#I've been busy and mood has been shot

[lcriedlastnight]

Oblivious reader and Lando saying “how did you not notice, i always flirted with you.”

i'll forever love flirty lando.

tw: fem!reader, swears, lmk if you want me to add anything.

w/c: 1.1k

"look at you! you're the prettiest girl i've ever seen!" lando exclaimed as you spun around, showing him all the angles of the dress you were currently trying on. your smile is unmatched as you face the enthusiastic boy.

"you think?" you ask, still unsure on the dress.

"this one's for sure the best one you've shown me yet, beautiful." lando admits, taking a step towards you. you hum in response.

"i really need this dress to make me look good." you tell him, turning around to inspect your reflection in the dressing rooms of one of the most expensive and fancy stores you had ever stepped foot in. lando had insisted in taking you to this store, even after you had told him you would never be able to afford the cheapest thing in there.

lando rolls his eyes behind you and you catch it in his reflection.

"y'don't need a dress to make you look good." the curly haired boy acts like it was obvious. you actually have to bite back a smile at his sweet words, trying to concentrate on whether or not this was the dress for tonight.

"can i ask what you actually need a dress for?" lando asks, hands coming to rest at your waist, chin resting on your shoulder as he admires your reflection in the mirror. if it was anyone else you would have been completely shocked at the action, but it was lando. he was always touching you in some way. "he's just a touchy person" was what you told your frienda the first time they actually witnessed it. it was obvious to everyone but you. lando was down bad.

"i didn't tell you?" you ask, surprised that you had actually forgotten to tell him what the dress was for in the excitement of dress shopping. lando just gives you a goofy smile that told you he did not mind that you had forgotten to tell him.

you smile back through the mirror. "i have a date tomorrow!" you say happily. you have never seen someones expression sour so quickly. it makes you spin around to properly face lando, a worried expression on your face.

"what? what's wrong?" you ask in a panic. lando stares at you in shock.

"you're going on a date? with a guy?" lando asks, although it is not really phrased like a question and instead like a statement.

you nod, confused at his words. "uh, yeah? that's usually what people mean when they say that they are going on a date." you clarify, trying to lighten the mood again by your joking tone.

lando is actually speechless for once, as he just stares at you blankly. the boy was acting like you had just told him someone had just shot his cat, it was confusing you to say the least.

"take the dress off." lando eventually says, with a stoney expression and blunt words. your brows jump up in shock.

"no? i'm not doing that."

"yes you are. i'm not buying you a dress, just for you to go on a date some another fucking guy." lando tells you, already ushering you back into the stalls to take the dress off. you are gobsmacked at the way he was acting. lando shuts the door once you are inside the stall and directs you to lock it. you suppose he has a point and there was no way you were affording this dress without lando, even though he had assured you that it would be his treat, he had the right to change his mind. it did make you sad that you could not buy the dress because you really did like it and you had thought that your date would think so too.

while you stare at your reflection in the dress for the last time in the mirror inside the stall (this place had so many mirrors, it was ridiculous) you hear lando's footsteps retreating and you surmise that he had decided to leave you. it was a mean thing to do but you knew lando was upset and you would never even think about holding it against him.

you take the dress off and slip it back on the hanger. you were too busy feeling sorry for yourself as you redress yourself in your own clothes that you do not hear the returning footsteps that enter the dressing room.

lando knocks on the stall door and at first you are confused because you had thought he had left but then you think yourself a fool because why had you thought lando would leave you alone in the dressing rooms of some fancy store just because he was upset about you going on a date for some reason. you open the stall door to be faced with a happier looking lando and an arm full of dresses.

"see which one of these you like best, i'm taking you out after this." lando informs you, handing the dresses over to you. there must have been about ten in his hands.

"you're what?" you look at his, completely puzzeled.

"i'm taking you out. i like you, much more than that stupid date you have tomorrow. i know that for sure." lando grins at you as he shuts the stall again. you don't move behind the door as you try to understand the information lando had just fed you.

"you like me? what do you mean you like me?" you ask, forced to converse with him through the barrier, if you were to guess, you would say lando was sat on the weird, round sofa in the centre of the room, facing your stall with that stupid smile that gives you those butterflies you had forced yourself to ignore anytime they reared their ugly head.

"how did you not notice? i always flirted with you?" lando questions, again, acting like his words were common knnowledge.

"i thought you were just being nice." you say, now starting to try on the first dress on top of the pile, embarrassment coating your words. lando laughs and it sends little beams of light around the room. the once dim lighted dressing room as bright as if it was being lit with fluorecent lights.

"just being nice? god you're hopeless sometimes, love." you know it is a little insulting but you cannot really find it in yourself to be upset because he had just called you love and it was melting your brain. you were sure that if you tipped your head to side, your poor brain would pour out your ears.

"d'you like italian? there is this great place just down the street. the pasta is amazing!" oh, you could get used to this.

[dystopyx-blog]

more yandere octotrio!

Dedicated to @mr-trick <3 ty for your support

"Your grades have been slipping."

When you had been called into Azul's office, you certainly weren't expecting him to scold you like a parent. To add insult to, well, insult, Jade and Floyd were there, too, and the latter couldn't stop themselves from snickering.

"I wasn't aware that was any of your business." You shot back. You didn't bother asking how he knew–you'd had twin eels trailing you since Azul's overblot. It was rare for you to go anywhere these days without the sight of one looming at you from this distance. If their heights didn't make them obvious enough, there was the eyes. Though you had a feeling stealth wasn't the goal.

You'd be right. The tweels found it very important that you knew they were close by. Azul may have preferred for them to be stealthier, but they enjoyed your reactions too much. Plus, their presence kept others away. It's probably why Azul let them continue.

But back to the scene at hand.

Azul's response comes naturally, almost too naturally–as if he was prepared for that response. "Of course it is. The success of Night Raven students has always been my business–"

The look you hit him with was enough to stop him in his tracks.

He chuckled, adjusting his tie and his approach. "Of course, business has changed in recent times. In the past the goal was to attract as many poor unfortunate souls as I could, offering contracts with the goal to better myself, and not them. But now I've mended my ways and made a switch, so to speak. Now I wish to truly help and better those I come into contact with, starting with those I already feel close or indebted to. And what better first than the one who helped me see the light in the first place."

He waited for your response, but you offered none. Not unless you included your suspicion.

"Look, business has been rough lately since the incident, and helping you seems like the best way to restore people's faith in me."

"And thus the truth comes out."

You were so proud of yourself for sussing him out. What you didn't know is that that wasn't the truth–like at all. He didn't give a fuck what the other students thought of him, especially since he was still getting business regardless. This was about you and spending time with you, the strange, magicless student that had caught his attention like a worm on a hook. Buy to you, that would be even harder to believe than an act of true goodwill.

But that didn't matter anyway, because he had you. You agreed to help him out of the goodness of your heart–taking the opportunity to mock him. It was difficult for Azul to keep the smirk from his face as you fell into his hand. He could tell the twins felt the same way. Even if he couldn't see then standing behind him, he could still tell when Jade's gloved hand went to cover his smile, and when Floyd's slight sway stilled just enough to zero in on you.

With that, a deal had been made: you let Azul help you out of the "goodness of his heart," and you spread the word of Azul's redemption arc.

As soon as you're gone, Azul lets an easy smirk spill onto his face like oil in water.

"We got 'em boys."

What would follow is a series of study sessions, every night, either with Floyd, Jade, or Azul himself. Study session with Floyd rarely involve studying. Sometimes you would start with studying, but he’d always end up getting bored at some point, and then declare you two would be doing something else. Other times, you wouldn’t even get a chance to study, as he’d already be dragging you off somewhere before you can even set your stuff down. Floyd, being Floyd, ‘something else’ could include anything depending on his mood. Some examples of activities you’ve done during study sessions with Floyd: karaoke, ping pong, pottery, a treasure hunt all over the school for something Floyd lost a while ago and had suddenly remembered at that moment (it was in his pocket), ballroom dance classes, shopping, video games, baking. You don’t even bring any study materials with you at this point.

Jade and Azul are more what you’d expect from tutors.

Jade’s method of tutoring is hands off. He mostly just has you do your homework while he sits across from you, working on his own stuff. And if you don’t have homework or finish before study time is up, he’ll give you readings and practice assignments to do. He encourages you to ask him questions whenever you have them, but for the most part, you two are silent. What you don’t realize is that he actually spends most of the time just staring at you. Studying you.

Azul is more hands on. Like with Jade, youre expected to either work on a class assignment, or one of Azul’s specially crafted study guides. Unlike Jade, who always sits across from you, Azul sits—or, more often, stands—next to you. Instead of just silently watching you work, Azul works you through each problem. He’ll often end up hovering next to you, sometimes taking your writing hand in his to guide you through whatever problem you’re working on. He also offers coffee/tea/snack breaks, where you two can just talk, not just about schoolwork, but anything else.

You’re spending every night with one of them. You often get back to Ramshackle late (especially if it was a session with Floyd). You don’t see Horns as much, if at all. Study sessions with your freshman friends become almost nonexistent. Even Grim is starting to see less and less of you everyday.

Who you end up spending the most time with is, of course, the Octotrio. Not just for nightly study sessions anymore. Floyd will approach you outside of tutoring for fun activities. Jade often offers you treats for doing so well, including trips to Sam’s and lunch at Mostró Lounge—all on him, of course. And Azul often pops in to check in on you—to make sure you’re holding up your side of the deal. And, even if you don’t realize it, there’s always at least one of them waiting to walk you to class.

It’s no secret that Azul basically always has business on the brain. And this? This was his strategic move to monopolize you, and he got you hook, line, and sinker.

[lee-laurent]

Finding A Way - Luke Hughes

Summary: Luke is smitten with the new media girl for the Devils, the only issue... she has a boyfriend already (and he's a Flyers fan)

Content: angst, fluff, cheating, unhealthy relationship, emotional abuse, mentions of sex but no smut

wc: 6.5k

notes: this fic deals with some serious issues, so if you're not comfortable reading PLEASE do not continue. your mental health is wayyyyy more important than a fic, i promise :) however if you do decide to read, enjoy! i've had this written in my notes app for a while and just decided to finish it and put it on here!

Adelaide giggled as Luke stopped suddenly, letting the ice spray over the girl and her camera. Jack watched from the other side of the ice with Nico, rolling his eyes at the sight. Luke had been flirting with the new media girl since the season started but was still adamant that he didn't like her in a romantic way.

"When is he gonna ask her out?" Nico asked, knocking his should with Jack's.

"He still claims that he doesn't like her," Jack shrugged, narrowing his eyes as Adelaide giggled again.

"Well, he's clearly lying. Because they're definitely flirting."

"I keep telling him to bring her over, but he refuses."

"What's going on?" Dawson asked, joining his teammates.

"My brother is trying to get with the media girl."

"Adelaide? I don't blame him; she's hot."

"We all know she's hot, Mercer. It's just that he's too chicken to actually ask her out."

"Luke, you're supposed to be practicing," Adelaide teased, wiping the ice from her camera lens.

"I was just coming closer so you can get some good shots of me," Luke cheesed.

"I have enough photos of you. Tell your brother to start moving so I can get some of him.

"Oh, I see how it is. You want pictures of Jack, but not me. Should've known. He always gets the girls," he smirked.

Adelaid blushed at Luke's teasing, hiding her face in her hands. She'd be lying if she said she didn't find the rookie cute. He had made her feel welcome since day one, which the media girl thought was strange seeing as Luke was the shyer of the two Hughes boys.

"I didn't say that at all, Luke. Now go practice before you get us both in trouble."

Luke offered her one last smile, before joining the boys in their next drill. He caught Adelaide's eye few more times during practice, but she was busy taking pictures and speaking with her coworkers to pay him much attention. However, he was able to catch her as he was leaving the locker-room.

"Ady! Wait! Do you need a ride home?" he panted.

"Oh, um, I have a ride. Thanks though, Luke."

"Oh, who's your-"

"Babe! Come on!" a man standing near the entrance shouted. Luke felt his heart drop at the other man's words. He had just called the woman that Luke liked "babe." He could have sworn she was flirting back... guess not.

"One second, Matt! I'm just saying goodbye to Luke."

Luke watch the other man, Matt, roll his eyes and cross his arms over his chest. Tapping his foot impatiently as Adelaide turned to the rookie one last time.

"Maybe I'll bum a ride off you and Jack another time. I'll see you tomorrow afternoon for the game," she smiled, patting him on the shoulder. Luke watched from afar as Matt interlaced his fingers with Adelaide's, talking to her quickly and quietly.

"Come on, Rusty. Where's Ady? I thought you were offering her a ride?" Jack asked, snapping his brother out his stupor.

"She just left with her... boyfriend?"

"She has a boyfriend? Damn. Could've sworn she was into you. Sorry, bro."

Jack's words just pissed Luke off further. He turned on his heel, storming off to the boys' car.

"Luke, you can't mope around for the rest of the day just because the media girl has a boyfriend. I mean, the whole team thinks she's hot, so I'm not surprised she's taken," Jack tried to cheer up his younger brother.

"You're not helping, Jack."

"Sorry, I'm trying," Jack rolled his eyes.

"Just leave me alone. I'm not in the mood to deal with your dumbass."

"Whatever."

"Matt, it's not like that. He was just being nice."

"Sure, he was, Ady. Because all those horny hockey boys you work with are always just 'being nice.'"

"You're being unreasonable. Luke is new like me. He's just helping me fit in."

"I don't want you talking to him unless it's work related."

"Okay. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," Ady sighed, looking down at the floor.

"It's ok, princess. I'm not mad," Matt cooed, wrapping his arms around her waist. "I love you."

"I love you too, Matt," she cracked a small smile, pressing a kiss to his lips.

Adelaide loved Matt. And Matt loved Adelaide. They'd been together for almost a year. He protected her from the guys she worked with, at least that's what he told her. Without Matt she wouldn't be safe. She needed him.

"Alright, have a good game. I'm out tonight with the boys, so make sure you get a ride with... what's her name? Sandra?"

"Sarah, Matt. Her name is Sarah. I've told you that like ten times today," Ady sighed, opening the car door.

"Whatever. Doesn't matter. I'll be out late, so don't wait up." And with that, Matt had driven off. Addy sighed, brushing her hair out of her face. She just needed to get through the game and ask Sarah for a ride home. Easy enough; she'd be fine. And everything would go as planned and-

"Adelaide!"

Her eyes shot up, locking with no other than Jack Hughes'. She looked around as if he'd be calling on someone else, but she was the only person in the room.

"Um, hi, Jack."

"Can I speak with you for a moment?" he begged.

"Yeah, sure. What's up?"

"So, you know my brother Luke?"

"Yeah? We work together?"

"Right, so... he has a HUGE crush on you and I was wondering if-"

"I have a boyfriend."

"Oh. Okay, but-"

"I love my boyfriend."

"But-"

"No 'buts.' This conversation is done. I love Matt."

"Yeah, you said that," Jack furrowed his brow, watching as she sped away to her office. Who was she trying to convince about loving Matt? Jack or herself?

Jack stood there, his mind racing. He watched Adelaide disappear into her office, a part of him still hopeful that maybe there was more to the situation than met the eye. But her words her clear, and it wasn't his place to push any further.

As he walked back to the locker room, he saw Luke waiting by the team's gear. The younger Hughes brother looked like he was trying to shake off a bad mood, but his face was still set in a scowl.

"Hey bro, you alright?" Jack asked, trying his best to sound natural.

Luke shrugged, not meeting his brother's gaze, "Yeah, just... not feeling great."

Jack hesitated before replying, "Look, I know you're bummed about Adelaide. But if she's with Matt and she says she loves him, then... well there's not much you can do."

Luke nodded, but his mind was clearly elsewhere. The team gathered for their pre-game talk, but the tension between the brothers was palpable. Jack glanced over at Luke frequently, wishing he could say something to make things better, but he knew some things were just out of his control.

Meanwhile, Adelaide was back in her office, trying to focus on the game. But the encounter with Jack kept replaying in her mind. She knew Matt could be overprotective, but his jealousy was like a thorn in her side.

As she was preparing to leave for the rink, her phone buzzed. It was a text from Sarah, confirming her ride home. She felt a small sense of relief. At least she wouldn't have to worry about getting home alone.

~~

The game was intense. Adelaide took photos from the sidelines, trying to stay fully focused on her job. But her thoughts just kept drifting back to Luke and her conversation with Jack. She saw Luke on the ice, giving it his all, and she felt a pang of regret.

After the game as the players were filing out, Adelaide was about to leave when Jack approached her again.

"Hey, Ady. Can I talk to you for a second?" he asked, his tone softer than before.

"Sure, what's up?" she replied, trying to hide her exhaustion.

"I just wanted to apologize if I pushed too hard earlier. I just thought maybe-"

"I appreciate it, Jack. But it really is just how things are. Matt and I... are committed to each other."

"Yeah, I get that. I just hate seeing my brother like this."

"I understand. It's complicated, and I wish it were easier. But thanks for understanding."

Jack nodded and gave her a small, sympathetic smile, "Alright, well, see you around, Adelaide."

"Bye, Jack."

As she walked out to meet Sarah, she felt a mix of relief and uncertainty. She loved Matt, but the situation with Luke had stirred up emotions she wasn't ready to confront. For now, she needed to get through the night and take things one step at a time.

~~

The days that followed were a blur for Adelaide. Her interactions with Luke were limited to work-related conversations and occasional small talk. She did her best to remain professional, but the chemistry between the two still lingered in her mind.

One evening, after a win against the Rangers, the team was out for drinks to celebrate. Adelaide was there with Sarah, trying to enjoy the night and push away the nagging thoughts of Luke.

Luke, for his part, was trying to keep his distance, but it was clear he was still hung up on Ady. When the group decided to hit up the nearby bar after the game, Adelaide and Sarah were among the last to arrive. And once he saw her in the bar, the alcohol in his system was not going to keep him from talking to her.

"Hey, Ady," he smiled, approaching her and Sarah. "Glad you made it."

"Hi, Luke," she replied, her voice tinged with a mixture of relief and hesitation.

They chatted casually at first, but as the night went on, Adelaide found herself increasingly drawn to Luke. They laughed together, shared stories, and for a brief moment, the complications of her life seemed to melt away. The alcohol added a sense of liberation, and she noticed Luke looking at her with an intensity that made her heart race.

Eventually, the group's conversation grew more rowdy, and Sarah got caught up in chatting with some friends of the team. Adelaide, feeling a bit detached, slipped outside for some fresh air. Luke, quickly noting her absence, followed her.

"Ady, you okay?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.

"Yeah, just needed a breather," she said, looking up at the stars. "It's been a long week."

Luke stepped closer, his gaze locking with hers. "You don't have to put on a brave face all the time, you know. It's okay to feel tired and burnt out."

She smiled faintly, "Thanks, Luke. It's just... everything's been a bit overwhelming lately."

Before she could react, Luke reached out and gently touched her arm. The warmth of his hand sent a shiver down her spine. Adelaide looked up, her heart pounding. Luke's gaze was intense, and she could see the vulnerability in his eyes.

In a moment of impulsive recklessness, Adelaide leaned in, and their lips met. The kiss was electric, filled with a mix of desperation and longing. For a moment, all the complications, the guilt, and the responsibilities faded away.

When they finally pulled apart, both of them were breathless. Adelaide's mind was racing, torn between her love for Matt and the undeniable connection she felt with Luke.

"I shouldn't have-" Adelaide started, but Luke gently placed a finger on her lips.

"It's okay," he said softly. "We don't have to figure anything out right now."

She nodded, feeling a rush of confusion and regret. "I need to get back inside."

Luke watched her walk back into the bar, a mix of hope and apprehension in his eyes. He knew that this was just the beginning of a much more complicated situation.

