#I’m bored and it’s late and I’ll get embarrassment in the morning

[tofumaple]

Did some OC relationship chart, feel free to ask questions!!! (Also sorry for my fuckass handwriting, it’s like trying to decipher ancient text or some crap)

[queensunshinee]

His favorite toy || Art Donaldson x reader

Rating: Explicit (18+) Warnings: SMUT (p in v sex, fingering), drinking, super toxic relationship, reader is kinda pathetic :(

Word Count: 3.4k

His favorit toy

Sometimes I think he was born to be in love with her, just like I was born to be in love with him. Unconditionally, without consequences. Just like that, love. And it’s not fair that someone can take so much from you and give back so little. It’s not fair that someone can control your entire range of emotions and yet not be affected by them. It’s not fair that Art Donaldson was born to revolve around Tashi Duncan while I was born for the leftovers he allows himself to leave for me.

“You can stay,” I mumbled as he started getting dressed. “I wish I could, I’ve got morning practice tomorrow,” he said without looking at me. ‘That didn’t stop you from coming inside me,’ I wanted to retort but just nodded and turned my back to him. He stopped dressing for a moment, and I knew he was looking at me, wondering if this time would be the time I’d stop letting him emotionally abuse me. Wondering if this would be the time I’d tell him that if he didn’t stay, he could go find someone else to fuck.

“Baby, I’d love to stay,” he sat at the edge of the bed and gave my shoulder a little shake. “It’s not a big deal, Art. You’re a big boy, you can do whatever you want,” I mumbled toward him. And it sounded petty and bitter. But I felt petty and bitter. I could feel the bitterness on the tip of my tongue. I could feel the sag of the crappy dorm bed swallowing me up. “I want to stay, of course I do,” his voice was fake. Like he was talking to a baby who didn’t understand circumstances or an adult’s schedule. “You know I want to,” he continued, this time planting a small kiss on the shoulder he had shaken earlier.

“When someone wants something, they do it. You wanted to fuck me, you fucked me. You wanted to come inside me, you came. You want to leave, you’re leaving. Just don’t excuse it with morning practice, you’re making me feel like an idiot,” I mumbled. He was silent, not expecting that little monologue. Not expecting that I’d finally tell him he’s acting like an asshole. “I don’t think I’m making you feel that way, you’re making yourself feel that way,” he sighed and stood up, going back to getting dressed while I lay on my back. “Are you serious?” I shot back.

“We don’t have to do this, I’m not forcing you to sleep with me, and if it’s making you feel this bad, we really don’t need to.” He said in a calm, almost calculated tone. Clear of emotions. I rolled my eyes in response and turned away again, not wanting to look at him anymore. “I’m gonna go, I’ll see you tomorrow in class?” he asked, and I felt his lips brush against my hair before he left. And if it weren’t for his smell buried in the pillow and his cum still dripping from me with every movement, I would’ve been sure I imagined him. And in my imagination, he was beautiful and sweet and mine. More than anything, mine.

In statistics class, for a change, I sat next to Janet and Shane, and I could feel Art’s blue eyes boring into my back. Usually, I wait for him with coffee at the back of the auditorium. That’s how we met—he was late to class one day, and the only open seat was next to me. He was funny and charming, almost shy when he asked for notes before the first exam. Almost embarrassed the first time I placed a cup of coffee on his desk when he arrived. Almost apologetic the first time he kissed me.

And for a change, I didn’t waste extra money I don’t even have to buy him a cup of coffee. For a change, I sat with friends I hadn’t spoken to in a while. And for a change, I let him wonder if it was over or if I was bluffing. His eyes were glued to me the whole lecture—neither of us was listening to what the professor was saying, and I know it’s going to come back to bite me.

“Are you going to be mad at me for much longer?” I heard a voice from behind me as I walked down the hall, engrossed in my phone. “I’m not mad at you, Art,” I mumbled without stopping. His strides were longer than mine, and he didn’t have to try too hard to catch up. “So why’d you switch seats?” I could guess he was rolling his eyes, but I didn’t look at him. “Because I wanted to sit with Janet and Shane,” I replied. “Since when are you friends with Janet and Shane?” he asked. “If you ever bothered to ask who my friends are, you’d know I’m friends with Janet and Shane,” I stopped this time and looked at him. He looked composed, like a lawyer who had prepared his most persuasive argument.

“Don’t you think you’re overreacting? I had practice at five in the morning, Peaches.” He sighed, looking at me with big eyes. “I can’t believe we’re arguing over this. We never argue.” He stepped closer to me, and I backed away until there was nowhere left to go. Around us, students rushed to their classes or dorms while I was trapped between Art Donaldson and a concrete wall. “We’re not arguing, Art. I just needed a break,” I replied, feeling less sure of myself as his breaths nearly blended with mine. “A break from what?” his hands brushed against my cheeks. “You know what,” I wondered if he could hear the desperation screaming in my voice too. “Baby,” he sighed. “You don’t need a break. It’s just a busy period.” He kissed me on the cheek. “You can’t keep being mad at me, come on, Peaches,” he said in a playful tone. “Look how cute I am.” He chuckled and nibbled on my earlobe.

“We’re in the middle of the hallway,” I mumbled, feeling myself smile uncontrollably, giving in to his goofiness. “I don’t care. You can’t stay mad at me anymore.” This time we both chuckled. “Here we go,” he continued, and his lips found mine for a short kiss. “I need you,” he declared, and I nodded into his shirt. He needs me, how could I refuse that?

Turns out, it was easier than I thought to take a break from Art Donaldson. All that mattered to him and his ego was knowing that I wasn’t actively mad at him. That he wasn’t the bad guy in the story. That he was okay.

In the following two weeks, I kept sitting next to him in statistics until he found another seat and texted me a simple, 'Haven’t seen Dylan in a while' as an excuse, and I smiled at him without showing my teeth. From being inside me three times a week and whispering in my ear that I was the most beautiful girl he’d ever known, he stopped looking me in the eyes and acted as if we barely knew each other.

And it was almost okay, because that’s what I told him I wanted. He was the one who insisted he needed me.

A month passed, and life returned to an almost-normal routine—going from classes to work, to hanging out on Janet’s rooftop. “You know what annoys me?” I asked, taking a drag from the cigarette rolled with weed she’d prepared. “What annoys you?” she asked, chuckling. “That he looks so damn good.” I said, and her chuckle turned into full laughter. “Oh, yeah, the star of Stanford’s tennis team looks good; that’s usually how it goes with athletes,” she said, half-sarcastically. “I’m telling you, if he didn’t look so good, he wouldn’t have been able to pull off half the shit he put me through,” I added and coughed after another drag. “Oh god, you need a new hookup. I can’t hear any more about Art Donaldson.” Janet couldn’t stop laughing. “Do you think the sky is green?” she suddenly asked, staring at the clouds. “No, I think you’ve smoked too much green,” I gave her a little shove that knocked her sideways as we both laughed.

That’s how we found ourselves at a party later that night. We didn’t exactly know whose party it was, but a friend of a friend texted Janet, and that was enough to go. She fixed the makeup that had smudged around my eyes just before we walked in. I was wearing her black dress, which was at least one size too small for me, and I had to keep pulling it down every few seconds. “Stop it, you look hot. You’re just overthinking it. Go with the flow.” She pulled me inside, and I nodded as we walked. Just go with the flow. What could happen if I just go with the flow?

One beer turned into two and a shot of gin. By that point, half the night felt like a blur, and the other half felt dizzying, but I was dancing with Janet and Shane, who had joined us, and eventually, I went outside to smoke a cigarette and get some air.

Someone handed me a cup, and I looked to the side, seeing Art. “It’s water,” he mumbled. “Thanks,” I replied. “Are you having fun?” he asked, his gaze not leaving me. “Yeah, you?” I asked back. “Yeah,” his voice was calm, “You usually don’t like things like this,” he said after a few seconds of silence. “What’s your point?” I asked, feeling my patience wearing thin with the weird small talk. “What are you doing here, I guess?” he asked quietly. “I can go to a fucking party, Art,” I felt my jaw clench with frustration. “I didn’t say you couldn’t—” “So what are you saying?” I cut him off.

“I just said I’m not used to seeing you at parties, that’s all,” he muttered.

“Hey, I’ve been looking for you. Are you coming inside? Who’s this?” Tashi Duncan’s voice was as familiar as her face. She hosted Stanford’s sports program, which they probably forced her to do. Her and Art’s posters were plastered everywhere. “Oh, this is (Y/N), she’s in my statistics class,” Art said quickly, and Tashi nodded. “Nice, is he any good at it?” she asked, half-joking, like someone who's trying to break the ice in a situation she’d stumbled into. “No, he’s shitty. My friends are waiting for me, thanks for the water,” I replied and went back inside without looking back, wondering if this is what it feels like when your heart breaks. If from now on, every time I see Art Donaldson, it’ll shatter a little more.

I sat on the couch, as Shane had told me to, when someone sat next to me. I turned slowly because I couldn’t manage more than that. “Hey,” he had green eyes and blond hair, “I’m Luke,” he offered a hand for a handshake. “We had Intro to Economics together last semester,” he added with a smile. “Oh,” was all I could manage to say back. “We’re also in a few classes together now. You sit one row below me in Micro,” he continued, and I just stared at the guy talking to me.

“Did we talk before?” I asked. “Sorry if that’s rude, I’m just drunk,” I quickly added, hoping he wouldn’t be offended. I was just trying to recall my interactions with people, and I didn’t remember him. He looked good enough that I should’ve remembered him. “Actually, no. You always seem in your own world, and I didn’t want to interrupt,” he said, still smiling. “I see,” I said. “Actually, no. What do you mean, in my own world? I’m right here in your world, you know,” I kept talking faster than I probably should. “Oh, I didn’t mean to offend you. You’re just usually either with friends or scribbling something,” I saw he got nervous.

“Well,” I tried to remember his name, “Luke, you can always talk to me. I’m usually bored in those classes anyway,” I laughed, and he laughed too, clearly feeling relieved. “Can I get your number?” he asked. “Just in case we make plans or something,” he quickly added when he saw the surprised look on my face. I handed him my phone, and I couldn’t tell if the warmth spreading through my cheeks was from the alcohol or the situation. “You have a message from Art Donaldson,” he said, handing my phone back after adding his number. And just like that, the momentary euphoria ended. Art had to remind me at every possible moment that he existed.

If there’s something Art hates, it’s being ignored. Being left on ‘read.’ I guess that’s why he knocked on my door at 3 AM, incredibly drunk. “Your dress is so pretty,” he mumbled, reciting the message he sent me earlier at the party. “Art, it’s really late—” “He’s flirting with you because your dress is pretty,” he recited the next message. I memorized them so well that I could recite them along with him. “Because you’re pretty,” he continued to the next message. “I’m sorry I introduced you like that, I panicked,” the next message. “You’re not just someone who studies statistics with me,” another message. “Art—” I tried to interrupt the show in front of me. “I really am shitty,” he continued. “Are you done?” I asked, even though I knew the answer, that was the last message he sent.

“Did you lose your phone or something, Peaches?” he asked, half-laughing, half-sarcastic. “You’re drunk,” I sighed. “You didn’t answer me. I thought something happened,” he mumbled. “Liar,” I rolled my eyes. “You’re right, I knew nothing happened. I thought you were fucking that new guy you found,” he shot back. “Wow, Art, you think amazing things about me. You really know me well,” I returned sarcastically. “Anything else?” I asked, ignoring the fact that he was getting closer to me with giant steps. “I missed you, Peach,” he mumbled, his breath, which smelled like his usual gum and beer, mixing with mine again.

“So why did you disappear on me?” I asked. And it came out more desperate than I planned. More pathetic than I expected. I could imagine the smirk spreading on his smug face as I closed my eyes. “You asked for a break. I just gave you what you asked for. I couldn’t hold back today though, you were so beautiful, Peach. The most beautiful at that shitty party. So, the break’s over, okay?” he said, and in his drunk mind, it was probably a logical sentence. His lips brushed against mine, and finally, he kissed me like a starving man who stumbled upon his favorite meal. He had never kissed me like this. He was always gentle in his movements, calculated in every shift.

Not this time. His hands brushed over every part of my body they could reach, I don’t know how I found myself without the shirt I was sleeping in, but I stood in front of him only in my underwear, and he took a step back, looking at me in the dark, as if he was an expert in night vision. As if he was trying to capture me in his memory. “You’re drunk,” I said again. “Not even close,” he replied. “Please, Peach. I’ll be good. I need you,” his kisses went down to my neck, and he led me to the bed. Everything was sloppy and messy, but I found myself under him in seconds, with him also already without a shirt.

“You’re so beautiful,” he said. And that was the usual mantra, he says all the right words and touches all the right places. He knows what makes me tick. He knows what gives me chills and which position I like best. I felt tears forming in the corners of my eyes, as if waiting for me to blink. Then his lips covered them, gently, and if someone had seen the scene from the side, they might dare to think it was love. “Fuck, baby, I’ll make you happy. You want that? You want me?” he asked, pulling away from me for a second and looking at me with half-plea, in almost mania.

“Yes, Art,” I said quietly. “Yes, what?” he asked with his typical determination. “Yes, I want you,” I returned, running a gentle hand over his face, and he repositioned himself over me. “That’s my girl,” he groaned. “I missed you so much. How needy you are. Don’t worry, baby, I’ll help you. I’ll give you what you need,” his hand pinched my left nipple, and I felt like he was punishing me for the last month. “Mmm Art,” it came out as half-whimper, half-cry. “Shhhh, you can take it, right? You missed this?” he asked, and I nodded. “Of course you can, a slut like you, a month without her favorite cock, my poor thing. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you,” he said, and I felt his hand, the one not torturing my chest, settle between my legs. “Art,” another half-moan, half-whimper.

“Fuck, Peach, you’re so wet,” he chuckled nastily and pushed my panties aside, not waiting too long before he slipped two fingers where I needed him. “Oh my god,” I mumbled, closing my eyes. “No no, look at me. Eyes on me.” He bit my neck and pinched my chest harder. I felt my whole body tighten, and I tried to keep quiet so as not to wake the entire dorm hall. “You’re so easy, Peach,” he said while I clenched around his hand. “Uh-huh, fuck, Art,” I tried to catch his mouth with mine in a half-movement, and he moved his face away with a chuckle, as if trying to prove how pathetic I was now. “Please,” I mumbled. “Please what?” he asked, again close to my face. “Please, kiss me,” I gave in, unable to act like a woman who respects herself. Within seconds, his lips were on mine, and his cock was inside me, filling me. “There you go,” he mumbled into my lips, stroking my hair with one hand and holding my hand with the other. The sad truth is, we’ve never fucked like this. It’s always in the most complicated positions you can think of, never missionary, never in a way that would confuse me into thinking that maybe Art Donaldson loves me.

“You’re so good, baby,” he said, thrusting as deep as he could. Slowly. As if he had all the time in the world. “I missed you. It was like losing a limb, losing your pussy,” another deep thrust. “But you’re mine again, right?” he asked, and all I could do was nod while his hand left mine and started making circles on my clit. His rhythm became chaotic, and he looked at me with a look that told me he was close. “I know, baby,” I mumbled, holding onto his neck, and he nodded. “I think I love you,” he mumbled into my lips with closed eyes. “I love you too,” I whispered. His cum filled me, just like every time since the first time he came inside me.

He kissed me again and stayed inside me for a few more seconds, his weight almost crushing me before he pulled out of me and moved to the side, placing my head on his chest, trying to find a comfortable position on the awful dorm bed. We both panted heavily as his hand made small movements through my hair. “I’ll get you something to clean up…” he mumbled, and I nodded, a bit stunned. Because that wasn’t a typical Art move. He never thought about it deeply enough. He threw a shirt he picked up from the floor at me and studied me for a moment as he started getting dressed.

“You’re not staying?” I asked and sighed. “I can’t, I have practice in the morning,” he replied. And just when I thought something had changed, Art and I stayed exactly the same.

Hey there guys, it's been a while since I wrote anything and as much as I love TTOOL, and I love the story deeply, I wanted to explore a new concept. It's the first time I have written in a xreader style, so I hope it turned out OK. Can't wait to hear your thoughts, it's my favorite part 💜

Using the taglist from the main story, hopefully you'll like that too: @lydiaxkirby @suzysface tqd4455 @soberbabes @nina357 @lamoursansfin @marley1773 @ruyaas-world @apolloscastellan @primlovesdilfs @fangirl-kimora @serenadingtigers @imbabycowboy @do-it-for-kicks @izzywags478 @4deline08 @igotmajordaddyissues @jackierose902109 @ganana @yoitsme-04 @swetearss

[nadvs]

hard to ignore (two-shot) (part two)

pairing singledad! zach maclaren x nanny! female reader

summary when you’re offered a job as a nanny, you can tell right away that you’ll grow fond of the little girl you’re taking care of. things are easy to manage until you realize you’re falling for her dad.

content warning parental abandonment

» part one

» masterlist

Zach gets you and his daughter box seats for his next home game.

It happens to be on your first day back at work after his family leaves and he jokes that sooner is better than later, not only because his team might get knocked out of the playoffs, but also because Ella could change her mind about wanting to come.

The private space overlooking the stadium is small, only a handful of other people there, as the late afternoon sun shines over the rich green field.

You learned that Zach is a major league soccer player minutes into meeting him. You knew he had an unusual life and a certain level of notoriety as a professional athlete. But seeing the crowds filling the seats below you makes it real to you.

The music and the announcer’s voice boom through the stadium, fireworks going off as players rush the field. All this craziness doesn’t match the man you know. Zach is kind and humble and beneath his silly sense of humor, he has a gentleness to him that you’d never expect from someone whose last name is sprawled over fans’ jerseys, who’s getting cheered for so loudly that it’s deafening.

Ella excitedly claps when her father appears on the stadium screen, his face hard as he jogs under the bright lights. You gaze ahead in awe, unable to believe that this is the world he lives in when he’s not at the house, running around with his daughter, thanking you for everything you do.

After the game ends in a draw, you take Ella home in time for dinner. As you drive, wipers cleaning away the drizzle that just started to fall, she excitedly rambles about the experience from the backseat. You smile to yourself, glad that she enjoyed herself and proud that you’re the reason she went.

As usual, Ella slips out of her chair with a mouthful of food when she hears the front door open halfway into dinner. You watch her dart out of the dining room, listening to the huff Zach lets out every time his daughter roughly launches herself into his arms.

“That was so cool!” you overhear.

“Really?” he says. “You didn’t get bored?”

“Um, it was kind of too long,” she says, “but I had pictures to color.”

“Appreciate your honesty,” Zach replies with a laugh.

They round the corner to enter the dining room and when Zach’s eyes land on you, your heart does a somersault.

“Hey,” he says to you, nervous.

“Hi,” you reply. “Thanks for the fancy seats.”

“They were alright?”

“Good enough for two princesses,” you tease.

“Princess ballerinas,” Ella corrects you as she sits down again.

“Right,” you say. “Sorry. I keep forgetting that we’re princess ballerinas now.”

Zach mirrors your smile, loving the feeling of sharing a moment like this with you. You stand to clean your plate and it reminds him of what his mother said a couple of nights ago. That you look at him the same way he looks at you.

He hopes that it’s true, because he can’t take his eyes off of you. He’s a little embarrassed that you saw him in a match. He’s always loved soccer, but he never liked how much attention is on him as a major league player.

“Maybe you should wait out the rain,” Zach says to you. “It started coming down hard on my drive home.”

“Good idea,” you say, happy to spend more time with him.

The rest of dinner consists of Ella happily chattering with you and Zach. As she clears her plate, Zach’s phone buzzes on the table top. His lips purse in worry at the notification, and then he shows you the severe thunderstorm warning message on his screen.

“That looks bad,” you say. “How long is it supposed to go on for?”

“It says into the early morning,” Zach answers. “Do you want to crash here?”

“I’m sure I could make it home,” you say. “I’ll just drive slowly.”

Zach’s lips part, and then he closes his mouth, simply nodding.

“What?” you chuckle. His eyes dart away.

“Just worried about you,” he admits. You huff an endeared laugh.

“Fine. I’ll sleep here,” you decide.

He sighs a breath of relief and says, “Thanks.”

Zach takes Ella to bed and you settle on the couch, glad you already have everything you’ll need in your overnight bag in the guest room. You eventually hear his footsteps coming down the stairs over the sounds of the television and the rain hammering down on the roof.

He sits on the other end of the couch next to you, so far that a person could easily sit between you. It’s typical Zach, never getting too close to you. The only time he’s ever touched you is when he shook your hand before your interview half a year ago.

“She fell asleep while I was explaining what offside means,” he says with an adorably puzzled expression. “Trying not to be offended.”

“I can’t believe she’s actually interested in soccer,” you say.

“Ouch.” Zach puts his hand over his heart. “Okay, I’m offended now.”

“I mean because you said she never cared before,” you laugh.

“I asked her so many times if she’d want to come to a game,” he huffs. “But you suggest it once and she’s immediately in. She always listens to you.”

“Not when I’m trying to convince her to leave the park,” you say. He chuckles. “Can you believe she’s starting kindergarten soon?”

Admittedly, Zach’s concerned about it. In less than a month, Ella will be going to school and he never was one to have much anxiety before he became a father, but all he does now is worry. He doesn’t want any teachers or kids to be harsh with his little girl. She’s already been through enough.

“She’ll be okay,” you say.

“What?”

“You have that worried look on your face,” you tell him. “She’ll love school. I’m sure of it.”

“You can read me pretty well,” he says, smiling. You shrug timidly, thinking back to how quickly he’d noticed something was bothering you on the night of Ella’s birthday.

“What?” he asks.

“It goes both ways,” you admit. “You saw right through me after the party.”

Zach’s jaw tightens, the playfulness between you replaced by a fragile air. He takes a breath before speaking. He knows he needs to have this conversation with you.

“Do you feel better about what she said?” he asks.

