#They came to my wedding party thing about 10 years after that

[gureumz]

stained glass windows

rating: explicit

member: jungwon

notes: fem!reader, stepcest, dubcon, religious corruption, baby trapping (?), unholy use of scripture (sorry god), dom!jungwon, slight angst, mentions of death, step brother!jungwon, breeding, fingering, dirty talk, unprotected sex, jay has a cameo appearance lol

a/n: so this is an amalgamation of everything everyone requested for jungwon,,,reciting bible verses during sex? i got you. stepcest? no problem. baby trapping (this is 100% what i want and yes my wish is my command)? you bet. religious corruption? hell yeah. something super filthy and kinky? say no more. enjoy, hoes! love ya mwa (the bible verse here is 1 Corinthians 10:13 if you were curious)

sundays are your happy days.

a pretty dress, the stained glass windows, hushed chatter among the churchgoers—these were all the things you waited for at the end of the week.

your mother had always been proud of how involved you are in your faith, showering you with loving words before going to bed when you were little, calling you 'hers and God's favorite angel'. you'd smile and feel a sense of giddiness. God's favorite angel. can you believe it? you made sure to wear that as a badge of honor.

and then you grew up, went to a bigger school, met people who are different from you. even those who you knew were like you, devoted and obedient to their parents and God, seemed to have strayed down the path of parties, drinks, and the unthinkable. that is to say, premarital sex.

you never understood the appeal of it all. your faith and God were enough. you didn't need to participate in such acts to feel anything. you felt Him in every waking moment.

until there came a time when you were convinced He was gone altogether.

until sundays stopped becoming your happy days. every single day was void of any happiness.

your father passed suddenly, leaving you and your mother to fend for yourselves. you watched your mother grieve, grieved on your own, alone in your room. you went to school and saw the excitement in your peers' eyes, talking about a party here and buying drinks there.

you nearly caved. anything to take your mind off your dad.

but this was when your mother spent nearly every day at the church, despite it being mostly empty every day other than sundays. without anything better to do, you tagged along. and you started to feel Him again.

you knew God returned for real when your mother became friendly with a newcomer at church. a businessman who recently moved to your town, towing his son along.

mr. yang, as you later learned. he had a son.

jungwon.

jungwon wore an easy smile, deep dimples appearing every time he did. he shook your hand with a hesitant grip, palms smooth and soft. he had eyes that seemed to sparkle.

seasons changed, months grew into years, and your mother and mr. yang got married.

you saw the life return to your mother's face, easing her shoulders back, smoothing out the creases in her weathered face.

sundays became your happy days again, now that mr. yang and jungwon were in your lives.

---

jungwon is the poster child for the perfect sibling. or, at least that's what you think.

it's been a couple of years since your parents' wedding, and jungwon was nothing short of accommodating. he was kind, always letting you have first picks at whatever food your parents prepared, and offered to do things for you.

granted, it wasn't always like this. the two of you skirted around each other the first few weeks, both former only children, suddenly dealt with the fact that they had a sibling exactly their age. there was even a period of time when jungwon would bolt at the sight of you. though, you tried to not take this to heart.

but after all has been said and done, the two of you fell into a routine, becoming friends of some sort. eternal housemates.

"hurry up. this will be the second week we're late because you couldn't decide what dress to wear."

you turn, spotting jungwon poking his head through the door.

"sorry," you reply bashfully. "these people don't see me on weekdays anymore since i'm off at campus, so you can't really blame me for wanting to make an entrance on the one day they do see me."

jungwon quirks an eyebrow.

"since when did you care what they think?" jungwon questions, stepping fully into your room. he's wearing a dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and crisp black pants.

you note that the watch he has on today makes him look particularly handsome.

you merely shrug. "i don't know. everyone at college dresses so nice and i thought i'd make an effort, too."

jungwon snorts. "everyone at college is a try-hard. it's a small-town liberal arts institution."

"hey, you're a student there, too," you point out, crossing your arms at jungwon.

you watch as he surveys your outfit, eyes slowly making your way down your body. you swallow, suddenly aware of how tight the yellow sundress feels. the fabric seems to dig at your armpits uncomfortably, and the hem is too short and—

"you look good," jungwon says, eyes meeting yours.

you breathe a sigh of relief.

"well, if you say so. i trust your word," you say, smoothing down your skirt.

you feel jungwon approach, circling an arm around your waist, ushering you towards the door.

