#I know there are supposed to be three spirits but I couldn’t think of a third dead HF character that would annoy Linda

[sillymommy6969]

𝓑𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑩𝒂𝒅, 𝓢.𝓛.

♱ 𝒚𝒕 𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒐; 4 times sophia laforteza couldn’t stake her claim, and 1 time she proves just who you belong to

♱ 𝒄𝒘; 7th member au!r, jealous!s, possessive!s, touchy!s

𝑪𝒂𝒕𝒂𝒍����𝒈𝒖𝒆, pt. one, two, three

𝓢𝒐𝒑𝒉𝒊𝒂’𝒔 𝟓 𝑨𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒑𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒕 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑯𝒆𝒓 𝑻𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚

˚⟡˖ ࣪ ⋆ clip one: [ weverse live ] gnarly eats w/ katseye

“oh, come on, you’re saying you didn’t think about it like that? not once?” lara asked, gaze trained on you with a teasing glint flickering in her eyes. you rolled your eyes at her insistence, like you hadn’t denied the same question twice already--when you had first joined dream academy’s training camp, you and lara were roommates. it wasn’t quite as obvious then as it was now, but she loved flirting with you. and she wasn’t shy about it.

“oh, please, like you don’t flirt with every pretty face you see.” you bit back, lips quirking into a coy smile. like the tease you were, you couldn’t resist an arising challenge. “i know you. and i know you love a good chase, raja.”

and like the stud she was, lara couldn’t back down. she let out a sultry laugh, her head tilting down briefly, her eyes fluttering shut. when she glanced back up at you, she was beyond ready to play your game. “so you know you got a pretty face, huh?”

user01 it almost feels like i’m interrupting something

user02 “dinner’s ready” i yell as i lay on the dinner table

user03 rock paper these two definitely scissor

daniela let out a loud whistle, fanning herself. you sat near the right end of the table, and sat between you and the indian singer was the fan-favourite roommate pair.

manon waved her hands, swallowing the bite she had swirling in her mouth before gently shoving the two of you back into your seats. you giggled at the unsubtle twist of disgust in her expression, but fall back away from the two anyways.

“ya’ll better back up before i call hr.” she threatened lightly.

at the other end, the far right, of the table, those assigned comments duty had their attention torn away from the screens cradled in their hands, necks craned to watch the two members absolutely taking the fandom by the neck right then.

megan, though a little lost in the conversation droning on on top of the flooding comments on the livestream, laughed along with whatever joke or antic she barely made out. she peered down at the ipad, words speeding much too fast for her dyslexic mind, but it was hard to miss some repetitive replies:

user04 do they know it’s legal now (it’s pride month too)

user05 i knew there was sth off about you… YOU’RE GAY

user06 like we’re all surprised they’re always flirting bro

“haha--someone said, ‘these lesbians’.” megan read aloud, her eyes widened as she passed yoonchae the ipad.

sitting at the end of that side, sophia was awfully quiet. she hadn’t touched her food in a while, and who was supposed to be the loud, present leader, was now a mysteriously silent observer. she bit back whatever shit she wanted to say, to yell, at an unsuspecting, but nevertheless guilty, lara raj.

it wasn’t the first time she had made her attraction to you known, despite your apparent disinterest in pursuing anything with one of your best friends. still, she persisted. and god, there was nothing in the world that pissed sophia off more.

“‘lara shooting her shot for all of us’,” megan continued reciting, “‘the way they’d make the hottest fucking couple is absolutely gnarly’--oh my god, it’s like a thirst box in here.”

sophia sulked, unwilling to take the ipad when yoonchae offered. she crossed her arms, leaning back into her seat as you all raged on about the intense support a hypothetical relationship between you and lara had managed to gather. every comment read aloud fuelled her irritant more. it was almost out of character, for somebody as vibrant a spirit as sophia, and a blind person could have noticed it.

user07 holy fuck if looks could kill sophia’s going on death row

user08 lara better wrap it up before she gets jumped

user09 when the loud ones go quiet yk shits hitting the fan

“what even happened back then?” daniela questioned, her fork hanging off her lips as she turned to you. mid-bite of the bowl of ramen in your mouth, you hummed. “i remember lara would like completely change her personality whenever y/n would come in a room or like join a conversation. it was so funny, like, everybody would make fun of her for it ‘cuz, like, what?”

“oh my god, when emily would give me the most obvious, unslick look when you would come up and talk to me. she was itching to say something every time,” lara groaned.

“really?” you giggled, “i hadn’t noticed… but now that you mention it, i do remember dani saying something about it.”

“yeah, she was so down bad, bro!” megan added, her infectious laughter tearing through the room. “so annoying.”

user10 i love the no pr training they just expose themselves

user11 we got lara’s love confession before a new comeback

user12 guys why is sophia so pressed this is sending me

upon a mindful nudge from daniela, you glanced to your left. sophia was sitting stiffly, her jaw drawn tight, trying to keep her smile from looking like a grimace. you knew that look. and you were praying she wouldn’t combust on live.

lara called your name softly. “no, but seriously. if i had made a move back then, who knows what would’ve happened?”

you shrugged, chuckling. who did know? perhaps way back during dream academy days, that version of you would have loved to shack it up with your indian bandmate. you rolled your eyes, flashing a tempting grin. you eased her subtle try at hitting on you. “oh please, you would’ve been rejected so fast.”

sophia leaned forward suddenly, her voice breaking the mold for the first time in what felt like eons. it came out a little sharp for her own taste, “yeah, well. good thing you didn’t.”

all eyes landed on their leader. the live silenced for a moment.

“sophia, you okay?” you asked, one brow raised. as bad as it sounded, you enjoyed lighting her fuse. it was entertaining.

“mhm,” sophia said, too quickly. “just... it’s super crazy.”

lara let out a low snort, jumping at the chance to poke fun at her usually composed leader. “what, jealous?”

sophia opened her mouth, then shut it. she reminded herself of the multiple cameras trained on her every move right then. she smiled, a sarcastically faux smile, but a smile nonetheless. you were familiar with her mannerisms well enough to know she was just itching to snap back, the slight twitch in her eye was more than enough of a hint for that. oblivious to the radiating vex from the filipina, you tilted your head, lost.

"please," she muttered, trying to sound unimpressed, laughing the jab off like a joke. "like i have anything to be jealous about."

user13 oh baby who is you this ain’t fooling nobody

user14 sophia try not to kill lara for being a dipshit challenge

user15 omg she’s feeding the n/nphinz agenda well

lara raised a brow in challenge. “possessive, much?”

“me? no,” sophia said curtly, exhaling deeply through her nose. she ran a hand through her hair, shaking her head. “see, i know y/n likes me better, i’m her… best friend. she’s mine, see?”

you wet your lips, catching sophia’s eye. you noticed the sharp, jagged edge of her smile. still, you couldn’t help the playful tug seeping through the smile that hung on your face. “you would have been shut down too. sorry, fi, no special treatment.”

user16 i would never socially recover from a public rejection

user17 she did NOT even stutter lmao poor sophia

user18 imagine having a face card so lethal you reject sophia

˚⟡˖ ࣪ ⋆ clip two: [ vlog ] angel city fc pride match w/ katseye

sporting the custom jersey, your name ironed across your back, you stood amongst your bandmates as seven pairs of feet stepped out onto the lush green field of angel city fc’s stadium. clutching your hand tightly, sophia lead you to stand sandwiched between all the other members. you waved and beamed up at the thousands of fans shrieking down at you.

your camera team followed you closely, documenting every little detail of this momentous occasion. sometime between the staged welcome and being lead to the stands where your seats were reserved, you had lost sophia’s clutch, and wound up in daniel’s instead. the latina, occupied by her surroundings, hadn’t even noticed when she grabbed your hand, tracing patterns over it as she added to megan’s story for the cameras.

you have never thought twice about it--daniela was a very affectionate person. but that didn’t mean others haven’t.

“mahal, come ‘ere,” sophia suddenly called from behind megan. your hand tugged away from daniela’s, who was still deeply engrossed in conversation about the double date story megan and lara had insisted on gate keeping from the fans.

her hands found your back, warm hands palming the soft skin of your hips, tucking your shirt into your bra the way it was.

then, her hands grabbed your hips firmly, pulling you down into her lap as her arms encircled your waist securely. her chin found your shoulder, her breath fanning your collarbone. you yelped, a little breathless as you ended up on her lap, legs entangled awkwardly, faces inches apart. you wondered what had gotten into the sweet, composed sophia you usually saw. like the eyekons have pointed out multiple times online, she had been acting awfully protective of you. it was odd.

“sophia,” daniela chuckled, “what’s going on there, hon?”

you felt her arms tighten around you when attention suddenly fell on the two of you. it squeezed a gasp from you, your hands finding hers clutching onto your stomach.

“nothing,” she grumbled, “just getting comfortable…”

daniela and megan shared a look, but upon seeing your dazed focus, they decided it wasn’t worth pissing off sophia.

throughout the game, you were engaging with fans and bringing a lively energy to the game. when sophia had eventually let you go, by the hand, megan dragged you over to some fans waving you over. she was entrapped by the labubu outstretched from the woman’s hand, cradling it as she squealed. you giggled, thanking the fan as megan picked and probed at the fanged creature on its keychain.

“y/n, i got one for you too!” she called, pulling a gold-furred (your assigned colour) one from her bag and holding it out.

“oh my goodness,” you gasped, taking it carefully. the corner of your lips pried from ear to ear as you glanced back up at the woman. “thank you, pretty girl. can i give you a hug?”

upon her very enthusiastic agreement, you stepped onto one of the seats in front of the stands, reaching up to wrap you arm around her neck tightly. the fan spared no time, encircling her own around your frame as she squealed into your ear.

just then, you heard a tsunami of fanfare plague the stadium.

megan’s hand continuously thrusted against the back of your shoulder. it took you a second to pull away from the hug, your head snapping back at the hawaiian at her persistent abuse. but she had her eyes set on something else, much further, and much higher. her arm hung high, finger erect and pointing high at a reflective, and very pink screen on the jumbotron.

mounted with animated hearts floating up the screen, pixelated frills lined the big heart. across the top sprawled big, bubbled letters: “KISS CAM!” framed in the centre of the heart was the fan and a familiar katseye member, your name on display as the screen delayed the shock on your face.

you glanced over at the younger for support, wordlessly pleading for a solution. but come on, it was megan.

“just do it.” megan encouraged, urging you towards the fan.

you cleared your throat, watching as the fan and her friend recorded the screen in excitement. you wagged a finger at her, cheekily tugging at your lip with your teeth as you stepped back onto the seat against the stands. you could see it took everything in her to contain the ecstasy coursing through her veins, but she digressed. you gently cupped her cheek, pursing your lips to plant a soft kiss against the other. the camera zoomed in on the mark staining her cheek, which was quickly masked by the faint shade flushing to her defined cheeks.

“oh my god, this is fucking crazy!” she slurred, drunk on you.

you laughed, clasping your hands together and blowing a kiss towards the cameras. and suddenly, soccer wasn’t the reason people were cheering throughout the crowd anymore.

you bid the fan farewell, thanking them once again for the gifts as you made your way back towards the seats assigned just for you. the kiss cam went to another few people in the stands, but none as captivating as yours.

“looks like you’ve made someone’s day,” manon chuckled when the two of you got back to the group. she pointed at the stands, where the fan had fallen back, her friend fanning her.

“or ruined someone else’s.” daniela mumbled, nudging your elbow. you could feel sophia’s sour expression from there.

a possessive hand grabbed you by the waist, pulling you back down into a warm lap. she didn’t say a word, not even a sound, but you could feel her through her grappling fingertips. she was silently praying the kiss cam would land on your group just so she could get a piece of you for herself. alas, no such luck.

˚⟡˖ ࣪ ⋆ clip three: [ vlog ] lounging w the laforteza’s | katseye

it was no surprise when somebody would make their affections for you apparent, sophia had grown accustomed to it. could she blame them? you were katseye’s golden girl, everybody’s favourite in one way or another. though she liked having you under her arm, she knew she had to share. it wouldn’t be fair for people to not be able to enjoy the pleasure that was you.

when katseye were in the philippines for showcase week, the laforteza’s generously offered to host the girls for dinner the very first night. the week leading up to your flight, sophia was absolutely buzzing, eager to jump at the opportunity to go home and see her family. it made your heart swell.

“my mom’s going all out, y’know, she’s got so much food, i think we’re all about to implode.” sophia said to the camera, “man, i can’t believe you guys are all gonna be in my house, with my pets, my brothers… that’s insane.”

“yeah, yoonchae squared.” the maknae giggled.

“wait, didn’t bailey have a massive thing for y/n?” megan snorted, nudging the filipina with her elbow. you chuckled, beside megan, who was wedged between you and sophia in the middle row of the van. behind you, lara poked her head through the gap between you and megan’s, humming. “oh, yeah, and he’d come drop things off for sophia during dream academy all the time when your family visited.”

sophia had nearly forgotten about that. her eyes narrowed, reminiscing back to watching her brother become a flustered mess when y/n would come around during their da days.

“yeah, maybe he’s still into you.” manon teased, reaching back and poking you from the passenger seat up front.

“i’m sure he’s moved on from it,” sophia interjected, slicing through the playful atmosphere in the car. “it’s been months.”

“guess we’ll find out,” lara mouthed to the camera.

each of you got a suffocatingly tight embrace the moment you got out of the car. sophia’s parents spared no time ushering you all inside, the camera crew trailing closely behind. the boys stood, holding onto the pets by the front door, greeting and welcoming you all as you entered. as you stepped inside, you saw bailey’s demeanour change. he straightened his back, and held his head higher. he gave you a polite smile, offering a hand to help you through the doorway.

“oh! thanks, bailey,” you said, “it’s nice to see you again.”

his cheeks flush a darker shade, leaving his position by the door to walk you towards the kitchen. “it’s nice to see you.”

“thanks for having us, we’re super excited to be here and get our filipino friends together.” you joked, earning a tight chortle from the boy. the cameraman filming you two shot you a cheeky grin, which seemed to blow right past bailey’s head.

“yo, bails, mama’s asking for you to help with the food.”

the two of your heads snapped towards the doorway, sophia’s stern expression on her face. which was odd, considering the filipina had always had a soft spot for her brothers. which you wouldn’t have been able to tell, from the way her stern gaze was burning holes in the older boy’s head.

he gave you a smile, “i’ll talk to you later then. excuse me.”

when he stopped in front of his sister, expecting her to moved, she didn’t. he awkwardly squeezed past the slim gap.

“come on, fia, bullying your brother already? it’s been five minutes since we got here.” you shook your head, rubbing the sides of her arms teasingly. “the poor guy looked so scared.”

“i’m not bullying him. he’s being a creepy weirdo.”

something about the way sophia seemed to have to ward her own brother off was very jarring to fans. the vlog seemed to do wonders as clips of sophia’s undying possessive energy over you throughout the entirety of the dinner were posted. still, like the polite, game-loving gal you were, you refused to stay away from the boy. he was just being nice… and you could never be as mean to a friend as sophia wanted. world 3 - sophia 0.

˚⟡˖ ࣪ ⋆ clip four: [ tiktok ] keeping up w katseye (@katseye)

(inspired by eve and clara reading bet fanfics on tiktok)

“okay, the good thing is, i think we won’t get flagged as easily if we do it here.” you explained to lara, who scrolled through the wattpad catalogue on her ipad hesitantly. you skimmed the comments eyekons were making, ushering you to read them by affirming your suspicions. “yeah, see? as long as we don’t show any porn up in here, we should be totally fine.”

user01 NO WHY THE FUCK WOULD YALL DO THIS

user02 yeah we ain’t ever getting another comeback after this

user03 fuck save yourselves we cooked fr lmao

user04 someone hide the kinky shit from them please lord

you and lara settled on a story eventually, which, you were much more interested in reading the ones with ridiculous descriptions, but by popular recommendations in the comment section, you decided on a “katseye x ceo trope” one instead. and with a theatric clear of her throat, lara was ready to start you guys off. and you couldn’t help but smirk.

“--‘she walked across the room with a certain confidence to her. a certain authority. it was almost… intoxicating.’” lara read, her voice dropping to a low, sensual tone. she gave the phone a narrow-eyed glance, “okay, they’re saying you’re serving an intoxicating aura. i mean, not lore accurate, but okay.” you swatted her in the arm, clicking your tongue. she snickered, holding up the ipad. “stop! i need to get into this, okay?” she cleared her throat again. “okay, wait, i think you should play yourself. i’ll tell you when to speak.”

user05 omg there’s no way they’re reading xxx

user06 LARA CHOSE A FUCKING LAFORL/N FIC WTF

user07 it was nice knowing ya’ll i’m kms after this

“--‘if there was one thing y/n couldn’t tolerate in her office, it was an arrogant attitude. lucky for her, her boss was cockiness strapped in tight purple stilettos--sophia laforteza.’ oh my god, wait, what? i didn’t know this was a you and sophia one.” the indian said. “hold on, ya’ll told me this was a katseye fic.”

you tilted your head, a small smile crept onto your lips. as lara scolded the fans in the chat, you skimmed ahead of the book.

user08 omg the smirk… this is it for me… i need it tattooed

user09 laforl/n deniers been real quiet in here huh

user10 THE SMIRK???? Y/N L/N YOU’RE A FREAKY MOFO

“okay, stop yelling at eyekons and keep reading!” you urged, clinging onto lara’s arm. you pursed your lips, feigning irritant as the older sighed, adjusting the ipad in her hands.

“--‘her employees would say y/n ran kats co. like a military unit. she was the hard-hitting strict boss. just the mere mention of her name could have the water boys quivering in their shoes.’” lara couldn’t contain her loud laughter at this inaccurate description of you. rolling your eyes at her amusement, you grabbed the tablet from her. “wha--hey!”

“you’re getting distracted! we’ve barely gotten through two paragraphs.” you shrugged, “i’m going to speed this up. i’ll be myself and when i tell you, you do sophia’s parts.”

user11 really channeling that strict boss energy rn babe

user12 omg i’ve read xxx they’re abt to be so traumatized bro

user13 WHAT THE FUCK SOPHIA’S IN HERE

“--‘y/n grabbed the stack of files sitting before her in the conference room. she dismissed her subordinates. i was so sick of incompetent men running the company to the ground. most times she was glad they had to report to her, if it were up to them, kats co. would’ve gone bankrupt already.’” lara couldn’t help but shake her head at how immersed in the story you were, not even sparing the live a glance. “‘they answer to her, but there was only one person y/n answered to.’”

you pointed at lara, who leant over to catch where you stopped. quickly, she pulled her voice higher, imitating the seductive edge sophia carried in her quieter tone.

“‘where’s my eea report for this month, l/n?’” the indian purred in your ear, an exaggerated smoulder on her face.

“‘the idiots in finance fucked the numbers up.’ i replied,” you continued, you switched to a grumpier tone, “‘i swear, i’m going to fire that excuse of a man sitting in that executive chair.’ sophia sported a smug smirk on her face, strolling over to the head of the table, where y/n sat. she leant against the table, crossing her arms. she looked down at her, like she always did, but this time, with a playful glint in her eyes.”

“wait, should i act this out?” lara asked. you agreed, and she propped herself up to rest on her knees, before leaning against the wall behind you. she looks down at you, imitating every action described in the story. you giggled at her getting immersed in her role. “‘i don’t like playing games, ms. l/n. if you keep messing up, i’ll assume you’re doing it on purpose.’”

your nose scrunched in light cringe at lara’s faux ‘sexy sophia’ voice. nevertheless, you continued.

“‘why, laforteza? do you think that little of me?’ y/n says, but like she had anticipated what she was going to say, sophia scoffs, smirk still evident on her face.” per your instruction, lara’s lips spread into a smirk. “grabbing her chin, sophia bit her lip, like she was craving more than just that little bit of contact. but she had to remind herself that they were sat in the conference room, where anybody could walk in.”

lara grabbed your chin gently with her hands, and you nearly double over in hysteria as the two of your gazes met.

user14 i can’t keep doing this my fingers are cramping

user15 they’re really taking advantage of the no pr rule

user16 wetter than ever or whatever billie said

“oh my god, you guys are freaky bitches.” lara chuckled, fingers still around your chin. you were oddly comfortable where you sat, unwilling to tear your chin away. your eyes rolled to read the comments, hooded and blinking slow.

user17 not ya’ll ignoring sophia’s crash out comments lmao

sophia<3 yo back up doing this on live is crazy

user18 the unbothered energy for their leader is so n/nlarz

sophia<3 don’t make me ban you guys from going live

you couldn’t help but smirk wider at the filipina’s words, knowing this must’ve gotten her blood boiling. you turned your head, glancing up at lara with glossy eyes and fluttering lashes. “should we ask eyekons if we should keep reading? or should we leave some of this to their wild imagination?”

the older chuckled, “well, it sounds like sophia doesn’t exactly approve. i don’t think we can read the next part aloud anyway.”

#n/nlarz was trending on tiktok for a bit after that live. with edits to clips of the two of you going viral one after another. it was safe to say your marketing team couldn’t be more grateful for the unhinged method of promotion, but it was bringing incredibly attraction to gnarly’s comeback schedule.

still, perhaps not everybody was as happy with your actions.

sophia<3 oh you guys are getting house chores tn

sophia<3 lara raj don’t make me do something ill regret

sophia<3 why are you guys encouraging this i’m disappointed

sophia<3 y/n mahal stop testing me please

˚⟡˖ ࣪ ⋆ clip five: [ leaks ] coachella 2025 hard launch?

𝒔𝒐𝒇𝒕 𝒍𝒂𝒖𝒏𝒄𝒉 𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒍? katseye’s y/n and sophia caught getting too close for comfort at jennie’s coachella set

by: lexi storm | tmz | april 20, 2025

amidst romance rumours, katseye bandmates, sophia and y/n, seemed to have taken on addressing the hearsay by getting touchy-feely at kpop star, jennie’s coachella set.

in a video posted early this morning to @popbase, the bandmates were caught on camera being extremely close and personal--and fans are spiralling into a frenzy as rumours of it all being “platonic affection” has been seemingly debunked.

