#I push myself into these situations because I'm told that's what having a life is

[greppelheks]

"life starts outside of your comfort zone". No, I'm sorry, but it's just uncomfortable out of your comfort zone. Every day I'm happy I'm back in my comfort zone. Being overly social and doing things that you're not comfortable with each day isn't for everyone.

[aperrywilliams]

That Green Monster (Spencer Reid x Fem!BAU!Reader)

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Author Masterlist

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Pairing: Spencer Reid x Fem!BAU!Reader.

Summary: Your relationship with Spencer is fresh new, and some of his insecurities arise when someone new joins the team, making him react in a wrong way to you.

Word Count: 4.8k

Warnings: Fluff and Angst. And then fluff at the end (I don't even understand myself). Spencer lashes out. Spencer is insecure. Reader is mad. Both are so madly in love, though.

A/N: This one has been sitting as a WIP for way too long, so I decided to finish it today!

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A shot in the neck.

That's what it took for you and Spencer to - finally - get together. To confess you loved each other.

Everything happened while working a case in Texas. You had cornered a suspect who was hiding in a restaurant. You wanted to open a communication line with him, but out of nowhere, shots got fired. And one of them ended in your neck.

What happened next was a blur to everyone, especially to Spencer. He barely remembers Morgan pulling him back so that the paramedics could check on you.

The ambulance ride to the hospital and the hours of waiting for news were excruciating.

In Spencer's brain, only the thought that he might lose you forever without coming clean about his feelings for you.

You have been in a similar situation before, but this time, he thought you wouldn't make it.

It would be the loss of a friend and the loss of the love of his life.

If Spencer has to be honest, he realized he loved you after your first month working at the BAU. And with every passing day, the feeling only got stronger. But he was scared of saying anything, afraid of changing - or losing - the strong bond you guys already had.

So, he kept it to himself for years. For six years, to be exact.

But what he didn't know was you had fallen for him, too.

And how could you not? You both went through so many things over the years: Spencer's kidnapping, his Dilaudid problem, your family issues, the injuries, bad cases, unsubs attacks, hospital visits, and so on. With every bump in the way, you both were each other rock. Always together, no matter what.

The team affectionately called you Mulder and Scully, but in reverse roles, of course.

But even if, at some point, both of you realized what you had was much more than a friendship, neither of you did something about it.

Until you got shot in the neck.

In that uncomfortable waiting room chair, Spencer prayed, to whatever or whoever could listen, for a chance to make things right.

So when you woke up in your hospital bed hours later, the first thing you saw was Spencer's face.

He was by your side as always. But this time, he had something to tell you. Spencer didn't have the chance, though, because before he could say anything, three words blurted out from your lips: 'I love you.'

Between happy tears, you both spent hours talking and coming to the conclusion you were both idiots in love.

You didn't say anything to the team, but you all knew they knew, so it became unspoken knowledge after you were released from the hospital.

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With you home due to your neck injury and JJ on maternity leave, Hotch decided that some help would be better than putting more pressure on the remaining team members.

That's why he borrowed an agent from Sex Crimes.

Spencer had already told you that there was a new agent, but he hadn't developed this information in detail.

You knew him on your first day back, a month after you got shot.

Once you exited the elevator on the sixth, you headed through the bullpen glass doors. When you pushed them open, you didn't realize that someone was going in the opposite direction, and you almost hit the guy in the face with one of the doors.

"Oh, my God. I'm sorry!" you exclaimed when you realized what almost happened.

The man shook his head in dismissal. "No, no. Don't be. Nothing happened."

"But I almost hit you with a glass door," you pointed. The guy didn't seem phased by it, though.

"I'm okay, really," he insisted, flashing you a smile. You hadn't picked much of his appearance, to be honest, but the guy was easy on the eyes. Another thing that caught your attention was you had never seen him before.

"Do I know you?" You asked with curiosity.

"I don't think so. I'm Agent Dodds. Jake Dodds," he introduced himself, extending his hand. You've heard that last name before. You told him yours, shaking his hand.

"Really? You are a BAU member, right? I'm the backup agent Hotchner brought to the team," he explained, and then it clicked. He was the new guy.

Jake Dodds was young, fresh and motivated. After his first year in Sex Crimes, he already has a lot of accomplishments to show off. And, of course, he was doing his best to impress Hotch and the team.

Coming to the office bright and early and being the last to leave gave Dodds a chance to engage with the cases and the team members - you included. Due to your neck injury, you were mostly on desk duty, so you had enough time to help Jake with paperwork and all the questions he might have about past cases. And Dodds had many.

In the weeks that followed, he has spent a lot of time by your side, working with you when the team wasn't out of town.

It was part of your nature to be forthcoming and willing to teach others. And having worked at the BAU for almost six years, you felt like you could teach one thing or two.

Spencer loves that from you; it's one of the many things that made him fall in love with you. But for some reason, Jake's closeness to you started to bother him.

Spencer knew it was irrational and without foundation. Still, in the past weeks since Dodds joined, with each laugh from you when Jake cracked a joke, every time you sat together at the office a little too close, or every day you decided to have lunch with Jake rather than him, Spencer's jealousy only got stronger. It didn't help the team's comments about you and Jake.

'Dodds looks hooked by her'; 'The newbie definitely is flirting with her'; 'Really handsome view she has over there.'

Spencer could only bite his tongue. He could easily assume that the team was only messing with the situation, but the green monster growing inside didn't let him think clearly.

Spencer knew you, and you would never do something to hurt him, so why did he feel that uneasiness inside of him?

Maybe the fact you were in the early stages of your relationship made Spencer insecure. It was all new and fresh; he was happy with you, but although you both have known each other for years, he was inexperienced in the love department. Being friends was one thing, but being a couple was different.

So instead of talking to you—which he knew was the right thing to do—Spencer did what he usually does when he feels overwhelmed: he shuts people out.

And you did notice, of course.

Something was troubling him, you knew that, but every time you brought up the topic, he dodged it. You didn't look much into it at first because you knew Spencer would talk to you eventually when he felt ready. Or you assumed he would.

But the days went by, and Spencer still hadn't told you why he had been so distant, so you decided to confront him.

You both were watching a movie at your place, but you noticed Spencer wasn't paying attention to the TV. After an internal debate about whether it was a good idea to bring this up, you tested the waters.

"Spencer, are you okay?" you asked him, genuine concern lacing your voice.

The question hung in the air enough to make you think he might not hear you.

"Spencer?" you tried again, swearing you heard him huff even if he tried to be subtle.

"I'm okay, just tired," he hastened to dismiss, not looking at you.

So he heard you, but you had to call his name again to get an answer. Something is definitely wrong.

Contemplating your options, you chose to end the 'patiently wait until he comes to you' strategy. You were his girlfriend now. Why he couldn't trust you enough to tell you what's going on?

"Okay. This bullshit needs to stop now. You have been weird for too many days to tell me now you are okay and just tired. I know something happened and need you to tell me what it is," you demanded.

Shifting uncomfortably in his spot, Spencer had an inner debate about coming clean to you. He didn't want to admit how much Jake's closeness to you was bothering him. Spencer didn't want you to think about him as the possessive and clingy boyfriend who can't see his girlfriend near other guys.

He wasn't like that, right?

"You are imagining things. I'm perfectly fine," Spencer deadpanned, eyes returning to the TV.

Your mouth went slack. Were you imagining things? Was he thinking you were stupid?

"So I'm imagining things, uh? It's not you being defensive right now, isn't it?"

"No." He gave you a curt answer that meant precisely the opposite of what he was implying.

You wanted to give him a chance to open with you, but Spencer wasn't engaging.

It seemed easier to talk about what was happening to each other when you were only friends. Why is it so hard now you are a couple? You couldn't understand, and your patience was running short.

"Are you fucking kidding me right now?" you called him out in frustration. "Who do you think I am? A random person who hasn't known you for fucking six years?"

Spencer internally flinched. He saw the confusion and anger mixed in your eyes, and he felt the urge to hug you tight, telling you he was being an irrational jealous asshole. But Spencer didn't bring himself to do it, and instead, he tried to play cool and detached.

"I already told you. Everything is wonderful, at least for me. Not for you?" Spencer asked casually.

You narrowed your eyes at him. He looked calm and collected, but you could feel he was anything but.

"Okay. I'll bite the bullet. So the distance between us in the past weeks doesn't bother you as it bothers me," you concluded.

Spencer let out a bitter chuckle.

"Funny you're bothered by that. You have seemed very busy in the past weeks," Spencer mumbled.

A slip that didn't go unnoticed by you.

"Very busy?" you echoed his words. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Spencer shrugged, unamused.

"Exactly what it is. You have been very busy at the BAU lately. I only have been giving you space."

You squinted your eyes, raking your brain to understand Spencer's meaning. For your mandatory desk duty, you have spent more time in the office than in the field, but besides that, what has been different?

And then it clicked on you. Jake Dodds.

Sure, you've been very willing to teach him things and help him with his work, but that only explains Spencer's annoyance if there is another reason.

"Is this about Dodds? Are you jealous of Jake?" you questioned in disbelief.

Spencer's face paled. You had caught him.

After your deduction, he should have told the truth, but Spencer is stubborn enough not to give in, especially if that meant recognizing something he felt embarrassed of.

"W- what?! No! Where did you get that? I'm not jealous or remotely close to that," Spencer rebutted defensively.

Oh, he was definitively jealous. At the realization, you let out a giggle, eyes softening at your boyfriend. For you, there is no guy he should be worried about- not for Jake or any other person. Your heart is his, and you know there is nobody in this world you want to be with more than Spencer.

But Spencer's face deflated. You were laughing at him, and he felt even worse.

"Spencer, there is no reason for you to be -"

You couldn't even finish your sentence when Spencer cut you off, standing from the couch.

"I already told you! Am I not speaking English to you?"

His face was red, but not by embarrassment anymore. Now, it was a kind of contained rage.

Stunned by his reaction, it took you a few seconds to say anything.

"I - I'm just trying to understand what's going on. Don't be rude," you chimed.

Spencer let out a humorless chuckle.

"Rude, did you say? Am I rude because I disagree with you? Is that? Or am I rude because this doesn't have to do with you?"

"Excuse me? When did this turn into a problem related to me?"

You stood to mirror his stature so as not to look vulnerable.

"I don't know, you tell me. Are you disappointed because not everything or anyone in this world is revolving around you?"

Spencer's voice was cold and sarcastic, something you had seen in him before but never directed toward you. He was outrightly saying you were self-centered.

"Spencer -" you tried to warn him to back off, but Spencer didn't stop.

"No. I get it. You like the attention. But, I'm sorry, I'm not in the mood to indulge your childish self. Maybe the young and funny Agent Dodds could help you with that. But not me."

A dead silence settled in the room. If a needle had fallen on the floor, it would have made a noticeable noise.

You couldn't believe that man was your boyfriend—the man who was telling you such hurtful words.

Spencer saw how your features morphed from confused to hurt and then to offense, and with a twist in his guts, he knew he had fucked up.

"Are you done?"

Your tone was flat and collected, even if, on the inside, there was a storm of feelings. Spencer was deflated and looking for the right words to apologize.

"Hey, look, I'm -"

"I asked if you were done." You questioned harshly this time, and Spencer only gave you a shy nod.

"Okay, now get out!"

Your command was only followed by your actions as you walked to your entrance to open the door.

With horror, Spencer tried to sputter words to change your mind.

"I'm sorry. I - I didn't - Please, don't do this."

"I said, get out! I don't want you here!"

You emphasized your words, gesturing to the open door.

"Baby, I wasn't - I didn't mean what-" Spencer tried again, but you had made up your mind and didn't want to hear him.

"I don't fucking care! You had your time to explain yourself, and I don't want to hear anything else from you."

Spencer knew that nothing he could say at that moment would help his cause, so like a dog with the tail between his legs, he slowly made the walk of shame towards your door, but not before looking at you and begging for forgiveness with his eyes. It was a useless thing because you didn't even look at him back. Once he was out of your sight, you slammed the door shut, and your facade crumbled.

Tears started to fall freely, in a combination of pain and frustration.

It's needless to say, you couldn't sleep that night.

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Spencer looked distracted and visibly sad.

Morgan knew something had happened to him, even if the man had denied the fact for the past two days. And Morgan was sure it was something related to you. It looked like Spencer would combust from guilt whenever his eyes landed on you. Morgan's suspicion turned to be right the moment you caught Spencer's gaze, and you purposely averted it.

"Okay, pretty boy, what did you do?" Morgan questioned Spencer when he caught him pouring coffee in the kitchenette.

"What? Me? Nothing!" Spencer defended himself, but the crack in his voice did nothing to help his cause.

"So she's not talking to you just because?"

Spencer shrugged, leaving the pot over the counter.

Was he being so obvious? If Spencer wanted to maintain the facade that 'nothing is wrong here,' he was failing miserably.

Morgan scoffed, grabbing a mug to pour some coffee for himself.

"Come on, Reid. There must be something. Since yesterday morning, you look like a kicked puppy, and she seems visibly upset, and you're both always attached to the hip."

Dangerous territory, Spencer thought. But at this point, his regret was more powerful than keeping your relationship private.

"She is mad at me," the man recognized. It was a 'vague' recognition, but it was something.

Morgan seemed not surprised, though.

"No shit, Sherlock. The question is why, pretty boy," Derek prodded.

Spencer sighed deeply. How could he express what really happened without telling the whole truth?

Morgan saw the struggle in Spencer's eyes.

"I know you are both hurting by whatever happened. Maybe talking would help you clear your head and think about how to fix it."

Spencer took in Morgan's words. Some advice could help, he decided.

"We fought. I mean, we argued two nights ago, and she kicked me out. And now she is not talking to me, and I don't- I want to apologize, but I don't know how."

Spencer winced, just remembering your fight.

Derek looked at him incredulously.

"She kicked you out? What in the world did you do so she reacted like that?"

The actual question was 'what he said' because, strictly speaking, he didn't do anything besides let his mouth run on its own accord.

He regretted every word he said to you the second they left his mouth, but the damage was done, and you were fed up enough to listen to his apologies, so you yelled at him to let you alone. He didn't blame you. But he was feeling miserable, and it showed.

Spencer told Morgan exactly what happened—word by word.

"Jesus, Reid. I didn't peg you like the jealous type," Morgan acknowledged. Spencer shook his head.

"It's not like that. I mean, I know she loves me..."

"But?"

Spencer sighed. "What if - what if she realizes there are better men than me? That I am not enough for a romantic relationship?"

Morgan's eyebrows knit together. Spencer's face was pure panic, only thinking about the possibility.

"And Dodds would be better than you? You know he's like a kid, right?" Morgan pointed.

"Yeah. A young man with a lot of confidence that makes her smile and has her undivided attention. He's smart and qualified for this job like any of us. I'm not better than him. And I can perfectly be disposable in comparison."

That was the thing. Spencer felt insecure about you finding someone better than him.

Morgan looked at him empathetically.

"Man, I think you are looking too much into it. I don't think you should feel threatened in your relationship with her. And I guess she thinks the same and feels hurt for you thinking that."

Spencer nodded. "That's why I know I fucked up. I hurt her for my insecurities. It's all my fault," he lamented.

"You need to talk to her," Morgan advised, and Spencer whined.

"How? She hasn't spared me a glance in two days!"

"You're a genius, Spencer. And above all, how long have you known her? Five years? Think of something."

"Five years, eleven months, three weeks, and four days," Spencer corrected without hesitation.

"That's exactly what I'm talking about. You'll figure it out."

Spencer sighed deeply as Morgan patted his shoulder before leaving the kitchenette. Derek was right; they should talk. Spencer just had to figure out how to make that happen.

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That night you were sulking at your apartment, laying on the couch and watching some crap on the TV, when three knocks alerted you.

You weren't expecting anyone, and you didn't think Spencer could be outside your door. You were clear in telling him you didn't want to talk to him when he cornered you in the breaking room this afternoon.

But if you knew something about Spencer Reid, it was that he could be stubborn as fuck. So when you looked by the peephole and saw him standing there, you only closed your eyes and sighed.

Spencer knocked again. "I know you are there. And I know you don't want to talk to me. But please, let me do the talk. Please, at least listen to the things I need to say."

"You already said enough," you spat from your spot on the other side of the door. Spencer gulped hard. He said enough hurtful things to you to kick his ass, but he was determined to gain your forgiveness somehow.

"I can't stress enough how sorry I am for that. But I need you to know that I didn't mean any of it." Spencer paused, and when he didn't hear you say anything, he continued. "I'm an asshole, and I would understand if you want to break up and never see me again. I mean, well - it - it would be kind of difficult not to see each other because we work together, but you know what I mean. Or maybe not, I don't know. Jesus, what the fuck am I saying?" Spencer chastised himself, trying to control his nerves.

You could hear him struggling, so you decided to spare him a panic attack in the middle of the hallway. You opened your door and saw him still trying to sputter what he wanted to say.

"If this is your way to apologize, you are doing a terrible job." Your voice was not angry but tired. Because if he had had two tortuous days of you not talking to him, you haven't done it any better, overthinking about your fight over and over again.

Spencer's glassy, pleading eyes found yours.

"I know. It seems it's another thing I suck at," he admitted fidgeting with his hands. "Would you, uh. Would you let me try again? Apologize. That is."

It's true you were still mad with him, but you really wanted to understand why he reacted the way he did that night and said all the things he said. You know him too well to ignore that something else beyond mere jealousy clearly triggered his outburst.

Without saying a word, you gestured for him to get into the apartment. Spencer was quick to comply before you changed your mind.

You both took seats on opposite sides of the couch, eyes overly interested in your living room rug. After some minutes of silence and knowing he needed to say something, Spencer cleared his throat.

"I guess I'm going to start with the beginning," he prefaced, keeping his hands in his lap as you turned to contemplate him in silence. "Uh - you know it took me time to come clean with my feelings for you. A lot of time, almost six years," he chuckled nervously. You nodded, not wanting to interrupt him, fearing to get him more anxious.

