#My doctor shrugged and said its normal to start having them in your thirties

[sommerrev]

Fir the past two years ive started to develop migraines... Maybe? I sometimes get pain and sometimes i dont have any pain, and when i do get pain its not debilitating. But i notice that most of the time it comes with the weather, so i assume its a migraine.

Sometimes i just get randomly severely nauseous out of nowhere and take a dramamine without any other symptoms until the next day or two days later. And like i said, the symptoms i do get arent usually severe. Would this count as a silent migraine?? Because i dont often have pain, its super hard to track.

legit something i want to casually talk about: silent migraines. If you have them feel free to chime in.

[fixfoxnox]

Request idea: Roach having a rough/emotional day and Soap and Ghost kiss/fuck him better, and they end the sesh with snuggles (Roach being in the middle)

PS You're an incredible author! I really loved SitO from start to finish <3

Did my best with this one, I love a good hurt/comfort so hopefully I wrote it well!

Replacement

Pairings: Soap/Roach/Ghost

Description: Roach gets put on medical leave for a few months and worries that the man brought in to temporarily replace him on the team is trying to take his spot permanently.

Warnings: NSFW, Biting/Scratching (in like a sexy way tho), hurt/comfort, hand jobs

Word Count: 6k (I did not mean to make this that long)

"I'm going to have to take you off of active duty for at least two months."

"What?" Roach lurched forward, a bad choice considering the splintering pain that rocketed up his back with the movement. "Fuck," he muttered under his breath, gritting his teeth to try and prevent the groan that threatened to pull from his lips. When he looked back up he was met with a raised eyebrow from Dr. Sanchez.

"You need rest and time for the steroid shots to work their magic," She pointed at him with her pen, "And, if in a months time we've seen no improvement we'll have to try something else out. Two months is a best case."

"But I'm fine," Roach complained, "I finished the mission just as good as usual!"

"Sergeant Sanderson," a small smile tugged at her lips, "You were hit by a car and you just told me five minutes ago that even laying down hurts your back. You'll just end up hurting yourself and being off for longer if you don't." She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and gave a slight squeeze, "Take the two months."

"I hate taking time off," Roach grumbled under his breath. He didn't argue with her any further though. As much as he hated to admit it, she was definitely correct about his back. It had been shit to deal with for the past several days and even Price had noticed the sluggishness to his usual movements and the pain he seemed to be in. Thats what had gotten him sent to the doctor and now meant that he would be taking time off.

"That seems to be a running theme with you 141 boys." Dr. Sanchez moved across the room to type a few things into a computer, "You should try to enjoy the time off. Maybe pick up a simple hobby in the meantime or," she turned to him and shrugged, "I guess take up some desk work." She paused for a moment before playfully adding, "Or just lay in bed and let your boys wait on you hand and foot."

Roach groaned, his face feeling hot at the words. He could hear Dr. Sanchez laughing at him and he gave a brief huff but said nothing. If anyone deserved to laugh over how overprotective Soap and Ghost could get when he was injured it was her. After all, not every doctor had to deal with two hulking men leering over them as they tried to stitch up a wound. He just hoped that Soap and Ghost might be a little more normal about his injury this time around.

"You guys are back early," Roach wrinkled his brow and looked up to meet Soap and Ghost's eyes. He hadn't been expecting them back for another few hours at least. Usually meetings and packing for a mission took a good four hours, but the two were back after only two.

Soap leaned down to press a kiss on his head as he passed the cozy couch Roach was seated on, "New guy made packing up quick today. He had everything done in like thirty, it was insane."

Roach stared at Soap with confusion as another kiss was pressed to the top of his head. "How's your back feeling, Bug?" He turned his attention to Ghost, though he was sure his face still showed how confused he was by Soap's words.

"Its okay, I took my pills today. PT tomorrow." He turned back toward Soap, "New guy?"

"Yeah!" Soap turned around from the little mini fridge in their shared room and tossed a bottle of water to Ghost. He kicked the door closed with his foot, "With everything that's been going on, Price brought in someone new to fill your spot."

Roach stared at him for a long moment, something heavy curling in his chest. "It's temporary, of course," Ghost assured him.

Soap's eyes widened with the words and he was quick to nod his head, "Yeah! Its just someone to help us out until you get back." He moved forward to plop himself in the seat next to Roach. He was quick to press a kiss to his cheek and nuzzle against his shoulder, "Just temporary, Bug."

Roach cleared his throat awkwardly. He didn't like feeling so useless and hearing that Price had brought someone else in, no matter how temporary, certainly didn't help. He disliked more, however, his boyfriends worrying about him and believing he was upset. He didn't want to be a burden on them. "It's no problem, I was just surprised is all. And, hey, if this new guy gets my boyfriends back to me quicker, I've got nothing to complain about."

Turns out, Roach did have something to complain about. He fucking hated the new guy. He fucking hated the new guy and he could tell that the rest of the 141 fucking loved the new guy.

He'd tried, really he'd tried, to like the new guy. He'd given him a fair chance for the first month, he'd tried to chalk everything up to his own mind and insecurities playing games with his heart. After a certain point though, he had to face the facts. And the facts, as much as he cringed to say it, were telling him that the new guy was after his job. And potentially his boyfriends, though Roach had decided to tuck that back into a corner for later.

The "new" guy was more than friendly with Roach when they'd been introduced. He was positive and helpful and never seemed to have an issue with Roach or with being a temporary member of the team. In fact, he'd been so kind that Roach hadn't felt worried in the slightest when he'd returned to the room with Soap and Ghost at his side. He'd felt more than happy having confirmation that the man knew he was only going to be working with them for a bit before going back to his own team.

The next few times that Roach had seen him had been similar. They were spread out, but the man was quite pleasant to him every time they met. Of course, as Roach knew now, that was likely only due to the fact that another member of the 141 had been with him. The first time that Roach saw the man while alone was the first time that he got an idea that things weren't quite right.

He'd been tiredly (and painfully) making his way back from his physical therapy appointment when he'd seen the man. They were passing one another in the hall and Roach had given him a quick friendly smile. It hadn't been returned, but he hadn't thought much about it at the time, at least he hadn't thought about it until the man moved over just enough that he could painfully slam his shoulder against Roach's. The move had sent Roach stumbling into the wall next to him, his back screaming. When he'd looked over his shoulder at the man, shock running through his system, he'd been met with a harsh glare.

The man had disappeared around the corner of another hall before Roach could fully comprehend what had happened. It had left him reeling for the rest of the day. Later, when he'd seen the man again while with Soap and Ghost, he questioned whether he'd hallucinated the incident. After all, the new guy was just so nice, wasn't he?

Roach hadn't told Soap and Ghost about what happened. He hadn't even told them when it happened again. Or when other incidents of the new guy being an ass to him happened. He just kept trying to convince himself that he was reading to far into things. That he was looking for a reason to be upset. He just kept trying to blame himself.

It hadn't been until he was talking to Jackson about the man's odd behavior that he finally began to accept that something was amiss.

"He sounds like an asshole?" Jackson tilted his head at him, "Have you told Soap and Ghost? Or like...Price at least?"

"No?" Roach shook his head, "Listen I'm sure it's nothing-"

"No, no, hell no," Jackson cut him off quickly, "You're doing that thing again where you try to blame yourself for other people being assholes."

"What?"

"This guy is being a dick!" Jackson pointed at him, "And he's only doing it when its just you around. Pretty fucking two-faced if you ask me."

Roach had quickly rebuffed his friend, but after the call ended, he'd found himself thinking more about what Jackson had said to him. It was true. This guy was being an absolute dick to Roach and he had no idea why. At least he had no idea until he'd overheard Soap complimenting him about how quick he was during a mission. He'd responded, "It makes you guys want to keep me around, eh?"

He'd laughed it off afterward, but Roach had heard the hope in his voice and, when he'd made his presence known, he'd seen the disgust on his face. The dots started connecting for him from there.

The way that the man always seemed to be trying to make his presence known and make himself important to the group. The way he was always complimenting and kissing ass to the rest of the group. The subtle remarks he would make about wishing his own team was like the 141. Roach had also noticed the rather unsubtle looks that he'd been giving Soap.

The issue, though, was that Roach had no proof that any of what was happening was true. He had no proof that the man was being an ass or that he wanted his job or that he was constantly staring at his boyfriend's ass. He had no proof, so he kept quiet. All he had to do was make it back into the field. All he had to do was get confirmed healthy enough for active duty at the end of his two months. After all, the 141 surely wouldn't replace him after just two months.

"Are we," Roach grit his teeth and resisted the urge to groan as Dr. Sanchez felt along his back, "done yet?"

There was another moment of pressure before she finally lifted her hands away from his skin, allowing him to collapse back into his seat with a relieved huff. He watched her move around the room for several moments, her face serious as she typed several things into her computer. He didn't like the look that she wore. He was hoping for smiles or some sort of indication that the turn out was good.

"What's the verdict?" He dared to ask. There was another moment of silence before Dr. Sanchez sighed and turned toward him, her face apologetic.

"I'm sorry," she started, "But I can't put you back into the field like this."

"But you said two months!" Roach winced a bit, but pushed himself up from his seat.

"I said two months at the least," Dr. Sanchez gave a sigh, "I know this isn't what you wanted to hear. But its going to be at least another month." Roach collapsed back to the chair his chest feeling heavy and his eyes stinging with the need to cry. He pushed it down. This was not something he was going to be crying over. "You've made a lot of progress," Dr. Sanchez placed a hand on his shoulder comfortingly, "I'm confident that with another month you'll be back in tip top shape."

Roach was on his way back to his room. He was already feeling down on himself, so it only made sense that the world would try to beat him further into the ground.

He was moving past one of the meeting rooms when he just caught the sound of Soap's voice. He paused, his lips quirking up a bit. He could always stop and say hi to his boyfriends. Surely that would make him feel better.

He stepped up to the door, intent on knocking, "I honestly wouldn't mind having him on the team permanently."

Roach froze in his place, a lump forming in his throat. "Neither would I, he's been a good addition to the team." Ghost's voice.

Roach stepped back from the door, feeling as though a bucket of cold water had just been dumped over his head. He felt numb, his mind running over itself. They didn't say that they wanted to replace him on the team, but wasn't that the implication? Wasn't that what his replacement had been hoping for? Sure, maybe they didn't want the guy over him, but with another month...Roach couldn't be sure.

He made his way down the hallway and back toward his room, feeling a slow building of dread in his chest. It seeped up his throat as he made his way into the room. By the time he'd plopped into a seat, he was already crying.

"Bug?" Roach tucked himself deeper into his blanket, trying to avoid the harsh light that was turned on in the room. He didn't look up, but he could hear Soap and Ghost shuffling around the room. A moment later and he could feel the bed next to him sink down. "We heard from Doc about you being out for another month." Soap's voice was soft and Roach could feel his hand land on his thigh through the sheets. "We're sorry."

"It's for the best," Ghost's voice was just as soft as Soap's and Roach could tell from how clear his voice was that he'd taken his mask off. "The team will be fine, we just want you to get better."

"Yeah," Soap agreed, "and besides, it isn't like we're down a man, I'm sure-"

Roach couldn't help the sob that pulled from his throat at the words, cutting Soap off. He tried to quiet himself, but it was too late, both Soap and Ghost had clearly heard him.

"Bug?" The bed dipped down again and, ever so slowly, the blankets were pulled away from his face, exposing him to the gaze of his boyfriends.

"Roach," Soap was quick to turn his face, getting a good look at him with wide concerned eyes, "Bug, whats wrong? Are you hurting? Is it your back?"

Roach turned away from him, trying to bury his face in his pillow, "I don't want to talk about it."

There was a pause before Ghost was asking, "Somethings bothering you. What is it?" There was another long pause, Roach didn't answer. "We aren't letting up until you tell us."

Roach took a moment before muttering, "The new guy wants to replace me."

There was another long pause before, "What?"

Roach shoved himself up from the bed, pushing himself into a sitting position. "The new guy wants my spot on the team! He's such an ass when you guys aren't around and he keeps making comments about wishing he could stay on the team! And he's constantly staring at Soap's ass which, like," he rubbed at his face, "I get it! Me too, but also have some respect? And did I mention that every time he and I are alone together he gives me dirty looks or says something fucking rude!"

He finally forced himself to stop talking. He didn't dare meet the gazes of Soap and Ghost. He didn't want to see their disbelief.

"Bug," Ghost's voice was low, "Why didn't you tell us?"

Roach hesitated for a moment before looking up at them. Their faces were stormy, a mix of anger and concern written across their brow. "I don't have proof," Roach hunched over slightly and fought back the desire to cry again, "I knew how much you guys liked him. Hell, I heard you guys today talking about how you'd like to have him on the team for good! I was," he took in a deep breath, "I was worried you wouldn't believe me."

Within a moment, there were arms wrapped around Roach's shoulders, holding him tightly. A kiss was pressed to his cheek as Soap nuzzled their faces together, "Bug, of course we believe you."

Roach relaxed into Soap's arms at the words, leaning into his hold. "We're telling Price about this." Roach met Ghost's gaze and he could see how serious the other man was. His tone left no room for argument.

"Later," Soap assured, pressing kisses to his face, "Right now we're staying here."

"Yes," Ghost moved closer to them, pressing his chest to Roach's shoulder, "Right now we're staying here. Right here until you feel better." He pressed a kiss to Roach's hair, then his cheek.

"How's your back feel?" Soap muttered the words against his shoulder, his mouth tracing across the exposed skin of his collarbone.

Roach sighed, trying to stretch slightly, "Better, still shit though. Its tight right now, I probably need to lay back down." He noted that his voice was still a bit shakey. Despite that, he already felt better than he had moments ago. Soap and Ghost believed him. That was what mattered.

"We'll lay back then," Ghost was quick to tug Roach over into his lap, stealing him away from Soap with an apologetic glance. Once Roach was settled, he slowly reclined so that they were laid back together with his chest to Roach's back. Soap was quick to move as well, tucking himself between Roach and Ghost's legs to lay over Roach's chest. He resumed his previous activity of placing kisses along Roach's neck.

Roach gave a small satisfied sigh. He liked being there, pressed between Soap and Ghost. It felt like exactly where he was meant to be.

Soap hummed against his neck before giving a quick and playful nip to the skin. Roach shuddered a bit. A moment later and Ghost's hands were running along his side softly, tucking his shirt up to stroke along the skin there.

Soap continued nipping at his neck, growing more and more bold with his mouth. At the same time, Ghost's hand started moving further and further under Roach's shirt, tracing the muscle of his chest until he was just missing Roach's nipples.

"I'm beginning," Roach cut himself off with a slight yelp as Soap bit particularly hard on his neck. Ghost took the opportunity to flick his fingers over one of Roach's nipples, beginning slow teasing strokes and flicks over the nub. He gave a gasp, tilting his head back against Ghost's shoulder, "I'm beginning to think the two of you are trying to do something other than comfort me."

"Now what would make you think that, bug?" Ghost's voice was teasing and he punctuated his words with a quick pinch of Roach's nipple that pulled a small yelp from his mouth.

Soap chuckled against his neck, his hands trailing down to grip at Roach's thighs. He ground himself down briefly, pulling a gasp from Roach's lips. "Our intentions are purely in the realm of making you feel good." He ground his hips down again, this time pulling a moan from all three of them as the movement pushed Roach's backside down against Ghost's cock.

"We haven't touched you in so long," Ghost tilted Roach's head back with one of his hands, the other still teasing at his chest. He connected their lips together, quickly opening Roach's mouth with his tongue. They shared sloppy kisses as Soap continued to grind against Roach, pulling the occasional moan and sigh from the three of them. His mouth was tracing further down Roach's skin, tugging at his shirt to expose more pale skin to his teeth and bruising mouth.

"Well," Roach pulled back for a moment, but his lips were quickly recaptured by Ghost's, the man's hand grabbed tight to his chin to hold him in place. Roach whimpered at the tight grip, he wasn't allowed to pull apart for several moments, "it isn't my fault that you haven't touched me." He gave Ghost a quick pout and the man nipped at his lips in response.

"You're hurt," Soap muttered against his skin, "We were being gentle."

"Are you saying you can't be gentle when you fuck me?" Roach teased slightly. He pushed himself up from Ghost's chest a bit, wincing at the tightness the move exposed in his back. He ignored it in favor of stripping his shirt off, Soap and Ghost helping him with the movement.

As soon as his chest was exposed, Soap was back on him, his mouth surrounding the nipple the Ghost wasn't playing with. Roach arched into his mouth and gave a low whine at the feeling. "You don't know how tempting you are," Ghost pressed a kiss against his cheek, "Its hard not to lose ourselves in you."

Roach gasped as Soap bit his nipple, he ground back slightly to pull a slight groan from Ghost's lips. Roach could feel his boyfriend's rapidly hardening cock pressed against his ass. Soap's was already hard and his slow grinding movements had been slowly working Roach up as well. His pants and underwear were beginning to feel uncomfortably tight.

"If I'm so tempting," Roach whimpered as Soap ground down against him again, "You'd think someone would be inside me already." He punctuated his words by grinding back against Ghost and grabbing tight to Soap's hair with one hand, tugging him up to connect their mouths in a filthy open mouthed kiss.

"Is that what you want?" Ghost chuckled lowly and nipped at his ear, "I think Johnny and I can make that happen." His hand finally moved away from Roach's chest to trail down and slip under the waistband of his pants. His hand moved between Soap and Roach's hips so that he could palm at Roach through his underwear, forcing Roach to break away from Soap's mouth with gasping breaths.

"I'll grab the lube," Soap gave a bright grin and pecked at Roach's gasping lips before pushing himself up and scrambling off of the bed.

Roach could only watch him move around the room through lidded eyes, his mind crowded with pleasure. It spiked down his spine as Ghost's hand slipped under his underwear so that he could wrap his hand fully around Roach's cock and stroke over him slowly. "Oh, fuck," Roach's hips canted up into Ghost's hand, "Si- oh, ah, Simon!"

"Perfect little thing," Ghost pressed several more kisses along his throat, his hand tightening around Roach's cock as Soap finally rejoined them on the bed, his shirt discarded and a bottle of lube tossed to the bed beside Roach's legs. His hands set to work unbuttoning Roach's pants and tugging them down his legs. Ghost helped him as much as he could, one of his hands helping to lift Roach's hips to make the slide easier. Within a few moments Roach was fully naked under their touch.

"Fucking pretty," Soap dived down to begin licking and biting at Roach's exposed hips. Roach was flushed red, a thin layer of pink settling over his skin as heat pounding at him. He jerked his hips up slightly only to have them immediately pinned by Soap's hands. "None of that now," he bit Roach's hip hard, "Be good."

Roach gave a low whine at the words but did his best to keep his hips still. His mind was completely foggy as both Soap and Ghost worked at him. Slowly arousal built in Roach's gut, pooling and curling around him in a warm sensation, he could hardly breathe with the feelings that were being pulled from him by Ghost's hand around his cock and Soap's slowly wondering mouth and hands.

"Remember what he said, Soap?" Ghost pressed another kiss to Roach's temple, "he wants one of us in him. Open him up, would you?"

Soap groaned at the words, his hands grasping quickly for the bottle of lube on the bed. "Why only one?" He poured a generous amount onto his hand, warming it up between his fingers as best as he could. "Why not both of us, hmm Bug?" His hands trailed down, stroking just lightly across Roach's balls before slipping between his cheeks to begin circling around his hole, teasing at him with his fingers.

"Maybe when he's feeling a bit better," Ghost chuckled a bit, "I don't think he could handle being stuffed so full right now."

"Aww," Soap started working a finger into Roach slowly, pulling a desperate gasp from his lips as his fingers pressed against his warm walls. "You could take it," Soap started quickly working another finger into Roach, fucking him shallowly with his hand, "Couldn't you, Bug?:

Roach nodded his head rapidly, his mind too far gone for him to even think logically. All that he wanted was one of the two men he was pressed between to split him open with their cock. To make the pleasure in him build even higher. He wanted them to make sure that he would never doubt his place with them again. "Please, please," desperate moans escaped his lips as Soap started working his fingers in and out of him faster, soon adding a third finger to help scissor and stretch him open.

Ghost hand was still tight around his cock, moving slowly in time with Soap's thrusting fingers. Roach's hips jumped again when Ghost ran his thumb over the head of his cock, fingering his slit slowly. "Simon- fuck, oh god John!" He jerked his hips again, pulling a chuckle from Ghost and a grin from Soap. "Please, please, just fuck me already!"

"He begs so sweet," Soap twisted his fingers inside Roach, pulling another long whine from his throat. "What do you say, Simon?"

Ghost hummed playfully, as though he was thinking, "Since he asked so nicely. Though, it is tempting to just keep him like this. I mean, look how he's leaking. I'm could watch it all day." Roach whined at the words. The thought of Soap and Ghost keeping him like this for hours made him breathless. He knew that the two men could and would do it too, they'd be more than willing to tease him until he was crying for them.

Ghost slowly removed his hand from Roach's cock. "Lift your hips a bit, Bug." Soap helped guide him off of Ghost just enough that Ghost could undo his own pants and pull his aching cock out. Ghost was pressed against Roach's ass, just slipping between his cheeks as Soap poured a bit more lube onto his hands. He helped Roach lift up again and wrapped his hand around Ghost's cock, giving several long slow jerks to spread the slick substance along his length.

"Fuck," Ghost latched his mouth onto Roach's neck, his hips moving just slightly into Soap's hand. After several moments Soap helped to guide the tip of Ghost's cock to Roach's entrance. Soap helped guide Roach back onto Ghost's cock, grinning wide as both of the men groaned at the sensations. Ghost was stretching Roach open pleasantly and the sensation of Roach squeezing tight around his cock was forcing desperate pants from his throat.

"There we go," Soap chuckled at the groan that left both Roach and Ghost once they were filly pressed together. He pecked at Roach's lips, spreading kisses along his face, "Feels good, doesn't it?"

Roach nodded, a whimper leaving his lips as Ghost gave one hard thrust up into him. On instinct Roach reached forward, grabbing tight to Soap's shoulders for support as Ghost started to slowly buck up into him. "God, hmm- oh fuck," he gave another long whine, "John, I- oh please, please! Can- you should-" he couldn't figure out what he was trying to say as he tugged at Soap's shoulders. Ghost's cock driving inside of him kept pleasure panging through him in an addictive way. The heat burning through him was becoming overwhelming.

"What is it, bug?" Soap pulled back just enough that he could start unbuttoning the top of his pants. Roach and Ghost watched the movement with hungry eyes, scanning over every inch of skin that Soap exposed to them. Soap pulled his cock out and wrapped a hand around himself, giving several slow strokes to his hard cock. He tilted his head back at the sensation, a satisfied sigh pulling from his lips.

"S-Simon," Roach moaned as Ghost fucked up into him harder, just brushing against his prostate. Ghost repeated the movement, his hungry eyes watching Soap jerk himself off slowly. "Please, fuck, need both of you!"

Soap moved back in between Roach and Ghost's legs and leaned down to capture Roach's lips in a quick kiss. He pulled back before leaning further to connect his lips to Ghost's in a similarly desperate kiss. When he pulled away, he buried his face in Roach's neck, latching on to the skin there with his teeth as his cock rubbed against Roach's own hard length and Ghost's hand. Ghost was quick to wrap his hand around both Roach and Soap's lengths, stroking them in time with his thrusts.

Soap whined against Roach's neck, biting down just a bit harder and lapping at the bit of blood that pricked up from the move. "Fucking hell," Ghost's voice was desperate, "So fucking tight, Bug- oh fuck!" He bucked up harshly into Roach.

Pleasure spiked through Roach's system and he felt delightfully overwhelmed. The slide of his cock with Soap's was sending jolts up his spine and pooling in his gut. Ghost was still brushing against his prostate with every thrust, the feeling both not enough and too much for him. In combination, he felt as though he couldn't breathe or think. He could only lay there pressed between two hard warm bodies to have pleasure pulled from him.

He grabbed at Soap's shoulders as the pleasure in him began to tilt toward the edge. "Simon! Oh fuck, ah, you feel so, so fucking good!" He dug his nails into Soap's skin, scrambling for some sort of purchase as Ghost picked up the pace of his thrusts and his hand over their cocks.

Soap grabbed tight to him, similarly desperate gasps pulling from his throat, "Fuck, fuck, Simon, just like that! Just like that!"

"So fucking tight around me, Bug," Ghost growled against Roach's ear, "So fucking good. Do you like this? Hmm? You like it when I take care of you and Johnny like this?"

"Yes," Roach managed to cry out, nodding his head rapidly.

"And you know," Soap joined in, "How much we love you? You know that we'd never want anyone else? Not on the team, not here. Only you." Roach didn't say anything, too distracted by the pleasure that threatened to snap in him at any moment. Soap slapped at his thigh, "Answer us, sweet boy."

"Yes," Roach clung to Soap tighter his voice going higher with every word and moan that left his mouth, "Yes, love you both! Please, please keep going! Can- oh god please, can I come? Ah, oh fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck-"

"Go on, sweet boy," Ghost muttered against his ear, "Show us how good you feel."

It only took another few moments before Roach was scrambling again, the pool of pleasure in his gut snapping and sending his vision white with the intensity of the feelings that washed over him. He could only vaguely register the sounds of Ghost cursing behind him before his hips stuttered and the feeling of cum inside of him hit. He didn't mind it though, the feeling only adding to his desperation as Ghosts hand continued to work over his cock, the slide between him and Soap made even smoother by his own cum acting as further lube.

"Too, ah, too much," he groaned as Ghost continued working him and Soap, driving him into overstimulation as he finally came down. He tried to scramble away from the hand on his cock, but that only resulted in Ghost's cock hitting inside of him again, pulling a groan from both of them. A moment later and Soap was pinning his hips down, his face buried in his chest as moaned out chuckles left his lips.

"John hasn't finished yet," Ghost teased, his own voice sounding wrecked from his own orgasm, "Don't you want to make him feel good? Be good, Bug. Take what I give you."

Roach could do nothing as he found himself quickly hurtling back toward the edge of pleasure, his entire body tense. His hand grasped and clawed against Soap's back as both of their moans grew more and more desperate. Higher and higher. "Gonna- fuck, gonna come with me, Bug?" Soap bit at his chest, trailing his mouth down over his skin, "Be good for me, yeah?"

Ghost tightened his fist a bit around their cocks and it was only a few moments later that Roach was coming again, his senses fizzing out for several moments.

When he finally came back to himself it was to Soap panting against his skin, coming down from his own orgasm as Ghost carefully released their cocks from his hand. "Fuck," Soap gasped against his skin, "God I love you both."

"Hmm, love you guys too," Roach mumbled, exhaustion pulling at his bones, "I'll love you both even more if we can just...stay like this and nap."

Ghost chuckled from behind him, "Something tells me if we don't at least clean you up first you'll love us a little less when you wake up."

"Impossible," Roach whined as Soap moved off of him, nearly stumbling as he landed on his own two feet.

Soap gave a low chuckle and stretched upward. Both Ghost and Roach watched him with hungry eyes, trailing his bare chest down to the cum staining his skin, and his spent cock still hanging out of his unbuttoned pants. "I think you two did a number on me," he stretched out his legs, completely oblivious to the staring from Roach and Ghost. "Let me go get a rag to clean us up!" He shot them both a grin and turned away, heading toward the bathroom. The moved exposed several angry red scratches along his back and shoulders from where Roach had clawed at him in the midst of pleasure. A few of them were dotted red where Roach had broken the skin.

Roach and Ghost both watched quietly until Soap had disappeared into the bathroom. After a long moment of silence, Ghost whispered, "Good job."

"I did not mean to do that."

"Fucking phenomenal sight, though."

"Agreed."

"I just saw you yesterday," Dr. Sanchez raised an eyebrow at him, "You only had to stay resting for one more month!"

Roach winced slightly, a blush lighting up his face. He'd woken up that morning with a searing pain in his back and he knew that something was wrong. His back hadn't hurt so bad in weeks. "I'm sorry."

"What the hell did you even do?" Dr. Sanchez looked at her notes, "I mean its like you've regressed yourself by like a month!"

Roach winced again and avoided her gaze, his face a bright red. He knew exactly what he'd done to his back. There was a long pause before "I'm waiting, Roach? What were you doing?"

He winced again before nervously mumbling out an answer.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you."

"I was with Soap and Ghost...and you know."

There was another long pause that filled the room. Roach shot his head up, his face red as he heard a bit of laughter. He was met with the sight of Dr. Sanchez covering her mouth, laughter clearly shaking her shoulders as her eyes lit up with mirth. "You," she cut herself off with another laugh, this one nearly hunching her over.

"Hey!" Roach's face felt like it was burning and he was sure he'd never felt so mortified in his life.

"I'm sorry," Dr. Sanchez waved him off, "I'm sorry, good for you." She stood up fully, still trying to contain her laughter, "Just tell Soap and Ghost to lay you flat on the bed next time not...whatever the three of you did." She laughed for another moment. "Anyways, because of the regression, we're going to have you another shot and do another two months off."

Roach groaned, covering his face with his hands. Not only was he going to be off for another two months now, but he knew that he was never going to hear the end of it from Soap about how he and Ghost had actually managed to blow his fucking back out while fucking him.

[echo-of-sounds]

homecare

Small drabbles of Aizawa, Toshinori, and Hizashi taking care of you when you’re not feeling well. In Aizawa’s, you have a migraine. In Toshi’s, you have a stomach bug. In Hizashi’s, you have shingles (I got an ask about it, so I decided to change Hizashi’s to give the requester a little something to feel better)

Warnings: vomiting (there’s no real detail)

Aizawa Shouta

Blurs blotched the hallway. It turned to a flash of light, needles into your right temple. The sharp, sudden pain shot behind your eyes, tilting your vision off-kilter. You grabbed the wall for support as more brightness blinded. You quietly called out, “Sho? You there?”

“Right here.” A hand found your side, holding you tight. Shouta’s voice was soft yet still a little chiding, “I told you to lay down.”

“I needed to use-” A stab punctured your right temple. You lurched forward, feeling your stomach reel with it. His arm remained around you while you panted, “I just needed to go to the bathroom.”

“Well, you’re done with that. Come on, you shouldn’t be standing. I don’t want you to fall.” You didn’t put up a fight, giving him silent permission to bring you back to bed.

But the floor seemed to sink, spinning, smeared in black spots, spiraling in from your peripheral. Shouta asked something through wool, yet sharp enough to slit your temple. Then the floor rushed at you. His arm caught your front. Tingling overtook your legs. Cold shuddered your body, making you cling to his arm. It was warm and solid and felt like the only thing that wasn’t hurting you.

