#Just got off the phone with my mom and as soon as I hung up I started crying and for what. I don't know.

[fandom-lover2]

Hope To Stay A While, Just Till The Rain Stops

Chapter Eight - Changes

-image not mine-

Chapter Seven - This Is Why We Need Paper Maps

“No, you’re just an asshole who uses being dead as an excuse to be a douche.”

In my ear, Jason laughed. “Nuh uh, it’s a trauma response.”

I slipped my key into the lock, twisting and pushing the door handle down. “Being an ass is a trauma response? Dick says you were always this way.”

“His words can’t be taken as truth. He wasn’t even around when I was robin.”

I intended to say something back, but froze.

There, sitting on our sofa, was my mother’s ex-husband. And surrounding him, boxes.

“Hey, Kid? You there?” Jason called.

“Yeah. Just got up. Gotta go.” I hung up before he could say anything else, removing the airpod from my ear. “Da-“

I cut myself off. He wasn’t my dad. And we both knew it.

But what the hell was he doing here? And why were there boxes everywhere?

The man looked at me, with hollow, uncaring eyes. He didn’t even attempt to act as though he cared.

And then Mom came breezing in from the kitchen, smiling. “Hey. Just in time.”

For what?

I glanced around the apartment, noticing that the boxes weren’t for unpacking, but packing.

We were moving?

Away? From Bruce.

“What the hell?” I demanded.

She dropped the false positivity. “We’ve decided to give our relationship another try.”

 My knees almost buckled, my eyes bulging. “What? That’s ridiculous. He cheated on you. You cheated on him!”

“Which is why you aren’t coming.”

All other points I had about why this was the worst fucking decision my mother had ever had ended the moment his words reached my brain. “What?”

My mom sighed, moving to sit on the arm of the sofa, looking at me with an unreadable expression. “I love him. Always have. And we recently reconnected and decided to give this another shot. But you are not his, and Michael does not want you moving with us.”

It was like someone had thrown a bucket of cold water on me, the icy liquid slapping me in the face and stealing my breath.

She was abandoning me. Just like he had. Just like he’d done to her.

Despite the shock, my thoughts flowed clearly. It was just my body that seemed frozen.

“Was that why you brought us here? So I’d meet Bruce? Was that the only reason?”

This hadn’t been about letting me learn the truth, or gaining a relationship with my real father. Hell, my thoughts had barely been a consideration.

It was so she could leave me with a clear conscious.

“Oh, stop it. I’m a good mother. I could have kicked you out with nowhere to go.”

“Good mother?” I repeated, feeling my vision tunnel, my ears ring.

This is what she considered good parenting?

I turned, numb, and left the apartment.

I had sensed something coming for a long time now. She’d grown distant, even when we shared a dining room table.

She stopped making conversation, stopped looking at me. I assumed she was just mad I’d been spending more time with Bruce and constantly speaking about him even when I was with her.

I had thought it was what she wanted. To know I was happy and felt accepted by my real father. But no, she was pulling away.

She was getting ready to leave me.

I stood outside the apartment door for a while, not sure what to do.

I couldn’t go back in there and face her, even if she agreed to let me stay the night.

I hated her, and I wanted to get as far away from her as I could.

I pulled out my phone, tears blurring my vision as I pulled up my contacts and hit Jason’s.

He’d be on his way to whichever safe house he was choosing for the night. Hopefully he’d be able to turn around and be back soon.

“What’s wrong?” Bruce answered on the first ring.

I pulled my phone back, seeing I’d hit the wrong contact.

“I meant to call Jason.” I mumbled back, my brain lagging behind.

“Y/n, what is wrong?”

“Mr Wayne?” someone called, and I heard my father grunt to them as it sounded like he was walking away.

“Are you in a meeting?”

“Doesn’t matter. What’s wrong?” He sounded weird, voice tight and tense. And I could hear him hurrying, wherever he was walking to.

I started walking, because that seemed like the thing to do. I readjusted my backpack on my shoulder and began down the steps of the apartment.

“She’s leaving me here.”

I heard him stop, followed by a couple seconds of silence. “What?”

“My mom’s moving back in with Michael. She’s leaving me here.”

It was quiet on his end for a second more, before I heard him walking again.

“Dad?” I whispered, the wobble in my voice evident that I was now crying, even if I hadn’t acknowledged it yet.

“Yeah, Baby girl?”

“Can you come get me?” I sniffed, making it to the first floor and pausing in the lobby.

“I’m already in the car. I’ll be there soon. Five minutes. Wait for me in the lobby, ok? Don’t go outside.”

“Ok.”

It was silent for a few seconds, neither of us speaking. I sniffed, wiping away the hot tears that rolled down my cheeks.

“Want me to stay on the phone?”

I nodded, and then realized he couldn’t see that and whimpered a “Yes.”

We didn’t talk, but I heard the car peeling out of the garage, and his occasional grunts at the traffic.

He counted down the minutes, four. Three. Two. One.

I heard the car before I saw it, the sound of a fancy engine echoing off the surrounding buildings.

I charged out the lobby, him barely making it out the car before I threw myself into him. Finally in the arms of my dad, I sobbed.

I didn’t even know why I was crying. It wasn’t as if my mom and I had ever been particularly close. And if anything, I was gaining a hell of a lot more than I was losing.

Bruce shushed me gently, rocking us back and forth as he cradled my head close to his chest, moving us out of the way of passing civilians.

“Can we go home?” I sniffled, still very much crying.

Bruce ducked his head to drop a kiss to the top of my head. “Yeah, baby. Let’s get you home.”

He moved me to his passenger seat, buckling me in and hurriedly sending a text before starting up the car and pulling into the street.

I leaned my head against the window, the building passing overhead, the tears slowing. By the time we were out the concrete jungle, they had dried up completely. Still, I kept my head turned away, eyes not taking in the world passing by.

“I didn’t get to pack anything.” I mumbled.

Bruce squeezed the hand he had been holding the whole time. “I’ll sort it out.”

A motorbike pulled up alongside us, and I thought it would pass, until I looked up and found Jason looking over at me.

I didn’t need to have x ray vision to see the frown that was hidden beneath the helmet.

He stayed beside us the whole drive to the manor, Alfred greeting us as we pulled up to the front door.

It had started to rain.

Bruce didn’t bother to wait for an umbrella, greeting Alfred at the passenger door and helping me out. My father kept his arm wrapped around me as he guided me inside.

He and Alfred talked, and someone scolded Jason for walking in while dripping water before my dad led me through to the living room, sitting on the couch and pulling me into him.

I curled into his side, my face burying in his damp chest once again. Wet from both my tears and the rain.

He squeezed me tight, kissing my hair line. “I got you, baby girl. And I’m not going anywhere.”

I stayed like that a while, not crying but not ok either. I felt empty, lost. Confused.

“What’s her problem?” Damian entered the room, arms crossed and rolling his eyes at my position.

“Damian!” Bruce barked. “Not now.”

My brother’s brows raised and then narrowed when he realized I wasn’t even acknowledging him.

He said something in Arabic, and Bruce replied.

Slowly, like a cat, me approached the sofa we were curled on and sat. Not close enough to touch, but he was there.

Jason stormed in a while later, Dick practically stumbling in after him.

Dick knocked Jason aside, kneeling before Bruce and I and not giving Bruce an option as he pulled me into his arms, resting his chin on my head as I settled in his lap.

“Don’t make her sit on the floor.” Damian snarked, as he moved to sit beside us, his back resting against the sofa.

“You doing ok, sweetheart?”

“That’s a stupid question.” Jason drawled, moving to sit on the other side of Dick.

Now we were four out of five siblings all piled on the floor despite five good sofas around us and a father seated on the largest one.

“Better now that I’m here with you guys.” I replied honestly, relaxing into my oldest brother’s hold.

No one said anything for a long while, only the rain and thunder filling the room. We didn’t need to say much.

It hurt, and probably would for a while, but I wasn’t alone. And I was a hell of a lot better off here than with her anyway. That’s what I’d keep telling myself, til the hurting stopped.

Tim came in a good hour later, finding us still sitting on the floor playing Uno. Bruce was surprisingly competitive, and not above cheating.

“Oh so I have to sit in meetings and you guys are here playing games.” he snarked, moving to join our circle as Dick delt in him.

“Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to call him out.”

Tim reached over to place a hand on my knee. “As long as you’re ok. That’s all that matters.”

I took his hand and gave it a squeeze. “Thanks, big bro.”

Five minutes later, Alfred saved us from a pillow fight, started by Jason, after we finally got evidence that Bruce had been cheating.

“Dinner is served.” he called, monotonous, and left the room with a sigh.

Dick, who was crouched over me, hit me twice more with the pillow before standing and hauling me up. “How ya feeling?”

I had laughed so hard I was wheezing, my stomach aching and cheeks burning from smiling so damn much. “Better.”

He clapped me on the shoulder and threw the pillow at the back of Damian’s head.

The force he put behind the throw, plus my youngest brother being distracted arguing with Tim, and the kid face planting with a loud thud.

“Dick!” Bruce snapped, but he didn’t move to Damian’s aid.

A second later, the child rose like a resurrected demon and charged, vengeance in his eyes.

Dick took the chase out the room, Tim shaking his head as he continued to full Bruce in on the meeting he’d missed.  

Jason slid up beside me, tilting his head to the side to look me in the eye. “Sure you doing ok?”

I smiled up at him. “I got something way better here. I don’t need her anymore.” I repeated my mantra.

He nodded, almost like he didn’t believe me, but accepted my answer and walked with me to the dining room.

---

“Once upon a time,” he started.

“Oh my god, please get out.”

My bed was, as we discovered, somehow large enough to hold 4 men and me. We also discovered it could not comfortably do so.

So, we ended up in Bruce’s bed.

Yes, all four of us.

Alfred sat at the desk in the corner of the room, reading a book.

I didn’t even know what we were doing in my bed to begin with, or why Dick had thrown me over his shoulder and dragged us all here, but here we were.

“Don’t you people have places to be?” I asked, being the only one in pajamas.

Tim hummed, typing on his phone.

“So go do that.” I grunted, trying to push Dick off me. Why was I the only one getting squashed by him today? Didn’t he have other people to smother?

Bruce sighed. “She had a point.” But he didn’t make a move to stand.

“Since you arrived, we have skipped many patrols.” Damian chimed, Alfred the Cat purring away on his lap.

“Well now I just feel sorry for Gotham.” I tried to wiggle free again, finding I was sufficiently trapped. “Dude, what do you eat?”

“Cereal, mostly.” Dick replied, flinching when Alfred the Human cleared his throat pointedly.

“As I was saying,” Bruce started again, contently resting against his headboard, Tim’s head on his chest. “Once upon a time-”

“Five brave knights ventured into the darkness and left the princess alone. Good story, now fuck off.”

I didn’t want them to leave, but the more I fought and whined, the closer they attached themselves.

But they would have to leave soon. Night had fallen and the city needed Batman and his robins.

And so, twenty minutes later I was standing in the cave, waving them off as they sped out on their various vehicles, off to save the world.

“My dear, I know you are probably tired, but may you indulge me in some company over a cup of tea?” my grandfather requested, guiding me upstairs.

“I would be delighted to.”

A short while later, I was settled on the sofa once again, this time in his personal room.

It smelled like him. Like lavender, and fresh laundry, with a hint of oak.

“So, tell me my dear, how are you? Really?”

I took a deep breath, having a sip of tea a moment later to give me a second more to stall.

“I’m sad. And I’ll miss her. But she hasn’t been the woman who raised me for a long while. I think a part of me always knew this might happen. That one day she too would leave. I just didn’t see it happening with Michael.”

Alfred was quiet a while, frowning at the unlit fireplace and taking sips of tea before looking to me again. “You won’t be alone here. No one will leave you.”

Fresh tears stung my eyes, and I nodded. “Yeah. I know.”

And somehow, I did know.

My whole life had been about people abandoning me, leaving me behind for something better. I had come to expect it these days.

But here, in this home, with these people, I knew I didn’t need to worry about that. They’d be there, always.

Alfred opened his mouth, but the lights cutting out took what words he was going to say.

I was washed in darkness, eyes unadjusted.

“Alfred?”

“The generator hasn’t turned on.” he replied, with the same gravity as telling someone they were heading for the edge of a cliff.

I heard him move, his teacup placed down as he stood and began around his room. I blinked when he turned on a flash light, heading back to me.

“Take this.”

And then he moved to the chest at the end of his bed and opened it, pulling out a shotgun and loading it.

This wasn’t just a blackout. “Why do you need that?”

“You are going to stay behind me, and we’re going to go to the Cave, alright?”

“Alfred, I-”

He made his way to me, dropping to a knee to use one hand to cup my chin, forcing me to look at him. “I know you’re scared. But I’m not going to let anything hurt you. I wish we could barricade in here until the boys get back, but the Cave will be safer. Do you understand?”

I nodded, not hearing a word he said, but I knew that look in his eyes. I trusted it, him.

“Good.” He took my teacup from me and placed it down, then took my hand and pulled me up, making me fist the back of his shirt and beginning out the room.

We crept through the manor, my heartbeat pounding in my ears so loud I couldn’t hear anything, not even Alfred’s steady whispers.

I jumped at every flash of lightning, the bolts of electricity casting shadows on the walls.

We had been so close, almost to the secret entrance, when people jumped from the shadows.

Alfred fired without mercy, killing two before they managed to get close enough to force him into hand-to-hand combat.

They had swords. My grandfather didn’t.

“Alfred!”

“Cave! Go!” he ordered, seeming to be handling himself well enough, despite no weapon.

I darted for the secret door, somehow getting the code right first try even though my fingers shook so much.

I waited at the door for a second, waiting for Alfred, but he’d taken the fight out the room, down the hall. I had to go alone.

Making sure the door locked behind me, I raced down the stairs and charged for the computer.

The Cave must’ve had a separate power source, cause all the lights were still on.

I skidded to a stop at the controls and hit the comms. “Dad! Dad, the power went out and Alfred needs help!”

“I got the alert. We’re on our way. Just stay there and-”

I didn’t hear what the rest of what my dad said, something pricking the side of my neck. Before I had the chance to look, white hot liquid was injected into me.

My eyes fluttered, my legs going jelly.

“Y/n? Y/n!” my father’s voice boomed over the speakers, but my eyes closed and the world went silent, a pair of arms catching me as I fell.

When I opened my eyes again, I was on a bed and standing at a window, a tall, tanned man.

He turned to me and smiled. “Welcome to the League of Assassins.”

[miniimight]

I need more dad Sukuna and mom reader fics / headcsnons, I love the way you wrote for them!!

hey anon thank you! i'm thinking about making this a series, if you guys have any ideas/requests/prompts lmk <3

PICKING UP BABY FROM SCHOOL oops, toddlers can't ride motorcyles! (dad!sukuna x mom!reader)

sukuna rolled up about twenty minutes before his daughter's school got out, deploying the kickstand of his pitch black motorcycle against the rainbow colored fencing. he pulled off his helmet, sighing deeply when he met fresh air again.

his phone buzzed against his thigh. he pulled it out of his tight cargo pocket, answering immediately when he saw your caller ID. "hey, doll."

"you got there okay?" you asked.

"mhm."

"and you're on the right side of the building? that's where her class comes out."

"mhm."

"great." you exhaled. "m'sorry i couldn't make it this time—"

"stop." he says gruffly, his phone between his shoulder and ear as he pulls off his gloves. "what are you sorry for, silly girl? you're sick and should rest."

he doesn't mind anything when it comes to his two girls, not the fifteen minute commute to her school or the half hour of waiting just to get a parking spot nice and close to the doors.

your laugh was warbled over the phone. "at least the car is air conditioned. it's been getting warmer lately."

"..." he looked down at his bike.

"ryo, baby?" you hummed.

"hm?"

"you did take the car, right?"

"..."

his silence was all you needed to hear. he tuned out your worried rambling about how the hell is your daughter going to get home on that thing in order to process. toddlers don't usually use motorcycles as a mode of transportation... and he should've thought of this before!

"it'd be fine if i had an extra seat." he mused, debating on how he could manage this situation without having to call you to get them.

"an extra seat?! not even an extra helmet?" you shrieked. "baby, i swear, if you're actually thinking about driving with my baby girl on that thing—"

"relax, doll," he grumbled, pushing down the traces of embarrassment burning at his ears. "the brat will be fine, s'just a couple blocks away. she can handle the wind."

"..."

the bell rang and the doors swung open, children pouring out of the hallway and buzzing around in search of their parents.

"she's out, we'll see you soon." he was about to hang up when he heard,

"i'm literally about to come get you, do NOT go anywhere."

he frowns, his eyes scouring the crowd of midgets for his kid. he didn't mean to make you so upset and worried. he just... overlooked important details sometimes. not his fault, he's trying his best :(

"y/n, you will sit your ass down in bed. when i come home, you better be laying down exactly how i left you." he warned. he heard your breath hitch. "you trust me, don't you, baby?"

"yes... unfortunately."

he nodded. "we'll be home soon."

"in one piece?"

he rolled his eyes, grumbling. "yes, woman."

"hm." you huffed and hung up.

he strolled into the compound. as soon as he saw those pretty eyes that creased happily when they landed on him, he smiled and crouched down.

she ran over to him, her backpack jostling behind her. she held up a painting she made. "daddy, look!"

"i see." he pulled her closer, holding the backpack off her back and letting her walk off it. he slung the bedazzled bratz backpack over his shoulder, lifting her up in his arms. "what is it?"

"for mama."

"oh. all your crafts seem to be for mama. still nothing for me." he complained with a drawn out sigh.

she rolled her eyes, and he swore he was looking at you for a second.

"don't roll your eyes at me, brat." he scoffed. "who the hell even taught you that?" he muttered under his breath.

sukuna finally stopped in front of his bike. her eyes lit up as her legs started to kick in excitement. she's only ever seen daddy ride off on this thing, now she gets to ride with him?

he swung his leg over the bike, ignoring the mix of distasteful and flirtatious looks thrown at him. "okay, kid." he exhaled, shrugging off his jacket and holding it up to her. "gotta put this on."

she turned up her nose. "stinky."

his jaw dropped open. "i showered before i came to wait half an hour for you, chubby brat. the hell do you think you're talking to?"

she looked at him as if it were obvious.

"you'll put this on now. give me mama's painting, i'll put it in your bag." he said gruffly yet gently slid the painting into her backpack with the utmost care.

the jacket drowned her, the sleeves near triple the length of her arms. sukuna zipped her up and put the helmet on her head.

she started to whine. "stinky." she wailed.

"hush." he hissed, slapping some shades on and holding her towards her chest firmly. with her protected as best as he could with what he had, and with the jeweled backpack strapped to his back, he began to roll out into the road.

that drive home was the longest thirty minutes of his life. he had never drove so slow before.

you were waiting by the front door, running down to meet them as your husband pulled into the driveway.

"oh my god oh my god," you ripped your baby from his arms, tossing the helmet off her head. "are you okay, baby?" you smoothed away the sweaty hair from her face, your lips pursing when you hear her sniffles.

"my poor baby. daddy's never gonna pick you up again, don't you worry." you peppered her face with kisses.

sukuna caught the helmet before it crashed to the ground, walking behind you with his hands in his pockets. he kissed your temple as he leaned over your shoulder to peer down at his daughter. "daddy didn't do so bad."

you glare at him, cradling your daughter's head against your chest. you whirl away and storm into the house.

he sighed.

after many apologetic kisses and a good amount of groveling, you let him do pick-ups and drop-offs again. though you made sure to watch him get into the car before he drove off.

© miniimight ! thanks for reading <3

[mypoisonedvine]

𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐞 𝐂𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧 | dad's best friend!cillian murphy x reader

𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 | based on the following request: what would dilf/dad's best friend cillian do if he found your dildo?

𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 | 5k (this was literally supposed to be a drabble...)

𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 | smut (18+ only), significant age gap (reader is college-aged, cillian is in his late forties), voyeurism/exhibitionism, semi-public sex, use of toys, praise kink, unprotected sex, very brief/semi sarcastic 'sir' kink, shockingly fluffy??

Not that your parents' anniversary cocktail party wasn't horribly riveting (cue dramatic eyeroll) but you were upstairs, on your bed, on your phone; you'd had enough of 'so how's college going?' and 'what's your major again?' and 'got any boyfriends yet? you must be a heartbreaker' for one evening— or a lifetime, preferably.

It wasn’t even that comfortable to be on the bed in your party dress—a cute, short sparkly one that you’d picked out for tonight—but it was better than standing around and trying to balance in those sky-high heels; those you had kicked off into the corner of the room the second you were alone.

When you heard a small rap on the door, you hummed a quick "Come in!" and didn't even look up from your phone, figuring it was your mom or dad come to find you after you disappeared.

Instead, you heard Mr. Murphy's voice as he leaned in the doorframe; "Sorry to bug you," he said, startling you slightly as you closed Instagram and set your phone down. "Just needed a Tide pen— your mom said you might have one in here?"

"O-oh, yeah," you said, sitting up, "sure— what happened?"

"Salsa fiasco," he joked softly as he shut the door behind him, showing you the dark red stain on his shirt— though the shirt itself was red, so it wasn't too egregious, but still noticeable.

"That's too bad," you chuckled, "I warned them about that salsa— if you serve salsa, there's gonna be a fiasco, that's what I said."

He clicked his tongue disapprovingly. "They should listen to you more," he agreed.

"I've got a couple stain remover pens in that top drawer," you suggested as you pointed to your dresser.

"Great," he smiled, starting to unbutton the shirt; you got nervous for a second until you realized he had on a black undershirt beneath. It's hard to say why you were nervous about that, since you'd seen him shirtless plenty of times in the years you'd known him...

"Nobody's worried about me going missing, right?" you wondered as he continued working on the buttons, and he shook his head while shrugging slightly.

"Not yet," he replied, "but they're going to want to find you soon, you're sort of the star of the night."

You rolled your eyes, frowning. "It's my parents' anniversary party, I think they should be the focus."

"Maybe they should, but you're the much more interesting one," he informed you.

You pulled your legs up a bit, leaning to the side as you sat on your bed; as much as all this attention from your parents' friends was usually annoying to you, something about being interesting to Mr. Murphy didn't bother you so much. "Is it weird for you?" you asked, lowering your voice a bit; he tilted his head quickly as if to ask what you meant. "Going to an anniversary party after, you know—"

The words hung in the air, seeming to gather around his conspicuously naked ring finger: after the divorce. "Oh, no," he scoffed, taking off his cufflinks. "It's fine; but I'm sick of the questions about it."

You winced. "Sorry, I didn't mean to—"

"Don't worry," he laughed finally shirking off the shirt; he looked a little too good in just the short-sleeved undershirt. "You can make it even by letting me ask you how college is going."

"Oh god," you groaned, rolling your eyes, and he laughed.

"If I didn't know from your parents that you were acing it, I'd worry that your aversion to talking about it meant you were struggling somehow."

"It's not that," you assured, "it's the people."

"The people?" he pressed. "Or the guys?"

You laughed nervously, looking down at your lap. "Geez, you learn to mindread while I was gone or something?"

He stepped around your bed to get to the dresser, laying his shirt down over it. "No, I just remember that time— somehow. And I remember how much of a headache I and every other young guy was."

"I guess not much has changed then," you smiled.

"What, I'm still a headache?" he grinned as he looked over his shoulder at you.

"No, I meant—"

"I know what you meant, I'm just teasing," he chuckled. "Top drawer you said?"

"Yeah," you nodded, and he opened the top drawer of the dresser; of course, only right then did you remember that you should have specifically said top left. Because the top right was—

Oh shit.

You swallowed thickly as Cillian stared down into the open drawer, and your heart pounded as you somehow hoped and prayed that what was in there had turned invisible or something; but if the look on his face was anything to go by, it was just as visible as ever.

“I—fuck, sorry, I forgot that’s—” you choked out, face burning impossibly hot.  “I never meant for you to see—I’m—could you shut the fucking drawer, please, you pervert?!”

“I’m the pervert?” he laughed thinly, looking at you again finally.  “You’re the one with a massive fucking dildo in here.”

“Well—you weren’t supposed to see that—”

“Yeah, but—fuck,” he choked, “I was just looking for your stain remover and I see your— you have a— are you sure that isn’t technically considered a weapon or something?  How’s a guy supposed to compete with that?”

“That’s the great thing about it: he doesn’t have to compete,” you explained, “that’s sort of the whole idea.”

He looked back at it for a second and you yelped, reaching your leg off the bed to kick him in the hip.  “Would you please shut the drawer?!”

“Sorry, sorry,” he laughed a bit, “but I mean, how am I supposed to react to that?

“Well, you’re not supposed to just stare at it!” you insisted.

He shut the drawer, giving you a look you couldn’t possibly decipher.

“What were you thinking?!” you said, somewhat rhetorically.

“I—well,” he hummed, looking away from you for a second, “I was thinking that I can’t imagine how you can possibly fit something like that.”

You blinked quickly, not sure what to say in response to that.  “Well—I mean, it’s a little big, but… it gets the job done.  Keeps me from calling the guys I shouldn’t be calling.”

He nodded.  “Well, that’s good… none of those college boys could possibly deserve you…”

His eyes were running all over you, and even though you’d picked out this dress just for this party because you loved how you looked in it, you felt a little exposed by his stare.

“I just can’t believe a girl like you—”

“Come on, I’ve never been a saint,” you scoffed, glancing away.

“No, I just mean… the size of that thing…” he trailed off.

“You really can’t get over that part,” you noticed, “is this some kind of… intimidation, Freudian situation?”

You glanced quickly at his pants, and he started to deny it instantly.  “No—come on, it’s not—I just can’t believe you take all that.  For fun.  It looks like it would break you.”

You hadn’t even had any drinks at this anniversary party, and yet you found yourself with this foggy head like you were tipsy; you blurted something out as if you were tipsy.  “What, you want me to prove it?”

His chest sunk a bit, and you were about to take it back when he spoke before you.  “I’d like to see you try.”

Biting your lip, you sat up on the bed, reaching around him and into the drawer.  He didn’t step back or out of the way, just let you grab the toy and lean back on the bed in front of him.

You reached up under your dress, sliding your panties out of the way, finding yourself suddenly plenty wet to fit this toy.

His eyes never left you, though they certainly travelled all over your body as you pressed the toy up to your entrance; it was thick, he wasn’t wrong, and you had to slowly warm yourself up to it whenever you used it on yourself. 

After pushing with enough pressure, the tip finally slipped inside and you let out a small sigh.  He watched carefully, and your lips fell open into a moan as you pushed the toy deeper into yourself.  When the stretch became a bit too sharp, you winced and slowed down, trying to take your time even with your heart racing and hands shaking.

You heard his own breathing picking up, watching you take the toy deeper; you found your gaze wandering over him, even lingering on his groin to see if you could catch a bulge growing there, but nothing was obvious yet.  You stared for a moment at his hands, too, suddenly wishing to have them all over you—well, maybe not that suddenly, you’d sort of thought about this before.  It wasn’t until somewhat recently that you noticed how sexy he was.  Maybe when you were younger, you understood that he was better looking than all the other adults you knew, but only once you left for college did you start thinking about him out of nowhere, imagining what he was really like when he wasn’t just being friendly with you—you even asked your mom once on a phone call if he was dating anyone.  Thankfully, she didn’t seem to get suspicious when you asked that; but she’d be more than fucking suspicious if she walked in now, saw you doing this to yourself under his watchful eye.

Oddly enough, the knowledge that someone could walk in and see this just made you even more desperate, and you gasped as you pushed the toy in deeper.

It still wasn’t all the way in, and you already felt so full… truth be told, he had a point about it maybe being too big for you—when you usually used it on yourself, you only put it in a little over halfway, since that was all you really needed.  You hadn’t put the whole thing inside since you first got it—and yes, you’d ordered it online, because if you’d seen it in person you probably would’ve been as intimidated by its girth as he was.

Your decision not to wear a bra with this dress became very apparent when his gaze settled on your chest; your nipples were hard, and clearly visible under the fabric now.  It was just because it was strapless that you went without, but you were thankful for it when you saw him quickly lick his lips at the sight.  You dared to moan just a little louder as you pulled the toy in and out, picking up your pace carefully.

“How’s it feel?” he asked lowly, his eyes drifting back to where the toy slid into you. 

“Good,” you mumbled, “really fucking good.”

