#It's been a while since it's come up and I think last time it was mentioned was during the Rumblecusp arc

[swappermanent]

(Wet) Dream Come True (Frank's POV)

Read the original by @immortalmrwavell here.

You might be wondering why I decided to take Max’s body from him. Trust me, I’ve asked myself the same question a hundred times since it happened. Was it selfish? Absolutely. Do I regret it? Well… not as much as you’d think.

When Max’s mom and I first got together, being a father figure wasn’t exactly in my plans. Sure, I cared for Max, but I was stepping into some big shoes. A stepdad is supposed to guide, support, and be there when things get tough, right? Well, how the hell do you guide someone through something like losing their mom? I wasn’t prepared for that. And Max—he may have been old enough to fend for himself at 20, but he wasn’t ready to face the world alone. I did my best, but the truth was, I didn’t know if I could keep holding everything together.

As the months went on, my mind started wandering to the past. What would it be like to be in my twenties again? To have that energy, that freedom? To feel like the world was yours for the taking? At first, it was just a fantasy I’d entertain when life got too heavy. A little daydream to escape reality. But then… something changed.

I came across this weird little magic shop while I was running errands. The kind of place you’d almost walk past without noticing, tucked between a laundromat and a pawn shop. I don’t even know what drew me in, but once I stepped inside, I found something I couldn’t ignore: a remedy that could swap bodies. The old man behind the counter explained it to me in hushed tones, like he was letting me in on some ancient secret. There was one catch, though—it had to be a mutual swap. Both parties had to, at least on some level, want to know what it’d be like to live in the other’s shoes. After that, all bets were off.

Now, let’s be real—what 20-something would actually agree to give up their youth, even for a little while? Sure, I was attractive and muscular. I’ve kept myself in good shape over the years, but still, I was in my mid-thirties. Most young guys wouldn’t see that as a fair trade. That’s when I started thinking about Max.

I’d caught the way he looked at me, those lingering glances when he thought I wasn’t paying attention. The way his cheeks would flush when I caught him staring, the awkward way he’d quickly change the subject. It didn’t take a genius to figure out he had a thing for me. I mean, hell, I’m flattered. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized I could use that. Max wouldn’t just agree to the idea; he’d probably jump at the chance.

So, I decided to test the waters. One morning, over breakfast, I threw the idea out there casually, like it was just some funny hypothetical.

“This is gonna sound like a funny question,” I said, piercing a sausage with my fork, “but if you could choose to switch lives with me and have my body for however long, would you wanna do it?”

I kept my tone light, but I was watching him closely. The way he fidgeted in his seat, the way his cheeks turned pink as he tried to hide his reaction—it was all the confirmation I needed. His sheepish response, something about how it’d be “weird but interesting,” sealed the deal. I could see it in his eyes. He wasn’t just curious; he wanted it. Maybe not consciously, but deep down, he wanted to know what it’d be like to be me.

That was all I needed to make it happen.

When the time came, I added the remedy to our coffee, making sure Max drank every last drop. Watching his body slump as the effects kicked in was surreal, but when I opened my eyes and saw myself sitting across from me, I knew it had worked. My plan had actually worked.

I wasted no time. I’d already packed a bag with everything I’d need to start fresh—clothes, cash, important documents, a few personal items. I didn’t even wait for Max to wake up. I just grabbed my stuff and walked out the door, not looking back.

---

That was five years ago. Five years since I walked out the door, leaving my old life—and my old body—behind.

Now, this sexy body I’m in, Max’s body—no, my body—is 26. And let me tell you, I’ve made the absolute most of it. It wasn’t always easy; the first few months were an adjustment. I had to figure out how to carry myself as a younger man, and I won’t lie, it took some time to get used to seeing my reflection. But as the years went on, I really leaned into it. I started growing out my hair, experimenting with different looks. These days, I like to dress a little more feminine now and then—just enough to turn a few heads. And honestly? I love spending as much time shirtless as possible. This body deserves to be shown off, and I’ve been having an all-around good time doing just that.

Of course, that means my old body—the one I left Max in—would now be about 41. I never bothered to reach out to him after the swap, and, frankly, I hadn’t heard anything from him either. Part of me assumed he was mad, which would make sense. I mean, I did steal his youth, his twenties—arguably some of the best years of his life. Maybe he couldn’t confront me because of that. Not that I spent much time thinking about him these days. My life was too good, and honestly, I didn’t have any regrets. I had the life I wanted.

At least, that was the case until today.

I was at the gym, doing my usual workout. It’s a gym known for its gay clientele—big, muscular guys who weren’t shy about flaunting what they had. My kind of place. I’d just finished a grueling set at the squat rack, sweat dripping down my chest as I racked the barbell. I grabbed a towel and started wiping myself down when this super muscular, hot guy walked up to me.

“Hey, man,” he said, his voice deep and smooth, “mind if I work in with you?” He had this knowing smirk on his face.

At first, I didn’t think much of it. I was too busy eyeing him up. Thick, powerful arms, a wide chest, and legs that could probably crush a watermelon. He was older, but he had this ageless energy about him. Then, it clicked.

It was Max. In my old body.

My jaw practically hit the floor as I stared at him. “Max?” I said, disbelief dripping from my voice. “Is that you? You look… amazing.”

And he did. My old body hadn’t aged a day. In fact, it looked better than ever. He’d clearly been putting in work at the gym. My old body was practically glowing.

Max—or rather, my old body—grinned and crossed his arms over that broad chest. “It’s Frank,” he corrected, his tone smooth and confident. Then he flexed one of those massive biceps, his smirk growing. “But you’re damn right I look amazing.”

I stared at him, still a little stunned by how… okay he looked. Actually, not just okay—thriving. “I thought you’d be mad,” I said after a moment. “I mean, I kind of stole your youth. I figured you’d hate me for it.”

He let out a deep laugh, throwing his head back. Then, with that same cocky smirk, he raised one of those thick, muscular arms and took an exaggerated whiff of his armpit. “I was mad,” he admitted, “for maybe the first hour. But this…” He sniffed again, clearly enjoying his own musk. “…this helped me get over it.”

Before I could say anything, he casually ran a hand down to his crotch, grabbing his impressive bulge. “And this doesn’t hurt either,” he added with a wink, his tone dripping with smugness.

I couldn’t help but laugh, a mix of relief and disbelief washing over me. “So, uh,” I began, trying to steer the conversation before I got too distracted, “I wasn’t exactly expecting to see you in San Diego. Is this where you’ve been all these years?”

Frank shrugged, his body language as relaxed and confident as ever. “Just moved to town, actually. Needed a change of scenery. Figured this would be a good place to start.” He looked me up and down, clearly taking in how much I’d changed. “And now I know why this gym has such a reputation,” he teased.

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t help grinning. “Yeah, well, I’ve been here a while. It’s a good spot.”

“Seems like it,” he said, his tone a little too casual, like he knew exactly how good he looked. “Anyway,” he continued, “we should grab a drink later, catch up. It’s been too long.”

I nodded, still trying to wrap my head around the moment. “Yeah, sure,” I replied, trying to sound just as nonchalant.

As he walked away to start his set, I couldn’t help but watch him. There was something about his casual cockiness, the way he carried himself with this slight earned arrogance, that was undeniably attractive. He wasn’t just comfortable in my old body—he loved it. And honestly? That made him even more appealing.

---

Later that night, we met up at a dive bar just a block away from his apartment. It wasn’t much—a little run-down, sticky floors, the smell of stale beer—but it had character, and it was quiet enough for a real conversation. When I walked in, I spotted him immediately. He was leaning casually against the bar, a beer already in hand, wearing my old Texas Tech T-shirt like it was made for him. It looked snug on his broad frame, the sleeves straining against his biceps, and for a second, I felt a pang of something I couldn’t quite name. Nostalgia? Jealousy? Lust? Maybe all three.

“Nice shirt,” I said, sliding into the stool next to him.

He smirked, giving me a once-over. “Figured it’d be a nice touch. Thought it might bring back memories.”

I laughed, feeling oddly sheepish. “Yeah, well, it looks better on you.”

As soon as the words left my mouth, I cringed internally. Was I… flirting? With my own body? I mean, technically, yeah, but how could I be this flustered? This was me, or at least it used to be. Yet here I was, stumbling over my words, feeling like a nervous wreck. Meanwhile, he—Frank, Max, whatever—was cool as a cucumber, his confidence practically radiating off him.

We ordered drinks, and he started asking me about my life. He was surprisingly attentive, hanging on to every word like he genuinely cared. It threw me off a little. “You’ve been busy,” he said after I told him about some of the things I’d been up to. “It’s good to see you doing so well.”

Was it weird that he almost sounded… proud?

Then he started telling me about his life—what he’d been doing in my old body. Turns out he’d made good money over the past few years working as a fitness instructor part-time, balancing that with his job as a mechanic. And apparently, he’d built up an online following, which had blown up enough that he was now financially set.

“It’s funny,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “I thought I’d hate it at first, but I kinda love this life. It suits me.”

“Yeah,” I said softly, my eyes trailing over his broad shoulders and confident posture. “It really does.”

As the drinks flowed, I found myself relaxing a little too much. I didn’t even realize I was flirting until it was too late. My hand kept finding excuses to touch his arm or brush against his thigh. At first, it was just playful, but one of those touches lingered a little too long. My hand stayed on his thigh, feeling the solid muscle beneath the fabric of his jeans. He didn’t move away, and I didn’t either.

He turned to me with a raised eyebrow, that damn smirk spreading across his face. “If I didn’t know better,” he said, his voice low and teasing, “I’d think you were flirting with me.”

My face went red, and I quickly looked away, mumbling something unintelligible. But before I could pull my hand back, he grabbed my thigh, his grip firm and deliberate.

“Usually,” he said, leaning in just enough that I could feel the heat of his breath, “I don’t go for twinks. But I think I can make an exception for you.” His hand slid just slightly higher, his smirk turning into something hungrier. “I mean, I know how fantastic that ass is. And I’d love to try it out for myself.”

My breath hitched, and I couldn’t find the words to respond. All I could do was stare at him, my heart pounding as his grip tightened slightly, his confidence swallowing the room whole.

Stay Tuned For Part 2

[shinig6mis]

it had been a few seconds since bakugou had knocked on your door, but it felt like a lifetime. his mind raced in circles, not knowing whether his thoughts were rooted in paranoia or if there was some truth to them. why hadn't you texted him? it wasn’t like you two had a strict routine or anything, but after everything that had happened last night—how you two had stayed together, cuddling and falling asleep—he couldn't shake the feeling that something was different.

every other night, you've been in and out of his apartment, always leaving within ten minutes. but last night, something different happened. he couldn’t explain it, but it felt right to be lying there with you, sharing your warmth, hearing the steady rhythm of your breathing as you fell asleep. he could still feel the weight of you in his arms, the way you fit against him perfectly like you were meant to be there.

then, when he woke up, you were gone. no text. no call. no nothing. his heart squeezed painfully at the thought of it and he found himself racking his brain with the worst possible scenarios. maybe it had been too much. maybe crossing that boundary had been the mistake. maybe you’d seen the intimacy between you both as a sign that this arrangement had to end. maybe you regretted it, and that terrified him.

so, here he was, standing at your door, hands tense by his sides, hoping he wasn’t about to hear something he wasn’t ready to face.

when you finally opened the door, your eyes were slightly puffy, your hair pulled up in a messy bun, and you looked far too tired for someone who just woke up. the faint glow of a desk lamp illuminated your room. his eyes went to glance at the textbooks scattered on your desk and the laptop still open with whatever assignments you had yet to finish.

“bakugou?” you blinked in confusion. “what are you doing here?”

“i—uh…” bakugou started, caught off guard by the sight of you. you were wearing those loose pajamas that he secretly found adorable. “can i come in?”

you didn’t hesitate, stepping aside to let him into your room. the moment he entered, he made a beeline for your bed, sitting down, while you stood across from him, arms crossed in that way you always did.

his eyes stayed on you as he tried to gather his words. “you didn’t text after last night,” he finally blurted, his voice rough as always, but the worry in his tone was clear. he couldn’t stand it anymore.

you let out a soft sigh and explained, “i’ve been buried in assignments, bakugou. aizawa’s been on my ass, and i just haven’t had the time to check my phone.”

he exhaled deeply, the tension in his shoulders easing as you spoke. he’d convinced himself he’d lost you, but hearing that explanation made everything feel weirdly better. “so, no… nothing’s wrong?” he hated how nervous he sounded, but he couldn’t help it. this arrangement you both have meant more to him than he was willing to admit, and the thought of losing it scared the hell out of him.

you raised an eyebrow, taking a moment before saying, “we can talk about last night tomorrow if you want. for now… just stay. sleep over if you want. you can be annoying and overbearing in the morning.”

the relief that washed over him was almost overwhelming. he hadn’t realized how much the silence had been eating at him until now. you weren’t breaking things off. you were just distracted, which was probably what he should’ve assumed in the first place. but he couldn’t stop thinking that maybe, just maybe, he had crossed a line he wasn’t supposed to.

for the rest of the night, you sat at your desk, buried in your work, while he watched you, propped up on your bed with his arm supporting his head.

it was quiet. only the sound of your focused typing and the occasional shuffle of papers filling the space between you two. he couldn't help but appreciate the view, watching you get lost in your assignments. despite how complicated this arrangement felt sometimes, he loved the fact that he was the only one who ever got to see you like this. no one else.

he stayed there, his mind quiet for the first time in hours, just taking in the sight of you. you were everything to him in that moment, even if you didn’t know it.

time passed, and eventually, you closed your laptop and crawled into bed. without saying anything, you curled up under the blanket, pulling it tightly around you. bakugou hesitated for a second before sliding in behind you, his arm instinctively wrapping around your waist, pulling you closer. he buried his face into the back of your neck, inhaling the scent of your shampoo, the softness of your skin.

he felt the tension leave his body as he held you, but his mind still wouldn’t let go. there was a an annoying part of him that wondered what you really thought of him. if you felt the same or if you didn’t. if this was all just temporary to you. but the other part of him that refused to let go of his pride was content just being here. being with you. even if nothing between you was official.

you shifted slightly in his arms, making him tighten his hold on you. it wasn’t perfect. it wasn’t what he had expected when he first got into this arrangement with you. but right now, with you in his arms, it was enough. and maybe, he could keep pretending that it always would be.

© 2025 shinig6mis | do not plagiarize, repost, or translate any of my work.

[channiesbakery]

pancakes for dinner —

prompt / request — clinging onto their partner for ages after not being able to be with them all day

pairing — boo!reader + brother’s bestfriend!vernon

word count — 894

genre — fluff

it was cliché, falling for your older brother’s best friend. it’s not like you planned for it to happen but when you ended up at the same college, your feelings of friendship turned into something more.

it was easy sneaking around when you were at college, but now that you were home for break, it seemed like your brother, seungkwan, was always around you.

it was torture whenever hansol came over to see your brother and not you. you’d be able to sneak a few short moments together when seungkwan stepped out of the room but you were both getting tired of sneaking around.

it’s the last weekend before the semester starts so seungkwan decides to go out to a party, dragging hansol with him.

with your brother out, you had the entire house to yourself. you start preparing for your little self care night when there’s a knock at your front door.

you cautiously check who it is, not expecting anyone tonight but immediately relax once you see hansol standing outside.

“shouldn’t you be at the party with kwannie?” you ask. “i come over to surprise my girlfriend and the first thing you ask me is about your brother?” he teases as you let him into the house.

“well he did tell me he was dragging you to that party tonight,” you shrug before wrapping your arms around his waist, leaning up to kiss him.

“i think I’ve hung out with your brother enough these past two weeks. haven’t had enough time my favorite boo though,” he hums, kissing you back.

his arms circle you, holding you tight as he buries his face in your hair. you try to pull away but he just tightens his grip.

“i don’t remember you being this clingy,” you tease. “shut up. i haven’t been able to hold you like this for nearly two weeks because of your brother,” he mumbled against your hair.

“well you interrupted my self care night,” you say and he sighs. “you boos and your skincare routines. alright, what themed sheet masks are we using tonight?” hansol asks as you drag him up to your room.

you let him pick a sheet mask from your collection, choosing one to match him. you relax in bed, starting another episode of your guys’ favorite show while you let the masks soak.

“hansol, stop picking at it,” you scold when you see him touching his face again. “but it’s sticky,” he whines. “babe, it’s a mask,” you sigh.

the episode ends just as it’s time for your masks to come off. hansol practically runs into the bathroom to take it off, rinsing his face.

“wow, i am glowing,” he checks himself out in the mirror. “yeah yeah, happy you did the mask with me now?” you tease. “mhm, maybe it is worth it,” he says, running his finger along his cheek, feeling how soft it was now.

you’re about to start another episode when hansol’s stomach growls.

you both pad downstairs, looking in the fridge for something to eat. “there’s some leftover soup so we can always heat that up– oh or make ramen,” you start to suggest then you hear him rummaging around.

“what are you doing?” you ask, watching him grab the bag of flour. “making pancakes,” he says, like it’s the most obvious answer.

“it’s 11 pm,” you tell him. “okay and?” he shrugs. “a bit late for breakfast, don’t you think?” you ask but grab a mixing bowl for him and the rest of the ingredients.

“well since i didn’t get to make you breakfast, pancakes for dinner it is,” hansol grins. a playlist of your favorite songs play as you both dance around the kitchen.

you don’t bother moving to the dining room or living room to eat. hansol has the whipped cream can, adding some to the pancakes before he sprays some directly into his mouth.

“you’re disgusting,” you tease. “you love me,” he grins. “i guess i do,” you hum, kissing the whipped cream off the corner of his lip.

you’re about to start cleaning up when you hear the front door opening, then seungkwan’s voice and a few of his other friends.

you and hansol both give each other a wide eyed look before you’re pushing him out the back door in the kitchen, just before seungkwan walks in.

“you’re up late,” your brother notes when he walks in, seeing the mess you’d made with the pancakes. “and eating pancakes at this hour?” he raises an eyebrow.

“don’t judge me. besides, aren’t you supposed to be at a party?” you ask. “it got boring. so chan and mingyu are here for a few more drinks. plus, hansol ditched us,” seungkwan scoffs a little as he grabs some beers from the fridge.

“well I’m heading to bed. tell gyu and chan i say hi,” you say as he leaves the kitchen. once your brother is gone, you quietly let hansol back inside.

you both think you’re in the clear and you’re about to try to sneak back upstairs to your room when you hear your brother’s voice.

“hey hansol! how come you never make me pancakes?”

you both share a look, trying to decide what to do when seungkwan speaks up again.

“next time you wanna sneak around, hide your shoes and don’t just leave them by the front door!”

[prettygirl-gabi]

Title: Taking Care of You

Pairing: Paige Bueckers x Reader

Fandom: UConn Women's Basketball

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: mentions of monthly periods

Summary: Paige's biggest moment in her college ball career and you missed it... and she’s ok with that

(It's that time so I'm in this kind of writing mood,be preparedfor extra saappy or heavy angst)

Reader's POV

It had been two months since I had last gotten my period, and I was beginning to think I was in the clear for a while. My period was always irregular—sometimes it was a couple weeks late, sometimes it’d skip an entire cycle, and sometimes it came in like a flood, heavy and relentless. I’d grown used to the unpredictable nature of it all, but this time felt different. I was just about to start to relax, thinking maybe, just maybe, I wouldn’t have to deal with it this month... until I felt that first cramp during the second quarter of the game.

I froze for a second, glancing at Paige from across the court as she made an incredible play. Her focus, her poise—everything about her on the court made me feel proud. I wanted to stay and cheer her on, but the cramping in my lower abdomen intensified, and a wave of dizziness hit me hard.

"No," I whispered under my breath, standing up and trying to push through it.

But my body wasn’t having it. The cramps quickly became unbearable, each contraction of my uterus sending a sharp, radiating pain up my spine. I could barely stand, much less focus on the game.

I made the decision right then—I had to leave.

It was a struggle to get to the doors of the arena, but somehow, I made it, feeling the heat of my body flush with discomfort. By the time I got to Paige’s dorm, which I practically lived in at this point, I was in so much pain I could barely keep myself upright.

I stumbled into the bathroom, leaning against the sink for support as I fought to steady my breathing. The nausea was starting to set in too. My stomach felt like it was being twisted, and I had the sudden urge to curl up into a ball.

I grabbed my phone, hoping to text Paige to let her know what had happened, but the moment my fingers touched the screen, I was overwhelmed by another wave of pain. I dropped the phone onto the counter, sinking to the floor and hugging my knees to my chest as the cramps kept coming in violent waves.

Paige's POV

The second half of the game started, but something was off. I’d scanned the stands after a particularly good play, searching for the familiar face of the person I loved. I didn’t see her.

Where was she?

It felt wrong. I had gotten used to having her there, sitting courtside, supporting me through every dribble, every shot, every win. And now, with the crowd roaring around me, I couldn’t help but feel uneasy. I shook my head, trying to focus on the game. I had to finish it—there was no turning back. But the doubt gnawed at me with every minute that ticked by.

When the buzzer finally sounded, signaling the end of the game, I was relieved that we’d secured a win. But as my teammates high-fived and celebrated, all I could think about was her.

Where the hell had she gone?

Reader's POV

I must have passed out for a little while because the next thing I knew, I was being gently roused by a warm hand on my shoulder.

"Hey, hey, baby... you’re okay."

I blinked up, groggy and disoriented, only to see Paige’s concerned face hovering above me.

"Paige..." I murmured, trying to sit up, but the pain in my abdomen hit me like a ton of bricks.

“Don’t move,” she said softly, her voice full of worry. “I’m gonna take care of you, alright? I’m here.”

I felt myself melt into her touch as she carefully helped me up, supporting me as I leaned into her. She guided me to the bathroom, where I could see her pulling the warm, steamy water from the tub.

"I know you're hurting, baby," she said softly, her hands moving to help me out of my clothes. "But we’re going to get you in the bath, okay? It’ll help."

