#I'm only missing a good Peach at this point really

[emile-hides]

Behold. Son.

[dixons-sunshine]

Study Buddy | Young!Daryl Dixon x Young!Fem!Reader

*GIF isn't mine.*

Summary: Your exams were coming up soon. While studying for your history exam, you offered to tutor your boyfriend. However, Daryl accidentally revealed that he's much smarter at school than he gave himself credit for.

Genre: Fluff.

Era: Pre apocalypse.

Part of the Shopping Spree, Hangout Dreams AU.

Warnings: Swearing.

Word count: 1.3k.

A/n: This sucks. I don't like this at all, but I really wanted to get some actual writing done, so I powered through. I hope you like this nonetheless.

The late afternoon sun was starting its slow descend beyond the hills. The birds' chirps were slowly being replaced by those of crickets, and the owls were making their presence known one by one. There was a lone pigeon resting on the bench outside your trailer home, but the unsuspecting creature was startled by the rumbling of a stopping truck.

Daryl Dixon got out of the truck his brother had unofficially given him, a shopping bag with multiple snacks and a few drinks in his hand. He slammed the driver's side door shut behind him before walking up the small steps into your trailer. Without even really thinking about it, Daryl walked down the familiar narrow hallway that lead to your room.

The sound of your door opening diverted your attention away from the history textbook that rested on your bed. An enormous smile spread across your face at the sight of your handsome boyfriend. You got up from the bed and walked over to him, looping your arms around his neck and pulling him in for a soft, tender kiss.

Daryl, shy as ever, could feel his face heat up at your actions, but he didn't resist. His hand that wasn't holding the bag rested on the small of your back, his fingers lightly gripping at your sweater. When you pulled back, he gave you a lopsided smile, his eyes holding a softness that he reserved only for you.

You smiled at him, your fingers playing with his hair at the nape of his neck. “Hey, handsome,” you greeted him in a whisper. “Took you long enough.”

Daryl chuckled and shrugged. “Sorry, sunshine. Got caught up at the store,” he explained, pulling back from your hold slightly to reach into the bag and take out a soda for you. “Got yer favourite for ya.”

You gently took the drink from his hands, sending him a look of appreciation. “Have I ever told you how much I love you?”

Daryl ducked his head in embarrassment, his cheeks taking on the colour of the red rose bush outside your window. “Ya might've mentioned it once or twice.”

“Well,” you began, popping the lid of the can open. “Then I definitely don't tell you that enough. I love you, Dar.”

“Love ya too, peach.” Daryl smiled a small smile, before moving to plop down on your bed. He picked up the textbook that rested on your bed and started flipping through it, his eyes skimming over the pages. “Ya already started studyin'?”

You sat down next to him, placing the can of soda on your nightstand. “Only to make flashcards.” To prove your point, you picked up the aforementioned flashcards from your nightstand. “I was just skimming through for good measure. Just wanted to make sure I didn't miss anything important.” You made yourself more comfortable on the bed, adjusting the flashcards. “You ready to get some studying done?”

Daryl nodded. “How's this gon' work?” he asked.

“Well, I wanna see how much you know, so I'm gonna start asking random questions to see what we need to pay special attention to.”

“Alrigh',” Daryl shrugged nonchalantly. “Do yer worst.”

You smirked playfully. “I'll try my best.” You shuffled the cards, selecting a random one. “Okay, let's start easy. When did the Second World War start?”

“September 1st, 1939. Tha's when it was generally considered to have started. S'when the Nazi's invaded Poland,” Daryl replied with zero hesitation, absentmindedly twirling one of the loose threads on your blanket. “The UK and France officially declared war on the third, two days after the invasion.”

You looked at your boyfriend with raised eyebrows, impressed by the way he answered the question so easily and proceeded to answer two separate questions without being asked to do so. You knew Daryl was smart, there was no doubt about that, but you were still a bit surprised. Daryl made it no secret to you that he wasn't the best student, so his perfect answer to the question was a nice surprise.

“Correct,” you told him with a smile. “Next question: How many alliances were there in the Second World War, and what were they called?”

Daryl pondered over the question for a moment. “Two. The Allies and the Axis Powers, right?”

You flipped the flashcard over and read the answer, humming in approval. “Correct again. You're on a roll, Dar.”

Daryl shook his head, shrugging nonchalantly. “Ya ain't askin' any hard questions. Everybody knows the answers to those.”

You narrowed your eyes playfully, shuffling through the flashcards again to find a different question. “Okay, then, smart guy. How about this one: Which cities did the United States detonate atomic bombs over?”

“Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Two cities in Japan. The bombs were dropped on August 6th and August 9th. The US wanted to force the Japanese to surrender.”

“Okay, time out,” you started, carelessly tossing the flashcards to the side. “Please tell me again how you're not smart? Because those were perfect answers and you haven't even read through the textbook yet.”

Daryl shrugged again, averting his eyes to the bed. “Ain't smart. Jus' heard the teacher talkin' 'bout it in class. Ain't tha' hard to remember it. 'Sides, history is interestin'. S'the only class I dun' mind attendin'.”

You laughed in disbelief, looking at your boyfriend in wonder. “You manage to find a way to surprise me every day. I thought I knew everything about you, and now I learn something new. You're a history nerd.”

Daryl scoffed incredulously. “Ain't no damn nerd. Jus' 'cause I know some history doesn't mean m'a nerd.”

“Sure,” you started, sending him a playful smile. “So I know a lot about science and I get called a nerd by you, but you know a lot about history and I can't call you a nerd?”

“Damn straight,” Daryl replied, his tone playful. “Yer a nerd. Tha's one of the many reasons why I fell fer ya.”

“I love you, too, Mr I-know-that-Hitler-was-born-on-the-30th-of-April.”

“He was born on the 20th. He shot himself on the 30th, ten days after his birthday.” You smirked, and Daryl instantly knew that he had fallen into your trap. “Oh, fuck ya fer tha'.”

“My point has been proven,” you said with a victorious smile, leaning forward to let your lips hover over Daryl's. “No need to be ashamed of being a nerd. I find it extremely hot.”

Daryl hummed, his lips grazing against yours. “Ya find it hot tha' I know 'bout the world war? Then yer gon' find it really hot when we get to the Cold War.”

“Colour me intrigued,” you whispered, before closing the gap between the two of you.

Daryl's lips moved against yours hungrily. Soon, he gently guided you to lay on your back, hovering over you as his lips trailed down your jaw to your neck. You giggled, leaning your head back to allow him more access.

“You might be really smart in history, Dar, but I'm not. I need to study,” you told him.

Daryl hummed, but his kisses didn't cease. “Ya'll be fine,” he mumbled against your skin. “'Sides, we got a human anatomy exam comin' up soon. I suck at tha'. I need to get some studyin' done fer tha'.”

You laughed lightly, yielding to the desire. Well, studying would just have to wait. You had other, much more fun activities planned for the time being.

©dixons-sunshine 2024. I do not give permission for my works to be copied, modified, adapted or translated to any other site or platform without evidence of my given consent.

[12-seconds-to-live]

Laniel.jpg and Charlotte

Pairing: DR3 x LN4 x F1 female driver

Warnings: none, just my happiness with Daniel and Lando

NICE AIRPORT - TERMINAL 1 @15:20

"You look cute today" I stop looking to my phone to look at Lando. Well, that's new

"You say it like it's weird of me using a dress"

"It is" He smiled

"I'm gonna ignore you from now on"

"It's not common, even when we go to parties you use jeans, so, I have a point"

"The real point here is that we are in the middle of the summer and if I put a raw egg on the floor it will cook"

"But what about the jet? It's going to be cold in there"

"I have my enchanté sweater" Lando made a loud gasp "It has cute peaches and it's purple"

"I sent you a full box of my merch last month, mean"

"Cry about it, Daniel thinks that I have a pretty face so everybody is going to see me in the new enchanté collection"

"Really?"

"Yeah, I asked him months ago, even I helped with the design of one of the pieces"

"Well, congratulations. You should look who's coming" I turn my head and a very smiley Daniel Ricciardo was walking to our direction

"You knew?"

"I invited him to flight with us, I know how important you were for him these moths away from racing so I..." I interrupted him with a hug and a kiss in the cheek

"You're the best, Norris" Lando didn't expect that reaction, now he can feel his cheeks burning

I got up and run to Daniel. After Silverstone, I decided to wait for Danny's test with Pirelli. After he finished a call from Helmut Marko was all we need to know that he got the seat for the rest of the season. Even if I have a good relationship with the australian, I organized a few days off with Lando, Max, Nyck, some frineds and myself to let Nyck know that we're his friends and friends support each other.

"It's been only a week, you know?" He said laughing

"I don't care, I'm happy. These past 7 months had been like going on a rollercoaster over and over again so, you know. Even if it's AlphaTauri, you have your way back home, you never left, you just have to travel the world over in search of what you need and then return to find it"

"I know Char and thank you for everything" His eyes got glossy so I hug him "Do you like my design?" He said ponting to his sweater

"No, it is..." I gasp

"Yes, kiddo. Tommorrow a million boys are going to see you wearing the new collection"

"Ha ha, funny, you know that I have my eyes on someone"

"Someone a bit brainless. Hey Lando, I guess you were waiting for me"

"Yeah, let's go"

Once in the airplane

"I have to say that this is a very important moment and pretty faces like yours should be able to broke the internet" I said taking Lando's camera and pinting to them "New wallpapers for your fans"

They looked at each other and start with their goofiness and well... I guess they really missed each other. Maybe Carlos and I have competition.

"We are pretty good looking guys, you know?" Daniel said with a smile on his face

"Even you could use us as your wallpaper" said Lando

"Good offer but nothing can beat my photo with Tom Holland" I said with a side smile and ready to take a nap before we arrive in Budapest

"When are you gonna tell her how you feel?" asked Daniel looking at Lando

"I don't know what are you talking about" he answer looking at the mirror

"Kids, always scared of love"

DRIVE TO SURVIVE EP.4 S.6 NICE GUYS ALWAYS COME BACK

"Hello Charlotte"

"Hi Netflix, can I have some tea? I been walking around doing interviews and stuff and I couldn't finish my lunch"

"Sure, mint?"

"Yes, please" I smile to the interviewer "We can't start, I'll wait for the tea"

"Ok, what were you doing when the news drop?"

"Oh, ha ha, I was with the main character. I can do anything, even work as emotional supporter, PR, car mechanic, you know" one member of the staff approached me with the cup of tea "Thank you"

"How do you feel about this?"

I made a pause thinking and trying not to burn my lips "I think that this a great moment to tell you what happen after Abu Dabi. Well, I sign my contract with McLaren, I was feeling bad about the decision, just for Danny and I spent the night with him and his girlfriend just talking and at some point we got more serious and I just told him and without knowing about Red Bull: What is a home if not the first place you learn yo run from?"

I smiled to the camera "Then he told me about the third driver offer and I felt different, by the time he leave in 2018 I guess that he felt that he was destroying everything and he just needed to slip quietly to the back door without causing to much noise and then not stop running. And maybe that was he needed more than what he really wanted, let go the feeling of wanted to go back and remember what you once had and what you once where "

"But then I told him that it's funny that the feeling of leave home and being far away make us wander our choices but for Danny is something else. He's back home and ready to no longer remember which tale of his past is true and which is an invention. Outside he's the same on the inside he's the same kid that leave Australia looking for a dream"

"I guess he's your favourite person between the drivers" asked the producer

"No, Daniel is my brother and I know he feels the same about me"

📍Budapest

Liked by charlotterjones, daniel3.jpg and 943.501 others

landonorris We’re photographers. We’re back.

📸: @charlotterjones

user1 ARE YOU KIDDING ME. STOP THIS CUTENESS

f1mia need a landan.jpg account plz

charlotterjones This is a piece of art ❤️

landonorris including the photographer danielricciardo our favourite girl

user2 "dude we’re getting the band back together״

user3 we missed daniel button --->

I got inspired! This little story is linked with my current story called (Un)Lost

Hope you like it!

Taglist: @evans-dejong @omgsuperstarg @bibissparkles @hoely-maria @mochimommy2002 @noope306 @eugene-emt-roe @80sloverry @rens-daylight @summerslike11 @matildrry

[wangxianficrecs]

Rewind 2023 - Follower Recs

WangxianFicRecs - Rewind 2023

For our Rewind 2023, our dear followers were also able to submit Follower Recs of their favourite stories published in 2023 for you to enjoy! Thank you to everyone who shared their recs and make sure to give the authors some love!

~*~

Lovely fic, the worldbuilding really got me hook, it is background but absolutely fascinating. -Anon

The Lines of your Soul

by athena_crikey

M, 24k, Wangxian & Nielan

Summary: At this point he just wants to get Lan Zhan horizontal so he can sleep off the drugs that are making him make little confused snuffling noises and ask questions like “How soft is purple?” and “Where did the moon go?” and “Why does Wei Ying smile all the time?” Lan Zhan under the influence is cute, and it makes Wei Wuxian genuinely angry because he cannot appreciate it. This is not something Lan Zhan chose, this is not even an accident, this is an intentional violation and none of the sounds or questions or wide-eyed glances Lan Zhan is giving him are his choice.

~*~

Not an easy read, there is a lot of hurt there, but how lwj and wwx behaved in such an awful situation really got to me. -Anon

swallowing rocks, swallowing peach skins

by AvoOwO

M, 24k, Wangxian

Summary: There is an indescribable rage boiling within Lan Wangji's chest. Lan Wangji has often heard stories of unsuspecting travelers being taken from their camp within the night, held against their wills only to be somehow found weeks later, dead and in the most horrid of states. Stories are hard enough to read about. It is worse, he thinks, when it is Wei Ying he is here with, gagged and bound in the same way. They walk, and walk, and walk, and they do not stop.

~*~

Lwj and wwx are just. such disasters. and I loved their jobs, especially lwj. it was a very enjoyable read. -Anon

To See You (Again)

by FrameofMind (@frameofmind6), Jo Lasalle (Jo_Lasalle)

E, 84k, Wangxian

Part of Bottomji Big Bang 2023

Summary: A new job brings Wei Ying to London, and back into Lan Zhan's life. Many things have changed since their time in boarding school (Lan Zhan is out of the closet, arranges charcuterie boards, stocks a fine bar…), but their friendship slots right back into place like no time has passed. Wei Ying is a little perplexed by the fact that Lan Zhan apparently doesn't have any interest in dating anyone despite being an obvious catch—but hey, at least that means he doesn't have to fight anyone for Lan Zhan's time and attention. And besides, it's not like Wei Ying is in any big rush to find himself a girlfriend either. It’s all working out great!

~*~

This story is a ton of fun and such a different and interesting concept. @danegen

Pairfire

by PaidSubscription

E, 65k, Wangxian

Part of Bottomji Big Bang 2023

Summary: Welcome, young cultivators, to the most important event of your lives: your Coming of Age Symposium. At dawn tomorrow, you will be assigned to your pairmate. You will then complete the following courses together. Week 1: Love Languages (core course) Week 2: Conflict Resolution (core course) Week 3: Guided Gender Selection (core course, ongoing) Week 4: Caring for Your Pairmate in Distress (elective) Week 5: Heat Week (elective) On your final day you will choose which permanent A/B/O gender is right for you. We will provide guidance as you try each of them in the coming weeks. Good luck. OR: WangXian are unexpectedly paired for a relationship course. Shenanigans, pining, gender feels and horniness ensues. With art by Beanie.

~*~

This series was so much fun, especially watching Lan Wangji's lust for Wei Wuxian from Su She's POV. And I'm grateful the author included a second part so we can see all the bits we missed and how wangxian got together. Also lwj's competency kink for wwx's brilliance was gold. @gentil-minou

💙 The epic college romance between Wei Ying and Lan Zhan

by KizuKatana (@kizukatana)

E, WIP, Series, 57k, Wangxian | Kay's Rec

Summary part one: The (bitter) third party pov of the epic college romance between Wei Ying and Lan Zhan, as told from the pettiest NPC to ever exist. - - - - - A new student transferred into the university in their second year, and Su She was gleeful to see how much Lan Zhan was irritated by him from the very first day that the student (Wei something) showed up late for class with a ratty hoodie pulled up over his head and proceeded to sleep through lecture. Finally, someone else would be the butt of everyone’s jokes as they watched Wei Ying constantly try and fail to get Lan Zhan’s attention. When midterm grades came out, Su She was expecting the guy to be humiliated. That was… not what happened. Worse still, Lan Zhan was now actually turning his head to look at the guy when he spoke. And... wait, was Lan Zhan… putting his hand on the guy’s ass?! No. Su She does not accept this.

~*~

I love historical aus and Greaser!WWX with GoldenBoy!LWJ is one we know well, butI love this fic for all the heart it has and the way it covers setting-typical homophobia. Wangxian get a happy ending and then the epilogue at the end really just made me feel all kinds of feelings about being queer. @gentil-minou

Mad about the Boy

by TriviasFolly (@triviasfolly)

M, 62k, Wangxian

Summary: It's 1954, and Lan Zhan's life would be going well if it wasn't for the charming Wei Ying. Did he say charming? He meant annyoing. If it wasn't for that smile Lan Zhan could accept the future planned for him, the job as Cheif Surgeon who returned home to a demure wife who'd cook him dinner and asking him about his day. Instead, he finds himself dreaming about something more. So when Wei Ying offers him a deal, one that would get him out of Lan Zhan's life he took it. When the evening goes wrong, Lan Zhan expects his life to be over. Instead, he finds it's just the start of a new chapter.

~*~

The way this author made the story of the Scarlet Pumpenel fit in mdzs is, in my opinion, masterful. The arranged marriage is built on devastating misunderstanding after devastating misunderstanding, but the identity shenanigans are so fun! Other highlights include Jiang sect love and wangxian adopting not only A-Yuan but MXY as well. So much fun and an epic adventure! @gentil-minou

The Scarlet Lotus

by rainbowninja167 (@rainbowtitania)

M, 137k, Wangxian

Summary: In the years following the Sunshot Campaign, the mysterious, masked cultivator who’d defeated Wen Ruohan took on many identities: the Yiling Patriarch, leader of the Wen rebels, enemy of the Jin Sect, practitioner of wicked tricks. His true name was shrouded in mystery. He always wore a mask. He carried no sword; wore no clan colors or insignia. Clouds of resentful energy clung to him as he walked. But there was one thing that absolutely everyone agreed on: the Yiling Patriarch could not possibly be from the Jiang Sect. Or: a Scarlet Pimpernel-inspired fix-it featuring Wei Wuxian in disguise, Lan Wangji determined to bring the nefarious Yiling Patriarch to justice, and the hijinks that ensue when you accidentally marry your greatest enemy/love of your life.

~*~

Another fun and sexy fic built on misunderstandings but I love the tone of this one! There's a lot of heart in this fic along with some real world issues along with just lots of wwx love, which makes this fic something i reread again and again! @gentil-minou

With No Particular Affection

by Chrononautical (@chrononautintraining)

E, 92k, Wangxian

Summary: A prominent physicist and professor, Wei Ying has built a life for himself in Chicago. He's safe, he's happy, and he has plans for his future. Unfortunately, those plans are derailed the moment he finds out his brother is in trouble. To save the family business, it will have to be Wei Ying's life on the line. He has to marry his old high school crush, Lan Zhan.

