#I don’t wanna go back to school tomorrow
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can you write a fix of paige as a mom to a teen girl who she catches trying to sneak out
Sneaking out - Pazzi’s daughter
Sum: paige catches Saylor sneaking out
Warnings: none for now I don’t think
Notes: I hope I did this justice 🤞 I know some people have said they’re excited for this fic so I’m honestly hoping you guys all like this
Wc: 1k
Pair: paige x daughter!oc (Saylor)
Saylors Masterlist
“Just climb out your window, It’s not that hard dude.” Saylor’s friend Jasmine says over the phone. “My moms could catch me Jas, then I’ll be grounded. Then what?”
“You’re acting like your moms even pay attention to you bro, they’re way to famous and busy to pay attention to what you of all people are doing. Sneak out through your window or we are leaving without you. We are not gonna get caught because your a scaredy cat” Jasmine says not leaving room for argument and hanging up the phone
Saylor sighs bringing her phone down from her ear and looking at the picture of her moms and her on Christmas morning a few years back that is taped to her vanity mirror. Back in a time where Saylor wasn’t constantly being looked down on by her friends, and was actually happy. Back in a time where she wasn’t a complete disappointment to her moms, and they didn’t have to constantly ground her.
Saylor takes a deep breath and then gets up from her bed and walking to her closet to start getting ready. After Saylor got dressed and did her hair and makeup, she texted her friend group chat that she was ready to be picked up - getting left on read
With them not responding and giving her an estimated time of when they’ll be here, she sat by her window waiting.
When they finally do get to the Bueckers household after around 35 minutes when it’s a 14 minute drive, Saylor opens her window and climbs out carefully turning around to close her window a little bit
“Hey bug, do you wanna watch a movie with me? Mama’s gonna be home lat-“ Saylor froze immediately seeing her mom walk into her room while she was pulling the window down. “Get in the house” Paige says in a monotone voice
Jasmine and the others could see Paige through the window and immediately drove off, leaving Saylor to fend for herself.
Saylor slowly climbs back into her room and stands by the window with her head down and hands clasped behind her back. Paige scoffs “What? You not gonna look at me now?”
Saylor just keeps her head down, “living room! NOW!” Paige says and then commands when Saylor doesn’t move. Saylor walks past Paige and walks downstairs to the living room - sitting on the couch and waiting for Paige to come back.
“You wanna tell me where you were going?” Paige says while walking down the stairs and to the couch - sitting down in front of Saylor.
Saylor just keeps her head down and looks at her hands in her lap. “Hello? I’m talking to you!” Paige says still trying to get Saylors attention “Saylor Jade Bueckers, look at me and answer the question now!” Paige says sternly, making Saylor shake her head
“No? You’re gonna tell me no? After I just caught YOU trying to sneak out?” Paige says baffled about how her daughter’s been acting recently “Fine you wanna play this game? Let’s play this game! You’re grounded for two months - no phone, no tv, no video games, you will have my old phone with mine and Azzi’s phone numbers that you can call and text ONLY us with and you will turn it in, to one of us when you’re home from school. You use your computer ONLY for school. No basketball or dance for two weeks-“
“Mom! No! You can’t do that! College recruiters are watching us now at games and recitals, how are they supposed to see me if you do that?!”
“I guess you should have thought about that before you decided to sneak out!” Paige yells making Saylor look back down at her hands and try to hold in her tears “I will call your coaches tomorrow morning and tell them that you are not to be participating in practices, games, recitals, all of that for two weeks. You are to go to school and come home immediately. You also now have a bedtime, me and Azzi will come and check on you randomly. Oh and I will be installing cameras around the house and outside of your windows tomorrow”
“Mom!-“ “Do NOT mom me right now Saylor Jade! What did you think was gonna happen when you decided to sneak out? That we would just never find out? That we wouldn’t care? What?! Tell me what you thought was gonna happen?! And let’s mention how you always get ungrounded and then immediately do something to get you grounded again! What is going on with you?! Paige yelled again just to be met with silence
“Go to your room!” Paige said pinching the bridge of her nose “mom-“ Saylor starts but gets cut off “Go. To. Your. Room. Saylor” Paige say’s strictly making Saylor sniffle and slowly get up and start making her way to the stairs
When she reaches them Paige stops her “While you’re up there, think about what you’ve done in the last year. Think about how you’ve been acting for the last 2+ years. And while you’re at it, try to find my daughter for me cause the girl standing in front of me is not my daughter. My daughter is a sweet girl that does her homework the day she gets it even if it’s not due for a month, she wants to dance and play basketball, she wants to go to college, my daughter wouldn’t throw her whole life away for some party, or alcohol & drugs, or even a fling” Paige says tearing up that she even has to say this
Saylor just looks at the ground and makes her way upstairs and to her room, getting in her bed and under the covers finally letting the tears fall.
I’m such a disappointment is all that is ringing through her head
@melpthatsme
#paige bueckers#paige bueckers x fem!reader#paige bueckers x oc#paige bueckers x reader#paige x reader#uconn x reader#paige bueckers fic#wnba x reader#azzi fudd#paige x azzi#pazzi fics#pazzi x daughter!oc#starlighttsv’s works
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Delicate: Vessel (Sleep Token); Part 9; "Never seen that color blue."
“No, yeah, of course! Noo…no! Thank you! I seriously appreciate all of your help and understanding during this! I hope you have a wonderful day! Yeah, aw, thanks! You, too! Yeah- okay- bye!”
My faux smile dropped as soon as my hand did, phone falling to a silenced settle on my left thigh. I breathed a shallow breath of somehow anxious relief, so ironic that it made me want to scream.
Max reached across the bed and rubbed my knee comfortingly, “You okay?”
I wanted to snort, yell, kick my feet, and laugh hysterically. Throw a temper tantrum, wish on a star, kiss a fucking frog. Fall on my knees, beg the skies. Change fate's cruel course of time.
But my expression was blank as I shrugged, “What can ya do?”
The corner of his lips lifted into the saddest smile. His thumb brushed my skin, “It’s gonna be alright. Once you settle back in, things will start to feel normal. You can start…moving on. And, hey, I’m visiting in just a month. You have that to look forward to. School starting, your new role at the clinic. So many good things, Daz.”
He was right- I had so much to be excited about. I really should’ve felt excited, grateful. A better woman would have. A better woman would have seen the blessings all around her and felt so full of life and love. God, she would’ve respected herself enough to not be in this situation in the first place.
Yet I couldn’t help but feel resentful, knowing that I would trade all of it for-
for him.
For Oliver.
I would give up everything for just another moment, hanging onto his lips like a vine. Just a second of growth, even if being ripped away meant digging up the roots and my leaves dying.
I just gave Max that fake smile, knowing full well he was aware that it meant nothing. “You’re right. It’ll be good for me to be home.”
He squeezed my knee before removing his hand. “You wanna finish packing? Or maybe take a break? Get some food?”
I glanced around at the mess of clothes across Sam and I’s hotel room. My bags lay open, a few piles of my stuff already stuffed inside. But there was more than half to be done. So much to be done before I went…before I went home tomorrow.
Tomorrow. Less than 12 hours from now. I’d be heading back to reality. Closing the doors on Europe, on everything and everybody I’d be leaving here.
There was just one week left on the European leg of the two. Tomorrow morning, everyone will be leaving for Germany. I’d go to the airport with them, like normal, but depart at a separate gate, at the same exact time. Those who needed to know, well, I was going to tell them. And those who needed to know the reason why would, too. Sam was going to think I was going home because of an offer for a higher position from the clinic I worked at. But this was only partially true. Training for that wouldn’t even start for another 3 weeks. School wasn’t for a month.
I was leaving for me- for clarity, fresh air. Oliver was right- London was foggy, full of pollution and shitty, selfish men.
I needed to get away, out. Back to routine and home. Back to what I knew- what wouldn’t hurt me.
I looked back to Max, “I'm gonna finish packing. Get it over with. Before Sam gets back. I think it might hurt his feelings to walk in and see this…mess.”
Mess might have held a double meaning. I had looked better, for sure. Max understood, I think, for he knocked his shoulder against mine, then stood from the bed. “We got it, Daz.”
I stood up quickly, knowing the only way to get started was to just start. Stand. Move. (I wanted to crawl into a hole and die.)
It took us another hour or so to finish stuffing my belongings into their bags. I had bought maybe one too many souvenirs, so we struggled to find a place for everything. When we were done, I slew myself across the end of the bed, breathing heavily, sweating a little bit.
Max groaned from the floor, “Why do you own so many things?!”
“Dude, I don’t even know. It’s gonna take me 12 years to unpack!”
He chortled, half-heartedly, patting his stomach as an afterthought. “I am soooo hungry. What do you wanna eat?”
I sat up as he did so, shrugging a bit, “You pick. I don’t have the energy for all that.”
“I’m good with the hotel restaurant if you are.”
“Fuck it.”
So, we sludged our way downstairs. I hadn’t been leaving my room much, worried you-know-who would cross my path and shake things up again. Though, I doubted he was looking for me. He hadn’t so much as texted me since last week. Oliver was probably sulking, convincing himself that he was the victim in this whole thing. The thought made my blood rush a little bit. I clenched my fist as the elevator doors closed, trying to focus on breathing and not screaming.
The past three had been probably one of the worst of my life. I was so…so sad. So angry. Confused. Nothing made sense, yet all of my fears had come true. It was like I knew all the answers, but my bones felt so put off by how they manifested themselves. Like, what do you mean the cold, dark, distant boy turned out to be a cheating, manipulative liar? Right on the money.
My rational mind couldn’t wrap around the fact that it still felt so…disappointing? Wrong? Fucked the fucking fuck up.
The doors slid open. I followed, quietly, behind Max as we headed for the inlet to the left of the front counter. This was a usual part of my new found routine, grabbing food with Max. Albeit, sneakily, with numerous texts between the two of us (me, badgering him) ensuring nobody else (Oliver) was down here. In avoiding him, I had been avoiding everybody else, too.
I could already see their knowing looks. Sam could read me like a book. Ronnie was way psychic and usually felt the vibe of a situation long before it occurred. Adam, obviously, already was aware. And I'm sure he would have relayed the information to Cyrus.
I was exuding this aura of heartbroken, school-girl-fantasy-crushed, sad-puppy shit. I felt tired, and I’m sure my eyes looked it, too. Any passerby probably could have read my emotions pretty well. No matter, I’d be out of here soon. Back home. I could heal, rest, relax, find somebody else to fuck and get the fuck over this dumb ass white boy.
My dumb ass white boy. I’d tried not to think about him, so deeply sunk into this angry feeling that I couldn’t even fathom the idea of missing what had hurt me. Alas, every once and a while (between every other curse I thought of) something would flash through my mind. A distant memory, an image of his deep-ocean blue eyes shining with flames from the rooftop firepit, triggered by a breath, a catch of the wind, a sink in my heart. I’d feel a little moth flicker in my chest. An air bubble, taut in my stomach, would have me hiccuping from gushing tears in an instant.
I think it was the deep blue suede of the hotel bar’s stools that did it this time. I brushed a hand, slowly, watching the color shift from the movement of the fabric. The lighter color reminded me of a time he felt the way I did right now. Sadness. Maybe it hadn’t meant as much to him, maybe his depravity was not comforted by me. But that moment, when I held him, when he nuzzled his head into my neck and began crying-
“Wanna drink?” Max rested a hand on my shoulder, drawing my attention back from where I was trudging through fleeting, erasing moments.
I ceased my body from flinching, willed away the wetness in my eyes, and nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, let’s get a drink.”
Which was a mistake.
One drink turned to appetizers turned to three drinks turned to main courses, 5 drinks, 2 shots, and dessert. Before I knew it, Max and I were cackling over some typo on some Twitter post. I gripped his shirt sleeve and hoped I wouldn’t slide off the bar stool. For the first time in a week, I wasn’t concerning myself with the logistics of sticking around in this public area as long as we had been. I wasn’t even thinking of Oliver. In fact, Max and I were discussing some of our favorite shitposts about American politics. My mind was far away from dumb Brits and idiotic Europeans.
Of course, the world had a very funny way of spitting in my face.
Adam, Cyrus, and- low and behold- Oliver came strolling into the bar right when Max and I finished ordering another drink. I felt a little sick, watching as they neared us. Oliver wasn’t paying attention. He never did. His head, sunken into his hoodie, hands shoved in his pockets. He moved like the Grim Reaper. I wondered if he had come to take my soul away.
Adam and Cyrus seemed…on edge. They noticed Max and I only after they’d made it halfway across the room. Adam hesitated on his next step, catching my eye, worriedly glancing between me and Oliver.
Max was aware, at this point. He cut himself off mid sentence, swiping a hand across his lips. “Shit,” he mumbled to himself. “Daisy…let’s go.”
His fingers brushed through mine in a desperate grasp to pull me along with him, towards the door. I was drunk. I was not thinking. I was hysterical, sad, heartbroken, angry. I tugged my hand away, instead flipping into the air to wave and cheerfully catch the group’s full attention.
“Cy! Adam!” I couldn’t quite catch his name on my tongue. I thought I might puke. “Hey, girl!”
Oliver looked up at the sound of voice. He stopped, but three feet from our little round table. The light, dim from the overhead lamps and LED strips behind the counter, caught the round pupils in his eyes. I watched as he blinked once, twice. Blue.
“Oliver!” There it was.
He met my eye. The corners of his lids wilted, like the petals of a flower, aged, saddened. Drops of rain dropping them in weight. Max looked between the two of us. Cyrus busied himself with buying a drink. Adam slouched in the awkward, pregnant air. Oliver ignored me, moved around our group to sit as far away as possible.
I clenched my jaw. Rage. Utter, pure anger. How dare he deny me even now? The fact that he had not come to my door in the past few days, on his knees, begging for my forgiveness- I was seething. And, now, he goes back to his old tricks. Pretending like I don’t exist.
I turned to Max, who was bracing for impact. His hands were wary, held up near me as if to catch my fall. I shrugged, smiled cheekily, wrinkled my nose. I bumped Adam’s shoulder with mine and declared, “Shots on me?”
He continued his smug slump in the bar stool for the next hour. Adam, Cyrus, Max, and I hung like the old pals we were, cracking jokes, swapping stories like we were surrounding a campfire. I glanced at Oliver every once in a while, hoping to accidentally make eye contact like we used to. He stared down at his phone or his glass. I was surprised the device worked considering he’d fucking forgotten my contact existed or something.
