#I think the others have Fears but I think these are the few that can count as phobias or irrational fears
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Danny is living on the streets in Crime Alley the main issue is that he was deaged into a six year old by the GIW and had to run. The Fenton Parents were across the country at a ghost hunter's convention and Jazz was away at college. Danny's been on the streets for a few weeks now, his phone was broken during his escape meaning no contact with Sam and Tucker.
Red Hood had just finished a report on a joint case with the other bats concerning a drug ring trying to set up in Gotham and Crime Alley, when this tiny six year old with a white shock in his black hair and bright blue eyes and old bandages from multiple injuries popped out of a dumpster holding a pack of unopened hot dogs that were only a day passed the sell by date.
The two immediately make eye contact and Danny just slams the lid on the dumpster and wiggles intangibly out of a rusted out hole on the back of the dumpster and runs when his intangiblity flickers and fails as soon as he's out. Jason isn't exactly sure what he saw for a moment but when he realized what happened he's immediately on the search for his tiny doppelganger.
Jason snatched up the little kid. For a moment, he paused to think, âAm I seriously kidnapping a kid?â before he recollected his thoughts and explained to himself, âYes, because this kid needs help.â
The kid wriggled in his hands, frowning and pouting. He kicked his little legs as he cried out, "Kidnapper! Kidnapper! Help! Someone help!"
"Kid, where are your parents?" Jason asked. He held the struggling kid and brought him closer to his chest.
Something like an electric current from static buildup zapped between them. Jason flinched and the boy stilled.
Then he went quiet and sniffled, cuddling closer to Jason's chest plate, rubbing his chubby cheek against the bat-symbol there.
Jason awkwardly moved his face away from his taser and asked again, "Kid, where are your parents?"
"... gone," he mumbled. "My sista can't find me."
Jason gently patted his back, bringing him closer into a hug. The kid buried himself closer and Jason wondered if his initial fight was due to fear or something. "What's your name?"
"... Danny."
"Okay, Danny. Let's find your sister, okay? Want to come with me?"
Danny nodded silently and Jason resisted the urge to smile and coo. He was quite cute, with his pouty expression and teary eyes. Jason used his thumb to rub away at some dirt on his cheek before adjusting his hold on him.
"Alright, kiddo, what can you tell me about your sister?"
ââ
Danny stared at the strange, liminal man who was afflicted with ectoplasmic rot, as he went on a vague tangent about Jazz.
He was pretty sure that Jazz and his friends were already searching for him, since he had been gone for awhile now.
He was also pretty sure that if he gave up too much information, this man would've been able to find her too quickly, which prevented Danny from giving him the help that he needed.
Danny sighed.
Who knew that after he would be deaged, he'd have to adopt a grown man?
#dc x dp#dp x dc#dpxdc#dcxdp#danny phantom x dc#dp x dc crossover#ask#danny fenton#jazz fenton#anon ask#jason todd#ty for the ask!
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Goldilocks and the Four Bears
Chapter 2
Poly!141 x reader
Summary: You wake to four strangers at the end of your bed.
Warnings: 18+, dark themes, mention of kidnap, mention of torture,
Note: Merry Christmas Everyone - I hope you all enjoy this chapter! đ
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Masterlist -> Here
For the first time in a long time, you slept well. More than well actually, amazing.
Your body was supported at all points, neck raised slightly, head cushioned on a thick feather pillow. And the sheets were actual bedsheets. One matching set of dark grey linen sheets, adorning the king sized mattress.
A luxury compared to how youâve slept in the last few months. You never could fall into a deep sleep. Knowing that at any point your captors would come back to your room, kicking you from your slumber and starting your torment once more. When you did try to sleep it was on the concrete floor. Curled in a ball, spread like a starfish, lying on your front. All positions that youâd tried and failed to have a restful night of sleep in.
It must have been the light that woke you, you think wistfully to yourself. A ghost of a smile graces your face at the sight. Light streaming in and hitting the bedspread. Particles of dust, dancing carelessly in the rays. Things were turning around.
You roll on to your back. Stretching your neck from side to side and groaning. Your eyes find the ceiling, a plain white rectangle above you. You take a moment or two to enjoy the silence of the morning, letting yourself wake up.
Itâs when you turn to your other side to gaze out the other window, that your peace is disturbed. The window itself is fine, the glass is intact, with a thin frosting of snow on each pane. But the figure that leans beside it is not something you wanted to see, in the previously empty cabin.
A mix of a gasp and shout of surprise leaves your sore throat as you jump in place. Your body becoming rigid and tense with stress at the sight of the intruder. Now sitting more upright, you see that the stranger not alone. He stands with three other men, each more imposing than the last.
While the one by the window did frighten you, his boyish dimples and lean figure have nothing on how the Goliath by the dresser makes you feel. He stands tall, taller than the rest. His face covered by a skull painted balaclava. His grey eyes give nothing away as they stare blankly at you on the bed.
Between the two opposites, are another two men. One stood next to the nicest looking of the four, crossing his arms and trying to keep his face stoic. His hair is styled into a Mohawk and the sight reminds you of bad guys from old movies. His blue eyes stand out against his brutish appearance. Softening the fear that his very being brings you.
The only one left is the man who sits on a chair found in the room. His legs naturally spread a little due to the size of his thighs. His arms are crossed over his chest, causing the muscles in his forearms to bulge under his long sleeve shirt.
His face is blank, hiding what his true thoughts are and most likely what he truly feels. His face is adorned with a healthy amount of facial hear. The feature ages him and makes him look rugged. Your eyes draw to the thick line of hair that he harbours above his pink lips.
They say nothing. They just stare. The action unnerving you. Making you feel like some sort of zoo animal.
The sight of the four muscular and good-looking men put you on edge of course. But thereâs something else. Urges that youâd never thought of before. Feelings were never part of the mission. You were determined to keep it that way.
âYou sleep alright love?â The man sitting asks you. Him deciding to speak first and the fact that he others look towards him leads you to believe that he is the leader of the men. Despite the authority that they all seem to hold.
His voice is low and quiet. The sounds rumbling together at the low volume. The words are clear enough though, that you can make them out a few feet away on the bed.
You donât respond, you canât. What is he wanting you to say? Yes thank you, it was the best sleep of my life.
So you strengthen your resolve and stay silent. Slowly shifting your position so youâre sitting up more instead of lying down. You calm your breathing and focus your mind. You let your eyes glance over the men in the room again.
âEnjoy sleeping in a strangers sheets?â Again his voice is quiet, soft even. But his eyes tell a different story. His eyes that are squeezed into a glare, glower at you. When you meet his eyes itâs too intense. You feel as if youâre on trial for your life. Come to think of it you are.
You stand no chance against these men. In any capacity. If they wanted to kill you, they could. If they wanted to hurt you, they could. If they wanted to take you, they could.
The last thought resonates with you deeply. Thatâs when the a prick of fear starts to grow in the back of your head. You realised how lucky you were that Miasma had no interest in hurting you in any sort of sexual way. Despite there being many opportunities too, the guards found more enjoyment in kicking you around then fucking you.
âNot going to answer love? Fine.â The man stands from his chair. He moves to stand at the bottom of your bed, hands stretching out over the bed frame. His presence getting that much more suffocating. When he stands close you find no refuge from his gaze. You canât look to the other men as much, only him. Only his cold, piercing eyes that tell you telling this man anything but the truth is a death sentence.
âWhat are you doing in our house?â His tone is sharper, harder. The softness found in the low rumble of his previous words is lost.
Your mind races through the cover story you had before infiltrating Miasma. The details around it are so fuzzy. It feels like youâve got the right story but there are undecided parts.
What were you here for?
Start simple. If you start simple you can fill in the details later. Give yourself a chance to think.
âI got lost in the woods.â Good start, itâs vague enough. Now change your tone.
âIâd been walking for so long and I,â your voice cracks for good measure and you feel your eyes starting to water. You use the emotions from the last few hours to fuel your tears. You were scared. You were afraid. These were all real feelings, you just had to try and channel them. âI was just so cold and so desperate. This was the first place Iâd seen in miles.â
For a moment you see his eyes soften. In a flash theyâre back on your again. Hard and cold and unrelenting.
âWhat weâre you doing in the woods, in the middle of winter?â He asks you. Behind his imposing figure you see the one with the Mohawk shift in his stance, trying to get a better look of you.
Your story doesnât have to just convince the man I front of you. It has to convince the other three in the room. The thought registers as you run through your cover story as quickly as you can.
âIâm a zoologist. I was out here studying brown bears before they went into hibernation. Then these men-â you pause your story, desperate to have a few tears running down your cheek before telling them the rest. You need to sell this or all youâre done, all youâve survived, would be worth nothing now.
âGo on love, finish your story.â The soft tone has returned, no doubt that it was due to the sight of your tears running and sniffling nose.
âThese men came in trucks,â your eye contact wonât be enough you realise, so you free your hands from your side and use them to talk. âIt didnât seem right so I abandoned my stuff and hid. They came looking round and they, they had guns. I snuck away quietly but they found me. They took me back to some sort of military base. Last night was when I managed to escape.â
It wasnât far from the truth. At least now youâd have a way to explain the myriad of injuries that had been inflicted on you.
The man hums audibly. You arenât sure if youâve done enough to convince him. His face doesnât give anything away.
âWhy do yer have their clothes if yer were a captive?â A voice from behind the man calls out, thick with a Scottish accent.
The clothes by the fire.
The captain watched your reaction for a moment. You hope he doesnât think the flash of realisation that was on your face a moment ago, is evidence youâre lying.
He moves to the side slightly so that you can look the Scotsman in the eye as you answer him.
âThey took my clothes. It was the first thing I grabbed when I escaped.â The four men say nothing for a moment. Eyes dead set on you, on your movements, your body language. Contemplating your words, your tone, your story and your tears.
It feels like hours until the leader speaks up again. Hours of waiting for them to pass judgement on you and your future.
âThey hurt you?â He asks, tone quiet once more.
You hesitate, âA littleâŚwhy?â Why does he care? Why would any of them care?
The man ignores your question, âDo you need a first aid kit?â
The question confuses you. Is this some kind of trick.
Part of you wants to say yes. Knowing youâve got cuts and bruises a plenty that could use cleaning or stitching in some cases. But your hyper aware of where theyâre placed. To get to the cuts on your back youâd have to raise or take off your shirt. Not exactly something your eager to do in the four menâs company.
Your shake your head, eyes now wide and mutter out a no.
It causes the menâs eyes to narrow.
âDonât lie to him lass. Ye wouldnât want to see what happens if ye do.â The Scotsman threatens.
You bite your lip, âI can handle it. Itâs nothing serious.â
âSerious or not, we need to see what damage has been done.â You donât miss the we in that sentence. Do they all really need to see how banged up you are?
You still shake your head at the premise. The idea causing a pit to form in your stomach.
âYou stay put love, weâll find a first aid kit and bring you a drink. Donât move.â He fixes you with a final look before he leaves the room. The rest of the men trailing after him.
When the last of the men leaves the room, he shuts the door. The sight of the dark oak door brings air back into your lungs, it lets the haze thatâs filled your mind clear.
You need to run, you need to get out of here.
You need to return to Gunner. You donât need to be getting involved with these four strangers. Who just so happen to be extremely handsome and muscular.
You donât trust them. Not one bit. How do you know they arenât Miasma, here to find out what you know and finish the job?
As quietly as you can you leave the warmth of the linen sheets and step on to the plush carpet. Creeping towards the now shut door as you gently pry it open. You have little time to get out the cabin before itâs too late.
You cringe as the door scrapes against the carpet. The sound is practically deafening in the silence youâve created in the master bedroom. You pause for a moment, convinced the men from downstairs have heard you.
When you donât hear the thunder of steps up the stairs, you begin your mission to escape. Moving as silently as you can along the carpeted floor. Hoping to get out before they find the first aid kit.
âWhat are we doing price?â Ghost finds himself asking in a hushed voice as the entirety of the 141 congregate in the kitchen.
âLooking for a first Aid kit lieutenant.â Price answers and returns to searching the cupboards.
Simon wants to scream at his captain. He wants to complain to his team. He wants to know why theyâre entertaining this girl. No matter how pretty she may be, sheâs lying about something. Simon hasnât got this far in his career without being an expert in body language.
Price busies himself with rifling through the cupboards. Thankful that Laswell keeps all safe houses fully stocked.
His hands brush past plates and cans and glasses before coming to the last cupboard. Finally his hands grasp the large green box, packed with medical supplies.
When his gaze moves from the first aid kid, he sees his men staring out him. Looking confused at the sight.
âIâve got Laswell doing background on the insignia on the jacket. I want to see sheâs lying. Looking at those so called injuries will do that.â Price tells the team as he checks the first aid box before taking it upstairs.
It seems the rest of the team h av e a permanent frown on their face.
âI just donât think any of this is right.â Ghost mutters. âIt all just feels wrong.â
âAye, she looks so frail and small. How can a lass like that escape a group of armed men?â Soap questions.
âSheâs either insanely lucky or has some sort of special training.â Gaz voices to the others.
The thought permeates within their heads. Are you some sort of secret agent? Able to escape from armed men at hidden facilities?
The sound of a creak breaks them from their thoughts.
#angelsworks post#dark#dark 141#141 dark#task force 141#task force x reader#poly!141 x reader#poly!141#dark cod#cod john price#cod simon riley#cod john mactavish#cod kyle gaz garrick#simon ghost x reader#price x reader#Gaz x reader#soap x reader
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lovelorn (and nobody knows) [rafe cameron au fic] chapter 17
Summary:Â Isla Carrera had planned for the summer before college to be focused on three things: helping out at her familyâs restaurant (the helpful daughter), preparing for college (the good student), and having fun with the Pogues (the loyal friend). But one fateful night, where her car breaks down and her rescuer is none other than Rafe Cameron, seems to send her summer down a path she didnât see comingâone teeming with a secret, illicit romance with the last person she expected. And if her friends and sister found out, Isla isnât sure theyâll be so understanding, no matter what her feelings are.
Previous Chapters:Â Chapter 1Â |Â Chapter 2Â |Â Chapter 3Â |Â Chapter 4Â |Â Chapter 5Â |Â Chapter 6Â |Â Chapter 7Â |Â Chapter 8Â |Â Chapter 9Â |Â Chapter 10Â |Â Chapter 11Â |Â Chapter 12Â |Â Chapter 13Â |Â Chapter 14Â |Â Chapter 15 | Chapter 16
A/N: oh boy.....
âBaby, can I ask you something?â
Isla tears her gaze away from the window as she watches the town go by, turning to face her mom in the driverâs seat. âWhatâs up?â she asks, fixing the skirt of her summer dress.
Anne blows out a breath, left elbow resting on the sill of the car door. âI know this relationship of yours with Rafe, youâre keeping it a secret from your sister and friends.â Isla bites the inside of her cheek, already feeling the anxiety brew in the pit of her stomach over the subject of this conversation. âHow much longer do you think you can keep this up?â
Isla sighs, head falling back against the seat in defeat. âMomââ
âI donât mind keeping it quiet from your sister,â Anne cuts in with a hint of a smile, glancing at Isla briefly before her gaze returns out onto the road. âBut seriously, honeyââ
âIâm waiting for the right moment,â Isla says, lips twisting to the side as she looks down at her dress. Spaghetti straps with a flowing skirt that stops a few inches above her knees, a pretty yellow color with tiny white daisies patterned all over it. âBut I know no matter when or how I tell them, theyâre not gonna be happy. Theyâll for sure think Iâm insane or something.â
She sees her momâs eyebrows furrow, forehead crease. âIt canât be that bad. Theyâre your friends, your sister. Give them a little more credit.â
Isla scoffs, her smile sardonic as her eyebrows raise. âAre you kidding me? Do you know how many fights the guys have gotten into with Rafe and his friends? Thereâs a lot of history between them all, and none of it is good. So I justâI donât know how Iâm supposed to look them all in the eye and tell them Iâm dating Rafe. The only person who wouldnât be totally pissed is Sarah. But the others? Especially Kie and JJ? Theyâll think Iâve, like, betrayed them,â she mumbles, gaze dropping to watch herself anxiously play with one of the rings she wears.
Itâll hurt, when they find out. It will hurt them and it will hurt Isla, and her anxiety is preventing her from seeing the slight possibility that the reaction wonât be as big as sheâs fearing, or that they might get over it quickly. It all just seems too explosive to go in any other way than badly.
âThey love you,â Anna says firmly. âSo theyâll get over it. It might take them some time to accept your relationship, but I know they will. Especially when they see that youâre happy with Rafe.â The idea of it makes Isla smile slightly, though she doesnât let that seed of hope in. But Anna sits confidently next to her, which is a little reassuring for Isla, even if her stomach is still in knots. âAnd when your relationship isnât a secret anymore, Iâd love for Rafe to come over for dinner.â
That makes Islaâs smile widen slightly, shy yet excited at the notion as she nods, her earrings tinkling as she does. âYeah, me too.â Then she scoffs, adding, âJust make sure Kie doesnât poison his food.â
Anna lets out a laugh at that, shaking her head in amusement. As the car rolls to a stop at a red light, she turns to meet Islaâs gaze, her eyes soft and warm. âLook, I know you want to make sure the time is right to tell them, but donât wait too long that you end up psyching yourself out of it, okay? Itâd be better for them to hear it from you than somehow finding out some other way.â
Isla nods, chewing on the inside of her cheek, because her mom hasnât said anything Isla doesnât already know. Telling her friends herself is exactly what Isla wants. She knows the longer she waits, the more opportunity she is giving for the universe to play a card against her and have her friends find out about her and Rafe through another way. It would make the situation even worse if they didnât hear it from her, even if the idea of telling them still makes her beyond anxious. She loves her friends so much. She canât imagine her life without them.
Even so, their reactions arenât something Isla is looking forward to. Avoiding the problem, for now, just seems easier.
Isla is still thinking about it after her mom drops her off at the dock, her mind still running on the ferry over to the mainland where sheâs meeting Rafe. He already had to be at Chapel Hill for work on behalf of his dad, so he and Isla had made a plan to meet at Suttonâs for their date. Kie was working at the restaurant today, her friends occupied with something or another, so it was the perfect time for Isla to meet up with Rafe.
If anyone asked, she was meeting up with some friends she had made when she toured the universityâs campus a few months ago, so no one would be the wiser.
When Isla turns the corner to get to Suttonâs, she smiles when, in the distance, she easily spots Rafe standing outside. His back is to her, but she recognizes him easily, her smile widening as she approaches him, artfully dodging any other pedestrian in the way. Rafe, though, stands in the shade of the mid-size tree along the sidewalk, seemingly busy on his phone, until Isla skips the last few steps until sheâs sliding up right next to him, left arm winding around his waist.
âExcuse me, but could you by chance be waiting for someone?â she grins, giggling when he tenses up the second her arm is around him, but relaxing a split second later when he looks down at her grinning face.
Rafeâs own smile lights up his face, dancing in those blue eyes as he settles his arm around her shoulders. âSure am,â he says, fingers brushing up and down the bare skin of her arm. Itâs the middle of summer, and heâs going to make goosebumps break across her skin as his eyes drink in every inch of her. From the yellow dress against her brown skin to her wavy hair falling down her back to the gold of her jewelry; from her necklaces and rings to nose ring and several earrings. âWaiting for the prettiest girl around,â he finishes, dipping his head to press a sweet kiss to her lips.