I nodded weakly, too tired to argue, letting Paige help me step into the bath, the hot water easing some of the tension in my body.

"You're so strong," she whispered as she knelt beside the tub, her hand brushing my wet hair out of my face.

I swallowed hard, too overwhelmed to respond. I felt a pang of guilt—after all, she had just played in the game, a huge win for her career, and I was here, crumpled in pain, unable to even sit up properly.

“How did you do?” I asked softly, my voice barely above a whisper.

Paige gave me a soft smile, brushing her thumb over my hand. “You’re the one I’m worried about right now. But, we won. We kicked ass. I hit 2,000 but ended the game with 2,012 career points.” She said it with such pride, and I could feel the sense of accomplishment in her words.

But I wasn’t really focused on that. I just wanted her to feel as at ease as possible, even as I struggled with the pain and nausea.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I didn’t mean to leave during the game… I just couldn’t…”

“You don’t have to apologize to me, baby,” she said, her voice warm but firm. “You’ve been through a lot, and I understand. It’s okay. I’m here now. And I’m not going anywhere.”

Paige’s words had a magical effect on me, and I could feel some of the tension in my body begin to ease. I let myself relax further into the bath, feeling the heat soothe the cramps. But even as the pain started to dull, the exhaustion was catching up with me.

“You’re still my hero, you know?” I mumbled.

Paige chuckled softly, brushing her lips over the top of my head. “I’m just happy you’re okay. And don’t worry, I’ll be your hero anytime you need me.”

I gave a tired smile, reaching for her hand as I let my eyes close, feeling her presence next to me like a warm blanket.

“I love you,” I murmured.

“I love you too,” she whispered back, her voice full of tenderness.

As I rested there, surrounded by her care and concern, I knew that no matter how difficult things got, we’d always have each other. She was my rock, my safe place, and tonight, more than ever, I was grateful for her love.

[chelseeebe]

i’ll be your fool

part 2 to guilty as sin

18+. mdni. SMUT! mentions of alcohol briefly eddie munson x harrington!reader though no descriptions of r are used! no use of y/n.

a/n: heyyy i actually love this and i love their relationship and the sneakiness and so i do have another part for this because i cannot let them go so soon

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ

eddie regrets a lot of things, but coming back with steve tonight might just be his biggest. 

the muffled sounds of sex takeover his ears, corrupting his mind and infecting him with all sorts of ridiculous, filthy thoughts. 

he, steve and christina had all gone out to some bar she had heard about, a good night, on reflection. hell, he’d even hit it off with some girl, talking music and all things steve never entertained. 

but then instead of doing the intelligent thing of taking her home, or even going home on his own, he’d happily agreed to join steve and come back here. 

he knows why, deep down. 

because to even have a minuscule chance of sleeping with you again, made that decision a whole lot easier. 

though, eddie’s not too sure it was the right decision. 

you hadn’t made a noise since they’d been back, there was no sign you were even here and now he’s stuck listening to the sordid events next door, trying his hardest not to get hard over his best friend. 

oh god. 

he could jerk off, he supposes. but that wouldn’t last long and these two showed no signs of slowing down. 

eddie desperately grinds his hips down into the mattress, it had been a while, alright? and by a while he means two weeks to the day since you’d lured him up to your room and crossed the line that should’ve never been entertained. 

he wonders if you can hear it. 

maybe you’re asleep. 

maybe you’re not even here. 

maybe he should check. 

make sure you were doing alright in these traumatising circumstances. 

who’s he trying to kid? 

his dick is aching and you’re potentially just a couple feet away, 

he’s already at your door before he can dwell on it, knocking softly, hoping to be heard above the rhythmic thumping of steve’s bed frame against the wall. 

for a second he thinks there’s no answer, until he hears the soft padding of your feet against the floor and it creaks open to reveal your already scantily clad frame. 

“c’mon,” beckoning him inside with your two fingers, turning the lock the second the door is closed behind him. 

to do this once should’ve been enough, but to crawl back in here a second time, already completely pent up and desperate for your touch, he should know better. 

your eyes trail down to the bulge in his boxers, widening just so when they meet his again, “that’s weird, eddie,” using his name to taunt him as you circle around, “do you wanna fuck my brother or something?”

“what? no- no.. jesus christ, i can’t.. can’t help it,” pulling at the fabric, now wishing he had just opted to jerk off instead. 

“i’m joking,” placing your palms flat on his chest, nudging him back towards the bed, “i’m assuming you didn’t come in here to talk,” walking your fingers downward. 

eddie shakes his head no, he’s not opposed to talking, but he can’t focus with this raging boner so perhaps you could do something about it first. 

his knees meet the edge of your bed, buckling as he falls down onto the mattress. he can only look up, infatuated with your cascading figure and the taunting, narrowed eyes that sit above. 

“sit back,” you order, knocking your knee into his to jump start his limbs into action before climbing atop, knees resting either side of his trembling thighs. 

“i thought this wasn’t happening again,” teasing in your tone, after all he had been the one to cut this off. his words were stern but gentle, making sure that you understood that it wasn’t you per say, but your brother. 

“i lied,” running his hands underneath your shirt, pinching at your doughy hips, “can’t stop thinking about you.. that night,” shifting himself so his feet are camped firmly on the mattress. 

“yeah?” one hand caressing his cheek, the other held tight on his shoulder, “i knew you’d come back,” moving slowly over his stiff cock, “you can’t help yourself.” 

eddie groans, unsure of whether from the sensation of your pussy rubbing against him or your words, however true they are. 

“you don’t have to rub it in,” he adds through gritted teeth, “i can go if.. if you want,” losing his train of thought with every jerk and whine. 

your hips rutting endlessly, he can feel his boxers dampen, a mixture of your arousal and his leaking cock to blame. 

“do you think i want you to go?” 

not really, but then, he could never be sure with you. 

eddie shakes his head, obedient as ever. he wasn’t about to let his loose lips and poor self esteem ruin this too. 

“so don’t say stupid things like that then,” staring at him in annoyance, too pent up to entertain his stupid mind games. 

you huff, tugging at his underwear until they rest just below his balls, cock springing up against his stomach as he struggles to contain himself for much longer. 

he’s only grateful that the sounds of he best friend are non-existent in your room. unsure if he could really put in the work with those distractions. 

kissing messily at his jaw, you pant, “what do you want, eddie?” grinding your hips down against his cock, a lacy thong the only thing keeping you apart.

“you.. fuuck- i need you,” he gasps, handfuls of your ass in hand, gone far beyond horny at this point. 

your lips quirk to the side, running your hand down the length of his torso, stopping just before his cock. “gotta be quiet, yeah?” before moving your panties to the side and fisting his dick, running his leaking tip between your soaked folds. 

“jesusfuckingchrist,” he rushes, cut off by your hand slapping against his mouth, he’d blow this whole thing wide open if he weren’t careful. 

your eyes roll slightly, lowering yourself onto his aching cock, muffling your own cries as you bite down onto your lip. 

eddie said never again before but now he’s not sure he can ever leave you alone. your thighs collide with his, producing a sickeningly filthy sound alongside your soaked cunt, the remembrance of that alone could get him off for the rest of his life. 

with your palm clamped firmly against his mouth, you pick up the pace, head thrown back towards the ceiling, using him purely to get off. 

eddie’s useless, watching as you ride his cock, mouth open in blissful pleasure though you’re doing a better job of keeping quiet than he is. cursing muffled swears into your hand, his high pitched whines coming out in hoarse grumbles, he needed to scream, start yodelling or something. 

“such a good boy,” muttering under your breath, the praise hits his ears with utmost delight, making his toes curl in tandem with his hips beginning to thrust mercilessly up against you. 

there’s no cohesiveness to the movement, your bed rocking with the sloppy movements. 

you let go of his mouth, entrusting him not to start yelling as you come to hold the back of his clammy neck. 

“holy.. fuck,” breathing his words, punctuating his thrusts, “s’all yours- shit,” burying his face into your neck, carelessly connecting his lips to the soft skin, dotting kisses haphazardly. 

your fingers curl into his hair, gently tugging at the roots as you near your orgasm, letting him take over the rhythm as your hips grow stagnant. 

your whines occupy his ears, “ohgodohfuck,” eddie can feel your thighs begin to tremble, resting all of your weight on his body. his thrusts become loose and without much effort, desperate to cum inside of you but not stupid enough to suggest it. 

“y’gonna cum?” he teases, his own orgasm near, switching the roles once more. your hips no doubt littered with markings of his fingertips, your ass red as a result of his grabby palms. 

“mmm,” you mewl, which he takes as a yes, sinking himself deep inside for the last thirty seconds he had to give to you. 

“fuu-uck,” pussy clenching around his throbbing cock, your body becoming completely malleable as you cum. 

eddie ruts up lazily, right up until he can last no longer and this becomes a game of russian roulete. lifting your writhing body from his cock, spurting his thick release over his boxers and your unsuspecting thighs. 

garbling a bunch of nonsense into the crook of your neck, “sh-shit, i’m sorry,” letting his arms hang loose, both of you reeling, panting in synchronicity. 

you roll off of him to the other side of the bed, sighing softly as you do so, trying to regain your bearings just as he was. 

the quiet is nice but he can’t stop his mind from wandering back to that moment only a fortnight ago. 

eddie has to do it. it had been inflicting his mind since you came onto him two weeks ago. 

i like them to be friends with my brother at least. 

he breaks the silence, “can i ask you a question?” maybe he’d regret it and maybe you’d kick him out without even answering, but he was anxious to know and you were docile. 

you hum, seemingly in agreement. 

“have you ever.. done this with steve’s friends before?” he was just curious, that’s all. he didn’t care if he was the first but he’d like to maybe be the last. 

“who told you?”

“who told me what?” turning to face you entirely, tracing patterns along your arm with his callous fingertips. 

you sigh, looking anywhere but his eyes, “i made out with tommy onc- a couple times,” your eyes roll, an obvious regret, “why d’you think they’re not friends anymore?” 

oh. 

the realisation hits, not so much making him regret what had just happened but instead a reminder that steve wouldn’t be delighted to find out about your escapades. eddie didn’t want to lose steve at all, but then you’d sigh and your lips would fall apart and he’s forgetting about the implications of it all immediately. 

he’s fucked. royally fucked. 

he should get out of this room- this bed, and leave it all alone. no good could come out of continuing to mess around with you. 

it’s clear you can tell he’s hesitant, watching his face with a frown, “it’s not that bad.. steve only found out because tommy told him,” shrugging his worries off, “you’re not gonna do that, are you?” 

he shakes his head no, resuming his fingered tracing of your body, “i wouldn’t,” because really, he’s not that stupid. 

you swallow, blinking before you begin, “i like having sex with you eddie,” coming to tap his cheek, drawing him from inside his head back to reality, “don’t ruin it.”

this is the part he’s most terrified about. 

the quiet, passive moments that had his heart thumping faster and faster, moments that blurred the line between just hooking up and something more. 

-

eddie wakes up slowly, your fingers drawing patterns on his scalp and the hum of the early morning from the window. your fingers weaving through his hair, sending shivers down his spine. 

oh no. 

this wasn’t a dream and this isn’t the bed he’s supposed to be in. 

he shoots up, almost knocking your dozing body onto the floor, laboured breaths that hurt his chest. 

“i fell asleep, i wasn’t supposed to fall asleep,” frantically trying to pull himself from the bed, a mess of nerves and adrenaline. 

how could he explain himself? 

steve would have him hung from the rafters if he so much as saw him in here.  

you grumble getting out of bed, being the only one of the two of you to possess any common sense. 

“just.. calm down,” throwing a glare his way, “i’ll check if he’s awake and then you can sneak out and no one will know,” shrugging on a discarded sweater, already sick of his worrisome look. 

you hold your finger up to your lips, demanding his silence before inching the door open. 

there’s faint chatter from downstairs, dishes clinking and then he can hear steve’s laugh. maybe they’d already peaked inside the guest room and found it empty, assuming he’d gone home. how would he ever explain that?

“coast is clear.. i’ll go down first, get dressed and come down in like ten minutes,” nodding so as to make sure he fully understood. 

he nods back, sliding off the bed in utmost silence, tiptoeing back to his rightful room with baited breath. 

he can’t hear steve’s accusations, or the inevitable screaming that’d come if they had happened to hear you. 

eddie counts to sixty ten times, and then another for good measure. convinced that steve would’ve marched upstairs by now if he had suspected anything. 

the stairs creak, giving his position away immediately. he’s still wary about needing to dash out of the door, prepared to leave his boots and run the four miles back home barefoot. 

“here he is,” steve announces, rummaging for another mug, “how’d you sleep?” wiggling his brows, pushing for eddie to mention the unmistakably obvious noises of sex. 

“yeah.. pretty good,” clearing his throat on arrival. you’re perched at the other end of the island, quietly sipping your own mug, pretending not to notice eddie’s gawping. 

steve’s hand claps him on the back, shoving the mug of coffee into his grasp, “i’m glad, we weren’t sure if we were too loud,” covertly bragging, ever the annoying prick. 

christina mumbles something, telling him to shut up and immediately turns to face you, pretending not to listen to the conversation. 

“well well, what were you doing last night?” christina titters, eyeing the violet marking on your neck. 

“oh um,” pulling your collar higher immediately, “i was just.. with a friend,” shying away from her questions. 

eddie tries to stop his cheeks from flushing, he hadn’t meant to leave any evidence, but he can’t help himself from getting turned on all over again at the sight of you, marked by him. 

“a friend? which friend?” steve grills, never not relinquishing the overprotective big brother act. 

well, it was your friend to be exact. not that eddie says it. 

“none of your business, thanks,” quickly shutting him down. it really was none of his business, mostly for his own sake. 

steve’s brows furrow, a deep set frown on his face as he eyes your neck, very clearly the cogs are turning in his head. eddie’s just grateful that he knows steve and thus, he knows he’ll never figure it out on his own. 

at least, he hopes. 

“aw poor eddie,” christina starts, swaying his attention loudly, “you must be the unluckiest man alive,” she giggles, ignoring steve’s prying and subsequent confusion. 

“yeah,” you nod, keeping your eyes on him, “poor eddie,” a mocking pout overcoming your lips. 

fuck, he felt smug being in on this little secret with you. steve liked to poke and prod at eddie, pretend he was just joking, only eddie knew he wasn’t really. 

but now he had this over him, one upping every jab and jest with the knowledge that he eddie had fucked his sister, right under his nose. 

[sapphira-mydnyte]

💚🐍Bartender's Enchantment🐍💚

Sebastian & Garreth have the day off & go visit Ominis, but the boys are in for a surprise of their own.

Garreth & Sebastian couldn't turn away at who happened to be leading the team in the place with the bosses out of town. "Bloody hell! I didn't think Gaunt was going to be left in charge today, not with as packed out as the place is." Sebastian was the first one in the door that morning, had seen the place fill to capacity within an hour & it hadn't stopped. "It was just the two of us at opening time & he told me it was his turn to run the place since his boss & the assistants are out in London for a corporate meeting. He has more seniority than the rest of the staff save for those three uppermost managers. I don't know how he does it since most usually want nothing to do with him. Maybe it's because he's on the clock & everyone knows he can't act up while working that they've all filled the place." The brunette turned towards the redhead in front of him, trying to hold back a laugh at the thought.

"Ha! Ominis may have a sharp tongue, but he keeps the place up no matter who he's with. Plus.... I've noticed a few of the ladies in here stealing looks at him." Garreth hadn't been there as long as Sebastian had been, seeing as how he came closer to lunch time than at breakfast. Sebastian wasn't scheduled to work that day & neither was Garreth, but since both of them had the day off, they decided to work on their projects at the little coffee shop that Ominis worked at.

Sebastian ran a branch of BACA in Hogsmeade which kept him busy with countless children needing assistance in the courts against their abusers & none came more fierce than he did. Although his main job was still Head Auror of the Ministry, his work between the department & the club earned him clearance to the muggle world to help the kids of both worlds. In having such a rare day off, he had to come visit his best friend. "It's a bit of a shame that my best friend doesn't have the day off, but I know he's getting overtime for it today."

Garreth let out a little giggle at the thought of the trouble the three of them would cause if Ominis got the day off. "Come on Sebastian, you know the three of us would be causing mischief with the kids you work with if Ominis had the day off! You KNOW we'd get nothing done & goof off." Sebastian stuck his tongue out with a sly smirk on his face. "Nothing wrong with that! When was the last time WE got to go have that level of fun anyway?" Garreth put his head down as he broke into a face-hurting round of laughter. Garreth, being the inventive Weasley that he was, not only ran the potion shop in Hogsmeade with Mr. Pippin, but also helped his aunt at Hogwarts as substitute professor for Professor Sharp when he had to be out. His aunt & Pippin himself agreed to give Garreth the day off with Sebastian since the minister had popped in at Hogwarts to check on the staff for his annual audit.

Ominis, having heard the two of them in the corner, shook his head as he finished brewing the drinks his two friends were enjoying. He was blind, but his hearing was second to none & so were his senses of smell & taste. It wasn't like he could ignore his friends either since they came in on their day off, so he walked all the way to the back of the shop to where Sallow & Weasley sat. "You don't think I didn't hear that? I heard every bit of it. I had today planned off, but those in power just HAD to have their weekend meeting. You'll have to forgive me this time as it wasn't my fault this came about." Clearly, the blond wasn't too happy in having to work & miss a day out with his friends. He was heartbroken, but determined to make it up to them. "I already told Lera, Mika & Sirus that if I worked today I wanted Valentine's Day off with no setbacks & no excuses. My day off request was negated today, so hopefully they make it a point to allow me off for the holiday. The last thing I need is to be flirted with on that love-sickening day by females"

Natty, having chosen to stay in Scotland & try her hand to learn more on the delicious drinks, made her way to the boys just as he finished talking. "Ominis, you've ran the place since six this morning & we have friends here. Go on, take an hour or two off to go be with them. I'll take your place as your second in command. Besides... it has been a bit since since I've seen the three of you enjoy yourselves like you used to." She hugged all three of the boys before returning to the bar, happily waving at them. She had come in at ten that morning, ready to take on the lunch crowd & took the reigns from the heir. "Come on everybody! Let's get to it! I'm giving Ominis a break since he came in early to get our morning rush taken care of."

✨

[theflagscene]

A lot of the time people (mostly on Twitter 🙄) get so obsessed with shipping actors that they miss absolutely beautiful moments of friendship between these men and women that work so closely together on a near daily basis. There are so many examples of this but what made me really take pause recently and just think ‘these are some amazing people’ was Book showing up for a group interview either the day before or the day after Perth’s father’s funeral, an interview and livestream that Perth obviously did not attend.

It was supposed to be Perth, Santa, Junior and Mark on the live but obviously Perth had to duck out of it last minute because of his father’s death. So Book stepped in and showed up like he was always supposed to be there and it wasn’t odd that his picture was nowhere to be seen, or that he was sitting in the place where Perth’s picture was. Book managed to keep the atmosphere lively and light, teasing Junior and Mark whilst treating Santa like his own little bestest friend.

The fact that someone at the company saw if any of the other boys from Perfect 10 Liners could cover for Perth and Book just stepped in no problem was just such a lovely moment of solidarity. Especially considering how recently Force’s grandmother died, which was a gut punch to Book as well, since they’ve been friends since they were basically toddlers and their families are very intertwined.

It was just nice to see Book step in and take the stress of company obligations off of Perth for a little bit while the poor guy mourns, since come sun up today, it’s back to the grind thanks to the new P10L episode dropping. I wish Perth was allowed to have a little bit more time off, but that is unfortunately not always possible.

[thyme-in-a-bubble]

punishment on the poker table

a/n: i've had this fantasy floating around in my brain ever since i came up with this au. damn it feels good to finally have it written out all sluttily as it deserves to be

summary: “well, well, well… what do we have here…” he slowly swept his broad thumb across your tender flesh as he gazed down at the discovery, “just a friend, huh? However, did you manage to lose your panties hanging out with your friend? Come on, I think we’d all love to know.” 

warnings: camgirl!reader x various, pornstar!lee bodecker, pornstar!ari levinson, pornstar!lloyd hansen, pornstar!nick fowler, smut, porn au, college au, reader’s porn name is cherry blossom (UrLittleCherry), filming pornography, reader has been in the porn industry for a while now (maybe a few months?), voyeurism, exhibitionism, gangbang, daddy kink (probably the only scenario where you can catch me playing around with this kink, because in most circumstances it's sadly not my cup of tea), classic porn step fantasy, impact play, pussy inspection, hair pulling, masturbation, fingering, pussyjob, oral, handjob, dirty talk, size kink, manhandling, multiple orgasms, squirting, penetrative sex, anal, unprotected sex

word count: 2850

∼ gentle reminder that feedback, but especially reblogs are the way you support writers on here ∽

sugar & spice au masterlist | 101, intro to the au

masterlist | join my taglist 

“Hey beautiful,” you heard over your shoulder as you sat in the kitchen of the rented house you found yourself in, putting the last finishing touches on your makeup for today’s shoot. 

Twisting around, you swiftly leapt from your seat as you recognised the figure leaning against the doorframe “Ari!” you threw your arms around his bulky form, “hi! How are you?”

“Can’t complain,” his broad palm ran down your spine before you retracted from the embrace, “how about you? I’ve heard you’ve been quite busy lately.”

“Yeah, I have,” a short giggle bubbled out of you, “but it’s been so much fun, though I’m still figuring out the balancing act between this, camming and school.” 

As his feet then began to shuffle, your own shifted as well and carried you back out into the other room where crew members slipped around and prepped the space. With half of their attention directed at their work, their heads still twisted as they zigzagged between the rest of the stars for today’s fantasy, as the guys, lounging on the set, dragged their old friends into whatever they were chatting about. 

“Oh, I didn’t know you’d all arrived,” each of their head twisted at the sound of your voice, “I thought Ari was the only one apart from me.”

“Sorry to disappoint, sweetheart,” Nick caught your palm as you neared the poker table they surrounded and pressed his lips to the back of it. 

