#I feel like I have to start driving miss daisy everyone in this house now

[daisychain-unchained]

if I had a nickel for every time my dad hit a mailbox, I'd have two nickels. which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice.

[lovelybarnes]

dad- l. laufeyson

pairings: loki laufeyson x doctor!mom!reader, mentions of tony stark, natasha romanoff, steve rogers, oc, and thor odinson warnings: a child, y/n is a mom, dad!loki who is probably a little ooc but i hope that’s okay, y/n is a doctor but there’s no real detail, it’s just alluded to, mentions of an absent father, mentions of adoption about: requested! They’re dating and she has a toddler from a previous relationship that ended badly. Loki treats the baby like she’s his own and brings her to the compound once in a while to show off ‘his’ baby. The little one adores Loki and started calling him dada, making the soft side of him comes out. And also the very protective side. He eventually asks reader if he can officially adopt her to be the father figure. Since reader never put down the fathers name on the birth certificate, they put Loki’s down. a/n: thank you so much for requesting! i hope you liked this!!

tiny fingers splayed your cheeks wake you up, wet lips pressing continuously on your nose as familiar laughter rings in your ear. your nose scrunches, prying your eyes open to meet the mirror image of them in front of you. at the grin that splits daisy’s face, a smile sneaks up on your lips, too, “hey honey,” you say quietly, brushing away a strand of hair that falls in her eyes as your daughter’s warm hands hold your face.

“hi mama,” daisy replies, snuggling into your side, “pancake day,” she informs happily, a chubby finger reaching to trace the slope of your nose.

you tilt your head at her, raising an eyebrow, “really? who says?”

daisy doesn’t get a chance to reply, the crack to your door widening when loki steps through it, balancing a large plate stacked with pancakes and fruits in one hand. “loki!” daisy cheers, sitting up to reach for the food. you sit up, too, cocking your head at your boyfriend as you observe the platter.

“you made food?” you ask, eyes scanning the little cubes of cut-up strawberries and bananas before looking back up at him in pleasant surprise.

loki ducks his chin, “you were asleep. and today is pancake day. i simply could not disappoint daisy,” he explains, letting daisy take a piece of banana to shove in her mouth.

you gently run your fingers through her hair, a soft smile tugging at your lips, “hey, dais, let’s go eat at the table and watch some cartoons, hm?” at the sound of cartoons, she nods quickly, bouncing off of the bed to tug at loki to follow her, the god not making a peep when her grubby hands leave a smear of banana on his wrist. you watch as they head to the kitchen, listening when loki turns on the television and flips it to her favorite show without her needing to tell him. you take a second to remind yourself that the god in your house, sneaking homemade whipped cream--because store-bought whipped cream is not fit for her--to your daughter, is the same god who, not too long ago, physically recoiled at the mere mention of midgardians. you stand when you hear daisy’s voice calling you over when you take too long to follow, peeking around the corner to see loki cutting her chocolate chip pancakes into little squares. “any left for me?” you ask, your body burning hot when loki turns to look at you, a twinkle in his clear sea glass eyes.

“good morning, darling,” he greets, his lips kissing your cheek when you come closer to him, an arm wrapping around your waist. “pancake?” he offers, showing you a plate with two perfectly shaped pancakes, whipped cream piled high just the way you liked it and berries surrounding it in the way you always tried to do but were never able to. you pecked his lips, smiling against him when you heard your daughter protest loudly.

“what are we watching today?” you ask her, fingers taming the mess of bedhead that sits atop her head. she turns to the television after shoving pancake into her mouth, pointing at the image, “clifford,” she says simply. you sit next to her, exhaling, “that’s a good one.” daisy nods, “i want a dog,” she states after a second, “like clifford.”

you glance at loki, “finding a big red dog is going to be a little hard, sweetie--”

“i’m sure there’s one in asgard, if not, there must be one somewhere else,” loki shrugs, squinting at the show, “i’ll find one. worry not.”

you shake your head, chuckling, “maybe a normal-sized dog, daisy.” daisy pouts but nods.

the sounds from the television are the only ones for a few moments until you speak up, “oh, i completely forgot, i have to go meet with some big shot hospital reps for almost the whole day today, do you mind taking care of daisy?” you ask loki, an apologetic look on your face.

“of course not, she can accompany me to the compound today,” loki reasons, not missing the excited look that crosses daisy’s face.

you brighten, “that’s a great idea!” you turn to your daughter, who has smeared red on her cheek and a strawberry in her fingers, you huff a laugh, wiping it away with one of your fingers, “what do you think, dais? wanna go visit the other avengers with loki?”

she nods immediately, hurrying to swallow the fruit in her mouth before turning to loki, “can i wear your cape again?” she asks enthusiastically, patting wildly at your arm, “loki lets me use his cape!”

your eyebrow raises as you look at loki, “does he, now? i thought no one could even touch it?” you tease, appreciating the pale blush that takes over the snow of his cheeks as he shrugs, clearing his throat.

“there are always exceptions to rules,” he states.

-

“i love you,” you say, pressing a kiss into daisy’s hair, she parrots the phrase back to you, leaning further into loki’s arms when you pull away. “i love you,” you continue, kissing loki’s lips, “thank you again,” you whisper, feeling him chuckle against you.

“it is my pleasure,” loki assures before kissing you again. you pull away after a second, smacking your lips on daisy’s forehead as another goodbye.

“i’ll be back later, have fun, okay?” you request before finally walking out the door to head to work. you don’t see daisy’s pout as she lays her head on loki’s shoulder, balling her hand in his shirt. a soft smile tugs at loki’s lips, looking down at her to ask her if she’d like to go to the compound now.

a little while after she nods at his, he finds himself clicking her seatbelt in, making sure she’s safe in her booster seat before he begins to drive. he knows he could easily go there with a flick of his hand, but the travel makes daisy nervous, and, besides, she prefers to ride in the car with him, singing along to the playlist of the songs loki found himself liking in midgard.

daisy squeals when loki pulls into the driveway of the compound, jumping out of the car when he unbuckles her to hurry loki up. she pulls at his pant leg, growing more excited by the minute when she sees the red white and blue of steve’s shield flying behind the compound. “i do not understand why you like that thing so much. so boring,” loki grumbles, grabbing her hand and opening the door.

“ah, there she is!” thor’s voice booms nearly the minute loki and daisy step in, daisy’s grin grows wide, looking back at loki before running to thor. “uncle!” she squeals, oblivious to the way loki freezes when she says the simple word. thor carries her in his arms, holding her up like simba.

“my favorite niece! i brought the hammer for you today!” thor exclaims, sitting her down on one of his arms before holding his other hand out. loki looks to the side, realizing his brother is calling for the hammer with his daughter in his arms, quickly stepping over to him to take her away just as said hammer flies into his open hand. he twirls it, before handing it to daisy in loki’s arms, still keeping a hold on it as she wraps her small fingers around the hammer.

“brother…” loki hisses quietly, refusing to upset the little girl in his arms but wanting nothing more than to knock some common sense into his brother. “i would like to remind you to not do that while daisy is near you.”

daisy barely looks up at her name, too entranced with the intricate carvings in the hammer, “oh, she’ll be fine,” thor shrugs, clapping loki hard on the back, “i am very careful, brother.”

loki purses his lips, “yes, i remember how careful you are.”

“hey! reindeer games and little grey!” tony cheers from around the corner, natasha catching his words from the kitchen and heading for loki. loki can spot the captain in the hallway. “haven’t seen you in a while, kid,” tony tells daisy, ruffling up her hair, “thought you ditched us.”

loki rolls his eyes, concentrating on daisy, who reaches for the electric blue in tony’s chest, murmuring “pretty.”

“isn’t it?” tony brags, tapping a nail on his arc reactor, “built it myself. you want one?” daisy agrees enthusiastically, but loki makes sure to send tony a glare that tells him if he even dares. loki will finish the job in new york.

“how’s the doc?” natasha asks, coming cilently from the kitchen with a bag in her hand.

“y/n is good, she’s at the hospital right now.”

“hey, dais,” natasha starts, her green eyes sparkling, “you remember the toys you wanted from the mall last time we went?” daisy nods. natasha holds up the bag in her arms, “you wanna go see what’s in the bag?”

daisy’s eyes go wide, and she turns to loki, “can i dad? please?”

loki chokes down the uncharactersitic lump in his throat so he can nod, putting daisy down so she can grab natasha’s hand. when they’re out of hearing range, steve raises an eyebrow at loki, “‘dad’? that’s a big one.”

“yes,” loki clear his throat, “she had never called me that before.”

the other men exchange looks, before thor claps loki on the back with a beamng grin, “congratulations.” loki has never felt luckier.

-

it’s a few hours later, when you’re back at home, exhausted and sprawled on the couch next to loki with daisy sleeping on your and loki’s lap. “how was your day?” you ask quietly so you don’t disturb daisy.

“as excellent as a day with the avengers can be. i took daisy to the compound, everyone adored her, natasha spoiled her…” loki trails off, the clear cut reminder of the events of that day bright and new in his mind, “she called me dad,” loki finishes, allowing himself to look into the deep nooks and crannie of his brain that urges him to tell you what he’s been thinking about for far too long. there’s a second of silence.

“she’s never said to you that before,” you finally say softly. loki shakes his head, “she’s slipped up before, though. sometimes she calls you papa when she talks about you.” loki turns to you, searching your features for a lie he won’t find. “you are her father, loki. you’re way more of a father than her biological dad ever has been. you’re her dad, she loves you.” there’s more silence, the question you’re implying hanging in the air, waiting to be grasped and asked.

“would you adopt her?--” you grasp.

“i would like to adopt daisy--” he grasps.

you stare at each other before quiet laughter bubbles from your mouth, a nod tilting your chin, “you know, i never put her biological father’s name in her birth certificate.”

“we could go tomorrow,” loki offers, admiring the beaming smile that brightens your tired face.

“we should,” you agree, staring at loki for a few more moments before connecting your lips, looking down at daisy and brushing away some strands from her face when you pull away. you nod, meeting loki’s eyes again, “tomorrow.”

[queenxxxsupreme]

There Comes Bad News (dad!Arthur Morgan)

A/N: This belongs in my dad!Arthur Morgan AU so if you haven’t read any of those fics, it might be best to read those. You can find my masterlist here!

Warnings: anxiety attack, language 

Word Count: 2.0k

Summary: John visits Lupine Valley Ranch to warn Arthur of an impending threat.

***

You moved around the kitchen, humming as your eyes glided over the window behind the kitchen sink. You spotted Daisy in the temporary corral with Piper. The corral had been placed in the front yard where you would have a clear sight to Daisy as she spent time with the foal. Though Arthur could watch her since he was outside tending to a few chores with Charles’ help, you liked to be able to see Daisy while you were inside. 

“You reckon that filly will make it?”

You jumped, turning to look at Hosea. He stood at the edge of the kitchen with a coffee cup in hand. 

“Christ, Hosea. You scared me.”

He chuckled. 

“Piper seems to be gettin’ stronger.” You wiped your hands off on a rag. “And she’s not missing a meal, that’s for sure. So I suppose I’ve got some hope.”

“Just hate to see the little one with her heart broken.”

“I know.” You nodded in agreement.

“It’ll be a shame if I have to beat Arthur’s ass for getting her a lame horse.”

You smiled at him, knowing he was half teasing and half being honest. 

The sound of Carson barking caught your attention. He was alerting the family to someone coming down the road that led to the house. 

“Who could that be?” You thought out loud, moving towards the front windows.

“Is that Carson barking?” Hosea asked as he followed behind you. “He sounds angry.”

You spotted John getting down from his horse before it even came to a full stop just in front of the house. Behind him was a cloud of dirt and dust he must’ve kicked up on his way in. 

“Something ain’t right. Why’s he in such a hurry?” Hosea headed for the front door. You were right behind him, going out on to the front porch. 

Your eyes flickered over to your husband, who was crossing the yard with Charles to see what John was doing. 

“What’s got you runnin’ like you’re bein’ chased, Marston?”

“I saw Micah in Blackwater yesterday.” John held on tightly to the leather reins. He appeared tense and nervous, shifting his weight from one foot to the other as his eyes flickered around as if he was taking count of everyone there. “Is Lucy here with you?”

“She’s home.” Charles shook his head. “Wasn’t feeling well this morning.”

“Wait a damn minute. You what?” Hosea rubbed his eyes. 

“I saw that bastard. He was in Blackwater yesterday.”

You looked to Arthur, your stomach churning. His eyes very briefly met yours before he returned his gaze to John. 

“I was runnin’ errands with Jack and Grace when I saw him. He was on a horse across from the bank with a couple other fellas.”

“How are you sure it was him?” Your voice was quiet as you spoke. 

“Micah’s voice ain’t easy to forget.” John met your gaze.

“Did he see you?” 

“Course not, Hosea. Got my kids outta there before he could see them.” John ran his hand along the shoulder of his horse. “I can’t stay for long. Gotta get back to Beecher’s. But I wanted to let y’all know he’s around.”

“Do you think he’s going to start looking for us?” Charles asked. Arthur shook his head, running a hand over his face. Even from across the yard, you could see the anger on his face. 

“It’s hard to tell with Micah Bell.”

“At the very least, he’ll try to find Hosea.” Arthur spoke up, voice low and heavy with the weight of all the fears he’d carried for so long. “Hosea’s the only one who knows about where that Blackwater money is. The only other person who knew about it was Dutch and well….”

You looked down at your hands, taking a deep breath. 

“Micah would do anything to find us. That includes goin’ to you, John.”

“I ain’t tellin’ him shit, Arthur.”

“I never said he’d ask nicely. Micah’s a sick bastard. He’ll go through Jack and Grace to get to you, to get to me and there’s no tellin’ what he’d do-,”

“Arthur.” You cut him off firmly. His eyes shot over to you. “Stop right now. There’s no sense filling John’s head with that. He doesn’t need to worry any more than he already does, I’m sure.”

Silence filled the air. 

“Why don’t you bring Abigail and the kids up here, John?” Hosea suggested, moving to sit down on the front steps. “That way you all aren’t alone down there.”

“I couldn’t do that, Hosea.”

“Nonsense.” You shook your head, directing John’s attention to you. “We’ve got plenty of room. Daisy can stay in our room. That way you and Abigail can have your own room and Jack and Grace can have Daisy’s room.”

“I don’t want to crowd nobody. We aren’t a little family.”

“No, but you’re our family.” Arthur sighed. “It’s safer for you all to be up here with us and Charles and Lucy, John. You know that.”

John looked between you, Arthur, Hosea, and Charles for a few moments before nodding. 

“I’ll talk it over with Abigail when I get home. Only problem would be Roxy and our livestock.”

“Roxy can come up with you. Carson gets along with her just fine.” You smiled. 

“And if it’s just temporary, leave the livestock down there at Beecher’s. Me and you can go down every day or so to check on ‘em.” Arthur rubbed the back of his neck. 

“Alright. I’ll see you guys soon.”

You waved goodbye to John and watched him disappear down the drive. 

As he left, the weight in your stomach seemed to shift to your chest. 

“Why don’t we take a little break, Charles?” Arthur told him, giving him a pat on the arm. Charles nodded and began to move towards the house. 

“Maybe you and Uncle can share a room, Hosea.” Charles teased as he passed Hosea on the stairs. 

“Bullshit. I’ll be sending Uncle over to your house. You and Lucy have too much room in that house of yours.”

Your eyes followed Arthur as he stopped at the bottom of the stairs. Your hands were folded at your waist, thumb rubbing against your skin as you bit the inside of your cheek. 

“What?” He asked you. 

“Why did you have to go put all those thoughts into John’s head?”

“I wasn’t tryin’ to scare him, Y/N. I was just tellin’ him the truth. Micah is relentless. He’ll stop at nothing to get what he wants. He’ll go through anyone and anything.”

“But you didn’t have to put thoughts into John’s head about what that bastard could do to his kids, Arthur.”

“Hey, sweetheart!” Hosea greeted Daisy loudly as she approached the porch from behind Arthur. She carried a handful of wildflowers in one hand. “Where’d you get those pretty flowers, Daisy?”

“From the yard!”

Arthur turned his attention to her, smiling as she offered him a portion of the bundle. 

“Here.”

“Thank you, sweetpea.”

The next bundle went to Hosea. He began to tell her of the different kinds of flowers she had picked up, and she gladly absorbed the information like a sponge. 

As you watched her, you couldn’t help but think of Micah. Arthur was right. The man would stop at nothing to get answers, to get what he wanted. It would be nothing for him to kill an entire family just to get the answers he was looking for. 

The more your mind lingered on the possibilities, the more the thoughts spiraled. The weight on your chest worsened and you suddenly gasped for breath, unable to breathe. Tears sprung to your eyes and you turned away, not wanting to ruin Daisy’s moment with Hosea. 

But everyone heard your gasp and saw you turn away so suddenly. 

Arthur moved up the front steps, brows furrowing together slightly. 

Daisy tried to move past him to get to you but Arthur caught ahold of the material of her shirt, quickly stopping her. 

“Daddy-,”

“Just give me a minute, sweetpea.” He cut her off gently. “Go back to Papa or Uncle Charles, okay?”

“Is momma okay?”

“She’ll be just fine.” Arthur kissed the top of Daisy’s head before moving towards you. 

Since Hosea was still sitting on the front step, Charles moved towards Daisy, holding his hands out for her. 

“What’s wrong with her, Uncle Charles?” Daisy opened her arms for him to pick her up but her eyes remained on the back of your head. 

“Mommy just needs a minute with daddy.” Charles explained. “What kind of flowers do you have there, Daisy?”

While Charles had Daisy somewhat distracted, Arthur was able to tend to you. 

His hand found the small of your back.

“You okay, pumpkin?” His voice was quiet and gentle.

You couldn’t speak. You knew the words would become jumbled in your throat or come out all too quickly. 

He kissed your shoulder.

“M’sorry if…. if what I was sayin’ scared you.”

“It’s not….” You shook your head. “Just…. Just me.”

“Is it him that’s got you this scared?”

You nodded, closing your eyes as you turned to face him. In the same instant, you were able to tuck your nose into the front of his neck. 

“Pumpkin, you know I ain’t gonna let a damn thing happen to you or to Daisy. He’ll have to get through me to-,”

“Don’t.” You cut Arthur off, pulling away so that you could look him in the eyes. “Don’t you-Don’t you dare say that Arth-Arthur Morgan. I-I can’t lose you.”

He brushed the tears from your cheeks then pushed your hair back out of your eyes. 

“I love you.”

You nodded and leaned forward to press your forehead against his lips. His hand rubbed up and down your back as you tried your best to take even breaths. 

“Ain’t nothin’ gonna happen to either of you. I’ll keep you safe, pumpkin.”

Hosea stood up from the steps and began to make his way towards the front door. He looked to Charles and nodded for him to come inside. 

“She can go. Y/N’s probably gonna want her near.”

Charles nodded and placed Daisy on her feet. 

“Behave out here.”

Daisy giggled, curious eyes watching her uncle disappear into the house. Then she looked to her parents. 

You lifted your head and sniffled. Arthur wiped your cheeks again. 

“That’s enough thinkin’ about all the bad. We’re about to have a busy house.” He told you. “What kind of things do we need to get done before they get back here?”

You said nothing, unable to shift your thoughts to something else. 

There was a tug on your skirt. You looked down to see Daisy looking up at you.

“You okay, momma?”

“Yes, love.” You nodded, moving to sit down in a chair on the porch. This allowed her to climb into your lap.

“Why are you crying?” She reached up with her free hand to wipe your tears away. 

“Because…. Well, ‘cause I just have a lot on my mind right now.”

“What do you got there, sweetpea?” Arthur knelt down beside you. “Did you pick those flowers yourself?”

“Yeah! Papa said they are cornflowers, poppies, and daisies.”

“Daisies are momma’s favorites.” Arthur leaned in to whisper to her. “You think those might cheer her up?”

You smiled as Daisy handed you the bundle of flowers. 

“Thank you, honey.” You leaned forward to kiss her forehead. “Those cornflowers look like daddy’s eyes, don’t they?”

Daisy looked from the flower to Arthur, then back to the flower, and finally back to Arthur. She giggled and nodded her head.

“They do.”

“Don’t you think daddy’s got pretty eyes?”

“He does!”

“You girls are gonna make me all red in the face.” Arthur muttered, a shy smile coming to his lips as he stood up. “Is your room all cleaned up, sweetpea? Uncle John’s coming up here and Grace’s is gonna need somewhere to sleep.”

“A sleepover?” Daisy excitedly jumped down from your lap. 

“Only if your room is clean.”

“I’ll go check!”

Your eyes followed her as she ran into the house. Then your eyes flickered down to the flowers. 

“We’re gonna be alright, Y/N.” Arthur held his hand out for you. 

“I know. We always are. It just…. It never comes easy.”

Taglist: @winterwolf @lauramb7 @caraqas @bluscryn @krenee1drful @zodiacaldust @nonodino @gabstaroc @cal-lifornication @thefirelordm @sargeantsea @sokkasdarling @thecollection @mayday1284 @kashasenpai @misskrql @brooke-supernatural16  @micahs-bird

If your name is in italics, it wouldn’t let me tag you :(

[forever-rogue]

Afterglow - Part 11

A/N: Hello! It is finally time for some more Frankie! I hope you all enjoy! As always, feedback and comments are welcome, and if you’d like to be tagged, let me know. xx 💕

Pairing: Frankie Morales x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 4.7k

Warnings: referenced drug use; sexual innuendos 

AFTERGLOW MASTERLIST

FRANKIE MASTERLIST

MASTERLIST

»»————-　♡　————-««

Today was the big day. Finally. 

And despite your excitement, you were nervous beyond words. 

You buzzed around the house, your entire body humming with nervous energy as you tried to make sure everything was perfect. Daisy watched you with disdain for a moment before turning back to her new bone and chewing on it. She had just come back from the groomer, topped off with a bow on her collar and everything, and you couldn't deny that sweet face a new bone.

The whole house smelled of the cooking and baking you'd done throughout the afternoon - all Frankie's favorites of course. It had been almost three months since you'd seen him. Three months since you’d held him and kissed him. Three months since you’d looked into those soft brown eyes that were your everything. 

Now he was finally coming home. 

Your Frankie was coming home.

»»————-　♡　————-««

You’d made it a point to speak to him as often as he wanted, making sure not to impose on his needs as he sorted himself out. He needed to do this for himself, and some days that meant not speaking to you. Those days were harder, but you knew in the end it would be worth it. Frankie deserved the best, and you were going to make sure he had it whatever way he needed it. 

But today that was all coming to an end - you knew it would still be hard for him, some days worse than others, but he would be better now. And everything else you could work through with him. Together, once again, just as it had been meant to be.

You’d offered to go and pick him up and drive him home yourself, but he had insisted that he didn’t want you to go out of your way to accommodate him. You would have never minded - you both knew that. But whatever he wanted to do, you would go with it. 

But in your own way of caring, you couldn’t help but want to make everything perfect for his first night back. You’d already made it a point to firmly, but lovingly let him know that he’d be staying at your house for at least his first weekend back. He’d readily agreed, letting something along the lines of I can’t wait to see my girls out, whether or not it was intentional, you weren’t sure. 

As everything was finishing up in the oven and the fresh and homemade apple pie was cooling on the counter, you heard a car pull into your driveway. Almost dropping everything in your hand, you eagerly went to the kitchen open, pulling back the lace curtain as you glanced outside. There was Frankie, climbing out of Santi’s car with a smile on his face as he talked to the other man. Grabbing his bags out from the back, he thanked his best friend for the help before finding your gaze. A smile broke out on your face as you stopped what you were doing and ran out of the kitchen and the door, in a rush to meet him. 

Santi waved at the two of you before slowing backing away, not wanting to intrude on the special moment.

“Francisco!” you bounded over to him, almost knocking him over from the force of your hug as you wrapped your arms around him. Tears, this time not of hurt or pain but of joy, pricked at the back of your eyes as you held him, immediately burying your face into his chest.

“Honey Bee,” he dropped his bags without hesitation returning your tight hug as he rested his head on your shoulder, “I’ve missed you so much.”

“Me too,” you pulled back and looked into his soft brown eyes, watching as they crinkled in the corners with his smile, “my Frankie. You look so good, my love - I love you so much.”

And he did look good - better than you had seen in a long time. Gone was the gauntness of his cheeks and his face had filled out a little. His hair was longer again, back to that mop of curls you had always known and loved, His eyes seemed to be lighter, more alive and bright, and that magical smile truly seemed to reach them. Frankie sported a pair of well fitting jeans, complimented by a red checked flannel that you immediately planned on stealing at the first opportunity. Most importantly, he truly looked...happy. And the way he looked at you was nothing short of love and pure devotion. 

“I love you,” he whispered as he leaned into you, leaving only a small gap between your bodies. You took a moment to breath him in, familiarizing yourself with every part and parcel of him, both of you grinning at each other like fools. Unable to contain yourself, you closed the gap between your bodies and brushed your lips against his. 

It was a slow, sweet thing at first, almost hesitant and reserved as you made sure you weren’t overstepping his boundaries, and that he actually wanted this. He didn’t waste a moment as he eagerly kissed you back, smiling against your lips as his hands found purchase on your waist. Your arms wrapped his neck as you carded a hand through his soft curls. It was a moment of saccharine bliss as you reacquainted yourself with each other, easily getting lost in the other.

You only pulled back and broke apart when you heard an excited small bark from the front door. Daisy had managed to nudge open the door and was on the front porch, watching the two of you in excitement, her tail wagging furiously. You couldn’t but laugh at her as you watched Frankie’s grin grow even larger; any more and you were sure it would break his face in half.

“Alright,” you told her with a small come hither motion, “come on good girl, come and say hi.”

Daisy wasted no time in running over to Frankie, as he bent down to greet her, and was immediately covered in kisses from her. You weren’t sure who was more excited to see who - either way, your heart was fit to bursting with happiness. This really was everything you had excited and so much more. Fishing your phone out of your pocket, you quickly snapped a photo of the two of them, vowing to set it as your lockscreen later.

“Should I be worried that you missed her more than me?” you teased as Frankie stood back up and offered her a few head scratches. He laughed, a warm, wonderful sound that rang crystal clear before putting his arm around your shoulder and placing a gentle kiss to your cheek, “pretty sure she got more kisses than I did.”

“Don’t worry, Bee, I’ve got plenty of them for you later,” he promised with a cheeky wink. Making a small sound of content, you reached for his bags before he could and moved to go back inside, “hey - I can get them!”

“I know,” you grinned as you ran towards the door, “but I want to do this! Let me take care of you - dinner’s almost ready. I made your favorites, my love!”

“You...you did that for me?” he asked softly, trailing after you with Daisy at his side. Offering him a confused look with a raised eyebrow, you gently nodded as if to say well duh, “whatever for?”

“Because I wanted to of course,” you beamed at him, “do I need more reason than that?”

“I suppose not,” he agreed as he closed the door behind him; suddenly he felt right at home. There was something in his gut, his instinct, that told him he was exactly where he was supposed to be. He followed you into the kitchen and grinned when he saw his favorite pie on the counter, “Bee…”

“I know, Francisco,” you whispered softly before reaching over and touching his cheek, “I know.”

And you did. You both knew. Sometimes actions spoke much louder than words ever could.

»»————-　♡　————-««

You were halfway through your pie and ice cream, sitting on the back deck when you found Frankie studying you intently. Hiding your face behind your hands, you tried to swallow the big bite you had just taken, sure he was going to tease you about it. Shaking his head, Frankie took your hand in his and pressed a soft kiss to your knuckles, “you look like you have something to say. And don’t even bother arguing with me - I know that look better than you think.”

“I...as a matter of fact I do have something exciting to share, but I didn’t want to take away from you,” you shrugged lightly, “tonight should be about you!”

“Nonsense,” he insisted with a slight huff, “come on, honey. Tell me what’s on your mind.”

“Okay,” you set down your spoon, feeling your heart flipping nervously as you decided you should share your news with him. If this was going to be a relationship - a real relationship, you were going to be upfront and honest, “ever since you’ve been back, I’ve been thinking about....well, everything. Remember what I wanted to study when I was younger?”

“Zoology,” he stated with a tilt of his head as you nodded, “and…?”

“I...I love my job, I really do, but I’ve been thinking a lot about trying out something new,” you explained as his eyes lit up with excitement, “and well, I think I want to go back to school and give it a try - zoology. See if I actually like it as much as I always thought. It’s just...I’ve learned a lot about myself lately. And one of those things is that for so long I’ve just done what everyone expected of me, and didn’t really ever think about what I wanted. And this is something I want to do, for myself. And if it doesn’t work out, there’s still so much I can do. I-I hope you don’t think that sounds crazy or rash, but...I want to do this.”

“I think it’s brilliant,” he agreed eagerly; it was easy to tell this was something you wanted to do with how your face lit up, “if it’s what you want, you should go for it - this is for you. Not anyone else. You know you’ll always have my support, however I can help.”

“Well, that’s good to know because I kind of already went ahead and applied for the program,” you offered him a sheepish grin as he laughed, “at the state university in the town over. I got in - I’m supposed to start next fall!”

“Of course you did, honey,” he reached for your hand and lightly pulled you in his direction. Easily acquiescing to his request, you sauntered over to him and sat in his lap, letting him pull in you close, “I’m so proud of you. For doing this for yourself and for getting in. You’re going to knock ‘em dead.”

“We’ll see about that,” you shrugged as you put your hands on his shoulders and gave them a light squeeze, “either way, I’ll never know if I don’t try.”

“Exactly,” he pressed a kiss to your lips, the sweetness of the ice cream and pie still lingering on them.

“I’m proud of you too, Frankie,” you whispered, pressing your forehead against his, “I am so, so proud of you. Everything you’ve done - for yourself, and by yourself. You’re so strong, but you know whatever you need, I will always be here for you. I’m not going anywhere, Frankie - I swear it.”

“I…” he paused as he swallowed the lump that had welled up in his throat before offering you a shy nod, “I know I’m nothing special - no one - that you’d want to end up with-”

“Don’t,” you pressed a finger to his lips, gently shushing him, “I love you for you, Francisco Morales. I fell in love with you. Not because of anything else, but because you’re everything to me. I would rather spend our lives doing fuck all and be the black sheep of society as long as we’re happy. A certain job, a title, fancy cars and houses - it doesn’t matter. None of it matters. I don’t give a fuck about anything like that, just you. I want you as you are, Frankie. Not as you whatever you think you ought to be or whatever you want to call it. If you’re happy, I am happy. I just want you, that’s all.”

“Honey,” he looked at you as though you had hung every last star in the glittering night sky, “I don’t know what I ever did to deserve you. You are the best thing to happen to me - I don’t know...I don’t where I'd be without you. And before you try and argue with me, I mean it. You have pulled me out of the darkest place, made me feel hopeful again - worthy. Like I actually deserve to be happy. You never treated me like the others did, you always saw me for who I was. Like I was a person and not some charity case - that I was important. That always got me through everything, even when we were apart. I always thought of you; and then we when I saw you again, completely and totally out of the blue, it was like it was meant to be. Maybe that sounds crazy, or...something. But...I like to think that everything happens for a reason.”

“Of course it does,” you felt like you were about to melt under his soft gaze as his hands explored your face, calloused fingertips tracing gently over your features, “I met them all, you know. When you were gone - Santi, obviously, Benny and Will, and some of your other friends. They’re wonderful, Frankie, and they have nothing but love for you. They told me...you always talked about me...you kept my picture with you? For all those years?”

“Yes,” he confessed as a single tear rolled your cheek. He quickly wiped it away and kissed your forehead, “always.”