"i am your brother. i think i'd know what would look good on you," jungwon points out with a wink.

---

the service goes by without a hitch. you participated as you always did, offered your prayers as you usually do. you thanked Him for another successful week of classes but also asking for you to ace your upcoming exams. it was all routine.

until your mother pulled you along, chirping excitedly about a new family that had moved to town and joined the church.

the parks.

a father, a mother, and their son who's a business major at some big-shot university a few towns over.

"i'm jay," the son said to you, reaching his hand towards you as his family introduced themselves to yours. you shook hands and you couldn't help the sudden heat that flooded your face and chest.

your hand still tingles with where he held on, even now on the car ride home

"that jay boy sure is cute," your mother says from the passenger seat. you turn to her, eyebrows raised.

"seems like he has a good head on his shoulders," your stepfather agrees. he looks at you through the rearview mirror.

"the kind of guy girls wanna marry."

you see your mother twist in her seat to give you a knowing look. you roll your eyes but the familiar warmth takes over your entire body again.

"i mean, i don't know. we just met him and his family," you point out, trying not to stutter. you turn to jungwon for backup but your brother has his back turned to you, his face angled toward the window.

"right, jungwon?" you try nonetheless.

"huh?" comes his clueless response. he looks at you and his face is crumpled in a frown. you're taken slightly aback.

before you can say anything, your mother speaks up.

"why don't you try and befriend him, jungwon? they said they only live on the next street over," your mother offers, unaware at how deep jungwon's frown has gotten in the seconds she said that sentence.

"i don't know," jungwon mumbles. "i can try, i guess."

you watch as jungwon turns back to the window, his hand balling into a fist on his lap. you decide not to pry, leaning your own head against the window beside you, watching the little houses in your neighborhood speed by.

---

you urge yourself to stop picking at your fingernails. but you can't help it, either. standing outside your brother's door, you're not sure what awaits you on the other side.

taking a deep breath, you decide to just get it over with. you're certain it's nothing. you're just concerned and you want to see how jungwon's doing.

you knock softly three times, waiting to hear jungwon's voice. after a few seconds, you hear a muffled, 'come in!'.

you push the door open a bit, taking a peek inside jungwon's room. he's sprawled on his bed, his phone in his hands as he scrolls through his screen. his eyes shift to you and he sits up.

"what's up?" jungwon asks as you let yourself in. you don't say anything until you're seated beside him on his bed.

"i didn't want to risk your wrath, so i wasn't sure if i should bring this up with you...," you begin, teeth worrying your lower lip.

jungwon raises a brow. "i don't know what you're talking about. but other than that, you know i can never get upset with you, right?"

you continue to bite down on your lip, unsure of what to say next.

"but you were upset today," you say after a few seconds. "in the car?"

jungwon's face morphs into mild recognition. he nods, finally understanding what you mean.

"oh, that," jungwon deadpans. "it's nothing."

"come on, you can tell me anything, remember?" you urge, pulling your legs up on jungwon's bed before crossing them. jungwon glances down as you do so but quickly averts his eyes back to your face.

"it's nothing, i swear. it's stupid and thinking back on it, it just seems like such a dumb thing to be mad about," jungwon explains, shifting closer to you.

you take his hand and you squeeze as jungwon threads his fingers through the gaps between yours.

your mother often remarked how the two of you seemed more like twins than regular siblings. mirror images of each other. the perfect balance. looking at jungwon now, you see what she meant.

"nothing you say would be stupid to me," you reply, voice soft as your thumb runs over the skin of jungwon's hand.

something flashes across jungwon's face and his eyes seem to trail over every part of you. your skin prickles as he stops right at your chest, pajama top showing the very tops of your breasts.

"i didn't like the way that jay guy was looking at you," jungwon finally admits, gaze returning to your face.

you look at jungwon quizzically. "what? how was he looking at me?"

"like he was undressing you with his eyes," jungwon complains. "he was practically flirting with you."

you laugh incredulously. "no, he wasn't. he said two words to me, wonie."

jungwon shakes his head. "i'm a man, too. i know how our brains and eyes work."

you stop for a second to ponder on jungwon's words. you can't deny the intensity of how jay seemed to be looking at you earlier and the way he held your hand so tight.

"so?" you retaliate. "he's cute. i don't mind."

you see jungwon's jaw clench, the muscles spasming under his skin. his lips press into a thin line and he pulls his hand back from your grasp.