He helped you up and quickly half-guided, half-carried you to bed. “Did you grab my…” you trailed off once your head met the pillow. Taking the strain of bearing the weight of your head off your neck muscles immediately eased some of the shooting. Your eyes closed, refusing to take in any more light.

“Yeah.” A tiny pill was placed on your palm, hopefully the cure to this stupid migraine. A water bottle came next. “Careful. It’s open.” His fingers didn’t leave yours, guiding the bottle to your lips, letting you take multiple gulps.

You sighed your thanks and tucked the blankets under your chin.

A cold cloth rested over your eyes. “Is that good?”

You hummed.

“Do you need anything else?”

“Can you shut the blinds?”

He blocked out the rest of the day’s light. “Anything else?”

“Can you stay with me? I’m cold.”

Shouta didn’t respond. He just crawled under the covers, laying behind you, close but not cuddling. It was enough for his warmth to touch you. His hand nestled on your hip, keeping contact as you fell asleep.

Yagi Toshinori

Your eyes shot open, you jumped off the couch, and barely reached the toilet in time for your stomach to release. The strain constricted your ribs, tensing your neck and temples. Water dripped from your eyes as you flushed the toilet and slumped against the wall. Weak muscles wouldn’t let you stand, so you sat there, sweating and shivering, until you drifted asleep.

Toshinori’s voice said your name. You shrugged the hand off. He whispered, “Sweetheart, you’re on the bathroom floor. Let’s get you to bed.”

“My stomach…”

“That’s okay. I’ll get you set up.” Hands took yours and helped you stand.

You gripped his shirt through the short walk. When your bed was in sight, you hurried over to it and collapsed, bundling under the blankets.

You didn’t even notice Toshi left until he came back with a trashcan and towel. After setting them up for you, he asked, “What do you want to drink?”

“Water… and ginger ale.”

“Alright. I’ll be right back. Try to keep your body relaxed.”

You smiled and closed your eyes. Everything inside you suddenly felt completely and utterly drained. Sweating while freezing wasn’t a fun combo to get stuck with. At least your stomach was calm. But even then, it was only a matter of time until you were sick.

Two glasses clinked onto the bedside table. You opened your eyes, took a small sip of water, then put it back, lounging again. Toshi gingerly soothed, “Drink some more.”

You shook your head. It’ll just come back up.

“Honey, you might not want to, but you need to stay hydrated, or at least have something in your stomach so you don’t dry heave and hurt yourself.”

You grumbled and complied, taking a few gulps of water. It salved your sore esophagus that’ll only get rawer as the night continued.

“There you go,” he praised. His rough palm covered your forehead. “You’re hot, but not to the point I should be worried.”

“You’re not worried about my hotness?” you giggled.

“Hmm, I guess delirium can be another symptom,” he smiled, gently dabbing a wet washcloth along your forehead. You leaned into the cloth, letting it cool your skin, falling asleep under its movements and Toshi’s supervision. You’d worry about the upcoming stomach pain when it arrived.

Yamada Hizashi

Very softly and very carefully, Hizashi pressed the towel to your side, patting you dry. The plush towel felt worse than a knife on the raw, red, darkened skin. You tried sitting still while he prodded more of the affected area.

One slightly harder-than-normal pat made you flinch. “Ow!”

“Sorry, baby. I’m just making sure it’s clean and dry.”

“I know.” You grabbed his thigh. “It’s just sensitive. Everywhere is sensitive.”

“Did the bath help at all?”

“A little… It helped with the itching, but the pain…”

Hizashi exhaled heavily as he stood. “I’m sorry you gotta deal with this. Maybe this’ll do a better job.” He turned from the bureau, holding the cream your doctor prescribed.

You really didn’t want to go through more touching, and you weren’t banking on a big difference. But the doctor promised it would numb the area, giving you some relief from the pain. You sighed, “Alright. Be careful?”

“Of course.” After pulling on a pair of gloves, he squeezed the tube to get a good amount on his palm. Your body held tense, flinching when the cream connected with the welt-like bumps. You hissed but kept yourself still. He huffed, “I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright, Hizashi. You don’t have to keep apologizing.”

“I know. I know. I just hate seeing you in pain,” he talked low. Two fingers lightly smoothed over skin, dispersing the medication without applying too much pressure or friction. He made sure to cover the irritated area before taking the gloves off. “Okay. All done. It should start working in thirty minutes.”

You sighed again. Thirty minutes was a long way away. Pins and needles aggravated your entire body despite the blisters only being on your right side. And this was going to last over two weeks.

A knuckle brushed your cheek. Blinking away the water, you looked up to his glassy eyes. He kissed your forehead and cradled your chin. “I’m your own personal nurse. Whatever you need, I’ll provide.”

“Thank you,” you whispered.

“You don’t need to thank me, baby.” He returned to the bureau, shuffling through one of his draws. His hands withdrew a large, old T-shirt and helped you slip it on, heedful of your side and tender skin. It was big enough that you could forego shorts and underwear.

Once set, Hizashi smiled wide and pulled you to your feet. “Now, let’s get some food in your tummy before bed.”

[starkerscoop]

Vacant Mind (Ch. 1)

Tag List: @thatrandomsomnia @longlivestarker @geen-beems @consciencecoward @aoifelaufeyson @rebel13lion39 @katzenbaby1  @helaisthequeen @im-a-goner-foryou @hornvey @darker-soft-starker  @nerdylocksandthethreebears @canreadbutcannotwrite @carelessannie @bluestarker @briesb1tch @skimparker @idiyeet @blushing-starker-queen @buckettbarnes

Let me know if you want to be removed from the tag list, or added to it. The first three chapters of this fic are being reuploaded from my old blog, so that everyone can access them from this one. If you don’t want to be tagged for the first three chapters, but do want to be tagged for the remaining ones, let me know. 

Let the “didn’t know they were dating” fic commence... again

- 

Peter trudged through the streets, biting back a groan whenever the bustling passerby would bump into him. He felt hot, unnaturally so, and the sweat plastering his hair to the nape of his neck did nothing to cool him down. He wondered dimly when it had gotten so warm. The snow at his feet clung to his shoes, reminding him of the chill he was meant to be feeling, but he only felt uncomfortable in his jacket.

He shrugged it off, allowing the cold air to encompass his heated body. He stuffed the jacket into his backpack as he walked, and caught sight of the Spider-Man suit nestled at the bottom of the bag. Any excitement he might have had at the prospect of patrolling was replaced by dread. He was too tired to patrol, but saving lives was a job he took seriously, and so he ducked into an alley and donned his suit.

Karen switched on the heater in his suit the moment he put it on, and Peter barely restrained his complaints. Karen was programmed to keep the heater on in temperatures below 55℉, and had been ever since Tony found out that Peter couldn’t thermoregulate. If he switched it off, Karen would notify Tony, who would then badger him until he confessed that he wasn’t feeling well.

It was a protocol that Peter had thought was sweet when it was first installed. It made him feel like Tony cared about him beyond making sure he didn’t die in battle. Now, it was a thorn in his side.

Peter could only endure the additional warmth for two hours. In that time, he stopped a robbery, helped a man find his dropped hearing aid, and returned a lost dog to its crying owner.

By the time he arrived home and pulled off the suit, his body was slick all over with sweat, and his cheeks were flushed with a deeper red than he’d ever seen. He staggered over to his shower, pushing aside the curtain and falling in. He groped around the shower blindly until his hands caught the knob, which he twisted desperately until cold water started running down his face. He grasped the wall and stumbled to his feet, swaying in place as he let the water rinse off his sweat.

His head felt faint, and as his eyes roved over the stall in search of his shampoo, his vision started filling with black spots. Peter reached for his shampoo bottle once he found it, but lost his balance and fell towards it. His head smacked into the wall, and he was out like a light.

-

A hand combed through his hair, gently tugging and undoing the knots in it. Peter leaned into the comforting touch, an entirely different warmth to the one he’d been suffering from earlier filling his chest. The hand paused its ministrations, but didn’t pull away.

“Are you waking up?” a hushed voice murmured by his ear.

Peter struggled to open his eyes. His eyelids felt heavy, refusing to do anything other than twitch, and so he stared into darkness as the hand in his hair resumed its motion. He relaxed into the bed, giving up for the moment. He let himself drift in the darkness, the hand on his head his only tether to reality.

“It’s alright,” the same voice sighed fondly. “You do like your beauty sleep. Don’t worry, Pete. I’ll still be here when you wake up.”

Peter let himself slip away further at the assurance. He felt safe in the presence of that voice, warm and loving as it was.

The darkness wasn’t all that frightening now.

-

The steady beeping of the machine at Peter’s side roused him from his sleep. He shuffled in place a little as he craned his neck to the left, where he was met with a heart monitor that sounded in time with his heart. He swallowed thickly, wondering how he’d landed himself in the Med-Bay again.

“How are you feeling?”

Peter jumped in surprise, his head swivelling to the other side, where Tony was perched on a chair and watching him earnestly.

“I’m okay,” Peter took a moment to survey himself. “I have a small headache, but other than that, I’m fine.”

“Good,” Tony said, before his expression hardened. “Now, what were you thinking when you decided to patrol with a fever of 104 degrees?”

Peter groaned. “I didn’t think it was that bad.”

“You fell and hit your head in the shower,” Tony stressed. “What if you’d fallen while swinging? I doubt you’d have gotten away with only a headache if you fell thirty stories.”

Peter’s lips turned downward when he noticed the fear hidden behind the anger in Tony’s expression. “I’m sorry for scaring you.”

Tony didn’t deny his fear, though he didn’t acknowledge it, either. “I’ll be adding more protocols to your suit. This isn’t happening again.”

Peter didn’t argue.

Tony’s shoulders lost some of their tension. “Are you hungry? I had someone restock the Jell-O.”

“Do you have red?” Peter’s face lit up.

Tony reached into the pockets of his slacks and brought out two cups of red Jell-O. He handed both to Peter, before setting a plastic spoon on top of them. Peter thanked him before peeling off the wrapper on one of the cups, and dunking his spoon into it. He scooped out a spoonful of the strawberry jelly and stuffed it into his mouth, paying no mind to the thin trail of it that trickled down his chin.

Tony swiped his thumb along Peter’s chin, clearing it of the jelly before sucking it into his own mouth. Peter dropped his spoon into his cup, watching with wide eyes until Tony pulled his thumb out of his mouth and cleaned it with a napkin.

“I’ll get someone to check you out and see if you can be discharged,” Tony patted his thigh as he stood. “Stay put, sweetheart.”

Peter’s jelly lay forgotten once Tony left. He had called him sweetheart. Just yesterday, Peter was trying to get him to drop the ‘kid’ moniker, and now he’d been upgraded to ‘sweetheart’? What had changed in the span of twenty-four hours?

When Tony came back, he was followed into the room by Dr. Althea Roberts, whom Peter was more than familiar with. Dr. Roberts treated him every time he ended up in the Med-Bay, and with how often he got injured, he got to know her well. Their friendship and Dr. Roberts’ talent in the medical field made her his favorite doctor.

“Mr. Parker,” she shook her head sternly. “What you pulled yesterday could’ve gotten you killed.”

“Yesterday?” Peter’s brows knitted together.

“You woke up a few times, but for the most part, you slept for a day,” Tony explained, taking a few steps back towards the door. “I’ll give you your privacy.”

Tony was leaving the room before Peter could tell him that he didn’t mind him hearing his conversation with Dr. Roberts. Still, he appreciated the space. Tony’s worry tended to morph into nosiness, the need to know everything wrong with his friends and rectify it driving him to budge his way into places he didn’t need to be in. Peter was glad to see him working on that — it was a byproduct of his anxiety, and one that Tony himself didn’t like.

Dr. Roberts started speaking as soon as the door swung closed. “You had a high fever. When you went to shower, you hit your head and got a concussion. If your head hurts, or you’re feeling confused, that’s normal and it will stop soon. You might experience some memory loss, but it shouldn’t be anything extreme. Any memories you might have lost will come back.”

“Okay,” Peter nodded to show he understood. “How did you find me in the shower? I was alone.”

“According to Mr. Stark, a friend of yours stopped by and found you in the shower. He called Mr. Stark, who brought you here to be treated.”

Dr. Roberts asked him some preliminary questions before giving him approval for a discharge. Once she finished speaking with him, she had a nurse come in and unhook him from all of the machines surrounding his bed. The nurse brought him the spare clothes he kept in the Med-Bay for when he’d inevitably need them, and he swapped his hospital gown for them. When he finished getting dressed, he exited the room he’d been staying in, and found Tony standing in the hallway with his phone in hand.

Tony slipped his phone into his pocket. “We can go now?”

“Yes,” Peter wrung his hands shyly. “Thank you for staying with me. You didn’t have to.”

A grim look settled over Tony’s face. “I needed to make sure you were okay.”

“I am okay, if that helps,” Peter offered.

Tony wrapped an arm over his shoulders, tugging him into his side as he led him to the reception counter he’d be discharged at. Peter tried not to sink into the touch, wanting to avoid giving away how much it pleased him to be so close to Tony, but he couldn’t help curling just a little bit closer.  

“It does.”

[ive-been-worse]

Liable PT 2

Word Count: 2,419

Warning: Violence, blood, knives, hospitals, close calls, mentions of anxiety/panic, let me know if I missed any.

A/N: this is part two to a different post. It's long, I can't write cases, kinda angsty but it has a happy ending. Enjoy

“Can you believe it?” You point your spoon at no one in particular. “A ‘liability’! God!” You let out a sardonic laugh and viciously dig into your ice cream.

You, Emily, JJ, and Penny are having girls’ night. Yes, you’re a little tipsy and definitely not over anything.

Emily shakes her head while JJ pours more wine for everyone.

“Y/N/N, you know you aren’t a liability. You’re damn good at your job and Hotch was full of shit,” Em doesn’t normally bash the boss but she’s a little more than tipsy too.

“You know what it is?” Penny butts in, “He likes youuuuuuu.”

Her words elicit a scoff from you, “As if.” Heat rose in your cheeks.

“No, she’s right. Everyone can see it. Hotch totally has a thing for you!” JJ exclaims, spilling a little of her wine. “Come on, are you seriously saying you’ve never noticed how much he hovers over you?”

“Or stiffens whenever you’re with an unsub?” Em adds.

“Or how he almost flinches everytime you call him ‘Agent Hotchner’,” Penny giggles.

“And, you like him too!” JJ says with a sudden seriousness.

You shake your head. As much as you want to deny JJ’s words, you can’t. Your crush has been blooming for a long time. It’s part of the reason why you’re taking this sudden cold front from your boss so hard. If only you knew what to do.

***

“Aaron, you gotta tell her,” was the first thing Dave said after sneaking into Hotch’s office.

“Tell who what, Dave?” Aaron asked. He didn’t have to ask. Dave was talking about you, just like he has been the last multiple times Dave has sought him out.

“Y/N. You know she’s a good agent. She deserves to know that.”

“Is that all?” Aaron has yet to look up from his paperwork.

“‘Is that all?’” Dave repeats, “No, first, it’s affecting the team. Everyone can see that. There’s so much tension between you two. After you fix that, you should also tell her how you feel.”

“Enough, there’s nothing to tell,” Aaron pinches the bridge of his nose, “I’ll handle it, okay?”

“You better.”

***

Hotch had kept you out of the field for seven cases. Seven. Working from Quantico was killing you and you had a newfound respect for Penny. That’s why you jumped, literally jumped, at the chance to finally go on a case with the team. However, you’re confined to the police precinct. Not ideal, but you’ll take what you can get. So while the team is gathering information in the field, you’re working on the geographical profile.

Unfortunately, geographical profiles are not your strong suit. More unfortunately, you’ve determined that there’s not enough information to make one. With a sigh, you push yourself away from the desk and make your way to the mediocre coffee station.

A young officer approaches with a smile, “What a case, right?”

You look him over. This case is probably the worst he’s seen. He’s not too bad on the eyes. Not quite your type. You shake your head as the thought of your boss flits through your mind. Giving the officer a small smile, “That’s your opening?”

Red blooms across his cheeks as he shrugs and rubs the back of his neck. “I had to start with something. I’m John,” his hand comes out between you two.

“I’m Y/N, nice to meet you,” he grips your hand a little too hard.

The door to the precinct opens. Hotch, Emily, and Reid come in. They were at the latest crime scene.

Nodding your head at your team, “That’s my cue.”

You take your leave but John stops you. “How about you and I take some time and I’ll buy you a better coffee?”

“I can’t. We have to solve this case. That’s my priority,” It’s a little harsh but that’s what you’re here to do in the first place so that’s what you’re going to do.

“L/N,” Hotch calls.

“I’m coming,” you take your coffee and go to them. “What did you find?”

“Her friends report some guy talking to her at the bar they went to the night before she went missing. Apparently he kept trying to get her to go somewhere with him.” Hotch fills you in.

“Let me guess, she kept turning him down?” You fill in, earning a nod from your boss.

“How’s the geographical profile?” Reid asks.

“You’re welcome to take a shot at it but there’s not enough.”

This time it’s Emily who speaks, “We need another victim.”

And you got one that night.

The next day you're able to finish the profile. Right as you do, coffee is set on your desk. You look up to see John. “Thank you,” you tell him. Relief filling you at the thought of caffeine.

“You looked like you could use it,” he smiled at you. Taking a sip you looked up in surprise. The coffee was exactly how you like it. “I- uh - I noticed how you took it yesterday while we were talking.” John rubbed the back of his neck and you nodded.

“We’re ready to give the profile.” Hotch announced over the room to gather everyone’s attention. It didn’t take long for everyone to get ready.

“We believe that the unsub is a young male, in his twenties to thirties,” Hotch started.

“He’ll probably try to inject himself in this investigation if he hasn’t already,” Morgan went next.

Your turn, “Given the places the victims are taken from and the dump sites, the unsub’s comfort zone is in this area,” you gesture to the map, “Meaning he either lives or works somewhere in the area.” The rest of the profile goes smoothly.

After, you take a step outside, needing to clear your head. The door opens and there’s footsteps. You turn to talk to the person. A butt of a gun slams into your head. You feel the shock.

Everything goes black.

***

You come too in a dark place and you can’t make anything out. You can hear a flip get switched and the lights flicker on above you. Squinting against the harsh light, you try to orient yourself. You take inventory. You’re sitting. Killer headache, probably a concussion. There’s something wet on your temple. You go to wipe it away only to discover your hands are bound behind you. Ankles similarly tied but to the legs of the chair.

Trying to fight the panic setting in, you take a deep breath and look around. Knives line the wall in all different sizes. Pictures of the previous victims are hung on the wall with some sort of writing by them.

The unsub walks into the room. He has an old camera with him. It’s flash blinds you. You turn your head away from the flash. When you look back, the unsub’s back is to you and he’s hanging the picture he just took on the wall. He looks familiar. You can’t place him until he turns around.

John.

John with a knife.

John with a knife, and he's coming toward you.

***

“He uses a knife so he’s likely impotent but there’s nothing else that implies this is sexual for him,” Morgan rubs his temples.

“The multiple stab wounds are all done before the kill. So he’s sadistic,” Rossi adds.

JJ enters the room, a worried look on her face. “Y/N isn’t here. I’ve checked with the hotel and they haven’t seen her since we left. She’s not answering her phone.”

“What do you mean she isn’t here?” Rossi asks.

“No one knows where she went,” JJ says.

“Guys,” Reid enters the room, holding up a phone. Your phone.

“She wouldn’t leave with just anyone. Y/N’s careful.” Rossi scrubs his face.

“She probably didn’t go willingly. It’s broken.” Reid tells them, setting the phone on the table.

“I’ll call Hotch,” Morgan stands, leaving the room.

***

Coughs tear through you. Blood dribbles out, dripping onto your already ruined shirt. You turn your head and spit, trying to clear your mouth from the coppery liquid.

“You couldn’t have just said yes? It was just coffee. But no you couldn’t do that could you!” John lets out a deranged laugh. “You’re just like the others. So stuck up you won’t give anyone a chance.” The knife he wields sinks into your abdomen and you bite your lip to keep in the pained gasp. “We could have been happy together. You’d have to give up your job though. This isn’t a line of work for a lady.”

That line. You’d been hearing that line since you joined the BAU. You’re so tired of it. His face is so close. You spit and it lands on his cheek. A strange sense of satisfaction fills you as the bloody saliva trails down his jaw.

John wipes it off, “You’re going to regret that.” His fist hits the side of your head, sending ringing through your skull.

“No,” you cough up more blood. “You’ll regret this. My team will find you and you will pay.”

“Too bad you won’t be alive to see it.”

***

You were barely conscious when they found you. Your breaths are shallow. You don’t know what happened, what went down. All you know is that suddenly, you’re not in that chair anymore. You’re not there, and someone is being loud. Someone is yelling. You try to open your eyes to see who.

“Hotch,” it comes out weak. Barely a whisper. Your hand goes up on its own accord to wipe his tears, leaving a streak of red in its wake. “Why are you crying?” Suddenly your hand falls back to your side and you turn your head.

“Y/N! Hey Y/N! Stay with me!” His hand turns your head to look at him. His hands are so big. He’s warm. So warm. After you had been so cold.

“You’re so handsome, Hotch. So handsome,” it slurred out. Everything goes back once more.

***

The team is waiting anxiously at the hospital. Most of the cuts are shallow but the ones that aren’t caused you to need emergency surgery. They’re bad, more than enough to cause worry.

“She’ll make it. Y/N is strong. She’ll make it,” Emily sounds like she’s trying to convince herself.

Reid has his head in his hands.

Morgan is pacing.

Garcia rushes into the waiting room when she gets there, “How is she?”

“She’s in emergency surgery,” Rossi answers.

She collapses into a nearby chair.

Hours drip by. One after another. Someone convinces Hotch to change, get out of the bloodstained suit. Someone else gets everyone coffee, or a snack. No one touches those.

The more time passes the more everyone gets worried. When the doctor comes out, it’s too soon and not soon enough all at the same time. “She’s stable,” everything they say after is a blur from the relief. “You’re welcome to see her when she wakes up.”

It’s an hour later when a nervous looking nurse comes in the waiting room. “Are you for Y/N L/N?” Everyone stands nodding. “She’s- uh- she’s asking for an Agent Hotchner?”

“That’s me,” Hotch steps forward.

“Follow me. Uh- the rest of you can see her in a little while,” the nurse sent a smile to the rest of the team.

***

The light was bright in the hospital. The doctor was telling you what happened but you didn’t hear any of it.

The door opens and Hotch rushes to your side, “Y/N!” He scans you over, eyes stopping on every bandage.

“Hotch,” your hand covers his to get his attention. “What happened?”

“I- We almost lost you. It was bad. You lost a lot of blood,” he tries to fight back the tears.

“I’m sorry. I should have been more careful. I should have realized-”

“No!” His voice comes out startlingly loud. He makes an effort to soften it. “No. This isn’t your fault. No one blames you.”

You let out a self-deprecating laugh, “Sure. No one blames me. They all just think I’m a liability right?” The word slips out before you can stop it.

Liability. The same one he used before. It felt like a knife to the gut.

“No. No. No. You’re not a liability. It was wrong of me to say that. God, Y/N, you could never be a liability. You’re an amazing agent. You never would have made it if you weren’t. I never should have said that. I was worried. You were with that unsub all by yourself for god knows how long and could have been seriously hurt. It was wrong. I never meant it,” He was rambling. He knew. Hotch could also feel the tears track down his face.

“You mean it?” Your voice comes out small and weak, you fight back your own tears.

Hotch nods rapidly. “Every word. When this happened. I was so scared Y/N. I can’t lose you.” His head falls to the mattress, trying to hide the tears.

You take a deep breath and decide to try your luck. Today has to be a day of defeating odds. “Aaron,” that causes his head to shoot up. It’s your first time calling him by his name. “Aaron, look, I gotta tell you. I can’t just make it through that and keep quiet about this anymore, who knows about the time. Oh boy, I just- ah- I like you Aaron. More than I probably should, given that you’re my boss but it’s true,” you refuse to meet his eyes, scared of what you’d see.

“Y/N,” he pauses, “Y/N look at me,” his voice is gentle, coaxing you to meet his eyes. He smiles despite the tears. “I like you too. I’ve tried to hide it for so long. I did, but I can’t do it anymore.”

You laugh and then grimace from the pain radiating in your chest. You brush off Hotch’s concern. “I’m fine. If we do this though, we have to do it right. Not just getting together because of the high of relief that we both probably feel. Okay?”

“Of course, we’ll take it slow.”

Despite everything, you’re happy right now. On painkillers, and definitely traumatized, but right now, in this moment, you’re happy. It only gets better when the rest of your team, the best friends you have, flood the room. Everyone is high on the relief of survival and all-in-all, it could only be better if you weren’t stuck in the hospital.

[thetravelerwrites]

Monster Match 33: Futakuchi-Onna

The Traveler's Masterlist

For @artless-whimsy : “I'm a bi cis lady, she/her. During non-pandemic times, coffee shops are my natural habitat. I'm quite small and get cold easily, but love sweater weather. My passions include cat/kitten rescue, reading, long walks, D&D, writing, and mental health advocacy. I write and edit for fun and profit, and I crochet to help manage my anxiety. I'm shy but friendly, and my family says I talk too fast. :p

In a partner, I love wordplay and being able to talk for hours, particularly about stories, but the most important thing is kindness (whether that's something that comes easily to them or something they work hard at). I'm happy to be the talker that draws someone else out, as long as they give me something back. My love languages are quality time and physical touch, but my partner's don't have to be exactly the same.

Monsterwise, I love creatures that are pretty but deadly (or misunderstood)—think vampires, faeries, ghosts, shapeshifters, demons—but honestly? Please just have fun with it; I can't wait to see what you come up with! As for NSFW-content, I'm happy either way and would rather you write what you're inspired to! I do love kisses, and I think I'd prefer more lime than lemon, if you go that way?”

You’ve been matched with a Futakuchi-Onna!

A futakuchi-onna, or "two-mouthed woman," is a type of Japanese monster characterized by their two mouths; a normal one located on her face and a second one on the back of the head beneath the hair. The origin of a futakuchi-onna's second mouth is often linked to how little a woman eats. In many stories, the soon-to-be futakuchi-onna is a wife of a miser and rarely eats. To counteract this, a second mouth mysteriously appears on the back of the woman's head. The second mouth often mumbles spiteful and threatening things to the woman and demands food. If it is not fed, it can screech obscenely and cause the woman tremendous pain. Eventually, the woman's hair begins to move like a pair of serpents, allowing the mouth to help itself to the woman's meals. While no food passes through her normal lips, the mouth in the back of her head consumes twice what the other one would.

TW: Eating Disorder, Abuse, Mental Illness, Hospitalization

“Cute girl!”

“Shut up!”

You looked up from the counter at your favorite cafe and tried to find the source of the voices, but you only saw one woman sitting alone by the window. You could tell when you looked at her that she had been staring at you and had looked away just as your eyes met.

“Talk to her! She’ll leave!”

“Stop it!”

“Hey,” You said, walking over. “Are you okay?”

She sighed and looked up with a strained smile. She was Asian and very pretty, with long, dark hair flowing down her back, though she seemed rather thin, perhaps unhealthily so.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” She said. “I have… a… growth or something.”

“That talks?” You asked.

“Unfortunately,” She replied, turning in her seat. Her hair lifted of its own accord and sitting among the tresses was a mouth, identical to the one on her face, except with sharp teeth.

“Hallo!” It said at you.

You blinked in surprise. “Well then.”

“Yeah, sorry,” She said with a sigh. “I used to hide it, but it’s gotten so loud lately that it’s just easier to explain and wait for people to run off.”

“Well… I mean, it’s unusual, but I don’t see why people would run off in this day and age.”

“If people look human and then aren’t, it weirds people out.”

“I get that, I guess,” You said, sitting down. “So, does it have a mind of it’s own?”

“No, no, it’s just says what I’m thinking but don’t normally say out loud.”

“So you think I’m cute?”

She looked up in shock and blushed hard. “Oh… I was hoping you hadn’t heard that.”

“You’re pretty cute, too, you know,” You said, smiling. “Can I buy you a coffee?”

“Oh!” She said, a surprised, shy smile creeping across her face. “Yeah, thanks, that would be wonderful.”

Her name was Kyoko and she was a yokai, or Japanese demon. She’d apparently once been human and became a demon over time, which is something that happens pretty regularly to both humans and animals in Japan. By the end of having coffee, you’d left with her number and a promise to see each other again.

The two of you went on a few dates together, and it was about a month before you realized something: you’d never seen her eat. Not once. Maybe as a yokai, she didn’t need to eat, but you’d seen her drink coffee and tea and things, so you weren’t sure. You decided to ask her about it.

On your next date, you went to a local park to feed some ducks. The mouth on her head was chattering incoherently. It was doing that more often, you noticed

“Hey, Kyoko?” You began, throwing out some peas and corn for the ducks to peck at. “Can I ask you something kinda personal?”

“Yeah, sure,” She said, holding out a handful of oats.

“Why don’t you eat?”

“Hungry!” The voice in the back of her head said.

“Stop!” She said, smacking the mouth lightly. She took a heavy breath. “I’m a futakuchi-onna. Do you know how my kind are created?”

“No,” You replied.

“It happens after years of under-eating and malnourishment,” She said. “In stories, it’s usually a stingy, selfish husband that causes a woman’s suffering, but for me it was my mom.”

“What do you mean?”

“My mom used to make fun of me because of my weight. I wasn’t even that overweight, but she decided when I was really young that I needed to diet and start fasting. She would make me not eat for days, and then feed me broth twice a day to make me lose weight quickly. She used to say that if I wasn’t thin and pretty, no one would ever love me and that I’d never be worth anything. Around my eighteenth birthday, the mouth appeared. My mom kicked me out when she found out I was a monster.”

“You’re not a monster, Kyoko. Your mother is.” You took her hand and squeezed it. “Why has it been getting so loud recently?”

She looked away. “I haven’t been very nice to myself recently. The mouth eats at night when I’m asleep, so I don’t eat during the day because I don’t want to gain weight.”

“How long has it been since you’ve eaten anything while you were awake?”

She shrugged. “Two weeks?”

Your mouth dropped in shock. “Kyoko, that’s not good! Are you seeing anyone about this? Like a therapist? This is an illness and needs to be treated.”

“I know,” She said, ashamed. “But I don’t want anyone to judge me or…” She stopped when her hair grabbed a handful of the oats and stuffed it in the mouth. “Stop it!”