“Frankie…” you must have been the luckiest woman in the world, “I have always loved you for you. There are a hundred million reasons for why I love you, but the main one was - and is - the fact that you are you. It’s...Francisco, I want this. I want you. If you’re in, I’m all in too. I mean it - we can take it slow, as slow as we want and need, but I mean it. I want to be yours, and I want you to be mine. But I just...if you don’t want this, then that’s okay too. I just want you to know I love you more than the moon and stars, and I always want to be a part of your life. Even if that’s just as a friend or neighbor or -”

Before you could ramble on much more, Frankie quickly cut you off by pressing his lips against yours. It wasn’t much, or fast, or hungry and needy, but...gentle - loving. Like he was trying to convey every emotion in that one single kiss. If you weren’t sure of his answer before, there was no way it wasn’t clear now. 

“I want this too, Honey Bee,” he whispered against your lips, watching as your eyes softened at him, “I want to be yours - but I...I’m not perfect. I’m still working on so many things to be the best me for myself - and you - but if you give me the chance, I want to try again too. I’m all in too. I always have been and will be.” 

“Of course,” you nodded slowly, “always.”

“I love you.”

“I love you,” you repeated, running a hand through his dark curls, “do you remember the first time you told me you loved me, Frankie? I remember it like it was yesterday -”

“I was so nervous I thought I was going to throw up,” he laughed lightly, “I had it planned for so long and you keep interrupting me and I had to get it out before I lost the nerve!”

“Ahh yes,” you giggled, “through a mouthful of food and it sounded something like ithinkiminlovewithyouhoneybee.” 

»»————-　♡　————-««

20 Years Earlier

“This was a good idea,” you grinned at Frankie as he trailed after you, a picnic basket in one hand and a large blanket in the other. You’d offered to help, but naturally he’d refused. It was a bright, warm spring day, and you both wanted to take advantage of it before it got closer to midterms time, “it’s beautiful out!”

“Yeah,” he offered up a cheeky grin as he caught up and set everything down near the lake’s edge, “my view’s pretty beautiful.”

“Francisco!” you rolled your eyes at your boyfriend, but bounded over to give him a kiss regardless, “you’re so cheesy.”

“Maybe,” he agreed as you unfolded the blanket and set out the items from the picnic basket. He’d taken time that morning to make sure he had all of your favorite things to bring. He’d wanted this to be a special day; he’d finally worked up the courage to tell you that he loved you. When he actually thought about it, he realized he had been for a while; the revelation had hit him like a freight train. 

Once you were finished, you leapt back up to your feet and started to peel off your layers of clothing, starting with your cardigan and immediately his eyes widened in pleasant surprise, “w-what are you doing?”

“Taking off my clothes?” you quirked an eyebrow but continued on anyways, “the water’s perfect and it’s getting warm - let’s go for a swim, Frankie!”

“We d-don’t have bathing suits,” he stammered nervously as he tried not to let his gaze linger for too long on your semi nude form. You’d been intimate with each other on a growing multitude of occasions, but he still felt shy when you so readily shared such sacred moments with him. His cheeks flushed dark pink as you shrugged and stood in only your bra and panties.

“Come on, Frankie,” you insisted, running towards the water, “join me! It’s a perfect day, my love!”

He offered up a skeptical look as you vainly attempted to splash some water at him, giggling at him like a fool as you let the water envelope you. As he watched you float on your back for a moment, he gave in and stripped off his shirt and sweater, swiftly followed by his jeans and shoes. He stood there in his boxers, skin golden and freckled as he smiled at you before slowly making his way over to you. 

Stepping into the cool water, he immediately swam over to you, wasting no time in splashing some water onto your face. Making a small sound of surprise, you righted yourself and attempted to put on a serious face. Frankie just laughed at the sight of your face and you couldn’t help but join in.

He quickly responded by putting his arms around your waist and pulling you towards him and placing a gentle kiss to your lips. 

“It’s cold,” he huffed in jest, as the water rippled around you with the gentle movement of the lake. You stuck out your tongue at him but shrugged gently, running a hand through his already wet curls. Before you could do anything else, he quickly captured your lips in another soft, slow kiss, causing you to melt into his touch, "already warmer."

"You're such a dork, Francisco!"

"Your dork!"

Once you were both worn out from swimming around the lake, you'd gotten out to eat lunch. You were laying on your stomach, trying to savor and not completely inhale the delicious sandwich he had prepared. In between bites you were rambling on about your history class and how much you hated your current assignment, and he listened intently with an amused grin. 

He was still intent on making his big confession, but every time he'd even gotten close, he'd say your name and you looked at him with the sweetest eyes and he'd decide to say something else. He kept trying to hype himself up but the effect you had on him was palpable.

But there you were; it was all so easy and effortless between the two of you. He could have listened to you ramble on your hours and watched in amazement as you carried on. The boy definitely had it bad for you.

"Ithinkiminlovewithyouhoneybee," his eyes widened in surprise as he hadn't actually meant to say it then and there. It had just happened - right as he was taking a bite of his own sandwich. His cheeks flushed a brilliant crimson as you set down your own sandwich and looked at him curiously. You weren't sure what he had said, but in your gut you had a feeling. But you didn't want to get your hopes up either.

Clearing your throat, you slowly sat back up and tilted your head to the side to look at him curiously. His whole body seemed to be vibrating with nervous energy as you stared at him, "Frankie, what was that? I-I didn't catch what you said."

"Umm," he was sheepish suddenly as he faced the ground and played nervously with a few blades of grass. Reaching over, you gave his hand a squeeze, along with a gentle smile, "I...I'm in love with you."

A smile immediately spread across your face as you leaned towards him and reached for his hand. His breath hitched in his throat as he watched your anxious expression and eyes widened, "w-what did you say?"

"I love you," he whispered softly, "I've been trying to to figure out how to tell you for a long time. So...here it is, I guess. I-I hope that doesn't make things awkward."

"You love me?" your heart felt like it was about to beat out of your chest. He nodded as you stammered nervously, "I love you too, Francisco. I love you so much."

"Honey Bee-"

But you didn't even give him a chance to say anything else before you lunged over and straddled his lap, and wrapped your arms around his neck. His surprised expression quickly turned to a look of bliss as you pressed your lips to his. 

It was an easy dance, one you'd both gotten familiar with, as you kissed one another until you were both breathless and flushed. He chased after your kiss swollen lips with his own plush ones, grinned with each peck.

"I love you so much," your declaration was the sweetest thing he'd ever heard, "its always going to be you, Francisco, I just know it."

"Always and forever, Honey Bee," he promised as he laid back on the soft blanket and pulled you on top of him, "only you."

»»————-　♡　————-««

"Always and forever," you kissed his cheeks followed by his nose, and then his lips, "I guess in the end we weren't wrong after all."

"I guess not," he agreed as he gently squeezed your hips, "thank you for everything. You've always given me nothing but love and support. I don't where I'd be without you."

You opened your mouth to speak but was quickly cut off by a small, gentle bark.

"Or you, Miss Daisy," he reached over and petted her, "my girls."

"She has an important question for you," you shot her a wink before turning back to Frankie. Your hands went to his shoulders as you gently squeezed them, "she wants to know if you'll spend the weekend with us."

"Hmm," he reached up and stroked his scruff thoughtfully for a moment as you momentarily wondered if you had pushed him too far. What if it was too much? What if he wasn't ready for that? What if he was nervous? What if - "I'd like that. A lot."

"Yeah?" you asked softly as he laughed lightly before offering you a firm nod, "that's good because I might have some plans for you."

Just as he did when he was younger, Frankie started to blush, a brilliant warm flush coloring his tan skin. Frankie leaned in towards you, brushing his nose against yours as he breathed you in. Little by little,  he became more familiar with you again, your touch, your taste, your everything. In some ways it was like no time had passed and in some ways it was like he was getting to you know all over again. Either way, he was thoroughly relishing in every single moment.

"How can I turn down an offer like that?" there was a wicked little grin on your face as innocently shrugged. The two of you stared at each other from some time, unspoken silence passing between each other. Some things just didn't need to be said.

"You'll stay?"

"Always," he promised as he sat back and pulled you against his chest. You put your head on his shoulder and wrapped your arms around him as best as you could before sighing contentedly. You'd never thought you'd experience this type of happiness again; nothing with Chad had ever come close. Not even the best moments and experiences with him had come close to this. That told you everything you needed to know, "what are you thinking, honey?"

"A lot of things and yet nothing at once," you admitted, "about how with you even the smallest things mean so much. About how if I hadn't seen you at that coffee shop that day my life would have been so different now. Like how everything seemed to happen exactly how it needed to."

"Would you have married him if you hadn't seen me?" 

"I...I don't know," you confessed and he rubbed soothing circles on your back as you listened to the light sound of the insects and animals singing their night time songs, "I don't know if I would have been strong enough to come to the same conclusions I now have. I think by now I might have been married and miserable, probably trying to convince myself I was happy."

"You deserve so much better than him," he promised as he kissed your forehead, "he was never good enough for you."

"I know that now," you agreed with a nod as you studied his eyes which seemed to be able to see into your soul, "I have you, don't I?"

"Who knows if I'm even good enough for you," there was a moment of pause as he stroked your cheek and you huffed in light announce. You knew why he was feeling this way, but you also knew that he was more deserving of you than anyone else, "some days it feels like a dream - to love and be loved by you."

"You always have been and you always will be, Francisco Morales," closing your eyes, you pressed your forehead against his, "please don't ever think you're ever not good enough for me. You are perfect for me - neither one of us is perfect, we're flawed beings - but together you and I are meant to be. I will spend every day of my life showing you that if I need to."

For the first time in a long time, Francisco Morales was able to close his eyes and breathe freely - lightly. He hadn't felt like this in a long time, so happy and loved and full of hope. 

That's how he knew it was always meant to be you.

"What are you thinking about, baby?" you pushed a rogue curl off of his forehead.

"I love you," he promised, "I want this - all of it - with you."

"Then you will have it. I love you more than you will ever know."

»»————-　♡　————-««

Permanent Taglist:  @queenbbarnes  @persephonesnebula   @ah-callie  @blushingwueen  @thisis-theway @rosetophighlander  @rae-gar-targaryen    @hiscyarika  @readsalot73  @huliabitch  @ollyoxenfrees @coffeeandtodd  @beepbeepsephy   @scarlettwitcher  @nerdyknightwritersblog  @choicesarcade  @arrowswithwifi  @everythingaboutnothingstuff  @suckerfor-fanfics  @bestintheparsec @javihoney  @aeryntheofficial  @hail-doodles @engineeredfiction @aeryntheofficial  @asgardianvamp21  @keithseabrook27  @karmezii  @dearspacepirates  @thatsuitlooksgoodonyou  @paintballkid711 @mrpascals @lv7867 @artsymaddie @gooddaykate @rosiefridayrogersunday @heyitmelexie @criminalmind1927 @justanotherblonde23 @coni-martina @thewayofthemandalorian @phoenixhalliwell @lucifer @cosmoschick @kochamcie @linkpk88 @leaiorganas @nikkixostan @haley-the-comet @chibi-yuki @computeringturtle @4ng3lf43 @intu-witch-tion @wondergal2001 @gingerbreadandpaper @willowtheewisp @milkxxkookies @smollpinkgirl @zukoyonce  @boomtownboy @velia27 @discowitchyy @kiss-evans @theorganasolo  @mishasminion360 @its--fandom--darling​ @emmy626 @nyasiaaaaa​ ​

Frankie Taglist:   @misslolasworld  @annathewitch  @synystersilenceinblacknwhite  @mrscrain-x7 @jaime1110 @lokiaddicted @prettylittlegoldfish @heythere-mel @mrsparknuts @mrpascals @agingerindenial @knittingqueen13 @wickedfrsgrl @rogueonestan @i-ship-it-ironically @lv7867 @heyitmelexie @lordmotherofcats @godohammers @stitchers-in-stitches @none-of-your-bullshit @ghostwiththemostbitch @computeringturtle @hayley-the-comet @bex-03 @emesispo @wille-zarr @driedgreentomatoes @mrsdaamneron @laymegentlytorest @crazyworldofsiani  @magikfanatic @ruthdjarin @fruit-of-my-hoechoins  @sarahjkl82-blog​ @disgruntledspacedad ​

[imgoingtohellsofuckit]

Not The One For You

Rodrick x Reader

Warning - Smut (don’t be too hard on it )

Summary - Rodrick’s parents don’t like you so you are having dinner with them to change their mind

Rodrick Heffley wasn't the brightest kid. It was pretty much universally known. So when you told your friends that you were dating the wannabe rock star. It's not like you two were that different. You liked the same music, both had an alternative style, both of you were older siblings, had families who only saw reasons to be disappointed in you. On the outside you two getting together seemed to make a lot a sense. However there were a lot of differences that your friends decided to focus on. Specifically that you were actually really smart and wanted a life that was normal. Well halfway normal. You were excited to keep the alt style but you wanted an actual job. Granted you were trying to be a mortician but still. You wanted the job, the house, the family and well Rodrick wanted the fame and the glory of being a musician.

"You guys are acting like me dating him now means I'm going to spend the rest of my life with him," You point out, "we are 17.... the only thing we know is that we like each other right now."

"Yeah but it's Rodrick," One of them points out, "he's incapable of taking care of himself. This is gonna be your life."

"Exactly! I mean what if you do end up getting like married?"

"Then I handle it then," You answer, "you are looking way too deep into this. We are just dating."

"Babe you ready?" Rodrick calls over.  You look back to see him a little bit down the hall from the circle of girls gathered around my locker.

"Of course Rod," You say as you shut the locker leaving your friends behind as you meet your boyfriend. He drapes his arm around you with a big smirk. Moving to plant a soft kiss on your forehead. My friends weren't the only ones who have problems with us. Rodrick's parents also found a lot to not like in our relationship. First of all Rodrick's mother is well- controlling to say the least. She saw another person in his life dressed in chains and all black, so she decided that I was just like the other people he hangs around with. Ignoring all the parts about me that aren't just my style. And whatever feelings about me his dad had all turned negative when Rodrick forgot to lock his bedroom door and his mom walked in.

"How was your day beautiful?" he asks as we head out to his van.

"It was slow- my calc teacher was riding my ass," You tell him, "deadass he wouldn't leave me alone. He sent me to the office for my outfit and they sent me back saying that it wasn't agaisnt dress code- because it isn't. And this mother fucker looks me dead in the eye and says- 'well if you didn't dress like a hooker I'd feel comfortable teaching you' which is like first off what the fuck."

"Thats gross- did you report him to the office?" Rodrick asks, "do I need to kick his ass?"

"I reported him and I called my mom- who by the way apparently is still on the phone with the principal," You say chuckling lightly, "and no you don't have to kick his ass- mostly because if you did.... you wouldn't win."

"Oh I totally could," He says, "I'm strong as hell."

"uH Rodrick babe I love you but he's the football coach and weighs 300 pounds," You say trying to explain it to him, "you'd get crushed. I still love you tho."

"I'm upset- I could kick his ass.... especially if he's being gross to you," Rodrick says. You nod unconvinced.

"How was your day?" You ask him.

"Boring - however I appreciated the pickup lines during history," He says, "it was cute..."

"I was gonna send my tittes but then I remembered your mom still reads your messages," You say smirking.

"Oh I missed out," He says, "think we can make a detour for a quicky in the car?"

"Your mom wants us there early," You remind him, "plus she's still on the fence about us being alone since she caught us in your room." He rolls his eyes lightly as we climb into his van.

"Yeah but let's say we make a detour to the store hookup in the back of the van and then grab some flowers or something for her to make it seem like we stopped for her," Rodrick suggests, "or maybe like a cake or something. To ya know show the peace..."

"Fine but you'd have to be quick," You tell him, "and you better tell me that your van is clean back there. Last time I got pizza in my hair."

"Clean... no it's not clean," He says, "but I brought a blanket and we can like spread it over the back... It'll be  fine..."

"Fine but the second I touch rotting food it's over," You say firmly. He smirks as he changes the course towards the store just up the street. He makes sure to get in the back line of the parking spots taking the furthest one from the store. He climbs in the back first shoving the trash around the back. The finally throws the blanket down across the back.

"Just like imagine rose petals and a bed and shit," He says. It's quite literally the opposite of the romance that I'd prefer but he's a giant punk dumbass so you have no idea why you would of thought this would be any different.  He sits down and looks at you with a goofy smile. "Malady would you like to join me?" You chuckle before climbing back to join him. The second you get back there he already starts yanking off his shirt. Way too excitedly for his own good. You smile as you move to pull off your layers. Finally as you both get to your underwear he looks at you excitedly. "You're so hot."

"Awe thanks cutie," You say as you climb on his lap moving to meet his lips. His hands fall to your waist. Holding on as you take full control of the situation. You can feel the excitement coursing through him. You chuckle lightly. You move to pull his member free from his boxers. The moving your own underwear to sink down onto his member. He lets out a loud moan as I set the slow pace.

"Mmm you're amazing," He says softly. You chuckle as you quicken the pace. Soft moans filling the car. You can tell you both are moving way more than you thought you would. Anyone on the outside would know automatically what was happening. All you can hope for is no one relaying the information back to Rodrick's mother. "Uhh baby," He moans loudly. You move pulling him into a deep kiss. Feeling the moans through the kiss. You can tell he's not gonna last much longer. You move laying back allowing him to take control. He smirks widely and starts at his assault. The moans filling the van. Echoing off the metal walls. Finally he pulls out. Spilling his load on your legs. "Did you?"

"No not yet," You say slightly annoyed at him finishing before you. He nods pulling your legs on his shoulders. Pulling you towards him. He latches his mouth on your clit trying his best to get you off. He's sloppy. But even the sloppiest technique when your this close could send you way over the edge. Your hand moves over your mouth as you come upon. Stifling the loud moans as you cum. He doesn't stop. He keeps going. Your body feels so good you could scream. He pulls away after a minute catching his breath.  "Come here," You demand. He complies clearly excited to see you like this. You move getting on your hands and knees. He looks like he's about to scream at the sight. He moves pushing himself in with out warning. Pounding into you as fast as he could.

"Mmmm I love you so much," He groans.

"I love you too Rod but please go faster," You moan. He complies. The van was filled with a pure moaning mess. "Oh Rod I'm gonna cum again." You can barely finish the words as you hit your second orgasm. He pulls out as you simply lay down on the blanket.

"Holy fuck," He says as he lays down beside you.

"Fuck Rodrick," You say softly, "we have to go see your parents after this."

"Yeah I guess we kinda went a little too hard," He says softly, "and we still have to actually get flowers or something."

"Ughh think you can manage that?" You ask, "I'm gonna go get cleaned up."

"Yeah what kind?" He asks.

"I don't care get something thats pretty but not a million dollars," You say as you sit up pulling your underwear back on. He nods as he follows suit in pulling on his own clothes. Once you both are fully dressed you climb out of the van. He takes your hand genteelly.

"You're beautiful you know that," He says smiling at you. You move pecking his cheek.

"Thanks Rod."

Once inside the store the two of you split up. You head to the bathroom to clean yourself up. Fixing you makeup and hair. Trying to make the whole thing less obvious. You meet him back at the entrance. He's holding two sets of flowers.

"Rodrick I know you're bad at math but I know you can at least count to thirty," You say chuckling.

"Actually I got these daisies for my mom," He says, "and these roses are for you." He hands the bouquet over to you. You take them with a big grateful smile. Moving in to pull him into a quick kiss. As you pull back he moves draping his arm around your shoulders. "Come on beautiful." As you both make your way to his van you can't help but smile. Sure he's not the most romantic boyfriend- he did just fuck you in the back of his disgusting van and instead of cleaning it to do so he threw a blanket over rotting food and old condoms. But the small gestures like the roses and the compliments. Really just prove that he's not as bad of a boyfriend as everyone thinks he is.

It doesn't take us long for you guys to reach his house. He holds your hand as he leads you both into the house.

"Rodrick is that you?" His mom calls.

"Yeah mom!" Rodrick yells back. His mom moves from the kitchen over to the doorway. She looks over us.

"Rodrick it is a 5 minute drive from the school to the house why did it take you almost an hour?" She asks him clearly not happy with you both. You smile nervously as you hand her the flowers. This dinner was my chance to fix the fact his parents didn't like me. And getting railed by their son right before this interaction was very much hurting my chances of this going well.

"We had to go to my mom's shop real quick then we picked up these flowers," You tell her, "sorry my fault. My mom wanted me to bring her a coffee." Her expression softens.

"Awe well thank you," She says, "how was your day Y/n?"

"Oh it was good," You tell her, "very productive."

"That's good! Here come with me I want you to taste this sauce for the pasta," She says brightly, "it's a new recipe." She starts moving off to the kitchen. Rodrick gives you a slightly impressed look before leading you both into the kitchen.

The rest of the dinner actually goes really well. Rodrick's mother despite her reserves after catching you and Rodrick seems to finally have forgiven you. Letting go of the stupid blame she had for you "corrupting her son" or whatever garbage she went on about.

"I hope Rodrick is being a gentleman," Mrs. Heffley says to you.

"Oh he is," You tell her, "he got me roses today. And he's always opening doors for me. Making sure to sent me good morning texts. He's actually a really good boyfriend." He smiles at you. You tighten your grip on his hand. She looks pleased with his answer. Greg starts to make a snarky comment but his brother kicks him from under the table.  

"That's good, I'm proud of you Rodrick," His mother says. His father looks between you and his son. Not completely convinced his son would act like anything other than the slob he knows.

"We are talking about this Rodrick right?" His father asks.

"Yeah actually," You say, "I know it might be hard to believe- I didn't believe it at first."

"What's so hard to believe about it?" Rodrick asks, "she's my girl and I want to make her happy-" The sweet words ending in a loud burp. Both of his parents sigh loudly. You simply chuckle. He looks over to you with a big smile. Then moves pecking your forehead.

"Yeah she's perfect for you Rodrick," Greg says, "anyone who can handle that- you better keep her around."

"Can it nerd," Rodrick says harshly.

"So what are you planning to do after school?" Mrs. Heffley asks you.

"I'm planning to go to school and studying mortuary science," You explain, "Mortician's are a job that's always gonna be there... And it helps that my grandmothers a mortician and is hiring me on her staff when I meet the requirements to join." She nods along to your words.

"Oh so you want a real job," His father says, "hmm Rodrick you could try that some time."

"No thanks old man," Rodrick says, "I'd rather stick something that actually matters. Like music... Not that I think your ambitions don't matter Y/n."

"No I understand," You tell him, "you have your dream and I have mine." You look to his parents. "Real jobs are relative... society is changing and becoming things like musicians and influencers is a lot easier than it was before." His mother chuckles nervously. You know that they have this thing against Rodrick's music. However you also know you want to support your boyfriend way more than you want his parents to like you. "I believe that Rodrick will do great in his music career...."

"Awe thanks babe-"

"If he works for it," You continue, "the music industry is hard and you have to stand out. I'm sure he'll get there but it'll take a lot of work."

"That's well put," His father says.

"She's very insightful," Rodrick says, "right babe?" You chuckle lightly. His mother looks back to you.

"So where is this school your looking at?" She asks you, "is it local? Or are you going away?"

"Oh it's local actually," You explain, "the next town over really but it's like a 20 minute drive." She nods. You give her a soft smile. "It's just a small college. I told Rodrick to check it out. They have a music production course which is apparently really nice."

"I've looked into it," Rodrick says, "and I don't know if school is for me... Considering I barely go when it's free I don't know if I want to pay to skip school all the time."

"You wouldn't be paying for all of it," His dad says, "if you actually go I might help... but you'd have to stay enrolled." Rodrick scoffs.

"School doesn't have to be for you Rod," You say to him, "but it's worth a look ya know. Maybe even a tour. You don't have to decide right now."

"Fine I'll tour it," He says, "we can tour together."

"Did she just get Rodrick to agree to tour a college?" His father asks in disbelief, "this isn't real?"

"Shhh don't say anything he might change his mind," His mother says quietly. Rodrick stabs at his pasta. He takes his last bite and then looks to his parents.

"I'm gonna drive her home," Rodrick says, "we'll probably stop to get something sweet on the way. That good?"

"Yeah of course," His mom says, "it was lovely seeing you Y/n."

"You as well Mrs. and Mr. Heffley, I hope I see you again soon," You say to them.

"Oh well how about you come to Grandpa Heffley's birthday party," Mrs. Heffley offers, "it'll be here and I'm sure the family would love to meet you... And you and Rodrick have been dating for a little bit now so I'm sure they'd love to see more than just the pictures you and Rodrick post online."

"Is that okay with you Rodrick?" You ask him.

"Sure it'll make it a lot less boring," Rodrick says, "can we head out now?"

"Yes Rodrick," His mother says clearly not loving his attitude. You wave to them as you stand. Rodrick leads you both out to his van.

"You sure that it's okay?" You ask, "If you don't want to then I don't have to go."

"It's literally fine," He says as you both get into his van, "honestly if you're there I'll actually have someone who likes me there." He gives you a smile. "I'd love it if you'd go."

"Then I'll go," You tell him, "it's nice that your parents seem to like me again."

"Yeah now I can have you over without my mom making us sit downstairs," Rodrick says, "and I don't have to hear the whole- 'are you sure about y/n?' speeches now." You chuckles.

"That's good," You say, "I love how your parents didn't like me but my mom adores you."

"Oh yeah I know," He says, "not the way I pictured that going honestly. I was afraid your mom would hate me."

"No she loves you!" You exclaim, "she thinks it's good that I'm with someone who likes to have fun... something about how I don't do that enough. And my grandma thinks you're funny."

"You're grandpa doesn't like me," Rodrick points out.

"Yeah well he doesn't really like me either," You add, "he's against anything that's different. I mean he's still harassing my mom about having two kids out of wedlock so there wasn't any hope for you babe."

"Didn't he want you to have like a chasty belt?"

"No he bought me a purity ring," You correct, "I gave it back to him saying that I don't believe in waiting til marriage and he called his priest on me... Ooo if I wear that would your mom like me more?"

"I think after she caught us having sex a thing about being a forever virgin won't really mean much," He says, "even if its a religious thing." You shrug in response.

"I tried," You say, "so whats this sweet thing you want to get on the way to mine?"

"You," He says with a smirk, "your mom home?"

"Not for another hour," You say brightly.

"Good because I think I've still got more in me."

"You're a dog Rodrick."

"And you love it," He says with a smirk.

“I really do.”

[lizzy-williams]

𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗠𝗲.

🧢 Warnings: Spoilers, language, trigger warning

🧢 Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eN9Yqeuo9Fo

Hey Kids by Molina (REALLY slowed down)

((I think that the music really fits the aesthetic of this movie, so like... listen to it while reading?))

- Tom Holland Masterlist

- Masterlist

I don’t think that I’ve ever seen anyone more embarrassed than Emma was that day. I had known the Russels for years. Sometimes they would even invite my mother and I over for dinner. 

But watching Rev. Teagardin humiliate her like that. Calling her less fortunate. She looked mortified. He was scarfing down her chicken livers as if it were a burden. Emma looked almost in tears. 

But when I looked over at Arvin, I could feel the anger radiating off him. Like the sun shining down on asphalt on a hot summer’s day. I knew Arvin was violent. I had seen it my fair share whenever someone picked on Lenora after school had dismissed everyone for the day. 

He wouldn’t fight them then, like anyone usually would. He’d leave. Then come back, picking them off one by one. And after I saw what he did to a few boys the past week, I knew what he was capable of. 

He held his grandmother close that day, his arm wrapped firmly around her shoulder, holding her as she buried her face into his shoulder, the unsettled expression on her face no longer seen by the people in the church who were looking her way. 

When everyone began eating, I watched as the Russels walked out, their heads almost hanging low. I nearly missed them, their escape was almost unnoticeable. Which was good, considering what had just happened. 

I excused myself, my mother giving a quick nod as I stepped away from the conversation. 

“Ms. Russel?” I walked quickly to catch up with them, “Ms. Russel??” 

The first one to turn around was Lenora, her eyes darting to the ground once hers met mine. 

Soon all three of them had stopped, Emma finally meeting my gaze. 

“I-I’m sorry about what happened in there, I’m sure the chicken livers were amazing. You truly have a talent...,” I paused, watching as her eyes softened up, “If you wouldn’t mind, I’d love it if you’d show me how to make them, if you’re willin’,”

Emma reached out and grabbed my hand, a smile on her face as she began to speak, her voice weak. 

“Of course. Thank you, [ y / n ], those words really mean somethin’.”

I nodded my head, “Well, I’m speakin’ the truth.”

For a second, only for a second, I looked up at Arvin. And he looked right back at me.

The diner was almost closed, the clock on the wall reading 10:00 pm. 

My blue uniform was stained with coffee, among other things. My hair was driving me crazy, and my clothes were wrinkled. My tights looked yellowed and my shoes were scuffed. 

God was really testin’ me today, wasn’t he?

The door suddenly opened, the bell above it ringing, making me jump. Everyone else had already left. So it was just me that had to clean up and lock up. 

I guess plans changed now. 

I knew who it was once I took a good look at him. That denim jacket was somethin’ I could recognize from a mile away. 

Arvin sat at the counter, taking his hat off, setting it to his left side, situating himself on the seat. 

“What can I get you, hun?” I knew it was cheesy as all hell to put the ‘hun’ at the end, but whenever I added that, I usually got a bigger tip.

“I’ll just have a coffee.”

“A coffee at this time-a night?” I giggled, “You must be pullin’ an all nighter.” 

He gave an unreadable smile in my direction, and I got the hint, turning around and pouring the last of the coffee in the pot into a tan mug. But I knew he was watching me. After all, what else was there to look at?

I set the coffee down, and for a moment he watched my hands as I set it down. Secretly, I hoped that he noticed the red nail polish decorating my nails. My mother always said red suited me like a tiger with its stripes. 

He then looked up, his golden-brown eyes meeting mine as he opened his mouth to speak. 

“I appreciate what you said to my grandmother the other day. The reverend ain’t got no business treatin’ her like that.”

I gave a simple nod, leaning over the counter and locking my knees. 

“I agree. What he said wasn’t right. Makes me think he might be better off as one of the men on the radio. But then again, he might be over-qualified.”

Arvin let out a small laugh, a smile on his face, and I could feel my cheeks beginning to turn a light shade of pink. 

The music in the background gave a soft atmosphere. 

“My grandma wanted to invite you and your mother over for supper tomorrow night. Suppose you can do that?” he asked.

“Wouldn’t miss it.”

The drive up to the Russell’s home wasn’t too far from town, and mother knew her way there like she was the one who lived there. Her and Emma had been friends for a while, meeting in church of course, and she also happened to know Lenora’s mother. 

We pulled up, the sun just setting. Emma came outside just as she heard the engine of the car, my mother hopping out the car, hugging her tightly. As I opened the car door, I immediately looked for Arvin in spite of myself. 

“Oh, dear, come give Auntie Emma a hug,” my mother called to me. 

“Hey, Emma,” I greeted, giving her a big hug. She always smelled like cigarettes and daisies with a hint of peach. 

“Hello, darlin, you look stunning,” she enquired, referring to the new top my mother bought for me recently. 

I quite liked the pink top. It fit well with my jeans. 

“Where’s Arvin?” my mother asked. I secretly thanked her in my head for asking the question, just so I didn’t have to. 

“Oh, he’s out there somewhere,” she motioned towards the clear branches of the small forest they had behind the house, “Mind wrangling him in for dinner?” 

“Course, Emma,” I smiled, my mother leading the older woman inside. 

I gave a small sigh, looking at the expanse of the skinny trunks of trees. I walked out, the leaves crunching under my feet. At least I knew that he could hear me coming. 

“Arvin?” I called out, hoping to catch a glimpse of the brown eyes that had been bothering me in my dreams for the past several days. 

“Arvin??”

“[ y / n ]?” I heard from behind me. 

I jumped, turning around. 

“Arvin!” I held my hand over my chest, “You scared the hell outta me!”

“My apologies.” he said. 

“Your grandma wanted me to ‘wrangle’ you in for supper,”

“Well, come on then, there’s no use in keepin’ everyone waitin’,”

He grabbed my hand, making my heart jolt as he pulled me along with him, practically dragging me through the sticks. 

