#I really appreciate all the nice comments on this series from everyone

[navybrat817]

Hold You Tight: Part 11

Pairing: Club Owner!Bucky Barnes x Female Reader

Fic Summary: The owner of The 107th wants you to be his girl whether you like it or not.

Part 10 | Series Masterlist | Part 12

Chapter Summary: Bucky reveals a small piece of his past and also confirms one of your suspicions.

Chapter Word Count: Over 3.6k

Chapter Warnings: DARK AU, tension, unease, possessiveness, inner turmoil, gaslighting, manipulation, mention of stalking, slight feels, Bucky Barnes (he's a warning, okay?), more warnings to come.

A/N: More Hold You Tight and hope you enjoy! Bucky edit by the beautiful @nixakimbo . ❤️ Beta read by the lovely @whisperlullaby , but any and all mistakes are my own. Divider by the talented @firefly-graphics . Please follow @navybrat817-sideblog new fics and notifications. Comments, reblogs, feedback are loved and appreciated!

You busied yourself with orders after Clark left, but it didn’t stop you from looking toward the door every few minutes. You weren’t sure if you were expecting him to return or if you were anticipating Bucky arriving. Why were you allowing him to consume your thoughts again? You needed to concentrate on your job, the thing you loved and helped pay your bills.

Mrs. Crandle gave you a smile when you checked the time, too. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were excited to see this young man who thinks he’s your boyfriend,” she commented.

“I don’t know if excited is the word I’d use,” you said, trying to smile through your nerves. “Apprehensive, maybe?”

She hummed, looking over your recent arrangement with a proud gaze. “I can understand that. It’s been a bit since you’ve been in a relationship,” she said, giving your arm a small squeeze. “But don’t be too apprehensive, dear. It’s okay to let someone in.”

You bit your tongue when you wanted to blurt out that Bucky didn’t just let himself in. He tore through your life and made a home for himself in the ashes. But Mrs. Crandle meant well and didn’t know what was going on. “Well, he offered to be my date to Addison’s wedding and she was very happy to hear that.”

“Oh, I’ll bet she’s thrilled for you,” she said. Addison stopped by the shop a few times and your boss adored her and the friendship you two had. “And if I’m not mistaken, that’s your date walking in,” she smiled, nodding toward the door.

Your stomach dropped when Bucky entered the shop with a tender smile on his face. “Hi, doll,” he said, heading right to you and pressing a kiss to your forehead. “I hope I’m not too early to take you to lunch, but I don’t mind waiting if you’re busy.”

“Oh, it’s not too early at all,” Mrs. Crandle said before you could protest. “It’s nice to see such a fine young man take one of my best workers to lunch.”

Bucky put his right hand to his chest. “A fine young man? You flatter me, Mrs. Crandle. It is Mrs. Crandle, right?” He held the same hand out after she nodded. Of course, he knew her name. You almost smacked his arm away, not wanting the man who disrupted your life to touch your boss. “Everyone calls me Bucky. It’s nice to meet you.”

“It’s very nice to meet you, too,” she said, giving you a wink. One smile from the man and she was under his spell. “I hear the two of you may be attending Addison’s wedding together.”

You gave her a pointed look when Bucky smiled your way, wishing she hadn’t brought it up. She either ignored your stare or didn’t notice. “That’s the plan. I know the day will be all about Addison and Brady, as it should be, but my eyes will be on my girl,” Bucky smiled, giving the shop an appreciative look as your stomach flipped. “And it’s easy to see why she loves working here. You have a beautiful place.”

“Thank you. It really is a group effort to keep this place alive,” she said, turning her attention to you. “Well, what are you waiting for? Get your bag and go enjoy your lunch.”

“I can work through it. There are still a few orders to finish,” you protested, which was a reasonable excuse.

“I’m not making you work through lunch.” She looked offended by the very idea. And of course, she wouldn’t give you an out. Like most of your small circle of friends and loved ones, they wanted you to find a partner. “And don’t worry about the orders, dear. You two lovebirds go and take as long as you want.”

Lovebirds?

“I’ll try not to keep her too long,” Bucky said as you went to get your purse. “So, how long have you owned your shop?”

You blocked out the chatter between them, taking a breath to steady yourself. How many times had you imagined a boyfriend surprising you at work just because they wanted to take you to lunch? Or even just because they wanted to see you? You got your wish, didn’t you?

“I’ll be back soon,” you smiled as Bucky wrapped an arm around your lower back, crowding your space like always. Mrs. Crandle looked over the moon and you made sure the smile stayed on your face until Bucky led you out of the shop. “Sucking up to my boss? Really?”

Bucky chuckled. “I wasn’t sucking up. Just making conversation,” he said. The small conversation won her over. “And didn't you try to get Ray on your side this morning?”

He had a point, but you ignored it. “Where are we eating?” You asked, though you didn’t have much of an appetite.

“I got us a table at a cafe close by,” he said, tightening his arm around you. “I figured you wouldn’t want to go far in case you had to get back to work.”

“That’s thoughtful,” you said, though it was actually nice that he didn’t want you to venture far.

“I’m a thoughtful guy,” he teased. Making sure it was safe to go, he helped you cross the street. Ray stayed in the car, but you sensed him watching and wondered if he’d join you. “And I got us a private table on the back patio. No one should bother us.”

“They do private tables at this cafe?” You asked as he held the door open with a smirk. He probably threw a bit of money their way to make it happen and you almost wished there would be others around so you’d feel a bit more comfortable.

“Welcome, Mr. Barnes,” a woman smiled, not bothering to look your way as she grabbed a couple of menus. “We have your table set up if you’ll follow me,” she said, gesturing for you to head to the back.

Much like walking into the club, you felt out of place as you walked through the cafe. Not because it wasn’t your scene, but because of the special sort of treatment. You didn’t want it. Though the ambience of the fairy lights and privacy would’ve been sweet and romantic otherwise.

“The server should be here in a moment, but please let me know if you need anything,” the hostess smiled, her gaze lingering on Bucky as he pulled out your chair. “Anything at all, Mr. Barnes.”

You felt a bit small as you sat down and eyed the hostess. It was her job to be friendly, but she hadn’t exactly acknowledged you and made it obvious that she specifically wanted Bucky’s attention. You wouldn’t say you were jealous and part of you understood why she’d want him to look her way. Still, wouldn’t the general assumption be that you two were a couple?

We are not a couple.

You looked up at Bucky when he rested a hand on your shoulder, but there was nothing flirtatious or warm about the smile on his face. “If my girl or I need anything, we’ll say so,” he said in a cool and courteous tone.

“Of course.” The hostess faltered slightly as she set the menus down, but recovered quickly. “Enjoy,” she added, scurrying off.

Bucky’s hand lingered until she was out of sight. “I don’t appreciate that she didn’t look your way,” he said, shrugging his jacket off before he took a seat. You could see the tension in his shoulders, his gloved left hand flexing slightly. “It’s clear that we’re here together on a lunch date.”

Your eyes flickered to him as he looked over the menu, his jaw clenched. The hostess giving him attention bothered him much more than it bothered you. “It’s okay, Bucky,” you said.

“No, it’s not. It’s disrespectful. I’m here with you. I’m not interested in her or anyone else.” His eyes were as cold as ice when he pushed the menu away, making you shiver. “I’m not like my dad.”

“I know I’m the only one you see,” you said, reaching over to touch his hand. He took it the second it was within reach. You didn’t think he’d do anything to hurt or damage the hostess in any way over something harmless in your eyes, but maybe offering a bit of assurance would distract him. “I don’t know your dad, but I can sense that you aren’t him.”

At least, he wasn’t entirely like him. His ruthlessness came from something or someone. His dad may fit the bill.

“He cheated on my mom when she was nothing but good to him. She was good to everyone and he threw it back in her face,” he sneered. You could practically taste the bitterness from his words and it broke your heart. It was no wonder he wanted you to believe so badly that he’d be faithful to you. “And I’m glad that piece of shit will never lay eyes on you or anyone else.”

“I’m so sorry,” you said, aching for the pain his mom likely experienced and him by extension. Regardless of the man he was, he held his mom in high regard and she didn’t deserve an unfaithful partner. “I know that doesn’t change anything, but I am.”

Bucky’s gaze softened considerably. “I know you are and I appreciate that more than you know.” He rubbed a thumb over your skin, his shoulders starting to relax. “The cheating wasn’t even the worst of it,” he muttered before the server walked in with a pitcher of water.

What else did his dad do?

“Hi. I’ll be taking care of you today,” the server smiled, sweeping a look over both of you as he poured each of you a glass. Bucky barely smiled back. He didn’t want people ignoring you, but he didn’t want gazes lingering for too long either. “Have you had a chance to look over the menu or would you like something else to drink?”

“I’m fine with water and I think we’re ready,” you said, pointing out one of the entrees. You didn’t want to draw out lunch longer than it had to be. “Thank you.”

“I’ll have the same. And take your time,” Bucky said, handing the menus back. His smile didn’t brighten again until the server left. “Talking about my dad is dampening the mood. How’s work going today?”

The subject change was jarring, but you imagined he didn’t want to dwell on the unpleasant topic. It also wasn’t a good time to ask about his mom and the flowers. “Work is fine.”

“Just fine?”

You debated if you should say anything about Clark. You didn’t want him on Bucky’s radar, but what if Bucky somehow found out and you didn’t say anything? Telling him was the better option. “Well, there’s a regular customer who stopped in. He’s going through a break-up and actually tried to give me a couple of roses since I was kind to him, but I didn’t take them,” you explained, trying not to make a big deal of it.

The glint in Bucky’s eyes made you nervous, but you knew any malice wasn't aimed your way. “He tried to give you roses and you didn’t take them?” He asked evenly.

“No, I didn’t. I told him to give them to someone else as I’m very much not interested in getting flowers. Except maybe from you,” you assured him, his lips twitching up. That was a good sign. “What about you? How’s work?” You added, hoping to shift the topic back to him.

A moment of silence passed before he nodded. “If he persists or bothers you, let me know first thing and I’ll take care of it,” he said. You had a feeling the topic of Clark was far from done and you didn’t want to know how he’d take care of it. “I do have to go to the club late tonight, but I was thinking we could go shopping after your shift.”

“Shopping?” You raised an eyebrow. “Shopping for what?”

“I did offer to get you a new outfit for your girls day,” he said, rubbing circles on your hand. “And a collar.”

The nagging feeling in the back of your mind went off. That was the second time he brought that up. One would think he was doing it on purpose. “You know, I mentioned you getting me a collar, but that was something I said when I was alone this morning. Along with a couple of other things you've mentioned, it’s too much of a coincidence to me that you’re suggesting it,” you said carefully, sitting up straighter. “Do you have cameras or something in my home? Be honest, please.”

He observed you, almost in morbid curiosity as you waited for him to respond. You knew what the answer was going to be, but you wanted to believe your paranoia was getting to you. “First, your apartment isn’t your home. The penthouse is going to be our home together and maybe that’ll finally sink in once you’re living there,” he answered, your eyes wide. “And second, of course I have bugs around your place. Visual, audio, you name it. I’m not exactly trying to hide that I’m watching you as much as possible.”

You felt sick at the admission, thankful that you hadn’t eaten anything. How much did he see and hear? Did he listen to your talk with Addison? Watch you shower? Sleep? He continued to violate your privacy and had no shame at all in doing so. Enough was enough.

“You’re not exactly trying to hide it? You hid it by not telling me!” You accused him, the gaslighting bastard. “How could you do that?”

He shrugged, which only upset you more. “Mentioning the collar was a pretty big hint. Do you really think I’d bring it up if I didn’t want you to know I was watching or listening in?”

“You…” You let out a breath and swallowed back tears. He really did want you to know. “You want me to feel scared, don't you, like when you broke in. Because when you scare me or make me feel uneasy, you can control me more and get me to do what you want. You’re sick.”

He reached out and gripped your hand again before you could push yourself away from the table. “I thought we established that I’m not trying to control you. How many times do I have to say it?”

“And yet everything you do says otherwise,” you said. It was all a tactic to him. A game. “When will your actions back up your words?”

“I told you this morning my place is safer than yours. The security measures in your building are a joke. Do you realize how easy it was for me to get in and to break into your place? I hardly broke a sweat and that means anyone could get in and get to you. So, yes, there are devices in place so I can make sure you’re safe when I’m not there.” He shook his head at your glare. His reasoning didn’t excuse his actions. “I understand if you’re mad at me, but I did say I won’t give you a choice when it comes to your safety and I won’t apologize for that either.”

You stared at each other, his gaze as firm as his stance. As much as you wanted to throw something, the dishes weren’t yours and you didn’t want to create a mess for the staff to clean up. “You’re really telling yourself you’re watching me for my protection? Who the hell is going to protect me from you, Bucky?” You took a breath when his eyes widened, as if your words hurt him. “No one, with the exception of you, is going to break into my place for any reason. I have nothing of value there, except for the necklace you gave me.”

“You are valuable,” he said, squeezing your hand and resolute in that belief. “How can you not see that?”

“Because I’m just a regular person and there’s nothing wrong with that.” Your voice shook, but you couldn't stop. “With the exception of you, no one will look twice at me, let alone break into my place.”

He shook his head. “You don’t know that.”

“No, I don’t because life is unpredictable and watching me doesn’t guarantee that nothing will happen to me,” you said, narrowing your eyes in thought. “Is this really about protecting me or are you projecting what your dad did to your mom on me? Do you think I won’t be faithful to you in this ‘relationship’ you think we have, so you have to watch me at all times to prove I’m yours?”

Bucky made a sound like you hit him and asking was a bit of a low blow, but it was a possibility. “Kotyonok, you’re one of the most loyal and faithful people I know. You’d never do anything to make me question that.”

“You trust me?” You asked softly. He nodded without hesitation. “Then help me trust you. Get the devices out of my place for starters since you had no right to put them there to begin with. Please, get rid of them.”

You’d never feel completely safe or comfortable there again, you hadn't since he broke in, but he had to give you that.

“I'll get rid of them,” he said after a moment.

That felt too easy, but you felt relief all the same. “Thank you. That's-”

“After you move into the penthouse because I'm not going to give a shit about the people who move into your apartment after you,” he clarified.

You swallowed thickly. He was never going to budge. “You sit there and act like you’re a decent guy because you haven’t forced yourself on me and you won’t raise a hand to me, but you’re still a monster,” you said, your gaze vulnerable and open. He had to see how upset you were, how he caused you to feel.

His expression didn’t change, except for his eyes. They looked as sad as you felt. “Maybe I am,” he whispered.

The server chose the perfect time to show up with your meals. “Here we are!” he announced, setting the food down and taking no notice of the heavy tension between you and Bucky. “Enjoy.”

Neither of you spoke as you ate, but he watched you expectantly. He wasn’t going to change his mind about the bugs in your apartment or anything else and he didn’t deserve your fire. So you had nothing to say. Nothing at all. You were exactly what he called you: a doll.

“Don’t you dare,” he finally spoke when you took money out of your wallet and set it on the table. “This is a date and I’m paying.”

“This isn’t a date, Bucky, no matter how much you want it to be,” you said quietly, his eyes flashing. “And I need to go back to work.”

You gasped when he bent the fork he held in his left hand, your heart pounding in fear as you looked around. The server hadn’t been back to check on you and the two of you were all alone. What was he going to do? “What? You think I’m going to hurt you after I promised I wouldn’t?” He asked, setting the destroyed utensil down. “Because I’m a monster, right?”

“I didn’t…” You couldn’t say you didn’t mean it because you did, but deep down it wasn’t your intention to make him angry. You should’ve known better, but your emotions were getting the better of you when you had to play it smart.

“A monster who hurts people?” He asked in a deep voice you didn’t recognize. “Kills people?”

You gripped the sides of your chair, fear creeping in more. “Bucky, what are you talking about?” You whispered. Why was he saying that?

He blinked and shook his head. “Why won’t you just let me love you?” He asked, suddenly getting up to round the table. He pulled your chair out before you could get up and dropped to his knees, uncaring of ruining his pants. “All I want is you,” he whispered, resting his head in your lap.

Your body went taut when his hands moved up your thighs. Did he remember or care that you were at a cafe? “I-I know you want me.”

“I know the bugs in your place are upsetting and I know I’m being stubborn about it, so let me make it up to you a little bit, please?” He asked, lifting his head to gaze at you. “Let me take you shopping tonight. Let me spoil you.”

“I…” You went silent when he slid a hand up your torso and rested it on your chest. Could you play along to calm him down? “I guess we can go shopping. Nothing too fancy, right?”

“Whatever makes you happy. I just want my girl to be happy.” He groaned when you willingly ran your fingers through his hair. “And you’ll love me like I love you. I know you will.”

You waved off the server when he tried to check on you and gave Bucky a shaky smile. You’d go shopping with him, keep him happy, and pray he wouldn’t continue to suffocate you with his version of love. It was too late though. The very oxygen you breathed now was what he fed into your lungs. And the monster that lurked beneath the surface, the one who needed you, was eventually going to break through and get what he wanted.

Maybe he’d get a taste tonight.

So, I wanted a bit of action in this part, but the muse refused. I swear the conversations are happening for a reason and we may see some action during the shopping trip. What are we going to do knowing your place really is bugged? And is he going to look into Clark more? Love and thanks for reading! ❤️

Masterlist ⚓ Bucky Barnes Masterlist ⚓ Ko-Fi

[reidswhre]

Hii! Do you still take requests? I have an idea but i don’t know if anyone has done anything similar. Spencer meets the reader for the first time and does the whole pathogens handshake speech. Reader is like ok got it! And does the french greeting la bise. Reader is confident/flirty and spencer is rendered speechless

spencer reid x fem!reader

warnings: just flirting

a/n: in my country we greet everyone this way and i didn’t know it had a name :0 i searched it and my mind blow up loll tysm for sending it hope u like it ^^

Working as a detective in the NYPD didn’t used to be too risky; it was mostly arrests or things like that.

But recently, there was a series of murders (which you were assigned to) that got pretty intense, so the BAU was brought in to help with the case.

“Follow me, the team just arrived,” your boss said, poking his head into your office. You followed him right away.

“Good afternoon, I’m Agent Hotchner. This is Agent Morgan, and our communications liaison, Agent Jareau,” a tall man with dark hair introduced them.

“Nice to meet you. I’m the lead agent,” you said after introducing yourself by name.

“Pleased to meet you. Dr. Spencer Reid is in the conference room, going over the case,” he informed you.

“Go fill him in on what we have,” your boss ordered, and you quickly obliged.

You headed to where Dr. Reid was—at least, that’s what the agent had called him.

You walked in and saw him standing in front of the whiteboard, looking over all the information you’d gathered this past week.

“Pretty tough, huh?” you asked as you approached him.

“What?” He turned to you, looking a little confused. “Oh, yes, it is. All of these cases are.”

“They are.” You introduced yourself by name, reaching out to shake his hand.

“Dr. Spencer Reid,” he replied, looking at your hand a bit awkwardly. “I-I’m sorry, I don’t usually shake hands.”

“Oh,” you raised an eyebrow and lowered your hand, curiosity instantly piqued.

“I didn’t mean to offend! It’s nothing personal—I just…I don’t shake hands with anyone.” He scratched the back of his neck, clearly nervous.

“I’m not offended,” you replied with a playful smile, leaning against the table. “Why not?” you asked, genuinely curious.

“Do you have any idea how many germs get passed around with a single handshake?” he informed you. “Actually, it’s safer to kiss.”

His comment made you raise your eyebrows. “Really?” you asked, smiling with a bit of playful intent.

You leaned in, brushing your cheek against his in a pretend kiss. la bise.

“Is that better, Dr. Reid?” you whispered softly near his ear before pulling back and leaning against the table again.

“Oh- I- uh- no,” Spencer stammered, clearly flustered.

That made you smile, and you decided to tease him a little.

“No? What do you mean by no?” you raised an eyebrow, moving a little closer.

“I didn’t mean ‘no’ exactly, it was—it’s just—umm…”

“Because if that didn’t work, I could give you a more appropriate one” you replied with a grin.

Spencer’s eyes went wide, and you were sure you could see him blushing from miles away.

You laughed. “I’m joking, Doctor,” you gave him a meaningful look.

“Are you?” he blinked rapidly.

“Would you like me not to be?” you asked, smiling.

“Well, I—” Spencer was cut off by his boss arriving in the doorway.

“What do we have?” Agent Hotchner walked in, taking off his jacket and settling in, signaling that your little game was over.

“Thirst,” you said, stepping away from Reid with a small smile. “I’m going to get some water. Anyone else?”

“I’d appreciate it,” Hotch replied.

“And you, germ boy?” you asked, looking at Spencer.

“No- I- I’m fine,” he looked away, clearly flustered.

“Of course you are,” you said, turning on your heel to leave.

[sanjisleggy]

three hundred sonnets (sanji x reader)

a/n: my first OP x reader fic ever written! :D i’m currently only at the start of the Water 7 arc so this will take place somewhere prior to that :) i hope you enjoy!

big thank you to @chibinasuu for your encouragement in my initial post abt this fic idea! <3 i'm so excited to write more stuff in the future :D

also! i’d really appreciate any requests sent my way :D right now i’ll only write SFW fics/headcanons for Sanji, Zoro, Luffy, Shanks, Mihawk, Crocodile & Smoker! but they will all be set early in the series/not during any specific arc since i’m still only at ep 200ish :’D

contents: gn reader, zoro is unintentionally an asshole, major insecurity, injury, miscommunication, angst to fluff, hurt/reverse comfort 

wc: 3k

—

“if he writes her a few sonnets, he loves her. If he writes her 300 sonnets, he loves sonnets”

i.

it’s no secret that Zoro isn’t exactly the sharpest knife in the kitchen drawer— or at least that’s what Sanji thinks, especially now as he stands by the sink scrubbing away at the leftover grime on the used dishes; feeling a tightness in his shoulders he just can’t seem to will away.

”hey, cook,” the inebriated swordsman slurred from across the dining table, a shit-eating grin on his reddened face—a familiar sight to everyone on the straw hat crew, especially when times have been smooth sailing. “i heard somethin’ interesting from the last town’s blacksmith the other day and it reminded me of you.” Zoro continued without waiting to be acknowledged.

”if this is something about my eyebrows again, i swear to god i’ll-”

”he said somethin’ like ‘if he writes her a few sonnets, he loves her. if he writes her three hundred sonnets, he loves sonnets’ and i just thought-” he paused to let out a quick burp, “-you ever consider you might just love cooking more than you love (Y/N)?”

the muffled, happy chatter of his satisfied crewmates from outside the closed kitchen door does nothing to distract Sanji from what even he himself knows is a turbulent mental spiral. he grits his teeth as his fingers grip the sponge even harder, working away at a particularly stubborn stain that strikes him as the final straw that breaks the camel’s back.

Sanji lets out a choked laugh when it dawns on him how ridiculous all this must seem to an outsider: a grown man on the verge of tears as he washes the dishes, overthinking about an off-handed comment said by an extremely drunk friend that was never supposed to mean anything and yet it seems to have shattered everything he thought he knew about himself and his love for the most important person in his life.

ii. 

you decide to excuse yourself from the post-dinner drink-and-chat session with the rest of the crew after you realise someone in particular has been missing for a strangely long time.

you ignore Zoro’s slurred request for you to bring back more booze, knowing he’ll be passing out any minute now from how much he’s drunk tonight, and head to the kitchen. ready to drag your beloved to bed for a nice cuddling session, you can’t help the smile that graces your face as you swing open the door to Sanji’s domain.

”hey love, are you done cleaning up?” you chirp as you approach his broad back, hands ready to plop down on his shoulders for a light squeeze—just the way you know he likes it. the sink comes into clearer view as you get closer and the sight of a few dozen sudsy but unwashed plates and bowls answers the question for you.

”oh, i, um-” the way the blond man jolts slightly in response to your touch isn’t lost on you but what took you more by surprise is how Sanji rubs his face against his sleeve before finally turning to look at you from over his shoulder. he smiles before leaning in to press a quick kiss to your forehead out of habit. “i got a bit distracted but i’ll be done soon, my love.”

”i can help you-”

”no!” you’re sure the way your eyes widen in surprise at his response is mirrored on his face as you both stare blankly at one another for a second. “no, no. i can handle it,” Sanji continues, quick to press a few apologetic kisses on your face, the rapid pounding of his heart calming slightly when he sees how you lean into his affection, seemingly forgetting his odd outburst from just a second ago. 

“why don’t you just wash up and wait for me in bed, hmm? i’ll be with you before you know it.”

”are you sure? it’ll be quicker if we do it together.” 

oh how his chest aches from how sweetly you look at him, offering him a final chance to take you up on the offer. his reddened and sore fingertips scream for him to say yes, beg him to accept your company not only for their sake but also for his heart’s—

i must prove to you how much i love you.

”it’s quite alright, sweet thing, it’s only the dishes.”

iii.

“it’s just a few thousand berry.”

“it’s only a massage.”

“it’s just mopping the floor.”

“it’s only folding the clothes.”

”it’s a small scratch, nothing to worry your little head about.”

”i can take up your night watch today… nonsense, i insist…”

”…nothing but a sprained ankle, i’ll be fine. all that matters is that you’re okay.”

iv.

”Sanji, love, is something wrong?” your voice shatters the silence that had long since engulfed the two of you sitting alone in the kitchen. the others left to explore the newest island you’ve chanced upon and your beloved’s insistence on watching over Merry all but confirm your suspicion that something, indeed, is not right.

”whatever do you mean?” the chef responds with a slight tilt of his head, his tongue darting out to soothe his dry lips when he catches how worried you look.

please don’t

”well, it’s just that… you know this island’s pretty famous for its produce, right?” you ask before you slowly reach out to grab his hand resting on the table. “are you sure you don’t wanna look around? take a break?”

”a break from what?” he chuckles nervously, shooting you a small smile when he feels your thumb rub against his knuckles.

”it’s just that… you’ve been working really hard this past week, y’know?” you reach out to cup his face with your other hand, a gesture Sanji instinctively welcomes with no hesitation as he nuzzles into the warmth of your palm, his tired eyes fluttering closed for a second.

it’s nothing. nothing at all. as long as it means i can feel this warmth for one day more.

”you should go have some fun with the others, it’s my turn to watch Merry. i’ll be fine for a few hours on my own.” Sanji opens his eyes and is greeted by the familiar sight of your warm smile as you rub the pad of your thumb under his eye, across the dark patch of skin—a result of his insistence on doing your night watches with you alongside his full-time duties as the sole chef of the ship.

turning his head slightly to press his lips against your palm, he shoots you another smile. “i’m not really in the mood to explore, i’d much rather stay here with you.”

because what if you realise how much you don’t need me when i’m gone?

Sanji feels the tightness in his chest loosen up a bit when his honeyed response, spoken in his best imitation of a sane boyfriend with only normal thoughts in his head, seems to work in quelling your concern at least for now.

v. 

oh how you wish you’d pressed further back then, dug deeper even if it made him uncomfortable. if you could miraculously go back in time just once in your life, you’d choose to return to that afternoon in the kitchen when you were alone with him. you would’ve seized the opportunity to pry, to force the hard truth out of your beloved chef even if it meant tears shed and bonds broken; because even a scenario like that would be so much more preferable to the one you’re currently in right now.

the entire crew steers clear of the infirmary for the day. even Chopper only shows up to redress Sanji’s wounds every now and then, leaving once he’s done, unable to stay any longer due to how heavy the air feels inside that one tiny room. the other straw hats rely on him for details on how things seem to be going between the crew’s chef and chronicler. otherwise, they elect to give you two some privacy and space, collectively hoping things can return to normal soon.

neither of you say a word for nearly half an hour after Chopper leaves. the stiffness in your neck is starting to bother you but you remain frozen in position, seated by Sanji’s side as he lays resting in bed, his left hand heavily bandaged.

it happened quicker than anyone could have possibly expected. 

the enemy pirate’s sword slashing in your direction as you prepare to parry the way Zoro taught you long ago. you were confident in your ability to win the fight, having been in much tougher situations in the past and still emerging victorious. you might not be the best fighter but everyone knew you could stand your ground fairly well.

Sanji knew that, too. there was no one he believed in more than you, his partner, the love of his life. he knew you would be fine, unscathed, even; and yet his body moved on its own accord anyway. his hands reached forward, contrary to a lifetime of instincts.

i must prove myself to you. 

he knows now, looking at the endless stream of tears silently running down your face and the way your jaw is tensed up—your teeth most certainly chewing on your tongue—that he’d fucked up.

”i’m sorry—” your head turns sharply for your eyes to meet his for the first time in a while when he speaks, your eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Sanji’s bottom lip begins to tremble as he looks away in shame, his own teary eyes glued to his bandaged hand. “i-i won’t be able to cook for you for a while.”

for a minute, you forget how to breathe.

and then, inexplicably, a wave of rage washes over you; a culmination of the past two weeks of concern, confusion and worry over Sanji’s drastic sudden need to do anything and everything for you. his intense desire to display his selflessness all building up to the moment he used his hands to protect you; and even then his only concern is being unable to cook for you?

your own curl into fists on your lap, your nails digging into the meat of your palm, there’s a sudden coppery taste in your mouth as your molars bite down harder onto your tongue. the sheer idea of him willingly giving up his hands of all things to defend you from an opponent you could beat with your eyes closed made you so unbelievably angry at something you couldn’t even quite put your finger on.

sensing a shift in your emotions, Sanji finally tilts his head up to look back at you. his throat threatens to constrict itself and his heart drops when he sees the furious look on your face.

”am i really such a helpless creature to you?”

you regret the words as soon as you say them. the initial fury coursing through your veins dissipating in the blink of an eye when you see how your single sentence instantly breaks something in him.

his mouth opens and closes but no words escape his lips, meanwhile tears flow freely down his faces, one drop after another falling onto the blanket draped over his lap as his uninjured hand grips the fabric for dear life.

no, you could never be helpless you’re perfect you’re the most perfect person in the whole world i don’t deserve to have you and yet you chose me but now i’ve ruined it all—

the endless thoughts racing in his head go abruptly silent when he feels the softness and warmth of your body engulf his. your hand reaches up to hold the back of his head, pulling his face into the crook of your neck as your free arm wraps around his upper back. your knees are planted on the mattress, trapping him in a straddle as you hug him tightly, careful not to agitate his wounds.

for a few seconds, all Sanji does is breathe. in and out. every inhale filled with the scent of your shampoo mixed with the saltiness of your sweat and tears. he feels the hand holding his head run its fingers through his blond hair in a familiar way, it sends pleasant tingles down his spine and for the first time in a while, he’s able to release the tension in his shoulders.

Sanji’s eyes flutter closed as he nuzzles deeper into your neck, pressing a small kiss against your skin before wrapping his own arms around you, returning the much-needed embrace.

”i love you so much, my sweet boy,” you whisper loud enough for him to hear. “i’m so sorry, i didn’t mean what i said. i know you of all people believe the most in me. i was wrong to accuse you of thinking about me in such a way.” you turn your head to kiss his temple, then his forehead, then the space between his eyes, then the tip of his nose. now face-to-face, your beloved opens his tear-stained eyes to look back into your own.

”are you okay? did something happen?” you ask softly, continuing to caress the back of his head, tangling his golden locks with your fingers. “i’ve been worried about you, the others are too.” he lets out a sniffle but stays silent, so you continue, “i know you’re a selfless person and you love doing things for other people, especially me.” you smile and he returns a small smile back. it, however, falters into an embarrassed grimace when he recalls the conversation that started it all.

how silly it all feels in hindsight, Sanji wonders to himself, as you patiently await his reply, still hugging him closely as your soft breath fans his face. how easily this could all have been resolved if he’d simply talked to you about it once it all started to feel too much. 

the hand behind his head travels toward his cheek to cradle his face in the palm of your hand. you run your thumb gently over his cheekbone as he practically purrs and leans even closer into your loving touch. 

then, he speaks.

vi.

the cooling sea air circulates the space of your shared room as the Going Merry drifts slowly across the calm waters of the night.

Chopper had given Sanji the OK to rest in his usual bed after redressing his wounds in the evening. After leaving the infirmary, the chef made his way to the kitchen to check up on your progress with dinner. Since he was banned from cooking until his hand was fully recovered, you’d volunteered to take up all kitchen duties temporarily. Seeing how excited you were to now be the one providing for him and the others quelled any worries he had instantly.

”Now I get to make all your favourite food and drinks for you instead,” you’d said, crossing your arms and putting on a faux expression of haughtiness, as though you’d finally won some long-drawn out battle.

”I look forward to it, sweet thing.” was all it took to wipe the look off your face as you felt your entire body warm up at his tender voice.

Smiling at the memory from just a few hours ago, Sanji stood outside the kitchen, ready to enter when he heard two voices come from inside. Curious, he stayed put and listened.

”You need to think before you speak!” you yelled, your raised voice accompanied by the sound of a knife hitting the wooden cutting board in a sharp, rhythmic manner. “I know you were drunk but what even was the point of saying all that to him?”

”Listen, I already apologised, you don’t have to keep—”

”I’m just warning you: pull that shit again and I’ll throw all your booze into the ocean.”

”Alright! Damn! I won’t do it again, I swear—”

Sanji’s snapped out of his reverie when he feels you stir awake beside him. You rubbed the sleep from your eyes before blearily looking up at his face, your hand pressing against his bare chest to prop yourself up slightly from the mattress.

”Can’t sleep?” you ask, running your palm up and down his skin in a gentle manner.

”Mmm, just thinking about how you managed to get mosshead to say sorry to me at dinner,” he replied, wrapping his arm around you to pull you closer. “Still feels like a weird fever dream.”

“I’m just so good with words, y’know?” you chuckle as you pull your hand away from his chest to replace it with the side of your head. You don’t fail to notice how his heartbeat quickens. “Why else would the infamous Straw Hat Pirates take me on as their chronicler?”

”Of course,” Sanji hums before burying his face in your hair, “we accept nothing but the best after all.”

You laugh softly in response, ready to let the conversation meet its natural end in order for the two of you to drift off to sleep. Right before you shut your eyes, though, your lover speaks up once more.

”I’m so lucky to be loved by you.” his sudden confession knocks the wind from your lungs as your heart leaps within the tight confines of your chest.

”luck has nothing to do with it, sweet boy,” you reply, turning to your head slightly to press your lips to his chest. “i love you because you’re you—the kindest, strongest, most talented man i’ve ever met. you’ve ruined other people for me, not to mention the food they make. nothing compares to you.” 

Sanji silently thanks the night sky for the darkness enveloping your room as he feels his face practically catch fire. Though, he’s certain you can probably tell how flustered he is from the rapid beating of his heart anyway.

”You’ll still love me even if I can’t cook for you anymore?” he mutters, half-joking.