~*~

wangxian exploring their sexuality while getting to act their age in cloud recesses is such a wonderful premise, and I love the way this fic lets them not being good at it. Also the little excerpts from the book throughout were such fun and always made me giggle! @gentil-minou

Fentao-laoshi's Guide to Cut-Sleeve Pleasures

by occultings (microcomets) (@microcomets)

E, 31k, Wangxian

Part of the good place server exchange 2023

Summary: Lan Wangji says, “I am also looking to . . . gain practical experience. It seemed mutually advantageous.” “Mutually advantageous,” Wei Wuxian echoes. “Wait. Do you mean I’d get to . . . ?” Lan Wangji stares at him. “Practice — on you?” Wei Wuxian finishes, his eyes round with disbelief. — During a shared summer studying in the Cloud Recesses, Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian diligently pursue an informed sexual education. What could possibly be the harm in some mutual learning?

~*~

the most heartbreaking, angsty, canon setting arranged marriage au i've read so far, in the best way. We get to see things from LWJ's pov and while his actions make sense, it's still so devastating as we watch WWX be affected by it all. The happy ending makes the hurt all the better too! @gentil-minou

💙 Concord

by Deastar (@youhideastar)

T, 41k, Wangxian | Kay's Rec

Summary: Lan Wangji hopes, somewhat frivolously, that his betrothed might find him an acceptable companion. Neither he nor Wei Wuxian are able to bear children, so there will be no need to share a marital bed; that should make it easier for the two of them to reach a natural, comfortable equilibrium. Two strings played in harmony: this is Lan Wangji’s quiet hope, as he arranges the Jingshi to accommodate a second inhabitant. Perhaps, he thinks, they might even become friends.

~*~

MothXian and WitchJi!!!!! The art for this au is always so lovely, and this fic fits it perfectly! The author has this gorgeous, dreamy prose that really enhances the setting and the sweetness of wangxian in this is so beautiful. @gentil-minou

light a lantern (and guide me home)

by xuanxuanwo (ostentatiouslyrealistic) (@xuanxuanwo)

T, 63k, Wangxian

Summary: At first, he thinks he’s caught a bird; it’s the size of one of his palms and wrapped fully in damp feathers. As he shuffles toward the beam of light that streams through the open window, he wonders how it managed to fly into his lantern, shut the door, and latch it against the wild gales of the wind. Then, he takes a closer look, thumbing across its feathers, and realizes that they’re not feathers at all. They’re leaves. Startled, Lan Zhan shifts as gently as possible and, using the tip of his finger, parts them to reveal a body, complete with tiny limbs and a small face, all of it wrapped in the dress made from peony petals. “Oh,” Lan Zhan breathes softly, heart clenching. “Oh, what are you?” -- A thunderstorm brings tea master and herbalist Lan Zhan a companion he never knew he needed. A tale of love, loss, and letting go.

~*~

Rockstar!WWX and Bookseller!LWJ and they are just the cutest. Notting Hill is a classic romcom and this fic fits the romcom vibe perfectly. @gentil-minou

When the Lights Come Up

by brooklinegirl

E, 50k, Wangxian

Summary: Lan Zhan's brother draws to a halt next to him, staring at the man on the other side of the counter. "Oh, it is you, isn't it?" The man, still propped against the counter on his elbow, gives Lan Huan a grin, then directs it at Lan Zhan again. "I don't know," he says. "Is it? Am I?" "You are." Lan Huan is hurrying around to the other side of the counter, a wide smile on his face, while Lan Zhan looks on, feeling more and more perplexed, like he's stepped into some alternate universe where absolutely nobody is making any sense at all. "Wei Wuxian! Lan Zhan, do you know who this is? It's Wei Wuxian!" Lan Huan is reaching for the man's hand, and he pushes himself lazily to standing, shaking Lan Huan's hand warmly. "In the flesh," he says. "You caught me." "My goodness." Lan Huan is staring at him like he's never seen a human being before in his life. "What on earth are you doing here, of all places?

~*~

magical wangxian who adopt mo xuanyu in a setting that's written so vividly, the whole place comes alive! it's part of a larger series but it can be read alone, but most importantly the characters are so patient and kind with such great moments between them all @gentil-minou

quiet, blooming hours

by Sanguis (@bel-ennui)

T, 13k, Wangxian

Summary: Fingers push through the earth, and a long lost boy takes the first gasping breath of his second life. The house of buried things has a new surprise for Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji.

~*~

(Please REBLOG as a signal boost for these hard-working authors if you like – or think others might like – these stories.)

[qsycomplainsalot]

So I watched Furiosa

Furiosa Road: a Star Wars Story. It wasn't likely to live up to Fury Road, and it didn't. It would have been a tall order. While it was well worth paying to see in theaters, I was still a little disappointed; I'm going to explain why, without spoilers, and then after a very visible cut I'll comment on a few specific things in the movie.

First of all it felt long, but not two hours long so I guess it speaks to its quality. Going through the cast, everyone did a good job, although I wasn't blown away by the on screen chemistry of Anya Taylor-Joy and Tom Burke. More on that later. Chris Hemsworth as the overarching antagonist is this movie's standout performance, in a way that I'm somewhat conflicted about. More on that later too.

Overall it feels as if, after making Fury Road a trim and thrilling movie, the creatives behind it strung together all the piles of amazing ideas they had left on the cutting room floor into another complete movie, but not a very cohesive story with a beginning middle and end with enough connective tissue to captivate an audience. There's no shortage of props, costumes, characters, stunts and just straight up visuals, although the music is not up to the standards set by Fury Road. What's really missing is a tight knit script.

I'd say watch it if you like the franchise, otherwise I'd just wait for it to release on small screens.

My biggest complaint with this movie is that it's split between two relationships, between Hemsworth as Dementus or Tom Burke as Jack with Furiosa, when really with how it's paced it could barely afford one. I am just completely confused by people saying Jack and Furiosa's relationship was the highlight of the movie, it was vague, bland, and Jack died before I could really care about him. All this relationship did was explain how Furiosa became so good at driving a war rig, despite the fact that by this point in the movie she'd fended for herself just fine, presumably using what she'd been taught by the vuvuzela tribe. Likewise Dementus as a character is extremely simple, in a good way, and is the a better representation of time passing in the movie than literal text onscreen telling you it's been fifteen years or some such. It's on the nose, but Chris Hemsworth is acting his heart out and it's always a joy to see him on screen. He's spiraling his way through the movie in a perfect exemple of what Furiosa must avoid becoming. So knowing that, the main plot should be about Furiosa having to lose her way home (the star map tattoo on her arm, which we know she lose by Fury Road) and choose to stay at the Citadel to kill him, setting up a bitter ending where she's gained nothing and is stuck killing more people instead of letting go of revenge and going home. Unfortunately Furiosa: the video game: the movie very much lives in the shadow of its 2015 sequel, and so the plot is split further to set that up. I've talked about how it hurts the pacing and how much screentime the other characters could have gotten, but I think it actually greatly diminished the ending. The end of Furiosa has her catch up to Dementus, bind him and beat him up, asking him to give her her childhood and mother back, only for Dementus to refuse to play along in anyway. He tells her that revenge achieves nothing, that he knows from personal experience and that she can kill him however she wants, that he doesn't particularly care. I don't do it justice it's a pretty good end to his arc this movie. Instead of Furiosa killing him there and then and validating that speech for a cohesive theme to the movie (keeping the hope stuff for Fury Road where it works), the history man voiceover tells us that although the true end of Dementus is disputed, Furiosa told him the truth, that she kept him alive with a peach tree growing out of his dick ?? And then she brings the peach to Immortan's wives in the Citadel, and then the credits are interspersed with shots from Fury Road. I can excuse the impossibility of keeping someone alive while a tree is growing on them for the sake of Mad Max movies very much being wasteland fairy tales, but I think directly linking Furiosa: Road One with Fury Road like that is both pointless and very hamfisted, on top of being a big disappointment when it comes to Dementus' character. Like the guy was clearly fucked up from losing his daughters just kill him and be done with it. Anyway yeah I don't think I'll rewatch this movie nearly as often as I rewatch Fury Road. Shoutout to the Octoboss though, he's the Most Valuable Sidecharacter of this movie.

[darkspellmaster]

Wish is just a normal Disney film just like all the rest.

Wish is actually a damn good movie, there I said it!

I'm going to start by saying this much, it's very odd to me that so many people are now screaming for a love story from Disney, when not even five or ten years ago there was shouting from the roof tops about Disney doing TOO MUCH romance. For the longest time it was "I wish Disney wouldn't do pairings" "Ugh another romance, can't the princess not." Etc. Now everyone wants one, even though Romance isn't really as big a Disney trope as people think.

Actually let's go through the animated catalogue and see how frequently the love story is centered as the main conflict and asperation to the character. In this case it's the key thing, not a 'Oh they happen to like each other in the end' situation, it's THE thing, the point of the movie is their romance. Then let's see how many have it as the secondary aspect, and let's see how many have it as not important at all. (And we're talking romantic love, not family love)

Romance (Total number: 15)

Snow White, Lady and the Tramp, The Aristocats, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Secondary Characters hook up so this is a weird one), Doug's First Movie, Tarzan, Lizzie McGuire the Movie, Enchanted, The Princess and the Frog (Only from Naveen's POV), Tangled (could be seen as secondary too)

Secondary (Total Number: 25)

Fantasia, Bambi, Make Mine Music, Fun and Fancy Free , Melody Time, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, Cinderella Sleeping Beauty

One Hundred and One Dalmatians , Robin Hood, The Rescuers , The Fox and the Hound , Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Rescuers Down under

The Nightmare before Christmas, The Lion King ,Hercules ,Mulan ,Fantasia 2000 , Dinosaur, Atlantis the Lost Empire , Meet the Robinsons , Frankenweenie ,Frozen, , Strange World

Not in it at all (Total Number: 42 -including Wish)

Pinocchio, The Reluctant Dragon, Dumbo, Saludos Amigos, Victory through Air power, Three Caballeros, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan

Sword in the Stone, The Jungle Book, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, The Black Cauldron, The Great Mouse Detective

Oliver and Company, Ducktales the Treasure of the lost lamp, A Goofy Movie, James and the Giant Peach, The Tigger Movie

The Emperor's new Groove, Recess School's out, Return to Neverland, Lilo and Stich, Treasure Planet, The Jungle Book 2

Piglet's big Movie, Brother Bear, Teacher's Pet, Home on the Range, Pooh's Heffalump Movie, Chicken Little, The Wild

Bolt, Winnie the Pooh, Wreck it Ralph, Big Hero 6, Zootopia, Moana, Wreck it Ralph 2, Frozen 2, Raya and the Last Dragon, Encanto, Wish

These are just the animated not live action, and not live action with animation movies. All in all it's more common to see a Disney film with NO romance in it at all then a romantic one.

So why is it that people keep saying, but we're missing the romance, it's because of the fact that most of the time the Parks and other media pair the characters together. Take Peter pan, in the movie, the boy is utterly oblivious to Wendy's affections, to the point of pissing her off enough that she leaves the party that the tribe is hosting. In the parks, and other media (the plays, other movies) the romance is in your face, because people want them to be a couple, but in the movie itself you never see it.

Star, based on the making of book, was supposed to be a younger version of Asha's grandfather, which fits the theming of the movie. However, from what I understand, one of the reasons why they went against is was because it was hitting to close to Genie in the shape shifting. On top of that, the character of Star, seems heavily inspired by the art work of William Joyce, who created Night Light.

This is him and Katherine (Future Mother Goose) who is basically Star in a lot of ways. He lights the night to keep the nightmares away. These two eventually grow up (He remembers He's jack frost) and they end up as a couple.

It would be apping off of that story, and sadly people didn't give the William Joyce movie Meet the Robinsons a chance (don't sleep on that folks please! It is a good story.)

Also straight up give more love to the Guardian's of Childhood, you'll be happy while you read it.

I'm not saying don't ship it, what I am saying is that please don't go saying this was planned when it really wasn't. That was supposed to be her grandfather there.

And I'm not against the art work, I find it very cute and sweet and lover the designs. But I do think that the whole, "WE WERE ROBBED!" thing isn't being at all fair to the creative team behind this story, as again, *points up* they were following the tradition of a story that doesn't have a love interest, which is the vast majority of the stories that they tell.

Wish perfectly falls in line also with Disney's normal length of animated movies.

Wish was 1 hours and 35 minutes

The movie that came out before it clocked in at

Strange World = 1 hours and 42 minutes

Moana = 1 hours and 47 minutes

Frozen = 1 hours and 42 minutes

This Hour long movie thing started really with Atlantis the Lost Empire = 1 hours and 36 minutes

While Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Mulan, Lilo and Stitch all clock in around =1 hour and 30 at most, some are even less than that. Wish's run time is equal to that of Atlantis, or Aladdin, or Treasure planet. So I'm a bit perplexed on the "It's too short" thing. Maybe growing up just before and during the days of Little Mermaid and Aladdin made me like the shorter tales.

Which is another point. With a shorter movie, you never get complete backstory. It's a fairy tale! I mean, look at Little Mermaid. Seriously can you Name any of her sisters from the opening song.

Like seriously, I don't really know a lot of people who can tell me anything about Aquatica, for example. Unless you actually read the books or watched the TV show. And before then we had nothing. Nothing on her mom, nothing on her sisters.

Then there's the town Belle comes from, what do we know about it? Not much, not even who governs the damn thing. Howe about Aladdin before the TV series and King of thieves cleared up everything. We didn't know who his parents were, nor Jasmine's mom. Hell we still don't know anything about Cinderella's father from the animated movie.

Point being, a lot of information, much like Wish, got cut for time. In Snow white we were supposed to be given a longer back story for her father and mother, that was cut due to it being to long, it's in the golden book though. Prince Florian (Yes that is his name) was supposed to have Prince Phillips escape, but it was deemed to hard to animate at the time.

Also there was one that was dancing on the clouds, with STARS, around them that looks very much like you know, our Star.

So basically, he's a nod to what could have been for Snow White all those years ago. Cut for time.

Aladdin had a whole cut song because they chopped his mother out as she was supposed to play a part in the movie and help her son with the Genie.

Zena is her name and she was cut to streamline the film.

Maid Marian in the original Robin Hood was supposed to protect him after his plunge into the water, and protect him from King John while he's threatening her. King Richard appears in the end and scares him into stopping but she's willing to take a dagger to the chest to protect Robin.

This is when Richard meets Robin with Marian telling him all about what happened.

All Disney movies change. Isabel in Encanto was supposed to have a nerdy boyfriend that the family disapproved of.

Hell, Frozen was at one point going to be the Bad guy wins the guy, the hero (Gerta) that we followed all the way to the end rooting for her, was supposed to be a gold digger, and Kai was supposed to say "Nah, I'm gonna stick with the Snow Queen" because she's sad and your a bitch. (Thanks Eisner, I hate it!)

So yeah, there's probably A whole lot of cut content that was supposed to go in, but to streamline it to 95 minutes, you have to cut! At least it's not what happened to the Black Cauldron. No I will never forgive Katzenburg for that travesty!

Disney always used Popular Music over Broadway

Honestly this is the one complaint that I hear that kills me the most about this movie, that the studio went with a pop music team. As if this is not a common thing for Disney movies!

Fun fact, the team behind most of the musical scores up until the 1960s were all composers and musicians that wrote songs for the radio. Or song writers that did radio music. If I listed every single one we'd be here for ages.

The Sherman brothers actually wrote pop tunes for the Teen sweetheart Annette Funicello and several other well known singers and actors of movies.

The first major Broadway group was Ashman and Menken, Followed by Miranda, and the Lopez's. Most, if not all of the biggest Disney songs were written by pop songwriters, whos goal it was to get that song played on the radio.

Hell The Lion King, Tarzan, The Emperors New Groove, and Treasure planet to name a few were all done by Pop musicians. I didn't hear complaining about it back then! What's the difference now? Because the team is not Elton freaking John, or Sting?

All of Oliver and Company was pop songs. Several movies didn't have songs, or only had one.

If we're going to celebrate a studio that helped bring an artform out of it's infancy and show that you could do a full movie of animated pictures where you get emotions out of it, we need to celebrate all aspects, and that includes things we may not realize are kind of unique.

When Hercules and Hunchback came out, people complained about them not being "Traditional" Disney. It was Gospel, it was too dark, or in the case of Tarzan, why are we following a boy, or Treasure planet, "Yuck a space story". Now people adore these movies. People who grew up with them want to celebrate them, and sometimes they don't realize that they were once derided as hard or harder than Wish is being right now.

I just wish that people would give these movies a chance rather than not let the creatives tell their story. We had a whole damn section of 2D animation in Strange World! No one talked about it! No one went "More of this please". Give me these stories, let me enjoy a original fairy tale, because if we keep rehashing things, there's going to be little to celebrate when the next 10 or 20 years rolls around.

Sorry for the kinda rant. This has just been on my nerves for a while.

[ponett]

I have now finally seen the Mario movie. It was Pretty Good. Here are my wordy thoughts on it. (I am going to spoil the entire movie. Duh.)

In many ways, the Mario movie does what I wish the first Sonic movie had done. They just took the characters and the premise and the world from the games, and made it a straightforward animated adventure movie. It's bright and colorful and remixes things JUST enough to include fun elements from multiple games, and it doesn't make Mario get adopted by James Marsden or whatever. It even has the music!

That's all you really need, right? Right...?

I'll get this out of the way up front. Chris Pratt was fine. He's fine

If anything, it really feels like they did the movie a disservice by letting us hear so little of the Mario voice in the previews. It took one scene for Pratt to disappear into the role for me. It was totally fine. If anything, I found Charlie Day's normal voice coming out of Luigi WAY more distracting, even if I did like him in the role.

Everyone else was pretty good, for the most part. Jack Black was obviously very good as Bowser, but I'm biased. Seth Rogen does the Seth Rogen laughs as Donkey Kong, but I thought DK was fun, too. (I liked his little rivalry with Mario where he was just constantly giving him shit.) The only casting choice I truly hated was Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong. I hated every line that came out of his mouth. He sounds atrocious. Just the worst. I swear to fucking god if they do a DKC movie and we have to hear him for 90 minutes

I did think Peach was lacking, but that was on the script, not Anya Taylor-Joy's performance. It's cool to see Peach fight, but it's one of those all too common instances where the writers put so much effort into making the main girl kick ass and be an effortlessly confident girlboss that they forgot to give her an actual personality. Not that I'd point to Super Princess Peach and its mood swing superpowers as positive representation or anything, but there's a happy middle ground, surely. Shrek was 22 years ago, just having the princess do flying kung fu kicks isn't enough.

Okay. With the voices out of the way, let's talk about the big picture:

It's way better than the words "Illumination Mario movie" implied, and I mostly enjoyed my time with it. The spirit of Mario is there 100%. But I'd also describe it as "ruthlessly efficient."