As everyone sat down for dinner, Emma set down her special dish at the center of the table. It was the chicken livers she had made for the reverend, looking like an exact copy. 

“These look amazing, Emma,” I smiled up at her, and in return she gave me a grateful smile. 

“Well, what are y’all waitin’ for?” Emma laughed, “Dig in,”

By the end of it, my plate was filled with food. Mashed potatoes, chicken, green beans, and fruit. 

Everyone started to eat, and I looked at everyone, my eyes first met Lenora. 

“So, Lenora,” I began, Arvin’s head immediately snapping up almost on instinct. 

I didn’t blame him. Gene Dinwoodie and his friends always made fun, and eventually, so did everyone else. But I every time I encountered her, I was always nice. 

“I heard you did real good in math class,” I smiled, Lenora looking down at her plate, “Must be nice, you really are smart,” 

“Thank you,” she muttered, a shy smirk on her face. 

I then felt a hand take mine, giving it a soft squeeze. I looked over, Arvin’s face contorted into a thankful expression. 

“She is quite the smart one, ain’t she?” Emma smiled, proud as punch of her daughter. 

And so we ate, and talked, and ate some more. And when Emma brought out the pie after dinner, Arvin and I found our way out to the porch, both of us sitting together on the stairs. 

“I heard what you did to Gene and his friends,” I brought up, Arvin giving a look of guilt, partly hoping I didn’t think lowly of him, “I don’t blame you, he's so dumb, he could throw himself on the ground and miss.”

Arvin let out a full-hearted laugh at that, and I felt the heat on my cheeks come back. He nudged my shoulder as I tried to take another bite of blueberry pie. 

“I don’t think the people in this town realize how twisted people are. Everybody loves Gene, even though he’s meaner than a grizzly bear, and not to mention that flashy preacher.”

“Somethin’ about him don’t seem right,” I agreed, looking out into the night, the light behind us on the porch casting a shadow. 

“I don’t like the way he looks at Lenora.” he admitted, “He’s a lyin’ son of a bitch, he would tell you an alligator is a lizard.”

“I guess it’ll just be between us, because nobody else will hate the reverend. Maybe we can just... pray somewhere else,”

Arvin looked over at me, a glint in his eyes. Somethin’ told me the idea was familiar. 

“Alright then, pray with me,” he set his plate to the side, looking over at me. 

“Oh, you mean right now?” 

“Yeah. Why not?”

So we sat together, praying for nothing imparticular.

And that night, I saw a different side of Arvin. Not the mean, angry bully the other kids would refer to him as. And I was almost certain that I was falling in love with him.

“[ y / n ]??” My mother called from downstairs, “[ y / n ]!!!”

I rushed downstairs as fast as I could, my mother gripping the phone as she looked destroyed. 

“Mama?” I asked walking over to her quickly, taking the phone, and putting it up to my ear. But there was nothing but a dial tone, “Mama, what happened?”

“I-It’s L-Lenora,” she stuttered out, holding her chest tightly, “Sh-She-”

“What, Mama, tell me,” I sat her down, asking her in a soft voice, trying to coax the answer out of her. 

“[ y / n ]... Lenora hung herself.”

I held my mama that night. Held her tight. But the only one I truly thought about was Arvin.

Everyone stood at the side of the grave, an oak colored coffin before it would be lowered into the ground. I held Arvin’s hand, his eyes red and puffy. He had been crying for a while. There was no use in trying to calm him down. He needed to mourn. 

“Oh lord,” Emma held her chest, my mother’s arm wrapped around her shoulders, “There’s just some things we can’t understand,” she leaned down to the coffin, “But you take her into your arms...” She held her bible close to her chest, sobs leaving her mouth. 

“Uh, ain’t somebody,” Uncle Earskell spoke, “Sayin’ prayers or,” he stopped to clear his throat, Arvin giving him a deadly look. 

Earskell stopped talking, Arvin helping his grandmother off the ground, her sobs never stopping, my hand lightly drifting across his back, the action encouraging him to do the same to Emma. 

The drive home was painfully silent. My mother drove, and I sat next to Arvin. I didn’t know what we were. As far as I knew, we were best friends. But I couldn’t help but want something more. 

But I couldn’t be selfish. He was going through a lot right now. I thought that all he needed right now was someone to be there for him. 

As we reached the Russell’s house, Earskell helped Emma out of the car, and I moved out of the way to let Arvin out. 

“Take care of yourself, Arvin,” I said, giving him a remorseful look. 

When I got the little piece of paper on my porch, I thought nothing else of it, putting it with my other mail. 

But when everyone began to talk about the preacher and how he was shot and killed, the things left on his corpse including a girl from town’s panties, I knew he had somethin to do with Lenora.

Arvin went missing off the face of the Earth. It killed me not knowing where she was, his family scared sick. My mother went to go help Emma, knowing that if that woman suffered anymore heartbreak, she would die. 

When I had gotten home from visiting the church, I opened the piece of paper.

My heart almost stopped as I read it. 

[ y / n ],

I am writing this to you because I know that there is no way I can say this to your face. There are things in this world you need to deal with firsthand. I know what happened to Lenora. Our suspicions were correct, he’s bad. Real bad. Just know that what I’m about to do is something I’m not doing because I want to. It’s because I have to. Don’t try and look for me, it’ll do you no good. 

But we will meet again, I swear it. 

Arvin.

But I was gonna go find him. I felt like I had to. He was my best friend. 

I couldn’t do this without Arvin. I was worried sick, trying hard not to think about worst case scenarios.

That night, I packed my bags. I didn’t know where to look first, but somethin told me he would head to his old hometown, Knockemstiff. I packed my bags, and tried my best not to look back, knowing if I did, I would. turn around. 

Two days had passed, and if I was completely honest, I didn’t know my east from my west. I didn’t bother to call my mother. I had other things on my mind. All I had was a bag in the back and a wallet full of cash. 

It was the middle of the day, and at this point I didn’t know if I was ever going to see him again. I clutched the wheel tightly, feeling my chest contract, tears brimming in them as I felt as if I would pass out. 

“Fuck, fuck, FUCK,” I yelled, trying to keep a stready way on the road. It was so hard. What was I doing? Leaving everything I’ve ever known for a boy. My mother had done the same thing, and as much as I loved her, I didn’t want to become her. 

I suddenly swerved to the side of the road, getting out of the car, slumping to the ground. I didn’t know what to think. I loved him. I would do anything to have his hand in mine again. Even if it was just for a second. 

“Please, please, please,” I found myself sobbing, repeating the same words over and over again. 

Everything that had happened. Everything that was discovered. Lenora, her mother, the story of Arvin’s mother and father. Everything built up. 

“[ y / n ]?” a soft voice in the distance, and for a second, I thought it was delusion. Something that was caused by the heat. It sounded like him, but it couldn’t have been. 

God really was cruel today wasn’t he?

“[ y / n ]!” the voice was closer now. I picked my head up and looked in the direction of the voice. 

I screamed on shock, picking myself up, running in the direction of the face that I had been thinking about ever since I left. 

I embraced him, sobbing into his shoulder, my body shaking, the boy’s bag dropped to hold onto me tight. I didn’t want to let go, I feared he would evaporate, disappear again. I prayed God wasn’t playing a cruel joke on me. 

“You’re okay, you’re okay,” I whimpered into his shoulder, my face buried into the crook of his neck. 

I pulled back, putting my hands to his face, one on each side, taking in his face. 

His eyes were filled with tears as well, his expression unreadable. I then took note of the dirt all over him, “Where did you go?” I whispered. 

“Please don’t take me back home,” he started crying, “I can’t face my grandma like this...,”

“I wasn’t planning on it. I wasn’t planning on going back myself.” I admitted. 

“Where are you headed?” 

“Wherever you’re goin’.” 

((Boy oh boy, here we go-))

[all-my-love-for-harry]

Delicate. — Part 1.

word count: 2.6k

a/n: Here we are fam, i gotta be honest with y’all, this is heavily inspired in the fact that i watched Miss Americana twice this month, what resulted in me going through my taylor swfit phase again. Pls bare with me, i haven’t written anything like this before.

catch up here!

They said artists become what they are because deep down they are as insecure if not more than normal people. Because they craved constant validation in what they do. 

At least it was the case for Y/n. 

A girl who has built an entire system around being accepted by the public, someone who their major source of happiness is provided by strangers all around the world. When you are living from the approval of strangers and that is where you drive all your joy and fulfillment, one bad thing can cause everything to go down. Y/n has spent her whole life trying to please the world so they would like her, so what she has achieved over the years would last. 

When the world turned their back on her, Y/n had no choice but to disappear, because she thought that was what everyone wanted. Even then, she made her choices around what she thought would make them happy.

Y/n knew she could not hide forever, but for now, it was a necessary evil she had to take. Deciding to take a break from everything was the healthiest decision she has ever made, shutting down her social media, getting out of the city and going back home with her family was exactly what she needed. 

"Mom was sad she couldn't pick you up from the airport."

Seventeen-year-old Jensen, whose driving license was still new and fresh, was the one who picked Y/n up when her flight landed. In complete honesty, she did not like using a private plane, but she could not risk someone seeing where she was going. Jensen was good at driving, well, he has not crashed into a tree yet, so they were safe. 

"She would've brought Chase and scare Pandora and Lizzie." 

Jensen chuckled. "She's obsessed with him. I haven't started college yet and she's already thinking about turning my room into Chase's." 

Her parents’ house was a gated property away from others since it was safer that way. Y/n would not stay there the whole time since she had her own apartment a little closer to town. Her luggage, as well as her cats, were picked up separately and taken to her home, she would go there after lunch with her family. Jensen parked next to a black range rover that belonged to their dad, meaning both of their parents were home. 

Y/n threw her backpack over her shoulder as she stepped out of the car, eager to finally reunite with her family, especially her mother. She is in desperate need of a tight hug, a mug of hot chocolate and a shoulder to cry on. Y/n did not realize how mentally drained she was until she saw her mother open the front door. 

"My baby!" Louise exclaimed, embracing her daughter in a tight hug. "How was the flight?" 

"It was fine. I'm starving though." 

They walked into the living room and Louise closed the door behind them. Y/n dropped her backpack on one of the couches and sighed in relief. “Where’s dad?” Jensen went straight to the kitchen and opened the fridge.

“Get the white wine.” Y/n told him.

“It’s too early to drink that.” Louise took the bottle from Jensen’s hands and put it back in the fridge. “Dad’s outside. We bought some roses that will look beautiful by the pool.”

“You’re buying a lot of plants lately.” Y/n pointed a big vase full of daisies, her mom’s favorites, on the kitchen’s island. 

“I like supporting local business.” She shrugged.

“That and she’s obsessed with the owner of the flower shop.” Jensen chuckled, cracking open a water bottle. 

“Hey! That’s not true.” 

“Mom, you there like… every day. Who needs new flowers every day?”

“Shush.” The elder woman faked offense then gigged. “Handsome young man, he is. I’ll take you tomorrow.” She turned to Y/n. 

“Oh, no, mom. I’m going to lock myself in my apartment and try to write.” She said, making Louise scoff. “I’m serious!”

“I know you are. But living like a hermit is not going to do you any good.”

“I agree, sis.” 

Y/n rolled her eyes, knowing they were right as always but did not want to admit it. The truth was, she wanted to write some songs, so badly, but could not find the right words. She was hoping to get some peace and quiet to get her ideas and emotions in order again. Before any of them could say anything else, David entered the kitchen while taking off his gardening gloves and smiled widely when he spotted Y/n.

“And who do we have here?”

“Hi, dad.” Y/n smiled at him brightly before wrapping her arms around her dad, who hugged her back just as tight. 

“Good to have you home, darling.” 

The family of four sat on the kitchen island and started to catch up. Jensen talked about his different college options and how he was considering getting a summer job this year. Louise kept talking about how nice the owner of this flower shop was, making emphasis on how he was also single. Y/n didn’t know what she was trying to do, but she didn’t pay much attention either. 

Overall it was nice for Y/n to get out of her head for a little bit, and her family was always a great help for that. She knew she still had a lot to deal with, and she would probably get a call from her publicist and a lot of other people soon, but for now, she just wanted to think about anything else that wasn't the whole world hating on her. 

"How are you doing, Y/n? Be honest." Her mom asked after they stayed alone in the kitchen.

"Been better." She sighed. "I don't want to think about it, mom."

"You have to talk to someone, sweetie. I know your team cares for you and is trying to handle the situation, but you can still talk to me."

"I know, thank you. I'm just trying to figure it what I'm going to do."

Louise sighed. "You sure you don't want to stay here? You have your room and everything."

"Thanks for the offer, mom. But I sort of want to be on my own." She said. "But I'll come for lunch every day, I promise."

Although Louise wasn't convinced by her daughter's words, she chose to not push it. She knew Y/n had her own ways to express her feelings, and she'd talk whenever she felt like it. So she let her go, making her promise she'd come to visit soon.

"Do you need a ride? I'm going to town anyway." Jensen offered, taking the keys of his car from the little plate they kept on the table beside the front door. 

"Yes, please."

The drive to her apartment wasn't a long one, and in less than ten minutes she was opening her front door and being greeted by her two beautiful cats rubbing themselves on her legs. Y/n sighed, thinking about how much she needed to unpack now that she was here. The truth was, she didn't know for how long she'd be staying here, but she figured it'd be a long time so she packed a lot. Now she kind of regretted it because she would probably be in her pajamas all day anyway. 

After cleaning Pandora and Lizzie's sandbox, Y/n decided to grab an acoustic guitar and try to come up with some melodies. She wasn't quite sure about any lyrics yet, but it was always good to have a little something to start a song. 

She went from playing the guitar to play the piano, hoping she'd get more inspirations somewhere. But she had nothing. Not even one decent note. She was empty. 

"Don't pretend is... mhmm. Think about the... No." She groaned and slammed the palm of her hands on the keyboard, growing frustrated. Why all of a sudden she couldn't even rhyme? Maybe she needed a break, or perhaps she was tired from her flight and tomorrow she'd be able to write something.

//

Turns out her writer's block was here to stay. A week has passed since her arrival and Y/n hasn't been able to finish one single song. Everything she started ended up being erased or in the middle of her living room after the ripped the page off her journal. 

"I told you, you shouldn't hurry. Inspiration will come eventually, it always does."

"I guess. I just have nothing else to do other than play scrabble with you and write songs, or at least try to."

"Let me take out then." Louise started and Y/n shakes her head. "C'mon, let's eat somewhere or buy groceries and I'll cock at your place." Y/n looked at her mom and realized she wouldn't stop until she accepted, so Y/n offered Louise a nod. "Marvelous. There's this little café that I absolutely love. You'll love the owner."

"What is it with you and the owners of local shops?"

"They're my friends. Oh! We could drop by Blossom House. You could use some flowers around your house so it would look like somebody actually lives there."

"Stop dragging me, woman."

Louise drove them to this café called Furry Cakes, which turned out to be a cat café. Y/n obviously lost it as soon as they walked in, and nearly cried when she saw all the kittens, and absolutely shed a tear when the girl behind the register said every kitty except for one named Chaster was up for adoption. She felt like a little girl all over again when her mom told her she couldn't take every single kitty home. 

Y/n was wearing a hoodie that was twice her size, plus some big sunglasses she refused to take off, even inside of the café. She was praying she wouldn't get recognized as she knew people were dying for a picture of her, see how she was after the entire world canceled her. 

"We'll leave the car parked here, the flower shop is just around the corner." Louise pulled from Y/n's hand to make her walk faster. There weren't a lot of people on the streets and she was grateful for that, she hasn't gotten a proper walk in what felt like ages. 

They stopped outside a modern-looking building with a big, bright sign that read 'The Blossom House'. It was simple yet cute. The pair stepped in and a little bell ringed. Y/n looked around, admiring how everything looked like it was straight out of a fairytale. There were little pots hanging from the ceiling and she looked up, she saw the ceiling was pure glass, which made the whole place brighter. Flowers weren't really her thing as she could barely keep them alive, but seeing this amount of flowers all in the same place... made her somewhat happy and warm inside. 

She was so deep in thought she didn't even realize her mom left her and was nowhere to be found. It doesn't look like it from outside, but the shop was actually big and very spacious. It was also empty right now, not even an employee was around, so she decided to have a look on her own. It looked like they had all kinds of flowers in here, which made her even more excited because that meant they had-

"Azaleas? They're also my favorites." A deep voice interrupted her thoughts. She jumped on her place as she wasn't expecting it, which made the person behind her chuckle. "I didn't mean to scare you, sorry."

"It's okay..." She turned around and it was fair to say that was she saw stunned her right away.

In front of her, a gorgeous looking man was standing there with a bright smile on his face. She noticed the two dimples poking at each side of his face, making his smile even more beautiful. His emerald green eyes were the greenest eyes she has ever seen in her life, she believed. He had crinkles by his eyes due to his smile being wide. But to her, the icing of the cake was the beautiful mop of chocolate curls he had on the top of his head. She suddenly felt the insane urge to run her hands through it just to see if they were as soft as they looked. 

"Harry, darling!" Louise appeared out of nowhere and wrapped her arms around the man, who only chuckled while reciprocating the greeting.

"Hello, Louise. What's it gonna be today? Tulips? More daisies?" Oh God, he's British. Y/n thought to herself. 

"Gosh, you know me so well. I'm actually here just to look around, I see you found my daughter though." She smirked.

"I surely did. I'm Harry, nice to meet you, love." He offered her a hand for her to shake.

Y/n was a little surprised by the pet name but took his hand nonetheless. "I'm Y/n, nice to meet you too."

"I want her to get some plants for her house." Louise spoke again.

"Well, you're in the right place then." He said. "Do you want them for your garden?"

"No, uhm... I don't have one. I live in an apartment."

"Personally, my favorite to keep indoors are Begonias." Harry guided the two women to a different section of the flower shop and pointed to some pretty ones in pink color. "But I also enjoy Daylilies, although they're a little harder to maintain."

"Yeah, maybe not those then. I'm not very good at keeping plants alive."

"She killed a cactus once." Louise mentioned. 

"No way." 

"I didn't know they'd drown if I watered them more than once a week!" Y/n defended herself. 

"Amateur mistake." He joked. 

The truth was Y/n was too busy to have a garden, she was always traveling and didn't stay too long in one place so even if she tries to have one, it'd be dead by the end of the month. 

"What plants are cat friendly? I have two at home."

"Bromeliads are cat friendly, they're easy to maintain too."

They looked around for a little bit. Harry said a fun fact about every type of flower Y/n pointed out, never failing to make her laugh. The funny thing was, it didn't look like Harry knew who she was. Either he hasn't recognized her, or he didn't know about her. Which by the way, not to be a narcissist, would be highly unlikely.

She ended up taking a couple of new plants home, starting to grow excited about them. It was true, her apartment could use a little more life to it, and now she was sure her new plants would do that for her. Harry was wrapping everything for them while he stood behind the counter.

"Oh, here. This one's on the house." Harry handed her a pot with some beautiful blue Azaleas. She took them with a growing blush on her face, a blush that went deeper when their hands brushed with each other. "Try to not kill them though." He teased.

Y/n rolled her eyes as her mom chuckled behind her. "I'll report their aliveness back to you, you'll see."

"You better. Have a nice day, ladies. I'm guessing I'll see you around, Y/n?"

"Sure, I'm uh... I'm living here right now."

Harry smiled at them one last time before they exited the shop. After the door closed behind them, Louise turned to Y/n. "He likes you."

"Don't be ridiculous."

"What do you say if we invite him for dinner sometime?"

"Like, at your house?" She asked surprised.

"Yeah, why not?"

"I have to keep a low profile, mother. For all I know he could be tweeting about I just exited his shop."

"Don't let the paranoia ruin the possibility of forming new friendships... or more." Louise sent her a wink.

"Okay, that's enough."

Y/n brushed her off, trying not to think much about it. A new friendship sounded impossible at this point of her life, let alone pursuing a new relationship with someone. She had made up her mind, she was better off being alone.

[missymurphy1985]

Secrets & Lies

Your brother's best friend has been asked to pick you up from college after your brother's car broke down - you've not met Jim before now, but you were keen to get to know him more.

Taglist: @queenshelby @margoo0 @cloudofdisney @peakyscillian @ntmynouis

Warnings - smut.. a lot.. outdoor sex.. virgin reader

A request from @noctvrnalmoth

*************************************************

"Thank you so much for the ride home, Jim, really appreciate it." You smiled at the driver as you pulled up outside your parents house.

"No problem at all y/n, it was nice to finally meet you, your brother has told me so much about you." You and Niall were really close, despite the 10year age gap. When you were younger you didn't get along at all, but when your parents divorced three years ago, shortly before your 15th birthday, you'd moved in with him and his girlfriend Ilona and become closer, finding you had more in common than you thought. Your mother and you never got along, your father couldn't take you in as he worked away so much, but your older brother welcomed you with open arms, without question.

"I don't understand why he's never introduced us before, I've met all his other friends?"

"Yeah, strange. But at least I've met you now." He smiled, making you blush. There was no mistaking he was very attractive, but he was your brother's friend - with those eyes and that floppy brown hair, he had the pick of anyone he wanted, what would he want with an inexperienced 17year old like you?

"I guess I'll see you at your birthday party, right?" You smiled again, your brother had arranged a house party for your 18th birthday this weekend. Your parents were no longer around - mum had packed up and gone to live with her toyboy in London, your father had turned to drink following the divorce and sadly passed away following a binge, driving his car into the wall of the local supermarket.

You nodded and got out of the car, feeling a little giddy but holding it together enough not to let it show.

The party was in full swing - your 18th, surrounded by those you loved the most. Only Niall was blood family, but you considered your combined group of friends to be your adopted family - you'd all known each other for years, and you adored them. Except Jim. You couldn't work out why your brother had never introduced you to him before, but you'd met now, and you were excited to get to know him better.

"Happy Birthday y/n," his thick Irish accent pulled you from your daydream as you turned to face him. He kissed your cheek and handed you a small gift bag. Thanking him, blushing, you placed it on the kitchen counter with the others and you each poured yourselves a drink from the punch bowl Ilona had made that afternoon.

"You didn't have to, thank you so much Jim."

"Can't let your 18th birthday go by without a gift now, can I? Enjoying the party?"

"It's amazing - I think a few of my friends are a touch worse for wear already!" You laughed watching your friend Becky try to walk to the bathroom - looking remarkably like a duck with a limp...

"Yep, she's not gonna feel good in the morning! You seem to be stone cold sober? It's your birthday!"

"I'm not a big drinker and I know my limits - slow and steady, wake up fresh as a daisy." You winked at him and his lips turned up slightly to smile at you.

"You like slow and steady then?" He leaned forwards to whisper in your ear and you felt an unrecognisable feeling in the pit of your stomach, it felt like a hot coil turning and you couldn't help but bite your lip. Jim smiled at the reaction he gave you, and winked. "I'll see you later, y/n." What the hell was that? Was that flirting? Was he coming on to you?

"Don't even think about it y/n..." You brothers voice suddenly snapped you out of your daydream. You took a deep breath and smiled.

"Think about what, Niall?"

"He's off limits. He's 29 in a few weeks y/n, waaay too old for you!!" You scoffed.

"How olds Ilona, Niall? Isn't she nearly 35?" You giggled.

"You're barely 18, y/n, he's pushing 30! No way am I letting him anywhere near my baby sister." You rolled your eyes.

"I'm not a baby anymore, I'm an adult now - a proper one! It's all official n shit.." you smirked. You'd been older than your years since the divorce, but you loved playing childish around your older brother.

"Y/n please - you deserve so much better than him okay? He's not worthy of you."

"And why not Niall? Huh? Give me one good reason why not."

"All he's after is a fuck, and a fuck off. He'll just break your heart, okay? He's never held down a serious relationship with anyone, he doesn't know how." He was whispering now, so no one else could hear him. "He's had more one night stands than I've had hot dinners, and I'm not prepared to let my sister become another of his conquests." You looked at Niall, he was serious. A look of worry etched all over his face.

"And this is why we've never met?"

"Exactly why. You're a young, impressionable, attractive girl y/n - you deserve the world on a plate. All he can offer you is likely to be something you'd need antibiotics to get rid of." You chuckled at his humour.

"Okay, okay... I'll keep my distance. I promise."

The party was drawing to a natural close, lots of drunk people but all in good spirits - dozens of cheek kisses, hugs, and happy birthday wishes later, it was you, Niall, and Ilona left at the end. Niall and Ilona were already snoring on the sofa. You sat in silence watching the movie Niall had chosen before they fell asleep drifting yourself, when the door suddenly knocked you awake. Groaning, you made your way to the door and were surprised to see Jim stood in the doorway.

"Sorry y/n.. left my phone!" You let him in to look for it.

"Want me to ring it?" You offered, taking your phone from your jeans pocket. He dialled his number and listened for the ring. Hearing it in the kitchen, he went to pick it up before coming back to you in the hallway.

"You're a star, thanks y/n! I'll see you soon, yeah?" He handed you your phone back and you couldn't help but feel the electricity surging through you when his fingers brushed yours.

"Get home safe, yeah?" You opened the door to let him out. He maintained eye contact with you as he walked out the door. "Player..." You mumbled. "Hot player... Damn fine, sexy player.. but still a player." You made a promise to your brother and you were determined to keep it.

Leaving college the following Monday, your phone pinged with a message.

"Hey, great party on Saturday - hope you weren't too hungover the next day! Jim xx" you heart lurched.. how did he - ah wait, the missing phone... Probably used that trick dozens of times. You deleted the message and put your phone back in your bag. You won't play me, Jim, you thought to yourself, suddenly smiling at the control you were taking in this situation. It was clear he was attracted to you, and you couldn't deny you were attracted to him too - but there was no way you were going to let him fuck and run with you. You'd never gone that far with anyone before, your first time wasn't going to be a one night stand.

**********************************************

3 years later....

"Niall!!" Your brother was waiting on the platform for you with Ilona and their newborn baby. You were so excited to see them - you'd been in England at university and you were finally home, your degree finished, and now meeting your niece for the first time. Your brother swept you up in a massive hug and Ilona held up baby Emily in her arms. You placed your bag on Niall's shoulder smirking, and took the tiny baby from Ilona, cooing over her.

"Oh she's beautiful... She's just perfect..." Choking back a sob as the little one gripped your little finger in her tiny hand. Ilona wiped a tear from her eye.

"So glad to have you home!! Come on, let's get back to the house and you can tell us all about it!"

"So how's things been here?" You asked once you'd settled back at home, your brother pouring you a glass of wine. Ilona feeding Emily in the armchair in the window.

"Same old same old - although it appears your old crush has settled down nicely now!" You choked on your wine as your brother smirked at you.

"What crush??"

"Oh come on y/n, everyone knew you fancied Jim, it was only because your brother put a veto on him that you didn't act on it!" Ilona chuckled. You felt your heart sink a little at the news.

"Settled down? I thought he was the biggest playboy in Dublin?"

"Apparently he's put it all behind him - been with Danielle for about 8 months now, seems to be going well." Niall eyed you, watching for a reaction. He knew the two of you had exchanged texts years ago, your better judgement getting away from you after your initial reluctance at first. Nothing more than a few flirty texts, as you'd left soon after to attend Leeds University studying Law. You'd bagged yourself a new job at a law firm back home in Dublin following your outstanding Degree results, and started the following week. The messages between you had dried up after you'd left home, clearly he'd lost interest now you weren't as physically accessible as before.

"Good for him. I'm glad he's sorted himself out." You smiled, hiding the sadness in your eyes as best you could. Regardless of the time that had passed and the certainty that he would have broken your heart had you let him, you still held a torch for him deep down inside.

Niall knew you better than to pry further, so he left it alone, and you spent the rest of the day chatting about your uni experience, and cuddling your baby niece. You'd be living back with Niall until you had enough saved to buy your own place - they'd left your room as it was before you'd left, but they'd need it for the baby before long.

Your girlfriends were so excited to finally have you home, they'd arranged drinks at Murphy's Bar in the city centre that evening to welcome you back. Walking in, they all screamed your name and you were suddenly drowning in hugs from all 4 of them. After settling in a booth, you were all catching up on the last 3 years - you hadn't come home much while you were away as in between classes you'd been working as a clerk at a law firm building your experience. Time off had been limited, but you were home now, looking forward to making up for lost time.

"Oh you will not believe who's just walked in here..." Your friend Kim nodded at the bar a few hours after you'd arrived. Stood at the bar, you noticed his dark hair first, then his eyes when he turned round to lean against the bar, his beer being poured. He didn't look happy, but you still felt a warm glow in your stomach as he suddenly caught you looking over. You saw him take a breath and smile warmly at you, and that glow burned a little brighter. You made your way over to him, smiling gingerly and he gave you a warm kiss on the cheek.

"Long time y/n, how've you been?" He smiled before asking the bartender to add your next drink to his tab.

"Busy, finished uni last week and I start my new job next week so catching up with everyone this weekend. How are you? I hear you're doing well, with Danielle now, right?" He looked to the floor.

"Yeah, I guess."

"You guess? Ilona said you guys were practically married!" You laughed, but he didn't.

"Yeah. So where are you working?" You chatted about your new job as a paralegal in Holland & Taylor's Law Firm on Dublin's high street, and he smiled, eyes never leaving yours. Suddenly, he ordered 2 shots for the pair of you, and raised a toast. "To you, y/n, and the success you absolutely deserve." You were already fairly tipsy, but you never refused a shot. You both knocked it back and he ordered another two.

"Jim I think I've had enough, but thank you..." Jim smiled at you.

"Still know your limits huh? Fair enough, I'll drink yours." You saw pain in his eyes again.

"Jim stop.. what's going on? Are you okay?" He knocked both shots back.

"Since when did you care? Fucked off to the UK, didn't even tell me you were going, just did one. I thought we were onto something, I wanted to get to know you better, then one morning poof! You were gone?"

"Jim come on, it was a few texts! We had a cheeky flirt - no doubt I was one of a dozen girls in your phone, it was years ago! Come on now?" He laughed, the drink taking a hold and he stumbled slightly. You turned and headed back to your friends at the booth.

"Girls, carry on without me, I'll catch up later. I need to make sure he gets home safe..." They knew better than to argue - you'd always had a soft spot for someone in need of help. They nodded and headed to the next bar, you'd catch them later once you'd got Jim home. "Come on," you said, hooking an arm under his and wrapping his arm over your shoulder.

As the air hit you both, you felt him stand next to you.

"I'm sorry I snapped... I didn't... I'm sorry." He sat on a bench by the taxi rank, sobering up.

"Hey it's me who should be sorry Jim. I should have stayed in touch, it was just so busy with uni and work.. but I'm home now yeah? We can catch up?" A taxi pulled up outside the bar and Jim stood, making his way to get in.

"My head's a fucking mess y/n.." He paused, standing in the open door of the cab.

"Jim? What's happened?" Without thinking, you found yourself getting in the car with him as Jim gave the driver his address.

"Found out she was fucking around with her colleague. She doesn't know I caught them. Went to her flat this afternoon, finished work early, and saw them upstairs through the window, all over each other, bending her over the bed I fucked her in last night." He grimaced at the memory of it. "This is karma, isn't it? For all those times I screwed around years ago... Fucking deserve it I guess." You noticed a tear falling down his cheek and you took his hand gently.

"Jim, no one deserves this.. yes you played around when you were younger but no more than any other single lad in Dublin!"

"Yeah I wasn't always single when it happened y/n. I was a dick, a complete dick. I'm not destined to be happy, and that's fine. I can live with it. Clearly better suited to being an eternal bachelor eh?" The taxi pulled up outside the flat he shared with another friend, and you helped him out the car and up the stairs, telling the taxi driver you'd be back in 2 minutes once you'd made sure Jim was inside safe.

His arm over your shoulder felt nice, you couldn't deny that, and you both staggered up the steps while he fumbled in his pocket for his keys.

