely oblivious to the fact.

You’re in the kitchen of Lila’s home baking holiday treats with your niece while awaiting the arrival of the rest of your family to begin the festivities. You smell of cinnamon and pinecones, and for the first time in years you actually feel content and happy with where your life is now. Sure, there’s technically a looming apocalypse hanging over you right now, but it’s nothing you haven’t handled before. You’re actually part of a family now with a man who adores you, and it’s all you’ve ever wanted.

“Alright, Grace, would you like to do the honors of putting the gumdrop buttons on the gingerbread men while I check on the sugar cookies?”

“Yes, aunt y/n!” The girl exclaims cheerfully before immediately diving into the candy bowl. You laugh at her eagerness and turn towards the oven only to be met with the sight of Five in the kitchen doorway. He looks disheveled and unnerved, but you’re too engrossed in your own joy filled bubble to pick up on it right away and instead mistake him for being tired and overwhelmed with the situation surrounding Ben and Jennifer.

“Hey, you made it!” You say with a smile as you press a chaste kiss to his cheek before turning your attention to the sugar cookies. Five can only stand there stiffly as he clings onto the ghost of your lips against his skin. He had hoped that by seeing you again, by being in your presence and showered in your love for him, the feelings he once held for you would return.

But as he stands there in the middle of the kitchen watching you run about, he realizes that he feels absolutely nothing.

Initially, he had wanted nothing more than to return home to you and his siblings. Five had fought tooth and nail trying to figure out a way to get out of that damned subway system so he could have you in his arms again and tell you how much he missed you even if for you he had only been gone a couple hours. But a man could only take eating so many subway rats and being shot at so many times. He had grown tired, weary, and depressed. For a moment it seemed they’d be stuck there forever, and so he decided that maybe it was time to make the most of it.

What he didn’t expect was to fall in love with his brother’s wife.

A woman he had once hated with his entire being now was his sole companion, and whether it was due to some sick twist of fate or a moment of weakness, he had begun to look at her the way he once looked at you. With complete adoration and care as well as a fierce need to protect her and keep her safe. He knew the chances of ever seeing you again were highly unlikely, and the next logical step would be to move on. So he did.

But now here he is, back in his original timeline left to deal with the aftermath of his decisions.

In what was seven years for Five and three hours for you, the boy has fallen out of love with you. Your smile still may be as beautiful as ever and your scent of red berry plum and jasmine may be intoxicating to any other man, but he feels absolutely nothing when he looks at you. The spark is gone, and unbeknownst to you your relationship is about to fall apart.

“Where did you run off to?” You ask him after setting the freshly baked sugar cookies onto the cooling rack nearby.

“I had an… errand to run,” he utters carefully, growing stiff when you wrap your arms around his torso and rest your head upon his shoulder. Calculatingly, Five hesitantly rests a hand on your back while the other comes to comb his fingers through your hair. It’s a familiar motion that he is easily able to replicate in order to portray himself as the same doting partner you know and love. Lila had sworn him to secrecy, but he wasn’t sure just how to break it off with you without telling the truth. So for now he would go through the motions and hope to god you didn’t pick up on the fact that something was completely wrong.

“I’m happy you’re here,” you profess earnestly, peering up at him with fluttering lashes and a devoted smile. “I love you, Five.”

His chest tightens in agony at your words, his hold on you tightening in an attempt to ground himself as he harshly swallows down his discomfort. He meets your adoring gaze and smiles, carefully tilting your chin upwards to meet his lips in a tender kiss. It’s believable enough to keep you feeling secure and oblivious to his detachment, and he hopes that maybe if he keeps this up he can forget all about Lila and go back to normal.

Even if it means he’s just playing a part.

Pulling away, he meets your loving stare and offers you a small smile. Hesitating, as if he has to force the words out of him, Five murmurs out a quiet, “I love you, too.”

And you believe him.

[kennahjune]

Teen Dad

Quite surprised there’s not a lot of these AUs considering how much Steve apparently sleeps around but anywho.

Teen Dad Steve who finds out one of the girls he’d slept with pre-Nancy is pregnant and he damn well intends on helping out however he can.

Turns out; helping means taking his son (his SON) and having full custody because the mom, no matter how much she wants to be involved, can’t take care of him.

Steve’s alright for the first 6 months of little Louie Harrington’s life.

But then his parents come home and shit hits the fan.

Which— fair enough. He was only 17 and already had a whole ass son, they were gonna freak out.

But kicking him AND aforementioned son out? With no where to go? No money? Barely a job?

That’s just fucked up.

But Steve makes do, and lives out of his car for no more than a month before finally landing his hands on a cheap trailer in Forest Hills.

He and Louie move in and sure, it’s rough. But he’s got a nice paying job at the Diner and yeah maybe he has to skip some classes to get extra money but it’s fine. It pays his bills and rent and that’s all that really matters.

It’s fine.

And then the second wave of Upside Down fuckery hits, and Steve’s suddenly in the hospital with a grade 4 concussion (whatever that means) and his top priority is to make sure someone is with Louie.

Enter Claudia Henderson, Dustin’s mom.

She takes care of Louie for as long as Steve is in the hospital and then some when Steve can’t be left unsupervised in case his head worsens.

And that’s how the Party is introduced to little Louie (as they all call him).

Steve’s stunned to find out that Mike and Lucas are so good with little kids, but the two of them love stopping by the Henderson’s (and later on the trailer) to see little Louie and offer to babysit for him whenever.

The other kids take a little bit of time to warm up to Louie (and the fact that Steve’s actually a parent) but when they do Steve never ceases to have at least one of them over.

And with all the racket brings in the attention of nosy neighbors.

Steve is well accustomed to nosy neighbors. Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln next door to his parents were always looking to snitch on him for something or other.

But Miss Bottomette and her grandchildren Noah and Casey were sweethearts. Steve didn’t mind having them over for dinner or going over there. Miss Bottomette was the one to teach him how to actually put his cooking skills to work.

Linda and Tom, a newly married couple down the road, were quite eccentric but that’s what made them charming. Steve found their dog, Dasher, quite the sweetheart.

And even Mr. Knowles, the grouchy old man next door to Miss Bottomette, seemed to take a liking to Steve and Louie.

It wasn’t long before the story behind the new boy in 2718 New Bird Ave was revealed: Teen Dad Kicked Out.

Then the whole town knew. And while most people were nice about it, even supportive of how he had taken a step into his child’s life, there were always those people who sneered.

Steve ignored them, loving the life he was working on making for himself and Louie in the trailer park.

The only neighbors he never seemed to meet, despite the looming presence, were the Munsons, right across the street.

Steve knew about the Munsons. Well— he knew about Eddie Munson; drug dealer who was on his second run of senior year. Steve actually shared a few classes with him.

He’d yet to meet the mysterious Wayne Munson, but that was to be expected with work schedules.

And then Steve was graduating, and his parents didn’t show up.

But that was totally fine. Cause the kids, Claudia, Joyce— even Hopper with El— were there. They held up little baby Louie while Steve walked the stage.

He’d heard rumors of Eddie Munson having to retake senior year for a third time— but he didn’t dwell on it for too long. Because sure, he missed more than his fair share of classes and scraped by with a C+ average.

But he did it.

And then summer hit, Dustin left for camp, and the mall opened up.

Steve picked up a job at Scoops Ahoy, cutting back on his hours at the Diner but still staying there because the money was needed and the tips were lovely.

And he meets Robin Buckley, and actually talks to Eddie Munson every once in a while when he stops in with his band, and lets the kids sneak into the movies because he’ll be damned if he robs them of a normal summer.

And then Dustin comes back and their reunion is short-lived because Russians are hellbent on torching non-existent information out of Steve and he’s busy getting his third concussion and then there’s a fucking flesh monster and Billy and Hopper for protecting them and—

It’s not a good night.

But then he’s rushed to the hospital and he tries to call Miss Bottomette only for the call to refuse to go through and shitfuckgoddammit.

Because what about Louie?

Miss Bottomette said she’d be alright watching Louie until Steve got home, but Steve wasn’t able to go home until someone was able to make time to take him home.

Usually, he’d lean on Hopper for this stuff, since his parents were out of the question. But—

But Hoppers dead.

So he’s stuck at the hospital for another day or two until finally, Claudia comes to pick him up.

He’s with Dustin in the backseat of the car, anxiously bouncing his leg and biting at his fingers and nails until Dustin gives in and just holds his hand. Robin’s there to, having been able to leave after the first night but coming with Claudia to pick him up. Steve’s relieved to have them both close by, even if his hands reach for Erica subconsciously.

His trailer’s empty when he gets home, and Miss Bottomette isn’t answering the door.

Steve’s on the brink of a full blown breakdown before Mr. Knowles— bless his heart— points them across the street.

The Munsons apparently have his son and have for a bit now since Miss Bottomette had a minor seizure and couldn’t be left alone with Louie. Mr. Knowles assured Steve that she and the kids were fine and staying with him for the moment.

Steve wasted no time afterwards sprinting to the Munsons and knocking on the door. Dustin and Robin are close behind him, Claudia waiting patiently in the driveway.

The door is answered by a gruff looking old man that’s taller than Dustin but slightly shorter than both Robin and Steve.

“You Harrington?”

Steve nods so fast he faintly wonders if that’s how bobble heads feels.

They’re let in in no time and the old man— the infamous Wayne Munson— calls out of Eddie.

Eddie Munson emerges a moment later with little Louie in his arms, bouncing softly on his feet to keep the baby calm.

Steve is in front of him in a second, scooping Louie gently out of his arms and into his own.

He doesn’t realize he’s crying until Dustin’s rubbing his arms and Robin his back. Claudia is talking to Wayne, explaining what had happened (or the cover story version at least) and Eddie is hanging back a few feet from the three of them.

Robin takes little Louie in her arms and shoos Steve to the couch to calm down.

“Let him meet his auntie, Steve. You take a minute to breathe now, yeah?”

Steve was led to the couch with a soft hand on his shoulder from Eddie Munson, and they sat side by side while Steve worked on easing his breathing and to stop fucking crying.

Eddie’s shushing him and after a moment (and a clearly pointed cleared throat from Robin) Eddie wraps his arms around Steve’s shaking figure.

They leave the Munsons’ trailer is promises of new babysitters and a new friendship.

And then the fuckery that’s 1986 happens.

.

First Part:

[enwoso]

I MISS YOU, I’M SORRY — alessia russo

based loosely off the song by gracie abram’s. i rewrote this three times and i’ve got it to where i’m happy with it. wouldn’t say it’s my best but hey ho. if there’s part that don’t make sense i do apologise i wrote some of this while being half asleep🙃

ANYWAYS hope you all enjoy! it’s a long one<33

masterlist

"i miss you" her raspy voice echoed down your phone, as she slurred over and over how she missed you. the sound of the music blaring in the background told you that she was out in a club.

whilst you were sat on your couch at home, in some old joggers and a hoodie which most definitely had toothpaste stains on it. love island playing as you were catching up on the last few episodes you'd missed, which was playing just as white noise at the moment.

"alessia, you need to go and find the rest of the girls." you said bluntly, the blonde having told you moments before her i miss you rant that she was out with the arsenal girls, which you probably could have guessed anyways after there win in the league early in the day.

but you also wanted to get back to your series, wishing you weren't having this conversation with your ex but you also couldn't find it in yourself to just hang up on her as you didn't want her to be in any harm — especially while she was drunk.

why did you still care?

"i miss you, y/n" she slurred out again, you could imagine the stupid dopey smile on her face as she said the words, her drunken ramble continuing, "i wish you were here, i miss your cute smile and, and those lips. i miss everything about you."

"alessia can you please just go and find the girls" you begged not wanting to carry on hearing her pleads but you also couldn't bring yourself to press the red button which your finger had loomed over for the past ten minutes.

"i'm sorry for everything y/n, i know you hate me but i still love you, i promise" the blonde slowly slurred out again as you could hear the pout in her voice as she spoke.

you didn't hate her, well maybe you didn’t, you hadn't quite figured that out yet where the blonde stood in your mind.

more just trying to space yourself away from everything that happened with alessia however that proved pretty difficult when you both played football, maybe not for the same team anymore but you'd still see her at england camp.

"alessia, please can you just tell me who i can call to make sure your gonna be safe?" you hated that you still cared, that you had stayed on the phone listening to her ramble drunkenly on about you for the past twenty minutes.

knowing that by the morning she wouldn't even remember it or anything she had said so why were you sat listening?

"can you stop callin' me alessia. i'm baby, less, darling, pretty girl, gorgeous—" she began to rattle out all the names you used to call her, opening up another wound you had spent months healing as with each words she spoke you could feel her opening more and more.

"alessia! will you just answer the damn question!" you yelled down the phone, cutting her off as the frustration growing in your voice was obvious, your patience was wearing thin. you didn't want to hear her voice anymore.

hearing the blonde mumble something about your bluntness, as she hummed on probably trying to figure out herself who would be the best option.

"lotte."

after the drunken call you'd gotten from your ex, you hadn't heard anything from her. not that you expected her too. she wasn't yours to be worried about, but it had left you confused especially over her words. they lingered in the back of your mind. what if she meant it. drunk words are sober thoughts as they say after all.

you knew now though you were just strangers who show up but don't matter enough to each other to be friends. however deep down you knew you had too much history to be just strangers.

weeks had gone since that night and you were arriving at england camp for the set of friendlies which were happening in sunny spain, arriving with the rest of the manchester united girls, you knew she was here. you'd seen it on instagram.

so once you arrived you could feel the tension rising in your shoulders and your chest. grabbing your key for your room and heading straight up there wanting to avoid any chance of running into her.

you hadn't seen her since december, in the home game against arsenal. you both didn't say a word to each other, you wouldn't even look in her direction. so the thought of seeing her again was sending you into hard drive, you weren't sure how you'd react, if you'd react at all.

getting yourself changed and flopping onto the bed you'd call your own for the next ten days. your body realxing into the soft sheets, as you began to flick through the channels on the tv hoping that something would take your interest.

however, you only got two clicks in when there was knocks echoeing through your room. a loud groan coming from you as you pulled yourself up from the comfort of your bed, dragging your socked feet towards the door and opening it.

"mary-"

"come on, everyone's waiting for you to come down" mary interrupted you as you looked on with a confused look, "what for?"

"cause we're watching a film as a team and if your not there then we aren't a team!" mary stated as if it was obvious reaching out to grab your arm as you nodded.

"wait! let me get my keycard!" you said quickly, stopping the door from closing as you heard a tusk of the teeth from the goalkeeper as she mumbled out her complaints. grabbing your keycard off the side table and slipping the card into your pocket, praying you wouldn't forget where you'd put it.

walking down the corridors of the hotel complex the FA had situated the team in, side by side with mary it felt a little eerie. something felt off but you couldn't quite put a finger to it.

coming out the elevator as mary continued to chat your ears off, about anything and everything. from telling you what she did last weekend to what she had for breakfast this morning. but you didn't mind, you would class mary as one of your closest friends in football.

she'd been there for you from the very first day you started at united, helping you settle in to helping you navigate your feelings after she happened.

although you didn't say it very often, you were very thankful for her and you honestly dreaded to think where you'd be without mary, even more so in the past few months.

which is why- you were brought out your thoughts as you felt yourself walk into something or rather someone.

"i wasn't looking- sorry" the blonde mumbled stumbling over her words a little as she looked up from her phone, a slight look of shock on her face when she realised who she'd actually walked into.

"s'fine" you said simply, taking in the blonde’s appearance a little. her hair scraped back in a low bun,

the shorter strands sticking out of the bun. she'd cut her hair again, you could tell. dressed in a grey hoodie and some blue england shorts, her legs bare as her socks covered her feet.

her blue eyes which you'd spent many of your nights getting lost staring into— why were you still stood there?

forcing your body to move, not before catching her disappointed look on her face at the few words you'd spoke to her. the blonde looking as if she was going to say something but her lips pressed back together as she carried on walking the way she was going originally.

"well.. that was a tiny bit awkward!" mary murmured as an awkward laugh came from her, you totally forgetting that mary was stood next to you as you tried to steady your breathing to go back to normal.

"well you could have warned me!"

after the awkward interaction with the blonde in the hallway, you’d noticed her small looks towards you before she would quickly look away. probably in fear of you catching her staring at you.

it was now down time and you were sat on one of the sun lounges, hoping to catch a few of the sun rays. with your book in hand and a fresh bottle of ice cold water you had your afternoon sorted.

glancing every few minutes or whenever a loud cheer came from the girls who were playing a game in the pool. your eyes immediately looking for the blonde before you would switch your eyes to someone else.

"why don't you just talk to her?" mary had noticed you looking towards the blonde, especially in the past few days. the goalkeeper being sat on the lounger just next to you.

she'd known since the day you joined united and no matter how many times you would say you were over the blonde or that you didn't care. mary knew that couldn't be further from the truth, she could tell. she's didn't need you to admit it out loud to know.

but mary had been put in a little bit of a hard position when the break up happened. as she was close with both you and alessia. hearing both sides of the story and giving you both advice which from the older girl you both valued deeply. however mary always claimed herself to be switzerland when asked who side to take.

the only side mary was taking was the side where both her close friends were happy whether that was the two of you happy together again, or if that was you happy with someone else. although deep down she was hoping for the first option!

"talk to who?" you tried the oblivious act, as you turned the page of your book. your eyes trying to follow the words on the page.

pretending you didn't know who she was talking about in hopes you would avoid the topic all together as well as hoping the conversation would change. but you also knew how stubborn mary could be.

"y/n don't play thick with me, you know who i mean" mary gave you the pointed look that told you she wasn't going to give up until you gave her an answer.

"maz i- i can't." you stutters over your words as you saw the sympathetic nod and smile that the goalkeeper sent your way. mary understood why, but she was also close with a certain blonde and knew exactly how she felt.

"but what's stopping you? i know that brain of yours has been whizzing with questions since you know, it ended on a sour note" mary began as you placed your book on your chest, turning over to face mary listening to her as she spoke.

"you don't have to magically become best friends or even be friends for that matter, just what have you got to loose by talking to her?" mary shrugged, as you hummed looking up from the ground. you knew mary was right you didn't have anything else to loose.

"mhm i'll think about it"

you were in london, not by personal choice. united had been playing chelsea in the fa cup. after a full 90' minutes on the pitch you had been longing for your bed since the final whistle blew.

but you'd gone out and had a few drinks with the girls to celebrate before returning to the hotel as the some of the other girls where going off into the next club along the street.

you'd just gotten changed and was about to begin brushing your teeth when there was a quiet knock ringing around your hotel room. at first you thought you'd imagined it but the knocks continued this time a little louder and more continuous.

huffing and placing your toothbrush on the side of the sink, "mary! i haven't got-" you opened the door thinking it would be mary asking if you had a spare key card for her room except it wasn't.

"oh" you whispered as you stared at the last person you thought would be standing at your door just past midnight.

"alessia what are you doing here?" you asked dismissively, wondering how she even knew where you were staying.

"um i was hoping to talk.. to you" you could tell she was nervous, her quiet tone which had replaced her usual confident tone not only gave it away but the fact she was swaying slightly from side to side. a thing she did when she was overthinking something.

"at quarter past twelve in the morning?" you pointed out tiredly looking at her as she timidly nodded before opening her mouth again.

"it's just- i've been wanting to talk to you for ages but it never seemed like the right time- and mary she said where you were saying-" she explained as you still held the same confused look still not quite grasping the fact she was stood at your hotel door at stupid o'clock in the morning but maybe that was also the alcohol in your system slowing your thought process down.

the blonde noticed the hesitated look on your face. "i'm sorry, this is stupid- i'll go. forget i was ever here. i'm sorry" alessia spoke fast, beginning to spin on her heel, not giving you a chance to respond.

but you quickly before she got to far away grabbed her arm pulling her back towards you. why? you didn't know yourself but something inside you was telling you to hear her out.

"no, i'm just a little shocked, you can come in" you said shallowly, moving out the way as the blonde wondered into your hotel room. taking a deep breath in as you shut the door behind you reminding yourself mental to have a chat with mary tomorrow.

"so?" you asked, hoping she would get to why she was actually here watching from behind as the blonde took a seat on your bed, you sitting on the one opposite her.

"i just wanted to see where we stand with each other-" the blonde started as you scoffed a small smile appearing on your face it dropped just a quick as you realised she was serious, "really?"

"yes y/n, look i know you hate me and you have every right to but i just want us to be civil or friends or something. i don't know" the blonde huffed as you nodded slightly with what she was saying.

a silence filling up the room, and an awkward silence at that.

"i miss you and i'm sorry for the way things ended" alessia admitted as your head snapped up. memories of the words she said to you when she was drunk flooding back within a second.

you paused, your head spinning giving you a slight headache, but that could also be from the shots you had taken mere hours ago. “i don’t hate you..” you whispered. this time the blonde looking at you her head tilted slightly sensing the fact you weren’t finished with what you needed to say.

“you don’t?” alessia asked, a slight bit of relief coming over her as you shook your head.

“i don’t but you really fucking hurt me alessia, i know you moved to arsenal for your career. and i’m not trying to take anything away from you for that cause i’ll admit your shining there. but i was your girlfriend. i thought you loved me and you just threw me to the side as if i meant nothing as if our relationship meant nothing!” you paused, taking a deep breathe as you continued.

“i had to ask your fucking teammates how you were doing just to know if you were okay cause you couldn’t seem to find the time answer my messages or calls..” you trailed off, your eyes starting to fill with tears.

“do you know what that felt like, to feel so unimportant to someone that i cared and loved so much and someone who was supposed to love me.” you breathed out rubbing over your eyes to stop the tears from falling down your cheeks.

alessia looked at you were pure sorrow in her eyes, a sad smile on her face as she looked down at her hands playing with the gold ring that sat on her middle finger on her left hand.

“i didn’t know..” alessia whispered, still sliding her ring on and off her hand unable to look at you as guilt filled her body from your confession.

“of course you didn’t! you never made an effort once you moved to london!” you spat back, instantly regretting the out-lash as you pinched the bridge of your nose. before moving from sitting opposite the blonde to sit next to her on your bed.

