#I’ve been staring at this ask in my ask box for days now desperately wanting to draw it

[heyyesimtrash-whatofit]

Hiya J!

I'm obsessed with your Docpocalypse AU, its so hilarious!

Could we see Jennifer getting dragged into this, seeing all the Docs and a very tired Marty? :D

Heyo!!! So glad you’re enjoying this stupid au! Apologies for the lack of color, but this weekend got stupidly busy for me for some reason. Anyway, let’s drag Jen into this mess!!

Buckle up, Jennifer, because this ride just gets wilder with every passing minute!

[erensmoonlight]

Roommate Accident

Synopsis. Living with Eren Yeager was never supposed to happen or be complicated, but tension between two roommates turns their once peaceful arrangement into an awkward dance of avoidance and frustration. A casual offer to give her a ride one day sets off a chain of unexpected events, leaving her questioning the boundaries of their relationship. As their interactions grow more intense, she finds herself torn between keeping the peace and exploring something deeper. With a circle of close friends offering unsolicited advice and wild suggestions, she must decide whether to confront her feelings or continue ignoring the growing chemistry between them.

Paring: Eren Yeager x Fem Reader

Content, MDNI: Enemies to lovers, arguments, smut, drinking, oral (f), dirty talk, sex, fluff, one shot, (Lmk if I missed anything!)

Word Count: 9.7K

{ash’s notes} -HI GUYS! This is my first story and if I’m gonna be honest, I’m prettyyyy nervous but excited of course. I hope you guys enjoy reading this because this was lowkey so fun to write, I have so many more stories to think about writing but not sure when I will. Okay I’m just going to be rambling on and on so again please show love to this story and lmk what you think and how it is! Love you all and take care of yourself, MWAHH❤️ minors aren't welcomed! comments + reblogs are appreciated!

College life is back in full swing, and with it comes the sense of purpose I’ve been craving all summer. Don’t get me wrong—being home with family had its perks, but I desperately needed some time to myself. Now, living with Mikasa, I finally have the freedom to do things on my own terms, while still keeping my grades up, of course. It feels like a fresh start, a chance to balance responsibility with the independence I’ve been longing for.

Junior year of college—finally. I know it’s going to be a new challenge, but all I’m hoping for is as little stress and drama as possible. The drive ahead was long, so I kept my goodbyes short and sweet, not wanting to drag it out. As I hit the road, a mix of nervousness and excitement coursed through me. It felt like the start of something big.

After an hour-long drive, I finally arrived at the campus dorms, my excitement bubbling over. I parked the car and hurried to my dorm, practically bursting with anticipation. As I unlocked the door, I noticed a few boxes outside Mikasa’s room—she must’ve just gotten here too. I grabbed the handle, flung the door open, and jumped inside, shouting, “HIII ROOMIE!”

But the smile fell from my face instantly. It wasn’t Mikasa standing there—it was Eren.

“What the actual hell?” I blurted, freezing in the doorway.

“The fuck?” he shot back, looking just as startled as me.

We stared at each other, equally confused by what was happening. "Excuse me, but why are you in Mikasa's room?" I asked with more sass than intended.

"Mikasa?" he echoed, clearly baffled. "This is my room. Dorm 207," he added, grabbing a piece of paper from the desk nearby to show me.

I quickly glanced at my own dorm assignment. There it was—207, plain as day.

"Oh, hell no—“

Call incoming

Just as my brain started to melt down, my phone buzzed. Mikasa’s name flashed on the screen, and I picked up, not even bothering As a greeting. “Where are you, and why is Eren in your room?” I asked, my voice tight with frustration.

On the other end, Mikasa sounded just as bewildered. “Okay, so I was just as surprised when I saw Armin in your dorm, but we figured it out. There was a mix-up with the dorm assignments, and... they can’t change it.”

"WHAT?!" I screamed into the phone, my frustration boiling over. Before I could say anything else, Eren grabbed my phone and echoed my shock with his own confusion, “What?!” He put the phone on speaker

“What the hell do you mean they can’t change it? School hasn’t even started! They have to fix it because I am definitely not rooming with Ms. Control Freak over here,” Eren said, looking me up and down with an irritating look.

I clenched my fists, my patience hanging by a thread. The urge to slap him right then and there was overwhelming. My relationship with Eren was… complicated, to say the least. To keep it short, we never saw eye to eye—we couldn’t stand each other’s lifestyles, let alone the idea of sharing a space.

I see myself as someone organized, who knows how to navigate life with a clear plan, confident in my ability to talk things through and stand my ground when needed. Eren, on the other hand, is the complete opposite—laid-back, spontaneous, and annoyingly carefree. He’s the type who thinks life is meant to be lived without schedules or rules. It’s no wonder we clash constantly; we’re like oil and water.

After a few more minutes of heated back-and-forth, Mikasa’s call finally ended, leaving me standing there, dumbfounded, in the middle of what was now our dorm. Eren ran a hand down his face, visibly irritated. I had no idea how we were supposed to survive this.

“Well, if we’re going to make this work, I gotta lay out some ground rules,” Eren announced, and I could already tell this was going to be a joke. “You don’t bother me, I don’t bother you. Simple as that.” He extended his hand for me to shake as if we were closing some grand deal.

The audacity. “When did we agree on you being the boss?” I shot back.

He groaned, rubbing his temples. “Please don’t make this harder than it already is,” he muttered, giving me an exasperated look.

That only fueled my annoyance. I started rattling off about chores, noise levels, and a bunch of other things that he would absolutely need to respect if we were going to survive living together.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, I’m gonna stop you right there. Today’s already stressful enough, and I don’t need you adding to my headache,” he said, waving a hand dismissively in my face. The nerve of this guy.

Before I could snap back, he grabbed my shoulders, physically moved me out of his room, and shut the door behind me. “THIS CONVERSATION ISN’T OVER!” I yelled. Silence. Nothing but silence from the other side.

I groaned in frustration, knowing there was no point in arguing with him right now. Instead, I turned my attention to hauling my things inside before it got too dark.

After I finally finished unpacking and getting everything in order, I belly-flopped onto my bed, exhausted and frustrated. All the perfect plans I had for this year were already crumbling thanks to Eren. Sharing a dorm with him was the last thing I expected, and it felt like everything was ruined before it even began.

Now, all I could do was hope things didn’t spiral further out of control. I just hoped—for my sanity—that living with him wouldn’t be as bad as I feared. But deep down, I had a sinking feeling that hope might be too much to ask for.

-

It’s been almost a month since the semester started, and things have been... weird. But weirdly enough, calm—for now. I haven’t seen or heard much from Eren lately, and honestly, I’m not complaining. The only thing that really pisses me off is that he’s a total slob. It’s such a turn-off, especially for someone who looks the way he does. Some nights, I have to wear noise-canceling headphones just to sleep because of his loud, never-ending gaming sessions. I’ve tried to let it slide, but if I have to endure this for an entire year, I’m seriously doubting whether I’ll make it out alive.

“How’s it with Armin?” I asked Mikasa, picking at my food. We decided to hang out after classes, needing some downtime.

“Oh my god, it’s so nice,” she gushed. “We cook together most of the time, split chores, he helps me study when I need it, and every week, we watch these awful reality TV shows together and laugh our heads off.” She kept going, laughing as she spoke, until she noticed my deadpan expression.

“Oh... shit. My bad,” she giggled, trying—and failing—to hide her amusement.

I rolled my eyes at Mikasa’s enthusiasm. “Well, how is it with Eren?” she asked, taking a sip of her drink.

I sighed dramatically, stabbing at my food before taking a bite. “The complete opposite of your story,” I muttered.

“That bad?” she asked, eyebrows raised.

“Oh yeah, that bad,” I said, launching into a full-blown rant about all the irritating things Eren had done over the past month. It felt good to let it all out. “Like, I don’t get what girls see in him. He’s just a pretty face, that’s it.”

Mikasa nodded, somewhat amused. “Well, Eren’s always been laidback about most things. He always says his charm is his best quality,” she shrugged, going back to her meal.

I scoffed. “Yeah, sure. Like that guy has any charm.”

The rest of the day passed by, and after our little venting session, Mikasa drove me back to the dorm. Just as I was getting out, she leaned over. “Oh, before you go—are you going to Jean’s party tonight?”

Ugh. A party. I could already feel the exhaustion creeping in just thinking about it. “Probably not. I’ve got a lot of stuff to do at home, and let’s be real—the chances of Eren being there are ridiculously high, so... yeah, I’m good,” I said with a shrug.

Mikasa looked disappointed, but I could see she understood. “Fine, but you have to go to the next one with me. Promise?”

I laughed and held out my pinky. “Deal. I’ll be there, I swear.”

She grinned and wrapped her pinky around mine. “Deal,” she said with a smile before driving off.

I quickly headed up to my dorm, pushing the door open with a sigh of relief. Looks like Eren’s not here. He’s probably already left for Jean’s party, I thought, grateful for the peace and quiet. A whole night to myself. Finally.

I grabbed a snack and a drink from the kitchen, then wandered into my room. As I put on some music, the weight of the week started to melt away. I removed my makeup and prepared for my long-overdue everything shower. The kind of self-care I hadn’t indulged in for weeks.

After soaking under the warm water for what felt like forever, I got out, wrapped myself in a towel, and began my skincare routine, singing along to my favorite songs. It felt amazing to be alone and completely in my element.

With my skincare finally on my face, I debated whether to stay up and do something productive or just crash for the night. Nah, I’ll just sleep, I decided, already feeling the exhaustion creep in. I slipped into a pair of soft sleeping shorts and a baggy tank top, sinking into my bed.

As soon as my head hit the pillow, I closed my eyes and drifted into a deep, peaceful slumber, relishing the calm while it lasted.

BANG

I jolted upright in bed, my heart racing as I glanced around, trying to figure out what had startled me awake. What the hell? I whispered to myself, straining to listen. It could be Eren-I really hoped it was, because the alternative was too terrifying to consider. But then I heard something worse: muffled laughter, followed by unmistakable kissing sounds. Oh no. Scratch that, I hope it's a killer.

Eren's door slammed shut, and I clung to the hope that maybe-just maybe-it would all stop there. I tried to force myself back to sleep, convincing myself that I could ignore it. I was so close to drifting off again when the low moans started, followed by soft curses. My eyes flew open, and I groaned into my pillow, Please, for the love of all things, let this nightmare end.

It didn't. The sounds got louder, the bed rhythmically slamming against the wall. I grabbed my headphones, shoved them over my ears, and stuffed a pillow on top of my head, trying to block out the never-ending torture happening just feet away. I lay there, my regret over every life decision that led me here slowly consuming me. This was going to be a very, very long night.

So bright. I blinked against the harsh light streaming through the window, rubbing my eyes. Barely an hour of sleep after a night of absolute torture. The girl had left about twenty minutes ago, but I wasn’t sure I’d ever feel comfortable enough to fall back asleep. Coffee. That’s what I need.

Dragging myself out of bed, I slipped into my slippers to avoid the cold floor and trudged to the kitchen. The coffee was brewing, and I was almost in the clear when I heard Eren’s door creak open. Groaning internally, I rolled my eyes and tried to hurry, hoping to avoid whatever awkward conversation was coming. I grabbed a mug from the cupboard and fished the creamer out of the fridge. Footsteps approached behind me.

“Hey, roomie,” Eren’s voice chimed, way too cheerful for my liking. Don’t punch him, don’t punch him, I chanted silently, eyes fixed on the coffee machine, willing it to finish faster.

“Wow, you look horrible,” he commented, pouring himself a cup with a grin. I shot him a glare.

“Yeah, thanks. I didn’t get any sleep last night,” I muttered, finally pouring my coffee and moving to the table to prepare it. Eren laughed, probably remembering the obnoxious noise from last night. This annoying asshole.

“Didn’t realize you were here. My bad” he said, not sounding sorry at all while grabbing the creamer next to me, a smirk still playing on his lips.

I am not going to survive this year.

“I don’t care what you do, just have some fucking decency,” I shot back, sipping my coffee as I walked back to my room. I could feel Eren’s eyes on me, but I didn’t turn around. Shutting the door behind me, I set the mug on my nightstand and groaned at the thought of the day ahead. No sleep, two essays due, and classes to sit through. Today is going to suck.

I dragged myself to the bathroom, got dressed in something comfy but cute, and grabbed my things. Heading back to the kitchen, I filled a water bottle and rinsed out my coffee mug—then, Unwillingly, Eren’s dirty dishes too. Just as I finished, I heard his door creak open again. Speak of the devil.

“Thanks for washing those,” he said nonchalantly, rummaging through the fridge. “I probably wasn’t going to do it anyway.”

I rolled my eyes, biting back a retort. As I dried my hands with a paper towel, he asked, “Want me to give you a ride to school?”

I blinked, caught off guard. What? “No, I’m good,” I replied sarcastically. “I wouldn’t want to deal with the dirty looks from all your fangirls.”

“Ha, ha, ha,” he responded dryly, clearly unamused.

Great start to the day, I thought as I grabbed my bag and headed for the door, not sparing him another glance.

Eren’s footsteps echoed behind me as I stormed off. “You don’t have to back down on my offer—it still stands,” he called out, clearly amused. His voice alone made my blood boil.

Without even turning to face him, I snapped, “You know what offer would actually be great? How about you shut the fuck up at night, pick up your own shit, clean your own damn dishes, and maybe grow some balls while you’re at it?” My voice trembled with frustration, the words flying out before I could even stop them.

I expected him to have some snarky comeback. And, of course, he didn’t disappoint. Eren rolled his eyes, scoffing like my words barely registered. But then, in an instant, he grabbed my shoulder and spun me around to face him.

“Oh yeah? Let’s talk about you,” he shot back, his voice louder, angrier. “How about you stop having a stick up your ass and acting like you’re my damn mother, stop meddling in my business, and just fucking stop being a damn control freak if a fucking cup isn’t placed in the right spot”

We stood there in the middle of the parking lot, glaring at each other like two wild animals ready to tear each other apart. The tension was palpable, our frustrations bubbling to the surface in a messy, chaotic explosion.

I laughed, but it wasn’t out of amusement—it was out of sheer, exhausted frustration. “I get it, you want that laid-back college life, no responsibilities, carefree and easygoing? That’s not me. I can’t live like that Yeager, so you just have to fucking deal with me.”

I stepped closer, my eyes boring into his. “And if you can’t handle it, then go dorm with someone else. Hell, sneak out and find someone willing to put up with your shit. I don’t care. But don’t expect me to change.”

Without giving him a chance to respond, I turned on my heel and walked away, refusing to look back. Let him stew in his own arrogance. I was done.

After that intense moment with Eren, I decided to walk to campus alone. I didn’t care how long it took, I just needed to cool off, to breathe. The crisp morning air helped, but the frustration still lingered, swirling around in my head. By the time I made it to my first class, I was already dreading being there. But skipping wasn’t an option—I needed to do well. I sighed, taking out my things and finding a corner seat, hoping to be invisible for the rest of the period.

As I was pulling out my notebook, I felt someone sit down next to me. Turning to see who it was, I saw Armin, offering me a friendly smile. "Hey, no one’s sitting here, right?" he asked politely.

“No, don’t worry, you’re good,” I replied, grateful for the company. At least Armin was easy to deal with.

The class started, and after a while, we were given some time to work individually. I dove into my assignments, trying to focus, when Armin spoke up. "You and Eren got into an argument, didn’t you?"

I froze mid-sentence, turning to face him. “How do you know?” I asked, surprised but not totally shocked. Eren had a big mouth.

Armin stopped typing and glanced at me. "He picked me up this morning, and I could tell something was off. When I asked him what was wrong, he kind of… exploded about you. He was pretty worked up."

I groaned internally, rubbing my forehead. "God, I hate him," I muttered. "I don’t get why you’re friends with him. He’s like the devil himself."

Armin chuckled softly, shaking his head. "He’s not all that bad, I promise."

I scoffed at that, going back to my paper. "Then what do I do? I can’t even be in the same room as him without wanting to strangle him."

Armin turned back to me, a thoughtful look on his face. "You just need to give him a chance. Yeah, he can be frustrating, but I swear, if you get past that, you might actually find something you like about him."

I rolled my eyes, thinking, Yeah, like when he shuts up. But I couldn’t help considering what Armin was saying. He made it sound so easy like Eren was just misunderstood or something. Still, I wasn’t sure if I was ready to give him a chance when he seemed to go out of his way to drive me crazy.

I sighed, “I don’t know, Armin. It feels like I’m the only one trying here. He doesn’t give me any reason to want to make this work.”

Armin smiled sympathetically. "Maybe he’s not great at showing it, but trust me, he’s not as indifferent as he seems."

I nodded half-heartedly, not fully convinced. As much as I hated to admit it, Armin had a point—there had to be something redeemable about Eren. I just wasn’t sure I was willing to dig deep enough to find it.

Just as I was about to respond to Armin, the bell rang, cutting our conversation short. We both quickly packed up our things. “Just think about what I said, okay? Let me know how it goes,” Armin said as we parted ways. I nodded, though I wasn’t sure how to even start. We said our goodbyes and headed in opposite directions to our next classes.

Finally, lunch arrived. Mikasa had texted me earlier to meet at the cafeteria, so I made my way over. Spotting her quickly, I saw her waving her arm at me from across the room. I hurried over and sat next to her, taking the seat at the edge of the table. “Hey guys,” I greeted with a smile, placing my things down. The usual group was there—Mikasa, Sasha, Annie, Connie, and Niccolo.

As soon as I sat down, we were all deep in conversation, laughing about the most random things. Connie groaned dramatically, slumping over the table. “Ugh, I’m totally going to fail Mr. Ackerman’s class. It's like he’s speaking some alien language,” he grumbled, earning a round of laughter from the group.

Sasha, in her usual fashion, was busy shoveling food into her mouth as she snuggled up next to Niccolo. "Yeah, I don’t know how to help you with that, buddy," she managed to say between bites, drawing more laughs.

Just as we were settling into our groove, Jean, Armin, and Eren walked up to the table. Jean slid in next to Connie, while Armin took the seat next to Annie, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. Eren, to my mild annoyance, sat down next to Armin, but I tried to ignore him, focusing on my drink instead.

“Why the hell did you guys take so long?” Connie asked, raising an eyebrow as he leaned back in his chair.

“Don’t look at me,” Jean quickly replied, jabbing a thumb toward Armin and Eren. “These two took forever talking about something.”

Talking? About what? I wondered, sipping my drink to cover my curiosity. I glanced briefly at Armin, who seemed to give me a look that said, I’ll tell you later. Eren, on the other hand, was focused on picking at his food, not making eye contact with anyone. Whatever it was, I could feel tension lingering between us, like unfinished business hanging in the air. But right now, surrounded by friends and laughter, I wasn’t sure I wanted to deal with it.

Mikasa squeezed my arm, her excitement contagious. "Oh my god, we need to go do something soon! I’ve been dying for some girl time." Before I could respond, Sasha perked up, practically bouncing in her seat. “Ooh, ooh, me and Annie too!” she added loudly, making Annie chuckle as she gave a small nod of agreement. Mikasa smiled and nodded, and we all quickly made plans for next week. It felt good to look forward to something light and fun, especially after the chaos of the morning.

As we continued talking, I found myself glancing over at Eren, who was in deep conversation with Armin and Annie. Whatever they were talking about, it seemed serious, their faces unusually focused. I looked away quickly, not wanting to be caught staring, but I couldn’t shake the nagging feeling of curiosity.

“Shit, time’s almost up,” Niccolo suddenly announced, snapping us all out of our conversations. Everyone checked their phones for the time. Some of us had one more class left, while others, like me, were done for the day. I silently celebrated the fact that I didn’t have any more obligations. We all began packing up and saying our goodbyes, and I decided to take the long way home, wanting to enjoy a walk with my music.

While I was about to start walking away from campus, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I pulled out one earbud and turned around, already dreading who it might be. Of course, it was Eren.

I sighed and, without a word, put my earbud back in, continuing to walk. But he wasn’t letting me go that easily. "Wait," he called after me. I stopped but didn’t bother turning around this time. “What?” I asked, my tone flat, trying to keep the distance between us.

"Come on, I’ll give you a ride," he offered. I shot back with a quick, “No thanks,” and started walking again. I really didn’t want to deal with him right now.

But then he grabbed my arm and spun me around, clearly more frustrated than before. “God, if you keep walking, I swear...” he muttered, closing his eyes for a second as if trying to control his temper.

I yanked my arm out of his grip and crossed them over my chest. “What is it, Eren?” I asked, exasperated.

“Let me give you a ride as an apology. For this morning,” he said, softer now, looking at me more earnestly. “We literally live together.” I stared at him, weighing my options. I really wanted to say no, to just keep walking and avoid the whole situation. But Armin’s words from earlier crept into my mind. Maybe this could be the start of finding that “something” Armin seemed so sure I’d like about Eren.

“Fine,” I muttered, feeling like I might regret this decision but going along with it anyway.

He led the way to his car, and we both got in, the tension settling in as soon as the doors closed. The awkwardness between us was suffocating, and I instantly regretted not just walking home. The car felt too small, like the air was thicker, and the silence was far from comfortable. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves, and rested my head against the seat, turning to look out the window. The sound of the engine humming was the only noise, and it only made the silence feel heavier.

The longer we drove in that silence, the more anxious I felt. My fingers tapped lightly on my knee as I tried to distract myself, but all I could think about was how I just wanted this ride to be over. I thought about breaking the silence but I didn’t even know where to start. Every second dragged on, my thoughts running wild, wondering what he was thinking, and why he insisted on driving me. But mostly, I wondered how much longer this silent, awkward drive would last.

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, stealing a quick glance at Eren out of the corner of my eye. He had his hands gripping the wheel, his knuckles turning slightly white, and his jaw was clenched like he was holding something back. I could tell he wanted to say something, but knowing Eren, he’d probably just stay stubbornly quiet. The silence between us stretched until I couldn’t take it anymore.