"Thanks for taking me home y/n.. really appreciate it. I'm sorry I'm a wreck."

"Hey it's fine okay? Let's just get you inside, yeah? Get to bed and you'll be fine." He paused after opening the door and you felt your cheeks burn. He was definitely sober now, but his eyes were burning into yours. Without thinking, you leaned forwards and caught his lips in your own, before pulling back quickly. He caught your hips and pulled you back against him, pulling you inside as you kicked the door closed behind you. You tried to pull away, but your body was screaming for him - three long years of fantasising about this moment, you couldn't stop now even if you wanted to. Crashing onto the sofa, he pulled you into his lap, hands roaming up your back as he pulled away from the kiss quickly.

"Y/n, do you want me to stop?" You shook your head.

"Don't you dare.. but..." He held back slightly. But?

"You okay?"

"Danielle..."

"I've already sent her a text telling her to go to hell and her fuck buddy too. It's over, y/n." He ran his fingers through your hair.

"Okay.. but.. don't laugh okay?" He lifted you off his lap and sat you on the sofa next to him.

"I promise."

"I'm.. I've never.. I'm still a virgin Jim..." His eyes widened in shock.

"Wow.. really? But you're beautiful y/n... No one has ever.." you blushed, feeling embarrassed at his compliment.

"Just never got round to it I guess... Work and uni.. busy.. few dates here and there but I never really took a shine to anyone enough for them to be my first.."

"We should stop... It isn't that I don't want you, I do, but not like this.."

"I want you Jim... It's always been you.. since that day in the car? I've never wanted anyone else.. I sound like a crazy stalker don't I," you rolled your eyes and laughed, making your way to stand and leave. "I should get back, my friends are waiting. I'll see you soon yeah?" He watched you move to the door and pulled your hand so you fell back onto the sofa with him.

"Your brother will kill us both for this..." He moaned into your mouth as you kissed him, back in his lap, you could feel how hard he was under your legs.

"What he doesn't know won't hurt him, right?" He chuckled at your response. This was going to be fun. You teased, grinding your hips against his and stood up, leaving him speechless on the sofa. "My numbers the same - call me, yeah?" He nodded, watching your body sway out the door.

********************************

He picked you up from work Friday afternoon, around a week later. Your texts becoming increasingly heated over the last few days, you were excited to jump in the car. You felt like a giddy teenager again, sneaking round behind your brother's back.

"Where did you tell him you were going?" Jim asked as he pulled away, heading towards the hotel on the outskirts of Dublin.

"Said I was staying at a friend's house in Cork for the weekend - he doesn't have her number, it's a 'new' friend I've invented that I met at uni. We're safe for a couple of days." You felt nervous. Excited, but still nervous. The text exchanges between you making it clear exactly what you both wanted, and when he said he'd take you away for the weekend, you had been online and bought something especially for the occasion - wearing it underneath your smart work clothes.

"Sounds perfect - you okay? You're sure you wanna do this? It's not too late y/n.."

"Shut up and drive, Jim."

Pulling outside the hotel you gasped. It was beautiful.. out in the sticks, completely secluded, you couldn't wait to get inside. The room was laid out beautifully, and the view from the window went on for miles - green countryside, the flowers in the grounds blooming, farm animals off to the distance.. idyllic. He placed your bags in the corner and walked over to you, snaking his arms round your waist from behind.

"You look amazing..." He pressed his lips against your neck as you tilted your hair back, pushing your backside against his hardening erection. Considering your inexperience, you seemed to know exactly what you were doing - it's like your body was taking over. He pushed forwards against you, letting out a soft growl.

"I promise I'll take it slow y/n.. so gentle.. I've wanted you for years, I'm not gonna mess this up now.." you turned your body round to face him.

"I trust you - I do. I'm just nervous.." he kissed your worries away and pulled you down with him onto the chair into his lap. "I want to to have me, right here, right now... Please Jim..." You ground your hips against him, and he gasped at the friction. You stood up, and pulled the wrap-around dress you were wearing off, letting it fall to the floor. You smiled as his expression changed, seeing you stood in the lacy, navy blue lingerie, complete with thigh high stockings. He pulled you back into his lap and kissed you again, this time his hands roaming over your breasts slowly, moving down lower across your hips, and over your toned thighs. He looked up at you, before teasing his fingers over the lace thing covering your burning core.

"Can I?" He questioned, still in shock that you'd chosen him to do this. You nodded, lifting yourself up slightly to grant him easier access. He slipped a finger between your wet lips, bringing some moisture up to circle around a bundle of nerves at the top - you shuddered when he found it, and gasped when he put pressure on it.

"Relax.. this will feel good, I promise.." he noticed your tension and realised just how inexperienced you were - this was all new to you, all of it... He continued circling with his fingers as you rocked on his hand, his fingers driving you insane.

"This... Jim... Oh god that feels good... What... Oh...." You had no control now, his fingers circling a little harder as you threw your head backwards gasping for air.

"You're gonna cum y/n... Let it happen, just relax baby..." You gasped again, feeling an unfamiliar burning coil in the pit of your stomach. Rocking your hips involuntarily against his hand, you felt it. A white hot release, accompanied by a loud cry from your lips as your breath caught in your throat. You felt your core soak him, and blushed as he brought his now wet hand back up to lick the juices from them.

"You taste good baby.. I'm getting a first hand taste of this later.." your breath returning to normal now, you lifted your still pulsing body off his lap and sank to the floor between his knees.

"How about we take care of this first?" You pulled his jeans down, he lifted his body up to help and you bit your lip as his hard cock sprung out from them.

"It'll be fine y/n... Trust me?" You nodded, before he took your hand to wrap it around the base of his shaft, before moving it up and down slowly. You felt your core twitch again as he moaned gently, now releasing your hand to let you carry on.

"Do you want me to go faster?" He nodded down at you, and you tightened your grip slightly, moving your hand up and down a touch quicker. A flash of inspiration, and you suddenly moved your mouth over his cock taking him by surprise.

"Fuck y/n... Oh god..." You were doing something right... his balls twitched as you rolled them around your hand slowly, your mouth sucking lightly on his cock. "Harder, y/n..." You complied and took him down your throat a little further, sucking a little harder. His fingers in your hair now, guiding your head up and down. "That's it... This is so good but y/n.. if you carry on it ends here babe..." You smiled removing him from your mouth. He pulled you down on top of him again.

"I want you to control this - it's yours for the taking y/n... Reaching down to his jeans pocket, he grabbed a condom. Pulling it over his cock, he lifted your hips over him and eased you down slowly. "Go slow... Take your time okay.. stop when you need to.." you felt him enter you slowly as you gently brought your hips down. Pausing every few seconds as you adjusted to his size. You suddenly stopped, feeling a barrier...

"I need to break past this, okay? Relax for me..." Bringing a hand back to your clit, he rubbed gently as he spoke softly. "Relax... You feel so good y/n... Wrapped round me... I'm gonna make you feel so good..." Without warning he thrust his hips up taking your breath away, and you fell onto him taking him fully inside you. He held you close as you caught your breath, the pain beginning to subside, replaced by a full and pleasurable warmth inside you.

"Move those hips against me y/n... Like we're dancing..." You did as he asked and gasped at the feeling of pleasure coursing through you. Every movement of yours met by a gentle thrust up from him, making you moan against him.

"This... Fuck this feels good Jim..." Your hips moved faster now as he leaned forwards slightly to kiss the base of your throat, his hands roaming over your still-covered breasts under the lace bra.

"Need more of you..." He stood up, lifting you off him and carrying you to the bed, laying you down on your back and spreading your legs wide. "I'm gonna fuck you y/n.. just like you wanted..." Your core spasmed at his words, fuck this was turning you on... He moved over you and entered you again, this time harder. He brought one of your legs up against his chest and rocked his hips back and forth. You moaned loudly, hands gripping the headboard behind you as that feeling coiled up again inside. He could feel it too, and brought his thumb down to massage your clit hard. Stars now - shit you swore you even saw a fucking unicorn at one point - your orgasm washing over you as you came hard against him, his fingers and cock taking you to highs you'd never been to before but desperately wanted to see again.

"Fuck y/n...." He suddenly stilled, panting your name as his own climax overtook him, filling the condom inside you. Slipping out, disposing of it, he lay down next to you and pulled you close to him.

"That was amazing Jim.... Thank you..."

"It gets easier y/n.. next time will be better.." you smiled, better than that?? Now you were intrigued..

"I want to experience it ALL with you... Show me everything... Show me what I've been missing..." You looked up at him as you lay on his chest.

"Everything? You sure you can cope with that?" You nodded. "Buckle up baby, we're not leaving this room all weekend..."

********************************

He was bringing out a side of you you didn't know existed - and you loved it. The thrill of the secret, the excitement of the fact no one knew but the two of you.. it was a constant turn on for you. He'd taken you away for sex-filled weekends away, where he'd introduced you to different positions, different toys, bringing you both a new level of climax every time. He stunned you with his stamina, often making you cum at least three times before he did.

Your brother had invited him and a few others round for drinks and a games night one evening, the first time you'd been in each others company around other people since your first encounter six months ago. You'd spoken about making your relationship public a few times, but the opportunity never arose. You'd have to really hold back tonight if you were to keep your feelings for each other a secret.

After winning against him in Monopoly for the second time after he demanded a rematch, you headed to the kitchen to top your drink up. He followed a minute later.

"This is fucking impossible y/n... You know how many times I've wanted to bend you over that table?" He sneaked up from behind and breathed in your ear, pressing himself against your back. You bit your lip and pushed your hips against him, before turning to kiss him quickly before anyone saw you.

"You'll have to wait til this weekend Jim... Only another week..."

"I don't think I can wait much longer... Fuck I want you so bad..."

"Drink up. I've only had one. You're drunk, and you need a ride home, don't you now?" He smiled, getting the idea. He knocked his drink back and staggered into the living room

"I think I've had enough lads, beers gone straight to my head! Should've had food before coming over..." He was a cracking actor, you thought, almost convinced you!

"I'll drive him home, a taxi will cost a fortune and I've only had one. I'll be back soon okay?" Your brother eyed you suspiciously but you just smiled and guided a 'drunk' Jim out the house to your car.

"When are you moving out y/n? This sneaking around is getting really tricky...

"I get the keys next month, not long now and we'll have our own space to do as we please yeah?"

"Pull over..." He growled, and you pulled into a quiet side road leading to the beach in the distance. Leaning over to kiss you, he placed a hand over your thigh, parting it slightly before gripping you hard under your skirt between your legs causing you to gasp.

"Here??"

"No, keep driving until we're at the beach... About time we had sex in the dunes..."

"What? I'm not going there with you now, it's the middle of winter!!" Despite your protest, you still found yourself driving to the dunes anyway, his hand still between your legs, then pushing past your underwear to tease you as you drove. You tried to focus on the road ahead, but his fingers were making it difficult...

"Wanna make you scream my name on the sand baby..." Was the car getting hotter?

Rocking your hips against him as he thrust up to meet you, you found yourself riding him hard on the sand, gasping and moaning with each thrust.

"That's it... Ride it... Come on..." You paused for a second.

"What's wrong?" He held your legs and questioned softly.

"My legs are freezing!!!" You both laughed.

"Do you wanna stop?"

"God no..." Your hips moved again riding him faster this time - you needed this to end quickly before frostbite set in. "I'm gonna cum Jim.... Do it with me..."

"Cum on my cock y/n... Let me feel it..." Taking his hands in yours, you leaned back slightly and rode him hard, your organs flooding you as he came deep inside you. Condoms gone now you were on the pill. You felt him fill you up, before both of you started to laugh at what had just happened.

"Shit... Jim we've been gone an hour, my brother's gonna kill me!"

You both scrambled to get dressed, thinking up excuses as to why you were so late getting back.

"So you broke down..." Niall questioned when you finally made it home.

"Yep. Lucky he knows how to change a tyre eh!"

"And you broke down by the beach, did you?" You paused, what did he say? "You've got sand in your hair, and a dune reed too... Right - what's going on y/n?" You stumbled slightly.. shit - thought you'd brushed all that out...

"I um.. look it's not how it looks Niall..." Your brother's eyes flashed angrily.

"I fucking knew it... I'll kill him!" He flew out the door enraged, and you heard the car pull off the driveway. You followed, grabbing your keys, before Ilona stopped you.

"Let him go - Jim can look after himself y/n okay? Come on now..." You fell into Ilona's arms and sobbed. You knew this day was coming, but it was meant to be when on your terms, not like this.

"We didn't mean to hide it Ilona... We just knew what the reaction was going to be, and we were scared... I know he's got this playboy image, and he's a 'scumbag with women' but he's never been anything other than kind, wonderful, loving, and patient with me.. I've completely fallen for him Ilona..."

"And if he feels the same about you, he won't let your big brother get in the way now, will he?" Your phone suddenly rang. You answered, hearing Niall's voice on the other line.

"How long?" He asked, sternly.

"Six months. Give or take... Where are you?"

"I'm on the road outside the house y/n.. I've had too much to drink to drive..." You scoffed at your idiot brother and walked out the door to see him standing by his car on the pavement.

"The hell are you doing Niall? I'm a grown woman capable of making my own decisions!" You were shouting now, but you didn't care.

"He's only in it for the fuck Y/n, that's all!"

"For six months Niall? You think he'd be seeing me for six months if that's all it was about for him? It's more than that, he cares for me -"

"He doesn't care about anyone but himself! Even Danielle saw through his lies! I told you, you're too naive for this!"

"I'm 22 years old Niall, I'm not a child anymore!"

"Guys stop before you wake Emily!! Come inside and calm down yeah?" Ilona ushered you both inside, dying of embarrassment, hoping the neighbours hadn't heard you.

"Niall think about it - have you ever seen Jim as relaxed and happy as you have recently?" Ilona brought the three of you a coffee each and you sat round the table. Niall had to admit Ilona was right. He had noticed a change in Jim just lately. A positive one - he did seem happy..

"And have you ever seen y/n as happy as she has been just lately? How did you not see the connection?" Ilona smiled at you, almost smirking.

"You knew?" Niall gasped at her, stunned.

"Oh come on, you knew too... Those stolen glances when they thought we weren't looking? The weekends they were both away at the same time, but apparently not together? Are you really that blind Niall?"

Your phone ringing interrupted the silence in the room. Jim's number flashed on your phone on the table. Niall looked at you and took your phone into the kitchen. He wanted to talk to Jim away from you.

"He's gonna shout isn't he..." Your head fell into your hands, Ilona reaching a hand over to squeeze your shoulder.

"He's had his suspicions for a while y/n.. he won't shout. He doesn't want to wake Emily. He's disappointed you didn't tell him, that's all. You're still his little sister, and that's his best friend. He doesn't want him to hurt you."

"He hasn't hurt me, he's completed me... I haven't felt this way for anyone before.. I'm sorry we kept it from you.."

"Oh please, I've known something was going on for months and so has Niall, he's just refused to believe it." Ilona giggled. She thought it was brilliant - Jim needed someone like you to ground him, and it appeared to be working well for both of you.

"He's coming over tomorrow." Niall re-entered the room, sullen. "I can't stop the two of you seeing each other, as much as it pains me.. but I'd rather have a conversation with you both in person, together.. you okay with that y/n?" You nodded, smiling a little. No going back now.

The following day, Jim was sat next to you on the sofa, your brother sat opposite you on the armchair. Ilona watching from the dining room with Emily feeding her.

Silence.. for the longest time, before Jim broke it.

"This is silly.. you just gonna sit there looking at the floor making your sister nervous Niall?" You rested your hand on his knee.

"Niall... Please listen okay.. we didn't mean to go behind your back -" you started but Niall cut you off.

"It's okay. It's okay. I've had time to think about it all.. and.. it's okay."

"What??" Jim looked up at your brother, stunned. He was expecting a slanging match, not this..

"Ilona was right. You two have had a certain spring to your steps just lately, and it's clearly due to this 'thing' you have going on.. I'd be a fool to stand in the way of that.." you stood up, and pulled your brother to his feet to embrace him. He hugged you back, before pulling back to turn to Jim.

"You hurt her, and I'm coming for you, understand?" Jim gulped a little and nodded.

"Agreed - but it won't happen Niall. Your sister would rip my balls off before you even got close." He smiled, the tension now officially gone between them.

"Also agreed. Are we all good lads? Niall, you satisfied your alpha male complex?" Ilona came into the room laughing holding Emily, who was reaching out for you. You took your niece and blew a raspberry on her neck making her giggle. Jim watched you both, smiling.

"You are NOT knocking my sister up Jim, get that thought out your head right now!" Niall pointed at Jim's doe eyes and you laughed.

"Don't worry, we've had enough surprises to last a while, Niall."

[mcwriting]

The Marriage Project (12)

Hi all!!! This is the long awaited 12th chapter! It took months of rewrites of not only this chapter, but future ones as well to ensure this was written to the best of my ability.

This chapter marks the heaviest moment in this story, so please, please be mindful of the content warnings for this chapter. I marked the section that includes this moment.

I also chose not to add tags so that this is not everyone's first impression of this series!

Masterlist

Word Count: 2700

Warnings: s*xual ass*ult, language, alcohol consumption, blood/injury mention

% end of the first week of November- cont. %

Throughout the game, you and the other homecoming court members (aside from any football players or cheerleaders) had been sitting on the sidelines right in front of the student section, so you were somewhat able to talk to your friends.

The team was playing good in the first half. It was probably Tom’s best game that you’d ever seen. At halftime, they did the “official” crowning of court members and recognized football and cheer seniors.

The seniors were presented first, having their parents with them as they walked across the field. They started with the cheer team so Daisy could change back into her white dress.

Then came the court recognitions, you and Tom stepping onto the field after everyone else as the crowd cheered and clapped.

Tom’s arm linked around yours as he helped you stay steady walking across the grass, since your heels weren't quite meant for the soft ground. Someone handed you a large bundle of roses and you smiled widely.

The bright lights, the cheers, the smile Tom gave you.

It was a moment burned into your memory forever.

Then it was over, and the team went back to their game, winning 42-27, their best win by far all season.

You were saying your final thank you’s to people’s congratulatory comments as you began heading out to the parking lot. Alexis caught up with you amidst the chaos.

“You still on for Tyler’s? I’ll drive,” she offered.

“Yeah. Let’s go home so I can change and then we’ll head out, okay?” you said, finally getting to your car.

She followed you to your house, where you changed into a tight long-sleeved bodysuit, skinny jeans, and some heeled booties. You also packed some other things into a bag to sleep at Alexis’s house later.

You told your parents you were staying the night at her house. They definitely knew better by the way you’d left on your makeup and put on real clothes, but didn’t question you, instead tossing out a “stay safe” and “don’t do anything stupid” as you headed out the door.

Things were pretty much in full swing by the time you and Alexis pulled into the yard outside Tyler’s house and found your friends inside, red solo cups in hand. The speakers were blaring something with a strong beat and most people were dancing.

You had a white claw to loosen up. After having refrained from partying throughout volleyball season, Alexis would be designated driver for the night to let you have your fun. You saw plenty of football players hanging around but didn’t find Tom anywhere.

Weird.

*CW below*

After a little bit, you ran off to use the bathroom just down a hall. You went alone since it would only be a couple minutes, you knew everyone there, and weren’t drunk.

When you stepped back into the hall, you almost ran into a large figure. It was Harrison.

“Oh, hi there, little lady,” he sneered.

“Fuck off, Harrison.” you commanded, brushing past him. He grabbed your wrist and yanked you back.

“I don’t think you want to be saying that to me,” he pinned you against the wall. His breath reeked of alcohol. You looked around, but it was dark and no one was close enough to see your predicament.

“What the hell do you want? I’m just here to have fun.”

“And what do you think I’m doing huh? Don’t think I forgot about that little stunt you pulled going to Johnson. It’s your fault I missed two games.”

“Don’t think so buddy. Maybe if you respected women you wouldn’t have been in trouble in the first place. Now get off me,” you commanded, trying to push forward.

Big mistake.

He drove a knee between your legs and placed a hand over your chest, gripping your breast so tightly it hurt. For the first time, you were actually scared, but still stared directly into his eyes.

“Nah. I just think you’re too much of a pussy to take me. Now you’re gonna stay quiet or something much worse is gonna come to you,” he threatened, then placed his lips on your neck.

You squeezed your eyes shut to focus your thoughts. It was like you were frozen in shock and pain.

His other hand started sliding up the inside of your thigh when you panicked, kneeing him in the groin and shoving him from you before sending a fist into his jaw.

You were thankful he was drunk, as it made him disoriented and off balance.

Harrison reeled back, looking at you in confusion as he bent over, holding his mouth in pain. There was blood around his gums. He looked at you angrily before another voice called out.

“What the hell is going on here? I thought I told you to stay away from her,” Tom seethed. There was a fire in his eyes that you’d never seen before.

“You think I really care what you have to say? I was just trying to teach y/n a little lesson about consequences,” Harrison replied, slurring his words, before spitting blood onto the hardwood floor and pointing a finger right in your face. “You really think a couple hits are going to stop m-”

Tom was about to step forward to do something when rage overtook you and you threw another punch to his nose, causing him to fall backwards unconscious.

Tom looked down in shock at the limp body beneath you, then back up to you. Once your eyes met, his features softened.

“Y/n? Are you okay?” he asked, stepping over Harrison and guiding you away from him. As you finally began processing what had happened, tears slipped down your cheeks.

“I… he- he…” you couldn’t get the words out and your breath quickened.

“Hey, hey. I know. You don’t have to say anything. It wasn't your fault. Can I hug you?”

*end CW*

You sniffled and nodded, not meeting his eyes. He engulfed you in his arms, rubbing your back as you buried your face in his neck. Your chest throbbed from Harrison’s grip and knuckles ached from where they’d met his face twice.

After a few minutes, you straightened up and wiped your face, trying to be tough. Harrison was still out cold on the floor.

“Do you want me to go get your friends?” he asked, to which you nodded. He ran off and only a minute later came Alexis and Caroline.

They fawned over you, making sure you were okay. Tom put a hand on either of your arms and looked you directly in the eyes.

“I’m going to make sure he and his awful friends leave, okay? You haven’t done anything wrong.”

The girls led you back into the bathroom while Tom began dragging Harrison off. They helped you clean the mascara stains on your cheeks and make sure you were okay. After about 10 minutes, you finally felt confident enough to go back out.

When you got back to the main room, word had it that Tom, Jake, Chris, and some of the other guys were making sure Harrison’s crew would leave and not come back.

Knowing that you were safe from him finally, you decided to drink in the hopes of forgetting what happened for a little bit and have some fun. You started off with a shot of strawberry lemonade vodka, which led to shotgunning a beer and tossing back another shot (or two) of bacardi.

Not a half hour later and you were plastered. You went crazy on the dance floor, jumping around like a fool as different people came up to dance with you.

You were barely aware of what you were doing and extremely clumsy. The room was turning as you clambered up onto a table. You were spinning in circles until your shoe’s heel missed the edge and you started to topple over.

You couldn’t even react, but after a second realized you hadn’t hit the ground, and were instead in Tom’s arms.

“Alright I think it’s time for you to take a breather,” he said. It was hard to understand him as his voice sounded distant. He carried you out of the warm room and outside, where the cold air hit you like a truck. He set you down on the edge of Tyler’s porch.

“Y/n are you okay? After everything that happened I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”

What he said wasn’t funny, but you found yourself cackling anyways.

“Better than everrr! Did you see my twerking?”

“Yes, yes I did. Are you feeling okay? Your face is super red. You aren’t nauseous?”

You shook your head with a big grin.

“I’m fiiiineee, pretty boy. Just because you’re my husssband doesn’t mean you have to follow me everywhere! I’m alllll gooood.” You slumped onto his shoulder, still giggling.

“Alright, princess. Let’s just chill here for now alright? I’ll text Alexis in a little bit.”

You sat in silence twisting your star ring as you began to cool down and your hearing was returning to normal. Tom was rubbing his thumb over your shoulder and had you drinking your second cup of water, but the effects of the alcohol were still present.

“Tom?” you whispered. He hummed. “You’re a really good husband.”

He chuckled.

“You think so?” he paused. “I think you’re a pretty good wife, too. No matter how much trouble you manage to get us both in.”

After a little longer, you felt yourself getting sleepy as the night took its toll on you. Alexis came outside and rushed over.

“Hey! I was looking everywhere. Sorry I didn’t see your text. Let’s go, y/n. You’ve had a looong night.”

Tom picked you up from the porch and led you to the car, half carrying you. He helped you into the car and buckled you up, then stood leaning in the doorway.

“Thanks for your help, Tom. Glad you were there for us,” Alexis said with a small grin as she buckled in.

“Of course. I’d do anything for her,” he replied, giving you a wink before shutting the door and waving. Alexis had barely pulled out of the driveway when she looked at you.

“Okay spill. What’s been going on with you and Tom?” she asked in a serious tone. She was clearly using the alcohol against you, and even though you were much more aware than before, you still started talking.

“I think I really like him.”

“Like we didn’t all already know that. I meant what have you been hiding from me the past three months? I know there’s more to the story.”

You sighed.

“It started last month, when Tom beat up… you know… the first time. We held hands on his bedroom floor that weekend until his mom accidentally walked in. And then we took those pictures and kept saying all these flirty things. I accidentally caught him naked, don’t ask.”

“Oh I’m definitely asking about that later. But continue.”

“Well then I stayed for dinner that Thursday and Sam caught us in the kitchen goofing around. Oh, and then last weekend we kissed, and-”

“YOU WHAT NOW?” she yelled, causing you to wince at the sound before you started rambling.

“We didn’t really kiss per se… It’s because we were fake dating for that couple. It just kinda happened! And now we’re going to homecoming together but it was supposed to be a secret so… don’t tell anyone before dinner tomorrow. Or tonight I guess since it’s Saturday morning.”

“I knew it. Dammit I knew it! Why didn’t you just tell me!”

“You’d make fun of me! Do you think I want to like him? We’ve been at each other’s throats all this time and now I’m just supposed to forget all that because of a little crush? You don’t get it, Lex. It’s not like he’d ever feel the same way.”

You looked out the car window, trying to settle your breathing after getting worked up. Your head hurt and you were still thirsty. Alexis pulled into her driveway and cut the engine.

“I know I would clown you about it, and I probably still will, but we’re friends for a reason. And you’re joking, right? Everyone knows Tom is head over heels in love with you.”

“What? No way.”

“Yes way! Have you not seen the way he looks at you, and follows you like a puppy dog, and gets so protective over you? I mean come on, y/n. He literally said he’d do anything for you and winked before we left. You must be blind to not see that.”

You sat and tried to think about it for a minute, wondering if she was right about him.

“Let’s go in, y/n. It’s getting cold and you need to sleep it off. You’re not going to have a fun morning, that’s for sure.”

You followed her into the house, trying not to stumble. Your balance definitely wasn’t all there. Her garage door led straight to the kitchen where you chugged a glass of water and took some antacids, grabbing more water to take to her room.

You went into the bathroom to shower off the makeup and sweat and hairspray. When you got out and looked in the mirror, you saw the way your chest was reddened from what Harrison did to you. It took everything to hold back more tears.

%

The moment your eyes opened, everything hurt.

Your head, stomach, feet, chest. Your head was flooded with memories from the previous night. You rolled away from the window to find Alexis sitting on the floor next to a plate and glass of water.

“Well, well, well. Sleeping beauty awakes. I brought you my hangover cure.”

You looked down to see that on the plate sat two advils, an alka seltzer, and some cinnamon pop tarts. It was almost 11 am.

“Thanks, Lex. For everything. You’re the best,” you said, taking a bite off one pastry.

“Don’t be thanking me. Tom’s the real hero. He got a bunch of people together this morning to report Harrison for what he did to you and he’s suspended again, can’t go to the dance. I guess Johnson is gonna deal with it more next week and he might be expelled. Do you have any proof other than Tom?” she said gently.

“Let’s see,” you said, tugging off your shirt, revealing a sports bra. She gasped when she saw the purple bruising around one breast and the hickey marks that had been left on your neck.

“Oh my God, y/n. That’s awful.”

“I know. It didn’t look like this last night. We need to get some pictures.”

After taking some pictures for proof and finishing off your “breakfast,” you and Alexis began preparing yourselves for the dance. You were going to do makeup and hair at her house before going home to change, and then to Tom’s.

If he even still wanted to go with you. You decided to call him while Alexis curled your hair.

“Hey, y/n. Are you okay?” he asked, voice deep and raspy. He must have gone to bed again after organizing the reports against Harrison.

“Yeah, I’m way better. Thanks for everything last night. For saving my ass. I heard what you did this morning, too. You’re the best.”

“It’s the right thing to do, y/n. I’m glad I was there. And you’re sure you’re okay? We can skip the dance tonight if you aren’t up for it. You know my mom would love to have you come hang out any time.”

“Hey, now. I’m not about to leave the dance without a king and queen. I mostly wanted to check if you were still okay with going together after everything.”

“Of course! I want to go with you, y/n. Nothing’s changed that.”

You smiled.

“Okay, well, I’ll pick you up at 5 for dinner. Bye, Tom.”

“See ya, princess.”

You ended the call and sat quietly looking down. You almost forgot Alexis was there until she said,

“So you’re driving him, huh? I alway knew you wore the pants. Now tell me about that whole ‘seeing him naked’ thing...”

%

A/N: so... there's that chapter. I hope you all understand that this moment is not at all meant to romanticize or glorify the terrible experiences so many people endure, but instead highlight one way this issue is dealt with.

I wish you all the best. Please remember that my messages and asks are always open ❤️

Send a message or ask if you’d like to be added to my permanent or series taglists so I can verify you’ve been added!

Story tag list: @jackiehollanderr, @one-big-fangirl, @l0lmk, @primadonnasdream, @bookworm06, @thenoddingbunny-blog, @agentnataliahofferson, @spider-babe, @stxfxniexreads, @justafangirlduh, @supraveng,

[briefinquiries]

Luke Alvez x Reader: The Flower Garden

Prompt: “can you write an imagine where luke is late to someone's funeral (like a family member or something) and realizes that he wants to bring flowers so on his way he steals some from the readers garden!!! fluff if you can :) thanks!”

Tagged: @ssaic-jareau​ , @alvezstan​ , @lcvischmitt​ , @ogmilkis​ , @goldenalvez​ , @ssa-morgan​ , @garcias-batcave ,  @akimagies​, @zhangyixingxing1 , @pinkdiamond1016 ,  @yourwonderbelle​ , @rachelxwayne​ , @sc4rletw1tch​ , @moreidultrastan​ , @ellvswriting

Word count: 2.4k

Warnings: none

A/N: hi bbys! sorry for being so mia i was on vacation all last week,, here’s a spontaneous, fluffy fic to make up for it!

Luke is late. In every sense of the word, he is so late. He’s been wearing this same pair of jeans for almost 48 hours now and his burgundy polo shirt is scratching uncomfortably underneath his rain jacket. His hands are freezing and he doesn’t even have any flowers. His family is going to be so mad.

He’s power walking, well aware that he probably looks like a mom on a mission in the grocery store (thinking of that makes his heart clench in his chest). There’s one more street to walk down–he refuses to drive there, it makes it feel too real. He stuffs shaking hands in his pockets and turns the corner.

Luke doesn’t have flowers. He’s visiting for the first time since it happened, he’s late, and he doesn’t have flowers.

He’s a block away when he sees them, the roses growing almost chaotically over a small wooden fence. He stops and looks down at them, then around. No one’s watching, so he crouches and picks a decent handful, murmuring a few sorries as the stems snap. He notes the house number and reminds himself to write a thank you note before standing up and continuing on his way.

Everyone’s already there when Luke arrives, eyes watery from the wind. His sister gives him a look that would’ve been terrifying if not for the red around her eyes, and Luke mouths his apology while passing out hugs.