Isla smiles, kissing him back and welcoming the fluttering in her chest. âSuch a charmer,â she teases as they pull back, her right hand on his chest. âBut itâs time for you to feed me.â
That pulls a laugh out of him, and Isla can never get tired of the sound. So light, making a hint of crinkles appear at the corners of his eyes, showing off perfect white teeth and a smile that could heal anyoneâs heart. No wonder he takes care of a lot of Wardâs business when it comes to face-to-face time with clients; Rafe is undeniably charming, his smile disarming and effortlessly making a person forget about anything else. Isla doesnât mind it one bit.
âYes, maâam. Letâs go,â he says, walking them to the front doors of Suttonâs, opening one of the doors and gently nudging her forward to walk in first, following close behind her as they enter.
Isla smiles when sheâs instantly hit with the scent of burgers being cooked and the salty tinge of French fries. Thereâs an Icee machine towards the back on the left, and while there are tables to sit at the front, towards the back are aisles and fridges loaded with snacks and drinks. The walls are white and red tiled, a menu board along the wall behind the ordering counter, right above the window looking into the kitchen where Isla sees people bustling around.Â
Rafe had said this place wasnât extraordinary, just a burger joint mixed with a store, but itâs the food that makes this place popular. It already smells amazing as they step up to the counter to order.
The man standing on the other side, an older guy with graying hair and a goatee, instantly grins when they step up. âRafe Cameron, my man,â the man laughs, hand reaching over and Isla smiles as Rafeâs hand clasps his. âHavenât seen you in a minute.â His gaze shifts over to Isla, his smile widening. âAnd whoâs this lovely lady youâve got with you?â
Isla sees Rafe grin as his arm rests on her shoulders again. âThis is my girl, Isla.â Her heart skips happily at his words as he says to her, âThis is Morgan. The genius behind the food youâre gonna eat today.â
Isla laughs. âI canât wait.â
âMusic to my ears,â Morgan says, waving his fingers in a come on motion. âWhatâll you have?â
While Isla gets a cheeseburger deluxe, Rafe gets a steak burger, fries for both, and once he pays for their food and drinks, they claim a small round table against the wall while their food is being made. âOh, hey,â Rafe says, shifting forward in his chair as he reaches into the back pocket of his pants. âWheezie asked me to give this to you.â
He holds out a tiny brown cloth bag and recognition lights up Islaâs face as she reaches for it. âWhat is it?â Rafe asks with a chuckle, watching curiously.Â
Isla grins as she undoes the strings that shut the bag. âYou didnât open it and look?â she asks teasingly.
Rafe settles back in his chair. âWouldnât invade your privacy if it was something you wanted to keep to yourself or something.â
Her smile softens as she reaches into the bag. âYouâre adorable,â she says with a gentle laugh, pulling out the beaded bracelet Wheezie made. âSee?â Isla shows him, holding the bracelet up.
A smile touches Rafeâs lips, his fingers twisting his own bracelet once. âYou asked her to make you one?â When she nods with a hum, he looks at the bracelet again and says, âThatâs a pretty blue.â
Isla observes the bracelet, the sky blue beads Wheezie had used and white heart beads in between, the blue color absolutely perfect. Isla bites her bottom lip, hesitating for a moment, a bit shy before confessing, âMatches your eyes.â
She sees Rafeâs smile falter a bit at the revelation, surprised, but his smile returns quickly, those blue eyes lighting up while Islaâs cheeks heat. Letting herself be vulnerable with him, emotionally, is something that has become easierâthough it doesnât stop her from blushing anyway. But Rafe always seems to welcome her shyness, her vulnerability, and hasnât made her regret being open with him.
And it feels goodâto let someone in, in a way that she hasnât in a while. Rafe is sweet to her, soft, and she finds herself falling for him more and more. Despite the secrets, despite the complications that would come from telling her friends, her feelings for Rafe arenât something she can ignoreâshe doesnât want to.
âYouâre a romantic too, huh?â he muses, his smile gentle but Isla sees the sheer happiness in his gaze that makes her pulse quicken.
âOf course,â Isla grins, putting on the bracelet to join the one she already wears on her wrist, the matching thread bracelet she has with her sister, Sarah, and Cleo. Her throat works as she fiddles with the yellow bracelet, sitting nicely next to the blue beaded one, and Isla exhales slowly through her nose. âI was thinking. . .â
âUh-oh,â Rafe smiles, chuckling when she shoots him a feigned glare. âWhat about?â
Isla twists her lips to the side, right leg crossing over her left knee and adjusting the skirt of her dress. Suttonâs isnât too busy, but thereâs a subtle bustle of the cooks in the kitchen and other customers scattered around at tables. Letting out a breath, she admits, âI think Iâm gonna tell the others about us.â
She watches as Rafeâs expression shifts, surprise washing over his face because no doubt she took him off guard. Truthfully, they donât have conversations, at length, about Isla telling her friends about their relationship. Rafe has given her full reign on how to go about that because, the fact of the matter is, Rafe doesnât give much of a damn of peopleâs opinions on him, even his friendsâ. If anything, Isla knows Rafeâs friends would give him shit for dating a Pogue, even if a lot of them still see Isla, Kie, and Sarah as Kooks, but theyâll be quick to get over it.
But Islaâs friends, on the other hand, are a different story, more volatile. Anxiety has made her keep this a secret, but she and Rafe have been dating for nearly two months now, and things between them keep getting better and better. She wants to share that happiness, doesnât want to hide it like some dirty little secret. Plus, Isla is tired of sneaking around; it started off fun, and it still has some of its thrill, but being with him publicly, without worrying about getting caught, is also something she wants.
âAre youâyouâre sure?â Rafe asks, sitting up as his gaze intently searches hers. âBecause I donât want you to take that step if youâre not readyââ
âIâm sure,â Isla tells him with a nod, the corner of her mouth quirking up in a slight smile. âIâm not sure if Iâll ever be ready. You know them. Theyâre stubborn. I think holding it off for too long might be worse because theyâll think of how long Iâve been keeping this from them, you know?â Her eyes meet Rafeâs. âI think you and I are in a good place, right? This works between us, it feels good.â Her cheeks heat up with her smile as Rafe grins a little too. âSo, yeah. Iâm gonna tell them, and hope for the best,â she adds with a chuckle.
Rafe nods, taking this in while his smile remains. âYou know I got your back, yeah?â With a tilt of his head, he hesitates for a moment before asking, âDo you want me to be there when you tell them?â
A gentle laugh escapes her, eyebrows rising. âI think it might be better if it was just me.â The mere sight of Rafe would be enough to raise their hackles before Isla would be able to get a word out. âMaybe I should get them drunk first.â
Rafe snorts out a laugh, just as his name is called from the counter. âIâll follow your lead, sweetheart,â he says, pushing himself up from the chair and heading to get their food.
Isla watches him, biting the inside of her cheek and absently admiring the firm shape of his ass in those pants while also picturing the scene in her head of when she drops this bombshell on her friends. There will probably be yelling, looks of betrayal and possibly disgustâIsla just needs to mentally prepare herself for all of them. And, honestly, sheâs been doing that since the minute she and Rafe decided to pursue a relationshipâhell, since their first dateâbut no matter how much she tries to prepare herself, Isla doesnât think sheâll be ready.
Itâll be fine. Hopefully.
âHere we fucking go,â Rafe says when he returns, placing the tray in front of them and picking up one of the styrofoam boxes labeled cheeseburger deluxe and handing it to her. âThis is yours. Dig in.â
Isla places a paper napkin on her lap before opening the box excitedly, feeling Rafeâs gaze on her as she admires the picture perfect burger and a good portion of French fries. It smells delicious as she picks it up, perfectly hot in her hands, and when she lifts it to her mouth, her gaze flickers up and catches Rafeâs.
âAre you gonna watch me eat?â she asks with an amused laugh.
He matches her smile. âJust the first bite. Wanna get your honest reaction.â
Isla shakes her head, smiling at his interest and curiosity as Isla finally takes a bite of the burger. Flavor explodes on her tongue and Islaâs shoulders drop as she chews, eyes widening at Rafe, who is smiling in satisfaction. âOh, my God,â she mumbles after swallowing, reaching for a napkin to pat at her lips. âThis is amazing.â
Honestly, itâs probably better than any gourmet burger sheâs had. And Isla hates to admit it, but itâs even a little better than the cheeseburger they make at The Wreckâthough, sheâd never tell her parents that.
âI told you,â Rafe answers smugly, reaching for his own burger. But before he takes a bite, he asks, âYou wanna try mine?â
Isla smiles as he holds the burger out, putting her own down and reaching for his. She takes a bite, the steak burger colored with different sauces and spices, but delicious all the same. She tastes the familiar tang of a pickle as she chews, nodding in approval as she hands it back to Rafe. âDelicious. I ate a pickle, sorry,â she apologizes with a grin.
Rafe chuckles and takes the top of the bun off, picking up the second slice of pickle and putting it in her container. âI donât like pickles.â
Isla blinks. âWhy didnât you ask them to keep them off?â
He shrugs. âYou like pickles,â he answers simply before taking a bite, leaving Isla smiling fondly at the boy before her.
âYouâre so cute,â she grins, nudging his foot with hers under the table as she picks up the pickle and tosses it in her mouth.
âCute, whipped,â Rafe hums with a roll of his eyes, waving around a fry. âEither one works.â He flashes a smirk.
Isla wiggles her eyebrows playfully. âRegrets?â
He smiles, but his gaze is serious. âAbsolutely not.â
*****
Islaâs fingers brush along the spines of the rows of books, unable to help herself any time sheâs in a bookstore. After lunch at Suttonâs, which had been delicious, they began walking down the sidewalk until they came across a bookstore and, like a magnet, Isla was drawn inside. Rafe had no arguments, following her in with a smile, but about ten minutes later, he stepped outside for a work call.
Isla already has three books in her arms since he left the store, which she knows will amuse him. Itâs not her fault she canât leave a bookstore without buying something. Itâs a compulsion at this point.
By the time Islaâs ready to check out, she frowns at the front windows of the store, wondering where Rafe is. Thatâs a long phone call.
Once she pays and is happily dangling the strap of the paper bag from her fingers, Isla exits the store, ready to pull her phone out to text Rafeâonly to spot him easily out on the sidewalk. Instantly, her confusion falters and a smile spreads on Islaâs parted lips, her heart picking up its pace when she sees the small bouquet of sunflowers heâs holding.
Heâs already grinning, like heâs expecting her, and a breathless laugh escapes Isla, her cheeks flushing with warmth as she walks over and he holds the flowers out. Her sandals tap against the pavement as she approaches Rafe, stopping in front of him and reaching for the bouquetâexcept he clicks his tongue and pulls them out of her reach.
âAh-ah,â Rafe grins with a lift of his chin, blue eyes dancing with mirth as Islaâs eyebrows raise. âNot for free.â
Sheâs quick to know what he means, her smile widening as she steps closer until thereâs barely any space between them on the semi-busy sidewalk. Isla is wrapped in the familiar, comforting scent of his cologne, woodsy with a delicious undertone of spices, and with a hand on his chest, she rises on her toes with an upward tilt of her chin, and Rafeâs grin widens as he meets her halfway because heâs too tall for his own good, lips pressing to hers.
Isla sucks on his bottom lip and his answering groan is enough to send desire coursing through her, desperate need for Rafe making her head spin as his tongue swipes against hers. She knows theyâre in public, but canât bring herself to care as she feels his free hand pressing to the small of her back, his touch warm even through the thin material of her dress.Â
Her head spins with his kisses, and she groans quietly before mumbling, âWish we were home right now.â
âYeah?â Rafe murmurs as Islaâs eyes flutter open, watching him look down at her with hooded eyes. His gaze flickers around them, then, before he smiles. The mischievous glint in his eyes has Isla raising her eyebrows before he says, âIâve got an idea.â
Fifteen minutes later, her free hand clasped in Rafeâs, Isla is stifling a laugh as they walk down the carpeted hallway of an upscale hotel. âYouâre insane,â she giggles as Rafe takes the keycard and taps it against the security lock of the hotel room Rafe booked for them just for the afternoon.
He holds the door open for her, using his grip on her hand to usher her into the room. The curtains are parted to let the afternoon sun brighten the room, the king sized bed practically calling their name as Isla sets the flowers, purse, and bag of books on the nearby table. Itâs a simple, spacious room with a king sized bed with a bed frame against the wall, cushioned in the middle with a wooden frame. A TV opposite of the bed, a mini fridge with a glass door showing off the drinks and treats insideâthough, all she and Rafe really care about is the bed, of course.
She feels Rafe come up behind her, his fingers brushing along her neck as he moves her dark hair over one shoulder, Islaâs breath catching when his lips ghost along her neck. âItâs not homeââ Neither hers nor his. âBut itâs the second best thing.â
âMhm,â Isla hums as his hand snakes across her stomach, pressing her closer into him as she leans her head back against his shoulder. âYouâll hear no complaints from me,â she says, tilting her head enough to press her lips to his, grinning when he instantly returns the kiss.
Isla turns in his arms, her own wrapping around his neck and pushing herself into him, heat pooling between her legs when his hands slide down her sides before they cup her ass through the material of her dress, applying pressure to pull her closer. Isla moans and her fingers run through his hair as he moves them, no doubt moving them towards the bed.
Her skin is on fire, craving his touch, and she drops her hands to undo his belt. As his tongue teases hers, deepening the kiss, the back of Islaâs legs touch the bed. She has five seconds to toe off her sandalsâthank God they donât have claspsâand suddenly sheâs being pushed down, a gasp of a laugh escaping her during the moment their kiss breaks as Rafeâs lean body climbs over hers, kissing her once again as she practically sinks into the soft mattress.
âThis fucking dress,â Rafe mumbles into the kiss, Islaâs heart pounding as she feels his finger hook under one of the spaghetti straps. âBet you wore it just to drive me crazy,â he rasps, pulling one of the straps down her shoulder.
Islaâs lips curl up because heâs totally not wrong. Itâs one of her favorite dresses, for sure, but Isla had put it on with the simple thought of Rafeâs reaction to her wearing it. âIs it working?â she asks, pulling out his belt and tossing it to the side. It clatters somewhere on the floor.
Rafe growls quietly and Isla gasps into his mouth when he takes one of her hands and brings it to cup his cock over the material of his pants. Heâs big and hard and Islaâs body practically sings with the desire of having him inside of her again. âWhat do you think?â he asks, nipping at her bottom lip and tugging at it sharply. She swears she feels the pull in her pussy.
âGonna do something about it?â she asks breathlessly between kisses, her leg hooking around his hip to bring him closer, heart pounding as they breathe in each otherâs air.Â
She arches slightly when she feels his hand cup her breast through her dress, the bodice fitting nicely enough that she didnât need to wear a bra with it. âYeah,â he grunts, the air hitching in Islaâs throat when his fingers curl under the neckline of her dress. âGonna taste every inch of you.â
Cool air of the room hits her in the next second when Rafe tugs the front of her dress down, the material soft and stretchy enough for him to do so easily. Rafe pulls back and Isla already misses the taste of his lips, but she catches the way his gaze darkens at the sight of her exposed breasts, hunger flashing across his face before he leans down and closes his lips around her nipple.
Isla cries out at the wicked touch, hand finding the back of Rafeâs head, fingers threading through his hair as he sucks at her nipple, tongue flicking and each teasing movement has Islaâs head tilting back, lips parting and eyes fluttering at the electricity that buzzes through her veins. When his teeth graze along her nipple, Isla gasps, fingers tightening in his hair as her back arches, pushing her breast further into the warmth of Rafeâs mouth as his hand cups her other breast, fingers tweaking and playing with her nipple.
âSo fucking pretty,â Rafe mumbles, switching over to the other breast, and Isla lifts her head enough to watch him suck, his lust filled blue eyes locking on her dazed green, her heart pounding when she feels his tongue flick her nipple again.Â
âRafe, Rafe.â His name is all Isla can utter, lost in the head spinning ecstasy she feels from his mouth alone. âPleaseââ
Sheâs not sure what sheâs begging for at this point, but he lifts off her chest and kisses her, swallowing her moans and licking into her mouth. His tongue plunders and ravages and takes, and Isla happily lets him as her fingers blindly find the hem of his shirt, giving it an upwards tug. The kiss breaks long enough for Rafe to pull the shirt off the rest of the way, Islaâs fingers admiring the hard muscles of his abdomen and feeling them flex under her touch.
âCan you do something for me, baby?â he murmurs against her lips. Isla hums in response, fairly certain sheâd do anything heâd ask. Rafe kisses the corner of her mouth, brushes his lips against hers, and asks, âSit on my face? Please?â
Oh, fuck yes.
She looks up at him, panting, admiring the lust in his eyes and pink swollen lips. She doesnât miss the way her breasts glisten with Rafeâs saliva as she nods dazedly, and Rafe smirks at her instant agreement, moving to turn them so heâs laying down and she moves to straddle him, taking off her underwear and tossing it to the side. When her hand moves to undo the zipper on the side, Rafeâs hand gently grips her wrist.
âNo.â Islaâs gaze flies to his, admiring his kiss swollen lips and the hunger in his eyes. âKeep it on,â he says, voice hoarse with need that Isla feels in her belly and between her legs.
Islaâs skin flushes, heart pounding and breath shallowing as she glances down at herself. The skirt of her dress is bunched up while the bodice has been tugged low enough to expose her breasts, nipples taut and perked not just because of the coolness of the room, but Rafeâs earlier ministrations.Â
His hands brush up and down her outer thighs, a ghost of a smirk curving his mouth. âCome on, baby.â
Itâs all the encouragement Isla needs, desire thrumming her veins as she shifts up his body until sheâs hovering right above his face. She tries to keep the skirt bunched to her waist, but the second Rafeâs hands sneak up to her hips under her clothes and he pulls her down and a gasp rips through Isla the second his mouth comes into contact with her. With his grip on her, he makes her sit on his face and Isla has to grip the top of the wooden frame of the bed, head bowing as she feels Rafe lick into her eagerly.
She remembers that day on his kitchen counter, but here, Isla doesnât hold back the moans that escape her as Rafeâs tongue pushes through her lips, licking into her opening as already making Islaâs head spin. Her knees rest on either side of his head, but she still feels herself tremble when Rafeâs tongue flicks against her clit and Isla throws her head back.
âOh, God, Rafe,â she gasps, hips moving against him as her grip tightens on the frame. Even if she looks down at Rafe, she can only just get a glimpse of him from beneath the skirt of her dress. The sensation of his mouth working on her sends electricity zipping through her body, his fingers digging into her hips and helping her move as whimpers escape her.
âCould stay here all fucking day, yâknow,â Rafe mumbles, his words accompanied by the crude sounds of him licking and sucking. âFavorite fucking thing. Heaven.â
The last word is groaned out as he sucks her clit into his mouth and a sharp cry escapes Isla because in the next moment, sheâs falling apart above him with her heart threatening to pound out of her chest and liquid fire flooding her veins. Isla chants his name, over and over, until sheâs shaking on top of him and body threatening to go limp.
But then Rafe moves them swiftly. With his hands on her hips, he pushes Isla backwards and shifts himself until sheâs on her back and heâs moving on top of her, her head now by the foot of the bed. Isla giggles breathlessly at the sudden movement, stomach flipping excitedly at the way Rafe moves her around so easily. He grins down at her, messed up hair and swollen lips and flushed cheeks.