“Come on,” You said, getting up off the ground and holding out your hands. “We’re going to the hospital.”

“What?” She said. “Why the hospital?”

“You need help now,” You told her. “I’ve been concerned about you since the day we met and this just confirms my fears. I don’t think we should wait.”

“Will you stay with me?” She asked, beginning to cry.

“Of course I will,” You said, pulling her into a tight hug. Her hair wrapped around you. “I’m not going anywhere.”

The doctors discovered that Kyoko was thirty pounds underweight and immediately recommended that she enter an inpatient rehab facility. Kyoko sobbed but agreed to go. You swore you would visit her as often as they would let you.

The two of you visited at least twice a week and talked to each other on the phone every day. Despite the fact that you couldn’t be with each other while she was in treatment, you’d grown very close during that time. After sixty days, she was released. She had lost her apartment during the time she was in rehab, so you moved all her things into your apartment and asked her to stay.

You went to pick her up and take her home, and she threw herself at you, laying a big kiss on your lips. It was the first kiss the two of you had. She looked radiant.

“How are you feeling?” You asked.

“Better,” She said. “The mouth hasn’t spoken in weeks and the staff said it quit trying to sneak food days ago.”

“That’s wonderful, babe, I’m so proud of you.” You gave her another kiss and set her down, taking her hand and squeezing it. “Let’s go home.”

To get your own Monster Match, buy me a Kofi!

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Thanks for reading!

My Masterlist

The Exophilia Creator’s Masterlist

[thinking1bee]

Protected Part 2

Requested by Anonymous

Pairings: Lena Luthor x Reader

Tags: Violence, Injuries, Fluff, Humor, Wanting

Thirty-eight. That’s how many hits were put on Lena since the press conference. That had been a month ago and since then it had been thirty…eight...hits. Your shoulder was still tender from taking the bullet for her prior and you had barely cleared the hospital before someone made, yet, another attempt on her life.

You had just got done beating someone unconscious when the fatigue hit you hard. You slowly sank to the floor, lying on your back with your limbs spread eagle, and one arm draped across your face as sweat dripped down your body. Everything was starting to take its toll on you, and your body was littered with old and new wounds. You had a cut in your eyebrow and a busted lip. Every time you inhaled, there was a weird throbbing in your ribs. Your leg was all jacked up. Your knuckles were bloodied and raw, and as you flexed your hand you could feel the joints crack painfully. In simple terms, a bitch needed to lie down. Lena watched the scuffle from the corner of the room, inspecting you with worry once her assailant was dealt with.

“How do you manage to get anything done with your head on the executioner’s block?” you wheezed, completely out of breath. She was about to answer when you interrupted her.

“Sorry but follow up question. How come so many people want you dead???”

Not to be a complete wimp, but you were on the verge of actual tears. This month bent you over and made you it’s bitch. And it didn’t even have the decency to buy you dinner first. And feasibly, you knew that you couldn’t put a price on someone’s life, but your insurance was one more injury claim away from kicking you off entirely.

Lena nibbled her teeth as she contemplated whether or not to tell you the truth. “To be fair, most of these were from my mother…”

That made you bolt upright, despite the dizzying head rush you felt and the intense throb from your chest.

“YOUR MOTHER???” you screeched, your voice going several octaves higher. Lena nodded meekly, her expression a grimace.

Lena was already use to this. It would be weirder if her mother didn’t send someone to kill her. It had become such a normal part of her routine, that it completely slipped her mind to tell you. Even after the first 37 times someone was sent after her, it still never occurred to Lena to say something.

You groaned as you wiped you hands down your face. You didn’t care that you were smudging blood all over, and at this point, you didn’t even know who it belonged to.

“This is more than what you bargained for, huh?” Lena asked and even though you weren’t looking at her, you could hear how sad she sounded.

“No! No, it’s not that,” you said quickly though she still looked skeptical. “It’s just that, it sounds like most of this needs to be settled in family therapy.”

Lena laughed, her face instantly lighting up at your joke and you smiled.

“How can I help Y/n?”

You stood to your feet, slightly limping due to the injury on your leg.

“In all seriousness Lena, is there someplace we can lay low? For just 24 hours?”

Lena thought about it before she smiled. “I do know of a place but J’onn won’t be too happy.

***

Lena took you to the DEO and if your jaw could’ve hit the floor, it would have. You had absolutely no idea that Lena had connections like this, though she frequently worked with Supergirl. So, maybe it should have been easy to put two and two together. You were met with curious stares from the agents, and it looked like no one was going to question you being here until a quizzical guy with slicked back, black hair and curious brown eyes piped up.

“Who is she?” he asked. It wasn’t rude, and the question was well deserved considering you were deep in a government base, but it still made you defensive as all the attention was now diverted to you.

“Brainy, this is my bodyguard, Y/n.”

You offered a small wave which he returned with a nod of his head. Then he furrowed his eyebrows together as he held his hands behind his back.

“Lena, do you realize that your companion requires medical assistance?”

This was news to you and you’re wondering how the hell he knew that. As far as you knew cuts and bruises didn’t warrant a doctor’s visit. Though you were about to refuse, Lena responded before you got the chance.

“I know. I need to find Alex.”

The man nodded before pointing his chin down the hall.

“She’s in the infirmary.”

Lena led you down the aforementioned hallway and when you turned the corner, you see a red-haired woman with a stethoscope treating the one and only Supergirl.

“Lena?” the blue-eyed heroine asked in surprise. The redhead was about to greet her as well when her eyes caught up to you.

“What is she doing here?”

You wanted to roll your eyes. You’d already been through this and you were about to say it when pain exploded in your chest. Tears came to your eyes as you gripped your sides, feeling like someone was sawing off your ribs off with a butter knife. Before anyone had the chance to do or say anything, you were falling forward. You’re surprised when you didn’t hit the ground. Strong hands held you up and you found yourself staring into the red insignia of Supergirl’s suit.

“Alex, she needs help please. I’ll explain later.”

“Alright, Supergirl,” Alex said, acquiescing to Lena while giving Supergirl the okay to look you over.

Her brown eyebrows furrowed in concentration and you realized that she was using her x-ray vision on you. She frowned before she immediately picked up and placed you gently on a bed.

“She has several fractured ribs and a sprain in her ankle. All of the cuts are superficial but the healing bullet hole in her shoulder may need to be looked at again. Also, her knuckles need to be iced badly.”  

Lena’s mouth fell open wide. “Y/n how did you not notice any of this???”

“To be fair, everything hurts all over,” you groaned with a smile playing at your lips.

Lena smiled and watched as Alex inserted a needle into the crook of your arm. Lena rested her hand onto your forehead, being extra careful to not agitate your wounds further. You sighed into her warm touch. It was like an anchor in a sea of agony, and you couldn’t help but lean into her more.

“I’ll see you on the other side,” Lena murmured just before you fell into a peaceful sleep.

***

As Alex got to work on wrapping you up in gauze, Lena volunteered to clean and dress your open wounds. While she wasn’t a doctor, she did learn a thing or two just from hanging out with the super friends. She was gingerly cleaning your lip when Kara came up to her and nudged her shoulder with her own.

“Hey.”

Lena smiled at her and then focused on her task at hand. “Hey.”

“You should ask her out.”

Lena froze, her face briefly morphing from fear to a neutral expression. If it had been anybody else, they would have missed it, but Kara saw it as clear as day.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Lena may have said the sentence with nonchalance, but her heart was racing. Kara smiled softly, her blue eyes bright and understanding as she looked over your sleeping form.

“You’re allowed to get close to someone, Lena. And she is pretty cute.”

That much Lena had to concede to. Alex had to undress you to get to your ribs, and it gave Lena an eyeful of the muscles that adorned your body. She loved your sarcastic nature and loved how funny you were even when you were beating someone senseless. She wanted to ask you out, but there was a small problem with her family. Kara watched as Lena’s fond smile turned somber and she sighed as she stopped her ministrations on you.

“Kara, she’s in here because of me,” Lena whispered, her voice breaking at the statement.

“Actually, correction. She’s in here because of your mother.”

Lena just shrugged. Whoever got blamed, it still didn’t negate the fact that you’re unconscious in a hospital bed and her involvement was how you got there.

“Everyone comes with their own baggage. I’m an alien from Krypton, Brainy’s from the future, J’onn is a Martian, you come from a homicidal family. Life goes on.”

Lena smiled as she caressed your bruised cheek and proceeded to clean up the used medical supplies.

“Just think about it okay? I see the way you look at each other. There’s something there.”

Kara didn’t give Lena the chance to respond. She turned on her heel and left her alone with you. Lena continued to look at your sleeping form and realized that, inadvertently, Kara told her that she could see that you must feel the same way about her.

***

Kara saw Brainy and Nia inside the control room. She heard tidbits of their conversation and as she got closer, she thought about asking Nia about something.

“I think Ms. Luthor has more than a crush on her bodyguard, especially since she’s willing to face the wrath of J’onn once he finds out that she brought her here,” Brainy said.

Nia smiled and waved to Kara as she got closer.

“Nia, can I ask you something?” Kara asked as she crossed her arms and got closer to them.

Nia nodded, already knowing what she was about to ask.

“Lena and her friend?” she asked, and Kara nodded. “It’ll take some time, but they will get there.”

[13-reasons-ideas]

Can’t Go Back Part 19

A/N: Sorry this one is a few days late. I was having issues with it. I couldnt get it to flow and it had to be reworked a few times. No smut in this one. It also wasn't working for me. There will be smut in the next Present chapter. The next chapter will be posted on Friday as usual. As always, feedback is appreciated and much love. -Em

Monty and I were still dancing around each other a little, but things were getting easier. Our life had fallen back into a comfortable routine. The date night we indulged in last week seemed like it hit the reset button on our relationship again. Our alarm went off on Tuesday morning and we both groaned in protest. It was so warm in bed. “Remind me again why we can’t just cut school and lay here all day?”

“Because we need to go learn things. Helps with the whole graduation thing we are supposed to do this year.” I could feel Monty peppering my neck with soft kisses. “It’s not going to work, Casanova.”

“Shhh. Let me try.” He shushed me.

“No. We don’t have time.” I sighed. I really don’t want to get up. How was I a morning person before?

“I think we do.” Oh yeah.  I didn’t have someone waking me up with cuddles and kisses. Nd begging to stay in bed.

“We do not.” I sighed again. Monty sighed. He let go of me and I rolled out of bed. I could feel his eyes on my ass, and I shook my hips a little. He ignored me.

After a hot shower, separately lest we run late for another joyous day at Liberty High, we enjoyed coffee and breakfast together. I smiled to myself while I ate. I was just thankful that we were getting back to normal again. I hated fighting with him. We both knew that it would happen. Especially since we are both stubborn and have an inexplicable need to be right. We were prepared for the little tiffs that would come along. We were prepared for the big fights that were sure to come. Forever is a long time, after all. There were just some things you couldn’t prepare for. Our current struggle was one of those things. But we were getting through it.

Monty startled me when he placed a full cup of coffee beside me. “Thank you.”

“I promised I would never leave your morning coffee empty, remember?”

“I remember.” I smiled fondly and took a sip. He placed his bowl-we had moved up from sticking his hand directly in the box, thank God-in the dishwasher. Scott texted me while I was packing up my backpack.

Can we talk before lunch?

Yeah, sure. About what?

Monty.

Is everything okay? I looked up from my phone at my husband. He was shoving his physics textbook into his bag. It didn’t seem like anything was wrong.

Nothing’s wrong exactly.

What do you mean? He didn’t reply. There was still no answer when Monty and I got to school. Scott wouldn’t look at me when we stopped to chat with our friends. What the hell?

Scott met me outside of my class. “Hey.”

“Hey.” We walked to an empty alcove outside, chatting about nothing in particular. He sat down on the bench and motioned for me to join him.

“I want to keep this short because I’m hungry. We need to talk about Monty.”

“What about him?”

“Now, I know I said I would stay out of your marriage unless I was invited.”

“Yes. You did?”

“And I’m glad everything is working out between you two now.”

“Yeah.” I was beginning to get nervous.

“I also swore to myself I would take zero interest in your private life.”

“That sounds like bullshit. But okay.” He didn’t say anything. He looked at me seriously. Oh. “You mean, our private life.”

“Yeah.”

“So, why do we need to talk Scott?”

“You need to have sex with your husband.” He stated.

“Oh. Okay. I’ll get right on that. Shall we text you updates before, during, and after?”

“Addison. I’m serious.”

“If you are going to lecture me on ‘needs’ Scott….”

“No, nothing like that. He’s just really fucking annoying.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Don’t worry, we don’t talk details. All I need to know about that is that its consensual. But he’s getting kind of cranky.”

“Not with me.” I shrugged.

“Yeah. Because he loves you and he just got out of your bad books.”

“You think that would stop him from being cranky with me? Are we talking about the same Montgomery de la Cruz here? Have you met your best friend?”

“Yes. I think, given the situation, that it would. He likes you. He doesn’t exactly like many other people. I’m not sure if you’ve noticed.”

“Maybe once or twice.” I shrugged.

“Will you just think about it?”

“Yeah, I’ll think about it.”

“Great. And no. I don’t need updates. Or want them.” We stood up and started walking to the cafeteria.

“Hey Scott?”

“Yeah Addy?”

“Thank you. For being so supportive during this whole mess. I don’t think many other people would be.”

“You’re my friends. It’s what I’m here for. And you feed me at least once a week. I wasn’t about to start missing out on that.” He grinned at me. I laughed and pushed him gently.

“Let me check with my wife.” Monty was saying as Scott and I sat down at lunch.

“Check with me about what?”

“I was just asking Monty if he was down to come to my place for a party later this week.” Bryce said.

Monty gave me a look. “And so, I said I would check with you.” Ah yes. The old checking with the wife line.

“When this week?”

“Friday. Are you his daytimer?”

“Friday?” I thought for a second. “You have a doctor’s appointment at four and physio at seven. It seems I am.”

“Sorry man.” Monty shrugged.

“It’s one appointment. I’m sure you’d be fine to miss them. Or you could swing by after.” I rolled my eyes.

“Do you want your friend’s knee to be permanently fucked? No? Then he can’t go.” Bryce didn’t answer. Thinking the matter had been decided and was no longer up for discussion, I settled in to eat my lunch.

“You could just come anyway. How would she know?” I heard him whisper to Monty.

“Considering we live together I think I would notice if he wasn’t home.” I whisper said back. “We share a bed.” I left the implication of what happened the last time he wasn’t home in our bed, but rather out with Bryce, be.

“Fine.” Bryce pouted.

I caught up with Monty after lunch and he walked me to class. His arm was thrown over my shoulder, possessively, more often than not now that we were getting back on the road to happy, healthy marriage land. “Check with your wife, huh?”

“Yeah. Don’t want to hurt his feelings.”

“You know I’m okay with you going, right?”

“I know. But I would rather spend my Friday night with you. I don’t actually have a doctor’s appointment I forgot about, do I?”

“No. You’re free for the night.”

“Good.”

“How has your knee been doing, by the way?”

“It’s been okay. Not like I’m doing anything to stress the ligament too much.” I smirked softly. “I mean, I can’t play ball. I’m not even supposed to be working out that much.” Right. That’s what you meant.

“That’s true. What are we doing instead of Bryce’s?”

“I was thinking pizza? Maybe make it ourselves?”

“Hey guys. Wait up!” Scott called after us. We stopped and turned around. Scoot was tailed by Anders.

“Hey.”

“Doctor’s appointments?” Scott smirked.  

“Sure.” Monty nodded.

“You really don’t want to go on Friday, do you?”

“No. I have much better plans.” He squeezed me softly.

“He really does.” I nodded.

“What are your plans?” Anders asked.

“No pants pizza night.”

“What?”

“No pants pizza.” I repeated.

“What’s that?”

“We make or order pizza. And then we sit on the couch. And eat it. Without pants on.” I explained slowly.

“No pants pizza.” Monty shrugged. Scott quickly quirked his brow at me. I made no indication of noticing. The warning bell rang so we went our separate ways.

In class, I took my seat next to Alex and Zach. Alex had come around to Monty and I after we all had dinner. Zach was still pretty stand-offish. The Zach issue had been pushed to the side. We had bigger things to worry about recently. And trying to figure out what was going on in Zach Dempsey’s head was always a tossup. The boy was far from an open book. “Hey Addy.” Alex greeted.

“Hey guys.”

“Hey.” My phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out to look. It was a reminder about Monty’s physio appointment tomorrow night. He texted me right away. I didn’t forget about this one.

“How are things?” I asked.

“They go.” Zach replied. Why the hell is he so cranky. It’s been two months. Over two. Everyone else has moved on. Why can’t you?

“They’re good. I started working out with Caleb and Tony.”

“That’s great Alex.”

“Yeah. Girls aren’t really that into scrawny guys.”

“That’s not true.”

“Says the girl married to an Adonis.”

“Semantics.” I shrugged.

“You’re a catch Alex.” Zach added.

“Thanks Zach.” His smile seemed a little brighter at the compliment. Huh. That could be interesting. We chatted a little more before class started. We were watching a video in class and our teacher hadn’t come back with the TV yet.

“Hey, did you guys want to get a burger or something from Rosie’s tomorrow night? Monty has physio so it would just be us.”

“I’m always down for some junk food.” Alex laughed.

“Zach?”

“Sure. I mean,” he paused, “I could eat.”

“Great. Say five thirty?”

“Works for me. I can give you a ride Alex.” Zach offered.

After school, I waited for Monty. He had a test in physics and Mr. Brown was still a hardass about people leaving after they were done. He made everyone wait until every test was handed in. That being said, he always gave everyone five extra minutes at the end of class to finish. For daytime classes, he gave the class notes to excuse lates in their next class.

“Hey Casanova.” I called as Monty left.

“Hey Bookworm.” He leaned in to kiss me when he reached me.

“How was your test?”

“It was okay. My brain hurts.” We walked hand in hand to the Jeep. He hadn’t let me drive since he got cleared by Dr. Marcus. I miss driving it.

“Awe. I’m sorry. Can I drive?”

“No. My car. I drive.” Oh. Okay maybe Scott is right. Maybe he is a little cranky. That’s okay.

“Okay.” I smiled. I climbed in the passenger seat and buckled up.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sound that harsh.”

“No, I know. It’s okay. I just thought I’d offer since you look drained from that test.”

“I appreciate the offer, really. I’m good though.”

“Okay.” He leaned over and kissed me again before we drove home.

Inside, I grabbed a snack and refilled my water bottle. I grabbed a couple bags of fruit snacks for Monty too. We worked on homework quietly for a couple of hours. Justin called as I was finishing up. “Homework help?” he asked in lieu of a greeting.

“Shoot.”

“The discussion questions from my English class make no sense.”

“What are the questions?”

“What’s going on?” Monty asked me quietly. I pulled the phone away from my ear and covered the mic.

“English discussion questions.”

“I have them here.” He handed me the sheet. I looked over it carefully. I had uncovered the mic while reading.

“These are kind of dumb. Is this what you do in regular English?”

“Yeah.” My boys responded together.

“Huh. At least you get to read fun books. City of Bones is good. Okay then. Uh let me see.”

“The movie was still bad.”

“Shh. I’m helping Justin.” I grinned.

“Sorry.”

“Okay. Valentine’s rebellion.” I thought for a moment and then discussed it with Justin. “If you just write down what I say, your teacher will know you had someone else do it. So, work through it on your own now.”

“Thanks Addy. You’re the best.”

“I know. Night Justin.” After we hung up, I remembered the plans I made with Alex and Zach. “I’m going to Rosie’s with Alex and Zach tomorrow while you’re at physio.”

“Sounds good.”

“Okay.” I grinned at him.

With our homework finished, we spent the rest of the evening cuddling on the couch. There was something Monty wanted to watch on tv. I had lost interest in it pretty quickly, so I got up and grabbed a book. Laying back down on the couch, I rested my head in his lap. He absentmindedly stroked my hair. Scott’s words played over in my mind. I thought about it for a little while but decided a Tuesday evening probably wasn’t the best time to potentially spend all night having sex. We have school in the morning after all. When we were getting ready for bed though, instead of putting a pair of shorts and one of my old gym shirts on, I walked over to Monty’s dresser and pulled out one of his shirts. I swam in it. I changed my underwear. He whistled to himself when he left the bathroom. I smiled to myself. The seed is planted. Monty pulled me a little closer than usual when we got in bed.

I met Zach and Alex at Rosie’s for dinner. I had run home to change first because it was warmer than I expected it to be today. I didn’t feel right going to dinner in my gym shirt, even if it was at the local diner. Since it was quiet, being the middle of the week, our waitress was at our table almost before we sat down. Melinda had been our waitress here since Zach and I were kids. She was a kind old lady. She knew everyone’s orders by heart. As such, we didn’t have to give our drink order. She did let us look at the menu “just for fun”.

“How’re things with you guys?” I asked when our drinks arrived. I took a few sips of my Cherry Coke float and stirred it to mix it up.

“Things are good. The team is looking pretty good this year. School prospects are looking good.” Zach said.

“Monty was saying that they’re shaping up pretty well. And you Alex?”

“Good. Jess and I are friends again. Tony says I’m getting stronger.”

“That’s great Alex.” I smiled.

“How are things with you Addy?”

“They’re good. I’m done with college applications for now.”

“Early admission?” Zach asked.

“Yeah. If I don’t get in anywhere, then I’ll apply for regular admission somewhere.”

Melinda was eyeing us from the counter, so we looked at the menu quickly. We decided to split a couple baskets of fries, some chicken strips, and each get a burger. I got a chicken sandwich. The boys both got cheeseburgers. After our drinks were refilled, we got back to talking. “How’s Monty doing?” Alex asked. Zach’s face pinched slightly. Seriously what the hell is his deal?

“He’s doing okay. Stubborn. But that isn’t a surprise to anyone.”

“Is he ever not stubborn?” Well, sometimes. During sex.

“I don’t think you want to know. And he would have to kill the three of us if I told you.”

“Oh? Are you trying to tell us that he’s fun?” Zach asked.

“He likes to make me smile. So sometimes he does stuff to make that happen. And that’s all you’re getting out of me.”

“And his knee?”

“You know. It’s a process. Some days are better than others. I think it bugs him more than he lets on, but I don’t want to push. Physio is helping and Dr. Marcus says he should be able to do some lower body workouts if things keep progressing well.”

“That’s good. Tell him to stop by practice sometime?”

“I’ll try. I think there’s only so many practices he can go to and just watch.”

“I get that. The invitation is open though.”

“I’ll let him know.”

Our food arrived. The three of us took a break from catching up, to savour the food. “How’s married life?” Alex asked.

“Oh, you know.” The boys looked at me, expectantly. “It’s mostly a lot of asking each other what we want for dinner. Every night. For the rest of our lives.”

“That doesn’t sound so bad.” Zach smiled.

“That isn’t. It’s agreeing on something that’s the hard part. I married a guy who would be content eating chicken nuggets and fruit snacks for dinner every night. Trying to get him to eat a vegetable is an almost insurmountable battle.”

“Is it that bad?”

“Can you blame him?” Alex asked.

“It feels like it is sometimes. And not really. But would eating some carrots really hurt him?”

“Yes.” My friends said in unison.

“Boys.” I rolled my eyes and laughed. “It’ll only get worse when we have kids and they’re at eating regular food age. Because they’ll need to be included in the decision.”

“And how can you make them eat vegetables when their dad doesn’t?” Alex laughed.

“Exactly!” I exclaimed, pointing a chicken strip at him. The three of us laughed.

“How are things with you guys… otherwise?” Zach asked, hesitantly.

“They’re,” I paused, “getting better. We’ve talked a lot in the last few weeks. I think we are back on the same page. It’s a work in progress.”

“That’s good. Things seemed pretty….” He didn’t finish his sentence.

“I know. And they were. We are working on it though.”

“It was pretty funny watching him shut Bryce down at lunch.”

“What happened?” Alex asked.

“He played the ‘let me ask my wife’ card.”

“Oof. And I’m guessing that went over Bryce’s head?”

“What do you think?”

“Of course, it did.” He grinned and shook his head.

We talked for another hour or so. Melinda brought us another basket of fries on the house. Around seven, Monty texted me. I grabbed a couple of pints of Haagen Dazs at the store.

Okay. I’ll see you at home. I love you.

I love you too. The three of us called it a night around eight. We bid each other good night and promised to text each other when we got home.

I’m on my way home. Do we need anything else before I get home?

No, I grabbed a couple of things. I’ll get your ice cream out. Drive safe Bookworm.

Okay. Thank you. I will. See you soon Casanova.

[niawritess]

The Lovestruck~Chapter 10

(4 December Saturday)

10:23 am

"So how was your date?"

You glanced at your bestfriend confused by her sudden question. "Date?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "Yesterday, you and Baekhyun Sunbae went to date, right?"

You brows knitted. "That wasn't a date."

"Why? It was only you and Baekhyun Sunbae tho." She smirked and you rolled your eyes.

"Shut up, that's because Rose couldn't come. Now stop with your nonsense and look ahead." You pointed your chin towards the stage where the rehearsal was going on.

Ria groaned rolling her eyes. "I don't want to look at her! She's showing off her boyfriend more than acting."

You laughed. "Then get a boyfriend for yourself."

"Ha ha! So funny!" She scoffed. "Like it's so easy but you're gonna get it soon."

"What?" Your frowned confusingly as you looked at her to see her smiling mischievously before you realized what was she talking about.

You slapped her arm and glared at her. "I told you not have any weird thoughts about it!"

"What? I didn't even said anything!" She shrugged her shoulders and you shook your head ahead before she giggled at your flustered state.

Later, as you were about to walk out of your campus, you got a call from your brother's school, informing you that daniel has got injured during his basketball game practice and asked to pick him up.

You panicked at first but fortunately he didn't got injured badly and you got relieved before making your way to his school while texting Ria about it.

***

12:56 pm

Arriving at his school, you went straight to the infirmary and saw your brother sitting on the bed with his foot bandaged talking to her classmate which you assumed.

"Good afternoon." You greeted the doctor who was typing on her laptop looked up at you before giving you a polite smile and Daniel did the same.

"You must be Daniel's sister whom i talked to earlier?" She asked and you nodded before she stood up from her chair making her way to Daniel's bed while you following her.

"Is he okay? Is it bad?" You questioned worringly eyeing his bandaged foot and the doctor chuckled.

"Don't worry, he sprained his foot but it will be fine within two or three days after giving it a rest." She explained and you nodded relieved.

"Then can I take him with me now?"

"Yes, I have gave him the pain killer so you can take him."

"Okay, Thank you." You smiled at her and she nodded going back to her desk before you helped Daniel standing up and led him outside.

"Daniel! Your bag!" A girl shouted from the back as you both were walking down the hallway before she approached you and handed him the bag.

"Hello. I'm Daniel's friend, Kim jieun." She grinned and you smiled back before glancing at your brother who's cheeks were a little red as he stared at her making your jaw dropped internally.

She quickly bid her goodbye as she got called by the teacher and you both walked out of the school then back to your home.

Reaching home, you helped Daniel into his room and giving him time to change his uniform before something popped into your mind.

You fished out your phone and opened your contacts searching Baekhyun's number but then you realized that you don't have his number and texted rose instead, asking her if you could take a day off while telling her the reason.

After receiving her text saying yes, you smiled but then you tilted your head to the side confused as why Baekhyun popped up in your head when you don't even have his number. You thoughts got interrupted when your brother called you from his room loudly enough to make you startle and you groaned walking into his room with a thud.

Meanwhile, Baekhyun entered the Cafés as usual before a frown crept on his face as he didn't see you but then shrugged it off thinking you would come later.

Thirty minutes passed, but you still were not here causing him get confused and at last he asked Rose about it then got to know the reason behind your absence.

When she told him about Daniel, he got worried as he has gotten close to him but was also a little bit sad that you didn't tell him, he knows he shouldn't be feeling like this but he couldn't help it.

His day was passing slowly that's what he thought and was feeling lonely too since you were not here beside him so he could talk to you which got him confused as it wasn't the first time you took a day off but it was the first time he was feeling this way.

***

Next day (5 December)

2:24 pm

Time flew by fast with all the hectic day you had in college and now were on your way to the café. Entering the Café, you spotted Rose and Baekhyun behind the counter before smiling as you approached them.

"Good afternoon, Rose!" You greeted her as you stood by the counter causing Baekhyun's head jolted towards you and his face lit up but he immediately masked it with his normal facial expression.

"Hey! You're here and how is Daniel?" She asked.

"He is alright. His foot is getting better now." You replied, walking inside the kitchen to wear your apron and came back before standing behind the counter.

"Hey." You smiled at Baekhyun and he smiled back which didn't reached his eyes like how he always smile which got you frowned wondering if he's in a bad mood and shrugged it off.

However, the whole day he was being the same, giving you a nod or hum if you were asking something. He didn't really talked which led you think if he is mad at you but you haven't done anything wrong which you could think about.

You wouldn't admit it but you got a little bit sad with his sudden cold behavior but didn't let it get to you, thinking he's just in a bad mood and without you even realizing it was already closing time.

Rose closed the café and drove off to her home before bidding goodbye to both of you. Now Baekhyun and you were standing beside eachother in silence which you were hating and hence decided to break it.

"Sunbae?" You called him out and he looked at you as he was facing ahead. "Are you upset with me or something?"

"What?"

"I don't know what happened but you didn't talked to me like you do today, have I done something wrong?"

Baekhyun looked at you with wistful eyes and bit his lips before looking away while letting out a exhasperated sigh. He doesn't even know why he is feeling like this and now he's feeling apologetic towards you by his behavior.

"I'm sorry, it's just today I was kind of in a bad mood." He explained and you nodded in understanding while feeling relieved.

"Honestly," He started making you look at him. "When you didn't called me, I mean about Daniel like we have gotten close you know, I kind of got a little sad as I thought we became friends or is it just me who thinks that?"

"No! We are." You immediately replied and his eyes lit up before you scratched the side of your neck. "The thing is, I also wanted to tell you but then I realized I don't have your number."

Realization hit Baekhyun and he closed his eyes turning his head opposite direction of you, feeling embarrassed before looking back at you and you both stared at each other before chuckling.

He suddenly held out his palm towards you and you stared at it perplexed before glancing back at him then at his hand and high-fived it.

He looked at you incredulously before shaking his head. "I meant your phone."

"Oh." You bit your lip smiling sheepishly before fishing out your phone and gave him.

He typed something and gave it back before his phone started ringing and picking it up he saved your contact.

"Baekhyun."You mused looking at the name as he has saved his number as in your phone and he smiled at how his name rolled off your tongue.