Ugh.
What a fucking ass hole.
Adam asked me a question, pulling my attention back in. “Are you excited for Germany?”
Oh. I’d almost forgotten all about this little plot. I knew that if I spoke loud enough, Oliver would hear. He’d react. I could almost hear it, the little hitch in his breath. The tickle in his throat. The flit of his tongue across his lips, the patter of his holey heart.
I felt my own chest jitter with the excitement, the want of a reaction I needed from him. The shock. The idea that I would be an ocean away from him. No longer at an arm’s length.
I turned towards Adam and rested my chin on my fist. I frowned, almost playfully, “Ugh, I hate having to tell you guys like this!”
Cyrus slowly lowered his glass from his lips, having been mid-drink, “What’s up?”
“I’m going home,” my brows furrowed in a naive look. Adam and Cyrus’ chins dropped a sliver. I pouted my lip, “Stop! I know! I’m so sad!”
I wanted to wait until the conversation was over to look down the bar, to see if even a fragment of what I was saying had affected him. But, I didn’t need to wait. Oliver had flinched. He literally flinched.
“Yeah, me, too,” Adam touched my hand. “Why so soon? I thought you were staying through August?”
“I was planning on it, but…they offered me a better position at the clinic I work at. I have to get home to start training,” I continued, a satisfied smirk teasing my mouth.
Cyrus lifted his glass, “Well, there’s nothing to be sad about, then! To your new job.”
“I’ll cheers to that,” the smirk slipped into a genuine smile. I really would miss these guys, but my drunken, stupid mind wasn’t thinking about that. I wanted more from Oliver. I wanted a white flag or a look or a…fuck, I wanted him.
I pushed, “I’ll really miss you guys. Max, with your corny-ass pick-up lines, Adam’s mom vibes, Cy’s ability to knock back more drinks than fucking- I don’t know, Spider-man, and not get drunk? Shit’s insane.”
I drank in the laughter for a moment, eyes lingering down the bar to Oliver. Then, I added a name to my list and narrowed my gaze, “Oliver,” he wouldn’t look. “With your need to ignore me in every room we’re in. I’ll really miss your cold fucking shoulder.”
Any laughter that may have hung onto our past moment faded. I heard Max take a sharp breath in through his teeth. Adam pressed his lips together. Cyrus looked over his shoulder at their friend. I didn’t know if he really knew, but he had to understand just a little bit. The vibes were always there. We thought we were sneaky, but we were so sickly up each other’s asses. We’d even run into Cyrus and Adam in the hallway that one time. I guess we were all really good at being hopefully fucking stupid and blind.
I leaned on my palm and stared that man down. I watched as he kept his chin, pointed ahead, like he was playing brave in the situation. His Adam's apple bobbed. Oliver clutched his glass, swung it back, slugged the liquid down. Slammed it back on the counter. Then, he stood up, pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and threw a wad of bills onto the bar. He adjusted his hoodie and left.
I was dizzy. I stuttered back a step. Max touched my wrist, murmuring something or the other about heading back upstairs. Telling me I was too drunk.
I felt slow, felt dizzy, felt scared, felt angry, felt sad. I felt so sad. I felt so angry and so sad and…
And, my eyebrows furrowed in anger, the shock erasing itself from my frame. I took a deep, drunken breath and followed his trail. Fast. Legs pumping, arms swinging at my sides.
He was at the elevator, looking down at his shoes. I couldn’t get his name out. I think if I did the tears were going to fall out, The sobs were going to ricochet through my whole body and knock me over and kill me and I’d die and I’d never get to see that dumb asses blue eyes any more. Ever again. I wanted to see his blue eyes again. I wanted him to look at me and see me for what he sees me as. I wanted him to touch my hip and wring my neck and tell me I was the only one he wanted. I’d take it. One more time, then he could go back to her. I just wanted a goodbye.
He was stepping into the elevator. The doors were closing. I jammed a hand between and he flinched, again.
I stepped in just as the doors began to shut again. His eyes were wider than I’d ever seen them. He was frozen. Frowning. He looked…sad.
I almost reached a hand out, almost caressed his cheek and pulled him into me. But, I didn’t. Instead, I said (yelled?), “What the fuck is your problem?”
He stammered, “Wha-what?”
I struggled to repeat myself. I needed to cry. It was going to open. But, for another moment, the anger took over, “You fucking heard me. What is your problem, Oliver? What the fuck did I do to deserve this kind of shit? I don’t wanna hear more sad excuses about your fucking mental health and your-your fucking anxiety. God, I- I fucking…I don’t even k- you fucking ignored me back there! I looked right at you and I said your name and I smiled at you and…I’ve been so nice to you. I’ve been nice to you all summer and you treat me like a piece of fucking shit. God, I’ve…I’ve told you so much. I told you about my mom and…and you laid there and you told me all this bullshit about how much you liked me! And then you…youre a fucking-”
I cut myself off, out of breath. I was sweating a little bit. I think I had spit a few times. And I paced the elevator so much that I was flush against the wall. I leaned my shoulders back against the cool metal, wringing my hands, tugging at my hair.
He didn’t say anything. I breathed, hard, I thought, long. I kept thinking, and I kept getting angrier. I turned back to him, rearing up again. I had more to say, I just, I just needed to get some more concise- more thoughtful thoughts, right, exactly. Yes. I can…
“And who the fuck is F-”
“Daisy.”
There it was, my name. It was my name, soft and angelic, and holy. And a moment on his lips that he carved out of time and held a space for, for me to hear.
I stopped. I felt nothing for a moment. I looked at him and he was already waiting to see my eyes. My bottom lip wobbled.
“You’re obviously upset. And, drunk. Why don’t we talk about this in the morning? We can both get some rest.” He was always so good at two very distinct things: pushing stuff (people) aside and speaking to me in a way that felt like a cloud was wrapping itself around me. Like the cloud wanted me to lay in its arm and would coo me to sleep. Like I was safe and loved and-
Loved.
He made me feel loved.
I straightened up a bit at the thought. I pointed an accusatory finger at him, “Who the fuck is Fiona? What the fuck was that all about? Oliver, I’m not going to stand here and beg for you to love me. Or beg for you to come back to me. I just want a goddamn apology. For wasting my time, for playing with my fucking heart. For stringing me along. You knew-”
The tears came. Perfect timing. “You fucking know that I love you. You have known for a very long time. And you are an idiotic fool if you still don’t believe it. But I am not going to play this game with you. I told you that already and now I seriously mean it. I broke my back this summer to make sure that I was who you wanted me to be. So I was cool and chill and could take as much space as you wanted me to. I went with everything you asked of me, I was there when you needed a warm body. I comforted you and…and tried to fucking fix you like I knew you wanted me to. But, I am done. I am done with this. I am done-”
My voice cracked. I swiped an angry, shaking hand across my face. Vision blurred. “I am done with you. This is ridiculous. I don’t know if you meant to, but you have manipulated this situation so that you have been the one benefiting. I’m tired of letting you think you’re some broken, sad puppy dog on the side of the road that needs to be taken care of. Grow the fuck up. And, now I find out that there’s some other woman? That I- I’m the other woman, maybe? That you’re cheating on her with me? That I’m your fucking slut? Side hoe?”
I had paced again, this time, towards him. He was taller than me, but my anger was making me taller. He was almost…cowering. I pointed my finger again, nearly chest to chest with him.
“Fuck you, Oliver. Fuck you and fuck London and fuck your stupid fucking music.”
The doors opened, on our floor. I walked out, but turned to face him before he was really gone from me. I wanted to see his eyes one last time.
He was crying. I popped an arm into the door again, buying myself more time to kick him while he was down. I thought this would bring me closure. I thought I’d feel better if he knew, truly knew, the entirety. Every thought. Every hurt I felt.
“You asked me at the beginning of the summer what I was searching for. I thought that it was you. And I thought that I had found you.”
I shook my head sadly. The doorbell on the elevator rang. I stepped back, “I was right. There is no deeper meaning. Goodbye, Oliver.”
I stood there for a second, as though I could still see his blue eyes, boring through the metal doors.
Then, I sludged my way to my hotel room. I opened the door, shoulders slumped, body aching. I knew my makeup was smeared all over my face. My hair was wrecked. I couldn’t stop sniffling or whimpering. I walked into the room.
Sam sat up in his bed. Ronnie was beside him. I barely made it two more steps before Sam caught me in his arms.
–
The sky was gray. The weather in Europe usually was, especially up here on this side of the continent. I wasn’t surprised when, on our drive to the airport, it started spitting rain. I shivered underneath the cover of my hoodie, yet walked slowly through the entrance.
I remember when I had first dropped down in London, wide-eyed, hopeful. I think it had been raining then, too. But, I hadn’t cared. Come to think of it, it was raining pretty much everyday we had been in London.
Oliver was right about a couple things.
Back then, just three months ago, I hadn’t cared about the sun’s shadow curving from behind the clouds, nor did I mind that it was usually quite chilly outside. Now, I felt anger, annoyance at the weather, at the people, at the world.
At him. The stupid weight of my suitcase. The drag in my step. The wetness of my clothes and the chill of the wind.
I felt older, in the worst way. I was a different age, considering my birthday had passed while I’d been here. But, I felt old in a way that was draining. I felt like I had wasted so much time, energy, and all I had left were weary bones and sadness. Just how much I had left, I didn’t know. But I did know that as soon as I got back home, I would be rotting in my bed for a day or two.
Sam, Max, and Ronnie came to the airport early with me. My flight time had been pulled forward by an hour, so I needed to get here sooner than I thought. I wasn’t complaining, though. I couldn’t wait to get the fuck out of the hotel. Out of here. Out of London.
I hurried the process of packing my last few things. Stuffed my breakfast down my throat. Impatiently waited in the taxi, knee bouncing, as Sam and Max loaded the trunk with all of our things. Ronnie slid in beside me and became the first reason that I cried that day.
She reared a look over her shoulder, out the back window, to check on Max and Sam. Then, with an awkward sigh, she turned her knees towards me, “Peaches?”
I glanced up from my lap and the bounce of my knee slowed, “Yeah?”
Upon noticing the somber gaze in her eyes, my brows furrowed. “What’s up?” I added, fully presenting her my full attention.
Ronnie rubbed her nose in a seemingly nervous manner, “I just wanted to say…um, ew. Sorry.”
I softly giggled at her disgust with whatever sentence she was trying to form. “What is it?”
She finally met my eye in a fervently forward manner, “I usually have fun on tour. But this summer was…it was extra special. Getting to know you has been…so cool. I don’t know. I just…I love you, Daisy. You’ve become like a sister to me.”
I couldn’t help but feel the tears well up in my eyes. “Oh, Ronnie,” I sniffled, hugging her around the shoulders.
She pulled me close to her and I swear I heard her sniffle a bit, too. “I’m sorry for not noticing what was happening. I should’ve been there for you more. I got caught up in my own-”
“Don’t even apologize,” I reared back with my reply, “No. It’s nobody’s fault. I’m not even blaming myself for what happened. It was a stupid, weird situation. It was my responsibility to come to you if I needed help. I just needed…I just need to go home now.”
Ronnie smiled a sad, peaceful smile. “I hope I get to see you again soon. I don’t know what I will do without your bright light.”
“Oh, you will. You guys will be in the US soon. Sam said he was gonna drop by. I am positive you’ll be there, too,” I dropped a sly wink.
Ronnie watched my face for a moment, “I mean, of course you know now. But…” she narrowed her eyes, grinning in shocked realisation, “Fucker. You knew the whole time?!”
“Of course I knew the whole time. Sam is-” I snorted, “Sam is not hiding his lovesick, puppy-dog eyes.”
Ronnie’s gaze widened slightly, “I-”
The doors of the taxi popped open as the boys joined us, Max in the back on my other side, Sam in the front. He saw our laughing, secretive expressions in the rearview mirror and turned back. “What are you two doing?”
I brushed my hands across my cheeks to clear whatever tears might’ve been rolling still, then shook my head. “Nothing, Sam-Ham.”
He turned his eyes to Ronnie and tilted his chin forward. She shrugged, a smug smile contorting her once saddened face. Ronnie dropped a wink, “Nothing at all.”
The second person to make me cry was Max. Out of everyone, he was probably my best friend at this point. We had spent so much time together, out drinking, dancing, holed up in my hotel room with trays of room service, movies on the tv. He had been there through one of the most terrifying, exhilarating, strange summers of my life. We were bonded forever, now. I could feel it.
He was helping me check in while Sam and Ronnie headed to drop off our baggage. They were all just planning on hanging for the extra hour until it was time to check in for their flight. I was grateful they all wanted to sacrifice the time for me. To them, though, I knew it was second nature.
Some people made it easy, loving me.
I shook away the thoughts because the attendant was handing me my ticket. She reiterated boarding time, twenty minutes from now, and wished me a safe flight. “Thank you,” I nodded before turning back to Max.
The tall blonde was watching me. I could tell he was on the verge of tears from just the way that his shoulders shrugged forward. It made my heart swell, knowing how much of an impact I had had on them.
He tried to straighten up as I looked him in the eye. Then, he opened his mouth to say something. I threw myself into his arms before he could. Hugging me tight, Max brushed a hand down the back of my head.
“Oh, sweet, lovely angel. I am going to miss you so.”
I didn’t need to hear anything else to start crying into his chest. Max felt the rock of my shoulders and sniffled into my hairline. “Don’t start, love. I won’t be able to stop, myself,” he chuckled shortly.
We stood like that for a few minutes, maybe more, before I stepped back. I rubbed my eyes on the inside of my sweatshirt, knowing my face was flushed and probably swelling. Max touched his fingers to my wrists and gently brushed aside my hands. He took in my visage, so delicately, and sighed. “Can I just say…”
“Oh, no!” I exclaimed through a sob. More tears fell.
Max rubbed my shoulders, “No, no, no, love. It’s okay. No more tears, okay? We’ll be okay. Just…I just want- I need to tell you how important you are. I know you’re going to go home and things are going to start to settle and you’re going to start to think so many things about yourself. You are so easy to love, Daisy. It is like breathing to me, to Ronnie, to Sam, Sasha. It is breathing. And you are worthy of it, too. That’s all. I just…I just needed to tell you, okay?”
I didn’t say anything else. I just whimpered and pulled him in closer to me.
Sam was the worst.