Back inside, Adelaide's heart was heavy as she rejoined Sarah and the group. The guilt of what had just happened weighed on her, but she couldn't ignore the thrill and the intensity of the moment with Luke. As the night went on, she tried her best to act normal, but her mind was consumer by the memory of kissing Luke.

~~

The argument had started over something small- Matt's habit of not cleaning up after himself- but it quickly escalated. Adelaide and Matt were in the kitchen of their apartment, voices raised.

"Seriously, Matt? I've asked you a million times to clean up your dishes!" Ady's frustration was evident, as she slammed a dish into the sink.

"I'm tired of this, Ady!" Mat retorted, his face flushed with anger. "It's not like I'm trying to ignore you. I've been busy with work and-"

"Busy? You're always busy with work, but you can't even make a little effort here?!" she shouted, her hands on her hips. "It's not just about the dishes; it's about the respect!"

Matt threw his hands up in exasperation. "Respect? You think I don't respect you? I work hard so we can have a good life. I'm tired of you always nitpicking!"

"It's not nitpicking, Matthew! It's about being partners in a relationship. I feel like I'm doing everything on my own," her voice trembled.

Matt's face hardened. "Maybe if you were a little more understanding, you'd see how much I'm trying. But no, you're just focused on what I'm not doing."

Her eyes filled with tears, "I'm not asking for perfection. I'm asking for some consideration. I'm tired of feeling like I'm always the bad guy here."

Matt's anger seemed to shift into frustration. "You know what? Maybe we need some space. I can't keep doing this every day."

The harshness in his voice stung, and Adelaide felt her heart sink. "So what? You want to just walk away?"

"No, I'm just saying maybe we need to take a break from fighting all the time. I need to cool off," Matt said, grabbing his jacket. "I'm going out with the guys tonight. Maybe that'll help."

Adelaide watched as he stormed out, the door slamming behind him. She was left standing in the kitchen, feeling a mix of anger, sadness, and frustration. The apartment felt cold and empty without him.

With no one else to turn to, Ady grabbed her phone and, in a moment of desperation, texted Luke, asking if she coud come over. Her unresolved emotions driving her to seek comfort elsewhere.

When she arrived at Luke and Jack's apartment, her mind was clouded with the aftermath of the fight. Luke opened the door, his concern clear as day as he saw her tear-stained face.

"Ady, what happened?" Luke asked, pulling her into the apartment.

"I just... needed to get away," she replied, her voice breaking as she sunk into the couch.

Luke sat next to her, "Do you wanna talk about it?"

"I don't even know where to start," she laughed bitterly. "Matt and I had this huge fight. It's like we can't even get along anymore."

As Adelaide opened up about her frustrations, the conversation slowly shifted from comforting to more personal. The tension between the two grew palpable, and before they knew it, their emotions overwhelmed them. The lines between comfort and intimacy were blurred, leading them to kiss passionately.

~~

The next morning, Adelaide woke up with a jolt, her head pounding. She turned to find Luke beside her, a mixture of confusion and guilt washing over her.

"Luke, I... we shouldn't have," Adelaide began, her voice trembling. "This was a mistake."

Luke's face hardened. "A mistake? You think this was just a mistake?"

"Yes," she said, her eyes welling up with tears. "I love Matt. I shouldn't have let this happen."

Luke sat up, frustration evident in his voice. "So, what are you saying? That I'm just some rebound? That this meant nothing?"

"No, it's not like that," she said, reaching for his hand. "It's just-"

"Just what?" Luke snapped, pulling away. "Just that you're confused? Or that you don't know what you want?"

"It's not about you, Luke!" she exclaimed, her voice rising. "It's about me and my choices. I'm committed to Matt. I need to figure out what I want."

Luke was seething. "Well, maybe you should've figured it out before coming here. This is exactly what I was afraid of- being used and then thrown away when it's convenient."

Adelaide recoiled, hurt by his words. "I never meant to hurt you."

Luke looked away, frustration and pain written on his face. "I thought we had something real, but now I see I was just a distraction."

"I didn't mean for this to happen," Adelaide said, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry."

Luke's expression softened slightly, but it was clear he was still hurt. "I get it. But I need time to process this. I can't just pretend it didn't happen."

"I understand," she replied, her voice just above a whisper. "I need to go."

As she gathered her things, the awkwardness and emotional distance between them was almost tangible. She glanced back at Luke, who stood silently by the door, a mix of anger and sadness in his gaze.

"I'll give you some space. I'm really sorry, Luke."

With that, she left his apartment, the weight of her actions heavy on her shoulders. As she drove away, the gravity of what had happened began to settle in, and she knew that repairing the damage she had caused would be an arduous journey.

~~

Adelaide's hands shook as she gripped the steering wheel, her mind racing with the burden of what had just happened. Her thoughts were a chaotic swirl of guilt and confusion. She took a deep breath as she pulled into the parking garage, trying to steady herself before heading inside.

When she entered the apartment, the living room was dark, the only light coming from the sun filtering through the blinds. Matt was sitting on the couch, his posture tense and his face partially hidden in the shadows.

Her heart sank at the sight of him. "Matt, you didn't stay with the guys," she said, her voice shaky as she closed the door behind her.

Matt's gaze met hers, his eyes sharp and questioning. "Yeah. I decided to come home after all. I've been thinking."

"Oh, um, okay," she replied, trying to keep her composure as she walked further into the room.

Matt stood up and approached her, his expression a mix of concern and irritation. "So where were you? I tried calling, but you didn't answer."

Adelaide's heart raced. "I was out for a bit... I needed some fresh air. It was a rough day, ya know?"

Matt's eyes narrowed. "A bit? You were gone for hours. Did something happen?"

She hesitated, scrambling to come up with a believable excuse. "I just went for a drive to clear my head. Fell asleep in a parking lot. It's been stressful with everything going on."

Matt studied her for a moment, clearly unconvinced but unsure of what to say. "You didn't go see Luke, did you?"

The question hit her like a ton of bricks. She forced a nonchalant laugh, trying to mask her nervousness. "No, of course not. I haven't seen him. Why would you think that?"

His expression softened, but he still looked troubled. "I don't know, I guess I just... I felt like something was off. I didn't want to jump to conclusions."

Ady stepped closer to him, putting a hand on his arm. "Matt, I promise you, nothing happened. I was just out trying to process everything. I needed some space, and I didn't think to tell you because I thought you were also out."

Matt weighed her words, the tension in his shoulder easing. "Okay. I just- I don't want us to keep fighting. I care about you, Ady. I don't want there to be any secrets between us."

"I don't want that either," she said, her voice filled with sincerity she hoped would convince him. "I'm sorry for not being more communicative. I'll do better."

Matt nodded slowly, "Alright. Let's just try to move forward and work on things. I don't want to lose you."

Her heart ached, but she forced a smile. "I don't want to lose you either. We'll figure this out. I love you."

"I love you too."

They embraced, and Adelaide held him tightly, feeling both relief and guilt. As Matt settled back onto the couch, Ady joined him, trying to push away the lingering feelings from the night with Luke.

The weight of her deception was heavy, and as she sat beside Matt, the realization that she was living a lie began to settle in. She knew that maintaining the facade would be difficult, and the consequences of her actions were far from over. For now, though, she focused on keeping up the appearance of normalcy, hoping that time would help heal the rift she had created.

~~

Luke felt like he was in a fog. The events of the previous night and that morning replayed in his mind. He knew he needed to talk to someone, but he wasn't ready to fully disclose what had happened. He decided to seek comfort in his brother, hoping for a little bit of guidance in his situation.

Jack met Luke at the rink, finding his brother sitting alone in the locker room. He approached him, a concerned look on his face.

"Hey, Rusty. You've been awfully quiet this morning. Everything okay?" Jack asked, sitting down beside him.

Luke sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Not really, man. I'm feelin' pretty messed up."

Jack cocked an eyebrow, sensing the seriousness of the situation. "You wanna talk about it or..."

"Sort of. It's... complicated," Luke said, avoiding eye contact. "I had a rough night, and I'm trying to make sense of things, I guess."

Jack frowned, "You sure you don't wanna spill the beans? Sometimes talking helps, ya know?"

Luke hesitated, searching for the right words. "It's not really something I can just talk about. I made some... choices that I'm regretting, and I feel like I've fucked things up, royally."

The older Hughes studied him carefully. "I get it. But you know, if you're feeling like you screwed up, you should at least be able to talk to someone you know won't judge you. I'm your brother, it's what I'm here for."

"Not that simple. I just don't wanna drag you into this. I just need to figure out what to do next."

"Are you like in serious trouble?"

"No, Jack... not serious trouble."

"I don't need to call the cops?"

"No, Jack," he laughed bitterly.

"Alright, well, don't bottle it up. You've got people who care about you, and we're all in this together."

Luke nodded, grateful for Jack’s support but still feeling the weight of his decisions. As they got ready for practice, Luke tried to focus on the task at hand, though his mind was still troubled by the consequences of the previous night.

~~

Adelaide avoided Luke like he was the plague the next few days. She poured herself into work, using the camera as a shield to hide behind her. She kept her interactions with the team strictly professional, but her heart began to ache the first time her eyes met Luke's.

Jack noticed the change in his brother and the photographer. Their friendship had vanished, replaced by a strained silence. One day after pratice, Jack cornered Adelaide in the hallway outside the media room.

"Hey, Ady, got a minute?" he asked, casually leaning against the wall.

"Sure, Jack. What's going on?"

"I noticed that you and Luke have been... off lately. Did something happen?"

Her heart raced, but she forced a large smile. "No, nothing happened. We've just been busy with work and all!"

"Come on, Ady. I know you better than that. You two were inseperable when he started here, and now I don't think I've seen you talk to him in days. Did you guys have an argument or something?"

She sighed, the guilt weighing down her shoulders. "It's complicated. I don't want to get into it."

"Oh. Look, I get it if you don't wanna share. But just know that I'm here if you wanna talk. I care about you, so seeing you both like this is kinda hard."

"Thanks, Jack," her voice barely above a whisper. "Appreciate it."

"See you on the ice!"

"Yup."

God, what had she gotten herself into?

~~

The rink was filled with sounds- the sharp scrape of skates on ice, the hollow thud of the puck hitting the boards, the shouted command of coaches, and the occasional shutter of Adelaide's camera lense. Luke Hughes moved with a ferocity that caught the attention of everyone on the ice. His usual smooth, calculated movements had been replaced by agressiveness. Every stride was powerful, every check delivered with a force that echoed through the arena.

"What's up with Rusty?" Jack muttered to Nico, who was stretching nearby.

Nico followed Jack's gaze. "Not sure, but he's been playing like he's possessed. Did something happen?"

Jack shrugged, keeping his eyes on Luke. "Don't know. He's been... off lately. Keeps to himself a lot more."

As practice continued, Luke's focus remained unbroken. He intercepted passes, delivered bone-rattling checks, and fired shots with pinpoint accuracy. His teammates began to whisper among themselves in the locker room, buzz building about the youngest Hughes.

"Hey, Lukey, what's going on with you?" Nico approached him.

Luke shrugged, "Focusing on my game. What's the big deal?"

"The big deal is that you're playing like you're trying to prove something. Or like you're trying to forget something."

Luke clenched his jaws, his knuckles turning white as he gripped his towel. "Drop it, Nico. I'm just trying to play better."

"Alright, man. But if you need me, I'm here. Don't shut out the team."

Luke didn't respond, instead shoving his gear into his bag with a force that spoke for itself. Whatever was eating at him was serious, and the team feared it would affect more than just his game.

~~

Adelaide was at her desk, her fingers flying against her keyboard as she edited photos from their last game. She was immersing herself in her work, hoping it would distract her from her inner turmoil. She was focusing on her job and spending as much time with Matt as possible.

The door to her office swung open, and Luke stepped inside, his presence immediately filling the small space. Her heart skipped a beat, her eyes widening at the determined look on his face.

"We need to talk," his voice barely concealing his anger.

She swallowed hard, her throat dry. "Luke, I'm busy right now. Can it wait?"

"No," he said firmly, closing the door behind him. "We're not leaving this room until we sort this out."

"What is there to sort out? We made a mistake, and we need to move on."

"A mistake?" his voice rose. "Is that all it was to you?"

Adelaide flinched at his tone, "It's not that simple, Luke. You know it's not."

"Then make it simple for me," he demanded, stepping closer. "Do you have feelings for me or not?"

She looked away, unable to meet his intense gaze. "It doesn't matter what I feel. I'm with Matt. I've made a commitment to him."

Luke's hands clenched into fists at his sides. "So, you're just going to ignore what's between us? Pretend it doesn't exist?"

"What choice do I have?" she voice shook. "I love Matt. I can't just throw that away because I slept with you one time."

"Is that all you think this is? A fling?" his voice was filled with heart.

Adelaide felt tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. "No, but it can't be more than that. It's too complicated."

Luke took a step back, "You're scared. You're scared to admit that you want something different. That you might actually care about me. That you aren't happy with Matt."

"That's not true," she whispered, her resolve crumbling. "I do care about you, but it's not fair to anyone if I act on it."

"Fair?" Luke scoffed. "Life isn't fair, Adelaide. You can't just ignore your feelings because it's inconvenient."

She shook her head, the tears spilling over. "I'm trying to do the right thing. I can't hurt Matt like this."

"And what about me?" his voice cracked. "Do I not matter?"

"Of course you matter," she cried, reaching out to him. "But I can't do this. I can't be with you."

Luke stared at her a moment, his breathing heavy. Then, without warning, he crossed the distance between them in two quick strides and cupped her face in his hands. Before she could react, his lips were on hers, kissing her with a desperation that took her breath away.

She was stunned at first, but then melted into it, her hands gripping his shirt to ground herself. For a moment, all her feelings of guilt and doubt vanished, replaced by the overwhelming feeling of being with him. Of being with Luke.

But reality crashed back in and she pulled away, panting. "Luke, we can't."

"Don't tell me you didn't feel that. Don't tell me you don't want this."

"I do want it. But I can't. I have to think about Matt. I have to think about everyone else."

Luke's shoulders fell, the fight leaving his body. "Fine. If that's how you feel, I'll back off. But don't expect me to just forget out this. About... us."

Adelaide sat back down, staring blankly at her computer screen. The photos she was supposed to be editing blurred together, her mind far too preoccupied. She sighed, rubbing her temples in a futile attempt to clear her mind. They kiss that they had just shared haunted her, the memory replaying over and over again, making it impossible to do any work.

Her phone buzzed with a text from Matt: "Dinner tonight? Been missing you lately <3"

Guilt twisted her stomach as she typed back her response. "Sure, sounds great. I miss you too."

She hit send and put her phone down. She felt like a fraud. Everything felt tainted by her feelings for Luke. She decided to take a break from working, grabbing her coat and leaving the office. She was craving some fresh air. As she walked, she called Sarah. The one person she knew she could talk to about anything, and right now, she really needed her advice.

"Hey, Ady! What's up?"

"Hey, Sarah. Can you meet up? I really need to talk."

"Of course. How about the coffee shop near the area in fifteen?"

"Perfect. See you soon."

Adelaide arrived quickly and ordered herself a latte. When Sarah walked in, she felt a wave of relief. Sarah took one good look at her and knew something was wrong.

"What's going on, Ads?"

"I've messed up, Sarah. Big time."

Sarah reached across the table and held her hand. "Tell me everything."

Over the next hour, Adelaide spilled her guts to her confidante. Telling Sarah all about her feelings for Luke, the kiss, the night they spent together, and the guilt that was tearing her apart.

"Ady, it sounds like you're in a really tough spot. But you have to honest with yourself and with Matt. This isn't fair to anyone, especially not to you."

"I know. But I don't know how to choose. I care about them both so much."

"Maybe you need some time to figure things out. Take a step back, give yourself some space to think about what you really want."

"You're right I just need to clear my head. Thanks, Sar."

"No worries, Ads. That's what I'm here for."

~~

"Luke, we need to talk."

"Not now, Jack," Luke muttered, not even looking away from the TV.

"Yeah, now," Jack insisted. "You've been acting insane. What's going on?"

"I can't, Jack. Just... drop it."

"Nope. Not happening," Jack sat next to him, turning off the TV. "Whatever this is, it's eating you alive. Talk to me."

Luke's frustration boiled over. "It's Adelaide, alright? We... we kissed. We... slept together. And then things got out of hand."

"You and Adelaide? Seriously?" Jack's eyes widened in shock.

"She said it was a mistake, that she loves Matt. But... I can't get her out of my head."

"Holy shit, Luke. That's... a lot. But you can't keep it bottled up. It's tearing you apart."

"I know... but I don't know what to do."

"Look, you need to talk to her. Clear the air. This tension is gonna kill ya both. And if she really loves Matt, you need to try to respect that and move on."

"Yeah. I know. But it's so damn hard."

"I get it, bro. But just take it one step at a time. And remember I'm here for you. Even when you royally fuck up like this."

~~

That evening when Adelaide walked in the door, she could already feel Matt's anger. He was pacing back and forth in the living room.

"Adelaide. We need to talk," his voice was taut with anger.

"What about, Matt?"

"About us! About how distant you've been. It's like you're here, but you're not really here," he snapped, his eyes searching hers for an explanation.

"I've been under a lot of pressure with work. You know that."

"This isn't just about work, Ady! You've been avoiding me. We barely talk anymore, and when we do, it's about the team or the game. When was the last time we slept together? When was the last time you were focused on us? What happened to us?"

She felt a pang of guilt, but also a rush of anger. "Maybe if you weren't so obsessed with your career, we wouldn't be having this problem! You're never around, Matt. And when you are, you don't speak to me!"

"That's not fair. You knew how important work was to me when we got together. I thought you supported me."

"I do support you, but I can't be the only one making sacrifices. This is a partnership, not a one-way street."

"A partnership? That's rich coming from you! You used to be my biggest cheerleader, and now I don't even recognize you!"

"Maybe I changed because you never made me feel like I mattered!" she spat back. "It's always been about you and your career, your dreams. What about mine, Matt? What about mine?"

"I never stopped you from chasing your dreams! You can't just blame all our problems on me! You made choices too."

Ady tried her best to think of a response, but Matt continued before she could.

"I can't do this anymore, Ady. I don't even know who you are anymore," his voice breaking with resignation.

"Maybe you're right. Maybe we both need to figure out what we really want," she looked down at her feet.

"I thought we wanted the same thing. But I guess not. Maybe we've grown too far apart."

"I wish things were different, Matthew. I really do."

"Yeah, me too."

For a moment, it seemed like they were about to part ways without another word. But then Adelaide made a gut-wrenching decision. "Matt, there's something I need to tell you. I.... I cheated on you. With Luke."

The confession hit Matt like a punch to the gut. His eyes widened with shock, then narrowed with rage. "What did you just say?"

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for it to happen. It was a mistake-"

"A mistake?" Matt exploded. "You think that's just a mistake? You've been lying to me, hiding things from me while I thought we were trying to fix things!"

Adelaide tried to reach out to him, but he stepped back, his anger turning into something darker. "I didn't want to hurt you. I was confused, and I made a terrible choice."

His face turned red with fury, "You've betrayed me, Adelaide. You've crossed a line. I can't just let this go. You've been living a lie while I've been trying to make thing work."

"I'm so sorry, Matt. Just let me explain."

"No!" his voice echoed through the room, bouncing off the walls. "I don't want to hear it. You've shattered everything we had. I'm done. I can't even look at you right now."

~~

Adelaide sat in her dimly lit apartment, feeling the weight of the last few days pressing down on her. The space felt unusually empty, and the silence was almost deafening. She had spent the entire day reflecting on everything that had transpired and was now preparing for an important conversation.

Her phone buzzed, signaling Luke's arrival. She took a deep breath and went to open the door.

Luke stood there, his expression a mixture of resolve and concern. "Hey," he said softly as he stepped inside.

"Hey," Adelaide replied, trying to muster a reassuring smile. "Thanks for coming over."