”i’ll still love you even if you refuse to cook for me for the rest if our lives,” you reply, kind of half-joking. “I’d probably be really sad, though, but i’ll still love you.” In response, you feel a chuckle rumble from his chest as his uninjured arm pulls you closer until you’ve basically melded into one.

”you know fully well the day i refuse to cook for you is the day i die.”

you hum in response, already drifting off to sleep with a contented smile on your face. Sanji presses one last kiss of the night to your forehead before dozing off himself. 

[simpxxstan]

lunch

pairing: elementary school teachers lee seokmin x f.reader

genre: fluff, fluff and some more fluff. a tiny pinch of angst.

summary: as a veteran at sebong elementary school, you don't let any of your juniors get too close to you. the new science teacher, lee seokmin, doesn't seem to get the note, though.

word count: 9.6k words

rating: pg 13 

warnings: use of a few profanities, mention of alcohol and illegal gambling. reader is a bit cold in the beginning. slight age gap.

a/n: SO MUCH FLUFF my body hurts but it was so nice to just write good guy dokyeom after all that angst for wonwoo. i'm sorry to any hyungwon fans who may be reading this though T_T

would love to hear feedback!! reblogs and comments are so so much appreciated <3

this is part of the boys over flowers series featuring booseoksoon + chan! this is the first instalment in that series.

It was a day of much ruckus and excitement. The teachers and students were all waiting eagerly to meet the four new teachers who were joining Sebong Elementary School that day. Children with bright cherub faces peeped from their classroom windows, some crowded in the corridors, and teachers whispered loudly, as they all waited to see the four faces of the new teachers emerge from the Principal’s office. And when they finally did, a loud, collective gasp was heard rippling through every room and corner of Sebong Elementary School. And then the bubble broke, as loud whispers and giggling overtook every other noise, as the four men smiled at the kids and adults gathered through the school. They shone brighter than the tubelights on the ceiling-

“Okay, I think you’re exaggerating, Sohee. I’m sure they don’t have 1000 watt smiles.”

“Oh, Y/N, but they do! Even an ice queen like you is going to melt when you see them. They just exude warmth, kindness, and handsomeness. They look like idols, really!” 

“Now you’re definitely exaggerating. Park carefully, and don’t daydream please. I’ve been nervous from the moment I let you drive my car.”

“It’s a third-hand car. I should, in fact, smash it, so that you can buy something better. The government’s just moments away from declaring it as junk.”

“This is all I can afford, Sohee.”

“Car loans exist!”

“Bankruptcy exists!”

Sohee huffs, and you meticulously check the rear view mirror to ensure she parks neatly. Once done, (read, once Sohee has finished touching up her lipstick and her mascara, and put a few cute hairclips in her long brown hair, cute by her metrics), you both step out of the car. The heat has become harsher, and you’re a little taken aback by the sting of sunlight on your skin. But it feels good to be out again after that stupid bout of fever which had kept you away from school, and consequently, your life. 

You meet several students getting out from the bus in front of the school, some smiling and already chattering with their friends, others shyly holding on to the fingers of their parents. Some of them wave hi to you, others loudly squeal their welcome backs. Your morning grumpiness is slowly wearing away, and you can feel energy bubbling in. It’s barely been the start of the year, and the little ones are very, very gradually warming up to the idea of being away from home for longer than three hours. It’s a trying time for their teachers, and you’re grateful that you don’t teach the youngest class. 

On the short walk from the parking area to the school, and it’s such a miracle that Sohee doesn’t start talking about the four new teachers, because you’re frankly tired of hearing about them. It feels like they don’t exist, and even if they do, they’re going to be massive letdowns compared to Sohee’s descriptions. Sohee does have the habit of hyperbole. 

But you fall headfirst into it as you slide open the door to the staffroom. Everyone stands up and greets you, as you’re one of the earliest members of the staff. You’d like to think that their greetings are out of affection, and not just respect, but you don’t mind. Majority of the staff is quite young, and people look up to you as the sunbae, and it’s a position of respect you crave and enjoy. It’s not like you’re great at showing how you love them either. You can just hope that they get to know about it from time to time, and don’t hate you for not being too affectionate.

As everyone stands up, you bow to the general crowd, and greet them back, but you’re also welcomed by four unknown faces. 

Oh. They must be the new teachers. 

Well, Sohee wasn’t really wrong-

Sohee immediately sparks up and begins talking about how you had really high fever, and every evening she found you lying inside your bed, covered in blankets like a burrito, messy in snot and sweat-

“Okay, that’s enough. Sohee, please spare them the details of my ugly illness.” You’re embarrassed and quite red all over, and out of the corner of your eye, you’re watching the reactions of the four new men. Sure, you may not care much about what other people think, but it’s your first impression after all. Everyone is quite vehemently cooing at you now, and the four men have confused, but concerned expressions on their faces. 

Minseo comes to the rescue, when she diverts the topic to introduce the new faces to you, and you’re grateful for the first time to hear about these new teachers. 

“This is our sunbae, Y/L/N Y/N! She’s one of the first teachers at Sebong Elementary School.” “Aaah, Minseo-yah! You make it sound like she’s old!” Sohee scolds, but you don’t mind. You sure feel old after the way that fever broke your immunity like a twig.

“Aah, sorry. And Y/N Unnie, these are our new joinees this year!” She gestures towards the men, and they bow. You bow in return, and take a full look at them, smiling back at them. 

“Hello! I’m Lee Chan, I’m a ‘99 liner! I’ll work hard and show my best side to you, sunbae!” “Good morning! I’m Boo Seungkwan. Nice to meet you!” “Oh, sunbae, hello! I’m Kwon Soonyoung, I’m also glad to meet you Y/N-ssi!” “And I’m Lee Seokmin! I’ll work hard, please take good care of me, sunbae!” They shake your hands like dominos, and your eyes linger a second too long on the last one, the tall one with the brightest smile. 1000 watt seems about right? “I’m happy to meet you too! Let’s work hard for a long time!” You smile back, and there’s a collective Fighting! through the room, before the school bell rings, and the cacophony of kids entering their classrooms breaks the silence of the school building. 

_

It’s lunchtime, and you’ve already forgotten their names. Sohee insists that you sit with them at the same table for lunch, but you’re not hungry enough to take lunch. It’s been a tiring day, and you just want to sip your iced americano and finish the pending work on your desk in the staffroom. Missing a week of school is as burdensome for teachers as it is for students. There are piles of things left to be done, and you assign yourself the task of finishing filling in the register with the names of the students for that lunch break. The staffroom is empty, and you’re happy to work in peace. 

You’re so focused on your work that you don’t even notice when a tall man walks into the staffroom sometime in the middle of the lunch break, peeps at you from his desk at the other corner of the room, and then leaves. 

_

It’s finally Friday, and that’s how you’ve spent the last four lunch breaks. You’re finally getting through the pile of work at a steady pace. On top of it all, the Principal has promoted you to the Head Teacher of Science Department, as the previous head’s tenure is over, and that means all the science teachers have to approve their lesson plans for this term through you and you’re also in charge of allotting field trips for scientific experiments. 

That’s why Lee Seokmin ambushes you when you’re about to leave at the end of the school day. “Sunbae, I was wondering if you could perhaps look at my lesson plan once? Maybe you could go over it during the weekend?”

You halt your actions of packing your bag, and carefully take the folder from the outstretched hand of the tall man towering over your desk. “Umm, I could look through it now.”

“No, I mean! I’m sorry I didn’t know how to approach you earlier, Sunbae. I’m sorry, I don’t want to keep you from heading home, I’m really sorry-”

“Please stop apologising, Seokmin-ssi. It’s not a big deal. It’s better for me to go through it now in your presence, rather than take it home. I’ll be able to discuss it more smoothly with you then, in case any changes are needed.” 

His puppy brown eyes become tiny slits as he smiles wide. You realise that his hair is draping over his forehead in black curls, and the white shirt he’s wearing reveals the column of his neck very elegantly. He does look good enough to be an idol, you think. 

“Seokmin-ssi, come take a seat here. I won’t bite, in spite of what you may have heard-”

“Oh no! The kids are all praise for you. I’m so thankful to be succeeding you in the classes, because you’ve set such a strong foundation for the students. You’ve made my job a cakewalk, truly.”

“I’m just thankful that you deal with the younger ones now. I enjoy teaching them, but sometimes they can…” You smile lopsidedly, and Seokmin grins. “I’ve heard that I have a lot of patience, sunbae…” “And you have a lot of fighting spirit that we tend to have when we’ve just joined the school. You’ll manage.”

And then the conversation halts. It flows in bits and pieces, as you flip through his lesson plan and discuss changes with him, speaking from experience of having taught these same classes six years more than him. His lesson plan book is very colourful, filled with stickers from cartoons, and brightly drawn smiley flowers. Something in you makes you think that maybe he’s not just doing this as a show for the kids, but also because he likes to do it. He’s very animated in every statement he makes, hand gestures all over his face, but he quietens down when he realises you’re no longer looking at his face, and would rather just get through the work quickly. You’re not annoyed at him, no. It’s just a little overwhelming to see all this energy being thrown at you, and it makes you tired, wondering how to reciprocate it. So you just silently finish your task, and bid him goodbye. He offers to drop you home, but then you say you have your own car, so he gives you another smile and with a natural ease, hops on to his electric bicycle and rides off into the road. 

_

Seokmin-ssi, you realise, doesn’t want reciprocation. He greets you cheerfully every morning, whenever you see him in the campus, whenever you’re making eye contact before leaving for the day, and whenever you both arrive at the same time at school. He doesn’t just say hello, but he also asks if you had a good weekend, if you had a good sleep, if you ate breakfast, if you’ve recovered fully from your cold, if you’re taking your vitamins. It makes you more uncomfortable than before, confusing you whether he’s just buttering you up as a sunbae or whether he’s genuinely this nice. It’s also a little worrying because it makes you feel like he’s trying too hard to be close and you don’t want to be a bother for him, so you hope he takes the hint. But he obviously doesn’t, because the next time you walk into the staffroom determined not to leave your desk, and instead enjoy the peaceful solitude of the staffroom to recharge your battery, you notice a very neat lunch tray sitting on your desk with a note attached on top, “Sunbae, please don’t skip your meals!” It takes you aback, and you stare at it for a good four minutes. Finally you realise you’re too flustered to eat it, and you just keep it aside and get back at your work. 

When Seokmin comes back from his lunch break, he makes the mistake of looking at your desk to see if you’ve eaten, and there. He makes eye contact with your razor sharp eyes looking at him from above your reading glasses. He walks up to your desk and says, “You didn’t eat, sunbae?”

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“I- I- just wanted to-”

“Firstly, Seokmin-ssi, I’m not skipping meals. Secondly, I don’t know if this is normal for you, but I’d appreciate it if we could be harmonious as colleagues. I don’t need you to be my mother for me and feed me. I’m an adult and I know when to eat.”

You can see him gulp and fumble, and for a second, you think you’ve been too harsh. You almost backtrack and apologise, scared that the little light in his eyes is going to go out, but he speaks faster, “I just don’t want you to fall sick again, sunbae. I’m sorry if I was too presumptuous. I’ll do better from now on.” And without another second, he turns and walks out of the room, leaving you speechless. The light in his eyes may not have gone out, but you sure were too mean. Afterall, he was just being nice to you, wasn’t he?”

_

So, the next week, when you’re finally on track and completed all your pending work, you walk into the cafeteria looking to take a lunch break. And you spot Seokmin sitting with Chan on one table on the teacher’s side of the cafeteria. Chan is a sweet boy, and you want to make amends with Seokmin, so you carefully walk across the room to their table and ask, “Can I have lunch with you?” You ask them both, and Chan instantly begins to clear space for you to sit down, but you’re distracted by how wide Seokmin smiles, and you know the ice has melted. He’s forgiven you, so you gently sit down next to him.

It’s a mistake. You hadn’t accounted for how broad he is, and how much he moves his body while speaking. His thighs inch closer to yours with every movement, although very much unconsciously. Even though you’re both sitting, he’s still taller than you, and it makes you shy.

You’re thankful when Soonyoung joins you across the table and you can distract yourself by speaking to him. “Sunbae, it’s so nice to see you in the cafeteria! We rarely ever see you outside the staffroom.” You smile as wide as you can, your mouth full of food. Chan joins in, “Yes, sunbae! Seokmin hyung’s been so-” “We’ve all been worried,” Seokmin interjects, and you’re hit by a pang of guilt. It is pretty natural for coworkers to care about each other. Especially since you’re their senior and they must be looking to make a good impression. 

“I’ve been a little busy with all pending work. The start of the year can be stressful for us senior teachers.”

“I hear Seungkwan hyung is being put in charge of the after-school creche duty?”

“You’ve heard right, Chan. He did apply for it, and given his congenial personality, I think he’d do well if he joined the creche roster.”

“A roster? That means he won’t have duty every day?” Soonyoung asks you.

“Yes, there will be two teachers alternating from Monday to Friday.”

“Oh! Someone lucky gets two days only!”

“We try to ensure even distribution through the month,” you say. “Plus, of course, there can be others volunteering from time to time. So for example, next month, there’s a storytelling week at the creche. Sohee and I will be volunteering for that week as storytellers- that way, the ones responsible for the creche can have a week’s leave from the extra duty.”

Soonyoung and Chan nod in understanding, but you’ve noticed Seokmin is extra quiet, uncharacteristically even. “Do you enjoy the cafeteria food, Seokmin-ssi?” you ask him, speaking softer so that Chan and Soonyoung can’t hear you. It must surprise him, because he looks up at you with wide, boba eyes, and he looks more like a puppy than ever. “I do! The variety is good.” “I’m glad. The caterers recently got changed. The previous ones were seriously falling behind on quality.” Seokmin smiles and eats a big bite of rice and soup, and you chuckle at the comical way his mouth fills up. 

_

You didn’t even think Seokmin would remember. In fact, you’d forgotten that you’d mentioned it yourself. 

But he does. He doesn’t just remember, but he also brings a bag full of old picture books.

You swear your heart stops the moment he enters the hall where the after-school creche is organized and hands you the bag. “These were books my mother had kept for ages even after I’d finished reading them a million times. Thought I’d use them somehow, instead of just letting them gather dust on shelves,” he says as he smiles that pretty, wide smile again. It’s been long enough into the new semester now for you to get used to both Seokmin’s smiles, so you can bask in it. The children bask in it too. Most of the tiny members of the creche know him from the class where he’s teaching about animals, and they squeal in excitement. “Aah, Seokmin-ah, you really didn’t have to. You could’ve gone home and rested for the weekend.” His smile drops, and you mentally slap yourself. You really should take care of your words better, so you rephrase it, “What I meant is… you don’t have to do this out of your way.” “I’m not… going out of my way. I just thought I’d come and watch you, sunbae. I want to learn how to handle little children even better.” 

So he sits in a corner of the hall, Byul and Jiwon sitting on his lap, while his eyes are fixed on you. You’ve taken the storytelling class two days this week, and this is your third day, so you really shouldn’t be so slippery, but something about how he’s looking at you so intently is making you stumble and fall over your words, and your pronunciation often comes out as jumbled as the three year olds sitting in front of you. You’re made even more aware of Seokmin’s presence when snack time arrives, and the kids are too distracted with the picture books to pay attention to their food and eat. Thankfully, Seokmin uses his charm and somehow gathers everyone to sit in a circle around the table. The children have incessant questions, some about the characters they met in the story, and some random questions too, like Are you married, Teacher Seokmin? It doesn’t matter that you pause in your movements to hear his response, a wide-eyed Minhyun looking confusedly at you, wondering why your hand holding his candy is stuck mid-air. It also doesn’t matter that your heart paces up when you see Seokmin glance in your direction before loudly proclaiming that he’s not married. 

The parents arrive soon after that, and then there’s only a crying Byul left, who’s wrapped in Seokmin’s arms as you three wait for her father to arrive. You wonder for a second, how did you ever handle kids, because when you see how Seokmin handles them, you think you’ve done it all wrong for years. He holds her two tiny hands in his own, places her in between his legs and quietly brushes her hair while whispering more imaginary stories about the elephant Byul saw earlier in the picture book. You feel unwanted in this perfect scene, Byul going perfectly silent as she listens to Seokmin talk. But then, honestly, who wouldn’t be in rapture of this beautiful young man?

Byul’s father arrives twenty minutes later, and Byul gives Seokmin a little peck on his cheek before she leaves his arms and goes off with her dad. 

“Sunbae, thank you for letting me be here! I had so much fun, and I also learnt so much from you.” You laugh, “I doubt, though. You’re such a natural with children.” He smiles, “That’s just because I have a lot of cousins. But it’s different handling kids at school. I always have to be extra-careful with them because I’m a complete stranger and not a relative.” “You’re right, and that shows in your care too, Seokmin-ah.” He blushes, and you smile as you lock up the hall and finally make your way to leave the campus. Your back hurts from sitting on the floor for so long and you’re surely glad to go home.

“Sunbae, did you bring your car?”

“Aah, no. Today was Sohee’s carpooling turn, she left early. I’ll just take the bus.”

“Let me drop you home, sunbae! It’s late already.”

You pause, and turn to look at him. His hopeful face, still radiant after the long day. And you feel that same overwhelming feeling take over you. Till now, Seokmin has only given and given, never expecting anything in return. He’s extended a helping hand without you asking for it, he’s reminded you for meals even when you’ve ignored him, he’s been nothing but kind to you. And if he’s doing this even after three whole months of him joining the school, then it can’t be just buttering tactics. 

“I don’t want to get you late, Seokmin-ah.”

“I won’t, sunbae. It’s not a worry, honestly.” He bites his lower lip, his eyebrows furrowed as he asks you again, “Please let me drop you, sunbae.”

It’s been years since a man has been this kind to you. Kind enough without coming off as a creep. A part of you is wary, but something in Seokmin’s eyes makes you feel guilty for ever mistrusting his intentions. 

“Alright, Seokmin-ah. Noona owes you one.” 

You can see the stutter in his eyes even before you hear it in his voice. 

“N-noona? Oh. Noona! I’ll drive you safely!”

And he does. Diligent, puppy-like, kind Seokmin drives you home quickly and safely. For the first time in years, you sleep with a smile on your face.

_

You enter the Principal’s office to find a very nervous-looking Seokmin standing next to the Principal. “Good Morning, Mr. Han. Is something wrong?” “Yes, good morning Y/N. I’ve just received a complaint from a parent, and as the head of science teachers, I’d like you to look into it once.” “Of course.”

Then you turn towards Seokmin, who is standing very upright, but you can see him nervously twitching his feet. “Seokmin-ssi, is the parent here in school, or have you received a written complaint?” Seokmin’s voice is barely audible the first time he speaks, so you take a couple of steps to be closer to him. “Don’t be so nervous. Please tell me everything so that I can help resolve this.” He looks at you, his eyes still wide, and the tension obvious in his face. But he takes a deep breath and says, “They’re here, in my science classroom.” “And can you tell me the gist of the matter?” “I… I… I had asked her daughter to not draw with crayons on the walls of the science classroom. And one time… I’d asked her daughter to bring more nutritious food to class instead of chips every single day.” He says softly, his eyes focused on the blue linoleum tiles on the floor. You take a deep breath. As you’ve grown more senior, you’ve eventually detached yourself from the classes of the youngest students, those below four years of age. So naturally, you’d not gotten into messes like this for a long time. But with your experience, you know just how to deal with such cases. 

So you excuse yourself from the office and walk down to Seokmin’s homeroom, gesturing him to enter as you both walk into the classroom. It is deserted, except for a very grim-looking gigantic woman standing next to a tiny girl with even tinier braids. “Good morning. I’m Y/L/N Y/N, Head of the Science Department.” “Yes, well, I’m hoping you’d be more competent about it all rather than Mr. Lee here.” 

You forcefully smile tightly and ask, “Please let me know the details of the matter.” “Where do I begin! Mr. Lee has been… very dictatorial with my daughter. First he forbids her from colouring, and then he forces her to starve herself! It’s absolutely ridiculous that a teacher can do such things!” Out of the corner of your eye, you see Seokmin shrink further away into the corner, his eyes wide. 

“Based on how well I know Mr. Lee, I can’t imagine him forcing a child to starve themselves. Correct me if I’m wrong, but did he ask her to bring a different set of food for lunch, rather than chips?” “Yes, but-” “And that was purely based on nutritional concerns, Ma’am. As teachers at Sebong Elementary School, we want to ensure our students receive proper nutrition at their growing age. And I can assure you that chips are not the most nutritious food your daughter can eat every day.” “I’m a working mother-” “I’m sure you can buy a fruit or toast a single slice of bread along with a slice of cheese along with the chips, if you’re so busy.” 

 The woman in front of you stands speechless for a second, before continuing in her boisterous tone, “But who are you to dictate what I feed my child?” “Nobody, truly. But Mr. Lee is a kindhearted man, who cares for every child in this school, and even his colleagues and peers like me. As a teacher, he has the best interest of his students in mind, you see.” “Certainly can’t be more than that of her mother.” “Of course, which is why I’d advise you too, as would any other paediatrician, that only chips is not the diet a four-year old child should be exposed to on a daily basis.” 

The woman takes a step back. Her grip on her daughter’s fingers loosen, and the child takes a step forward. “Miss, I really like the grapes Mr. Lee gave me the other day! That’s why I’ve stopped eating Eomma’s lunch!” She smiles at you, and you bend down on your knee to meet her at eye level. “Is that so? But darling, you should always eat what your mummy’s giving you. Good girls don’t skip meals, understood?” She nods her little head very seriously, so you pat her once on her head. Then you stand up again and look at her mother. “I see your daughter does enjoy eating grapes. Perhaps you could buy her some fruits for lunch.”

She tilts her head a little bit, looking fully like a kid who’s been punished for being too outspoken, and honestly you’re glad to have made that effect. Some people can be so entitled and so rude, and it leaves such a harsh impression on softer teachers like Seokmin. Which is exactly what you see when the parent does leave with her child a few minutes later, as the man, who hasn’t spoken a single word since entering the room, comes up to you gingerly. 

“Noona, thank you so much. I was so- so scared.” You smile at him as warmly as you can, “Please don’t be. It wasn’t your fault at all that some parents can misunderstand even the best intentions of teachers. It’s pretty common- as time goes on, people will just find more flaws, whether it be in your teaching skills or your child-handling skills. You just need to be less nervous when things like this happen. If you ever need help in these things, of course I’m always here… as are your other seniors. But it’s best if you learn to handle these things without taking them too much to your heart, unless you see there is genuine room for improvement for you.” He nods throughout, and his eyes have become round like a puppy’s eyes again. “I will introspect, Noona.” He laughs a bit, “This honestly isn’t the first time someone’s misunderstanding my intentions. But I will try harder to be more clear and not … not be presumptuous,” he says, looking deep into your eyes, before he bows and leaves the room.

As you stand there in the classroom, alone you realise that the situation oddly reminds you of a similar conversation you had with him at the beginning of the semester. When you’d asked him to keep his distance and not interfere … all while, he was just trying to be kind. Oh god. You’d been just as rude as the parent had been today, hadn’t you? Oh dear god. No wonder he’d looked so downcast and rejected after that.

_

Sohee’s thousand-day anniversary at the school is coming up so Minseo’s put on a surprise party at her house. It’s not a surprise to just Sohee, but also to you. “Oh, why didn’t you let me know earlier, Minseo-yah?” “We would, but you’ve just been so busy with the end of term reports and grades that we didn’t want to bother you.” “Well, that’s not something only I’m doing. I’m sure you all were busy too.” “But none of us are head of departments, you know?” She giggles, and you know it’s not a jibe. But it still feels bad to not be able to contribute when everyone is contributing in some way or the other. 

So you order a six-pound blueberry cheesecake for the party, knowing blueberry to be Sohee’s favourite flavour. And, as expected, it’s a party hit. It turns out to be the favourite flavour of a lot of people, even Seokmin, who helps himself to three slices, and you’re just glad to see them all enjoying it. There’s drinks, pizza and music playing in the background. And although the teacher community at Sebong Elementary School is not too big, you’re a lot of twenty-six people, and you’re thankful that Minseo comes from a rich family that has a big house. And yet, it feels cosy and familiar. You barely attend parties or social gatherings,  and unless it’s family occasions, having been out of the dating scene for years. But this type of party seems fun to you- perhaps it’s you growing old, perhaps it’s you no longer finding staying up late exciting, perhaps it’s you realising that getting wasted is not as interesting as you used to think it was in college. So you settle for being the woman who’s dressed in a sweater although it’s barely autumn, already mentally classified as a spinster for almost everyone you meet, thirty and with no life outside of work, and you’re happy. You’re happy right now, sipping a cocktail and eating the fried chicken Minseo’s airfrying and constantly supplying to the party, celebrating your closest friend, Sohee. You know that although Sohee’s a couple of months younger than you, and definitely has a more active love life, she’s just like you at heart, and she’s the sister you’ve never had. As she gets drunk (you can tell it’s the first time in a long time by the way she’s getting tipsy even faster than she usually does), she leans over to smooch you loudly on the cheek, and you laugh and give in to her. It creates a loud wave of cheers across the room, but it’s such a warm moment. She clinks her glass with yours and rests her head on your shoulder, while raising a toast to the teachers at Sebong Elementary School. There’s another round of cheers, and then your phone reminds you it’s ten pm, and you should be heading home because it’s a school day tomorrow. The buzz feels good, and you want to stay longer, but you’re not drunk enough to forget your responsibilities. And so the party gradually disperses. You hug Minseo and thank her for organising the wonderful party, and somehow Sohee manages to stand up on her feet steadily. Seungkwan takes the duty to drop Sohee home as he lives near her house, and before you can say anything, Seokmin takes on the responsibility of dropping you home. 

“I don’t want to impose-” “But I insist, Y/N Noona.” “Why do you always insist, Seokmin? I feel like I’m a burdensome sunbae, not a nice sunbae.” You try not to pout when he leads you to where his car is parked and opens the door for you. He giggles, his face red with the dopamine (and drinks) from the party. “You’re just fishing for compliments, Noona. You know I never think of taking care of you as a burden.” 

Perhaps drinking that third cocktail was a mistake. 

But you did drink it, so you lean over the centre console of the car and say, with a soft giggle, “If you say things like that, Seokmin-ah, people are going to misunderstand and think you like like me.”

“But I do like like you, Noona.” 

You almost miss his words while waving goodbye to the other teachers standing on the pavement in front of Minseo’s house, waiting for their rides. 

Almost. 

“What?” You spin your head so fast it gives you whiplash, and you feel like you’re instantly sober, the way you become alert instantly. Seokmin’s looking at the road as he drives into the main road, his eyes bright by reflecting the street lights. “I do, Noona.”

“No- no, you can’t. Are you serious, Seokmin-ah? Because if you are, you can’t.” 

“Why?” 

There’s a red light, and he’s looking at you, the street lights shining on his face and the gentle handsomeness of his features are glowing in their full glory. This isn’t the first time you’ve found him awe-strikingly beautiful, but right now, he looks positively angelic. His eyelashes form delicate shadows on his cheeks, and the way his hair gets swayed by the wind coming in from the open car windows makes him seem even prettier. 

“Because… you’re so… young. And fresh, and beautiful. And I’m thirty, I spend my days working and my nights reading romantic classics, and I’m so boring a-and you deserve better.”

His mouth twists bitterly, and he says, “But none of that is true, Noona.”

“It is, Seokmin-ah. You barely know me.”

“But I want to. I’m just asking for a chance.”

You stay silent for a long time. In the sparse traffic of the night, you’re reach your house quicker than you’d thought. 

“I don’t want you to make a mistake, Seokmin-ah. I shouldn’t be someone you like more than simply as a sunbae.”

He pauses, then replies, “If you don’t want to give me a chance, that’s okay Noona. I can make peace with it. But you can’t ask me to stop liking you, Noona. My feelings are mine.” 

You don’t say anything on the rest of the journey. You don’t have anything else to say. You can’t even be harsh to him because what he’s saying is logical. You cannot take away his right to like you, even if you don’t think it’s the right choice for him. You’re an adult, he’s an adult, you both have your own opinions and choices. 

It’s only when the car does reach your house that you attempt to say something. 

“I feel sorry for making you come all the way to my house to drop me. Do you want to come in to eat something? I had some dakgalbi made for tonight’s dinner before I got to know about the party.”

He looks at you for a long time. You can see the wheels turn in his head, before he says, “Okay.” 

_

Your flat is on the third floor, so you’re patiently climbing the stairs. Seokmin makes light conversation, breaking the ice, and you actively try to respond. You don’t want him to feel dejected, but you also don’t want to feel like you’re taking him to your house because you pity him after you outright rejected him. 

Your efforts go to waste when you see a figure sitting on the floor in front of the door to your apartment. 

“Hyungwon?” 

Seokmin pauses behind you, as you stand stunned on the last staircase before the landing, and the man you addressed looks up at the two of you. Even in the dim light of the single bulb lighting up the stairwell, you can see that he’s very wasted. “Y/N-ah! I- I’ve been waiting for you.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Oh, you haven’t changed, have you? Straight to the point. No hellos, no-”

“Yes, Hyungwon. What are you doing here?”

He sighs as he stands up. “I missed you.” 

Your head starts to spin. It’s like you’ve been transported back to 2022, when Hyungwon had confessed to you that he’d gambled away all your money, and that he’d been doing so for the last seven months, and that was where he was spending all his evenings at instead of the evening college you’d enrolled him into and whose fees you thought you’d been paying.

Your head spins again, and you’re stumbling back until someone catches you midway before you tumble down the stairs. 

“Noona!” that someone whispers in alarm in your ear, and you realise it’s Seokmin. 

Fuck. 

Fuck, fuck, fuck, not Seokmin. 

Why does Seokmin, out of all people, have to see this?

“Seokmin-ah, leave-”

“Ooh, who’s that?” Hyungwon takes a step closer, and takes a drink out of a soju bottle he’s holding in his left hand. “Boyfriend? You’re still into pretty boys, aren’t you?”

Seokmin pulls you closer to him, your back nearly touching his chest. “Who are you?”

“I’m Hyungwon, Y/N’s first love. You better get out of here, kid.”

“What do you want, Hyungwon? Don’t bullshit with me about missing me. No apology, no regrets, and now you’re suddenly at my doorstep?” You carefully break away from Seokmin’s gentle clasp, and walk towards your ex-boyfriend. “You want my money again.” The lanky man in front of you grins, that fucking lazy, pretty grin you’d fallen so hard for in college. 

“Y/N, where’s the love gone, jagi? Why are we talking about money?”

“Fuck off, Hyungwon. The love was gone long before I even broke up with you.”

He lifts his free hand and tries to reach out to you. “Jagiya-”

“I’m not your jagiya! Hyungwon, I’m not giving you anymore money, so you should just leave! And stop coming to me every time you want money, for god’s sake! We’re done, Hyungwon.” 

The man in front of you falls to his knees, “Please, I’m begging you, Y/N-ah! I’ll get into serious trouble if I don’t repay this debt by the end of this month! Y/N, for the sake of old times-”

“Hyungwon, please don’t! I’m not giving you any of my money, no matter how much you beg.”

His hand wraps around your leg, “Y/N-ah, please, just hear me out once! I am sorry for everything I did, and I’m so willing to amend my ways-”

“Please leave, Hyungwon-ssi, you’re making Noona uncomfortable.” Seokmin suddenly says from behind you, and you walk backward down the stairs until you’re again close enough to him that you can feel his body heat on your back. It makes you feel oddly safe.

“Who are you to say anything about Y/N, huh? You don’t even know her for long, I bet! Y/N and I dated for seven years!”

“It doesn’t matter how long I’ve known her, Hyungwon-ssi. What matters is that right now, she feels safe with me, and not around you. So please leave, Hyungwon-ssi.” You don’t even realise when his hands have come to wrap gently around you, not quite touching your body, but caging you away from the man who’s looking at you both with frantic and desperate eyes. You don’t know he knows that you’re feeling safe around him, but you’re so grateful. “If you don’t leave now, I’ll have to call the police, Hyungwon-ssi.”

The man in front of you gulps. “Fuck! I’ll be back, Y/N-ah. And then I’ll see where this boyfriend of yours will be!” And he storms down the stairs, cursing under his breath, and you’re still shaking in Seokmin’s grip. 

Five minutes pass before he asks you, gently whispering in your ear, “Are you okay?”

“Yes.” You slowly turn around and face him. You’re awfully close to him, and as you stand on the higher staircase, you’re eye-to-eye with him. “I’m so sorry you had to see that, Seokmin-ah.”

“No, Noona. I��m just upset thinking of what would happen if I hadn’t come up with you here tonight.”

“No, don’t be. He’s… harmless. He’s all talk and no action.”

“Has he been here before?”

You bite your lip. You don’t want to tell him things which will involve him deeper into this. He doesn’t know anything, he’s a complete stranger to it all, and yet, he is right, you do feel safe around him. But that doesn’t mean you burden him any further.

“Seokmin-ah, I don’t want you to get worried about this. I can take care of myself, it’s just Hyungwon. Like I said, he’s only bark and no bite.”

“Noona-”

“I’ll be fine, honestly! I’m sorry you had to see all this happen.” 

He opens his mouth to say something, but then he becomes silent again. 

“Do you want to come in-”

“No, Noona. I’ll just leave. I won’t take any more of your time. Have a good night, Noona.”

“Seokmin-ah, pl-”

“Goodnight, Noona. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

And then he walks away, and you’re left there, unarmed, uneasy and all alone, swimming in your own thoughts. You feel like you should run after him like in the movies, and stop him from leaving, but your legs feel like lead. There’s a sinking feeling in your heart and a sense of emergency, and it’s not because your ex-boyfriend came up to your door asking for money to waste again.

_

You don’t go to school the next day. The day after that is a Saturday, thankfully a holiday, and you can spend a day moping in regret, stuffing popcorn into your face and pretending like you’re not an adult anymore and you can live without worrying about responsibilities and keep time standing still. 

It doesn’t work. 

Sohee arrives to your door on Sunday morning, sunglasses perched on her head. “Where have you been, sweetie?” She doesn’t wait for you to respond and shoves herself into your flat. 

“Nowhere, Sohee.”

“You’re pouting, your bed isn’t made, and I can smell caramel popcorn. Something’s up. Tell me, baby.”

She sits down on the couch, pulling you down next to her, and taps twice on your shoulder prompting you to spill. So you do spill. 

You tell her every thought that has crossed your mind these last 48 hours. How Seokmin confessed that he likes you. How you’d turned him down instantly. How Hyungwon had turned up at your door and ruined the night after the party. How you’d practically shooed Seokmin away although he’d been nothing but protective and helpful to you. How you’d wallowed in regrets since then, having realised that you’re such a coward. 