This was perhaps the main complaint critics had, and they were absolutely right. People have responded to these totally average reviews with "Well, what did you expect? Shakespeare?! It's MARIO!!" Like, yes, I would prefer it if the movie I paid to see had writing that was good instead of bad. What a shocker. My issue isn't that it's not "high-brow" enough. The problem is that it feels mercenary. It feels like an editor went through and deleted almost every line of dialogue that isn't some form of exposition, at the expense of the pacing. Any scene that's not a montage or some sort of action is kept as short as they could make it, with barely any room for embellishment, character interaction, or anything other than the bare minimum word count to hit all the typical Save the Cat Hollywood screenwriting 101 story beats to the letter. There aren't even as many jokes as you might think (and the ones that are there are extremely hit or miss, including a lot of the slapstick with Mario himself).

Mario and Peach's little arc together in the front half of the film is probably the worst example of this pacing. Even having read reviews that complained about how fast Peach goes from meeting Mario (by her admission the first other human she's ever met) to deciding to train him as the new savior of the Mushroom Kingdom, I was SHOCKED at how fast it was. They don't even lampshade it.

Peach takes Mario straight into the big training sequence where he learns how to use mushrooms and jump over platforming obstacles. Peach is apparently already a hypercompetent platforming pro and a great fighter, so there's no clear reason why she's taking the time to train this random guy to be half as good as her when the world is in danger. Then they set off on their adventure, Toad joins them, and we get a VERY brief travel montage. It's about thirty seconds total - just long enough to give Peach a line about how she wants to protect this beautiful world of hers to try and give her some stakes. We get the genre-mandated nighttime campfire heart to heart, which is exactly long enough to have Mario say he misses Luigi and to have Peach give the two sentence summary of her origin story and not a second longer. Then they reach the Kongs, and their big journey is complete. (They barely interact for the rest of the movie.) So much of the movie is like this - always ready to get on to the next scene as soon as a new one starts.

I'm not criticizing the script because I expect The Super Mario Bros. Movie to be a prestige drama - although there are certainly halfhearted attempts at a dramatic arc. The stuff with Mario's family was a fun enough idea, but again, ruthless efficiency. We get one quick scene with them at the start to give Mario some pathos, because I guess Save the Cat said he's gotta have some pathos. And then Mario gets his dad's approval amidst the action of the final battle in Brooklyn to resolve his arc, just so the movie can end as quickly as possible once Bowser is defeated. (Despite now having the approval of their family and their community back in Brooklyn, Mario and Luigi move to the Mushroom Kingdom off-screen without a single word dedicated to this decision, because that's where they live in the games.)

Look. I am not comparing it to The Godfather. Don't give me that shit. I am not asking for an extra half hour to explore Mario and Luigi's childhood trauma. I am not asking for the complex inner workings of the Mushroom Kingdom monarchy. I know this is gonna be a basic Hero's Journey adventure for kids. It just feels like it's turning down so many opportunities to have a little fun with the characters, to let them interact and play off of each other, to let there be some adventure on this adventure. This is the first time we've gotten to see these characters interact with fully voiced dialogue in a very, very long time! "Yeah, it's not High Art, but it's FUN!" Stories are fun! Character interactions are fun! The script could be having so much more fun!! It is adamantly against making the Story parts of this story-driven movie any more Fun than they functionally need to be!!!

Mario, Peach, and Toad's journey to find the Kongs is shorter than the training montage that precedes it. After the opening, Bowser mostly just sits in his castle and waits for the third act to start. Luigi's there, too, but he only gets one scene with Bowser and then the movie mostly forgets he exists until the climax. He doesn't even get to try and sneak out of Bowser's castle and get up to hijinx. He's just there to be a motivation for Mario, so he sits in a cage for half the movie. It's the bare outline of a script with action scenes added in.

Aside from the fact that it's Jack Black singing as Bowser, I feel like this overly-efficient script might be part of the reason why the "Peaches" scene stands out so much. It's a moment that didn't strictly need to be there to keep the plot moving or to provide an action setpiece. It's not even a reference to another Mario thing. It's just a fun and memorable little character moment that's there for its own sake. That's what the movie needed more of. To stop and smell the roses more often. To play in the space.

To be clear, this isn't a unique problem with this movie. Critics have been noting for years that second acts are disappearing from big Hollywood movies in favor of the Act I plot setup and the Act III action, even though Act II is supposed to be where you get to explore your actual premise. And lots of animated movies give me this exact same vibe of being too "screenwriterly," or feeling like they had an executive breathing down their necks and demanding changes based on focus testing. But these common issues are why I come away mostly feeling like the movie is on the better end of "average," rather than totally blowing my mind. You have seen this movie many times before, just not with Mario in it.

And, of course, there's the music. The score by Brian Tyler based on various classic Mario and Donkey Kong tunes (frustratingly all attributed to Koji Kondo) is absolutely beautiful, but it's unfortunately frequently overshadowed by the licensed music. Everyone already complained about things like the use of Take On Me in place of a lovingly arranged DKC medley, but it feels illustrative of the tug of war the movie is caught in the middle of, between wanting to be a lavishly faithful Mario movie and wanting to be a generic tentpole animated adventure movie. Every single licensed song used is the most obvious, overused song they could have picked for the scene. It reeks of cynical executive meddling and it took me out of the movie every time.

But there really was a lot of care and love put into this movie - more than probably any other video game movie ever made, not that that's a high bar. I don't want to underplay that too much amidst all my complaints spurred by the absolutely insane response to the reviews.

Aside from the countless background references that people will be picking apart for years, touches like the Captain Toad tune playing in the background of Toad's introduction or the Mario Kart 8 menu music playing in the kart garage really help bring it to another level of authenticity. I also enjoyed seeing some more obscure Mario enemies that felt like they were picked more for being fun to animate than for being nostalgic and marketable. No matter how many times I sarcastically pointed to the screen and deadpanned "reference. reference." I am not immune to noticing these things and smiling. I am not immune to the DK Rap. These alone don't make the movie good, but it's nice to have a video game movie that feels like it was made by people who like video games.

Most importantly, the animation is great throughout. It's leaps and bounds ahead of other Illumination work, and it's the best the Mario cast has ever looked. They even made Donkey Kong handsome, somehow. They're all so squishy and expressive, and they move so fluidly - especially in the action scenes. I particularly liked the more kinetic ones like the aerial Banzai Bill chase and the Mario Kart sequence. Truly, the Mad Max-inspired car battle on Rainbow Road where Mario literally does the speedrun shortcut is this movie firing on all cylinders.

Other, more hand-to-hand fights nail the Popeye-esque vibe Mario should be going for. He's an underdog who gets the shit kicked out of him by bigger, stronger opponents until he gets his signature powerup and turns the tables on them. My favorite animation of all probably came from the use of Cat Mario to turn the tide in the DK fight. They had so much fun making Mario move like a cat. Again, it feels like a choice made because it'd be fun to animate rather than just a nostalgia move.

It's that animation and that attention to detail that carry the film, really. They elevate it from mediocrity into being a fun watch for a fan like me, albeit one I couldn't help but pick apart with Anthony as we watched it at home. I'm glad I saw it, but there's a lot of room to improve with the inevitable sequel. I hope they do. I can't deny that I had fun with the movie, but I hope next time that fun is partially because of the script instead of in spite of it.

Stray thoughts:

Overall, I would say I enjoyed the movie a lot more than Sonic 1, but probably not as much as Sonic 2. Not that these movies need to be pitted against each other.

I hated the Luma. I hated how hilarious they clearly thought the Luma was. They have the fucking Luma break the fourth wall to end the movie and start the credits. This is going to be a deep cut for fans of bad animated films, but the whole time I was just thinking of the little fish from Romeo & Juliet: Sealed With A Kiss who's just the director's kid saying random nonsense. You know I'm right

I rolled my eyes at the "our princess is in another castle" joke and several other jokes that would have been dated in a gamer webcomic 20 years ago but I guess they had to be there

How much of Brooklyn did Bowser's giant floating castle take out? We know 9/11 happened in this universe because the Freedom Tower is there, hasn't New York been through enough

I can't believe there's a Diskun easter egg

The dog is the most Illumination character design in the movie. It felt like it wandered on set from The Secret Life of Pets

Mario being a gamer and playing Kid Icarus of all things just made me remember this tweet:

Yes Anthony did get mad at me for being thirsty for Bowser

[nnnn99999]

This post is a result of a note that has been sitting in my drafts since the first episode. It was sitting there for so long because I was waiting for the series to end to see if they would continue this theme to the end, and they did. So here is my essay on family as one of the central themes of peaceful property.

Family has always been my top priority in life. This is actually one of the reasons why I was so touched by peaceful property. Because this series gave me so many different types of familial bonds, good and bad. Because of who I am, I have a hard time relating to romantic love. It's not that I can't feel romantic love, it's just I don't really understand it that well. I have a superficial idea of it, but I've never felt it myself. But familial love is something I can definitely relate to and understand, so peaceful property was such a comfortable watch for me.

So what is family? Or a better question might be, what makes someone family? Family is the people you love and trust unconditionally, the ones you want to stay with for the rest of your life, the ones you find comfort with in the hardest of times, the ones you want to protect with your life, the ones with whom you share such an unbreakable bond that no matter what happens you find your way back to them. You may or may not have blood ties with family, but you definitely have strong emotional ties that can't be broken. This is what family means to me.

From the very beginning, peaceful property gave us different types of families, most of which are non-traditional. Peach and Pangpang, Home and his grandfather and Somkid, Kan and her single father, Suradech as a loner, Rak with her parents and husband, the magician and his sick daughter, Phoom and Vicha, Rider and Tharnsai, Somkid and Yai and finally Home, Peach, Pangpang, Kan and Suradech- all of these are the different families I can remember from the show. (I might be missing some since I'm writing this whole thing from memory but if I don't remember it, it means I didn't care about it.)

My point is, from the very beginning, this show was exploring different kinds of family dynamics. At first, I thought this show wanted to say something about capitalism and classism. But by ep 4, I was questioning my own assumption. By ep 6, I had a new perspective. In my opinion, this show only introduced these topics because money, status and class determine how we interact with others and how we form bonds with others. This show was always about Home's journey to finding his family. It's just that his wealth and status, how these things had been used in his favor, how he has an impact on people who don't have these things, how people perceive him because of it, how his thought process and behavior is influenced by these - all of these affect Home's quest of finding a family. It's not just his personality that matters. His upbringing, his privilege, his lack of understanding of the world due to his privilege matter too.

This is where the different family dynamics come into play. Home, who has no idea about the true meaning of his own name, has to experience all of these different family dynamics to understand what having a family feels like. The goal of the show was clear from the begininning-what is the meaning of Home? No matter how you interpret it, it is clearly about Home's personal journey.

Family was always the driving theme of this show. All actions and motivations of the characters, be it the living or the dead, can be traced back to family in some way. The first ghost helped Home meet his new family, Peach and Pangpang take Home's offer for their family, Kan wanted revenge for family, Somkid became the way he did because of family, Phoom and Vicha ended up the way they did because of family, the magician resorted to playing tricks because of family, Chef Hong's ghost couldn't pass on because she considered Peach family. Most importantly, the main cast who became a family by the end of the show. And there is still so much more sprinkled throughout that I don't have the patience to mention.

At the end of the show, Home's answer to the question "what is home" was wherever feels like home is home. The answer I got from the show is slightly different, or maybe just a little better articulated than Home's answer. What is home? The answer the show gave me was, home is where family is.

[clubdionysus]

[BAD DECISION #47] Time Out

warnings: the bd lovers doing what they do best: being in luv!! cute date, lots of throwbacks to earlier chapters <33

notes: u can really tell jungkook is my muse bc I'm always so inspired by the content released of him, and the back photo was no different!! soz jimin for cropping u, still luv u tho <3

wc: 4.7K

bd total wc: 540k (ongoing)

AO3 | MASTERLIST | MINORS DNI

Two and half million people call this city their home; hang their washing on lines, walk over the cracks in the pavement, rush through the downtown areas with americanos in hand and smiles on their faces, while they gossip with their friends.

They'll whisper about the latest drama at their workplaces, stories told like folklore, repeated and reimagined a dozen times over. These whispers spread like wildfire; blaze the city with what it means to be alive.

And yet as you and Jeongguk lay on your backs, blankets beneath you, punnets of strawberries and packets of breadsticks to the side, there's no intrusion of anyone else.

Sure, the whir of delivery moped motors rattle a few floors down, and every now and again a jet takes off from the military base for routine laps, but neither of you notice.

There's a city of stars inside Jeongguk; dreams and ambition. Hopes, fears - ones you know, and ones you don't. You could get lost down his roadmaps, and yet always find your way back home.

"See," he says with a smile as he points towards a peach cloud that's lazily tailing across the dusky blue sky. "That's the tail right there. You're just looking from the wrong angle."

"Where?" You laugh right back, head resting midway down his chest. The birds that fly overhead would think you're in a 'T' formation, if they had any understanding of the Latin alphabet.

He's been trying to convince you for a good few minutes that the cloud is shaped like a dragon, but you just can't see it how he does. Looking at the same sky, yet seeing different things.

It's sort of always been that way with you too. Different understandings of the world, and different ways of communicating these understandings. Neither one of you are right, nor wrong. Just different.

The hand of Jeongguk's that isn't pointing to the sky rests by your head, not really doing much. Strokes your hair, occasionally. Scratches your scalp like you're a little puppy. Mostly just holds the top of your head, as if he's protecting your mind from thinking too hard. There's a little bit of dried paint on his fingers, but nothing that bothers you. If anything flakes off, it'll just be washed straight out that evening when you eventually shower.

"Right there," he laughs, chest vibrating hard enough to make your head shake.

There's a safety that comes with Jeongguk; how his palms gently stroke your skin, keeping you close, always. A simplicity, too, in how nothing ever feels too difficult.

In fact, the hardest part of being with Jeongguk like this is the fact that you can't let yourself give in to your emotions; how you want to show him how deeply your affections for him run.

Sex has always been a tool, in that regard. A helping hand. A facilitator of your feelings.

And while you miss the intimacy you're used to sharing with him, it's undeniable that a new, uncharted , form of intimacy is forming.

The clouds drift on by. New shapes greet you just for long enough for the pair of you to dispute what they are, before departing once more. Fleeting and frivolous, the conversations you're engaging in mean nothing at all, and that's one of the things you like about time spent with Jeongguk; how nothing becomes something.

With time, much like your feelings for Jeongguk, the sunset deepens. Grows darker, but not in such a way it invokes fear – more so in the way it embraces you like a warm hug. Welcomes you back. Hides you from the world.

There's still some colour to the sky, and you want to preserve it. Could just take a picture – but you've got so much leftover paint. It's a no-brainer. Only issue is, you've used all the canvases.

Your only option, it would seem, is to use Jeongguk's back.

And who is he to stand in the way of your creative vision?

He lies on his front, arms folded beneath his cheek that's resting upon them. Shirt discarded, his skin is yours to adorn in whatever you like. Eyes closed, there's not exactly anything for him to be looking at – not when you're straddled across his back, out of sight. Why would he care to look at anything other than you? Would only be a waste.

With a knee on either side of his hips, your hands trace over his back gently, assessing how you want to paint him. Part of you doesn't want to do it all; wants to leave his skin pristine.

The broadness of his back is no sudden surprise. You've left marks down the valley of his spine more times than you care to remember. Have left evidence of your lips between his shoulder blades. Pressed dainty littles from the of his tattoo sleeve up to the nape of his neck. Adored. Appreciated. Valued. Worshipped.

But even now, there's something about his body that destroys your mind. It's just atoms. A cluster of cells. A little stardust – and yet he's like a constellation yet to be discovered. They'll honour you. Name him after you. Your big astrological finding; Your Jeon Jeongguk. Tie you to him endlessly. Forever.

The concept of Jeongguk being 'forever' is not new to you. In fact, his permanence has been steadily established over the course of your friendship.

It's just that 'forever' and 'yours' hadn't ever seemed like a real possibility back then.

But now they do.

Articulating such thoughts so early on in the whole dating thing would be naïve and premature, so you keep your mouth shut – but you do also lean down and press a soft kiss to the top of his spine.

"Doesn't feel like paint," he mumbles, a smile on his pretty lips.

"It is," you insist.

"Oh, well in that case," he says, turning his head a little more intentionally to rest his chin on the top of his shoulder. Eyes still closed, there's a sweetness to him whenever his like this; skin dewy, stars hidden. "You missed a bit."

"Did I really?" You simper, leaning a little closer. Let your nose nudge down against his. When your lips are close enough to touch, you whisper, "Where?"

"Right," he husks, pressing his lips up to yours. It's slow. Pastel compared to how brightly he makes you feel. Gentle. "Here."

And even though the kisses are tiny, unable to accurately convey the weight of your feelings for him, Jeongguk knows exactly how you feel. Know that when you first met him, the idea of affection displayed in such a way would send you running for the hills – and now you're the one keeping him locked in place as you straddle his back.

"I'll never get bored of this," he admits. "Never."

"It's only been two dates."

"So? Gimmie two hundred. I'll be saying the same."

"You're so dumb," you giggle as you sit back up, the butterflies in your stomach doing their utmost to let you know they're alive and kicking. Are so violent beneath your ribs that it's a miracle they don't crack one. Wouldn't matter even if they did – Jeongguk'd just it better.

"Determined," Jeongguk counters, that serene smile still on his lips, piercing glimmering in the low light of sunset.

The skies are fading from cherry blossom pink to periwinkle grey, and soon enough they'll be as dark as the lashes splayed across the top of Jeongguk's cheeks. The stars will appear like the freckles on his skin, and it'll be even harder to resist him.

For now, though, you focus on emulating the gradient of the sky, gently dipping one of the brushes into the paint set out especially for this. Your little canvases are dry now, Jeongguk's annoyingly better than yours. You did three tiny paintings each, all with different prompts. No bigger than your palms, they were finished quickly.

The first prompt was a little abstract: paint how the other person makes you feel.

You'd gone with gradients of pink for a background, and a little disco ball in the middle. He'd gone for a starry night sky.

The second was far more direct: your favourite feature of one another.

It had been a struggle for you both to decide on just one feature, and Jeongguk totally cheated by drawing a little stick person and claiming it was you.

But you had cheated too – a teeny black dot.

"Freckle," you'd stated plainly, and when asked which one, you'd grinned and said, "All of them."

The third and final canvas had been the most complex of them all: your favourite memory together.

You spent longer deliberating it than actually drawing it. Settled on Busan; Gwangalli Bay and the infamous bridge that runs across it. Jeongguk couldn't help his smile when he realised what you were creating. Made him feel all kinds of fucked up seeing his forever home painting his childhood home.

When he finally showed you his, you were a little confused.

It was his bed, that much was certain, a flock of paper birds above it.

No distinct memory tied to it, or so you think, until he sheepishly admitted, "I just... Those birds changed everything. Who knows where we would have ended up without them? They're my favourite memory 'cause they cleared the path for the rest of our memories to follow."

"You don't think we would have ended up here regardless?" You had teased, as if it weren't entirely plausible.

