#Love's a burning fire series

[rock-n-macabre]

Request don’t mind if I do 😂

I was thinking of prequel to your previous fic I wanna see how this sex deviant couple acted in the beginning and middle events of the movie and around Caleb I think it’ll be funny 😭

Thanks so much for the request, love!!

Wrote this from the POV of if he had a mate during the movie. Prequel to the events in the Love's A Burning Fire series ✨ kinda a bit of random-ness, but with the cute and chaotic dynamics of the duo! Hope this doesn't disappoint 💋✨

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"Severen! Will you stop your bellyaching?! You just had your fill and then some!"

I roll my eyes as Severen is pestering Jesse to stop for a quick bite.

You know...as if he didn't just go through a multi course feed of people. Oh! Not to mention he polished off the leftovers of the others.

" 'm a growin' boy, darlin'! Yer gunna stunt my growth!" He groaned, laying it on thick to earn sympathy.

Jesse pulled the RV over to pick up Mae who was cutting it pretty close to being caught in the sunlight. Diamondback gave her a warning of the repercussions of being negligent of the timing of things. Mae simply nodded and kept to herself. Yeah sure the girl was pretty quiet, but way more so than normal. I wonder what got into her.

I get shoved out of the way by an excited Severen as he points out a stumbling figure in the distance and tells Jesse to pull in close to pick up the seemed to be wounded individual for a quick bite. Easy pickins and to quiet Severen's bellyaching?

You bet Jesse was on that quicker than flies on shit.

Severen wrapped the thick blanket around himself as he opened the side door to scoop the unsuspecting figure into the RV, before dropping the boy onto the floor like a sack of potatoes.

Severen swooped on that boy like a vulture and was getting ready to play with his food before Mae intervened. The level of shock amidst the clan was quite something. Normally it was a consensus among the group before one got brought into clan as a mate. Just like with Homer did before he brought Mae in. Severen? Well.... No one wants to argue with him, even though he did get an earful after turning me. But....it went in through one ear and out through the other. What Severen wants, he gets.

That being said, Severen was hungry. The fact that it was decided upon the newcomer would be spared AND without the consultation of the clan. That didn't sit well at all with him. This new guy certainly didn't give proper the vibes of having proper survival traits or anything to offer the clan.

He was useless.

And he was gonna let everyone know it one way or another.

If the fact he didn't get his snack was enough to rile him up, seeing the new guy plop his ass down in mine and Severen's sleeping spot had Severen seething. I was honestly surprised he didn't throw the boy out then and there. I followed Severen to the little dining area where he lounged back after removing his jacket. I crawled onto the table to lay down and was pulled down on top of Severen who looked at me with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Now, now....it's time to get shut eye there, mister..." I whisper as I lean in. Severen ran his hands up my sides before resting them on my hips and lazily tracing his thumbs on them.

"Can't sleep....." He grumbled.

I rolled my eyes before gently running my hands down his chest.

"Probably because someone got himself all wound up."

Severen let out a scoff.

"Darlin'.... I need somethin' ta satiate my hunger.."

I raise an eyebrow and smirk. He sure knows how to get what he wants. Albeit sometimes in a petulant child sort of way.

"Is that so?...." I whisper as I lean in and he nuzzles at my neck.

I move my hair out of the way, over to one side.Without hesitation he takes a bite - well, what I believe would be gentle in his eyes - and begins sucking on my neck. Sounds of pleasure murmur from him as he laps at the blood. I gently hold his head there as he feeds and he lets borderline sexual moans as he does so. I won't lie, it definitely stirs feelings within me as well between the sensation of the act and hearing his sounds. I feel his leather pants straining at the crotch against me as he slowly grinds his hips against mine and realize that the feeling was definitely reciprocated.

He pulls away eventually as to not drain me dry. I give a small whimper and nuzzle against him as he pulls me to sleep on his chest. Not shortly after, snores were erupting from him and a small strand of drool is escaping the corner of his mouth. I give a small smile and gently rub his chest before I drift off myself.

Hours later as the sun begins to set, I feel Severen start to stir underneath me. I place lazy kisses along his jawline which earns a happy sound in his throat and I grin. I go to stretch and get up , wrapping Severen's jacket around my shoulders, when I hear a grunt of discomfort come from him. Jesse, Diamondback and Homer are all trying to discuss with Mae about the risks of bringing Caleb unwillingly onboard and she just won't take no for an answer.

Severen grumbles before interjecting into the conversation. Voicing his disdain for the newcomer , and blaming him wholeheartedly for why he now is sore from sleeping in the booth. Homer chimes in as well about the negative impact Caleb is having on the clan already. Severen, being still grumpy, can't help but prod Homer during his rant. I shoot Severen a look, putting my finger against my lips to shush him. It's hard enough with Homer's theatrics, we didn't need Severen to push his buttons any further.

It is decided by Jesse to give Caleb a chance. I swear I could see a vein twitch on Severen at the news. Immediately he went over to Caleb and decided to break the news to him in Severen's not-so-subtle way. I couldn't help but smile as Severen went to assert dominance upon the newcomer. Jesse then mentions to Severen that they need to get a new ride and ditch the RV. It was also a way to take Severen's mind off of things and cool down a bit by causing debauchery.

I giggle and let out a shriek as he gives me a piggyback to the car lot. He eyes different vehicles and we notice a motorcycle in the lot as well. We both turn to look at each other for a moment before giving a small shrug. Maybe later on we'd get some alone time to take a joy ride on a motorcycle. Should one trust him with a motorcycle? Not really. But then again...do I have a decent moral compass?

Eventually he hotwires a car to steal and take back for the clan to all pile into. I scooch close to him in the seat during the drive.

"Darlin'...how 'bout we park this thing and.....decompress?..." He gives me his trademark smirk.

"Sev ...later. 'sides...ya still need to eat. Can't have ya runnin' low on me. Speaking of, we need to hit up a gas station pronto." I give a small laugh. He groans and flicks his cigarette out the window as he pulls in to the gas station to fuel up and Jesse keeps driving the RV to a desolate area.

When we meet up with the others who've already began the ceremony of igniting the RV, Severen can't contain himself as he readies his pistol and fires a few rounds to add more fuel to the fire. I wince as I hear him begin to reminisce about the Chicago Fire that him and Jesse had started.

"Severen....honey...I know you're bitter that the textbooks didn't give you credit for the damn fire. But......WE KNOW. Keep it up and you'll be off of pyro duties." I laugh and poke him playfully. He feigns sadness before chuckling himself and pulling me into his side and we head on our way.

I grin as Severen and I sit together in the car and I rest my head on his shoulder. It's all pretty quiet until he starts to try to cup a feel and dips his head to nip at me. I squeak and push him away as Homer looks like he's about to erupt. Severen just smirks at Homer and pretends to look out the window.Out of nowhere, Severen hauled off and punches Homer with a loud THWACK! Earning a screech from Homer before he whips around to look at Severen.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?!" Homer shouts, while pummeling Severen's arm with fists of fury. This earns a snort from Severen.

"Punch buggy. No punch backs, lil boner." He gives Homer a smug grin. Diamondback turns around and scolds the two of them, meanwhile Caleb looks startled at the interactions.

"Welcome to the family, dickanus." I chuckle, looking at caleb.

At the remark I made, Severen turns to me with heart eyes before erupting into a fit of laughter before Homer clips Severen upside the head for intruding in his personal space.