“Yeah, you are a coward. In what right mind would you turn down Seokmin when you’re so down bad for him?”

“Huh?”

“Dummy. You can’t even realise your own feelings, and you act like you’re so mature. Age is truly just a number,” she sighs before digging into your bowl of popcorn. 

“I don’t… I don’t have feelings for Seokmin.”

“What makes you think so?”

“He’s… he’s just a hoobae.”

“So are Chan and Soonyoung and Seungkwan. Why do you always blush when you talk to Seokmin, even if it’s over something as mundane as lunch? Why do you so often go to his classroom and aid him in his lessons during your free periods, even though he doesn’t necessarily ask for it? Why do you talk more to him than to your other hoobaes?”

You stay silent for a second. 

“Y/N-ah, think carefully about this.”

“I shouldn’t think of him in this light… he’s so much younger.”

“You’re just three years older than him, Y/N! Stop acting like you’re so old!”

“But…”

“Oh fuck, this isn’t about age, is it? You feel like you’re going to be to him what Hyungwon became to you? Predatory?”

You’re left silent again. Sohee understands from your (lack of) actions, and jumps across the couch to hug you. “Oh, Y/N-ah. Stop beating yourself up for that. It’s been so, so long. Stop blaming yourself for something that’s not even your fault.” 

“But Seokmin deserves better, don’t you think?”

“And you deserve better than beating yourself over an ex like Hyungwon. You deserve a second chance at love too, baby.” She hugs you tightly, and you don’t know when tears have started rolling down your cheek.“I’m a coward, Sohee. I can’t get the courage to even accept my feelings.” “Then let Seokmin help you. Honestly, with the way he always looks at you like you spin his earth and you’re his god, I don’t think he’ll have any issues waiting for you to realise your feelings.” You blush and hide your face in her neck at her sly words. She’s too outspoken for her own good. 

“What if it’s just a crush for him, that’ll pass soon? There’s not much about me that will keep him interested in me after a few months.”

“You’ve got to stop being so pessimistic. Again, just because one guy was stupid and decided to rip off your hard-earned money and your blind trust in him, doesn’t mean another guy will! I’ll say it again, you deserve a second chance!”

The doorbell rings right then. You get up to open the door, to find a letter on the doormat. 

“It’s from the local police station.” You pick it up and show Sohee, who’s equally confounded as you are. “Well, open it, girl!” 

It’s a letter stating a level one restraining order has been requested for your protection against Chae Hyungwon, who has repeatedly disturbed you while drunk, and demanded money for illegal gambling purposes. 

And the request has been made from Lee Seokmin.

“So you just have to sign it and that’s it? Hyungwon out from your life forever?”

You nod, unable to reply, you’re still shocked by the letter. So is Sohee, it seems. Because all she can manage is, “Wow. Y/N, you’ve gotta marry him.”

“Who?!”

“Seokmin, of course. If this is his level of devotion-”

“You don’t think this was unnecessary?”

“Y/N, are you for real? He’s literally looking out for you and doing what you should’ve done ages back, and you think he’s overstepping boundaries? He’s one gem of a person seeing that he’s doing all this without even you prompting him and even after you literally rejected his confession.”

You take a deep breath. She’s right. She’s so right that your heart hurts and you want to bend down on your knees because your body feels limp. How much more does Seokmin have to give you for you to be able to start giving back to him? One voice in your head chastises you. Love isn’t quid pro quo! You fight back. Fair. But at least you’ve started admitting it is love. The voice laughs at you, leaving you vulnerable. 

“Well, he said yes.”

“What?” You spin your head to look at Sohee who’s holding your phone in her hand. 

“Seokmin. He said he’ll meet you at the park near school. In about an hour.”

“Did you just text him from my phone?”

“I did, for your own good. Because if it were up to you, you would have overthought yourself into a hole you’d dig for yourself and not made a move at all even when he’s literally played all his cards and proved his commitment.”

“Aishh, you’re so annoying,” you playfully shove her. 

“Your annoying friend just wants to see you happy,” she pouts cutely, and you laugh at the face she’s making. 

“Okay, now go get dressed. You have to finish this game now, Y/N. I’ll drop you to the park.”

_

When Sohee drops you a little far away from the park, kissing your forehead and wishing you fighting!, you find Seokmin already sitting on a bench on a relatively empty side of the park. He looks up at you as you get closer, and you wave at him. You feel so timid, so nervous, just walking up to him, his handsomeness hitting you with full force as you see him in more casual clothes than ever before, knowing that this man, this beautiful man likes you. And he wants you, and he’s proved how far he can go to care for you, even when you’ve rejected his care.

“Noona, how are you? We were worried after you called your day off on Friday.”

“I’m sorry… I wasn’t sick or anything.” You laugh awkwardly. “Just, taking some time to ponder over things myself.”

“Oh.” He sits down on the bench, the loose end of his checked shirt gently swaying in the breeze. 

“And I regret how I acted that night. I’m sorry for being so harsh-” he starts to say something, but you gently put a finger on his hand, and that makes him shush. “I’m not just talking about Thursday night. I’ve been harsh to you ever since the beginning of the year. You’ve been nothing but kind and generous to me. But… time has made me unnaturally wary and I find it so hard to accept attention or even kindness easily. Thus, time and again I’ve pushed you away, yet you’ve kept coming back. It’s true that I didn’t realise your intentions earlier, but I know, deep down in my heart, that I’ve liked you too for quite some time.”

His eyes are wide, and you move an inch closer to him on the bench.

“I thought it was silly, to have a crush on a man so obviously young like you. I’m thirty now, turning thirty-one in a few weeks. I’ll always be older than you, less energetic, more boring and to be honest, I think it’s not even age but just experience which has made me like this. And I denied myself your attention because I thought you deserved better. And I still do. You sent a restraining request to the police on my ex-boyfriend on my behalf. You… you’ve gone out of your way so many times, even when I’ve been so harsh with you. You’re the one who’s precious, you’re made out of stardust. I’m just a broccoli that’s stacked in the corner of the fridge because no one wanted to eat me when I was fresh and no one should eat me now because now I’m stale.”

“That’s a ridiculous comparison. Even Soonyoung comparing himself to a tiger is better than you comparing yourself to a broccoli.” He finally says, and you laugh before you realise it. 

“Stop calling yourself old, Noona. Three years of an age difference isn’t a big deal. If the reason you’re holding yourself back is Hyungwon-ssi…”

“It is, I won’t lie. Hyungwon and I started dating when we were in college. We were so good, for so long. Until the pandemic came and took his job. That’s when he started getting into these bad habits. He took to gambling, and to stop him, I enrolled him into an evening college, hoping he’d get more productive and use the time we were stuck at home to get himself more educated and get a better job soon. It turned out he was wasting all my money on gambling, again. Every fees I’d paid to him had actually gone down the drain at a local club. And he even had the audacity to refuse me when I told him I want to break up with him.”

“Well, but he eventually did. That didn’t stop him from coming to my doorstep ever three or four months, asking for cash. Sometimes I’d drive him away, sometimes I’d give in if I was too tired to argue with him and if he was sober and dangerous.”

“Would you have given him money that night… had I not been there?”

You look down at your hands in shame. “I may have. I don’t know.”

“Do you still have feelings for him, Noona? It’s okay if you do have feelings, you know.”

“God, no. I don’t have feelings for him. It’s just that… we were together for seven years. We’ve grown up together. Seeing him in a pitiful state like that makes me sad. And I hope each time, that this will be the last time he’s at my door asking for money.” You look away, too ashamed to look at Seokmin. But he uses a hand to gently grip your chin and turn your head towards him. 

“You’re too kind for your own good, Noona.” You blush at the proximity, and the gentle way he’s touching your face. “This is why I like you. Because you’re so human in a world where everyone is plastic. I don’t like you because you’re a sunbae I want to impress. I don’t like you because boys like me find older women hot. Well, I do find you hot-”

“Seokmin!” You haven’t heard someone call you hot in so long, and it makes your skin burn. 

He giggles, and slowly flattens his palm to cup your cheek. 

“I think the restraining order should do the trick, then. He’ll not harass you any longer.”

“Thank you. You’ve been brave when I’ve been a coward.”

“That’s what makes us a good team, Noona.” 

You finally make eye contact with him, gazing into his doe-like brown eyes which are crinkled at the edges with a hint of a smile and wide with hope. 

“Your eyes are so pretty, Seokmin-ah. Just like the rest of you. Especially your heart.”

“It’s pretty because it belongs to you, Noona.”

You blush harder, and turn your face away from him. “I’ll not like you any more if you’re cheesy like this.”

“But it feels good to make you blush like this. How dare you compare yourself to a broccoli, huh? You have no idea what you do to me- when you enter any room, you light it up with your aura, you make it so much warmer, so much brighter. And then a fucking broccoli?”

“Stop! I didn’t mean it to be so deep. It’s just what I ate for lunch because that’s all I had in my fridge.” He giggles again, and you giggle along with him. You realise you’ve both moved closer to each other on the bench, until your thighs are touching. 

“Then you’ve got to have lunch again. No one should exist by eating just broccoli.” 

“With you?”

“If you’d like that.” He cups your other cheek with another hand, and you can feel your skin on fire. His eyes are gently inching towards your lips so you slowly close your eyes. “If you’re going to kiss me, know that I don’t have much experience in that. I’ll be your hoobae in that regard, sunbae.” You hear a soft giggle, and the kiss doesn’t arrive, so you open your eyes again, just to see him blush all over. “God, you’re so pretty, Noona. I could look at you all day.”

“How about you tell me when you started liking me?”

“Umm, I think that time you came to eat lunch with us for the first time? I think it all started with me just trying to get you to eat meals on time. Good girls don’t skip meals, as I heard someone once say,” you playfully hit his chest lightly, and he laughs. “I don’t know, maybe it was before that. But that afternoon, I realised my crush on you was so serious. I was getting tingly all over every time our shoulders touched.”

“Oh! Well, thank goodness it wasn’t just me.”

“Really? From so long ago? Oh, Noona, if you’d just told me earlier…”

“Shh!” You giggle, “I didn’t even realise anything. I was just desperate to get you to forgive me.”

“But I was never angry at you. I could never be.”

You smile again, and he pulls you closer until your entire body is touching him. “So are you giving me a chance, Noona?” 

“Yes. I like you, Lee Seokmin, and I’m still shocked that you like me, after everything you’ve had to see.”

“Well, I do. I like you so much that I might be seeing stars over your head every time you come into my line of sight.”

You giggle again, your insides turning to mush. “Will you be my girlfriend, Y/N Noona?” His voice is, oh, so soft, like a melody. And his eyes so earnest, like an autumn leaf. “I’d be very honoured to, Seokmin-ah.” “May I kiss you?” You feel yourself getting red with anticipation as you quietly nod your consent. 

And so he kisses you. Like your very own Prince Charming, he kisses you, one hand on the back of your neck, and the other cupping onto your cheek, first gentle and slow, and then a little more passionate, as you pull him closer by holding on to his slender waist. “Fuck, Noona. You taste so sweet,” he says while taking a breath, and then attacks your face all over by placing tiny pecks all over your nose, cheeks and forehead. “I like you so much, I think I might die from it.” You laugh once again at his words, unable to say anything else because he’s effectively shut you up through his incessant kisses. When he finally moves his face away from yours, his 1000 watt signature smile bright on his face, you say to him, “Not before we have lunch together, though.”

a/n: read the stories of the other three boys here! lmk your thoughts <3

tagging: kokoiinuts

[cutehoons02]

I’m in love an idiot

*pairing: Jay Mercedes Driver x Shy fashion student

*trope: Grumpy for Sunshine

Speed or Love series

*tags: humor, speeding, shy girl but with a nice character, mocked, Jay is as much ossesed by her, good girl, first win for Jay, first kiss, daughter of the engineer of Jay’s track, Y/n is off limits, kiss, jealousy, hugs, Y/n doesn't like physical contact that much instead Jay is the opposite of her he would hug everyone, Jay is really a green flag

* synopsis: Opening a brand of clothes has always been the dream of Y/ n but to be successful and make more people know his best friend came the idea of being able to ask for help the most beautiful driver of the circuit that who has more brands at its feet. Y/n doesn’t tolerate Jay’s presence because he is the exact opposite of her: full of friends, extrovert, has all the famous girls at his feet among influencers and models. Y/n will ask Jay for help but you know everyone wants something in return and what Jay wants is to be his first in everything, but what will Jay mean?

*songs: Me gustas, Smooth Operator, Style, Mònaco

if you like i would write a second part

* word count: 6k (Tell me if you like this kind of stories:) comments are appreciated

—REBLOG if you enjoyed

©cutehoons02 all rights reserved 2024.

The male sketch in front of you was your nightmare and also Park Jongseong or just Jay, the rising star of the Mercedes stable, the diva of the paddock with his smile and her manner of doing gentlemanly with any person with the difference that with women she flirted from morning to evening and could be girls of 20 years to women bored by their husbands immersed in the various clubs of F1 of 40 years, was the most beautiful driver of the paddock and for your misfortune, it was not you to think. Still, the whole circle, all the fans who had voted in a poll with more than 50 million votes, and every year that passed more brands demanded the name of Jay from Prada, Calvin Klein, Pomellato, etc and to your bad luck, you were the daughter of his engineer and heard about him 24 hours on 24. Your dad loved Jay, the Mercedes had him at age 14, and with the help of various sponsors but also with the results he brought home in F3 and with the victory of the championship of F2 he spent a year as third driver for the team and this year was his first year under the silver star of Mercedes and the whole team could not be more satisfied with the results he had brought.

You looked at the sketch before your eyes and puffed, besides the window, you could see the skyline of Barceloneta and with that view, you should have felt relaxed and had some inspiration but instead in your head there was a cosmic nothingness only the sentence that had told you a few hours before Jay in the car, you were studying fashion and your brand was struggling to emerge so your best friend with whom you had created the brand had the brilliant idea that you could even think of asking Jay for help, but you immediately said no, you had hardly talked with Jay since the beginning of the season and you had been to some great prizes so how could you ask for help from one of the most famous, noisy, exuberant people in the paddock for the growth of your brand? Besides, you were too shy and didn’t give any good vibes to that guy with all those different girls around him every weekend, in the box every weekend there was some model or influencer who worked with Prada and he seemed not to notice your presence even if you were his engineer’s daughter, he had said hello three or four times and in these few meetings he never even smiled at you; but everything changed the night before when you met Jay for the first time alone without any other friends, drivers or famous people around.

You were waiting for your dad’s car to leave the circuit. In addition to some travel bags that you had in your father’s hand, you also had your notebook with various sketches for your brand and some colors with which you had done tests to see what shade was better for the graphics you had created for the shirts and sweatshirts that you wanted to design and produce in the future, you heard a light whistle and watched Jay approach the parking lot where all the drivers had their cars, with his blonde half platinum hair with small pink hues, they highlighted, even more, the slightly honey-colored skin and also the small birthmark that had in the neck shaped like a butterfly/ heart seemed to stand out more thanks to the color of his hair.

A shy smile formed on your lips because to be an F1 driver you imagined him dressed a little all tacky instead he wore All-Star at the rate consumed, of the slightly elegant black trousers and a light pink cardigan that unintentionally matched her hair color, held a giant Prada bag with the Mercedes logo in the other hand his inseparable guitar, had this fixation in the play before going down the track and surely it was his lucky while putting in the car all his equipment turned to your side and looked at you for a second and then returned to rearrange the trunk of his sports car, you didn’t expect to have a conversation with him but even a simple hand gesture would have been nice on his part, you took your phone and wanted to disappear from that embarrassing scene instantly but you heard a voice talking.

"Sweetheart don’t tell me you’re waiting for your dad because he’s still doing the briefing with the other engineers and it definitely won’t be over in an hour, it’s better if you call yourself a company car of the Mercedes otherwise in the hotel will not arrive before 22 with the traffic that there is to get to Barceloneta" You raised your eyes, god why did he have to call you sweet? He knew clearly what you called, and tried to call your dad’s driver a couple of times but did not answer. A light laugh came out of the American boy before he started his sports car, you heard the roar of the engine and put you slightly away from that car before it hit you with a reverse. When Jay got out of the way he had the engine rumbling and a slight smell of gasoline crept into the air, you saw Jay lean back and open the passenger door and wave to you with his hand to come in, "Sweetheart you can trust me not bite, we are also the same age and i can promise that i don't intend to touch or touch with a finger even because you’re the daughter of my engineer i don't want to be under the ground before winning a world championship with Mercedes! So don’t be difficult and let me take you to the hotel while we’re in the same building." You still looked as if someone came from the circuit but besides other workers of other teams, there was nobody so you put your dad’s bags behind the trunk and sat with your notebook and your colors in Jay’s sports car and maybe it was a bad choice because in Within seconds you found yourself with your hands holding the seat firmly for the high speed in which it had started.

"Are you out of your mind? We’re on a normal road not in an F1 track idiot, you said that you do not want to die before winning a world championship with the Mercedes but if you run like this sooner or later you’ll crash. Lower that speed otherwise..." You heard Jay laugh and watch you as he was speeding down the highway towards Barcelona "Otherwise what Y/n? You throw yourself from the car at almost 200 kilometers per hour, I know that if intelligent you never would do it" You saw Jay watching you while he was running at that speed and you slapped him in the arm "Park Jongseong looked at the road instead of looking at me, Before I die I seriously want to graduate, give my first kiss, open my brand and" before you go ahead with the list of things that you wanted to do before dying felt the car lose speed and finally go at a speed appropriate for the road code.

"Wait, give your first kiss? open a brand? what are you talking about? Didn’t i think my engineer’s shy little daughter could be so interesting, sweetheart why have we never talked before today?"

What were you into? You never talked so much with people especially if this person was of the opposite sex, you were always shy with people and did not talk to males

"Uhm maybe because you’re too busy with all those celebrities that you have around every weekend in the paddock or your box" you lowered your voice slightly because you didn’t want to be cynical or disagreeable with Jay but you were never talkative, you preferred to listen to people or even better to be alone.

"Sweetie doesn’t tell me you’re jealous of me, i know personally 1% of the famous people who come to my box during the weekends but tell me more about this brand and how you never gave your first kiss" You felt the look of Jay and felt a slight sense of anxiety "There is nothing to say,i never gave my first kiss to anyone, in practice there was never the opportunity or maybe even if but if i have to kiss someone i must feel comfortable and the other person must like me."

"Sweetie you’re making fun of me, it’s impossible that no guy has kissed you before, look at you have nice wavy hair/ curly, light eyes, you can see that you have a beautiful physique even just wearing a t-shirt and short shorts and not to mention that third abundant you have of the breast" A slight redness crept into your cheeks and put your arms crossed under your breast, as he knew that you had an abundant third? Of course, she’s seen who knows how many nude models in her bed.

"I’m serious Jay" you saw him nodding and with a hand taken from your notebook a sheet with a small sketch of a model with a sweater with a slightly modern but original print take the cherry blossoms and under the design it was written China gp and Japan Gp, a slight whistle came out of Jay’s lips and looked at you while you were standing at traffic lights "Sweetie didn’t think you were so good at drawing, can i see more of them please?" anguish and showed small sketches of a dress slightly elegant but practical its blue tones with small white beads that took the white foam of the sea and the various shades of blue of the seas that you could see in Cotè Azur with underwritten Monaco Gp.

"Do you like them? I know you model for super famous brands and with designers with a lot of years behind in the fashion world but I would like to know your opinion" Jay looked at you surprised, there was no one to judge your sketches but they were all wonderful "Sweetheart if i made a dress like that even if i was a man i would wear it, you can already understand that i like them, i didn’t know you were so good at drawing." A shy smile made its way into your face but you remembered that it could also tell you to make you feel slightly special and then talk about how much your drawings sucked, Part of you was thinking about what your best friend said but on the other side you were seriously afraid to hear a no. You looked at yourself a couple of times Jay and at the same time the minutes that were decreasing to get to the hotel "I’d like to ask you something, you’re free to tell me that you don’t care or you don’t have time and i’ll understand why you’re a pilot in the first place" Jay looked at you intrigued "Tell me everything sweetie as long as it’s legal you can ask me anything"

"My best friend and i, have had this little brand for a couple of months but we lack that extra thing that helps us to be more "appetizing to the public", especially to a young consumer and our age, we have a decent number of followers on ig and also on tik tok but we would like to make us known to as many people as possible" You stopped to talk because Jay didn’t give you more glances and maybe he felt exploited in that situation "So are you asking me Park Jongseong to model or advertise for you? You know i have a team that rejects brands much more famous than yours and with which i could make even more money to race in F1?"

"I knew it was a crazy thing to ask you i told her, i didn’t think of this idea, you wouldn’t have come to mind and let it go." You saw Jay bite his lips slightly and pass his hands in the tuft and felt a slightly increase speed below you

"What will you give me in return if I accept your proposal?" You saw the hands exceed 200 kilometers per hour and the heart beat too fast for your standards

"Anything legal, if you want tomorrow i can show you a sketch that I did with a male mannequin" the hands were still at 200 kilometers an hour and you knew he had not finished asking you what he wanted.

"I want a sketch with my sweet face not with a mannequin without emotions, tomorrow let me find the sketch in the box and i’ll think about it"annuities but the speed had always remained the same "Idiot if you have nothing else to ask me, lower that speed, my dad will kill you with his own hands if i hurt."

"When you are with me, no harm will ever happen to you, and stop calling me an idiot, they have not taught you to respect people older than you and if you need me you should behave well!"

"You’re four months older than me Jay not five years, tell me what you want in return, and lower the speed please"

"I’d like to be your first in everything Y/n".

The light colors of dawn were disappearing to the horizon and the sketch you had done for Jay was now finished, you thought to make him an outfit inspired by America and the 80/90 years to enter the paddock during the gp in his state of origin. A baseball hat with a little teddy bear a small guitar and the colors of his favorite Seattle baseball team, the same was in the sweatshirt but in the back, you had written "Love your fav F1 diva" and the jeans were slightly washed out color and always with small reminders of the colors of his favorite team and behind you could attach a pin with a small panicle symbol that he used also in the helmet in honor of his favorite food. You thought it was an original idea but until i gave the sketches to his PR you were not happy, there was a beautiful day in Barcelona and soon would start qualifying; you were sitting on the terrace that was on the track, and under you were the two Mercedes drivers who were going down the track, your best friend could not be at that gp so you started to get bored but when you saw that Jay could fight seriously for the first positions you carefully looked at all the times he made and with each lap he got better and better, You saw your dad focused on giving telemetry with the data of the other pilots to Jay where he could improve.

Between the interval of Q2 and Q3, your dad saw you and greeted you and gave you a thumbs up, smiles and a slight anxiety grew in you, Jay had not made any poles until now but managed to have some podiums in his portfolio from a P2 driver in Australia, P3 in China in practice he lacked the first victory and maybe more speed in qualifying, everyone in the paddock began to wonder when he would unlock as well to make perfect laps in qualifying but people did not think that before there was also Park Sunghoon, "Ice Prince" of F1, Jay and, Sunghoon were basically best friends but Sunghoon had the fastest car on the grid and was also the fastest driver on track since the beginning of the season, so when you saw Sunghoon P1, Jake P2, and Jay P3 you weren’t so surprised by the result. Jay was stronger in the race step than in the qualifying but slowly with the months you were sure that he would also start to make Pole Positions for Mercedes.

Jay had not had more occasion to speak with you or only to see you but after the race in the private plane that they had bought him, Hoon, Jake and Heeseung was looking at the sketches that you had made and had been designed for gp in America at his house, were designed for a street style that he loved to wear especially when he was in America and smiled when he saw the small detail of the pin in the shape of corn.

"Who did these sketches for you, Jay? Don’t tell me you’re denying another brand to be part of your circle because you could make me some extra money" Jake laid down in his folding seat and sipped his iced cola while looking at the various sketches

"You would have the same sponsors if I did not fuck during the race gp and not only Jake, when you start to give yourself a fix with the dramas and with various gossip that go out with I don’t know how many different girls a week you will receive also brands that want you as a model" Sunghoon and Heeseung laughed as they watched Jake lift his eyes and put on headphones.

Jay took his phone and searched for Y/n’s name on ig and saw that he had a private profile on ig so asked her for friendship, who the hell used to still have a private profile on ig in 2024? Waited a couple of minutes but no notification that Y/n was coming in his mobile until he landed in Nice to head home to prepare for the GP of Montecarlo who saw you had accepted his request and that you had followed him. Well, at least you dared to follow him.

Parkjong02: hello sweetie, i saw the sketches and i like but there would be some changes that i would make, you want to meet us on Wednesday in front of the port so we go for a coffee and i’ll show you what i’d like in the sweatshirt

Y/n: please call me Y/n and not sweetness

Y/n: I land on Thursday in Monte Carlo so before Thursday we can’t see each other

Parkjong02: what do you mean you land on Thursday? Don’t tell me that it’s an excuse not to see me alone with me! I know you live in Montecarlo with your dad

Y/n: I live with my dad in Monte Carlo but i study fashion in Paris and i can’t miss classes because the famous Park Jongseong requires my presence on Wednesday in Monte Carlo

Parkjong02: ops i didn’t know you had compulsory frequencies, i saw you in the boxes in Australia and China so i thought you didn’t have them

Y/n: this week we have to present a project is why i have to stay in Paris but if you want we can meet Thursday after the interviews for the media with my best friend so she also see what changes you would like to do and you can tell us seriously what you want in return. You know we can’t offer you a high budget if you agree to collaborate with our brand we could do anything.

Parkjong02: you already know what i want in return:)

Y/n: Even under torture you would not be my first kiss, change request

Parkjong02: Want to make a little wager?

Y/n: nope

Parkjong02: you’re so boring;(

Y/n: What is the subject?

Parkjong02: mmm by chance i signed the contract with you in Montecarlo and that i make my first pole in F1 and win the first race of my career in Montecarlo would give me the honor of being your first kiss?

Y/n: you know that it is very unlikely that you will make the Pole in a circuit like Monte Carlo if you always started under the P3

Parkjong02: so you’ll take the loan?

Y/n: we shall see

On Thursday afternoon you were inside the motorhome of the Mercedes with your best friend and you were slightly biting your nails for anxiety, what if she didn’t accept? What if he accepted but wanted more money than you could give him? and if he accepted but would seriously want to have as reward kissing you? He had never looked at you or watched from the beginning of the season because he ever wanted to be the one to give your first kiss? All these questions were driven out of your mind when you saw Jay enter in his half-unlaced suit to reveal the super tight white Mercedes jersey where he stood out his chest muscles and also his biceps, He was certainly one of the most beautiful guys i had seen with his beauty as particular. When he saw you he left his PR and headed to the small table where you and your best friend had laid down the various sketches.

"Good morning ladies, sorry for the slight delay but i had to linger more while doing the track walk in some sections of the track because i would like to make my first Pole Position in this beautiful circuit and win the race" look you badly Jay, God was seriously serious with that message he had sent you or was he teasing you?

"Don’t worry, Jay, we’re so happy to have you here to see our project even for 5 minutes with all your commitments. Me and Y/n opened this small brand in early January and is experiencing success, especially among F1 fans we thought to involve you drivers, but here is someone who in all these years has not made who knows so much friendship with you drivers of the new generation!" a slight push from your best friend made you wake up from the small state of trance in which you were finished, the only one you could count on as a friend was Jungwon but it did not have all the following that Jay had in social.

"Um, yeah, we’re really glad you’re here, Jay. You’ve already seen the sketches but I wanted to show them live and say what you would like to fix" Jay stared at you carefully and a slight smile formed in his lips, he saw how much i was against this meeting and you had always been attached to your best as if it had a weapon with which to protect you from him.

"I like the style a little vintage that you recalled, also the details on the colors of my team are beautiful but the sweatshirt would make it slightly over, in the back the writing i would like it with silver and black pallets to recall the colors of Mercedes and at the end, it would be nice to produce pins to attach in jeans that panicle is beautiful but i would prefer a pin with a small black guitar and silver that is my symbol that i always put in my helmet"

"Of course anything, we will show you if you want the next week the various prototypes of sweatshirts that we already have in stock.

"For the sponsorship speech how much would you like as a starting figure?, you know we are novice students and we do not have a super high budget but if i would make us public and also as a model we will make sure that the content will go well and also sales" Your best friend was great at making people understand what they wanted and seemed to be convincing even Jay.

"I don’t need your money, put it away for your dreams you want to build with this brand, i do nothing for free but this could be the first time for me too, or maybe there is something i would like but maybe i will only have with the win and the pole of Montecarlo, i say hello girls it was a pleasure to do business with you for your next months i will be your model so we’ll see each other more often around" Jay gave you a wink and ran out of the motorhome.

"What did he mean by the win and the Pole of Monte Carlo, are you hiding something from me, miss?"

"I’m not hiding anything from you because it’s extremely unlikely to see Pole on this track if his best result was P3 and we know how important it is to start first on this track"

The unlikely things in life could happen but how many chances were there that both in Q3 and Q2 Jay had placed first, It was missing to name the top 10 drivers as well as the top 5 rows of Monte Carlo and you were dying from anxiety both because you wanted to see your dad’s team win but also because if Jay had done Pole Position there would be too many chances for a victory tomorrow in Monte Carlo.

"The American driver is doing one last lap to warm up his tires before he launches to see if he can compete for his first pole of his career, It would be absurd to see him do Pole in Montecarlo because he always missed that swivel of speed in previous qualifying but in a couple of minutes we will find out if he or another driver will do it."

You heard the reporter talking aloud and all the people inside the box Mercedes were still to see in the maxi screens all telemetry Jay threw himself through the narrow streets of the iconic Montecarlo in the first sector he had improved a couple of tenths of his best time that he had done in Q2, watch the graphics of the times become all fuchsia (when a driver makes the best time in a certain sector of the track he illuminate fuchsia his time) your heart was beating wild because it seemed to touch all the walls with his car to make the best time and at the last curve saw other fuchsia come out of the graphics and when he passed the finish line had given 350 tenths to the second driver and was Pole Position for Park Jongseon.

The whole box was celebrating and your dad slipped out of the Mercedes' small wall and came towards you "Come with us to celebrate Y/n, i can’t believe that this crazy guy made his first pole in one of the most difficult circuits of the season, i knew when he came to his first pole was iconic but i never expected it in Montecarlo" You embraced your dad and saw all the joy he was trying to have as his pilot Jay

"I’m so happy for Jay, for you and the whole team you deserve after all the years of hard work you’ve had to face." You walked with your dad to the barricades where stopped in the first place the car was black and silver and saw Jay come out of the cabin and run to hug his mechanics and your dad, Your dad hugged him and even gave him a kiss in the helmet and immediately took his phone from his social media manager to take a picture with all the people who cheered him. He had received many criticisms because he had missed from the beginning of the season many qualifications but maybe Monte Carlo had changed something in him or maybe he felt more comfortable with the car, When he took off his helmet his gaze passed over you and made the sign with a finger 1 and then with a check to let you understand that something had completed it and that was missing victory to steal your first kiss.

A heavy rain was covering the whole state of Monte Carlo and the light wind was swaying hundreds of boats docked in the port of the Principality to enjoy closely the race and cars, this rain gave Jay even more chance to win because for almost 20 laps had in front of the Safaty Car (the Safaty Car comes out during an accident or when the track conditions are not quite optimal strong rain/ fog etc), the race direction had given the go away to the Safety Car and so started at the 21st the gp we are some overtakes but at gp, the first 2/3 who started from the first positions had good chances of winning and Jay knew that if he did not make nonsense or if the wall box He would have done everything perfectly could take home the first victory of his life.

"Jay the wheels of the car are all 4 in perfect condition, the rhythm is going well and if you see Sunghoon approaching you do not get anxious because in a couple of turns the rain will fall even stronger so it won’t fuck especially if he’s fighting for the world"

"Thanks for giving me the information about the precipitation, if i see that it comes a little too close i can push a bit more"

"No Jay, not pushing the track is very slippery and you could lose your car, take home this victory thanks to your talent shown yesterday in pole."

"Copy", he and Y/n’s dad had always had a beautiful relationship both when he was in F2 and now and trusted him 100% as if he were his guardian angel, Sunghoon was always close but he didn’t seem to want to risk too much and when the rain started falling stronger they all started to slow down, you could see little inside the cabin and a slight anxiety began to grow.

"Jay your times are going well, can you see us well or we must communicate to the race direction? Many pilots are complaining about the poor visibility"

"You can’t see a fucking thing, I’m practically shitting myself and maybe I’ve seriously pissed myself but i want to win this race at all costs."

Inside the box the mechanics started laughing at the jokes in World Vision, you and your best friend had headphones to listen to the various communications and both of you were laughing, you already knew that would become a meme on that radio team.

There were still 5 laps to go and without noticing you shook hands with your best friend and saw all the mechanics praying but at the same time started preparing the sign with P1 JAY written to put it out on the last lap so Jay could read that he had won the competition.

Your dad left the box wall and ran under the flood to see Jay first arrive and the same thing you did, your best friend and everyone else in the box, small tears began to run down your dad’s face when he saw Jay get out of the car, He threw himself into the crowd and they began to jump him lying down in all the arms that held him and after a few minutes he even went to hug his parents and apologized to the journalist for the delay.

He had all wet hair and also the suit but it was nice to see him so happy and with his cheeks slightly reddened from the sweat but also for all that affection he was receiving from all the people who had seen him grow up.

A mountain of splashes mixed with rain fell under the podium of Monte Carlo, Jay was seventh heaven to share his first victory with the trio of 02z he, Hoon, and Jake had grown together and did not believe that he still won thanks to that incredible lap yesterday.

"How are you gonna celebrate tonight, Jay? There you have to pay everyone a dinner in some luxury restaurant by the sea of Montecarlo you lost the beat, what I told you that before the summer break you won a race, you must believe more in yourself from this point of view" Hoon hugged Jay before they went to do the last interviews for various television stations.

Inside the box everyone sang and danced to Smooth Operator the iconic song of Sade that Jay had made singing to his first F3 victory, there was an air of serenity and joy but Jay had been looking for half an hour now Y/n and was seriously afraid that she had gone.

ParkJong02: Did you enjoy the race?

Y/n: You were great me and my best friend I held hands for the anxiety of bad weather but also because every lap that passed you could always slowly get away from Red Bull

a slight moan came out of Jay’s lips, because he was so happy to be able to talk also via message with Y/n, she was the daughter of his engineer could not see her in any other way but when he wanted something he wanted at all costs to have it

ParkJong02: Will you be at the Twiga with your best friend this evening? There will also be other drivers including Jungwon

Y/n: Uhm ok, what time do you go?

ParkJong02: I think by 10:00 p.m., will you come?