"The thing is- I have been in love with you for so long and creating scenarios of us in my mind that - that now I know it is real, I don't - It's still difficult to grasp the idea we are together, you know?"

As Spencer raked his hair, collecting his thoughts, you couldn't help but remember all the things you both went through until you decided to tell the truth to each other. Six years is a long time. But you wanted to believe it has been worth it.

"I'm not used to a life where I get to be happy; when I think I am, things crush down, and I lose everything. It's a rule: good things don't last in my life."

You know how difficult it has been for Spencer to accept that he is not cursed or anything like that—a very difficult task, knowing the things he has been through.

"So my mind began to be haunted by the idea that it was a matter of time before you realized you could do better than me, and I'm only worth it as a friend."

His words made you recall the times you both discussed your love life in the past and all the doubts weighing on Spencer's shoulders. After those conversations, you always swore to make him feel loved and appreciated.

"And then you came back to work, and Dodds was there. I created this whole scenario, telling myself that you would be better with someone like him."

Spencer paused to gauge your reaction. You were openly listening to him, taking in every word.

"I know it's unfair to you. I - I betrayed your trust by mulling those ideas and saying all those hurtful things I truly don't believe. I'm so sorry; I don't have a defense other than my incompetence in dealing with my insecurities," Spencer concluded, letting a deep sigh escape from his lips and averting your gaze. He looked embarrassed and vulnerable, and it hurts you to acknowledge how small he feels about himself. You reached your hand tentatively, touching his forearm, and Spencer's eyes drifted back to you.

"Spencer, you have to know there is no one in this world who I love so deeply as I love you. No man could compare to you. No matter how young or confident or whatever difference you can name. You are the most thorough, caring, and selfless person I know, and I love you so fucking much it hurts," you gave his arm a gentle squeeze to emphasize your point. Spencer's cheeks flushed a bit. He still needs to get used to your compliments.

"What I still don't get is why you didn't tell me. Don't you trust me enough to talk to me about how you feel?"

Spencer hastened to reply, taking your hand in his. "No! It's not that! I do trust you with my life!"

"Then why didn't you tell me the truth at the beginning?"

"I - I don't know. I thought you would see me as the shitty boyfriend who can't see his partner near another man. It's as if I wanted to control you. And that's far from what I want," Spencer explained, scooting by your side as his grip on your hand tightened. "It was my problem, not yours. You did nothing to make this happen. I'm the one who must have to fix it." You shook your head.

"Baby, no. If it is something that upsets you, it is my problem, too. Spencer, we need to talk about those things and resolve them together."

Spencer's head hung low, taking in your words.

"But why? I am the insecure one, and you have done nothing more than show me how unfounded my fear is."

"Well, because you're still my best friend, and I care about you." Spencer's gaze met yours again. "It's the thing I first loved about us, you know? I love feeling safe with you and having the trust to talk about what is happening to us." With loving eyes, you brought his hand to your lips to kiss it.

"I want you to keep being my best friend, too," Spencer said with a hopeful smile. It was all you needed to hear.

"Then please don't forget that. You can always talk to me, and I promise to do the same, okay?" Spencer nodded at your words, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Okay. I promise," Spencer replied before wrapping you in a tight embrace. You melted in his arms, feeling his warmth and inhaling his scent, something you have been missing in the past two days.

"I love you," you mumbled into his chest. "So so much."

"I love you too. And I'm so sorry for my behavior two days ago," Spencer muttered in your hair.

You chuckled, slightly parting to look at him.

"Yeah, we have to work on taming that green monster, doctor. Otherwise, Hotch won't be able to bring anyone new to the team," you pointed, leaning to kiss his lips. Spencer smiled into the kiss.

"That means you forgive me?" he asked hopefully. You narrowed your eyes.

"Yes. But you still have to make it up to me," you teased, faking seriousness.

Spencer nodded eagerly nonetheless. "Whatever it takes."

"You could start making something to eat. I'm starving here after two days with a hole in my stomach," you rubbed your belly for emphasis.

"Yes, ma'am," Spencer smiled, standing and strolling quickly to the kitchen. He felt so relieved after coming clean with you that he swore not to make the same mistake again. That green monster fed by his insecurities dissipating as he thought how lucky he was to love and have you in his life.

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Spencer Reid's Taglist: @dreatine @nomajdetective @jayyeahthatsme @rosalinasam2 @averyhotchner @lovelyxtom @princessmiaelicia @pastelbabygirl19 @reidsbookclub @alexxavicry @gspenc @spencerreidisbae123 @calmspencer @pauline5525mgg @anamiad00msday @milivanili99 @laylasbunbunny @leahblackk @miaxx03 @missabsey @taintedstranger @khxna @hiireadstuff @pleasantwitchgarden @dysphoricsanity @levi-of-starz @themoonchildwhofell @silver138 @lovelybaka @shinytinywhispers

[youraverageaemondsimp]

A Joyful Occasion. // Aemond Targaryen x Aegon ii Targaryen x Niece!Reader.

MDNI // slightly dark.

WARNINGS: p in v sex, breeding kink, 3some, tiddy sucking, m/m/f, poly relationship (?), aemond x aegon, virginity loss, oral (f. and m.), jealousy, manipulation, gaslighting(?), age system is according to medieval/canon standard but no sexual acts until 18, canon typical incest + not proof read.

A/N: this was something I wrote for pure self indulgence since I turned 19 today! thanks to everyone who wished me! I'm so thankful for it, here is the treat I made for myself that I'm willing to share 🤭

WC: 2.2k

It was your nameday today, a joyful occasion, your grandfather decided to throw a grand ball to celebrate it, for it was your 18th nameday, a special occasion for any young woman.

You were the centre of attention, and you did not mind it, liking it in fact, the way the Lords and Ladies alike would come and wish a good evening and an amazing day, occasionally kissing your hand as a greeting, you were having the time of your life.

Two people in particular, were not.

Aegon and Aemond.

Your relationship with Aegon and Aemond is quite a complicated one, you love both the men, they loved you and each other as well, though to others you three looked like people who never got along, if only they knew what happens behind the closed chambers, though you had only shared a few kisses, never really getting to the intimate bit yet, but you knew they both engaged in it with one another.

They were happy for you, celebrating this special occasion, at first at least, but then their mood turned sour, when they spotted multiple people eyeing you with nothing but lust, men and women alike, you however, were none the wiser.

You came down to sit in between them, tired from standing, and you felt Aegon's hand on your thigh, giving it a squeeze and you shot him a look, to which he smirked at. Aemond opened his mouth to talk, and talk he did.

This surprised everyone, you and Aemond having a civil conversation without any snarky remarks thrown at each other? That was until Aegon butted in, throwing in a crude comment which made you annoyed.

“All these meals yet my appetite seems to crave something else.” Aegon perversely comments, you shoot him a glare and Alicent says his name as a warning, but he knew you weren't angry, because the way you rubbed your thighs together told him so.

Jace, your brother, misreading the situation came up and offered you a hand, you looked at him confused but then realised he was asking you to dance and you accepted it with a smile and left to dance on the floor with him.

Aegon's gaze followed your figure, turning around in his seat to watch you dance with jace, his hands on your waist, so did Aemond's gaze.

They both observed how you laughed and how Jace's touch was lingering longer than usual, and that's when they noticed the faint blush on his cheeks, Aegon turned his attention to Aemond and Aemond looked at him as well.

They were communicating in silence and Aemond gave him a nod, and Aegon fully turned away from his attention on you and focused on the table.

That was until he got up from his chair, announcing that he was retiring to his chambers, Aemond did the same after, and you felt your beat quicken and you felt a twinge in your heart, they promised you that they would stay until the end but now they are the first ones to retire.

You lingered around for a bit, unable to keep calm.

And then you couldn't take it anymore, loudly announcing that you were tired and that you wanted to rest, and your mother and father gave you a smile before allowing you to be dismissed.

Your feet led you to your chambers, and then the secret route which connected to Aegon's room, you pushed the stone wall aside and open the door, finding Aemond inside there room as well, pouring a drink in the goblet while Aegon laid on the bed playing with whatever was in his hands.

“You guys promised.” your voice cracked and they turned their attention to you, Aegon smirked before gesturing you to come over to him, and you did, he sat up resting his neck on your shoulder, his hand holding yours.

“I did not like the way he touched you.” Aegon began and you looked at him confused, before then it finally clicked and before you could say anything, Aegon pushed you on the bed getting on top of you.

“Aegon?” you asked and he hummed, trailing kisses on your neck, his hands gripped your sides, holding your waist and he grinds himself against you. “You liked the way he touched you didn't you?” his voice suddenly became angry and you shook your head, and you watched as his lip twitched.

He got off you and you whined when the warmth he provided was gone, he went to Aemond, who was sitting on the chaise drinking, before he sat next to him, kissing him instead, making you watch.

“You do not deserve our love, niece.” Aemond said disapprovingly, you shook your head, immediately getting up and going over to him, standing in front of him. “It seems your brother is enough for you, why do you need us anyway? Do you even love us? I bet you don't” he accuses you and your lips tremble, “I do! I do! Please uncle do not accuse me of such a thing, my heart breaks.” you reply weakly.

“But earlier, you seemed to be having fun with other lords, ladies and your brother.” Aemond raises an eyebrow, and you fall to your knees in front of him, apologising and he grips your face, thumb trailing the underside of your lip.

You watch as Aegon's hand undoes Aemonds breeches, pulling out his half hard cock and giving it pumps, up and down as he kisses, your mouth salivates, you had always watched them be intimate, they never let you join, telling you that you would only be able to after your 18th nameday passes by, yet now, they are still not letting you join.

“Do you know, my niece? We planned something for you, which we thought of giving after the celebration ends, however your naughty behaviour from earlier made us rethink our decision.” Aegon coos as you sniff, rubbing your thighs together, getting aroused at the tone of their voices, and also the fact that you felt so vulnerable.

You always put an act of being tough in front of others, glaring at others and proving your point, you were the daughter of rhaenyra after all, you saw vulnerability as a weakness but then these both men happened, and since then you loved feeling vulnerable, only infront of them of course, people would call it fucked but you wanted to be submissive when it came to them, let them push you around and mock you in private, it scratched an itch.

With teary eyes your hands tried to grab Aemonds cock but Aegon slapped your hand away, tutting, “Ah, ah, ah, no touching.” and you sniff loudly, “Please- please uncle- let me join you both at last, you both have teased me too much.” you beg them and Aegon chuckles meanly. “What do you say Aemy? Should we forgive her? She looks so cute.” Aegon asks Aemond, and he seems to be in a thought for a while, he almost seems to reject the idea, but you had a plan.

And so you undid your dress, letting the sleeves fall down, exposing your breasts to them and Aemonds breath hitches in his throat. He swallows thickly, eyes roaming over your breasts before giving a quick nod.

Although Aegon was said to have an insatiable hunger, he wouldn't have melted or changed his mind because once he decides to be cruel, he is cruel. Aemond on the other hand, gets desperate, especially for his sweet niece who he had a crush on since youth, the idea of finally getting to touch you after all the waiting makes him change his mind quickly.

Aegon tuts as he notices how his brother immediately changed his mind, but he quickly accepts it and pulls you off your knees, causing the gown to fall down and pool around your knees, leaving you bare.

You shivered in the chill air of the night, goosebumps arising on your flesh as Aegon admired the view, licking his lips before he pulled you onto his lap.

Your knees were on the either side of his legs, hands on his shoulders to keep yourself balanced and steady, and he looks at you before kissing your neck, Aemond pulls your face towards his, grabbing you by the back of your neck as he moves his lips against yours, this position was awkward but arousing at the same time, your start grinding against Aegon mindlessly, gasping when he takes your nipples in his mouth, suckling and nibbling on it.

You moan into Aemonds mouth and he pulls away, the string of saliva still connecting you both.

“Take her to the bed.” Aemond commands breathily, and Aegon immediately obeys him, carrying you towards the bed, your legs wrapping around him as he stood.

He places you gently onto the bed before trailing kisses down your body, from your neck to your breasts, to your stomach, to your thighs before stopping at the most precious thing.

Your cunt.

“Fuck, look at her.” he groaned as he held your legs apart, eyes greedily devouring the way your folds glistened in the candle lights. You heard shuffling beside you and spotted Aemond, fully bare just like you, his cock out on full display, hard and almost twitching, appearing as though it had a mind of its own.

You swallowed at the sight.

“Open your mouth”

And you did, Aemond slapped the tip of his cock against your bottom lip a few times before pushing it inside, and you closed your eyes, not knowing what to do.

“Breathe darling, relax.” You heard Aegon coo and you nodded, “It's her first time, Aemy, be gentle.” Aegon adviced and Aemond simply nodded.

It was hard for Aemond to be gentle when your mouth was so warm and wet, wrapped around his touch, the way he felt your tongue move, not knowing what to do with it, where to rest it was driving him into madness.

He grabbed you by your hair, slowly thrusting in and out, you maintained the position, making sure your teeth are not biting onto him and your tongue still as he uses your mouth, your focus was entirely on Aemond that you didn't see Aegon move, only when the sudden feeling of warmth on your core reached your brain did you realise what had happened, Aegon devoured your cunt with such intensity, kissing your pearl with fervour, you gripped his hair as he licked your folds, relishing in the taste of you.

Your moans were muffled by Aemond, and he snapped because of the way your moans were causing vibrations against him, making his pleasure grow high, he grabbed your hair and fucked your face brutal and fast as Aegon continued his ministrations on your cunt.

And before you know it, you reach your peak so intensely, hips pushing into Aegon's face, practically riding it, while Aemond shot his seed down your throat and pulled out.

You panted heavily on the bed, chest heaving up and down. You saw Aegon and Aemond switch positions, Aegon coming to your side to kiss your face and Aemond lifted your hips up, making you wrap your legs around his hips as he lined up his dick against your entrance.

“I'm letting you take her virginity Aemy, you owe me head later.” Aegon winks and Aemond simply hums before prodding at your entrance. Aemond pushed in gently and you gasped at the burning stretch, Aegon hushed you, cooing at you and kissing your face as a comfort.

The painful burning sensation continued to exist as Aemond pushed more and more of his length inside you, before he was sitting inside snugly.

Luckily, Aemond gave you time to adjust and moved only a little, going slow to not hurt you, letting your pain subside and turn into pleasure before he quickened his pace.

You threw your head back as he repeatedly snapped his hips against yours, his pelvis rubbing against your pearl, Aegon latched himself on his tiddies and sucked on them, hands going down to grip his own cock and he pumped himself up and down, moaning against your tits.

Your body was overwhelmed with pleasure, extremely sensitive all throughout and then you peaked once again, crying out Aemond's name as he continued fucking you, chasing his own peak before he spilled himself deep inside of you.

“You finished inside her?” Aegon asks and Aemond nods, “Want to knock her up.” Aemond voices his thoughts and Aegon smirks, pushing Aemond away and settling between your legs, “It's my turn now.” he says cruelly and Aemond nods, taking a small break as he watched Aegon push his cock inside you, causing you whine and grip the bed sheets beneath you, Aegon gripped your hips tightly, thrusting into you at an animalistic pace causing you throw your head back and whine, Aemond was beginning to get hard again, the blood rushing to his cock.

Aegon finishes inside you with a loud moan of your name, while you finish at the same time as well, he leans down to kiss you.

“Let's see who's seed takes first.” Aegon taunts and Aemond rolls his eyes, “Mine will.” and that convo turns into bickering while you lay there, feeling the way both their combined spend leak out of you, pooling on the bed sheets beneath while you try to catch your breath.

It was the best fucking night of your life.

———

[cherriesformatt]

sharing the news || matt sturniolo part 2

matt x fem!reader

summary: after a while you decided its time to share the news of your new chapter in life with Chris and Nick

warnings: pregnancy

word count: 1,5k

a/n: thank you for over 100 notes under part 1! I decided to continued the story. I hope you will like it!

It's been a month since me and Matt found out that I'm pregnant. It’s been hell of a ride so far. We somehow managed to talked Chris and Nick out of my little episode and told them I just got my period and was really upset, tired and need Matt to go to the store for me. I spent entire next two days in Matt’s room trying to figure out our situation. I was also constantly sick and anxious. After than I just tried to be as normal as I could so no one would be suspicious.

At first it was like I didn’t know what I should do. But then I found myself thinking about the baby with my hand on my stomach and I knew I wanted to keep it. I also did hear Matt talking to my belly in the middle of night which made me cry so hard in the bathroom because of how cute that was.

Today was my first ultrasound appointment to confirm the situation and check if everything is alright.

“You know… I was thinking that if everything is good I would like to tell Chris and Nick and then we can decide how and when we want to tell the rest of the family” Matt looked at me when we stopped on the red light.

Keeping this a secret form his brothers was really hard for him because they always talked about everything with each other. Which was scary for me at first. Their whole relationship and building my own with Matt but also becoming part of theirs. Now I just admire the bond between them.

“Yes I was thinking the same” I smiled at him and put my hand on his thigh. I was nervous about only one thing.

“What I was thinking… Is that I will literally jump if your fucking triplets genes worked too hard and there is more than one of those” I said what was on my mind recently.

“Oh my goodness… I didn’t think about this” He put his hand over his mouth.

He was clearly scared now.

“We giving one to Chris in that case” I said seriously.

“Please , we are never leaving our kids with Chris, ever” he said.

I only laughed at that and patted his leg.

“It’s gonna be all good Matt, let’s manifest it’s only one for now” I said.

“Baby… I know this month wasn’t ideal for you and we both tried to cope with the fact that we’re going to have a baby but also only us knowing for now is really special” He looked at me for a second and his eyes went back to the road.

That was also exactly how I felt and I leaned forward to him and kissed his cheek.

“I love you Matty… I know this is all hard but you’re right” I said.