Since the evening before, when I had broken down in his arms and told him, through my blubbering, a short synopsis of what had happened, we hadn’t spoken much. I didn’t know if it was simply because we didn't have enough time. But, I was feeling worse because of it.
I needed my big brother more than anybody else. Sam knew me better than anybody else, even if we hadn’t been around each other as often as we used to. He still understood me. We shared the same blood, for God’s sake.
Yet, as we sat there, in the waiting area of my plane’s gate, he didn’t even look at me. He stared down at the floor, hands folded in his lap. He sat across from Ronnie, Max, and I, making it known that he wanted nothing to do with the conversation. When he first sat there, the aisle a wide gap between us, I furrowed my brows. But, then, Ronnie and Max striked up some topic that I invested myself and my attention into.
It didn’t seem like that big of a deal until they called for me. I stood up, faster than I should’ve, to be honest, and began to gather my things. Phone, bag, jacket, passport. I ran the list over in my head, three times over.
All the while, Sam slowly stood, stuffed his hands in his pockets, and watched his feet as he scuffed his sneakers across the carpeted floor.
I passed my eyes over him for a moment, holding my breath. Surely, my brother would have something to say to me.
He didn’t make a move.
I began walking the short distance to my gate. Before I moved to get in line, though, I turned back to my friends. Max jumped for a hug first, barely allowing me enough time to fully settle back on my heels. I dug my feet into the ground to gain traction as his ginormous body came toppling into my arms. Ronnie joined in the hug yet struggled to toss her arms over Max’s tall frame. He adjusted as we all shared a laugh and tucked her in beside me.
He called over his shoulder, voice muffled, “Get in here, Sam-Ham!”
I heard my brother elicit a laugh. It felt refreshing to hear. Then, I felt the hug grow tighter as he joined in on Max’s other side. We didn’t stay like that for long. It was stuffy and I wasn’t getting much air.
So, I tapped Max’s back and said, “Alright. Let me go.”
I gave individual hugs to everybody, voicing my own grateful, somewhat short, goodbyes.
Then, I turned to my brother. He evaded my eye contact for a moment or two. Then he pulled me in. Tight.
Out of nowhere, “I’m sorry if he ruined your summer.”
Tensing up from the words, the mention of him, I slowly pulled back from Sam’s embrace. He held onto my back, sort of cradling me. The guilt lying in his eyes was far worse than anything I’d ever seen flash across his face. My own gaze softened from the taut expression it had anxiously contorted to.
“What?” I breathily inquired, unsure if I had heard him correctly, saddened that he was obviously carrying so much hurt from my stupid mistakes. “Why? Sam, it wasn’t your fault.”
“I know, Daz, I just…” Sam’s arms fell from around me. I missed the warmth as soon as the chill of the vast room settled in around my sweatshirt. He ran a veiny hand across his forehead, “I'm supposed to be there for you. Protect you. And I already suck at the first part.”
“Sam,” I grasped his wrist, slipping his fingers between my hands. “It’s not your fault. It’s…honestly, if my summer was ruined, it was because of my own shitty decisions. Besides, you don’t suck at being there for me. I can’t believe you would even think that!”
I clasped his hand tight between mine, brows furrowed. To hear him blame himself, to hear him look this way…This whole summer, I had spent my time obsessing over somebody who didn’t even want me. I should have paid more attention to my brother, who was part of the reason I was here in the first place.
The farther I got from the start of this journey, literally and figuratively, the blurrier my original dreams became. There was no meaning to find here- only what was already there.
The thought made me lick my lips in nervous realisation.
Sam let out a frustrated, breathy chortle. “Don’t give me so much credit. I’ve been…gone. Running away from home. For so long. Worried about getting out of that apartment and town and away from…from anything that could remind me of her. Remind me of mom. I left you behind in the process.”
The wetness in my eyes began to pour over. “Oh, Sam,” my lips trembled out as I dove back into his arms. I dug my fingers into his shoulders, holding onto him as though an airplane would dive down and pull him away. I needed this. This kind of hug. This moment.
Clarity was nearer than ever before.
“Listen,” I pulled back, “I need you to understand, okay? My summer was not ruined. It wasn’t. This entire experience has been the most amazing, wonderful, awesome, cool time. I got to spend so much time getting to see you, getting to see your world. And, don’t ever blame yourself for getting away. You had to. I see it now- You had to come be a part of this wonderful band, go with them on all of their amazing tours. I see it on your face, Sam. This is what you’re supposed to do, okay? My mistakes are my own. Not yours.”
“I just…” Sam stared at the floor for a moment, tongue quick to go and defend his original claim But he paused and let the information process. “I…I just wish I could punch him in the face or something. What a douche. Dragging you into his mess. I should’ve known, too. The way he treated you- it was so obvious. For that, I am sorry, Daisy. I should’ve said something. Honestly,” he sighed, running a hand through his hair, “I should beat his ass.”
Max and Ronnie, who had been trying to make it appear as though they were not eavesdropping, laughed at the last line. I opened up Sam and I’s moment by taking a step back. I gave them space to join us here. Ronnie clasped Sam’s hand and rested her head on his shoulder, “As funny as that would be, he is still your boss. And your bandmate,” she nodded to Max.
The tall blond rolled his eyes with a scoff, “Don’t worry. I’ll try to keep it civil.”
It was my turn to scold. I punched Max in the shoulder to gain his eye contact, “Don’t try. Just do it. He’s not a bad person. He just…sucks. A little bit.”
Talking about him, living in the truth of the situation, confronting all the dark realizations- it was a heavy weight to bear. I felt my shoulder slinking forward, as though I were Atlas with the dark, cloudy sky above me. Though I didn’t want to be rid of these three, I needed to be gone already. I needed to go before it all came crashing down again. I didn’t want anybody else to see me cry again. It was…embarrassing, to say the least.
So, I allowed one last hug from each of them and then turned towards my gate. I boarded the plane, mindlessly, going through all of the motions. Like I was used to leaving, like I was good at it. Like I was strong. But, I felt weak. I felt heavy and sad and angry and…
The city was gray. I remember it being sunny, summer-weather, though there had been a chill in the air. He always said it was. Maybe it always had been and I was…crazy. Wide-eyed. Desperate or naive or whatever.
But it was clear as day now, how dreary it looked from this airplane window. The wind whipped at the airline workers, shuffling luggage to their places, green vests billowing up. My breath fogged at the window which narrowed my pointed gaze. It seemed the plane was being pumped full of heat. I hadn’t realized it was that cold outside.
I guess fall was coming.
“Ladies and gentleman, this is your reminder to place your devices on airplane mode. We are approaching take-off,” a thick, European accent declared over the PA system.
I wrestled to retrieve my phone from my bookbag, which was squished in between my feet. When I was able to lift it towards me, the screen lit up. There was a buzz from the device that vibrated my hand then the appearance of a text message.
Oliver: Daisy, I need to tell you…
The message cut itself off, only the sneakpeek visible due to the system settings I had on my device.
It was ominous, though, like it had chosen to cut itself off there.
The tail end of that message could be- anything.
Daisy, I need to tell you…you’re a dumb bitch?
…I fucking hate you.
I love you?
Please, stay?
I don’t think I wanted to know.
My thumb hesitated over the screen, barely gracing it’s smooth glass. If I tapped on the message, if I saw what he said…would it change things?
Would it make me hate him even more?
Would it make me want to stay?
I didn’t want anything else to make my decisions anymore. I wanted to make my own choices, based on my own actions, thoughts. I was tired of living up to everybody’s image of me. If that was all I learned this summer, to be true to what I wanted, to be true to myself…then maybe this summer wasn’t so bad after all.
Maybe there had been something to find- maybe that something was me.
The shaking in my hands must’ve made the screen react to a ghost of my fingerprint. The option to scan my face ID came as soon as a flight attendant passed by my section, a bright smile on their face.
“Hi, friend! Did you put your device on airplane mode?” They asked with a slight gesture towards my phone.
I glanced back at the screen as she pointed. The message was open. That’s where it had ended, what Oliver had sent to me. “I need to tell you something.” But, he was still typing, still coming up with words to say.
My hands moved quickly, sliding down the menu and thumbing the airplane option. If he were still typing, I couldn’t see it anymore.
And any messages he may try to send would go green, undelivered, lost.
Forgotten, in the skies, somewhere between London and Germany, during the beginning of a cold, cold autumn.
#sleep token#sleep token x reader#vessel x reader#sleep token smut#sleep token x you#vessel x you#vessel sleep token#sleep token band#sleep token fanfic#sleep token iii
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#girl blogger#lana del rey#coquette#girlblogging#dollette#pinterest#this is what makes us girls#girlblogger#hell is a teenage girl#lizzy grant#pink#ldr#cinnamon girl#i’m just a girl#angelcore#tumblr girls#whisper girl#I don’t wanna go back to school tomorrow#girl blogging#girl interrupted#girl rotting#coquette dollete#digital diary#moodboard#born to die#girlhood#this is a girlblog#girl hysteria#pinterest girl#hyper feminine
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nom chomp kith <3
#i was gonna say “i was normal about them for a day!!!” n then i wasnt. i fear this disease is chronic#also i don’t wanna go to school tomorrow…i’m gonna cry………….back to back classes till 6pm……………………..#jjk#jujutsu kaisen#gojo satoru#geto suguru#satosugu#my art#digital art#fanart
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no yeah I’m getting def getting reassessed for adhd because this ain’t it, chief
#sillyposting#2 more friends just told me I sound like them when they’re off their meds. cool cool cool#my mom said today I make her anxious because she worries about my deadlines more than I do lol#being a student again has really made me say yeah girl you really ARE a hot mess#unfortunately my next appointment with my NP is in a month and they don’t have anything sooner#just refer me somewhere now mannn I wanna get on a waitlist 😓#I’m genuinely in distress trying to focus on important tasks due to boredom#I could be writing rn *buzzer noise* I could just do this tomorrow *buzzer noise*#I already have 30 tasks overdue. what’s one more? what’s the rush? *buzzer noise*#making a to-do list is boring and also scary therefore I refuse to do it *buzzer noise*#I could be sleeping right now *buzzer noise*#I could be researching and writing a paper on a special interest right now *buzzer noise*#I have no concept of what all I need to get done but it’s okay bc my happiness right now is more important#*buzzer noise*#I have no clue what any of my classmates are talking about#because I haven’t kept up with the readings and assignments like they did#but that’s okay I’ll catch up later *buzzer noise*#I’ll take a break and come back. I’ll take a break and come back. I’ll take a break and come back. *buzzer noise*#I’ll start this task and switch to this next one and man I’m bored so I’ll go to the next thing I need to do and man this is boring too#*buzzer gets stuck*#tired of life being one never-ending game of catch-up. I just want to do things without needing a gun to my head#I’ve BEEN saying saying this since high school
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I don’t wanna go back to school I run away I wanna live in the woods
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#a club I’m in threw like a band showcase last night#(like a house show kinda thing but at an actual venue)#and I didn’t get back til like 2 am#anyways I’m so sore in various ways I didn’t even know I could be#feeling cool feeling fresh feeling like I really don’t wanna go to school tomorrow#slav#slav every day#voltron
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trying so hard to be normal but i really don’t think i could survive going to the psych ward and i’m rlly like. bothered my siblings are pushing it so hard
#in neg city#they were rlly like ‘we can’t force you’ but then just kept fucking talking about it#even as i’m crying and saying no no i don’t want to go i’m not going i really don’t want to#and like. idk. when ur sister gets sent to the psych ward at a pivotal point in ur childhood#and that subsequent action adds onto the trauma u were already experiencing at that point like idk man! maybe going to the psych ward would#in fact be very very bad!!!#like any time i think abt the psych ward i think abt my sister one day just disappearing from the house. i think about when the doctors#withheld my letters and i thought my sister either hated me or was fucking dead. i think about having to hide all this agony behind polite#smiles while i was also being bullied mercilessly at school and my CHOIR TEACHER WAS DYING OF CANCER#i think abt the car ride when my aunt told me and my brother that she had to go back in#i think of empty houses and missing places at the dinner table and arguments and so many fucking arguments#i cant go into the psych ward i won’t. and it just felt like that’s all they wanted me to do#and then it became well michelle how do u want us to help u? LEAVE ME ALONE#THATS HOW U HELP. YOU LEAVE ME ALONE AND LET ME FIGURE IT OUT#i get rlly overwhelmed and stressed when too many people are trying to butt their heads in#and i know they mean well but it just feels like they’re both gonna become mom and i’m not talking to mom for THIS EXACT REASON#idk i just don’t think they can help. i get that they’re rlly worried but i can’t let them help i don’t know what they could do#and they wanna talk about this again tomorrow so now i don’t wanna sleep bc i don’t want tomorrow to happen#but i don’t have anything to do bc i’m in such a terrible mood#i rlly wish i wasn’t alive sometimes#clearly i’m putting too much stress on my siblings and mom is probably worried sick but i’ll never kno bc we aren’t talking#i’m just ruining everyone’s life i rlly shouldn’t be on this planet anymore
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epilogue sex on fire
once more for old time's sake, hm?
pairing: ceo!joel x fem!reader
summary: guess who's getting married - and you're all invited.
warnings: age gap, alcohol consumption, oral (f receiving), unprotected piv, creampie, daddy kink, praise kink, a weird bus metaphor. idk where it came from. but it works. enjoy!
word count: 6.9k
series masterlist | main masterlist | playlist | follow @macfroglets w notifs on to be the first to hear when i post 💚
It passes in the blink of an eye.
Letting go of your mom’s hand at the school gates; forgetting when you next reached for it. Dancing around a laptop with an acceptance email from your first-choice college onscreen. Walking into a new job with a broken heart; walking out whole again.
All in the blink of an eye.
Joel says it too, as he scrolls through floorplans.
“…Used to be Tommy’s room, way back when,” he swipes to the next screenshot, “I thought it’d look good if we – we took down this wall, and – you see?”
You nod, twisting the hem of your T-shirt around your finger, and curl a little closer into his chest.
He still smells like the fresh coconut bodywash he stole from your bag. The sweet scent that he lathered up and let spill down your tummy, foamy bubbles slipping over your hips.
Under the rainfall shower, he massaged all the pain away. The sweet ache of three hours spent rolling around the bed of your bridal suite, letting him hold you and kiss you and fill you in ways only he has ever done.
You can still feel the heat of him between your legs. You miss him there.
“I see,” you whisper, tucking in beneath his chin.
