#I need to relive Saturday all over again

[blaesus]

so much has happened to me which has contributed to my absence and inactivity but one thing is that I managed to tick something off my bucket list, to finally see Coldplay live. I still don’t think I’ve recovered and I don’t think I’m alive but… yeah that’s the highlight of my life.

[rafesbabygirlx]

Time Loop

Masterlist

Rafe x Reader

Summary: Rafe finds himself caught in a time loop, reliving the same disastrous 2 days when everything goes wrong. He must figure out how to break the cycle by changing his choices, leading to new insights into his relationship, motives, and a self-realization.

A/N: might be a little delusional from school but I rewatched Happy Death Day on Halloween and had this idea written down. Read this over 100x and I’m pretty sure I follow through. Enjoy :)

Word count: 3k

Warnings: angst, smut at the end

Rafe’s relationship with you was a storm of highs and lows. When other couples argued over trivial things—what to eat, misplaced items, or being late—your conflicts with Rafe were on a different level. They revolved around coke, cheating, and his relentless need to please his father.

Rafe’s habit of disappearing for “errands” tied to his dad’s business, his unapologetic flirting at parties, and the lines of cocaine that constantly blurred his reality had worn you down. Three years together, and it had only gotten worse. His betrayals were countless, yet somehow, you both stayed. Amid the chaos, there was a twisted comfort that kept you to each other.

Loop 1. It was a Saturday, and Rafe was at Kelce’s party. He hadn’t responded to your texts or calls all day. Sitting in his usual spot, hunched over the coffee table with white powder all over it, he looked oblivious to everything except the high. You arrived reluctantly, dragged by your friends who insisted you shouldn’t stay home alone, overthinking. You told yourself you’d stay hidden, avoid Rafe, and just get through the night.

You led your friends to the kitchen and grabbed drinks, steering them out to the pool where Rafe rarely went. Hours passed, with each of you taking turns fetching refills. When your turn came, the kitchen was crowded, so you slipped into the living room instead. And that’s when it happened. Your eyes locked with Rafe’s across the room. A blonde was straddling his lap, pressing kisses down his neck while he smirked at you, a cold and taunting expression. Something in you snapped. Without thinking, you threw the remains of your drink at them and stormed out before he could react.

The next morning, Rafe woke up in one of Kelce’s guest rooms, head pounding and eyes squinting against the sunlight. He reached for his phone, seeing a flurry of messages from you.

You 1:46 AM – FUCK YOU, RAFE CAMERON. You never deserved me.

You 1:55 AM – I hope you snort yourself to death, you asshole. Enjoy your coke while you can.

You 2:04 AM – YOU WILL NEVER SEE ME AGAIN. I HATE YOU.

You 2:06 AM – WE’RE THROUGH. ROT IN HELL.

He groaned, a mix of regret and anger simmering beneath his hangover. He needed to talk to you. You always went to brunch at the club on Sundays, so he threw on some borrowed clothes and headed there.

There you were, sitting on the patio with your friends, your hair catching in the breeze, looking radiant and untouchable. It hit him how much he had messed up. He approached cautiously. “Hey, can we talk? Please?”

You didn’t acknowledge him, eyes focused ahead. “Please, Y/N. I need to talk to you.” You turned to him sharply. “We have NOTHING to talk about. You’re not my problem anymore, Rafe.” His jaw clenched, ego a bit strained, anger bubbling up. He rolled his eyes. “You think I wanted to be tied down with you? Always breathing down my neck? That’s probably why I cheated. I needed a break from you.” He didn’t mean it.

The lie hung between you like a knife. Your voice was icy. “You’re such a piece of shit,” you said, louder than you intended. “What was that, angel? Say it again,” he goaded. You stood up, refusing to back down despite his height. “You’re a piece of shit, Rafe Cameron. A slut, a drug addict, and a failure who will never be good enough for your father.”

The entire patio fell silent. The slap came without warning, sharp and loud, leaving him stunned. You threw down cash for the bill and walked out, your friends hurrying after you. Humiliated and seething, Rafe’s pride took over. As he left, he spotted your car. Without a second thought, he grabbed a rock and smashed the windshield, then slashed three of the tires. Adrenaline pumping, he sped off to Barry’s place and spent the rest of the day numbing himself with beer and more lines of coke. By nightfall, he was a mess, barely coherent, when he picked up his phone and typed:

Rafe 7:32 PM – baby pls I mis u dont do thiss to mee, ur al I want

Rafe 7:38 PM – bby

Rafe 7:39 PM – bbay

Rafe 7:40 PM – pls I ned you answr me

Finally, your response came, slicing through his fog.

You 7:50 PM – You should’ve thought of that before you were a complete shit boyfriend. Before you chose drugs over me, your dad over me, other girls over me.

You 7:53 PM – AND BEFORE YOU DESTROYED MY CAR, ASSHOLE.

Rafe’s rage erupted, and he hurled his phone, shattering it on the floor. “SHIT!” Barry jolted awake. “Damn, country club. What’s your problem?” He throws his crushed phone back at him. “Nothing,” Rafe muttered, tossing cash down before leaving. He considered going to your house but decided to sleep it off and try again tomorrow.

Loop 2. The next day, he woke up at noon, head heavy, stomach in knots. His phone, perfectly intact, rested on the nightstand. The date read Saturday. Confused, he checked his messages—none of what he remembered existed. Before he could think too hard, Ward barged in, ordering him to get dressed and join him on errands.

The day felt like a warped replay. He ignored your incoming texts, but told Kelce he’d be at the party, and numbly followed the script. That night, as he sat at Kelce’s, a girl climbed onto his lap, and he froze. Between the drugs, and the shock of realizing what’s happening he just sits there. She straddles his lap, grinding down onto him and kisses his neck. He looks up and sees you and gets instant deja vu. You appeared at the door, eyes wide with betrayal. Just like before, you stormed out after throwing your drink. He threw the girl off of him and tried to reach you but you slipped through the crowd before he could. He couldn’t believe what was happening. This is exactly what happened in his dream. At least he thinks it was a dream.

With the drugs and what just happened he feels like he’s loosing his mind. He heads upstairs and passes out on the guest bed. Not surprising when he wakes up to see you sent the same text messages again. He doesn’t know what to do. But he repeats the same process. Finding you at the club, trying to talk to you, you embarrassing and leaving him standing there. He walks out to the parking to see your car but he doesn’t touch it this time. Panic crept into his mind, a distressing realization that something was wrong. At Barry’s later, he tested his theory. “Hey, did I come here already?” he asked. Barry squinted. “Yesterday to pick up some for the party, you good man?” Rafe’s stomach dropped. The night had repeated itself. He left, pacing in his room later, mind racing. Glancing at his phone, he stomped it underfoot, shattering it again.

Loop 3. Rafe woke up with a migraine, instinctively grabbing his phone. The screen glowed brightly, not a single scratch, displaying the day: Saturday. His heart sank as a familiar wave of confusion washed over him. Everything was playing out exactly as it had before. The knock on the door was immediate, and soon enough, his father burst in, barking orders. His phone buzzed throughout the day incessantly with your texts, followed by Kelce’s message about the party and a request to score some coke. Rafe felt a nauseating sense of deja vu again, an unsettling lightheadedness clinging to him throughout the day.

At Barry’s place, Rafe pocketed a bag of coke, glancing nervously at the dealer, who was lounging with a cigarette. Barry was the only person who might not think he was entirely out of his mind. “I gotta ask you something,” Rafe blurted out. Barry raised an eyebrow, blowing out a cloud of smoke. “If it’s a favor, I’m not doing it.” Rafe sat down across from him, trying to still the tremor in his hands. “No, it’s not a favor. Do you ever feel like you’re stuck in a loop? Like, the same thing playing over and over again?”

Barry’s eyes narrowed. “What the hell are you talking about, Country Club?” Rafe rubbed his face, feeling his pulse race. “I’m serious. It’s like I’ve lived the same two days over and over for nearly a week now. I don’t know what’s going on, but it’s real. I can’t shake it.” Barry snorted, a half-laugh slipping through. “Man, lay off the coke for a while. It’s messing with your head.”

At Kelce’s party, Rafe felt the buzz of anticipation crackling around him. He sat in his usual spot, beer in hand, taking only a small line of coke, half-dreading and half-expecting what came next. Just as he suspected, the blonde girl approached, eyes glinting with interest. His heart raced; it was happening again. He let her sit beside him, testing the reality of the loop. Just then, he spotted you entering the room, and the recognition in your eyes shifted to anger. You threw your drink, and before you could walk away, Rafe caught your arm.

“Baby, please,” he said, voice trembling with urgency. “I need to talk to you. It’s important.” Your eyes flashed with hurt and rage. “Oh, now it’s important? Not when I called or texted you all day? Not when you’re so high you fuck anything that breaths and forget I exist? Now, suddenly, it’s important?”

Rafe pulled you into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him as the noise of the party dulled. “I know this sounds crazy, but I’m not high. I knew everything that was going to happen today. I had to make sure I wasn’t still dreaming. Please trust me. I love you.” Your expression hardened, eyes glistening. “You don’t love me, Rafe. You’re not making any sense. You sound insane. I’m leaving. We’re done. Officially, done.”

He reached for you, desperation turning his voice raw. But you pushed him away, tears streaming as you walked out. Rafe stood frozen, guilt and helplessness clawing at him. For the first time, he left the party nearly sober, trudging up to Kelce’s guest room. He threw himself face-first onto the bed,

The next morning, Rafe bolted upright and glanced at his phone. Sunday. Again. He quickly dressed and drove straight to the club, determination hardening his features. Before you could brush him off, he dropped to his knees by your table, ignoring the looks of your friends and the other members

“Please,” he begged. “I know I look crazy, but you have to hear me out.” You stood up and motioned for him to follow you out to the golf course, away from prying eyes.

“About what I said last night,” Rafe continued, breathless, “it wasn’t just rambling. The party—it’s happened three times. I’m living the same 2 days over and over. I get up, do stuff for my dad, get to the party, you find me, we break up, I come find you hear, there’s no resolve, I go to bed Sunday night and when I wake up it’s Saturday again. I don’t know why, but I’m losing you each time, and I can’t take it anymore.”

You crossed your arms, a wall of hurt and skepticism. “You expect me to believe that? After three years of lies and betrayal, you think I’ll buy into some theory about time loops all of the sudden? No, Rafe. I’ve had enough.”

He reached for your shoulders, his voice breaking while he smacks his cheek. “Look at me. I’m sober, I’m awake, and I’m telling you the truth. Something isn’t right, and I can’t let you walk away.”

Your eyes softened for a moment, but you shook your head, stepping back. “I can’t do this.” And with that, you turned and left him standing on the empty fairway, the early morning light casting long shadows. Rafe stood there, piecing together the pattern. The loop was about you. It was punishment, a reckoning for the way he’d taken you for granted. Each version of the day confirmed that losing you was the universe’s way of making him face the consequences. But if he had this chance, he’d use it. That night, he skipped Barry’s and stayed in his room, scribbling notes and plans, willing himself to break the cycle.

Loop 4. Rafe woke up early, it’s Saturday… again. His heart thumping as he texted you before you could reach out first. He asked if you’d meet him at the dock, the place where you’d had your first date. When you agreed, a rare glimmer of hope sparked inside him. When you arrived, he stood and hugged you tightly, pressing kisses to your forehead. You pulled back, a puzzled smile playing on your lips. “What’s all this for?”

“I just love you,” Rafe said, voice steadier than it had been in ‘days’. “Please, sit. I need to talk to you.” You settled on the blanket, accepting your favorite snack he handed you. “So, talk.” He took a breath, the weight of three years and three repeated days pressing down on him. “I know this will sound insane, but hear me out. I’ve been in this loop—like, I’ve woken up on the same Saturday, again and again. Every day, the same mistakes. Ignoring you, getting high, letting someone else come between us, and you leaving. When I go to bed Sunday night, k wake up and it’s Saturday again.It’s the worst pain I’ve ever felt, and I can’t lose you again. I need you to believe me. I don’t want anything to be the same. I want to change for you. Maybe it’s just a dream. But it feels so real, I can’t shake it. I can’t lose you.”

You studied his face, eyes searching for any hint of deceit. Then, cautiously, you placed your palm on his forehead, half-joking. “You’re right. You do sound crazy. But you’ve never promised to change before. That’s… something.” A sad, hopeful smile tugged at Rafe’s lips. “I mean it. I’ll do anything. I’ll go to rehab, give up the coke, anything. I just want you.”

Your lips curved into a small smile, and you leaned in, kissing him gently. “Come on,” you said, pulling him up by the hand. “My parents aren’t home. Let’s go somewhere we can really talk.”

Back at your house, you sat on your bed, facing him. “You know how much I love you, Rafe. But how much do you really love me? These past three years have been exhausting. I’m tired of giving and getting nothing in return.” “I love you more than anything. I’m sorry it took something this insane to make me realize how much I need you. I want to make up for all the time I wasted. I promise.”

You brushed your thumb along his cheek, turning his face to yours. “Then prove it. Promise me again.” You leaned in, and he whispered between kisses, “I… promise.” He lays you down on the bed, resting in between your legs. You grip his shirt trying to get it off. He sits up pulling it off and you mimic him pulling off yours. He reaches your lips again and you both fumble with each other’s pants. When you finally get each other’s clothes off, he lifts you up into the center of the bed. Kissing his way back down to lean in front of you. Leaving kisses on your inner thighs making his way to your clit. Just the simple kiss has your back arching. Rafe is never this gentle with you. It’s usually quick fucks or rough. Never soft or intimate so you make sure to take in everything. He takes his time. Making sure he tastes every bit of you. He keeps going and your back lifts off the more and more until a wave of relief washes over you. Rafe doesn’t stop until you’re back on the bed and your grip of his hair loosens a bit. He cleans up what’s left and makes his way back to you, leaving behind a trail of kisses.

He stops for a second just to stare at you. Wondering how he got so lucky to have someone as beautiful as you and how he just managed to fuck it up and take advantage of all that beauty and love. You stare back at him wondering if he’s serious, but you’re so in love with him that if he is you’ll be there every step of the way. You grab the back of his head and pull him back in to continue kissing him. Your other hand reaches in between you to line him up and you nudge him to push in by wrapping your legs around his waist. He slowly enters you, savoring each second. He moves instantly but the thrusts are different. They’re strategic and careful. You let out moans and he moves to the crook of your neck kissing it softly. He keeps these movements the entire time. You both climax at the same time and he goes to move but you hold him against you.

“You swear promise?” You ask while rubbing his back. “I promise, every bit of it. The both of you lay in bed for the rest of the day and when nightfall comes you fall asleep in each other’s arms. When Rafe is woken up by the light peaking in from the morning sunrise. He checks his phone instantly it’s Sunday. He panics a little but then he notices the weight on him. It’s you, lying on his chest. He lets out a sigh of relief realizing the cycle was broken, he’s back in reality. He pulls you in close giving you a kiss on the top of the head.

[aceyalonso]

viii - i could see you being my addiction

chapter summary : where you and oscar finally talk it out after each other for a whole day, and may or may not have fucked it out too

alternative summary : oscar proves how much he loves y/n (in more ways that just confessing)

warnings : swearing, smoking, smut, unprotected sex (always use a condom guys!), oral (fem!receiving), the TINIEST bit of overstimulation

word count : 8.8k

a/n : wow they finally fuck

song : i can see you - taylor swift

Friday, 10:41 PM

Y/n spends the rest of the evening trying to distract herself from her thoughts and feelings. She watches movies on her laptop, trying to immerse herself in different worlds and stories. But no matter how engaging the film is, her mind keeps wandering back to Oscar.

She can’t help but replay the events of the day in her mind, especially the kiss they shared. She finds herself getting lost in memories of his lips on hers, his hands on her arms, the possessive look in his eyes. She tries to shake the memories away, but they stubbornly persist.

As the hours pass, Y/n starts to feel tired from the emotional rollercoaster of the day. But despite her tiredness, she finds it hard to fall asleep. Her mind continues to race with thoughts of Oscar, and she can’t seem to quiet her emotions or her body’s reaction to his memory.

She tosses and turns in her bed, feeling a mixture of frustration and desire. She knows that she needs to talk to Oscar and clear the air between them, but she’s not sure how to approach the subject. She’s afraid of his reaction, and she doesn’t want to make things more complicated than they already are.

Saturday, 1:33 AM

Eventually, after hours of tossing and turning, Y/n manages to calm herself down enough to drift off to sleep. But her sleep is restless and uneasy, plagued by dreams of Oscar and their complicated situation.

In her dreams, Y/n relives the kiss over and over again, feeling all the intensity and desire of the moment. She sees Oscar’s possessive expression, feels his hands on her arms, his body pressing against hers. The dreams are both thrilling and overwhelming, leaving her feeling more confused and conflicted than ever.

As the night progresses, the dreams become more intense and vivid. Y/n finds herself waking up every so often, feeling a sense of longing and need that she can’t explain. Despite her tumultuous thoughts and emotions, she eventually falls into a deeper sleep, her mind and body exhausted.

Saturday, 7:29 AM

When she finally wakes up the next morning, Y/n feels groggy and disoriented. She sits up in her bed, squinting against the sunlight streaming in through the window. As she slowly comes to her senses, she’s hit with a wave of recollection of the previous events - the party, the fight, the kiss, and her restless dreams all rush back to her.

Y/n drags herself out of bed and shuffling into her bathroom. She turns on the faucet and splashes water onto her face, trying to wake herself up and shake off the grogginess from her restless night. She looks at her reflection in the mirror, noticing the dark circles under her eyes and the weary expression on her face.

She runs her fingers through her hair, trying to smooth out the tangles and messy strands. As she looks at her reflection, she can’t help but feel a sense of trepidation about what the day will bring. She knows she’ll have to face Oscar and deal with their unresolved feelings, and the thought makes her stomach flutter with anxiety.

Despite her nerves, Y/n takes a deep breath and tries to psych herself up for the day ahead. She turns off the faucet and grabs a towel to dry her face. She knows she can’t avoid Oscar forever, no matter how much she wants to. She will have to talk to him sooner or later, and she needs to gather her thoughts and prepare herself for the conversation.

Y/n exits the bathroom, feeling a little more awake and composed. She walks back to her bed and sits down on the edge, taking a moment to gather her thoughts. She knows that she needs to face the day and all the challenges it will bring, but she can’t help feeling apprehensive about her inevitable encounter with Oscar.

As she sits there on the edge of her bed, Y/n takes a few deep breaths to calm her nerves. She tells herself that she can handle this, that she can face Oscar and talk to him like a mature adult. She knows that it won’t be easy, but she’s determined to get to the bottom of their feelings and figure out where they stand.

Y/n stands up from the bed, feeling a sense of determination overtake her anxiety. She knows that she can’t hide away in her room all day, no matter how tempting it may be. She takes one last deep breath and opens the door, stepping out into the hallway.

Y/n steps out into the hallway, she hears voices coming from downstairs. She figures her parents must be up and about, no surprise there. She slowly descends the stairs, feeling a mixture of anticipation and dread as she approaches the kitchen.

As she enters the kitchen, she sees her parents sitting at the breakfast table, drinking coffee and chit-chatting. They look up as she enters, giving her a smile and a nod. "Good morning," her mom greets her. "Sleep well?"

Y/n forces a smile, trying to seem normal and composed. "Yeah, I slept okay," she replies, sitting down at the table. Her mind is still preoccupied with thoughts of Oscar and their situation, but she tries to hide it from her parents.

Her mom looks closely at her, noticing the dark circles under her eyes. "You look tired," she remarks. "Are you sure you slept okay?"

Y/n nods, trying to dismiss her mom’s concern. "I’m fine, just had a tough night sleeping," she says, feigning a casual tone.

Her dad looks at her, a hint of suspicion in his eyes. "You sure there’s nothing going on that’s bothering you?" he asks, peering at her over his mug.

Y/n tries to keep up her air of nonchalance, not wanting to reveal any details about her situation with Oscar. "No, everything’s fine," she says, forcing a smile. "Just had a lot on my mind, that’s all."

Her parents exchange a glance, not fully convinced by her answer. But they don’t press the issue, knowing that Y/n can be closed off when she wants to be. They continue to talk amongst themselves, and Y/n tries to focus on her breakfast, but her mind keeps wandering to Oscar.

As she eats, she finds herself wondering what Oscar is doing at that moment. Is he up yet? Is he thinking about her? Is he as confused and conflicted as she is? She has a million questions and no answers, and it’s driving her crazy.

Oscar

I lie in my bed, staring at the ceiling and lost in thought. The events of the previous day play on repeat in my mind, and I can't shake the memory of the kiss I shared with her. Her taste, her touch, the way she looked at me afterwards - It's all I can think about.