“Good to see you again, Nicky,” you chuckled as the warmth of his peck lingered on your skin. 

“Oh, you guys have worked together before?” Ari sank down into the last of the chairs around the games table.

“Uhm, well, we have,” you gestured to the brunette who’d just kissed your hand, “a fun little POV shoot a month ago,” your gaze then drifted to Ari, “and we’ve of course worked together, I don’t think I’ll have to remind you of that,” you smiled before shifting your vision to the last two, “but, this is my first time with each of them,” you pointed between the two moustachioed men before grasping first the hand of the one to the left, “Lloyd,” a flutter flicked through your lower abdomen as you met the pornstar’s dazzling gaze, “hi.”

“Don’t get starstruck on me now,” he winked, “if you’re gonna cream your panties, wait till the camera’s rolling.” 

Puffing out an airy laugh at his joke, “no promises,” you then shifted to catch the other man’s palm, “and Lee,” he slowly rose from his seat as he shook your hand, “or should I say daddy,” a small chuckle rumble in his chest as you warmed up to the title he’d get to adorn in today’s storyline, “wonderful to finally meet you.”

“You too,” he smiled, then added before he let go of your fingers, “I’ve been looking forward to finally working with you.”

“Really?” an amazed grin lit up your face as you blinked back at the seasoned professional. 

“Oh yeah, just ask my agent. I’ve been quite literally begging for this to happen.”

“Have you ever shot a gangbang before?” Lloyd then asked. 

“Uhm, no,” you shook your head, “first gangbang–, or well, on screen that is. Although I haven’t ever been with four guys at once before, so that’s new,” your glance flickered over each of their faces, “but I’m excited! I’m prepped and ready, this is gonna be fun.” 

But before your face could heat up any further, the doors to the room burst open and in strolled, not only the head of the studio, Romanoff Productions, but also the visionary who had signed on to direct the shoot herself. 

“Oh, great! You’re all here,” Natasha came to a stop right before you all, “then it won’t be long now,” she stated before landing her gaze on you, “Cherry, should we take a look at what you’re gonna wear?”

“Yeah,” you followed along as she then slipped back into her swift stride, “I brought a few options, some different plaid skirts, all depending on what colour you had in mind.”

The camera low in Natasha’s grasp shadowed your ass, shyly peeking out from under your short blue plaid skirt with every quiet step, as you sneaked down the hallway from the front door and into the dimly lit living room. 

“Breaking curfew…” a deep voice then rumbled somewhere in the darkness. 

Spinning around, you spotted the group of men surrounding the round table in the corner, “Lee! Oh my god,” faking a fright, you clasped a palm over your exposed chest, as your tight shirt wasn’t just sparsely buttoned, but also gathered up and tied around your waist. 

“Lee?” Lloyd murmured and shifted the cards in his grasp, “is that what you call your stepfather?” 

Sinking your teeth down into your bottom lip, you quietly uttered, “…daddy...”

“Good girl,” Lee nodded, though didn’t glance over his shoulder at you as he then dropped his cards to the table and sighed, “now, are you gonna tell me why you were out so late or should I just punish you without knowing the full reason? I’m fine either way,” his fingers gently played with a stack of poker chips beside him. 

“Oh, I don’t know if that is necessary,” you swiftly shook your head and attempted to shuffle closer towards the staircase, “I'm only 45 minutes late–”

“Come here,” his command was low and clear as his glare finally locked upon your figure in the dark. 

“What?” your fingers fiddled lightly with the hem of your skirt, fluttering just above where a pair of long socks stretched up to. 

“Cherry, you can come here right now, or you can get out of my house.”

Though it was all just pretend, his low tone still sent a shiver down your spine, “you’re gonna kick me out? Just for staying out a little bit too late?”

“But that’s not all you were doing, was it?” he tilted his head before pushing his chair back a few inches from the poker table, “come on,” his palm came down to clap his thigh, “don’t act like this is the first time your bratty ass has needed to be taken over my knee.”

Glancing around to the others, “shouldn’t we go up to my room? You have company,” you added in a whisper. 

“Oh, they don’t mind,” he stated, keeping his gaze locked upon you as he raised his voice, “do you boys?”

“Not in the slightest,” Nick smirked and leaned back in his seat, eyeing you just as brashly as the rest of them did. 

Slowly, you closed the distance to stand beside Lee’s seated form, though before even offering you another glance, the older man seized your frame and tilted you over his lap. 

With your bottom barely covered in your tiny schoolgirl skirt, a yelp slipped up from your lungs as Lee sent his hand down to land, not a light beginning tap across it, but a harsh smack that had you jumping in his lap. 

“So, are you gonna come clean and tell us all what you have been up to, young lady?” he asked after you’d lost count of his generous spanks. 

“I-I was just hanging out with a friend from school,” you squeaked and dug your fingers into his thigh. 

Though as his palm came down upon your ass once again, the smack caused your flimsy skirt to flip up, just enough for him to catch sight of the secret it had been hiding. 

“Well, well, well… what do we have here…” he slowly swept his broad thumb across your tender flesh as he gazed down at the discovery, “just a friend, huh? However, did you manage to lose your panties hanging out with your friend? Come on, I think we’d all love to know.” 

But you kept your mouth shut as goosebumps pricked and covered your skin.

“Fine,” the word that left his lips was accompanied by a swift spank that soared across your bare bottom, “you don’t wanna talk? I’ll just have a look myself then,” he murmured before tilting closer, ever so slightly, and began to spread you apart. 

“What are you–,” you peeked back at him over your shoulder, though your objection melted from your lips as his touch then swept through your glistening folds, “oh, f-fuck…”

“Doesn’t seem to me like you were just hanging out with a friend…” sticky strings of want created a web as Lee probed your puffy petals apart, letting him inspect your little hole, “…you know, I don’t ask much of you, but I do require you to obey my rules, and this?” his touch ghosted against your clit, making you swallow a moan, “this breaks nearly all of them.”

“I'm sorry, I just–”

“Sorry is not gonna cut it anymore! You’re gonna have to learn that there are consequences to your actions,” he growled before landing a swift slap against your glistening pussy, causing you to let out another cry. 

As you tried to wiggle off his lap, the hand he’d had splayed across your lower back soared up to tangle itself in the hair at the base of your neck to keep you in place as he let his fingers sweep through your folds. 

“You just need a bit tough love to learn the rules, that’s all…” he uttered over the sinful symphony of his persistent touch against your embarrassingly wet cunt. 

“You’re a fucking pervert,” you grumbled through a heavy pant. 

“You can call me whatever you want, I don’t fucking care,” his grip in your hair then tightened as he yanked you closer, your back having to arch to reach the angle he searched for, “you can either get what you deserve, or I can throw you out on your ass,” his breath fanned across your hot cheek as his lips nearly grazed it with every seething word he uttered, “it’s your choice.” 

“…fine,” you finally replied through your gritted teeth before his grasp let go of your hair and sent you back down to stare at the floor.  

Slowly, as Lee slipped a finger inside of you and gradually began to stretch you out, your eyes drifted shut and didn’t flutter back open till another one of his digits had eased inside of you and tickled out a quiet whimper, deep from within your soul. However, as you blinked your eyes back open, they fluttered up to discover the hard lengths that the others around the poker table had freed from their pants. 

“Oh my god!” your eyes widened as you watched their fists slowly jerk up and down, leisurely stroking themselves as they stared at you, “Lee! Your friends, they’re–”

“Shh,” he kept up his touch as you began to quiver, “don’t mind them.” 

By the time you were fighting the unbearable urge to cum, your body was flailing so fiercely that Lee had to clasp a forearm down around your waist in order to keep you over his lap. In the intoxicating fog you found yourself submerged in, someone caught your hand, and it wasn’t till moments later that it truly sank through your haze and you squinted over to discover Lloyd’s grasp engulfing your own, as he guided your touch over himself, his girth throbbing beneath your fingers. The vision alone was enough for you to throw in the towel and lose the battle to the high that then promptly washed over you. 

Before your daze had a chance to fade, your frame was flipped back upright to briefly sit in Lee’s lap, and your reality was still so fuzzy that it took a moment for you to register when some of the others reached out to rip your shirt off, though the blue plaid that clung around your hips as well as the high socks, those were allowed to stay perfectly in place. 

“You wanna fucking learn what happens to little sluts, huh?” Lee clutched your jaw in his grasp and growled against your cheek, “because that’s how you’re acting, so you might as well learn what it’s like to be treated as one.” 

Flinging you around, he manhandled you onto the table, the others swiftly swiping away the cards and chip stacks out of the way before you landed in the middle.  

“Since you’ve got no problem spreading your legs for your little friends, then mine shouldn’t be an issue either, should it now?” 

“I–,” you panted, blinking up at Lee as he nudged your trembling thighs apart, “fuck…”

“What was that?” he smacked your sensitive cunt to conjure a clearer answer. 

“Ah!” you let out a shriek, “no, daddy! Fine! Let them use me, what do I care!”

“Oh, you’ll care, babydoll…” Lloyd swiftly snatched up your right hand and brought it back to his cock, “must warn you, we aren’t as gentle as those little boys you hang out with.”

“But that’s alright, isn’t it?” Nick smirked as he seized your other hand and yanked it towards his own dick, “your cute little pussy deserves the punishment.”

Glancing between them all, you uttered, “you’re all sick.”

“Says the girl who just came,” Lloyd pointed out through a short chuckle. 

“I did nothing wrong!” you continued, raising your voice, “everyone my age fools around! It’s not like I came home knocked up or anything–”

“Somebody shut her up,” Lee suddenly exhaled before Ari appeared above your head and swiftly stuffed his fat girth into your mouth, snuffing out the remainder of your sentence as it vibrated against his cock. 

Your legs were then folded up till both Lloyd and Nick at your sides caught them and held your limbs in place, keeping you open for Lee as he fiddled with his fly. 

Staring down at your pussy, Lee finally freed his cock and uttered, “now…” offering himself a gentle stroke as he took a step closer to you, “what are we gonna do to you…” he then tapped the heavy weight of his dick against your petals, making you squirm as sticky strings of desperation clung to his length, “maybe a little something here? Is that what you need in order to finally respect my rules?” he briefly flicked the bulbous head through your folds before his lips tilted into a sly smirk, “nah, I don’t think so… you need to be filled up somewhere that hasn’t already fucked tonight.” 

And then, with the slickness now glistening up his cock, as well as the juices that had already leaked and dripped down, Lee began to split open your ass. 

A cry promptly escaped you at the mind-numbing stretch, though as the sound vibrated against Ari’s girth, he only seized the opportunity and slid down even further till the staggering imprint of his size was bulging in your throat and his heavy sack was nuzzled up against your face.

“That’s it…” Lee groaned as he slowly filled you up, “that’s what you needed, isn’t it, kiddo?”

Though you had no clue who, a few of the men began to play with your tits, offering them playful smacks to make them jiggle hypnotically or even tug and pull on your pebbly nipples. 

“Oh, would you look at that fucking cunt?” you heard Lloyd grunt as he watched closely at how your empty pussy was blowing euphoric bubbles, before you felt him reach down to grab your desperate core, pinching the puff a moment as they all marvelled in unison. 

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she’s enjoying her little lesson,” Ari chuckled as you choked on his cock. 

“How could she not?” Nick reached down and slipped a finger inside your leaky hole, “you’re just a little whore for your stepdad and his friends, aren’t you?”

Sliding a digit in as well beside the other pornstar’s, Lloyd then murmured, “maybe instead of playing poker when we come over, we could all just play with you.”

Letting his cock slip out of your mouth, Ari craned down to touch you as well and began to bully your puffy clit, “yeah, you’d be a perfect little toy, wouldn’t you? Your daddy will teach you right how to treat us all.”

As Lee’s heavy sack smacked against your slick skin at his next deep thrust, you once again unravelled before them all, though this time in a rippling display that had your poor pussy gushing around the men’s fingers.

“Oh! That’s a good fucking girl!” Lee pulled his cock out of your ass before he joined in on the other’s torture, though didn’t stop till you were shaking violently beneath them and they couldn’t tickle forth anymore squirt from your overstimulated cunt, “I honestly didn’t think you had it in you, but just look,” he caught your eye, “you’re learning already.” 

A smile found his features before he then, without warning, stuffed his girth into your pussy, beside the fingers that no one, not even himself, slipped out, but instead utilised the leverage to pry your clambering and sensitive pussy open for Lee’s fat girth. 

© 2025 thyme-in-a-bubble 

[pizdasi]

AND YOU DID IT AT MY BIRTHDAY DINNER

when you attended your friend’s birthday dinner you didn’t think things would get 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓴𝔂 with the waiter. fortunately, thinking was never your strong suit.

cw: smut (mdni), substance abuse, degradation, sex under the influence, petnames

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ˗ˋˏ ♡ ˎˊ˗ - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

“tati!” your friend turned around to look for the person calling her name. when she saw it was you who called for her, a smile lit up her face. “oh my god, y/n, i can’t believe you made it!” she said while reaching out for a hug. “wow, you look amazing, and the dress? stunning, to die for!” she said as she stepped back and took a good look at you.

you didn’t want to stand out too much so you decided on the safest option - a little black dress. it had been a few years since you last had the chance to wear it though, so it had gotten a bit short, ending somewhat closer to your crotch than your knees. since you didn’t think to try it on before the dinner there wasn’t any time left for last minute outfit changes, even if you felt a bit uncomfortable.

“here’s your seat, right next to me!” tati said with excitement and pulled the chair out for you. as you sat down she stood up and tapped her wine glass with a fork. “everyone, thank you so much for coming, i’m honored all of you could make it to my birthday dinner!”

she went on but you couldn’t focus on what she was saying because something, well, someone else caught your attention.

in the corner of the restaurant you saw the staff. more specifically, your eyes focused on a waiter. you tried to look at his name tag but before you could make it out, his gaze met yours. suddenly an applause broke out. you looked at tati and realized she had finished her speech. you looked back at where the waiter had been standing and he was gone.

after a while, your table had picked what to order and tati signaled to a waiter to come. as people were listing their orders you looked up at the waiter.

it was him. “namgyu”. you had the chance to read the name tag now. he stopped scribbling on his notepad and looked at you with a raised eyebrow. you panicked a bit, could he have heard your thoughts? you couldn’t bring yourself to utter a single word. “do you not know what you want to order yet, y/n…?” tati asked with a hint of confusion in her voice after a few seconds of silence. oh, right, it was my turn to order. “uhm, i’ll have chimichangas, please.” you managed to say through some stuttering. you felt your face slowly turning red. you looked at the waiter again and saw him writing down your order with a slight smirk on his face.

“alright, anything else?” he looked around the table and left his gaze lingering on you. for a second it felt like he glanced lower than he should’ve, but you were sure you were just imagining things. it was a really fancy restaurant after-all.

you spent the next 15 minutes waiting on your food, but mostly glancing around the restaurant to see if namgyu was near. in the few times you managed to spot him, his eyes were already on you.

though you didn’t want to admit it, his presence made you nervous and your mouth water. he wasn’t even all that, but still, there was something that drew you to him. his nonchalance perhaps?

even though you tried to resist it, you couldn’t help but wonder how his lips tasted and how he would’ve felt when tasting you. you weren’t sure if you were slowly losing your sanity or just ovulating (probably both), but one thing was certain - you needed that man.

after what felt like hours, dishes were being delivered to your table by no-one other than your latest obsession. every time he put down the plates, he slowly looked at you before walking away.

finally you saw him coming over with your food. “and chimichangas, best for last. enjoy your meal.” he scoffed after licking his bottom lip and returning to his duties. your felt your heart starting to beat faster. the tension that might’ve very well just been your delusions was getting to you.

“sorry, i need to go the bathroom, i’ll be right back.” before tati could answer, you got up and quickly headed for the toilet. thankfully it was empty.

you stood in front of the mirror, leaning over the sink. as you stared at your reflection you couldn’t stop thinking how good namgyu’s hands would look all over your body. you lightly dragged your fingers across your neck and chest, imagining they were his.

“you need help with that?” you jumped while covering your mouth from shock. he was standing right in front of the door, holding it closed behind him.

the air had never felt heavier as you were trying to think of something to say, anything. “t-this is the women’s room!” you replied with a somewhat accusatory tone in your voice. “and i’m an employee here. now stop avoiding my question.” he said while taking small steps to get closer as you backed away.

“i don’t know what you’re talking about.” you said with a slightly shaky voice while hitting the wall behind you. you couldn’t back away any further but he was still getting closer.

he stopped right in front of you with his hands in his pockets, tilting his head a bit. “don’t act all shy now after you’ve been eye fucking me all night. you’re fucking stupid if you thought i wasn’t going to notice.” he said as his smile grew bigger. you gulped. it was over, you were caught. you couldn’t bring yourself to say anything so you just looked at the floor in silence.

“hey, look at me.” he said while suddenly lifting your face with one hand and lightly slapping it with the other. “open up, slut. ahh.” his thumb dragged over your bottom lip as he gestured for you to open your mouth. you were taken aback but you would be lying if you said you didn’t enjoy it. you opened your mouth and before you could react, namgyu stuck his fingers in. as he made you suck on his digits, his left hand found itself creeping down onto your chest.

“you’ve got great tits, you know? i’d love to suck on them.” he smiled widely as he lowered his face to your neck and started placing sloppy kisses all over it, leaving your knees feeling weaker and occasional whimpers escaping your mouth.

“be quiet, baby, you don’t want everyone to hear what a whore you are now, do you?” he took your wrists in his hand and pinned them to the wall above your head while his other hand found its way to your thighs. he held eye contact with a serious expression on his face as his fingers moved closer to your inner thigh.

“you like that?” he said softly while rubbing his hand over your underwear. “what if someone comes inside?” you said in between some muffled moans. “that’s what makes it exciting!” he replied with an almost insane expression on his face.

he slipped his hand in your underwear. “fuck, baby, you’re so wet for me and i haven’t even done anything yet.” he pushed a finger inside you, earning a gasp from you. he began thrusting his fingers slowly, making you feel dizzy. his hand finally let go of your wrists and your hands fell on his shoulders. he grabbed you by your neck as he began picking up the pace, looking you straight in the eyes.

you couldn’t hold off any longer. you felt yourself reaching the climax, causing you to cover your mouth with your hand to silence the noises that escaped you uncontrollably. you held onto his shoulders tighter as you came all over his fingers. as you were gasping for air in his arms, you heard the bathroom door open.

“y/n?!” tati said in shock. namgyu brought the hand that was just in you to his lips and put his fingers in his mouth, sucking them clean. “hmm, the main dish tastes different tonight.” he grinned, “my apartment is across the street.” he whispered as he leaned closer. “i’m getting fired anyway, might as well make the most of it.” he said as he walked out of the bathroom.

“y/n, what the fuck is going on? why was he in here? did he- is that why you were talking so long?” tati frantically tried to find an explanation. but adrenaline was rushing through you and the orgasm you just reached was so fucking amazing you couldn’t really think straight. “i’m sorry, tati, i have to go.” you rushed out of the restroom. “for what? to suck dick and cock?” she yelled after you, feeling betrayed, “i mean time and place!” understandably so. after-all, you did this at her birthday dinner.

you stormed out of the restaurant and found namgyu already waiting for you. “take this.” he said as he took out a pill you couldn’t recognize, “it’ll make you feel even better.” even though you had never done this before, you wanted to obey him. he was the one who had just made you feel like heaven so you trusted his word.

you took the pill a second after he took one as well. he then grabbed your face and placed a passionate kiss on your lips. “let’s go, chimi.”

the second you two walked into the apartment, he slammed the door behind you and began making out with you while simultaneously taking off his uniform. his hands found the zipper on your dress and soon after that, you were left standing in just your underwear.

“can you get on your knees for me, chimi? hm?” he said while unbuckling his belt. “why the fuck do you keep calling me chimi? my name’s-” you were cut off, “because you ordered fucking chimichangas, nobody orders fucking chimichangas.” he said while laughing akin to a maniac.

you were left speechless. to be honest, the pill he gave you earlier was starting to hit you so you couldn’t have cared less what he called you, you just knew you needed him inside you more than ever. “knees… please?” he said with his eyebrows raised and a cheeky smile on his face. you were pretty sure he was clinically insane but that wasn’t going to stop you.

you slowly got down on your knees while holding eye contact. you were about to pull down his boxers, when you suddenly heard the toilet flush. a second after that, you saw a tall purple haired man walk into the room. “yo, namsu, my man!”

“oh my god, what the fuck are you doing here, when did you get back?” namgyu yelled back at him. “my brother, i missed you!” he started walking towards namgyu with open arms. “dont fucking touch me, bro! get the fuck out, i’m trying to get fucked right now, god!” he said in frustration while pushing him away.

“no worries, namsu, i’ll be in my room if you need anything.” the purple haired guy said. “no, thanos, get the fuck out of this apartment right now. go to mina’s place or a club, i don’t give a fuck, just get the fuck out!” namgyu yelled as he pushed him out of the flat, locking the door behind him.

“fuck, i feel so bisexual right now!” he exclaimed in annoyance. “you mean bipolar?” you finally spoke up still, in the same spot on your knees. “i don’t know the fucking difference, both! fuck…” he sighed, “just open your mouth for me, angel.”

and you did. he pulled down his underwear and revealed the absolute monster cock he had been hiding. before you could think about it, your hands reached for it, stroking it slowly and rubbing it over your face. in a moment of bravery, your lips got closer to the tip and you started sucking on it as you took off your bra. “fuck yeah, baby, that’s right. take it, take all of it.” he moaned as you gagged on his dick, “such a fucking good girl. so fucking pretty with my cock in your mouth.”

after he started pushing your head, it didn’t take long for him to start whimpering. as he did, he lifted you without warning and carried you over his shoulder to his bedroom. he laid you down on your back and got on top of you, starting to lay sloppy kisses from your mouth down as he played with your nipples.

your panties were on the floor in an instant and his tounge on your clit, making you whine and grab at his hair. “yeah, that’s-” you moaned, “don’t stop!” he buried his head in between your thighs as he sucked on all the right places before getting to your tits and lightly biting your nipple.

he grabbed you by your waist and turned you around so you were lying on your stomach. “ass up.” you did as he said and arched your back. “such a pretty pussy.” his arms wrapped around your thighs, his hands spreading your ass, as he got all up in your holes, his tongue in your pussy and his nose on your asshole.

he flipped you back on your back. “you ready to take all of me, slut?” he said while caressing your cheek. you nodded in response because you weren’t able to do much more.

he spread your legs and started rubbing his tip over your clit, earning shaky breaths from you. when he put it in you cried out. “fuck, babygirl, you feel so good!” he moaned. you felt so dizzy and ecstatic you couldn’t even do anything but moan uncontrollably. you weren’t sure if it was entirely the pills fault you couldn’t control yourself because namgyu was making you feel things you’ve never felt before.