"guys like that will only take advantage of you, _______," jungwon says, voice slow and deliberate.

your forehead creases. "how are you so sure?"

jungwon stares at you for a few moments. he reaches his hand out, cupping one side of your face in his palm. you gulp, your heart jumping at the contact.

"i just know. you trust me, right? i'm your brother, after all."

you nod.

your hand comes up to cover his that's on your face and the room seems to still. the steady hum of the ac fades away, the cicadas outside vanish, and the thumping of your own heart amplifies. jungwon is looking you square in the eye and you can't help but cower under his gaze.

just as jungwon makes a move to lean closer, a loud knock and your mother's voice rips the moment away.

"dinner's ready! come eat!"

jungwon pulls his hand back and you scramble off his bed. you hurriedly cross the room, flinging jungwon's bedroom door open and stepping out, not sparing another glance behind you.

---

you toss and turn that night.

your face still tingles from where jungwon touched you. your mind is reeling with so many thoughts, your imagination seemingly going into each and every unexplored direction.

you and jungwon grew close during the years you spent together since your parents got married. it was like becoming friends. you had to learn things about each other, know what makes the other tick. the two of you never shied away from showing who you truly are. you'd be living under the same roof for the most part, so what's the point in hiding, right?

and jungwon never hid his affection for you. brotherly hugs, encouraging pats on the back, kisses on your forehead. he told yu over and over again how happy he was that you were his sister. that you were the best sister.

and you never hid how much you needed jungwon, either. he taught you how to get home on the bus from college on the weekends. he helped you with any handiwork you required in your room. he gave you the ins and outs of the college cliques and clubs.

jungwon always told you he loves you. you always reached out to jungwon. neither was a secret.

so, what's making you so nervous?

before you can answer yourself, you hear the hinges of your door squeak as it opens. in the dim light of your room, you see a figure step through the doorway, startling you slightly.

"sorry, it's me," jungwon whispers. "i couldn't sleep."

you feel your heart quicken once more as you sit up, watching jungwon make his way to your bed. he plops down on the mattress and looks at you.

"mind if i crash here for a while?" jungwon asks quietly.

jungwon does this on some nights, reasoning the bouts of insomnia as he snuggles up to your side. half of the time he talks, telling you stories of what he did during the day, and the other half he spends holding you to his chest, fingers drawing patterns on your back.

on rare occasions, he asks you to turn away, pressing your back to his front. he sometimes rocks against you gently and whispers how much he loves you in your ear. you feel strange when he does this. but you never complain.

"sure," you reply, scooting to one side of the bed. jungwon moves to lay beside you, pulling the covers over him.

wordlessly, his hands find your hips, tugging you close. you let him, your own arms circling around jungwon's torso. he's warm and smells like fresh laundry. you don't hide the way you inhale his scent.

you stay like that for a few minutes and you almost think that jungwon has fallen asleep. but after a while, he pulls back slightly to look at you.

you meet his eyes, sharp shadows cast across jungwon's face from your night lamp situated on the other side of your room.

"stay away from jay," jungwon says. your mouth falls open in mild surprise.

"why?" you ask. jungwon sighs, cradling your face once more in his hand.

"he doesn't deserve you," jungwon responds, voice hardened with something you can't quite put your finger on.

jungwon's looking down at you and even in the darkened state of your room, you can see the seriousness in his expression. he's clearly still upset from earlier.

"but mom and dad seem to like him," you reason with a pout. jungwon lets out a 'tsk' grasping your face tighter.

you let out a whimper. jungwon was never this heavy-handed with you.

"but i don't like him," jungwon insists. "you need someone who knows you, who can do things for you, who loves you more than anything."

jungwon pushes you onto your back, his leg swinging over to plant his knee on your other side. he grabs at your wrists and presses them down, trapping you as he hovers over you, his face inches away from yours.

"you need me."

you gasp, unable to comprehend the words that had just left jungwon's mouth. you're given no time to work it out in your head because jungwon is kissing you, pressing his lips to yours. you protest, pushing against jungwon but he's too strong for you to fight back properly. he has you pinned down and there's nothing you can do.

"w-what are you doing?" you say as jungwon pulls away for a second. instead of answering, jungwon busies himself with your neck, nipping at your sensitive skin. you squirm and whine but jungwon doesn't let up.