I toss and turn in my bed, trying to get comfortable. My body is restless, and my mind is racing with emotions I can't quite understand. I feel conflicted and torn, knowing I have I feelings for Y/n but I'm unsure of what to do about them.

I look at the clock on the wall, seeing that it's still early in the morning. I know I should get up and start my day, but I can't seem to find the motivation to move. My thoughts are consumed by Y/n, and nothing else.

I think about the fight we had after the party, and how my jealousy got the best of me. I know I acted like a jerk, but I couldn't stand the sight of seeing Y/n with another guy. I don't understand why I feel so possessive and protective of her, but I can't ignore the emotions stirring up inside me.

He groans and sits up in his bed, running his hands through his hair. He knows he can’t stay in bed all day, no matter how much he wants to. He has responsibilities and things to do, but he can’t bring himself to care about them right now. All he can think about is Y/n.

Oscar contemplates getting up and going for a run, but even that doesn’t have appeal to him. He just wants to lay in bed and wallow in his thoughts. But he knows that won’t solve anything, so he forces himself to get up and head to the bathroom to take a shower.

The water runs over his body, and he hopes it will wash away some of his restless thoughts. But as he stands there under the spray, his mind automatically drifts back to Y/n and the kiss. The memory of her body against his, her lips on his, is all he can think about.

He sighs, frustrated by his inability to clear his mind. He tries to focus on the simple tasks of washing and rinsing his body, but his mind keeps wandering. He knows he needs to talk to Y’n and figure out what’s going on between them, but he’s scared.

He shuts off the water and steps out of the shower, grabbing a towel to dry off. He looks at his reflection in the mirror, noticing the tension in his features. He knows he needs to face Y/n, but he doesn’t know how to start the conversation.

He dresses himself, trying to ignore the way his stomach is still tangled up in knots. He doesn’t know what to expect when he sees Y/n again, and that uncertainty is making him feel anxious and on edge.

Oscar makes his way downstairs, his mind still preoccupied with thoughts of Y/n. He enters the kitchen and spots her at the breakfast table with her parents. He stands there for a moment, watching her unnoticed.

He takes a moment to look at her, taking in her tired yet beautiful face. He can see the dark circles under her eyes, and he wonders if she didn't sleep well either. He feels a pang of guilt for the part he played in her sleepless night.

He clears his throat to announce his presence, and Y/n looks up at him. Their eyes meet, and for a moment, they just stare at each other in silence. The air between them is thick with tension and unspoken words.

Her parents look between them, noticing the awkward vibe and sensing that something is off. "Good morning, Oscar," her dad greets, breaking the silence.

"Good morning," Oscar responds instinctively, but his eyes are still locked onto Y/n. His heart is beating loudly in his chest, and he can feel his palms starting to sweat.

Y/n shifts in her seat, avoiding his gaze. She feels uneasy and awkward, not knowing what to say to him. The memory of their kiss still hangs heavy in her and his presence makes it all feel more real.

There's a moment of uncomfortable silence between the two of them, and Oscar can feel the tension grow with each passing second. He wants to say something, anything, but the words just wont come out. He knows he needs to talk to Y/n, alone, without her parents around

After what feels like an eternity, Y/n's mom breaks the tension by asking if he wants to join them for breakfast. "There's plenty of food," she offers, gesturing to the table.

Oscar hesitates for a moment, looking at Y/n, who still won't meet his gaze. He's torn between wanting to stay and talk to her privately and not wanting to make the situation even more awkward in front of her parents.

Before he can make a decision, Y/n stands up abruptly. "I'm not that hungry," she mutters, pushing her chair back. "I'm gonna go lay down for a bit."

Her parents look at her in surprise, not expecting her to cut breakfast short so abruptly. They exchange a concerned look before turning their attention back to Oscar. "Is everything okay?" her dad asks, directing the question to him.

Oscar feels caught off guard, and he stutters for a moment before responding. "Huh? Oh, yeah, everything's fine," he lies, trying to sound casual. He can tell her parents are sensing the tension between them, but he's not willing to share the details with them.

Oscar feels trapped. He can't explain to her parents what's going on, but he also can't dismiss their concern entirely. "We just had a little misunderstanding," he says vaguely, trying to deflect their suspicions.

Her mom looks at him skeptically, still not fully convinced. "But everything's okay now, right?" she asks, concern etched on her face.

Oscar nods, trying to sound reassuring. "Yeah, everything's fine. We'll work it out." He stands there awkwardly, not sure what else to say or how to end this conversation without raising more suspicions.

Y/n stands by the stairs, listening intently to the conversation between her parents and Oscar. She feels a mix of relief and disappointment when Oscar says that everything is fine. She knows he's lying, and she can tell that her parents are skeptical too. She listens as they continue to chat, feeling more and more frustrated and confused. But soon, the conversation comes to an end and she quickly makes her way up the stairs and into her bedroom.

She closes the door and locks it behind her, sighing heavily. She can't believe that Oscar would lie to her parents like that, and she's frustrated that he refuses to talk to her about their situation. She paces around her room, feeling restless and agitated.

She wants to confront him, to demand answers and clarity. But she doesn't know how to approach him without making things even more awkward. She's also afraid of what he might say or how he might react. She sits down on her bed, still feeling exhausted and emotional, and she buries her face in her hands.

Her mind is racing with thoughts and questions. What does he really feel for her? Why did he kiss her if he's just going to act like nothing happened? Why won't he talk to her and figure things out? She feels frustrated and hopeless, not knowing how to move forward.

For a while, she just sits there, lost in thought and emotion. She feels torn between wanting to talk to him and avoiding him altogether. She doesn’t know how to handle the situation or what to do next. She feels stuck and overwhelmed, not knowing which way to turn.

As she continues to sit there, she hears footsteps outside her bedroom. She freezes, her heart racing. Is it Oscar? Is he coming to talk to her? She waits anxiously, listening intently for any sound that might indicate what's happening on the other of the door.

But nothing happens. The footsteps fade away and all is quiet again. Y/n feels a mixture of relief and disappointment. She's relieved that she didn't have to face him just yet, but she's also disappointed that he didn't come to talk. She's torn between wanting him to talk and wanting him to stay away.

She looks around her room, feeling a sense of restlessness and agitation, She can't sit still, and can't shake the thoughts and emotions swirling in her mind. She gets up from her bed and paces around the room, feeling like a caged animal.

Y/n, feeling frustrated and overwhelmed, decides that she needs to do something to relax herself. She decides to take a bubble bath, hoping that the warm water and soothing scent of the bubbles will help clear her mind. She goes to her bathroom and starts filling up the tub with warm water.

As the tub fills up, she adds a generous amount of bubble batch solution, watching as the water turns into a milky, frothy mixture. She tests the water with her fingertips, making sure it's not too hot or too cold.

Y/n takes off her bathrobe and carefully steps into the tub. The warm water envelops her body and she lets out a sigh of relief. The smell of the bubble bath fills her nostrils and she feels a sense of comfort wash over her.

She closes her eyes and leans back against the tub, letting the water and bubbles work their magic. The sound of the water and the scent of the bubble bath begin to soothe her mind and calm her emotions.

She spends some time just soaking in the bath, enjoying the feeling of the water on her skin and the peace it brings her. The stress and tension start to melt away, and she feels her body and mind slowly relaxing.

She spends the next several minutes just relaxing in the tub, letting the warm water and soothing scents wash away her frustration and worry. She takes deep breaths, inhaling the scent of the bubble bath, and feels herself start to let go of the negative emotions that have been weighing her down.

Gradually, her body and mind start to feel lighter and more relaxed. The tension in her muscles begins to ease, and her mind feels less chaotic. She starts to feel drowsy, and her thoughts begin to slow.

She lets herself sink down into the water, immersing herself in the warm, soothing embrace of the tub. She starts to feel like she’s floating, her thoughts drifting away with each moment of relaxation.

She just lies there, floating in the tub, feeling completely at ease. The water surrounds her and the bubbles encase her, enveloping her in a warm, comforting embrace. Her mind is blissfully empty, and she feels like she could just stay here forever.

After a while, Y/n feels like she's been in the tub for quite some time. She's feeling relaxed and refreshed, but she can tell that the water is starting to cool down. She also knows that she can't stay in the tub forever. With a sigh, decides that it's time to get out.

She sits up in the tub, feeling the water and bubbles slide off her body. She takes a moment to gather her bearings, feeling a momentary dizziness from sitting in the hot water for so long. She stands up, feeling a bit unsteady on her legs, and steps out of the tub.

She grabs a towel from the towel rack and wraps it around herself, feeling the warmth of the fabric against her skin. She feels a bit cold as she's no longer surrounded by water, and she shivers slightly from the sudden change in temperature.

Y/n dries herself off, feeling the towel soak up the water that still clung to her skin. She feels a sense of comfort and cleanliness, knowing that she's taken the time to pamper herself and relax.

She then looks at her reflection in the mirror, taking in her relaxed and refreshed appearance. She notices that the dark circles around her eyes have faded slightly, and she looks less tired and more rejuvenated.

After getting out of the tub and drying off, Y/n heads back to her bedroom and changes into a fresh pair of clothes. She selects something comfortable and casual, still feeling relaxed and refreshed from her bubble bath. As she gets dressed, she can feel her body and mind feeling more rested and at ease.

Y/n turns on her laptop and opens up a movie-streaming website. After scrolling through the selection for a bit, she picks out a movie that looks interesting, something lighthearted and entertaining. She settles onto her bed, propping up a pillow behind her back, and starts playing the movie.

yn.jpg • Just Now Sixpence None The Richer • Kiss Me

Y/n watches the movie intently, invested in the characters and storyline. By the time the movie ends, she feels like she’s been transported into another world, feeling a sense of satisfaction and immersion. As the credits roll, she stretches her limbs and turns off the laptop, feeling satisfied and entertained.

She looks at the clock on her bedside table and realizes that it’s already lunchtime. She feels a pang of hunger and decides that it’s time to head downstairs for lunch. She gets off her bed and stretches once more, feeling rejuvenated and relaxed after her bubble bath and movie.

She heads out of her room and down the stairs, making her way to the kitchen where her family is likely to be gathering for lunch. As she reaches the bottom of the stairs, she can already hear the sounds of her family talking and moving around in the kitchen.

She makes her way into the kitchen and sees her family setting the table and preparing lunch. Her parents wave at her and gesture for her to sit down. "Just in time for lunch," her dad says with a smile.

Y/n looks around the room and realizes that Oscar is nowhere to be seen. She feels a pang of disappointment and anxiety, wondering where he is and why he hasn’t come down for lunch.

She takes a seat at the table, trying to act casual and nonchalant, despite the fact that she’s feeling concerned and uneasy. Her parents seem to notice her gaze wandering around the room, trying to catch a glimpse of Oscar, but they don’t say anything.

Y/n sits beside his sister, May, and leans in close to her. She whispers in her ear, her voice low so that their parents can’t hear. "Hey, do you know where Oscar is? I thought he’d be here for lunch."

May looks at Y/n, knowing exactly why she’s asking. "Oh, he went for a run," she replies quietly. "He said he needed to clear his head and get some fresh air."

Y/n nods, feeling a mix of relief and disappointment. She’s relieved to know that he’s not avoiding her or anything like that but disappointed that he isn’t here right now. She sighs inwardly and turns her attention back to the lunch that’s being served.

Her family continues chatting and enjoying their lunch, not noticing Y/n’s distracted and preoccupied state. She tries to focus on the food and conversation but her mind keeps wandering to Oscar and what he’s doing and thinking. She steals glances at the door, hoping that he might come in any moment.

As the lunch progresses, she finds herself getting more and more anxious. She starts to wonder why he didn’t come back for lunch and what he’s thinking. She tries her best to hide her feelings but she knows that her parents are starting to notice her preoccupation.

Her mom looks at her, a concerned expression on her face. "Are you feeling alright, sweetie? You seem a bit distracted," she asks.

Y/n jolts out of her thoughts and looks at her mom, feeling guilty for not paying attention. She nods, trying to sound casual. "Yeah, I’m fine, just a little out of it today, I guess," she replies, trying to sound convincing.

The rest of the lunch is a blur for Y/n. She barely touches her food, her mind and thoughts preoccupied with thoughts of Oscar. She tries to participate in the conversation but finds herself zoning out frequently. As lunch draws to an end, she feels more anxious and restless than ever.

Once everyone is finished with their lunch and begins to clear the table, Y/n gets up from her seat, still feeling restless and anxious. She doesn’t know what to do with herself and feels like she needs to do something to distract herself.

She decides to head back to her room, hoping that some time alone will calm her thoughts and emotions. As she walks up the stairs to her room, she looks out the window, hoping to see Oscar returning from his run, but the driveway is empty.

She feels disappointed and frustrated, feeling like time is dragging on slowly. She wants to see him, to talk to him, to resolve their situation, but she doesn’t know how to do that when he’s not even here.

Sunday, 12:04 AM

It's late, and Y/n finds herself unable to sleep yet again. She tosses and turns for a while, trying to fall asleep but her thoughts and anxieties keep her wide awake.

After a while, she decides that she needs something to distract herself. She slowly gets out of bed, trying to not make too much noise, and heads downstairs towards the kitchen.

Y/n makes her way to the kitchen and heads straight for the fridge. She opens it and looks through the shelves, searching for any snacks. Her mouth waters as she imagines the deliciousness of any snack she'll find.

She rummages through the fridge, moving aside containers and tupperware, until she finds what she was looking for - a container with some leftover thumbprint cookies. She grins to herself feeling happy and comforted by the sight of them. She takes the container out of the fridge and closes the door, moving towards the counter.

As Y/n places the container of cookies on the counter, she is interrupted by a noise coming from outside, near the pool. She freezes, her heart skipping a beat. Is someone outside?

Y/n picks up a broom from the corner of the kitchen, holding it like a weapon. With the broom in one hand and a cookie in her mouth, she slowly makes her way outside, her heart beating loudly in her chest.

As she steps outside, the night air is cool against her skin and the sound of crickets fills the air. She looks around, her eyes darting from side to side, trying to find the source of the noise. She slowly walks towards the pool area, broom raised and cookie half eaten in her mouth.

Y/n's heart leaps as she sees Oscar sitting by the pool, his feet dangling in the water, a cigarette perched between his lips. For a moment, she stands there, broom in hand, staring at him.

She feels a mix of relief and surprise seeing him, especially given the situation they're in. She looks at him for a moment, watching as he takes a drag of his cigarette, the smoke curling up into the night air.

After a few seconds, she realizes that she's just standing there staring and quickly shakes herself out of her daze. She lowers the broom and takes a few steps towards him, still holding the cookie in her mouth.

She doesn't say anything, just stands there watching him, feeling a million emotions running through her. She feels a mixture of anger, confusion, and happiness, but also a pang of attraction to him, despite everything that had happened between them.

Y/n finally finds her voice and musters up the courage to say something, breaking the silence between them. "I didn't know you smoked," she says, her voice barely above a whisper.

She watches as he takes another drag of his cigarette, the red embers lighting up his face in the dark. She's not sure what to make of this new side of him, seeing him with a cigarette between his lips seems oddly attractive but also concerning to her.

She takes a few steps closer, her eyes never leaving him, still clutching the broom in one hand and the half-eaten cookie in the other. She feels a mixture of awkwardness and familiarity, not sure how to act around him right now.

Y/n

The only sound between us is the occasional crackle of the cigarette and the distant chirping of crickets. I feel a hundred different emotions running through me as I stand here, watching him smoke waiting for him to say something, anything.

Finally, feeling fed up by the silence and tension between us, I decided to break the silence again. "So, are you just gonna smoke out here all night?" I ask, my tone slightly sarcastic.

I watch him as he takes another drag of her cigarette, blowing out a plume of smoke into the air. He turns his head and looks at me, a hint of a smirk on his face.

"Nope, I plan on going back in soon," he replies, his voice casual. "Just needed some air."

I roll my eyes, sitting beside him, dipping my feet into the cold pool water. "By air, do you mean smoke?" I repeat his words, my tone laced with playful sarcasm.

"Yeah, something like that," he replies, his smirk only growing wider. He takes another drag of his cigarette, letting the smoke slowly escape from his lips.

Oscar takes out another cigarette from his pack and offers it to me. "You want one?" he asks, holding the cigarette out for me to take.

I let out a small laugh and took the cigarette from his hand. "How sweet of you," I tease, my voice low. "You're just so kind, offering me a cigarette."

Oscar laughs and replies, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Well, Mom did tell me to share my blessings," he says, a hint of humor in his voice.

I laugh and retort, my tone still teasing. "I'm pretty sure Aunty Nicole meant anything but cigarettes," I reply with a playful smile on my face.

I look at the cigarette in my hand and realize that I don't have a lighter. I turn to Oscar and ask him. "Hey, can I borrow your lighter?" I say, putting the cigarette on my lips.

Instead of handing her the lighter, Oscar moves closer to her, holding the lit lighter up to her cigarette. He sits, looking directly at her, his eyes meeting hers as he lights her cigarette for her, his hand cupped over the flame to shield it from the wind.

Y/n lets out a small gasp, feeling a jolt of electricity run through her as he lights her cigarette, his hand so close to her face. She holds his gaze, caught off guard by his proximity and gesture.

She can feel his breath on her face, the smoke from her newly lit cigarette swirling around them. She swallows, her heart beating wildly in her chest, unsure of how to react to the sudden intimacy between them.

Y/n lets out a shaky breath and turns away, feeling the familiar sense of awkwardness between them. She takes a shaky drag from her cigarette, trying to calm her racing heart. She avoids his gaze, feeling suddenly self-conscious.

Oscar breaks the silence, his voice hesitant. "So, uhm... About that- that kiss..." he begins, stuttering through his words. He looks at her, his expression serious, the cigarette in his hand forgotten for the moment.

Y/n feels her heart skip a beat as he mentions the kiss. She was hoping he wouldn't bring it up, but she knew he would eventually. She turns to face him, meeting his gaze, her heart pounding loudly in her ears.

She doesn't say anything, just waits for him to continue, butterflies fluttering in her stomach. She takes another drag on her cigarette, trying to keep her hands from shaking.

Oscar hesitates for a moment, his eyes locked on hers, as if searching for something. He takes a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. "I... I didn't mean for it to happen- not like that at least," he finally says, his voice low and earnest.

Y/n listens to him, her heart in her throat. She can see the sincerity in his eyes, and the regret in his expression. She wants to say something, but her throat feels dry and the words won't come.

He continues, his voice barely above a whisper now. "I don't know what came over me," he says, his fingers fidgeting with the cigarette in his hand. "I just... I couldn't help myself."

Y/n feels a pang of emotion in her chest as he speaks, her heart melting slightly at his words. She can see the struggle in his eyes, the conflict he’s feeling about what had happened between them.

She looks at him, her expression a mix of confusion and understanding. She doesn’t know what to say or how to react. She takes another drag on her cigarette, the smoke swirling around them in the cool night air.

The silence between them stretches out, only interrupted by the distant croaking of the frogs and the faint sounds of traffic from far away. Both of them are lost in their own thoughts, words left unsaid lingering in the air.

Oscar looks at Y/n, his expression pleading for her to say something, anything. "Please, say something," he says, his voice desperate. "Even if it's swearing me out. Just…just say something."

Y’n looks at him, her expression softening as a small smile forms on her lips. "It's okay," she says softly, her voice barely more than a whisper. "I understand. It's okay."

She can see the relief that floods his features, his body visibly relaxing as he takes in her words. He lets out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, his shoulders slumping slightly.

"You…you understand?" he asks, his voice filled with disbelief. "You're not angry?"

Y/n nods, her expression a mixture of understanding and forgiveness. "I was angry at first," she admits. "Especially after the fight." She takes a drag on her cigarette, exhaling the smoke slowly.

"But... I understand now," she continues, looking at him with a soft expression. "it happened, and we can't take it back. And I... I don't want to be angry at you forever."

Y/n gathers her courage and looks directly at him, her eyes meeting his. "Oscar," she says, her voice steady but soft, "What... what did that kiss mean to you?"

Oscar looks at her, his expression conflicted. He lets out a heavy breath, his eyes dropping to the bottom of the pool for a moment. "I..." he begins, his voice trailing off. He hesitates, clearly struggling to find the words.

His fingers fidget with the cigarette in his hand, his nervous energy palpable. "It…it was a mistake," he finally says, his voice quiet. "A stupid, impulsive mistake."

Oscar looks up at her, his eyes meeting hers, a mixture of guilt and determination in them. "But…but it's also the one mistake I don't regret," he admits, his voice barely above a whisper.

Oscar looks at her, his expression serious and sincere. "I…I love you," he says, his voice firm. "I think I've loved you for a long time, I just didn't realize it until we kissed."