“feels… so good!” you managed to get out between gasps and moans. “you look even better when i’m fucking your brains out.” he grunted while holding your legs spread. you felt yourself reaching the climax, “i-i’m gonna cum!” you cried out. at those words he fastened his pace, “cum for me then, slut.” your hands covered your mouth as you screamed incoherent words.

namgyu felt himself about to cum when he saw you shaking and orgasming under him. he pulled his cock out of you and started jerking it. he grunted and moaned after he finally came all over your stomach. he exhaled and laid on his back next to you. “see, wasn’t that so much better than your stupid fucking dinner and stupid fucking chimichangas?”

[deathbecomesthem]

may we yearn after the handsome linecook some more ♥️ I haven’t stopped thinking about him making Mickey Mouse pancakes for the little kids

For you, my sweet Tom. Sorry it takes me 50,000 years to write these days. I'm hoping to have more of these two sometime soon, a direct continuation from the end of this "chapter." I think we're due for something with these two.

Kiss The Cook 6

Where Eddie is trying to train a very stubborn server how to work on the grill.

~2K - Linecook!Eddie x Server!Reader

---

You can feel the icy wind sneak through the back door of the diner, even while the heat of the grill radiates off of the skin of your forearms. It’s hard to focus when you can feel the sweat trickle from your scalp down to your eyebrows. You make a mental note to wear a bandana around your forehead the next time you have grill duty. If there is a next time. God, you hope there isn’t a next time. 

The only upside to grill duty, the kitchen manager, sidles up next to you, peering over your right shoulder to see how table 5’s breakfast is coming along. You can feel his light exhale prickle against your sweaty neck, a dissatisfied hiss of air that sends a shock wave down your spine.

“Where’s the butter?” The question isn’t out before he spots the squirt bottle to your left. His chest pushes against your side as he reaches for it, you can smell his cologne - Eternity for Men, you’d wager. 

You step back and hand him the flat metal spatula you’ve been gripping tightly for the last hour. Eddie grabs your forearm and pulls you back next to him. Side by side, no room for the Holy Spirit between you. He puts the plastic bottle in your hand and points to the pile of hashbrowns sitting on the grill in front of you.

“More,” Eddie says after you squirt a healthy amount at the center of the pile. You give another squirt and look out of the corner of your eye to see him not in approval. “Now. We wait.”

“Eddie,” you’re surprised at the edge to your voice, but soldier on to make your point, “I’ve been waiting over this fucking grill for 20 minutes. How long are hashbrowns supposed to take?” You use the spatula to scrape the potatoes off the grill and move them around. This is one of your last tables for the day, and your patience has worn thin. You have yet to successfully make a single plate of hashbrowns as crispy as Eddie does on a regular basis.

“Well, Sweetheart,” this time he takes the spatula out of your hand and flattens the potatoes, “if you’re making crispy hashbrowns, you need to learn to wait. Patience. Do. Not. Fuck. With. Them.”

You’re not surprised to hear the edge to Eddie’s voice. His patience with training you is nearly non-existent. He doesn’t want you back here and only agreed to train you on the grill as a “just in case” measure after the last 3 cooks quit after less than a month of being at the diner. Eddie’s been working 7 days a week since last month, and his next day off isn’t until Charlie gets back from his vacation in Tucson. You know better than to poke the bear, and yet -

“Well, ok. I’ll just go out there and tell Mary and Mark at table 5 it’ll be another 45 minutes for their hashbrowns and eggs and that they need to learn patience.” 

You’re not looking at Eddie, but you can feel his eyes on the side of your face. You’re cracking eggs into the small metal bowl you use for scrambling. The next ticket, and likely last for the day, is french toast and eggs. Easy.

Eddie moves behind you, chest flush with your back. He takes the bowl out of your hand, sets it down, and puts the spatula back in your hand. He breathes against your neck, “I said, you need patience, because you do. I see the way you flit around this place every day, and that’s all well and good when you’re waiting tables. Back here, you need to learn when to stand and wait. Now,” Eddie grasps your wrist to guide you back to the hashbrowns, “do not touch them until you see some brown on the edges. Hold that spatula there. Wait.”

Eddie doesn’t move, and neither do you. You are acutely aware of his presence behind you, his hand on your wrist. You watch the potatoes, buttery margarine bubbling around the edges, until you see it. The flat plane of hashbrowns is starting to become golden on the edges. 

“Hashbrowns require patience, especially if you want them to be crispy. You can’t rush something like that. You gotta spread them as thin as you can with plenty of oil, and then just watch. Good things come to those who wait.” 

You wonder if Eddie realizes how close his lips are to the back of your neck. You can feel the heat of his skin and breath while he instructs you. You try very hard to not think about how patient he is with the potatoes - how patient he would be as a lover. Slow and deliberate movements to create these dishes all day, every day. You try very hard not to consider how much stamina is required to do this job. 

Eddie’s grip tightens on your wrist, he’s twisting it and guides the spatula closer to the potatoes, “Now you can flip.”

So you do, and you’re not surprised to find a golden brown layer of perfectly cooked hashbrowns in front of you. You can’t hide your annoyance. You drop the spatula and turn to face Eddie.

“I don’t like this. I hate being on the grill. I smell like bacon, I’m drenched in sweat, and my back hurts. Plus,” you bring your forearm up close to Eddie’s face so he can get a good look at the scattering of burn blisters there, “look at this. Fry oil splatter. That shit is painful.”

Eddie frowns and takes two steps to the first aid kit next to the office door. He rummages around while you turn back to the grill and finish plating the food for table 5 - perfectly crispy hashbrowns included - before ringing the bell for the server to come pick it up. 

“Did you even put any cream on it?” Eddie’s back at your side, grabbing your arm and applying burn cream across your blistered skin. “You need to be careful with burns. Plus, it numbs the pain.”

Eddie turns his head to the side and calls, “Jim, get over here and take over the grill for a few minutes. It’s almost close, and we just need some french toast for table 2.” He pulls you into the office while Jim the dishwasher takes over the grill for you and Eddie. 

He leads you into the tiny office adjacent to the grill and oven and sits on the desk while motioning for you to sit in the chair in front of him. His long arm reaches behind you easily to swing the door shut. It’s not the first time you and he have been in this tiny space together, but every time you’re reminded of that one dream you had about you and Eddie on the very desk where he’s currently seated.

He pulls a joint from the front pocket of his apron and lights it, takes a hit, and hands it over to you. With Charlie gone, you and Eddie have been “sneaking” in the office to get a mild buzz when things get too tense. The dishwasher knows, but he’s a 17 year old kid that wouldn’t think about getting his older and cooler co-workers in trouble. It’s been too cold to sneak out behind the dumpster like the two of you have been doing for the last few months - since the ice cream “date” that wasn’t a date, but maybe it was. There was no kiss at your front door, but his foot rubbed against yours under the booth you shared at the Dairy Queen.

“I’m not kidding, Eddie,” you tell him, pinching the end of the joint to hand back to him, the smoke warming you from the inside out, “I will light this place on fire if I end up working the grill on a regular basis.”

Eddie laughs, lowers his head, and takes a hit from the joint in your outstretched hand. It’s a silly move that hints at an intimacy that the two of you almost have with one another. From this angle, you can see that the tips of his ears are pink, either from the heat, the smoke, or the close proximity to you. 

“Can’t have that. My favorite server in prison for arson? Plus, me out of a job? Nah. I think I’ll just tell Charlie you’re the worst cook I’ve ever tried to train and get Jim set up on grill. We can find a new dishwasher easier than a cook, and he ain’t bad.”

Eddie’s still leaned down, close to your face. His eyes flick from yours to your lips and back again. A subconscious indication of his desire to kiss you. You think for a moment he’s actually going to do it, that he’s going to close the distance between the two of you finally. And then he leans back and you slap his knee without missing a beat. The wall is back up again in an instant.

“There’s no way I’m the worst. No way,” you look at the clock behind Eddie’s back and see that it’s now a quarter to 2, almost time to shut the diner down for the day. “I remember Lucky. Pretty sure he gave me food poisoning.”

“Yeah, well, beggars can’t be choosers, Sweetheart. No, you’re right, not the worst. Possibly the most subordinate.” You push his shoulder and start to stand, ready to get to work on closing. “Definitely the cutest.”

You sigh and shake your head. You don’t turn around for him to see the grin on your face. “That’s a pretty low bar, Ed, considering the competition.”

His hand reaches around you to open the door before you can. You didn’t even hear him stand up, but again you feel the heat of him at your back. You’re suddenly sure that if you turned around, he’d have you pinned against the door with a kiss. You don’t move, don’t breathe. And then he turns the knob and says,

“Hood guys coming tomorrow, Charlie said I can shut this place down for the day,” the door opens slowly, pushing you back against Eddie’s chest while he continues, “was thinking it would be fun to watch a movie or something.”

“Yeah?” You’re stepping through the door, taking the residual weed smoke with you back into the kitchen. Jim’s already back at the sink, the tickets are all fulfilled, and he’s running a rack of silverware for the server, Katy, to wrap before she leaves for the day. You’re trying to decide what to say to Eddie. You’re wishing he would just say what he wants. You’re tired of the game, and you’re not even really sure it’s one that he’s playing with you at this point.

“Yeah. Eraserhead. Ever see it?” 

“No, never saw it. What’s it about?” You ask as you start scraping the grill, getting all the pieces of leftover food down into the grease trap.

“Hmmm, well. That’s complicated. How about you come over and watch it with me,” Eddie’s getting wiping down the inside of the microwave, looking at you through the cloudy door, a dopey smile on his lips.

[wondergirlsthings]

A Dinner Date Turned Trio with Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc

Carlos Sainz x Reader

Carlos had been planning this date night for weeks. After an exhausting race weekend, he wanted nothing more than to spend a quiet, romantic evening with you. He picked out a cozy, upscale restaurant overlooking the marina—just the kind of place where you could both relax, talk, and enjoy each other’s company.

You arrived hand-in-hand, Carlos looking effortlessly dashing in a tailored jacket, and you feeling radiant in your favorite outfit. As the host led you to your table, Carlos squeezed your hand and leaned in to whisper, “This is all for you, mi amor.”

The evening was shaping up to be perfect… until you spotted Charles Leclerc sitting at a nearby table, casually waving at the two of you with a cheeky grin.

“Oh no,” Carlos muttered under his breath.

“Is that Charles?” you asked, trying not to laugh.

“Unfortunately, yes,” Carlos replied, rubbing his temple. “I told him about this place last week. I didn’t think he’d actually come here today.”

Charles was already standing, making his way over to your table with the confidence of someone who knew he was about to cause chaos. “Carlos! Y/N! What a coincidence!”

Carlos gave him a look. “Really, Charles? A coincidence?”

Charles smirked, ignoring the jab. “I was just about to finish my dessert, but since you’re here, why don’t I join you for a bit?”

Before Carlos could protest, Charles had pulled up a chair. You bit your lip, trying not to burst out laughing at Carlos’s increasingly annoyed expression.

“So,” Charles began, looking between the two of you with a mischievous twinkle in his eye, “how’s the most beautiful couple on the grid?”

“We were great,” Carlos replied dryly, “until you showed up.”

“Oh, come on,” Charles said, grinning. “You love me, Sainz. And I’m sure Y/N doesn’t mind.”

You couldn’t hold back your laughter anymore. “It’s fine, Carlos. Let him stay for a little while. He’s clearly lonely.”

Charles feigned a wounded look. “Lonely? I’ll have you know I’m here with friends. But they’re boring, so I decided to grace you two with my presence instead.”

Carlos sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “This was supposed to be a date night.”

“And it still is!” Charles said cheerfully, flagging down a waiter. “Except now it’s a date night with a bonus—you, me, and Charles.”

The rest of the evening turned out to be surprisingly fun. Charles, despite his uninvited presence, kept the mood light with his endless jokes and stories from the paddock. By the time dessert arrived, even Carlos had loosened up, laughing along with you and Charles as you teased him about his overly meticulous race preparations.

As the three of you walked out of the restaurant, Charles clapped Carlos on the back. “See? That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

Carlos shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. “Next time, I’m picking a place you don’t know about.”

Charles winked. “Good luck with that.”

You slipped your hand into Carlos’s, leaning against him as you walked to the car. “Admit it—you’d miss him if he wasn’t around.”

Carlos chuckled, pressing a kiss to your temple. “Maybe. But don’t tell him that.”

And as Charles called out another joke from across the parking lot, the three of you burst into laughter, the night ending on a note of unexpected joy.

[suniix]

stupid horse | kenma x reader

synopsis | stupid horse i just fell out of the porsche, lost the money in my bank account oh no!

in which you frequently visit an arcade to destress after school and have the highest score on your favorite game, until one day you don’t. someone named applepi has dethroned you and you almost go broke trying to reclaim your spot.

details | slow burn, kind of crack, rivals (?) to friends to almost lovers, possibly ooc kenma, no use of ‘y/n’

word count | 10.3k

note | for @xoxojisu and @tlissablr and all the other kenma enjoyers 🫶 anyways this is my second long fic and i kinda think the pacing sucks? the fic is mostly me yapping. also i tried to be very vague when it came to the games because i wanted you 🫵 the reader to insert whatever you wanted BUT while writing i imagined the reader was obsessed with space invaders and kenma was playing brawl stars on his phone! (random yes i know) also i literally had no idea how to end this so sorry if the ending sucks :/

You stare at the screen, hoping the reason the name ranked first is unfamiliar due to the adrenaline running through you after losing a few seconds ago.

With jittery hands you move the joystick, spelling out the name you always use to claim your spot as second on the leaderboard for the first time in ages. It was only then that you truly realized you had been dethroned by someone with an odd name.

“Who the hell is Applepi..” You grumble, taking out more coins from your pocket before inserting them into the slot.

You spent a lot of time at the arcade and therefore recognized a lot of faces, especially those from your school. Normally people used their real name or a recognizable nickname so they could easily boast about their score to their friends, so it was a bit odd you couldn’t place your finger on who the name belonged to. You could only assume they really enjoyed apple pie.

Hearing the familiar start-up tune of the game you lock your eyes onto the screen, watching as the enemies roll in. You play as usual, pushing the buttons and timing your attacks just right to gain points. It was a simple process: attack, dodge, repeat.

From what you remember his score was just a couple points higher than yours, so all you needed to do was put in a little more effort and you’d win.

As you continued to play you felt the initial hurt of losing your place in the leaderboard drift away. You don’t know why you got so bothered— you come to the arcade to relieve stress, not stress yourself out.

You were having fun again, that’s what matters now.

The game itself was pretty old, with newer games and models surrounding it it almost looked out of place if it weren’t for the fact that you were in an arcade. Due to that, it didn’t receive much attention so the leaderboard always remained stagnant, the same people had been in their spots for months without it changing and with you at the top. It’s because of this that you unofficially claimed it as your game, so when you saw someone else had taken your spot you were thrown off. Who likes losing at something they’re good at?

You huff, almost feeling angry again at the thought before focusing back on the game. The enemies were getting faster now. It was around here that you died last time, so all you need to do is survive for a little longer.

You followed the usual pattern, attack dodge repeat, before eventually succumbing to an attack.

You watched as the leaderboard came back up and just as you had predicted you were in first place again. This time you were ahead of Applepi by a couple hundred points, so you’d be good for a while in case they ever tried to take your spot again.

You looked at the leaderboard again, observing the new spots of the players since everyone got knocked down by one. The person in last place was entirely kicked out.

“Poor guy,” You mumble, reaching into your pocket for more coins. It’s then you realize you’re out, you had spent your last few on the round you just played.

Momentarily you contemplated going to the counter to buy more but ultimately settled on being done for the day. You had spent enough time at the arcade for today, now it was time to head home and catch up on school work.

You picked up your bag and walked towards the exit.

The arcade was unsurprisingly busy today.

It was the weekend, to be specific Saturday. Those free from work and students who finished their assignments roamed the streets to destress after a long week, your friend and yourself included.

By some miracle your schedules aligned and after days of not being able to hang out the two of you finally set a date. Initially, the plan was to just hit a couple of stores since your friend, Riko, claimed she needed some retail therapy after a hectic week of school combined with work. Soon clothing stores turned into food stalls, then into shoe stores, followed by stores that sold trinkets, and the list went on.

While Riko planned to spend most of her paycheck, you had different ideas. Before the day ended you wanted to stop by the arcade. You claimed it was to wind down, but you secretly wanted to see the leaderboard on your favorite game. Since she had been dragging you around everywhere she wanted to go that day and she knew how much you liked going she complied with your request.

Upon entering you noticed the claw machines had restocked their prizes and among them was the most adorable cat plush you had ever seen. The leaderboard could wait, you had to have it no matter what.

Amongst the loud chatter and music in the room, you were able to hear your friend calling your name from somewhere behind you.

“Yeah?” You answered, focusing on the task in front of you.

You had promised yourself you would only try to win the plush three times before giving up and you were on your final try. Your hand was hovering over the red button that would drop the claw when pressed, waiting for the right moment. It was nearly in the perfect spot over the plush. Just a few more taps to the left and—

“Some guy took your first place.”

SLAM!

You watched in horror as the claw swung violently left and right from your accidental jab, dropping slowly and missing what would’ve been your plush completely. You stare at the glass for a moment in sorrow before turning around and walking to your friend.

Luckily your favorite game was only a few steps away from the claw machine so you made it in time to see the leaderboard before it disappeared, and she was right. Applepi had once again taken your spot, this time by a significant margin.

“Whoa, what’s with that face? Are you shocked that someone finally took your spot?”

It was obvious you couldn’t hide the look of surprise on your face given your friend’s reaction. You quickly looked away in embarrassment. “It’s not that, this happened like two weeks ago and I just never expected they’d do it again.”

Riko’s eyes widened in surprise, before narrowing in on you. A smile slowly creeps in on their face. “Again?! So that’s why you were so insistent on coming here! I know you like this place, but I felt like this time you were being extra pushy—”

“I was not that pushy!” You gasp at her dramatics before picking out tokens from your pocket and inserting them into the machine.

She giggles before leaning against the side of the machine, watching you focus on the game. “Can’t believe you didn’t tell me about this earlier! I feel like a boring show I was watching just got slightly interesting.”

“No way you just called me boring,” You shot her a glare before looking back at the screen. “And I didn’t tell you because I didn’t think it mattered. Last time they only beat me by a few points so I never thought I’d see their name above mine again.”

“You’re not boring, but I just don’t understand how you can play the same thing over and over again without getting bored.” She sighed.

“It’s my comfort game, it helps me relieve stress. It's kind of like how you love to go shopping, if you already have a lot of everything, why buy more?” You reply, hoping you explained it in a way she understands.

It’s still a mystery how the two of you become friends when you couldn’t be more different. The two of you had different likes and dislikes, but the two of you still indulged in each other’s interests where you could. You guys understood each other and wouldn’t push each other into doing anything the other didn’t like, which is probably why you’ve remained best friends for as long as you have.

A childhood bond that likely won’t ever be broken.

“Mm, guess you have a point.” She nodded. “Or maybe you’re just saying that ‘cause you’re unemployed.”

You let out a sigh that sounded more like a laugh. “Fair point—”

The game stopped and the death music silenced you. You feel your stomach drop, you had gotten so wrapped up in the conversation that you forgot to focus. There was no possible way you could have beat his score.

“Did you beat them?!” Riko quickly invades your space, eyes looking all over the screen for a sign of your score.

You watch with her in anticipation as the screen loads, bringing up the leaderboard.

“Fuck..” Your friend curses and you groan, throwing your head back in frustration.

Your eyes catch her various shopping bags on the dirty floor and you can’t help but feel bad. “You can head out if you want, it might take me a while to beat their score.”

Your friend, the loyal angel she is, shakes her head and crosses her arms. “No way, I’m staying with you until you win!”

You won't say it out loud but her response made you genuinely happy. Before you could say anything she held her hand up, stopping you. “Shh! Don’t say anything! I just want to see you happy, so hurry up and win so you can be happy!”

You smile and nod, sliding in another coin and starting over.

The two of you are there for nearly another twenty minutes. The arcade isn’t as full as it was when the two of you first got there, but there were still a good handful of people. Your friend continued to remain by your side but had taken out her phone to pass the time. It’s only when she hears the death music followed by your gasp that she puts her phone down and rushes to your side, grabbing your shaky hands.

“What is it?! Did you do it?!” She asks, glancing between you and the screen for a reaction that could indicate an answer.

You don’t respond, your eyes remaining fixated on the screen. You’re honestly not sure, you had been playing for a while but Applepi had gotten further than you ever have, so you were in the dark when it came to your score. When you see the words new high score pop up on the screen you and your friend squeal. It was only by a few points, but you had beaten Applepi once again. She shook you by the shoulders from joy and screamed ‘You did it! You did it!’ repeatedly. You shush her after noticing the silent glares you two were getting from other players.

“Can’t believe I actually did it,” You said shakily while plugging in your name again.

“Never doubted you for a second!” Riko laughed seeing your glare.

You quickly glance at the claw machine. One more try couldn’t hurt, and you were currently riding the high of your win. This time you’d win.