Joel kisses your head. “You okay? You’re quiet, baby.”
“Just listening,” you reply, and he locks his phone.
“Maybe that’s enough Maple talk for the night, hm? We oughta be relaxing, getting ready for tomorrow.”
“No,” you turn in his grasp, “I wanna see what you’re doing with it. I think it’ll look good, Joel. Did you get the home report yet?”
He slides his phone onto the nightstand and wraps his arms around you. “Not yet. Soon as the work’s done.”
“It’ll look brand new. Totally different.”
“Mhm,” he smiles, “Sure will.”
You lay down on his chest, trimmed hair tickling your cheek. His heartbeat is familiar against your ear. It still skips a beat, even four years in. Still quickens anytime your hand falls over it.
“Are you ready to let go of the place?”
Joel takes a deep breath. “I guess I have to be,” he says, though the words tremble in his throat. It’s not often you catch him feeling uncertain. “Mom’s gone, Tommy said he don’t want it. Unless we pack up ‘n move outta the city, place would just sit there – empty.”
“Hm. Too many memories to let it go to waste.”
“Well, they ain’t all good ones,” he admits, drawing circles on your shoulder.
You thought, that afternoon in your bedroom, that he’d shown you his whole hand. Thought you knew every suit, every card he held. All the things that made Joel who he was – perfectly polished.
The cars, the property, the jet. The company – Jesus, there ain’t a thing he seemed more natural at, than running a multimillion-dollar business. He made it look so goddamn easy.
It used to drive you insane – how together he was. The cracks you could barely see, he’d glued them so perfectly. The ease with which he could hold himself in one hand, and hold you in the other. Just take it all on his shoulders like it weighed nothing.
For every card of yours that was turned, though, Joel revealed another of his.
Maple hadn’t always been the postcard it so looked. White walls, red mailbox. Flowerbeds and slamming doors; two boys’ bikes and one empty dining chair. He told you things with a flash in his eye – and you were never sure whether it was the fire of fury or the salt of sadness.
Joel isn’t so seamless after all. He’s a mosaic of everything that has ever happened to him. Joy and pain, everything in between. A shattered collection of shards, shimmering in the sunlight.
He’s beautiful. For all the brokenness, all the stitched skin – he’s the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen.
He makes you feel beautiful, too.
“Well,” you say, “Maple raised you, so – I love it.”
He looks down at you like you’re brand new. Like it’s the first time he’s ever laid eyes on you.
Running his business looks natural, sure – but loving you comes as easily to Joel as breathing.
“Alright, pretty girl,” he says. “Bedtime.”
You groan into his chest, nose flat against the threads of silver. “Don’t wanna go to bed, Daddy,” you mumble.
He cups your head. “You’re nervous, huh?”
You nod between his pecs, and Joel laughs.
All this time, all the moments of doubt you’ve squashed with the toe of your shoe – and they still manage to creep back in. The corners of your vision still blur, the hairs on the back of your neck stand straight. The scars have long closed, but the skin still remembers.
“You know I’m gonna be there, right?” he says. “The whole time. I’m kind of the one you’re marrying.”
“Oh,” you tilt your head, “So that’s who you are.”
He lifts his hands, mirrors your stupid smirk. “Pleased to meet you.”
“What if we don’t see each other? I mean – before…”
“We will,” he promises. “I’ll getcha at the bottom of the stairs.”
“’s gonna be a pretty hectic day, Joel. We might not have time –”
His chin lifts. His lips part, the way they do when he’s about to chew up your panicked gibbering. He takes a breath and, straight as the line of his brow, repeats himself.
“I will get you at the bottom of the stairs. Okay?”
Your frown melts. Okay, you mouth, and he pinches your nose.
“I love you. Now, sleep.”
He flicks the light off.
Four years. Four years passed in the blink of an eye.
Twelve hours after your leaving party, you were strolling through Lavender Oaks, hand in hand. Nothing to hide anymore, no one to convince – not even yourself. You loved him then, whether you really believed it or not. Whether you had the courage to look it straight in the face, or not.
You had loved him for a while, really. It was the last card you had to deal. And Joel knew, long before you’d admitted it to yourself. He’s always been the patient one, hasn’t he?
That night, then, deep in the belly of last summer. Some leafy, twinkling rooftop garden of a restaurant that you can’t even remember the name of, because all you remember is him. Loose collar, long day. Drinks menu in one hand, the other cradling yours.
He was tired, and you knew it. He’d hardly stopped since seven a.m., working all through lunch and straight to eight – but he’d promised you dinner that week. It was already Thursday, and he had a conference or a company retreat or whatever it was that weekend.
You can’t remember. All you remember is his face, the second you said –
When are you going to ask me to marry you?
Joel faltered for all of three seconds – though if he’d had a mouthful of wine, he’d probably have choked on it.
Tomorrow, he said. Yesterday. Now. Marry me.
You laughed. I’m serious. I want you to ask me.
Really? His smirk faded into something more earnest. He looked like a boy, the way his eyebrows lifted and his lip trembled. A boy who believed in magic. The candlelight flickered across his face, suddenly wide awake and glowing with life. Would you say yes?
Mhm. And I wouldn’t break it off two days later, neither.
Lucky me, he mused. He paused, then added, You know we don’t have to, right? I’m happy, baby. I’m happier than I ever thought… his voice wavered and he gulped, I’d be happy the rest of my life, the way we are.
Joel, you lifted his knuckles to your lips, I want to be your wife. I want you to be my husband. Just – just ask me. I’ll say yes.
He beamed back at you like some lovestruck fool. You suppose he was; suppose he had been since the moment he first saw you. A goner as soon as he opened that office door, as soon as he felt the way your hand fit so perfectly in his.
I love you, he said – for what felt like the millionth time. Somehow, he made it mean more each time.
I know, you replied, leaning over the table to kiss him. I love you, too.
In the blink of an eye, your life changed from lonely blue mornings to bright golden dawns. From two boxes of stuff and a Swiss cheese plant, to an entire office with your name on the door.
You collected stripe after stripe, took leap after stride; chased every promotion, every chance, every speck of something over the horizon. Life got busy, you worked your ass off – but for the first time ever, you felt like you were becoming something. Becoming someone.
Joel sat up through all your late nights at the kitchen table. He poured coffee after coffee, carried you to bed when you couldn’t stare at the laptop any longer. He carefully consoled and aptly controlled every stress-induced breakdown you ever had.
He bought you a peace lily to keep your monstera company. He held your hand at every work event you had. He promised you could do it, and slowly, surely, you realized he was right.
So when you told him you were ready – and only then – Joel traded that little gumball ring for a new one.
A real one.
It happened in Paris. He took you back to that same glitzy restaurant – the delicate wine and rich steak, the chandeliers and renaissance ceilings. He echoed every word of French you spoke in a little Austin accent; played footsie under the table and flirted like it was your first date.
He was nervous. Indestructible as he seems, he still has his tells. He played with your hands the whole night, asked if you were okay every second sip of his drink.
Yeah, you said, I’m good. You?
Yep. Yeah. Good.
Your hands are shaking.
He smirked. I’m on a date with a real pretty girl.
He could barely wait for the elevator to reach the suite. He kept closing in on you, pressing words into your neck and playing with the straps of your dress. I love you, I love you, I love you, he said, gripping your waist.
I’ve never loved anyone the way I love you.
Everything sparkling – the champagne, the stars, the thousand and one candles he had lining the balcony. Everything golden – the tower, the ring, the feeling flooding through your chest. And in a shaking voice, on a shaking knee, with shaking hands you had to cup as he spoke, he asked you.
Easiest yes ever.
He’s already asleep. Head tipped back, snoring to the ceiling. He looks so cute that it makes you giggle.
“’night, baby,” you lull, and cuddle into his chest.
Joel’s alarm splits the morning at seven.
He reaches over to silence it, groans into his palm, and rubs his eyes open. “Mornin’, angel,” he sighs – same as always. The same two words that kick off damn near every single day since you got together.
“Morning,” you reply, and hug him tighter.
You watch as he comes to life. Stirring beneath you, heart fluttering against yours, skin still warm and sleepy. You’ve been awake for the last hour just watching him – fingers trailing the valleys of his collarbones, nose nuzzling into the rugged hinge of his jaw.
Sometimes you wonder if it’ll ever fade – the rush you feel when you see him. The way the world tinges pink, mutes for a moment or two – and Joel is the only thing in any of your senses.
He lifts his arms in a loud stretch, biceps popping. He sucks in a deep breath. “We should do something today.”
You scoff. “Like what?”
His lips turn. I dunno. “Make some lifelong vows, maybe.”
“Sounds boring,” you huff, pushing yourself up. You roll from his grasp and pad over to the bathroom. “Why don’t we grab lunch instead?”
“Boring?” Joel scoffs. He follows you to the sink and curves around you in a bear hug. “Spent over a hundred grand on this thing, Ms. Miller. You telling me we wasted our money?”
His hands sneak under the material of your tee, lifting it over your bare hips. There’s a weight building against the small of your back – another thing that kicks off nearly every single day. It sits heavy, twitching when you reach for your toothbrush and your ass ruts against him.
Joel hisses. “Goddamn, darlin’,” he grabs your hips and steadies you, “Easy on me, now.”
“I’m not the one groping.” You spin in his arms, toothbrush between your molars.
“Can’t help it –” he kisses your neck, “– when you look –” the other side, “– so sweet –” he lowers with a tiny groan, “– ‘n you taste –” he places a long, damp kiss to your tummy, “– even better.”
You squirm in his grasp. “Joel, we don’t have time for –”
“Sure we do,” he murmurs, dragging his tongue to your slit. “It’s us they’re waitin’ for.”
You drop your brush into the sink with a gasp. “Tommy’s gonna be here any second.
His eyes flash up to yours. “Who?”
He scoops your ass and pulls your thighs over his shoulder. Deft with it, a body he knows as well as his own by this point. A body he loves even more.
You open up for him like he never left. Still warm and wet from last night, still coming down from each high he took you to. Sometimes it feels like this is all you do. Sometimes, you wonder if there’s ever a time you feel more you, than when you’re wrapped around some part of him.
Joel’s voice reverberates through your body. He groans as he licks, nips and sucks between your legs, slowly easing you off the counter and onto his mouth.
You reach for his hair. The salt and pepper streaks, the bedhead only you ever get to see before he’s washed and groomed into that perfect shape of himself. A carefully carved shape, ruggedly handsome but intentional.
He’s more relaxed this way. Your way. Before the world seeps into him, before the suit and tie and hundred-dollar cologne. When only his sun has seen him, stirred him, swept her fingers across his broad chest and whispered sweet nothings in his ear.
Heat is pooling in your stomach, flooding through your veins. It’s cracking open your chest, drawing breath from your lungs. You grip the edge of the counter, back arching, hips rutting against Joel’s tongue – and you come.
He doesn’t miss a beat. Doesn’t miss a drop. He laps every second of it up, every pulse of your cunt, slowing only when you crumple against the mirror and sigh.
Your fingers swirl around his hair. Your body feels heavy with pleasure. The shock is still looping around your bones.
Joel kisses the inside of your thigh and stands, crossing his arms at your spine.
“I love you,” you hum, licking yourself from his lips.
He smiles. A dreamy, golden thing. Still just him and the sun. “Love you, too.”
This morning, of all mornings, might be cutting it fine. They’ve already started setting up downstairs. Twenty tables, one hundred and fifty chairs, one thousand roses, forty bottles of champagne, three grand behind the bar.
The last thing you need on the day of all days is for the bride and groom to be late.
Still. He’s rock solid and right there, throbbing against your tummy.
You slip your hand around him and squeeze, massaging his tip with your thumb.
Joel’s jaw ticks. He feigns offense. “Baby, we don’t have time,” he says, eyes on his cock as you guide him south.
“Shut up,” you breathe, “Shut up and fuck me.”
“Ain’t saying no to that,” he replies, and his hips meet yours.
You groan in harmony, wrapping closer together. Joel finds a quick pace, body snapping into yours, holding you strong and steady in his arms.
“Jesus,” he pants, “Three times last night wasn’t enough for you, huh?”
“F-feels like it wasn’t enough for you, either.”
He laughs. “Forever wouldn’t be long enough in this little cunt, sweet girl. She’s too good to me. Loves her daddy, don’t she?”
You follow his gaze down, where his thick cock drags between your legs. Soaked with you, slick and shining with each thrust of his hips. Deeper and deeper, touching a part of you only he’s ever been able to reach. Pulling noises from your throat only he has ever been able to pull.
Joel rolls his forehead against yours and lifts your eyes to his, a messy kiss to your lips. “Like it when you watch,” he whispers. “You see how pretty she looks?”
“Mhm,” you hook an arm around his neck, “Feel so pretty, Daddy.”
“My beautiful girl.” His lips close around yours again, tongue hot and heady in your mouth. His pace stammers when you moan against him. He curses, hips jolting.
He’s close. All too close.
He won’t come before you. Not before he’s drawn another from your body, felt every pulse of your pussy around him. Not before he’s watched you fall apart; felt you collapse into his arms with it.
He slips out, kissing your temple to shush your petulant whine. “’s okay,” he folds your legs to your chest, “I gotcha. I’m here.”
Over his shoulder, the sun lights your reflection in the shower glass. His toned back, the swells of muscle across his shoulder. Hiding the shape of you from the morning – his moaning mess of a girl, gripping onto him and screaming into his chest.
She sobs his name and you taste it on your tongue. Daddy, Daddy, Daddy. Each one louder than the last, each one sorer.
The window is cracked open. Anyone might be walking under it.
And you like it, don’t you?
The chance that someone might hear. Might know exactly what Joel’s in here doing to you. Ruining you for anyone else, like he’s done a million times over.
It’s as though he lulls you into it. Like waves, starting in the pit of your belly and rolling outward. Heavier and deeper and sweeter, until your orgasm crashes over you in bursts of warmth.
Your arm tightens around Joel’s neck, brows knitting when you reach your peak. You keep your eyes locked on his, and he mirrors your expression.
“Oh, good girl, honey,” he rasps, pausing when his own high overcomes him. He twitches, little bursts of heat in your cunt before flooding the entire thing. He holds your hips flush against his until his cock stills and breath fills his lungs.
He pulls you against his chest and sits you back on the counter. If there’s one thing better than being fucked by him, it’s the comedown. The aftercare. The kissing, the fixing you back into shape.