They moved to the living room, sitting across from each other. The atmosphere was heavy with unspoken words. Adelaide broke the silence first.

"I wanted to talk about everything that's happened. I know I've hurt you. And I've hurt Matt. And I need to take responsibility for that."

Luke nodded, his gaze was steady but pained. "I appreciate you saying that. I was hurt, and it's been hard trying to understand like... why everything went down the way it did."

"I never meant to hurt you. I was confused. Stuck in a relationship that had been loveless for a while. I was avoiding issues instead of talking about them."

"I get that. I was confused too. We both made mistakes, but we can acknowledge that."

"I think... no, I know that I want to be with you, Luke. I just... can we take things slow? Like super slow? I think I need to process everything that just happened," she giggled lowly.

"Yeah, of course. I'd like that a lot, Ady. Let's take this one day at a time.

"Sounds perfect."

Luke smiled, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. "Now, why don't you tell me why I'm your favourite Hughes brother," he smirked.

She rolled her eyes, "If I must..."

[g1rld1ary]

I feel like you’d eat up this idea so much but Camp Counselor James Potter!!

Where its semi frenemies to lovers after James unexpectedly becomes head camp counselor alongside reader, thus forcing them closer as they have to work together. I’d imagine James as a sports/swim instructor who the campers adore and reader as an arts and crafts teacher who James has liked for years since they met at camp (even before they became counselors.)

summer friends - camp counselor!james potter x camp counselor!reader

wc: 2816

cw: swearing, implied fem!r but i don't think any pronouns, alcohol, throwing up (once)

first of all thank u so much for the compliment anon i hope i am doing it justice!! i actually love this idea and so there's gonna be more parts because i have so many fun lil camp ideas already HOWEVER we don't rlly have summer camps where I'm from so if u wanna see anything specific (activity/trope etc) please request!!! love u xoxo

It was stinking hot already. The clock in your car was broken so you weren't sure exactly what time it was, but you were sure it was too early to have sweat dripping from your brow. Nine, maybe. Still, nothing could bring down your present mood, not the sweat, not the early morning on a weekend, not even that your Fleetwood Mac CD kept skipping during The Chain. No, you were in the best mood you'd been in in a while and nothing could ruin it.

You were headed back to camp. Your camp. It was your first year as head counselor at the camp you'd grown up in and you were filled to the brim with excitement and drive to make this summer as magical as the ones you had growing up. Pulling into the dirt parking space you sighed contently, glad to be back where you belonged.

It was weird to see the camp almost empty. You'd been a general counselor before so you'd seen the camp without kids, but being one of the first there in the morning was peaceful. You waved cheerfully at one of the cooks who'd been working since you were a kid, laughing as he tried to return the gesture over the boxes he was hustling into the kitchen.

You broke into a jog to catch up with the camp director who you needed to meet with, smiling widely when he greeted you. You made small talk as he led you around the camp, giving directions to some of the staff setting up in between his extended spiel explaining your duties. You really were trying to listen but you couldn't help your eyes darting to each movement in the corner of your vision. The other head counselor should have been here already, and it wasn't like him to be late. Michael was one of the many kids you'd grown up with through summers, and he was just as devoted to camp as you were, so it wasn't surprising he also made head counselor, but it was surprising that he was now late.

"Where's Michael?" You asked when the director took a breath. He turned to look at you, one eyebrow raised slightly.

"Didn't we tell you? Michael had a health scare, he can't work this summer." You could feel your mouth hanging open. The two of you had been talking about this for years, dreaming of becoming the head counselors.

"So who's—"

"Nothing like the fresh air, is there?" Your shoulders tensed just by the timbre of it, you could recognise that voice anywhere.

"Potter," You turned to greet him, ponytail swinging behind you.

"No need for last names, love, I saw your braces phase," James retorts and you huff, rolling your eyes dramatically.

"Yeah, yeah, and I've got pictures of your acne. So you're really my partner this summer?" James didn't bother replying, his cocky grin saying it all. You felt the director's eyes on both of you and refrained from another snip in fear of it undermining your leadership, but still shot James a dead-eyed smile to let him know you weren't done.

You were dismissed to settle in until the other counselors arrived for briefing after a few other business matters (for which both you and James stayed civil and responsible) and all but ran to your car, eager to get the moving in part over with as quick as possible.

After so many years of making camp your home away from home, you'd pretty much nailed the routine of packing and unpacking, and your part of the four-girl cabin was taking shape very nicely if you did say so yourself. You even had time to stick up the photos you'd printed out, which usually took at least a week to happen. You were just wiping the sweat off your face with the hem of your t-shirt when someone cleared their throat. You didn't need to guess who it was.

James was leaning against the doorframe, looking unfairly unperturbed by the heat.

"Sorry your dream boy couldn't be here," He said and you couldn't quite tell if he was joking.

"Michael and I—"

"Relax, I was talking about your real boyfriend, remember?" You paused at his statement, studying your painted fingers intently.

"We broke up," You said quietly, not daring to look at James in fear of him teasing you about it. You consequently missed the flash of curiosity (and maybe relief) that passed across his features.

"Sorry," He said awkwardly, still under the doorframe.

"It's fine. He's a dickhead."

"I could have told you that last summer!" He laughed, then slapped a hand over his mouth as he realised it might have been too far. You managed a small laugh yourself, if only to make him feel better about his misstep.

"Yeah, yeah. Last summer you also thought swallowing gum would fuse your insides together."

"And I stand by that! You should just learn to listen to me," He crowed, eyes sparkling with mischief. You rolled your eyes again, pushing yourself off the bed to reapply your deodorant.

"If I ever start listening to you, take it as a sign I'm losing my marbles," You said, ducking under the arm James had stretched across the doorframe, "Now come on, everyone'll be arriving." You don't stop to see if he's following, marching out of your cabin and toward the dining hall where the counselors would convene. James watched you go for a moment with a soft grin before jogging to catch up and bother you some more.

The dining hall was already buzzing with energy and noise and the campers hadn’t even arrived yet. You smiled as you watched the counselors meet and mingle, some of them being kids you’d grown up with almost your whole life.

“Everything the light touches is our kingdom,” James’ whisper appeared from behind you.

“You are so lame.” You don’t bother looking at him, convinced you knew exactly what face he’d be pulling. “Now make yourself useful and greet everyone.” You might have been a little rude, but it was clear to you that this job wasn’t nearly as important to James as it was to you. Head counselor was something you’d been working towards since you’d started at camp, and you would like to keep the gig through college if James didn’t ruin it for you.

A booming noise silenced the room, and you were surprised to know it came from James. He started off the address for you outlining all the boring housekeeping notices you could recite in your sleep. They were almost exactly the same every year, except for James’ insistence on being the funniest in the room and making jokes after every other statement.

“As you know if you find any contraband in the camper’s belongings report it to the camp director, especially if it’s an illicit substance, as there may be serious discipline. However, if it’s alcohol, slip into into my cabin ‘coz god knows I’ll need a drink after dealing with the kids and this one.” He gestured over to you, receiving a ripple of laughter throughout the room. You grit your teeth, trying not to react and be the bad cop of camp.

“Just so we’re all clear,” You faked a laugh, “None of the campers or counselors will be ingesting or posessing alcohol while at camp. Right guys?” You locked eyes with the camp director, trying to bring him down from the conniption he was on the verge of. It worked, mostly, and you took over from James, shooting him a warning glare as you rushed to finish listing off the timetable for the coming evening and next day as campers arrived.

In his defence though, James wasn’t exactly wrong. Although the camp director could never ever find out for the sake of all your jobs, there was definitely a stash of alcohol that all the counselors contributed to and had access to, though strictly when there was no risk of campers or higher ups finding out. Like tonight. Every year before the campers arrived the counselors held a campfire right out in the forest; far enough away that there was almost no risk of the adult-adults finding them, but close enough that drunk walks back to the cabin weren’t quite impossible.

That brought you to the campfire. You’d been stuck in meetings and doing last minute admin all night and you really needed the break. You could only look at schedules and spreadsheets for so long anyway, add James to the mix and you were going absolutely crazy.

You’d snagged a spot next to Lily, hugging her tight as you reunited.

“I can’t believe you’re stuck with Potter,” She said, taking a sip from some ungodly drink one of the counselors had mixed. You laughed as you pulled away and greeted Remus quickly, taking the can of cider he offered.

“I’m just thanking my lucky stars it wasn’t him three years ago.” You shook your head resolutely, “At least now I’m sure he’s human. I just hate that he’s gonna make me bad cop all summer.” Remus cocked his head in confusion and Lily asked for clarification so you continued.

“You know, James is always the funny one, James is always the chill one. I’m the one who’s gonna have to spoil the fun and enforce the rules.”

“That’s not true though, you might be the one sticking to the rules but you’ve been here just as long. Everyone knows and loves you, and you’ll have just as much fun even if you aren’t quite as go-with-the-flow,” Lily said, a comforting hand resting on your arm.

“Prongs might surprise you,” Remus said, clearly taking a different approach, “I think when it matters he’ll step up to the plate.” You looked at him for a moment, considering his philosophy. You chanced a glance over at James to see him halfway through a game of beer pong — losing badly in fact, and sighed. If he, the head sport and swim counselor, was losing at a game consisting of throwing then he must’ve already been smashed.

He caught your eye at just the wrong (or right) moment and waved you over with such excitement that you excused yourself from the conversation to see what he wanted.

“Sirius needs a teammate,” He said simply, gesturing for you to go over and play. You shook you head furiously.

“So you’re asking the arts and crafts leader? I have zero coordination.”

“Yeah, and? You’re competitive and that’s all that matters. Consider it our head counselor bonding time.” You looked at James for a moment, weighing out the pros and cons in your head. You figured it couldn’t be that bad even if you embarrassed yourself, and you really didn’t want the other counselors to think you had a stick up your arse after getting the position. So, you reciprocated the high five Sirius had offered and got in position.

The game went shit, as could have been assumed. You really didn’t have an ounce of coordination, your throws missing most of the cups. Sirius was better, making your team at least not totally hopeless, but the two of you were no match for the machines that were James and Marlene — though both significantly worsened by their inebriated states. You were providing the trash talk though, which seemed to keep everyone entertained

“Ok new game!” James clapped after you’d downed the last drink, “Sirius, switch with me.”

“What! But I like my partner!” You high-fived Sirius again at his declaration, now sufficiently buzzed from the shitty beer you’d been using.

“Yeah, we’re doing just fine, Potter. Worry about yourself.” It came out a bit louder and more aggressive than you intended, but James didn’t seem to mind — none of you were sober enough to be picking up on the intricacies of human communication. James mimed a stab to his heart dramatically.

“You kill me,” He groaned, leaning on the folding table in despair. You laughed loudly, holding up your hand in the shape of an L to rub it in. After rubbing it in for a moment you conceded, stomping your way to his side of the table, patting Marlene on the shoulder as you swapped places.

“Alright, Potter, let’s get this round over with so I can kick your arse again.” James’ grin was practically blinding as he brightened up, getting ready to play another match. You might’ve been getting a little too competitive, but it was camp and you were drunk, so everyone around the table was matching your energy tenfold.

“Are you actually capable of getting a ball in a cup? You’re genuinely so terrible at this,” James laughed as he said it but you took it personally, shoving him aside.

“Piss off, dickhead. Just because you’re a big shot athlete or whatever.” You must have finally struck a nerve in James as he was quiet for the rest of the game, still much more skilled than you but his energy significantly dampened. Even when you won, he only offered you a weak smile and a pathetic high five. You felt bad for a moment and opened your mouth to apologise, but your inebriated brain was distracted by music playing, running over to Lily to ask her to dance.

You were at the stage of being drunk where everything was perfect. The day’s heat had mellowed out into a dreamy summer night, a soft breeze rustling the leaves above you all as you danced and drank, reuniting after a long year apart.

You might’ve overdone it slightly though, which found you a little ways away from the rest of the party, emptying your stomach into a bush where hopefully none of the campers would stumble across it. Looking past your unfortunate accident you caught a glimpse of a dark shape on the bank of the river. Narrowing your eyes you tried to make out who it was, but settled on getting closer instead. You hesitated when you made it out to be James.

“Hey, Potter. You alright?” You called awkwardly, a little unwilling to get too close.

“Hm?” He looked back at you, voice uncharacteristically quiet. “Yeah, fine.” You sighed. He was clearly upset about something and you couldn’t just end the conversation there, no matter how much you didn’t want to have a DnM with James Potter on night one of camp.

Reluctantly you got closer, taking a seat next to him. You watched the lake for a few minutes, black except for the silver from the moon. It was peaceful when there weren’t so many people around, it was one of your favourite things about camp, just being outside and disconnected from the rest of your life.

James broke the silence first.

“Do you… Are you mad that I’m co-head counselor?” You chanced a glance at him, surprised at the vulnerability in his voice. James wasn’t usually one to get sappy or personal like that, especially not with you.

“No?” You replied, “It wasn’t what I imagined, obviously, but it’s not like I hate you. You’re just mildly infuriating like 80% of the time.” James snorted, and you got the feeling he’d intended to wallow a bit longer. But James was James and he couldn’t stay moody for too long, it wasn’t in his nature.

“I can work with that.” He smiled his blinding grin, and you could have sworn you could see it reflecting off the water.

“We have to be a team though,” You affirmed; now was as good a time as any for you to address it. “I know that your whole bright and lively class clown thing is effortless for you, but I don’t wanna be the bad cop all the time, okay?” James was deep in thought for a second, then a cheeky grin crept onto his features.

“You think I’m bright and lively?”

“Shut up.” You rolled your eyes, but you weren’t sure you weren’t returning his smile. “Come on, let’s get to bed. Neither of us can afford to be hungover when the kids get here.”

You and James wandered back towards the cabins, both hazy and giggly from the lasting drunkenness and the (at least temporary) smoothing over of your tenuous relationship.

[ashwhowrites]

Older! Dealer! Eddie x reader, she goes to his house every Friday to buy from him, Eddie likes her, but he doesn't know if she likes him, so when they are dealing, he acts more flirtatious than usual, and that ends up in smut

I combined these requests since they are similar. Then I realized not everyone is into older!Eddie so if the anon that requested is uncomfortable with older!Eddie, please reach out and I can rewrite it :)

I sat on this fic for three days because I could not get the creative energy for the smut so the smut is like building up smut and not full blown, I do apologize. I wanted to finally get it out because I had a feeling it's going to take me a while to get that right mood to write

Older dealer

Eddie opened the door as Y/N knocked. Her contagious smile and gentle voice made Eddie's head spin. Y/N has been coming to Eddie for months now for deals. Eddie never mixed his business with his personal life, but he couldn't get this girl out of his head. She was in her 20s and Eddie was in his 40s, the age difference was the only thing stopping Eddie from making a move.

Too many nights he thought of her, lying awake as he thought about her, if she was single, her type, and if she was somehow interested in him. Eddie knew he wasn't the perfect bachelor. He lived in a small trailer and sold drugs as a quick cash grab. She seemed put together, lived in a bright world, and was so young still. She had so much to learn and explore. But he wanted to sink his teeth in her before anyone else did.

"Hey Eddie" she greeted with a big smile, sitting down at the familiar kitchen table. Eddie looked down at his watch as he sat across from her.

"Like two hours early, sweets." He teased, grabbing his bags of weed as he passed them over to her.

"Yeah, I had a date and got stood up. Figured might as well come here while I was out." She shrugged, sliding over her cash as she put the weed in her purse.

Eddie felt himself clench at her words. She was dating, but of course she was. She was gorgeous, hot, and young.

"Who's stupid enough to stand you up? Is he blind or just stupid?" Eddie asked, crossing his arms as she laughed.

"Second one. I can't tell you how many horrible dates I've been on. These guys are so shallow and boyish. Never have respect or manners. Just trying to get laid and bounce out." She complained Eddie found a sense of excitement knowing she was failing miserably in the dating world.

"Sounds like you need a break from the young ones." Eddie winked, maybe this was his shot. He pushed his head on his hand, a little smirk on his face as she tried to read his face.

"And what are you suggesting?" She asked, her eyes looking from his eyes to his lips and back. Eddie smirked at the action, licking his lips as she looked at them again.

"That you need to try an actual man," he stated, looking into her eyes as he kept his voice low. "Someone that knows how to touch a girl like you, hit the right spots, make you whimper, and make pretty sounds. Someone who will be there when you wake up." Y/N felt herself shivering at his words. Her brain thought of his hands touching her, ruining her.

Y/N felt like her throat was dry as she tried to speak up.

"And do you have a man in mind?" She asked, not realizing she was leaning in.

"Depends, are you into older men? Maybe twenty years older than you?" His eyes looked down at her lips as she kept leaning closer.

"Not until I met you. Then I couldn't get you out of my head" She confessed, Eddie smiled at her words. He pulled back and stood up. She blinked confused as she watched him.

He grabbed her hand and yanked her up. She yelped in surprise as he picked her up and placed her on the table. He stood between her legs and wrapped a hand around her neck, tilting her head up.

"I was worried you'd be too young for me. But fuck, you never leave my head. Can't believe those boys don't realize the chance they got." He said, his lips ghosting over hers. Giving her time to stop it if it wasn't what she wanted.

"What about you? Dating around?" She whispered, she knew he was with others and she hated knowing his body was touched by someone else.

"Eyes just on you, baby." He admitted, his lips even closer to hers. He moaned when she smashed her lips on his, her arms around his neck as she tried to control the kiss. He let her have the control for a little while. He took his time to taste her and feel her body under his hands.

He pulled away, she whimpered as he did. Her hands are trying to yank him closer. He pecked her pout softly.

"Patience darling." He whispered, he stood between her legs as he stripped her clothes, admiring her as she laid bare underneath him. His hands moved to her chest, squeezing her breasts softly as he kissed down her neck. His mouth wrapped around her left nipple, sucking softly. His right hand moved down her body, rubbing her clit slowly.

Y/N never thought she'd find herself under her older drug dealer, gasping and cumming over and over. But she was grateful that every bad date led her to this.

Eddie figured people would have shit to say about their age difference, but he didn't care.

He wanted her and he got her. That's all he cared about.

Tags!

@bmunson86 @mxcheese @ladymunson @michaelfuckinglangdon @z0mbie-blah @biittersweet @mirrorsstuff @somethingvicked @micheledawn1975 @ago-godance @magnificantmermaid @tlclick73 @hargrovesswifee @cityofidek @manyfandomsfanvergentreblogs @silky-luxe @lokiofasgard616 @loving-and-dreaming @eddiemunsonsbitch69 @thegemaqua @ashlynnkennedy @strangerthingsstories5255 @harringt8ns @pleasinghellfire @whoscamila @stusdollface93

[bellaxgiornata]

Falling For the Devil [Part ninety-three: "The Unexpected Introduction"]

Pairing: Matt Murdock x Fem!Reader Word Count: 3.6k

Summary: You show up at Matt’s office hoping to surprise him and walk home together.

Or You end up with a few surprises yourself.

[Series of one-shots about Reader meeting, falling for, and dating Matt Murdock.] [FFTD Series Masterlist]

Warnings: 18+ for this series; contains humor, fluff, romance, angst, smut, violence

a/n: The installment in which y'all find out who the hell Matt ran into from his past not that long ago that put him in a bad mood and kickstarted Reader's recurring nightmare. Who's it going to be? Feedback is always appreciated!

Tag List: @ninacotte @mattkinsella @stilldreaming666 @murdocksclient @madscamp02 @1988-fiend @linamarr @pinkratts @schneeflocky @acharliecoxedfan @yarrystyleeza @theetherealbloom @danzer8705 @lionalsowrites @harperdoodle @kmc1989 @lunaticgurly @mattmurdocks6thscaleapartment @pazii @kezibear @sleepysleepymom @eatingtheworldsoffanfiction

Finally reaching the building's entrance where Nelson, Murdock, and Page was located, you extended a hand forward and pulled open the door. Stepping inside, you readjusted the strap of your purse on your shoulder as your tired feet easily began the familiar trek down the winding hall towards Matt’s office. You hoped that he would be excited to see you after the long day you'd had because you hadn’t told him you were going to stop by after work.