Oscar looks at her, his eyes filled with affection. "I love everything about you," he says, his voice filled with heartfelt sincerity. "Your smile, your laugh, your eyes, the way you light up a room when you walk in. I love the way you always know how to make me feel better when I'm down, and how you're not afraid to call me out when I'm being an ass."

He continues, his words pouring out of him like a flood. "I love the way you always smell like vanilla, and how your hair looks when it's messy first thing in the morning. I love the way you sing to yourself when you think no one's listening."

He takes a step closer to her, his gaze unwavering. "I love everything about you…your stubbornness, your kindness, your honesty, your strength…." he trails off, his voice filled with emotion. He reaches out and touches her cheek gently with his fingers, his touch light, almost reverent.

Oscar looks at her, his expression filled with remorse. "I'm sorry for not noticing it earlier," he says, his voice earnest. "For not realizing how I truly felt about you until now. I was a fool, Y/n. I was blind to what was right in front of me."

He smiles softly, his eyes filled with nostalgia. "You know, the first time we met, I could tell that you were a good soul. There was something about you that just…called to me, even though we had just met," he says. "But I didn't want to make my mind up yet. I wanted to get to know you better before I decided how I felt."

Oscar chuckles softly. "I was so awkward around you at first," he admits, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "I didn't know how to talk to you. I wasn't sure how to act or what to say. You intimidated me, and I was scared of saying the wrong thing and screwing things up."

Oscar is in the middle of speaking when suddenly, he's cut off by the feeling of Y/n's lips on his. He's taken aback for a moment, shocked by the suddenness of the kiss. But soon, he melts into it, his worries fading away as he returns the kiss.

Y/n

I smirk playfully as Oscar pulls back. I teasingly say, "I get it Oscar. You like me." I grin at his dumbfounded expression, amused by how flustered he looks.

"You can stop gushing about all the things you like about me now," I say, poking him playfully in the chest. "I think I get the picture."

Oscar blushes, his expression sheepish. "Oh, shut up," he says, a hint of embarrassment in his voice. "I can't help it. I just…I just really like you, Y/n."

I roll my eyes but smile, not able to keep up the teasing act. "You're such a sap," she says affectionately, lightly punching him in the arm.

Oscar laughs and pretends to rub his arm like it's wounded. "Hey, watch it," he says, pretending to pout. "I'm a sensitive guy, I can't handle your tough love."

I laugh, my expression softening as I look at him. "Oh, please," I say. "You can handle anything I throw at you, you big baby."

Oscar feigns offended. "Big baby? Who are you calling a big baby?" he says, his pout growing comically more exaggerated.

The two of them are in the middle of their playful banter when suddenly, it starts to rain. The raindrops begin to fall around them, pattering softly against the ground and the windows of the house behind them.

Oscar looks up at the sky, a grin spreading across his face. "Well, that escalated quickly," he says, watching as the rain starts to pick up.

Oscar quickly gathers his belongings, pocketing his lighter and putting away his cigarettes. Then, he grabs Y/n's arm and drags her lightly into the kitchen, both of them suppressing giggles as they go. The rain is now coming down harder, pelting against the windows and the house's roof.

They find themselves in the kitchen, the rain pouring outside creating a soft background noise. Y'n glances at the counter and remembers the cookies she left there earlier.

"Oh, right," she says, walking over to the counter. "I almost forgot about these."

Oscar watches as Y/n picks up the cookies, his expression softening as he looks at her. He's been struck by the way she looks in the dim light of the kitchen, her hair slightly tousled and her eyes shining.

Oscar looks at the clock on the wall and sees that it's almost twelve-thirty. He turns to Y/n and says, "We probably should go upstairs. It's getting late and the rain isn't getting any lighter."

Y/n agrees and the two of them walk side by side, slowly making their way up the stairs. The soft sound of their footsteps echo through the quiet house, broken only by the muffled sound of the rain outside.

They reach the top of the stairs and find themselves in front of their respective rooms. Oscar looks at Y/n, a soft smile on his face. “Well, goodnight,” he says, reaching for the doorknob to his room.

Y/n turns to face him, her expression mirroring his. "Goodnight, Oscar," she replies, her voice soft. She reaches for her own doorknob, a small smile on her lips.

Oscar hesitates for a moment, his hand on the doorknob. He wants to say something, but the words don’t seem to come out. Instead, he gives her one last smile, his eyes reflecting the same feelings he had expressed earlier by the pool.

Y/n enters her room, closing the door behind her. She walks over to her bed, the rain still falling softly outside the window and lays down. She can still feel the remnants of the butterflies from earlier, and a warm, fluttery feeling in her chest.

Y/n lays in her bed, staring up at the ceiling, the smile still on her face. After a few minutes, she starts to feel restless and the thought of Oscar comes to her mind. She debates with herself for a moment but eventually decides to get up and knock on Oscar’s door.

Oscar opens the door, a puzzled expression on his face. He was already in his sweatpants and a t-shirt, getting ready to go to bed. He looks at Y/n, surprised to see her standing there.

She pushes his door open further and steps forward, pressing her lips against Oscar's in a sudden, impulsive kiss. Oscar is caught off guard for a moment, his eyes widening in surprise. But then, he melts into the kiss, his hands coming up to cradle her face as he kisses her back.

Y/n keeps pushing him backward into his room, not breaking the kiss. Oscar stumbles slightly, but he allows her to lead him deeper into the room, his hands moving to her waist to steady himself.

She kicks the door closed behind her, the soft thud echoing through the quiet room. They're now standing in the middle of the room, still tangled in each other's embrace, their kiss growing deeper and more passionate.

Oscar breaks the kiss, slightly panting, a smile on his lips. He looks at her, his expression a mix of surprise and amusement. "Not that I’m complaining or anything," he says, his voice slightly hoarse, “but what's with the sudden kiss?”

Y/n looks at him, her eyes sparkling with a mixture of desire and affection. She reaches up and runs her fingers through his hair, her touch gentle. "I just couldn't help myself," she says, her voice low and sultry. "I needed to feel your lips on mine again.

Oscar's eyes flutter shut at her touch, his breath hitching in his throat. He leans into her touch, a soft moan escaping his lips. "You're driving me crazy, you know that?" he says, his voice husky.

Y/n grins at his reaction, her fingers continuing to play with his hair. "That's the plan," she replies, her tone playful. She steps closer to him, her body pressing against his.

Oscar's voice is low and sultry, his eyes fixed on hers. He steps closer to her, their bodies almost flush together. "Lie down for me, baby," he says, his words a soft command.

Y/n feels a shiver run down her spine at his words, her skin prickling with desire. Without protest, she slowly moves to his bed and lays down on her back, her eyes never leaving his.

Oscar watches her as she moves to his bed, his gaze roaming over her body hungrily. He follows her, crawling onto the bed and positioning himself over her, his body hovering just above hers, his arms supporting his weight.

Oscar feels her hands running through his hair and smiles against her skin. He continues to nibble and kiss her neck, his hands beginning to wander over her body, exploring her curves. Y/n's soft moans and whimpers only fuel his desire, his touch becoming more possessive, more urgent.

His hands move to her hips, his fingers digging into her flesh. He lifts his head, his breath hot against her ear. "You're so beautiful like this," he whispers, his voice gruff. "All mine."

Oscar's hands move under her shirt, his fingers tracing the curve of Y/n's waist before they settle on her breasts, his thumbs teasing her nipples, causing her to arch into his touch. The once soft tender kisses deepened, their tongues dancing in a passionate exchange.

Slowly, Oscar broke the kiss, letting his mouth travel down Y/n's neck, leaving a trail of wet kisses as he went. Her breath hitched as his lips reached her breasts, his tongue flicking at her nipples, making her gasp. Her back arches off the bed, offering herself to him, wanting more.

Oscar's hands slid down her body, his fingers hooking onto the waistband of her shorts and panties. With a gentle tug, he pulled them off, revealing her swollen, wet cunt. His eyes locked on her, desire burning in their depths, before he dipped his head, his tongue tracing the outline of her folds.

Y/n's hands clutched the sheets as Oscar began to lavish attention on her, his tongue delving inside her, his fingers tracing circles around her clit. The pleasure built a slow, seductive burn that her writhing beneath him.

Her hips bucked, seeking more of his touch, her moans filling the room. Oscar's lips and tongue explored every inch of her, each lick, each suck, bringing her closer and closer to the edge.

Her breaths grew ragged, her body tensing, the pleasure building to a crescendo. Oscar's name was a whispered plea on her lips, her back arching off the bed, her body trembling as her climax crashed over her. Wave after wave of pleasure washed over her, her inner muscles clenching around Oscar's tongue as he continued to pleasure her, not relenting until the last shudder subsided.

Oscar, still on his knees between Y/n's legs, took a moment to savor the sight of her flushed cheeks, her eyes half-lidded with pleasure. He could see the glistening evidence of his efforts on her inner thighs.

As he looked up at her, Y/n's gaze met his, her eyes filled with desire and a hint of mischief. She reached down, her fingers tracing the outline of the wet spot on Oscar's grey sweatpants, a small smile playing on her lips.

Oscar grinned, his eyes dark with lust, before he stood, hands reaching for the hem of his sweatpants. He pulled them down, his erection springing free, slick with pre-cum.

Y/n's eyes widened as she took in the sight, her hand reaching out to stroke Oscar's cock, her fingers coated with the evidence of his arousal. Oscar groaned, his head falling back as he savored the sensation.

With a seductive grin, Y/n pulled him down, urging him to her on the bed. Oscar complied, his body settling between hers. He positioned himself at her entrance, their eyes locked, sharing a silent moment of consent before he entered her, their bodies joining into one.

Y/n's back arched, meeting Oscar's thrusts with a fervor that matched his own. The bed creaked under their weight, the mattress shifting with each movement.

Echoes of their moans and gasps filled the room, the sound of their lovemaking bouncing off the walls. Sweat glistened on their bodies as they moved together, skin slapping against skin.

Y/n's nails dug into Oscar's back, her legs trembling as the pleasure built within her. The room around them faded, their world reduced to the sensation of their bodies, the taste of their kisses.

Abandoning all restraint, his thrusts grew more urgent, his hips slamming into Y/n's with each powerful stroke. The headboard banged against the wall, the sound adding to their moans.

Her nails dug deeper into Oscar's back, leaving scratch marks as her orgasm neared. Her body tensed, her inner muscles clenching around his cock. The room filled with cries of pleasure as her climax crashed over her.

Feeling Y/n's body quiver around him, Oscar couldn't hold back any longer. His own release followed swiftly, his body tensing as he filled her completely. They lay there, panting their bodies slick with sweat, their hearts pounding in unison.

As their breathing steadied, Oscar pulled her closer, their bodies still joined, the scent of sex surrounding them.

Y/n wraps her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. She starts to kiss his neck, lips light and gentle, a stark contrast to the passionate frenzy from before. Her body is still pressed close to his, her bare skin against his.

Oscar melts under her touch, his eyes fluttering shut, a small moan escaping his lips. He wraps his arms around her waist, holding her close, his fingers lightly tracing patterns on her abdomen. He tilts his head to give her better access to his neck, his skin burning wherever her skin touches his.

Her kisses are soft and slow, a gentle caress on his skin. She can feel his body relax under her touch, his breath becoming steadier as he lets himself bask in the aftermath of their encounter. Y/n moves her lips from his neck, trailing kisses along his jaw and up to his ear.

Oscar gets up from the bed and walks over to his closet. He rummages through his clothes and pulls out a clean shirt. He looks back at Y/n, who is lying on the bed, her eyes half-closed and a sleepy smile on her face.

He walks back to the bed and pulls the shirt over her head, gently maneuvering her arms through the sleeves. The shirt is slightly large on her, but it looks cute, almost like a dress.

Oscar watches as she puts on the shirt, his expression softening at how cute she looks. He takes a moment to admire her before speaking up.

"You look so adorable in my shirt," he says, his voice quiet and affectionate.

Oscar lays back down beside her, pulling her close and wrapping his arms around her. She sighs contentedly, her head resting against his chest, the sound of his heartbeat steady and reassuring in her ear.

Y/n was about to drift off to sleep, her eyes heavy and her body relaxed against Oscar's chest, when suddenly she sat up, her expression filled with shock. She looks at Oscar, her eyes wide with a mixture of disbelief and concern.

Y/n looks at Oscar, her voice filled with worry. "What if my parents heard us?" she whispers, her eyes wide with concern. "Or your siblings?"

Oscar chuckles softly, shaking his head. "Relax," he says, his voice soft and comforting. "Nobody heard us. We were being quiet."

"Besides," he continues, a hint of playful teasing in his voice, "My siblings are heavy sleepers. They could sleep through a hurricane."

Y/n relaxes slightly at his words. She knows he's probably right, but she can't help the residual worry that still lingers in her mind. She looks at him, her expression a bit sheepish now. "You're sure they didn't hear us?" she asks again, her voice still hushed.

Oscar grins at her question. "I'm absolutely positive they didn't hear us," he says, his tone confident. "My siblings are like logs when they sleep. And the doors in this house are pretty thick, you know."

"Plus," he adds, his voice dropping to a whisper, "I don't think we were THAT loud. We were pretty careful." He gives her a sly smirk, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

Y/n looks at him with a smirk and says, "Seriously? We weren't that loud? Have you forgotten how much the headboard was slamming against the wall just a few minutes ago?"

Oscar grins at her words, unabashedly unrepentant. "Yeah, yeah, I get it," he says, his tone light and teasing. "We were a bit noisy, but come on. Nobody heard us. They're all probably passed out by now."

As Y/n giggles, Oscar smiles at the sound. But then she gasps suddenly, causing him to look at her with concern. "What's wrong?" he asks, his brows furrowing with worry.

Y/n sits up, her eyes landing on an old stuffed animal that's sitting by the window. A look of surprise and nostalgia crosses her face. "Oh my god," she whispers, her voice filled with disbelief. "I can't believe it. I thought I'd lost this stuffed animal years ago."

She reaches out and picks up the stuffed animal, holding it carefully in her hands. A smile spreads across her face as she looks at it, her fingers running over the soft and familiar fabric, the memories of her childhood rushing back to her.

Oscar watches her as she holds the stuffed animal, a small smile on his face. He sees the nostalgic look on her face and can't help but ask.

"Is that yours?" he says, his voice soft. "I mean, it was already here when I switched rooms with May."

Y/n looks up at him, her eyes still glued to the stuffed animal. "Yeah," she says, her voice filled with fondness. "It's my old stuffed animal from when I was a kid. I can't believe it's still here all this time."

Oscar reaches over and kisses her forehead gently, his lips lingering on her skin for a moment. "Cute," he murmurs, a soft smile on his face. As Y/n cuddles the stuffed animal, he watches her with a warm gaze, his hand resting on her hip.

yn.who 🔒

♫ Taylor Swift • I Can See You (Taylor's Version) (From The Vault)

liked by oscarpiastrii yn.who i could see you being my addiction tagged oscarpiastrii

oscarpiastrii You're so in love with me ↳ yn.who and what about it 🤔🤔🤔

𝗉𝗋𝖾𝗏𝗂𝗈𝗎𝗌 | 𝗇𝖾𝗑𝗍

taglist:

@ellen3101 @lil13 @idgasb @formulaal @mickslover @yolobiishhh @piastri-my-boy @landorris @czennieszn @bunnyleclerc @mythicalmaven @lovestay4evr

[ssahotchnerr]

Aaron coming back from long cases with a bouquet for you and little girl Hotchner 😭🖤 her bouquet may just be a few stems from yours but it means the world to you. He won’t hand you the bouquet the way he buys it either, he’ll trim the stems and put it in a vase!!!

unconditional

omg stop 😭 i can't get enough of girl dad!aaron i just can't cw; fluff <3

when you wake up, aaron's fast asleep next to you.

the prior night when you went to bed, you were alone - just as you have been for the past, almost two weeks. a case has kept your aaron away from you and time since then has gone achingly slow - almost painful.

he looks adorable, with his face smushed into his pillow, his thick hair disheveled and the comforter pulled all the up to his chin. although you have the desperate urge to throw your arms around him for being gone for far too long, you let him sleep. he needs it; it seems as if he never nearly gets enough, and from his heavy sleep-tainted breaths, you can only imagine how exhausted he must've felt before succumbing to. after pressing the gentlest of kisses to his forehead, you quietly slide out of bed.

you first peek your head into jack's room, checking on him. it's early, and as you figured, he's still off in dreamland. since it happens to be saturday - no school and no morning soccer practice this week - like his father, you let him sleep.

when you peer into your daughter's room next, she's awake, standing up in her crib and her hands holding onto the rail. she grins at the sight of you, letting out a small squeal in excitement. with a smile on your face, you shush her as you approach, her pitch high enough to wake up the boys if continued.

when you finally trail into the kitchen, with baby girl hoisted on your hip and set on getting her breakfast started, you fall short in your tracks, your heart immediately warming at what you find.

on the counter, there's a bouquet of the prettiest flowers you swear you've ever seen. they're even extremely similar to the flowers you held on your wedding day, walking down the aisle towards aaron. it's a memory you'll never forget, and wish you could relive over and over again - aaron smiling from ear to ear, teary-eyed, looking as handsome as ever in a tuxedo. luckily, that's what photos are for.

besides it, is a smaller, glass cup. it's filled with a few flowers from your bunch; the matching display is only a bit smaller, notably for your daughter. aaron even took the extra time to trim them before he went to bed, so they're not towering out, or is the weight of gravity pulling the petals down towards the surface of the counter.

and for jack, who wouldn't be as thrilled receiving flowers, there's a mini lego set - a small car to be put together.

the sweet gesture causes a swirl of emotions within you - aaron, as exhausted as he was and despite how late he returned, still took the time to show his unconditional love for you, and for both children.

you couldn't picture a more perfect start to the weekend, or a more perfect life.

[rebelliousstories]

Single Awareness Day

ValenFics

Relationship: Jake “Hangman” Seresin x Reader

Fandom: Top Gun: Maverick

Request: No

Warnings: Fluff, Mentions of Alcohol and Drinking, Brief Strong Language

Word Count: 698

Main Masterlist: Here

Top Gun: Maverick Masterlist: Here

Summary: Another year of failed romance leads to a night at the bar with her best friend.

Consider Donating: Here

“Pen, can I get another one, please?” She called to the brunette behind the bar. When the older woman came back with her drink, she looked at her with sad eyes.

“Why are you so down in the dumps, honey?” Wetting her lips with her drink, the naval communications officer began her lament.

“Had a date again this week. Some IT tech in the force. He spent the whole night talking about how what he did was so important. Was reliving his high school glory days too. Just… been a shit week. Hell, a shit year.” She finished, taking a swig out of her glass. Penny giggled at this.

“It’s only February. You have ten more months on the calendar.” The brunette teased.

Waving her off, the officer decided to shift gears, “how are you and Mav?”

“Good,” Penny replied, wiping down a section of the bar to remove something sticky. “He’s gonna take me on a date Saturday morning since he’ll be working Friday morning, and then I’ve got this place in the evening. Valentine’s Day is always busy.”

Another drink washed down her throat, which made her upset that she was now on a dry cup. “Well, you enjoy. I’m not planning on going on a date again anytime soon.”

“Who’s not dating?” A soft drawl of a voice saddled up next to her at the bar. Turning her gaze to view the man, she was greeted with the familiar blonde- haired, blue- eyed best friend pilot.

“Me, Jake. I’m not dating.” The woman confirmed. “I’m just so over guys and their bs. Seriously, what does it take to find someone that checks at least most of the boxes? Doesn’t have to be all of them, but maybe shoot for a nice seventy- five percent.”

At this, the pilot let out a boisterous laugh. “What you need, darlin’, is a night of no troubles. Come on, another round Pen, and we are going to the back.”

She groaned as she was now carrying her next drink, and being pushed towards the back of The Hard Deck. Hangman had been a friend for many years, being one of the few women that never fell for his bravado or southern charm. There were definitely times that she felt like maybe they could be more, but then the fear of ruining her one good, stable, and longest friendship creeps in, and that goes out the window.

So she just let him bring her to the back, where he could continue to run them a, now, joined tab, while fighting over darts and pool. It brought her mind away from her crippling loneliness for a while. Each time that she scored against him, she would cheer and revel in Jake’s playful defeat. And each time that he scored, the woman would just chuckle, and watch as Seresin winked over towards her.

In between games, Jake would tug her close by the shoulders, and usher them to the bar. Chatting about their latest dates, and why they did not pan out. She fell further into his side the longer the night came on, and the drunker she got. However, Hangman was not in much better of a position. As his inhibitions loosened, he found himself becoming far more touchy with her, but still remaining polite. He tried not to push the boundaries, even though he was fairly certain that she would welcome it; but now was neither the time nor the place.