“I love you too sweet girl… okay we’re here, let’s do this” He parked the car and took a deep breath.

Our appointment went smoothly. They did my blood test which confirmed that I’m pregnant. They also did bunch of other tests to see if I’m all good and healthy. Thankfully I was. The last step was the ultrasound.

“Alright parents…” The doctor said and I gasped at the cold of the liquid that she put all over my lower belly.

She called us “parents”, that took me by surprise and I felt so weird.

“Ready?” She looked at me and smiled and I only nodded and closed my hand on one of Matt’s hands.

She started the thing and looked at the monitor. We couldn’t see it just yet.

“Okay… I found it… everything looks great. The baby is healthy. Looks like you’re about 6/7 weeks pregnant” She said.

“Only one?” Matt asked and wiggled on the chair.

“Oh my Lord, Matt… He is a triplet and we were kind of scared that you know… there’s gonna be more than one” I laughed and looked back at the doctor.

“Yes there’s only one” She laughed as well and turned the screen so we could see it too.

I felt like my heart skipped a beat when I saw a little thing moving on the screen. Like a dot. But I knew it’s our baby.

“Oh my…” I said and she pushed some kid of button and sound of a really fast heartbeat started to play from the machine.

“Is that?..” Matt gasped as well.

“That’s your baby’s heart beating… it’s really fast that’s normal and that’s actually really good. The baby is really healthy, you guys… congratulations” She said with a big smile.

But both of us were speech less. I caught Matt swiping tears from his cheek with a corner of my eye. That moment was something you can’t explain. You need to experience that yourself to know how much love I felt in this moment.

When we were back in the car I put all of my stuff in the back seat, closed the doors and turned around to go to my doors but I was met by arms of my boyfriend.

“Oh Matt…” I said hugging him back.

He hid his head in the crock of my neck and I run my fingers through his hair. I felt tears on my skin and I couldn’t help as my eyes started to water as well.

“We’re going to be okay. We can do this Matt. Together” I said but my voice broke I couldn’t exactly feel what’s happening.

“I know… y/n I’m just so happy that’s it’s overwhelming” He said pulling back to rest his temple against mine.

“I feel exactly the same way” I whispered looking him in the eyes.

He kissed me and pulled me even closer to his body. I couldn’t imagine doing this with anyone else.

On our way back we stopped by target and some other places to get Nick’s and Chris’s favorite snacks, drinks and some funny, cheesy stuff that had “cool uncle” on it.

At home I put all of it in two boxes and also added a picture from the ultrasound to each.

This situation was so unreal for me and Matt. They were actually filming in the kitchen now. I really wanted to have their reaction on camera, so we told them that Matt wanted to do some kind of unboxing with their eyes blindfolded and they would have to guess what’s in the boxes.

When he texted me they are ready I took the boxes and come to the kitchen and put them in front of them and stood behind the camera.

“Okay you may open them” Matt said.

They started to pull stuff out.

“That’s bullshit it’s clearly Pepsi and popcorn” Chris said.

“Yes and that’s my own lip balm” Nick said annoyed.

“Okay how about this?” Matt took an ultrasound pictures and put into their hands.

“Piece of paper?” Chris said.

“No” Matt said and looked at me.

“Picture?” Nick said and showed it to the camera.

“Yes, it’s a picture” He nodded and smiled to the camera.

“Picture of us?” Chris asked and opened his can of Pepsi.

“No… but picture of someone that is in a room with us” Matt said.

“Oh my gosh you fucking freaking me out right now, what the fuck, are you a medium or what” Nick said an put the picture on the table.

“Okay… maybe just take your blindfolds off and Chris… you might want to wait with that fist sip” I said looking at them.

“I didn’t know you were here…” Nick said and started to undo the bandanna on his head.

I bit on my nails as I watched them taking those off. Then they looked at the boxes and I felt like I stopped breathing for a second.

“What the actual fuck? Is this some kind of prank?” Chris asked as his eyes widened.

“Oh my gosh are you kidding me?” Nick looked at me and stood up.

“Chris you owe me 1000 dollars… I knew it!” He hugged me tightly and I put my arms around him.

“Did you two bet on me being pregnant? What the hell?” I laughed.

My stress went away because how could I be stressed around them.

“I actually forgot that we did” Chris said and gave Matt a big hug.

“You guys… I don’t know what to say” Nick said pulling away from me.

“Well…. To be honest we don’t know either” I said and Matt only laughed.

“Yes… this feels really like a dream more than real life” Matt said looking at his brothers.

“Wait… are we first to know?” Chris asked.

“Of course you are… who else?” Matt looked at him and Nick went closer to them and they three shared a hug and than looked at me.

“Come here mama” Chris wiggled his eyebrows at me.

“Never, ever call me that again” I said seriously while coming into the hug.

They laugh and we stand like that for a minute or two.

“Okay I love you all but all three of you smell like three different colognes and I might throw up” I said stepping back.

This baby will be the luckiest baby in the whole world having them as a family.

[furiousgoldfish]

When people hear stories about abuse, they often get fascinated and interested in the abuser, and the 'mystery' behind their behaviour. They'll want to analyze what happened to this person to make them act in such twisted and sadistic ways, and they want to find the past event or past abuse that would 'explain it all'. Abusers will also, very happily recount the past abuse whenever it's time to explain away their behaviour, so nobody could hold them accountable, because after all, they had had it rough! Of course they're now abusive, it's only natural.

Fascination with explaining away abuser's behaviour often leaves victim's situation forgotten and ignored. Victims are supposed to just 'get over it', not be so sensitive, and be careful to not turn into abusers themselves, because after all, being abused means you become an abuser, according to the abuser. Except it doesn't, and victims often don't end up abusing anyone else, especially not in the horrific ways they themselves have been abused. So we're having two opposing stories: one is told by the abuser, and it's easy, simple, explains everything away, and it says, abuse causes future abusers, I am the proof, I was abused and now I am like this. Victim's story goes: I was abused, and now I struggle to function, I have cptsd, I have flashbacks, nightmares, panic attacks, anxiety, eating disorder. I struggle with suicidal feelings and wishing I didn't exist. I feel like I'm not important at all in this world and like I have no community, no family, no home. Failure of everyone to help me while I was being abused caused me to feel like an outcast from society, someone who isn't a part of it, who doesn't matter. I would never do this to another person, I feel like a part of me was torn away into pieces and I struggle to put myself back together.

Now that story is complex, it implicates the society in failing to stop the abuse and making the victim's life worse, it showcases the actual consequences of abuse, which are not 'becoming evil', but feeling ultimately traumatized and damaged, struggling to find joy and happiness in life in the aftermath. Society doesn't want to hear that; it makes abuse into a problem that should collectively be dealt with, rather than pushing it all onto individuals who find themselves trapped in it and suffering. It's much easier to pretend that abuse just makes someone abusive, and for people who are abusive, we need to feel sorry for, because they were 'made to be like this', and for those abused, we just need to shame them and control them so they don't become abusive themselves.

There are abusers who have lived privileged lives, there are abusers who have been spoiled and rewarded for their acts of abuse. Most abusers don't show the symptoms of trauma nearly as bad as the victims of abuse do, they're most often just having the symptoms of 'I lash out my anger on those who cannot defend themselves' and 'everyone needs to feel sorry for me because I am having the roughest time on the planet'. Weird how the victims almost never develop these two symptoms! Victims will go and compare their situation to everyone who has it worse, and will struggle to express or direct anger at anything. 

So what is the actual source of abuse, if not past trauma? There's no study or statistics that can tell us that for sure, and abusers are careful to maintain their story and are not interested in being studied past what makes people feel bad for them. I would guess that it's a mix of entitlement, being in a position of power over someone vulnerable, never having to develop empathy or compassion, being rewarded continuously for acts of abuse, and social influence (admiring other abusers and wanting the power they have). A lot of social structures support and enable abuse of those who are at the very bottom of it, with very few protections against it. A lot of people believe it's their right to abuse someone if they have the power over that person, and gain power specifically for that cause. Abusers will have children and believe this is their property and they can do whatever they please with it, abuse being a part of it.

If we don't know where abuse comes from, how do we combat it? I don't believe in feeling sorry for the abusers or giving them endless attention, chances, excuses and rationalizations; instead I believe we should stand firm on the fact that abuse is inexcusable, and will have consequences, regardless of how it came into their behaviour. If abuse always had consequences, regardless of the history of the abuser, they would know they can't get away with it, that they can't later make everyone feel sorry for them and go on with their sob stories. Abuse would get them punished, not sympathized with.

I also believe the abuser's point of view should be decentralized; it should be victims who get to speak. It's easy for the abuser to show themselves in the positive light, minimizing the abuse, insisting the victim provoked or wanted it, that it wasn't that bad and it was done with 'best intentions'. But if we listened to victims, we would quickly understand that anyone who can do this to another person is monstrous, and should not be extended any sympathy. Abusers don't extend their sympathy to the victims when they abuse, so why should they expect to get it? Society should take abuse more seriously and put defenses into place, so abusers are not as easily able to put it behind closed doors. Resources for recognizing abuse, especially child abuse and intimate abuse, should be taught, spread and shared in society, so nobody would be able to convince another that suffering abuse is normal, or justified.

One of the biggest barriers to escaping abuse is victim confessing what's been happening to a trusted family member or a friend, and then this family member or a friend shaming and blaming them for it, instead of offering help and protection. It takes a lot of courage to even say something out loud, knowing the abuser would punish them for it, and then to be punished externally for speaking out, it's devastating. If abuse was taken seriously, and victims understood to be fault-free, but singled out, isolated and hurt in a way that nobody should be, and it was understood it's a societal responsibility to protect them against this, it would be easier to speak out, and get support. It often takes a society to help someone get free, because abusers are hell-bent on abusing once they start to, the victims need multiple barriers before abusers could get anywhere near them.

And why shouldn't we want that? If we know there are people in society such as children, young people, people without regular income, poor people, disabled people, compassionate people, marginalized people, people who struggle to recognize and flag down predators, shouldn't we want to make sure they're protected? That nothing bad happens to them, and they're free to live their lives safe from those who would do them continuous harm and make them want to die? We want our young, old, kind, vulnerable, sensitive, disabled, poor, compassionate and marginalized people safe and happy. There's no reason to throw them under the bus and leave them to suffer abuse.

[smoooothoperator]

What Was I Made For?

10: Clair de Lune

childhood enemies, forced proximity, accidental pregnancy, enemies to lovers

Warnings: flashbacks are in italics

a/n: Hiiiiiiii what do you think Dafne will do??

if you want to play a game and ask things about Dafne

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Every way of feedback is very welcomed

The boy I met in Greece.

Was I too young to think he was my first love? Six years is enough?

If there’s something that sets me apart from my sister Erica, it’s my lack of social skills. I was the one hiding behind my parents during introductions, the one who avoided problems to stay safe. Because avoiding problems means you don't have to expose your heart or confront others, right?

During those weeks in Greece, he was my voice. He stood by me, talked for me, and defended me. He was the first person I wanted to see when I woke up and the last before I went to bed. He stayed with me while I read, ordered my ice cream, and made me feel like I could be myself.

Until it happened.

That day, he wasn’t the same. He was quieter, barely smiled. He skipped breakfast, ignored me, and slept in the car. At lunch, he barely ate, and on the beach, he stayed in the shade.

I should have seen it. I should have noticed he was sick. But instead of facing the problem, I ran away.

That’s what I always did. That’s why the boy I loved became someone I hated. I was blind and too scared to confront the issue.

He called me a coward. And why deny it? I am. I make mistakes. I run from situations I can't handle. I push people away when things get tough. That's what I did with Charles, with Sebastian, and when I found out I was pregnant.

I ran away.

But I can't do it anymore. I have to face life, solve my problems, and fix my mistakes.

Charles insisted on staying with me in the villa. He left only for a day to grab things he needed and then came back the next day. I had a whole day for myself and my cat.

“What do you think about him, hm?” I sighed, rubbing my cat Athena's head. “An asshole, right?”

She looked at me with her ears turned back, like she disagreed with what I said.

“Oh, let me guess. He gave you your favorite treat and now you adore him, huh?” I smiled, rubbing her head.

I sighed, placing my hand on my belly and looking up at the ceiling.

A chance. I gave him a chance. But how will this work? I don't think I'm ready to forgive him, even if he proves he’s changed. How can I trust him? He might be the father of this kid, but that doesn’t erase the fact that the moment we conceived this baby was the worst day of my life.

“Knock, knock.”

I sighed, smiling weakly when I heard my sisters’ voices coming in. They walked into the house with bags in their hands, smiling.

“How are you doing?” Soleil asked, sitting next to me.

“Are you asking for the baby or for the one that made it?” I smiled weakly.

“Both,” she sighed, looking at our older sister. “He cares for you, Dafne…”

“You told him to come. Why?” I sighed, looking at Erica, who sat next to me, holding my cat on her lap.

“Because it was necessary,” she said, rubbing Athena’s head. “You two have something in common, and it’s not only your careers. That kid needs to grow up with a father. And you can’t run away from your problems all the time.”

“I know-”

“You’re twenty-six, Dafne. It’s about time you two talk about the past and clear things up! For God’s sake, he searched for you everywhere!”

“I know!” I sighed, looking at her. “I know. We talked.”

“Oh,” both my sisters frowned.

“I gave him a chance,” I sighed. “I know I can’t do this alone. I know I need him. It’s just… how can I trust him again? How… He promised me he’s going to change. But what if he doesn’t? What if now he’s telling everyone that I’m pregnant and that I won’t come back?”

“Come on, he’s stupid, but not that much,” Soleil laughed softly. “He cares for you. If he didn’t before he found out you were pregnant, he won’t do it now.”

“Which is why we came here…” Erica sighed. “You… you have to say something to the world, Daf. Everyone is asking where you are. Fred hasn’t heard anything more about you. I’m sure he’s already closing a deal with another driver.”

“It’s for the best,” I sighed, rubbing my belly. “I don’t think I’ll be able to come back after this.”

“And then what are you going to do? Retire?” she sighed.

“I…” I swallowed thickly, feeling a knot in my throat and tears welling up. “I guess…”

“Come here,” Erica sighed, opening her arms and letting me lean on her. “Everything will be okay, yeah? We will be here for you. Mom and dad will be here for you. Charles… Charles will be here for you.”

“How did we end up like this… How? Why?” I mumbled, letting the tears flow silently down my cheeks.

“Maybe because you two are meant to be, hm?” Soleil sighed, leaning on me and hugging me too. “Maybe because your story didn’t end that day in Greece. Maybe you two were meant to be, and now a little version of you two is giving you a chance to be together again.”

We stayed in silence for a few seconds before laughing weakly again.

“That was so poetic,” Erica chuckled.

“I was inspired,” she joked, making us chuckle lightly again.

I smiled weakly and sighed, holding their hands and squeezing them tightly. If I retire, what will happen to them? They worked with me, they were my team, my biggest support…

“You two should find another driver to work with,” I whispered.

“What? No!” Soleil frowned. “I was your trainer. I can’t be with someone else.”

“Listen to me, okay?” I smiled weakly. “I’m sure you will find a new driver. Go try F1 Academy; the girls would love to have an experienced trainer. Please?”

They looked at each other and sighed, hugging me tightly. I have to accept my fate, that I can’t go back to karting because I have a kid to take care of.

“Maybe you’re right,” I sighed. “Maybe our story didn’t end in Greece. It was only on hiatus.”

I sighed, placing my hand on my belly and rubbing it softly. I should tell the world that I’m going to retire, and if I tell the truth, it would be best for me and my baby. But I have to talk with Charles about it because it’s something that concerns both of us.

“Do you think he feels the same?” I sighed.

“He wouldn’t have come if he didn’t,” Soleil whispered.

“He does care,” Erica said, brushing my hair. “But it’s something you two have to talk about. Only the two of you know how you feel, what you want.”

“I just want to stop feeling that pain every time I look at him,” I sighed. “I want to stop the stabs I feel in my chest every time he looks at me and talks about me. I just want to go back in time to Greece and live in a loop there.”

“Then fix things,” Erica said, encouraging me. “Fix things, tell him what you’re telling us now.”

“It’s not that easy, Eri,” I sighed. “I don’t trust him. I can’t even let him touch my belly. I feel so… I don’t know, betrayed.”

“It will take time,” Soleil sighed. “But hey, you have five months until the baby comes. You have enough time to fix everything.”

“He will go to the races,” I sighed. “He can’t be here all the time.”

They sighed and nodded, hugging me tighter, staying with me for the rest of the day, keeping me company.

After my sisters left after dinner, the house was silent again. It reminded me of the day I came home after that race, of how vulnerable I felt.

It was so cold. No matter how many layers of clothes I was wearing, I was still shaking.

“Dad said that the wood is outside,” Erica said, walking back inside the house with the last suitcase. “You know how it works, right?”

“Yeah,” I sighed, looking at the fireplace, clenching my jaw.

“We can stay if you ask us, you know?” Soleil sighed, sitting next to me on the couch. “You don't have to do this alone.”

“I need it,” I whispered. “I need to be alone, just for a while… I need to think.”

“We will come here once a week, okay?” Erica said, sitting on my other side and holding my hand. “To bring you things, hm? Just… don’t push us away.”

“What did Mom and Dad say?” I whispered.

“Well… they will support you, Daf,” Soleil said. “It was a shock at first… but… who is the father?”

I swallowed thickly, looking away. The father? Someone I hate, someone who only brings me trouble. Someone who only knows how to hurt me.

“Not who I wished,” I mumbled.

“Who?” Erica frowned but immediately understood, I think. “Oh…”

“Exactly,” I sighed. “Oh.”

They stayed silent, hugging me tightly, comforting me without saying anything until it was time for them to leave.

I watched the car drive away, wrapping a blanket around my shoulders. It’s so cold outside; December is cold in this house.