*attached bad-quality video of you two*

the now-viral 30-second clip, allegedly taken after the group’s april 13th performance in chicago, shows sophia with her arms wrapped around your waist tightly from behind. the two of you were heavily accessorized, but fans could not miss the way you were whispering back and forth. sophia kissed up the back of your neck, and you threw your head back to rest it against her shoulder. an intimate gesture some were calling, “gf core”.

later in the video, you turned around to encircle your arms around sophia’s neck, and the filipina could be seen beaming from ear to ear as you mouthed the lyrics to slow motion.

just before the clip ends, sophia leant in to press a soft kiss against your lips. her ringed hands sliding across your heaving midsections as the two of you melted into each other. it was safe to say this was much better than any soft or hard launch you could ever post, and though the video quality might be just a little too low, it was hard to mistake your distinct visuals.

the hashtag #laforn/n has started trending within hours.

user01 girl wbk that ain’t no friendly pose who you fooling

user02 i fucking knew it since paris fashion week

user03 ogs have been on this train since their da days

user04 quick! everyone act surprised!

past clues? this isn’t the first time these two have been linked. in february, fans noted they wore identical “couple” rings during katseye’s press tour for their debut ep, soft is strong. and just last month, y/n posted a photo during their pit stop in new york fashion week of dinner with a city view, table set for two, captioned, “happy valentine’s day to all of you my loves <3”--and sophia liked the it within seconds, followed by a now-deleted comment that simply read: “happy valentine’s mahal”.

during katseye’s iheartradio feature in the philippines for their “touchdown in manila” fan showcase, when asked about their “onstage chemistry”, sophia laughed and replied with, “guess we just connect really well offstage… some people you don’t have to rehearse with to be in sync.” y/n turned bright read and sipped on her coffee in silence. suspicious much?

so far, there has been no official statement from either sophia, y/n, or katseye’s management. a source “close to the group” told tabloid today: “they’re just really close friends. everyone in katseye is like family… [sophia and y/n] just have a special bond. on whatever basis, please respect that its their privacy.”

sure, girl. way to make a pr statement sound more stupid.

meanwhile, fans continue dissecting old concert footage, looking for signs they missed. there has been a bundle of clips compiled into a series called, “subtle and secret”. one clip from a tokyo show in october shows y/n subtly wiping lipstick from sophia’s lips and cheek backstage.

whether it’s a deep “friendship” or the pop world’s next power couple, one thing’s clear: sophia and y/n are more than just bandmates. and if the video leak is any indication, katseye’s popular vocal duo share more than work behind the scenes.

got tea on the katseye girls? slide into our dms @tmzofficial

𝒂𝒏; low and behold… i’m back. i’m trying my best to write faster but i like quality over quantity. hope you guys enjoyed!

𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒙𝒙

[chanelrolls]

blizzard? i hardly know her

pairing. afab!fem reader x CALEB (modern college au)

tags. fluff, nsfw, smut, mature content, cheesy romance, forced proximity, slowburn, unestablished relationship, plot-based, tension, so much tension, accidental sleepover, zayne & caleb are sibs with a mum, eventual smut, oral, t!tplay, f!ngering, penetration, missionary, slight manhandling, 18+

synopsis. what happens when you get stuck inside your crush's house?

wc. 6.9k (lmao)

crunch. crunch. crunch.

the frosty snow lies thick beneath your boots, making a satisfying crunch with every heavy step you take. your thick fur boots keep you warm as you wander up the quiet street, heading toward the center of town. each house you pass is decked out in bright, cheerful christmas lights, shimmering merrily. it’s still early, just 2 o’clock, but it feels like the entire town is already wrapped in the christmas spirit.

well, it is the 22nd of december. with only three days left until the long-awaited 25th, it’s no surprise that festive excitement lingers in the air.

ah, winter. the season that always felt like magic. your favorite time of the year. but this time, something was different. this time, you were actually doing something bold.

you held the small, carefully wrapped package tighter between your gloves, heart pounding as you took in the cold air. you knew exactly where you were headed and who it was for.

caleb.

he was the kind of guy every girl dreamed about; smart, charismatic, manly, athletic, and ridiculously good-looking. a bit older than you. you'd been lowkey obsessed with him for half a year. yes, you kept track.

you wanted to talk to him so many times, but every chance slipped past. you didn’t have the guts. you had no idea how to even start a convo with a guy you liked. were you supposed to act casual? or make it obvious? how do people even do this?

the funny part? caleb and you had never even spoken. not once. you were practically strangers. but he was popular, the kind of guy people naturally gravitated toward. everyone liked him. which meant if you didn’t make a move soon, someone else definitely would.

so yeah, you needed to act. fast.

and somehow, through sheer force of will and probably a touch of delusion, you came up with a plan: give him a christmas gift. nothing huge. just something small... and anonymous. no pressure, just a gesture.

luckily, you knew something most people didn’t. caleb’s family owned that cozy little bakery down the street. they lived right above it, in the apartment on the second floor. which made things easy since there was a letterbox right next to the bakery door. accessible and just perfect. the plan was really simple: drop off the gift, then vanish. just you, taking a tiny step closer to the boy you couldn’t stop thinking about.

your stomach started doing that weird twisty thing again the closer you got to caleb’s bakery. the street was quiet, but the snow was beginning to fall faster now, tiny flurries brushing your cheeks, clinging to your coat. you picked up the pace. if you dropped the gift off fast enough, you could make it home before the snow really picked up.

except... you didn’t. because just as you stopped in front of the bakery, frozen and staring at the familiar brick facade, you heard a faint voice that sounded like it was calling for somebody.

your heart practically jumped out of your chest. you spun around, eyes wide. there was no one around. but the snow had gotten worse. way worse. you could barely see down the road now. great. just great.

you were such an idiot. there had been blizzard warnings all week. and you, genius that you were, had thought today of all days was the perfect time to sneak out and play santa.

this was bad. really bad.

you whimpered when something sharp, maybe a twig or a chunk of ice, scratched across your cheek. the cold bit harder now, winds screaming past your ears. panic rose like a wave. you spun around, searching, desperate, but there was nothing. just white. endless, suffocating white.

and then, arms. strong ones, wrapping around you before you could even scream. you kicked once, tried to twist away, heart hammering like a drum, but your body was too numb to fight back.

you were being dragged, somewhere. and then, just as suddenly, it stopped.

a bell chimed overhead. warmth hit your face. your nose filled with the smell of cinnamon, sugar, and something buttery. the sound of the wind dulled behind you.

a bakery...

you blinked the snow out of your eyes, breath uneven, still bracing to fight whoever had grabbed you. and then, "are you alright?" you instantly looked up at the familiar voice. standing there, a towel in hand, snow in his dark hair and a concerned frown on his face—was zayne. caleb’s older brother.

so there you were.

the older brother of your crush was standing right in front of you, waiting for an answer. and oh, you were inside his family’s bakery. and above this very shop? their house. which meant... caleb was probably somewhere upstairs right now. maybe even within earshot. oh, and let’s not forget the tiny detail that a literal snow blizzard was raging outside. no one in their right mind would be out in that. except you, naturally.

and in your hand? a poorly hidden, slightly crumpled gift you were now awkwardly trying to shield behind your back like some suspicious cartoon character. how dandy could things possibly get?

you nodded at zayne, way too eagerly. like, suspiciously eagerly. like those nodding dogs that people placed in the dashboards of their car.

zayne narrowed his eyes at you doubtfully,

“[name], right?” he asked, arms placed at his sides loosely. you nodded again. silent. awkward. praying the gift behind your back would suddenly vanish into thin air.

it wasn’t surprising that he knew your name. in a town like this, everyone knew everyone. gossip traveled faster than snowstorms.

“take a seat,” he said, gesturing to a chair near the counter. “i’ll go get my mum. she’ll know what to do.” you hesitated, but your legs were too cold and tired to argue. the gift stayed clenched in your hands behind your coat as you shuffled toward the seat, cheeks burning. zayne turned and walked off, calling out, “mum!” as he disappeared into the back.

you were alone now. in his bakery. with his gift. and his family upstairs. great. just great.

moments later, footsteps echoed from the stairs behind the counter. then came a voice, warm, lively, and full of disbelief. “zayne, who in their right mind would even be outside right now? the news said—” she stopped mid-rant when your eyes met hers.

“oh, my stars!” mrs. xia gasped, practically flying toward you with a flurry of movement and a hand pressed to her chest. “darling, what happened? are you hurt? are you frozen? do you even have gloves? look at your face, it’s all red—”

“mum,” zayne cut in, clearly used to the routine as he placed a hand on her shoulder. “you’re overwhelming her.”

“nonsense,” she said, swatting a hand at him, still hovering over you, staring at you with the eyes caleb had inherited from, while zayne probably got his from their father. “go make her some hot chocolate. extra marshmallows.” zayne sighed at the sudden obligation, but nonetheless vanished back into the kitchen with reluctant acceptance.

you were officially alone, with the mother of your crush. and she was observing you like you were a lost duckling. “well then,” she began, folding her arms and leaning just a little too close. “how are you feeling?”

"i... i'm okay. just a little cold..."

"well, i'll bet you are! whatever were you doing wandering outside?"

your grip tightened around the gift behind you. you smiled, then lied. “i… i just wanted some air.”

her eyes narrowed, suspicious but amused. “in the middle of a snowstorm?”

you forced a chuckle, trying to look casual. “y-yes. it was… a really strong urge.”

"ah, now look at you," she laughed, before noticing your uncomfortable expression. "oh my dear, i'm so sorry, i'm such a scatterbrain! here, give me your coat," mrs. xia's outstretched hand made you suddenly aware of your shivering frame. with trembling hands, you undid the buttons of your coat, shrugging out of the soppy mess. instantly, you felt the warmth of the bakery's cozy atmosphere seeping through the fabric of your long-sleeved top. you're still holding caleb's gift protectively.

mrs. xia took your coat, draping it over a radiator. "there, there, now once you've got some hot chocolate in you, you'll be warm and better in no time!" she beams at you, clasping her hands together. "that's if my incompetent son manages to make it for you."

the thudding footsteps coming down the stairs rang out, and then revealed a frowning zayne with a cup of steaming hot chocolate between his fingers. his obvious scoffing received a light chortle from mrs. xia, watching as zayne turn towards you. you gently take the beverage from him, pinkies faintly brushing against one another. you try to hold yourself back from taking a long sniff of the mouthwateringly sweet aroma across your watchful saviours, so you slowly take a sip. "it's lovely," you look up at them. "thank you..."

zayne crosses his arms while sneaking a glance at his mother in response, the corner of his lips subtly lifted. all mrs. xia could do was to raise her hands up in defeat.

after getting scolded by your mother on the phone call, you passed the phone to mrs. xia when she gestured for it, and the shift in atmosphere was immediate. the motherly concern turned into light banter, like two women slipping into a shared rhythm. the volume of their voices carried, but the meaning was distant now. their laughter settled into the corners of the room.

you sat curled on the edge of the chair, a blanket draped over your shoulders like a lifeline. the mug of hot chocolate sat on the table in front of you, its surface now still, save for a lone marshmallow melting into the brown. your hands were no longer trembling, but your mind hadn’t caught up.

the gift was tucked underneath the blanket now, safe but painfully present. its shape still pressed against your side. you hadn’t decided what you were going to do with it yet. the original plan had evaporated with the first gust of wind that knocked you off your—

footsteps.

zayne approached you quietly, though there was a kind of presence to him that made silence feel heavier. you looked up just as he stopped beside your chair. his hands were shoved into the pockets of his dark sweater, and the light caught in the glint of his cuff. his eyes flicked down to the mug, then returned to you. no smile. just that same unreadable calm.

but then he said, with a voice that was quieter than the rest of him. “be honest. did it taste good?”

you blinked, taken off guard. his tone wasn’t sarcastic. it wasn’t cold, either. it was... curious. like your opinion actually mattered. you nodded after a moment, the corners of your mouth lifting, unsure. “yeah. it did. just sweet enough.”

there was the smallest shift in his posture.

“good,” he looked away, “mum always makes it too sugary. i adjusted the recipe a bit.”

"don't you mean caleb adjusted it?" a voice sounded from the entrance of the backroom, and your head snapped to the source abruptly, zayne mirroring your actions, although less frantic.

don't blush. act cool. nonchalant. not a big deal.

oh, who are you kidding? of course, this is a big deal!

because standing right there, leaning against the doorframe so effortlessly, and looking so extremely attractive, was caleb. caleb xia. the whole reason why you were in this mess in the first place.

tall and loose-limbed, with the kind of posture that made everything about him look unbothered. his brown hair was tousled in that way that looked intentional but probably wasn’t. soft strands fell across his forehead, catching the light like autumn leaves. but it was his eyes that held you the longest. a pale lilac that didn’t quite belong to this world. they were beautiful.

his gaze swept over the room slowly before settling on you, and though he wasn’t smiling, there was something playful in the tilt of his mouth, the subtle raise of one brow.

it took you a few seconds to process what he had said.

hang on a minute...

"i... thought zayne made it for me?" you dragged your words, your voice coming out louder than you intended, more so to yourself than to anyone in particular. now all of your nerves that were previously panicking was replaced by confusion.

caleb gives zayne a dry look, before turning to face you fully.

oh, that gorgeous, sexy, amazing, and handsome face!

"there are two things you should know about my brother," caleb told you, the sound of your name in his slow, steady voice completely warming your insides.

oh my GOD. he's talking to me. he's talking to ME and looking at ME.

his footsteps dragged on across the floorboards while he stepped closer. "one: zayne plus the kitchen equals a disaster, and two: he may appear like a knight in shining silk but he's a total liar."

zayne only stared at him with a cold glare, and caleb smiled back cheekily at him. his gorgeous amethyst eyes holding a spark of mischief, "so who's mum on the phone to?"

"my mum," you replied, (even though it looked like it was zayne he was asking) to which caleb nodded in quiet understanding. a brief silence fell upon you, so you took another sip from the hot chocolate, the knowledge that your crush being the one who actually made it, now heartwarmingly sitting in your head.

caleb noticed.

"i make a pretty good hot chocolate, huh?" caleb chuckled handsomely, striding through the room and hopping on one of the chairs across the shop counter.

"better than pretty good, actually..."

"better than pretty good actually." you hear zayne mutter beneath his breath as he walked past you, now making a beeline for the stairs at the back. whether he was mocking or teasing you, you didn't know. you couldn't make a judgement for now with insufficient knowledge of how zayne is. but his eyes earlier held a teasing spark, you try to convince yourself.

you steal a glance from caleb, who was currently texting in his phone.

"honey, are you alright?" the concerned voice of mrs. xia broke through your thoughts, and you look up at her worried eyes.

"i, uh, am okay. sorry for spacing out..."

she gives you a warm, motherly smile. "oh, don't worry bub, you must still be in a little shock. how about we all go upstairs, where it's more warmer, hm?"

you nodded in reply, returning her smile.

when you reached upstairs, you watched how caleb flopped himself down the recliner to prop the seat up, before reaching into the pocket of his bottoms and proceeding to text again, seemingly at lightning speed. mrs. xia made her way over to the sofa, and so you decided to settle yourself down across from her.

"well then," the mother spoke up, her eyes holding yours. "i spoke to your mum, and... we've agreed that you should stay here until the blizzard passes." you visibly stiffened, eyes automatically glued on the floor as a sudden rush of heat coursed through you despite the weather. "the roads are in no state to be driven on, and the way how things are looking, you'll probably be safe and sound in your bed by tomorrow night."

what a relief. you released the breath you didn't realize you've been holding in. if you could just keep your way out of zayne and caleb, then everything should work out just fine. no awkward conversations, nothing alike, and no one will find out about the wrapped gift you're sitting on right now.

"thank you, mrs. xia. you're very kind, i really appreciate it,"

"oh please, it's absolutely no trouble at all!" mrs. xia waved it off nonchalantly, "your parents are an old colleague of mine, and you're an absolute angel yourself, my dear. and ever so pretty, might i say."

you blushed, cheeks going warm, "thank you, mrs. xia, you really are too kind."

"now what's the time, i wonder?" she mused brightly, sauntering towards the kitchen side of the room.

"three o'clock." caleb suddenly voiced out from his position on the recliner, his eyes flicking to you, but quickly averting his gaze back to his phone when he caught your eye.

mrs. xia wiped her hands on her trousers, before leaning against the breakfast bar. "right, well dinner should be ready in about an hour, but first i think we should discuss [name]'s sleeping arrangements," she announced, her voice sounding like she was talking to herself more than anything.

"she can sleep in my room," caleb blurted suddenly, looking slightly bashful despite his easygoing nature. "i can sleep in'ere, on the sofa, i don't mind."

oh my gosh.

caleb just offered me his room! which means... i'll get to sleep in his room, i'll get to see his room, i'll be lying down on his bed in his room.

fate just keeps on surprising you today, huh?

caleb's room was near exactly what you had imagined.

dark green walls complimented a neutral soft carpet, with plain wooden furniture balancing out everything so nicely. there were a few posters on the wall, of various basketball players and teams, along with the odd photograph or two of caleb with his family and friends. there were a few golden medals, their ribbons strung around some old nails lined up in a row against the wall.

you've always known, that caleb is a natural-born athlete.

glancing down at the present that rested snugly in your palm, you sighed, placing it carefully onto the desk beside you. so much drama, all over one tiny little gift.

suddenly, a gentle knock on the door sounded, startling you. your head snapped towards the door, but it remained silent and still for like 10 seconds. narrowing your eyes at it, you turn your gaze away.

were you starting to hear things?

"hey, new tenant?" the muffled voice of caleb sounded through the door, and you instinctively widened your eyes. also, what kind of nickname was that? "can i come in, please?"

"um, yep!" you shouted back in a squeaky, high-pitched voice. quickly, you lunged for the present which was sitting on caleb's desk, concealing it in the first place you could find—which was behind the desk. it was a bit of a tight squeeze lodging it there, but miraculously, you managed to squeeze it in before the door creaked open with a groan.

caleb's head popped around the door, his face visibly relaxing once he caught sight of your figure. then, he steps in, a little hesitant, holding something in his hand. he held up the item, and it appears to be some sort of clothing. "mum told me to give you this, since you don't have pajamas."

"oh, thank you..." you replied, trying a soft smile. slowly, you accept the clothing from his hands, and you could feel the way your fingers brushed for a split-second. it made you warm.

"it's no problem. anything for a pretty girl like you." you stood in shock for a few seconds, staring wide-eyed at the boy standing right infront of you. it took a few more moments before caleb realized the nature of his words, and when he did, his ears turn red. clearing his throat, he brings up something else, "cough, need help setting up the bed?"

he was already at the edge of the bed, sleeves rolled past his forearms, the faint scent of vanilla and warm bread still clinging to him like a ghost.

you nodded before your brain could catch up. the bed creaked softly as the two of you worked in silence, tucking in corners, fluffing the pillowcases. and for a while, it felt almost so oddly domestic.

but then, as you smoothed your palm over the top sheet, his hand stilled. his eyes were on you. "uh... hold still for a sec," he murmured, stepping toward you.

you blinked, unsure. "yes?"

he didn’t answer right away. instead, he closed the distance in slow, deliberate strides. and then, without warning, his fingers reached up, calloused and careful, his thumb brushing lightly along your cheek.

"spaghetti," he muttered, almost amused. "bolognese. right here." a quiet laugh left him, soft and stunned, like he hadn’t expected it either.

instantly, you turned beet red. not just from the proximity, not just from the way caleb was so close that you could start counting his lashes from this distance, but because you've revealed a rather unpleasant side of yourself to him. the spaghetti bolognese his mother had cooked for dinner earlier satisfied your taste buds so well that you hadn't noticed it smearing on your cheek.

his thumb hovered, not quite done. then, his gaze dropped. first to your eyes. then lower... to your lips.

and for a second, just a breath, he didn't move.

but then, he blinked, stepping back. the warmth snapped away with him. "there," caleb said, though his ears were tinged pink again. "you’re good."

he turned back to the bed, adjusting the edge of the blanket like it suddenly needed fixing. like he hadn’t just looked at you like that.

you stayed still after he stepped back, eyes trained on the bed like it might offer some kind of guidance. your cheek still tingled a little where his thumb had brushed, and you could feel the heat lingering there.

he cleared his throat. "sorry, by the way. i didn’t mean to, like, get in your space.”

you shook your head quickly, looking up at him. “no, it’s okay. i didn’t notice it was there.”

he let out a short breath. “guess that’s what happens when you really go in on pasta, huh.”

you laughed under your breath, a little embarrassed. “it was good, okay? i wasn’t thinking about my face.”

“really?” he says in a sing-song voice, "next time y'should try my cooking."

you both stood there for a second, the quiet kind of hovering. caleb shifted his weight onto one foot, rubbing his hand along the back of his neck.

“well,” he said, glancing at the bed, “this should be fine for you, i think. the heater’s already on so you won’t freeze.”

“looks good,” you said. “thank you.”

his eyes flicked toward the pajamas still folded in your arms. “those might be a little big, just saying.” ugh, when will he leave so i can release this jittery feeling i've been holding back ever since he came in here? i already want to roll around the bed and squeal!

“i’ll survive.” you manage.

he nodded. his hand hovered near the doorknob, but he didn’t open it just yet. “alright. i’ll, uh, leave you alone now. let you get settled.”

“mhm, okay.”

“cool. night.”

“night.”

and then he was gone. the door clicked shut, the sound quiet against the hush of the snowstorm outside. you let out a breath you hadn’t realized you were holding, then looked down at the pajamas in your hands.

and then you flopped. face-first onto the bed. a full-body, limbs-splayed-out, dramatic flop. a squeal escaped before you could stop it, muffled by the sheets.

"what just happened," you whispered into the blanket, voice high and panicked in the most ridiculous way. "what just happened."

you kicked your feet a little. rolled onto your back. then onto your side. then back again.

you had talked to caleb. you had brushed hands. he wiped food off your face. he looked at you. and he called you pretty. like, casually! like it was nothing. like your heart wasn’t going to launch itself out of your chest.

you groaned, throwing a pillow over your face. this was not how you expected your evening to go when you walked across their bakery holding the gift.

and now you were in his room, with a blizzard locking you in for the night. "i’m gonna die," you muttered to the ceiling.

but you were smiling. so much it kind of hurt.

3 hours.

you laid there, flat on your back, eyes dry from staring too long at the same stupid spot on the ceiling. the room had long gone quiet, no more creaking footsteps outside, no muffled laughter from mrs. xia and her husband. even your phone screen was starting to burn your retinas, the endless doomscrolling doing absolutely nothing to help.

you sighed and flipped to your side again for what had to be the hundredth time.

the blanket was warm. the pillows were soft. the bed even smelled like vanilla and something familiar and safe. but none of it mattered. because one very important thing was missing.

your plushie.

your stupid, irreplaceable, well-loved plushie that you had dragged around since you were ten. the one with the slightly lopsided button eye and the torn little ear you never quite got around to sewing back on. the one thing that could ever get your body to relax enough to actually sleep.

you groaned, shoving your face into the pillow. how were you supposed to survive the night without it? your arms felt weird. your chest felt cold. everything just felt… off.

you opened your eyes, staring blankly into the dark. there was no way you were going to sleep tonight. not unless you found a way to hug something.

maybe you could steal a pillow from the hallway?