The two of you walk over with you helping carry your friend's multiple bags. Once you set them down you reach into your pocket for more coins. “Now that that’s done I can finally try and—” You pause when you don’t feel any in your pocket.

You turn to look at your favorite game, wondering just how many rounds you played.

Doesn’t matter, you tell yourself while pulling out your wallet, I’ll just—

Everything in your system nearly shuts down after seeing your wallet was completely empty, excluding your student ID. Your friend notices your silence and looks up, seeing your empty wallet.

“No cash?” She asks before pulling out her own wallet. “Don’t worry, your beautiful and employed friend has got you covered—” She gasped while peering down into her wallet. The look of horror on her face told you she in fact did not have you covered.

Just as you started to pick up her bags she stopped you. “Wait! I know I probably have something in my bank account!” She quickly tapped the screen on her phone. Her face quickly morphed into distress.

“S-Sorry.. I got nothing..”

The two of you turned to look at the plush. It sat there, stranded in the middle of the claw machine, almost beckoning you to save it from its misery.

You put your forehead to the glass. “I’ll come back for you soon..”

To keep your promise the next day once school ended you wanted to head back to the arcade to check the leaderboard and get that cat plush. As a result, your friend called you paranoid.

“Please come with me, it’s not like you work today.” You begged, tugging on her backpack as you walked together.

“I don’t work, but I have homework I gotta catch up on!” Riko argued back, quickening her pace in the hopes she’d get away from you. “Besides, I’m sure that person has a life outside of the arcade. They couldn’t have beaten your score that fast!”

When you didn’t respond she glanced behind her, which was a mistake.

Your hands still gripped her bag strap tightly, but your face held the most adorable pout. She knew she was in a losing battle with you now, you wouldn’t give up until she said yes. Besides, she stood by her point. Once you guys went to the arcade you’d see she was right and you’d stop being paranoid all the time. Hell, maybe she’d stay with you so you could win the plush in the claw machine, but that’s it.

“Fine! But I’m just accompanying you, if you stay to play I’m leaving.”

To both of you guys's surprise, your score had been beaten, once again by a significant amount, by none other than Applepi. To make things worse the cat plush you had been eyeing had disappeared too.

“I stand corrected, I guess whoever Applepi is does not in fact have a life.” Riko sighed. “Look man, I’d give you some change to play but I’m still all out, I work tomorrow though so—”

“Don’t worry about it, I brought some with me just in case.”

“… What?”

Your friend could only watch as you pulled out some coins and an extremely wrinkly bill from your pocket. She had no idea where you even got the money from, unless…

“Did you search through your couch for money?”

“.. These are desperate times..”

Your friend had no words. She can’t believe she was ready to help fund your new addiction, almost did too, until you pulled out your suspicious money. She couldn’t lie though, she admired the dedication you had. She silently watched as you inserted a coin to start playing.

“Alright then.. goodluck with your one-sided competition.” She waved goodbye and you reciprocated the action.

Normally you’d visit the arcade a couple times a week. She knew this because she would walk you part of the way before she split off to either go home or go to her job. Once, twice, on the rare occasion three times you’d go to the arcade, but now it was basically everyday. Once school ended as usual you two would walk together before you split, walking in a direction that she knew was not where your home was.

She wanted to say something, but she didn’t know how to bring it up to you without making you seem crazy. She knew this game brought you comfort, and this new rivalry excited you, but you were spending money you did not have. You were addicted, whether you knew it or not, and you needed to take a break away from the game.

And she missed spending time with you.

Luckily, as fate would have it, the opportunity presented itself in the form of a job application.

“Please help me get a job.” You placed the form on your friend's desk.

She stopped packing away her things to pick up the sheet of paper. The job application form was from her job. “When did you get this?” She asked, wondering how you got the paper since she hadn’t seen you around.

“A while ago when I went to visit you while you were working, I thought it’d be cool if we worked in the same place.”

“Uh-huh..” She eyed you suspiciously. “What’s the real reason you’re applying?”

You scratched your cheek nervously. “I told you, it’d be cool if—”

“No, the real reason.”

You sighed knowing there was no way you could lie about it when she already knew. You don’t even know why you tried to lie when the reason was so obvious. She just wanted to hear you say it.

“I want to get a job so I can continue playing at the arcade.” You sighed while looking down at your feet. Once you said it out loud you realized it was a little embarrassing especially considering the extra context.

She called your name softly and you looked up. “Listen, I love you and I’ll gladly help you get a job, but you gotta take a break from that damn game.”

If she’s telling you this, that means you’re really in deep. She’s not one to judge but when she does usually has a good reason. You take a moment to think about when this first started and do some quick mental math. It’s then you realize you’ve spent an alarming amount of money and time at the arcade.

“.. It’s gotten really bad hasn’t it?”

“I’m glad you’re self aware.” She stood up from her chair and gave you a harsh back on the back. “Now let’s go get you a job.”

“You know, I wasn’t lying when I said it’d be cool if we worked at the same place.” You said while wiping down the counter.

After school you walked with your friend to her job to submit the application. The place she worked at, a cat cafe, was run by the sweetest old lady who immediately gave you the job since you came recommended by your friend. She nearly handed you a uniform right then and there.

“I know, who wouldn’t want their best friend so they can chat while they work?” Riko laughed.

The other cafe employees were young students mostly within your age group and you’d momentarily see them when they came in for their shift before you headed out. The employee who would work during your friend’s shift recently resigned, leaving a vacant spot open just for you.

“I’m gonna go on break, will you be good out here by yourself?” She asked.

“Go for it,” You waved her off. “It’s late, I doubt any big parties will come in.”

She thanked you before proceeding to grab a snack and dashing to somewhere in the back. While standing at the register the lack of customers allowed your mind to wander. It had nearly been a week since you last visited the arcade and you missed it. What you missed most of all was playing your comfort game.

You’d be lying if you said you weren’t tempted to go back and check the leaderboard. On multiple occasions while walking home you almost ended up walking in the direction of the arcade, but your friend pulled you back every time. If it wasn’t for her, you likely would’ve ended up back at the arcade and drained your bank account.

Slowly, your obsession faded, but every so often you still wondered if Applepi had beaten you once again. You let out a frustrated sigh at the thought, you did not expect to get so invested. Now you’re dealing with the consequences and having withdrawals from the game.

Note to self: never gamble.

The gentle chime of a bell rang throughout the store, signaling someone had entered. You and your friend let out a synchronized ‘Welcome’ to acknowledge them.

The two who entered were boys around your age. One was tall with black hair styled in a.. unique way while the other was shorter, his hair bleached. What caught your eye was the familiar shade of red they wore. Then it dawned on you— they were wearing your school’s sports jackets!

For a moment you wondered what they were doing out so late since school ended a couple of hours ago, but you quickly realized they must’ve just finished with practice. Out of all the places they came here to relax? Your eyes shifted around the small store. That’s not to say the energy wasn’t nice, playing with the cats was definitely fun, but you personally would much rather spend your time relaxing at home.. or at the arcade—

“Hello! What can I get you started with?” You asked in your best customer service voice once they reached the counter.

The tall one’s eyes slightly widened once they landed on you before subtly glancing behind you, looking for something. You assumed he was looking at the menu so you didn’t rush him.

“Hi, um.. I’ll just have a green tea.” He sighs.

You try not to question why he said it in such a defeated tone while you plug in his order. “Will that be all?” You ask, eyes shifting briefly to his companion.

“I’ll have a slice of apple pie and a hot chocolate.” He answered softly, eyes quickly shifting back down to his phone.

Your eye twitches at the mention of the sweet treat. You once again plug in the order and the tall one says that’ll be all they’re having. They pay and walk to one of the furthest tables while you begin making their order.

While grabbing the cups for the drinks you could’ve sworn you heard one of the guys sniffing, almost as if he was crying. As tempting as it was to look, you decided to mind your business this time.

“Yo!” Your friend peaked her head from the back door before walking over to you. “Did you miss me?”

“That was the longest five minute break.”

“Sorry sorry, I got caught up watching my videos.” She giggled.

“Alright iPad kid, since you’re out now help me with this order.”

She rolled her eyes but helped you nonetheless. You started preparing the hot chocolate while your friend prepared the green tea. Once you finished the base drink you prepared yourself for the final step. You brought out another cup and began frothing some whip cream. Once that was done you gently added it into the drink, sculpting the froth to make it look like a cat was popping out of the drink. You then added two small drops of chocolate syrup for the eyes, completing the drink. You took a step back to admire the cat, smiling at the outcome.

Your friend was quick to notice. “Wow, I think this is your best one yet.” She smiles.

As you two finished up the drinks the dreaded final item came up. “.. Can you grab the last thing we need?” You ask.

Your friend checks the order to see what’s missing and lets out a loud laugh. “No way, don’t tell me you’re that triggered by it?”

“Don’t start..” You sigh.

Thankfully your friend complies without much more teasing. “Help me take these to their table?” You ask.

Your friend agrees and you both make your way to the table. The tall guy seemed to be sulking, sadly moving around a cat toy that didn’t catch any cat’s attention while his friend’s eyes remained glued to his phone.

“Sorry for the wait!” Your friend apologized while placing down a drink.

Like a switch was flipped his demeanor completely changed. Suddenly he was cheerful, looking at your friend like she made the drink personally for him. Oh, you understand now.

You resist the urge to laugh as you place down the other guy’s order, hearing the two converse. The guy with bleached hair perks up seeing his food and you feel a twinge of pride when you see him snap a quick pic of your drink.

Your and your friend head back behind the counter. Not caring about being ‘professional’ you pull a chair up to the chair and sit while your friend leans against the counter. You eye the distance between you and the customers before mentally declaring you’re at a safe enough distance that they won’t hear your conversation.

“So..” You start.

Your friend raises an eyebrow, but decides to bite. “So?”

“You and that guy?”

“I knew you were gonna say something.” She laughed. “He’s just a frequent customer. Him and his friend would come in all the time after practice, but once you started working they stopped. I asked him about it and apparently they’ve been practicing extra ‘cause they have a big game coming up or something.”

You eyed her suspiciously, taking note of the slight blush on her cheek. “Alright if you say so..”

Work went by fast after that. Later that night the two of you decided to hang out a little bit before parting ways. Your friend, noticing how antsy you’d been, suggested playing Roblox.

The two of you were holed up in Riko’s room, deciding on which game to play. The initial idea was to bully kids on Brookhaven, but a popular show involving surviving kids games had inspired many to create their own version on Roblox.

This you settled on the game, Shrimp Game.

Trial after trial both of you survived. When it was time for Mingle the both of you were doing good the first couple of rounds, occasionally getting separated but surviving nonetheless.

Once you reached the center of the stage the music started up again. You stared at the screen, anxious to see the number of how many could be in a group.

The music stopped and the screen flashed. 3 players.

You and your friend immediately raced to an empty room, hoping a single player would follow. As soon as the two of you entered another two player group followed suit.

“What the,” You grumbled, “Get them out, we were here first.”

You go to push one of the players but one of them had the same idea, reacting quicker and instead pushing you out and shutting the door.

“What the!—” You sat up in a panic. “Riko open the door!”

“I can’t!” She panicked. “The other guy pushed me down and I can’t get up!”

You quickly looked around seeing players scrambling to get into rooms, the only open one was across the stage from you. The countdown began, you knew you wouldn’t make it if you ran. You accepted your fate.

There was a player standing at the door, looking through the peephole almost as if he was taunting you that you couldn’t get in. It was then you noticed the username.

Applepi.

“No way,” You gasped. “Riko it’s them!!”

The countdown ended and your avatar was shot.

Your friend dramatically calls out your name and hugs you tightly. “I’ll never forget you!” She gave you a side hug while proceeding with the round.

“Quick turn on voice chat so I can cuss them out!—”

“No way!” She pulled back, “You’ll get me banned!”

You were tempted to spend money (now that you had it) to revive yourself but ultimately decided against it. You’d get your revenge in a different way.

“Want me to leave?” She asked since you guys were only playing to play together.

“No,” You flipped through the perspectives and landed on Applepi’s, “I’m gonna spectate.”

They played a couple of more rounds before moving on to the next game. You watched, unable to take your eyes off the screen while you thought about the possibilities.

“You think that’s actually Applepi?” You asked your friend.

“Dunno,” She mumbled, concentrating on the game. “What are the chances someone else uses the same username?”

The sound of her frequently tapping on the screen is dulled once you begin to think. She was right, what are the chances? This couldn’t be a coincidence, they were spelled the same odd way. Plus, it's very common for a person to stick with the same name, almost like they’re marking their online identity. It seemed as though the universe was pointing you in the direction back to the arcade. First the guy from work who ordered an apple pie, now this random with the same name.

“Damn!” Your friend groaned, putting down her phone. “I’m out.”

This was a sign. You were going to the arcade tomorrow.

“I think I’m finally gonna go back.”

Your friend looked at you, puzzled by your sudden declaration. “Go back to the arcade?” She hesitantly asked.

You nodded, confirming her statement.

“Well, it has been almost two weeks. I’m surprised you lasted this long without going.” She leaned back against the bench, basking in the sun while she clutched her juicebox.

It had been a week since you played Roblox and possibly met your archnemesis. You mimicked her and leaned back, staring up at the clouds. Somewhere in the distance you could hear the sound of squeaky shoes echoing from the gym. “I surprised myself too, but you made me realize I was obsessing over the competition too much for it to be healthy, and my wallet was really suffering…”

She smirked and ruffled your hair. “See what happens when you listen to me? You evolve as a person.”

You groan and gently push her away, attempting to fix your hair. She was right, but you’d never say it to her face. She knows she’s right most of the time and you saw no need to boost her ego at the moment.

“So, why go back now?”

“After we played Roblox I swore I was gonna go check the next day, but once school ended I didn’t feel like rushing to see the leaderboard and ruining my mood. Since I don’t work today I figured now’s a good time, I can relax and play the game how I want. Also, I really want to see if they restocked the claw machine for that plush.”

Your friend gasped. “Oh wow, you’ve really changed!”

Suddenly she engulfed you in a hug, ranting about how proud she was of you. “I would go with you but I picked up an extra shift today,” She pulled away and looked at you with a pout, “But text me how it goes!”

“I will.” You laugh.

Soon after the school bell rings, signaling the end of your lunch break.

The rest of the school day goes by quickly, but not without a small hitch. During your final class your teacher announced a pop quiz. You would’ve been fine, except you quickly realized you had lost your only pencil sometime throughout the day.

You quickly look around to see if anyone had their pencil pouches out, subtly turning around to look at the back of the class, only to see a familiar face you weren’t expecting to see. You don’t know how you didn’t realize he was in your class earlier since he stood out because of his hair. In a sea of mostly black hair, his bleached blonde hair and overgrown roots caught your eye since it reminded you of pudding.

You gulped, feeling anxiety creep in. You didn’t know him well enough to casually ask for a pencil like you would with Riko and you didn’t want to seem like one of those classmates who’s always mooching off of other’s supplies, but you had no choice since he was the only person you sort of knew.

“Excuse me,” You whispered, catching his attention. “Could I borrow a pencil?”

He blinked at you, golden eyes staring at you momentarily in confusion, almost as if he was surprised you were talking to him. He says nothing though, only nodding and pulling out a second pencil for you to use before handing it to you.

“Thank you! I promise I’ll give it back after class!” You smile and quickly turn back to face your quiz.

Minutes pass and miraculously you finish just in time. You let out a sigh of relief as the teacher takes away your exam, relaxing into your seat. You think you had a solid chance of passing this quiz.

You hear a scuffle behind you and turn around to look, only to see your blonde classmate getting dragged away by his tall friend from the cafe. You could only stare in shock as they quickly disappeared into the halls. You looked down at the pencil in your hand, wondering how you’d give it back to him.

As you pack away your things you remember he was on a sports team— possibly the volleyball team. Should I quickly pass by the gym or just give it tomorrow? You ask yourself. You were in no rush to get to the arcade and you knew if you waited until tomorrow you’d likely forget to give it back and end up keeping it, making it seem like you’re the type of classmate to never give stuff back.

You shiver at the thought— a quick trip to the gym wouldn’t hurt.

The walk doesn’t take long, but once you reach the gym you’re confused to see it’s empty. Since the two players rushed out of your class you assumed they were in a hurry to get to practice. Had you gotten the sport wrong? For a moment you thought maybe he was on the soccer team, but he didn’t exactly seem like the running type. You try knocking and jiggle the doorknob, only to see it’s locked. It isn’t until a random student passing by lets you know the boys volleyball team practiced earlier in the day.

You sighed, guess you’d give it back tomorrow after all.

Without any more distractions you began walking towards the arcade. As you walked the familiar path you couldn’t help but feel a little giddy. Maybe this time you’d go around the arcade and play some games you haven’t tried yet. The familiar neon lights eventually came into view and you smiled at the sight. It had been a long time.

You made your way inside, avoiding multiple running kids when you saw people standing in front of your favorite game. It was the two from the cafe!

You watched as the blonde one fiddled with the keys for a moment, before receiving a game over. He briefly looked at the screen before walking away from the machine. Instead of taking this opportunity to look at the leaderboard you followed behind them, ready to give back the pencil when they began talking.

“So, anything?” His companion asked.

The blonde shook his head, brows furrowed with what almost looked like a pout on his face. “No, it was boring today too.”

You paused in your tracks, his answer echoing in your mind before you rushed back to the game. Just as you had arrived the top scores disappeared, going back to the title screen.

“Dammit,” You mumbled to yourself, pulling out your wallet to take out some change.

You entered the token and began to play. Could it be a coincidence seeing that guy here at this machine? Possibly, but what could he have meant by ‘it was boring today too’? It had been a while since you played, could he have been referring to that? Not to mention when he came to the cafe he ordered an—

Your eyes widened, you had connected the dots.

At that moment you received a game over. The screen dissolved briefly before revealing the list. Your eyes raked through the lineup, not shocked to see you were still in second place with Applepi at the top. It had been awhile since you played, but you knew his score was different. You’re not sure of the exact numbers, but it was slightly higher from the last time you played.

You glanced at the exit. Had he been coming here to see if you had beat him?

Part of you felt bad, he probably thought you stopped trying to beat him when you were actually in rehab (work), but you were happy to know the competition wasn’t one sided.

Inserting another token you prepare to try your best this round. You’re about to make this a little less boring.

You open the door to the cafe, the smell of caffeine and sweets hitting you in the face. You made your way to the counter where your friend stood as the cashier. She lit up upon seeing your face, waving excitedly. “I thought I told you to text me! You didn’t have to show up during my shift!”

“Thought it’d be better if I told you in person,” You giggled. “I have some slightly crazy news.”

“Oh!” She raised her eyebrows, curious as to what you could mean by that before gasping. “You got the plush!” She exclaimed while glancing at your backpack, expecting to see it bulky or misshapen.

“Ugh don’t remind me,” You sighed. “Turns out it was some super rare limited edition thing so I doubt I’ll ever see it again.”

“Damn, that sucks. Anyways, are you gonna order something or are you just here to gossip?”

You briefly remember the guy you loaned you a pencil and how his hair resembled pudding. As slightly embarrassing as it was to admit you had been craving the sweet treat ever since.

“I’ll have the caramel custard pudding.”

“Ugh,” Your friend made a face as she tapped the screen for your order. “Can’t believe you actually like that, tried it once while on my break and just couldn’t finish it. You and that guy over there would probably get along.”

You look up from your wallet and shoot her a confused look, “What guy?”

You gestured to someone behind you. Slowly you turned your head, only to see the duo from earlier. You quickly look back at her, trying to hide your shocked expression. “Damn, do they come here everyday?” You whisper, trying to act as if that was the reason you were surprised.

“I guess? I think their schedules cleared up a bit so now they’re coming more often.” She responded, not even noticing your panic. “Anyways your order will be out in a sec, I’m gonna take my break and go sit with you after it’s done.”

“Thanks,” You nervously laugh and go to the cat area to sit. You take a seat at the furthest table away from the duo, wondering if it’d be possible to talk about your discovery without them overhearing. You take a quick glance at them, noticing how the tall one frequently looks over at your friend and decide it’s too risky.

You spend your time scrolling through your phone, occasionally giving affection to any cat that brushes up against your leg when your friend approaches your table with two plates. “Alright,” She starts, placing the plates down before taking a seat. “What’s up? Did you end up spending all your money again?”

You can’t help but laugh at her comment. “No Riko, I’m not bankrupt just yet,” You reply while taking a bite out of your pudding.

You don’t know how she sensed it, but she was almost right. While playing you got a little too into it, inserting token after token. Without realizing you had spent a little more than what you planned on that single game alone. Seeing the numbers go higher and higher was addicting, you almost fell back into bad habits before pulling away and trying other games. You weren’t going to tell her that though.

The sudden sound of chairs being pushed out caught your attention. You looked back to see the duo were packing away their things and couldn’t help but feel joy swell up in your heart. They were leaving!

You went back to happily eating your pudding, unaware that they were making their way to your table until someone cleared their throat.

Both you and your friend turn to look at the tall man. “Hey, thanks again for the discount.”

Your friend waved her hand. “It was no problem! I feel bad you keep spending all your money here.” She laughed. You couldn’t help but notice the tint of red on her cheeks before hiding your smile behind your hand.

“You should come to our game tomorrow,” He suddenly suggested, looking eager before turning to you. “You too, we could use the extra support.”

“Mm, volleyball right?” You asked, really hoping you hadn’t gotten the sport wrong. It would’ve been embarrassing if you ended up going to the wrong place earlier.

“Right,” He clarified. “Think you guys will be able to make it?”

Before you even had a chance to respond your friend quickly answered for you. “We’ll be there!”

“Great! I’ll let the team know, they’ll be super excited,” He smiled before waving goodbye. His friend peaked from behind him and waved a reluctant goodbye which made you immediately remember.

“Oh before I forget!” You rummage around in your bag before pulling out the grey mechanical pencil, handing it to the blonde. “Here’s your pencil! Thanks for letting me borrow it.”