"Yes, Baekhyun. I know you would have saved it as Baekhyun Sunbae and its too formal to save a friend's name like that." He explained and you smiled as he was right.

"Then what did you saved my name as?"

He held up his phone showing your contact info with your name written as 'Coffee bean'.

"Seriously? Coffee bean?" You frowned and he giggled causing you smile automatically before a thought crossed your mind.

"Wait, so were you sulking about it the whole day?" You looked at him amused and he blinked feeling heat rushing to his ear.

"No, I wasn't." He looked away feeling embarrassed and you smiled finding him cute before looking at your watch.

"I have to go now, Daniel must be waiting for me."

"Okay, i'll walk you home today since Daniel won't be coming."

"No, it's okay. I can go by myself." You refused not wanting to bother him and he looked unsure to send you alone which you noticed.

"I have been coming back and forth alone for a while so, it's fine." You assured him hoping he wouldn't insist anymore and he he didn't.

"Alright, but text me when you get home." He ordered and you almost laughed feeling as your dad was ordering you before nodding.

"You too, go home safely."

He nodded still hesitating before you walked away from him while he was still standing there watching your figure disappearing in the street.

Not long before, he walked over his car and got in before starting the engine while on the way his phone buzzed and taking his phone out, he checked the caller ID showing 'Coffee bean' which made his lips stretched in a smile.

However, his smiley face turned into a frown as it hasn't been even five minutes since you both parted ways and you couldn't have reached home in that short time.

As he answered the call, he couldn't even utter a word when he heard your shaky voice. "Someone is following me."

He immediately pressed the brake vigorously bringing his car come to halt with a jerk before comprehending your words. "Are you okay? Where are you?"

You bit your lip feeling scared as you can hear the footsteps behind you getting closer causing you walk more faster and heart beat increasing rapidly before you pressed your phone more close to your ear.

"Um, I'm close to my home but he- he is still following me." You stuttered breathing heavly making Baekhyun more worried and scared as he was already, before he started the engine coming over to you.

You brought your hand to your bagback which was hanging on your shoulder before reaching out and took out the paper spray while ready to kick the stalker.

"Y/n!"

You heard a familiar voice calling you out and tilted your head to see Jenna coming out of the convenience store walking towards you making you relieved as you rushed towards her.

"I'm safe now." You told Baekhyun who was about to make a U turn but sighed in relief before stopping his engine.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm with my neighborhood aunt."

"Okay, text me when you reach home."

After hearing your reply, he hung up and leaned his head against his seat while closing his eyes before exhaling deeply making his heart steady which was beating fast till now.

Never in the dreams, he imagined that his heart would be at the verge of jumping out because of a girl. He has never got this scared and this relieved before you entered his life. What were you doing to him? That was the thing he wondered before driving off to his home.

On the other hand, the man which you thought was stalker turned out Jenna's husband Alaric who was coming back from the walk.

"Seriously! Alaric, you scared me!" You complained calming your heart and Jenna slapped his arm before side hugging you while he scratched his back apologetically.

"Did I scared you? I'm sorry." He patted your head and you sighed.

"I was about to spray the paper spray on you." You told him making both of their eyes widen before you three walked towards your house as their house is opposite of yours.

Reaching home, you bid goodnight to them before walking inside and saw your brother in the living room playing video game. You rushed towards him and threw your arms around him and he flinched with your sudden act before you pulled away sitting straight.

"Did something happen?" He asked pausing his game before staring at you concerned and you shook your head not wanting him to worry.

"Nothing, I just miss mum." You replied honestly what you were feeling right now and he nodded sighing.

"Then call her."

"Eung, i'll wash up first and will make dinner." You stood up and ran upstairs to your room.

You entered your room before throwing your bag on the bed with yourself with a deep sigh swinging your legs side slowly before you grabbed your phone and texted Baekhyun.

You: I've reached home and sorry for troubling you.

Not getting a reply, you assumed he's busy so you got up and walked towards your bathroom to change and freshen up.

Baekhyun got out of his washroom in his pajamas after washing up and hung his towel around his neck before walking towards his bed and grabbed his phone from the nightstand.

Unlocking it, he saw your message on the notification bar and checked it before replying.

Baekhyun: No you didn't. You sure you are okay?

He was waiting for your reply but getting a voice from downstairs calling his name, he placed his phone on the bed and walked out of his room.

***

11:48 pm

You were lying on your bed staring at the ceiling and thinking about earlier which made you shiver. Although it wasn't a stalker but the scary feeling you had that time was still there, not letting you sleep as it kept appearing in your mind.

"Should I watch something to distract myself?" You muttered before grabbing your phone from nightstand and was about to play a drama but got interrupted as you got a text from Baekhyun.

Baekhyun: Are you asleep?

You: No, why?

Baekhyun: I texted you but you didn't replied so I was worried.

You frowned before scrolling up a little to see his message and immediately replied him.

You: I'm sorry I was busy so couldn't check it.

Baekhyun: I texted you but you didn't replied so I was worried.

You frowned before scrolling up a little to see his message and immediately replied him.

You: I'm sorry I was busy so couldn't check it.

Baekhyun: No problem, but do you often sleep late?

You: No, I sleep early but I can't right now.

He didn't reply making you frown and you almost assumed that he fell asleep or something but then his text appeared.

Baekhyun: Can I call you?

You blinked immediately sitting up before leaning against the headboard while contemplating what to reply as you're more of a text person.

On the other hand, Baekhyun bit his lip tapping his phone with his fingers wondering if he scared you or something before you texted back.

Coffee bean: Sure.

A smile made his way to his lips before you instantly got a call from him making you jump as you cleared your throat and answered the call while placing your phone to your ear but didn't said anything.

[Hello? Y/n, Are you there?]

[Uh, yeah sorry.]

[If you're not feeling comfortable, we can just text.]

You smiled. [No, it's okay.]

Baekhyun hummed leaning against the headboard. [Are you feeling better? You must have been scared.]

[Yes, I was and whenever I'm scared or something I always talk to mum but she isn't here.]

["Oh, I'm sorry.]

You frowned as his voice sounded a little sad before your eyes widened.

[What are you thinking? She's in scotland with my dad.]

Baekhyun sat up feeling embarrassed. [I'm so sorry, i thought-]

You chuckled. [It's alright.]

He smiled. [Well, at least you laughed, but you have to be careful now and did you told Daniel?]

You sighed. [No, he would feel guilty then and don't worry I carry pepper spray with me which I almost sprayed it on a innocent person.]

[Innocent person?]

[He wasn't stalker but my neighbor and I can't believe this happened second time.]

You mumbled the last sentence which was loud enough for him to hear.

[The stalker thing?] Baekhyun asked worringly.

[No, no. Actually I was on a family trip and there I felt someone following me and I sprayed the pepper spray on him but turns out he was the manager of the guest house we were staying in.]

You heard his laughter on the other side causing you roll your eyes before you lay down comfortably.

[Then what happened?]

[I got scolded by my parents and apologized to him but the whole week he stayed away from me.]

He chuckled. [Well that's how you are.]

[What do you mean?]

[Don't you remember that man at the Café? You totally scared him away.]

You bit your lip feeling embarrassed and heard his chuckle making you automatically smile. You both talked for minutes without even knowing and felt yourself getting sleepy as you let out a yawn while feeling your eyelids heavy.

["Y/n?]

Baekhyun called you but didn't got response but instead heard your soft snores from other side causing his lips stretched in a smile and cut the call before whispering softly.

"Good night, Coffee bean."

_____________

@wooya1224 @buttercupbbh

[mchalowitz]

the woman is the king, part two

summary: a throughline of the matriarchal scullys; be they ethereal, sharp-witted, and ill-omened.

thank you to everyone who enjoyed the first part of this story! writing again has been so great and i’m excited for everyone to read where it goes from here! 

part 1: melissa

part 2: dana

———

The exam room is harshly lit, brutally overclean. When the doctor gives the diagnosis, it knocks the breath out of her, and she has the audacity to declare her gratitude. How could she.

The fragility of her age comes to mind on the drive home; her eyes prickle watching her copy of her oncology referral slide across the dashboard.

Dana is only thirty-three. Melissa was only thirty-three. She ponders her mother, Maggie, at thirty-three. Her destiny already decided; along for the military ride. She was carrying the fifth Scully child that year. Their matrarical line is cursed by the thirty-third year.

She simmers with the news for a few days; plotting methods of delivering impending doom. Mulder, the usual harbinger of bad news, is the one she tells first, and she believes using a clinician’s touch might soothe her.

The pronoun that binds them, the “we” travels from his vocal cords to their air between them. When he pauses, she can fill in the blanks of how he wants the sentence to end. We can do something about this or we can fix this. The problem is, there isn’t anything to be done.

Inside her head is a glass and cancer is the water from a faucet turned all the way on. They are merely waiting for the overflow.

--

Tara is pregnant; she is having a boy. Her brother’s wife is thirty-three. It must be so nice, to be dubbed a Scully, and yet remain so blessed at this foredoomed age. 

An appointment to be pumped with poison and Tara’s baby shower fall in the same week. What a scheduling nightmare, she jokes, when she declines the invitation with warm regards. Bill does not laugh and he buys their mother a plane ticket. 

The total lack of skeletal structure takes her over, has her melted into the couch. Scully finds the initial nausea passes quickly this time. It is the wave of self-consciousness from Mulder bearing witness to this betrayal of her body that lingers. 

“It must be kind of exciting,” Mulder comments. She is watching him wipe down the counter and she doesn’t remember a single time she has seen him willingly clean anything. He is not half-assing any of the responsibilities bestowed upon him by the Mrs. Scully. 

“It might be more exciting if it were someone else,” Scully responds, forgoing her usual diplomatic response on the subject. 

Mulder pauses, focuses in on her eyes, and in unsaid words, he nods in agreement. He throws the wet rag into the sink with a stomach-churning squelch and falls beside her on the couch. 

“You know,” she adds, “Melissa always said she wasn’t going to have kids until she was forty.”

Melissa would goad her into increasingly ridiculous futures; nothing is more ridiculous than futures that will never exist. Neither of them could have predicted such an outcome. 

When they were young, one Scully sister was rarely found without the other. It was only the intricacies of adult life that would split them apart. Melissa yearned for adventure; to shed ideals and expectations from their youth in far off places. Their parents envisioned a certain fate for their children, and Dana followed it, until she didn’t. 

As she conjures up those conversations about where their lives would go, she realizes she cannot even remember her voice. It rolls over her like a wave, the awareness of fading memories, and it cracks her guise held barely together. 

Her glassy eyes brim and she finally crumbles, feeling wholly pathetic. She lacks her usual resiliency that he is accustomed to seeing from her as she weeps, “My sister is gone and I have cancer, Mulder.”

“I know,” he says.

“I’ll miss everything,” she whimpers. The weight of mortality hits her; the decades worth of wasted holidays and the lost memory of her nephew’s birth. Scully will never stand in resolution with her partner after their tireless work for the truth. The loss of an uncomplicated life feels enormous. 

She laments what she was never sure of even desiring; the two-story in the suburbs, the babies of her own, the one true love...

“Let’s get married.”

--

His offer hangs in the air. Scully cries a bout of nausea and bolts for the bathroom. When she emerges, Mulder is there to tuck her into bed.

The sun sets and it rises again on a new day. She comes out of the bedroom apprehensively. Finding Mulder on one knee in her hallway isn’t an idea she can rule out completely. It wouldn’t even come close to the craziest thing she has seen him do.

Sitting at the kitchen table, Mulder rubs circles into his forehead with his cell phone pressed to his ear. She gets close enough to vaguely hear the caller on the other end, listen to the outrage behind, “I couldn’t even put the kettle on without her standing right behind me. In my own home, Fox,” and making it seem as though this is the only issue in the world that matters. And Scully kind of wishes that was true.

“That’s her job, Mom,” he replies. The tone of his voice almost makes her laugh. A polite but clear get me out of here she knows well that comes out during conversations with authority figures, midwestern cops, and not unsurprisingly, mothers.  

Their eyes meet, he looks at her as though she is his unsurpassable savior. He begs off the phone, making the usual adult child promises, and sets his cell phone down on the table. 

Scully commends Mulder for trying to be more involved with his family since his mother’s stroke. But what a fate he has, caring for the medically and emotionally broken women in his life. He gives her a tight lipped smile and she asks, “Is everything alright?”  

“Jury’s still out,” he declares with a shrug. He stands and starts walking toward the kitchen. “Can I get you anything? Water, toast, a ring?” 

A certainly interesting turn of events for them, a question that could develop into an actual conversation about the night before. 

“Mulder.”

“We could get married, Scully.” 

“This is so like you, Mulder. This is your stream of consciousness decision making,” she counters. Scully flattens her hands on the table, takes a breath, and attempts to change her tone to sound a little more kind. “I know the idea that I’m dying is bleak. But there are implications to getting married. I couldn’t do that to you.” 

Scanning Mulder’s eyes, Scully can see he understands what she means by implications. “Don’t think about that,” he tells her finally, “If you really believe this is the end, what do you still want to experience?” 

Scully’s eyes flash away, toward the door. Four years ago, she stood in that spot, and assured her sister unequivocally of her absolute disinterest in dating her new partner. Even if he were just a guy. 

Selfishness has often forced a wedge between them; a precursor to many experiences they would have as partners. His brilliance and humanity drew her in then, not unlike the way it does now. When the question was posed--just any guy--their debates were thrilling, a little flirtatious even, and now they can absolutely infuriate her, but she respects his ideals, and she knows that sentiment is reciprocated. 

On occasion, Scully is even a little selfish, and allows herself to appreciate just a guy with a little flop of hair that falls onto his forehead, and with the most charming smile. 

Whether it be guilt or admiration, Mulder wants her to experience everything before it gets taken away. She can admire the altruism. 

Mulder doesn’t ask again, he only suggests. And she accepts. 

--

The commencement of their marriage is without fanfare in a government building on a Friday afternoon with grocery store flowers and a safe kiss on the cheek to clinch the deal. There are no rings but he holds her left hand as they bound down the courthouse steps. During their late lunch at a local diner, the waitress notices their attire, and offers them a free slice of pie, any flavor they want, because it is a special occasion. 

A few paces ahead of her on the way to the car, Mulder opens her door. “Your getaway car, my bride,” he teases. The smile on her lips quickly fades. His jovial face morphs to confusion. 

But it’s the drip. Blood splatters on the clean, clear plastic protecting their chocolate cream. She tries to maneuver for her purse but he quickly procures tissues from the inside pocket of his jacket. 

He squats next to the passenger side of the car and holds tissues to the nose of his bride. 

--

Something is weirdly, intangibly incorrect. 

It starts with weekend plans. Mulder is already well aware of her singular escape, her monograph for the Penology Review, with its looming deadline coming up. 

He normally makes comments about her unwavering professionalism. It is a mutual agreement to keep their marriage to themselves. The federal government has no investment in the inner workings of their lives; they are legally married and they both know that could easily mean reassignment for both of them. It doesn’t stop him from sneaking in a few witticisms for his own amusement. 

Mulder knocks. That’s weird.

The wine is truly suspicious. Except for the occasional beer, Mulder was never much for alcohol to begin with, but what is especially bizarre is the sudden lack of concern over her doctor’s recommended meal plan. He had been following it down to the last letter, and while a glass of wine is not exactly forbidden, it is not the first item on their shopping list. 

“We never really talk much, do we?” 

Admittedly, the shared looks and delicate touches of silent communication is where they excel, but the question is still somewhat puzzling. Since beginning a routine of casual marital cohabitation, she believes they talk quite a bit. The minutiae of everyday life is often a topic of conversation in ways it never has been. 

Scully still plays along by agreeing that, no, they don’t talk. She sips wine and tells him true-ish stories of Marcus, the prom date of a Scully, but not herself, and the infamous pumper truck scandal involving her brother Charlie. 

Romantic intimacy has not exactly been a component of their marriage and she has found that cancer does not make one feel like the most desirable of specimens. He has never expressed anything to make her believe he feels anything for her beyond friendship, despite the deep affection they share. 

He leans in now; his eyes closed and head cocked. Kissing him isn’t a repulsive idea, but it just seems off, because Mulder is acting so strangely out of character. 

Scully scrambles off the couch to get away from the man that is so clearly not her partner. Absolutely horrified, she stares at Mulder, and has no reservations when he steps forward to cuff the pathetic and vile man that invades her living room.  

--

Many lines have still not been crossed and she doesn’t think they ever will be. The cancer is still aggressively present with the treatments doing very little. 

Scully prepares herself for the eventuality of hospitalization, potentially for good, and it is very tempting to keep that from Mulder, to allow them to remain in their bubble, but she knows that isn’t fair.

Her car idles on the street outside Harold Spuller’s care home and three soft raps sound on her driver’s side window. She sucks in air deeply and wipes the tears from her cheeks before rolling down the window.

“I didn’t mean for things to get so heated back there.”

“Me neither,” she agrees. When her eyes flash up to his, so guilty and fond, her words fall out in a tumble, unable to prolong this evasion of the truth any longer. “I don’t know why I lied to you. I’m not fine. My treatments aren’t working and my doctors don’t think another round will change that.”

“I’m in this with you, Scully.”

“I know you are,” she affirms. She ducks her head down toward the steering wheel, like a little girl caught eating dessert before dinner. “I’m tired, Mulder.” 

“I’ll follow you.”

His headlights shine in her rearview mirror, trailing behind all the way back to where they began this night in Georgetown. Arriving in the apartment, she shuts the door behind them, and informs him, “I’m going to take a shower,” and he nods, reaching forward to squeeze her shoulder. He loosens his tie and starts meandering toward the bedroom. 

The phantom ghost of his touch remains on her shoulder and it reminds her of his romantic soul that she is only now been introduced to. Mulder is more emotionally open and affection than she is. He treats her like a wife. They are married, after all. 

Their marital bliss is of their own design; enjoyably innocent with its lack of certain intimate elements left largely undiscussed. However, there is delight to be found in mere shared company. With a no-work policy now enacted in her home, the opportunity to see funnier, more relaxed, and domestic sides of each other often makes it feel as though their marriage could be real. 

An unspoken agreement to live this arrangement without rules creates something representative of authentic matrimony. Ignoring the initial awkwardness when sharing a bed leads to the normalization of pressing into his warm side each night; falling asleep faster and deeper. Leisurely playing with his hair while reading on the couch one evening introduced a few form of relaxation they both enjoy. He even calls her “honey” occasionally, and she must admit, it makes her feel pleasantly warm to hear it. 

It wasn’t right to keep him out of the loop.

Sitting on the tile shower floor, Scully washes the last six hours from her skin. In an attempt to prove to herself, to everyone, that she can still do this, she pushes herself too far. The best decision for the case was to take down the nurse. For her fragile body, not as much.

A small box sits on top of her towel. She picks it up, weighing it gently in her palm.

Mulder already lies innocently under the covers and appears deeply enthralled in his nighttime reading. He looks very youthful and sweet in his wire-framed glasses and his large feet poking out at the end of the bed. She presents the box in question and inquires, “Mulder, what’s this?”

“Hmm?” he murmurs. He glances up briefly, taking off his glasses. “Oh. Wedding present.”

Eyebrows drawn together in confusion, she sits down on top of the comforter, and cautiously opens the box. Her eyes fall on a gorgeously dainty bracelet with a small diamond affixed to a silver chain. 

“I don’t know what to say,” Scully finally admits. Mulder smiles, wordlessly leaning forward to close the distance between them. His kiss finally comes with soft lips and firm resolve.  

--

A keen ear kept on the exchange occurring in the hallway, Scully hears the malice in “let her die with dignity,” the intense intent to guilt. Since childhood, Bill has been masterful at identifying a scapegoat. 

Appearing at her bedside, Scully takes her brother’s hand. It has been quite some time since they were together in person and she is aware she should focus on the grand gesture of his presence. But they have always sparred on injustice and she just witnessed him as the purveyor. 

“I don’t want you to talk to him like that,” she tells him. 

It takes almost nothing to generate a quarrel between the two of them. “You keep defending him, Dana, and I don’t see what there is about him to protect,” Bill argues. “You wouldn’t even be in this situation if...”

“Fox has been very helpful,” Maggie interrupts. Their mother is well versed in deescalating the disputes of Dana and Bill; the oil and water of the Scully children. “Bill, sit down and be civil.”

Where Mulder pushes, Bill pulls, and Dana is left somewhere in the middle. Something akin to a jealous feud brews between the two men in her life; each vying for the role of ultimate fixer. It is only when Mulder orchestrates the impossible that her brother cannot deny the miracle. 

Most conversations were plans for a comfortable end or perhaps a prolonged, managed experience. The concept of remission, a life without the dark cloud of cancer, was a possibility never even considered. 

The day of her discharge finally arrives after a final weeklong observation of her progress, and Mulder, as a now regular fixture of the post-critical care ward, shows up to her room early as usual. He drops a bag on her empty hospital bed. “I brought you some clothes from your apartment,” Mulder informs her. “Unfortunately I couldn’t find anything as uniquely versatile as the hospital gown.” 

“I appreciate the effort,” she smiles, ripping open the plastic bag.

Scully can feel an awkwardness emanating from him with three feet between them. She is taking stock of the items he provided when he finally speaks, “Listen, I can be out--” 

With a week to discuss the topic, neither of them were brave enough to allow it. The last thing Scully wants Mulder to believe is she married him to take advantage of a kindness he extended to her. It was done with such a different outcome in mind; a selfless act with an outcome to be bathed in heartache. 

Now, there is no plan on how to approach where things will go from here. Scully didn’t ever think she would be in a position to have to consider it. 

At the very least, they deserve time to enjoy a lack of this particular impending doom. 

“Should we get dinner tonight?”

If there is anything they deserve more of, it is time.

It is health.

It is stability.

[heauxplesslydevoted]

Fresh Start - Prologue

Ethan x MC

Summary: After going through her own personal trauma, Dr. Naomi Valentine packs up and sets her sights on Boston. But a new job in a new city comes with its own set of challenges and drama.

A/N: I honestly have no idea why this plot popped into my head, but where we are. Part of this chapter borrows from Ethan and MC’s very first encounter in chapter 1, with some very minor tweaks.

As always, let me know if you want to be tagged or untagged. And enjoy!

Tags: @fanmantrashcan @ao719 @x-kyne-x @colourmeshy @writinghereandthere @paulfwesley @ramseyandrys @a-i-n-a-a-s-h @perriewinklenerdie @aworldoffandoms @thatcatlady0716 @drakewalker04 @canknot @hatescapsicum @lapisreviewsstuff @senseofduties @badchoicesposts @ethandaddyramsey @the-soot-sprite @chasingrobbie @zodiacsign1 @choices-lurker @miyakokurono @trappedinfandoms @my-heart-beats-for-ya @adrian-motherfucking-raines @riverrune @edith-eggs1 @thatysn @bellcat2010 @theeccentricbibliophile @cecilecontrera @junehiratas @choices-love-affair @openheart12 @kaavyaethanramsey @caseyvalentineramsey @desmaranj @mal-volaris @whatchique @nazario-sayeed @aestheticartwriting @mvalentine @nooruleman 

~v~

Don’t get married at 19, they said. Don’t spend the best years of your life tied down to someone else, they said. This will be the biggest mistake of your life, they said.

They were all right.

If you would’ve told Naomi that her husband of 9 years was going to cheat on her with his receptionist and knock her up, she would’ve laughed. But fate laughed harder.

She’s Naomi freaking Valentine – thank God she never changed her last name. She’s brilliant, she’s an attending at one of the best hospitals in Washington D.C, and she comes from one of the most prominent families in this city, but none of that even matters. Because it’s Friday night and she’s currently at home, watching trashy television, crying into her couch cushion.

At first there was the unbridled rage that threatened to consume her from the inside out. Leading up to the divorce, she felt like she was always on the brink of exploding. She wanted to kill her husband, his stupid mistress, his slimy divorce attorney, and anyone else who dared cross her path.

But now that the divorce papers are signed, now that all of the air has been deflated from her, all she feels is overwhelming sadness.

Divorce sucks. It’s a pretty well known fact, but everyone else feeling the same way doesn’t negate her feelings. She’d rather get split down the middle and turned inside out than ever go through something like this ever again. She’s strong, but she’s not strong enough to endure this type of battle more than once.

She’s too wrapped up in her own feelings, she doesn’t notice the front door of her condo opening and closing. But the sound of heels clinking against her wood floors is enough to pull her out of her own thoughts.

“You weren’t answering my calls, darling.”

The vivacious voice of Dorinda Valentine booms throughout the condo. Naomi looks up and sees her mother standing a few feet away. She has Tupperware in her hands.

“Yeah, I turned my phone off.”

“I figured.”

“What’s in the Tupperware, mama?”

“I made you some chicken stir fry. I think it’s safe to assume you haven’t eaten anything today.”

It’s a correct assumption. On any other day, Naomi would devour anything her mother put in front of her face, but now, the thought of food makes her stomach turn.

She shakes her head. “I’m not hungry.”

“You’re a doctor, Naomi, you know better than anyone that you should be eating.” Dorinda stares at the tall bottle of vodka on the coffee table. “And just because vodka is made from potatoes, it still doesn’t count.”

Naomi doesn’t respond. She just turns her head and burrows further into the couch.

Dorinda stands there for a few moments, observing her daughter. It’s a depressing sight, one she isn’t used to. If she could take the pain from Naomi and somehow transfer it to herself, Dorinda would do it in a heartbeat.

“Okay.” Dorinda drops her purse to the floor and sets the containers down on the coffee table. She walks to the couch. Grabbing Naomi by the shoulder, she roughly yanks the younger woman. Naomi rolls over and drops to the ground with a thud.

“Mom!” Naomi looks at her mom with a scowl. “Why did you do that?”

“It’s been 2 weeks since you and Daniel signed the divorce papers. I have given you plenty of space and opportunity to mope around in the dark, but I think it’s time for the pity party to end.”

“2 weeks is not nearly enough time to simply get over the past 9 years.” Naomi argues as she stands up and dusts herself off. 

“I know you’re hurt–”

“No offense, but you and daddy have been married for thirty years, and last time I checked, I don’t have any half siblings conceived within that time, so you cannot fathom my hurt, so you can just skip over any platitudes that might be brewing.”

Dorinda raises an eyebrow. “You’re upset, so I’m going to ignore your wildly inappropriate and condescending tone, and give you a one time pass.”

“I’m sorry,” Naomi murmurs, flopping back down on her couch. She averts her mother’s gaze because she can feel the older woman staring daggers at her. “I’m just very...out of sorts these days, like I’ve been hit by a bus and then put on a rollercoaster.”

“Now I may not understand divorce, but I can empathize with what you’re feeling.” Dorinda sits down next to Naomi.

“I know everyone thought I was crazy to marry Daniel in the first place, and I’m so sure there's no love lost on your part, but I really went into this with the best intentions. And I thought he did too.”

Dorinda runs her thumb across Naomi’s cheek, collecting a falling tear. “People suck, and life is full of crappy people who do crappy things. And I’m sorry that you had to be a victim to one of them.”

Naomi chuckles humorlessly. “That’s one way to put it.”

“I’m sure it feels like the easiest thing in the world to curl into a ball and stay holed up in this apartment, but you are so much stronger than that. And Daniel Thompson does not deserve the right to reduce you to this. If you want to mope on this couch for the rest of your life, then you do it on your own accord, not because of him. But in my personal opinion, I think you’re too wonderful to become a piece of furniture.”

“What do you suppose I do?” Naomi challenges with a shrug. “I don’t how to do anything other than be his wife.”

“Well, that’s not true at all. But first, you’re going to take a shower, crack open a window to let some fresh air in, and then you’re going to do something that helps you vent. Rip a pillow, scream, scratch Daniel’s face out of his pictures, whatever you want. And then you and I are going to sit on this couch and have a very good cry. And I mean an all out, snotty nose, puffy eyes, sore throat type of cry.”

Getting off of this couch sounds like a feat within itself, one that Naomi doesn’t know if she has the strength or energy to do.

“That’s the first step,” Dorinda says, playing with a strand of Naomi’s hair. “That’s the hard part, but once you do that, I promise it gets easier. You just have to trust yourself and put one foot in front of the other, okay?”

A heavy silence falls on the room and Dorinda waits on bated breath for her daughter to respond. She’s never seen Naomi like this, the life completely drained out of her.

Naomi’s voice comes out small and unrecognizable, but she answers nonetheless. “Okay.”

~v~

One month passes and things finally start progressing for Naomi. She won’t say her life is back to normal, but she’s no longer glued to her couch, so her family considers it a win.

It’s a nice day, so Dorinda forces her to leave the comfort of her apartment and spend the day with her family.

“One of your father’s friends is coming over, so be nice,” Dorinda scolds, passing her daughter a handful of silverware so they can set the dinner table.

“Oh God, mom if this is some politician asking for a donation, I can’t–”

“No politicians,” Dorinda interjects. “Naveen is in Baltimore for a few days, so we invited him to have dinner with us.”

Dr. Naveen Banerji has been friends with Naomi’s dad for as long as she can remember. While Naveen was doing his residency at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, Steven Valentine came in for a broken arm, and they’ve been close friends ever since, even when Naveen had to move to Boston.

Naomi adores the older man, and it doesn’t hurt that he’s one of the best doctors in the country.

“Why didn’t you just lead with that?” Naomi asks.

Dorinda shrugs. “I wanted to see if you could leave that apartment of yours without external motivation.”

“And I did,” Naomi says. “I want a medal.”

“And I want a private island somewhere in the Caribbean.”

There’s a knock at the door that startles them out of their banter. Before either one of them can reach the door, Naomi’s dad beats them to it.

“Naveen, you old man!” Steven greets. “How are you?”

“If I’m old, you’re ancient!” Naveen shoots back with a chuckle. His eyes fall on Dorinda and Naomi, who have joined them in the foyer. “Dorinda! You’re as lovely as ever.”

“Naveen, it’s so wonderful to see you again.”

“And Naomi, I haven’t seen you since your med school graduation.” Naveen sizes her younger before hugging her. “Gosh, I can’t believe you’re so grown up now. What happened to the little 5 year old who used to quiz me on the periodic table?”

“Hi, Naveen,” Naomi greets brightly.

“It smells delicious in here. Don’t tell me you made a huge fuss over me, Dorinda.”

“What? It’s not every day we get to see you.” Dorinda takes Naveen’s coat. “Go sit down, you’re here just in time. Dinner will be out in 10 minutes, tops.”

It doesn’t even take that long, and soon the Valentine family plus Naveen are all gathered around the dining room table, passing around bowls and platters of food.