“So… you’ve been pretty quiet,” I said, breaking the ice, my voice sounding a little shakier than I wanted it to. I didn’t even know why I was trying to make small talk. Maybe it was the tension, or maybe it was what Armin said earlier, not sure.

He didn’t respond immediately, and for a second, I thought he was going to keep ignoring me. Then, without looking at me, he spoke. “I didn’t mean to piss you off this morning,” he muttered, his voice low, almost like he was trying not to be overheard by his own thoughts.

That caught me off guard. I didn’t expect an apology, not from Eren. He usually doubled down or shrugged things off like they didn’t matter. “You didn’t piss me off,” I said, almost reflexively, but even I knew that was a lie.

He let out a frustrated sigh, shaking his head. “Don’t lie. I know I did. I get it. I’m messy, I’m loud, and I don’t pick up after myself. But it’s not like you’re perfect either, you know?” His voice had an edge to it, but there was something softer underneath, something that almost sounded like guilt.

I didn’t know how to respond to that. Part of me wanted to keep arguing, to tell him he had no idea how difficult he made things for me, but another part of me wanted to understand why he was even bothering to apologize now. I opened my mouth to speak but then closed it, feeling the lump in my throat rising.

“I didn’t say I was perfect,” I finally admitted. “I’m just… tired, Eren. Tired of all of it.” My voice was quiet, almost defeated, as I stared out the window again. “I didn’t come here to play house with you or deal with this constant tension between us. It’s exhausting.”

The car fell back into silence, but this time, it wasn’t the same awkward, heavy silence as before. It felt different like both of us were waiting for the other to say something real for the first time.

Eren’s grip on the steering wheel loosened a little. “I know,” he said softly. “I didn’t expect to… I don’t know, live like this either. I thought it’d be different. Easier.” His voice trailed off for a moment, and I could see him wrestling with his thoughts.

I turned to look at him, my eyebrows knitting together. “Then why do you act like you don’t care? Like none of this matters to you?” The frustration was clear in my voice now, bubbling up from everything I’d been holding back for so long.

Eren took a deep breath. “I do care,” he said quietly. “It’s just… I’m not good at showing it. Not with all this other stuff going on.” He paused, glancing at me quickly before looking back at the road. “There’s more happening than just you and me fighting over dishes and who’s more responsible. I’ve got my own shit to figure out.”

His words caught me off guard again. I knew Eren had his own struggles, but he’d never been the type to talk about them. He always kept things bottled up until they exploded in moments like this morning.

For a second, I considered asking him what was really going on, but something held me back. Maybe it was fear, or maybe it was just knowing that neither of us was ready to really open up yet. Instead, I let out a sigh and leaned back in the seat.

“We’ve got to figure something out,” I said quietly, almost more to myself than to him. “This isn’t working.”

“I know,” he replied, his voice just as soft. “I’ll try harder. But I need you to meet me halfway.”

The tension between us hadn’t completely disappeared, but for the first time in a long while, it felt like we were actually getting somewhere. Maybe it wasn’t a solution, not yet, but it was a step. And that was more than I’d expected when I got into the car with him.

I was going to answer back, but it seemed like we already made it back to the dorm, so I just kept quiet for now. After that talk, things started getting a bit more normal, I think? Even though we’d been giving each other space, I couldn’t help but wonder if things were really as normal as they seemed. The lack of arguing didn’t mean things were fixed, and I knew ignoring the tension wouldn’t make it go away. I sighed, brushing away the thoughts of Eren as my phone buzzed again with more messages from the girls’ group chat. Tonight was supposed to be a break from everything, a night to let loose and enjoy myself, but my mind was stuck on him.

MIKA: Okayyy are you guys ready??

MIKA: Omg, we need to take a ton of pictures tonight!

Me: YES, just gotta put my shoes on

SASH: Girl, I’m already dressed and looking too fine, Annie is with me and also ready to goooo.

HISTORIA: Ymir and I are ready as well, and we’re bringing drinks for pregame 🥂.

MIKA: Okay here’s how it's going to go, First I pick up Sasha and Annie, then Historia and Ymir, then lastly Eren’s lover! Okay, we are good to go🥳

Me: Excuse me who are you picking up last?

HISTORIA: ooo did we miss anything??

YMIR: Spill now.

MIKA: 🙄

MIKA: yk we are going to talk about it

Me: Yeah I think I’m going to make a rain check for this girl's night

MIKA: No you're not ☺️, Leaving my house right now, I’ll be there in 10 so get your cute ass ready 💋.

I rolled my eyes, but a small grin tugged at my lips. If anyone could pull me out of a funk, it was Mikasa and the rest of the girls. Despite the swirling thoughts about Eren, I knew tonight would be fun, and maybe that’s what I needed to stop overthinking for a bit.

Grabbing my jacket and bag, I quickly checked my reflection in the mirror. Satisfied with my outfit and makeup, I headed to the kitchen for a quick snack—no way was I about to drink on an empty stomach. I grabbed a bag of chips, poured some into a bowl, and leaned against the counter while snacking. As I reached for another handful, a few chips slipped through my fingers and scattered on the floor. I sighed and bent down to pick them up.

Just then, Eren’s door swung open. I froze, hearing his voice cut through the silence. He was on the phone.

“Armin, I’m serious about this,” he said, clearly frustrated, pacing in the living room. Armin’s voice was faint, but I could still make out his response.

“Okay, okay, I get it. But you’re acting like it’s a big deal. She’s just a person, man. Talk to her like an adult,” Armin laughed.

“I swear I’ll come over and beat the shit out of you,” Eren replied in an eerily calm tone.

“Alright, alright, sorry,” Armin muttered.

There was a long pause, and then Eren spoke again, his voice quieter this time. “I don’t know, man. Ever since that conversation in the car, I’ve had this weird feeling in my chest. It’s driving me insane. That’s why I’ve been ignoring her.”

My heart nearly stopped. Was he talking about me?

I stayed frozen, crouched on the floor, not wanting him to know I’d overheard. But of course, the universe had other plans.

RING. RING. RING.

My phone blared to life, Mikasa’s name lighting up the screen. I panicked, fumbling to silence it, but it was too late. Eren’s footsteps stopped, and I could feel him staring at me. Slowly, I stood up and turned to face him. His expression was a mix of shock and embarrassment as if he’d just been caught doing something he shouldn’t.

“I-I thought you left,” he stammered, hanging up his own call.

“Uh, yeah… I was just about to.” I grabbed my things in a rush, my mind racing for an exit strategy.

“Wait, hold on,” Eren said, his voice softer now, as if he wanted to explain.

I stopped but didn’t turn around. “Look, I didn’t mean to overhear your conversation. I’m sorry. Can we talk about it later? I really need to go.”

“Yeah, sure,” he muttered, sounding just as awkward as I felt.

Without another word, I bolted for the door, not daring to look back.

As soon as I was out the door, my heart was racing. I couldn’t believe I had just overheard Eren talking about me like that, and worse, he knew I’d heard. The whole situation felt surreal. I was barely processing his words, let alone my own feelings about what I’d just witnessed. That “weird feeling in his chest”? What did that even mean? And why did it bother him so much? My mind was spinning as I rushed down the stairs and out of the building.

Mikasa’s car pulled up just in time, the headlights flashing as she waved at me from the driver’s seat. I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the awkwardness that was still lingering from the interaction with Eren. Getting into the car, I forced a smile, hoping she wouldn’t immediately sense that something was off.

“Ready to party?” she asked, her usual excitement shining through. The girls in the backseat echoed her enthusiasm with cheers and chatter, making it impossible not to smile at least a little.

“Yeah, totally,” I replied, though my voice felt far from convincing. I tried to immerse myself in the energy of the car, but Eren’s words kept replaying in my mind. Why was he feeling weird? Why had he been ignoring me because of it?

As we drove off, I leaned back in my seat, glancing out the window, hoping the night out would help me forget about it for now. But deep down, I knew this wasn’t something that would just go away.

“Here, drink this!” Sasha said, thrusting a cup into my hand. I took it, confused. “Wait, we’re drinking already?” I glanced around at the group, noticing everyone nodding enthusiastically—everyone except Mikasa, of course.

Without much hesitation, I took a sip, letting the alcohol work its magic and pushing my worries to the back of my mind. A few more minutes passed, and we finally parked.

“AHH, we’re here!” Mikasa squealed, grabbing my hand and jumping excitedly. We’d decided to hit up one of the most popular bars in the city for our girls’ night out, and with the alcohol starting to hit me, I was just as excited as she was.

After flashing our IDs, we stepped inside, the heavy bass of the music pulsing through our bodies. Our first stop was the bar, and the night took off from there—two hours of drinking, laughing, dancing, and just letting loose. Eventually, we stumbled to a booth at the back of the bar, another round of drinks in hand.

“Damn, Annie, I didn’t know you could dance like that! Armin is one lucky guy,” Sasha teased, making Annie laugh and wave her hand dismissively.

“Omg, you know what we should talk about?” Historia slurred, clearly tipsy. We all turned to her, curious. Her gaze landed on me. “You,” she said, pointing a wobbly finger in my direction.

“RIGHT! What’s up with this ‘Eren’s lover’ thing? Are you two dating or what?” Ymir asked, smirking as she took a sip of her drink.

I scoffed, “NO.”

“Not yet,” Mikasa added, grinning mischievously.

I groaned and put my head down on the table. “How many times do I have to say it? It’s complicated. We’re basically ignoring each other right now, and when we do talk, it’s just *hiccup* awkward.”

Mikasa leaned in, her voice soft but serious. “Look, I’ve known Eren my whole life. That man is crazy about you.”

“Yeah, crazy enough to drive me crazy,” I mumbled to myself, rolling my eyes.

But to my surprise, Annie spoke up. “I gotta agree with Mikasa. I’ve seen it myself.”

I lifted my head and looked at her, surprised. “Wait, what do you mean?”

“Ooo, this is getting good,” Sasha said, leaning in closer to Historia, while Ymir pulled Historia closer to herself as if they were settling in for some drama.

Annie smiled slyly. “Remember the day he offered to drive you home? That was because Armin and I pushed him to do it. He was nervous about asking you himself.”

I blinked in disbelief. “Nervous? About me?”

Sasha grinned. “Well, well, seems like Eren’s not as smooth as he pretends to be.”

The whole table erupted in laughter, but my mind was spinning. Eren, nervous? Over me? I wasn’t sure what to make of that, but it added a layer to things I hadn’t seen before.

“You know what would solve all your problems with Yeager?” Ymir asked, a mischievous glint in her eye. I turned to her, my face full of confusion. “You two just need to fuck.”

I choked on my drink, coughing as I shook my head. Well, that sobered me up real quick. “No, no, absolutely not. That’s not gonna happen,” I said, wiping my mouth with a napkin.

“Why not?” Sasha chimed in, wide-eyed with curiosity.

“Yeah, I kind of agree with Ymir,” Historia said, nodding.

Annie, who had been quiet for a while, just smirked and shrugged. “Makes sense to me.”

Great, now I was officially cornered by my friends, all focused on my complicated relationship with Eren. The rest of the night became a blur of drinks and conversations about him—lucky me. By then, I had switched to water, trying to sober up before the night ended.

Around 2 a.m., we decided to call it quits. Ymir, who could hold her liquor like a pro, drove us all home. After she dropped me off, I waved my goodbyes, rolling my eyes at their teasing “good luck” wishes.

Climbing the stairs to my apartment, my mind replayed the night’s conversations, particularly Ymir’s blunt suggestion: You guys need to fuck. I shook my head, trying to push away the ridiculous idea. “Absolutely not,” I muttered to myself.

I unlocked the door quietly, stepping inside. The place was dark, which meant Eren had probably gone to bed. I sighed with relief—no awkward encounters tonight. But as I flicked on the kitchen lights, I jumped at the sight of Eren sprawled on the couch, surrounded by empty beer cans.

A small scream escaped me, causing him to stir and sit up groggily, rubbing his eyes.

“Oh my god, you scared me,” I gasped, my heart still racing.

Eren blinked a few times, looking around before his gaze settled on me. “Sorry,” he mumbled, still half-asleep.

I stood there for a moment, unsure of what to do next, the tension in the air thickening as the awkwardness between us returned.

“What time is it?” he asked, standing up and stretching, giving me a glimpse of his stomach. I quickly looked away, trying to ignore the sudden flutter in my chest.

“2:10,” I muttered quietly. He groaned while picking up the empty beer cans, and tossing them into the bin on the other side of the kitchen.

“You were out for that long?” he asked, his tone a mix of curiosity and irritation.

“Why does it matter to you?” I shot back, crossing my arms defensively. My eyes dropped to the floor, trying to avoid looking at him.

“I’ve been waiting for you to get back. I need to explain that phone call… it’s been eating at me.”

Ugh, no, please. Not tonight.

“Can we do this tomorrow? I’m exhausted,” I said, slipping off my heels, realizing I’d forgotten to leave them at the front door.

“Just listen to me,” he said, ignoring my plea as he launched into his explanation, rambling on about the call. But my mind was elsewhere—on Ymir’s stupid suggestion. I don’t want to sleep with him. He’s irresponsible, reckless, irritating, and infuriating. And his stupid, gorgeous face. His perfect lips. Wait—no. Stop it.

“Are you even listening?” Eren’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. He was leaning forward now, his arm resting on the table, his face inches from mine.

“Huh?” I blinked, trying to focus.

He sighed in frustration, dragging his hand down his face. “You’re infuriating, you know that?”

I shrugged, meeting his gaze. “I’ve heard.”

The tension between us was unbearable, thick enough to suffocate. We just stared at each other, the silence stretching until it felt like something had to break.

Finally, I stood up, breaking eye contact. “Well, if this conversation’s over, I’m going to my room.”

I turned to leave, but before I could take another step, Eren grabbed my arm and spun me around. Without warning, his hands cupped my face, and in an instant, his lips crashed into mine.

The frustration and tension between us melted away, replaced by a sudden surge of desire. I melted into him, my fingers instinctively tangling in his hair as the kiss deepened. It was filled with passion, with urgency. Eren’s hands slid to my waist, pulling me even closer as the heat between us intensified. It felt good—too good.

Wait, no. This isn’t right.

I pulled back, my lips still tingling from the lingering sensation of his. Looking up at him, I saw the confusion in his eyes. “What’s wrong?” he asked softly, his hand resting on my hip.

“N-No… this can’t happen,” I stammered, taking a step back, though I already regretted leaving his warmth. “This whole situation is confusing enough, and this… this will only make it worse.”

He sighed, his gaze still locked on mine, intense and unwavering. The silence between us stretched, awkward, and charged with the things we weren’t saying. Slowly, Eren stepped forward, brushing a stray lock of hair behind my ear before cupping my shoulders and pulling me in once again.

But this time, it wasn’t for a kiss on the lips.

He kissed my forehead, soft and slow, then my nose, my cheek, my jaw, and finally my neck. Each kiss was deliberate, lingering, and my breath hitched as his lips moved lower. His hands followed, trailing down my body with maddening precision. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe. Eren was intoxicating, overwhelming every corner of my mind and soul.

“You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to do this,” he whispered against my neck, his voice sending a shiver down my spine. His kisses grew more intense, and I snapped back to reality, realizing just how deep I was falling.

Oh god.

The kisses trailed higher once again, prompting me to wrap my arms around his neck. He stared at me, his voice barely above a whisper, "Do you want this?" Without thinking, I blurted, "Fuck yes."

A smile played on his lips as he claimed mine once more, his need growing with every passing second. Just as I was about to pull back and suggest we move to his room, he deepened the kiss. His hands gripped my ass, lifting me effortlessly as he strode towards my room. This Fucker. The door slammed shut behind us, and he laid me down on the bed, breaking the kiss to gaze down at me. I panted, my heart pounding in anticipation of what was to come.

"God, you drive me crazy, you know that," he murmured, his lips returning to my neck in a passionate kiss. I couldn't help the small moan that escaped me, lost as I was in his touch, his words, his games. Maybe I should have been embarrassed by how easily he got under my skin, but at that moment, I simply didn't care.

He pulled back yet again, leaving me breathless and wanting. Before I could even process my thoughts, he'd stripped off his shirt and tossed it across my room. Any words I might have had abandoned me, leaving me staring at his incredible physique in stunned silence. "Wow, all of this finally gets you to shut up for a second, maybe I should’ve fucked you earlier" he teased, pulling me upright and claiming my mouth in another scorching kiss. His hands found the zipper of my dress and slid it down, the sound echoing in the room.

He slipped the dress over my head, his hands gentle as he eased me back onto the bed. "Yeah, you should’ve," I finally managed to retort, my voice muffled against his lips.

His hands moved behind my back once more, but this time, his focus was on my bra. With a practiced touch, he unfastened it with a single hand. "How many girls have you done that to?" I teased, trying to sound collected despite the flutter in my chest. "Does it matter?" he countered, his voice low and husky. "The only person I'm going to do it for from now on is you baby."

He slid the bra straps down my arms, his fingers grazing my skin and sending shivers through me. As he bared me to his gaze, he leaned in, his lips tracing a path from my collarbone to the swell of my right breast. "Oh, gosh, Eren," I breathed, his warm tongue setting my nerves ablaze. He didn't neglect my left side, his hand cupping and squeezing my flesh as his mouth worked its magic.

My mind was short-circuited, overwhelmed by the pleasure coursing through me. I couldn't believe how my day had derailed, from waking up alone to Eren worshiping my body. He finally lifted his head, his eyes gleaming with desire as he stood and licked his lips. "God, you're gorgeous," he murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to my cheek, then my lips, the contact making me ache for more.

My hand instinctively reached for him, finding the hard length of his erection straining against his pants. He groaned into my mouth, his hips rolling into my touch as he pressed himself against me. "F-Fuck," he panted, laughter threading through the curse. He guided my hand deeper into his hard length, then higher to explore his chest, his nipples peeking under my touch, then lastly to his lips, where he pressed light kisses to the middle of my palm. At that moment, I knew I was a goner.

He gently laid my hand back down to my chest. Standing upright, he began to unbutton his pants, swiftly removing them. For a moment, I felt no shame in staring. But then I met his gaze, his eyes watching my every move, and a flutter of anxiety rose in my chest. I wasn't sure where to look next.

He bent back down, his lips brushing against my jaw as his hands slid lower, to the hem of my panties. "May I?" he asked, his voice soft. I nodded without hesitation. "I need words, baby," he said, looking back at me with an intense heat in his eyes. "Yes," I replied quickly. "Yes, please."

Eren pressed one more sweet kiss to my lips, his mouth trailing lower and lower as he slid my panties down my legs. He moved lower, his face inches from mine, his lips pressing gentle kisses around my center. I felt myself growing wetter, my breath catching. "Eren, please," I begged, my fingers tangling in his hair.

"Please what? What do you need sweet girl?" Eren asked, looking up at me. His nicknames always made my heart flutter, even if I wouldn't admit it out loud. I took a deep breath, pushing past my embarrassment. "I need you to fuck me," I admitted. "I need you inside me."

He didn't make me wait for his response. With a groan, Eren's tongue slid along my center, sucking my clit into his mouth as he spread my legs wider. I cried out, my hips arching off the bed. "Holy shit, Eren, don't stop," I begged and whined, my fingers pulling him closer. He moaned against me, the vibrations sending waves of pleasure through me. I hadn't felt this good in years.

Eren didn’t stop, and it felt so fucking good. It just went on with his tongue for a few more minutes, my whole body in bliss, pulling me closer to my climax. “Fuck Eren, it's so good, your so good,” I said moving my hips to match his pace, moaning too loud. I bit my lip looking down at him between my legs, then I noticed his hips slowly rolling onto my bed. Before thinking anymore he pushed a finger into me, pushing it in and out. “Cumming, I’m cumming, FUCK!” I said whining, my knees buckled while going through my high. He left my core, all swollen and wet.

My eyes started to shut, exhaustion was hitting me pretty fast after calming down. “Hey hey,” Eren said kissing my face, his kisses were soft, yet filled with a fiery passion that sent shivers down my spine. “Just a little longer, Do sleep yet baby” I opened my eyes, “We still aren’t done yet”.

He chuckled, brushing a stray hair behind my ear. “You’re adorable when you’re sleepy.” I rolled my eyes playfully, but the affection in his gaze made my heart flutter.

Kissing me again, I could taste myself on him and I basically melted in his touch. Wrapping my arms around him, I savored the moment.

“I can’t wait any longer,” I whispered, my hands starting to trail down his abs, moving lower to his underwear band. Without hesitation, I pulled it down not wanting to wait, eager to finally feel him. He helps me and yanks it off of him. The sheer size of his dick made me worried on if it will fit or not. I gripped the tip softly and he bucks his hips instantly, “Shit” He said closing his eyes and encouraging me to continue.

While doing that I swiftly grabbed a condom from my drawer giving it to him. “You just have these laying in your room?” he spoke out while tearing it open, moving my hand away and rolling it on himself, “You never know, always gotta be safe,” I said while holding on to his arms for support. “Even during sex your just as a goody to shoes” making me frown, “Kidding, It’s cute baby” he smiled kissing me while rubbing his tip in between my cunt.

"I'll go in slow, okay? Let me know if it hurts," he whispered, pressing his forehead against mine.

"O-Okay," I managed to say, breathless and nervous.

He started with his tip, and we both groaned in pleasure. The pain was there, but it felt so good. Inch by inch, he went deeper, and my eyes rolled back with every second. His fingers gripped my thighs as he finally bottomed out. His face was in my neck, breathing heavily, and I had my hands around his back, ready for him to move.

Without a word, he started thrusting harder and harder. "F-Fuck," he gasped. "You're so t-tight and warm, fuckkk." He rolled his head back, grabbing both my legs and placing them on his shoulders.

"So good, fuck Eren!" I exclaimed, grabbing his face in my hands.

"Yeah? You like it when I fuck your greedy pussy like this?" he asked, thrusting harder. I couldn't breathe anymore. I nodded fast.