"i love you," jungwon whispers in your ear.

you shiver.

"you love me, too, right?" jungwon questions as he looks at you. you blink away tears that have gathered in your eyes.

you're just so confused. what is he doing? what is happening?

"answer me, angel," jungwon urges gently. he leans down to kiss away at the tears streaming down the side of your face.

"i do," you return weakly.

"no no," jungwon tuts. "say it properly."

you sniffle as you feel more tears fill your eyes.

"i love you."

jungwon seems satisfied because he kisses you again, tongue running over the seam of your lips. you've never kissed anyone before and it feels so foreign, having jungwon's tongue licking into your mouth. but you follow what he does, parting your lips and moving your tongue with his.

jungwon groans, one of his hands letting go of your wrist to grab at your waist instead. he presses you to him and you feel something stiff against your thigh.

"you make me so hard, angel," jungwon groans. he grinds against your leg and you watch as his expression crumples into pleasure.

"t-this is wrong," you sob. "we're not supposed to do this."

and you do feel conflicted with it all. everything you've learned in church, everything you've read through His word, it all says that this is bad. that you should only lay with the man you love, the man you married.

oh, but you do love jungwon. you've loved him since the day you met him.

"do you want to stop?" jungwon asks, stilling above you. you continue to cry, your legs squeezing together as you feel wet heat pool in your underwear.

"God will forgive us, angel girl," jungwon coos, a hand dipping beneath your pajama top.

you mewl as you feel jungwon squeeze at one of your boobs.

"He knows how much we love each other, so he'll forgive us, don't you worry," jungwon reassures as he rolls your nipple between his fingers.

"then we'll make it up to Him with a cute little wedding at a faraway chapel," jungwon continues, his other hand tugging down your shorts and underwear.

you're breathing heavily now, head spinning as your whole body heats up. the ache between your legs grows stronger.

"then we'll have babies," jungwon says. "so many babies we'll be filling up our own pew at church."

you gasp as you feel jungwon's fingers press against your core, working on the nub that you've ever really encountered twice or thrice before, too scared to be condemned to hell if you continued to touch yourself.

"what if we have a baby now, huh?" jungwon asks, placing a chaste kiss to your temple. "make you a mommy so no one can take you from me."

you shake your head, initially appalled at his words, but the thought of carrying jungwon's child, it stirs something in you.

"no?" jungwon asks, voice hinting with playfulness. "you don't want it?"

you look up at jungwon, struggling to find the words to say. you want it but your conscience screams at you to refuse.

"i want it," you finally answer. "want to give you a baby."

"fuck," jungwon curses as the words leave your mouth. he hurriedly discards his shorts, eyes seemingly ablaze.

"yeah? gonna give your brother a baby?" jungwon taunts, fingers circling at your core again. you moan wantonly, a million different feelings coursing through your body.

jungwon pokes in one finger through your entrance and you nearly scream, unprepared for the strange sensation.

"sshhh," jungwon says, pressing down on your mouth with one hand. he adds a second finger in slowly and your back arches off the bed.

"look at you," jungwon says with a grin. "your body responds so well to me, huh, angel?"

you cry into jungwon's palm as you feel him pump his fingers in and out of you, curling them inside every time he pushes in. you feel a tightness in your belly and more wetness pooling out of you. your body jolts with every movement of jungwon's fingers.

"shit, i can't take this anymore," jungwon mutters, pulling his fingers out. you whine, hips involuntarily pushing up as they search for friction.

"i got you," jungwon says, taking his hand off your face. the room is filled with your soft sobs, a mix of the lingering guilt and the newfound pleasure.

jungwon strokes his shaft a few times and you watch with bated breath as he aligns himself between your legs. you feel him push against you and you start to cry even harder, fear of what's to come gripping you like no other.

jungwon pushes halfway in and any scream threatening to break free from your lips is muted by jungwon pressing his mouth to yours. you cry and cry and cry as jungwon keeps pushing in, burying himself to the hilt seconds later.

he stills, pulling away to let you breathe. you hiccup, the stretch between your legs equal parts painful and filling in the best way possible.

"s-so big," you sob. "c-can feel you in my belly."

jungwon groans, his hip snapping up involuntarily. you whine, biting down hard on your lip.

"yeah? can you feel me here?" jungwon asks, a large hand pressing down on your lower abdomen. he starts to move then, slowly pulling out then thrusting back in.