“Can you really take it all?” he pressed, making your walls clench on the silicone.

Instead of answering aloud, you simply pushed it all the way in until your eyes rolled back—it was so deep, pressing heavy and fat against your deepest points until it felt like you might burst.

“Fuck,” he praised—it was just a swear, but the way he whispered it made it sound like a praise.

You sped up slightly, trying to do this the way you normally would without someone staring at you.  But you were even more sensitive with him watching, your walls clenching more and more around the toy until it was almost hard to keep thrusting it in and out.  Sighing, you shut your eyes and laid back on the bed to try to help yourself relax.  The change in angle just seemed to make the toy go deeper, rubbing harder against the spot inside you that made your back arch.

“You’re so wet,” he breathed; you whimpered, nodding in agreement, and kept moving the dildo as deep as you could get it with every thrust. 

Your free arm went back over your head to hold onto the comforter under you, your hand gripping tight for some relief for the pressure inside you.  “Fuck yes,” you whispered, knitting your brows together and fucking yourself faster.  “Feels so fucking good…”

He hummed a little, but you kept your eyes shut, afraid you’d lose your nerve if you looked at him again.  It had been months since you used anything but this, and you had no regrets—the toy performed way better than any of the guys you’d met at college.  But, truthfully, you didn’t like having to do this to yourself.  It felt like you could never move it fast or hard enough, and you needed to constantly have perfect control over the toy to get yourself to come—and when you come, the last thing you want is to take control, you want to lay back and lose control.  Still, it was better than the college fuckboys who smelled like beer and didn’t last more than two minutes.

Thinking about them wasn’t going to help you now, though; it was much better to think about Cillian, about those icy blue eyes running all over your body, about how his hands would hold you down while he claimed you, about how his lips would feel on your neck before he whispered in your ear that you were his…

You let out a sharp and sudden moan as the toy hit harder on that spot; your legs started to shake.  “Good girl,” he mumbled, making you moan even louder because god, those words just sounded right in his accent, with that rough voice—and they sounded right being said to you.

“Fuck,” you choked, “Mr. Murphy, I—”

He laughed a little.  “So polite,” he cooed.  “Open your eyes and look at me.”

Though it made your heart beat even faster, you did as you were told.  His stare was all-encompassing, making you feel completely trapped in a way you enjoyed more than you could’ve imagined. 

“Call me Cillian,” he insisted.

You weren’t sure if he meant to literally call him that right in that moment, but it sort of came out anyway: “Cillian,” you moaned, and the grip he’d taken on the dresser behind him tightened.

“Can you come for me?” he asked lowly.  “Right now?  Can you come on that fake cock?”

You bit your lip and nodded, moving the toy faster and faster— more desperate to come than ever.  “I—fuck, yeah, I’m close…”

“Good,” he praised again.  “Let me see you come, honey.”

Your back arched harder, deeper—your hands were shaking but you kept going, holding on tight to the dildo and forcing it back and forth as your legs began to quiver.

Moans poured from your mouth faster than you could try to quiet them—everyone was downstairs, you just had to hope the music and conversation was enough to drown out your desperate, pleading noises.  “Fuckin’ beautiful,” he mumbled, right as you hit the peak and melted into the mattress, a wave of ecstasy pouring over you.

You felt hot everywhere, but especially between your legs—you could swear you felt yourself leaking out around the toy, soaking it, giving away how needy you’d become and not even having the mental energy to feel any shame for it.

Cillian certainly didn’t look like he was trying to shame you for it; when you opened your eyes again, he had a stunned expression—in the best way.  “You normally come that fast for a toy?”

You laughed a little, but you still couldn’t quite catch your breath.  “No,” you admitted, “it normally takes… a bit longer than that…”

“What was different about tonight?” he mused, and you scoffed and rolled your eyes again.

“Shut up,” you sighed.  “Now I have to figure out how to take this thing out—I’m always sore after…”

“If you can handle putting it in, taking it out shouldn’t be much trouble,” he noticed.

Which, yes, that would make sense, but after coming you always got all tight and sensitive and it could be a little intense.

“How about I help you?” he offered, and your chest tightened.  He waited for you to nod before carefully wrapping his hand around your own, watching your face as he gently guided you to pull the toy out.

Your lips were slack and your eyes were probably glassy and dazed as he looked at you like that, completely enveloping you in his stare as he studied every detail of your expression.  Aside from some heavy breathing you didn’t react much to him sliding the toy out of you, until the ridge of the head reached your entrance and you winced.

“Shh,” he soothed gently, “it’s okay…”

A long sigh of relief emptied your chest when the toy tapered off and you felt the last of it slip out of you; you really noticed then how soaked you were, as a draft in the room seemed to cling to the patch of wetness that had coated all between your legs somehow.

“Lemme see, baby,” he cooed under his breath as he set the toy aside, kneeling down and resting a hand on the inside of your thigh to keep your legs open.

You could barely catch your breath with him doing that; you’d never had someone… look at it like that.  You felt incredibly vulnerable but impossibly sexy as you heard him sigh at the sight.  “Is it all stretched out now?” you wondered.

“No,” he said, “you look… just as tight as before.  Fuck.  That’s incredible.”

You bit your lip, sitting up enough to try to get a look at his face past the puffiness of your dress’ skirt, and he smirked up at you with the loveliest sparkle in his eye.  “Really?” you breathed, and he nodded.

Even though your hands were still shaking you suddenly felt brave; maybe it was just the afterglow, but you grabbed him by the shirt and sat up to kiss him, colliding your lips with his.  He reciprocated instantly, putting his hands on your upper back that the strapless dress left bare.

The kiss was perfect—needy but not too fast, sweet but not too chaste, teasing but not too slow.  The guys in college couldn’t even kiss like this… you were wondering why you ever even tried with them—or, you would’ve been if that kiss left you capable of thinking about anything but him.  “Need you,” you whispered as you pulled him closer, wrapping your arms around his strong shoulders.

“Fuck,” he mumbled against your lips, a hand holding your waist while he started to kiss your neck and jaw.  “Not here—your parents—”

“Don’t care,” you whimpered, “I’m so—fuck, Cillian, please—”

“You already came,” he noticed with a small laugh, “didn’t that take the edge off?”

“Not enough,” you whined, getting impatient and running a hand down over his shirt and down to his pants—and you smiled proudly as you felt the hardening bulge beneath.  He choked a little when you touched him there, holding you tighter.  “You want me too,” you noticed.

“Of course I do, but—” he breathed, then stopped himself as he tossed you back on the bed; you giggled as he crawled up over you, pinning you down.  “But we can’t… your parents would have my head on a platter—once they’re done serving crawfish etouffee off of it downstairs.”

“Well, I wasn’t planning on telling my parents,” you smirked.  “Were you?”

“No,” he agreed, kissing your neck again as you hummed happily.  “But if they found out—”

“So?  They wouldn’t like if they found out about what just happened, either—and they won’t.”

“But this is different,” he insisted.

“How?”

“Because this…”

He trailed off, kissing down your neck and over your shoulder, until a hand reached up to pull your dress down and expose your chest.

“Shit,” he sighed at the sight of it, and you smiled up at him.

“You were saying?” you teased.

“Right, erm,” he swallowed, “this is different because—because if we do this, you’re gonna be my girl.  Not just a misguided one-time fuck because you were turned on after screwing yourself with your dildo while I watched.”

You felt a little out of breath but nodded up at him.  “Okay,” you agreed.

“Okay?” he repeated, looking a little shocked.  “I tell you that you have to be mine and you just say okay?”

“What was I supposed to say, yes sir?” you joked.

“I just mean—shit, if I knew it would be this easy, I would’ve said something sooner,” he chuckled.  “But I’m, er, not complaining about the yes sir thing either…”

He sat up and started to unbutton his pants, making you wiggle a bit on the bed impatiently.  Even though you’d just gotten filled by your big toy, you felt needier than ever for something inside you—something real. 

Your throat caught when he took it out— it was pale and veiny just like the rest of him; long, uncut, a bead of precum starting to leak from the slit… it was beautiful, honestly.  The artificial fleshy hue of the silicone could never compete.

“Big enough for you?” he asked with a smirk, but you had to swallow before you answered because your mouth was watering.

“Yeah,” you panted, “plenty.”

He kissed you again, laying more of his weight on top of you; your legs wrapped around his hips, keeping him close as he pressed you down into your bed.

One hand found your wrist and held it back above your head, while the other kept a tight wrap around his cock so he could guide it to your waiting entrance.  When he pushed inside, you both sighed with relief like you’d been longing for this for ages—perhaps because both of you had, in your own ways.  “Fuck,” you breathed, “Cillian…”

He whispered your name back to you, heavy and desperate and right by your ear, and you absolutely knew you were his, just like he said.  He only stilled for a moment when he was all the way inside, already starting to rock back and forth—but he was sort of tender about it, watching you move under him as he fucked you.  “So pretty,” he praised quietly, kissing you again, even harder than before.  You both moaned into the kiss, and a warm, rough hand settled on your thigh under your dress.

Soon, the pleasure was too much to even focus on kissing, and your mouth just fell wide open in front of his as needy moans passed through it.  He stayed close, though, watching your face go slack with ecstasy.  The previous orgasm had left you sticky and sensitive inside, still totally dripping for him, everything in you begging for more.  “Oh my god,” you sighed, eyes rolling back, your composure completely slipping already.  He made you feel so good so easily—and fuck, the way he was looking at you, it was just too much to bear.

“Mm,” he hummed proudly, latching his lips onto your neck again until your fingers tangled in his hair.  He moved down and caught a nipple in his mouth, making you whimper as he suckled at it gently. 

“Fuck,” you whined, nearly pulling him along by the hair when he moved to the other one; you couldn’t stop clenching inside, squeezing him until he groaned against your skin. 

“Won’t last if you keep doing that,” he warned you softly. 

“What if I don’t want you to?” you teased, and he growled a little between his teeth, sitting up to look down at you.  He fucked you harder, but put a hand on top of your head and pet your hair for a moment, looking at you like you hung the moon; how could he be so dirty then so adorable within the same split-second?!

“I’ll do whatever you want me to,” he decided, speaking softly, “how about that?  What do you want me to do?”

That was a little too much power to give you, at least in your opinion, but you grinned as you considered it.  “Then I want you to come way too quick,” you decided, “like all those annoying college boys—because you just can’t help yourself.”

He laughed a little, though he stopped to bite his lip as he fucked you even harder—and faster, too.  “Okay,” he breathed, “don’t know why you want that, but—fuck— it won’t be very difficult after that little show you gave me.  You look so pretty when you come…”

“Just keep going and you can see it again,” you promised, holding onto him tighter as he pressed into you and really let you have it—not really rough or anything, you couldn’t risk making any more noise than you were, but still aggressive and passionate and desperate.

He kissed your neck again, burying his face in your shoulder and finding the spot that made you gasp out his name suddenly; your fingers clutched at fistfuls of his undershirt, and your legs began to shake where they were hooked around his hips and half-pushed-down pants.

“Oh my god,” you gasped, the pleasure hitting you again—but it was better than with the toy, it was stronger, and it just kept going because he kept going.  When your head fell back onto the mattress with a sigh, he realized that he’d made you come.

“Wait, fuck, I wasn’t looking,” he rushed as he popped his head up from the crook of your neck, “do it again.”

You laughed breathlessly and pushed against his shoulder a bit; “Shut up, I can’t do it on command.”

“You did it the last two times I told you to,” he reminded you, and that just made you feel even more deliciously dizzy. 

Yes, you were definitely his girl now—totally addicted to him.  You’d never felt like this with somebody—not just physically, but the trust and the laughter and the comfort of it all.  This wasn’t a too-empty dorm room that still smelled like fresh paint, it wasn’t a mattress with no sheets in an apartment with 5 roommates nearby, it wasn’t a guy you vaguely knew from a two-hundred-student class or someone you saw on a dating app and talked with for an afternoon before meeting for ‘coffee’ (it was never just coffee).  This was Mr. Murphy—and that should’ve made it weirder, but somehow, it just made it make more sense.

“So, if I tell you to come again,” he spoke lowly by your ear, a new authority to his tone, “you should come.”

You couldn’t think of anything else to say: “Yes, sir,” you breathed, hugging him close to you and pressing your face against his shoulder.

Of course, it wasn’t quite instantaneous, but just another minute of him giving you those deep, controlled thrusts right into your favorite spot sent you over the edge easily—and this time, he gently guided your face out of its hiding spot and looked at you, watched your pleasure overtake you, tenderly rubbing your cheek with his thumb.  “Good girl,” he praised softly, kissing you again just as the last of it drained from you; you were so numb that you barely heard him whisper something to you—it took you a few seconds to process it.

“I’m gonna come,” he’d whispered to you, “fuck, you’re so fucking warm…”

“Come inside,” you instructed, and for all the concern he tried to perform for you after you said that, his moan was undeniable, as was the way he started to move faster.

“Fuck, really?” he nearly whined.  “Are you sure?”

“Yeah,” you nodded, panting.

“You’re on—”

“Yes, please, just come inside me,” you begged, and he finally stopped protesting and pressed himself as deep into you as he could—you could feel the way his cock flexed, and it made your exhausted walls dig up just enough energy to flex back.

“Fuuuuck,” he groaned, holding onto you tightly.

You hummed a little at the feeling, turning your face towards his, hoping to see what he looked like in this moment—but he pulled you into another kiss before you could get a good look.  Even this kiss was different from the others—a little slower, a little more tired in a wonderful, dreamy way.  He was breathing heavy against you, and eventually he found the energy to push himself up with his arms on either side of your head, and you smiled up at him.  He looked really fucking good like this: his face a bit flushed, which seemed to show his freckles and fine lines even more (which you adored); his hair falling down, a little wavier from the slight sweat he’d worked up; his lips swollen and slick from the kisses; and those eyes, they looked as beautiful as always, but they made you feel beautiful, too.

“Is taking this one out gonna hurt, too?” he asked you with a smirk.

“Probably a little,” you shrugged.

“For both of us,” he agreed, “I’m so fucking sensitive now… you really do have me acting like a desperate college boy—but you know, it’s been a while, so…”

“Right, sure—good excuse,” you joked, but you didn’t mind any of it either way.

He did it a little quicker, pulling back as he took a sharp breath in, and you giggled softly.

“Fuck, I can feel it, like… leaking out,” you admitted, biting your lip at the sick satisfaction of the warm gush.

“I think I need to see that,” he said, sitting up and picking your legs up from under the knee to look at you.  This was apparently a habit of his—and you were starting to get used to it already.

“How’s it look?” you asked, wondering if he’d finally stretched you out after that.

He just stared at it for a moment longer, running his tongue over his teeth, before finally looking back at you and saying with a smile: “Looks like you need the Tide pen more than I do.”

[writingwithciara]

across the hall; part 1 -quinn hughes-

summary: y/n moves in across the hall from quinn and in an emergency, she leaves her five-year old daughter in his care

word count: 1.4k

pairing: quinn hughes x single mom reader

notes: probably going to make this into a mini series because i have too many ideas to fit them in 1 fic. enjoy

y/n was walking into her apartment when her mom called, telling her how worried she was.

"mom, will you relax? i'm going to be fine. it's safer for me out here anyway." y/n walked into her apartment and set her keys down on the counter. her daughter took her shoes off and ran to her bedroom.

"have you met any of your neighbors yet, sweetie?"

"no, mom. i haven't met anyone in the building yet and i don't plan on it any time soon. i've been really busy with work and stuff and just haven't had the time nor the interest in doing so. plus, you know how abby is with strangers."

"i would feel better if you made at least one friend, dear. you're all alone in vancouver. anything could happen to you."

"what if i meet the wrong person, mom? ever think about that?"

"that doesn't worry me because i know you'll trust your instincts."

"and that's why i haven't bothered to talk to anyone in the building yet. besides, it's only my first week here. there's still plenty of time."

"okay fine. but i want you to keep me updated at all times."

"yes ma'am." y/n switched the phone from one ear to the other. there was a knock on the door and she jumped. "i gotta go mom. dinner's here."

"alright. love you sweetie. give abby a kiss for me."

"will do. love you too. bye." she hung up the phone and opened the door. "about time. i'm starving." she looked up from her wallet. "wait, you're not the pizza guy."

"no, i am not. my name is quinn and i live across the hall there." he turned and pointed to the door behind him. "i noticed you just moved in recently and i thought i'd be neighborly and come say hi, see if you needed any help with anything."

"that's very kind of you, quinn. but so far, i've got things handled. thank you though."

"well, if you ever need my help with anything, you know where to find me." he smiled and turned back towards his own apartment. just as y/n was about to shut her door, quinn turned back around. "i'm sorry. i completely forgot to ask for your name."

"it's y/n."

"mommy, i'm hungry." abby came up to y/n and looked at her.

"i know, sweetie. the pizza should be here shortly."

"okay. i'll be in my room." the girl turned around and headed down the hallway.

"she's adorable. how old is she?"

"she's 5, almost 6."

"they're always the cutest at that age." quinn smiled. "well, it was nice to finally meet you, y/n. see you later." he waved and entered his own apartment, leaving y/n to finally close her door.

"hey, abby. want a snack to hold you over until dinner gets here?"

"yes please." abby came out of her room to grab a snack from her bucket and headed back to play with her dolls.

y/n was about to send a text to her mom, letting her know she finally met a neighbor, when there was another knock on her door.

"this better be the pizza." she opened the door and saw quinn standing there holding a pizza box.

"they brought it to the wrong apartment. but don't worry. it's paid for. the guy didn't have time to walk across the hall so i paid him."

"you really didn't have to do that, quinn. but thank you." y/n accepted the pizza and looked at him. "would you maybe want to come in for a slice or two?"

"sure." quinn followed y/n into her apartment and sat on one of the stools at the island.

"abby, dinner's ready."

"yay. pizza!" the little girl yelled and ran out of her room. she stopped in her tracks when she saw quinn. "hi."

"hello."

"quinn, this is my daughter abigail. sweetheart, this is quinn. he lives across the hall."

"do you have kids?"

"no. not yet."

"how old are you?"

"i'm 24."

"oh, so is mommy. she just had a birthday."

"did you really?" quinn turned his attention from abby to y/n.

"no." y/n set the plates down on the island and helped abby into her chair. "well, i didn't just have a birthday. it's been a few months now."

"oh. well i'll be 25 next month."

"in case i don't see you, happy birthday." y/n smiled and began eating her slice of pizza.

"thank you." quinn smiled back and looked at abby,

"shit." y/n pulled her ringing phone out of her pocket and answered it. "hello? yeah. i'll be right there." she hung up and looked at quinn. "i barely know you but i just got called into work for an emergency and abby's normal sitter is busy tonight. would you mind-"

"go to work. i'll watch your daughter."

"you are a lifesaver quinn." y/n ran to her room to get ready. she came out 5 minutes later. "this is crazy. it's my first night off and i was hoping to relax but of course there's an emergency when the hospital is short-staffed."

"oh, you work at the hospital? how are you liking it?"

"it keeps me busy and pays well. but it's a very demanding job. i don't get to spend as much time with abby as i would like."

"that's alright, mom. i understand."

"i love you, sweetheart. now, be on your best behavior for quinn. if you're good, we can get you some new toys this weekend. how's that sound?"

"like an easy task." abby smiled and looked at quinn.

"okay great. thanks again, quinn." y/n smiled and walked out the door.

"alright, abby. what do you want to do?"

"dolls, makeover, tea party?"

"sounds like fun. shall we add music?"

"yes! dance party! mommy never has time for one."

"then we shall have one." quinn went on his music app and put on some popular music that was age appropriate and followed abby to her room to get the makeover started.

after a few hours of playtime, they settled down and quinn put on a random disney movie. abby cuddled up to his side and fell asleep within the first 20 minutes.

when the movie was finished, quinn put on another one and waited for y/n to get home.

he was halfway through the third movie when y/n walked through the door.

"i am so sorry. it took a lot longer than i thought but-" she stopped when quinn put his finger to his lips to shush her. "awe look at that. she must really like you."

"why do you think that?"

"she never falls asleep for anyone other than me. and she loves her usual sitter."

"oh." quinn smiled and adjusted his legs as y/n picked abby up.

"mommy?" abby rubbed her eyes and when she saw it was her mom, she just cuddled into her more.

y/n put abby in her bed and made sure she went back to sleep before she headed back to quinn.

"thank you so much for doing this. i didn't expect to get called into work tonight." she went to hand quinn some money but he stopped her.

"you don't have to pay me. i had a lot of fun."

"was she good?"

"very good. and such a polite child."

"what did you guys do?"

"after you left, we played with her barbies for about half an hour. and when she got bored of that, we had a tea party and then she did my 'makeup'." quinn chuckled. "oh. and we had a mini dance party before i put on some movies for her to settle down to. she was out within the first 20 minutes."

"well, sounds like you had a good time and honestly, i can't thank you enough for watching her. i owe you."

"it's fine. like i said, i had fun. consider that my payment."

"you're the best." y/n walked with quinn out into the hall. he walked up to his door and looked back.

"if i'm not busy & you ever need someone to watch abby, i would be more than happy to do it."

"really? oh my gosh. you really are the sweetest person i've ever met."

"what can i say? my mother raised me right." quinn flashed her a smile and opened his door. "good night, y/n."

"good night, quinn."

-------

tags: @alwaysclassyeagle

[greengoblinswifey]

Hit My Line—Fratboy!Nicholas Chavez x Fem!Reader

summary— you and nicholas are on thanksgiving break away from each other so he hits your line for help in his time of need.

warnings— switch!nicholas, L bombs, fluff, phone sex, male and female masturbation, dirty talk, praise kink, degrading kink.

a/n— happy thanksgiving to those who celebrate but be careful with the turkeys, the men are fucking them apparently <3

︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵‿

This was the longest stretch you would ever be away from Nicholas, and every minute would seem to drag. But as you pulled away from the college campus, you turned back to reassure him, fighting the tears in your eyes.

“It’s just a few days, baby. You’ll see me soon,” you whispered softly, trying to ease the ache in his heart. “And if there’s anything—anything at all—hit my line.”

His voice was thick with emotion, but he nodded, a soft smile breaking through his sadness. "I’ll miss you so much."

The few hours apart felt unbearable, even though they weren’t even a full day. As soon as you arrived home, your phone buzzed with a message from Nicholas:

“I miss you already. I can’t stand being away from you. I just want to hold you.”

You smiled, typing out a quick reply: “I miss you too, baby. We’ll be back together before you know it.”

Thanksgiving morning came, and you woke up with a yawn, your phone ringing beside you before you even had the chance to fully roll out of bed, his name flashed across the screen. You smiled, picking up.

“Happy Thanksgiving to my incredible girlfriend,” Nicholas beamed over the phone, his voice warm and full of affection.

“Good morning, baby,” you whispered, your heart fluttering. “Happy Thanksgiving to you too.”

“I'm so thankful for you,” he said, his tone deepening. "You mean everything to me, I love you.”

The words hit you like a wave. It was the first time he'd said it though he had showed it in other ways, and the tears that threatened to well up in your eyes couldn’t be held back. “I love you too,” you said, voice cracking.

“I didn’t mean to make you cry, baby,” he cooed. “I’m just so glad I have you.”

You wiped at your eyes, trying to calm yourself. “It’s okay. I’m just so thankful for you too. You're the best boyfriend I could ever ask for.”

He chuckled softly. “I miss you so much, and Mom wishes you were here with us for Thanksgiving. I really want you to be a part of the family.”

“I promise, next time,” you said, wiping away your final tear. “Tell her we’ll make it happen.”

You both hung up after a few more heartfelt words, and as the day went on, you spent time with your family. But your thoughts often drifted to Nicholas. The love between you felt so deep, even with the miles separating you.

That night, you made sure to text him. “How’s Thanksgiving going, baby?”

His reply came quickly: “Great, but I have a bit of a problem, I’ll tell you about it later.”

Concerned, you quickly typed back: “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, don’t worry. It’s nothing serious, just something I wanted to talk to you about later, when we’re alone.”

You smiled, having an idea of exactly what he meant.

After a while, when your family was settled and you were tucked into your childhood room, your phone buzzed. It was Nicholas, his voice lower than usual.

“Hey, baby,” he said, sounding a little—off.

“Hey, sweetheart. What’s the problem you were talking about? You’ve got me worried.”

He took a deep breath before speaking again. “Well—uh, to be honest, I’ve been really horny all day,” he admitted with a slight laugh. “And I can’t stop thinking about you.”

You felt a surge of heat at his confession. “How can you be thinking about that when you're with your family?” you teased lightly, but there was something about the way he said it that sent a shiver down your spine.

He hesitated for a moment, before confessing, “I don't know, I just—I’ve been thinking about you nonstop. I wish you were here.”

You let out a soft laugh, heart racing. “Well, baby, what do you want to do about it?”

There was a brief silence on the other end, and then he whispered, “I’ve never done this before, but I wanna try phone sex. I’ve heard the guys in the frat talk about it, and I don’t know—I just really need you.”

“I’m down if you are, baby,”you said softly, feeling your body react. “But I don’t have my vibrator with me.”

Nicholas chuckled. “Well, I don’t have anything but my hand, but that’s enough as long as I hear your voice.”

Your breath hitched, and you could practically feel the tension between you two building on the phone. “I think that’ll do just fine,” you said, a teasing smile playing at your lips.

“Wait fuck, I forgot I had facetime, wanna switch?” he suggested.

You hung up immediately and called him on facetime, a small smirk on his face. There he was in all his glory, hair messy, shirtless with just his pajama bottoms on and his hard dick printing.

You had your bonnet on, bare faced and draped in a silk, two piece pajamas. “You look beautiful,” he said, admiring you as the red of your LED lights lit up your face, “the red lights are fitting.”

He propped up a pillow in front of him, skillfully angling the phone so that you could see his entire body. He was gorgeous as always, the dim light cascading over his shirtless body, his abs, his pecs, those fucking biceps. You wanted him on top of you crushing you. He was built like a Greek God.

You did the same, propping up the pillow and angling the phone so he could see your figure.

“You’re so fucking beautiful baby,” he grunted, bucking his hips. You could see the outline of his cock pressing against his pajamas.

“Tell me all the things you want to do to me baby,” you whispered, just loud enough so he could hear over the phone.

Nicholas pulled down his bottoms, his hard cock springing out, the sight made you bite your lips as you stared at his body through the phone screen.

His hand slid down his chest, teasingly close to where he was already hard, and your breath caught in your throat. “God, I miss that body,” you breathed, your voice a little shaky.

Nicholas’ gaze darkened, his lips curling into a smile as he ran his fingers over his abs. “You like what you see, baby?” he asked, his voice husky, each word slow and deliberate. “You’re driving me crazy here. I’m so hard for you, you have no idea.”

You shivered at his words, “I think you’re forgetting who has the real power here,” you teased, your smile playful yet full of the same heat that you felt building between you both.

He let out a low laugh, clearly appreciating your confidence. “You know you’re just as beautiful as always,” he said, his eyes never leaving you. “I can’t stop imagining the way you’d feel with me inside you right now.”

You grinned, “Is that so? I think I could help you with that. If only you were here.”

“I’d be all over you,” he murmured, his voice a low growl. His hand moved lower again, teasing his cock, though he didn’t touch fully. “I’d show you just how much I miss you.”

You bit your lip, unable to stop your pulse from quickening as his voice made the moment feel even more intimate. “If I were, I’d make sure you never wanted to leave me again.”

Nicholas groaned softly. “You’re playing with me, aren’t you?” His eyes flickered as his breath quickened, clearly lost in the moment. “You’re making me wish we weren’t miles apart right now.”

You smiled, a sense of power blooming within you as you responded, “Trust me, baby. I’d make it worth your while.”

You pulled off your satin pajama top, revealing your boobs, your nipples hard. Your hands went to them groping them as you bit your lip.

“Fuck, keep doing that baby, grope those fucking tits for me,” he moaned, his hands now stroking his painfully hard cock.

“I wish you were here to do it for me baby, I love the way your tongue flicks my nipples,” you said.

Your hand went down your abdomen and you heard Nicholas moaned, his movements speeding up. Swiftly, you slipped off your shorts and your panties, your pussy glistening in the light.

“Fucking hell baby, I’m gonna be so fucking deep inside that wet pussy when I see you,” he gasped, his hand moving to caress his balls.