"Yes, yes, your fucking dick feels amazing, oh my god," I moaned uncontrollably.

I felt close, but I knew I never wanted this to end.

It was too much—overwhelming, yet I savored every second of it. My heart raced, and I found myself biting down on my finger, then my hand, my lip—anything to try and ground myself in that moment. But it was all too good, scrambling my brain, leaving no room for coherent thoughts or words. I was lost, completely consumed by the sensation, and I didn’t want to find my way back.

“S-Shit if you keep squeezing me like that I’ll fucking cum, ughh” he groaned picking up his pace basically making me lose all my air. “E-Eren mhmm!” Moans escaping my mouth every second I have a desire to open my mouth. “Yeah keep screaming my name out like that baby” he said pushing his head in the curve of my neck, his cock was abusing my cunt, I didn’t know if I can take this much longer.

The little noises he let out in my ears is what did it for me, making me cum hard and fast. My nails clawing erens back made me lose my mind, then seconds later I felt eren finish into the condom whining in my ear.

The room was filled with the sound of heavy breathing, both of us still tangled together, with Eren still inside me. I wrapped my arms around him, not wanting the moment to end, not wanting to face reality just yet. I had just slept with Eren Yeager—my roommate. Damn it, Ymir was right.

-

Ugh, it’s so bright. My tired eyes squinted against the morning light streaming through the curtains, forcing me awake. I looked around, making sure I was in my own room. It didn’t even matter—my head was pounding from last night. The girls’ night out, and… something else. Oh shit.

Slowly, I turned over, dreading what I’d see. There he was. Eren, peacefully asleep, in my bed, his head resting on my pillows. Someone pinch me.

I sank deeper into my sheets, replaying all the memories from last night. It felt like a fever dream. I had seen another side of Eren—one that I knew, deep down, I’d crave from now on. I’d wanted to give him a chance to fix our relationship, to build something like a healthy roommate bond, but now that he was half-naked in my bed, that plan had gone out the window.

My head throbbed as my mind clouded with thoughts of how things would play out. Could I let Eren into my heart, or was I too scared to face what that might mean? The overthinking only made my headache worse. I needed to stop spiraling.

Before I could dwell any further, I felt his arms wrap around me, making me freeze. The racing thoughts stopped. Eren’s breath tickled my hair as he pulled me closer, his hold gentle but firm, grounding me in the moment.

“What’s going on in that pretty head of yours?”Eren whispered into my ear, his lips trailing soft kisses along my shoulder. His breath was warm against my skin, and I felt the tension in my chest tighten. Do I tell him the truth? Should I just stay quiet for now?

“Just tell me,” he urged, pulling me closer. His touch was reassuring, but my thoughts were still a mess. I turned to face him, my heart pounding, and caught his gaze. He smiled at me, his lips brushing against mine before pulling back slightly to kiss the tip of my nose.

“Hey,” I said awkwardly, returning a soft smile.

“What’s up?” He pushed a strand of hair behind my ear, his fingers lingering for a moment. I hesitated again before asking, “What… what are we, Eren?”

His brows furrowed slightly, a flicker of confusion passing over his face. I braced myself, nervous about his response.

“Want me to be honest?” He traced a finger gently across my cheek. I nodded, holding my breath.

“I want to be yours, and I want you to be mine. I’ve been thinking about it for a while now,” he said, his voice low and sincere. “I know things have been messy, and I’ll work on it. I’ll fix my attitude, be better about my habits—whatever it takes. I just want to be with you. I’ll take you on real dates, buy you flowers, get your favorite food… just give me a chance.”

He wrapped his arms around me again, pulling me into a tight embrace. His words dissolved all my worries and hitting me hard, breaking down every wall I had tried to keep up. He was nervous, but honest, and I could feel the weight of his sincerity. I couldn’t help but giggle at his heartfelt confession.

“Yes,” I said, smiling up at him. “I’d love to give us a chance.”

Before I could react, he scooped me up effortlessly, laying me back onto the bed, positioning himself above me. His kisses trailed along my jawline, and I laughed as he showered my face with affection, feeling a warmth spread through me.

Later that morning, while lying tangled in the sheets, I grabbed my phone and sent Ymir a quick text: “You were right.”

I glanced over at Eren, his hand still intertwined with mine as he lazily traced circles on my skin.

Maybe this won’t be so bad after all.

[phfenomena]

❝you are the only exception.❞ || tom blyth x f!reader

request- Hi! Can I request a tom blyth x f!reader based on The Only Exception by Paramore? maybe something where that becomes their song? Thank you 🥹

A/N- this song is so depressing but i tried my hardest to romanticize it LMAO

and that was the day that i promised i would not sing for love, if it didn’t exist.

your bed is empty and cold as you roll over and stare out the window. it’s impossible to yearn for something so dearly that you don’t even want, for something you can’t have. love is the last experience you should be wanting to taste, you have your own life.

maybe i know deep in my soul that love never lasts.

you’ve had your share of flings, sure, but their touch never ignited a burning desire to be with them forever within you. they took up ten percent of your effort and time and you couldn’t care less about it.

and i’ve always lived like this, keeping a comfortable distance. and up until now i’ve sworn to myself that i’m content with loneliness, because none of it was worth the risk. but you are the only exception.

till you met tom, and he moved in and dropped his bags in his mind. you met him while working on a movie and you did the makeup of his co-star, but he always found himself in your trailer. chatting and laughing away the time in between shoots that he shouldn’t have shared with you. you found yourself thinking of him when you should’ve been asleep hours ago, the way his crinkled when he laughed, and the way he always stopped and listened whenever you had something to share.

you wake up every morning excited to work, excited to see tom. you’ve began bringing two coffees in the morning- and memorizing toms order in the process. it’s almost as if your life had been in black and white until he came along and lit everything up. he ignited you and left your hands shaking and itching to reach out and touch him, not just to fix his hair but to feel him. feel how he’s real, how he’s alive, and know that your mind didn’t conjure him up to entertain yourself.

you find yourself spending time with tom outside of set, a quick coffee run, a late night conversation over dinner, or a quick phone call to ask his opinion on a dress you found at the mall.

i’ve got a tight grip on reality, but i can’t let go of what’s in front of me here. i know you’re leaving in the morning when you wake up, leave me with some kind of proof it’s not a dream.

he finds home within you, slowly creeping into your life until your brain runs on him. slowly weaseling himself into your bed. the scenarios you once used to lull yourself to sleep were in front of you for you to touch, but he never stays. you never wake up in his arms, sometimes you wonder how he estimates when he needs to go before you wake up. before you wake up and really see him, really get to know what you guys are, or what you guys aren’t.

love is a chore, you know that. it’s tiring, draining, and it even eats you up from the inside out. someone else can ruin you in a blink of an eye, no, they will ruin you in the blink of an eye. but he’s the only exception.

your sat on your floor. the air is filled with giggles and red cheeks, it smells like wine and desperation. your guitar is sitting on your lap, having played tom any song he wanted. you’ve gone through taylor swift already and you could barley get the lovely lyrics out with laughing.

the melody of paramore begins to fill the air until the walls start closing in, until you’re in a box with tom. you’ve been careful, but when he inches forward and you meet him in the middle. it was all worth the risk. because he is the only exception.

[msmorningstaarr]

guy next door | joel miller x oc (angie reed) | chapter I

ao3 | masterlist

summary: During the summer of 2003, Angie had recently moved into her parent’s new home in Austin at their guest house to have a fresh start after a nasty break up with her fiancé. Her new neighbor, Joel Miller, is more than happy to make her feel welcome to the neighborhood. pairing: joel miller x female oc (angie reed) tags: fluff, long fic, romance, slight angst eventually, oc has no physical description, oc is early 20s joel is late 20s, eventual smut, slow burn, mentions of infidelity, no outbreak au!, 2003 au!, soft joel, good daddy joel, sarah going into her teenage dirtbag phase, trust issues, domestic fluff, protective joel, eventual sex, w.c: 5.6k a.n.: so i’ve post it before but somethings were really shitty and i figured i needed to change somethings in my writing. i really hope you guys like it as much as i liked writing it. likes, comments and reblogs are not mandatory but very appreciated! 💖

“Shit…” Sarah stared at herself in the mirror, eyes wide with shock. It had happened. She bit her lip, trying desperately to think of a plan, but her mind was blank. There, on the back of her white shorts, was a red stain, impossible to ignore, especially as she was getting ready for a neighbor’s pool party. She was alone, with her dad and uncle likely out grabbing beers somewhere before the evening feast they were all supposed to attend. But even if they’d been there, Joel and Tommy would have been of no help in this situation at all.

Sarah sank onto the bathroom floor, clutching her stomach as she started to cry in confusion and a certain desperation. She had no mother to explain exactly what periods were, which pads to wear or simply comfort her in this experience. The cramps twisted hard in her abdomen, and waves of panic surged over her. Glancing back at the mirror, she put her hands over her face, already feeling defeated as she looked for some practical way to cover the growing stain. In a flash of impulse, she grabbed an old sweater from her laundry basket, tying it around her waist.

Peeking out the window, Sarah spotted a young woman across the street, carrying some boxes in front of the guest house inside the property, next to the main house. The woman looked alone and with luck, she might be kind enough to help. Sarah took a shaky breath and headed out, trying to stomp confidently but having her body allowing her no more than a slow walk outside of the house, while the girl carried the last box upstairs to her home, closing the door without seeing Sarah.

Across the street, Angie wiped the sweat from her forehead, her messy bun barely containing her damp hair as she moved the last of the boxes inside. Her parents had bought this property in Austin to be closer to her during a rough patch and to settle into a quieter life in the suburbs. Today’s scorching Texas heat seemed almost punishing, making her feel as if this exhausting day would never end. Inside, hills of boxes and scattered bubble wrap covered every corner of her new home. All she wanted was a cold shower before unwinding and unpacking in peace.

This move to Austin was supposed to be a fresh start. Angie’s engagement had ended bitterly, shattering her dreams of a future with Trey. She’d pictured marriage, a family, a life together — until he drifted away, leaving her for someone else under the cheap excuse he had to focus on his engineering career. Her parents had been nothing but supportive, and when she finally agreed to their plan to move closer, they wasted no time making it happen, but still threw some words along the line of ‘he’ll fall in line soon and will ask you back’, Angie, however, seemed determined to let Trey go once and for all. Now, standing amid all these boxes, Angie reminded herself that maybe, just maybe, this change would be good.

She let the cool water from the shower wash over her, sighing as the day’s stress melted away. The sweat and grime were replaced with the soft, clean scent of soap. She was drying off and feeling lighter when a sudden, persistent knock sounded at her door. Wrapping herself in a towel, she walked to the door, slightly annoyed.

“Mom, I said I don’t–” she began, opening the door, but paused when she saw a young girl standing there. The girl’s face was flushed, her fingers fidgeting nervously over her belly. She looked no older than thirteen. Angie raised her eyebrows, slightly concerned.

“Oh, hi sweetie,” she said gently, leaning against the doorframe.

“H-hi… I’m Sarah,” the girl stammered as she looked down, clearly embarrassed.

“How can I help you, kiddo?” Angie asked, folding her arms, her voice softening.

“I… I’m having… issues,” Sarah muttered, glancing down, her dark skinned cheeks turning pink. Angie paused, sensing what the problem might be but waiting for Sarah to say it herself.

“Issues?” Angie asked, tilting her head with a gentle smile.

“Yeah…” Sarah bit her lip, hesitating. “Girl issues?”

“You got your period, huh?” Angie asked, her voice warm with understanding. She smiled and rolled her eyes in sympathy. “Come on in, honey. I’m Angie, by the way.”

Sarah’s face lit up with relief, though her eyes still held a trace of sadness and uncertainty. “Thank you,” she whispered, grateful for the kindness of this stranger who had quickly become her lifeline.

“Don’t mind the mess, ‘just moved in,” Angie walked towards her bedroom as she loudly spoke, finding some tanktop and shorts to wear after showering herself.

“No troubles.” Sarah replied, standing still, once she was scared she would leave some stain in Angie’s couch. As soon as Angie returned, Sarah peeked at the older girl carrying a bag and having a towel wrapped around her head.

“Did your mom ever talk to you about periods?” She asked, placing the pink small bag over the table. Sarah narrowed her eyes, feeling an involuntary urge to cry as she heard the word “mom”. She never gave much thought to her mom or the fact she left her and Joel to live a dutiless life, but this new change in her body brought her new emotions that Sarah couldn’t fathom of where it came from. Her eyes teared up, triggered by that simple sentence and Angie looked at the child, concerned she said something she wasn’t supposed to.

“Oh, honey,” Angie murmured, realizing she had touched a nerve. She placed a comforting hand on Sarah’s shoulder, guiding her to the couch, where they sat together. “I’m so sorry if I said something that hurt you,” she said softly. “Look, why don’t we start by going through a few basics? I brought some things that might help. This little guy,” she said, pointing to a pad. “is going to be your new best friend for a few days each month. It might seem strange at first, but everyone’s been through it. I’ll walk you through how to use it. And, just so you know, cramps and weird feelings can come with the territory, too. That’s what these tablets are for, they’ll help with the stomach aches.”

Sarah’s eyes flickered to the chocolate bar, and Angie chuckled, nudging it towards her. “Chocolate helps too. I promise.”

A faint smile crossed Sarah’s lips, and she reached for the bar, unwrapping it slowly. “Thanks,” she said, her voice barely a whisper.

“No problem,” Angie replied, her tone light. “Periods can be damn bad, especially the first time. But once you get the hang of it, you’ll see it’s just a part of life.”

Sarah took a deep breath, her gaze focused on the pad as she tried to ignore the ache in her stomach. Angie handed it to her, explaining how it would attach to her underwear, going through the steps carefully but casually to keep things light. Once Sarah seemed to understand, Angie gently squeezed her shoulder. Sarah took a bite of chocolate, letting the sweetness calm her. She looked down at the pads on the table, still feeling a bit lost. “It’s just… I don’t know anything about this stuff,” she admitted, twisting the wrapper nervously. “I didn’t even know it would… hurt like this.”

“Y’know,” Angie added, showing her Texan accent. “it’s perfectly okay to feel whatever you’re feeling right now. Sad, scared, or even mad. ‘S a big change, and it can be a lot to take in. But I promise, it gets easier.”

“Does it? My belly hurts real bad now.” Sarah replied, pouting her lips as she pressed some heat from her hands over her abdomen. Angie laughed faintly and caressed the girl’s long curls.

“It does, sweetie,” Angie said, still patting her hair. “But there’ll be times you’ll be dying for your period to come.”

Sarah looked at Angie puzzled at face and then, Angie realized she was talking to a thirteen year old who had no idea of what she was talking about. “In a few years you’ll understand, kiddo.” She completed, grabbing her chin and Sarah shrugged.

“What about these?” Sarah asked, getting a long tampon in her hands, horrified by its size. “Do you put this like… right there?”

Angie crossed her arms after scratching her eyebrows and smiling briefly amongst the mess in her living room. “Yeah… this one might be too much for you now, kiddo. Let’s keep on the tampons for now, ‘kay?”

“Thanks,” Sarah said, her face relaxing a little. She glanced again at the tampon on the table, her curiosity lingering, but it was comforting to know she didn’t have to figure it all out right away.

“Anytime,” Angie replied, giving her a reassuring smile. “Y’can lay down in my bedroom. ‘S the only place is not full of boxes, I’ll get the heating pad warm for you.”

Meanwhile, Joel and Tommy strolled home beneath the relentless sun, the cold coming from the beer packs offering a welcome chill against their chests. The day was blazing, and they were more than ready to kick back and enjoy the afternoon ahead. “I was talkin’ with Herschel at the liquor store and he talked about this cute lil’ thing living right across the street,” Tommy said, waiting for Joel to open the front door. Joel remained silent, not giving too much thought about it. He had dated a few ladies in the past, but none worked out for him. For now, he was solely focused on raising Sarah.

“Tell me ‘bout that,” he replied, pretending to be interested in his brother’s typical womanizing chatter as he turned the key in the lock.

As they stepped inside, Joel paused, immediately noticing the unusual quiet that filled the house. The TV was off, and there was no trace of Sarah bustling around or playing music like she often did. Joel’s eyes drifted up the stairs, figuring she was probably in her room, getting ready for the neighbor’s pool party. He shrugged it off, glancing at Tommy, who raised an eyebrow in silent question.

“I saw her carrying loads of boxes into that house that belonged to that Thomas family who moved away to Arizona,” Tommy continued, getting into Joel’s home as he opened the door. “Guess that means she’s new to the neighborhood. What an eye-candy, all sweaty, beautiful legs, cute smile.”

Joel shrugged as he dropped his keys onto the table. “New neighbors, huh? That’s nice, I guess.” He walked into the living room, his mind still half-focused on Sarah and her quiet absence.

“C’mon, man! You should at least check her out!” Tommy urged, following Joel into the room. “Could be a good distraction for you.”

Joel shot him a look, half-amused and half-annoyed. “Not interested, Tommy. I’ve got enough on my plate right now.”

“Yeah, but it wouldn’t hurt to make some friends,” Tommy countered, a smirk spreading across his face. “Especially if they have those pretty legs like the new neighbor.”

Joel shook his head, unable to suppress a smile despite himself. “You’re an asshole.” He couldn’t help but appreciate Tommy’s enthusiasm, even if he had no intention of pursuing anything beyond his responsibilities. “Let’s just focus on getting ready for the party.” He said, trying to redirect the conversation. He called out for Sarah, raising his voice slightly. “Sarah!”

There was no response. He frowned and glanced toward the stairs, hearing only silence echoing back at him. “Hey, Sarah! You up there?” he tried again, a hint of concern creeping into his voice as he made his way toward the stairs.

Tommy followed him, still grinning. “She’s probably just taking her sweet time,” he said, crossing his arms. “You know how girls can be. Maybe she’s trying on every outfit she has.”

Joel roamed the second floor of his house, checking for his daughter. Looked inside his and her bedroom, the bathroom, nothing. A pang of worry fell upon Joel. “Tommy, check if Sarah’s downstairs!” Joel asked, yelling from the second floor as he went down the stairs. Tommy nodded, a hint of seriousness now creeping into his playful demeanor. He sprinted to the bottom of the stairs and looked around the living room. “Sarah! You down here?” he shouted, but only silence responded.

Joel reached the last step, his heart racing a little faster as he glanced around. “Sarah!” he called again, his voice laced with concern. “Where are you?”

He walked into the living room, scanning every corner, and then turned toward the kitchen, thinking she might be grabbing a snack. The kitchen was empty, too. Joel felt a knot tighten in his chest.

“Maybe she’s outside?” Tommy suggested, moving toward the back door. “You know how kids like to hang out in the yard when they think no one’s watching.”

“Yeah, maybe,” Joel replied, trying to push away the worry gnawing at him. As Tommy opened the door and stepped outside, Joel followed close behind. The bright sun hit him, and he squinted, scanning the backyard for any sign of his daughter.

“Sarah!” Tommy called out again, his voice carrying over the soft rustle of leaves in the breeze. Still no answer. Joel stepped further onto the patio, a sinking feeling settling deeper in his gut.

“Let’s check the front,” Joel suggested, feeling the need to cover all bases. As they moved around the house to the front yard, he felt an unsettling sense of urgency. “If she’s not in the backyard, she could have gone to the Adler’s or something.”

“Sarah!” Joel called out, stepping onto the porch and peering inside. “Are you in there?”

Just as he was about to knock, a voice floated back to him, a familiar voice, but tinged with uncertainty. “I’m here!” Sarah replied, her tone brightening with relief.

Joel exchanged a quick glance with Tommy, both of them relaxing slightly. They saw Sarah coming downstairs from the neighbor’s home with a girl next to her, stepping slowly as she carried a heating pad over her belly. “What’s going on, kiddo?” Joel asked, breathing relieved as he saw his daughter safe and sound, but puzzled as to why his daughter had brought a heating pad on the hottest day of June.

“Uh… hey,” Angie said, extending her hand at Joel, who shook hands with her briefly and mainly focusing on Sarah’s well-being. “My name’s Angie, I’m your new neighbor livin’ ‘cross the street. I’d take it easy on her, uh… she’s gone through a bit too much this last hour.”

“Um… hi Angie, thanks for watching her, I’m Joel.” Joel said, trying to be as polite as possible. “As for you, going out without my permission and disturbing the new neighbors Sarah, c’mon…” he finished, rolling his eyes.

“No, dad, you don’t get it…” Sarah said, trying to reason with Joel.

“Yeah, good luck with that, miss,” Tommy chimed in, his hands shoved into his pockets as he tried to disguise a laugh at the father-daughter exchange.

“She was actually looking for help,” Angie interjected, sensing the tension. “Sarah needed someone to talk to about… well, girl stuff. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.” Joel raised an eyebrow, momentarily confused. He exchanged a glance with Tommy, who seemed just as puzzled.

Angie approached them, holding out a bag filled with toiletries. “Hate to be the messenger, but your daughter went through, um… the change,” she said, her tone gentle but matter-of-fact.

Joel’s heart sank, and he felt like being hit like a ton of bricks as his cheeks grew red of embarrassment. He looked from Angie to Sarah, who stood there with a mixture of shame and vulnerability. “Oh,” he said slowly, his voice barely above a whisper. “You mean…”

“Yeah, I got my period,” Sarah admitted, her voice annoyed. “I didn’t know what to do, and Angie helped me.”

Tommy, realizing the gravity of the moment, stopped his teasing and looked at Sarah with an unexpected seriousness. “Hey kiddo, don’t feel bad” he said, trying to lighten the mood, but his tone was respectful. “You’re not alone in this.”

Sarah rolled her eyes, annoyance flooding her cheeks as she hid her face in her hands. “I can’t believe this is happening,” she muttered, wishing she could just disappear.

Joel took a deep breath, processing everything. “I’m glad you had someone to talk to, Sarah,” he said, his protective instincts kicking in. “But you should have come to me. I can help too.”