“all i want is a second chance, just as friends nothing more. i meant it when i said i miss you” alessia confessed as you hummed. “i could say it a thousand times that i’m sorry for what i put you through but that won’t do it justice, i just want for our past to be put behind us.. and i would like to get to know you, the new you. if that’s okay with you.” alessia smiled as you nodded.

“so friends then?” you asked, alessia moving her eye line to meet yours her smile still on her face. “friends!” she moved slightly forward to hug you but stopped half way thinking she misread the situation spluttering an apology out as you shook your head wrapping your arms around the blonde in a friendly hug, pulling away after a few seconds.

“so do you still like ketchup with everything?”

part of you should have known you could never just be friends with the blonde. after the night where you spent with her in your hotel room talking the entire night, getting to know each other. rediscovering old habits and discovering new ones.

you found yourself wanting her attention. needing it.

after getting only a few hours sleep that night, you having a hard time saying goodbye to her after only just gotten her back in your life after so long. you didn’t want to say bye, again.

“i don’t want to go” you whined like a child as you slowly did your hair as a giggle came from alessia who was sprawled out on the bed.

“you have to though! we can see each other soon” alessia promised as you still sat tying a hair tie in your hair a huff coming from you. “but that’s too long!”

“it won’t be, either i’ll come up to you or you can come down to me”

and much to both of your promises only a week later after constant messages and facetimes, you found yourself at the blondes apartment in london. finding your first next free day and getting the first train down.

as you spent the evening watching a film, both cuddled up on her couch eating dinner which she had prepared and made before the night coming to a close and as you were going to the guest bedroom, her hand capturing yours and pulling you into her room.

you weren’t gonna lie it did feel weird to be this close to her after so long trying to distance yourself from her, but everything you knew lead you back to her.

you were lying on her bed face to face, as her hand gently came up to move the strand of hair from your face.

a small sigh coming from you, you felt at peace again. as alessia looked at you with nothing but love in those blue eyes of her, looking at you as if you were the only person in the world.

her hand dropping from your face, but before it could drop to its original place you grabbed it. lacing your hand between her, you noticing how your hands fitted perfectly together. together like a puzzle piece.

"i love you so much." she said quietly, a slight smile appearing on your face. but just as quickly as your hand laced with hers, she kissed you.

you responded with such enthusiasm that alessia was a little taken aback at first, but regained her thoughts and reminded herself of what was happening.

alessia was really kissing you.

you were really kissing her.

a feeling you'd been craving for just under a year, since the last time she set foot in your apartment in manchester. when she kissed you goodbye on the cheek, as you stood there shoulders sunken in and lifeless.

nothing could have meant more than her, nothing could have have more beauty than this moment. the way her hands pressed into your chest, the way her blue eyes fluttered closed. you fit into her like a glove, her kiss was like the beating of a butterfly's wings. so soft and wholesome until it became addictive.

and in those few moments you were reminded of why you fell for alessia in the first place. her scent was what you craved. you wanted to have her close to you, unsure where she ended and you began. you’d rather walk through hell again and again then lose her again.

her entrancing eyes, her captivating smile against your lips, her laugh when you did something silly, her hair which now hung just at her shoulder height as she looked at you, her raspy morning voice, her love was everything to you.

but your stupid, stupid lungs had to find air again, as you pulled away from her still lingering in close proximity to her. somehow alessia had moved position as she was now hovering over you, as she straddled you.

she was looking down at you with such an inviting warmth that you wanted to kiss her again, the silence still lingered as she pulled away you adjusting yourself to sit a little upright. a heat rising to your face.

"sorry, i-i shouldn't have..." you trailed of quietly looking at your fingers playing with the rings that you wore.

"what do you mean?" she said softly, watching the your worry struck face. "that wa- it's okay love"

"o-okay?" your voice was hoarse. you cleared your throat, laughing a little before she made the move to kiss you again.

"we'll take it slow, i promise. but i know what i want and that for you to be in my future and if i have to wait then that's what i'll do." alessia spoke with such reassurance and pureness, that made your heart beat just that little faster as you nodded.

a small smile coming onto the blondes face as she leaned forwards to place a gentle kiss onto your cheek.

"i love you, so much."

[charnelhouse]

no but like what if ghost did fuck reader in front of the team. my head is so full with that thought.

A/N: Simon Ghost Riley x F!Reader. Voyeurism kind of. Vague smut.

It’s not out in the open. Not really. But every damn one of them knows what’s happening. 

Price is on watch while the rest of the team lies on the floor of a dirty, old living room. It’s a rundown shack in the middle of Colorado. The cold is severe, full of needles and glass, and Soap can see his breath. Gaz is pressed against him. Vargas is on his other side. 

Romantic. Two unshowered men nearly on top of him, but the heat is appreciated.

It’s quiet except for the wind screaming like something out of legend. Makes him think of banshees or spirits. Soap can hear voices in the violence of its texture. Branches snap against the windows and patchy roof. Howls of agony that may just be from the meat of his head. He's seen a lot of death this week.

“We can’t.”

It’s you, your voice high and thin before it's met by the low, rumbling rasp of Ghost responding with something Soap can't discern. The floor creaks, the shadows burning patterns across the popcorn ceiling. Cobwebs. The stench of rotten wood. 

What are they whisperin’ about?

Soap hears Ghost shift. He’s surprised at how the man maneuvers his colossal mass without the room buckling.

Simon somehow got dibs on being your source of warmth for the night. Soap had even asked first, a tease more than anything.

“Care to be my cuddle buddy, lass?”

You’d laughed before your eyes cut to Ghost who was leaning against the wall, bulging arms crossed over his chest. All black aside from the white stain of his mask. Looming like some stone effigy.

“Um,” you said. “Sure, Johnny-“

“You’re taking watch with me, Red,” Ghost had cut in, tone flat and dry enough to burn. You’d blinked at him, the corner of your mouth twitching. 

“Oh,” you said softly. “Forgot. My bad.”

Sure.

Soap jerks when he hears you whimper. It slices through the cold, the wind. He moves his head to look before Vargas knocks him in the thigh. Soap scowls.

“What the hell, mate?” he whispers.

“He’s fucking her,” Vargas states plainly. “Just warning you.”

Soap nearly chokes, a laugh punching at the back of his throat before he stifles it. “Come again?”

Vargas widens his eyes meaningfully. Soap can’t believe it and so he lifts himself to his elbows to peek across the room. He’s not exactly understated, mostly running on curiosity and bewilderment. 

Lieutenant wouldn’t -

Oh. Holy. Shit. 

Ghost is on top, one arm braced beside your face. Soap can barely see you due to Ghost’s giant body that’s pinning you to the floor. You’re revealed in flashes. Bare knees locked against Ghost’s waist, pant leg loose around an ankle. His trousers are hitched lower, but he still appears fully dressed. Your small hands clasp the back of Ghost’s head, before slipping down to dig your fingertips into the nape of his neck.

Ghost is fucking you slow and lazy. His ass rises before driving forward, lurching you slightly up the floor. One gloved hand is under the crown of your skull, pillowing it from the uncomfortable wood surface. Your heel slides down the back of his thigh. He thrusts a little more sharply and it forces a moan from your lips.

“Shhh,” Ghost murmurs in a voice that Soap has never heard him use. In fact, it sounds alien coming out of Simon Riley. It’s coaxing and tender. “Good girl,” he finishes before there’s the distinct noise of something wet. 

A hand grips his collar and wrenches him back down. It’s Gaz, expression chastising as he cocks an eyebrow. “If Ghost catches you watching them…”

“He’s gonna what?” Soap returns, jaw clenched because the sight, the sounds are doing something to him. “If Price walks in, the cunt’s gonna have his fuckin’ head for screwin’ her.”

Gaz squints, his teeth gleaming white in the dark before stifling a yawn. “They’ve been sleeping together for months. I thought you knew.”

The wind screeches outside.

Soap gapes and Gaz flicks his chin. “Close your mouth, man, before the flies get in.”

Soap rolls his eyes. “How’d you know?”

“Saw them going at it outside that bar in Rio.”

“Like kissing?”

“Like he was behind her and had her cheek shoved up against the alley wall.”

Jesus. He remembered that trip. You’d scraped the side of your face and you’d said you’d fallen. 

“They haven’t been subtle,” Vargas shrugs. “Remember when Ghost slaughtered half that room on Vlad Kuznetsov’s boat…”

“Yeah,” Soap replies. “But they’d shot her. He was just reacting.”

“He was supposed to keep them alive,” Vargas reminds him. “Death only if necessary.”

“So he deemed it necessary-“

“Because they hurt his girl.”

“I’m too tired for this,” Soap growls. “He should-“

There’s the startling noise of Ghost slamming his hand on the floor and shuddering. You giggle, and he bites off a curse before slapping some bare piece of you - probably your ass. Christ. 

Silence returns. The two lovers are breathing hard and deep. The floor creaks and fabric rasps. Simon is talking to you in a soothing baritone before he chuckles. It’s weird as fuck.

“Think she’s seen his face?” Gaz suddenly asks. The question hangs there between the three of them. When Soap hears Ghost laugh softly again, Soap thinks it’s more likely than not.

For the Follow-Up.

[nezuscribe]

nsfw

he’s cute, in his own ways. toji isn’t a sentimental or caring person, not really in the slightest, but he is for you. you changed some sort of malfunctioned gear in his head and it ticks when he’s with you. 

when you causally mentioned to toji that they guy you were with before him never called you pretty, you best believe he’s going to make sure you know it. every hour of every day, whenever he has the chance.

in the morning when you wake up, he’s holding you close to his chest, sweet words muttered into your ear about how you’re the most gorgeous girl in the world, the prettiest poison he’s ever seen. during the day he slides up form behind you when you’re baking those cookies you love so much, he hands sprawled out across your stomach as he pulls you into his large figure, biting at your neck as he repeats “my gorgeous girl, doin’ things to me...have no idea what’ya do to me...”

and especially when he’s pounding into you, one hand on your tit, the other next to your head, gripping those satin sheets as tightly as he could as he smirks devilishly at the way your eyes roll back into your head.

“so fuckin’ hot babe,” he manages to say, kissing his teeth harshly as you clench tightly around him, his eyes shutting for a second as he takes a moment to recover, “have the prettiest girl in the whole damn world and she’s mine.”

his words make you moan even louder, covering your face in embarrassment, his onslaught of praise too much for your weak little self. not that you’re complaining, though. 

“aw, come on now sweetheart,” you feel his calloused fingers circle of your wrist, tugging them away as he brings his face closer to your cheeks, kissing the corners out your mouth as one of his hands go to pull at your nipples, “don’t be embarrassed, yer too fuckin’ pretty to be embarrassed.”

and he doesn’t stop his relentless pace despite his words, reveling in the way your face falls, mouth taking form of an o as he licks a stripe up your chest, rubbing at your clit as he dicks rubs and hits your sweetest part.

“s’too much toji, mph!” you’re able to whine out, gripping his bicep as he looms above you, chuckling at your words as your toes start to curl with the way he’s treating you. 

“yeah, my dicks too big for you?” he asks and you nod, barely able to do so as you feel him stop for a second, hearing some clattering as you look over to see why he momentarily paused.  

“how ‘bout i send a pic of you lookin’ like this to that dumbass ex of yours...show him just how fuckin’ pretty ya’ look for me, huh?”

and you nod again, too blissed out with the oncoming orgasm, hearing a small flash go off with your face scrunched up in the best way possible, tear tracks covering your cheeks because of how good toji felt, mascara smudged and lipgloss smeared messily all over your lips from his kisses, a face your ex never had the pleasure to see. 

and you never had the pleasure to see his reaction, multiple texts coming back calling toji a fucking dick and to go fuck yourself, but toji just laughed, throwing the phone aside as he looked at the real deal, and knew that at the end of the day it was him who had the prettiest girl. he had you. 

[tulip-room]

˗ˏˋWhy Him? ´ˎ˗

Pairing: Atsumu x Sakusa!Reader

Words: 1.6k

Content: After Sakusa is able to get you to attend one of his matches you catch the eyes of a certain blonde setter. And maybe he caught your eyes too. Much to Sakusa’s dismay, with the blessing of your brother you ask Atsmu on a date.

Kiyoomi had finally worked your walls down. After asking multiple times you were finally coming to an MSBY match. He wants everyone to think he doesn’t care but he does. So here you are, sitting in the stands wearing black and gold and quietly cheering for your brother. You’re not going to lie to yourself though, you weren’t looking at him much. Your eyes were trailing a boy with outlandishly yellow hair. He was cute, sure his serve routine was a little annoying and made you roll your eyes but boy did he look good. Anyone with eyes would be able to tell you that. 

You thought he was cute until you saw the name on the back of his jersey…Miya. Of course. The boy you thought was cute just so happened to be the one your brother complained about the most. Sure he complained about his other teammates but none quite like how he complained about Atsumu. Why didn’t your brother ever warn you about how pretty he was though? Really this was his fault if you thought about it for long enough. 

It seems you weren’t the only one who had their eyes set on someone. Atsumu had seen you about halfway through the second set of the game. You looked so pretty in your black sweater, he wondered if you were taken. I mean surely you must be, you were far prettier than any other girl he had seen. The fact that you had a mask blocking the rest of your face be damned. You reminded him of Sakusa but surely that was all in his head. He needed to make sure he caught up with you once this match was over. He needed to get your number. 

Once you were done staring at the blonde, soon after realizing who he was, you pulled out your phone and started going through your emails. Sure enough work couldn’t leave you alone even on your day off. Sometimes you thought about quitting but then finding another job was just too much of a hassle. Soon enough the match ended, you walked down the stairs and to the entrance of the locker rooms. One flash of your ID to prove that you were Sakusa’s sister was enough for security to let you stand and wait for your brother. You leaned against the wall and replied to the messages from work. Mask still planted on your face, you scoffed at some of the questions they asked you. It’s almost like they weren’t adults that could come up with solutions to simple problems.

Your peace was disrupted by a certain blonde coming out of the locker room. He was confused to see the pretty girl waiting outside. He was in fact hopeful enough to think it was him you were waiting for. He wasn’t even going to question how you had gotten back there. He was much more interested in getting your number. He puts on his best smile and leans up next to you on the wall. “Well aren’t you a pretty thing,” he sends you a charming smile.

You’re so thankful for the mask because it hides the small blush on your cheeks. As you said, he was pretty. “Is there something you need?” You ask with a roll of your eyes, he might’ve been pretty but no way were you going to get with someone your brother would definitely not approve of. His approval was very important to you because you trusted his opinion. 

“I would love to have your-” he’s cut off by someone looming over him. He turns his head and sees none other than Sakusa. “Why hello Omi Omi, was there something you needed?” He still asks not to move from where he’s crowding you against the wall. 

“Yes. I need you to get away from my sister.” He glares daggers at Atsumu who is only just now putting two and two together. He looks between you two and notices the moles on your forehead that match your brother’s and how your current expression really reminds him of the ace. He grins sheepishly at you as he stands up. 

“You didn’t tell me you had such a cute sister Omi Omi!” Atsumu exclaims and tries to lay on the boy who just moves out of the way to watch him stumble over his feet to stand back up. Both you and Sakusa scoff at the comment. “Aww, Omi Omi! You don’t trust me to treat your sister nice? I’m hurt!” He grasps at his chest like he’s hurt and lets a pout settle on his lips. You can’t deny you find it quite cute. You let out a small laugh at his antics trying to cover it with a cough, unfortunately Atsumu and Sakusa heard it and both whip their heads to you. Atsumu seems to be spurred on by the action and gives you a smirk as he leans back over to you. Sakusa sends you a glare. 

“No. I don’t trust you with my sister. I would trust Bokuto with my sister before you. Now leave before I say you’re harassing her.” He crosses his arms and scowls. 

You lace your hands together in front of you, playing with your fingers with a sigh. “Are you sure Omi Omi? Why don’t I ask her?” Your head whips up with surprise. “Can I have your number cutie?” He practically purrs out. Part of you wants to say yes but the look your brother is giving you tells you to get rid of that part of you. 

“I’m fine Miya.” You turn to leave him standing there dumbfounded while Sakusa smiles and walks away with you. You know the two of you will be talking about this during the car ride back home. And sure enough once you’re buckled Sakusa gives you a knowing look.

“Miya? Really?” He knows you well and definitely saw your blush under your mask. You shake your head and put your face in your hands. “Out of anyone on the team, you chose Miya?” He doesn’t sound mad which is a relief, just shocked. He lets out a groan and sighs. “If you really like him then I guess I’m okay with it. But, I want you to tell me if he does anything.” He starts to drive away while you sit with your thoughts. 

“He’s pretty but…” you trail off quietly. “I think he may only chase me to get a rise out of you.” You admit solemnly and look out the window with a small frown playing on your face. Sakusa rolls his eyes with a scoff.

“You think Miya is stupid enough to pull that? He may be stupid but he’s not that dumb.” He lets out a small gag at the fact that he complimented Miya of all people. Let alone that he was basically talking the boy up to his sister. 

“So you would be fine if I got his number and went on a date with him?” You give him a hopeful look, a smile playing on your lips. Sakusa doesn’t miss the way that your eyes seem to light up at the prospect. He lets out a sigh and nods his head. 

“If you’re sure he’s what you want.”

“It’s just one date!” Sakusa refrains from rolling his eyes again as he pulls into the driveway. 

“Yeah, yeah. You have to ask him yourself, I’m staying out of it.” 

By the time of the next match you make sure to dress in an even nicer outfit. A simple black button up and sweater thrown over it. The sweater is special though, a custom made sweater with Atsumu’s number on it. You were a bit embarrassed to come home and find Sakusa holding the sweater in his hands after he had accidentally opened your mail. He shook his head and handed it to you, if you were different you wouldn’t have noticed his small smile but you had. And maybe you teased him about it a little bit, of course he denied every minute of it. 

After the game you’re once again waiting by the locker rooms, this time your mask is hanging off one ear as you scold one of your employees. Atsumu walks out as you finish the call, you give him a small smile and wave him over. He is more than surprised. He’s shell shocked at how much prettier you are now that he can see all of your face, let alone the fact that you’re calling him over after the display last time. He looks around not seeing Sakusa anywhere and approaches you with a smirk. “Long time no see pretty!” He hums out and takes in your outfit. 

His gaze falters when he notices your sweater, you give him a smirk of your own and cross your arms as you lean against the wall. “Question for you Miya.” He meets your eyes again and raises an eyebrow. “How would you like to go on a date with me?” You outwardly appear nonchalant but the blush on your face gives away your nerves. Atsumu gives you a gentle smile.

“You sure Omi Omi will be okay with it?”

“He was the one who encouraged me to ask.” Now that really shocked him. Did Sakusa really talk him up to you? He falters and the shock is evident on his face. You let out a quiet laugh which has his cheeks heating up. Why did your laugh have to be so cute?

“Really? Omi Omi? Are you sure you didn’t hallucinate?” 

“I’m sure, now are we going to go on a date or are you going to chicken out?” He stands up and offers you his arm. 

“Well, when you put it like that. Where would you like to go pretty?”

“I don’t know, how about dinner, pretty boy?” Oh yeah, you both could get used to this. And maybe, just maybe Sakusa had a small smile on his face as he watched the two of you walk out of the arena and towards Atsumu’s car. But that’s not something he’s ever going to admit to. 

I hope you enjoyed and feel free to request something or check out my other works!

taglist: empty

masterlist rules

[violetrainbow412-blog]

Hearts [S. R] part 2

Spencer Reid x fem!reader

word count: 3.9k

part 1!

summary: morning coffees become the special moments between you and Spencer, but you also discover that he may have more competition for his love than you expected.

N/A: I never thought this would be so well received and I honestly feel so happy! I am very grateful to all the people who requested a second part, I hope you like it and if you want to tell me something in the comments I will read it with pleasure!

people who might be interested: @c-m-stuff @no-soy-fer @synthsescape @bella-fics @cynbx

That morning Spencer came to his desk with coffee in hand and set it carefully to one side, the sight of his scrawled name looming large throughout.

Spencer <3

What did that mean? It was his name, that's obvious, but it was written with such a careful and clean line that it was very beautiful to admire and the heart drawn next to it was what didn’t quite add up in the whole thing. Reid knew that it was an ideogram used to express the idea of affection or love, so the most logical conclusion was that you were trying to communicate a feeling of that kind, but then he wondered: was it affection between friends? a simple show of affection, he supposed. Nothing further, surely it could not be anything else.

There were days when you and he barely saw each other, as the team had to go out to handle cases in the field and you stayed behind to do literally whatever you could do to complete your service hours, but every morning without fail you looked for him to deliver the long-awaited coffee. You were keeping your promise and for three days you arrived with two cups on the tray, one clean and the other labeled for him: Reid, Spence, Doctor R., all titles followed by a drawing of a heart. When Friday rolled around and you handed him what he thought would be his last cup, you decided to propose a deal.

"Today I was thinking that I could buy your coffee permanently, if you want” you exclaimed kindly, while you watched him from the chair that you had pulled to sit next to him. Some mornings when there wasn’t so much movement you would stay there to drink a few shots of your coffee and share a small moment of the day "It's on my way here and it's obvious that you like it"

“Oh, I… I couldn't even think about it, no. I would take too much advantage of you"

“You're going to pay me back, Reid. I'll just bring it” you laughed, watching him turn red to the ears while he drank a little to try to mask it.

"Then, I'd love to," he exclaimed with a tight-lipped smile. He was a little excited to continue having excuses to talk to you every day and, above all, to drink the delicious coffee that he had already gotten used to.

"Although I'm running out of ideas, to be honest," you said amused, because that day the cup didn’t have any inscription due to that lack of creativity. But as by the work of fate, an idea came to your mind, so you smiled from ear to ear while you took a black marker from your friend's desk and took the cup from his hand. Spencer looked at you carefully and curiously while you were writing and just when you finished Hotch called you from the other side of the tables "I have to go, don't miss me too much" you murmured, handing him the glass and then winking at the boy, who in response only awkwardly raised his hand.