Y/n: someone must redeem his "prize"

When Jay read that message his cheeks turned slightly red but at the same time he bothered him because he did not want to force Y/n to kiss him, but who would not want to kiss him? had a list of models or influencers who invited him to a dozen parties organized in the French Riviera but he had only the lips of Y/ n in mind since he had discovered that he had never given anyone his first kiss a sense of protection and perhaps protective possession had grown in him.

The music was booming in the club in front of the port and the privy there were all the drivers of the new generation who were celebrating Jay’s victory, with gold there was the PR of Jake and another girl that you had already seen working for Red Bull, Jay noticed you with your best friend and signaled you to go to the side where they were near the water.

"I didn’t think you’d come sweeter, these idiots you know all of them instead they’re ___ Jake’s PR and ____ the Social Media Manager of Red Bull, order whatever you want." You saw him go to the balcony and say hello to some celebrities and I put you close to your best friend and Jungwon, he and your best friend didn’t get along so much so every time you had to be careful that they didn’t kill each other.

"Calm down in two minutes she will come back and be with you all the time Y/n, had to tell your dad that you were under his protection from any pilots or guys who tried to hit on you" Jake started laughing taking his beer to his lips and gave you a friendly wink.

"I don’t need his protection if he’s the first one who wants to break the rule" Hoon made a little whistle "He said you were slightly shy with people Y/n, instead I know you know your stuff" Sunghoon looked at you carefully and turned his gaze away from her angelic but emotionless face.

Jay approached the group and smiled at you, Jungwon, and with the PR of Jake who complained about how much he made her regret but your eyes were always almost always attracted by Jay god because he was so attractive but still beautiful without doing anything. After a few more minutes he approached you and a colony that smelled of sandalwood and citrus invaded you.

"It seems that improbable things happen in life or maybe it is destiny that is telling us something Y/n" Jay’s face was too close for your taste and when he whispered to you you felt a slight anxiety grow in you but also little shivers.

"Guess fate is on me if i have to give my first kiss to a jerk like you who was almost killing himself in qualifying just to make the fastest time for pole."

"Well, it was worth the risk so much if i could collect my first win in F1 and maybe even a kiss from you Y/n" felt a big hand lean into yours and Jay took you out of the club and started walking near the port. " You said that if you want to kiss a guy you have to feel comfortable Y/n?" You looked and watched as the moon illuminated the beach expanse before you, Jay’s hand was perfectly intertwined with yours and you pulled your hair out for anxiety until you arrived in front of the beach and Jay sat you on the wall that supported the porch to go down to the beach.

You felt Jay’s hand caress your cheek and carry behind your ear a rebellious lock, his look never came off your face but he never looked at your lips and this thing made you crazy, he had said that he wanted, Instead your gaze was always lower than his and you looked at his lips slightly fleshy and as some slightly blonde and pink tufts fell on his face.

"I see how you’re looking at me Y/n and I’m so happy that this look is only for me and no other idiot who would take advantage of you."

"I’m not looking at you in any particular way, Jay, i’m just seeing how the light reflection of the moon is making your skin stand out and even your colored hair, don’t get your head but you look good with this color You’re better blonde than your natural color" a light whistle came out from the lips of Jay and you felt his hand touch slightly the lower part of your back and approach you.

"Y/n has seriously made me a compliment this is new to me, where did the shy girl who talks about you in the box?"

"Maybe she’s feeling slightly comfortable and never thought she would be with an idiot who risks dying or having accidents every weekend at 300 miles per hour" Jay smiled at you and got dangerously close to you.

"Are you telling me that i’m putting my track engineer’s shy daughter at ease? I know this would be wrong because i know you’re off limits but i’m so eager to kiss you, can i be your first boyfriend you give your first kiss Y/n? Annuisti and shortly after you felt the sweet lips of Jay kiss you gently, it tasted slightly of alcohol but sweet, and without noticing you put your arms behind his head to bring him closer to you, your lips were perfectly made to be kissed and you felt slightly biting your lips infernos and a slight moan came out of your lips, thanks to this little moan Jay smiled in your lips and put his tongue into your mouth and from the light kiss that had begun made it to how passionate and intense.

Jay took a second to let you take a little breath and caressing your back lowered slightly and gave you a light kiss with the lips as if it were the most natural thing in the world, another light kiss given to you on the forehead and then embraced you like a teddy bear, how could he be so calm after having put his tongue into your mouth a few seconds before, Your whole body froze when you felt his body pressed against his and your heart was beating so hard that you were sure he could feel it.

"It seemed like you needed it, i see how hard you work to give hugs to people even to people you trust as your dad or your best friend," he muttered, his lips folded in a smile.

You stared at him, with your eyes like a deer and without words. The heat has passed through your cheeks and you have hurried to find the voice. " You can’t just kiss me like you’ve always wanted to and then hug me things if i did not know my boyfriend" You tried slightly to get away from his chest but he squeezed even more to himself "Since you don’t embrace a person Y/n? , you’re so stiff but at the same time i feel your heart beating like crazy so it means that underneath you like my hug"

"I don’t love physical contact with people so much, I’ve always been shy about people and I have trouble opening myself both mentally but also physically, I hope you won’t make fun of me Jay"

"What? No, i would never Y/n. Everyone has their insecurities and fears but when you see that a person tries in all ways to make you feel comfortable try to open up as you are doing now with me sweetie. If i knew you didn’t love physical contact so much i wouldn’t ask you to kiss me, by chance was it too much for you?

"No at all, i liked it in the sense that i felt safe with you and for having been my first kiss i wouldn’t change it for anything in the world" You couldn’t face it when you said these words, Of all the people in this world you had to feel comfortable with Jay Park, who would have thought that fate was ready to introduce her shy daughter of her father and the paddock diva...

taglist: @cloudykim @enhaverse713586 @immelissaaa @d4-b1 @firstclassjaylee @stormy1408 @jakesw82 @misssparklyprincess @bamguetismee @jaylajakey @arclviie @strxwbloody @steddie-steddie @jungwoosbaey

[seunghyunjigglers]

mama, a stray kid behind YOU ★ @seunghyunjigglers

ot8 skz members as brainrot memes!

author's note: we even included links for some of the less chronically online divas out there (generous much?)! a lot of thought and effort went into this and we hope you love and appreciate our firstborn child. tw: dark humor. betas, do not interact!

chan ★ "i'm the leader, i'm the alpha, i'm the one to trust"

unironically watches bad edits of himself and goes "ayeee" to hype himself up about being edited

comments under them on his secret account

his fyp is now most definitely infiltrated by alpha chan edits

let's be real the whole trend was probably what inspired wolfgang to be released

bites his lip bc he thinks it makes him look sexy and he just looks like he's eating his bottom lip

tries to do that thing where guys put their necklace between their lips and take pics to be sexy but the necklace falls down his throat and he starts choking

would deliberately start doing aegyo followed by serving face to show his 'duality' since apparently the fandom love it (poor guy doesn't understand irony still)

LOVES when stays talk about his gyatt and starts using it bc he thinks its just another normal word for ass and seungmin and felix almost throw up laughing at him

minho ★ "queen never cry"

genuinely thought 'lock in' was something to be taken seriously and does NOT take it lightly when chan tells everyone to lock in

his kinky ass also probably thought it was some kind of jail roleplay (jisung had to explain it to him)

has mewing competitions with himself in the mirror

makes 'minho never CRY 💜' the note on his alarm in the morning

thinks it’s funny when he recommends the ki sisters manga (where the meme comes from) to people as his favorite series and the poor author has to actually go on a talk show cause he blew it up with the internet

checks his notifications EVERY day hoping someone will edit him with that baby

accidentally comments “queen NEVER cry” under a sentimental skz edit on the official account and wakes up with several calls from his managers.. let’s just say it didn’t go over well

changbin ★ "gadagadegadagadao" (omega nugget)

he stumbled across this meme on felix's fyp one evening and thought it would make the best vocal warmup for his raps, didn't realise it was a joke and actually uses it before recording tracks

when he discovers its a meme he thinks its hilarious and makes it his whole personality

stops mid convo with people and makes the face and thinks he's so funny (everyone is tired of it)

orders mcdonald's for everyone and takes the time to draw the face on EVERY chicken nugget and couldn't be prouder of himself

genuinely thinks the song is an actual banger and has it saved as a sample for a potential title track

hyunjin ★ "donatella VERSACE"

only types like THIS 💜 and felix and seungmin are the only ones who get it

chan finds out and secretly changes his name in a groupchat with their managers and staff to "hwang HYUNJIN 💜"

he is tired but donatella is not

his gag christmas present for secret santa is boxers with ms versace herself covering his chocolate starfish and he has a wardrobe malfunction while wearing them at a show and EVERYONE sees

is actually really embarrassed when he has to explain what it means to her and she just nods and tries to smile with all her botox

after this she comments it on all her posts and he accepts that he’s never escaping it

jisung ★ "jiafei 'in my head' remix" (floptropica)

this man is always singing his lungs out in every skz code and somewhere along the way he saw an edit of him with jiafei's vocals in the bg

was actually impressed by her vocal skills and tried to hunt down her ig page, ends up on some fake floptropican fanpage but he doesn't know this because he has minimal survival skills

dms some loser message like "wow your voice is sooooo nice haha...i also like to sing lol...so do you like korean boys haha..."

owner of the jiafei fan account is a stay and thinks this is hilarious and catfishes the hell out of him for WEEKS, sends vocal edits and jisung unironically eats them up, he def sends back vms of him doing vocal covers to impress her

felix hears him singing a jiafei remix one day and almost shits himself laughing, jisung gets angry and defensive until felix reveals that jiafei is literally a meme

realises he's been catfished

blocks the account and gets sulky whenever any floptropican edit pops up on his fyp, but still sings the jiafei remixes quietly to himself (some habits are hard to break)

felix ★ "oi oi oi...baka" (freaky larvae)

recreates it and everyone takes it seriously and he has to make a video telling everyone it was not in fact a thirst trap

breaks up serious arguments like "we need to calm down...you're all being a bunch of...heh...bakas..."

searches it up one day to see if there's any other lore and accidentally discovers a yagami yato audio and gets traumatised

seungmin gets fed up by felix constantly repeating it so he comes up with a master plan and during one of their japan concerts says "oh, felix has been practicing his japanese lately...what's that thing you keep saying?"

i feel like he'd perfect that freaky expression and everyone is sick of him and changbin for randomly using them

picks larva on his turn to choose something for movie night and everyone comically (see what i did there) groans and gets up while he’s just there cracking up

seungmin ★ "saddam hussein hiding spot"

this guy saw a 'saddam hussein hiding spot' comment under jeongin's post and fell down the rabbithole (or rather, the entrance covered in bricks and rubble)

thinks its HILARIOUS because it's a historically accurate meme (nerd!)

definitely whispers it every single time he sees someone or something laying down and everyone is so fed up with it, also gets felix to do the voice since he can imitate it perfectly

uses it as an excuse to randomly start lying down during dance practices and when everyone complains he just says "why am i lowkey serving saddama hussein hiding spot?"

he'd take this shi so seriously like he'd be doing the math to figure out how much time to spend on each app each day so he can make his daily screen time average look like saddam hussein JUST to make the reference

jeongin ★ "that feeling when knee surgery is tomorrow"

someone makes a comment about how they tore their acl and have to get knee surgery and he goes "that feeling when knee surgery is tomorrow" and starts laughing

it wasn't very funny to said someone

probably has to make one of those formal instagram apology posts because of it (he sets the music as the bg for the original post but his manager makes him delete it and post again)

fake falls at practice and when everyone crowds around him all worried he says he feels like he might need knee surgery tomorrow and gets kicked out of the room

pays an insane amount of money to get everyone matching knee surgery knee pads for practice and absolutely loses it every time someone actually needs to use it and has no other choice

posts a fake hospital pic with “do NOT get your knee surgery from shein !!” on his secret account

asks for permission to change his pfp to the grinch and considers outing jyp when he gets told no

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

A Touch of Sweetness 6

Warnings: non/dubcon, mentions of crime, and other dark elements. My username actually says you never asked for any of this.

My warnings are not exhaustive but be aware this is a dark fic and may include potentially triggering topics. Please use your common sense when consuming content. I am not responsible for your decisions.

Character: mob!Loki Laufeyson

Sister series to mob!Thor

Summary: you make a new friend, but that’s not all. (short reader)

As usual, I would appreciate any and all feedback. I’m happy to once more go on this adventure with all of you! Thank you in advance for your comments and for reblogging ❤️

You lean forward to keep an eye on the moon. It glows brighter as the sky deepens around it. You always liked watching the sky. Your favourite mornings are when the full moon appears against that baby blue canvas. 

You sit back, keeping the container of tarts steady on your lap, and instead focus on the streets. You don’t often go through these neighbourhoods. Truly, there isn’t much you do on your own. You were only ever your sister’s tag-along. 

“You know, it isn’t often I drive anyone to my brother’s estate and see them leave so pleased,” Loki muses. 

You glance at him, untangling his words. “Oh? But it’s a very nice house.” 

“The house is pleasant, but not all within can be,” he replies. As always, his words are aligned to mystify you. 

“I don’t think you’re unpleasant,” you argue. 

“I didn’t mean...” he begins then shrugs. “Hm, I suppose that is a compliment.” 

“Sorry, I guess I misunderstood,” you say. 

“Suppose you did,” he agrees. 

“Thor must be a good brother. He seems so happy. And you two get along.” 

“Do we?” He wonders. 

“Uh, oh,” you chew your lip. “Or I wouldn’t know. We only just met. It’s only that he brought you to the berry farm and--” 

“And he sends me to drive around his plaything’s plaything,” he scoffs. “Yes, I am a useful asset, as everyone else in my brother’s wife. A word of advice, if you might hear it; when you assume the best in people, you set yourself up for the worst.” 

You bat your lashes in his direction and frown. His profile is naturally pensive; his nose elegant and his cheekbones sharp. You shift uncomfortably. 

“That’s a sad way to look at the world,” you comment. 

“It is pragmatic,” he insists as he curls his thumb under the wheel to turn on your street. “If you can apply a bit of that, your idealism might have some value.” 

You put your chin down. It’s not really an insult but it feels like one. And it isn’t something you haven’t heard before. Jada always says you have stupid ideas. 

You’re quiet as he draws up in front of your house. You undo the seat belt as you balance the container and you grab your bag from between your feet. As you open the door, he clears his throat. 

“I do not think you are unpleasant either,” he sniffs.  

“What?” You pause and look back at him as you’re half-turned out of the car. 

He sighs, “here, you are going to drop something.” 

He gets out and struts around the car. He comes around your side and takes the container from your hands. He stands back with his hand on the door. 

“Thanks,” you stand and step out of the way. He closes the door and you reach for the tarts. 

“I shall walk you to the door. To prevent any mishap,” he says. 

“Okay,” you agree. 

You walk together to the porch and he lets you lead him up. You stop at the door and search in your bag for your keys. It’s a lofty mission as everything is just tossed in together. 

“Before, you said I wasn’t unpleasant and I only wanted to know that I would say the same of you, that is all,” he explains as your keys jingle over the top of your bag. 

“Oh, yeah, thank you,” you beam up at him. “See, I was right.” 

His eyes dart away and he turns his head to the street. You unlock the door and hook your bag on your shoulder. You put your hands out and he gives you the container. You hug it and pop the lid off. 

“Try one,” you insist. 

“I said I would later,” he slithers. 

“Please? The good part about baking is getting to share,” you say. 

He exhales and looks at you. He reaches to pluck a tart out. He examines it and takes a small, tidy bite. He chews and swallows, his cheeks pinching. He’s silent and you’re nervous. 

“Delicious,” he allows and lowers his hand, “I will finish it in the car. I’d be out of your way sooner than later. Have a good night.” 

You smile. It’s a small victory. “You too, Loki.” 

He hesitates then turns away. You watch him go and he brings his hand up to take another bite as you stare at his back. You spin and push through the door. You set down the container and take your shoes off. 

Jada appears at the end of the hall as she emerges from the basement. You grab the tarts, ready to retreat to your room. She calls your name. You ignore her but she follows, grunting and out of breath. 

“Wait, I have your clothes,” she says. 

You stop and face her. “My... clothes?” 

You look at the basket in her hands then at her. Her eyes are swollen from crying and her hair is a mess. You gasp. 

“Jada? Are you okay?” 

“I’m sorry, okay? I'm about what I did.” She blusters out. 

“Oh...” 

“And I cleaned out your dresser and I did my best to get the stains out,” she babbles out. 

“What-- why?” You grimace. 

“Because it was wrong. It was mean,” she sniffles and her eyes flit around. 

“Oh?” 

“And I bought you some new berries,” her voice is wispy and nervous. “So, we’re even and you’re not mad at me anymore, right?” 

You shrug, “I guess so.”  

You open your bedroom door and let her in. Your dresser is as clean as promised, you even think she vacuumed. She puts your clothes on your bed and hurries back. 

“Oh, did you want me to put them away?” She asks. 

“Er, that’s fine,” her behaviour is making you nervous. You remember what Loki said in the car about assuming things and you know your sister; she isn’t nice without reason. “What do you want?” 

“Huh? Nothing,” she stands by the door, shifting her weight as she hugs herself. “I just... felt bad.” 

You doubt that. Even you have enough cynicism for that. You know she won’t tell the truth though. She never does. 

“Well, if you want a berry tart,” you gesture to the container. “They’re pretty good.” 

She brings her hand to her throat and shakes her head. “No thanks,” she backs out, her voice scraping hoarsely. “Um, good night.” 

She turns and pulls the door shut as she leaves. You sit on the bed and wiggle your feet. There’s something strange going on. You better take Loki’s advice and stay alert. She’s up to something. 

[les4elliewilliams]

Ellie is away... // e.w

chapter 1 – 2002, Senior year High school

a/n: helooo:)) okay so this is my first series and first time actually writing something, i'm aware its not the best but its just for fun so idrc. im new to tumblr and i'm still trying to figure everything out so, reblogs and comments are highly appreciated. this is based off the game emily's away. also i know youtube wasn't really a thing back in 2002 but for my own sake, please, lets pretend it was. wc/cw: 1.6k. swearing, mention of drugs (just ellie saying she wants to get high) loser!ellie(??) don't know but anyways they're both simps but too scared to make a move on each other. no smut but still MDNI.

summary: a time before skype and facebook, windows xp just came out and Windows Messenger was the thing of the moment. you just got a new computer to chat with your friends

➥ part two

since windows xp came out everyone's been talking about this new instant message thing that lets you chat with your friends, everyone had it, your friends, your whole school had made an account on it, hell even your teachers used it, everyone except you and that was because you didn't even own a computer in the first place. you've begged and begged your parents until they got you one, you didn't care what kind of computer it was, even the cheapest and the shittiest worked for you as long as you could chat with your friends it was safe to say that they bullied you into getting one you made an account and signed in, typing in the search bar their weird usernames to add them to your 'friends list'. you made sure to write all their usernames down on a piece of paper before you rushed home, Ellie even had to explain to you how to do it. you picked a random icon for your profile and tried your best to pick a not so stupid and childish username who thought that picking a username for your account would be so hard? shit, you swore you probably spent more time picking a user than on your math problems and you weren't even that good in math.

you made sure to include your name in it so that your friends would recognize you and not freak out when they saw a friend request from a certain somebody

dinathedrummer ⇨ friend request sent.

jessescool ⇨ friend request sent.

brickmaster ⇨ friend request sent.

now you just had to wait until they accepted your request. meanwhile you just navigated on the internet, trying to learn a thing or two about your new computer, it was so odd but addictive.

you nearly jump when you hear a sound coming from your computer and something popping up in the right corner of your screen

brickmaster has accepted your friend request!

you eagerly click on it and it immediately leads you to the chat, your fingers aggressively hitting the keycaps almost too enthusiastic to chat with your friend Ellie (as if you don't see her daily)

brickmaster has signed in.

ynshere: Ellll!!! hiii

brickmaster: aboutt freaking time ynshere: right ynshere: but hey ynshere: better later than never, right?

brickmaster: yeah yeah brickmaster: nice icon by the way brickmaster: so, whats up??

ynshere: nothing really, just talking to you ynshere: what are you up to?

brickmaster: nothin, just listening to music :)

ynshere: ew what's that

brickmaster: rude brickmaster: it's called smiley face brickmaster: i really gotta teach you everything don't i?

ynshere: shut up ynshere: i know what it's called, i'm not stupid

brickmaster: you sure about that?

ynshere: positive :P

brickmaster: ooooh brickmaster: look at yn go

ynshere: shut it ynshere: so what are you listening to? ynshere: your depressing music again?

brickmaster: you're one to talk brickmaster: my grandma got the same music taste as you brickmaster: even Joel got better taste than you

ynshere: okay and

brickmaster: and you'd be nothing without me brickmaster: let me educate you brickmaster: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vabnZ9-ex7o

ynshere: not bad

brickmaster: told you brickmaster: it's one of my favorite

ynshere: not that good either

brickmaster: now you're just being delusional brickmaster: remind me why we're friends again

ynshere: because i'm great and you love me

brickmaster: don't know about that

ynshere: and because i let you copy my homework every single day

brickmaster: yep, that's the one

ynshere: i hate you Williams

brickmaster: sorry can't hear you over my depressing music

ynshere: i hope Joel takes your computer away again

brickmaster: oh hell no brickmaster: it took me 2 weeks to get it back brickmaster: you have no idea of what i had to do to get it back

ynshere: lmao now i really wanna know

brickmaster: had to spend time with him hiking and watching action movies with him brickmaster: i even had to help out the neighbor, take care of his garden and all that shit, even take care of his goddamn dog (nothing against the pup he was such a good boy) but still brickmaster: he's so against technology he really expects us to live like dinosaurs and those primitive dudes

ynshere: lol yeah my mum's the same way ynshere: are you going to Jesse's party tonight?

brickmaster: of course i'm going brickmaster: his parties are always fun brickmaster: and i really wanna get high tonight brickmaster: are you?

ynshere: well if you’re going i am too ynshere: it’s crazy we’re already having end of school parties

brickmaster: dude brickmaster: can't wait for highschool to be over

ynshere: ahh same here ynshere: i'm so over this school

brickmaster: yeah same brickmaster: you know Cat from our math class? brickmaster: she won’t stop messaging me brickmaster: we've been messaging for days

ynshere: what does she want?

brickmaster: nothin she just wants to talk brickmaster: she said she thinks i'm cool brickmaster: like i don't know that already

ynshere: you're so damn cocky ynshere: you ain't even cool

brickmaster: what? brickmaster: jealous?

ynshere: of what? ynshere: there's nothing to be jealous of

brickmaster: cause i'm the coolest and you're just a loser

ynshere: yeah yeah keep talking ynshere: so you like like her?

brickmaster: she's pretty and all but i don't know brickmaster: too clingy

ynshere: wait ynshere: is it THAT Cat ynshere: the girl with the tattoo?

brickmaster: yep brickmaster: the one Dina hates

ynshere: oh yeah ynshere: don't like her either

brickmaster: now you're just being mean

ynshere: bitch you're the first who called her clingy

brickmaster: i was describing her

ynshere: and i was just telling you how i feel about her

brickmaster: uh oh someone’s mad

ynshere: you're making me regret getting a computer in the first place

brickmaster: i'm kidding i'm kidding brickmaster: you're just so easy to mess with

ynshere: uh huh ynshere: fuckk just one more month to graduation brickmaster: man don't remind me brickmaster: we're getting old brickmaster: did you pick a school yet?

ynshere: didn’t get accepted into my reach school :( ynshere: so i'm just going to one of the others ynshere: i don't mind though, anything’s better than high school. where are you gonna go?

brickmaster: aw man i'm sorry, i remember you telling me how bad you wanted to get into that school brickmaster: going to art school :)

ynshere: yeah makes sense ynshere: you always liked drawing after all ynshere: and you're also very talented

brickmaster: thank you brickmaster: took me some time to convince Joel but eventually he gave in ynshere: i'm glad he did ynshere: would've been a waste of talent ynshere: i still have the drawing you made for me two years ago  :) brickmaster: lol really?? brickmaster: i wasn't even that good back then but i got better

ynshere: dude you joking right ynshere: it's literally so accurate and you even managed to make me look pretty

brickmaster: lol i'm serious brickmaster: i can do so much better now brickmaster: maybe i should draw you again sometime

ynshere: i mean i am an excellent muse so why not

brickmaster: totally brickmaster: can't believe you kept it

ynshere: of course i did, it's so pretty ynshere: no one has ever made me a drawing before lol

brickmaster: glad to be your first ;)

ynshere: god that thing is horrendous

brickmaster: you literally used it a few minutes ago

ynshere: maybe Joel was right ynshere: technology really is bad for you ynshere: are you starting to see things, Williams?

brickmaster: oh please brickmaster: this is why no one likes you

ynshere: seriously though ynshere: you promise to be there for me even if we won't see each other everyday? ynshere: you're my best friend i don't wanna lose you  :(

brickmaster: shut up you're literally one of my best friends brickmaster: nothing could ever keep me from talking to you brickmaster: who’s gonna annoy you when i leavee

ynshere: right ynshere: i’d be miserable without you ynshere: asshole

brickmaster: here we go with the pet names again brickmaster: stop flirting its working on me

ynshere: see what i mean ynshere: i could never go without all this ynshere: you're like one of the few people who made high school tolerable

brickmaster: same goes for you stupid brickmaster: you made it fun

ynshere: i know ynshere: who's miserable without me now?

brickmaster: shut up you dork brickmaster: Dina’s coming over in a few so we can head to the party together

ynshere: alright so i'll see you two there?

brickmaster: yep i'll see you there brickmaster: think Cat is gonna be there too? brickmaster: what if she wants to hang out with us

ynshere: don't know El ynshere: she’ll definitely be there ynshere: you don't want her around?

brickmaster: i mean, i don't know brickmaster: i don't wanna be a prick

ynshere: you are a prick ynshere: just tell her you're not interested

brickmaster: yeah i think i will brickmaster: or i could just avoid her, she’ll get the hint, right?

ynshere: or you could just tell her ynshere: why so scared?

brickmaster: i just don't wanna be mean and hurt her i guess brickmaster: but it's whatever. i'll tell her i don't like her that way brickmaster: it's better than leading her on

ynshere: mhm ynshere: look at you being mature

brickmaster: shut up brickmaster: shit, Dina’s here brickmaster: see you soon?

ynshere: see you soon ;)

brickmaster: oh look you just did it again

ynshere is away. brickmaster: of course you'd do that. brickmaster is away.

¡! daily click・palestine masterpost・do not buy any game from naughty dog, neil druckmann is a zionist・more daily clicks. ¡!

[achilles-rage]

Good Luck Charm: Chapter 4

college football player!buck x plus size!reader

summary: you're hanging out with evan on campus when a girl he knows comes up to you two, and you can't help the insecurities bubbling up inside of you. your insecurities force you to snap at evan and run away, ignoring him when he tries to talk to you about it.

word count: 2.6k

previous chapter

series masterlist

A/N: to the person that requested more angst, i offer you this🤲🏻 this series has me so excited that i think about it most of the day, and i really appreciate all the positive feedback so far! enjoy chapter 4! <33

warnings: slight enemies to lovers?? slowburn(ish)???, slightly insecure!reader, no use of y/n, fem!reader, race inclusive!reader

The day after you tell your roommate about Evan, you’re walking down the hall on your way to class when he slides up beside you, bumping your shoulder softly. His eyes trail down your figure as he notices you’re wearing another dress. He likes you in dresses, and it’s lucky that you’re taking advantage of the warm weather before it gets colder.

“Good morning, princess.” He smirks smugly when he notices the way your face lights up and you greet him in a happy voice. You can barely make out anything other than good morning before you look back down, embarrassed at how eager you seem to speak to him. Your face burns as you remember how late you stayed up talking about him to your roommate, further adding to the embarrassment. 

“What’s that little smile for, huh? No smartass comments this morning?” he teases, slowing to a stop as you stand in front of your classroom door, waiting for the class before yours to be let out.

“Nothing to say, I guess.” you whisper, looking up at him as he leans against the locker in front of you. He hums softly, licking his lips. Your eyes trail down to his arms, blinking slowly as you notice the way his biceps flex slightly under his shirt as he crosses his arms over his chest. You’re not usually this nervous around him, and you’re beginning to think that maybe talking about him so much is why. You had kept it hidden from everyone before, even yourself. But now, there's no hiding from your feelings for him.

“I like you all speechless, princess. It’s cute.” he teases, as his eyes trail over to a girl that's making her way over to you two, eyes trained on Evan.

“Hi.” she says, smirking up at him, moving to stand almost directly in front of you, pretending you’re not even there.

“Uh, hey Sab. What’s up?” he asks, standing up straight, shoving his hands in his pockets. He looks a little annoyed, but you don’t notice. Your eyes are focused on her, examining her. You can’t help but let out a sad sigh. She’s gorgeous. She’s exactly the kind of girl you imagine Evan would want. 

As she shamelessly flirts with him, it’s like something in you switches, snapping you back to reality. If you were to look at him instead of her, you would see his lack of interest in her, but your insecurities are too loud. How could you think he wants you? You know nothing about football. You don’t go to parties like you’re sure she and Evan do.

And besides, guys like him don’t want girls like you. You know you’re pretty, despite some people in your life telling you that your size means you aren’t. It’s taken you a long time to feel confident in your curves, but you know that some guys just aren’t interested in you because of them, and that’s fine. You just can’t believe you let your feelings get in the way of this fact, and made you think for a second that Evan likes you as anything more than a friend. He's probably just being nice to you so your assignment will go smoothly, you think.

You’re so caught up in your own thoughts that you don’t realize how his eyes keep finding their way to you, and the way he’s acting as uninterested in this girl as possible. He notices that you're completely zoned out from the conversation, and he's a little relieved. He knows Sabrina; he's hooked up with her a couple times at parties, but he doesn't like her like that. He doesn't really want you to know how he knows her, though. He doesn't want you to think he's a complete douchebag. And besides, ever since he met you, you're all he can think about. 

After a few very long minutes, he finally gets her to leave, but you’re still barely listening. You're deep in thought as you feel your walls coming back up again, staring at Evan's chest, eyes completely unfocused. You can’t believe you made cookies because of him, you think.

“Whoa, what’s up with you?” he asks once Sabrina has walked away, ducking his head down slightly to meet your gaze.

“Don’t act like you care.” you reply coldly, eyes darting up to his. He almost stumbles back at your tone, brows furrowing as he takes in your tense stance.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Come on, talk to me.” he says, crouching down slightly and grabbing your upper arms gently. Why are you acting like this again? He thought you were past this.

“There’s nothing to talk about. I don’t know why I thought we could be friends. Or anything else.” you trail off, crossing your arms over your chest as you look down at the ground. You can tell you're being a little harsh, but embarrassment fills your stomach and you feel like you're going to throw up. You can't help the tone in your voice, even though you know he doesn't deserve it. He makes your thoughts so jumbled that you can't hide any emotions in his presence. You feel like a pathetic, love-sick child.

“Hey, come on, don’t shut me out again. Just talk to me, please.” he pleads, eyes searching your face as you try not to look at him. You let out a quiet breath, shaking your head and leaning back from his touch.

“I have to go to class.” Your voice is a whisper as you turn and duck into your classroom. He’s left alone in the hall, dumbfounded. What the hell just happened? He assumes it has something to do with Sabrina, but he’s not sure why. He was clearly acting uninterested in her, so why did you walk away from him so quickly?

He sighs, walking out of the building, lost in thought as he racks his brain for something he might’ve done wrong. He comes up empty, other than the conversation he just had, but he really doesn’t know how he could’ve made himself seem any less interested. He didn’t smile at her once, even when she ran her hand down his arm, hoping to get a rise out of him.

He pulls out his phone, clicking on your text chain and texts you quickly.

Evan: Please talk to me, princess.

Evan: Just tell me what I did, at least.

You huff as you see Evan’s name appear on your phone. You open the conversation, but don’t reply, instead trying to focus on your professor beginning the lesson. You really don’t want to deal with this right now. You try to push him out of your mind as you type out your notes, but it’s difficult.

After 20 or so minutes, your phone buzzes again. You ignore it, leaving it face down on the table. You assume it’s Evan again, and even if it’s not, you’re sure whoever it is can wait until class is over.

His eyes are glued to his phone as he watches the delivery status of his messages. He sees that you read his first two texts, but that the next two are still on delivered after a few minutes. He lets out a low groan and shoves his phone back in his pocket. You're probably ignoring him, or trying to focus on class, he knows how serious you are about your studies. He’ll try to text you again after practice, he thinks.

You pack up your stuff once your two hour lecture is over, and you’re sure it was the longest two hours of your life. As much as you don’t want to think about Evan, you’re dying to see if he texted you again after the first two messages. You feel a little silly, but it makes you feel a little better that he's making an effort to get you to talk to him again. You wait until you’re out of the building to open the text, feeling the calming breeze hit your hot skin as your eyes read his new texts.

Evan: Did I tell you how good you looked today?

Evan: Because you did. Absolutely gorgeous.

You roll your eyes, fighting back a smile as you reread his texts. You’re trying not to be affected by his words, but all you’re imagining is the stupid smirk that was probably on his face as he typed those texts.

You don’t respond again, not really knowing what to say. For some reason, you think it would be more embarrassing to text him and apologize. Then he might ask why you were so upset, and you don't wanna make up a lie right now.

After two hours of barely listening to your professor and thinking it over, you know that you can’t really be mad at him for flirting with that girl. He’s not yours, after all. You're a little embarrassed by what you said, but you're really not sure what to do about it. You just can’t seem to control your emotions around him, and you even if you could, you’re sure he’d figure you out eventually. Maybe you just need some time away from him to calm your nerves and get rid of this silly crush, you think.

He thinks that was the worst practice he’s ever had. His thoughts were completely on you the entire time, leaving him open to be roughly tackled by one of his teammates. It was easily avoidable, but all he could think about was the tone of your voice as you all but ran away from him.

"You good, man?" his teammate, Owen, asks once he gets off of him, holding a hand out to help him up. Evan grabs his hand, feeling winded and slightly dizzy as he stands up. 

"All good." he mutters, shaking his head slightly as he tries to fight the thoughts racing through his head.

"You good?" Owen asks again in a different tone. He can see that Evan's head really isn't in it today, even though he's usually one of the hardest working ones on the team. Out of the whole team, Evan's the most close to Owen, so he's quick to check on him.

"Uh, yeah, yeah. Don't worry about it." he says, pulling his helmet off and running a hand through his hair. 

"I know that look. It's the same one Ab had when his girlfriend dumped him." another teammate says as he jogs over to them, nudging Evan's shoulder.

"Shut up, man." Evan huffs. He's never really liked Jared, he's a dick, and most of the team only puts up with him because his father donates a lot of money to the university and the team.