Jeongguk had shrugged. Pulled you onto his lap. Kissed you with such intent it felt like you were melting into the warmth of his embrace. "Think you stole so much oxygen from me during that first kiss, that you might have damaged my brain a little in the process. Haven't been able to think straight since then, unless I'm thinking about you."

"I can steal more, if you like?" you'd grinned against his lips. "Make sure you never stop thinking about me."

"B, I don't think that's anything you ever need to worry about," Jeongguk had whispered. "Think I'm gonna be stuck on you until the day I die."

"Morbid."

"Honest."

"Why are we even torturing ourselves?" You'd whined beneath laboured breaths and little kisses, hips languidly grinding against his. "I'll give you forever – just fuck me. Please ."

His hips had picked up as much pace as they could in his position, one of his large hands coming to clasp your wrists behind your back. Still straddling him, you relinquished control as he angled you further back, exposing the wanton look of unadulterated desire on your face as he rutted up against you.

"They're gonna think we're fucking," Jeongguk grunted, nodding to the high-rise towers across the street from your mid-rise apartment. There's an easy twenty floors that look down upon your rooftop.

"Let them."

"Gonna think you're taking my cock," he'd husked, well aware of how thick the bulge in his trousers was. "Gonna think you're bouncing on it like a pretty little slut, aren't they?"

"You want that? Want people to see me getting fucked?"

With a shake of his head, he'd said, "Nah. Want people to see you getting fucked by me . Want them to know exactly who this pussy belongs to."

"You don't own shit."

"Why can I feel how wet you are then, if it's not mine?"

"Basic biology, baby," you'd teased, 'cause you'll never give him the satisfaction of an easy victory. You know that Jeongguk is competitive, and the fair sport in him will always enjoy having to work a little harder for an honest win. "You never go to school?"

"Clearly you didn't," Jeongguk smirked right back, enjoying the bratty side of you he doesn't see as often as he'd really like. You're always a pain in his ass, but something about it when you're in a position like this just really gets him going. "Lacking basic discipline."

"So punish me," you'd flirted. "Show me how you want me to behave."

"Address me properly first."

"We've had this fight before," you reminded him, quietly enamoured by the predictability of it. He's a Virgo, after all. Stuck in his ways. Disciplined . You guess it's why he gets off on topics of conversation like this – order, rules , and the desperate need to stick to them. You don't mind the flirt. What gets him riled up will always, inevitably, have the same effect on you. Just a by-product of how hopelessly infatuated you are. "You don't wanna go down this path."

" Properly ," he'd reinforced.

Fine , you thought.

"So punish me, Sir ."

"Better – but you're in no position to be giving orders." He'd gripped your wrists even tighter. Pulled your posture straighter. Had you gasping a little. "Ask nicely, baby."

"Please," you'd husked, giving in to him because – fuck . " Please punish me, Sir."

Tilting his head to the side, Jeongguk had smirked. Shrugged. "Fine." Kissed you softly, then loosened his grip. Manoeuvred you off his lap.

Adjusted his throbbing cock beneath the confines of his pants, then said, "You're in detention."

"What?" You'd exclaimed, staring at him with wide eyes and an even wider mouth.

"Time out, whatever you want to call it."

The flippancy of his remarks and sudden disinterest wound you up to no avail. You knew it was intentional, and still, you let it. Couldn't help but play right into his little game.

"Under what grounds?!"

"For talking back to a superior-"

"A superior?!"

"There you go again, baby," he'd smirked, reaching for your hand to give it a little squeeze (and check that you weren't really annoyed). "Just extended that time out."

"Oh, you are gonna rue the day you-"

"Extended again," he'd laughed, pulling you closer despite your protests – but when he kissed you, all you could do was give in. You wanted him so badly it hurt . He'd laughed, mumbling into your lips, "You never learn, do you baby? So bratty. So cute."

"I hate you so much."

"So stop kissing me."

"Fuck you."

"You're not allowed," Jeongguk had grinned against your lips. "Time out."

For all of his incessant neediness, Jeongguk could be a stubborn mother fucker when he wanted to be – and proved his point effortlessly for the rest of the evening.

You hadn't tried instigating again, because you knew how it would end up and decided that perhaps he was right to put you on time out.

While no, it's not your fault he's the sexiest man that's ever walked this Earth, and no, you can't be blamed for turning into a salivating mess at the mere thought of getting his cock in your mouth, it is your responsibility to honour the challenge you've set yourselves.

If he can do it, so can you.

It's also sort of why you've made him lay on his front.

If you were to be painting his chest, instead of his back, you'd only end up in the exact same position as before. This way, you can control yourself a little (even if he does have the peachiest ass you've ever seen (guys and girls alike, there's no one beating him (though you never really looked at Jimin's ass for all that long))).

You take great pleasure in the slight chirp he does when you adjust yourself, reaching back for a different shade of blue. It'd be a lie if you said the grind against wasn't even a little bit deliberate.

"And you were saying you didn't want me to fuck your ass," you mutter with a dramatic flair, teasing him slightly for his reaction.

"Never said that," he smirks, mumbling a little. "But a little decorum, please B. If you're gonna fuck it, at least eat it first."

"You prefer to be wined and dined?" You tease right back.

"Don't we all?"

"Romantic."

"Who said anything about romance?" Jeongguk deadpans. "We're just friends?"

"Ah, yeah, my bad," you joke along with him. "Besties."

"Besties who've had each other's genitals in their mouths."

"Don't all besties give each other head?" You question, tone so flippant your joke almost goes over his head.

"If they don't, they should," Jeongguk declares. Thinks fucking his best friend is arguably one of the best things he's ever done. Probably wouldn't recommend it, if he gave it serious consideration, but knows he'd do it again.

"Let's stop talking about sex," you blurt out a little too quickly, which only leads Jeongguk to laugh and question your motives for such a statement.

"Why? Can't control yourself?"

"Have a little decorum, Jeongguk."

"Fair."

He lets you paint without much disturbance. Loves the way it feels to have a saturated brush stroke across his skin. Hums little tunes and makes you guess which song they're meant to be. It's something you could listen to for hours; his voice, and how angelic it is.

Before you know it, you're done, and his back is the prettiest sunset ever witnessed on this earth – all pinks and oranges, blues and pretty white clouds.

You quickly snap a picture of his back – a little angled, capturing just how divine his physique is, but also the art that adorns it. You're no Picasso, but you ain't half bad.

"Here," you say as you clamber off him, and pass him your phone.

He sits up a little, resting on his elbows and looks at the picture with a smile so warm he could burn a hole in the blanket he's lying on top of. Doesn't ask your permission as he presses a few buttons and sets it as your wallpaper.

"I love it," he says softly, passing you back your phone. Angles himself perfectly for a kiss, and you don't even give a second thought as you sink your lips into his. "Talented baby, aren't you?"

"I'm okay," you blush, a little embarrassed by his praise – but he shakes his head.

" So good. Give Tae a run for his money."

"Now that's just an insult to Tae," you laugh, getting comfy on the sheets beneath you both. On your back, you look up to the sky above you. Deep and dark, nighttime greets you like an old friend.

Still on his front, Jeongguk sinks back down, but keeps his head angled towards you. "You don't give yourself enough credit, B."

You think you give yourself plenty. Won't argue against him, 'cause you know what he's like. He'll just double down and be even kinder and then you'll have no choice but the say fuck it and break the rules of your little five-date challenge. It's already been torture. Having him play nicely will only make it worse.

Looking over at him, you brush a little bit of his hair back, as if it were out of place. It wasn't. You just wanted an excuse to touch him. He knows this. Doesn't object. Lets you toy with his hair, because he likes the contact just as much as you do. Has got those pesky stars in his midnight eyes again.

"That thing you said earlier," you muse. "About the birds, and them leading us here..."

"What about it?"

Smiling a little to yourself, you weigh up whether or not you want to divulge a weakness – then decide that he deserves to know. Even though he's never expressed much insecurity over what happened with Jimin, it must be something he considers from time to time.

"I had such a crush on you," you smile, leaning into your weakness, 'cause you know they'll make whatever you have going on with Jeongguk stronger.

"Had?" he hums. "Past tense? You stopped?"

"No," you whisper, as if you're sharing a secret. Bite down on your lip, eyes just as sparkly as the glitter around them. He'll never grow tired of looking at you. Never. "Let me finish my little story."

"Sorry, sorry," he grins, biting down on his lip too, 'cause he just can't help himself. Is so terribly enamoured with you. Can feel his blood as it races through his body, alive with the sensation of what it feels like to experience all the high of a drug without any of the comedowns. In the corner of his mouth, his lip ring does the thing, and it confirms that your crush could never be past tense.

"You remember that first night? In Dionysus?"

He nods.

"I just... God, I fancied you so much," you laugh covering your face with your hand – but it's pulled away by an equally smiley Jeongguk. "Like... You were just so cool, and nice, and – I mean, you have access to mirrors. It's so embarrassing –"

"It's not," he encourages, squeezing the hand he's still holding.

"Oh, but it is," you assure him ever so playfully. "You asked me what I liked – "

"I remember," he says, not to interrupt you, just to reassure you that the memories of that night are just as impactful for him. That he cared just as much as you did, even if neither of you realised it. "Said alcohol."

You nod. "It wasn't a lie – but it wasn't the whole truth."

"No?"

"No," you admit. "Was totally lost for words. Couldn't think of an answer that wasn't 'you'. Panicked and just said alcohol and like – oh god, it's so embarrassing – I just... I thought you were so nice. And not in the way that people say 'nice' to mean boring, I mean nice in the kindest of ways. You were like... like this beacon, right. Like this light . And I just wanted to be wherever you were."

You've never really thought about it, but a light is the best way to describe Jeongguk. He's hope after hardship. The promise of something new. Stars burning so brightly they could blind. It'd make sense.

After all - disco balls need to be shined upon. Need light to reflect the magnificence of their mirrors.

And perhaps you needed Jeongguk. Not to fix you, nor to pretend like your past had never happened; but to help you restore yourself. Become stronger. He put glue on your glass, and let you stick it in place. Different from what you once were, but arguably far more beautiful. Complex in a way your past self wouldn't recognise.

Maddeningly complicated, and yet so effortlessly simple; that's you and Jeongguk. Just a girl, and a boy. A disco ball, and a barman. A bad decision, and the conviction to make it regardless of the outcome – and fuck . You're glad for it. Would make all your mistakes ten times over if it put you here.

Your only regret is that it took you so long.

"That's why you kept coming back to the bar, hm?" He hums.

"I drank far too much that night," you laugh. "Would also get halfway through a drink, and then give it to Hobes just so I could run back to get another one from you."

The admittance is just as freeing as it is embarrassing. Honesty is nice, and the least of what you both deserve.

"That first summer," he says, exhaling a deep breath. Decides to repay your vulnerability with a little of his own. "I looked for you. Every shift. I served drinks, and I looked for you in the crowd and did little else. Drove myself crazy on the nights you weren't there."

"I was there most weeks," you remind him – but then that reminds you both that the first weekend you weren't there was the time when Seokjin came back to town just to fuck with your still fragile heart. It doesn't affect you now, not in the way it did. Still annoys you. Pisses you off that someone could treat you so horribly – but it doesn't hurt. Not anymore. "And even when I wasn't... Well, I mean I still ended up at yours that night, didn't I, Gguk? My silly little brain felt like it was falling apart and it thought , y'know what'll fix this? Fix me? Jeongguk ."

There's silence for a second. Acknowledgement that this has always been more than what you've tried to cosplay it as.

"Just took me a while to realise," you admit a little sheepishly.

"When?" he quietly implores. "When did you realise?"

"Think I've known for a while, now," you admit. "But for definite ? Pohang – Yoongi and Seoyeon's celebrations – that's where I kinda reached the point of no return, yanno? Knew that if you didn't want more, then I was screwed."

He shakes his head with a disbelieving smile - not at you, but at how stupidly poetic it all is. Mutters, "Something about sea air, man."

"Whatcha mean?"

"Busan," he simply states. "That's when I knew. I mean, I already knew – but then Busan happened and I just... you asked me what we were. And I panicked. Thought that you were reinforcing the whole... friends thing."

"Oh, you idiot," you laugh. "Gguk, I was practically begging for you to say that it meant more."

"Yeah, see, retrospectively, that's very clear – but hey! You never outwardly said you liked me!"

"Because rejection might not be my main issue, but it's still not nice!"

"Oh my God," he gasps, coming to an awful realisation. " I rejected you . I totally rejected you. Oh, I'm so sorry."

And despite the apologies that are mumbled through little giggles, and the way he keeps calling you baby, it's the way Jeongguk holds your cheeks and peppers you in teeny tiny kisses – forehead, nose, cheeks, lips – that let you know he really does mean it.

The night dissolves in much the same way – laughter and kisses that are really just an excuse to feel close to one another. The security that comes with admitting you didn't rush in, that this is something you've given an endless amount of thought to, is liberating.

Jeongguk does argue, again, that you don't need the five dates. Whines. Says that you're both sure of it. Says that he's basically been dating you for months. Tells you how nice it feels to talk like this. How happy it makes him feel. How much he wishes he could go back in time. Undo things, and get them right the first time.

"I don't mind," you muse, still up on the rooftop as it nears midnight. You're looking up at the stars, and Jeongguk is on his front, head resting on your chest. Mindlessly playing with his hair, you provide him with a comfort he doesn't think he's ever felt before. "The things that went wrong, I mean. You're still obsessed with me regardless-"

"I tolerate you," he jokes, and it makes you smile.

The thing is, you've been tolerated before.

Jeongguk doesn't tolerate you. He venerates you. Reveres. Worships, on occasion. Adores, constantly. Even when you fight, or are being quite intolerable, he never looks at you without stars in his eyes. You've argued before. Insisted that he didn't give a shit, but you've never believed it. Not really. Just wanted him to say that he cared.

'Cause unlike people from the past, you know that Jeongguk does. Know that you don't need to beg him to treat you with compassion.

And so you say, "You're a liar, Jeon Jeongguk."

"Yeah," he whispers with a smile. "I am."

"You are obsessed with me."

"Yeah. I am."

"You should shower," you eventually concede, knowing you need to go back to reality and face the world at some point. "Wash this paint off. Have left it on for far too long already. You'll break out."

"Don't act like you give a shit about my skin," Jeongguk laughs. "You just want me naked."

"I never said I'd join you."

"You always join me."

"Not today."

"You're gonna kill me," Jeongguk whines into your chest. Squeezes a boob, just 'cause he can. "So mean, Disco Ball."

"And that," you laugh, ridding his grip on you. "That's exactly why I won't be joining you."

Funny, really.

Not even ten minutes later, he's standing beneath the steamy onslaught of your shower, back pressed to the tiles, a brow raised as the water runs down his torso. The rivulets drip across his abs, down his v-line and to his –

"That thing where I said I wasn't gonna join you-"

"Get in."

[sarahowritesostucky]

Just a little preview of what I'm obsessing over today. Can't write any more right now 'cause I have to go to work. Let me know what y'all think!

Lee Bodecker x OFC : Sweet as Pie

The bell above the door ‘dings’ as Lee pushes inside that evening. His mouth thins as he glances around the length of the diner and thinks, Jesus, pink. It’s an old double railcar joint that’d gone to shit over the years, but somebody bought it last year and fixed it up, and it’s been open since the spring.

Lee squints at the teenagers that are there in a couple of weeknight gaggles, sipping their milkshakes on double dates. He's still in uniform from work, so he gets the usual avoidant glances as he ambles all the way to the back to a two-seater booth in the corner. He sits with his back to the wall and waits until the girl waiting tables pops out from the kitchen and notices him. She’s the whole reason he’s even there. 

“Margaret Laferty,” he drawls, grinning and eyeing her up as she walks over with a plastic menu in hand. “Christ, Miss Maggie, you look just the same.” She blushes and smiles, and Lee amends, “Naw, prettier. You grew up some since I saw you last.” He accepts the menu that she hands him and opens it to take a look, even though he’s not really there for the food. He lets his eyes drag over her body, admiring the way the cute waitress dress hugs her body. She’s a petite little thing, but a few years have given her some curves in all the right places. She’s developing a woman’s body now, no longer the stick-skinny schoolgirl Lee used to see in the front pew each Sunday. “How long’s it been, Darlin’? I thought you’d gone off to college?” 

Her smile wavers and she averts her eyes. “Oh. Yeah. Well, you know … That didn’t, uh, didn’t exactly pan out.”

“No?” 

She shrugs. “I’m back here for now. To help my mom.”

Lee sobers and nods in understanding. Roy Laferty’s locked up right now, serving two to ten out in Watoosa. Lee should know: he’s the one who was on-scene that night, slapped the cuffs on the sorry sonofabitch himself.

Still, it ain’t Maggie’s fault that her father’s a no-good town drunk whose number’s finally come up. “That’s real good of you, Mags,” he says solemnly. “You’re a good girl. Your momma’s lucky to have you.”

She nods politely, but it’s only manners. “Thanks, Sheriff.” 

Lee feigns displeasure. “Now how many times I gotta tell you to call me Lee?” he teases, pleased when it gets a little smile out of her. He grins and points at her warningly. “Don’t make me have to tell you again. That’s a ticketable offense.”

She titters shyly and fumbles to get out her notepad and pen. “Right. I’ll try to remember. … Lee.”

Boy, his name sure does sound good coming from her pretty mouth. Lee can’t help but imagine what it’d sound like riding the coattails of a sweet little moan. “Good girl,” he murmurs, well-aware of how she squirms in response to the praise. He sucks his teeth and takes another look down at the menu. “This is my first time in here. What’s good?”

“Oh! Um, well the milkshakes are popular,” Maggie says. “And the cheeseburger.”

“Hm. I guess that’s what I’ll have to get, then,” he decides, closing the menu and setting it down. “But say … You got any pie ‘round here?”

She nods brightly. “Oh sure! Peach and cherry pie. Just fresh today.”

Lee grins and leans forward with playfully narrowed eyes. “Did you make ‘em, by any chance?” She bites her lip and nods, and Lee slaps the Formica tabletop cheerfully. “Well there you have it. Gimme a slice of pie instead of the milkshake. I’ve had your pie at the county fair, young lady. I know you make ‘em better than any I ever had before.” She blushes beautifully and smiles, and Lee slides the menu over to her from across the table. “Cheeseburger and fries, sweet tea, and a slice of pie.”

“What kind do you want?” she asks.

“Hmm, if you made it? How about I try that peach pie?” He shoots her a wink. “Slice ‘a peach, from a peach.”

I'm mildly convinced that nobody's going to be interested in this pairing, so if you are and would like to be on the tag list, let me know!

tag list sign up here

Nonnie! - I've named her Margaret as requested, but will be heavily using the nicknames Mags, Maggie, and Magpie. Hope that still hits the spot!

[autism-autobot]

Flower of a Poisonous Seed Part 10

Wow! Double digits!

Tw: Pica, blood, self harm, (let me know if I missed anything)

Part 9:

To say Sun Wukong was stressed would be an understatement, but it hadn't gotten this bad in public before.