Once you left, he looked at what you had written, less neatly than the other times, and felt himself grinning like a fool:

My fav agent and again that damn heart.

“Y/N”

"Yeah?" you asked, looking up at another of your fellow interns. You had a room where everyone could stay for a while to work on their own business, but on this occasion, curiously, only women had gathered at the table, there were about five of you in the entire building. Among them Jennifer, a girl you liked very much and with whom you could presume to have something like a friendship, and for some strange reason there was also Victoria.

"Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Huh… yeah, I guess" you muttered a bit confused, and even though you didn't know the girl she smiled in your direction.

“Is that brown-haired guy you talk to every morning your boyfriend?”

“Spencer?” you asked, widening your eyes at the surprise with which the question had taken you. You expected her to ask what band you listened to the most, your favorite food, or some other stupid thing, but not that. Now all the girls' attention was on you, including Victoria's inquisitive scowl and Jennifer's amused look “I wouldn't say that” 

"And do you think you can introduce me?" she said with more enthusiasm than she intended, and they all laughed collectively.

“I get second in line”

"Girls, girls..." Jennifer intervened and you knew that from that moment the topics of the internship would take a back seat “He may not be her boyfriend now, but that doesn't mean she doesn't want him to be”

"Jenn!"

"Am I lying?" she sneered “You smile every time you see him and you two look so in love whispering to each other every morning. Also, a week ago I saw you go out together at night”

"Jenn," you insisted, muttering to her in the hope that she would notice that you wanted her to shut up. It wasn't that you were ashamed of being associated with him, you just didn't want to spread wrong rumors that might embarrass him.

“How come he's already an agent? He looks very young”

“It's because he's a prodigy, duh. He’s as attractive as he’s intelligent”

"I imagine that being such a smart man he knows perfectly the weak points of a woman" another girl murmured, joining the conversation "If you know what I mean"

“For now we are just friends. That's all" you said trying to end the conversation, completely embarrassed that such a personal matter had ended up as the talk of all the female interns of the FBI. It was supposed to be a serious job and you guys looked like gossipy high school girls.

"Maybe he's waiting for someone better," Victoria said into the air, a venomous tone permeating every word.

"Anyway, if you give up, can you get me his number?" insisted the first girl. You nodded just so as not to break his illusion, but you knew very well that Spencer didn't use a phone beyond what was necessary for work.

Even though you yourself had told him that surely many girls liked him, you didn't expect that he really had admirers so close and to be honest a pang of jealousy invaded you. Victoria was the most obvious of them all, but you knew that being college girls they were more likely to admire the masculine charm of perhaps the youngest member of the FBI. They too were young and beautiful, but you chose to trust that you had the upper hand in winning the man's affections.

You tried as hard as you could to concentrate on your tasks, but now that his name had come up it was hard to think of anything but him. Spencer wasn't a very expressive guy, but you knew that he was comfortable with you or else he wouldn't seek you out or agree to talk to you like you did, although clearly that didn't ensure that he was attracted to you. Maybe he just saw you as a good friend.

At night, when you were about to go home, you tried to look for him so you could see him again with the excuse of saying goodbye, but you were surprised when you saw that he was talking to Victoria in an already empty section. Curiosity to know what they were talking about invaded you and you stood where you were, squinting your eyes to try to read their lips. Reid wasn't participating too much in the chat, you'd even say he looked awkward, but she was shamelessly flirting with him. Perhaps the sudden change in attitude that she had had was what your friend had missed so much and just when you thought of approaching to go save him from the situation, she stood on her toes and crashed her lips against his, leaving you standing just in your place and completely in shock.

You didn't expect her to dare to do something like that, but the reaction he had left you even more surprised, because, although it wasn't so favorable, he didn't seem bothered by the show of affection he had just received either. He just stood in front of her, looking her up and down as if he were analyzing her.

You didn't want to stay there any longer and almost instantly you turned around to walk out the front door, hoping that this had meant absolutely nothing to him and the next day you could look him in the face without feeling the jealousy boiling in your veins.

It was almost time for dismissal when Spencer remembered that he had a file to go through that he'd ignored all morning, and he cursed himself a little for leaving things until the last minute. His coworkers told him that he could finish it the next morning, but he knew that if he did that he probably wouldn't have time to drink coffee with you so he preferred to stay a little later there.

Little by little the offices emptied and when there was almost no one left, he finally finished, feeling the discomfort of the recurring pain in his back due to the bad position in which he sat. He put his things away, put on his coat, and slung his briefcase over his shoulder, ready to go back to his apartment, but a person got in the way when he was about to cross the hall. Due to exhaustion and seeing that it was a female body he assumed it would be you, but when he paid more attention, he noticed that it wasn’t even remotely possible that the ironed black hair was yours.

"Doctor Reid"

"Miss Evans" he greeted her, without losing cordiality, but not with too much emotion either.

"What are you doing here so night?"

"Job. There's nothing else to do around here at this hour,” he said without looking at her. But the girl was determined to get that one-night stand that she was sure you had, lie as it was.

“It's a shame, but I know a bar near here that you might like if you want to have a little fun”

“Bars are noisy and are one of the biggest sources of infection that can exist. Sweat, alcohol, and unknown fluids permeate the environment and it is very probable that the consumption of drugs affects not only those who consume them but also those who are close to them, so I prefer to decline your invitation" he exclaimed, hoping that this explanation would be enough to make it clear to this woman that he wasn't interested.

“So you're more of hanging out in the apartment? I have a lot of great things in mine, including a jacuzzi."

“Jacuzzies are unsanitary” he insisted. If he proposed, he would know that he would find a valid excuse for whatever plan she might suggest.

"What a killjoy, Agent Reid” she giggled, but he wasn't too amused by any of it. "Do you ever have fun?"

"I think my concept of fun and yours diverge a lot" he murmured, still not looking at her directly and ready to end the conversation.

Spencer was about to leave when she raised herself to his height and in a quick movement that caught him off guard, she smashed her lips against his. As she turned away from her the man froze completely in his place, looking at her from head to toe as if she were some strange natural specimen.

"What if I promise there will be more of that?" she asked, in a last-ditch attempt, faking a honeyed voice. He was going to respond when there was something that forced him to look in the direction of the exit door, where someone else was already walking. From the pattern of colored stripes on the jacket he knew it was definitely you and if it was you then you probably witnessed the entire exchange. He felt the urge to run after you to justify himself for something he hadn't even done, not knowing why he was embarrassed or worried that you'd seen that. “Come on, are you really going to say no to all this?”

"Listen to me, Victoria. I understand if having power over others gives you pleasure because you are the least noticed and recognized member of the family, or if you enjoy saying hurtful things to people to feed your own insecurities, but I ask that you please stay away from me and stop trying whatever you're trying. I don't like you, you're a bad person and I won't allow you to kiss me without my wanting it, or to make your sexual advances that won't get you anywhere. So again, I say don't bother me again” he said and without waiting for any answer he walked out of sight of her. Even if he had stayed, Victoria had her ego so hurt that she didn't think of anything to say back and instead she just let helpless tears fill her eyes, followed by a gesture of a tantrum.

When Spencer came downstairs he couldn't find you anywhere and the anxiety in his stomach only increased, wishing he had misrecognized the person who had left so it wasn't about you. The matter didn't keep him awake, of course, but when he noticed the next morning that you weren't at his desk, he thought it was reason enough to worry. Worse still when he noticed that you had left a lonely cup on the table, with absolutely no adorable titles decorating it. It made him feel so guilty, like he somehow knew that you were upset because you'd seen Victoria kiss him the night before and he wasn't worthy of your affection anymore.

Even Hotch noticed that he was more distracted than usual and although he had already seen your exchanges, he thought it would be better not to intervene in anything that had to do with young love. Being a cupid was a more difficult task than the one he already fulfilled at the BAU. So when night came and he didn't look at you anywhere, anxiety was already eating him to the ground, wishing he could have your phone number to at least comfort himself with hearing your voice. Going to your apartment was something he considered, but then it became unthinkable because he didn't even know how you would react.

Victoria became less of a concern as she seemed to get the message perfectly and every time during the day that he crossed her path she just looked away, totally offended.

But when the same situation arose twice, he felt that something was wrong and he wasn't going to endure a third time. It was then that Spencer left the house early that morning to stop by a bakery and buy a couple of fresh sweet buns, hoping that this time you were expecting him. But his disappointment was greater when he saw that once again there was only the bare cup of coffee.

"Didn't you see Y/N?" he asked Elle when he arrived, nervously fiddling with the paper bag he was holding in his hands.

“No, she just left your coffee and left, but I don't know where. She seemed pretty rushed”

Spencer inwardly cursed and sighed in frustration, until a few seconds later he caught sight of you on the other side of the building, carrying a stack of folders and talking on the phone. He didn't hesitate for a moment before running (at first, then he slowed down a bit as he remembered the incessant times Hotch had scolded him for it) towards you so he could finally talk to you.

“Y/N,” he said softly as he reached your side, and he took the bright smile you gave him as you turned to look at him as a good sign.

"Wait a minute" you mouthed, still answering the call you had on the line, and when you hung up you finally turned your attention to him "Hey, Reid. Good morning"

"I bought you this" he murmured, showing you the bag with food inside, and you almost moaned with happiness.

“Food is what I need most to survive the day”

"What are you doing?"

“Two days ago, your boss Gideon thought it was a good idea to make me his personal secretary. So right now, I'll do everything he asks me to do” you snorted, obviously exhausted by the work you had done and by the ones you surely would have to do.

It clicked in the boy's mind and then he understood that this was the reason you hadn't seen it, not because you were angry. Relief ran down the length of his spine.

"Really?"

“I don't even think that's legal, you know? I'm an intern, they don't pay me a penny and they take advantage of me like I earn the same as the fucking president” you complained. Until then he noticed that you were struggling to hold the papers and he decided to stretch out his hands to help you carry them, like a real gentleman "Thank you"

“Where should you take them? I'll accompany you” he offered. You led him through the halls to a file store that even he doubted he knew about, and explained that your job for the next several weeks would be to sort and categorize the case files for a more efficient process of future searches.

“I'm seriously thinking about giving this whole damn thing up and selling hotdogs in some park or whatever. I would be happier and I would earn almost the same” you joked, raising your arms to stretch your back a bit like a cat that had just woken up. The place was completely alone, silent and the lighting was so dim that it even looked gloomy “Did you get my coffees?"

"Yes, I did," he muttered, "I thought you were mad at me though”

"Why?"

"Because..." he hesitated for a moment if it would be wise to mention what he thought was the reason for your anger, until he realized that saying it out loud would simply sound absurd. There shouldn't be a reaction on your part to the facts “you weren't there. And you didn't write anything”

"Oh, I was in a hurry. I'm sorry,” you sincerely apologized. While you were talking to him you thought that you could start to categorize the documents that you would have just brought and you got to it, hoping that he wouldn't interpret that as a sign that you wanted him to leave; luckily Spencer rushed to your side to help you as soon as he could.

"Alright. I'm glad to know you're not upset."

"If I had known that you loved my notes so much, it would have taken me a few seconds" you smiled and when you turned your head you noticed that you were too close to him, or he to you, rather.

You were silent for a few moments until he couldn't take it anymore. He needed to know your opinion about what you had or hadn't seen that night.

"Victoria looked me up the other day," he said disinterestedly. You smiled victoriously for not having to be the first to mention it, even though the matter was slowly burning inside you.

“Oh, I know. I looked at you talking to her” you exclaimed bitterly, without taking your eyes off the files.

"And she too... huh..."

"Calm down" you interrupted him, taking a bunch that were already ordered and moving away from him to take them to a filing cabinet "I saw that too"

“It was so strange”

"It was pathetic," you said without any embarrassment. You finally looked up and noticed some fear in him, as if he thought you meant that he was pathetic "It wasn't even a good kiss"

"And what would one be like?" he replied without thinking. You stifled a laugh and looked at him kindly.

“That's not something I can explain to you, Reid. I would have to show you"

“Well…” he said, finally breaking away from your gaze and staring at you with those big beautiful hazel eyes.

You were surprised that he wasn't averse to it because you honestly didn't expect to achieve anything with that sentence, you just wanted to tease him a bit. Spencer kept looking at you in silence for a few seconds and you knew what that look meant, or at least you thought you did. Those pleading eyes only screamed one thing: show me. Kiss me.

You walked enough steps to close the distance and stand right in front of him, looking down at him with a smile of pure mischief.

“Well, what?"

“Nothing, nothing, I just… I thought you could enlighten me a bit on the subject. As unbelievable as it may seem, I am very uninformed about the standard of what is considered a good or bad kiss” he admitted. Even flirting he sounded like a walking book.

You weren't going to give him time to regret it so you took him by the lapels of his formal shirt and with a yank you pulled him to you. Spencer's breath caught at how sudden the contact had been, and you heard him release the trapped air over your lips, giving you the chance to deepen the kiss. At first he was tense, but after a few seconds you felt his shoulders relax considerably and that's when you slid your hands down the length of his neck until you reached to hold his cheeks. One of your hands left that position only to guide the man's hands to your waist and once you were in this way you took the opportunity to push your body against his a little more, with your torso attached to his. There was no mention of how the tip of your tongue experimentally flicked across his lips and made him sigh audibly.

Spencer nearly whimpered as the heat from your body left his.

“We just shared approximately 80 million bacteria” you blurted out, but he was too flushed and shocked to corroborate denying the information. Just to play with him you decided to give him another kiss, shorter and louder than the previous one "And you just had a good kiss"

You didn't wait for any reaction before separating completely and that made him come out of the trance he was in, still not believing what had just happened. He couldn't even say anything before your phone started ringing with a call.

"I'll see you later?"

"It's up to you," you said with a smile. Spencer nodded and not knowing what else to do he decided to walk out before he could embarrass himself "Oh, and Spence…”

"Yeah?" he answered, trying not to let you notice how it affected him that you called him that way.

“Do you remember the other day when I told you that surely hundreds of girls liked you?” you asked and when he nodded a couple of hairs got messy "Although I'm sure it's true, on that occasion I was only talking about me" you confessed. You couldn't ignore the ringing sound any longer or you'd lose it, so you picked up the hook and started a business conversation, but not before winking at him as a farewell.

Spencer came out of it trying to look as normal as possible, but he still couldn't figure out how he'd have the strength to work objectively for the rest of the day when he'd just gotten such a good kiss from the prettiest girl he'd ever met.

[evanescencelovrr]

this is part 2 of my college!simon idea :) enjoy! feel free to like comment & reblog.

Simon mumbled and grunted. He was heaved over the barstool of the Bistro, finished a long day of studies and classwork. A.D, B.C, blueprints of Greek palaces and Knossos rebuilding—my ass. He thought in annoyance, brows slashes down in a glare, rough eyes peering out from his balaclava mask. A girl beside him eyed his mask to which he stared, biting into his sandwhich.

All around the Bistro had calmed down, a few people in and out. Simon always took the seat closest to the exit, it was better for an escape—and he maintained situational awareness. Not only that, but he liked when he sat alone. His brooding form took over at least two seats.

“Bloody hell…the man took chicken outta chicken…” Simon said, staring at his sandwich in disgust. His eyes had widened by a fraction. He chewed the last bite before setting the stale sandwich down, already pissed they messed up his order. He shook his head in annoyance and then managed to catch you.

His head paused in its moment and he drank you in, hair illuminated by the dangling overhead lights. The warm light made your hair softer than usual, and you wore a flowy skirt, some boots and a buckled bag hang off your shoulder. Along with a tank top you’d managed to find in your laundry that wasn’t dirty.

Wait a minute. He’d seen you before. This was the lass that lived across from him. In that tiny corner of a “room,” your “dungeon” as he called it. His eyes narrowed as he watched you order your usual. He had no idea what it was but he was tempted to find out.

Only so he could get rid of whatever the hell he’d been ordering lately. After you received your ticket, you made your way to the opposite seating area away from him, hair flowing and following your movements.

“I keep seein’ that lass…tis a sign or wot?” He’d mumble, more so to himself. The plastic cup nudges his lips before he drank the water, washing away whatever chicken—fake chicken had been left.

——

Sometime later at night, he’d been walking down the pathway to his dorm. His hands were stuffed casually in his pockets, the sound of music blasting through his wired headphones was the only thing he was focused on. His boots crunched over pebbles, the gravely path taking a turn up a slope. The moon hung high and heavy in the sky.

It was then he caught wind of some laughter pouring out like champagne. Smooth, easy, flowing. Kind of like—you. There you stood, standing ahead and walking, just having finished dinner and on your phone, smiling widely. Your head was tilted up at the moon in amazement, talking about how you’d seen more balls than you cared to admit—

To which he cocked a brow curiously and carried on walking, although slightly slower this time. God. Maybe it was from all the training that weighed him down. He knew it was an excuse to eavesdrop more but to be fair: you piqued his interest. Ever since he’d seen you in that bathroom, hair tousled and half asleep.

“My damn window won’t shut.” He heard you complain, sighing as your head tipped down, focusing on the rocky path. You adjusted your bag, hair flowing. Some laughter sounded over the phone and then said, “Just get that masked man to do it, the one you been telling me about.”

Masked man?

Oh.

Him.

Who else wore a looming skull mask in the dead of night? Him.

“No, absolutely not—I don’t even know him.” You said much quieter, eyes wide and lifting to peer around to see if anyone heard. It seemed like you didn’t know he was directly behind you, hanging a few feet back. He shuffled in his spot and for the first time in a while for the day, found his lip itching to grin. It was too easy. You seemed naive in the moment.

It also seemed apparent to him you’d been talking about him—to whoever friend it was over the phone. His finger tapped against his thigh, head cocking to the side curiously. Although he couldn’t blame you for doing so—lotta lassies fawned over him. He found himself disinterested though, unable to see himself in a relationship for the time being. Maybe it was the trauma, maybe it was the fact he preffered to be with his goldfish and venting to it, only to be returned with blobs of bubbles blowing out.

Just then, his boot crunched loudly on a twig and your head snapped around, hand clutching the phone. He stared, now pausing in his movements, as you were blocking his path. He watched as color drained from your face quite amusingly—and you fumbled to disconnect the phone call.

“Yeah, yeah, make sure to tell him what a nice ass—“

The phone cut off. Now both of you stood staring at each other.

[sydsaint]

Summary: The reader is Jey's baby sister. She finds herself getting into some trouble with Damian Priest when Jey leaves her backstage while he's busy with a match against JD McDonagh.

"I told you, I ain't want you near any of these dudes YN." Jey scolds you for what seems like the umpteenth time.

"So you get to run around and flirt with half of the girl's roster? But I have to just what? Sit here and wither away from loneliness and boredom?" You scoff.

Jey grits his teeth, clearly annoyed by your antics. "Yes!" He huffs at you. "Come on, YN. It's bad enough I got all these guys after me here on Raw. I don't need to be worrying about who's hanging around you too."

You roll your eyes at Jey. He's always been the more protective sibling of your brothers. When things broke down with The Bloodline and Roman you chose to leave with Jey rather than stay on Smackdown with the rest of the family.

"I'm not a child anymore, Jey. I can take care of myself." You remind Jey of your age.

"Come on, YN." Jay lets out a frustrated sigh. "Just, don't go getting into trouble, alright? For me?" He asks you.

You study your brother's pleading eyes and sigh. "Okay okay." You groan to yourself. "I'll hang backstage tonight, alright?" You give up.

"Thank you." Jey relaxes a bit. "Now, I've got a match against JD McDonagh in a bit that I need to get to. Wait for me here, please?" He asks you.

"I won't move from this spot." You nod. "As long as you promise to kick JD's ass for me." You joke.

Jey nods and heads off for his match. You keep your promise and remain in place backstage while you wait for Jey to come back.

You are absently scrolling through your phone when a shadow is cast over you indicating that someone is standing in front of you. You look up from your phone and find Damian Priest looming over you with a sly smile.

"Damian." You put down your phone and lean back a bit to create some space between the two of you. "Hello." You greet him.

"YN, what's going on mamas?" He asks you in that velvet-smooth tone of his. You watch his eyes rake over you briefly and lick his lips subtly.

"Oh, just waiting for Jey to kick your man JD's ass." You challenge him with a sly smile.

Damian huffs, cracking an amused grin as he does. "Jey benched you for the night huh?" He asks you. "Now that's a damn shame. Pretty mami like you? You should be out there kicking it with the crowd." He taunts you.

"Well, I can't argue with that." You shrug. "How come you're not out there, Damian?" You ask him.

"Now why would I want to be out there with JD and your brother when all of the fun is happening back here?" He asks you.

An amused grin plays on your lips. "Fair enough."

Damian's eyes rake over you one more time. He takes in every detail of your face and body on display in front of him that he can before his gaze returns to meet yours.

"What do you say we get out of here?" He suggests. "Drinks are on me." He offers

"Oh, you'd like that wouldn't you?" You giggle and set a delicate hand on his chest.

Damian glances down at your hand on his chest before returning your gaze again. "More than you know, mami." He chuckles.

You and Damian continue your little game of light touches and lingering gazes for a while. That is until Jey comes back from his match against JD and spots the two of you.

"YN!" Jey's voice carries across the room.

You look over Damian's shoulder as Jey marches across the room with a sour look on his face.

"Oh-ho, looks like the parties are over big man." You sigh and pat Damian's chest.

Damian chuckles as you hop to your feet and slip past him with an innocent smile. "Yeah, Jey?" You meet your brother halfway across the room.

"I asked you to stay out of trouble!" Jey scolds you.

"You asked me to stay backstage and out of the way." You argue with him. "And that's what I did." You add. "I haven't moved since you left for your match with JD."

Jey narrows his eyes at you and huffs a breath through his nose. You step off to his side and Jey shoots a glare toward Damian.

"Stay away from my sister, Priest," Jey warns Damian with a scowl before grabbing your arm and dragging you off.

"Bye, Damian." You call over your shoulder as Jey drags you off.

Damian laughs as you're dragged off. "Have a good night, gorgeous!" He calls after you.