“I’m gonna ride that cock so good, make you cum deep inside me.” You moved your fingers to collect the wetness onto your fingers before rubbing your clit. Your back arched off the bed and you did what you could to make sure you moans were soft enough so only Nicholas could hear.

“Fuck, I need that so bad right now baby, keep rubbing that clit, tell me more.” He spread his pre cum on the tip, a sweet whimper leaving his lips as his body shuddered.

“I want you to choke me while you fuck me, hard while you tell me how much of a slut I am,” you murmured, rubbing your clit in rough circles.

“I can do that baby, I can tell you how much of a dirty slut you are, fuck, you’re such a slut right now for doing this with me,” he said. The words uttering his lips were foreign to him, he was more inclined to have you do the degrading and taking the lead—unless you asked of course.

“Oh— baby, I wish you were here to fuck me hard from behind, I know how much you love this ass slapping against you,” you breathed out, your efforts speeding up, you were right on edge.

“Make sure you keep that same fucking energy when I see you, ‘cause I’ll be the one in control,” he said, tilting his head back slightly as his eyes averted to your fingers moving between your legs and his hand wrapped firmly around his cock, “you see how fast I’m stroking this hard fucking cock? That’s how fast I’ll be fucking you.”

“Baby, I think I’m gonna cum, can I cum for you?” you asked, now slipping your fingers inside your pussy.

“N-not yet, take those fingers out and put them in your mouth and then fuck yourself with them again,” he demanded, stroking his cock even faster now, “then I want you groping your tits.”

You did as you were told, bringing your dripping fingers up to your mouth and moaning around them as you savored your own tasted. Your hand went to your boobs, groping them as you imagined they were Nicholas’ large hands. As you did, you slipped your fingers back into your pussy, the sound of squelching the only thing that could be heard apart from your boyfriend’s breathy moans on facetime.

“Fuck, be a good fucking girl and cum for me, cum for me baby,” he gasped.

“Oh, Nicholas,” you moaned, your back arching from the bed as you finger fucked your pussy. Your juices spurted from you, coating your phone screen and the pillow in front of you. You moved your fingers to your clit, rubbing and guiding yourself through your orgasm, trying your best to quiet your breathy moans.

“Fucking hell baby, you’re so hot, squirting like that—shit, oh God, I’m gonna cum, can I cum baby? Please, I’m your good boy, I wanna cum for you,” he gasped, his body trembling as his hands moved quickly up and down his shaft.

“Cum for me baby, let me see that load all over your hand for me,” you uttered, groping your boobs as you watched him through the phone.

You got more than what you bargained for as Nicholas came all over his hand and even more so on his abdomen. “F-fuck baby, that was so hot,” he moaned breathily.

You both took a moment, panting as you stared at each other, your naked bodies rising and falling.

“I really enjoyed that baby,” you smiled, “shit, my screen’s all messed up.”

He laughed, rubbing his cum all over his abdomen, “I enjoyed that even more sweetheart, but now we gotta get cleaned up and you need your beauty rest.”

“Well, I guess this is goodbye until I call you next morning?” you giggled.

“No problem baby, I love you so much, never forget that and I miss you so much, I can’t wait to see you,” he said, his hair sticking to his damp forehead.

“I love you too Nick, I’ll call you tomorrow and I’ll see you soon.”

[delusional-day-dreamer]

Last Friday Night - n.m

‣ nika muhl x reader!

‣ paige version of this fic

‣ wc: 1953; sorry this is so short and lowkey not that good?

‣‣ synopsis: you and nika have kept your relationship on the dl for a while now, but what happens when your inebriated selves slip up on kk’s live? pretend the ncaa's lift on cannabis for athletes happens before the start of the 23-24 season! (so sorry for the inactivity but I just got back from camp and am ready to feed y'all)

‣‣‣ a/n: so i actually thought of this fic idea when i tried a weed pen for the first time (it's legal in ca) and i passed out with half my clothes on, no fan, forgot to brush my teeth and take my makeup off, and accidentally left a small heater on in my room that ran for four hours and turned my room into a furnace before my mom came in and turned it off and woke me up to yell at me 😊!

8:42 am

To say that you and Nika were in trouble by the events of last night was a little bit of an understatement. Both of your phones were blowing up by your respective coaches, teammates, close friends, and all of your social media accounts.

As you scrolled through your tiktok, text messages, instagram tags, and just about everything else on your phone while laying next to Nika's sleeping figure in her bed, it only reaffirmed one thing in your head.

You and Nika majorly fucked up.

12:07 am; where it all went wrong

With your volleyball season and Nika's basketball season being in their respective peaks during this time of year, you had barely gotten a chance to spend time with your girlfriend alone. The two of you were either travelling for away games, at practice, in class, hanging out with your friends or teammates, or busy studying. Needless to say, you missed Nika. A lot.

Which, combined with the weed pen you were hitting periodically, loosened your inhibitions to a whole new level inside of Ted's fairly crowded bar.

It wasn't jam-packed, but there was a decent crowd of older college students for a Friday night in October, especially since Halloween was soon to be approaching in two weeks.

Normally, you and Nika weren’t big on PDA, at most you would hold hands or give small pecks around the team, considering the fact that the two of you kept your relationship very much on the down low, not so much a secret as very private. You never denied any allegations but basically never posted together on your own, unless the two of you ended up in the background of someone else’s pictures.

Social media had a lot of speculation, edits, rumors, etc, surrounding the two of you, as you had no connection to the team as a volleyball player yet still hung out with them regularly. But either way, you and Nika always just minded your own business and kept everything very hush hush. Except for tonight.

Nika was sort of sober, she had done two shots with some of the other girls while you mostly just smoked a few times, not wanting to get super high, but just enough to let the tingly sense of giggly euphoria wash over you.

Yet one thing you failed to consider when choosing weed over alcohol for tonight was the fact that it made you incredibly horny. That, combined with the fact that you and Nika hadn’t spent any time together in the last three weeks, let alone have sex, were the leading factors of tonight.

The rest of the basketball team was spread throughout the bar, some were at a table not far from the two of you, messing around on KK's live, while others were dancing, drinking, or mingling with their other friends.

Which left you and Nika alone, squished together in the corner of the bar top. You were leaning with your back against the wall, standing in between Nika's spread legs from her position facing you atop the stool. Her hands were holding onto your bare thighs, occasionally removing her left to take a small sip of her drink before dutifully returning to your legs.

"I'm just saying Niks, we could definitely sneak out without anyone noticing, everyone's too busy doing their own thing," you attempted to convince your stubborn girlfriend, sweetening the notion by rubbing your hands up and down her jean-clad thighs.

As D1 athletes, it was obvious that the two of you had toned and muscular bodies, but one of Nika's features you found most attractive were her muscular thighs she built from her time in the gym and on the court, especially the way they would wrap around your head while eating her out.

"We'll leave soon bebo don't worry. Besides," Nika leaned into your ear, her warm breath sending shivers down your spine. "I already promised I would make up the last three weeks to you tonight yeah? What's another hour ljubavi?"

You bit your bottom lip as Nika pulled back, thudding your head on the wall behind you as your eyes trailed over the small smirk Nika held, now using her fingers to draw small circles on your thigh.

"Fuck, you're driving me crazy like this Nika," you reached your right hand over to the bar top, desperate to take another hit of your pen to ease the influx of horny thoughts running through your mind.

Before you could bring the vape up to your mouth, Nika grabbed your waist and pulled you into her, and despite her sitting position, you still only had a good two inches over her.

"You're not gonna share bebo?" Her teasing eyes gleamed up at you as she licked her lips in anticipation.

You immediately knew what she meant by that, the two of you doing it all the time whenever you're smoking or vaping together (y'all have seen the watermelon pic of her and let's be frl, they're college students, it's NORMAL).

You smirked at her suggestion, leaning into her before taking a deep inhale of the weed, allowing as much of the smoke to enter your lungs as possible before using your left hand to grab Nika's jaw, pressing your open lips against hers to shotgun the smoke into her mouth.

You didn't even wait to finish exhaling all of the smoke and taking another breath before enveloping Nika's lips into yours hungrily, eagerily gripping her waist with the hand still holding the vape.

You kissed her passionately, deepening the kiss as you slipped your tongue into her mouth, the mixture of the rum and coke she was drinking earlier and the earthy taste of weed making your head spin.

You continued to make out for a few minutes, gently pulling away while tugging her bottom lip with your teeth, gazing down at her closed eyes and blissful expression.

"You finally ready to go home Niks?" You teased, licking your swollen lips at her finally needy expression.

"We're getting the fuck out of here, right now," she rushed out, flagging down the bartender to pay off her tab and the second she got her credit card in hand, interlocked her fingers with yours to drag you out of the bar.

Completely unbeknownst to the two of you, KK and her live had been at the table diagonal to you the whole time, and while her body covered the two of you behind her while sitting, the only shield you had quickly disappeared when she stood up, leaning over the table to steal some of Ice's food when it had been set down, completely exposing you to her two thousand viewers, who were no doubt screen-recording.

The camera clearly caught your lips against Nika's blowing smoke into her mouth before leaning in to kiss her, and despite the two of you being on screen for less than a minute, it was enough to cause an internet commotion.

KK's eyes scanned over the comments as she sat back down, blocking your frames as she shoved a few fries in her mouth. Her eyes widened at the sudden influx of comments about you and Nika, leaning in to figure out what was going on.

"I, what? There's no way y'all," she whispered to the table of Paige, Ice, Carol, and Jana. Paige leaned in from KK's right side, trying to figure out what had happened.

Covering the camera slightly, KK, and everyone else, turned around to witness you and Nika's little makeout session ending and the flirty whispers exchanged.

"Unfortunately tonight's live is gonna have to end here girly pops, and if you think you saw something, no you didn't!" KK exclaimed as she quickly turned off the live, the table erupting with laughter at the situation. The whole team had placed bets on how long it would take you and Nika to fumble, and half of them had just lost a hundred dollars at your shennagains.

The walk back to Nika's apartment was brief, filled with flirty touches and short pecks to tide the two of you over until you finally entered home, Nika immediately pushing you up against the front door, moving her lips down your neck and around your collarbones with gentle grazes of her teeth and soothing licks.

"Niks please, stop teasing," you breathed out, grasping Nika's hair tightly from her scalp with your hand, pulling her face up to yours to gaze down at her with a pleading expression.

"Aw, my poor bebo," she cooed, mocking your horny desperation for her, but thankfully Nika wasn't that cruel.

She led you over to her bedroom, slamming her bedroom door behind her as she pulled your shirt over your head, unfastening the bra clipped behind your back all while reconnecting your lips as she laid you down onto the bed.

You moaned into her mouth as her long fingers bunched your skirt up by your waist, rubbing gentle circles on your clit through your panties.

Before you even had the chance to ask for more, she slid the fabric to the side, running her fingers through your slick before inserting two of her fingers, curling them up into you as you let go of her lips to throw your head back, moaning loudly at her ministrations.

"Oh my god Nika, right there baby, fuck," your leg wrapped around her waist tightly as you clenched around her fingers, bucking your hips up to match her movements. Your hands making their way around her neck and back, pressing her body firmly up against yours.

Normally you wouldn't be so close to finishing within a few minutes, but the weed from earlier created a delirious fog that clouded your brain and with the way Nika's fingers were both pressing into your g-spot and rubbing your clit, your orgasm was quickly approaching.

"Fuck I'm so close Niks, please just need a little more," you whimpered into her ear, moving your lips down to nip at the sweet spot under her ear.

Her other hand responded quickly to your begs, twisting and tugging firmly at your nipple as she mindlessly muttered every dirty thought that crossed her mind, knowing how deeply her praises affected you.

"Doing so good for me bebo, always such a good girl. You gonna be my good girl and come for me? Just let go for me ljubavi."

Her words were the final thing to push you over the edge, the tight coil in your stomach snapping as you immediately arched your back into Nika, an endless string of moans and curses falling from your mouth as you let your orgasm wash over you fully.

"God Nika, I don't think I can even feel my legs right now," you giggled in her embrace as she slowly eased her fingers out of you, sucking the remnants of your orgasm off them before wrapping them around your waist, laying you over her as she laid onto her back.

"Hm, fucked you that good huh?" She smirked, using her clean(ish) hand to brush the slightly sweaty strands of hair that had fallen in front of your flushed face.

"I don't know why you're getting so cocky Mühl, haven't even had my turn with you yet," you teased, running your fingers over her stomach, tugging at the remaining fabric on her body.

"Thought you just said you can't even feel your legs bebo?"

"Good thing I don't need them to fuck you then yeah? Don't you think my fingers and mouth will be enough for you Niks," you retorted, shuffling your body down the mattress so you could finally have your way with Nika.

9:13 am

Instagram

y/n l/n posted a story

[joelswritingmistress]

Neighbors With Benefits: Part 1 (Joel Miller x f!reader)

Part of the #hotdilfsummerchallenge (I will be adding more and tag the Masterlist) Thank you @hellishjoel for putting on this contest. It's a lot of fun!

Pairing: Joel Miller x f!reader

Word count: Roughly 5000

Warning: Dilfy smut, age gap (23 & 42)

Mid-June, 2024. The first summer back home upon college graduation. You knew there would be an adjustment period and while you didn't necessarily feel unhappy, there was a strangeness that left you with feelings you couldn't quite pinpoint. This was your childhood home, your hometown, your room - but still, somehow it felt foreign.

You hung up the maroon cap and gown that showed off the primary color of Texas A+M, the college where you had spent the last four years studying your ass off to get a degree in criminal justice. At twenty-three years old after spending the last few years in a little off-campus apartment with some friends, you were feeling both aggravated and nostalgic upon returning to your parents' house in the suburbs. They were great and you got along just fine; but the freedoms that had gone along with renting your own place were now reeled in a bit tighter. At the very least you knew your mother would likely stay awake on the nights you were out late. Still, you appreciated how much they cared about you.

You moved to your bedroom window and flung it open to let in some air to get rid of the stuffiness that lingered in the house. Immediately, your eyes landed on a man next door standing behind a grill as smoke filtered up above him in a faint, little cloud. He flipped a burger with a pair of metal tongs and took a sip from what looked like a bottle of beer.

"Hey, honey."

You jumped at your mother's voice as if you'd been caught doing something wrong. "Hey." You pressed your eyebrows together and motioned out the window as she entered the room. "Who's that?"

"Oh, I guess it never came up in conversation," your mother said with a shrug, "That's our new neighbor. He moved in back in January."

You glanced back out the window.

"He’s a bit too old for you,” she teased with a laugh.

You whipped around and made a face. "I'm not... I'm not checking him out. I'm just asking why there's a stranger in the Wilsons' backyard." You smirked and raised your eyebrows, "Maybe if my mother told me things I wouldn't have to play detective."

"Isn't that what you got your degree in criminal justice for?"

You chuckled, knowing she would most certainly outwit you in a verbal battle. "And I'm 23 years old. No one's too old for me anymore."

"Well, in that case I hear they just built a nice, new nursing home down the road with plenty of widowed men. I can drive you there if you'd like."

You let out a hearty laugh. “I’ll pass."

The two of you giggled and your mother continued, "Will you be joining your father and I for dinner tonight? We were thinking of just going to Chili's and then heading to a play at the little theater downtown. The kids are putting on Grease."

You smiled as your phone vibrated with a text from your best friend. "It's Holly."

"So, I guess the answer is going to be no," your mother suspected. She smirked and got the hint. “Keep in touch.”

"Okay," you agreed and then cleared your throat when she turned to go. "Mom, what's his name?"

"Huh?"

"The neighbor," you went on, "I should probably introduce myself since I'm going to be a resident of 45 Harding Drive again."

"Joel," her mother replied, "Joel Miller."

Your parents left soon after and so you wandered out to the back steps, waiting for them to take off first before popping open a beer. The ice cold beverage tasted better than normal because of the incoming summer heat that was supposed to really strike the following morning. With a content sigh, you leaned your elbows back on the top step of the set of four that led from the back door into the oversized backyard.

"Jennifer?" a deep, scratchy voice made you jump for the second time that night. You put a hand on your chest and glanced off to the side when you realized a man had called out your mother's name.

The neighbor, you thought, feeling your stomach knot up.

You cleared your throat and rose to your feet, leaving the beer on the top step. "No… I’m (Y/N)." You took a few steps in his direction though he made his way almost all the way to the steps.

"(Y/N)?" His features became clear when he stepped into a small, back light beside the door. The man flashed a friendly, boyish grin from beneath a trim beard. "Tim and Jen’s daughter?"

You looked down sheepishly and smiled before lifting your eyes to meet his stare. "Yeah."

He’s hot, your inner monologue informed you, as if your cheeks hadn't suddenly grown hot.

His eyes shifted to the beer and his grin widened even more before he extended a hand. "I'm Joel... your neighbor."

"Nice to meet you." You gave a closed-mouth smile and took in his appearance, consciously telling herself not to stare. His plain white t-shirt showed off his broad chest and shoulders

Joel cleared his throat. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"It's fine," you assured him and then cleared your throat, "Do you want a beer or something?"

A smirk twisted onto his face., "No thanks. I was actually just coming over to see if I could borrow some butter."

"Oh..." You glanced over your shoulder at the back door and then back to Joel.

"You don't have to," he said reassuringly, unable to keep the grin from his face. "You don't even know me yet so-"

"No.” You cut him off, "No, it's fine."

"Are you sure?" Joel's voice cut through you like a knife and he kept his eyes firmly locked on yours.

You nodded, unable to look away for a moment and then waved him inside.

"Don't forget your brew here, honey." He reached down and scooped up the beer as you flung the back door open.

You smiled again, "Thanks."

Joel nodded and followed you in, before glancing around at the modest but modern kitchen. "You, uh... you even old enough to drink this shit?" He motioned to the beer.

You rolled your eyes, "I can show you my ID if that makes you feel any better." You flung open the refrigerator, "I know my parents are going to treat me like I'm in high school again."

"Well... they're just trying to protect you," Joel said. "How old are you?"

"Twenty-three." You glanced over her shoulder at him, somewhat pleased to catch him staring - or so you thought. It prompted him to look elsewhere.

"Here." You removed a stick of butter and crossed the room to hand it to him. When the butter landed in his hand you decided to be bold and didn't immediately let it go, "How old are you?"

He chuckled before holding a wicked smirk and again held her captive with his playfully intense eyes. "How old do you think I am?"

You stared back, somewhat used to gaining control over the guys you had dated or been interested in in the past. Already, this time you felt a bit outmatched and part of it was your instant attraction to him. When Joel took one step in her direction, you swallowed hard and gave a random answer.

"Thirty-two?"

Joel laughed a little louder, putting a hand on his stomach. He ran the other hand through his messy brown hair and pointed. "You're so full of shit."

You smiled at him, "I was thinking more of thirty-eight, thirty-nine."

He sucked his teeth and gave you a look up-and-down before smiling wide again. When he didn't say anything in response you flat out asked, "Am I right?"

"Forty-two," Joel finally informed you after a long pause.

"Over the hill then?"

He snickered and then motioned to the fridge, "Ya know... I will have that beer if you don't mind."

You smiled before reopening the fridge to fetch one for him. When you placed a bottle of Bud Lite in his hand he used the counter to pop the top rather than twist it. When the dented bottle cap fell to the floor and danced in circles for a moment you glanced back up to find him continuing to stare as he took a long swig from the bottle.

Joel wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Your dad going to notice that a few of these are missing?"

"They're mine," you informed him, "And I'm not-"

"A kid, I know..." Joel rolled his eyes now and the two of you shared a laugh, "Believe me when you're my age you'll love that someone will accuse you of being younger."

"I'm sure I will."

He reached down and scooped up the cap from the ground and then held it out in his palm. When you went to reach for it he closed his hand and smiled playfully.

"I'll take it," Joel offered, "Don't want you to get caught drinking these things when your parents come home." He continued to tease you about your age.

"You know, I could've guessed you were fifty."

He laughed out loud. "Smart mouth on you," Joel flashed his index finger at her with the hand that held the bottle, "I like it."

You looked down and laughed again, feeling your cheeks grow hot again from his remark.

"Anyway, I should be getting back." Joel continued to smile, almost triumphantly and winked. "It was nice meeting you."

"It was nice meeting you too.”

He held your gaze for an extra second, forcing him to smirk a final time before heading out the back door.

"Thanks for the beer," he said casually, "I'll see ya around."

8:15 pm - the following evening

"Sorry I couldn't make it out last night," Holly said to you. The two of you sat side by side at barstools down at one of the local bars in town. "My boss can be a real pain in the ass sometimes."

"It's fine. I had the house to myself so I kind of just had some time to chill and binge watch some old shows."

"Sounds terrible."

You laughed and shrugged. "It was alright."

"Well, here's to... summer?" Holly raised her martini glass and you tapped her beer bottle gently against it.

"To potentially the weirdest summer of my life."

"Why's that?"

You shrugged, "I don't know. Being back home doesn't feel so 'at home' anymore."

"Give it time." Holly sipped her drink, "In a month it'll feel like you never left."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

"Hey, it's not so bad. I'm here." She smiled and raised her eyebrows, "Jill and Molly should be home within the week too. We can get the old crew back together before we all get real jobs and have to do shitty adult stuff."

"I'll drink to that," you agreed, taking a longer swig of the beer. You sighed and began to peel at the blue Bud Lite label, letting your mind drift to the night before with Joel. You envisioned him snapping the cap off the top of the beer bottle, using the counter. A smile crossed lingered on your face.

"Ooohh... someone's checking us out," Holly commented, "Or maybe they know you..." Her eyebrows pressed together and she motioned using her head toward a table in the corner of the bar.

"Oh shit." You couldn't contain your response but realized it must've sounded out of place.

"What?" Her friend asked, "Do you know him?"

"That's my neighbor," you informed her, "New neighbor."

Joel smirked and gave a wave but quickly entertained a conversation he was having with two other men at the small, corner table.

"He's kind of a Dilf."

You snickered and shrugged, unable to take your eyes off of him. When Joel glanced back in your direction you looked away and quickly took a sip of your.

"You think he's hot," Holly suspected with a laugh.

"What?" You shook your head, "No... I mean he may have some Dilf qualities or something like you just said but…” The sentence drifted off.

"Mm-hmm..." She continued to stare at her friend with playfully accusing eyes.

"Stop," you joked, "I just met him last night."

"Last night?" Holly perked up, "And..."

"And what?"

"You tell me."

You laughed again, "He came over to the house because he needed some butter."

"More like some sugar," she winked and glanced up toward a television that had a baseball game on in front of them.

You let out a hearty laugh and shook your head.

"He keeps looking over here." Holly’s voice perked out, "Oh! He's getting up," Holly whispered, stalking him for a moment with her eyes.

You glanced over and felt your stomach twist in knots when he headed in their direction.

"So you are over twenty-one," Joel cracked a wide smile and tapped the back of her chair as he continued to walk by.

"Twenty-three," you called after him, smiling wide.

He glanced over his shoulder, winking once before continuing on around a corner toward the bathrooms.

You let out a sigh and Holly turned back around.

"What the hell are you waiting for?" her friend asked. Before you could attempt to plead your case Holly went on, "He's hot... and he's totally flirting with you."

"He's not flirting with me."

"That was a Frank Sinatra-worthy wink."

You shook your head, laughing again. "Where do you come up with these things?"

"You're glowin. You're crushing on this guy. Who cares if he's your neighbor. Get on that."

"He's forty-two," you lowered your voice.

Holly raised her eyebrows and glanced toward the doorway where Joel had just walked through before returning her attention to her friend.

"Forget it." You sipped your drink and tried to pretend like you were nterested in the game on the television.

"At least admit you're crushing."

She turned to her and shook her head, "Fine... he's hot. Okay?" You focused on the screen for as long as she could and tried to pretend not to notice when Joel rounded back into the bar. You let out a deep breath as he crossed behind you and felt a rush when he came up beside you to flag down the bartender.

"Another round?" the middle-aged bartender asked, already reaching for a beer.

"Please,” Joel said with a nod, "You can put it on the tab." He turned to you, "Any interest in playing darts over here?" He nodded toward a dart board in the corner.

"Sure."

"Don't feel obligated." He forced your eyes back to his and continued to stare into them.

"I don't." You felt that intense paralysis again and couldn't turn away. When the bartender came back with the round of beers for Joel, you felt relieved and let out a breath.

"Get these two what they want," Joel added to the bartender, "Next round's on me when you finish those."

"Oh, you don't have to-"

"It's fine. I owe you one from last night." He headed back to the small table with his friends and Holly finally snapped you out of your daze.

"I thought you just gave him butter," she whispered with a giggle, "What was last night?"

You swallowed hard and rose to your feet, prompting Holly to do the same. "I offered him a beer and he took it," she said, "It was nothing... believe me. If I had anything interesting to share I would tell you."

Your legs felt heavy as you crossed the dark bar that was scattered with only a handful of other people. While the two other men began collecting darts and erasing the chalkboard to the side, Joel stood staring with his elbow on the table. For a moment everything else was in the background and you could only focus on him.

Shit... Any wit she had going for her had betrayed her. The instant, intense attraction you had to him was completely clouding your judgment. You felt like you were about to enter a wolf den, though you didn't at all mind playing the part of Little Red Riding Hood.

The anxiety-ridden feeling you had had leading up to the game of darts diminished as the night went on. You played a few games, swapping teammates several times, beginning with a 'boys versus girls' theme and then pairing off randomly when one game ended.

"He's going to fuck it up, you watch," Joel taunted as his friend lined up, closing one eye as he released the dart, only sending it clunking off the board and to the ground. "You didn't even hit the fuckin' board." His words drew laughter from everyone and the man that missed stumbled to retrieve it, chuckling as he went.

"I'm fucked up," Skip, the older robust man, remarked as he struggled to pick the dark up from the floor.

"Ya think?" Joel joked, continuing to sip on his beer.

"It's about time I get this man home to his wife and let her deal with him," the other man, Charlie, chuckled from behind a pair of alcohol-induced crimson cheeks. "Can't hold his liquor."

Skip huffed a breath and closed his eyes with a hand on his head. "The old lady's going to be mad at me. Especially when I tell her we've been hanging out with these lovely ladies." He motioned to you and Holly, laughing at himself and making the others do the same.

"I'd leave that part out if you knew what was good for ya," Charlie informed him with another laugh. "Come on Skippy. It's past your bed time."

"Game over?" Holly asked you.

"I guess so." You raised her eyebrows and smiled.

"Charlie, you guys to get home?" Joel asked.

"It's just a quarter mile down the road," Charlie waved a hand. He smiled, "Good night ladies."

"Goodnight," you both said at the same time before Holly turned to you.

"I'm heading to the bathroom. Be right back." She raised her eyebrows, noting it would give you and Joel a moment alone and you tried to play it off coolly.

"Okay." She watched a moment as Holly made her way down the bar and around the corner.

"Hope I didn't kill your girls night," Joel said.

"No." You turned back to him and leaned an elbow on the table, "We were just bored. Had to get out of the house."

"Mmm..." He slid back down into a seat and you took upon herself to join him as you waited for Holly.

Joel leaned both elbows on the table to straddle his beer, "You're probably used to night clubs filled with young guys just dying to buy you a drink. This has to be fuckin' lame."

"I was over that scene by my junior year," you told him with a laugh as you shook your head. "They were all the same with their cheesy cologne and gelled up hair."

Joel huffed a laugh and took a sip of his drink. "Sick of that shit huh?"

"Very." You mirrored his position and continued to sip on the beer you had been milking for the better part of an hour, "I'm kind of over the party scene... and the being at home scene."

"You've been home for one fuckin' day." He raised his eyebrows, "Get over it. You're saving money."

You nodded, "Yeah... yeah you're right."

"I know I am." He smiled, a charming arrogance radiating out of him.

When your phone buzzed in your pocket you jumped and quickly removed it, finding a text message from Holly.

I'm getting in my car. Snuck out the back. Have fun. You'll thank me later.

When you looked back up Joel was grilling you with his eyes. You wondered if he had managed to read the message or not. You cleared her throat. "Holly," you said simply.

"You guys need to go?"

You opened her mouth to speak, still unsure if he had seen what your friend wrote but decided to chance it and lie. "She... got sick. She's on her way home."

"She okay?"

You nodded. “Just a little embarrassed I think and decided to go." You took a sip to buy yourself some time in case he asked any more questions. When he didn't you tried to change the subject. "This place is dead."

"What's so bad about the college scene?" Joel asked.