He didn't even entirely understand the reasoning behind his stress, although it could be because Nezha was taking a little bit too much time in his most recent meeting. And as usual, he was sitting on the couch in the Demon Bull Family's home.

Whenever Wukong was stressed, he had the most terrible cravings. It was the mixture of a trauma and a sorry attempt at coping with it. At least he thought it was sorry.

He was an emotional eater for as long as he could remember. Peaches usually did the trick. But there were no peaches for him to eat after Macaque left him starving under the mountain.

So he settled for eating himself.

Apparently, there was a word for his compulsive cravings: Pica, as one of his relatives has described it. Wukong ate his own hair often, it was satisfactory enough...

...usually.

But he was too stressed now. Hair wasn't enough. Not enough to satisfy his tastes at the moment.

So he started biting his hand, hard.

Wukong heard his bones snap and the felt the pain that followed soon after, but he didn't stop there. It took a few bites before he ripped off a whole chunk of his hand: the thumb and index fingers, and a good chunk of the palm, too.

Blood sprayed from the open wound. He swallowed as much of it as he could. With the whole chunk now thoroughly chewed up, he swallowed that too.

Luckily he had locked himself in one of many bathrooms in DBK's place, so no one would be able to find him like this.

Almost no one.

~~~

The Demon Bull King could smell his little brother a mile away, and it would serve him well now. He had the slightest bit of worry at finding the room he left Wukong to rest in empty. DBK didn't show it, of course. It was only when he picked up the unmistakable scent of blood mixed with his brother's natural odor did he really begin to panic.

He ripped the bathroom door clean off its hinges to find his peach-loving compatriot eating anything but that.

Demon Bull King scooped up Wukong while he was still shocked by the sudden arrival. Noticing his scared, teary, and regretful eyes and remembering the illness Nezha had informed him of, Demon Bull King decided not to lecture him now.

It was clear this was the result of a mentally unwell and quite sickly individual.

Oh, his poor brother.

~~~

The Demon Bull Family carefully inspected all of Sun Wukong's wounds: patches of raw flesh (the result of hair ripped to the scalp) , half a hand and a whole foot bitten (almost) clean off, and bleeding teeth and gums from eating through the aforementioned body parts.

None of them had the heart to lecture him. A strange occurrence, really, to have them of all people self-silenced on the matter. Wukong honestly preferred the yelling.

The family bandaged him up, put him in fresh clothes, and wrapped him up in a blanket. Demon Bull King held Wukong in his arms like a swaddled infant. Neither of them minded. It had been a long enough day as is.

~Some hours later~

SWK: I'm sorry.

DBK: It's alright, little brother.

SWK: I was stressed and scared.

DBK: I know, brother. Nezha should be returning soon. He has never taken this long before, has he?

SWK: No... what if something happened to him?

DBK: I doubt anything did.

PIF: Celestial meetings can take an unreasonable amount of time. I know from experience.

DBK: Even if something were to happen, he is a fierce opponent! All in this room know as much.

SWK: Yeah, I just get anxious without him around. He's been looking out for me for a while now, it's crazy to think that I ever managed alone.

RS: But you didn't manage alone, isn't that the whole point of the four of us acting as a support system?

PIF: Indeed, not to mention you have been getting sicker.

DBK: What even is the cause of your illness? And how far will this continue to progress before you show signs of recovery?

SWK: Honestly? I don't know. It might be purely mental. But it's affecting my body to such an extent that I'm not sure if it really is just my mental health going in a downward spiral.

RS: So we just do nothing?!

SWK: Nezha said he'd get to the bottom of this, his says he doesn't want me worrying any more than I have to in case it really is about my mental health alone.

DBK: So it is being dealt with?

SWK: Yeah, I think.

DBK: Better than waiting for something worse to happen to you.

PIF: Nezha is a very capable man, he'll get to the bottom of this.

RS: And speak of the devil! Look who's here!

Nezha: I apologize for my tardiness. I was setting up an appointment for Wu- *gets full body tackled by Wukong*

SWK: Hi!

Nezha: *pinned to the ground by Wukong's body weight* Hello Wukong.

SWK: I MISSED YOU!!!!!

Nezha: I missed you too. Setting up that appointment for you took longer than expected and that meeting took ages!

SWK: Setting up the what-

Nezha: We'll discuss it at home. For now... CAN YOU PLEASE GET OFF OF ME!!!!!

SWK: Sorry *gets off of him*

Nezha: You definitely lost weight since falling ill, but you still weight enough to feel like you'd crush my ribs in.

SWK: Can we go home now?

Nezha: Yes, yes we ca- WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU HANDS???!!!!

SWK: I had another pica incident.

The Demon Bull Family: ANOTHER????!!!!

Part 11:

Masterpost

[kteezy997]

The Other Man- Part Four// t.c.

Warnings: arguing (not with Timmy), cursing, kissing, Timmy calling reader "dummy"

"Can you believe that fucking guy?" Billy said aloud. "Crossing me like that, in my house. Fuck 'im."

"Well, he was right." you said under your breath, going upstairs.

"What was that?" he snapped at you.

"You're drunk, Billy. Just shut up."

"No, no, you agree with that little punk?"

You turned around to face your husband. "Of course I do! You have no respect for me anymore Billy."

"Are you fucking Timmy or something, y/n?!"

You were shocked that he even thought that, that he even questioned it. Even though it was true. "What?! How is that even relevant to what we're talking about? This isn't about Timmy."

"But are you fucking him?!" Billy was shouting now.

You were getting to the point where you totally disliked this man you were married to, and you could barely stand the sight of him. You wanted to be with Timmy, it was true, but you wanted to be away from Billy just as much.

"I want a divorce! I want you out of my fucking house, Billy! I don't love you anymore."

........

When Billy moved out, you were glad to be rid of him, and to be a separated woman. But you missed Timmy terribly. It had been two days without any contact from him. You wanted him to have space. But you didn't want your relationship to end, especially when you didn't do anything wrong, not to Timmy anyway.

You grew more miserable by each hour that went by without a word from him. You knew he had Amelia, but you truly thought he cared for you too. You hoped he wasn't ghosting you. At the very least, you wanted closure. But if you were being totally honest, you just wanted Timmy. All for yourself.

…….

Amelia loved Timothée Chalamet. Sure, the relationship between them was under contract, but by faking kisses, going on getaways, and attending fashion shows together, she fell in love over time. Timmy had a sense of humor and charm that could make anyone fall in love with him. They'd known each other for a while now and though they weren't romantic for real, they understood and respected each other.

Secretly, Amelia wanted to be with him, and not in a fake way. But she knew her feelings were unrequited. She could sense that Timmy cared for her and enjoyed her company at times, but she knew that she wasn't a priority in his life. She was more of an obligation that anything, that she knew.

It made her sad, but he had unknowingly cushioned the blow by giving her some of the most sensual and sexy nights of her life. They had a sort of friends with benefits situation going on. It didn't happen often. It was basically when Timmy wasn't in a real relationship, and he was lonely, or bored. But she didn't care if they were just booty calls, because it felt good to just be wanted by him. Even if it wasn't really real. Timmy was the only man she loved.

Lately though, Timmy had been even more distant than usual. They had become confidants in one another, and friends even. Now, he didn't ever talk to her. She invited him to dinner at her place, but he acted like he'd much rather be somewhere else. He'd said something about 'game night' at Billy and y/n's house, but he hadn't ever been so antsy to go to a game night before. It made her wonder what else was on his mind.

........

You couldn't believe it when you saw Timmy's name flashing on your phone screen. "I'm sorry," you told your coworkers, "it's important, I have to take this." To you, it was important enough to skip out on work to talk to him.

"Timmy?" you answered, your heart racing.

"Hey Peaches." he responded, cheerily.

You felt a sense of relief hearing him still using the nickname he'd given you.

“Hey, I’m sorry about what happened.”

“Baby, you have nothing to be sorry about. I’m sorry I haven’t called for a couple of days. I should have checked on you sooner. I didn’t mean anything by it, just got a lot of shit on my mind, ya know?”

“Yeah, it’s okay. I miss you, Timmy. Can I see you?” you asked.

“Yes. I miss you so much, I need to see you as soon as possible. The minute you get off work, I’ll pick you up. We’ll go somewhere.” his voice was so soft and endearing, like you were being cuddled and warmed up by each syllable.

"Okay. You promise? There's so much I want to say to you." You needed further assurance, probably because he'd been gone from you for what felt like such a long time. You didn't want to be without him again.

"Yes, of course I promise. You have my word, y/n. And my heart. You should know that."

You melted from the inside, "Oh, Timmy." you cooed, "I'll see you soon."

...........

You practically ran out of the office at quitting time. And there he was, sitting in his car waiting for you. "Timmy!" you called to him.

He snapped his gaze over to you upon hearing your voice, and he got out of the car. He immediately took you into his arms, squeezing you tightly. "God, feels like forever." he groaned, resting his head on yours.

"I know. I'm so happy to see you." You said, loosening your hold on him to look in his eyes. "It's over with Billy. I kicked him out of the house and we're getting a divorce."

He nodded, "That's good! He's turned into such an asshole. He doesn't deserve you." He touched his nose to yours so sweetly, pulling you more snuggly against him.

"I know, it's been a long time coming. Even before...us. I should have kicked him out ages ago."

"Can I kiss you?" he asked, eyes lingering down to your lips just for a second before they returned to your eyes.

"Yes." you replied, closing your eyes as he leaned down, touching his lips to yours softly.

He pressed his lips against yours but kept the kiss chaste as you were standing on a public street, while it was still daylight. "I love your lips. They're my favorite thing. I could do this all day long." he smirked, kissing you again.

"Timmy." you gasped softly as he moved down, his lips traveling from your cheek to your neck. "Let's get out of here, okay?"

Timmy stopped kissing, "Yeah." He took you by the hand, leading you around the car and opening the door for you. "Do you want to get some dinner?" he asked you as he got into the driver seat.

"Yeah, that sounds great."

It was so lovely. He took you to a ritzy place that you couldn't afford. He spoiled you rotten. The meal had several courses and he insisted that you try a desert.

You talked about everything and nothing, and it felt so comfortable, so natural. This was the type of thing you were missing. You and Billy didn't spend quality time together. Billy didn't care to do that. But Timmy did. Timmy was enjoying your time together, indulging you in gourmet food and sweet conversation. Timmy held your hand across the table, and you played footsy underneath it.

It felt like you two were just a normal couple. As if one of you wasn't on the brink of divorce and the other didn't have a girlfriend.

It was dark when you left the restaurant. Timmy put his arm around you as you walked to his car. The streetlamps produced a yellow-orange hue that made his curls look fuzzy when it shined on them. The lighting also defined his high cheekbones in shadows, basically putting a spotlight on his perfect porcelain skin that was sprinkled with freckles.

You were in awe of this man that was so beautiful, inside and out. It saddened you to share him. You knew Amelia, not well, but she seemed like a nice person. As much as you hated yourself for it, you wished there was a way to make her disappear from his life completely.

Timmy kept one hand on the steering wheel, and the other on your thigh. "I love this, y/n."

"The feeling of my trousers?" you joked, giggling.

He smiled and chuckled, "No, dummy, just...being with you."

"Me too. I wish it could always be like this."

"Maybe one day, we can have it." he said, taking your hand.

"Is this about Amelia? You never say anything about her."

"y/n, it's just...it's more complicated than you know." he said, sighing.

"Then tell me. You said you had stuff on your mind. You can trust me Timmy." you leaned over tucking your arm underneath his affectionately, and kissing him on the cheek.

"I know, and I do trust you. I'll just tell you: Amelia and I- our relationship isn't real. It's under contract for public promotion."

@gatoenlaciudad @thebetawolfgirl @musicandbooksaremyhappyplace @softhecreator

[furiroad]

Furiosa spoilers under the cut 🚗

It's actually staggering how much that movie did not need to exist. Gonna bullet point some thoughts

My sarcastic lol @ the lightning fast sisters cameo at the end where they're all played by completely different people. the quick flash of Cheedo's eyes bc they managed to get Courtney Eaton back for three seconds didn't appease me

I guess it technically passes the bechdel test bc right at the start Furiosa says "be still" to Valkyrie but iirc that's the only pass moment. I know not passing the bechdel test doesn't mean the movie is automatically bad I just think it's interesting considering it's following Fury Road

"she talks to her mother" I don't think they ever said her mum's name out loud

You know how mad max fury road could have a silent version w no dialogue + isolated soundtrack and it worked because you could tell what's going on anyway? This movie has the opposite problem. Way too much talking. They over-explain everything

The best bit was the prolonged torture scene at the end where Hemsworth explains Furiosa's entire character arc and the message of the movie out loud to her and also us

Even his teddy had an arm missing, replaced with a barbie arm. Thanks. We get it

Her arm made robot noises

Actually threw MY arms up in disgust when she went back for that boy she supposedly had a romance with despite the film never bothering to actually show/explain that. I'm calling it a romance because the actors did. I guess it was supposed to be a Capable/Nux parallel but it didn't work for me and not just because I'm a dyke and a hater OK, if you're gonna do a ROMANCE, DO A ROMANCE. don't leave me sitting there wondering why Furiosa is risking it all for some guy she's had ONE conversation with, especially after he offers to get her away from the Citadel and back to where she came from, WHICH IS HER ENTIRE MOTIVE EVER SINCE SHE WAS TAKEN

I DON'T GET IT

Them trying to emulate Max and Furiosa's instinctive, perfect we have to trust each other moment by having Jack and Furiosa... look at each other Meaningfully fifty times while they were supposed to be driving cars? Don't make me laugh! You will never be them!!

Max being there for a second wasn't cute! I rolled my eyes

Same at "remember me?" MAKE UP YOUR OWN STUFF

So many things happened because they needed to happen (plot demanded it) and didn't make any sense in context. My favourite was when Furiosa rode her motorcycle up a dune to get away after cutting off her arm and the biker gang couldn't follow her up there for some reason

So much Christian imagery... threw me off tbh

Considering it's Furiosa's movie it sure isn't about her + she doesn't speak at all for almost the first half

This movie was way too long

I called it about the peach seed

I called it that she cut her own arm off

George Miller read some of my blog but not all of it

You know how The People Eater rubbed his nipple that one time and it was delightfully weird and gross and got a good reaction? Well in this movie he's constantly rubbing it, the whole time. Really lessens the impact of the nipple rub

As you can see this movie has made me insane

Like this is not really about the nipple rub but do you get what I'm saying here

Furiosa spends most of the movie hiding her hair (because as we all know, having long hair immediately identifies you as a woman) and then when her head covering gets knocked off and her hair is revealed (omg she's a girl) she leaves it like that and becomes an Imperator. On what planet

The history man frames the entire movie for some reason. Do they show Miss Giddy? Take a wild guess

One of the coolest parts of fury road was that a gang of bikers ended up being hardcore wasteland grannies w guns and loose morals in response to people fucking around for far too long without finding out. Did this movie have anything like that for me? Take a wild guess for a second time

The car fight scenes weren't even that great. Couldn't remember hearing any good music under them (brother in arms truly lightning in a bottle) and they went on for too long which feels wild to say about suped up car battles in the australian wasteland: 2 but oh well. This is how I feel. Fury Road was so good at carefully measuring out high octane action and then downtime and careful, quiet character introspection and this movie had no idea what it was doing either way

Honestly I don't hate it but I feel like it was a waste of time and it doesn't need to exist at all. A real nothing experience. Am I going to see this movie ten times in cinemas? No I am not even going to see it twice in cinemas

I don't know what I was expecting.

oh my god also they played clips of Fury Road over the credits as if to say "remember how fucking good this is in comparison to the dumb shit you just watched"

[kayeonandherbunny]

ozzie and fizz adopt a abused human child. and daddy fizz is super star of the hell.

chapter 2

This place is very different from where I used to live. But there are also similarities. For example, the behavior of children. They always stare at me. And they talk about me among themselves, as if I don't understand.

But it's a lot different here from where I used to live. To be honest, I want to stare at demon kids too. So when they look at me, I look at them too. It's rude to stare at people, but they started first, so maybe it's okay. I like their faces has feathers, fur, scales.

Fizz doesn't seem to care about anyone's eyes.

it's always get the look people when with Fizz in outside. I think the rule "It's rude to stare at people" is only exception for Fizz. Everyone looks at him, secretly takes pictures and screams. Everyone on the streets.

Fizz doesn't care about people at all. It's like walking by a street trees. And when people talk to him, he answer them very calmly.

"I'm a big fan of you, fizz! I'm looking forward to this year's clown contest!"

"Haha, thank you! Please come and see our rehearsal soon!"

"is it true that you are in a relationship with the King of lust?"

"king of ozz is a hypocrite. and you too, fizz."

he doesn't answer every question, because we can't here all night long. Fizz just keep walking. Wear the pretty clothes Ozzy picked him out, hold my left hand with his right hand, he raise his head proudly.

"so, lust king buy you that weird-looking pet? How much does that animal's cost?"

Then he stopped and flicked his finger.

The guy who told us that was smiling singly. Until he was taken away by two Hellhound. Fizz doesn't like to have his bodyguards around. He always tells Ozzy he can go out on his own. But he never said that when he was out with me.

"Are you okay?"

Fizz asked me that and looked into my face. He's been smiling and keeping his head straight up since we went out, and now he looks sad for the first time. fizz been through pain more than pointing the finger from people, and he always acted like it wasn't a big deal.

I nodded.

I'm totally fine, because that guy face was really funny. He was taken away so quickly that I didn't see much of his face. But when Fizz asked me need to hug, I didn't miss the opportunity and gladly gave him one. It's always nice to have someone give a hug. Even more so to your loved ones.

"Don't believe that guy said. he purposely made up a mean word to get our attention."

I've heard many times that I have to be careful because there are a lot of bad people living here. I can't go out alone, I can't follow strangers, I can't listen to what they're saying. Fizz and Ozzy says that several times, but I already know all these facts. because It was the same in my old place.

"You are my beautiful precious baby. you know that, right?"

only one diffrent thing.

when I lived my old place, There was never anyone there to be on my side.

I nodded again. Fizz seemed concerned about me, but I was really fine, and I felt really good, to be honest with you. I didn't care about people's eyes anymore. I was hugging Fizz by his neck and listening to sound of bell from his hat.

[kissorkill16]

Let Him Be Happy: A Hello Neighbor Fanfic

Summary: Finch and Nicky reunite.

P.S., for @genericravenbrooksdude

Finch nearly dropped her phone when Delroy told her the good news.

"What did you just say?", she asked her friend.

"Nicky's back in Raven Brooks and he's currently working at a coffee shop in Newtown. Why?"

Finch didn't answer, she was too stunned to speak.

She couldn't believe Nicky was back after so long. She'd developed a crush on him a couple years back, and he left before she could tell him. She spent years waiting for him to come back, dreaming about him, and fantasizing about their future relationship together.

And now that he's back, all of her dreams can come true.

Finch immediately showered, got dressed, and drove to the coffee shop.

She practically threw the door open and ran inside, scanning the area for Nicky. As she looked around, she accidentally bumped into someone.