[beansidhebumbling]

A Rhysta Snippet inspired by the amazing @theladyofbloodshed

His ribs began to ache before the Manor came to view. It should have been a sign in hindsight, that blooming flower of pain in his side, a warning corsage from the Mother. But the swirling snow obscuring their sight and Feyre's wringing hands, picking in turn at her ragged nails and then the fine leather of a scabbard Cassian had pushed onto her that morning for protection, were bigger concerns.

His lovesick fool of a General, was continuing his pining from 6 feet away, fists clenched and jaw tight, a wound spring of longing. Rhys would never have called his brother hesistant until now. But love did strange things to males his mother had said. As Cassian’s eyes bore holes into the back of Feyre's head, fear or idiocy, probably a mixture of both, prevented him from comforting the Saviour.

Which left Rhysand with the honour.

He was going to thrash Cassian in the ring for this tomorrow.

Falling in step beside the girl he said lightly,

"Relax. I think you've faced down worse than whatever that place houses."

He tipped his head towards the looming shadow of the building that had emerged from the gloam just a moment prior. With each step further detail of the house was revealed, candlelit windows with iron bars on them, marble pillars and statues of beasts of old caught his eye. The humans had spent Tamlin's coin well it seemed.

'You haven't met Nesta.'

Feyre let out an unconvincing watery laugh.

He'd heard more than enough about the eldest Archeron. Whispers between Cassian and Feyre had reached his ears in Velaris. And he was not blind to the tears that carved new paths on the archer's ice-nipped face. He always had a particular disdain for those who failed to care for blood, hence his hatred of the mirror.

'Nesta hasn't met me.'

He muttered darkly.

'Stop it.'

Feyre snapped firmly.

'You'll have manners, Rhysand. Do you understand?'

She was very like Rowena when she said his name like that. His sister would have loved her. A fellow pain in his neck.

Huffing in agreement and feeling like a scolded child he stormed forward to knock on the great iron studded door they had reached.

----------

He had always liked romance books, a secret youthful pleasure his mother indulged and his father abhorred.

He dreamed his first meeting with his mate would go like the great love stories he'd devoured, a single glance, a fleeting touch that would explode his world of night into symphony of colour and sunshine.

Instead as a human opened a door, his pulse began to rise, a tremendous searing heat radiated from his heart and the snow around him whirled with fae cast gusts of innate power before being evaporated when he got his first glance of her.

She was resplendent, his mate, her delicate eyebrows furrowed in distrust even as the corner of her mouth softened at the sight of her sister.

He attempted to correct his expression into something gentle and charming so she might like him. It was imperative she liked him.

Instead Nesta Archeron with a beauty so sharp it shredded the snowflakes around him, took one glance at his pained grimace, his pointed ears, his damned wings, and promptly shut the door in his face.

[ak4e7a]

i need to talk about this (nsfw twitter) link bc it's so brat tamer!hoon coded ...

(smut under the cut!)

mouthing off to your boyfriend in the morning while he's getting ready for work, making a joke about how since he can't work from home today and keep you company (letting you cockwarm him while he sits at his desk), you'll just go ask jake if he's busy.

of course you don't mean it at all. jake is just your friend and you only have ever had eyes for sunghoon, but he doesn't care if it's a joke, it's not funny to him because you've already made him late for work by trying to hide his keys.

"i'll punish you when i get back," he snarls, looking at you coldly.

you roll your eyes. "and what time will that be?"

"ten."

"PM?"

"spankings. i suggest you quit the attitude while you're ahead, brat, before i make it twenty."

you don't listen. of course, sunghoon knows that. you've been together for so long now, he knows everything about you. he loves your attitude most of the time, but you've been pushing your limits lately. and he knows it's because you want attention.

that thought is only solidified even more when he does come home, later than usual—just to make you squirm. he finds you in your shared bedroom, watching some mindless tv. you look at him and gulp. he looks just as pissed off as he did when he left for work, having not even given you a goodbye kiss this morning.

"did you have fun with jake today, darling?"

you pout, realizing that if you keep pushing his buttons he might not let you cum tonight, let alone fuck you. "n-no..."

he hangs up his blazer in the closet before walking over to where you sit at the edge of the bed, looming over you with his full height. his broad shoulders block the TV screen, but your focus is now on him. "you didn't have fun with him? why's that? because you know damn well that no one can play with you like i can?"

"n-no, i didn't have fun b-because i stayed home..." you mumble.

"yeah? stayed home and did what, you little brat? did you try and make yourself cum? i bet you couldn't, since you need me... need me to do everything for you, don't you?"

you nod in shame. "yes..."

"yes, what?"

"yes, daddy. need you."

he can tell you feel sorry for what you did. after all, not only are you dressed up for him in his favorite pretty white lingerie, but you texted him all day, doting on him and showing him how you cleaned the house, did the laundry, and did the groceries. he was going to tell you that he was proud of you, but then you started acting up again before he could reply, texting him about how much you wished he would come home already and bend you over the couch.

he softens a little bit at your pleading eyes, but you both know he's not going to let you get away with how you talked back to him this morning. so he sits next to you on the bed, muttering, "get over my lap. now."

"but daddy—"

"who's in charge?"

"you are, daddy."

"then do what i tell you to do."

his jaw clenches and the sight alone makes you scramble over his lap, face down, ass up. he slides a pillow under you because, while you did earn a punishment, he still adores you all the same and can't stop himself from taking care of you.

"you know what color looks really good with white?" he asks, skimming a hand over your skin.

you tell yourself that now is not the time to be a smartass. "what color, daddy?"

he brings his hand down hard, like thunder. you squeal.

"red," he answers. "now take your punishment like a good girl, and maybe i'll fuck the rest of your attitude out of you."

[redcoralpot]

Smudged - Rodrick Heffley x FTM! Reader

Summary: Rodrick had been chasing after Heather for a year, now, even after ruining her birthday party. Chicks dig bad boys, right? However, one day, he stumbles upon a family member that even he didn't know she had, one that awakens a part of him that he didn't know existed.

Warnings: N/A

Word Count: 3.3K

Notes: I had to fight Google Docs to finish this. AHHHHHHHHHH

-

The sun beat down on your arms, with rough concrete scratching your palms. Your ankles were dipped into the pool, a cool feeling enveloping them, and you used this to your advantage. A pink pool doughnut floated past, manipulated by the soft waves coming from other visitors, and you reached a foot out of the water with a splash! 

“What the hell!” Heather shrieked, attempting to paddle away from you. “Don’t get your toe-water on me, freak!”

“Like I care,” you snickered, raising your foot to do it again.

“You’re going to start caring when I dump your eyeliner in the toilet!”

A pout tugged on your lips, “Hey, now, that’s going a little far, don’t you think?”

“Like I care,” she sneered, rolling her eyes.

 The threat worked well enough, and you lowered your weapon, letting a hiss of air move a wisp out of your eyes. At least she wasn’t going to hide your pins inside the cookie jar… again. 

You spread a sheen of water across your biceps, attempting to quell the heat that built up from the minutes spent sitting on the edge. It only provided a sense of relief for a moment before a shadow loomed over your little spot, the temperature dropping with the rays missing. A groan built up in your throat; he was here.

Rodrick Heffley. The infamous man himself; the lead singer and drummer of the one band that ruined a girl’s birthday party for the sake of courting her, a serenade full of copyright instead of romance. That girl happened to be the most popular in the school, the one that every guy was tripping over himself over. The one who, rather unfortunately, happened to be your sister. 

Your neck twisted upwards, just to look at him, “What?”

“Didn’t know Heather had a brother,” he said, with a smug smile on his face.

“Huh.” You grinned, “I assumed you saw me at her party.”

The smile dropped, and was replaced with a sheepish look,  “Uh, yeah, I was busy.”

“That’s a gentle way to put it.”

He cleared his throat, struggling to not take the bait, “But, hey, what grade are you in? I’ve never seen you around.”

“Same grade, different schools. We’re twins.”

“Oh, damn, really? I couldn’t tell, you two don’t look the same, at all!”

You were used to getting that comment from older generations, who hadn’t been to school in the last half-a-century, but from a late teen? Health and biology should be fresh in everyone’s minds, they all took it two years ago. Though, who were you kidding, this was Rodrick you were talking about. He probably tricked his parents into doing all the homework for him, or worse, bullied his little brother into it. 

“Yeah, really. We’re fraternal twins, not identical.” You rolled your eyes.

There was no light bulb shining in his eyes, no signs that he even registered what you said, “Wait, what?”

“Two sperm, two eggs. Boom.”

“Still, it’s kinda sick that you two are complete,” he paused, “opposites.”

“Are you and Greg–”

“Me and that little nerd are not the same.”

“Then it’s the same concept.”

Rodrick kicked his sandals off before flopping on the edge beside you, cursing silently to himself when the rough ground scraped his hand. You gratefully took the chance to slide your own around your neck, cracking it out of its uncomfortable position. When you looked up again, he was watching you, his lips parted ever so slightly. He visibly swallowed, his Adam's apple betraying him.

“Where do’ya get your eyeliner from?”

“The pharmacy, duh. I won’t spend a lot on expensive eyeliner if I’m just going to smudge it in the end. By then, it all looks the same, why?”

“Just looking for some good brands to keep up my amazing makeup skills, that’s all.”

“So you don’t have to keep borrowing your mom’s?”

He squinted his eyes, peering at you, “How the hell do you know that?”

“Being Heather’s brother pays off sometimes; I hear all her calls.”

“She… talks about me?” You could hear the excitement, the hope growing in his voice. 

It took only a needle to pop it, “Yeah, shit-talks. She doesn't want you, man.”

“Nah, all chicks dig bad boys! They can’t act cool about it forever.”

“You’re more of a wannabe than a bad boy. Listen, if you’re hoping to get with Heather through me, you’re out of luck.”

He backed up, eyes wide, “Woah, woah, I never said that. It’d be a cool plus, sure, but I just wanted to talk to a cool dude.”

“Sure. Well, if you ever need some more eyeliner brands, I’m your man. Can’t promise that they won’t all be dumped in the toilet by tonight, though.”

“Why would they be–”

“Hey, newsflash,” A high voice called out from across the pool, doughnut in tow, “we promised to be back at home by five!”

“Oh, Heather, I have a show coming up; I could get you and the chicks some free tickets to it.” Rodrick hopped on one foot while struggling to get his sandals back on, that smirk creeping back onto his face.

You shook your head and decided to take your feet out of the pool, padding to your lounge chair. Drying them off on your towel, you roughhoused your socks and shoes on, worn to shreds after inspiration from Joey Ramone. Your father had been lucky enough to score tickets to one of his shows back in the late 80’s, and he recalls it as one of the best nights of his life. Not simply because he got to go to a concert, no, his buddy even had to convince him to go in the first place. It was one of his favorite recollections to tell to his two, and then three, children as they grew up.

Rodrick was promptly ignored by Heather as she walked over to you, and his eyes followed her as she dumped her float and bag into your arms. Only the tips of her hair were wet, and like you, had a dry pair of clothes on already. You had to wrestle with the weight until you had a clear view of the ground in front of your shoes.

After you passed the boy on your way to the exit, you called back, “Good luck with the show, Heffley!”

The walk back to the car was a short, but humid one; even from the distance you could see a slip of folded paper stuck in between your left windshield wiper, pale against the dark interior of the car. You managed to set your sister’s bag on the hood, and with light fingers, you plucked the note out of its hiding place, unfolding it.

“Looks like we had a visitor;” You couldn’t help but chuckle while reading it, “Löded Diper.”

Heather fumed, “Are you kidding me?”

“You don’t need to go, yeah?” You shrugged, ducking into the driver’s seat.

“It’s annoying!”

“I can’t exactly say it’s harmless after the party fiasco, but just know I’ll chase him off if he tries anything like that again.”

“Ugh.”

“Don’t worry about it.” 

You smiled, tucking the invitation deep into your pocket.

-

Dawdling with Heather’s time in the pool had earned you two missing sticks of makeup, and it was not hard to guess where they had gone the next time you took a piss. You forced yourself not to lash out at your sister, as surely that would make it worse, and just gritted your teeth as you flung the ruined containers into the trash. It truly made you wonder just how Rodrick had come to fall head over heels– literally, in some sense– for the girl. Hell, she treated him worse than you, from the things Holly had whispered to you at the dinner table.

The sun was just starting to set in the sky, light blue bleeding into orange as the pharmacy blocked the sun. You kicked a rock into the entrance, and the small clack caused the doors to slide open in front of you. It was a little late for the nightly rush; the very last of the families were finishing up their shopping, their kids squealing at the gum displayed by the cashier. He was a lean, stiff-looking guy, with sunken eyebags and a dim grin on his face. 

You whistled a tune under your breath, convincing him to turn to look at you, “You’re not paid enough for this, dude.”

“You think?” His smile dropped, and he rolled his eyes, “Why the hell are you here, anyway?”

“Holly isn’t sick, if that’s what you were thinking.”

“And?”

“But someone was sick enough to sabotage my makeup,” you said, flicking his silver name tag. Daniel.

Daniel slapped your hand away, gesturing to your bare eyes, “That part was obvious. Another guy with raccoon eyes slid in here only a few minutes earlier, looking for the same brand you always get, so I kind of assumed he was here to replenish your stash.”

“What? I’m here alone.”

“Really?” He came in close. “You’re sure you aren’t on a–”

“Yeah, I’m sure.” You pushed his face back, your pointer finger squishing his nose.

A couple wandered up to the counter, baby in arms, snot running down its red chin. Their basket was full to the brim, and although Daniel’s winner grin instantly grew, you knew he just wanted to clock out. Snickering, you stuck your hands into your pockets, your wrists scratching against your studded belt as you disappeared into an aisle. The makeup section was located near the back of the pharmacy, filled with flickering lights and shelves full of a few select, cheap brands or clumps of dust. Typically, the only customers that wandered that far back were pre-teens or cigarette mothers; the kind of people who don’t give a shit about what they’re buying as long as it’s cheap.

However, as you sauntered over to the first row of shelves, a head full of brown, lazily styled hair greeted you instead. Not the odor of burnt tobacco, though it still stuck to the white walls in yellowish-gray globs, but the scent of the cheap cologne that followed you around the pool. Rodrick was hanging over quite a specific section, chewing his bottom lip. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, as you looked on behind him in amusement. 

Leaning against the wall, you chuckled, “Took my advice, huh, Heffley?”

Rodrick jumped, and hissed under his breath. His posture shot up, his head turning to look at you; a pathetic attempt at saving face, really. No words were said for a long minute, only interrupted by the gargling screeches of a baby. What had Daniel done?

“I thought drug stores selling makeup was a lie, so I had to fact check!” He said, 

holding up his hands.

“You think I’d lie to you?”

“Hey, my mom taught me stranger danger.”

“Since when do you listen to your mom?” You reached past him, snatching up a container, “You obviously have no idea what to look for.”

Rodrick shuffled out of your way, and huffed at your comment. “I totally do!”

“Okay, then, pencil, felt, or liquid? Which do you prefer?”

“I think felt’s the best.”

At that confident response, you stepped closer, getting in his face. He didn’t have too much makeup on, actually; just messily applied eyeliner and a too-light eyebrow pencil. A light pink dusted his cheeks, now that you were able to get a good look at them– his eyes widened, preventing you from doing the same for his eyes. You bit your cheek, your own eyebrows furrowing.

“Relax, dude, I’m trying to look,” you snapped, and used his chin to force him to face upwards.

Even as his shoulders relaxed and his eyelids drooped, he mumbled, “You’re taller than I remember.”

You released his face. Without someone to lean on, Rodrick stumbled, his breathing heavy, despite him never doing anything but laze around. Stepping back, you gave him a knowing grin, pleased at your find. He didn’t seem to process it, lifting a hand to feel up his own jaw. It clicked shut with a snap.

“Liar, you’re wearing pencil eyeliner,” you snickered.

“How the hell could you tell?”

You reached for another container, “Unless you have shit coordination, it’s less precise than liquid is. Creamier, too.”

“That’s sick, man.”

Tapping the pencil into his hand, you kicked his foot, urging him to take it, “I recommend this brand if you’re a fan of that. It’s cheap, so you can stop using up all of your mom’s.”

“Ow!”

He pulled his foot up with one, gripping the eyeliner with the other. Hopping back, he seemed like a really pissed, wounded puppy as he glared at your boots, “Why’d you kick me with those monsters?”

“Monsters? These are Doc Martens, ‘1460’. How do you expect to impress Heather if you can’t even handle a tap to the heel?”

“Excuse me, I let it get run over by a car for her! Barely reacted.”

“So I heard.” You shook your head.

A voice shouted from the intercom, “Are you two done back there? The store’s closing in five, you’re the only ones left, and I’ll lock you in here if you make me work a minute overtime!”

The two of you rushed to the front, pushing and shoving each other into the aisles in order to get to the counter first. Rodrick, out of shape, lost after he landed back-first into packages of gauze. Daniel, the man himself, was even more unimpressed at the scene than he sounded over the intercom, and looked in back and forth between you. He cracked his knuckles, getting to work on scanning the two tiny pencils; he did not even bother to put them in a plastic bag. He scratched his chin, squinting at the screen.

“That’ll be $2.48.”

You pulled out a five dollar bill out of your wallet, “I’ll pay.”

“Shit, I’m okay with that.” Rodrick shrugged.

Daniel stared him down as he snatched the bill out of your hand, “Aren’t you Rodrick Heffley? Greg’s older brother?”

“Duh, the one and only!” Rodrick said, and Daniel turned to you.

“Since when were you buddy-buddy with him? Heather hates his guts.”

“We aren’t buddy-buddy,” you scoffed, and an affronted noise came from beside you. “I only officially met him yesterday, when he was harassing her again. Pretty sure he only talked to me to find out more about Heather.”

The register finished its business with a ding. The cashier handed you your change, taking the opportunity to slide his uniform vest off of his body. You pocketed it along with your stick of eyeliner, almost throwing Rodrick’s at him. Meanwhile, Daniel had disappeared behind a door locked to customers, a clear message to get out of the store while he still allowed it. Your shoes hit the tiled floor with heavy thumps; Rodrick’s steps were silent compared to yours. Your own footsteps quieted as soon as you exited the store, muted by the asphalt ground of the parking lot. 

Rodrick had pulled in with his van, clearly not the smartest move if he had wanted to be inconspicuous. It had a cheap, white paint job that was stained with words spray painted in black, uncentered and tilted. Your car, on the other hand, was a tiny thing that belonged to your mother, who would absolutely murder you if you even got a dent in it from a passing stick. The sun had long dipped under the horizon, causing the deep red color to read as crimson. However, before you could get in, one hand on the door, Rodrick called out to you.

“Thanks for… stuff.”

You raised an eyebrow at him, “That’s the first time I think anybody has ever witnessed you say thanks.”

You slammed your car door shut with you inside, watching Rodrick scramble for safety inside his van. The car’s windshield was dark with the fresh evening sky, and you could finally relax in privacy. Turning the key to start the engine, you then flicked on the radio, one arm occupied by resting near the window. An unfamiliar tune, a new release, started playing, as you backed out of your spot; speeding off. If someone asked you about it later, you would have sworn that you saw the boy staring at your fleeting vehicle. 

Truth be told, your family lived in a rich neighborhood that was too well put together for something so close to a highway. Your house wasn’t the biggest in the residency, but it was decent enough to see the golden lights shining through the treetops. Living near a long line of stores was an advantage, you supposed, if a zombie apocalypse happened; but that wouldn’t. At least while you were still alive or young enough to fight some off. Otherwise, it was noisy, and you had to drown out the sounds of motorcycles, cars, and fights breaking out to focus on anything after school.

Your driveway was smooth; any rocks had been smoothed out by the machines rolling over them daily. A few flower bushes lined it– your mother had been insistent about it– and their thorns occasionally caught on your pants when you walked past. Everyone seemed to still be awake as you slipped through the door, keys jingling, since Holly jumped down the stairs to greet you.

She whispered, “Where’d you go?”

“The pharmacy, why are we whispering?” You grinned, matching her energy.

“I didn’t know if mom and dad knew,” she responded, louder, “You got grounded for a month last time you snuck out.”

“Okay, okay, shh, back to whispering.”

You climbed up the stairs, not bothering to let Heather know you had returned. Her voice carried throughout the walls, as she was complaining on call about projects, about boys, about Rodrick. Every time she talked with her friends, she complained about the ‘tough guy’ who deluded himself into thinking she was secretly into him, every time he acted up. All the girls seemed to have formed a hate club for the drummer, and if Holly had anything to say about it, it was that some of the teachers joined it as well.

As soon as you shut your bedroom door, you bent down to untie your Doc’s purple ties, tugging the boots off and throwing them in your closet. You slipped your pants off, then your boxers, leaving only your secondary underwear to hold your pad inside. Before you could throw both garments in your hamper, you paused, feeling a crinkle underneath your hand. You reached down into the pocket, pulling out a wrinkled, ripped piece of paper. Thoughtfully, you smoothed it out, pinning it on your cork board as you tossed your clothes into the pile.

Two free tickets to their upcoming show, meant for Heather. It would take a lot in order to drag Daniel to the event with you, as a plus one, but you were sure you were capable. As you settled into bed, you thought back to all the things your twin had said about the band, and the party. That celebration had been the only time you had heard their music, and it wasn’t even their song, more so a cover.

You gently placed the pencil on your bedside, only able to see the outline of it in the moonlight. If he was only being nice to you for Heather’s approval, why had he taken your advice? That mystery should bother you, should keep you up, like it did last night. But truly?

You could not find it in yourself to care.

-

[light-yaers]

Take Care: Chapter Eight

Fic Masterpost | AO3 | Chapter List

Warnings: swearing, eventual smut, emotional themes.