"Huh?"

"The young guys, the night clubs..."

"Oh... nothing, I guess." You cleared her throat feeling like he was trying to read your mind. Again, your face felt flush with heat and you continued, "They're just... all the same. There's no appeal anymore. When I was eighteen I thought it was cool sneaking into bars and all that." You smiled and shook her head before looking him in the eye. "This is more my speed."

Joel stared back and didn't immediately say anything.

You almost couldn't take the quiet stalemate. The sexual attraction for Joel burned in your chest and in that moment, in the quiet corner of the bar, it was hard to fight it. All the same, you felt like you had to be reading his body language correctly in assuming he was feeling something too. Still, the fact that he was your older neighbor, who you didn't know very well, lingered in the back of your mind.

Getting involved with Joel would satisfy your instant craving for him but beyond that you knew it could only lead to making both of your lives more complicated.

"I'm going to go to the bathroom," you told him, when you couldn't contain your feelings any longer. It was the only thing you could say without leaping across the table and initiating a make-out session that played out animalistically in your mind.

"You gunna disappear on me too?" he joked, though you could see there was a hint of seriousness in his piercing eyes behind the wicked smile that hadn't left his face all evening.

"Not a chance." You felt embarrassed by the bold nature of your words, but took a deep breath and made the long walk across the bar into the restroom area. When you pushed open the door you felt relieved that no one else was in there and quickly made your way to the sink to pat some water on her face. You let out a breath, leaning both of her hands on the counter and then took in your appearance to make sure you was satisfied with the way you looked.

I'm being ridiculous, you thought. I'm too old to feel this out of control over a guy... or a man.

Joel was a man. He wasn't at all like the college boys you had been surrounded by who loved to crush beer cans on their heads, brag about how many consecutive beer pong games they'd won and worst of all when they threw the cheesiest lines at you and your friends to try to get laid. Joel didn't have to say or do anything in particular. He could simply look at you the right way and you found yourself ready to obey any request or demand he threw your way.

I’m in over my head, you thought, but I don't care.

You took in another deep breath and felt like you had the quick break that you needed to hold a sensible conversation with him without the constant interference of your out-of-whack hormones.

"Okay," you whispered to yourself and fiddled with your hair before pulling the door open to head back into the short, dark hallway. When Joel rounded the corner at the same time from the bar both of you stopped abruptly.

His eyes stalked the length of your body before finally re-settling on your gaze.

"Checking to make sure I didn't bail?" you joked, nervously laughing just after. Your tongue danced along your bottom lip, and you couldn't help but look him up and down the way he had just done to you.

Joel swallowed hard, tipping his mouth up into a half-smirk before walking past the men's room door in your direction.

You didn't have time to process all of the questions in your mind because he marched up and planted his lips against yours, immediately penetrating them with his tongue as his hands successfully shoved you up against the door to the women's room. It opened a few inches beneath the force.

You felt an explosion of adrenaline filter through your body as you kissed him back even more savagely than in your daydreams.

Joel pushed the door all the way open with one hand, not separating himself from you as he gripped your ass with his free hand and pushed his hips firmly against yours.

You tangled a hand in his hair, kissing him back with a heated passion that you didn't bother to try masking now that he had initiated the fantasy that had been playing out in your mind since you had him.

He moaned into your mouth before taking a breath and crushing his lips back against yours. Your back collided with the tile wall at the back of the bathroom, and you arched your neck as he began to ravage you, sliding a hand down the front of your pants while gripping your face with the other to kiss you hard again.

It all was happening so fast. You struggled to keep up but couldn't process a conscious thought when his first two fingers slid inside of you.

You bit down on your lip in a break in the kiss and spread your legs wider to give him more access.

Joel left a single kiss on her lips and spoke against them in a husky whisper, "Let it out honey," he kissed you again, "Let it out."

You knew the bar was nearly empty and there wasn't another woman that had been there. Even if there had been you didn't know that you would have cared. When his fingers twitched, arcing perfectly in his technique to make your entire lower body shiver with pleasure, you groaned.

"Fuck Joel," your whined his name, desperate for his tongue to dominate your again as he continued to finger you relentlessly until you felt like you were going to explode.

Joel's arousal heightened when he traced your lips with his thumb of his free hand, prompting you to take the tip of it into your mouth.

"God," he closed his eyes relished in the feeling, pushing his fingers deeper into you.

You whimpered again, writhing beneath his touch and attempted to reach for the belt buckle on his pants. "I want you."

He removed his hand from beneath your slick panties and placed his hands against the wall on either side of you as you managed to undo his buckle and shove his pants down off his hips.

Instinctively, you dropped to your knees, taking in as much of him as you could. Joel moaned and bucked his hips once as he grasped the back of your head with one hand. You looked up, watching his head fall back as his closed eyes pressed shut tighter. Joel allowed you to have your way with him as you continued to go down on him like you might never get another opportunity to do so. "Fuuucckk." He drew the word out, encouraging you to continue as he grabbed a fist full of your hair. "Ohh shit..."

Had anybody walked by the door there would have been no way to mask what was going on. Joel didn't hold back and felt an additional jolt of pleasure when you stroked him with your hand before quietly demanding him to come.

He opened his eyes, letting his mouth hang open as he glanced down, making eye contact with you as you engulfed him again.

"Jesus..." Joel's eyes closed and he felt an unmistakable buildup brewing below his waist. He couldn't ask you to stop, not when he was on the verge of exploding. "I'm gunna come." He shouted the words so loud that you thought for sure that someone had to have heard your encounter from somewhere in the bar. Still, you didn't let up and allowed him to push deep into you, gripping the back of your head with such force that you couldn't have separated your mouth from him if you tried.

He groaned, not attempting to hold back what he was feeling, alternating different curse words in between uneven breaths that ultimately left him panting as you finished him off. With a final breath he released your hair, letting his hand drop toward your face as you wiped a hand across your mouth and slowly rose to your feet.

Joel stood there for several seconds, breathing heavy with his pants at his ankles and a hand still on your face. When he finally came down off the high enough to speak, a chuckle left his mouth and ran a hand through your now-messy hair. "Shit honey... you didn't get yours." He let out another breath and then retrieved his pants from the floor and straightened out his appearance.

"It's alright," you told him with a sly smile, noting the heat that was still brewing between your legs.

He huffed another breath and adjusted himself over his pants before regaining your gaze. Joel smiled and drew his thumb gently under your eye, "Mascara's running. Sorry honey."

You closed her eyes as he continued to wipe the stray makeup away from your face. When you reopened them, Joel sported a half grin and he raised his eyebrows.

"Guess I fuckin' owe ya one."

You snickered, pleased to know that he wasn't at all expecting this to be your only encounter. "Yeah... you do."

Joel took a final, deep breath. "Well... you know where to find me."

"Next door."

"If you see me outside come on over to... borrow some butter or something.”

"Butter..." You snickered and then swallowed hard when he took a step toward her and slid a hand back down the front of your pants.

Joel touched his lips to yours as he spoke and this time gently began to massage up and down your wet center. When your mouth twisted up in a smile and you closed your eyes again he grinned and removed his glistening fingers. "It's a shame this is going to go to waste. Too bad you're so damn good at giving a blowjob. I had all the intentions of fucking you but I could just not ask you to stop.”

"Damn," she said quietly, but smiled, praying he might have it in him to continue.

Joel smiled, reading the disappointment on her face. "I'll be in and out tomorrow," he claimed, "You see me and you feel like bringing me over some butter…”

"I think you’ll definitely need some."

He looked down and made his way to the sink to wash his hands before turning to her with a smile. He ended the night the same way he had the night before, "I'll see ya around."

CLICK HERE FOR PART 2

[lunajay33]

Desperate🍂

Summary: Embry was your best friend since birth never a day without him and when he magically disappeared from your life it shattered your world, desperate to just see him one more time

Pairing: Embry Call x f!reader

•Masterlist•

Being born in forks with your twin sister Bella, it was a crazy start, mom hated it here and took Bella with her leaving me with my dad, the chief of police Charlie Swan, we had a simple life and I loved it we’d have supper together most nights talking about our days, he treated me good he never went a day without making me feel loved, when mom left taking only Bella, I remember her saying I was too much to handle that Bella was quiet and would be easy, after that I feel incredibly bad about myself but Embry was there, even as kids he was always there for me and I was there for him

Today we planned to go to La Push beach and have the whole day together so I got in my shared truck with Bella since she moved back now, and drove down to the beach

Parking in my usual spot and walking down to the beach, taking off my shoes I let the sand cover my feet as I sat in the spot Embry and I always hung out in, close to the water so the breeze from the ocean could relax us, he always said it was his favorite thing to do, just sit with me enjoy the moments we shared

An hour had passed and still no embry so I decided to go to the little shack on the beach and get an ice cream, after getting my favorite flavour I went back to the spot seeing Embry finally here, quick to sit next to him

“Hey Em what took you so long?” I asked as he wrapped his arm around my waist

“Sorry sweets slept through my alarm but we still have the rest of the day right?!” He said smiling down at me, over the last couple of months he’s shot up in height and has become way leaner and muscular

“Of course!” We spent the next few hours walking along the shore with our shoes off, walking through the trees near the beach, getting more ice cream since he was complaining how hot he was even though it was a typical cool cloudy day in La push

Soon he was turning more red and getting light headed then angry, which I’ve never seen before

“I have to go, I’m sorry” he said running to his truck and driving off leaving me confused, finishing the day early I drove back home where it had become gloomy, Bella was always screaming at night and dad and I would barely get sleep anymore, some nights I was allowed to stay over at Embrys to help

I hung up my coat and made my way to the phone dialing Embrys home phone, it rang and rang and rang, sighing I left a message hoping he’d listen and call me back letting me know if he was okay

I slumped down at the dinner table picking at the fries feeling like something was wrong

“You okay kiddo?” Dad asked from across the table

“Yeah it’s just, something happened with Em today, he might be sick I’m just worried”

“I’m sure he’s fine! He’ll probably call you in the morning”

“Yeah I guess”

It’s been a month with no word from Embry, I called all the time only getting word from his mom saying he’s severely sick but I couldn’t believe it, and now I know how Bella feels well felt, she’s been hanging with Jacob and seems to be getting better now I’m the gloom of the house

“Kid you can’t stay in the house all the time outside of school, go for a walk at the beach or something I know you love that” his words made tears bead along my waterline

“Dad you don’t understand, I need him it feels like somethings broken in me, he’s never done this to me before I mean did I do something wrong?” I cried into my hands

“Honey you couldn’t do anything wrong you’re my like sweetheart, maybe he’s just going through something, maybe go for a little hike get some fresh air”

“Fine” I pulled on my shoes and left out the back door walking the trail all the way till I got to the jumping cliff, Embry had taken me here many times because it gave a great view of the ocean, he once even set up a picnic for my birthday

I love embry I always have but I could never admit that to him and risk the friendship we have

After about an hour I was ready to leave when I heard a growl from behind me, turning slowly full of fear with the recent hiker attacks, glowing yellow eyes in the trees as it had gotten dark, but when I heard a whine my fear disappeared

“Hello?” I asked stepping closer

Another whine was heard before a huge wolf emerged from the trees and my breathe was taken from me, it came nearer pressing its snout against my palm as I started running my hair through its beautiful fur

“You remind me of someone, you’re so gentle, I had a friend he was my best friend, I loved him but he’s gone now, I don’t even know if I’ll ever see him again if he ever wants to even see me again, I guess I just miss him” I don’t know why but spilling my heart out to this gentle giant made that weight of my chest lighter, the wolf licked my face before walking back into the woods

Another rustle was heard in the trees and a few seconds later the last person I expected to see came walking towards me, Embry but he was even stronger and taller and his hair was cut and a tattoo

“Em? Where did you come from?”

“It’s me well I mean…..that the wolf……it’s me”

“What but how you can’t be……” but then all the stories of the tribe I heard over the years came flooding back, descended from wolves

“By that look I think you already know, I never wanted to leave you god it killed me to be apart from you but that day……that day I got sick I was changing, there’s more of us, Sam Jared Paul, but it’s a secret you already know that, but when we change anger runs out entire life it wasn’t safe to be around you, I couldn’t live with myself if I hurt you, but then I caught your scent out here and I couldn’t take it anymore I had to see you”

“But if it’s a secret why are you telling me everything?”

“This is crazy but, people in our pack we have soulmates, picked when we are born the person who’s our other half, each wolf has an imprint and when you see them it’s like your whole world changes everything is about her, she’s your life the one that keeps you going”

My heart dropped the way he was explaining everything sounded like he already found her

“Have you….have you already got an imprint, you’ve found your soulmate” I said my voice shaking as my lip quivered

“I have and I knew, I’ve always known it’s only ever been you, I love you, forever”

“Forever Em”

[4linos]

across the street pt. 5

bang chan x fem!reader, lee minho x fem!reader

synopsis: after the revelation, nari became more reserved around chan, unsure of what this new dynamic meant for her.

wc: 15,223

[part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4]

After dropping off Nari at school, the drive home was mostly quiet. You stared out the window, lost in your thoughts, while Minho kept one hand on the wheel and the other resting comfortably on your thigh. He could tell something was off. Even though you weren’t crying or visibly upset, your silence spoke louder than words.

As soon as you stepped inside your home, Minho gently grabbed your wrist, stopping you before you could wander off to the bedroom. “Alright, talk to me,” he said, tilting his head as he studied your face.

You sighed, shaking your head. “It’s nothing, I’m just... thinking.”

Minho rolled his eyes playfully. “That’s never a good thing with you.”

You huffed out a small laugh, but before you could argue, Minho pulled you onto the couch with him, wrapping his arms around you from behind. His chin rested on your shoulder as he pressed a soft kiss against your neck. “Alright, let’s get your mind off it,” he murmured. “Let’s talk about something better. Like our little bean.”

You smiled at the mention of the baby, placing a hand on your stomach. “What about them?”

Minho pulled back slightly, his hands resting over yours. “I was just thinking… who do you think they’ll look more like?”

You hummed, pretending to think. “Hopefully me. That way, they’ll be adorable.”

Minho gasped dramatically, pressing a hand over his heart. “Excuse me? You’re saying I’m not adorable?”

You grinned, nudging him. “I mean… you have your moments.”

Minho scoffed, shaking his head. “I know they’re gonna have your attitude, though.”

You rolled your eyes and playfully smacked his arm, making him laugh. “See? Already proving my point,” he teased. “Sassy just like their mom.”

You groaned. “Great, another mini-me to drive you crazy.”

Minho chuckled, wrapping his arms around you again. “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Just as you were about to say something, your phone rang, and the screen lit up with Chan’s name. You hesitated before answering and put it on speaker so Minho could listen too.

“Hey,” you said cautiously.

“Hey,” Chan responded, his voice sounding a little more composed than it had been the last time you spoke. “I was wondering if we could meet over breakfast to talk?”

You glanced at Minho, who was already watching you, his expression unreadable. He didn’t say anything right away, but after a moment, he gave a small nod, signaling that it was okay.

You turned back to your phone. “Yeah, okay. We can meet.”

“Great. I’ll text you the place. See you soon.”

When you hung up, you let out a slow breath. Minho squeezed your hand before standing up, stretching slightly. “I’ll drop you off,” he said casually. “You should talk to him alone.”

You frowned. “You don’t have to—”

“I want to,” he interrupted gently. “It’s better if it’s just you two for now.”

You knew he was right, but you still felt bad. Reaching up, you grabbed his shirt, pulling him down for a quick kiss. “Thank you,” you murmured against his lips.

He grinned, squeezing your hand before getting up. “Go get ready, baby mama. I’m not about to drop you off looking like you just rolled out of bed.”  

You laughed, rolling your eyes as you stood up. “I didn’t just roll out of bed.”  

Minho chuckled, watching you fondly. “Yeah, and you’re lucky you’re cute.”

With that, you got up to get ready, your nerves kicking in as you thought about what Chan wanted to talk about. You just hoped it wouldn’t turn into another argument.

After getting ready, you met Minho by the front door, where he was already waiting with the car keys in hand. He gave you a once-over, eyes filled with warmth as he smiled. “You look good,” he murmured, brushing a loose strand of hair behind your ear.

You rolled your eyes playfully. “It’s just breakfast, Minho.”

“Still,” he hummed before leaning in to peck your lips. 

After a lingering glance, he stepped aside to let you leave first. The drive was mostly quiet, with Minho’s hand resting on your thigh as he tapped his fingers absentmindedly. You could tell he wanted to say something, but he held back, likely because he didn’t want to make you more anxious than you already were.

When he finally pulled up to the restaurant, he put the car in park and turned to you. “You sure you’ll be okay?” he asked, his voice softer than usual.  

You nodded. “Yeah. It’s just a conversation.”  

Minho studied your face for a moment, then leaned in, pressing a gentle peck to your lips. “Text me when you’re done, okay? I’ll come right away. Or if he tries anything—”  

“I know,” you interrupted, giving him a small smile. “I’ll call you.”  

He exhaled through his nose, clearly still reluctant, but he nodded anyway. “Alright. Drive safe,” you added. 

“I always do.”

With one final peck to your lips, you got out of the car, watching as he waited until you were fully inside before driving off.

Inside, it didn’t take long to spot Chan. He was already seated at a corner booth, a cup of coffee in his hands as he stared down at the table. His leg bounced slightly, a clear sign of nerves, but when he noticed you walking over, he straightened up, offering a small smile.

“Hey,” he greeted as you slid into the seat across from him.

“Hey,” you replied.

Before you could say anything else, he motioned for the waiter, encouraging you to order whatever you wanted. You hesitated for a second but eventually ordered something light, knowing your appetite had been unpredictable lately. Once the waiter left, silence lingered between you both for a moment before Chan finally spoke.

“I wanted to apologize,” he started, his voice sincere. “For everything.”

You blinked, slightly surprised by how quickly he got to the point.

Chan let out a deep breath before continuing. “Minho… he really opened my eyes when we talked. I don’t know if he told you, but I understand now. I’ve been immature. I let my emotions get in the way, and I hurt you because of it. And if he were here, I’d apologize to him too because I know I’ve been unfair to both of you.”

You studied him for a moment, seeing the genuine regret in his eyes. Finally, you nodded. “Thank you for apologizing,” you said sincerely. “I accept it… but only if it doesn’t happen again.”

He didn’t hesitate. “I promise.”

For the first time in a long time, you felt a weight lift off your chest.

By the time your food arrived, the conversation had shifted to something lighter, Nari. You found yourself laughing as you recounted a moment with her and Minho.

“There was this one time,” you started, a grin forming on your lips, “when she talked back to both me and Minho. She had her little hands on her hips, and her face was all scrunched up, and Minho and I just looked at each other, trying not to laugh.”

Chan chuckled, already picturing it. “She’s got that sass, huh?”

“Oh, definitely,” you said, rolling your eyes fondly. “We had to be serious, though. We couldn’t let her think it was okay.”

Chan shook his head with a laugh. “She may look like me, but she’s definitely got your attitude.”

You playfully crumpled a napkin and threw it at him, making him laugh even more.

When the laughter died down, Chan took a deep breath. “Thank you,” he said, his voice softer. “For letting me be in her life.”

You met his gaze, nodding. “She adores you.”

“I adore her too,” he admitted before hesitating. “But… I think it’s time we tell her the truth. About who I am.”

You exhaled, nodding again. “I agree. I was thinking the same thing. I want to do it before the baby comes.”

Chan gave you a small, understanding smile. “Whenever you’re ready, I’ll be there.”

His next words surprised you. “I want to set up a room for her at my place,” he said. “I know she’s still young, and I don’t expect her to start staying over right away, but… I want her to feel at home when she’s with me.”

Your heart softened at that. It wasn’t something you’d even thought about yet, but hearing him say it made you realize how much he really wanted to be in her life.

“I think that’s a great idea,” you told him.

Chan smiled, relief evident on his face.

For the first time in a long time, it felt like you were finally on the same page.

After finishing your meal, you and Chan lingered for a moment, both feeling the weight of the conversation settling in a way that felt… peaceful. There was no tension this time, no passive-aggressive remarks or bitter undertones, just two people who had been through a lot finally reaching an understanding.

As you both stood up to leave, Chan hesitated slightly before stepping forward and pulling you into a brief hug. It was slightly awkward, neither of you really sure how to navigate this new phase of your relationship, but it was warm, friendly even. It felt like closure, like you were taking another step towards a healthier dynamic for the sake of Nari.

“Thanks again,” he murmured before stepping back.

You nodded with a small smile. “We’ll figure it out together.”

With that, you both parted ways, and you stepped outside just as Minho’s car pulled up in front of the restaurant. He had one hand on the wheel, his other resting against the open window, eyes scanning your expression as you approached. The moment you slid into the passenger seat and buckled your seatbelt, he tilted his head slightly.

“You okay?” His voice was gentle, not prying, just checking in.

You smiled softly, appreciating the way he never pushed you. He had always been that way patient, understanding, willing to wait until you were ready to talk.

“I’m okay,” you reassured him.

Minho didn’t ask right away. Instead, he let you settle in, let you exhale the weight of the conversation before you finally turned to him and said, “It went well.”  

Minho hummed, his grip on the wheel relaxed as he started driving again. “Yeah?”  

You nodded. “Yeah. He apologized. For everything. And I think… I think he really meant it this time.”  

Minho stole a glance at you before returning his focus to the road. “And you?”  

“I accepted his apology,” you admitted. “As long as it doesn’t happen again.”  

Minho let out a small breath, his lips curving up slightly. “Good.”  

As you continued, telling him about the conversation, about how you and Chan had laughed about Nari’s sass, about how Chan wanted to give her a space in his home, Minho listened intently, nodding occasionally, his expression unreadable but his attention unwavering.  

By the time you neared home, you felt lighter, relieved that the conversation had gone well. You exhaled, leaning back against the seat, when you noticed Minho reaching behind his seat with one hand, struggling to grab something while keeping his eyes on the road.

“Min, what are you doing?” you asked, amused.

“Hold on, hold on” he muttered, blindly feeling around for whatever he was looking for. “Almost got it—”

Finally, he pulled out a bouquet of your favorite flowers, placing them in your lap with a satisfied grin.

Your eyes widened in surprise before a smile stretched across your face. “Minho…” You picked them up instantly, admiring them closely. “What is this for?”

He shrugged, still grinning. “I wasn’t sure how the conversation would go, so I got them just in case it went terribly, to cheer you up,” he admitted. “But since it went perfectly fine…” He turned to glance at you briefly before looking back at the road. “It’s a just-because-you’re-amazing-and-I-love-you bouquet.”

Your heart melted at his words, warmth spreading through your chest. You reached over to squeeze his hand, your fingers intertwining with his. “I love you too,” you murmured, bringing his hand up to press a soft kiss against his knuckles.

Minho chuckled. “You better.”

With the flowers in your lap and his hand in yours, you felt something rare, complete and utter happiness.

Later that afternoon, you and Minho arrived at Nari’s school right on time, waiting near the gate as a flood of kids rushed out excitedly. The moment Nari spotted you both, her face lit up, and she sprinted toward you, her tiny backpack bouncing on her shoulders.

“Mommy! Minho!” she squealed, throwing her arms around both of you.

You laughed, ruffling her hair. “Hey, sweetheart. Did you have a good day?”

“The best day!” she exclaimed, already launching into a breathless retelling of everything that had happened; how she aced her counting test, how her best friend shared a cookie with her, and how she got to paint a rainbow during art class.

Minho listened intently, nodding along and adding playful reactions to keep her excitement going. But then, just as you were nearing the car, Nari suddenly gasped, her little hands clapping together as if she had just remembered the most important thing in the world.

“Oh! Oh! My teacher said there’s gonna be a daddy-daughter dance!” she announced, practically bouncing in place. “And I wanna wear a pretty dress! And sparkly shoes! And Mommy, you can do my hair soooo pretty! And I want makeup too!”

You shared a glance with Minho, your heart softening at her enthusiasm.

“A daddy-daughter dance, huh?” Minho mused, unlocking the car and helping her into her seat. “That sounds like a big deal.”

“It is a big deal!” she confirmed with a firm nod. “It’s gonna be so much fun!”

The entire ride home, she wouldn’t stop talking about it, detailing every little thing she wanted for the night, from what color her dress should be to how she wanted to twirl on the dance floor. You listened patiently, amused by how excited she was.

But in the back of your mind, you were already thinking about something or rather, someone.

When you got home, Nari rushed to take off her shoes before running toward her toys, still talking about the dance. You crouched in front of her, brushing a hand over her soft curls.  

“Go wash your hands, baby. Dinner will be ready soon.”  

“Okay, Mommy!” she chirped, skipping off to the bathroom. 

As soon as she was out of earshot, you turned to Minho. 

He gave you a knowing look, his jaw slightly tightening as he leaned against the kitchen counter. “You’re thinking about Chan.”

You sighed, nodding. “I just… I feel like this would be a perfect opportunity for them to bond. Chan has been trying to be more present in her life, and this dance is for dads. It makes sense.”

Minho’s lips pressed into a thin line, and though he didn’t say anything right away, you could tell he was bothered. Instead of responding, he just gave a short nod, pushing off the counter and changing the subject entirely.

You frowned but didn’t push. Minho wasn’t the type to argue, especially not in front of Nari. If something really bothered him, he’d bring it up later, once the house was quiet and it was just the two of you.

And sure enough, that night, after Nari had been tucked into bed and the two of you lay curled up under the covers, Minho finally spoke.

His fingers traced absentmindedly over your growing belly as he exhaled softly. “So… about the dance.”

You turned your head to look at him, already sensing where this was going. “You’re upset.”

“I wouldn’t say upset,” he murmured, pausing before sighing. “Just… I don’t know. I guess it kinda stung that you suggested Chan take her instead of me.”

You felt your heart clench.

“Minho…” you whispered, reaching for his hand.

“I know, I know,” he cut in gently, shaking his head. “I get it. He’s her biological dad. He deserves to be in her life, and I’ve never once tried to take that from him.” His voice was calm, but there was an underlying heaviness to it. “But I’ve been the one raising her. I’ve been there for her since she was a baby, every milestone, every scraped knee, every nightmare. I just… I thought if there was anyone she’d go to a dance like that with, it’d be me.”

His words hit deep because he was right. Minho had been there through everything, stepping into a role he never had to, loving Nari as if she were his own.

You squeezed his hand tightly. “I wasn’t choosing Chan over you, Minho. I just thought—”

“I know,” he interrupted softly. “And I’m not mad at you. I just… I don’t want to be pushed aside now that he’s actually making an effort.”

Your heart ached at the vulnerability in his voice.

You scooted closer, pressing your forehead against his. “You could never be pushed aside, Minho. You’re her dad in every way that matters. And if you want to take her to the dance, then you should be the one to do it.”

His eyes searched yours, like he was trying to make sure you really meant it. “You sure?”

You smiled. “Of course, I’m sure.”

He let out a quiet breath, some of the tension in his shoulders easing. Then, after a moment, he chuckled, nudging your belly lightly.

“You hear that, baby? Your mom’s got my back,” he murmured playfully. “You better be on my side too.”

You laughed, swatting his arm. “They’re not even born yet, Minho.”

“Doesn’t matter,” he said smugly. “I’ve got dibs.”

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t stop the smile spreading across your face. Minho may have been bothered earlier, but at the end of the day, he just needed to be reminded of what he already knew that he was, and always would be, Nari’s dad.

You hadn’t thought much about the dance after that conversation with Minho. The decision had been made, Minho would take Nari. He had been the one raising her, the one she looked up to, the one who had been there for her through everything. It was only fair.

But Nari had been talking about it nonstop ever since she found out about it. Every day, she would bring it up, talking about the dress she wanted to wear, how she wanted her hair styled, and how excited she was to dance all night. She never mentioned who she wanted to take with her, though, and you figured she just assumed Minho would be the one.

So when you brought her over to Chan’s house for their weekly visit, you weren’t expecting the conversation to come up.

It was a calm afternoon, Nari had immediately run off to play with Chan’s dog, giggling as she chased him around the living room while you sat with Chan at the dining table. He had just finished making you both some tea, something he always did out of habit, and for a moment, it was peaceful.

Then, as if it were the most casual thing in the world, Chan spoke up.

“So… should I buy a suit for the dance? Or is it more of a casual thing?”

Your heart nearly stopped mid-sip. You set your cup down carefully, looking at him with a mixture of surprise and uncertainty. “The dance?”