They had bother been drinking heavily, which meant that he would not be able to get the consent that he would require. Besides, he was trying to save her heart from being shattered as she grappled with being single. For now, he would just be the other single friend that hung out with her when she was down in the dumps.

What neither of them saw, was the keen eyes of Penny Benjamin who was texting Pete to tell him about what she had been witnessing the entire evening. Starting from now until next Valentine’s Day, they also had a bet on how long it would take the two to get together, and who would be asking who out.

[brookediamonds]

I Love You, I'm Sorry (Part Two) | Axel Kovačević x Fem! Reader

Part 1

Summary: Axel has given you time and space after your break-up, waiting for the perfect time to get to know you all over again. But of course, there's push back.

Word Count: 3k Warnings: none, angst, fluff

gif is not mine

A few weeks have passed since you broke up with Ian, the disappointment outweighing the sadness you felt by the situation as a whole.

You were lucky you had your friends by your side when ever you did start to feel that ache in your chest.

Worried you might have overreacted, Sam and Tory reminded you that under no circumstance should someone place money on any situation with anyone. It was evil.

When you began to enter the room with your big smile and bubbly energy again, your friends knew you were okay. Axel knew you were okay.

As much as he didn't want to admit it, Axel had been keeping a close eye on you lately since your last interaction with Ian.

He was looking for the right time to approach you and see where things fell between you two. While things between still somewhat remained the same, he felt just a little bit of hope for a second chance with you.

And you felt the same.

You just sat down at the table with Tory and Robby, waiting for your other friends to join you for lunch.

All at once, Miguel, Sam, Hawk, Demetri, and their girlfriends trickled into the group, Axel sneakily coming in to sit next to you.

"I think I want to throw a party for my 18th birthday," Moon says catching everyone's attention.

"Oh my god, yes," Yazmin agrees with her best friend. "You need a theme."

"Oh, this should be good," Tory chuckles looking over at Robby.

"When would you do it?" You ask picking up your phone to check your calendar.

"Probably next Saturday, my birthday is that Thursday," Moon responds. You press the date she's referring to and smile when you see it's blank.

"We don't have practice that Saturday," you enlighten your team. They all let out a cheer, relived they could enjoy a day to relax and have fun.

You turn slightly to your right seeing Axel quietly munching on one of his mandarin oranges.

"Think you'll go?" You ask, bumping your shoulder lightly with his.

"Will you be there?" He questions back. You feel a turn in your stomach, your mind hoping he was interested in your attendance.

"Duh," you reply like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Probably not then," he gives you a small smirk popping another slice of orange into his mouth.

"Ha ha," you mock him. He laughs at your response, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back in his seat.

"Yeah, I'll go," he shrugs nonchalantly. In the back of Axel's mind, he swore he saw a look of relief in your eyes when he confirms he would be going to the party.

And he would be right. You had spent the last few weeks working up the courage to mend things between you and Axel, now felt like the perfect time to burry the hatchet and start new.

The time's you had dissociate mid conversation with your friends, they had come to believe it was you becoming saddened by your recent break-up when it fact, it was you thinking about Axel.

You didn't care about Ian, or what he had done, he meant nothing to you. Unbeknownst to your friends and Axel, he was merely just a distraction from what, or whom you really wanted.

Which was the tall, moody boy sitting next to you.

"You should probably eat some of this," Axel places a piece of his Cutie mandarin on your plate. "You've been looking kind of tired at practice."

You narrowed your eyes at his accusation. "I do not!"

"Do too," he says cockily making you scoff and cross your arms over your chest defensively.

"Conversations with you are tiring," you shot back, taking the small piece of the orange fruit and tossing it into your mouth.

"No they're not, you love our conversations," he pesters placing another slice of the cutie in front of you. You roll your eyes taking the food.

"Oh yes, highlight of my day, honestly," you respond sarcastically, a smile tugging on your lips.

"I know," he grins finishing off his clementine, wiping his fingers off a napkin.

You pretend to focus back on Moon who was explain the details about her party, trying not focus on the soft blush sitting on Axel's face and the warmth enveloping in your chest.

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

The next few days were interesting to say the least, you and Axel found yourselves talking, not bickering, more than usual.

And even when you would have your normal banter, it always ended with both of you laughing light-heartedly. Your friends seemed to notice this too.

You're sitting against the wall inside the small dojo of Miyagi-Do, your melting latte perched next to you, with your eyes slumped shut.

"Tired, are we?" You hear, making you pop one eye open you see Axel smirking to himself as he shuts the door, walking into the small place.

"No!" You blink your eyes repeatedly trying to wake up from the nap you were almost achieving. Taking a long gulp of your coffee, you wipe your mouth as Axel moves to stand in front of you.

Axel raises an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Uh-huh. That totally convinced me."

You huff, stretching your legs out in front of you. "I’m not tired."

Axel crouches down to your level, resting his arms on his knees. "Prove it."

You take another long sip of your drink, the ice falling to the lid as you finished your caffeine to give you some extra strength.

"Fine, move," you order him, slowly standing up from your spot. He chuckles, reaching his right hand out.

You stare at his outstretched hand for a second before taking it, letting him pull you up effortlessly. The moment lingers just a second too long, his grip firm, thumb barely grazing yours before he lets go.

You're not sure if it's the coffee, but your heart flips in your chest at the small moment, you let out a throat clearing cough to shake off the nerves.

"Don't go soft on me now, Kovačević" you tease him playfully. You both get into your starting positions across from each other.

"I wouldn't dream of it," he gives you an evil grin.

Without hesitation, you lunge at him, aiming a light jab at his side. Axel dodges easily, chuckling. "That’s it? Now i know you're really sleepy."

You scoff, feinting another punch before spinning to sweep his legs out from under him. But Axel being quick, hops back just in time, grabbing your wrist mid-movement and twisting you around effortlessly.

In seconds, your back is against his chest, his arm loosely wrapped around your middle.

"You were saying?" he murmurs near your ear, his voice smug.

Your heart stutters, but you refuse to let him win. Using his slight distraction to your advantage, use your free arm wrapping it around the back of neck, and jumping up to wrap your legs on either side of Axel's hips to throw you two forward and roll up back on your feet with Axel on the ground.

"Awake enough for you now?" You smirk looking back, down at him

Axel stares up at you breathless, still taken back by the way you fight with ease. It's one of things he admires about you.

"I think that nap really did the trick," he smiles up at you goofily. You laugh, lending him your hand so he could stand up, but stubborn like you, he didn't go down without a fight.

Axel pulls you down to fall on top of him, and rolls you on your back so he could be above you. The both of you erupt with laughter, knowing the take downs could go on for hours.

As you began to calm down, you notice Axel's expression slips into a serious one as he stared at you.

"I-I'm sorry," he stutters. You tilt your head in confusion.

"For what?"

His colorful eyes are unable to meet your own, he sits up in his place, wrapping his arms around his bent knees.

"I'm sorry for how I handled things after the partner skills competition," he looks back at you. "We lost because of me."

You sighed sitting up as well. "It was both of our fault's, you and I had opposite upbringings in karate and somehow it all got messy and we miscommunicated."

He nods in agreement. "Well, I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, too," you give him a sincere smile. As the silence overcomes you, a tension lingers in the air as you both stare at one another.

Before either of you can say anything else, the doors slide open revealing Sam and Miguel staring back at you both amused.

"We've been looking all over for you guys!" Sam spoke first.

Miguel smirked, crossing his arms as he leaned against the doorway. "Should we give you two a moment?"

You rolled your eyes moving to stand up, Axel following suit.

"We were just talking," you chuckled wiping your hands off your leggings.

"You two? Talking?" Sam raises her eyebrows.

"Apparently it's something people do," Axel fakes a gasp as all four of you begin to trail out of the small home and into the backyard where everyone else was.

As you passed Sam, she reaches a hand out to grab your arm, holding you back.

"What is going on?" She whispers over for only you to hear.

"Nothing," you shrugged glancing back at the boy you were just talking to. "We...worked things out."

Sam gave you a skeptical look, her eyes flicking between you and Axel, who was now casually talking with Miguel near the sparring mats.

"Worked things out?" she repeated, her tone dripping with curiosity. "So does that mean—"

"It means," you cut in, shooting her a knowing look, "that we’re not at each other’s throats anymore. That’s all."

"Finally!" the brunette cheered. "I have been waiting for this."

"Waiting for what?" Tory approaches you and Sam.

"For her and Axel to finally realize they're meant to be together," Sam sing songs.

"Oh, that, right," Tory nods. "Took you guys long enough."

"Okay, I have no idea what you two are talking about," you interrupt. "We just started getting along."

"Right, right," your two friends share a knowing look with each other as you stayed in denial.

Before you could respond, Sensei Lawerence called everyone over to start warm-ups.

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

After a successful Thursday practice, your team talked amongst themselves, packing up their stuff for the night.

You toss your gym bag onto the bench, pulling out your water bottle to take a sip when you see Axel walking towards you.

"Did you finish the history assignment Ms. Webber gave us earlier?" You asked as he placed his bag down next to yours.

"Nope," Axel sighed remembering the unfinished paper waited for him after this. "I have to finish it when I get home."

"Same, it was a lot of questions," you complained setting your water back down.

"FaceTime me later, maybe we can work through it together," the boy offers. You smile with a nod.

"Yeah, that'd be great," you agreed.

"You gonna head out?" He asks seeing you slip your shoes on.

Before you can respond, you realize you forgot something back on the sparring deck.

"In a little bit, I forgot my jacket outside," you say tossing your phone on to your bag. "Wait for me?"

Axel gives you a small smile reassuring you he'd still be there when you get back. As you stepped into the backyard, he sees your phone light up, a few texts popping up on the screen.

He's fast to ignore it, but when multiple messages start stacking he's curious to see who was trying to get your attention.

Axel's jaw clenches when he sees the name: Ian Matthews.

Ian Matthews: will you pls just hear me out?

Ian Matthews: i really, really like you

Ian Matthews: pls give me another chance,

His brows furrow, and something inside him twists uncomfortably. Why was Ian still texting you? And more importantly, were you answering him?

Axel hears you come back inside, oblivious to his change in demeanor.

"Okay, I'm ready," you say picking your stuff up.

His fists clenched as he quickly looked away, trying to act like he didn’t see anything. But the words were already burned into his mind.

Was that why you’d been in such a good mood lately? Had you forgiven Ian? Were you actually considering giving that idiot another shot?

Was everything happening between you two all in his head?

You walked to your cars in silence, thoughts and questions racing through Axel's mind while you pondered about Moon's party.

You had to dress cute, since things are finally heading in the right direction with Axel, you looked forward to what Saturday night could bring.

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

"He's acting weird," you explain lowly to Sam and Tory as the three of you sat in the library during your free period.

"Like stalker weird?" Tory grimaces making you shake your head.

"No, like he's been really short with me and won't even look at me," you frown, strings beginning to pull at your heart.

"Something had to have happen," Sam spoke quietly. "Did you reject him on accident or insult him? You guys do play around a lot."

You think back to the last few days filled with the laughter and heart to heart conversations you hadn't had with him yet.

"We joke around, but I haven't said anything below the belt," you exhaled tapping your pen along your workbook.

"Well tomorrow is the party, maybe you can talk to him then," Tory suggests.

"I guess," you mumble unsurely. You didn't want to wait until the party, this whole day he's been ignoring you and you hated it.

The girls give you a sympathetic look before going back to work on their schoolwork. Just as you glanced up to the double doors, you see the familiar auburn haired boy saunter into the building.

Your heart sped up as you watched him walk into the psychology row of books, but began to ache as you remember how he looked away when you smiled at him this morning.

You had been looking forward to hanging out with Axel all week, especially since things between you two had finally started feeling easy again.

But instead, he was being cold. Distant. Like you had done something wrong. And you weren’t going to just let that slide.

Standing up from the table, you let Sam and Tory know you'll be right back, and head towards section Axel was in.

Quietly walking between the cases of books, you find the tall boy flipping through what you assume is the novel he's looking for.

"I didn't know you took psych," you spoke up, making Axel jump slightly. He gives you a sideways glance with a silent nod.

You furrowed your eyebrows at his silence, crossing your arms. "Okay… so we’re just not talking now?"

Axel sighed, closing the book and placing it back on the shelf. "Didn't say that."

"You kind of are saying that," you countered, stepping closer. "You've been weird all day. If I did something, just tell me."

Axel contemplated back and forth with what he wanted to say, his gaze still not meeting yours. "It’s nothing."

Your stomach twisted at the dismissal. He was never the most open person, but after the past few weeks, you thought you had broken down some of those walls. And now, here he was, shutting you out again.

"Fine, forget it," you scoffed turning to walk away, but before you can take another step, Axe's hand shot out, gently grabbing ahold of your wrist.

"I saw Ian's texts on your phone," he admits. You face him once again, glancing down where his fingers rested around your hand. "Last night after practice, I didn't mean to, but he was blowing up your phone."

"Yeah," you recall Ian's millions of texts before you finally blocked him.

Your words didn't help, while you waited for Axel to get to the anecdote, he thinks you don't see a problem with your ex propositioning a second chance.

Axel groaned, rubbing a hand over his face. "Look, I just, if you’re giving that guy another chance, then fine, whatever. It’s your life. I just thought—"

He cuts himself off releasing your hand making you frown.

"Thought what?" You inquire. Taking a step closer to him, Axel avoids your gaze. "Thought you and I have something?"

His natural blush had risen to his cheeks, a feature of his that you adored.

"We do," you confirm softly. Axel finally looked at you, his brows furrowed, as if trying to figure out if you were messing with him.

"You mean you—" he hesitates making you laugh.

"Blocked Ian the minute I got home," you finish for him. "Dude never stood a chance."

Axel blinked, clearly processing your words. "Oh."

"I don't think I've ever seen you jealous before," you tease him. "It's kinda hot."

Axel scoffed with slight eye roll. "I was not jealous."

"You were so jealous," you smirk up at him. "You like me."

He crosses his arms over his chest unable to hide his sly grin. "Shut up."

"You so do."

"Do not."

"Do too."

You stood toe to toe with him as he shook his head in defeat.

"So what if I do?" He taunts back at you. Biting back a smile, you gaze up into his sea foam blue eyes.

"Prove it," you dare him.

Axel leans down capturing your lips with his own, placing a soft hand on the side of your face.

Your breath caught in your throat, but you melted into the kiss almost instantly, your hands gripping the front of his hoodie to steady yourself.

Your lips are eager like his to finally touch, your chasing his mouth when he begins to pull away.

"That proof enough for you?" He murmurs, his thumb gently brushing against your cheek.

"I don't know..." you faked an innocent look.

Axel raised an eyebrow slipping his other free hand around your waist. "No?"

You grinned, tugging him down by his hoodie again. "Might need you to prove it a few more times."

He chuckled, shaking his head before leaning in once more. "I can manage that."

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

PART 3

(A/n: I'm sooo obsessed with Axel in the new trailer, like my mans is so distraught, cue the meme "STAY AWAY FROM HER. GET A JOB." @ Terry Silver and Wolf. Anyway, loved the trailer, it was a piece of art. Part 3 will soon be in the works.)

[wileys-russo]

childhood sweethearts (11) II a.russo x reader

playlist one two three four five six seven eight nine ten

thought I’d be nice for once and give y’all something short and sweet

childhood sweethearts (11) II a.russo x reader

"thank you." you smiled appreciatively, taking your coffee and bag of food, making your way out of the cafe. you took a seat at a small table outside in the sun, dropping your sunglasses down onto your nose and basking in the warm glow of the early morning sun.

normally you'd take the opportunity of a saturday morning to sleep in, especially given the fact you'd hardly slept a wink last night. however this morning your body had been awake and coiled with anxiety far earlier than you intended.

so here you were hoping a coffee and a sweet treat might help to ease the grey cloud of nervous energy which hung over your body, and had done ever since your front door had slammed closed last night and the reality of your actions had sank in.

as much as you wanted to be angry at alessia for leaving you couldn't find it within yourself, knowing just as well that had the situation been reversed and you'd been at her home you'd have done the exact same thing.

the more you were left with your own thoughts to think it over, the more you began to realise you actually weren't angry with her in the slightest. if anything, you found yourself quite missing the feeling of kissing her and the way your head span.

you could still feel her hands as they roamed your body, your lips tingling at the thought of hers pressed against them soft and inviting.

the haunting memory of how it felt to have your skin touching hers and each inch of it feeling alight as if on fire, goosebumps peaking all over your body as your hair stood on end like bolts of electricity had ripped through you.

you missed her, you missed that feeling, and you wanted nothing more than to relive it over and over again. and that, that was much more terrifying a feeling than anything else at all.

finishing your coffee you pushed it aside, swallowing your mouthful of food and tapping on your phone, unlocking it and staring at the thread of messages, a million and one thoughts flitting through your head.

over and over again you typed a message to her, and then immediately deleted it with a shake of your head.

this routine continued until you'd finished your pastry, giving up with a sigh and slipping your phone into your pocket, standing up from the table and disposing of your rubbish, starting to slowly make your way back home.

you stopped by the market on the way deciding that you needed to keep yourself busy today in anyway you could and so without any real errands that needed to be done, and a small mountain of school work you knew you'd need to get to at some point you decided that a morning of baking might help to cease the unease which plagued your mind.

thanking the shopkeeper with a smile you slung the bag of groceries over your shoulder and slipped your sunglasses back down onto your nose, continuing your walk home and soaking in the warmth of a promisingly lovely weekend.

you hummed along to the tune which beat through you, one airpod tucked into your right ear as you rounded the final corner and headed home.

you found your eyes focused more on your feet than what lay ahead, a bad habit as you turned and suddenly looked up knowing you were now home, almost falling over at a sight you should have noticed a lot sooner.

"jesus christ!" you swore in shock, clutching at your chest in surprise as you almost tripped over alessia who was sat waiting on your front steps, pulling your airpod out and exhaling shakily.

"sorry! i thought you'd see me." alessia blushed bright red, scurrying to her feet and darting out of your way. "no sorry i was completely in my own world, that's not on you." you rambled out quickly, your own cheeks warm with embarrassment as you noticed a bouquet of flowers gripped tightly in the strikers hand.

"thought i'd wait around and hand deliver these in person this time." alessia forced an awkward smile at the memory of the last time she'd tried to apologise with flowers and been caught out trying to make a break for it before you'd seen her.

"do you want to...come in?" you offered, unsure really of how to progress as your head began to click into an overdrive of flurried nerves and uncertainty. "yeah okay." alessia nodded, seemingly just as flustered as you stepped around her and made a beeline up to your front door.

you dropped the keys and swore quietly to yourself, bending down to grab them and jamming them in the lock, twisting as the door unlocked with a sudden pop and you stumbled inside.

"seems we've swapped today." alessia joked, grabbing the back of your top to steady you as you forced a nervous laugh, unsure why your body was betraying you in such a way as she closed the door for you.

"do you want anything? tea? coffee? water?" you offered, dropping your bag carefully onto the counter and raising an eyebrow, trying desperately to calm yourself and even out your breathing. "i'm fine, thank you." alessia declined politely.

"for you." she countered quickly, again holding out the flowers as your face softened, now noticing of course she'd gotten your favourites. "they're beautiful less, thank you." you smiled, grabbing a vase from your cupboard.

busying yourself arranging them in the vase you cleared your throat, a thick silence occupying the room as clearly neither of you knew where to start.

"they aren't for anything either, they're well...they're just because." alessia broke first, cheeks flushed rosy pink as you spared her a glance over your shoulder, softening at the shy smile on her face at the confession.

"thank you." you repeated, your own neck warming up as again silence fell.

"about last night-" "we should talk about-"

you both stopped as the other started, sharing an awkward laugh at your shared intentions. "do you want to sit outside? shame to waste the sun." you offered gesturing to the small deck which lead out onto your backyard, alessia agreeing with a nod.

"i'm sorry i left." alessia started not long after the two of you had settled on the deck, a generous enough gap left between the two of you as you fiddled with the rings on your fingers. "you don't need to be, i'm not upset with you." you clarified, shooting her a small smile of reassurance before looking away again.

"it was, unexpected." you continued, referring more so to the kiss you both shared rather than her leaving, hoping she would pick up on it without you needing to clarify much more.

"yeah." alessia breathed out, picking up on what you were insinuating, exhaling shakily. an awkward silence fell after that as you both ticked over in your own heads what to say next, but without knowing what the other was feeling you were both too hesitant to lead the conversation.

"i wish i could read your mind sometimes." alessia admitted, biting down on her bottom lip as her knee bounced a little bit, body coiled with a nervous apprehension.

"one minute you're kissing me and then saying you just want to be friends, and i understood why and i tried so hard to respect that because i know you gave me a second chance i didn't deserve and i wanted you in my life selfishly in anyway i could." alessia continued as you looked away, ears burning at the truthful words which fell from her lips.