"Excuse me.", she said, backing away from the employee. "I'm looking for someone named Nicky Roth. Do you happen to know -"

When Finch got a closer look at the employee, she nearly fainted. He may not have looked like the Nicky she fell in love with, but he had his eyes.

"You're looking at him, ma'am.", said the employee. He pointed to his name tag, "Also, I go by Nick now."

Finch nodded, too busy trying to analyze Nicky's Nick's new facial features. He had peach fuzz, arm hair, and darker eye bags than usual. He almost looked like a smoker, but she didn't even care how he looked, all she saw when she looked at him was Nicky Roth, the boy she fell for.

"Can I help you?", asked Nick. Finch snapped out of her train of thought when she realized she'd been staring at him for too long. "Sorry.", she mumbled, then pointed to herself. "Nick, it's me. Finch, from middle school."

Nick furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

Finch sighed, "I used to bully you, I took a picture of your mental breakdown and posted it all around school..."

"But you apologized and I gave you a second chance.", said Nick, his face lighting up. "Now I remember you. Sorry, hangovers make you forget a few things."

Wow, not only was he a smoker now, but he's also an alcoholic.

"Look, we'll talk more when I get off work.", said Nick, walking away behind the register, "It was nice meeting you, Finch."

Finch went outside and got in her car. She waited hours for him to step out of the building. When he finally did, she waved him over, and got in with her.

"So how've you been?", asked Finch. "We've missed you while you were gone."

Nick nodded, "I know. I missed you guys too.", he said. "I just wanted to get away. Things were getting too stressful for me and I felt like I had no choice but to start over again, like me and my family had done so many times before. Now that I'm back, it feels like I won't have to leave anymore."

"Wow...", said Finch, "That's really deep."

As Finch was pulling out of the driveway, she asked him what she's been wanting to ask him ever since she realized her feelings.

"Now that you're back, do you maybe want to catch dinner and a movie together? Or we could do something else?"

A moment of silence passed through. "Sorry, Finch. I can't. I..."

Finch turned to look at him, disappointed. "What?"

"I had sex with Trinity."

Finch clutched the wheel so tight, she was sure she'd tear it in half. "What?", she asked.

"Yeah. Trinity from middle school. The new girl who's technically not new anymore. When she saw that I was back in town, she invited me over. We caught up and I told her that I missed her the most when I left and I didn't realize my feelings for her until after I moved away, she told me she felt the same, and...and it sort of just happened."

Finch couldn't have been any more heartbroken than right now. The man of her dreams ended up getting with someone else.

"I thought Trinity loved Enzo.", she said. Nick shook his head, "No. Enzo loved Trinity, Trinity only saw him as a friend. I thought they made the perfect couple too, but Trinity didn't really feel the same way for him, so she broke up with him. She said he's still not completely over it yet, but they're still friends."

Another moment of silence.

"So yeah, it'd be kind of awkward for me to go out with someone else after I just had sex with her. But maybe we could get the whole gang back together and hang out."

Finch looked down at her thighs, then she smiled. "That would be nice.", she said.

But she was lying. It didn't sound nice. It didn't sound nice at all to find out that someone who you thought was your soulmate has feelings for someone else.

She was devastated, but she thought she kind of deserved this.

She bullied him, so why would he feel any type of romance for her? Did he even really miss her while he was gone? All of those thoughts kept coursing through her brain, mocking her.

But then she tried to find a positive side in all of this.

Maybe if they got the gang back together, she could spend time with him. Not to try to get close to him, but just to hang out and catch up some more.

Also, if him and Trinity didn't work out, she could always be his shoulder to cry on. But for now, she'd just let him be happy.

Yeah...

Finch was happy Nicky was back. Even if it wasn't the way she dreamed of, she was happy he was back with her.

[soaps-hoe-141]

Drowning In The Depths

Part 9

Pairing: Captain Price x Male!Reader

WC: 12.8k

Synopsis: Smut, getting a bit more Speck lore for those of you who are now invested in this man because honestly same

Warnings: 18+ Smut I mean it's like half of this chapter, I needed to be fed too, mentions of past traumas

Warmth enveloped you in a cocoon of safety, of happiness. Pulling you so deep into the void of your subconscious it felt like you'd never be able to emerge from it again. “Hey Peaches,” your eyes shot around the dark dome of your mind, looking for the source of that name, that voice. The eyes that stared back at you were so familiar, so blue, but they weren’t accompanied by the British accent you’d grown so accustomed to seeing them with lately. He was American and had dark hair with reddish highlights, his face square as was his jaw, with an upturned nose, and freckles dotting every expanse of skin you could see including his neck and shoulders. 

For the first time you saw his face as you originally remembered it, not the burnt husk you’d been forced to stare at for an hour as they dug you out from under that wall. Not the man who had reached for you while he cried and begged for you to have mercy on him. This was the man who had been your best friend through thick and thin. The man who had let you sleep at his apartment that night your wife had locked you out of the house because she thought you'd been staring at another woman. This was your number two, your right hand, and the team jokester.

A hand reached out for him, the desire to touch him slamming into you suddenly, but he backed away from you with a shake of his head and a sorrowful smile. “Sorry boss. I'm here, but I’m not really…here, Peaches,” it hurt to hear that name come out of his mouth again but God if it didn’t make you smile still. The team would never have dared to call you that name on duty, but when yall were just joking around? It was the only name they seemed to ever remember. As if they'd forgotten you were their boss and would have them running laps the next day until they puked. Peaches, Peach, Peachy, as many forms of that name as they could come up with. All because they’d walked in on you eating a peach one damn time after you’d just gotten out of the shower with a towel around your waist.

Your head tilted and a smile found your mouth as you nodded in understanding, “Figured as much McCann. A man can dream though can’t he?” The other man gave you a full mouthed smile then, teeth and everything. You'd really missed that damn smile these last couple years. McCann’s hands shoved into his pockets as he rocked forward on the balls of his feet and then back on his heels. How did he look so carefree even though he knew he was dead? Hell that was just McCann though, always smiling and itching for a good time.

His shoulders shrugged before he answered in his typical joking tone, “That’s exactly what you’re doing right now, isn’t it boss?” Your eyes darted around the dark expanse of the void of your consciousness before you nodded your agreement. You hadn't realized it until he pointed it out but yeah, you were definitely asleep right now. McCann’s head moved a bit to catch your attention again though before he said, “It has been a while though, hasn’t it?” You nodded again, your smile falling from your lips at the thought before he continued, “It’s ok though.” Inspecting his form closely your head tilted in question as you watched him glance behind you before he added, “Everything’s great boss. Me and the boys are happy, even Xena,” a bark accompanied that and you turned around quickly, surprise evident in your expression.

The warmth that had been encompassing your body dissipated slowly, but the safety remained. Wherever you were you knew you were going to be ok until that warmth returned. Especially when the Malinois reared back on her hind legs and her front paws found your chest. Nearly twelve years old her face was gray and her body had matured, rounding her belly a bit more than when you had first been introduced to her. But Xena still had the boundless energy of a puppy, tail going a mile a minute as you reached for her head but even as you pet it you felt nothing. It chilled your body even quicker as you realized there wasn't any kind of feeling to accompany her, not even as her tongue ran over the skin of your chin.

There was no pressure or warmth of a body touching you, only the sight that your hand was on her face. Before you could dwell on the fact that her paws felt weightless against you though, she was bounding off behind McCann, circling around him to sit at his side facing you with her tongue out as she panted. “Good to hear, Ryan,” the smile on the man in front of you widened at the name. You’d always melted at that smile and it was no different now, “Can I ask you a question though?” His brows rose before he nodded, his head tilting curiously, “What are you doin here, man? I mean it's been two years, kinda late to give me the 'Wasn't your fault, boss'" you mimicked him nearly perfectly as you continued, "Don’t you think?” McCann’s smile seemed to falter then, a look of confusion sweeping over his face.

Did he not know? How could he not know? Please don't make me have to tell him he's dead. “Well, boss," he let out a sigh, "You haven’t exactly thought about us in two years have you? Not since we died,” the deadpan way he said it made your jaw clench painfully. So he did know then, your question had just upset him, or maybe annoyed him. McCann shrugged before that crooked smile found his face again, his joking tone returning a second later, “We knew you’d get there eventually though Peaches. Just didn’t think it would take that long. Guess we should have known though, you were always the type to box it all up for later, weren't you?” You swallowed hard and took a step closer, this time he didn’t back away though, his body steady in front of you.

McCann stood less than a foot away, a few inches shorter than you with that crooked smile beaming up at you without a care in the world. “I’m sorry,” you forced the words out in a cracking voice and the smile before you softened at the sound. You cleared your throat and forced out even more, "It never should have been you, you were always the one that was supposed to get home." That dark haired head tilted, as did the furry one sitting beside him.

His hand found your shoulder and again you felt nothing, no warmth, no pressure, not even when he squeezed your shoulder. It was painful to realize even if he was here, dream or something else, you'd never feel that warm, friendly touch again. Your eyes focused back on his light blue hues before he said, "It was never your fault, boss. It sucked, yeah. I mean it well and truly sucked, but it happens sometimes. War's a bitch man, and eventually it gets us all. It'll even get you one day too, just a matter of when and where, bossman," you let out a pent up breath and nodded back to him. He wasn't wrong, he rarely ever was. McCann might have put on the clown shoes everyday but he was one of the most intelligent operators you had ever seen and had the pleasure to work with.

When he stepped closer to you you nearly backed away, he'd been your best friend in life. While you had always wanted more you never would have dared to betray the wedding vows you took, no matter how you felt about the woman you'd been pressured into marrying. So when his hand cupped your face it shocked you, your mouth opening in surprise and not only because he was rubbing a roughened thumb over your cheek but because you could feel it. It was like he was actually there. Warmth was flooding your body again, the safe haven you'd found the night before had returned it seemed.

McCann leaned forward, his lips pressing against yours in a gentle kiss before he pulled back. You stood there shocked, brows in your hairline and jaw hanging slack. It wasn't him, logically you knew that, your chance with McCann had long since passed. But you'd felt something right then, some kind of tenderness from a human body. A body you were growing to know very well too, those were John's lips you'd just felt.

When you focused back on Ryan he was watching you curiously. That crooked smile was on his mouth again as he joked, "Are ya really that eager there Peaches?" Your head tilted questioningly and his eyes traveled down, staring at the tent in the jeans you were currently wearing. Shifting awkwardly on your feet you huffed a bit and reached down to cover yourself, but he stopped you before you could. "Let me help you with that, boss," he palmed at you through the fabric and you sighed at the sensation. At the thought of him doing anything to you down there.

His hands worked quickly on the buttons and the zipper, pulling at the waistband of your jeans and the underwear beneath it with hurried fingers. Those blue eyes were staring at the tent before flicking back up to find you. Asking you a silent question you weren't sure you knew the answer to. Your subconscious was playing cruel tricks on your mind, and you shut your eyes for a moment, trying to clear your head so you could think. "No," the words came out before you had a chance to really even consider them. And while you rushed the first time you firmly stated it again, "No Ryan. I can't."

McCann's gaze was already on you when you managed to finally look down at him again. His hands wrapped around the bones of your hips as he watched you. "Our timing was always terrible, Peaches. Makes sense we keep the same theme even when I'm dead right?" Pain lanced through your heart at his statement. Hearing him talk so easily about it was enough to nearly send you into the same state you'd been in yesterday. The man leaned into you for a moment, hands still on your hips as he asked, "Does the Brit make you happy at least?" More shock found your expression and you watched that crooked smile spread over his face turning into a cocky grin you remembered so well.

Slowly though you answered him, "He…" John's face flashed in your mind, his little chuckles, his quiet smiles and smirks, the beanie he'd worn at the bar the night you'd first talked to him. It was the little things that brought a smile to your face. Things you doubted he'd even remember, but you did. They stuck in your mind like a glue trap. It was the little things you'd never had before that were what you always thought about. Sure the memory of the amazing sex was nice, but it wasn't just about the sex. Not for you anyway.

A nod finally had your head bobbing as you beamed a smile down at the dark haired man in front of you, "He does yeah. At least I think he does, I've never really felt like this before so I think that's what this is. He's stubborn and fuckin annoying sometimes sure. And Lord does he make me feel good. Ryan, I haven't been this happy in…" Your sentence trailed off slowly as you thought and then finally managed, "Ever." God that was sad. Even when you'd been happy with the SEALs, with your brothers, you'd always known you'd have to go back to her. To that house.

At the end of the day, no matter how much you'd enjoyed your time away she was always waiting for you when you got home with some new complaint, some new gripe. You never could enjoy your time away unless you were on a deployment because otherwise the second you got home all smiles it was like she made it her personal mission to get rid of it. She'd sit you down at the dining room table as she lost her mind because the bulb in the garage went out. Or God forbid she served you dinner. Every time she did you were always afraid she'd do it again. Spike your food with something to get what she so desperately wanted from you. There had been one point in your marriage you'd told her to just go find a man she enjoyed so she'd leave you alone and quit asking you for that. She'd responded by breaking down into sobs asking why you wanted a divorce, and you'd ended up giving in and joining her in the bed that night just to get her to stop crying. Every day with that woman was an exhausting roller coaster of bullshit.

McCann could read your thoughts as he whispered, "Good, you deserve to be happy, boss. Now stop thinking about her. There's a reason we always called her the Warden, bossman, she's a bitch, she doesn't deserve anymore of your attention." You couldn't disagree with him, that woman had certainly always had a way that made her completely unlikable. McCann stepped back away from you slowly, "You keep thinking about her you're gonna kill your boner, Peaches. Now go say hey to your Brit for me. Go on, go have fun," the crooked smile disappeared slowly until you were alone in the black void. You weren't there for long though.

Swirls of heat flooded up to your cheeks before flooding through the rest of your body. It was almost uncomfortably hot but it was accompanied by such a pleasurable shock you gave a small smile instead. Your teeth grazed over your bottom lip, drawing it in as you pushed up into the warm sensation below the sheets. A low hum came from low in your throat, wrecked by sleep and lust in equal measures. Brows raised on your forehead before you blinked open an eye lazily to glance around the room.

Confusion hit you as you looked around the darkness. This wasn't your bunkhouse, it wasn't your room, and it especially was not your bed. Where in the hell were you- A gasp of air into your lungs as a tongue teased at your entrance. Then a low moan echoed through the room as your thoughts went quiet, the tongue continuing its work as their hand pumped up and down your length. Your hands shot down in search of them, but you found only the sheets to wrap your fingers in. “Ohhh,” you breathed out the air you’d just sucked in before lifting your head to look down. The white sheets obscured the large figure between your thighs, but it didn’t matter because when the mouth left your entrance and returned to its task before that you could feel them suckling at the head of your cock eagerly. It was like they were sucking on a damn jolly rancher and it had you both speechless and thoughtless in their ministrations.

When the low hum answered your quiet pants your hips bucked up towards the mouth, searching for more of those delicious vibrations. A hand pressed against your abdomen though and stopped you from making it very far, apparently they wanted you to keep still and they weren’t going to let you have your way with them. Your limbs were still weak and you couldn’t manage to push past the resistance they were pressing down on your hips with. 

You felt the tiniest prick of frustration reach the back of your mind in response, a reaction you couldn't help as you tried once more with a desperate thrust upwards with your hips. The lips wrapped around the head of your cock didn’t deny your quiet request for more this time as you felt the mouth slide down the length agonizingly slow, their hands still holding your hips in place as they went. The tip of your erection hit the back of the person's throat as they held their mouth in place for a moment. Then just as slowly as they had sunk down they slid back up, their mouth pulling off for just a second as their hand took its place on your member.

The flat of their tongue suddenly drug across the head, the tip of their tongue dipping into the slit as your head pressed back into the pillow and your eyes shut tight. Your hand shot to the side of the bed, gripping it hard with a moan that you did your best to restrain and failed completely at. As the lips wrapped once more around you and you suffered pleasurably through another few moments of torturous suckling on the head of your erection you simply couldn’t take it anymore. 

Hurriedly you grabbed at the edge of the sheets and pushed them down over the brunette haired man with his lips currently wrapped around your cock and the slightest hint of red burning his cheeks and the tips of ears. His face tilted up even as his tongue swirled around your member slowly, those blue eyes finding you through dark lashes as his mouth pulled off your length. A string of saliva dripping down his chin that you could see glistening even in the darkness shrouding yall.

A cocky smirk found his mouth as his hand pumped slowly up and down your length. “Why are you awake so early, Love?” His voice was just as sleep wrecked as yours, deeper than normal and scratchy beyond belief after he'd been sucking on your cock for who knows how long now. Oh God you’d forgotten about falling asleep in his arms yesterday. Falling asleep in his bed as he’d hummed in that quiet, rumble and rubbed gentle circles into your temples. His voice penetrated your very soul, it was already deep enough he didn’t need the assistance of a morning voice to help him sound any sexier.

Your head tilted back into the pillows, looking up at the ceiling with a deep intake of breath. Damn his hand felt good. Warm against your skin, pressure firm as it slid up the length and then back down, and the fuckin calluses. God his calluses caught on seemingly every sensitive vein of your erection in all the right ways. Walking the line between pain and pleasure like he always seemed to be doing. “What a fuckin mornin’, hun,” your southern drawl came out in harsh contrast to the way you normally sounded. 

Most of the time you hid your southern roots in the way you spoke, and acted. It wasn’t often you used the phrases and words so common to where you had grown up, all in your attempt to blend in as well as you could. Not until you’d started to feel comfortable and let your guard down, and boy was it down right now. When you glanced back down you saw the smirk that had grown into a full blown smile. The corners of his eyes were crinkled and his forehead was showing off his wrinkles and God he looked like a saint framed by the moonlight, barely filtering in through the window.

As you sat up on your elbows his head lowered again, tongue dragging down your length before he was lapping at your balls. Suckling on them with renewed fervor as your hands curled into the sheets in an attempt not to grab him by the head and attempt to fuck his face again. Another low moan pulled out of your throat before he once more pulled his mouth away. You responded with a quiet, needy whine as you started to shift on the bed, searching for his hand at the very least. 

"Do me a favor?" His question caught you off guard at first and you blinked a couple times before giving him a hesitant nod, a bit worried about what he was going to ask you to do in the middle of this. You doubted you’d be able to do much with how far gone you already were and still weak with sleep. He glanced to your right where the bedside table was and you followed his gaze, "Drink something.” The hell did he just say? You didn’t even have a chance to react though before he continued, “You fell asleep before you could yesterday and I didn't want to wake you up."

You turned your head to glance at the bedside table then, staring blankly at the two bottles sitting there. Was here…serious? Who were you kidding, of course he was serious. This is the same man who’d destroyed you in his car twice and then proceeded to ask if you were fucking hungry. The man had some kind of kink for taking care of you. Was that even a thing? Probably. You glanced back down at him, studying his smiling gaze for a second before you finally turned back to two bottles once more.

One was just plain water while the other was a Powerade. Man he was a fuckin saint. His hand drug up your length slowly, wrapping around you just below the ridge where your head flared out. You couldn’t help the breathy moan you let out as his tongue found the head and shot out, swirling around it as he watched you and then he stopped again. "Oh God," you breathed out and found his burning gaze below you once more, "You- Oh lord-" His hand continued to work you, occasionally his tongue added its support as he licked at the pulsing veins on your shaft in short, teasing swipes of his tongue.