“Yeah,” you reply. Now that you’ve had some time to process, you’re okay. “How about you?”

“Well,” he begins, nerves tightening in his stomach, “it wasn’t easy to hear. Ella shouldn’t have to wish she had a different mom. Jade should be here for her.”

He’s never said her name. He’s never looked like this before, his eyes avoiding yours, hand trembling a bit as he scratches his jaw. You can tell this is hard for him to talk about. But he’s choosing to do it with you.

“You said ex-wife that night, but she was never my wife,” Zach admits.

“Oh. Sorry. I just assumed.”

“You don’t have to apologize. I know I haven’t told you much. When we talked that night, it reminded me of just how much you don’t know about it. I just… I hope you know that you’re… you’re so much more than Ella’s nanny. You’re our friend. And you’re obviously a mother figure to her. And it feels weird that you don’t know what happened.”

His words sink into you, every syllable having an effect on your heartbeat.

“What happened?”

“Ella was a surprise,” he tells you. “Jade and I were dating in our senior year of college when we found out she was pregnant. And then I got scouted and we graduated and everything was happening so fast, but we were happy and… I stayed happy and she didn’t.”

You nibble on your bottom lip, looking at him as his eyes stay trained off of yours.

“We broke up a few months after Ella was born. But we were both sure we could handle co-parenting. She stayed at home while I worked. I could see she didn’t like it, though. She wasn’t a bad mother or anything. She just wasn’t very… affectionate with Ella.”

Your chest tightens. It’s painful to imagine Ella wanting love and not getting it.

“I don’t know. I thought she’d eventually feel how I feel about being a parent. I tried everything,” Zach says, remembering how he’d encouraged Jade to go to therapy or take time away or work while they hired help. It was like she was stuck in her unhappiness. “But then she left and… that was it.”

He finally looks at you and the tenderness in your eyes gives him a breath of fresh air. It’s what you do. Just by being you, you give him the push to stay hopeful that he and his daughter will be okay.

“We weren’t in a good place when you came. But you made things so much better,” he says. “You do an amazing job taking care of her. I really appreciate it.”

Your eyes light up, the smile on your face gentle.

“Thank you for saying that,” you say. “And thank you for telling me the full story. I’m so sorry that happened to you.”

Zach sighs now that the weight of reliving it is gone.

“I really do love her. I meant it when I said it.” At this point, you’re sure you love him, too, but you wouldn’t dare say it out loud. “And I feel lucky to get to watch her grow up. This doesn’t even feel like a job to me anymore.”

“So, what I’m hearing is, you don’t want the pay?” he says. You find relief in his joke, tossing your head back with a laugh. “Seriously, though, let me know if you need me to keep things the same while you’re part-time during the school year. I don’t mind.”

“Wait, are you offering to pay me for hours I’m not even working?” you chuckle. “Zach, no. I’m good. I have other things lined up. But thank you.”

“What? Everyone knows you should always accept free money.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” you say. “How do you even have the energy to joke around right now? I just watched you run around for ninety minutes.”

Like always, Zach blushes when you bring up his job. He’s intense and focused on the pitch, but he’s different when he’s at ease at home.

“There’s a break in the middle,” he replies.

“I stand corrected,” you say. “So, how’d you get into soccer?”

Your conversation quickly and easily drifts into topics you hadn’t explored before, the storm raging outside as you learn more about him and he learns more about you. He’s still on the other end of the couch, but soon, his arm is resting against the back of it, his hand inches away from you as you sink into the soft cushions, beaming at each other as you talk.

You don’t want to stop, but eventually you can’t stifle your yawn, prompting Zach to check his watch.

“Jeez,” he says. “Ella went down three hours ago.”

“Are you serious?” You sit up. “That flew by.”

Zach knew that the more he learned about you, the more of a goner he’d be. It feels like he just went on the best date of his life and all he did was sit on his couch and talk.

There’s something between you and he hopes that it’s not just his infatuation misguiding him.

────୨ৎ────

You were right. He had nothing to worry about. Ella’s more than happy at school. It’s only a week into the year and she’s already naming all her new friends when Zach picks her up Friday afternoon.

Her first dance recital is tonight and he’s looking forward to seeing you and his family there. Ella had even mentioned that her other grandparents could come. They were elated to get the invitation.

And of course, when he arrives at the studio that evening, you’re already there, reliable and steady like you always are. You greet him and his family warmly and introduce yourself to Jade’s parents.

It feels wrong to hear you refer to yourself as Ella’s nanny. You’ve been in his life for eight months now and you’ve nestled your way into his soul so deeply that he knows you’ll stay with him forever.

He’s been grappling with this since he first realized he had feelings for you; this bothersome sense of wrong. He can’t pursue you. Technically, no matter how much it doesn’t feel like it, he is your boss. He pays you to take care of his child. If things went sideways, it could push you to leave.

Although he’s never felt this much love for a woman in his life, it’d be selfish. He can’t do it to Ella. He didn’t even want to date other women when Jade was still around simply because it could confuse his daughter.

But you’re different.

His thoughts are interrupted when you look at him, pulling him out of his haze.

“I saved us seats,” you tell him.

Zach’s sitting between you and his father when the recital starts. Eventually, Ella drifts across the middle of the floor between the other dancers.

“This is the part she’s nervous about,” you whisper to him, recalling how she’d told you that this part in the choreography makes her trip sometimes.

You watch her hop sideways, focused as the music grows faster. You’re so on edge that you don’t realize your hand slips into Zach’s, squeezing nervously. She lands her last skip and rejoins the group. You let out a sigh of relief. Then, you look down, seeing your fingers wrapped around Zach’s.

“Sorry,” you say, trying to laugh it off as you pull your hand back. “I think I’m taking a five-year-old’s dance recital a little too seriously.”

Zach can only offer a tight smile. His team’s inching closer to advancing to the championship semi-finals and the pressure has never been heavier, but even that hasn’t affected him like the tension he’s feeling right now. His whole body is on fire from your touch, and it won’t go away.

When the recital comes to an end, Zach leans closer to you to murmur over the applause surrounding you.

“You going out to dinner with us?” he asks.

“Do I have to?” you quip.

“What, you got a date or something?” He worries that the joke was too much. Too flirty.

But you laugh and say, “I haven’t had a date or something in forever. Yeah, I’ll come.” Although it’s hard to believe that a woman like you is single, he’s glad you are.

The eight of you sit in the busy restaurant, making conversation. As Zach expected, Ella insisted she sit next to you. You have endless patience for her, listening to her talk, answering her questions, letting her pick off your plate. He would move mountains for his child. He can tell you’d do the same.

Zach picks up the bill and you all say your goodbyes to Jade’s parents, who insisted they didn’t need to stay the night. Before you head out, you tell his family it was nice to see them again. He can tell you’re a little surprised when his mother pulls you in for a hug, but you kindly return it.

Connie obviously appreciates everything you’ve done for her son and granddaughter. Zach tries not to daydream too much, but he likes imagining being your boyfriend and telling you that his mom called that you’d become something one day.

When you say bye to Zach, your gazes meet like you’ve been waiting for a private moment for ages. Things changed on the night you stayed over. You went from friends to a gray area of something more, neither of you acting on it but knowing it’s there.

Only an hour after Ella falls asleep, Zach’s parents and sister turn in for the night, tired from their drive in. Zach is too wired, silently sitting in his living room, his tea not having its usual effect of soothing him.

He goes through his camera roll, wishing he could go for a drive to relax, but not wanting to leave his daughter in case she needs him. He stares at a photo his mother took of you and him and Ella earlier tonight after the recital, Ella’s hair frizzy from all the jumping around she did.

His smile is wide and so is yours and you look like more than just someone he hired to help take care of his daughter. You look like a family.

He opens your conversation and sends you the photo. It’s nearing 10 p.m. and he’s not sure if you’re already asleep, but you respond a minute later: Aw I love this. Thanks :) How’s your night going?

Zach responds: Good… but everyone’s asleep and I’m still wide awake. Yours?

You reply: Is your tea not working?

He smiles to himself and texts back: Not this time.

You text: I’m kind of wired, too.

How come?

Not sure.

He replies with a joke: Could be Ella’s fault. I saw her eat a lot of your dinner. It’s probably hunger keeping you awake.

Once again, his mind drifts to the way your palm felt against the back of his hand tonight. Then, he hears a door open upstairs. In case it’s Ella, he quietly rushes up the stairs to run into his mom, who’s leaving the bathroom.

“Sorry,” he whispers when he startles her. “I thought Ella woke up and I didn’t want her to think I was gone.”

“I’m sure she’ll be deep asleep until the morning,” Connie says. She notices he’s still in the clothes he wore to the recital. “Can’t sleep?”

“No,” he chuckles. “I’d go for a drive, but I–”

“If she wakes up, I’m here and if she needs you, I’ll call. Go. You need to take care of yourself, too.”

“I’m fine.”

“Go for a drive,” his mother insists. “She’s okay. I promise.”

Zach considers it. With work and Ella and you, his mind has been sort of chaotic. A drive, even a short one, will give him some relief.

“Thanks,” he finally says, giving his mom a grateful smile.

The streetlights plunge him in and out of darkness as he drives through town. When he got in the car, the impulse to go see you seemed ridiculous. With every minute that passes, it feels less and less silly.

Zach eventually pulls over and looks at his phone, staring at the text message he sent you ten minutes ago. How could he even ask to come over without coming on too strong or crossing a boundary?

He’s not sure if he believed in signs from the universe before, but when you text him right when he’s considering if he should text you, he takes it as his answer.

Nothing is ever her fault. But now I’m having a midnight snack lol. Are you still awake?

He replies: Yes. Just driving around. Do you want company?

He’s nervous as he waits. But then you send him your address.

Minutes later, you open your door to gentle knocks, heart skipping when you see him. At this point, being apart from Zach is starting to hurt. You lied when you texted him. You know exactly why you’re wired. It’s because he won’t leave your mind.

“Hi,” he says, a pink hue on his cheeks. “Kind of crazy that you’ve been to my house a million times, but I have no idea what your place looks like.”

“Is that why you’re here?” you ask. “You need to see it that bad?”

“I think it’s what’s keeping me awake.”

You laugh, stepping back, inviting him in. Zach’s eyes travel over your apartment, taking in every little piece that you’ve put into it. Being here is more intimate than he expected. And then you shut the door behind him, thickening the tension, both of you now sharing complete privacy in a way you never have before.

“Is that an Ella original?” he says, pointing to a drawing stuck on your fridge.

“Yup. That’s me and her and the castle we live in,” you tell him. You lead him into the kitchen as you gaze at the bright crayon marking the paper. “And that’s her horse. She was very adamant about it being her horse. But I can pet it if I ask nicely.”

He laughs and gazes at the drawing, touched that you’d keep something his daughter made up on display. Even when you’re not at the house, you want to be reminded of her.

“Where am I?” he asks in mock offense.

“I’m sure she meant to include you, but the horse took up too much space,” you explain, looking over your shoulder up at him. He’s inches away from you, towering above you. You’re so close to him that you can see the stubble growing over his jaw.

“The tutus are a nice touch,” he says, pointing to the pink skirts drawn on both of you. You laugh and turn to face him all the way. You clear your throat, smitten that he’s really here.

“She was great tonight, huh?” you ask.

“She was.” Zach’s smile is bright, the same way it always is whenever he talks about her. “And she wanted all the grandparents there.”

“I think that’s progress.”

“Me, too.” He exhales. “It was an almost perfect night.”

“Almost?”

“My hand still hurts,” he mumbles, face pinching as he looks down at his hand.

“Listen…” you say with a bashful smile. “I’m sorry, okay? I was stressed.” Zach laughs and it takes everything in him not to hug you. “Was it really that bad?”

“So bad,” he teases, flexing his hand. “You’re too reckless.”

“Reckless? Is that what you think of me?”

Zach cocks his head, staring down at you with a look that burns through you, and soberly says, “No. It’s not.”

His gaze drifts over your face, taking you in slowly. You think back to the first time you saw those eyes, sad and distant. Comparing the way he looked that morning to how he’s gazing at you right now is like comparing black and white.

The light atmosphere has quickly been replaced by a somberness hanging over both of you. Your heart is thumping against your chest. Hard.

“What, then?” you ask.

How can he even find the words to describe how you make him feel? You fit perfectly in every way. You settled into his life like there was always a place waiting just for you. Even tonight, when you grabbed his hand for only a moment, it felt like he was born to be touched by you.

You’ve brought light to his life. He always looked forward to coming home to his daughter, and now he looks forward to coming home to you, too. And having to continue to live like this, acting like his heart isn’t completely yours, is torture.

“I think you’re…” Zach’s tone is low, lids dropping as he looks at your lips before he speaks again. “Perfect.”

Your breath catches. You’ve been able to keep yourself away from him for what feels like ages. You’re not sure you’ll have the strength for much longer. This is the moment where everything can change. You know you both feel it.

“Should I not be here?” he says quietly.

It’s his way of making sure you’re okay. That you want him to be here as badly as he wants to be here. That even though maybe this shouldn’t be happening, you have faith that it will only bring you both joy, and you don’t need to consider the risks because you’ll never have to face them.

He looks so painfully unsure that you long to comfort him. Your hand finds his and he laces his warm fingers between yours the instant he feels you. He exhales slowly, never having felt so vulnerable before.

Too much is on the line. He’s only thinking of himself right now. He shouldn’t have come here, he shouldn’t have given in, he shouldn’t have–

“Stay,” you whisper. Your simple word untangles the knot in his chest. You step closer to seal the distance that remains between you. His eyes finally drift back up to find yours.

“I can’t help how I feel about you,” Zach murmurs. “I don’t want to mess up how good things are, but I just…”

He trails off into silence, sighing shakily.

“I know,” you say. “Me, too.”

“Tell me to leave,” he says with a note of pity. You breathe a sad chuckle.

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because I want you here.”

Zach’s grip on your hand tightens, his heart feeling like it’s just been put together after being fractured for years. His lips part and while he doesn’t know how to say how much your words mean to him, he knows how to show it.

He leans closer, cupping your face, capturing your lips with a soft and impatient kiss. You dissolve into bliss, eyelids fluttering closed as his hot mouth presses against yours, head swimming, body buzzing.

You wrap your arms around his shoulders, pulling him closer, eyelashes overlapping as you kiss deeply, hungrily tasting each other in adoration. His arms circle around you and surround you in warmth.

He lets out a short, almost silent moan against your lips, relieved and assured and grateful that you want him this badly, too. Everything about this feels right. He’s where he’s supposed to be, standing here, kissing you, baring his soul.

You’re breathless when you eventually pull away, eyes slowly opening as he tilts to plant a lazy kiss on your forehead, thumbs stroking your cheeks.

“I kept telling myself that I can’t like you,” he says against your skin. “Do you have any idea how impossible that is?”

You exhale a contented sigh, afraid that you did actually doze off and that this is all just a dream.

“I think I do,” you reply.

Zach’s laugh is breathy, leaning back just enough to look at you. He’s in awe, his lips tender from pressing against yours, his knees weak as he holds your face in his hands. Now that he doesn’t have to hide it or force himself not to stare, he lets himself drown in your eyes.

He brushes his lips against yours again and you smile under the kiss, placing your palm over his hand.

“Is this the hand I hurt?” you tease, gently squeezing.

“Ow,” he playfully winces, making you laugh. You nuzzle your cheek against his palm and smile up at him.

“You sure you like me?” you say. He’s sure he loves you, but it’s too much, too soon to say at this moment. “You know you can’t afford any injuries right now.”

“Worth it,” Zach plays along.

“I keep wanting to ask you about work,” you say. He hasn’t spoken much about playoffs, but you did a little research on his team’s standings. “How has it been? Are you stressed?”

“Pressure’s on, but I’m fine,” he says simply. Your words won’t find you at first. It’s sort of unbelievable how he doesn’t ever flaunt his success, not even a little bit.

“That’s it?” you laugh.

“What?”

“Your team could go to the finals and you’re just fine?” you say.

“How’d you know that?” he says, his heart warming.

“Had to look it up. Not like you’ll tell me,” you quip, pulling away, his hands falling off of you. Zach chuckles, following you into your living room.

“Are we fighting already?” he asks.

“We won’t be if you tell me why you get all cute and shy whenever you talk about your job,” you say, settling on the couch.

He sits to face you, his knee bumping yours. You love that he’s as close as you want him to be, instead of keeping a distance like before. He finds your hands, holding them in his.

“Just a second,” Zach mumbles. “I need to process that you called me cute.”

You giggle, leaning forward to nuzzle against his chest.

“I’m serious,” you say, your voice muffled by his shirt. “We talk about my job all the time.”

“Oh, come on. Because we have to. That’s the whole deal.”

“Is it?”

Zach sighs, kissing the top of your head, loving the way your body slightly shakes with your laughter. You sit up again, looking down as you interlace your fingers with his, playing with his hands as you wait for him to speak.

“I love soccer,” he says, “but I never expected I’d be good enough to go pro. And somehow, I did and all the attention that comes with it is just… it’s not me. I’ve never been the loudest guy in the room. Never wanted to be.”

You nod. You could tell soon after meeting him that while he’s confident and loves to joke around, he’s not one to demand the spotlight.

“And now the more attention I get,” he continues, “the more people might want to know about me and I’d rather keep Ella safe and give her a normal life.”

He scratches his cheek, uncertainty flashing on his face.

“And… I’m not exactly proud that I’m not working a normal job. I’m always thinking that maybe it’d be better for Ella if I had a nine to five, but the pay is great and I can’t play forever, so I just want to save up as much as I can for her. Then I’ll find something more steady.”

You're sure you’ve never met a person this humble. It’s nice to know what goes on in his head after having wondered for so long.

“Will you still even need a nanny then?” you ask lightheartedly. Zach purses his lips as he nods.

“I will if she’s you.” You smile as he pulls you in, holding you as your cheek rests against his shoulder.

“I don’t think there’s anything that you shouldn’t be proud of,” you tell him. “You’re an amazing father.”

“You don’t know how nice it is to hear you say that,” he admits. The worries that he’s being selfish have been gnawing at him for a long time. He’s always concerned he’s making the wrong choices for his daughter.

“I think it every time I see you with her. I know you said she was a surprise, but you treat her like being her dad is all you’ve ever wanted.”

Zach leans to kiss your forehead over and over again, palm gently pressed on your cheek, like he’s making up for all the times he wanted to kiss you but couldn’t. You start to giggle under all the kisses, hugging him tighter.

“Speaking of,” you say, “I’m sure you’re thinking it, too, but we should keep acting like we’re just friends when we’re around our boss.”

He breathes a chuckle, nodding as he looks down at you lovingly.

“Yeah,” he murmurs. “We’ll take it slow. She’ll be so happy when we tell her.”

“You think so?” you say, your heart blooming from the certainty in his words, from the way he unabashedly intends on being with you and telling his daughter.

“She’s always asking me if I like you.” Truthfully, Ella asks if he loves you, but again, he doesn’t want to use that word until he’s sure you’re comfortable with it.

“Really?”

“Oh, yeah,” he says. “She actually asks if I like you yet. It’s like she knows it’s inevitable.”

You realize that the way you’re wrapped up in each other does feel like it was always inevitable. You know that your heart would never have been able to resist him. You’re glad he feels the same way about you.

────୨ৎ────

A week after the night in your apartment is the semi-final. You’re sitting in the living room playing with Ella with the game on in the background. She’s partly interested, whereas you can’t ignore the ball of nerves sitting deep in your stomach.

Zach’s been opening up more about his job when you get time alone, admitting that the pressure can give him tunnel-vision sometimes. You’ve taken on the workload as much as you can so that he’s not too stressed.

You’ve kept things the same when you’re around Ella and you’ve already determined that if she asks why you’re so invested in what’s on tv, you’ll simply say you grew an interest in soccer after the home game you both attended. But she’s too busy playing with clay to care.

The first half ends with no goals scored. You set up an afternoon snack for Ella, letting her help, your mind elsewhere as you imagine Zach in the locker room, wondering what his coach is telling him and what he’s thinking about at this moment.

Five minutes after half-time, the opponents score. Your heart sinks. Twenty minutes later, Zach scores. You have to stifle how loudly you want to cheer.

Then, the game goes to penalty shoot-outs. Zach had told you how much he hates when a game comes down to that. It’s a nail-biting few minutes, but Zach’s team wins, securing their spot in the finals. In his next game, his team could take the cup.

Right before dinner, you and Ella change into the jerseys you’d secretly bought a few days ago. Zach already told you that even if his team wants to celebrate a win together, he’d prefer to see you two, so you know he’s coming straight home.

He steps through the front door to see you in his team’s jerseys, rushing to give him a hug. Your arms are around his shoulders while Ella’s are around his hips, both of you excitedly cheering. Zach’s heart has never felt so full.

“So, I take it you watched it?” he mumbles into your hair, reveling in the familiar aroma of your shampoo. It takes everything in you not to kiss him when you pull back.

“You did amazing,” you tell him.

“Daddy, do cats ever come to your games?” Ella asks.

Zach looks at you, puzzled.

“There was a commercial with clips of animals crashing soccer games,” you explain, laughing. “It’s a valid question.”

“I haven’t seen any,” he tells her, kneeling to meet her eyeline. “But I hope we get one so I can tell you all about it.”

“Could we keep it?” she asks.

“If a cat comes onto our field and it doesn’t have an owner, sure, we can keep it,” he says. She jumps excitedly, then runs off to play. Zach stands up again, grinning at you.

“Don’t let her watch any more matches,” he says. “If a cat shows up, I’m done for.” You laugh, crossing your arms simply to keep yourself from touching him.

“Congratulations,” you say. “I know you don’t like the attention, but you deserve it.”

“Thanks.” He looks down at your jersey. “It looks great on you.”

“Yeah?” you ask, turning to show him the back. It’s his last name and number. He almost can’t believe this is really happening, that he met someone like you who cares about him this much.