“No, Dad, you can’t! Ugh!” Sarah exclaimed, exasperation lacing her words. “You don’t understand! It’s just... embarrassing. Ugh! Nobody gets me!”

Angie watched the exchange, sensing the emotional intensity of the moment. She looked at Joel, unsure of how to proceed from there. This was clearly a delicate situation, and she wanted to offer support without overstepping. Tommy, sensing the need for space, quietly stepped back inside the house, leaving Sarah and Joel alone and closed the door behind him, allowing the father and daughter to have their moment without distraction.

“Sarah, honey, I think that you shouldn’ talk to your dad like this.” Angie said, with a soft voice as her heavy southern accent was shown. “I tell you that, go home and rest, take these with you.” Angie completed her sentence, giving Joel the sack of feminine products.

“Go home and rest. Sometimes just lying down for a bit can help. And if you need to talk, ’m right across the street,” she added, her tone reassuring.

Sarah hesitated, glancing at the items in Angie’s hand. “Thanks, I guess. But it’s just… weird.”

Angie chuckled lightly. “‘S part of life sweetie, in time things will settle.”

Joel nodded in agreement. “Angie’s right, kiddo. And I promise, it’s not as scary as it seems. Just remember, it’s a normal part of life.”

“You know nothing, dad,” Sarah hit back, rolling her eyes. Feeling the weight of their words, the girl took a deep breath. “Okay, okay. I’ll take them.” She reached out and accepted the items, a small smile breaking through her earlier frustration. “Thanks, Angie.”

“Anytime, sweet pea,” Angie replied, her voice filled with sincerity. “And if you need anything else, just knock on my door. Seriously.”

With a final glance between them, Sarah felt a little more at ease. “Alright, I’m heading home. I guess I can rest and NO PARTY for us!”

Sarah turned to walk away, speaking in a loud, grumpy and bossy tone. Joel grinned and scratched his eyes before looking at Angie more carefully. The girl was indeed a cute little thing with her hair humid and wavy, her features so delicate and feminine that it became almost impossible to not notice her. Her lips were also perfectly shaped. He couldn’t deny, she really was an eye-candy just like Tommy said, but he was quick to send these thoughts away.

“Uh… I had no chance to say thank you. You’re probably full of stuff to do and-...” Joel said, strangely clumsy around the girl before she interrupted him. Angie, on the other hand, found Joel really attractive with his broad shoulders and messy curls, covered in sweat. However, she was also quick to shoo these thoughts away, once she didn’t want to suffer from another bad relationship. For now, Angie wanted to take care of herself. “How much all the… uh, lady products,” he scoffed, oddly timid. “Costed?”

She chuckled gently, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. “Hey, don’t worry ‘bout that. I’ve been in her place back in the day, it’s tough. Besides, she’s a peach so don’t worry about a thing ‘kay? Face this as a gift from a new neighbor.”

Joel beamed, proud from the education he gave to his daughter. “Yeah but, uh… will she always be this cranky? She was this sweet little girl just yesterday and now looks like a monster swallowed my daughter.”

Angie raised her eyebrows, laughing. “You’ll learn how to handle it just in time. My old man took a while to get used to it too.”

Joel laughed faintly, ignoring the sun towering them. “Y’know what? Why don’t you join us for dinner? The party I’d go to is ruined now so I have loads of beer untouched. I’m no chef but I could cook somethin’ nice. Just a way to say thank you for taking care of my baby girl.”

“I don’t wanna bother anyone, Joel. Really…” Angie said, with a sincere expression.

“C’mon, I insist. You went out of your way to take care of a kid you barely knew.” Joel beamed, crossing his arms.

Angie sighed and smiled as she scratched her eyebrows, nodding her head reluctantly. “Alright, fine. Thanks for the invitation.”

“Not at all, sweetheart.” Joel said, leaving a thrill down Angie’s spine as soon as he called her by a term of endearment. “See ya.”

“See ya.” Angie said, going back to her house.

—

Angie closed the door behind her, biting her lips as her mind recollected the last moments with Sarah’s dad. He was a nice guy, your regular guy next door: talk, muscular, kind, handsome, charming and seemingly a good father. Joel seemed to be a perfect guy for Angie on paper and she couldn’t deny the instant attraction she felt for him as soon as she laid her eyes on him. Although, at the same time, Angie was still mourning the end of her relationship with Trey and everything he could be with her, it ached her heart knowing he was already engaged to a girl who apparently wanted the same things as him. Angie needed to learn how to be alone and get back on her feet first and then, she would think about dating someone else.

Later that evening, Angie started prepping for the dinner Joel had invited her to. She didn’t want to overdress, but she also didn’t want to show up looking like she hadn’t given it any thought. She opted for a simple, casual dress, something comfortable but flattering. As she checked herself in the mirror one last time, Angie took a deep breath.

As she walked to Joel’s home across the street, she felt a slight shame since she couldn’t prepare any meal for the dinner, since her kitchen wasn’t set up yet. The fresh evening air helped to settle her nerves, though, and by the time she reached his door, she felt more at ease. She rang the bell and a few seconds later, Joel opened the door. His expression softened as he saw her, a warm smile spreading across his face.

“Glad you came,” he said, stepping aside to let her in.

“Thanks again for inviting me,” Angie replied, stepping over the threshold. “Sorry for not bringing anything, my kitchen isn’t set up yet.”

“Don’t you worry ‘bout a thing, sweetie, you’re our guest,” Joel’s place was cozy and welcoming, a blend of his laid-back personality and something subtly protective. The aroma of a home-cooked meal lingered in the air, and Angie felt an unexpected pang of nostalgia for moments like this.

“Oh it smells good for sure,” Angie said, laughing as she walked inside his house. “Your house is beautiful, by the way.”

“Thank you darlin’, I made ‘few pieces from the furniture,” he said, placing his hand over the thick wood on the counter.”

Angie widened her eyes, surprised as she looked at the fine wooden mobilia. “How talented. Are you a carpenter?”

“Contractor. Me and my brother, Tommy. The one you saw earlier.” He said, sitting on the couch alongside Angie, who adjusted the skirt of her dress as she sat comfortably on.

“Well, my parents will definitely need your services one of these days,” she said, glancing upstairs with a subtle curiosity for any sign of Sarah.

"Oh, really?" Joel arched a brow in surprise, a soft smile pulling at his lips. "Thinking about renovations already, darlin'?"

"Well, sorta," she chuckled. "They’re letting me stay in the guest house for a while. ‘S temporary, just until they settle into the main place and decide what to do with it. It’s… a nice way for me to get back on my feet too.”

Joel nodded thoughtfully. “That’s great. It’s hard to find good places that feel like home right away, you know? Sounds like they’re lookin’ out for you.”

“Yeah, I think so,” she replied, smiling softly as she glanced around his house again. “Funny enough, this neighborhood already feels a little like home.”

"'S a nice neighborhood to live in," Joel agreed, his voice soft. "Very peaceful, just good folks all around. Just a shame I’ll have to get used to not seeing you here eventually."

Angie’s cheeks flushed, and she felt a flutter in her chest at his words. "Well, thank you, but I wouldn’t worry too much. I’ll stick around a while." She chuckled. "Had to leave my ol’ job in Dalla to make this move.”

Joel’s eyebrows raised in surprise. "Dallas, huh? That’s a big shift."

“Yeah,” she replied with a shrug. "My folks thought it’d be a good time for me to slow down a bit… and I think they’re right. But it’s a whole new chapter."

Joel nodded. "Big change, but you’ll fit in just fine here. And who knows, maybe we can convince you to stay longer than you’re planning." He shot her a warm, playful look, letting the words hang with a hint of invitation. “I know for a fact that Sarah was already talking ‘bout how cool you are.”

Angie laughed, letting the ease of his company make her feel even more at home. "Well, don’t go making offers like that. I just might take you up on it." She met his gaze, feeling a spark pass between them that was both comforting and scary.

“Dad!” Sarah’s voice echoed as she bounded down the stairs, breaking the quiet warmth that had settled between Joel and Angie.

Joel straightened, glancing over at Angie with a quick, sheepish smile before turning to Sarah. "Hey, kiddo, what’s up?”

“Hey Angie, you came.” Sarah said, greeting the older girl with a tight embrace, which Angie accepted just fine.

“I see you got better, my dear.” Angie said, releasing the girl from her arms.

Sarah nodded. “Yeah, I think I’m good now,” she said, flashing a shy smile toward Angie. “Thanks for... you know, helping me out.”

Angie smiled warmly. “Anytime, Sarah. You’ve got this.”

“We were just waitin’ for you, baby. Let’s go before the dinner gets cold,” Joel said, guiding the girls towards the kitchen. Angie felt a quiet warmth settle over her as she realized how rare and precious connections like this could be. It was something she hadn't felt in a long time. As the evening wore on, a gentle silence settled between them, one that didn’t feel the least bit awkward or demanding.

“So, Angie,” Joel began after swallowing a bite of his steak. “You were tellin’ me you had to find a new job in the city. What d’you work with, darlin’?”

“I’m a hairdresser.” Angie replied as she had a sip of her beer, watching Sarah’s eyes widening as she spoke.

“That’s so cool! You could do my hair like Janet Jackson’s sometime!” The girl said, excitedly.

“Kiddo, let’s not abuse from the good will of Angie,” Joel scratched his beard, slightly shy for her behavior. Either way, he had to admit it was cute to see his girl so excited over someone, he figured that Angie could be a good influence on her just for the short amount of time they spent together.

"Relax, we can arrange that, honey," Angie reassured, giving Sarah a warm smile. "But, between us? I think your natural curls are way prettier. Had a friend in beauty school, she had these beautiful curls, all big and curly like yours," Angie said, eating a piece of vegetable quickly. “She taught me ‘few things. I can show you how to make your hair even prettier.”

“Thanks, Angie,” Sarah replied, with a soft smile.

Joel nodded, watching Sarah’s confidence grow under their attention. "Don’t you have a friend whose mom works at that hair salon downtown, darlin’?” he asked, a knowing smile playing on his lips.

Sarah nodded as she took a sip of her juice. “Yeah, Ellie’s mom,” she replied, glancing up curiously.

Joel raised an eyebrow, casting a quick look at Angie. “Well, maybe next time you’re over there, you can mention Angie to her mom. She’s lookin’ for a job.”

Angie’s eyes widened, her surprise quickly melting into a smile. “Oh, Joel, you don’t have to do that,” she said, though she was clearly touched by his thoughtfulness.

"Sure I do,” he replied warmly. "Good folks ought to help each other out. Besides, Sarah’s got the inside track on the best stylist in town now.”

Sarah grinned, clearly pleased to be involved in a conversation that felt almost grown-up, as though she were part of some small conspiracy between them. She looked from Joel to Angie, excitement dancing in her eyes. “I can do that!”

Angie laughed softly. "Guess I better thank you both then,” she said, her gaze meeting Joel’s with appreciation.

Joel shrugged, his voice warm. “Like I said, just lookin' out for good people.” Angie smiled tenderly at Joel, nodding at him in a silent gratefulness.

As the evening went on, laughter and conversation flowed easily, but eventually a comfortable silence settled around them, a stillness that didn’t need to be filled. They shared small smiles across the table, each appreciating the peace that came with the evening. Sarah eventually fell asleep as they watched a random movie on the TV. Joel glanced at Angie, his gaze steady and kind, as though he, too, was almost surrendering himself to sleep.

“Oh, guess someone fell asleep,” Angie murmured with a soft smile as she noticed Sarah’s eyelids drooping. Joel smiled silently, reaching to lift his daughter in his arms.

“She’s always like that,” he whispered, his voice warm as he carried Sarah upstairs, cradling her gently. Angie followed quietly, watching as Joel carefully tucked Sarah into bed, smoothing the duvet around her with a tenderness that softened his rough edges. He leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead before turning back to Angie, who stood by the doorway, watching the scene with a softened gaze.

Once they stepped into the hallway, Angie took a breath, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “Well… I guess I should get going,” she said, gathering her things with a polite smile.

But as she stood there, a small pang of sadness flickered in her chest, remembering memories of promises that once meant the world to her. Trey had once promised he’d be there to tuck their future kids into bed every night, and for a moment, Angie felt the ache of his absence more sharply than usual. She missed the life she had once imagined, even if she couldn’t quite say it out loud.

Joel’s voice broke her reverie, low and inviting. “You should stay. Have a beer with me,” he murmured, his gaze lingering on hers as he gently closed Sarah’s bedroom door behind him.

Angie smiled, her heart lifting despite herself. “Thank you, Joel. But maybe we could both use a good rest tonight,” she replied softly, her southern accent wrapping around the words in a way that felt warm, even comforting.

Joel tilted his head, his own accent thickening as he spoke. “Fair enough,” he said, a hint of warmth in his voice. “Feels like we’ve known each other longer than just a day,” he said softly, a faint smile touching his lips.

Angie met his gaze, her own smile forming. “Yeah, it does. Funny how that happens sometimes, isn’t it?”

Joel nodded, his eyes warm. “Guess it’s not every day you find someone who just… fits.” He looked down, almost shy, before adding, “Or who’s willing to help out a clueless dad in the middle of all this.”

Angie laughed softly. “You’re not clueless at all, Joel. And besides, I don’t mind bein’ around to help, if you’ll let me.”

Joel’s smile deepened, a look of quiet gratitude passing over his face. “I’d like that,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Angie’s gaze lingered on Joel, her heart fluttering with an unexpected warmth. Just one day into her new life in the suburbs of Austin, and here she was, falling for a man’s charm with the same ease that had always led her to trouble. She felt like that naive girl once more, melting under his sweet talk, the magnetic pull between them undeniable yet unsettling. But she shook her head slightly, a small frown creasing her brow. Angie knew she had to exercise some discipline in her thoughts, because she knew well that right there, she was being the same needy girl that she was trying to leave behind. It was easy to get swept up in the moment, but she couldn’t forget the reasons she had moved away from Dallas. This new beginning was about rebuilding herself away from her past and the disappointment of Trey.

“I should probably get going,” she said, though her voice lacked conviction as they stood by the door. “You know, get some rest and all.”

Joel nodded, a hint of reluctance in his expression. “Sure, but you’re welcome here anytime. I mean it. Sarah could use a friend like you, and so could I.” His sincerity made her heart ache with possibility. ‘Friendship, Angie. That’s all he wants from you.’, that’s what Angie tried to repeat in her mind like a mantra.

Angie took a deep breath, grounding herself. “G’night, Joel.” She said, walking away from the Miller’s door, walking towards hers across the street.

[daycourtofficial]

Falling in Love on the Fourth Floor - Part 7

Summary: Out of an act of desperation, you move in with a guy you kind of know who happens to have a really hot brother who lives next door.

Author’s note: eeeek I’ve had parts of this one in the drafts for AGES the middle section has been drafted for at least a month I swear and I’ve been sitting on it like 🧍‍♀️ waiting to share it. I think this is my favorite part so far (but not my fav overall 🥰)

(Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3) (Part 4) (Part 5) (Part 6) (Masterlist)

Your day had been shit. Ever since that godsawful date Mor ambushed you with last night, you couldn’t stop yourself from wondering about Azriel and Nesta’s date. What they were doing, how things were going, if she was making him laugh.

Hell, you couldn’t stop thinking about their date while on your own date. The guy was good looking, and he wasn’t terrible, but there was nothing there between you two.

He also was very into cryptocurrency, a topic that quickly took over the conversation at dinner. A topic you did not encourage him to continue on. He somehow didn’t get that memo, insisting on walking you up towards the doors of your building when he was dropping you off, where you had made a lame excuse about going to bed early before ducking into your building.

You had followed the same path Azriel took only moments ago, continuing on to your own apartment. You open the door, finding a note on the fridge in Cassian’s messy scrawl.

Have fun.

He drew a winky face, and then several crude drawings on the post-it. The drawings made you groan, Cassian’s enthusiasm for your date further solidifying your nonexistent chance with his brother.

Of course Cassian would have Mor set you up after he found out about your little crush on his brother. You felt so stupid when you saw Nesta on their couch earlier today. You hardly spoke to Rhysand on the way to lab, your thoughts too flooded with how terribly you had read the whole situation.

Cassian probably told Mor all about your dumb crush and got her to fix you up tonight. Maybe Azriel had even mentioned your text to Cassian, asking him what to do about the annoying roommate who developed a crush on his brother.

Your chest hurts, but it was just a silly crush. You’ll get over it.

Eventually.

-

Azriel stood in the elevator, waiting for the doors to close as he looked at his phone, looking at the last message you had sent him Friday morning.

Wanna grab lunch tomorrow?

He hadn’t answered, his phone having been on silent all day to focus on finishing his work for the next week and the reception in the library not allowing messages to come through. He hadn’t seen the message until he woke up this morning, the timestamp seeming cruel.

Now he stares at it and wants to throw his phone. Missed opportunities, he supposes. But what would this lunch have looked like since you’re dating that dickhead from last night? Would you have had to reject him outright?

He can see your face contort in a smile as you tell him, “oh no, Az, I’m seeing someone.” Then you’d probably laugh about it with the dickhead.

He runs his hands down his face when he hears someone yelling, “hold the elevator please!” He juts out an arm on instinct, not noticing who it is. He sees you slip inside, the doors bumping against his arm, bringing him back to reality as he looks down at you.

Fuck.

A light scent of oranges fills the elevator, and he notes it’s likely from your shampoo. He pulls his arm from the door, allowing them to close, locking the two of you in the metal box.

You look up at him, eyes going wide, cheeks heating in embarrassment at the close proximity. You’re standing right in front of him, and you can smell his cologne, a scent of night-chilled air and cedar filling your nose. You take deep breaths, telling yourself that it’s okay, it was just a little crush.

On a very pretty, smart, and very kind guy.

Who smelled incredible.

You look down at your feet, unsure how to speak to him now that you knew he was dating Nesta. And not wanting to further embarrass yourself by flirting with him.

Gods, this was how you were going to die, you think, shuffling to lean against the rail. Azriel’s voice puts a halt to the spiraling of your thoughts.

“Nice date last night?” Azriel asks, trying not to let whatever he’s feeling bubble up. Your eyebrows shoot up, unaware of Azriel even knowing about your date.

Of course he knows, you think, Cassian probably told him he’d handle it.

“He spent the while night telling me about stocks and crypto and how he wants to be in Forbes 30 under 30,” you scoffed, “so no, it was not nice.”

The elevator starts moving, and his eyebrows shoot up. “So that wasn’t your boyfriend?”

You scoff, “hell no. Mor ambushed me yesterday. She told me to get dressed up and we’d go out and have a fun girl’s night, but when I showed up she texted me that she set me up instead.

“The worst part is Mor was so confident that she told Cassian about it, so he had stayed at her place last night to give me ‘privacy’. He even left crude drawings around the apartment to help the ‘atmosphere’.”

Azriel laughs as the elevator dings for the third floor. He feels his chest lighten, knowing you definitely weren’t seeing anyone. “Mor’s always been ambitious, hasn’t she?”

You laugh. “Maybe it was just a ploy for her to have sex with Cassian.”

You say it, but you know it’s not true. The real truth was they wanted to put you out there, help you get over the beautiful man standing next to you. They knew you didn’t have a shot, especially compared to Nesta. You’re brought back to reality, and decide to hurt yourself further.

“How was your date with Nesta?” You ground out, after a pause in your conversation. You needed to know so you can completely cut off your feelings for him. You needed him to pierce you with the final dagger.

His eyebrows arch up, and he looks at your expression.

Were you upset? You won’t meet his gaze, and you’re clenching your fists. Were you - jealous?

His mouth curls up at the thought, “uh it wasn’t a date. Nesta and I study together every Thursday night. We take a lot of the same classes. We did it last night instead because she was busy on Thursday.”

Your eyebrows raise in surprise, “so you’re not dating Nesta?”

He laughs, “absolutely not. No that’s an avenue I’d never go down. But there is some-“

His words die as you hear a screeching sound and the elevator stops completely, leaving you two stranded somewhere between the first and second floors.

“No - no, no, no.”

You start freaking out - elevators always gave you a bit of concern, their small dimensions making you feel cramped. You hit the button to open the door, jamming it with your finger. Realizing that it was fruitless, You pull out your phone only to remember that the elevator always has no service.

“Fuck,” you mumble, and your breaths start coming faster and faster, and you’re trying to remember your calming techniques, when you feel cold hands gently grab your cheeks.

“Hey, look at me.”

You look up, finding hazel eyes looking back at you. They’re etched with concern, not a trace of mockery in them.

“We’re okay. Breathe with me, can you do that?”

He grabs one of your hands, placing it on his chest so you can feel his breaths as they come in and out. Your eyes stay trained on his, not wanting to look away, wanting to get lost in the gold flecks you find there.

You start following the rhythm of his breaths, but he keeps talking to you in a soothing tone. You’re too focused on breathing to register what he’s saying, but you do register the soothing tone he’s speaking to you in. You could get lost in his voice, its deep timbre a melody in your ears.

Eventually you come back down enough to focus on what he’s saying and he’s telling you about his night - everything he did yesterday.

“Rhys texted me to get some trash bags on my way in, which is where I was coming from when I pulled up and found you with crypto douche.”

You smile, your first real reaction to his words since the elevator stopped.

“There she is,” he says, his finger tapping your cheek, “wanna tell me more about crypto douche?”

“He wants to be a landlord.”

Azriel snorts, “of course he does.”

“I didn’t even want to go on this date,” your eyes stay locked with his, the golden flecks calming you down. “But Mor has been begging me to go out with this guy for ages, and then she finally decided to ambush me by forcing it on me.”

“You know you can tell Mor “no”. It’s a complete sentence.”

“I know,” you sigh, “but she loves playing matchmaker, even though she’s awful at it. Usually once every other month I let her set me up, but she was just throwing a tantrum I wouldn’t let her set me up this time once I figured out the rouse.”