It was a long drive until the next pit stop. Thankfully it was only another two and a half hours until we made it to our rest point and we all piled out of the car. I snickered to myself...it was like a damn clown car.

Wait.

It was actually quite fitting especially after the antics of that drive.

We all parted our ways to hunt. Severen got dressed in his finest and I watched him stand on the side of the road, with an extended thumb.

Vehicles passed by without giving him a glance or desire to stop, until a truck with two girls stopped. Of course. I rolled my eyes as he got in the cab and distracted them while I got in the truck bed.

I won't lie, it irked me as I watched him start to flirt with the girls. I balled my fists tightly and I could feel my nails digging in. I noticed him glance through the back window and I popped up my middle finger, earning a smirk from him. Eventually we pulled up to the watering hole the girls were heading to. Once pulled into the lot and they got out, I made my move.

"What y'all doin' with my man, huh?" I crossed my arms and they looked at me with a confused expression, as if to say what was I doing ruining their night. One of the girls approached me and Severen grabbed her friend and latched onto her neck without hesitation.

He was hungry.

Meanwhile, the feeling of jealousy was taking the wheel and fueling my hunger as I tore into the other girl's neck. I pushed the body to the ground after as I wiped at my mouth and looked up to see Severen looking at me with blood lust filled eyes. I saunter over to him and wrap my arms around his neck, keeping my eyes locked on his for a moment before reaching down to gently tug at his bolo tie.

"Ya got something on your shirt...." I whisper as I gesture to the blood stains on his shirt.

"Well ya got somethin' on yer face." He leans down to swipe his thumb over my lips as I go to kiss his thumb. This elicits a growl from him as he pushes me against the truck and captures my lips with his.

Eventually after a heated make out session, causing blood to smear over us even more, we pull apart and examine each other being even more dishevelled than before. I pluck the remaining buttons on his shirt open as I peel it off of him.

"Let's get back so we can get changed and go round two, huh?" I smirk as he wraps his arm around my waist and he walks me over to the passenger side of the door and lets me in, smacking my ass as I get up onto the seat. I grin as he gets in the other side and I resume my spot being under his arm.

"Ya know how much I hate it when ya play with your food..." My fingers trail along his jaw, stopping and rubbing at a lipstick mark left by one of the girls.

He scoffs.

"Well darlin', 'magine how I feel when I see them guys with their eyes buggin' when ya walk past 'em. Flauntin' that bod' of yers. Makes my damn blood boil."

Now it was my turn to scoff and roll my eyes.

"Yes darling. It's indeed a shame.....that you eat my damn prey every single time that happens! Ya damn glutton!"

He smirks. "Glutton for punishment, darlin'."

I run my hand down his chest to over the crotch of his pants before squeezing a bit tight, earning a hiss from him.

"Cruisin' for a bruisin' , cowboy." I smirk as I give another squeeze.

Severen jams the truck into park once we reach back to the meet up area and he pins me against the bench seat of the truck.

"It ain't me tha's gonna be bruised, sweetheart.... I can guarantee that." He hisses as he hungrily kisses me, and paws at my clothes.

It didn't take long before he is fumbling with his belts and zipper and he goes to unzip my jean shorts before snaking a hand down and teasing me, while his lips never leaving mine. I groan into the kiss as he goes to push down my shorts before grinding his hips against mine, prodding my entrance before I feel him enter. I gasp as I reach climax with him and lean into his chest.

Severen goes to light a smoke, rolling down the window, but half swallows the cigarette, choking on the puff of smoke he drew, as he sees Jesse peering in.

"S',about damned time, Severen! Get goin'. We're gonna hit up that little dive we saw along the way. The newcomer needs to be taught a lesson. I've had it about up to here with him. He ain't one of us." Jesse grumbles.

Severen's still sputtering from the smoke before managing to collect himself to speak.

"Ya shoulda just let me get my kicks, Jess'."

Jesse rolled his eyes before tossing our bags into the truck so we could get changed before heading back out. I exchanged looks with Severen before slinking off my bloodied top slowly, feeling his gaze on my breasts before they were covered up.My gaze met his once the garment was on.

"Later, handsome." I wink as I hop out of the truck and wait for him to put on his clothes.

The energy in the air was tense. Severen wanted to attack Caleb for not accepting the lifestyle, and Mae was coddling him instead of giving tough love. Severen showed me how to fight, and was impressed I was a natural with guns, but he too had a rough time with me getting accustomed to killing at first. I remember him breaking down one day in frustration, and then I finally was able to feed. He just couldn't see the same with others as he had with me. I looked at Caleb and shrugged.

"Ya have to.... I know it's hard. But....do you really care about Mae? If ya don't feed...you'll be cast off to the sun to die. Think about it. Make your choice."

I wander off to accompany Severen's side as we walk to the entrance, where Severen couldn't help but make a dramatic entrance. Everyone looked startled as he half broke the door.....if only they knew what was in store.

I watched Severen from the booth as he started up shit with the patrons and bartender. One thing led to another , and eventually there wasn't a mortal soul left unscathed in the bar. I walk over to join Severen as him, Jesse, Diamondback, and Homer all prepare to set the place ablaze.

I give a small hum as I reach up to touch his face when he turns to me and pulls me in close. I graze my fingers across his lips and stubbly jaw , pooling some blood around my finger before popping it into my mouth.

"Boy, you're some messy eater. Can dress ya up , but can't take ya nowhere." I give him a smile. Severen lets out a chuckle.

"Yet here ya are, darlin. Still comin' back fer more. It's like ....ya love me er somethin', I reckon." I roll my eyes as I pocket a pint of Jack. Setting all of the stock on fire would be straight up alcohol abuse.

"Let's mosey along, cowboy. The damn dingus is probably still tryin' to chase down his meal- to-go." I pull Severen out of the building, following Jesse and Diamondback's lead.

We all get into the van as we discover Caleb looking defeated , which was a dead giveaway that yet again he failed to catch his prey."Called it." I huffed before gently holding onto Severen. Feeling his muscles tense, I could tell he was getting ready to rip Caleb a new one. Severen was damned determined this time he'd get his wet dream.

It was an awkward drive to the motel, as Jesse unleashed his thoughts on Caleb and it was a race against time to make it to the nearest motel. Luckily Jesse made it in the nick of time and got the keys to a bungalow. It was a small bungalow, but at least we were now out of the sun.

Severen let out a snarl as Caleb and Mae went down to rest together for the day. I could tell he was at his wits end.

"Severen, honey....cmon. Let's get some shut eye." I murmur and gently rub his arm as we make it over to a chair in the corner. He instinctively pulls me against his chest, and covers me as if shielding me even more from the blooming daylight outside.

All is well until there is knocking and some shouting at the door. This causes Severen to wake with a start, half choking on a snore, and releasing a string of drool that was attached to me. You know, the norm when sleeping with him. He gently picks me up off of him and places me back down on the couch, pressing his fingers to his lips as he gets up. He whispers that it's the cops to us as he nears the window.

Severen opens the window to look outside and is met with a blast of sunlight, causing him to reel back and shout in pain. Instinctively I run over to him and pull him into me, checking over his burns and speaking words to try to provide some sort of calm. All hell breaks loose though when Homer hysterically starts screaming about it being daylight. Severen is annoyed at the outburst of a reaction, especially considering he just got smoked by the sun.