Until he wasn't and you whimpered at the sudden loss of the friction, the sudden loss of him. Your eyes shot down, watching as his head tilted and he glanced at the bottles on the bedside table again. Oh yeah, that's right, he wanted you to drink something. He’d just said that and yet you’d already forgotten about it. This man was one hell of a memory loss drug, that was for sure. You sat up, his eyes following you slowly as yours trailed down his bare back to the waistband of his underwear. The waist you just wanted to grab and hold onto and never let go of.

The man between your thighs started to move then, like he was about to sit up or move from the only place you wanted him to be right then. Your hand pressed between his shoulder blades, stopping him from moving and you muttered, "I'm goin, alright? I’m getting a drink." His lips pressed into the skin along the inside of your thighs as he nodded and waited patiently for you to do just that, and you could feel the hint of his smile against your bare skin. Leaning back you grabbed the Powerade bottle off the bedside table quickly, feeling his hand return to your aching member in response.

Stifling a moan you twisted off the cap, nearly forgetting again that you were supposed to be drinking. Pressing the bottle to your lips and tilting it back you swallowed a sip. The rest happened of its own accord as you downed nearly the whole bottle in one go. Thirstily chugging the bottle as you replenished all of the liquids and electrolytes you’d lost the day before. As you pulled it away from your lips to take a breath his mouth found the base of your cock. Mouthing at it with his lips and tongue as he worked his way up the length, traveling up as saliva trailed in his wake.

When his lips found the head and wrapped around it once more your head fell back at the blissful sensation. God he worked miracles with that mouth.  A tap hit the bottle still in your hand and you looked down with a couple slow blinks before you saw the finger of his freehand pointing to the Powerade with a warning in his eyes. Anything to keep him suckling on you like that. By God you’d give him anything he wanted. The bottle found your lips again as you tilted it back and downed the rest hurriedly.

The second you swallowed though a disgustingly loud moan of need left you as both his hands wrapped around your cock pumping up and down the length as he slid his mouth down to meet them. You didn't have the strength to stay up then, falling back to your elbows slowly and then all the way onto your back once more, the bottle clattering to the floor at the side of the bed somewhere along with the cap.

You couldn’t have cared less though, not while you were beginning to see stars because of him. His hands were working your entire length, enveloping it in that warm, firm pressure as he continued to pump them up and down your sensitive flesh. All the while he sucked the tip of your cock like he was trying to suck a milkshake through a goddamn straw. God the man was sucking the air from your lungs, since when were those two even connected.

Your head hit the pillow again, eyes shutting tight at the hard throbbing that was beginning in your member. Jesus you were getting close, so close you could nearly taste it now. How long had he been down there before you woke up? Shit you weren't even going to last another five minutes at this rate. Your breaths were coming in short gasps as you felt his mouth slip a little lower down your shaft as he removed one hand, tongue pressing firmly against the underside and another explosion of euphoria had you slamming a hand above your head into the wall for support. When he put both hands back along your length was when he really started to go to town. God you thought just the suckling and slow pumping was good?

The moment he added a twist of his hands as they followed his mouth up and then another twist on the down stroke with his mouth trailing behind, you turned into an absolute mess. Groans fell out of you that would have made a whore blush had they been standing within earshot. "J-John," you stammered out and he hummed questioningly, refusing to stop his ministrations.

Fuck you really should have just stayed quiet because now you really were close as hell and you could feel your abdomen tightening in expectation of the release of the building pressure. Your body anticipating the release you so desperately wanted, needed. Before he could hum again you managed to stammer out, "I'm- I'm close, hun. N-Not gon-gonna last if-if you keep-" His hands twisted again on the upstroke, catching right at the underside of the head and you couldn't help yourself but to buck up into his mouth, stopped only by the fact that he was currently double fisting your cock.

A rumbling chuckle found your ears and you looked down. His mouth had pulled off as did his hands and you let out an embarrassingly loud and needy whine into the air with a few quick shakes of your head. Quickly your hands shot down down to grab at his brunette hair, urging him gently back down and thank fucking God he listened and was feeling merciful because you couldn't have taken any edging right then. One hand wrapped around the base, his eyes flicking back up to find you as his mouth slipped back around your length and you felt yourself sink into that wet, warm heat. His mouth was positively sinful.

John's eyes stayed locked on yours as you felt your tip press against the back of his throat, holding your length steady in his mouth as he swallowed around it and then pulled back off. He let you set his pace, your hand still tangled into his hair as you pulled him up steadily and then back down. When your hand fell away he didn't even seem to notice, just kept going at the pace you'd already set for him. "John," your voice came out barely above a whisper, "Oh fuck, I'm close, hun. So fuckin close. Don't stop," he happily obliged, keeping up the steady rhythm and taking you even deeper into his mouth every time, humming every time your hips jerked up into his mouth.

God you were burning up. Sweating so bad you were sure you were going to be soaked by the time this was over. Your hands pulled at the hem of your shirt as the Brit watched with a raised brow until you were raising up again just enough to jerk the shirt off over your head. It found the ground in the next second and the entire time the man never even let up. John was impaling his throat on your length with reckless abandon, sloppily drooling all over you and he felt so damn good doing it. And good God he looked fucking phenomenal, so beautiful.

You gritted your teeth and then pulled your bottom lip in between your teeth, head shaking on the pillow as you fought every instinct not to reach down and just start fuckin his throat. Glancing down at him you let out a pent up breath of air. It was like he could sense when you were looking at him as those blue eyes shot up to find your eyes through those dark lashes. “So beautiful,” you whispered, the hand you’d been bracing against the wall above you dropping back to the bed as you held onto the sheets once more. “Pretty as a fuckin peach with that mouth around my cock,” your moan fell out as he hummed in answer, the corners of his eyes lifting in amusement.

The throbbing was relentless now, the pressure built up so much you were struggling to remember to keep breathing. Your hand smacked against the wall beside you, fingers scratching wildly at the paint as you tried to find purchase on its smooth front, your other hand still digging into the sheets relentlessly. And yet still he didn't stop, just steadily sucked around your length with one hand around it following every movement of his mouth up and down your length. His other hand had moved to hold onto your thigh at some point but now it was trailing lower. Below his mouth and his other hand and you felt the feather light touch of the rough pads of those fingertips against your entrance.

They massaged gently against you, running over the tight muscle before massaging the skin directly between your entrance and cock. Sparks lit up your vision as he did and your back arched at the sensation. Holy- What the heck did he just- And then he did it again, harder this time as his fingers fell into a rhythm. A string of moans left your mouth followed by a loud, drawn out, "Ohhhh fuuuuuuck-" You couldn't even stop yourself, couldn't warn him before it happened.

Right as his mouth came up along your length you came hard. Filling his mouth in pulses as one hand shot to his hair and the other braced on the wall above your head once more, keeping him from pulling off your release filled his cheeks. Your back arched off the bed even more as short gasps filled the air around yall. He swallowed around the head of your cock eagerly, milking you dry until the sensitive nerves couldn't take it anymore, becoming more pain than pleasure now. "Stop, please, oh God, I can't-" Immediately his mouth pulled off in compliance and he sat up on his elbows looking up at you with smiling eyes.

John watched as you caught your breath, the bristly hairs on his chin running over the top of your thigh slowly as he nodded his head, lips tilting down to press a light kiss to your skin. As the heaving of your chest began to slow you felt his nose nudge against the bone of your hip. Felt his body shift over the top of you as he kissed and suckled his way up your now bare torso. A wet tongue dipped between your abdominals, before he nipped at the skin with his teeth and sucked it between his lips. John left hickeys all along the expanse of your stomach, claiming you without either of you really even thinking about it.

When he reached your pectorals he did the exact same thing. Leaving light teeth marks and sloppy kisses along your skin with a pleased smile. His tongue ran between them into the valley of your chest before he suckled at the skin, no doubt tasting the salt of your sweat and he seemed only to enjoy it more. His nose nuzzled against your chest, the tip of it running over a nipple and drawing out a lazy, tired smile from you. When you felt his hips run over your softened member you glanced down between both of your bodies.

John was holding himself over you with a heated look as his hips grinded into you, clothed only in the thin layer of underwear he was wearing. You could feel his barely contained erection running against your own now softened and sensitive member. Hell you could see it plain as day even in the dark. The outline as well as the patch of wetness on the fabric. 

And then he laid down on top of you, driving the air from your lungs for a second before he lifted up to adjust himself and wrap his arms around your torso. His nose hit against your neck and his beard scratched at your bare shoulder as he relaxed on you like you were his mattress and pillow. "John?" He hummed in response to you and you felt the deep vibrations course through your chest before you asked, "What about you?"

You could feel the way his face lifted against your skin and you knew he was smiling, or smirking, one of the two. His lips pressed a gentle kiss against your neck before he shrugged his shoulders, "I'm not worried about it. It'll go away in a little bit." When you didn't respond and instead shifted your hips underneath him he chuckled on top of you, "Not if you keep doing that though. Be still, sweetheart, and go back to sleep. It’s way too early to be awake." You smiled at him and reached up to wrap your arms around his neck, burying your face into his neck.

A huff of surprise left him as you rolled him over, laying your weight on top of him instead as you kissed a trail up his neck, across his bearded jaw, and ended at his lips. Sitting up you glanced at the water bottle still left on the bedside table and your head tilted, "If it's so early where did you get the water and Powerade from?" The Brit ran his hands along your back before lacing them together behind you and turned to look at the unopened water bottle on the bedside table.

John smiled up at you then before pulling at your back to drag your weight back down on top of him, "Got them from the squad room." His answer was simple, matter-of-fact. Yet the knowledge he had traversed in the dark of night all the way across base and back just to get you a bottle of water and Powerade made something in your heart hurt, but in a…Good way? Was that possible?

You leaned down with a light hum of amusement and shook your head as you settled your body back against his, "So you went all the way across base to the squad room just to get me a bottle of water and some Powerade?" His face had buried back into your neck a moment later as he hummed an affirmative against you. Your cheek pressed against the pillow, nose nudging against his neck just as he was doing to you.

His cheek rested on top of yours then, effectively burying your face between the pillow and him and shrouding you in his warmth and the thick scent of oaks and…Chocolate? Dark chocolate, yeah, that was a new one you hadn't smelt before. Typically he smelt more like smoke, he must’ve had himself a cigar before he came back with the scent still so distinguishable on him right now. Your voice quieted and you whispered against his skin, "You're a fuckin dream, you know that right?"

The man huffed in amusement and shrugged, "I don't know about a dream, Love. Pretty sure I'm real," you rolled against his still hard length, cutting off his words with a teasing grind against him. He gasped lightly against your neck at the feeling before growling out low, "I'm tired right now, go back to sleep." Fingers grazed along your back in light strokes. One of his hands wound up in your hair as he massaged the base of your skull as well, trying to put you back to sleep.

You never even stood a chance to stay awake as he pulled the sheets up around your shoulders, shrouding you in his warmth and safety once more. There was no way you could keep yourself awake though, especially not with the way he massaged and his nails drug across your skin with gentle scratches. Slowly your body relaxed on top of him, your arms sliding up around his neck and wrapping him up in a death grip he had no chance to extricate himself from. John wasn't leaving this bed again unless you said he could and you were bound and determined even in sleep to make it happen. And whether you knew it or not, or even if you believed it, he didn't want to be anywhere else either way.

Sleep enveloped you in its embrace for the second time that night. John's cocoon of safety and warmth clinging tight to you like you'd never felt before. How had you ever slept without this? Without him? Oh that's right, you hadn't. Sleep was rare for you nowadays, it had been for a long time actually. The longer you went without having someone to pull against you, or to pull you against them, the worse you slept.

You'd been so devoid of this intimacy for so long it was a miracle you even found comfort in it anymore. Honestly it was a bit of a surprise that you weren’t trying to pry yourself away from him. Maybe you hadn’t known it but you were so touch starved even the part of your mind that told you to keep your distance craved even the smallest touch from him. Peace radiated through you, the pleasantness of his sudden wakeup call still coursing through you warmly. It was fading slowly, you could see the bad thoughts slowly trying to creep towards the light of that dying fire now.

God though, this had to be heaven at this very moment. As close as you would ever get to it anyway. This was the touch of an angel, that was what this Brit possessed and it made part of you begin to worry that you would corrupt him. You couldn't handle doing that to anyone else, not again. No one loved you, and you kept everyone away, it was the way of your world, a solid fact even if it did sometimes become lonely it didn't matter. It wasn’t your happiness that mattered if you cared about someone else, it was theirs. Everything you touched you destroyed, you'd heard it over and over and over again your entire life. And the one thing that scared you more than anything else in the world at that moment was that you'd do it to John too.

Everyone your whole life had told you that you wrecked everything. That you broke it down so completely there was nothing left to even attempt to fix. Like when the tractor's engine had overheated while you were using it and your Dad had smacked you over the back of the head for not realizing it before you'd blown the head gasket. Even at twelve years old you'd been a force of destruction. You should have known not to drive the tractor that long but you'd forgotten to ask. Hell you'd nearly put your family into debt that year trying to keep the whole farm running without the help of a tractor. The work that summer had been back-breaking. Your dad had you pulling you twice the hours of your other siblings, but you couldn’t blame him. It was your fault that yall had been in that mess.

That hadn't been your only fuck up though, it hadn't even been your worst. When you'd missed your daughter's first ever solo choir performance, now that had been a mission you wished you had never come back from. Wished you hadn’t had to see the heartbreak written on your little girl’s face the second your work phone had lit up. You had promised her, promised your baby girl you'd be there for her. And then you'd gotten the call and you watched as she broke down, begging you not to go. Crying and pleading with you relentlessly to be there for her just this one time. Your wife could have done that for hours and you merely would have been exhausted, but seeing your daughter doing the same thing had nearly broken you.

Your wife had just stood there watching and refused to help. Refused to pull your daughter's arms off of your neck, or even to move her out of the way so you could back out of the driveway. It had broken your heart and your relationship with the only lights in your life at the time. Both her and your son had rarely talked to you after that, even when you’d come back broken and nearly dead they hadn’t afforded you the time of day. That had been the straw that broke the camel's back. And when you came home you ended up having to watch your daughter crying in her room while your wife screamed that you had done this to her. God you still felt the sting of her nails in your neck after she'd nearly clawed your skin to shreds that night, not giving a care in the world to the bruises that littered your skin.

There were so many good things you had ruined, so many relationships and people, it felt almost irresponsible to take that risk with John as well. Even the ones you cared about you’d destroyed so completely. And John? He was different, he was, well he was important, more than anyone else you’d met in the past two years, that was for sure. How could you stand to hurt him? To make him think that the job, that your work, mattered more than him? You couldn’t take seeing him cry because you had to leave again and again and again, and you were never there when he needed you.

That risk weighed on you heavily, altering your dreams even as that cocoon of safety pushed them back as best it could. Nothing was indestructible though, not even the comfort John provided. The thoughts made it through the safety net, clouding your mind not in nightmares but in disheartening unpleasantness. Somehow that was worse, you’d rather have been forced to watch tragedy strike over and over again than have the highlight reel of your worst moments playing on repeat in your mind. The reminders that you weren't good, that you'd done so much bad in this world, and that John deserved so much better floated around in your subconscious thoughts. He deserved the world and you couldn't have even given him a pebble you'd found at the edge of a lake without somehow managing to blacken his soul with it.

You were a sickness, an impurity in the diamond that was earth that should anyone have ever tried to grade it, it never would have made it above an i3. You were the inclusion so big and disgusting that it was visible even to the naked eye. The cloud and indents were your heart and mind and not a reputable vendor in the world would have tried to market you to anyone. John deserved someone flawless. Someone who wasn't turned so easily into a wreck as you had been yesterday by something as stupid as a few lost items. He deserved to have someone to cry on, not to have someone breaking apart on him. John deserved someone pure, someone loving, someone who wasn't broken and cracked and falling to pieces already. He deserved a blank slate where he could write his name without having to see the names of those who had come before to shatter the delicate ceramics of your heart.

You didn't deserve him. How could you ever hope to live up to what this man truly deserved. You could never do anything to be worthy of the kindness he'd already shown and you certainly could never repay it. He was better than you. So much better than you. There was no simpler way to put it, you didn't deserve him. And he certainly didn't deserve to have to deal with you.

A sudden shift underneath you jostled you awake. Rough fingertips ran over the skin of your cheek and you blinked open your eyes, trying to clear them as streaks lined your vision. It wasn't just bleariness that was clouding them though. You felt the patch of wetness beneath your cheek. When did you start crying? John was holding your face in his hands, looking up at you with concern and confusion in his eyes.

His thumb ran over your cheek to wipe away the tears as he frowned down at the sight of you once more crying in his presence, "What's wrong?" Well this was embarrassing beyond belief. Two times in less than twenty four hours, really? Get it together Speck. The man had already let you cry yourself to sleep the day before, then he'd woken you up in the middle of the night to give you the best early morning, or was it late night, head of your life. Yet here you were still bawling like a little bitch. When your eyes shut and you tried to hide your face back in the pillow and the curve of his neck, his hand at your jaw stopped you cold. He drew your eyes back to his face and shook his head before whispering, "Tell me. I'm here to listen, whatever you need, Love."

Well that only made it ten times worse. A fresh well of tears were making their way to your eyes and before he could see them you reached a hand up and pulled him down towards you. Your mouth found his hungrily, needing him so completely your entire chest hurt at the thought of not having him. The tip of your tongue teased at his lips and you felt him rut against you in response, unable to stop the reaction after denying himself his own release earlier. You sighed at the feeling of his still covered length grinding against your own naked one.

Your bodies were so entwined as he rolled your both over it was hard to tell where one began and the other ended. All you knew was that your arms were wrapped around his neck pulling him into you with one leg thrown over his hip so he could keep dragging his needy erection over yours. Vaguely you knew one of his hands had traveled down to grope at the plump flesh of your ass while the other hand was against your face, but it barely even registered. His slow grinding against your hips was already driving you mad with desire. Sweat was beading up along your flesh as the heat of the rising sun caught in the room and even the thin sheet was becoming too much.

A finger slid between your cheeks, grazing over the tight entrance he had neglected to fill earlier. Your hips pushed back of their own accord and he smiled against your mouth as he massaged your entrance with a few quick circles before sliding the tip of a rough finger inside of you. A quiet sigh left you before he whispered, "So tight for me, Love. Always so tight for me, yeah?" You nodded vigorously in answer, his mouth a hair's breadth away from yours. He was done pampering you though it seemed as his whispers turned into a quiet growl, "I asked you a question, don't make me repeat it." Oh yeah, you'd forgotten about that. He liked to hear you, your quiet nods weren't going to cut it this time around.