“What am I going to do now?” I mumbled, placing my hand on my stomach, swallowing thickly when I felt the bump.

How could I have never noticed? I’m three months pregnant. How? I missed three periods. Was it because I focused too much on my season? And I never had morning sickness… at least not always, and I didn’t think it was because I was pregnant.

I sneezed softly and immediately walked inside the house, shivering. I grabbed some wood and placed it in the fireplace, lighting it and moving the wood until it burned.

I looked at the fire, taking deep breaths and closing my eyes when I felt the warmth kissing my cheeks. I followed the flames with my eyes, watching their hypnotic dance and feeling my mind relax immediately.

That’s what I need. Peace, loneliness. No one to disturb me. Just me, my cat, my piano, and my baby.

I shook my head, taking a deep breath and standing up from the couch, brushing away the memories that were coming back.

The piano was there, against the wall with the cover down. It’s been a while since I played it. I always did it with my dad when we came here in the summer, when I was a kid.

But now it felt like it was calling me, asking me to play it, to fill the silence of the house.

Slowly, I made my way to the piano, my heart beating a little faster with each step. I paused in front of it, hesitating. Taking a deep breath, I lifted the cover, revealing the old white and black keys. Even if they were dirty, they seemed to glow with a gentle invitation.

I sat down on the bench, my hands trembling slightly because of the cold as they hovered over the keys. My mind drifted back to the countless times I played here, watching and listening intently as my father played, how he smiled and closed his eyes every time he gave us a little concert.

Without thinking, my fingers found their places on the keys, and I began to play. The opening notes filled the room, soft and delicate, like a whisper. My hands moved with a mixture of uncertainty and muscle memory, but always touched the keys with security.

As the melody unfolded, I closed my eyes, letting the music guide me. The familiar patterns and rhythms started to flow more naturally, my fingers dancing over the keys with increasing confidence. The room around me disappeared, and my mind only focused on the music I was making, not hearing the front door opening or the meowing of my cat.

The final notes lingered in the air, a delicate echo of what once was. I sat there for a moment, letting the silence envelop me, my fingers still resting on the keys. A tear escaped and rolled down my cheek, but I didn’t wipe it away. Instead, I smiled softly, feeling a sense of peace I hadn’t felt in a while.

“Clair de Lune.”

I gasped, flinching when I heard his voice. I heard him walk towards me, leaning on the wall next to the piano. He was smiling, looking at me and my hands.

“I didn’t know you played the piano,” he said, surprised.

“I told you, there are things about me you don’t know,” I sighed, looking away.

But then I flinched again, feeling a sharp pain in my stomach, making me stay silent and place my hand on my belly.

“What? What happened?” Charles frowned, moving fast and kneeling next to me. “Dafne.”

“The baby…” I mumbled.

“What? What happened?” he asked, panic filling his voice.

Without thinking about it, I grabbed his hand and placed it on my belly, ignoring the alarms in my brain.

Then again.

“Is that…” Charles mumbled, shocked too.

“A kick,” I whispered, looking into his eyes, feeling his warm hand on my belly. “It… it’s the first time the baby kicks.”

“Oh God,” he whispered, and I could feel the adoration in his voice. “God, Dafne… play again. Please, play the piano.”

I looked at him, smiling slowly and turning again to face the piano, playing another song, with his hand still on my belly, rubbing his thumb softly, and soft butterfly kicks in my womb.

taglist

@racinggirl @elisysd @alltoomaples @ssprayberrythings @rach3164 @yvonne-dump @deliciousfestsalad @janeh22 @hc-dutch @ninifee1802 @kakorrhaphiphobia @ssararuffoni @itsjustkhaos @scaramou @tapedeck-hearts @apollosfavkiddo @sltwins @glitterquadricorn @ladystardust05 @theseerbetweenus @vizzzashley @auawdo @leah-also-known-as-creatoronwp @leptitlu @green-thots @caterinemirandax_

[gravegroves]

Something I haven't seen in a lot of fics, but I wish I saw more of for Billy, is the scorched-earth reaction to being betrayed or feeling attacked.

Abuse survivors tend to go one of two ways when it comes to upsets in relationships:

One is overly forgiving, putting their own needs last, worried that they'll lose the other person if they push back or stand up for themself. They'll sacrifice their own comfort to avoid confrontation.

But the other one? (The one I'm 100% sure that Billy is) Is scorched earth, motherfucker. You betray his trust? He'll never forgive you. You apologize? It means nothing, because if you were really sorry you wouldn't have done it in the first place. You work on yourself and promise to never do it again? Good for you, now go do that for someone else, because you're never getting close to Billy again if he has anything to say about it.

How do I know Billy for sure is like this? Because I was like that for a long time and I needed to unlearn a lot of the unhealthy coping mechanisms that I used to deal with my anger and the way I reacted to people who let me down or triggered a response in me post-abusive situation.

I would essentially erase them from my life. You told someone else a piece of information I had revealed to you in confindence? Welcome to me never speaking another word to you ever again and pretending you don't exist in situations where I can't avoid you. You raise your voice at me? Welcome to me kicking you out of my house and never letting you within 10 feet of me ever again, even to apologise.

Because once you're out of that bad situation you can become hypervigilant about how people treat you and you promise yourself that you'll never be treated that way again. Problem is you don't have a good gauge on what is and what isn't an attack on you, so you often just go ham on people who are genuinely making mistakes. I lost out on a job opportunity once because the person who I was doing volunteer work for wrote me an email that was pretty rude in which he tried to rush me. My reaction? To immediately tell him to go fuck himself before walking out of the office and never returning.

I had to learn what things were healthy to react to and to what extent, because in the beginning, anything that caused a spike of adrenalin was taken as an attack and so I defended myself in any way I could, be that verbally, with evasive manoeuvres or even physically, once.

Just, yeah. Billy who is so hypervigilant about how he's being treated that he's fucking up his life and relationships because of it and maybe Steve who fucked up and is the only person stubborn enough to claw his way back into Billy's life and maybe Billy, for the first time, lets someone try to prove him wrong.

[candyskiez]

usually I hate possession plots but god,I love the possessed hunter plot. because it's just so painfully resonant as an abuse victim. especially to anyone who's been abused by bigots.

like. this outside force you once loved, you spent so much of your time trying to please, so much of your time begging for the approval of, isolates you. they cause you to grow paranoid and angry, snapping at people and pushing you away from your support system. makes you seem crazy to your loved ones, making them doubt your mental health and making you question your sense of reality because you can't tell what's real or not anymore (gaslighting, baby!) you're cut off and overwhelmed. you get put in situations where you're forced to do things you don't want to, you're in so much pain, you're being treated like something with no wants or thoughts of their own. you're stripped of your autonomy. you're belittled for what you wanted and told THIS is how you're supposed to be, and you're so miserable. you're pitted against your loved ones. your abuser tries to make all your loved ones hate you so you come back to them, so they don't lose you. and belos being a horrifically realistic portrayal of an IRL abuser makes this so much worse. he craves Caleb's attention and tries to force hunter to fill that void. nevermind HES the one who robbed himself of caleb in his life by killing him. he tries to make hunter his shoulder to cry on, his therapist, his punching bag, his doctor. uses him to look at himself and go "see! look how good I'm doing! my family is back and he finally loves me again!" , he is obsessive and horrible and cruel and so horrifically realistic. he strips hunter of his autonomy, and in the shit that will start sounding familiar to people who grew up in bigoted families:

forced him out of what made him most comfortable. literally grew out his hair against his will, treated how he'd changed his body and wardrobe to make himself more comfortable as something that tainted him.

also just. holy shit the violating him like that. just the fucking undertones. it's fucking horrific.

and that's why him fighting back is so huge. because he has the strength to say, no. fuck you, no. this is my goddamn body. this is my goddamn life. he takes all these things he LOVED. he loved, that belos had taught him he was sinful and a horrible person for not despising (hm, allegories) and says, fuck you, I WANT this. I want this, I love this, you tried to teach me to hate it but I don't. I love it. I love it, and you didn't break me. I want to leave the coven, I want to leave you. you hurt me, and I said sorry. you used me, and I said sorry. I am done being sorry. I am done feeling bad. I want this life you're trying to take from me. I want to go to the boiling isles and I want to have a life there, in that world you hate so much. I want to go to the boiling isles and be sinful and disgusting and everything you hate and I will love it. I will be happy. I will be free and everything you hate. and I miss when I thought I could please you, because it was simple. but I am happier as a heretic and as a sinner, and you can't change me. I tried to change myself for you, I just ended up miserable. you can't make me something I'm not. I tried. and I am done trying. I am hunter. fuck you, my name is hunter. my name is hunter, and you hurt people. it doesn't matter if you were trying to help me. you hurt me. and I am done, and I am leaving, and most of all I will never let you hurt anyone else like you hurt me.

and he fucking got it, man. he fucking got it. he went through HELL and he still came back swinging. the death feels symbolic to me almost? losing a part of you in traumatic events and you have to live without that part. and you got out but you lost pieces of you in the process, and that stays with you.

but he keeps going. he kept fucking going man and THAT is fucking amazing to me. he kept going. ohhh my god. I wish I had this when I was 13. hunter isn't as massive of a hyperfixation for me anymore by a long shot, but goddamn. I love this dude. I LOVED the possession scene so fucking much and it will always resonate with me so, so hard.

[the-broken-truth]

Red Eyes [Part 1] - Platonic Yandere Miguel O'Hara w/ Male Spider Teen Reader

Summary: Hello, my name is [Name] [Surname]. I am known as the Crimson Spider from Earth-865. Peter B. Parker recruited me to join the Spider-Society where I was introduced to its leader, Miguel O'Hara. However, since the moment our eyes met, Miguel has developed a dangerous obsession with me. I am unsure if I can handle this situation or if I will end up like others who have been chased away by him.

[Spider-Society Headquarters]

I strolled down the hallway with my hands tucked into the pockets of my Spider-Man suit. Peter B. Parker, the older Spider-Man, guided me to the main hub of their headquarters. The leader of this operation was overseeing the containment of Anomalies and monitoring the Spiderverse, which Miles affectionately referred to as his preferred term over the Multiverse. I personally agree; the Multiverse sounds too mundane.

Oh, I'm getting ahead of myself, allow me to introduce myself: My name is [Name] [Surname], also known as the Crimson Spider of Earth-865; I was bitten by a radioactive spider on my 15th Birthday and y life was never the same again. Being the Crimson Spider was one of the best decisions I had ever made but it take a lot of my time. I try to be a good son to my parents and keep my grades up in school but the world needs saving and i'm going to do what I need to do to keep it safe. I met Peter B. Parker when a strange version of the Vulture came into my world when I was sure that the Vulture was still in prison. I managed to stop him when a portal opened up and another Spider-Man came out of the hole and introduced himself as Peter B. Parker and told me to follow him to come to a place where there were more people like me. I did, i had questions and I needed answers.

"Just a heads up, Miguel is a rather irritated person - he gets mad easily and it's easy to get on his bad side, just ask Miles and Gwen. Now, when we see him, just let me do all the talking." Peter said as he and I entered the main hub and I saw him - Miguel O'Hara - standing before a holographic tablet while watching a video of some kind before he pushed it away and turned to face Peter and me - the first thing I noticed about him was his Red Eyes - just like mine. That's right - I was born with Crimson Red Eyes, I got it from my father's father, who also had red eyes. I was rather popular at school because of my eyes; it's rare to see someone with red eyes.

"Did you catch the Anolmany?" Miguel asked Peter but his eyes were still glaring at me.

"Actually, this kid caught him; had him wrapped like a present by the time I got there." Peter said as he moved out of the way to gesture towards me, I waved at Miguel and he narrowed his eyes before he jumped down and landed right in front of me.

"Who are you?" Miguel asked.

"I'm the Crimson-Spider of Earth-865; at least, that's what Peter tells me." I said as I gestured towards Peter who nodded and smiled.

"You defeated the Anolmany? Interested. Take off your mask and show me your face and tell me your real name.; if you want to work here, I need to know who you really are." Miguel said, I looked over at Peter, who nodded and I looked at Miguel before removing my mask and looking at him with my red eyes; his eyes widened when he saw me.

"My name is [Name] [Surname]." I introduced myself.

"Your eyes...they're red." Miguel said.

"Yes, I got them from my Grandfather; surprisingly, his name is also Miguel." I smiled but Miguel just stood there, looking at my eyes before he turned and jumped back to his platform.

"Give him a bracelet, Peter; he's one of us now and he'll be going on missions with me from now on." Miguel said as he started working again. Peter smiled and gave me a bracelet that kept me from glitching but there was something about the way he said that I would be working with him from now on. Why was he so insistent that i work with him?

[spidybaby]

Begin Again | Part Five

Summary: I've been spending the last few months thinking all love ever does is break, burn, and end, but when I look at you shining eyes, I watch it Begin Again.

Warnings: cursing.

A/N: Hello loves ❤️ thank you so much for being there for me on this journey, I'm so thankful for all the messages, the comments, the likes, and the reblogs. I'm so thankful for all of you who supported this story. I really hope this ending is worthy and you liked it 💛✨️

Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Extra One Shot

"Un hijo?" (A child?) He asks confused.

You can hear your dad scuffing like the whole situation was funny to him.

"Pedro," you walk slowly, getting closer. "Dejame explicarte" (Let me explain)

"This is what you were talking about?"

"Por favor." You grab his arm. "Let me explain everything to you. Just not here."

You push him slightly, not wanting to have that conversation in front of your parents.

"Y/n," you mom calls for you. "Por favor, dime que vas a volver. Tenemos que terminar esta conversación." (Please tell me you're coming back, we have to finish this conversation)

"Es enserio?" You scuff. "Adiós." (Are you for real? Goodbye.)

You close the door and walk over to where Pedro is standing.

"Can we go back to your place?"

"Cómo se llama?" (What's his name?) He asks, you can tell his trying to control himself.

Pedro is known to be a calm person, a very cold head one.

But you knew him from the inside, and you know that even with all the patience that he has, when that runs out, it's like a bomb. You can run, but it's not going to help.

"Por favor, no aquí." (Please, not here)

He unlocked the car doors. And without even looking at you he enters the driver's side.

"Pedro," you say as you do the same as he. "Please don't hate me."

He laughs. But not that funny laugh that you loved, this is a dry one. No emotions.

"Vamos a ir a mi casa y no te vas a ir de ahí hasta que me cuentes todo." (We're going back to my house, and you're not leaving until you tell me everything) "Seat belt on."

The way he's driving is scary. But you're can't find the courage to ask him to slow down.

When he parked outside of his house, he turned the car off, hands you the keys, and got out slamming the door.

"Mierda."

You compose yourself before following him. The door is open for you.

"Quieres apurarte?" (Can you hurry) He says from his front door.

You nod slowly, closing the door behind you and walking inside. He sits on the couch, hands hiding his face.

It's not like you're afraid of him. You don't have a reason to be, no matter how mad he was at you, he never laid a hand on you.

"Polo," you say sitting next to him. "His name is Polo."

He sinks further into the couch. He wants to scream, but won't do it.

"He's six months old and has so much of you."

"Six?" He interrupts you. "That means you."

He's mentally doing the math, realizing that the last time you were together was when you got pregnant.

"I found out because I passed out and ended up at the hospital, I was so confused." You say honestly, done with the lies and hiding things out. "Elena asked me if I was going to tell you and I was, believe me I was."

"But" he interrupts.

"But then I saw the tweets about you with that girl. You took her to tenerife with you. It was like a piece of reality. You were living your life and having fun, and I was depressed and crying myself to sleep to the memory of us."

"I can explain."

"You don't have to." You cut him off. "We were over, you didn't know."

"Ella no significó nada" (she meant nothing) even when you told him not to explain, he needed to. "She was just there at the right time. And I was such an idiot."

"You're not. I was the idiot here. When I find out about the gender I wanted to tell you, I was done with the whole angry part. But my mom persuaded me into thinking I was going to be fine, that if you wanted, you would have been there and I was heartbroken, I was pregnant and alone. I just said yes and moved on with my life. Paulo and Elena tried to get some sense into my head, but mom always told them off. Now I know why."

The silence falls between you. No one knows what to say.

You wanted to keep apologizing for not thinking straight and letting the jealousy overpower you.

He wanted to be mad at you, but he couldn't blame you for your decisions. If he were you, he would probably have done the same thing.

"Polo" he says after a while.

You smile at him, nodding, "es una bolita de amor, definitivamente un González." (He's a bundle of love, definitely a González)

"Polo," he repeats. "Is that the name you had on your list since you were a kid?"

"Yes" you laugh remembering the list. "The top one."

"Dios, amo su nombre." (God, I love this name)

"Se lo puse pensando en ti." (I named him thinking on you) You confess. "Not because of that list."

"What do you mean?"

"Remember that trip to Ibiza?" You look at him with a funny expression. "Well, we had our first pregnancy scare after that."

"Joder, claro que recuerdo" (fuck, of course I remember) he laughs. "Fer went to the market to get us the pregnancy tests. Elena was lighting up candles and we were locked in the bathroom."

"Elena, did what?" You laugh confused. "Why I never knew that?"

"You were shitting yourself, "Pedro, my mom is going to kill me. I'm living in the streets if this came back positive." He imitates your voice in a very not accurate way.

"Okay, first of all," you point one finger out. "I don't sound like that. And second, I was panicking, okay?"

"To be fair with you, I was panicking too"

"You weren't, you started saying that if I was pregnant we could elope and move together"

"I was optimistic."

"Well, how did that go?" You joke. "After we found I was not pregnant, you took me to drink as a celebration. You got so drunk that you were saying a lot of dump stuff. But you said that you wanted two kids with me, a boy named Polo, to keep with the PG initials from your name and a girl named Georgina."

"I still want that" he says looking at you. "We just need to fight again, give it time and boom baby Gio"

"Don't you dare," you laugh again. "It's not easy to be pregnant. It's so scary, you feel everything differently."