Jesse and Severen spare no time in distributing the weapons as Severen prepares to kick off the battle against the cops. He threatens to pop a cap in Caleb's ass but Jesse stops him. Honestly, we were all probably for it to happen then and there, but we had bigger fish to fry. I lean in to kiss Severen before he motions me to take a step back as he readies the 12 gauge.

"Check out time." He mumbles before firing.

And so the battle began.

The shootout was a massive back-n-forth. Eventually the bungalow was starting to be ridden with holes, letting sunlight stream in. Severen went to help Jesse cover some of the exposed areas with furniture before joining my side on the floor. I immediately tuck into him for shelter as I go to reload my six shooter. Maybe I should invest with something with higher round capacity, but it was the piece he gave me when we first got together. Sentimental value.

Out of nowhere Caleb gave the grand idea of taking one for the team to get a hold of the getaway van. Anything was worth a try at this point. I couldn't help but notice the mischievous glint in Severen's eyes at the possibility of Caleb being caught out in the sun and burnt to a crisp.

It was worth a shot.

Eventually after what seemed like a while, and the group of us huddled in the last patch of shade, the van came barreling through the wall. Diamondback, Jesse, and Homer piled in, while Severen kept me covered while helping me in the back before Caleb peeled off.

That fucker just bought himself some time.

Severen chuckled as he pulled me in close and I laid my head on his chest.

"Ya know what darlin'? I was gettin' to think that we were gonna bite it before I was gonna get a piece of .. that.. " he smirked while giving an ass grab. I rolled my eyes, but didn't have it in me to smack his hand away.

"Severen, you're incorrigible, you know that right?" He gave a laugh before playfully pushing me down and pinning me.

"Guilty. As. Charged."

He says gleefully before leaning down to playfully nip at me and I let out a small squeal. Homer rolls his eyes.

"Can we for one minute not have you two trying to play tonsil hockey?!"

Severen doesn't even flinch as he sticks out his arm and flips Homer off, not even missing a beat during his mouth attack.

I pull him in closer to deepen the kiss and I hear him let out a low grumble as he is more aggressive with the kisses.

Passionate. Chaotic.

I wouldn't have it any other way. We couldn't arrive at the motel soon enough.

When we did arrive, Severen picked up our bags and carried them in to the room and I relaxed on the bed, as Severen went to take part in the tradition of the clan playing poker. I couldn't help but anticipate the game to be over for Sev and I to have some alone time.Maybe go out and steal a motorcycle to take a joy ride on and have some.....action.... Together.

Homer went to get a can of coke after the first match, and Severen was biting at the bit to get..it..on. I came up behind him and decided to tease him a bit, whispering in his ear.

"Sev....I need...you...now. Let's go for a ride..." I murmur before giving a soft little moan in his ear as I give his shoulders a gentle squeeze. He shuts his eyes and exhales through his nose.

"Ohhh darlin', I'm gunna rev you up, that's fer damn sure." He said huskily, accompanied by a groan when I went to nip at his ear.

We were shocked when Homer came back with a young girl. Severen looked like he was gonna make a remark when I saw the glint in his eye, but luckily Diamondback beat him to it and instead asked questions about the girl. Once they found out she was with her father, Severen sprung to go get the man and bring him back.

Guess our alone time would be put on the back burner for a bit.

I sigh and wait for Severen to return, as Mae and Caleb come back all lovey dovey into the room from their escapade.

C'mon, Severen.

I am shocked when the little girl seems to know Caleb. It's his little sister! Great. This is gonna go well. I sigh and cross my arms as the events unfold. Severen comes back with Caleb's father and that's when shit hits the fan.

It seemed like we were gonna get the upper hand until Sarah made a break for the door, causing sunlight to enter and all of us to take cover. Severen took one for the team and closed the door. Once he did, I went to his side and gently pulled him into me before guiding him to the bathroom to get a cool cloth to put against his burns.

Guess playtime was gonna have to wait.

Severen was fuming and just wanting to track down Caleb to end him.

"Goddamnit, I'm gunna make that cocksucker pay! And get my damn spur back! I can't believe I gave him my spur. That sunavabitch! Why I oughta -"

I put the damp cloth against his head and he lets out a low hiss.

"After. First we must rest. We can't do much in the daylight. He ain't worth it. Just let 'em go. It ain't worth it." I try to divert the situation.

He grumbles before we settle in to one of the double beds in the room. He tossed and turned the majority of the time. He wanted vengeance. And his spur. Can't forget that spur. I sigh as I try to rub his back, and he turns towards me. I give him a pleading look.

"I don't want to lose you, Sev. Promise me that. He ain't worth it." I relax into his hand as he gently cups my cheek.

"Nuthin' can tear us apart, darlin' . Trus' me on that."

I sighed and leaned in for a kiss before drifting off. The night time would bring forth Severen's plan to action. The night had its price....and those who went against it would pay.

********************************************

((AN: because this gif, albeit not quoted from the film, just is beautiful. And kinda fits. Sorta. Ok, maybe it's just a gift of a gif.))

[motherofmabari]

President Snow told Katniss to make the Districts believe the berries were an act of love, not of rebellion.

I think what he failed to understand is they were one and the same.

[hyakunana]

The Former Most Miserable Man That Ever Stepped in DGP is found saving the future with a shield and FIVE CHAINSAWS

[felis-rach]

Now for the OTHER party ever! (mother 2 guys here)

[joshfutturman]

✩ josh hutcherson polaroid gifs ✩

✦ mike schmidt, five night's at freddy's ( 2023 )

✦ billy, burn ( 2019 )

✦ peeta mellark, the hunger games ( 2012 )

[lizandreil]

andrew and neil love each other so beautifully, never facing away from each other and their demons, learning to trust when it’s probably one of the hardest thing for both of them.

the way neil trusts andrew to hold all of his secrets secure and not shy away from every ugly truth neil has to reveal. the way andrew trust neil to stop when he needs him to, to shield andrew from the rest of the world when it gets too much. the way andrew trusts neil to watch over his family. the way they are both broken by so many things but so whole for each other. the way they are learning to be tender with each other when they never knew tenderness in their lives. the way neil’s first intention was to let andrew protect him and fight for him and in the end it’s neil who would give up anything to make sure andrew is safe. the way andrew pretends so hard he doesn’t care about anything but he cares for neil so deeply and so intensely it makes him angry with neil because he’s breaking andrews walls. the way everyone called andrew an uncontrollable monster but it was neil who told andrew “i want to see you lose control” perfectly knowing how composed andrew actually is and how much he holds back. the way neil was trying so hard to stay unnoticed and forgotten but was the center of andrews attention since the very beginning. they way neither of them thought they’d have this and get to love and be loved. i just. i just love them so much.

[acourtofquestions]

She drifted down again, into a pocket of the dark,

His Fireheart, shut in the dark.

Where she told herself that story-the story-over and over.

Once upon a time, in a land long since burned to ash, there lived a young princess who loved her kingdom… very much.

Who she was,

My name is Aelin Ashryver Galathynius, and I will not be afraid.

What she was,

You are my daughter. You were born of two mighty bloodlines. That strength flows through you. Lives in you.

What she stood to destroy should she yield.

You do not yield.