“Better on you, I think,” you say.

“Impossible.”

You face him and he gazes at your lips in the way you know means he wants to kiss you. In the few private moments you’ve had since you confessed your feelings for each other, you’ve shared warm hugs and sweet kisses. You can’t wait until you don’t have to hide your love for him anymore.

“Dinner in twenty,” you tell him. “I bet you worked up an appetite.”

Zach’s legs are heavy as he trudges up the stairs, partly from fatigue, but mostly because the last thing his body wants to do is be away from you.

────୨ৎ────

Zach’s family drives in to watch the championship game at the house. You weren’t all that nervous around them before, but now that you and Zach are privately dating, you’re eager to impress them.

He had mentioned to you that he hadn’t told them about you yet, but he’s hoping to the next time he sees them. He also told you how his mom had a suspicion about you two, which makes you hope you’re not too obvious.

It’s only been a couple of weeks since you decided to date, but every moment you get alone with Zach isn’t long enough. You knew he was kind-hearted, but now that he’s not holding back, he showers you with affection and compliments, reminding you of how much he appreciates you every day.

Just like it is with Zach, it’s easy with his family. You talk and snack and take turns playing with Ella while you watch the game. The game starts off as promising, but unfortunately, the final ends with a loss for his team.

“He did tell me they were kind of the underdogs,” you say to his family sadly, watching the screen. “I still think it’s great that he got this far.”

The stadium he’s playing in is hours away and he won’t be getting home until after midnight. You spend the rest of the evening with Zach’s family, wishing you could see him and give him a comforting hug.

When Zach gets to the locker room, dejected and disappointed, he checks his phone to see a text from you. I know it’s not how you wanted the season to end, but you played an amazing game. We’re all so proud of you, no matter what.

It’s ten minutes past midnight when you hear the front door open. You’ve been sitting in the kitchen, staying awake on your phone after everyone turned in for the night. You turn on the kettle you already filled with water and find Zach in the dim hallway, meeting his eyes with sympathy.

“You’re here,” he mumbles in surprise. You only close the distance, wrapping your arms around his shoulders and squeezing him tightly.

“Wanted to see you,” you whisper. “Are you okay?”

“I’ve had better days,” he admits, kissing your neck. “This feels good, though.”

“I’m making you some tea if you want it,” you tell him, “but if you’d rather go to bed, I get it.”

“Tea sounds good.” He pulls back, stroking your cheek. “You’re really proud of me? Even though I’m a total loser?”

You half-chuckle, nudging him.

“Never call yourself that again,” you say.

“Or what?”

“Or I’ll stop ‘accidentally’ making too much food,” you joke, earning a chuckle from him.

You settle in the kitchen, reminded of the first time you sat together like this all those months ago to plan Ella’s birthday party. Now she’s halfway to six years old, growing faster than you could have ever anticipated.

After you put the steaming mug of tea in front of him, Zach puts his hand over yours, squeezing.

“I tried to be positive but I saw it coming,” he admits to you. “They were the stronger team. We’ll just train harder and hopefully get them next year.”

“And I’ll be with you every step of the way,” you say. “Just don’t beat yourself up over this, okay? You’re not a loser.”

“Baby…” Zach breathes a chuckle. “Being with you makes me feel like I’m always winning. It sucks to get this far and to put so much work in just to lose, but knowing you and Ella are waiting for me at home… That's what my life is really about.”

You stare at him, awestruck, heart beating so hard that you can hear it in your ears.

“I love you,” he says. “I’m sorry if it’s too soon to say, but I’ve loved you for a long time.”

You bite your lip, giving into the urge to lean closer and kiss him. When you pull back, palm resting on his cheek, you smile.

“I love you, too,” you say. “It’s not too soon.”

“Phew. I was more nervous about telling you than I was about the game,” he says. You laugh, pinching his cheek.

“Stop being so cute,” you whisper.

“I can’t help it,” he quips. “I didn’t forget how you said you haven’t been on a date in forever. What do you think about tomorrow night? Ella will stay with my family and you and I can go out for dinner.”

“That sounds perfect,” you tell him. You chat a little longer before you head home.

When Zach tells his mother he’s taking you out for dinner the next morning, she’s overjoyed to hear that you’re an item now and throws in a few ‘I told you so’s. When the evening rolls around, he tells Ella he’s running some errands and instead drives to pick you up from your place.

Sitting across from you at a restaurant on a real date feels like a dream. He holds your hand on the table and nudges your knee with his every so often, unable to keep his hands off of you like usual. It’s like talking with a best friend, the conversation flowing so naturally that he refuses to believe he’s only known you for just shy of a year.

When he drives you home after dinner, you lose track of time kissing him goodnight.

────୨ৎ────

You and Zach had discussed that today would be the day. Now that you’ve been together for over eight months, he’s ready to tell Ella.

It’s a Saturday and Zach’s making lunch while you and Ella set the table. Long gone are the days of spending just a few minutes together, one of you arriving at the house while the other one gets ready to leave. The three of you are almost always a unit now, settled into a routine.

After lunch, you leave as planned so he can talk to her one-on-one. Zach finds Ella drawing on her bedroom floor after he says his goodbyes to you and knocks on her door.

“What are you drawing?” he asks.

She holds up the paper, three figures under the shining sun. When he asks if that’s you, him, and her, she happily nods.

Zach settles on the floor, watching the way she colors in the yellow sun, her legs kicking in the air. He’s seen a change in his child. There’s no doubt about it.

While she was always a happy kid, she’s grown to be much more expressive and affectionate since you stepped into their lives. You bring out the best in her. The best in him, too.

He tries to force down the tears that come up every time he looks at his daughter and thinks about what happened a year ago. She’s too small to have to know the pain of abandonment and betrayal. He pushes away the thought.

“I wanted to ask you something,” Zach says, clearing his throat.

“Do you want another bracelet?” she says.

Zach smirks, looking down at the beaded bracelet on his wrist that she made for him a few days ago. She made you a matching one that you always wear, too.

“Yeah, if you’re not too busy,” he says. “But that’s not it.”

He says it exactly as he rehearsed, telling her how happy you make him and asking if she’s okay with you being his girlfriend. When she grins up at him and asks if that means that you can move in with them, he chuckles, tears pricking his eyes.

Zach always felt like he needed to make up for the love Ella’s mother wasn’t giving her. Now, there’s nothing to make up for, nothing missing. He wishes the circumstances had been different, but he knows he’s lucky that he met you.

He was sure soon after he got to know you that his daughter would grow to love you. Deep down, he was sure that he would grow to love you, too.

────୨ৎ────

It’s past nine p.m. when Zach gets home from training. Now that he’s in the midst of playoffs again, he doesn’t get as much time at home anymore, but he takes it in stride.

When he can’t find you on the main floor, he tiptoes upstairs in case you’ve fallen asleep putting Ella to bed. Sure enough, she’s snuggled up next to you, both of you snoozing.

It’s been a month since he told her about your relationship and somehow, she’s grown to love you even more now that she knows you love her dad. Zach wonders if Ella can see how much happier he is these days. He tried to hide how empty he felt before, but maybe she caught on.

He’d rather not know. He’s rather not think about the past at all, really. Because right now, as he gazes into his daughter’s bedroom to see you hugging each other in your sleep, he knows he’s looking at his future.

(the end) (continuation blurb)

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[neoiightss]

Teddy Bear - Lee Haechan

Based on my favorite Dream song, hope you like it =) 

warnings: friends to lovers, tooth-rooting fluff, confession, y/n’s a bit insecure.

The end of the semester in a University. You believed it was a universal experience for any college student, a mix of reliving and exhaustion that fuels your body. Everywhere you went you could find excited students planning their summer trips to a beach or their hometown, and zombie-like students who just wanted to sleep for a week, usually you were the latter one, but this summer your roommate invited you to a short beach trip with her boyfriend and his best friend. 

Karina and Jeno quickly became the it couple in college due to their popularity and looks, but still, Karina never made you feel left out, always inviting you to parties and hangouts in Jeno’s frat, and just like that you end up meeting Haechan, Jeno’s best friend. 

You two instantly hit it off, he was talkative and kind; it was easy for you to come out of your shell and feel comfortable around him, you two had so much in common, from favorite artists to favorite food, and he became a friend of yours quickly. 

The problem was that Haechan was handsome, breath-taking handsome. His honey-like skin adorned with freckles hypnotized you, his dark fluffy hair, piercing eyes, full lips, and playful personality; it was a deadly combo for your heart. Still, next to him, you felt like just an intruder, someone he would conveniently befriend, you weren't popular or pretty like the girls you saw him flirting with at parties, how could you even compete? 

You didn’t want to ruin the friendship you were building, so you tried your best to push aside those feelings, but it was hard for you when he was constantly flirting with you as a joke, or how touchy he was. Still, you kept it to yourself, not letting your crush ruin the friend group. 

And just like that you found yourself in that situation, packing your things for the little get-away they planned to Haechan’s family house at the beach, it was only for the weekend so you didn’t need to bring a lot, still, you were excited to have some fun before flying to your boring hometown. 

It was later on the day when the boys arrived, helping you and Karina with the bags, not wasting more time to hit the road, your heart was beating fast with excitement, seeing everyone so talkative, singing, and making plans for the next day, it felt like you were in a coming of age movie, it was the highlight of your year. 

-Y/n, I’m so happy you could come, I won’t third-wheel plus I’ll have you to keep me company!

The boy said excitedly, gaining a small chuckle from you and a side eye from Jeno. 

-I’m happy too, it’s been so long since I last went to the beach, it’ll be fun 

You smiled at him, feeling his arms around you in a side hug. 

-I feel like we’ll be the ones third-wheeling you two lovebirds.

Karina laughed, receiving a playful punch from you. 

-Don’t say nonsense…- you mumbled, noticing how Haechan got quiet, it only made you more embarrassed- play some 1D! It’s my time to DJ.

You shouted from your seat, taking the aux from Haechan and choosing one of the band’s upbeat songs, shifting the mood as he started to loudly sing and perform with you. 

It was late at night when you got to the house, everyone tired from the trip, quickly going to their rooms. Karina and Jeno got to the master bedroom after many threats from Haechan if they did something in his parents’ bed and the two of you went to the remaining rooms next to each other. 

You lazily did your skincare, getting into a comfortable pajama, and laying in bed as you heard the waves, a small fraction of moonlight coming from the window. It was the perfect setup for a good night of sleep, then why couldn't you? It was around 1 am when you got up from bed, frustrated about the lack of sleep, everyone had plans for early in the morning and you didn’t want to ruin them because of your stupid insomnia, all of that made you want to cry. 

As you got up, you walked slowly towards the kitchen, trying to not make any noise, you opened the fridge in hopes of finding some milk, maybe a warm cup would help, as you looked you heard a familiar voice calling you, making you squirm as you turned around, finding Haechan sleepily looking at you. 

-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you…

You whispered with a pout, closing the fridge. The boy blinked slowly as he adjusted his eyesight, wearing a big white t-shirt and sweatpants, he looked so cute you just wanted to mess a bit more with his hair. 

-Are you having trouble sleeping? - he asked as you nodded - What are you looking for? 

-Some milk, but there’s none. -you smiled apologetically, Haechan opened his arms to welcome you, giving you a warmer hug than any drink, his sweet scent and soft skin made you relax your entire body. 

-Let’s sleep together, you can cuddle me like a teddy bear, I’ll sing for you too

He whispered, gently patting your hair. You flushed at his words, feeling your heart beating fast, pulling away from him to see if he was joking. 

-There’s no need, I’ll try to sleep again

-Nonsense - he cut you mid-sentence, pulling you to his room - let me take care of you, can’t let you like this. 

Just like that, you were curled up with him under his comforter, feeling the warmth of his skin against yours, the faint smell of his worn-out cologne invading your system as he got closer, embracing you as he played with your hair. You felt his chest vibrate as he hummed a lullaby for you, kissing the top of your hair. 

-Poor baby, I’ll take care of you, my pretty girl… 

He whispered between songs, all of that wasn't helping you at all to sleep. Your heart was beating so fast it felt impossible for him not to listen, your mind rushed with thoughts, and with the lack of sleep making you more sensible you didn't even notice once you started crying, feeling overwhelmed with emotions. It didn't take long for the older to realize, pulling away to look at you with concern, whipping your eyes. 

-What happened Y/n, why are crying? - he rushed, worried with you. 

-That’s too much hyuck, please don’t play with my feelings like that - your voice filled with hurt, too drunk on sleep to think straight about what you were saying - I know our relationship is platonic, but when you treat me like that it makes my heart flutter with hopes and I don’t like it, I don’t want to get delusional. 

It didn't take him too much to understand the situation, his confused face turning into a genuine smile when realizing that you felt the same, hugging you tightly before leaving a gentle peck on your lips, feeling you with confusion. 

-Princess, you have no idea how long I waited to hear that from you. I would never play with your feelings, everything I do is genuine when it comes to you. - he caressed your cheek with care, chuckling with your expression - I like you so much, I’m sorry it took me so long to say anything, I was so scared you would reject me, even when Jeno and Karina talked my ears off, I just couldn’t believe a girl like you would want me. 

You couldn’t hold your smile, hearing those words from him, realizing he felt the same as you, had the same worries as you, all you could do was hold his face and kiss him once more, this time longer and full of love, wanting him to feel all of that you couldn’t express with words. 

-I was so worried that  you would never look me that way, now I feel so silly too - you chuckled, giving him a peck once more - I’m so happy, hyuck 

-Me too, princess. I can’t believe a girl like you would feel that way for me, you’re everything I dreamed of. 

He whispered, holding you close as he gently rubbed your back, slowly putting you to sleep with a smile on your face. 

[misotsukiiyeooo]

Waking Up/Going to Sleep with Him

Pairing:Bf! Yoon Jeonghan x f!Reader

A/N: hopefully you guys enjoy!

Genre: Fluff/(hint of crack)

Word count: 4.9k

Synopsis: Waking up for the second time of the day and noticing Jeonghan's at work that being said, you have nothing to do so you just go to bed again until later when you hear a strange noise.

The sun hitting your face causes you to wake up, and attempt to get up but feel something or someone weighing you down. “Five more minutes pleaseeee.” Dragging out the last word while mumbling into your back, you look over to see Jeonghan holding you ever so tight yet so gently against you. “Hannie, it’s morning already we have to get up.” You giggle at him shaking his head and snuggling further into your back if that’s even possible. “Please Y/N, we’ve both been so busy with work lately, now we finally both have some free time so let’s just rest together for a bit more.” He pleads now facing you with his adorable eyes. “Alright, alright fine but only for twenty minutes, okay?” You smile at him as he nods, planting a kiss on your forehead as you’re now resting on his chest.

You wake up not feeling Jeonghans warmth or presence anymore making you confused, “Wasn’t he the one who wanted to sleep more? Where’d he go?” You think to yourself and check your phone. Your eyes widen while seeing it’s 2:58pm and you received a message from Jeonghan

YoonZinooo😎🤍

Today at 8:24 AM

Love..I tried to wake you up but you didn’t budge. I left for work already and I bet you’re reading this pretty late…but still, I made you some food on the counter, make sure you eat it. I love youuu🤍

Y/N

Today at 3:00 PM

I’m sooo sorry I didn’t wake up to see you off :(

YoonZinooo😎🤍

Today at 3:01 PM

It’s okay love, as long as you slept well and eat what I made.

Y/N

Today at 3:01 PM

I did and I will eat what you made thank you Hannie🤍

YoonZinooo😎🤍

Today at 3:02 PM

You’re welcome Love, btw I’ll be coming home a bit later I’m sorry, I need to practice more so don’t wait for me alright? I’ll be home around 2.

Y/N

Today at 3:03 PM

Okay..don’t overwork yourself.

YoonZinooo😎🤍

Today at 3:03 PM

😘👍🏻.

You jump off your bed and rush to the bathroom to freshen up for the day. Once you finish, you realize there’s nothing really for you to do today besides rot on the couch or your bed. You decide to bed rot because it sounds better than couch rotting. Once you finish eating the food Jeonghan made, you lay in bed to watch some cartoons while eating snacks. You start to get bored knowing Jeonghan isn’t here. Tossing and turning in bed trying to find some sort of warmth until you find the spot feeling drowsy. Drifting off to sleep for the third time today while your cartoon plays in the background.

11:26pm you hear a noise, like something dropped, startling you out of your long nap.“Is someone here? But Jeonghan has to work late today..” Or so you thought. Leaving your room holding the nearest object you could find in there, you enter the living room quietly still hearing some rummaging now coming from the kitchen. Gripping onto your object tightly you turn on the light as fast as ever to immediately point your object at this sudden noise. “Love?..” Nonetheless it was Jeonghan wearing a black cap laughing while you screamed in horror. He walked closer to me smiling “A flatiron really? What were you trying to do? Style my hair?” I continue to laugh, teasing her while she puts her object on the counter realizing while pouting. “I didn’t see what I grabbed because it was so dark…and besides why are you wearing a hat in here? You look like a robber.” She lowers her gaze embarrassed.“Come here love.” I giggle hugging her. “I had to wear a cap because I didn’t want anyone to notice me and it was dark..I should’ve told you I was coming home earlier.” “No, it’s fine. I had no reason getting startled..I should’ve known it was you.” She snuggles in the crook of my neck still embarrassed. “Let’s get ready for bed yeah?” She nods walking to the bathroom.

After taking a shower together and doing skin care we’re finally in bed, her lying on my chest turning her head up to look at me. “You know, I’ve been sleeping the whole day? But now that you’re here I’m not tired.” Her big eyes look at me causing me to smile. “You’re not tired.? Well then let’s talk until you do.” Nodding at my response she starts talking about the randomness of things known to mankind. “What if we were both ants? And one day I get stepped on?..” “Imagine our feet were our hands?” “Oh my god imagine…, going to sleep and dreaming of whatever, and when you wake up you’re in that area until you fall asleep again...I would love and hate that.” I just watch her, responding to her crazy questions. This is exactly why I love her so much, she’s always so unexpected making every day exciting. “And then it happens like-…are you listening?” She looks at me confused and pouty. I kiss her tenderly on her lips and look into her eyes “I love you so much, love.” She turns a tint of pink on her cheeks and mumbles those same words back. After a while, her blabbering turns into her mumbling slowly as she falls asleep. I massage her head kissing her forehead every now and then having her fall into deep sleep. I stare at her for a few seconds, brushing her hair away from her precious face. “I love you more than you can ever imagine.”

Req are open!

Tag list!!

[gloryy-vs]

Tsu’tey as a Girl Dad

lil headcannons cus i’m bored and have no motivation to finish my stories rn IM SORRY

||

definitely was silent by your side during the birth, didn’t want to annoy you with any comments cause he could tell the amount of pain you were in

let you grip onto his hand like you were gonna break it, hurt him a lot but he wouldn’t let you let go of him even tho it made him lowkey shed a tear

gives you a kiss when the baby is finally out, thanking you and congratulating you first before he coddled the baby

notices the baby has his eyes but your facial structure, dies from happiness

check all over his daughter to make sure everything looks okay cus he’s obsessive over his girlies like that

.

if his daughter starts crying late into the night he forces you back down to sleep so he can take care of her and soothe her

goes hunting early morning so he can spend the rest of the day taking care of both of you

even though you’re no longer pregnant he grew the habit or not letting you do much, so he braids your hair still, puts your top and loincloth on, cleans up for you etc

brings back pretty flowers or colorful woods/craft material and gives to his daughter, makes her small beads that you put in her hair

.

once she’s grown up she’s an ABSOLUTE daddy’s girls, he tends to still look over her as if she was a child and scares away any potential mates like, “come near my daughter again and i’ll skin you”

he taught her how to hunt efficiently, didn’t allow anyone else to do it because he wanted to make sure she wouldn’t get hurt in someone else’s care

he even crafted her own dagger when she came of age

tsu’tey literally cried when she claimed her first ikran for her coming of age, you had to hide his face because he didn’t want others seeing him so vulnerable

you were dying laughing

your daughter was embarrassed though, like “daaaaaaaad stop you’re embarrassing me right now!” mid wrestle with her ikran

sets a strict curfew for her because hello??? tsu’tey starts panicking if she’s late or even goes out cus he’s so protective

you have to make sure he’s not overbearing though and that she can have some actual freedom as other teen na’vi do

let’s her friends come over because he literally can’t say no to her, you then force him to clean up the mess they made cus you told him only two friends were okay but he agreed to like five

you love seeing them bond. seeing them hunting together, making new weapons that match, putting matching beads in their hair so all three of you match warms your heart sm.

he always shows her that the biggest/shiniest bead in his songcord is for when she was born, made her cry when she first found out.

overall he’s definitely a girl dad u cant tell me otherwise

[stuck1nthelimbo]

im so normal about them — 📌 post | masterlist | ko-fi

6 》Masturbation - Squirting - Dacryphilia ― Truth or Fuck [Fushiguro Toji x f!reader]

Everyone knows about the 'Truth or Dare' game, right? How about the adult version?

TAGS!!! 2.1k, age gap, toji fucks son's friend (20s), masturbation, squirting, rough-ish, creampie, no beta

With the perfect freezing weather and knee-deep snow, a small group of friends has gathered at Fushiguro’s cottage. We were greeted by the host’s father, Fushiguro Toji. I became smitten with him when I met him months ago and after gathering the courage to admit it to my friends…

“I dare you…” Yuji pretends to come up with a dare, yet I’m aware of what he’s about to say. I roll my eyes and blow lip bubbles. Nobara hides behind him, giggling at my upcoming disgrace, “I dare you to go and kiss Mr. Fushiguro, on the lips,” the audible gasp slips Megumi and he nudges his friend, who’s impatiently squirming. My friend points at the vodka shot, which can negate the dare, however, I’m conflicted: between being unaware of what the diabolical trio has in plan and the fact that I don’t want to miss the opportunity.