Each step quickly became more uncomfortable than the last, the backs of your dress flats starting to irritate your heels now, painfully digging into your skin. You'd been on your feet most of the day today chasing different leads for a story you'd been working on, and unfortunately your shoes hadn't been the most comfortable pair for the task. Now all you were looking forward to doing was walking home with Matt and having some time alone with him before he inevitably went out as Daredevil later–something he'd been doing a bit more frequently lately. But as you approached the office suite, the door with all three of their names displayed on it finally in sight, you could hear an angry voice coming from the other side. An angry voice that was clearly arguing with someone. It took you only a second to distinguish Matt's enraged tone.

Stopping just in front of their door, you hesitated, both your hands awkwardly clutching the strap of your purse. A frown settled onto your lips as you caught the rest of what Matt's distinct, irritated voice was saying. 

“–irresponsible, Karen?”

“I'm honestly tired of hearing you bring this up all week, Matt,” Karen snapped. “It has absolutely nothing to do with the firm. Let it go already.”

“You represent our law firm!” Matt shot back. “Tell her, Fog! She's making a terrible decision! At the very least it makes us look bad!”

Chewing your lip as you stood frozen in front of their door, you caught the sound of Foggy’s unmistakable nervous laugh.

“Oh whoa, I've made it very clear that I am staying very, very far away from this,” he answered. “I'm not touching this with a twenty foot pole.”

An aggravated noise came from Matt, one you knew all too well from when his nights as the Devil didn't go as planned. Maybe stopping by to walk home with him after work had been a bad idea today. He hadn't seemed upset earlier when you'd spoken at lunch and he'd told you he had something he wanted to ask you, but now you were contemplating turning around and just leaving. But just as you turned, prepared to hurriedly shuffle back down the hallway and wait for Matt at home, you heard him call your name from inside the office. 

You winced immediately, pausing mid-step. Of course it was ridiculous to think you could sneak away without him recognizing your presence, especially being in such close proximity. He'd already told you many times before how easily he could pick up on your heartbeat when you were half a block away even in the busy city foot traffic, there was no way a lone door was going to do much to hide you from him.

“I can hear you out there, sweetheart,” Matt continued, clearly trying to restrain his anger as he spoke. “You might as well come in instead of trying to disappear.”

Sucking in a breath, you turned back around and cautiously opened the door, stepping inside their office. The smile you'd forced onto your face wavered as all three of them immediately turned their attention on you. Nervously you shut the door behind yourself, taking a few steps into the room but staying near the safety of the exit when you spotted the look of barely contained rage still on Matt's face in conjunction with the way his hands were positioned on his hips. You knew that stance. He was clearly furious.

“Hey guys,” you greeted them awkwardly with a wave, one which only Foggy returned along with an apologetic smile. “Sorry to interrupt. I just–just figured I'd stop by and walk home with Matt when he finished tonight.” Eyeing the tight lipped expression on Matt's face and Karen’s annoyed and rigid posture, her arms crossed over her chest, you quickly added, “But it seems like I walked in on the middle of something and I should probably just leave and let you all get back to…whatever it is that you've got going on.”

“You're not interrupting anything,” Karen said, gesturing a hand towards Matt. “By all means take him home, we've been done with work for a bit now. And I could use a break from his constant chastising.”

Matt's hands tightened their grip on his hips, a muscle jumping in the side of his cheek. You took a step back towards the door, already aware that his temper was about to flare up again with the way the corner of his lip was twitching. And sure enough, he was quick to round back on Karen.

“You're being absolutely ridiculous about this,” Matt scolded. “At the very least, think about your own safety.”

Karen blew out an irritated breath, rolling her eyes at Matt. “Oh please,” she replied. “I'm not in any danger, Matt, and you know that. You're just being dramatic because you're still pissed about the other week.”

Another frustrated growl rolled out of Matt, one of his hands flying off his hips to loosen the collar of his tie. You glanced over at Foggy who was on the far side of the desk that all the three of them were standing around. Brows jumping up onto your forehead, you mouthed ‘what's going on’ to him. But Karen apparently caught the silent question you'd asked and her attention returned to you. 

“It's not work related so there's no reason why you can't know,” she told you. “It's because–”

“ No ,” Matt snarled, taking an abrupt step towards Karen as his expression noticeably darkened. “She doesn't need to be remotely involved in anything to do with him .”

Karen scoffed, rolling her eyes at Matt. You continued to stand there in confusion, brows furrowing together as you attempted to make sense of what they were arguing about. Across the room, Foggy was shaking his head and focusing back on packing up his briefcase. 

“We're friends, Matt,” Karen pointed out. “You think she's never going to meet the guy I'm seeing? Because that's a little ridiculous.”

Head tilting to the side, the look of confusion remained on your face. “Justin?” you asked curiously. “You both are arguing about Justin? Because I've already met him a few times, Matt. And you were there.”

Karen grinned back at you, a genuine smile on her face as she shook her head. “No, not Justin,” she answered. “We broke up a couple of weeks ago because someone else…reappeared in my life.”

“ Karen ,” Matt growled in warning. “I told you I didn't want her to know about any of this.”

Karen glared over her shoulder at Matt, her blue eyes narrowed. “Well that's unfortunate for you then because he was on his way here to the office to walk me home after work.”

Matt's expression briefly faltered, his mouth falling open at what she'd said. And then his head snapped to the side, his mouth quickly closing as a frown drew itself across his lips. You saw his jaw begin to grind back and forth in irritation as he focused just beyond the office wall on something. Seconds later his attention shifted straight to you.

“We’re leaving,” he ordered. “ Now .”

He leaned over, grabbing his cane from the desk beside him and roughly beginning to open it. He was moving in a rush it seemed, something that appeared to only further annoy Karen. Though you noticed Foggy was also beginning to move a little faster with packing up his things. 

Who the hell was Karen dating that had these two reacting this way? He couldn't be that bad, could he?

A knock came from the door behind you, the sound drawing you from your racing thoughts. You saw Matt’s hands pause their movements as he stiffened beside the desk. Without thinking you turned, reaching a hand out to open the door for whoever had knocked since you were the one standing beside it, but just as you twisted the handle you heard Matt call out behind you. 

“Sweetheart, don't!”

Swinging the door open, you came face to face with someone you'd recognize absolutely anywhere. The Punisher. Frank Castle.

His brown eyes rose up from where they’d been focused on the floor, landing on you. Your body instantly froze, eyes going wide in surprise. Whoever you’d been expecting to open the door to find, it certainly hadn’t been him. 

You knew him well–or at least, well enough from your time working in the media. The only person who’d ever painted him with any sympathy back during the days when New York was terrified of him was Karen. Her pieces about him had certainly humanized him to you back then, making his violent actions seeking revenge for his family's death make sense. But still. The man had gone on countless shooting sprees in public, which was the main thing you remembered about him in this exact moment with him standing right there in front of you, his imposing figure filling up the entire doorway.

“Ma’am,” he greeted, dipping his head before glancing around you. “I'm just here to see Miss Page.”

“Right, yeah,” you muttered, quickly stepping out of the way.

“Hey, Frank,” Karen greeted, her voice visibly brighter than it had been a moment ago. “I see you’ve now met–”

“No,” Matt spat out, suddenly drawing you backwards and placing himself between you and Frank, “he hasn’t.”

Frank’s dark brows knitted together on his forehead, his eyes narrowing just a fraction back at Matt as his head cocked to the side. Then the corner of his frowning lip twitched upwards into an amused smirk. Matt only squared his shoulders, his muscles tensed like he was about to throw a punch while his left hand white-knuckled his cane.

“That your girl, Red?” he asked. “The one you been telling me to stay away from?”

Matt didn’t say anything in response, though he continued to attempt to block Frank’s view of you behind him. Over by the desk behind you, you heard Karen let out a sigh.

“Yes, it is,” she replied. To Matt she added, “He already knows about her because I’ve told him about her. Because she’s one of my friends , Matt.”

“Well now we’re leaving,” Matt replied sharply to Frank. “So you meeting her ends here.”

He reached a hand out behind himself, easily finding and grabbing onto your wrist. With a slight tug he pulled you after himself and you stumbled forward behind him. Matt led you back towards the desk with him, only releasing your hand to grab his briefcase from off the top of it. Karen shot you a sympathetic smile over Matt’s shoulder as you stood there entirely confused as to what all was going on. 

“He's not attending that gala, either,” Matt warned Karen. “Find another date or go alone, but he isn't coming.”

Karen let out an irritated breath as she crossed her arms over her chest, leaning back against the desk behind her. “Do you really think he's the gala type, Matt?” she shot back. 

An aggravated rumble came from within Matt's chest in response before he turned, his red lenses flashing under the lights overhead as he focused on you. You sucked in a breath, unsure what you were supposed to do or say right now to not further upset him. You still had absolutely no idea what was going on.

“Home. Now,” Matt ordered.

“Okay,” you readily agreed. 

Matt began to lead the way out of the office, his body stiff as he moved. You caught the tension in his jaw as he began grinding his teeth when he passed by Frank. You ducked your head and followed after him, desperate to ask him what was going on when you had both gotten out of the building and he’d hopefully calmed down. Behind you, you heard Foggy quickly scurrying out of the room after you, muttering an awkward goodbye to both Karen and Frank as he went.

Just as you passed through the door you caught the sound of Frank’s voice saying your name. You paused in the doorway, noticing the way Matt came to a halt farther down in the hall, his head immediately snapping over his shoulder. Glancing nervously back into the room just beyond Foggy, you saw Frank smiling back at you. 

“Was good to finally meet you,” he said. “Karen’s told me all about you.”

You sent him a nervous smile, aware of how much Matt probably loved hearing that. 

“Yeah uh, you too,” you replied awkwardly. 

Once more ducking your head and hurrying down the hall after Matt, you heard the amused chuckle coming from Frank in the room behind you just before Karen’s hushed voice scolded him for the comment. Rushing towards the building’s exit, Matt, Foggy, and you walked the winding hallway in silence until you finally stepped back outside onto the sidewalk. Though the moment your foot hit pavement, Matt had swiftly spun around to face you.

“You need to stay away from Frank,” Matt warned you without preamble. “He's dangerous and I don't want you getting hurt, sweetheart. Are we clear on that?”

Your eyes darted over to where Foggy was standing on the sidewalk beside Matt, but he quickly glanced across the street instead of meeting your gaze. Fingers nervously fidgeting with your purse strap again, you focused back on Matt.

“I mean I'm not planning to become his best friend,” you began cautiously, “but if he's really dating Karen…I get the feeling he's going to be around us all on occasion, Matt.”

“You know who he is, right?” Matt asked.

You sighed, nodding. “Of course. What kind of New York City journalist would I be if I didn't?” you questioned back. “But at the same time…I do remember Karen’s articles. The man lost his family tragically. Right in front of his eyes. It…kind of makes sense that he'd want revenge. Do the things he went out and did.”

Matt's dark brows dipped behind his glasses as his head tilted sharply to the side. “Are you saying you agree with what he did?” 

“No!” you exclaimed, quickly shaking your head. “Not at all. I'm just saying I understand why he did it. And that he at least wasn’t on some mass rampage for the hell of it like a completely deranged person. There was a reason. One that I think would be hard to understand without having been in his position. But Matt,” you continued, voice gentler, “what's got you so worked up about him? I highly doubt Karen would be with him if he was going to hurt her or any of us. I mean hell, it was your firm that represented him in court. And what the hell did Karen mean about you still being pissed about the other week? Because I’m guessing that had something to do with Frank, right?”

Matt's gaze dropped down towards the pavement, that muscle jumping in his cheek again. You glanced over at Foggy only to catch him quickly look away once again, avoiding eye contact. What the hell was going on?

“You want to tell me what I clearly am being left out of?” you asked, anger rising in you as you focused back on Matt. “Because I thought we didn't keep secrets, Matt. What’s been going on?”

Shoulders dropping in defeat, Matt let out a sigh. His entire demeanor immediately changed before your eyes and your curiosity piqued even further. 

“The other week,” Matt began slowly, “when I came home injured and had a bad night out? Do you remember when I told you that I'd run into someone from my past?”

You nodded. Of course you remembered that night, it had been the sole cause of that damn recurring nightmare ever since then. And you'd never stopped wondering just who he'd run into that had gotten such good hits on him through the protection of his red suit, or who’d put him in such a foul mood.

“Yes,” you answered.

“It was Frank,” Matt confessed. “I caught him chasing after someone that night. I got in his way and stopped him because I will not have anyone killing people, especially not in my city. But of course he didn't…agree with me. At first. Not until after we'd fought.”

“Oh,” you said, everything beginning to make more sense. “So that’s who’d given you those bruises?”

Matt nodded, his gaze still downcast. “We’d come to a sort of agreement afterwards, Frank and I. But then a few days later I find out him and Karen started seeing each other. Which is just–” he paused, shaking his head, “–completely absurd. He’s dangerous. He attracts dangerous people with what he’s doing.” His head rose up, his attention returning to you. “Which is why I want you to stay away from him. I don’t need you getting caught up in anything he has going on, alright? It’s not safe.”

You held up your hands, eyes going wide. “Okay, okay,” you replied. “Like I said, I really don’t think I’m about to become best friends with the Punisher, even if Karen is dating him. But again…I can’t exactly avoid him completely, either. I’m not going to stop being friends with Karen, Matt.”

Matt blew out a rough breath, nodding slowly. “I know, and I’m not asking you to do that,” he replied. “Just…keep some distance from Frank. Please?”

“Okay,” you assured him with a nod. “I can do that. Now can I have my Matty back and the growly Devil can come back later tonight? Because I’ve had a long day and I was looking forward to walking home with you.”

A small smile grew on his face, the tension somewhat easing further from his body as he nodded. You found yourself feeling a little more relaxed yourself at the sight, your mood beginning to lift back up. But then Foggy abruptly clapped his hands loudly together beside you, causing you to jump as your eyes flew over towards him.

“Great!” Foggy exclaimed. “Glad that’s settled finally. Now Matt, do you want to tell your girl about this weekend or should I?”

Your eyes shifted back and forth between the two men curiously. Foggy was smiling wide as if the past ten minutes hadn’t just happened while a little smirk began playing along Matt’s lips. Eyes narrowing suspiciously back at him, you wondered what else was going on.

“What?” you asked.

“We were invited to a gala for this weekend–” Matt began.

“Last minute, of course,” Foggy cut in, clearly too excited to let Matt take the lead, “because I’m sure it was meant as a slight against our firm. But either way, we still got an invite.”

Matt chuckled, the warm sound a welcome one after how angry he’d just been. You couldn’t help the little smile from spreading out along your face as Foggy’s energy started to rub off on you.

“It’s to raise money for underprivileged children in the city,” Foggy continued. “It’s an annual thing, but it’s this fancy gala that quite a few prestigious names in the city attend. And we get to go this year!”

“Wow,” you said, attention returning to Matt as your excitement for them grew. “That sounds like a great opportunity for the firm!”

“Well,” Matt began, that smirk still on his lips, “I was hoping you’d grant me the privilege of being my lovely date to the event this Saturday evening.”

The smile immediately faltered on your face at his question. You noticed the way Matt caught your reaction with the slight tilt of his head and faint furrow of his brows. Fingers once again nervously toying with the straps of your purse, you tried to hide the anxiety that suddenly flooded you.

“Does uh, does this fancy gala have a dress code?” you asked hesitantly.

“It’s black tie,” Foggy answered.

You winced, chewing your lip nervously. “Oh,” you breathed out. “And it’s… this Saturday? Because I–I don’t exactly have anything to wear to something so…nice.”

The smirk returned to Matt’s face almost immediately. “Neither does Karen,” he told you. “So she’s taking tomorrow off to go shopping for a dress. And I figured maybe you could take the day off and go with her. Have a nice girl's day together. Pick out whatever you want on me. Dress, shoes, purse. All of it.”

Your eyebrows immediately shot up onto your forehead in surprise. Matt had never done anything like that for you before. In fact, no one had. Beside him, you saw Foggy nudge Matt with an elbow.

“Always so damn smooth, Murdock,” he teased.

The cocky smirk only grew on Matt’s lips as he remained focused on you. “So what do you say, sweetheart?” he asked. “Care to accompany me this weekend?”

Teeth clamping down on your lip, you tried to fight back the smile attempting to take over your face. A black tie event meant that you’d get to see Matt in a tux again–a rare treat. And there was absolutely no way you were going to miss that opportunity.

“I’d love to,” you answered. 

Matt’s smirk grew into a wide grin, the anger he’d been feeling moments ago entirely replaced by a look of love as he gazed back at you. And now you secretly found yourself looking forward to having him with you Saturday night instead of out as the Devil once more.

[thedensworld]

Post Magazine | K.Mg

Pairing: Photograper!Mingyu x Actress!Reader

Genre: fluff

Words Count: ±700

Summary: It was an honor for Mingyu to collaborate with a well-known magazine. But this job made him realize that love at first sight is real.

Mingyu's got a face that screams "bad boy," and he's given up trying to argue otherwise. He's got that classic playboy look, and an occupation of playboy, a photographer, no less! So, when he tries to convince people he's got an old soul and a sentimental side, they just give him the side-eye. Mingyu's decided to let his looks do the talking, after all, it's all about that first impression, right?

He's snapped shots of so many celebrities, and they all ooze glamour and charisma. Last time, he was working with Cha Eunwoo, an idol-actor who's now a buddy thanks to being the same age. But there's been zero post-work chit-chat with any of his models, except for Eunwoo. So, it raised an eyebrow when he waltzed up to the editor asking for your digits.

"I'll pass along her management's info," the editor said, conveniently hiding the fact that he's got a bit of a soft spot for you after that last shoot. Okay, maybe it's not just a "bit" anymore, it's a full-blown crush.

It started when Mingyu gets the call that he's in charge of the photo shoot for a rising starlet, Jang Y/n. It's your first time gracing a big-time magazine, so Mingyu tries to do some sleuthing about you. Mostly cast as a villain or a bit unhinged, your online pics aren't exactly flattering. Mingyu's scratching his head trying to figure out what style you'd vibe with.

When the big day approached, Mingyu's armed with a couple of style ideas for your shoot, hoping they'll match your vibe and brand. He's deep in discussion with the editor when your manager shows up.

"Y/n has those magnetic and charismatic aura that makes people think she's a tough . But she's really a soft and timid person," your manager spills the beans, enlightening Mingyu and the editor.

"It'll be good to show the side that people hasn't known about. Let's roll with these," the editor picks out two mood boards, going for dark academia and chic stylings.

And your manager wasn't kidding. You're like a total 180 from the roles you usually play. You're not some evil assassin, psycho girlfriend, or creepy stalker. If Mingyu could describe it, you're just radiant. You step into the studio with a grin plastered on your face, and your hair's practically glowing. Mingyu swears, your eyes are like a novel waiting to be read, and he's itching to turn the pages.

Just the night before, Mingyu decided to check out one of your films - the one where you played the mad stalker. He was blown away by your acting skills, even if you looked more like a scruffy vagabond. And now here you are, dressed to the nines, portraying a powerhouse career woman in front of him. As soon as Mingyu looks through the viewfinder, he sees his future. Love at first sight might be pushing it, but let's just say he's smitten.

"Could you lean in a bit, Y/n?" Mingyu asks, second-guessing if that was the smartest move ever. You lean towards the camera with this sly grin, and Mingyu's heart does somersaults.

Mingyu lets out a dramatic sigh, "Let's call it a wrap." He mumbles and dashes over to the monitor, trying to cool off his racing heart. And this is just the first outfit; there are four more to go.