"getting us back on track well seems to be going well but then we're kissing again and i have no idea what you're thinking about it all." her voice became quieter at that, conversation left open clearly hopeful that you'd pick up where she left off.

"i wish you could read my mind too because even i don't know how to decipher it sometimes." a small smile curled into your features before you sighed heavily and alessia braced herself for the rejection she expected to be thrown her way, having tried her best all morning to prepare for what you'd have to say.

"there's a part of my brain that's terrified from what happened and what it means, and all those feelings of rejection and pain and hurt come flying back. when you were so ready to just leave me behind, i felt like i meant nothing to you and i think the dismissal of everything we went through together." you started, a frown creasing into your eyebrows as alessia's stomach lurched.

"but then i also don't think its a fair second chance if i dwell on that. i know you're not that same teenager anymore alessia and it would be wrong for me to hold that against you or over your head for the rest of your life." your voice softened and you chanced a glance toward her, seeing a frown not too dissimilar to yours etched into her features as she looked at the ground.

"i don't regret the kiss." you stated boldly, your voice seemingly a whole lot more confident than you really felt as the blondes head snapped up in surprise. her eyes catching with yours and suddenly your stomach clenched and all that confidence melted away, tips of your ears burning.

"neither do i."

"can you tell me how you're feeling please?" alessia continued, chewing nervously on her bottom lip. but she was taken off guard as you suddenly let out a groan, laying down on your back and covering your face with your arms.

"that bad huh?" the striker winced, that fear of rejection returning as she looked away. "no its not that at all its just..." you trailed off, words muffled against your arms, unsure how to even put it in words.

"just what?" "i feel like a hypocrite." "and why would you feel that way?"

"well i'm the one who kissed you the first time, and then i freaked out and made a firm point that it wouldn't happen again. that we couldn't be anything more than friends again because of how scared i was to go back to feeling how i had, and i don't ever want to be that hurt again." you started quietly, hands dropping to your sides as you stared up at the sky, feeling alessia's watchful gaze on you.

"but you only kissed me because i ambushed you with that big speech and i turned up to your house an absolute mess and you had every right to set those boundaries between us. it doesn't make you a hypocrite." alessia warned softly, reaching out to touch you but thinking better of it as her hand settled back in her lap.

"and last night...you can't take the full responsibility for that. it just, happened." her voice dropped an octave lower, wrenching her eyes away from you. "yeah." you agreed with a small sigh, still trying to unpack everything.

"okay i'm going to start speaking. but if you want me to stop, please stop me." alessia decided with a heavy exhale as you sat up again and nodded, waiting for her to continue. "okay this is sort of embarrassing but can we do the thing again, like when we were younger." she pleaded, cheeks flushed red with shame.

"you mean when we turn and-" "yeah." "okay."

hiding the small smile which wanted to curl into your features at her request you shuffled around so your backs faced one another, jolting ever so slightly as she pushed back a little, her body pressing lightly into yours.

you waited for her to speak, not wanting to rush her as clearly by your current positions this wasn't something she was finding easy to say, and you tried your best to swallow the nerves that caused to bubble up inside you.

"like i said, you had every right to set those boundaries with us given what happened and the fact we were starting over." alessia started, pausing for a moment to collect her thoughts. "but i don't think either of us can deny that clearly we aren't doing very well staying within them." she continued, your eyebrows furrowing into a slight frown.

"you can deny it if you want to but that kiss last night, it meant something, and i felt something. something that i tried to lock away when you said you wanted to be just friends because like i said, i'd rather have you in my life one way than not at all." alessia paused, again thinking out her next words as your heart started to beat a little faster.

"and i think you feel something too and thats probably terrifying given how things ended last time but i promise you i wouldn't ever dream of hurting you like that again. it scares me too just how much i care about you after so many years, how when i look at you everything that i thought was gone all just comes rushing back again and it makes my head spin. which is why i ran after the kiss last night, because i'd be lying if i said it didn't hurt to have to pretend i don't feel this way and that i don't want us to be something more." alessia continued confessing, biting her lip nervously.

"when i'm around you things make sense, we make sense. knowing how much i broke you the last time i had a chance to properly love you, it's the one thing in my life that I actually regret. seeing the pain in your eyes as you left, your inability to even look at me as you did. the not speaking to you or seeing you for so long, coming home and seeing you'd given back all my stuff, all the stuff i got for you, everything that symbolized us then symbolized that we were over for good, and of course i take responsibility for it but it hurt."

"you're the person i want to tell everything to, and the first one who comes to mind. when i got my first senior national team call up I just wanted to call you, text you, talk to you about it. but i couldn't, so i didn't. but now, now that feelings back and anytime something even tiny happens i find my mind wanders to what you'd think about it, what you'd say-" alessia paused again to take a breath as your heart hammered even harder in your chest.

"is this too much? god i feel like this is too much." the blonde stressed, doubt creeping in as you shook your head, forgetting momentarily that she couldn't see you. "no, keep going." you managed out once your senses kicked back in.

"okay, here we go.

"i like your eyes, i could look into them for hours and never get bored, they're comforting, they're beautiful and they're safe, just like you are. i like the little sun and moon studs in the corner of your ear, i like how the sound of your laughter can fill a whole room like a wind chime and how you stick your tongue out of that little gap in your teeth when you smile. i like the stupid little concentrating face you make when you think really hard about something, i like how you fall asleep during movie's, how you care more about other people than you do for yourself, you are a good person. a person better than i'll ever deserve another chance with, but you have no idea how badly i want to kiss you over and over again and for it to mean something." alessia's voice was barely a whisper as she finished, body riddled with anxiety as more time passed and you stayed dead silent.

"please say something."

"it is terrifying. when we kissed last night was different than that first time, all these emotions and feelings and memories came rushing back and suddenly i felt like that shy nervous lovesick teenager all over again. i was seventeen again laying in bed with you, both of us giggling like idiots and worrying about someone walking in on us." you started, trying desperately to make sense of how you were feeling despite how overwhelming it all was.

"i thought the kinds of feelings that came up when we kissed were long gone but its scary just how fast they all came racing back up to the surface. i think i really like you too lessi, no i know i do. but i think we still need to take things slowly, i don't want this to be something that crashes and burns out." you admitted, your stomach knotting over and over at the realization, your heartbeat now pounding in your ears.

there were no more words exchanged between you, and alessia jolted a little as she felt your hands inch backwards a little, seeking out her own. her every nerve tingled with a warm sense of calm as they found one another, your fingers intertwining with a gentle but now hopeful squeeze.

"okay, i can do slow. we can do slow."

with that said the two of you turned, again sitting side by side but much closer than before. "i know we just had like a big conversation but i really need to go or i'll be late for training and i don't particularly fancy running laps." alessia realised, giving you a guilty look.

"mmm i don't know, i'd kind of like to see you have to run some laps." you teased, a smile on your face as you tried to ignore the insane wave of emotions washing down on you, selfishly a little pleased she needed to leave which allowed you some time to sit and process them.

"could use them, might help you realise how long your legs are so you stop tripping over them." you continued, the blonde shoving you lightly before the two of you stood and headed back inside.

"so..." alessia trailed off, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet by the door. "so..." you mocked, crossing your arms as you hovered by your front door. "when can i see you again?" alessia asked, trying her best not to sound too eager, well aware you'd just had the conversation about testing the waters again.

"depends." you shrugged. "on?" alessia questioned, a little confused by your response. "you should get going, there's laps waiting for you." you reminded, opening your door and gesturing for her to go, the blonde stepping onto your front porch.

"depends on what?" the girl huffed impatiently, crossing her arms and staring you down. "whenever you ask me on a date. bye lessi!" you smiled, leaning up to softly kiss her cheek, closing the door quickly before she had a chance to respond.

~

you smiled at the good morning message on your phone, simple but sweet enough to have made your day just a little brighter as you texted alessia back.

she was quick to respond, making fun of you for the fact it wasn't technically morning anymore as you rolled your eyes, still still present on your lips as you sent her your own reply, wishing her good luck for the game today.

biting down on your lip your eyes scanned the contents of your fridge, willing some sort of inspiration to strike about what you could possibly cook yourself.

grabbing out some eggs you settled for those and a couple pieces of toast, your motivation low as you glanced over to the untouched pile of marking on your table.

you'd just finished cooking and hadn't even been able to sit down to eat before your phone rang. placing down your forkful of food you sighed and clicked answer.

"you better have a good reason for calling me on a sunday." you warned your brother. "wow its just so lovely to hear from you too." his voice dripped with sarcasm, and you winced at the loud music blaring behind him.

"what can i do for you dear harold?" you questioned, knowing him well enough that there was always an ulterior motive to his calls. "what are you doing today?" he asked, seemingly innocent as your eyes narrowed.

"why?" "always so suspicious! do you really not trust me?" "i could give you one hundred reasons why i don't trust you harry, need i remind of the santa incident? the how babies are made story? the sleeping bag accident?" "all just harmless childhood fun! lighten up. now are you busy today?" "not particularly, just have a small mountain of school work to mark through."

"perfect! we'll pick you up in an hour." harry cheered happily as your frown deepened. "sorry?" you questioned unsure if you'd heard him correctly. "alessia's game is at three and luca's sick so gio and i have a spare ticket, we'll be at yours in an hour. be ready!" and with that he'd hung up before you could even say another word.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

twelve

[bidisasterevankinard]

Inspiration Saturday

I was tagged by amazing @diazheartsbuckley

With break up and mpreg era in bucktommy fandom I was inspired to start quick mpreg fic where Buck and Tommy go through break up, but Buck also growths the future of his and Tommy's, their baby(ironic, right?). It's two pov fic on how they go through some stages of time away from each other

Mood board

And some of the of povs on the right after 8x7:

The words that the man who Buck was ready, still fucking can, call love of his life are flying in his mind, not letting him have a second of peace and calm. Not even when he sleeps. Because in the world of Morpheus he either relives the scene, when his heart was kicked too hard - he can’t be sure it ever will be fine -  again and again, seeing every detail as if in the movie, or he lives the happy life, still having Tommy near him, loving him. Buck hates that he doesn’t know what is worse. 

He should hate Tommy. Realy. Be angry for the implication that Buck just can’t know what he feels and needs in life. For how Tommy was 6 months making him believe he can be loved anyway, only to find out that the man had an exasperation date stamped on them, on Buck, from the start. And Buck wasn’t even good enough to serve him all that date. Wasn’t good enough at playing the game Tommy never told him they were playing. And now he pays the price.

He can’t hate Tommy or be angry with him even a little bit. He loves him too damn much.

-

He should have stopped himself from checking Evan out this time when the man was all sunshine and too much enthusiasm for the most boring tour over their station imaginable. He should have known the warmth of Evan was lava under his skin, that would burn him when he would be too close. But he let all his guard down. The man was too beautiful, hot as hell, brave, kind and impulsive in all the ways Tommy never saw himself ever be. And he was like a cheese for a mouse in the trap. Trap of Evan Buckley.

How can someone not fall in love with a man? How could Tommy not? How could he actually stop himself from just falling in too deep for the most beautiful and perfect ocean-eyed man he ever met? He tried. Told himself to hide heart depper, that Evan would see it eventually, so let’s not give him the chance to take away the sun of his smile too early. 

But he never expected Evan to be too caught up in how excited Tommy is as a first boyfriend, he never expected that Evan would still not see at least a little bit how broken Tommy is. The broken toy that people try to fix, but leave only more broken and unwanted.

Np tagging @wikiangela @diazsdimples @hippolotamus @theotherbuckley @bewilderedbuckley @typicalopposite @harmonic-intervention @hyperfocusthusly @repressedqueen @racerchix21 @loucifersbitch @louscurls @saybiwithme @asraindarkness @mmso-notlikethat @devirnis @bigfootsmom @bi-buckrights @lavenderleahy @leashybebes @queerbuck @actuallyitsellie @desert--moonchild @cliophilyra @powersuitup @pirrusstuff @tevankinkley @wolffnichols @watchyourbuck @saybiwithme @bekkachaos

[hgfictionwriter]

Maybe This Time - Part Two

Jessie Fleming x Reader

Summary: As Jessie and you grow closer, you attend your first Thorn's game, get grilled by Janine, and Jessie relives old memories of you - both good and bad.

Warnings: None.

A/N: It's been a while, so if you need Part One here it is. Depending on the appetite for this fic, I'll either wrap it up next chapter or will explore a bit more.

"Does the offer for tickets still stand?"

Jessie's smile widened as she read your message.

"Of course. Which game do you want to see?"

When she locked her phone and tucked it into her jacket pocket she caught the curious look Janine was giving her. The blonde leaned against the lockers, hand resting on her hip.

"What's that about?" She asked with a single waggle of her eyebrows and a knowing look to the phone.

"Nothing," Jessie replied in a drawn out tone as she rolled her eyes and turned to walk to the carpark, knowing Janine would follow.

"I think you mean 'Y/N'," Janine said rather smugly as she fell in step. Jessie came to a stop and shot her friend a withering look.

"Not you, too," she complained, being immediately met with all-too-satisfied laughter from Janine.

Since Jessie texted Teagan about you a few weeks back, she'd received relentless razzing from her Bruins teammates, but now it seemed word had gotten out even more.

"You were crazy about her back in the day," Janine went on undeterred. "I remember you texting her - not as discretely as you thought, by the way - and moping over her at camps."

"Uh huh," Jessie said in a flat, unimpressed tone as they began walking again. "I did not mope," she muttered.

"Oh you moped," Janine refuted. "Big time." Before Jessie could argue further, Janine went on. "And now she lives here and so do you? And she’s single? Sounds like fate to me," she said with a cheeky smile.

"Stop it," Jessie scolded mildly. The rest of her complaint dissipated as she felt her phone buzz. She pulled it out and shot Janine a dark look at the "Oooo" noise she made upon seeing your name on the screen. Jessie turned her back to Janine and opened the message, ignoring how the girl was tall enough to see over her shoulder anyway.

"Awesome! Whatever's available, really. This weekend, next, whatever works. Thank you!"

Jessie sighed irritably as she tried to ignore how Janine was blatantly looking at the message.

"I can get you tickets for this weekend. Is two okay?"

"Why are you offering her two!" Janine protested. "You want her to bring a date or something?"

Jessie rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to make her attend alone. She can bring a friend." She averted her gaze briefly before lowering her tone. "A friend who's hopefully not a date." Immediately, she went on. “Not that I care. We’re totally different people now. There’s nothing to read into.”

“Right,” Janine deadpanned. She opened her mouth to speak, but a new message popped up and both girls’ attention was drawn to it.

"Brilliant! I'll be there. Thank you so much. I'm looking forward to it! It's been too long since I've been to one of your games."

Jessie smiled before tamping it out when she remembered Janine was studying her.

“Cool. I’ll send you the tickets.”

She was going to write something further, something witty, but not with Janine hanging over her shoulder and analyzing every word and move.

“Imagine if you get benched this Saturday,” Janine said followed with a laugh. Jessie glowered at her.

“It wouldn’t matter anyway,” Jessie said haughtily, recovering from the dirty look she shot her friend. “It’s not like she’s here to see me specifically.”

“Uh, I think that’s exactly what she’s doing. Remember? She doesn’t even like soccer?” Janine pointed out exaggeratedly before muttering. “Which would totally be a red flag, but your Bruins girls seemed to like her, so I guess she can’t be all bad.”

“Oh my gosh,” Jessie chided. “Her not caring about soccer is not a reflection of her character or worth as a human being. God, Janine.” She rolled her eyes and Janine made a face at her.

“You know what does though? How much emotional turmoil she put you through in university. I can - and do - judge her for that,” Janine retorted, now earnest.

Jessie shot her a look as they reached their cars. They stood to face one another and she sighed.

“It’s not her fault,” she said quietly. “I never told her how I feel. Felt.” Jessie glowered at herself this time, rolling her eyes. “She didn’t string me along or anything like that. Anytime I was moody - or mopey - it was my own doing. We were really close and I wanted more, but I was too shy. And I’d get jealous of girls who did have the nerve to ask her out and date her and it was my own fault.”

“This isn’t the 19th century, Jessie. She could’ve asked you out, too,” Janine countered and Jessie huffed in frustration, folding her arms tightly across her chest.

“Well. I guess. But. I don’t know.” Jessie kicked at the ground with her sneaker. “I think she maybe was now and then? Like - not explicitly I guess. But looking back I think she wanted me to reciprocate more and I didn’t. Maybe.”

Janine arched an eyebrow at her.

“What do you mean?”

Jessie’s frustration grew, but she took a breath.

“I don’t know.” She shrugged sharply and redhead out to open her car door. “It doesn’t matter. That’s all in the past anyway.”

She didn’t have to look at Janine to know the girl was processing how far to push this. Mercifully, she relented.

“‘Kay. Well, I've push my judgement aside. And truthfully, if you like her, that says a lot - she must be pretty great. I look forward to meeting her on Saturday. And I will be nice. I promise.”

“Thank you,” Jessie said, giving Janine a grateful look. “See you tomorrow.”

“Later.”

——————

Saturday’s game rolled around and Jessie was in the locker room getting ready when her phone buzzed. Normally, she didn’t check her phone or keep it nearby when she was preparing for a game, but, you know, what if you had a question or a problem with the tickets? She clearly had to be available.

When she checked her phone and saw your name, she smiled. For the first week or so anytime you appeared on her phone Jessie felt a spark of surprise, but that had now diminished. Not in a bad way, but you two had been texting quite regularly and it wasn’t a shock anymore to hear from you.

Ready to watch a ball be kicked around and chased for 90 minutes!

She actually laughed when she read the message, but it was cut short when she saw the selfie you sent with it. On one hand, you looked beautiful and she smirked at how you’d bought a Thorns scarf and hat. On the other hand, old feelings came up when she saw you and your…friend. Whoever that may be. It was a silly notion, but it felt too familiar.

Jessie sighed.

What - no Fleming jersey?

Lol. I guess we’ll see how today goes as to whether or not I can be swayed. I mean, that’s a commitment.

Jessie's attention was drawn away when Coach announced it was time for warm-ups.

"Off your phone," Janine said dramatically with a bobble of her head. "You're so focused you missed the update to the starting lineup."

"What?" Jessie asked, eyebrows furrowed and attention now fully on her friend.

"Yeah," Janine said pointedly as she crossed her arms. "You really didn’t hear? You're not starting anymore. You're on the bench; Coach is thinking of pretty much resting you for the game."

"What?" Jessie asked again with greater intensity, sitting forward. She watched as Janine's stern expression melted into laughter. Jessie's concern and confusion immediately shifted to irritation and she stared daggers at the blonde.

"Oh my God. I can't believe you fell for that," Janine teased. "Don't worry," she went on, rolling her eyes, "nothing's changed. But now I know how much you want to show off for Y/N."

"You're ridiculous," Jessie scolded as she stood. "I'd be upset any day about getting suddenly benched. What are you talking about." Janine still snickered.

"You gotta point her out to me when we get on the pitch."

"No," Jessie said firmly as she typed out one last text.

"Time for warm-ups. It usually takes us a long time to get out of here after games, but if you're around later on maybe we can grab a drink together."

Jessie fought off the impending blush and tucked her phone into her bag before jogging after the rest of the girls.

Out on the pitch she put in quite a valiant effort to not look in your general direction. It was all rather pointless, really, it's not like you were close enough to the pitch for her to see you clearly or vice versa, but still. She also readily ignored the way Janine tracked her stare for any indication of where you were sitting.

By the time the anthem rolled around, Jessie's resolution waned. She stood there with her shoulders back, hands clasped behind her as the music echoed through the stadium. Despite her intentions, her gaze wandered over to the section you were in. Her gaze lingered long enough for her to pick out the spot you were in. Again, you weren't super clearly defined that far out, but it was you.

She bit the inside of her cheek and fought off a blush. She refused. This was a new time, a new Jessie, and she'd be damned if she'd shrink and blush just because you were here. She'd played in front of sold out stadiums on the world stage - why should she care if you were watching? Still, her mind raced back to when you first came to one of her games.

She'd played with the Bruins for over a year by the time you became friends. Jessie had really been downplaying the whole soccer thing for the initial part of your friendship - she didn't want it to define her and in a way it felt like bragging. She actually liked that you didn't know her for soccer and when someone else in class once made a big deal about her, you looked momentarily perplexed, but unfazed and you both immediately went back to talking about nanomaterials.

In fact, Jessie never actually invited you to one of her games. The concept just seemed so…egotistical. That said, she remembered when the starting whistle was about to blow at one of the games and she made the mistake of scanning the crowd. Just the memory of the shock and nerves that washed over her upon seeing you in the stands nearly caused her body to recreate the same reaction in this moment. She took a deep breath.