“I’ll get back to you,” I flick Yuji’s forehead as I walk by him, trudging to the kitchen. Peeking in, my eyes discover broad shoulders and a muscular back with a skintight black t-shirt. For a moment, I envy his ex-wife, who enjoyed all these and bore his child. Well, let’s focus more on the conception of said child and less on rest. “Um, Mr. Fushiguro?” He turns head while fiddling with something in the fridge, then twists on his feet, squinting at me.

“You kids involvin’ me now?” he blatantly mocks the group, puffing air through the nose.

“They dared me to kiss you,” shuffling on the spot, I mutter, and he scoffs. His head drops to the side, crossing arms over the puffed-out chest. That shirt is holding on its dear life.

“What are you, twelve? You’re older than those punks,” Toji’s peeved, yet leans forward and sticks his cheek out. I shake my head and point at my lips with an index finger. The scoff’s louder now, gives me a peck on the lips, and dismisses me with a hand gesture.

Not enough. So I’ll make sure I end up with another opportunity. The second time doesn’t quench my thirst either. Maybe the third time’s a charm? Now with the gust in my stroll, I prance in the kitchen and heartily grin at the eldest. The sudden aggression alarms me: large palm grabs my face and his lips crash onto mine, tongue slithering into my mouth. This grown-up kiss leaves me breathless.

“The fourth time you’ll wobble out of here,” he’s so fine when his eyes gleam with malice and a sly smirk contorts his face.

I shouldn’t have drunk so much. Now I’m tiptoeing down the stairs for water while fixing an oversized shirt. Caught a glimpse of the clock on my way, it’s around two in the morning. Everybody’s asleep, it’s dead silent until I step foot on the first floor and hear the faint sound of the TV. I waltz into the kitchen, grab a water bottle, and plop on an empty sofa, sipping.

“Hey,” the low disembodied voice startles me, I jump, almost spilling the liquid. Something huge slouches beside me. Now shirtless Fushiguro Toji glances at me. A sculpted chest and abdomen and the gray sweatpants leave so little to the imagination, “Someone dared you to kiss me at midnight? You’re a tad late.”

“Come on, Mr. Fushiguro, give me a break. They dared me, I didn’t have a choice,” I lie through my teeth, averting gaze from him to the TV. He looks back at the screen, his hand tampering with the remote.

“First,” the index finger raises, the rest hold the remote, “You didn’t drink, shots were untouched. And second,” the middle finger flicks up, “stop calling me Mr. Fushiguro, Toji’s fine,” he mutters. The silence lingers between us, the low volume of the movie relieves the awkwardness.

“Hey, wanna play ‘Truth or Dare’?” I break the silence and he glances at me with an embarrassed smile.

“And you’re gonna ask me who’s my crush? Pass, kiddo,” he brushes off the idea without considering.

“Come on,” I straighten between the cushions, my digits tap on his veiny forearm, “truth or dare?” his eyes bounce to my dimly shadowed face, and a sigh of defeat escapes him.

“Truth.”

“Have you ever…” I wander off, sweeping the room with my eyes before they land back on him, “had sex outside the bedroom?” Toji shoots me a dumbfounded look, his eyes wide, eyebrows raised. The shock shifts to a flirtatious smirk.

“Oh, you meant with a twist,” his lips pucker, eyes tag along the flickering TV, “alright,” he clears throat, “almost always. I don’t remember the last time I had sex in bed,” chewing on the inside of my cheek, I anticipate the question, “truth or dare?”

“Truth,” half-lidded, verdant eyes stare at me.

“Have you ever hooked up with a man twice your age?” He knows the answer, the stuck-up grin plastered on his scarred lips. I audibly swallow and shake my head. He faintly nods, proud of himself.

“Truth or dare?”

“Truth.”

“Do you prefer slow and romantic sex or rough fucking?” He chortles, air eagerly puffs out of his nose, and his eyes glance at the TV. In a moment, his head turns back to me and drops a bit, staring from under the lashes.

“I prefer to hold down brats and turn them into incoherent, blabbering messes. I like leaving a mark,” his husky voice reverberates in my ears, and my tailbone tingles. He doesn’t take his eyes off of me, “truth or dare?”

“Dare,” I maintain the eye contact, holding my breath in. He’s pleasantly surprised. His tongue glides across the teeth.

“You should kiss the player in front of you,” he’s so casual, and his eyes trail down to my lips. I lean forward, supporting my weight on open palms pressing down the cushions. Poising face near his, he mumbles, “for thirty seconds,” I barely register the statement before his large hand clasps the back of my head and pulls me in a sloppy kiss. His teeth nibble, fleshy tongues lap, fingers on my nape claw along the hair, steamy breath spills over me and half a minute runs out with the spiderweb-thin threads of saliva spreading between us. Glazed eyes gawk at me, stirred breathing heats my throat, and he skulks toward me, tossing the remote on the floor.

“Truth or dare?” I somehow utter the sentence and hear him click his tongue and mouth the word ‘Dare’ without halting the predatory movement. “Just touc–,” Toji’s low chuckle prickles my skin with goosebumps and I’m unable to finish. His teeth ready to feast on my delicate neck freeze midway, his hand crams between the flimsy underwear and soft pussy, index and middle fingers plunging in my sopping cunt without an ounce of resistance. I mewl at the intrusive sensation and glance at the older male. He’s dead absorbed in the sounds and the texture my gummy walls exude with each knuckle-deep thrust, occasionally the thumb flits across the clit, and I twinge with each brush.

The other hand lurks under the shirt, feeling around before grabbing onto my breast, kneading it with his fingers, possessing the softness of the flesh. Buried digits quicken the pace, the forceful thumb rubs against the bud, drawing few quiet whimpers out of me. The prominent squelchs of my wetness echo. Something pleasant swirls in the depth of my stomach, coils several times and pours downward, between the thighs. His long fingers meticulously slip the soaked underwear to the side, before pulling out and relentlessly sinking back in.

"Wait, Toji," I protest, yet he positions himself between my legs, spreading them further apart; I feel something coming, the unfamiliar sensation and without the proper amount of time, the ecstatic pleasure swallows me, my legs tremble and I gush all over him. Literally. Under the heavy eyelids, I notice how half his body glints, as if splashed with water, "oh, my God," the audible whisper under the heavy breathing snaps his attention. He straightens and I see droplets of transparent liquid on his torso, guiding down the chiseled figure.

"First time squirting?" the cynical tone annoys me, but I'm still under the influence of soft, gentle waves of post-orgasmic bliss and prop myself up, "Clean up," now the tone has changed into demanding, irritating me further. Reaching hand for the paper towels next to the sofa, his palm seizes my wrist, "no, not that," the sharpness makes me tingle again; I push my tongue out, and after his validating smile, I press it flat on his damp chest. The skin feels smooth under my muscle as it glides around the muscular chest, under the collarbone and finishes close the crevice of the neck. I can feel the vibration of his throaty laugh and I pull back, searching for his eyes, before being pinned down on the sofa by a strong hand around my throat.

With one hand, fingers tightly envelope under my jaw, the other yanks his sweatpants down, and even in the dimmed TV light, I make out the silhouette of his fat veiny cock, bouncing out of the boxers. His fingers pull my underwear aside, straining the fabric and harshly grazing his manhood against my drenched pussy. I whine and buck my hips, but he pulls back in time. Brushing the tip of his cock against the swollen clit, he pity smiles the following childish pouts from me. The index and middle fingers press down on his cock, firmly nudging the head of his cock on my sopping cunt until I fling legs around in frustration.

"Truth or dare?" Both of his hands wrap around my thighs, hooking his girth at the entrance of my cunt, teasing. I ignore the question, but the nails digging into my skin bring me back to his expression.

"Uhhh," I reluctantly mutter, "truth," he leans forward, leveling his face with mine, and one of my hands tug on the strands of hair on his nape, closing the distance between us, Toji’s shaky breath seeps under my nostrils. The stillness agitates me, until he bucks his hips, bottoming out inside. My mouth gapes, but before any sound escapes, his palm blankets over my trembling lips, and the pillow under my neck dampens his grunts.

“Everything you wanted?” the ‘truth or dare’ question flies over my head, my brain short-circuited and drunk on the smell of sweat beading on the male’s temples. He hasn’t moved since he bottomed out, forcefully stretching my cunt around his thickness. Each spasm around him runs a shiver up my spine. The pain is buried deep between the ecstasy that radiates from the depths of my stomach. The nails I've dug in his hair nearly break the skin. The other hand weakly pushes against his flat stomach, to which his response is pushing himself inside to the hilt, grinding his groin against my sensitive clit. I swiftly shut my eyes and he, in a painstakingly slow manner, thrusts. Moving back and forth, reminding me with each thrust how enormous he is. He quickly picks up the pace, chipping away at my sanity with each hit. The room's filled with the quiet buzzing of TV and short, sharp grunts his throat echoes, alongside the wet sounds that emit between us.

With each passing second, another round of pleasurable waves swirl in the depth of my stomach. The hand over my mouth tightens as his hips stutter with each forceful thrust. The stuttering turns into hips bucking erratically, teeth grinding, sinking into my flesh, and throaty grunts, soon replaced by barely audible moans, as I feel something fill each nook and cranny of my gummy walls up. The grip on my face loosens while my hips shake following a stomach-churning, body-rippling orgasm.

His weight pulls away, and straightens in his seat: strands of damp hair glue to his forehead and cheeks, mouth hanging, Toji regains his steady breathing. I struggle to close my legs, the strained muscles ache with the smallest movement. The hot, viscous fluid leaks onto the sofa cushions from the apex of my thighs and the elder man groans in frustration, yet does nothing. With difficulties, rises off the sofa, trudging to the kitchen. I reach for the water bottle, almost spilling the contents of it all over my sore, tired body. My pussy stings and I know, this will be hell in the morning. But oh, well. He won this round of ‘Truth or Fu– Dare’.

© stuck1nthelimbo; do not redistribute, repost, modify, or use in any way, form, and/or shape. re-translation by asking for permission first.

[morgana-larkin]

Alright, after much research and knowing absolutely nothing about what I’m writing, I finally finished the fic. I’ll admit that I’m like the reader in this case and have absolutely no idea how the fuck to flirt. The fact that I’ve had 2 relationships is a miracle in itself. Not edited in the slightest and I hope you like it!

On another note: I’ll be doing your prompts next as I have just under 20 in my inbox. They’re mostly Melissa prompts but I do have a couple Chessy ones and 1 Agatha prompt.

The Art Of Flirting

Warnings: small amount of swearing

Words: 6k

You walk into the break room looking for Melissa. You walk a couple steps in and look around for the redhead only to realise she’s not there.

“Hey Barb, have you seen Melissa?” You ask her.

“Not since this morning dear. She might just be running late.” Barb tells you and you sigh and turn around to leave. As soon as you turn around you run right into the redhead herself and she places her hands on your waist to stabilise both of you.

“Hey hon, sorry, didn’t mean to bump into you.” She tells you and you just stare at her, frozen in fear and nervousness.

“Oh, uh, um, it’s-it’s alright. I- I got to go, see you later.” You tell her and bolt out of there.

Melissa watches you leave in confusion before she goes to sit down at the table with Barb.

You enter your classroom and immediately close the door. You put your hands over your eyes in embarrassment and sigh. You just made a complete fool out of yourself in front of Melissa as usual. But honestly, how could anyone act normal around her with how beautiful she is? It’s impossible. You developed a crush on her when you started as the new art teacher 5 months ago.

You go and sit at your desk and start another drawing of Melissa in your sketchbook, a sketchbook that’s full of drawings of her. Is it an obsession to have 100 different sketches of Melissa in different positions and places? Maybe borderline obsession.

After you finish the sketch of Melissa on her phone at the table in the break room, you put your sketchbook away and sit back in your seat. You really want to flirt with her to try and see if she’s interested in you or to let her know that you’re interested in her but there’s one problem with that plan, how the fuck do you flirt?

You get your phone out and decide to google it. It comes up with a bunch of different suggestions and you write down all the ones that come up the most on each website. You just conveniently scroll past the part where it says confidence is very attractive on women, it’s already been established that you have none in front of her. Alright now to put some of these to the test.

First thing on the list: make eye contact.

Watch out Melissa, I’m gonna eye contact the fuck out of you. You then cringe at your own thoughts and sigh.

After school you try and book it quickly to get to the other side of the school in time to walk with Melissa to your cars. You see her locking up her classroom by the time you get there and you walk up to her.

“H-hey Melissa.” You stutter out and she turns around and smiles when she sees it’s you.

“Hey Y/N. How was your day today?” She asks you as you both start walking to the parking lot.

“It-it was alright. How was yours?” You manage to get out.

“It was good, the students actually listened and they all behaved today.” She says and you can’t help but stare at her as she smiles. The point is to make eye contact but you stare at all of her. “Why are you staring?” She asks you.

“What? Me? Staring? Never.” You say with a small laugh and she looks at you confused for a second then just continues the walk to your cars.

“So any weekend plans?” She asks you.

“Umm, nope. I have a pretty boring life. A good weekend for me is curled up on the couch with a good book or a nice tv show or movie to watch.” You tell her while occasionally looking away.

“Hey, I find a night on the couch to be a pretty awesome night.” She says and you just stare at her the entire time.

‘Try to make eye contact, try to keep eye contact.’ Is constantly in your head.

“You’re staring again.” She says.

“I’m not staring… I’m just looking at you while you talk.”

“Hon, that’s called staring.” She states.

“No, it’s called listening while you talk.” You counter and she shakes her head at you with a smile.

“Whatever you say, hon.” She says as you both reach her car and she unlocks it. “See you tomorrow, good night.” She says and then goes to get in her car.

“Good night, Melissa.” You tell her before she closes her car door. You then walk to your car with a smile on your face. ‘I think that went pretty well.’

The next morning you walk into the break room and get your coffee ready. You then go to sit on the couch like you normally do but Melissa stops you.

“Hon, how about you sit with us this morning?” She asks and you look at her in shock. The Melissa Schemmenti, the woman who barely tolerates newbies, just asked you, a newbie, to sit at her table. You almost couldn’t believe it and you smile at her.

“Are you sure?” You ask her and she nods. “Alright, since you’re offering then sure.” You say and go sit on the chair next to her.

“Dear, the project you did with my class yesterday was amazing! My students couldn’t stop talking about it.” Barb told you and you smiled.

“Really? I’m so happy they loved it. And your kindergarteners are adorable.” You told her and Melissa was looking at you with a soft smile the entire time.

“My little eagles love your class as well. They always can’t wait and never want to come back.” Melissa joked with you and you both laughed.

When you both look up from laughing you lock eyes with each other and your breath hitches. Melissa goes back on her phone and you just keep staring at her, she was so beautiful.

“You’re staring again, hon.” Melissa suddenly says as she looks at you and you lock eyes with her again.

“I- I wasn’t staring at you.” You say, voice a bit higher than you intended and Melissa quirks an eyebrow at you.

You pull your phone out and take a look at the list. You think eye contact failed and should try the next thing.

Second thing on the list: compliment her.

‘Ok, I can do that. I always think she looks beautiful. Just have to vocalise it.’ You think and smile as you look up at her. You open your mouth to speak but at the same moment she looks at you and all words left your brain and you quickly shut your mouth.

“Were you gonna say something hon?” Melissa asks you.

“I was but then I literally blanked and forgot.” You say a little shyly and Melissa smiles and shakes her head.

2 hours later there’s a knock on your classroom door and you get up to go open it. You know exactly who’s there, it’s Melissa and her class.

“Hey Melissa!” You say cheerfully and she smiles at you.

“Hey hon, here to drop off the little eagles.” She says and you signal for her students to walk in the classroom. While the students walk in your classroom, you take a look at Melissa. She’s wearing the leather pants that you love on her, a red low cut top and her beautiful ginger locks flowing down to her chest.

“You look really good today.” You tell her and she looks up at you with a smile.

“Ya?” She asks and you nod. “You’ve seen me in this outfit before and you didn’t say anything then.” She tells you with a head tilt.

“Oh…uh, we-well you looked good then but I just didn’t say anything and-”

“Hon, I’m just teasing you, relax. Thank you for the compliment.” She tells you with a chuckle and your cheeks turn red from embarrassment.

The next day, Melissa walks in as you’re on the couch sketching a picture of her. You were really into the sketch that you didn’t register her entering or walking towards you.

“That’s a nice sketch of me.” She says and you jump at her being close to you and quickly close the sketchbook.

“MELISSA! Oh hi!” You say with a higher pitched voice and she giggles at your reaction.

“Can I see the sketch?” She asks as she sits down beside you. You nervously nod your head and then turn it to the correct page of the sketch, carefully to not let her see the other sketches of her, the 100 other sketches of her. You don’t want her to think you’re a stalker. You showed her the sketch and she looks at it with a smile for a few seconds. “This is really good, no wonder you’re an art teacher.” She tells you.

“Tha-thanks. It’s not finished and I didn’t have you posing, although neither did I ask your permission. I’m sorry.” You tell her and she waves you off.

“Don’t be sorry, I’m flattered you’d rather sketch me then someone else. And I’d be happy to pose for you.”

“Really?” You say, shocked.

“Yep, but I’d like to keep the sketch after.” She says and you immediately nod.

“Alright, deal.” You say and then you both shake on it. You should have thought through the idea of shaking hands with her cause as soon as your hands touched, you immediately don’t want to let go. Her hand was so soft and you like the way it feels in yours.

“Come to my place after school today if you’re free and you can sketch me then.” She offers and you immediately nod with a smile.

“I’m definitely free, I’ll be there.” You say and she smiles then gets up.

“Great, I’ll text you my address.” She says and then leans down and lowers her voice so no one else hears. “Oh and btw, you look really cute when you’re concentrating on your work.” She says with a wink, then goes to sit with Barb.

‘What the fuck just happened?’ You think and you might as well have error 404 written across your face cause you don’t move at all for a few seconds.

After school you’re heading to the parking lot when you get a text. It’s from Melissa and you can’t help the smile that formed on your face.

Melissa: Hey Y/N, here’s the address of my castle! Feel free to show up anytime between now and 6 😉

You: I’ll be there in an hour! Why between now and 6?

Melissa: to feed you dinner of course!

You: oh, you don’t need to do that

Melissa: I insist, and I gotta do something to pay you back for sketching me

You: you not being angry at me for sketching you without your permission is good enough for me

Melissa: any dietary restrictions?

You: I’m not getting out of this am I?

Melissa: nope 😉

You: no restrictions

You check the list on your phone for another flirting technique.

Third on the list: light touching

You show up at Melissa’s place an hour later and she opens the door and smiles when she sees it’s you.

“Hey hon.” She says and moves to the side to let you in.

“Hi Melissa.” You say and then take your shoes off before Melissa is guiding you to her couch with one hand on your back. When she put one hand on your back you froze for half a second and you hope she didn’t notice. “So what kind of sketch of yourself do you want?” You ask her once you both sit on the couch.

“Hm, how about me posing on the couch?” She says and you quirk an eyebrow as you flip to an empty page in your sketchbook.

“You’re not talking like titanic style are you?” You ask her and she chuckles.

“No, although maybe I’ll consider that in the future, I do have a great body.” She says and then winks at you. You sit there staring at her like a deer in the headlights, not knowing what to say. “You finished the sketch from earlier.” She says as you were on the page from your last sketch. You nod and then show her how it looks as it’s done. “Wow, you’re an amazing artist.” She says as she looks at it with a smile.

“Thank you.” You say as you look at her with a smile.

“Have you sketched any other teachers?” She suddenly asks as she looks up at you.

“Not in a while.” You say and she looks confused at you. “When I first started I sketched everything and everyone. I like sketching different things and people, and everything was new. I haven’t sketched the other teachers since Halloween.” You tell her and she smiles at you.

“Did you sketch everyone in their costumes?” She asks and you nod. “Can I see it?”

“It’s in another sketchbook.” You tell her and she gives you a little pout. “I can bring it in on Monday if you want.” You say quickly and a smile forms back on her face.

“I’d like that.” She says and you smile and nod at her.

“What other sketches do you have in this one?” She asks you and you suddenly feel nervous. You brought the sketchbook that’s full of sketches of her, a mistake on your part.

“I- I, it’s private.” You say and she looks at you confused but she lets it go.

“Alright, so what do you want to sketch? The one for me.” She says and you think about it.

“Well what do you normally do when you’re at home?” You ask her.

“I cook, grade stuff if I need to catch up, eat, watch tv. On the weekends though it’s different.” She says and you tilt your head. “Other than cooking, I do chores, visit family members, occasionally do something with Barb.” She says and you smile softly at her. Then you suddenly get an idea as you see how she’s sitting right now. She’s sitting on the couch with her body towards you, her left leg on the couch tucked under her body, with her left arm on the back of the couch and head resting on her hand.

“You know, how you are right now is perfect. It looks natural for you.” You tell her and she looks down at herself then back at you.

“You want me to stay as I am and just look at you?” She says and quirks an eyebrow.

“Well that’s if you want the drawing to be of you on the couch.” You say as you flip to an empty page in your sketchbook.

“That’s alright with me.” She says as you get one of the pencils you brought.

“Do you want to be smiling or just a natural look?” You ask her and she thinks about it for a second.

“Smiling.” She says.

“Do you mind smiling then? I’ll be doing your face first.” You tell her and she nods then does a smile.

You take a deep breath and then begin your sketch. In all your sketches of Melissa, you never have one where she’s posing for you. Having her look at you as you’re drawing her is very different.

“You can stop smiling now if you want.” You tell her as you finish her face. Melissa does stop smiling and just has a natural look now and starts a conversation with you as you continue the sketch.

“When did you start doing sketches?” She asks as you do the outline of her body.

“For as long as I remember. I was a shy kid and it was hard for me to make friends so I drew instead.” You tell her as you move to the side of the couch to sketch her full body. You get to the part where you’re sketching her chest and you can’t help but blush as you look at her chest.