He looks at you surprised, almost like he had forgotten he gave you the pencil. “Oh, thanks.” Is all he said before gently taking it back.

During the brief moment he was up close you got the chance to observe him. His hair was long, but it framed his face nicely. His eyes were gold and catlike, fitting given your school’s mascot was a cat. You would’ve admitted he was cute if it wasn’t for the fact he’d possibly been the one tormenting you.

They left the shop after that, leaving you and your friend alone in the room. “Thanks for asking me if I wanted to go.” You broke the small moment of silence.

“Ok listen, me and Testurou—”

“Testurou?” You asked, both shocked and confused at the fact they were on a first name basis when you didn’t even know his name. As far as you know the two only interacted when he came to the cafe, just how often was he visiting? And dragging his poor friend with him to third wheel?

“Yes, his name is Testurou Kuroo.” She sighed dreamily while resting her cheek on her hand, enhancing that ‘totally in love’ look.

“When did this happen?!” You gasped. “Why didn’t you tell me this was happening?!”

“Ok first, calm down,” She giggled, acting as if she wasn’t hiding any big news from her best friend. “Nothings happened yet, we’ve just been talking when he comes in. I was literally planning on telling you when I told you to text me.”

You eyed her suspiciously, taking another spoonful of pudding into your mouth. “Ok, if he means that much to you I’ll go to the game tomorrow,” You give up, not wanting to put up much of a fight.

“Great! Now what about you? How do you know Kenma?” She smirked, hoping to flip the tables on you. So that’s his name, you mentally note. You open your mouth to explain the situation when she holds her hand up, silencing you. “Nevermind, what did you want to tell me earlier? About the arcade?”

“Actually, it’s about Kuroo’s buddy and the arcade.” You quickly looked around, eyeing the exit to make sure the duo had truly left.

She looked at you confused, gesturing for you to elaborate. You recount how you had seen the two of them at the arcade and how Kenma was playing your favorite game. You make sure to include his comment about how boring it’s been lately, leading you to your highly believable theory.

“I think he’s Applepi.”

“That.. actually makes some sense.” She nodded in agreement, surprising you.

“Really? Just like that?” You ask, raising an eyebrow suspiciously. She’s normally so quick to call you delusional— maybe you actually have a point this time.

She nods, “Tetsu usually visits me alone, but when he visits with Kenma he’s always late. I’m guessing that extra time is them being at the arcade. Plus, Kenma’s always playing games on his phone while they’re here so he’s probably a little nerdy, just like you.”

You ignore the nerd comment and focus on the facts she just presented to you. Everything lines up, but there’s only one way to confirm his identity.

“Just ask him about it tomorrow—”

“Tomorrow?! Are you crazy?!” You panic.

“Relax, just be casual about it.” She says in an attempt to calm you. “It’s not like you’re confronting him, just asking him about it. Who knows, maybe you guys can bond over that stuff.”

Casual, yeah, like this guy hasn’t been driving me insane for weeks.. you roll your eyes. She had a point though (lately she’s been having many of those), if you didn’t ask him you’d be stuck wondering forever.

It’s decided, you’re going to ask him tomorrow.

Tomorrow came sooner than you would’ve liked it to. Without knowing the school day quickly passed and you had arrived at the gym, your friend dragging you alongside her.

Inside there were a handful of people eagerly chatting and rushing to their seats to watch the teams warm up. You were anxious, but not about the game’s outcome. You were worried about making a fool of yourself in front of Kenma when it came to asking him about his possible secret identity.

“Remember, just be casual about it,” Your friend attempted to soothe you, but it didn’t help much.

She led you further into the gym until you stumbled upon a group of kids wearing your school’s volleyball jackets. You're quick to notice the duo that frequent the cafe. Ok, just keep it casual.

“Hey!” Your friend calls out, catching the attention of the captain and his friend. She drags you closer to the group before letting go of your hand, a quiet signal to leave so they can talk privately.

You take the hint, walking away with Kenma wordlessly. He walks towards a wall and you essentially follow him, trying to figure out a way to talk to him. If he notices your inner turmoil, he doesn’t say anything. He leans against a wall and pulls out his phone, tapping away at his screen. It isn’t until you hear a familiar sound coming from his phone that you look over, recognizing the game he’s playing.

“You play that game?” You ask, genuinely surprised seeing another person play.

Kenma briefly looks over at you, almost as if he was surprised to see you next to him, before quickly looking back down at his phone, “Yeah.”

Simple and quick— you should’ve expected that given what you see during your shifts. He didn’t seem like the type for conversations with people he didn’t know well. In fact, if you looked close enough, it seemed he’d rather be anywhere but here. Silence ensued and only the sounds from his phone could be heard.

“Have you had the chance to check out the arcade a couple blocks from here? The one in front of that one restaurant?” You nervously ask, fiddling with a loose end at the bottom of your shirt.

He stops and for a moment you think you’ve distracted him and accidentally killed him in the process, but he nods. “I have, it’s fun. I only really play one game though.”

Your eyes widen at his comment and you try your best to compose yourself. “By any chance.. are you Applepi?”

That gets him.

He stops moving again and you look over at his screen— this time it seems you did kill him. He looks at you with confusion swirling in his eyes. “How do you know that?” He asked hesitantly, almost like he was afraid of your answer.

You tell him the name you use when playing, one he quickly recognizes. “For the past couple of weeks you’ve been beating my score and I finally found you.” You laughed, partially because you found the situation funny and partially because you were anxious about his response.

When he didn’t respond you got nervous. You looked over at your friend and found she was still talking to Kuroo. You internally groaned, there was no way for her to come save you. You slowly turned your head to face Kenma and saw him looking at you with an unrecognizable look in his eyes. It was almost akin to sparkles— but there was a hint of something else.

“How’d you know?” He asked, keeping his eyes on you. It was the first time he ever really looked at you directly, like he was curious about how you figured it out.

“I saw you eating an apple pie once at the cafe.” You responded honestly before realizing you sounded crazy for remembering what he ate. “Then I saw you at the arcade after you finished playing.”

He hummed and looked down at his phone despite it being turned off. You pretended not to notice the tips of his ears turning red.

“You said it had been boring, so let’s make it interesting and place a bet.”

That caught his attention. “A bet?” He repeated, eyeing you nervously.

You nodded. “A bet. We continue doing what we’ve been doing but at the end of the month whoever has the highest score wins.”

He looks at you with suspicious eyes. “And what does the winner get?”

“.. Did you by any chance happen to win a calico plushie at the claw machine? One with a yellow spot over its eye?”

A surprised look quickly comes on to his face again. “..Yeah?”

You feel your eye twitch at his answer. “I want that.” You quickly stated. You know you sounded demanding, like a spoiled child crying about wanting something they didn’t have, but you had been eyeing it for so long you couldn’t help but want it. You feel it’s only right too after all the emotional and financial damage he caused you.

Kenma hesitates, but ultimately gives in to your request. “Then what do I get?”

“Well, what do you want?” You ask, not knowing him well enough to suggest anything. Hopefully it’s not money. You shiver at the thought. Your bank account just recovered, you couldn’t go back now.

He doesn’t answer, looking away from you. “I’ll think about it.” He mumbles.

“Alright then!” You cheer, excitement filling your body. “So it’s a bet?” You ask, extending your hand.

Kenma looked at your hand, slowly reaching out and accepting. You couldn’t help but notice how warm his hands were.

After your little bet the two of you had exchanged numbers to settle some things.

Something you were quick to notice was how much of a dry texter he was, though it wasn’t surprising given how he was in real life. During a conversation (that you initiated) Kenma commented on how it wasn’t fair that you’d have more time to spend at the arcade than him because of his volleyball practice, but you reassured him that you wouldn’t spend all day there since you had work (and homework) to focus on.

Now if this was the old you participating, you would’ve immediately headed straight to the arcade after school to rack up as many points as you could and get a head start, but you had changed for the better. This was a little friendly rivalry, it wasn’t anything too serious.

But you still planned on winning to maintain your title as number one and get that cat plush.

The two of you also decided not to tell each other when you’d be at the arcade. Your schedules had to remain a mystery just as they had always been.

“It’s not like we don’t already have a general idea of each other’s schedules.” Kenma mumbled, picking at his desert. “I’m basically here everyday now.”

You nodded in agreement, eyes shifting over to your friend and Kuroo’s table. After the game they had officially become an item. They were giggling together and on their table was a single drink containing two straws— truly a romantic sight.

“Yeah, but without confirming anything neither of us really know, it makes this a little more exciting.” You smiled at the scene before turning to look at Kenma. “Wait, why do you even come anyway? You don’t need to third wheel Kuroo anymore since he’s with Riko.”

You saw his eye twitch and held back a giggle. You knew he’d say the same thing back to you if it weren’t for the fact you worked here.

It was currently about halfway through the month and you and Kenma had steadily become friends. With his frequent visits you noticed him becoming more expressive, he was almost like a cat. As long as you fed him treats he’d keep coming back, despite what he says.

“Kuroo still drags me along, he says I need to go out more.” He mumbled, taking a small bite of his pie.

“And he’s right, you need more sun.” You giggled, ignoring the glare he sent your way. “Can’t have my favorite cryptid hiding away forever.”

Lately this has become the norm. The two of you would share playful banter while your friends flirted just a table away. You bonded over both being the third wheel and lately, video games.

“Who do you think is gonna win?” You asked, genuinely curious about his thoughts.

He continues playing with the food on his plate, pushing around small pieces with his fork. “.. I don’t know. You’re actually pretty good at the game so it’ll be close.”

“Wow, is that a compliment from the Kenma Kozume?” You gasp dramatically, but your shock was genuine. If you had learned anything from spending time with him it was that it wasn’t common for him to praise someone so openly.

What caught you off guard was the smile he sent your way. “It was boring at first, especially when you stopped playing, but you made it interesting again.”

It was almost unsettling, he smiled as if he had something up his sleeve— no, he was enjoying this, and you were too.

Everyday you woke up you felt the thrill of the rivalry gnawing at your bones, making you excited to get through the day and head over to the arcade to see where you two stood. It wasn’t until a day before the competition ended that you remembered what your friend had said back at the arcade and realized what she meant.

She was right, this had gotten interesting.

A month had officially passed.

It was easy to see your excitement throughout the day. While on your way to school you nearly ran the whole way there as if rushing to school would make the day go by faster. During lunch you talked Riko’s ear off to the point where she traded you for Kuroo, leaving you with Kenma. He didn’t seem to mind as you talked, just nodded and continued playing on his psp. During the last class of the day Kenma was quick to notice you bouncing your leg, fidgeting with your pencil, and tapping your fingers on the desk.

He was surprised to see how this was affecting you. While he was excited to see the results you were clearly more eager than anyone to see who took the top spot. For a moment he questioned why this mattered so much, but then he remembered how you told him he’d been the only one to beat your score and held back a chuckle. He couldn’t lie, he enjoyed seeing you like this.

Once the bell rang you quickly turned around in your seat to face him, a common occurrence since the two of you became friends. “Are you ready?” You asked, placing your arms on his desk and leaning in close.

The giant grin on your face was contagious, he couldn’t help but let a small smile slip through. “Yeah, I’m ready.” He responded, grabbing his bag and standing from his seat.

Unlike in the morning this time you slowed your pace (mostly because Kenma refused to walk any faster than he needed to).

“You didn’t bring the cat plush,” You pouted, gripping the straps of your bag tightly to keep it in place.

“Are you that confident you’re gonna win?” He raised a brow. “Why are you obsessed with it anyway? You never told me.”

You shrug, “I don’t really have a reason, I just thought it was cute. I just remember the day I was gonna try and win it I didn't have any more coins left because I spent all my money trying to beat your score.”

He quickly whipped his head to face you. “You seriously have a problem..”

“Well it’s partially your fault, you made me competitive.” You crossed your arms.

The whole way to the arcade you bickered about whose fault it was until the bright neon lights came into view. You couldn’t help but grab Kenma’s arm to drag him inside faster, sprinting further inside until the game came into view.

You slowly approached the machine, still slightly anxious about the outcome. Kenma nudged your shoulder with his, catching your attention. He held up a coin in his hand, giving it to you. “Play a quick game, but don’t go crazy.”

You felt your heart do a small flip at the gesture. Kenma often came off as uncaring, but the truth is he cared a lot about those he was close with. You accept the coin from his hand, ignoring the brief skin contact before quickly shuffling towards the machine in hopes he wouldn’t see your expression.

You play a quick round, making sure not to go all out like Kenma said. Moments later you take a hit and lose the game, watching the screen shift. You take a step back and stand side by side with Kenma, eyes unblinking as the leaderboard pops up. Your eyes quickly glance over the names until they land on yours and Kenma’s.

“No way,” You mumble, clutching on to Kenma’s bag.

He said nothing at the action, only staring at the screen for a couple seconds before turning his head to face you. “Congrats.”

You cheered, shaking him from the joy you were experiencing. Kenma tried to lean away from you, especially after noticing the stares you were getting. He didn’t want to ruin your fun, but he seriously didn’t like the attention.

You notice and let go of his backpack. “Should’ve brought that cat,” You giggled.

“There’s no way I was going to carry that all day,” He sighed before pulling out his phone to check the home. You look at his screen and see it’s still early in the day, it would be a waste to leave.

“Hey since we’re already here, why not play a few games?” You ask, silently hoping he’d agree.

He shrugged and you took his answer as a yes. The two of you went around playing most of the two player games you could find. It was nice, most of the time you didn’t get to play these because Riko didn’t want to (she was extremely bad at them and hated losing).

“You’re actually kind of good..” You laughed after seeing both your scores on the screen.

“I play a lot,” He responded, taking a quick look at his phone. He gestured towards the exit and you nodded.

“I know you do,” You laughed. “I hear you all the time before class playing on your phone. It’s almost like you have an addiction..”

Kenma huffed at your claim. He never denied it, you held back a giggle. Once the two of you exit you see the sky is darker than it was when you first arrived. The two of you spent a lot of time there and you didn’t even realize it.

“I’m curious,” You start, catching his attention, “if you had won what would’ve you asked for?”

He didn’t answer right away, remaining silent. The sounds of footsteps were the only thing that could be heard between the two of you. Maybe he never decided what he wanted, you told yourself. You couldn’t blame him for it, you were mainly doing this to win and to keep your spot at the top. Though you were glad you won because you couldn’t risk him asking you for money (especially with his addiction).

Kenma cleared his throat, grabbing your attention. He avoided your gaze, keeping his eyes down at the ground before turning to look at you.

“I would’ve asked to keep playing with you.”

Extra:

You laid on Kenma’s bed, happily fidgeting with the cat plush you won against him. You sit up and see him sitting on the floor, his posture reminding you of a shrimp. Suddenly a thought crossed your mind.

“I have a question,” You start. Kenma hums from below you, acknowledging you but keeping his eyes glued on the screen in front of him.

“When you were playing Roblox, specifically Shrimp Games, why did you push me out?”

He quickly looks at you, confused, before looking back at his game. “Well obviously I didn’t know it was you back then, but I did it because I wanted to win and you were the closest to the door.”

You huff and lay back down. “Ok, well if you did know it was me would you still have pushed me out?”

He didn't respond and from this angle you couldn’t see his face. When you hear the sounds coming from the TV you turn your head and see he’s paused the game. He’s looking at you, a small smile on his face, almost like he wants to laugh.

“No, I wouldn’t.”

thank you for reading till the end! reblogs are greatly appreciated :D

masterlist

[prettygirl-gabi]

Title: Taking Care of You(Part 2)

Pairing: Paige Bueckers x Reader

Fandom: UConn Women's Basketball

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: Mentions of monthly periods

Summary: Paige reflects on the moments after her game before heading home to you. Later, when you wake up in unbearable pain, Paige takes care of you in the sweetest way.

Paige’s POV

The second the game ended, I should’ve felt elation. Two-thousand-and-one career points. A win. The roaring crowd. My team hoisting me up, celebrating a milestone I’d dreamed of since I first picked up a basketball. But none of it felt right.

Because you weren’t there.

I scanned the stands one last time, but all I saw were strangers cheering. A dull ache settled in my chest as I went through the motions of post-game interviews and congratulations. Coach asked if I was okay—he must’ve seen the distracted look on my face. I nodded, brushing it off, but my mind was somewhere else.

The second I was free, I bolted out of the locker room, ignoring the teasing from Azzi and KK about “rushing off to your girl.” They weren’t wrong, though. I needed to see you.

By the time I got back to my dorm, I was prepared to find you asleep, maybe a little annoyed I hadn’t called sooner. But when I opened the door and saw your phone abandoned on the bathroom counter and your curled-up figure on the floor, my heart sank.

“Hey, hey, baby… you’re okay,” I whispered, dropping to my knees to shake you gently. You blinked up at me, eyes glassy with pain.

“Paige…” you murmured, trying to sit up.

“Don’t move,” I said quickly, scooping you up like it was second nature. I don’t think I’ve ever been more scared. Seeing you like that, so vulnerable and in pain, made my stomach twist.

After helping you into the bath and holding your hand while you started to relax, I finally let myself breathe. I stayed by your side all night, reassuring you, brushing your hair back, and eventually tucking you into bed once you felt a little better. But I didn’t sleep. I couldn’t.

Reader’s POV

I woke up in the middle of the night, my body shaking with pain that ripped through me like a storm. Tears streamed down my face as I tried to stifle the sobs that escaped my lips. I didn’t want to wake Paige.

But I didn’t have to.

“Baby?” Paige’s sleepy voice called out as she turned on the bedside lamp. She sat up immediately when she saw me clutching my stomach, my face wet with tears. “Oh no, no, no,” she murmured, pulling me into her arms.

“I-I forgot to take the meds,” I hiccupped, trembling.

“It’s okay. I’ve got you,” she whispered, rocking me gently. “Let me grab them, okay? Don’t move.”

She returned in seconds, holding the bottle of painkillers and a glass of water. I took the pills with shaky hands, sniffling as she kissed my temple. “They’ll kick in soon. I promise,” she murmured.

But the pain was still there, and I couldn’t stop crying. Paige cupped my face, wiping my tears with her thumbs. “What do you need, baby? Tell me.”

“I don’t know,” I whispered, voice breaking. “I just feel so awful.”

Paige kissed my forehead and stood up. “Come on, let’s go for a drive.”

“A drive?” I looked at her, confused.

“Yeah, a drive. We’re getting fast food and ice cream. And maybe a snack run from a 24-hour convenient store. Trust me, you’ll feel better.”

Ten minutes later, I was bundled up in one of Paige’s oversized hoodies, sitting in the passenger seat of her car. She kept one hand on the wheel and the other intertwined with mine as we pulled into the drive-thru of a 24-hour McDonald’s.

“What do you want, baby?” she asked, her voice soft.

“Fries, nuggets. And… maybe a McFlurry?”

Paige smiled. “A McFlurry is non-negotiable. It’s happening.”

Once we had our food, she drove us to a quiet parking lot, where we ate in comfortable silence. She kept sneaking glances at me, her eyes full of concern.

“Better?” she asked after a while, handing me a fry.

“A little,” I admitted, my voice still a bit shaky.

Paige leaned over and kissed my cheek. “Good. You scared me, you know that?”

I frowned. “I’m sorry—”

“Don’t,” she interrupted firmly. “You don’t have to apologize for anything. I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

Over the next few days, Paige stayed by my side like a shadow. She made sure I stayed hydrated, kept a heating pad on me at all times, and even held me when I needed to cry.

“Are you sure you’re not tired of me yet?” I teased one afternoon as she handed me a cup of tea.

“Not a chance,” she replied, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

Of course, my hormones decided to test her patience a few times. Like when she accidentally dropped my heating pad and I snapped at her.

“Do you want to do it yourself, then?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I… no,” I mumbled, pouting.

She chuckled, sitting beside me and pulling me into her lap. “That’s what I thought. Now shush and let me take care of you.”

As I lay curled up in bed, Paige traced lazy circles on my back, her voice a soft hum in the quiet room.

“I love you,” she whispered, her lips brushing against my hair.

“I love you more,” I replied, my voice sleepy but content.

“Nope. Not possible,” she said with a grin, pulling me closer.

And in that moment, wrapped up in her warmth and love, I knew that no matter what, she’d always be there to take care of me.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Hello! i apologize if this a strange question to get but i hope you can shed some light with this! (but its totally alright if not).

speaking as a person in the aro-ace spectrum, i have stumbled on this roadblock in my latest project, romance is a element in multiple character's story, however i have realized i have absolutely no idea how to even begin to to portray it in deep and grounded in reality way.

but i guss the simplest thing to answer would be, how do i figure out what one of my characters would find attractive in a romantic partner? how do i make their slow transition into a romantic relationship not feel out of place or jarring?

again i apologize for this strange question, and how long this question is, hope you have a good day!.

Writing Notes: Romantic Relationships

Stages of Relationship Development. In this study, 10 stages of interaction were found that can help us understand how relationships come together and come apart (Knapp & Vangelisti, 2009).

We should keep the following things in mind about this model of relationship development:

relational partners do not always go through the stages sequentially,

some relationships do not experience all the stages,

we do not always consciously move between stages, and

coming together and coming apart are not inherently good or bad.

Relationships are always changing—they are dynamic.

Although this model has been applied most often to romantic relationships, most relationships follow a similar pattern that may be adapted to a particular context.

COMING TOGETHER PHASE

Stage 1: Initiating

In this stage, when we are attracted to someone, we may signal or invite them to interact with us.

For example, you can do this by asking them to dinner, to dance at a club, or even, “I really liked that movie. What did you think?”

The significance here is in the relational level (how the people feel about each other) rather than the content level (the topic) of the message.

As the poet, Maya Angelou, explains, “Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with shades of deeper meaning.”

The ‘shades of deeper meaning’ are the relational level messages that invite others to continue exploring a possible romantic relationship.

Quite often, we strategize how we might go about inviting people into communication with us so we can explore potential romantic development.