"Why you tell me? I can't become pregnant"

You scuff, even on the worst times you can easily talk to him.

"Perdón, Pepi." You take his hand. "I know I can't take back the time and the memories, and I regret that so much. I was stupid and let all the anger and jealousy get into that. I dont want you to hate me after this."

"I won't. I can't hate you, I love you" he brings your hand to his mouth, kissing it.

You stayed there for a while, enjoying the gesture, enjoying not having to worry. Being yourselves again.

Suddenly you get up from the couch. Pulling him up with you.

"Ven conmigo." You grab your purse from the coffee table in front of the couch and walk quickly to your car.

He doesn't question your actions, following you outside.

"Get inside." You close the door of his house, pushing him to the passenger side. You drive fast but not crazy like he did.

"Where are we?" He asks, undoing his seat belt and getting out like you did.

"Ven" you extend your arm for him to take your hand. "You need to meet someone."

With the other hand you take your keys and open your door.

"Elena" you call.

"In the room."

"Wait here."

You rushed to the room. Elena is laying down with Polo. She has a face mask on.

"Why are you back so early? We were expecting your walk of shame in the morning, verdad bebé?" She asks, checking the time.

"Pedro está en la sala." You say so casually. (Pedro's in the living room)

"Qué." She yells.

"Callate" you say closing the door.

"Callate tú." He whisper yell at you. "Ya lo sabe?" (He knows?)

You nod.

"Me muero," she sits on the bed.

You both look at each other. You nodding and she was surprised.

"Y que esperas?" She asks. "Ten" (and what are you waiting for? Here)

You took your baby into your arms.

You thank her and turn to the door.

But you can't seem to open it.

"Y/n?"

"I'm fine." You answer. "I just, need minute."

"Cuál minuto ni que nada, ya tuviste seis meses, shu fuera." (Minute my ass, you had six whole months, shu, get out)

She opens the door lightly, pushing you outside and closing the door after you're out.

"Okay." You breathe. "Mi amor, vas a conocer a alguien muy especial." (My love, you're meeting someone really special)

You make a mental note to thank Elena for keeping Polo awake.

You walk slowly, swaying Polo.

Pedro was focused on a picture. It was a picture of Polo right after being born.

He has caressing the glass.

"Pedro."

His head snaps to your direction.

"Joder. Es él?" (Fuck, it's him?) He puts the picture down. "Sorry, language."

You laugh, nodding at his question.

"Polo," you grab his attention, turning him so he can be face to face with his father. "Este de acá es Pedro." (This is Pedro)

You notice the tears in Pedro's eyes matching the ones on yours.

"Pedro, this is Polo."

You get closet to him.

"Hola Polito"

He can't help but to sob. You were right. He looked so much like him.

"Quieres cargarlo?" (Do you want to hold him?)

He nods smiling.

You carefully instruct him on how to hold him.

But he was a natural, hugging him tight but careful not to hurt him.

"He smells so good." Pedro says out of the blue.

You can't help the laugh.

"Bueno, mami lo bañó bien." (Well, mommy gave him a nice bath)

He changes the way Polo is laying on his arms. He wants to appreciate his face.

His hand caresses his face. The child in his arms has his eyes only on him.

"Polo, él es tu papi."

"Papi" Pedro repeat. "Fuck, that sounds so good."

Polo grabbed Pedro's finger, and Pedro kissed his little hand multiple times.

"Eres hermoso." He kisses his cheeks.

You took a step back, searching for your phone. You needed to capture the moment.

You take several pictures, not wanting to forget this moment.

"Mami va a estar tan emocionada." He says, looking at you. "Fer y mi padre." (Mami is going to be so excited, Fer and my father)

Pedro take your hand pulling you into his arms.

"Dios, no sabes cuanto te amo." (God, you have no idea how much I love you) He says, kissing your head. The moment being interrupted by Polo fussing. "A ti también, hermoso" (I love you too) he kisses his cheek now.

"Ay que lindos se miran." (Aww, you guys look so cute like that) Elena says while she takes a picture.

"Where are you going?" You ask her, she has her night bag in one hand.

"Well, Einstein. Obviously, I'm not ruining the moment, plus I don't think you're making Pedro leave Polo's side any time soon. So I'm leaving so you can be together."

She air kissed you both and left.

"La tenemos que hacer madrina." (We have yo make her the Godmother) Pedro laughs

"She already is."

"Puede mi hermano ser el padrino?" (Can my brother be the Godfather?)

You nod excited.

"You heard that, hermoso?" He says to the baby. "You have a Godfather now."

"Actually, he has two."

"Paulo?" He asks smiling.

"Yep, he'll fight me if I took him out of the list."

"It's okay, two is better than one."

"Let's go to my room" you say noticing how Polo is yawning. "Mister here needs to sleep."

"Can I stay?" He asks.

"Will you leave if I say no?"

"No"

"Okay, but yes you can stay."

"Pedro, I'm here." Fernando yells.

When Fer called Pedro to find out the details of the night. Pedro invited him over for lunch.

The idea was for him to know the truth and to meet Polo.

"Coming." He yells back.

You can tell he's nervous.

"Oye, cálmate, es tu hermano." (Hey, calm down, it's just just brother) you hug him. "Everything's going to be fine."

"Yes, just Fer."

"Do you want me to got say hi to him while you calm down?" You ask noticing the anxious body language he has.

"Can you?"

"Yep, so take a breath and you two can meet us downstairs."

You hand him the baby.

"Another thing," you say before leaving the room. "Polo will start fussing if he doesn't see me for a while, specifically since it's almost his feeding time. So you better hurry."

"Joder, me pones más nervioso." (Fuck, you're making me nervous)

"Bye." You say closing the door.

You walk downstairs, finding Fer looking at his phone uninterested.

He's sitting on the couch, his back to you.

You walk silently, wanting to scare him. Something you used to do to each other.

"It's not going to work." He says once you're close to him. Back still facing you "Your perfume gives you away."

"Ay, por favor."

He laughs and turns his face to you. You hurry to his side and hug him.

"Te extrañé como no tienes idea." He says kissing you cheek. (I missed you like crazy)

"I missed you too, Fer."

"So you two?" He asks raisins his eyebrows.

"We are working on it."

"Please do, he needs you."

"I need him too."

You can see Pedro walking to where you to are slowly.

"We have something to tell you."

"Fer." Pedro calls, his bother turn his head to him.

Fernando wants to ask, but he can't.

"Este es Polo." You say standing next to Pedro.

"He's our son."

Fer is trying to say something but he's short of words.

"I know, I just find out too." Pedro jokes. "Ven tio, you have to hold him."

Pedro handed the baby to a very shocked Fer. He's looking at the baby and back to his brother

"Why is he so fat?" He says in a judging tone.

You scuff and Pedro laugh.

"Excuse me, he's not fat." You say taking the baby from him. "He's well fed"

"He's fat," he corrects you. "He's like a brick. You fed him rocks or what?"

Pedro is laughing his ass out.

"Don't listen to your tío, mi amor." Pedro says once he stops laughing."The fat one is him."

"Tío Fer." Fernando says. "That actually sounds good."

"Right?" Pedro says,"yo dije lo mismo cuando Y/n le dijo que yo era su papi." (I said the same thing when y/n told him I was his daddy).

"Damelo, I need to hold him one more time."

"Don't judge him."

"You look like daddy." He says to Polo. "But you're lucky. You have some good genes from Mommy."

"Hey, that's mean."

"Shhh, I'm bonding over here."

You hug Pedro while Fernando is talking to Polo. Telling him all the things he can teach him.

"One down, we have two more." You say.

"Si me andaba cagando del miedo con mi hermano, no me imagino con mis padres." (If I was hyperventilating with my brother, I can't imagine with mom and dad)

"I still think you're just fat, but if your mother says you're "well fed", okay."

"Okay, give me my kid back."

You were currently at his parents' house in Tenerife. He wanted them to find out as soon as possible, so he suggested taking a quick flight back home.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" You ask before he exits the vehicle. "Y si hablas con ellos primero?" (What if you have a chat with them first?)

"No sé" (I don't know)

"Pepi, it's okay."

"But it's not. What if they get mad? What if they stop talking to me? What if we had to tell Polo his grandparents are far far away?"

"Pedro, your parents are not going to be mad at you." You stop his rambling. "If they get mad at someone that will be me."

"Why you?"

"Did you really just ask that?" Fer ask.

"Okay," he puts his hands in the air. "Well, we have to go now, you can't stay here alone."

"You didn't think this through, Huh."

"Well, in my opinion." Adrian, Pedro's cousin, "She can wait here while Fer and you talk with your parents."

"Fer as me?" He asks, confused. "Wait, I don't want them to yell at me."

"Well I don't want them to only yell at me."

"Nobody's yelling at you guys," Adrian yells.

"You are."

"Well because you're assholes."

"Hey don't call me that in front of my kid."

"Oh please, he will find out either way."

"Pedro, this is your mess. Go, be a man." Fernando points at him.

"But why can't you come with me?"

"Fernando, go with him."

"You go with him."

"Okay, that's enough." You yell. "Pedro, your parents are not yelling at you." You say, looking at him. "Fernando, don't be a bitch, Pedro face worse for you, and never complain." You point at him. "And Adrian, can you bring the air down? It's kind of cold."

"Jolin, si que eres una mamá." Fer laughs. (Fuck, you're such a mom) "but you're right, let's go Pepi."

Fer gets out of the car, opening Pedro's door for him to do the same.

"Deseame suerte, si?" He kisses your cheek quickly, getting out. (Wish me luck)

"No la necesitas, todo va a estar bien." (You don't need it. Everything's going to be fine.)

Fernando is about to knock on the door. Even when it's not him telling his parents they are grandparents, he's feeling the pressure of it.

"Fer, tenemos llaves." (Fer, we have the house keys)

"Las perdí." (I lost them)

"Eres un gilipollas, quítate." (You're such an idiot, move)

They walk in silence, finding both parents in the kitchen cooking.

"Mira quien llego," (look who's here) Fernando father says, "Come here."

They do their typical greeting, hugging each other, kiss here, kiss there.

Fer is looking at his brother, noticing how slow he is moving. He knows Pedro's scared, but making things slow is not the answer.

"Pedro necesita decirles algo," he announces. "Pueden apagar ahí y venir a la sala?" (Pedro has to tell you something, can you turn the stove off and take a sit?)

"Is this about Manchester?" Rosy asks

"Let's just take a sit."

They hurry to the living room. Expecting the news about his decision to transfer or stay.

"It's not about the transfer. Actually it's more important than that."

"Entonces dilo mijo, deja el misterio." (Then say it, stop with the mystery.)

"Are you okay?" Rosy ask him. "Sabes que puedes decirnos lo que sea, Pedro." (You know you can tell us everything, Pedro.)

"Like three days ago, Y/n and I reunite."

"That's amazing, Pedro, I knew you guys were finding each other again."

"Yeah, that's so good. Don't miss this opportunity."

"The thing here is." He cut them off. "Something happened in that time we were apart."

"Is she okay?" Rosy, ask.

"Yes, she is." He nods nervously.

He doesn't know how to explain the situation. Does he spit the news? Does he explain piece by piece?

"Before broking up, we weren't exactly being the most careful in the protection area of our life."

"Protection area? What?" His father asks confused. "Pedro, please go to the point."

"She was pregnant. We didn't know anything until now. She reached for me now that she's back in Barcelona. And our baby is six months old." He smiles.

Fer hides his face in his hands. He was more embarrassed than Pedro is for that lame explanation.

"You." Rosy points at him. "Have a baby?"

"Wait. Did you know she was pregnant when you broke up with her?" His father asks.

"No, God no. I didn't. We didn't."

"Were you with her after the breakup?"

"No, it's not that. We were together before the breakup, and well, that's how things happen. She finds out months later, but it's a lot to explain."

"What do you mean is a lot?"

"I think I'm lost."

While Pedro is trying to explain the situation and timeline to his parents, Fernando make his way out of the house.

"Hey, como estuvo?" (Hey, how was it?) Adrian asks when Fernando get back in the car.

"Pedro es un capullo de primera, te juro que el niño abre la boca y la caga cada vez más." (Pedro is such an asshole, I swear all he does is open his mouth to fuck this up)

"Is that bad?" You ask worried. "Are they mad?"

"No, they're not mad. They just don't understand the whole situation, thanks to Pedro being an idiot at explaining things out."

"Let's hope Polo doesn't get that from Pedro." Adrian laughs.

"Should I help him?"

"Nah, finish with the feeding, and then you can join him."

"I just can't believe he's a football player, does tons of interviews, goes to television shows, and can't even explain something to your parents."

"I know, he's like another dude in front of the cameras."

While they make small talk, you stay quiet, wondering if Rosy and Fernando would understand your reasons.

Even if you think that your motives were the right ones, you can't control what they think of that. Maybe they'll be mad that they choose to only engage with the baby and not with you.

You can't help but to worry. You love Pedro's parents like your own. They were so special to you. You can't deal with the idea of them not being in your life again.

"Y/n"

Fer shakes your knee to call your attention.

"Sorry, what did you say?"

"You okay?"

Are you tho?

You can't even answer that to yourself.

In very little time, all these things are happening in your life.

Your parents lying to you, Pedro finding out, Fer finding out, Pedro's parents finding out and maybe not liking you anymore.

"Yes?" You say more as a question than as an answer.

"Hey Adri, give us a minute." He pats his cousin arm. "Please."

"I'm going to the store." Adrian says getting out of the car.

"A ver, no me mientas." (Look, don't lie to me) he turns his whole body to be able to see you. "I know you're worried about this whole thing. You did what you thought was the right choice. You fucked up, but so did my brother. No matter what, you are part of the family, apart from him or not, baby or not. Mom and dad loved you like their own child."

"What if they stop doing that?"

"They won't. If only you could have seen the way they got so excited about the idea of Pedro and you being together again."

"They did?"

"Yes, mom almost jumped of excitement." He laughs. "And they're going to be more happy to meet this little one right here. So shall we?"

"Yes, just give me a minute."

"Okay."

You fix your top, comb the little hair Polo has, and check if his diaper is clean.

"Let me help you, come here, gordo." Fer take Polo from your arms, holding a hand out for you to support yourself.

"I just know that nickname is not going away any time soon"

"Noup," he says, laughing. "After you"

You walk inside the house. You can hear Pedro and his parents talking. You stop abruptly, feeling dizzy from the emotions.

"Noup, sigue caminando." (Noup, keed walking) Fernando pushed you. Holding a hand on your back to move you. "Hey, someone's here to see you."

You can't help but blush. This is like the first time you met them. With the difference that now you were taking your son to meet them.

"Y/n, mija hola." Rosy says, hugging you. "No sabes como te extrañamos" (you have no idea how much we missed you)

"Yo los extrañé también." (I missed you too)

"Estas bien? Como te sientes?" (Are you okay? How are you feeling?)

"I'm fine, I'm good. Don't worry."

"You must be so tired, I'm sorry you had to go through all that alone. But we're here now, and we're going to help Pedro and you in everything we can."

"I'm sorry, I never meant to hide him from you guys, I was dumb and very immature."

"Don't say that, Pedro told us everything." Fernando says, "we're not mad, you did what you thought was right for you and your son."

"Thank you, for understanding."

Fernando and Rosy are both hugging you.

"Ey que corra el aire, venga." (Okay, let's separate) Fer says making all laugh.

"Mami, papi." Pedro call their attention. "This is Polo, he's our son."

"Pero mira que hermosura." (Oh, look how at this beauty) Rosy took the baby out of Pedro's arms. "Es igual a ti cuando eras pequeñito." (Just like you when you were a baby)

"Ven." He grabs your hand taking you to the kitchen.

Fernando, Rosy and Fer are focus on the baby, leaving the space for Pedro and you to be able to speak.

"We can breathe now." You laugh. "I was so scared."

"Thank God we got this over with. But I think you'll have to stay here, cause there's no way mom is letting him go. We lost him for the day."

"That's okay. I don't have any interest on keeping them apart."

"So you're staying here with me ?"

"What happened to going slow?"

"We have a kid together. Don't you think we left the slow out the door already?"

"Well if you put it like that."

You lock your arms behind his neck, pulling him close so you can kiss him. It's like time never happened, the feelings, the passion, the love still there.

"We can say you're here to stay." He jokes.

"And I don't plan on leaving."

"Not like I'm letting you, never again."

You stayed apart for a while. Letting his family enjoy the arrival of the new González member.

"Okay, enough you two." Fer says entering the kitchen. "Come here. You can appreciate each other later in a private room with the door locked. I can take care of fatty."

"I'll have to beat you if you keep calling him Fatty, gordo, etc"

"Deal with it. He loves it."

"Capullo" You say hitting the back of his head.

"A man can't lovely nickname his nephew now?"

"No" both Pedro and you answer.

"I hate you guys."

You find Rosy taking a picture of Fernando and Polo. Your heart is full with happiness.

"Our baby is going to be so spoiled and loved. I can't wait to see that." Pedro says hugging you from behind.

"I can't wait either."

"Fer, toma una foto de tu padre y yo con Polito." (Fer, take a picture of your father and I with polito). She hands the phone to her son. "Vente precioso." (Come here, baby.)

"Pero saca la sonrisa, mami." Pedro jokes. "Venga, más grande." (But smile, mom. C'mon, bigger than that)

"Done, I think I took like a thousand pictures."

"Exagerado."

"Not to be rude, but Y/n, honey. What are you feeding this kid with? He's so big."

"Ha! I told you, he's a fatty."

"So this picture or this one?" Pedro asks you, showing you the options.

"It's the same picture with a different filter."

"I know, I can't decide if I want b&w or Juno."

"Pedro." You laugh at him.

"I just want it to be perfect."

"Are you covering his face?"

"Yes, I know you don't mind if I don't, but I think for now it's the best."