"Is he right? Is there a girl?" Owen asks, surprised. They've been friends since freshman year, and he knows Evan's track record with women. He's never had a serious girlfriend. He hooks up with girls at parties a lot, but it's never been serious enough for him to think about them after they've hung out.

"No, there's not. I've just got a big assignment due tomorrow, haven't started it." he lies, putting his helmet back on. He hopes this will make them move on. He really doesn't want to talk about you to them, mostly because he knows this isn't like his usual self, and it's a little embarrassing. He's whipped over a girl he barely knows, and she's not even speaking to him right now.

Owen and Jared look at each other, smirking as they shrug, mumbling a quick "whatever, man" as they go back to their positions to run the drill again.

The rest of practice goes equally as bad, and Evan rushes to the locker room as soon as the coach calls the end of practice. He goes right for his phone, growling when he doesn’t see your name on his lock screen. He decides to text you again, hoping that making you laugh might get you to lighten up and let him back in.

You don’t get another text until you get home and are comfortably curled up on the couch with your comfort show softly playing on the tv. You open the text immediately, cursing yourself when you notice he’ll probably see the way it immediately goes from ‘delivered’ to ‘read.’

Evan: Thought you might wanna know that I got my ass handed to me at practice. Got tackled by the biggest guy on the team. Thought I broke something.

Evan: I didn’t, by the way.

Evan: Just wish I had someone to kiss it better.

You can’t help the loud laugh that escapes your throat as you read his first text. You put your hand over your mouth, giggling softly as you read his other messages, rolling your eyes once you get to his last text.

This may be enough to make you laugh, but you still aren’t ready to talk to him. You’re not even sure what you would say. You can’t really tell him that you were jealous, because he’d surely figure out why. You also can’t just keep being mean to him, you know he doesn’t deserve that. You put your phone down on the coffee table, focus returning back to your show. 

He huffs as he sees that you’ve read his texts, but don’t respond, just as his teammates saunter into the locker room, talking loudly to each other. He throws his phone on his bag and runs a hand through his hair, and Owen looks over at him as he opens the locker beside his own. 

“So, who’s the girl?” he teases, causing Evan to groan again. He notices that some of the other guys turn to their conversation, smirking as they hear that Evan may have a girl. They’re all well aware of his reputation.

“There’s no girl.” Evan says roughly, starting to take off his gear, a dull ache pulsing throughout his body from the tackles. He’s upset enough about you ignoring him, and he can’t help the embarrassment that fills him as his teammates tease him about it. They know him as a bit of a womanizer, and he’s too nervous to tell them that a girl he’s known for just over two weeks has already begun to change him so much.

“Come on, there’s gotta be one. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were whipped.” Owen teases, nudging his shoulder as the guys around them laugh.

“Shut the hell up, Owen. There’s no girl.” he lies, jaw clenched as he takes his bag out of his locker and slams the door shut.

“Alright, whatever, man.” Owen says, holding his hands up, chuckling softly as he gives a knowing look to some of the other guys. Evan is still so in his head that he barely notices the looks from his teammates while he’s getting changed. He grabs his bag once he’s changed and makes his way to his jeep, not even bothering to shower. He wants to be alone as soon as possible.

Once he’s home and showered, he tries to text you again. He lays on his back in bed, staring up at the ceiling as he waits for you to answer, but after ten minutes, you still don’t respond, so he texts you again.

You’re not sure how long it is until you fall asleep, but you wake up a few hours later. Your neck aches slightly from the position you were sleeping in as you sit up, noticing the sun is long gone and it’s completely silent in your apartment, the tv reading “Are you still watching?”

You grab your phone, groaning as you realize it’s almost 10pm, and you throw yourself back on the couch once you notice Evan’s name on your lock screen again.

Evan: You can’t ignore me forever, princess. We’re still meeting tomorrow to work on our assignment, right?

Then 10 minutes later:

Evan: Can you at least tell me you’ll be there?

You bite your lip, replying before you quickly stand up and throw your phone onto the couch, going to the kitchen to make dinner.

You: I’ll be there.

You don’t hear your phone vibrate immediately after you hit send, his name illuminating the dark living room.

He wouldn't admit it to anyone, but he’s more or less staring at his phone, waiting to see your name pop up. When it does, he smiles widely, his thumbs moving quickly as he replies.

Evan: I’ll see you tomorrow, princess.

next chapter

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[itwasntimethatdidit40]

A quiet neighborhood - Chapter 1

Pairing: Neighbor!Dave York x f!reader Words count: 5137 Rating: + 18, MDNI

Series Summary: In a quiet neighborhood where nothing exciting ever happens, your neighbor Dave is definitely a guy who catches your eye. What could he be hiding under his perfect exterior?

Chapter 1: We start to enter this neighborhood and the trouble begins 👀

Tags: POV second person, reader is female with female genitalia, wears dresses, has hair that can be tied up in a bun/ponytail, no other description is given, she doesn’t blush. smut, angst, kissing, dirty thoughts, infidelity, kinda Desperate Housewifes coded (uh, don’t judge, I love it), easter eggs in secondary character’s names (so you can have fun guessing which series/film they come from 👀), neighborhood dynamics, Carol, Molly and Alice are there. Mention of food, alcohol consumption, some reader's thoughts marked in italics and I think it's all for now. A/N: Here we are! I'm so nervous to post the first chapter of this story! I take it for granted now but: English is not my first language, I tried to proofread as best as I could so I hope there aren't too many mistakes. I don't have a beta, so it's all my fault, sorry. Let me know if you want to be added to my taglist, thanks to anyone who reads, I really hope you like it 🥹

And of course let me know what you think! Comments and reblogs are so much appreciated and they literally keep me going and try even harder! If you want to give me some advice, go ahead! ♥️

AQN - Masterlist

Your neighborhood is a quiet place. 

 White picket fences, well-kept gardens, plenty of block parties to attend, everyone knows each other and nothing ever happens. 

As a child, when you stayed at your grandmother's house who lived here, you didn't have the exact perception of how unusual and picturesque it was, like something out of a postcard.

It just made you feel safe and there were lots of kids to play with, so it was always that special place you hoped to live when you grew up. You lived a short distance away, with your parents, your grandmother would often pick you up after school and you would stay at her house until your parents got off work. You could say that you spent more time here than you did in your actual home. So when your grandmother died and left you this house, it was a natural choice for you to move here.

If you were asked who your most peculiar neighbor is, you would definitely answer Dave York. He is unlike any of the other men who live near you, messy, careless, jovial and chatty, peaceful men who are friendly with everyone. Dave is not like that, he is rather mysterious and reserved, to begin with. He is very affectionate and present with his daughters, of course, nice with his wife, but with strangers he limits himself to a politeness of circumstance, he speaks only as much as necessary, you have never understood whether it is due to shyness or a general aversion to people.

Dave is composed, precise, neat almost in a manic way in his appearance. 

He’s been living here for while, he moved here with his family a couple of years after you, and yet you've never figured out precisely what his job is, he told everyone he was a CEO for a company and no one felt compelled to investigate further, the neighborhood gossip preferred to focus on other, more juicy topics and so it remained a vague piece of information, which no one cares about. It certainly allows him to earn a lot of money considering the standard of living he leads.

It always takes you a while to wake up in the morning and you love to spend a few minutes on the porch sipping your coffee, you love that quiet moment before a hubbub of children being dropped off at school, cars pulling out of the driveway, the neighborhood waking up and getting back to life. Dave gets out particularly early so he ended up becoming part of your morning routine.

He doesn't even see you as he rushes out to go to work and you like it that way. 

He walks out of his perfect house, with a perfect garden, gets into his perfect car with his briefcase, perfectly shaved, combed, shirt and pants perfectly pressed, understated and elegant tie, shiny shoes on which not a speck of dust ever seems to have settled. You've always wondered what's underneath. 

He lives right across the street from you, so you can often see him from your window and you linger to look at him more than you'd like to admit.

You see him out early Sunday morning for a run, black sweatpants and white T-shirt, then mowing the lawn with his T-shirt slightly sweaty from running and his hair a little disheveled. 

At lunchtime you catch a glimpse of him sitting at the table in the living room, located in front of a large window with his family as Carol serves the Sunday meal. She, too, is similar in some ways. She is refined, never vulgar, has a lovely tone of voice, she’s kind and friendly to everyone, and bakes crazy desserts. She once brought you muffins to thank you for lending her a package of sugar she had forgotten to buy and they were the best you had ever tasted. And his daughters? Polite, respectful, always adorably dressed, little princesses of manners. But it is he, above all, who arouses your interest. He draws you inexplicably, for as long as you have lived here there has always been in you curiosity to find out if he has some flaw, if there is something that stirs him inside. 

And then, of course, he’s incredibly handsome, probably the most attractive man you’ve ever seen.

The first time you saw them at a block party you immediately noticed him, he stood out from all the others men. Black hair, aquiline nose, deep brown piercing eyes, plushy lips, broad shoulders, narrow waist, he wore a suit without looking either old-fashioned or snobbish, just gorgeous. You welcomed him, Carol and their kids to the neighborhood and then went back to your friends to sip margaritas and gossip. You couldn't take your eyes off him though; he was like a magnet that kept attracting your gaze.

There's nothing wrong with admiring someone from afar, is there? you tell yourself when you feel your cheeks warming up for him.

You always liked his confident but never cocky demeanor, his gestures are always measured and graceful, at parties when he talks to someone and is next to his wife he holds an arm around her waist never conveying a sense of possession but rather of protection and care. It bugs you to admit that this is exactly what you would like too.

_________________________

This morning you had to wake up earlier than usual, your boss called a meeting through an email you never wanted to receive, usually when he does it is to complain about something, which makes you want to stay in bed and call in sick. No time for Davewatching, you can't if you care about keeping your job and continuing to live in this nice neighborhood across the street from him.

You jumped into the shower grumbling, washing your hair in a hurry because you were obviously already late, and when you got out of the shower you discovered that your hair dryer was no longer working. Certainly not the best way to start the day. You cursed, fumbling in the bathroom cabinet drawer looking for a hair tie, tied your hair up in a high topknot, and sighed as you looked in the mirror to the image of a messed up you.

You couldn't do much about it, so you thought you'd put on your favorite office outfit to make yourself feel better, a dark gray skirt and jacket that you bought about a year ago. Money well spent, this suit hugs all the right spots on your body, making you feel elegant and professional, with a hint of sexiness. You feel confident. You pull it out of the closet and lay it on the bed, then look for a pair of tights to match. You rummage through your drawer and pull out at least five pairs, realizing they are all laddered. How on earth is that possible? Nothing is going right this morning. You huff, forcing yourself to wear hold-ups. Not your favorite thing to wear to work, they are certainly sexy but sitting 8 hours at your desk with silicone squeezing your thigh? No thanks. Yet this morning you have no choice.

You gather up your papers and stuff them into your bag, grab a cup of coffee adding a little milk foam that you quickly froth with a small electric milk frother, you drink it right away almost burning your tongue and then step out into your driveway heading for your car practically running, the heels you've been wearing clicking noisily on the pavement. 

You get into the car and start it, or at least try to, because it won't work. You bring a hand to your eyebrows, cursing again “Oh fuck! You gotta be kidding me!”. Your boss will have your head served on a silver platter this morning.

You get out and open the hood, to your lay eyes there seems to be nothing wrong, no smoke or other visible signs, so you think it's the battery.

You curse and get back in the car, searching your bag for your phone, your nerves are on edge when you hear light tapping on the window. You jump in your seat in fright, and when you turn around you see Dave on the other side. Great, you think. Just the situation I was hoping he'd see me in, stressed, messy, basically on the verge of tears.

You roll down the window and he asks: “You need help?” 

“Oh don't worry, I don't want to bother you, I can manage on my own,” you stammer, trying to pull yourself together. 

“The car won't start?” his voice is quite reassuring, aloof as it is.

“Yes but really, no problem, I'll call a uber.”

“Don’t be silly, let me give you a ride” you hear an amused undertone now, maybe because of your ridiculous face, you feel so inadequate and stupid in front of him, surely he thinks you're a train wreck and wants to do charity work by rescuing you as an abandoned kitten on the street corner.

You look down and see the lace of your stockings peeking out from the hem of your skirt that had ridden up too high when you sat in the car. You hastily pull down your skirt, wondering in a panic if he had noticed it too.

Your gaze reluctantly returns to him, feeling your cheeks heat up, and he seems unperturbed as he repeats, “Come on, if we don’t hurry we’ll both end up late.”

“Okay...” you whisper "well..thanks"

You get out of your car, finishing to adjust your skirt taking advantage of the fact that he has his back to you, as you awkwardly follow him across the street.

You get into his shiny expensive car almost in awe, smelling his car freshener, obviously something fancy because he’s too sophisticated to settle for something you can find at the drugstore for $2. 

It’s as clean as if it had never been used, the leather seat welcomes you, there is not a crumb or anything, this man has two little daughters and his car is immaculate.

You’ve never sat so stiff in your life, clutching your bag to your chest as if it would contaminate the car’s floor mat if you dared to put it down. 

He looks at you and urges “Seatbelt, please” and you hurry up to reply awkwardly “Oh. Yes. Of course.” and you see something shine in his eyes, a suppressed laugh, a tiny crack that disappears immediately.

You resign yourself to lay the bag at your feet and put the seat belt on, pulling it slowly, almost reverently, you feel his gaze on you and you are afraid of making another fool of yourself.

He starts the car and drives off, as you drive away from your neighborhood you try to calm down and regain control of yourself. He's just giving you a ride; there's no reason to be so jittery.

You give him directions to your office, trying to disguise your excitement as much as possible; usually you can get along just fine with anyone, but today you feel like a schoolgirl on her first experience.

You watch his profile surreptitiously as you tell him to turn right, and then left, lingering on his sculpted cheekbone, his long eyelashes, his perfectly drawn lips.

He’s so incredibly attractive your eyes almost can’t take it and so well dressed as usual, in a dark blue suit, light blue shirt and a burgundy tie with dark blue dots. 

You are almost there and a little bit sorry, you didn't feel like going to work already but now you want to sit in this car next to him until the end of the day.

When he asks you which building your office is, it takes you a few seconds too long to answer, “Oh, this one, on the right.” because you're so enthralled admiring his confidence behind the wheel.

Not only can he drive in gears, but his driving is safe, without wavering, and when he parks in front of your office you notice how he maneuvers with his open hand on the steering wheel. Sexy. You are impressed. You wonder if there is anything this man can't do.

You turn to him and whisper a thank you in a breathy voice. He looks at you and you feel his gorgeous brown eyes penetrate all the way into your soul as he replies, “Happy to help. Do you have someone who can drive you back?“

”Yes, thank you, I'll ask my coworker,” you lie, knowing that you will almost certainly have to take a bus or cab, but you don't want to give him any more trouble. 

“Okay, well, have a good day” 

“Thanks, you too”

Oh wait, there’s something…” he says, reaching your face with his hand and brushing dangerously close to your mouth with his thumb “here” He licks the tip of his finger and looks at you with his usual unflappable expression as you realize you have ridden in his car with milk foam at the corner of your mouth “you’re good now” he whispers and you would like to sink into the seat and disappear forever.

You get out of the car and walk toward the office entrance, feeling his eyes on your back, when you reach the door you turn and wave to him. He is still there, pulling up to the curb, and he gestures back to you. His car speeds away into city traffic a second later.

“Fuck,” you whisper to yourself before pushing open the door to your office and entering. 

_________________________

“Hey” you hear coming from above you as you are pulling with all your might at a plant that you don't even know where it came from and that is infesting your cyclamen flower bed. You look up and Dave is standing in front of you in your front garden, wearing the usual white T-shirt and black sweatpants he wears every Sunday for jogging. “Oh. Hi,” you say, passing the back of your hand over your forehead and then shielding your eyes from the sun to see him better. 

“So did you solve the car?” 

“Yes, thank you so much for your help” that feeling of being back in middle school when you had a crush on your classmate Josh comes alive again inside you. 

“Good. Was it the battery?” 

”That's right. I had to change it. 300 bucks! Fuck, I'll be damned.” You blather on without thinking that maybe you're not so close to each other to let yourself swear in front of him. 

Dave chuckles, even his laugh is polite and discreet but you can see a cheeky little light in his eyes along with a lovely dimple on his cheek that makes your face heated up.

"I know, they're expensive”

“Yeah, but what else could I do, I don't understand anything about cars, I’m better with plants” you chuckle trying to contain your nervousness.

“They are very beautiful,” he notes, moving his gaze from you to the cyclamens and then back to you, staring. He seems to want to say something more, his lips are half open out held, like everything about him.

“Thank you” There is a lull where you don't know what to say or what to do because he keeps looking at you with his big brown eyes that make you melt and then you ask the first thing that comes to mind "Um, are you and Carol coming to the Horowitz party next week?"

“I think so, she told me about it the other night. Will you be there?” you could almost tell you hear a hopeful tone in his voice, but you're brought back down to earth in an instant by your own inner voice. 

Stop doing this, he’s married you idiot. 

“Yes, of course.” you nod, smiling. 

He smiles back at you, “Well, I have to go now I'm glad you worked it out. If you need anything else however you can find me across the street.” 

You watch him walk away toward his home as you feel that something, at least in a very slight part, has changed between you. He is warmer, friendlier, butterflies fluttering in your stomach as you enter the house to wash your hands. You feel like floating and when you look in the bathroom mirror you see it.

The most gigantic of smiles spread across your face, your eyes twinkling.

You are beyond redemption, a complete mess.

_________________________

“Carol loves that brand”

You are at the mall, standing in front of a storefront window that is too expensive for your pocket, gazing at a pair of black leather pumps.  You turn around and see him. Dazzling in a black turtleneck and gray pants, black belt and leather lace-ups, he looks like something out of a fashion magazine. You would almost find him irritating if it weren't for the fact that by now you have to admit to yourself, you have a terrible crush on him. 

Molly and Alice greet you with a smile echoing their father “yes, that's right, mommy loves them”

You smile at the girls “I can imagine. Your mom dresses so well, doesn't she?”  And they look at you proudly nodding “she does” 

“I want to be like her when I grow up” Alice adds in her little bird voice. 

“Oh that's so sweet, I'm sure your mom will be very proud, of both of you. ” you tell her gently. 

Dave is silent and smiles softly, watching his little princesses behave with you. “Well, we've gotta go, we're going to be late for the movie” he says right back, looking a little embarrassed but as usual you think your imagination is really flying awkwardly by now. 

“Oh, what are you going to see?” you ask, always looking at the girls to trick your mind. You don't have to think about him, he's a married man, what's wrong with you. 

“Daddy's taking us to see The Little Mermaid!” Molly announces to you with her eyes shining ‘that's my favorite!’ 

“The multiplex at this mall shows old animated movies in one of their theaters on Sunday afternoons,” Dave explains ”the girls love going there.”

"Oh wonderful!" you reply "well, have fun then"

They're about to leave when Dave turns around and tells you "you should buy them anyway" You stand for a moment interjected "the shoes, I mean. They would look good on you”.

You stand dumbfounded, feeling that tingle spread through your lower abdomen again. You don't reply, but you watch them walk off into the crowd, Molly and Alice each to one side of their dad shaking his hand, Dave in the center with his beautiful hair, his broad shoulders highlighted by his sweater, a delicious butt swaddled beautifully in his gray pants, as soon as they disappear around the corner you go into the store and buy shoes. Even if they are too expensive and if your credit card could talk it would ask you if you are completely crazy. This is the measure of how screwed you are. You can't wait to wear them to the Horowitz party. 

——————————

The Horowitz house is one of the most luxurious in the neighborhood; high ceilings, marble floors, expensive furniture all over the place, chandeliers and silverware, these people are filthy rich. You used to tutor their daughter, Gretchen, a snooty little princess who grew up in bamboozlement and thought she could boss you around. Somehow you managed to win her over eventually, and since you seemed to be the only one in the neighborhood who could tame her the right way, her parents paid you good money.

At the time you had just graduated and were trying to find a job so that money came in handy. 

You say hello to Mr. and Mrs. Horowitz and jump into the fray, it's packed everywhere, and your neighbors certainly aren't begging to take advantage of the lavish buffet served poolside.

You see Gretchen in the corner flirting with a waiter and smile, shaking your head, she’s only 18 and already so flirty and cheeky with boys, at her age you just felt like an awkward and inexperienced potato with no sense of fashion and no idea how to talk with boys, you're thankful that adolescence is long over for you. Two of your neighbors, Jane and Gabrielle, are gossiping about Edie's skimpy dress and the new boyfriend she brought to the party after divorcing her husband just two months ago. They wave at you and you sit with them on poolside loungers, they’re some of your dearest friends in the neighborhood. 

“Where are Rafael and Carlos?” you ask, looking for their husbands.

Gabrielle waves her hand and says, “over there talking football with Hank.”

You’re the only one of your friends left single, after breaking up with Jesse two years ago, you decided to focus on your career. You got a promotion last year, but still no husband in sight.

You suggest to go to the bar to have a drink and they both agree. 

There is soft music wafting around, classical, very elegant like the overall tone of the party. It looks more like a wedding reception than a block party, but you know that if the Horowitz don't make it big they're not happy. You approach the bar, a nice drink will solve your nervousness as you try not to stumble and end up in the pool because of your brand new high heels, clinging to Jane’s arm.

Of course she laughs at you “honey, those shoes are gorgeous but don’t you think they’re a bit impractical for a pool party?” 

“Hey! You were the one who told me I needed to freshen up my wardrobe and wear heels more often!” You reprimand as Jane and Gabi laugh.

You've been waiting to wear them at this party all week, even doing some tests at home to make sure they don't give you blisters. 

They're the highest heels you've ever owned and yes, they’re not comfortable, especially to walk on the grass and around a slippery surface like the poolside but tonight when you looked at yourself, swaddled in a little black dress and these shoes, you've never looked so pretty. Your bank account has been severely undermined but you think it was worth it. And even though it would be lo the last thing you should want, you can't wait for him to see you.

You put on your favorite underwear underneath,  just to have that extra boost of confidence. 

You feel good, just as good as you have felt in months, and all it took was for him to notice you. You should probably feel ridiculous, but because he took away the apathy you've been feeling lately, you decide you won't. Not this time. And when you see him walk into the garden, black slacks and white shirt, no tie, the last two buttons left open, he is breathtakingly handsome.

The only thing that matters is the instant when his eyes meet yours, and they are not cold and distant, but it is as if they are smiling, sparkling with a light you have never seen in them before. 

You've kept your wild fantasy at bay until now, but you're sure that in the midst of all these people he's been watching you. 

You feel proud and beautiful until you see her.

Of course Carol is by his side, holding his arm and smiling radiantly in her cream cocktail dress.

And suddenly it all comes crashing down on you, how could you not consider that she would be here, with him, his rightful wife. She wouldn't have been missed. Yet you were so busy trying to look the best you could that you buried her in the corner of your mind, just totally ignored her until this moment. You grab the martini you ordered and down it in one gulp. 

“Hey! Take it easy, honey!” Jane says to you, raising an eyebrow. “What’s wrong with you?” 

She’s never seen you drink like that, you’ve never actually drunk like that, maybe just after Jesse left you, but it didn’t last long anyway. You shrug and smile at her. “Oh come on, it’s a party! And I don’t have to drive.”

Rafael and Carlos come over to greet you and you're left alone for a moment while the four of them go to inspect the buffet.

You try to distract yourself engaging old Mrs Threadgoode in a conversation you don't care about about the hedge bordering your houses, but out of the corner of your eye you see them approaching, her always at his side, as they make the rounds of greetings. You even try to blend taking the old lady by the arm and continuing to babble as you move behind a huge vase next to the appetizer table, hoping they won't notice you until you hear Carol's pretty voice behind you. You turn around, thinking you are doomed, as if she can read your thoughts, but there is absolutely nothing in her gaze but courtesy and grace, as usual.

It makes you even more nervous that her husband has been your constant thought for two weeks and she does not suspect in the least. 

You greet her, trying to swallow your senseless resentment, but when you place your eyes on him you feel that tingle again, that warmth invading you from head to toe, while his gaze is as enveloping and sensual as it has ever been. “You look great,” he tells you, and Carol immediately echoes him, ”oh yes, you look so beautiful today!” You say thank you, chat for a couple more minutes, and then excuse yourself by saying you need to go to the restroom. The whole time you were standing in front of him he was just staring at you, his gaze went down to your ankles noticing your brand new shoes, and you can swear you saw his mouth bend into a smile, almost imperceptible.

You still feel stupid for wasting the whole afternoon dolling yourself up for a married man.

You cross the hallway to the bathroom and see Gretchen again, deep in conversation with the same waiter, she’s leaning against the wall, running a hand over his chest covered by a white shirt and giggling coquettishly. She looks up and sees you, “Hey there! How are you?”

“All good, hun, how are you?”you reply. 

“I’m great! We need to talk later!” she shrieks at your back as you hurry toward the restroom door. You lock yourself inside in an instant and lean your hands against the sink, sighing. What the hell had gotten into you, what did you think you were doing? 

You take a couple more deep breaths and try to downplay “okay, let's just calm down, there's nothing a couple more martinis can't fix” You look in the mirror and say to yourself “now you go out, enjoy the party with your friends, then you go home and forget about this whole thing. Enough of this crap” you whisper it in a low voice. You have just finished the sentence when you hear a knock at the door. “I'm done, just a second,” you say loudly.

You don't expect the voice you hear coming from the other side “It's Dave” 

You pull your ear to the door to make sure you get it right and ask “who?”

 “Dave. Open up” Your heart skips a beat and your hand trembles on the door knob as you are unsure what to do. “What do you want?“

”To talk. Come on, open up.” 

You don't understand what you should talk about, there is nothing to discuss, nothing happened “I'm going out now,” you mumble, check your makeup quickly and pull the handle determined to avoid  him and go back to the garden to find your friends.

You make to leave but Dave pushes you back inside the bathroom “Wait a minute” You are incredulous as you look at his enigmatic smile “What is it?” 

“You bought the shoes” You don't know what he is getting at “So what?” 

“I was right. They fit you well” He smiles at you and you feel a knot in your stomach 

‘Did you need to lock yourself in the bathroom to tell me that?’ you raise an eyebrow wryly. 

The situation is so absurd that you even pluck up the courage to answer him in kind. 

“Actually, no. But to do this...yes” He leans over you and encircles your face with one hand ‘You’re so damn perfect tonight’ he whispers, before placing his lips on yours. 

You open your eyes wide as if you've been hit by a gunshot, not expecting anything like this. 

His mouth is soft and inviting, his tongue moving lightly against your lips, and you let it in, savoring a warm and delicious whiff of whiskey, losing yourself in his flavor, feeling his hands tighten on your hips. Before you know it, he has pushed you against the marble walls, caging you into his body and continuing to lick into your mouth like a thirsty man in the middle of the desert, unleashing an unprecedented storm inside you. You moan into his mouth as your arms wrap around his back and your hips thrust against his in a silent but desperate plea for attention.

Your bodies blend perfectly, it feels like one of those wet dreams you keep having at night in the privacy of your room. Him naked on top of you covering your skin with kisses that descend over your breasts grazing your nipples and then over your belly to your pussy. Him pounding you senseless as you whine and scratch his back with your fingernails feeling so full of his cock. 

He suddenly pulls back and reality collapses on you again waking you up from the stupor you've fallen into. He smiles at you again “I just wanted to tell you this,” his hand caresses your neck, his eyes fix on your breasts accentuated by the cleavage of your dress just for a moment and as he arrived he disappears behind the door again going back to mingling among the people. 

He didn't even leave you time to talk, left you standing there like a fool, wondering what the hell it all means. What does he want from you? What is going to happen from now on? Your head is empty, you brush your lips still feeling his latent taste. If you were asked who is the most peculiar man in your neighborhood, you would surely say Dave York. You would also say that he is a total threat to your heart. 

Tag list: @aurorawritestoescape @baronessvonglitter @almostempty @thundermartini @harriedandharassed @syd-djarin @penascigarette @joelalorian @pedrostories @sunnytuliptime let me know if you want to be added or removed and I'll do it right away.

[yikesmary]

THREE: HE FALLS FIRST — choi seungcheol x reader

summary: seungcheol finds himself falling in love with you, slowly but surely, and it hits him all at once.

notes: i’ve been loving the reception this series has been getting lately! i appreciate everyone who has been reading and interacting with the series.

also, i'm going to start a taglist for this? someone asked to be on it if this series had one, and i didn't realize i could've been doing that the entire time LMAO. anyways, to get on the taglist, just comment on this or send an ask. i'll try to tag everyone i see.

JUNE 13 2023 EDIT: i've created a taglist, so instead of commenting to be on the taglist, click the link!

warnings: mentions of puking (doesn't actually happen), drunk shenanigans, it's very cliché and i don't regret it

join my taglist!

previous / next

“Cheol, can you come help me?”

When Seungcheol enters your room, he could feel himself getting slack jaw. Both of you were getting ready to go out to the club with your friends, and with the 14 of you, he could only expect chaos.

What he didn’t expect, though, was you in a beautiful dress that almost made his heart stop when he saw you. Call him cliché, but he'd never felt that way before about anyone.

Oblivious to reaction and how he was feeling at the moment, you were trying to make sure your dress wasn't in a disarray when you asked, "Can you help me zip up the dress? I can't reach it,"

Seungcheol didn't realize he was staring and unresponsive until you turned around in confusion and waved your hand in his face. "Hello, Earth to Cheol? You okay?" you said.

He, thankfully, had snapped out of his trance before it could be considered really weird. "Uh, sure. Turn around," he instructed.

Looking at him weird, you obliged and felt your dress being zipped up. You turned around and said, "How do I look? I wanted to dress somewhat nice since this is the first time we're all hanging out. It's like my little friend group combining with the frat friend group of yours,"

"You look good. Like, really good," Seungcheol replied, clearing his throat when he realized he might've overdone it.

You gave him a smile and then a thought occurred to you. "Oh, when are we ordering the Uber?" you questioned.

"Uber? Why are we ubering when we have a car?" He asked.

"Well, we're both going to a club, so I'm assuming we're both going to drink," you replied.

"I'll drive," Seungcheol immediately said, not liking the thought of the both of you drunk out of your minds and he wasn't able to take care of you.

"Are you sure, Cheol? We can split—"

"No worries, I'll be the sober one so we can get home safely,"

"Alright, but don't get mad at me when I'm stood over a toilet puking my body weight out and you're not drunk,"

"As long as you're not like Soonyoung pretending to be a tiger, I think I can handle whatever you do,"

You and Seungcheol had barely entered the club when Seungkwan and Seokmin had somehow already located the both of you then proceeded to drag you to take a shot. And it wasn't long after the shot until they had dragged you to the dance floor.

After he had made sure you were surrounded by his and your friends who had decided to dance, he made a beeline to the bar, where the rest of his friends were. Wonwoo, who had made a wise decision to stay sober, had tried to offer him a drink.

"Not drinking tonight," Seungcheol declined the drink.

The boys had given him a look at his decline. "Why aren't you drinking? Usually, you'd take a beer at least by now," Jeonghan asked.

"I just don't feel like it," he replied, looking at you from afar, who was currently dancing to I Am the Best by 2NE1. He had wondered why 2NE1 was playing until he looked at the DJ Booth and saw that Soonyoung and Seokmin had somehow convinced the DJ to takeover for a bit.

Once he said that, the boys had made a look once more, this time exchanging it to each other. Seungcheol had noticed and asked, "What's those looks for?"

"It's because you don't realize it," this time it was Jihoon who said it.

"Realize what?"

"Cheol, how long have we known you? We've known you long enough to know how you drink. And you don't deny a drink when it's offered to you. But this time, you're not drinking. Do you know why that is?" Jeonghan asked.

"You guys are overanalyzing this. What if I just don't want to drink?"

"Because you would be looking at us and not your girlfriend this entire conversation," Wonwoo told him.

Part of Seungcheol knew this was true, but the other part of him didn't want to believe it. To his friends, his behavior might make sense since he was in a relationship. But to him, it didn't since he knew better than to develop feelings for someone he was fake dating.

He had figured in the beginning that it would be easy to not develop any feelings during the relationship since the basis of the relationship was built on a poorly made rumor and a deal. But what he didn't know at the time was how easy it was being with you.

While Seungcheol was trying to reevaluate how he was acting lately, a loud "CHEOL!" was heard and a body had practically slammed into him. The force was so unexpected, you and him had nearly fell to the ground.

"Oh, sorry bro," you drunkenly said, oblivious to the fact that Seungcheol was shocked you called him bro and your friends were laughing at his reaction.

"Bro?" He incredulously said.

"Bro, Cheol, same difference," you shrugged.

"How drunk are you?" He asked.

"Well, Soonyoung gave me something he called 'Tiger's Blood' and I have no idea what that contained but it tasted good and it made me feel warm inside," you giggled.

When Seungcheol looked to where the aforementioned Tiger was, he saw that Soonyoung and Seokmin was trying to jump on a table with Jun encouraging them to, Minghao filming it, and Vernon trying to convince Soonyoung and Seokmin to get down.

Meanwhile, Jihoon had left during Seungcheol's conversation with you and joined Seungkwan and Chan (who had replaced Soonyoung) on the DJ Booth. Wonwoo had left as well, but he was helping out Mingyu who could barely get on his feet because of how clumsy he was (Mingyu's not even that drunk, he's just that clumsy).

Joshua and Jeonghan were the only ones who remained with you and Seungcheol, but they were observing the both of you.

Suddenly feeling sleepy, you laid your head on Seungcheol's chest and said, "Cheol, I wanna go home,"

Seungcheol knew that if he didn't do something to wake you up, he was going to have to carry your sleeping body out of the club. "Can I have a bottle of water?" He asked the bartender, who was quick to give the bottle.

He had managed to pay the bartender however much it costs for the water bottle while you were still in your arms. He opened the cold bottle before giving it to you saying, "Here. Drink this before we go home,"

You took the bottle of water and drank a couple of gulps, feeling more thirsty than you realized. Once you drank half of the bottle, you showed Seungcheol, who had nodded in approval. "We're gonna go," he told Jeonghan and Joshua, who said their goodbyes.

You and Seungcheol had to maneuver through the crowd of people, but he made sure that you were near him the entire time. And once you both were out, he realized that you were shivering a little, so he took off his jacket to cover you.

He was about to guide you back to the car, and then he realized you wore the heels that looked obscenely painful but said it made your legs look good. "Give me your heels," he told you, and you shook your head no.

"I'll be barefoot!" you exclaimed.

"Fine, just wear my shoes," he replied, taking off his shoes and handing them to you.

"But then you'll be barefoot!"

"I have socks on, I'll be okay," Seungcheol said, nudging the shoes to you.