"Is everything alright?" You ask the crew as you step onto the set with your last outfit. "I've never worn something like this before," you admit. Mingyu shoots you a reassuring smile, "You look stunning, absolutely stunning," he assures you.

The rest of the crew is in awe, and you playfully cover your face as if you're blushing. But Mingyu, with his photographer's eye, spots a genuine flush of pink on your cheeks and ears. Maybe he's got a touch of it too, but he's too busy being in awe of your beauty to care.

"It would be amazing if you could strike a pose like Ma Jooahn," the assistant director suggests, referring to one of your past roles as a ruthless assassin. You slip right into character. Your eyes shoot daggers, your smile vanishes, and you look ready to take on the world.

"I'll just pretend there's a pesky fly to squash right here," you mutter while turning to your right, earning a laugh from the crew.

"I wanna be that fly," one of the crew members chimes in, making you burst into laughter and breaking character. Mingyu shakes his head, looking at the monitor beside him; his weakness is a woman with wit and grace. You seem to have both in spades.

*

"You're absolutely smitten, buddy." Eunwoo clinked his can against Mingyu's, chuckling at his friend's infatuation with you. For almost an hour, Mingyu's gaze hadn't strayed from your portrait.

"Come on, focus on your work," Eunwoo urged, playfully nudging Mingyu, who seemed a bit unsteady.

"I am!" Mingyu retorted, gesturing to his laptop, where he was diligently editing photos from your previous shoot. "Staring is also part of my job," he added with a smirk.

Eunwoo let out a dramatic sigh. "There's something you should know about her," he began, catching Mingyu's attention.

Mingyu's brow raised, then quickly furrowed. "What?" he inquired.

"Does she have a boyfriend?" Mingyu interjected, curiosity evident in his voice.

Eunwoo shrugged. "I'm not certain," he admitted. "But there's some gossip that floating around the actors."

Mingyu fixed Eunwoo with a steady gaze, silently urging him to continue.

"She's a mom," Eunwoo dropped the bombshell.

Mingyu's head drooped, disappointment evident on his face. "So what if she's a mom? Is she a widow? That just makes her even hotter, honestly! Ack—" Mingyu began to enthuse before Eunwoo playfully smacked his head.

"Come on! Seriously! I personally haven't worked with her, but some actors say she has a kid, or that she's often busy taking care of them, which might be why she hasn't taken on lead roles. But, i'm not sure either," Eunwoo explained, offering the tidbits he'd gathered.

Mingyu scoffed, "If you're not sure, don't spread it around."

Eunwoo rolled his eyes, a little surprised by Mingyu's strong reaction.

"You've got it bad, my friend," he teased, shaking his head.

*

After a few weeks, what was once a rumor turned into a nightmare for Kim Mingyu. Dispatch, a popular Korean media outlet, released photos of you with your daughter. Some of the pictures were taken in front of a daycare, park, and even a hospital. Mingyu isn't happy seeing your privacy violated by the media, especially as you're gaining more fame. But what Mingyu despises the most is that the pictures are real, with zero editing.

There are two possibilities:

1. You have a secret husband.

2. You're a widow with a child.

Mingyu is perfectly fine with the second possibility. He believes he's good with kids and loves the idea of being around them. But the first possibility? Dang, It hits Mingyu like a punch in the gut. After nearly a month of being your biggest fan, he can't believe he has to remain just a fan. He hasn't even mustered the courage to call you. His heart shattered before he could offer it to you.

Didn't Mingyu mention he's a very sentimental person? Oh yes, he certainly did.

"I'm sorry. Did I hear you correctly?" Mingyu asked during a phone call to the other person.

"We noticed you worked with Y/n on her last photoshoot sessions, so she might be comfortable with you," the other person, a representative from your management, explained to him.

Mingyu shook his head, "No, I mean... Did I hear... So, Y/n wants me to be the photographer for her release?"

"Yes, Mingyu. She believes in you for this release, and we want the best for her and her daughter."

Mingyu was left speechless after receiving the phone call. He immediately cleared his schedule for you after the call ended. He still remembered the tone of your management team as they stated, "We want to release a statement regarding the spreading rumors about our artist, Jang Y/n. She personally recommended you as the photographer. You know, the rumor is pretty sensitive for her, and the last thing we want is to make her uncomfortable during the photoshoot."

Mingyu couldn't stop smiling once he saw you arrive at the studio with your daughter in your arms. Mingyu guessed she might be 3 to 4 years old. Putting the rumor aside, your daughter is the cutest little human in the world.

"Thank you so much for accepting the request. It means a lot to me, Mr. Kim," you approached Mingyu after putting Jihan, your daughter's name, down.

Mingyu bowed, "No, it's an honor. Thank you so much for trusting me. And you can call me Mingyu, please be casual with me. No formality needed," he said to you and gave you a reassuring smile. Deep inside, he was the one who needed reassurance here, as his heart pounded like crazy.

"We're here today to shoot a beautiful portrait and video for our release. Be careful not to hurt yourself, let's work together for us," the director gave a brief direction before the photoshoot started.

Mingyu took beautiful pictures of you and Jihan. He stood behind the camera as they shot a video of you talking about Jihan, clearing up the misunderstandings.

"Jihan was almost three years old when I adopted her. I used to volunteer at the foster home when I met her, and she was so little. I found out that she's suffering from a physical disability due to harmful substances during her pregnancy."

"There's a long process in adopting her. I had to run a few tests to make sure I was an appropriate adopter, and I was so grateful that it didn't take longer time for me to finally have her."

"I actually didn't want to break this news, but the news broke itself, right? I just want to say that there's nothing wrong with having a kid, whether you're married or not. Everyone has a reason. Doing this interview is also hard for me, but I want to encourage all parents, single parents out there, that having a kid is not a sin but a blessing. And I'm very blessed to have Jihan."

Mingyu smiled as he saw Jihan, who was sitting behind you, playing with Legos. She now approached you to show you her Lego creation. "That's amazing, baby." His heart melted once he heard you compliment your daughter, completely distracted from the shoot and focusing on Jihan, which spoke volumes about your personality.

Maybe Mingyu's weaknesses boil down to three things: witty women, graceful women, and you.

He'll start by making a move toward Jihan. She mentioned his height earlier, expressing a desire to be held by him. He's all in! If Jihan wants to call him "dad" immediately, he's a goner.

He's definitely going to ask you out after this.

[da-rulah]

Hello, love! May I request either a headcanon or drabble prompt for Mary Goore? I was thinking BDSM activities between him and his s/o 😈🔥

Hello. I apologise, I know this was requested back in April (what the FUCK how is it now July?!) but I've had a very busy few months and been focussing on getting back into the swing of writing full one shots and chapters for They Mayor's Daughter. But here we are, and I'm ready to talk about Mary Goore and BDSM.

18+ ONLY, MDNI.

All acts are consensual.

You already know this guy is a total freak in the bedroom, and learning of his BDSM kinks was no shock to you

What did shock you, however, what knowing that he enjoyed being both the dom and the sub. He liked the ol' switcheroo.

As a dom, frankly he's sick. He likes you sloppy, messy, begging for him.

Depending on his mood, he might tie you up. Depends if he wants you to put up a fight or not...

He likes ropes, but chains? He does love a chain. Feels more... secure.

He likes pain, and lucky for him, so do you. But he likes to use his hands - anything from spanking, to pinching, to scratching and beyond.

Obviously, blood turns him on. Fake or not. But he always checks in before he goes that far.

You can call him anything, but not Mary. He'll take sir, daddy, master. Fuck it, call him 'm'lord' if you want, just know your place.

He brings the most delectable dirty talk. Pure filth that has you blushing and squirming in your restraints.

This motherfucker is a tease, and is constantly ruining your orgasms.

He'll have you begging in tears, sobbing but not once have you ever used your safe word.

Most importantly, you feel safe with Mary. You trust him, and know that you can completely submit to him and enjoy every second of it.

As a sub? This man is needy.

A whiney, whimpery lil' baby. That only turns you on more.

Not a lot is off limits. What kind of dom would he be if he couldn't take it too, huh?

His favourite thing is being forced to cum untouched. Wind him up enough, and he'll shoot his load without the need to stimulate his cock.

But don't get him wrong, he loves to come untouched via prostate milking too. Whether you rim him, finger him or peg him, he'll willingly submit to it.

Again, he likes restraints. Something about feeling powerless to you and completely at your mercy is such a turn on.

Pain, but tenfold. He takes a lot more pain from you than he gives you, because he begs for it.

He loves to be degraded, whether you're calling him a degenerate piece of shit or stepping on his cock, he doesn't care.

You like to play a fun game with him - how many times can you make Mary cum in one session? Your record was 4, and by the last time he simply couldn't get hard anymore, cumming from prostate stimulation alone from a limp dick. He'd whined and whimpered so prettily that night.

[invisiblequeen]

Didn't even know this existed until one of my faves posted...

@pamsimmerstories : I've been obsessed with their landgraab gen 2 story since i stumbled upon it a couple of months ago. I'm constantly checking for updates and the one day I don't is when they upload a whole handful of posts! But I've been with them since this one couple I won't name was in teenager mode, and now that couple has three darn kids and one of them is already in child mode. I'm not ready to see time move on! I'm not ready to see their parents meet the grim reaper! I've gotten too attached!

@samssims : Yes, my contestant for the Mildred BC didn't stay long, but I love the concept of a Challenge like this for an elder sim who used to be a star back in the day looking for love after two divorces. I'm eager to see who wins!

@lindyloosims : Let's just say I'm lovestruck over luka, his personality, his rosy cheeks, his quirks and his interactions with the contestants here to win his heart. Lindyloo is great with the dialogue and narration--it keeps me engaged as hell. Also her simself is the host of the BC and I just love that detail!

@saruin : One of the first cc creators I found when i discovered cc at all. Her creativity knows no bounds, and the presets she's created have helped expand my own creativity when it comes to making sims. More often than not you'll find at least one thing of hers in any post I make. Hell, she made a set of teeth with color swatches for the TONGUE. How can I not "stan?"

@cinamun : Things Fall Apart, but not my commitment to this woman's story. I wasn't there when it first started all those years ago, but dammit, i'm here now (since dira's graduation arc) and i'm not going anywhere. From the dialogue, to the characters, to the style of shots themselves, she literally has me in a chokehold. And she's the one who was wheezing and screaming over Kendrick performing Not Like Us fifty times on Juneteenth! If that doesn't cement her as an icon IDK what does! (ironic that hers was the first tumblr faves post I saw that led to my own lol)

@cawthorntales : You all know I live for BC challenges. This man right here never, ever, EVER stops delivering on those. EVER. He always has an established storyline for the character he provides us to make a sim for, as well as a funny dialogue between said sim and the "cameraman" to start it off. I need for more people to know who he is so we can get MORE contestant for his challenges so I can witness MORE of my sims in his gameplay!!!

@akitasimblr : Found her during the Dreadful BC Challenge and haven't looked back since. She is VERY serious about this gameplay BC Challenge business. She gives you CLIPS formatted as live streams with "chat" on the side reacting to what they see. She has a leaderboard with a system to rank all contestants on friendship and romance and etc. And she's currently doing a crossover of the bachelor and SURVIVOR! go check it out!

@novapark : This one right here is a COZY Bachelor Challenge gameplay. Their shots are so deliciously saturated and warmly lit that it makes me wanna get a cup of tea and a snuggie to watch it. I like the style of a narrator popping in to watch all the ways Izan (the bachelor) wins and fails with his contestants (sims are so weird when it comes to their mood switch-ups i swear). And yours truly has a sim in there, too, so that's an added benefit for me, but just off the way they shot this challenge I'd still be checking it out regardless!

@jayveesim : You. YOUUUUUUUUUU. You have ruined me. You have ensared me. You have cost me my former life before I knew of your gameplay. You and that DAMNED BLAKE PARSONS! You've snatched my wig. You've dragged me across the floor by my eyelashes. You've scorched my edges! I have rarely been so fired up and passionate about a pixel baby the way I have been about YOURS and their DECISIONS! I won't even try to explain it to y'all, you gotta go check it out yourselves, and then we can scream about it together in this evil genius's comment section! LMFAO

This is a great chance for us all to big up fellow simblrs, so I hope to see more of these posts!

[tihgnari]

ꕤ 43. something more valuable

tw: sorta? kidnapping, violence / wc: 1k

you're currently sitting on the softest sofa known to man, staring back and forth as ayaka takes matters into her own hands. you weren't in the best of moods after getting shot down by aoki while trying to convince her to text ayato; she was so stubborn it felt like you were talking to a damn wall. 

"think of it this way," ayaka says, looking at a cross-armed aoki straight in the eye as they paced back and forth in the middle of the suite's living room. "you ask ayato where he is, he responds, then we go meet him, yn and him make up, and voila! no more wedding! happy ever after for everybody! doesn't that sound amazing?"

your eyebrows raise when you see the cogs working in aoki's brain.

ayaka sends you a tiny non-verbal message, and you immediately catch on. "right! if you ask him for us now, ayaka herself will guarantee ayato will no longer be your problem. i think that's a win-win situation right there."

aoki sighs. "...fine. i'll go ask him."

—

the hotel he's checked in may not be as fancy as the principe, but when he's too busy running away from a loveless marriage forced onto him, even a shabby inn can feel a hundred times better than the five star hotel his grandfather had arranged for them. 

"this hotel's kinda good, too, don't you think?" you whisper at ayaka inside the elevator, but there were too many people crammed into the cart for you to see her expression in the elevator's mirrored walls. 

"the carpets look unmaintained and the plants at the lobby are plastic but sure, the hotel's a-okay—ouch!" 

you pinch her side, panicked, before looking around if an employee might've overheard your conversation. 

"yn, i'm telling the truth," ayaka defends herself. "we just walked in, asked if an ayato kamisato had checked in in this establishment, they said yes and even gave us his door number. how is this safe? what if we were debt collectors or… or a gang looking for him? like—come on, is customer privacy not a thing here?"

ding!

"alright, this is our floor," you mutter, pulling a still complaining ayaka's wrist through the throng of people. you can still hear her talking as you walk down the hallway, silently chanting the door number of ayato's room as you pass by. 

502… 503… 504… there! 505!

only when you raised your fist to knock on the mahogany door did you realize there's a slight tremble in your hand. for a split second, you froze, the reality of the situation and what you're about to do and who you're about to face suddenly becomes too real and too overwhelming for you. 

"hey." 

ayaka gently squeezes your shoulder. 

"i know my brother, and i know he'll forgive you."

"thank you."

you knock. three times. your heart rate spikes when you hear movement on the other side of the door. heavy footfalls on the carpet, striding closer to the door. you see the door knob turn, practically hearing the mechanism inside turning into place as the door swings open and—

"girls, i've been expecting."

"wait, what? grandpa?!"

that was the only thing you heard, until a heavy object came in contact with the back of your head, successfully knocking you out cold. 

—

when you come to be, your head's still aching and you just want to go right back ahead to sleep, but the two people screaming didn't let that happen. the room seems to be barren and incredibly small. even in your half-conscious state, you've registered this fact solely for how loud their voices jumped within the small room. 

"what is the meaning of this, grandpa?! order them to untie me right this instant! i'm your granddaughter for god's sake!"

ayaka seems to have already grasped the full length of the situation you both were in. not that you were surprised. 

you were slowly but surely coming to, but the room has yet to notice. 

"i can't believe you just hit my best friend with a metal bat, you asshole! you're going to pay for that!" ayaka hisses at the person standing on her side. she recognizes his face. a guard his grandfather had since before she even came to be in this world. 

"i don't see any fault in my actions. she may be your friend as you so claim but to me? she's a lowly scum who managed to seduce my grandson and turn him away from me. ayato had always understood his duty of marrying for the sake of the family business—for my sake."

ayaka used to adore her grandfather as she never had a proper father figure in her entire life. but only now is she seeing the ugly truths her childlike mind had been too ignorant to miss. 

"what grandfather even makes—"

"i can't possibly fathom what this woman has that made ayato threaten his mother saying he'll renounce his inheritance! to make him want to leave behind everything i've built for this family! such selfishness should not be tolerated!"

"that's because he found something more valuable!"

you flinched at the resounding slap you heard. 

it was a split-second action. something that a normal person could've missed if he was too preoccupied with something else — but nothing slips past the current head of the kamisato family. 

"i see you're awake," he says, addressing you. "good. both of you should hear what i'm about to say next." 

their grandfather straightens his robes, adjusting the grip he has on his sterling-silver walking cane topped with an extravagant, swarovski-studded japanese camellia — the kamisato family crest. 

"i'm done tolerating your tricks, ayaka, may this punishment straighten your priorities and remind you that nothing is more important nor valuable than family. ayato and aoki are to be wed, and not one of you is to spoil those plans. you both will remain here, inside this room, locked away with no communication to the outside world at least until the ceremony is over. i'd hate to do this, but you girls left me with no choice."

he turns to leave and ayaka screams at the top of her lungs. 

"mom will never forgive you for doing this to me!"

her grandfather stops, standing at the frame of the door. 

"no, child. it's your mother that should ask for my forgiveness for raising such an insolent child like you."

LOWKEY » previous : masterlist : next

a kamisato ayato social media au

summary — it was only recently you found out kamisato ayaka was, in fact, not an only child after all! seeing ayato for the first time gave you the severest case of the butterflies but according to ayaka, he’s off limits, especially to you as her most treasured friend. well, what she doesn’t know won’t hurt, right?

notes — yay chapter bc im in a good mood cuz i won my 50/50 hehe pray i get his cons and signature weap after i offer scara all my savings lmao

🏷 i. @rinrinchin @nejibot @mich-cola @viiolettee @katsumikumo @kaz3yo @starryeyedkoko @xingqiusliegee @selenshinitai @boxdisappeared @lovelyycherries @ferumie @love6cks @kiyowoir @luvvmeilin @blackberri-jelli @moonlightbqe @kazooms @tricethecharm @lynnforever @kaedear @xiaoisahawtie @crowbird @apotatouwu @xinii @euryrue @aequha​@nuttytani @plinkuro @choco-rei @aixaingela @milesluvrrad @windasteriaa @cherrytomato2 @zannivrs @k4miyato @eishtar @wccycc @ceylestia @sweet-almonds @ayatobro @animewolflover278 @queenaveryrules @veyu002 @ukinya @ventis-dandelion @adeptusx @x-xxiaos @loveyoutothestars @ssalamanderr

[scary-event2369]

Yandere CEO (One-Shot)

This one takes just a bit longer to get to the spicy scenes, but you get to see him in a more “dere” form before the “yan”. Word Count: 2560

Warning: Not proof read, very shitty writing ahead. (wrote this in one sitting again)

Content: Fem Body Reader (No gendered/pronouns used), age-gap (yan is 36 reader is 24), public sex, dub-con, minor hair pulling, breeding mention at the end, the yan is just a tiny bit aggressive

—

“Let me take you out for dinner,” my boss said, leaning on my desk looking down at me. His casually rolled up sleeves revealed well-defined, muscular arms. I greedily looked at them, trying not to be too obvious. Prying my eyes from his arms and my work, I looked up at him. His beautiful dark brown eyes met mine. The CEO, Daniel Li,  was the head of the largest security and protection company. He was extremely rich and extremely good looking. With his tall stature, sun-kissed complexion, an enchanting, pearly-white smile, and full lips, he exuded charisma. He was twelve years older than me, but it didn’t show in the slightest. He had that mature older look to him, but to think he was thirty-six years old was off to say the least.

“Why? What’s the special occasion?” I asked him slightly confused. I was trying to think if I missed any big sales he did, but nothing was coming to mind. “It’s been one year since you’ve became my secretary,” He said, still looking at me with those dark chocolate eyes of his. “We must celebrate.”