A/N: sorry about how long this took i am busy and tired and also didn't want to write all this sad shit but alas, i did it. we are officially done with season one! i will be taking a small hiatus before i get to posting the next chapters for season two, but i cannot wait to continue this for you all. mwah mwah mwah

Word count: 8.8k

Chapter Eight

As your final week at the Dogtrack began, you found yourself already getting nostalgic. You wandered the lower levels gently, strolling in and out of every room, before you ascended the steps to the upper levels. You slalomed through the concessions, waving hello to the bar workers, cleaners, and others who were getting ready for the final game of the season that Saturday. You ascended another level to reach Rebecca’s office, and when her door loomed before you, you knocked upon it. 

Rebecca shot you a look of understanding when you entered her office, almost sullenly. You tried to keep your spirits up, but she could see right through you about this– the same way everyone else could when you gently popped your head around the locker room door that morning. 

“Oh, sweetheart,” Rebecca said, opening her arms warmly as you clicked the door shut behind you. 

You allowed her to encase you in a hug, one where you couldn’t help but imagine her as the Virgin Mary and you as her tiny baby Jesus. Rebecca’s bosom was just that comforting that you couldn’t liken it to anything else, but you would never tell her that. Not in a million years.

“Are you okay?” she asked, as she removed her calming grip from you. 

You nodded once. “Yeah,” you said, but your voice cracked involuntarily. “Maybe,” you added, and it only made Rebecca laugh sympathetically. 

“Did you submit your final assignment?” she asked. 

“Yes, thank fuck,” you breathed out, before you flopped yourself onto the sofa. “Every last thing I needed to do has been done, so now I just… wait, I guess.”

Rebecca dropped herself beside you and crossed her legs. “Waiting isn’t so bad of a thing, I suppose. I waited to see the Spice Girls live for over a year, and it turned out brilliant.”

“I think waiting for a concert is vastly different than this, Rebecca,” you let out. You spread yourself out on her sofa, starfish style. She reached out and grabbed your knee affectionately. “I’m not waiting for a once in a lifetime performance, I’m waiting for the inevitable end of coming to this place every fucking day.” You lifted your head up quickly, and shot a wild gaze her way. “What if they all forget about me?”

“That’s not fucking possible,” she said strongly. “And if you go off the radar then you can count on Keeley and I coming to batter down your damn door, or someone else.”

“Someone else?” you questioned, and your mind immediately went to Lasso. “I don’t think Ted would do that. He’s far too soft and squishy to break down a door, don’t you think?” you rattled off. 

“I didn’t mean Ted,” Rebecca said, squeezing your knee gently. You inhaled when she looked at you knowingly, before you dropped your head back down to stare at the ceiling. She didn’t need to say a name for you to know that she meant Roy. 

Roy Kent would definitely batter down doors, you thought, but whether or not yours would come into that equation was a mystery. He hadn’t battered down your door before, only knocked and begged to come inside… 

Was that the same thing?

“They’re going to bench him,” you said plainly. 

“I know,” Rebecca said. 

“I think he knows it, too,” you said. 

“I think you’re right,” Rebecca said, before she retracted her grip from you. She stood up strongly, and peered down at you like a giant. “No more moping, come on,” she said, as you allowed her to hoist you from the sofa. 

“If I can’t mope, what the fuck am I supposed to do for the next five days?” 

Rebecca smiled. “Enjoy it,” she said. “Before it’s all over, enjoy it.” 

On Tuesday, you grabbed a coffee from the cafe in the morning like normal. You scuffed your feet on the concrete as you headed to your office afterwards, but got immediately side tracked when you heard a ruckus from the locker room. Without dropping off your belongings, you headed there first to check out what was wrong. 

You entered the uncharacteristically quiet locker room, only to discover Ted, Nate, Higgins and Rebecca. 

“Why so hostile, Nathan?” Rebecca said, as a mischievous smile graced her face. 

“Wait… you know my name?” Nate asked, as you slowed to an almost comically paced slow walk. You held your breath, not wanting to interrupt the four of them. 

“I needed to know it for when I wrote your contract,” she said, before she sent a look your way. She winked at you, and you were reminded of a text from Roy a few weeks prior– Nate was due to get promoted, but for the past month he’d been afraid he was going to get fired. 

You had to admit it, but the look on his face was fucking hilarious. 

Ted smacked a hand down on Nate’s shoulder. “You’re not getting fired, buddy, you’re getting promoted!”

All of a sudden, the closed blinds of the manager’s office revealed the screaming team of AFC Richmond behind. They yelled and cheered, and Colin let off a confetti cannon as he burst through the door and into the main locker room. Nate’s shock and fear dissipated immediately, turning into excitement and appreciation, as soon as he locked eyes with Rebecca again. 

She handed him his contract, and the word coach at the top made him want to cry. This was what he’d wanted for so long, but what he’d never dared to think about achieving. Seeing his name on this contract, however, made everything change. He’d made it. He’d really fucking made it. The guys gathered like a swarm of bugs, picking Nate easily off the floor and gently swinging him in the air triumphantly. You laughed at their joy, their excitement, as you peered up at him atop Isaac’s and Sam’s shoulders. 

Roy gently approached you from behind. He skidded his knuckles across your lower back, alerting you to his presence. You crossed your arms and leaned back into him without even thinking. Your upper back thumped against his chest gently, as the two of you kept your eyes on an overjoyed Nathan.

You twisted yourself around and looked up at the smile on Roy’s face. You jabbed him in the abdomen gently, as he peered down at you. “You’ve gone soft,” you said, just loud enough for him to hear. 

Roy sniffed, trying to puff out his chest to counteract your words. “No I fucking haven’t,” he said, but it was clear that you were right. 

Without hesitation, you raised your hand to his face and gently prodded his cheek. “I think I just felt a tear,” you joked, before you prodded again. You widened your eyes in false shock. “No, I definitely did. You’re on the brink of crying, aren’t you?” 

Roy’s attempt at staying stoic went out the window upon your second prod. He swiftly pushed your hand away and guided your shoulders around to face the rest of the room, before he playfully wrapped his arms over your shoulders and chest. You leaned further into him, bringing your hands to grab hold of his forearms strongly. He was so close to resting his chin on the top of your head, and part of him wanted to, but he didn’t. You refrained from tilting your head back from fear that he’d pull away. 

Instead, the two of you swayed from side to side gently, smiling, laughing, peering out at the joyous scene before you. Neither of you dared to question the position you were in, whether mental or physical. You simply held on for dear life, and chose not to focus on the fact this would all be over in a matter of days. 

On Wednesday, you took your laptop outside to the stands. You sat there for most of the day, tapping upon your keyboard, until the late afternoon sun shone against the blue and red plastic seats of the Dogtrack. You only went inside to piss, or eat, or drink, but even those times were sparse. Even by the time practice had been and gone, you were still outside, soaking up the sun. 

The echo of footsteps on the opposite side of the stadium hit you, and when you looked up you were surprised to see the small outline of Roy. He headed to one of the blue seats in the stands, hands in his leather jacket pockets. You gently went to close your laptop, thinking about joining him, but you stopped when you saw another figure emerge. Ted walked up the stairs of the stands, before he slotted himself beside Roy in the sea of blue. 

Innately, you knew what they were going to talk about. Pulling off the bandaid. Quickly and without fuss, you grabbed your belongings and headed back inside. The guys were packing up to head home after a long day. You bumped into Sam in the corridor, and strolled to the car park together. 

“Do you need a lift? I can drop you home,” he offered, as you approached his car. Further down the car park, you saw Roy’s Jeep. 

You shook your head gently. “Thank you, but I’m good,” you said. Sam followed your eyes to Roy’s Jeep, and when he looked back at you, there was an understanding look on his face. 

“See you tomorrow?” he questioned. 

“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be,” you replied, beaming. 

Sam drove off a moment later. When you were alone, you strolled towards Roy’s Jeep and leaned against the passenger side door gently. The Spring sun shone off the hood, casting an orange glow over the entire car park. This reminded you of before, the first time he’d ever driven you home from the stadium. The sun was the same colour, and it was so vibrant that his pitch black car had erupted with a volcanic glow. 

Secretly, you thought the colour orange suited Roy. 

You crossed your arms and looked at the ground, waiting for the inevitable moment that Roy appeared. You didn’t want him to be alone, not for this–  not ever, really– so you planted yourself on the concrete, content with waiting for him to finally leave for home. 

Roy stormed through the stadium, gym bag in one hand and his car keys in the other. He huffed through his nose painfully as he opened the doors to the car park, and was ready to scream at the top of his fucking lungs– until he saw you. You leaned against his Jeep, head down to the point where your hair covered the obviously sleepy expression on your face. Your arms were crossed over your chest, and your knees were slightly bent from tiredness. 

He slowed his pace as he approached you, and unlocked his car with his keys. You felt the car vibrate behind you, and noticed the flash of lights as it unlocked. When you looked up, Roy was no more than a metre away from you, and still fast approaching. You sucked in a gentle breath as he tugged open the passenger side door for you. 

“Jump in,” was all he said, and you didn’t have to be told twice. He shut the door behind you after you were settled and jumped into the driver’s seat. He started the engine, leaving the car park as fast as he possibly could.

The drive was silent. Roy didn’t turn on the radio, nor did you ask him to, either. When he turned down your street, he pulled onto the curb outside your building. He cut the engine, and the interior went utterly silent. Gently, you looked at him. He looked back, and his stare was enough to make you melt. 

You sucked in a deep breath. “Do you want to talk about it?” you asked. 

Roy’s knuckles tightened on the steering wheel. His entire body tensed. “No,” he said plainly. 

“Okay,” you said gently, shooting him a small smile in understanding. “If you want to, you know where I am.”

Roy nodded, trying to keep it together. “Yeah,” he said, but it came out forcefully, like he didn’t want to show what he was truly feeling. You didn’t press him, but instead grabbed your bag and slung it over your shoulder. 

“See you tomorrow?” you asked, as you laid your hand on the door handle. 

“Yeah,” Roy said again, hiding behind the pain in his chest.

You got out of his Jeep, and slammed the door shut behind you. You sent him a small wave from the pavement, and before you could even reach your door, he’d switched on the ignition and veered off down the road. 

On Thursday, Roy didn’t come to the stadium. His absence was felt by everyone, especially the team. Ted was quiet for most of the day, trying to keep up his commonplace enthusiasm, but it was clear that he felt guilty. No one blamed him, but that didn’t stop him from feeling like he’d done the unthinkable. 

You grabbed lunch with Keeley, but the quiet and sombre feeling from the stadium had rubbed off on you, too. You swirled your fork in your plate of pasta, and had hardly touched your glass of wine. Keeley cleared her throat opposite you, before she leaned forward gently. 

“Babe,” she started, as you met her eye. “It’ll be alright,” she said, trying to keep things light. 

“Sorry, I’m being such a fucking downer, aren’t I?” you breathed out, before attempting to perk yourself up. 

“It’s understandable. Change is scary,” she said. 

“It’s like, even though I try not to, I’m counting down the minutes until it’s all over. At five o’clock tomorrow evening, I’ll be done at Richmond.” Saying it outloud had you getting choked up. You swallowed quickly to stop your throat from closing up. 

The cogs in Keeley’s brain started whirring. “You sound just like Roy, you know? In your article, when he talked about not knowing what to do after he retired.” You listened to her intently, thankful for her kindness. “There will always be opportunities beyond the now, especially for talented fuckers like you and him,” she said, and you huffed at her bluntness. “You must have had employers in touch after the article, surely?”

You nodded at her, and thought about your inbox full of job offers. “I’ve had a few, yeah. That’s not what I’m worried about, though. I could work anywhere, I think it’s just… everything else, that’s getting me down.”

The end of the season. The threat of relegation. Saying goodbye. Every-fucking-thing. 

“You’ve got time,” Keeley reassured you. “Your lease at the flat doesn’t end until July, you’ve got job offers left right and fucking centre, and, well– you’ve got Roy.”

You furrowed your brows quizzically, but that was counteracted by the small smile that curled onto your lips. “Got Roy for what?”

Keeley sent you an amused look. “Oh, come on. Don’t be like that,” she said, as she shoved another mouthful of pasta in her gob. “I see the way you two are when you’re together.”

You huffed. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, here.”

Keeley dropped her fork and pointed at you abruptly. “You’re in denial, babes.”

“I am not–”

“Yes, you fucking are! You’ve been around a whole bunch of sexy footballers for months now, one of which has gone out of his way for you, your degree and your future, not to mention he showed up at your door with an apology fit for a fucking queen. All I’m saying is, if I was in your shoes, I would have had him at least three times by now–”

“Keeley,” you warned her, through a wave of amusement. 

“What? Not even a fucking kiss? What a bloody waste,” she said, before she grinned at you with her teeth mischievously. 

“The last thing Roy needs right now is me scuttling around him.” You took a sip of your wine. “He’s got enough on his plate as it is, and I don’t want to make it worse.”

“Do you hear yourself, babes?” Keeley said, her eyes wide. “You’re exactly what he fucking needs right now.”

You scoffed at that, reminded of yesterday in his car. “No, I’m not. Even at the best of times, Roy has the emotional output of a fucking teacup, but yesterday…” you trailed off, taking another sip– more like a gulp– of wine. 

“Was it bad?” Keeley asked. 

You nodded. “Yeah, it was bad.” 

Keeley leant across the table and grabbed your hand quickly. Her touch had superpowers, you thought. You always felt infinitely better when she found a soft way to reassure you. “His feelings aren’t your problem to fix, babes. You’ve let him know you’re there to support him, which is all any of us can do.”

You nodded, and let out a pent up breath. “Yeah,” you said, smiling at her. “You’re right, it’ll be fine.”

“All you need to focus on is enjoying the last days of your placement, alright?”

You chuckled at her. “I can do that. For you, I can do that.” 

Keeley squeezed your hand harder, and you let her. The two of you clinked your glasses together, as you enjoyed the final lunch break meal of your placement at AFC Richmond. 

On Friday, you started clearing out your office. You shoved all your supplies, books, post-its from Sam and the like, into a cardboard box that you could walk home with at the end of the day. You sat at your desk in the morning for the last time, and opened up your laptop despite having no fucking work to do. You skimmed through your emails, and added interview dates in your calendar, but you had to stop and hold your breath when you saw a new email fly into your inbox. 

It was from Pluto Press, the publisher that you’d meant to have your original placement with. They reached out after reading your article in the Independent, and had asked to set up a meeting for a possible job opening. Just like that, cogs had started flying into place. 

If you got a job there, you’d be able to stay in Richmond. In your flat, around your friends, around the boys, and around the club. You emailed back immediately, letting them your availability for an interview, and started curating a portfolio of your work before and during your time at AFC Richmond. Keeley was right— change was scary, but it was also exciting.

You just had to let yourself believe it all.

By lunch, you’d cleared out your entire office. It looked too bare, too empty. You swiped your hands over the cinder block walls— walls that you’d become so familiar with that it seemed painful to know you’d be leaving them behind in a matter of hours. 

Behind you, Sam knocked at your door. You turned and met his eye, and sent him a saddened smile.

“All packed up?” he asked, looking at the emptiness of it all.

You nodded, letting out a huff. “It feels so weird. I feel like I haven’t been here nearly long enough, but also for years at the same time.”

He strolled further into your office. You felt calm when he was near. “This place will do that to you. Make you settled and comfortable, but that is when time passes you by without realising.” 

“Yeah,” you acknowledged him gently, before sighing. “Are you on your second workout already?” Sam nodded. You stepped forward, and could see the other guys headed to the gym together through the door. A question danced in your mind. “No Roy today?” 

Sam shook his head. “We think he switched off his mobile. We’ve tried to reach out, but—,” He shrugged. “Nothing.” 

“I tried on Wednesday,” you said, as you leaned against your empty desk. “It was the same. Like he was feeling everything and nothing at the same time.”

“That has always been Roy’s way, I think,” Sam said. “He will come back if he wants to, and he knows we will be here if he does. No one is to blame for this.” 

“I know,” you breathed out shakily. “But, that’s just it, isn’t it?” You peered up at Sam’s soft and welcoming face, and you knew then that he understood you wholeheartedly. It felt good to be known. “It’s out of our control— but that’s when I want to fix things even more. It’s gutting to know we can’t do anything.” 

“That is because you are kind,” Sam said, and stepped towards you once more. “Too kind for your own good, sometimes. You want to fix everything all of the time, and feel responsible for other people’s feelings far too much, might I add.”

You huffed, feeling vulnerable. “Come off it.” 

“See!” Sam exclaimed. “You just proved my point for me.” 

You waved him off playfully. “Yeah, yeah, yeah…” you trailed off. 

Sam settled comfortably. “I am going to miss this.” 

This. Your chats. Your moments of shared clarity. Sharing a space with one another every day of the week. 

You ignored the strain you felt when your throat closed suddenly. You swallowed away the urge to cry. “Me too.” 

He headed towards your door then, smiling knowingly as he left. “I will see you after?” he asked, lingering on the doorway.

You nodded strongly, despite the rapid way your eyes were welling up. “I’ll be here.” 

You finished up some final emails in your bare office, before you sat in the cafe with a cup of tea for the remainder of the day. When the clock hit 4:30pm, you left sullenly. You felt a strange sense of peace as you navigated the empty corridors of the lower level, and were surprised to find the gym and locker room utterly empty.

The guys were nowhere to be seen, and Ted and Beard’s office was quiet of all Americans and Brits alike, too. You sighed to yourself, as you looked up at the yellow believe poster above the manager’s doorway.

You couldn’t believe this was it. Your last day. You’d spent nine months strolling up and down these corridors and rooms, sharing smiles and commiserations with the team, a joke with Ted, a look at Roy. When you thought back to the September before, you’d been so annoyed to be in this position, but now? 

You wouldn’t trade this experience for the world. 

It didn’t feel right, though. It didn’t feel like closure, because you knew that someone was missing. Roy wasn’t here. He wasn’t here on your final day to roll his eyes, or boom profanity, or offer to drive you home just to spend a few more moments with you. He wouldn’t be starting on the pitch tomorrow, or may not even show up at all, as you sat in the stands for your last game under contract at the club. 

It was almost too much to bear. You’d started your journey here with Roy, and it seemed only right to end it with him— but that wasn’t an option anymore.

You let the last of your composure fall away as you finally let go. Your eyes welled past the point of staying dry, as tears crept down your cheeks, tracking shining lines down your face. You peered around the room as you held yourself, taking in the red and blue everywhere, the numbers and names on the cubbies, and fluorescent lights overhead. You’d never expected for it all to feel so sad. Leaving, saying goodbye, moving onto other things. 

You realised then that, if you had the option, you’d stay at Richmond in a heartbeat. Fuck publishing. Fuck your book. You wanted the comfort of the cinder block walls and the laughter trickling from every room. 

You wanted to stay.

“Is it really the end already?” Ted said from the doorway. You jumped from the surprise, and turned to him quickly.

You wiped your tears away frantically, trying to hide your face, but when his soft and knowing smile hit you, it only increased your sadness. He strolled towards you gently, hands in his pockets. 

You sucked in a shaking breath before forcing yourself

to speak. “Give or take twenty minutes, but… yeah,” you let out, sputtering out embarrassed chuckles as you did so. 

Ted peered down at you. Him and his moustache smiled at you. “Come here,” he said gently, before he encased you in a hug. 

You let him hold you, as you laid your head on his shoulder and sniffed away the last of your tears. 

“I might be joining you on the goodbye train out of here, too, y’know?” he said, as you pulled away from his embrace. “Oh! You should come and visit Kansas!” You chuckled at the ease in his change of tone. “We’ve got great barbeque, and none of that brown watered monstrosity that you call tea.” 

“I love tea,” you croaked, as your voice levelled out and away from a wobbling mess.

“I just don’t get it! Roy said the same thing last night,” Ted whittled on. Your gut lurched at the mention of Roy’s name.

“You saw Roy?” you asked.

“I sure did. He stopped me from getting hit by one of those taxis— sorry, black cabs— last night. And we had a little chat afterwards at my place.” 

“How is he?” you asked, trying to keep the desperation from your voice, if that was even possible. 

Even just a few days without Roy had you feeling fucking crazy, especially after your drive home earlier in the week.

“He’s doing alright,” Ted’s voice settled. “About tomorrow’s match though, well… we’ll see.” 

You nodded in understanding. At the end of the day, it was Roy’s decision whether he wanted to show up or not. You prayed he would, prayed he’d be there to hear you scream your lungs out in the owner’s box for the last time during your placement. 

“I’ve got something for you,” Ted said suddenly, before he pulled out something from his pocket. You hovered your hand out for him, and he placed a small, green army man in your palm. “For protection. Just a little goodbye present,” he added, and your heart swelled.

You held it in your fingers, and felt a finality surge through you. You peered up at Ted thankfully. “I’ll miss you,” you said. 

“You, too.” Ted smiled. “Now, come on! The guys have something planned for you.” 

You followed Ted out of the locker room, sniffing away the last of your tears as you did so. He zoomed ahead as you tried to keep up with him, and turned to the left towards the tunnel towards the pitch. You emerged into the late afternoon light behind Ted, and what met your gaze had your heart in your throat immediately. 

The boys stood on the pitch, holding individual signs with letters upon them that spelled out the words– write about us. 

Starting from Isaac, all the way to Sam at the other end, those twelve letters burned themselves into your retinas. Behind those boys, the rest of the team cheered. As your last day at AFC Richmond came to its end, you felt more known than you ever had before. Each of these players, and coaches, and crew, knew you so wholeheartedly that you could hardly believe it. Your impact had spread around the stadium off Nelson Road like wildfire.

It only cemented the love you felt for them all. Even if you wanted to, they wouldn’t let you remove yourself from their team after this. You were Richmond till you died, and you had never been happier about something being set in stone.

As the group dispersed, Sam, Colin and Isaac approached you quickly. You let them encase you immediately, ignoring the slight suffocation of knotted limbs and laughing bellies that surrounded all of you. You would have let them smother you to death in a heartbeat. What a wonderful way to die that would be. 

“When you go out tonight, you better have enough drinks for all of us, bruv,” Isaac said, as the four of you gently parted. 

“I’d be downing a pint with you if it weren’t for Man City tomorrow,” Colin said. “It’s best we get an early night and keep up our strength for the game instead, you know?”