He doesn’t let himself linger on the fact that you haven’t let her set you up since meeting him. Coincidence, maybe. “Have any of them been successful?”

You blow out a breath, “uh, no. Usually I stay for an hour then leave. None of them have ever gotten a second date.” You pause, thinking. “In the words of the great philosopher of our time, “I’m a pathological people pleaser,” you chuckle.

“And who said that?”

“…. Taylor Swift.”

He looks at you, a chuckle on his breath, such tenderness in his gaze it shocks you a bit. “You should stand up for yourself more.”

“I’m… not really sure how. It’s kind of new to me.”

You look at your feet, but he taps your chin so you’ll look at him again. “I stood up to my parents, and it was the scariest thing I’ve ever done.”

You had tiptoed around the topic since your admission to Cassian the day you moved in, the wound still too raw to discuss with anyone other than Feyre. Mor knew some of the details, but not the whole story. You’re sure Rhys and Az knew that something happened with your parents, but you never let them know too much about it.

They didn’t know that your parents had told you that you became everything they had tried to avoid. That, despite everything they did for you, you didn’t turn out right.

You hadn’t told Mor because you knew she would have burnt down their house with them in it.

“It was scary, moving here with a guy I hardly knew.” His grip on you tightens slightly, and he’s hanging onto every word you say.

“But I don’t regret it. Not even when Cassian wakes me up at 6 AM with his singing.”

He chuckles, and he stills as you look into his eyes, your voice clear and strong.

“I don’t… I don’t regret any of it. I don’t regret meeting you.”

His hands are still cupped on your face, his face mere inches from your own. Your confession hangs in the air as you two look at each other, and he leans closer, pressing his forehead to yours.

Your breathing hitches, but not because you’re stuck.

He opens his mouth to reply, but the elevator comes back to life, moving downwards again. It startles both of you into jumping away from each other, and you clear your throat.

“Where are- where are you going?” You ask, gesturing towards his helmet.

“Oh, uh Cassian forgot his lunch and doesn’t have time to grab anything between clients. I was going to bring him something.”

The air is lighter between you two, and Azriel feels like he can breathe you in again. The fog of confusion has lifted between you two, leaving you to be seen clearly by him.

“Do you want to get lunch?”

He echos your previous text message to him, and you nod.

“Yeah I’d love that.”

You stroll through the lobby, putting as much distance between the falter elevator and yourselves. Once you make it to the parking lot, Azriel places his spare helmet on your head, tapping the top of it lightly affectionately.

You zip your jacket up as Azriel gets on the bike first, his thighs straddling the seat. He holds the bike steady, allowing you to place your hands on his shoulders for balance, letting go of your fears as you swing your leg around to straddle the bike behind him. Your body leans against his, wrapping around him, holding onto him.

You place your head on his back, your fingers clutching onto his jacket. It feels new, electricity crackling through every inch of you that is in contact with him, despite the layers and helmets that separate you.

He chuckles at the gasp you let out when you two start moving, how your hands hold onto his jacket a little tighter than before.

He pulls a hand away to place it gently on one of the hands you have clutched to his jacket, squeezing three times before moving his hand back.

[xsommeee]

BEAST SKK HEAD CANON~~

Dazai's room is an exact replica of what Mori had in his. Nothing touched everso slightly, he rarely sleeps at night, sits glued to a chair in the corner and states in the dark. Talking to himself at various moments, arguing passionately against tall red drapes. In a Victorian era styled rooms with bedded pillars and purple soft carpet floors. Multiple grim artworks hung on the walls with heavy embellished frames.

If you asked Dazai what the model number written under the gun of a goon who walked past him this morning, he'd tell you with absolute certainty. However he had no idea about the bedding in his room, or the couch, he didn't even know the curtains were red. He simply never looked at them, he only saw the high void like ceiling.

“Comment était votre petit voyage?” Dazai remarked without moving. The room was completely silent before this, a normal person will say there wasn't a person there either.

“Il n’y a jamais de voyage.”

“Then where were you this whole week? Trying on better dog collars?” Dazai says glaring at the other. There was light illuminating a scowling slime face.

Chuuya Nakahara was missing from the Port Mafia quarters, the second in command had performed none of his duties for over two weeks “I need to talk to you, with sincerity” Chuuya breathes in “You- you delivered a box filled with over 200 hearts to the place I was in today.” Chuuya crosses his arms, visibly uncomfortable.

“Two hundred and thirty three for the fourteenth day of you not coming back. The Fibonacci sequence you know, I recognise your love for math and physics.” A horrific grin plastered on Dazai. Chuuya opens his mouth but falls short of words only to get interrupted.

“You wanted to avoid this outcome? I had warned you, Chuuya. You could have filed a leave application instead of disappearing, why didn't you? Did you really think I was bluffing?” “Bastard!” Chuuya grits, “you knew where I was!”

“Yes, and that doesn't excuse your absence.” Dark eyes cut into crystal blue ones. There's a surge of pain in the latter.

“Dazai,” Chuuya walks towards him half bowed with a desperation and uncomeliness he'd never felt. Wildly gesticulating every word and eyes blown wide. He screams, abuses and cries all through the same words and speaks without breathing. “I’ve had nothing, nothing to do for more than six months. I know batshit about whatever you're doing, hell that white hair kid who's been here two days knows more than I. A shitty goon with no use but to die first is more useful than me. Hell Dazai I’d fucking go out there not use my powers and fight like that recruit. But all, all that I do is come to this goddamn building and sit in an office she used to sit in. Watching people I used to know and respect deride me. Spit on me for the traitor I am! You wanted revenge over me not supporting your accession.”

Chuuya fists Dazai’s shirts shaking him with his own trembling body, “You’ve had it. I don't think you could have more. I'd say whatever you want, do whatever you say. Just- just let me peace, some peace. Stop torturing me like this. Like you’re unaware, behaving like this is alright, I’m tired. I’m sick. I’m already crazy! There's nothing left, nothing, nothing, nothing!”

Dazai had gotten up during this tirade, holding the hand fisted in his shirt, rubbing Chuuya's back soothingly with the other. By the end of it a heavy silence ensued. Dazai stared at his eyes brimming with unshed tears.

He started speaking calmly as if Chuuya was upset after seeing a rat get run over by a car. “Shh, don't be like this. Walls have ears, if someone heard chibi right now, you want something to do that's all? If that's it, I want you as my bodyguard. I had proposed it multiple times. You don't need to go anywhere, not the office or meetings, just stay.”

“Stay with you?” Chuuya murmurs under his breath. Dazai moves in closer, pushing Chuuya into his chest, trapping him with his arms. A dark room with two figures towered inward, they're two worlds colliding, obliterating each other.

From an outsider's perspective the Port Mafia's boss and his second in command are such dynamically different people. A different species altogether Osamu Dazai with his cold antipathic gaze, he can scare people with his mere presence in a room silent, still and unfeeling. There is anger in him too, unlike what appearance states, but it is reasonable and calculated, a white freezing fire. Chuuya Nakahara on the other hand is scalding hot, even to Dazai, burning himself from within like an amber ignited orange and red. He is simplehearted and straightforward to most, nevertheless complexities lay buried deep within him, in their presence he begins to think of everything as an act, a heinous disgusting lie. Dazai pokes that part of him, a place where they align the most perfectly in his eyes.

Dazai smashes his lips over Chuuya's, holding his nape in his hand to bend him up. The energy that possesses him while doing this however leaves him instantly, he backs just a little but their lips still touch, feeling each other's breaths fan over.

A few tense moments pass like that. Dazai stirs first, he knows the reason why Chuuya wants to leave. He moves backwards with such slowness as if moving away is excruciatingly painful. Chuuya doesn't let him move too much though, kissing Dazai full and tender, breaking it at times to look into his dilated eyes as if to read some unknown secret. Dazai holds him tighter than a drowning man stuck in a storm with only a log to float.

Read the rest here? Idk I really like this fic, like really I hope people read it, I'd write like one chapter more :

[bluem1ngs]

PAU CUBARSÍ | part 2 |

(scroll to bottom for part 1 of the story)

She was staring down at the box. It was laden with memories of their relationship, and him coming to her house to give her the things she had left at his place throughout the years struck her hard.

He entered her bedroom, and sighed, “I just wanted to make sure you had everything back.”

“You mean other than you?” she said, only then coming to realization, “Sorry.. that wasn’t fair.”

He almost scoffed, with his arms crossed over his chest.

“Pau,” she called out, stopping him from walking out the bedroom.

“You know when you couldn’t play for two months because of an injury two years ago?” she told him, “You told me that you took playing for granted before everything happened and you made a promise that if you had a second chance, you would do things differently.”

She sighed and took a shaky breath. "I know I hurt you... But I told myself that if I could get you to listen, I would tell you that," she stood up from the bed and walked over to him, "There was never a day while I was away that I didn't believe you were the best thing in my life."

He sighed and looked at her. "You can’t just say that, Daniela. Not after months of silence.”

“Why? It’s the truth.” she informed him.

"Really?" he inquired, and she replied, "Yeah."

"What about the day you threw our relationship away?" He asked her.

"You ended things between us," she reminded him, genuinely bewildered by his words.

"Yeah, after I drove a thousand miles to see you and you didn't even call me after I left!"

"Pau, you just walked away!" She argued back.

He shook his head and laughed dryly, "Well, that beats running away."

She told him sincerely, "I did call."

"You called my voicemail, Daniela!" he shouted, utterly irritated.

"Because I knew you were going to hang up on me anyway, so I had to leave a message!" she exclaimed, desperate to make her point.

He shrugged his shoulders and said, "I didn't even play it. I removed your contact."

She stared at him and let out a sigh of nearly dismay.

"Well, then you deleted this," she said, taking a deep breath. “I was being childish when I walked away from you to go find myself. I was being stubborn. I handled it completely wrong, and I can’t take that back, but I wish that I could. Did I want to explore new things? Yes, I loved every night of it where I was in different countries and finding my true passion.”

She looked at him with want and passion, saying, “But I want you to know something, Pau. There was never a night where I loved it more than I loved you.”

He merely glanced back at her, unsure how he felt.

"Daniela," he said, "Let’s not get off to a bad start. I’ll see you later." With that, he left the bedroom.

When she heard the front door open and close, she sat down in her bed and took in everything.

When she heard a knock on the front door, she walked over to open it, surprised to see him standing there after days of silence.

"Hey, can I talk to you?" He asked her.

She stared at him and nodded.

She walks out of the house and closes the front door behind her.

"I just wanted to say sorry. I shouldn’t have left your house like that the other day," he apologized to her.

She merely glanced at him and said, "It's okay."

“Not really,” he breathed. “Look, I’ve been avoiding you these past few days because I’m still mad, I mean about everything.”

She takes a deep breath and anxiously wipes her hair away from her face.

“Pau, I need to ask you something, and I really don't want you to take it the wrong way, but," she stared deeply into his eyes, "I need to know what you want from me... or from us. W-What are we now?"

He shrugged, serious expression on his face, "I don't know."

She glanced at him and inquired, "What do you want us to be?"

He sighed, “I don’t know, Daniela. I can’t answer that right now.”

She exhaled, “I can. I want us to be together.”

"Why?" He inquired, perplexed, "I mean, we're so far from... who we used to be. Why fight for it?"

She informed him, "Because I love you."

He sighed and looked at her, “I know we promised to give us a second chance, and I won’t break it… but it’s hard for me to forget everything.”

She returned his gaze, holding her necklace in a comforting gesture.

“I’m going to head back home, alright?” he told her and began to walk away.

She called out “Pau,” and he turned around.

“I'm not going anywhere," she said. He slightly smiled and nodded his head.

She watched him leave her front yard and thought to herself.

Wearing the team jersey, with his name on the back there she stood in the stadium.

He gave her the jersey the day he registered for the first team, and he loved seeing her with his name on her back, but it almost hurt him that day.

Everything between the two was uncertain, with unspoken words remaining between them that had yet to be addressed. Regardless of how complicated things were, she continued to support him.

He asked her to wait for him in the tunnel once the game was over, and she did.

He entered the tunnel and was taken aback to see her standing there. Deep down, he didn't trust her, and he was almost certain she would leave him again.

She takes a deep breath and brushes her hair almost nervously away from her face.

“You played well today. Thank you for inviting me.” She tells him and met his eyes but received nothing in return.

He sighed, finally meeting her gaze, "Listen, Daniela, don't worry about us."

She nodded, her eyes heavy with sorrow.

He looked at her with loving eyes and said, "Our love is still there... it just takes time."

She hugged him and exhaled shakily. He stood there, holding her in his arms.

She drew away from his embrace and stared at him with complete adoration.

"Call me later if you want to talk or..." she laughed slightly, a smile on her lips.

He nodded and bit his lip with a smile.

Just as she turned to walk away, her phone rang. She saw the screen light up with his name on it.

She turned around to see him walking over to her, his phone in his ear, and a goofy smile on his lips.

He put his around her shoulder, and the two walked out of the stadium together.

She opened the front door to find him standing there.

"Wow, two times in one week?" She joked, making him chuckle.

His laughter subsided, and he only smiled at her.

She stood there wearing a blue button-up shirt and jeans, her hair curled and voluminous. He always admired her elegance and refinement.

"Were you going somewhere?" He asked her, hands in his pockets.

"Oh, no, I went grocery shopping earlier." She asked him, with a sweet grin, "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see if I could take you out," he said, and she smiled knowingly.

“Of course," she replied, her smile widening.

She grabbed her purse and they set out for the city.

They walked side by side in silence, looking ahead at Barcelona.

She looked across at him, and he seemed upset about something.

"What's wrong?" she questioned him sincerely.

He looked across at her, unable to control the slight smile on his lips.

"Nothing," he told her, but she saw right through his lies.

She flashed him a look and he knew that he couldn't get away with it.

“I’m just kinda worried about everything. I mean, there’s a lot of things going on right now like the league, the champions coming up… and wanting to fix things with you.” He spoke softly, meeting her gaze.

She merely glanced back at him, completely enamored by him.

"You know for most of my life I would've gone through most things like this alone, but then I met you, and I finally found someone that I could depend on when life got like this," He glanced at her, looking intently into her eyes. "So I guess I wanted to see you tonight because I wanted to know if that was still there for us."

"Pau, you can always talk to me," she informed him, and he nodded as she spoke.

She took his hand, and he glanced up at her. She stood there, offering him a soothing smile.

The two started walking down the streets hand in hand.

"What should we do first?" he asked, instantly meeting her beaming eyes.

She nearly dragged him into the thrift store, and he eagerly followed her around the aisles.

She put a hat on his head and turned her head to see every angle of his face. He only grinned, taking the time to admire her.

He picked one of the sets of sunglasses on display and placed it on her nose. She giggled and gave him a funny look.

As they walked out of the store, she held her wrist against his, admiring the matching bracelets they had just bought.

He couldn't take his eyes off of her. She is the most beautiful woman, physically and emotionally.

"How about we order some food to your house?" he asked, and she looked up at him.

"I also have some ice cream in the fridge," she said, smiling, and he smiled back at her.

The two sat on her couch, a pint of ice cream between them.

With the spoon in her mouth, she used her hands to lift her hair and put it up into an effortless French twist. She only then noticed the silly look on his face.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" She questioned him, smiling, "Do I have ice cream on my face?" and attempted to wipe anything from her mouth away.

"It's not that, I was just remembering," he responded, laughing.

She asked, setting down her spoon, "Remembering what?"

"Your hair." he smiled, recalling, "You wore it that way the day I met you."

"You remember how I wore my hair the first day we met?" She gushed, teasing him but yet absolutely taken with the fact that he remembered something so little.

"Of course," he smiled and leaned in to kiss her lips. She carefully drew them apart and relished the kiss.

She bit her lip in a beautiful small smile, "Thank you," to which he inquired, "For what?"

"For giving us a second chance." she whispered, and he only smiled, kissing her lips once again.

(part 1 here)

[ghostofskywalker]

Sweet & Oblivious

Clint Barton/Reader

Fictober 2024 Day 6 of 31

Words: 867

Summary: Too nervous to act on your feelings towards your teammate, you've taken to leaving sweets in his room as a secret admirer. This time though, he's caught you red handed.

Clint Barton Masterlist

In your defense, you didn’t expect your crush to be requited when you first starting leaving little treats in his room all that time ago. And it hadn’t started out like this. The first time you acted as a benevolent dessert fairy, you simply had an extra danish from the cafe you stopped at and you thought Clint might like it. 

Even though you had no issue standing up to enemy operatives who were twice your size, telling your best friend about how big of a crush you had on him simply seemed like an impossible task. It certainly didn’t help that the two of you were close friends, so there was an added layer of pressure, the fact that you would lose a deeply important friendship forever if he didn’t feel the same way about you. So instead of taking a chance on romance, you resorted to giving him secret gifts, usually in the form of baked goods or other desserts, and keeping your crush hidden away.

At first you simply left small bakery bags or boxes outside his door and ran in the opposite direction before being caught, but that soon changed as you got bolder and bolder. And after bribing Natasha to hack into the files and order you a copy of the key (under the guise that you wanted to prank him), you started leaving the treats in there, upping the regularity to at least once a week. And the best part? And as far as you were aware, he never figured out your identity. 

Until now of course, as the door opened to reveal the fact that Clint had caught you red-handed, There was a small box of donuts in your hands and a shocked look on your face as you turned around to face him, brain and body frozen alike at the reality of the situation.

“It’s been you this whole time?” he asked, as the two of you stared at each other. 

Your mind raced through all the potential responses, but there was truly no way to lie your way out of this one. “Yes,” you said softly. “I’m sorry-” 

But Clint didn’t really seem interested in an apology, cutting you off as you spoke. “Why did you do it? You’re one of my best friends, I would have eaten anything you gave me.” 

That was the question you did not want to answer, but you had to. “Because I could never figure out a well to tell you how I feel,” you said, hoping that by some grace of the universe he would simply drop the topic and let you leave right then and there. 

But of course you were not that lucky. “How you feel?”

“I like you, as more than just a friend,” you said, trying not to pay attention to the way your stomach twisted in embarrassment. “But I didn’t want to change anything about our friendship if you didn’t feel the same way, so I started to drop things off in secret. I’m sorry-” 

Once again, he cut off your apology by taking your hand (when had he moved closer to you? Apparently during the time which you were thinking of ways to escape) and looking into your eyes. “I like you too,” he said, and you desperately wanted to pinch yourself, just to make sure you weren’t stuck in some kind of elaborate lucid dream that was hell-bent on bringing your hopes up and then crushing them. “And it’s not just because you’ve been leaving me secret little gifts for weeks now.” 

Now it was your turn to be shocked. “What?” 

Clint nodded, a sheepish grin on his face. “Natasha’s been bugging me about telling you how I feel for months, and I’ve always brushed her off. I didn’t want to ruin our friendship either, but it seems that we’ve both been putting ourselves through hell for no reason.” 

You couldn’t help the laughter that bubbled up from your stomach, and you pulled your hand from his grip to throw your arms around him in a crushing hug. “I think Natasha probably wanted to rip her hair out, hearing both of us talk to her about our crushes,” you said. “She’s how I got the key to your room.” 

“And all this time I’ve been ignoring her insistence that you feel the same way,” Clint mused. “God, I’m so stupid.” 

“I think both of us have been pretty stupid about this situation.”

“Yeah, we have.” Clint’s hands moved to your face, and he cupped your cheek. “I really want to kiss you right now.” 

The sensation of his touch was intoxicating, and you had to physically keep your knees from buckling. “I really want to kiss you too.” 

Instead of torturing you any longer, Clint obliged, and the feeling of his lips on yours was better than every single daydream, hope, or fantasy that had ever crossed your mind. And as you kissed him, you couldn’t help but think about how much the two of you owed Natasha an apology, but figuring out how to thank her could wait. 

Right now, you were way more interested in where this was going moment to go.

- the end -

i no longer have a taglist! if you're interested in being notified when i post, you can follow my library blog @ghostofskywalker-library and turn on notifications!

[summercourtship]

About the Kiss Drabble!!!

Can i ask for Vulpes Inculta? If yes can you do number 14?

14 - A kiss so desperate that the two wind around each other, refusing to let go until they are finished

Of course you can ask for Vulpes!! Generally, I’ll accept requests for any character I’ve written before. And I’m like… super excited to write him more, especially in an objectively sillier context than my actual vulpes x courier fic.  This ended up being slightly longer than the drabble length I had said but that’s okay lmao, I had a SCENARIO (it's like 1200 words). Anyway I love like... companion!vulpes scenarios/fics.

KISS DRABBLE PROMPTS

Vulpes was watching you struggle to climb over a fence, his arms crossed and eyebrows raised. He’d suggested multiple times that the two of you kept moving, although you knew that his motivation was to try and subtly corral you towards Cottonwood Cove without you noticing. You’d been successfully avoiding his attempts to get you to visit Caesar, but you could feel his patience wearing thin with every passing day that you continued to dodge his request. He just didn’t seem to understand why you didn’t want to visit the man whose entire ideology said that your only purpose in life was to have children.  

With a huff you swung your leg over the top of the not-particularly-tall fence, pulling yourself onto the other side before dropping onto the ground. 

“I think it would have been easier for you to try to find a hole.” He remarked. You waved your hand dismissively behind you, not bothering to look back at him. 

“That would take up too much time, I just want to check out these boxes.” You began walking to a gutted pre-war van not a few yards from the fence, with what was clearly an abandoned camp in front of it. The remains of a fire, an old bedroll, some crates, and a few ominous bloodstains sat in the shadow of the van, waiting for you to loot them. 

“So you said.” You ignored his comment, instead crouching by one of the crates and pulling out a bobby pin to try and open it. 

You had barely bent over when a force pushed you down, using the shift in your balance to easily knock you to the ground. You yelped, more from surprise than any pain, scrambling to pull out your weapon. But your assailant had the advantage over you and kicked it from your hand as soon as you had grabbed it. Distantly, you registered Vulpes cursing, though you were preoccupied with the woman above you. 