Initiating is influenced by several factors:

If you encounter a stranger, you may say, “Hi, my name’s Rich.”

If you encounter a person you already know, you’ve already gone through this before, so you may just say, “What’s up?”

Time constraints also affect initiation. A quick passing calls for a quick hello, while a scheduled meeting may entail a more formal start.

If you already know the person, the length of time that’s passed since your last encounter will affect your initiation. For example, if you see a friend from high school while home for winter break, you may set aside a long block of time to catch up; however, if you see someone at work that you just spoke to ten minutes earlier, you may skip initiating communication.

The setting also affects how we initiate conversations, as we communicate differently at a crowded bar than we do on an airplane.

Culture can also impact the interaction. Some cultures have different expectations for interactions between people of different ages, sexes, or other situations while some cultures do not have as many expectations.

Even with all this variation, people typically follow their culture’s social scripts or interaction at this stage.

Stage 2: Experimenting

In this stage, we are getting to know the other person to identify compatibility beyond physical attraction.

We share information about ourselves while looking for mutual interests, shared political or religious views, and similarities in family background.

Common dating activities in this stage: going to parties or other publicly structured events, like movies or a concert, that foster interaction and small talk.

Small talk, a hallmark of the experimenting stage, is common among young adults just beginning to explore a new relationship by staying on polite, uncontroversial topics.

Small talk can be annoying sometimes, especially if you feel like you have to do it out of politeness but it serves important functions: creating a communicative entry point that can lead people to uncover topics of conversation that go beyond the surface level, helping us audition someone to see if we’d like to talk to them further, and generally creating a sense of ease and community with others.

If your attempts at information exchange with another person during the experimenting stage are met with silence or hesitation, you may interpret their lack of communication as a sign that you shouldn’t pursue future interaction.

Even though small talk isn’t viewed as very substantive, the authors of this model of relationships point out that most of our relationships do not progress far beyond this point (Knapp & Vangelisti, 2009).

Stage 3: Intensifying

In this stage, we continue to be attracted (mentally, emotionally, and physically) to one another, we begin engaging in intensifying communication. 

This is the happy stage (the “relationship high”) where we cannot bear to be away from the other person. It is here that you might plan all of your free time together, and begin to create a private relational culture.

Going out to parties and socializing with friends takes a back seat to more private activities (e.g., cooking together at home or taking long walks on the beach).

Self-disclosure continues to increase as each person has a strong desire to know and understand the other. In this stage, we tend to idealize one another in that we downplay faults (or don’t see them at all), seeing only the positive qualities of the other person.

Other signs of the intensifying stage can include:

creation of nicknames or inside jokes

increased use of we and our

increased sharing emotionally (e.g., saying “I love you”.)

increased physical intimacy

increased communication about each other’s identities

increased sharing of possessions and personal space (e.g., you have a key to your partner’s apartment)

Stage 4: Integrating

In this stage, identities and personalities are merged, and a sense of interdependence (dependence on each other) develops. 

Verbal and nonverbal signals of the integrating stage are when the social networks of two people merge; those outside the relationship begin to refer to or treat the relationship partners as if they were one person (e.g., always referring to them together—“Let’s invite Olaf and Bettina”); or the relational partners present themselves as one unit (e.g., both signing and sending one holiday card or opening a joint bank account).

Even as two people integrate, they likely maintain some sense of self by spending time with friends and family separately, which helps balance their needs for independence and connection.

They are looking to measure how well their new partner fits into their lives and how other significant relationships (friends and family members) rate or respond to their new love interests.

When the “relational high” begins to wear off, couples begin to have a more realistic perspective of one another and the relationship as a whole.

Here, people may recognize the faults of the other person that they so idealized in the previous stage.

Also, couples must again make decisions about where to go with the relationship—do they stay together and work toward long-term goals, or define it as a short-term relationship?

A couple may be deeply in love and also make the decision to break off the relationship for a multitude of reasons.

Perhaps one person wants to join the Peace Corps after graduation and plans to travel the world, while the other wants to settle down in their hometown.

Their individual needs and goals may not be compatible to sustain a long-term commitment.

Stage 5: Bonding

In this stage, a couple makes the decision to make the relationship a permanent part of their lives.

In this stage, the participants assume they will be in each other’s lives forever and make joint decisions about the future.

While marriage is an obvious sign of commitment it is not the only signifier of this stage. Some may mark their intention of staying together in a commitment ceremony, by registering as domestic partners, or by becoming Facebook official.

Likewise, not all couples planning a future together legally marry. Some may lose economic benefits if they marry, such as the loss of Social Security for seniors or others may oppose the institution (and its inequality) of marriage.

Not only do romantic couples progress through a series of stages of growth, they also experience stages of deterioration.

Deterioration does not necessarily mean that a couple’s relationship will end.

Instead, couples may move back and forth from deterioration stages to growth stages throughout the course of their relationship.

COMING APART PHASE

Stage 6: Differentiating

Individual differences can present a challenge at any given stage in the relational interaction model; however, in the differentiating stage, each partner in the relationship is reasserting their sense of self and trying to discover who they are as part of a couple.

Communicating differences becomes a primary focus.

Differentiating is the reverse of integrating, as we and our reverts back to I and my.

People may try to re-establish some of their life prior to the integrating of the current relationship, including other relationships, hobbies, and interests, or possessions.

For example, Carrie may reclaim friends who became “shared” as she got closer to her partner and their social networks merged by saying, “I’m having my friends over to the apartment and would like to have privacy for the evening.”

Or, she may have liked playing golf on Sundays and abandoned it for Sunday dinners with her new partner and her new family.

Now, she will want to return to what makes her happy.

Individuals in the couple will want to have a sense of self that is independent and not necessarily tied to their partner.

Stage 7: Circumscribing

In this stage, communication decreases and certain areas or subjects become restricted as individuals verbally close themselves off from each other.

Circumscribe means to draw a line around something or put a boundary around it (Oxford English Dictionary Online, 2011).

They may say things like “I don’t want to talk about that anymore” or “You mind your business and I’ll mind mine.”

If one person was more interested in differentiating in the previous stage, or the desire to end the relationship is one-sided, verbal expressions of commitment may go unechoed—for example, when one person’s statement, “I know we’ve had some problems lately, but I still like being with you,” is met with silence.

Passive-aggressive behavior and the demand-withdrawal conflict pattern may occur more frequently at this stage.

Couples often engage in more outward conflict.

Stage 8: Stagnating

During this stage, romantic partners begin to neglect the small details that have always bound them together and their relationship becomes routine.

For example, they may stop cuddling on the couch when they rent a movie and instead sit in opposite chairs.

Taken in isolation, this example does not mean a relationship is in trouble.

However, when intimacy continues to decrease, and the partners feel dissatisfied, this dissatisfaction can lead to worrying about the relationship.

The partners may worry that they do not connect with one another in ways they used to, or that they no longer do fun things together.

When this happens they may begin to imagine their life without the relationship.

Rather than seeing the relationship as a given, the couple may begin to wonder what life would be like not being in the partnership.

They begin to assume that they know their partner and are dissatisfied with them.

Instead of communicating, a person may think, “There’s no need to bring this up again because I know exactly how he’ll react!”

Because of this kind of thinking, communication comes to a standstill.

This stage can be prolonged in some relationships.

Parents and children who are estranged, couples who are separated and awaiting a divorce, or friends who want to end a relationship but don’t know how to do it may have extended periods of stagnation.

Although most people don’t like to linger in this unpleasant stage, some try to avoid potential pain from termination, some hope to rekindle the spark that started the relationship, or even some enjoy leading their relational partner on.

Stage 9: Avoiding

Moving to this stage may be a way to end the awkwardness that comes with stagnation, as people signal that they want to close down the lines of communication.

Communication in the avoiding stage can be very direct—“I don’t want to talk to you anymore”—or more indirect—“I have to meet someone in a little while, so I can’t talk long.”

While physical avoidance such as leaving a room or requesting a schedule change at work may help clearly communicate the desire to terminate the relationship, we don’t always have that option.

In a parent-child relationship, where the child is still dependent on the parent, or in a roommate situation, where a lease agreement prevents leaving, people may engage in cognitive dissociation, which means they mentally shut down and ignore the other person even though they are still physically present.

Stage 10: Terminating

This stage of a relationship is when the relationship is ended.

Termination can occur at any point in the relational development model or follow through the phases of coming together and coming apart.

Termination can result from outside circumstances such as geographic separation or internal factors such as changing values or personalities that lead to a weakening of the bond.

When terminating a relationship, people will often follow a pattern that is typical of their culture.

In mainstream American culture, for example, it is typical for someone to start the formal termination of a relationship with a summary message that recaps the relationship and provides a reason for the termination (e.g., “We’ve had some ups and downs over our three years together, but I’m getting ready to go to college, and I either want to be with someone who is willing to support me, or I want to be free to explore who I am.”).

The summary message may be followed by a distance message that further communicates the relational drift that has occurred (e.g., “We’ve really grown apart over the past year”), which may be followed by a disassociation message that prepares people to be apart by projecting what happens after the relationship ends (e.g., “I know you’ll do fine without me. You can use this time to explore your options and figure out if you want to go to college too, or not.”).

Finally, there is often a message regarding the possibility for future communication in the relationship (e.g., “I think it would be best if we don’t see each other for the first few months, but text me if you want to.”) (Knapp & Vangelisti, 2009).

Love Styles. An individual’s love style is considered to be an attitude and describes how love is perceived (Hendrick & Hendrick, 1988).

Attitudes toward love and perceptions of love may change throughout an individual’s life.

College students may perceive love very differently from their parents or guardians because college students are in a very different stage of life.

College students are living among people their age who are more than likely single or unmarried.

These 2 factors mean that there are more prospects for dating, and this may lead the college student to conclude that dating any number of these prospects is necessary or even perceive that “hooking up” with multiple prospects is acceptable.

In contrast, individuals with children who are financially tied may view romantic relationships as partnerships in which goal achievement (pay off the house, send kids to college, pay off debt, etc.) is as important as romance.

These differences in perceptions of love can be explored through John Lee’s love typology in which he discusses 6 love styles (Lee, 1977):

Eros. Eros is romance and emphasizes love and physical beauty, immediate attraction, emotional intensity, and strong commitment. Eros love involves the early initiation of sexual intimacy and consecutive monogamous relationships.

Storge. Storge love develops slowly out of friendship where stability and psychological closeness are valued along with commitment, which leads to enduring love. Passion and intense emotions are not valued as they are in the eros love style. One of the author’s uncles was in his 60s and had never been married. However, he employed a woman who cooked and cleaned for him for over 20 years. His family was very surprised to receive an announcement that he was marrying the individual who took care of him for so long. The formation of their love is a great example of love that arises slowly out of friendship.

Ludic. Ludic lovers view love as a game, and playing this game with multiple partners is perceived to be acceptable by individuals with this love style. As such, this type of lover believes that deception and manipulation are acceptable. Individuals with this love style have a low tolerance for commitment, jealousy, and strong emotional attachment.

Agape. In contrast, agape love involves altruism, giving, and other-centered love. This love style approaches relationships in a non-demanding style with gentle caring and tolerance for others.

Pragma. Pragma love is known as practical love involving logic and reason. Arranged marriages were often arranged for functional purposes. Kings and Queens of different countries often married to form alliances. This love style may seek out a romantic partner for financial stability, ability to parent, or simple companionship.

Mania. Mania is the final love style characterized by dependence, uncertainty, jealousy, and emotional upheaval. This type of love is insecure and needs constant reassurance.

These love styles should not be considered to be mutually independent.

An individual may approach love from a pragmatic stance and have found love that provides financial stability.

However, they still feel insecure (representative of mania) about whether their romantic partner will remain with them, thus ensuring continued financial stability.

It is important to remember that individuals engage in each of these love styles, and it is simply a matter of how much of each love style a person possesses.

The 5 C's of Healthy Relationships. According to Dan Heller (2020), there are a few clues into what might make a relationship work.

In a research project Heller tackled in 1983 as an undergraduate at UC-Santa Cruz, he found 5 components present in successful relationships.

Heller found that the happiest individuals in his research were those who could identify all 5 of these elements in their romantic relationships.

Communication: Effective communication is vital in any relationship. It involves actively listening to each other, expressing thoughts and feelings honestly and respectfully, and resolving conflicts in a healthy way.

Compatibility: The shared values, interests, and goals that bring people together. While differences can be enriching, having fundamental compatibility in important areas can strengthen a relationship's foundation.

Commitment: A willingness to invest time, effort, and energy into the relationship. It means prioritizing the partnership and working together to overcome challenges. Both partners should be dedicated to making the relationship work and be willing to make compromises when necessary.

Care: Care in a relationship involves showing love, affection, and support for your partner. This can manifest through small gestures of kindness, empathy, and consideration for each other's well-being. It's about being there for your partner in good times and bad.

Compromise: Relationships require compromise from both persons involved. This means finding common ground and making sacrifices to meet each other's needs and desires. Healthy compromise is a collaborative effort that ensures both individuals feel valued and respected.

Elements of Healthy Relationships

Communication. The way you talk with friends or partners is an important part of a relationship. Everyone involved should be able to communicate feelings, opinions, and beliefs. When communicating, consider tone and phrasing. Miscommunication often occurs when individuals choose to text versus talking in person or a phone call. Figuring out the best ways to express your feelings together will help eliminate miscommunication.

Boundaries. Boundaries are physical, emotional, and mental limits or guidelines a person sets for themselves which others need to respect. You and your partners or friends should feel comfortable in the activities you are doing together. All individuals involved should be respectful of boundaries. Whether it’s romantic, sexual, or platonic, consider what you want the relationship to look like and discuss it with the other(s).

Consent. Consent is important in all relationships. Consent is uncoerced permission to interact with the body or the life of another person. Coercion can look like pressure to do something, physical force, bargaining, or someone holding power over another to get what they want. Consent can look like asking about boundaries in relationships, actively listening to responses, and always respecting those boundaries.

Trust. Each person in the relationship should have confidence in one another. If you are questioning whether to trust someone, it may be important to communicate your feelings to them. Consider what makes you not trust someone. Is it something they did, or is it something you’ve experienced in other relationships?

Honesty. Honesty is important for communication. Each person within the relationship or friendship should have the opportunity to express their feelings and concerns. If you don’t feel comfortable being honest with someone, consider why and seek support if needed.

Independence. It’s important to have time to yourself in any relationship. Having opportunities to hang with others or time for self-care is important to maintain a healthy relationship. If you live with your partner(s) or friend(s), set up designated areas within your place where you can spend time alone.

Equality. Each person in the relationship should have an equal say in what’s going on. Listen to each other and respect boundaries.

Support. Each person in the relationship should feel supported. It’s important to have compassion and empathy for one another. In addition to supporting one another, it’s important to recognize your own needs and communicate boundaries around support.

Responsibility. Some days you may find you said something hurtful or made a mistake. Make sure to take responsibility for your actions and do not place the blame on your partner(s) or friend(s). Taking responsibility for your actions will further trust and honesty.

Healthy conflict. You may think conflict is a sign of an unhealthy relationship, but talking about issues or disagreements is normal. You won’t find a person that has the exact same interests, opinions, and beliefs as you; thus, at times disagreements may occur. Communicating your feelings and opinions while being respectful and kind is part of a healthy relationship.

Safety. Safety is the foundation of connection in a relationship. In order to set boundaries, communicate, and have fun, everyone must feel safe. If you do not feel safe to express your feelings, have independence, or anything else on this list, seek support using the resources below.

Fun. In addition to all these components, you should be enjoying the time you spend with others. Again, it’s important that your relationships promote your well-being and do not diminish it.

Sources: 1 2 3 4 ⚜ More: References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

Hi, I don't think this is a strange question, no apologies necessary! There were so many ways I wanted to answer this. For the first question on how to "figure out what one of [your] characters would find attractive in a romantic partner", you may base some of it on Love Styles (+ relevant information in the other studies discussed above).

As for making "their slow transition into a romantic relationship not feel out of place or jarring", the Stages of Relationship Development is one model you can consider for inspiration. Also added some findings on "elements" of romantic/healthy relationships that I thought you may find helpful to incorporate in your story as well. Choose which ones make sense for your characters.

Another way I wanted to answer this was on common love/romance tropes in literature and other media. I find it helpful to learn about different tropes used by other authors when there are topics we want to cover as fiction writers, but have limited knowledge/experience on. But then you could always deviate or subvert those tropes/ideas once your story starts to flow naturally (+ considering your own story angle etc.). As such, here are some links to tropes related to romance that might give you some ideas: 1 2 3 4 5 6 (+ study these tropes in your favourite books/shows etc. to know more how you could also use them in your own writing).

More references:

The Physiology of Love ⚜ The 4 Kinds of Love

Love (according to literature) ⚜ Triangular Theory of Love

John Steinbeck: On Falling in Love

[just-dreaming-marvel]

I Won't Say (I'm In Love) ~ Tony's Version

MAIN MASTERLIST / MARVEL MASTERLIST / MUSICAL INSPIRED FIC MASTERLIST

Tony Stark x Female!Reader

Word Count: 2,215ish

Request: Won't Say from Hercules + Natasha is quite sure Tony and reader are in love with each other, but she's after more info so she can try and work out a plan to get them together. She's managed to get a confession out of Tony. Now she's trying to get her best friend to confess, maybe during a girl's night in movie night along with Wanda. But she's stubborn as fuck. But so is Nat, and she ain't ending this night without the info she wants!

Notes: I hope this makes sense... I'm a little worried especially since I steered away from the request a bit.

“If there’s a prize for rotten judgement

I guess I’ve already won that

No man is worth the aggravation

That’s ancient history, been there, done that”

You sighed as you came home from yet another failed date. Another man who cared more about you being a housewife than a working Avenger. You carried your shoes in your hand as you made your way to the common room of the Compound for a drink.

“You alright?” Tony’s voice had you jumping.

“Tony!” You exclaimed. He was sitting on the couch, nursing his own drink. “You scared me.”

“Sorry,” he shot you a smile. “But seriously, you alright?”

“I’m fine. Just another failed attempt at dating.” You grabbed a beer from the fridge before plopping down next to Tony on the couch. “I’m beginning to think it’s not worth it anymore.”

“What? Dating?”

“Yeah. Searching for someone to spend your life with. They either are awful straight from the start or they hook you in and break your heart once you’re fully committed… I think I’ll stick to being single.”

“Not everyone is like that. You just have to find the right one.” Tony stood up. “Don’t drink too much of my liquor worrying about it.” He leaned down and kissed your head. “Goodnight, sweetheart.”

“Night, Tones.”