You smiled in understanding. “Don’t worry about me. Whatever happens tomorrow, we’ll be drinking in the pub after the game, anyway.”

Sam placed his hand on your shoulder and squeezed. “I am already looking forward to it.”

You sent a look at each of them in turn, trying to portray just how much you appreciated them, how much you loved them, but you felt like it had to be said in words. You sucked in a deep breath. “I will,” you started, but noticed their confused faces. “Write about you, I mean. There’s already too much of you all within me that I’ll have to get it out on paper sooner or later.” 

Colin and Sam smiled like the sun. Isaac’s face scrunched up painfully, until it was clear he was holding back tears in his eyes. 

You walked home in the dwindling Spring sun. Down Nelson Road, across Richmond green, past Mae’s pub, and the like– you knew Richmond like the back of your hand now, and had no desire to leave. Lucky for you, you had a feeling you’d land a position at Pluto Press soon, which meant you wouldn’t have to uproot yourself again. You could stay in your flat, stay close to the guys, stay close to Roy–

You cleared your throat abruptly at the thought of the Richmond captain. You hadn’t heard from him in two days, and didn’t know if he was going to show at the game tomorrow. It was none of your business, either, but you still felt a craving to let him know that you were there for him; through thick or thin, despite all the shit between you in the past, and even now. Roy Kent deserved to know how much you loved him, and your time at the stadium that day had only made you all the more nostalgic and emotional. 

When you got back to your flat, you quickly opened your laptop and printed out what you had in mind. You were practically jumping by your printer as the ink cascaded over the once blank page, and were bounding out of your door before the words had even dried.

You rushed down your road towards Roy’s house, not even thinking about what you’d do or say if he was at home or opened his door. As the sun began to fully set over your small neighbourhood in Richmond, the fancy houses that you passed seemed to almost loom over you. They cast shadows upon the pavements and empty roads, but you didn’t hesitate as you approached Roy’s driveway. 

Gently, you folded up the small piece of paper you’d printed, and placed it on his welcome mat by the front door. Inside, the lights were off, but you still knocked quickly before you turned on your heels and left. You weren’t about to wait around, or call in on him out of the blue– not after his long week. So, you left as soon as your knuckles were done wrapping on his door, and rounded his driveway before he could’ve opened his door and caught you. 

Roy saw you leave. Through the windows in his porch, and the large panes of glass that showed off his living room, he saw you approach his home and leave immediately after knocking. Before he could reach his door, you’d already turned the corner of his drive, back towards your building. 

The urge was there to shout out, to run after you and acknowledge how today was your final day at the club, but he held himself back. He hadn’t seen you since he’d driven you home, since he’d been feeling everything and nothing at the same time. He didn’t want to face you while he still felt the repercussions of it all, and especially not before the game. 

It was selfish, he knew, but you would have stuck around if you’d wanted to see him, too. As he looked out at his driveway, he wondered why you’d even bothered to knock upon his door and leave straight away– until he looked down. On his welcome mat was a small, folded piece of paper. Roy bent down and grabbed it, before he retreated inside, back to the dark. 

He didn’t like turning on his lights a lot of the time. It angered him that he had to pay to put on the lights in his home, and it felt even stupider that he needed them when he mostly looked at his phone screen, or the television. They were pointless, most of the time, but as he sat at his dining table, he turned on a lamp to the side of him.

He unfurled the note you’d left him, and as his eyes traced the printed ink– alongside some of your own writing– he found himself smiling. 

It was the email from your lecturer, when he’d told you about Roy’s impromptu visit to your university, all those months ago. It felt like it’d been five years, not a little over nine months. Beneath the email, you’d written something short and heartfelt– A reminder of the time that we became friends. Thank you for everything during my time at the club. Whether you play or not tomorrow, I’ll be yelling from the owner’s box for you. 

Roy sat back and inhaled deeply. “Fuuuuck,” he whispered. It cemented his decision for tomorrow in a millisecond; he would go, even if he was on the bench. He would go for you. 

As you walked to Nelson Road the next day, nerves bubbled in your gut incessantly. This was it, the final hurrah. Richmond’s threat of relegation was imminent, and it was only a matter of time before them and all the fans would witness their downfall. You didn’t even want to think about it, it felt blasphemous, but it was almost impossible not to understand how much this game meant. 

Even more so when you thought about Jamie Tartt. This was the first time in a while that he’d been back at Man City, and against his former teammates as a consequence. You knew that Jamie wouldn’t care– he’d go out there and play like he normally did, to an annoyingly good level despite his ego, and wouldn’t think twice about dominating against his old team. 

But the guys– they would feel every sting, they would take every hit, and they would be heading outside onto the pitch for an all out battle. You knew it well. 

Against your wishes, you chose not to go to the locker room and greet the guys before this game. Instead, you headed for the owner’s box immediately, and found yourself sitting there alone for the first twenty minutes before the pre-game started. You knew that Keeley and Rebecca would be around, but you were almost glad that you got some time to yourself. Just to breathe, to soak it all in, before you got ready to yell for your life. 

As the stadium started to fill up, your phone buzzed in your pocket. You fished it out, and when your eyes traced over the message,  the butterflies in your stomach seemed to mellow out. It was from Roy.

Still in the owner’s box? 

You smiled as you typed your reply, and sent it without any hesitation. 

Of course. Still not the caretaker?

Roy smiled at his phone in the locker room, sitting quietly as everyone prepared for the game. He’d just handed off his Captain armband to Isaac McAdoo, and didn’t fully know what he was feeling. Knowing you’d be outside when he stepped upon the pitch was enough at this moment. 

Not yet. I’ve still got game in me, even if I am on the fucking bench for this. 

It’s too bad. I was hoping to see you rightfully start on Jamie, but this time you’d be on the opposing team. All the more dramatic. 

Roy huffed to himself. It was impossible not to feel the comedy in your words as you sent them his way, both over text and in person. 

Don’t tempt me. I’ll still fucking do it if I get the chance. 

Looking forward to it. 

“Alright, fellas!” Ted clapped his hands together. Roy sent one last message, before he put his phone in his bag and out of the way. The boys settled into their pre-match pep talk, and that was that. 

You read Roy’s final reply, feeling a warmth that you’d never be able to describe. 

See you out there. 

Keeley, Rebecca and Higgins joined you soon after. As the minutes whittled down before kick-off, you tried and failed to place yourself in some kind of zen mode. The air was almost too thick, and coupled with the upset you felt about leaving Richmond, you spent the majority of the time until the players emerged trying not to fucking cry. 

The atmosphere shifted as soon as the players ran out of the tunnel. You held your breath as they lined up for the anthem, and leaned over the edge of the box so you could see them all better. The unmistakable look of a Captain band was on Isaac’s arm, over Roy’s, and you felt proud of them both. It mustn’t have been an easy decision for Roy to make, but he’d still done it. Isaac must have been feeling nerves ten times what he was used to, but he wore the band with pride. 

After the anthem, the teams split up on each side of the pitch. When Roy would usually head to his starting position, he exited off to the sides and headed towards Richmond’s bench. He slipped on a long-sleeve thermal, before he took a few moments to peer around the stadium stands. Richmond’s bench and coaches were right beneath the owner’s box; you had a full view of all the second string players and Ted and Beard alike. Seeing Roy there was like an entirely different feeling– he was closer to you, which you didn’t mind in the slightest. 

As Roy peered around the entire stadium, he twisted himself around to land his gaze upon the owner’s box. His eyes found you in seconds, and yours glued onto his in response. You leaned further over the lip of the box, and rested your chin on your knuckles as you looked at him. You smiled. He smiled back. Quickly, you shuffled your hand from beneath your chin and made a simple OK sign with your fingers. Roy chuckled to himself unavoidably, before he gently sent you an OK sign back. 

You glanced quickly at the pitch, and the match was about to begin. You stood abruptly, with Roy’s eyes still on you from below. Sucking in a deep breath, you exhaled it alongside your loudest Come on, Richmond! imaginable. 

Roy had to turn away to hide his smile. It was colossal as he headed towards the bench and sat down. It didn’t go away until the whistle blew and the game began. He waa going to miss seeing you everyday, but he knew that you would still go to games at the Dogtrack. That should have given him some comfort, but it didn’t. He knew his time was up. 

The game started, and you didn’t sit down for the first half in its entirety. Dani scored halfway through the first half, and you erupted when he did. You hugged Rebecca and Keeley like there was no tomorrow, and that early had the team in great spirits for the rest of the half– until it was fucked. A sneak attack had Man City emerge into the box, and with two minutes to go until the whistle blew for halftime, they equalised. You let out a heartfelt “Fuck!” when they did so, and found yourself dropping back into your seat glumly. They’d been so close, but they simply had to hold it together now. You watched silently as the team scuttled back to the locker room for the interval.

Ted had a plan up his sleeve. He had the power of Beard and Nate on his side, and they had the advantage of knowing City’s star player through and through– Jamie Tartt. If he was still the same after he left, then there was a chance that the guys knew how to get to him and mess up his game. It was a longshot, but it was a good place to start. 

They needed speed, that was for sure. When Jamie got the ball, it instilled the fear of man into every single person on the opposing team. He was unstoppable, and almost impossible to tackle when he got going. That was the goal– keep the ball as far away from Jamie fucking Tartt as they could. 

“We’re so close, guys,” Isaac spoke up suddenly. “Another goal, and we clinch the win. We just have to hold our defence together, you get me?” 

“Keep that ball away from Jamie,” Richard said, and nods of agreement rounded the room. 

“Exactly right, boys,” Ted joined in. “If we get out there, if we believe, we can do this!” The energy shifted tenfold, and the priorly defeated guys were pumped up once more. “Roy, you’re starting in the next half. I want you back on that pitch,” Ted added finally, before players started trickling out of the locker room. 

Roy glanced over at Isaac. Isaac gave him back his Captain armband without a second glance, smacking a hand on Roy’s shoulder warmly before they headed back to the pitch. 

Your heart jolted when Roy started in the second half. You knew Ted well enough to know that he wouldn’t bench Roy for the entire game, but it was a surprise when he swapped him out after halftime. It was true that Richmond needed fast players to keep up defensively, and despite Roy being slow now, you knew that he held more in terms of power. 

Players were scared of him. He had an anger that always came out on the pitch, one that left players, referees and coaches alike with a similar mindset– do not get on Roy Kent’s bad side, because he will make you pay. 

As the second half proceeded, it was anxiety inducing how little things happened. It was a full back and forth, with hardly any opportunities for Richmond or Man City to go for a goal. Both teams had put their defences up tenfold, and neither wanted to risk that and fuck up the rest of their game. It was almost like a stalemate, like a disaster waiting to happen. 

As full time approached, you could hardly fucking breathe. You clutched Keeley’s hand tightly as the guys kept up with each other, and simply tried to get through this shit. Jamie hadn’t yet found an opportunity to break through, until there were less than five minutes in it. When he snuck through, you shot up from your seat and screamed. 

“Tartt’s going for the box!” you screeched at the top of your lungs, clutching your hand over your heart and crunkling the Richmond shirt that you donned fondly. 

The home fans in the crowd rose intensely, as they noticed a player creeping up behind Jamie. Even Arlo and Chris in the commentator box could hardly believe it– Roy was going for Tartt, running at speeds that hadn’t been seen from him for a matter of years. He was stealthy, pumping his arms in perfect harmony with his legs, until he launched himself into a perfect sliding tackle.

You raised your hands to your mouth as he did so, and the ball was knocked from Jamie’s orbit as the two of them dropped to the grass harshly. The cheers for Roy were impossible to block out, and you joined in as soon as you recognised the familiar tune. 

He’s here, he’s there, he’s every-fucking-where! Roy Kent! Roy Kent! 

You rejoiced with Keeley and Higgins in turn, pumping your arms triumphantly within the owner’s box, until the clock restarted– but that moment didn’t come. Instead, as you laid your eyes back out onto the pitch, Jamie reluctantly stood and shook himself off after that tackle, but Roy…

“He’s not getting up,” Keeley said, confused. “Why isn’t he getting up?”

Your eyes burned as you took in the image of Roy, sprawled on the ground, clutching his kneecap. Something was wrong, and that was plain to see. Your heart skipped a beat in your chest. This couldn’t be it, surely. This couldn’t be the time he wasn’t able to get up and keep playing. Not now. 

Sam and Isaac approached him quickly, and huddled around him. The physio was on stand-by, and Ted and Beard were practically chewing off their fingernails in anticipation. Sam helped Roy up slowly, dragging him up from the pitch as he took in the chant that he’d become so accustomed too. It had echoed throughout the Premier League for more than a decade, almost two. He was a household name, respected by footballers, pundits, coaches– you. 

Roy limped off the pitch, waving to the crowd in good nature. He would never be wheeled off, or walked off with help, you knew that. Before he fully left for the tunnel, he quickly pulled the Captain band off his arm and passed it to Isaac. The two shared a moment that had your heart bombarding into your throat–

This was it. The moment that Roy had been talking about before. His last day of playing football. With an injury that bad, that had been settling for years and damaged further by overuse of his joints, you didn’t have to be a rheumatologist to know that he was done for. That final tackle had fully fucked his knee.

As he hobbled out of view, you couldn’t bear it any longer. You abruptly stood, and left the owner’s box without a word. Keeley and Rebecca saw you go, but said nothing to stop you. Instead, they shared a look with each other that said a thousand words– you were exactly what Roy needed. 

You fast-walked along the corridors of the Dogtrack, descending to the lower levels until you hit the familiar grey concrete floors. You passed by the full size pictures of players on the walls, and ignored the uncomfortable beat of your heart, until you stumbled around the corner to the locker room. 

You lingered by the door, and swallowed painfully, before you emerged into the doorway. Roy sat by his cubby. He’d shrugged off his shirt and thrown it on the floor unceremoniously. His right knee was red and already bruising, as he attempted to make himself comfortable. It was no use, though, not alongside the tears in his eyes that were welled so full it was a miracle they hadn’t already dropped down his face. 

You stepped into the room gently, and Roy jumped when he saw you. “No one’s allowed back here during a game,” he said bluntly, but the wobble of his words was enough to make your heart subtly crack. 

“I won’t tell,” you said gently, trying to diffuse the tension as best as you could. Roy knew you weren’t going to leave, but when goosebumps hit his skin, he flinched further away from you. 

“I told you, you have to get out,” he tried again. You only kept up your slow pace towards him. You weren’t going to back away from this, not when he needed you most. 

Roy’s aversions to being social, to being emotional, to being vulnerable, scattered all over the floor before you. You ignored them, and continued placing one foot in front of the other, until his attempts to deter you heightened even further. 

“I mean it– stay the fuck away from me!” 

You stopped when he said that, but still stayed in place. Peering down at Roy softly, you flicked your gaze over his face gently. He looked wounded, in more ways than one. You knew this day would fucking suck for him, and wanted to be there for him desperately. As much as he’d yelled at you to leave, you knew that was the opposite of what he needed. 

Slowly, you closed the gap between you. Instead of sitting beside him on the bench, you knelt to the floor before him. At this level, you were practically face to face, and Roy could easily see your intentions. Gently, you reached out and placed your hand on his cheek. Your fingers skimmed his jaw on the way, and his eyes stuttered shut at your touch. He leaned into it, and brought his hand up to cover your own softly.

You shuffled closer to him, placing yourself between his legs, as you leant upon his healthy leg. He let you, and urged you to do so, as he leant further down towards you. Roy’s breaths were shaking as he inhaled and exhaled, and a few tears fell from his closed eyes and splattered upon the concrete floor. 

“I don’t know what to fucking say,” Roy croaked painfully, as he opened his eyes and landed his stare upon you. 

You peered up at him thoughtfully, and swiped your thumb across his damp cheek, mopping up a few tears unintentionally. “You don’t have to say anything.”

Roy exhaled shakily once more, before he gently dropped his forehead onto your own. They bonked together almost clumsily, but you held each other in place for dear life. “Okay,” he said, trying to calm down. For a moment, he removed his forehead from yours and replaced it with a chaste kiss, just for a second. You shut your eyes as every hair on your body stood up on end, before he replaced his forehead back onto your own. “Thank you,” he said. 

As roars sounded from outside, neither of you knew which direction the match had gone in. All you knew was that the other was breathing, and this was something new for both of you. After all this time, being close to Roy didn’t feel shocking, or abrupt, or anything of the sort– it felt normal. The two of you stayed close until his heart had calmed down, and the adrenaline in his body had disappeared enough for his knee to start fucking killing him. 

You found an ice pack from the training room, and rushed back to his aid as soon as you could. Then, you sat next to him on the bench silently. He dropped his head onto your shoulder, and you draped your arm around him to fiddle with the hair at the nape of his neck. Roy’s fingers traced your knuckles distractedly, and the two of you stayed like that until the unmistakable echoes of his teammates emerged from the corridor. You didn’t want to move away, neither did he. 

As the season and your placement drew to a close, you knew that new things were out there. For you, for Roy, for the rest. Roy knew it too, as he contemplated his options after this injury, and this loss. All he had the energy to rationalise in those moments after the result were you related– would you still be near, would you still give him your time, would you still hold him this close? 

As much as he felt your warmth, radiating from every pore and crevice and fingertip and the like, invigorating his flesh and bones and blood and everything that made him, him– he couldn’t help but wonder… would all of this fade alongside this change?

As you laughed alongside his teammates, after their relegation, and his fucked up knee, and Ted’s possible resignation, he found himself smiling about all the good you offered every single person in that room. But, it wasn’t entirely truthful. Roy was afraid. But, he put on a happy face. He held your hand when it felt right, and he let you lean into him during Ted’s post-match talk. He smelled your perfume in wafts and held himself back from looking you directly in the eye, from fear that he’d do something stupid and place his lips upon yours. 

Roy Kent had often held himself back, but he didn’t want to do it with you. Not now, not after all the shit that had happened over the past nine months, and the fact that he’d become so used to your presence. But as he sat there, laughing through the pain with his team, and his coach, and you– he knew that want and circumstance were different things. 

Sometimes you couldn’t help the way things turned out– and not even you, or Roy, or AFC Richmond, were immune to those sullen twists of fate. 

CHAPTER NINE

Tag list: @atjamesbbarnes @20th-centu-fairy-girl @royalestrellas @weakmoony-stuff@ironmanmagnetfridge @lemonpiegurll @hellomagicalsouls @her-fandom-sanctum @gothicwidowsworld @old-enough-to-know-better73 @djarindroid @afraidofshrimp @respondingtoshowerthoughts-blog @queen-of-dumbasses @sogoodtoheritsvicious @lznnph1l @crav1ngc4ke @onceuponaoneshot @jamieolivia27 @dadbodfanatic-x @kelp-dreaming @harrypedro465 @lonely-escape-artist @abeeabeeabee @nicklet94 @libsybum @cha0sdreaming @toomany24s @kashee-h @infinetlyforgotten @secretnook @cluelesslilsharkie @callmecasey81 @deepdarkvelvet @twiceinabluemoon @cardeegans @golden-hoax @kingleahhh @hoalkk1 @sunderland-6 @ellouisa17 @thesestrangerslikeme @elissaa @scrumptiousroadponymoney @confessionsofatotaldramaslut @ysmmsy @seacactusplant@pedritosgirl2000 

[simplydannie]

TRIGGER WARNING ‼️ MENTION OF SLIGHT SA/GUNSH*T

@skydiverdrawings @meadow-hearthfire @grinnworld You guys really had me on my toes! Lol I hope I did okay with it. This is inspired by and written for all of you. Based on @meadow-hearthfire ask here! Also introducing two new characters to you all!

Veneer can’t take it anymore… the abuse is too much… and now even from his own sister. He has the chance to leave, to runaway. He extends his hand to her to come with him… but is she too far gone to now think for herself?

Veneer landed with a loud bang against the wall… his whole body aching in pain.

“Please…. Stop.” He begged. Gruff looked at the Mistress, her green eyes glinting with a desire for pain. She snapped her fingers; the Bergen grasped Veneer by his neck and began pounding away.

“Stop! Please! Velvet!” He cried and begged, he looked to his sister… But Velvet had a distant look in

her eyes mixed with anger….

“Wait.” She finally called out. The Bergen stopped, Mistress turned her head to eye the girl. Velvet walked up to the Bergen, hovering over her brother.

“Why did you do it?… Why did you let him go?” She asked, tears of rage filling her eyes.

“It’s…. It’s not right what we’re doing Vels… We’re frauds. This isn’t right- AH!” He was silenced as Velvet struck him across the face.

“Why do you have to ruin everything!” She struck him again. “That little Troll was working! Working!” Again she struck.

“Velvet, stop, please. You’re hurting me.” Veneer coward into a corner, blocking his face and hugging his knees. Looking up at his sister, he was afraid… who was this, this wasn’t her. She stared at him with a pink glow in her eyes, dark circles appearing underneath.

Velvets breathing began to slow down… she looked down at her brother and saw the same fear when he was a child, when she would protect him from their aunt. But now… he was afraid of her… who was going to protect him from his own sister?

“Idiot.” She walked out the door. Mistress watched the whole thing with a smirk across her face.

“Well look at that. The one person who promised to protect you. Tsk tsk. Poor Vennie. All alone in this big, big world. You let that stupid Troll out.” She knelt down in front him… a little to close for comfort… it brought back horrid memories. “Getting hot and bothered are we.” She placed a hand on his leg, slowly creeping up, “You know this would be fair. You owe me after so much trouble of continually trying to letting that damn Troll out…” Her hand crept to his thigh… he shivered. Mistress leaned her face obviously close, “You’re a very handsome.” Her hand crept farther up, her lips brushing his ear. “I think I know how you’re going to repay me for this mess you caused.” But she pushed him away.