“So Naveen, I heard you got a promotion recently and you’re now the Chief of Medicine at Edenbrook.”

“Yeah, my days of practicing are over.”

“Do you like the job?” Naomi asks.

Naveen nods. “I love it. I have more free time, which is a plus. And there’s still so much to do, so it fuels the adrenaline junky in me. What about you, Dr. Valentine?” He smiles. “What’s it like being an attending?”

“Demanding,” Naomi answers.

“Any interesting cases recently?”

“No.” Naomi‘s girl scrapes across her plate as she awkwardly shuffles her food around. “I, uh...I’m on a personal leave right now. I haven’t been to the hospital in weeks.”

Naveen knows all about the nasty divorce, so he nods sympathetically and doesn’t press the subject. “You were chief resident last year, right?”

“Yes, sir.”

“She’s being modest,” Dorinda says. “She was at the top of her cohort.”

“Of course she was.” Naveen takes a sip of his drink, but his eyes are still trained on Naomi, wheels turning. “How do you like the hospital you’re working at?”

“It’s good.”

“Do you think that it’s the best fit for you? Are you being pushed to your limits? Are your superiors still checking in with you? You’re an attending now, but they should still care about your development.”

Naomi feels overwhelmed by the onslaught of questions. What is this, a job interview?

“Slow down Naveen, what’s with the interrogation?”

“What? I care about you, and I care about your potential. I just hope it’s not being wasted.”

“It’s not,” Naomi assures him.

“You know, there will always be a standing invitation for you to join the team at Edenbrook,” Naveen tells her.

A wide grin forms on Dorinda’s face and before Naomi can respond, she does. “She accepts!”

And that’s when the lightbulb turns on above Naomi’s head. She glances from Naveen to her parents. “Did you guys set this up?”

Naveen raises an eyebrow at the question. “What do you mean?”

“Did my parents ask you to come here and give me a job offer?”

“No, I’m here because I have a conference to attend in Baltimore tomorrow, so I thought I’d drop in. No one asked me to give you a job offer. You’re intelligent, you’re compassionate, you’re a good doctor, and I wouldn’t be a very smart Chief if I didn’t at least try to poach you for myself.”

“And she accepts!” Dorinda continues.

“Mom, stop it!” Naomi scolds.

“You’ll get a chance to work with me,” Naveen adds. “You’ll get a chance to work with Dr. Ethan Ramsey, my protege. We’re a level 1 trauma center, and Boston is a gorgeous city.”

The last thing Naomi needs right now is a new job in a new city, not while her life is in complete shambles. Besides, her entire life is in DC. It’s where her entire support system resides. Functioning without them sounds daunting.

“I really appreciate the offer Naveen, but that is definitely a lot to take in and consider.”

“Of course, I understand. I didn’t mean to put you on the spot, nor do I expect any sort of answer.” Naveen sighs. “How much longer are you going to be off of work?”

“A few more weeks.”

“How about you come to Boston, and at least check out the hospital?” He suggests. “No strings attached, and you can stay at my lake house because I’m hardly ever there and there’s tons of space, so someone should enjoy it. At the very least, I think seeing it will at least be a fun experience and a nice vacation.”

“If I say yes to the trip, can we pause this conversation for the rest of the evening?”

Naveen nods. “I think that’s a fair exchange.”

“Then you have yourself a deal.”

Naomi relaxes and slouches slightly in her seat. When she gets home later on, she has a mission to complete: research the hell out of Boston and Edenbrook Hospital.

~v~

Boston is a beautiful city full of history, culture, and interesting attractions. Naomi appreciates the hustle and bustle of the city life, and the fact that everyone is always on the go – a vast difference from the quiet and serenity of Naveen’s lake house in Plymouth.

And Edenbrook is an entirely different beast. It is much larger than she expects, as the pictures don’t do it justice. The building is at least 7 stories tall to her naked eye, sleek and modern.

Naomi silently marvels as she watches doctors and nurses bustle around, chatting quietly amongst each other.

“Wow.” Is all she can say.

“She’s a beaut, isn’t she?” Naveen asks rhetorically, smiling at Naomi’s childlike wonder.

“This hospital is amazing,” is what she finally settles on when words finally come back to her.

“Follow me, we have an unofficial tour to go on.”

Naomi follows Naveen through the hospital. She struggles to keep up as she tries to memorize the complex layout, because this hospital is large and built like a multi-level maze. 

Naveen rattles off information and fun facts as they pass through the pediatric department, they stop to stare at the newborns in labor and delivery, all small and wriggly, and they even manage to sneak into the OR to watch Harper Emery perform a craniotomy, something Naomi compares to a religious experience.

“I can’t believe I just watched The Harper Emery perform surgery!” Naomi squeals with delight as she and Naveen step out of the gallery and leave the OR. “Please tell me that wasn’t a dream.”

“I didn’t peg you for a surgery fanatic,” Naveen teases.

Naomi scoffs. “I’m not, but I respect Dr. Emery. You don’t have to be a basketball fan to appreciate that Michael Jordan is one of the greats.”

“That’s a fair comparison.”

The two of them continue their leisurely stroll around the hospital, making their way to the internal medicine department.

“This is where you’d spend a good chunk of your time, if you wanted to work here, of course.”

“Is it a large department?” Naomi asks quietly. There are a few patients filling out paperwork ahead of their appointments and she doesn’t want to disturb them.

“It is. We have a lot of doctors here so you can spend that extra one-on-one time with your patients, and you aren’t just rushing them out the door to get to your next appointment.”

“That’s good to know.”

Naveen’s pager goes off and he checks it before sighing. “The life of a Chief is never dull. I have to go take care of something downstairs, but I’ll be back as soon as possible. Do you think you can occupy yourself in the meantime?”

“Of course.” Naomi shoos him away. “Take your time.”

“Thank you. I’ll be back as soon as possible.”

Naomi watches as he walks away, until she can no longer see him through the crowds of people. Once he’s truly gone, she continues her slow stroll through the halls.

Edenbrook seems like an amazing hospital and a great place to work, but she’s not sure if she can see herself staying.

Can she really pack up and move more than 400 miles away from her entire family, and the only life she’s ever known? And is she the type to run away when life gets tough? What will everyone say? “Oh, poor girl gets left by her husband and had to flee the city.”

But what’s stopping you? The little voice in her head asks, and it’s technically right. She looks down at her left hand, zeroing in on the ring-less finger with a deep tan line, a very prominent reminder of what’s definitely not waiting for her back in DC. No husband, no kids, nothing but an empty and quiet condo.

When she filed for divorce, Naomi swore to herself that running off to city hall to get married would be the first and last wild and impulsive thing she’d ever do. And taking a job offer on a whim in Boston is teetering dangerously close to that “wild and reckless” category.

But she’s pulled out of her thoughts when someone gasps loudly beside her. Whipping her head around, Naomi watches as a middle aged woman falls out of her seat and collapses onto the ground.

That sends the waiting area into a frenzy as fellow patients panic and crowd around the woman like she’s some sort of zoo exhibit, and nurses try their best to assess the situation and ask for help.

“Everyone, step back!” Naomi orders, a serious expression covering her face. “I’m a doctor!”

Before Naomi can even reach the woman, another doctor rushes over, kneeling down beside her. He lifts her wrist and pressed two fingers to it. 

“Her pulse isn’t weak. She’s unresponsive.”

His face scans the crowd and Naomi inwardly gasps as she realizes that it's Ethan freaking Ramsey! In any other situation, she’d be freaking out and fan-girling over him.

He spots her and points. “You. Get in here.”

Naomi bites down on her tongue and resists the urge to get snappy with him. She’s not a puppy that can get summoned on command. But she remembers that a woman’s life is on the line and her own hang ups can wait.

“Right away, Doctor!”

With practiced ease, Ethan lifts the woman up and places her on a gurney that’s been rolled over by a nurse. Within seconds, Naomi is at his side.

“What was she coming in for?” He asks, hoping someone can answer his question. “Did she fill out a form yet?”

A nurse clears his throat before answering, “No, she had just walked in.”

That’s not the answer Ethan was hoping for and he frowns. “If we don’t figure out what’s wrong with her fast, she’s gonna die on this gurney.” He spares a quick glance at Naomi. “Check her B.P.”

A nurse hands Naomi a blood pressure cuff and she slips on around the woman’s arm. After pumping it a few times, she checks the numbers. They’re horrible.

“It’s plummeting. She’s hypotensive,” she explains. “We’ve gotta get fluids in her, now.”

Ethan nods, agreeing with the assessment. Another nurse sets up an I.V. while Naomi checks over the woman once more. She notices a bruise on her elbow, one that wasn’t there a minute ago, and her fingertips are turning blue.

“Doctor, look at her fingers,” Naomi says, getting Ethan’s attention. “I think it’s a sign of low oxygen saturation.”

Ethan raises an eyebrow. “You think or you know? We really don’t have time for the guessing game.”

“I know,” Naomi assures him, her tone coming out rougher than she intended. She’s not a fan of being second guessed, especially by someone who specifically requested her to assist.

“Good. Did you notice the bruise?” Naomi nods. “A bruise forming that quickly suggests that this woman is a hemophiliac.” Ethan slides his stethoscope from around his neck and hands it to Naomi. “Check her lungs, quickly.”

Naomi does what she’s told and takes a closer listen to her woman’s lungs. 

“Nothing on her left side, and the right side is struggling. She’s going to suffocate!”

Oh God, how did she get roped into this? This was supposed to be a relaxing vacation away from all of the stress of her life, now Naomi is watching a woman suffocate to death.

Dr. Ramsey isn’t having the same struggle as she is, as he remains calm, though everyone around them is on high alert. “We’ve got a Code Blue,” he says, his voice steady. A nurse hands him a bag mask and he starts delivering air to the woman.

Naomi watches as he does that, trying to remain calm. She closes her eyes and attempts to steady her thoughts, and figure out what’s wrong with the woman.

“Hey, either help out or leave, but I don’t need you here doing nothing,” Ethan says, interrupting her thoughts.

Naomi flinches a bit at the interruption, but she continues thinking. Low oxygen, hemophilia, deflated lungs. What could it possibly be?

As she’s going through the options, it hits her. “It’s a hemothorax!”

Ethan nods, confirming the diagnosis. “A blood vessel ruptured…”

“...and it’s blocking her lungs from expanding any further,” Naomi finishes. She looks around. They’re in a crowded waiting room, not the OR. “But we can’t do anything here!”

“There’s no time to get her to the OR, we’ll have to do an emergency thoracotomy to drain her pleural cavity.” Ethan points to a nurse. “You! I need a chest tube and a scalpel, now!”

A nurse rushes over immediately, placing the items in Naomi’s hands. She barely has time to register the fact that she’s about to perform an emergency procedure on an unconscious woman, and she’s not even supposed to be in doctor-mode today before Ethan is lifting the woman’s shirt 

“We’re gonna need a local anesthetic to–”

“We don’t have time for any of that!” Ethan snaps. “Do it now, or she’s going to die, and it’ll be on you!”

Naomi gulps and wills herself to calm down. Her pulse is racing and she can hear her heart beating in her ears.

But she breathes deeply. She doesn’t have time to panic, not when there’s a life on the line. She steadies her hand, and makes the incision at the woman’s rib cage.

“There you go, nice and easy,” Dr. Ramsey coaches. “Now insert the tube.”

Naomi insets the chest tube into the incision. Slowly but surely, the blood starts draining out of the woman’s chest, and she gasps, breathing again.

The woman, now conscious again, mutters something unintelligible, but she’s alive and that’s all that matters.

“We...we did it.”

The older physician ignores Naomi, instead turning to the nurse that’s been helping them. “She’s stable. Get her into surgery, but she’s stable.”

“Right away, Doctor.”

The nurses take the patient away, while the crowd applauds them for the heroic save. Eventually the crowd disperses, everyone going back to what they were previously doing.

The relief that floods through Naomi’s body is all-consuming. She hasn’t felt this euphoric in a long time. And to experience it with someone as amazing as Doctor Ramsey only elevates things. Doctors can only dream of working with him, and she actually got to do it, even if it was on a whim.

Maybe working at Edenbrook isn’t such a bad idea.

She turns back to Ethan, a giddy grin wide across her face. “Doctor...that was…amazing!”

“You’re right. It’s pretty amazing you didn’t get her killed.”

That takes the wind out of her sails almost instantly. “Wait, what?”

“Your examination was slow and superficial. And your scalpel technique?” He scoffs in derision. “Amateur at best.”

“Who the hell do you think you are?” Naomi asks. “I’m sorry, I’m not at work today, this entire situation threw me for a loop, and a waiting room definitely isn’t a proper setting to do any of what we just did. And if I’m so amateur at my job, what prevented you from stepping in at any time since you’re so much better than I am? Because if my recollection is correct, I did most of the work, while you stood there like some glorified overseer.”

“You’re the one who yelled out that you were a doctor. I wanted to test your mettle.”

Her blood boils in her veins at his words. So this is why they say never meet your heroes. Because they turn out to be righteous assholes.

“My mettle is just fine. You say it’s a miracle I didn’t kill her, I say she’s alive because of me. And another thing, I don’t need you testing my mettle when a patient’s life is on the line. Next time, save the little power trip.”

Ethan’s nostrils flare at her words. No doctor in their right mind has ever spoken to him like this. He stares down at the woman, almost a foot shorter than him, and she’s staring up at him with just as much intensity. “Now I don’t know who you think–”

“Naomi, there you are!”

Ethan’s tirade is cut short by the sound of Naveen’s voice echoing through the halls. He looks up to see his mentor and boss headed towards them.

“I’m sorry that took longer than expected Naomi,” Naveen says once he’s finally close enough. He looks her up and down. Her blouse and pants are ruined, covered in that woman’s blood. “Hue hat happened? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine Naveen,” Naomi assures him. “It’s not mine. And it’s a very long story, one I’ll tell you once I’m out of these clothes.”

“Very well.”

Ethan watches as the two of them casually converse. He’s known Naveen for well over a decade, and not once has he seen or heard of this woman. How does Naveen know her well enough for them to be on a first name basis?

“You two know each other?” He asks, interrupting their conversation.

Naveen nods. “Oh yes, we go way back. Ethan, this is Dr. Naomi Valentine. Naomi, this is Dr. Ethan Ramsey.”

Naomi gives Ethan a tight smile. She’s no longer in the mood for pleasantries. “Charmed.”

“Likewise, Dr. Valentine.”

“Naomi here is from DC, and I’m trying to convince her to come to Edenbrook,” Naveen explains. He knows better than anyone how much Naomi admires Ethan’s work. Maybe he’ll be able to help him convince the younger woman to accept a job at Edenbrook. “It’s so perfect that you guys met and became acquainted, because I actually think she’d be an excellent addition to the diagnostics team.”

Ethan’s eyebrows shoot up to his hairline at that statement. “What?”

[fuckofffuckofffuckoffloveme]

Runaway - Part Thirteen

~Masterlist~

Concept: Hazel Richards is a twenty-year-old woman living in London. When she meets a mysterious time-travelling alien known only as the Hunter, she’s thrust into a world of wonder she could only have imagined.

Warnings: swearing, follows S1 of Doctor Who.

It wasn't until the patients were almost within touching distance that the Hunter had the idea. "Go to your room," she ordered, trying to sound angry rather than scared. The patients stood still, and she smiled victoriously. "Go to your room. I mean it. I'm very, very angry with you. I am very, very cross. Go to your room!" The patients hung their head and shuffled back to their beds.

"Wow," Hazel muttered.

"I'm really glad that worked," the Hunter admitted, sighing in relief. "Those would have been terrible last words."

Hazel snorted. "Why are they all wearing gas masks?"

"They're not," Jack told her. "Those masks are flesh and bone." She made a face.

"How was your con supposed to work?" the Hunter asked curiously.

"Simple enough, really," Jack stated. "Find some harmless piece of space junk, let the nearest Time Agent track it back to Earth, convince him it's valuable, name a price. When he's put fifty percent up front, oops! A German bomb falls on it, destroys it forever. He never gets to see what he's paid for, never knows he's been had. I buy him a drink with his own money, and we discuss dumb luck. The perfect self-cleaning con."

The Hunter raised an eyebrow cynically. "Yeah. Perfect."

"The London Blitz is great for self-cleaners," Jack nodded. "Pompeii's nice if you want to make a vacation of it, but you've got to set your alarm for volcano day." He winced, seeing the Hunter's narrowed eyes. "Getting a hint of disapproval, Queenie."

"Take a look around the room," the Hunter suggested. "This is what your harmless piece of space-junk did."

"It was a burnt-out medical transporter," Jack protested. "It was empty."

"Hazel." The Hunter beckoned her over from where she was looking at the gas masks with a mixture of disgust and curiosity.

"Are we getting out of here?" she asked.

"We're going upstairs," the Hunter told her, smirking.

"I even programmed the flight computer so it wouldn't land on anything living," Jack continued. "I harmed no one. I don't know what's happening here, but believe me, I had nothing to do with it."

"I'll tell you what's happening," the Hunter scoffed. "You forgot to set your alarm clock. It's volcano day."

A siren sounded, making Hazel jumped. "What's that?"

"The all clear," Jack answered. He'd been here long enough to recognise it by ear.

"I wish," the Hunter muttered, heading for the stairs.

***

Later, Jack and Hazel were running along a corridor trying to find the Hunter after she'd pulled a vanishing trick.

"Queenie?" Jack called, smirking.

Hazel rolled her eyes. "Artie?"

The Hunter poked her head down from the next floor. "Have you got a blaster?"

"Sure," Jack nodded, and they ran up to her.

"The night your space-junk landed, someone was hurt," the Hunter explained. "This was where they were taken."

"What happened?" Hazel asked.

The Hunter shrugged. "Let's find out. Get it open."

Hazel frowned. "What's wrong with your sonic screwdriver?"

"Nothing," the Hunter said, not meeting her eyes. Hazel smirked. Did the Hunter actually like Jack? The lock swiftly disintegrated as Jack used his blaster on it, and the Hunter smiled, recognising it. "Sonic blaster, fifty first century. Weapon factories of Villengard?"

"You've been to the factories?" Jack asked, surprised.

"Once," she admitted.

"Well, they're gone now, destroyed," Jack told her. "The main reactor went critical. Vaporised the lot."

The Hunter smirked. "Like I said, once. There's a banana grove there now. I like bananas. Bananas are good."

"Nice blast pattern," Hazel complimented as the Hunter went inside the room.

"Digital," he told her.

"Squareness gun?" she guessed.

"Yeah."

She smiled. "I like it."

They followed the Hunter into a messy room with a broken observation window and electronic equipment.

"What do you think?" the Hunter asked, glancing up as they entered.

Jack whistled. "Something got out of here."

"Yeah. And?"

"Something powerful. Angry."

"Powerful and angry," the Hunter nodded.

Jack crouched, seeing a child's crayon drawings scattered across the floor, as well as a teddy bear in the corner. "A child? I suppose this explains 'Mummy'."

"How could a child do this?" Hazel frowned, looking around at the destruction that had been wreaked on the room.

The Hunter turned on a tape machine, one of the only things left undamaged.

"Do you know where you are?" Dr Constantine asked on the recording.

"Are you my mummy?"

"Are you aware of what's around you? Can you see?"

"Are you my mummy?"

"What do you want? Do you know -?"

"I want my mummy. Are you my mummy? I want my mummy! Are you my mummy? Are you my mummy? Mummy? Mummy?"

"Artie, I've heard this voice before," Hazel frowned, remembering the child she'd tried to rescue from the roof, wearing a gas mask on his face.

"Me too," the Hunter nodded.

"Mummy?"

"Always 'are you my mummy?', like he doesn't know," Hazel noticed.

"Mummy?"

"Why doesn't he know?"

"Are you there, mummy? Mummy? Mummy? Please, mummy? Mummy?"

"Artie?" Hazel asked, seeing the woman had her metal hand outstretched towards the wall, not quite touching it.

"Can you sense it?" she asked.

"Sense what?" Jack narrowed his eyes.

"Coming out of the walls. Can you feel it?" she wondered.

"Mummy?"

She snorted. "Funny little human brains. How do you get around in those things?"

Hazel rolled her eyes. "When she's stressed, she likes to insult species," she told Jack.

"Haze, I'm thinking."

"Seriously, it's her favourite thing."

"There are these children living rough around the bomb sites," the Hunter began. "They come out during air raids looking for food."

"Mummy, please?"

"Suppose they were there when this thing, whatever it was, landed?"

Jack sighed. This again? "It was a med-ship. It was harmless."

"Yes, you keep saying harmless," the Hunter noticed. "Suppose one of them was affected, altered?"

"Altered how?" Hazel asked.

"I'm here."

The Hunter closed her eyes, cursing herself for not realising sooner. "It's afraid. Terribly afraid and powerful. It doesn't know it yet, but it will do. It's got the power of a god, and I just sent it to its room."

"Artie," Hazel frowned.

"I'm here. Can't you see me?"

"What's that noise?"

"End of the tape," the Hunter replied. "It ran out about thirty seconds ago."

"I'm here, now. Can't you see me?"

"I sent it to its room. This is its room," she explained.

The child stepped into the doorway. "Are you my mummy? Mummy?"

"Artie?" Hazel had frozen, watching the child.

"Okay, Jules, Queenie, on my signal make for the door," Jack ordered.

"Don't call me that," the Hunter muttered.

"Mummy?"

"Now!" Jack pointed... a banana?... at the child.

"Mummy?"

Grinning, the Hunter used Jack's blaster to make a square hole in the wall. "Go, now! Don't drop the banana!"

"Why not?!" Jack demanded, his eyes wide as they escaped through the wall.

"Good source of potassium?" the Hunter shrugged.

He rolled his eyes. "Give me that!" He used the blaster to repair the hole in the wall, then handed the banana back. "Digital rewind. Nice switch."

"It's from the groves of Villengard. I thought it was appropriate," the Hunter explained.

Jack blinked. "There's really a banana grove in the heart of Villengard and you did that?"

The Hunter shrugged again, grinning. "What? Bananas are good."

"Artie!" Hazel cried, seeing the wall starting to crack.

"Come on!" The Hunter started leading them down the corridor, only to find patients coming at them from both directions.

"Mummy. Mummy. Mummy."

She swore. "It's keeping us here till it can get at us."

"It's controlling them?" Jack asked.

"It is them," the Hunter corrected. "It's every living thing in this hospital except us."

"Okay," Jack lifted his sonic blaster. "This can function as a sonic blaster, a sonic cannon, and as a triple-enfolded sonic disrupter. Queenie, what you got?"

"I've got a sonic screwdriver," she replied.

"A sonic screwdriver?" Jack turned to her incredulously, for a moment forgetting the patients all around them.

"Yes, a sonic screwdriver!"

The child broke through the wall, and Hazel grabbed Jack's hand, forcing the blaster to aim at the floor. "Going down!" she called, firing, and the floor disappeared beneath them, sending them falling through to the ward below. Jack immediately got up and repaired the ceiling. "Artie, you okay?" Hazel checked.

She groaned. "Could've used a warning."

Hazel shrugged. "I said 'going down'."

"Well, you know, usually I have a bit longer than a split-second to prepare before falling through the ceiling," the Hunter told her, rolling her eyes.

"Who has a sonic screwdriver?" Jack frowned as Hazel went to the wall to try and find a light switch.

"I do," the Hunter said indignantly.

"Who looks at a screwdriver and thinks, ooh, this could be a little more sonic?" Jack scoffed.

"There's got to be a light switch," Hazel muttered, ignoring them.

The Hunter snorted. "What, you've never been bored? Never had a long night? Never had a lot of cabinets to put up? Have you ever even been to Ikea? You can't just use a normal screwdriver for those bloody things!" She cut off as Hazel switched the lights on, making the patients sit up in their beds.

"Mummy. Mummy."

"Door," Jack muttered, trying to unlock it with his blaster, but it didn't work. "Damn it!"

"Mummy."

"It's the special features," Jack complained as the Hunter - very smugly - used her sonic screwdriver to get them through the door and into a storeroom. "They really drain the battery."

"The battery?" Hazel frowned. "That's so lame!"

"I was going to send for another one, but somebody's got to blow up the factory," Jack stated pointedly. The Hunter rolled her eyes as she locked the door.

"Oh, I know," Hazel agreed, grinning. "First day I met her, she blew up a department store! It's practically how she communicates."

"Okay, that door should hold it for a bit," the Hunter decided.

"The door?" Jack echoed. "The wall didn't stop it!"

"Well, it's got to find us first," she reminded him. "Come on, we're not done yet! Assets, assets!"

"Well, I've got a banana, and in a pinch you could put up some shelves," Jack told her sarcastically.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Window?"

"Barred. Sheer drop outside. Seven stories," he reported.

"And no other exits," Hazel added.

Jack laughed humourlessly. "Well, the assets conversation went in a flash, didn't it?"

The Hunter sat on the window ledge. "So, where'd you pick this one up, then?"

"Artie!" Hazel whined.

Jack smirked. "She was hanging from a barrage balloon, I had an invisible spaceship. I never stood a chance."

"Okay," she nodded, putting out her hand to count off her fingers. "One, we've got to get out of here. Two, we can't get out of here. Have I missed anything?"

"Yeah," Hazel nodded. "Jack just disappeared." The Hunter sighed. "Okay, so he's vanished into thin air. Why is it always the fit ones who do that?"

"I'm making an effort not to be insulted over here," the Hunter mentioned, raising an eyebrow.

"I mean, men," Hazel clarified.

The Hunter smiled. "That's better."

The radio crackled into life. "Jules? Queenie? Can you hear me? I'm back on my ship." It was Jack's slightly sheepish voice. "Used the emergency teleport. Sorry I couldn't take you, it's security-keyed to my molecular structure. I'm working on it. Hang in there."

"How're you speaking to us?" the Hunter asked, curious.

"Om-Com," Jack replied. "I can call anything with a speaker grill."

"Now there's a coincidence," the Hunter realised.

"What is?" Jack asked.

"The child can Om-Com, too," she told him.

Hazel blinked. "He can?"

The Hunter nodded. "Anything with a speaker grill. Even the TARDIS phone."

"What, you mean the child can phone us?" Hazel frowned. That was kind of creepy.

"And I can hear you," the child's voice sang. "Coming to find you. Coming to find you."

"Queenie, can you hear that?" Jack asked.

"Loud and clear," the Hunter replied.

"I'll try to block out the signal. Least I can do," he offered.

"Coming to find you, mummy."

"Remember this one, Jules?" Moonlight Serenade came on through the radio.

Hazel rolled her eyes at the Hunter's curious look. "Our song."

***

A while later, Hazel had found herself a wheelchair to relax in while watching as the Hunter soniced the barred window. "What are you doing?" she asked curiously.

"Trying to set up a resonation pattern in the concrete," the Hunter answered, not looking round, "loosen the bars."

"You don't think he's coming back, do you?" Hazel guessed.

"Wouldn't bet my life," the Hunter admitted.

Hazel frowned. "Why don't you trust him?"

"Why do you?" the Hunter countered.

"He saved my life," Hazel pointed out. "That's pretty persuasive. I trust him because he's like you. Except with dating and dancing." The Hunter looked at her oddly. "What?"

"You just assume I -" She cut herself off, shaking her head.

"What?" Hazel asked.

"You just assume that I don't dance," the Hunter shrugged.

Hazel blinked. "What, you're telling me you do dance?"

"Nine hundred years old, me," the Hunter pointed out. "I've been around a bit. I think you can assume at some point I've danced."

"You?"

"Problem?"

Hazel smirked. "Doesn't the universe implode or something if you dance?"

The Hunter snorted. "Well, I wouldn't want to boast."

"You can dance? Dance with me," Hazel challenged, turning up the radio so that Moonlight Serenade filled the room.

The Hunter smiled a little, shaking her head. "Haze, I'm trying to resonate concrete."

"Jack'll be back. He'll get us out. So come on." Hazel held out her hands. "The world doesn't end because the Hunter dances." She smiled victoriously as the Hunter put her sonic away and climbed off the table, taking her hands.

"Barrage balloon?" the Time Lady frowned.

"What?" Hazel blinked.

"You were hanging from a barrage balloon."

"Oh, yeah," she said, like it was no big deal. "About two minutes after you left me. Thousands of feet above London, middle of a German air raid, Union Flag all over my chest."

The Hunter smirked. "I've travelled with a lot of people, but you're setting new records for jeopardy friendly."

"Is this you dancing?" Hazel teased. "Because I've got notes."

"Hanging from a rope thousands of feet above London," the Hunter mused, brushing her thumbs across Hazel's palms. "Not a cut, not a bruise."

"Yeah, I know. Captain Jack fixed me up," Hazel shrugged.

The Hunter raised an eyebrow, smiling. "Oh, we're calling him Captain Jack now, are we?"

Hazel rolled her eyes. "Well, his name's Jack and he's a Captain."

"He's not really a Captain, Haze."

"Yeah, well, I'm pretty sure you're not actually working for the Ministry of Asteroids but there we go," Hazel shot back, grinning. "Do you know what I think? I think you're experiencing Captain Envy. You'll find your feet at the end of your legs. You may care to move them."

The Hunter sighed, smiling. "If ever he was a Captain, he's been defrocked."

"Yeah? Wouldn't have minded seeing that," Hazel stated, then laughed at the Hunter's expression.

"Actually, I quit," Jack cut in. "Nobody takes my frock." He smirked as the girls looked around, surprised. "Most people noticed when they've been teleported. You guys are so sweet. Sorry about the delay. I had to take the nav-com offline to override the teleport security."

The Hunter raised her eyebrows, dropping Hazel's hands to look around the ship. "You can spend ten minutes overriding your own protocols? Maybe you should remember whose ship it is."

"Oh, I do," Jack promised. "She was gorgeous. Like I told her, be back in five minutes."

"This is a Chula ship," the Hunter identified.

"Yeah, just like that medical transporter," Jack nodded as he was leaving the room. "Only this one is dangerous."

Hazel watched as the Hunter snapped her fingers, making a familiar golden glow envelop her hands. "They're what fixed my hands up. Jack called them... er..."

"Nanobots?" the Hunter guessed. "Nanogenes?"

"Nanogenes, yeah," Hazel agreed.

"Sub-atomic robots," the Hunter nodded. "There's millions of them in here, see? Burned my hand on the console when we landed. All better now. They activate when the bulk head's sealed. Check you out for damage, fix any physical flaws." She looked at Jack as he returned. "Take us to crash site. I need to see your space junk."

"Kinky," Hazel muttered.