Your pussy flutters around him. Your ear against his chest, you feel your heart beating in time with his.
Joel cups your head and dots kisses down to your shoulder. He makes to pull out, and you fuss.
“Stay,” you whimper, tugging on his arm.
He smiles. “Oh, baby, wish I could,” he squeezes your waist, “but I heard Tommy knockin’ on the door five minutes ago.”
He strolls back into the bedroom, massaging a knot out of his shoulder.
You sit, stunned, leaking all over the counter, before rushing through at his heels. “Asshole!” you hiss.
He chuckles as he pulls a hoodie over his head. “Couldn’t leave my lady unsatisfied, could I?”
You throw yourself into a pair of his pajama bottoms. “I think she’d have been fine with it, given your fucking brother is right outside.”
He swings the door wide open. You curl around one of his arms.
Tommy leans against the opposite wall, picking at his nails. He straightens, scratches his beard, and smacks his lips.
“Told you you’d sleep in, brother.”
Joel’s chin lifts. He nods, amused. “You did tell me that, yeah.”
You want to slap him for how cocky he definitely feels. His little brother is none the wiser.
The denim-donned Miller steps over the threshold and reaches for you, a bristly kiss to your cheek. “Mornin’, sweetheart. How you feelin’?”
“Good,” you lie.
“Nervous,” Joel corrects, cocking an eyebrow.
Tommy laughs. “Talk to Maria. She’ll calm you right down. She felt the exact same on our day.”
Their day. Almost ten years ago, back when you and Joel were strangers – and he and Tommy were as good as.
Credit to him, he put up with the pestering from both sides – that is, you and his mom – for six months, at the start of your relationship. Slowly – painfully slowly – he began to entertain the conversation. Never gonna happens turned into if it ever did happens.
He learned to unlock his jaw, to make eye contact with his mom when she talked about Tommy. He asked questions he hadn’t asked in years. He learned where he and his wife lived, what they named their son.
He learned that they’d had a spring wedding. He learned that Tommy’s best man was his drinking buddy. He fell quiet, and his mom knew to change the subject. On the drive home, he held your hand a little tighter than usual.
Six months which, in the end, felt less like convincing him – and more reassuring him. Yes, Tommy might ignore all of his calls. Maybe Maria might answer, and tell him in a hushed voice that now’s not really a great time, Joel.
Maybe his brother might pick up the phone himself, tell him to go straight to hell.
But he didn’t.
He didn’t hardly recognize his big brother’s voice, at first. There was a pause a few breaths too long right after Joel reintroduced himself – long enough that you thought you might’ve kicked him all the way back to square one. And then –
Well, shit, brother. How the hell have you been?
You spent your first anniversary in Jackson. You took Joel’s mom up there every year after. The brothers fit back together like they’d never been apart, like they’d never forgotten the shape of each other’s hug, the cut of the other’s good humor.
Tommy took you in like you’d been part of Joel even before either of them knew your name.
Your fiancé pulls you into a hug. He kisses your head and asks his brother to grab the elevator.
Tommy salutes as he turns down the hallway. “See you later, little sis.”
Joel holds your face and taps your nose. His lips twist in half a smile, half frown. “You gonna be okay?”
“Sure,” you sniffle. The sting of tears brims your waterline already and you blink them away. You’re hiding from him.
“I’m right downstairs if you need me,” he says, spotting you clear as day. “Just call.”
“Not supposed to see you before the ceremony.”
“Yeah,” Joel winces, “don’t think we’re supposed to have sex, either, but we broke that rule a long time ago, pretty girl.”
His hands are so big around yours. So steady, pulse loud only from your morning tryst – if at all. He plays with your fingers, straightens the ring on your third.
A sharp bell sounds. Tommy whistles for his brother. Your chest aches.
“Few more hours,” Joel says. “Few more hours and then we got the rest of forever, just you ‘n me.”
He wanders down to the elevator, turning inside. He leans against the back wall and crosses his arms. His eyes meet yours, lips curl in that trademark smirk of his, and the doors close.
The stairs are cold and breezy. The manor doors have been wide open all morning, guests filtering through, allowing the cool to cluster in each corner of the house.
It’s been a busy morning. Par for the course, so you hear. No bride gets through her wedding prep unscathed.
You’ve spent four ass-numbing hours dutifully planted in your chair, your nephew in your arms as something of a comfort blanket, eating fresh fruit and drinking cold champagne and promising not to touch your makeup after the artist is done with it.
Maria uses the light from the window opposite the top of the stairs to finish buttoning your dress. She balances on the second step, peering up at your trembling figure.
“It’ll be over before you know it,” she says.
“In the blink of an eye?” You scoff, but she nods.
“I’m serious. You won’t even feel it, and it’ll be over. You’ll be lying in bed tonight telling Joel, Maria was right.”
You clasp your fingers around your bouquet. “I’m sure he’ll love that.”
“He could stand to hear it more often.”
You giggle.
A pair of warm hands sweeps down your shoulders, turning you by the elbows. Her dress is a deep olive, spilling over her arms in waves of shining satin.
“Mom,” you breathe, leaning into her.
She smiles, pinching your cheek. “This is it,” she says simply, like it is as simple as tying your shoelaces. “Deep breaths.”
“I’m scared.”
“Of what?”
“Of…” Your eyes scan the summery wallpaper behind her. It offers no answers. “…What if we’re not ready?”
She glowers. “Oh, yeah. Good point. I’m sure the man who flew you to Paris after two weeks is not ready to marry you. We should send everybody home.”
“It’s just a big deal,” you continue, “Lots of people downstairs.”
“No, there’s not. There’s not,” she cuts your protest, voice sharp, “There’s only one person in that room, and it’s him. And you’ve done scarier than this, right?”
Your head wobbles in weakened agreement.
She links her arm through yours. “I remember,” she leads you downstairs, “a little girl with shaking knees, boarding a bus to camp for the summer. I remember her teary face, her tiny hand waving goodbye from the back window. Ain’t this just the same?”
Your bridesmaids slip past, hoisting their silky dresses above their ankles as they tackle the winding staircase.
“Alright, well,” you sniff, “I was eleven when I went to camp, so. Significant difference.”
“I disagree,” she says. “It’s a scary thing to do when you’re eleven, and maybe getting married is a scary thing to do when you’re thirty. But you got on that bus because you wanted to, and you’re doing this because you want it, too. It’s simple, sweetheart.”
She pauses a step below. Her hands drop from yours. Her eyes are glassy, tears threatening to spoil her makeup.
“Sometimes,” she whispers, “we mistake fear for excitement. Butterflies can feel an awful lot like nerves. Sometimes, something scary can take a similar shape to something wonderful. And you never know the difference until you step on that bus.”
She takes another step down and you reach for her hands – the same way you reached for them at the school gates, twenty years ago.
“Mom –” you squeak, twisting your fingers around hers.
She kisses your knuckles. “You are going to live the happiest life with him, I just know it. You’re going to take such good care of each other.”
She skips off around the bend in the stairs, shawl flurrying. At the bottom, she crosses paths with someone, squeezes their sleeve with affection.
He sways into view slowly, carefully, like he’s trying not to spook. Hands in his pockets, suit sleek and smart. Beard trimmed as close as you’d allow, hair fixed as neat as he’d allow.
He cleans up good. He always has. If it weren’t for the handrail, you might faint into his arms.
When he speaks, his voice is light, warm, soft on your skin. Wraps around you and draws you in, safe and sound. Calls you home.
“There’s my girl.”
And you walk to him.
“Hi,” you say, voice soft, heels clicking.
Joel watches every step. His eyes loop up and down your figure, scanning from the swishing hem of your dress to the twinkle in your eyes. He’s somewhere between the widest grin you’ve ever seen on his face, and shattering into tears.
“Oh, darlin’,” he sighs as you twirl into his arms, “You are so beautiful.”
You straighten the flower in his pocket. “You’re pretty beautiful, too.”
You fall together, bodies magnetized. Joel’s chin lifts and your lips connect in a tender kiss. He wraps his arms around your waist, hands travelling north along the figure-hugging material of your dress.
“Good choice,” he mumbles into your mouth.
“Mhm,” you reply, a joyful lilt to it. “Knew it was a winner.”
You stand for a moment, swaying together. Your arms crossed around his neck, his snug around your waist. Breathing one another in, steadying each other. Souls finding the other again.
Some last-minute guests scurry through the doors over his shoulder. Their footsteps echo through the hall as they find their seats. Joel holds you all the tighter.
“You ready for this?” he asks.
You take a deep breath. “Yeah. More than I’ve ever been, my whole life.”
“We can still call it off,” he smirks, “Take off on the honeymoon, never talk to any of these assholes again.”
He laughs when you do, relief blooming on his face.
“No, Joel,” you say. Your voice feels clearer, stronger with your body against his. “I love you. I love you so much, and I…I wanna get on the bus.”
His brows pinch. He tilts his head, scoops your jaw. “You…Wh–? What, baby?”
You nod to yourself, staring at his tie. “I wanna get on the bus,” you repeat, voice barely there.
He blinks down at you. His thumb strokes your cheek. He makes to reply – some dumbfounded quip, probably – when a voice splits you apart.
“Psst! You two!”
Your mom ducks her head out into the entrance hall. She clicks her fingers. “They need you up front, Miller.”
He nods and turns back to you, bending to look you in the eye. “Catch your breath,” he says. “Just a little while longer.”
“I’m ready,” you decide. “I’m ready.”
“Alright. Then let’s get on this goddamned bus, whatever the hell that means.”
The celebration is alive with a string melody, the tinkling of glasses, and bursts of sweet laughter.
Your cheeks ache from all the smiling. Your throat is dry from all the talking. And you don’t care. You could do this for the rest of your life, if Joel would let you.
Turns out getting married is pretty fun – once you’ve done it, that is. When all that’s left is to swing between tables, chat until you run out of breath, dance until your feet hurt. Eat until you feel sick, drink until your head dizzies, weep in the bathroom with your friends then reapply your makeup and repeat.
It’s a year-long effort with only a day’s payout – but as far as days go, it’s not half bad.
In the same grand hall you said I do in three hours ago – soaring windows with drapes strung to the heavens, pale flowers arranged on every table, chandeliers glistening overhead – you search for the one missing piece.
“Have you seen my husband?”
Drew scoffs as he approaches your spinning figure. Beer in one hand, his daughter in the other. He shakes his head, laughing.
“You ain’t used to saying that yet, are you?”
“Nope,” you pinch his daughter’s hands, “and I hope I never am.”
She squeals with laughter, kicking her legs under swirls of chiffon. She throws herself out of her father’s arms into yours and you catch her, perching her on your hip.
“Good for you, kid,” Drew says. “You deserve it. You both do.”
You smile and peer down at the toddler tugging on your diamond necklace. “Your uncle Joel bought me this,” you babble in her ear. “If it breaks, you’re one sorry individual.”
She giggles all the louder.
“Last I saw him,” Drew tilts his bottle towards the patio doors, “he was out on the terrace.”
Your eyes flit to the twinkling, dusky sky. “Alone?”
He shrugs. “Guess so.”
You pass his daughter back, fixing the bow on her dress. “I’ll find him. Thanks, Drew.”
The breeze breathes between the doors as you walk over. It’s a chilled night, but the fresh air is a welcome breather from the busy dancefloor.
Veiled by the sheer curtains, his figure relaxes against the balcony, staring out at the rolling lawn. He exhales a thick, scattered cloud of white to the sky. His head turns at the sound of your heels on the patio.
“Nice view, huh?”
Joel hums. His voice is clotted with tobacco. “Sure is, Mrs. Miller. Fine choice of venue.”
“Teamwork,” you reply, and pat your fingers against his palm in a weak high five. You cross your wrists over his shoulder and stare out at the mountains in the distance. “Out here all by yourself?”
“Just needed a moment. Take it all in.” He tilts the cigar in his hand. “Make use of my wedding gift from my best man.”
There’s a blanket of chill slowly settling over the valley. It hugs a little too tight around your bare arms. You shiver, nestling closer to Joel, and he straightens.
“Here, baby,” he says, shrugging his jacket off. He drapes it over your shoulders and rubs them warm. He plucks the cigar from its ashtray, offering it silently.
You scoff. “I’m not gonna like it.”
“I know,” Joel replies, “but we’re celebrating.”
The stick is heavier than you expected, dry and hard between your fingers. The cap is sliced, dampened by Joel’s lips.
He watches your mouth, smiling when you inhale. “Not too much,” he clasps your wrist lightly, “Only a little.”
It’s rancid, if you’re honest. Clogs your lungs with what feels like unbreathable heat, a sickly-sweet flavor that crinkles your nose. The smoke punches from your lungs in a broken cough. And once they’re clear – you lift the cigar for more.
“Alright,” Joel says, taking it back after a couple more puffs. “That’s enough, Kennedy. Like it?”
“Not bad,” you croak, stealing a swig of his champagne. “Don’t make a habit of it.”
“No, ma’am.”
You lean into him, elbows on the railing, following his outstretched hand as he points out each mountain peak.
He talks about the years he and Tommy spent camping, the long fishing trips with his dad. Regales in excruciating detail the time he pitched his tent right by a cluster of poison ivy, and woke up covered in bloody, blotchy blisters.
He talks about all of it easier than he has in years. As though the dust has settled over the memories, the good and the bad, and all that’s left is to look. No more shifting things around in his mind, trying to find where it all fits. Everything is exactly where it needs to be.
After a while, he kisses your head. “Hey,” he says. “Congratulations.”
You lift your head. “You, too…?”
“You got married today.”
“Did I? Shit, I didn’t mean to.”
He flicks his eyebrows. “That something you saw yourself doing, five years ago?”
No. Not at all. But then my boss held my waist to his in a dive bar, and – you know the rest.
“Hm,” you flatten your lips, “No, but then – you’re not something I saw myself doing, five years ago.”
Joel rolls his eyes. “Stay classy, pretty girl.”
You giggle. “I’d do anything, long as it’s with you. Mess around on the first date, fly to Paris on the second. Meet your mom, like, three weeks in.”
“You are not countin’ that lunch with James from accounting as our first date,” he protests. “That shitshow was not our first date.”
“You paid for my meal and you fucked me in the bathroom. Date.”
“No,” he points a telling finger in your direction, “No. If we have kids one day, they’re going to ask. We gotta get our story straight. Our first date was Paris. I took you to Paris.”