“After your performance, when you’re all dolled up. Then I can have fun with my toy, you owe me and you’re my property. Now, I need to see how I can go about getting another damn Troll. For today, Gruff, Ruff, a few beatings shall do. Enough to hurt him but not kill him. Carry on.” She snapped and walked out the door, leaving Veneer at the mercy of her Bergens…

Floyd had the chance to leave, to runaway, finally go home…. But he came back. There two reasons that he did: Velvet and Veneer. He denied them once, he wasn’t going to do that again. Floyd crept his way back into the vents from which he came. But he had to be careful, getting caught meant loosing a chance to freedom…And possibly loosing the twins. He had to find one of them, and right now, his best bet was finding Veneer first. Something was wrong with Velvet, something had changed her. She wasn’t the same fiery spirit he came to care for, a darkness loomed over her, like she was under the effect of some drug. Veneer, he still had some sensibility, and he was the only one Velvet would listen to right now.

Floyd ran and ran. He had to be quick. He knew the Bergens would pick up his scent, then it all go downhill from there. The little Troll looked through every vent into every room until he fell upon the right one…

“Veneer!” He called out. When he looked in, he found the Rageon lying on the floor, hugging his knees, his shoulders shaking from crying intensely. He made his way out of the vent and down to the boy. Floyd slowly crept up to him. “Veneer?”

He slowly moved his head up to get a good look at the Troll, “Floyd? You’re back? Why didn’t you leave?” A worry crossed his voice, it was then Floyd saw the bruising on his face, the cuts and gashes the Bergens had left him.

“Vennie… what…. What did they do to you?” Floyd said as he placed a gentle hand on the Rageons cheek.

Veneer buried his face again, “…. I can’t take it anymore Floyd…. I can’t…. I hate it …. I hate my life… I hate here. I want to go home.” He cried.

“Back to Under Rageous?”

“At least we were free… we can’t do anything here or make any mistakes. I’m done Floyd!” Veneer cried and cried. Floyd just stood there, holding him as much as he could…

“Then let’s go…” The Troll finally said.

“What?” Veneer looked up with tear stained cheeks.

“I came back for you and your sister. Let’s go. Let’s run and run till we can’t anymore.” Floyd said with a glint of hope in his voice. “Let’s go be a family again. Just us three.”

Veneer stopped trembling for a moment, his face still buried within his hands…he grew silent, terribly silent…. A worry crossed the Trolls face.

“Ven?”

“…Family…Now….Now we’re a family?” Veneer looked up Floyd…his eyes glowing pink again. Oh no, Floyd thought. He had the same look in him when he was trapped, when Veneer trapped Floyd in that damn diamond bottle. Floyd began to slowly step away…

“You were willing to leave us! And NOW were family? After all she’s put us through! You’re kidding me Floyd! You thought me and Velvet were in her thing about using Trolls! You didn’t believe us!” Veneer looked at him, glowing pink eyes, stained in tears. “You told us we were never family! Those were your words!” Veneer ran his hands through hair, pratically pulling pieces off…mad…he was going mad. Floyd was continuing to back away..but then…he stopped. This is what started it, him running away is what drove him mad in the first place. So he stood his ground.

“Ven….I’m sorry….I am SO sorry for ever even doing that to both of you.” Floyd said creeping closer now.

“Saying sorry is going to fix it? Fix what you told us! If I hadnt trapped you’d be gone. We’d be alone!” Veneer began scratching at his skin, “These bugs, get them off me please!”…. There was nothing there. That woman, what was this essence doing to them?

“I know, I know. Trapping me was probably the best thing you did. I deserved it for even thinking of betraying you two, for betraying and leaving my own little brother all those years ago. I am not a good person Ven…” Veneer continue scratching at his skin as Floyd talked, but he was silent…he was listening. “You two…You two brought the color back in me. Do you understand what that means to a Troll? It means you brought me happiness. For so long I was alone…and that was my fault. I don’t know where my family is or if they’re even alive…but I found you two…You two became my family. I deserve all the punishment for even saying those things to you…It had to take me for me to see both of you tortured and manipulated to even see that you didn’t know…that SHE was the one changing you, grooming you…I let that happen…” Tears began forming in the little Trolls eyes as he got near to the Rageon. Veneer had stopped scratching himself, the pink fading from his eyes… “I want to make it up to you…please, please come with me now. That’s why I came back.”

“…What if I don’t want to come with you…” Veneer replied, a calmness finally coming over him.

“…Then I’m staying.. I’ll hide, I’ll get caught again…but I am not leaving you guys ever again.” Floyd replied.

Veneer had calmed down. Floyd could see he was back to himself. He hugged himself, “I can’t take here anymore Floyd….I physically can’t. The beatings. Her taking advan-…” He stopped himself. Floyd didn’t need to know what Mistress would do him sometimes…he didn’t need to know. “I want my sister to be happy, but not like this...I just can’t anymore!”

“Then let’s go to Velvet…and get the hell out of here.”

Night had fallen around the mansion. Veneer waited till the dead of night, before opening his door. There was nothing of value he needed to take, just the clothes on his back, Floyd, and hopefully, his sister. Veneer had saved his oversized red hoodie from the under-city, along with his black skinny jeans and combat boots….of course he HAD to save his dad’s old purple beanie. With Floyd on his shoulder, Veneer made his way out of his room and headed quietly towards his sisters.

“So far…no Bergens.” Floyd said.

“They normally guard her. She doesn’t think we’ll do anything…well…anything like I’m doing now.” He said.

“Point taken.”

Veneer opened the door to Velvet’s room and peeked in. She was sound asleep on her bed, her hair falling loosely around her face. Veneer quietly walked up next to her. He placed a gentle hand on her arm, “Vels?” He said in a whisper. She moaned a little in her sleep, hardly sturring. “Velly?”

“Five minutes.” She muttered…This was the Velvet he knew.

“Vels, it’s me.” He said. Opening her eyes slowly, she looked up at him.

“Ven? What the hell, bro?” She rubbed her eyes and blinked twice when she saw the Troll on his shoulder. “Floyd?”

“Hey, Vels.” He smiled softly, but a scowl came over her face.

“What the hell do you want? I thought you’d be long gone by now.”

“You have every right to be bad. But I couldn’t leave again…I came back, for both of you. We have to leae now.” Floyd warned.

“Leave? Like leave for good?” She repeated looking at her brother and how he was dressed. “You’re serious Ven? You’re really up for this?”

“I can’t take it anymore Vels! What she does to me, what those Bergens do…How you get when your under her, her, her, POISON! I’m loosing you little by little. I can’t have that. We need to leave. We need to leave now.” He said.

Velvet’s mouth hung open…she couldn’t believe it. After all they went through, after all they accomplished…he wanted to leave it behind. “Ven, we’re finally somebody! How do you want to just, LEAVE?”

“We’re stll nobodies! This isn’t us! This show we’re putting on? It’s all her idea! Think about it Vels.”

“We want this Ven! We deserve this!”

“But not like this! Sis, come on! Open your eyes.” He looked at her…a distant look began crossing her face…Her eyes were fading from blue, to pink. No, no, no, he was starting to loose her again. “Vels. Please just hear me.”

“We deserve this.”

“Those are lies. We were somebodies before this. Vels please I’m begging you. Do this….for me.” He held out his hand in hopes she’d take it.

The pink began taking over her eyes entirely, “…..No…..No I’m not sacrificing this…I sacrificed to much for you already…Not anymore…We’re not kids anymore!”

“Please Velvet, “ Tears began to fall down his face, “…I can’t do this anymore. I’m just tired, really tired.”

“….Then you’re not cut out for this…”

“Don’t make me leave you Velvet. Please don’t make me leave you here.”

“Go. I don’t need you. You’ve been nothing but a damn burden Veneer. The more for me, the merrier.”

Floyd looked between both twins. Veneer wiped away the tears in his eyes, he withdrew his hand and slowly backed away…She wasn’t coming…She wasnt going to leave….

“I’m sorry Vels…I can’t….I can’t do this anymore…I’m sorry…I love you…You know that. I really love you.” More tears fell as he turned away and walked out the door. Velvet still sat on her bed, the pink glow around her eyes, her mind couldn’t distringuish between reality or not. She just stared as he left her…

“Ven. What are you doing?” Floyd asked looking back towards her door. Did he really just leave his sister? Veneer would never do that…but then again…that wasn’t his sister…something overcame her that Veneer thought HE couldn’t even save. “Velvet?”

“Don’t Floyd please.” He cried as he continued heading towards the exit….they were almost there….they were almost there…Why didn’t she come with him? Why? His steps began to slow…He couldn’t leave her…He couldn’t…

“And where do you think you are heading too?” A deep voice came from behind. Veneer spun around to see Gruff standing in the hallway…Shoot, they found out. A voice behind Veneer caused him to turn back, Ruff was right behind him…The Bergen extended his arm and wrapped his giant hands around his neck. Veneer began gasping for air.

“I smell Troll.” Ruff replied as he squeezed Veneer’s neck tighter, “Mistress is not going to be happy.”

“Hey! Pea brain!” A voice called from above, standing on a light over head was Floyd, “Leave me kid alone!” Wrapping his hair near a fixture, he whipped himself straight into the Bergens eyes. Ruff cried in pain and let go of Veneer. He fell to the ground gasping for air. Gruff roared and started charging behind him.

“Ven!” Floyd cried. Though the Bergens were strong, they were not quick. Veneer moved within the last second, allowing for Gruff to collide with his Bergen brother…but that wasn’t enough, they began to growl and stir standing on their feet again.

“Run!” Floyd cried as he began running towards the exit.

Veneer ran, scooping Floyd up in his hand as he ran past. He slammed against the exit door, bursting it open. The smells of the outside world hit Veneer, his eyes adjusting to the lights. They were outside, but not free yet. Veneer took off running towards the gates that surrounded the mansion. He could here the Bergens finally coming out behind him.

“I have to make it to the fence..” He said. Floyd was on his shoulder again. He turned around to see the Bergens running like angry bulls.

“Hurry!” The little Troll yelled.

Veneer hadn’t ran like this since his time in the under-city, but muscle memory was catching up to him. He pace quickened. The roars and growls of the Bergens behind were still heard, but they sounded farther. Veneer neared the fence, in a leap, he mounted it and jumped over.

THUD!

He landed on the other side. One quick look at the Bergens and he took off again…off into Mount Rageous. Gruff and Ruff finally reached the gates…but the boy was already far off…

“She’s going to be angry.” Gruff said.

Crowds of Rageons began to appear, that’s when Veneer finally decided to slow down. There was a bench in front of a record store…he sat down and caught his breath. Floyd hopped off his shoulder and on to his lap.

“You okay?” Veneer didn’t respond, he only gave him a thumbs up. “That was pure adrenline right there. We can take it slow. We got to make it out of Mount Rageous and onto the highway that leads out. Pull your hoodie up, hide that green hair as much as you can.” Veneer nodded as he pulled his red hood over his hair and beanie. Floyd hopped back on his shoulder, “Let’s go.”

Hardly anyone really payed him any attention. Of course, no one really saw him out of his glamourous outfits. To them, he was just another Rageon…and for a moment, Veneer enjoyed that. He passed some revenues he knew he and Velvet would have enjoyed…especially the roller rink and pizza parlor. A sadness crept into his heart…He had really left her behind…She could have been here with him. Veneer didn’t know how long he had been wlaking when he suddenly stopped.


“Hey. What’s going on?” Floyd asked.

“…Vels…I left her….”

Floyd sighed with a heavy heart, “You…you did what you had too..”

“…What if she hurts her…”

“She won’t Ven….That woman favored your sister. She’s her pride, her muse…That’s one good thing. She won’t hurt her while we get out of here and figure out how we can come back and get her out.”

Veneer knew if he would go back now…She’d kill him. But he had no choice…Velvet wasn’t going to leave with him…Her heart was now set on something different…He took in a deep breath.

“We have to make it to the highway before they find us.” He said. Veneer continued making his way through the crowds of Mount Rageous undetected…..for now.

Velvet sat on a diamond chair next to Mistress as she went through her files. The Bergens had just reported Veneers escape.

“This brother of yours really is a trouble maker.” She said not even looking up, “Decided to run off without you.”

“I didn’t want to leave with him any way.” She replied dryly. Mistress smirked as she saw the girl was under her control…Total loss of any free will. It all had worked.

“You know it won’t be pretty when my boyfriend get’s his hands on him.”

“Vennie, brought it upon himself.”

“Good. So we’re in agreement….To bad. He was a fun little pleasurable toy to play with every now and then.”

Those words stung Velvet’s heart. Something snapped and clicked inside her, as if the shackles were finally broken, the curtain was finally drawn back. What the hell did she just say? The memory of what their aunt did to her brother was released…Vvelt grew angry, but unlike Veneer, Velvet was cunning, just like Mistress, she knew how to play her game.

“We out grow toys.” Velvet simply replied.

“We sure do. Too bad. He would’ve made me money in other ways. Now. To plan for what we tell the public. You and Veneer broke up, you both decided to go seperate ways. This is your solo debut now…” As the Mistress kept talking, Velvet began planning. She should have ran away with her brother, she should’ve gone up and left…but she was here for one purpose now…to finally get rid of this evil woman once and for all.

It seemed like hours….but they had finally made it…The highway leading away from Mount Rageous. It was build mainly for those to visits Rageous….No one really went out into the rest of the world anymore. Why would they? Rageous had everything, everything they ever wanted…or so that’s what they would make the people think…That’s what Veneer had thought at one point, but it was all just an illusion. He continued slow and steady…his mind and heart stilling thinking about Velvet. He walked in silence as he began to cry…he fell to his knees.

“Ven?”

“…..I miss her….” He cried, balling his fists on his knees. Floyd hopped off his shoulder and onto the ground, placing a small hand on the boy’s thumb.

“I know…I do too. But we need to figure out a plan before going back in there. It won’t be pretty…She won’t be herself.”

“I should’ve tried harder…Maybe I didn’t try hard enough…but I just couldn’t take it anymore…she’d beat me…She would never hit me.” Veneer said.

“Ven, we…” Floyd’s words were cut off as the sound of a car approached. Scooping Floyd up, he placed him in this pocket this time. Veneer didn’t know what to do, he froze. The car came to a screeching halt a few feet in front of him.

“Hello, Vincent.” A familair voice sounded as a hooded, cloaked figure stepped out of the vehicle. The figure pulled back his hood, reveavling a pale Rageon with dark, blue stringy hair pulled back into dreadlocks. Scars were patterened all over his body, he had a sharp toothy grin…Shank. He was one of the few to call the twins by their middle names.

“Where’s you’re hot sister?” He asked.

“Not here.” Veneer scowled…Shank had caused them trouble in the under-city. He was the one who would potentially sell them to the Mistress…his lover.

“Obviously. Got a call from my girl. You’ve been causing her trouble. Now she’s really had enough of you. You know how much money I have to refund her now because of this mess. Lucky she’s hot.” Shank reached into his belt and pulled out a gun…Veneer’s heart sank, he wrapped a protective hand around Floyd.

“What’s going on?” The Troll asked trying to peek out from his pockets.

“She really doesn’t care for you. Your sister was the one with all the potential. You were a fail safe. You’ve actually made it easier on her Vincent. Orginally she planned to stage your death, leaving Velvet with the solo career. But this makes it so much better…Running out on your own sister. Priceless.” His sharp teeth shined as he smiled. Floyd was able to poke his head out, he saw the glint of the gun in the other Rageons hand.

“Just…just let me go…please.” Veneer tried to beg.

“This is a business we run. And no one…I repeat, no one, runs out on us. You’re done, when we say we’re done.” He loaded the gun, pointing it at Veneer. “…And Vincent, we’re done.”

BANG!

“NO!” Floyd tugged on Veneer’s sleeve. What little force he had caused Veneer to move…and with that little move, those few little inches, allowed the bullet to barely miss Veneer’s heart. He cried in pain, pressing his hand where the bullet went through. He staggered, his breathing heavied, his vision began to blur. Veneer got closer to the edge of the highway. His eyes rolled behind his head as he fell off the edge of into whatever waited in the depths below. Shank looked down and spat.

“Good night Vincent.”

As the day passed, Velvet could only think of her brother. Where did he go? How far had he gone? She stood a her vanity and stared at herself in the mirror. What had she become? What made her delusional to not leave with Veneer? She gripped the side of her vanity hard….Velvet finally had enough. She turned and walked out her door.

Mistress had full trust in her. She had to keep it that way…for now. No Bergens followed her around like they did her brother, and she had access to wherever she liked. Mistress had gone off to some meetings in which Velvet wasn’t invited, so she took this opportunity and snuck into her office. Velvet knew it would be locked, but she also knew how to pick locks herself. Within no time, she was in the office of The Mistress. She closed the door behind her and began to dig around.

It began to seem like it was all for nothing. Everywhere she searched was coming out empty… until she came across a locked segment on her desk. Velvet picked the locked and opened it… Files. What good were files? She began peering through them one boy one.

“Trolls?” She flipped through it… the memory of what Floyd told her came to her mind. “Non effective. Dead. Deceased….What the hell? Pop Troll… effective…..Floyd.” Everything he said was true. No wonder he thought they were part of it… What the hell were they using trolls to make?

“The whole damn agency is doing this?” Velvet and Veneer were just the muses of music for them, their pawns in one small act. Whatever Rageons that were part of this agency, were victims of the same thing her and her brother were. But then she figured, many weren’t really victims, some knew, and didn’t care. They wanted the fame and glory, it’s what Velvet had wanted too… but something was more important to her… family. She looked further inside the cabinet for anything else, that’s when she found the vile. A small vile with pink-like liquid inside. There was no label, no names, just a small cursive E imprinted on the lid….Velvet had had enough… Time to cut the head off at least one snake…

Veneer extended his arms… he felt something soft underneath them. Blankets? He moved his head. A pillow? His sense started coming back as he opened his eyes. He found himself in a room. He knew it wasn’t Rageous, the decor was much different. Where was he?

“Ven!” A small familiar voice called out. He turned to see Floyd standing on the drawer next to his bed side. The little Troll hopped on, ran to his face, and hugged him. “You’re awake! And alive!” Relief passing through his body.

“Where… What happened?”

“The highway. That Rageon shot you. Thankfully he missed your heart by inches. We fell, but there was water below. I was afraid you were going to bleed to death.”

“How did we end up here? Where are we?”

“Well, turns out someone was looking for me and happened to find us washed up on the banks.” Floyd turned as a group of smaller Trolls entered the room, “Ven, these are my brothers. Guys, this is Veneer.”

Veneer stared wide-eyed at the group Trolls. He kept of himself from going a little over board… they were just the cutest thing.

“Well our plan was to save our brother from you, but good old Rhonda picked up his scent a mile away and lead us to you two in the nick of time!” John Dory exclaimed.

“You guys moved me all the way over here!?” Veneer exclaimed. The Trolls laughed in unison.

“Well we’re flattered, but Trolls have a limit, even with an armadillo bus helping us. We called for back up.” Clay smiled. He saw the look of confusion on the Rageons face when he mentioned the armadillo bus, “Yeah we’ll explain all that later.”

“Where exactly are we?” Veneer asked.

“BergenTown.” Branch crossed his arms. At the mention of the Bergens Veneer jumped. He only knew the Bergens of Under Rageous, and they were brutal. He panicked and tried to quickly rush out of the bed. “Whoa! Whoa! Take it easy! Man, you’re more frantic than I was when someone mentioned a Bergen.”

“He…. He doesn’t have good experiences with Bergens either.” Floyd said. Branch glanced at his brother then the Rageon. Veneer looked embarrassed.

“Yeah. They’re not as bad as I thought either. You’ll see.” Branch offered a small smile. Veneer glanced at Floyd.

“Vels?”

“You were out a couple of days… I went back and forth. There was no sign of her. I don’t think she followed us Ven.” Floyd replied, a sad look in his eyes. Veneer nodded looking down at his hands…. She made her choice, and he had made his. Did he plan for their choices to pull them away? No. But it did…and he had to live with it for the rest of his life.

“Come on. Let’s introduce you to the rest of BergenTown.”

Months had passed since she last saw her brother. Who knew where in the world he was. She wanted to go after him, and find him. But this plan had taken time, she needed to earn her trust, to make sure Mistress didn’t suspect anything…. Then the day finally came when Velvet just couldn’t take it any longer.

Her and two other young Rageons sat opposite of Mistress. They were her other muses in the music industry, another brother-sister duo a few years older than the twins: Cashmere and Luster. They were more ruthless, more ambitious, unlike the twins, they weren’t under any control, they were doing this for their sick twisted pleasure. They weren’t twins, a year apart. They were also Under Rageons: pale skin, their hair was eggplant purple, they’re were stunning in their own way.

“So dear old Vincent couldn’t take the fame life.” Luster grinned, “Once a loser, always a loser.” He laughed looking at Velvet. “Don’t worry cousin, maybe he died a quick death, somewhat painless death.” Hector smirked.

“Hm.” Was all Velvet replied. Cashmere was quiet… she still hated that her and her brother were below the twins, that Velvet managed to keep her title at the top without Veneer…. That they were still the better cousins.

“We’re done here.” Mistress said walking back into the room. “You two may leave now. You have your batch to last you the month. I except that new music to deliver and bring in the money.” She said to Cashmere and Luster.

“Don’t we always.” Cashmere casted Velvet a devious look before leaving.

“Enjoy your time at the top dear cousin.” Luster spat as he followed his sister.

Velvet was now alone with Mistress. She eyed the woman as she worked through her files. “May I ask why the hell you’re wearing THAT?” She looked at Velvets attire. She had her old dark pink vest from the under-city, tight black crop top, black mini skirt and combat boots.

“I’m not performing. Can’t I wear what I want?” She stated.

“Around me, no.”

Mistress stood up to pour herself her coffee. “I recommend you go change.” She turned to take a sip. Velvet only eyed her, a devious look in her eyes. A smirk started coming across Velvets face.

“….Do many know about the Trolls? About what you do?” Velvet asked.

“What do you think? But who cares. They’re Trolls. Resources for superior beings like us. Under Rageous knows this. Mount Rageous already has the perfect form of Rageons, we just need the talent, the enhancement.” Mistress said as she sipped her coffee.

Velvet smiled, “The perfect form of Rageon. Is that what we’re aiming for?”