"As soon as I get the nav-con back online," Jack nodded. "Make yourself comfortable." He smirked. "Carry on with whatever it was you were doing."

"We were talking about dancing," the Hunter told him, rolling her eyes.

"It didn't look like talking," Jack raised his eyebrows.

"It didn't feel like dancing," Hazel countered. They high-fived. The Hunter went off exploring the ship, muttering to herself about 'cheeky humans'. "So, you used to be a Time Agent, now you're trying to con them?"

"If it makes me sound any better, it's not for the money," Jack told her.

She settled into the co-pilot seat. "What for, then?"

Jack shrugged. "Woke up one day when I was still working for them, found they'd stolen two years of my memories. I'd like them back."

"They stole your memories?" Hazel echoed, her eyes wide.

"Two years of my life," Jack confirmed. "No idea what I did. Your friend doesn't trust me, and for all I know, she's right not to." He looked up as the Hunter entered, looking bored. "Okay, we're good to go. Crash site?"

***

"There it is," Jack pointed as they stood at the top of a hill overlooking the crash site. "Hey, they've got Algy on duty. It must be important."

"We've got to get past him," the Hunter muttered.

Hazel smirked. "Are the words 'distract the guard' heading in my general direction?"

"I don't think that'd be such a good idea," Jack stated.

"He doesn't have to be my type for me to flirt with him," Hazel pointed out. "There are too many straight people movies for me to not know how."

"I've got to know Algy quite well since I've been in town," Jack smirked. "Trust me, you're not his type either. I'll distract him. Don't wait up." He started off down the hill, Hazel watching him go.

"Relax," the Hunter smiled. "He's a fifty first century guy. He's just a bit more flexible when it comes to dancing."

"How flexible?" Hazel asked curiously.

"Well, by his time, you lot have spread out across half the galaxy," the Hunter informed her.

"Meaning?"

She smirked. "So many species, so little time."

"What, that's what we do when we get out there?" Hazel snorted. "That's our mission? We seek new life, and - and..."

"Dance," the Hunter finished simply, grinning.

***

"Hey, tiger," Jack greeted, jogging up to Algy. "How's it hanging?"

"Mummy?"

Jack blinked. "Algy, old sport, it's me."

"Mummy?"

"It's me, Jack."

"Jack? Are you my mummy?" Algy started to retch, falling to his knees as his face morphed into a gas mask.

The Hunter and Hazel ran forwards from where they'd been hiding. "Stay back!"

"You men, stay away!" Jack ordered, his familiarity with the soldiers giving him authority.

"The effect's become air-borne, accelerating," the Hunter realised, glancing up as the air raid siren started up.

"What's keeping us safe?" Hazel asked.

The Hunter shared a glance with her. "Nothing."

"Here they come again," Jack muttered, seeing the German planes approaching in the distance.

"All we need," Hazel sighed, then frowned. "Didn't you say a bomb was going to land here?"

"Never mind about that," the Hunter shook her head, her eyes wide. "If the contaminant's airborne now, there's hours left."

"For what?" Jack asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Till nothing, forever. For the entire human race," she replied, then stopped short, blinking. "Can anyone else hear singing?" They followed the sound to a shed in which a soldier was slumped across a table with a gas mask face, Nancy sitting hand-cuffed to the same table, shakily singing a lullaby to keep the soldier asleep. The Hunter sneaked in and unlocked the handcuffs, bringing Nancy out with her.

***

"You see?" Jack said smugly as they lit up and uncovered the spacecraft later. "Just an ambulance."

"That's an ambulance?" Nancy asked, her eyes wide.

"It's hard to explain," Hazel bit her lip. "It's from another world."

"They've been trying to get in," Jack frowned, eyeing the obvious signs of attempted forced entry.

"Of course they have," the Hunter scoffed. "They think they've got their hands on Hitler's latest secret weapon." She frowned. "What're you doing?"

Jack looked up from the keypad. "The sooner you see this thing is empty, the sooner you'll know I had nothing to do with it." There was a loud bang, the access panel flashed red and sparked, and an alarm started up. "Didn't happen last time."

The Hunter rolled her eyes. "It hadn't crashed last time. There'll be emergency protocols."

"Artie, what is that?" Hazel asked, hearing a clanging. Then she saw the gas masked patients battering at the hospital doors. "Artie!"

"Captain, secure those gates!" the Hunter ordered.

"Why?"

"Why'd you think?!" He ran off, and she turned to the girl. "Nancy, how'd you get in here?"

"I cut the wire," Nancy replied.

"Show Hazel. Setting two thousand four hundred and twenty eight D." She threw Hazel the sonic screwdriver.

"What?" the girl frowned, catching it.

"Reattaches barbed wire. Go!"

***

"Who are you?" Nancy asked as she and Hazel found the hole in the fence. "Who are any of you?"

Hazel snorted as she started fusing the wire back together. "You'd never believe me if I told you."

"You just told me that was an ambulance from another world. There are people running around with gas mask heads calling for their mummies, and the sky's full of Germans dropping bombs on me," Nancy deadpanned. "Tell me, do you think there's anything left I couldn't believe?"

"We're time travellers from the future," Hazel told her.

"Mad, you are," Nancy shook her head.

"We have a time travel machine, seriously!" Hazel protested.

Nancy shook her head again. "It's not that. All right, so you've got a time travel machine. I believe you. Believe anything, me. But what future?"

Hazel blinked, turning to look at her. "Nancy, this isn't the end. I know how it looks, but it's not the end of the world or anything."

"How can you say that?!" Nancy demanded. "Look at it."

"Listen to me. I was born in this city," Hazel told her. "I'm from here, in like, fifty years time."

"From here?" Nancy echoed.

"I'm a Londoner from your future," Hazel nodded.

"But - but you're not -"

"What?"

"German," Nancy whispered.

"Nancy, the Germans don't come here. They don't win." Hazel glanced back as the patients left the hospital. "Don't tell anyone I told you so, but you know what? You win."

"We win?" Nancy blinked.

Hazel grinned. "Come on!" They ran back to the ambulance, just as Jack got it open.

"It's empty. Look at it."

"What do you expect in a Chula medical transporter?" the Hunter rolled her eyes. "Bandages? Cough drops? Hazel?"

"Why would I be in a Chula medical transporter?" Hazel joked. The Hunter shook her head. "Well, I don't know!"

"Yes, you do," the Time Lady assured her.

Hazel glanced at her palms."Nanogenes!"

The Hunter nodded. "It wasn't empty, Captain. There were enough nanogenes in there to rebuild a species."

Jack paled. "Oh, God."

"Getting it now, are we? When the ship crashes, the nanogenes escape. Billions upon billions of them, ready to fix all the cuts and bruises in the whole world," the Hunter explained. "But what they find first is a dead child, probably killed earlier that night, and wearing a gas mask."

"And they brought him back to life?" Hazel asked. "They can do that?"

The Hunter scoffed. "What's life? Life's easy. A quirk of matter. Nature's way of keeping meat fresh. Nothing to a nanogene." She held up a metal finger. "One problem, though. These nanogenes, they're not like the ones on your ship. This lot have never seen a human being before. Don't know what a human being's supposed to look like. All they've got to go on is one little body, and there's not a lot left. But they carry right on. They do what they're programmed to do. They patch it up. Can't tell what's gasmask and what's skull, but they do their best. Then off they fly, off they go, work to be done. Because, you see, now they think they know what people should look like, and it's time to fix all the rest. And they won't ever stop. They won't ever, ever stop. The entire human race is going to be torn down and rebuilt in the form of one terrified child looking for its mother, and nothing in the world can stop it!"

"I didn't know," Jack whispered, his eyes wide in horror.

The Hunter bit her lip, turning to work on the ambulance.

"Hazel!" Nancy cried, backing up as the patients approached.

"Mummy. Mummy."

"It's bringing the gas mask people here, isn't it?" Hazel guessed.

"The ship thinks it's under attack," the Hunter stated. "It's calling up the troops. Standard protocol."

"But they're not troops."

"They are now," the Hunter countered. "This is a battle-field ambulance. The nanogenes don't just fix you up, they get you ready for the front line. Equip you, programme you."

"That's why the child's so strong," Hazel realised. "Why it could do that phoning thing."

"It's a fully equipped Chula warrior, yes," the Hunter nodded. "All that weapons tech in the hands of a hysterical four year old looking for his mummy. And now there's an army of them."

Jack looked around, seeing the patients were surrounding them outside the barbed wire, but not coming further. "Why don't they attack?"

"Good little soldiers, waiting for their commander," the Hunter shrugged.

"The child?" Jack asked.

"Jamie," Nancy corrected.

He frowned. "What?"

"Not the child. Jamie."

"So how long until the bomb falls?" Hazel inquired.

"Any second," Jack stated, swallowing hard.

"What's the matter, Captain?" the Hunter teased. "A bit close to the volcano for you?"

"He's just a little boy," Nancy wept.

"I know," the Hunter whispered, looking down.

"He's just a little boy who wants his mummy."

"I know," she repeated. "There isn't a little boy born who wouldn't tear the world apart to save his mummy. And this little boy can."

"So what're we going to do?" Hazel asked.

"I don't know," the Hunter admitted.

"It's my fault," Nancy sobbed.

"No."

"It is," she insisted. "It's all my fault."

"How can it be your -?" The Hunter cut herself off, her eyes widening.

"Mummy. Mummy. Mummy. Mummy."

"Nancy, what age are you? Twenty? Twenty one? Older than you look, yes?"

Jack flinched as a bomb exploded nearby. "Queenie, that bomb. We've got seconds."

"You can teleport us out," Hazel pointed out.

"Not you guys," Jack shook his head. "The nav-com's back online. Going to take too long to override the protocols."

"So it's volcano day," the Hunter told him, looking up at him with a sad smile. "Do what you've got to do, Captain."

"Jack?" Hazel asked. The man disappeared, and the Hunter turned back to Nancy.  

"How old were you five years ago? Fifteen? Sixteen? Old enough to give birth, anyway. He's not your brother, is he? A teenage single mother in 1941. So you hid. You lied. You even lied to him."

The gate opened, and Jamie stood there. "Are you my mummy?"

"He's going to keep asking, Nancy," the Hunter told her. "He's never going to stop."

"Mummy?"

"Tell him. Nancy, the future of the human race is in your hands. Trust me and tell him."

Nancy and Jamie walked towards each other slowly. "Are you my mummy? Are you my mummy? Are you my mummy?"

"Yes," Nancy admitted. "Yes, I am your mummy."

"Mummy?"

"I'm here."

"Are you my mummy?"

"I'm here."

"Are you my mummy?"

"Yes."

"Are you my mummy?"

The Hunter bit her lip. "He doesn't understand. There's not enough of him left."

"I am your mummy. I will always be your mummy. I'm so sorry. I am so, so sorry." Nancy hugged her son, and a cloud of golden nanogenes surrounded them.

"What's happening?" Hazel asked, her eyes widening. "Art, it's changing her, we should -"

"Wait!" the Hunter exclaimed. "Come on, please. Come on, you clever little nanogenes. Figure it out! The mother, she's the mother! It's got to be enough information. Figure it out!"

"What's happening?" Hazel repeated, confused.

"See?" the Hunter grinned. "Recognising the same DNA." Jamie let go, and the pair of them fell to the ground. "Oh, come on. Give me a day like this. Give me this one." She removed Jamie's gas mask, laughed, and picked up the boy to swing him in the air as he grinned. "Yes! Welcome back! Twenty years till pop music - you're going to love it."

"What happened?" Nancy asked, getting to her feet with Hazel's help.

"The nanogenes recognised the superior information - the parent DNA," the Hunter explained, holding Jamie on her hip. "They didn't change you because you changed them! Mother knows best!"

"Oh, Jamie," Nancy sighed, hugging her son as the Hunter handed him over.

"Artie, that bomb," Hazel reminded her.

"Taken care of it," the Hunter grinned.

"How?" Hazel frowned.

"Psychology."

They both looked up and watched as the bomb hurtled towards them before being caught in Jack's tractor beam just a few metres above them. The man himself was sat astride the bomb. "Queenie!" he called, grinning.

"That's my boy!" the Hunter cheered.

"The bomb's already commenced detonation," Jack told her. "I've put it in stasis, but it won't last long."

"Change of plan," the Time Lady explained. "Don't need the bomb. Can you get rid of it, safely as you can?"

Jack nodded. "Jules?"

"Yeah?" Hazel grinned.

"Goodbye." He and the bomb disappeared, then reappeared. "By the way, love the t-shirt." And they vanished again.

The Hunter snapped her fingers, summoning nanogenes. Hazel frowned. Was she hurt? "What are you doing?"

"Software patch," she replied. "Going to email the upgrade. You want moves, Haze? I'll give you moves." She thrust the nanogenes over to the waiting patients and soldiers, and they all fell to the ground. "Everybody lives, Hazel!" the Hunter grinned, hugging her tight. "Just this once, everybody lives."

As soon as the patients were standing up again, the Hunter found Dr Constantine looking more than a little confused. "Ah, Dr Constantine, who never left his patients. Back on your feet, constant doctor. The world doesn't want to get by without you just yet, and I don't blame it one bit. These are your patients. All better now."

"Yes, yes, so it seems," Constantine nodded, looking around. "They also seem to be standing around in a disused railway station. Is there any particular reason for that?"

"Yeah, well, you know, cutbacks," the Hunter shrugged. "Listen, whatever was wrong with them in the past, you're probably going to find that they're cured. Just tell them what a great doctor you are. Don't make a big thing of it. Okay?" She made her way back to the ambulance as an old woman hobbled up.

"What are you doing?" Hazel asked, happy to watch the Hunter as she fiddled with the wiring of the ship.

"Setting this to self-destruct, soon as everybody's clear. History says there was an explosion here," the Hunter stated. "Who am I to argue with history?"

Hazel snorted. "Usually the first in line!"

***

"The nanogenes will clean up the mess and switch themselves off, because I just told them to," the Hunter explained as they got back to the TARDIS. "Nancy and Jamie will go to Dr Constantine for help, ditto. All in all, all things considered, fantastic!"

"Look at you, beaming away like you're Father Christmas," Hazel grinned.

The Hunter scoffed. "Who says I'm not - that switch blade of yours when you were seventeen?"

Hazel blinked. "Wait, what?"

"And everybody lives, Haze! Everybody lives! I need more days like this!"

"Artie," Hazel said, biting her lip.

"Go on, ask me anything. I'm on fire," the Hunter grinned.

"What about Jack?" Hazel wondered. "Why'd he say goodbye?"

The Hunter smiled. "Let's go get him."

***

"Okay, computer, how long can we keep the bomb in stasis?" Jack questioned, back in his ship.

"Stasis decaying at ninety percent cycle. Detonation in three minutes."

"Can we jettison it?"

"Any attempt to jettison the device will precipitate detonation. One hundred percent probability."

"We could stick it in an escape pod," Jack suggested.

"There is no escape pod on board."

Jack nodded. "I see the flaw in that. I'll get in the escape pod."

"There is no escape pod on board."

"Did you check everywhere?"

"Affirmative."

"Under the sink?" he checked.

"Affirmative."

"Okay," Jack blew out a breath. "Out of one hundred, exactly how dead am I?"

"Termination of Captain Jack Harkness in under two minutes. One hundred percent probability."

"Lovely. Thanks. Good to know the numbers," Jack said sarcastically.

"You're welcome."

He sighed. "Okay then. Think we'd better initiate emergency protocol four one seven."

"Affirmative."

A martini appeared, and Jack drank it, coughing. "Ooh, a little too much vermouth. See if I come here again." He chuckled weakly. "Funny thing. Last time I was sentenced to death, I ordered four hyper-vodkas for my breakfast. All a bit of a blur after that. Woke up in bed with both my executioners. Mmm, lovely couple. They stayed in touch. Can't say that about most executioners." He sighed again. "Anyway. Thanks for everything, computer. It's been great."

Suddenly, Moonlight Serenade started to play, and Jack turned around to see the open doors of the TARDIS through which the Hunter and Hazel could be seen dancing.

"Well, hurry up, then!" Hazel called as she saw him looking. He ran in, and she turned her attention back to the Hunter. "Okay. And right and turn." They messed up, and she giggled. "Okay, okay, try and spin me again, but this time, don't get my arm up my back. No extra points for a half-nelson."

"I'm sure I used to know this stuff," the Hunter pouted. "Close the door, will you? Your ship's about to blow up. There's going to be a draught." Jack did as asked, and she started up the engines, piloting them into the vortex. "Welcome to the TARDIS," she smiled as the flight settled down.

"Much bigger on the inside," Jack stated appreciatively.

The Hunter winked. "You'd better be."

Hazel rolled her eyes. "I think what's Artie's trying to say is you may cut in."

"God, no," the Hunter snorted. "I've just remembered!"

"What?" Hazel asked.

The music changed to Glenn Miller's In The Mood. "I can dance! I can dance!"

Hazel smiled. "Actually, Artie, I thought Jack might like this dance."