“Why are you blushing?” She asks you.

“No reason, just um, not used to having someone look at me as I sketch them. Only my family ever did.” You tell her and she smiles at you.

“Well you’re beautiful when you blush.” She tells you and you immediately snap your head up at her and she winks at you. You blush even more but you go back to the sketch and try to calm your blush down. After half an hour, you finish the sketch and turn it around to show her.

“What do you think?” You ask her as she looks at it.

“It’s perfect.” She says and then you carefully ripe the page out and hand it to her. She reaches out and takes it and your hands brush together briefly and your breath hitches slightly as you feel her soft skin. She examines it more closely with a smile before she gets up. You put your stuff away as she hangs the drawing up on her fridge. You get up and follow her to the kitchen just as she’s putting food from a container on two plates. “I hope you like lasagna cause that’s the leftovers that I have.” She says and you smile at her.

“I’m positive I’ll love it. I’ve heard nothing but great things about your cooking.” You tell her and she smiles as she puts one of the plates in the microwave. “I really like your house, it’s very homey.” You tell her as you look around her kitchen.

“Thank you.” She says and puts the second plate in the microwave after taking the first one out.

“You’re the first person I’ve seen to have plastic on the couch though.” You tell her and she giggles a bit.

“My family is Italian and love wine. So when they come over I don’t want them to spill on the couch.” She says and you nod in understanding. “Come and eat.” She says as she takes the two plates over to her dining table. You take the first bite and the flavours explode in your mouth and you let out a small moan.

“Omg Melissa this is incredible.” You tell her with a smile.

“Thanks hon.” She says and then you both continue on with normal chatter until you leave. “I’ll see you on Monday, and don’t forget the sketchbook.” She says as you’re at her door, ready to leave.

“Don’t worry, I won’t forget, see you on Monday Melissa.” You tell her and then you leave. Once you get home you take a deep breath and sit on the couch. You didn’t really flirt with her but you got to spend a lot of time with her alone and without interruptions. You smile at that thought and then go to find your filled sketchbooks and grab the one that you’re looking for to show her on Monday.

When Monday rolls around, you grab all your things and make your way to school. You walk into the break room and make a coffee. Melissa looks at you as you make a coffee and then invites you to sit next to her when you’re done.

“As promised, the sketchbook I used when I first got here.” You tell her and she smiles as you hand it to her. She gets you to scoot closer to her and you do it immediately and then she looks at the sketches you did. You have drawings in there of Abbott mostly, of the break room, some classrooms, the gym, the playground. Then she sees some of the teachers making their way into the drawings. She sees herself in a few of them, especially in the break room ones. You decide to put your flirting into action as she’s distracted and move your leg slightly so that your thigh is touching hers. You keep it there and she doesn’t say anything, she just asks you about some of your drawings and you happily explain them to her.

She then flips the page and she sees a drawing of a few kids in costumes and realises that she’s at Halloween. She looks at a few drawings and then gets one of just her in the break room, on her phone with a lollipop in her mouth. She looks at it with a smile and flips the page. She sees that it’s another sketch of her in her costume. It was after haunting baby Thanos and you were all sitting in the gym as the kids tired themselves out. You were all there but she sees that you only drew her. She flips the page and sees a picture of Draemond, the owner of charter schools, there with devil horns and she giggles.

She flips a few more pages and sees herself and Barb at their table in their Christmas clothing. She flips to the next page and it’s her with the read-a-thon medal and a huge smile on her face. She then gets to the end of the sketchbook and she hands it back to you. “Your sketches are amazing, hon.” She tells you and you take the sketchbook back with a blush. Melissa then goes to tuck a strand of hair behind your ear and you look at her. “There, it was getting in the way.” She says with a smile then goes to her phone. You go on your phone to check the list again as you don’t have a lot of reasons to touch her. Then it hits you, you never moved your thigh away from hers and she didn’t either. You glance down and sure enough your thighs are still touching and Melissa doesn’t seem to mind. You now look at the list to try and flirt some more with her.

Fourth on the list: Get her to talk about herself.

Ok this one seems easy, you can do this. “So Melissa.” You start and she looks at you with a smile. “What are you doing today with your students? Any activities or something fun?” You ask her and she thinks about it for a second before her eyes widen and she starts collecting her things.

“You just reminded me that I gotta get the classroom ready for a science project.” She says quickly and quickly walks out of the room. You sigh with a pout and Barb looks at you with a gentle smile.

“Don’t worry dear, one day she’ll notice your advances.” She tells you and your eyes widen as you look at her.

“Wha?” You ask her and she shakes her head with a smile.

“I know you like her, it’s no mystery.” She tells you and you put your head in your hands.

You pull your phone out for something to do and it’s still on the list and you’re about to close it when you read the next thing.

Fifth on the list: Go out of your way to be nice.

You have a perfect opportunity, you can help her set up her classroom. You say goodbye to Barb and then you head to Melissa’s classroom. Once you get there you see her frantically setting things up and you knock on the door. She looks up at you and she smiles at you before continuing setting up.

“Hey hon, I’m sorry that I left so quickly.” She tells you and you walk in.

“That’s alright, I just came over to see if I could help you.” You tell her and she looks at you.

“Really?” She asks and you nod. “That would be great, hon.” She tells you and you walk over to grab some of the paper out of her hand. You think you have the perfect opportunity to double flirt, help her and get her to talk about herself.

“So what experiment are they doing today?” You ask her and she smiles.

“Volcanos. We’ve been learning about them so today we’re doing the baking soda and vinegar volcano.” She tells you excitedly.

“You seem more excited than the kids.” You joke with her and she giggles.

“It’s the most fun experiment of the year.” She says.

You shake your head at her before an idea pops in your head. “Hey, I got an idea but you can always say no.” You tell her and she looks at you and tilts her head. “Well you know how I have your class second period today?” You start and she nods her head. “How about we combine them. We can even decorate the volcanoes. I get bring over some art supplies and make a whole 2 hour experiment!” You tell her and you calm down when you finish the idea.

“That’s actually an amazing idea and I’d love to do that.” She says and you quirk your eyebrows.

“But…” You say and she shakes her head at you with a smile.

“No but, it sounds amazing and we should do it.” She tells you and you jump up and down.

“Omg! Ok, I’ll go grab some supplies and l’ll be right back!” You say excitedly and run out.

You return 5 minutes later, a few minutes before the bell rings with some painting supplies. You both continue setting up, including the art supplies and finish right as the bell rings. Melissa goes to greet her students as you stand at the front of the classroom and the students look around at the materials.

“Ms. Y/L/N, what are you doing here?” One of her students ask you.

“Me and Ms. Schemmenti will explain everything when everyone is settled in.” You tell them and they nod their head and take a seat.

“Alright my little eagles!” Melissa says and you shake your head at that, of course she includes the eagles in her teaching. “Today is volcano experiment day!” She says and the students begin to cheer. “And Ms. Y/L/N here is helping us with it. We’re combining our classes so we’ll have 2 hours to build and decorate our volcanoes.” She explains and all the students begin side chatter with someone beside them.

“And we can do a competition! The group with the best looking and best working volcano will have bragging rights for the day.” You tell them and they all cheer again. One of the students raise their hand and looks at you. “Yes Makayla?” You ask her.

“Does the best looking means that they have to look like a volcano?” She asks and you think about it.

“Hm, good question. I’m gonna say no. Just go crazy and make it look however you want it to look. And if you need any specific art supplies then let me know and I’ll go get it for you.” You tell everyone and they all have a big smile. “Anything to add Ms. Schemmenti?” You ask her as you look at her.

“Nope, I think it’s time we split into groups.” She tells them. You split the class into groups and they all get started on their volcanoes. “You know there’s extra supplies if you want to make a volcano together?” She asks you as you smile and then you both start constructing one. You both work on it and also help the students with theirs if they ask.

“So how should we decorate it?” You ask as you add some paper to the volcano but it didn’t stick.

“Here you didn’t add enough glue.” She says and stands behind you. She takes the piece of paper and dips it into the glue and then passes it to you and both stick the piece onto the volcano successfully. “I think it should be a black volcano with pink lava.” She says with a big smile and you shake your head and smile as well.

“I think we can make that happen.” You tell her and she beams. Once the paper dries then you set up the paint and you take turns painting parts of it. When Melissa finishes painting it completely black then you get the pink paint and a smaller paint brush. You begin painting lines on the volcano while she paints the top of it. Melissa gets the lava ready with extra baking soda as you’re using paint instead of food colouring which is heavier. Once everyone is done then you all test the volcanoes. The last one to test was yours and Melissa’s and it worked and started pouring out pink lava to which the whole class was in awe.

After they all get tested then you and Melissa quickly discuss who wins and then announce the best group. They all clap for the winning team and then you get everyone to help clean up.

“Thank you for today.” Melissa says as you both clean up your area. “This was a really fun idea.”

“It’s not a problem Melissa, and I had a lot of fun today as well.”

“We should combine our classes together more often.” She says and you smile at her.

“I would love that.” You tell her and then continue cleaning up before you had to leave for your third period class. You’re lucky you had a spare at the beginning of the day so you could do this project with her and her class.

At lunch you bump into her on the way to the break room and she starts laughing at how you look. “Did you get paint shot at you?” She asks through giggles.

“Something like that. The kids and I were having fun with the paint and they decided to attack me with paint. This is why I only use washable paint.” You say.

“Come here.” She tells you and she brings you to the sink in the break room. She gets paper towels and begins cleaning the paint off of your face. The rest of the crew walks in while Melissa is wiping the paint off your face and they all start laughing at your state.

“Dear, what on earth happened to you?” Barb asks as she tries not to laugh.

“Third graders wanted to have fun today with paint.” You tell everyone.

“And it seems you were their main target.” Melissa says and she starts giggling again while wiping near your mouth. She then starts wiping your mouth and you both freeze for a second and Melissa looks up into your eyes before looking back at your mouth and then goes back to wiping your mouth. “If it’s any consolation, you look like an art teacher.” She jokes with you and you both start laughing at the joke. Melissa finally gets all the paint off your face and neck and then you both start to have lunch.

“Thanks for getting all the paint off my face.” You tell her and she smiles at you.

“Not a problem, hon.” She says and then goes and explains to Barb the volcano project.

“Wow, it seems you two had a fun morning.” Barb tells you both and you both nod and Meliss turns to look at you.

“We did ya. I was already looking forward to the volcano project but you made it even better.” She tells you and you blush.

Once lunch ends then all the teachers go and collect their class, you on the other hand have a spare right now so you walk to your classroom and start to get it ready for Janine’s class that are coming next period. While getting it ready you begin to think of your plan of flirting with Melissa, it seems to be going well except that you’re barely doing anything. And then it hits you, Melissa is doing the flirting and you’ve been flirting back with her. She’s the one making eye contact with you, complimenting you, lightly touching you, getting you to talk about yourself and even helping you out. You facepalm as you didn’t even notice before, how oblivious are you?

At the end of the day, you’re sitting on the couch in the break room, finishing up a sketch. Teachers walk in and out quickly to get their lunch and then go home. Melissa walks in with Barb but then notices you on the couch, she says goodbye to Barb and then walks over to you and looks at your drawing. It’s another sketch of her, only it’s her painting the volcano.

“That sure was fun today.” She says from behind you and scares the shit out of you.

“OMG! MELISSA! Why do you keep scaring me like that?” You ask her and she starts laughing.

“Sorry hon, but it is funny.” She says as you pout. “Btw, that’s another sketch of me, I seem to be your favourite subject to sketch.” She tells you and you blush.

“Really? I didn’t even notice but I guess so.” You tell her, trying to cover up the fact that the sketchbook is full of sketches of her. You both start walking out when your book slips out of your hands and falls in front of her. The curiosity gets the better of Melissa as she looks at the sketches after picking it up. She’s able to get away from your attempts at getting the book back as you don’t want her to think you’re some sort of freak or stalker.

“I guess I really am your favourite subject.” She says as she flips through all the sketches, you’ve already given up your attempts and just lets her look. She finishes looking at them after a few minutes and gives it back to you. “I wouldn’t mind keeping some of those.” She says and you clutch the book close to you.

“Of-of course, you can keep a-any sketch you want.” You stutter out and she smiles at you.

“Why didn’t you want to show me your sketchbook before?” She asks you and you sigh.

“Because if you found out I have a sketchbook of just sketches of you then you might think I’m a freak or something.” You admit to her.

“Hon I don’t think you’re a freak for it. Many artists have something or someone that they love to sketch. I have a few artists in my family and they all tell me that.” She says and you look at her. You then remember your discovery a couple hours ago and you surge forward and kiss her. You could feel her being stunned at first and as you go to pull away she starts kissing you back. You both pull apart when air is needed and then you look at each other as you catch your breath. “Thank god, I was wondering if you liked me back for a month now. Which is why I started flirting with you.” She tells you and your jaw drops.

“You’ve been flirting with me for a month?” You ask her, completely stunned and she nods.

“How long do you think I’ve been flirting with you for?” She asks.

“For like a week. I mean that’s when I started flirting with you.” You tell her.

“You’ve been flirting with me?” She asks and looks taken aback.

“Ya, I guess unsuccessfully if your reaction is anything to go by.” You tell her and you both start giggling.

“You suck at flirting hon.” She tells you with a smile.

“I know, I literally googled how to flirt with women as a woman cause I have no idea how to flirt.” You admit and she laughs at that.

“You’re adorable but you're right, you have no idea how to flirt.” She tells you and you pout. She then kisses you again and this time you melt into the kiss, unaware of the trio and Barb watching you both from down the hall, all of them with a smile on their face.

Taglist: @esposadejoyhuerta

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@sexysapphicshopowner

@dvrkhcld

@lilfartbox1

@ricejucie

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Let me know if you want to be added!

[yourstru1y4ever]

Day 1 - Reading to Each Other

Pairing: Matt Murdock x Reader Word Count: 827 Content: Fluff!! Long distance relationship (but like not really), no use of y/n, gender neutral reader Tuna-Tober 2024 Masterlist <- check out the other fics posted this month!

A/N: And so we begin. . . five days late but it's alright! I cheated the prompt a lil bit; it's for a good cause, trust me. Be sure to like and reblog if you enjoy and let me know if you want to be a part of a taglist!

“One whole week?!” Foggy cries out, “How will you ever survive without them?”

Matt shakes his head and goes back to feeling the braille for the newest case they’re working on. “I’ll be fine.”

“Right.” Foggy stretches the word out and looks over to you. You’re standing by the entrance of Nelson, Murdock and Page arms crossed and giving the both of them a knowing look. 

“It’ll go by faster than you think,” 

Foggy laughs and walks over to the kitchen. “Are you reassuring me or Foggy?” Matt asks.

“Yes.”

“Ha!”

You glance behind you and stick your tongue out at Foggy, he reciprocates.

“But really, it will be okay Matt,” You walk over to him and hug his shoulders. He smiles up towards you and sighs. “I do have a surprise, but you gotta promise me you won’t listen to it unless you miss me.”

Matt raises an eyebrow, “Oh? And what would it be?”

You roll your eyes at him, “It wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you, now would it?”

You reach into your pocket and pull out a beat-up mp3 player. You flip it around in your hand, trying to calm your nerves before holding it out in front of Matt. 

His smile increases as you gently take his hand and put the mp3 player in it. He wants to laugh at how nervous you are, your heartbeat absolutely pounding out of control, it’s so cute.

“Don’t laugh!” You bring a hand up to cover your embarrassment. Maybe a small chuckle did escape, it’s worth it to feel your blood rushing towards your face. You shake your head, trying to clear your head. You glance at the clock on the wall and your breathing increases.

“Oh god, I’m going to be late for the Amtrak.” You mumble. You give Matt a quick peck on his lips before rushing out the front door. 

“I’ll call you once I get to the hotel, or if I get bored on the train.” You wave goodbye and before Matt could say goodbye back you’re gone.

The rest of the day passes by so slowly for Matt that by the time he gets back into his apartment he just wants to hold you in his arms. . .but you’re not home.

He tries his best to shake off the lonely feeling slowly creeping into his chest. It’s been months since you and Matt have been apart for more than a day and he already feels like he’s losing it. 

Matt takes a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. You were simply going away for work and would be home soon. His phone buzzes and he reaches into his pocket. Opening it up he hears the automated voice tell him, “One new message: Arrived at the hotel and already missing you. Be careful tonight, I love you; heart emoji, devil emoji.”

He smirks and sends an audio message back. “I miss you too Sweetheart. I’ll be sure to give you a call in the morning before I head to court. I love you.”

“Message sent.” The automated voice informs.

Surprisingly while the Devil patrols there isn’t a whole lot of activity that he needs to deal with. A few carjackings here and there as well as a couple of muggers, but thankfully nothing big. Once he gets back to his apartment, Matt starts removing his suit and tries to meditate, but his mind is clouded with thoughts of you though.

Words cannot describe how much he misses your gentle hands grounding him and helping him release the stress from patrolling. He misses the way you would read out whatever story you’re reading that night while he rests his head on your chest, helping him drift off to sleep.

Wait. . . what was on that mp3 player?

He walks over to his bedroom and reaches for his jacket laying on the ground. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out the mp3 you gave him earlier in the day. He finds a pair of spare earbuds and sits on the edge of the bed.

Unsure of what he’s going to hear he tentatively presses play and waits.

“Hello Matty! I know I’m going to be gone for a while so I thought to make a couple recordings of what I’m currently reading. If you want I made a recording for 6 chapters that way you can listen to one each night that I’m gone.”

He smiles. He can feel a warm feeling grow in his chest; a reassurance that you will be there to help him no matter what. Your voice rings out starting to read aloud the chapter you were currently reading for your book and as you read aloud you sometimes pause and give your opinions on what’s happening to Matt before getting back into character and reading the story again.

He finished all 6 recordings that night, which you scolded him for once you got back home.

[johnbrand]

Smoking Pays

With @aismoker

What? Can’t you see I’m in a rush?

Oh so you heard about the promotion. Yeah it was no surprise really, anyone could have predicted it.

Sure I have only been here for a year, but I came in with the qualities the boss was looking for. 

Honestly, I am a bit embarrassed for you. You’ve been around since what, when the company started? And after all that time you’re still some boring office drone, while I am quickly ascending the ranks.

What’s my secret? No, I didn't bribe the boss to get this position. And before you say it, I didn’t blackmail him either. I just did my research beforehand, I figured out what would help me and the boss click on a more personal level.

Smoking obviously. Speaking of which, you’ve held me up long enough that I have to light up another one. Yeah, this is my third this morning , and I’ll probably chain my way through a pack tonight. I'll likely have some coughing ahead but there’s no better way to subdue the hacking with many more reds. 

How long have I been smoking? Hmm...I guess a little over a year. When I applied for this company I picked it up, thinking it would give my resume that extra push. And boy was I right! When the boss first met me and noticed my carefully placed pack of Marlboros, he ushered me directly to HR for an immediate hire. Said I was “the type of man the office needs.” And now look at me, making six figures and not even 30!

I don’t know what smear campaign you are referring to, but I have not made any sacrifices since I picked up smoking. In fact, I would say I have only benefited from it. The smoking areas in the office are full of real men, dedicated to becoming the best version of themselves. I’m talking mentally and physically, sculpting their minds into commanding personas and their bodies into perfect shape. It was inspiring, and once you get used to all the smoke, the cravings ignite you even further.

I mean look at me. I���m in the best shape I have been in in my life. Super athletic and toned, eventually the muscle will start piling on. My voice is already lower and grittier than it was a year ago, demanding an actual presence. And sure, my hair is thinning but bald men are the true alphas! Once I’ve gone full cueball like the boss, that’s when I’ll start growing out my beard.

And as I continue this transformation, allowing smoking to shape and define me, the higher-ups will notice. The boss will notice. They may not directly see it, but subconsciously it will register. Who better to take his place than him, or at least, a copy of him? In this day and age, smoking is associated with masculinity and success.

You think I’m joking? Look at the people passing us right now. They aren’t looking at two businessmen having a conversation on the sidewalk. No, they are checking out the successful, suited stud with the Marlboro at his lips. Their eyes are gleaming with awe and wonder at the man radiating achievement and supremacy. And their minds simply disregard you, erase your existence through nicotine-fueled admiration and lust.

Look, I really gotta go. I cannot be late to my first meeting as a project lead. I’m working on that new defamation push against vaping. Our main tagline is that vaping shrinks penises. Is it even true? Well I can’t say that, but I can tell you something: smoking certainly does the opposite. Heheh…that was an improvement I had not expected to happen. So technically, it's not false as long as we compare the two.

Alright, seriously, I’ll talk to you later. Or probably not honestly, unless you decide to be a real man and do something with your life. Here, I’m about halfway through this Marlboro, so you can finish it off and I’ll light up a new one for the rest of my walk. Smoking pays, man, smoking pays.

[meyousing]

𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨, 𝐈'𝐥𝐥 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐘𝐨𝐮 [𝟏]

𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭: chrollo + prompt 27 “you know that I’ll find you. I always find you.” + reincarnation(& or soulmate) au

𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬: you meet and fall head over heels for chrollo after his act of kindness in what would have otherwise been an embarrassing moment for you. after a comfortable amount of time in a relationship together, chrollo decides that you are ready for the next step…whatever that may be.

𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬: this is PART 1 of a soulmate au where mates have a nen tattoo of the other's portrait on their hand. sfw, drugging + kidnapping, manipulation, gaslighting if you squint???

𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝟐 is here!

Hesitance was so obvious across your face as you stared into your lap; your hand rested atop it as your eyes bore into the slip of paper floating in your palm. The name and phone number written on it stared right back at you, almost mockingly. You hadn’t noticed your knee bouncing, your other hand rushing to pin it down and make it stop. There really wasn’t anything to be nervous about. He gave me his phone number for a reason you told yourself, trying to let that fact ward off your growing insecurity. 