It appeared that a raider had been hiding in the van and decided to take the opportunity you presented. Luckily she was only carrying a rusty pipe as a weapon, which you were able to wrap your hands around and try to pull from her grasp. 

Then, as she yanked the pipe back from your hold, she sputtered and choked, looking down to where Vulpes was now pressing his ripper into her gut. You barely managed to roll away before she collapsed, dead. 

Shocked, you looked from the corpse to Vulpes. You didn’t even have it in you to make a snarky remark about how you could’ve handled her yourself. Instead, you could only muster a small laugh. “You saved me.”

He put the ripper away and the desert was silent without it's mechanical whirring.

“Caesar wants to see you.” He shifted slightly, almost uncomfortable as he looked down at you. “He would be disappointed if I let you die. Especially to a lowlife like that.” 

You stared at him for a moment longer before sighing and standing, brushing the dirt off of your pants. You grabbed your gun from where it had landed when the raider kicked it, placing it back at your side. “Well. I guess we should find somewhere to sleep, right?” 

Vulpes scaled the fence easily, landing on the other side in the matter of seconds. He turned back to look at you through the fence, frowning. “You cannot avoid Caesar forever.” 

“Once I have an actual reason to go down that way, I’ll pop by for a visit.” You began to climb again, the process slightly easier now that you had done it once. You could see him watching you, rolling his eyes. 

“You’ve been saying that for almost two weeks.” 

“And I haven’t had a reason to go down that way.” You dropped down from the fence. “You don’t have to travel with me.”

“I was told to bring you to Caesar.” 

“Then we’ll go on my time.” It was a conversation you’d had at least three times with him already, and it always played out the same. 

You walked with him, letting him lead the way (slightly) as you fiddled with your pip-boy and tried to grapple with your thoughts. Vulpes had killed someone for you. And even if his only motivation for doing so was because of Caesar, he still deemed your survival more important than anything.

Despite your desire to, you didn't dare sneak a look at him, sure that he would be able to feel your stare on his skin.

You only realized he had stopped walking when you almost ran into him. He was looking at you, expectantly, and you struggled to figure out what he had said before giving up and asking him to repeat himself. 

“Will this do?” He gestured behind him to a small shack. You nodded, pulling your gun and approaching. Once you had ensured that the inside was clear of any creatures or humans, you let yourself sit on the single dusty cot. Leaning back, you rested your head against the wall, letting your eyes shut. 

You could hear Vulpes moving around, placing his things down and investigating the cupboards and lockers, before his footsteps came to a stop. Then the cot dipped beside you. Startled, you opened your eyes to see him sitting in the exact same position as you, his head turned towards you. 

“I don’t like you-” You began, only to frown when he interrupted you.

“I’ve heard much worse.” 

“I’m not done.” You sighed, closing your eyes again. “I don’t like you, but I wanted to say thank you for saving me earlier.” 

“Like I said, it was for Caesar.”

“Oh really?” You opened your eyes again, leaning to look at him only to find him facing forward. He had a nice profile, you supposed, with strong features. 

“Yes, profligate.” He turned to look at you again, that same expression of annoyance that seemed to be on his face a lot when it came to you replaced by something that you weren’t able to discern. His eyes briefly looked down to your lips before snapping back to your eyes. But you’d seen it.  

And then you leaned forward, acting faster than your thoughts which were screaming at you that this was a bad idea, crashing your lips onto his. For a moment, he tensed and seemed like he was going to pull away from you before he pushed back against your lips, returning the kiss with a desperation you hadn’t expected. His hands rose to hold the sides of your head, threading through your hair to dip your face backwards as he shifted to practically drink you in.  

Maybe you would regret this when you parted, maybe you wouldn’t. You knew that this would have consequences- there was no way you made out with one of Caesar’s closest men and didn’t pay for it later. But right now, with his hands in your hair and your tongue swiping against his lips, begging for entrance, you couldn’t care less. 

You shifted, moving so you straddled his waist to deepen the kiss even further, opening your mouth and inviting him in. His tongue flicked against yours, pulling a whimper from your throat that you would certainly deny later. He groaned in response, moving his hands from where they’d landed on the sides of your face to wrap around your back, pulling you closer to him until your chest was pressed entirely against his. Your hands gripping his head, and you momentarily mourned the fact that his hair wasn’t long enough for you to pull or really grab onto. 

With a final gasp, you parted to catch your breath, panting. Despite no longer kissing, you stayed within a few inches of him as you breathed each other in, sitting in silence for a moment before he spoke.   

“Will you let me take you to Caesar now?”

“No.”

[corpsebasil]

The Snow Queen Part 1

The princess of a distant, more ruthless kingdom is engaged to the prince of Ravka against her will, though he tries his best to find a place within her heart.

The prince trailed after her like a godsdammned puppy.

She was a princess made of ice, her personality a brick wall to reach, and she’d thwarted Nikolai’s every attempt at flirtation since she’d been send to Ravka to wed him. She’d even refused to speak the common tongue when she’d arrived, her handmaidens and herself speaking their native language alone. The ring on her hand still felt too heavy as she tried to fill her days with good things, refusing to let her sorrow at leaving her kingdom crush her underfoot.

But he was so. Damn. Insistent.

He’d bought her gifts, extravagant presents from all regions of the world. Jewels and exotic teas, gowns of silk and chiffon, necklaces and books and paintings for her rooms. He’d even found her a companion, a small Siamese cat that cuddled her every night as she slept. He’d realized quickly that endless flirtation and roguish behavior would not win her over, and had changed tactics to attempting to befriend her with kindness and generosity.

He was a good prince. A man with a golden heart, and he’d never stopped trying to win her over, no matter how cold she was to him. Until the day he’d came to her, face heavy with disappointment, and asked her for an audience.

She stood from her chair, raising a hand to her accompanying handmaidens, bidding them to leave her alone as they protested in her common tongue. Nikolai didn’t understand a word, though he’d tried to learn it, greeting her with a few severely incorrect words of her language from time to time.

“Your highness,” he greeted her now, sketching a small bow that suited her rank as a princess. She stood, knowing already that if he was calling her Your Highness and not love or darling or sweetheart, it must’ve been a serious matter.

“Your highness.” She repeated, nodding her head in deference as he made to sit in the chair closest to her. His hands folded over his lap, his expression pained, as he looked to her.

“It’s come to my…realization..that you’re not at all interested in a marriage to me.” Her heart dropped into her stomach at his next words, a strange desperate feeling rising up through her. “So I’m going to rescind our engagement. You can go back to your home and—”

“No.” The words snapped out of her so fast she startled, and confusion was etched across his handsome features when he looked up. “I have a duty, Nikolai. And I—” she searched for the correct words, unsure of why she was suddenly desperate, desiring, to stay at the palace. “I think that you’re…nice. And maybe if we hadn’t been forced into this we could’ve..” she trailed off, face warming as she avoided eye-contact with the man she was engaged to. “I’m saying I’d like to know you. Properly. Before I decide if I’m going to return home.”

Nikolai’s breath was short as he stared at her, at the princess he’d been unable to woo, and wondered at his sudden rush of lightness. He’d liked her—of course he had—and it had hurt him more than he wanted to admit for her to shun him so thoroughly over and over. So he smiled, tentatively, and pulled out what he’d thought would be a parting gift.

“Combs,” he said, passing her the small box. “from your country. I’ve heard the women love them there. I think—I think you’d look beautiful with them.”

Her face turned redder as she opened the lid, examining the whirls of gold and emerald, the dragons that wound themselves around the teeth of the accessories. They were stunning, and she smiled warmly as she shut the lid and glanced up at him.

“Thank you.” She said, meeting his gaze. “This was very kind.”

Nikolai stood, glancing around awkwardly all of a sudden, before continuing.

“There’s a party tonight. At the lake. Drinks, boat rides, the lot.” He paused, taking in her attentive expression. “Would you accompany me?”

Her head dipped once in a nod, thick-lashed eyes peering at the prince, and he allowed himself a quick smile before bidding her farewell and exiting the room. Y/N’s handmaidens rushed in almost immediately afterwards, practically tripping over themselves, the girls whispering and giggling as they made their way to the princess’s side.

“He’s so cute.” One said, sitting on the couch and sighing.

“He’s like a prince from a storybook.” Another laughed, dashing over to scoop up the princess’s cat when the Siamese stalked out of the bedroom.

“What did he say?” Another asked, carrying in a tea-set and placing it on the counter.

“Not much,” Y/N began slowly, running a hand over the box in her lap. “but he convinced me to stay.”

-

The party that night was larger than Y/N had expected. She wore a sheer gown, stunningly beautiful, with the dragon combs pulling back her hair. Her eyes took in the groups of people and felt suddenly shy, but kept her expression one of neutrality and steel. Lanterns hung from the trees, casting a lovely orange glow against the grass and tents. Tents which held delicious smelling foods, drinks, and desserts.

Y/N took half a step towards the revelry before he heard her name called and turned her head, watching as Nikolai approached her with a mug of something steaming in his hand.

“You don’t drink.” He told her, casually enough to suggest she’d told him and he wasn’t simply observant, and offered her the mug of tea. It smelled lovely as she took a sniff, the steam warming her face. At least, she told herself it was only the steam. “You look—” his words halted and she glanced up, raising a brow. “Very nice. Beautiful.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

“No just—just Nikolai. Please.”

“Alright, then.” She took a small sip of the tea, almost sighing at how refreshing it was. “Nikolai.”

He smiled, taking her arm, and she was forced to realize how handsome he truly was. She’d been so focused on going home that she’d tried her best to ignore that fact, and now she allowed herself to really take in his features. A strong nose, smooth face, and the bluest eyes she’d ever seen. She usually wasn’t attracted to blondes, but…

He seemed to read her mind as he glanced over, watching her study him, and she knew he was still looking at her when her eyes fixed intently on the lake they approached, her face flushing with pink. She gave him a sidelong glance and saw him smiling, watching the lake too, and she almost rolled her eyes before she saw what they moved towards.

“Are we going on one of those?” The princess asked, eyeing the very small boat with a perplexed look.

“Rowboat.” He explained, nodding to the oars. They were decorated with tiny lights and cushioned seats, and a few couples had already gone out on the vast lake. “Would you like to?”

“I think I would.” She mused, finishing up her tea and looking at Nikolai, unsure of where to put the mug. She watched when he took it, returning it to a nearby vendor, and then guided her towards a boat. He held her hand as he did so, his grip soft, and damn her if her blush didn’t deepen at the feeling of his fingers wound with her own.

“Here,” he said, helping her climb into it, and she tensed when it rocked, quickly settling herself on the cushions. He followed, moving in front of her, and they sat so close in the small boat their knees almost touched.

He rowed them out, pushing away from the shore and farther out onto the water. Y/N marveled at the clear blue of the lake, stars reflecting on its surface in the darkness of night. The tiny lights on the rowboat caught on her combs, shining with gold as she leaned over and trailed her fingers through the water, relishing in the cold.

Nikolai only watched her, his eyes softening as a smile lit upon her face. Then she gasped, startling him, and pointed down at the lake, leaning over to see something he couldn’t.

“Look,” she said, voice excited. “I think there’s fish.”

He glanced over and, lit up by the dim light of the boat, there were indeed a few minnows dashing under the surface. They disappeared when the princess poked at the water, startling the tiny fish, and her laugh sounded like coming home.

“I’m glad.” He said, and she looked up at him. “That you decided to stay.”

She smiled, and then that smile turned slightly wry as she propped her elbows on her knees.

“Someone has been pining after me for months. I felt it was only fair to give him a chance.” Then she examined her nails, flawless as they were, and said, “but it might not be simple. You’ll fine I’m not easily seduced.”

Nikolai huffed a laugh, his expression saying he knew exactly what she meant, and her smile grew. But it faltered at his next words, something soft and unusual crossing her stunning features.

“Trust me, darling,” he chuckled, giving her a lazy grin that made her heart pound. “however long it takes to seduce you is worth it.”

She swallowed, and he took in her expression, his blood heating a fraction when he noted the color on her cheeks and the confusion—no, desire—in her eyes. Y/N glanced away, but snapped her eyes back to his when she felt him leaning a bit closer to her, her face already close to his as it was. But when she leaned into him involuntarily, lost in those blue eyes of his, she allowed him to reach out and touch her face, the pads of his fingers soft.

Her breathing hitched when he bent his head down, her eyes closing at the first tentative brush of his mouth against hers. And before she could press herself into him, really feel him, a sudden jolt under the boat made it lurch, and they crashed into the water as it flipped.

Y/N coughed when her head broke the surface, her eyes wide with cold and surprise as she held onto the bottom of the boat for support. She had no idea what could’ve possibly caused the flip, but Nikolai did. Because he was eyeing the giggling group of Grisha on the distant shore with a look that promised a good scolding once he’d dried off.

Y/N couldn’t help it. She laughed. She laughed and then covered her mouth with a hand, eyes crinkling at the corners as Nikolai looked her. He feigned annoyance even as a sparkling smile pulled onto his face, and he moved closer to her in the water.

“What’s so funny?” He asked, close enough to kiss, and her stomach churned with nervous excitement.

“You.” She said, still giggling, and didn’t balk when he reached out to adjust the combs that were slipping from her hair.

“Wouldn’t want you to lose those.” He murmured, fingers lingering on a strand of her hair, his eyes marveling on the softness and color. She gazed at him, feeling bold, and extended a hand to touch his own hair, her hand slipping to the back of his neck and pulling him into her.

She could’ve died. She didn’t think she’d ever had such severe butterflies with any man, not as much as she did when the prince of Ravka leaned into her touch and pressed his mouth to her own, a soft, gentle kiss that made her feel adored. She let out a soft sound that made Nikolai’s heart pound, nearly letting go of his one handed grip on the boat and sinking back down into the water. He could only hold on, marveling at the feeling of the princess’s mouth against his own, as she hooked her own free arm fully around his neck, crushing him against her.

“Easy,” he whispered against her lips, pulling back a fraction for air. “those girls might drown us if we look too into each other.”

“I can handle jealous women.” She scoffed, turning that radiant head to shoot a menacing look at the Grisha. They’d scattered, but the ones that lingered suddenly found themselves busy. “The women in my court are much more ruthless. These girls are nothing.”

“Ruthless how?” He asked, voice still low as he turned her face back to his and kissed her again, allowing her to speak after. She seemed breathless, though, her gaze having had softened again.

“Broken glass in your shoes. Poison ivy infused soaps. Oh and—” she giggled, though Nikolai was horrified. “—one time, a girl put a snake in my room. A snake.” She grinned fiendishly, and Nikolai was surprised to realize the princess that had such a cool, calm facade had metaphorical fangs of her own. “She was an idiot. It was not even venomous.”

“Did it bite you?” He asked, expression still wary. “What happened to the girl?”

“I had her whipped.” Y/N said, as calmly as if describing a stroll down the garden-path, and then let go of him to show him her arm. He saw the gouge marks of scars looked like two raised dots on her otherwise flawless skin, and he balked at the sight. She lowered her arm, suddenly worried at his reaction, and spoke quietly. “Do you think me…too violent? My kingdom too vicious?”

“No, I—” he swallowed, running his fingers through her hair again. “it’s just surprising. You seem so…calm. Sweet.”

“The most beautiful frogs in the world carry the most lethal poison, prince.” She told him, eyes glittering. “In a ruthless kingdom you must, sometimes, become ruthless as well. That is why I have begun to enjoy Ravka. The worst someone has done to me is glare or force me to swim a little.”

Nikolai chuckled at that, his hand moving to her waist as he looked to the shore.

“I think we should swim back.” He told her, eyeing the dimming lights as the night grew darker. The princess nodded and turned, swimming gracefully through the lake as her hair streamed behind her.

-

Y/N laughed as she exited the bathroom, a large, lavish robe wrapped around her delicate nightgown. Nikolai sat on the couch, playing with her cat, their late night teas sitting warm on the coffee-table.

They’d both gotten back to the palace and immediately showered, but one of her handmaidens rushed in to tell the princess that the prince had wanted to have tea with her before bed. And since they’d skipped dinner and opted instead for a lovely swim in the lake, why not have dinner together as well? The girl had asked about a million questions that the princess shook off, telling the girl to leave her be.

So as Y/N began to brush her long hair, she approached the tea-set and nibbled on the corner of a cucumber and dill petite sandwich, then moved to her vanity to apply her night creams and lotions.

Nikolai watched her ministrations, basking in the friendliness of her presence, of the wonderful smells in her room, of her lotions, and admired the beauty of her when her face was bare. It made her look younger—more girlish. And those lips of hers, free of cosmetics, looked softer than ever. His heart seemed to ache in his chest at the memory of the kiss. He desperately wanted to kiss her again.

And then his mind drifted to what she’d said about her kingdom, about the vicious things women pulled on one another. He left the cat alone, ignoring its sassy meow as it stalked to Y/N’s bedroom while he thought. He knew girls could be competitive, jealous more so, but…a snake? Someone had tried to kill her with a snake? And over what?

“Prince,” she called over a shoulder, looking to where he sat on the couch. “what are you thinking about?”

He startled, glancing up.

“Nothing. Why?”

She clicked her tongue, raising a brow.

“I can see you in my mirror. You were frowning.”

“Ah,” he said, taking a breath. “I was just thinking…did it hurt? The bite?”

Y/N finished up her routine before she spoke, and moved over to him, taking a careful sip of warm tea before she turned to him. She sat so close her leg brushed his own; it thrilled him, having her be so casually close when a day ago she’d looked at him like he was nothing more than a bug.

“I didn’t see it at first.” She said, raising her robe’s sleeve to again examine the markings, as if seeing them helped her remember. “It was curled up on my vanity. I sat down and it struck. It did hurt. Rather a lot actually.” Then she smiled, a bit wickedly, and Nikolai tried to ignore the rush he felt at that look. “I always carry a knife on me when I’m home. There are more threats than women, so I killed it. I was a bit more than relieved to see that the ditz had found a common snake and not a venomous creature.”

Nikolai smiled cautiously, his eyes flickering over her face. No fear. No fear was in his face as he looked down at her, and something in her warmed. She liked him, she realized. And she knew, somehow, that no matter what parts of her she showed, violent or not, he would care about her anyways. Would accept it. So she told him, ignoring the blush that surely spread on her face.

“I like you, Nikolai.” She said, reaching down to toy with his hand. His fingers readily grasped her own, warm and comfortable. “I think you are very…” she thought of the word. She was fluent in the common tongue, but some words…

“Gorgeous?” He offered, smirking when she rolled her eyes at him. “Devilishly handsome? Seductive?”

“I was going for persistent.” She scoffed, but smiled. “I appreciate your efforts. Tonight was…nice.”

“Would it too persistent,” he asked, tucking a strand of damp hair casually behind her ear. “if I asked to kiss you again?”

“You don’t need to ask.” She said simply, her sweet face tilted up to his, and felt as if she was melting when he kissed her.

[hopelessdelusional]

.・。.・゜✭・.✫・゜・。.

Being woken up by the sun was one of the high points of living where you did. You purposely put your bed right next to the window in order to get that vitamin D that you so desperately needed.

You flung the sheets off your body and slowly stretched out of bed. Surprisingly enough you and Hitoshi went off to bed before 2AM, the exhaustion from work allowing you to get a deep sleep.

You freshen up in the bathroom before heading into the kitchen. Today is going to be a good day, you decided grabbing a box of pancake batter out of the cabinet. While you started to make chocolate chip pancakes you hear soft footsteps walk around the apartment. A door closes, and you decide to turn on some music now that your roommate is up.

The pancakes are finally done and you grabbed the whip cream from the fridge, closing the fridge door with your hip. Hitoshi comes out of the bathroom, hair still not brushed and head down looking at his phone. At first you didn’t see him, but you were aware of his presence when the music you put on abruptly stops followed by mumbled curse words.

However the action could mean less to you as you smiled fondly at your best friend.

“I swear,” you put two pancakes on your plate and two other pancakes on another. You plant a rich amount of whip cream on both plates as you hear Hitoshi grab something from the fridge.

“You spend more time in the bathroom than I ever will.”

You snicker at your own comment before you feel something uncomfortably cold against your arm. You squeal and scatter away from your now laughing roommate.

“What the fuck?”

You scowl at him, grabbing your plate and a fork trying to get away from him.

“That was for the comment, but seriously take it.”

Hitoshi reveals that the cold object was a water bottle, and he hands it to you forcefully.

“You could have just, asked me to drink water.”

You hear a snort as you sit yourself on the couch, turning on you and Hitoshi’s favorite Youtuber.

“Like that has ever worked?”

You both settle into the couch, comfortable silence between you two. You both laugh at the same jokes the Youtuber makes, even though the two of you have watched this video a thousand times before it never gets old. You love mornings like these, window slightly cracked welcoming the cool breeze and outside noises into the shared apartment. Little decorations that scatter all over the home, showcasing both your and Hitoshi’s personalities. You were cuddled into the couch with a random plush that was bought just last week, Hitoshi cuddling with a much older stuffed animal.

“When are you meeting with Kaminari?”

You look up from your phone to look at your best friend who wasn’t meeting your eye. Since officially hearing confirmation about your theory about him having feelings for the blond, you suddenly felt a responsibility settle upon your shoulders. You desperately wanted to see your best friend in a happy and healthy relationship, considering his last ex was a literal nightmare for not only him but you as well. From your handful of interactions with Kaminari he seemed like a respectful and loving person. If he deals with Bakugou practically on the daily then he can most certainly handle Hitoshi.

“Um, around twelve.”

You take the last bite of your pancake, and Hitoshi who had been long finished stands up and takes your plate. You watch him walk away, before standing up as well and following him into the kitchen.

“Y/n, stop being weird.”

Hitoshi rinses the dishes then carefully places them in the dishwasher.

“I’ve never been weird a day in my life,” you say as you watch your best friend close the dishwasher.

He turns around, a frown on his face and a stern look in his eyes.

“You’ve been staring at me with that…look in your eyes. I don’t like it.”