When he comes back over her, capturing her lips in a slow, dizzying kiss, he asks, âYou want me?â
Her hands are in his hair, tongue in his mouth. God. âYes.â
One of Rafeâs hands finds hers, linking their fingers together next to her head as he kisses her deeply. âYou have me.â
*****
âSarah will understand, right?â
A light scoff sounds from Rafe. âWeâre sitting in a bathtub, and you wanna talk about my sister?â he asks, teasingly nipping at her neck.
Isla laughs gently, her back pressed to his chest. The warm water is brilliant for her muscles, which definitely got worked out after her and Rafe were done. Since Rafe had booked the hotel room for a few hours, they still had some time to kill, and Rafe took it upon himself to fill up the tub and because this is one of those fancy hotels, there was even a small bottle of bubble bath that he practically emptied in the tub.
âIâm just thinking,â she says, sitting between his legs with her head resting back against his shoulder. One of his hands links with her, resting on the lip of the tub, while his other hand brushes his fingers across her stomach under the water, so light yet enough to tug at her center. âIâm not looking forward to their reactions but Iâm hoping, you know, that at least weâll have Sarah on our side? Maybe?â
Rafe is silent for a couple of seconds as Isla watches his fingers play with hers, chewing on her bottom lip as she waits for him to say something. âYou want me to be honest?â he asks quietly, making her heart thump.
âYes.â
âIâd say itâs fifty-fifty,â he answers and Islaâs heart drops upon hearing that. And maybe he feels her tense against him because his arm snakes around her waist, holding her close. âI have a feeling my sisterâs more loyal to your friends than she is to me.â
A lump forms in Islaâs throat when she hears the hint of dismay in Rafeâs voice. She knows Rafe and Sarahâs relationship isnât perfect; theyâve had their issues, especially when Rafe and his friends got into it with Islaâs friends. Things can get tense between them, but Sarah hasnât had any complaints against Rafe over the last couple of monthsâmostly because Rafe hasnât been getting into fights with the guys. If anything, he pulled Topper back that night at the Boneyard, and Isla recalls Sarah commenting that she was pleasantly surprised at Rafe stepping in like that.
But to know Sarah may also be upset with Isla and Rafeâs relationship makes Islaâs stomach twist in knots. She was hoping that Sarah would be their safe bet because, as much as Isla loves her own sister, she doesnât think Kie will be too receptive to this relationship. Maybe, over time, her friends will adjust and accept, but Isla is dreading that initial reaction upon them learning the truth. It makes her stomach feel hollow with nothing in it but dread, anxiety ruling over.
âIâm sorry,â Isla whispers, eyebrows furrowing together as she squeezes Rafeâs fingers.
âYouâve got nothing to be sorry about,â Rafe instantly says. âMy and Sarahâs relationship is slowly getting better, which is why I think it could go either way. If this had been months ago, she wouldâve totally been against us,â he adds with a gentle laugh. âBut maybe sheâll be quicker to come around. Honestly, babyââ He brushes his lips across her cheekbone. âThereâs no telling how any of them are gonna react, right? I donât think you should stress yourself out by running every possible scenario, you know? Theyâre gonna react how theyâre gonna react. Itâs out of any of our control.â
Isla sighs, pouting. âThatâs not as comforting as you think,â she mutters with a short chuckle.
His grip tightens and Isla feels his head drop until his lips press to her shoulder. âIâm sorry,â he mumbles, sounding truly regretful, which only tugs at her heartstrings. âIâve got you though, okay? No matter what happens or what they say, you have me.â
Now those words have Isla melting, relaxing in his embrace as her lips curl up into a gentle smile. âNice save,â she says playfully before turning her head enough to press her lips to his cheek. âBut youâre right. No point in psyching myself out.â
Itâs easier said than done, of course, but itâs all the more reason why Isla needs to tell her friends sooner rather than later. Like, tomorrow, maybe. The idea makes her heart thud unsurprisingly, but itâs a feeling she has come to be familiar withâthough, one she canât wait to get rid of.
She sighs then and says, âWe should probably get out before we get all pruney.â
Rafe hums against her neck. âSounds sexy,â he quips, making her laugh as he lets out a dramatic sigh. âAlright, if we have to.â
They make quick work of drying off and getting dressed again. Fortunately, Islaâs makeup isnât too messed up, just cleaning off some mascara residue from under her eyes and reapplying her lip oil. She pulls her hair out of the bun it had been in for the bath, combing her fingers through the wavy strands so they fall nicely around her shoulders.
He gently taps her ass when they exit the elevator once the doors open up to the lobby, and while Rafe goes to check them out, Isla sits down on one of the couches, placing the flowers next to her as she checks her phone in case her sister or friends texted her. She only has notifications from their Snapchat group chat; Kie sending a video of her making a sandwich at work, JJ sending a picture of his bike that heâs working on, and Cleo sending a picture of Pope sitting at his desk while she seems to be laying in his bed.
Isla doesnât send a picture or video in return, not wanting her friends to see where she is. But being occupied by her phone doesnât last too long because a few seconds later, she hears an annoyingly familiar voice ask, âWhat are you doing here?â
Isla freezes, her heart pounding as she very quickly realizes that this can very quickly blow up in her face. With her grip on her phone tightening, Isla slowly raises her head until her eyes find Topper standing before her. Heâs standing before her in a suit and tie get up, eyebrow raised at her as he waits for an answer that Isla doesnât want to give, and definitely doesnât owe him.
Panic blooms in her chest, but Isla shoves it down as she puts on a mask of indifference, tilting her head at Topper. He definitely doesnât look happy to see her, his jaw tense and eyes hard, but thatâs not what Isla focuses on. Sheâs more worried about talking her way out of this before he sees Rafe and somehow puts two and two together.
âVisiting a friend from out of town. Sheâs staying here,â Isla lies smoothly, gesturing to the lobby. Her gaze flickers past him, towards a sign on an easel in front of one of the ballroom doors. It reads Thornton Conway Archer, which is the name of the law firm Topperâs mom is a name partner of. Great. How the hell did she and Rafe miss that on their way in? Isla shoots Topper a tight smile. âNice monkey suit. If youâll excuse me,â she says, grabbing her bags and flowers and getting up from the couch, skin heating with anxiety of needing to get away.
âA friend from out of town, huh?â he repeats, unconvinced, as he steps in Islaâs way, making her stop short. She masks her panic with a glare. âDidnât wanna show them the glories of The Cut, huh?â he says condescendingly, making Isla feel the urge to punch him in the face. Her friends have really rubbed off on her over the years.
Isla blinks at him. âIs there a reason weâre having a conversation right now?â she asks blankly even if her nerves are skittering, needing escape. Except Topperâs gaze has already flickered over Islaâs shoulder and dread pools in her stomach when she sees realization dawn on his face.
âRafe?â he asks and Islaâs teeth press together. Maybe she can play it off smoothly that she had no idea Rafe was here; maybe their cover isnât totally blown yet. Topper doesnât look too thrilled to see Rafe and Isla knows itâs because of their confrontation outside of the country club. âWhat are you doing here?â
Isla raises her eyebrows, hoping to give off an expression of surprise as she looks over her shoulder to see Rafe slowly approaching them. Their gazes meet, and she can easily see the annoyanceâand concernâswimming in his blue eyes as he makes his way over, pocketing his wallet. His tongue presses to the inside of his cheek before his gaze slides back to Topper, eyes hardening.
âBusiness meeting,â he answers simply. He glanced between her and Topper and casually asked, âEverything okay here?â
Topper scoffed, one side of his mouth quirking up into a smirk. âWhy? Wanna come to her rescue again? You knowââ He narrows his eyes, arms crossing over his chest. âItâs pretty convenient that you two are both here.â Looking at Rafe, he asks, âDo you have a new hobby of coming to the Poguesâ rescue nowadays?â
âWhat can I say? Right place, right time,â Rafe lazily drawls and Isla admires his ability to appear unbothered. But thereâs slight tension bracketing his mouth, so subtle yet Isla notices it because she knows him, and she knows that heâs a bit thrown off, too, to run into Topper here. Then Rafeâs glaze flicks to her meaningfully and Isla hears him loud and clear.
Isla inhales sharply, offering them a tight, close mouthed smile. âAlright, well, Iâm gonna be anywhere but here,â she says with an upward flick of her eyebrows. Before Topper can stop her, she moves around them and tries not to appear that sheâs fleeingâeven if she is.
Sheâs about to head to the doors to exit, but recalls that she told Topper the so-called friend sheâs visiting is staying here. âShit,â she mutters under her breath before making a B-line towards the hall where the elevators are located.
Fortunately, she disappeared from the view of the lobby as she approached the wall at the end of the hall. Isla leans back against it, resting the bag of books by her feet as she tilts her head back and lets out a breath, eyes shutting. GoddamnâTopper has the annoying habit of popping up at the most inconvenient times. Not that his presence is ever welcomed, but lately itâs been on a whole other level.
Sheâs alone for maybe a couple of minutes when she hears footsteps, and by the time she opens her eyes, Rafe is approaching her. âHey,â he says worriedly, glancing over his shoulder while making his way over. âYou good?â he asks once heâs stopped in front of her, effectively obscuring her view of the hallway behind him.
Isla huffs out a breath, shooting Rafe an incredulous look. âWhy is he always everywhere?â she asks in exasperation, letting out a breathless laugh thatâs only slightly tinged with alarm. âDo you think he, like, suspects anything?â
Rafe rolls his eyes, shaking his head reassuringly. âHeâs an idiot. He doesnât know shit,â he says with a dismissive wave of his hand.Â
âLetâs hope thatâs true,â Isla huffs, running her fingers through her hair as she hopes to sway away the nerves that had risen.
âHey,â Rafe says gently as he places his hands on the sides of her neck, his thumbs brushing along the underside of her jaw. âLetâs not let him ruin our day, yeah?â
Isla smiles slightly, dipping her chin in a nod before Rafe tilts her head up by placing some pressure where his thumbs are, ducking his own head to kiss her gently. Her eyes flutter shut and she sighs into the sweet kiss, lightly gripping the front of his shirt as she parts her lips to allow his tongue to slip in. God, yes. With just one touch, one kiss, Rafe manages to make everything else disappear, and it is so easy to get lost in him.
âAlright. Time to go,â he sighs, bumping his nose against hers before pulling back and smiling down at her.Â
Theyâre able to make it out of the hotel without another run-in with Topper, though just to be safe, they head out separately before meeting up a block down from the hotel. It had been a perfect, wonderful day as she and Rafe take the ferry back to the OBX, their fingers interlaced as they sat in the last row below deck, away from anyone around.
As she watches the water glitter, her phone buzzes, and she pulls it out to see Kie had messaged in the groupchat.
From: KieđŹ
can u come to jbâs, isla?
Isla arches an eyebrow, but messages back.
From: Isla
yeah, i can be there in 25
Itâs not long until they get to the dock back in town, which means she and Rafe have to part ways and she has to go see her friends. Rafe offers to drop her, but she insists on taking an Uber, kissing him goodbye and heading over to John Bâs, texting in the chat to let them know sheâs on her way. She puts the small bouquet of flowers in the paperbag of books, the bag dangling from her fingertips as she got out of the car and thanked the Uber driver before shutting the door.
Her lips still tingled with Rafeâs kisses as she walked across the patch of grass towards the Chateauâs porch, noticing the othersâ cars and bike already parked. Islaâs not sure why Kie asked her to come over, though itâs not unusual for them all to meet up here, of course.
She spots them sitting scattered around the screened in porch, the murmur of conversation dying as soon as she opens the door and walks in. âHey,â she greets, albeit a little slowly as all gazes turn to her. For some reason, she feels the hair on the back of her neck stand up.
They all look at her, stone faced and hard eyed, and Isla blinks as she remains rooted on the spot, her gaze flickering to every face. Sarah wonât meet her gaze, instead looking down at her lap or at John B, who sits with pursed lips. When Isla looks to Kie, her sister stands by the wall, arms crossed and a furrow between her brows that creases her forehead. On the recliner, Pope sits forward with his elbows resting on his knees, chin resting atop interlaced fingers, and Cleo is fiddling with her switchblade as she sits on the arm of the chair. JJ isnât facing her, instead looking out onto the Routledgesâ land with arms crossed and every muscle of his body seemingly tense.
Islaâs throat tightens. Something is so very wrong.
In fact, Isla can feel the tension in the room, suffocating. Her pulse kicks up a few notches, the uncertainty of what she walked into filling her with unease.
âUm,â Isla starts, shattering the silence. Something tightens in her stomach, something foreign and indecipherable, as she lets out a short chuckle and tensely jokes, âWho died?â
Itâs Kie who responds, a kind of hardness in her eyes that has never been directed towards Isla. âWhen were you gonna tell us that youâve been hooking up with Rafe?â
#rafe cameron#obx#outer banks#rafe cameron fanfic#rafe cameron fic#rafe cameron fluff#rafe cameron smut#rafe cameron fanfiction#obx fanfic#obx fic#obx fanfiction#rafe cameron au#john b routledge#sarah cameron#kie carrera#kiara carrera#jj maybank#pope heyward#cleo obx#outer banks fic#outer banks au#outer banks fanfiction
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post-Milagro ficlet
I got an ask from a lovely anon a few days ago about *the* quote from Milagro: "Agent Scully is already in love." This is part of what will maybe turn out to be a larger WIP, or maybe not. It stands on its own for now. But who knows. Anon: thanks for the ask! I took a bit of a different turn with this, but I couldn't manage post-Milagro fic that didn't have some angst in it. tagging @today-in-fic
Agent Scully is already in love.
A look at the alarm clock tells her itâs 3 a.m. and she hasnât managed to sleep more than a few minutes at a time. Every time she drifts off, the same thoughts jerk her awake again. She can still feel the hand around her heart, the horror and fear, the absolute certainty in her mind that this was it, she couldnât fight this, nobody was gonna save her this time.
But sheâs okay. Sheâs not even hurt. Thereâs even a decent chance that sheâll get the blood out of her clothes, even though sheâs not sure she ever wants to wear them again. Sheâs okay, and yet sheâs lying here wide awake at 3 a.m., the past few days replaying on a constant loop in her mind. She has no idea why she ever even talked to Padgett. Quite honestly, she has no idea why she did any of the things she did. She has no idea how she didnât end up hurt or dead.
She knew the risks she was taking. Interacting with your own stalkerâa really fucking terrible idea. But itâs only now that sheâs truly afraid. Now that itâs over.
Mulder offered to stay with her. He would have let her stay at his apartment, but she had to get out of there, and he understood. A part of her wishes sheâd have let him sleep on her couch the way he wanted. Having him close by might be a comfort now. Or it might not.
Agent Scully is already in love.
One more thing she canât forget, no matter how hard she tries. Padgett was clearly not well, and she never should have listened to a word he said, but she did. She listened, and she heard things that were never meant to be spoken aloud.
And Mulder was there. Mulder heard. She turns her face into the pillow and squeezes her eyes closed. She doesnât wanna hear it anymore. She doesnât want those words.
If it werenât for those words, maybe she could have let Mulder stay. Maybe it would have been okay.
Deep breaths, she tells herself. Breathe. Relax. Think about nothing. Think about puppies and nice hot baths and the smell of freshly baked cookies.
A hand around her heart, squeezing. She canât move, the floor hard against her back, and she knows sheâs dying, she canât move, she canâtâŚ
Fuck. She rolls onto her back and covers her eyes with her hands as if that could stop the images from flooding her tired mind.
Jolting back to consciousness, her body tight with fear and shock, and Mulder right there, Mulder with his worried eyes, Mulderâs arms around her holding her close, Mulder, Mulder, Mulder.
She wants Mulder. Oh god. She shouldnât have sent him away when he dropped her off, when he asked whether she wanted him to come up.
She could call her mom.
She could deal with this on her own like a fucking adult who doesnât need anyone to hold her hand every time she gets scared.
A tiny part of her brain reminds her that this was bad, that she has every right to be shaken up. But she wants her mind to be wrong about this. She just wants it to be over.
She wants Mulder.
Agent Scully is already in love.
Mulder is the last person she can call right now.
They have worked out a system a long time ago for when one of them canât sleep. Call and let it ring once, then hang up. If the other one is awake enough to reach for the phone, they talk. Otherwise they let each other sleep. She could do that. Heâd understand. Hell, heâs probably lying awake expecting her to call. Which makes her that much more determined not to do it.
The last digits she reads on her alarm clock before she drifts off into a restless slumber are 5:28.
At 7 a.m., her alarm rings. She feels terrible. Everyone would understand if she took a sick day. But then sheâd sit here all day with her thoughts, with her memories, with nothing to distract her.
**
When she walks into the office, she doesnât remember getting dressed, she doesnât remember driving to work. Sheâs not sure whether she had breakfast or not. Sheâs not even entirely sure sheâs awake.
âScully!â Mulder sounds surprised, and she manages to lift her head high enough to look at him as he walks around the desk. He comes straight towards her to put his hands on her shoulders. âScully, are you okay?â
âYeah,â she says. âIâm fine. Just. Didnât sleep great.â
He doesnât let go of her, just stands there biting his lip and giving her that soft look that makes her want to weep.
She doesnât need this on top of everything. Maybe she should have stayed home after all. Sheâs so good at keeping her feelings locked away. Today, she barely has the strength to stand upright or formulate a single thought that isnât Oh god, Iâm so tired.
âGo home,â Mulder says. âIâll drive you.â
âNo.â She shakes her head. âI need to⌠I just need to take my mind off things.â
A strangerâs fist inside her chest, forcing the life from her body, merciless, cold. Pain, panic.
Mulder squeezes her shoulders gently. âYou shouldnât be here. I didnât expect you to come in. Iâm sure neither did Skinner. Take a few days. You need rest.â
She shakes her head, regretting the movement as the room spins out of focus for a second. âWhat I need is to work.â What she needs is to know if Mulder knows. She knows her fear is safe with him. She doesnât know about all the rest. She needs something to hold onto. Something stronger than the fear. âIâm not going home,â she tells him firmly.
He hesitates a long moment, an eternity. Finally, he nods. âOkay,â he says. âIf youâre sure.â
âIâm sure.â
Mulder looks very unhappy, but she canât do anything about that. She just needs⌠she just needs something to occupy her mind. Before she passes out on the floor and dreams of a hand around her heart, squeezing the life out of her.
**
âHey, Scully?â
She blinks her eyes open, disoriented for a second. Her neck hurts and her head is spinning as she sits up. Mulder is standing in the doorway. Sheâs sitting behind the desk. Right. She wanted to check something. He went to⌠do something else that she doesnât remember. âSorry,â she says, and wipes drool from the corner of her mouth. Falling asleep at the desk is probably not the best way to convince him sheâs okay to work. A quick look at her watch tells her she canât have been out for more than ten minutes. âWhat is it?â
He waves a file in her direction. âI think we should check this out as quickly as possible,â he says.