“Whatever you say, old man.” You bunch your shoulders, snuggling deeper into his jacket. “Deep down, you know the truth.”
“Can we change the subject?”
“What do you wanna talk about?”
He searches the skyline, plucking up courage when the last of the setting sun catches his eye. “Well,” he sounds nervous, “I thought I could give you your gift.”
You fiddle with your necklace. “I thought you already did.”
Joel shakes his head. He takes your wrists and lifts your hands. “Close your eyes.”
“If you drop a living thing into my hands, Miller,” you screw your eyes shut, “Divorce.”
“Uhuh,” he mutters.
He holds your hands in one of his. There’s the ruffling of linen, a faint jingling, a roaring cheer from inside.
There’s the cold kiss of metal in the cushion of your palm – tiny, featherlight – followed by a coiling, and something jagged.
You hold in a laugh, breathing nervously. “I’m scared,” you whisper, and Joel kisses the hinge of your wrist.
“You trust me?” he asks.
“I trust you.”
“Then, open.”
Your eyes flutter, and there he is. Still standing before you, still smiling. Still holding your hands. He nods down, and you look.
In your palms lies a small brass key. On the end of the chain, a single silver maple leaf tag. It winks back at you, moonlight reflected in its grooves.
You lift the key. It’s worn by time, metal nicked and imperfect. Brass a little tarnished. The leaf sways in your clutch.
“Maple?” you ask, and Joel nods. Your eyes begin to well.
“I know we’re happy in the city,” he says, “and I know it’s just some little paint-chipped house. It’s probably still got school reports ‘n shitty comics up in the attic. I just – God, I can’t shake it, baby.”
You look up at him, a question in your teary gaze.
“A little birdie once taught me,” he steps closer, “that it’s okay to lose things. To let ‘em go. I didn’t believe her at the time. I was scared. Scared to lose her, scared she might find something better. I reckon she was pretty scared, too, but – even when I thought I lost her, she came back.
“She said this thing about making new memories. Better memories. And I just can’t shake it.”
The words catch on your tongue on their way out. You’re only just now realizing how different life was before. Before him, before this. How empty and cold it felt, how little you noticed before the sun peered through the clouds and said something in a drawl laced with love and humor.
How quickly you ran into its warm, open arms.
Joel goes on. “The guys are making a real good job of it. They said there’s plenty potential, and you know it has that huge yard. Now, if you don’t want it, say the word and it’s gone. Out of our hands. But,” his voice breaks, “if you do, then – it’s yours, darlin’. It’s been yours since the moment you walked through the door.”
And, well – hasn’t everything?
The job was yours the very second you tiptoed into his office. He told you so himself. The job, the desk, the free trip to Europe. You walked into his life and flipped everything on its head, without even knowing it.
You worked for him for three years before anything ever happened. Three whole years of elbow nudges and fleeting glances and one too many questions about whoever the other was dating. Joel figures he loved you all that time. You figure you loved him, too.
You changed everything for him. From that first glance, the first meeting of your hands, nothing was ever the same. All of it, from the spare cabinet in his bathroom to the third finger on his left hand – it was all just waiting for you to make it your own.
Hasn’t Joel’s heart belonged to you since you first laid eyes on each other?
You turn the key between your fingers. The answer rolls along the tip of your tongue. The longer you stay quiet, the more nervous you know he’s feeling.
Your eyes meet his – and you smile.
“I want a porch swing.”
Joel chuckles. “Done.”
“And we host Thanksgiving every year.”
“Every year?” He almost grimaces.
You’re staring each other down. It’s as much a game as it is a genuine request, like most of what you do. Just as much teasing as sincere.
You nod. “Every. Year.”
“Okay,” he relents. “Anything else?”
Your eyes drift off behind him. Inside one of the windows, Drew and Rachel twirl their little girl in time with a familiar guitar melody. She throws her head back in a fit of laughter and they pick her up, spinning her around.
Joel glances over his shoulder. He breathes a laugh. “I’ll give you that tonight if you really want it.”
You lean into his chest and kiss his jaw. “I just want you.”
“You got me,” he says. “Hook, line, and sinker.”
The rest of the band kicks in. The raspy lead singer, the perky drum beat. The dancefloor fills some, hands thrown to the ceiling, glasses spilling over.
You bite down on a smile, eyes flitting to Joel’s.
He twists his shoe into the patio, nudging into your side. He extends his arm and you link yours through, following his lead inside. “Good song,” he mutters.
“Hm,” you agree. “Little before my time.”
#bye bye lovebirds! i miss you already!#joel miller#joel miller fic#joel miller x reader#joel miller smut#ceo!joel miller#ceo!joel#sugardaddy!joel miller#the last of us#the last of us fic#fic: sex on fire
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Do you think u could write abt the gang being (separately) absolutely obsessed with the reader. Like they adore everything she does, they can’t get enough of her. To the point where the rest of the gang starts releasing them abt it, meanwhile reader is like completely oblivious lol
୧ ׅ𖥔 ۫ heaven and hell were words to me.⋄ 𓍯
…IN WHICH! the greasers are totally obsessed!
tags/warnings: no confessions—just the gang having a crush, gang being literally whipped, them being a little odd, kinda toxic!johnny LFMAO, nothing else to my knowledge
ೃauthor notes⁀➷ i’m just working…working hard so i can please you.(shout out to ema/corvyes/loml for that ref.) but if i get a req asking me for like the gng confessing to you—i will do it. trust.
Dallas Winston
WHEN HE’S DRUNK, YOU’RE ALLLL HE TALKS ABOUT LMFAOOOO
“i’m tellin’ you—there ain’t a girl like her.”
dallas would repeat after what felt like this 5th drink of the night. buck is sick of him, two-bit regrets dragging him along, and dallas just wants to tell them how good you looked today.
when he sees you walking home, to school, or to work he WILL tag along. HE DOESN’T GAF IF YOU TELL HIM TO TAKE A HIKE!
actually, he kinda does. you’re like the only person he listens to.
LMFAOOO THE GANG THREATENS TO CALL YOU OVER WHENEVER DALLAS IS DOING SMTH STUPID
like whenever you threaten a kid ur gna tell santa.
“dallas, i’m gonna tell y/n what you did last week.”
“??if you do, i’ll beat your head in, soda.”
“YIKES..i’m gonna have to tell her that too…”
“…don’t, she’d be so mad at me😔😒.”
THE GANG TEASES DALLAS THE WORST(besides ponyboy) ABOUT YOU LFNAOAOAOAO
like they’re shoving him toward you, nudging him at even the slightest mention of you, giggling as they tell him they seen you today.
“look, it’s your girlfriend.”
“steve, shut up! she ain’t deaf!”
—
“GO SEE HER!”
“OW—i mean—hi, y/n.”
“did you…trip? or did you mean to bump into me?”
“yeah, sorry or whatever. some IDIOT back there pushed me.”
—
“guess who i saw..🥰🥰”
“who?”
“your wife…”
“can you NOT.”
despite all that, you somehow, still don’t know how he feels about you. how? we’ll never know. it’s beyond the human mind.
his friends try and hint at you that the big, bad greaser has a school girl crush on you. do you get what they’re trying to say? no. but that’s okay, you’re just a girl.
lowkey pisses dallas off but that’s okay cuz he prefers admiring from afar. DOES HOWEVER ASK YOU TO HANG OUT AND CONSIDERS THEM A DATE IN HIS HEAD TO KEEP HIM SANE LFMAO
“you wanna go see this drag race tomorrow?”
“sure! i don’t have work then. uhm, pick me up at my place!”
“alright, cool.”
‘yeah..,it’s date🥱😍’ — dallas’ brain.
Johnny Cade
‘johnny, if you even fucking stutter when you talk to her today—you’re gonna have to drink pickle juice.’
“oh, hi. i didn’t see you there, johnny. ‘m sorry.”
“o-oh—it’s alright.”
‘well, shit.”
he thinks he looks like such a fucking loser when he talks to you omfg😭😭
the gang tries to tell him he might have a shot but he thinks they’re just telling him that because he’s their friend. :(
HEAVILY admires from afar. like seriously he’s a fucking stalker
WAIT LMFOAOO HE’D BE THE TYPE OF GUY TO ACCIDENTALLY STALK YOU LIKE HE’D FOLLOW YOU PLACES FROM AFAR LMFAOAOAOOAOA
what a little freak
anyways
he accidentally lets things slip to let you know he’s better than any other guy trying to go after you. like if you had a shitty ex—he’s preaching that he’d ‘never treat you like that, he can’t imagine that a guy with a brain ever would.’
johnny does everything to keep your attention on HIM and nobody else when your friends try and talk to you when you two are out together. like you could be having a conversation with him and he’d be just pouting in the background with his arms crossed.
“y/n, look. they got that shirt you was talkin’ ‘bout. let’s go check it out. c’mon.” “oh—alright! bye, viv!😊” “yeah, bye viv.😒”
side eyes the gang whenever they bring you up in conversation
“johnny and y/n sittin’ in a tree—“
“😒🤨”
“alright.”
he tries to subtly hint that he really likes you and that you’re his type but it’s not subtle at ALL.
“y’know, if i were to have a girlfriend, i’d wish she was like you.”
—
“my type? uhm, it’d probably be someone-“ and he goes on to describe you.
Ponyboy Curtis
‘holy fuck that’s literally y/n walking towards me??!! does she know i’m here—does she even know me-wow she looks good in red. i mean—SHE’S WAVING OH MY GOD.’
HE IS SUCH A WRECK I CANTTT
ponyboy is the type to stare off into space in your direction and dream about how well he’d treat you if he was your man!!
yk how bitches be like ‘my man, my man!’ whenever they talk about their crush?? he’s all ‘my girl, my girl!’ WUAGRMRNEE
the gang was so confused on why he was so eager to go to school all of a sudden?? and why he cares about his appearance just slightly more than usual?? …is that soda’s shirt he’s wearing?-
two-bit was the first one to realize what was happening when he seen ponyboy and you talk in the halls. that wasn’t the giveaway, though.
it was the way he stared at you like you were the only girl alive and everyone else was just gone. two-bit was almost moved to tears to see ponyboy all grown😞😞!!!
“is tha’ your girlfriend? that why you couldn’t wait ‘til monday?”
“shut up!”
“ouuu, wait until the gang hears ‘bout this!”
“YOU AIN’T TELLIN’ ‘EM NOTHIN’!”
ever since — it has been hell on earth for ponyboy. dallas brings you up every time ponyboy gets smart, johnny giggles at every kissing scene at a movie nudges him, soda and darry had to give him ‘the talk,’ (soda just made it worse by making snide remarks.) and steve never stopped poking fun at him.
two-bit tried to get you to spill the beans on how you felt about him, but all you’d do was huff and ignore him. FINE THEN😒!—is what he always thought.
soda, johnny and two-bit all let ponyboy rant about you.
“LIKE, BRO. my girl, my girl! she’s so cute and smart. LIKE SHE’S TOTALLY MY DREAM.”
—
“that’s so cute ☹️” - soda
“SHE WANTS YOU SOO BAD” - two-bit
“just go tell her, man.” - johnny
does everything to impress you stoppp 😭😭!! pony is trying harder in school, using less hair grease, wearing darry’s cheap cologne when he’s not looking, etc.
HE’S SO SILLY I LOVE HIM!!!
Sodapop Curtis
delusional king!!! yes soda, let the voices in your head tell you that she wants you so bad!!🫶🫶
swear to goddd he thinks y’all are meant to be. you tipped him when he was working at the cash register and he was sooo in love
sorry in my head he’s a hopeless romantic
cause a) you were gorgeous, b) kind enough to tip him, and c) most likely rich💯💯
when he seen you at random places with your friends—soda would get so excited LMFAOOO
STOP HE’D HOUND PONY FOR YOUR NAME
“bro they probably go to your school—just lemme look at your yearbook!”
“no??? you weirdo???”
“please??!! i’ll do the dishes or something!”
“….get me a pack of cigarettes and i’ll tell you.”
“OKAY🥰🥰”
stole them but pony never said how to get them so who gaf!!!
SODA WOULD TOTALLY WRITE YOUR FIRST INITAL + HIS LMFAOOAOAOAOAA
or he’d see who’s last name went best with curtis or your last name!!!1!1!1
he’s crazy insane over you did i say that already
whenever you come by the dx—he’d give you shit for free while you insist to pay.
“jus’ take it.”
“i can’t—i’d feel terrible.”
“it’s alright, no one has to know. right?”
he’d flash his million dollar smile, pushing your coke and chips close to you, inciting you to just take the food.
WAJENEDKD he wants u so bad it’s. so terrible.
steve hates his rambles
“YOU SHOULDA SEEN THE WAY ME AND HER WAS TALKING—SHE’S SO INTO MEEEE”
“yeah, she wants you!!! shut up now!!”
Darry Curtis
nobody knows. it’s like a top secret only darry knows. the gang has their suspicions but they can never really know why darry is suddenly so adamant on going to go get him, soda, and pony’s hair done at the salon.
they alllll can see that he only really talks to you—but at the same time he does that weird ass dad stance where they stand with their arms crossed and legs far apart LMFAOOOOO
darry thinks you’re like…model fine btw.!!!!!
BROOO WHEN YOU LIKE UNCONSCIOUSLY MASSAGE HIS HEAD WHEN YOURE CUTTING IT—HE’S SOO READY TO JUST ASK YOU OUT
darry doesn’t know what it is but goddamn!! you have him in a spell!!
“c’mon—we gotta go to the salon again.”
“….we just went?”
“TWO WEEKS AGO. it’s about time we go AGAIN.”
does in fact work a little extra just so he can see you. he’s that much of a loverboy i fear.
HE DOES ACTUALLY NOT WAIT TO ASK YOU OUT
like, among all the gang, he’s the only one mature enough to actually flirt with you properly & to ask if you’re single.
darry’s fucking down like that.
AWWHHH HE TOTALLY BUYS YOU FLOWERS AS A ‘THANK YOU’ GIFT LOL
flexs his strength around you to prove he’s worthy !!! DARRY LOVEEESSS SHOWING OFF WHEN YOU’RE LOOKING
megara + hercules methink…..
you two probably started hanging out as ��friends.’ …yeah right!!!!
he’s driving you around as you be his pretty little passenger princess, he’s offering to buy you things when you two are out, etc, etc.
darry might not know how to show that he likes you, but trust me, the second that you look a little too far into his actions—it gets obvious.
like maybe too obvious idk.