"yes!" you gasp. "yes, yes, it's so deep."

"God, angel, you sound so beautiful when you're being fucked," jungwon says, speeding up.

"recite to me your favorite bible verse," jungwon commands. you barely hear him with the way he's moving his hips against yours.

"w-what?" you mumble in a daze.

jungwon takes hold of your face, forcing you to look directly at him.

"your favorite bible verse, angel girl. let me hear your pretty voice."

you rack your brain for it. you should know it by heart, have it seared into your consciousness. but the way jungwon is taking you right at this moment wipes away nearly all thoughts of scripture.

"no temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man," you begin, trying to keep your voice steady as jungwon scrutinizes you, fingers still digging into your cheeks.

"God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability," you continue. jungwon smirks, nodding, urging you to go on.

you're about to speak when you feel jungwon's thumb press down on your sensitive nub. you cry out, the added sensation muddling your brain even further.

"go on," jungwon orders.

"b-but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to e-ndure it," you finish with a shaky breath.

"good job, angel," jungwon says, letting go of your face and leaning in to kiss you briefly on your forehead.

your head falls back against your pillow, your vision blurring as all you can feel is jungwon moving in and out of you. all you can think of is jungwon. all you ever need, right at this moment, is jungwon.

your brother. the man you love. the man you want to have all your babies with.

"so tight, so fucking tight," jungwon babbles, pushing your legs up so he can get a better angle. your lower half rises off the bed and jungwon fucks into you even harder, snapping his hips against your insides with a force that has you gripping onto your sheets for dear life.

jungwon continues on like this, sweat dripping down his forehead. any pain is gone now, replaced with a want, a need for some sort of release.

you don't know what compels you to talk, but you can't help the next words that come out of your mouth.

"p-please, jungwon. feels so good. w-wanna be a mommy, want it so bad. n-need it!"

jungwon seems to let himself go then, hips moving erratically, not caring if you're bent nearly in half, his grip on your thighs painful as his fingernails poke at your skin. it feels good, you think, your insides clenching and tingling at the sight of jungwon getting nearly animalistic with you.

it almost fills you with joy. knowing that he's only ever like this with you.

a few moments later, jungwon's hips start to stutter.

"gonna give you my babies, angel girl. i'm so close, so close to making you a mommy—fuck!"

the words from jungwon stop any coherent thought in your brain as a sort of euphoria takes over you, your whole body tightening up. jungwon completely stills, pressing himself in deeper. a warm feeling spreads from where he's sheathed inside you.

the two of you remain unmoving, panting as your minds catch up with your bodies. jungwon pulls out moments later, replacing his cock with his fingers. you protest weakly as jungwon moves his fingers shallowly in and out of you.

"i came so much, angel," jungwon says with a chuckle. he pulls his fingers out and shows you his fingers, coated with his milky white release.

"your belly's gonna be all swollen up in nine months, for sure," jungwon muses, pushing his fingers against your mouth. you part your lips hesitantly, licking at the saltiness.

"good girl," jungwon praises, pulling his hand away before kissing you sweetly.

"i love you," jungwon mumbles against your lips.

you hold his face steady, thumbs rubbing at his cheeks. you meld your lips together, the elation finally catching up to you.

there are no stained glass windows in your room, your body bare and void of pretty dresses, and the night is still and quiet.

it's still sunday. it's still your happy day.

"i love you, too," you say as you and jungwon share a smile.

[justagalwhowrites]

HI BESTIE !!! 🫂

i was wondering how Joel would react to Doc spoiling him ROTTEN after she got that big girl money 🫦 (in the lavender au)

(because i know she will spoil him so much as a thank you for his unwavering support throughout her career 🥹)

OMG Hi Bestie!

I love this ask so so SO much. Joel is so soft with his girls and he deserves all the good things, including his wife treating him to all the best things once she's a big time surgeon.

This is just the perfect prompt for our favorite man's birthday, too! I hope this is just what you were hoping for. Love you!

Spoiled

After years of Joel taking care of you, you take care of Joel. A one shot set in the Lavender AU timeline.

Yes I know it's not a Joel gif but it fits the fic so well I had to.

Pairing: Joel Miller x Female Reader (Joel and Doc from the Lavender AU)

Warnings: Fluff and smut, smut and fluff. No use of Y/N. Minors DNI 18+ only.