“It’s what we’ve achieved. Look at you, look at your cousins. Look at anyone comining out of this agency on top! Look at you. You’re different, beautiful. Basically a goddess amongst them, now think of just making you more than perfect. That’s where the Trolls come in.” She sipped her coffee again. Velvet listened… is this what she had sounded to Veneer at one point? Mad? Velvet continued to smile, but it wasn’t for the reason Mistress thought. The Mistresses face churned as a bitter after taste stained her lips. “What the hell? Who made this?” She began spitting it out. She suddenly grasped her stomach wailing in pain.

“Velvet call an ambulance now!” She yelled as she fell on the floor holding her abdomen. Velvet stared with a gleeful expression as Mistress began to suffer. “VELVET!…. AAHHH…. GRUFF! RUFF!”

“They won’t answer you. I don’t think they will ever again. See, they decided to eat some “troll” chocolate . Idiots. I just wrapped Floyd’s old left over clothes in chocolate and those big idiots ate it up. Funny what kind of poisons you can make with this.” Velvet held up the vile she found that had contained the pink liquid. “I really have you to thank for the idea though.”

Mistress cried and wailed as her stomach burned. “WHAT DID YOU DO!!!”

“Just made sure you wouldn’t see the light of day again…. Or torture my brother.” Velvet kneeled on the Mistresses stomach, putting more pain than what she was already feeling. “How dare you touch him! How dare you take advantage of him! He’s not a freaking toy! And how dare you abuse either one of us for your own game. I know who I am… and I am NOT your pawn.”

White foam began to appear around the Mistresses mouth. She began to gag and choke. “You……vile…….girl……”

“If that means out smarting you, then yes, I’m very vile.” Velvet watched as the life left her eyes, as she took her last breath. Velvet stood up and screamed, she kicked the woman’s lifeless body…. She was gone… The Bergens were gone… and she had to disappear too. Velvet ran back towards the cabinets and collected the evidence she had found. She stuffed them into her backpack she collected….. and she ran….she ran out of building, out of her prison…. She was finally free..

Veneer. She had to go find him…. She hoped he was still alive. Velvet didn’t where to look, she didn’t even know where to start. She must’ve looked like a crazy Rageon running as fast as she did through the city…. Where? Where could she start? The world was big, and it had been months. If Veneer was alive… he could be anywhere.

She saw the glint of the highway. She could somewhat still feel his presence… he was alive, she knew it, she felt it… and she was going to find him.

[generalllimaginesss]

Loom

Trevor Zegras imagine based on Zach Bryan’s song Loom…solely my interpretation of the song.

As always there will probably be mistakes, but I hope you enjoy!

Heads up: Jordan is Y/N’s bf

a/n: this has been sitting in my drafts for almost a year. Also, I am alive, just going through a different stage of life and trying to find my passion for writing again.

How do I make you fall in love with me?

And how would I let you know I care?

And how would I say that the man your laying with is not the man that should be laying there?

How would a boy like me put it?

A man with some sense probably wouldn’t,

But I don’t give a damn, I am not a smart man

I’m gonna say some words I shouldn’t.

Some would say that Trevor Zegras’ best friend was Jack Hughes, Jamie Drysdale, Cole Caufield, or some random hockey player. That person would be partially correct, Trevor loved all of his friends deeply. However Y/N Y/L held a spot in his heart for best friend. Their families had been close friends since before the two were ever even a thought. They had watched each other grow up and turn into the young adults that they were today.

Where Trevor was outgoing and charismatic, Y/N was laid back and reserved. They balanced each other out in the most perfect way. Trevor’s flirty personality was something that the girl had grown used to, she didn’t take him seriously when he commented on her body, or made advances. That was Trevor, and there was no changing that.

Things started to change, however, when Y/N started dating somebody in college. Trevor had been drafted by the Ducks, so the two really only saw the each other on random FaceTime calls or holidays when they both happened to be home. Y/N lived clear across the country, but she loved watching her best friend show out in Anaheim.

“What are you doing?” Trevor’s voice echoed from Y/N’s phone throughout her apartment. Trevor had just gotten home from a game, his hair still wet from the shower he took, but his FaceTime with Y/N was a priority.

“I’m cleaning up. Jordan is on his way and I don’t want the apartment to look like a wreck,” she explained as she wiped the kitchen counters.

“Why the hell is he still in the picture? I thought we had a conversation about his douchey tendencies,” Trevor questioned as he began to play his Xbox.

“I don’t know, he’s just what I envisioned as my future. We’ve got similar beliefs, he loves my family, he’s kinda hot….there’s just something about him that I can’t let go of,” Y/N rambled on as she lit a candle. She walked back over to her phone, only her forehead showing on the camera, and watched as Trevor bit his lip in concentration.

He was acting like the whole ordeal was strictly a worried best friend, but in reality it ate him alive that his best friend was being treated like she was replaceable. In Trevor’s eyes she was far from replaceable. There would never be anybody that could take that place in his life, and he prayed to God that he could show her how she deserved to be treated.

“He’s a fucking prick, Y/N. I mean he went golfing with his buddies when your grandmother died. Who was left picking up the pieces? Me,” Trevor rolled his eyes just thinking about that instance where he realized how shitty of a boyfriend Jordan was.

“In his defense, we had only been dating for a few weeks. Like, that’s a lot of emotion for the beginning of a relationship, so I get it. It would have been awkward,” Y/N defended him, resulting in Trevor tossing his remote to the side and looking at Y/N.

“You have got to be fucking kidding me. I’m almost positive that he’s only with you because you’re hot and gave him sex the first date,” Trevor couldn’t stop it from rolling off his tongue. As soon as the words left his mouth he wanted to grab them back and destroy them. He knew Y/N confided in him about intimate things in her life, and for him to be throwing them in her face broke and unspoken rule.

“Fuck you, Trevor,” Y/N’s voice rose slightly as a tear threatened to spill out of her eye.

“I didn’t mean it, Y/N,” he tried to apologize, but Y/N was having none of it.

“Yes you did, dumbass,” she responded as she ended the call.

Trevor didn’t know how to go about these emotions with his best friend, but all he knew was that he had to do something about it. He couldn’t take it out on her or anybody that had interest in her.

And I had a dream I was falling

And maybe that’s a fucked up metaphor

Maybe it just means, when I meet you in my dreams

Nothing stops me from going through the floor

Almost a week had passed from the time that Trevor had a word vomit and the present day. There had been a few messages between the two since then, but not the regular communication that the two were used to. Trevor had finished a workout and could not get her off of his mind. No matter what, all he could see was her face of hurt from his poor word choice.

As soon as he got home, he crashed on the couch. His muscles and mind were exhausted from a long day’s work.

He didn’t know if it was because she was weighing on his mind so heavily, or if it was because he was so tired, but he dreamt of a life where him and Y/N were totally in love.

“I’m gonna marry you one day, Y/L/N,” he held her in his arms and kissed her temple. She tasted sweet, like the vanilla body wash that she always used. He swore he could smell strawberries in her hair, a few pieces lingering on his face as he pulled away and looked at her.

“And what makes you so sure of that, Z?” She playfully bantered back. Her cheeks were rosy, but it could have been from the summer sun that they had been in all day.

“Because nobody will ever love you the way I do,” he whispered as he closed in on her light pink lips.

Before the kiss had finished, Trevor jolted awake. The sound of Jamie closing the door interrupting his slumber. He had been out cold for a good 3 hours, sweat drenching the curls that covered the nape of his neck.

“You good, Z?” Jaime asked from across the living room.

“No, man. I don’t think I am,” he groaned as he got up, patting Jaime on the shoulder and heading to his room. He climbed into his bed while scrolling through his phone, hoping to see his best friend’s name pop up on something. He reread their last texts going over plans for their summer break coming up. They weren’t the normal talks of exciting things, but discussing who was and wasn’t going to be there. The only thing that could make matters worse was the fact that Jordan would be there for a wedding that they were all invited to.

Trevor plugged his phone in on his nightstand and tried to go back to sleep as best as he could, but the thought of his girl made the task feel impossible. He settled for staring at the ceiling fan until it lulled him into a dreamless sleep.

And I know all the bad things about you

But I still think you’re the purest of our kind

I remember being younger with an awful pining hunger

For a good that a boy could never find

And the fear of a man still left behind

Trevor always thought he couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment that he fell in love with his best friend, but the plane ride back to Bedford gave him plenty of time to rethink that. All of the memories of growing up with the girl seemed to pass as a blur, but he could remember one night that the two were playing truth or dare with a group of friends. The two of were probably 15, at most, going through that awkward stage of freshman year and trying to figure out who they were were.

“Y/N, truth or dare?” Trevor displayed a devilish grin as she rolled her eyes and groaned.

She gave it a considerable thought. Trevor knew some pretty embarrassing things about her. He knew that she carried her childhood blanket everywhere she went until she was twelve. He knew that she was the one that stole her grandfather’s dentures and tried to put them in the dog’s mouth. He knew every single guy that she claimed to have a crush on, so she definitely knew what she wouldn’t pick.

“Dare, but please go easy on me, jerk,” she practically begged her best friend. Nothing could prepare her for what he decided, however.

“Kiss me,” he smiled as the whole group of friends giggled and pushed Y/N towards him.

Trevor thought back to how it was a simple peck on the lips, but he distinctly remembered the nerves in his stomach and the race of his heart after it happened.

Y/N had immediately wiped it off and ran to wash her mouth under the sink, leaving the group in fits of laughter. Everybody except Trevor, of course. He kept his appearance of the clown of the group, continuing on with the game like he didn’t just steal his best friend’s first kiss.

The sound of the captain of the plane interrupted his thoughts, announcing the plane’s landing in LaGuardia. Trevor took one AirPod out as everybody began to get their carry on bags and joined in the jostling in the aisle.

After picking up his checked bag, he began to look for his brother’s car outside of the airport. Immediately, he spotted his little brother, but nothing could have prepared him for seeing Y/N standing beside him, sporting a wide smile with her arms crossed in front of her chest.

He gave his brother a hug and then turned to Y/N, rolling his eyes as he forced her into a hug. She gave up her tough persona and buried her head into his shoulder, squeezing back.

“I thought you were still pissed at me, to be honest,” he let go of her and ruffled her hair.

“I was for a while, but I had to keep the surprise so I just kept it up,” she admitted and stuck her tongue out at him. Griffin let his older brother drive and Y/N sit in the passenger seat.

Maybe, just maybe, Trevor might have a chance with his best friend. He pined for that feeling he had at 15.

So I guess I’ll just love you from the window

While you’re dancing with the charmers in the room

And I’ll sneak out that door like I have a time before

And just let that lost love loom

And just let that list love loom

Summer was going amazing, that is until Jordan showed up the day before Y/N’s cousin’s wedding. Trevor knew this was inevitable, but the disappointment was there nonetheless. Hearing his best friend laugh with him, watching them sneak kisses when they thought no one was looking, the whole thing made Trevor sick to his stomach. One, because it was actually disgusting to watch the douche kiss his girl, but two, because that should have been Trevor. Trevor swore that she laughed more genuine with just himself though. He smiled at the thought.

The next day came quickly. The Zegras family had gotten dressed and drove to the Y/L/N’s house to help with anything they could. Y/N’s mom was grabbing last minute details that she had been responsible for, so Julie began to help.

Trevor was making small talk with Griffin when he glanced up the stairs and saw Y/N coming down. His breath hitched for a second, but he let out a slightly audible groan when he saw Jordan walking down behind her. Griffin shot a confused look at his brother, but shook it off.

The families loaded up into a few vehicles and made their way to the venue. The ceremony was beautiful and the reception was so much fun. At least at first.

The DJ had been playing upbeat songs that everybody was dancing to, but as the night progressed the first slow song began. Trevor left the dance floor to go outside and sit at one of the tables that was set up. He could still see everything that was happening through a window, hearing the slow song continue. He thought he would be ok, but when he saw Jordan and Y/N swaying to the music he felt a surge of jealousy rise up. He wanted to march in there, tell Jordan to go to hell, and steal Y/N. He watched Y/N, her dress swaying with the movement of her body. The lights gave her a sort of glow. Trevor longed to be the one holding her, whispering sweet nothings into her ear.

“I know I have no say in the matter, but I do wish that something would have come from the two of you’s relationship,” Y/N’s dad startled Trevor, eliciting a chuckle at the reaction.

Trevor gave off a sigh and turned to the man that was practically his second dad.

“I don’t know if I should be telling you this, but me too,” Trevor rubbed the back of his neck, glancing back at Jordan and Y/N. The slow dance was coming to an end, but Trevor really wanted to get this off his chest, even if it was just with Y/N’s dad.

“I love her a lot, Trevor. She’s my only girl,” Her dad laughed and slug an arm around Trevor’s shoulders, “But she has been so oblivious to your feelings,” the man gave Trevor a squeeze.

“Have I really been that obvious?” Trevor’s cheeks were burning, especially when Shut Up and Dance With Me by WALK THE MOON started playing and he watched as Y/N was looking around the room, desperately trying to find her best friend. This had been their song since 8th grade homecoming, and there was no way she was going to let it play without dancing with Trevor.

“Extremely,” Y/N’s dad chuckled, “My opinion counts for nothing, but I think you should tell her.”

Trevor smiled at the idea, but he didn’t even know where to begin with that. Was it really worth ruining their friendship? A 22 year long friendship?

“I think, for now at least, things are better left unsaid,” Trevor responded.

“If that’s what you think, then that’s what you think,” The older man laughed as he watched his daughter stomp towards them.

The conversation was interrupted as Y/N stepped in between the two men.

“There’s no way in hell that you’re getting off without dancing with me to this song,” She grabbed Trevor by the hands and pulled him onto the dance floor. The two danced hard, sweat beading on their foreheads as the song played.

Trevor’s personality was shining through his dance moves, and Y/N was letting him have his moment. Neither one of them were thinking of Jordan until the song ended and her boyfriend tapped Trevor on the shoulder.

“I’d like to steal my girlfriend back,” he slurred slightly, totally oblivious of Trevor’s feelings toward him. Y/N squealed as Jordan took her to a corner of the venue, placing kisses on her cheeks and lips. Trevor had made his way toward Griffin, but not before seeing Jordan whispering in Y/N’s ear, something that made Y/N blush and giggle.

Trevor couldn’t watch it anymore. He found Griffin, let his parents know that they were leaving, and made their way back home.

His mind was in a cycle of asking himself if he should tell his best friend his feelings, to reasoning why that would be the worst idea, to genuinely being curious if something would come of it. Maybe this feeling is better left hanging between the two.

How do I make you fall in love with me?

Is it lost in the emptiness of apathy?

Should I fight for it like war, should I nail it down to boards

Or do I live in a love I’m dying for?

“I should have listened to you,” Y/N admitted to Trevor, snuggled to his side on the couch as some random movie played in the background. The thunderstorm outside provided the perfect ambience for a cozy movie day with Trevor.

Y/N had found text messages that Jordan had sent to girls while the two had been together. Messages that revealed that she was not the only girl occupying his mind and bed.

“I’m not going to say I told you so, but I do recall a conversation that went a little like me explaining how he was a douche,” Trevor mindlessly twirled her hair around his finger.

“I know you’re so satisfied with being able to say that,” Y/N rolled her eyes. She should have listened to Trevor. She was never going to admit that, but it was true. There were many red flags that she put blinders to, and in the end it bit her in the butt. It really hurt, but Y/N knew in a small place in her heart that Jordan wasn’t the one. He was fun, but he didn’t have everything that Y/N was looking for. The relationship was on the downhill stretch, so his cheating just sped things up a bit.

“I’m not satisfied. I wish he didn’t put you through this,” Trevor corrected his friend. He didn’t want to rub it in her face, but he wanted her to know that he cared. He cared before the relationship, he cared while they were dating, and he’s going to care when she can’t remember his name anymore.

“Is it terrible that him cheating gave me an excuse to break up with him? I wanted him to do something to end it. Like yeah, we had sex every now and then, but it just feels like after the wedding things started to fizzle out,” Y/N admitted as she picked her fingernails, a habit that she picked up at an early age to deal with conversations and feelings that were hard.

“If that’s how you feel, then no, it’s not terrible. You feel what you feel. You can’t help that,” Trevor reassured her.

“I just wish somebody would love me for me. I wish that somebody could match my energy, or maybe just not cheat? I don’t know, I feel like that’s not asking much,” She chuckled and wiggled around to get more comfortable.

Trevor grinned at his friend. “Y/N Y/L/N, why don’t you just ask me on a date,” he half joked, but a small part of him was serious. It didn’t matter, though, because Y/N let out a laugh at him, and her laughter was the most important thing right now.

“In your dreams, Z,” She flashed him a smile and focused her attention back on the tv in front of them.

“You have no idea,” he whispered, not expecting her to hear it.

“What?” Her head snapped at him as his eyes grew wide.

Was now his chance to finally admit his feelings? Should he give her a chance to get over her relationship she just got out of? He didn’t have much time to decide, so he let his mouth take over.

“Look, you’re dad already knows,” Trevor sighed as he began to admit his feelings.

“Already knows what, exactly?” The confusion was written all over Y/N’s face.

“I think I just need to wait to tell you this,” Trevor tried to drop the conversation, but Y/N wasn’t budging.

“No, you made the comment, so you have to explain it. I’m fine. I don’t need you to tip-toe around me,” Y/N explained as she gave the boy her full attention.

“Ok, well I’m going to lay these feelings out there, but please don’t freak out. I’m always going to be your best friend no matter what,” With those words, both of their hearts began to speed up.

“Just say it, Z,” Her patience was wearing thin with the boy.

“I love you. I’ve loved you since I stole your first kiss. The thought of another guy being with you makes me sick. Like physically makes me feel like I want to vomit. You say you want somebody to match your energy, but I’m the exact opposite of you and we’ve been inseparable since birth. You have this idea of what you want, and it sucks because never once did you consider me in that. Like is this hopeless? Could anything possibly come from this?” Trevor lost control of what he was saying. Every feeling that crossed his brain regarding his best friend was spoken. In a way it was relieving, but the fear of being rejected quickly took place.

“Z…” Y/N was speechless. Never in a million years did she expect her best friend since birth to admit he loved her. She truly didn’t know what to say.

“Well say something. I just told you I loved you, so I’m gonna need a little more elaboration than just ‘Z’,” Trevor was desperate for her to say something.

“You just laid it out there huh,” Y/N snickered.

“Right there on the floor, yep,” Trevor raised his eyebrows and bit the inside of his cheek. For the first time in his life, he wanted to crawl in a deep dark hole and die there. Die a recluse that didn’t admit to loving his best friend.

“Wow,” Y/N took a deep breath in. Things had never been awkward between the two in their whole life, but this was painfully awkward. It wasn’t that Y/N didn’t love Trevor, she did. And truth be told, she had a slight crush on him growing up. However, she got over it. That wasn’t to say that she couldn’t open up to the idea of a relationship with Trevor, but it would have to take time to unfold.

“I’m leaving,” Trevor began to put his shoes on and stuffed his keys in his pocket when Y/N grabbed his arm.

“Just hold on. I know you’re feeling embarrassed telling me this, but think about me hearing it. That was the last thing I expected you to say today. I’m just shocked, that’s it,” She became aware of her hand wrapped around his forearm, pulling him back on the couch.

"I wish I never told you,” He ran his fingers through his hair, strands going in many different directions. He situated himself next to you once more, his leg bouncing at a rapid rate once he stilled.

“Trevor, I mean this with the utmost respect….shut the hell up.”

If your words didn’t catch his attention, then your side eye most definitely did.

“Okay, I’m sorry.” He sighed, resting his head on the back of the couch. He steadied his breathing, waiting for your voice to pierce through the silence in the room.

“I love you, too.”

Trevor’s interest piqued, rotating his body so that he is completely facing you. He could tell you had more to say, so he let you.

“I’ve loved you for 22 years. I mean, not that I can remember much when we were younger, but I know you’ve always been my very best friend. I’ve gone through phases where I thought you were cute, I used to think any girl that you hung out with was a threat to our friendship. I remember our first middle school dance…I told your date your favorite color was neon green so she’d wear that awful dress,” You chuckled as you recalled that night. It definitely ended with his date telling her mom that Trevor was cheating on her with you. You were 12.

“You didn’t, Y/L…”

The corners of his mouth were curving upward as the memory played in his head.

“Oh, I did. I remember the first time I met Jack and Cole…you were jealous that me and Jack had hit it off so you told him about me throwing up the first time I had to give a presentation in speech. I was so mad at you, but you guys lost the game that night because you missed a goal. I promised myself that night that I would take the responsibility of being louder than your thoughts. You beat yourself up so bad for days after that, but all I could think about was that you saw a sunflower growing in a random field and decided to pull over and pick it for me that day. You are the most selfless person I know. You are the hardest on yourself, and you use your humor to deflect that. I know that you worry everyday if you’re truly good enough to be playing at the level you’re at,” You brought your thumb up to wipe away a tear that was puddling in the corner of his eye.

Trevor knew everything you were saying was true. He was jealous when you met Jack because he knew that Jack was capable of getting all of the girls. And he could have all of them, just not you. He also remembered that car ride home from practice when he was driving home from practice and there was a single sunflower in the middle of nowhere. That was your favorite flower. Maybe it was a sign?

“Trevor Zegras, I can’t promise that I can be in a relationship right away. But what I can promise is that I can learn to be a different role for you. Don’t you ever have regrets. I love you, you idiot,” You ruffled his hair and pulled his cheek to your lips.

Cheekily, at the last second he turned his head and smashed his lips on yours. You both smiled into the kiss, but when you pulled away you thumped his ear as hard as you could.

He winced, but flashed a cheeky grin, “That was for 15-year-old me…”

“I hate you,” the two of you laughed.

As the rain kept pouring and the candles scattered around the room flickered, you both were consumed in your own thoughts. Would this complicate things? Probably. But relationships were difficult anyway. Might as well figure it out together.

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*I would also like to say that I’m stuck between going ahead and posting the second part of Reasons to Stay and making it a tiny series or just writing a long ass piece. I have no creativity for anything else though. I also wrote the majority of this before Jaimie was traded and just didn’t want to go back and change that.*