“Yeah.” He took a sip of his tea, oblivious to your sudden tension. “Nari’s been talking about it nonstop. I figured it’d be nice to do something special for her, you know? So, should I go full suit and tie or keep it simple? I don’t want to be the only one dressed up if all the other dads are just wearing jeans or something.”  

Your mind raced. Chan had practically invited himself. You hadn’t even planned on bringing up the dance to him at all, not after Minho had already made it clear that he wanted to take Nari. And now, here Chan was, assuming that he’d be the one going with her.

You hesitated, trying to find the right words. “Chan, I…”

He immediately picked up on your unease, setting his cup down and furrowing his brows. “What?”

You exhaled, glancing over at Nari, who was still completely preoccupied with the dog. “It’s just… Minho was planning on taking her.”

Chan blinked, his expression shifting. “Minho?”

You nodded slowly. “We talked about it after she brought it up. He’s been there for her, Chan. He’s practically raised her, and he really wanted to be the one to take her.”

There was a beat of silence.

Chan leaned back slightly, processing your words. You could see the conflict on his face, the way his jaw tensed, the way his fingers tapped lightly against the table.

“I see,” he said finally, voice measured.

You weren’t sure what to say. The last thing you wanted was for this to turn into an argument, especially when things between you and Chan had finally been improving.

After a moment, he let out a soft chuckle, though there was little humor in it. “Well… why don’t we just ask Nari?”

Your breath caught.

Chan shrugged, acting nonchalant. “I mean, it is her dance. Shouldn’t she get to choose who takes her?”

You didn’t know how to respond.

Because as much as you wanted to be fair, you also knew what this could lead to. If Nari chose Minho, it could cause even more tension between him and Chan. But if she chose Chan, you knew Minho would be hurt, even if he wouldn’t outright say it.

You swallowed hard. “Chan…”

“I’m not trying to start anything,” he said quickly, shaking his head. “I just think it should be up to her. She deserves that, doesn’t she?”

You exhaled, glancing over at Nari again. She was still laughing, blissfully unaware of the conversation happening behind her.

This wasn’t going to be easy. No matter what, someone was going to get hurt.

-

You decided to cut the visit short, not wanting to linger any longer after the conversation with Chan. You offered him a polite smile as you stood from your seat.

“It’s getting late,” you said, glancing over at Nari, who was still playing with Chan’s dog. “I should get her home.”

Chan nodded, though you could tell he had more to say. Instead, he kept it to himself and called Nari over. She ran to him happily, wrapping her arms around his neck when he crouched down to hug her.

“Bye-bye, Channie!” she chirped.

You felt Chan tense slightly, but he quickly masked it, pressing a soft kiss to her temple. “Bye, princess. Be good for your mom, okay?”

She nodded eagerly before skipping over to you, taking your hand. You gave Chan one last glance before leading her out of his house and heading home.

Minho greeted you both at the door the moment you arrived, smiling when Nari immediately ran into his arms. “Hey, princess, how was your visit?”

Nari excitedly rambled about Chan’s dog, the ice cream they had, and how much fun she had playing. Minho listened intently, nodding along while carrying her inside. You followed, still distracted by the conversation with Chan.

That night, you lay in bed staring at the ceiling, your mind still caught in the conversation with Chan. Minho was beside you, scrolling through his phone, but he wasn’t really paying attention to it, you could tell by the way his thumb barely moved, how he would glance at you every so often, waiting for you to say something.  

“You’ve been quiet,” he murmured. “What’s on your mind?”

You sighed, staring up at the ceiling for a moment before shifting to face him. “I talked to Chan about the dance.”

Minho’s brows furrowed slightly, and you could tell he was already bracing himself. “And?”

You hesitated before telling him everything, how Chan assumed he’d be the one to take Nari, how he suggested letting her decide.

“I know you wanted to take her. But Chan, he just assumed he was taking her. And when I told him you were planning to, he looked… I don’t know, disappointed? Maybe even a little hurt?”  

Minho’s hand stilled for a second before he resumed his movements. “And that’s supposed to be my problem because…?”  

You sighed. “Minho—”  

“I get it,” he interrupted gently. “I do. But that’s what happens when you step in late, there’s already someone else filling the spot. And I was there first.”  

His words were sharp, but they weren’t cruel. Just honest.  

You bit your lip. “You’re right.”

“I usually am.”  

You nudged him with your knee, and he chuckled.  

“It’s just hard,” you admitted. “I don’t want to make the wrong choice.”  

Minho sighed and pulled you closer, his hand resting protectively over your belly. “There is no wrong choice. You’re just trying to do right by everyone.”  

You buried your face in his chest, inhaling his familiar scent. “So what do I do?”  

Minho was quiet for a moment before he finally spoke. “He’s right, let her choose.”  

You blinked. “What?”  

“She’s old enough,” he pointed out. “Ask her who she wants to take her. If she picks Chan, then I won’t argue. If she picks me, then he’s gonna have to deal with it.” 

You pulled back slightly to look at him. “You’d be okay with that?”  

Minho gave you a small, reassuring smile. “I’ll be okay with whatever makes her happiest.”  

Your heart swelled at his words, at how much he truly loved Nari.  

You pressed a soft kiss to his lips. “I love you.”  

Minho smirked. “I know.”  

You rolled your eyes, but before you could say anything, he playfully squeezed your side, making you yelp and laugh.  

The tension from earlier slowly faded, and for the first time that day, you felt like you could finally breathe.  

Tomorrow, you’d ask Nari. And whatever she decided, you’d support it.

The morning light streamed through the kitchen window as the three of you sat at the table. The usual sounds of breakfast filled the space: Nari’s little feet swinging under her chair, the soft clinking of Minho peeling back the foil on her yogurt, and the quiet hum of both of you sipping on your coffees.  

Minho placed the yogurt cup in front of Nari, handing her a small spoon as she muttered a little “thank you” before digging in. He watched her for a moment before turning his attention back to his coffee, completely unaware of the way you were observing them both.  

You figured now was the best time to bring it up.

Setting your cup down, you turned to Nari. “Hey, baby?”

She hummed in acknowledgment, her spoon already in her mouth.

“You know how you have that special dance coming up?” you started gently.

She immediately perked up, nodding excitedly. “Mhm!”

You shared a quick glance with Minho before continuing. “Well… we wanted to let you decide who you’d like to take you.”

Nari blinked, tilting her head. “Huh?”

“Well,” you explained, “both Minho and Chan would love to take you, but we thought it’d be best if you got to choose who you want to go with.”  

At that, Nari’s expression changed slightly. She wasn’t bouncing in excitement anymore. 

Instead, she furrowed her brows in deep thought, her spoon hovering over her yogurt as she glanced at Minho.  

Minho, who had been so still and quiet, seemed to be holding his breath. He didn’t look at her, only keeping his gaze on his coffee, as if bracing himself for her answer.  

The silence stretched for a few moments before Nari finally spoke.  

Then, after a beat, Nari smiled.

“I wanna go with Minho,” she said brightly.

You felt Minho release the breath he had been holding, his shoulders relaxing ever so slightly. But before he could say anything, Nari continued.

“ Because Minho always takes me to fun places and he dances funny in the kitchen with me and he’s really good at picking dresses!”  

At that, you let out a soft laugh, while Minho scoffed playfully. “I am good at picking dresses,” he agreed, smirking slightly before finally speaking directly to her. “You’re sure that’s what you want, princess?”  

Nari rolled her eyes dramatically. “Yes! Minho, you’re my bestest friend!”  

Minho blinked a few times, as if taking in her words, before his expression softened completely. He let out a small chuckle, shaking his head in disbelief. “Alright, alright,” he relented, reaching out to ruffle her hair. “Then I guess I better find a fancy suit so I don’t embarrass my bestest friend at the dance, huh?”  

Nari giggled, nodding eagerly. “Yeah! And I want my dress to be pink and sparkly and—and—”  

As she went on excitedly about all the details, Minho finally glanced at you. His expression was unreadable at first, but then you saw the relief, the happiness, the love. He didn’t say anything, but he didn’t have to.  

And just like that, the weight of the decision lifted, replaced by the warmth of knowing that Nari had chosen exactly who she wanted, who had always been there for her.

-

That evening, you took Nari dress shopping and Minho suit shopping, making a whole event out of it. Nari was practically buzzing with excitement, bouncing on her toes as she flitted through the racks of sparkly dresses, touching every fabric, and gasping dramatically each time she found one she liked.

Minho, on the other hand, was much less enthused about his own shopping but far more entertained by Nari’s antics. “What do you think, princess?” he asked, holding up a plain black suit.

Nari wrinkled her nose. “Booooring,” she declared, shaking her head. “You have to match my dress, Minho!”

He raised a brow. “Oh, do I now?”

Nari nodded firmly, hands on her hips in a stance that was very reminiscent of yours. You laughed softly, watching as she grabbed his hand and dragged him toward another rack, pointing at different colors. “It has to be special,” she explained.

Minho shot you a playful look over his shoulder, as if to say, Well, you heard the boss.

You grinned, shaking your head as you followed along.

By the time Nari found her perfect dress, a sparkly, soft pink gown with a full tulle skirt that made her feel like a princess, and Minho settled on a matching rose-colored tie with a crisp navy suit, the three of you were exhausted.

With both outfits chosen, you finally made your way home. Nari had been full of energy the entire ride, talking about how she was going to dance the night away, but by the time you were halfway there, her little voice had quieted, and before you knew it, she was fast asleep in the backseat.  

Minho glanced in the rearview mirror, a soft smile tugging at his lips. “She really wore herself out, huh?”  

You nodded, watching her peaceful face in the reflection. “She had the best time.”  

A comfortable silence settled between you before Minho spoke again, his voice quieter this time. “Thank you.”  

You looked at him, raising an eyebrow. “For what?”  

“For letting me do this,” he said simply. “Even if I wasn’t your first choice.”  

You frowned, turning in your seat slightly. “Minho, it was just an idea. I wasn’t going to force Chan to take her. And after your reaction, I didn’t even want to bring it up anymore.”  

He scoffed lightly. “I didn’t react that badly.”  

You let out a small laugh, shaking your head. “Minho, you were practically pouting when I suggested it.”  

His lips twitched as if he wanted to argue, but he sighed dramatically instead. “Fine, maybe I was a little bothered.”  

“A little?” you teased.  

He smirked, finally looking away from the road for a second to glance at you. “Okay, okay, maybe I was sulking.”  

You smiled at him, feeling warmth spread through your chest.  

He reached over, his hand resting briefly on your knee before he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to your cheek. “I was just teasing,” he murmured, before returning his focus to the road.  

You didn’t say anything, just watching him for a moment, your heart feeling full.  

Because in the end, Nari had made her choice. And so had you.

When you got home, Minho carried Nari inside, careful not to wake her as he held her close to his chest. She stirred slightly, mumbling something incoherent before settling back into his warmth. You smiled softly, watching as he gently placed her in bed, brushing a few stray strands of hair from her face before tucking her in.

Once she was settled, you both headed to your room, exhaustion settling into your bones. Minho plopped onto the bed with a groan, stretching his arms over his head. “I forgot how exhausting shopping with a kid is,” he murmured, turning his head to look at you.

You chuckled, sitting on the edge of the bed to rub your belly absentmindedly. “Just wait until we have two of them running around.”

Minho groaned again, dramatically rolling onto his side to wrap an arm around your waist, pulling you down onto the bed with him. “I’m gonna need so much coffee,” he muttered against your shoulder, making you laugh.

“You already drink too much,” you teased, reaching back to run your fingers through his hair.

Minho hummed in contentment, nuzzling into you. “Yeah, yeah.” He paused before adding, “I really can’t wait, though.” His voice was softer now, filled with something deeper, love, anticipation. “For the baby. For everything.”

Your heart swelled, and you turned in his hold to face him. “Me too,” you whispered, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to his lips.

He smiled into the kiss, pulling you closer. “You’re amazing, you know that?”

You rolled your eyes, though warmth spread through you at his words. “You tell me all the time.”

“And I’ll keep telling you,” Minho said simply, kissing your forehead before tucking you against his chest. “Now sleep. We’ve got a big night coming up with our little princess.”

You sighed in contentment, letting yourself relax into him. In just a few days, Minho would be taking Nari to the dance, and you knew it would be a night she’d never forget.

The morning of the dance, Nari woke up practically vibrating with excitement. She ran into your room before the sun had fully risen, jumping onto the bed and landing between you and Minho, jolting you both awake.

“Wake up! Wake up! It’s my special day!” she chirped, giggling as Minho groaned, pulling the blanket over his head.

“Nari, baby, it’s too early,” you mumbled, rubbing your eyes.

“But I need to get ready!” she whined, tugging at Minho’s arm. “Minho! Wake up!”

Minho peeked out from under the blanket, squinting at her. “Princess, the dance isn’t until tonight,” he said, voice still hoarse from sleep.

She pouted, crossing her arms. “But I have to look perfect.”

You laughed softly, sitting up and smoothing down her bedhead. “You will, baby. But we have a whole day ahead of us before then.”

Minho groaned dramatically, finally sitting up and pulling Nari into his lap. “Alright, alright. First things first, breakfast.”

Nari nodded eagerly. “Pancakes! With extra syrup!”

Minho shot you a playful look. “Oh boy, sugar first thing in the morning. We’re in for it.”

You smiled, shaking your head as you followed them to the kitchen.

The day passed by in a blur of giggles and excitement. After breakfast, you and Nari spent the afternoon pampering her, painting her nails, styling her hair, and picking out the perfect little accessories to go with her dress. She insisted on a light dusting of glitter on her cheeks, twirling in front of the mirror as she admired herself.

“You look like a princess,” you told her, fixing a tiny curl that had fallen out of place.

“I am a princess,” she corrected with a toothy grin.

Minho, who had just finished getting ready in the other room, leaned against the doorframe, watching her with a fond smile. “The prettiest princess I’ve ever seen.”

Nari beamed up at him. “And you’re my prince!”

Minho chuckled, crouching down to her level. “That’s right. And every prince needs a dance partner. You ready?”

She nodded eagerly, bouncing on her feet.

You stepped back, admiring the two of them together. Minho looked effortlessly handsome in his tailored suit, and Nari looked like a dream in her dress. The sight made your heart swell.

Minho must have noticed because he turned to you with a smirk. “You’re staring.”

You rolled your eyes but smiled. “Can you blame me?”

He grinned, reaching for your hand and squeezing it. “We’ll be back before bedtime, I promise.”

You bent down to Nari’s level, fixing her hair one last time. “Have fun, okay? And take lots of pictures for me.”

“I will!” she chirped before grabbing Minho’s hand.

Minho kissed your cheek before leading Nari to the door. “See you soon, baby.”

As they left, you stood at the doorway, watching them go. Nari skipped excitedly, holding onto Minho’s hand as they headed to the car. Your heart ached, in a good way. This was a moment she would remember forever, and you knew there was no one better to share it with her than Minho.

After Minho and Nari left for the dance, the house felt unusually quiet. You sat on the couch, scrolling through the pictures you had taken of her before she left, unable to stop smiling. She had looked so happy, twirling in her dress, holding onto Minho’s hand like she was the luckiest little girl in the world.

A part of you wished you could’ve seen her excitement firsthand, but you knew this was her special moment with Minho. Still, you wanted Chan to see how beautiful she looked.

You selected the best pictures, the one where she was standing proudly next to Minho, her dress flaring out as she spun, and the candid one where she was laughing as Minho adjusted her tiny bracelet. You sent them to Chan with a simple message:

You: She was so excited for tonight. She’s going to have so much fun.

It didn’t take long for Chan to respond.

Chan: She looks beautiful. Thank you for sending these. I really appreciate it.

You could tell he was still adjusting to all of this, but you were glad he was trying.

With that, you put your phone down, deciding to wait up for them. The hours passed by slowly, but finally, you heard Minho’s car pull into the driveway. You stood up eagerly, expecting Nari to come bursting through the door with endless stories about her night.

Instead, when Minho stepped inside, Nari was fast asleep in his arms, her cheek resting against his shoulder. Her little arms were curled up, her sparkly shoes dangling slightly as Minho adjusted his hold on her.

You softened at the sight. “She knocked out?” you whispered.

Minho nodded, his voice quiet. “Out like a light the second we got in the car.”

You reached out to brush a stray curl from Nari’s face. “She must’ve had the best time.”

“She did,” Minho confirmed with a small smile. “She danced her little heart out.”

You gestured toward her bedroom. “Go ahead and put her to bed. I’ll wait here.”

Minho nodded and carried her down the hall, carefully pushing open her door. You could hear the soft rustling as he tucked her in, followed by the faint sound of a kiss being pressed to her forehead. A few minutes later, he returned, stretching his arms over his head.

“Alright,” you said, patting the couch. “Tell me everything.”

Minho smirked, dropping onto the couch beside you. “She was a star, obviously.”

You grinned. “I need details, Min.”

He chuckled, leaning back. “Okay, okay. Well, first of all, the second we walked in, she grabbed my hand and pulled me straight onto the dance floor, didn’t even let me get settled. She wanted to dance right away.”

“That sounds like her,” you laughed.

“She was showing off all her little moves, and I swear, she was the life of the party. Everyone kept telling me how adorable she was. I think she was loving all the attention.”

You smiled, picturing it. “Did she get shy at all?”

Minho shook his head. “Not even once. She was fearless. And—” he hesitated before grinning, “—she may have introduced me as her dad to a few people.”

Your heart clenched at that. “She did?”

He nodded, his voice softer. “Yeah. And I didn’t correct her.”

You placed your hand over his, squeezing it gently. “Because that’s who you are to her.”

Minho exhaled, squeezing back. “Yeah.” He ran his free hand through his hair before continuing. “Anyway, she danced so much, and at one point, she made me do a twirl, which—” he rolled his eyes, “—was apparently the funniest thing in the world to her.”

You laughed, shaking your head. “I wish I could’ve seen that.”

“There were a lot of giggles,” he admitted. “Oh, and there was a slow song at the end, so she made me dance with her all proper, like how she’s seen in movies. Her little hands on my shoulders, swaying back and forth—” he trailed off, shaking his head with a soft smile. “It was really sweet.”

Your chest felt warm, full of love for both of them. “I’m so glad she had this moment with you.”

Minho turned his head to look at you. “Me too.”

You leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. “Thank you for taking care of her. For making her feel so special.”

Minho smiled against your lips. “Always.”

And as you curled up beside him, listening to the quiet hum of the night, you knew this was exactly how it was meant to be.

As you settled into the warmth of Minho’s embrace, his hand rested comfortably against your belly, absentmindedly rubbing small circles over the fabric of your shirt. His other hand cupped your cheek, tilting your face toward his as he leaned in, capturing your lips in a slow, lazy kiss. It was the kind of kiss that felt comforting like home, like everything you had built together over the years.

You smiled into it, your fingers slipping into his hair, but just as the kiss deepened, your phone buzzed on the couch beside you. Minho groaned against your lips, pulling away slightly before dropping his forehead against yours.

“Seriously?” he mumbled, his voice laced with frustration.

You chuckled, grabbing your phone and glancing at the screen. “It’s Chan.”

Minho sighed dramatically, flopping back against the couch. “Of course it is.”

You playfully nudged him before answering, putting the phone on speaker. “Hey, Chan.”

“Hey,” he greeted, his voice surprisingly light. “Sorry if I’m calling too late.”

“No, it’s fine. What’s up?”

“I just wanted to check in, see how the dance went. Did Nari have fun?”

You smiled, glancing at Minho, who rolled his eyes but was clearly listening. “She had the best time, Chan. She danced all night, barely even took a break. She didn’t stop smiling the entire time.”

Chan let out a small laugh. “That sounds like her.”

You went on to tell him all the little details Minho had told you, the way she had dragged Minho onto the dance floor, how she had introduced him as her dad to some of the other guests, and how she had insisted on a proper slow dance at the end. You could hear the genuine happiness in Chan’s voice as he listened, even chuckling along with you at some parts.

“She really does have a big personality, huh?” he mused.

“She’s got the biggest,” you agreed.

There was a slight pause before he spoke again, a little softer this time. “I’m really happy she got to experience that. I know it was important to her.”

You nodded, even though he couldn’t see you. “Yeah, it was.”

Another pause. Then, hesitantly, Chan said, “I was thinking… before we tell her the truth, I’d like to spend some one-on-one time with her. Just me and her, so we can bond a little more.”

You exchanged a quick glance with Minho, who remained silent, watching you closely. Turning your attention back to the call, you nodded. “I think that’s a great idea. She’d love that.”

Chan exhaled, as if relieved. “Okay. Maybe I can take her out this weekend? Nothing too crazy, just a day together.”

“That sounds perfect,” you assured him.

“Alright. Thanks for being open to this,” he said sincerely.

“Of course.”

You exchanged goodbyes, and once the call ended, you set your phone down, letting out a breath you didn’t realize you were holding.

Minho stretched his arms over his head before dropping them back down to his sides. “Well, that’s… something.”

You tilted your head. “You okay?”

He let out a short chuckle. “I mean, I knew this was gonna happen. I just… I don’t know. It’s weird.”

You reached for his hand, intertwining your fingers with his. “I get it. But this doesn’t change anything, Min. You’re still her person.”

He gave you a small smile, squeezing your hand. “Yeah. I know.”

And as you rested your head against his shoulder, both of you sitting in comfortable silence, you knew that no matter what came next, you’d figure it out together.

The morning sunlight streamed in through the blinds as you stretched in bed, barely awake when your phone buzzed on the nightstand. Groggily, you reached for it, squinting at the screen to see a message from Chan.

Chan: Hey, is it okay if I take Nari today? I have the whole day planned for us, lunch and then an amusement park. I think she’ll love it.

You rubbed your eyes, rereading the text before smiling slightly. You had been nervous about this, but seeing that he was putting in effort made you feel better.

You: That sounds great! I’ll wake her up and get her ready. I’ll text you when she’s good to go.

Setting your phone down, you turned over to see Minho still half-asleep beside you. His arm was lazily draped over your waist, and his face was buried against the pillow. You brushed a hand through his hair, causing him to stir slightly before cracking one eye open.

“What time is it?” he mumbled.

“A little after seven,” you replied softly. “Chan just texted. He wants to take Nari out today.”

Minho let out a slow breath, blinking up at you as he processed your words. “Yeah?”

You nodded. “He’s taking her to lunch and then to an amusement park.”

Minho was quiet for a moment before stretching, groaning softly as he sat up. “Well… since we have the day free, how about we go on a date?”

You blinked in surprise before smiling. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” he said, leaning in to press a kiss to your shoulder. “Might as well take advantage of the alone time.”

You chuckled, nodding. “That sounds nice.”

With that, you both got out of bed, and you made your way to Nari’s room. Pushing open the door, you found her curled up under her blanket, her stuffed bunny clutched tightly in her arms. You gently sat on the edge of her bed, brushing a few strands of hair away from her face before speaking softly.

“Nari, baby, time to wake up.”

She stirred slightly but didn’t open her eyes.

You tried again, smoothing a hand down her back. “Channie’s taking you out today. He’s got a whole fun day planned for you.”

At that, her eyes fluttered open, and she perked up almost instantly. “Really?” she asked, her voice still groggy from sleep.

“Really,” you confirmed with a smile.

That was all it took. She sat up quickly, rubbing her eyes before throwing off her blanket. “What are we gonna do? What did he say?”

You chuckled. “He’s taking you to lunch first and then to the amusement park.”

Nari gasped, her face lighting up. “The amusement park?! With the big rides?!”

You nodded, laughing at her excitement. “Yup. But first, we gotta get you ready.”

She scrambled out of bed, already rushing to her dresser to pick out an outfit. As you helped her get dressed, she kept bouncing on her feet, barely able to contain her excitement.

Once she was ready, you snapped a quick picture to send to Chan before texting him that she was all set. He replied almost immediately, saying he was on his way.

Minho, who had been leaning against the doorway watching, finally spoke. “She’s really excited.”

You nodded, smoothing out the wrinkles in Nari’s shirt. “Yeah… I think this will be good for them.”

A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door. You took a deep breath before opening it, finding Chan standing there with a small smile on his face.

“Hey,” he greeted.

“Hey,” you replied, stepping aside to let him in.

The moment Nari saw him, she let out an excited squeal and ran straight into his arms. “Channie!”

Chan laughed as he caught her, lifting her up slightly. “Hey, princess! You ready for our big day?”

She nodded enthusiastically. “I’m so ready!”

Chan grinned before setting her down, reaching for her hand. “Alright, then. Let’s go.”

Before they left, you knelt down to Nari’s level, placing a kiss on her forehead. “You’re gonna have so much fun, baby. Be good, okay?”

“I will!” she promised before wrapping her arms around you in a tight hug.

You held onto her for a moment, your heart squeezing in your chest. It wasn’t that you didn’t trust Chan, it was just hard letting her go for the whole day, knowing you wouldn’t be there to see her smiles and hear her laughter firsthand.

Chan seemed to notice your hesitation and offered you a reassuring smile. “She’ll be okay. I’ll send you pictures and updates, I promise.”

You nodded, giving him a small smile in return. “Okay.”

With that, Chan took Nari’s hand, and you watched them walk out the door together. The moment they disappeared from view, you let out a deep breath, anxiety still lingering in your chest.

Minho, ever perceptive, noticed immediately. He sighed playfully, stepping closer to wrap his arms around you from behind, his hands resting gently against your belly. “You’re gonna be checking your phone every five minutes, aren’t you?”

You pouted slightly but didn’t deny it. “I just want to make sure she’s okay.”

Minho kissed your temple, his voice filled with amusement. “She’s gonna be fine. You know Chan’s gonna take good care of her.”

“I know,” you murmured, leaning into his touch. “It’s just… the whole day without her? It feels weird.”

“She’ll be fine,” he murmured against your ear.

You leaned back into his embrace, nodding. “I know.”

He pressed a kiss to the side of your head before pulling away. “Now, let’s get ready for our date.”

You turned to face him, a small smile forming on your lips. “Yeah. Let’s do it.”

As you picked out an outfit, you found yourself glancing at your phone every couple of minutes, wondering if Chan would send you an update. You resisted the urge to text first, telling yourself to be patient.

Minho, having changed into something nice, caught you staring at your phone yet again. He shook his head with a smirk. “Babe, you haven’t even left the house yet, and you’re already worried.”

You rolled your eyes but smiled. “I can’t help it.”

By the time you finished getting dressed and the two of you made your way to the restaurant, you felt like you had been holding your breath the entire time. Minho, ever patient, kept a comforting hand on your knee as he drove, occasionally giving you a reassuring squeeze.

As soon as you sat down at the restaurant, your resolve broke. You grabbed your phone and finally sent Chan a quick text.

You: Hey, how’s she doing?

It only took a minute for him to reply.

Chan: She’s good! We’re having lunch right now.

A moment later, another message came through, a picture of Nari, mid-bite, her cheeks full as she happily ate her food. Your heart swelled at the sight.

Minho, who had been watching you, raised an eyebrow. “Feel better now?”

You smiled, nodding as you turned the phone to show him the picture. “Look at her.”

Minho chuckled. “She looks like she’s having the time of her life.”

You sighed, finally able to relax a little. “Yeah, she does.”

Minho reached across the table, taking your hand in his. “Then stop worrying and enjoy our date, okay?”

You nodded, squeezing his hand. “Okay.”

For a little while, you managed to focus on your time with Minho. The two of you talked, ate, and laughed, enjoying the rare moment of uninterrupted time together. But as much as you tried to stay present, a small part of you kept wondering what Nari was up to.

An hour passed before your phone buzzed again. You glanced down quickly, seeing another message from Chan.

Chan: We made it to the amusement park!

Attached was another picture, this time of Nari holding a giant stick of cotton candy, grinning from ear to ear. The bright lights of the amusement park shone behind her, and she looked so incredibly happy.

Your heart melted instantly.

Minho, noticing your expression, leaned in. “Another update?”

You turned the screen toward him again, and he let out a small laugh. “Cotton candy, huh? She’s gonna be bouncing off the walls when she gets home.”

You laughed, shaking your head. “She looks so happy.”

Minho softened, watching you for a moment before squeezing your hand again. “See? You had nothing to worry about.”

You nodded, exhaling a breath you hadn’t realized you were holding. “Yeah. You’re right.”

And finally, you allowed yourself to truly relax, knowing that Nari was in good hands and having the time of her life.