…or, god forbid—ask caleb if he had a spare?

nope. absolutely not. you would rather freeze. you rolled onto your back again, sighing deeply. “this is so dumb,” you whispered to the ceiling.

it didn't take you long enough before you find yourself standing, your toes barely making a sound against the carpet while you crept out of the room, pajamas just a bit too long, sleeves brushing past your fingers. the hallway was dim, lit only by the soft blue glow spilling in from the living room.

you told yourself it was just for water. just something to sip so you could trick your body into thinking it was okay to rest. nothing more.

but just as you turned the corner, there he was.

caleb. curled up sideways on the sofa, legs hanging off the armrest like he’d melted into it, his phone casting a cool glow across his face. he looked cozy. a little sleepy, but still very much awake.

and he saw you immediately. your eyes locked like it was choreographed.

you froze.

so did he.

for a second, neither of you said a word, just two stunned statues in the quiet of midnight. “…can’t sleep?” he finally asked, voice husky and rough with tiredness, but not unfriendly.

you blinked. your fingers gripped the hem of the oversized top. “not really,” you admitted. “uh. was gonna get some water.”

he sat up slowly, the phone slipping onto his chest. “kitchen’s free.”

you nodded, but didn’t move yet. then he tilted his head, eyes scanning your face like he already knew something was up. “you okay?”

you hesitated. should you lie? brush it off? make some excuse? or maybe, just maybe, you could admit the truth. the ridiculous, embarrassing truth. your lips parted, unsure. “…okay, yeah, i can't sleep. not without my pillow.” your plushie, actually.

his mouth quirked, but not in a mocking way. “really?”

“yeah. laugh all you want.”

“i’m not laughing.” he stretched his arms over his head, then let them fall onto his lap with a sigh. “kinda cute, honestly.”

your face warmed. “don’t call it that.”

“but it is.”

you clicked your tongue and started walking toward the kitchen just to escape the way his gaze felt on you. “i’m just gonna get that water now, thanks.”

you heard him chuckle as you stood by the sink, cold glass in hand, the sound of water trickling in almost louder than your heartbeat. everything felt surreal. you used to just watch him from the far end of classrooms, pretending not to look. used to catch glimpses of him laughing with his friends and wonder what it would be like to be that close.

and now? now you were here. in his house. talking to him. because of a stupid snowstorm.

you tightened your grip on the glass, grounding yourself. you took a quiet sip, trying to calm the storm inside for once.

then you felt a shift beside you. a soft presence. the quiet scrape of socked feet on tile.

caleb, leaning casually against the counter, arms crossed, the glow from the overhead light catching in the warm violet of his eyes. “the rest are already fast asleep,” he murmured, voice low like he didn’t want to disturb the quiet.

you glanced up at him. and god. why did he have to look that good under sleepy kitchen lighting?

he wasn’t even doing anything, just standing there in sweatpants and that loose black shirt, like he’d stepped out of a dream you forgot you were having.

your eyes lingered a second too long, before he noticed. his brow arched slightly, amused.

you quickly looked away, down at your glass like it suddenly held the secrets of the universe. “right. yeah,” you said, voice tight and awkward. you looked down at the rim of your glass, fingers tracing along the condensation, anything to keep from meeting his eyes again.

then, quietly, almost sheepishly, you asked, “do you feel okay sleeping on the sofa? sorry for having to take your bed away…” your voice barely carried over the hum of the fridge.

for a moment, caleb didn’t respond. you glanced up, and he was already looking at you. that same soft, unreadable expression on his face. then he shrugged a shoulder, lips tugging into a small smile.

“it’s not a big deal.”

“still. you didn’t have to.”

he scoffed gently, amused. “what, should i let you sleep on the couch while it’s practically snowing knives out there? nah. not happening.”

you bit the inside of your cheek, trying not to smile too obviously.

he leaned his elbow on the counter, his body angled toward you now, casual, but his gaze still settled on your features like you were something he couldn’t quite figure out. “besides,” he added, quieter this time, “if it means you’re here… i think i’m okay with it.”

your heart stuttered. you blinked. “...what?”

he looked down, like he couldn’t believe he said that either, brushing a hand through his hair. “i mean, like, i don’t mind. i like... talking to you. and stuff.” his voice was flustered now, the same one you heard when he complimented you earlier, and you knew that your face was fully red again.

you set the glass down carefully, pulse loud in your ears. “i… like talking to you too,” you mumbled, so quietly it was barely audible.

but he heard it. and he smiled again, looking away, like really tilting his head away from your direction. “aaalright,” he sings, stepping back from the counter with a stretch, “since neither of us is sleeping anytime soon… wanna play something?”

you raised a brow, a little wary. “play what?”

he shot you a look like you’d just challenged him. “cards. i’ve got a deck in the drawer. loser has to pick truth or dare.”

“truth or dare? seriously?”

“hey,” caleb said, already moving toward the living room, that smug little smirk growing, “don’t act like you’re not curious. or scared.”

you scoffed, setting your glass down and following him. “i’m not scared.”

“uh-huh,” he called over his shoulder, crouching near the TV stand to rummage through a drawer. “we’ll see how brave you are when i ask if you’ve ever had a crush on someone in this house.”

you choked a little. “that’s—”

he turned, waving the deck at you with a grin. “then don’t lose.”

and with that, caleb plopped down onto the carpet by the coffee table, legs crossed, a flicker of excitement in his eyes. the snow outside still raged on quietly, blanketing the world, but inside, the only storm was the one building between your shared glances and half-laughs.

you sat on the carpet as well, across from him, heart thudding in anticipation. “ready to lose?” he teased, shuffling the cards.

but when you actually started to play now, caleb was the first one to lose. you tried not to gloat, but your grin said it all.

he rolled his eyes with a lazy smirk, leaning back on his palms. “alright, alright. truth.”

you tapped your chin, pretending to think. but really, the question had already been burning in your chest, because this was a golden opportunity! you leaned forward slightly, voice a little too soft. “what do you think of me?” alright. yeah. it was a cheesy question, but what else can i ask?

he didn’t flinch, nor did he shy away. caleb just looked at you, straight on. “i think you’re cute.”

you malfunctioned. why is he so blunt?

he went on, calm, unbothered. “fun to talk to. smart. a little chaotic, in a good way. definitely my... type.” your brain stalled. but caleb just shrugged like he just told you the weather. “why?”

you opened your mouth, closed it again. “i—um. nothing. no reason.”

he gave you a little smirk, already reshuffling the cards. “you asked. don’t get shy now.”

you stared at him, fully malfunctioning while he just dealt the next hand like he didn’t just flip your entire world upside down in five seconds flat.

"hey, continue playin now." he called over, but caleb lost again. you had to stifle your laughter, but there was a spark of excitement inside you. it was like luck had completely turned your way tonight after all the previous events.

"seriously?" caleb squinted, leaning back and running a hand through his hair. "again?"

"looks like it,"

he sighed dramatically, as if he were going to quit the game, but then perked up. "fine, dare me."

you hesitated for a second. part of you wanted to go big, do something wild, but then you remembered just how much chaos he'd already caused. instead, you decided to play it safe. "pinch yourself," you said, trying to keep a straight face.

caleb blinked, eyes widening for a split second as he processed the request. then, he gave you a flat look. "that's it?"

"yep."

he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he looked at you with that trademark smirk. "aw, disappointing," he said, his voice dripping with playful sarcasm. "kinda expected you to..."

you blinked, your heart pounding a little faster as his gaze lingered on you. "to what?"

"nuthin', nuthin'," he said, waving it off with a small shrug. he then proceeded to pinch his own arm, and you couldn’t help but watch as he did it.

the next round, you actually lost now.

caleb's grin was wide as ever, but then, as you looked at him, you noticed something shift. for a split second, his expression faltered just for a moment, but it was enough to make you wonder what was going through his mind. it was almost like he was thinking about something different.

he cleared his throat quickly, wiping that flicker of uncertainty away, and leaned back in his chair with that same smug look. "looks like you lost. truth or dare?"

you didn’t have the energy to be annoyed. "dare," you said, hoping you'd make it through this round without too much embarrassment.

caleb’s gaze locked onto yours. there was something in his eyes now, something that made you feel a little unsteady. his usual playful teasing was still there, but now it felt sharper, like he was testing you.

after a long, deliberate pause, he finally spoke, his voice a whisper. "kiss me."

your heart stopped. time seemed to freeze for a moment, and your eyes widened as you stared at him in complete shock. did he really just say that? your mind raced, trying to catch up. there was no way he could be serious, right?

but caleb didn’t move, his gaze was still intense, waiting for your response, keeping the ball at your court.

you felt heat flood your face, your stomach flipping in a way that made you feel like you might combust. your breath caught in your throat. what do i even do? “w-what?” you stammered, trying to keep your cool.

"what?," he repeated sardonically, voice calm but with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "it’s a dare, ain't it? nuthin' serious. unless you want it to be?"

you were frozen, the tension thick in the air. caleb’s gaze hadn’t softened, and you couldn’t help but wonder if he was messing with you. or was he actually being serious? you swallowed hard once more, trying to gather your thoughts, but your mind was a whirl of confusion, embarrassment, and... something else. something like desire.

but you couldn't back out now. not in front of him. so slowly, you crawled to him, and as you drawled closer, your heartbeat pounded in your ears, each one louder than the last. you barely even realized your hands were trembling.

as you reached him, your face inches from his, you could feel the heat from his body. caleb's eyes flickered down to your lips for a split second, and for just a moment, everything felt unbearably charged.

then, as if to break the tension, he cracked a grin and leaned back just slightly. "hey, you really don’t have to. just a dare, remember?"

you blinked, your mind still reeling. your heart was still racing. "this isn’t funny," you muttered, pulling away quickly.

caleb chuckled softly, clearly amused by the whole situation, but his eyes lingered on you for a moment longer than usual. “sorry, sorry,” he said, the teasing tone still there, "go on now."

you didn't think. you just did it.

your heart pounded as you leaned in, closing the distance, and pressing your lips against his, just a quick peck. nothing too intense. just a soft, fleeting touch.

but caleb... caleb twitched. his whole body stilled for a second, like he'd been struck dumb. his eyes widened just a fraction, and for the briefest of moments, you could have sworn there was something raw flickering in his gaze.

you pulled away quickly, your breath hitched in your throat, and you quickly tried to turn away, heart still racing. what the hell did i just do?

but then, caleb didn’t look the way you expected. he didn’t laugh, nor did he make an attempt to tease. no, his gaze was fixed on you, intense and unblinking. his lips parted slightly as he looked at you like he was waiting for something.

there was a brief silence, and then, with a shift in his tone, he asked, "am i allowed to have a follow-up dare?"

you blinked, caught off guard. "huh?"

caleb didn’t smile this time, his eyes softening just a little, as if something unspoken passed between you two. "yeah." his gaze lingered on your lips for a moment, and you could feel the weight of it, “kiss. not just a peck.”

you froze.

“come on,” he said, his voice practically dripping with that same confident teasing. but it was different now. there was a quiet longing beneath the playfulness. “just a kiss. no big deal. it’s just a dare, right?”

your mind went blank. this is not just a dare. he’s... he’s serious.

you swallowed hard, your palms starting to sweat. the room felt smaller. everything felt louder; the way his heart beat, the way your pulse raced, the sound of your breath mixing in the silence between you two.

and then, just like that, with no further hesitation, caleb closed the distance between you again, leaning in as his eyes searched yours for any sign of hesitation.

you didn’t stop him. the kiss was different this time. deeper, slower. there was no teasing now, it was just the two of you, caught in a moment that neither of you had really expected, but neither of you could seem to pull away from.

when you finally broke away, both of you were breathing heavily. caleb’s fingers curled tightly at his sides, like he was trying to restrain himself from doing something impulsive. his body was completely tense, and his eyes avoided yours for a brief moment, focusing on the space between you two.

he exhaled, the sound of his breath almost imperceptible, and then his gaze flicked back to you. his voice was quieter now, a little more controlled, as he whispered, “you should go and sleep now, gettin kinda late..”

"yeah… good night,” you whispered back, pulling away and standing up to settle back into his bedroom down the hallway.

before you could even take that step away, caleb was already on his feet. his hand caught your wrist swiftly, and then his other hand found the side of your face. there was no pause, no breath between. he instantly kissed you. "mmn—"

your eyes fluttered shut, body frozen in shock before melting into the sudden heat of it all. his lips pressed against yours like he was trying to make up for every second he didn’t. like he didn’t want to stop. and he didn’t.

instead, he broke the kiss only for a heartbeat, his forehead resting against yours, breath ghosting your lips. “come with me,” he whispered, voice husky.

you barely nodded, barely processed it, before he was gently tugging your hand, leading you back toward his bedroom in silence. it was sudden. so fast you didn’t even get to question it. the moonlight through the windows washed softly over the both of you as you stepped in.

the moment the door clicked shut behind, the world seemed to fall away. caleb’s lips were back on yours before you could even think to process what was happening, his hands gripping your waist, pulling you closer.

he kissed you with a hunger that took you by surprise, each kiss deeper, more urgent than the last, as if he couldn’t get enough of you. his hands roamed to your back, to your hips, to your waist, tugging you toward him until there was no space left between your bodies.

the kiss wasn’t soft anymore, it was messy, passionate, as if he was trying to savor every second, devour every inch of you. your mind was a whirlwind, overwhelmed with sensations, but your body responded before you could even stop it, your hands coming up to grip his shirt, pulling him closer, if that was even possible.

his fingers tangled in your hair, tilting your head back to deepen the kiss even more, and for a moment, you forgot everything else. the snowstorm outside, the awkwardness, the game, everything was gone.

caleb’s lips trailed from your mouth, leaving a trail of warmth as they moved down to your neck. the sensation of his kiss against your skin made your breath hitch, and a soft, involuntary whimper escaped you.

his lips paused just below your ear, and he pulled back slightly, his breath warm against your neck. "shhh," he whispered, his voice low and almost possessive. "wouldn't want them to hear you now, do you?"

without breaking the gaze, he pushes you onto the bed, his body following as he hovered over you. his hands framed your face, as if making sure you had nowhere to look but him.

he watched you carefully, breath a little heavier now, the weight of the moment pressing down on both of you. your face was flushed, lips slightly parted, and for a second, he just studied you, making sure he didn’t move too quickly.

“tell me if you wanna stop,” caleb murmured, his voice softer than before, but still full of that same heat. he leaned down, brushing his nose against yours, a quiet gesture of reassurance amidst the tension. “i won’t push you, okay?”

"it's okay, keep going.."

caleb's eyes narrowed with desire as he heard your breathless consent. a slow, small smile spread across his handsome face, his dimples flashing in the moonlight. "mkay," he murmured, his voice a low, husky rumble that sent shivers down your spine.

he leaned down, lips brushing against the sensitive skin of your neck once more. you gasped as he began to trail kisses along your jawline, his mouth hot and insistent against your flesh. his teeth grazed your skin, nipping and biting gently as he made his way down to your collarbone.

your fingers tangled in his hair, gripping the soft locks as you arched your back slightly, giving him better access to your neck. a soft moan escaped your lips as he suckled on your pulse point, no doubt leaving a mark of his possession.

you couldn't believe it, from a snowstorm to a make out session with your crush. you couldn't believe it. but you wanted to keep on going, despite your lack of experience.

caleb's hands roamed your curves, his fingers splaying across your ribcage before sliding down to your hips. he hooked his fingers in the waistband of your bottoms, tugging on them slightly as he continued his sensual assault on your neck and chest.

while he kissed lower, his tongue flicked out to taste the soft swell of your breasts, his teeth catching on the lace of your bra. he looked up at you, eyes filled with a hunger that made your core throb with need. without breaking eye contact, he reached behind you and unhooked your bra with deft fingers, tossing it aside carelessly.

your breasts spilled free, and caleb's mouth was on them in an instant. he laved his tongue over one hardened nipple before drawing it into his mouth, suckling greedily. his other hand came up to knead the soft mound of your breast, his fingers sinking into the pliant flesh.

he's doing it all so quickly and effortlessly like he'd been practicing.

then, he worked his way down your body, kissing and nipping at the soft skin of your stomach, his tongue dipping into your belly button. he paused when he reached the waistband of your shackles, looking up at you with a teasing grin.

"lift your hips for me," he commanded, and you complied, lifting your hips off the bed as he tugged your undergarments and slid them off your ankles.

he paused for a moment, taking in the sight of you laid out bare before him, his eyes roaming hungrily over your naked form.

"shit, you're gorgeous," he breathed, his voice filled with awe and desire. his hand came down to rest on your inner thigh, his thumb brushing maddeningly close to your aching core.

unable to resist any longer, caleb leaned in and pressed a hot, open-mouthed kiss to your thigh, his tongue darting out to taste your skin. he worked his way further slowly, your breath hitching and your back arching off the bed as he drew closer and closer to your dripping center.

without warning, he pressed a kiss directly to your clit, making you cry out in surprise and pleasure. "caleb—" his tongue circled the sensitive bundle of nerves before he drew it into his mouth, suckling hard. your hands flew to his hair, gripping the strands tightly as your hips bucked up against his face.

while he licked and suckled your clit, caleb's hand came up to tease your entrance. "you're wet," he ran a finger along your slit, feeling the slick heat of your arousal coating his digit. unable to hold back any longer, he says, "i'm gunna put it in, okay?" he pushes a finger inside your tight channel, grunting against your clit as he felt your walls clench around the intrusion.

he began to pump his finger in and out, his pace slow and steady. at the same time, caleb pulls away to bring his other hand down to his own aching cock, wrapping his fingers around the thick shaft. he grunted as he began to stroke himself simultaneously with the thrusts of his finger.

"can you look at me?" he moaned, staring down at you with a feverish gaze, you could see the beads of sweat trickling down his collarbone. he sweats so easily. he added a second finger the moment your eyes meet, pumping them in and out of your dripping cunt faster with increasing fervor.

his thumb rubbed firm circles over your clit, the rough pad of his finger stimulating the sensitive nub with each pass. "ahh, fuck!" you gasped, your head thrashing against the pillow as the intensity of your pleasure mounted. your hips bucked and writhed beneath his touch, seeking more of the delicious friction.

"quiet," caleb hissed, but nonetheless too spurred on by your enthusiastic responses that he doubles his efforts. his hand flew over his aching cock, stroking the thick shaft with fast, tight pumps. the lewd sound of squelching noises filled the room as he jerked himself off, growing louder and more urgent with each passing second. beads of pre-cum leaked from the swollen head, dripping down to coat his pumping fist.

"oh god, caleb..." you cried out again, your voice breaking as he brought you closer and closer to the edge. your inner walls fluttered and clenched around his pistoning fingers, gripping them like a vice.

acting quickly, he brought his free hand up to cover your mouth, "you're gunna wake the house up," his palm muffling any sound that threatened to escape from you, then simultaneously, he slams his throbbing cock deep into your spasming pussy with one powerful thrust.

"mmph!" your scream of ecstasy was reduced to a strangled moan against his hand as caleb's thick shaft stretched and filled you in an instant, reaching depths you'd never felt before. your slick walls, still fluttering from your climax, clenched down around him like a hot, velvety vise.

"fuck!" caleb hissed through gritted teeth despite himself, his eyes squeezing shut at the sudden, exquisite sensations of your tight, dripping cunt gripping his cock. he stilled for a moment, allowing you both to adjust to the intense sensation of being so utterly filled and connected.

his hips pressed firmly against yours, the coarse hair at the base of his shaft tickling your sensitive skin. his chest heaved against your own as he struggled to maintain control, his heart pounding wildly in his chest.

"jesus christ you're tight," caleb breathed, his lips brushing against your ear. "we don't wanna alert the whole house to what we're doing. so..." caleb began to move, "keep quiet, alright?"

yeah, you're totally gonna keep quiet about how three days before christmas your plan of giving your crush an anonymous gift during a snowstorm led you to having sex with him in his bedroom. absolutely. you're going to keep quiet about how you used to just observe caleb playing basketball from the bleachers and now you're watching him tease his dick into your hole. those irises that only used to meet your gaze in hallways, now eyed you down while he rubbed his tip against your womb.

"mmh...!" you continued whining. how couldn't you? he stretched you out so perfectly, and he looks so hot doing it.

"i told you to keep quiet, right?" caleb pressed his hand on your lips even more harder. "right?"

yeah, you're gonna keep quiet about this.

[rememberwren]

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Third time’s the charm. Simon/fem!reader. Handjobs, edging, cumming untouched, thigh riding, femdom behavior, somewhat submissive!simon, literally tried to cure my depression with this (did not work)

-

“You said you usually go three times in a session. We should try one more time, shouldn’t we?” 

Ghost looks at you like you’ve grown an extra set of eyes. He shakes his head a little, his eyes hard and disbelieving when they meet your own. “Have I not embarrassed myself enough for you?”

“Not really—? I mean—fuck,” you fumble, running a hand down face. “That didn’t come out right. I just meant that I don’t feel like you have any reason to be embarrassed.” 

He stares at you, through you, like if he looks long and hard enough he’ll be able to see your truth straight down to your bones. Well let him look. He hadn’t exactly bared his soul during the few weeks you had spent discussing this before meeting in person, but he had told you plenty: his issue had cost him relationships. It had cost him jobs thanks to lack of focus. Friendships thanks to neglect. You couldn’t imagine anyone willingly choosing something which gave them so much suffering. His lack of complicity cleared him of any blame in your eyes. 

At length, he must see that there is some honesty in you. Looking like it pains him, he nods his head, hulking shoulders deflating a little. “Fine. One more time. I’ll need a few minutes though.”

“That’s fine,” you offer, and it is, or at least it would be if it meant you both didn’t have to sit in complete silence, Ghost uneager to offer up conversation topics and you too awkward to try. 

He keeps staring at you, too. Or more specifically, your breasts. You’re wearing a simple t-shirt, but the effect is aided by one of your prettier bras. You had worn it unsure if Ghost was serious in his insistence that there would be no sex taking place between you both 

It seemed a pity for it to go to waste. 

“Do you want to see?” you ask him, fingers finding the hem of your shirt and gripping it tightly, folding it a little anxiously back and forth like an accordion’s bellows. 

“See? What? No—!”

“I don’t mind, honestly.”

Ghost reaches up a hand to rub at one eye like a headache is forming behind it. His mouth never abandons its signature frown, even as he says, “If you want? Jesus, fuck. I don’t know. I’m not going to stop you.”

You find that you do want. You kneel up, take the hem of your t-shirt into your hands and work it up over your breasts. For all his lack of enthusiasm, his eyes crack open straightaway and glue themselves to you, widening a little at the sight of your strappy, lace-laden bra. 

“I know you didn’t fucking wear that for me,” he says, sounding winded. 

“I’ll be honest, I thought this was just a ploy to hook up. I wore the matching panties too, do you—“

“Stop—talking,” he mutters, closing his eyes. His hand reaches down towards his (valiantly hardening) cock, but thinks twice, turns into a fist, and comes to rest at his side. “And under no circumstance should you take your pants off.”

“Got it. Pants stay on.”

Ghost sighs. “I’m ready. Let’s get it over with.”