“Has it really been a year?” I asked him, a little bit amazed by how quickly time passed. “It feels like just yesterday you showed me my office,” I laughed a bit.

His gaze softened a bit as he kept looking at me, “Yes, already a year,” he said gently. “Please let me treat you to dinner.” I thought about it for a second. I really had nothing to do at afterwork, and I wasn’t in the mood to cook anything… 

"Sure, why not? I'm up for it," I replied. His eyes brightened, and he said, "Fantastic! I'll pick you up at seven. Make sure to dress fancy.” Dress fancy? Was working here for a year really that much of a special occasion? I thought. However, I kept this to myself and simply nodded, glancing at the clock. It was nearly five o'clock, almost time for me to sign out. “That sounds good,” I told him as I began to gather my things, “Are you going to tell me the restaurant or will this be one of your many secrets?” I joked He let out a deep chuckle, “You know me so well! It will be a secret for now, but trust me you’ll enjoy it.”

—

We arrived at the restaurant,and describing it as fancy would be the understatement of the century. It was easily the most elegant, posh looking place in town. I did as he said and chose the fanciest outfit I had, but I still felt underdressed. "Mr. Li," I uttered, my eyes widening as I took in the breathtaking building. "I know I said it was okay that you’re taking me out for dinner, but this place is just too… extravagant." Turning towards him, I realized that he was already fixed on me. His attire, usually professional, had been elevated to a whole new level. “Trust me my little assistant, you deserve this,” he said, parking the car. He quickly got out and went over to open the door for me, offering his hand. "You're truly the best assistant I've ever had, and it's only right to treat you to something extraordinary."

I sighed, knowing that once he set his mind to something, he was set. "Alright... but don't let this become a habit. I might get spoiled," I quipped, accepting his hand as I stepped out of his sleek black Aston Martin.

He gently squeezed my hand as he guided me toward the entrance. I could have sworn I heard him murmur, "I want to spoil you," but I might have been mistaken.

Then again, maybe I wasn't wrong at all.

The moment we stepped inside, I was completely overwhelmed. I’ve been to fancy restaurants for business purposes but this was a whole different level.  I wasn’t even listening to her as I was just so caught up by the interior before me.

Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting prismatic light across the room. Soft yet elegant classical music was playing throughout the building, it was mixed with the soft hum of conversations. The carpet beneath our feet exuded a deep, almost regal shade of blue, complementing the chairs that appeared to be very comfortable.

"Are you alright?" Daniel's concerned voice pulled me from my entranced state. I hadn't even noticed the hostess gesturing towards our table. My cheeks flushed as I replied, "Yes! I'm sorry."

His laughter accompanied us as we followed her to our table. Only when we were seated did I realize that we were still holding hands. I quickly let go. “I can’t be holding hands with my boss!  This is strictly professional!” I screamed at myself internally.

Daniel's expression dropped, his eyes revealing a hint of disappointment the moment our hands stopped touching. However, the hostess, who presented us with menus, diverted our attention.

“What do you think you’re going to get?” He asked, his disappointed look gone as he was going through the menu. It was hard, everything seemed so good it was seemingly impossible. “I don’t know, there are so many good choices,” I said, analyzing every single item listed. I glanced at the price tag and felt my heart drop out of my ass. “Everything here is so expensive! I really would feel bad if you paid it all.” He chuckled, his response laced with warmth and sincerity. "Don't worry about the price. I'll gladly treat you to whatever you want."

I was about to protest when our waiter approached. He appeared to be of a similar age to me and had a charming, welcoming smile. "Hello. I'm Zach. I'll be your waiter for this evening. May I start you off with any drinks?" I returned his smile, saying, "I'll just have water, thank you." Zach jotted it down and then turned his attention to Daniel, as did I. His blissful looking attitude was long gone, he had that cold and somewhat annoyed look as he glared at the waiter. “Water,” he said coldly. The waiter nodded, casting a wary glance in my direction, likely due to Mr. Li's intense stare. "I'll be back with your waters shortly," he said before walking off quickly.

I turned my attention to my boss who had a displeased look on his face, “Are you alright?” I asked him, my voice laced with concern. This seemed to be enough because  his face brightened up again. “Yes! I am fine, my little assistant.” I chuckled softly at his sudden change of mood, “That’s good! I thought I did something to displease you.” He quickly shook his head, “No! You could never do anything to displease me,” he said swiftly, yet sincerely.

Playfully rolling my eyes, I returned to looking at the menu. "Yeah, sure." Mr. Li chuckled, his eyes still fixed on me. "I really mean it. You're the most perfect person I've ever met. You're the only one who's ever met my standards." His compliment made my cheeks flush even more. "I-uh, well, thank you, sir." He was still smiling at me, “You can just call me-” Before he could finish his sentence, the waiter returned with our drinks, and my boss's mood soured instantly. “Here you guys go. Are you ready to order?” He asked, looking between us again. "I'll have the Steak au Poivre, medium rare," Mr. Li replied with an almost eager tone, as if wishing the waiter away. “Oh! I’ll have that also,” I told the waiter as I handed him my menu. He smiled at me and our hands brushed as he collected the menus. "That's a great choice; you'll love it," he said, still gazing at me as he walked away. I turned to Daniel, who appeared even more pissed than before. "He seems nice," I mentioned, taking a sip of water. This darkened his expression further. "Do you like him?" he asked, his voice low and threatening. Confusion overcame me as I met his intense gaze. "Uh, I guess so? He seems like a good waiter," I responded hesitantly. This was clearly not a good answer because, suddenly, he took my hand and basically dragged me to the male’s bathroom.

He quickly brought me into a stall, trapping me between the door and him with his big arms. He was glaring at me, his breathing heavy. “S-Sir?” I stammer out confused. He quickly shut me up by pressing his lips against mine in a  deep aggressive manner. He nipped at my bottom lip, causing me to let out a surprised yelp. This made it the perfect time for him to push his tongue in my mouth, wrapping it against mine. I groaned at the sensation, only then did he pull away, our swollen lips and the trail of saliva connecting our lips being the only thing. I was going to say something before he grabbed my cheeks, squishing them. “You’re good at riling me up,” he said, his tone deep and smokey. His breath was rigged as he peered deeply into my eyes, “The way you looked and talked at that guy… it seems you want to make me jealous.” I was confused, riling him up? “Sir, I don’t know-” he cut me off by connecting our lips again in another long and possessive kiss. My hands went to his chest clutching his jacket as he continued the kiss. I didn’t know if I wanted to pull him closer or push him away. After a moment or two he pulled away again. “You’re pretty eyes should only look at me. I must be the only one who you pay attention to,” his voice was still dark and stern.

He let go of my cheeks, trailing his hands down my sides. I shiver at his gentle yet aggressive touch. He bent down, pushing his face deep into my neck. “You’re intoxicating,” he murmured as he started to kiss my neck. “Sir, I don’t think-” he bit my neck causing me to stop and let out a small yelp. “Don’t call me sir,” he demanded, his voice was commanding “Say my name… call me Daniel,” he continued to pepper my neck with kisses and nibbles. My hands went from his chest to his dark hair, running my hands through it, completely messing up the put together look he had. “Daniel,” I whispered out, trying to hold back the moans. I felt him smirk against my neck as he pulled back, turning me around. “Put your hands on the door,” he commanded. I did just that and lifted up my dress, pushing my panties aside. “Good job,” he whispered in my ear, his hand gently caressing my ass before gently going up and down my soaking folds. “You’re so wet, just from my kisses?” he laughed momentarily. He then paused for a moment before he smacked my ass hard, causing me to whimper and my knees to weaken momentarily. “Unless it’s from that waiter… Did he make you this wet from a smile?” His tone filled with anger and jealousy. I shook my head, “N-no of course not,” I said breathlessly. He grabbed a handful of my hair as he inserted two digits into my greedy hole. “Better not be, because this body, this pussy is mine,” his tone was aggressive as he started to move his fingers hard. My knees weakened more as I let out loud moans. The empty bathroom filled with the noises coming from both lips. It echoed making the whole thing more embarrassing, yet exciting. “I can't take it anymore,” he growled as he took his fingers out of me, to unzip his pants. His shaft was twitching, rubbing against my entrance. “D-Daniel wait,” I whimpered, we needed to think about this! He was my boss and I was his secretary. This would never work. He didn’t care though, he shoved his manhood inside me. I let out a long and loud moan, he let out a couple grunts as well. “Shit, you’re tighter than I expected.” He gave me a moment to adjust to his size before he started moving.

He started off as slow, warming me up to the sensation of him being deep inside me, however it didn’t take him long to be ramming into me, hitting places I didn’t think was possible. I was moaning loudly from the pleasure, “What if someone comes in?” I managed to ask between the pleasure I was feeling. He laughed as his hands were on my hips, holding me in place as he thrusted over and over again. “If someone came in and saw you like this, I would strangle them with my bare hands.’ He kissed the back of my shoulder, “Only I'm allowed to see you like this.” I blushed, it was a bit scary since I knew he meant it, yet it turned me on more. “You clenched around me more when I said that!” he laughed between groans as he sunk his cock deeper into me. The force he was going at his balls smacked against my sensitive clit causing me to whimper and moan more. It didn’t help he kept pleasuring my g-spot, it was obvious he was skilled in what he was doing.

The force at what we were doing caused the stall door to open, luckily he was holding me so I didn’t fall. Instead of closing the door and continuing, he brought me to the sink. I put my hands on the cold porcelain. “What are you doing?” I moaned out as he started to pick up the pace. “Look in the mirror,” he demanded. I shook my head, too embarrassed to do so. He grabbed a chunk of my hair, forcing me to look in the mirror. “Look at yourself as I fuck you.” The expression I held was one of pure pleasure, my eyes were droopy, and my lips were parted open. He smiled as he could tell I made eye contact with myself, “You’re so fucking hot.” I closed my eyes as I felt the pressure building up, I wouldn’t be able to take much more. Daniel let go of my hair to grab my cheeks again, forcing my head up and my eyes open to look in the mirror once more. This time I got to look at his face, he was smiling, it was clear he was feeling just as good as I was. “Come on, look in the mirror as you come over my dick,” he growled, kissing my cheek. I moaned as I looked in the mirror, finally releasing all over his cock causing my knees to buckle and lean onto the counter more. My walls pulsated around him, causing him to come soon also. The thick white liquid reached me deeply. It seemed like he didn’t want to pull out. “You would look so pretty swollen with my kid,” he muttered as he slowly pulled himself out, kissing the back of my head. He fixed my panties before the mixture of our juices could leak out onto the floor. I was still panting as I looked in the mirror once more, meeting his gaze. He smiled at me, clearly happy and not in a mood like before. “Let’s go, we don’t want our dinner to get cold.” 

[cthulhusstepmom]

It's dark in the cellar, has been since they were tossed down here however many days ago. Hard to tell time without regular meals. Completely windowless, there's no place to spend his usual half hour basking under the sun. It had been a matter of hours before his coldblooded body had started to slow in the cool subterranean temperatures. He'd tried to keep it to himself, deal with it quietly, but there's no way to hide it from Gid, steadfast loyal Gid. Kremy had found his sluggish form gathered unceremoniously close to the living furnace that is his right hand man.

The heat may have stabilized his body temperature but it would do nothing to improve his mood(well maybe just a little bit it's hard to be too miserable when you're so nice and warm no matter the dire circumstances). Gideon took care of light well enough too, illuminating a circle around them with dancing warm firelight, though that was extinguished as soon as Kremy saw it start to waver and flicker, can't allow his partner in crime to burn himself out now can he? And so they sit in an almost peaceful silence, have done for who knows how long.

"Y'know it's not the worst bind we've gotten ourselves into. The gang will be along soon enough to bust down the door." Gid pauses in thought. "Probably not Twigsy. Or Frosty. Or Gricko unless he's a beasty. Probably down to Torbek to do the door busting come to think of it."

Kremy grunts noncommittally.

"Ah don't be like that, can't be worse than the time we had to climb out of the window of that inn."

"The snake oil heist on the western bank?"

"Nah the one with the innkeepers daughter, Felicity? Franny?"

He remembers that particular scrap well, if only because of the god awful wig.

"Felicia. How that veil covered my snout I will never rightly know."

Gideon snorts.

"Oh yeah. Sure would've been nice to know Gricko was an ordained minister before hand but it's not the first time we've been married."

Kremy hums. "Can't say it's the worst contract I've signed."

The warm body next to him rolls with deep, hearty laughter. The room goes silent for another spell before Kremy sighs.

"I dunno Gid, you ever get the feeling that we've taken it too far? Finally poked the bear that's gonna rip our throats out?"

"Nah man, I know you'll get us out of anything 'fore it gets too serious. Even if we end up knee deep in Fae tomfoolery. And I'll punch any bear that tries to bite us square in the body till it dies, no problemo." He pauses. "I trust you Kremy Lecroux."

That knocks the speech right off of his tongue.

Trust.

On a conceptual level he got that there was some form of reliance between the two of them, and sure some trust if you had to put a non-ironic label on it. He knows that Gideon cares for him, has stated it on many occasions in many different ways. And if you had to be so crass as to put it into words, of course he cares for Gid too, wouldn't have bothered keeping him around this long if he hadn't(lord knows the food bill would be enough to sway his opinion if he wasn't entirely too attached by now).

But trust?

Trusting Kremy Lecroux is a bad idea on any number of levels. He's a cheat by profession and a liar by lifestyle. Hell he's sold the souls of those around him in exchange for power more than once. There's nothing worth trusting in him, he's a coldblooded criminal and he's never gonna change, not for anybody. And here Gid is announcing it with his full chest. It's one of those things that's so endearing about him, he never holds back; Gideon Coal has never made a promise he doesn't fully mean. But since he's a man of contracts and business dealings he at least wants to give him a fair shot, a head start, a warning to keep that fiery heart close.

"You sure about that Gid? Those kinds of words have a power to em you know that."

"100% man, I'll follow you to the end of the world."

Kremy struggles to get air into his lungs, it takes a minute, two. When he finally gets enough to speak, it's frustrated and tinged with melancholy.

"Well I'll gladly let you do just that, if we ever get out of this fucking place."

"Hey." Kremy offers no response. "C'mon man don't be that way, the crew are all out there figuring their way in as we speak, fact I can smell the Torbek already."

He says nothing.

"I know what'll cheer you up."

A large, warm hand cups the bottom of his snout, gently directing his face up and to the side. Before he can think to protest, his eyes are drawn to the sudden lick of flame dancing on the tip of Gideon's finger. Not unlike when he lights cigarettes for him, except now he's pressing the pad of the digit to a small twig from the rocky floor until it smolders dully. Blowing on it, Gideon brings the small stick towards his face. It's warm but not uncomfortably so (he'd never had a doubt in his mind that Gid would hurt him). Carefully, precisely, with hands steady from working on the delicate innards of machines he can't begin to comprehend, Gideon draws the ashen tip of the stick across his upper lip in two swooping lines.

"There you already look more like yourself!" He proclaims proudly.

And god if he can't help the smile that breaks across his face.

"You're a crazy son of a bitch Gideon Coal, you know that?"

"Been told once or twice." he chuckles.

[keepyourpantsongohan]

Ayesha Liveblogs Spy x Family S2

Awww, I like that Bond Forger the Dog also gets an intro about HIS secret identity. Equal opportunity deceit

Are we finally going to learn who exacty Yor is fighting? I would like to know!

Been there Anya, I also had little patience for watching the news as as a kid. Though, it seems more important in a pre-internet era

"Okay, you can change the channel." Loid Forger, International Spy, defeated by one (1) sad look from his little daughter

"I absolutely cannot tell him that I got shot in the butt while fighting a group of armed men." 10/10 episode plot, I cannot wait

"I've been relying on her too much without realizing it, and it's upset her. Yes, that must be it! I must do everything in my power to remedy this at once!" Loid immediately blaming Yor's mood on himself and deciding he has to be respond by being a better husband!!! I will keep saying it. He is THE Husband. World's Most Husband

"Why don't we go on a date?" HEE HEE

Puzzling that Yor thinks she hasn't been on a date though, when I can think of at least three dates so far (party-grenade-proposal date, lunch date, and drinks-and-reassurance date)

"I can't leave Anya alone at home, and this is a very important mission to ensure that we remain one happy family." It seems Loid has learned from the spy transmission debacle

"Last night, I came up with 862 date plans to ensure that Yor has fun." He's insane. I want to give him a leetle kiss

HAHAHAHA Franky being absolutely thrilled to bother Loid and Yor on their date. What a friendship 💕

Intriguing that Anya's telepathy has a distance limit. Tell me more!

Honestly, Yor having to position herself in a specific way to avoid pain is relatable. We love a chronic pain queen

"This woman had built up an immunity to poisons." HAHAHAHAHA the poison fixing Yor's pain. Sometimes, drinking does solve your problems!

LMAOOOO them censoring the bomb components. A real "don't try this at home" moment

NOT THE BABY MAKING THE BOMB. ANYA PLEASE

"I'm going to forget all this and live a normal life." Perfect. Forgers reforming their enemies left and right

"If it's not too much trouble, please invite me out again sometime." Never let being married stand in the way of your husband becoming your boyfriend 🥰

SCREAM at Bond's perception of what Loid does for work. I guess he's closer to the truth than most:

"Are you trying to do this for your... no. Are you trying to get revenge for your friends who were experimented on?" HAHAHA is Loid blushing because he wants to call himself his dog's dad?

FBKFJHFFHKJHF Loid taking on Bond as his mission back-up. He truly can be swayed so easily

WHERE DID LOID GET A DOG-SIZED SKI MASK AHHAHAHA

I love the giant puppy spy sidekick, employ this dog ASAP

"While they're busy playing, I'm going to work hard to get to the top," said Damian Desmond, Six Years Old, for whom The Top was beating all the other little bougie first graders

"Your friendship... preciously elegant." Me whenever I finish hanging out with my friends

I love that Henderson-sensei sends the kids out on a picnic as a punishment. He really is as silly as he is strict

I don't know if this is a vegetarian thing or a cultural thing but it always seems wild to me how people in anime bite into fish, scales and all

"Did you know that the most recent studies in neuroscience suggest that your brain feels really revitalized when you're spacing out?" I like Mr. Green, Grizzled Navy Custodian, too

HAHA Damian trying his hardest to space out. Me when people tell me to practice mindfulness

"Oh, you don't [have a goal], eh? That's perfectly fine!" "Actually, I want to live my life eating lots of snacks." "Splendid! You'll have to think earnestly about how to make that possible." I take it back, I LOVE MR. GREEN

Ready to sob about this field trip actually. AHHHHHHH:

"Good evening, Mr. Vile Trash." ACAB; All Cops are (Weird) Brothers

"What's so wrong about trying to improve the country my family lives in?" Nothing but the hostile, paternalistic nationalism of a Cold War, Frank Perkin, Newspaper Sensationalist and Adult Bully of Wealthy Children

"I'll request that your father gets some financial aid to get by." I feel like that will not make up for imprisoning his son, Yuri, but whatever helps you sleep

"Blech." That's also how I feel about Weird Brother Yuri, Anya

"Revenge will only make you sadder. I'll make you forget about all that with my love." This is the plot of Naruto

Honestly, I was super sold on the Bondman Polycule when it was just him, his spy partner Agent M, and the enemy spy lady who had all linked arms together. I feel like this could work:

"How was anything he did gentlemanly?" Loid said: I'm a one-woman kind of spy

"Lord Damian, how could you possibly pick the joker there." "Shut up!' [Internally] She's so unfair... Damn it! I like to believe Loid might approve of Damian's crush purely because he is also willing to do whatever Anya wants if she makes one (1) sad face

Poor Anya. She's really most suited to using her street smarts

"Garden? The group of assassins who have been in this country for ages? They're basically urban legends, aren't they?" FINALLY we're finding out more about Yor's job!! They do in fact seem at cross purposes with the spies

[Loid already walking away] "He's such a heartless jerk." I bet you $5 he has already decided to help Franky LMAO

Update from 8 min later: Alright, I owe you $5, he didn't care

"Am I normal?! Oh, thank goodness!" said Yor excitedly, as if that were not a moderately suspicious response to being called normal

Excited for an ep with no double-barreled title. Plot progression!