"Okay, whatever you say."

"Hermoso, what picture are you feeling the most, this one or this one?"

Polo smiled at him, not even interested in the phone but on him instead. Pedro kiss his chubby cheek multipletimes.

He erupted in laughs at his father's actions.

"papa"

"Good choice."

"What? He didn't even look at the phone"

"Shhh, woman. This is between my son and I." He sticks his tongue out. "Don't worry Hermoso, she's just mad because you can't say mama."

You open your mouth, pretending to be shocked. "Yes, he can"

"So this one, right?" He asks Polo one more time, ignoring you.

"Can you just post the damn picture and hand me the kid?" Fer says, waiting for Pedro to let the baby go. "You say twenty minutes, and it's been an hour."

"Do you want me to make it two?"

He shakes his head quickly. "No, just post it, and give him to me."

" I can't believe that we took that picture five months ago." You say liking the post. "God, time flies."

"And now we're planning his first birthday party." Rosy says, handing you the pack of invitations. "He's getting too big."

"Petition for you and Pedro to give Fatty a sibling." Fer jokes.

"Excuse me, idiot." You laugh. "I think you're the one who should be giving my kid a cousin."

"I'm too young. Plus, fatty would be mad. He's the center of attention and won't accept any changes."

"Well, Polo has to accept that he's not having any play date friend in a while."

Fer and you continue throwing jokes at each other.

You can't complain about anything. Coming back to Barcelona, fixing your mistakes, and giving yourself a chance to be happy again was the right decision.

You have everything you ever dreamed about, a family with the man you love, a happy and healthy child. You won't change a thing.

Tag list:

@alwaysclassyeagle @footballerficsposts @gulphulp @cinderellawithashoe @jajajhaahaha @bellinghambby22 @pablogavisgirl @lunamelona @christinabae @103009 @pedrileclerc @pampeop @magicalfundragon @helanahaadock @eau-rougee @unstablefemme @lina1407 @percysley

[ageingfangirl2]

Don't Look At Me Like That! Buggy x Reader (OPLA)

What is Buggy hiding from you? That's what you're going to find out

BUGGY

'Captain y/n is looking for you,' Cabaji says, shuffling on the spot avoiding eye contact with me.

I might be captain but y/n had been one of my first crew members, and one of the few original ones still remaining, so they had an equally terrifying presence but never stole my spotlight. y/n had a kind soul but could change on a dime if anyone upset them or said anything about me or the crew. If you wronged them and they smiled your life was over, and it had gotten me out of some sticky situations in the past.

'And what did you tell them?' I reply, shuffling some papers on my desk to cover a new map I'd gotten my hands on.

Cabaji sighs, 'You're busy and not to be disturbed.'

y/n was loyal and if I told them not to disturb me they wouldn't. They also wouldn't enter my quarters if the door was closed, but glancing over Cabaji's shoulder I see the door wide open and know the consequences.

I wave Cabaji off, 'Okay, now leave, and shut the door behind you.'

He walks out and shuts the door. I pick up a knife and throw it at the wall just to the right of the door and a familiar voice curses loudly.

'Seriously! How did you know captain?' y/n grumbles, and appears out of thin air.

y/n ate a devil fruit not long after joining the crew, the clear-clear fruit which allowed them to turn invisible. It helped turn the tides of battle having y/n sneak behind enemy lines without being spotted. At first, it was a massive pain in my arse but my senses had heightened over the years meaning little things out of place or breezes didn't surprise me and probably meant y/n was invisible.

I lean my back against the desk and fold my arms over my chest, 'Cabaji left the door open and you'd use it to sneak in. Why are you looking for me y/n?'

y/n pulls the knife out of the wall and looks at me with puppy dog eyes, '...you're up to something aren't you captain?'

'How did you know?' I ask, curious.

y/n walks towards me, 'I heard some of the crew talking.'

Hopefully y/n hadn't seen me hide the map on my desk. I reach out my hand and they return the knife, 'you don't sound particularly upset about it.'

y/n shrugs their shoulders and stops in front of me, 'I'm not, we're pirates.'

I hum to myself before reaching a gloved hand to rest on their cheek, which y/n leans into, '...and yet your eyes still hold displeasure.'

y/n bites their lip and I knew I'd hit the nail on the head when they don't reply, but simply continue the puppy dog eyes which would break me eventually.

I stroke their cheek, '...you're upset I didn't include you, aren't you?'

y/n nods, '...a little.'

I pull my hand away and they pout, but I had reasons for keeping them out of this scheme because what I was doing I was doing for them, 'trust me y/n I know what I'm doing. Go terrify the new crew; before you know it all this will be forgotten, and we can go back to adventuring again.'

y/n's eyes widen mischievously, 'I trust you captain and promise to stay out of your way if that's what you want. Now how far can I push the newbies?'

It was easy to switch y/n's train of thought, I just felt bad for the new crew having to deal with y/n, but if they wanted the pirate life then they were going to have to pass y/n's tests, 'don't scar them too badly, now I need to get back to my plans.'

y/n laughs and stands back saluting me, 'Okay captain.'

I wait until they leave before pulling the map back out. It was y/n's old home island where I found and rescued them years ago from an abusive past. Rumours were that their family were up to no good again so I'd be able to give them to y/n to kill while claiming all the treasure the island held. This was going to be an interesting couple of weeks if everything went to plan and y/n kept their nose out.

[just-some-random-blogger]

So you know the Chinese saying that once you've saved a person's life, you're responsible for them forever? where after the reader saves Dream, Dream keeps appearing expecting the reader to take care of him and be responsible for him in a variety of situations and moments. Bonus Points: Dream doesn't exactly explain anything to the reader. Those are the old laws, the reader should be aware of what he was doing when he decided to reach out and save him and that was it.

ANOTHER BONUS: this is why no one rescued Dream— NO ONE WANTED THIS AN INFINITE LIMIT FOR THEM IN SUCH A WAY

Why Are You Here?

Dream of the Endless x Reader

Summary: You accidentally saved the King of Dreams from his century old prison, now he's your everyday nightmare (affectionate).

Word Count: >900

Warnings: Gender neutral!reader, clingy!Dream, jealous!dream, fluff, typos, etc.

A/N: I think I am now finally able to write requests again 🥲🫶 slay for me Tagging: @pinksirensong @aralezinspace @deniixlovezelda @shadow-pancake9 @sloanexx

I wiped my face as I looked at the clock at the bottom right of my computer screen. I huffed and leaned back on my office chair, twirling myself around as I waited for my file to upload.

One.

Two.

Three twirls in.

Suddenly, I stop in a panic when a dark figure manifests in front of me.

I cling onto the side of my desk and jump out of my chair, "Dream, what are you-"

"I was unable to procure the results we had last time we baked, and I came to tell-"

I grab his arms and frantically look around my office, "what did I tell you about manifesting yourself in inappropriate settings?"

Dream looks down at me with his eyes as I look past him on both sides of his arms. His brows faintly furrow, "this is not an inappropriate setting. You are fully dressed and I am-"

"That is not what-" I quip, pinching my fingers together. I sigh as I look at the befumbled entity, his galactic blue eyes glassed with an innocent incapacity to understand he was not meant to be suddenly in my place of work. I grab his biceps and push him back.

I begin to lead him to the bathroom with our linked arms, "I can't answer your baking questions right now," I look around the room, "also, didn't we establish you should only come to me if you were in actual trouble."

He mumbles, placing a hand on my arm that was linked with his, "my cake did not rise."

I turn to him, "Dream-"

"You told me baking could alleviate my sorrow. It has done nothing but frustrate further. I would think you should bare some responsibility for the fact."

I grunt as I stop in my tracks. I pull away to cross my arms, "did you follow the recipe you have?"

Dream looks back at me, "to the best of my capacity."

"Then I don't know what to tell you," I mutter, shrugging, "I can't really see what you did-"

"Precisely why," he takes my hand, "you should come to the Dreaming with me."

I look around the room and give him an incredulous expression. I whisper-yell, "I'm working right now."

Dream steps forward. His face solemn, "I will make sure no one will notice."

Shutter.

Dream and I snap to the side. Behold, there stood my nosy co-worker, Liam, one hand holding a smoothie, and another holding up a phone, camera pointed at us.

Fuck.

"Liam," I pull away from Dream.

"I didn't take a photo of you," he immediately says, "I took a selfie." He begins to pose and take a photo of himself.

"Liar," Dream retorts with an echo, not having to open his mouth.

I look around the room when the lights flicker because of this.

Liam reacts to it, extremely on edge as he too looks around the room.

I release a breath, thinking of an excuse as to explain why this unknown man dressed for a funeral and I were talking. I look at Dream. Maybe I could say he was going to a funreal?

"So," Liam starts, shaking his head, "who's this?"

"This is..." I start, turning to Liam, "Murphy."

"Murphy?" Liam squints at the Lord Morpheus, "you don't look like a Murphy."

Dream does not respond.

Liam sips on his smoothie before pulling it abruptly away, shaking his phone, "oh I know who this is!" He points repeatedly at me, "this is they guy that has been sending you flowers!"

"No."

"What?"

Dream and I said this at the same time.

Dream turns to me, as I grab his arm and push past Liam, "good talk, Liam. Murphy has to go now."

I sigh as I lead him to the exit, "I was going to make you disappear through the bathroom, but then Liam caught us together."

He makes a sound, "do you not want me to be seen by this person who sends you flowers?"

"What?" I turn to Dream, "that was a mistake in delivery. It was for Abigail. She recently got married-- but I mean you already know that."

"I do," he mutters.

I shake my head, "Liam made a big deal out of it, like he does everything."

"Would you like to do something about Liam?"

I exit our office and drag Dream towards the elevator, "I would like for you never to suddenly pop up here again."

I watch him pout and furrow his brows, "but you are my person," he replies. He stops us both in our tracks, "the old laws bind us together."

I sigh and nod as I walk off and repeatedly press on the elevator button, "I know! I know. The old laws that even you have to answer to."

Dream's face hardens, his posture falls, "is my presence such a nuisance to you?"

"Morpheus," I sigh, "It's not your presence," I reply, "it's the fact you're at my job," I mumble, "my job that I worked so hard to get and would make me spiral if I lost."

I turn from the elevator doors to Dream as he straightens up, "it was not my intention to cause you distress."

I nod, "I know," I place a hand on his arm, "and you're both kind of really cute for this, and super annoying."

The elevator doors open. I motion for Dream to enter. When he does, I smile at him and wave goodbye. He looks and raises his hand, "I will redo my cake in a manner in which will impress you."

I chuckle, "I look forward to trying it."

He presses his lips into a smile, "farewell."

[livingdeadmlm]

Day 7: Facesitting

Johnny was stuck at home, the filming of an upcoming movie had been canceled due to the heavy rain going on outside. He practically jumped for joy at the fact he got to stay home with his husband. Sauntering over to your home office he silently groaned at the sound of you being on a call with your co-workers on the next steps for whatever marketing project you were all assigned.

Your eyes quickly glanced at him over your blue light glasses, and you offered a small wave. His shoulders slumped as he walked to the small sofa he got you for the office just for times like this. As his back hit the pillow your co-workers began laughing after you spoke.

"How's the husband been (Name)? still in love like when you two went on your honeymoon?"

"Could we get a sneak peek at the new movie coming out?" Johnnys' body perked up as you waved them off with a chuckle.

"Yes we're still in love like our honeymoon 4 years ago, and I don't think I'm a liberty to talk about his movies." One co-worker whom Johnny didn't recognize spoke

"You have to be careful with those Hollywood types you know... He's probably already stepped away from the marriage." The call went silent as your face contorted in a frown.

"Woah! What's all this about me cheating on this absolute stallion I have waiting for me each day when I get home?" His voice sang out as he stepped into view of the camera. Some of your co-workers cheered and waved as Johnny placed a kiss on your cheek. His sunglasses were low on his nose as his hand rested against your thigh.

"Don't play dumb cage, we all know what men like you get up to in your free time, (Name) probably wants to settle down and get some little ones in a normal house." Ouch. His hand began to grip your thigh. Johnnys' smile didn't falter as he pushed up his sunglasses with his middle finger and you sighed.

"This is very inappropriate to bring up, no need to doubt my marriage because your husband has stepped out regardless of your normal home." The call was abruptly ended as a human resource representative shot you an email telling you the situation would be handled.

You clocked out early and got out of your chair holding Johnnys' hand

"I know you don't let things like that get to you but I am sorry about that." he shrugged and made his way to your shared bedroom.

"I mean do you think I go out and whore myself out like that? I mean do you want the white picket fence life?" His voice came out more as a whisper than he meant it to.

"Oh Johnny, the life we have now is perfect." Guiding him to the bed you told him you’d show him how much you loved the life the two of you lived.

Feeling your hands grip his hips Johnny yelped as your tongue lapped at his hole. he bit down on his thumb to muffle his voice. Your tongue licked harder which caused him to yank at your hair, "Come on Prince charming I know you can give more than that." his eyes shut as he let each moan escape his mouth into the air.

His hips were red around your fingers as you pulled him down more. His moans were muffled to your ears being squished between his toned thighs.

His cock wept as your tongue finally made its way in and felt like an invasion of his body but a very welcomed one as it provided stimulation that he’d never get tired of. He could hardly hold himself up without keeping a hand on the wooden bed frame. The strong word worked as a good stabilizer as you never seemed to slow down.

The rain patting against the roof was soft and the creek of the old wooden bed frame filled the air next to his groans

He felt overwhelmed, he hadn’t been sat that long but he could feel himself folding at the amount of passion you were putting into making him feel better made the pleasure stack more and more. The thought of you and him being able to indulge in each other like this for more years to come made him feel warmer against you.

He held his breath as he finally came against his stomach tugging your head closer in. You guided him off your face to be laid out against the satin sheets of your shared bed. He gasped for air as the bed shifted around due each others movements.

Climbing on top of Johnny your voice was low as you kissed down his stomach. “I know you wouldn’t step outside our marriage, who else could you go to for this.” Tracing his V-line with kisses he grew hard again and whined at the pressure and found his legs resting on your shoulders.

You whispered more sweet words against his skin. Gently stroking the previous red spots on his skin to soothe them.

[runninriot]

Love Is A Polaroid Steddie ficlet | ~2k | cw: implied/referenced self-destructive behaviour, drinking, a little heartbreak before it gets better | happy sappy steddie & platonic stobin

inspired by the insanely talented @inklessletter 's #polaroid series (go check out their art right now!!!)

   "Steeeve, please!" Robin begs. Literally begs.

Like, hands folded together as if in prayer, a pleading look in her eyes, expression as if she's in pain.

   "Robs, no! I don't- that's stupid. I don't feel comfortable with you following us around to take pictures for your- whatever it is." He waves a hand at her dismissively.

   "It's a project, Steve. For my Photography Studies course."

He should know, she already explained that. Told him something about visualizing love in its purest form. Told him she wants to take polaroid pictures of him and Eddie. No posing, just random shots whenever she feels like it. Pictures in black and white - something about using dark tones and deep contrasts to enhance the beauty of simple moments in their day to day life.

   "Whatever. I still don't get why it has to be us?"

Steve is a little frustrated. She's been going on about her wonderful idea for a good few minutes now, not willing to drop the subject no matter how adamantly Steve declines. She knows how shy he gets when he knows someone is taking a picture of him. He hates how he always looks a little off, has never felt very photogenic. So, the mere thought of Robin capturing him in possibly awkward situations with his boyfriend makes his skin crawl.

   "Well, first of all, you are my best friends, so it would mean a lot to have you be part of it. Plus, we live together so I wouldn’t be around you any more than I already am. You wouldn’t even notice. And you two are the perfect motive because-“ Robin’s eyes flicker down to her own feet, unable to hold his gaze.

Her face is suddenly painted with a faint crimson blush. Steve's furrowed brows smooth out and his expressions go soft again when he looks at his best friend's bashful little smile as she looks sheepishly back up at him.

   "You are the perfect motive because I've never seen two people being so in love with each other. Makes me sick how soft and cute you two are, if I'm honest."

Robin chuckles and Steve snorts loudly, both rolling their eyes at the same time because God, when did Robin become such a sap?

   "What you and Eddie have is love in its purest form. It’s unapologetic, honest, and real. It's all I ever want to find for myself. I'm fucking jealous of you, Steve!"

They laugh and Steve ignores the violent tug in his heart caused by her words.

What him and Eddie have really is special. He knows it's some kind of miracle that they've ended up where they are now. It wasn't always that easy. There were times when Steve wanted to just give up. When the world tumbled down and buried him under its weight. When he thought he could never have Eddie like that, wanted to rather die than live life without him.

When Steve realised he had fallen in love with his best friend, his best male friend, he panicked. Finding out he likes boys like he likes girls wasn't even the scariest part. What really took him out was the fear of losing Eddie if he ever told him the truth. For weeks he tried to push his feelings down, tried to cage them behind his ribs but all it did was make him suffer even more. Every time Eddie looked at him, he felt a sharp pain in his heart. Every time Eddie touched him, it left a searing sensation on his skin. Every time they were alone, Steve felt like he was losing his mind, desperately trying to fight the urge to kiss the boy so blissfully unaware of the heartache he caused him. He fought and suffered in silence until he couldn’t take it anymore and succumbed to the tormenting ache in his chest. Until he fell into a dark hole.

Steve drifted apart, dulling his feelings with unhealthy amounts of booze. Hunting for warm, willing bodies to sink into. Starving for touch and affection just to feel anything other than the grief-stricken pain of losing the lover he never even had to begin with.

Of course, his self-destructive behaviour hadn’t gone unnoticed by his friends. Robin tried everything in her power to get through to him. Offered advice and help for all the wrong problems because she couldn’t have known that the real issue was his own fucking mind and his inability to talk about what kept him up at night. What made him so angry and distant and numb.