After receiving the picture of Nari happily munching on her cotton candy, you finally felt a sense of relief settle in. You smiled down at your phone, warmth filling your chest. Nari was having a great time, and that was all that mattered.

Minho, watching you from across the table, smirked. “Feel better now?”

You nodded, placing your phone face-down on the table. “Yeah. I think I can actually enjoy the rest of our date now.”

He chuckled, reaching across to take your hand. “Good. Because I’ve missed this.”

The two of you finished your meal, falling into easy conversation as you soaked in the rare moment of uninterrupted time together. It wasn’t often that you got to just be you, not just a mom, not just someone juggling a million things at once, but simply a person enjoying a night out with someone you loved.

After dinner, Minho suggested going for a walk, and you agreed. The evening air was crisp but not too cold, a perfect balance that made the moment feel even more special. Minho kept his hand intertwined with yours, occasionally rubbing his thumb over your skin as you strolled through the quiet streets, talking about anything and everything.

At some point, you passed by a frozen yogurt shop, and you immediately tugged Minho toward it. “We have to stop.”

He raised an amused eyebrow. “Do we?”

“Yes,” you said matter-of-factly. “For the baby.”

Minho snorted but didn’t argue, following you inside. The two of you picked out your favorite flavors, and you added extra toppings, just because. Minho teased you about it, but you simply shrugged, taking a big spoonful of your frozen yogurt with zero regrets.

By the time you finally made it home, your phone buzzed again.

Chan: Almost home with Nari.

You read the message before looking up at Minho, who had just closed the door behind you. “They’re on their way back.”

Minho sighed dramatically, pulling you into a tight hug. “So much for our alone time.”

You laughed, wrapping your arms around him. “We just had a whole date, you big baby.”

He buried his face against your neck, pressing a few kisses to your skin. “Still. I missed going on dates with you. And who knows how often that’ll happen after the baby gets here.”

You smiled, running your fingers through his hair. “Then we’ll just take the baby and Nari with us.”

He pulled back slightly, smirking. “Oh, yeah? Romantic date night with a toddler and a newborn?”

You grinned. “Exactly. We’ll be the hottest parents in town.”

Minho chuckled, leaning in to kiss you again, this time slow and lingering, as if trying to savor every last second of the quiet moment before the chaos resumed.

Before you knew it, there was a knock at the door, followed by Nari’s tiny voice calling for you.

“Mommy! I’m home!”

Minho groaned against your lips, and you laughed, patting his chest before pulling away to open the door.

The second you did, Nari practically launched herself into your arms, giggling excitedly. Chan stood behind her with a small smile, hands tucked into his pockets as he watched the reunion.

“Did you have fun, baby?” you asked, hugging her tightly.

Nari nodded enthusiastically. “So much fun! I wanna tell you everything!”

You chuckled, stepping aside to let Chan in, already bracing yourself for the excited retelling of her day.

Nari's excited voice filled the space as she practically bounced on her feet before launching herself straight into Minho’s arms.

“Minmin!” she giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck as he easily caught her, holding her close. “I missed you!”

Minho chuckled, squeezing her tight. “Missed you too, princess. Did you have fun?”

Before she could answer, Chan stepped forward with a small smile, handing you a bag that had a few stuffed toys he’d apparently won for her at the amusement park.

“She had a blast,” Chan said, glancing at Nari with amusement. “And she really wanted to bring these home to show you.”

You smiled, taking the bag from him. “She must’ve been the luckiest kid at the park.”

Chan shrugged, a bit smug. “What can I say? I’ve still got it.”

Nari, still perched in Minho’s arms, gasped as if suddenly remembering something important. “Mommy! I did so many fun things today!”

You laughed, shutting the door behind Chan as she immediately started listing everything, what she ate, what rides she went on, what games she played, and how she even saw a princess at the amusement park.

Chan chuckled, ruffling her hair. “Don’t forget to tell them how you ate all your veggies at lunch.”

Nari scrunched up her nose. “I had to, or else I couldn’t get dessert.”

You grinned. “Smart move, Channie.”

He smirked. “I know how to work my magic.”

You turned back to him, “Thanks again for today. It really means a lot.”

Minho, still holding Nari, gave a small nod. “Yeah, thanks.”

Chan returned the nod, his expression softening. “No problem. I’d like to do this again sometime.”

You met his gaze, seeing the sincerity in his eyes. “Just text me, and we’ll figure it out.”

Chan smiled at that before turning his attention back to Nari, who was still talking a mile a minute about her day. He reached over to squeeze her tiny hand.

“Bye, princess. Be good for your mom and Minho, okay?”

Nari nodded eagerly. “Okay! Bye, Channie! Love you!”

His face softened. “Love you too, kiddo.”

With that, he gave you and Minho one last nod before stepping outside. The second he was gone, Nari tugged at Minho’s shirt. “Can I show you my toys now? Pleaseee?”

Minho smiled, setting her down. “Of course. Show me everything.”

As Nari excitedly ran to the living room, you shared a brief glance with Minho. His expression was unreadable, but there was something lingering behind his eyes, something unspoken.

You reached for his hand, squeezing it gently. “You okay?”

Minho exhaled through his nose, nodding once. “Yeah. Just… a lot to process.”

You understood. Seeing Chan and Nari so happy together, hearing her call him Channie so affectionately, it was a reminder of their bond, one that had always existed long before Minho had stepped in. But he had his own special place in her life, and you knew that.

You leaned up, pressing a quick kiss to his jaw. “Come on. Let’s go see the toys.”

Minho glanced down at you before nodding, his lips curving into a small smile. “Yeah. Let’s go.”

With your hand still in his, the two of you followed Nari into the living room, ready to hear all about her adventures together.

It had been a few weeks since Chan and Nari had started spending more time together, and the bond between them had grown undeniably strong. Chan had been taking Nari out on little adventures, often surprising her with new places and experiences. The day he brought her home from his studio was no different.

Nari bounced through the door, practically glowing with excitement as she clutched a few new toys in her hands, a gift from Changbin and Jisung, who had been at the studio when Chan brought Nari in for a visit.

“Mommy! Mommy! Look what I got!” she squealed, immediately running to you. “Uncle Binnie gave me this one, and Uncle Sungie said this one looks like me!” She giggled, holding up a tiny stuffed bear.  

You smiled, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. “That’s so cute, baby. Why don’t you go show Minho? He’s in the living room.”  

“Okay!” she chirped before rushing off, her little feet pattering against the floor.  

 As Nari dashed off to show Minho, you turned to Chan, who had just taken off his jacket and was running his hands through his hair.

You exhaled softly, feeling a sense of calm and purpose. "I think it’s time,” you said, your voice quiet but firm.

Chan paused, turning to face you. “What do you mean?”

“I think it’s time we tell Nari about you,” you explained. “She’s been spending so much time with you lately, and I think she’s starting to get attached. It feels like the right moment to finally explain who you really are to her."

Chan's gaze softened, a quiet sigh escaping him as he nodded slowly. “I agree,” he said, his voice more serious now. “It’s been on my mind too. I want her to know the truth. I don’t want her to get confused about where I stand in her life.”

You watched him, studying his expression. There was a mix of uncertainty and anticipation in his eyes. You knew this wasn’t going to be easy for any of you, especially not for Nari. But it felt right. You’d been waiting for the right time to have this conversation for weeks, and now it felt like it was finally here.

“Do you think she’s ready?” you asked, your voice tinged with concern.

Chan smiled softly, though it was laced with a hint of nervousness. “She’s a smart kid. She understands more than we give her credit for. I think she’s ready."

You nodded in agreement. “You’re right. We’ve both been in her life long enough that it’s time she knows. But I want to do it gently, in a way she’ll understand.”

There was a pause before he looked at you again, voice quieter this time. “How do we do it? How do we tell her?”  

You thought about it for a moment. “I think we should both be there. Maybe make it a conversation, not just a big reveal.”  

He nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, that sounds good.” He hesitated before adding, “And Minho? Should we… should we talk to him about it first?”  

Your expression softened. “I already brought it up to him before. He knows this day was going to come eventually.”  

Chan let out a quiet sigh, nodding again. “Okay. Then let’s do it.”  

You reached out, squeezing his hand for just a moment before stepping back. “Tomorrow?”  

He smiled, though you could still see the slight nerves behind it. “Tomorrow.”

Chan placed a hand on your shoulder, offering a reassuring squeeze. “I’m with you on this. We’ll do it together.”

Before you could say anything else, Nari’s voice floated from the other room, loud and full of excitement. “Minmin! I can make the bear dance! Watch!”

The two of you exchanged a brief look, a sense of quiet understanding passing between you. Nari’s joy and innocence made it all the more clear that this conversation was necessary not just for Nari’s sake, but for all of you.

You took a deep breath and smiled at Chan. “Let’s talk to her when she’s ready. We’ll make it a calm, easy conversation. She’ll be okay.”

Chan nodded. “Yeah. She will.”

The two of you took a moment to collect yourselves, listening to Nari’s laughter and the sound of Minho playing along in the other room. Soon, you’d be telling her the truth. And, no matter how nerve-wracking it felt, you knew it was the right thing to do.

This would change things for all of you, but it would also bring clarity, clarity for Nari, and for you and Chan. It was time to bring everything into the light.

After your conversation with Chan, you both stood there for a moment, the weight of the decision settling in. It was nerve-wracking, but deep down, you knew it was the right thing to do. 

You gave Chan a reassuring nod before stepping back, gripping the doorknob.  

“I’ll text you once we figure out a time to talk to her,” you told him softly.  

Chan hesitated, his lips pressing together as if he wanted to say more, but instead, he just nodded. “Yeah… okay.” His voice was quiet, but there was an understanding in his gaze. “Thank you.”  

You offered him a small smile before finally closing the door behind him.  

Taking a deep breath, you leaned against the door for a moment before pushing yourself off and making your way toward the living room, where Minho and Nari’s voices filtered through.  

As you entered, you couldn’t help but smile at the sight, Nari was sitting cross-legged on the couch, talking animatedly while Minho listened with a fond expression. She was holding up her new toys, showing each one to him with uncontainable excitement.  

“And then Uncle Binnie said I could press this button, but Uncle Ji said ‘Nooo, not that one!’” she mimicked Jisung’s voice dramatically, making Minho chuckle. “But then Daddy—” She cut herself off abruptly, blinking in surprise.  

Minho’s gaze flickered toward you for a brief moment before looking back at Nari.  

“Then… Channie,” she corrected herself with a small frown, twiddling her fingers in her lap. “He said I could press this button instead, and it made a cool sound!”  

Minho, sensing the slight shift in her mood, reached out and ruffled her hair gently. “That sounds like so much fun, princess. I bet you’re gonna be a music producer before you even hit kindergarten at this rate.”  

Nari giggled at that, the previous hesitation in her expression melting away. “Maybe!”  

You took a seat beside Minho, watching the way he interacted with her, so patient, so full of love. He had been there for Nari from the very beginning, always stepping in whenever she needed him. And even though the conversation with Chan had left a pit in your stomach, seeing the way Minho and Nari interacted made your heart swell with warmth.  

For now, you pushed aside the heaviness of the discussion you’d have with her soon. Tonight, she was happy, and that’s all that mattered.  

So, you smiled, leaned into Minho’s side, and let Nari continue talking your ears off about her adventure at the studio.

Nari finished excitedly recounting her day, she hopped off the couch, hugging her new toys close to her chest as she ran off to her room to play. You watched her disappear down the hallway, the echoes of her small feet padding against the floor filling the quiet that followed.  

When you turned back to Minho, you immediately noticed the shift in his demeanor. His eyes were fixed on the couch where Nari had just been sitting, a slight crease forming between his brows. His fingers absentmindedly tapped against his knee, a telltale sign that something was weighing on him.  

You didn’t have to ask to know what was wrong.  

“She called him ‘Daddy,’” Minho finally said, his voice quieter than usual. He wasn’t accusing, nor was he angry, it was just a simple statement, but you could hear the emotion behind it. 

You sighed, shifting closer to him, reaching out to take his hand in yours. “I know.”  

Minho glanced at you then, his fingers lacing with yours automatically, though the tension in his grip remained.  

You squeezed his hand gently. “Minho, Nari is going to find out the truth about Chan soon, but that doesn’t change anything about what you mean to her. You’ve been here from the very beginning. You’ve raised her. She’s always going to see you as her dad.”  

Minho let out a slow breath, nodding, but you could still see the conflict in his eyes. His lips pressed together like he was stopping himself from saying more, from voicing the deeper worries that lingered beneath the surface.  

He pulled you closer until you were leaning against his side. He pressed a gentle kiss against your forehead, lingering for just a second longer than usual.  

You both knew things were going to change. The conversation with Nari would be a big one, one that would reshape her world in ways she wouldn’t fully understand right away. But no matter what, one thing would always stay the same: Minho was her dad. And he always would be.

-

You and Minho had spent the day preparing for the evening, making sure everything was perfect for the conversation ahead. You had invited Chan over for dinner, wanting to create a comfortable atmosphere before breaking the news to Nari. This was something you had all agreed on telling her together, as a united front. Even if things had been complicated in the past, you knew this moment wasn’t about any of you. It was about Nari and the truth she deserved to know.

Minho had been quieter than usual while helping you set the table, and you could tell he was tense about the situation. He had never been the biggest fan of Chan, and even though they were civil, you knew there was an unspoken rivalry between them, especially now that Chan had become a more prominent figure in Nari’s life. But Minho had agreed to let this be about Nari, pushing aside his feelings for the sake of doing what was right.

When Chan finally arrived, Nari was the first to greet him, her little arms wrapping around his legs in a tight hug. “Channie! You’re here!” she cheered, grinning up at him.

Chan smiled, crouching down to ruffle her hair. “Of course, princess! I wouldn’t miss dinner with you.”

Dinner itself had been surprisingly smooth. There were only a few moments of awkward tension between Minho and Chan as they carefully navigated small talk, but they both made the effort for Nari. Chan had even complimented Minho’s cooking, which earned him a raised eyebrow but a polite “thanks” in return.  

It was after dinner, when you set out dessert Nari’s favorite chocolate cake that the mood subtly shifted. 

You sat beside Nari, and as she happily stuffed her mouth with cake, you nudged Chan, signaling that it was time. Minho, who had been noticeably quiet since the start of the meal, tensed slightly but didn’t object. This was something you and Chan needed to take the lead on.  

Chan cleared his throat, placing his fork down and turning to Nari with a soft smile. “Hey, princess,” he started gently, his tone light but careful. “Can we talk to you about something really important?”  

Nari, mid-bite, looked up at him curiously. She swallowed and nodded. “Okay!”  

You took a deep breath, glancing at Minho for reassurance before you turned back to your daughter. “You know how you’ve been spending a lot of time with Chan lately?”  

Nari nodded again. “Mhm! It’s fun! He’s funny and buys me yummy snacks!”  

Chan chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “Glad you think so.” 

You smiled at her enthusiasm, though your heart was pounding in your chest. “Well, sweetheart… the reason why Chan has been spending so much time with you is because—” You hesitated for a split second before finally saying it, “—he’s your dad.”  

Nari blinked. Her little fingers clutched her fork, but she didn’t react the way you had expected. No excitement. No immediate flood of questions. Just… silence.  

You exchanged a glance with Chan, who looked equally uncertain, before trying again. “Remember how we’ve talked about how families can look different? How sometimes families have more than one parent who loves them?”  

Nari nodded slowly, her gaze shifting to Chan, who smiled at her reassuringly. “That’s right,” he said. “And you’ve always had so many people who love you. But I—” He exhaled, carefully choosing his words. “I’ve loved you from the very start, Nari. Even though I wasn’t there like I should’ve been, you’ve always been my little girl.”  

More silence. Nari poked at her cake with her fork, her expression unreadable. Minho, who had been silent the entire time, finally spoke. His voice was softer than usual. “Nari? What are you thinking?”  

She looked up at all three of you, her tiny brows furrowing. “...So, does that mean I have two dads?”  

You let out a breath you didn’t realize you were holding. “Yes, baby,” you said gently. “You have two dads.”  

She seemed to think about that for a moment before another question came. “How come you didn’t tell me before?”  

Chan’s smile faltered slightly, but he answered honestly. “Because we weren’t sure how to tell you in a way that wouldn’t be confusing. But we don’t want to keep it a secret anymore.”  

Another beat of silence. 

Then, Nari pushed her plate forward, suddenly not interested in her cake anymore. “I wanna go play now.”  

You hesitated. “Princess, do you want to talk more about this?”  

She shook her head. “No.”  

Chan’s expression fell, and you felt a pang in your chest. But you also knew that Nari needed space to process this in her own way, so you reached over, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Okay. If you ever want to talk, we’re all here for you.”  

Nari didn’t say anything as she slid off her chair and padded out of the room, her stuffed toys in hand.  

Once she was gone, the room felt heavy with unspoken words.  

Chan exhaled, leaning back in his chair. “That… wasn’t what I expected.”  

Minho rubbed his face, finally releasing the tension he had been holding in. “She needs time,” he said simply. “She’s never had to think about something like this before.”  

You nodded, though worry still lingered. “Yeah. We just have to be patient.”  

Chan looked down at his hands, nodding slowly. “I just… I hope she’s okay.”  

Minho didn’t say anything, but his fingers drummed against the table in thought. The dinner had gone as well as it could have, but the hardest part was just beginning.  

Now, it was up to Nari to decide how she wanted to process it all.

Chan stood up, grabbing his jacket. “I’ll… give her some space. Just let me know how she’s doing, okay?”

You walked him to the door, nodding again. “I will. Thank you, Chan.”

He gave you a small smile before leaving, and as soon as the door shut behind him, you leaned against it, letting out a slow breath. Minho stood from the table, starting to clear the dishes without saying much.

You both knew Nari needed time, and there wasn’t much you could do but wait.

Later that night, after her bath and bedtime story, you tucked Nari into bed, smoothing her hair away from her face. You were about to kiss her goodnight when she spoke up softly.

“Mommy?”

You sat down beside her, brushing your fingers along her tiny hand. “Yes, baby?”

She hesitated for a moment before asking, “Why didn’t you tell me about Channie before?”

Your heart squeezed. You had known this question was coming.

You sighed softly, choosing your words carefully. “Because I wanted to wait until the right time, baby. I didn’t want to confuse you. I wanted you to know when I thought you were ready.”

She was quiet, her little brows furrowed as she processed your words. Then, after a pause, she asked in a small voice, “Does this mean I have to call Channie ‘daddy’ now?”

You smiled gently. “Only if you want to, sweetheart. No one is going to make you. You can call him whatever feels right to you.”

She bit her lip, still thinking. Then, after another moment of silence, she asked something you hadn’t expected.

“What about baby sister or baby brother? Are they going to have two dads like me?”

Your breath caught slightly at the question, and you felt a lump form in your throat.

Nari had always been sharp, observant in ways that surprised you. And now, she was piecing things together in her little mind, trying to understand her family dynamic.

You gently squeezed her hand. “Your baby brother or sister will have Minmin as their daddy. But that doesn’t change anything about you, baby. You have two people who love you very, very much.”

She nodded slowly, her fingers playing with the edge of her blanket. “Okay…” she murmured, still deep in thought.

You leaned down, kissing her forehead. “Get some rest, my love. If you have any more questions, you can always ask me, okay?”

You leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. “I love you, my sweet girl.”  

She murmured back, “Love you, too,” before her eyes fluttered shut.  

As you watched her drift off to sleep, you let out a breath you didn’t realize you had been holding. It would take time for her to fully understand everything, but tonight was a step forward. 

And no matter how she chose to navigate this new reality, one thing would never change, she was deeply, unconditionally loved.

After leaving Nari’s room, you quietly made your way downstairs, still lost in thought. The weight of the conversation you’d just had with her lingered in your mind, and you couldn’t help but replay her small, hesitant voice asking questions you hadn’t fully prepared for.

As you entered the kitchen, you expected to help Minho finish cleaning up from dinner, but when you stepped inside, you found him already drying the last dish, stacking it neatly in the drying rack. He glanced up as he heard you approach, his lips curling into a small smirk.

“I told you to get some rest,” he said, setting the dish towel down. “I’ve got this.”

You shook your head, leaning against the wall with a soft sigh. “I know, but I didn’t want to be upstairs alone with my thoughts right now.”

Minho gave you a knowing look before wiping down the counter, his movements slow and deliberate. When he finally finished, he turned to face you fully, crossing his arms over his chest. “How are you feeling about everything?”

You exhaled, rubbing at your temples before looking up at him. “I just talked to Nari before she fell asleep,” you admitted. “She asked why we didn’t tell her sooner, if she has to call Chan ‘daddy’ now, and if the baby will have two dads like her.”  

Minho leaned against the counter, crossing his arms as he listened. You could tell he was taking in every word carefully.  

“She’s just trying to make sense of everything,” you continued. “I told her that she doesn’t have to call Chan ‘daddy’ unless she wants to, and that no one is going to force her. And I explained that the baby will only have one dad. She didn’t seem upset, just… processing.”  

Minho let out a small sigh, nodding slowly. “Yeah, I figured she’d have a lot of questions. She’s a smart kid.”  

You smiled tiredly. “Yeah, she is.”  

For a moment, neither of you spoke. The weight of the night still lingered in the air, and though things had gone as smoothly as they could have, there was still an unspoken tension surrounding the situation.  

Minho finally broke the silence, rubbing the back of his neck. “I won’t lie. It still feels… weird. Hearing her call Chan ‘daddy’ the other day, even by accident, it got to me a little.”  

Your heart ached at the confession.

You reached for his hand, intertwining your fingers. “I know,” you murmured. “I knew it bothered you, even when you tried to brush it off.”  

He let out a short laugh, shaking his head. “You always know.”  

You gave his hand a squeeze. “Because I love you.”  

His expression softened as he squeezed your hand in return. “I love you too.”  

You tugged lightly on his hand, guiding him to sit beside you on the sofa. As he settled next to you, you leaned your head against his shoulder, finding comfort in the steady rise and fall of his breaths.

“She loves you,” you whispered after a moment. “That’s not going to change. You’ve been there for her since the beginning, and she knows that. No matter what happens, you’ll always be her dad too.”  

Minho let out a deep breath, pressing a lingering kiss to the top of your head. “I hope so.”  

“She’s just figuring things out,” you reassured him. “And no matter how things change, one thing never will, she has you.”  

Minho stayed quiet for a moment before finally nodding. “Okay,” he murmured. “I trust you.”

You smiled, closing your eyes as you relaxed against him. There was still a long road ahead, but for now, sitting here together in the quiet, you knew you’d face it all, together.

“Are you okay with all of this?” you asked softly.

Minho tilted his head slightly before nodding. “It’s not about me, it’s about Nari,” he said simply. “And if this is what’s best for her, then I’ll support it. I knew what I was signing up for when I fell in love with you.”

His words made your chest tighten with emotion, and before you could stop yourself, you reached up, cupping his face as you kissed him slow and deep, pouring all your gratitude and love into the moment.

Minho smiled against your lips, resting his forehead against yours when you finally pulled away. “Now,” he murmured, “are you finally going to get some rest? Or do I have to carry you to bed?”

You huffed out a quiet laugh. “Fine, fine. I’m going.”

Minho chuckled, guiding you toward the stairs. “Good. Because I’m not above picking you up, you know.”

You rolled your eyes but let him lead you upstairs, feeling lighter despite the weight of the day’s emotions.

Whatever happened next, you knew you wouldn’t be facing it alone.

It had been a few days since you and Chan had told Nari the truth, and though she hadn’t expressed any strong emotions about it, you could tell she was still processing everything in her own way. She wasn’t acting any differently toward you or Minho, but when it came to Chan, you noticed a shift, one that became even more apparent the next time you saw him.

It was a sunny afternoon, and you were getting ready to take Nari to the park for a playdate. She had been looking forward to it all morning, chatting excitedly about playing on the swings and seeing her friend again. Just as you stepped outside with her, hand in hand, you spotted Chan walking his dog down the sidewalk, heading in your direction.

You hadn’t expected to run into him like this, but it wasn’t unusual. What was unusual, however, was Nari’s reaction. Normally, the second she spotted him and his dog, she’d squeal in excitement and run straight to them. But today, she hesitated. Instead of letting go of your hand and running ahead like she usually would, she gripped your fingers tighter and shuffled behind your legs, peeking out shyly.

Chan slowed as he noticed you both, his eyes flicking between you and Nari before his face softened into a small, hesitant smile. “Hey,” he greeted, his voice warm but laced with something careful like he was testing the waters. “Where are you two off to?”

“The park,” you answered, glancing down at Nari, who still hadn’t moved from her spot behind you. You squeezed her hand gently, giving her an encouraging look.

Chan crouched down to her level, his smile widening. “Hey, princess,” he said softly, holding his arms open just slightly. “Aren’t you gonna say hi?”

Nari shifted on her feet, her grip on your leg tightening. She was quiet for a moment before she finally mumbled, “Hi, Channie.” Her voice was small, uncertain.

Chan’s smile faltered for just a second before he covered it up quickly. “That’s all I get? No hug?” he teased lightly, though there was something in his eyes something vulnerable, like he was afraid of what her hesitation meant.

You rubbed Nari’s back gently, leaning down slightly to speak softly to her. “It’s okay, baby. Channie’s still the same Channie.”

Nari bit her lip before taking a hesitant step forward. Then, all at once, she closed the distance and wrapped her arms around Chan’s neck, hugging him tightly.

Chan let out a soft breath, his arms coming around her just as tightly, like he needed this hug more than he realized. He pressed a gentle kiss to her head, his eyes closing for a moment. “Missed you, princess,” he murmured.

But just as quickly as she hugged him, Nari pulled away, slipping from his arms without a word. Instead of responding, she turned to his dog, her hesitation disappearing in an instant as she knelt down, scratching behind the puppy’s ears. The little dog wagged its tail excitedly, jumping around her as she giggled.

Chan straightened up, watching her for a second before glancing at you. “Is she… okay?” he asked quietly, keeping his voice low so Nari wouldn’t hear.

You sighed softly, nodding. “She’s just figuring things out. She still loves you, nothing’s changed there. She just needs time.”

Chan ran a hand through his hair, exhaling slowly. “Yeah… I get it,” he said, though the way he looked at Nari like he wanted to reach out but wasn’t sure how, told you it wasn’t easy for him.

You offered him a small smile. “Just keep being patient with her. She’ll come around.”

Chan nodded, glancing back down at Nari, who was now laughing as the puppy licked her face. Despite everything, the sight made him smile. “Yeah,” he murmured. “I hope so.”

And as you watched Nari play, slowly settling back into the comfort of familiarity, you knew she would. It would take time, but she would.

As Nari played with the puppy, you and Chan stood in quiet understanding, watching her. The moment felt delicate, like something that could tip one way or another depending on how things unfolded next.

After a few minutes, you crouched down beside Nari, brushing some stray hairs from her face. “Baby, we should get going soon. Your friend is waiting for you at the park.”

Nari pouted slightly but nodded, giving the puppy one last hug before standing up. She hesitated for a second before glancing at Chan. “Are you coming too, Channie?”

Chan looked taken aback, as if he hadn’t expected her to ask. He glanced at you briefly, as if asking if it was okay, before looking back at Nari. “Do you want me to come?”

Nari nodded, still a little shy but more comfortable than she had been a few minutes ago. “You can play with us,” she suggested. “And you can bring puppy too!”

That was all it took to ease the tension Chan had been holding onto. His smile returned, soft but real. “Alright,” he said. “I’d love to.”

You gave him a small nod, silently letting him know it was fine, and the three of you, well, four, counting the puppy, headed to the park together.

When you arrived, Nari immediately ran off to join her friend, though she kept glancing back to make sure both you and Chan were still there. You and Chan sat on a bench nearby, watching her as she played. The conversation between you both was light, mostly about how quickly Nari was growing and how she was adapting to everything.

“I hate that she’s unsure around me now,” Chan admitted after a while, his fingers fidgeting slightly. “I don’t blame her, but… I just wish I could do more.”

“She’s still figuring things out,” you reassured him. “But she wanted you to come today. That’s a good sign, right?”

Chan smiled slightly, watching as Nari ran up the slide with her friend instead of using the ladder. “Yeah,” he murmured. “I guess it is.”