âOh.â She manages a nod. Do they have a case? She remembers talking about something earlier that they decided to dismiss. She canât even recall what it was. But apparently they settled on something. âYeah, absolutely.â She pauses, not sure whether she wants to ask. She really doesnât want him to know that she completely zoned out on all of it. But then again, she canât exactly do her work if she doesnât know what theyâre even working on. âWhat, uh. What is the case again? Sorry, I guess Iâm a bit⌠distracted today.â
âYeah.â He gives her a long look. âThe haunted hotel, remember? And itâs just an hour and a half from here.â
âOh!â she says, pretending to remember, deciding she can read whatever is in that folder on the way to⌠wherever it is theyâre going. âRight. Yes. Okay. And you want us to go there right now?â
âWhy not?â he says, shrugging. âNo time like the present.â
âGood, yeah, okay.â She suppresses a yawn and tries not to shiver too obviously. She has reached the level of exhaustion where her whole body hurts and she feels like sheâs running a fever.
âIâll drive,â he says. She doesnât argue.
**
Out of sheer stubbornness, she manages not to fall asleep in the car. She even manages to make conversation. Her speech is barely even slurred. Sheâs pretty sure he doesnât notice.
Unfortunately, he put the file in the trunk of the car before she remembered to take it from him, but heâs telling her some ghost stories about the place while they drive, so she feels reasonably well-prepared.
âHere we are,â he says, pulling into the parking lot of an expensive-looking hotel that looks not even remotely like she imagined. But after all these years, sheâs come to expect the unexpected.
âThis is it?â
âYup.â He smiles at her and gets out of the car. She follows, her legs heavy, but she gets them moving, gets them to carry her towards the entrance of the building.
The spacious foyer they walk into screams âIâm way out of your pay grade,â and she notices guests and staff who all look very happy and not at all like theyâre being plagued by ghost sightings. Business seems to be going well. Which is also not what she expected from a place that is haunted enough for Mulder to open an X-file on it. âAre you sure weâre in the right place?â she asks.
âYeah,â he says, and something in his voice makes her turn her head and study his profile carefully.
âMulder, what arenât you telling me?â
He stops and turns towards her with a sigh. âI may have done something rash and stupid, and please feel free to yell at me if I completely overstepped any boundaries here.â
âOh god,â she says. âWhat did you do?â
âI, um.â He directs his gaze at the floor next to her feet and grimaces. âI may have gone to Skinner and told him weâre both taking the rest of the week off.â
âYouâŚwhat?â
âAnd I may have called here and booked us a suite. For two nights. A⌠vacation, I guess.â
âMulderâŚâ
âTwo bedrooms. And there are go ghosts here, donât worry.â He pauses before he continues, his voice low and careful. âAs long as weâre anywhere near the Hoover Building, youâll work. I know it and you know it.â
âMulder, seriouslyâŚâ
âYou need to sleep, Scully,â he says, finally meeting her eyes. âYouâre dead on your feet. You can barely keep your eyes open.â
She opens her mouth to argue, but nothing comes out. Sheâs so tired. So very, very tired. All she wants is a bed. All she wants is for her memories to leave her alone. All she wants is to sink against Mulderâs chest and cry with exhaustion and the emotional hangover from almost being murdered. Again. ââŚOkay.â
âOkay?â He looks so hopeful, so relieved. Another thing that almost makes her cry.
Agent Scully is already in love.
Shit. He makes it really hard for her to feel any other sort of way about him. âYeah. Okay.â
âGood.â
She frowns. âWhat about all those stories you just told me about this place?â
He shrugs. âYeah, I kind of made them up.â
Her laughter turns into a yawn and he puts his arms around her shoulders as they get their key and find the elevator up to their floor. She leans against him, letting him hold her upright. Now that sheâs given in to this, the prospect of lying down and closing her eyes seems so overwhelmingly wonderful.
âOh no,â she says, suddenly remembering something.
âWhat is it?â he asks.
âI donât have anything with me. No clothes, nothing.â
He laughs and pulls her tighter against him just as the elevator door opens and they step out. âIâm sorry. I honestly completely forgot about that.â
âYeah.â She feels such a rush of fondness for him it makes her aching heart flutter in her chest. âIâm noticing you donât have a bag with you either.â
âWell.â He lets go of her to open the door to their suite and lets her walk in ahead of him. âWeâll just have to spend the next couple of days in hotel robes.â
âMaybe we should go out and buy a few things,â she suggests.
âOr,â he says, âyou go and lie down and Iâll go out and pick up a few things for us.â
âButââ
âScully,â he interrupts. âTrust me. I think I can manage to find a pair of sweatpants and a couple of t-shirts for you that will fit.â
âUnderwear,â she says and blushes.
âI can manage that too,â he says, and sheâs too tired to feel embarrassed about anything right now.
Agent Scully is already in love.
âMulder?â
âYes?â
âYouâre the best partner Iâve ever had.â
âThatâs not difficult,â he says, âsince Iâm the only partner youâve ever had. Thereâs not really that much competition.â
In lieu of an answer, she hugs him, pleased when he puts his arms around her in return. She doesnât feel the hard floor against her back when he holds her, she doesnât remember what it felt like when her vision went black and she felt herself dying.
She really wants to ask him if he knows who Padgett was talking about. If he believed it. But she wonât. Not right now. Thereâs time. And maybe she already knows the answer. Either way, itâs true. And sheâs too weak to fight it.
âThank you,â she says.
He pulls her closer and sighs against her hair. âI just want you to be okay,â he says softly.
âI will be,â she promises.
Agent Scully is already in love.
Whether itâs friendship or something else that heâs offering, she knows that whatever shape his feelings come in, sheâs never been loved like this before. By anyone. And even with all the ghosts in her mind, she feels like she might finally get some sleep after all.
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ASK: ahhh iâm obsessed w ur adler headcanons!! pretty pretty plsss could we have more soft!adler headcanons? or maybe a few headcanons for how adler might react to realising heâs slowly falling for bell!reader before they discover the brainwash twist?? đĽşđđ either way just wanna express my appreciation for how you characterise him!! <3
Author's Note: Tehe back at it idk. This was an ask I got months ago but just had incredibly bad writer's and art block. Trying to get those creative juices flowing again! Thank you so much for the ask and the kind comments anon. I really really appreciate it. Hope you enjoy! <3 (your ask disappeared after i put it into Tumblr drafts??)
More Soft!Adler Headcanons:
In the morning before work, Russell wakes up a little earlier than you to spend some more time on his appearance. You see him shaving his few day old stubble and decide to help him out, taking the razor. Heâd study your facial expression as you concentrate on going round each jagged edge of his scar, making sure to not cut him. His blue eyes tracing every little mark on your face, absolutely in awe of how beautiful you are even when you furrow your brows and heâd gently push a strand or two of hair out the way that had fallen over your eye. As you rinse the blade under the tap, heâd grab your chin and peck your lips, getting the taste of shaving foam in your mouth and you two would laugh about it.
I can imagine in Winter, Russell and his s/o ordering hot chocolate with some cream on top/coffee, walking and talking. When he notices your cream/foam moustache, he chuckles to himself but you pay it no mind, thinking it was his response to something you said. But he chuckles again and you question him. -> âOh uh nothing. You just uhâŚgot a little um...hold on.â Heâd lean in and lick your lips before planting a kiss on them and leaning back to look at you with a smile, leaving you dumbfounded.
Witty jokes and comments that make you think how the hell did he come up with that one are definitely on the menu. Russell will sometimes randomly just burst into Russian or German mode and will try and teach you some words and jokes too. Mostly the swear words because everybody wants to know the swear wordsÂ
Adler and his fellow operatives were chatting one day in public with their gear on as they were on their way back to a hotel for the night before their early morning flight but the sight of kids running up to him caught his eye. They asked him questions, the usual ones, the story behind the scar and what he does for a living. At first, he wasnât exactly the warmest towards them but when one of the kids begged him to pick them up, he grumbled and gave in, watching them just take his sunglasses and the other asking if they could touch the scar, earning a smile from him. Him an his group sat down and spent some time kicking a ball around and taking the time out for the children before they had to head back. Adler gave them all fistbumps and bent down to plant a cap on one of their heads with a wink and a side smile -> âKeep it. I donât need it, kid.â
Slowly falling for Bell!Reader Headcanons: Part 1
Russell Adler didnât think it was possible to be honest. Him falling for another person. Always thought of himself as a lone wolf after his divorce. Never took any interest in dates or anything because he simply didnât have the time and partly due to a fear of being hurt again that he refused to acknowledge
Yet he found himself weirdly drawn to you. Maybe it was a sick and twisted fantasy of his, the visage of him being a human, cracking with every fleeting touch. The true monster in him seeping out, revealing his true colours
When he picked you up and out of the SUV in Trabzon, he felt nothing. Perhaps some sense of accomplishment as he was one step closer to locating the man heâd been chasing for 13 years but nothing more. As the initial interrogations continued in a secure location and your balaclava was yanked off by his own hands, a part of him knew heâd get attached when he saw you, in your rawest form but he quickly pushed that thought away as fast as it appeared in his mind. But itâd creep up every now and then during the experimentation as heâd speak into the microphone and exhale the smoke through his nose as he stared at you through the glass, watching you carefully before dipping his head as he hears you let out a gut-wrenching scream and struggle in the chair, putting out his cigarette and calling it a day.
Heâd catch a whiff of your perfume nearby to where he was working in the safehouse. The perfume on your wrists stayed behind on the desk after your leaned over to pass him something or rested your forearms on the desk. The subtle scent of your shampoo and body wash in the bathroom, lingering in the air. Heâd inhale deeply and close his eyes, imagining you as his head resting on the back of his chair for a few moments before he stopped himself and his eyes snapped open, making sure nobody was nearby as if he was scared someone could read his thoughts.
A candle youâd left on for him as he worked late into the night once was never forgotten. Adler would relight it to remind himself of you when you were gone on a mission with the others, telling himself itâs just because it smells nice.
A Brick in the Wall: As Bell took photos of Kraus, Russell would glance over at her, watch you paying attention, adjusting the camera lens, sticking your tongue out as the camera shutter clicked and a small smile would creep onto his lips before he looked away and cleared his throat, giving you your next order. God, what was he thinking?
Some things however were just pure protective instinct. Like grabbing your forearm to pull you away from the railing as you stepped up onto to look over the edge of a balcony at night. He needed you alive for the mission of course, no other reason
 Or when heâd tuck his extra magazines into your ammo packs and make sure all your straps and harness were tight enough. Or even holding his arm out and across your chest when he had to hit the brakes hard while driving with a gentle you okay? after a few beats of silence
Or when heâd bought some food and you were out of it after an MK-Ultra session during the early days and heâd give you a little extra without a word to keep your strength up, looking into your eyes briefly as you cried but the guilt was creeping up on him and heâd leave before you sobbed. Heâd close the door just as you burst into tears, his hand on the doorknob behind him and heâd sigh deeply, his eyes shut, trying to compose himself before walking off to find Park. Theyâre just a red. Heâd remind himself constantly. But just a kid tooâŚ
Desperate Measures: As Belikov let the two of you in and you took out the guards and changed into their uniforms, he couldnât help but sneak a few glances. Before you walked up the stairs, he stopped you and checked you over, head to toe, the expression on his face neutral but his mind was in overdrive. Russell took a step closer and his hands found the bottom of your skirt and tugged on it, pulling it down so it revealed less. A single nod and his lips a thin line before he turned and walked off. He refused to admit he didnât want anyone looking at you the way he did.
He finds himself a little self conscious. This isnât like him..since when was Russell motherfuckinâ Adler worried about the way he was perceived by a red of all people? Putting more aftershave on himself, a spray of cologne to mask the smell of cigarettes that had found its way into his clothing after years of the bad habit. A quick check in the mirror to adjust his outfit and hair before pushing the bridge of his sunglasses up and into place
Safe to say, you took him by surprise. He was of course impressed by your combat and cryptography skills as well as endurance during MK-Ultra, thinking it was such a shame you were on the wrong side. Began thinking of what-ifsâŚ
After one particularly gruelling session, you were screaming and refusing to take the pills that Park was giving you to help you sleep, saying they made you want to vomit and the anti-sickness was not doing anything but Park explained that she couldnât do much about it. Russell heard this from the other side of the door as he walked past your room late at night, telling Sims to source a different medicine he knew of. The next day, he entered your room as you wailed again, thrashing against your cot and he adminstered a dose, barely speaking to you before leaving again but as you clutched his hand, he rubbed his thumb across the back of your hand before letting go. Your touch overwhelmed him.
When heâd see you hang out and play poker or some board games with the others as he was filing reports and chasing up contacts, a tiny frown would form on his face, heâd start picking at the skin on his lips as he watched them or heâd look down and dust his pants off or fiddle with a pen, anything to distract himself from the green-eyed monster
If he heard you singing a song in the other room, heâd put it on for you in the car without a word spoken, you just staring at Adler as if to say how did you know that?
On one chilly night, you fell asleep in the dark room and Adler stood there in the doorway, looking at you, your breathing steady, face rid of anguish and you looked at peace in the red light. Slowly, he made his way over and draped his jacket round your shoulders, thinking to himself itâs just what any decent person would do. Canât have his tool catching a cold nowâŚ
During stakeouts, Russell would start telling you random facts about himself heâs never told another person, saying to himself youâll be gone soon anyways, that you were an outsider so thatâs why it was easier to talk to you.
This feeling he had only seemed to grow with each mission. Instead of letting the others help you out when injured, heâd grip your shoulder as soon as they got in, steering you towards the nearest stool before anyone had a chance to say anything and command you to sit, treating you like the dog you are while he fetched the supplies.
As the weeks passed, heâd take you to your room and patch you up there, wanting some one-on-one time with you, making casual conversation, half to distract you from the pain and half to suppress the thoughts going round in his mind about being so close to losing you
He made you laugh once or twice and couldnât stop thinking about it. It sounded even better than when Woods or the other crew members made you laugh and it made him smile to which you pointed out but he stood up and left shortly after, his standard, stoic expression returning to his face
Adler would stay up on a few occasions to make sure you slept, scanning your face as the pills began to take effect, his arms folded as he stood, looming over you, his finger scratching at his arm even though it wasnât itchy. It was just unease which he consistently pushed down but he noticed he was getting more fidgety when it came to you. Almost like the guilt was eating him from the inside out. Heâd take off his watch, place his cigs on the side and settle into a chair, telling himself itâs just for a few minutes but once he did stay the whole night, leaving before the others woke up. Nobody ever knew
If you ever asked about your time together as friends and during Vietnam when youâd having trouble remembering, heâd keep it short and sweet, but every now and then heâd make up something that was what he wished it would have been like. Nothing too out there.
During mission briefings, heâd find himself laying his attention on you the most as he talked, wanting to know you were really listening to him and secretly asking for your input too and once the others had returned to what they were doing before, heâd pull you to the side, asking you if you were okay with the plan and if thereâs anything you need to go over. I mean, you were the main star of course so it makes sense but his hand would reach for your upper arm and then retract. Boundaries, AdlerâŚ
One thing that killed him though was the fact that you only ever grabbed him out of fear, during MK-Ultra when you didnât want him to leave, when in agony from a gunshot wound, or just as you dropped off to sleep after he injected your when you were being disobedient. Couldnât admit he wanted you to grab onto him in desperation as he- Get a grip, Adler! When did he start thinking of you like that?
After Cuba, he felt nothing. No sense of accomplishment yet as he was one step further away from locating the man heâd been chasing for 13 years but now he was two steps closer to saying goodbye to you for goodâŚ
#thanks again for the ask anon!!#sorry it took me a century or two đ#russell adler#cod bell#russell adler x bell#adler x bell#russell adler x you#russell adler x reader#adler x reader#russell adler headcanons#russell adler hcs#call of duty headcanons#call of duty x reader#cod x reader#call of duty#cod#black ops cold war#call of duty black ops#cod cold war#call of duty cold war#cod bocw#call of duty black ops cold war#black ops 6#call of duty black ops 6#bo6#cod bo6#Star answers asks! ( Ëá´Ë ) â°#Star writes headcanons! ( Ëá´Ë ) â°#wtf is this i-#might do a part 2 to the falling hcs rjghiudokd
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a drawn-out lullaby: spencer reid x artist!reader
an extension of my artist!reader and spencer headcanons, found here
word count: 0.8k
summary: fluff; you gift spencer an early christmas present in the hopes that it will help him fall asleep
âi know you canât sleep, spence.â your voice rang out into the silence of the pitch black bedroom. it had been the only sound for hours - other than violent shuffling from the other side of the bed.
spencer winced back at you, half-taken over by his exhausted body and half-cursed awake by his brilliant mind. he shifted every five minutes, unable to quiet the constant drone of thoughts. every time he shut his eyes, visions of past memories flowed through them like a motion-picture movie in high definition. so far, nothing could lighten the weight settled permanently on his chest. that was the unfortunate downside of his career choice. spencer canât forget.
it was hard to quiet your own mind with the frosty air poking at every exposed piece of skin. it kept you awake. his apartment was older, so the single pane windows frosted over on the coldest days. the ache of seeing spencer restless didnât help. you knew it got harder around the holidays, since he usually couldnât make it back home to visit his mom. the nightmares would come more often, and spencer began to dread sleep. you placed a hand on his exposed shoulder to keep from startling him.
âcan i give you a christmas present early? i think itâll help,â you whispered in fear he did happen to fall asleep.
he hummed back in question, still drowsy. when you paused, he lifted his hand to cover yours and give it an affirming squeeze.
âcan you roll over for me?â you asked softly and squeezed his hand back.
he turned to lay on his stomach as you rose from the bed, digging through the closet for a minute before triumphantly raising a grocery bag in the dark.
the rustling of plastic caught spencerâs attention. he opened his eyes as you poured three black markers out onto the nightstand.
âi thought i could try drawing, on your skin. you were talking about that study you read the other day, about the benefit of repetitive motion for falling asleep. like how adults have an easier time sleeping when theyâre rocked to sleep like babies or something? and i looked into it so i thought maybe the motion of the felt tip on your skin would help you fall asleep? my mom used to trace on my back with her fingers when i was little, and i always loved that and if you donât like it itâs okay, theyâre skin safe and-â
he brought a finger to his lips to quiet your rambling before running the same hand through his messy hair. he was baffled by the fact that you had researched for his benefit, to help him sleep. every remedy he had found in studies for nightmares and insomnia was insufficient. he had given up, but you kept trying. it was only three markers, but he felt so seen and so loved.
âi love you.â he whispered, âso much that i will never be able to fully express it to you.â
âyou think it will help? i love you too,â
âas long as youâre sure theyâre body safe and nontoxic. i trust you and i adore you. and i think your research is sound and iâm quite exhausted so iâm willing to try anything.â spencer closed his eyes again in defeat, too tired to tell you all the things he normally would.
so you uncapped one of the markers and pulled the blanket down to his boxers. he shivered slightly from the icy december air. you ran one hand down his back a few times to calm him before beginning to draw.
the doodles came mindlessly. first a little star in the center of his shoulder blades, followed by the branches, needles, and trunk of a christmas tree.
spencer flinched the first few times the marker grazed his skin, but he kept to his word and trusted you as you continued. the tree received a little garland and a few ornaments as you tried to create a smooth rhythm.
when you finished the bow on the first present, you felt spencerâs breathing deepen. before long, an entire christmas tree marked the length of your boyfriendâs back. the image raised and lowered with every even breath he took.