With a deep breath he crouches and places the six roses at the base of the polished stone. “Hi, mom.” Luke whispers, pressing a kiss into his hand and then to her name. “Sorry I’m late.”

I miss you. I stole these flowers for you, the old lady they belong to probably noticed already. My boss gave me a few extra sick days because she knows. I’m tired of everyone knowing. I love you.

…

It happens a few more times in the course of two months, and Luke really doesn’t mean to make it a habit, but he can never seem to remember the flowers until he’s well on his way, and there are so many of them in the garden that he hardly feels bad. He never got around to writing the note.

He’s sitting in front of the grave with a bunch of daisies. “The girls miss you.” Luke says quietly, arranging the flowers nicely along the stone. The white is almost too bright to look at. “We all miss you, mom.” He whispers, feeling a tear run down his cheek. “Today at work someone brought in their therapy dog. I can’t remember it’s name, but it spent the whole time licking my shoe. Reckon he knows, too? Anyway, it was nice.”

Luke never means to cry but he always ends up doing it. It takes about twenty minutes for him to be able to breathe again, then he says goodbye and walks the three blocks to his car.

He usually visits once a week, sometimes one of his sisters comes with him. If it’s his younger one, they go get ice cream after. If it’s his older one, which it usually is, they get coffee and don’t talk about it.

…

It’s running on month six when Luke sees you. He’s holding a beautiful bunch of chrysanthemums by his side, when he notices that there’s someone in the window holding the curtain. You make eye contact, and Luke feels very guilty. You don’t look angry, although there’s a noticeable furrow between your eyebrows. You’re wearing a cotton bathrobe and holding a mug of coffee. Luke could use some coffee.

He doesn’t know what to do, so he just smiles and holds up the flowers. Then turns on his heels and walks as quickly as he can.

“It’s not an old lady, mum, it’s a girl. She saw me today, caught me red handed.” Luke mumbles, laughing a bit to himself as he clears away some old flowers and places the new ones. “She didn’t do anything though, so I think I’m okay.” His voice cracks as he says it, and then, as usual, starts crying.

…

It takes two more times for the rightful owner of the flowers to confront Luke about his thievery.

Luke’s on his knees, picking some cute purple flowers when he hears your voice.

“Um, hello?” Luke nearly jumps out of his skin.

“Oh shit.” Luke says, looking up and feeling his heart sink. “Right. I’m sorry I just–your flowers are very nice.”

You smile and cross your arms over your chest. “Thank you.”

Luke’s still kneeling, hands shaking where they’re holding stems. There’s sort of crooked smile on your face. Neither of you are saying anything. You’re wearing an old shirt with a hole near the hem. Luke’s hands are sweating.

“You know, if you’re going to steal my flowers to take to your girl, I think I’m going to have to come with you to make sure she’s beautiful enough to warrant theft.” You say, oddly calm and good natured.

Luke doesn’t know what to say. He just nods, trying to ease the panic rising in his chest.

“Add a few roses.” You order, and Luke nods, picking a few and standing up, finally. “I’m Y/N, by the way.“ You add, extending a hand.

Luke smiles and shakes it. “Luke.” You smile at him one more time and then you start to walk.

You pester him with questions about his imaginary girlfriend, and Luke tries to answer them in the vaguest way possible, all the while trying to figure out how the hell he’s going to explain this when you get to the cemetery.

“Did she like the daisies you picked last time? I always thought those were more of a flower you give your mom, but I guess they’re nice.” you babble, and Luke almost chokes.

“Yeah, um. Yeah.” he says, his heart racing in his chest. The small side entrance is only a few meters away, and you still have no idea. Luke doesn’t say anything as he walks through the gate, holding it open for you, who immediately stops talking as well.

The silence feels like a heavy blanket, and you just follow Luke as he makes the walk, now committed to memory. Luke almost forgets you’re there, dropping to the permanently grass stained knees of his jeans and managing a smile. “Hi Ma.” He places the flowers around the base of the stone, like he always does. Luke jolts when he feels a hand on his thigh, near his knee. He follows the arm up and meets your sad eyes. Luke hadn’t noticed you kneel, too.

“Luke..” you whisper, obviously surprised. Luke doesn’t blame you.

“Don’t.” he says quietly, sniffling and looking away from you. “I brought someone with me. She’s the one I’ve been stealing all the flowers from.” Luke says, smiling a bit and he hears you mumble a soft hello. “She hasn’t called the cops on me yet, which I guess is good.”

He takes a shaky breath before getting choked up. He puts his face in his hands and this was always just a part of his agenda, but the arm around his shoulders is new.

You start talking.

“The first time I was sitting in my kitchen and I was like, oh god do not pick the hibiscuses, they’ve got bees. But he didn’t, he chose some tulips instead.“ you laugh a little, and Luke almost starts crying again. “Between us, I hope he never stops.” you whisper, and Luke knows he wasn’t meant to hear it. There’s a lot he wasn’t meant to do.

Luke sniffles loudly and sits up to wipe his eyes. Your arm is still around his shoulders. “I’m sorry.” he says out of habit, as he’s been doing every time anyone’s seen him cry since October. But you just shake your head and use a thumb to wipe a stray tear.

“Don’t apologize.” You say, you put your hand back on your own lap. Luke wants to tell you to put it back. “I’ll um, give you some privacy.” You stand up and brush off your jeans. “And, Luke, you’re welcome to my flowers anytime.” You give him a bright smile before walking away.

Luke doesn’t watch you walk away. He turns back to the gravestone and sighs. “She’s kinda nice isn’t she mom?”

Luke can almost hear his mom yelling at him. 

Don’t be stupid, dear, go after her.

He kisses his hand and presses it against the warming stone. “I love you.” He gets up, not bothering to dust off his knees and all but sprints back out to the sidewalk. Luke jogs down the road and turns the corner, smiling when he sees you walking peacefully down the street.

“Hey!” Luke yells, picking up to a run. You turn, and stop walking, looking surprised that Luke is running after you.  

“Let me, um, buy you lunch.” he says breathlessly.  “Figure I owe you one, since I’ve been stealing your flowers for months.“

You smile and nod.  “Yeah, I guess that's only fair.”

You talk as you walk to your pick of a restaurant, and Luke feels lighter than he has in months.

…

You walk back to your place, and you make Luke promise to close his eyes as you grab the spare key. Luke thinks that it’s painfully adorable.

“Wanna come in?” you ask, looking down at your feet as you say it. Luke’s cheeks go hot at that, being suddenly floored by how pretty you really are.

“I-” Luke starts, before checking his watch. “Really need to be heading home.” He tries not to let the way your face falls hurt his feelings too bad. “I have work in like, an hour, so.” he explains, and you nod.

“Yeah, don’t worry about it. Maybe another time.” you say, eyes wide and hopeful.

Luke grins. “Definitely. I’ll call you–or you’ll see me in your garden, either one.” He throws in a wink and leans in to peck your cheek before turning and walking down the street to his car.  At the corner he turns and finds you still standing in your doorway.

…

It was not a good day. Luke has been avoiding sleep because every time he closes his eyes at night,  he can’t stop picturing the time he showed his mom how he could climb the tree in the backyard. He fell on the second branch and skinned his shin and elbow. She patched him up and bought him ice cream, and then they watched movies until Luke fell asleep against her on the couch.

He sighs and presses the heels of his palms into his eyes. He’d stopped crying about an hour ago, now he’s just staring at his ceiling with his eyes burning. It’s four thirty. Sleep is definitely out of the picture, so Luke grabs his keys and does the only thing he can think of.

He picks seven roses on his way, hops the fence, and finds he can still cry, forehead pressed against cold stone.

He doesn’t know how long he sits there for, but when he opens his eyes, the sky is more grey than black. “Fuck.” He curses and rubs at his stinging eyes. “Sorry for swearing,” He whispers, laughing a bit. “I’ll be back soon, I love you.”

He stands.  It’s about to be five in the morning, and Luke really can’t see himself driving all the way back home. He doesn’t quite know what to do as he walks back, but then he sees the garden, and finds himself knocking on the door.

It takes a few, but you open the door, hair a mess, grey sweats hanging low on your hips. “Luke,” You say, surprised. “What are you doing here?” you ask softly.

“Couldn’t sleep. Needed some flowers.” he mumbles, blinking a few times to try and get rid of the blurriness creeping across his eyes. “Can I come in?”

“Yes, of course,” you say without missing a beat, and Luke sighs, relieved. He toes off his sneakers at the door and lets you lead him through the house.  He can tell that you want to ask, but don’t.

In fact, you don’t say anything, and Luke finds that oddly comforting, you just sit next to Luke on the couch and keep your hands curled in your lap.  

“I took some roses again this morning,” Luke admits.

“What color?” is all you respond with.

“The white.”

“That’s the best kind,” you assure him. You can keep helping yourself to those.” you say, leaning over and poking into Luke’s side. “Think of it as my gift to your mom, too.”

That makes Luke tear up a bit.

“I should go,” he says, not wanting to start crying in front of you for a second time.  

“Oh,” you say, sounding almost disappointed.  “Right— okay.”

Luke stands up, his chest feeling tight and his thoughts racing.  But in the midst of the chaos, he hears her voice.  Clear as day; the reason behind his messy, illogical mind. Don’t be stupid, dear, go after her.

Luke turns suddenly then, and takes a step closer to you so he can hold your hands in his own. “Can I take you to breakfast right now?”

You beam at him, dimples drilled into your cheeks as you nod in agreement. You hurriedly find a pair of shoes and a jacket, stopping at the door to lock it before following Luke out. You walk to his car hand in hand, and it all feels so right.

They get pancakes, and Luke kisses the whip cream off your lips. People give you looks as you laugh obnoxiously and fond over one another. Luke doesn’t care.

He wakes up the next morning in a bed that isn’t his own and to the smell of bacon. He smiles to himself. “I thought I was making you breakfast?” he asks, laughing a little when he sees you  standing in front of the stove.

“Maybe if you had woken up before me,.” you say, looking over your shoulder and smiling at Luke.

You sit down to eat breakfast on the couch, a blanket pulled over both of you, and it’s home.

[peachyproserpina]

Wickedly Domestic - Roommates and Puppies

Now that I am back on tumblr I figured I might as well upload my John Wick x Fat!OC fic here as well. Maybe I'll find the motivation to write it as well.

TW: Alternate Universe Canon Diverence, Mutual Pining, Slowburn, Sex

If I miss anything please let me know!

There is a consistent thunk, thunk, thunk of her roommates bed hitting the wall. Despite a whole floor separating them she could still hear the sounds of her roommate getting fucked into next week, literally. Usually Maria wouldn’t care that her roommates late at night shenanigans would run into the next morning but, there was more at stake on the agenda today than usual. Maria pressed her pillow over her ears and looked at her phone; it was almost 4 am Monday morning.

There was a meeting in downtown New York that she had to attend, which the commute was a little more intense then she usually had to deal with. Living and working in a suburb outside of New York City allowed for a stress and traffic free drive to work, usually 15 minutes or less, but driving into the city always was a hassle, that drive tends to be close to an hour. Maria rubbed at her eyes and unlocked her phone, she still had 3 hours before she had to be downtown. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, this meeting was with the CEO. Those kinds of meetings either ended up in promotion or termination, she buried her face into her pillow. She could still hear the thunk and a few giggles from her roommate and company. Considering she was already up and too anxious to go back to bed she might as well get her workout in now instead of later.

Heaving herself up and out of bed with a groan she let out a yawn before looking around for her workout clothes. Pulling on her leggings and finding a clean shirt she fished around her room for her headphones. Despite living in New York state for a little over 3 months now she still hasn’t completely unpacked. Moving boxes were still stacked around the room and there was a stack of art needing to be hung up.

She wasn’t planning on moving when she did, the roommate who was busy getting fucked, offered her a place to stay. All she had to do was pay utilities and cook for the house once a week. The home had been a surprise to her roommate Cooper. An estranged great Aunt had willed it over to her, Cooper was already living in New York, and the full ride she received was barely enough to cover the dorm she had to split with 2 other people. When she was contacted by lawyers telling her she is now a proud homeowner and didn’t have to worry about student loans for the rest of her life.

One of the first things she did was reach out to Maria. Cooper was well aware of the tension at home, brewing in Maria’s family since they met in high-school. Unfortunately she had first hand seen more tear stained faces and frustration that Maria was put through. They spoke often and were close, promising to push each other to do amazing things. Sometimes amazing things means moving across the country but their love and friendship didn’t diminish over the distance. So offering the room

All Maria had to do was fund the move and drive 30 hours across the country. Dying to get out of the town she has spent her whole life, as well as always loving the east coast, she packed up, put in her two weeks at her current job and submitted an application to anywhere within a 10 mile radius of her new address. She thanked the stars when a local bank picked up her application and allowed for Skype and phone interviews, giving her the job before she even moved out there. She was introduced to her coworkers through a group chat and she fell into her role easily before she even met them in person.

The hardest part had been leaving old friends, leaving her family on the other hand had been a blessing. Her father and his side of the family had always been hard to please and any relationship with them over the last couple of years had been more of a formality than anything else. Her mother was a different story, tears were shed and a few fights were had due to this hasty decision on moving across the country. Maria’s mother had always wanted more for her daughter than what she currently had but packing up and leaving across the country in less than a month gave her mother bad feelings. Her mother backed off and gave Maria her blessing once she got her job, knowing how stubborn her daughter is once she puts her mind to something.

Her siblings had felt the same way, constant calls and texts were exchanged during the long drive while everyone was proud and knew she would be better for the move. It still hurt, promising to visit during holidays and letting them stay over if they ever visited. But it was like ripping off a bandaid. It had to be done or else it festers and could lead to infection, staying stagnant had been driving her crazy.

Once changed and headphones found under some papers she had been reviewing at her desk, she slid them over her ears and made her way upstairs, closing the door and making sure it was locked behind her. Her cat had the habit of running outside and getting lost or turning up at the local shelter and the last thing she needed was to also be worrying about her cat while she was working in the city.

She jogged down to the gate and opened it before she got into her car and made her way to the nature preserve just a few minutes away from her home. She could have ran there but she wasn’t quite ready to commit to the workout while the air was so chilly. By the time she has parked and started her stretches the world had started to wake up around her, birds chirping and the distant sounds of honking while she tried to figure out what playlist she wanted to run to. Deciding on something beat heavy she started down the trail that would lead over the swamp, it had been a while since she had run outside, usually opting to do her cardio in a class setting or on a treadmill while she binges whatever series she is watching on Netflix at the moment.

She was only half a mile in the trail before she had to stop for a moment. Her “ultra support” sports bra did not help as much as she hoped, having big tits was a blessing and a curse. They made working out hell on earth but it got her more free drinks at the bar then she would like to admit. But it also kept her from being able to run as much as she would like to before she has to stop and readjust.

She pulled out her phone and checked the time, quarter past 5 am, she still had time. She could do a mile before she went home and showered and get ready for a grueling day. She paused her music, taking deep breaths before she started up again, she thought she heard rustling behind her. Which despite being close to the city the swamp held more wildlife than she thought it would. She sat and listened, chancing a glance behind her. The sun was nearly up but running by herself in public always put her on edge. There was always the chance of someone grabbing her and doing whatever they would like to her, she shuddered and unlocked her phone, sending her location and a text as to when she would be back to the roommate group chat. Just in case she were to get snatched up at least her roommates would know where she was last.

She started up again, turning her music up all the way to drown out her heavy breathing and the sound of her feet hitting the trail. It wasn’t until she was almost across one of the many bridges in the nature preserve stretching her calf muscles when she felt something warm and slimy against the skin of her leg. She screamed and pulled her head phones off, looking down to see if she had unknowingly picked up a slug or if some creep had managed to sneak up on her. Letting out a sigh when she saw it was a small Beagle, whining and licking at her leg. She crouched down pet the dog who was whining at her feet.

“Hey baby, where are your parents?” She picked up the dog and looked it over, she saw a name tag, “Daisy- that’s a cute name. Matches my tattoo,” she flipped over the name tag and saw an address, thankful she wouldn't have to drop the dog off at home and try to find her owners later. Daisy fell asleep in her arms while she walked the pup back to her car, the thought on finishing her run gone from her mind. Once the dog was rested safely in her front seat and plugged the address into her phone. It was a quick drive back to the owners house thankfully, it was getting dangerously close to 6 am but she couldn’t not take the sleepy baby home.

She knew if her cat went missing longer than usual or her roommates dog she would be worried sick. No parent should be worried about their baby, that was the biggest motivator for her as she snaked through the neighborhood following her GPS until she pulled up to one of the biggest houses she had ever seen. She knew she lived in affluent part of the state but pulling up the gravel driveway of what was basically a mansion she started to sweat. The bouncing of her car woke the puppy up, who was happily wagging her tail, grateful to be home after wandering away in the early morning. Maria smiled, happy that the pup was glad to be home.

“Lets go baby, let's get you back home.” Daisy ran up the door and pawed at it. Maria knocked and waited a moment, when she didn’t hear any movement in the house she rang the doorbell. Daisy was sitting by her feet waiting patiently for the door to open, it felt like hours while she stood in the massive door hoping someone was home to take the pup in. In reality It had probably been only 5 or so minutes, she chanced a glance around the driveway and didn’t see a car. Figuring that whoever would have been home was gone she turned and started walking back to her car, calling for Daisy, she could take her home and try again after work. Knowing her roommates would be sympathetic to the lost puppy and take care of her until she could try again. It was then she heard the large door open. She turned and nearly lost her balance when she caught a glance at the man who opened the door.

[bopbopstyles]

2. Birthday Kisses

SERIES RATING: M (sex)

CHAPTER WORD COUNT: 8.1k

MASTERLIST | INSPO TAG | ASK

Y/N promised herself she would never date a musician. It was her one rule–her only rule, actually–when it came to dating. But then, Harry Styles rolled into her life and asked her to break it, just this once. And this is what happened.

a/n: thank you for all the love on this story so far!!!! i’m so happy that so many of you are loving Y/N and Harry as much as me. shoot me messages about your thoughts and feelings - i want to hear them!!! xoxo

pls reblog to spread the word about only exception! 🥰

Harry had spent days trying to figure out where to take Y/N for their date. She said he would get one date, and so he was going to make sure it counted. After speaking to his mum and Gemma, as well as James Corden because it’s always good to have a grown man’s opinion, and the entirety of his band. On James’s recommendation, he found a drive-in movie theater on the outskirts of LA. Perfect because it was simple, would allow them to talk, and most of all, it was private. He would drive his own car with the tinted windows and he wouldn’t even really have to talk to anyone. Y/N had made it perfectly obvious that she wasn’t interested in dating a musician, so Harry wanted to keep their date as low key as possible as a result—he wanted her to forget what his job was and just get to know him as a person.

Deciding what to wear for their date was possibly harder, though. Did he just wear jeans and t-shirt? A button down? It was January, so did he go for a sweater? He had Harry Lambert on FaceTime for two hours going through outfits before Lambert told him to just pick something comfortable and that he had to go to bed. So Harry settled on a black button down and black jeans—simple, but he felt good in it. Confident. And he thought he looked good too—he had been working out, partially for Dunkirk filming back in the 2016, but also just generally. Since the band had broken up he had had more time to actually dedicate to himself, and he enjoyed it. Before, exercise had always been something squeezed into the day on the road, him half exhausted and barely alive enough to focus, and now he had energy and the motivation. It was a completely different experience. (It also helped that the other guys weren’t distracting him the whole time.)

At five thirty, he drove over to Y/N’s place—she’d moved out of her dad’s house after the renovation a few days ago. She had told him over text and he had to admit, he felt honored that she had shared facts of her life over text with him after how hesitant she was to go on the date with him.

I’m here, he texted her when he pulled up outside her building. It was an older style but in a nice neighborhood, a light brown brick exterior and not too modern. Can I come up?

Sure, she answered, Just finishing getting ready. Apt. 3C

He pulled on sunglasses, his lame attempt at a disguise, and headed inside, entering the gate code she sent over. He bounded up the stairs, thankful for the exercise to keep his brain busy. If he had taken the elevator he would’ve just stood there panicking. A welcome mat sat outside her door saying Welcome Home! and he smiled at it before knocking softly on her door.

She opened it a few beats later, shoeless and only one earring in. “Hi,” her voice breathless. “Sorry I’m a mess still, come on in.”

“No problem,” he answered, stepping inside. “Shoes on or…?”

“On is fine,” she replied. “I’m not as anal about it as my Dad is.”

Harry nodded, leaving his shoes on, and glanced around her place. There were some things still in disarray, probably from the recent renovation, but all in all it looked perfectly lived in and homey. He missed London and his house, the feeling of having a home base and someplace that felt like his own. He liked the house he was renting for the time being, but it wasn’t his, the bed wasn’t as comfortable as his one in Hampstead, and he desperately missed his expensive blender for morning smoothies. “I like your place.”

Y/N glanced around the space before back at him. “Thank you. Um, make yourself at home? I’ll be just a few.” With that, she was gone into a bedroom, Harry left in the kitchen. He wandered into the living room and explored her bookcase. She had a great selection of stuff, everything from classics like Zora Neale Hurston to The Hunger Games, which Harry had secretly adored and read three times. The walls were laden with picture frames of her and friends from what seemed like her time in college—kegs and Halloween costumes featured prominently, as well as some with her friends at the beach. He tried not to think about her in a bikini for too long. There was also a framed sheet of paper and when he looked closer he realized it was the lyrics to her father’s most famous song, one which he realized was definitely about becoming a father to Y/N. He had listened to all of her father’s music in preparation for their songwriting session and this one was one of his favorites, the raw emotion in it breathtaking.

“Okay,” she aid, entering the doorway of her room. “I’m ready.” She had a different top, the soft purple chiffon falling in vents, swishing as she moved. A pair of loose but flattering denim jeans on her legs, black booties giving her a few more inches in height. A pale red lip and light eyeliner that made her brown eyes pop, the same kind that had been done on my own eyes for many a photoshoot. She looked perfect, gorgeous, like words he didn’t even have.

“You look…incredible,” he said, struggling to speak.

Y/N glanced down at her clothes and then back at him. “Uh, thank you. You too.”

Harry smiled at her and then nodded to the door. “C’mon, we don’t want to be late.”

“You have’t even told me where we’re going!”

“It’s a secret.”

“I don’t want it to be a secret,” she said when they got in the elevator. Harry didn’t want to make her climb down stairs in her boots.

“Well, you’ll have to live,” Harry replied. He hoped she liked the date. If not, he was truly fucked.

When he pulled into the drive-in, Y/N laughed and the sound made Harry’s heart soar. It wasn’t too packed, it being a Wednesday night and all, so they were able to get a spot without too many cars around. He pulled the popcorn bags and bars of chocolate he had brought out from the backseat and handed her a bottle of water.

“You thought of everything, didn’t you?” She said, accepting the bottle with a smile. “What’s the film?”

“The Birds,” he replied, “hope that’s okay. I love Hitchcock and assumed everyone does, but if it’s not your cup of tea we can go—“

She shook her head at him, fingers coming to grip his thigh in a way that set his skin on fire. “It’s perfect. Love this film—Dad and I watched it together years ago and I’ve been meaning to re-watch.”

Harry smiled at her, settling back into his seat. “Candy or popcorn?”

“Popcorn definitely,” she answered, taking the back he handed her. “What about you? Sweet or salty?”

“Depends on the sweet.” He raised the chocolate bar. “This, for instance, is an always. But something like Dum Dums? No thank you.”

“Who even eats Dum Dums?”

Harry chuckled. “Not me.”

Y/N tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and Harry went to fiddle with the radio, turning the channel to match the one for the film. “I’m glad you persuaded me to come,” she said softly, voice barely audible above the sound from the radio as the previews started. “Been a while since I went on a date.”

Harry looked at her in surprise. “I’m happy you came,” he replied. Clearing his throat, he continued, “truth be told, I wanted to ask you out the moment I saw you. Mainly just to get to know you better. I also, honestly, loved how comfortable you were in the music scene—a lot of girls I’ve dated in the past aren’t and it becomes an issue.”

“I get that,” she said. “It’s not the easiest for outsiders.” Before Harry could respond, the film started, and their attention was redirected to the massive screen in front of them.

Even though he was supposed to be watching the screen, his eyes kept flittering back to Y/N. Her side profile entranced him, the curl of her hair perfectly coiled—he wondered what products she used, maybe he should try them? Lou had been telling him to actually get a grip on his hair care routine, but most days lately he couldn’t be bothered. It’s not like he was doing press anyways. When Y/N gasped, hand reaching from the popcorn back to grip his thigh, he tensed and not from panic, but from desire. He wanted to kiss her lips, her lips with faded red lipstick from eating popcorn, her lips that curved up when she smiled and looked soft and utterly delicious.

When he saw she was fidgeting, not able to figure out where to place her legs, he snatched her ankles and dragged them over to his lap. It was a reflex and one that earned him a “What are you doing?” but when he started rubbing her calves in circles, a soft murmur left her mouth and she looked back to the film. Harry loved her feet in his lap, allowing him the ability to notice the daisy chain tattooed around her left ankle. A gasp tumbled into the car when he ran his finger along the skin, her eyes meeting his and suddenly the air in the car changed completely.

It was an hour into the film and other than brief conversation about the film, Y/N saying how much more fucked up it was than she remembered, it had been mostly silent. Harry wondered if she was as preoccupied with how much she wanted him as he was with how much he wanted her.

Then suddenly, her kicked off her boots so she was just in her socks, and with her eyes still on the screen, she rubbed her foot down on his dick. Harry let out a hiss, unable to process what was happening or the shiver that went up his back at the pressure. “Y/N,” he said in a warning. “What’re you doing?”

“Nothing,” she said, innocent as hell except for the smirk on her lips.

“You little minx.” He tossed her boots into the backseat and tickled the bottom of her feet, the squeak that left her mouth allowing him to feel like he’d gotten some form of revenge. “Bored or something?”

Y/N giggled and the sound made Harry’s heart soar. “No, just interested in something else.”

“Yeah?”

“Mhmm.”

Harry trailed his fingers up her leg slowly, basking in the soft moan that filled the car. “Y/N, I really want to kiss you,” he said, not even fearing her response to the words. She’d started it. He wanted to finish it.

Y/N looked back at him, eyes finally leaving the screen. “Then kiss me,” she said bluntly and Harry didn’t waste another second. He leaned over the center console and tugged Y/N to him with his fingers at the back of her neck and when their lips met Harry kicked himself for not doing this earlier. Her lips were soft, just like he’d thought, and salty from the popcorn, a butter sheen making them delectable. Her fingers wound through his hair, tugging gently, a hiss falling from his mouth and into hers. He ignored the crink in his neck from the position and instead focused on the way Y/N pressed soft kisses to the corners of his mouth. Her hand slid down his front, tucking her fingers between the buttons of his shirt, goosebumps raising on his skin.

“Y/N,” he breathed out, her name a plea and a question all in one. He didn’t want to overstep her boundaries, the memory of her rule—No musicians—echoing loudly in his brain. But he also wanted to kiss her until the end of time.

“Can you move your seat back?” She asked, brushing her thumb along his jaw. Harry’s eyebrows furrowed, but he did as she asked. And then she swung her legs over the console, one knee on either side of his waist, and he understood. And he was not mad in the slightest.

Their lips reconnected as a scream came from the radio, but neither of them paid it any mind. The movie was a forgotten memory, their entire focus on where their lips met, nipped at one another, and battled for dominance. Y/N’s hands scrambled all over his body, curling into his button down and leaving wrinkles Harry didn’t give a fuck about. The way her fingernails dug into his skin through the fabric made him buck into her and he loved the gasp that left her mouth, the way her thighs tightened around his hips. He wanted to hear her sounds on an endless loop, noise cancelling headphones on and the world drowned out around him. All he wanted to hear, to see, to smell, was Y/N. The subtle, clean perfume she had put on, her lavender shampoo he could smell when he nestled his nose below her ear to lick her lobe, the faint scent of marijuana and Harry couldn’t help but wonder if she’d smoke with him sometime.

Harry squeezed her hips, ruching her shirt up so he could brush his fingers across her skin. A whine escaped her lips and he chased it with his lips, wanting to hear more. He licked into her mouth, their tongues meeting. Y/N sucked hesitantly on his tongue and he groaned, Y/N giggling against his lips at the sound. “You menace,” he said, kissing a line down the column of her neck. “Driving me mad.” He nipped at the skin at the base of her neck and Y/N’s fingers curled into his hair, holding him there as she bucked her hips against him.

Kissing Y/N was everything Harry had been dreaming about since he met her. He had had actual dreams of kissing her, of knowing what it felt like to touch her skin, of her running her fingers down his arms like she was doing right in that second. He had woken up wondering if her lips would taste as good as they did in his dreams. In reality, she tasted better than he could’ve ever imagined. Sweeter, like a dewy English morning.

“Harry,” Y/N said, pulling away slightly from him. He tried to chase her lips but she just giggled and shook her head.

“What? Miss your lips.” He pressed a litter of kisses across her cheeks and her jaw, earning him gasps until Y/N tugged his head back from her.

“The seat buckle,” her words breathless, “it’s digging into my knee.”

Harry looked down and found that it was, indeed, digging into her kneecap in a way that was most definitely not comfortable. “We, uh, could go in the backseat?” Her face was unreadable and panic seized him—had he crossed a line? “Or we can stop—either is fine with me, I just want to be around you, we don’t have to do anything more and we can stop what we’re doing, I don’t—“

She shushed him with a finger to his lips. “Can we just stop for right now? I…I don’t want to rush into anything.”

Harry nodded quickly, running his hand up her back, desperately wish he could touch her bare skin under her shirt. “Of course. Wanna sit in your seat?”

Y/N looked at her seat and then at him. “Um, not really.”

His eyebrows quirked in response.

“Can I sit with you?” Her voice was small, hesitant. This Y/N was so unlike the one he had met, the strong and fierce girl who told him no. Here, Y/N was cautious in a different way, wanting to make sure what she did was okay with him too, and it warmed his heart that she cared about making him comfortable in the same way he did.

“ Of course, love,” the pet name slipping from his lips without a second thought. “C’mere.” With some difficulty, they adjust so that he was holding her, reclining his chair back slightly. Her body curled up, head resting on his shoulder, legs hooked over his in the small space between his seat and the door. Harry held her knees so they didn’t slip with one hand, the other trailing up and down her back. Y/N’s fingers traced circles on his abdomen and Harry tried to restrain from moaning, but he could feel the singe of her touch through his shirt and it destroyed him. “That better?”

“Mhmm,” she answered, eyes on the movie. “You’re comfortable.”

Harry chuckled, loving the way her mouth curled upwards at her little joke. He loved the feeling of her body against him, her weight pressed into him. A calm washed over him that he hadn’t felt since he was in London. With lips pressed to her hair, he settled in to watch the rest of the film, deciding he wouldn’t move her unless she asked, no matter how much his thighs ached.

After the movie ended, they drove to get ice creams, Y/N running inside to grab them so they didn’t run the risk of anyone seeing Harry. He drove down I5 to get back to her apartment, the lights of the city passing by them as they drove. Y/N told Harry about her work, the recent projects she was on, her co-workers who she adored, especially Jamie, the other strategist on her level. Harry listened intently, wanting to absorb every piece of information she told him like he was going to be tested on it later.

As he pulled up to her building, Y/N leaned over and turned down the volume of the music that had been playing in the background. It was Harry’s driving playlist, a lovingly curated collection of his favorite songs, one that was always a test for him of a person’s musical likeness. Y/N bopped her head along to all of his favorites, softly singing the lyrics to The Chain, so she officially passed the test.

“I had fun tonight,” Y/N said, looking over at him.

Harry threw the car in park and met her eyes. “Me too.” He wanted to ask if he could take her out again, but he didn’t want to rush her—he’d promised to take it at her pace, and he would keep that promise.

Y/N picked at her fingernails, the blue varnish chipping at the tips. “Would you want to do this again?”