And then there was Eddie. Sweet, kind, and caring Eddie who couldn’t keep watching his friend ruin his own life anymore. Who gave him an ultimatum – stop hurting yourself or I’ll leave.

Eddie’s words felt like a pistol held to his head, the determination in his teary eyes like a finger ready to pull the trigger. Steve knew he meant it, knew this was his last chance. He would lose the one person that meant everything to him.

   “I can’t lose you, Eddie.”

   “Then let me love you instead.”

He said the words like it was easy. Like it hadn’t nearly cost Steve his sanity to even think them.

Love.

Love you.

   “I love you!”

Steve felt like he was startling awake from a nightmare. One of those where, once you’ve opened your eyes, you instantly forget its horrors. That’s what it felt like when his confession found its way out of his mouth, making the pain of the past months disperse into nothingness.

Eddie had been right there all this time.

Eddie, with tears running down his beautiful face, smiling lovingly at Steve. Eddie, who brought his hands up to each side of Steve’s face before he leaned down and sealed his lips with a bruising kiss. Despair and pain spilling from his mouth as he licked his way inside, forcefully pushing something else in their place. Filling Steve’s insides with warmth and light and happiness. Passion running through his veins, pumping love into his heart, restarting the rotten organ to pick up its once steady beat. Its rhythm hard and fast, growing in size so big Steve felt like it would burst right through his chest.

I. Love. You.

Three simple words were all it took.

All the pain, the suffering, the loveless nights, and dreadful days – they all vanished in the seconds it took to say them out loud.

Three simple words, that seemed so frightening in his mind, so loaded with too much meaning and not enough weight to truly express what he felt.

What he still feels.

Loving Eddie and be loved by him in return is so easy. It’s easy because it just comes naturally. It’s what makes their love so pure, so honest, and true. They have one heart beating in two separate bodies. They are a two-piece puzzle, their curves and edges shaped to fit. A perfect match.

Steve holds out his hands, waits for Robin to take them in hers, and pulls her into a hug.

   “Eddie already said yes, hasn’t he?” Steve says through a defeated smile.

   “Well, his exact words were ‘You’re gonna regret it, Bucks.’ And then he said something about being extra nasty and insufferable just to wind me up. But yeah, he’s on board.” Robin huffs out a laugh.

Steve pulls her tighter, laughs when he practically hears Eddie’s voice in his head, sees his mischievous grin before his inner eye.

Eddie loves to be the centre of attention. Loves to be in the spotlight. Of course, he would be happy to provide himself as vessel for Robin’s artistic outlet.

    The things you do for love, Steve sighs before he agrees.

 

Polaroid #1

Movie night. The three friends are watching some old, trashy horror movie. Steve had a very stressful day at work, can barely keep his eyes open when they’re not even 15 minutes into the movie. He falls asleep on the couch, unbothered by Robin and Eddie’s bickering and laughing. When the movie comes to an end, Eddie leans down to Steve’s resting body, foreheads touching as he takes a moment to just listen to the other man’s calm breathing. ‘Hey baby,’ Eddie whispers softly, ‘time to get up.’ He kisses the tip of Steve’s nose, waits for him to slowly drift out of his deep slumber.

Steve smiles sleepily when he opens his eyes and sees Eddie’s face hovering over him, accepts the gentle press of Eddie’s lips against his own.

   ‘C’mon, darling. Let’s get you to bed.’

   ‘I’m not even tired anymore,’ Steve says, his face scrunched up when he yawns loudly.

   ‘Hmm, I know a way to tire you out, baby. Don’t worry,’ Eddie answers smugly, brushing their noses together before he kisses him again.

Robin makes a gagging sound, but smiles as she takes a picture to capture this soft little moment.

Polaroid #2

Sunday morning. They are all a little groggy from Robin’s early birthday celebrations last night. They’ve been out dancing, downing shot after shot, having an awesome time. Now, the buzz from the night before is gone and makes way for headaches and hangover munchies. Steve promised Robin pancakes in the morning and she’s desperate for him to finally get up and make them. She knocks on their bedroom door and steps in without waiting for an answer. The boys are still in bed. Eddie looks like he just woke up with his frazzled hair hanging into his face, lying half on top of Steve, rubbing his eyes. ‘Just five more minutes’, Steve grumbles, refuses to turn and get up.

It’s her Birthday, sure, and he promised her food she absolutely, definitely needs to soak up the remaining alcohol in her system – but she can give him another five minutes.

When she returns (exactly five minutes later), she captures Eddie and Steve still in bed. Eddie’s lips grazing the skin on his mole-speckled back with a dreamy look in his eyes, while Steve sighs in defeat ‘Alright, Robs. You win.’

The shutter clicks just before he turns around to throw a pillow at her head, causing Eddie to tumble to the side and nearly topple off the bed.

Polaroid #3

Robin sorts through the pile of polaroid pictures she’s taken over the last two weeks:

Steve and Eddie dancing in the kitchen to some dorky love song.

Steve resting between Eddie’s thighs where they lie cuddled up on the sofa, Eddie reading his favourite book to Steve.

Eddie trying and failing to make a handstand, Steve beside him, holding his belly from laughing so hard.

A picture of all three of them on Robin’s birthday, faces covered in whipped cream and chocolate syrup after devouring their pancakes like starving animals.

Eddie with his guitar in his lap, Steve sitting on the floor across from him. They share a loving look, eyes full of desire and devotion.

And then- Robin startles in shock. How did that get in here?

She knows she didn’t take that picture. She couldn’t have. Not with the way she already feels the deep blush creeping up her face because- Jesus! That’s entirely too personal. She feels like she’s invading their privacy just by looking at that. This surely isn’t meant for anyone’s eyes but theirs.

It’s not like they’re visibly naked but the position of their bodies leaves literally no room for speculations. One of Eddie’s hands wrapped around Steve’s throat  and Steve looks like- well, he looks absolutely fucking blissful. Robin can practically hear the soft moans escaping his parted lips (How she knows what he sounds like, you ask? They swore to never ever talk about that incident ever again).

It looks like Eddie is kissing him. Or maybe he licks his skin. Maybe he whispers some dirty words into his ear, tells him how he’s going to wreck him – who knows? The point is, Robin doesn’t want to know because as much as she adores them, as much as she’s been prying on their sweet moments over the past weeks, there are things that should be kept between them.

She’s going to frame it and surprise them with it. (What she doesn’t know, is that Eddie sneaked that picture into her folder just to tease her. What she also doesn’t know is that there’s a whole collection of more of these kind of pictures hidden in a shoebox under their bed.)

[heavyhitterheaux]

Got Me Thinking

Part 8: When I Needed You Most

Synopsis: This is supposed to be a time of healing, so you let Jack know what you had been feeling since the last time the two of you spoke despite how difficult it is. You feel like he failed you, but unexpectedly, a piece of paper is about to change both of your lives forever.

Pairing: Jack Harlow x Reader

Series Masterlist 💕

Please Do Not Repost My Content Anywhere

As hard as it was for Jack to walk away from you that night, he knew if he had wavered for a second then he would have instantly changed his mind and went right back to you. It was a difficult decision for him to make, but when he really sat down and thought about it, it made the most sense. A lot had occurred within the last six months and knew that your anxiety was probably getting the best of you and instead of putting pressure on you by being in the situation, he decided to take a step back in order for both of you to begin to properly heal.

He didn't leave until you fell asleep and made sure you were safe at this point, he was praying that you didn't run off again.

He drove back to his house in silence and was surprised to walk in to see Kelsey gathering all of her things. Or what was left of them for that matter. Ever since he had gotten back from Paris and being with you, of course an argument took place about the paparazzi pictures when Kelsey finally confronted him and he owned up to it.

He loved you and didn't love her and didn't want to be with her anymore.

“Oh, I thought that you would be with her. I was trying to be gone before you got back.” She quietly said as she was zipping one of her suitcases.

“I was earlier.”

“Can we just talk for a second? No bullshit.” She asked and Jack slowly nodded before shrugging, because at this point what did he have to lose?

“I knew. I knew and I didn't want to believe it. From the moment you brought her to your show and I saw how everyone gravitated towards her, I instantly got jealous because I couldn't even remember the last time you looked at me like how you looked at her. Actually, you never have. Not even on our wedding day. Since then, I knew that I wasn't going to be able to compete and when Clay told me that you and her were just friends, I highly doubted it.”

“Kelsey…”

“Just let me finish. Please. I'm sorry for what I did to you and I'm sorry for how I've treated you overall for these last few months.”

“Hmm, more so an entire two years, but go on.”

“I deserved that. I'm realizing how bad I've hurt you and I started pushing you away so you going back to your ex is not surprising and I should have seen it coming. I just want you to be happy at the end of the day and I now know that Y/N is the one who brings you happiness and not me. I should have been able to realize this on my own, but it took me talking to my therapist and my sister to see how wrong I was. I mean I cheated first so I guess this is my karma.”

“At one point in time, I did see myself being with you for the rest of my life, but Kelsey, you changed and it wasn't for the better.”

“That's fair and I agree. I wasn't the nicest person. I just…. want this divorce to go as smoothly as possible so whatever you want me to sign, I'll do it. Here's your key back. And I wish the best for you and Y/N, jealousy aside, she seems like an amazing girl who loves and cares about you a lot. I'm sorry that I took you for granted. I know now that we were kinda doomed from the beginning because of what I did. Take care of yourself and take care of Y/N.” Kelsey placed the house key in Jack’s hand before grabbing her suitcase and making her way towards the front door.

Once the door shut, Jack had sat down on the couch playing with the key in his hands and trying to make sense of what had just happened. If circumstances were different, you would be the first person that he told, but figured that it was best to give you your space.

—

You didn’t bother moving when you heard the front door open knowing that it was Tania who just got done her shift and had the rest of the day to herself which meant that she would be all up under you and not letting you out of her sight.

“Y/N, are you watching White Men Can't Jump again? This is the fourth time today and maybe the fifteenth time this week.” Tania said as she came into your bedroom to see you surrounded by snacks and Jack's face on the TV.

“I miss him and he hates me.” You quietly responded before stuffing another cheese puff into your mouth.

You were back in Calabasas in your house and Tania had been staying with you because everyone just knew that you were probably going to make a run for it again, even though you had said that you weren't.

“He does not hate you and I'm sure he misses you too. But you damn near gave all of us a heart attack…. again. I got on the first flight I could find to come and look for your ass.”

“I'm sorry.”

“Stop it. Stop apologizing. What's done is done. Now you have to start healing. Did you call that therapist that my cousin had recommended?”

When you were quiet, she grabbed the remote to press pause.

“How are you supposed to heal if you won't even try? This is not what you do to start to heal.”

“I'll do it tomorrow.”

“And I'm going to keep bothering you until you do.”

“Tania, I literally uprooted the life that I've known for like the past 5 years for him all to be like we need to work on ourselves before we be together how we want to be. Like what the fuck? You couldn't have figured that out before? In that regard, I'm pissed at him.”

“And I see why because I would be too. However, look at it from this perspective. He loves you enough to be honest and tell you that because he wants the relationship to be successful. We are all literally rooting for the two of you. I'm going to be here with you every step of the way. You can always call him, because what's stopping you? But… what the hell are you eating? Did you just dip your cheese puff in cream cheese and peanut butter?”

“What? I'm hungry?”

“No, that is the diet of someone who is pregnant.”

You looked over at her and rolled your eyes as you grabbed another one.

“You are literally so dramatic. I can't be. Already took a test when I was with Jack and it was negative. I'm just hungry like I said. Stop making a big deal out of everything.”

“Y/N, you have never eaten that when you're hungry so cut the bullshit.”

All of a sudden, a wave of nausea hit you and you then hopped up to run into the bathroom emptying the contents of your stomach with Tania right behind you.

Once you were finished, you stood up and brushed your teeth before splashing cold water on your face and Tania was eyeing you through the mirror.

“There’s a baby in there.”

“No there isn't and stop wishing that on me. I can't have a baby right now because that is only going to complicate things. It's not like me and Jack are exactly talking to one another.”

“Let's just take another one and see. I'll go buy it.”

All you did was let out a groan before rolling your eyes at her.

“Auntie Tania reporting for duty.”

“I can still kick you out of my house.”

—

Jack had been pacing back and forth in the studio while staring at his phone debating on if he was going to call you. It had been a few weeks and he wanted to check in on you and make sure that you were okay, but he wasn't quite sure if you would be willing to talk to him.

A few people came with him to Nashville to start working on new music, but truth be told, he did it to get out of Louisville and to hopefully get his mind off of you.

And his plan was failing…. Miserably. He couldn't focus for more than thirty minutes at a time.

“Will you just call her already?” Clay asked while glancing at his older brother.

“If you keep this up, you’re going to run a hole in the floor and I'm not paying for it.” Neelam said from behind him as she walked into the room.

“I'll call her for you!” 2fo yelled from the corner as he had just opened a bag of cheetos.

“I don't understand why you're acting like this when you were the one who broke it off with Y/N in the first place.” Urban quietly said and Jack shot him a look.

“I didn't break it off! We're taking a break. Hiatus if you will.”

“Why are you yelling at us? We didn't tell you to do that. It seems like you're more miserable now then you were when you and Kelsey were a thing. If you could call it that.”

“Ew, I just got chills and not the good kind.” Clay confessed and Urban stifled a laugh.

“We needed to. I wouldn't have done it if I didn't think it was important. She literally had all of us looking for her for hours and didn't even think to let anyone know that she was okay.”

“Still better than Kelsey in my book.”

“URBAN!” Neelam scolded and he held his hands up in defense.

“Just call her.” Clay said as he picked up Jack's phone and handed it to him.

“She probably doesn't want to talk to me.”

“Hmm, I wouldn't either after I left my husband, quit my job, and moved back home to be with you and then you break up with me.”

“URBAN, FOR THE LAST TIME WE DIDN’T BREAK UP.”

“But yall are not together though.” Clay said while taking a long sip of his smoothie as he was backing up Urban and Jack sighed.

“Not too much on my mans now! He fumbled a baddie though.” 2fo piped up with cheeto stained fingers as Jack shook his head.

“Jack…. I don't know who allowed you to be an adult because the math is NOT mathing when it comes to you and making decisions regarding relationships. Y/N is EVERYTHING you want! And you have your opportunity right in front of you! Go and call your girl.”

Jack didn't have a chance to respond as his phone vibrated in his hand to see that it was a facetime call from you.

“Look at his face, it's her!”

“ANSWER IT!”

Once your face popped up on the screen, Jack could tell that you had been crying and immediately asked why you were upset.

“Buttercup, what's going on?”

“Are you by yourself? Because this can't wait.”

“Give me a minute.” Jack responded as he left the room to walk down the hallway.

Once he was in a secluded corner, he asked you to tell him what was going on.

In response you simply switched the camera view to show a piece of paper and the section that was highlighted on it.

Jack's jaw had now hit the floor.

He had to read it multiple times to make sure he had read it right.

“Is that? Is that real?” He quietly asked and you got a dumbfounded look on your face as you turned the camera back to you.

“That was a dumb question. I'm sorry, but how?”

“She's saying that when I did it the first time, it's possible that it was too early and that's why.”

“Fuck.”

“That's all you have to say?” You asked catching a slight attitude because you were growing increasingly annoyed.

“I just… I'm surprised that's all and I definitely wasn't expecting this.” Jack said, attempting to plead his case.

“And I was?”

“Y/N, please. The last thing I want to do is fight with you. We're going to get through this.”

“There is no we in this unless we're together and last time I checked, we weren't. And keep in mind that was your choice. You left when I needed you the most and didn't even think twice about it. You saw that I was hurting and what did you do? Decide that it wasn't the best idea for us to be together even though you knew how bad I wanted to be.”

“Buttercup….”

“I'll talk to you later I guess.”

“Wait!”

Before he could get another word in, you hung up the phone.

[7-wonders]

At the Edge of the Universe

Michael Langdon x Reader (Mad Love Act II, Chapter XIV)

Summary: It’s time to meet the residents of Outpost 3 as Michael begins his interviews to see who will make it to the Sanctuary (spoiler alert: not many).

Word count: 4.1k

A note from the author: Surprise Mad Love drop! We are down to our last three or four chapters, can you believe it? I've told myself that I'm not allowed to write anything else until I finish this, so expect updates semi-frequently. Goal is to get this bad boy finished by June! As always—hope you enjoy, and remember that likes, comments, and reblogs make my world go round!

Mad Love Masterlist

This is your fourth Outpost visit, and as you look out at the small crowd of survivors gathered in the sitting room of Outpost 3, you believe that you can confidently say that every one of them looks exactly the same.

Not appearance-wise, of course. Overseers are allowed to establish their own rules for their respective Outposts, including wardrobes. Most had been pretty laidback, actually. Outpost 3 is by far the most draconian, and you’re already regretting not pushing back on Michael’s decision to have you join him as you sweat in your stiff Victorian gown.

Though outfits and rules may change, what doesn’t is the faces. Every single time, when you and Michael arrive and make your introductions, the faces of the survivors are filled with hope. The hope of new drama, the hope of continued survival, the hope of a way out of the Outpost. It’s so familiar now, and each time, it’s pained you to see. These people that the apocalypse has spared, whether due to circumstance or societal standing, have no idea that they’re just pawns in Michael’s game of chess. No, worse than pawns. They’re nothing but dolls, amusement for Michael to play with before tossing them to the side like they’re worthless.

“My name is Langdon,” Michael starts. Instead of introducing you, he looks to you to introduce yourself, and you press your lips together to keep from smirking. Oh, he’s so going to regret this.

He immediately does the moment that you introduce yourself with your first and last name. Your legal last name, the one you were born with, and not that of your infernal husband. You can feel him looking at you, surely with barely-contained rage. Instead of looking back, you simply smile warmly at the occupants of Outpost 3, waiting for Michael to get back with the program.

“We won’t sugarcoat the situation,” he says after a brief stumble. “Humanity is on the brink of failure. Our arrival here is crucial to the survival of civilized life on Earth.”