[lolairos-mental-illness]

the archer by taylor swift is literally katniss everdeen

[how-much-for-a-whump]

Rüzgarlı Tepe 80. - 81. Bölüm

Prompt: "Fire Rescue"

source

[yeopwo]

i think nick n boston should have a happy ending because it would be funny n i love them unironically

[fanficmemes]

Wish I was smart enough to write those long meta posts about my blorbos :(:( instead I must trawl the tumblr seas looking for people who like the characters in the exact same way as me

[epicfirestormer]

Some out of context scenes I thought were funny from Epithet Erased: Prison of Plastic

[cakemoney]

finding out that kaito and shinichi have been revealed to be cousins is like finding out there was a huge earthquake in the country you used to live in

[nicolibbyquotes]

“You're a fire hazard, Rhodes," he said. "So stop apologizing for the damage and just let the fucker burn.”

- “The Atlas Six”

[whytheylosttheirminds]

Don't Call Me Kid - Chapter 3

(Rafe Cameron x reader, series, 5.7k words)

series summary: You'd had a crush on Rafe Cameron since you were six years old, but he friend zoned you at every turn. Once shy and insecure, you found new confidence and self-love after high school. When your high school friends go on a reunion beach trip, Rafe finally sees what he lost, but he isn't going to give you up without a fight.

tropes: unrequited crush, glow up, she fell first/he fell harder

series content: some angst, eventual fluff, slow burn, tomfoolery and shenanigans, drinking, fem!reader has occasional insecurity and body image issues

additional chapter cw: suggestive language/themes, heavy drinking, mature readers only please

⇢ series masterlist

The game was on, and Carter wasn’t one to go down without a fight.

You however, were much less invested in her scheme to set you up with Tom, already feeling tired and confused after 24-hours of this little reunion trip. You laid in bed for quite a while replaying the almost-moment you’d had with Rafe in the kitchen in your head before taking a long, dreamless nap. It was the smell of the barbeque wafting through your bedroom window that woke you up. You threw your hair up in a bun, too groggy to care about putting any more effort into your appearance.

As you reached for the handle, you heard two hushed voices arguing behind your bedroom door. You opened it slowly to reveal Carter and Topper facing each other, both with their arms crossed as they carried on a heated whisper-argument.

“What are you even doing up here Topper?” Carter demanded.

“I don’t know, what are you doing up here Carter? Trying to get a leg up?” Topper snapped back, towering over her in height yet still somehow looking small under her glare.

They were so locked in on each other that neither of them had even noticed your appearance.

“Um, hi,” you waved your hand between their faces to get their attention. “Can I help you?”

They looked at you, startled as their arms fell and stances softened. Carter eyed your outfit up and down, trying to hide her distaste at your choice of leggings and a t-shirt.

“Well, I don’t know what he’s doing up here but I came to see if you needed help getting ready,” Carter replied.

“I am ready,” you said, eyeing her suspiciously.

“You’re, uh,” Topper scratched the back of his head uncomfortably. “Is that what you’re wearing?”

You squinted at him, you could understand Carter critiquing your outfit, knowing she was trying to set you up with Tom, but what stake did Topper have in your outfit choice?

“We’re literally just going downstairs,” you countered.

“Maybe throw on something a little nicer,” Carter urged gently.

“Okay, fine,” you gave in. “You two are being so weird today.”

Topper gave you a thumbs up as you closed the door in their faces.

A few minutes later you reemerged in a new outfit, a crocheted halter top and some cut-offs. You had let your hair down and ran a brush through it, dabbed on some mascara and lipgloss. It was the maximum amount of effort you were willing to put into a big night out in the backyard.

Despite everyone’s relentless teasing, Topper actually was a pretty good cook. The food was great and everyone thanked you, Rafe, and Tom for going out to get it.

“Tom paid!” you announced. “So everyone make sure to be really nice to him or he won’t bankroll us anymore.”

You smiled at Tom, who grinned back and waved you off in joking modesty. You let your eyes linger as he leaned over the firepit on the other side of the sprawling patio, skillfully stacking the wood before lighting a match and holding it under. He crouched low to blow gently on the kindling, causing the fire to roar to life. You could see a sliver of his toned lower back peeking out from his shirt as he reached for another log, dropping it straight into his newly sparked flame with a bare hand. The whole thing was unbelievably attractive.

The only thing better was the stoney look on Rafe’s face when you caught his eye, realizing he’d noticed the way you were looking at Tom like you wanted to have him for dessert. Good. 

Playing and replaying the scene from the kitchen in your head all afternoon, you came downstairs determined to freeze Rafe out. Sure, he remembered your favorite candy and maybe almost even apologized, but it wasn’t enough to erase the sting you felt when he pulled away from you like you had the plague as soon as anyone else entered the room.

After dinner, you were perched on the railing of the porch, sipping something strong and chatting with Carter and her childhood best friend, Maddie.

Maddie was nice enough, the Kook academy prom queen two years in a row, but she had never shown much interest in you. Until you showed up here looking much more instagram-worthy than you had in high school.

“So, omg,” Maddie started, playing with a strand of your hair like you were the closest of friends. “When are you gonna drop the workout routine? You look gorg.”

Never once had one of Carter’s friends complimented your looks. 

“Thanks,” you grinned, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. “I play a lot of volleyball and jog a little.”

“Well it’s working!” Kelce hollered from across the porch, already wobbling slightly from his inebriation.

There it was again, your blush, always showing up at the least opportune times. All eyes were on you, such open talk about your body making your skin crawl with self-consciousness. You looked over the railing to the sand a few feet down, wondering how badly the jump would hurt.

As always, knowing you better than anyone, Carter felt like she could read your mind. Protectiveness roared in her chest, she set her hand over yours to silently tell you she understood before turning to the party and announcing, “okay, we’re playing a game! Everyone around the fire pit!”

No one argued with her wishes, they never did. The group gathered around the bonfire, each with a full drink in hand as Carter unnecessarily explained the rules to never have I ever as if this same group hadn’t played it a hundred times in high school. 

You appreciated Carter moving the attention off of you, but clearly she didn’t know this was your least favorite game in the world. The second the name of the game came out of her mouth, your heart dropped to your stomach, hit with memories of sitting off to the side while her friends played, all of your fingers embarrassingly still up, revealing you had done nothing interesting or scandalous in your life.

Sure, you’d definitely added a few notches to your belt since then, but you knew these people and had no doubt you were still way behind. The sad thing is you didn’t even care, but you knew they would and you couldn’t help that nagging desire to prove that you were just as cool as them. You sighed as you settled in your chair next to Carter, frustrated that just as you were starting to feel somewhat normal, you were transported right back to your loneliest days.

Carter went first, “never have I everrr…shoplifted.”

Sabrina took a giggly sip from her solo cup.

“Isn’t your dad’s networth like a billion dollars?” Kelce asked.

“Yes, but he never would’ve bought me those red panties, so I took ‘em,” she winked at him, and he scooted his chair closer to her.

Everyone else still had all ten fingers up, making you think maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all. 

But your relief didn’t last long. One by one they went around the circle, revealing each other’s secrets and leaving you with ten fingers up.

“Never have I ever done a body shot.” Your fingers stayed up.

“Never have I ever kissed someone of the same sex.” Your fingers stayed up.

“Never have I ever hooked up in a public place.” Your fingers stayed up. 

As the group got tipsier, the revelations got dirtier. You were sure some of them were lying and there was some temptation for you to put a finger down as a lie too just to level the playing field, but that was such teenage bullshit. You might not have as a high of a body count as some of them, but you still had your pride. 

The blood rushed from you face when Maddie said, “never have I ever been with two people at once” and Rafe put his last finger down, smirking as he finished off his beer.