Steve Randle
HELLLOOOO??? HE IS TOTALLY SHOWING OFF HIS GYMNASTICS MOVES AROUND YOU
“bro, bro! (yes he’d call you bro. idgaf.) watch what i can do!!😊😊” “wowwww, steve that’s so cool.”
geeks out near you. when you aren’t around the average person would see him and go ‘jesus christ, he literally might beat my ass.’ but when you’re around, they might think, ‘why is that scary looking guy talking about cars and comic books rn??’
you bring out the nerd in him in the best way possible🫶😊 BECAUSE THAT MEANS HE LIKE LIKES YOUUUUUUU
and it’s so obvious to the gang bc wdym steve told you all about DC comics while all they got was a ‘yeah, it’s alright.’ …hm…..
soda NEVER shuts the fuck up and him and his little girlfriend. NEVERRREE
“why’re you so pouty today? y/n ain’t say hi?”
“bro, shut up!”
steals for you and gives them to you all proud like he paid for it LMFAO
tries to be sooo cool around you but the second you bring up the latest batman comic he’s all “OMGOMGOMGOMG IT WAS SOO GOOD!! DID YOU SEE THE-“ he’s a loser what can i say.
dallas totally flirts with you in front of steve just to piss him off LOLLL like when he sees dallas twirling your hair around his finger steve is just all “???🤨🤨😡😡”
and then becomes your knight in shining armour and swoops you away as he glares daggers at dally!!!!<3
Two-bit Mathews
he becomes the funniest man on the planet i’m not joking
he says jokes that anybody and everybody will laugh at. just because he wants to see you laugh at what he says for his delusions
two-bit thinks like ‘she laugh=she likes me’
he’s not the brightest but it’s okay
HE MAKES IT SOOO KNOWN THAT HE LIKES YOU LFMAOOOOOO
“you’re lookin’ pretty? who’s the fella?” / “gee, i didn’t believe when they said they seen an angel walkin’ around until now.” / “well, now you owe me dinner.”
shit like that
two thinks he’s soooo smooth…smh.
DALLAS AND PONYBOY SO BADLY WANTS HIM SHUT THE HELL UP ALREADY ABOUT YOU LMFAOOO
they keep on telling him just to confess already but then two gets all giggly and shy and goes “omg guys noooo🤭🤭🤭🫣🫣”
just coincidentally runs into you everywhere you go!!! (literally has eyes everywhere. he’s weird. he’s odd.)
follows you around like a lost puppy and lowkey kinda gossips. idk.
#2knightt#the outsiders#the outsiders x reader#dallas winston x reader#johnny cade x reader#ponyboy x reader#ponyboy curtis x reader#sodapop x reader#sodapop curtis x reader#steve randle x reader#darry curtis x reader#two bit x reader#two bit mathews x reader
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sleeping on katsuki while he works!
katsuki liked to jump the gun on a lot of assignments, he’s not a slacker. so when aizawa announced a final assignment before graduation, you bet your ass he was going to finish it the day it was announced.
he locked himself in his room after school, even though you were whining that you wanted to spend time with him.
the next time you saw him was dinner, he came downstairs to eat with you before heading back up to his room.
“bye, sweets. ‘m gonna go back to work.” he kissed your cheek.
“wait!” you ran up to him and held his hand.
“can i sit in your bed until you’re done? wanna sleep in your room.”
he thought about it.
“alright. if you make a bunch of noise you’re getting fuckin kicked out.”
“deal!”
the two of you walked to his dorm, hand and hand. as you entered his room you ran and jumped on his bed, getting comfy in the sheets with your phone.
“if you’re going to watch something with sound, use my headphones, kay?” he went to sit in his desk chair.
“okay.” you said, grabbing his headphones from his nightstand.
he worked for a couple more hours, driven by his motivation to be the best.
you were getting sleepy though and wanted him to hold you. you didn’t think he’d work for this long.
katsuki assumed you were already asleep, surprised at the lack of noise coming from his bed.
you took his headphones off and stood from the bed, walking to him.
you ran your fingers through his hair and he looked at you. your eyes were drooping and your movements were sluggish.
“hey, baby. why are you still awake?” he questioned.
“i wanna sleep with you katsuki. how much longer are you going to work for?” you say, rubbing your eyes.
“i still have a couple more hours of work in me.”
you whine and he runs his fingers against your cheek.
“can i sit with you? miss you.” you lean into his touch.
“yeah, come on.” he turns his chair towards you, hands grabbing under your shoulders and lifting you into his lap, guiding your legs through the arm rests.
now you sit chest to chest with him, cuddling into his form.
‘well this is distracting..’ katsuki thinks, but he can’t help not caring. he wanted to be with you too.
he forces himself to continue working, determined to finish this assignment by tonight.
as he works he occasionally presses sweet kisses to your temple, caresses your cheek and slips his big hand under your shirt to trace your spine.
there’s a portion of the assignment that requires him to watch a video, so he opens the video and is met with a full blast intro from some stupid sidekick.
he jumps and pauses the video, his eyes wide and glued to you.
you whine, trying to hide your face in the comfort of your boyfriends neck.
“i know, sweet girl, ‘m sorry.” he kisses your cheeks.
“just go back to sleep, yeah?”
you blink the sleep out of your eyes, it’s late.
“kats, why are you working so late? can we go to bed now?” you ask sweetly.
he threads his fingers through your hair.
“i’m on the last part, just 20 minutes.” he reasons.
you wrap your arms around his neck and kiss him, lips moving in tandem and he groans softly.
“don’t overwork yourself, it’ll still be here tomorrow.” you drag your hands down his arms soothingly.
“come to bed.” you say into his jaw before pressing a kiss to it.
“fine, let’s go to bed.” he gives in and you smile into his skin, kissing it again.
he surprises you by standing with you still wrapped in his arms.
he propels the two of you onto his bed with a jump. you squeal, hiding your face in his neck.
“katsuki!” he laughs.
the two of you land with him under you to cushion your fall.
once your heart rate returns to normal after the scare he gave you, you wrap your arms around him and press your cheek to his chest.
the moment gets cut short and your heart rate spikes once again when you hear a knock at the door. eyes wide and looking at each other, the silent question stains the air…
‘is that aizawa?!’
you’d be expelled on the spot if the two of you were caught in katsukis room alone. the two of you decide to just stay silent in hopes of him giving up and walking away.
“yo bakugou!!” you hear a whisper-shout followed by more knocks.
katsuki groans and you laugh, getting up and walking to the door.
“hi kiri.” you say as you open it.
“hey yn! can i sleep on the beanbag tonight? i just watched the scariest movie ever made.”
“no!” katsuki shouts from his place in bed.
“yes, you can.” you say, sending a half assed glare to katsuki.
kirishima grins.
“thanks yn! you’re the greatest.” he says while running and jumping onto the massive beanbag in the corner of katsukis room.
you sigh sleepily and walk to katsuki, climbing into bed with him. he turns towards the wall and you accept it, he’s probably worried about showing pda. you end up turning away from him too, moving your foot back to rub against his calf affectionately.
“guys, you know ive seen you act lovey dovey before right? i’ll turn away so you guys can cuddle.” kirishima smiles.
“don’t worry about it kiri-“ you start.
“fine. do it then.” katsuki says, rolling over. he didn’t stop working for nothing! he wants to hold you!
kirishima grins at you before turning away.
you turn to look at your boyfriend. he presses his face into your neck and inhales. shifting to wrap his arm around your waist and put his other arm under your head as a pillow. he pulls you close to his chest. you look up at him and lift your hand from underneath the duvet to stroke at his cheek.
“i love you.” you whisper, quiet as a mouse as to not disturb kirishima.
katsuki grunts in response. you know he means ‘i love you too’ though, he’s just not ready to say it in front of kirishima.
“i love you guys too!” you hear from the beanbag in the corner and you laugh while katsuki grumbles about his friend, still hidden in your neck. he’s breathing deeply, trying to get every drop of the perfume you wear that wore of during the day. he can smell your lotion and the shampoo you use. he thinks he’s never smelt anything as good as you.
he kisses your neck before drifting off into a deep sleep, still tired from the hours of schoolwork he did.
#bakugou x reader#bakugou fluff#bakugou x yn#bakugou x you#bakugou katuski x reader#katsuki bakugo x reader
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I have two still lifes due tomorrow and I haven’t started either of them. I know it’ll get me in trouble with my art teacher and my dad but... I just can’t be bothered. Just the thought of sitting down to do them is so impossibly draining that I wanna scream at the sheer idea
#and well... I wanna go to art school more than any other option I have#but being stuck drawing still lifes for years and years and years....#I’m not sure if I’ll be happy with that#actually I know I won’t#but what else is there???#I don’t want to be a teacher or a translator or a programmer or a designer or anything#the more I think about the more I realise I don’t want to do anything#I’m a little too old to say this but I don’t wanna grow up#I’m just under so much fucking pressure and I’m so tired of it all#I had a three week break from drawing lessons and yet I’m not feeling up to continuing#but I came up with this whole moving thing just for the purpose of drawing and art school#I can’t go back on it now or my dad will have my head#but just looking at my work or my art supplies makes me want to tear everything up and never draw again#but I’m just stuck here internally screaming for weeks and months on end...#I really need to cry right now but I have a friend over and I can’t cry in front of people#it’s also half past 12 a.m and I should probably be asleep cause I have school tomorrow#*long deep suffering sigh*
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gojo & megumi. | g. satoru
gojo satoru bringing home fushiguro megumi was something you did not anticipate of.
you were cooking a welcome home food for your menace, satoru, when he startled you with his teleportation and a frowning kid.
“hello to my prettiest girl, the love of my life, the light in the dar—”
you shushed him. “i thought you work as a sorcerer, never thought you would take kidnapping as a part time job.”
he pouted. he had the audacity to be offended. “excuse me?! how dare you accuse me of such blasphemous claim?”
you shrugged, used to his outrageous reactions. “well, you’re definitely the type of man that my mom warned me about. those guys who would entice you with candies just to get in a van?” you looked at him, up and down, “yup, that’s you.”
before he could answer, you heard a snicker from the kid. your lips slightly curled up before raising an eyebrow at your irritating (affectionately) boyfriend.
“oh,” he stupidly realized, “this is megumi, i’ve bought him from an auction.”
megumi kicked satoru’s shin and he pretended to be hurt. the spiky-haired boy dusted off the invisible particles on his clothes.
you snorted before going back to cooking dinner.
“so, tell me why you decided to change career that involves kidnapping children?”
“well, i wanted to practice on how to take care of a child when we decided to have one.”
you accidentally put your hand over the burning stove and satoru practically flies to you. he basically becomes a mother hen as he blows your hands.
“[name]! oh my god, what happened?”
you go to the sink to wash your hands as you blankly stare at your burning hands. oh man, you think your hearing is deteriorating. you’re hearing some things that are… impossible.
“satoru, you’re not funny.”
satoru, who has the most alabaster skin, pales. he’s hearing his government name. not ‘toru, baby, pretty boy, my husband.
“haha, pretty baby, what do you mean? i’m always funny. ha. ha.”
“don’t kid around like that. you know our job is…” you trail off, unable to continue the sentiment.
in a world where you attend more funerals than birthdays; you greet more corpse than people; having to work under those ungrateful elders, tomorrow is uncertainty, so you try to enjoy the present as much as you’re alive.
he seems confused for a moment before a dawning realization etches on his face. his eyes soften before wrapping his arms around your waist.
“i really wanna see you carry my babies, y’know? wanna see you round and full an—okay! i know we’re still not finish in school but whenever i see my future, i see you in it. i see us together. i see us forever and i want that. i don’t want to live in a life without your presence. you brought me so much joy if you weren’t crying right now, i would be on my knees begging for you to take me. make me your one and only. make me the happiest and luckiest man on earth because that’s my only purpose why i was born in this cruel, yet beautiful world. i live for you.”
tears run down on your cheeks as you hear satoru’s honest thoughts about his joke. oh my god, how did a simple joke turn into an almost-but-not-quite proposal?
you cradle his face between your hands and kiss his sweet, soft lips that utter nothing but devotion to you. you feel him smile against yours.
#[🌷]—美.#守りたい#satoru 🫶#gojo satoru x reader#gojo satoru#gojo x reader#jjk#jjk x reader#jjk fluff#self indulgence time
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Wild, Wild West 𐚁
Introduction fic for my cowboy OC idea. I hope you guys like this. This was in my drafts for at least half a year, haha.
Pairing: Yandere Cowboy x City Girl! Reader
Format: Short fic; 1.4k words
WARNING(S): Yandere themes, possessive, minor insecurity from reader.
Synopsis: Jealousy, Jealousy, read all about it! When in a new environment, insecurities are bound to surface. Why don't you go get you a drink to simmer down a bit?
REBLOGS ARE APPRECIATED!
The old Texas sun was relentless, harsher than usual, beating down on the skin of those poor townspeople just going about their day. Its temper reminded you of your late grandmother, always nagging and pestering like there was no tomorrow.
You found refuge near the large clumps of hay by the stables. The smell was familiar—unpleasant, sure, but nothing you couldn’t handle.
Why the hell were you out here? Damn you for wanting to tag along, keeping that big oaf company. He couldn’t stop poking fun at you, pushing you past your limits. It was like he knew you inside and out, from the surface of your pampered skin to the depths of your fluttering heart. For a man who wasn’t too fond of school, he sure seemed to study you a lot.
And speak of the devil. He wiped dirt and grime off the worn denim that hung low at his waist. “What’s the matter, darlin’?” he called out, glancing over his shoulder to meet your eyes. “You don’t look too hot.”
Hell, that was an understatement.
He sauntered over, slipping his hat off his head. His long strides had him at your side in moments, staring down at your seated position. Pushing his deep auburn hair from his damp skin, he squatted next to you. “What’s the matter?” he asked, placing the hat back on his head.
You pressed your lips into a thin line, torn between telling him and keeping your annoyance to yourself. You weren’t even doing any heavy lifting, just spectating, but somehow, that made the heat even worse.
“It’s hot,” you mumbled, swallowing your pride.
“Then take your shirt off.” He grinned, raising a brow. “It’s just you ‘n me today, and it’s not like I haven’t seen you without it anyhow—”
“Stop!” you shouted, hugging your knees to your chest. If not for the heat, you’d have flushed even redder.