That’s the spirit, you think to yourself dryly. You lift your hand to your mouth, creating a little cup with your palm and to spit in, your eyes locked on his own. You hear the click as he swallows, but it’s progress that he doesn’t cum, right? That must mean that he had experienced some level of desensitization, either to you as a partner or to the specific stimulus or a mixture of both. 

But that’s not how this is supposed to work. The whole point is to help him learn to last when he’s as desperate as possible, hoping that edging when he’s truly suffering will lead to a more satisfying orgasm and therefore a need for fewer of them. 

You lower your hand instead of spitting and grip the hem of your shirt, tugging it off over your head altogether. Ghost can’t seem to find his tongue, staring at you with dark, huge eyes as you reach around back and fumble with the clasp of your bra, but at last that comes undone, and you peel it away from you, letting it join his jeans and your shirt on the floor. 

His eyes rake over your naked breasts, mouth forming a curse that he lacks the breath to whisper. His cock is so hard and heavy that it lays against his belly, thick and twitching. 

You shift and straddle his thighs just proximal to his knees. He fists the bedsheets, abs tensing sharply as he watches you with silent awe and trepidation. 

“What are you doing?” He whispers. 

“Getting comfortable?” you suggest. 

Now you cup your hand and spit into it. Then you offer it to him, holding out your hand expectantly. Looking wary, he leans up onto his elbows, ducks his head, and spits into your hand too, quite delicately for being a giant of a man. 

You take your hand and place it palm down against where his cock lays on his belly, slicking the underside from top to bottom. Ghost groans, a low sound torn deep from his chest. He collapses off of his elbows and onto his back, hands finding his eyes and palming at them again while you slick his cock all over with a delicate touch, barely more than a tickle. 

“Are you teasin’ me?” he grits out. 

“I would never.” The tips of your wet fingers trail down over his balls, tight and drawn up against his body already. He hisses through his teeth, cock flexing. You fight a grin. 

Taking him firmly in your hand, you give him a series of smooth, slow strokes, your hand loose and gentle where it is cupped around him. His body writhes against the sheets. 

“Stop, please stop,” he gasps, and you do, letting his cock fall to rest against his belly with a soft thud. He opens his eyes, takes one look at your tits, and squeezes them shut again. ”Fuck, can’t believe you took your shirt off.” 

“I can put it back on if you want.” 

“Really don’t want that. Really fucking don’t. Just—sit there. Please,” he tacks on to the end like an afterthought. You’re grateful to have received a please at all. He takes deep, slow breaths, his nostrils flaring as he strains for air. 

When he gives you a curt nod, eyes still firmly closed, you reach down and use one hand to grip the base of his cock. The other you place toward the head so that you can softly drag your thumb over the deep red tip, tracing the sensitive ridge and over the leaking slit. He whines, honest to god whines, a sound which you feel viscerally in your belly and lower. You shift on his thighs, wondering if it would be so bad to just straddle one, to get some pressure right where you need it most. It’s not like there’s any sort of propriety in a situation like this. He’s getting his, why can’t you get yours? 

You use your thumb to trace a vein up the length of his shaft and smooth the slick over his tip, polishing it softly. 

“Fucking—! Stop! Stop!” 

You stop, and you swallow an unhappy sound. Things had just been getting fun—for you, at least. Ghost looks like he’s being put through the wringer, redness creeping down his neck to disappear under his shirt, knuckles white where he grips the sheets, breaths rapid and shallow. 

“Fuck,” he whispers. He laughs a little, a self-deprecating, unhappy sound. “You’re too good at that.” 

“Good with my mouth too,” you say on a whim. 

His eyes flash open, wide and surprised (and narrowed in on your mouth), his lips parted in a look of near comical astonishment. His hand scrambles to grip around the base of his cock, squeezing painfully. “You—you’re enjoying this aren’t you?” 

“Way more than I thought I would,” you admit. “An obscene amount, honestly—I’m so wet—“

Ghost releases his death grip around his balls and strokes his cock, once, twice, thrice, quick little strokes as his face crumples, as he gives up on the whole fucking thing. You can see it in his face, the defeat, the submission. He’s going to jerk himself off to a quick, unsatisfying release—but it doesn’t seem fair. 

“Stop,” you hiss, reaching out to grip his wrist. He lets go of himself like he’s been burned, immediately obedient even as his face twists with fury. He pulls away from your touch but watches as you shift until just one of his thick thighs is between your own. 

You give a soft, gentle sway of your hips against him. His face is so fucking expressive, his eyes and brows and mouth telegraphing his every little thought and feeling. He watches you with something like tortured awe, eyes flickering towards where your clothed pussy rubs against his bare thigh. 

“Don’t touch yourself,” you breathe, pleasure zipping up your spine at the friction against your cunt. “I want to see if you can cum like this.”

“Came went you spat in your fucking hand,” he breathes, abs tensing, cock twitching as precum pools in his happy trail, watching as you get yourself off against his thigh. “Can cum like this no fucking problem.” 

“You’re not as sensitive now,” you pant, planting a hand against his tensed chest to gain the leverage you need to lengthen the rolling of your hips. 

“Am too.”

“We’ll see.”

His face twists. “Will you—keep going? Even if I do?”

You consider for a moment and then shake your head, breaths too shallow to make words properly. You feel saturated, swollen and sensitive. Every drag of your hips sends muted pleasure up your spine. Normally this would take you ages to cum, but you haven’t been this worked up in a long time. Watching Ghost’s cock turn shades of red and plum is like live pornography, obscene and arousing. Feeling a little cruel, you tell him: “Gotta hold it.”

He tenses his thighs, heels digging into the bed. It does something to the muscle pressed against your cunt and makes your nails dig into his chest. 

He’s shaking his head. “No. Negative. Can’t.”

“Hafta.” 

“Can’t—fuck, I—“

“Goddamnit Ghost,” you whine, hips working feverishly against him. “Hold it and let me cum.”

He really can’t—really and truly. His cock spurts against his belly, a pitiful amount of pearly cum as he groans low and long, moan forming half-hearted, breathy apologies: sorry, ‘m sorry, couldn’t hold it—

You groan, a sound more frustrated than aroused. Your hips slow and stop, and your mouth fights to make a pout. You will it away. It really isn’t his fault. 

“You…you don’t have to stop,” he says, a little shyly. 

You shift off of him and swallow your own sigh, feeling sticky and unsatisfied. “It’s okay,” you reassure him. “Maybe next time I’ll get my pants off.” 

His cock, spent, still twitches against his belly. 

[moonstruckme]

I remember seeing you say a little while ago you would take holiday requests so if this sparks some inspo for you…. How about best friend!Steve being reader’s secret Santa and giving a gift that is so sweet and personal and kind of a confession of his feelings (like Jim’s gift for Pam in the office)

Thank you for requesting!

best friend!Steve Harrington x fem!reader ♡ 984 words

Steve’s afraid his wrapping is a dead giveaway. 

He tried his best, but gift wrapping is a new skill for him. There’s an overabundance of tape and plastic bows covering up a hasty patch job. Nancy laughed when he gave it to her to put under the tree for the secret Santa exchange. She called him sweet for trying with a weird look in her eyes and a little smile. 

You and Steve are sitting together as always. Sometimes he wonders if it’s more habit at this point than anything else. You walk into a room and you just go to him, unthinking, like a magnet. Steve does the same thing, but, well. He knows why he does it. 

So far, Eddie’s gotten a large pack of socks without holes in them, Robin’s gotten a Bangles album, and Steve has gotten a t-shirt with the words Big Dick printed on it that he’s sure Eddie—it had to have been Eddie—thinks he won’t wear, and so he will wear solely to Corroded Coffin shows, out of spite. When it’s your turn, you find Steve’s gift with your name under the tree and your eyes move between your friends suspiciously. He’s not sure whether to be relieved that you don’t immediately guess it’s from him. 

It’s painful to watch how carefully you unwrap it. You peel back layer after layer of tape, unfolding without ripping, the paper crinkling gently. 

“Come on!” Eddie jokes. “That’s not the spirit of Christmas. You’re supposed to tear it up.” 

“No!” you laugh. “Someone put a lot of effort into this. Look at all the bows!”

“Look at all the tape,” Robin mutters. She’s got Steve dialed, for sure. 

The box underneath the wrapping is plain cardboard, found in Steve’s basement. Your lips part as you open it. 

“Oh, my god.” You lift a large ceramic mug from the box. “This is—it’s my mug. Steve?” 

Steve fights a smile as you look at him, eyes wide and happy. “Can we say?” 

Robin makes a derisive noise. “Like she doesn’t already know.” 

“Steve,” you say again, stretched out and sweet like taffy. Your face softens as you reach around him for a hug. “This is so cool. Where’d you get this?” 

“Well, they didn’t only make one,” he jokes. He’s working hard to contain the full scope of his smile. God knows Eddie would never let him hear the end of it if he saw. “I found a lookalike.” 

Behind you, Robin makes a face, widening her eyes at her girlfriend dramatically. Steve is sure Nancy’s heard all about how Robin was dragged from thrift store to thrift store, town to town, one long Saturday until they found the right mug. He’s glad when she doesn’t launch into her tale of complaint again now. 

“Harrington got you your own mug?” Eddie asks, perplexed. “Did he, like, steal it from you and give it back?”

“No,” you laugh. “No, it’s…” You turn, your eyes meeting Steve’s. 

The mug is from a coffee shop you and Steve used to go to. You went together for years, starting back in school when you wanted a place to study and Steve was willing to pay three bucks for a cup of coffee to talk at you while you worked. It had become your regular spot. You had a couch you always sat on, and the baristas recognized you, so eventually there was a mug your drink order always came in, too. It was wide and green, curved with a thick lip. Plain enough, Steve thought, but you loved it. Maybe it was more that you loved having a regular drink order at a place that felt like yours, but for some reason the mug was special to you. The coffee shop closed down last summer. Steve couldn’t get you your couch (he thought about it, but it wasn’t sure where you’d put it and it seemed like a bit much), so he got your mug. 

“It’s from this place we used to go,” you say to Eddie. Your thumb brushes across the smooth ceramic, still looking at Steve. “Thank you.” 

“Yeah, sure.” He shrugs, leaning back against Nancy’s couch and trying not to look too obviously pleased with himself. “It wasn’t a big deal.” 

Robin makes a half-suppressed guffawing sound. Steve sends her a look to tell her to zip it. 

⋆⁺₊𖠰₊⁺⋆

You lean into Steve’s side, and Nancy watches his face turn into something so tender she almost wants to grab her friend’s heart and keep it safe for him. But she thinks it’s safe with you. 

Anyway, there’s no saving Steve now. He’s been looking at you that way for years, practically since he’s known you. It’s only that now you might be starting to see it. 

You’re speaking to him quietly, holding your new mug between your hands like it’s the most precious thing you own. Your legs are nearly in Steve’s lap. He says something back to you, and you smile, bright and beatific. Your eyes stay glued to him like he's the center of your world. 

“Still can’t believe it took a whole Saturday to find a green mug,” Robin mutters, too low for anyone else to hear. She’s stolen Steve’s Big Dick shirt and put it on over her long sleeve, the large fit comical (and adorable, if you ask Nancy) as she tucks one of her knees up under it. 

“I don’t know,” Nancy says, leaning sideways so their shoulders rest together. “I think it’s sweet. It obviously means something to her. Don’t you think that’s sort of worth it?” 

Robin makes a soft sound in the back of her throat, but she softens when Nancy turns her eyes up to hers. “I guess so,” she sighs. 

On the other side of the couch, you erupt in laughter at something Steve’s said. He lights brighter than the Christmas tree.

[cxrsed-angel]

Once Bitten and Twice Shy

Jackson!Joel Miller x fem!Reader, 18+

summary: Joel is uninterested in holdiday festitvies until he reunites with a familiar face who loves to spread the holiday spirit. Alternatively, Joel the Grinch is reunited with his Martha May Whohiver.

wc: 4k

warnings: Jackson!Joel, unspecified big age gap, smut (unprotected piv sex), fingering, a bit angsty, (sad and lonely old man Joel) the timeline kinda doesn't make sense but its not that important so just ignore it.

a/n: Here's a holiday fic for my last fic of 2024 <3.

Joe hated this time of year. The twinkling of Christmas lights decorated on almost every home and roof in Jackson, lights decorated around light poles, bows around the light poles. The community hosts holiday events for the children, people putting up their homemade holiday decor, and the whole town covered in snow, making it look like a scene from a Christmas movie. It's a time that’s supposed to be joyful, cheerful, and merry, but it was never that for Joel. Not since ‘03, Christmas hasn't felt happy around this time of year. It was always filled with pain, regret, memories he couldn't seem to forget, and mourning the things he’d never experienced.

At first, Christmas and the holiday season, in general, were hard for him after he had lost Sarah. He couldn’t help but think about all the times he had gotten her letters to Santa she had written when she was 3 and 4 or when she was “subtly” hinting at something for Christmas when she got too old for Santa. Or the time she saved up money to buy him a cologne and a new tool belt with the help of Tommy.

After that day, the day he lost her, he ignored anything having to do with the holiday, and this time of year, which wasn't hard to do in QZ, there’s barely any holiday spirit or festive decor, but that was increasingly difficult until he met you. You had gotten paired together for a run because Tess was sick, and ever since then, you were something he couldn’t shake, and you grew closer. For the two and half years he knew you, you had made the Grinch’s heart grow three sizes. He’d never say it, but you'd had let him allow himself to enjoy this time of year.  

You always hung up whatever festive Christmas decorations and winter decor you could find all over your shitty FEDRA apartment. Joel tried too hard to fight it, but the more time he spent with you, the harder that was. He often joked you were one of Santa’s last remaining elves on earth. He spent two Christmases with you. He remembers helping you hang up whatever you couldn’t reach.

“Joel… can you help me hang this nail.. it won't go into this shitty door!… he sees you holding the red, green, and white wreath you had found somewhere, trying to mount it on the shitty, broken, falling apart apartment door. “well I think you need might wreath hanger sweetheart…” he sees confusion flash across your face but only momentarily,” I can't just hang it on a nail…” Joel sighs before taking the wreath and hanging it up. He pretends he doesn’t enjoy your holiday spirit like he doesn't get happy when he hears the records and CDs of whatever holiday music you could scrounge up, like he doesn’t look forward to seeing your festive apartment every time he visits you. 

But that was before. Now, he can't stand the music, the smell of holiday baking, and warm homemade candles. Ellie would joke and call him the Grinch or Scrouge, but that was when Ellie talked to him. Now, he’s lucky if Ellie glances in his direction. But he had no one now, and he could spend time with Tommy and Maria, but since the baby had arrived, it had been hard for him to see Tommy as a dad. Luckily, Tommy knows his brother and tends to give him things to work on to distract himself, especially after he and Elie drifted apart. 

Tommy comes into Joel’s workshop. He sees Joel working, an old Linda Ronstadt CD playing barely audible due to the sound of Joel's woodcutter. Tommy bangs on another table lightly, grabbing Joel’s attention. He stops the woodcutter, looking up at his brother. 

“If it’s about the broken window for Mrs Anderson, I'm working on it,” Joel mutters from behind the woodcutter, starting it again but stopping when Tommy speaks again. 

“No...no, it's not about the window. I need you to do me a favor. Can you show someone to her place? She just got here; it's house #40. I would, but Maria is doing some town stuff, and I gotta watch the baby.” 

Joel sighs, taking off his protective glasses and trading them for his regular black-framed corrective lenses. He moves away from his woodworking table, looking at his younger brother with an unsatisfied stare.

“Now?” Joel grumbles under his breath, obviously annoyed.

“Yes, Joel, now... please,” Tommy asks, begging. He knows that asking Joel to do anything he didn’t want to do after November was a challenge. But Tommy really didn’t have anyone else, and Joel happened to be the closest person to ask for help. 

Joel once again lets out a sigh, once again showing his reaction to being unconvinced. Usually, he wouldn’t care, but now, whenever he's near the front gates, near the most decorated parts of Jackson, it gets hard to breathe. He gets the aching feeling in his heart. He thinks of you more and more, and he wonders if he made a mistake. He starts getting up to follow Tommy out of his shed.

 “Wow got a lady waiting in the snow? Such a gentleman, Tommy.” His voice full of sarcasm as he looks at his brother. 

Tommy lets out a small chuckle, rolling his eyes at Joel’s sarcasm, choosing to ignore it. “After this, you can go back to your woodworking hole for the rest of the day, I promise. It's just one girl; she should be waiting by the front gate. It should take a few minutes. Just be nice and welcoming, and then I’ll leave you alone for the rest of the month.”

“Rest of the damn year,” Joel mutters under his breath, putting on his brown jacket, hat, and gloves, preparing to brace the snow and cold weather. “Gotta be a damn welcoming committee in fucking below 30-something-degree weather,” he mumbles as he walks out of the shed.

Tommy rolls his eyes yet again, hearing Joel's comment, before going in the opposite direction towards his house. As Joel walks down towards the entrance, he sees the decorations filled along Jackson's main road. His thoughts immediately go to you. 

I keep my distance, but you still catch my eye. 

Joel tried his best not to fall for you. He couldn’t love you. Not just because he was afraid of losing you but because you were too young and didn't need his baggage. But that got harder the more time he spent with you, and it worsened around December. Your cheerful smile was contagious. Hope gave him something he hadn’t felt since before the outbreak. Hope. Hope for a future with you. Even if it was in the QZ, you made it look brighter and more positive than it was. It made him love you; if he loves you, it's only a matter of time before he fails you.

One way or another, he can't lose you. Losing Sarah still felt fresh and recent, not 20 years ago. He doesn’t know if he could handle losing you, too, especially because of him. But Joel knows he can't hope, not in this world. It's easier to push you away and make you hate him. When Joel felt these feelings, he did the one thing he knew how to do: create distance. He went from seeing you multiple times a day to maybe once a week. Barely talking to you, he stopped kissing your lips and touched you less, but you still found a way to be around him. You still held his hand, sleeping in the bed next to him. 

“This…ain’t working.” Joel sighs, looking down still. Your back is turned, trying to warm hot chocolate; you managed to persuade him to get on one of his smuggling runs, up on the shitty stove in the QZ. An Ella Fitzgerald Christmas album playing on a CD occasionally having to skip a song cause of its skipping. 

“It's a paper snowflake, Joel. What are you talking about? How hard can it be? If you don’t want to do it, you don’t.” You sound confused but are still focusing on the stove.

 Joel sighed again before looking up at your back. “I ain’t talking about the damn snowflake.” 

It's the tone of his voice that causes you to turn around, the sense of dread in his words, the way he seems almost scared to say them. You turn, looking at him, and he can't even look up to make eye contact.

 “Then what are you talking about, Joel.” 

Joel finally looked up at you, and you knew exactly what he meant wasn't working, "Us. This. Whatever this is, it ain't working.” He got up from the small round wooden dining table.

What do you mean this isn't working? It's been working fine for almost two years, Joel!” 

“Well, it's not working anymore.” 

You look at him before taking the attempt at hot chocolate off the stove, last thing you needed was a fire, but you go back to looking at him for any explanation or further clarification about why this wasn’t working out for him when it felt so right for you. But he never offered one. 

“I can't. It's not….working,” he says slowly, tired. Joel pinches the bridge of his nose. He knows this isn’t easy, but Joel cannot do this anymore. He can't let himself get attached to you. He convinced himself it would be easier in the long run.

He never said anything else. All he did was leave you in your apartment. Leaving you speechless and heartbroken. After that, Joel avoided you, or you were avoiding him, but each day, he saw you less and less until around the first week of January, when he noticed he hadn't seen you around at all. He asked around, even bribing FEDRA guards, and finally, one told him that you had escaped and left town with a group of a few other women. Joel had the realization that he’d probably never see you again. He knew you were strong and capable, especially if you had a group. He wasn't worried about you dying, but he had to kill you off in his brain to move on. Because if you weren't dead, then it gave him hope. 

Losing Sarah felt like strike one for him. The first time he felt his heart became cold and isolated, he lost the ability to smile, laugh, and even care. Until he met you at the QZ, it was hard not to smile around you. For the first time, he felt genuinely happy near you. He enjoyed your presence, the jokes you’d make about his age, and the warmth you brought back into his life. Then he ruined it and messed it up again like he failed Sarah. He failed you and lost it all again. Then Ellie brought it back with her jokes and outlook on life. Then again, he lost it. After that, he decided to give up and live the rest of his life in Jackson, mainly alone. 

Joel finally reached the front gate but didn't see anybody waiting. He looked around until he saw a figure in the barns, near the horses.

 “Tommy’s bright idea of leaving a girl out damn in the cold. Forcing me to be the goddamn welcoming committee, Jackson is small, but it ain't that small. Tommy could've found someone to do this…” He mutters to himself as he approaches the barn. 

Snow crunching under his boots causes you to jump at the sound, accidentally scaring you. He sees the girl turn around and instantly recognizes you before you remember him. He sees your eyes still shining, still young, still….hopeful. Not much has changed physically, but at the same time, he can tell something changed. 

Tell me, baby, do you recognize me?.”

It has been 3 years since you left the QZ since he had broken your heart and made his own even colder. He doesn't know what to say and realizes you don't even recognize him. His hair is longer and grayer now than it was. He has more wrinkles and glasses now. Probably put on more pounds now, having access to meals more consistently, not going on runs,  and having to walk miles every day. He can only imagine your thoughts on why this old man was looking at you in such a way, almost on the verge of tears. 

You reach a hand out to greet him and introduce yourself, hearing your name for the first time outside of his head in years, but he doesn't speak. He knew his voice would give away who he was, and he was scared of your reaction. He didn't know if you would be happy to be reunited or slap him because of the last time you spoke. He takes a deep breath before looking at your hand and then back at your face. Three years later, you didn't change much. You still looked just as beautiful to him as you did those years ago. 

“We…um... have met before.” He speaks slowly, knowing that once you hear his voice, you’ll recognize him. 

The second you hear his voice, you suddenly recognize the man in front of you, and shortly after, all the memories return. Memories of sleeping in Joel’s apartment in the QZ when you would get nightmares, memories of him teaching you how to properly shoot in the woods, memories of the first time you had kissed him. Memories of him ending whatever you two had back in the QZ. It all came back flooding your mind. You didn’t know what to say, react, or feel. You look at him for a bit, unsure what to say, so you say the first thing that comes to mind.

“Joel? You have….um, you have glasses... Now. .” Those were the only words that came out of your mouth, the only sentence your brain could make. He let out a small laugh, happy you didn't slap him and cuss him out. He reaches for the frames. “Yea. It got hard to read tiny fonts, so… found a pair of readers, and there's an old eye doctor here,” Joel says painfully awkwardly, unsure of what to say or do next. A part of him wants to pull you into his arms and apologize for being an idiot all those years ago. More than anything, he wants to kiss you and tell you that he loved you then and never really stopped. 

“Well, um, I can show you to your new place.” He walks you over to the smaller houses since it's just you. 