A grin crossed Harry’s face, his highest hope realized. “I’d love to. I’ll text you?” Y/N nodded, and Harry took her hand in his, raising it to his lips and pressing a delicate kiss to her knuckles. “Text me when you’re in, okay?”

Faster than he could process, Y/N leaned across the console and kissed him. A quick, albeit deep kiss to his lips that left his mind scrambling as she pulled away and opened the car door. Her top swished in the wind as she walked away from him, the light from the street-lamps illuminating her figure in the dark night. Harry watched as she walked away, fading from sight, The 1975’s Somebody Else coming on shuffle.

His phone illuminated with a text from her a beat later. Inside. Thanks for tonight! :)

I’m happy I could get a second date, he replied, trying to be funny. Can’t wait to see you again xx

She replied with a heart and Harry tried not to read too much into it as he drove away with the windows down, Matty Healy’s voice filling the night air.

It had been two weeks since Harry took Y/N to the drive in, and since then Y/N’s days had been filled with texts from Harry at all hours of the day. He would send her memes he found on Twitter or Instagram, sometimes a photo of his lunch for the day, and ask her about work. She’d send him a selfie of her work outfit when she was feeling particularly confident and he’s text back a heart eye emoji, and one night after a few glasses of wine they FaceTimed, both in their pajamas in bed. Those quiet, soft moments, were the ones that kept Y/N feeling close to Harry in between hours here and there watching films and making out on their respective couches.

Curled up on her couch, Harry holding her close, fingers threading through her hair as they watched The Good Place, Y/N couldn’t remember feeling this at ease this quickly with any other men she’d dated. But with Harry, she felt comfortable in her oversized sweatshirt and ratty sweatpants, hair tossed into a messy bun and her glasses perched on her nose, a glass of wine in her hand. There wasn’t a part of her who felt like she still had to impress him, he was just…Harry. And that was the part that scared her, because if she forgot about his job, about his popularity, did that mean she would let him get too close? She had made her rule for a reason, and this moment was a prime example of how important it was.

The episode ended, Netflix asking them if they were still watching, and Harry squeezed her shoulder. “Want some more?” He asked, nodding to her wine glass.

“Sure,” she answered, sitting up and handing it to him. “We might need to open a fresh bottle—there’s more—“

“In the pantry, I know,” he said, cutting her off with a smile. He’d spent many nights with her on this couch and at this point she didn’t need to tell him where the forks were or where here recycling bin was.  

Y/N tugged the blanket around her shoulders, cold from Harry leaving, and pressed pause on the TV. “Another episode?”

“Obviously,” Harry responded from the kitchen. She rolled over so she could watch him prepare the wine glasses, the sight of him standing in her kitchen, opening the wine on her marble countertops made her stomach flutter with butterflies. Every day that passed made it harder to hold him at a distance. “Are you free on the 1st?” He asked out of nowhere, pouring the wine into their glasses.

“Not sure,” Y/N responded. “Why?”

Harry looked up at her with a devious smile, the one Y/N had grown to enjoy. “It’s my birthday. Having a party and I was hoping you’d come.”

The idea of being in a room full of Harry’s friends, most of whom she would’t know, made Y/N’s head spin. But then again, she thought to herself, it wouldn’t be much different from going to an industry function with her dad and she’d been doing that since she was in diapers. She could hold her own. And plus, it was Harry’s birthday and the prospect of seeing him drunk and happy and eating cake was worth some discomfort. “Sure.”

His face lit up, eyes sparkling under the low lights of her kitchen. “Brilliant. Can’t wait for you to meet everyone—you’ll love them.” He brought over the wine glasses, tugging her back into his chest, arms a secure safe haven. “Now press play, wanna see what Eleanor and Chidi get up to this time.”

“I just want them to get together already,” she said, pressing play and settling into him, her face on his chest.

“Mhm,” he agreed, fingers scratching her scalp in the way she loved, and she tried not to let her eyes drift shut to the sound of his heart beating and the TV going.

With a gin and tonic in her hand and a forced smile on her face, Y/N wove her way through the crowd, trying to find Harry. She didn’t want to seem desperate, but he was her safety blanket of sorts—she didn’t know any of these people. Harry seemed to run in different circles from her dad and the people she’d grown up around, and the prospect of having to be a leech to Harry all night wasn’t exactly comforting. She didn’t want to be that annoying new girl that he had to introduce to everyone.

But then she heard her name from somewhere around her and she knew immediately that it was him. “Y/N!” Her eyes swept around her surroundings until they fell on his smile. He had his hair pushed back by a pair of sunglasses—despite that it was dark out—and he was in a velvet top with a crewneck underneath it. It was impossible, she thought, not to notice how stunning he was. She also wondered how much effort it would take to get him to take that crewneck off, because after the other times he had worn an unbuttoned shirt around her she knew it was one of her favorite things for him to wear.

She decided she would ask him when she gave him his birthday present.

Cutting through the people around her, Excuse me and I’m sorrys falling from her lips as she made her way over to the birthday boy, Y/N considered what he would make of her gift. She’d thought about it long and hard, called her best friend Hanna and Jamie on FaceTime to make sure she wasn’t being too presumptuous, but they’d reassured her she was fine. Overdue, even.

“Happy Birthday,” she said when she reached him, his hand immediately slipping around her waist. From the gleam in his eyes, she assumed he was a few drinks in and she wondered what silly dance moves he would whip out tonight. He’d shown her some earlier in the week after she had made them dinner and he’d had her giggling in seconds.

Harry’s hand squeezed the flesh at her hip, sending tingles up her spine, his eyes not leaving hers. “Thank you, baby.” It was the first time he’d used the nickname and Y/N tried not to think about the way it made her heart constrict with desire. “You look gorgeous.”

Jamie and Hanna had persuaded her to wear the outfit, despite her fears it was too much, but with Harry’s eyes on her and the way his hand curved into her body, she decided it was the right move. The short skirt and knee high boots she had been wanting to break out for ages, a silver top tucked loosely into the waistband to emphasize the curve of her waist. “Thanks,” she replied. “Now you going to introduce me, or will I have to do that myself?”

Harry blinked and the man and woman he was talking to chuckled. Y/N was happy she had made a good first impression—maybe making a joke or two at Harry’s expense would be her ice breaker. Not too many to where it hurt him, but enough to show people that she didn’t care about his fame, that to her he was just Harry, the idiot who did the Macarena in her living room to ABBA. “Oh, this is Mitch and Sarah,” he said, “they’re in my band. Mitch, Sarah, this is Y/N.”

“Pleasure,” the woman said, reaching out to hug Y/N. The display of affection warmed Y/N—maybe she wouldn’t have to be alone all night. This woman, Sarah, seemed lovely, and if she was in Harry’s band then she’d probably be seeing more of her at some point. “Harry mentioned you the other day. Said you have a sweet little place in Atwater?”

“Yes!” Y/N replied, her neighborhood one of her favorite topics of discussion. “I love it—moved in right after I graduated and it’s been perfect.”

“And what do you do, Y/N?” Mitch asked, taking a sip of his beer in his hand.

“Brand strategy,” Harry answered for her. “She’s utterly brilliant at it too—Y/N can you tell them about the project you were talking about at dinner on Tuesday?”

His words caused Y/N to glance at him with shock. She’d never had a guy answer for her before, but she could tell it wasn’t from a place of Harry trying to speak over her, but a place of pride—and support. “Yeah—it’s for a new ethical clothing brand out of Seattle, they’re working on size-inclusive athletic attire for women. The models for the campaign are going to be super diverse and I’m really excited to see it in the industry, since it’s been few and far between, especially in the fitness space.”

Sarah nodded along and Y/N could tell that she got it. “I’d love to know the company—could you text it to me?”

Harry gave Y/N another squeeze and she swallowed the smile that threatened to stay plastered on her face if Harry did that one more time. “Sure thing.” Sarah typed her number into Y/N’s phone, a little sunflower next to her name that reminded Y/N of Harry. It felt good to have a connection to one of Harry’s friends, especially someone as lovely as Sarah seemed.

And Sarah didn’t disappoint. She made Y/N her pet project for the evening, taking over when Harry had to talk to someone, keeping Y/N entertained and introducing her to people. By the time she had finished her second drink, she fonud herself deep in a conversation about a new art exhibit downtown that Jamie had mentioned to her. The thought of Harry’s presence hadn’t even popped into her head and it was nice to be independent in the space, to hold her own in the crowd. She realized that she fit in with his friends, despite her fears.

Harry kept on coming over though, grabbing her hand and leading her to talk to someone he worked with or was close with or he thought she’d find interesting. He refilled their glasses when she asked and kept an arm wrapped around her waist, a smile beaming down at her that filled her with joy. To be so supported by a man she’d only been seeing for a matter of weeks felt unreal, but she wasn’t mad about it. The newest conversation was with an up and coming photographer who Harry had taken a liking to, Harry explained to her.

“And this is my girlfriend Y/N,” he said, gesturing to her.

The title of girlfriend almost passed her over completely, but when she processed it, it stopped her dead in her tracks. They hadn’t talked about titles, about officially being boyfriend and girlfriend, as silly as the term sounded. Every other time he’d introduced her , it was just Y/N, although she assumed the way he held her close probably gave away their relationship to anyone who had eyes. After all, it had only been a few weeks, so they were still infatuated with touching one another. Y/N couldn’t keep her hands off of him either, fingers slipping into a belt loop absentmindedly or creeping up his back and rubbing circles there while he talked.

And maybe it was for those reasons that the word girlfriend didn’t affect her as much as she expected it to. It felt somewhat right, even, she thought. It wasn’t like she particularly wanted to be seeing anyone else, after all—Harry had swooped into her life and she’d become obsessed with spending time with him, despite her rule and her objections to the idea of him. He had shocked her with his charm and honesty and intellect, the way he listened to her and asked her questions, how he held her close and murmured his commentary to films in her ear, willing to jump up and get her ice cream anytime she asked. Even though he was the definition of the man she had always promised herself she would never date, the idea of ending things made her recoil.

So she let the term slide. She smiled and shook the man’s hand, listening intently to him describe his newest exhibition and tucked his business card into her purse when he handed it to her. Later, she told herself. She’d talk to Harry later.

She cheered when Harry blew out the birthday candles on his cake, laughing along with everyone else when James Corden tried to shove his face into the cake. When Harry kissed the top of her head chastely, lips sweet with icing, she reveled in the moment, taking a bite of her own slice. It was late and she was getting tired and she desperately wanted to give Harry his gift with the more time that passed and the more messy his curls got and the more drinks she had. And then Harry started dancing with Sarah and James and a dozen other people, and suddenly he was dragging her onto the dance floor, holding her close and shimmying his hips along to Ariana Grande with her. Her head tipped back and a laugh rang through the night and she decided there was simply no way she could break it off. Harry had proved her wrong and she was going to let him continue.

Their kisses were heavy when they stumbled into Y/N’s apartment, the door slamming shut behind them. It was after midnight and they were both quite tipsy, maybe even drunk. Harry more so than her, but not to the point where he couldn’t tell her how everything she did made him feel.

“Your lips are heaven,” he said, pressing a line down her throat with her pressed up against the door. “How are they so soft? Do you have some special scrub or somethin’?”

“It’s from fresh,” she answered. “Fuck, Harry.” His hand had wrapped around her thigh and tugged it up around his hip so that he could press himself into her center and the friction had her sweating. The combination of his weight against hers and the wetness of his tongue on her collarbones as he sucked a kiss into her skin left her squirming in his hold, hands gripping his coat tightly in her hands. “Get this off,” she said, pushing at his coat.

“Bossy,” he chuckled, shrugging it off, the material falling to the ground. “Want me out of anything else, ma’am?”

Mischief twinkled in his eyes and Y/N wanted him completely naked, but that was a bit much for the entryway to her apartment. “Shirt.”

He unbuttoned his velvet shirt, pulling it off, but Y/N caught it in her hands. He looked at her quizzically, trying to understand what she was doing.

“Want this on,” she explained, holding up the velvet top. “And that one off.” Her fingers pulled at the neck of his crewneck and Harry’s eyes trailed to her fingers and then back to her face.

“I like your brain,” he said simply. And then complied with her request, crewneck over his head and on the ground. Y/N’s fingers were on his chest immediately, drawing patterns over his tattoos that she knew were there from seeing him in tank tops and thin t-shirts, but it was another thing entirely to be able to touch the ink on his body.

When he tugged on his velvet shirt, Y/N smiled, touching the fabric. “Should’ve just worn this.”

“Yeah?”

“Mhm.” Her hands slid under the material, desperate to touch him again.

“I’ll make sure to get your approval next time.”

“Good.” Then, she pulled his lips back to hers, the touch of his mouth on hers leaving her humming. He ate it up, tongue licking into her mouth, the taste of tequila and cake filling her senses. His hand drifted up her side, squeezing the skin next to her breasts. She knew what he wanted and she didn’t want to say no to him. “Bedroom?”

Harry’s eyes widened, dropping to her lips and then back up to her eyes. “You sure?”

“Positive,” she answered. Then, she leaned in so she could whisper in his ear, “I have a present to give you.”

With that information, Harry swept her up in his arms, ignoring her pleas for him to set her down, and carried her into the bedroom. Dropping her onto the duvet, he crawled up her body like a cat, head nuzzling into her skin in a way that was so sweet Y/N didn’t know what to do with herself. “I want my present,” Harry mumbled. “What do I have to unwrap, baby?”

Y/N mewled at the last word of his sentence and he winked at her. Baby. “You said that earlier.”

He lifted his head and looked at her. “And?”

A smile wormed its way onto her face. “I like it.”

“Good,” he said, tucking his face back into her body, blowing hot air over her breasts. She could feel the sensation through the fabric of her top and it tightened her nipples, begging for more. “You like anything else I said tonight?”

“Hmm?”

“When we were talking to Eric,” he said, not meeting her eyes, instead pressing wet kisses down her tummy, rucking the hem of the fabric up slightly so he could touch her skin. “Called you something.”

Girlfriend. She knew where he was going and she couldn’t help but chuckle at his coyness. “I caught that.”

He licked into her bellybutton, a yelp escaping her mouth at the sensation. “Thoughts?”

“Can you take my shirt off already, boyfriend?” She didn’t even pause—she’d thought about it for the rest of the night, toying with the terms. The time had allowed her to process and now she knew what she wanted—she wanted him. She’d figure the rest of it out later, but first she wanted him.

Finally, Harry met her eyes. His face was illuminated by the light from her bedside table lamp, the soft glow showing the light tan to his skin, his green eyes popping up to hers. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

He kissed the soft skin above her belly button. “We’ll talk more about it later. But first, I want to see you.” Y/N leaned up and helped him take her shirt off, then shimmy the skirt down her hips. She kicked her boots off somewhere in the process. Lying in just her underwear for him, she tried not to squirm under his gaze as he took inventory of every inch of her exposed skin. “Beautiful,” he finally breathed out, eyes glassy and lips wet. “So fucking beautiful.”

“Your turn,” she said, tugging at his pants. “Get out of these.”

“Give me a second, Jesus woman,” he said, batting her hands away so he could get the button undone. The jeans were tight, which Y/N didn’t hesitate to make fun of him for, and Harry just rolled his eyes at her. “You love them,” he countered and he wasn’t wrong. When he hovered over her in just his boxers, Y/N decided he was positively delectable. Her hands pushed off his top that he had kept on just for her, the fabric falling somewhere on her floor.

“Roll over,” she directed, pushing at his torso so he would lay down in the space next to her.

He was compliant, completely under her spell. In just their underwear, there was far more skin to explore and Y/N planning to take advantage of her opportunity. She ran her hands over his skin, every tattoo earning a kiss from her lips, mumbling how pretty he was as she went down his body. It was like a map, and a map she wanted to know by heart. When he bucked into her core, Y/N smirked at him, Harry groaning as she ignored what he needed.

“Quite bossy, aren’t you?”

“It’s my birthday present, ain’t it?”

Y/N pressed a finger to his lips, hushing him as she had before and yet again, it worked. “Haven’t even told you what it is.” Clamoring off his body, she made her way lower, resting next to his knees. She brushed a finger over the outline of him in his boxer, a guttural moan filling the room at her touch. “That’s your birthday gift,” she told him, words falling soft in the space around them.

“Yeah?” He choked out as she gripped him harder through his boxers. “Please, Y/N, please.” His begs did something to her, his desperation pulling the same from her. She wanted to touch him, to have him in her mouth, to know how he tasted.

Her fingers pulled at his boxers, tugging them down his long legs and letting them fall to the end of her bed. His cock sprung up against his belly, hard and heavy, the tip pink from his desire. “Needy, hm?” Y/N didn’t usually do dirty talk, but with Harry it just fell from her mouth without another thought. The comfort of being with him made her usual worries about what she said collapse, her only thought his pleasure. “What do you want, baby?”

The pet name seemed to do something special to him because he bucked up into the air with a hiss. “Hands. Mouth. Anything.”

Y/N could do anything. She slid back into the spot between his legs and licked a solid stripe up the underside of him, the growl that left his mouth music to her ears. Taking the tip into her mouth she bobbed down as far as she could—she wanted to surprise him, start strong. None of this slow and steady crap. She wanted Harry to know how good she was, how good she could make him feel. She wanted to rock his fucking world.

And she did. She built a steady tempo, taking what she couldn’t fit in her mouth in her hands, rubbing him up and down, the slick of her saliva making the work easy. Harry’s hand found her hair, thumbing through it to keep it out of her face, the sweet motion making her heart sing. Every once in a while she would push down so that he hit the back of her throat and keep him there as long as she could, inhaling through her nose, the choked groan from his chest making the feeling worth it. When his hips popped up, his tip pressing deeper, she let him do it, loving the feeling of him in her mouth. She loved the moans filling the air and the way he rasped her name like the chorus to his favorite song, how he tugged on her hair and wound the strands between his fingers.

She decided that going down on him was her new favorite past time. She would make it a fucking national sport if that meant she could do it every day, because seeing him falling apart from her and her alone brought her a kind of gratification she had never felt.

“Close?” Her words pulled him from a daze, tongue darting over his lower lip.

“Yeah.”

That made Y/N double down her efforts. She wanted him to cum, she wanted it so badly she felt it in every bone of her body. “Want you to come,” she mumbled against him, the vibrations of her voice sending shocks through his body. “Come for me, H.”

He gasped, bucking into her mouth. “You—your mouth? I—“

“Come for me, baby,” her voice a beg, a plea. She wanted to taste him, to know how what he tasted like, to kiss him with the taste still lingering on her tongue.

When he came, she had to wonder if this was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. The way he tossed his head back, mouth in a silent scream as he emptied into her mouth. He held her head in place lightly, just enough so there was weight but not too much where she couldn’t move, his other hand gripping the duvet cover in a tight grip. And his taste—he tasted a bit salty, but she didn’t mind. It was tangy, a taste that was him, and she loved it. She held him there on her tongue until he stopped, the ropes of his orgasm stopping finally, and she slipped him from her mouth. As he settled, his chest rose and fell quickly, regaining his breath.

She pressed her head to his thigh, out of breath too, her eyes on him. Watching him regain composure was a sight she would dream of, his hair scattered across her pillow in disarray, the flush to his cheeks, the pants from his parted lips.

“C’mere,” he finally said, voice raw. “Want a kiss.”

Y/N didn’t make him wait. She crawled up his body, legs on either side of his stomach and pressed her lips to his. The idea of him tasting himself on her tongue made her hot, her center clenching, but it was all about Harry tonight. “Happy Birthday,” she mumbled against his lips and he chuckled. “Hope it was a good one.”

“Best one yet,” he told her, smoothing her hair behind her ear. “Tired?”

She nodded, face held in his hands. “Stay?”

Harry smiled and pressed a kiss to her nose. “Course. Got an extra toothbrush?”

In the morning, she woke up in his embrace, arms curled tightly around her frame. He’d kicked some of the covers off overnight, but thankfully he was as hot as a furnace so she wasn’t cold. Without even thinking about it, she cuddled against his chest, shutting her eyes to hold onto the moment a little longer.

“I know you’re awake,” he whispered and Y/N rolled her eyes at him.

Turning over so she could see his face, she murmured, “Sleep well?”

“Perfectly,” he answered. “These sheets are cozy.”

“Target.”

“Huh. Maybe I’ll have to get some.”

She chuckled, pressing her face into his chest. “I don’t wanna get up.”

“Then don’t,” he replied, brushing her hair back. “Wanted to talk to you, though.”

“Hmm?” Her eyes were closed against his skin and it was blissful. He smelled like sweat and his cologne and the distinct smell of Harry, a scent she was quickly growing to adore.

Tucking a leg between hers, he said, “This is a busy year for me. The album’s coming out in May, then Dunkirk in July, then tour in the fall. And I know that you don’t want to date a musician and I know it’s early days, but I—I can’t imagine losing you, you know? So I want to have a plan for how we’re going to do it. Cuz it won’t be easy.”

Y/N looked up at him, the morning sunlight hitting his cheekbones perfectly. “The fact that you even want to have that conversation means so much.” Her words were honest—they showed he cared. He wanted to try, to make it work. “Let’s figure out the specifics when it comes time for that, but for now you’ll be here, yeah?” He nodded and she let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. “Let’s make a promise to each other. We talk. All the time about everything and anything. Don’t bottle it up, just share what’s going on in your head. I think that’ll make it somewhat easier. And we visit as much as we can.”

Harry’s fingers ran across the bridge of her nose and then up, a line across the tops of her eyebrows. “I like that.”

“But it’s a continuing conversation, okay?” She added, wanting to make sure this was clear. “We have to keep talking about it, even though it’s harder than it is to ignore it.” It was something she knew from watching her dad over the years and from her own relationship with him. Once she told him that he was gone too much, that she wanted him home, he made it happen. He prioritized her, she just had to remind him that she wanted him there.

“Okay.” Harry kissed her forehead, and then across her cheeks, soft kisses pressed to her skin that left her in giggles. “Now let’s eat something—I’m starved.” Y/N groaned, but let him pull her out of bed. They brushed their teeth together, him pressing toothpaste kisses to her lips, and she let him use her face wash and moisturizer. It was perfect, and for that moment, Y/N’s worries of the future fell away and she hoped she could hold them off. At least for a while.

TAGLIST

@smokeinherperfume @afire-hes @harryinsweatersandbandanas @marinalima3 @havethetimeofyourstyles @ursogoldenshan @inmygardensuit @marinalima3 @amaridon @harrys-watermelons @dontgiveupthedayjob @cronias13 @apples2019 @laula843 @afterstylesmadeit  @kait-brin @harrys-watermelons @groovybaybee @clumsywithlove93 @1142590m

Would you like to know when I update The Only Exception? Let me know here!

NEXT CHAPTER COMING JULY 8TH @ NOON CST

[theycallmebeccawrites]

Chris & Ellie Series: Episode 25

Happy New Year’s Eve (and yes, I realize some of you are already in 2021, but I’m not.) Nothing like waiting until almost the last minute to get my promised new episode posted before the end of December. But success.

I’m currently on my lunch break, so I have to keep this short and sweet.

Thank you to everyone who has stuck with me as I’ve been writing this series. I truly appreciate each and everyone one of you. And shout out to my betas: @nomadicpixel​ @alievans007​ @heather-lynn​ and @mrs-captain-evans​ - you four are amazing cheerleaders and this story wouldn’t be what it is without you and your help.

♥Becca♥

Pairing: Chris Evans x Ellie Spencer (OFC)

Rating: PG-13

Warnings: n/a

Episode Summary: Chris returns to Los Angeles (and Ellie)... for real this time.

Disclaimer: This work of fiction is not to be reposted, used or translated without my permission.

This episode can also be read on AO3.

The Chris and Ellie series is primarily chronological. It begins with a flash forward to 2016 and has a few other scenes in the future. However, the majority of their story is told in chronological order starting in 2013 and going through 2017. Each episode starts with a date to help you place it within the story.

The Chris & Ellie Series Masterlist | Chris & Ellie Masterlist

Episode 24.5

Episode 25: Only Fools Rush In

December 5, 2014

Chris's house in Los Angeles was dark when the cab came to a stop in front of it in the early hours of the morning. The driver helped Chris get his luggage out of the trunk and then wished him a 'Merry Christmas' after Chris slipped him a tip.

As the cab drove away, Chris stared up at the big house, trying to block out the memories from that day in July when he'd seen Ellie and Pierre hugging. Now that he knew what had actually happened, he felt like a fool for jumping to conclusions.

He couldn’t bring himself to regret it. That rock bottom moment for him had been a catalyst. He'd finally gotten over the hurdles his mind created and was letting his heart take the lead on the whole Ellie dilemma. He owed it to them both to seek her out. He didn't know how it would go, but he was prepared to apologize and, if she wanted, walk away.

Taking a deep breath, he unlocked the door and carried his suitcases in. His eyes drifted up the stairs and he knew he should take them up to his bedroom, but he wasn't ready to go there yet. Instead, he dropped the suitcases at the bottom of the stairs then walked through the quiet house, taking everything in.

For some reason, Chris had expected everything to be different, but it all looked the same. The only thing that was noticeably different was the smell. The house didn't smell bad by any means, it just didn't smell like the light, fruity scent that he associated with Ellie.

It wasn't until he got to the kitchen that he noticed things missing, specifically Ellie's things. Like her ugly coffee cups that she insisted on keeping next to the coffeemaker so they were within easy reach first thing in the morning. His eyes then slid to the floor by the backdoor where Daisy's things had been. He missed her almost as much as he missed Ellie.

Taking a shaky breath, he started a pot of coffee, knowing it would be the only way he was going to make it through the day after taking a red eye flight from Boston to Los Angeles. While the coffee brewed, he grabbed a mug from the cupboard and then looked back at the coffee maker.

"I don't know why you keep them so far apart," Ellie's voice came back to him from a long-forgotten conversation. "It's silly. The coffee cups should be right above the coffee pot for easy access. Everyone knows that."

"You're right," he admitted out loud in his empty kitchen.

Trying to remember the other things Ellie had said to him over their time together, he opened the doors of all his cupboards and began reorganizing them. At first, it required a lot of thought, but once it got down to just putting things away, his mind started to wander.

It had been ten days since he'd learned the truth about what had happened in the driveway back in July. At first, he had been too overwhelmed by the information and hadn't been able to process it. Opening up to his mom about everything had helped, but that had just been step one.

The next step had been sorting through his feelings. He knew he was in love with Ellie. Months of long, lonely nights of introspection convinced him of that. But he also knew that his feelings weren't what was important right now. Ellie's feelings were all what mattered. Him being in love with her didn't mean a damn thing if she didn't feel the same way. Or worse, if she hated him and never wanted to see him again.

He'd tried to put on a brave face for Thanksgiving, but his heart hadn't really been in it. He'd gone through the motions, but not even a competitive game of Trivial Pursuit had pulled him out of his head.

His mom had given him until Saturday morning before she'd stepped in to help some more. Through a series of questions, like 'what are you thinking' and 'what are you planning to do', she helped him get through the quagmire that was his brain. The outcome of which had been him deciding to go back to Los Angeles to talk to Ellie.

The biggest question that had followed his decision had been when. Scott had gone back to LA Sunday morning, but Chris hadn't been ready yet. He'd wanted to come back with a game plan. Even if it all ended up a complete and utter failure.

"What are you doing?" Scott's voice came through the fog of Chris's brain, bringing him back to the present.

Shaking his head, Chris turned and found his brother standing at the top of the stairs to the basement. Seeing the confused expression on Scott's face, he took a step back and took in the reorganizing disaster that was his kitchen.

"Are you ok?" Scott asked, slowly. He'd known Chris was arriving this morning, but he hadn't expected to find his brother rearranging the kitchen when he came in from the guest house where he was now living.

"I'm fine," Chris assured him. "Just felt like reorganizing, I guess." He shrugged. "Ellie was always commenting on the silly places some things were stored and she was right." Stepping forward, he opened the cupboard over the coffee pot. "The mugs are here now. Above the coffee pot."

"You could have just moved the coffee pot," Scott said with a stifled yawn.

"I could have, but it makes sense for the coffee pot, coffee and coffee cups to all be in one area," Chris explained. "Speaking of which, I made coffee. You want some?"

"Shouldn't you be fighting jet lag or something?" his brother asked.

"I slept on the plane," Chris replied with a shrug. "And I've had two cups of coffee this morning. I'll sleep later."

"In your bedroom or in one of the guestrooms?" Scott asked, cautiously. He knew coming back to the house was a big first step for Chris, but he didn't think his brother was fully prepared for the onslaught of memories that the house would bring. Seeing Chris tense at his question, Scott pressed on. "Have you been upstairs yet?"

"I couldn't go upstairs," Chris admitted, softly. The bedroom held so many memories for himself and Ellie but was also the place that his worst memory with her had happened.

"Want me to go with you?" Scott offered. He'd walked by Ellie's side during the aftermath of the breakup and now that his brother was forced to deal with it himself, he could help him, too.

"Will you help me with the kitchen first?" Chris asked, gesturing to the stuff that was still on the counters to put away.

Knowing his brother needed to mentally prepare himself to go upstairs, Scott helped him finish reorganizing the kitchen. He didn't want to admit it out loud, but some of the changes really did make sense. Others, he knew would drive Ellie crazy. Which made him want to take a picture and send it to her, but he resisted the urge. She didn't know Chris was back in town yet and he didn't want to be the one to tell her.

After the last cabinet door closed, Scott expected Chris to come up with a reason not to go upstairs, but his brother surprised him by leading him out of the kitchen.

"Are you ready for this?" Scott asked as he picked up two of Chris's suitcases.

"Not really, but it's not like I have much choice, is it?" Chris asked as he grabbed his other suitcase.

"It'll be ok, you'll see," Scott assured him. "The cleaning lady was here yesterday and she made the bed for you and cleaned the bathroom."

Leading Chris up the stairs, Scott waited for him at the bedroom door. He knew his brother needed to be the one to open the door to fully cement his current reality. Afterall, the last time Chris had been in the room, Ellie had been peacefully sleeping in the bed and it had been April.

"You got this," Scott encouraged as they stood outside the closed bedroom door.

Turning the handle, Chris pushed the door open and found the room just as it had always been when he came home from a long time away. It was both comforting and depressing.

He forced himself to take a step into the room and then another until he reached the bed. He dropped his suitcase onto it and Scott did the same with the other two.

Turning to survey the room, he saw the two neatly stacked piles of clothes on the dresser by the bedroom door. He recognized some of the sweatshirts that Ellie had borrowed from him, but others were just clothes he had worn during the days leading up to his early departure.

Sucking in a breath, he turned his attention to the closet. Crossing the room, he opened the door and was taken aback at the chaotic state of it. He knew he'd packed in a rush, but he hadn't realized he'd left it in such a state.

"I told the housekeeper not to clean it up," Scott said from behind him. "I thought you needed to see the way you left things."

"I hadn't realized," Chris whispered as he felt pressure building in his chest. He could only imagine how shocked and hurt Ellie had been when she'd seen the room. "I really fucked up."

"You did," Scott agreed. There was no reason to sugar coat things anymore. At the same time, he could feel the anxiety radiating off his brother. Reaching over, he put his hand on Chris's shoulder and squeezed. "You're here now. That's what's important."

Turning to look at his brother, Chris felt the weight of the last eight months on his shoulders. Not only had he lost Ellie, but he'd effectively lost his own brother, too. Both because of his own stupidity.

"I'm sorry for being a jackass," he told Scott.

"I know you are and I forgive you," Scott replied with a smile. "I'll try not to rub it in your face. Too much anyway."

Chris rolled his eyes and pulled his brother in for a hug.

"So what's your plan?" Scott asked, once they'd parted.

"I'm going to go talk to her," Chris told him. 

"You mean call her, right?" Scott responded. The idea of Chris just showing up at Ellie's apartment left him uneasy. Assuming his brother knew where she lived.

"No, I'm going to go find her and talk to her," Chris replied with a shake of his head. "We both know I'm eight months too late to just call her like everything is fine between us."