I truly don't know where this falls on the spectrum of ways that anime will depict black and brown characters LMAO. Like Donovan Desmond, the Shopkeeper has an extremely haunting aura:

"You will be providing protection on this mission." Oooooh, change of pace!

"Is there actually any reason why I should continue my job as a killer?" A question every assassin should ask themselves, I think

"HQ may or may not be trying to cut back on our shady overtime practices." Incredible. I can't believe even the underground spy agency has PTO. I wonder who regulates spy labour law

"If not for this bodyguard job, the three of us could've enjoyed this vacation together." AWWW Yor loves her family so much

"You can say this is a gangster's destiny." [Reba voice] A single mom who works too hard, who loves her kid never stops!

"Papa! We need to hurry up and explore the ship before it sinks!" "It's not going to sink! Stop scaring everyone." The fact the staircase looks distinctly modelled after that one scene from Titanic really sells Anya's point

Loid incapable of framing having fun as anything but a mission ljggkjgj truly he might benefit from a Real Psychologist

"That family's just for camoflauge, right?" "Yes, you're right... Is... that true?" I love Yor slowly admitting that she loves her family for their own sake 💗

As Yor was declaring doing her best, I did worry briefly that someone was going to [redact] Olka. Other anime have been less kind to me than Spy x Family

I love Yor making another mum friend in Olka 💞 Gal pals

Finally saying suspicious things in public has a consequence!!

"It's been a while since we've had dinner without Mama." "Yeah, it's a bit lonely." Hee hee, Loid misses his wife

I love the immediate transformation in Yor's face as soon as Olka/Shaty says she didn't order room service

I don't have much to say but I am really entranced by the assassin vs. assassin + informant goings on!!

"I may not look it, but I'm a married woman, so I'll have to decline." Absolutely loving Yor quietly and efficiently beating these hitmen unconscious as she passes through the cruise ship

"Which is it?! Would normal parents buy their child something in this situation or not?!" Loid is incapable of making a decision without thinking about how it looks in relation to him being a spy. Anxiety king

[In Anya's mind] "Yor! You're an assasin who hates frogs? Let's get a divorce. The Forgers are done." Like father, like anxiety-ridden daughter

"I am a normal father. A good father," said Loid, which is frankly not usually something a good or normal father would say

"Papa, you're not excited at all." Loid defeated by one (1) six-year-old's piercingly accurate psychoanalysis

Loid is facing a true Psychological Battle: The Fitting Room

Anya Ultimate Wingman Award for convincing everyone her mum's battle is actually a circus act

Awwww, Zeb, Fake Husband to Olka, likes her. I hope this is a healthy experience in Yor seeing other fake couples work it out, but I do also think Zeb could mega-die

"As long we people continue to be people, conflict will never end." Alright, Director Doomsday, calm down

"What am I? What am I doing this for?" [B Eilish voice] What was I made foooooor?

"Does she hate me? Or is she just going through a rebellious phase?" Loid whenever one of the Forger girls looks upset: THIS MUST BE MY FAULT SOMEHOW

A hasty and confident NO to Assassin Sniff's whole vibes

We interrupt this program to think about how cute Loid and Anya are!! I love Loid entertaining Anya and also supporting her while he thinks she's missing Yor

"Nice, Mr. Husband!" Oh good, we love a bulletproof vest for Zeb!

Truly a wild juxtaposition of Forger Family Fireworks Night:

"This might be a bit late to ask, but would you consider just peacefully going home?" I love you, Compassionate Combat

I'm having a hard time believing all this will happen without Loid eventually noticing; the fireworks are long gone. I actually do hope Loid crashes her battle, Director Doomsday is out cold

"I'm doing this to support my family.... wait. I guess I am also doing this for money. But... no, I make enough to survive now. I'm hunting down bad guys for my country! For my country? Have I always been so righteous? What am I doing this for?" Poor Yor, this is like the worst possible time for an existential crisis

YOR AND LOID BOTH BEING MOTIVATED BY THEIR DESIRE FOR OTHERS TO LIVE A PEACEFUL LIFE 😭💘😭💘😭💘😭💘

[In Yor's flashback] "Be it for someone else, or for a specific reason, having to endure a merciless job... That's something to be very proud of." I'm sure Loid will acknowledge me. He'll forgive me. I like to think so too, Yor!!

Never mind to Loid helping Yor out, he is busy disarming a bomb threatening to sink them. This truly is the Titanic LMAO

LGLHGLGJHGLJHG Anya accidentally tripping the assassins so they shoot each other. Like mother, like daughter 💖

"You'll be able to enjoy the symphony of agonized screams and roars coming through the wiretaps on this ship." I can't wait for Loid to sink this guy with his own clock-bomb

Update from 30 seconds later: See? Self-owned and sunk

Awwwww Yor really does deserve the baby hug after the day she's had:

"I pray that, someday, you and your family will be able to find true peace." OLKAAAA

"I know it was an emergency, but I ended up casting my family aside again." Loid and Yor having the same crisis about whether to prioritize their family or their jobs 🥺🥺🥺

Loid's blush at Yor catching him skipping as he continues to skip over in her direction. Hee hee

"I hope peaceful days like this will continue forever." ME TOO, YOR!

Get you a mum who would secretly beat up sharks for you ❤️‍🩹

Setting aside how fun snorkeling is, absolutely terrible idea to go into the ocean with an open wound OMG

Loid carrying his whole family is the cutest thing I've ever seen, 10 bajilion/10zo; perfect:

[Internally] "You did a great job." Loid is in loooooove

"I can never tell if he's actually clever, or clumsy." Me either, Handler

Anya learning about the vacation disparity of rich kids LMAO

"If youre going to create a persona for yourself, you need to be strategic and commit." Not Loid turning this lie lecture into a spy lecture in his mind

"Lying is too much work, so I'll try not to do it anymore." Anya's entire set of adult role models do nothing but lie all the time, she really has no frame of reference for honesty

I do a little bit hate the Becky fantasizing about Loid thing, I have been Cardcaptor Sakura'd too much in life

NOT ANYA SELLING OUT HER MUM FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF BECKY BEING HER RICH SIX-YEAR-OLD STEPMUM OH MY GOD

I feel like they take a lot of liberties in translating "Loid-sama" as "my precious Loid" but hey, he is precious

"Yor's going to get the wrong idea, somehow." Loid has finally registered that this child is obsessed with him and he is only concerned for wife not thinking he's a freak. A good husband above all else

"I really don't understand the children of rich people." Me either, Loid

I need you to see Loid's face as Becky declares that this is his expression of love for Yor:

"Your heart is as vast as the sky, and you're stronger than the earth itself. You're the perfect lady." Correct, Becky! Yor is amazing

"I had some extra souvenirs left after handing them out to everyone else. Do you want them?" LMAO @ the implication being lost on Fiona that he doesn't even think of her enough to warrant her own souvenir

I will say, I really do resonate with the theme of the ep being Loid is Hot and Amazing to Everyone But No One Will Ever Measure Up to Yor in His Eyes

"Maybe you're too nice, and biting and barking don't really suit you." Everyone in the Forger family is too nice for their job, including Bond Forger, Precognitive Puppy

Awwww Bond trying to help out all the humans with his visions

LNKFHKFHKJFH Loid really just got reprimanded by his dog

"And he went into save [Daisy the puppy]? What an impressive dog!" I love the Spy Dad-Psychic Puppy tag-team ❤️

[Internally] "I am a cool-headed spy. I cannot let my emotions show." Loid remains deadpan through SO many things but his dog looking a little funny while wet is his limit. What a man!

"Don't push yourself too hard. There's someone waiting back home who would be sad if you died." 1) V sweet, dad first, hero second. And 2) This is the second time Loid has directly spoken to his life situation with a simultaneous thinly-veined dog metaphor

WAHHHHHHH Loid and Bond's heroics being acknowledged by Anya giving them little paper Stellas:

Yor immediately joining in and congratulating them for their hard work on their walk!!! I LOVE ONE (1) SPY X FAMILY 😭😭😭😭😭 IT'S A NICE SHOW

[zoeykallus]

Dearest Queen, a simple request from me

A Tech and his s/o fem one. So s/o is somewhat upset with Tech cause he’s too busy to notice that she has been VERY neglected by him and very single. Time.

So as somewhat payback to him, s/o has been very focused on her stuff (or whatever she’s doing currently) and has been very neglected Tech’s needs (Aka being horny) and the icing on the cake is when Tech caught s/o playing herself. Without him.

Aloha!

Tech... 👀

Unrelated AC: *clears throat,* I really want Tech! *Jumps out of window*

*Not proofread*

Tech x Fem!Reader One-Shot - Neglected

Warnings: SMUT/Strongly Suggestive/Angsty/Fluff/Sexual Content/Consensual Sex/PIV/Cunnilingus/Touch Starving/18+

_________________

Ko-Fi (If you feel like giving me some coffee)

Tech has been busy for several weeks now. There are some technical problems with the Marauder that require his full attention. No matter how much you ask him, he keeps pushing you off until another time, completely absorbed in his work. The problem with Tech is that he can be hyper-focused, so that he is oblivious to the circumstances, atmosphere and mood around him. He then finds himself in a tunnel where it's just him and his task. Slowly, you get tired of it. When Tech finally finishes his work, and he awakens from his tunnel vision, he feels it very clearly, it hits him like a sledgehammer. He is touch-starved, and very much so. The moment he finally finishes his work, the longing for your closeness rolls over him like a tidal wave. Hastily he goes to your cabin. The Marauder has now been upgraded and expanded, and there are several private cabins, in addition to the old bunks. You're sitting on the bed in the bunk you've shared for almost a year, reading something, when he comes in, a smile on his lips.

He sits down by you and wants to pull you into his arms, but you push him away, not even looking up from your reading material. "Not now, I'm reading," you grumble. Tech blinks. This is new. Until now, you've never rejected an advance from him, no matter when or of what nature it was. "Can't I just snuggle up to you while you read?" he asks cautiously. With a sigh, you get up sit down in a chair at your desk where he can't sit next to you and say, "No." Again Tech blinks, you still haven't looked at him. "You're mad at me," he states quietly. "You don't say" Tech sighs softly and says, "I've been a little busy the last-" Your hand flicks up, a silent gesture that interrupts him. He looks at you expectantly. Finally, you turn in your chair to look at him. But the expression on your face makes his guts tighten.

You are really angry, very much so, also disappointed and neglected. Very controlled, keeping your anger in check as best you can, you calmly say, "Eight weeks, Tech, it's been eight long weeks this time." Tech's eyes grow huge behind the lenses of his goggles. That was really long and he hadn't even really realized it. You continue, "We've talked about this several times, about your hyperfocus, about me not being able to take it. You promised me several times that you would work on not neglecting me for so long at a time." Tech nervously tugs at the sleeves of his Blacks peeking out from between the armor plates. "I'm sorry" he says meekly, "I didn't realize how much time had passed". You shrug and say, "I can't do this anymore. This doesn't feel like a relationship, Tech. I'm not a toy you can put in the closet and pull out and put away as the mood takes you" "Of course not!" says Tech, startled, "You know I don't see you that way." "Really? Do I? Right now, not so much," you say somewhat cynically.

Tech looks at you with his saddest puppy dog eyes and asks, "You're not planning on ending our relationship, are you?" With a sigh, you shake your head and say, "No. But I'll give you a taste of your own medicine. Let's see if you're more inclined to learn then." Tech frowns. "My... own medicine?" You cross your arms in front of your chest and nod. "So how does this work?" he asks cautiously. "No sex. No kissing. No cuddling. And for as long as I see fit." Tech swallows and tugs at his collar like it's suddenly way too tight. He clears his throat carefully and says, "I see, so no cuddling today." "Not tomorrow either," you say sternly, to which he flinches a tiny bit. You add, "I guess we'll start with you sleeping in your old bunk tonight." The look he gives you almost breaks your heart, it's hard for you to keep up appearances and remain steadfast. But you do it. With his eyes downcast and his shoulders slumped, both hands clutching his datapad as if he needs to hold onto it, Tech finally leaves your cabin.

After the first week he almost begs you on his knees to be allowed to sleep with you in the cabin again, at least to be allowed to be near you, in some way. Your heart is in your throat as you refuse, saying, "Tech, that was only a week, you've been doing this to me for eight weeks". Tech looks downright choked up as he says, "That was only a week.... Seven more weeks. I'm not going to survive this." You roll your eyes and close the door in his face. Behind the closed door, the mask falls away. You try to take a deep breath. You feel downright sick. You know how much you're tormenting him right now, but it's time he really understood what you go through every time he just focuses on work and you fade into the background. You don't want to go through this anymore.

Another night alone in your bed is dawning. In your sleep you are haunted by an erotic dream. You wake up with swollen clit, wet panties and an urgent desire. Your hand wanders under the fabric of your panties, deftly searching for the little swollen pearl, the bundle of nerves that demands your attention. A soft, moaned sigh leaves your lips as you stroke yourself, thinking of nothing but Tech's gently curving, thick cock. Suddenly, you hear a soft rustling sound and tear open your eyes. "Who's there?!" you ask into the darkness, your voice far too timid and frightened to be threatening. "It's just me," you hear Tech say softly, and you see his slender figure step out of the shadows. "I locked up! How did you get in here?" You turn on your bedside lamp and see him standing in the middle of the room. He's wearing only his goggles and his pajama pants, which are suspiciously bulging at the crotch. You suspect he was watching you when you touched yourself. The rustling must have been his hand reaching into his own pants. He stands there, ears and cheeks flushed. You caught him, and he's ashamed. For having crossed boundaries you drew and for not being in control.

"I couldn't resist. You know that a simple lock can't stop me." Your gaze still hangs on the bulge in his crotch, which Tech finally notices. With a smile, he says, "I see the hunger isn't leaving you untouched" "Well, it's been nine weeks for me Tech". "For me, too, in theory," he interjected. You shake your head, "You weren't even aware of the first eight weeks of deprivation, but I was." Tech's eyes light up, as they always do when he has an idea he himself is excited about. "Then let me do something good for you. You know how good I am with my tongue and fingers" The words, just the thought of it makes your clit pulsate and your pussy get even wetter. You are excited by the idea, but you don't quite want to admit it. In fact, you still want him to understand exactly what you're going through every time he pulls away from you. A small smile appears on his lips, he's already figured you out. Tech comes closer to the bed, carefully grabs your thighs, turns you around to face him and pulls you closer to the edge of the bed.

You don't resist, but you say softly, "I haven't agreed yet." His fingertips that have just gently grabbed your panties pause at this point. He looks at you expectantly. Tech slowly gets down on his knees in front of the bed in front of you, his fingers still just below the waistband of your panties. He tilts his head toward one of your thighs and kisses it gently. "Please, love, let me make up for what I've missed in the last few weeks". You blink, barely able to get a clear thought, you just want him to touch you, yet you say, "That wasn't just about sex, Tech". He nods, kisses your thigh again and says, "I know, I'll make it up to you, I promise" You look at him smiling and ask, "And you'll start by making me feel good?" Tech smiles back and nods in agreement, "I'd love to, if you'll let me" "Go ahead"

His fingers grip the fabric of your panties a little tighter and finally pull it down. The feeling of the fabric brushing over your skin, leaving your body, is almost like a release. You exhale deeply, and you feel tension escape your body, something else takes its place, heat. But the panties are not carelessly tossed aside, not by Tech. He places them very neatly on a chair near the bed, within his reach, before turning back to you. You watch this little gesture, again fascinated by how carefully he handles everything that has to do with you, even your wet panties. You know he loves you, these moments in which he more or less neglects you, they never happen out of malice. But you still wish he would learn to handle it better. His lips moving along your thigh, tender and slow, pull you out of your thoughts. He murmurs close to your skin, "Forgive me my darling". You have actually already forgiven him, but you just smile at him and say, "You are well on your way to forgiveness." He knows you love him, he knows it's part of your little game, he doesn't feel humiliated, quite the opposite, he feels invited.

His mouth comes closer to your expectant center. Tech is tender, sensual. A little flick with his tongue here, a little prod at your sensitive entrance. He's testing you, teasing you. "Tech, please," you whisper. He kisses your velvety folds and murmurs, "I know, I got you, honey." His deft tongue finds your pearl, circles it, applies pressure. The next moment his tongue dances so skillfully over your clit that your whole abdomen seems to vibrate, tense. At the same moment as your pussy contracts expectantly, first one, then a second finger slides carefully between your slick walls, while your clit continues to be massaged by his tongue. Your moan almost catches in your throat, your body reacts immediately, an intense pulse building in seconds. Your fingers partially claw into sheets and bedspread, clawing what they can get. Tech senses your reaction, increasing the pressure while his hard cock pulses impatiently. His hand grips one of your thighs, pushing it further to the side, his mouth getting wilder. You bite your tongue as you feel an excited cry brewing. He hears you moan, knows that he is on the right track.

His tongue becomes even faster, even more targeted. Techs fingers move gently pumping in your pussy. The intensity is almost unbearable. From one moment to the next, you teeter over the edge. Vibrating, pulsing, your orgasm rolls over you. Your thighs tremble, a deep moan comes from your throat. Release. He gently lets go of you. Kisses your thighs again. You breathe heavily, your heart races. Then a smile spreads on your lips. You know what's coming and spread your thighs even wider to welcome him. Tech looks at you, sees the smile on your lips, and a storm of emotion goes through his body. Affection, attraction, arousal, anticipation. He pulls his pajama bottoms down a bit, freeing his hard length. "Are you ready for me, my love?" Your smile widens. "Very," you say breathy. He brings his tip to your wet entrance, applying pressure. You can feel him parting your folds, slowly advancing inside you, stretching you. It's as overwhelming as ever. Very slowly he penetrates deeper and deeper, until he is completely immersed with his cock in your pussy.

Tech looks down to see him inside of you. A shaky breath leaves his lips before he grips your hips and slowly begins to move inside you. He pulls back and thrusts into you again, very gently at first, almost languidly, enjoying the sight. It feels good to merge with him, you've missed him, all of him. You are so happy and relieved to have him back, so overwhelmed that you almost have to pull yourself together a little. "I love you," he says rapturously, half whispering, hoarse with arousal, overwhelmed with relief and affection. "Show me," you whisper to him. You feel the tension in his body as he moves faster, his thrusts more determined, his cock sliding faster through your slick walls. His hands slide to the back of your knees to hold your legs apart. Tech watches in fascination as your fingertips seek out your once again pulsating clit and begin to play with it. He smiles because he knows you are enjoying yourself. You are so wet that his cock makes lewd noises with every movement in your pussy. He licks his lips, you can see that he is a little tense. You realize that he is also starved and yet he tries to hold out for you as long as he can.

With a smile, you tell him, "Love, let go." He blinks. "Are you sure?" You nod, "Quite sure. Cum inside me." His eyes grow wide for a moment, then he throws his head back, his thrusts quickening for a moment, a little harder. You're not there yet, and yet you're enjoying it, enjoying what he's feeling right now. You feel his fingers grip tighter, the tense trembling in his body. Tech moans, half-suppressed. You feel him pulsing inside you, cumming inside you. Your smile becomes a grin, satisfied, happy. He breathes heavily, slowly releasing your legs from his grip, stroking your naked body with shaky fingers. "Give me a few minutes, I want to make you happy a few more times tonight," he says determinedly.