âspence?â you spoke almost silently, but received no response. assured he was asleep, you finished the drawing with i love you scrawled beneath the wrapped gifts.
finally. spencerâs endless thoughts had been overtaken with his need to rest. his body had drifted into sleep, just as you thought it would when you spotted the markers in the store. you loved spencer with every inch of your body. you wanted him to feel safe with you the same way you did with him. if all it took was a few strokes of a marker, youâd happily spend the rest of your life recreating the louvre on his skin.
with the cap on the marker and the blankets pulled up over his back, you crawled into bed next to spencer. as you drifted into sleep, you felt him find your hand and lace his fingers through yours.
#criminal minds#spencer reid#criminal minds fic#criminal minds imagine#spencer reid x y/n#spencer reid fluff#spencer reid x reader#spencer reid x self insert#spencer reid x you#spencer reid fanfiction#dr spencer reid#criminal minds fluff
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CEO PHAM. Hanni x reader
Synopsis: youâve had enough dealing with Hannis cold and unbothered attitude, you think itâs finally time to resign but the problem isâŚ.she wonât let you
Warnings .á ummmm hello! Itâs been like a month since I last uploaded a fic!!! Angst (?) idk but itâs not fluff, mentions of over-working, dark circles, taking sleeping pills, Hanni is described as a cold hearted, cruel, and mean person in this story, more parts for sure ( I lit have 7/8 other parts TT)
It was no secret that Hanni was described as a cold, cruel, ceo.
Rumors circulated the building the first few weeks before you officially became her secretary generating a sensation of fear in you.
But those rumors were proven to be true the moment you became her secretary.
She was nothing but cold and cruel. Giving you paper works that could take almost a whole day and give no sign of sympathy of mercy. The more and more days that passed on the more and more you got tired of being her secretary.
The last straw broke when she added a ton more to your work at 2am when you were about to be done with your previous work.
Your eyes twitched at her as she stepped out of the building right infront of you. Due to frustration you grabbed a huge chunk of your hair, your head unconsciously falling on top of the desk.
You woke up at 4am, looking around only to find yourself still in the office building and still in your yesterdays outfit. âHuh? I mustâve slept here last nightâ
Your hands unintentionally found itâs way, digging into your purse and bringing out your handy mirror. Your eyes widening in horror as you examined your present state.
A shriek escaped your lips as you noticed the dark circles below your eyes. If a child saw you they would mistake you for penny wise.
Your eyebrows furrowed with anger as you realized the reason for all this happening.
âPham Hanni!â You spoke through gritted teeth. You dig into your purse one more time to bring out a sheet of paper you knew would be handy anytime soon.
You signed below the paper, the only thing remaining was her own signature.
Getting up from the chair, you headed to a nearby bathroom to give your make up a light touch. No one must see you looking like this.
â
âGood morning Ms.Pham!â You greeted plastering on a fake smile across your lips. âUhhh I hope youâre not too busy, I have to talk to you about somethingâ you deliberately emphasized on the word something.
âSomething?â Hanni raised an eyebrow at your statement. âIâm not too busy, so sure. Let me hear this somethingâ she leaned forward motioning for you to take a seat opposite her.
With clear hesitation, you sat infront of her pulling out the resignation letter placing it clearly in front of her.
âWhat is this?â She furrowed her eyebrows taking a closer look at it, âletter of resignationâ she mumbled to herself her eyes widening in clear realization.
âWhat?! What makes you think Iâm going to sign this?â She huffed folding her arms above her chest.
âUmm sorry but you have to, it was literally in the contract that I could resign whenever I wantedâ you gave her judging stares.
âNo Iâm not signing it, youâre staying with me foreverââ you raised an eyebrow at her sentence causing her to stop midway. âwait hold on that sounded weird but yeah! Get the message Iâm not letting you resignâ
Sheâs behaving oddly strange.
âWhy?â You asked staring intensely at her.
She sighed, leaning against her chair her shoulders hanging low. âIs it because of how I treat you? I promise Iâll treat you more nicely and humanly. Iâm sorry for whatever harm I mustâve caused youâ she apologized her eyes and tone softening which almost led you to buying it.
Wait! She was aware of what she was doing all these while and didnât do anything about it??
âIâm so sorry but thereâs nothing I can do right now, Iâve already came to my final decisionâ you spoke through gritted teeth. Your eyes narrowing at the ceo.
âFine then. Iâll sign itâ she grabbed a pen, scribbling hee signature below the paper. âBut just know that because Iâve signed the paper doesnât mean Iâll let you be just like thatâ she added with a teasing grin.
âUmmm ok whatever, thatâs weirdâ you shrugged it off.
The intense atmosphere in the room caused you to immediately leaving the room. âI swear that woman is on somethingâ
â
Ever since youâve resigned from your âtoxicâ job. Youâve been living the life youâve always dreamed of.
Your parents promised to take care of your finances, taxes and bills after you told them about it. They told you they werenât going to let stress yourself about working.
Everything was all going fine and perfect. That was untilâŚâŚ someone had to spoil it.
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đđđ đđđđ | OS
bachira meguru x fem reader ; words: 1.6k (1673)
coming from this event, seventh day, 24/12
đđ đđđđđđđđđđ ; take a look, trust me!
plot: running away from the cameras was the favorite thing you and meguru did every chance you got. your love was yours alone, why give the world just a small slice of everything you felt for each other? it would be a waste
Deciding to be together, so many years ago, had not been easy. You were both teenagers, you with your dream and he with his, and yet the red thread that tied your two fingers did not seem to want to break. Being together as an actual couple didn't seem like a feasible thing, even though you both wanted it
You liked Meguru Bachira from the very beginning. You began to understand that he would become your friend when, during recess in kindergarten, he was the only one interested in rocks like you. You began to understand that you cared about him when in elementary school he always showed you his collection of soccer balls, you who were his only friend. You began to understand that you loved him when, seeing him lose his childish features and take on those of a young boy, you wondered if he had suddenly become so handsome. You had seriously started to think that you loved him in a serious way and no longer as a simple crush when simply seeing him smile at you took your breath away
Bachira Meguru, on the other hand, understood that he loved you the moment you approached him, shy in your yellow apron
"What's your favorite rock?"
You had grown up together, seeing each other's changes. You were the only one her mother knew existed, the only one she considered a second daughter. There had been many afternoons in the past where he found you at his house, after finishing his training, chatting happily with Yuu as if it were nothing. His mother adored you, she loved you perhaps as much as her son loved you
Yuu knew his son, she knew that behind the tenderness with which he spoke to you there was a bigger feeling hidden, which he hid for the simple fear of distancing you from him. Yuu knew you too, and she knew that you loved his son back
Since you were a child, you dreamed of going to Spain, or more precisely living there. Since he was a child, Meguru dreamed of being able to play his soccer, the one he liked. You dreamed of going far away literally and he metaphorically
Neither of you would be with the other forever, that was the truth you didn't dare tell each other. Knowing this knowledge, neither of you would ever dare tell the other how you felt, or at least that's what you thought until the evening of the first day of the two-week vacation after the end of the U-20 match, when you found Bachira in front of your door professing his love for you
"I've realized a few things since I left, and the first is that it's no longer enough for me to just have the thought of loving you. You know I'm not the best with words, but you're the best at understanding me when I can't even... so I hope you can work your magic this time too and understand what I want to tell you"
Seeing him like this, so shy, was strange for you, who had been used to his chaotic side since you were children. But since he left there hadn't been a day in which you hadn't thought about him, how he was, how it was for him to know that he was chasing his dream. He had changed, and so had you, who had just accepted the request for an Erasmus in Spain for a year
But he didn't know that. And you didn't know that he was going to ask you to be his girlfriend
So yeah, deciding to be together all those years ago wasn't easy at all. You spent his two weeks off treating each other like a couple, even though you weren't actually one: you had walked under the moon, slept in each other's arms, you had even kissed a few times. But your flight left the day before he was due to return to the facility
"The flight is about to leave... I think I have to go"
"I know. Remember to be careful, in Spain they are different than us, more party-goers! But maybe you'll get used to it sooner than expected, knowing yourself"
"You're probably right. I'm going to Spain because I love their culture, you know"
"I know. But there's still something I don't know"
"What, Meguru?"
"Are we together or not?"
At the time, you had spent those two weeks wondering the same thing, wondering if he was actually yours and you were his. You thought about it because, even though you never said it out loud, you loved Meguru, you loved him so much. But the result was always the same: 'no, we are not together, you will continue your life here and for a year I will no longer be a part of your life, and maybe the year will become five and then ten'
But that wasn't what you told him
"Do you really want to be in a long distance relationship? I mean, you don't normally have much of a chance to talk to outsiders when you're in Blue Lock, and I won't be here when you have days off again. We'll never have time for each other, Meguru
"I didn't ask you that. Are we together or not?"
The question was simple, a yes or a no was enough. Yet, you didn't know which side to fall on
"It will be difficult, it will be for both of us"
"I know. But I'll live better if I know that you're my girl, Y/n-Chan!"
"Do you really want it that bad...?"
"Something like that. More or less since our first meeting, fifteen years ago"
Meguru was genuine, the best choice you could have made in all your lives. You knew he would never wrong you, hurt you, or get you angry
"We are together"
And so, from that moment on, you had done nothing but love each other with all the methods you could: messages and video calls when he could, letters sent to your new address and so much, so much love that you felt even without hearing from him for more than a few days. Spain was a beautiful sunny place, perfect for you and your character, but above all also for Bachira, who to your surprise had taken part in the Barcha club in Japan. While you were studying and living your dream, he was chasing a ball and living his dream; but you both lived with the knowledge of having each other, and it was so perfect for you
You hadn't seen each other for almost a year when Bachira told you that he would come to Spain to play his first match outside of Japan, and he would come to Barcelona, your city. So, after a year apart, you finally had the chance to hug and kiss your boyfriend again before the start of his match, with the entire stadium watching you. Some fans had recognized you as the same girl who ran to him to hug him at the end of the match against the U-20s, while others were now recognizing you as the alleged girlfriend of Lavinho's favourite, the girl the team captain held so tightly in his arms
The match ended with a victory for Barcha and a year long contact for your boyfriend. While you would return to Japan in a few months, he would remain in your new city. But this did not stop you from living in symbiosis for the remaining time, recovering all the contact that you had not been able to exchange from far away. You were finally with Bachira and you no longer had to just fantasize about being able to kiss him
"I don't even want to think about when you have to go back to Japan, it's like we're making a trade! I always want to be able to hold you in my arms, and yet you seem like you want to run away from me again"
"You know I don't like it either, but I can't stay here, I risk jail!"
"In prison for staying with your boyfriend? It doesn't sound so bad, Y/n-Chan!"
Yet, you had returned to Japan, leaving him far away from you again, this time with a slight increase in the possibility of texting you both than before. Everything was back to the beginning, and it was strange to think that until two years ago you had spent your whole life together, seeing each other every day but without kissing. But it all didn't last long: another Erasmus gave you the chance to go back to him, to Bachira, to your boyfriend. And so, everything went back to the beginning again, for your and his happiness
From that moment on, you had done nothing but run, run, and run again, always as far away from the cameras as possible; now that you finally had the chance to be together, why give others a show that was only for the two of you?. Meguru had become, however, in a short time, a star of the new generation of soccer, and consequently his fame had increased to the point that the cameras would do anything to have him theirs. And to know that Bachira, the striker of Barcha, was again with the girl he had kissed that day, his supposed girlfriend? This was even better, this made the cameras need you
The cameras wanted you, but you wanted more the kisses from your boyfriend, the ones he gave you while you ran hand in hand through the alleys of Barcelona, while you ran away from yet another newspaper that wanted to take a picture of you
You were together, you were actually a couple for more than two years. You hated the cameras and everything that included them, even Bachira thought the same thing. The cameras, if they had to be there, you would have wanted them only on the day you became Mrs. Bachira
TAG: @natmagaesp ; @kittenish0 ; @x3nafix ; @sirhamburrger
#blue lock#blue lock x reader#blue lock x you#blue lock x y/n#blue lock x female reader#bluelock x you#bluelock x reader#bllk#bllk x reader#bllk x you#bllk x y/n#bllk x female reader#bllk x gender neutral reader#bluelock manga#blue lock anime#blue lock season 2#bllk bachira#bachira x you#bachira x reader#bachira meguru#blue lock bachira#blue lock meguru bachira#meguru bachira#meguru bachira x reader#bachira x y/n#bachira blue lock#bachira bllk#blue lock manga#bllk manga#blue lock imagines
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mizuena/ena5 incoherent rant below bc i love them so much im losing my mind
I can't stop thinking about how much of mizuki's conflict in prsk is resolved entirely by ena's actions, not mizuki's own, and that's actually really fucking good. hear me out.
One of the driving emotions for Mizuki's conflict is obviously fear; she's afraid of being left once people know her secret, she's afraid she can only ever have shallow connections with people who wouldn't really accept her as who she is, she's afraid of losing the few friends she has and the one space where she feels like she can express herself through their shared art.
But beyond that, the other driving emotion for her is guilt. She feels guilty that she's been "deceiving" everyone else, she feels guilty that she's left Ena waiting for so long without telling her her secret, she feels guilty that everyone else seems to be moving forward and facing their fears while she seemingly can't. And when her secret is revealed, the strongest emotion she's going through isn't her fear of being left behind, it's the guilt that's been eating her away from the inside.
She tells ena that it can't be the same, that now ena won't be able to treat her the same, that she knows Ena and Kanade and Mafuyu are so kind they'll smile and tell her they're fine with it, but that they'll just be forcing themselves for the sake of kindness. That they'd rather not have to deal with everything that makes Mizuki complicated, but they would anyway because they're kind like that. That she can't bear that. She doesn't deserve that.
And all of this guilt is so real for this young trans girl to feel because it's what we're pushed towards constantly, even when we're supposedly accepted for who we are. The lie that we're deceiving others when we present as our own gender is so deeply written into our collective psyche, and even beyond that, even in "progressive" spaces, the violence we suffer is often treated as our own burden to bear, as something we have to deal with and not burden other people with.
So many basic bitch stories about trans women, with trans women protags written by cis people, have them struggle and "grow" as the story progresses, having to "face their fears", to come out to people they're scared of leaving them, to "trust their loved ones" and take that first step. I think a lot about The Missing, a game that gets a lot of the horror of being a trans girl and yet still has the protagonist, who is so terrified of how her mom would react to her coming out she tries to end her own life, learn the lesson that she should come out anyway, trust this person that's only given her reasons to fear her, because that's the only way for her to move forward.
Mizuki doesn't do that. She doesn't have to. Mizu5 is all about the horror of being outed before you're ready to come out yourself, even to someone you know would show you kindness. And it allows Mizuki to stew in her own guilt, the guilt that she never faced her fears herself, that she's burdening N25 with her suffering. But Ena5 is about Ena, so patient and unwilling to hurt Mizuki, finally being moved to action by kaito and meiko agreeing that it's up to her to be selfish and try to bring Mizuki back, to recognize that Mizuki doesn't want to be alone.
It's up to Ena to do the scary thing, for her to be open and vulnerable about her feelings. For her to go up to Mizuki, despite being ignored for so long, as someone who is so sensitive to being ignored- to being rejected- and to tell Mizuki what she needs- and deserves- to hear. That she's wanted. That Ena doesn't care if Mizuki thinks she deserves it or not, that Mizuki's guilt shouldn't factor in because Ena wants Mizuki beside her.
It's the ultimate transfem fantasy because it's the fantasy of being truly wanted, of being unconditionally loved. It's the fantasy of someone seeing you for who you are, and not just "accepting you" as if it's a favor they're doing you, but going as far as telling you that the way you've been conditioned by a lifetime of violence to feel and act to protect yourself is NOT your fault, it's NOT just your responsibility to deal with, that you deserve someone who will go through the effort of digging you out of that hole and that you're not a burden for needing that.
In a lot of subtle ways, Mizuki's story feels 1000% written by people who understand trans girls so far beyond the scope of the usual explaining-transness-to-cis-people style of narrative, even understanding ways that these narratives fuck up routinely and also understanding exactly what is needed to sneak this into a highly commercial hatsune miku gacha game. There's a lot of compromises made there for the sake of being this kind of story in this kind of game, but what we get in return is so much more meaningful as a transfem narrative than anything of similar popularity that I can think of, it fills me with so much emotion and I truly can't fathom believing it's somehow "bait" or "not real rep" unless you've never had to think about transmisogyny and how it emotionally affects you to this degree.
I'll never stop thinking about them. Congrats on the wedding mizuki and ena. someone like ena is exactly what every trans girl deserves, and never has someone proven herself more deserving of a trans girl's love than ena. i love them both so much my heart feels like it's going to explode whenever i think of them. huge thanks to everyone involved in creating their story
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The Meet-Cute - Zoro's Story - 3
Source for pic
Trouble 3
Word Count: 4959
Tags For The Whole Story: Fem!Reader; Protective!Zoro; Soft!Zoro; Sexual Tension; Teasing; Flirting; Mature Audiences (I'll always tag the NSFW chapters); Modern Day AU; Reader is being stalked; Fear; Paranoia; Angst; Rom-Com Vibes; Mild Gore-like Descriptions; Blood; Dead Animals Mentioned; Reader in a terror-like state; Fluff; Romance; Banter; Manipulation; Miscommunication; Frustration; Reader is very clumsy;
Special Warning: English is not my first language, I apologise for any possible spelling or grammar mistakes.
Summary: After moving away from the hustle and bustle of Grand Line City to help your father around the property following a horse-riding accident - and in the hopes of healing your broken heart after your asshole ex-fiancĂŠ cheated - you settle into the country calmness of the Calm Belt. You and Zoro are slowly returning to your easy friendship filled with banter and flirting and you actually begin to glimpse a future with the green-haired cop. But then you start to receive weird gifts. They quickly escalate to manipulative texts. And now you're stuck in a spiral of terror and there's no way to get help because the Stalker, whoever he is, is threatening something other than just your life.
Notes: I should have chapter 4 already finished... but it's not completed yet... I haven't written almost anything this week! I know with the hollidays it will be hectic around here, but I have a few days where the office is going to be closed, so maybe I can write a bit more! Fingers crossed! Until then, please enjoy the calmness before the storm!
Masterlist
âMorning, Bug.â Shanks fills a mug of coffee for you and sets it down on the table near your plate of bacon and eggs, beside a bouquet of wildflowers.Â
âMorning, Dad. Thanks for the coffee, but aren't the flowers a bit too much? It's not my birthdayâŚâ You mumble between yawns.Â
âThey're not from meâŚâ Shanks smirks and nods at a note that's tucked in with the silk ribbon.Â
Brow rising, your fingers brush the petals of a deep crimson poppy before they catch the note between them. âWild and beautiful, just like you.â
What? Who?Â
Despite the lovely gesture, you can't shake the slightest feeling of unease, it tugs at your stomach, leaving you queasy and suspicious.Â
âWho's it from?â Shanks tries to hide his curiosity but falls short when he reaches over your shoulder to glimpse the note.Â
âI have no idea.â
âCome on! Not even the slightest hint?â You shake your head while your mind conjures up images of a slightly not-safe-for-work dream you had with a certain green-haired cop, and you blush unintentionally.Â
Obviously. Shanks picks it up.Â
âYou and Zoro seemed pretty cosy when I arrived yesterdayâŚâ
âIt's not from him⌠I think.â You deflect the implications, not wanting to read too much into it yourself. âHeâs not the type for grand gestures.â
Shanks hums in agreement while placing his coffee cup in the sink. âI see what you mean.â But then he places his hand on your shoulder, forcing you to look at his unbearable smirk. âThough do not underestimate a man in love.â
âDad!â You feel your ears getting hot as you get up suddenly, looking for a vase to set the flowers on.Â
âIâm just saying.â He shrugs.Â
âHeâs not⌠we⌠weâre just friends! I just got back.â You fuss with the flowers until theyâre all spread beautifully on the vase and then set them at the centre of the table.