A few more rounds passed and everyone else had put at least a couple fingers down while you still hadn’t done a single one of the things listed. You chewed on your lip, wondering how early was too early to excuse yourself to go to bed.

You were about to make a break for it, when a now sloppily drunk Sabrina pointed at you and slurred, “aww bambi’s still got ten!”

Bambi was another one of the many teasing nicknames they’d called you in high school, and it might just be your least favorite. 

“You’re still such a good girl,” Sabrina jibed. 

She must’ve been beyond wasted. She wasn’t necessarily nice, but she wasn’t usually this much of a bitch.

Your breaths got short, the anxiety erupting like fireworks in your chest. You could feel Carter’s mind spinning next to you, trying to come up with some way to defend you, but another voice beat her to it.

“Well,” Rafe said, drawing all eyes off of you and across the firepit towards him. “Never have I ever gotten so crossfaded at a boneyard party that I pissed my pants in someone else’s truck.”

He shot Sabrina a vindictive smile.

“Rafe!” She protested. “You said you wouldn’t tell anyone!” 

At her admission, everyone broke out into laughter, aimed at her.

“I didn’t tell anyone,” Rafe chuckled, “you just did.”

“Bruhh,” Kelce hollered. “That’s nasty!”

Sabrina went red, completely humiliated. You tried to be a girl’s girl, but after years of her teasing and making you feel like a loser, you couldn’t help but join in the laughter at her expense. 

As she emptied her cup spitefully, you caught Rafe’s gaze across the fire, the air between you wavy with the flame’s heat. He smiled a crooked, satisfied smile at you, and you mouthed “thank you.” He gave you a reassuring wink and your stomach did cartwheels. 

Carter straightened in her lawn chair next to you, kicking herself for giving Rafe the chance to save you before she could.

“I’ve got one!” she announced, and the crowd hushed to hear their queen. “Never have I ever skinny dipped in the campus fountain and got caught by campus security but successfully flirted my way out of a citation and ended up getting the cop’s number.”

Everyone looked around the circle quizzically, wondering who that incredibly specific anecdote was aimed at.

“No fucking way!” Topper shouted when he saw you put down your pinky finger with a bashful smile.

Topper and Kelce whooped, and the girls all gave you impressed looks.

“Okay baddie!” Maddie gasped. “Was he cute? Did you call him?”

“I mean he wasn’t not cute,” you mused, taking the obligatory sip of your drink. “We hung out a few times.”

“So does that mean you’re into handcuffs now orrr…” Kelce chimed in.

“Oops, I put the wrong fingers down,” you lifted your hand and theatrically put all down except your middle finger, aiming it at Kelce.

The crowd erupted with laughs and amused ohhhh’s. Even Rafe was smiling, and you couldn’t help but wish you knew what he was thinking, noticing his soft eyes on you as you bantered with his friends, all attention on you. This time, you weren’t blushing, you were just enjoying yourself. It felt so nice to have such a naturally fun and easy moment, but it was short lived.

“Never have I ever,” Sabrina interrupted, hiccuping. “Failed an entire semester of college.”

The crowd fell silent once again, no one daring to bring their eyes to Rafe, the clear target of her comeback. He just rolled his eyes, leaning back in his chair nonchalantly, like it didn’t bother him at all. But you could see the hint of shame in his eyes, a rare glimpse of vulnerability hidden under his tough facade. You used to spend so much of your time digging for those deeper layers that it was easy for you to pick up on them when they rose to the surface, even if it was just for a second.

Maybe you should let him flounder, leave him hanging like he’d done to you so many times before. But tonight, for the first time ever, he had jumped in to defend you, and maybe one act of kindness wouldn’t kill you.

“Fuck this game. Topper, didn’t you say something earlier about a beer pong tournament?” You prompted him, hoping desperately he’d see what you were trying to do and play along.

Topper looked confused at first, so you smiled tightly and flicked your eyes to Rafe and back as quickly as possible, urging him to understand.

Ever the king of subtlety, Topper’s eyes went wide as he mouthed “ohhhh!” 

Rafe saw the whole thing.

“Beer pong! Yes!” Topper said, excited to finally be in the loop. “Let’s do it!”

“I wanna play!” Sabrina stood quickly from her chair, immediately tripping over her own feet.

“Woah,” Carter caught her and held her up with some effort, Sabrina so far gone she couldn’t even use her legs. “I think you’ve had enough fun for tonight.”

Carter stabilized Sabrina and guided her towards the house. You knew she was pissed at Sabrina for picking on you, but Carter would never leave a drunk girl to stumble around a party by herself. She looked at you apologetically, but you nodded to let her know you were fine.

After they disappeared into the house, Topper and Kelce got to work clearing the long outdoor dining table for beer pong, filling cups and placing them with great attention to detail. You chuckled at the way they were arguing over correct cup spacing and fill levels as you reached down into the cooler for another drink. When you stood, Tom appeared by your side.

“I didn’t realize I was sharing a house with a criminal,” he drawled, mouth quirked with a crooked smile.

“Oh yeah,” you played along, popping the top of your drink. “I’m wanted in four states and Puerto Rico.”

“And Puerto Rico, wow,” he leaned his arm against the porch rail, his body angling towards yours in a way that made your skin prick with goosebumps. “I need to hear that story.”

“I’d tell you,” you lowered your voice and lifted your mouth towards his ear to whisper. “But then I’d have to kill you.”

“You’re in that deep, huh?” He placed his other hand on the railing on the other side of you, effectively caging you in, though he held himself back far enough to give you some space. You didn’t want space, though, the enticing scent of whiskey and the smoke from the fire drawing you to him.

“Mhm,” you leaned in so your chests were almost touching, a smile tugging his full lips when he noticed the way you intentionally closed the space between you. “If you thought the campus fountain story was bad…”

“I didn’t think it was bad,” he shook his head.

“No?” You grinned, eager to see where he was going with this.

“Not bad, kind of hot, but not bad,” he confessed.

“Only kind of?” You furrowed your brow in mock offense.

He broke into a smile and blushed, flustered as he said, “I mean, uh…”

You giggled. His bashful, dimpled smile was so painfully cute you were suddenly seeing the value to Carter’s matchmaking plan.

The alcohol in your system mixed with the warmth radiating off of him made your body go hot, tingles shooting up your spine as his eyes fell to your lips. He was so damn pretty. Warm brown eyes and messy hair you wanted to tangle your fingers in.

Rafe grabbed the fire poker and busied himself by tending to the flames, which didn’t really need it, considering Tom had built such a sturdy fire. The sound of your sweet giggles floating through the air as you flirted with Tom made him want to walk straight off the porch and into the ocean. He’d surely put his lifelong friendship with Sabrina on the line, not to mention his own pride, to keep you from running away in embarrassment, and now Tom was reaping the rewards of his chivalry. 

He remembered, though. Maybe you didn’t think he did, but he remembered. The nights you sat in the corner, lonely, pining, and the go-to butt of his friends’ stupid jokes. And he’d just sat by and let it happen, so many times. It’s no wonder you were leaned up against someone else, sharing stories about a whole chapter of your life he’d missed. He only had himself to blame.

Once the table was set up, Topper turned and frowned at the way the group had split, you and Tom cozy in the corner while Rafe stood by the fire alone, shoulders tense. He needed to step up his Cupid game, like, now.

He clapped his hands loudly, voice booming as he announced to the party that it was time to play. The startling sound forced Tom away from you just as you were about to ask him if he wanted to walk down to the water. Topper pointed right at you and pronounced you would be on his team. You were going to protest before you remembered beer pong was your idea in the first place, your ruse to protect Rafe. You couldn’t back out now.