You grumbled but put the shoes on, feeling slightly more sober than you were when you were inside the club.

Once you guys got in the car, it was barely two minutes before you fell asleep, using Seungcheol's jacket like a blanket. When he took a quick look at you while driving, he smiled when he saw the sight.

Maybe he was falling for you, after all.

taglist: @geniejunn

[deanwritings]

The Guest House - Chapter 8

Pairing: Dean x Reader

Series Summary: Dean Winchester is going through a nasty divorce. He doesn't have much left to his name, but what he does have is his house. Leave it to his soon-to-be ex wife to find a way to even ruin that for him. Enter Y/N, who is looking to get away from life for a bit, and stumbles right into the middle of it all.

The Guest House Master List

Word Count: 3,961

A/N: Long chapter for a long wait! Really appreciate everyone's patience and please know that I do see everyone's comments and reblogs and it's much appreciated. I'm officially in grad school so my schedule is all over the place, so I've worked on and finished this chapter during various classes.

You meet Dean in the driveway at 10am, per his request, your backpack slung over your shoulder as he’s throwing some bags of his own into the trunk. 

You had considered taking your own car up, in case you wanted to make a quick escape, but you felt embarrassed by the thought. Plus, it would be very obvious why you had taken your car. If you really didn’t want to go, you could have just said, “no,” not have an escape contingency. If you were going, you were going to go the right way. 

“Mornin’,” Dean greets you with a drawl and a fresh smile as you step around the back of the truck.

“Well good morning to you too.” You return as he holds his hand out towards you. You slide your bag off your shoulder and hand it over to him. “You’re chipper this morning.” You note as he makes a point to lower, not toss, your back into the trunk. 

This was probably the happiest you’ve encountered him in the morning so far. 

“How could I not be?” He grins, resting his arms on the trunk’s edge. “Get to work on some fancy cars, get to see my baby, AND,” he holds up a finger before he drops it and points it at you. “My mom makes the best apple pie you will ever have.” You can’t help but smile at his enthusiasm, and you don’t have the heart to tell him you were a cake girl. But hell, you’ll try that pie and grin and bear it if it keeps Dean in this good of a mood. You were really starting to enjoy his smile.  

“Let’s get to it then.” You smack your hands on the side of the truck before you heads towards the passenger seat and jump inside.

Dean’s tapping his fingers along the steering wheel twenty minutes later, Bob Segaer singing quietly in the background as you watch out the window, Dean glancing at you occasionally.

You hadn’t said much since you first hit the road, just commenting on the few more brazen – aka jackass – drivers that had passed by, and the quietness wasn’t totally comfortable. At the end of the day, you were still basically strangers, and Dean can’t help but wonder what the hell he was thinking when he invited you up with him. 

He hadn’t meant to, it just fell out of his mouth, and once it was out there, he sure as hell hadn’t expected you to take him up on his offer. But you had. And his mother had raised him better than to rescind an invite.

He had made his bed, now he had to lie in it. 

After he got your text, he knew he was going to have to give his mom a heads up and decided to give her a call. 

“Is this the same girl you were complaining about the other week?” Mary’s voice rang through his headphones as he had begun packing for the weekend.

“Yeah, same one.”

“And you invited her to come up with you for the weekend?” Dean’s head fell back as he could hear the implication in his mother’s tone. 

“I was trying to be nice. That’s it.” He hoped to stop the gears that were definitely turning in her head. “Believe it or not, you did raise a gentleman.” He peppered in, knowing his mom loves to hear it. 

“Well that’s nice to hear.” Dean smirked, correct. Then a beat. “Is she pretty?”

After that, Dean had hung up, leaving Mary’s question unanswered. Because if he had answered it, it would have just opened a whole new conversation, and Dean wasn’t interested in having it. 

At this point, the two of you had become civil, hell, even friendly. 

And yeah, if Dean had answered Mary’s question, he would have said you were pretty, and had a confidence and sense of humor that, if he wasn’t going through a bitter divorce, would have had him asking you out in a heartbeat. But the last thing Dean wanted or needed right now was a relationship. 

“So what do you do at a car auction?” Your voice brings him out of his thoughts and he glances towards you, your Y/E/C eyes finding his. 

“Not much actually. I’ll go fix the cars up today, but the owners usually get me a ticket as an extra ‘thanks’ since they know I love it. So I more just get to enjoy the show then have to work it. Sometimes if one of my guys wants to buy a car they’ll get my opinion, but these guys usually know their stuff.”

You just nod.

“How many cars do you have to work on today?”

Dean clicks his tongue, thinking. 

“Got two to tune up for the show tomorrow, then my client, Rick, also wants me to take a look at his ‘69 Stingray. Shouldn’t take too long.” You just nod again, and Dean wonders just how much you know about cars. Though considering you had been rapidly turning over a dead battery earlier this week, he imagines it’s not much. But it gives him an opening. 

“Know much about cars?” He shoots you a quick look, seeing your shoulders shake as you snort out a laugh before he looks back out the windshield. 

“Figured it was pretty obvious I don’t.” Dean laughs out his nose, seeing you turn towards him in your seat from his peripherals.

“But when I was sixteen my dad wanted to get me a ‘74, baby blue Mustang. It was such a beautiful car and I was so excited. I would have had the coolest car at school.” You reminisce. “But my mom shot it down because it only had lap belts and I’m pretty sure there were no airbags. Guess she cared about my safety or something.” You laugh and Dean joins in. 

He liked hearing you laugh. It also meant you were opening up to him. Which he shouldn’t care about, but it brings a smile to his face nonetheless. 

“‘74 Mustang’s a helluva’ a car.” He can picture the exact model in his mind. It’s a hilarious comparison to what he sees you driving around in every day. “Would give your Sonata a run for her money.” You laugh again.

“Yeah no kidding. I’d probably be the worst person for a car like that, though. I would have no idea how to take care of it.” You take a deep breath and look out the window again. “Doesn’t stop me from thinking about it though.” You sigh, earning Dean’s attention. He turns back towards the road, but an idea is now forming. 

He grabs his cellphone out of the console cup holder, his eyes quickly darting between the fairly empty highway and his screen as he opens up his texts and swipes a message before hitting send.

As he looks back up, a sign catches his eye. 

LAKE CHAMPLAIN BRIDGE

1 MILE 

The highway sign gives Dean a heads up that you’re about to hit the best part of the drive. 

“Well there will be plenty of cars you can dream about at the auction, even if you know nothin’ about ‘em.”

Dean flips his blinker on and merges into the right lane, getting onto the exit ramp for the bridge. 

As he slowly takes the curve, the Lake Champlain Bridge comes into view, the elongated, steel archway glistening in the morning sun and reflecting off the calm waters below. Beyond the overpass, the Adirondack mountains tower over the hidden town, complementing the scenery. 

“Woooow,” you breath out, sitting forward in your seat to get a better view out the windshield as the ramp straightens out, welcoming you across the bridge. 

“I know.” Dean agrees with a smile. “Never get tired of seeing it.” He sighs honestly. 

The shadows play through the windows as Dean speeds across the platform. It only takes about 15 seconds to get across, and you lean back once the bridge can only be seen in the rearview. 

“So how come your mom lives out here?” You ask as Dean takes the first exit off the bridge, headed for the outskirts of Bolton. 

“She and my dad had moved out here once my brother and I moved out. Mom always wanted to live on the water and Bolton is small enough and affordable that she was able to get her lakefront dream home.” Dean keeps his focus on the road, checking both left and right before heading straight across the intersection he had stopped at. 

“And she liked that she would still be close-by. Not that it really matters now that Sam lives in the city.”

“Sam?” Dean glances at you, your brows cinched together. Dean realizes he’s never mentioned his brother. And here he is taking you to meet his mother. 

“Sam’s my younger brother.” He explains and your mouth opens in understanding. “He’s a hot shot lawyer in the city where he lives with his fiancé.” 

“Ah. Billie had mentioned you had a brother but that was it.” 

Of course she did. Dean laughs to himself. He’s curious what else Billie has told you. 

But then another thought crosses his mind. He hasn’t told you anything about his family, and he didn’t want to blindside you as you got closer to his mom’s house.

“Also, I should give you a heads up that it’s just my mom.” Dean’s voice lowers as he navigates the familiar backroads. From his vantage point, he can see your eyes narrow, trying to work out his words. 

“My dad passed a while back.” Dean clarifies. “Ten years actually.” The words leave Dean a little breathless. He hadn’t really been thinking that this year would mark a decade since his dad had died. This really wasn’t his year. 

“Shit, I’m sorry, Dean.” Your voice is quiet, and Dean can hear the pain in it. “If you don’t mind me asking, what happened?” 

Dean’s lip quirks up for just a moment. It’s almost funny how you’re asking for permission to know how his dad died. Not that it bothers him.

“Brain aneurysm.” Dean sighs. “Old man never saw it coming.” He thinks back to the day he got the phone call. He had been at work when his mother called his cell. But still being a garage grunt, Dean hadn’t answered. A few minutes later, Bobby had stepped into the garage and called Dean into his office. Dean never would have thought there was a connection between the timing of his mom’s call and Bobby’s beckoning. 

Looking back, he was grateful Bobby was the one who told him. He didn’t need to think about his brother or mother at that moment. Just let the shock and grief overwhelm him in the privacy of Bobby’s office with his boss’ hand of support on his shoulder. 

Lisa had picked him up, after Linda had called her and broke the news. At the time, Dean was renting an apartment off Main Street, and Lisa spent the next few days staying over cooking and cleaning for him, making sure he would be prepared for the upcoming wake and funeral. 

Back when they had actually cared about each other. 

“God, I’m so sorry. I can’t imagine.” Dean swallows down the lump in his throat and shrugs his shoulders. 

“It’s okay. Happened a long time ago now.” The familiar weight of John’s death settles on Dean’s shoulders, even after all this time. 

“Doesn’t make it any easier.” You counter. “Just more bearable.” A sad smile graces Dean’s lips as the lake comes into view through the barren trees as a silence falls over the cab.

“Anything else I should know before I meet your mom?” Your voice breaks through the silence. “Any sisters or more exes I should be warned about?”

Dean laughs before he can even think about it, and the weight lightens. He doesn’t thank you for it, but he’s grateful nonetheless. 

“I promise that’s it.” 

A few minutes later, Dean turns into the familiar driveway, the saturated sage A-frame nestled between the bare birches. One of the white-trimmed windows houses a familiar silhouette, eager for their arrival. 

Dean parks the truck behind Mary’s Nissan Rogue, a car he helped her pick out a few years ago when her decades-old minivan finally crapped out.

Dean kills the engine and sits back. 

“Ready?” He turns to face you, a bright smile on his face. 

You take a deep breath and find his eyes.

“Sure am.”

You had lied. You weren’t feeling ready at all. As you stood at the trunk with Dean, looking up at the lakeside cabin, it was undeniably weird. The only parents you had met were your friends or partners. Never a random guy whose ex-wife was renting you their guest house. 

Not to mention you were still reeling from the story of Dean’s father. It was hard enough losing your aunt. You can’t imagine losing your father, and at that young of an age. You had to assume Dean was in his early thirties now, so to lose a parent when you’re barely an adult had to be even more devastating. You wonder if Dean’s father was around when he married Lisa. You can’t imagine getting married without both of your parents by your side to celebrate. Even if the marriage hadn’t worked out, you hoped he had been alive to see it. 

Dean reaches into the trunk and pulls out your pack, handing it to you. You give him a smile as you take it and throw it over your shoulder, and he smirks back at you. 

Once he has his bags, you follow him to the front step, a lone slab of stone, low to the ground, leading up to the tan double doors protected underneath a gabled roof, a lantern-esque pendant hanging overhead. 

As Dean reaches for the handle, the door pulls itself open, revealing a woman, a few inches taller than yourself, with blonde hair that’s so light it could be confused for gray, and green eyes matching Dean’s, not to mention the same, bright smile. Though the lines around her lips tell you she wears it more often than her son. 

“Dean!” She doesn’t hesitate as she throws her arms around his shoulders, pulling him in tight as his arms holding the bags get trapped to his sides.

“Hi, mom.” Dean huffs, a few beats going by before she lets him go and holds him at an arm’s length, studying him. 

“You look thinner.” She frowns, Dean takes a deep breath in and steps back. 

“I’m fine, mom.” He assures her the same way any child avoiding a lecture does. 

Her lips fold in and she sighs out instead of commenting. 

She then turns to you, her smile returning. 

“I’m assuming you’re Y/N?” You smile back with a nod. “I hope you’re a hugger.” She steps towards you and wraps her arms around you, giving you a surprisingly strong squeeze for an older woman. 

“Mom,” Dean groans, but you just wrap your free arm around her in return.

“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Winchester.” You pat her on the back before she pulls away and then swats her hand through the air.

“Oh please, we’re all adults. You can call me Mary.” You smile at her. 

“Well, thank you, Mary, for having me for the weekend.”

“It’s exciting!” She shrugs her shoulders up towards her ears. “It’s like Dean’s a kid all over again having a sleepover. Though they were never with girls.” She smirks at you and you can’t help but laugh as she shoots you a wink.

“Oh Jesus, ok. How about we go inside?” Dean steps around Mary and disappears into the entryway, effectively escaping and ending the conversation.

Mary just chuckles and shakes her head. 

“C’mon in.” She follows her son and waves you in and you step inside and close the door behind you.  

You’re surprised to find the house is almost completely open, with views stretching straight back to the ceiling-to-wall windows overlooking the lake’s shoreline. 

The open space is painted a soft yellow, with matching cream and light blue accents throughout the room. It’s the perfect picture of serenity, with not even a throw blanket out of place. 

Several plaques adorn the walls, each with cliché sayings like “Life is better at the lake” and “Living on lake time.”

Along the side wall, right in the center, is a gorgeous stone fireplace, with a natural mantle above it lined with various picture frames. 

“Your home is gorgeous,” You honestly gush. You had no idea what to expect, but it was like a living room straight out of Better Homes & Garden. 

“Oh well thank you, dear.” Mary puts her hands on her hips and looks around. “It took a lot of elbow grease and a few years, but I finally got it to where I wanted.” Your mouth pops open at her words. 

“You did all of this yourself?” You take in the vaulted, beamed ceiling and the wainscotting, appreciating the details that much more.

“Sure did. Needed something to keep me busy.” She trails off, and it takes you a moment to realize she’s talking about her husband. 

“Anyways,” she claps her hands. “Let me show you to your room.” She turns up the stairs to the right of the entrance. You look over at Dean who shoots up his eyebrows and you laugh before fixing your bag over your shoulder and following Mary. 

The upstairs hallway is just as gorgeous as downstairs, with four, stark white doors adorning the walls. You follow Mary towards the front of the house, where she opens the door for you.

“Here you are,” she ushers you in as she stands in the doorway. It’s a decently sized room, enough for a queen-sized bed, two nightstands, and a small dresser. The room has a farmhouse-chic look to it with a white-slabbed headboard and matching furniture. The bedside lampshades are a soft red, with the room tied together with a coordinated rug and throw pillows.

It was darling. 

“This is great,” you step inside past Mary. “Thank you.”

“I’ll let you get settled.” Mary smiles as you turn to face her. “If you need the bathroom, it’s right next door. Dean’s room is right past that, and then I’m across the hall.” She points to her door and you nod. With that, Mary steps out of the doorway, closing the door behind her.

You set your bag down at the corner of the bed and wander over to the window. Selfishly, you were hoping for a lakeview, but your room overlooks the driveway, Dean’s green truck and Mary’s SUV taking up the scenery instead. 

You take a deep breath as you head back towards the bed and kneel down at your bag, zipping it open and pulling out the very few clothes you brought for the weekend. You decide to put your clothes away, wanting to be a tidy guest, and hang up the only nice item you brought on the hook on the back of the bedroom door. 

You make a quick pit stop in the bathroom, making sure you still look fresh before passing the open doors of Dean and Mary’s rooms, stealing a glance into each before you head downstairs. 

As you return back to the foyer, you follow the muffled voices of the Winchesters around the corner to the closed-off portion of the house, stepping into the farmhouse-modern kitchen; a defined theme seamlessly integrated throughout the whole home. 

Dean is leaning against the center island, the base a vibrant blue that probably reflects the lake water in the summer, while Mary sits on one of the stools, her hands wrapped around a mug resting on the white countertop.

Dean notices you first, standing up a bit straighter as Mary turns in her seat to look towards you. 

“All settled?” Mary asks.

“Yes, thank you.” You stand under the room’s archway, feeling like you’re intruding on her and Dean’s personal space. 

“Would you like a coffee or anything? I can make you something to go.”

“To go?” You brow furrows. You know Dean has a work appointment, but you figured you would hang back at the house with Mary while he was busy. You look towards him, a sly smile on that stupidly handsome face of his as he relaxes next to his mother. 

“Figured you could come with me, learn a thing or two before the show tomorrow.” His eyes glisten in the sunlight shining through the multitude of windows. 

Your heart skips a beat at his words and his gaze.

“I really hope you’re not expecting me to help.” You shoot him a pointed look. You were useless when he fixed your battery just a few days ago, there’s no way you would be able to help him fix a speciality car. You wouldn’t even know the names of tools if he asked you to hand them to him. 

He chuckles. “I think I got a preview of your car knowledge this week,” he fully pushes off the island. “I think I’d be better off alone there.” You roll your eyes. 

Ass. Even if you just had the same thought. 

He steps towards you and flips his car keys in his hand. 

“But, I did set something up for you.” You frown at him. 

Did he sign you up for a car class or something? You did not agree to anything like that when he invited you up for the weekend. 

Scanning your face, he quells your concerns. 

“Just trust me.” You stare up at him, holding his gaze as he smiles down at you. 

Damn it. 

“Fine.” You huff. 

About fifteen minutes later, Dean turns down a long driveway, a sign in gold letters welcoming you to the Lime Rock Raceway. 

“A race track?” You turn towards Dean as he drives further down the path, a winding course coming into view. Grandstands rise up above the track, all empty this time of year. 

Dean just responds with a smirk as he parks in front of the raceway’s entrance. 

Without a word, Dean steps out of the truck, and you follow suit, one step behind him as he waves to the security attendant at the gate before finally coming to a halt at the edge of the track as your eyes widen at the car parked at the checkered finish line.

“Is that–” You point to the light blue, curving frame in front of you, your heart in your throat. 

“Not quite the ‘74 Mustang you wanted, but figured a ‘73 would do.” He grins down at you, but you’re too awestruck to return the gesture.

You step past him, your eyes glued to the only car that ever held your interest. It may be a year off, but it was just as beautiful as the one you had wanted since you were sixteen years ago. 

And it was parked right in front of you. 

“How–” you turn towards Dean, his hands in his pocket as he shrugs. 

“My client, Rick, has a collection and I asked him if he could bring this one with him.”

Holy shit. He did this for you. Went out of his way to bring your dream car to you.

Where the hell was the asshole you met only a few weeks ago? Because he certainly wasn’t standing in front of you now. 

“And,” he steps forward when you don’t respond, pulling his hands out of his pocket. “I haven’t even told you the best part yet.” He leans down towards you, his smile growing. 

“You get to drive it.”

Keep reading Forever Tags

@iprobablyshipit91  @likesiriusly @kittyque @findingfitnessforme @wonderange @captainemwinchester @xtina2191 @smoothdogsgirl @mogaruke @chin-up-love @tsunadesenjuuchiha @lyarr24 @globetrotter28 @krazykelly @roseblue373 @k-slla @stephv213 @kaydallas21 @nerdymuffinbonkcloud @magssteenkamp 

[jointherebellion215]

Worth

John "Bucky" Egan x female!reader

Summary: You're swept off your feet by one Major John C. Egan, and you love every second of it. Sequel to Birdie.

Word Count: 3.0k

Tags: female!reader, mechanic!reader, women™, period typical sexism & misogyny, fun date night, dude w/ a small dick gets rightfully called out, mostly just fun date stuff, tons of fluff

A/N: Hello all! Thank you so much for the kind words on Birdie. I really appreciate everyone's comments, they warm my heart right up. I almost didn't write this, but the thought of having these two smooch it up was too good to pass up. I also completely headcanon that Bucky has the biggest sweet tooth, oops. As always, I'd be most gracious if you were to leave a like, comment, and/or reblog :)

Read the OC Version of this story on AO3!

Disclaimer: I own nothing. This story and any recognizably named characters are based solely on dramatic portrayals of the characters from the series, not the real individuals they represent. All the respect to the actual service people who fought and died in the Second World War. Also, please don't copy, repost, or translate my writing without explicit prior permission. Don't even think about it, AI!

A knock at the door brings butterflies to your stomach.

“Oh, he’s here!” Irene shouts, which is immediately met with your shushing, as well as Teresa’s.

You nervously pat your hair and check over your outfit for the evening. You’re spending your second day’s leave on a date with Bucky Egan. He had approached you last night at the pub, asking if you wanted to grab dinner. Alone. 

You, of course, said yes.

Teresa and Irene go to answer the door while you gather your purse, stuffing it with your essentials. Your friends greet him at the same time, sounding like twins.

“Good evening, Major!”

“Good evening, Major!”

You hear his deep voice reply, only a small bit of surprise leaking into his voice.

“Good evening, ladies. Is Birdie around? We have dinner plans.”

“I’m here! Hi.” You step around the wall that hides you from the front door, taking a look at the man you’d been crushing on for months. He stands tall and confident in his neatly pressed uniform, hat covering most of his dark curls. His mouth gapes, giving you a once over and attempting to speak up.

“I- You-…Uh, wow. Y-you look…” But any sweet words he attempts to say are interrupted by Irene, who comes in hot with a manic smile.

“Did you know that my daddy taught me how to shoot when I was just a little girl? I’m real good at it. They call me Oakley, back home, cause of how great a marksman I am. Y’know, like Annie Oakley?” She stepped forward, puffing up her chest and giving a frightening grin to Major Egan. You and Teresa exchanged confused looks, not knowing quite where she was going with this.

“I’m not allowed a sidearm or a rifle over here, but I’m sure I could easily borrow one from any of the fellas on base should you break my best friend’s hea—”

“OKAY! We don’t wanna be late, all the tables might be taken soon. Gotta go. Love you. Bye!” You quickly shove past the blonde, stepping over the threshold. You take Bucky’s hand and practically drag his tall form down the hallway, away from your best friend’s attempt at a shovel talk.

You faintly hear Teresa’s well wishes to you amid the aggressively whispered conversation she has with Irene. The last words you hear before the elevator door closes in front of you are a heavily accented protest from Irene.

“What? I was just trying to..!”

The pair of you stand in the elevator in silence. A slight rocking indicates the starting motion of it, which snaps you back to reality. Looking down, you realize that you’re still holding hands with Bucky. You quickly separate your hand from his, heat rising to your cheeks.

“Your friends seem nice.”

Your head snaps to glance at Bucky, who is already looking at you. A sincere smile graces his face, not a hint of mocking in his eyes. 

“I’m glad you have them looking out for you.” 

You feel your face start to cool down, making you comfortable enough to respond. 

“They drive me nuts sometimes. But they’re the best friends I could ever ask for.” You mean every word. 

You see John nod, so you turn back to look to the elevator doors in front of you. An awkward pause.

“You look beautiful.”

Another pause. “What?”

“It’s what I meant to say earlier. That you look beautiful. Because you do.”

Heat quickly returns to your cheeks, spreading throughout your whole upper body. You give a bashful smile, peeking up at him through your lashes. You gaze into his eyes for a moment.

“Thank you, Johnny. You look quite handsome yourself.” The Major adjusts his hat, covering just the tips of his ears. He returns your gaze with an uncharacteristically nervous grin. The floor gives a slight rattle, elevator door and gate opening to reveal the lobby.

John straightens up, holding out his arm for you to take. You tentatively weave your hand within the crook of his elbow. He gently presses his arm in, bringing your body closer to his. 

You meet your other hand in its position and let Bucky lead you out of the hotel and into the evening air.

✨

“That was so delicious! I never knew that a roast could be so tender…”

The pair of you were walking arm-in-arm down a cobblestone street, just having finished dinner. It was a wonderful time. Bucky had been the perfect gentleman, but made his interest in you clear without being sleezy.

He was entirely focused on you the whole time. He asked questions and was genuinely invested in your answers. Conversation came to the two of you like a duck to water. After a shared glass of wine, his hand had slowly inched towards yours. Soon he had cradled it in his, like you were a precious commodity, until your meals arrived. You could hardly keep your eyes off of each other long enough to even promptly acknowledge the wait staff, which you were sure annoyed some and amused others.

Safe to say, John Egan was doing his best to sweep you off your feet.

You hadn’t discussed any other plans for after dinner, but the walk you’re on now is nice enough to give you reason to stick close together.

Bucky nods along, “And that fruit tart? Incredible.”

You laugh, leaning into your date, “I knew that would be your favorite part. You’ve got a bit of a sweet tooth, don’t you?” 

Bucky holds his hands up with a mischievous smirk on his face, “Hey, I plead the fifth.” 

“I’ll admit, I’ve never seen someone so adamant on having some coffee with his sugar.” You continue to tease him. He nudges you playfully, giving a smooth grin in return.

“Hey, we’re in a war! If you see something sweet,” Bucky surprises you by picking you up and twirling you around, getting a full belly laugh from you as he sets you back on the ground.

“You gotta snatch it up and enjoy it while you can.”

You have a feeling that he wasn’t just talking about food. 

By that point, you’re leaning against his front, hands on both of his shoulders. The moment has shifted into something else. Something different. His eyes roam your face, eventually stopping on your lips. Just as he starts to lean in, the moment is shattered by the sound of instruments starting up nearby. Bucky flinches, cursing the ill-timed disruption. 

Oblivious to his turmoil, you gasp in delight and look around for the source of the music.

“Do you hear that? I think there’s a band playing!” 

You spot a few people walk into what looks like a club. It barely a stone’s throw from where you’re both currently standing. 

Bucky quickly recovers, “Should we grab a drink? Have a dance or two?”

You beam at him, and his heart stutters in his chest once more. After you give a nod, you place your hand in his arm and let him lead you into the club.

The two of you step into the establishment, and the energy is almost electric. There are mills of people walking about, drinking, talking, laughing. There’s a great score more on the dance floor, hopping and jiving along to the band you now knew you’d heard earlier. There weren’t a lot of uniforms present, but the ones that were were RAF.

Bucky guides you to the bar, hand on your back until you're both sat on a pair of stools. Your drinks are quickly ordered and served, so your night continues. You both allow yourselves to talk shop for a moment, so your conversation turns towards what you were working on before your leave. As you get to discussing the more intricate parts of your project, you hear a scoff from behind you.

John quickly looks over your shoulder, spotting the culprit.

“Excuse me, is there a problem here?”

You turn around to find a uniformed man taking a sip of his whiskey, RAF logo plastered on the lapel. He mockingly shakes his head, placing the glass down on the bar.

“No, no problem at all.”

Bucky, ever the confrontationist, persists. “It seems like there’s a problem here.”

You gesture towards the man, silently indicating that he was welcome to speak his mind. 

“It’s not enough that you Yanks come over to our country, destroy our pubs and disrespect our women with your recklessness. But you can’t even keep your own women in check! She should be at home, away from the war, for God’s sake. Taking care of the house and the children. You know, doing feminine duties.”

You had heard all of this before, so it was no skin off your back to hear it again. You roll your eyes and decided to just ignore him. Then the man started to laugh, as if he was in on a private joke.

“I mean, a female mechanic? Between that and your daytime missions, it’s no wonder you’re all dropping like flies.”

You let out an exhale, letting the air stream out through your nose. In your periphery, you see Bucky start to stand— to, no doubt, escalate the situation. You stop him with a hand on his chest. He sits back down, looking between you and the man who had just insulted you. You set your glass down, hopping off the stool and giving a slow clap. 

“I’m so glad to know that some people still live in the Stone Age, where apparently all a woman is good for is cooking and giving birth! Thank you so much for showing us exactly what a lack of education and individual thought looks like! See where we are—over in modern times— women can do whatever the hell they want. That includes fixing your planes and jeeps, operating your radios, driving your trucks, and even training your allies to use machine artillery!”

The RAF soldier realizes what he’s gotten himself into but is backed into a corner of the bar as you pace forward with each scathing word that leaves your mouth.

“Never mind all the bullshit you just spouted about what a woman is fit to do. I think that women can decide for ourselves exactly what we can and cannot do. As for my countrymen, I’m proud to serve alongside them. They go up every day willing to sacrifice themselves so that the rest of us don’t have to. They’re gonna be remembered for their bravery and grit. They’re not cowardly enough to hem and haw and stick up their noses at the thought of a woman doing something other than popping out a kid and ironing their pleats.”

The music has dulled down, but you don’t have the complete attention of the club. That gives you the courage to say your final piece.

“Never you mind. I'm confident that the men I serve with, including the man I have with me tonight, aren’t anything like you. Thank God for that! They're not so…” You take an exaggerated glance towards the man’s crotch, scrunching up your nose. “…small-minded.”

Leaving the gaping man behind, you turn to Bucky and ask if he wants to go get some air. He picks his jaw up off the floor quick enough to nod and lead you back outside into the street.

Hey, hanging around Irene pays off sometimes.

As you step out into the night air, you close your eyes and take a deep breath. You feel John step up behind you, voice carefully asking,

“Hey, are you okay? Birdie?”

You continue to stand with your eyes closed. You just needed a moment.

“I’ve come too far to let anyone’s opinion of me, or my career choices, effect me.”

You open your eyes and look over your shoulder at your date. He gives an understanding nod, stepping closer to you. He places his hands on your arms, rubbing up and down in a soothing motion. You lean back into him, closing your eyes once more, letting him comfort you for the time being.

“Sorry if I ruined the night.”

You can feel a rumble from Bucky’s chest as he chuckles. “Oh, this night’s far from ruined. In fact, that was probably the best thing I’ve ever seen.”

One of your eyes pops open. You crane your neck to peek at him, “Even better than the time you told me about Curt knocking out an RAF officer in one punch?”

“Yep.”

“Winning that bet to get your bicycle?”

“Oh, for sure.”

“Better than your fruit tart from dinner?”

His smile widens, “Okay, let’s not get crazy here. Maybe it was top ten.”

“Top ten?!” You playfully gasp, turning around to face him again. You rest your hands on your hips, “What’s a girl gotta do to rank above a fruit tart around here?”

“Well…” You scoff and shove Bucky at the cheeky smirk he gives you. You’re quickly distracted by the sound of the band inside starting up again. This time with a familiar tune.

“Oh, your song’s on, Johnny!”

Bucky tosses his hat to the side, steps back and gives a very unserious bow. He then sneers with a hyper-nasal impression of the RAF officer you’d just affronted.

“My lady.”

You roll your eyes and give a joking curtsy in return, taking his offered hand. He pulls you into a proper stance for a waltz, which is a complete offset to the jive song that reaches your ears. You both jokingly hop along in the awkward squared formation for a moment, giggling to yourselves. 

He gently pushes on your hip while outstretching his hand, so you take the cue and twirl until you’re both standing at each other’s fingertips. A quick grasp of your hand and a pull twirls you right back into his arms, bumping into his chest. The moment made you burst into laughter, leaning into your dance partner until the song ends. 

The next song is a much slower tune, giving Bucky the chance to pull you in close. You hum along to the band playing, sidling up to the Major’s chest. He places a hand in yours and loops the other around your waist. Your free arm gently drapes under his and over his shoulder, encouraging a lean into his firm body. You both give a slow sway, leading each other back and forth in the quiet echoes of the street. Closer than before.

“You know, I’ve been plucking up the courage to ask you to dinner for a while now.” 

You lay your head on the knuckles of your hand that rest on his shoulder, responding lowly. 

“Really?”

You continue to sway.

“Yeah.”

You’re curious, so you ask, “What made you finally do it?”

He thinks on the answer for a moment, almost chewing on his thoughts. John is not the kind of person to typically contemplate over an answer, so you gift him all the time in the world to respond. You recognize how important that is to him.

“I… I think that it was a lot of little things.” He pulls you in closer. “Your smile, your eyes, the way you talk about the things you love. Birdie, you are so personable with everyone you come into contact with and it’s so magnetic.” 

The flow of compliments shocks you, not expecting this barrage of details to come from the man in front of you. But you dance on anyways.

“But I really think what did me in was yesterday, at the pub. When you looked at me during your song.”

You remember. You know exactly what he was talking about. Whatever he must have felt, you know that you felt it too.

He continues to speak in an intimate tone as you sway along in the street.

“I felt my entire life click into place. It was like everything suddenly made sense. I didn’t have to wonder about what my life was going to be like in five, ten, fifteen years. Because I knew.”

He pulls back to look you in the eye, and the amount of vulnerability in his eyes floors you. 

“I’ll be honest, it scared the shit outta me. It terrified me.”

You understand what he meant. This is all new to him, as it is to you. You pull his forehead to touch yours, noses gently brushing one another, as you offer your best words of comfort in that moment.

“Sometimes, you have to do what scares you the most to find out what’s worth doing.” 

He cups your face, letting his lips ghost against yours. He made his intentions clear, but it was up to you to decide how you move forward.

So, you close your eyes and take the leap.

Your lips press into his, hands stroking the arms that were framing your face. He immediately responds in kind, lips moving in tandem with yours. You melt into him at the reciprocated motion. His arms soon move to your waist, pulling you impossibly close. Your arms reach around his neck, hands resting at the nape of his neck. As he deepens the kiss, you run your hands up, down, and through the dark curls on the back of his head, earning a groan from your partner.

A burst of warmth sparks from within your very being, traveling further and further through your body until you’re consumed by flames. Half of your mind is scrambling to make sense of reality, and the other half is completely consumed by passion.

After a moment, you reluctantly separate from one another, panting to catch your breath. It’s as if the world stopped spinning when you connected, and then started up again when you parted. 

Giving a nervous look to the man you just kissed, you’re elated when he gives you an ear-to-ear grin. He grasps one of your hands in his, intertwining your fingers. His other hand comes up to cup your face again, thumb gently stroking your cheekbone.

You stay silent for the time being, letting the moment marinate. He brings up your joined hands to kiss the back of your palm. Your heart jumps with joy at the sight.

Bucky gives an exhale before breaking the silence.

“You are most definitely worth it.”

[foreverisntenough]

‘OURS’

Summary: You were his and he was yours but what would it be like adding one more? Thrust into a whirlwind romance you never could’ve imagined that became your forever love. You continue building a new life across the pond with a very beautiful Scouser. A sequel to the ‘You’re Mine’ fic.

INDEX

Warnings: This series will contain fluff, suggestion, smut (unprotected sex,) pregnancy, parenting, mention of the word ‘daddy,’ kind of angsty, alcohol consumption - not sure what else really… if i miss anything please lmk!