Shanks pouts and stares at you through the flowers, across from you. âFriends.â He air quotes with two fingers. âIâve been there, Bug.â
âAgh! Youâre impossible, Dad.â
But he might also be right. Because if last night was any indication, you and Zoro might be crossing the âjust friendsâ barrier soon.Â
And, honestly, thereâs nothing wrong with that.Â
-*-
Shanks tells you to put a hold on your job hunt because heâll be gone for about three weeks to a month for a horse show on an island in the South Blue and heâll need you to take care of the animals and manage the farm chores.Â
So you spend the next week getting reacquainted with most of your fatherâs tasks in addition to the ones you had taken over ever since coming back.Â
The gifts keep coming.Â
Every morning there are chocolates, or flowers, or stuffed animals, little trinkets⌠The notes are rather simple, always evoking your beauty, but short and nondescript. You are no closer to knowing who theyâre from now than you were on the first day you got them.
Shanks keeps hinting that it might be Zoro, but you doubt that very much. Besides the fact that heâs not one for romantic gestures, he wouldâve said something about the gifts after six straight days.
And itâs not like you havenât been chatting⌠not in person, since youâve been busy at the farm and heâs been pulling double shifts to have the Saturday off again, but you text every day.
Short texts, to the point, much like Zoro is, but he always asks how you are and if you need anything.Â
And knowing heâs trying to take care of you leaves a very warm feeling in your chest. Especially because your clumsiness almost brought you to the clinic twice just this week. You have to thank whichever deity is watching over you because, even though you hurt yourself, itâs never serious enough to send you to the hospital.Â
âWhen are you leaving?â You ask Shanks while packing beverages, muffins and a cake youâve baked for todayâs chosen group activity.Â
âLetâs see, todayâs Saturday, Beckman says his helper will arrive Monday morning to keep in charge of his farm, so sometime Monday afternoon, Bug. Why? Missing your Daddy already?â
You are.
âNo! I just want to make sure you carry all of your medicine and that you have Dr. Lawâs emergency contact with you, in case you need itââ
âIâm not going to drag Law all the way to the South Blue just becauseââ
âI called him and he said you should call anytime, so youâre going to call if you need him!â
âFine!â
âFine!â Shanks has got to be the most stubborn man youâve ever met.Â
âWhere are you going?â He hisses when you swat his hand away as he tries to steal a salty bacon muffin youâre storing in a container. Then you relent and let him have it.
âJust one, Dad! Weâre going on a picnic in the park.â You say with a grin. âNami organised it, of course. Weâre going to spend the day hanging out, playing games, and socializing.âÂ
Shanks nods, never breaking your gaze, while trying to surreptitiously steal another muffin. This time you slap his hand with the lid of the container, and he yelps. His pout is quickly replaced by a smirk. âIs Officer Zoro going?â
Youâre sure your nonchalant look canât disguise the crimson blush tainting your cheeks, but you try to pay it no mind. âYes. And Luffy, and Usopp, Chopper, Sanjiââ
âI was going to tell you to be careful, but Iâm sure Officer Zoro is going to keep you safe from all harm.â Shanks taunts and you seethe, hands flying to your hips.Â
âWhat are you, Dad, ten?â He guffaws as he successfully manages to distract you and steals another muffin before sprinting away from you and the kitchen.
âBe safe, Bug! Have fun!â
Seriously. How is this man a father?
-*-
Nami swings by your house with Vivi to pick you up for the picnic. You notice Robinâs absence in the car, and both girls giggle.
âSaboâs picking Robin up. Theyâll meet us there.â Vivi answers, and your mouth hangs open.
âAre they a thing?â
âNot yet, but it shouldnât be long.â Nami laughs as she fixes her hair in the rearview mirror while waiting for the light to turn green. âMuch like you and Zoro, I think.â
You choke on your own saliva, and it takes you a good minute to regain proper breathing functions, all while Nami and Vivi erupt into cackles and giggles.Â
âWeâre just friends!â You say after youâve caught your breath.
âSure, honey. We all believe that.â Vivi turns on the front seat to pat your knee in a condescending manner while you blush.Â
âThereâs so much heat coming off you two whenever youâre close that I donât know how you still havenât spontaneously combusted.â Nami quips, and you purse your lips. Sheâs not wrong there. âI mean, youâve always sort of clicked, but now⌠daaaaamn!â
You sigh and bite your lip, trying to contain a giggle from erupting. âWho else is going to meet us there?â You ask, changing the subject and Nami shakes her head, knowing all too well what youâre doing, but not pressing on the matter.Â
-*-
Itâs a beautiful day for a picnic, and the park is the perfect setting for the beginning of a wonderful midday. There are rows and rows of trees, shade galore, small cobblestone pathways for long walks, and even a small creek providing a soft lull alongside the soft giggles of children.Â
You and the girls are setting up rows of blankets on the grass, by the shade of the tall trees, when the group begins to arrive. You lift your head, hand sheltering your eyes from the sun, and scan the crowd. Luffy, Barto, Usopp, Kaya, and Chopper are approaching the treeline. They probably rode together.
A slight breeze dishevels your hair as your eyes linger behind, but thereâs no green mane of hair in sight yet. An absent sigh leaves your lips before you spy Namiâs knowing smirk aimed your way.
She doesnât say anything, but you blush anyway. Her unspoken words linger around you like a thick fog. You are eager to see Zoro. She knows it, you know it, hell, anyone who saw you two interact lately knows it.Â
But you vow to retain some semblance of dignity and pretend to fuss over the blankets and small folding chairs. Youâre so absorbed in your task that you donât even see him approach.
âHey there, Troublemaker, making trouble?â
The smile that graces your lips is instant and unstoppable. You turn slightly and bite your lower lip when your eyes meet his. Why does every shirt he wears seem so tight against his muscles?
âHardly! Iâm just setting up chairs!â But as you deliver the words, the chair you were opening snaps shut, almost catching your fingers, and you yelp.Â
âYouâre a menace.â His tone is both amused and resigned, almost as if he knew something of the kind would happen, was expecting it, even.Â
âIt attacked me!â You defend yourself weakly, a giggle bubbling up in your chest because he is right. You are a menace.
Zoro ends up helping you set the chairs, and you donât even try to stop him. Both because youâre very likely to end up either hurting yourself or breaking a chair, and because he keeps brushing his shoulders and hands with yours, and the touch is welcomed.Â
Robin and Sabo arrive with flushed cheeks - you can almost see Nami registering that fact for later probing - and soon after, Franky and Brook, two older men you still havenât met but Luffy quickly introduces you to, saying theyâre also part of the gang.Â
You see Sanji already setting up food on the blankets, and he greets you warmly. âHi, Sanji. You rode with Mosshead?â
âOi?â Zoro snaps, and you ignore him.
âI did, Madame, and it was the most unpleasant ride of my life. Please remind me not to do it again.â
You giggle when Zoroâs brows knit together, his hands clenched into fists. âTch, shitty cook, next time you ride with me, it will be in my patrol car and Iâll be dragging you straight to prison.â
Sanji starts to fume, his pursed lips crumpling the cigarette dangling from his lips, and you grimace. âHey, hey, boys, it was just a joke!â
Nami sighs as they butt heads and continue arguing. âNever mind that.â She tells you. âAny chance they get to get up close and personal, they take it. They have a weird bromance thing going on.â She raises her hands defensively in the air. âI swear, for a moment there I thought they were going to be a thing, but Sanji loves women too much and Zoro is a man with a goal-oriented mind. Even if itâs someone he set his sights on a lifetime ago.â
Your brow raises at her as she smirks that all-knowing smirk. But she leaves it at that and stands in the middle of the boys, dragging Sanji by the scruff of his dress shirt, telling him the girls are hungry, which promptly sets him back to the task of setting up the food.Â
âShitty cookâŚâ You hear Zoro mumble as he sets his hands in his pockets and kicks a blade of grass. Itâs cute how flustered he gets. Then his eye sets on you and he frowns with a low grumble. âOi, I didnât forget you called me Mosshead.â
You set a hand on your heart, feigning repentance. âOh, do forgive me, Mr. Mosshead. I forgot your title.â
âTroubleâŚâ He lowers his tone in mock warning, and you smile, taking a step back, hands in a defensive stance.Â
âLord Moss, Knightââ Your antics are cut short by a piercing yelp when Zoro jumps and tries to catch you, but somehow, you swerve away from his grasp and start to run, an unbridled laugh filling your lungs. âIâm sorry, Iâm sorry! I was just joking!â
âRepentance doesnât dissolve the crime! Come here, Trouble!â He sprints, though you suspect heâs hardly even trying, and you cackle, running faster, the voices of the group fading into the distance.Â
âYouâll have to catch me first!â Maybe you shouldâve measured your words, because as soon as he hears the challenging tone in your voice, he sprints faster, and you barely have time to breathe before his arm wraps around your waist and he swirls you in the air, making you scream and laugh before he pulls your back against his chest.
Heart pounding against your ribs, cheeks flushed from running and breath catching in your throat, you feel your legs shaking when Zoroâs warm breath tickles your neck. âGotcha.â He whispers, and you notice heâs not even out of breath while you look like you ran a marathon.Â
The world dissolves into just this moment. The chirping of the birds and the rustling of the trees are nothing but background noise to the deafening pounding in your chest and the buzzing in your ears.Â
Turning your head slightly to the side, you catch Zoroâs eye fixed on you, a wild smirk on his lips. âWhat now, officer? Are you going to arrest me?â
Damn. That was supposed to come out playfully, not sultrily. Right?
âDepends.â Did his voice get huskier? âAre you going to resist arrest, Trouble?â
You feel your throat bobbing up and down at all the wild fantasies running through your mind. The way he uses that nickname manages to send shivers down your spine and heat straight into your core.Â
âObviously.â You sound breathless, and it's a good thing you can blame that sorry state on the run, or you wouldn't know how to explain it.Â
âFigures.â He chuckles low, and you feel it rumbling in his chest. Then, with a swift movement, he turns you, bends his knees, and hoists you up, slinging you over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.Â
âWhaââ
âLet's go.â Your flush deepens as you feel his strong hand against the back of your thighs, holding you in place. âThe humiliation will teach you not to call me Mosshead.â
âCome on, Zo, I said I was sorry!â You whine, and he stiffens, his pace slowing for a beat, and you feel his shoulders shake slightly. Then he resumes his pace.Â
âI like that.â
You stop pounding your fists against his back and raise your brow. âWhat? Me apologizing?â
He grunts and keeps walking, the blanket and your laughing friends nearly in sight. âThat nickname. Way better than Mosshead.â
Oh! Zo! Another small blush creeps into your cheeks, but before you can reply, Nami whistles. âWhat you got there, Zoro?â
You hear your friends laughing and bury your face in your hands, feeling mortified. âSomeoneâs been naughty.â Zoro replies with a smirk and an edge of amusement in his tone.Â
âSeriously?â You grumble, pushing against his back to try and wiggle out of his embrace, though itâs all for naught because he has an iron grip on your legs.Â
âWell, either set her down so we can all eat or take her to naughty jail and punish her. Away from our sight, please.âÂ
âNami!â You yell, exasperated, but Zoro merely chuckles, swerving right as if changing directions.Â
âNaughty jail it is, then.â
âNo, no!â You whimper. âIâm sorry!â Chopper stares at both of you, not sure if youâre being serious, so you try to take advantage of him and stretch your hand. âHelp me, Chopper!â
He reaches his hand out before Nami swats it away. âLet them be, Chopper. They need some alone time.â
You seethe at Nami, a pout on your lips. âTraitor.â
Zoro lets out a low chuckle before settling you down at the edge of the blanket. âLearned your lesson, Troublemaker?â
You steady yourself, hands against his chest, and a permanent blush tattooed on your cheeks. âDamn you. Iâm never calling you Mosshead again. You won.â
âI see youâre a fast learner.â His smirk is impossibly smug. âZoâs fine, though.â Then he turns his back on you, opens the small cooler, and takes out a beer, cracking it open with one hand and chugging at it without another look back at you.Â
And, damn it, if that doesnât mess with your heart.
-*-
âWho wants another drink?â You ask and count the raised hands before getting up, heading towards the cooler to satiate your friendsâ thirst. Zoro moves his hand before you reach it, and smooths the blanket before you can trip on its raised edge.
You smile at him, but heâs not even looking at you. His eye is shut, one arm behind his neck as he leans against the tree, though you know very well heâs attentive to everything. You pass the drinks around, then return to get your own.
âWatch your head.â Zoro mumbles, and you raise your brow but donât heed his advice and, therefore, hit a low branch of the tree, releasing a string of curses while rubbing your forehead. âWhen are you going to start listening to me, Trouble?â
âWhen you stop sounding like a smug jerk.â You mouth, annoyed at his attentiveness and at how he seems to perceive danger before you even realise itâs there. He chuckles and you retrieve your drink, returning to your seat.
After a while of relaxing in the shade, Luffy drags everyone to a frisbee game. The boys are all down to play, but the girls just sit by a bench near the open space the boys chose to throw the frisbee and tackle each other.Â
You sit on the back of the bench, a case of water bottles by your feet because you know the boys will be thirsty soon. Vivi sits on the grass in front of Namiâs legs, and Robin and Kaya are on the bench.Â
After a small chit-chat about meaningless stuff, you decide to bring up something thatâs been bothering you. âSo Iâve been getting a lot of gifts latelyâŚâ
Four heads whip your way, and you sigh, already expecting that reaction and the bombardment of questions that follow. So you raise your hands, and they stop to let you continue. Though you decide to focus on the game in front of you instead of the way theyâre all staring at you.
You especially focus on a very athletic green-haired man who constantly gazes up to where you are before focusing back on the game.Â
âItâs flowers, chocolates, stuffed animals⌠It started last weekend, after the party at Luffyâs. They have notes, but nothing personal. No name, no nothing⌠I donât know who theyâre from, and I donât even know if I should be flattered or freaked out by them.â
âHow do they make you feel?â Robin asks, and you shrug, not quite knowing how to answer that question.
âThe first ones made me feel good. I thought they were fromâ I thought I might know who they were from. But since he didnât say anything about it, I doubt they're from him. So now they just feel weirdâŚâ
âHoney, we all know youâre talking about Zoro.â Nami says in a very condescending manner, and all the girls agree.
You sigh and bury your face in your hands. Youâre so obvious it hurts.Â
âFine, yes. I thought they mightâve come from him, at first. But heâs not one for romantic gestures.â
âI wouldnât say that, exactly.â Nami quipped back, a smirk tugging her lips as her eyes fell back on the game. Sure enough, Zoroâs eyes are back on the bench - on you, to be more specific. âI think itâs quite romantic the way heâs always checking to see if youâre safe. Keeping you away from trouble and making sure you donât hurt yourself.â
A small blush creeps its way into your cheeks. It is quite romantic. âThatâs just Zoro being Zoro. Heâs a cop. He protects and serves.â You roll your eyes.
âOh, Iâm sure he would like to serve you.â Nami giggles and all the girls try to stifle their own laughs. âBut youâre wrong about that. Sure, heâs always attentive to any kind of threats, but itâs different with you.â
âWhat do you mean?â You canât stop the way your heart pounds maddeningly against your sternum.Â
âShe means that Zoro doesnât usually go out of his way to keep people from tripping on stuff or from bumping their head. And with you, heâs always extra careful.â Robin finishes with a small smile.Â
âLike the way heâs playing now, but keeps looking at you to see if youâre still in one piece. Itâs like heâs expecting you to spontaneously combust or something.â Kaya adds with a giggle.Â
âItâs very endearing.â Vivi finishes, and your blush deepens, so you bury your head back into your hands, stifling a loud groan.Â
âBut youâre still right.â Nami continues as if youâre not breaking down in front of them. âI donât think heâs the one leaving the giftsâŚâ She laughs suddenly. âBut thereâs one way to tell for sure.â
You raise your head from your hand cocoon to tell her to keep her mouth shut, but Zoro is already halfway to the bench and you squeak. âNamiâŚâ
âHey, Zoro!â She starts with a wave of her hand. You see Zoro raise his eyebrow at her, his long strides bringing him closer to the bench.Â
Shit.
Heâs sweaty all over. Fat droplets of perspiration drop from his temples to his perfect jawline and neck, and you gulp, feeling hot and bothered. So, it comes as no surprise that when he reaches his hand to grab a bottle between your legs, you lose your balance and fall back on the bench.
Yelping, you expect to hit the floor with a dry thud, air escaping your lungs and sharp pain blinding you. Instead, you feel a strong hand wrap around your forearm and tug hard, then your face being squished against a muscular, sweaty chest.
Zoro saved you from an ugly fall. Again.
âSeriously, Trouble? Why?â His voice is gravelly and rough, but with an edge of exasperation lacing it. âIâm starting to feel like I have to be with you 24/7 or youâre going to end up in the hospital.â
Your breath is still leaving your lips in ragged gasps because of the slight scare of facing an inevitable fall, and your face is still pressed against Zoroâs chest. You feel the girls�� gaze on both of you and Zoro seems completely unfazed by it, while saying youâre embarrassed would be the understatement of the year.
So you disentangle yourself from the predicament that is Zoroâs muscles and laugh it off, a hand scratching the back of your neck. âAh, thank you. I got⌠distracted.â
âBy what?â He asks while taking a sip of water.
âWell, Zoro,â Nami begins, and he shifts his focus to her, âwe were discussing who could be her secret admirer, and then you showed up. Curious.â
âSecret admirer?â Zoroâs gaze falls back on you, his brow scrunched.
âAh, no. Itâs nothing like that. Itâs justââ
âSheâs been getting gifts. Flowers, chocolates, love declarationsâŚâ Why is Nami exaggerating? Is she trying to fish for information or make Zoro jealous? âYou wouldnât happen to have anything to do with it, would you?â
He drinks the water in three long gulps before answering, his scowl now permanently etched on his lips. âDo I look like the kind of guy who would do that?â
You look down and bite your lower lip. You knew it wasnât him, but maybe, secretly, there was still a little part of you that hoped he could be showering you with that kind of attention.Â
âWell, I just thoughtââ Nami begins, but sheâs swiftly interrupted by Zoro, whose eyes canât seem to leave your figure.
âWhen I want someone, I make it clear Iâm interested. Youâll know.â He finishes drinking the water just as your eyes meet his, and the fire burning there scalds and melts. Was he telling you heâs interested? Was he saying heâs about to make a move?
With a smirk, he turns his back, grunts a gruff âtry not to fall again, Troubleâ, and gets back to the game, leaving you more confused than ever.Â
âDid heââ Nami starts.
âNobody says anything. Weâre going to act like nothing happened.â You mumble before getting up and chugging down an entire bottle of water yourself to try and calm your nerves.
It doesnât work.