“So, how long have you been here.” You ask as the two of you continue to walk in the snow. “About not that long, El- um, I had a girl I had to look after, but she’s an adult now and doesn't need me anymore, but it's safe, so I decided to stay.” Joel walks down, noticing the holiday decor. He can't help but point it out. 

“Bet you’d fit right in here and come at the perfect time.” You nod, agreeing, taking in the town's scenery, the lights, the homemade decor, and the children’s drawings, and you smile a bit. 

“Wow, it’s really pretty, much nicer than the QZ. You must be like a Grinch up on top of the mountain around here, huh? " Your joke makes Joel feel at ease. He laughs, looking at you, feeling like no time has passed. He walks further, approaching his house, snow covering the roof, absent of any lights or holiday decorations that the other houses in Jackson have.  

“No, I…join in…occasionally.”  Joel replies very unconvincingly, which makes you laugh as he opens the door, letting you in. 

“Sure, I bet you join all the festivities, Joel.” He leads you into his house, which looks how you would imagine a middle-aged man living alone to look.  You stand a bit awkwardly in his living room, unsure what to do or say, and find it hard to believe Joel was in front of you after all these years. “But if you kissed me now, I know you’d fool me again.”

You don’t know who started it, who leaned in first, who kissed who first. It feels like both lips were drawn to each other like magnets. Joel places his hands around your lower back as you close your eyes. His kiss immediately feels like home, safe and warm. Joel pulls away softly. He looks at you, afraid, like he was dreaming. You look back at him, just unsure. You were half expecting him to say something similar to what he said all those years ago, that he couldn’t do this again, yet your lips clash against each other, messily and desperate for each other. Your hands came to his face, holding his greying beard and pulling him as close as possible. 

He lays you down on his bed, hovering over you, kissing down your neck, pulling your shirt over your head, temporarily removing his lips from yours to take off your shirt. You shift, taking off your old sports bra you’ve had since God knows when. Joel feels what you’re attempting to do. He pulls off it, over your head, before his lips return to yours again. Your hands reach, grabbing up to his brown and grey curls.

“Joel….” you moan on his lips. His hands travel up your chest grabbing, squeezing your boobs, making another moan slip. His hand runs down to your stomach, down to your clothed core, rubbing it slowly.

“Joel, I've missed you so much.” He looks down, nods, and softly raises his hand to your face. He looks at you, and you can still tell he’s hesitated, nervous, even scared. 

“I've missed you too, more than you could know.” He kisses you again, but you pull away, sitting up a bit. He takes off his jacket, tossing it somewhere. His green flannel is next. You start unbuttoning it, but you feel his hands on your wrist, stopping you. Your eyes meet his.

“What…” You look confused as to why he stopped you. He had taken your pants off and wanted to have sex, or so you thought. You look at him, waiting for him to say something, but he never does.

“What, Joel? do you not want to-?” Your eyebrows frown, anxious, worried you had read into something. You had misunderstood. But he cut you off before you could finish your sentence. 

“No, I do. I do. Believe me, I do. It's just been a while since we’ve…since you’ve seen me?” Joel tries to explain, but you still don’t see the problem.

“Okay, but we did have sex back at the QZ….many times, so.. I did see you shirtless. What's wrong?” You sit up fully in his bed. Joel sighs, moving off from on top of you and sitting beside you.

“Yeah, well, that was years ago…when I was probably a few pounds lighter, sweetheart.” You suddenly realize what’s wrong. 

You raise your eyebrows, confused. “Seriously, Joel… you really think I’d judge your body because you're actually getting hot meals daily?” Joel looks at you, and your hands go back to the buttons on his flannel. This time, he lets you. 

“I'm serious, Joel. I really don't give a shit…about any of that.” You reassure him as you push his flannel off his shoulders, seeing the white t-shirt underneath it. Your hands go to the bottom of the shirt. 

“I'm just glad I found you again, and you’re not injured or…” You take a deep breath, thinking about the worst-case scenario. You lift the bottom of his shirt, and he helps you remove it.

He nods as you take his shirt off and kiss his chest. “Just glad you're safe, Joel. I don’t really give a shit if you look a bit different.” 

He lays on his bed, pulling you down on top of him, kissing you, his arm around your waist, pulling you closer against him.

“Glad you’re safe too, babygirl,” he speaks softly in between kisses, his voice is deep.

He reaches between your two bodies, unbuckling his belt and tossing it aside. Your hands goes to his jeans, unzipping them and tugging them off. Joel kicks the jeans off the bed. You feel his cock through his boxer shorts against you. You look down seeing the sizable bulge, you can’t remember if he’s always been this big, but he looks very big. Borderline massive, honestly. 

“Did your dick..grow, or is my memory just that bad?” you ask Joel. He laughs a bit, thinking you’re joking. But you’re not trying to rack your brain to remember if he’s always been this…thick.

 You hear him chuckle a bit. “Last I checked, it was the same, sweetheart.” you reach your hand on the waistband, slowly pulling his boxers down his thighs, watching his hard cock spring onto his stomach.  

Joel's larger hand reaches over yours, guiding it to his cock to jerk him off. You kiss his lips as you move your hand a bit faster. Joel moans against your lips before he moves away. Joel slowly tugs your underwear down your legs, and you kick them off, watching him grab the fabric off, tossing it with the gathering piles of clothes forming onto his bedroom floor.  Joel moves his hand off of his cock 

“Sweetheart, can I fuck you? Please, honey, I gotta be inside you.”

Joel slowly inserts his fingers inside you, feeling the wetness. His fingers curl up, fucking his fingers deep inside. Your head goes back against his pillow, feeling his finger's pleasure in ways yours haven't been able to, reaching places that you haven't been able to reach since you left. His fingers are larger and thicker than yours, making your eyes roll back. You moan out his name, missing the feeling of his name on your lips. You nod repeatedly. 

“ Please. Please. Joel. Please fuck me. I need you.” You moan, grabbing his arm as he thrusts his fingers deeper inside you. 

“Yea? Want me to fuck you.” His fingers slow down, and he presses his nose against your neck. You nod again, letting a moan slip out as he kisses down your neck. 

He moves his fingers, moving you closer and slowly pushing his thick cock inside of you. Slowly pushing the tip of his dick further inside.

You've slept with Joel numerous times in the QZ, he’s fucked you more than he can count, but this was different. You feel him slowly thrusting deeper inside you. Your nails dig into his back as you he fucks you, his cock reaching deeper inside you. This was passionate and slow. The making love you’ve read about. 

” Joel.. Joel. You feel so good.” you moan, feeling him fuck you deep and hard but still slow, like he was savoring, enjoying this moment.

“Missed you, baby. Missed you so fucking much thought I… 'd never see you again.” he looks at you watching your face frown, scrunching up in pleasure. Your eyes close, but he can’t take his eyes off of you. He doesn’t want to miss a moment, miss any more time of being with you, seeing you, touching you. It feels like no time has passed. He still knows your body like the back of his hand. Your moans fill the room. He’s memorized by you. he feels as if he closes his eyes, he’ll open them, and you’ll be gone, that this was a dream.

Your eyes flutter open, and you look up at Joel, pulling him closer. He looks down at you fucking deeper inside, and you feel the pleasure building up until you reach your release gripping onto his shoulders, your moans grow louder. 

“So close. Please, Joel, wanna come. Wanna come with you.” You whine, pleading with Joel as he fucks you deeper, nodding.

“Can tell you’re close, baby. Look so pretty like this full my cock.”

 He reaches between the two of you, rubbing your clit until you cum, moaning, crying out his name loudly. Joel is glad he didn't have any neighbors close enough to hear.

“Joel! Joel!” Fuck!” Joel watches are you come undone on his dick, the prettiest sight he’s ever seen. His thrusts speed up, not far behind you. Surprised he even lasted this long, considering he can't remember the last time he had fucked anything that wasn't his hand. “Where you want it darling,” he grunts between his moans. You barely register what he’s asking you properly fucked out. You whine at the overstimulating sensation of his cock fucking your sensitive hole. You open your eyes, looking up at him. 

“Inside…please, Joel want it inside me.” Joel uses every inch of his restraint to not come to the sound of your words, your begging. He shakes his head no. He had no intention of becoming a father of a newborn again in this lifetime, especially at this age. 

“You know I can't.” You whine, disappointed a bit, minds still a bit foggy from your orgasms. You look at Joel. 

“Don’t care, Joel.” He nods again, thrusting a few more times, moaning more before pulling out, cumming onto your stomach. He breathes heavily, looking at you, and he slowly moves from on top of you going to his bathroom. He grabs a towel, cleaning you off before joining you back in his bed. You instantly move closer, laying against his chest, and he puts an arm around you, kissing your lips once again. He looks at you for a bit before breaking the silence. 

“I love you.” The second he says those three words, you feel the air come out of your lungs. You didn’t know what to say or how to respond. You look at Joel, seeing the vulnerability in his eyes. He was telling the truth. You look back at him, trying to start your brain back up. You smile, nodding, knowing how hard it must’ve been for him to say those words. God knows it’s probably been 20 years since, yet here he was saying it to you.

“I love you too, Joel. I always have. I have never stopped.” You look back at him. He softly kisses your lips.

“I think they’re having hot chocolate and cookies or something in the square, " Joel says nonchalantly, sounding uninterested. Looking at you, he pauses before continuing. Maybe even an old holiday movie or…something like that.”

You can't help but smile widely as he mentions the holiday activity going on in Jackson. Was Joel actually mentioning something holiday-related?

You look at him, still smiling. “If you want to ask me, old man, you gotta say it.” You tease. All he manages is an eye roll before sighing. 

“Would. You like to. get hot chocolate and watch an holiday movie sweetheart.” joel asks cracking a smile as his hands rubs your back softly. 

“I'll give it to someone special.” 

[thesmithseatmealive]

Yandere Tomoe Headcannons

Warnings: Yandere, DARK ROMANCE, if you aren't comfy with that please scroll! Nsfw and sfw, non/con, primal, (I made Tomoe kindve primal yk..animal like?), SMUT, MINORS DO NOT INTERACT!

Summary: My personal idea on Yandere Tomoe and how it went down hehe

A/n: I know there isn't much left of this fandom but I still love Tomoe, he's one of my top three! Hope you few that's left enjoy! (P.S I wrote this at 6 am, running on an alani and no sleep so it's not my best writing)

wooooowheee! If you caught this sly fox’s eye, you’re screwed.

Lets say you- a human somehow stumbles upon the shrine years after Mikage left poor, poor, lonely Tomoe behind! While the shrine spirits kind of freak you out you can’t help but be curious (and desperate for shelter from the brutal storm), as you stumble into the shrine. Plus the shrine spirits are so kind and welcoming.

Yandere Tomoe who almost kicks you into Narina mistaking you for Mikage, and then a stupid little human girl. But fuck, why do you smell so good? And why doesn’t he wants to throw into the rain? What nonsense. He supposed the shrine is there to help humans. So he decides you can (will) stay.

“I- I’m so sorry! I can go! I was just looking for shelter from the storm! I think I passed a bus stop on the way here, I’m sure I can take shelter there! Ill be out of your hair-”

“What utter nonsense, you will stay. Mikage would have my head if I let some runt of a human girl die in a storm.” Tomoe groans, grasping your arm tightly to prevent you from running back into the storm. His nails catch your wet shirt, slightly snagging it. You jump from the sudden touch. You turn and look up. Since when did fox men exist? And who was Mikage?

“Uhm, I really don't wanna be a bother.” You squeak out like a mouse.

Tomoe’s grip tightened, leaving no room for movement. He shook his head and sighed. “What a nuisance. Your complaining is only bothering me more, human.” Tomoe couldn’t bring himself to let you go. Something urged him to keep you there. Maybe Mikage’s kindness to humans had rubbed off on him. He dragged you deeper inside the shrine, producing a women’s pajamas out of no where, forcing you to dress in them with the excuse you’d get all sick and have to stay longer.

That night you had slept warm in the shrine, Tomoe watching you through the night.

When you awoke you found the shrine spirits who explained the other world and its creatures, including Mikage and Tomoe. They begged you to stay and take on the roll of land god after learning of your awful story. In truth, your boyfriend had broken up with you and left you on the street with your stuff. But you were just a human and in no way could you ever be a land god.

Yandere Tomoe who had rubbed his scent on the back of your neck before you left, for some ungodly known reason. He couldn't stop himself, some deep possessive, primal instinct urged it. The shrine spirits pout when you leave, wishing you had stayed. Plus Tomoe had never looked so happy with a human in the shrine. They were sure you'd fit in.

Yandere Tomoe who can’t get you out of his head weeks later, you’re practically fucking haunting him.

Mikage who, while stalking Tomoe, noticed his foxes’s need for you. He finds you in town fighting with your Ex. You poor thing, you obviously need a place to stay, and his famliar is in need of some company!

Mikage who interrupts your fight and whisks you away for a walk to cool down. Who is this kind stranger? You think, and why did he just kiss your forehead?

You who in confusion of the sudden disappearance of Mikage, find yourself on a similar path. You sit down on a sidewalk, confused and upset. You still have no house and you’re lost and another storm is coming. How shitty is your life?

Yandere Tomoe who appears beside you, a sly smirk and lazy position as he fans himself.

“Oh my what do we have here? Abandoned like a stray kit again?” He purrs, tensing when he senses your new land God marking. He internally curses Mikage, but at least this will work in his favor. You jump at the fox’s sudden appearance and sigh in defeat, feeling mocked.

“Don’t look so down dear, You are now a land God, however that is. I am inclined to take you back to the shrine. It will now be your home. Come now, don’t want you getting roasted by lightning would we?”

Yandere Tomoe who whisks your defeated self back to the shrine and helps you learn the duties of a land god over the next few weeks. (Of course the shrine spirits were too scared to correct Tomoe when he took majority of your duties on.)

Yandere Tomoe who needs you trapped, he can’t let you leave like Mikage.

Yandere Tomoe who grabs you by the nape of the neck, dragging you into him and leaving no room for struggle. His lips meet yours in an aggressive kiss, forcing himself as your familiar, and he can't help but nip your bottom lip licking at the blood with a groan.

Yandere Tomoe who is now your familiar, and refuses to let anyone else near you. (He definitely has kicked Mizuki into the clouds for coming near you.)

Yandere Tomoe who is extremely possessive, going on a fiery rampage anytime you get near other yokai or become endangered. Sometimes he curses himself for letting himself be under your control so you can stop him from ripping these stupid fucking yokai to shreds. (Little did you know, he knew his loop holes and got away with killing taking care of the idiotic losers who tried you.)

Tomoe leaves no room for another lover in your life. He will refuse any lover, as they are not worthy of a land god such as yourself. (Yes he has said this about gods far above your power, no he does not see anyone but himself worthy of you.)

Yandere Tomoe who does not proclaim himself as your lover even months into your bond.

Tomoe strikes me as the type to not let you have another lover, and not be your lover himself at first. Its not that he doesn't want to be yours, he’d fucking kill to pin you down and show you how really skilled his fingers are- I think Tomoe just lacks the concept of proclaiming a relationship..? Like in his mind, he's your familiar and he's already imprinted on you, meaning your his, no questions needed. You just haven't expressed being ready to mate yet!

You who obviously is tired and a little frustrated. You haven't been able to go out on a date in months. You’ve gotten passed your ex and you’re ready to party, move on and get it on with someone else! But your white haired familiar refuses everyone! He acts offended as if you shouldn’t dare to be attempting going on a date anyways. I mean Tomoe is hot- and its not like you haven't considered him as you’re lover, but he seems so disinterested. And all the weird things he does can be chalked up as normal yokai and wild fox behavior- right?

I mean it's definitely normal that he bites you occasionally on the neck for no reason at all! And its completely normal he refuses to let anyone in your room. That is your sacred place! Only you and him of course are allowed inside! And of course he insists on dressing you himself every day. This is normal duties of a familiar, no reason to be shy. And don't mind him constantly wiping his hand across your neck or hair. No he didn't wipe anything on you, just his scent! It warns others away from you.

Yandere Tomoe who snaps one day. You stupid little girl…you lied. You lied to your familiar. You said you were going out with your friend, and of course he followed you! He had to keep you safe, so many yokai like to prey on land gods. And yet he watched as you met up with a guy. You let him take you to eat. The fucking moron couldn’t even make you a homemade meal? Pathetic. Not worthy.

Tomoe had his final straw when you let the man hug you. How dare you let some runt touch you? Have you no self respect? He of course ripped the human man away from you, throwing him away. But his focus was on you. You fucking smelt like that pathetic trash.

“Tomoe-”

“Start talking. You let a fucking pathetic, weak, incapable human man touch you? Am I not enough? Do I not serve you everyday with only your well being in mind? And you lie to run off with some human?” He spat out, looking down on you. You had never been this scared of Tomoe before. His ears were pinned back, and he looked like a god of rage and hate.

“I deserve to be able to date and find love! I have a right to choose who i think is deserving of my time! He was nice and caring Tomoe! And a girls got needs, God whats your problem?” You screech, attempting to shove Tomoe away to go find wherever your date had landed. A hand shot out and clutched at your waist dragging you back into Tomoe’s hold.

“Love is what you seek? From a puny human man who only wants in your skirt?” He growled, watching you squirm in his hold. His left hand dug into your hip, causing your skirt to rise slightly, and his right wandered farther up. His nails dug into your neck as he tightened his grip with anger, growling in your ear. “I am all that you need. If you seek to mate so soon, then I will mate you, let it be clear the only reason I waited was because I assumed you weren’t ready for me. But now I see. If you’re sneaking away so foolishly, you are clearly ready to take me.”

Yandere Tomoe who fucks you into another dimension that night. Obviously if you’re seeking attention from others he hasn’t been giving you enough, and with that reasoning he doesn’t stop. Cooing as he ruts into you harshly, watching you babble incoherently. He can’t get enough. He needs you pumped full of his cock and seed.

You’re drowning, you think, all you know is pleasure and Tomoe- too much. You briefly aware this is your 7th round, and he's unrelenting, showing no signs of stopping. He refuses to let you rest. You wanted attention didn’t you? He was gonna give you it.

Yandere Tomoe who so meanly overstimulates your body, pushing it past its limits. But he talks you through it, cooing and purring how good you are for him.

Yandere Tomoe who leaves your body covered in him- scratches from his nails litter your hips and thighs from the mating press he had you in for a few rounds, bite marks from your breasts to your neck- foxes really do like marking what's theirs. His cum seeping from your cunt, leaving you bloated from how much he let your pussy milk from him.

Yandere Tomoe who only stops fucking you when your start passing in and out, pussy leaking his seed, and you look ruined of him. Even as you strangle the line between passing out, he still gently pumps his cock deeply into you. Slowly of course, ensuring you stay cock drunk and pliable for him!

Yandere Tomoe who clutches you tight, a soft purr coming from his throat in contentment as runs his sharp nails through your hair, doting on you. His poor baby. So ruined for him.His tail is wrapped around one of your thighs as he holds you throughout the rest of the night.

Yandere Tomoe who is so sweet and cunning in the morning. That smug smirk never left his face. You finally were fully his, marked and claimed!

Sweet Tomoe who wont let you walk (as if you could even try), and bathes you begrudgingly. He hates having to bathe his scent off of you, but all is well, he’ll cover you in it again later tonight.

Yandere Tomoe who wont ever let you go, hoping you learned your sweet lesson. He’ll take care of his little human.

A/n: Ty for reading, I hope you enjoyed! ASKS are open for those who have any ideas or requests. I'd like to keep these fandoms alive. Love you guys!

[jaeyunverse]

kiss cam

pairing: yang jungwon x fem!reader

genres: fluff, frenemies to lovers, high school au, basketball au

wc: 3770

warnings: profanity, mentions of kidnapping

summary: you were fully prepared to spend valentine’s day alone. yang jungwon was fully prepared to blow your mind.

note: i know i’m off season but i still hope y’all enjoy <3

masterlist

It was Valentine’s Week and you were absolutely, extremely, horribly miserable.

You didn’t particularly care about the celebrations, but the feeling of loneliness first began to creep in when the student council appointed a Valentine’s Day Dance committee and made them decorate the entire school. 

There were banners and streamers hanging everywhere. The culinary club was selling heart-shaped cookies and the broadcasting club was busy urging students to get their dance invites every few hours. You wished the PA system would malfunction and they would finally shut up. 

Some boys even had the genius idea to capitalise Valentine’s Day and ask people out on behalf of the students who paid them for their services. They called themselves Cop-Your-Crush. 

Classes were being interrupted all day long. You were witnessing a grand proposal being made multiple times a day. Just today, you had seen three girls being asked out and each proposal had been better than the one before.

Karina got asked out through a song the choir group sang for her. She quite literally burst into tears because her boyfriend, Soobin, still remembered the song they had first kissed to. 

NingNing got asked out when a member of Cop-Your-Crush sweet-talked Mrs. Kim into letting him take over her presentation. He’d prepared a cute montage using the pictures provided to him by her boyfriend. 

Yeji got asked out by the cheerleaders. They had prepared a special cheer for her, courtesy of Heeseung, also a member of Cop-Your-Crush, and his girlfriend, Chaewon, who was cheer captain. They were both Yeji’s best friends and had spared no expense in helping her boyfriend deliver a memorable proposal. 

You thought the entire concept was corny, but it would have been nice to have someone ask you out too. You didn’t even have any expectations. Just a simple Hey, will you be my date to the Valentine’s Dance? would have sufficed. 

Needless to say, you were irritated and cranky. You were debating begging your mom to let you skip school tomorrow. It was the thirteenth of February, so Valentine’s spirit was definitely going to be at an all-time high. 

You slammed your locker door shut. Slumping against it, you clutched your books to your chest and sighed deeply. If only you had the courage to ask your crush to the dance. It was sort of surprising that he still didn’t have a date. 

He was really attractive and really popular. You wondered why—

“Keep moving, dummy,” a voice popped from behind you, and you couldn’t help the groan that left your mouth. Deciding to not acknowledge the person further, you pushed yourself off the locker and turned to leave in the opposite direction. However, they seemed to have different plans for you. Throwing an arm around your neck, Yang Jungwon twisted you around and said, “Class is this way.” 

“Piss off, Yang,” you snapped, trying to not stumble as he dragged you along. 

“Are you coming to the basketball game tonight?” Jungwon inquired.

He wasn’t much taller than you, so when you glanced up at him, you found your faces only a few inches apart. “Why?” 

“We’re playing Riverside High. You know there’s a bet between our schools, right? Losers have to jump in the lake at midnight.” 

“Okay. Let me know if you lose and I’ll meet you there to enjoy your humiliation.” 

Jungwon narrowed his eyes and flicked your forehead. You let out a sound of protest and slapped his hand away. “You think you’re so funny.”

“I think I have better things to do,” you retorted. “I’m supposed to pick up my sister after her soccer practice and drive her to her friend’s house for a sleepover.” 