Beer pong was another thing you’d added to your skill set in college. In high school, you were never asked to join when parties inevitably broke into a tournament. Instead you’d sit quietly and watch with hearts in your eyes as Rafe played with the competitiveness of an Olympian in a gold medal race.

He was known for his terrible sportsmanship, everyone expected a full tantrum if he didn’t win. The same went for school sports, you’d spent every night after a rare loss up on the phone with him listening intently while he ranted about all the ways the refs were wrong or the umps were blind. At the time, you took it as an honor that you were the one he wanted to find solace in. Now, grown and mature, you saw it for what it really was; no one else wanted to listen to him bitch and moan, so you were just his only option.

“Let’s go, Little Carter!” Topper raised his hand for a high five as you approached the table.

“If you call me that, I’m not playing,” you left him hanging.

“My bad, my bad,” he conceded.

You gave in and high fived him, stepping up to the table with your game face on. Kelce and Maddie stood across from you. They were both terrible shots, and you sunk every ball, but Topper was keeping them in the game with his many misses. 

Topper was great at beer pong in high school and you were sure he’d had plenty of practice at U of F, so there was no reason he should be playing so horribly.

“Dude, what the hell is up with you?” You scolded him after another throw that was way off.

“I dunno,” Topper said with an exaggerated drunken slur in his voice. “I think I’m just too wasted to play. You might need another partner.”

Before you could mock him for his dramatics, he had called over to Rafe, who was sitting back in a lounge chair looking at his phone, anything to keep his eyes off of you.

“What?” He grumbled, eyes lifting from his screen and avoiding yours.

“Need you to sub in for me,” Topper fake hiccupped and you rolled your eyes.

You were sure Rafe would see you were his proposed partner and pass on the opportunity, but then he and Topper had some kind of silent conversation with their eyes that you couldn’t interpret, and Rafe stood from his chair.

“You don’t have to,” you offered as he stepped up and took the ball from Topper.

You hated that your instinct was to apologize for inconveniencing him. He shrugged and lined up his first shot.

“Someone’s gotta show ‘em how it’s done,” he said with an easy grin that made your heart beat a little faster. 

If only your younger self could see how your night was progressing. Impressing everyone during never have I ever. Flirting with a gorgeous boy from another school. And now, Rafe smiling at you and acknowledging your presence in front of all these people, willingly agreeing to be your teammate. She’d have died and gone to heaven.

He had every right to be cocky; he was really good. And to his great surprise, so were you. You and Rafe made quick work of Kelce and Maddie, then Kelce and Jack, then Kelce and three more partners that tried to step up to the plate, Kelce’s aim worsening as he teetered on the edge of a blackout.

“When did you get so good at this?” Rafe asked you after a partcualrly skillful shot.

“I was always good at it,” you scoffed. “You just never let me play.”

After that comment, Rafe was suddenly an extra encouraging teammate. Before each shot he’d pull you back, leaning down to whisper in your ear conspiratorially about which cup you should call, like an NFL coach rallying his quarterback.

“I can’t hit the far corner, my aim isn’t that good,” you said when he proposed the risky shot. 

Self-doubt filled your face as you bit your lip, Rafe recognizing the nervous tick instantly.

“Nah you got it!” he grabbed you by the shoulder and shook you playfully. “You just gotta believe in yourself.” 

Despite yourself, you broke into a smile, making a feeble attempt to brush him away, though he could tell you didn’t mean it.

“Let’s go slugger,” Rafe placed the ball in your hand and guided you into position by your shoulders. He stood behind you and leaned in to bring his mouth close to your ear. “You got this.”

You loved it. You hated it. Your head swirled with conflicting thoughts, but when you sunk the ball with a flick of your wrist, they all faded.

“Let’s fucking gooo!” Rafe yelled.

He lifted his hand for a double high five and you stood on your tiptoes to reach. Your arms came down, but your hands were still in his.

“Told ‘ya,” he said tenderly, smiling down at you as his large hands enveloped yours. “You just gotta believe in yourself.”

Despite the alarms blaring in your head, telling you to run, you let it all linger. The deep sound of his voice in the air, his eyes on your lips, his rough hands folded in yours.

“Okay!” Carter chose that minute to emerge from the house after Sabrina finally fell asleep. “That’s enough wins for y’all, time for some real competition.”

The sound of her voice snapped you out of the moment, and you pulled your hands away from Rafe quickly, nervous about all the eyes on you for the first time since you’d started playing.

“I need a partner,” Carter said, surveying the group on the patio. “How about…”

You rolled your eyes, knowing exactly where she was going with this show and wishing she’d just fast forward to the end.

“Tom?” She raised her eyebrows in his direction, as if it was a crazy idea she had just come up with. “Do you play?”

“I may have taken part in a tourney or two,” Tom said humbly.

“Bullshit,” Kelce exclaimed, slumped in a chair as his head spun. “This guy was the Alpha Tau champion all four years. He’s got a plaque and everything.”

“Damn, I didn’t know we had Alpha Tau royalty in our midst!” Carter bantered.

“Jesus, enough with the fanfare, are you playing or not, dude?” Rafe snapped.

Carter eyed you, her lips twisted in a satisfied smirk. No one was surprised at Rafe’ gruffness, more than used to his competitive mean streak. It was not one of his more attractive qualities. The pull you’d just felt to him faltered a little at the reminder of this particular weakness. You were sure that’s exactly what Carter was hoping for.

“Alright I’m in,” Tom said, stepping up to the table and rolling up the sleeves of his sweater. “Don’t say I didn’t warn ‘ya.” He winked at you.

“Yeah, yeah, just call your shot, champ,” Rafe said.

The four of you reset the cups, not much work needing to be done on you and Rafe’s side of the table since almost no one had scored on you. As Tom lined up his first shot, he stuck his tongue out of the corner of his mouth in concentration, adjusting and readjusting his stance to get comfortable.

Rafe crossed his arms over his chest mumbling something along the lines of “this fuckin’ guy” and you couldn’t help but smile, admittedly also kind of getting the ick from how seriously Tom was taking this. 

Then he sunk every ball. After a few particularly good rounds, he made his third shot in a row, and Carter called “fire.” She handed him balls one after another like he was taking free throws, wiggling her eyebrows at you to make sure you were paying attention to his triumph.

You drank each cup obediently, ever the rule follower. After your fourth, you were getting so sick of the stale beer, you and Rafe’s cups had been sitting untouched all night and the cheap hops had soured significantly. When Tom sunk another one you grabbed the cup hesitantly, queasy, nearly gagging.

“It’s okay, I got it,” Rafe volunteered, grabbing the cup from you.

“Y’all don’t have to drink those if they’re really that bad,” Tom offered, pausing his next shot when he noticed how disgusted you looked.

“I got it, man,” Rafe waved him off, holding his nose and shooting back the beer as quickly as possible. He dropped the empty cup with a grimace.

“We can just call it a game,” Tom suggested, clearly feeling bad.

“Do you want to forfeit?” You asked Rafe, dropping your voice so Carter and Tom couldn’t hear.

“What and just wave the white flag?” Rafe replied, eyebrows raised. “Do you?

Your lips spread in a slow smile, “not a fucking chance.”

“Atta girl,” he nodded, returning his gaze to Tom. “We’re no quitters, hit us again big guy.”