-*-
The frisbee game makes everyone tired - and hungry - so, after all the bellies are filled again, the crew is relaxing in the blanket, enjoying the warmth of the late afternoon and the lulling sounds of the park.Â
Chopper, Usopp, Luffy, and Barto are enjoying a card game. Franky seems interested, but heâs only overseeing and throwing advice that only seems to make Usopp lose the game. Robin has a book in her hands and Saboâs head on her lap, his eyes closed with a blissful smile on his lips.Â
You have serious doubts that she's paying attention to the book, especially since she seems to be stuck on the same page for over ten minutes, but you donât say anything. Kaya is braiding Viviâs hair and Nami is snapping photos of the crew, taking little candid shots with her cellphone. Brook is gracing everyone with a nice, mellow song on his violin - he's a wonderful musician - and Zoro seems to be sleeping peacefully, leaning against the tree.
Everything seems peaceful, quiet, and idyllic.Â
But you canât seem to shake the feeling of unease in the pit of your stomach. Itâs like someone is watching you, but you canât quite pinpoint who or where. Itâs a prickling on your neck, something youâre already growing so used to that you start to think you should have this checked out by a doctor.Â
With a heavy sigh, you stand up, stretching your arms to justify that action. âIâll be back soon.â You say softly to Nami, whoâs closer to you and she nods. Then, you look around before taking a step. The park is one big open space - with the exception of some trees here and there - except for the dense treeline behind you.Â
So thatâs where youâre headed.Â
-*-
Zoro senses you getting up and opens his eye slowly, following you with his gaze and scowling when you donât see the tree root sticking out and stumble a little before steadying your pace.Â
Youâre such a damn klutz.
And damn it, if he doesnât want to be there to catch you and protect you from everything.Â
His heart constricts slightly at the thought, and he sighs softly. He thought absence had made him forget how he felt about you. He even had some ârelationshipsâ while you were away. Wait⌠can he really call something that never went past three months a real relationship? He never truly bonded with those women. Never truly cared.
No one ever made him feel the way you did.
The way you do.
But time and distance did nothing but make him pine harder for you. When Nami told him casually that you were returning, he almost didnât believe her. You didnât even come back for any of the holidays or to say âhiâ, let alone come back for good after experiencing life in the big city.Â
But you returned.
And then he thought he wouldnât quite forgive you for having literally abandoned them. No text, no email, no letter, nothing. He would be salty, at least. Grumpy and upset, at most.
But he forgave you instantly.Â
One look at your dishevelled form, chasing a goddamned tire with dirt all over your clothes and face, and he was a lovestruck teenager again.Â
Fucking heart, what a useless organ.Â
All those thoughts forgotten, he simply reached out. And you reached back, almost like no time had passed between you, and you could basically continue your story where you left off.Â
And he was willing to try.
Though he didnât want to rush too fast - damn Nami should just stop intruding and let you two figure things out yourselves. Heâd get there. He almost kissed you already, so the feeling is mutual.Â
Heâs got time.
Sitting up, he watches as you peek behind trees, a cautious demeanour to your posture making him raise his brow. What the hell are you doing?
âJust go to her, dumbass.â
âShut up, Witch. Mind your own business.â
Nami sticks her tongue out at him and snaps a picture of his grouchy face before turning her phone towards you and snapping another candid shot.Â
âYou look like a lost puppy in love. Itâs cute, you know? The way you keep looking out for her.â Zoro feels his ears heat up and leans back again, trying to close his eye and return to a state of relaxation, but he canât very well do that when youâre doing God-knows-what near the trees, looking creepily at everywhere and everything. âJust make sure you make your move soon⌠or maybe that secret admirer will one-up you and poof!â She makes an exploding gesture with her hand, and Zoro scowls at her.Â
âYouâre insufferable.â He quips before getting up and dusting his jeans.
âWord of the day? How smart of you, Zoro.â She giggles when Zoro passes by her and messes up her hair with his hand, earning an indignant gasp from the orange-haired girl. âI just went to the salon, you brute!â
Zoro smirks at her reaction and starts pacing towards you, Namiâs antics behind him. Well⌠all except oneâŚ
âMake sure you make your move soonâŚâ
Perhaps he should. He doesnât want to lose you before even having the chance to have you.
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54 with heeseung
You guys were out having lunch together when this rowdy group of guys started to harass you, two of them making lewd comments about you. Heeseung, who was sitting right next to you, clenched his fists in anger, his protective instinct taking over.
âYo,â he snapped, standing up from his seat. âBack off before I make you.â The two guys scoffed, their arrogance very obvious. âWhat are you going to do, huh?" one of them sneered.
Y/n sensed Heeseungâs tension and tried to calm him down, placing a hand on his chest. âBaby, itâs okay,â she said, her voice soothing. âTheyâre just jerks; it's not worth it.â But Heeseung wasn't listening. The anger was raging inside him; he needed to teach these dicks a lesson.
He takes a few steps closer to the two guys, his expression dark. âI warned you,â he growled, his voice low and threatening. The guys snickered, their confidence wavering slightly as they realized Heeseung wasn't gonna back down. âYou think you're such hot stuff, hm?â one of them barked.
Heeseungâs jaw clenched, his hands balling into tighter fists at his sides. Y/n saw the muscles tensing under the thin fabric of his shirt. âLast chance,â he warned. âBack off, now.â The guys exchanged a look, their bravado faltering. They didn't expect someone to stand up to them like this. One of them took a step back, ready to retreat. But the other, the one who had commented the most, looked at him defiantly. âOr what?â he challenged
Heeseung stood silent. Instead, he lunged forward, his fist connecting with the maleâs law with a sickening crunch. The guy fell to the ground hard, clutching at his face in pain. The other guy stared in horror; his bravado immediately shattered. She gasped, surprised by the sudden violence. She grabbed Heeseungâs arm, trying to pull him away from the man. âHeeseung, stop!â she pleaded. âThatâs enough!!â
He seemed snapped out of his anger-fueled haze, his eyes flickering over to y/n. The sight of her, worried and frightened, made him pause. He turned back to the guy on the ground, who was still holding his jaw and groaning in pain. He leaned down, glowering over him. âIf you ever touch her again next time, I won't be this nice.â His voice was cold and venomous.
The guy nodded frantically, fear clear in his eyes. Heeseung straightened up, his anger somewhat deflated. Y/n is still gripping onto his arm, her eyes still widening. âLetâs go,â she whispered, tugging on his jacket. Heeseung complies, allowing himself to be led away from the scene. As they walked, he clenched and unclenched his fists, the adrenaline slowly ebbing away. He could feel y/nâs eyes on him, and the weight of her worry.
She didn't say anything at first. Guiding him down a quieter street, away from the commotion and the judgmental glances from the passersby. When they're a safe distance away, âWhat the hell was that?â her voice is a mix of worry and scolding. He let out a sigh, running a hand through his hair. âI justâŚ..saw them harassing you, and I lost it. I couldn't just sit there and do nothing.â
Y/n stopped walking, forcing him to look at her. âYou could have gotten yourself seriously hurt,â she said, her tone serous. âYou can't just fly off the fucking handle like that every time someone tries to mess with me.â He huffed, irritation coloring his expression. âAm I just supposed to let them disrespect you just like that?â he retorts. âSit back and pretend It's not happening?â
âNo, of course not!â y/n protested, shaking her head. âI don't want you to just let them walk all over me. I can handle myself. But there are ways to stand up for me without resorting to violence at the drop of a hat.â
He huffed again, running a hand through his hair once again. He knew she was right, but part of him still wanted to defend his actions. âWhat else was I supposed to do? They wouldn't have left you alone unless I interfered.â
âYou could have ignored them," y/n suggested. âOr told time off firmly but without getting physical. I'm not a damsel in distress, you know.â Heeseung frowned, her words stinging a bit. âI know you're not a damsel in distress,â he snapped. âBut you know I can't just sit back and watch someone treat you like a piece of shit. It pisses me off.â
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Another Complicated Love Story
A Jey Uso x Rhea Ripley FanFic
Chapter 6 | Masterlist
CW arguing, yelling, suggestive, mentions sex
Chapter 7: Like Iâm Gonna Lose You
So Iâm gonna love you like Iâm gonna lose you
Iâm gonna hold you like Iâm saying goodbye
Wherever weâre standing
I wonât take you for granted
âCause weâll never know when, when weâll run out of time
- Like Iâm Gonna Lose You by Meghan Trainor
Jey was vibing with Naomiâs music so he left his earbuds out. The first 30 minutes of their trip had been smooth. He hoped it would continue to be smooth. He could hear Rhea and Jessica whispering and giggling. He couldnât make out what they were saying though. Jey was feeling both happy and sad to be around her again. Her presence was calming and he felt the desire to hold her hand or put his arm around her growing. But underneath the surface was fear. He didnât want to get hurt again, but maybe that was unavoidable. At least for now.
He had the visor down to block the sun, but he flicked open the mirror part. He could see Rhea and he smiled. She was beautiful. And he missed her. They were close together, but somehow still far apart. Rhea looked up and met Jeyâs eyes in the mirror. She smiled. He smiled back. He broke eye contact first, fighting emotions and memories that were coming up. And fear came up again. Why was he so afraid? He wanted to pull that thread, but he had to focus. He had a show to do. They were gonna give the crowd some Jhea moments since their relationship was a part of the storyline. And it had to look like things were great between them.
âYou doing okay, bro?â Naomi asked.
âYeah Iâm good. How are you holding up?â Jey asked.
âI feel good. Should be able to do the whole drive,â Naomi said.
âGood,â Jey replied.
They arrived at the arena in Jacksonville at 12:35 pm. Traffic had picked up, but they still made good time. They all ate lunch together in catering. Dom, Liv, and Raquel grabbed their food while they were there. Dom waved at Jessica and Rhea had to hold Jessica back from making good on her promise.
Before they knew it, it was rehearsal time. All the superstars walked through the show. Jey would come out after Rheaâs match with Raquel. Jey would look over to make sure she was okay and kiss her on the forehead. Rhea was timid towards Jey and it was obvious.
âYou gotta be confident tonight,â Jey said. âIâm yours, remember?â
âForreal or for the show?,â Rhea asked. She tugged on his shirt.
âForreal,â Jey said, stepping closer to her. He didnât care what any other superstars or crew were thinking. He gently caressed her face. Rhea started to talk, but Jey cut her off.
âNo, Iâm not just saying that.â
Rhea still had uncertainty on her face. He rested her forehead on hers. Rhea exhaled and closed her eyes. He felt her relax.
âLetâs lock in,â Jey said quietly. âYou got this.â
Rhea nodded. They separated. Jey could see she was focused now. He smiled.
âLetâs have a great show.â
âYeet,â Rhea replied, grinning.
âYeet!â
***
Jey loaded up the bags while Jessica talked about how great the show was. Jessica took pictures with a few superstars backstage: Bianca and Naomi, Damien Priest, Bron Breakker. They all did well: Rhea against Raquel, Jey against Bron, Bianca and Naomi vs Candice and Nia.
âWhoâs driving? Iâm gonna knock out in the back,â Naomi said, holding up the keys.
âI can drive,â Jey said, holding out his hand.
Jessica yawned. âIâll be in the back too. Nothing worse than a sleeping navigator.â
âOh how convenient,â Rhea said.
âTime Zones and all that, mate,â Jessica said, shrugging.
âYou donât want to sit next to me?â Jey asked as he closed the trunk.
âI didnât say that,â Rhea said, walking over to the passenger door and sliding in.
Jey smiled and took his place in the driverâs seat.
Sure enough, about 20 minutes down the road, Naomi and Jessica were out. Rhea didnât have her headphones in.
âCan I ask you a question?â Jey asked, lowering the music a little.
âYeah,â Rhea said, glancing at him.
âWhy didnât you reach out to me after the whole Liv thing?â Jey asked.
Rhea sighed. âI tried to text you. Everything I wrote sounded stupid. Especially after I realized it was a misunderstanding.â
Jey nodded, but didnât say anything. He wanted to reach out and touch her, but resisted. Touching would lead to other things. And he didnât want to just sex this issue away. He wanted to know they would be good. And he wanted to pull at the thread he was thinking about earlier to see if anything else was bothering him.
âSo you werenât mad at me the whole time?â Jey asked.
âNo, babe,â Rhea said.
âDid you miss me?â Jey asked.
âI still miss you,â Rhea said, sadness in her voice.
He reached out and touched her thigh. A calmness washed over him. He could tell it had washed over Rhea too. She put her hand on top of his. They locked eyes for a few seconds, Jey shifting back on the road.
âI miss you too,â Jey said.
He felt a flash of fear and nervousness. What was up with that? He started thinking about where it could possibly come fromâŚ
When it finally clicked, he took his hand away from Rheaâs thigh and gripped the steering wheel. He was trying to play it cool, but he was angry. He loved and trusted her and when they had a problem, not to mention their first problem, she turned her back on him? Remnants of his feud with Roman flashed in his mind. Roman had broken him and something had already shifted with Rhea. He wouldnât let it go any further. He couldnât.
They made it back to Jimmy and Naomiâs just before 1 am. Naomi reminded them that they were welcome to crash at the house. Jey in the sunroom, Rhea and Jessica in the guest room.
âIf yâall still needed space,â Naomi said.
Rhea looked at Jey expectantly. He had said they were good so of course Rhea wanted to be with him. And he almost wanted her to distract him from this mistrust growing toward her. He could get lost in her touch and smile and kisses. But that would only last for one night.
âIâll take the sunroom. You and Jess can stay together.â
Rhea looked confused and a little hurt, but she just nodded. Jey went on to settle on the couch bed in the sunroom. Just as he got comfortable, his phone buzzed. It was Rhea. He sighed.
Rhea: I thought we were good? What happened?
Jey: We are good. I just need some space.
Rhea: Why?
Jey: Because I donât want us to just fuck and forget this shit. We gotta deal with it.
Rhea: But we donât have to fuck. We can cuddle.
Jey: We both know we wonât just cuddle.
Rhea: Does it matter what we do or donât do, as long as we still work it out?
Jey: It does to me. Go to sleep, Rhea.
Rhea: Come put me to sleep. Or I can come down there.
Jey: Youâre bold.
Rhea: And youâre still texting me.
Jey sighed and gave a half smile. Her confidence was back, but his confidence was floundering. Could he push past this fear? Did he want to?
Jey heard the sunroom door open and he sat up. Rhea quietly closed the door behind her. From the low ambient light, he could see she had a mischievous smile on her face. His anger flared. He stood up and held his hand up before she got closer.
âWhat the hell are you doing here?â Jey asked quietly.
âI thought we were flirting,â Rhea said quietly, stepping closer. âAre we not?â
âNo weâre not. Stop!â Jey said, harshly.
âWhatâs wrong? I thought we were good,â Rhea said, crossing her arms.
âRhea, the last time I saw you you told me to leave you the fuck alone and to go find Liv. You think I just got over that shit?â Jey said loudly.
âI know I messed up,â Rhea replied loudly. âBut I apologized. Iâm working on my shit. We basically said we loved each other this morning. Tonight, in the ring, you told me you're mine? That was a lie?â
âNo, that wasnât a lie. Thatâs the problem.â
âWhat? What are you saying?â Rhea yelled, frustrated.
âIâm yours. And you abandoned me!â Jey yelled. âI tried to have your back and you told me to fuck off because of something you made up.â
Rheaâs eyes watered, her mouth opened, but she didnât speak. She exhaled a shaky breath.
âYes, I overreacted,â she said slowly. âBut you know why.â
âYeah and your why is telling me I canât fucking trust you,â Jey said loudly.
More tears fell from Rheaâs eyes. She dropped her arms. âSo this is it? This is how we end?â Her voice dropped back to a whisper.
Jey shrugged. âI donât know.â
âYou werenât a rebound, Jey. This was serious for me.â
âThis was serious for me too. Why do you think Iâm so fucking scared?â Jey asked.
Rhea wiped her tears away. Jeyâs eyes started to water. Rhea put a hand on her stomach and a hand on her chest. She took some deep breaths and blew out slowly.
âWatching you pass outâŚbroke something in me,â Jey said, quiet now too. âI hated not being there for you, but you turned your back on me. After everything we talked about with The Judgment Day and The Bloodline. And you didnât ask me what happened. It was like your word was law. So I fell in line.â
Rhea nodded. âSounds like you have trauma that you need to work out too.â
Their eyes met. Jeyâs heart pounded.
There was a knock on the door. Rhea turned around and backed away from the door as it opened. She was close to Jey now. Jimmy walked in.
âI would ask if yâall are okay, but yâall woke up the whole houseâŚâ Jimmy said.
âIâm sorry, uce,â Jey said.
âIâm sorry,â Rhea said.
âIf yâall arenât gonna keep it down, Iâd suggest finishing talking in the morning,â Jimmy said.
âWeâll keep it down,â Jey said.
Rhea nodded, looking at Jey.
Jimmy studied both of them. âDonât make me come back down here.â
Jey smirked. âYes sir.â
Jimmy closed the door.
âI can go,â Rhea said.
Jey took her hand. âDonât. Stay with me.â
Rhea looked at their hands and looked up at him, heat passing between them. âI donât want this to be goodbye.â
âWeâll make it work so it wonât be,â Jey said. âLike you were saying earlier.â
He pulled her close to him, his arms wrapped around her waist. Jey was tired of feeling angry and sad. He wanted to feel something else.
âOh,â Rhea said, smiling. âYouâre done being mad at me?â She reached up, her arms resting on his shoulders, hands behind his neck.
âYeah,â Jey said. âNow I know what I gotta work on.â
Rhea pressed her body up against him. Jey bit his lip.
âSee? We couldâve been on Round 2 by now,â Rhea whispered, her eyes shifting between his eyes and lips.
Jey smirked as he leaned in. âGreedy,â he whispered just before he kissed her.
Rhea smiled briefly before losing herself in the kiss. She held him tightly as she kissed him back. Clothes came off and kisses were planted in places other than lips. Their quiet moans filled only the sunroom. They made sure. And after, they looked into each otherâs eyes, promising to make this work.
#jey uso#rhea ripley#jhea#wwe#wwe fanfiction#rhearipley#jey uso x rhea ripley#cw arguing#cw sex mention#cw suggestive#cw yelling#jey uso fic#jey uso fluff#another complicated love story
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well i finally made it... here's my episode by episode deep dive into every joplittle moment in the entirety of the terror for all of my fellow joplittle freaks out there. i can't draw or write fiction but i CAN be insane about details :) i did my best to edit this so please forgive me if there's typos or things that don't make sense. and a final note before you start reading- i think i make a point to say this in some instances but it bears repeating at the beginning- i could certainly be wrong about some of these observations as they are largely in the background and usually happen very quickly while something more front facing is happening in the scene. i did my best though!