As the afternoon continued, Nari slowly warmed up more. She started calling for Chan whenever she wanted to show him something cool, asking him to push her on the swings, and even making him play tag with her and her friend. It was small progress, but progress nonetheless.

By the time the sun started setting, Nari was tired but happy. She held onto Chan’s hand as you all walked back home, a sign that the walls she’d been building were starting to come down.

When you got home, Nari hugged Chan tightly before running inside to tell Minho all about her day. You and Chan lingered outside for a moment, the atmosphere much lighter than it had been earlier.

“Thank you for today,” Chan said. “For letting me come.”

You smiled. “You’re her dad, Chan. You don’t need permission to spend time with her.”

Chan exhaled, nodding. “Still… thank you.”

With that, he gave you a small wave before heading off, and you went inside to find Nari already curled up beside Minho, sleepily telling him about her park adventure. You shared a knowing look with Minho, and he simply squeezed your hand, silently letting you know he was there for whatever came next.

And though there was still a long road ahead, for the first time in a while, things felt like they were heading in the right direction.

//

masterlist.

[taglist: @alisonyus @bowsnbang @mariteez @melanctton @candyquokka @mysterysold @st4rv3lly @supersonika143 @channiegetsmewetter @readr1221 @cafffeineconnoisseur @wickedbutlovely @trickyricki @hanniesbubuwife @vietjeb @btskzfav @shuuporanglinos @lostinneocity @nightskyz @dolphin-scream-s @anniemarvel if you’d like to be added too let me know!]

[acosmicbee]

Stranger Danger

(A little short but one of my favorite one shots from my Wattpad!)

As the lights of the bus were swallowed up by the fog you started to realize how screwed you were. Your phone was dead from the biting cold and your wallet was still in your bag which was in Amy's car. You flopped down onto the bench at an empty bus stop and silently wondered when Amy would realize you never made it home.

Then again Amy was the one who'd kicked you out of her car. She'd dropped you down the road a bit and told you to walk before driving away. It was pure luck that there was a bus stop, but misfortune that the bus had left just as you'd approached and you had no way of paying for a ticket.

The bus stop's light flickered, dimming and brightening with no certain pattern. Staring down the road into the dark fog you knew you wouldn't make it home. Your breath hung in the air and the thin sweatshirt you wore wasn't doing much to keep out the chill. You were a second away from just sacrificing dignity and sobbing when you noticed faint lights slowly approaching through the gloom.

They looked misty through the veil of fog but got brighter as the vehicle drove closer. The vehicle in question stopped in front of the bus stop, directly in front of where you sat. It was a worn black pick-up truck with tinted windows.

You shivered, staring as the driver's window rolled down. The inside of the truck was dark but you could vaguely make out a man and woman.

"You okay there honey? It's past dark and the next bus isn't for a while." The woman asked. She had a thick southern accent and sounded to be in her late 20s. You wasn't sure how to answer that. Sure, you could say you were fine and they would probably smile and drive off but you weren't. You didn't know where you were or how you would make your way home or even if anyone would notice you were gone until it was too late.

You shrugged. It was all you could think to do without trauma dumping and/or breaking down crying in front of two strangers.

"We live down the road a bit. How about you come with us and stay until morning? You'll freeze out here and animals like to hide in the fog." The man said. There was a click as the door unlocked.

"Animals?" You asked, wringing your hands as you stood up. The man nodded.

"Panthers. Bears. If you can't see them coming normally you'll never see them now. Until it's too late that is." You nervously approached the car, freezing as you remembered all those school presentations on never getting in a stranger's car. But it was their car or freezing to death or being mauled, so you carefully climbed into the back, shutting the door behind you.

"I'm Willa and this is my husband, Atticus." The woman, Willa, said.

"I'm Y/N." It was silent for a moment. Your fingers started to itch as they warmed up and the circulation improved. You pulled your sweatshirt closer, relishing the heat of their truck.

"How'd you find yourself out here, honey? It's awfully far from the nearest town. Just farmland really." Atticus asked. This was the question you dreaded. Then again it was logical to wonder how a 13 year old had found themself at a bus stop on a foggy cold night.

"My step mom, Amy, and I were driving to meet my dad. We're supposed to be moving soon." You explained, picking at your cuticles. It was a bad habit you'd picked up from your mom before she'd died. "We got into an argument. She had been flirting with a guy at the gas station we stopped at. She got angry. Said I was 'disrespecting her and my father's relationship' by getting mad she was flirting. She kicked me out of the car and told me to walk."

"I'm so sorry hun. That's horrible. Some kinds of people really shouldn't have children." Willa said, her voice growing dark. Atticus reached over and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"What do you like to do, Y/N?" He asked.

"I like to read. I'm fond of cats and other animals." You continued talking, happy to have some kind of conversation to distract yourself with. Willa calmed down as you spoke and both of them seemed to hang onto your every word. Everything from your hatred of gym class to the way you loved the smell of freshly baked bread from this one bakery.

Eventually the truck pulled in beside a large farmhouse, the kind Dorothy lived in in The Wizard of Oz. Atticus helped you jump out of the truck as you internally cursed at the raised truck bed and your lack of a growth spurt. You kept on telling yourself it would come tomorrow and maybe, one day, it actually would.

In the light of the house you finally got your first good look at the both of them. Willa was taller than you by a bit, maybe around 5'7". She had long strawberry blonde hair that was tied back in a bun. Atticus was taller than that, 6'2" at least, and easily towered over you. He had messy brown hair and warm hazel eyes. They almost looked like a picturesque movie couple, the kind that was painfully in love with each other.

Willa pulled you upstairs the second you took your shoes off and led you to a guest bedroom. It was a rather plain room with gray walls and a nicely made bed.

"The bathroom is right over there. Atticus! Can you lend Y/N some clothing? Mine still needs to be dried!" Atticus yelled something back from downstairs but you didn't catch what he said. Instead you were observing every little detail of the room, a pit growing in your stomach. Those kidnapping PSAs were echoing through your head again, constantly murmuring about the ever mysterious 'second location'.

"Wait here for a minute honey." Willa walked into a room down the hall before returning a few minutes later, clothing in hand. She handed you an oversized shirt and sweatpants, which luckily had a drawstring. You got changed in the bathroom, and when you returned to the guest room Willa and Atticus were waiting.

"Night honey! Sleep well." It was a bit weird and put you even more on edge. Without any other option, you climbed into bed only for Willa to insist on tucking you in. There was a soft look on her face, one of pure happiness. It reminded you of those clips of mothers looking at their newborn babies for the first time. Atticus extinguished the oil lamp on the nightstand but you could briefly make out a similar smile on his face as the light went out.

₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊

You woke up to the smell of freshly baked bread. Something didn't feel right and you couldn't place it until you went to stand up the world spun. You couldn't even piece together the seconds between stumbling out of bed and suddenly staring up at the ceiling from the floor. Your head throbbed and everything seemed to swirl in nauseating patterns. Willa rushed into the room, quickly helping you back into bed.

"Shush honey. You're alright. Just a bit of a cold from being out there last night, hmm?" Willa asked, running her fingers through your hair. Your head hurt and a wave of dizziness would wash over you any time you moved it. You felt like you were freezing but simultaneously burning. Atticus quietly entered, a plate with a few slices of bread and some water with him.

Willa carefully brought the cup to your lips, not trusting your shaking hands but wanting you to be hydrated. Time felt spotty. One moment Willa and Atticus would be fussing over you and the next you'd be alone. You would close your eyes for a second and suddenly you were opening them hours later.

Willa was by the bed, her gentle hands playing with your hair the next time you surfaced. This time there was a straw in the cup of water and you eagerly drank all of it, feeling so thirsty.

"I always wanted a child." She suddenly said, smiling down at you. Your mind took a minute to process the words and once you did you only blinked. Why would she be telling you, who was basically a stranger something personal like that?

"Then the doctors told me I was infertile. That I would never be able to have a child of my own." Her voice was growing angry. Her fingers tugging at your hair instead of playing with it. A small while involuntarily escaped your lips, the tugging only adding to your throbbing headache. Her grip loosened immediately, her fingers returning to gently running through your hair.

"But that doesn't matter now." Willa said, pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead. She reached over to the nightstand where she grabbed the, now empty, cup.

"It will never matter again. Not when I have you." Your hazy mind finally pieced her statements together, connecting the dots.

"Wait...!" Your voice was scratchy as you tried to sit up, panic filling your body.

"You shouldn't be sitting up yet Y/N. You could fall again." Atticus gently scolded, appearing in the doorway. His arms were crossed but face was gentle, as if he were talking to a child. Not just any child, you realized, as if you was his child.

"You haven't even eaten yet! Your father made some homemade bread, special just for you." Willa smiled, kissing your forehead as she stood from your bedside. "I'll go get you some, okay honey?"

"But...!"

"Hush darling. Just let me and your mother take care of you." Atticus said, approaching you. He kissed your forehead in the same spot, gently tucking you in more. "Won't it be nice to feel loved, sweet pea?"

[haikyu-mp4]

Long-term commitment – Futakuchi x reader wc 1024 – f!reader, brother!Aone

Futakuchi couldn’t really put into words why he had such a huge crush on you. You were his best friend’s sister, similar to your older brother in your calmer nature.

Perhaps it was because one of Futakuchi’s favourite things in the world was your laugh. It rang so much louder than your usual timid voice, making his heart skip a beat as he listened to the sound like it was the bells at his own wedding.

And being the one who made that laugh happen? Jack-fucking-pot.

So he would always invite himself to Aone’s house when they were in high school, hoping you would be around for dinner. It was a long-term commitment to him, getting together with you. You were the only woman he ever fell for, so he knew he had to go slow.

Of course, he still treasured his friendship with Aone, which held strong even years after high school. It wasn’t all just for you, even though it might… seem that way…

“I was thinking of getting some flowers for my mom, but I don’t know which ones,” he thought out loud one day, sitting on the bench after a game with their municipal volleyball team. Aone was drinking from his water bottle and nodded for him to continue. “What’s your sister’s favourite flower?”

Aone eyed him for a second before shaking his head, making Futakuchi feel quite sheepish.

“Who’s your sister bringing to that family thing you guys had? She never talked about going on any dates, right?”

Aone sighed and shrugged, not particularly updated on your love life and preferring to eat his lunch in peace.

“Your sister just opened her new cafe! I happened to walk by this morning. Maybe we should go there, show our support.”

Aone pinned Futakuchi with a stern look and pointed down the street. “You should go.”

Futakuchi couldn’t believe the blunt answer and just sounded an awkward squeak in response.

“I’m not stupid,” Aone mumbled.

“Could I get a double burger and a large soda?”

You rolled your eyes and chuckled affectionately, putting the lid on a cup for a finished order as you turned around. A chuckle, Futakuchi thought, that’s not enough. “I thought you two might come around soon with some ridiculous order-“

As your eyes found a lone Futakuchi with a cheeky smile, you leaned silently to the side to check that your tall brother wasn’t hiding behind his friend. “It’s just me.”

Without answering, you walked to the end of the counter to hand off the order to the waiting customer, telling them to have a great day before moving back to the register where he waited. “I didn’t think you liked coffee.”

You spoke politely, with a soft smile that made Futakuchi crave more, greedily. “Wait,” he said, feigning surprise and putting his hands on the counter so he could lean over and look around the station. “You mean you actually don’t sell burgers here?”

A laugh slipped past you, but you covered your mouth. “Not many cafes do, I think.”

He smiled, cheeky as ever. “My bad. I got distracted.”

“Coward,” Aone grumbled into the phone the second Futakuchi picked up.

The brunette scoffed, making sure it rang clearly. “I’m working on it!”

“You spent an hour bothering her at work and still didn’t ask her out.”

“I’d like to think I was good company, anyway,” Futakuchi argued, exasperated but knowing he couldn’t argue much with Aone. If anyone stunted his attitude, it was his best friend.

“You get one week, and then I‘ll tell Koganegawa to shoot his shot.”

Futakuchi stared at the phone in his hand, which beeped rhythmically.

“That bastard hung up on me,” he whispered to himself in disbelief. The audacity.

Meanwhile, Aone was smiling as he hummed and watered his plants. It’s fun to instigate some drama every once in a while.

Futakuchi Kenji was not a coward.

But as of late, he sure was a simp.

As he entered your cafe, his breath hitched hearing you laugh well at something another customer said, waving your hand as if they had you laughing for hours.

“Y/n,” Futakuchi said, just loud enough that he was sure to get your attention, but not so loud that he would be yelling. “What’s up?”

You cleared your throat and wished the funny customer goodbye before moving to the register. Futakuchi sent the customer a look in passing before giving you his usual mischievous smile. “Back again?” you asked, smiling sweetly like you didn’t have his heart in a chokehold.

“Enough with the applause, I’m just a normal guy,” he cooed, as if paparazzi were snapping photos when he made his way to you. He leaned on the counter to be even closer as you laughed and almost let his eyes fall closed to enjoy it. “Everything alright here?” he asked instead.

You nodded, looking over the tables filled with the miscellaneous students, gossipers and business folks. “I’d say it’s perfect.” Your eyes travelled back to his again. “Now that you’re here too.”

Not many people could make Futakuchi blush. He looked down as if that would hide it when his ears were just as red. “That’s good.”

You tilted your head. “Can I get you anything?”

“A normal coffee and…” He leaned back up on his hands. “And a date.”

To say you were surprised… would be a lie. Your brother was not always the most subtle. Still, you couldn’t stop smiling at the fact that he finally asked. You chuckled happily and nodded, tapping on the screen of the register.

“One coffee. How would you like the date?” you asked. Futakuchi felt the constricted air in his lungs finally escape and was replaced with butterflies waving around his stomach. The cheeky look was back on his face as he gestured to show he was thinking about it.

“There’s a fair out by the beach? Friday night, if you’d like that.”

With a decisive nod, you agreed. “Perfect. I will get you your coffee now, then.”

“Thanks, pumpkin.”

He’s about 20 minutes late to work now, and he couldn’t be happier about it.

masterlist

requested by @cottonlemonade for my event, anything for you <3 this is the last request, thank you to everyone who participated!! and thanks to @dira333 for inspiring the ending<3

[iero]

Every time I mention living alone to my mom, my mom always has to talk about how much she hates that I live alone and always extends an invitation to let me move in with her and her boyfriend and six months ago and before, it was a very hard no and now I'm like... Now I'm considering it to be honest.

Living alone, the number one most negative thing about it is that you’re left to simmer in your own thoughts because it’s just you there and if you’re a Master Overthinker, someone who just gets stressed super easy or you just suffer from classic mental illness? It’s not ideal.

[persevereforahappyending]

A Legacies Secret |2|

Pairing: Tara Carpenter x Reader

Summary: You just wanted a happy life with your girlfriend but then Ghostface attacks, revealing long thought to be buried family secrets.

Warnings: None?

Word Count: 2.9k+

Main Masterlist | Series Masterlist

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15

You let out a sigh, finally clocking out for the night. It had been a busy night. To some it might seem weird for a bar to be so busy during the week but for some reason Woodsboro had a lot of alcoholics. You weren’t complaining though, they tipped pretty well and were the reason you could afford an apartment. If it weren’t for the tips, you would be living out of your car most likely, or more likely, unofficially, living with Tara when her mom wasn’t home, which was often.

After starting your car, you pulled out your phone, opening your messages with Tara. You hadn’t heard from her since your phone call earlier in the night. Tara knew you were at work, but she still had a habit of messaging you throughout your shift. You furrowed your brow, seeing all the messages you sent still showed that they had been delivered but hadn’t been read yet. You had an uneasy feeling, it wasn’t like Tara to not answer you, she always answered. You weren’t trying to panic though.

Y/N: Still good?

Y/N: Did you already fall asleep?

Y/N: Going to be a little later than expected

Y/N: On my way

You sent one last text, trying to calm your nerves. Everything was probably fine. Tara probably called over Amber or one of the others and they just got caught up watching movies. It wouldn’t be the first time you got to her place, and she was still up with one of her friends or all of them, watching movies. Sometimes you got to her place, and you shook your head at the sight of them all passed on the couch, popcorn bowl tipped over and mouths hung open as the movie continued to play.

Tara’s house wasn’t too far from your place of employment but when you turned down the street you were met with flashing lights and police cars lining the street. There were multiple cop cars parked outside of your girlfriend’s house. You slowly drove up, parking on the side of the street as you watched an officer pull out yellow police tape, taping off the front door.

As soon as you were parked you jumped out of the car, and ran across the yard, not caring about any of the police. You were under the first set of caution tape and halfway across the yard when strong arms wrapped around you, holding you back.

“You can’t be here,” a gruff voice said.

“No!” you screamed. “What happened?” you thrashed against the man, trying to get out of his hold.

“This is an active crime scene,” he said again when he finally put you down, on the other side of the yellow tape.

You stared up at the officer. He had his arms crossed, staring you down to make sure you didn’t try and rush past him again. You huffed, glaring at him. Despite knowing you’d fail you still lunged at the man, trying to get around the tape again. He was quick to grab you and keep you from passing.

“What part of active crime scene do you not understand?” he said, clearly irritated.

“What happened?” you asked again. You peered around the officer, your eyes darting all around the house, searching for any signs of Tara.

“Can’t say, it’s an active investigation.”

“Is Tara alright?”

“Kid, go home before I have you arrested.”

“This is my girlfriend’s house! I have to know if she’s alright. Is she okay?” Your breathing was becoming rapid. You weren’t sure if the fact that you couldn’t see Tara anywhere was a good sign or a bad one.

“Don’t make me arrest you.”

You were about to give the officer a piece of your mind when out of the corner of your eye you saw the sheriff. “Sheriff!” you yelled, directing your full attention to her. “Sheriff! Sheriff Hicks!”

“Kid, get out of here,” the officer got in your line of sight again.

“Sheriff!” You ducked under the police tape, avoiding the officers’ arms as he tried to grab you. “Sheriff!”

“Alright, that’s it.” The officer grabbed you, pushing you into the grass as he yanked your arms behind your back, handcuffing you.

“Sheriff Hicks!” you continued to yell as the officer hauled you to your feet and began to drag you to a cop car as you continued to fight against him. “Judy!” you let out in another desperate scream, finally gaining her attention.

Judy was holding a clipboard, talking to another officer when she finally looked up, looking around to see who was yelling her name until her eyes finally landed on you. You didn’t need to be close to know she had let out a deep sigh and if she didn’t roll her eyes, she was definitely holding one in. Judy made her way across the lawn towards you. The officer was trying to push you in a cop car when she finally got over to you.

“It’s okay deputy,” Judy said. “I got this one.”

“Are you sure?” the deputy questioned. “She’s a wild one sheriff.” He narrowed his eyes at you, and you just scoffed at him.

“Yes, go help the others.” Judy watched as the deputy walked off before facing you again. “Turn around.”

“What happened?” you asked as you did as she asked. “Where’s Tara?” You kept trying to turn around, trying to look at Judy as she took the cuffs off your wrists.

“Where have you been?” Judy asked, ignoring your question.

You quickly turned around when you felt the handcuffs leave your wrists. You started rubbing your wrists, though it had only been a moment the jerk of a deputy had put the cuffs on pretty tight. “Is Tara, okay?” you asked again, searching Judy’s face for any clues. Judy was clearly being kinder, but you could tell she was in full on cop mode, something bad definitely happened.

“Where were you earlier tonight?”

She wasn’t answering your questions, she was actively ignoring all your questions actually. “Is she-” your voice cracked, cutting yourself off by trying to contain a sob, your mind immediately going to the worst.

“She’s alive,” Judy said softly, resting a hand on your shoulder.

You relaxed for the first time since pulling up to the house, letting out a relieved sigh. “What happened? Where is she?”

“She was attacked.” Your breathing started to become rapid, your heartbeat was the only thing you could focus on. “Where were you tonight?”

“Where is she? Is she okay?” your eyes darted around the scene, seeing police tape, officers, red and blue flashing lights, the front door wide open. There was no ambulance but there was also no Tara.

“She’s at the hospital. Probably in surgery by now.” You brought a hand to your mouth, trying to contain your sob. Tara was attacked. Tara was attacked bad enough to be rushed to the hospital and in need of surgery. You couldn’t begin to imagine who would ever even want to attack Tara, if this was some sort of break in gone wrong. “I really need you to answer my questions.”

“Can we do it at the hospital?” you asked, needing to be near her even if you couldn’t see her. “Please? Please?” you begged. Judy looked at you and finally gave a sympathetic nod. “Thank you,” you whispered, before following her to her police cruiser.

The ride to the hospital was the longest of your life even though the hospital was only a few minutes away. When you got there, you trailed behind the sheriff, suddenly nervous, terrified of the news you might be walking into. Judy guided you to a seat in the waiting room while she went to the front desk. Your eyes never left the sheriff, watching as she whispered to the nurse. When Judy finished her conversation, she took the seat across from you.

“She’s still in surgery,” Judy whispered softly. You buried your head in your hands. You should have been there. You should have been there with her. You jumped when you felt a hand rest on your knee. “I need to ask you some questions.” Judy rubbed your knee for comfort. “Okay?”

You nodded, lifting your head from your hands. You wiped at your eyes, wiping away the tears before they could begin to fall. You cleared your throat, straightening your back as you prepared for her questions. You knew she had a job to do. You knew she had to ask you questions simply because you were Tara’s girlfriend and that automatically made you a suspect if anything happened. You decided to focus on helping in any way you could and would try not to be offended or defensive about the questions she may have.

“Where were you between 9pm and 10pm?” Judy asked. She leaned back in her chair, pulling out her notepad but never losing her warmth.

“Work,” you rasped out. “I got there at five and was there until I got to Tara’s.”

“Will others be able to confirm this?”

You nodded. “Yeah, in fact my boss yelled at me for talking to Tara. There were customers throughout the night and some that were there my entire shift.”

Judy nodded, writing everything down in her notepad. “You talked to Tara?” her pen froze mid whatever she was writing.

“Yeah.” You scrunched your eyebrows not sure how that was relevant. “She called.”

“What time was that?”

“We were just starting to get busy so…” you tried to think back to just a few hours ago. You hadn’t really looked at the time and now there were a lot more pressing matters on your mind. “Probably just before nine thirty.” Judy sucked in a breath before dropping her eyes back down to her notepad, quickly scribbling down the new information. “Why?”

“What did you talk about?”

You scrunched your eyebrows again. “She was bored, she wanted me to entertain her.” You smiled thinking back to your conversation, back to when everything was normal. “We discussed the future, and I said I would come over when I got off.”

“Nothing was off?”

“Of course not,” you frowned. “Why? What don’t I know?”

Judy cleared her throat, trying to hide any of the emotions she might be feeling. “It seems Tara was texting Amber.” You tilted your head, you might not have liked Amber, but they were best friends, it wasn’t surprising Tara would text her if you couldn’t come over. “Someone cloned Ambers number to make it seem like Tara was talking to her, but they were using it to distract her. At the same time Tara answered an unknown number on the landline.” You blinked a few times, trying to clear your mind, trying to figure out what Judy was saying. “Based on the timeline it was minutes after you got off the phone with her.”

“What?” you whispered, your heart shattering. When you had talked to Tara, she had been okay, she had been safe. Maybe if you had stayed on the phone with her nothing would have happened, maybe you could have helped.

“What are you saying?” you shot to your feet, beginning to pace back and forth. “You’re saying someone toyed with her? Someone planned this?” you gripped your head, trying to make it make sense. “Why would someone do that? Who would do that? Who would want to hurt Tara?” you looked to Judy for answers, tears already threatening to fall.

“Tara was still conscious when my deputies got there,” Judy said slowly, keeping her voice even. “As she was being loaded into the ambulance, she said the person who attacked her was wearing a Ghostface mask.”

Your face paled. You lived in Woodsboro, of course you knew the story of Ghostface. You believe you saw the first movie a long time ago, but they weren’t really your thing, you honestly only watched horror movies when Tara did, and she wasn’t into Stab. You had never read any of the books either, they didn’t appeal to you. You heard the basics of the attacks though; you remembered seeing the 2011 killings on the news, you had been in sixth grade, and it was pretty big gossip at the time.

Despite your lack of knowledge there were two things you knew about Ghostface, two things all of them had in common. The victims of Ghostface were always connected to whoever was Ghostface or connected to his true target. That’s where you were lost, Tara wasn’t connected to anyone from the previous killings. Tara wasn’t connected to Sidney Prescott in anyway and she wasn’t connected to any of the past killers. Tara was chosen as this Ghostface’s first victim though, there had to be a reason.

“That doesn’t make any sense,” you whispered, slumping back down in the chair.

“I’ve only ever been through this once,” Judy said, pocketing her notepad. “From my experience though, I can say that it rarely does. There’s no logic to people like this.”

Before anything else could be said you caught sight of a white lab coat out of the corner of your eye. You shot to your feet again, turning to face the doctor as he approached. Judy followed, standing behind you and giving a comforting rub to your back as you waited for what the doctor had to say.

“How is she?” Judy asked.

“She lost a lot of blood,” the doctor said. “She was stabbed seven times.” You brought a hand to your mouth, trying to hold back the sob. “Once through the hand.” Your tears finally fell. “She also has a broken leg.”

“Will she be, okay?” you managed to ask, trying to control your sobs.

“It’ll take some time. A lot of rehab. But she’ll live.”

You nodded, letting out a shaky breath. Tara was alive and that’s all that mattered. “Can I see her?”

“Are you family?”

You scoffed. “I’m her girlfriend.” You knew it was hospital policy or whatever, but you would lose it if he didn’t let you in to see Tara for yourself.

“I’m sorry, visiting hours are over and only family is allowed to stay the night.”

You opened your mouth to argue with the man but stopped when you felt Judy’s arm leave your back, she stepped forward, so she was almost between you and the doctor. “Her mother is out of town,” Judy said softly. “She’s the closest thing the girl has. Surely you can make an exception doc.” The doctor didn’t look convinced, he looked like he was about to deny Judy as well. “Look, doctor, I get it’s your policy,” she smiled brightly. “But if you don’t let her into that room, she will be sleeping in your waiting room and harassing the nurses until she can get in.”

The doctor narrowed his eyes at Judy, but she just smiled sweetly at him. The doctor glanced at you, and you could only shrug and nod your head. It was true, you wouldn’t leave the hospital and you wouldn’t sleep until you could see Tara, therefore you would spend time annoying the nurses who probably had better things to do than listening to you.

“Fine,” the doctor said begrudgingly. “I’ll show you to her room.”

“Thank you,” you whispered to Judy.

Judy smiled, giving a small nod in return. “I have a deputy on the way, they’ll be outside Tara’s room until this bastard is caught.” You nodded, knowing that the guy who attacked Tara was still out there and would most likely come back, most Ghostface’s didn’t like when their victims lived. “I know I probably don’t have to say this but, don’t leave town.”

“Don’t worry,” you said. “I don’t intend to leave Tara’s side.”

“I figured,” Judy smiled at you, before taking her a seat again. “I’ll be right here until the deputy arrives.”

You gave her one last nod before following the doctor to Tara’s room. You knew she was alive, and you knew of her injuries, but your leg bounced the entire elevator ride. The doctor didn’t say anything as he led you through the empty halls until he finally came to a stop. He gestured to the door, and you whispered a small thank you to him as you rested your hand on the handle. You took a deep breath before pushing down on the handle and entered the room, quietly closing the door behind you.

Your eyes instantly filled with tears again as you saw the state of Tara. She was asleep, lying in the hospital bed. Her right leg was in a large boot and her left hand was all wrapped up; she even had an oxygen tube in her nose. You slowly moved to her bedside, looking down at your girlfriend, noticing how small she looked in the hospital bed.

You rested a hand on top of her head, running your fingers through her hair as you bent down giving her forehead a kiss. “I’m sorry,” you whispered into her hair. “I’m so sorry.”

You quickly wiped away your tears, making your way around to the other side of her bed. You took a seat, moving it closer to her bedside. You were on the side with her injured hand, meaning as much as you wanted to, you couldn’t hold it as you waited for her to wake up, but this side was the only side that gave you a full visual of the door. Tara already got attacked once when you weren’t with her, you wouldn’t let that happen again.

[lesbojournals]

Hi Liz! I’ve just read your poly!marauders pregnancy fic and I love it! Your reading is stunning!

I’m here with a special request… I was wondering if you could write a poly!marauders x fem!reader where reader is acting weird and distant and the boys are worried and at the end she was hiding a huge secret, a pregnancy. She was scared they wouldn’t want a baby but they all ended up really happy about it? Just some slight angst with happy ending. ❤️

a/n: hi anon! i did put a little bit of my own twist to this, hope that's okay!