Jessie was so stunned to see you at the game that the whistle blew and the game started while she remained rooted to her spot for several seconds, belatedly stumbling like an idiot after the ball long after it shot past her. She was off the entire game - shots going wide, poor challenges, and somehow ending up flat on the pitch more times than she could recall in recent years. It was a game from hell for her.

After the game, she was so embarrassed she scurried off the field, showered, got changed and rushed back to her dorm. Only later did she learn you'd looked for her after the game. Next time she saw you in class, she sunk in her chair, anxiously tapping her pencil on her notebook and determinedly stared forward. You greeted her like normal, but Jessie was fidgety and gave monosyllabic answers. You eventually congratulated her on the game. Despite Jessie's less than stellar performance, the team still won. Jessie guffawed and felt heat ascending on her face. She shuffled in her seat and claimed she didn't know you'd attended the game. Despite her aloofness, you were still very complimentary.

Thankfully, in future games Jessie was more like herself. But she'd be lying if she said she wasn't nervous every time you showed up. She just never wanted to make a fool of herself in front of you.

This time, however, as the first whistle blew, Jessie charged forward, immediately winning possession and sending a long through ball past an unsuspecting defensive line for Sophia to chase down. A strong start for Jessie, followed by well-timed tackles, solid passes, deft footwork and by the end of the game - an assist. She was subbed out in the final 15 minutes, but she felt great about her performance.

After the final whistle and a 2-0 result, the team walked the pitch greeting and thanking the fans. Jessie walked along with her teammates, clapping along with the fans and waving periodically when Janine ran up next to her, nudging her with her shoulder as she did so.

"Okay, so where is she? Oh, and congrats. You put on a bit of a clinic today, so I'm sure she'll be very impressed."

Jessie rolled her eyes and sighed in exasperation.

"You're not going to be able to see her anyway. And who knows, maybe she left already."

"Another point against her," Janine joked, ignoring the look Jessie shot her.

Jessie was about to prep a rebuttal when her eyes fell upon you. You were hanging back behind the fans who had clamoured down to the barriers and were reaching over with gear to sign. While her pulse quickened at the sight of you, an uncomfortable pit formed in her stomach when she saw you leaning in and whispering to the girl you were with. Jessie quickly shook out her head in a vain attempt to rid herself of this nagging - and totally unwarranted - jealousy.

"Wait - which one is she," Janine asked, urgency in her voice as she started pushing into Jessie to try and gauge where she was looking.

"Oh for goodness sake," Jessie muttered, though grateful for the distraction. She sighed, but described you to Janine and gestured vaguely. As she did so, you looked her way and you caught one another's eye. Jessie swallowed her discomfort and gave you a wave with a half smile, which you returned with a bright smile and an enthusiastic wave.

"Oh," Janine said flatly. "So that's why you like her."

"What?" Jessie asked, her voice suddenly high in question.

"Well, I don't play for the same team as you, but, she's a looker. I'll give you that." She gave a brief eye roll a moment later as she relented further. "And I guess she's gotta be smart, too."

"I don't like her, Janine," Jessie said through nearly gritted teeth. "Not that like anymore. She's just an old friend."

"Well, I'd like to talk with this 'old friend' of yours," Janine said, and before Jessie could react to the glint she caught in Janine's eye, the blonde was up on her tip toes and waving you down, insisting for you to come down to the pitch. You hesitated, but, standard Janine, she was very persistent. You looked to Jessie for direction and though Jessie wanted to just get swallowed up by the ground over this whole display, she channeled her energy and instead gave you an easy nod and waved you down as well.

It took every ounce of effort for Jessie to retain her composure as you descended the steps and found an opening in the crowd.

"So what's the verdict?" Jessie asked as you came up to one another at the barrier. Her eyes flicked momentarily back to your friend who stood behind you. "More or less entertaining than a Bruins game?"

You chuckled, a wide smile forming on your face and Jessie unknowingly smiled back.

"Well I don’t want to say anything negative about your Bruins days. I had fun - I know you don't believe me, but I did. That said, a game in front of like 25,000 fans is pretty spectacular. The energy in here was crazy." You gave a facetious roll of your eyes and tacked on with a smirk, "And I guess you played alright, too."

Jessie was about to riff off of your comment when Janine stepped forward and extended her hand.

"Hey, you must be Y/N. My name is Janine - nice to meet you," she said with a polite smile. You readily shook her hand.

"It's so nice to finally meet you. Jessie's always talked so highly of you."

"Ah," Janine said as she gave Jessie a lingering look before smiling back. "Jessie's always talked very highly of you, too."

You blushed slightly as you pulled a slight face, shifting your gaze to Jessie.

"That is much too generous of her," you said. "I would've expected her to talk more about how annoying I could be during study sessions."

"Nobody could be more annoying than Janine when I was trying to study," Jessie swiftly cut in. She ignored the affronted look the blonde shot her. Jessie looked back at you and quickly added, "Not that I thought you were annoying. You were one of the only people in my life that took studying seriously." Jessie took a breath and offered your companion a tight smile.

"You must be…"

"Oh!" You said as you turned on the spot. "Oh, I'm so sorry. This is my friend [y/friend's name]. She's actually been asking me to come to a Thorns game for a while, so - it finally worked out."

"Oh really?" Jessie asked, feeling annoyingly uneasy before remembering her manners. "Oh, and I'm Jessie. Nice to meet you."

"Very polite of you to introduce yourself even though you're famous," [y/friend] said with a laugh. "It's nice to meet you, too. I'm a fan of both of you and am stoked that you're playing for Portland these days. Imagine my surprise when y/n just casually drops that she got a personal invite from Jessie Fleming herself. I didn't believe her until she showed me a picture of you two from university."

Now Jessie did blush, brushing her hair back with her hand. Oh. A friend. And legitimately seemed like just a friend. She inwardly scolded herself for getting so worked up.

"Well, it sounds like we should all grab a drink or something together. Are you free tonight? I'd love to get to know you both better," Janine said with her most charming smile. You and Jessie shared a look.

"Uh, I mean, you mentioned a drink," you said as you gestured to Jessie. "So - I'm up for it if you are."

She'd really been hoping more for a drink one on one, but she supposed she'd have to adapt. She gave a casual shrug.

"Yeah, sounds good."

-----

"Another round?"

Conversation halted as the four of you looked to the server. You were the first to reply.

"Sure, I'll have another. Can I grab the pilsner this time?"

"I'll have another, too." Y/friend jumped in. "Same as before."

"Sure thing. Anyone else?"

Janine waved her off, but Jessie's eyes darted around the table as she debated what to do. A second round wasn't usually her go-to, and frankly, could be slightly dangerous territory when it came to her inhibitions. If you were anything like you were back in university, a second round wouldn't affect you much at all. Still, much like years before, Jessie felt the need to keep up.

"Sure, I'll have another."

"You got it. Be right back."

"So, Y/N, I think we must compare notes. Tell me what Jessie was like in university. I mean, I have my stories from camp and competition days, but I don't know UCLA Jessie," Janine said, leaning in conspiratorially.

"Oh come on, you two," Jessie complained pre-emptively with a roll of her head.

"Hey, why are you calling me out?" You asked, tone rising. "I didn't even agree." You dropped the offended act and leaned in mimicking Janine. "But of course we have to compare notes."

Janine clapped her hands in victory and sat back expectantly.

"You know what," you started as you reached into your pocket to retrieve your phone and started going through it, "after we ran into each other. I went through some old photos and look what I found."

"Oh sweet God," Jessie muttered as she sunk low in her seat and brought a hand up to cover her face.

You turned your phone around and held it out for Jessie first, though Janine immediately leaned right in. The second she saw the photo, Jessie's face began to burn with embarrassment.

"Delete." She shook her head, averting her eyes from the photo. "Get rid of it."

"Come on!" You protested as you drew the phone back. You looked down at the photo of Jessie kneeling in her UCLA blues with an upside down visor on her head looking comically serious.

"Gangster." Janine said with a laugh.

"Well, I thought you looked cute," you said primly. You were flipping to another photo and missed the look Jessie and Janine shared. "'Kay, how about this?" You held out your phone again, this time showing Jessie sporting a water gun at a campus party.

"Again. Delete!" Jessie said, hiding her face further, but now had to laugh.

"You were so sweet," you said. "You were taking that water fight very seriously, but you mercifully didn't shoot me. Which - thank you - cause I was getting rocked already." You gave her a smirk. "In fact, I think you even stopped a shot or two for me."

Jessie arched an eyebrow and gave a light shrug. "Maybe."

A moment later you started laughing, pulling a confused look out of the rest of the table. You waved apologetically. "Sorry - I just remembered. You blasted [y/ex] in the face so bad she was choking for like 5 minutes after. I guess that's not funny, but it kind of was."

Jessie blushed. "Oh yeah. I forgot about that. It just kind of happened - I felt bad after." She certainly didn't forget. And it certainly wasn't an accident. Though she did feel slightly bad.

"Oh, and I showed you this," you said to y/friend before turning the phone to Jessie and Janine again. "This is my favourite picture of us. Do you remember that day?"

Jessie took in the photo of the two of you sitting on the wall at the beach with your backs to the ocean at sunset. You were flush against one another, an arm around each other and your head was leaned against hers.

Jessie remembered this picture well. She'd looked at it many, too many, times. It had been one of her favourites too. Looking at it brought a wave of melancholy over her though. While she loved it, it brought her right back to when she'd stare at photos of you in the dark of her dorm or hotel room and think about the relationship she wished she had with you.

"Yeah, I remember. That was a good night," she said simply with a small smile.

"We were the last ones left around the bonfire that night," you recollected. "And you walked me back to my dorm - gosh, it had to be what, like 3 am by then."

"Yeah, I remember your girlfriend getting pissed with you about it, too," Jessie said without thinking.

Your smile faded slightly, though you held Jessie's gaze. You eventually gave a nod.

"Yeah, I remember that too." You scoffed lightly as you took a sip of your drink. "I can say this now - enough time has passed - my girlfriends always had an issue with you. Which should've been my immediate red flag for each of them. Because anyone who doesn't like you is problematic."

Janine leaned in without skipping a beat. "Okay, you can't just leave it at that. Tell me more. And yes - you're right - major red flags."

This time you were the one to blush. You fiddled with the glass a bit before shrugging, your eyes drifting to the TV in the corner of the establishment.

"I-I don't know," you stammered. "They were just insecure, I guess."

This made Jessie's ears perk up and she frowned deeply at you. Your face burned hotter as you felt the table's eyes on you.

"What?" You dismissed with a shrug and a light wave of your hand. "Is that so shocking? I mean, you and I were close. And we hung out a lot. And hello - co-captain," you shot her a momentarily teasing look, "of the soccer team, Dean's list, Olympic athlete, very charming, etc., the list goes on. Of course they were threatened."

Jessie finished a large swig of her drink, setting down the pint glass more heavily than intended on the table. Her face screwed up as she said, "That's the silliest thing I've ever heard."

Why would they have ever been jealous of her. They were the lucky ones. It was their bed you might climb into at night, their lips you would kiss and their hands you would hold.

"Jessie!" You laughed, leaning into the table again. "You are too humble for your own good. I told you. You had a lot of appeal."

"Well, not enough," Jessie muttered as she took another sip and raised her eyebrows, her gaze travelling over to Janine who was watching her tentatively. The blonde cleared her throat.

"So what I'm hearing is that UCLA Jessie wasn't all that different than national camp Jessie - just with marginally more debauchery," she interjected, diffusing any mounting tension.

It took you a moment, but you offered her a smile of agreement.

"Seems that way." A beat passed and you offered Jessie another smile. "Do you have any pictures from back then? You always had your camera out."

Your question broke Jessie out of her spiral. She wracked her brain momentarily for a response.

"Uh, no. I lost a lot of my old photos."

In reality, she deleted and threw out all of her pictures of you. All except one. It was that night at the beach, there was a moment of comfortable silence between you two and the last rays of sunlight were dipping below the horizon. You were looking out onto the sea, looking so peaceful and just so beautiful. That was her favourite photo of you.

Even when, one night in London, when she got home from a team outing and you had been on her mind all evening despite the fact that you hadn't texted her back in days; when she finally decided to put an end to this pointless and hopeless pining, she couldn't bring herself to delete that one photo.

Jessie ignored the flash of hurt that crossed your face.

"That's too bad," you said with a half smile. Jessie returned it and the mood at the table took a palpable dip. A few moments of quiet passed.

"Well, you two are in the same city again. You can take new ones together," y/friend offered brightly. You gave a light chuckle.

"I guess that depends on if you're too famous for me." You gave Jessie a smirk. Jessie was still in her head, until Janine nudged her under the table. She took a sip of her drink .

"Well, my schedule's pretty packed," Jessie said with a smirk of her own. The alcohol made it feel like she was on auto-pilot. She sat back and gave you a wink. "But I can make time for you."

You seemed caught off guard and gave a slightly awkward laugh though your cheeks blushed pink. You spoke somewhat wryly, "Well thank you."

Jessie cleared her throat and sat forward in her seat again, speaking earnestly this time. "No, seriously. Of course I'm not too famous to spend time with you. Now that's the silliest thing I've ever heard."

You propped an elbow on the table and rest your chin in your raised palm.

"Well, I look forward to making some new memories together."

Jessie held up her glass to you.

"Deal."

——————

A/N: Part Three is available here.

[oneofstarkskids]

"you're scared to win. scared to lose. I heard the war was over if you really choose."

bucky barnes x reader

genre; ANGST!!! ANGST!!! ANGST!!!

setting: sam's parents' house in delacroix

word count: 1169

you're swaying in a white porch swing, scrolling through your camera roll, reliving memories.

the door creaks open beside you.

“you ready for the cookout?”

you give sam a nod, even though you know you’ll be out here a bit longer.

he gives you that knowing look, but decides to leave you to it. whatever "it" is anymore.

an all too familiar ache blooms in your chest. heavy. the only thing left to do is what you’ve done so many times before.

you go back to the messages.

short, sweet responses from when he was still here. when he'd jog with sam, or run to the store for snacks like it meant something.

you overthink every word.

did I imagine it all?

was it one-sided, and i was just delusional enough to believe he loved me?

that’s the only explanation that fits.

because if he truly loved you-like he used to whisper when the sunlight seeped into your shared bedroom each morning—then why did he leave?

sam tried to help. he really did.

“he’s just… complicated. you deserve someone who can give you the life you want.”

but it sounded like bullshit excuses, passed down from the man who couldn't stay beside you himself.

you tried to move on. blocked his number. unblocked it. blocked it again. packed up the remnants of your life together. then opened the box on nights you felt especially hollow.

you’re not the kind of person who can brush things off and keep going. the sentiment, the sensation...it clings to you like lint to fabric.

for just a moment, you're taken back to saturday breakfasts. he would mindlessly hum as he scrambled eggs and then get this bewildered look on his face when you pointed it out.

"I could stay like this forever," he once said with his arms wrapped around you from behind, your legs hung over the side of the boat sam graciously allowed you two to borrow. "and don't be doing anything nasty!" your friend would add.

he would plant a kiss on your lips, just to get under sam's skin. but there was still something soft about it. the way he tasted like a hint of whiskey and something uniquely him.

you remember waking up to him shaking beside you on the colder nights. the way you'd wrap your arms around his midsection despite the sheen of sweat. holding him together. you were his anchor and he was your lifeline.

and maybe it was cruel to do this to yourself. play those moments back in your mind as if they were ever truly yours to begin with.

because now you're curled up on a swing with a blanket that still faintly smells like him.

fucking masochist.

you drag yourself back to every sweet whisper, if only to cover up the broken pieces he left you in.

and never for a moment do you look back at the days you felt it slipping through your fingers.

the way he would either refuse to look at you or memorize your features like he may never get the chance to again, and nothing in between.

he probably didn't realize that you'd noticed his touch become lighter and seldom. less like he wanted to hold you, and more like he wanted to keep you untainted.

you would pretend it wasn't driving you mad when he'd give you one word answers. it's a shame you didn't win an award for the smile you plastered on your face every day.

you gave him space when he needed it, and often became clingy to try and keep him close. but maybe it only pushed him further.

there were too many unanswered questions that had been tumbling around in your mind since he-

you snap out of your trip down memory lane, hands shaking as you scroll through your contacts.

blood rushes to your ears and you can feel your heart beating against your ribcage.

you lift the phone to your ear. one ring. two rings. you begin to wonder why you did this. why you decided to make a fool of yourself.

three rings.

hopelessness washed over you.

is it over now?

but then a voice, "doll?"

the nickname. the way it slipped out so easily. it makes warm tears pour down your face, one by one.

but your throat was too raw to speak. you didn't want him to hear the strangled sobs that threatened to break free.

your name fell from his lips. "are you there?"

you inhaled shakily, composing yourself, desperately trying to ignore the lump in your throat. but it was pointless. you pulled the phone away and quickly pressed the red button.

after a moment of sitting in the silent aftermath of what you'd done, the frustration boiled over and you screamed. something awful and guttural.

the phone was discarded, probably shattered, and you made your way inside, slamming the door behind you.

you ran a hand through your hair and let it linger. your nose was red, your eyes were bloodshot, and your chest was heaving with all the things you couldn't say.

sam, who had been waiting on you, made his way over to you and wrapped you up in his arms, the way a brother would.

his hand cradled the back of your head as you let it all out.

he held you as long as you needed, and you cried until you were too tired to care.

at some point you'd ended up on the couch, eyes unfocused on sam's nephews playing outside the window. he'd left the room and come back moments later with a letter he slipped into your hands.

you frowned at it and shook your head in confusion.

"just...read it, okay?" he said softly before leaving the room.

you hesitated, but then tore it open. it was from bucky, of course.

his semi-cursive handwriting adorned the whole page, but you were only able to read, "i know i haven't been checking in lately. but to be honest, i'm not doing so well," before your tears blurred your vision.

you were conflicted. on one hand, he'd sent a letter instead of a text, in typical bucky fashion. it almost made you laugh.

and on the other, he'd sent it to sam.

he couldn't tell you how he felt? how he was? or better yet, why the hell he left in the first place?

you were angry. so angry.

you crumpled his sorry letter into a ball and rested your head in your hands. you hated him for doing this to you. for showing you what it was like to be loved. for making you laugh until you couldn't breathe. for giving you a glimpse of a life you would never have. for leaving everything you'd built together behind without so much as a goodbye.

but mostly you hated that you couldn't hate him. not really.

and all you had left in you was a pathetic desperation that clung to three words,

"please come back."

[plantinghobbies]

The Same Damn Thing - Part 3

Haven’t read the previous parts? Catch up here!

@solipsisticno1 and I are so grateful to everyone who’s read and supported our little Valentine’s collab that has (to absolutely no one’s surprise) taken almost the entirety of February to get three parts done. But we are halfway there! Hope you enjoy!

Part 3: “…I knew you’d haunt all of my what if’s” - Taylor Swift——————————————————————————————————

Val avoids him after that, volunteering for work trips no one else wants. A day here, two days there add up to weeks before she knows it. It’s harder when she’s in the office but not impossible. She’s the first out of the conference room after a meeting, flying out the door with her nose in her phone in case he follows her. And the last one there at night, only leaving her office after she knows he’s gone for the day. She’s subsisting on non-perishable foods for lunch and is shocked she hasn’t developed a UTI from holding it all day but both these bleak realities are better than the thought of being alone with him again. Of the whoosh in her stomach as it drops when she sees him, the heat that pools seemingly everywhere at the thought of what almost happened. What did happen.

Before she knows it, it’s May and her mum is texting her to ask whether she’s coming home on the 24th. Val dreads the day each year. Not the actual anniversary of her sister’s death (though that’s the worst day of the year) but the one where she disappoints her parents again by saying she won’t be there with them to relive the worst day of their lives. It’s not that they’ll be alone - her aunt always comes down and Val’s cousin who lives in town stops by - but she knows it’s not the same. The first year she had tried, but everything in her told her it wasn’t where she needed to be. After they went to bed, Val had thrown her bag in the car, driving until her mind subconsciously brought her back to the last place she’d felt close to Marin - physically and metaphorically. The calm that engulfed her when she stepped onto the damp grass of the courtyard felt like a relief and a selfish indulgence at the same time. 

Ever since then, Val had come back to campus every year on the anniversary, making up work trips and last minute emergencies to avoid telling her mom the truth - that being home with them didn’t bring her anywhere near the comfort that being there did. That the best times of her life were at uni that year.

The 24th dawns with a bright sun and cloudless sky. There’s a slight chill in the air as Val catches the train to her destination, wrapping her hands up in the long sleeves of her jacket. It’s not even 7:30 when she makes it to campus, wanting to avoid the Saturday early birds at the farmers market that wasn’t there when she was in school.