And he did, over and over, until there was only one cup left on your side of the table. As he prepped for his final shot, Rafe turned to you, a playful, tipsy smile on his face.

“We had a good run,” He said, reaching out shake your hand. You took it with a smile.

When Tom and Carter won, high fiving each other in a loud celebration, all eyes fell to Rafe, waiting to see how he’d react to losing. You tensed, hoping his chipper attitude when you were winning would carry over into a graceful loss. But then he rounded the table, striding towards Tom, and you cringed in anticipation of a classic Rafe Cameron Temper Tantrum.

“Oh boy,” Carter mumbled under her breath. “Here we go.”

But there was no blow up, just Rafe extending his hand to Tom, who took it with a friendly shake.

“Good game, man,” Rafe said. 

“Yeah, you too, dude,” Tom smiled, not realizing this show of sportsmanship was a historical first.

Rafe tilted his head in a friendly nod towards your sister, “Carter.”

“Rafael,” she returned his sarcastic tone, purposefully using his least favorite nickname.

With that, Rafe walked away from the table, one last glance towards you as he returned to his seat by the fire. You watched him go, feeling sad not that you had lost, but that your fun night with Rafe had seemingly come to an end.

It was dizzying, your ever-changing emotional state, and you suspected it had very little to do with the beer. Thinking over all the events of the day gave you whiplash. One second you were about ready to ask Tom if he wanted to come back to your room, the next it felt like you and Rafe were finally sharing the moment you’d dreamt of for years. All the while, you weren’t sure you actually wanted either of them, or if you even wanted to be here at all.

“Wanna play again?” Carter asked, noticing the distracted look on your face.

“I’m good,” you smiled at her appreciatively, deciding you’d had enough excitement for one day. “I think I’m probably just going to bed now.”

“Aww, but it’s so early grandma,” Topper called over to you from the firepit.

You walked over to his chair and peched on the armrest.

 “Ah yes, another one of my favorite nicknames,” you joked. “No one’s called me that in four years.”

“Another inside joke?” Tom inquired, joining the circle, he and Carter each grabbing a chair.

“In high school, she was always the first to leave parties. She’d rather be at home in bed with a book by 9pm,” Topper explained to him.

You rose from his chair, eager to ditch this little trip down memory lane before it got too embarrassing. You almost made a clean escape, but then a very drunk Kelce decided to chime in.

“Unless Rafe asked her to stay,” he laughed. “Then she’d be there allll night.”

Embarrassed doesn’t even begin to cover it. You’ve been embarrassed a thousand times in your life, but this was something different. You looked down at your feet, not sure what you were supposed to do. No quick, face saving remark was coming to mind.

Carter smacked Kelce on the arm, while Topper shook his head with a disapproving, “dude…” 

Your eyes drifted to Rafe, who was looking down at his hands uncomfortably. Whatever protective instinct that had inspired him to stand up for you earlier was clearly gone as he left you to drown in the painfully awkward silence.

“Oh, were you two…?” Tom asked, pointing between you and Rafe quizzically.

“Nope,” you told him with a stiff smile.

He looked like he was about to ask more, but caught on at the last second, reading in between the lines. There it was, the last person here who didn’t know about your pathetic past was now caught up to speed. Yeah, you’d definitely had enough.

“Kelce, you’re such an asshole,” Carter began reprimanding him.

“Just stop,” you urged her. “It’s fine, I’m just going to bed.”

“Wait!” She called after you, but you were already walking toward the house, tears pricking the corner of your eyes. She gave Kelce one last slap and rushed after you.

Kelce, barely conscious, still hadn’t caught up with his own party foul.

“Where’s she going?” He asked Topper.

Rafe stood from his chair suddenly. 

“Will you get him out of here please?” He spat at Topper, sidestepping the fire as he stormed off toward the house.

Rafe followed your path into the kitchen, not sure what he was going to say when he caught up to you, but suddenly overwhelmed with the urge to make it right. He should’ve said something as soon as Kelce put his foot in his mouth. He’d deal with that dumbass later.

He slid the kitchen door open, headed towards the stairs that lead to the second floor, but he stopped short when he heard your voice. He stayed back, out of sight but close enough to hear your conversation with Carter on the stairs.

“Carter, it’s fine,” you sighed.

“No it’s fucking not, he made you cry,” Carter practically growled.

Rafe’s heart dropped. You were crying? He was gonna kick Kelce’s ass as soon as he was sober enough to feel pain.

“I’m just tired,” you sniffled. “Please, just drop it for now. I just wanna go to sleep.”

“I’m sorry,” Carter said, her voice starting to crack. “I shouldn’t have pushed you to stay.”

“It’s not your fault,” you assured her. “I knew he was gonna be here.”

Rafe frowned. Was the ‘he’ you were referring to still Kelce, or was it him? Was his presence really so distressing to you that you were in tears?

Carter reluctantly bid you goodnight, and Rafe slipped into the pantry so she wouldn’t see him when she descended the stairs back into the kitchen, storming towards the backyard, surely on her way to give Kelce hell.

He stood in the walk-in pantry for a minute, collecting his thoughts. 

Maybe he should be the one to leave. If his presence really was such torment to you, it would be the right thing to do. But you didn’t seem tormented earlier when you were playing beer pong with him, cheering each other on and laughing like friends. Or before, at the fire, when you’d come to each other’s defense. Even his two best friends hadn’t seen that Sabrina’s words actually hurt him, but you did. You always knew him better than anyone.

While he stood in the pantry, illuminated only by the single light bulb above his head, his eyes grazed over the shelf. Between a stack of paper plates and some hamburger buns, sat the candy he had picked out for you at the store. He smiled at the memory of your many car rides as teenagers, fueled by the snacks you had brought when you picked him up. Maybe you regretted those times now, but something about the fact that this was still your favorite candy made him feel better.

His stomach twisted with worry that after what Kelce had said, you would decide to leave. The only worse thought was that he might let you go without finding the courage to say the words he’d been holding onto since he saw you on the beach. Maybe you’d slam the door in his face, but he couldn’t let you leave without trying.

Rafe grabbed your candy off the shelf and climbed the stairs two at a time, eager to knock on your bedroom door before he lost his nerve.

(Chapter 4)

a/n: I LOVED hearing all your Team Tom vs. Team Rafe opinions!! The competition is heating up!!!! (not my outline for this chapter starting with “note: google rules to beer pong” lol)

Ch 4 predictions? 👀

also I'm so sorry if I miss you on the taglist it was not intentional!!! I'm bad at taglists, so to be sure you're notified when I post you can follow @whytheylosttheirminds-works and turn on notifs 🫶

[itostea]

the strongest (gojo x wife! reader)

gojo can't help but feel annoyed that he feels concern for the wife he swears he doesn't care for.

warnings: arranged marriage au, gojo refers to you as his wife, enemies to lovers (?), gojo tells you to lift up your top, slight angst, he's really bad at feelings okay, image from loving yamada-kun at lv999 (part of gojo’s wife series)

The lines of intrigue and fear are often blurred. It explains why we admire fire from afar, careful not to get too close in hopes of not getting burned. It explains why we find peace in parts of the ocean and tense up in deeper parts. It also explains why Gojo Satoru seeks your presence yet pushes you away the moment he finds himself feeling something other than indifference or vexation–it’s never hatred though. The strongest can’t envision himself ever hating his wife and it scares him. 

He’s not sure that can be said about you. Gojo wouldn’t be surprised if you grew to hate him after the treatment you put up with. 