You laugh, rolling your eyes and embrace the taller man into a hug. He complies, allowing you to take in his warmth.

“Come with me, I’m sure he won’t mind.”

You feel him play with the ends of your hair, his heartbeat starting to become more apparent.

“I don’t know n/n-“

You break from his arms grabbing his face and forcing him to look you in the eyes.

“I’m going to his house for the first time ever and he might have like, all of his friends over. I’m going to be awkward and uncomfortable and wishing you were there. So please? Just for some support?”

The two of you held eye contact for a minute. You could see the gears turning in his head.

He was probably trying to figure out ever out come of this day, watching his own imagination play out.

“Please Toshi?”

There was a moment of silence, the only noise coming from the street below you and the TV auto-playing the next video. Then, Hitoshi sighed.

“Fine. Now let go of me you dork.”

You quickly let go and smile wildly.

“Perfect! I’m gonna go get ready.”

You walk off into the hallway but stop once you get to your doorway. “And Toshi?”

“Hm?”

“You should brush your hair.”

“Fuck off.”

Knock knock knock

Kaminari groaned as he closed his laptop, watching Kirishima jump up from his spot on the couch and walk to the front door. Sero had to pause their game of Super Smash Bros which he seemed not to be happy about.

“Kiri!”

Mina jumped into Kirishima’s arms, the red head gladly welcoming her into his embrace. Kaminari cocked an eyebrow at Katsuki, who was standing behind Mina in the doorway. Katsuki simply rolled his eyes playfully, making Kaminari and Sero chuckle at the obvious pining between the two of their friends.

Katsuki flicked Mina’s back, stopping her rambling to Kirishima and she yelped loudly. She immediately turned around and started hitting Katsuki on his head and he easily defended himself by grabbing her wrists and dragging both of them in the house.

“Watch the nails!”

Katsuki let go of her and walked over to Sero, ignoring Mina’s cussing and ruffled Sero’s hair. Kaminari couldn’t help but stare at his group of friends, feeling his heart squeeze. He’s known these people for so long now, being able to grow up with them and see them grow up in the process.

His eyes drifted to Katsuki, realizing that he was the one who grew up and mature the most. To say the least, when he first met Katsuki he really didn’t respect him. Kaminari truly believed that he was some selfish guy who didn’t deserve anything that was coming his way. However, he couldn’t have been more wrong. Katsuki was just a hurt kid, not knowing how to deal with his own mental problems. He struggled with a lot of things, but with the help of being helped and humbled, he turned into a really good guy. Sure, he was still a bit of an asshole and seemed to be inconsiderate, but he really was kind and loving, just in his own Katsuki way. Seeing him grow up to become more affectionate and more communicative, it was truly remarkable. Kaminari was able to have deep and understanding conversations with Katsuki, along with being able to joke around with the blond. He was genuinely the brother he always dreamed of having, and he couldn’t have been happier to have that asshole in his life.

“I can’t believe you forgot we were coming over Denks!”

Mina was suddenly in his fridge, shuffling to find a soda she deemed worthy of drinking.

“Are we really that easy to forget?” Katsuki’s gruff voice was able to snap Kaminari out of his thoughts. He smiled sheepishly at the other man, who was leaned on the counter with his arms crossed. Mina walked over to him, their height difference always making Kaminari snicker, and she handed him a water.

Before he could respond to Katsuki, Kaminari felt his phone vibrate, shooting an apologetic smile at the other man and opened his phone quickly.

“Yo Denks, did you tell Katsu who’s coming over?”

Kirishima had his hands on his friend’s shoulders, squeezing them lightly enough to make Katsuki annoyed at the pressure.

“What is shitty hair talking about Denki?”

“Just one second Kacchan, let me respond to this.”

Kaminari felt his whole face flush. He didn’t know what to say, his whole body frozen from shock. Of course he wants Shinsou to come over, who wouldn’t want to have the most beautiful man he’s ever laid his eyes on in his own home? However, he doesn’t want to make a fool of himself. This wasn’t some house party with drinks that keeps him tipsy enough not to worry about Shinsou and his developing crush on the man. This was a casual work/hang out! This could get personal and make Shinsou hate his guts and never want to talk to him ever again!

“Denki, are you okay?” Mina’s soothing voice was able to calm his down a bit, feeling her long nails scratch his scalp just right. She was always able to read him like a book, and always knew exactly what to do when he got anxious.

“Yeah so, y/n asked if she could come over because she needed help with some editing stuff.”

Everyone in the room was now looking at Katsuki, who was stiff as a board. He looked inhuman in this moment, and Kaminari knew not even Mina could read him right now.

“And Shinsou is coming too apparently,” he said, getting off the stool and turning to Mina for a hug.

“Woah, didn’t know about that second part.” Kirishima chuckled, Kaminari heard a smack which he assumed was Kirishima hitting Katsuki on the back like he always does.

The red head walked over to Mina and Kaminari, making the blond pull away from his friend and walk away from the now crowd that was in his kitchen. He ran his fingers through his hair and sat next to Sero.

Sero was watching the whole thing from the living room, which surprised the blond.

To Kaminari’s demise, everyone migrated to the living room. Katsuki sat by himself in the arm chair, Mina sat herself down on floor back against the couch and Kirishima took the liberty of sitting next to Kaminari on the couch.

“Why are you freaking out dude? This is awesome!”

Kaminari put his hands on his face and fell into the cushions of the couch.

“If it makes you feel better,” Sero leaned into Kaminari’s ear, making him peek out of hands and look at his best friend who now had a shit-eating grin.

“Hot stuff over there is also gonna be with his crush.”

Slowly but surely, everyone slowly turned their heads at the ash blond, watching him tune back in the conversation.

“Fuck off!”

.・。.・゜✭・.✫・゜・。.

sweet nothing

i literally love them so much a tear was running down my face when i wrote this

you guys i recently wrote out a whole plot line for this series and im so excited like y’all are in for IT

anyways i rlly don’t have any fun facts, but if y’all have any questions i’ll answer 🫶🫶🫶

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[dumfanting]

Going Back, ch 4

Chapter 3

AO3 Link

Rating: M, mature

Warnings: hallucinations, starvation, dehydration, needles, nondescript nudity | second person pov, g/n reader, present tense

I’ve been working on this one for over a month and decided to just go ahead and post the damn thing instead of stressing over it being the ‘right length’.

2214 words

G/N reader/ Crosshair

He’s almost impressed by how vivid this particular hallucination is, then he passes out.

————

After the shouting match Hunter had gotten into with you, it takes him a long time to calm back down. So long, in fact, that when he returns to the rooftop, he can tell by the sun that it’s late in the afternoon. The door screeches open as he steps out, and his brothers heads whip in his direction. He walks over and finds Omega curled up into Wrecker’s side and staring vacantly into space. Nobody says anything, until Omega breaks the silence with a hiccup. 

“I’m sorry Hunter. This is all my fault,” she says, tears spilling over, and Hunter flinches like he’d been slapped. 

“What makes ya think that?” Wrecker asks, surprisingly quiet. 

“When I was talking with them last night, I- I asked why they didn’t just go back to Kamino alone, and they said they wanted to, bu- but they couldn’t because they didn’t know how to mask the ship’s signal,” Omega says, hiccuping again. 

“I was telling them how to do it over the comm until you caught me. They never would h-have left if I didn’t, and now they’re stuck in hyperspace and can’t get out and it’s all m-my fault!” she says, her tone growing frantic as she continues before bursting into tears. 

Hunter softly says her name and hunkers down across from her; she throws herself into his chest, nearly knocking him over as she sobs out "I'm sorry” over and over. 

“That is true,” Tech says. The others shoot him a dirty look and he raises his hands before continuing. 

“They couldn’t have left without that information from you, yes, but this is not your fault Omega,” he says, and she turns to look at him, confused. 

“B-but you just said-,” she says, sniffling. 

“You simply gave them information. You bear no responsibility for what they do with it. They could have stopped and turned back, but chose not to. That decision, and its consequences, are entirely upon their shoulders, not yours. None of this is your fault,” he says. Omega sits back and rubs at her eyes. 

“I still shouldn’t have told them,” she says, though her cries are tapering down to an occasional hiccup. 

“There’s no point in dwelling on that now,” Echo says. “We can’t change what’s already happened. But we can change what happens next.”

“Well, I guess we can try,” Omega says, calming down. She turns and looks to Hunter, as do the others. “But how?” she asks him. 

“There’s not a lot we can do from here,” Hunter admits. “But if they open the comm channels, we can at least tell them what’s wrong,” he says. 

“And how to fix it?” Omega asks, sounding hopeful as she looks back at Tech. 

“There are one or two things that we can try, depending upon the damage to the drive. There is no guarantee it will work, but there’s no guarantee it will fail either,” he says. 

“We just hafta keep calling ‘em,” Wrecker says, his comm unit back in his hand. 

—

Meanwhile, in hyperspace aboard the Marauder, you’re in the cargo bay. You’ve spent the last hour trying desperately to find anything edible. You finally spot a small box of ration bars tucked away into a corner, seemingly forgotten, and snatch it up. The box feels nearly empty, and when you open it up there are only three bars left inside. You take them out, and you notice that they’ve been expired for several weeks. You drop-kick the box across the space and curse at yourself forgetting such a basic and important thing. 

You then pause for a moment and take a deep breath. You’ll both be able to eat when you return to Ord Mantell, and you aren’t concerned with yourself anyway. You just hope that Crosshair can survive for another day or so on these bars. Expired is better than nothing, you think, and tuck them into a pocket before moving back to the bridge. 

Once there, a quick check of the navigational system tells you that you’re less than three hours away from Kamino. You nod to yourself and head into the bunks. You set the ration bars aside, then crawl into your bunk, hoping for some rest. Over an hour passes, and all you’ve done is stare up at the bottom of Tech’s bunk, your hands trembling and your heart racing. You try to distract yourself from your growing anxiety by getting up and looking around for anything you’ll need, not if, but when Crosshair comes back with you. 

You have all the medical necessities; being prepared for anything is the one thing you never budge on, and there’s a decently sized tank of drinking water with them in the cargo hold. You again realize that he’s going to be filthy, and after you check, you find the water reservoir is full enough for one shower, maybe two. On the heels of this, it occurs to you that he’s going to need something clean to wear, so you return to the bunks, searching everyone’s compartments. You dig up a set of leggings from Tech’s clutter of stuff, but the only other thing you can find is one of Wrecker’s shirts. That would be huge on its own, but it’ll be even more so with the dramatic weight loss you’re expecting. You again start thinking about what state Crosshair will be in when you get there, and you pray to the Maker that he’s alive. 

The navigation system chirps at you, and you return to the pilot's seat, shaking badly. You flip a few switches, preparing to leave hyperspace, and when you shut the hyperdrive off, the ship lurches forward with a loud screech as it slows back down. The lurch is normal, but that sound definitely is not. Before you can worry about it, Kamino comes into view, and you immediately focus on your mission. 

—

It started raining only hours after Crosshair watched everyone he’s ever cared about fly off without him. About three rotations after that, the rain was seemingly replaced by needles, with each drop that fell on his skin feeling like a sharp sting. The wind roars around him as he’s curled tightly into himself on the center of the platform. Aside from the constant noise of wind, rain, and his own chattering teeth, Crosshair can still faintly hear the steady, low beeping of his tracking beacon. 

Someone has to know he’s here, or at least have noticed that he’s been missing for so long. A small voice in his head laughs at him and says “You’re just another clone. They destroyed this place with you in it. The Empire doesn’t care about you,” and he forces the thought away, having lost count of how many times he’s already done so. He does matter, he has to. They’d given him command, that can’t have been for nothing. 

A bright flash of light catches his eye. He never really noticed that lightning can look like searchlights until he got stuck here. Having been tricked by his mind before, he ignores it. The wind picks up and imitates the sound of an engine, just like it had all the days and nights before. Although he thinks this sound is familiar, he still doesn’t look for it. No point in falling for another hallucination. 

The platform shakes as something large touches down on it, and the engine-like noise of the wind stutters to a halt. He knows it’s not the wind now; He’d recognize the sound of the Marauder anywhere. He feels the platform vibrate underneath him as a single set of footsteps rush towards him, and just before they come to a stop, he shivers so hard that he falls to one side and just lies there, too weak to even sit back up. 

Now there’s a voice, and it sounds exactly like yours, but he knows better. A pair of warm arms wrap around him, so he gives in and looks at who they're attached to. It’s you, holding him close as tears and rain mix on your cheeks. He’s almost impressed by how vivid this particular hallucination is, then he passes out. 

—

Crosshair, who had been floating in the hypnagogic state between awareness and unconsciousness, suddenly feels his entire body lurch forward. This, in combination with a shrill screeching sound, is enough to wake him completely. He sits up, and it takes so much effort that once he’s upright, he’s panting for breath. Breath that has no humid or salty taste. Confused, he turns his head and finds himself in a bunk, under a pile of blankets, sheets, and even a few tarps. 

He bends an arm and hisses loudly at a sharp stabbing sensation in the crook of his elbow. Someone’s placed an intravenous line into him. His eyes follow the line up to a saline bag, hanging from his rifle as a clearly improvised drip stand. The bag is already halfway emptied, and the drip is fast. He takes a breath, intending to raise his voice and demand to know where he is, but instead falls into a sudden coughing fit. 

He hears hurried footsteps and looks toward the sound to find that it’s you. He tries to speak, but can’t. You hold up a finger in the universal ‘hang on a second’ gesture and dash out of the room before coming back with a small flimsi cup of water. He tries to lift his arm and take it from you, but the IV jabs him and he hisses again as he drops his arm back down. 

You wedge yourself into the bunk next to him and hold the back of his head while you bring the cup to his chapped lips. The indignity he feels evaporates the moment the liquid passes down his throat. He relaxes into your touch, allowing you to gently tilt his head back as he sips at the water. Once the cup is emptied you crush it and carelessly toss it aside, then use your free hand to softly hold the side of his face and maneuver him to look at you. 

“Wh- where-?” Crosshair says, his voice barely audible. 

“You’re in my bunk, on the ship. You’re safe now, I’ve got you,” you say, keeping your voice soft but speaking clearly. Tears sparkle in your eyes. You shift a hand down to his bare chest and hold your warm palm against his heart, and this is when he realizes that he’s completely undressed. When he says your name, his voice is slightly clearer. 

“Why am I naked?” he says, confused, and you can’t help a soft laugh as you shake your head. 

“You’re hypothermic, your blacks were soaked through,” you say, then gently guide him onto his back again as you stand. You swiftly replace the emptied saline bag with a new, full one and slow the drip. Once you’re satisfied with that, you strip yourself completely, and Crosshair makes an odd noise, somewhere between a chuckle and a cough. 

“Not wasting any time, huh?” he says with a faint smirk. You roll your eyes but smile at him. 

“You’ll take in body heat faster if it’s skin on skin,” you say and he makes a ‘yeah right’ sound at you. 

Minding his IV, you have him sit up enough for you to settle in behind him. He leans back into you and gasps before instinctively curling himself around you as tightly as he can. You allow this and, ignoring how cold he is, entwine your legs with his while also wrapping your arms tightly around his upper back and shoulders, keeping his chest pressed close to yours. You reach over and adjust the pile of covers to surround him, taking care to tuck it all in closely. He rests his head in the hollow of your shoulder and takes a long, deep breath before yawning. You plant a soft kiss to his temple and you feel his breath across your throat as he quietly says “You’re so warm…” before quickly falling asleep again.

Drowsiness threatens to overtake you too after about ten minutes, but you keep yourself awake by periodically checking his pulse and monitoring the IV drip. The second saline bag is nearly empty already. Without waking him, you manage to wiggle out from behind Crosshair and get to your feet. You redress yourself and quickly switch out saline bags, slowing the drip for a third time. You expected dehydration, but not to this degree, and worry about how much you have left. You tell yourself that it’s fine since you’ll both be planetside soon. 

You adjust the pile of covers over Crosshair again, taking another look at the scarred side of his head, and something important suddenly occurs to you. You slip out of the bunks and start searching around Tech’s workbench. You find what you're looking for tucked away behind a box in a nearby compartment, and breathe a tentative sigh of relief when the chip reader powers up. You return to Crosshair's side and gingerly move his head just enough to scan it. The device beeps and the screen lights up almost immediately. 

You look at the readout and have no idea how to feel; His chip is still there. 

Taglist: @kaminocasey @madameminor @jennamelinda12 @arctrooper69 @the-cantina @jedi-hawkins @griffedeloup

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[we-were-so-beautiful]

1. day five

it's here! the first chapter of my bbu story featuring vanessa + juniper, which I'm tentatively calling "imperfectly consistent". this story is heavily inspired by many of the great pet whump series and other whump writings I've discovered in the last few months, especially those by @maracujatangerine and @whumpzone as well as @justbreakonme , @haro-whumps , @emmettnet and many, many others. this is my first time writing or posting anything like this, so please feel free to send me feedback and tell me what you think!

This entire story comes with major content warnings for drug and alcohol abuse, as well as the standard box boy universe fare: pet whump, dehumanization, conditioning, etc. Individual chapters will have specific content warnings and tags as well; please do tell me if there are any I need to add.

[masterlist] [chapter two]

“Shit. Shit.”

“What’s up?” asks the voice on the video call.

Vanessa clasps a hand over her mouth and breathes out hard through her nose, eyes wide and laser-focused on the middle distance. “Fuck. Okay. You know that… that dude on the shelter site?”

“The one who you said was in there longer than usual?”

“Yeah. He’s still there.”

“Still? How many days has it been now?”

“Five.”

The silence hums between them like a gathering storm.

“I’ve never seen anyone stay there five days before. I, I’ve been watching the site for months and I’ve barely seen anyone get to four. If he doesn’t get picked up by tomorrow…” Vanessa inhales through her nose. “Rose, I gotta do something.”

“You mean like… adopt him?”

Vanessa twitches at the term. “Fuck, no. I’d literally be so bad at being a rescuer. But like… maybe I can find someone to take him? I mean, shit, I could cover the fees for them, I could even pick him up and keep him here until they could come get him, I just… I can’t let a person die like that.”

—

“Listen, this is maybe weird but…”

“...yeah, that kind of Pet. But he’s a rescue, and…”

“...no, you wouldn’t even have to be here by tomorrow, I could pick him up for you and—”

“You do understand this is a seven-day kill shelter?”

“…Hello?”

Vanessa stares hard at her phone. There’s one last call she could make; one she really, really doesn’t want to. But a life—someone else’s life—is quite literally on the line. Desperate times, and all that shit.

She takes a deep breath and dials.

“Hey, M—hello? …of course. Bonjour, Noémie. Is Victoria available today? …no, of course not. What about tomor—right, uh huh, yeah. Okay. Well… I mean, you wouldn’t be interested in adopting a pet, would you? …yeah, of course not, never mind. Au revoir.”

So much for that.

—

They reconvene the video call hours from when they left off, Vanessa spent and Roselle somber. “I called every person I could think of, Rose. I’m so tired.” She looks it: pale, drained, practically vanishing in her chair. “Please tell me you have better news.” 

Roselle shakes her head grimly. “I put the message out on rescuetok, but nothing so far. I don’t know if it’s realistic to find someone through there on this kind of time.”

“What about your parents?”

“I’m sorry, Ness. I asked. They said no.”

“Oh, come on!” Vanessa slaps the table a little harder than she means to, jostling the screen. “But they’re so nice! Like, if anyone was going to take a rescue, it should be them! I thought they said they were against the practice!”

“They are, Ness,” Roselle sighs, rubbing at the bridge of her nose.

“Not enough to keep an actual human person from being murdered for it, apparently!” Vanessa stands up and paces back and forth across the room. “Fuck. Fuck! I have to take him.”

Roselle looks up and blinks. “You what?”

“I mean, if nobody else is gonna do it—! It’s not like I don’t have the money. Or the space. I mean, I sure as shit don’t have the personality, but—fuck, dude! What else am I supposed to do?”

“You’re really serious about this, aren’t you?”

“I just… watching the shelter sites was supposed to just be a little thing I could do that mattered, y’know? And now it is so big and so fucking real and, and…” Her hands are flailing past her ears now, wrists and elbows oscillating wildly.

“Hey. Nessa.” Roselle pulls her focus, the calm timbre back in her voice. “He’s still got one more day, right?” Vanessa nods sullenly. “So you’ve got a day. Think about it. Wrap your head around it, as much as you can. In the meantime, we’ll see if anyone else picks him up, or gets back to us, or if anything else that could happen happens. And if they don’t, you’ll be ready.” Vanessa raises her eyebrows as if to protest. “At least, a little more ready than you are now,” she amends.

“You’re right. You’re… thanks, Rose. You’re good at this. You always are.” She tilts her head. “God, I wish you could take him. You’d be so much better at helping him than me. Than anyone, probably.”

Roselle smiles ruefully. “Yeah, not in senior year pre-law. And definitely not in a dorm room. I’ll help you help him, though. You know I’m here for you, any time.”

“You’re the best, Rosarita Beans. Speaking of pre-law, though, should I like… let you go study? I feel like I just took up a whole bunch of your day.” She grimaces.

“Hey, don’t worry about it. Like I said, I’m here for you. I probably should go, though, if you’re okay for now.” Vanessa nods again. “Alright then, text me if you need anything, okay? And make sure you sleep before tomorrow, you’re gonna need it. Oh, and I’m guessing you haven’t eaten yet, so do that for me? Okay bye, love you.”

She’s right again, of course. “I’m not hungry,” Vanessa tries to protest, but Roselle has already ended the call. 

Well, if she’s going to eat—and sleep, probably, come to that—she’s gonna need an assist. She fires off a text. AUSTIN, it says. EMERGENCY. COME TF OVER.

As you wish, he replies. The weed man cometh.

—

Austin shows up forty minutes later, and she wraps her arms around his waist and hugs him until he chucks her shoulder and says, “Dude, let me in, it’s freezing out.” They climb the stairs to Vanessa’s favorite living room and in short order the bong water is bubbling and pizzas are on their way.