“That can be taken care of,” he answered immediately. “Riki will do the chauffeuring in your place.” 

You snorted. “No.” 

“C’mon!” Jungwon complained, moving to stand in front of you. You crossed your hands and raised an eyebrow. “I need you at the game tonight.” 

“Why?” 

“Because—” he hesitated— “because we always win when you’re watching from the stands. You’re our lucky charm.”  

Jungwon was making absolutely no sense. The Bears of Eastwood High were one of the best. They didn’t require lucky charms to win games. Besides, you’d never benefited from the so-called fortune Jungwon claimed you possessed. He definitely had an ulterior motive for wanting you at the court tonight. 

“You won the Christmas game,” you pointed out. “I wasn’t there that day. I was with my family at my childhood home.” 

“Well, I thought you were at the game,” Jungwon corrected. “That’s why we won.” 

You sighed and rolled your eyes. Stepping past his figure blocking your way, you said, “You need to get rid of these superstitions.”  

“Please!” he begged, following after you the way a lost puppy would. “Winning tonight would give us a ticket to regionals! Can’t you let me have this?” 

The desperation in his voice was so evident that you couldn’t help the crack that appeared in your resolve. You weren’t one to believe in luck, but you still carried an Omamori to stay safe. 

You hadn’t exactly been the recipient of any good fortune lately, but your life had been sailing smoothly. Come to think of it, you’d probably subconsciously begun to depend on the charm. 

You were a hypocrite for making fun of Jungwon’s superstitions. 

“Fine,” you relented. “I’ll come. But—” you added immediately upon seeing a wide grin replace the pout on his face— “after I’m done with my chores. I’m not leaving Hyeri with Riki. He crashed his car into a trashcan last week. I was with him. My life flashed in front of my eyes.” 

Jungwon looked slightly amused. “Do you think you might be able to make it before half-time?” 

“Easily.”

“Nice,” he popped. The two of you had arrived at your classroom, so he ruffled your hair and bid you goodbye before making his way towards his friend group. “I owe you one.”

“Yeah, you do,” you muttered to yourself.

You finished dropping your sister earlier than expected. 

Her soccer practice had run short and when you’d checked your watch after seeing her off, you’d realised that the first quarter of the game would be ending in a few minutes. 

You glanced up at the screen displaying the scores as you walked into the gymnasium. 

8-3. Eastwood High in the lead. 

Good luck was a scam. Shaking your head, you searched for your best friend, Eunchae, in the stands. Your eyes stopped on a girl who was aggressively waving her hands in the air. 

You smiled and waved back, making your way to her. 

“I was worried you’d be late,” Eunchae said. 

You hummed. “Hyeri finished her practactice early so I was able to get here quicker. I don’t even know why Jungwon asked me to come. We’re in the lead.”

“Better safe than sorry,” she popped. “Second quarter just started. We should pay attention.” 

You turned to look at the court. While you’d been talking to her, Riverside had scored a 3-pointer. Eastwood was only 2 points ahead now. 

You could hear both schools’ coaches screaming despite the loud noise of the audience. Cringing a little when Mr. Jung blatantly cursed at Jungwon and told him to get his head out of his ass, you decided Eunchae had been right about being better safe than sorry. 

“Timeout!” Riverside High’s coach yelled. “Timeout!” 

The whistle rang and the playing 5 went jogging over to the sidelines. Jungwon’s eye caught yours as he scanned the stands and you waved at him awkwardly. He smiled and waved back, looking rather relieved to see you. 

“You guys are so cute,” Eunchae commented.

You whirled on her. “Excuse me?” 

“I’m just saying!” she exclaimed, raising her hands defensively. “Jungwon and you would make a really good couple.” 

“What makes you think so?” 

“Other than the fact that he’s completely whipped for you?” Eunchae shrugged. “You’re into him as well. No! Don’t give me that look! I know you are. I’m not fucking blind, Y/N. You say he’s annoying but I don’t see you pushing him away. I think you love the attention he gives you.”

You crossed your arms over your chest, suddenly feeling awfully exposed. “You’re delusional.” 

“Am I though?” She raised an eyebrow. “You both are together all the time. You can pretend all you want, but I know your petty and childish banter is just a cover for the horrible amount of flirting that’s hidden underneath.”

“I don’t flirt with him!” 

“He flirts with you and you entertain him! You claim to dislike him but hang out with him at school everyday! An idiot could tell by looking at you how much you enjoy being around him.”

You glared at Eunchae. “I don’t appreciate being psychoanalysed.” 

“You just don’t appreciate the truth.” She shrugged. “I don’t know what’s stopping you from asking him out to the dance, but I hope you come to your senses. You don’t wanna regret missing out on someone who cares so much for you.”

Thankfully, the whistle rang before you could formulate a reply. The game began again, and you focused your attention on the court. 

It was Eastwood’s way and the ball was in Jungwon’s hand. He aimed high and his eyes set on Jake who was standing at the far end of the court. However, instead of throwing the ball with all his might, he only flicked his wrist. 

The ball bounced between a Riverside player’s legs, and Heeseung, who was waiting a little behind him, grabbed the ball immediately. Instead of dribbling, the boy passed the ball right back to Jungwon. 

Jungwon caught it without stopping and sprinted to Eastwood’s side of the court. Your jaw dropped when you saw him manoeuvre his way through Riverside’s defence so flawlessly. Even though you’d watched him play multiple times, you’d never really been able to comprehend how good he was. 

He’d covered the court by himself without needing to stop or backtrack. It was as if he knew the opponent’s move even before they decided to make it. 

The crowd went wild the moment Jungwon executed the layup effortlessly. The whistle for half-time blew a few moments after and Eunchae turned to you. 

“That was so good!” she squealed. “He could go pro so easily!”

“He could,” you agreed. “He really is very good.”

You had to admit—watching Jungwon in his element made your heart beat at speeds you didn’t even know it was capable of reaching. You convinced yourself it was the adrenaline and the anticipation from watching the game. Your dad never sat still whenever he watched his favourite team play in the World Cup. 

“It’s time for the Kiss Cam.” Eunchae nudged you with her elbow. You turned to look at the big screen hanging from the roof of the gymnasium. The camera focused on Juyeon and Chaeyeon. The couple grinned and pointed at their recording on the screen in excitement before the latter grabbed the former’s collar and pulled him into a kiss. 

You felt a smile form on your face. You’d always thought the two of them were one of the cutest couples in your school. 

The camera then focused on Mr. Hwang, your biology teacher, and Mrs. Jung, your calculus teacher. You hooted and joined everyone else in the stands as they encouraged the two teachers to kiss. 

Whoever had decided the Kiss Cam victims was a genius. Mr. Hwang and Ms. Jung were the youngest faculty members in your school. It was a popular opinion amongst students that they looked cute together. Some even placed bets on whether it would be Mr. Hwang to make the first move or Ms. Jung. 

Naturally, the two of them didn’t kiss. They just smiled in embarrassment and waved at the camera, asking it to focus on someone else instead. 

You waited eagerly to see who the drone would target next. A jolt passed through your body when you saw yourself on the screen. 

Eyes widening, you shook your head and tried to tell them that you were single. The camera didn’t move despite your protests, instead zooming out to include Eunchae in the frame instead. 

You paused. 

Looked at her.

Considered. 

Raised an eyebrow. 

“I’m down if you—”

“To your left, you idiot!” she exclaimed, grabbing your shoulders and whirling you around. 

Yang Jungwon was standing in front of you with flowers in his hands. His hair was dripping with sweat and his cheeks were flushed. He was panting, but there was a shy smile on his face.

Your heart stopped as he got down on his knees and the entire gymnasium burst into cheers. 

“Hey,” he popped. 

“Hey,” you answered with much effort. Then added stupidly, “You’re on your knees.” 

“No comment about the flowers?” 

“Not when you’re on your knees for me in front of the entire school.” 

“Oooh, I didn’t know you were so kinky.”

“I didn’t know this was why you begged me to come to the game.” 

He laughed and the sound was like music to your ears. You were nervous. You were rambling. There was no way he was going to ask you to the dance. He wouldn’t be stalling so much if he was. He wouldn’t—

Oh. 

He was giving you time to wrap your head around what was happening. This was clearly intended to be a well-planned surprise meant to catch you completely off-guard. He—

“Yeah, I would’ve been really bummed out if you hadn’t shown up. My efforts would have been for nothing.” 

“So I’m not actually your lucky charm?” 

“Of course, you are. I feel the luckiest when I’m with you.” Your chest swelled with an emotion you couldn’t identify. The gymnasium faded into the background and all you could hear was the sound of your heart thudding against your ribcage and Jungwon’s voice as he asked, 

“Will you make me lucky again by accompanying me to the Valentine’s Dance?” 

The game had ended twenty minutes ago. 

Eastwood had won by 10 points. You’d thought the difference was pretty good but your Mr. Woo, your school’s coach, didn’t seem to share your opinion. He’d claimed that Riverside never even should have been able to get within 15 points of Eastwood.

He’d been especially tense in the second half of the third quarter when the opposition had begun scoring back to back baskets. It had all worked out in the end nonetheless, all thanks to Yang Jungwon, the MVP of the match. 

You still couldn’t believe he’d asked you out and you refused to believe he’d done it in such a grand way. 

He was the definition of a jock and goofed around in school all day long. He was charming, sure, but you’d never known he was capable of pulling off something this big. 

You’d never even suspected he was a romantic. 

Your phone dinged and you unlocked it to check who was texting you. 

[eunchae]: wya? 

[y/n]: parking lot!! are u here? i’m leaning against my car

[eunchae]: noo i’m home :( btw are u still waiting for him?? 

[y/n]: yeah he asked me to but the team hasn’t come out of the gym yet

[eunchae]: yikes i heard mr. woo was hella mad we only won by 10 points.. maybe he’s yelling at the players right now

[y/n]: i’m p sure he is LMFAO

Your fingers hovered over your phone’s screen as you waited for Eunchae to type her reply. However, before she could send it, you felt the device being grabbed from your hand. 

“What the—” you started, but relaxed when you saw Jungwon standing in front of you with an amused expression on his face. “Yang.”

He quirked an eyebrow. “Someone could have easily kidnapped you, you know?” 

“We live in the most boring part of the town.” You snorted. “Baek Seung threatening to chop his neighbour’s tree on local TV was the most interesting thing that happened this year.”

“That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be on your guard,” Jungwon said and moved next to you, leaning against the side of your car as well. He was wearing black sweats and a red hoodie. He smelt of cheap soap and his hair was damp, making you realise that he had probably showered. “Besides, Baek Sung actually followed through. We have a real criminal in our ranks.” 

“Didn’t you literally let five sheep loose in our middle school three years ago?” 

“That was just a harmless middle school graduating prank.”

“There’s no such thing as a middle school graduating prank.”

“Tell that to the current 8th graders who are planning their prank. I hear they’re going to stuff the hallway outside the principal’s office with helium balloons so she won’t be able to leave.”  

You stared at him, a small smile playing on your lips. Jungwon’s eyes dropped to your mouth for a millisecond before he looked into your eyes again. 

“Why did you ask me to the dance?” you asked and turned on your side to face him. It was a stupid question but you were genuinely curious. 

Eunchae was right before. Jungwon flirted with you all the time and you always entertained him. You enjoyed the attention he gave you. But if this thing between you was just platonic, and if it was never going to progress into something real, you needed to know now. 

You didn’t want to hope and wait for something that was never going to happen. 

“Sunoo said I was an idiot for not shooting my shot with you,” he replied and turned on his side too. “He threatened to make a move on you if I didn’t get my shit together before Valentine’s Day.” 

You snorted. 

“Oh, also,” Jungwon added. “I really, really like you.” 

You felt a tidal wave of emotions override your senses. Euphoria, nervousness, breathlessness, giddiness, uncertainty and this inexplicable urge to squeal washed over you. 

Your heart went haywire inside your chest when Jungwon leaned closer to you and dipped his head so that his face was right in front of yours. 

“You’re blushing,” he whispered. 

You squeaked and buried your face in your hands. He grabbed your wrists and gently moved them out of the way. “Can I kiss you?” 

“I think that would be a health hazard,” you croaked, looking at anywhere but him. “My heart is beating concerningly fast right now. What if I drop dead?” 

“I can do CPR.” 

The corner of your mouth quirked up in a small smile. Your heart beat slowed down and you began feeling at ease. You wondered if Jungwon could tell that this was the first time someone had confessed to you. 

The entire concept of dating and being in a relationship was foreign to you. You doubted Jungwon had much experience in the field himself since he’d only had one girlfriend in kindergarten, but he seemed confident. 

You trusted him to take over the wheel and guide you through the strange waters of love. 

“Okay,” you breathed and closed your eyes. “Kiss me.” 

His hands cupped your cheeks, his soft lips brushing against yours. You sucked in a breath and just stood there, not really knowing what to do. 

Your hands itched to grab onto something, so you shifted closer to Jungwon and clutched the front of his hoodie in your fists. 

He smiled against your mouth as you rose on your toes and tilted your head to the side. 

But then you realised something and hastily broke the kiss. Jungwon stared at you in confusion, but before he could ask what was wrong, you blurted, “I like you too.” 

There was a pause. He didn’t say anything for a long moment, so you clarified, “I thought I should make that clear. I mean, you confessed but I didn’t confess back even though I feel the same way and what if you thought I wasn’t into you. I am into you, by the way. I’ve been crushing on you since forever but I never knew how to say it—” 

Jungwon swooped in for a second kiss and you melted in his arms. You could get used to the feeling of his lips on yours. They fit together perfectly.  

“You are so cute.” He giggled after detaching his mouth from yours. Resting his forehead against yours, he continued, “Eunchae told me last week. She urged me to confess because she knew your stubbornness would never allow you to make the move.” 

“What?” you exclaimed, jerking away from him. “Where’s my phone? Give me my damn phone, Yang!” 

He grabbed arms before you could lunge at him and search him for your device. “Relax!”

“I’m going to kill her!” 

“Why?!” 

“Because—” you sputtered, struggling to get out of his grip— “because it’s embarrassing! I was pretending to not like you but you knew I was crushing on you the entire time!” 

“It’s not embarrassing!” Jungwon said. “It’s normal—Y/N stop!” 

You let your body fall limp in his arms. “I’m going home. I’ll see you tomorrow.” 

“You’re seriously not going to let Eunchae’s nosiness stop us from having our first date, are you?”  

“What?” you asked and moved out of his grip.

He shrugged and shoved his hands into pockets. “It’s nothing special. I was going to ask if you wanted to go out for some food.” 

“Oh,” you replied blankly. “Don’t you have a celebratory dinner with your team though?” 

“I can ditch them.”  

“You shouldn’t.” 

“Let me correct myself: I already ditched them. I want to spend tonight and celebrate with you.” 

Your heart swelled with happiness. “Really?” When was the last time someone outside of your parents prioritised you? You genuinely couldn’t remember. 

“Of course. Do you wanna get some McDonald’s?”

You nodded, but before he could make his way to the passenger’s seat of your car, you said, “Just so you know, I feel the luckiest when I’m with you too.” 

Yang Jungwon kissed you for the third time, and by no means was it the last, or even close to the last one you shared that day.  

[princesseilish]

SUMMER OF 07’

Billie Eilish x Fem!Reader

Warnings: angst, religious topics, internalized homophobia, slight fluff

synopsis: Set in the summer of 2007, Y/N, a Yale-bound girl from a strict, religious family, hides her relationship with Billie, a rebellious small-town musician. When a photo of them together is exposed at church, Y/N faces her parents’ judgment and her own internalized homophobia. Overwhelmed, she breaks up with Billie, despite their love.

It was the summer of 2007, and the air smelled like freshly cut grass and freedom. School had just let out, and Billie was already knee-deep in her usual antics with her small-town garage band. They were loud, reckless, and unapologetically themselves. And despite your better judgment—and your parents’ strict rules—you couldn’t resist her.

Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O’Connell. The girl with piercing blue eyes and an untamed spirit. She was everything your overly religious family despised, everything your sheltered, Yale-bound future wasn’t supposed to include. But you loved her. God help you, you loved her.

That’s why, when Billie called you that night, begging you to come along to one of her band’s impromptu “jam sessions” at the abandoned lot by the old train tracks, you said yes. You always did.

The evening was wild, full of laughter and music that shook the rusted metal walls of the makeshift stage. Billie was magnetic, her energy infectious as she strummed her guitar and sang like the world wasn’t watching. But you were. You always were.

After the session, she pulled you aside, her fingers lacing with yours as she pressed you up against her truck. Her lips brushed your ear as she whispered, “You’re perfect, you know that?”

You blushed, the heat rising to your cheeks. “If I were so perfect, I wouldn’t be here.”

“Don’t say that,” Billie said, her voice soft but firm. “This is exactly where you’re meant to be.”

For a moment, you believed her.

It all came crashing down two weeks later.

You woke up to your mother’s shrill voice calling your name. When you stepped into the kitchen, the air was thick with tension. Your father sat at the table, his jaw tight, while your older sister, Hazel, leaned against the counter with a smug expression.

On the table lay a printed photo.

It took you a moment to process what you were seeing: you and Billie, caught in a moment of intimacy. Her arm around your waist, her lips brushing your temple.

“Explain this,” your mother demanded, her voice shaking with barely restrained fury.

You felt the ground shift beneath you. “Where did you get that?”

“It was pinned to the church bulletin board this morning,” Hazel said, her tone dripping with false concern. “Everyone saw it.”

Your heart dropped. The room seemed to close in around you as your father slammed his hand on the table.

“This is unacceptable, Y/N,” he growled. “We raised you better than this.”

You opened your mouth to defend yourself, but no words came out. The weight of their disappointment, their judgment, was suffocating.

“Do you have any idea what this could do to our reputation?” your mother hissed. “What would people think if they knew our daughter was—” She couldn’t even finish the sentence.

You ran.

That night, Billie sat on the hood of her truck, her flip phone clutched tightly in her hand. She’d heard about the photo from one of her bandmates, and the thought of what you were going through made her stomach churn.

She dialed your number for the fourth time that day.

It rang once. Twice. Three times.

Finally, you answered.

“Hello?”

“Y/N,” Billie said, relief flooding her voice. “What’s going on? Are you okay? I heard about the photo.”

You didn’t respond, and the silence made her chest tighten.

“Y/N, talk to me,” she pleaded.

“Billie,” you said finally, your voice barely audible.

“What?”

“It’s over,” you whispered.

“What are you talking about?”

“I can’t do this anymore,” you said, your voice trembling.

“Yes, you can,” Billie said firmly. “We’ll figure it out.”

“No!” you interrupted, your voice breaking. “You don’t understand. My parents… everyone in that church… they know. They saw the picture.”

“I don’t care what they think,” Billie shot back. “I care about you.”

“I’m not like you, Billie!” you cried. “I can’t just… not care. My whole life, I’ve been told this is wrong. And maybe they’re right.”

“Don’t say that,” Billie said, her voice cracking. “You’re not wrong. There’s nothing wrong with you. They’re the ones who are messed up for making you feel like this.”

“I’m sorry, Billie,” you whispered, tears streaming down your face. “I love you, but I can’t do this.”

The line went dead.

Days passed, and the world felt dull without her. You stayed locked in your room, drowning in guilt and shame. Your parents’ judgmental silence was deafening, their disappointment a constant reminder of what you’d lost.

You missed her. God, you missed her.

One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, there was a knock at your bedroom window.

You froze, your heart racing. Slowly, you pulled back the curtains to reveal Billie standing on the lawn, her hands stuffed in her hoodie pockets.

“Let me in,” she said softly.

You hesitated before sliding the window open. Billie climbed through with practiced ease, landing silently on your bedroom floor.

“What are you doing here?” you whispered, your voice trembling.

“I needed to see you,” she said. “You weren’t answering my calls.”

You turned away. “I told you, Billie. It’s over.”

“No, it’s not,” she said, stepping closer. “You don’t get to decide that on your own. Not without talking to me first.”

“Talking to you won’t change anything,” you said, tears brimming in your eyes.

“It might not,” she admitted. “But I’m not leaving until you tell me to my face that you don’t love me anymore.”

Your breath hitched. “Billie, please don’t do this.”

“Why not?” she said, her voice breaking. “Because you’re scared? Because they made you believe that loving me is something you should feel guilty about?”

You turned to face her, tears streaming down your cheeks. “I’m scared,” you admitted.

“I know,” Billie said, stepping closer and cupping your face in her hands. “But you don’t have to do this alone. We’ll figure it out together.”

Her words broke something inside you. You collapsed into her arms, sobbing as she held you tightly.

“I don’t know if I can do this,” you whispered.

“You can,” Billie said, her voice steady. “And I’ll be here every step of the way.”

As she held you, you realized that maybe, just maybe, love didn’t have to feel like sin.

[bucketsofmonsters]

A Matter of Time - Chapter 4

Timothy Timepice x Reader, Timmy x Reader

Slow burn, At least for one of them it’s a slow burn, Timmy doesn’t really do slow, Gender neutral reader, Afab reader, Anxiety, Enemies to lovers, Or I guess people who bicker a lot to lovers, Rating will change soon, Reader will be domming both of them so if you’re not down for that, don’t get too invested, insomnia, dry humping

word count - 2k

Masterlist

You had one more appointment with Timothy before the schedule he had made for you ran out and you knew you needed to take advantage of it. If you didn’t set up more appointments, you had no way of knowing which one the clock would bring you, Timothy or Timmy, and you had a lot of questions for Timmy. 

You supposed you had a lot of questions for both of them, but Timmy at least seemed less averse to giving you answers, even if he did have other eccentricities. 

At the very least, if you set up more appointments, then you would know who you were getting. Despite only having met him once, you were well aware that mentally preparing yourself for Timmy was a very different process than mentally preparing for Timothy. 

And besides, you hadn’t had the chance to give Timothy his gift. 

So for today, you were back to the seven alarm plan. 

Well, in spirit you were back to the seven alarm plan. What you had actually enacted was a far more irritating twenty-nine alarm plan, where alarms went off every five minutes from 11 o’clock until you hit twenty minutes before, at which time alarms would go off every minute until it hit 12. 

Was it potentially overkill? Sure. But you knew one thing for certain, you weren’t going to miss the meeting. 

When you hit your seventeenth one-minute-apart alarm, the insanity began to set in. You suspected this might be what Chinese water torture felt like as you braced for the sound of the alarm, never quite sure when it was about to start blaring at you. 

After the nineteenth alarm, you assumed the position. You stood and waited, staring at Timothy who was, conveniently, also a clock. It at least let you watch the seconds tick by as you prepared. 

Despite all your alarms and mental preparation, you couldn’t help the burst of anxiety that took over you and got you to summon Timothy five seconds early. 

He had about three seconds to gather his bearings before the alarm started blaring behind you and you had to scramble to turn it off. 