@rintheemolion

@andyoufollowyourheart @clone-whore-99

@brynhildrmimi @kaliel2310

@misogirl828 @tech-deck

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@pb-jellybeans

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@sleepycreativewriter

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@1vlouds

[tfyoulookingatgiuxs]

Mama's Boy

Depressed!Eddie Munson x Fem!Reader

𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘: A very normal day at the Munson house. You were happy to visit your sweet boyfriend, too bad for you, he couldn't say the same thing. He wasn't in the mood and wanted to be alone. You had never seen him like this and that's why you had to ask Wayne for help.

𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒: Insicure!Eddie, Depressed!Eddie, Patient!Reader, blurb, fluff, hurt/confort, theme about alcohol addiction, theme about sigarettes, theme about drugs, past traumas, mommy issue, suicide, bad language, Eddie act like little child. (Whatever you now read about this one-shot is made up. Nothing I've written is canonical. Everything I have written is nothing that has been seen or confirmed in the Duffer Brothers' Stranger Things series!!!)

𝐀/𝐍: Sorry for my english, this is not my native languages. Please support new writers and reblog!Hope you enjoy! Anyway, if you shake your phone/tablet the daisies move :/ (DIVIDER NOT MINE)

It was a simple fall day in Hawkins. The streets were quiet and the days too, while the citizens were already preparing for the Halloween party that would take place in a few months.

Autumn was perhaps one of your favorite seasons and apparently also that of your metalhead boyfriend, Eddie Munson.

Today as expected, you got ready to go to his trailer. You were supposed to go out together to pick up a movie at Family Video and spend the afternoon like that. You were happy to see Eddie again after a long week due to your studies. You were finally free and no one could take that smile off your face. Or at least that's what you thought...

You knocked cheerfully on the door only to hear an "Coming!" from the other side. His voice was hoarse. It wasn't Eddie. In fact, Uncle Wayne opens the door for you. He gave you a warm smile and invited you in but after you stepped into the trailer his smile disappeared turning his face into a worried look. You wanted to know what was wrong, but you thought maybe it wasn't any of your business. Maybe it was personal stuff and you didn't want to intrude. So you looked around noticing that Eddie wasn't there. "Is Eddie home?" You put your arms behind your back waiting for a response from the adult as he headed towards the kitchen counter.

He nodded "Yes, he's in his room but..." He didn't continue his sentence, in fact he seemed to be looking for the right words. You got worried thinking something bad had happened but then Wayne spoke "If you want I'll call him but I'm warning you kid, he's not well" His tone was low and you could see the concern "What happened?" You asked while hoping that nothing serious had happened. Wayne sighed and then pulled a photo out of his left pocket and placed it on the counter for you as you walked over.

It was old and what's more it was also in black and white. In the photo you could see the panorama of a wonderful beach with two subjects present in the photograph: a woman and a child. Both had their backs turned as they looked at the sea or perhaps the sunset. The woman, even if you couldn't see her face, was definitely beautiful with comfortable clothes. The child's features appeared to be five or six years old. You were confused but let the man in front talk to you.

"Today my nephew and I cleaned out the closet," he began, continuing to talk "In one of the junk we found an old photo album with him and his mother" at that news I felt a great weight on your chest.

You knew that Eddie was without his parents and that he had lived most of his life with his Uncle Wayne, but he had never openly told you what had happened to them.

"After we settled everything, he took the photo album and locked himself in the room. I tried to talk to him, but he said he wanted to be alone" You didn't know exactly how to react. You wanted to know more but at the same time you wanted to go console your boyfriend and find out how he is doing. After a moment of reflection and silence you decided to ask questions.

"If I may ask Wayne...what happened to Eddie's parents?" You were unsure whether to ask since the topic seemed sensitive. The man looked away for a moment and then took a cigarette and put it between his lips and motioned for you to go outside. You followed him, you both exited the trailer and Wayne sat down on the steps in front of the front door while you sat down next to him. He took out his lighter, lighting the cigarette, inhaling the smoke and then releasing it.

"Sorry for taking you out, I'd like to talk to you about it in private" He said. You nodded understanding his reasons.

"My nephew never told you about them, did he?" He asked, surely knowing the answer, but it seemed he wanted to be sure. "No, never. He only told me that they died, he never told me how" You replied as you fixed a lock of your hair feeling the cool air hitting your skin making you shiver. Wayne was silent for a moment, continued to smoke as some ash fell to the ground and he sighed. "My nephew. Before living with me, he lived with his mother" The question arises spontaneously "And his father?"

"That asshole brother of mine? He ran away. When he found out that his wife was pregnant he ran. I never heard from him until I was told that he died in a car accident" you were shocked at the news "His mother was desperate, she hadn't accepted being left like that" her eyes looked at the surrounding landscape of the Trailer Park as more smoke released from her lips "She raised him until he was six and then one day we found her dead on the sofa in her house" you were speechless and every part of Wayne's story made you feel bad, you had become a stone statue no longer knowing how to react and comment on those words of his coming from a difficult past, but the story wasn't finished.

"After my brother left, all she did was drink and take care of Eddie when she could. Most of the time I helped her and tried to keep her away from alcohol, but she never wanted to listen to me." Wayne sighed as if he were throwing himself into memories "She then started using narcotics and smoking more often, it had now become her daily routine..."

You wanted to say something but you was immediately interrupted by him "When she died for my nephew was a hard blow at that age. He loved his mother very much...even if every now and then she forgot that he had a son to raise and spent the hours watching television drunk" This time the man looked at you and noticed your sweet soul worried "I can't imagine what it was like for him, losing a mother at such a young age..." you said it in a whisper and Wayne heard you and nodded "It was very difficult for my nephew. His mother was everything for him, even if it doesn't seem like it now...he may seem scary but in reality he has always been a mama's boy" Wayne smiled and his words had the same effect on you.

You had never thought of Eddie as a mama's boy, and it made you feel tender. "Really?" You asked as if you were in disbelief and he chuckled "Really. At the age of five he was already helping her, asking her for help and taking advice from her for anything. However, he never came to me to ask me for something, for my nephew it was obligatory ask mom" You were touched by this side of Eddie that you didn't know. You were really curious to see how he would act if his mother was still here.

"His mother though? How did she react to it?" You asked and Wayne smirked again "Well, yes, she was happy to have this relationship with Eddie, they spent time together, even if it wasn't much, but for my nephew that time was enough for him to be happy" your smile widened hearing those words "But as I told you before, she forgot about him and spent the rest of the days on the sofa. At times like those I took my nephew home with me so he wouldn't see the horrible state of his mother..." Wayne finished the cigarette and threw it on the ground, stomping on it. "Has he ever thought that his mother didn't love him?" Your lips moved by themselves, you didn't know where this one came from but you tried to identify with that little Eddie who was just trying to stay close to his mother even in the most difficult moment, but she was psychologically destroyed and let her uncle get away with it took care of it for him, you would surely have thought something like "Does mom love me?" or “Why does mommy do this?” something similar.

Wayne nodded "Yes...I remember he told me this on an ordinary day while he was having lunch with me. I didn't know how to answer him, I mean, how can you tell your five year old nephew that his mother takes drugs, drinks and that does he do anything but smoke? And what's more, she only loves it because it reminds her of my brother?" That answer left you stunned and Wayne seemed to understand your reaction "Exactly. His mother, as much as she might love him as a son, loved him even more just because he reminded her of my fucking brother... she always said that Eddie looked a lot like him" The cool air moved your hair slightly "And that's it?" He glanced at you "Do I have to be honest? Not at all, it's all her mother. Especially now" You let out a giggle.

"But now I don't know how he must feel years later. Now he knows things that we hid from him as a child and knowing the truth certainly hurts, but he must learn to face it" You looked at your shoes while thinking about what to say "Do you think he has he gotten over his mother's death?" It took Wayne a while to answer "No. I'm sure of this...As I told you, his mother's death was a hard blow for him and he still suffers from it today" his look was sad, and not do you think you've ever seen this sensitive side of Wayne "I tried to do my best to reassure him and be close to him, but my nephew will never be able to get the image of his mother lying on the sofa lifeless out of his head..." his eyes began to become shiny and you instinctively put a hand on the man's shoulder "Hey, you did a great job with him. You may not have managed to heal that wound of his but you healed many others during his life and I'm sure you never let him lack anything." Wayne smiled big and seemed to feel better "Thanks kid" He stood up and you did the same "Can I talk to him?" You asked as you both walked back into the trailer. He nodded "One moment..." He told you as he headed towards his nephew's room.

After a couple of minutes Wayne came back to you motioning that you could go into the room. Before leaving you took the black and white photograph and headed towards Eddie's room. You found him sitting on the bed looking at the photo album and it made your heart ache. As soon as he saw you he whispered a soft "Hey" while you whispered a soft "Hi" and sat down next to him.

"I'm sorry sweetheart, today we were supposed to go to Family Video and catch a movie to watch-"

"Don't worry Eds, it's okay, it'll be for another time" Your tone was sweet, making him understand that you didn't care about seeing a fucking movie now, but rather being close to him.

"Did my uncle tell you everything?" He said as he looked at you. As soon as his eyes met yours you could see his wet cheeks. He had cried, and it broke your heart in two. You hated seeing him like this and just wished you could console him as best you could. You nodded "How are you?" He didn't seem to want to answer you. Your hand began to caress his back as your eye fell on the album. “I miss her..." Was hi answer. You now saw a color photo of a woman, who you understood to be very beautiful, holding little Eddie by the hand. "I can tell,"

"She's very beautiful and looks a lot like you" now you understood Wayne's words. Even if you didn't know what Eddie's father looked like, he sure as hell couldn't have looked like Eddie looked like his mother, they were identical "Uncle Wayne tells me that too, but she always said I looked like my father" you could hear the note of sadness and contempt falling from his lips "And that's why she left..." You saw how he bit his lower lip tightly, surely keeping himself from shedding tears as you moved closer to him "Why do you think that?"

"Why is it like this... I ruined her life. Every day he woke up looking at the spitting image of my father and that's why he despaired on the sofa ruining himself day by day" Damn it hurt to see him like that. You immediately wanted to hug him tightly "But she loved you and you loved her right?" He nodded "Yes, i love her very much but she didn't love me and she had her reasons, I was the cause of her pain and it ended with her death" Eddie hid his face with the palm of his hand. “I ruined his life Y/N… I'm ruining the lives of everyone around me, starting with Uncle Wayne and-”

"Eddie look at me" A note of seriousness came out of your mouth and you didn't let him finish. Not after he started shedding tears. He looked up and looked at you and with your free hand you cupped his cheek, his eyes were bright "You're not ruining anyone's life Eds. Get it through your head-" "How can you say that? I should never have been born in the first place, so she wouldn't have died" He said irritated and immediately more tears hit his cheeks.

"What happened to your mother is not your fault, nor was your birth. Maybe it's true, your mother loved you above all because you reminded her of the man who abandoned her, but that doesn't mean she doesn't has ever truly loved you" You took out the photograph Wayne had shown you. "This photo is of you and her, Eddie. And all these others too" you pointed to the album "You were always her baby, and as hard as life was on you that doesn't mean she stopped loving you as a son"

"I don't know exactly the whole story, but I know that there is no more beautiful bond than that between a son and a mother, and yours was a beautiful bond Eds and it certainly didn't lead her to kill herself" Fuck... he started to sob "You haven't ruined anyone's life honey, not your uncle or even the people around you. If your mother isn't here today it's certainly not because of you, she was suffering too much and wasn't able to move forward" With your thumb you dried the tears Eddie was shedding "But at least she left with the knowledge of having given birth to a wonderful son" you wrapped him in your arms while he let himself go, wetting the cotton of your t-shirt with his his tears. You gave him a light kiss on his scalp as you stroked his hair. "You are the most beautiful thing your uncle could have asked for and the same thing goes for me. You are one of the sweetest and most special people I could have ever asked for. Every day you improve my life so don't even think about something like that" you whispered in his ear as he held you tighter.

Eddie didn't answer but vented his tears some more before trying to compose himself.

You didn't accept that your boyfriend talked about him that way. His horrible past had left him with too many insecurities and doubts after his mother's death that a poor child like him at that age didn't have the strength to face. An image of a little Eddie spending moments with his mother appeared in your mind. The afternoon, the first day of school, the days with his uncle. Your imagination of that sweet, beautiful child was overwhelmed when you then thought about how he and Wayne found his mother dead. Coming home, ready to hug his mother again but she was gone forever. You felt a lump in your throat as you thought about how he must have felt when he tried to wake up his mother. The tears and desperation he felt, something you absolutely couldn't understand but imagining it was definitely heartbreaking. No one would have tolerated it...

Eddie was one of those people who never fully enjoyed his parents. He never knew his father and his mother had passed away dying of an overdose. You begin to think that in all respects you were lucky compared to him. You had a mother and a father, even if they were distant because they no longer felt the love they had before, but they were still your parents. A feeling of guilt invaded your abdomen thinking about how although you had a mother who takes care of you, you didn't have the relationship that Eddie had with his and that perhaps he would like to have again. You were also envious of this, yes. But you felt like somehow it was your fault. You have always had arguments with your parents, especially with your mother and now you realize that not everyone was lucky enough to have a mother who takes care of you.

You really appreciated what your mother did, but you never admitted it and maybe that was the reason why you didn't have a good relationship. You could sense that something in you had changed as you caressed the boy's dark curls, pressing light kisses from his ear to the crook of his neck. His breathing had returned to regularity but he was still sniffling and sobbing slightly. Now you felt somehow good, lighter with less weight on your shoulders. You wanted to be even closer to him than you already were and somehow heal his wound that was still dripping blood if touched with a finger.

"Feeling better big boy?" You used the nickname he loved so much. He just nodded. "If you need anything you know you can tell me right?" He nodded again and gave him another kiss near his ear. It was hot, actually burning hot. You could tell all that heat was from the outburst, the crying and even the embarrassment. He absolutely didn't want you to see him in that state and be able to understand it. Eddie had always been a guy who preferred to do everything alone and without anyone's help, which is reasonable, you had been there too...

But Eddie will also have realized that obstacles are not always faced with one's own strength. Sure, you've always been there for him and definitely Wayne too, but you didn't know how many times Eddie needed his mother. To go to her and ask for help or hug her if he was sick, something Eddie desperately wanted. You felt his grip tighten on you again as he started to sob again "Shh Shh Shh...it's okay Eds" a hiss came out of your sweet lips and after a couple of minutes he broke the hug trying hastily to clean his face “I-I'm really sorry, you shouldn't see me like this.”

"Why do you say this?" He shakes his head "Beacuse...well you don't-" you didn't let him finish "You didn't want me to find out about you and your mother?" He looked at you in surprise as he nodded quickly “Did you by any chance think I would judge you?” He looked at you and was afraid to give you the answer, because even though he loved you to death and had known you for a long time he was afraid that you would actually judge him, he didn't answer "You know I would never judge you, especially on something like that," you placed your hand on his. "Knowing about you and your mother makes me happy, because I know that you loved her very much, and that she loved you despite everything" now your foreheads were touching "I'm sure your mother is very happy to see the mama's boy grow up" you smiled and he did the same and you pressed a kiss to his forehead "Let's do this..." Eddie looked at you with his puppy eyes "How about I'll bring you a glass of water and then, if you want to, can you tell me about your mother?" You asked. You couldn't lie, those photos intrigued you and you wanted to get to know Mrs. Munson a little through those beautiful photographs.

He sniffed and you nodded smiling at you "Now big boy, dry these tears, I'll be right back ok?"

“Okay” He said and you gave him a kiss on the lips which widened his smile.

And so you spent the afternoon with your boyfriend. Sitting leaning against the headboard of the bed while together you browsed through those photos showing off smiles while you were wrapped in each other's arms. Eddie's head rested on your shoulder while yours rested on his head. He looked up when you finally closed the photo album "Thank you sweetheart" He said as you caressed his scalp "Whenever you want big boy, you know that I'm always there for you"

“I wouldn’t know what to do without you” his chocolate brown eyes got lost in yours.

"Well, don't think about it then. Just think that now I'm here with you" He chuckled and you both smiled at each other as your sweet boyfriend fell asleep in your arms.

Even though he was now a grown man, Eddie was still a mama's boy.

[purpleberiii]

"Payback"

☆Part 2 of the Nightingale fic

☆Prompt: After the talk with chief, you decided to make up for the way you treated nightingale, even going as far as changing for her.

☆Warnings: None

For the last two weeks, you and Nightingale had been living separately. She was renting an apartment, while you lived in your shared house. To say it was heartbreaking was an understatement; but you had to bear with it until she was ready to face you. After that night with Chief, you returned the money to Chelsea and Chief gave her a stern warning to stay away from you.

It was a very busy day at the MBCC, the chief had just destroyed a black ring at Keylan Square and is now recovering from the severe injuries. All of the work was left on Nightingale and she didn't ask you for help, nor did she inform you. She took all the responsibility without letting anyone know but luckily Chief called you and told you which is how you're currently in chief's office, finishing out the rest of the paperwork at 2 in the morning, normally people didn't come that early.

You were so focused on the paperwork you hadn't noticed that Nightingale walked in with a confused expression on her face. "What are you doing here?" She asked, that voice you had come to love even more resounded in your ears.

Through the busy facade, you gently smiled at her before replying, "I'm helping-I don't need your help. I can handle things on my own." Your words were caught in the back of your throat at her harsh tone but you knew it was coming.

"Please let's put our differences aside and work together. Chief's not here, we need to keep the MBCC off the higher ups radar."

"I can handle-no you can't. Look at those bags under your eyes. You clearly haven't been sleeping well. I know you're worried about Chief but she's okay."

"Why shouldn't I? Chief has been more of a lover to me than you." Your eyes widened when she said that and you could see a tinge of regret in her eyes. She walked towards you and collected the papers, before walking out. "I'll be in my office working."

As she left, you sinked down in the chair, lost for words. Maybe she did love chief all along. Either way, you were going to give her a choice to make. A divorce or your marriage. But you were going to give her after chief returned.

Chief did come out of the hospital a few weeks later, all ready for work and Nightingale'a mood had increased and brightened. Through the course of chief's absence, you tried so hard to earn her forgiveness, declining money right in front of her, helping her do little things, you name it but nothing seemed to be working.

These worries had been making you lose sleep, and you've been sleeping on the job. Nightingale gently shook your figure, a tired groan leaving your lips. When you realised it was her, your eyes shot open. "What's wrong?! Are you okay?!" Those questions shot out of your mouth quickly because she had a soft expression on her face.

"Why are you sleeping? Have you not been sleeping at home?"

"Ah yes... but I... we need to talk..."

"I-please listen to what I'm saying. For the last few weeks I've been trying to earn your forgiveness but nothing has worked. You've been sour to me but as soon as chief came, your mood somehow brightened up. I know I made a terrible mistake and I'm trying to fix it and to change. I want to be better but I feel like you're happier with chief so I'm giving you a choice to be free."

"I'm not divorcing." Her gaze was stern and intimidating. "I've noticed the efforts you're making and I was only sour because I was tired," she chuckled. For the very long time, you heard her laugh and your heart fluttered. "I know you've made a terrible mistake and I've already given you Payback for that. I'm willing to give us another try but..." she gripped your collar and pulled you close, "if you mess this up we're done."

You gulped before nodding enthusiastically. She smiled, pleased at your answer before kissing you. Her lips fit perfectly with yours and you couldn't help but sigh into the kiss, wrapping your arms around her waist whilst hers went around your neck. She pulled away, gasping for air and rested her forehead against yours. "Please don't do something-I won't do it again. I promise. It was so fucked up that I had immediately regretted it."

Nightingale chuckled before patting your cheek. "I've seen your behaviour as changed. You've gotten more soft spoken with your colleagues and more gentle but tell me... has your attitude in bed changed?"

"I will be more gentle."

"Don't be..I like it when you're rough."

She winked before walking away, leaving you a flustered mess. Now that things have resolved, you could now get a good night's sleep, with your wife in your arms.