“You know, the nuts thing is, just going off his picture the dude should’ve gotten picked up, like, right away. I mean, lookit ‘im,” Vanessa rambles, poking a finger at the thumbnail next to the number 414374 in the shelter site’s neat little table. It expands to show a man with sharp features, pale skin and blue eyes, with waves of black hair cascading over impressively broad shoulders. “He’s like, super hot, right? I mean or he would be without the brainwashing 'n shit.”

Austin cranes his head down to see. “Yeah, I’d do him. Without the brainwashing and shit.”

“Yeah! So like, here’s the thing right? Dudes who look like that get snatched up in like a day. Two, tops. It’s like… okay this is horrible but it’s like a borzoi at a humane society, you know? They’re gonna be there for like five minutes.”

“You said he’s been there for five days, though.”

“Exactly! So like, what is his deal, man? What could possibly be up with him that would make all the crazy ass pet people not go ‘yeah I want that one’ like, immediately?”

“Dude, yeah. Huh.”

Vanessa laughs around a mouthful of smoke until she doubles over coughing. “Oh, shit, dude, what am I getting myself into?”

[thefangirlthatwaited]

Encounter (Chapter 166) - A Destiny Universe Story

Crow x Guardian

By the time my song ended, the twins were peacefully asleep. How I wished I was as oblivious as they were. To them, Crow was away on a mission and would be home soon. They didn’t know the dangers that stood in our way. I pulled my children close, closed my eyes, and tried my best to get a few hours of sleep.

“Ruby,” I turned away, the voice trying to pull me from my dream. “Ruby...”

“Crow...” I muttered.

“We’ll be together again,” Crow whispered, his voice filled with a love I yearned for. “I love you.” I desperately tried to reach out to him, but his voice faded away, leaving me lonely.

I woke up in a jolt, my body drenched in a cold sweat, my breath coming in ragged gasps. It was just a dream. Crow wasn’t here. “Mommy?” I turned to the sound of Rory and Ari’s voices, finding them quietly engrossed in their toys. 

“Mommy is fine,” I assured them. “Are you two hungry?”

“Pancakes?” Rory asked.

“Of course.” 

The next few days passed in the same way. The twins and I would sleep in the living room and spend the day together—anything to keep my mind occupied. The nights were another problem. After I sang the twins to sleep, I was left staring at the ceiling until exhaustion took hold. It wasn’t healthy, but it was all I could do to hold myself together in front of the twins.

“You need to speak to someone,” Stell said one evening while I was putting the twins to bed.

“And say what? Crow is gone, Stell and I can’t fall apart like I’ve done in the past. I have a family now.”

“And that’s very grown-up, but you can still talk to someone.”

I sighed. “Maybe. I’ve been hiding for a week. I’m amazed no one has come to check on me.” Stell refused to look me in the eye. “You’ve been relaying updates to the team.”

“I might have,” Stell admitted. “They don’t want to bug you.” 

“Thanks,” I fell onto the makeshift bed.

“Are you going to talk?” Stell asked.

“Probably. I need to gather the courage to do so.”

The following day was a rough one. Ari decided that he had enough of me and wanted Crow.

“Daddy!” He yelled while ripping apart boxes in the living room.

“Ari.” I hissed. “I’ll put you in timeout,” I warned. He huffed and tipped the box over, spilling its contents on the ground. “Ari!” He took off running for his room and slammed the door in my face before I could grab him.

“Fuck!” I growled, pounding my fist on the door while fighting back tears. Why did my son have to push my buttons? Didn’t he know I was barely holding it together? The doorbell rang, and I peeled myself away from Ari’s door.

“Want me to get it?” Stell offered.

“Please.”

While Stell greeted our guest, I tried to coax Ari from his room. “Little man, open the door.”

“No!”

I tried the doorknob again with no luck. “Ari, open the door this instant!”

“I WANT DADDY!” My head hit the door, and I wiped away a stray tear. This boy was going to drive me to an early grave.

“Need help?” I spun around to see Jolyon and Terna standing there with Stell.

Full Chapter on Ao3

[emilyshotchniss]

When You’re Feeling Alone, I’ll Remind You of Home

deciding to write this was a very, very last minute decision - i had intended to try and finish it on Christmas Day, so I apologise that technically it’s being posted on Boxing Day :/

i hope you all enjoy nonetheless! i hope you everyone had a lovely christmas, consider this a belated gift - i’m so thankful to have stumbled across this many people who love these two as much as i do❤️

word count- 2k

warnings - none, just pure fluff with a pinch of angst if you squint :)

-x-

She was having a bad day.

Emily knew Christmas time was going to be difficult, but she failed to anticipate just how isolated she was going to feel. Ever since she returned from Paris, it had felt like she was trying to squeeze herself back into a life that no longer had room for her. She should've known the holidays would only heighten the imposter syndrome that followed her around like a shadow.

Last Christmas, life was so different that on days like this she found it difficult to fathom. From team nights out to spending Christmas Day all together at Rossi’s, Emily had never felt more at home. Only two months later, a phone call from Sean McAllister tore through her life - she wondered now if she’d ever find that feeling of home again.

Aaron could see her struggling. He saw her struggling to find her footing again, saw how she was overcompensating in both her work and personal life, desperate for things just to go back to how they were. However, he didn't want to force her into a conversation she wasn’t ready to have, and risk spooking her. He knew from experience that this was something she needed to come to him with, on her own terms.

In the end he’d had to prompt her. A gentle reminder that bad days were something he was all too familiar with, that he was always there for her should she need him. When he found her not even three days later, curled in on herself alone on the jet, he knew he’d made the right call.

“Have dinner with Jack and I tonight,” he proposed.

He didn’t miss the way her face faltered, the ramblings of imposing on them forming in her head, so he spoke again before she could get the words out of her mouth.

“I’m serious, Em. Jack would love to see you and I may or may not have left all my Christmas wrapping to the last minute. I could really use another pair of hands,”

She thought about it for a minute, before shooting him a mischievous smirk. Something he hadn't seen in far too long, something so distinctly Emily that had his stomach doing flips.

“You’re playing dirty Hotch, you know I can never say no to that angel of a son you’ve got,” she grinned.

“It’s true! He’s been asking for weeks when he can next have a playdate ‘Emmy’,” he smiled.

“He really does love you,”.

The sincerity in his tone alleviated any anxiety that had previously been looming over her, and she felt her cheeks warm as she turned her head to meet his soft gaze.

“Does six-thirty work?”

As promised, a knock on the front door rang through the Hotchner Household at six-thirty on the dot. Emily stood outside the door, grinning to herself as she heard a screech from the other side, followed by the thundering of footsteps running down the hall.

“DAD!”

Suddenly the door swung open, and to her surprise, she found Jack staring up at her from inside the apartment.

“EMMY!” he screamed, a whole millisecond before launching himself against her, hugging her legs so tight she had to grab the door frame for balance.

“Hey little guy!” she giggled, crouching down to his eye level. “Oh, I’ve missed you!” She wrapped her arms around him and gave him a proper hug, blinking away the tears that had welled in her eyes as she heard Aaron’s footsteps round the corner.

“At least let Emily get in the door Jack,” He chastised, but she could hear the humour in his tone. “Sorry about that, come on in Emily.” He offered her his hand to help her up, and ignored the shiver that ran through his body as her hand slid so perfectly into his.

“Never apologise for that sweet boy - if I’m going to get a welcome like that everytime I come over, you’ll never get rid of me,” Emily laughed.

“Don’t give Jack any ideas, that’s his idea of heaven,” He smiled at her.

Wordlessly, he appeared behind her and gently slipped her coat off her shoulders. Her eyes fluttered shut for a fleeting moment as she relished the feel of his breath on the back of her neck. Something about the way he skimmed her shoulders ever so gently she could only just feel it, had her heart beating that little bit faster.

Emily knew she couldn’t feel this way about him. But if she was truly honest with herself, she had done for years now.

She couldn't pinpoint the exact moment she fell in love with him, instead she felt it had crept up on her, getting stronger and stronger until it consumed her. She loved everything about him - from his dedication to his work to the dimple in his left cheek. Most of all, she loved the way he put his son before anything else in his life. Despite everything they’d both been through, Aaron had still raised the kindest, politest, most perfect little boy - a carbon copy of his father through and through.

“I hope you don’t mind, but Jack has decided the only thing he was willing to eat tonight was a Happy Meal, so I ordered in McDonalds. Chicken nuggets are still your favourite, right?” He said, grinning.

She narrowed her eyes at him as she tried to deflect attention from the blush forming across her cheeks. It was something he used to tease her mercilessly for, how she’d grown up immersed in so many different cuisines around the world, yet her favourite dish was a six chicken nugget meal from McDonalds.

“Try all you want to embarrass me, but I can assure you it won’t work - I have no shame.” She replied, following him into the kitchen.

“Look Emily, I put your plate next to mine so we can sit next to each other at the table!” Jack exclaimed, as he grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the table.

“Wow, Jack, thank you!” She chuckled, throwing a reassuring smile to Aaron over her shoulder before following Jack to the table, leaving Aaron to plate their food.

“So tell me something,” She began as she folded the sides of the paper up and onto the gift she was currently wrapping. “Did you really invite me over to check in on me, or did you just need someone to wrap all your gifts?”

He laughed, shaking his head as he passed her a piece of tape.

“Busted,” He replied, a grin on his face.

“Knew it!” She laughed, swatting his arm playfully as she accepted the tape gratefully, securing the paper against the box.

“Okay, this one is good to join the rest under the tree,” She stated, handing him the present as he made his way to the large Christmas tree.

She began to unwind more paper from the roll, cutting a new piece ready for the next gift. When she reached around to take said next gift from Aaron, he was suddenly much closer than she remembered him being before. He sat the present on the floor next to him, before reaching out and gently squeezing her arm.

“All jokes aside Emily, I’m worried about you.” He said, a sincerity to his tone that made her feel exposed - she should’ve known she could never hide anything from him. She took a deep breath, and gently blew it out, before turning to face him.

She was met with eyes swimming with concern. “That bad?” He asked her.

“What?” She asked, genuinely confused.

“That’s your tell,” He told her, eyebrows furrowing.

“It is? For how long?” She stuttered.

“Uh, ever since I’ve known you?” He deadpanned, as she rolled her eyes.

“Well, you have one too.” She huffed in response.

“I do?” He smiled.

“Yeah, only I’m not going to tell you what it is or you’ll stop doing it.” She giggled.

“I see,” He replied, a genuine smile on his face. They sat for a moment, simply looking at one another, comfortable silence engulfing them.

“Do you want to talk about it?” He began tentatively.

“I guess…“ She started shakily. “The holidays are just hard, I guess.” She tried to shrug it off, desperate to convince him she was fine so she could leave this state of sheer vulnerability. The moment she faced him she knew that it was pointless, that he would see right through her.

“It's more the thought of the fact that I finally felt like…”

“Like you had a home?” He prompted.

“Yeah…” She replied, her voice tight, sharply inhaling as tears she refused to let fall brimmed in her eyes as she met his. “He took my home, Aaron,” She breathed out, her vision clouding over as she felt a stray tear fall from her lash line.

Aaron reached his hand up to carefully wipe it away, cradling her face in his hands like she was made of glass. The reverence in his touch only caused more tears to fall. She leant into his touch as he skimmed her cheekbone with this thumb.

“Emily, listen to me when I say this - you are home.” He told her, with so much sincerity behind his words.

“This is your home - we are your home. I need you to know that,” His voice suddenly sounding thick.

She was sure she heard something in her neck crack as she snapped her head back up to find him so close their noses were close to touching.

“Do you mean that?” She all but whispered.

“You’ve always had a home with me.” He choked out, his thumb still tracing her skin.

They stared at one another for a moment, eyes fleeting down to one another's lips and back to each other, as a feeling of understanding settled between the two - both acutely aware of the shift about to occur between them.

The moment their lips met, she knew he was right. He was always right.

This was her home. All her fears, all her anxieties melted away the second he pulled her into his embrace.

He cupped the back of her head, fingers trailing through her dark hair as her hands ran across his shoulders, and up to the short hair at the base of his neck. What began as something delicate and tentative quickly progressed, the second he gave her hair a light tug.

He swallowed up her moan, pulling back quickly before diving back in, chasing her lips. Before they even knew what was happening, he had manoeuvred her onto the floor as he hovered above her, her hands stroking the strong muscles in his back as he snuck his under the soft material of her sweater, groaning at the feel of the soft skin that lay beneath.

However, their bubble burst suddenly as Emily cried out, quickly pushing him off of her.

“Oh god, Emily, I don’t- I’m so sorry, I completely overstepped-“ He began.

“Aaron,” She smiled, cutting him off from his rambling. Why was she smiling? Hadn’t he just completely taken advantage of her?

“Relax - I just rolled onto the scissors,” She giggled.

“Oh. Oh,” He replied as relief washed over him.

She crawled off the floor and up towards him, pushing him back against the edge of the couch as she settled in his lap. She mimicked his earlier movements, running her thumb over his cheekbone.

“I’m home.” She whispered, tears brimming in her eyes again.

“You’re home,” He choked out in reply, as he brought his hand to the back of her head again, holding her in place. He kissed the tip of her nose, and slowly pulled back to look her in the eyes again.

“You have tape in your hair,” He said barely above a whisper, and she barked out a laugh as her face flushed red, resting her forehead against his.

“Way to ruin the moment you asshole,” She laughed, removing the rogue piece of tape from her hair.

They had so much to discuss, a lot to work though, but all of it could wait.

This was her forever home after all. They had all the time in the world.

[yuuniee]

🐍 إلى مفتاح قلوبنا 🧵

(To The Owner Of My Heart)

A/N: A happy (VERY VERY late) birthday to Jamil, and happy meal for Desert Puppeteer enjoyers even though it’s a bit short. Enjoy your meal and don’t forget to chew a lot and swallow~ (/j)

Taglist: @ameleii @achy-boo

It was the time where the birds would chirp together, golden and red leaves slowly fall from trees. It was truly a relaxing day for everyone.

...Except for one person.

Farah, who had been working at Sam’s Mystery Shop to make enough money for the limited edition matching keychains and the mixer as to replace the broken one, was sleeping there on the floor in a sleeping bag. Needless to say, he was surprised to see that the little imp was sleeping on the floor, or so he calls her.

He poked her cheek to wake her up, causing her to get startled.

“Oh, I didn’t know you were this desperate to get something, Li’l Miss Farah!” He asked her with a smile.

“Mmh...” She rubbed her eye and sat up like a worm. “Good mornin’, Mr. Sam.”

After the realization dawned on her, she immediately unzipped the sleeping bag and got out of it.

“I-I’m sorry! I was planning to go back to my dorm after cleaning up here but... I think I forgot to actually go...” Her cheeks visibly flushed as she mentally facepalmed herself.

As a response, he chuckled.

“Working overtime here has actually tired you out, hm?” The shop owner said while turning on the lights.

“...A bit. Nothing I can’t handle.” She dryly replied, steeling her nerves at anything that he might say or do.

“Could it be..? Are you working to get a gift for someone special?” He raised an eyebrow with a smirk.

“Yes-- No! I-I mean...” She looked away in embarrassment.

“It’s OK, don’t worry! Now come on, we have to prepare the Mystery Shop for the day!”

After she dusted herself off, she sat up and helped Sam prepare the shop and headed to the school like nothing happened.

—

As Farah was done with her shift for the day, she lightly tapped on Sam’s shoulder.

“Mr. Sam, I’ve been saving a lot of money for a while, and I would like to buy some stuff if that’s alright with you.”

“Oh, what is it?” He politely asked, to which resulted in Farah walking over and point at a couple of things.

“These keychains and that mixer...” She replied, “About a month ago, one of the mixers in my dorm broke down because of some idiot who thought it’d be a good idea to mix a hardened dough with it... So I worked here in order to get a new one while using other dorms’ mixers. I didn’t wanna trouble anyone with it, so I worked hard to replace it myself.”

“I see, so that was why you’ve been insisting on taking night shifts as well...”

She nodded as she handed him the money.

“May I buy them?” She asked with a serious stare before looking away. “...Please?”

The young man smiled and put a hand over her shoulder.

“Of course, go ahead!” He winked as the Scarabian before him was left stunned.

“Okay, Mr. Sam.” Her face brightened up while she carried the things she bought carefully to the next place she’ll go.

—

As Farah was done with her shift in Mystery Shop, she got back to her dorm with a huge box in her arms. It was sloppily wrapped, but ready to be given to the birthday boy.

She looked around the crowd to search for her beloved. After a while, she spotted the all-too-familiar feather accessory and moved towards it while muttering ‘excuse me’s, politely asking others to let her through. It wasn’t too long before she managed to reach to him.

“Albi?” His face visibly brightened up when he saw her face, “I am glad you made it. You told me that you were going to be really busy this week.”

She smirked and placed the box next to the table.

“I wouldn’t want to miss this special occasion to give something nice to someone I cherish this much.” She replied and hugged him, “Happy birthday, habibi... May it be full of joy and happiness for you.”

The vice leader simply chuckled and brushed her hair off, then kissed her in the forehead.

“Thank you, my dear.” Then he cupped her face and kissed her on the cheek.

She held his hand and leaned in to kiss him, causing his cheeks to flush in embarrassment. Then she whispered in his ear with a grin.

“I loooooove you~”

Then giggled despite the young man glaring daggers at her.

“Do you really have to do this every time we are in public?!” He elbowed her while turning his flushed face away. Farah playfully hummed in response and kissed his cheek while carrying the second box to the kitchen.

When she arrived there, she quietly made her way to where the broken mixer was and her eyes widened in shock. Because it was already replaced with a brand new one. The creaking of the door instantly snapped her out of the thoughts rushing in her head.

“I knew you were doing something to replace it.” The familiar voice of the birthday boy was heard. “I already told Kalim the next day that it was broken, and we already found the culprit and he had gotten suspended...”

She slowly lowered her head in defeat, but instantly flashed a smile.

“Whoops. Looks like I got caught, huh?” She sheepishly said, rubbing her neck. “Can’t expect anything to miss from your sight actually...”

Jamil sighed and shook his head.

“You needn’t have to work so much, you could’ve just told Kalim or me.” He said, voice laced with pure concern, frowning at the sight of her tired face. “If you need to rest, then you can. I don’t mind.”

“Says you, the king of overworkers.” She rolled her eyes with a scowl appearing on her face right after, “You always work so much until you get exhausted. And just so you know, I really hate to see you this way.”

“But you know about my duty Farah...” He replied.

“Of course, of course... But...” She closed her eyes and trailed off. Then the sound of his footsteps coming closer to her became louder until he was right in front of her. He brought a hand over her cheek and touched it.

“I very much understand your concern about me and my well-being, my jewel. I find it quite endearing.” His gaze met hers, “At least I got to rest today. The students were the ones that arranged everything for the party.”

The girl tilted her head, some of her short, midnight blue strands falling on her face. Just for a moment, she wanted to hold him. She awkwardly opened her arms for him for a hug, and she felt her lover’s embrace after a few seconds.

“Jamil...” She muttered, “I need to tell you something.”

He looked at her with his concerned look returning again.

“Ever since we started dating, I haven’t been able to say this out loud but... I really hope I showed it...” She pressed her lips together and exhaled, “I love you so much, maybe even more than you think I do.”

“You did.” He responded shortly, “I can see it well. But just don’t do it in public.”

She tilted her head again.

“Why? Only stuff I do is hugs and kisses.”

“It’s embarrassing...” He said with his cheeks flushing, turning into a slight shade of crimson color.

“I find it pretty cute though.” She grinned while wrapping her arms around his neck. “Very cute for a man who would cause some ladies to pass out with a single look...”

“Is that so?” He raised an eyebrow and grinned back at her. “Then prove it, Albi.”

“Well...” She said and kissed him on the lips while touching his cheek. Then she broke off the kiss and cupped his other cheek with her free hand. “Who wouldn’t fall for someone with beautiful eyes that looks like a pair of obsidian, glistening lips, handsome face... Augh! ...Y-you do get what I mean, right?”

His laughed and gently stroked her cheek with another smirk.

“Of course I do.” He replied to Farah who was too flustered to speak at the moment. After composing herself, she held his hand and looked away for a second, then looked at him in the eye again.

“Say, Jamil... Would you like to go back to the party together? I-I’ll be there, next to you, holding your hand like this...” She gave his hand a gentle yet firm squeeze.

“I’d be delighted to.” He replied and swept her messy bangs, then kissed her forehead, letting his lips linger longer than his usual pecks.

“T-then let’s go, okay?” She mumbled and walked out of kitchen to the party venue while holding his hand. Then she looked back at him, gave him a slight smile and mouthed a quick ‘I love you so much, Jamil Viper’.

‘Perhaps this is the best birthday I’ve ever had thus far...’ He thought to himself while they were walking. When they arrived, he felt her thumb brush against his hand looked at her. Then he noticed her smiling at him as well.

“I love you too, my dearest.” He said while leaning into her ear, causing her to get flustered again.

“You’re lucky it’s your birthday...” She said while turning to her front.

“With you being the best present?”

“Maybe...”

He leaned again and kissed her on the cheek too, then whispered.

“Then I am glad to have such a good present being given to me...” He said while sitting on a pillow.

She lightly smacked his shoulder while sitting on the pillow next to his. But then she laid her head on his shoulder and hugged his arm.

“...Again, happy birthday Jamil...” She muttered. “May it be the best year for you.”

“Thank you, my dearest.” He replied and laid his head on top of hers.

As they sat together, Jamil closed his eyes and quietly wondered what will the next year bring to him. Then he looked at Farah and smiled.

‘This year brought me a miracle... Next year, who knows?’

Then he closed his eyes again and intertwined his fingers with hers, letting himself relax just for this moment. Even it was fleeting, he secretly wished moments like this with her would last forever.