“Alright, suit yourself.” Jamie smirked, planting a kiss on your temple before rising to his feet in one swift motion. He turned back to his polished truck, the one he treated like gold. Sometimes, you swore he loved that hunk of metal more than anything, but you’d soon learn that his world revolved around you.
Your eyes followed his back, tracing the way his muscles moved with each twist of the wrench. Jamie was a tease, but damn if he wasn’t easy on the eyes. Your gaze drifted to the tattoos scattered across his tanned skin, lingering on the intricate, slightly faded markings near his jugular—your name, carved right there. The sight of it made you hot all over, and you found yourself popping open a few buttons.
You had told that stubborn fool not to get it, warning him that tattoos were permanent and took hours of pain to remove.
“Why’re you sayin’ something like that?” he’d chuckled back then. “It’ll be a cold day in hell before I get this baby removed, sugarplum.”
The memory made you want to laugh. Jamie was as stubborn as a bull—and as big as one too. Too bad all that stubbornness would be the death of him. Not literally, of course.
“You wanna help me with the cattle? Think they need some lovin’, too.”
You tilted your head, a spark of hope flaring up. Maybe he was serious about wanting your help, about spending time together—maybe he was letting you be part of this place, tending to your shared home. But then he shrugged.
“Or I could get Mary Anne to come by. She’s always good with ’em—knows her way around horses like she was born with ’em.”
Mary Anne. Just the mention of her name made your blood boil. You’d seen her—all soft curls and sweet smiles, the kind of girl who fit right in here. Unlike you.
Your lips thinned, the jealousy rising like a rattlesnake. “Oh, is that so?” you asked, trying to keep your voice even despite the bitterness creeping in. “Mary Anne this, Mary Anne that—why don’t you just go on and ask her, then, since she’s not a ‘city girl’?”
Jamie’s eyes narrowed. “Hey now, what’s got you so riled up, sugar?”
“What’s got me riled up?” you snapped, rising to your feet. “You know damn well, Jamie. You think I don’t notice how you bring her up every time it’s my turn to help?”
You took a deep breath. “I know I’m not as capable as the others, but this is my home too. I’ve been here for over a year, and you still don’t ask me to help.”
He rolled his eyes, sighing as he straightened up, towering over you. “Aw, hell, [Name]. You actin’ like this ’cause you’re on the rag or somethin’? Ain’t no need to get all hot ’n bothered over nothin’.”
The words hit you like a slap, and for a moment, all you could do was stare at him, disbelief turning into a wave of fury. “You think that’s what this is about?” you hissed, your voice sharp as a knife. “You think that just because I’m upset, it’s gotta be because of that?”
Jamie shrugged, unfazed, and that was the last straw. You spun on your heel, the dusty ground kicking up beneath your boots as you stormed off. “Go on and call her, then!” you shouted over your shoulder. “I’m sure she’s just itching to help you!”
You didn’t wait for his response. You marched across the sunbaked field, fists clenched tight. You needed to get away—somewhere he wasn’t. The barn blurred into blobs of red as tears stung at the corners of your eyes. But you weren’t about to let him see you cry. Not now, not ever.
This is not where you wanted to end up. An old, run-of-the-mill saloon on a Friday night, surrounded by drunkards and divorcees, the air thick with the stench of stale tobacco. Voices murmur, glasses clink, and the laughter around you is harsh and grating. To hell with it all. To hell with them.
The whiskey settles in your veins, warm and familiar as you lean against the sticky bar. Neon lights flicker, casting a red glow across your half-empty glass, and you blink to clear your vision. You know you’ve had too much, but the night’s long, and the noise makes it easy to drown out everything.
"Fuck," you mutter, rubbing your temples.
You’ve never been much of a drinker. After moving to the countryside to be with Jamie, life on the ranch demanded your focus. Jamie hated liquor, practically despised it.
Dammit, [Name], forget about him. You shake the thought away.
“Now, darlin’, looks like your glass is ‘bout empty,” a smooth, slow drawl cuts through your thoughts. The man tilts the brim of his hat back just enough for you to catch a glint in his eyes—cold, calculating, like a snake. “Why don’t you let me get you another?”
Oh, right. You weren’t exactly alone.
“Sound good?” he asks again, his voice dripping with intentions you’re too drunk to untangle, coaxing you with the rough pad of his thumb tracing over your knuckles.
You hum. “Thank you.”
For a moment, you try to recall his name—Michael? Richard? Ashton? Danny? None of them sound right. Nothing about him feels familiar. Just another face in the blur. You decide he’s irrelevant.
"You don’t want it to get cold now, do ya?"
A voice in your head tells you to stop, to head home before you cross a line. Something about him makes your stomach churn, but you blame it on the alcohol. It doesn’t take much persuasion before you reach for the glass.
The liquor is bitter but good. But once it slips down your throat, the room spins. You blink hard, trying to steady yourself.
The barstool creaks as you sway, gripping the counter for balance. The stranger’s grin stretches wider, eyes watching you like a hawk. You know you shouldn’t have taken that drink, but it’s too late. The world starts tilting.
You turn, ready to brush off the man beside you, when you hear the heavy boots. They echo on the old floorboards, slow and deliberate, each step sending a chill down your spine. Then, a hand rests on your shoulder, the grip firm, possessive.
“Takin’ drinks from strangers now, sugar?” His voice is low, a whisper against your ear. “Why’d you go and do that for? You know better.”
Jamie.
His breath is warm, almost too close, as his fingers dig into your shoulder just enough to keep you anchored. The stranger’s hand pulls back, and you catch the flicker of fear in his eyes.
Jamie’s fingers tighten, not enough to hurt, but enough to warn. “Ain’t polite to drink without me, darlin’.” His tone is calm, but there’s a tension in it, like a leash pulled too tight.
You look up at him, the soft light catching the curve of his grin. The cowboy hat sits low, loose curls brushing the nape of his neck, his button-up shirt hugging the broad stretch of his shoulders. His forearms, tanned and strong, are exposed as his sleeves are rolled up. His eyes, though—dark and unreadable—pin you in place. There’s a hunger in them, one that makes your skin prickle.
He runs his thumb over your bottom lip, wiping off the smudge of your lipstick. His grin widens, revealing sharp canines that peek between his lips. It’s friendly enough—too friendly. Like the way foxes smile when they’re circling prey.
“Mm, you’re drunk.” He says it like it’s a fact he’s already known for hours. “How much you had tonight, sugarplum?”
You stare at your glass, pretending you don’t know. You don’t want to admit to your carelessness.
Jamie chuckles, a low, knowing sound. “So, quite a bit, huh?”
His laugh is loud, and it feels like a warning. He leans in, his hand settling on your hip, fingers curling possessively. “And flirtin’ with some nobody at the bar. That’s new.” His eyes narrow. “So, you gonna tell me who he is?”
The stranger shifts uneasily, glancing between you and Jamie. His bravado fades, and he mumbles, “Look, I didn’t mean no harm. Just thought she could use some company.”
Jamie doesn’t even look at him. His eyes are locked on yours, sharp and unyielding. “Ain’t that sweet?” he says, his voice soft, but his grip on your hip tightens, like he’s claiming a prize. “But I think she’s got all the company she needs.”
The man hesitates, looks like he’s weighing his options, then backs off with a muttered apology, disappearing into the crowd.
The world tilts again, and you’re struggling to stay upright. The bar fades around you, the noise drowning in the back of your mind. The room swims, and your vision blurs, the faces blending into nothing but shadows.
Jamie’s presence feels suffocating. His eyes linger on you, dark and intent, like he’s waiting for something. Like he’s testing you. And you know, deep down, that he doesn’t just hate you drinking—he hates you here, surrounded by people who aren’t him.
“Let’s get you home, darlin’.” His tone is almost gentle, but there’s an edge beneath it, something possessive and unyielding.
Before you can protest—before the room spins again—he’s there, pulling you into him, lifting you off your feet like you weigh nothing. His arms wrap around your waist, and the world blurs as you’re hoisted over his shoulder, carried out the bar like a prize he’s claimed.
The night air bites at your cheeks as he strides through the darkness, the cold wind cutting through the haze in your mind. You can feel his heartbeat, steady and sure beneath you, and his fingers grip your thigh, possessive and unyielding. He’s not letting you go.
Everything in you says to fight back, to push away, but he smells like home—like honey and oak. The world narrows down to him, the steady beat of his heart, the warmth of his touch.
“Man, you’re gettin’ heavy. Eating too much pumpkin pie, huh, sugarplum?”
“Fuck you,” you manage, but it’s weak, and the smile he gives you is sharp and satisfied.
You close your eyes, the world tilting again, and for a moment, you let yourself sink into it. Maybe this isn’t so bad.
Maybe this is just how it’s meant to be.
⠀⠀𐚁
⠀. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁
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Flirtini with established relationship poly!mauraders????
"I just want you to be happy! And perhaps a little bit naked."
thank you for requesting!🫶🏽
24. "I just want you to be happy! And perhaps a little naked."
.
“Merlin, who fucking let her drink this much?”
“Uh, I think Marlene. Or Mary. Or Lily. They all kinda kept pointing at each other.”
“Great,” Remus grumbled under his breath as he tried to guide you towards the correct staircase up to the Gryffindor dormitories. “Fuck, I knew this was a bad idea on a school night.”
“We live here,” Sirius commented. “Every night is a school night.”
Remus shot the boy a look.
But Sirius simply shrugged in response. “Just saying.”
“Keep your thoughts to yourself, mate, before Moony bites your head off,” James grumbled under his breath, trying to hold back his smile as he glanced down at the map. “We should be clear, if we can get back in the next five minutes.”
“Good luck with that,” Sirius snorted. “She’s in her giggly, spacey drunk phase.”
“Woah,” you exclaimed as you felt your legs disappear under you, a gasp escaping your lips as Remus took you into his arms. You blinked, looking up at him with a mix of awe and disbelief. “You are so strong.”
Remus’ lips twitched. “Yeah, you like when I carry you.”
“You carry me?” You sighed wistfully before tilting your head back to look at Sirius. “He is so pretty. So are you. So is he.”
James lifted his head as you pointed at him, grinning. “You bet your ass I’m pretty, baby.”
You giggled, your lip tucked between your teeth. “And I get all of you? Hm, I like that. I like that a lot.”
“Yeah?” Sirius prompted with a grin. “What else do you like?”
“Soooo much,” you sang, only to be interrupted by a small hiccup that sent you into another fit of giggles.
“Baby, shhhh, you gotta keep your voice down,” Remus murmured in a soft but stern voice. “We don’t wanna get caught, alright? Just a few more minutes and then we can go to bed.”
“Don’t do that,” you frowned as you poked his cheek.
Remus blinked. “Do what?”
“Do the upside down smile,” you pouted as you pushed his frown until it looked like he was smiling at you. “There! Better!”
James snorted. “Oh, she is so gone.”
“I just want you to be happy,” you told him in a matter-of-fact voice, pausing for a few moments before adding, “and perhaps a little bit naked.”
Sirius let out a cackle.
Remus could feel his cheeks heating up but he grinned down at you. “I want the same for you, baby.”
Your eyes widened, the desire written so blatantly across your face. “Yeah?”
“Yeah, maybe tomorrow when you’ll actually remember being happy and naked,” Remus retorted, snorting a little when you pouted in response. “Promise it will be worth it.”
“And Moony never goes back on his promises,” James added with a grin.
You nodded. “I expect maximum happiness and nakedness.”
“I’m sure we can achieve that,” Sirius grinned.
.
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MIDNIGHT TALKS | THEODORE NOTT
ღ 02:00 a.m and the group of snakes was still on the astronomy tower, a place they had started to love when they discovered that professors and prefects never went to “guard” or check for students out of bed. Sleep was something hard to find with how dark and scary things had gotten in school and around the world, so their best option was to be together as a group and as a family.
Astoria was sitting on the floor with Draco’s head on her chest, playing with his blonde platinum hair. Besides her was Blaise, who had Pansy between his legs, hugging her by her waist. And the other three -Theo, Y/n, and Mattheo- were close to the balcony, finishing their cigarettes.
Y/n didn’t smoke much, not as much as her boyfriend, but it was exams week and the stress alongside her anxiety was too much, she needed to take it down a bit.
— I don’t wanna see a fucking book on the rest of my life — Pansy whined, letting out a huff
Draco rolled his eyes — If you pass, you won’t have to.
— can you believe it? In a few months, we won’t be here anymore — Y/n said with a bittersweet tone of voice
Theo nod a that, wrapping his arms around his girlfriend frame. For some reason, he was always looking for her warmth, and since it was so late and so cold, he loved having her close to his body.
— Does it matter? — Draco asked not waiting for an answer — It’s not like things are gonna change, or that we are gonna be able to escape the hell that our lives are.
Clearly the alcohol was working on the blonde, cause otherwise he would have never said something like that. Draco didn’t talk, and definitely not about how sad his life was back at home. All of them, including the whole house of Slytherin were living in the same hell that the dark lord brought, and that’s why no one talked about it, it was easier to pretend that everything was just fine.
— Well, it’s not a surprise. We have been marked and judged since we were kids, like it was our fault the last name that we carry, or the house that we are in — Theo responded with harshness, making her girlfriend frown
Mattheo let out a sigh — We better play our part, right?
He was the most fucked of the group, he was the son of the person that was trying to destroy the magical world for years on end. The silence invaded them and everyone started to get lost in their thoughts, Y/n turned around putting her arms around Theo’s neck.
— Well be fine, right? — she asked in almost a whisper, wondering how bad things were gonna be once they graduated
Theo caressed her cheek — Well be together, that’s all that matters, Bella.
Y/n smiled at him with sadness, they had just a month left of school and they were trying to enjoy as much of it as they could. For example having breakfast together everyday, even if they were dying to sleep a little bit more. Partying from Thursday to Sunday with not just their house, but also the other three. Swimming in the black lake at night, and then going to the kitchen to get cups of hot chocolate.
Just a lot of things to be happy in times of death, darkness, and cruelty.
— I love you, cara mía, you know that right? — He said with a small smile
Y/n smiled back at him — Of course I know, and I love you too, darling.
One of Theo’s hands went to the back of her head and brought her close to his lips, almost melting when he felt her warmth. God how he enjoyed kissing and touching her.
— Get a room you scandalous people!
Everyone laughed at Draco’s slurred words, he was gonna regret all of the fire whiskey he had drunk tomorrow morning.
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