Poly!Marauders x Pregnant!Reader

It had only been two days. In fact, it was only the beginning of the second day. 

One full day and some hours since you found out you were pregnant.

One full day and some hours since you started ignoring your boys.

What else were you to do? It was a complete surprise. You'd never even discussed having a baby together, let alone if they even want children.

After taking your pregnancy test, you bolted out of your shared flat with no explanation, driving yourself to the beach so you could have a long cry.

Each boy texted you separately and called you separately, various times. You ignored every call.

I'll be home soon. Staying at my parents for the night. is what you texted in your shared chat. 

You weren't lying…yet. Just withholding information.

As you had driven up to your parents house you felt the tears all ready to burst. The shocked look on your mom’s face when you were at the door was enough for her to bring you in and comfort whatever you were going through. You had told her your secret, and she admitted the boys reached out to her in concern. You fell asleep on your parents’ couch in distress.

One day and a few hours is when you woke up. You scrolled through your phone. Missed texts from Remus, missed calls from Sirius, voicemails from James. 

“You're going to have to tell them, you know.” Your mom entered the living room with a cup of tea for you. 

You gratefully took it and sat up, shaking your head. Your hand went to your stomach without thinking. 

“I know,” You said, starting to feel worked up again. “I know.”

It was an hour or so later of your mom giving you the confidence to tell your boyfriends that led you to dial Remus’ number. 

“Honey?! Oh, my love, are you okay?!”

“Is that her??”

“Give me the phone!!”

The voices of your boyfriends rang through the speaker, and you sighed with a shaky voice. 

“Can you guys meet me at the beach? We need to talk.”

It was James that broke the silence that took place after you spoke. 

“Yea, of course darling. Be there in 10?”

You felt tears dripping down your face. “Mm-hm. Love you. Bye.”

Three “Love you”s chorused through the phone. You hung up quickly and held your face in your hands as you cried. Your mom rubbed your back encouragingly.

“Love, it'll go okay. And if it doesn't I'll be right here for you.”

That brought you to arriving at the beach. Your mom drove you because of how emotionally distressed you were, not being able to control your tears. 

You saw James’ car in the lot and took a deep breath as you rubbed your eyes. 

“You got this sweet pea.” Your mom gave you a shoulder squeeze.

You hesitantly exited the car and watched as the boys did the same. 

They looked broken. Remus was unusually dressed in sweats and one of Sirius’ shirts and looked like he hadn't slept. James eyes were bloodshot and cheeks pink. Sirius, on the other hand, had a dangerous look on his face, borderline between looking like he'd scream or cry.

“Where have you been?!” He came off intimidating, eyes glossy. You flinched at his tone, leading Remus to step in front of him.

He grabbed your hands. “Dovey, why did you leave?”

You looked up at his hazel eyes, noticing James holding Sirius in a side hug behind Remus. 

“I…I…” Your voice cracked and you felt hot tears slide down your cheeks. 

Remus rubbed your hands gently with his thumbs. 

You let out a desperate cry and looked down at the ground. “I'm pregnant. I’m keeping it.”

With that Remus let go of your hands, and you felt your world collapse. You started to cry harder, about to bring your arms around your body to hug yourself before a body slammed into yours, grasping you tightly.

“Oh, love…” Sirius spoke into your neck. 

You looked up in shock at James and Remus, both looking utterly surprised. 

James stuttered as he spoke. “I, you, we are going to have a baby?”

“You guys are staying with me?” You asked, uncertain.

Sirius whipped from the crook of your neck to grab your face with both of his hands. 

“Is that what you thought dolly? That we wouldn't stay with you!!” He almost seemed hysteric at the thought.

You shrugged. 

“Oh sweetheart…” Remus spoke quiet. 

Before you knew it Remus and James both joined you in your hug, holding onto you tightly.

James was the one who broke it apart. “I just, I can't believe it.”

He grabbed your shoulders and gave them a gentle shake. “We’re going to be parents!!”

You blinked and James had you up in the air, swinging you around in a circle as Remus fretted and Sirius laughed. “We’re gonna be parents!!!”

[luveline]

as a kid i was so scared of my parents splitting up, what if roan learns someone in her class’ parents are divorcing and it sends her spiralling thinking she’d never see reader again?

thank you jade 💛

thank you for requesting lovely ♡ eddie and roan (almost) stepmom!reader, 2k

"Yeah, I got the expensive kind," you're saying, phone sandwiched between your ear and your shoulder, a knife held loosely in your hand. "I don't wanna make it wrong." 

Roan can vaguely hear the rumble of her Uncle's voice on the other side giving reassurances. 

You scrape the blade of the knife against the cutting board. "I know. I know, Wayne, I swear, just… I hardly ever make him dinner and this is our last anniversary before we get married, and– I know. Sorry, that's– I know, you don't mind, it's just–" 

Roan attaches herself to your hip like an octopus, looking up at you as you look down. You smile at her, putting your knife flat to stroke her hair. 

"She's right here," you say, "she's helping me… okay. Thanks, Wayne, you're the best. See you tomorrow. Alright, I will. Bye." 

You put your hand behind Roan's shoulder and walk her with you to the phone. As soon as you've hung it back on the hook, you scoop her up to hold against your chest, even if she's getting longer and longer every day. "Hey, babe. Uncle Wayne says he loves you and he missed you today. He wants to make you dinner tomorrow, so we'll find your nice blue dress tonight and put it in the wash." 

Roan flops her face against your neck. "I love him too." 

"He knows." You press your cheek to hers briefly. "Okay, you wanna sit on the top with me and I'll finish making today's dinner?" 

Roan's happy to sit on the counter and swing her legs as you finish making the pot pie. It's one of Eddie's favourites because his mom used to make it a couple of times a month, and so it's one of Roan's favourites, her lips quirked with excitement as you chop onions, carrots and celery into small pieces for the frying pan. 

"I love the carrots," she says. 

"Yeah?" You uncap the cooking oil to pour a generous splash into the pan. "Want me to put extra in? I don't mind." 

Roan nods enthusiastically. "Yes!" 

She's happy watching you cook at first, but she gets quieter as you finish up. By the time the pie is in the oven she's picking at her little nails, shards of polish in her lap like powdered sugar. 

"You okay?" you ask, wiping your hands clean. She shrugs. You shrug back. "What's that mean?" 

"I'm thinking." 

"Yeah?" 

"Yeah." Roan pokes her toes into your thigh. 

"Well, daddy's home soon, but you know you can tell me." 

"Mm," she hums, holding out her hand. You don't take it, folding her into your arms for a hug instead. 

It would usually make her feel better, but Roan feels ten times worse as you soften your tone to a less cheerful murmur, "Got another tummy ache?" 

"Not that." 

"What is it?" you ask. 

She hides her face in your shoulder, pert nose to your soft shirt. 

"You don't have to tell me," you whisper. "Sorry. I'm not trying to pressure you, I promise, I just love you." You turn saccharine again, patting her back as you dote excitedly into the top of her head. "Love you love you love you!" You punctuate with a kiss, and Roan starts crying. 

—

Eddie's startled but not too worried to get home to the sound of Roan crying. She certainly cries less and less now that she's getting older, but children cry so often that he doesn't think it's worth panicking over. 

He can hear you already on the case as he peels out of his sweaty coat and boots. "That's not going to happen," you comfort, voice bouncing off of kitchen tile, the hum of the oven like a baseboard. "It's hard to believe me, but it won't. Me and daddy are super happy." 

His eyebrows rise of their own accord. "Hello?" he asks, moving down the hallway and into your bright kitchen. 

Roan sits in the shadow of a corner cabinet, hunched over her knees with her face held up by defeated hands, tears wetting her rosy cheeks. You stand in front of her with your hand on shoulder, bent to her eye-level, glancing sideways at him momentarily before you say, "Look, dad's home. He's gonna say the exact same thing as me, I swear. Should we ask him?" 

Eddie takes the mantle by your side, quick to rub the tears from Roan's cheek with his pinky. His hands aren't clean enough for anything more. "What's wrong?" he asks. 

"Nothing," Roan says, her voice strangled by a big sob. 

"Babe!" Eddie laughs, half-hearted. "I can see something's super wrong. I might be a dumb boy, but I know when my girl's upset, don't I?" 

"You're not a dumb boy," Roan says. 

"Oh. Thank you, Ro." 

"You're a dumb man." 

"Very funny." He combs unruly coils of dark hair behind her ear, finger following down the curve to her shoulder. "Quick, tell me what's wrong. Just tell me. Rip it off like a bandaid." 

"It's silly," Roan murmurs. 

"Says who?" 

"Says me." 

"Oh," Eddie says, giving you a look to make sure it's alright before he monopolises her attention. You raise your hands with a small smile, as if to say, Please. "Come here, me. I'm gonna have to squeeze this out of you, huh?"

He leans back, shifting her weight against his hip, arm stretched over the breadth of her back. He's not smug, but it does bring a satisfaction to see how swiftly she calms down once he's holding her. It's a familiar picture, Eddie with his lips to her forehead, a crease between his brow just like Uncle Wayne's as he rubs her back, and Roan, a mirror image of her father, palpable relief in her hands as they tangle in his hair. Less familiar but getting there is you at their side, your cheek on Eddie's shoulder and your hand on his elbow.

"What's it gonna take to let me in on the secret?" he asks. He's making a spoiled child accidentally, always bribing and bartering for good behaviour. 

"Nothing…" Her mumbling tickles his cheek as she shifts around. "I'm worry‐ing," —her voice skips over the word, like a hiccup— "about something because of Stacy." 

"Oh yeah? What did Stacy do?" 

"She said her mom, um, her mom said she's getting a divorce. That Stacy won't see her dad again, and it'll just be her and her mom." 

Eddie doesn't judge people much. He can't imagine caring about other people's divorces when Roan was born from a fling and pretty much left on his doorstep —circumstances don't determine your kid's happiness alone. He does worry for Stacy, and his poor empathetic little girl. 

"That's terrible, bubby," Eddie placates, patting her back. 

"It's– well, it's– I'm…" Roan huffs. 

"Whatever you tell me is fine, promise. No grounding, no telling off."

"I know, daddy, it's just hard to say." 

Eddie feels himself physically melt. 

He leans back against the kitchen counter and shifts her against his stomach. His arms burn with the effort of keeping her secured to him, and he's not loving her sad tone —the quicker he finds out what's wrong, the better. He peeks over her head at you for hints. 

You're uncomfortable, shifting from one foot to the other like your feet hurt. 

"What?" he asks you. 

You clear your throat. "I think she's worried about me. If something happened between us, she's worried she won't see me again." 

Eddie would like to think after two years of loving his daughter, watching her grow, and all together being a cherished and irreplaceable part of her life and her support system, that you'd find it impossible to leave her. Even if you left Eddie, you wouldn't leave Ro. He knows that. But only two years… he knows you'd love Roan even if he screws things up, but he can't promise her that things would be the same, because they wouldn't be. 

That's not what she's asking, though.

"What, you think you won't see Y/N anymore?' Eddie murmurs, rubbing her back. 

"She's not my full mom," Roan whispers. 

Eddie reaches past Roan to squeeze your elbow. "You know, that doesn't matter, honey. And after the wedding–" 

"You call me mom for a reason, right?" you cut him off. 

Roan lifts her head from Eddie's. "Yeah." 

"Okay, so, say me and dad get married, and then by some impossibility we realise we can't stay married, will you love me less?" 

"No," Roan says with a pout. 

"I wouldn't love you any less, either. I didn't know I could love someone this much 'til I met you," you say, voice scratchy like you're talking past gravel. "So things would change, but not how much I love you. I'd still see you." 

You sound tentative. Eddie's way less hesitant. "Of course you'd still see each other. Babe, if me and mom break up it'll be because I did something stupid, so you'd see her every time I tried to apologise." He grins at you. "How long do you think it would take you to forgive me?" 

"Depends on what you did." You smile fondly. "Probably not long, Munson." 

"I have a weird feeling we're gonna last." 

Roan sniffles. "I just don't want mom to move away," she says. 

You and Eddie have already spoken about this. Serious but not sombre, on your backs in bed. You're not just marrying me, Eddie'd said, terrified of how much he wanted you to say certain things, and how you might not say them at all. This isn't just a promise to me. I know how much I'm asking from you, it's not a small thing. I won't blame you if you can't say yes, but this is… she's my world. 

I already said yes. And I knew what I was saying yes to, you'd replied, holding your hand up above you, the two of you staring in wonder at the ring on your marriage finger. I promise, Eds. I won't let either of you down. 

"Where do you think I'm going, princess? Me and dad are so happy. I'm staying right here stuck to his hip for the rest of time, but only if you're gonna stick to mine." You duck your head to touch your noses together briefly. "I'm not going anywhere." 

"Promise?" 

"Promise you." He swears you're twisting your engagement ring, but he can't quite see. "Can I have her?" you ask. 

"Sure. My noodle arms are about to snap anyway." 

"Noodle arms," you repeat, stealing Ro from him smoothly. "Yeah, right." 

He flexes appreciatively at your comment. 

Roan snuggles up to your neck, little face in the curve of it, her arms curling around you. You hold her tight and bend back under her weight, an arm against her thighs and another behind the small of her back, hand twisted up to brush her curls. 

"Love you," you say softly. You're smiling like you've got everything you ever wanted. "Maybe if me and daddy break up I can just take you with me." 

"Yeah!" Roan says with a gasp. 

Eddie rolls his eyes. "Whatever, girls. Neither of you can cook, you know that? Maybe tonight you guys can practise your new life together by not eating the dinner I'm gonna cook." Time to lighten the mood, lest Roan spend a special night lethargic. 

You beam at him. "I already made dinner. Happy anniversary, handsome." 

You exchanged gifts and kisses already that morning before work, but Eddie's happy to accept another quick kiss over Ro's shoulder. He dots one on his daughter's cheek to keep things fair. 

"Lucky us, huh?" he says to Ro. 

He's not strictly talking about dinner, and it's cheesy, but you light up like a Christmas tree. "Lucky me." 

[anonymousewrites]

A Not-So-Disastrous Romance (Book 2) Chapter Twelve

Saiki Kusuo x Reader

Chapter Twelve: Family

Summary: (Y/N) and Saiki end up on a family trip, and (Y/N) meets all the Saikis.

            “Are you and (Y/N) almost done with your homework, Kuu?” said Mrs. Saiki, smiling at her son and his partner as they sat in the living room and worked. She was so happy the two were dating and loved doting on her child-in-law (Saiki’s face had almost broken its usual blank expression and turned red the first time Mrs. Saiki had thought of (Y/N) as an in-law. Now he was desensitized).

            “Yeah,” said Saiki.

            “Oh, good, we have to get on the road soon,” said Mrs. Saiki.

            “What’s going on?” asked (Y/N) curiously.

            “We’re visiting my parents in the country,” said Mrs. Saiki, smiling.

            “Just a weekend trip, but it’s been a while since we’ve seen them,” said Mr. Saiki. “They’re probably dying to see us.”

            “Mom and I, maybe,” said Saiki. “My grandpa doesn’t like my dad.”

            (Y/N) chuckled slightly as Mr. Saiki’s head drooped in disappointment.

            “What are you up to this weekend, (Y/N)?” said Mrs. Saiki.

            “Nothing much,” said (Y/N). “My parents are on a work trip, so I’ll just hang out at home.”

            “On your own?” said Mrs. Saiki, face falling.

            “I’m used to it,” said (Y/N), smiling.

            They are too forgiving, thought Saiki. He really had no idea how such serious parents who never had any fun managed to create such a cheerful, selfless person like (Y/N).

            “I have a wonderful idea,” said Mrs. Saiki, brightening. “Why don’t you come with us?”

            “I don’t want to interrupt a family visit,” said (Y/N), waving their hands.

            “You are all going to bother them.” And me for having a relationship, thought Saiki. He was against it.

            “No, no, we’re going to a festival in my hometown,” said Mrs. Saiki, waving her hand with a smile. “So it’s not just family, it’s fun. Come along, I insist.”

            “I really don’t want to intrude,” said (Y/N), though they did like the idea.

            “You’re part of the family! Right, Kuniharu?” said Mrs. Saiki, smiling at Mr. Saiki.

            “Right!” Mr. Saiki gave a thumbs up. “You’re Kuu’s partner, so you’re welcome to join.”

            “Kusuo, if you’re uncomfortable, I won’t go,” said (Y/N), looking at him.

            “You’re more tolerable than most of my family,” said Saiki.

            “Hey!” cried Mr. Saiki.

            “You’ll definitely get bothered,” said Saiki.

            “Your family doesn’t bother me,” said (Y/N), smiling.

            “Then it’s decided!” said Mrs. Saiki. “You’re coming with us.”

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            “This is my childhood home,” said Mrs. Saiki, smiling.

            “It’s cute,” said (Y/N), nodding.

            “I’ll call to let them know we’re here,” said Mr. Saiki, pulling out his phone. It rang, and he smiled. “Hey, Dad, I—” He frowned. “The line disconnected.”

            “He hung up,” said Saiki to (Y/N). “Grandpa is a tsundere, but he really doesn’t like my Dad.”

            “Sounds like someone I know,” said (Y/N) with a teasing smile. Saiki deadpanned, and (Y/N) chuckled.

            “We’ll just go up to the door,” said Mrs. Saiki cheerfully.

            She led the way towards the house, and as they walked from the bus station, a car drove by at record-breaking speeds. Saiki paused and looked back.

            “What’s wrong, Kusuo?” asked Mr. Saiki.

            “I thought I heard my name being called from that car,” said Saiki.

            “Kuniharu!” Grandma Saiki came outside upon hearing their voices. “Were you just talking to my husband?”

            Mr. Saiki frowned. “What? I did call, but it got disconnected.”

            “Oh.” Grandma Saiki’s face fell into concern. “He just drove off after talking with Kusuo on the phone. Wait—”

            “Yare yare.” He had just arrived, and already Saiki was dealing with problems. He teleported away.

            “Oh, good, he’ll bring your father back,” said Grandma Saiki, smiling and greeting her daughter. She noticed (Y/N). “Who’s this?” Her eyes widened. “They saw Kusuo teleport!”

            “It’s fine, I know,” said (Y/N), smiling. “I’m (L/N) (Y/N).”

            “They’re Kuu’s significant other,” said Mrs. Saiki. “Aren’t they adorable?”

            “Kusuo’s dating? How wonderful,” said Grandma Saiki. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, (Y/N). Call me Grandma.” The Saikis were a very welcoming family (if they weren’t tsunderes, that was).

            “Thank you,” said (Y/N), smiling.

            “They’re so sweet,” said Mrs. Saiki. “And a great baker.”

            “We can always use more.” Grandma Saiki chuckled. “What with all the sweet tooths in our family.”

            “That’s how I bribe Kusuo to do things with me,” said (Y/N), laughing.

            “They know him so well,” said Grandma Saiki, as happy as could be that Saiki had such a friendly and kind partner. “Come in, come in, let me grab you all food. We have so much to catch up on!”

            “I see the car with your dad and Kusuo coming up the road,” said Mr. Saiki.

            “Good, he found him,” said Mrs. Saiki.

            The car parked, and Saiki stepped out. He looked especially annoyed, and (Y/N) was about to ask what was wrong when his grandfather got out of the car.

            “Oh! It’s you!” (Y/N) grinned.

            Yare yare, I forgot they’d met on accident, thought Saiki.

            “You’re the student who helped me buy sweets for my grandson,” said Grandpa Saiki, looking at them. “What are you doing here?”

            “Dad, this is Kuu’s significant other,” said Mrs. Saiki proudly.

            “She’s going to tell everyone, isn’t she?” said Saiki.

            (Y/N) laughed. “It’s sweet.” They smiled at Grandpa Saiki. “It’s nice to officially meet you. What a coincidence—I thought you had described someone like Kusuo.”

            This is Kusuo’s partner? My grandson is already dating? Oh, he’s bringing more people into the family! I’m not ready! They’re nice! I don’t deserve to see my grandson this happy! He’s growing up so fast! Internally, Grandpa Saiki was crying with joy. “Welcome,” was all Grandpa said.

            Saiki sighed. At least they all like (Y/N). Not that anyone could dislike them. That would be inconceivable.

            Aha, so Saiki got his tsundere tendencies genetically, thought (Y/N), amused.

            “Isn’t anyone going to say hello to me?” A third person got out of the car—this one also familiar. “Long time no see! Kusuke is home!”

            “Kusuke! What are you doing here?” asked Mr. Saiki, delighted to see his older son.

            “Ku! You came!” said Mrs. Saiki.

            “I was missing my family,” said Kusuke.

            “You’ve grown to be so handsome,” said Grandma Saiki.

            “You’re still pretty, Grandma,” said Kusuke.

            “Oh, you! Stop!”

            “I wouldn’t have come if I knew he was coming,” said Saiki. “I would have stayed home with you.”

            “That’s sweet,” said (Y/N), smiling.

            “Oh, what’s this, Kusuo?” Kusuke grinned. “You brought your friend to a family trip?” Saiki just glared.

            “Their Kuu’s partner!” said Mrs. Saiki. She was really excited to tell people—she really liked (Y/N).

            “You actually confessed?” Kusuke sighed. “I had been looking forward to blackmailing you some more.”

            “Huh?” (Y/N) tilted their head and blinked.

            “Ignore him,” said Saiki.

            “I told him I’d tell you about his crush on you if he didn’t play my game in London,” said Kusuke. “It worked like a charm! I really am disappointed he doesn’t have that weakness still. I’ll have to find another one.”

            “Is it that important?” (Y/N) blinked.

            “No,” said Saiki. He could deal with most of his family meeting (Y/N), and Kusuke technically already had, but Saiki had hoped to avoid Kusuke being around his partner for as long as possible—he’d only try to find a way to use Saiki’s relationship against him.

            “The last thing I need is more people in the house,” grumbled Grandpa Saiki, his usual gruffness taking over as he stepped into the house.

            “Tell Kusuke to leave,” said Saiki instantly.

            “We can put up with him for the weekend,” said (Y/N). They smiled. “I’m here with you.”

            Saiki softened slightly. That made it better. Then, he saw Kusuke smirking and went back to glaring.

            Kusuke shrugged. “There’s nowhere else for me to go, so I’m staying.”

            “Good!” said Grandma Saiki. “Then we can all have dinner together. Come in, come in!” She ushered everyone inside. “Everyone is here, so I pulled out all the stops.”

            Everyone sat down, and Grandma Saiki smiled, pleased. Together, the group put their hands together in front of the food.

            “Thanks for the food!” said everyone.

            “I haven’t had Japanese food for a while,” said Kusuke, smiling as he dug in.

            “This tastes delicious, Mrs. Saiki,” said (Y/N) to Grandma Saiki.

            “I told you to call me Grandma,” said Grandma Saiki. She grinned at her husband. “Isn’t it nice to have so many for dinner, honey?”

            I’m so happy. If this is my last supper, I have no regrets. “Mm.” Grandpa Saiki just grunted.

            “The fish is so good,” said (Y/N), smiling. Saiki quietly handed them a bit of his.

            I caught it myself! thought Grandpa Saiki. Eat up! Eat lots!

            “It’s yummy!” said Mr. Saiki.

            Not you! Stop eating!

            “I brought you a souvenir from London, Grandma,” said Kusuke, giving Grandma Saiki a box.

            She opened it and exclaimed in surprise. “They’re so cute!” It was a pair of heels with little pink blows. “I love them! They were featured in Seventeen!” She hugged Kusuke. “Thank you!”

            Saiki deadpanned. “You read Seventeen?”

            “Everyone has hobbies,” said (Y/N), shrugging.

            “I got you a present, too, Grandpa,” said Kusuke.

            My turn! thought Grandpa Saiki joyfully.

            “Anyway, why did you come back, Kusuke?” asked Mr. Saiki. “You didn’t even call.”

            Not now!

            “I don’t have school and figured it was time to visit home,” said Kusuke. “When I heard you were coming here, I thought I’d join.”

            “You were in England for a long time, weren’t you?” said (Y/N), attempting to be friendly.

            “Six years and ninety-five days,” said Kusuke. He tapped his anti-telepathy headband. “It took me a long time to finish this.”

            “He’s going to be frustrated when he finds out about germanium,” whispered (Y/N), touching their earrings subconsciously.

            “Maybe it would finally humble him,” said Saiki.

            “As I was saying, I have a souvenir for Grandpa,” said Kusuke, walking to his suitcase and opening it.

            “Why don’t we go to the festival?” said Grandma Saiki.

            Shut up! thought Grandpa Saiki.

            “What is the festival?” asked (Y/N) curiously.

            “We went there when Kuu and Kusuke were little,” said Mrs. Saiki, remembering the event fondly. “I’d love to go again.”

            “Are you going, Kusuo?” asked Kusuke.

            “I won’t go if you go, and I’ll go if you don’t,” said Saiki plainly.

            “You don’t think your partner wants to go?” said Kusuke impishly.

            Saiki looked at (Y/N). They smiled apologetically.

            “It does sound kind of fun,” admitted (Y/N).

            Saiki let out a sigh. He couldn’t deny them anything. “I’ll go.”

            “We’ll all go together!” said Grandma Saiki. “You’ll drive us there, won’t you, dear?”

            Go to a festival with my grandsons?! Grandpa Saiki’s imagination exploded at the idea of how cute Kusuke and Saiki would look in yukatas.

            Saiki rolled his eyes at the weird fantasy. He didn’t get it.

            A picture of (Y/N) in a yukata popped into his head.

            Oh, wow. Saiki understood the appeal. He always thought (Y/N) looked nice, but a yukata would look even better than usual. And this can be a nice date.

            “Oh, no!” said Grandma Saiki. “Our car only seats five people. Two people need to stay behind.”

            “I can drive, then,” said Mr. Saiki.

            “You don’t have to come then, dear,” said Grandma Saiki to Grandpa Saiki.

            Grandpa Saiki froze, and all his thoughts went to the blue screen of death.

            “I can stay behind to give you guys a chance to catch up as family,” said (Y/N), smiling.

            “No.” (Y/N) made going worth it.

            “Nonsense!” said Mrs. Saiki, smiling. “We can’t split up the couple! You two are young, you deserve a date.”

            “We can leave Kusuke,” said Saiki. He saw no problem with that.

            “Kusuo,” scolded Mrs. Saiki.

            “How about this?” said Kusuke, smiling. “People can sit on each other’s laps. If Grandpa drives, Mom and Dad can share a seat, and Kusuo and (L/N) can.”

            Mr. and Mrs. Saiki blushed and immediately began rambling about how it “could be nice but they didn’t know and only if the other was alright with it” (they were eternally in the honeymoon stage of their relationship).

            Red blossomed across (Y/N) and Saiki’s cheeks. They were both asexual, so that wasn’t even a thought in their mind, but, still, the idea of such PDA was flustering, to say the least. The most they’d done is kissed and held hands—and cuddled once in bed, but even that had some separation. Sitting on one another’s lap was a huge step up.

            “That seems unsafe,” said Mrs. Saiki, frowning.

            “That’s true,” chirped Kusuke. He just wanted to get a rise out of Saiki.

            “Can’t Kusuo meet us there? You know, teleport?” said Mr. Saiki.

            “He just won’t come,” said Kusuke.

            “Oh, honey!” Grandma Saiki’s eyes widened as Grandpa Saiki collapsed, overheated, from all the joy that spending time with his grandsons would cause him.

            “Let’s get him to his room,” said Mrs. Saiki worriedly.

            Saiki sighed and levitated his grandpa into his bedroom, laying him down.

            “It seems he fainted from all the excitement,” said Mrs. Saiki.

            “He just needs some rest,” assured Grandma Saiki.

            “I wonder what Grandpa was so excited about,” said Kusuke “innocently.” “But now we only need to squeeze in one extra person.”

            “You’re horrible.” Saiki knew Kusuke had brought the whole idea up to fluster him and put Grandpa Saiki out of commission.

            “Kusuo, will you teleport and meet us at the festival?” asked (Y/N).

            “He’ll just skip out,” said Kusuke.

            “I’ll see you there,” said Saiki (partly to spite Kusuke and completely to agree with his partner).

            “I’m picking out yukatas for everyone!” said Mrs. Saiki instantly.

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