It was a Monday morning and you had finished a night shift at the café you worked for, the night having been average overall. Despite that, you were more than looking forward to getting home in the early morning and unwinding before taking a nice, long sleep, and letting your woes of the day melt away.

“You lucky biatch” a coworker grumbled from behind your back, making you turn your head as you finished signing out for the day. You let out a laugh, feeling guilty when you caught sight of the bags under her eyes and the half-empty iced coffee in her hand. 

“Good sleep?” you mused, knowing all too well how this coworker in particular always liked to spend her Sunday nights out late, partying. It became a weekly occurrence to have these interactions, you had started growing fond of them. You clock out, your coworker whines, then you remind her that she said she would rather “eat a peanut and throw her epipen on the freeway” than ever work a night shift. As you brought this up to her once again this time, she let her head droop and released a long, dramatic groan.

“Feels like I already did” she grumbled, trudging past you in defeat to sign in for the day. You patted her back sympathetically before wishing her well and heading off. Usually, you would just go straight home and start your wellness routine, though for some reason, you wanted to bring a beverage home with you. Any time you craved a tea or simple coffee you would just make one at home to save an extra few bucks. Today though, you wanted to treat yourself. 

You ignored the skeptical glimpses of the morning workers as you slid back to the counter and quickly made some tea in a to-go cup, slipping back out silently and making your way to the doors.

Sweet freedom was only a few steps away, your other hand reached for the knob of the door when– suddenly it was hot. Not the door handle or your hand, but your torso. You cast your eyes down as the feeling set in, barely registering that your once hot cup of tea was now splattered all over your uniform, seeping through it and soaking into your skin. You heard a distant voice that sounded like it was apologizing, though your mind only screamed panic as the sensation hit you fully. 

Then it was over in an instant; the door opened and the cool winter air blew in, chilling your shirt–the sopping material now weighing you down. As the culprit stood at your side, frantically shoving napkins in your hands and still profusely saying I’m so sorry! your attention had been caught by someone else. 

A man who could only be described as beautiful stood in front of you, his expression passive aside from his dusky eyes that started to widen upon seeing the display in front of him. You were captivated and a bit flustered, he certainly differed from the usual townsfolk who stopped by the café. He was a lot younger–likely the same age as you–and his style was polished, even with the peculiar cloth wrapped around his forehead. Yet somehow it complemented his look as a whole, you found yourself staring. It took you a while to realize this, maybe due to so much happening in such a short amount of time. It wasn’t until he began to remove his jacket and step towards you that you came to. 

You recalled then that your uniform shirt was white, and given the fact that it was now completely soaked through–you had a feeling that you were a bit more exposed than you would have liked. Your cheeks flushed hotter than the tea had been, a lump forming in your throat as the aforementioned beautiful man stood at your side and placed his jacket on your shoulders, helping your arms through the sleeves. You let him pull and place your limbs, too embarrassed to move them yourself and instead took these few seconds to breathe and ground yourself again. 

He swiveled to stand in front of you, pulling the collar forward so he could seal the four buttons and cover you up. He met your eyes and smiled, the expression so soft and genuine that it made your heart skip a beat. Neither of you had spoken yet, instead just basking in each other for a moment. Something about this sudden meeting felt odd, different from any other. Was this what happened when people described…love at first sight? As you felt yourself gaining the confidence to speak up, to stop the damn staring and say something… he turned around and walked away. You blinked, frozen on the spot for a moment. 

“Wait!” you yelled, ignoring the bothered eyes of other patrons from your outburst. The man stopped in his place and looked at you, his face curious. Curious, as if he didn’t know that what he had just done was one of the kindest gestures anyone could do in this instance, and was now leaving you…with his coat…his coat that felt expensive, you noted, now that it caressed your skin. You were reluctant as he watched you though, nerves present from his intense gaze.

“What about your coat?” you queried in a small voice, unsure of what else to say. Maybe you should have introduced yourself instead…or asked for his name. 

He paused, expression unchanging before it morphed into something more amused.

“I’m sure you’ll find me again soon enough. I’ll be looking forward to it.”

If you didn’t know any better, you’d have thought that he left his number in the pocket of his coat for you on purpose, fatefully. Like he knew that he would find you today, and would have to leave but wanted to maintain contact, thus leaving the paper for you to find. But that only ever happened that way in movies, this was just a strange but wonderful coincidence. Perhaps he had made this to act as a makeshift business card for whatever well-paying business he must have run–something that could support so easily giving up a pricey coat such as his.

You inhaled sharply before finally acting, taking your phone and opening the keypad to type in his number. You were on autopilot as you hit the dial, listening to the first ring tensely. As it continued ringing you started to zone out, caught in your own head, anxious thoughts plaguing you as you wondered if this was a good idea after all, but you couldn’t just keep his coat! It wasn’t until you heard a distant “Hello?” that you noticed the phone was still in your lap, and not on speaker phone. You rushed to raise it to your ear. 

“Hello! Um…this is Y/N from the café, earlier today…is this Chrollo?” you recalled the name written on the paper, hoping that you had pronounced it correctly. 

A beat of silence…then an airy chuckle. 

“Yes, it is. I’m happy we could reconnect so soon” he replied. You were sure you could hear the smile in his voice. The thought made your heart skip a beat.

From that point forward, you would call Chrollo every day. Sometimes he would call you. You’d spend your days talking, getting to know each other as best as you could through a phone. He learned your job schedule, knowing to call you in the early morning so you two could talk for as long as you pleased without work being in your way. 

Sometimes if you had a particularly exhausting shift and he could hear the yawns that you tried to stifle, he would offer to stay on the line and read for you until you fell asleep. These days were your favourite; it felt like he really was there at your side, his soft voice being your own personal lullaby. You wished this could be your reality, to come home to Chrollo making you breakfast or resting in your bed with a book in one hand, a mug in the other, with yours at the bedside table that he kept warm with a sleeve. 

The times where you’d elude to these wishes, and ask him about his work, he would explain that right now he was travelling a lot, and that it would be quite a while before you and him could have another in-person encounter. This disappointed you, but you were willing to wait for him. Aside from your job, you didn’t have much else to do outside of work…you could wait a bit longer if it meant having a companion.

But then it happened. A day came that initially felt like any other. You pulled your keys from your coat (Chrollo’s coat. It was a bit too big for you, but you liked wearing it, it was the closest you could get to actually being with him) to unlock the door to your apartment. Though when you grabbed onto the handle, it cracked the door open. Your feet felt heavy, you couldn’t move yet. Surely you locked the door before you left for work last night…

Before you could start a torturous mental cycle of didn't I lock the door? Was anything stolen? Is there an intruder in there right now? The door was opened from the inside, making your palms clam up, fingers starting to tremble.

There stood Chrollo, smiling sweetly at you. 

“You shouldn’t keep your door unlocked” was all he said, but his chastising words went in one of your ears and out the other while you simply stared, your jaw dropping. Chrollo was really here?! 

Your body acted before your mind could, arms flying out to wrap around his shoulders and throw yourself against him in what was a bodycheck of a hug. You’d have been embarrassed at the desperation this displayed, had you not been so happy to see him. Feeling him now, how his arms returned the embrace by wrapping around your waist, letting you know he was really here. That made any suspicions you had about your apartment dissipate, all you cared about now was how, what you expected to be a long wait of seeing the man you started to fall for, was no longer a wait at all. You felt tears of joy form in your eyes as his gentle laugh vibrated against you.

“I’m happy to see you too. Come inside, I made us some tea.” 

That was one of the most memorable days of your life. You shared a morning tea, then he held you in his arms as you two slept for the day. When you woke up in the evening, he had prepared a candle-lit dinner and informed you that there was a rose-petaled bubble bath waiting for you when you were done with dessert. You had not expected him to join you in that bath, but what followed left you feeling soft and satisfied for the rest of the weekend, so you were more than happy with it.

He must have planned his arrival after you told him that you had the upcoming weekend off, the sly guy that he was. You were elated, he had been spending every day with you since and told you that you’d no longer have to worry about bills or rent as long as you had him with you. The generosity he continued to show you was unreal, hard to accept as reality–what kind of average person just comes into your life one day and suddenly becomes your provider, and enjoys doing it? You’d grown to accept this as a dog-eat-dog world, but Chrollo changed that for you. 

After one particular night where your shift at the cafe was shorter, but more tiring, you arrived home to Chrollo rearranging the contents of the bookshelf that he bought for you. You smiled and returned his greeting before dropping your work purse beside your shoes, promptly flopping down onto the couch in exhaustion. You enjoyed the quiet, the only sound in the room being your soft breathing and the shuffling of Chrollo. The peace was disrupted for a moment, Chrollo unceremoniously shoved a book into the case a bit too harshly, making a loud thud that had you jolting in your spot, your weary eyes peering open. You thought nothing of it, though you figured he must have wanted your attention when he turned to look at you and began walking in your direction. You watched as he sat down next to you, gesturing to the tea tray on the coffee table that you hadn’t noticed when you walked in. 

You thanked him with a smile, taking one of the mugs and leaning back as you took a slow sip. His eyes seemed to be lingering today, observing how you swallowed the first sip and took another, for what felt like longer than usual. He was back to normal in mere milliseconds, blinking once and sighing quietly. He didn’t have his usual soft grin of a resting face, which seemed off, so you let him prompt the conversation that was bound to come. Have you done something wrong?

“Y/N, can you see this?” he asked, raising his left hand with his knuckles facing you. You glanced at it, confusion starting to show itself on your face, your brows began knitting and lifting the longer you wondered what he meant by that. 

“Your hand?” you questioned, head tilting slightly. Chrollo’s face fell for just a moment, making you swallow your next sip of tea a bit harshly. 

“I had a feeling you couldn’t. Fate works in mysterious ways…” he mused on as he glanced away, leaving you unsure of what exactly he was talking about. He turned back to you, and you noticed that his face was a bit blurrier now. No, not just his face…everything. Your vision was grainy, your ears started to ring. Your hands trembled as you tried placing down your teacup while these feelings intensified, but you ended up dropping it on the floor in exchange for stability as you roughly gripped the arm of the couch. You tried to look at Chrollo for refuge, unsure of what exactly was going on. Though blurry, his face looked pleased, not even acknowledging the spilled beverage on the floor, in contrast to how it concerned you. He didn’t move to help you, or ask what was wrong. He looked too pleased, like he knew this would happen…

Did he… drug you?

Your vision began fading to black, the ringing in your ears so loud it nearly deafened you. You could make out one last string of words that came from Chrollo before fainting fully:

“You can always learn. We have all the time in the world.”

It felt like you’d been hit with a hammer. Your head was throbbing something fierce, and you were dizzy even when your eyes stayed shut. You forced yourself to open them, unsure of what happened last as you tried to remember. You were seated upright, head feeling extremely heavy as you lifted it. Your eyes squinted as if to remedy the pain, and you could tell that you were currently in an airship. You were aware of how pricey these rides could be, you had only ever been in one a single time before for a holiday party with your coworkers a few years back. What are you doing here now?

It wasn’t until you heard footsteps and saw Chrollo entering your section from behind a door that every memory of what happened prior rushed back to you, a stabbing sensation overwhelming your temples. You grimaced, and Chrollo was at your side in an instant, his soothing hand beginning to caress your hair, his other handing you a cup of water that began to condensate. You took it from him silently, ready to sip it, when the droplets wetting your hands kept you aware, grounded. You remembered what got you to this point: a beverage made by him. 

Chrollo noticed your hesitation and chuckled, his fingers weaving into your roots to press against your scalp comfortingly. 

“It’s just water this time, dear” he pacified, daringly resting his chin on top of your head as the motion pulled you closer into him. You were too fatigued to argue, your hand felt weak as you lifted the full glass to your lips, letting the water cool your insides as you took half of the entire quantity in a few sips. As he continued rubbing your head, you struggled to find any words that could express your anger at what he had done to you. Why had he done this?!

“Why?” you asked with as much firmness as you could muster. Given the state you were in, it came out quiet, making your shoulders tense in embarrassment. You didn’t need to elaborate further though, Chrollo hugged you closer as he answered.

“I could tell you, but you won’t be able to understand the full extent of it until I find the right time to actually show you.” 

“Show me what?” you questioned desperately, finishing off your water and dropping the cup on the table before placing your wet hand on your cheek, trying to cool it off as your growing temper from the vagueness of his words made your body feel worse. His hands continued to lull you, upsetting you even further since you were much too weak to put up a fight. He sighed inaudibly, you felt it instead–what with being smothered by him right now and all. He finally let go of you in favour of seating himself beside you. You couldn’t fully get away from him, of course.

“You’ve never heard of nen, have you?”

You were familiar with it. A few of your coworkers had mentioned stories of their prodigy siblings or grandparents who were hunters, using this power called nen in their adventures.

“Yes I have” you murmured. You kept your eyes down, refusing to meet his out of spite. You could see in your periphery that he lit up very slightly, his lips upturning in what was surely the most charming of smiles as he grabbed your left hand with his own. He hooked his ring finger around yours, effectively grabbing your attention. You learned that Chrollo was a very poetic man, so a movement like that surely had a deeper meaning with him. 

“You do not wield it, I know that now. And I don’t want to force you to learn it, either. Do you want to learn?” 

“No.” you replied immediately. There was a reason that you were working at a cafe, and the overnight shifts, no less. You were very comfortable with your life right now; a stable job, a decent one-person apartment, and what you thought was a solid relationship. 

“That’s fine, then” he replied just as quickly. “It just means that what I’m about to say will sound mad.” 

You lifted a curious brow.

“You’re my soulmate, as I am yours.”

Yeah, he’s not all there. You scoffed, irritated at such a ridiculous claim. You did believe in soulmates before this in a different way. You thought that a soulmate was just the person you clicked with. That thought process always had you theorizing that Chrollo was yours, but what he just pulled had thrown all of that out of the window. 

“A soulmate wouldn’t force a meeting through drugging and kidnapping. Where are we going, anyways?!” you were becoming more and more lucid as this conversation went on, perhaps due to how incredulous Chrollo’s words continued to be. You looked around more, noticing a window a bit further in front of you. All you could see was the sky, though you could definitely look down to the ground and get a decent idea of where you were now, if you scooted a bit closer–

“I told you that would make me sound mad. But I assure you, I’m sharing nothing but the truth.” He grabbed your hand as you started scooching away, keeping you in your place. You looked back at him in irritation, scowling as you tried pulling away once more, but his grip was unrelenting. You huffed in defeat and sat back once more, crossing your legs away from him as if to subconsciously distance yourself as much as possible. He used his right hand to hold yours and lifted his left again, reminding you of how he did the same thing…hours ago? Days ago? How long ago had he drugged you, exactly?

“You can’t see it, since you can’t use nen, but your face is on my hand here. Soulmates have nen tattoos of their partner’s portrait, you have one of me on your hand too.”

You instantly looked down at your appendage, obviously not seeing anything there, yet your mind was screaming get it off, get it off!!!

“The expression on the face is the one we are supposed to see the first time we meet. There isn’t any spilled tea in my portrait of you, but otherwise, mine was correct.” He laughed airily, as if he was sooo clever for saying that. Surely, if he had explained this to you normally in the comfort of your living room, and didn't kidnap you for absolutely no reason, you would have thought it was funny too. You probably would have laughed and even snorted, something only he could ever make you do. 

You remained silent for a moment, still trying to figure out why exactly everything happened the way that it did. You thought about your next words carefully, not wanting to have an outburst since Chrollo could be very civil with you in the past, and you wanted to respect that now. After all, this situation only showed you what he was really capable of. Who knew what could happen if you had an outburst after he had shown you some of his worst?

“Why did you go to all of this trouble just to tell me that?”

Chrollo looked to the side for a moment, it was his turn to be silent. Had you stumped him? Did he actually realize that this was completely unnecessary? Surely that was it, now he would tell the pilot to turn around and take you home, right?

“Now that I’ve found you, I don’t plan on losing you any time soon. My work for the troupe is much more important than serving patrons at an overstaffed cafe. This was the only realistic solution.”

Realistic?!

“I understand if it will take you some time to come to terms with that, but I digress. We’re currently heading to Meteor City, there’s some work I must take care of there for a few weeks. I would like my soulmate to accompany me, now that we’re finally together. You’ll have to get used to this new lifestyle, anyways. Now is a good time to start.”

Before you could respond to any of his daft statements, or ask him what troupe job he was talking about, a ding followed by a calm voice overhead informed you (and the other passengers? Your section was completely private, isolated. How were you supposed to know?) that you had met your destination, making Chrollo perk up. You were still trying to process what he had just said to you, so when he squeezed your hand–your left hand, the one apparently adorning his face–you were flooded with anxiety at the thought of being rushed up and exiting an airship to somewhere you have never been, a place with a reputation, alongside someone who had gained and crushed your trust in such a short amount of time, pretending that the trust was still there and that you were excited to be going with him. Maybe if there were enough people around…

“Y/N” Chrollo called, holding his hand out for you as he stood by the door. His voice tore you out of the overbearing thoughts that were creating a racket in your head, which you were relieved to be done with, though the expectant look on his face diminished that relief in an instant.

You stood on shaky legs, forcing yourself to move towards him, a bit scared of what would happen if you didn’t; what else he would do. You tried to walk out simply at his side, ignoring his outstretched hand, as you were becoming very sick of the constant physical contact. No matter, Chrollo just linked his arm with yours and led you out. Surely your blood had to have been boiling by now.   

As you exited your section, your blood went cold instead, as your entire body flushed with adrenaline, witnessing what had to have been hundreds of other passengers exiting the airship. You stopped in shock for a second, halting Chrollo as well. He turned to look at you, and you chose to ignore him and continue walking, hopefully playing your surprise off. You really hoped that hadn’t piqued his suspicions at all, but he said nothing, and allowed you to take a bit of a lead for the time being. Maybe you had convinced him that you were excited! Yes, you could work with that.

“I didn’t know so many people came here” you smiled, laying the sweetness on nice and thick with a sugary tone. You played off the scrunch of your nose with ease, pretending that it was from anticipation instead of the horrible stench in the air. “You should have said something sooner, is Meteor City more of a tourist spot than I thought?” Chrollo looked at you fondly.

“I wouldn’t say that, but it certainly has become more populated in recent years.” 

Your grin went impossibly wide then, you were just so happy that he was playing right into your façade. You didn’t want it to be too obvious though, so you looked away from him. The high spirit you presented made it seem like you were eagerly looking around at the absolute wasteland in amazement, when you were actually trying to see what the easiest path to run through the crowd would be. 

Unfortunately, your landing point had a lot of open space. The longer you waited, the quicker the crowd would dissipate into their own destinations; either leaving you and Chrollo alone with nowhere to hide, or indirectly allowing him to drag you away for good alongside the rest of them. 

Your window of opportunity was dwindling quickly, if you went now you could–

“Hey boss, you’re back!” you whipped your head, seeing a crowd of people staring at Chrollo. The source of the call was a blond man of average height, standing in the middle of the crowd and waving his arm in the air to grab your attention. To say that the people surrounding him were intimidating, was an extreme understatement. A few of them were unrealistically tall, displaying freshly toned muscles. Some just had a flare of intelligence, like they could read your mind right now and knew exactly what you were planning. 

You gulped audibly as all of them shifted their gaze to you at once, you having been so engrossed in analyzing each of their terrifying auras that the sudden attention made you jump. Was this that troupe he mentioned?

“That’s your soulmate, isn’t it?” a woman wearing large glasses inquired, her black bob bouncing as she angled her head at you. You looked up at Chrollo in horror, suddenly feeling very scared of this entourage that he was bringing you to, that seemed to already know who you are. If you melded into the group of them–if you allowed Chrollo to bring you the few steps that would essentially turn you over to them, you knew for certain that you would have no chance of escape.

You had to go, now. 

Sure, you were curious to hear how Chrollo planned to introduce you; wondering if they were as crazy as he was, to see their reactions when he retold the story of how he brought you here, but you knew those few seconds would be desperate time wasted. You also knew that Chrollo was strong enough to hold you down if he felt you preparing to move; you would need to catch him off guard.

So you bolted. And it worked. It was as if time had stopped just for you, freezing everything else in the world for a split second so you could lunge away from him and sprint as far as your body would take you. You hadn’t a clue where you were running, but you would rather find that out for yourself than have Chrollo be the one to dictate it for you. 

“There she goes,” Uvogin grumbled, crossing his arms, an inconvenienced expression stressing his face as everyone else turned their heads to watch you go. 

“Should I go after her?” Nobunaga craned his neck lazily back to Chrollo, his tone bored as he waited for the command of his boss before taking any action. 

“No, let her run.” Chrollo’s eyes remained on your ever-shrinking figure, allowing you to fade into the distance. “She knows how this will end. Best to let her get it out of her system before we get to that point.” 

© meyousing 2023. do not share/export my work on to any other platforms. do not translate my work. 

[deathmetalangel]

Could you please do a fourth grade from mid 90s x reader where fourth grade doesn’t have a place to stay so she lets him stay at her house and they confess their feelings to each other thank you

FUCK IT, I LOVE YOU

fourth grade x gn! reader

warnings: mentions of homelessness, swearing (it’s mid90s so), anxious fourth grade, insecure fourth grade, fluffy kinda?

“wish that you would hold me or just say that you were mine,”

Y/n was usually out late. They enjoyed the nightlife of the city compared to the festivities of the morning. Sure it was nice to get out when the sun was rising and the city was just waking up. But, to y/n, the real fun happened when everyone was already asleep.

Sure it could be scary. Sometimes it did get boring. All that empty darkness with few awake to spend the night with. It only appealed to them because of the serenity. The night didn’t have to be wild for them to enjoy it. Some of their best nights were spent simply gazing at the stars. Or having a deep meaningful conversation in the moonlight.

On one of their many walks, unaccompanied but not unarmed of course, they’re stopped when a familiar face interrupts their path. “Hey, Fourth Grade. I thought you hated being out this late?”