You sighed as Tony disappeared down the hall. You hated the reason behind your insistence on going on dates. Anthony Edward Stark. He was your type. Similar to guys you’ve dated before. Which is why you’d never admit to your feelings for him. You would just get hurt if you did. Tony wasn’t the type for a serious relationship, at least not anymore. He made that very clear since his and Pepper’s break up where he was back to sleeping around with any woman who looked at him a certain way. You couldn’t let yourself be one of them, knowing that you couldn’t keep your feelings in check.

~~~

Natasha woke up at her usual time to work out, surprised to see that Tony was already in the gym, a sweaty mess.

“Hard night?” She questioned, coming over to where the man was running on the treadmill.

“Something like that,” he grumbled, focusing on his running.

“Did Y/N go on another date last night?” Tony didn’t bother answering that question. “You know that there’s an easy solution to this. Just ask her out.”

“Natasha—“

“She’ll say yes.”

“You don’t know that.”

Natasha stepped onto the front of the treadmill to be face to face with the billionaire. “And if I find out it’s true, will you ask her out?”

“Maybe.”

“Great.” She jumped off the treadmill and headed for the door.

“Wait.” He paused the treadmill and jumped off it. “Where are you going?”

“To gather the evidence I need to stop you guys from being idiots any longer.”

“Who’d you think you’re kidding?

He’s the earth and heaven to you

Try to keep it hidden

Honey, we can see right through you (oh, no)

Girl, you can’t conceal it

We know how you feel and who you’re thinking of (oh)”

You were sitting on the couch in the common room, various teammates around. Vision was talking about something that you had stopped listening to some time ago. Your focus was on Tony. He was standing in the kitchen area, preparing a cup of coffee while talking to Bruce.

Natasha caught you staring and rolled her eyes. She tapped your arm, causing you to look her way, before she motioned to the hallway with her head. You knew that if she wanted to talk, there was no avoiding her. You followed her into one of the conference rooms down the hallway.

“What’s up?” You asked, taking a seat in one of the chairs.

Natasha leaned against the large glass conference table, arms folded over her chest. “Can you make it more obvious?”

“What are you talking about, Nat?”

“The fact that you’re head over heels in love with Tony.”

“No chance, no way

I won’t say it, no, no

You swoon, you sigh

Why deny it? Oh-oh

It’s too cliche (oh)

I won’t say I’m in love (shoo-doop, shoo-doop)

(Ooh)”

Your heart dropped at Natasha’s statement. “Wh—What? No, I’m not.”

“Oh, please,” she scoffed. “Your eyes were practically in the shape of hearts.”

“I seriously don’t know what you’re talking about, Nat. Tony is my friend. That is all.”

“You’re really going to try to lie to me?”

“I’m not lying.”

“Okay, I see how it is.” Natasha stood up and went to the door. “You know, keeping your feelings inside will only hurt you both more, right?”

“I’ve been hurt too many times, Nat. I can’t do it again. With anyone. No more dates for me. I’m good with being all by myself.”

“I thought my heart had learned its lesson (ooh)

It feel so good when you start out (ooh)

My head is screaming, ‘get a grip, girl!” (Ah)

Unless you’re dying to cry your heart out”

Clearly, your heart had not learned its lesson. Though you had been pushing your feelings down for Tony successfully for a while now, something happened since your talk with Natasha. You were acting like an idiot. Like some middle schooler who couldn’t talk to her crush and it was becoming a serious problem.

“Are you doing okay, Y/N?” Tony asked one day after you ruined something in his lab when he was helping fit you to a new suit. “Something’s been… off lately with you. I’m started to grow concerned.”

“I’m fine,” you said too quickly, unable to met his gaze. You internally cringed, wishing that you could just get a grip already.

“Cause that was believable.” He continued working. “You know that you can talk to me, right?”

“I know.” Just never about this, you thought. 

“You keep on denying (oh)

Who you are and how you’re feeling

Baby, we’re not buying

Hon, we saw you hit the ceiling (oh)

Face it like a grown-up

When you gonna own up that you got, got, got it bad? (Whoa)”

Just another one of these stupid gala’s that the Team was forced to attend. You were standing to the side of the room, eyes focused on your drink. You were dressed in something that Natasha had picked for you and immediately noticed that Tony was wearing a matching tie as soon as you got here. You were trying to avoid everything and everyone, too caught up in your own world, to notice someone coming up to you.

“Hey, sweetheart.” You jumped at Tony’s voice, despite it being one of your favorite things to hear. “Sorry,” he chuckled. “Came to check on you. You okay?”

“Yeah,” you squeaked. “Fine.”

One of his brows rose as he looked at your unbelievingly. “Well, I think I have an idea to make it better.” He grabbed your hand and pulled you towards the dance floor.

“Tony, no, I—“

“You need to relax.” 

Tony took your drink and set it on the nearby table before tugging you into the middle of the crowd of couples dancing. He readjusted the hand he was already holding so that it was better for dancing while his other hand came around your back and pulled you close to him. He began leading you in a small circle. His eyes were focused on you while you were trying to look anywhere else.

“You keep doing that,” he mumbled.

“What?” You questioned, still not looking at him.

“Avoiding me… why?”

“I— I’m not avoiding you.”

Tony scoffed. “Could’ve fooled me. You won’t even look at me.” Your eyes slowly met his deep brown ones. A small smile formed across his face. “There they are… I’ve missed those beautiful eyes.”

Your heart was hammering against your chest as your face heated up at his words. You had to force yourself not to look away.

“We used to talk about everything,” Tony admitted quietly. “But you’ve been pulling away.”

“Just a lot going on,” you muttered. “Been pulled on a lot of different missions.”

“That’s not it and you know it… Is it… are you… is there some you’re seeing? Did a date workout?”

“No,” you quickly shook your head. “I’m not seeing anyone.”

“Good.”

“Good?”

“I just mean that good that no one’s hurting you. That— That’s it.”

The Team watched as you and Tony continued to dance and chat.

“She’s clearly in love with him,” Natasha commented. “Why can’t she see how in love with her Tony is?”

“Stop meddling, Nat,” Steve reprimanded. “Let things happen when they happen.”

“Says the man who waited too long.”

“Hey! That was low.”

“But true,” Bucky commented.

“There has to be a way that we can get them together,” continued Nat. “And I will be making it happen. Just watch.”

“No chance, no way

I won’t say it, no, no

Give up, give in

Check the grin, you’re in love

This scene won’t play

I won’t say I’m in love (you’re doing flips)

(Read our lips, you’re in love)”

Tony and you were in the lab. He had requested your help with one of his suits. The suit just shot him across the lab and you couldn’t help but burst into a fit of laughter.

“Tony!” You laughed. “You alright?”

“I’m fine,” he groaned, sitting up.

You rushed over and reached out a hand. Tony grabbed your outstretched hand, but instead of using it to pull himself up, he pulled you down. You squealed as you landed on Tony. He laughed, securing you to him. You froze as you realized how close your faces were. Tony’s laughter died down too as his eyes flickered to your lips. You shivered as his hand slipped up your body to cup your cheek, thumb rubbing against your skin.

“I…” you breathed out, mind reeling. “I got to go.”

You quickly pushed yourself off of Tony and rushed out of the room. Tony sighed, putting his hands over his eyes and he got angry with himself.

“You’re way off base

I won’t say it (she won’t say it loud)

Get off my case (sha-la)

I won’t say it (ooh)

Girl, don’t be proud

It’s okay, you’re in love”

You had been completely avoiding Tony since the incident in the lab and everyone, especially Tony, can tell. 

“Leave me alone, Nat!” You yelled as she tried to convince you to talk to Tony for what felt like the millionth time that day. “Seriously!”

“You are doing more harm than good at this point, Y/N!” She replied, not giving up. “Just be honest with yourself and Tony. You both deserve better than this.”

“Please, leave me be, Nat!”

“It’s okay to feel this way! It’s normal to be in love and to be scared. Tony’s scared too.”

“You don’t know what you’re taking about.”

Natasha sighed, knowing that you weren’t going to back down so it was time for her plan B to be put into place. She got a tranquilizer gun from her boot and shot you in the back. You gasped, falling forward and passing out quickly. She shook her head as she grabbed your body and began dragging you away.

~~~

You woke up with a groan. Looking around, you realized that you were laying on a table in one of the conference rooms. Tony was on the other end, sitting in one of the chairs.

“What’s—“ You cut yourself up to clear your throat as you sat up. “What’s going on?”

“Romanoff,” Tony answered. “She locked us in here and isn’t going to let us out unless…”

“Unless?”

Tony sighed, lifting his head to look at you. “Unless we confess our feelings.”

“No,” you immediately said, shaking your head. You scrambled off the table and onto your feet. “She can’t do this.”

Tony stood up and slowly began coming over to you. “Why? Why can’t she?”

“Because… Because… I… She just can’t.”

“Is it because you don’t feel the way she thinks you do or is it because you do?”

“Tony… I can’t… I won’t say anything… I can’t get hurt again.”

“I wouldn’t hurt you, sweetheart… Never.”

“You can’t promise that.”

“But I can show it. If you’d let me.”

“Tony… I…” Your heart was screaming at you to just tell him that you loved him, but your mind was winning. “I… I’m sorry… I can’t say it. I can’t. I… I care too much… I have to protect myself. I have to—“

Tony grabbed your hand and pulled you into him. His lips attached to yours in a swift motion, catching you off guard.

“Oh

At least out loud

I won’t say I’m in love

(Shoo-doop, shoo-doop, shoo-doop, shoo-doop)

(Sha-la-la-la-la-la, ah)”

Tony guided you through the tender kiss, his hands holding your face close to his. You allowed yourself to relax and melt into him.

“I love you, too,” he whispered against your lips when he finally broke the kiss. “I love you, too. And I will do whatever I can to show you every day.” His lips pecked yours. “Every damn day. I love you.”

“And if I won’t say it back just yet?” you nervously questioned.

“You don’t ever have to say it, if you’re not ready. But I’ll still be here. I promise.”

[sometimescharlolette]

JOEL MILLER X F!READER (SARAH’S FRIEND)

Synopsis: You go out drinking with your friends and end up hooking up with a dilf, without knowing that he's your best friend's father.

Word count: 3.4k

Warnings: +18, sexual content, age gap (reader is in her twenties, Joel in his late forties), dirty words, cursing, sex (p in v), outside sex.

A/N: hello beautiful people, with the second season of The Last of Us coming this year, I couldn't help but be taken by how good Pedro Pascal looks as Joel, too cute, and that accent.... 🫦 🫦 anyway, I hope you like it, comments are very welcome, I'd love to know what you think, kisses 💜💜

Finally vacation, you couldn't believe that those last two weeks full of papers, presentations and tests had finally come to an end. You and friends were at the college pub as usual, eager to get your fill and party like it was the last day. This last semester had been more tense and stressful, so you deserved this moment of being young and stupid, along with the fruit cocktails with tiny colored umbrellas that were your post-test companions. 

The pub was small, there was a bigger one on the other side of the campus, but it was also packed with prickly kids from the most competitive classes who enjoyed making scholarship students' life miserable, and anyway, it was a kind of tradition to go to this cozy little bar, you even knew the bartenders by name, and you had freelanced there to pay for the alarming amount of printing that the college demanded.

On the plus side, the loud music was able to fill the entire room, blending in with the sounds of the bartender mixing drinks, the glasses being filled with beer, the lively conversations, laughter, or even the tears and complaints of the students who had fallen behind. This happy, pulsating cacophony was able to leave your worries outside the door, freezing with the snow that seemed to be growing every minute.

You felt so free without the worries of tight deadlines or sleepless nights to catch up on the content, being a functional adult with a part-time job in the college cafeteria was hard, although, modesty aside, you had learned to make spectacular coffee, and you had the flex of having a mug of fresh coffee every morning, afternoon, evening or night you spent studying.

One of your friends, Gina, the blonde with that enthusiastic smile that seemed to live on her face, pulled you by the hand onto the dance floor, you laughed letting her pull you into the sea of bodies that was shaking in the middle of the bar, hands and arms thrown up in the air moving to the rhythm of the music, it was an eclectic mix, from electronica, country, rock, bossa nova to pop, in this last semester, the singles by Chappel Roan and Sabrina Carpenter competed for which would have more weekly repetitions.

You lost yourself in the moment, head moving and hands in the air as you swayed your hips to the chords of 'Good graces' by your favorite blonde pop singer, when the chorus came, you and Gina exchanged excited and festive glances, leaving the random guys you were dancing with to meet in the middle of the dance floor, you wrapped your arms around her neck, to which she repeated the movement laughing hysterically. 

“boy, it's not that complicated” you sang cheerfully, gesturing with the hand you were holding the glass of beer in. “You should stay in my good graces”

Gina laughed at your semi-drunk and giggly singing. “Or I'll switch it up like that, so fast”

You met her in the next stanza. “Cause no one's more amazing at turning lovin' into hatred” Together, you sung the joyful line while giggling at your awful singing and dancing.

"Don't look now, but there's a guy looking at you." you whispered to Gina.

"Is he cute?" she said inquisitively.

You shook your head gently. “For you, I guess so,” you murmured and Gina laughed, tossing her golden curls back in a hair flip. 

She bit her bottom lip and looked between you and the black-haired guy who had been staring at her since you two arrived. “But this was supposed to be girls' night, no boys involved” 

You rolled your eyes. "Gina, I know you're dying to jump in his bones, so please." 

Your friend giggled, but didn't deny it.  “Well, you could give it a try too,” she said slyly. "Who knows, maybe it will help with your shitty mood”

"Having sex releases endorphins, which has been scientifically proven," Gina said ominously. "Girl, throw yourself on a cock."

“As if one of those boys knew how to make a woman come” You mumbled more frustratedly than you intended. You were not against a quickie at the club, but the experiences you had were annoying because either the guy came too quickly or he kept poking his fingers in without knowing what he was doing or looking for.

Having grown accustomed to your sarcasm, Gina rolled her eyes. "All right, try speaking with Simas then. He's probably around fifty. The closer they are to joining the SSA, the better."

You sipped your beer. Simas had owned the bar for, well, forever. He was essentially a relic, having been there since the college first opened. You pushed Gina by the shoulders and said, "Go get your man." Gina blew a kiss in the air over her shoulder and went to meet up with the dark-haired boy.

You shrugged and returned your focus to the music. You made your way back to the bar with your beer gone, avoiding drunks humiliating themselves, couples making out, or just students who were too pleased to realize they would have a bad hangover the following morning. 

“Hey, can I have another one of those?” you asked the bartender, having to bend your arm on the counter and shout for him to understand your request amidst the loud music blasting from the speakers scattered around the walls.

With your glass of beer in your hand, you turned to go back to the dance floor, you thought you saw a familiar face in the corner by the window,  you carefully dodged the hordes of students only to collide with the back of a tall man who was taking steps backwards for no apparent reason. Your glass wobbled in your hand, turning the golden liquid on your blouse and dropping to the floor with a loud clatter, glass shards scattered at your feet.

“Fuck, you don't watch where you're going?” you cursed angrily, trying to avoid stepping on the broken glass, the liquid splashing against the soles of your high heels.

The man in the worn jeans jacket turned around, he was older than you expected, like much older, like 40, 45, he was wearing a dark flannel shirt, the first few buttons open giving a glimpse of his broad chest, a silver army chain dangling against his skin, there was a slight blush, probably from the drink.

You looked up, finding the face of the stranger who had tipped over your beer. He had striking features, expressive brown eyes and a short beard flecked with silver. His hair was more gray than brown, the color you would have thought it was when he was younger.

He pondered, "Well, well, and I thought college girls were more polite." His voice was low and had a southern accent cadence—possibly Texan, but you couldn't pinpoint it—but it was undoubtedly attractive, you couldn't help but think about it before moving on.

 "You were the one walking backwards, I have a right to be frustrated.” You responded, your cheeks heating up angrily, he lifted his hands in surrender.

“All right, sweetie, I apologize for...” He began calmly, his gaze falling to stare at your now wet white T-shirt, clinging to the black bra you wore underneath. The tops of your breasts caught his attention, so you crossed your arms and he turned away. “Beer, let me buy you one to make up for it”

You stared at him in confusion for a moment, his serious, irritated expression seemed to have softened into a calm, tight-lipped one as he waited for your answer, you nodded in agreement, seeing nothing wrong with him paying for the damage he himself had caused.

When he reached for a glass of beer, you asked curiously, "Will I get to know your name?" His big fingers briefly touched yours, but it was enough to give you a thrill.

“Joel,” he offered dryly, taking a sip of beer, you watched as he drank, turning the glass as if he were drinking water, not an alcoholic beverage. 

As he swallowed, you saw his Adam's apple move, and a few drops of the golden liquid escaped his lips, following a path down his neck to the confines hidden by his flannel.

“Do you like what you see, little girl?” His voice rips through the silence, you blink when you're caught staring, and your cheeks flush with shame. You weren't one to fall for cheesy flirtation, but now you're on tenterhooks for this guy.

“Just curious, I've never seen you around campus,” you retorted, biting your lower lip. “Are you a new professor by any chance?” 

Joel laughs, it's a rich, deep sound that resonates in your ears, disconcerting you. “No,” he denies, as if it were a hilarious idea for him. “Do teachers drink with the students here? I thought there was some kind of ethics thing that forbade that, but maybe I'm just old,” he retorts, raising an eyebrow and leaning towards you.

“It's a college bar, anyone can come here,” you said calmly, trying to appear to have more control over your voice than you were feeling.

Joel stepped closer to the bar, an arm stretched over your side, your breath froze in your throat, your heart hammering like a tambourine, ready to jump out of your chest. “Why are you nervous, little girl?” His delight and mischievousness rolled from his tongue at the provocation, and he whispered against your ear.

You defended yourself, "I'm not," but Joel simply chuckled while his beard brushed your cheek and ran down to your delicate neck, your breaths mangled into a low, pitiful whimper.

“Keep telling yourself that, sweetie,” He flirtatiously whispered before leaving his glass of beer on the counter. You instantly missed the warmth of his body slipping away from yours.

"Want to leave this place?" As soon as the words left your mouth, you regretted your youthful confidence and recklessness in throwing yourself at a strange man, old enough to be your father, who to make matters worse, you didn't even know his surname.

“What do you have in mind, little girl?” Joel smiled suggestively, letting you take his hand, and guiding you through the sea of people out of the bar, you could practically feel your heart pounding in your ears, the blood pumping with a mixture of excitement and fear as you sneaked with the older man into an alley next to the bar. 

Your doubts, fears and sane part of your mind seemed to shut down when Joel's big hands found their way to your body,  one arm wrapped around your back and pulled you against him, while the other cupped your cheek and brought your mouth to his. He wasn't gentle; he didn't use that chaste pressing of lips; instead, he raided your mouth, his tongue searching your warm cavern like a pirate after treasure. He knew exactly how to make you moan pitifully against his mouth, he swallowed your moans, kissing you harder, you lost yourself in the feeling.

Your arms found his neck, pulling and wrapping around his gray hair, fingers desperate to touch any piece of him they could reach. Joel didn't lag behind; instead, he let his hand drop from your waist to find its place on your ass and gave it a squeeze that made you gasp. His fingers dug into the soft flesh of your buttock, pressing you against him until you felt his erection against your belly and, fuck, you felt your panties practically dripping for him. 

“Condom?” he asked against your neck,  you blinked in surprise and briefly broke out of the lust fog to process what he was saying. For a moment, you had forgotten that you were on the street, and that every second was crucial, there was no time for foreplay, and yet you were wetter than ever.

“Uhuh” you stammered, pulling a condom packet out of your bra, after all, you never know what can occur on a night out at the pub. Joel gave you a grateful glance as you tore open the packet with your teeth, pushing his hips forward to increase the pressure of his hard erection against you.

Without wasting any time, he pulled his cock out, his jeans falling to his ankles carelessly, you made quick work of jerking off his cock, not that he needed to, it was already hard as a rock against your warm palm, you used the drops of pre-cum leaking from the head of his cock to lubricate the length, the condom slipping off easily.

“Fuck, little girl, I need to be inside you now” Joel growled with hunger, his brown eyes clouded by a mist of lust and excitement as he met yours. He held his cock lined up with your dripping entrance, you slipped your panties aside, giving him access.

“Fuck” you gasped softly, eyes closed and cheeks flushed as Joel's cock slid into your folds like a searing hot tease, he rubbed the head up and down your slit, coating himself with your slippery arousal. "Just, please... ah." You didn't have to ask twice, with a quick and powerful thrust, Joel pushed forward, burying himself inside your pussy, he groaned at the exquisite sensation, his cock pulsing and twitching as your walls wrapped him in a warm embrace.

Beads of sweat began to form on Joel's forehead as he tried his hardest to stay still so you could feel comfortable enough to go on, even though all he really wanted was to bury himself all the way in. 

“Joel, move,” you asked breathlessly, your forehead falling against his chest as he finally began to move, the way he stretched you, the places he hit in your most intimate place made you dizzy with pleasure, a spiral of sensations that your vocabulary couldn't describe.

"Fuck, you're taking me so well, little girl." Joel groaned against your neck, sucking dark, red marks into your skin. His tongue quickly traced them to lessen the bite's pain, though he doubted you would have noticed so immersed in the sensation of his cock rearranging your organs. You dug your nails into his back, the denim jacket acting as a barrier to hide the red marks you wanted to etch there.

Joel's movements sped up, he fucked you with wild abandon, bringing his cock to the entrance of your pussy only to slam it in again, and again, you wrapped a leg around his hip, the new position allowing him to reach a new place that made you both gasp.

His big fingers reached out to find your clit, nibbling at it in the same rhythm as his brutal thrusts, the sensation was almost too much, your legs began to weaken, your eyes spinning, and that familiar sensation of heat building up in the belly area, it was almost like a fire burning all the skin his touches encountered.

“Fuck, little girl, I'm, I'm going to come... are you close?” Joel asked breathlessly, muffling his moans against the scarred skin of your neck, you shook your head quickly, not trusting yourself to form coherent words as you felt your body turning into a hot mess under his hands. 

Your delicate skin scraped the brickwork as Joel pressed you against the wall outside the pub, but nothing—no sensation—could take your mind off the orgasm that ripped you to pieces. As your moan pierced the night's calm and your sweet fluids trickled down his cock, you felt your body quake against his larger one, you clutched against his chest like a lifeline, your fingers curling into his flannel shirt, knuckles almost white of holding.

Jesus Christ! Joel had never been religious, but he swore that if heaven existed, it would resemble the feeling that gripped him right now—the way your pussy's silky walls vibrated around his cock, seemingly trying to squeeze everything out of him. It was a heavenly sensation that made him cum instantly,  Thick ropes of sperm filled the condom, and he continued to move until you were both too exhausted, the pleasure knocked him so hard that he had to hold himself against the wall, holding your body against him, while he regained his breath and his balance.

When Joel pulled his cock out of your pussy, you both gasped at the loss of warmth, feeling so empty without him that you braced yourself against the wall, leaning back and breathing shallowly. Joel removed his condom and threw it in a nearby trash can, putting his jeans and underwear in one motion.

“Where do you live, little girl?” he asked, gently brushing a lock of hair off your sweaty face.

A very distant part of you seemed to be trying to tell you that it wasn't a good idea to give your address to strangers, but that so-called stranger had fucked your brains out, and it was so amazing. Besides, you were exhausted from the orgasm, your legs were like jelly, so the idea didn't seem so bad. You quickly gave Joel the directions, and he took you in his arms bridal style. With a languid smile, you rested your head on his chest and lost yourself in the depths of drowsiness until you closed your eyes, your lids too heavy to remain open, and fell into Morpheus' arms.

***

The next morning, when your best friend, Sarah, began to open the curtains in your shared room, you mumbled quietly, covering your face with the blanket, you just needed a few more minutes of sleep and you'd be ready for another one. Unfortunately for you, Sarah didn't appear to give up and ended your hiding methods by removing the bed's covers.

"Sarah," you tossed a pillow at her while yawning languidly.

She just rolled her eyes, picking up the pillow that you tried to throw at her. “Stop being lazy, you promised you'd have lunch with me and my dad” she reminded you, you let out a loud sigh as you remembered the night you were feeling productive and agreed to everything that was suggested. Your current self detested it when you gave one of those. 

“Do I really have to go?” You grumbled wearily as Sarah simply stood firmly over you. You sighed and got out of bed to dress, saying that you hate the way she was able to persuade everyone, it’s like a superpower—something about being the only kid or whatever.

"Does your father have to eat so early, Sarah? It's ten in the morning." You grumbled in a low voice as you stuffed your face with caffeine to try to remain awake at lunch.

Your friend, who was well aware of your morning sour attitude, rolled her eyes. "He came early; do you recall that I mentioned that we're from Texas?"

With a feeble nod, you allowed Sarah to lead you across the college campus to the small Mexican diner where you two used to have lunch at the end of each semester. You barely noticed when she let go of your arm to run and hug her father, it wasn't until you nearly tripped a chair that you realize she was gone.

"So, you must be Mr. Miller," you remarked politely, your voice a little slurred from the combination of alcohol and lack of sleep. You shifted your sunglasses to look him in the eyes.

“Fuck” The curse escaped your mouth, when you recognized him, he wasn’t some random dilf you fucked last night, but your best friend's fucking father, the same who made you see the stars outside the pub. Damn it, you were fucked, and this time not in a good way.