Note: Thank you for reading! Please be sure to like, comment, or message me what you think of the series! Try not to nitpick with any real pregnant logistics it’s better if you just read along happily :)

Chapter 10 - He’s All Yours | ‘Ours’

The final day of your trip to New York arrived. You and Trent wanted to do some shopping. It was cold but still sunny out so you opted to head down to SoHo for it. You hit it up Prada, Aime Leon Dore, Acne Studios, and all your favorites. You wanted to stop at Sporty & Rich as well so you pushed Teddy in her pram down the pavement of Greene Street holding Trent’s hand. About half way down the block a Tiktokker came up to you trying to film a video.

“Your family is gorgeous, do you mind if I ask you a few questions for a video?” The boy asked, standing with a microphone while someone else filmed for him. You looked at Trent to see his reaction. You didn’t mind but you also weren’t the famous athlete.

“Thanks, mate. Yeah, it’s no problem.” Trent answered him while he pressed a kiss to your hair before he leaned over to check on Teddy. Seeing him elicited a giggle from her as she kicked her feet in her seat.

“Can I get your names first?” The interviewer asked politely. You looked at Trent for him to respond. You didn’t know what his plan of action would be here so you wanted him to take the lead.

“This is my fiancé, Y/N, I’m Trent, and this is Teddy.” He spoke soft and slow like always as he tickled her tummy. She continued in her fit of giggles with a big smile.

“Nice to meet you all. Where are you from, bro? That accent is crazy.” The kid laughed a little surprised by Trent’s diction. You guessed you were around it so much you hardly heard it anymore but you understood why someone living in New York might be confused by the Liverpudlian accent.

“It’s definitely something.” You giggled resting your head on Trent's shoulder. “I’m from here but he’s English.” You looked up at Trent as you informed the tiktokker.

“Nah, no way that’s English. It’s not.” The boy tried to convince you Trent wasn’t English. He wasn’t going to succeed obviously, it was just a bit of banter but he obviously assumed everyone in England had one accent that you presumably believed to be the more London posh one.

“Hate to disappoint, bro but I’m definitely from the north of England. Liverpool.” Trent confirmed he in fact was English.

“Oh sick. Do you guys watch soccer then? That’s big there right?” He asked genuinely curious. You appreciated the conversational manner he was trying to induce. It was friendly and polite. Normal. You both laughed a little not trying to be rude or patronizing but it was funny.Trent was famous but if you didn’t follow football it was a bit of a reach to recognize him. Nevertheless, to say you watched ‘soccer’ would be an understatement.

“Yeah… I guess you could say we do. Our life pretty much revolves around it.” You giggled more before Teddy started making some noises. You crouched down to her level. You picked her up and she clung to you eagerly.

“Wow, she’s adorable. So do you mind running me through your fits?” The boy cooed as his camera man moved for a different angle to include the full length of what you were wearing.

“Aw, thank you. Yeah, this is our little Teddy bear. She’s in Moncler.” You pinched her chubby cheek rubbing your cold nose against hers.” Erm… and I’m wearing Max Mara.” You were in a long Teddy coat that felt like you were still wrapped up in bed. “Louis Vuitton boots and a silly Saint Laurent take out box for a purse.” You laughed displaying your bag.

“That purse is incredible. I love it. What drew you to that?” He asked inspecting the kitschy leather box.

“It was a pregnancy craving. I give him a baby, he gives me a bag. It was a simple transaction.” you teased with a slight laugh looking at Trent amused.

“A bag?” Trent joked emphasizing that he most definitely bought you more than one singular bag during your ‘cravings’. He was in a Prada coat, trousers and trainers. Simple and all black. The kid had a few questions but flicked back to you.

“Mind talking me through some of your jewelry?” He asked so you nodded and started going piece by piece. “ My necklace is Van Cleef.” You smiled. It was the one you always wore that Trent gave you when he asked you to be his girlfriend. Only now it was a little funny because as you went through the rings on your finger, from your right hand starting with a David Yurman pinky ring first then to your Spinelli Kilcollin. You jumped over to your left hand and ultimately got to your ring finger with its newly adorned ring.

“Holy shit! That ring is insane. It’s beautiful. Congratulations. Bro, can I ask what do you do for work.” The boy keenly asked Trent curious what some random man he was interviewing on the street did to afford that. Trent rubbed his hand over his face, a little embarrassed by the spotlight on him and the size of your ring. He wanted you to have it be that way though. He designed it from scratch practically and he frankly believed you deserved a bigger one.

“I’m a footballer.” Trent answered plain and simple like always. With people he didn’t know Trent was always concise. He didn’t beat around the bush.

“Like the NFL?” The interviewer's eyes widened, starting to believe he was talking to a professional athlete. He was, just not kind he was initially thinking. You couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Trent was strong and athletic. I mean, he’s perfect and sexy but him playing in the NFL would be far fetched. You mouthed a ‘sorry’ up at Trent for your blunt reaction holding onto his bicep

“No.” Trent laughed with you, agreeing that it definitely was funny. “Nah, mate. Soccer, I guess.” Trent cringed saying the word. “I play in the Premier League.” He further explained. You felt his body tense saying that word. It made you smile remembering in the first few weeks of dating he convinced you to drop the word soccer entirely.

“Oh that’s so cool. Shit, now I feel like an idiot. I asked if you watched it.” He laughed nervously running his hand through his hair staring at the ground. You reached your arm out to pat his arm reassuring him it wasn’t a big deal.

“Don’t, he’s not that big of a deal.” You teased. Trent squeezed your waist silently complaining that you’d say that joke or not. The TikTok interview ended and he asked for your instagram handles to tag you when it was posted. You shared them not thinking much.

“Um 11 million followers is a big deal, Jesus.” The interviewer looked at his friend who was filming as you walked away with your family.

You sat in an airport lounge waiting to board your flight back into Manchester. You were slumped on a couch with your forever accessory clung to you. Teddy cooed away as if she was having a full conversation with you. You nodded along with ‘yeahs’ and ‘mmhmms’ entertaining her. You peeked your head up briefly away from her though to check on Trent. He was sitting across from you, legs spread scrolling through his phone. He looked good. Really good so you sent him a cheeky text.

‘Dadddyyyy 🥵🥵🥵’

You obviously sent it as a joke. You watched him read it and shake his head. He didn’t pick his gaze up though. He just shot you a text back.

‘Relax, please. We’re in an airport 🙄’

“Never stopped you before.” You said aloud. After receiving his response.

“Yeah, well, it’s stopping me right now.” He laughed. He stood up and walked over to you, plopping down on the couch you were sitting on. “Ted, isn’t mummy silly?” He cooed. She just drooled a little and you shrugged as if Teddy had responded ‘no, dad she’s not.’ You cuddled into him and laid on his chest as cozy and appropriately as you could given your location.

“I was thinking… T, do you think it’s bad we told that TikToker we were engaged?” You asked him quietly looking at your ring currently resting on Trent’s thigh.

“Do you not want to be engaged?” He said in a dramatic overly offended way. You rolled your eyes at his theatrics. “Give it back then.” He swiftly went to take your ring off your finger. You snatched your hand away from him before he could.

“T! Stop! I’m so serious.” You laughed despite trying not to. “I’m worried.” You looked at him with fear in your eyes. A look he hated to see and a look he always wanted to fix as quick as possible. He sat up a little and cupped one of your cheeks.

“Nah, baby it’ll be the same thing we’ve done with other news as always. If people find out, people find out. If we want to post, we can post. Try not stress about this one. Let’s just enjoy this. Me and you.” He cooed soft and securely. He had a tone he’d fall into that just calmed your whole body. You collapsed into his chest some more before Teddy pulled at his shirt. “Oh yeah, sorry, you too. You’re included obviously.” He joked looking at her.

“We’re a package deal, aren’t we, baby?” You kissed Teddy’s cheek before returning your head to its comfortable place on Trent. You pulled Teddy with you.

“Sign me up then.” Trent cooed, wrapping his arms around both of you. “My girls always.”

You boarded the plane and walked to first class. Trent handled all of your carry ons. You sat down holding teddy and everything was fine. That was until Trent sat down and gently pinched Teddy’s chubby little leg and she screamed with a loud giggle.

“Shhhhh. Teddy girl, you have to be quiet.” He said muddied in a laugh. He couldn’t hide the smile on his face. He looked at you wide eyed and jaw slacked about how loud she seemed on the quiet plane.

“Oh” you began to laugh. “I forgot you haven’t flown with this cute girl yet.” You squished Teddy into a hug recalling your first flight. You have to give credit where it’s due she was actually pretty well behaved it’s just that her squeals seemed to be inordinately loud in the cabin of the plane.

“Oh my days. Can’t be doing that, Ted.” He picked her up from you. And sat her on his lap over on his seat next to the window. He rested his chin on the top of her head while they looked outside. She kicked and giggled, pulling on his hair having the time of her life with daddy.

“Yeah, you handle all that.” You laughed gesturing to Teddy. “I need to sleep on this flight.” You smiled connivingly, watching Teddy stir about in his lap.

“You sleep. Me and Ted will hang. Right, baby bear?” Trent cooed looking down at her. She had a big smile on her face and that was all that really mattered. He reached his hand out and squeezed yours. Before you knew it you were landing back in England.

You got home and collapsed on to your livingroom couch. The dogs ran chaotically towards you hopping onto the cushions and laid on you excited you were finally back home.

“Hi boyssss…” you cooed giving them all the attention they so missed. Marcel usually watched them if you weren’t around. You don’t know how you’d survive without Trent’s family. They did so much for you. You were so blessed to be invited into the Alexander-Arnold family. Every so often for the last few days you’d get reminded that you were going to change your name. It felt strange. You hadn’t really digested it fully yet. Trent came over to sit after he had changed Teddy.

“Want to watch a movie or something? I’m exhausted and I have training early tomorrow.” Trent said handing you your baby and proceeding to practically lay on top of you wrapping his arms around your waist and dropping his head in your lap.

“You pick.” You hummed, not upset by his intrusion of your space.

Teddy was 6 months old today. You were in the kitchen and Teddy was in her high chair. Trent was off for training soon so you were making breakfast for him and Teddy. Lately, you’d been skipping breakfast. You were finding that getting the baby weight off wasn’t has easy as you had anticipated. You’d always been so fit and athletic you thought you’d just bounce back but that wasn’t the case. You were working out again but it was hard to find the time or energy now when you were taking care of a baby al day. It definitely didn’t help that you lived with someone who was chronically in shape. Trent’s fitness was an essential part of his job. Teddy was still breastfeeding. It was still her main source of nutrition which was fine but it wasn’t enough so you were beginning to introduce solid food to her. She was growing so fast it almost made you a little sad. The breakfast for your 6 month old today was porridge and mashed fruit.

“That looks…. “ Trent made a face not particularly enticed by the dish walking into the kitchen. You laughed at him. He pushed the plate away from you before he came to give a kiss.

“It’s good for a 6 month old!!! Huh, Ted? Getting to be such a big girl!” You cooed excitedly as she wiggled in her chair with hungry eyes.

“My baby bear, gotta stop growing please. Have to stay just like this forever.” Trent cooed sitting next to her. He gave her a big kiss against her little pout with an ever dramatic ‘Mwah’ sound that she loved. She giggled grabbing at him with her tiny hands.

“Like what happened?” You walked towards the two of them with her food. “She got so old. I feel like we just brought her home.” You cooed taking a seat.

“Yeah…” he hummed reminiscing about your first days as a family of 3. “We did a really good job to be fair like she’s perfect. Look at this face.” He squished her cheeks together with one of his big hands. Anytime Trent did anything, said anything, Teddy would be giggling away. Completely in love and very amused by him. .

“That’s genuinely your face, T. She is you.” You teased him. They looked just about identical. Even Dianne was shocked from the second she saw Teddy at the hospital the day she was born. They were twins and Trent loved it. You did like it too. Whenever he was away it was like you had a mini version of him around that didn’t talk or eat as much.

“Mmmm, it’s yummy, baby.” You took a baby spoon and tried to get Teddy to eat. “T, eat some. She’ll do it if you do it.” He gave you a face like ‘are you fucking having a laugh?’ He had a weird thing with food textures and porridge was on the list of things he’d prefer to avoid .

“Mmm yum Ted.” He grimaced while swallowing the smallest possible bit of your baby’s food. He turned away from Teddy for only you to see and made a face as if he was going to be sick.

“Very convincing, T.” You laughed. “Not even our 6 month old is buying that.” You teased him for his poor performance. He was such a drama queen all the time which was getting progressively more funny as his actions mirrored the ones your literal child did. You continued feeding her porridge and fruit as Teddy finally gave in. You fed her slowly and patiently but persistent. You felt a little guilty though pushing so hard for her to eat. It was ironic trying to get your baby girl to eat her breakfast to grow strong and be healthy when you were currently skipping meals to get back to what once was. What was unfortunate was the likelihood of returning back to your body you had before a baby was slim, almost impossible. You could get fit, lose weight but the big changes, your hips, your boobs, things had changed that you couldn’t alter. You had thought you kept a pretty tight lid on your feelings about your body because Trent hated when you spoke negatively about yourself. You may have kept quiet but the thing was, you weren’t all that subtle with your actions. You thought he didn’t notice but he kept tabs on you all the time. He knew you struggled. You'd talked about it plenty of times and he wanted to make sure you were okay with out making you uncomfortable. So this morning as he drank a protein shake and your little girl devoured all her food. It wasn’t lost on him you sat at the table and only had a lemon water. Trent’s livelihood depended on his fitness. It stressed you out wondering what people would think about the way you looked now. When you looked in the mirror it felt like a different person. The anxiety was almost debilitating as you got ready for a home match at Anfield. Trent was ecstatic because you finally caved and decided that at 6 months you could probably bring Teddy to finally go see him play.

You got into your car with Teddy tucked in her car seat. She was in her red Liverpool jersey #66 with daddy on the back. She had on a sweat set (imagine this in red) with it and tiny white Nike trainers on. She looked really really cute. You didn’t really dress yourself with the same team spirit per se as you had dressed her. You’d been to too many games at this point. It was just one of many. You threw on a pair of dark jeans that were finally starting to fit you again, an oversized black Celine sweater that was Trent’s you stole with black Dior slingback heels and you guessed what was a topical red shearling bag from Khaite. You walked through the stadium keeping a low profile. No one else from the Alexander-Arnold family was going tonight so you didn’t want to draw any unnecessary attention. Although it was particularly unhelpful that the spitting image of Trent in your arms would squeal and try to point at the walls anytime you walked past a massive image of him. You held Teddy in your arms outside the box overlooking the pitch.

“Is that daddy? Do you see dada?” You cooed sweet and she giggled just simply hearing about him. You attempted to point down to where Trent was warming up. Following his movements with your finger for her but you were pretty sure she couldn’t make out that it was him but it was still fun and cute to watch. Trent stopped his preparations momentarily to scan the stands for you. He found the box and combed through the people to find you and Teddy. He blew you a kiss and made a heart with his hands. You laughed and squeezed Teddy some more. “Say hi to dada, Ted. We’ll blow him a kiss, okay?” Helping her press her palm to her pout identical to his to blow him a kiss. “Good job, Teddy bear.” You praised her efforts. You blew him your own kiss. Andy came over to Trent on the pitch and threw his arm around his shoulder. You could see them yapping away you assumed about Teddy. Andy waved and so you did back. Having Teddy at the match was really special. This was a moment you and Trent always dreamed of.

When the final whistle blew you waited upstairs for Trent as you always did but this time you had company. It was fun and nice. You felt like you had made yourself a best friend and even though she couldn’t even talk yet. You just liked her company.

“I heard the real TAA is here tonight.” You heard Andy’s voice before you could see him. A few boys walked into the room. Trent obviously came first directly over to you. He planted a big kiss on your lips and then took Teddy to say hi to the other guys that came up with him.

“I think congratulations are in order. Go on, let’s see it.” Robbo pressed eager to see your new engagement ring. You stuck out your hand and wiggled your fingers to show it off. They oooo’d and ahhh’d teasing you and Trent all out of love.

“Thank you.” You smiled cheekily watching your fiancé walk to the big glass windows of the box with Teddy in his arms. He proudly pointed around the stadium telling her little things, the pitch, the goals.

“I wanna bring her down to the pitch.” Trent turned to you. You nodded. When you got down to the level Trent walked you out through the tunnel. You didn’t do this often so it was still a pretty cool experience for you. Trent didn’t bat an eye, it was old hat for him. You intertwined your hand with Trent’s as he carried Teddy out onto the pitch. He walked to the center and sat down with her on the perfectly cut and pristine grass.

“This is where daddy works. What do you think, baby? Maybe you can play here one day like me.” He babbled away as Teddy’s eyes lit watching his animated face explain to her how a corner kick works. Necessary information for your 6 month old. It was precious watching them. You stood a small distance away letting them have their moment but you were getting nervous she was cold after being outside for so long.

“T, can you zip her up please, I don’t want her to get chilly.” You cooed sweetly as Teddy cuddled close to Trent. He smiled and placed the back of his hand onto her chubby cheek trying to gage if she was. He looked at her little nose that was starting to run and he felt bad.

“Are you chilly, baby bear?” Trent cooed but she just giggled clumsily falling onto his chest nuzzling her face to his. “Okay, C’mere.” Trent picked her up some and zipped her tiny puffer coat and then unzipped the Nike tech he was in. He held her closer to his chest and zipped his jacket up over the two of them. “Much better now, hm?” He kissed her forehead. You stayed way to late at Anfield but Trent was happy. When it was getting closer to when Teddy usually went down for bed, you needed to call it a night and get home.

After her first match, Teddy definitely was able to put together that when you watched matches on TV it was daddy. When the cameras would pan to just Trent she would squeal and wiggle on your lap. She couldn’t talk yet but you felt like she was getting there making ‘da’ noises when she saw him. She finally was getting the ability to perceive music and toys. She’d hold the bear rattle Marcel got her for Christmas all day just shaking it and giggling. Every time he was over at your house he was gassed that it was her toy of choice to hold. You were so relieved she was a happy baby. It made you feel like you were doing an okay job. Her giggle acting as a confirmation. She was actively paying attention and responding to her name a bit more now too. It was amazing to watch something, a human, your baby, grow and learn.

You laid on the couch one late afternoon with Teddy cuddled up to you under a blanket watching a show on tv for her. She started to whine and you deduced that she was hungry or thirsty. You paused the show and suddenly she began to cry.

“What, Ted? What’s wrong.” You attempted to soothe her but laughed a little bit that when you hit play again for the show to resume she seemed to calm. You stood up with the show still playing on the telly, holding her to walk but she began to cry again. “Teddy, I can’t get you what you want if you won’t let me go and sorry, but you’re not big enough to sit on the couch without me, are you?” You giggled. You wiped away her tears and plopped yourself back down feeling defeated but determined to find a solution. Your solution was somewhere else in the house. You grabbed your phone and FaceTimed Trent. He was in the cinema watching god knows what. He answered assuming it was going to be you so his tone was slightly different than the one he had if he was speaking to Teddy.

“What do you…” he paused realizing it wasn’t just you. “Oh, wow. What did I do to deserve a call from the most beautiful girls in the world?” You rolled your eyes at his cheesiness and readjusted your hold of Teddy.

“We’re thirsty.” You said plain and simple but gave him no other context. Teddy sniffled with a tiny grin and her breathing began to slowed now that she was able to see Trent.

“Okay?” Trent was slightly confused. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to help, he just didn’t know or understand what he was being asked to do. He sat up a bit straighter in his chair.

“Teddy girl, do you need a baba?” You cooed looking at her. Again, she couldn’t talk but Trent picked up on what he was indirectly being asked to do now.

“I’m going to get it but just out of curiosity, why you couldn't?” He laughed. You paused the TV again and Teddy began to fuss pulling at your shirt. Her breathing getting shorter, tears welling. Trent nodded catching on that clearly Teddy was in a mood. “I see. Alright, I will be right there, baby bear.” A short while later he arrived, bottle in hand.

“I have a baba for a Ms. Teddy Alexander Arnold.” You heard Trent’s footsteps walk around the couch. Teddy’s eyes lit up seeing Trent come in. She grabbed eagerly for her bottle. “I don’t even get a thank you? Sheessshhh.” He dropped down on the seat next to you on the couch.

“Can you say thank you, dada? We love you so much. Takes such good care of us. Huh?” You rested your head onto Trent. He leaned back and kicked his feet up on the couch grabbing Teddy to lay on his chest with her bottle.

“Just like mummy, ya know? So needy for daddy.” Trent continued to babble to Teddy teasing you indirectly.

“Excuse me?” You laughed with feigned offense. You attempted to cuddle up into Trent but Teddy wasn’t having it. She let out grumpy ‘pah’ noises. She scrunched her nose. Your eyes widened, surprised by her response. “Sorry, okay. He’s all yours I guess.” You held your hands up in innocence. You pretended to be outwardly upset for Teddy to understand and see. You pouted your lips dramatically. The thing was that it actually did hurt your feelings a little. She loved being with Trent all the time lately. Why did she not want you there as well?

“Can mummy join, please? Have to share.” Trent cooed to her. He pulled you into him despite her protests. He kissed you on the lips and you would’ve thought she had gotten hurt or something. The way she yelped. She almost started to cry again, eyes watering, getting upset and annoyed you were kissing her dad. Her grubby little hands grabbing for Trent.

“Okay, okay. I get it. Daddy’s all yours. He was mine first just saying.” You playfully bit at one of her chubby legs dangling off Trent’s torso. “I’m gonna go start dinner for us.” You turned looking up at Trent.

“Yeah, alright. Thank you, baby.” Trent cooed, squeezing you to him once more to your daughters displeasure before you got up. About halfway to the kitchen you could hear her giggles start up again. You had thought they were a confirmation of you doing a good job but maybe you weren’t, maybe only Trent was. Insecurity getting the best of you, not even just the best, it was getting all of you.

“Wowwww mummmmy.” Trent had come home from training to find you in the kitchen bouncing Teddy on your hip. You turned your head to look at him unimpressed. As of late, you didn’t feel very great about yourself and certainly far from sexy.

“Please stop.” You rejected his compliment. He had come home in the late afternoon but you had plans to go out tonight. Dianne was going to take Teddy and the turnaround time you had was tight so you were getting a little stressed.

“You’ve been looking so good lately, honest.” He came up and held you from behind, placing tender kisses onto the most sensitive parts of your neck. You hummed. Even though you weren't feeling your sexiest Trent definitely knew just how to make you feel good.

“I am going to feed her then I have to go get ready, shower and all that before your mum comes over.” You turned in to Trent. Teddy grabbing onto his jumper excited he was finally back home.

“I can help you shower if you want.” He gave you a cheeky smile that was so pretty and very hard to resist but you couldn’t do that right now. You really had to hurry. Teddy had been attached to you all day preventing you from getting things you needed to do done.

“No, T.” You laughed. “Someone needs to watch this little bear. Been so fussy all day.” You handed her to him and to no surprise she was thrilled. “She literally cried every time I did anything but hold her.” It only made matters worse when you handed her to him she was calm, giggly, and happy. Of course, she'd behave for him. You hopped upstairs and jumped into the shower starting the process of getting ready. When you were finished you sat in your wardrobe and sighed. You felt like absolutely nothing looked good. Nothing fit right. Trent walked into your bedroom with Teddy swinging her around as they both laughed away. As envious as you were becoming about her attachment to him, you did really love to hear the sound of their combined giggles.

“Does this look okay? I just feel like my clothes don’t look right anymore or am I supposed to dress more like a mum?” you asked Trent as you gave him a twirl in a red rhinestone mini dress. It was almost see through. It had a draped neckline that usually you would love how your boobs looked in something like that but now after breastfeeding it just felt…wrong to do for some reason. It was unreasonable short when when you put on your heels. Everything was just off.

“Baby. This is fucking sexy trust me…” Trent slapped his hand over his mouth after he heard himself curse in front of Teddy. You laughed at his reaction. “I actually might need to leave the room before I get too excited. Your boobs look amazing, your legs look amazing. And let’s be real here… That face is just stunning. You could wear a paper bag and still be gorgeous.” You softly smiled appreciating his compliment and attempt to boost your confidence. Trent sat on the bed with Teddy playing while you finished getting ready. You could tell he had picked up on her favoritism lately but didn’t want to bring it up in case it mad you feel worse but he was trying though.

“Ted, doesn’t mummy look beautiful? You have the most pretty mummy.” he cooed while playing with her growing curls. You faked a smile knowing it was said with love, it just was confusing you that for some reason you were having to convince your own baby to like you. Dianne came over and Teddy cried as you left. It hurt you every time she was upset but it definitely was on your mind now wondering if she was upset you were leaving or because he was.

You came home later than expected and probably a little drunker than you anticipated too. You were passionately and messily making out practically before you could even make it into the house. You were all over each other. Trent was determined and when he had his mind set on something particularly when it came to matter like fucking you he was going to get his way. He pushed you up against the kitchen island raising the hem of your dress, creeping his big hands closer to where you wanted them. You moaned lost in the moment. He was trying to fuck in the your kitchen. He lifted you up from under your thighs and placed you on the cold marble surface.

“Oh my fucking god. You’re so sexy, baby” he groaned between messy kisses then beginning to work some down your neck. It occurred to you very quickly though the second you heard him that he was speaking fairly loud.

“T! T! Wait!” you yelped stifling a moan you wanted to let out, feeling his plump lips on your skin. “Your mum! Your mum. Hold on!” You pushed your palm against his chest trying to distance him from you. When he heard you mention his mum, things halted fast. He groaned, annoyed that you had a point. Embarrassingly, Dianne definitely must've heard you. She came down from upstairs with a cheeky smug smile on her face asking if you were having fun. She clearly heard. You knew she knew you two had sex. Hell, you had a baby together but you were still embarrassed. You said thank you and she headed out. Trent moved rapidly to your bedroom. You stopped in Teddy’s nursery first to check if she was still asleep, which she was soundly. You kissed her forehead and walked back to your room. You weren't exactly surprised when you came in and found Trentnt sat on your bed in only his boxers, cock tenting hard in them, leaning back on his arms, legs spread. You'd be lying if you said you weren't immediately turned on. You stood in front of him and slowly peeled the straps of your dress off your shoulders. You let the fabric drop to the floor leaving you in just a matching lacy set.

“C’mere right now.” Trent commanded you. You could see the fire and lust burning behind his stare. You pushed his chest with your palm laying him back on the bed. You straddled over him, casually grinding your wet covered core over his cock. You grabbed his one hand and dragged it over your bare stomach, around to your back and up to the clasp of your lace bralette. He unhooked it with ease, you tits bouncing out free from the material.

“Is this what you wanted downstairs?” You cooed seductively, getting yourself all excited for what was about to happen. In true form, Trent of course had to be just a tad annoying.

“Hey, hey, my daughters in the other room…” he teased acting as if this was all your idea, that he didnt start this whole thing, that he didnt want to fuck you right now. You huffed annoyed and stopped moving on top of him. He laughed a little and held your hips making sure you didn't get off him.

“Please daddy.” you whined slyly knowing he wouldn't be able to resist. You watched the teasing smirk he had drop almost instantaneously. A small smile grew on your face watching his reaction. You began rolling your hips again aching for the contact. You moaned when your clit rubbed against his bulge. Trent kept one hand on your hip guiding your movements but brought his other to cup your cheek then swiftly dragged his thumb across your lips. He slipped it into your mouth with ease. You sucked on it like you would his cock. He groaned when your eyes began to flutter closed with a sigh. You desperately sped up your movements grinding on top of him simultaneously swirling your tongue around his finger. He pulled it out and slipped his now wet fingers down through your folds. Suave as ever he dipped two of his fingers inside of you. You moaned blinking down at him begging without a word. He curled his fingers just the way you liked.

“Do you want more, baby? Tell me what you want me to do for you.” He cooed, enjoying his view of you falling apart on top of him just from his fingers. Your pussy clenched with a whine at the way he spoke to you. A shiver ran down your spine.

“Mmhhm, T. please, baby.” You hummed as you nodded. “I want you to fuck me, please. I want you to make me take your cock.” Your dirty words were enough to stop all the teasing. You both were completely naked in an instant. He smiled looking up at you in awe. Somehow if it was even possible he was harder than he was before. You helped him line his hard cock already leaking precum with your entrance. He groaned as you sank down on him taking his whole length. You threw your head back at the feeling of him finally inside of you.

“You look so sexy, right now, baby. Fuckkk. Look so sexy riding me, sexy taking my cock. You looked so fucking good tonight I needed this.” He ranted watching as you began to bounce on his cock.

“Ah fuck, T you feel so good.” you mewed as your body rocked back and forth on top of him. Your tits bouncing perfectly for him. He cheekily sucked and bit your nipples.

“Take my cock so well. Makes me wanna cum right now in this pretty pussy. Get you pregnant all over again.” His words set you off. You crumbled on top of him in a fit of cries. You fell onto his chest clinging to him as he hit a spot so deep inside you had no choice other than to fall into an earth shattering orgasm. Your pussy spasmed gushing messily onto his cock and abs.

“Holy shit. Oh my god, T.” you whined blissfully overstimulated as he thrusted deeper up into you rolling his hips leaving kisses all along your neck. He reached his hand down between your two sweaty bodies and began to rub your clit knowing he was getting close to his own release.

“That’s it. Be a good girl f’me. Just gimme one more. I’ll fill you up, baby. You want that?” you couldn't think straight anymore. You just moaned as he rubbed your clit in circular motions harder and faster. Your second orgasm washed over you as he simultaneously came inside of you, his hips stuttering and growing sloppier before he slowly came to a stop pumping you full of his cum just as he had promised he would. You got off of him onto wobbly legs collapsing on the bed next to him with your skin shiny, your heart racing, and his cum dripping down your thighs. Trent laughed a little looking at you with loving eyes.

“That was so good, T” you giggled leaning over on him. “I hope we didn't wake Ted.” you got nervous momentarily grabbing for the baby monitor to check. You were relieved to see her still fast asleep. It seemed obvious but you loved having sex with Trent it always put you in a great mood. You loved when he was in control of you but still sweet. It was just the best.

“It's always good.” he confirmed your review before he kissed your forehead and pulled you into his strong slightly sweaty body some more. “It’ll keep being good for the rest of your life. You’re locked into this now. Mrs. Alexander-Arnold.” he teased pinching at your cheek. You cleaned up and got ready for bed. Trent was out like a light fairly quickly. He was exhausted from training, your night out, then what followed when you got home. You were tired as well but your mind was running a mile a minute. You’d be lying if you said you hadn’t had a Pinterest board for years building what your ideal wedding would look like. You started to piece together though more real ideas that fit your current taste and factoring what would be reflective of your relationship with Trent. You scrolled on your phone looking at the all the images you’d saved and that’s when it hit you. Trent’s words ringing in your head again and again. ‘Mrs. Alexander-Arnold’ Trent’s surname was so important to him. The whole TAA thing was almost like a brand and you understood that. You had dreamed probably before you even met him of becoming Y/N Alexander-Arnold. It just was so real now as you looked down at your ring finger and over at the man who gave it to you. You typed out your new name to really see it. In a strange way it made you sad. Like it wasn't really your name. You wanted to take his surname and had planned on it but as it got later and later into the night you just felt like there had been so much change happening in your life, so much was new, so much was giving you anxiety. You had moved countries, you got a house, you had a baby, your body looked so different, you were engaged, and now you weren't even sure your baby liked you. That's a stretch you knew she did but her obsession and preference for Trent was starting to really upset you. All of this was so overwhelming. You weren't you. You weren't exactly the most secure or confident person before all of these things had happened but now you felt less like yourself than ever. You could feel a lump growing in your throat, tears building. Not only were you experiencing severe anxiety you felt so guilty about it all. All of these things were exciting and happy. And you were happy about each and every one of them. You had never loved your life more… then why was this so difficult? You couldn't help it or hold back the tears anymore. You started to cry attempting to be quiet. You rolled over to face away from Trent. He was asleep but not deep enough to miss the sound of your short breaths and sniffles. Your body shaking lightly. He hugged you from behind pulling you into him.

“Baby, what’s wrong. Are you okay?” he whispered resting his chin onto your shoulder. The stubble from his facial hair tickling your bare skin.

“I don’t know. I'm sorry I woke you. I'll go downstairs. I’m sorry.” you apologized feeling bad you woke him up.

“No you won't. You’re gonna stay right here with me. C’mere.” he hugged you tighter, kissing your cheek. “Do you want to talk about what's going on or do you just want me to hold you until you feel up for it?” He asked patiently and lovingly. It made you feel worse he was being so sweet.

“No, it's stupid anyways. I’m sorry.” you apologized again nuzzling your face against his. Your tears were still running down your cheeks now getting on him.

“It's not stupid if it’s making you upset. I don't like when you're upset, baby. I got you, alright? Whatever’s going on we can work on it together. I’ll take care of you. Promise” he wiped your tear stained cheeks with his thumb.

“Maybe tomorrow or something. Thank you for being here, T. I love you so much” You felt much calmer in his arms but it didn't exactly fix any of your worries.

“I love you more than I can even put into words. I’m always here for you… forever.” he kissed your cheek again. He nestled his head into the nape of your neck and closed his eyes holding you securely. “Not going anywhere so if you want to talk or you need me, you got me.” he cooed. You let him doze off. He was tired, you were tired, you both needed sleep and you needed time to figure out how you would even articulate what you were feeling to him. Maybe tomorrow.

•

Thank you for reading! Please like, comment, or message what you think of the chapter … 🤍

Next part - Chapter 11 xx

[gawkingatyourface]

Sweetest Tail | one

summary: A new recruit, Sas joined the Hazbin Hotel after the extermination which made Charlie so happy that she was jumping with joy. This new recruit took the whole crew to their only family that was outside of Pentagram City. Not realizing what they were getting into or more like whom they'll meet.

pairing: Lucifer x fem!reader , Alastor x fem!reader , Azrael x fem!reader

warnings: blood, death, cursing, angst

notes: Hi everyone :D I got so much love on the preview that I'm so happy that you guys really enjoyed it! I've been working on this series to make it as best as i can do it. So here's the first part so hope you like it! it will be a bit different from the show so here it is! Enjoy ! Feedback is appreciated! <3

EONS AGO

[Y/N] stood in front of several angels that were standing in her way as well as the gates of Heaven that wouldn't open for her. She eyed them all with anger and betrayal especially towards one.

One that she never thought would betray her.

He did.

The last memory she had was of feeling cold and lifeless in her home. She remembers seeing her little brother above her with tears in his eyes as his voice faded from her ears. He was the only person that was always by her side. She would miss him a lot. That was when she was on earth.

After that, she woke up in a dark place. The sky that used to be baby blue with white clouds all over now was black with red clouds. She was confused as to what this place is. She got up and walked around to see it so deserted. No one else was there.