The lanky boy looks around awkwardly. Y/n had stumbled across him on his way to the skate park. Ray had mentioned he’d slept there before when he got overwhelmed and just had to take a break from everything. That wasn’t out of necessity, and in Fourth Grade’s case definitely not out of embarrassment to ask anyone for help. “Uh, you know. I wanted to see what you’re always missing the mornings for.”

A smile graces y/n’s features. Small, but amused as it didn’t quite reach their eyes. Fourth Grade tints a slight shade of red. Almost everything they did seemed to fluster him. When they look at him he can’t meet their gaze. “Fourth Grade are you lying to me?” His breath catches in his throat. Of course they’d figure him out so easily.

Y/n spent the most time around Fourth Grade and vise versa. In their friend group everyone had their obvious ‘best friend’. They didn’t like their other friends any less, but that’s just who they clicked with the best. It used to be Ray and Fuckshit, but Ray seemed to take on a more big brother role for Stevie. Fuckshit and Ruben hang out more as a result. And for as long as anyone can remember it’s always been y/n and Fourth Grade.

They often mirrored each other as well even when they hung out with the whole group. Stevie, the most observant since he was the youngest and easily the most eager, had picked up on it before even Ray did. When y/n would lean on something usually Fourth Grade would follow suit. When Fourth Grade would try to look at them without being caught, he’d usually get caught because they were doing the same thing. Leaving both of them red in the face and avoiding eye contact.

“I- it’s nothing. I’m fine y/n/n. Just wanted some breathing room.”

“I know you Fourth Grade. Come on. We can talk about it at my place. It’s getting late, even for me so I’ll make some tea.” Fourth Grade looks hesitant to respond to the offer. Y/n smiles before holding out their hand. “At least walk me home? I won’t make you talk if you don’t want to.”

Swallowing his anxieties he grabs their hand and follows them back home. The walk was quiet. You could hear the crunch of the pavement under their shoes and the high pitched chirps of the crickets in the distance. He didn’t mind. Fourth Grade was busy trying to plan what he was going to say. He didn’t want y/n to pity him. He hated that.

The guys knew better, but y/n had been there for him the most. It was hard for them not to feel bad for him. He only notices when the warmth leaves his hand as they go to unlock the front door. “Uh it might be a little messy. Don’t worry. My mom’s working late again and left in a huge rush so, uh. Yeah,”

Y/n leads him inside and locks up behind him. The house was nice, a bit messy, but it looked full of warmth. Their house wasn’t huge, but it was only y/n and their mom. They had money, just didn’t feel the necessity to buy a big house just for the two of them. “Come on we can chill in the kitchen until you get sick of me.” Like he’d ever.

Fourth Grade sits down at the kitchen table while she puts on a pot of water to boil. When they sit down in front of him he tenses. “Are you gonna tell me why you really were out at 2 am?”

His hands get clammy as he wipes them on his jeans. He really hated lying, that and he wasn’t very good at it, but lying to y/n just made him feel worse. Like the guilt weighed down on his conscious tenfold. “I was going to the skate park.”

“Fourth Grade, you don’t have your board.” Right, god he was making a fool of himself.

“Oh. I must have forgotten it at home. Damn.”

They raise a brow. Y/n questions him again, “I mean it, please don’t lie to me Fourth Grade. I can’t help you if you lie to me.”

God he felt like the earth would eat him up at any moment now. Actually telling them would be like admitting defeat. Or worse. Admitting weakness.

“I was gonna crash there.” His words hang in the air for a while. A pregnant pause fills the space between them. His eyes drop down to his hands that grab his knees desperately hoping to ground himself.

Y/n’s chair screeches against the wooden floor as they pull it back to stand up. Fourth Grade looks up to see what they’re doing. They’re leaving? He really doesn’t wanna ask, but he so desperately wants to know. Shit. They probably thought he was a poor loser. He was. He was a dumb, poor, awkward skater kid with no real future besides working a dead end job like his parents. He was stupid. So fucking stupid.

A blanket and pillow hit him in the head. “Crash on the couch in my room. Or you could take the bed I take the couch I don’t care. Ma won’t care either she loves you. Just don’t lie to me next time.” Y/n goes back to start pouring the boiled water into mugs.

Fourth Grade looks at the blanket and pillow flabbergasted. Was that it? Was that really all he was worried about? “I know that look. And yes, I’m not making a big deal about it because it isn’t a big deal. You should’ve just asked me from the start. Why would you feel ashamed. We’ve known each other so long literally nothing you do phases me anymore. And no, I’m not doing this because I feel bad. I offer to help because I care and want the best for you.”

Y/n places the cup of steeping tea in front of him before sitting down. “Why?” They drop the bag of tea into their cup and raise a brow. “Why do you care y/n/n? What’s in it for you? I’m such a bad friend. I lie to you, I can’t do the things you do for me, and-”

“I care because if you could, you would. Give yourself more credit. You’re smarter than you think you are so use that brain of yours to think of reasons why I stick around.” They say not really showing much worry.

He was though. “I don’t know. Fuck if I knew I’d do whatever it was you liked more often. Hang out with you? Cause I definitely can’t buy you things y/n.” This was very out of character for him. Y/n could see that this was a long time coming.

“Fucking hell you’re dumber than I thought if you think I care about that. If I wanted someone who just bought me shit instead of caring about me I’d hang out with Fuckshit, but I don’t because he only cares about himself and fucking anything with a pulse. I hang out with you because you’re nice and polite and thoughtful. Even when you don’t have a lot to say you listen. That’s more than half the guys I’ve hung around have done.”

Fourth Grade sighs. “Fuck y/n you don’t get it. I want to be able to do those things for you. You should be around friends that can. You should have friends that you don’t have to feel bad for and let stay at your house because their place is basically temporary.”

Y/n rolls their eyes while stirring the honey into their tea. Fourth Grade clenches his jaw before turning to get up. “Don’t you dare leave,”

“I’m not gonna burden you y/n. I’ll figure it out, thank you for the tea.”

“No.”

He stops. “No?”

“I said no. I’m not letting the guy I like sleep on the streets because he’s too stubborn to just accept my help.”

“Y/n-” He pauses. What did they say? “Wait what?” Y/n doesn’t say anything, but he can see their cheeks flush.

“I’m going to bed. Goodnight Fourth Grade,” Y/n tries to make their way to their room when he grabs their wrist. Y/n stops.

“I’m sorry.”

“You have nothing to apologize for.”

“You know what I mean.”

They both stay still. Not a word nor a whisper broke the ever so fragile silence. Y/n looks up through their lashes at Fourth Grade. He couldn’t look away from them either. They were just frozen. “I made it awkward. Didn’t I?”

“Can you just let me calm down for a sec?”

“Huh?”

Y/n tilts their head up at Fourth Grade who looked as bright as a tomato. “I love you. Shit. Y/n listen I-” Their arms slip over his shoulders and y/n leans up to shush him. When they kiss all he can think about is not acting like an idiot. His eyes shut and he wraps his arms around their waist. The height difference was apparent, making him lean down to not break the kiss.

When they do break apart for air he smiles, his face contorted into a goofy grin. “I’m sorry. I-”

Y/n shushes him again. Their finger placed against his lips. “You’re cuter when you aren’t overthinking everything. Please stop apologizing and we can finish our tea and have a nice sleep after this very eventful night. I for one have had enough to make me sleep a good 12 hours.”

Fourth Grade looks down clumsily before rubbing his neck. “Yeah. Okay.”

[triplexdoublex]

Let Go (chapter 4)

Pairing: Jaden x Landon

Tags/warnings: homophobia, oral sex in public, scent kink, choking on dick

Landon

First thing Jaden says when we wake up the next morning is, “How ‘bout this weekend?”

“How ‘bout what this weekend?” I ask confused, still half asleep.

“Our date, silly.”

“Oh, I-I wasn’t expecting you to wanna go so soon,” I laugh. Someone’s eager to get their dick sucked, I can read him like a book. “but yeah of course! Umm movies? I haven’t had time to plan anything more special?”

“Sounds good to me!”

Jaden

Despite how busy I am the rest of the week , it’s drags. It seems like it took forever to get to today.

“Wanna shower with me before we go?” I ask Landon, fully expecting him to jump at the chance.

“Way ahead of ya, took one this morning while you were being a sleepyhead,” he ruffles my hair and kisses me on the forehead, making me melt.

“Fine, guess I’ll just have to take one all by myself,” I tease.

“Ummm uhh… pretty sure I used all the hot water, soo you’ll have to take one later tonight. Let’s go before we’re late for the movie.” Landon awkwardly rambles.

“The movies not for another hour and a half and I’m sure there’s more hot water by now, and I don’t mind a cold shower. Besides I wanna make sure I’m fresh and clean for you for when—”

“I’d prefer you weren’t.”

“Wait, what!?” I ask utterly confused.

“I wanna be able to smell and taste you, not soap.” Landon admits.

“Okay… does this have anything to do with you smelling me the other night when we were making out.” I think I’m starting to put the pieces together.

“Maybe,” Landon blushes.

“You don’t have to be embarrassed, Landon. Just tell me.”

“Umm ok,” he swallows. “Remember when we had that heatwave and we stupidly decided to play basketball, because we were bored and tired of being in the pool all day?”

“Yeah…?”

“Well umm.. your deodorant wore off, from sweating so much, and when you went to block one of my shots I got a strong whiff of you, and it turned me on so much. That’s when I knew, that I needed you. I’m obsessed with the way you naturally smell—the sweatier the better. I can and have gotten off to just the smell of you alone. Sorry, I know that’s weird, I hope I didn’t freak you out.”

“Not at all! That’s kinda hott, so primal!” I admit. “Your wish is my command, shower-free date .” I tease playfully.

When we arrived at the Cinema, Landon buys our tickets and then we head to the snack counter.

“Pick out whatever you want, babe, my treat.” Landon says.

My heart flutters at the pet name, it’s the first time he’s ever used one with me and love it. It feels so official like I’m his and he’s mine, and I bask in the feeling.

“Landon, I can pay for myself, it’s fine, you already paid for the tickets.”

“I said, my treat.”

It’s not like it really matters who pays, we both have plenty of money, but I gotta admit I kinda like the roll he’s taken in our relationship. And damn, they way he said that so sternly was kinda hott. I opt for popcorn and a blue raspberry slushie. Landon gets popcorn and a soda.

Once inside the theater we take a seat in the far back. There’s not many people in here since the movie has been out for a while now, but I’m still nervous that someone we know, or someone who knows us will see us, and two dudes alone at the movies together is kinda sus. It’d be different if there was a group of us. For the most part I’ve come to terms with being bisexual. I’m happy, and how can I hate myself for being happy. The part that still hurts though is knowing that I’d be a disappointment to my family if they ever found out. But I push those negative thoughts away— I’ll unpack that in a therapy session— for now I just wanna feel safe in Landon’s company and enjoy our first date, and what’s to come after. I’m excited, I can’t wait to feel his pouty lips around me and put mine around him. Oh-oh fuck— The plan was to wait until we got back to his house after the movie but it seems my dick has other plans. Maybe I thought about it a little too hard or perhaps this is just my body’s Pavlov’s response to being side by side in the dark with him now. We couldn’t possibly get away with doing it here— could we? I mean I’ve definitely had my dick sucked by a girl at the movies before but I wasn’t worried about the ramifications of getting caught then. It wasn’t something that could possibly destroy my life, and career I’ve worked so hard for. Because let’s be honest no matter how comfortable I get with my sexuality, there’s always gonna be someone who hates me for it. But fuck, Landon’s got me willing to risk it all lately, so without another thought, I start nuzzling, kissing, and sucking on his neck.

“Damn, what’s gotten into you?” The vibration of Landon’s laugh buzzes against my lips.

“Fuck, I’m so horny, Landon,” I speak against his flesh as I mark up his skin and rub my erection through my jeans. Landon’s hand replaces mine but that’s not what I want this time, I want more. “Suck my cock, baby, please!” I beg, running my tongue along the shell of his ear. “Need to feel your mouth so bad.”

“Damn, settle down,” he laughs again, amused by my eagerness as he gets on his knees in the cramped space in front of me. “You’re the only one I’d kneel on this sticky floor for,” he teases, unzipping my jeans.

The second his warm mouth makes contact with my dick, I know I’ll be lucky if I last two minutes. You’d never know he’s never done this before. He works me, so skillfully, so sloppy, just the way I like. Every so often he swaps his mouth for his hand while he sucks my balls with the perfect amount of pressure, before returning me to his mouth again. Fuck, I wish it wasn’t so dark in here I wanna know what his pouty lips look like stretched around my cock. As if an angel shines their light from heaven, the theater is momentarily illuminated but the flash of an onscreen explosion. I look down at my lap, getting a brief glimpse of sultry green eyes and wet lips, and I’m about to have an explosion of my own.

“I’m gonna—“

Landon pulls off without notice and I’m left hanging on the brink of orgasm. “No….don’t.. please—”

“Shhhh” Landon shushes me with a finger to my lips, and takes a drink of my slushie.

Di-did he really just pause giving me head to steal a sip of my slush—Ohh-oh fuck! His mouth is glacier cold around me and I feel my balls retract from the frigidness. It’s such a unique sensation and I’m stuck between wanting to pull away from it and wanting to shove my dick further down his ice luge throat. I choose the latter.

The loud surround sound may drown out Landon’s sloppy noises of gagging and sputtering around my cock for everyone else, but for me I’m so intensely tuned in to it that it's the only sounds I hear, the world otherwise around me on mute. And it’s then that I’m once again blessed with a bright scene and I’m able to indulge in the way his emerald eyes are watering, tears staining his cheeks as he takes me. I try to warn him, I swear I do, my mouth opens but the words won’t come out. In a last ditch effort in trying to communicate what’s about to happen I tug his dark raven curls. He pulls back —message received— and focuses on my tip, just as I begin to fill his mouth with my cum. My head is spinning, sound slowly returning, but I’m still paralyzed by the lingering pleasure. I feel Landon tuck me back into my jeans and zip me up.

“You taste so fucking good J,” he whispers in my ear before sitting back down beside me. “My turn,” he unzips his pants and pulls out his sizable cock. It maybe be mostly dark in here but even its silhouette is intimidating.

“Gimme—uhhhh fuck,” I inhale deeply, still trying to catch my breath. “Gimmeaminute” I rush out, holding up a finger as if he can see it in the dark.

As soon as I steady my breathing, I'm on my knees. Holding him at the base, I start slow, licking up and down his lengthy shaft, as I work through my nerves. I know my gag reflex is way too sensitive for what I’m about to do, but I’m not about to let that stop me. I want Landon in ways I never expected, and don’t fully understand —and this is one of them. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about giving him head since I tasted his cum earlier this week. I need it. I place wet, open mouthed kisses on the head of his dick before easing him deeper into my mouth. The taut skin of his tip slides like silk against my tongue as it glides towards my throat and back again with every bob of my head. I pace myself taking him a little deeper each time I go down, but there’s still so much of him left. I know it’s my first time giving a blow job, but I wanna make sure I’m as good for him as he was for me, so I challenge myself to take him even further. As expected, I gag, but Landon doesn’t seem to mind, infact, he seems to enjoy the way my throat constricts around him, because I can feel the way his legs start to quiver. I’m so turned on by his body’s response, and the fact that I thinks he’s about to cum, that —against my better judgement— I attempt to make myself gag around him again. But this time, when I gag, I start to choke and have to pull off him completely. Completely embarrassed. But then Landon leans forward and whispers in my ear.

“It’s okay, baby. I know it’s big, just take what you can. You’re doing so good, I’m so close.”

And with a new burst of confidence. I return him to my mouth, letting my lips and tongue take care of the head while I firmly twist both my hands in opposite directions around his shaft. It doesn’t take much longer until he squeezes my shoulder, his cock pulsating in my mouth as he paints my tongue with his white brine.

Landon

The ride home is mostly silent, both of us too blissed out to even talk. I just keep replaying it over and over in my head, especially sucking his dick and sack. I think that was more of a turn on for me than getting my own dick sucked. Nothing against Jadens skills at all,he was phenomenal, it’s just that tasting and breathing in his unwashed cumin-like musk was everything I ever dreamed of and more. It’s a craving that will never cease.

***

“Hey, what have you boys been up to today,” My dad greets us when we get in the house.

“Movies.” I answer

“With friends.” Jaden adds. He’s so cute when he’s nervous.

“Who’s the new girl?” My dad asks.

“What?” I’m so confused.

“Your neck, dumbass, who decorated it?”

My hand slowly rises touching my neck and the memory of a very needy Jaden comes flooding back.

“Uh, a friend.” I answer. I’m mean, technically I’m not lying.

“With benefits it seems,” My dad teases.

“Yeah, something like that ,” I offer as an explanation as Jaden and I head to my room.

“Landon.” My dad calls for me.

“Yes?”

“Be safe, please.”

“Yes, dad, I know.” I roll my eyes as I walk away.

[ohyespotatous]

Weekly study reflection (June 1-7) 💗🧠

Goals: Study at least 7 hours or revise 4 chapters a day Goals achieved: 3/7 (June 1, 3, 5) 

💌 - When I told you I'm a potato, I meant it, guys. My biggest blunder this semester? Being lazy for an entire month in April, which left me binge-studying 23 days before exams. I ambitiously aimed for 7-10 hours of daily study and promptly burned out in the first week, lol. Well, it's embarrassing. It's okay guys… Feel free to use me as a bad example. That way I won't be that useless. Haha, just kidding! We either win or learn :) Now that I made the decision to not fail this semester, I’ll make the most of my time, even if it's not perfect. So… here's my evaluation of the first exams prep week :v

Goals & objective 🎯

🧐>

The goals I set could be more attainable and specific.

Studying for 7 hours doesn’t mean I am effectively learning something. I could learn more or less in the same amount of time.

Revising based on the chapters isn’t practical for exam preparations. I don’t need to relearn everything, and it gets boring for my rebellious mind.

💡>

I need to set different goals for each subject & topic.

Outcome-based objectives rather than time-based ones.

Time, energy, and focus management ⚡

🧐>

Boring study schedule. As I set my goals based on study duration, I made a fixed study schedule with a fixed study interval. I got knocked out really fast. 

I tend to get burnt out every other day when I study for more than 5 hours.

Long sessions lead to diminishing returns. My study time keeps decreasing throughout the week.

I’m not too fond of Pomodoro because it breaks my flow. Still, it is helpful when I have difficulty focusing or don’t feel like studying.

Coffee doesn’t necessarily enhance my focus. Drinking enough water works just as well. Morning coffee causes me anxiety during noon study sessions.

My brain works best in predawn hours until early morning.

💡>

Add a big buffer to the study time, so you can start when you’re physically & mentally ready and don’t feel guilty when you start late.

Break the study time into shorter intervals with breaks.

Use a variable-interval/variable-ratio reinforcement schedule. Stop when you’ve learned/done enough or are tired. Give yourself a little reward.

Optimize study environment and various learning methods for sustained focus. Keep it interesting!

Adjust caffeine intake and timing. Drink enough water.

Learning Techniques 🧠

🧐>

Since I have only studied Statistics and Economics until now, my biggest challenge is the numbers 💀 My biggest weakness. The only way out is to practice and practice more.

I think the theory part went pretty well. 

Unless the book is ‘poorly written’ or hard to understand, I don’t really need pretty notes. Scribbling the book and writing side notes work better for me. 

Flash cards for key concepts and terminologies.

I use the Feynman method and mindmaps to review my understanding of the information. I usually explain the concepts to the walls or my cats, lol.

I still need to make time for the practice tests.

💡>

Make card decks for Statistics and Economics equations.

Convert charts and diagrams into your own words.

Schedule a time for the practice tests.

╰⁠(⁠*⁠´⁠︶⁠`⁠*⁠)⁠╯

[yourimagines]

Young Nick x Reader with size kink and dirty talk!

If you're comfortable thanks!🖤

😳🥵🤭🙈

It’s fine

* English is not my first language I apologise

* Triggers: 18+, smut, Size kink! Swearing and a bit of fluff

Y/N POV

I was laying in bed, watching a movie as Nick was downstairs partying with a few friends. ‘You sure you wouldn’t mind? I can ask Nina if she wants to come and hang out with you?’ ‘No I’m fine, I’m just not in the mood right now.’ That was our conversation a few hours ago as he said friends were coming over to celebrate his win. Normally I’m there with him, celebrating his wins but today…. “Babe?!” Nick yelled from downstairs. “Yes?!” I yelled back. “You want sum take out?!” “Yes please!” I heard someone walking up, it was Nate. “We’re going for take out, what you want?” He had his hands tucked away in his tap out hoodie. “Fries and a milkshake.” He nods. “Okay, see ya.” He turns around and leaves “See you later, close the door behind you…please.” He listens and closes the door behind him.

Nate gave me my food a hour ago, I was getting bored and hoped the party was over after the take out but I still heard them downstairs. I tried to sleep but my mind was going off to Nick, how he looked before and after the fight. Looking good, so tall and muscular….my hand went carefully under the sheet’s as I started to fantasise about my boyfriend, how he would tower over me, his large hands grabbing my hips. My fingers went to my clit as I started to please myself. I tried to not moan or make any other noises as I laid there, fingering myself with my eyes closed and head thrown back, mouth slightly open.