Your marriage is what you call a “marriage of convenience” and Gojo made sure you remembered that. He wasn’t always so distant with you. Back then, you might’ve considered him a friend but time did its bidding and you two drifted apart, your time together merely a memory. Now fast forward a few years and you were wedded to him, taking up his surname and sleeping in the same house as him–in separate rooms of course. 

Your steps on the wooden floors were silent as you intended not to make a single noise at such a late hour. You sighed, feeling the weight of your heavy shoulders drag you down. 

Gojo might be considered cruel to you but the elders were on a different level. They knew this mission would be too much for you yet they sent you on it as punishment for speaking your mind the last time everyone gathered. 

At that time, your husband had an unfamiliar gleam in your eyes as you voiced your thoughts on the matter of Itadori. He’s a nice kid, you thought when you first saw the pink-haired boy. 

Taking away his youth wouldn’t be fair. After all, he didn’t choose to have the Ryomen Sukuna use him as a vessel. Yet, sentiment doesn’t do well with the higher ups and they made sure you knew your place with the mission they sent you on. 

You inhaled sharply, wincing as you felt the bruise on your rib with your palm. There was blood soaking your tights, little cuts littering your legs. You’re so tired you can’t find it in yourself to even eat. Then again, you needed to be in your best condition tomorrow since another mission was sent out of you and specifically you. Those in power always make sure it’s clear that they are in power. Your voice of opinion meant nothing to their beliefs in tradition or what you liked to call, “backward thinking.” That’s one thing you and your husband could agree on. 

“Ow,” you wince for the nth time as you open the fridge, scanning the items. Mochi. Ice-cream. Leftover cake. Perhaps it would’ve been wiser to go grocery shopping a day prior so you could have a proper meal. This was the kind of stuff Gojo could live on but you couldn’t. Closing the fridge, you opt for instant ramen instead. Not the best choice in regards to healthiness but cracking an egg in there meant more protein and it also minimized the spice levels. 

You’re halfway in between preparing the noodles when you feel a presence right beside you and soft breathing besides your ears. “You’re home,” your ‘husband’ mumbles, his eyes half-lidded from just having woken up. 

“God! Satoru!” You gasp, flinching away from and only realizing how close he was. For someone who claimed he wasn’t interested in you, he didn’t know what personal space was. “How did you know I was home?”

“Your cursed energy leaked in,” he shrugs his shoulders, peering down at you without the constraints of his blindfold or shades. You gulp as his eyes flit up and down your appearance, causing your insides to tense up in a sudden wave of self-consciousness. Being scrutinized by the six-eyes himself wasn’t much fun and you’re suddenly aware of the fact that your hair is disheveled and your face is sweaty from just having come home from a grueling mission. 

You don’t even notice the glint of rage that crosses his hues before he masks it. “Who did this to you?”

“Huh?” You blink, coming to your senses that your body was bloodied up and battered from having fought a curse. “Oh it was just a mission. It’s normal to be hurt on missions.” 

Gojo’s been living with you for nearly half a year now and he knows you’re more than competent when it comes to shaman duties (not that he’d ever tell you). He knows you return home by 7 p.m.., and never at hours well past midnight. He knows that you usually only get injuries on your back because you get careless at times. But now, he sees cuts everywhere and he’s not sure if you’re running on adrenaline or if you’re too tired to notice. 

His eyes glance at the way you press a palm on your rib, subconsciously squeezing the area as if hiding it from him. “Let me see.”

Your surprise is immediate and he would’ve felt a strange fluttering in his stomach if not for this concern he was experiencing for you. You smile. “See what?”

“Your injury. Let me see it,” he says again, pressing on the hand you hold close to your ribs, narrowing his eyes as you hiss in pain. “Don’t be stubborn (Name).” 

His voice is different from the cheery one he often uses and you’re left leaning further into the kitchen counter, acutely aware of the fact that his taller frame wasn’t allowing you to escape. His eyes widen the slightest once he gets a glimpse of your flustered expression as you peer up at him and he only realizes what he was asking from you. Part of him tells him to ignore this and pretend his concern for you was brief. Yet, part of him screams at him that he was your husband, so he should feel the right to be worried–even if he was months late. 

He sighs, tilting his head. “I’m just going to look. I promise I won’t do anything else,” his voice is oddly tender as he speaks to you, a contrast to the usual nonchalance you’re used to. 

You gulp and let out a shaky sigh, giving in when your fingers reach to pull your top up for him to see the bare skin that you can’t even say is spotless or void of marks. Multiple wounds litter your skin–some faded, some new. You’re scared his gaze would show some signs of judgment or disgust but you’re left bemused when you see how his eyebrows furrow and his lips purse. For a second, you allow yourself to be deluded by the fact that he might be worried but you quickly abandon that thought, averting your eyes from him.

You can see how he pieces everything together. From the way you rebelled against the elders and how they saw it as a means to punish you. He does it so quickly that you can only blink when his blank expression morphs into something different. You almost feel relieved from the fact that his expression of pure anger wasn’t directed at you and rather those who sent you on the mission.

It’s almost natural how he slides the top further up, mapping the extent of the bruise with his eyes. His hands are warm and calloused. They’re also gentle, tracing the bruise carefully to not hurt you. “I’ll kill those old bastards,” he chuckles with a sneer. “They have some nerve letting my wife take this mission without me.”

You frown as you see his anger first-hand. “Satoru–”

“Why didn’t you go to Shoko?” He interrupts, gently holding on your waist to prop you on the counter while he stands in between your legs. He watches you intently, in search of answers.

You feel somewhat embarrassed as his hand still lifts your top up to see the bare skin but don’t comment on it. “I didn’t want to bother her so late at night…”

For the first time since today, you see him flash a genuine smile, as if exasperated by your reasoning. “But you’re fine with bothering me?” 

“That’s different!” You say, a pout slowly forming on your lips and he can’t help but feel drawn to you even if he doesn’t want to. 

He laughs as you pull your top down with a huff, finding it cute that you were so bashful. “Because I’m your husband?” 

You go silent and for a second, Gojo thinks he’s messed up for mentioning that. Despite being your husband, he’s not the greatest at doing his job. He’s not callous or spiteful towards you, instead taking on more of a cold and aloof attitude towards you. Even so, he thinks that hurts just as much as a few insults. 

He’s about to pull back but your voice draws him back to you. “Yeah. It’s because you’re my husband.”

Gojo can’t stop himself from glancing at your lips at that single statement. He was today years old when he realized he was a man of simple tastes. All you had to do was tell him that he was your husband and he’d want to kiss you until your lips turned red. He considers himself lucky that you didn’t see that slip-up of his–though he wouldn’t have minded if you did.

He breathes out a sigh, propping his chin atop your head while his fingers draw circles around your hips. “I won’t let them hurt you.”

It’s a vow he swears to keep. 

“I know,” you whisper quietly enough for him to hear. “You’re the strongest after all.”

He thinks it’s funny that even as the strongest, he feels weak when he feels your fingers play with his sleeves. No words are said after that and a comfortable silence drifts between you two. It’s like the barrier between the two of you is cracking once you feel his lips press gently against your forehead and you think it's his way of sealing the promise. 

Gojo Satoru thinks–or rather he knows that he wouldn’t mind living the rest of his life with you. And he knows that he should fix his behavior around you and stop running away. That way, instead of a kiss to the forehead, he can finally give you one on your lips.