When you turned around, he looked deeply irritated with you. 

“If you let that alarm go off one more time, I will not be held liable for what I might do,” he said crossly. 

“You’re a clock, isn’t this like, your brother or something. Second cousin, maybe,” you said, realizing moments after you said it that it was perhaps not how you should be starting this particular interaction. 

Timothy scowled. “No, I think you will find it is not. Now, did you come here to discuss inferior timepieces with me?”

“No,” you said, moving to grab what you had behind you. “I came to give you this.”

The cups were wrapped in bright yellow wrapping paper, unlike how they’d been the day before. It felt like it should be a bit more of a real present after all that had happened. The calendar sat under the wrapped box, but it seemed best to lead with the present before demanding more appointments. 

He did not seem particularly excited about the present. “I do not need anything from you,” he said as he ripped open the paper. “Not after your performance… Oh, actually, these are quite nice.”

You smiled at him. “I’m glad you like them!”

He sighed, turning the cups over in his hands. “I suppose I can hear you out, but only-”

BEEP BEEP BEEP

You whipped around to face your phone, the alarm blaring again after you had seemingly hit snooze instead of turning it off. 

“I am an alarm clock too, you know,” Timothy said, the lines of his face harsh with tension. “At the very least, I am not so annoying as that thing is.”

“I just don’t… you know, take you everywhere.”

He harumphed. “I suppose. Your loss. And the loss of everyone who can hear that thing.”

Okay, so not like brothers. Maybe they were like clock rivals. 

“Listen, that isn’t what I came here for. I wanted to set up more appointments with you, in the future. This one was our last one.”

“And why would I trust you with that, after yesterday’s debacle?" he asked indignantly, eyes narrowing.

“Because if you don’t, I’ll just have to guess when I should talk to you, and then it’s anyone’s guess whether it will be you or Timmy that-”

“How dare you mention that upstart in front of me,” he hissed. “I should cast you out for that crime alone.”

Your brows furrowed. “Cast me out from where? What does that mean?”

“That is entirely besides the point. You had the audacity to be late to our meeting and now, when asking for more, I’m sure so you can fail to attend those promptly too, you mention that awful little creature.”

“Am I allowed to ask about him?” you interjected, perhaps unwisely. “Because I really would love to know what is going on there.”

“I am not discussing my curse with you, especially after the stunt you pulled. If you’re so very curious, maybe you should go ask him about it, because you will get nothing from me!”

“If you’re so determined not to help, maybe I will,” you huffed out.

“Don’t you dare,” he snapped back. 

“You just told me to!” It came out whinier than you had intended. 

“I didn’t mean it. You’ve only known him for a few minutes, why do you even care so much?”

“I’m curious about all of you, it isn’t just Timmy. I want to know how you all work, what makes you tick.” You paused for a moment before scrambling to add, “That wasn’t meant to be a joke.”

Timothy sighed. “I will add some appointments to your calendar, so if you need to see me, you know when to do it. You are not to visit me outside of these times. Am I understood?”

You nodded, if only to get him to make the appointments. 

After he finished writing, he picked up the teacups again, staring down at them intently. 

“Why are you so desperate to keep me from him?” you asked, doing your best to soften your voice. “I won’t judge you or anything. I mean, it’s clear he’s a different person from you, I wouldn’t hold anything he did against you.”

“Because I said so,” he replied, and it would have sounded juvenile if his voice hadn’t been so sharp. “Now good day to you.”

Despite the firm warning you’d been given, you couldn’t help but wonder about Timmy. Of all the objects-turned-people you’d talked to, he certainly seemed the most pliant. It seemed likely he would tell you whatever you wanted. It was certainly more than you could say for Timothy. 

More than that, he too had invited you back, seeming to want to see you again. It would be rude to just never see him again, especially after he’d seemed so eager. 

You grabbed the alarm clock from your bedroom, the cat one that partnered with the clock on your wall, carrying it with you to the living room to think. 

It would certainly upset Timothy, but to be frank, it seemed everything you did upset Timothy. It wasn’t like it was untrodden ground. And he had given you no good reason not to, acting like a child instead of even trying to help you understand. 

And so, as you pondered this, your eyes remained locked onto your clock. 

It had been an hour since your meeting. That was almost as long as it had been last time, when your lateness had summoned Timmy instead of Timothy. You couldn’t help but wonder…

You reached for your glasses, emotionally preparing to get shouted at by Timothy once more. 

But as the boy appeared in front of you, no shouting came. 

Instead, you saw his ears perk up, his eyes widening in excitement as his pupils turned to slits. “Hello, master,” he purred.

“You really don’t have to do that,” you insisted, moving to sit on your couch to try and make the meeting seem more casual, hoping that might make the boy more willing to open up to you. 

He eagerly shifted forwards, sprawling out across every part of the couch you weren’t actively sitting on. 

“Oh, but Timmy must,” he countered. “It is only proper.”

“Proper, huh,” you mused. “You almost sound like Timothy. 

He hissed at you, as if on instinct, before coming back to himself and making a cute face at you again, his eyes going soft and his body pliant where it lay on the couch. “Timmy is nothing like that stuffy old cat. But master knows that. You disobeyed Timothy to come here. Timmy was too cute to stay away.”

“Sure,” you said, not wanting to hurt the boy’s feelings. “Maybe that’s part of it. I also have some questions for you, if you’d be amiable.”

“Amiable,” Timmy muttered quietly to himself before letting his head fall back so he could look up at you. “Timmy will do whatever master needs him to.”

You smiled down at him, excitement blooming inside of you. “Okay, just a few questions would be incredible. I was wondering, well I was wondering a lot of things. But first, do you guys have prior lives? Could you talk to each other before I made you come to life? Because I know some of you know each other, but it’s sort of unclear to me if it was because you were conscious before or if it was just innate to you when you were brought to life. And how much can you see when you’re in object form? Is that why objects used in conjunction with each other a lot seem more likely to know each other? And how does it feel to be an object, is it different from being human or are you just more able to express yourself this way? And speaking of being an object, was it different before you came to life for the first time? Like, do you maintain some of the humanity that you didn’t have before. Oh, and, well maybe I should let you answer first.”

Timmy’s eyes looked almost like they were glazed over, a vacant expression lying in them as you looked down at him expectantly. 

You gently poked him in the head. “Hello? Are you alright?”

The touch seemed to bring him back to the land of the living, springing up to a seated position beside you. 

 “Timmy has been meaning to tell you,” he said, completely ignoring every single one of your questions, including the ones revolving around how he was doing, “Timmy loved the present master got him. He only wishes there was some way to repay master.”

You perked up a little. “I mean, like I said before, if you’d answer some questions it would really help me out. And I’d be happy to get you more toys if you wanted them. Not like, as repayment though. I don’t want you to feel obligated to do anything.”

A scowl managed to sneak its way through his carefully schooled, wide eyed look. “Questions are boring.”

“So just the toys then?” you asked quickly, not wanting to get both of the cat boys upset at you. One was bad enough. 

“Hmm,” he hummed in consideration.  “Timmy does like playing with toys.”

He shifted forwards, kicking both his legs over your lap so he was basically sitting on you. 

“What toys would you want?” you asked, eyeing his legs suspiciously as he wriggled in your lap. 

“It’s up to you master,” he said, shifting one leg over you so he was straddling your lap. “You’re the one who’s going to play with Timmy.”

With the extra height sitting on your hips gave him, you were able to look one another in the eye. You could see him fighting to keep a mischievous gleam out of his eyes, clearly attempting to look wide eyed and innocent. He succeeded and failed variably from moment to moment. 

“We are still talking about cat toys, right?” you asked, your voice breaking a bit in the middle of your question. 

Timothy smiled at you like you were now in on a joke. “Any toy Timmy owns is a cat toy. Timmy supposes that you own a cat toy too, don’t you master?”

And then he rolled his hips down into yours and in a moment of panic, you shoved him backwards. 

He hit the ground on his back, a surprised little oof escaping him before he collapsed fully to the floor. 

Timmy huffed and scrunched up his nose, sprawling out like a starfish on the floor instead of making any attempt to get up. “Master is no fun.”

“I just remembered I have to… go,” you sputtered out, already backing away from him. 

You watched him roll his eyes before he disappeared and you were left with only the ticking of the clock once more. 

[pa1strifies]

the alcott: let it happen

pairing: jack doohan x driver!reader

summary: jack accepts a bet to make you fall. he didn't expect to actually care. you didn't expect to trust him. now neither of you can tell what's real, and what was a part of the bet.

main masterlist ✷ series masterlist ✷ ch.2 ✷ ch.4

warning: some misogynistic stuff, toxic bet, all lowercase, jack's japan crash is mentioned, use of yn

a/n: y'all please comment or use asks to talk abt the alcott or my other story. i want to hear what y'all have to say🫶🫶

your head rested on lance’s shoulder, trying to sleep but all you could about was jack’s crash right in front of you. the fact that he didn’t respond, how he couldn’t stand up without your help. 

it played over and over in your mind. 

you thought of the team meeting, “last warning, yn. you can't be this reckless. you already have 8 penalty points.” you didn’t say anything, just looked at your shoes like a scared little kid getting scolded by their parents. 

“you okay?” lance asked, softly. 

“yeah.” you lied. 

a few seconds later, esteban spoke up “i’ve seen you with jack a lot these days” 

“what’s that supposed to mean?” you ask, an eyebrow raised.

“nothing just an observation.” 

you nod, not knowing what to say. 

esteban speaks after a few seconds, “he’s really nice you know?”. 

“yeah he seems nice.” you say, unbothered.

“i think you talk to him.” 

you don't reply, esteban's first statement replaying in your mind.

“he looks up to you, yn.” esteban says. 

“just talk to him please.” you don't say anything. “for me” he adds. 

you roll your eyes “if i say yes, will you stop pestering me?” 

“yes” he says happily. 

“then i will talk to him”

jack was alone during the drivers parade, he didn’t know who to talk to. he pretended to check his phone.

you were in a corner, almost hidden by lance and esteban.

“hey jack” he hears your voice, you sign him to come over.

he joins them as you, esteban and lance rank the coffees in the paddock. 

“no williams’ coffee is one of the best.” you said. “stake was also good” 

“aston is good” lance says.

“no” you say, simply. 

"WHAT" lance says, animated. you just shrug.

“what abt redbull?” jack asked. 

“they should stick to energy drinks.” you say, causing lance and esteban laugh. 

jack smiles, feeling comfortable while the three of you discuss coffee again. 

the conversation was interrupted by natalie pinkman. 

“so yn. pole position, congratulations. how do you feel about the race?” 

“i'm really happy with pole position, of course and i’m looking forward to the race. we have the pace.” 

“that’s a great spirit to have.” 

“and we have to talk about japan. you getting out of your car in fp2 to check on another driver? you don't see that often do you?”

you shrug your shoulders. 

“you know that is against protocols” 

“sure but i'd rather get told off for caring than drive away when someone might need help” 

“a lot of people online are calling you heroic, while some are calling your actions reckless. what do you have to say to that?”

“i don't really care as to what the internet had to say about me. i did what i thought was right”

“well thank you so much, yn” 

you hand her the mic back and turn around to continue your conversation with lance and esteban. jack, sitting a little to the side, listened to the whole interview, noticing the way you didn’t so much as glance at him when you turned around.  

taglist: @the-navistar-carol @landorris@sainz0fthetimes @anunstablefangirl @ceekokocee15 (taglist is on)

[slayfics]

Katsuki spends Halloween with you.

1,200 words~

You sniffled in your room waiting for your humidifier to finally help.

Of all days to come down with the cold, why did it have to be your favorite holiday, Halloween?

You looked at your forgotten costume in the corner of your dorm and sighed.

“Knock knock,” you heard followed by loud banging on your door.

Reluctantly you opened your door and we’re met with the sight of Denki, Eijiro, Hanta, and Katsuki.

“Um, why aren’t you in your costume yet? We’re totally going to be late for the party,” Denki asked.

“Isn’t it obvious Dunce Face, look at them! They are sick as hell!” Katsuki yelled as some of the boys shuffled into your dorm.

“No way are you really not feeling well? That’s such a bummer man,” Eijiro said, looking at you with puppy eyes.

“Yeah, it’s fine you guys go have fun,” you waved your hand for them to get out. “I don’t want to get you all sick.”

“That superrrr sucks. But, we need your expert opinion first. Tell me are the ladies ready for this costume,” Denki asked motioning to his devil costume.

You couldn’t help but laugh, Denki was relentless with his endless pinning. You yanked on his devil tail letting it snap back and hit him.

“Ow!” He yelled in surprise.

“You look great, Kaminari. I think the lady is going to love it,” you said, giving him a wink causing him to blush.

“And what about my cape? Does it look dumb?” Eijiro asked, looking a little self-conscious.

“A vampire, hu? Pretty smart with those teeth of yours. Yeah, it looks cute, Kirishima. Sero, your pirate looks great too. But, how did you boys manage to get Bakugo in a costume this year?”

“What?! I did this on my own!” Katsuki barked at you.

“Really? You chose a werewolf all by yourself, hu?” You asked.

“Tch, what’s the matter with it?! Better than these extras lame ass costumes,” he said defensively.

“It looks good Bakugo. Alright go, all of you get out of here before you catch my cold,” you said, encouraging them to leave.

“Ok, I’m sorry... feel better soon, ok?” Eijiro said as he, Hanta, and Denki started to make their way out.

“Kacchan come on we’re already super late,” Denki called.

“Nah- you idiots go,” Katsuki said.

“What no way, you’re seriously not going to come even after you picked out your whole costume?” Hanta asked.

“Parties are fucking dumb, get out of here already,” Katsuki yelled.

“Alright man, we’ll see you later then,” Eijiro said, pulling the other two boys who were still trying to convince Bakugo to come.

Once the other three were gone you turned to Katsuki, “You didn’t have to do that.”

“Tch I didn’t do it for you dumb ass! I was looking for any excuse not to go to that dumb party,” Katsuki said, crossing his arms.

“Mhm sure,” you said, rolling your eyes playfully at him.

“Whatever- your voice sounds like crap. Let’s go down to the common room and I’ll make you some tea and we can watch a dumb movie or something,” he suggested.

“You really want to watch a Halloween movie?!” You asked surprised by his holiday spirit.

“Uh yeah- isn’t that what you’re supposed to do on Halloween? Come on, let’s go. Tired of seeing you moping in your room,” he said, waving at you to follow him downstairs.

You followed Katsuki downstairs to the common room and started looking for movies while he made some tea for you.

“Do you want to watch an actual scary movie or a cheesy cute one like The Addams Family or something?” You asked.

Katsuki set the tea down next to you and sat on the couch. “I don’t give a fuck, they are all dumb.”

“Fine- I’m showing you my favorite then,” you decided, turning the movie on and sitting down next to him. Katsuki just grunted in response.

You settled in more into the couch drinking the tea he made, “The tea is good thank you,” you said.

“No need to thank me dumb ass, if you need more just let me know,” he said, eyes staying locked on the TV. You watched him for a few moments trying to make sense of his actions that never seemed to match his words.

You decided to take a risk and leaned a bit into Katsuki’s shoulder. To your surprise, he didn’t move or react at all. Instead, he looked down at you, “Why is this one your favorite Halloween movie?” He asked.

Katuski was a surprisingly good listener, and despite his disdain at first, he declared he didn’t completely hate every second of the movie you chose.

“Alright, what’s the next one?” He asked.

“You want to watch another?! Isn’t it kind of late for you?” You asked surprised.

“I don’t sleep that damn early! You all just stay up too late! Besides, those idiots aren’t back yet so- just put on another one,” he said.

You chose another movie and nuzzled back into the couch leaning more into Katsuki who again made no reaction.

Before you knew it, time had passed, and the occasional comments Katsuki made about the movie slowly stopped as you both felt sleepiness wash over you.

The next thing you knew you heard whispers from behind you.

“Should we wake them up?” Hanta whispered.

“Awe they look so comfy,” Eijiro said.

“What! How did Kacchan get more action than any of us?!” Denki said, irritated.

“Come on, let’s leave them,” Eijiro said, pulling his two friends away.

You opened your eyes slowly as you heard the boys finally leave back to their dorms. Immediately a blush took over your face as you realized you had fallen asleep in Katsuki’s lap. Katsuki was fast asleep with his head leaning against the couch.

You gently shook him a bit to bring him out of sleep.

Katsuki inhaled sharply and picked his head up, blinking hard he slowly came back to consciousness.

“Hey, um the others came through already. We must have fallen asleep.”

“Damn,” he said, stretching. “Must have been that boring ass movie.”

“Hey, it wasn’t that bad!” You said smacking his shoulder playfully.

“Yeah yeah whatever, I want to get out of this damn costume,” he said getting up off the couch. “Come on I’ll walk you to your dorm, I don’t want your sick ass passing out on the way up the elevator or anything.”

“I’m not that helpless,” you argued but followed Katsuki back to your dorm.

“Alright get some sleep idiot or you’re never going to get better,” he said, opening your door for you.

“Thank you,” you said awkwardly, passing him to step into your room.

“Yeah whatever- it wasn’t as awful as that party would have been I guess,” he said.

“Those ears are really cute on you by the way,” you said playfully patting his hair around his costume wolf ears.

“Tch,” he exclaimed, irritated looking at the floor but you caught the small tint that grew on his cheeks.

“Goodnight, Bakugo,” you said and moved closer to press a kiss to his cheek.

Katsuki backed up, surprised, “Trying to get me sick dumb ass,” he said, rubbing his cheek.

“Oh fuck- sorry,” you apologized.

“Don’t- it’s fine, but, you should try a little harder,” he said, grabbing your wrist and pulling you to him as he pressed his lips to yours. “Goodnight.” He said and swiftly left down the hallway.

An extra Halloween fic, since I was stuck in the house sick on my favorite holiday 😩! Hope y’all enjoy this self indulgent comfort fic.

Tags: @unofficialmuilover

[hollow-lime-green]

Share the first lines of ten of your latest fanfics (or up to if you have fewer) and tag ten people.

ty for the tag @detta-pica! <3

it seems like a good day to do some reminiscing/reflection on the ol' fics. i like first lines. sometimes i have a good idea for one, and it'll really guide the story. sometimes i don't, but by the end of writing the piece i can go back and find something that fits for me.

interestingly, exactly the last 10 (no more, no less) of my posted fics are JJK, and they are all in the FIYM extended universe. so i shall post them in story chronological order:

1. it's not gay unless the domains touch

Geto Suguru was fifteen years old when he first met Gojo Satoru, and he instantly decided he couldn’t stand him.

but that's in flashback. the story really starts with this one (one of my favorites)

Suguru can’t quite figure out if Satoru didn’t get enough hugs as a child, or if he got too many. 

i'll put the rest under a cut so this isn't a longboy on peoples' dashes (do people care about this? i do not know.)

2. too gay to function

So, for the record, none of this was Shoko’s fault. She got dragged into this shit years ago. Not like, ‘kicking and screaming’ dragged - nothing so loud and hysterical. No, she got dragged down slowly but surely - like a poor, low-level gangster with his feet cast into concrete shoes. Drowned by gay bullshit: R.I.P. in peace, Ieiri Shoko.

wow okay so i'm literally already cheating because technically this is the earliest chronological point. but c'mon i had to start with domains.

3. two sorcerers chillin' in a hot tub (five feet apart cause they’re not gay)

Geto Suguru ate his first cursed spirit at the age of five and a half. Curse manipulation was, among other things, not an especially intuitive power. It took a creative, slightly deranged sort of person to look at a warbling mass of cursed viscera and think, ‘Oh, yeah, that looks tasty’. However, as a general rule, five-year-olds are more than willing to put almost anything in their mouths, except green vegetables.

you will see that there is a trend of me starting with a one line 'paragraph' and then a multiline follow up paragraph. i simply like this.

4. the uncertainty principle

Gojo Satoru is sick in the head.

this side piece is an interesting and special one for me. i was talking to a (non-fic) writing friend at the time, particularly about atmosphere, characterization, and introspection. and what i like about that pieces is that, in hitting all of those things - nothing happens. like, actions are not taken, nothing is happening. and yet, it is still a scene that works, and an important piece of the story (very important if you read in sequence, because it is our first look into gojo's pov in the whole story).

popular books but especially BoyFantasy (tm) (i am staring directly at you brandon sanderson) fall into a trap of being so egregiously action driven. once you break out of that, you can build a lot more character depth and tension. (read name of the wind read name of the wind read name-

5. blueshift

To most people, the train out of Shinjuku was a bit louder than usual. To Satoru, it was utterly deafening.

rare case where i feel the summary actually goes harder than the opening line

Gojo Satoru loves in black and white; he suffers in technicolor.

6. string theory

Satoru’s eyes burn. This, in itself, means nothing. Less than nothing, actually, because the combined time that Satoru’s eyes don’t burn is far less, fractionally, than the time that they do. Less than half. Maybe less than a third. Usually, it’s the sun’s fault. You’re not supposed to stare at the sun, obviously, but you’re doubly not supposed to stare at the sun when it burns your retinas in three spectra instead of one. It’s not the sun’s fault this time, though, because he hasn’t been outside in three days - almost four - and the library sconces don’t burn that brightly.

from the start, we can certainly already sense that Something is Wrong With This Man, so that's effective.

7. relativity

‘Just relax, baby,’ Suguru murmurs. Except, he doesn’t. Because Suguru wouldn’t say that - the ‘baby’ thing - and Satoru doesn’t even know if he’d want him to. Because ‘baby’ sounds, like… weird, and girly and stuff. And he’s not a girl, so- Nope, he’s not getting into that tonight.

relativity my beloved

8. gal pals (ongoing)

The train ride to Kyoto goes by in the blink of an eye. Not because it’s pleasant, and not because it’s particularly quick, but because Shoko’s brain isn’t really in good enough shape to fuck with the concept of linear time.

go read about the lesbians, guys. this pride, it's your civic duty to care about the lesbians as much as the gayboys. also when i have the stamina to post about it again... i am telling you folks, i am cooking something here. i am cooking a fucking feast here (admittedly the dessert will be in ch 3 and i need to get through ch 2 without putting an ice pick through my eyeball because i need to write some complex choreo)

but when i get there?

when i get there you will understand why this had to be a side piece, and why i am doing the alternating posting structure with fellas.

despite my recent blah, whenever i think about finally get to post the end of gal pals, i smile. oh. oh. you guys are not prepared, you're simply not prepared.

when i get there.

9. fellas is it gay to be his one and only (ongoing)

AN: Special fangz (get it, coz Im goffik) 2 my gf (ew not in that way) nanami, bloodybread7:3 4 helpin me wif da story and spelling. MCR ROX! Hi my name is Satoru Light’ness Dementia Raven Way and I have short ivory white hair (that’s how I got my name) with purple streaks and red tips that reaches my shoulder and icy blue eyes like limpid tears and a lot of people tell me I look like Anderson Cooper (AN: if u don’t know who he is get da hell out of here!). 

i forgot what the opening line for fellas was because i was thinking about the chronological start of the plot for fellas and not the start of the text, not the greatest writing of my fanfiction career. and the stars aligned so i got to post this on 4/1... i think i had this in the drafts, fully edited ready to go, for maybe 6-8 months before it got posted? i peaked here. i really did.

aaaaaand...