Nick POV

“If you guys don’t mind I’ll go to bed, it’s pretty late.” I was standing as the guys all sat or better lay on the sofa, totally wasted. “No, go to your girl, she probably all ready sleeping.” ‘I hope not tho…’ “alright, I’ll see ya guys in the morning then.” Nate nodded and grabbed a few blankets for the guys. “See ya.” I nodded and walked upstairs. I carefully opened my bedroom, not noting if she is awake or not. I walked in and saw her pleasing herself, moaning softly my name. “Nick..” I smiled and carefully locked the door. “Ohh fuck…” she mumbles and I carefully walked over to her, smirking at her. “You need some help?” She jumps from my sudden appearance, she jerk her hand away and her face became red, as she did something wrong and got caught. I chuckled and joined her in bed, crawling on top of her. She was embarrassed, looking away from me. “It’s okay baby don’t be embarrassed…” I caressed her cheeks as I placed a knee between her legs, slightly pressing some pressure against her throbbing pussy. “Nick…” she whines softly. “What?” I said with a smile on my face. She reaches over and slides her small hands under my sweater. “I still don’t know what you want baby.” I said as I softly kissed her neck. “You…Nick I want you…” she says as her hands roamed around my chest. “You want me?” She nods and kissed my chin. “Please….?” “Only because you’re asking so nicely.” She smiles and placed a view small kisses on my chin as I slowly took off her clothes. “Let me see my beautiful girl.”

She lay underneath me, completely naked as she pulled my sweater off and threw it away to the side. Her small hands went over my chest. “You’re perfect.” She says as her cheeks turned a bit red. “You like that huh? Me covered in bruises and shit.” She giggles and played with the strings off my joggers. My hands went to hers, covering her hands with mine. “Let’s not tease me, you know I don’t like that after a fight…” she nods and I threw my joggers off, throwing it to the side. She looks down, biting her lip. “You like what you see darling.” She nods and rubs my arm. “I want you.” She softly says as she reached down to my bulge in my shorts. She slowly pushed it down and my hard cock jumped out. Her tiny hand wrapped around it and started to pump it up and down. “Baby…” she looks up with her innocent big eyes. “Yes?” “Lay down for me.” She stopped and lay back down on her back. I threw my shorts off and moved on top of her, sliding my middle finger between her folds, she lightly grasped and I pushed my finger in. “Nick.” “I know but I need to stretch you out baby.” She bites her lip as I stretch her a bit more out.

“Nick please let me come..” she whines as I pulled out my wet fingers out of her soaked pussy. “Don’t worry about that, you will…” I kissed her head as I pressed my tip against her folds, teasingly pressing it against her. She moans and rubs my arms. “Nicky please…” I bite my lip and nodded and pushed myself slowly in. She gasped and squeezes my arm. “You’re so big…” “fuck… you’re so tight.” Her eyes got watery and I carefully moved. Feeling her tight walls squeezing around my big cock. She shook her head. “Nick please stop… it’s to much.” I slowed down and leaned more closer to her. “Baby, I know it hurts but you’re my good girl, I know you can take me…relax I won’t hurt you.” I caressed her cheek and she slowly nods. “Just…don’t move that fast.” I nodded and slowed down even more for her, I moved my hands down to her breasts, massaging them with my large hands. “I fucking love you, you’re so tiny compared to me.” “I-I love you too Nicky, I love you’re so…huge.” I smiled and rubbed her nipples. “So fucking horny for me huh, because Of our size difference huh.” She nods. “I love that Nick, just touch me please.” I smirk down at her. “So dirty minded…” I caressed her cheek.

She starts to moan softly and I sped up my pace. Her hands roamed around my chest as my hands traveled down to her hips. “I told you, you’re my good girl.” My hands squeezed her hips and she arched her back, causing me to hit her sweet spot. “Da-Nick…” I smirked down at her. “Say it baby, say what you want to say…” “Daddy…” she moans as I pressed my hand on her lower stomach, feeling my dick inside of her. “You like that huh, me fucking you and stretching you out.” She nods and grabs my arm. “Yes…” I raised my eyebrows. “Yes daddy.” “Such a good girl for me.” She moves her leg around my hips, pushing herself closer. “Oh fuck..” I mumbled, I grabbed her smaller hands and pinned them down next to her face. “Nick please…don’t stop.” “Baby, I thought I was Daddy.” I slowed a bit down and she whines softly. “I’m sorry, please daddy.” I immediately sped up again, I nuzzled my face into her neck, softly biting her shoulder. “Always so good for me, taking me so well, almost like a slut.” She shook her head, not liking those dirty words. “I’m not a s-slut… I’m just always horny for you.” I kissed her neck. “I know baby, my horny little girl.” I sucked on her skin, leaving marks behind. “I think I’m gonna come…” I felt her pussy clenching around me. Her hands got free and the immediately moved to my back. “You wanna come?” She nods. “I need your words…say it.” She moans and grabbed my shoulders. “Please Daddy, I wanna come.” “You want to come on daddy’s dick?” “Yes please..” I shook my head. “I don’t think you deserved it.” Her eyes got big. “But I’m your good girl? P-please.” I loved they way she was begging, her big eyes looking at me, pleading for mercy. “Okay baby, make daddy proud.” Her hands grabbed my shoulders, digging her nails into my skin, making me bleed and she came all over me, her legs started to tremble, her eyes rolled back and a moan escaped from her. Her tight pussy pulsed around my hard dick. “Fuck baby, you always make daddy proud, suck a good girl.” I slammed my dick into her. “Look at you, so fucking beautiful…” her boobs jiggled around and I felt my high was coming and nuzzled my head in her neck. “Fucking beautiful…you’re so beautiful.” I moaned and released my sperm in her. “I fucking love you baby.” She tiredly smiles. “I love you too Nick.” I pulled her smaller body close to my chest and started to caressing her back. “It’s okay to close your eyes baby, you did so well.” She nuzzled her head against me and closes her eyes. ‘She’s so small…she’s perfect for me.’

[whisperofthehxart]

You’re On Your Own

Late Spring 1/?

2/?

Warnings: no rin only pompompurin

Word Count: ~3300

By twenty-three you’ve graduated from university and have found a cushy office job in Shibuya.

With adulthood you’ve settled into a nice routine:

Mornings include a stop to your favorite coffee shop two blocks away from your train stop. Work goes from 8:30 am until 5:43 pm, after which you go to the gym, you catch the 7:04 pm train home. Dinner is a lonesome affair where you always cook enough to pack for lunch the next day.

On some weekdays there are invitations to go out with your coworkers or an old college friend that has come into town.

Saturdays are designated ‘adventure days’ picking a new spot to explore spot in the city. It provides equal opportunity to people watch and spend time alone (unless you’ve gone out of your way to invite a friend to join).

It’s how you find yourself playing arcade games and attempting (and succeeding) to beat the highest scores of whatever game you find interesting. You’re currently halfway through your fourth game (only 536 points short of the high score) when you see two figures a few machines down.

Approaching the next level of your game, you opt to ignore them. Until they come closer, that is.

They’ve each taken presence at your shoulders, peering over at your progress.

They must think themselves unnoticeable and are likely waiting for you to lose before speaking to you.

Undeterred, you confront them while still moving the joycons in the correct order.

“Can I help you?”

“Sorry to bother you —” the one on your left starts.

“It was you, wasn’t it,” his friend cuts him off.

“You’ll have to be more specific,” your last word punctuated by the mashing of a button.

You’ve beaten the high score with your last move and decide to stop playing.

“You’re ‘PRIN’.”

His tone lame and bored, pulls a smile out of you. You recall the previous first place usernames of the few games you’ve played.

“You must be ‘BONO’, nice to meet you,” you tease finally turning around to face both boys.

Bono stares at you as if you’ve grown a second head, while Bono’s friend looks at least slightly embarrassed.

“It’s actually supposed to be ‘PURIN’ for Pompompurin, but you know.”

You shrug your shoulders in explanation and follow up with your name, properly introducing yourself.

“I’m Isagi and this—,” the one formerly on your left gestures over to Bono,“is Nagi.”

Bono cuts straight to the chase.

“Well Purin, it’s the first time I see your name around here. What are you up to?”

You can’t help but snort.

Is he serious?

“Well, clearly I’m conspiring to dethrone you,” your tone is teasing and light.

You explain that it’s your first time at the arcade and you’re enjoying a day off.

And Bono realizes that you aren’t a serious gamer and are no threat to the rest of his standings.

He simply hums in response.

Isagi’s shoulders have dropped, relaxing after he sees that you’ve not taken offense to his friend’s attitude.

“How did you get so good at them?” Isagi asks.

“A college friend of mine was pretty into coding video games, old and new. Taught me to identify patterns.”

That piques Nagi’s interest, he’d never thought of approaching his games from a coding perspective.

A lull in the conversation settles before Nagi breaks it.

“Yoichi, you can go ahead and get lunch without me.”

“Um, but we’re supposed to meet up with the rest of —”

“Tell them I’ll be late.”

Frustration crosses the blue-eyed boy’s face.

“You promised last time it wouldn’t happen next time. This is next time.”

You’re a spectator to what might be one of the oddest interactions in human history.

“But—”

“No, we already agreed.”

It’s like watching a parent explain to a young child why they can’t have a toy.

Isagi sighs.

Nagi pouts as he pulls his phone out of pocket and throws his phone in your direction.

You barely manage to catch it as you stare at it.

Another sigh escapes Isagi along with a, “fucking hell”.

Now it’s your turn to stare at Bono as if he’s grown a second head.

“What am I supposed to with this?”

The full grown man before you stomps his foot and crosses his arms, shyly looking away.

“Can I have your number?’

Oh.

Isagi looks as shocked as you feel.

You’re not quite sure what is it that possesses you to agree, but you do.

“Um, sure.”

“Just put in your contact info, I’ll put you under Pompompurin.”

You hand Nagi his phone, a smile on both of your faces.

Isagi, pulled out of his confused stupor checks the time.

“We better get going. It was nice to meet you.”

“Likewise Isagi.”

Both men turn around and walk out, before you’re out of earshot Nagi shouts back.

“See you around, Purin.”

You can only respond in kind.

“Bye Bono!”

—

You exchange short texts with Nagi throughout the next two weeks.

You learn several things during this time:

1. It is confirmed, that while Pompompurin does in fact best suits your personality; Gudetama best fits Nagi.

2. Nagi is least likely to respond while you’re commuting to work, but most likely to respond once you’re on your way home. He says that while you’re going to work, he’s managed to fit in his workout and is taking his first nap of the day.

3. Nagi, though seemingly lazy and unmotivated, has a competitive streak so fierce that you can’t help but admire him for it.

and most importantly,

4. Nagi wants your help to destroy all the 2-player arcade game records that he hasn’t been able to beat.

It’s such a funny idea, you can’t help but agree.

-

You meet Nagi the following Saturday, he wastes no time directing you over to the first game.

Little to no conversation is shared between you. Anything that slips is a compliment or a suggestion.

You lose the game the first three times. On the fourth attempt, the two of you have synced up your in-game movements.

It takes nearly an hour, but you both finally achieve the high score.

“What’s our team name going to be?”

You think for a second.

“How about ‘GUDEPRIN’?”

Lazy pudding.

Nagi punches in the name in agreement.

-

For three months Saturdays and Sundays have become dedicated for hanging out with Nagi.

Occasionally, Isagi drops by with a second friend of theirs to whisk him away for some other planned meeting. On such days, you leave ready to follow some other possible adventure (or the scent of food if you’re hungry).

However, today is different.

Isagi and his friend, who has introduced himself as Bachira, linger as you play with Nagi.

You chalk it up to the oncoming summer heat, Isagi and Bachira must be seeking refuge from the sun.

Conversation flows between four of you and you finally gather to courage to ask, “How d’you all meet each other?”

A look is shared between them.

“Club sport,” their voices in unison.

“Ah, so you all kept it up after college?”

Isagi is the first one to respond, “Something like that.”

“What spo—”

Nagi cuts you off.

“We ought to head out.”

The transition pulls you away, yet you take note of the suspicious nature.

“Of course, see you next week?”

The question is directed for all of them.

“Actually… Purin,” Bachira sweetly speaks “wanna join us for a meal?”

“When exactly?”

“Right now, of course.”

It’s punctuated by such an innocent laugh that you almost believe there’s something reasonable about it

“I wouldn’t want to interfere.’

“No, it’s fine. It would just be us,” Isagi amends.

“Would’ya mind?”

Unsure if Nagi would be alright with your interference.

Nagi finally speaks up,“No, Reo pays anyways.”

Oh, okay. Thanks Reo (whoever you are).

-

Isagi spills the truth first.

“Professional.”

The words bounce around the corners of your mind as you mull on the conversation while safely in the confines of your apartment.

“Blue Lock”

You elect to not search their names, you’re sure that if and when you do you’d most likely have to face some other reality about a past you left behind.

“Striker.”

Some part of you feels like an idiot for not recognizing them.

Surely, you’d caught some glimmer of their face years ago.

However, Nagi hadn’t been exactly caught up on that.

“It’ve been such a hassle if you started acting differently.”

He was right, it would have.

Your phone pings from the other side of the couch, pulling you from your daze.

UNKOWN:

(=^·ｪ·^=)

You don’t even to respond to find out who’s on the other end.

It’s Bachira. 

-

You see Nagi, Isagi, and Bachira only a handful of times after the reveal.

Eventually, they leave to Europe for their pre-season training.

You return to your previous weekend schedule of exploring Tokyo. Sometimes passing by the arcade if you’re in the area (you tell yourself it's just to make sure you’re holding on to your rankings).

Maybe you miss your new friends a bit more than you let on.

-

“It’s a practice match.”

You hum along to Bachira’s comments over the group facetime.

“In Spain then?”

“Germany,” Isagi chimes.

“That’s what makes it so great, you’d come and see us all!”

Bachira seems delighted at the prospect while Nagi doesn’t say anything at all. You can see his phone in hand at the corner of his screen.

With golden week approaching, the game perfectly coincides with your time off.

The idea sits in the air for a moment.

“I’ll think about it, just give me-”

“Purin, what’s your legal name.”

Was Nagi even paying attention to the conversation?

You respond before continuing your half-assed excuses.

“I might have some things to catch up on.”

“We understand, we thought we might extend the offer anyways.”

Your phone vibrates on your desk, you glance at the new email notification.

‘FLIGHT RESERVATION’

Nagi.

Your slack jaw must be a bit more obvious than you’d want.

Bachira and Isagi are about to voice their concerns.

“Reo paid.”

And once they see your pout, the dots connect.

Bachira cheers, Isagi laughs, and Nagi continues playing on his phone.

-

“D’you know much about soccer?”

Isagi and you are in the stands waiting for Nagi and two of his teammates.

“Mmm, yeah a bit. I was really into it before high school.”

Of course, you want to tell him about the piles of jerseys in your parents’ house and your collectible cards that you started collecting around five. But that’s a can of worms you're not ready to open.

“What made you stop?”

“Oh, well. It was just a bit hard to keep up with.”

It’s not technically a lie.

“What about you, what made you such an ‘egoist’?”

You’d heard the term tossed around by Bachira once and decided to give it a try.

Isagi seems surprised at your question, but it brings a smile on his face.

“Blue Lock. I met so many amazing people. It just makes me want more and more.”

The far off lock in his eyes a clear indicator that he’s shifted off to some specific memory.

Part of you is jealous.

Jealous not of his success, but his courage to follow after his desire and his ability to keep up with it.

“That’s very admirable ‘sagi.”

The moment ends when Nagi finally comes along trailing after who you assume to be Reo and Chigiri.

Reo and Chigiri introduce themselves.

“And this is Purin,” Nagi speaks before you even have the chance to open your mouth.

Bono is only saved by the fact that the teams have walked onto the field.

-

Watching Bachira play is indescribable.

You feel your heart thrumming in your chest and chills flare on your arms.

“He’s good, right?” Chigiri’s question is redundant.

You dumbly nod your head along.

His aura is childlike but sophisticated. His play style is chaotic and free; somehow it all makes sense.

He’s a monster.

You must say it out loud because Chigiri is soon laughing, “Something like that.”

When was the last time you’d been so excited?

After returning to your hotel room that night, you lie awake in bed for hours staring at the ceiling until the first rays of sun begin to filter through the room.

-

The return home is lackluster.

You soon pick up your regular schedule and meet with your college friend, Aoi, who asks you about your recent vacation.

You show her the photos of your tourist visits, describe the foreign foods, and mention the game.

Aoi points out that she’s never seen you so excited about something.

“Not when you found out that Daisuke liked you back,”

or

“when your project got picked for that conference”

and

“not even when you won that raffle for a trip to that fancy ryokan!”

You grumble at her ability to recall such specific moments.

Back off my case, I wasn’t that bad.

“But, I’m happy for you.”

Aoi’s words make you feel lighter, the smile on her face proof of her genuineness.

“Thanks.”

-

As winter approaches, you’re beginning to have to hound off your parents’ calls.

With some experience you know the line of questioning usually starts innocent enough. Usually something along the lines of:

“Have you been well?”

“I am, how about you two?”

They’ll ignore your response before following up with more questions.

“When will you next visit?”

“Once I’m on winter holiday, I might also be able to take off an extra day or two.”

Which will then lead into more dangerous territory:

“Are you and Daisuke back together?”

“No, we haven’t talked in quite a bit.”

And after the reminder they’ll transition to something else.

“I see, well are you dating anyone?”

“No.”

“Oh, okay.”

Your parents’ objective is not to judge, but it seems that they’ve just never known the right questions to ask.

So, when you blindly answer your phone on a Sunday evening you make the mistake of assuming it could only be your mother on the other end.

“Mom, can I get back to you? I’m doing laundry and my hands are kinda full right now.”

Once you hear the laughter you heave a sigh of relief.

“Sorry about that ‘sagi, thought it was my mom.”

He’s half-chuckling when he responds.

“No worries, sorry if I scared you,” his teasing tone indicating he might understand your situation.

“A little, but I’ll live. What’s up?”

With that Isagi shares his proposal for a New Years get together.

“We all miss you and there’s some others who’d like to meet you.”

“Oh, um sure. In Tokyo?”

He confirms your suspicions.

“I can send more information after Christmas.”

-

When you finally arrive to your parent’s home, the winter sun has begun to set and you can see your breath come out in small puffs as you wait on the porch for your parents to open the door.

It’s your father that opens it for you, greeting you and pulling you inside and away from the elements. A short second is provided to put down your bags and remove your shoes and coat before he’s hugging you.

You slowly take it all in.

If the scent down the hall is anything to go by, your mother has made your favorite meal.

Your father mumbles his greetings and squeezes you a bit harder for just a second.

Once you finally pull away, your father kindly informs you that you have guests. It’s only then that you count the three extra pairs of shoes by the entrance.

Oh.

“They’ll be happy to see you, it’s been quite some time.”

He’s smiling, both glad to see you and surprise you.

Your father has you lead the way almost as if knowing that you’d turn and run depending on the faces you see.

Your only option must be to act as nonchalant as possible.

“Mom, I’m home.”

You announce, your voice carrying throughout your home.

You can hear her cheer from the living room. Similar to your father, you're hardly given the chance to take in your surroundings before she’s pulled you into a warm hug. One which you return with equal gusto.

Despite her company, she presses a kiss to your forehead (just as she did when you were a child).

And when she pulls away, you see them. The Itoshi family… minus Rin.

You’ve not seen the Itoshi parents in nearly two years when your own parents had planned a small celebration for your hiring. Sadly, you had to move into your new apartment sooner than expected. All you had was a few minutes to greet them before having to say goodbye in the same conversation.

Time, however, has not changed the smiles they wear when looking at you. Before you know it, both mother and father pull you in for another set of hugs.

And Sae.

Well, you hadn’t heard from him since you were twelve.

The last time you saw him was when you watched his U-20 matches, right before you and Rin stopped talking.

And here he is, just 3 feet away from you.

Why is he here?

Why didn’t he ever call?

Did he know what happened?

Did he ever actually care?

You have so many questions.

“You’ve grown.”

It’s the only thing you can manage to say.

He smirks and raises an eyebrow almost as if asking you, “Really, is that all you have?”

“So have you.”

-

The Itoshi family is invited to stay over for dinner. Conversation is guided by the parents’, each set taking their turn to pull their children in.

And it seems that its your turn in the hot seat when your mother mentions your name and your trip to Germany.

The Itoshis all seem equally intrigued.

“Oh, yes. I went to visit some friends during golden week.”

“What did you do?” Mrs. Itoshi is eager to hear about your adventures.

“The usual tourist activities. Visited the gardens, museums, and a few restaurants.”

Mr. Itoshi takes a turn, “Was it college friends then?”

“No, I’ve erm—” you trip on your own words, “I’ve some new friends that work abroad.”

You’d mentioned Nagi and company to your parents, but you’d never actually told them that they were professional players in the European league.

“Catch any games?”

Sae has his head resting on his palm while he asks. It must be a mandatory punchline for someone so obsessed with sport.

“I did.”

His eyes widen ever so slightly. Why was he so surprised?

“I was invited by a few friends to watch the FC Barca game. And so, I went.”

Sae’s head no longer rests on his hand, he’s intently looking at you.

You continue to address the rest of the table, “Nagi, my friend, is actually a professional player and we were there to support a friend of ours.”

Something akin to recognization flits through everyone’s eyes.

A shroud of silence fills the room.

You’re sure it’ll suffocate you —

“That’s so sweet of you!”

Mrs. Itoshi saves the day.  

-

Your families decide to take tea after their meal.

“I can get everything ready,” you offer taking any excuse to step away and breathe.

You’re halfway to the kitchen when you hear Sae speak up.

“I’ll go help.”

As you maneuver around the kitchen in silence Sae catches up and leans against the counter opposite you.

You’re reaching for your mom’s favorite teapot on the second shelf when he decides to speak up.

“You haven’t spoken to Rin in some time.”

Shit.

It nearly slips from your fingers.

You stare at the intricate patterns on the teapot in your hands for a second.

“Does it matter?”

Your question is sincere.

“Yes.”

You measure out the leaves now.

“Why?”

Out of the corner of his eye you can see him shrug.

“Just figured you’d keep each other around.” 

While I wasn’t there.

It’s not difficult to the read between the lines.

“I thought so too,” you confess.

You pour the hot water into the tea pot now and organize the set so it all fits on the tray.

And as you walk out you remind Sae, “We don’t always get what we want.”

-

That same night Rin is packing his bags for his trip to Japan when he receives a text from his brother.

SAE:

‘you’re an idiot’

--