Tilting your head forward to press your forehead to his, your answer danced over his skin, "Always for you. Only ever for you, Angel," he went still the second the word fell from your mouth and you felt your heart stop just as suddenly. You'd messed up. Ah shit, why in the hell did you say that? That's not what he wanted to hear, that was absolutely the last thing he wanted to hear. Always, how do you always do this, Speck? You always fu-

His mouth surged forward eagerly, tying the two of you into another kiss. Passionate and not only wanting but needing to feel your sincerity, your warmth. His tongue slid against yours, the hairs of his mustache scratching against your upper lip and nose, though by now after more than a few days of growth on your face you knew your own beard was beginning to return the favor. Especially when you felt him twitch his nose at the sensation. When he pulled away taking in deep breaths you caught a bright smile as he ducked his head, pressing his whole body forward to bury his red face against your skin.

A laugh fell out of him and you felt his face burning with heat against your neck, his lips pressing into your skin. Finally you asked, "What?" He just let out another light chuckle and shook his head against you, his arms locking you in place against him. Lips suckled at your neck greedily even as your own face heated up with embarrassment. "What's wrong John? What did I do? I'm-I'm sorry I didn't mean-" The brunette pulled back watching you with those still squinted and smiling eyes as he shook his head at you. Stopping your thoughts with another, shorter kiss.

When he pulled away he was still smiling when he managed an answer, "Nothing's wrong, sweetheart." His eyes fell and you saw his beard twitching as he fought to control some kind of reaction. Finally he turned those impossibly blue hues back up to you still smiling wider than you'd ever seen from him, "Can you call me that again?" Your head tilted in confusion as you watched his nearly giddy face.

What did he mean? Was he talking about, "Angel?" His eyes closed as you said the word before he was ducking his red face again, burying his face in your shoulder as he rolled the two of you until you were pressed underneath his weight. "Oh you like being called Angel then, Captain?" You felt him laugh lightly against the slick skin of your shoulder before he nodded. "Alright then, noted, Angel," you felt him shift as he pushed up on his elbows again. His hands grabbed at your cheeks as he stared down at you, like he was investigating the depths of your very soul. God he always brought some new level of intimacy that made you feel…special.

Intent, searching, entranced, captivated, you didn’t know what you were but you knew you liked it. You simply couldn't move, either of you. Watching one another as his thumbs ran over your cheekbones, mapping them out with the rough pads of his fingertips. Your fingers found his sides, running over the muscle between every rib and down to his hips, fingering the waistband of his underwear. The little smile that slowly formed on his face was mirrored by your own. He leaned down slowly, nose bumping into yours as his mouth teased barely an inch above your own. God he was always such a tease.

John needed to get on with this. You were getting impatient now and there was no telling how long you'd be able to keep yourself from absolutely begging for him. "Hey," his head tilted in response, inviting you to continue, "When are you gonna fuck me, Angel?" His tongue slid out of his mouth, running along his lips as he wet them and then his smile turned into a knowing smirk. His clothed hips grinded down into your own naked ones, drawing out a half lidded sigh of pleasure at the friction before his hand was reaching for the bedside table.

Those burning blue depths never left yours as he searched for the bottle he was looking for. Finally finding his query he sat back on his heels, affording you the sight of his glistening body slicked with sweat just as your own was. Your legs were framing his thighs and kept you from closing your legs as he gathered some lube on his fingers. When his fingers disappeared out of your sight you tensed up. It was something you couldn’t stop but he didn’t even seem to notice. The tips of his fingers grazed over your skin, sliding smoothly over the tight ring of muscle as he massaged at your entrance.

As your body relaxed he slowly pushed his finger inside you, earning him a low moan from you at the delicious feel of his digit dragging along your walls. Your cock jumped as you clenched around his intrusion and he smirked at the sight. Pulling his finger out he added a second, slowly working them inside you and scissoring diligently. When he added more lube and curled his fingers up he pressed against your prostate. You gasped at the sensation, abdomen tightening instinctively and your hand reaching for his forearm.

You leaned forward as you tried to sit up and reach for him but he stopped you before you could. John leaned down over you and pushed you back down into the mattress, his mouth finding yours as he continued to run his fingers over the sensitive nerves. Relentless in his desire to hear your quiet moans and needy whines. When his pace began to quicken and he added a third finger, your mouth opened in a silent plea for more, for him. 

"Shh, Love," he whispered against your mouth as he leaned down over you. You sucked your bottom lip in-between your teeth in response, muffling the next moan as his fingers spread you again. Your hands groped blindly for him, finding his chest first and then his sides as you worked your way down, fingers ghosting over the scarred skin of his hip. Slowly you pushed at the waistband of his underwear, wanting to see him. To touch him. To feel the weight of him in your hand and for the love of God you needed him inside you.

A whine left you when his fingers slid out and you whispered, “No, please, I need more.” Your eyes were still half lidded tiredly as he reached a hand down to shove the waistband of his underwear down just enough to free his cock. The weight laid against your own erection as he thrusted slowly a couple times across your sensitive skin. Nevermind, you could wait, you could be patient. Precome dripped into the soft hair on your stomach, leaving a wet trail across your skin. Please good lord just get on with it, John. His head tilted and for a moment you wondered if he could read your mind.

Slowly you felt him sit back on his heels to guide himself down, the blunt tip running over your entrance slowly. You couldn't help but grind down towards him and he let out a light hiss of air as he felt your entrance graze over the tip of his member. Need had wrecked this man after denying himself the first time he'd woken you up. You doubted he would last long this morning. Especially with how hungrily his gaze was watching the way you opened around him as the tip pushed inside. The slight burn made you smile up at him lazily. He stopped as his head slid in and he let out a hard breath before looking up at your eyes.

That look, you recognized that look. You'd only ever seen it on him once before, all those months ago when he had laid you down in his bed and rewritten the entire makeup of your being. When he had gotten you addicted to him in not only just the way he felt seated fully inside you but how amazing he smelled even when he was sweaty and musky and the room smelled of sex. How his eyes burned every inch of skin they landed on. How his smile seemed to light up every neuron in your mind with something you had never even felt before. How his kisses and lightly suckling mouth soothed those scalding patches of flesh left behind by his scratchy beard. Christ the beard.

His hips jerked forward suddenly and you let out a loud groan that was bordering on a near scream. Ecstasy ran through every limb though as he hooked your legs up and over his shoulders before his hips drug backwards slowly. Oh no, not this. There was no way you could stand the slow yet heart racing fuck you knew he could provide, that he would provide. But God you'd missed this you had to admit. This is what had gotten you hooked on him that night. The rough fucks were good yeah but this…this was beyond perfection.

The slow rhythm was already driving you to the edge. No, not yet, too soon. Your stomach tensed, flexing hard and you saw his hand shoot down to the base of your length. A firm squeeze at the base as he stilled and your breaths were coming back in harsh gasp. "Not yet, Love. Let me have some fun with you, yeah?" You barely managed a nod and another breathy moan as his hand unwrapped from your length and ran across your lower stomach. Another deep, slow thrust and he was leaning down over you again.

John folded you in half, legs still hooked over each shoulder as he braced himself on his hands over the top of you. Suddenly his hips slammed flush with yours. His pace stayed agonizingly slow but every time he was about to thrust inside you his hips jolted forward striking home brutally. God he felt so big like this, the burn edging on the line between pain and pleasure. You could feel him brushing against your prostate with just about every stroke with those perfectly aimed thrusts of his and you knew this was going to be the end of you. He was too much, this man was going to burn you up body, mind, and soul.

How were you supposed to keep from cumming when he just kept doing- “Oh fuck,” you groaned as he grinded hard against your hips, pushing you up the bed and almost causing you to hit your head on the wall. “Please, I can’t wait-” he cut you off with a sloppily placed kiss as he resumed his brutal strikes deep within you. You were moaning into his mouth and his throat was producing the same damn noises. John was just as far gone as you always were. Just as close and just as ready.

The man above you was exploring your mouth with his tongue between desperate gasps for air. Your bodies were working together to reach a common goal. Pure fucking bliss. Every breath was in sync, every time you grinded your own hips towards him he was thrusting his own forward with a hard strike. He bottomed out and his face fell forward by yours, his mouth right against your ear as he whispered, “Cum for me, Love.” One of his hands dropped your leg and then found your length, pumping over your sensitive cock in time with every thrust. “Cum now,” your eyes shut tight at the words and instantly your body responded to his demand.

Pressure that had built up released like a snap of a rubber band. You painted both of your stomachs, abdomen tightening and chest heaving as the waves crashed over you. His thrusts never stopped, never even faltered as he fucked you through your high. The man didn’t even stop his hand stroking your cock, not until you groaned out and your eyes began to water. Your fingers reached desperately for his wrist and stopped his hand that was pumping quickly now.

His hand braced on the wall just behind your head then as he buried himself as deep as he could inside you and you felt his thrusts beginning to falter. When you opened your eyes he was already watching you with his mouth hanging open, his face red as he panted. You felt the twitch of his cock inside you, felt his pulse, and you didn’t need to see the need in his eyes to know it was there. He pulled out again and then slammed home, his hips moving faster as he chased his high.

Pulling him down to you, you pressed a gentle kiss to his lips that he tried to return but he merely groaned against your mouth barely a moment later. As you pressed another kiss against the line of his jaw following it up to his ear, burying his face against your neck before he started to suckle at the skin of your neck. Your breath fell out against the shell of his ear with one hand against the back of his head and the other against the swell of his ass. He was moaning into your neck now with need and you felt him falter again as you hooked your free leg behind him and helped to guide him inside you.

A low whisper came out of your mouth against the skin of his ear, “Cum for me, Angel. Let me see the face you make,” you pulled his face back out of your neck, hands cupping his cheeks as you watched his eyes close and the veins of his neck pop as he clenched nearly every muscle in his body. Then you felt the warm spray against your walls as he emptied inside of you, his mouth opening in a quiet groan.

His voice let out a quiet whimper as he rutted up into you in shallow thrusts riding himself through his orgasm as you still helped to guide him with the leg currently wrapped around him and the fingers digging into the flesh of his ass. When you clenched around him he hissed aloud and his head tipped forward, burying his face in your neck. Rough teeth scraped against your bare skin as he tried to come down from the intense high currently coursing through him. His chest still heaving against you and his breath coming in hard pants against your skin.

He released your thigh that he still had hitched up around his shoulder and it fell stiffly back to the bed as your muscles unwound from the tension of being folded up like a lawn chair. You’d never known you were so flexible until you’d met John. Your body would have done anything he asked of it, you were certain. 

When he slid out of you it was obscene the mess you could feel dripping out of your used hole. Not another soul alive could make you do the things he had. Hell not a soul alive had ever removed you so completely of inhibitions and made you want to do what you did with him. Your hands were running through the hairs at the back of his head with gentle fingers as you whispered quietly to him. 

For once it was him on the brink of consciousness and not you. John was completely out of it with his body laid out across yours and suffocating you in the growing heat of the room. The man was working completely off of instinct at this point it felt like. You couldn’t have cared less though. It was John on top of you. It was John who was currently breathing heavily in your ear and kissing at the sensitive spot just behind it while you whispered words dripping like honey in his ear. 

His hips still were rutting into the mattress as if he was already trying to get ready for another round even though you could tell that he was well and truly fucked out right now. “It’s ok, Angel, I’ve got you,” your hands trailed down his back lightly and he sighed against your skin. The tip of his nose grazed over the side of your throat. You could tell he was starting to finally come back to himself when his mouth turned up in a smile against your neck.

Slowly his arms wrapped around your back rolling you over to your side as he settled back on the mattress and tucked you into his side. There was a satisfied smile that turned up the corners of his mouth, his entire face seemingly lit up in the blissful post-orgasmic haze he was currently in. You watched him while his eyes were closed, his thumb running over the curve of your shoulder and as he did you felt the beginnings of your own smile spreading over your face, just as warmth spread through you that wasn’t just the growing heat of the room.

Your hand splayed across the expanse of his chest just in front of your face as you played your fingers through the soft, dark hairs there. A deep hum resonated through him at the touch and you felt him shift against you before he propped his head up with one hand behind his head. The silence in the room was peaceful, just as the natural light coming in through the window was.

A scene from a storybook, that’s what the two of you were. Your bodies were still slick with sweat while you were naked laying against his own barely clothed form. Hell he still hadn’t even tucked himself away yet, the waistband of his underwear just barely pushed down his thighs and over the curve of his ass. Slowly your hand went still against his skin and your eyelids grew heavier as you lapsed into another light nap.

Light streamed into the already semi-lit room pulling you out of the short rest you’d been allotted. Then a familiar Scottish voice broke through the barrier of yours and John’s privacy, jolting you out of the peaceful moment you’d just been sharing, "Price wake up we have a problem. No one can find-" A scream echoed around the bunkhouse as both your gaze and John's flew to the now open door and the dark-haired man currently staring wide eyed in horror and shock a few steps inside of it.

In an instant the brunette beside you was cursing wildly at the Scotsman and pulling his underwear back up into place before he scrambled for the sheets tangled at the bottom of the bed. “What the- Soap what in the fuck are you!?” John was immediately yelling at the young man. In response you rolled to your stomach and shot a quick look in the Scotsman’s direction. The sheets pulled up around your body as John scrambled to cover your naked body for you. All it really did though was tangle around your legs and just barely cover the curve of your backside and the absolute mess that the Brit had made there.

"Johnny!" A worried voice came from just outside the door right before Ghost barreled into the room as well with Ceberus at his side with his lead clipped onto his collar. Oh good Lord it just keeps getting better and better huh? Even from here you could see the Lieutenant's blank and blinking stare as he began to process the scene before him. Well at least until Soap's hand shot up to cover those hazel eyes in an attempt to maintain Ghost’s innocence. Now what innocence that man possessed was a mystery to you, you’d heard what they said to each other while they were doing the same damn thing you and John had just been doing. And it was a lot worse than what you and your Brit said in bed.

Just as quickly as Soap’s hand shot to cover his eyes, you watched a black glove with a skeleton pattern settle in front of Cerberus' eyes even as the dog attempted to move towards you. “Steamin’ Jesus mate, yer geein’ me the boak,” the Scotsman made a gagging noise and tried to force his eyes away but something seemed to occur to him just when he did. Soap blinked between both of you as his eyes trailed down your flesh and stopped where the sheets were just barely covering you.

Suddenly the man gasped in shock as his eyes widened and his mouth opened wide, "That's it! I remember ya now!" You glanced at his pointing finger, almost looking like there was an accusation in his gaze. What the hell was he talking about? Price’s eyes shot to you nervously as he slid to the edge of the bed. 

"Get out!" John’s voice was higher in pitch than you’d ever heard before while Soap was still pointing and shaking his head. The man wasn’t listening to a damn word anyone else was saying. His attention focused completely on you. While you were currently laying naked in the Captain’s bed with only a sheet between their prying eyes and the evidence of what had transpired a few minutes ago.

Ghost peeked around the hand still in front of his eyes and you saw the glare at your naked form even from here, "How the fuck do you know him?" Narrowed eyes shot to the Scotsman then almost with an accusation in them. You couldn’t really blame the Lieutenant, it was weird that it’d taken any of them this long to actually remember you from the bar. It was especially weird that it took you getting naked and absolutely wrecked for someone to finally figure it out though. However Soap was in full detective mode now and he was none the wiser to the angry look coming from the big man behind him or the waves of frustration currently pouring off of his Captain.

He started forward towards the both of you as John scooted up the bed blocking Soap’s view of your face with his almost naked form. "That was you,” he was near shouting at this point as his mind worked and he clarified, “At the bar! The one Price was always watching and whining about. Ye remember Lt," the Scotsman glanced back to gesture between you and Price before returning his gaze to you. "When he was blootert, man would always go on about how he wanted ta fu-" Before the Scot could finish the sentence the pillow you’d been laying on flew out from under your head and into his face, smacking him with a loud thwack!

Soap recoiled from the hit before finding his Captain’s gaze and the dark anger that had settled there. "I said get the fuck out Sergeant," his voice was dangerously low. His eyes turned to Ghost next, "You too Lieutenant, get out of here. Now." Blue eyes flared with nervousness as he watched his Captain before taking a couple steps back to stand beside Ghost again.

The Scotsman glanced your way, just barely catching your eyes around John’s tense form. Just before the Lieutenant, who you could have sworn was smirking underneath that mask, asked, “You want the dog back?” Price was on his feet in a moment as the two started to take off. You watched as they shoved one another towards the door in their haste, dragging your poor dog along behind them.

Price leaned down to grab the pillow off the floor, his eyes shooting up to the two again as Soap stated, “Ya know Cap, good on ya, mate. You’ve been needing a goo-” The big man grabbed the Sergeant’s arm as he jerked him out of the way of another thrown pillow. Soap disappeared around the frame of the door, his loud cackles audible even from where you were still laying in bed.

John stalked towards the door, leaning his head out to yell after them, “Stay out of my bloody room!” The door slammed shut in front of him and you watched as his chin tilted down to let his forehead rest against the smooth wood, shaking his head slowly. You threw the sheets off of you now that the two intruders were gone and slid to the edge of the bed. Standing up you made your way over to him, your brows furrowing with worry when he didn’t turn around to meet you. It was almost as if he was trying to calm himself down after being caught in bed with you.

Slowly your arms wrapped around his torso, your chin resting on his tense shoulder, the sound of your beard scratching against his skin audible and making you file away a quick note that you needed to shave. The second you touched him though it was like his tension began to melt away with your warmth flooding into him. Your fingers interlocked over his stomach, pulling him backwards against you as he let himself go for a moment. Accepting your quietly comforting gestures.

It was a foreign feeling this. There’d never been anyone you had willingly wanted to comfort before. Sure you’d played your role, and you had played it well in times when you had needed to. Like when your ex-wife’s grandmother had passed and she’d needed a shoulder to cry on. This though, it wasn’t anything you felt like you had to do. It wasn’t like you knew John would scream and slap and claw at your heart and skin for not doing it. Hell he probably didn’t even expect it from you with how closed off you typically were around others.

This was something you wanted to do, and not just for yourself but for him. You raised up on the balls of your feet and turned your face to press a quick kiss to his cheek before settling back flat on the floor, your chin still resting comfortably on the apex of his shoulder. Watching the side of his face you saw his chin finally lift again before he turned to find your gaze. “I’m sorry about that. I didn’t think they’d go looking for you so fast. I thought we had more time this morning." His typically upturned features were shrouded in something you couldn't quite pinpoint. The corners of his mouth turned down, the usual crinkle at the corners of his eyes had disappeared.

Your hands released him before you turned him around to study his face carefully. "Don't be sorry, Angel," you whispered with a good natured smile that for once wasn't brought about by some instinctual need for politeness or some kind of joke. It was genuine. And God it felt so fucking good. Reaching for his face your fingers ran through his beard and your palm cupped his cheek before your smile widened and you tacked on, “Not your fault they don’t know how to knock.”

There was a humorous snort from the man before he shook his head again and leaned his face into your touch. “They never learn. Trust me, Love, they never learn.” You sighed at that and then gave him a knowing nod, that was something you understood well. Slowly your arms wrapped around his waist, pressing him backwards into the door as you buried your face into his neck. His arms wrapped around your neck, his cheek scratching against your shoulder as he laid his face on it. Taking in a deep breath you let the smell of him coat your senses, floating out to sea on the wind of subtle cigar smoke and rich oaks.