Episodes 1&2- basically nothing, at the dinner scene in episode 1 we can infer that jopson shuffles behind edward at one point but thereâs no onscreen proximity or eye contact. neither of them are in episode 2 at all.Â
Episode 3: we have one of the joplittle scenes to end all joplittle scenes in this episode. When edward is talking to crozier, blanky, jirv, and hodgson about his fears of netsilik retribution, jopson knocks and walks in the door. When he enters the room, edward immediately stops talking, makes eye contact with him, then starts tugging his jacket down, almost to the point of squirming and fidgeting. Jopson walks into the room making eye contact with edward with the tiniest smile on his face and his eyes are so bright and interesting in this scene. And i think there could be some arguments made that this is just how these two are but i have some additional thoughts- yes edward is an awkward guy but he outranks so many people in that room, jopson most of all, and yet he immediately stops speaking and becomes visibly flustered when jopson walks in. And their eye contact lingers for such a long time before jopson looks to crozier, the person he actually came to address. And just again with how bright jopsonâs eyes are and the tiny tiny smile he has on his face when heâs looking at edward that then turns a little more serious when he turns to address crozier. Itâs such an interesting scene!Â
later on when the terror boys are going across the ice to sir johnâs funeral, jopson is walking behind edward⌠he might be looking at him but itâs very hard to tell so i hesitate to even include that instance. HOWEVER during the camera pan when crozier is reading sir johnâs eulogy, we see jopson looking up at one point, and then his gaze briefly comes down to the person directly in front of him⌠which is edward.Â
Episode 4: When crozier is sitting in the dark drunk and depressed and probably listening to the cranberries and jopson comes in, the script says he shows somebody down the hall five fingers, probably to indicate âgive me five minutesâ. Since he then says that lieutenant little is asking about the meeting, we can presume they came to see crozier together.Â
When jopson is giving crozier the headlines of the meeting, the way he talks about what he knows from edward sounds more like it was from an actual conversation they had vs the other two he mentions- he says âmr reid reportsâ and âlieutenant irving has what sounds like a pressing issueâ- both of these expressions imply that he was doing exactly what crozier says he does- hearing everything. but with edward itâs âlieutenant little is wondering, he says/thinks this this and thisâ. The language used to describe what he knows about what edward will report on is much more direct and familiar. I think ned and jopson were hanging out before they came to see about the meeting with crozier hehe
In the scene where heather gets his shit rocked itâs very hard to keep track of edward and jopson but there is proximity and itâs very possible a few times that they might exchange glances. It certainly seems that when edward goes below decks to arm the men jopson watches him go.Â
Episode 5 ended up being the most fruitful for pretty clear glances and looks that i had never noticed before
when jopson comes in with the tea tray he and edward look at each other the whole time Jopson is walking to the table to set it down
after Jopson says âconsider it done sirâ edward watches him as he walks out of the room until crozier stops him, then he looks at crozier
Ned could definitely still be looking as Jopson answers crozier, the line of sight is correct and in the script it specifically says that little has to look away from Jopson (not crozier) as they discuss the whiskey because it makes him so sick that this is being discussed right after talking about hornbyâs death
A lot of proximity during the Silna and crozier conversation but I donât think they look at each other.. Jopson might be looking at Edward when he walks in with silna and he might glance at him when he walks past him after setting the tea tray back down but Iâm not sure.Â
In the script it says that jopson and little exchange a look when crozier says heâll go to get the alcohol for blankyâs surgery but it looks like itâs him and hodgson looking at each other.. however edward looks at someone offscreen too that would make sense to where jopson is standing at the time. Thereâs a lot of proximity in that scene where they carry blanky down and set him on the table
Damn that extremely prolonged eye contact when taking the whiskey shots is so interesting too? Especially since it seems like jopson struggles to take the shot.. It seems like he might not drink a lot and that could be for 2 reasons- another callback to historical jopson and him being lashed 30 something times for drunkenness or it could be because of his motherâs addiction which at this point in the story we donât even know about it. Either one would make sense but if anyone has any ideas please share them
they are right next to each other while blanky gets his leg cut off
In the script it says that jopson brings edward into the room for the meeting with crozier after blankyâs surgery, I believe they are the last two to join but even if not.. interesting for sure.
when crozier stands up to give the whiskey to jopson to pour out, Jopson is looking down but for just a moment before he turns to crozier again he looks at edward
Aaaaaand edward then watches crozier take the last drink of whiskey but then he looks right at Jopson!!!!
When crozier goes to his berth it pans over to Jopson and he eventually looks at ned AGAIN
Ugh I loved this episode because there was truly so much to notice and like itâs there! I need to know why!!
Episode 6: okay we have one of THE joplittle scenes and god fucking bless Liam for his commentary here because thereâs just so much to it⌠like the fact that heâs trying to convey to Edward that things are bad but they will be okay with a single look suggests such a familiarity and closeness and understanding between them because like how would you communicate that with a look to someone that you werenât on fairly intimate terms with?? (need to make post about other pairs that talk through eye contact in the show, like hickey and tozer). at the very least we have to assume they confide in each other and understand each other to a certain degree and like now weâre slightly straying into delulu land but I love how protective Edward looks when hickey walks over and kinda gets close to jopson lol edward is already watching jopson walk away and he gives hickey this little glare when he realizes hickey is too. also just the simple fact that they were eating together??
When Reid bumps into crozier at carnivale and little tells him to step back heâs looking at jopson and when it cuts to jopson heâs looking back at him
They exchange a glance in the background of crozier reacting to hoar and crispe in the big pot lol
Jopson watches Edward for most of the little clip where crozier is walking away after telling the men to get of the pot
After crozier says theyâll be abandoning the ships and walking Edward looks over at jopson for a long time
When crozier is saying âthey are a good people who we can greet as friendsâ jopson looks over at Edward and looks him up and down twice⌠thatâs 4k babyyyy, that one was crazy
When Stanley sets himself on fire and it cuts to the crowd Edward definitely looks around until he sees jopson in front of him
Itâs extremely hard to tell but at one point it looks like ned crozier and jopson are all moving together looking for an exit and ned briefly puts his hand on jopsonâs back or at the very least reaches for his back wtffffff
Mmm not sure about this one but in the background of the cleanup scene you can see Edward helping people and it looks like jopson may be with him
Episode 7: ugh the promotion sceeeeene idk what i can say that hasnât already been said but i will always always always point out that this is the happiest we EVER see Edward in the show, his smile is so huge and throughout the scene he keeps giggling to himself and when heâs still sitting down you can see him kinda do an eyebrow raise thing like âoh my god well I wasnât expecting that but this is amazingâ HE LOVES THAT MAN UUUGH AND THE WAAAAY he looks so fondly at him after he shakes his hand and he just keeps smiling and giggling like everyone is so happy in this scene but Edward is the happiestâŚ
Episode 8: when crozier is yelling at edward for arming the mutiny jopson is turned around watching ned.. Ugh :(Â
another shot of jopson turning to look at ned before he looks at crozier in this sceneÂ
eye contact when Edward walks into the tent where Irvingâs body is
definitely some potential eye contact when theyâre asking hodgson to confirm that hickey lied
jopson watches Edward when heâs explaining why they shouldnât trust the marines
edward is looking at jopson right before crozier says to find the carpenters
Episode 9: what i believe is the last joplittle sceneâŚ. god itâs so rough. I feel like jopson is so hurt because he knows his time is coming and i feel like Edward thinks everyone in that tent including jopson will be able to continue to haul south⌠ugh and then jopson just stares Edward down the whole time when dundy starts talking :(
Episode 10: when edward is walking to the tent to address the men his gaze lingers on the sick tent where jopson is nowâŚ
i also find it very interesting that he was all about going south and leaving the sick behind in episode 9 but completely changes his tune now- i know that this has to do with saving crozier but he makes such a strong argument for not leaving the ill behind (although he of course obviously somehow does) that it makes me wonder if jopson had anything to do with that.. like a big difference between when they first made the proposal and now is that jopson could still haul when they suggested it before but he canât now
And his reasonings point to jopson a lot too- â9 so ill they canât walk, only 2 able bodied lieutenantsâ like he was thinking of him!!
and one last fucking thing before I fucking die- edwardâs last word âclose?â mirrors some of jopsonâs first- âweâre close sirâ.. They are the last two to be found by crozier, two of the men who saw almost everything and died last⌠ugh.Â
Final thoughts: i will constantly make the argument that when it comes to the terror, absolutely nothing is on accident. Nothing. Some of the scenes i described can certainly be debated but the simple fact is, edward and jopson spend a lot of their scenes together exchanging looks and watching each other. It is safe to assume based on their roles that they must share at least a small amount of familiarity but i think that these shared glances suggest a deeper connection. They seem to be able to communicate seamlessly without ever really speaking to one another and when they arenât communicating through their eyes, they are still watching each other in shared scenarios. I would love to know more about whether this was just how liam and matthew chose to act their dynamic or if thereâs more to say about them. Either way iâm going to keep being delusional about them because i love them together and i think thereâs ample evidence to prove that they are more familiar than we might realize
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A One Direction fic rec of fics that deal with mental illness in some way as requested in this ask. If you enjoy the fics, please leave kudos and comments. You can find my other recs here.
- Louis / Harry -
⧠rather be sad with you (than anywhere away from you) by ohsailor
(E, 145k, uni) Louis, Niall, and Liam have already been living together for four years when they get a new roommate. Harryâs in pre-med and Louis is struggling to graduate and fulfill his familyâs hope of him becoming an esteemed lawyer while battling his mental health.
⧠My Lights Stay Up, But Your City Sleeps by PearlyDewdrops
(E, 108k, fwb) Louis has trouble sleeping, Harry has a habit of wrapping himself around Louis during the nights, and a mutual agreement to engage in a fun and simple thing quickly turns into something perhaps not so fun, and certainly not simple.
⧠another dream but always you by you_explode / @nobodymoves
(M, 66k, superpower) Harry is a Dreamwalker; he has the ability to visit people in their dreams and help put them on the right path. He's assigned to Louis, who's struggling after the break-up of his band.Â
⧠From This Moment On by therogueskimo / @bravetemptation
(NR, 52k, famous/not famous) Louis Tomlinson needs a tour photographer, and he thinks he's found the one in the mysterious H on Instagram. Harry Styles swore he'd never do tour photography again - that is, until he did.
⧠knives don't have your back by @turnyourankle
(M, 51k, uni) The lone survivor of an on campus massacre that claimed the lives of his four housemates, Harry is urged to take a sabbatical or transfer. Instead, he chooses to stay in school, move into the dorms, and overcome his fears.
⧠we should open up (before it's all too much) by @disgruntledkittenface
(M, 43k, vampire Louis) Struggling with grieving and depression since his dad died, Harry has never felt so alone. Itâs too much to cope with on his own, but he feels like a burden when he tries to open up with people. Then he meets Louis.
⧠there now, steady love (so few come and don't go) by we_are_the_same / @so-why-let-your-voice-be-tamed
(M, 42k, supernatural) It becomes just another fact of life. The sky is blue. The grass is green. Louis sees when people are about to die.
⧠Here (In Your Arms) by @afangirlfantasy
(G, 42k, enemies to lovers) College AU where Louis is the upperclassman frat boy with problems too deep for alcohol to drown out, and Harry is the stereotypical freshman with plans to figure out who he is.
⧠You and Me by delsicle / @eeveedel
(E, 36k, Dunkirk) Alex goes to war. He comes back and everything is the same -- his hometown, his flat, the boy with the bad heart he left behind. Everything is same. Except for him.
⧠Lead Butterfly by LadyLondonderry / @londonfoginacup
(M, 32k, pirates) When the ship Harry lives on is boarded and overtaken by the crew of The Lady Charlotte, he thinks itâs going to be the end of the line. What heâs not expecting is to be brought onto the ship and provided safe passage. At least, as long as no one finds theyâve mistaken a common pirate for a noble.
⧠To Give You a Hand to Hold by gettingaphdinlarry
(NR, 26k, military) Marine Louis Tomlinson is medically discharged when an IED explodes in Afghanistan. Months later, he's reunited Stateside with his Navy medic Harry Styles. The two of them shelter each other even as they refuse to admit they're in the throes of PTSD, until one night nearly destroys them.
⧠With These Arms Folded by @taggiecb
(NR, 21k, famous/not famous) Harry Styles is living a peaceful existence in California as a very successful songwriter. That is until he receives a curious email one sunny summer morning, and his life almost immediately gets turned upside down
⧠You're A Universe by Jiksa / @jiksax
(E, 15k, kid fic) Louisâs a stay-at-home dad in London and Harryâs a business expat in Qatar. Louis doesnât know how much longer their marriage can survive the distance.
⧠the colors that i can't change by bravestyles
(NR, 15k, hurt/comfort) Harry has Dissociative Identity Disorder, and Louis tries his best to understand.
⧠You're a Habit Hard to Break by LiveLaughLoveLarry / @loveislarryislove
(T, 11k, exes) Everyone deals with breakups differently. Louis feels everything all at once -- hurt, anger, sadness. Harry feels nothing at all. They're two broken people, but they don't know how to fix themselves alone.
⧠your best fake smile by YesIsAWorld / @louandhazaf
(G, 6k, first date) Harry reluctantly agrees to a first date with Louis at Coney Island.
⧠You've Got A New Life (Am I Bothering you?) by LilyBlue28
(NR, 5k, omegaverse) Â the one where Louis is an omega who suffers from PTSD and is triggered one day. He doesn't know how to ask for help from his doting alpha, doesn't think he deserves it, and tries to handle it on his own.
⧠I'm Falling Again by @jaerie
(M, 3k, canon) Just like the last three times, his call went straight to voicemail, driving home the fact of just how badly heâd fucked up.
- Rare Pairs -
⧠You Don't Care About Me (One More Night) by @lululawrence
(NR, 60k, Louis/Nick Grimshaw) the one where Louis pines for Harry and Nick helps ease his way into figuring himself out through a friends with benefits sort of arrangement. Things quickly turn complicated.
⧠Lost Coastlines by pukeandcry
(T, 21k, Harry/Nick Grimshaw) It's been a year since Harry and Niall died in a plane crash â only it turns out they didn't, because they've just been rescued from the island they've been stranded on, and Harry is suddenly back in Nick's life, not quite good as new.
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Random ramble incoming. It's definitely an interesting experience as an aroace person to write a character to whom sex and intimacy is a really big deal.
That's an aspect of Grimm (and Vyrm but to a lesser extent) I don't talk about a lot here, but it's such an interesting part of his character in the AU. To him, that subject is an art form by itself, one that he finds not only extremely enjoyable but also fascinating. Something so primitive and, admittedly, fairly nasty in nature, in his mind is the ultimate manifestation of a deep bond between individuals, one that he feels the other gods often don't understand. Unlike those higher beings, he didn't sleep with mortals to assert some kind of dominance, to flaunt his power over them; he believed that putting himself in an equally vulnerable spot as them was the key. What other gods often found demeaning and beneath them, to him became one of his favorite ways to experience that intimacy.
And I love the inner conflict he experienced for most of his life, where he really craved that deep connection but was too afraid to get attached to anyone. So in all of his experiences, he couldn't shake off the feeling that something was always missing. Sex also became a very unhealthy coping mechanism for him during the period Vyrm was missing, where Grimm was on a verge of a breakdown himself. Instead of getting much enjoyment out of it like before, he used it to briefly forget about his pain, almost as if it was some kind of drug. I like to imagine he still occasionally struggles with it, that at low points he may subconsciously seek Vyrm's closeness, before realizing he needs to find a healthier way to cope, one that doesn't paint the love of his life as a drug he reaches for when he feels terrible. Vyrm can help him, but it shouldn't be through sex.
I also find it kind of sweet that with Vyrm he was not only finally able to achieve that complete experience he wanted, but also help Vyrm overcome his own struggles. His body image issues, his strange assumption that lust is bad and pleasure is something he's not worthy of (to the point it sometimes manifested as something almost resembling religious guilt), and just his general lack of experience. It's such a nice contrast where Vyrm allowed Grimm to see and learn how to love someone in non-sexual way, and in return, Grimm helped him overcome his own fears and trauma in those intimate aspects. They can be a bit much when it comes to being overly affectionate, but I think with that context in mind you can't really blame them.
It's a bit random, I realize that. But from an aroace position it's been really interesting to step out of that comfort zone and approach this aspect of the characters from an angle I think is very compelling once you put it together. Ignoring it would be something I'd likely do a few years ago, the topic is one that can very easily change from interesting to uncomfortable for me, especially with how oversexualized everything is sometimes. But I suppose exploring the sexuality of Grimm and Vyrm was a way for me to remind myself that those aspects can make a character very compelling, even if I personally have no interest in those things myself. And hey, maybe someone in a similar position to me will also appreciate it.
#gekko.txt#feral pk au#fpk#vyrm#grimm#should i tag as suggestive?#i will just in case#suggestive#au character posts#save
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~ the care and keeping of plants ~
premise; The N109 Zone has no plants. Except for the ones you brought for Sylus.
warnings; might be OOC, but other than that none this is tooth-rotting fluff.
a/n; been watching a lot of sylus' memories online lately and the part in captivating moment where he talks about the plants in the N109 Zone got to me. have this. promise i will make more not-sylus things eventually, he has me in a fucking chokehold rn and I WANT OUT.
Itâs a well-known fact that there are no plants in the N109 Zone. The lack of sunlight makes it impossible for any growth whatsoever. Rain is rare and dirt settles in a thin film over all the fake plants. Most people in the N109 Zone donât care, the fake plants are enough for them, but not for Sylus.
He has grown used to it, or he pretends he has. The flowers in his sconces wilt in the hallway and a lone dead cactus sits on his desk. Every time he visits you in Linkon, you make sure the two of you walk through the park together. Whether youâre looking at the spring blossoms or resting under a shady maple tree during the summer, pressing fallen leaves into books in the fall or making snow angels in the winter, Sylus always looks happier after he sees you.
It starts small, like most things do. You decide it would be nice if you kept more plants around your apartment for when he comes over. So you buy a couple hanging plants for your porch, then some ivy that creeps up your wall. He spends a few minutes admiring them every time. Once, you âforgetâ to water them and then youâre watching Sylus, leader of Onychinus and most feared resident of the N109 Zone, tenderly watering the plants in your apartment.
Naturally, you go further. You spend time researching grow lights and plants. Next time youâre at his base, you replace the cactus with a potted pothos plant. You leave a little grow light on a timer next to it. When the pothos doesnât die, you take it a step further.
While Sylus is sleeping, you enlist the Trouble Twins to help you replace all the dying, wilted flowers in the hallway sconces with cherry caramel phlox. You plant the flowers, the twins position grow lights above the sconces.
Sylus knows, of course, that itâs you doing this for him. He pretends to be none the wiser because it makes you happy. He has scheduled an hour for the care and keeping of his plants. His base has become the most vegetated area in the N109 Zone.
Your magnum opus comes in the form of a commandeered corner of his base for an artificial sunroom. The twins help you set it up. The room is crowded with plants, a small pathway through the jungle snaking into the back corner. Itâs brightly lit from all the grow lights hanging from the ceiling. Gentle trickling from the waterfall in the fish tank blankets the space. Itâs comfortably warm. A desk sits pushed against the wall under a small potted mango tree, the potted pothos that started it all resting on top. You wanted a sanctuary for him. And you. But mostly him.
(Coincidentally, he gave you a credit card when you first started planning the project. He directed you to use it for âany big purchases.â You think he knows, but youâve decided not to think about it too hard.)
When you finally show it to him, heâs extremely pleased. He doesnât say this, but you can tell from the way he moves around the space. The stressed lines of his shoulders seem to soften into smooth curves. His typical threatening aura melts into something more gentle. He takes your hand and pulls you under the mango tree, laying in the dappled artificial sunlight with you on his chest.
âThank you, sweetheart. Itâs perfect.â
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