"You can't just show up, Chris," Scott insisted. "You should give her some sort of warning that you're wanting to fix things. A phone call would be the best way to do that."

"That's assuming she hasn't blocked my number," Chris pointed out. "And on the off chance she hasn't, who says she would even answer the call? Or that she won't hang up when she realizes I'm the one calling?"

"She hasn't and she won't," Scott assured him. He knew Ellie hadn't blocked or deleted Chris's number because he'd looked when he'd seen her the other day. As for the second part, he was certain that she would answer the phone for Chris. If only to make sure that everyone was ok.

"I have to talk to her in person," Chris stated in a tone of finality. "Even if it's just to tell her I'm sorry."

Scott sighed, but nodded his head, as if giving his permission, which meant a lot to Chris. He knew that Scott and Ellie had gotten closer during his absence and Scott had been there for her. Oddly enough, he even appreciated the balancing act his brother was doing to protect Ellie but also help him.

"I don't suppose you'd give me her address," Chris asked, hesitantly. He didn't want to cause problems between his brother and Ellie, especially if things didn't work out for the two of them, but it was worth a try.

"I don't know her address," Scott replied. It wasn't a lie, exactly. He didn't know the address of her apartment or even the address of the bookstore. He could tell Chris where Ellie's apartment was, but he didn't want Chris to catch Ellie off guard. Like his brother, she needed time to process things and having Chris just show up on her doorstep would not be ideal.

"Then I guess I'll start at the bookstore," Chris reasoned. "That's where I was planning to start anyway." He frowned as a thought crossed his mind. "She still works at the bookstore, right?"

"Yes," Scott told him, making a mental note to call the bookstore when he had the chance to give them a heads up. "They have later hours right now because of the holidays. You'll probably want to go on Monday. That tends to be their slow day, though with Christmas right around the corner, that might be different."

"I'm going tonight," Chris stated. "And I knew about the later hours, I saw it on their website. I plan on getting there right before closing time."

"Oh," Scott said, hoping his voice sounded calm despite the panic that Chris's words had caused. Then he remembered that Ellie wasn't working that night. He couldn't remember exactly what she was doing, but he thought it had to do with the afterschool program she'd been helping with. Possibly a Christmas party? Whatever it was didn't matter. All that mattered was that someone else would be at the bookstore and she would get a heads up that Chris was looking for her before they met. He wondered if Ellie would believe him if he sent her a text in the morning saying that Chris had shown up at the house.

"... and that's my plan," Chris's voice trailed off.

Scott blinked and then coughed awkwardly as he realized he'd missed Chris's plans while panicking. "Uh, sounds like you have it all planned out then," he said, hoping his voice didn't give anything away.

"Yeah, I guess," Chris replied, nodding, his mind on his plan. He'd spent hours formulating it and it was almost time to put it into action. He took a deep breath and turned his attention back to the disaster that was his closet. "I suppose I should deal with this."

"Good idea," Scott said, his mind on making the phone call. "I'll let you do that. I need to go make a phone call anyway."

It wasn't until Scott had left that Chris felt the weight of the pressure he'd succumbed to the night he'd walked away. Unlike that night, however, his heart was able to push past his chaotic thoughts. Starting with the overturned hamper, he picked it up, thankful that someone had taken care of the dirty clothes that had been in there.

It took him a couple hours to get everything picked up and the clothes from his suitcases put away. The hardest part of it all had been the sweatshirts that Ellie had borrowed from him. He smelled each one, hoping they'd still smell like her, but they didn't.

Around two in the afternoon, he gave in to the mental and physical exhaustion he was feeling and laid down for a nap. He slept for a couple of hours and woke up feeling a little groggy, but also recharged.

Hearing his stomach growl, he made his way downstairs and found the house empty. Going into the kitchen, it took him a few minutes to remember where he had moved things to in the kitchen, but eventually he had what he needed to make himself a sandwich.

With hours to kill, he thought about going downstairs to watch tv, but he wasn't sure he was ready for that. At least, not on his own. The basement, even more so than his bedroom, held so many memories for himself and Ellie. It was where they had built their friendship and where it had grown to be more.

Instead, he went back upstairs to take a shower before trying to figure out what to wear. All black seemed too dramatic, but he didn't feel right wearing anything she'd told him she loved seeing him wear. The goal of tonight was for her to see that he was back in town and for him to at least apologize to her. He hoped that she would give him a couple minutes to explain things, but he didn't want to push her to do anything she wasn't comfortable with.

He spent the remaining time going over every aspect of his plan. He purposely hadn't written down what he wanted to say, because he didn't want it to sound rehearsed, but he had a general idea. If all went well, Ellie would be at the shop when he got there and then he'd either talk to her or make plans to talk to her another time.

He felt nervous, but oddly calm at the same time. He was as ready as he'd ever be.

With two hours until closing time, he left the house and made his way to the Los Angeles neighborhood that the bookstore was in. He gave himself more than enough time to get there, not wanting to risk getting stuck in traffic and getting there after they closed for the night.

As it was, he got there a good forty-five minutes before closing time and stopped for coffee before finding a parking spot in front of the shop. He sipped his coffee as he waited, mentally going over everything he wanted to say to Ellie. Assuming she let him talk and didn't run him out of the shop.

With five minutes left until closing time, Chris got out of the car and made his way to the shop. The bells jingled above his head as he came inside.

"We're closing in -" A friendly voice started to say before switching to a less friendly one when he came into sight. "Oh. It's you."

Even though he'd never met Veronica, the shop owner, he knew that was exactly who the middle aged woman was. "You know who I am?" he asked, hesitantly.

"You're Ellie's actor," the woman replied, pursing her lips. "I'd heard you were in town."

"Scott," Chris said, suddenly feeling annoyed with his brother. Obviously that had been the mysterious phone call he'd had to make. "Look, I'm just -"

"I know you're trying to find Ellie," Veronica interrupted him. "Go sit in the break room. I'll be with you in a minute."

Confused, Chris followed her directions and made his way into the break room. It was as he stepped into the back room that he picked up on a familiar scent that rocked him to his core. Ellie had been here or maybe her scent was just imprinted on the place since she worked here. He hadn't realized just how much he'd missed the smell until now.

"I dated an actor once," Veronica's voice said from behind him.

Chris turned to face her, waiting for a clue as to how it applied to himself and Ellie.

"It was the worst experience of my life," Veronica continued. "He was the vainest man I'd ever met, in the end. At first, he treated me like a queen. Taking me to parties and events with other famous people. Then something changed and it became hell for me. It's been thirty years and I still can't say one nice thing about him."

"I'm sorry you went through that," he said, still confused. "But you're right, Hollywood is filled with some pompous assholes."

"And are you one of them?" she asked pointedly.

"No," he said, shaking his head. "I will admit that I let Hollywood and fame in general get to my head when I was in my twenties, but that's not who I am anymore or who I want to be."

"Ellie and your brother would agree to that, I know," Veronica told him. "Which is the only reason you are in the break room right now and not standing outside."

As she crossed her arms and leveled a protective look at him, Chris realized what was happening. His brother had obviously clued her into the fact that he was back to talk to Ellie, but Veronica had taken it a step farther, wanting to protect Ellie from anymore heartache if she could.

"I fucked up," he said, simply. Obviously, he had mentally prepared to talk to Ellie, not her boss, but if he had to play hardball to get the chance to talk to her, he'd do it. "And I hurt her in the process and I regret that."

"Now you're back," Veronica stated, visually unswayed by his words.

"Now I'm back," he confirmed. "I don't know if I can fix things, but I want to try. If she'll let me."

"And if she won't?" Veronica pressed.

"Then I walk away. Forever," Chris promised. Squaring his shoulders, he added, "I'm not here to tell her I love her. I'm not saying I don't, but I know that my words aren't worth shit to her, to you, to anyone who knew about our relationship."

Veronica's eyebrows rose at his confession, but she didn't interrupt.

"I just need a chance to talk to her," he continued. "My brother wanted me to call her, but I know this conversation has to happen in person. It's been too long for it to happen any other way."

As if triggered by the word 'call', Veronica's phone started to ring. He saw her take it out of her pocket and saw the look of surprise that crossed her face.

"Excuse me for a minute," she said before disappearing into a private office and closing the door.

Sighing, Chris sank down into a chair at the table. Dealing with an overprotective boss was not something he had planned. Let alone his brother tipping off said boss. That said, he was happy that Ellie had people looking out for her.

Hearing the door open, he saw Veronica putting on a coat.

"Mr. Evans, you are lucky that I believe in fate," she told him as she turned off the lights in the office. "I assume you brought your car?"

"Uh, yes," he replied, more confused than ever, as he stood up.

"Good, Ellie needs us," she told him. "I'll let you drive."

"Is she ok?" he asked as he followed Veronica out of the building via the door in the alley.

"She's fine, but Santa just called saying he was going to the ER for appendicitis," Veronica explained as she locked up. 

"Santa?" Chris repeated. What the hell was she even talking about?

"The costume should fit you," Veronica continued as if not hearing him. She led him down the alley and to the street.

"Wait? You want me to dress up as Santa?" Chris said, finally catching up. Sort of.

"Yes," Veronica replied, turning to look at him. "Unless everything you said in the break room was a lie."

"It wasn't," he said firmly, finally knowing something for certain.

"Good." Veronica nodded as they reached his car, the only one parked in front of the bookstore. "The community center is a ten minute drive from here. We'll need to hurry though. The kids are expecting Santa and Mrs. Claus to hand out presents."

Head still spinning in confusion, Chris followed her directions to the community center. Then found himself ushered down a dark hallway to an office.

"Your costume is in there," Veronica told him. She opened a door and all but pushed him inside.

Mind still trying to catch up with what was going on, it took Chris a minute to see the Santa costume hanging on a coat hook. Still not sure what this all had to do with Ellie, he grabbed the red, fake velvet pants and was in the process of pulling them on over his jeans when the door suddenly opened.

Glancing over his shoulder, he saw a woman dressed as Mrs. Claus come into the room. Her costume consisted of a red velour dress that matched Santa’s costume, a white curly wig and a pair of fake glasses.

Glasses that circled eyes he knew very well.

Eyes that widened when they saw him standing there. 

"Chris," Ellie said in a tone of disbelief.

Episode 26

Want to find me off tumblr? I'm @beccatheycallme on twitter. I also post my stories on AO3.

Tag List: @nomadicpixel​, @heather-lynn​, @alievans007​, @mrs-captain-evans​, @stopjustlovethemcu​, @thewannabewriter​, @guera31​, @badassbaker​, @chezdricks​, @patzammit​, @katiew1973​, @zoeloveschrisevans​, @marvelouspottering​, @pegasusdragontiger​, @smoothdogsgirl​, @peaceinourtime82​, @ek823​, @anionthewrite​, @mizzzpink​, @giftofdreams, @janeyboo​, @princess-evans-addict​, @jesseswartzwelder​, @avenger-nerd-mom​, @furrywerewolfcollector​, @ladyamandapanda12​, @gigglegirl77​, @poisonedyouth-americanbeauty​, @jennmurawski13​, @theladybiers​, @rapunzel-flynnrider, @thesecretlifeofdaydreamss, @animnerd​, @tvjunkie08​, @coldmuffinbanditshoe​

My tag list is always open, just let me know if you’d like to be added!

[freebooter4ever]

The final part of this fic series which no one asked for but i finished anyway lol - third section deals with fighting in the rain on Okinawa, coming home, and settling down together in a house.

---

In the beginning of the campaign, Okinawa is a respite from the heat. After the easy landing, and the easier invasion, many of the guys start dropping their guard. It's too tempting to revel in the cool air, and ignore the minor discomfort (compared to battle) of hauling heavy packs along muddy roads. But every night in their foxholes they remember they're at war.

One night, when Eugene wakes Snafu up for his watch, he also leans in for a quick peck on the lips. Snafu thinks Eugene's finally lost it. He keeps one careful eye on Eugene and refuses to sleep for an entire day and a half after that. Yet during every switch of their watch, Eugene continues to kiss him. Like it's normal, like it should be expected. Snafu gives in. If it's just the two of them in their hole, he lets Eugene snuggle in close. Snafu starts sleeping better, and when he wakes Eugene for his own watch, Snafu starts kissing him too. There's never any urge for anything more, with the long heavy marches and the constant state of slight hunger, having any feelings beyond numbness is hard. But the little kisses are a reminder of good things. Snafu indulges in the comfort of them so much that the one time they share a foxhole with Burgie, Snafu completely fucking forgets himself. Earlier in the day they'd found a source of fresh water and Eugene washed his whole head, scrubbing the grime from his neck. His lips are bright and pink again, and when Snafu catches sight of them in the dim light of a flare as he goes to wake Eugene up for his watch, Snafu doesn't stop to think. "Sledgehammer," Snafu whispers in Eugene's ear. He pulls back just enough to make eye contact and ensure Eugene's awake. And then Snafu dips in for a kiss. Their helmets make the familiar soft 'thud' when they collide, and for a minute Eugene melts into Snafu, and kisses back. Then Eugene suddenly shoves Snafu away and glances over at the third person sharing the foxhole with them. Snafu glances at Burgie too, wide eyed, and scared, and wondering how this is going to go. Burgie doesn't even look shocked. "You guys think you're quiet but I kept having to leave the tent on Pavuvu almost hourly just to escape the noise from you both." "Shit," Eugene swears. "Stop watching me, watch the line, get your head on straight Sledgehammer," Burgie orders, "I'm not going to say anything to anyone. And the only reason I'd tell you to quit it with the kissing is if you end up in a hole with someone else less understanding. Understand?" "Sure thing, Burgie," Snafu says with a wash of relief. Burgie becomes their automatic third whenever the company is divided into groups, and Snafu stops trying to hide his affection for Eugene during that time. Eugene is a little more reserved. Snafu is the one who needs constant physical contact whenever he can get it. Something as simple as gripping Eugene's hand while they are waiting behind a rock for their march to get moving again is a lifeline. But living on top of each other also means lashing out when the real battles get too much to handle. Once the rain starts, and almost washes them away alongside the mud, the lazy sunny days of marching seem like fond memories. Snafu is cold and wet and his body won't stop shivering with it. Long after Snafu gives up, Eugene continues to try and dig their private little foxhole like the stubborn asshole he is. "Don't even bother," Snafu trills at Gene from underneath the tarp where he's huddled with Burgin and Hamm, "Nobody wants to squat in a cold stinky bowl of muddy water tonight." "We need a foxhole," Eugene demands angirly. Snafu sighs. They're not at the very front line, there's no compelling reason for Gene to be this insistent. Snafu knows what Eugene really wants - without a foxhole, without somewhere to hide, the two of them won't be able to share each other's warmth. Plus out of all of them, Eugene is the least likely to ever break protocol. He goes by the book, he swears by it to stay alive, and his foxhole is always an exact depth and five feet from everybody else no matter what. Usually Snafu admires this about Gene. Tonight it's driving him nuts. "Sit down, Gene!" he orders. "Not until I can sit in a damn hole!" Eugene yells back. They shout at each other for longer than Snafu feels comfortable with. If Eugene were to decide that Snafu isn't worth putting up with anymore, Snafu isn't sure he would survive. "Fuck you Eugene," Snafu whines

halfheartedly as the yelling slowly peeters out. "Fuck you too, Shelton ," Eugene spits and throws down his entrenching tool. His anger is slower to fizzle out. But Snafu can see how hard he's trying by the set of his shoulders. He doesn't want to be mad at Snafu either. "Why don't you come over here and lend a hand? 'stead of sitting there like a bump on the log?" Eugene suggests, only a tad snippily. Snafu closes his eyes and grimaces. He shakes his head and raindrops fly off his helmet, "Gene...just…" he flops his arm out of the poncho and makes an awkward beckoning gesture. Eugene sighs and squelches over to sit beside Snafu. Snafu leans against him until their heads are touching. Eugene lets him do this. So Snafu takes it a step further and scoots his entire body over until they're flush against each other. When he gets away with that too, Snafu daringly presses his face into Eugene's neck. He's so close he could lick the rain and dirt off Gene's skin. "I can feel your stinking breath, Snafu," Eugene complains. Snafu just takes a deeper breath and exhales. It's a testament to how much Eugene loves him that he doesn't automatically shove Snafu away. Eugene pulls his helmet off, tilts his head up to look at the rain and feel it hit his face. Snafu leans back a little to watch him, enjoying the sight of the water running down his neck. Eugene always looks beautiful when wet, no matter how frustrated Snafu is at him. Unexpectedly Eugene's eyes dart to Snafu. "Snaf…!" He exclaims quietly, realization dawning in his eyes, "On Pavuvu...in the rain, you had that same dazed look. You were watching me, weren't you?" Snafu bites his lip and looks away. "Was that the reason for the…you know… after…" Eugene's brain is doing some quick thinking and Snafu can see it in his eyes. 'Yes Sledgehammer,' Snafu wants to say, 'I watched you scrub your supple body in the rain and got such a boner, it gave me anxiety.' Instead he shrugs. Eugene starts laughing. "I was all wet," Snafu says defensively, "Couldn't hide a thing." Eugene keeps laughing, almost going hysterical. "It shouldn't have happened. Don't know why it did," Snafu insists, "You dropped the fucking soap. You said 'whoopsie daisy'. Who the fuck even says that anymore except for old geezers?" Eugene just laughs. "What are you guys talking about?" Hamm asks "Nothing that concerns you, Hambone," Snafu says warning. "Snafu, leave him be," Eugene says with a vague annoyance in his voice, "And stop calling him that." Snafu smiles. And then cuts his eyes at Eugene, "Shit, you're jealous. You miss being the only one with a special nickname? That it?" "I said…" Eugene states calmly, "Leave it be." "Don't you worry, Sledgehammer," Snafu teases, "No nickname is as special as yours." "Mer…" Eugene warns, using his own personal nickname for Snafu as if it's a threat. Something he usually only whispers when no one else can hear. "Bon Bon," Snafu says gleefully. Eugene glares at Snafu. "Bon Bon?" Hamm questions. "Bondourant," Snafu explains, "Sledgehammer's middle name." "No one calls me that," Eugene grumbles and crams his helmet back on his head. He shifts further down into the mud and compacts himself into a pissy huddle under his poncho. "Even you don't call me that," he accuses Snafu. "Might be a missed opportunity there," Snafu says, "could'a caught on faster than 'Sledgehammer' if I'd thought of it first. Fits you better. Kinda like 'Hambone' makes more sense than two 'M's." "Shelton, just leave everybody alone," Eugene complains. Snafu can hear the real anger in his lover's voice now. The humor, and the teasing somehow soured the mood instead of lightening it. He doesn't understand how Eugene could possibly be jealous of something as silly as a nickname. Feeling bereft, Snafu wiggles his arm out of his own poncho and under Gene's, but secretly so no one catches on to what they are doing. Snafu persistently tugs on Eugene's sleeve until Gene relents and moves his hand closer so Snafu can grasp it tight. Snafu squeezes his hand and Eugene finally

turns to meet his eyes. Snafu's apology is wordless, but it works. Eugene scoots over to Snafu till they are huddled together once more. "You guys an old married couple or something?" Hamm jokes when he sees how they've 'made up' after their fight. "The equivalent of it," Burgie answers with some humor of his own. "Burgie's jealous," Snafu quips. "Don't start, Mer," Eugene tells him quietly. "He misses his Aussie girlfriend," Snafu continues, "Wishes he had what Gene and I've got right here…" Snafu grins, like it's all a joke. "What do Gene and you have?" Hamm asks. "Absolutely nothing," Eugene says coldly. It's entirely too believable for Snafu's comfort. Which shuts him up real quick. Snafu thinks maybe he went too far. Maybe he revealed too much in front of Hamm. Unfortunately what Hambone does or doesn't know quickly becomes a moot point. In a flash the green boot is gone, and Eugene and Snafu are alone in their foxhole once more. As the guilt sets in, Snafu distances himself. He stops giving Eugene little kisses, he stops touching him altogether. Eugene doesn't seem to notice. He certainly doesn't react. After peace is declared, the options for Snafu's life narrow considerably. Everyone else starts thinking about 'what next'. He can't relate. He should be on the first boat home, before anyone else in K Company. He's got extra points from his battle on Gloucester which technically puts him months before Eugene on the list. But when he thinks about heading home without his Sledgehammer, he feels physically sick. He starts avoiding Gene in order to avoid this illness… until Burgie catches on and finally confronts him. "Snafu, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Burgie demands. Snafu blanches at his tone and thinks about slinking away silently, but quickly realizes Burgie has him boxed in on all sides. They're in the mechanics shop and Snafu is tinkering with an unused boat, hoping to sneak it out for joyrides round the island. The shop is small and everywhere Snafu turns there's Marines and work being done. Burgie is blocking Snafu's only route for escape. "If Florence was here I would not be wasting so much time," Burgie glares at Snafu. "Except what you and Florence get up to is legal," Snafu says evasively. "Is that what's bothering you?" Burgie looks deeply flabbergasted, "You think Sledge will… rat you out? Or something?" Snafu glances around surreptitiously and juts into Burgie's personal space to whisper, "Nice Alabama boys don't break the law." "Snafu, you know Sledge cares more about you than dumb laws," Burgie hisses, "Stop hiding from him." "He always knows where to find me," Snafu turns back to his boat and pretends Burgie isn't there. "Chicken," Burgie says. "I'm not the one clucking like a mother hen," Snafu retorts. "Yeah but you're the one fucking your own life up," Burgie says. "Naw," Snafu argues, "I'm making sure not to fuck his." "Grow up, Snaf," Burgie mutters. Snafu makes a chicken clucking noise as Burgie walks away. But as soon as Burgie is gone, Snafu throws down his tools in frustration at his tinkering not fucking working, and then kicks the hull of the boat in anger. He breaks his big toe. And is officially ordered bed rest until further notice. Eugene is the one to bring him ice packs round the clock as Snafu is laid up in bed. Snafu can hobble to and from the head, but that's about it. The tent they're stationed in is huge and always full of people so Snafu can never respond properly to Eugene's unasked for kindness. The most he does is say grudging 'thank you's whenever Eugene drops off ice or food while on his way to work detail or to borrow a new book or whatever it is smart boys do in their free time. Snafu can never tell if the new distance between them is killing Eugene as much as it's killing him. The minute Snafu's foot heals, he gets assigned work duty, as if to make up for all the time he missed. He grudgingly accepts this, partially because fair's fair, but also partially because it keeps him out of Eugene's hair. He toils during the day, and

sleeps fitfully at night, and lounges on the beach every chance he can get. Every once in a while he'll look up and catch Eugene's eye on him. But the boy never says anything. The only time they work together is when the higher ups announce a big storm is predicted to hit in the coming days. "Big Storm" is putting it mildly. The locals whisper about typhoons and deadly winds, and entire ships stuck out on the ocean. And Snafu and Sledge are the only two guys determined to fasten down their company's tent. They don't talk as they prepare, simply exchange one loaded glance. Both of them grew up on the southern coast, both have seen angry storms, they know not to underestimate the power of mother nature - especially if the locals are afraid. They fall into a familiar pattern working together, kind of like digging their foxhole in tandem. Snafu has his own particular storm preparations, and Eugene's got his. They lend a hand to each other when needed and get out of each other's way when not. By the time they're done, K company's tent is the sturdiest on the island. Snafu doesn't know if Eugene suggested his improvements to the other guys. Snafu certainly didn't share any information. Either way, definitely nobody told the officers because during the height of the storm, when Snafu is huddled in his cot, covers wrapped around himself as tight as can be to ward off the chill, a bedraggled private drags open their tent flap to announce company K is called to duty. At first Snafu can't believe it. He stares in horror as this green replacement undoes all his and Eugene's hard work, opens the flap, and lets in a torrent of rain water. The K company men in the tent hastily jump to action, if only to be able to close off their safe and secure dry oasis once more. Unfortunately, it also means closing up the dry oasis while they are standing outside it getting drenched. The six of them make their way across the camp. Snafu's baggy ill-fitting shorts are already making it hard for him to walk. The wet fabric hangs heavy on him, only held up by the fraying rope he pulled through his belt loops. The officers keep saying any day now they'll receive a supply drop of new service uniforms for the enlisted men. But that was weeks ago. Snafu hits an uneven patch of mud and his foot goes out from underneath him. In an instant, Eugene stops him from falling on his ass by colliding with Snafu's back and propping him up. Snafu didn't even know Eugene was following him closely enough to be there so quick. "Are you okay?" Eugene whispers in Snafu's ear. Snafu nods. "I meant your foot," Eugene elaborates, "Is your toe okay?" "Yeah," Snafu croaks. Yeah, he's okay. He's in Eugene's arms again. He's got Eugene's breath on the back of his neck and Eugene's chest pressed up against his back. It'd take a typhoon the size of his great aunt Tilly to get Snafu to leave Gene's embrace. Or perhaps the barked orders of an angry, wet, tired NCO. "Hurry it up back there!" the NCO yells at them, barely able to make himself heard over the wind. Snafu reluctantly extricates himself from Eugene's arms and continues walking. Their company is tasked with restoring an officer's knocked down tent. Why they're being told to do this in the middle of the storm is anyone's guess. With grim faces and bitter determination, they follow orders and get to work. Snafu can barely see through the rain, but even with such poor visibility he can tell the tent is sloppily built. He exchanges a commiserate judgemental look with Eugene. Eugene recognizes poor construction too. "All right men, everybody take a corner," Burgie announces. "If they had us do this a few hours ago before the damn storm even started…" Eugene complains beneath his breath at Snafu. Snafu sympathizes but he does as he's told, because he's still a Marine. But then again, the war's over so he allows himself a few grumbles while he does it. And he circumvents orders to peek his head inside the tent and see exactly whose ass they're saving here. Lightning flashes and he gets a good glimpse. The

occupants don't surprise him. Snafu nudges Eugene in the ribs to make Eugene pause his work battening down the ropes. "What?" Eugene hisses. "It's a couple of replacements," Snafu informs him, "Fresh from home. Don't even got mud on their boots yet." "You're kidding me," Eugene says flatly, sounding as if he's at the end of his own rope. Snafu shakes his head. "Fuck," Eugene curses under his breath. Which is a big deal for Eugene. "We've only got one pair of pants each," Snafu mutters, "We're gonna go to bed with wet asses cause these guys couldn't bother to do their own tent properly." Eugene shakes his head angrily. He grips the rope tight, takes a deep breath, and his jaw juts out in that stubborn way of his that means trouble. Snafu loves that look. He knows that look intimately. "Burgie," Eugene whispers sharp. He leans away from Snafu and towards Burgin on the other side of him. Snafu can't hear what Eugene says, but he must have told Burgie about the owners of this tent they're saving, because the next thing Burgie does is issue a new string of nonverbal instructions. The men stare at him. They can see the gestures Burgie is doing, they know what he's telling them, they just can't believe it. Snafu doesn't question Burgie's orders - not that he ever would - but this time he follows them wholeheartedly. Snafu, Eugene, Jay, Stringbean, and Burgie let loose their ropes simultaneously. The tent collapses, the replacement officers get drenched, and Burgie fakes outrage over the 'accident'. And they all laugh about it afterwards in the privacy of their own tent. As soon as they duck under their tent flap, Snafu explodes in giggles. He leans against Eugene and cracks up, unable to stop himself and desperately hoping he hasn't gone crazy. Eugene joins him, indulging in a good satisfied chuckle over the officers getting their just desserts. Their slightly hysterical joy is catching. The men make jokes, give each other congratulatory slaps on the back. The mood in the tent goes from being miserable and self-pitying, to one of humor. The camaraderie warms Snafu. He feels within his place in the world in a way he never did back home. He knows this is partially why he's so reluctant to leave. The guys are triumphant, feeling they've bested their superiors and gotten away with it. No one but Snafu is thinking any sort of serious thoughts. "It'd be our ass if they knew we done that on purpose, " Snafu warns despite his grin. "Who's going to tell them?" Eugene challenges, "You?" Snafu laughs and his smile widens. He hasn't seen Eugene this happy in over a year. The moment would be absolutely perfect… if it weren't for the damp canvas currently sticking inside Snafu's butt crack. "I'm sick and tired of being wet!" Snafu cries as he kicks his sandal-boots off and strips down to the nude. He throws the offending wet shorts across the tent. They hit the wall and stick for a minute before plopping to the ground. The men around him laugh and agree. Snafu decides tonight is for sleeping bare assed as the day he was born, and crawls under his cot blanket without hesitation. "Snaf's got the right idea here, Burg," Eugene says and yanks his own pants off. A bunch of the other guys follow suit until there is a large pile of wet shorts in the corner of the tent. Burgie shakes his head and affects a stern look, but everyone knows he won't enforce the dress code tonight. And as people dry off and become more comfortable, slowly one by one they drift off to sleep. Except Snafu. Snafu tosses and turns under his blankets. He may be dry, but he's still freezing his ass off from the biting wind. "It's so fucking drafty," he complains loudly to the room at large. No one answers him. "I'm so damn cold," he whines. Again without answers. "First they stick us in a hundred degree heat, and then they make us sit through a typhoon with nothing but ratty blankets," Snafu complains. "Go the fuck to sleep, Snafu," Bill Leyden lovingly throws a shoe in Snafu's direction. He misses. "Maybe if you're quiet you'll warm up,"