Lying down in the grass under her favorite tree, she tries to remember the bits of advice she picked up in the grief group that she’d gone to for a few months. Use the day to remember old memories, but also to make new ones, your loved one is always with you. (Val’s not sure that she believes that but  she has pictured Marin standing beside her during particularly difficult times over the years and it has helped). 

Flashes of memories play against her eyelids - Halloween when the whole group had dressed up as Mario Kart characters, complete with little cardboard cars that had been left in a pile by the dumpster of their favorite bar after they couldn’t squeeze into the booth with them on. Marin’s face when Val had given her her secret Santa gift - a limited edition of Mary Oliver’s first collection that Val had spent three months saving every penny she had to pay for (worth it).  Matty’s and Marin’s drunken duet of Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, cackling when Matty’s voice cracked around the high notes, his indignant claims that he was sick, not just shit at karaoke. 

The memories transport her back, so vivid that Matty’s voice sounds like it’s right next to her. 

“Val? Val, you ok?” A hand wraps around her shoulder gently and she bolts up to sitting, throwing an elbow out on instinct that catches the offender with a low “umph.” It sounds familiar. 

The “fuck me” he whispers lowly confirming what she already knew. A part of her wants to keep her eyes closed - to continue to live in her memories instead of face the reality in front of her. Out of sight, out of mind. 

“Ummm listen I didn’t mean to….” No such luck. 

Her eyes peel open slowly, blinking against the heavy sun. Sunglasses would have been smart. He’s crouched in front of her, one hand on the ground to balance himself, the other resting on his knee (the bad one. Val remembers the brace he had to wear for weeks after he twisted it trying to learn football tricks to prove he was better at it than James). 

“What are you doing here?” The accusation in her voice isn’t intentional but he reacts to it, steeling his shoulders and leaning back away from her. 

“Same thing you are I reckon.” A smile pulls at his lips before he seems to think better of it and tugs it back in. 

Of course, the one year that she is actively trying to avoid him, they end up here at the same time. She’s not surprised he had the same idea, he always did like ceremony. “Do you, umm, do you want to grab a coffee? Talk? Or not talk?” She is surprised by the invitation, her behavior over the last few months wasn’t exactly hospitable. But then again, neither was his. 

He looks lost, eyes sunken into heavy bags as he gazes up at her through his lashes. She wonders how long they’ve been there. His fingers twitch around a cigarette the isnt’ there. She shouldn’t, she shouldn’t, she - “Uh yea, sure.” Clearly he’s retained his ability to charm her into doing things against her better judgment. 

They walk to an old haunt where he used to sing at open mic nights, the destination unspoken between them. It’s only when they’re sat face to face, steaming mugs between them, that she realizes the mistake she’s made. Her other interactions with him since the incident (as she’s taken to calling it in her head) have been short, work-related, no direct eye contact or conversation needed. 

It seems it’s dawning on him as well. Matty traces the rim of his mug and then clears his throat.

“I uh I -“ He mutters something under his breath that sounds like “Christ man” before continuing “Uh, how’s the rest of your day been?”

Val snorts as she looks up at him but he beats her to a retort “Fuck me, I’m sorry, dumbest question ever. Don’t answer that. I just - I don’t know what to say after - “ 

“Don’t.” It comes out sharper than she intended. But she can’t think of that night, of what Marin would think. Not today at least. Maybe not ever. 

They’re plunged into silence once again. Matty fidgets and crosses his leg, knocking the bag over that Val hadn’t noticed he’d been carrying until now. 

“What’s that?” She knows he hates small talk but chickens out for safe ground. 

“Baby onesie from the bookstore.” Her eyebrow arches, eyes flitting between him and the bag. “No, not what you’re thinking. Not for me. For the kid. I mean, not for my kid, I don’t have one.” He’s always been cute when he rambles. Fuck. “It’s for James’ baby.” 

Her surprise must show on her face. “Oh I didn’t realize he had one?” 

“Yea, just a few days ago. He and his husband - he’s a great guy, you’d like him. As patient as you’d imagine you’d have to be to put up with Jay.” His voice bears no judgement though it’s clear he knows that she hasn’t kept up with anyone beyond perfunctory texts.  It’s not that she’d gone out of her way to cut ties. But after she’d transferred schools, it became so easy to pretend she was someone else - someone who knew what they were doing, someone who didn’t pine after a guy who didn’t want her (at least not in the way she wanted). Someone who hadn’t lost her favorite person (people, really). She liked that version of herself - confident, detached, focused - more than the sad, lonely, and depressed reality that she was trying so hard to hide. And her friends would have seen right through her. So she kept them from seeing. 

It’s the odd silence that draws Val out of her thoughts and back to the table. Right, Matty had been talking about James. “Aaah so he hasn’t slowed down with age?”

The smile he gives her then is small but warm. “Nope, far from it. I think the older he gets, the more frantic he gets about the number. Trying to squeeze as much wild shit in as possible. I mean, it’s crazy but life is short, you kn-

Val watches as he pulls up, looking for all the world like he wanted to shovel the words back down his throat. Eyes flitting everywhere but her face.

“I mean -“ On instinct, her hand is covering his, not able to see him anxious even after all these years. 

“Matty, I think we both know.” 

He cocks his head at her hand, and she pulls it back. Aware that it’s the first time they’ve touched since That Night. 

“Can we talk about something else? Please.” God she’s a prick but after a morning spent solely focused on sad, she needs some relief. Hopes he won’t mind. 

He snaps his jaw shut, clearly taken aback with the desperation in her voice. “Uh, yea, course. I’m sure it’s tough to think about today…” (Truth is, she could talk about Marin all day. Matty and Marin, that was a different story). 

Eye contact seems to be hard for both of them, each flitting around for something to distract from the heavy intimacy that has settled over them. God, why did she say yes to this. Their relationship - she indulges herself with using that term to describe it - is one third rail topic after another. 

And just like so many times before, Matty throws her a lifeline. “Did you hear that I’m still office snooker champion?”

The laugh she barks out startles the sleeping baby at the table next to her, both of its mothers sending her death glares as the hiccuping cries begin. “What the fuck? How’d that happen?”

A cheshire grin settles on Matty’s features as he leans in conspiratorially “Fucking cheaters. They got Dawes - he was judging, remember? Well they got him drunk and then kept fudging the score. Someone caught them and turned them into the party police.” 

Val settles against the back of her chair, crossing her arms. “It was you, wasn’t it?” 

His laugh sends a spark from her ears to her toes. “Now what would give you that impression.”

“Besides the fact that I saw you bring Dawes four rounds of shots?” 

“I think you’re mistaken.” 

“Even if I was, there’s no one else who cares enough about that competition to go through the trouble of reporting that.” Matty’s eyes narrow as she points at him, following the path of her fire-engine red nail. “Except you.”

The grin he was trying to suppress earlier breaks free. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She’d missed his mischievous look, like the cat that swallowed the canary.

“Oh well my mistake then.”

“Too right.” 

Another memory.“You remember when Daisy tried to impress that guy and ended up needing to replace the whole top of the snooker table at Shea’s?” 

“Oh my god - and we all nearly went broke because of it. Who the fuck knew felt could cost that much?” Matty says, raising his mug to his lips before realizing it was empty. He sets it down gently, looking between his mug and her forehead (he’s struggling to look at her, which would offend her if she wasn’t also mesmerizing his hairline right back). “Umm I’m getting another. You want one?”

The line had grown substantially since they’d come in, giving her plenty of time to observe him as he waited with their mugs. More time than she allowed herself at work, always worried about people’s noses stares and misguided assumptions about their relationship. There’s that word again. Time had been good to him, preserved his boyish good looks but filled them out, added a little ruggedness that was laughable when she thought back on how posh he’d grown up. Matty had struck up a conversation with the woman in front of him (of course he had) and not for the first time, Val wonders what he’s been up to since uni. Who he’s been spending his time with, the information that she can’t get from LinkedIn and the abandoned social media accounts she found one night after a few glasses of wine. He was always charming but watching him try to pull (she assumes, the woman looks like his type) now, she can see the quiet confidence that wasn’t there all those years ago when they sat in this dingy coffee shop, splitting pastries for lunch to save cash so they’d be able to buy more drinks at the pub later. That time seems like a million years ago now.

Val wishes that she could have outgrown her crush on him like she’d outgrown so many other things from that time. She didn’t need to flirt with the barista for free leftovers at the end of the day, could afford the good gin instead of the rail shit that was so bitter that she had to chase it with fries. Adulthood had changed a lot - but not everything. Her eyes still find him in any room they’re in, her laughter still bubbles up at his dark jokes, and her heart still stutters when Matty’s lips twitch into a soft, familiar smile when his gaze catches hers. Like it is right now. Fuck.

It’s not even worth pretending that she wasn’t staring as he makes his way back over, her eyes tracking his moves as he weaves around student’s backpacks and groups of friends huddled around a table meant for just two. 

“Jesus, that took forever.” Tea dribbles over the lip of the mug as he passes it to her. 

“Well, seemed like you enjoyed the company while you waited.” It was supposed to sound teasing but comes out with a hint of possessiveness that she hopes he misses. “You get her number?” Great save, Val. 

Matty cocks his head at her comment, that knowing gaze of his back in full force. “Um noooo. She asked if I’d been here before, couldn’t decide between the sticky bun and the chocolate croissant. I told her to go with the sti-

“Sticky bun” they chime at the same time. 

“Exactly. Told her she should go with that unless she liked the taste of stale poo in a dry diaper. Then the croissant would be the obvious choice.”

“Ewww” Val’s nose turns up at the visual. “I can’t believe she was charmed by that.” 

Matty’s eyebrow perks up. “Oh, she was, was she?”

“Fuck off, like you didn’t know. They could probably see the bedroom eyes she was giving you from bloody space.” 

The shirt he’s wearing rides up as he crosses his hands behind his head, subtle flex in his biceps. “Well, looks like I still got it.” 

Doesn’t she know it. Flashbacks of the incident erupt behind her eyes. His hand up her skirt.  His filthy words. His fingers as he sucked them clean of her. No no no no no.

Attacking his ego feels like safer ground. “Yes, congratulations, you can still pull undergrads.”

Matty opens his mouth to retort but then looks around, clocking the other patrons as if for the first time. “Jesus, was she that young? I can’t tell anymore.”

The same thought had occurred to Val every year she’d come back here.  “I know, right?! I feel like we were younger at that age.” She risks a glance up at him, finds his warm eyes focused on her. “If that makes any sense…” 

“Yea, I get it.” Matty always seemed to get it, to get her. 

Val isn’t sure if it’s the familiar surroundings or the memories that they unlock, but as they talk, the tension that laced each word when they first sat down is easing. Enough that she remembers the man in front of her, the kind of person he was. Is still probably. She’s flooded with feelings, confusing ones that have her heart in her throat, but also comforting ones, friendly ones, nostalgic ones. She missed this. Missed him. She wonders if he feels it too. 

A comfortable lull settles over them. The half-empty sugar packet spills onto the table as she fiddles with it. For the first time since they reentered each other’s lives, it feels easy to talk to him. 

She takes a deep breath, “Listen, I -“ 

Just as he starts to say “About that night -“

Their words collide and they fall silent again. For the first time in she doesn’t know how long (yes she does), the fog of loneliness that followed her around like an imaginary friend had lifted. She felt lighter, the world a little less gray. She wanted to hold onto that feeling and he was going to fuck it all up. What would she even say?! Oh, that night? You mean the one where I almost exposed my years long lo- CRUSH - on you? Came on to you? At our workplace? Mistook your concern for interest, like I always have. That night?! Nope, no memory of it at all. The feminist in her - who sounds an awful lot like Marin - screams that this isn’t a completely accurate characterization, it taking two to tango and all. But Val’s also a champion at self-criticism - Olympic gold-level really - and she’s the one who’d drunkenly started it. She can’t blame him for trying to finish it, even if it was a monumentally stupid idea. 

The tension was back. She needed to get control of the conversation. “You first.” Always a gentleman. A good man. Someone she needed to have in her life again, even if it’s not in exactly the way that she wants. 

“I was going to say, I uh I missed this. Us.” Her chair scrapes as she sits up with the force of gathering her courage for the next part. She’s spent almost ten years rehearsing her next words, in texts she never sent. The words tumble out of her before she can lose her nerve. “I’m sorry I was such a shit friend back then - “She throws up a hand to silence the retort she knows is on the tip of his tongue. “No, just don’t. I was, even if I had a good reason.”

He sits back, palms up in response. “But I’m here now and I’d like a second chance at it. Being friends again…..if you’ll let me, I mean.”

The breath she takes gets stuck somewhere around her ribs, probably because her heart is in her throat. Please Matty. I need this, need to feel like I haven’t fucked everything in my life up. I still haven’t figured out exactly how to be around you but I’m trying. Just give me time. I promise, nothing that you have to go to HR about.

She used to be able to read him so well, curses herself once again for the distance between them that makes understanding his expression now impossible. Matty hasn’t taken his eyes off her, squinting his right eye as if looking for something. 

Val’s just about to word vomit something out onto the table when he clears his throat, putting her out of her misery. “Yea, uhm, I mean, yea. Course we can.“

Relief is palpable, she understands that phrase now, her shoulders sinking down from her hairline with his words. Thank god.“Good. Then I won’t feel bad about telling you that I forgot my wallet and I need you to buy me a sticky bun.” 

His laugh, she thought, that’s what she’d missed most of all. 

[mimilind]

A Magical Classmate - Part 6

Pairing: Draco Malfoy x Reader

Rating: T

Chapter Word Count: 3000

Parts: [ < Previous Part ] [ Next Part > ] [ Masterlist ]

Full story: [ AO3 ]

You take your love interest on a more casual date this time, and finally musters the courage to be a bit more open with your feelings. He tells you a secret.

6. A Magical Date

You were high on endorphins for days after the amazing ball. Again and again you played it over in your mind, reliving every single moment of the – until then – best evening of your life. The green and silver bracelet Drake had given you became your most dear possession and you even wore it when you slept. 

The first time you met again after the ball, you hoped Drake would wear his too and that your classmates would notice, but unfortunately you couldn’t see if he did; he wore long sleeves as usual. 

You felt a bit shy around him. Had he forgotten about the date he promised you? Perhaps changed his mind? It felt awkward to bring it up, especially since you hadn’t found a suitable movie yet. Once you had an actual date to suggest it would be easier.

It needed to be a romantic movie, you figured, or else a scary one. Something that would make you able to sit very close, just like in the opera that time. Also, it had to be a long one; a ninety minute Hollywood romcom wouldn’t be enough.

A week later you had your chance. You saw that the student theater was showing Titanic the next weekend, which was perfect for your needs in every way. Long, romantic, and sad. You had seen it before, in the late nineties when it premiered, and didn’t mind a rewatch.

You waited until the lectures were over before you approached Drake, making sure nobody else was around to hear. Unsurprisingly your body reacted like always on such occasions and gave you a rapid pulse and trembling fingers, but you put your hands in your pockets and hoped your voice didn’t betray your nervousness.

Drake accepted without ado. The time and date suited him and he looked forward to seeing his first ever movie.

“Should I bring or wear anything special?” he asked. “I don’t know the etiquette for this kind of evening out.”

His question made you smile inwardly; you had asked yourself the same thing when he took you to the opera. 

“No, you don’t bring anything; we’ll buy popcorn at the theater. But perhaps you could wear something a bit more comfortable and informal?”

“Hm, I’m not good at Swedish fashion. This is considered formal?” He indicated his suit. Today he wore a white one; since it became spring he had favored light colors, but it still looked both too warm and very impractical.

You chose your words carefully when you replied; he had worn suits all year and you didn’t want him to think he had dressed oddly (though he had). 

“Suits are fine, but a t-shirt and jeans will do nicely for a movie night. Perhaps with a casual jacket if you get cold in the evening.”

“Okay, casual it is. I’ll see what I can find.”

The following days went by very slowly. Now that you had decided on a day, Saturday took forever to arrive. You used the waiting time to think of a present to give Drake, just like he had given you the amazing bracelet. But what did he like? You had already given him CDs, and jewelry was beyond your budget.

Then you got an idea. You headed to a toy store and soon found precisely what you were looking for. Spot on!

Drake and you had arranged to meet up outside a fast food restaurant of your choice. Just in case, you went there half an hour early, but when you arrived it felt awkward to stand and wait for him like an impatient kid. You didn’t want to seem too eager. Instead you hid in a doorway at the opposite side of the street.

When Drake arrived you discreetly stepped out of your hiding place, joining him like you had just come too.

To your delight, you saw he had done as you asked and chosen casual clothes; black jeans and a long-sleeved, dark green t-shirt which suited him exceedingly. You were so struck with how good he looked you could hardly get a word out. 

“Hi,” you said, overcome by shyness. Then you gave him the small gift you had prepared.

“What’s this? It’s not my birthday yet.”

“You gave me a present the last time.” You shook your arm so the bracelet rattled. “I like it so much, and I wanted to give you something too.”

A wide smile broke out on his lips when he unwrapped the toy. “It’s a mini dragon! How cute.” He pulled you into a quick hug. “I love it.”

You looked at your feet, trying to hide how flustered the hug made you. “It’s nothing compared to what you gave me, but I figured since ‘drake’ means dragon in Swedish it would suit you.”

“That’s so thoughtful.” He put it in his jeans pocket. “I shall keep him with me; I’m sure he’ll bring me luck.”

You all but bounced into the restaurant. He liked your gift!

Drake had never been to a fast food restaurant before, so you ordered a burger meal for each of you.

“No knife or fork?” he asked incredulously when it arrived.

You showed him how to hold the burger with the paper and tried to explain this was how it was done, but he didn’t seem convinced.

One bite of the burger later thankfully won him over completely. “This is divine,” he said, voice muffled by the food. “I feel like a barbarian eating like this but by gods, it’s good. Order another for me, will you? I’ll pay.”

“No I’ll pay,” you insisted, and went over to the counter before he could stop you. This date was your idea and he had already given you so much. 

Two burger meals, one pie and coffee, and an ice cream later, he decided he was done. 

“You won’t have room for popcorn now,” you scolded him.

“There is always room for more.”

“I wonder where it all goes?” You indicated his slim waist. 

He shrugged. “I don’t eat much at home. It’s boring to eat alone.”

“Then you should eat in company more often.” You wanted to add that he could do it with you, as often as he liked, but felt that would be a bit too forward. Maybe after watching the movie together you would be braver.

The theater you went to was small and very old, and run by a student movie club. You bought a large popcorn to share, and made sure to buy tickets for the back row which had couples’ seats with no armrests between. 

When you found your seats, you pretended you hadn’t known that. “Oh, sorry, these are tight,” you said apologetically.

“It’s alright.”

You sat, feeling Drake’s arm press against yours. An excited thrill went through you. This had been such a good idea!

When the movie began, you could tell he was soon completely captivated by it. His hand lingered unmoving over the popcorn bowl.

You, on the other hand, found his closeness very distracting. His scent filled the air around you and you felt the warmth of his arm acutely. Seeing the contours of his fit body through the thin cotton of his t-shirt was no help either. 

“Do you like the movie?” you whispered to get an excuse to move a bit closer. Now your legs were touching as well.

“A lot. I had no idea you people could make pictures move like this,” he mumbled without taking his eyes from the screen. “It’s like… magic.”

You didn’t quite understand what he meant, but didn’t pay much attention anyway. You were sitting as close to him as you dared, reveling in the moment and wishing the movie would never end.

When the dramatic part began, you gathered every ounce of your courage. “It’s scary.” You sneaked your hand into his.

He tensed, becoming very still.

You immediately regretted what you had done, feeling your face burn hotly.

You tried to draw back your hand, but he held it. “No, it’s alright.” He made a pause, and then sighed. “You startled me, that's all.”

Despite his words, you weren't quite sure it was true. Why had he reacted like he did then? And you thought there was something off about his reply. He had sounded… sad, almost?

But when he kept holding your hand, you tried to forget your worry.

Now the movie was becoming tragic, showing the unfairness of the poor people’s fate, locked down in Third Class, unable to escape the sinking death trap the ship had become. 

Just like when you first saw it, you felt tears sting your eyes.

You edged closer to Drake again and this time he didn’t move away. Instead he released your hand so he could put his arm around you.

Heart thrumming, you leaned your head against his firm shoulder and slipped your arm around his waist. This close, he overwhelmed all your senses with his warmth and irresistible scent. 

He rested his face against the top of your head and inhaled softly. As if he was drawing in your scent too.

Was this really happening? It felt surreal.

You couldn’t say how long the moment lasted, only that it was much too short. The movie ended and you had to leave the snug seat.