"I'm sure he would, Haze," the Hunter grinned, grabbing the girl and spinning her. "I'm absolutely certain. But who with?" Hazel laughed as she was dipped, and Jack smiled. This... this wasn't bad at all.

~~~

If you enjoyed, please like and/or reblog, and consider helping me out by donating to my Kofi! Thanks for reading :)

[hollyxqx]

best kept secret  //  kihyun  //  oneshot

↪ PAIRING: Reader/Yoo Kihyun ↪ SUMMARY: You've been in a secret relationship with your brother's best friend and bandmate for a year now, becoming a pro at hiding it from the world. It's going well and you're happy...until you find out you're pregnant. ↪ WORD COUNT: 5k ↪ WARNINGS: mentions of abortion | sex | angst

"How are you feeling now?" Your boyfriend asked you, his voice soft and caring. He gently brushed some hair that had stuck to your damp forehead out of your face and kissed the top of your head. You had barely made it to the bathroom in time to throw up your breakfast, cursing the seafood you'd eaten the night before. Kihyun had laid with you on your bed while you recuperated, the nausea slowly washing away.

"Slightly better," You sighed. "Really wish I hadn't eaten that crab though."

Kihyun just smiled and held you tighter in his arms. Although he was your boyfriend, moments like this were rare, where you could just be like any other normal couple. Today you were taking advantage of the fact that no one was home and you two would have a whole 24 hours to yourselves. Your very protective older brother with whom you shared an apartment with had gone away for work, leaving you free to be with Kihyun. "Let me know if there's anything I can do." He murmured.

"I love you," You said, closing your eyes and nestling into his neck.

"I love you more." He replied, like he always did whenever you said that to him. Just as you were enjoying this nice moment, your phone rang, the familiar jingle ruining the atmosphere. You whined in frustration as you rolled over to pick the device up.

"It's Jooheon." Your brother. Kihyun stiffened next to you. Although it was impossible it almost felt like Jooheon could see you two in this moment and he felt guilty for even touching you. "Hey bro." You answered, taking the call. You sat up on the bed, moving away from Kihyun.

"Y/N!" Your brothers voice came down the line. "You good?"

"I'm all good. Just hanging out by myself, enjoying the quiet now that you're gone." You lied. This had become so normal, so natural to you now. Your relationship had been a secret for so long now that the lies rolled off your tongue easily. It had been your idea not to tell anyone that you were dating your brothers best friend because you know he wouldn't approve. Kihyun had a reputation for being a bit of a fuck boy. You know now that's not true, of course, but you also know your brother would kill him for even looking at his sister.

"I'm glad." Jooheon replied sarcastically. You could practically hear the eyeroll he would no doubt be giving you. "I was wondering if you would pick me up from the airport tomorrow?"

"Of course." You replied automatically. "Is that all you wanted?"

"That and to tell you Kihyun and Shownu are coming over tomorrow, if that's ok?"

"Kihyun and Shownu are coming over?" You repeated. Kihyun looked up at you at the mention of his name, eyebrow raised. "That's fine, I'll make myself scarce." Kihyun smirked, knowing that he'd be sneaking into your room a lot tomorrow.

"Thanks, I gotta run now though. I'll see you tomorrow." Jooheon said. You said your goodbyes and hung up the phone, feeling a little guilty. You hated lying to him but it was for the best.

"It scares me how good I am at lying to him." You sighed to Kihyun, settling back into the position you were in before the phonecall.

"I know what you mean, I hate it." Kihyun agreed.

"Do you think he'd ever be ok with the idea of us?" You asked, a tinge of sadness to your voice. You'd spoken with Kihyuhn so many times about just biting the bullet and telling Jooheon, everyone, about you. You were in love and happy together. What could be so wrong with that?

"Are you kidding me?" Kihyun scoffed. "Remember the time I accidentally called you beautiful in front of him and he slapped me?"

You laughed as you remembered that incident. You were at a family wedding that Kihyun had been invited to as well. You'd made an effort for the occasion, dressing up in a beautiful gown in a colour you knew Kihyun liked on you and he couldn't help himself when he saw you. Unable not to call his girlfriend beautiful, it earned him a not so playful slap on the cheek from your brother. Imagine what he would have done if he knew that Kihyun had fucked you in the bathroom later that night. You dreaded to think.

"I wish he wasn't so over protective sometimes." You replied, laughter dying away.

Kihyun shrugged. "He cares about you, it's understandable." He rolled on to his back and pulled you on top of him, kissing you as he moved. "Are you feeling better yet, because we haven't had sex in a week and I'm dying here. Even just cuddling you is getting me going."

"Kihyun!" You exclaimed and he grinned at you. Your boyfriend's sex drive never failed to amaze you. He rolled his hips up, pressing his erection into you, driving his point home.

"I missed you," He mumbled, pulling you in for another kiss. These stolen moments with him were your favourite and you wished you could pause time just to relish in it a little longer. At the back of your mind you knew this couldn't continue forever, this secrecy and lying. It was already starting to wear on you. You just didn't want to ask yourself the one question you would eventually have to. How long could this go on for?

♥

You threw up again the next day, feeling slightly embarrassed that it occurred when Shownu and Kihyun were over. You exited the bathroom and walked to the kitchen to get some water. The boys were hanging out in the living room and you walked quickly, hoping to go unnoticed. It didn't work.

"Y/N?" Jooheon called out to you. You stopped and looked at him, giving him what you hoped was a convincing smile. "Were you just sick in the bathroom?" He asked. Your eyes flicked over to Kihyun and you could see concern in his eyes and he frowned a little.

"Uh, yeah, I think I've got food poisioning." You stuttered. They'd heard you.

"Are you alright?" Jooheon asked, looking a little worried but you brushed him off with a wave of your hand.

"Yeah! Of course, I'm totally fine. It just needs to work its way out of my system."  You replied.

"Good," Jooheon said, letting out a puff of air. "Thought you were going to say you were pregnant." He laughed and you froze. The idea had never even occurred to you. You'd been on birth control that stopped you getting a period so you didn't even think pregnancy was a possibility. You racked your brain, feeling slightly panicky, trying to work out whether you had any pregnancy-like symptoms. The vomiting was definitely one, but other than that nothing at all. "Y/N, you're scaring me." Jooheon's voice cut through your thoughts, bringing your attention back to reality. "You're not pregnant right?!"

"No!" You forced out a laugh, hoping it sounded light and natural. "There's not a chance in hell I am!"

"I'm not ready to be an uncle," Jooheon laughed. You muttered something about going to get water and left the boys alone, deliberately avoiding eye contact with Kihyun. You knew the second he saw your eyes he'd see the panic in them, he knew you so well how could he not? You didn't want to worry him.

As you sat in the kitchen, sipping your water you made the decision to buy a pregnancy test. Just to be on the safe side and put your mind at ease. Although you were almost certain it would be negative it would be good to know for definite.

The boys were so busy playing some sort of game on the tv that you managed to sneak away easily, heading to the store to buy the test. You bought two just in case, having learned through google that sometimes the first test isn't accurate. You quietly let yourself back into your apartment, hiding the tests under your sweater, hoping not to be caught. However, you were alone. You figured they must have gone out.  Infact, you were a little relieved to be able to do this privately.

You walked to the bathroom, tests in hand, reading the instructions. You peed on the sticks, feeling awkward and uncomfortable, but it had to be done. You washed your hands while you waited for the results. You were nervous now. Really nervous.

The time wasn't up but you peeked at the results anyway, gasping loudly when the word pregnant had already appeared. How is this possible? It had only been about thirty seconds. The other test was still inconclusive. You picked up the positive test with shaky hands and stared at the words, wishing them away.

You were absolutely not prepared for this. You felt frozen, almost like you were dreaming. A few minutes more passed and you checked back to the other test, dropping it in shock when it had turned positive too.

It was official. You were pregnant.

♥

It was a week later when you finally got round to seeing your doctor. The doctor confirmed the pregnancy with a blood test, somehow making it seem even more real. She even did an ultrasound to tell you how far along you were and when the words 10 weeks fell from her lips you felt faint.

10 weeks. That was a long time. Nearly 3 months.

The first thing you did when you got home was immediately go to your room and open up google, typing in ten weeks pregnant in the search bar. You discovered that a baby was roughly the size of a prune at this stage. Your hand immediately went to your stomach, as if you could feel what was inside there. All this time something was growing in there and you had no idea. Someone was growing in there. The thought made you feel strange.

You hadn't said a word about any of this to Kihyun. Mostly you were scared. You didn't know how he would react. Would he be happy? Would he be angry? Would he want you to have an abortion? It made your stomach knot with anxiety. Kihyun was an idol for god sake. He wasn't even allowed to have a girlfriend let alone a child. This could ruin him and that was the last thing you wanted.

A knock on your door made you jump. You hastily closed the browser and shouted "Come in!" Your heart lept when Kihyun stuck his head round the door, a wicked grin on his face. "Kihyun!"

"Jooheon's gone to the store, so I'd say we have about 30 minutes." He smirked, stepping into your room, closing the door behind him. He strode over to where you sat and paused for a second, having noticed your expression. "Are you ok? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I'm fine," You said unconvincingly. Kihyun eye'd you suspiciously.

"You don't look fine." He frowned. "I thought you'd be happy to see me, I haven't seen you in over a week." He pulled you up to your feet, bringing you in to his arms. He pressed his forehead against yours, gazing into your eyes. "Is my baby girl not happy to see me anymore?" He said with a slight smile, knowing it wasn't true. He kissed your lips slowly, teasingly, knowing it would make you melt. You reached for him when you felt him pull away and he smiled into this kiss, his trick worked.

"I'm always happy to see you." You mumbled against his lips. He deepened the kiss, squeezing your body tighter against his. His tongue was in your mouth now, the sensation making you forget everything other than kissing him. He was always such a good kisser.

His hands went straight to your jeans and undid them. "We have to be quick." He said in between kisses. He pushed the denim along with your underwear down your legs. "Jooheon will be back soon."

You were in a daze. His hands on your body and mouth on your neck were making your mind foggy. He sucked two fingers in to his mouth, coating them in saliva before sliding a hand between your legs. "Kihyun," You groaned when he rubbed the pads of his fingers over your clit. His hands went back and forth as he sucked and kissed your neck, the pleasure dizzying.

"Sit up here," He said, guiding you to the edge of your desk. He helped perch you on the table and positioned himself between your legs. "Fuck, I've missed you." He said, fingers going right back to touching you. He slipped two digits inside you and pumped them slowly. You moaned. "So tight," He murmured. "I can tell you haven't had my cock in you in over a week." He looked up at you with a smirk.

His words brought you back to the present and you remembered you needed to talk to him. "Wait," You panted breathlessly. "We need to talk - ugh." You moaned out loud when he squeezed one of your nipples in his free hand, right hand still moving in and out of you. "I need to talk to you." You said, but it came out as more of whine as pleasure spread throughout your body.

Kihyun was just grinning at you, enjoying watching you squirm at his touch. "I wanna play with you more but we don't have much time." He undid his jeans and pulled his cock out of his boxers. He stroked it up and down before gripping the base and pushing the blunt end against your entrance. He closed his eyes in pleasure as he pushed into you. "Shit," He breathed. He hooked his arms underneath your legs and brought them up so he could get deeper in to you. Slowly he started to move. "Oh baby girl. Fuck, you feel amazing."

"Ki," You whined as he stretched you out. He felt amazing, as usual, knowing exactly how to fuck you to have you panting and crying beneath him. Before long you reaching your orgasm, legs trembling as the waves ricocheted through you. "Fuck me harder Ki, I want you to cum for me." You whispered, knowing he was close too.

"How badly do you want my cum?" He asked between pants. He was barely handing on as well, having not fucked you in a while. "Huh?" He squeezed your ass so hard that it hurt. "Answer me, little girl."

"Fuck Ki, I want it! I want it badly! Harder!" You cried out, unable to stop yourself. It was a good thing you two were alone in the apartment.

"You asked for it..." He was driving in to you hard and fast. A few thrusts later and he was spilling into you with a groan. "I  fucking missed you." He said, out of breath, kissing you on the forehead.

You peeled away from each other and began to clean up. Once you were back to a semi normal state Kihyun wrapped his arms around you and sighed in to your hair. "I love you, Kihyun." You said, closing your eyes and relaxing in his arms.

"I love you more." You smiled at his words. "What did you want to talk about?" He mumbled in to your hair.

Fear hit you instantly. You'd got so carried away because you missed him you had forgotten you had asked to talk. You pulled yourself out of his embrace. "I need to tell you something." You were just going to do it. It was the only way. Like ripping off a plaster. Quick and hopefully painless.

"Uh oh," Kihyun joked with a little smile. "This sounds serious."

"It is." You said.

His expression changed at the tone of your voice, realising you weren't joking around. "What do you need to tell me?"

"I went to the doctor today..." You trailed off, searching for the right words. You'd never had to tell anyone something like this before. Kihyun's brow furrowed at your words, wondering where this was going. You took a deep breath. "I'm pregnant."

He was frozen for a moment but it felt like hours for you. "Are you serious?" He said quietly. You nodded, not wanting to speak until you could truly gauge his reaction. "How is that possible? You -  we - we're careful?!"

"No birth control is 100% effective." You sighed.

"I can't believe this." He let out a deep breath, hands going to his hair. "That's why you were sick last week?" He asked and once again you just nodded. "Jesus christ." He slumped down and sat on the edge of your bed. "How far along?"

"10 weeks." You walked over and sat next to him.

"Fucking hell." He said. You reached to grab his hand but he pushed you away making your heart sink. He was quiet for a few moments before he spoke again. "I can't have a baby, Y/N."

"What are you saying?" You asked, your voice small and insignificant.

"I'm saying, I can't have a baby." He finally looked at you. "You know what that means right?"

He wanted you to get an abortion. "N-no! I can't do that!" You spluttered.

"So you'd rather ruin my life, my career instead?" He scoffed. You felt a wave of anger wash over you. He was being selfish, a streak you knew he had in him but rarely saw.

"What about my life? My career?" You retorted. "I'm the one who has to actually have the baby!"

"Exactly! Think about that! Nobody knows we are even together, how can we have a fucking baby? Be logical here!" He was getting louder now and you prayed Jooheon hadn't returned from the store yet.

"I'm not getting an abortion." You said simply. Kihyun sighed shaking his head. "I can't, Ki. I really can't do that." You felt hot tears hit your cheeks, you hadn't even realised you were crying.

"I can't be involved then, Y/N." He said quietly. "I'm an idol. This won't just ruin me it will ruin the band. I can't do that to them. This is not something that can be kept a secret. Some hospital worker will see my name on the birth certificate and it's over."

"Then go, don't waste a second longer on me." You were crying louder now, sobs choking in your throat. Kihyun looked wounded at your words but he didn't move an inch. "Get out!" You screamed. He hesitated. He didn't want to break up and he knew that's what leaving meant. "I'm serious, I don't want to even look at you right now."

"Please think about what I said." He said quietly before he did what you asked and left you crying, alone in your room.

♥

It was easy to avoid Kihyun after that. He had tried to speak to you a few times but you ignored the calls and texts. It physically hurt your heart to do so but you knew he didn't you or your baby. That thought kept your will strong. You still cried about it, the pregnancy making your emotions even more intense, but the thought of meeting your baby kept you going.

Jooheon had hit the roof when you told him you were pregnant. Of course you didn't disclose who the father was, claiming it was a boy he didn't know that you had been dating. He was even angrier when you told him this made up boy wanted nothing to do with the baby. Eventually you calmed Jooheon down and he came around to the idea, realising there was nothing he could do to change the situation.

You were now 5 months pregnant. Of course you were showing quite visibly but you were able to hid it well enough so that strangers couldn't tell. Not that you minded if they could, you just were still adjusting to your growing body.

Monsta X had left for a 2 and a half month tour not long after the day you and Kihyun broke up. Of course you kept Jooheon updated about the baby, showing him scan pictures and texting him when you reached milestones, like the baby kicking. He was excited and couldn't wait to see you in the flesh.

Today was the day you were dreading. You were picking Jooheon up from the airport and that meant seeing Kihyun for the first time since you split up.

"Y/N!" You turned your head at the sound, seeing Jooheon practically running towards you from the arrivals gate. He reached you and pulled you in for tight hug. "Look at you!" He exclaimed, his hand instantly going to touch your belly. You were wearing a tight summer dress because it was hot and it emphasized your bump. "You're so big!"

"Are you calling me fat?" You teased, poking him in the chest.

"Yes." Jooheon laughed and you smacked him playfully. "I missed you kiddo." He grabbed your hand and started tugging you somehwere. "Come on, let's go see the guys, they're going to die when they see you."

You didn't have a choice. You couldn't tell him why you didn't want to see them so you somehow forced your feet to move and you followed your brother through the airport. The first person you saw was Shownu and his eyes widened at your appearence.

"You're so pregnant!" Shownu gasped and you laughed. "Can I touch?" He asked. You nodded. He reached his hands out to your bump and as if on cue, the baby started kicking. "Oh my god! I can feel that!" You smiled at Shownu's reaction.

"Let me feel, let me feel!" Jooheon was already pushing Shownu off you. Out of the corner of your eye you could see Kihyun watching but you didn't dare look at him. "This is crazy!" Jooheon was laughing.

"Do you know if it is a boy or a girl?" Shownu asked.

"A girl." You replied, looking down shyly. You'd found out recently and although you would have been happy either way, it was still exciting.

"You're having a girl?" A small voice interrupted and you froze. You knew that voice anywhere. It was Kihyun. You forced yourself to look at him.

"A baby girl, yeah." You nodded. "Are you ready to go?" You asked Jooheon desperate to change the conversation.

"Yep. Let's get going kiddo."

♥

To your discomfort Jooheon had invited all the boys back to your place, which meant more time with Kihyun. As you hadn't seen them in a long time it would have been weird for you to hide away in your room so you sat in living room with them, doing your best to ignore Kihyun. You sat in between Shownu and Jooheon on the couch, talking and just hanging out.

"I can't wait to meet you, baby girl." Shownu was fascinated with your bump and when you told him the baby could hear him he insisted on talking to it, making you laugh. In a way it made you sad because it should have been Kihyun getting to do this things, and you felt like you were missing out on those nice moments.

"Oh my god, leave her alone." Jooheon was rolling his eyes at Shownu.

"It's cute!" You defended, nudging your brother.

"I'm going to be the baby's daddy. I've decided." Shownu joked, smirking at Jooheon.

"You will fucking not." Jooheon warned.

"I'm gonna marry Y/N and be her baby daddy." Shownu further provoked, enjoying getting a rise out of his friend.

"Can I call you daddy too?" You asked Shownu, knowing it would really annoy Jooheon.

"Of course." He grinned, giving you a wink.

"Alright!" Jooheon yelled and you and Shownu cracked up. "I'm going to throw up! Enough!"

You tried to get up off the couch but it was difficult. "Here let me help you." Shownu was quick to get to his feet, letting you take his hands and hoist you up.

"Thanks," You smiled up at him. "I'm just going to pee. The baby's been kicking my bladder for the last half hour." He laughed and let you go. You waddled down the hall and to the bathroom. As you were washing your hands the door opened and you looked up in surprise, locking eyes with Kihyun in the mirror. "W-what are you doing?" You gasped.

"What the fuck are you doing?" He shot back. His angry tone confused you. He hadn't even said a word to you all night.

"Excuse me?!" You raised your eyebrows at his attitude.

"You're just going to flirt with Shownu, right in front of me, yeah? While you're pregnant with my baby? Are you some kind of slut or what?" Kihyun whispered angrily, not wanting his voice to carry down the hall.

"What the hell Kihyun! We were just joking!" You said and he rolled his eyes. "Why do you even care? Last time I checked you didn't want me or my child. At least Shownu cares."

"Yeah clearly, his hands have been all over you the minute he saw you." He scoffed.

You didn't want to deal with this. You tried to move past him but he blocked your way. "Move, Kihyun." You warned.

"You think it's easy for me to see you like this?" He asked. Now it was your turn to roll your eyes. "I'm fucking serious! It fucking hurts!"

"You only have yourself to blame." You replied coldly.

"Y/N," He stepped closer to you. "I'm so sorry about how it all went down." You hadn't expected him to say that. "I'm sorry. You have no idea. I've barely been able to sleep these days. It's all I think about."

You felt a pang of guilt. It's not like you magically fell out of love with him. Positive thing or not you still cared. Now that you were looking at him properly you noticed he looked thinner than usual. "What do you want me to say to that? No worries, it's all forgiven, goodbye?"

"I don't expect your forgiveness. I don't deserve it." He took another step closer to you. "I want you to know I love you though." Your stomach lurched. He stepped forward again, now you were close enough to be touching. "Can I feel?" He asked, referring to your bump.

You gulped and nodded. It was his child after all, he had the right. As soon as his hands went to your belly the baby flipped over and he gasped, before smiling. "Sorry," You muttered, somehow feeling you needed to apologise.

"Don't be," He breathed. "Wow, that's amazing." It felt amazing to have his hands on you again, even if was just on your stomach. He rubbed his hands over your belly and the baby turned over again. "Hi baby," He said very quietly to your bump. You wanted to cry, this is the way it should've been.

"I missed you, Ki." You said, tears welling in your eyes. You cursed your hormones. He looked up at you and as soon as he saw you crying his hands cupped your face, wiping away the tears.

"Sh, hey. Don't cry. I missed you too."

Before you could even register what was going on, Kihyun leaned forward and was kissing you. The sensation of having his mouth back on yours was wonderful. It felt so natural, so right, like that's where you belonged. You couldn't help yourself, you were kissing him back desperately.

"What the fuck!"

You pushed Kihyun off of you and practically jumped away from him. Behind him Jooheon stood in the doorway, a look of utter shock on his face.

"Listen, Jooheon, it's not what - " You started to splutter, panicking.

"It was you, wasn't it?" Jooheon was looking at Kihyun, his voice deadly. "You are the father of that baby."

"Jooheon," Kihyun said slowly. "It's not what you think."

"How could you do that to my sister?!" Jooheon was shouting now. "Get her pregnant then abandon her! What kind of man does that?"

"We are in love!" Kihyun shouted back.

"That's a fucking joke." Jooheon scoffed. "I can't believe you lied to me. I never thought you would do anything like this. That's low."

"Just let me explain - " Kihyun started but Jooheon raised his hand.

"Get out of my house. Now."

Kihyun looked at you and Jooheon. He wanted to deescalate the situation, so with a sigh he left the room.

♥

As bad as you thought Jooheon's anger was towards you, Kihyun definitely got it worse. The band weren't even practising   together any more after Jooheon nearly came to blows with Kihyun. On the plus side though Kihyun was being the soon-to-be dad you wanted him to be and doting on you. It felt surreal to be back with him like that.

"Let's get married." He said to you one night, lying next to you in bed. You'd taken to staying at his place as a way of avoiding your brother.

"What?!" You half laughed. "You're an idol, you can't dummy."

"It'll be a secret." He grabbed your hand and kissed the top of it. "I want to be a real family. I want our baby to have my last name."

"Our baby can have your last name anyway. We don't have to be married for that." You pointed out.

"I want you to have it too." He smiled, looking at you softly. "I love you."

"I love you more."

"Here, I got you something." You watched him curiously as he leaned up on his elbows and reached into the drawer of the nightstand. He pulled out a small black box and tossed it to you. "Open it."

You opened the black box and gasped. Inside was a beautiful diamond ring. "It's gorgeous." You breathed.

"Marry me, Y/N." Kihyun took the box back and removed the ring. He grabbed your hand and looked at you expectantly.

"Ok," You said with a laugh. "Let's get married."

♥  Jooheon eventually came round once you announced that you and Kihyun were engaged. He saw how sorry Kihyun was and how serious the relationship was, realising that maybe you were in love, that it was the real thing. He even apologised for acting so angrily to Kihyun.

"Uncle Jooheon, someone wants to meet you." You called as you walked in to the apartment. You'd given birth to a healthy baby girl and were excited for her to meet all your friends and family. Kihyun was carrying her allowing you to unlock the door.

"Oh my god," Jooheon cooed when his eyes fell on the sleeping baby. "Can I hold her?"

"Of course." You replied. Kihyun bundled the baby in his arms and passed her over to Jooheon who was smiling ear to ear.

"She's gorgeous, Y/N." He said to you, gazing at her. "She looks just like you."

"I think she looks like Ki." You said with a smile.

"No way, she's beautiful, it's all her mom." Kihyun said, making you blush.

"I agree with Kihyun." Jooheon said with a laugh, rocking the baby. "I'm so happy for you guys."

"That means a lot, Jooheon." Kihyun said, placing a friendly hand on the younger man's shoulder. You were just happy to see them friends again. "Really."

"Just don't lie to me again you guys, or I won't baby sit." Jooheon said, smirking at you.

"Promise." You answered.

Looking at the happy scene before you made your heart swell. It was hard to believe that a few months ago you felt scared and anxious about your future as a single mother. Now you were going to be a wife. You couldn't believe it. When you first met Kihyun you never thought you'd start dating, let alone have a family together. As Jooheon and Kihyun fussed over the baby you felt happy tears burn your eyes. The future was bright and you ready for it.

masterlist

[savannah-lim]

Don’t Be Shellfish || Savannah & Dave

Timing: Current Location: The Codfather Parties: @savannah-lim and @seizethecarpe Content: Gore, violence, discussion of death Summary: Savannah and Dave go out for dinner and the food is a little bit more fresh than they anticipated. 

Savannah could only have been more relieved if Dave had asked her to go for drinks instead of a meal, but she understood his reluctance considering the recent bar fight. There was nothing to stop them having drinks with their food, right? She hardly ever used her daily allowance for food and drink, so still reeling from her conversation with Felix, Savannah decided that fuck it; she was going to treat herself. What was the point of living in the East End and not trying out the best restaurants in the area? The FBI could foot the fucking bill. 

Savannah had called ahead to make the reservation a few nights prior, and even upon arriving, she could tell this place wasn’t her usual setting. Maybe that was why it was so appealing though. For once, she wanted to distract herself with something that wasn’t leftover Chinese food or a burger and fries. Savannah arrived first, ordering some wine while she waited for Dave to arrive, hoping he had the sense to dress for the occasion. 

Dave had been a bit hesitant about coming to the Codfather. He didn’t have the clothes for a place like this, never mind the money. But when she’d suggested this place, Dave could hardly say no to what he ate on the daily, but made fancy. He’d have to cut his food small enough that he wouldn’t need to chew with his teeth caps on, but he had plenty of practice with that. With his neatest plaid and a pair of jeans that were only scuffed and torn  at the bottom hems, he walked in to the restaurant only mildly uncomfortable, quickly smelling Savannah out through the crowd, and using her scent to lead him to her rather than sight. “Evenin’. How’ve you been?”

Rather than be judgmental about Dave’s choice of attire, Savannah found it oddly amusing. There was a sort of cheap thrill that came out of debunking everyone’s expectations. Savannah herself hadn’t dressed completely fancy; just a plan navy blue dress and a little bit of jewelry, but some of the patrons wore what could only have been the most expensive garments. She could sense the entitlement around them. “I’ve been…” she started to answer, shrugging with a vague laugh. “Well, I don’t know. I’ve been fine, but I’ve seen a lot these last few weeks. I’ve learned a lot. How about you?”

“Yeah, Jesus, sounds like you’ve had a more exciting month than me.” Well, that was likely debatable - the bruises around Dave’s neck had slowly shifted into faint shadows, but they still ached. He wasn’t moving his arm as much as normal, where the cut was still healing around carefully practiced stitches. Still, contributing to the banishment of Bloody Mary was no small thing, but he wasn’t the one being chased by witches on broomsticks. Hell. He’d almost bought a vial of Nepenthe, he had stared at it on the counter with his dealer for a long old while before deciding he didn’t want to be that kind of guy, not when he had other options.  “Been better, been worse. Fishing’s always a bit rougher in the winter, but I make do.”

“You’re not a very open person, Dave. You know that, don’t you?” Savannah ordered them each a drink, (whatever Dave wanted), a small, humorless chuckle leaving her lips. “Better and worse. Not very specific. You’re one of the closest things to a friend I have in this town, and I still know nothing about you.” She sipped her beer, shrugging. “Okay. I’ll go first. I’m from Boston. I’m from a Korean-American family, thoroughly upper middle class and very set on their kid’s achieving things. They expected me to be a doctor or lawyer, but this is close enough. I was married. Now divorced, but still keep in touch and have inappropriate conversations every once in a while. No kids. Don’t want them… No pets either, but maybe some day.” 

Dave chuckled, tilting his head in in wry acknowledgement. “I’ve been told that before.” He thanked her for ordering the drinks, watching the waiter go. “Damn. I don’t know if that says more about me or you.” He said it teasingly, but listened intently, focusing on her lips as she talked, mouthing the words subconsciously to make sure he didn’t miss any of it. He smiled at her reference to inappropriate conversations. “Alright, then. Well, I’m from Texas. We travelled around the coast when I was young, not really sticking to any sort of place. Grew up exactly as my parents expected, athletic and charming. Still am, I’d sure you agree,” Dave laughed at himself there. The sands of time had worn away most of his natural charisma. “Was married. Three sons. Haven’t really lived in one place long enough to settle down in the last couple decades. I live on what I fish and what I hunt by and large. Sometimes I sell what I catch, sometimes I help folks find things they’ve lost in lakes and shit.” Dave smiled thinly. “That help at all?” Their drinks arrived, and Dave took a big gulp of his lager with enthusiasm. The problem was that he couldn’t tell her everything. Seemed shitty to be her closest friend here when his whole life had to be a secret, when he idly wondered whether the kind thing was to get someone to take her concerning memories. 

As secretive as he was, Savannah enjoyed Dave's company. Maybe it was a fire-forged friends thing, an unspeakable feeling of kinship without rhyme nor reason, forged out of almost being human sacrificed together. "You're probably right. It does say more about me," she shrugged. "I've often focused more on my work than my relationships. Hence the divorce." She listened as he told her about himself. "Any of your sons close to my age?" she teased, shaking her head. "That right there is more about you in thirty seconds than I've learned in... weeks? Months? Time doesn't seem to exist in this town." She flipped the menu over, handing one to him. "Since you're the resident fisherman, what would you recommend? Fuck the price. I haven't spent my full FBI living allowance in weeks."

“Me too. Never been able to stick to a relationship since my first. Too distracted with other stuff.” Dave said. Too busy getting justice for his first family to be able to get justice for his second. “Hey, watch who you’re calling old,” Dave replied with a wry smile, but it didn’t last. “My sons died, decades ago. Hence the not talking about myself.” He shrugged, the wrinkles of his smiles not quite reaching his eyes. “Prefer to keep to myself. Work keeps me busy, and I’m usually out on the water in one way or another. Not much of a people person.” He flicked his eyes over the menu, looking it over. “I know these folks catch local and fresh, and the lobster in the area is good. That’s what I’ll be going for, either way.”

Oh, shit. His sons had died. Well, now she felt like a dick. “Sorry to hear that.” Savannah took a sip of her wine, as if it would cure the embarrassment of jokingly flirting with a man’s deceased children. “Okay, I won’t ask you any more personal questions until at least dessert.” She signalled the waitress over and ordered a mixed platter of starters to share and a lobster each for the main course. Savannah’s family were decently well-off, as you’d expect successful doctors to be, but she had reasonably simple tastes and rarely went all out like this. She asked Dave about generic things like fishing and hunting while they ate, keeping her promise not to delve into anything more personal. By the time their plates were clean, Savannah exhaled a massive, satisfied sigh. “Wow. I don’t even know that I have room for dessert after that. It was amazing.” It was just as well, because Savannah wouldn’t even have had time to reach for the dessert menu before the soft background music and casual conversations around them were pierced by the sound of dishes and pans clattering in the kitchen, followed by yelps and screams. 

“Me too,” Dave said, sipping from his beer with the same vigour. Talking about dead kids always put a weird vibe in the conversation, but he had the feeling Savannah would have been able to tell if he had lied too obviously, and he couldn’t maintain the same straight face talking about family as when he lied about the supernatural. As the food came, they settled into easier conversation, the kind he could do while remembering how to eat lobster the fancy human way and not the crunch-the-exoskeleton-with-your-jaw way. He managed it, and by the time they were done he was more than satisfied, he wouldn’t even have to go for more later. Dave was about to wave away the dessert, happy to watch her enjoy, when he realised that the room was reacting to something he couldn’t hear. Everyone was looking over to the kitchen, including Savannah. When someone staggered out of the kitchen with a bleeding arm, hand dangling on by just a couple inches of flesh, Dave jumped to his feet, grabbing his bag before striding over to the kitchen to see what was up, without even looking over to see what Savannah was doing. 

 Savannah’s eyes widened in horror at the sight. They got out, someone was screaming. They fucking got out! “Call 911,” she demanded of the nearest person, knowing that giving the task to a specific person was more likely to yield results than letting the whole restaurant fumble and assume someone else was going to do it. Luckily, she’d finally realised she needed to bring her gun to literally every place she went in White Crest, and she followed Dave towards the kitchens, calling after him. “Hey! Hold up. It might be dangerous! Something got loose in there.” However, danger was unlikely to deter Dave, given they’d met one another while volunteering to be human sacrificed as a ploy. The kitchen door swung on its hinges, back and forth as Dave walked through it. Savannah did the same, gasping at the sight that befell her; lobsters the size of everything from cats to Golden Retrievers, running around the room, destroying everything in sight. “I don’t think--I don’t think this is gonna help,” she said, gesturing feebly to her firearm. Where was Kaden and his harpoon when she needed him? 

Dave reached into his satchel, pulling a strange metallic device the size of his forearm. He stepped back from the Karkinoids, quickly unfolding the prongs of the trident and extending out the haft until everything clicked in securely. An imperfect weapon, but decent for driving between the chinks of a nearby Karkinoid’s armour. “No, it won’t. Get out of here!” He barked. He used the trident to fling the karkinoid across the room, looking for where the hell they’d come from. In the corner of the room was an extremely large bucket, that looked surprisingly sturdy for holding just lobsters. It had been knocked over. Unless, of course, they knew they weren’t. Dave groaned, jumping away from one little slash at his ankles. There were what, four or five? He couldn’t kill them with the trident, just whack them around. He’d be able to do more with his teeth, but if he could get them all back in the bucket, it’d be a hell of a lot easier. Dave swore, pinning down one of the nearby karkinoids with his trident while he tried to get something resembling a plan. 

Savannah’s eyes widened in awe as Dave pulled what appeared to be a giant fork from his satchel. What kind of dinner had he thought they were going for? “I’m not--no!” was all she could answer when he told her to leave, and not having a trident to hand, she could only make do with spraying the creatures back with a fire extinguisher to give herself enough room to climb up on top of the counters. Rest in peace to this place’s hygiene rating, but that was the least of their problems right now. Dave was holding his own, and she gazed on, shocked and impressed, but they couldn’t just keep up this avoidance tactic forever. God, she was going to have so many words with the manager after this. “What do you want me to do?!” she asked. Should she call Kaden? No. They’d be lobster food by the time he even got here. 

Dave tongued the covers off his teeth, his fangs descending. He moved spryly on his feet. “I want you to leave,” he growled, words not forming as easily around his canines, although he was careful not to show his teeth to Savannah. “They’ve got to get back in the barrel.” One of the karkinoids swung its giant claws for Savannah, and Dave moved with a feline reflex, grabbing it by the tail and hurling it across the room into the barrel. That was one, but the karkinoids were looking for freedom, and the two of them were the only thing holding the rest of the world from the karkinoids.

“I can’t leave!” Savannah called back to him. His voice was almost guttural. They’d kill her before she even got to the door, and she couldn’t just leave Dave to fight the things by themselves. “Why the barrel? Just--kill them!” As if it was that easy, or that obvious. There had to be some kind of weapon in here, something they used in the event of this ever happening or to get the things in there to begin with. Then she saw it, or rather, them. There were a pair of catchpoles on the wall. One for each claw. “There!” she yelled, pointing. “We can get them restrained!” 

“How do you propose I do that?” Dave snapped back, clambering onto a bench to avoid being snipped at. Instead the claw of the karkinoid cut right through the steel drawers underneath the counter, and the rest of it began to groan as that support was taken out of the picture. This wasn’t his sturdy trident, it was his back up in case of emergency. In the water, this would be piss easy, but while they weren’t fast moving on land, nor was her, and it wasn’t so easy to get his jaw around them here. “Can we?” He repeated, following the line she was pointing at. “Great,” he growled, before jumping over to another counter, and then dropping back down to the floor heavily, rubbing his knee before grabbing the poles, throwing it across the room to Savannah. That was just enough time for a Karkinoid to pinch the flesh of his calf and cut into it deeply. With a roar, Dave caught its tail, picked it up - it was only cat sized - and with his teeth crunched through the red exoskeleton and tore off its pincer, before throwing it onto a counter where the hot top was still on, and it struggled to get off the heat. He checked whether his leg could hold his weight, before looking up to Savannah. They each had a catchpole to deal with the other two. 