Eugene suggests. "Pretty sure that's not how it works," Snafu retorts, "Shouldn't you know? Being so educated and all?" He refuses to stop complaining. The guys groan every time he opens his mouth. Until finally Eugene, sick to death of Snafu's whining, throws his own blanket on top of Snafu's for added warmth. Snafu is surprised that Eugene would sacrifice his own comfort to make Snafu feel better. "Real martyr that Eugene," Bill comments, "Taking one for the team to shut shit-n-ass up." Eugene doesn't say anything. He simply climbs out of his own cot, and scoots into Snafu's from behind, pulling the double blankets over them both. Which shocks Snafu even more. "Isn't it gonna be hot under there with the both of you?" Bill asks obnoxiously. "No worse than all that hot air filling your head," Eugene retorts. The guys laugh, and Eugene's change of sleeping arrangement becomes a joke rather than what it actually is. "I always sleep better if I'm sleeping on top of somebody," Snafu announces, feeling brash. Bill laughs and whistles provocatively. Burgie sighs "Prove it then, go the fuck to sleep, the both of you." Unbeknownst to everyone around them, under the cover of darkness, Eugene's arm snakes around Snafu's waist and pulls him flush against Eugene's body. Gene presses his face into the nape of Snafu's neck and whispers almost silently, "I still love you. I will wait for you." Snafu shivers and pushes himself closer into Eugene's embrace. He doesn't have to respond. He simply locks his hands around Eugene's to keep him in place, and closes his eyes. They both fall asleep within minutes. He really does sleep better in Eugene's arms. The tension between them breaks. Snafu gradually lets Eugene back into his life. When they're transferred to China, he follows Eugene on all Eugene's hair-brained educational schemes. They even get their own room in the British Ligation, just the two of them, with two cots though only one is ever used. Snafu becomes accustomed to sleeping beside someone. Months later, Snafu's precious bubble of happiness in China breaks - they're both sent home. And too soon the familiar words 'New Orleans' wakes Snafu with a start. The train underneath him is still rocking, but the movement is slowing. Soon they'll be stopped. Presumably at the station where he's supposed to be getting off. Still exhausted in a weary way that won't change for a long while, Snafu drops his head back against the soft pillow he's been sleeping on. And then remembers who it is. He cranes his neck around and sees Sledge still sleeping peacefully. Snafu is tucked up against Eugene's side, with his head against the fat of Eugene's arm and his hand near Eugene's stomach. Snafu props his chin on Eugene's shoulder and watches him sleep. Eugene's a funny sleeper. In all the years Snafu has known him, half the time it seems Gene sleeps so deep nothing could wake him. The other half he wakes at the slightest provocation, and Snafu can never predict which to expect. Snafu palms his hand over Eugene's stomach, just so he can feel Gene's body move one last time before he leaves. Eugene doesn't even notice, he continues dozing with a slight snore. Snafu remembers falling asleep on Gene's shoulder a year ago, and playing with Eugene's hands for ten minutes until he woke up. If the train car wasn't full of fellow returning servicemen, Snafu would lean over and kiss Gene goodbye. As it is, it's probably for the best that nothing happens except the train stops, Snafu stands to collect his bag, and Eugene sleeps on. Snafu departs, and he forces himself to not look back. He's in New Orleans again, and with it comes all the same old responsibilities, and a body is never supposed to look back. Common courtesy. (Had Snafu looked back he would have seen Eugene wake up and smack his hand against the train window at Snafu's retreating figure) The problem with coming home to nothing is a total lack of motivation. Snafu knows nowhere to go and doesn't care. He makes it halfway down the train platform before his knees start

shaking. He ducks into a narrow alleyway, leans against an empty trash bin, and lights a smoke. Above him he hears a crack of thunder. Rain's coming, and not the hot comfortable summer kind. He should take shelter, or worry about his bag getting wet, but he doesn't. After Gloucester a minor New Orleans squall is hardly a threat. Snafu tilts his head and looks to the sky as he smokes. The clouds break, the rain starts, and too soon his cigarette flickers out. "Fucking hell!" a very loud, very angry Sledge barrels into the alley and crosses Snafu's field of vision. Snafu is stunned silent as Eugene bears down on him. Gene wastes no time, he doesn't even slow his stride, just walks right up to Snafu, throws his own bag to the ground beside Snafu's, grabs Snafu by the wrists and slams him up against the brick wall. The cigarette falls out of Snafu's limp grasp. Eugene kisses him, completely unconcerned that the train platform is crowded and the alley can't possibly remain empty for long. The minute Eugene releases his grip on Snafu, Snafu grabs him back and continues the kiss. He gets his hands on Eugene's hips and starts fumbling to open his belt. It's pouring rain, and will continue raining for at least a half hour, the alley will remain deserted, they have time. Eugene, when he grows angry and goes from being soft to sharp angles and barbs, is hot as hell and makes Snafu want to jump his bones. Soft Eugene is complacent and too nice. Angry Eugene goes after what he wants, and Snafu desperately enjoys being exactly what Eugene wants underneath his pretty boy facade. Eugene breaks the kiss and refuses to let Snafu have his way. He grabs Snafu's wandering hands once more, but this time instead of shoving them against the wall, Eugene traps them tight between his and Snafu's chests. He glowers at Snafu, "You left me." "You were sleeping," Snafu points out, "Didn't wanna be rude." Eugene takes a deep breath and drops his forehead to their clasped hands. "You obstinate fool," he says bitterly and pins Snafu with his eyes again, looking frustrated and betrayed, "Did it occur to you that maybe I sleep better with you beside me just as much as it ever did for you?" "Sledgehammer," Snafu drawls, "You sleep better cause you're no longer in mud. Got nothing do with me." "Bullshit," Eugene accuses, "Both of those things are bullshit, Snaf...what do I do to get it in your head that I love you?" Snafu laughs and shakes his head, "Don't matter. It won't stick." Eugene shakes him, as if to unstick Snafu's stubbornness, "Then I'll keep saying it, over and over, as long as I need to. And as long as you say it to me back." "Say what?" Snafu smirks. "Say how you feel, dumbass," Eugene glares. "I feel awfully pinned to the wall like a bug right now," Snafu wiggles defiantly. He gives Gene a pointed look. Eugene immediately realizes he's taking his anger out on Snaf and drops his wrists. Eugene takes a step back, out from underneath the eaves of the building. The rain comes down so hard the boy is soaked to the bone in seconds. His bright pink lips slick and glistening and unchanged since the very first afternoon Snafu noticed him. "What do you want, Snafu?" Snafu leans languidly against the wall, his hips out and his head thrown back, his hands hanging relaxed below his shoulders. "I want you," he says and he closes his eyes because this admission will be painful, "I want to kiss you for so long the entire world sees. My own world narrows to you every damn time you're near. You scare me, Gene. I'm not supposed to want anything but I want so much from you...I can't take it. Go home, Eugene. Where you belong." "Too fucking bad," Eugene states. He steps forward again and slides an arm around Snafu's hips to pull him away from the wall. "I already am home," Eugene insists, "I'm with you. So stop making me chase you and let's decide where we're going together." "You're so fucking stubborn," Snafu complains with a dramatic sigh. "Takes one to know one," Eugene reminds him. Snafu laughs and slowly lets himself drift into

Eugene's space. They hold each other, almost as if they're in a dance. Eugene threads his fingers through Snafu's hair and looks at him intently, "Tell me what else you want. Everything." "I want us to live in a house," Snafu demands, defiant like he's daring Eugene to deny him any of it, "On the water - doesn't have to be much, just a little crick. With a birch tree in the backyard, and an attic to store your drawing shit. I want to wake up from the glare of the sun glinting off your stupid hair every morning, in a big bed, on clean white sheets. I want you to take my name." Sledge breaks into the biggest smile Snafu ever saw, "Eugene Shelton," he says, "Sheltonhammer?" Eugene laughs. "Okay," he nods enthusiastically, "Okay, I want all that." "Really?" Snafu laughs in disbelief. Rain gets in his mouth. He sputters and bites his lip. "Yeah," Eugene nods again. "Well, fuck," Snafu declares. "We'll do it," Eugene promises, "We'll do all of it. But before we figure out how, I need you to come home with me to Mobile." Snafu nods, and then adds, "Except tonight. We can afford one night in a hotel. Just the two of us." Eugene smiles, "Yeah. I can agree to that." "Good," Snafu agrees, satisfied. Eugene slings an arm over Snafu's shoulders and Snafu wraps his arm around Eugene's waist. They pick up their duffles and start ambling down the alley. "Sheltonhammer will never catch on," Snafu warns. "You're right," Eugene grins, "I better keep Sledgehammer too." "Eugene Bondurant Sledgehammer Shelton," Snafu says, "What a mouthful." "I like it," Eugene confirms and squeezes Snafu affectionately. "They'll never put that in a phonebook," "Guess we just won't have a phone, then," Eugene says. "I could live with that," Snafu agrees. They do end up with a phone because Eugene's mother will only accept her baby living two states away if she's able to call him whenever she wants. "It's like your mother's psychic," Snafu whines. Out in the hall, Eugene motions with his hands to try to get Snafu to shut up while balancing the phone between his ear and shoulder. Snafu rolls his eyes and refuses to be quiet. "She somehow divines every time you get frisky and suddenly she needs to talk your ear off for five hours," Snafu continues. "We're invited for Christmas," Eugene says after he finally hangs up, "She wants to know if you'll be bringing your homemade pie again. Also this theory of yours completely discounts the number of times we have sex uninterrupted." "Every time we have sex should be unintereupted. I'll bring the pie only if I can be allowed to help with the ham this year," Snafu barters, "Not having any of that dry overcooked shit anymore." "If we get there early enough I can sneak you into the kitchen," Eugene crawls back onto the bed and settles himself on top of Snafu, "She'll never notice any changes to the ham." "Deal," Snafu agrees and drags Eugene in for a kiss. "I love you, Mer," Eugene whispers. Snafu wins Eugene's family over with his uncanny cooking abilities. Snafu always puts it off till the last minute, and stresses Eugene out so much he blames Snafu for his hair loss, but somehow whatever Snafu makes turns out perfect. His specialty is pork chops. Meanwhile, Gene's not allowed to cook after the incident with the waffle maker. Snafu brings this rule up whenever Gene wants to try a new recipe in one of his Good Housekeeping magazines ("Nothing in that rag is true, Sledgehammer. Why d'you even bother?" Snafu pesters him) ("I received no education on this subject growing up, Snafu. I'm learning," Eugene refuses to budge and keeps his subscription). Luckily Snafu has a gift for making questionable recipes edible, and Eugene is good at following directions, both in and out of bed. This year at Christmas dinner, Eugene's mother imbibes a little too much eggnog spiked generously by Snafu. Halfway through the dessert course she leans in close to whisper secretly to her son, "Don't tell Edward but your Snafu can bake circles around Martha. Thank god one of you married well." And pats Eugene's

shoulder proudly. Eugene relays this compliment to Snafu late at night when they're snuggled together tight in Eugene's narrow childhood bed. "And yet nobody suspected about the ham," Eugene adds, "Though a few commented how much better it tasted this year." "What can I say, I'm a fan of big meat," Snafu declares as he sticks his hand down the front of Eugene's pants. "I don't think that actually works well as an innuendo," Eugene retorts. "Got you hard anyway," Snafu's eyes gleam with mischief. Eugene rolls him over and kisses him silent before someone hears them and suddenly turns their visit home awkward. Married life with Gene seems almost too good to be true. Snafu keeps waiting for the other shoe to drop. And he really starts to worry when on a random day in spring, he sees Eugene standing stark naked in their backyard during a thunderstorm. "Good thing our phone isn't listed," Snafu calls to Eugene from the dry safety of the wrap-around porch. Eugene might be losing his marbles, but he sure looks good while doing it. Snafu admires his husband's bare ass in the sharp flashes of lightning and lit by the soft glow of their storm lantern. Eugene turns to face Snafu and lifts the lantern up, "What in tarnation are you talking about?" He asks, as if Snafu is the crazy one here. "If we were in the phonebook," Snafu says, "the neighbors would sure be calling by now." "No one can see me," Eugene scoffs, "We have a fence for a reason." "Why're you naked in a thunderstorm, Gene?" Snafu asks with concern, "If you get turned on, you might act like a lightning rod, and we've already got one of those on the roof - we don't need another, Boo." "It's tradition," Eugene explains. "Tradition?" "Our anniversary. It's been four years." "Anniversary?" Snafu grins wildly, expecting a joke, "What kind of shit anniversary have two people like us got?" Gene leaps onto the porch, sets the lantern down at Snafu's feet, and picks up his bible from a chair. His damp hands deftly flip it open to a weathered page and he reads off the date: "March 9th, 1944, Finally got Snafu to shower in the rain and wash his hair but only because I fucked him first." "What?! No way that you wrote that down!" Snafu grabs at the book in Eugene's hands. Eugene laughs and gives it up. And right there, in smudged ink, are the words Gene just read. Snafu runs his hand across them, and remembers how fucked up they both were four years ago. Desperate, and confused, and scared. "So, it's tradition," Eugene states with a know-it-all grin. He walks backward off the porch and back into the rain. His chin tilted up to feel the drops on his face and his hands raised high. Snafu watches in silence for a bit, remembering what it was like during his days of pining. When he didn't dare voice any of his opinions on Eugene's form, let alone reach out and touch. "Nice ass, Sledgehammer," Snafu calls. "You can't see my butt, I'm facing you," Eugene screws up his face in confusion. "Don't need to see it, I already know it's nice," Snafu leans against the porch and crosses his arms. Eugene rolls his eyes, but there's a smile on his face. That smile Snafu especially likes - bashful, embarrassed, and utterly in love. With dark eyes so warm it makes even cold-hearted Snafu feel cozy. "What about what you can see?" Gene asks, teasing. "Gorgeous," Snafu says, more quiet and solemn, "Like a Greek statue." "I'm flattered," Eugene states. He doesn't sound flattered, he sounds sarcastic. "No, I'm serious," Snafu insists, "Exactly like a statue. Except for one… much bigger detail…" "Snaf…" Eugene huffs a laugh. "Ah!" Snafu enthusiastically points at Eugene's crotch and steps off the porch into the rain, "What'd I tell you! You got that lightning rod problem going on there. We better get you inside…" Eugene says nothing, he just sloshes through the puddle that is their garden path and slams into Snafu. His hands slip under Snafu's jaw and tilt his face for an intense kiss. Eugene's hard dick slides into the crevice of Snafu's hips and Snafu drags Eugene tighter

against his body by his waist to trap him there. Now they're both wet and naked making out in their own backyard. Unfortunately just as things start getting interesting lightning strikes the tree beside their heads. It happens in an instant - the entire sky lights up, the lightning jumps from the fried tree to the rod on their house's roof, and fizzles. "Oh fuck!" Snafu hits the deck and takes Eugene with him. Eugene is pressed face first into their muddy grass, with Snafu's broad hand firm on his back, and half of Snafu's body shielding him from harm. And Eugene just laughs. Snafu gradually realizes the danger is gone, and loosens his hold on Gene. Eugene rolls onto his back and looks up at Snafu with a broad grin. "Why are we always interrupted during sex?" Snafu grumbles. "We're not even having sex," Eugene chuckles. He takes Snafu's arm for support and together they pull themselves out of the mud. "Not yet," Snafu argues. "Not here," Eugene retorts, "Let's get back inside. We don't need to tempt fate." "Lighting doesn't strike twice, Gene, you know that," Snafu points out when they're back under the porch. He gives Eugene a once over. "You're gonna need a shower. Maybe with the hose first," he adds after eyeing the grass and dirt clumps stuck to Eugene's front. Snafu leans over the porch rail to unwind the hose and then turns the nozzle on Gene. Eugene cringes and shies away from the water stream, "That's colder than the damn rain, Snaf!" "Turn around, I need to get your ass," Snafu replies. Which is when Eugene decides he's had enough hosing and instead tries to finagle the nozzle out of Snafu's hands. He doesn't succeed. Snafu is a slippery little shit in the best of times, and when wet he's positively lethal. Eugene does get hosed in the ass, and Snafu does lose control of the hose when Eugene goes for the distraction method and kisses Snafu into submission. Snafu can never resist a good smooch. Eugene grins against Snafu's lips, knowing he's won and hefts Snafu up into his arms. He carries Snafu into their house and into the shower to celebrate their 'anniversary' properly.

[so-why-let-your-voice-be-tamed]

With the year coming to an end, here is everything I’ve written in 2020. I had quite a productive year, and wrote some fics I’m very proud of. I’ve also met wonderful new people and I’m going to participate in the big bang next year, as well as hopefully join more fests! Thank you to everyone who has helped me create these 12 fics!

March:

🤴 with no way out and a long way down Larry, 31k, T, written for the @hlroyaltyfest​

Prince Harry is ten when he receives his soulmark.

May:

✈️  driving down a one way road (to something better) Zouis, 26k, T, written for the @wallsficfest​

“I’m at the airport.” It’s followed by a bitter laugh. “I’m - I’m literally at the airport, hiding away in the toilets to make a phone call. They’re probably going to barge in here in a minute, thinking I’m doing something illegal, but I didn’t know what else to do Lou.” He sounds desperate, wild, nothing that Louis is used to associating with Zayn. “My flight leaves in an hour, and I wasn’t gonna do this, but, I didn’t know what else to do.”

Louis frowns. “What do you mean, love?”

“Can I - Can I please come and stay with you?” It’s barely more than a whisper, and Louis honestly isn’t sure if he’s heard it right, but the lack of an immediate response on his part makes Zayn’s breath come out all shaky and Louis won’t stand for that.

“Yes,” he decides, repeats it, in a softer but no less certain voice, when he knows Zayn is about to protest. “Yes. Of course. I’ll be there, yeah? I’ll come pick you up. When will you get here? What airport?”

---

When Zayn breaks up with his boyfriend, he needs a place to stay. Louis wouldn't be Louis if he didn't immediately open his doors to him. Never mind the fact that he's been in love with him for two years. That's not important, right?

July:

🏥  my love will never leave you Larry, 10k, T, written for the @wordplayfics​ challenge week 1

In a world where memories are used as currency, Louis will do anything it takes for Harry to get better.

🗝  sadness is a little boy looking out the window Ziam, 6k, T, written for the @wordplayfics​ challenge week 2

Liam is twelve when he receives the key. It’s given to him on his birthday, in a red velvet box, and something about the weight of the box in his palm gives him pause, makes him hold his breath when he unwraps the bow around it.

The bronze key looks innocuous, but Liam knows better. He’s grown up with the stories, as many people have. Has been told about the keys, and that most people except for an unlucky few got one at birth. Some were immediately gifted to them by their parents, others had been kept away from them until such a time that they were deemed responsible enough to understand what it meant.

Because this kind of key, it doesn’t just open any door.

It reveals what you need most, when you need it most, and it can only be used once.

✨  it’s time to find your wings again Larry, 12k, T, written for the @wordplayfics​ challenge week 3

The first reports are dismissed, as tall tales or folklore. As mental illness, poor Bathilda, she’d gone loopy. As people simply getting scared in the dark woods and seeing things, making things up. Magic isn’t real. Mythological creatures aren't real.

But then the first one is caught. A faun, that little Meg from around the corner swears has attacked her in the woods, and everyone comes to the marketplace to see the faun be hanged for its crimes. Louis doesn’t want to go, but at the same time, he finds himself unable to stay away. Not when this proves what he’s wanted to believe all along, that magic is real.

*

Louis is twenty when he starts working at the prison. His fascination for supernatural creatures had turned into something most closely resembling loathing over the years, due to the many stories of their evildoing, and although he still doesn’t believe in hanging them for their crimes, he does believe in keeping the town safe. In making sure that his siblings get to grow up without fear of being kidnapped or hurt. As the oldest son, it feels like his duty to make sure that no creature in the wide area will ever pose a threat to anyone.

🍛  it’s a long shot just to beat these odds Ziam, 14k, T, written for the @wordplayfics​ challenge week 4

Zayn: how many years in prison would I get for murdering a popstar???

He scrapes the plates clean, resists the urge to kick the trash can, his breathing still feeling shallow and high in his chest. He wants a cigarette. And a cuddle from Louis. But a text is the most he can realistically ask for now, and luckily Louis doesn’t leave him hanging.

Louis: ?????

Okay, so it isn’t that helpful, but Zayn knows his anxiety well enough that just distracting his mind is usually enough to keep from having an actual attack. It doesn’t matter that the subject he’s discussing is the one thing his brain is actually panicking about, just trying to formulate words into a text is helping.

Zayn: I served him raw chicken. RAW. And he was kind enough to want to try and eat it too. I could have killed him!!!

That would’ve made headlines for sure. FORMER BOYBANDER GETS POISONED ON FIRST DATE, more on the ten p.m. news.

Louis: well that’s one way of making sure he’s not going to go on any of the other dates. Bit drastic though mate.

August:

💌  if you’re lost just look for me Larry, 9k, T, written for the @wordplayfics​ challenge week 5

Let your dreams set sail.

Louis blinks at the sticky note, sitting casually in between a flyer advertising an upcoming gig for one of the many bands on campus (the heavy metal graphics implying that the music is not to Louis’ taste) and an ad for a yoga club (Louis is going to have to give that one a miss too). It’s small, barely noticeable unless you’re paying attention, just tucked away as though it’s been left there for Louis to find.

He snorts. “Let your dreams set sail. What a fucking joke.”

*

Louis' first year of college is everything he had hoped for it to be.

It’s why it’s so hard to swallow that his second year is everything but.

*

A fic where motivational quotes, no matter how cheesy, might just make everything better after all.

💐  the birth of love like a force of nature Ziam, 22k, T, written for the @ziamfantasyfest​

After moving into a new house, Liam decides to introduce himself to the neighbours. The next thing he knows, he’s tied to a chair and threatened by a small army of fairies.

October:

👻  these days I watch you from afar Larry, 666 words, T, written for the @1dtrickortreatfest​

“Are you talking to me?”

The boy blinks, blue eyes thoughtful as he cocks his head. “Yeah?”

“You can see me?”

🎃  love me like we don’t have tomorrow Ziam, 666 words, T, written for the @1dtrickortreatfest​

"Are you going to see him again?" Louis asks. He’s sitting on a ruined wall, inspecting his long, dark nails. Talons, Zayn thinks. He nods.

“How many years in a row is this?”

Zayn glances at his best mate, doing up the buttons on his coat. “Dunno,” he says, even though he can recall, with perfect clarity, all the times he’s met up with Liam. Every Halloween that he’s spent with him.

"And he still doesn't know?"

☠️  be the end of me Zouis, 666 words, T, written for the @1dtrickortreatfest​

"Who are you?" Louis asks, and Zayn can tell that he already knows. He's tense, poised for a flight from the inevitable.

Zayn still answers. "Death."

December:

🎄  room for your love underneath this tree Larry, 11k, T, written for the @1dchristmasfest​

“IwannameetHarryStyles,” Daisy mumbles, and Louis blinks.

“What?”

“She says she wants to meet Harry Styles.” Phoebe pipes up, and Louis blinks again, absently switches the camera to himself because he knows that his followers will want to catch his baffled expression.

“You-” he starts, and then stops himself, because he did tell her she could ask for anything she wanted, and how can he go back on his word and tell her that he doesn’t actually have the power to make that happen?

Because Harry Styles is -- he’s next level kind of famous. Louis has two million subscribers on his YouTube, but Harry has eighteen times as many followers on his Twitter alone. He’s had three number one hits in the last year, and his last album had charted at the top spot for a record breaking 27 weeks. He’s a singer, actor and philanthropist, and there is no way in hell that Louis can get him to come meet Daisy for Christmas.

So of course he laughs, even if it’s a little bit breathless, and nods at her. “One Harry Styles for Christmas, coming right up.”

[a-bts-world]

Chapter 5

masterlist

‘We leave in ten minutes,’ Ten says as he opens the door of Johnny’s room. Not noticing that the older was still sleeping. Johnny just mumbles something and Ten closes the door again. Johnny opens his eyes and look at the clock. It is a quarter to nine, they are supposed to be at Dreamland at nine o’clock.

‘Why did I think having game night, before the Dreamland evaluations was a good idea,’ Johnny says to himself, quickly changing into his training outfit and splashing water in his face. Running his hands through his hair, he is ready to eat and then leave for Dreamland. Running down the stairs Johnny bumps into Winwin, who is walking up the stairs. ‘Sorry man! I am late, have a nice day,’ Johnny yells at the Chinese boy as he continues his path to the kitchen. With just a few minutes left before they leave, he made his way to the kitchen. ‘Good morning,’ Johnny says to the few people in the kitchen. He walks towards the fridge, grabs the yoghurt and fills a bowl with yoghurt and adds granola. He then grabs quickly grabs a spoon and eats his breakfast. Just as Ten walks in, to let him know they are leaving. Johnny finishes his last bite. ‘Bye, see you all tonight!’ he tells the others in the kitchen. Sun and Baby wave at him, while Jeno, Chenle and Yangyang just continue their conversation.

‘Hello everyone! How are you doing? We hope you are fine. Today, we will have an evaluation, to see what you learned and if some of you are ready to join us. Do your best and goodluck!’ Ten tells the trainees. While Johnny stands beside him, already eyeing some of the potential new members. While the trainees are warming up Kun enters the room. They curiously look up to see who entered the room, Kun just waves at them and then walks to Johnny and Ten.

‘Morning, Taeyong won’t be able to come in today. So I am here for the evaluation. Jisung will also be here in a few, he is still shadowing me, I hope that is okay,’ Kun greets the duo. Then turning to look at the trainees. A few are already standing out to him.

‘Yeah, no problem. Are you ready to start?’ Johnny asks the Chinese man. Kun nods, focusing on the members. ‘Okay we hope you are all ready for the evaluation. Taeyong can’t be here today, so you will have to survive with Kun. He is our medic, but knows a hell of a lot about fighting. So do your best. We will have the same groups rotating all events as usual. Kun where do you want to start the evaluation?’ Johnny explains everything to the trainees, but also in a way that Kun understand what is expected of him.

‘Let’s start with the one on one fighting,’ Kun answers and Johnny nods. Meanwhile, Ten is making sure every trainee knows what they need to do. He also talks to some people who have a lot of nerves.

‘Everyone we are starting!’ Johnny screams and claps his hands as signal that the day has begun. He then sits down next to Kun watching the one on one fighting. Both filling in a form while Ten is on the other side of the room helping the trainees. All you can hear is the sound of the trainees working really hard, until the door is pulled open and a tired looking Jisung enters the room. Suddenly the room falls still and only labored breaths are heard. ‘Jisung, good that you could make it. We already started, hope you don’t mind,’ Johnny tries to ease the awkward silence. Jisung nods and almost runs towards Kun and Johnny. Taking place next to Kun, it feels safe.

‘Thanks for coming. I normally don’t do this. But since no one else was available, with Doyoung and Yuta not being at the base and Taeyong having an important meeting, I was the only one left. I know you don’t like leaving the base anymore, so I appreciate you coming here,’ Kun tells the youngest member. Jisung just slowly nods his head, looking at the paper on Kun his lap. ‘Oh yes, we need to fill these forms in. First we write down a name, then age and their specialty. Then which event we are judging right now and lastly what they did well and what they could do better next time,’ Kun explains to the boy. Johnny hands him a form as well and the three of them start filling in the forms as the trainees keep showing their skills.

‘Miss! Your boyfriend is back,’ one of the children screams in the middle of art class. Daisy sighs and follows the finger of the girl who screamed. She sees Jaehyun and Jungwoo standing at the schoolyard. ‘Like I told you before darling, he is not my boyfriend. But I also see your mother waiting for you. So shall we go outside?’ Daisy asks the girl and she nods. ‘everyone it is time to go back home. Before we go, we are trying a new game. We are going be so quiet that nobody notices that we already left before it is time. So are you guys in?’ Daisy asks her students. They all scream excitedly. ‘Remember the game,’ Daisy reminds the kids. So everyone quietly gets in the line, then walk outside, grab their coats and bags. Everything goes well until they approach a really low window. Daisy didn’t think this through, so as she makes sure all children are still behind her an idea pops into her head. Daisy drops to the floor and crawls past the window without the other class noticing. The kids giggle softly but by placing a finger on her lips, Daisy reminds them to be quiet. The children follow her lead of crawling past the window. After, they arrive at the door. Daisy waits for the children to all gather around and opens the door at same time as the bell rings. Indicating that she timed everything perfectly. The children all run outside to greet their parents. Daisy makes sure everyone is getting picked up, before she approaches Jaehyun and Jungwoo.

‘Hello, how was your day?’ Jungwoo greets the girl.

‘My day was great, but a bit tiring. How was your day?’ Daisy asks them, still looking at the children that haven’t left yet. The moment Jaehyun open his mouth to answer a child runs towards Daisy.

‘Miss! My sister her birthday is today, so we are eating cake for dinner,’ the boy excitedly beams, while jumping up and down.

‘You are making my jealous. I also want cake for dinner!’ Daisy plays along as she grabs the hands of the boy, making him stand still. ‘Shall I come and say happy birthday to your sister or do you need to leave, because of family that will visit?’ Daisy then asks, hoping to talk to the boy his parents a bit more. As teacher, Daisy believes it is her duty to socialize with the parents once in a while.

‘You can come, miss,’ the boy says and shows Daisy the way, making sure she didn’t let go of his hand. Once they arrive at the mom and big sister Daisy greets them and wishes the sister a happy birthday. Socializing with the mother a bit more, she can feel someone staring at her, before even turning around she knows who it is. Of course it is Jaehyun, she left the two Neocity members standing there alone. Daisy lets the conversation come to an end, says goodbye to the family and starts walking back to the two members. But before she can make her way towards them, she is stopped by the girl that pointed out Jaehyun earlier.

‘Miss, can you introduce me to your boyfriend?’ she asks, looking at the floor and fiddling with her pink dress.

‘I can,’ Daisy sighs in defeat, knowing the girl won’t let go of the subject anymore. Especially not since Jaehyun and Jungwoo showed up twice already. ‘let’s introduce you to my friends.’

As Daisy walks up to Jaehyun and Jungwoo, they notice that she is actually holding one of the smaller children. ‘Hello guys, this little one wanted to meet you two,’ Daisy explains what the girl is doing on her hip.

‘Hello, I’m Jaehyun and who are you?’ Jaehyun asks, but the girl just snuggles up into Daisy her shoulder. She is to shy to actually answer the question. Then Jungwoo eases the situation.

‘I am Jungwoo. I must say, that you have a very pretty dress. I like the pink,’ Jungwoo states, hoping to making the girl feel at ease. She slowly turns her head towards Jungwoo, but then smiles brightly.

‘Thank you, I like pink too,’ The girl says happily and the three adults smile at her antics.

‘Darling! We are going home!’ Daisy hears a voice call. She recognizes the voice as the mother of the girls she is holding.

‘Let’s get you home. I see you tomorrow,’ Daisy says and turns around, looking for the mother of the girl she teaches. When she spots the woman, Daisy walks towards her with the girl still on her hip. ‘Hello, we are here. I hope you get home safely, see you tomorrow.’ Daisy says goodbye to the little girl and the mother gives Daisy a thankful smile. The duo walks towards the exit and Daisy walks back towards Jungwoo and Jaehyun.

‘So what are you doing here today?’ she asks, as she shows the two men the way towards her class. She still needs to clean and prepare her classes for tomorrow.

‘Well, we just were around and we knew you would almost finish,’ Jungwoo explains their idea. And starts helping cleaning the room, even though he has no clue were everything has to go. Jaehyun takes his lead and also helps cleaning the room. With you pointing towards the storage place, the class is clean in a matter of minutes.

‘Okay, I still need to prepare for tomorrow, so you can leave now,’ Daisy says to the men as she tries pushing them out of the door.

‘You can prepare at the base,’  Jungwoo suddenly says and Daisy stops pushing them out. ‘Only if you want of course,’ Jungwoo then continues. Daisy lets her arms falls and the boys step back inside.

‘Okay, but only if Kun is cooking dinner,’ Daisy answers with a smirk on her faces. The boys just laugh and grab their jackets. Daisy also grabs everything she needs and then they leave. Daisy follows the boys to were they parked the car. they get in the car and drive back towards the house.

‘Yangyang, Jaemin, thank you for coming. I want to ask you something,’ Taeyong greets two of the younger members in his team. The two stand at the entrance of his office, waiting for more information. ‘You know you can sit down, right?’ Taeyong notes since the boys are still standing at the entrance, they both nod and quickly move towards the small couch in the room. ‘You know how we have the big mission coming up? I decided I need to know more about the family than we now do. So I would like the two of you to switch colleges and see if you can learn more about the family through one of the younger members of the family who attends a different college,’ Taeyong explains his idea.

‘To be honest, I don’t really like this idea. You are practically asking us to infiltrate them. You never trained us for this kind of mission. However, if you believe this is the right thing to do, then I will do it,’ Jaemin honestly answers Taeyong, which makes him doubt his idea. Jaemin is partly right, he didn’t train them for infiltrating missions, normally Yuta or Johnny will do these kinds of missions. However Johnny is way to busy with the trainees right now and he needs someone to infiltrate the Camorra family.

‘I agree but Jaemin, did you even talk to Taeil or Kun about this?’ Yangyang bluntly states, growing up in Germany the boy learned that being direct was effective, multiple years in Korea didn’t really get this part out of his system.

‘Thanks for sharing your believes, both of you. However I have no other option. You both know that. I do have the option to let Johnny train you, together with the trainees. This way you are better prepared,’ Taeyong suddenly changes his original idea, hoping this will satisfy his members. Yangyang nods, probably happy that he is able to do a field mission. Jaemin however is still sceptic.

‘You promise they won’t find out, nothing bad will happen?’ Jaemin asks with concern and suddenly Taeyong understand his doubt.

‘Nothing bad will happen, we take care of Mariposa. You just fulfill your mission,’ Taeyong answers, hoping to erase Jaemin his doubt. Which it does, the boy nods agreeing with their mission.

‘Thank you for this. You will train with Johnny for two weeks and then the third week you will go to the other college. Find out as much about them as possible,’ Taeyong explains the rest of his plan. Going over a small details the rest of the evening, both Jaemin and Yangyang feel more safe to do this.

a/n: I finished it! yeejj!! However, I haven’t proofread it, so I hope there aren’t to many mistakes in this. It is also a bit smaller than normal, but atleast I wrote something and updated.

taglist: @skrtbabe​ @yutahoes​