10. ??? (upcoming)

Suguru’s never been a fan of early mornings, but, like most things in his life, they’re a habit he’s tripped and fallen into.

ohhh i'm cheating again i'm cheating again someone call the fanfiction tumblr police i'm cheating again. this is from a WIP (the tropefest WIP I have been oversharing on).

technically the 10th work in FIYM is teeth and tongue, which is fun and if you are interested in my uraume then you should go read it. but it's very tangential to the plot and set in the heian era.

this upcoming work has been a nice, lighthearted full comedy break from some of the heavier FIYM writing (not that I can describe the fanfiction scenes as heavy... yet?). i'm having fun with it. :)

======

Tagging: well i feel like in her post olga stole of ton of people who i would think of tagging and 10 is such a big number, so like always I am going to cop out and say ANYONE WHO WANTS TO WHO IS READING THIS POST.

but of people who i remember are writing things I will tag (and I am re-possessing from olga)

@mildlyannoyedscoundrel-blog @andiftheycare @alpha-hydra @fushiglow @lmskitty

and (beta counts for 5 points i don't make the rules)

@benevolentkitchen (oohhhh you thought you were safe just cuz you've never posted ohhhhh you're not post your wip do it you won't ohhhh)

[brainddeadd]

Ummm mayhaps a request:

In honor of the lovely matching costumes of Matt and Jonathan (srsly had me crying from laughter), perhaps a Halloween party where reader goes as the snowman from Elf and it makes Matt happy

Or idk something along the lines of distracting Matt from the injury he got while they're with the others 🥹

Halloween Party 2024 no. 2

ngl i read this as a baby devil request im so sorry

so this is like some kinda weird ass joint ranger-devils demon party with them not dating

i hope you enjoy even though i royally fucked up

The arena was buzzing with energy as players and staff mingled at the Halloween party. Y/N walked in, beaming in her Snowman costume, complete with a fluffy white outfit, a bright orange carrot nose, and a jaunty top hat perched on her head. She felt cute and ready to enjoy the festivities, blissfully unaware that her costume would soon lead to an unexpected connection.

As she navigated through the throngs of costumed teammates, she caught sight of Matt Rempe and Jonathan Quick across the room. They were an amusing sight: Matt was decked out as Papa Elf, his tall frame enveloped in a cozy red and green outfit, complete with a fuzzy hat and a fake beard. Jonathan, beside him, was the embodiment of Buddy the Elf, with his green and yellow ensemble, complete with a giant smile and an almost contagious enthusiasm.

Y/N couldn’t help but chuckle as she approached them, catching the end of their playful antics. “Hey, you two! What’s with the get-up?” she called out, crossing her arms and pretending to scold them.

Matt turned, and his face lit up with a grin. “Well, if it isn’t the cutest snowman in the room! Jonathan and I thought we’d bring a little holiday cheer to Halloween. What about you? Did you plan to match us?”

“Match? I had no idea you guys were going as elves!” Y/N laughed, looking down at her fluffy costume. “But hey, snowmen and elves make a pretty good team, right?”

“Absolutely!” Jonathan chimed in, doing a little dance. “Snowman, Elf, and even a little Christmas spirit in October—what could go wrong?”

Y/N rolled her eyes playfully, but deep down, she felt a warm flutter at being part of the fun. “I think it’s just a little too early for Christmas cheer, but I’ll take it. You guys look ridiculous!”

“Ridiculously festive, thank you very much,” Matt replied, his voice dripping with mock seriousness. “Now, come join us! We need our snowman to help us spread the holiday joy!”

Y/N joined them, and as they made their way through the party, they turned heads and elicited laughter from their teammates. Jack Hughes, dressed as a superhero, spotted them and raised an eyebrow. “What is this? A holiday movie or a Halloween party?”

“Why not both?” Matt called back, clearly enjoying the attention. “We’re here to bring cheer to the chaos!”

As they approached the snack table, Matt leaned closer to Y/N, a teasing glint in his eye. “You know, Snowman, you really complete our little holiday trio. We could start a new Halloween tradition.”

“Oh yeah? What would that be?” Y/N replied, trying to keep her tone light, though her heart raced a little at the prospect.

“Dressing up as our favorite winter characters and spreading joy wherever we go,” Jonathan added with a grin. “I can see it now: the Snowman, Buddy, and Papa Elf bringing laughter to every party!”

Y/N laughed, feeling a warm blush creep up her cheeks. “I’m not sure I’m ready for that kind of commitment. But I’m definitely down for some festive fun tonight!”

As the three of them grabbed snacks and laughed at the absurdity of their matching costumes, the camaraderie felt easy and natural. Matt leaned over, snagging a cookie off the table while looking at Y/N. “You know, for someone who’s supposed to be a snowman, you’ve got a fiery spirit.”

She raised an eyebrow, a smile tugging at her lips. “Is that your way of saying I’m more like a fire hazard than a snowman?”

“Maybe just a little,” he quipped back, winking.

Just then, the rest of the Devils’ crew, including Jack, Nico, Luke, and Dawson, approached, each of them laughing and shaking their heads at the sight of the trio.

“What a sight!” Jack said, clearly amused. “The snowman with two elves? Didn’t think I’d see that today.”

“Yeah, but we didn’t plan this! It’s all coincidence,” Y/N defended, laughing along with the boys.

“Coincidence or not, you all look like you belong in a Christmas special,” Dawson teased, nudging Matt with his elbow. “And don’t think we’ll let you live it down anytime soon!”

As the playful banter continued, Y/N felt the warmth of friendship enveloping her. The boys’ protective nature shone through as they rallied around her, ensuring she felt included and cherished. Matt's presence was comforting, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that their connection was deepening, even if it was just as friends for now.

As the party carried on, the group moved toward the dance floor, Y/N sandwiched between Matt and Jonathan, feeling the excitement and joy of Halloween, but also the promise of something more on the horizon.

“Alright, let’s show these folks how the Snowman and the Elves can party!” Matt declared, and Y/N couldn’t help but grin widely.

“Let’s do it!” she shouted, ready to embrace the night, the laughter, and whatever came next.

[simpingforstardew]

misty [chapter three]

pairing: sdv harvey x reader

synopsis: harvey has always been a man of routine and order— although just as he begins to tire of his life in pelican town, a new farmer moves to the valley and turns his life around. chapter three.

warnings: poor overworked harvey :(( please enjoy my harvey playlist while you read ♡ (this is crossposted from ao3).

word count: 1.6k

<< last chapter | next chapter >>

The fluorescent lights of the clinic cast a harsh, sterile glow, illuminating the white walls and linoleum floors of Harvey’s small office, casting an unnaturally pale glow over the cluttered desk. The clatter of the doctor’s footsteps on tiled floors echoes through the empty hallways.

Today was supposed to be different. Today was supposed to be his day off.

For the past two weeks, Harvey had been working overtime, sacrificing his days off to update Pravoloxinanone prescriptions, coordinate with healthcare professionals around Ferngill, and arranging appointments for the townsfolk. Turns out that without the distraction of an attractive farmer, the passing work days have been unforgivingly laborious.

He could, in theory, ask Maru to pick up some extra shifts, to stay behind a couple hours more. He knew she was eager to help, but he couldn’t bring himself to burden her further. She had her own responsibilities, attending college lectures online while juggling part-time work at the clinic.

A sudden death rattle of his fax machine shattered the silence, its mechanical whirring cutting through the stillness of the office like a knife— a relentless reminder of the endless stream of tasks demanding his attention.

He glances at the clock on the wall, his tired eyes struggling to focus through the thick lenses of his glasses.

3:30 pm.

Another hour wasted, another day lost to the demands of his job. He sighed wearily, running a hand through his greying hair. Harvey still couldn’t tell if the strands of silver were a testament to his age or his perpetual stress. He didn’t know which answer he would prefer.

He gazed out of his window, watching sparrows gracefully darting through the clear sky above. Dark-eyed juncos, specifically— Junco hyemalis. Harvey’s brief fascination with bird-watching while at University always managed to resurface during moments like this, when searching for an excuse to look away from his work.

The sight stirs something within him, prompting him to break the monotony. Locking himself in his office, Harvey realized, would only consign him to an evening of fatigue. So, he pushes away from his cluttered desk, picking up his green overcoat from the coat rack as he leaves the clinic.

Hurrying down the cobblestone path, Harvey’s mind races with a cacophony of thoughts. He fails to notice you walking his way until it is too late.

You collide with a jolt, and Harvey stumbles backward. The doctor could practically hear his heart pounding in his chest. His dishevelled appearance must have been evident, his fatigue and stress written plainly across his face.

“Oh, shoot, I—,” You panic, rubbing your shoulder bashfully, “I am so sorry, Harvey I-,”

“No, no, It is perfectly fine— I was just, distracted tthinking about a recent article I read about the recent rise of…” His voice trails off, acutely aware of how awkward he must sound, “Whooping… cough.”

“Hm, that doesn’t sound like much fun,” you grimace sympathetically.

“Oh, on the contrary! Pertussis is actually rather fascinating, that reminds me to reach out to Jodi and Shane to see if they can book a vaccination appointment for Vincent and J—”

“You’re doing the thing.” You interrupt, recognising a fellow workaholic when you see one. A kindred spirit.

“What thing? I am not doing a… thing.”

“Sure you are— you’re doing the thing I used to do at my old job,” Your tone gentle but firm. “You grovel and moan over your work, it stresses you out so you take a break, then you realize you’re stuck thinking about the work that was stressing you out!”

“Well, I am a doctor— There is no way for me to not think… I- I have an entire town to look after for Yoba’s sake. ” Harvey retorts defensively.

“Of course, and that’s the problem.”

“That is..?”

In that moment, as you notice the doctor picking as the skin on his fingers, you see the bags under his eyes; the paleness of his skin. You had seen undead creatures in the mines more full of life.

“Who’s looking after you, Harvey?” your voice softens, concern evident in your eyes, “I mean, I don’t want to pry, but I’m not surprised you’re stressed with the weight of the valley on you all the time. But you can’t manage that burden alone. Nobody could.”

“O-Oh, I um—,” Harvey falters, stammering as his defences crumble in the face of your genuine concern, “Appreciate your candour, truly, but you do not need to worry about me. My well-being shouldn’t be any of your…” He huffs, his cheeks flushed.

Despite his larger stature, Harvey’s wide eyes scanning your face anxiously made the man appear small; weak. You ignore the impulse to take his rosy cheeks in your hands, or to clasp his hands to calm his nervous fidgeting.

He clears his throat as his phone rings— a blocky grey mobile, a model you haven’t seen since 2005.

“I- need to take this call, I’m sorry.” He leaves, jogging back to the clinic. As you see him leave, you wonder what exactly he was apologising for.

As you push open the creaky doors of the saloon, the sounds of clinking glasses and laughter wash over you like a warm embrace. The dimly lit room is filled with the scent of aged wood and the tang of whiskey.

“Hey there, stranger!” Sam’s booming voice cuts through the din, drawing the attention of the entire room. His grin is as infectious as ever, and you can’t help but return it as you make your way over to the group by the pool table. Abigail and Sebastian wave you over eagerly, their faces lit up with genuine excitement.

“Hey gang, sorry I got caught up with something,” You drop your backpack on the polished wooden floor as you crash onto the plush sofa next to Abigail.

It’s been years since you’ve all been together like this—no screens or avatars, just flesh and blood friends reconnecting in the real world. You couldn’t help but feel a wave of nostalgia wash over you. Sure, Sebastian is now a little taller, Sam a little more pierced, Abigail a little more muscular. Despite what has changed since you last visited the valley to see your grandfather, the gang was still here. And with the way you all slip into conversation, it’s as if you never left.

As you settle in, taking in the familiar faces and the comforting hum of conversation, Abigail leans in with a mischievous glint in her eye. “So, what’s going on with your love life? It seems like every time we’d chat online, you’d either be lovesick or swearing off romance altogether.”

Your smile falters slightly.

It wasn’t as though you weren’t looking for love— if anything, you consider yourself quite the romantic— but with the chaos of the farm, dating seems out of the question.

“I don’t know, Abs. I’ve come to realise that dying alone is underrated,” You quip with a chuckle, hoping a comedic distraction will satisfy as an answer, “Honestly, the freedom of being single rules, you guys should try it some time.”

“Nahh,” Sam lets out a hearty laugh, flopping down on top of you and Abigail with all the grace of a newborn foal, “We’ve got the dating thing down, shout out to your lonely ass though.”

“Sam!”Abigail gasps incredulously, pushing the blonde off with a huff, though there’s a fondness in her eyes that belies her words, “Don’t be an dick!”

You all share a laugh as Sam looks up from his crumpled position on the floor, his puppy-dog eyes silently pleading for forgiveness.

Sebastian places his drink on a nearby table, sauntering over to the three of you, “Well, (Y/n) if you ever need a wingman, you know where to find me.” He smirks at you before picking up the pool cue resting against the wall.

“Pfft, as if they’d pick you to be their wingman when I’m right here!” Sam stands up, looking frantically between you and Sebastian before dropping dramatically to his knees, “Right, bestie? You’d totally trust me to pick you out a partner!”

Before you can imagine what having the punk as your wingman would entail, the bell above the bar’s front door chimes: Elliot strides through the saloon, exchanging greetings with Emily and Gus before running his fingers through his auburn hair. You wonder what shampoo he uses.

The poet’s eyes scan the room until they land on you. “Ah, apologies for the interruption. Have any of you seen Harvey, perchance? This is the second time he has failed to show…” Elliot’s voice trails off, concern etching lines into his chiselled features.

“Oh, I saw him earlier. He seemed,” Overworked? Exhausted? Close to death? “…busy.”

“Ah, well that certainly sounds like him. If you happen to run into him again, do try to convince him to re-join society.” Elliot laughs, although there is no more humour in his statement as there is truth.

As the author leaves, the conversation in the saloon continues to flow. Despite your best efforts, you couldn’t shake the feeling that you might have overstepped with Harvey earlier— the thought gnaws at you.

You don’t know why you are so worried about him, surely he can look after himself; surely it didn’t matter if he has somebody in his life to look after him. You try not to think about somebody else being there for him. Somebody else holding him at night. Somebody else wiping away his tears.

Instead, you force a smile, joining in the laughter, as your concern for Harvey lingers, a shadow over the otherwise cheerful atmosphere of the saloon.

[pixeldistractions]

content warning: cancer

Colette had sworn off dating forever after her last terrible failure. But the line for coffee today was absurdly long, and having no other idle interests than to browse the faces of desperate men, she opened up her dating app. There was something casually entertaining about swiping left, swiping right. Hot or not, like a game. She didn’t plan to connect with any of them. Lately, this app was only full of college boys. The only mature men were bald with beach balls for bellies. Not that a bald head couldn’t be very attractive on the right man, but these men weren’t attractive at all.

The line was still five people deep, all of them moaning about the places they needed to go. 

Colette’s phone rang. At a glance, it was her mother, and Colette had no desire to answer it. She probably wanted money, or to turn her alliances against her brothers for some unearned sympathy, or maybe even a kidney. Colette wouldn't be surprised if that ask came along someday.

There would be some ask involved in this conversation and Colette didn’t have the spirit for it today. She let the call go to voicemail, but her mother didn’t leave one. She called again. Then she called a third time. 

Nobody calls three times without leaving a voicemail unless there’s something urgent to say. Oh, damn, it was going to be the kidney, wasn't it? And there was no way Colette wanted to have that conversation with her mother in a line full of impatient people with nothing better to do but eavesdrop. 

Colette let out an anguished sigh and gave up her place in line. She found a quiet corner in the lounge and called her mother back. 

“Mom?”

“Colette, there you are. I know it’s been some time, hasn’t it? That's a shame. Family should be more important than that, don't you think? Well, I have some news. It seemed important to tell you. So… I have a little cancer.”

The prickly contempt Colette had reserved for her mother turned into something entirely different—a deep, blank feeling. Cancer. How was she supposed to feel about this? “Uh, you’re dying?”

Loraine barked out a condescending laugh. “Oh, Lord, I hope not! It’s stage one. They say it’s early. I bet you wish I would die.”

Colette shook her head, feeling somewhat relieved and also confused she felt that way. “Why would I care if you die? You don’t have anything to leave me but debt.”

“You’ve always been such a cold cold girl. I won’t go easy, but I will be dead someday, and you’ll be sorry you said that.”

Colette shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not.”

“You kept my grandchildren away from me. You’re really going to hold a grudge for ten years?” 

“I can hold a grudge a lot longer than that! Watch me. Why are you calling? You want money? Your treatments are covered by Medicare. You probably only want more Botox. I need my money more than you need Botox. Jordan left. Again.”

Colette instantly regretted telling her mother that unfortunate truth. Her mother hadn’t earned access to such private disappointments. She braced herself for the judgment that was coming. 

“Well, well. I always told you to pick a better man, my dear.”

That was why Colette didn’t tell her mother things. 

“This is not just about money,” Lorraine said. “I’d like to see the boys.”

“That’s for you, not for them,” Colette said. “What good would you bring to their lives?”

“Can’t it be for me? I could die, you know. You wouldn’t let me see them, even if it was my dying wish?”

“You said you weren’t dying.”

“Well, we’re all dying, aren’t we? I hope it’s not soon, but you never know.”

“That’s not their problem.”

“They don’t have grandparents in their life. I know that. What kind of childhood is it growing up without a grandmother?”

“And they’re doing just fine without.” Colette couldn’t imagine what kind of grandmother her mother would be. Would she dote on them for split seconds before turning on a dime when they didn’t suit her ego anymore? Colette didn’t want her boys to know that heartbreak. They already had a fickle father to deal with. 

“Colette, don’t make me beg.”

“Ha, you wouldn’t beg. I might like to hear it though. Go on.”

The line was silent for a few moments. Colette got her hopes up. 

“You always had to have it your way, didn’t you? There’s an emotional aspect to fighting a disease like this. You’re putting stress on my heart. You think on that, and let me know when you’ve changed your mind.”

*click*

Colette thought her boys were worth begging for, after everything. But her mother didn’t beg. She didn't even say "please." Colette felt stupid that she actually hoped she might.

— boxes and squares #5.3: hindsight is a bitch, part 7/10

next -> // 5.3 start // index

[chaosherald]

Rook Appreciation Week

Day 1 - Aldwir

An Adventure Serial in Which Everything is Exactly as it Seems (Part 1 of 7)

(Thank you @rookappreciationweek for hosting!)

And who do you think you are? The role of ‘hero’ fell into your lap, I see. A poorly wrapped gift no one else wanted. The weight of it all is already crushing you, just like the morals you cling to have strangled the spiritual potential you carry. No matter. I will take it from you - the weight, your power - I will show you what you could have been.

Arlathan Forest felt like home.

Even now, as Rook Aldwir – mage, elf, Veil Jumper, and ever likely to be the epicenter of trouble – skidded down the tree covered hillside, pursued by several gleaming magical constructs intent on her destruction, she couldn’t help but be glad her path had led her here.

She hadn’t always had a home. Foundling, runaway. That felt important. But this was the home she had sought, the home that welcomed her, even when gravity didn’t always work and time sped up or slowed down and waterfalls froze in summer and rocks floated and old elven constructs tried to kill you.

“Rook!” a voice called, from somewhere near the bottom of the hill.

“Bellara! Incoming! At least three guardians behind me!”

Rook didn’t stop to look behind her or confirm Bellara’s response. Careening down the hill without hitting a tree or breaking something important had the entirety of her focus. She did feel the static zip of Bellara’s magic shooting past her, and caught sight of more mundane projectiles on the periphery of her vision. Good. The scouting party had found them. By the time she was at Bellara’s side, hands on her thighs as she bent over and tried to catch her breath, her fellow veil jumpers had dealt with the pursuers. 

That was good. It felt nice to just stand still for a moment and not have anything trying to kill her. As nice as the wind in her hair and the sun on her back and the grass between her toes.

Huh. Why were her shoes off? Lab safety training had firmly entrenched the need to keep yourself as covered as possible when working. Solid shoes would at least give your toes a chance against an acid spill.

“Rook,” Bellara said, snapping Rook’s attention back to her. “Are you alright? Did you find the source of the anomalies?” 

Rook straightened up, grinning at her friend. “Yep. Artifact in the ruins at the top of the hill. Seems to be acting up, but I’m sure we can handle it.”

Bellara glanced at the scouting party, checking her bow. “Any other guardians or did you lure them all down the hill?”

“You know me. Why attract a portion of trouble when I can attract it all?”

“Oh, Good! Then we’ll go up by ourselves. That way if the artifact explodes, everyone else should be outside the blast radius.”

The climb back up the hill seemed less arduous than Rook would have thought. Blink and they were up there fast, standing on the edge of a curved stone wall with a pulsing orb of light shining within its shadow.

The glowing artifact was made of interlocking metal circles, spinning around and through each other, a tidy choreographed dance set in motion ages ago.

Bellara rocked between her heels and her toes. “Ooo, this one looks fun. I assume you're alright keeping watch while I do the thing?”

Rook wrinkled her nose. “You hit an artifact with a rock one time…”

Bellara laughed, turning her attention back to the artifact.

You shouldn't be here.

Rook looked around, frowning.

But if you insist on being a nuisance - ask the artificer about the Nadas Dirthalen.

“Hey, Bellara,” said Rook.

Bellara looked over from where she was unraveling the energies around the artifact. “Do you need something, Rook?”

“I’m supposed to ask you about the Nadas Dirthalen,” Rook said slowly.

“The…oh, the Nadas Dirthalen. The archive spirit. Cyrian always wanted to - “ Bellara stopped, stiffening and looking at Rook with wide eyes. “Wait.”

Rook looked around, wondering what had Bellara so agitated. The forest was as quiet as it ever got. The magic around them felt normal: still and anticipatory, like an old friend screaming out a warning.

Wait.

Bellara nodded, seeing something on Rook’s face. “Something’s wrong. You feel it too, don’t you?” 

“I’m not sure. For a moment, I thought I sensed something but…”

Bellara grabbed her shoulders. “No. No, Rook, this isn’t right. You aren’t supposed to be here, I’m not supposed to be here. I think that - “

Ah. Well, it was worth a try. Don’t worry, hero. You won’t remember any of this.

TBC.

(Also, counting this as my WIP/last line written post as tagged by @kabsey and @blackwall-my-tiny-husband. I am more or less writing this as I go this week - parts 2-7 are mostly outlines right now. Approaching this as a challenge. Time to live dangerously. Like Rook. And get writing. 😂)