There are a couple of other things that don’t change from Outpost to Outpost, you note as you watch the interaction that unfolds. The questions, for instance, are almost always the same, and almost always asked out of turn in a way that is guaranteed to infuriate Michael. What happened to everybody, what’s the Sanctuary, will some survive, etc. You clock every single question—even robot Ms. Mead’s, though that one wasn’t too surprising since you knew how she was reprogrammed—and listen as Michael gives the same answers that he always does.

Something else that doesn’t change? The abject lust displayed by a good contingent of the survivors. Michael’s a very attractive man, which you obviously know. 18 months is a long time to be surrounded by a very small amount of people day in and day out, and now that there’s fresh blood offering them a chance at salvation, they’ll do anything to convince him that they’re worthy. You frown as the survivors jockey for his attention, to be first. 

Not because you’re jealous or anything. It seems as though the only aspect of Michael’s personality that has remained untouched through his rebirth into a full-fledged Antichrist is his devotion to you. No, you frown because you know that Michael loves to use this to his advantage. After all, lust is one of the seven deadly sins.

“What was that?” Michael asks after the introduction is over and as soon as the doors close behind you in the office in which the interviews will be conducted. 

“What?” you ask coyly, playing a game of your own.

“You know what.”

“Oh, that?” Michael nods exasperatedly. “Langdon’s not my last name.”

You’re not sure if he looks more angered or bewildered, though the combination does have a pleasing shade of red creeping up his neck. “Of course it is, you’re my wife!”

“Not legally,” you retort.

“Well, we can’t exactly go to a courthouse to make it legal.”

“Hmm, maybe you should have waited for us to get to the point where I wanted to get legally married before ending the world.”

Michael’s jaw clenches, and he smirks. “Clever, though I have to say that your attitude is getting old.”

“And yours isn’t?”

You’re both breathing heavily as you glare, daring the other to continue. You fight with Michael so often now that this is a familiar dance, and you know the next move. He goes to kiss you, and though you’re certainly tempted, you put a hand up to stop him.

“No! No, we are not having sex right now.” You try to sound convincing, though you might be attempting to convince yourself more than Michael. It’s just so easy to resort to sex. It’s the one thing that you both agree on in this new world—that you’re good at having sex together. Plus, that’s one of the only times that you don’t completely hate him, and though it pains you to admit it, you look forward to those moments when you forget why you should think him a monster.

Michael raises an eyebrow. “We could, though.”

“No.” 

To drive the point home, you put as much space between you as possible and go to the desk that holds all of the files of every Outpost 3 resident. If there’s one thing that gets Michael’s mind out of the gutter, it’s talking about his magnum opus: the apocalypse.

“What’s Dinah doing here?” That had been quite the shock, to greet Outpost 3 and find yourself meeting the eyes of the (now former, you suppose) voodoo queen. Though her own had widened in a frightened recognition, she looked down at her hands and kept her gaze there for the remainder of the meeting. The man next to her, her son, was one of those who instantly fell a little bit in love with Michael.

“She bought her spot, just like all the other rich fucks.”

“So she won’t be joining us back at the Sanctuary,” you tease.

“Absolutely not, especially now that I have no use for her and her powers.” 

Ever since ending the world, Michael’s powers have blossomed into a whole different beast. He’s so powerful now that you don’t even know the extent, and you don’t think you want to. Where before, he would have needed the help of a voodoo queen or the Supreme when doing something especially complicated or out of his wheelhouse (such as enlisting Dinah’s help when you ate Satan’s poisoned apple or getting a spell from Mallory to reveal the ghost of Cordelia Goode), now, their powers would be worthless to him. You’re no expert when it comes to magic, but you think that his power must be equal to at least ten Supremes.

You certainly don’t want to test that theory.

“How many survivors will be accompanying us back to the Sanctuary, do you think?” you ask.

“Considering I’m not hopeful about interviews, there will be two. A man and a woman, both selected for their optimal genetics.” The interviews are never something to be hopeful over, because they almost always are a disappointment. In the other twelve Outposts, there have been a total of nine survivors that impressed Michael enough with interviews alone that he spared them from their original fates and gave them a spot at the Sanctuary.

“If I had to guess, I’d say it’s the two that are very obviously in love with each other.”

“Which ones?”

You rifle through the folders until you find two with pictures that match who you were looking at in the library. “These two. Timothy and Emily.”

He looks up at you curiously. “How could you tell?”

“When they weren’t watching you, they were staring at each other.” 

Though the two were sat across the room from each other, their eyes were continually drawn together like magnets of differing polarities. You’re a little shocked that Michael couldn’t tell, considering his ‘night vision of the soul,’ as he calls it.

You just call it his creepy Antichrist powers.

You try not to, but you find yourself beginning to look through all of the files. They’re all fairly simple; a headshot, a bio, medical information. Really, Michael only uses them to look official and mysterious as he begins to pick their personalities apart bit by bit. For you however, they help to get to know the survivors, even just a little bit.

That’s precisely why you don’t like looking through these, why you don’t like these visits at all. Because knowing them, and knowing their ultimate fates, is something that makes you sick. Maybe that’s the price you’re forced to pay by the universe for being the Antichrist’s wife. You’re forced to be complicit in the continued mind games and eventual deaths of these people who thought that they were somehow safe after the bombs dropped.

Michael scoffs at the next file you flip open. “That’s one interview I’m dreading.”

“Her?”

“Mhm, Coco St. Pierre Vanderbilt.” His words drip with disdain.

Coco…the name strikes some level of familiarity, but you can’t remember where you would have met a Coco. She didn’t look familiar when you saw her and her…interesting hair in the sitting room. She’s obviously a socialite, so maybe she was trending for some scandal or another in the Before. It’s so hard to remember that time, not only for the pain, but because it feels like an entire lifetime ago. 

(Was it really only eighteen months ago that you were preparing for graduation, scrolling through social media, and participating in regular 21st-century society?)

One person who does look familiar? The white-haired stylist whose work Coco sports and the one who claimed the first interview spot before anybody else, Mr. Gallant. You’d recognize him anywhere—his confidence in you was one of the sole reasons you had the courage to go down the stairs and join Michael for your first Cooperative function. But as for him?

“Mr. Gallant didn’t recognize us,” you broach.

“No, he wouldn’t. Those whose services are needed by the Cooperative but aren’t trusted enough to keep their mouths shut are…conditioned to forget.”

“You brainwash them,” you clarify.

“I don’t.” His lips twitch at his own joke. Of course, he doesn’t. That would be getting his hands dirty, which he hates doing, especially now that he has all the resources in the (under)world at his disposal.

“My bad.”

“You’re so interested in this group of survivors. Does that mean you’ll be joining me for interviews?”

When you joined Michael for the first time, at Outpost 6, you said yes when he asked you this question. It was something different, after all, and you were at first interested in being a part of the process and getting to know some new survivors. Of course, this was all before you actually sat in on the first couple of interviews and witnessed Michael’s interview ‘style’ firsthand.

You roll your eyes. “Ugh, no. I hate all the weird sexual tension you have with everyone you interview.”

Naturally, Michael gets the wrong idea and thinks that you’re jealous. He places his hands on the arms of your chair, and leans in until he can meet your eyes. “You’re my one and only, you know that.”

“I do.” You stare back at him unflinchingly. “Doesn’t mean I like it.”

“The sexual tension or that you’re my soulmate?” You simply raise an eyebrow in response, and Michael sighs before straightening up. “Well, a Gray should be arriving at any moment with Mr. Gallant, so if you don’t want to see any ‘weird sexual tension,’ I would suggest leaving now.” 

“Alright then, guess I’ll give myself a tour around ol’ Hawthorne.”

Michael pouts. “I was planning on taking you around tonight after Venable’s curfew.”

“Oh, that sucks. Have fun.” You give him a friendly pat on the shoulder as you leave the room.

Outpost 3 isn’t the largest Outpost you’ve visited, but it’s still pretty expansive. In most cases, this would mean lots of exploring to do. Unfortunately, it seems that Ms. Venable has stripped this place of anything that would make it unique. Hall after hall looks exactly the same in a way that would be disorienting if you weren’t keeping track of your whereabouts. The same boring, gray walls, the same black doors, the same frightened Grays scurrying around.

(If you had to pick the worst part about this Outpost so early on, you’d have to go with the forced servitude of some of the survivors here. Most of the other Outposts had a glorified chore chart that distributed tasks equally among survivors. Others had special privileges given to those who volunteered to work. This system? Well, this system has you hoping that Michael’s especially tough on Ms. Venable during her interview.)

After coming to the unfortunate conclusion that this is about as interesting as it’s going to get for you, you make your way back to where it all started: the library. This room at least has some character, between the fireplace and the music playing. Yes, it might be the same song on repeat, played on a vintage radio, but at least it’s something. 

As it turns out, you won’t be alone. The two that you had noticed earlier, the ones that couldn’t keep their eyes off of each other, are holding hands and whispering to each other on the couch. They spring apart when you enter, and it’s obvious that they’re not expecting anybody to see them. Their attitude, and the way they’re trying to play it off like they weren’t conspiring, gives you pause. What other severe rules has Ms. Venable imposed on those under her care?

“Hello,” you smile at the two warmly in between appraising the titles on the shelves. “Timothy and Emily, right? It’s nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you, too,” Timothy says warily.

Emily, who doesn’t have that same tact, immediately gets to her question. “Are you here to interview us?”

You shake your head. “No, I let Langdon do the interviewing.”

“So…what do you want with us?”

“I don’t want anything with you. I am trying to find some entertainment, because this place is already incredibly boring and I’ve barely been here six hours.”

Timothy laughs. “Yeah, that doesn’t really get better.”

They watch as you continue to peruse the books, waiting to see if this is some sort of trap devised by you and Michael. It’s not—you genuinely just want to find a book you haven’t read yet and escape to your bedroom for a few quiet hours. Unfortunately, nothing is modern here, not even the books, and you end up settling on Frankenstein, which you’ve read a couple of times now. 

“Is it alright if we ask you a couple of questions?” Timothy asks when you turn back around.

So much for a quiet few hours.

You sigh and sit down on the couch opposite the pair. “I can’t guarantee that I can answer all of them, but I’ll certainly try.”

“What’s it like out there?” Timothy asks the question, but both his and Emily’s eyes shine, desperate for any sort of news about the world outside the walls of Outpost 3. You wish you had better to share with them.

“Lawless. You remember the movies about the apocalypse?” They nod. “It’s worse than that. The world is completely unrecognizable, decimated by the bombs. If it weren’t for a map, I wouldn’t even know where we are. Those who survived the blast have been affected by the radiation from the fallout in the most terrible of ways. They have…sores and growths and cancer, all over their bodies. People kill each other for the smallest scrap of clothing. I’ve seen cannibals picking clean the bones of someone they once traveled with, someone that was once their friend.”

“My god,” Emily mutters.

“When M-–Langdon traveled to Outpost 2, his carriage was almost overrun by a band of survivors. They believed there was food inside, and even if there wasn’t, they wanted the chance to hurt somebody that hadn’t yet been hurt by nuclear fallout.” 

That had been a terrifying ordeal to hear Michael recount. He wasn’t scared at all, knowing both that the radiation couldn’t hurt him and that he could (did) kill all of them with the snap of his fingers. But you were, for the simple fact that the world that you had once lived in was completely gone and replaced by one where people hunted each other out of necessity, because it might be the only true meal they could eat in weeks.

“How did he get out of it?” Timothy wonders.

The true answer obviously isn’t something that you’re able to share, so you instead go with what would have been the answer if it were any other member of the Cooperative in the carriage. “The bodies of the carriage have an electric current that can be activated in case of emergency. The attackers were all electrocuted with the push of a button.”

“Langdon mentioned a Sanctuary,” Emily says. “Is that where you live?”

“We both do.”

“What’s it like?” Timothy asks, while at the same time, Emily questions, “Where is it?”

“The Sanctuary is…well, it feels like the world never ended, that it just moved underground. As for the location, I’m afraid that’s classified.” You smile sympathetically, feeling a lot like Michael.

Now that this line of communication has been established, that Emily and Timothy now feel like they can trust you, you can practically see the plethora of questions that they want to ask.

“So how do you end up working for an organization like the Cooperative?”

Now that’s a question you haven’t been asked before. “It’s kind of a long story,” you say with an awkward laugh, wracking your brain to come up with a lie convincing enough that they believe it.

Before you can, the sound of a cane clicking slowly across the floor stops you. You look in the direction of the entryway, where none other than your dour host stands. Her bright orange hair stands in stark contrast to the rest of her outfit, black like yours. She smiles at you with darkly painted lips, but it’s a smile that holds absolutely no warmth.

“Dinner is served,” she announces.

The three of you stand, but only two start to follow Ms. Venable to the kitchen. “I’ll take my leave, then,” you say.

“You won’t be joining us?” She sounds a tad incredulous, as though nobody’s told her no in quite some time. That’s likely the case.

“The Cooperative supplies us with rations of our own, so as not to take from the Outposts’ stockpiles.”

It’s technically true. Michael would rather starve than eat the gelatinous cubes that constitute nutrition, and thanks to the endless powers he’s gifted with, meals remain the same as they are when at the Sanctuary.

“We shall see you tomorrow, then.”

You nod before smiling at Emily and Timothy. “It was nice talking to you.”

As you walk towards the office, you can already hear Venable questioning what it was that you talked about, trying to determine if the two gained an edge on making it to the Sanctuary. If only she knew that they’re practically guaranteed spots, you think with a quiet laugh.

Michael arrives at the office at the same time as you do, which is odd, considering he’s meant to be inside the office conducting his interviews. He takes your hand and kisses the back of it gently before opening the doors and leading you in.

“Where were you?” you ask.

He waves a hand and the doors close behind you. “Finishing up an interview.”

“Doing a little field work?”

“Something like that. Now, I’m starving, and I would very much like to enjoy dinner with some good company.”

At first, you felt a little bad eating your favorite foods while the rest of the inhabitants were forced to eat what was left of their rations. Why should you enjoy while they suffer? And then, you met the survivors, most of whom were filthy rich, and you felt okay with it.

Now, as you sit across from Michael enjoying an actual meal, you allow yourself to pretend for a little bit that your life is still as it was before the end. That this is a regular day after classes, and you’re eating a quick meal and enjoying the company of the man you love before you’re off to finish homework, go to an activity, or just hang out with friends. You miss the simplicity that you didn’t know you had, even still after eighteen months.

“How were your interviews?” you ask, trying to bask in that normalcy for as long as you can.

“Nothing to write home about, though I did learn that Ms. Venable is…shockingly self-conscious beneath her hard exterior.”

You scoff. “And that’s surprising to you?”

“No, I suppose not.”

“I talked with Emily and Timothy,” you mention.

“Please tell me they’re not as vapid as the rest of the inhabitants of this Outpost.”

“No, they’re…actually kinda cool.”

If you’re being honest with yourself, the reason that you immediately liked them so much is because they kind of remind you of you and Michael, before the apocalypse. They’re so in love with each other, so eager to just be near one another and enjoy their presence. It brings you back to New Orleans, walking through the market arm in arm as you searched for the perfect gift for Kate and he eagerly shared what he had learned when looking up grad schools for you. What you wouldn’t give to be showing him how to catch fireflies, or enjoying a sugary treat together.

Shouting sounds from downstairs, a loud argument starting to take place and distracting you from your thoughts. While you strain to try and hear what’s being yelled about, Michael simply smirks. “Took them long enough.”

Neither of you is surprised, because this is what always happens when Michael arrives at an Outpost. He, quite literally, brings Hell with him. It’s an interesting side effect of what happens when an Antichrist inhabits your space. Those walls that people put up, the rules that they live their lives by, crumble when the living embodiment of sin walks in. From there, it’s only a matter of time until everything unravels and they begin giving in to those seven deadly sins. As you listen to wrath begin to cloud minds, you can practically see Michael becoming more powerful thanks to it.

Later, wrath continues, along with a side of lust.

High-pitched shrieking, so different from the argumentative yelling of earlier, wakes you from the dozing you had taken to while trying to read Michael’s interview reports after dinner. You scramble to sit up in your chair, looking at Michael with wide eyes.

“What was that?” you ask.

He doesn’t even tear his eyes away from the computer to look at you, simply waving a hand nonchalantly. “Oh, Timothy and Emily have just been caught having sex. They’re about to be executed.”

“What?” You stand up in alarm, sure that this is actual cause for alarm. Michael, on the other hand, doesn’t even react to your reaction. “Michael!” you snap, desperately wanting him to show some kind of humanity.

Finally, he turns around in his chair and sighs as though you’re interrupting your work, which you know for a fact you’re not. “Yes?”

“We can’t let them die.”

“We won’t.”

You look at him in disbelief, because it sure looks like he’s going to let them die. “Then why aren’t you stopping this?”

Michael finally joins you in standing, taking your hands in his and squeezing reassuringly. “It’s sweet of you to worry about them, and I promise you that they will not die before reaching the Sanctuary. I’ll stop this when the time is right. First, however,” he smiles, “I’d like to enjoy their terror for a bit.”

“Every time I think you can’t possibly let me down more than you already have, you prove me wrong.” 

Michael’s face falls at the barb that hits unexpectedly deep, but you don’t have it in you to claim any sort of victory in this. Anger, that heady emotion that’s fueled you up until now, has completely left you at this latest example of Michael’s lack of humanity. All that remains now is disappointment, and it’s a disappointment that leaves you tired. Tired of these games, tired of the life that you’ve found yourself in, tired of being able to do nothing but watch.

Except, you can do something this time. In this Outpost, you have the same amount of power as Michael. With that in mind, you pull your hands free and make for the door.

“C’mon, where are you going?” Michael calls after you.

You don’t answer him, because he knows as well as you. If he won’t put a stop to this, then you will.

///

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