“I don’t know!” Savannah answered. Somehow this situation made her even more frantic than the mermaid. At least with Kaden, they had come prepared. “I’ve never killed a giant lobster before.” It wasn’t as if they could boil them until their shells were nice and soft. The catchpoles were all they had to work with. Dave quickly took care of one, though Savannah couldn’t fail to notice the rip in his pants and the blood dripping from his wound when she turned back towards him after grappling with her own. She tried to keep her grip steady around the handle as the lobster struggled to break free. “I think we know why our meal was so filling,” she said, using the pole to edge the creature back towards the huge barrel it had escaped from. “Keep the other one back,” she instructed as she struggled with the creature, clearly less practiced in this area than Dave. 

Dave has killed giant lobsters before, as Savannah called them. But not like this, not in an enclosed space, not with his back up Trident that wasn’t very secure, not while above ground in his human suit. Definitely not, while trying to hide his true identity from an FBI agent. Every time he shifted his weight or tried to step away or towards one of the karkinoids, his leg threatened to give away underneath him. He nodded as Savannah told him to keep control of the Karkinoids that she wasn’t pushing towards the barrel, but even the split second he took to read her lips was enough to get another deep gash on his leg. Yelling, Dave kicked the lobster. He’d aimed for the joints of its exoskeleton. It bounced against a nearby table, stuck on its back for a second. Dave grabbed a nearby counter to take his weight off his leg. Jesus, fuck, that hurt. If nothing else, he was relieved that he hadn’t tried to dress up for today. With the Trident he pinned the Karkinoid in place, And managed to get the Catchpole that he was holding over one of its pincers. The other pincer sliced right through the table and a flurry of pots and pans clattered to the floor, along with a large piece of salmon that had been prepared earlier. Grimacing, Dave used the Catchpole to drag it over to the barrel and drop it inside.

It was incredibly frustrating to not be able to use her gun in this situation. She wished she had Kaden's harpoon or the other tools he was sure he had access to. "Shit, shit, shit--" Savannah repeated frantically under her breath as she tried to wrangle the creature, to get it under control. It was evident that Dave was badly injured, maybe not in ways that would cause permanent damage, but certainly enough to impair him in this encounter. She narrowly missed being grabbed by the one she was wrangling and finding herself in a similar situation. 

Dave fought to get the creature back in the tank, and Savannah did the same. Once they were done, she let go of the catchpole, not even caring that it fell into the pot with them, and then she pulled the lid back on, sealing them inside. She collapsed onto the ground in the pile of recently fallen pots and pans. "Are... Are you okay?" she gasped, eyes widening as she saw the extent of the blood on his leg. "I'll call an ambulance..." 

Dave lowered himself to the floor slowly, extending his injured leg out in front of him. “Been worse,” he said gruffly, the waver in his voice a clear sign that it was not great either. “Looks worse to you than it is,” he groaned, wrapping a nearby tea towel around his legs, staunching the bleed. All the same, this would take him out of the running for a few weeks at least. When she reached down, he pushed his teeth guards back into his mouth. Like hell was he acknowledging that he’d ever taken them off, to begin with. He huffed laughingly. “Think they’ll comp us the dinner?” 

[calumance]

Wake up, Sunshine - Part 1

Warnings: cursing, anxiety attacks, car accident, mostly fluff though.

Summary: Addy just moved back home after breaking up with her long time boyfriend, and she runs into her high school best friend, who thinks it would be a great idea to set her two friends up, but Addy has a secret that she wants to keep hidden as long as she possibly can.

Word count: 4.2k

A/N: So, I wrote this three part series for #disabled!sos day which came from the brilliant mind of @skinnylukes​. The idea behind this is to encourage more disability-inclusive writing in the 5SOS community. I was honored when Carly asked me to write something for her event and I hope this brings happiness to at least someone who may be struggling right now. I would also like to take a moment to explain the title. It comes from the song All Time Low just released, and it’s all about knowing there is someone out there who loves you just the way you are, which is something that is stressed in this story. I hope you all enjoy, and I love you all so much. 😊

           The bell of the coffee shop rang as I walked through the door, a small part of me regretting coming here, but it had been so long. Off to the left I found the familiar face of my high school best friend, the one who invited me here. She lifted her head and made eye contact with me. Her eyes lit up and she started waving frantically with a large smile on her face. She pulled herself out of the seat and ran towards me, arms stretched out. When she finally reached me, she wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me in for the tightest hug I’ve received in a long time. As she rocked me back and forth, expressing how happy she is that I came I thought back to how I got here.

           It was rough break up, I had moved away from home for him, and he went and destroyed everything we had. The pain in my chest wasn’t to go away staying where I was, so I went home. The only place I had to go to was back to my parents, and of course they would force me to go to the grocery store with them. The sun was bright as I stood outside the store, getting a breath of fresh air. Car rides make my anxiety sky rocket ever since that day. My phone had vibrated in my pocket, causing me to pull it out, but as I was looking at the screen, I heard my name being called by a voice that was not my mom’s.

           My eyebrows pulled together in confusion as I looked around for the voice calling my name. Suddenly, Crystal, my best friend from high school was making her way toward me. She was as beautiful as I remember, she had grown into her looks a lot better than I had. We were always together when we were in high school, but after I graduated and moved away, we lost all communication. It was a huge surprise that she would say anything to me since it’s been about eight years since we last saw each other.

           “It’s been forever!” She exclaimed, a man with blonde hair covered by a baseball cap turned backwards following her. “How are you? I heard about what happened.” I held up my hand to stop her from talking about it. The thought about what happened still sends me reeling, makes my heart race, makes me break down and cry. After thinking about how to answer her question, I just shrugged. In the past few years, nothing has been great. How was I supposed to tell someone I was good? “Listen, we should grab a coffee soon, catch up, I miss you.” My heart skipped a beat, I missed her too, we had fun back in the day. “Want to give me your phone number and we can meet soon?” With a nod of acceptance, she handed me her phone and I plugged it in. After the interaction, I found a seat on a bench outside, not wanting to even step foot in the store.

           About two days later she had sent me the official invite to meet her for coffee. She wanted to meet at a little-known shop about thirty minutes away from where my parents live. The thought of having to drive that far made my muscles tense, but still I accepted the invite due to the overwhelming need to reconnect with my old best friend and return to a “normal” life.

             After I grabbed my coffee from the barista, I sat in the chair across from Crystal, a huge smile stretched across her lips. As I took my first sip of coffee, Crystal cleared her throat, “I didn’t know you had moved back.” She sounded hurt that I hadn’t told her. I didn’t tell anyone, just my parents. The reason I came back was too embarrassing. There was no reason I should start running around telling the world I was back.

           My eyebrows raised, and I pulled my lips into my mouth the get every drop of the sweet nectar of the coffee. “I didn’t tell anyone, just my parents since I had nowhere else to go.” A shrug fell off my shoulders as I looked at her. Her face showed concern, the same look my parents give me every time I do or say anything. It was an annoying look.

           She leaned forward and laced her hands around the cup in front of her, “What happened with you and Alex? I thought you two were going to get married, or at least that was what it seemed like when you two moved away from here.” I could tell she was reluctant to ask the question, but there was a look in her eye that told me the question was eating away at her.

           A devilish smiled stretched across my face, “We were going to get married. We were engaged for a year and a half, I had planned almost the entire wedding. That’s when I found out he had been fucking some drop-dead gorgeous redhead from his work for a year.” My shoulders pulled up to my ears as I took another drink of my coffee, wishing it had more of an impact on my thoughts. Maybe I should start putting whiskey in my coffee.

           Crystal’s jaw dropped, hanging open like I had just dropped a bomb. She sat back and breathed out. “Wow,” was all she managed to get out. Silence fell over us for a very awkward minute. My bones ached as I knew she wanted to ask me about the accident, but I wasn’t going to give in. Nothing in this world would make me want to talk about it, unless it was to a doctor. “What are you doing tomorrow night?” She questioned, surprising me a little.

           My throat worked as I swallowed the large gulp of coffee. My eyes darting to my cup, then back to Crystal. “I don’t believe I am doing anything, why?” I sounded skeptical, but I had every right to be. We haven’t seen each other in a long time, and now she’s inviting me for coffee, and probably to something else.

           A smirk appeared on her lips, “My boyfriend, that’s who was with me at the store the other day, and I are having a little get together at our house. I think you should come. There will be drinks, and music, and an overall good time.” How’d I guess? She hasn’t changed much since high school, she was always the one dragging me to things I didn’t want to go to. Even though I never wanted to go to the things she would take me to, I would go because she asked me.

           I guess I haven’t changed either, because I agreed to go to her get together. When she had texted me the details she told me to ‘dress cute.’ I wasn’t even sure what cute was anymore. A normal outfit for me was boot cut leggings and a hoodie. Somehow, I managed to pull out a floor length floral dress I had in the back of my closet. Before I put it on, I sat on my bed, hands clenching the edge of the bed. My heart racing, my eyes flicker to my right leg, or lack thereof. My eyes squeeze shut, trying not to think about the doctor telling me the leg had to go.

             “Your lower leg is completely shattered, there is no way to repair the bones. We’re going to have to amputate.” He pointed to the sheet hanging in front of the white light. The picture caused my stomach to twist. Not a single fragment of bone in my leg was connected anymore. The fragments that were in there were nowhere near each other. It was as if I was looking at bone soup inside my leg. The tears welled in my eyes, I wasn’t sure if it was from the new or from the pain. All I knew was that I wanted all of this to be over, I wanted everything to go back to normal, and that just want never going to happen. A sob escaped my throat, no one there to comfort me beside the doctor who just told me that he was going to have to cut my leg off.

             All I wanted to do was scream, but if I screamed, my parents would come running. I wanted my leg back, I wanted to not be living with my parents. Why did all of this have to happen to me. The palms of my hands pressed against my eyes and I held back the scream sitting in my throat. Nothing was going to get better if I just sat here in my misery. So, I reached over and grabbed my robotic looking prosthetic and secured it. Even though the dress called for some cute shoes, I pulled on a pair of converse. Converse easily hid the fake foot on my right side, flats could never do that. With a large sigh, and a heavy weight taking its place in my stomach, I headed towards the address Crystal sent me.

           After I got out of the Uber and it drives away, I paced, calming my heart rate from the anxiety attack I get every time I sit in a car. Anger takes over most the time, because I know car rides are a necessity, my heart never fails to run rampant. “Come on heart, chill out.” I mumbled to myself, shaking my hands in front of me to stop the nerves. It took a while, but I was finally able to compose myself and walk towards the front door. Reluctantly, I pressed the button for the doorbell and I took a step back, waiting.

           When the door finally opened, I was a bit disappointed to not be greeted by Crystal, instead it was the blonde-haired man she referred to as her boyfriend. A smiled stretched across his face, “You must be Crystal’s friend. She said your name was Addy?” He had an accent, but with such a short sentence, I couldn’t quite place my finger on it. I nodded, still a bit shaky from the car ride over.  “Come in, come in.” He waved his hand towards himself, and I hesitantly walked through the door.

           He shut the door behind me and I looked around. It was a beautiful house, a house that I would actually considering killing to live in. “My name’s Michael, I’m Crystal’s boyfriend. She’s told me a lot about you.” Hopefully not everything. He held out his hand waiting for a handshake. A heavy breath caused my chest to rise as I placed my hand in his, him giving it a hefty shake. “Everyone is out back, follow me.” He started walking, and I followed behind him, covering the slight limp.

Since the accident, I’ve gotten walking nearly down. Most of the time I walk normally unless I’m tired, or something causes me to not think about how I’m walking. Running, on the other hand, is different. The only way I get my mind off things is running, and even though I do it every morning at five, I still can’t get the motion right. The doctor told me that eventually I would move like it was my normal attached leg, but it would take some time. Thinking about that while running frustrates me, when is that time going to come? All I want to do is feel normal again, but because I can’t get the motion of running down, I feel like that may never happen.

Crystal let out a squeal as Michael and I passed through the threshold into their backyard. My feet stopped, freezing me in my spot. While still holding onto her drink, she threw her arms around me, kissing my cheek. No, she wasn’t drunk, that’s literally just the kind of person she is. I couldn’t help but smile, which felt weird, smiling hadn’t been my thing in a long time. “Do you want a drink? We have all kinds of stuff. Oh! I need to introduce you to everyone.” She grabbed my hand and pulled hard, causing my to almost fall flat on my face.

“Crystal!” I exclaimed, a little louder than I should’ve. Everyone looked at me, I swallowed. Her eyes were wide as she got closer to me, “Crystal, I can’t,” I licked my lips trying to find my words. My eyes closed, ignoring the ones on me, “You can’t just pull me like that.” When I opened my eyes, her hand was over her mouth, realizing what damage she could’ve caused.

           She slowly removed her hand, keeping it a few inches from her face, “Oh my god, Addy, I’m so sorry. Did I,” My head shoot back and forth stopping her from finishing her question. No, she didn’t hurt me, no she didn’t break anything, but she could have. “I’m so sorry.” My chest felt heavy as I thought about how bad of an idea is was to actually come here. She must’ve read my thoughts because she wrapped her arms around me and pleaded for me not to leave.

           My chest fell as I let out a sigh, “It’s fine, I’ll stay. You said you wanted to introduce me to everyone.” She pulled away from me and nodded, a perfect smile stretched across her face. As her hand found mine again, she waited for me to take the first steps and then she directed me where to go.

           We stopped in front of a tall dark-haired man with a square, manly face, but a sweet smile. “This is Ashton, Ashton this is my friend Addy, we were best friends back in high school and we recently reconnected.” Ashton waved at me, and I waved back. He was standing next to a sandy blonde-haired man with a scruffy beard and a smile that could make any girls knees weak. “That’s Luke, and the girl in the pool behind him is his girlfriend, Sierra.” Luke lifted and hand and held it out, asking for a hand shake.

           We shook hands, and he held onto it for a second, “Is your name actually Addy, or is that short for something?” Luke asked, the same accent as Michael’s falling from his lips.

           “Adeline, my full name is Adeline, but not a single person in the world calls me that, not even my parents. Pretty sure they regret giving me that name.” Luke laughed and nodded in acknowledgement. Behind Luke, I hear the water of the pool swash around and I see a tanned, bleach blonde-haired man climbing out of the water, using the side as leverage. He turned my way and I think I stopped breathing.

           His tanned skin twinkled in the sunlight, creating a glow around him. His tattooed chest flexed as he grabbed the towel not far from him. The muscles in his biceps flexed as he placed the towel over his face and neck, patting his skin dry. He dropped the towel and started walking towards us, water still dripping from his black swim shorts. He smiled a smile that could brighten a dark room. My heart was beating fast, and suddenly my mouth was incredibly dry.

           “Calum! This is my friend Addy, the one I was telling you about.” The one she was telling him about? I finally peeled my eyes off the man coming towards us and stared daggers at Crystal. She caught sight of my look and shrugged.

           He stopped a few steps away from us, letting the water drip, excusing himself as the water dripped toward my dress. “I’m sorry, I guess I should’ve dried off a bit more before coming over. Maybe I’ll go change before we meet properly.” Every word I knew got caught in my throat as he walked past me, flashing me another bright smile. I felt like collapsing, but suddenly Crystals grip on me, and her quiet giggle caused me to come out of my thoughts.

           “Crystal, can we have a quick chat. Somewhere private?” She nodded, still trying not to laugh at how ridiculous I’m acting. She pulled me inside the house, and into a bedroom I assumed was hers and Michael’s. She motioned for me to sit on the bed, and I did so, “Who was that?”

           She sat next to me hard enough to cause the bed to bounce. “That was Calum. He and Michael met a long time ago. He’s one of my favorite friends of Michael’s, he’s super sweet.” Crystal took a long drink of mixed drink she had in her glass, “And I also told him a lot about you. He’s really excited to meet you.” Excited to meet me? Oh, hell, what did she tell him? Did she tell him about my accident? Did she tell him about my ex? Does he want to meet me because I’m a nice charity case? Crystal’s eyebrows pulled together in anger and confusion. My eyes widened as I realized I asked these out loud. “I only told him the things that were necessary. He doesn’t know about your accident, he doesn’t know about Alex, he just knows that you’re one of my best friends, who just happens to be drop-dead gorgeous.”

           A sarcastic chuckle escaped my chest, “Crystal, you were, and always will be, a thousand times prettier than me. Also, I’m a freak. I only have one and a half legs.” That seemed to upset Crystal, the look on her face told me she wanted me to shut up. So, I did.

           She set her drink down on the table and then turned towards me. “You are not a freak because you lost your leg in a car accident, and you are definitely prettier than me. He seemed genuinely interested in you when I was talking to him yesterday. I think he wants to get to know you more. You should give him a chance, yeah?” Although I was terrified, I was willing to give him a chance.

           When we made it back outside, Calum was already back. He was wearing a pair of black joggers, a black sweat shirt, and a beanie that covered his blonde hair. Crystal brought me up to him and he smiled, and my heart pounded. “Sorry, Calum, we just went to the bathroom. Girls travel in pairs, you know.” She’s always been good at covering my anxiety. Maybe that’s why we were always such good friends.

           He pulled his lips down and waved his hand, “It’s not a problem. Anyway, I hope I didn’t get your dress wet. It looks very nice.”

           Even though he complimented me, I suddenly felt incredibly self-conscious. “It’s not a problem,” I cleared my throat trying to hide my complete and utter nervous breakdown. “It’s not that special of a dress, I think I got it at Target.”

           He chuckled, a smirk crawling across his lips, “That’s a good looking dress for something you found at Target.”

           My eyes wandered down to my dress. Why was he talking so much about my dress? Was he just as nervous as I was? “Thank you.” I choked the words out. Why was this so awkward. I caught sight of Crystal behind Calum. She was making motions to urge me to go for it, to talk to him. My cheeks flushed red, hoping that no one else saw the motions. I wasn’t sure this was the right thing to be doing this quietly after a horrible break up. I tucked a lock of my hair behind my ears and looked at the ground.

           He shifted awkwardly in front of me, putting his hands in his pockets. “Do you want something to drink?” He finally asked me, breaking the awkward silence. After I nodded, he smiled and motioned for me to follow him. He passed by me and I looked at Crystal who was holding up two thumbs. Even though Crystal had a good feeling about this, I didn’t.

           Calum grabbed the liquor and started pouring. “Mind if I make you my specialty?” I shook my head back and forth, it’s been a long time since I drank. The accident was caused by a drunk driver, and even though I don’t drive, the idea still scared me. He poured a few hard liquors into the class and then added a splash of pineapple juice on the top. He flicked a straw into the drink and I bit my bottom lip. Considering how much alcohol he had poured into that glass, it wasn’t going to be long before I felt it. “Tell me about yourself, Addy.”

           I took the drink from him and I felt a knot in my throat. What did he want to know? “What do you want to know?” My eyebrows pulled together, I needed to stop asking my internal thoughts out loud.

           “Anything. Where are you from? What are your hobbies? What do you do for a living? Favorite animal? You know, all of the ‘hey we just met’ kind of questions.” He cracked open and black cherry white claw and took a drink.

           The ice in my drink clinked as I stirred it with the straw. “My full name is Adeline Davis, I go by Addy. I’m pretty sure my parents stopped calling me Adeline when I was really little. I’m from the same place Crystal is from. We went to high school together, we were best friends, until I had to go a ruin it and move to a different state with this guy I was madly in love with. That didn’t end up well, so now I’m back in town. I didn’t have anywhere to go, so I live with my parents. I have a degree in graphic design, but since I’ve been back I haven’t been able to find a job in the field quite yet. I haven’t been back long enough to really look. Um, yeah. That’s about it.” I took a sip of my drink and made a face. It was incredibly strong.

           He laughed at my face, my stomach involuntarily did a flip. “Sorry, sometimes I’m a little heavy handed. I’m sorry to hear that your last relationship didn’t work out. That’s cool that you’ve known Crystal for so long. I’ve only known her as long as Michael and she have been together. Four years now?”

           I raised my eyebrow, taking another drink, getting a little more used to the amount of alcohol. “She’s been with him half as long as I’ve been gone.” And as long as it’s been since I was in the accident. “We kind of lost contact while I was gone. It was kind of a toxic relationship. I lost contact with a lot of people that I deeply cared about.” The mood between Calum and I got a bit somber, so I stood up straight and smiled, “But I’m here now, and I’m reconnecting with my friends and my life, so it’s not all that bad.” Minus the fact that my life will literally never be the same again.

           Calum smiled with me, a nod. “I’m glad you’re here, too.” He raised his eyebrows and walked past me, back into Michael’s backyard. I couldn’t move, what did that mean? After a couple of seconds, I turned on my left foot and went back out into the backyard. Calum had taken a seat next to Michael and Crystal. Crystal motioned to sit in the chair next to her. Why did everything have to involve sitting? I took a deep breath and walked over to the seat and sat down, immediately crossing my left leg over my right one to hopefully hide the metal bend in my right leg.

           We spent the whole night talking, the best part of the whole thing was that my accident hadn’t been brought up once. Now it was time to go home, and I pulled my phone out to call an Uber. As I waited, I talked to Crystal, but when my phone buzzed, telling me the Uber was there, Calum caught me. “Uh, sorry,” He laughed nervously. “I didn’t get a chance to get your phone number. I’d like to hang out with you again.”

           Honestly, I was confused. Why did he want to hang out with me? This was probably the most awkward evening I’ve had in a long time. He smiled and held his phone out, the number pad opened. If I hadn’t needed to catch my ride, I would’ve protested, but instead, I grabbed his and typed in my number. After I handed it back to him, I waved and made my way out the front door towards the Uber. My palms became sweaty as I grabbed the handle and I had to take a deep breath before sitting in the car. Maybe hanging out with him more would make the interaction less awkward?

Part 2 | Part 3

[gaymy-raudenfeld]

Home is Where the Heart Is

I’m posting a little late, even by American standards, but I made it in time! A merry pitchmas to @snowbritt and all of you wonderful people. I haven’t posted any fanfic in a while so this may be a bit rusty.

Summary: When the Bellas find out they’ll be getting a house and sharing bedrooms, Beca tries to use the opportunity to get close to Chloe. When she doesn’t act fast enough, she spends the following months pining after Chloe and trying to find a chance to get close to her. Beca gets her wish in an unexpected way.

Rating: T

Word Count: 3.1k

“Dear Barden Bellas,

Due to your recent streak of wins at the ICCA finals, we have decided it is only fair to award you the way we have awarded our other prestigious acapella groups in the past. We have secured the funding and approval to build a lodging house for all current and future Bellas to reside in throughout their time at Barden University. The proposed blueprints are attached…”

Beca was cut off by the screaming. The girls couldn’t believe it. They had won back-to-back ICCA championships and now they were being given their very own building. They could finally practice outside Barden’s tiny black box theatre, free from the drama kids who kicked them out so they could rehearse and the motion lights that sometimes left them singing in the dark, like some kind of cult-

“Wait a minute,” Fat Amy interrupted everybody celebrating, “this floor plan only includes six bedrooms.”

“Well then I guess we’re gonna have to double up.” Cynthia Rose said, eyeing Stacie.

“I wanna be with Jessica.” “I wanna be with Ashley.” Ashley and Jessica said at the same time.

“And we have to save one room for the new Bellas.” Beca added. The girls began to talk amongst themselves again when Fat Amy quietly approached Beca.

“How about it, shortstack?” She said, leaning in. “I promise to give you ample warning about any gentleman callers I may have.”

“Yes… I mean no… I mean what?”

“This is like the third time I’ve caught you daydreaming today; you have GOT to tell me what is on your mind before you wander into traffic or something.”

“How is telling you gonna stop me from wandering into traffic?”

“It’s not, but I won’t be able to hear your gossip if you’re in a coma.”

Beca sighed and lowered her voice even further. “Listen, if I promise to give you more details later, will you be chill about letting me room with Chloe?”

“Chloe?” Fat Amy questioned. “She takes forever to get ready before every practice and recital, which YOU were complaining about just last week. Are you sure you’ll be able to deal with Chloe’s daily makeup routine when you’re sharing a bathroom?”

“It’s not that big of a deal, I could get used to it.” Beca shrugged.

“What’s going on?”

They were interrupted by Stacie calling everyone to attention. “Okay! So the room assignments are gonna be one free room for new recruits, Ashley & Jessica, Denise & Cynthia Rose, Fat Amy & Beca, me & Chloe, and… Lilly sleeps in a room by herself. We all good with that?” The Bellas voiced their agreement.

“Fuck.” Beca muttered to herself.

The girls began to scatter, some still chattering excitedly about the Bella House, which would be ready by the Fall semester. When almost everyone had cleared, Fat Amy turned back to Beca. “You wanna tell me what that was about?”

“I may have… developed a crush on a certain Bella.” Beca said, turning beet red.

“No way!” Fat Amy whisper-yelled. “Let me guess. Is it Stacie? Her legs are about as long as you are, so you get a good view.”

“It is NOT Stacie. Although you do have a good point about the view.”

“Well who is it then?”

Beca took in a deep breath, preparing to unload her secret. She breathed again, and as she exhaled, she said “Chloe.”

“Chloe?? Of course! The first time you met you were naked and it did something to you, psychologically.”

“It was the second time, and she just, wouldn’t leave my shower until I sang with her and I did and then I joined the Bellas and everything was totally fine.”

“And you JUST developed this crush?”

“It’s possible I was too traumatized by the event to understand my feelings until recently.”

“Yeah, or you’re just a clueless girl who fell in love with an even more clueless boy for like, eight months before you broke up because you realized you have feelings for a girl in your acapella group. Which, by the way, was bound to happen, with the amount of time the nine of us spend together.”

“Damn Amy, have you actually been paying attention in your psychology class?”

“Enough to know that you’ve got the hots for your redheaded best friend, and your life is only gonna get worse if you don’t tell her about it.”

“What do I even say?”

“That one’s on you, loverboy. Now, I gotta get out of here and meet a gentleman caller.”

Beca quirked an eyebrow. She was going to need to find a way to tell Chloe her feelings before the living arrangements were settled.

-

Beca did not find a way to tell Chloe her feelings before the living arrangements were settled.

Fall came in the blink of an eye and she found herself face-to-face with a slew of problems, including arranging new Bellas routines, her music theory professor who seemed to have it out for her, and the fact that she had a growing crush on her best friend and acapella group co-leader. Things were off to a great start.

The summer spent apart had only deepened Beca’s feelings, which was irritating. It didn’t help that she and Chloe spent a ton of time together choreographing dances for the competitions later in the year. Whenever the girls had to pair up, Chloe walked straight to Beca, grabbing her wrists with intention. Like she knew exactly what she was doing. Like she belonged there.

“Bec?” Chloe had clearly been trying to get Beca’s attention.

“Huh? What?” Beca’s train of thought was broken.

“Are you ready to show them the moves we came up with?”

Beca nodded eagerly, attempting to make up for spacing out earlier. “Yep. Totally. Let’s do this.”

Chloe started leading Beca around the makeshift rehearsal area they had created in the Bella House’s living room. They had to move the couches around and it wasn’t as big as Barden’s black box but at least it didn’t smell like feet. It was easier to focus on what was in front of her, which, at the moment, was a certain redhead.

Chloe smelled like clean laundry and cherry blossoms, a product of the showers that were much easier to take now that she didn’t have to use a communal bathroom built for thirty people. Chloe may take a while to get ready, but Stacie takes even longer, and sometimes Chloe walks down the hall to Beca and Amy’s room and borrows their shower. Their bathroom smells like vanilla and cherry blossoms for hours afterward, and it drives Beca nuts in the best way possible. She watched Chloe perform the new routine with confidence, poise, and accuracy, and she felt her breath hitch in her chest.

What she didn’t feel was the edge of the coffee table as she tripped and fell backward onto its hard surface, banging her head. After everyone’s initial shock had passed, they went to check on Beca to make sure she was okay.

“I’m fine.” Beca stated assuredly. “Really, the worst thing I hurt is my ego.”

“Your head sounded like a bowling ball hitting the floor” Lilly said, almost imperceptibly.

“BECA!” Fat Amy shouted. “CAN YOU SAY YOUR A-B-C’S BACKWARDS?” She was speaking more slowly than normal.

“You know I can hear you right?”

“And isn’t that supposed to be for sobriety tests?” Cynthia Rose asked.

While they had been chatting, Chloe had sat down next to Beca and helped her sit up. She had her hand on Beca’s back, propping her up just in case she felt dizzy.

“Are you okay?” Chloe asked concernedly.

“I’m fine,” Beca repeated, much softer this time, “really.”

Chloe was looking into Beca’s eyes, just checking her pupils. Such a clinical action, but Chloe made it seem so tender. She ran her hand up Beca’s neck to the back of her head, feeling for any irregularities. Beca felt chills run up her spine as Chloe rubbed her fingers across her scalp. She hoped she wasn’t being too obvious.

Chloe pulled back. “The bad news is you might have a small concussion. The good news is that lump on your head just may make you taller.”

“Ha-ha.” Beca fake laughed.

Stacie chimed in, “I had a concussion once and my doctor told me not to sleep. Wait. It was either my doctor or my mom. I don’t remember.”

“I think the best thing for Beca to do is to go lie down.” Cynthia Rose added.

“Does that have anything to do with you not wanting to practice the new routine?” Beca quipped from the table.

“If I carry you to your room can I not answer that question?” Cynthia Rose replied.

“Fair enough.”

Cynthia Rose crossed the living room to scoop Beca into her arms, and was about to lift her off the table when Fat Amy piped up. “Uh, um, Beca can’t stay in our room.”

“Why not?” Beca squinted at her roommate.

“Because… I’m going to have... a gentleman caller….. or two….. this evening.” She began to trail off near the end.

“Right on.” Stacie nodded in Fat Amy’s direction.

“Okay so where am I taking Beca to?” Cynthia Rose asked, still positioned to lift Beca.

“How about my room?” Chloe, who had been sitting quietly next to Beca for some time now finally rejoined the conversation.

Beca tried to be cool, looking at Stacie. “Is that alright?”

Stacie nodded. “Yeah, sure, I was planning on going out after this anyway.”

“Great, then it’s settled.” Cynthia Rose said. “I’m carrying Beca to Chloe’s room.”

-

They quickly discovered that Cynthia Rose couldn’t carry Beca up the stairs wedding-style. So it turned into Chloe and Cynthia Rose flanking Beca on each side in case she became dizzy after hitting her head.

“I feel like a fucking hospice patient.” Beca half-joked as they reached Chloe’s room and they helped her lie down on the bed.

“I got it from here, C. Rose thank you.” Chloe said, ushering her out and gently closing the door behind her. She turned off most of the lights in the room except for some string lights and a single lamp that emitted a soft pink glow.

“Wow, you went hardcore doctor out there.” Beca said a bit jokingly.

“This is like, my seventh year of school. If I can’t recognize a concussion when I see one I should just quit now and go back to clown camp with Aubrey.”

“Yeah I… I’m sorry BACK to clown camp?!?”

“It was a dark summer in middle school.”

“You owe me a story Beale.”

“I don’t owe you anything Mitchell.”

The two locked eyes from across the room and Beca felt her heart jump into her throat again. Good thing she was already lying down this time; nowhere to fall.

Beca relented. “How about an ice pack?”

Chloe nodded, a contented look crossing her face. “That I can do.”

She returned moments later with an ice pack, an extra blanket, and a box of chocolate chip cookies.

“Oh my God.” Beca stated when she saw the care package Chloe had assembled for her.

“I thought you might want the rest of these before they were devoured.” Chloe said, handing Beca the cookies.

Beca quickly opened the package and grabbed a cookie to chow down on. As she was popping the dessert into her mouth, she unthinkingly said “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Chloe said, perched on the side of her bed. She seemed more sincere than Beca was expecting. She awkwardly swallowed the large bite of cookie she had in her mouth in an attempt to change the topic as quickly as possible.

“So I’m concussed?” Beca asked, reaching for the blanket to put over her legs.

“Yep.” Chloe stated. “Couldn’t keep up with my choreo, huh?” She winked, handing Beca the ice pack. Beca didn’t want to talk about the real reason she injured herself: that she was too busy watching Chloe dance to pay attention to her own feet.

“You know I’m a notoriously bad dancer.”

“Is that why you always need my help during practice?”

“Yeah, if it wasn’t for you I would have done this like ten times already. I’m taking advantage of your veterinary health training.”

“Always good to be able to practice on someone who can give me feedback.”

“As long as you don’t shove a thermometer up my ass.”

“Well, Stacie IS gone for the rest of the night…”

“Watch it, Beale.”

The pair laughed for a second before settling into a comfortable silence. Chloe sat on the edge of the bed, tracing swirling patterns in her sheets. Beca looked around at the room she missed out on at the end of the last semester. It wasn’t all that different from her own; the only important difference was the girl she was in the room with.

When it became clear that Chloe wasn’t going to leave, Beca began to ask questions. “No plans tonight, huh? You’re not having a tinder-venture like Stacie or whatever the hell Amy is doing in our bedroom?”

Chloe chuckled. “No, nothing like that. I haven’t really gone out on a date in a while. Besides, I want to make sure you’re okay!” Chloe moved closer and fussed with Beca’s blanket.

“I appreciate the gesture, Chlo, but you’ve definitely got better things to be doing on a Friday night.” “Nothing more important than you.” Chloe looked up, meeting Beca’s eyes and offering a smile. Beca sheepishly looked away. Was that as serious as it sounded? Probably not, right?

“Do you mind if I…?” Chloe trailed off, motioning to her covers.

“Do I mind if you sleep in your own bed? No, not at all, just help me get over into Stacie’s bed.” Beca began to push herself up with her arms.

“You don’t have to move, actually.” Chloe said. Another surprise.

“Are you sure? It’s not that big of a deal.”

“Please, Beca. It’ll be easier. I’ll even let you be the little spoon.”

Beca scoffed. “What makes you think I want to be the little spoon?”

“Don’t you?”

Beca hesitated. “…….Fine.” She scooted over and allowed Chloe to slide in next to her. She could feel the warmth from Chloe’s body contrasting the ice pack she had been holding to her head.

“Is this good for concussions too?”

“Yep. Vet’s orders.” Chloe said as she settled in.

After a few minutes had passed, Beca spoke again.

“You know, I wanted this room really bad before we all moved in together.”

“Really? Aw Bec, you should have said something sooner. I’m sure Stacie and I would have been fine in your room-”

“It’s not really about the room. More like, the roommate.” Beca felt her stomach drop as she began to hint at her feelings for Chloe.

“Oh.” Chloe just said back.

Oh God. Oh fuck I’ve ruined everything I can’t believe I just came onto her like that-

”That’s really sweet of you Bec.”

Beca couldn’t believe it. The world was still intact, somehow. She inched backward into Chloe, and felt the redhead silently move closer to her at the same time. They fell asleep with their legs tangled, both tired from the long day.

-

The next morning Beca woke up early to a throbbing in the back of her head.

Ah, fuck. Beca thought to herself as she reached back to rub the tender part of her scalp, still half asleep. She was surprised to grab onto a face just behind her own.

“Good morning to you too.” Chloe said, muffled by Beca’s hand.

Beca turned over. “Shit. Sorry about that. What time is it?”

“Like… 8:30 on a Saturday. Are you late for morning yoga?”

“Fuck you.” Beca laughed and poked Chloe’s shoulder. “Ah man. I really stayed in here the whole night.”

“And you only snored a little bit.” Chloe joked, still lying down on the pillow.

“She’s feisty in the morning!” Beca retorted, eliciting a smile from Chloe. They were face to face now. Inches from each other. Beca watched the soft morning light filter in over Chloe’s face. Her hair was shining. She could see each fleck of gold in Chloe’s big blue eyes. Beca couldn’t help but think how beautiful she looked.

The moments passed by silently as the girls enjoyed the most intimate moment either of them had experienced in a long time.

“Beca?”

“Yeah Chloe?”

“Would you be okay if I kissed you right now?”

Beca didn’t even give herself time to think before blurting out “Yes.” And in an instant, Chloe’s mouth was on hers. The kisses were delicate and sleepy, but full of the spark that had been building between them since the first time they sang together. When they needed to pull away for air, Beca took a moment to marvel at what was happening. “Woah.” She said, a look of incredulity on her face. “Did Chloe Beale just kiss me?”

Chloe nodded and the biggest smile spread across her face. “Sure did, Beca Mitchell.”

Chloe dove back in for more kisses and Beca eagerly responded, only interrupted by Beca’s brief cries of pain when Chloe’s hand accidentally wandered to the bump on the back of her head.

-

That afternoon Beca made her way back down the hall to her bedroom so she could get ready for the day. She ran into Fat Amy eating a popsicle on her bed.

“Amy, you’ll never believe what happened this morning.” Beca began.

“Let me guess, you finally sealed the deal with ginger?”

“How did-“

“It was my plan all along Beca! Do you think it’s a coincidence that I kicked you out of the room last night?”

“I thought you were seeing someone. ones. whatever.”

“I lied so you could get into Chloe’s room and make some music with your mouths.”

“Amy!”

“I TOLD you I would always give you ample warning when I had any gentleman callers! Because I’m a decent roommate, Beca, and I’m even better because I got you hooked up with your ladycrush.”

“Was it your plan for me to get a concussion too?”

“Sometimes you just have to seize the moment.” Fat Amy said, swinging her popsicle around emphatically.

“Wait a minute. Aren’t those the ones I bought?” Beca said, nodding at the popsicle.

“Ah yeah. See. I may have taken the last one as a reward for being a fantastic matchmaker-slash-roommate. I figured helping you get with Chloe would outweigh my poor decisions.”

Beca rolled her eyes. “You’re lucky Chloe is so great, otherwise you would owe me a new box of popsicles.”

The End.