Only her.

She felt so alone.

She sighed as she ran her finger thru her hair but stopped once she noticed something different. She gripped on her ears? She gasped as she tighten her grip and felt her body feel some sort of tingle. She let go of it but then she noticed something behind her. She slightly turned to see fluffy, white tails.

Tails?!

She had nine tails attached to her back. Her eyes widen as she twirled around like a dog trying to catch its tail. She stopped as she was getting a headache of all this. This was just too confusing for her. She didn't know where she was at and now she had ears and tails.

She knew that standing here wouldn't help her so she decided to look around this place that would soon be her home.

After a few years, she found out that was in hell or what she calls it "Wrathifuca". She became Queen of Wrathifuca since she was the first one that had shown up and decided to make this her own place to rule. Several more years, more sinners showed up that eventually became her warriors. She was vicious, powerful yet understanding.

Well, sometimes.

Most of them wanted to duel her for her crown which she gave everyone a chance to take her throne.

None never could.

Wrathifuca and Heaven would always butt heads.

Until he came along.

[Y/N] had gone up to Heaven for a meeting with God. She didn't like being in Heaven. She felt like an outsider, a freak. They all were so nice and sweet to her. She knew that most of people had good intentions but there were certain ones that didn't.

She had the meeting with God alongside some higher ups that disliked her. The meeting didn't last long since her nor God ever came to an understanding.

As she made her way out, she bumped onto someone. She was about to fall until she felt arms around her waist, making her avoid falling on her ass. She cursed under her breath at how stupid she must of looked.

"You know that you shouldn't curse when your up here." A dark, cocky voice was heard.

She rolled her eyes as she looked up at her savior which caused her to stop her breathing.

She met these eyes. These gold-colored eyes that were staring into hers.

"What you falling for me already Queen of Wrathifuca?"

His comment made her scoff as she pushed him away, keeping a distance from him.

She glanced at him before walking off, wanting to go back home but once she took several steps, her head met his chest. She groaned as she was gonna step away once again, but she felt her body being pulled by him once again. He wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her body against his. No space between their bodies which he wanted ever since he saw her.

"What is up with you?! Let me go!" She said as she stared up at him with a glare that would make anyone run off in terror.

"Not happening, wifey."

"Wifey?! What the-"

"Nuh uh! Remember what I said, no cursing here."

She rolled her eyes and looked away. She didn't know what's his deal and why he wouldn't let her leave.

"Can you please let me go so I can go home?"

"Hmm...nope."

Her eyes flared up as she looked up at him, not believing at how he's behaving.

"What do you mean nope? Who are you anyway?!"

His lips curved into a smile as he closer to her face making her back away.

"The name is Azrael wifey. Don't forget it."

She rolled her eyes.

"Already forgot it."

She watched as one of her tails slammed him against the wall, knowing that it'll take him a while to get to her. She quickly ran off to get out there. She knew that Heaven was trouble. Real trouble. Yet, once she got back home; she couldn't forget his name nor his gold eyes that she grew to admire.

The same with him; he missed her so much. He loved her glare. Her beautiful eyes. Her voice. Just everything about her. He had first saw her when she got there in Heaven and he couldn't help but keep his eyes on her. She was so magnificent and beautiful like a forbidden fruit that he couldn't have.

But he would have her. No matter what, she would be his.

As time went by, [Y/N] would get unexpected visits from Azrael. Her sinners were defending her from him which they wouldn't stand a chance against him. She knew that so she had told them to back away. She knew instantly that he was very powerful and there was no way that her bodyguards wouldn't stand a chance.

Every visit from him, he would just watch her do her duties or just rant to her about how boring Heaven is.

She didn't know why he felt so comfortable with her or why bother telling her all this.

She was so confused yet she didn't mind his presence.

After so many visits, she grew comfortable with him. He would always make her laugh with his jokes and stories about heaven with Michael and Gabriel.

Even some of the sinners were familiar with him every time he came over to see her.

Azrael would sometimes get jealous over some of the sinners getting too close to [Y/N]. He knew that it'll take for her to accept him but there's only so much that he can take.

His possessiveness and jealousy sometimes overtook him.

"What are you doing here?"

He shrugged his shoulders and gave her a smile.

"What? I can't come here and check if you sinners are behaving."

She rolled her eyes as she turned around.

"That's nothing for you to worry about."

"That is true but I am worried about something else."

She let out a sigh as she regretted her next words.

"And what would that be?"

She didn't hear anything which confused her since he always had a comment. But she felt something. She looked up to see him in front of her. Giving her his famous smile as he had one of his hands on top of her head, patting her ears and hair. She wanted to growl at him so bad. To snap his hand off her yet his touch made her feel something. Something in her gut that was telling her to not stop him.

Before she could say anything, she finally heard his voice.

"I'm worried about my wifey."

That word again.

That name that he would always call her. It irked her that he would call her that. He had no right to yet her heart melted when he would say it.

"I-i'm not your wifey!" She yelled at him as her ears were turning red alongside her face.

"You will be."

"Wha-"

Before she could yell at him, she felt his lips against her in a deep kiss. Her eyes widen as she tried to push him again but he wouldn't let her. She felt her back against the wall while her mouth was being devoured by him. She could easily push him away if she really wanted to.

His touch did something to her. Made her feel something she never felt before.

After a while of their heavy make out session, he finally pulled away from her lips.

Both gasping for air as they stared into each other's eyes.

"You will always be my wifey. That will never change." He said it with a deeper voice as he placed both of his hands on her face, making her stare into his eyes.

"This will never work."

"It will, my wifey."

She rolled her eyes with a smile on her face which he loved so much.

He couldn't help but smash his lips against her once again, making her giggle at him. His lips curved into a smile, wanting nothing more than to hear more of her sounds.

But she was right.

It was never gonna work.

Once heaven found out about her and Azrael's relationship, a war was coming to Wrathifuca. Something that [Y/N] knew was bound to happen. She knew that being with him would have this effect.

Effect her home. Her sinners.

What she didn't expect was that Azrael was the one that gave the order to the exorcists.

Earlier that day, she had a very surprised guest visiting.

It was Sera.

[Y/N] had heard of her and has had meetings with her before. But this was too unexpected since she would of never gone down there.

She knew that something was happening. She felt it in her whole body.

"[Y/N], your and Azrael's relationship has to come to an end."

"And who are you to decide that?"

"I didn't. I'm just here to let you know about what's to come if you don't."

[Y/N] rolled her eyes.

"And what is that?"

"War. The exorcists are coming to kill you all."

[Y/N] frowned as she stood up from her throne and glared at Sera.

"Why you-"

Sera held out a hand.

"I'm just the messenger. The one that did the order was your beloved Azrael."

Her eyes widen at what Sera had just told her.

"No. It can't be him. You're lying!"

"I am not, [Y/N]. He's one of the leaders and part of the organization that created the exorcists."

[Y/N]'s mind was going everywhere. She didn't know what to say or think. The person that she had fallen for had betrayed her.

"I want him to tell me. Not you Sera."

"He's forbidden to come here anymore, but I will show you."

Suddenly, a shiny, portal appeared next to Sera as some sort of video was playing.

It showed Azrael with Sera and Lute.

"Sir, what are our next move?"

"Go down and destroy them all. They all deserve to die. Don't leave any survivors. Understood."

"Yes sir."

That's all that [Y/N] needed as she turned to Sera and told her to leave and never show in front of her face again.

Sera disappeared as [Y/N] was lost in thought thinking about what to do.

But she didn't have much time.

As her home was being destroyed, so was her heart. She knew that all this time yet she hoped for a different solution.

If only.

She decided to fight one more time before she disappeared. She had dealt with the exorcists before. For many eons. It was different now. Now she had a broken heart after knowing the truth so now her wrath was out and no one could stop her.

Especially as she saw her family, her sinners dead in front of her. For protecting her.

Her hands turned into fists as her true form came out and absolutely destroyed every angel that was in her sight.

They killed her home. Her sinners.

It didn't take long after they were all dead.

She was filled with blood. Her chest breathing heavily as she was hurting. It didn't show on the outside but inside, she was dead. She glared at the red sky, knowing that they are watching her. She shook her head and turned around to see several survivors kneeling down to her. She gave them a small smile before giving them a signal.

"I'm no longer gonna be Queen of Wrathifuca. Just a normal sinner like the rest. You can follow me and live a quiet life. Or you choose your own path. It's your own decision. I won't get upset from your decision."

She watched them as they all agreed to stay with her. She gave them a nod and smile as she made her way out of the city that she had cared for. Now, she had to leave it for someone else to take care of it. She gave it one last look before leaving it forever for the next King or Queen that will take over.

Not realizing that someone was watching her from above.

Azrael's fists kept slamming on the desk as he felt nothing but pain. He couldn't believe that Sera had given his exorcists the decision to destroy that place. The place that was owned by his beloved. His wifey. His [Y/N].

He was gonna go to her. He needed to see her. To explain to her.

"You will not go there Azrael."

He froze as he turned around to see Sera and Lute. He glared at them both as he laughed.

"And why the fuck not?!"

"No cursing Azrael-"

"Shut it Sera. You did this! You went and told her didn't you! You did all this!"

Sera sighed as she nodded at him.

"It had to be done Azrael."

"Why Sera!? Why did it had to go this way?!"

"Because she was changing you sir!" Lute suddenly said as she was getting frustrated. "You wouldn't be around anymore. Always going down there with that bitch!"

Azrael's glared even more.

"You shut it bitch before I make it worse for you."

"Azrael enough. We all decided that this is what's best for you both."

"By making her hate me forever? By not seeing her at all?!"

"Yes. If you want a partner, there are many here-"

"Sera if you don't stop talking, I'll do something to you."

Sera sighed as she turned around, about to leave.

"It was bound to happen Azrael. Nothing was gonna be different. She was bound to find out. Even if you had told her, you think she'd react differently. She's a sinner. Will always be."

Azrael watched her and Lute walking out of his office. He gripped on his hair as he started to destroy his whole office. Smashing and tearing things apart. He was losing his mind. He couldn't see her. Couldn't be near her. He needed to know if she was okay. Needed to explain to her.

It was like she was the reason why he was breathing. Why he would smile and enjoy his life because of her. She made it worthwhile.

He sat in the corner as he watched into space with his room all destroyed. He leaned his head back as he took off a small box from a hidden box that was underneath the floor tiles. He opened it to reveal a beautiful ring that was for her.

His wifey. His one and only.

"I will find you again, my wifey. Please wait for me." He whispered as he kissed the ring with a tear rolling down his face.

After that night, [Y/N] had found a deserted area with a rough up building. She stared at it with wonder as she looked back at her family. Giving them a smile and telling them her plan which they agreed. So, they all started to build a safe haven for her and her sinners-family. She wouldn't lose anyone anymore. She made an oath that she will never let anyone die because of her.

She opened this café that was open for anyone. It was outside of the city, miles away from anyone. Only certain sinners knew about it. As long as they didn't cause any trouble, then it was fine with her.

She lived a quiet life yet she was still so broken from what happened. She made sure to never be found. Not from Sera, the new King and Queen of Hell, and him. Most definitely him.

She had heard of Lucifer and Lilith ruling Hell. They had even changed her home's name. She didn't care. She wasn't a ruler anymore. But this place will always be Wratifuca. No matter what, but she didn't mind Hell. It had a good ring to it.

She had several stories about Lucifer and how he was an angel but fell because he disagreed with Heaven so then he became a fallen angel. He arrived with Lilith and together they ruled Hell.

[Y/N] couldn't care less at how Hell had become. More sinners showed up and it got so chaotic. So much had changed but it wasn't her responsibility anymore. She now had a quiet life with her café and family.

One night, she had an unexpected visit.

Someone she never expected to find especially in hell.

It was her brother, Sas.

He was a three-tailed lion that was taller than her. She couldn't believe it was him. She gave him a big hug as he cried about how he had missed her so much. She agreed with him at how bad she had missed him as well.

Yet, she was confused as to why he got sent to Hell. From what she remembered, he was a good boy. Never did anything wrong unlike her. She was always the bad child in the family. She had done so many horrible things that some not even her brother knew. She intends to stay that way, but once Sas explained what had happened once she died. It made more sense why he was there with her.

She didn't care. She was happy that she had him now. He stayed with her for a while until he suddenly disappeared. She worried for him but knew that she couldn't hold him down. He will always be her little brother but he had his own life there in Hell. So she would wait for him there at her café.

But her quiet life would soon change.

With unexpected people and familiar faces...

[krirebr]

I Know I Should Know Better 5

Pairing: Curtis Everett x Female Reader

Word Count: ~4.9k

Summary: Curtis has been working as your body guard for almost two years now. Standing by and watching you work and party your life away is becoming more and more difficult, but is there anything he can do about it?

Warnings: Mild angst, adult themes, complicated power dynamics, minor age difference (not explicit in this part, but reader is mid-twenties and Curtis is early thirties), explicit language, anxiety, SMUT! FINALLY! She's starting to have a nice time, you guys!! All of my work is 18+ - Minors DNI

Dividers by @firefly-graphics

Series Masterlist

Masterlist

A/N: You guys!!! This is a nice chapter!! Where nice things happen to nice people! Oh my god! Did you ever think you'd see the day???

Thanks to @thezombieprostitute who suggested the meal Curtis makes here. And additional thanks to everyone else who sent me suggestions! You're all the best!

Any comment, reblog, or ask to let me know what you think will be greatly appreciated. Please come scream at me about these two! 😄 As always, thank you so much for reading! 💜

Curtis woke up to the sun gently coming in through your drapes, memories of the night before filtering in with it. He’d been scared for you, really scared, rather than the baseline of concern he’d had since he’d met you. You’d told him a little about what had happened as you lay in bed together before you’d both drifted off to sleep. How people just kept coming after you, how you didn’t understand why anyone cared in the first place. He’d gently wiped the tears from your cheeks as you spoke. It didn’t feel like enough.

Now, you were still asleep, still curled up in his arms, your back to him, snoring softly. He chuckled to himself. That was a much more interesting story, he thought, than any of the bullshit your exes were currently peddling. Your soft little snores, the way you’d snuggled up to him in your sleep, how right now was the most peaceful he’d ever seen you. He was split between wanting the world to see how you really were and knowing he would do everything he could to shield you from their gaze.

He wasn’t sure what would happen when you woke up. Would you regret it? Would you see how little he could actually offer you? You already had everything and all he could give you was himself. But that’s what he would do if you’d let him, he’d give you all of himself.

You began to stir in his arms and he loosened his grip a little. After a few moments, you rolled over to face him, still sleepy and soft.

“Good morning,” he whispered, his voice rough with sleep. 

“Morning,” you replied, almost shyly, not quite looking him in the eye. You seemed a little lost for a moment and Curtis searched for something to say. Before he’d found anything, you scooted forward and tucked yourself into his body. His arms adjusted to hold you tight without him ever having the conscious thought to do so. You just fit, like you’d always been made to be there. “I’m glad you’re still here,” you said, so softly he almost didn’t hear you. 

“Where else would I be?” he mumbled into your hair. You shrugged, curled up tight against him. “I wasn’t sure you’d still want me here,” he said lowly, feeling dumb and exposed as soon as the words left his lips.

You looked up at that. “Why wouldn’t I want you here?”

It was his turn to shrug. “Emotions were running really high last night. I’d get it, you know, if you woke up feeling differently.” 

You looked him right in the eye and pursed your lips, but you didn't say anything, not right away. He could tell you were thinking, choosing your words carefully. He braced himself. “It's really nice,” you finally said, “waking up with you.”

“Yeah?” He asked, unable to help the pleased grin that took over his face. “Well, that's good.”

“Yeah,” you said so earnestly, “I think it is.”

He started to duck his head bashfully but you darted forward and kissed him before he was fully able. It was quick, just a peck. You leaned back and chuckled a bit, embarrassed. He couldn’t have that.

“Sorry,” you started to say, “was that–” 

He had you on your back and was hovering over you before you were able to finish your thought. “Yeah,” he grinned as he held himself up with one hand on either side of your head. “How about this? This ok?”

You laughed, more carefree than maybe he’d ever heard you. It was an incredible sound—one he wanted to hear as often and for as long as he could.

“Yeah,” you said, wearing that blinding smile you were known for. “Yeah, that’s just fine,” before you put an eager hand on the back of his neck and pulled him down to you, surging up to meet his lips at the same time. It was different, kissing you now than it was last night, when you were distraught, your face wet with tears, and you were desperate for anyone to actually look at you. This morning you smiled into it. This morning he swallowed your giggles as his hand brushed a ticklish spot on your side. This morning you tasted happy. 

The two of you stayed like that, his mouth attached to yours, his hands lazily exploring your body. He couldn’t quite believe he was here, doing this. Making out with you in your bed. Couldn’t believe he was allowed to do this. Which then, of course, reminded him. He pulled back, sitting up but still straddling you. You raised your head to try to chase his lips, but he gently pushed your shoulders back into the mattress. You looked at him in question. “When does Michelle usually get here?” he asked.

You groaned. “No,” you said. “Don’t do that. I’m not ready for real life yet.”

He quirked an eyebrow. “You’d rather she walk in on us like this?” He liked Michelle fine, most days, but he knew that if this news wasn’t something she was properly prepared for, it’d be a disaster.

“Ugh, no, obviously not,” you grimaced. You twisted your upper body so as not to dislodge Curtis, and stretched your arm to grab your phone off your nightstand. You looked at the time and groaned again. “We have less than an hour,” you whined.

“Ok,” he said and slid off of you. You pouted and he couldn’t help but grin as he leaned down to place one last peck on your lips before he got out of bed. “I’ll get out of your hair then.” 

As he started to gather his clothes from the floor, you asked in a small voice, “But just for now, right?” 

He looked up to see your head was down, gaze fixed on your hands. He strode over to your side of the bed and took your face in both hands. “Yes,” he said, “just for now.” He placed a short, gentle kiss on your lips and then went back to his pile of clothing, sitting down on the foot of the bed to put his pants on.

“You’re working tonight?” you asked.

“Uh,” he stood up to shimmy his jeans over his ass, “maybe? I mean, I’m scheduled, but I guess it depends on what Lloyd says.” He was pretty sure it was late enough in the morning to head straight to your manager’s office and turn in his resignation.

“Lloyd?” you asked as you gave him a confused stare. “Why would he have anything to say about it?”

“Well, he’s technically my boss, so he’s the one I’ll have to go quit to. I don’t know if he’ll want me to be done right away or stay on til they replace me.” It seemed obvious to him, but it became clear very quickly that that was the wrong thing to say as you were immediately filled with panic.

“You’re quitting? Why? You can’t!”

“I have to. This is a massive conflict of interest. I can’t properly protect you if I’m involved with you. Once people know, they’ll never let me.”

“We can’t tell people!”

Your words were like ice water down his back. He took a deep breath and tried not to feel hurt, dirty. You hadn’t let on yet that you were embarrassed by him. You deserved the benefit of the doubt. He needed to let you explain. “Why can’t we tell people?” he asked, trying to keep his voice even.

He waited for you to answer but you didn’t say anything, just kept shaking your head. He crawled back up the bed and settled next to you. “Hey,” he said gently and then whispered your name. When you finally looked at him, he pleaded, “Please tell me what’s wrong.”

Instead, all you said was “I’m sorry.”

“Nothing to be sorry for, I just need to know. Why don’t you want to tell people?”

You looked away, staring into the corner of the room. It was a few minutes before you quietly said, “If everyone knows, they won’t let me keep this.”

He sighed. He wanted to say that it was your life and you were the only one that controlled it. He wanted to tell you that it was time you started standing up for yourself. He wanted to make you understand that your choices were yours alone. 

But the actual truth was that you were maybe right. There were many people involved in your life, and while they might not be able to forbid you from seeing him (at least he didn’t think they could do that), they probably would make things very difficult for both of you. He understood why you’d want to prevent that.

As he tried to figure out what to say, the perfect combination of words that would convince you that everything would be alright, that he wouldn’t let anyone take him away from you, you looked up at him with big eyes and whispered, “You’re the only person I trust to keep me safe.”

Well, fuck. He leaned his head back against your headboard. What was he supposed to say to that? This was the wrong call. He knew it was. But. “Ok,” he said after a few moments of silence. “I won’t quit today. But this isn’t a permanent solution, alright? This is just until we figure out a better plan. I don’t want to keep this secret forever.”

You nodded quickly. “Yeah,” you said. “I don’t want to either! Just until we figure out the best way to handle it.” You knelt up and softly pressed your lips against his. “Thank you,” you sighed. “For everything.”

He bumped your forehead with his. “I have to go. But I’ll be back tonight.”

You nodded. “Wait, give me your phone.” He pulled it out of his pocket, unlocked it, and handed it to you. You messed around with it for a moment and then handed it back. Your contact information was pulled up, but you’d changed the fake name used by everyone who worked for you to a simple 🩵.  “So if anyone sees any messages or something, they won’t know it’s me.”

He smiled down at it. “And what am I going to be in your phone?”

You grinned, taking your own phone out and messing with it for a moment. Then you turned it around to reveal his name replaced with 😾. You laughed hysterically as he went straight for that ticklish spot in your side.

It was wild, the way time started to fly by. You were as busy as ever, your team desperate to rehabilitate your image and that meant Curtis was busy too, always by your side. It was difficult, in those working moments, to not reach out and hold your hand or place a gentle kiss on your cheek or a soft, soothing hand on your back. Instead, he’d stay back at a safe distance, watching you as you were interviewed in a bland hotel suite by a long line of journalists, or were gussied up by a team of stylists in your living room, or tried to convince a director that you were what they wanted in a dimly lit restaurant.

But in these moments, he was allowed to do a little more than before and it usually involved texting. The two of you texted a lot. Usually from across the same room. He’d send things like:

You look so beautiful. I wish I could touch you.

Or

You’re so good at this. I’m really proud of you.

It amazed him that when he had these thoughts, he was allowed to tell you. He wasn’t sure he’d ever get over it. And then he got to watch you read them. The way your face would soften, the smallest, most private smile on your lips. And he would ache to reach out to you all over again.

You both did your best to steal private moments together. A quick kiss in a dark hallway, a quiet moment by your pool disguised as him communicating details about an upcoming appearance. The best were the nights when you didn’t have any other commitments and he would send Jensen home early with the promise that Curtis was “right behind him, I just gotta make sure everything’s secure. You know how nervous she gets.” And once Jake was gone, he’d walk into the living room to find you already dressed down, ordering takeout on your phone, and waiting for him on the couch with a happy smile on your face. While those nights were few and far between, they were his favorite.

When somehow almost two months had passed without him realizing it, he received a text from you late one morning.

I don’t have ANYTHING to do today! I just got rid of Michelle. Come over and hang out? Please?

He grinned down at his phone. An entire day alone with you was more than he could ask for. But.

How about I come pick you up instead and we spend the day at my house? I’ll even cook for you tonight.

He put his phone down and tried not to anxiously wait for your response. You’d never done anything together outside of your house. But he wanted you in his space. Wanted to see what you looked like there. It was just a moment before his phone buzzed with an answer.

Oh! Yeah, that sounds nice. Ok!

He picked you up on his motorcycle at the small door that was hidden in the privacy fence in your backyard. It avoided any paparazzi that might be staking out your front gate. Dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, once you put his spare helmet on, there was no way to tell it was you. You hopped on behind him, and he tried not to react too much when you slipped your hands around his chest and pressed your body into his back. But he did savor your closeness the whole ride back to his house.

He stood nervously in his front room as you wandered around it, taking everything in. Your fingers lightly ran over the knick knacks on his bookshelves as you seemed to read every title. You stroked the afghans laid over the back of his couch. You grinned at his old teddybear hidden in the corner. “Oh wow,” you said softly to the room as a whole but mostly just yourself.

He cleared his throat awkwardly. “Uh, what?”

You turned to him and smiled, and he swore that at that moment the light came through the window to perfectly hit your face. “There’s so much of you here,” you said. “I love it. This is such a nice place.”

He couldn’t explain why that had him so bashful all of a sudden. “Uh,” he said again, eloquent as ever, as he rubbed the back of his neck, “I don’t know, it’s kind of small, but–” 

You shook your head vigorously. “No,” you said, firmly, “It’s cozy. It’s nice. I really love it.”

You sat down on his couch and, drawn by your gravitational pull, he hurried to join you. As soon as he sat down, you pressed yourself into him. He wrapped his arm around you. He wanted to broach something, so he took a moment to find his words. “How long have you been in your house?” he asked, trying to keep his tone casual.

“I bought it when I was 18. My mom liked it and I didn’t really know what I was looking for, so it was easiest to just go along with her. And then she hired the decorator and–” You shrugged. “It’s fine.”

“Mmm,” he hummed, grabbing your hand with the one not slowly running up and down your arm, “you ever think about moving?”

You shrugged again. “I don’t know. Sort of feel like I’d need a good reason.”

“Not liking your house seems like a pretty good reason to me.”

You laughed. “Yeah, maybe,” you said as you rested your head on his chest.

In the early evening, you both moved to the kitchen so he could get started on dinner. He set you up on a stool at the kitchen island with a glass of wine and strict instructions to not lift a finger. He went about his work, getting all the ingredients together as he chatted with you about the scripts you’d been reading.

“I don’t know,” you said, “everyone’s freaking out because I don’t have the next thing lined up, but every time I think about spending the next however many months making one of these bullshit scripts, I just– I don’t know. I wish there were something better.”

Keeping his eyes on the cutting board in front of him as he started to peel garlic, he said, “Maybe it’s a sign to wait. Let something better come to you.”

You sighed. “That’d be a big risk. With everything the way it is right now, how people see me, I think I’m gonna have to make some bullshit, show that I’m employable before anyone offers me something better. And I honestly think Wilford would have a literal heart attack if I even suggested taking a break right now.”

Curtis bit his tongue and kept his thoughts on Wilford to himself. But he did turn around to face you as he leaned back on the counter. “Can I ask you a question?”

You laughed, but he could tell you were a little wary. “You’re clearly dying to,” you said, giving him a go-ahead wave.

“Do you like it? Acting?”

You just stared at him for a moment. “Sorry,” you said, shaking yourself a bit, “I just don’t think anyone’s ever asked me that before. In twenty years of doing this.” You started to curl in on yourself and he wanted to reach out to you, get you to stop. But it also felt important, this moment, letting you process it. “I guess I don’t know? I’ve never really thought about it before. God, wow, that’s– that’s stupid. But. I’m good at it, I think. Decent, at least. And I have no idea what I’d do with myself if I wasn’t doing this.”

 He turned back to the garlic to give you a break. “That might be a good reason to take a break. See if you miss it. And give you a chance to see what else you like.”

You hummed thoughtfully. “Yeah, maybe.”

Before Curtis could say anything else, the back door opened and Edgar stumbled in. He seemed startled to see you both there. “Oh,” he said and then his gaze narrowed in on you and he stopped in his tracks “Oh! You’re– Uh, hi.”

“Edgar,” Curtis called out, trying to get the attention off of you. “I thought you were with Yona all day today.” 

Edgar glanced over at Curtis like he was seeing him for the first time. “Huh? Oh yeah, I am, but we were nearby and I realized I’d forgotten something so I thought I’d come grab it.” He looked down at the food Curtis was preparing and then back up at you. “Oh! Sorry. Sorry. I’ll get out of your way. Just give me a minute.”

Curtis rolled his eyes and you just laughed and then held out your hand. “Hi Edgar,” you said and gave your own name. “I’ve heard a little about you. It’s really nice to meet you.”

Edgar paused awkwardly then reached out his own hand to shake yours. “Uh, yeah, nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you. Obviously.”

Curtis suppressed his groan as well as he could. “Edgar,” he said, very seriously. “Her privacy is obviously very important to her, so it’s critical that you not tell anyone about this, ok? Not even Yona.”

Edgar looked over at him, took in his expression, and then nodded. “Yeah, of course. I won’t tell anyone. I promise.”

“Thank you,” Curtis said, sincerely. 

Edgar nodded again, then darted off to his room to grab whatever he’d forgotten. Just a minute later he was back, careening out the door with a “Bye! Have fun!” called over his shoulder. 

Curtis sighed. “So, uh, that was Edgar,” he said to you. 

You were looking fondly at the door, then back to him. “How long has he been living here?”

“About six months, just since he turned eighteen and aged out of the system.”

You nodded and took a sip of your wine, but your eyes stayed on him. He ducked his head, not sure what to do with how you were looking at him, like you could really see him. “What?” he asked when he couldn’t come up with anything else to say.

“Nothing,” you said, “you’re just– You’re a really good man, Curtis.”

He really didn’t know what to say to that, so he turned back to what he was doing. “I’m probably making too much food,” he mumbled.

Once dinner was ready, he herded you over to the small kitchen table and brought over the plated food, pasta aglio e olio, and blistered green beans. You oohed and ahhed appropriately as he poured you another glass of wine, along with one for himself. He watched you carefully as you took your first bite. You closed your eyes and moaned, just a little bit. “Holy smokes,” you said, once you’d swallowed. “This is delicious. You always cook like this?”

He puffed up a little at your obvious, sincere enjoyment of his food. “Sometimes,” he said. “When I have a good reason to.” At your smile, he couldn’t resist leaning across the table and kissing you, his big hand on the back of your neck. You sighed into it, and it took everything in him to not knock everything off the table so he could take you right there. There was something about having you in his house, in his kitchen, dressed so casually, just you, without any of the extra bullshit that followed you around, that made you even more radiant than you were on the most glamorous red carpet. You were here, just you, and you were beautiful and he wanted you. So much. He made himself sit back down and focus on his meal.

You had a nice, easy conversation as you ate. But he couldn’t really tell you what it was about. He kept looking at your lips as you spoke. He loved your voice and the way it washed over him. You talked with your hands and he found himself mesmerized. 

When you were both done eating, he started to clear away the plates, but you stopped him. “Curtis,” you said, your voice so much huskier than before, “I’d really like to see your bedroom.”

He didn’t hesitate. He grabbed your hand and led you to his room.

It wasn’t that the two of you hadn’t done anything before, but you’d both taken his suggestion to go slow seriously. So while you kissed whenever you could and the nights on your couch often resulted in make-outs, you hadn’t had sex yet. He wanted to, of course he did, but he knew enough about your previous relationships to not want to rush anything. So he decided that he’d do his best to make you feel wanted but never pressured and waited for you to let him know when you were ready.

As soon as you were in his room, you dropped his hand and began undressing. He took his cue from you and ripped his own shirt off before fumbling with his pants in his eagerness. He marveled, once you were down to your underwear, that you weren’t wearing some expensive lingerie set. Just basic mismatched cotton pieces, obviously chosen for comfort over anything else. It was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen.

When he was standing in just his boxer briefs, you stopped and stared at him. “You’re so fucking beautiful,” you said and he immediately felt his whole face turn pink. You laughed, so gently, so loving, and added “You clearly don’t hear that enough.” 

He pulled you to him and kissed you, hard and desperate. His hands gripped your hips for a moment and then traveled down, hooking into your panties, breaking the kiss so he could pull them all the way down your legs. He paused when he reached the floor, letting you step out of them before wrapping a hand around your thigh and dropping the softest kiss on your hip. You took off your bra and dropped it. He stayed there on the ground, for just a moment, looking up at your naked body, in awe of everything you were. You looked down at him and ran a hand over his buzzcut. “Sit on the bed,” you whispered. As soon as he’d done as he was told, you knelt in front of him. You must have been able to tell that he was about to check in, tell you you didn’t have to. “Please,” you said, “for once, let me take care of you.” You pulled his boxers off him and then wrapped a hand around his length, stroking up and down a few times, before taking him in your mouth. “Fuck,” he whimpered and threw his head back. The sounds you were making as you worked more of him into your mouth, your throat, eager little moans around his cock. It was very quickly becoming too much. One of your hands cupped his balls and he looked down to see the other between your thighs, fingers disappearing inside yourself. It was too much. He was hurtling towards the edge too quickly. “Wait, wait,” he gasped. You paused and looked up, a question in your eyes. “I want to be inside of you,” he pleaded. “Please, please.”

You pulled off of him with a pop and reached up to take his face in both hands, giving him one of the filthiest kisses he’d ever had, wet and hot and so full of need. Then you pushed him down so he was lying on the bed and crawled up to join him. You lay next to each other and kissed some more your legs tangled together, gasping every time his cock brushed against your pussy. “Yes, please,” you cried, “I want you inside me now.” He rolled over to his nightstand, grabbing a condom out of the drawer and quickly putting it on. Then he kneeled over you, one gentle hand on your cheek and the other lining himself up with your cunt. He slowly pushed into you and your eyes rolled back in your head, soft little chants of “yes” and “please” leaving your lips. He moved his big thumb onto your clit as he slowly worked more and more of himself inside of you, moving it around in circles as you clenched around him. He could feel you getting close to the edge as your chanting turned to wordless little cries. 

“Go on,” he said, as he rocked into you, his pace quickly becoming frantic. “Go on, let go, I’ve got you.” You did, coming hard around him, soaking him with your juices, your body shaking. He wasn’t far behind you, grunting through his release. 

He collapsed on top of you as you both tried to catch your breath. Then you started laughing, a soft little thing. “Holy shit,” you said, incredulous. “Oh my god, Curtis.”

He chuckled, too, still coming back down to earth. “Yeah,” he said, as he peppered your face with kisses. “Yeah, I know.”

Curtis woke up in the morning to the sound of you on your phone. “I’m fine, Michelle. I just hung out with a friend last night and stayed at her house.” He reached across his bed and brushed his hand across your lower back. You looked down and smiled at him as you continued your conversation. “No, nothing like that. It’s fine. I’m fine.” You rolled your eyes at him conspiratorially, as you said, “Yes, I’ll be home soon. I promise.” He sat up, placing a kiss on your bare shoulder, then left you to your conversation and started getting ready for the day.

Michelle had freaked out when she’d gotten to your house that morning and you weren’t there, so you weren’t able to have the lazy morning together that Curtis would have liked. But that was alright, he’d gotten an entire day and night with you. That would have to be enough. He tamped down the part of himself that knew it never would be. 

You both got dressed, you wearing your clothes from yesterday, along with a borrowed plain, dark blue baseball cap to try to obscure your identity. Once you were ready, he walked you to the end of his block, right before things started to get a little busier. You’d decided that the coffee shop another block from his house would be a decent place to get an Uber from. He stood on the corner, holding your hand, not quite ready to let you go yet.

You looked around cautiously then smiled. “I think we’re alone now,” you sing-songed then laughed, giving him a short, sweet kiss. “Thank you for everything.” Then you dropped his hand and walked away.

He returned to his house, dreaming of a day your time together wouldn’t have to end this way.

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