But your disappointment quickly turned into exhilaration when Drake took your hand as you left the theater. “I loved it,” he told you, squeezing it. “I like your kind of night out more and more.”

He still sounded a bit down, however, and his eyes were red like he had cried. But then, Titanic was a sad movie…

“Where to next?” he asked.

“The park, for the drink-sharing I mentioned. I have cider.”

You walked slowly along the street. The evenings were very light this time of the year, but despite it being May there was a chill in the air. You hardly noticed it; you felt feverish walking hand in hand with Drake.

You chose a central park by the canal and sat down near the water. You opened two cider cans and gave Drake one.

At first, you sipped your drinks in silence. Despite the bustling city not far away, the place felt secluded and private. Huge trees towered around you, their leaves small and freshly green, and near the water a few lilac bushes sent a mild fragrance your way. The dark water rippled in the evening breeze.

The air felt warmer now, you reflected, despite the late hour, and though there were others in the park they kept far away.

You sat close enough that you felt Drake’s leg brush against yours. You hoped he would put his arm around you, but this time you waited for him to make the next move. You didn’t want to startle him again like in the theater. 

Thinking about the movie, it struck you how strange it was that a young man of twenty or so had never seen one before, nor owned a TV, or a CD-player. Even if his parents were as old-fashioned as he said, why had he not tried those things after he moved out? He clearly could afford it.

“What was your childhood like?”

He sounded reluctant when he replied. “Why do you ask?”

“I just find it odd you have never seen a movie… were you in some sort of sect? Like, Amish or something?”

“No. I told you, my parents were just very conservative about the old ways.” He had a closed expression and didn’t look at you as he took a deep draught of cider.

Again he had talked about them in past tense. “Why do you say ‘were’? Are they… Did they pass away?”

“My father did.” There was a deep bitterness in his voice. 

“Oh no… What happened? If you want to talk about it.”

“He died in prison.”

You stared at him. “Your father was a criminal?”

“Yes. A war criminal.”

“War? Now you said it again… what war? Where are you from?”

“It’s complicated.” 

You snuck your arms around him, hugging him. “I’m sorry; I shouldn’t pry.”

He returned the hug for a short while, but then he gently eased your arms off and drew back. “Look… I like you. I really do. But this, that you are trying to… I have been thinking, and no matter how much I want to, I can’t. We are from too different worlds.”

His words made your throat grow tight and you struggled not to cry. He was breaking up with you before anything had even started. But why? You didn’t understand.

And what did he mean by different worlds? Was he talking about social class? 

You had to know. He owed that much to you, at least.

“Is it like in the movie? You are from a fine family like Rose and I’m simple and poor like Jack…”

“No.” He shook his head for emphasis. “Of course not. It’s something else entirely. But you wouldn’t understand even if I was allowed to explain it to you.”

“Explain what?” You couldn’t hold back your frustration. “Are you a celebrity? Royalty? The grandson of the British queen?”

He leaned his face against his knees, wrapping his arms around them. As if hiding from you. “I’m British, but not royalty,” he mumbled. “I’ve actually never been to America. I lied about that. I’ve lied a lot to you. That’s one of the reasons this won’t work; I’m not a good person.”

Now he sounded sad again, like he too was on the verge of tears, and all you wanted to do was hug him and comfort him. But despite being so close, he felt far away. 

“I forgive you; I’m sure you had a good reason. But please try to explain. I can’t… I can’t just pretend nothing ever happened unless I know why I must forget about you.”

He was silent for several minutes. Then he sighed deeply. “Alright, then; I will try.” He pulled out a smooth, thin stick from under his sleeve. “This is a wand.”

You blinked. “Uh, okay?”

He pointed it at the closest bush. “Accio lilac flower.” Something snapped and a twig with a few leaves and a flower came flying toward him. “Wingardium Leviosa.” It stopped right in front of you, suspended in mid-air.

You thought it was a trick first, but then you touched it. It felt real. You gave it a push and it bounced back in position.

“I’m a wizard,” said Drake calmly.

You stared so hard at the floating flower your eyeballs were on the verge of popping out of your head. Suddenly petrified with terror, your heart began to beat frantically. This couldn’t be happening. It must be a practical joke. An illusion. 

The lilac hovered before you; so ordinary, yet so disturbing in its defiance of gravity. 

“Calm down.”

Instead of soothing you, his voice frightened you even further. Liquid ice began to trickle down your spine and you couldn’t get enough air.

When he tried to put his hand on your arm you shied away.

He had done something to that flower and now he scared you too. You wanted to run away but your body wouldn’t obey.

You began to tremble violently. 

Warmth enveloped you; the air temperature was rising. “This is a warming charm,” said Drake. “And another charm makes sure nobody else pays attention to us. They can’t hear us either. There are many useful spells.”

His calm voice in combination with the warmth gradually made you breathe a little easier.

“I’m a wizard,” he said again. “You live in what we call the muggle world.”

“C-can you p-please take it down?” you whispered through chattering teeth.

“Finite Incantatem.” The flower fell to the grass.

You took it, but your hand shook so much you nearly dropped it.

Drake enclosed your hand with both of his, holding it still. “Do you see now why this can’t be? We’re too different. I frighten you.”

You met his gaze. His eyes were dejected and his expression glum. 

You looked at the flower instead, putting it to your nose. It smelled sweet. It was a completely normal lilac.

In a way, this all made sense. Drake had acted strange from the first moment you met him. He did seem otherworldly. And he had done impossible things several times, such as when he scared away the muggers, or when he miraculously cured your hangover.

But how was it possible? A wizard? It sounded like a fairy-tale, yet Drake was real, and the flower was real, and you knew you hadn’t imagined what you saw.

“That medicine you gave me once, was that a spell too?”

“No, that was a potion.”

You recalled the strange room with the cauldrons and bottles. “Your lab is real?”

“It’s real, yes. We make a lot of potions in my world. For healing, for sleep, for changing one’s appearance, for curing poisons… and many more.”

“No wonder you like chemistry then,” you mumbled tonelessly. The acute panic had become replaced with a strange numbness. 

“It’s a bit similar, yes. We don’t have chemistry in my world, or electricity, or movies. We do things our way, and we’re not allowed to show any of it to your kind.”

“Then this will get you in trouble?”

His features became even more gloomy. “No, you will forget all of it.”

“Of course I won’t.” Was he stupid? This evening would probably haunt you forever.

Shoulders drooping, he twirled the wand between his fingers. “I’m sorry, but yes, you will.”

You didn’t understand, and your head was too full. You couldn’t think clearly. All you knew was that you couldn’t be afraid of him when he looked so vulnerable and melancholy. You still liked him – perhaps even more now that he had told you his secret – and you didn’t want him to hurt.

“It’s alright,” you mumbled, stroking his shoulder. “We’ll figure this out. Somehow, we’ll figure this out.”

A/N:

Since this is an alternate version of the Harry Potter books without the Epilogue, I’ve changed Draco’s parents’ fate. In my version, Lucius was sent to Azkaban and died there shortly afterwards, and Narcissa inherited the estate, but Draco has no contact with her at the moment.

Thanks in advance for any comments, likes or reblogs!

Parts: [ < Previous Part ] [ Next Part > ] [ Masterlist ]

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[willsimpforazula]

Sokkla Saturday Wk 3: Earth

My humble submission for sokkla saturday 2023 week 3. not quite good enough to put up on AO3 or FFN, but good enough to make it to tumblr, ig. very heavily inspired by Pictures of the Past, figured it could sorta work for when the kids start asking questions about what did mom do in the EK during the 100 years war *ps: there is the word 'earth' in the fic so that counts as meeting the theme *pps: TalesofOnyxBats is a goated Sokkla writer no cap fr anyways...... ******* It was going to happen at some point, they figured. After all, they figured that their kids had inherited enough intellect between the two of them to put two and two together. Or at least, have a good theory as to why everytime they travelled to Ba Sing Se (which wasn't often, but enough for them to have a semi decent idea of what the Upper Ring looked like.), their mother would often meet them at their granduncle's tea shop in disguise. Or why they would stay in the United Republics' embassy grounds instead of the Earth King's palace, among other questions.  __________________________________

Airship Lounge

Somewhere over Full Moon Bay

If it was any consolation, when the question finally came they were travelling in their private airship instead of on the ground in Ba Sing Se itself.

"Mom?" 

"Yes Miska?"

"Why do you need to put on disguises every time we go to Ba Sing Se?"

"Well…-"

"Also why can't we stay at the Earth King's palace? Aunt Katara and Uncle Aang and their family always stay there." Risa asked. 

Turning to her husband, Azula shot him a glance, which Sokka immediately understood. Taking a deep breath, she answered "Meet me in our room in 10 minutes.". 

"But wh-"

"We'll answer your questions then." Sokka cut them off, his voice taking on a serious tone that Risa and Miska understood to mean I will not repeat myself.  _________________________________

Azula and Sokka's bedroom

"Sokka?" Azula asked, her gaze fixed on the carpet of their room. 

"W-what do I tell them?" Azula asked nervously, simultaneously wanting to tell her kids the truth while not wanting to tarnish their image of her. 

Taking her hands in his, Sokka replied "As much or as little as you think they need to know. It's your story to tell, not mine."

"You were there when…-"

"We didn't know any better, Azula. Whatever you choose, know this: I will always still love you." he replied, kissing the back of her hand. __________________________________________ __________________________________________

Meanwhile, outside their room…

"Riri?"

"Do you think mom and dad are mad at us?"

"I-I don't think so." 

"You saw how mom reacted right? D-d-do you think we shou-"

"If we did they would have shut it down immediately, not ask us to see them in 10 minutes."

"I suppose you have a point."

"Once again, your big sister proves that she is always right." 

"Uh huh…like dating both Min Seok and Sakura clearly wasn't going to lead to…whatever that was."

"A momentary lapse in judgement." she handwaved, not eager to relive that particular set of memories.

"So you say, so you say. I suppose there is no reason to delay any longer?" Miska replied, giving their parents' cabin a quick few raps.

"Mom? Dad?"

"Come in."

Closing the door behind them, the twins waited with bated breath for whatever their parents had to say. "First off," Azula began,  "both of you aren't in trouble. That said, please stay back after this Risa, your father and I have some things we would like to discuss regarding how you conduct your…relationships.", to which Risa swallowed a gulp.

"But back to the topic at hand, what I am about to tell you is only for your ears alone and no one else outside this room. Do I make myself clear?"

When the twins nodded, she continued, giving Sokka's hand a squeeze as she did so. "How much of the Hundred Years War did your teachers tell you about?"

"Um…only that dad was part of the team that defeated the Fire Nation and ended it? Oh and that the Fire Nation staged a coup that toppled Ba Sing Se in a single night and occupied it for six months." Miska answered.

"Mom?"

"Yes Risa?"

"Were you the one who staged the coup and overthrew Kuei?"

"I wasn't alone in that, but yes, I was the one who planned and carried it out, among other things." Azula replied, before briefly explaining what had happened that night in the palace, though there were details that she omitted, choosing to set that aside for another time. If nothing else, they deserve to at least hear my side of the events, she thought.

With bated breath, she leaned against Sokka, a fluttering sensation in her stomach as she hoped against hope that her kids wouldn't outright disassociate themselves from her given her past or worse, hate her for her actions (who could blame them, really, she thought).

As the silence continued, Azula felt the urge to fill the space growing within her and just as she could no longer resist, they stood up and wrapped her in a hug, taking her by surprise as they let their simple action speak on their behalf. At this, her eyes started to tear as her worst fears proved unfounded and she hugged her kids tightly in response, even as Sokka wrapped his arms around them all. 

"Thank you Risa, Miska." she whispered.

[heyymikki]

did i grow up according to plan?

LOCATION: Mikayla Beaumont's home MENTIONED: @elliottortegax @nikodimopoulos @hernando-valdez

It had been weeks since the news of Hernando's connection to Los Santos had gone public and the man in question had gone dark. There wasn't a day that had passed since then where she hadn't worried about him, but she had work and class to think about and couldn't completely abandon her responsibilities. In between those, though, she found herself spending more time with Niko, finding solace in his comforting presence and reassurances that Nando would be alright. Penny had spent more time at the B&B and if Mikayla hadn't known better, she would've thought her mother was avoiding her.

Saturday came and Mikayla finally pulled herself away from Niko's apartment, heading home just before lunchtime so she could get a few things done before work later that night. She hadn't expected her mother to be in the kitchen with a serious look on her face, and dread settled into the young woman's stomach.

"What is it?" she asked. "Have you heard from tio?"

Penelope shook her head, lips turning down in a frown. "Not yet, but I need to talk to you about something."

Mikayla took in her mother's face for a few silent moments, trying to judge what emotions she should expect, but it was a mask with no discernible feeling on display. She pulled out one of the stools at the kitchen island and took a seat, steeling herself.

An uncomfortable silence settled over the room, the weight of everything left unsaid over decades bearing down on Penny's shoulders. This was a conversation she knew she'd have to have some day, but she had always feared her daughter's response to it. There had been opportunities over the years, times when Mikayla would ask questions about who her father was or how Penny had met him, but she'd always revealed the bare minimum in an effort to spare herself from reliving the trauma of finding out she'd been pregnant -- of being torn away from everything and nearly everyone she knew and loved -- but doing that wasn't fair to Mikayla or Elliott, something he'd so graciously reminded her of when she'd given him the news.

"Before we start," she said, voice barely above a whisper, "I need to ask for your forgiveness."

"Forgiveness?" Mikayla repeated, brows knitted in confusion. "Why would you need that?"

"Because I've been keeping something from you." Penny pulled her gaze away from the counter and looked at her daughter. "It's about your father."

Mikayla sat up straighter in her seat, curiosity piqued. A part of her had wondered if the woman had never revealed her paternity to her because the nature of her conception wasn't born out of a loving relationship, but she respected her mother too much to go behind her back to investigate on her own. She nodded once, a silent plea for Penny to continue.

Her mother took in a deep breath and let it out slowly before continuing. "Elliott and I were best friends as kids. We did everything together, with your uncle Devon and our friend Nellie. Basically inseparable. But something changed when we got to high school... and we began to see each other without our parents knowing. Mine didn't approve of him or his family, so I had to keep the relationship a secret, which was easy enough until... until I found out I was pregnant with you." She shook her head some. "I was so scared, I didn't know what to do. Before I had a chance to tell anyone, they found the test in the trash. They were furious, especially when they found out who the father was, and before I knew it, we were moving across the country. I had no way to reach out to him once we were there. They monitored all of my phone time, and I couldn't send him a letter or anything. At one point, it became easier to forget instead of break my heart over and over again with the hope we'd be reunited someday."

The longer she spoke, the more tension fused into Mikayla's bones. "You've... known who he was this whole time?"

Penny nodded slowly, the fear of Mikayla's reaction growing alongside her daughter's emotions.

"Did he know about me?"

Penny nodded again, but added on quickly, "I left him a note before we left to tell him I was pregnant, but it was the only information I could give to him. If he ever discovered who you are outside of that, I don't know."

Mikayla took in a few deep breaths, trying to keep herself calm. "Why are you telling me now?"

"Because he's here. In Tonopah," she said. "And he wants to meet you."

In that moment, Mikayla's world flipped upside down. Not only had Penny kept his identity a secret from her throughout her entire life, but she had also failed to mention that he was somewhere in the town Mikayla had called home for the past three years. Had she seen him around town? Had they occupied the same space and had no idea that they were extensions of each other?

"How long has he been here?" Mikayla's voice was quiet, and Penny had to strain to hear her question, the one she'd been the most afraid of answering.

"He... he never left." She swallowed around a lump in her throat. "He's always lived here."

She was quiet. "Did you know that when I said I was coming here?"

"No, conejita," she responded quickly, walking around the island to wrap her daughter in a reassuring embrace, but Mikayla pulled away before she could, standing from her seat. "I swear I had no idea he never left. He ran a chain of hotels around the country, so I assumed h--"

"So you must've looked into him at some point if you know that. Did you ever try to reach out?" she asked, her voice rising with every new question.

Penny, trying not to show the hurt on her face, shook her head once more.

"He could have helped us, mami. When you got sick. H-he could have-- do you have any idea what I've done for yo--" Mikayla stopped herself, hand covering her mouth as the rush of hot tears that had been rising to the surface finally bubbled over and raced down her cheeks. She turned away from Penny, inhaling a shaking breath and forcing herself to be steady.

Penny had never put the responsibility of her care onto Mikayla's shoulders and never would have asked her to go to the extremes that she had done in order for her to receive the best care possible. She should have seen the signs, though: the long hours of 'studying' at a friend's house and coming home in the wee hours of the morning, the night terrors that kept her awake at night for fear she'd never be able to escape the next one, the sheer amount of money a barely legal teenager was bringing home at the end of every week. It would break her mother's heart to learn the truth about where all the money had come from, and Mikayla knew in her mind it wasn't fair to hold the choices she had made against her, but she mourned the life she could've had if Penny had just picked up the phone to call him and ask for help. She was the mother; she was supposed to be the one protecting Mikayla, not the other way around.

"M'ija," Penelope pleaded, placing her hand onto Mikayla's shoulder. Mikayla shrugged it off.

"Don't," she choked out, sniffling. "You should have told me sooner." She turned towards Penny, a harsh glare hidden amongst the pain in her eyes. "I gave up my childhood and put my life on hold for over a decade because you let your pride get in the way of asking for help. I don't know if I can forgive you for that."

Mikayla had never seen this look on her mother's face before, but it was unmistakable: heartbreak.

Any other time, for any other grievance she may have carried, she would have wrapped her mother up in her arms and apologized in that moment, but there was no way for her to moved past that feeling of betrayal that came with the knowledge she never would have had to go through everything she had if her father had just been allowed to be a part of her life.

"I don't want to be near you right now, so I'm going to stay with a friend for a few days." She walked past her mother towards the stairs. Thankfully, she didn't follow.

[ocean-anchored]

Dear future self... December 2, 23

It's been a rough whatever, over a week?

Last off I think i was talking about how I was going for dinner at the Keg with Zack, i think by my last post I can easily see how that whole thing turned out again. I don't really want to relive it honestly but essentially the first few days seemed to be incredibly good. I know he had just basically come back from being sober so he was in a haze but he was kind. He was understanding, he was really humble and really gentle. He was exactly the man that I had fallen in love with in the first place. It was hard to not fall all over again & if I'm being honest, I did let myself fall a little more again that time. He was really honest at dinner, we had an incredible conversation again on just how things went & how they need to change, it was once again everything I wanted to hear. We had a really great dinner, he kissed my cheek at the end of the night but kept boundaries, that was thursday. Friday I was technically off work again so I took nova out & relaxed, when Zack was done work I ended up going over & we went to brewhouse for a quick bite. Again it was good, it felt somewhat normal again. He had said he told his parents everything, which I asked what that meant & he said essentially everything & how we were talking again & that he was coming back around. I told him how proud I was of him, that he had a lot of courage. We watched a comedy later & I guess let's just say I broke my boundaries & I'm not proud of it again. He's just got a crazy hold on me I just cant resist him it's stupid. We were having wine but even before then I still wanted him. I craved him & I knew he wanted me too. I stayed the night & we slept in. In the morning we planned to meet back up to take Nova out. He came over to grab nova & we went to the park. It felt almost like summer again. We had good conversation & fun. We laughed again. The night of the keg we had talked about going to see a flames game, it came up that vegas was coming & I mentioned that I was already going to the game & essentially we could go the next week before he left for his 2 week states trip. So saturday, after we dropped nova off we went to Cactus club for food. On the way there he asked who I was going to the game with, I really didn't mean to hesitate, I wasn't on purpose but I knew it wasn't going to be good, he said pretty quickly "shane?" & I said yes. He got quiet & I knew that was it again. The romance & happiness of feeling like things might work out ended there. I tried asking what was wrong but he said nothing. Again until we sat down in the restaurant. I already knew he wasn't happy, he had been quiet & basically stopped looking at me. I always know. Then he decided to speak up.

[the-kipsabian]

seeing the ending part of battle of the belts with oc and kip im just. reliving that morning again and again in my brain. cause ofc i watched it live. at like 6 to 7 in the morning. on a saturday when i needed to be somewhere later that day

i cried for like a solid half an hour after that match. i was so sure kip would have it. the set up was perfect. he would have deserved it. he still does. their dedication to this storyline and the emotional weight of it means everything to me. tbh im still crying thinking about it, but now its more out of nostalgic affection than anything else

i remember being disappointed at that result (tho tbf the moment you saw him do the oc spot with the elbow pad and orange punch, i knew it was over for him), but it wasnt the only reason i cried. i was so proud of him. he gave it his all. showed the world that he was made for this, that he deserved such a spotlight, and that he was so happy to do it and do it his way, all the way

it just. meant a lot to me. it still does. that match will live with me forever