Length: 4.4K

It started with a shopping trip in Houston for Sarah’s wedding. 

She needed a dress for the rehearsal and her bachelorette party and the malls in Austin just weren’t cutting it. 

“I’m telling you,” she said after coming up empty handed on another Saturday spent shopping as the two of you ate salads and drank sweet tea at a patio cafe. “We need to go to Houston. We haven’t found anything for you, either.”

“I can just…” you began, but Sarah cut you off. 

“Mom,” she raised her brows. “You do not get to say ‘just’ anything about my wedding, come on.” 

You rolled your eyes a little but smiled. 

“Alright,” you put your hands up in surrender. “I’ve got the weekend off again in two weeks, I’ll get us a hotel room in Houston and we can shop til we drop.” 

“I’m going to get you comfortable with spending some of those big surgeon bucks one of these days,” she said. “You need to treat yourself! Live a little!” 

“I live plenty, thank you,” you replied. “And I do it just fine in my Goodwill jeans.” 

“Whatever you say,” she smirked a little, flagging down the server and grabbing the bill before you had a chance to fight her on it. 

Sarah might have had a point. You’d been an attending for the better part of a year now and the jump in pay had been staggering. You were making more now in a year than you had your entire life - or it felt that way, anyway. You’d already made good progress paying off your student loans but you made quick work of the rest. Joel had asked if you wanted to move - something bigger or better somehow - now that you could easily afford it but you’d just frowned at him, almost hurt. 

“This is our home,” you said. “I fell in love with you here, Sarah grew up here, we made Evie here. This is the first place I ever really felt like I belonged, I don’t want to leave.” 

Joel just smiled and kissed your forehead. 

“Then we’ll stay,” he said. “Moving’s a fuckin’ hassle anyway.” 

You’d just been saving money, not really sure what to do with it. You donated some of it, stopped spending time clipping coupons, finally bought a car that was from this decade (but still used). But actually spending it made you anxious. You’d never had money before. You weren’t poor, exactly. You’d always had enough to eat and a roof over your head but you almost never bought new clothes, had never really traveled outside of places that you could easily get to by car. You were pretty sure you’d never even been in a car that wasn’t at least 10 years old before you came to college and your friend Cassie gave you a ride to the store in her new BMW. It was hard to get used to the idea that money could be spent at all, that it wasn’t already earmarked for some bill or, if there was any left, that it had to be saved for a rainy day. 

“You gotta actually spend some of that hard earned money on yourself, Baby,” Joel said as you headed outside to meet Sarah for your weekend in Houston. “Buy some ridiculously expensive dress that I’m gonna want to rip off you in seconds or some purse that’s $1,000 for reasons I don’t understand.” 

“That’s two mortgage payments,” you said, eyes wide. 

“Baby.” 

“Right, right,” you nodded. “On a mission, spend money. Got it.” 

“On yourself,” he added. “Not Sarah. Or not just Sarah, anyway. You two have fun.” 

“You too,” you said, stretching up to kiss him goodbye. “Don’t let Evie con you into giving her candy when she gets home from school.” 

“What wild thing and I get up to when you’re not around is none of your business,” he gave you one last peck on the lips. “Now go, stop worryin’, live a little.” 

The mall in Houston was almost overwhelming. Not in the crowds way malls sometimes were for you, thank goodness, but with the kinds of stores. There were names you recognized from Cassie’s closet and from some of the trust fund girls in your med school program but you realized quickly you had no concept of what things like this actually cost. 

Sarah picked a dress for the rehearsal that was nearly $600 and you choked on the champagne the sales person had given you to sip while Sarah tried on options. 

“You really buy $600 dresses?” You gaped at her as you wandered back into the store from the dressing rooms. 

“Not all the time,” she shrugged. “But we make good money and sometimes it’s fun to buy something nice.” 

She held up a floor length gown to you, the bottom pooling on the ground. 

“That’s too long,” you said. 

“Well we’d get it tailored,” she laughed a little. “Come on, try it on.” 

Another sales person wandered over and offered to set up a fitting room and you snuck a peek at the price tag. Your eyes went wide. 

“That dress is $1200!” You whispered at Sarah as you trailed after the attendant. 

“And it’s for my wedding,” she replied. “And don’t you have that gala thing every spring for work? You can wear it for that, you need a new dress for that anyway. Plus I’m the bride and I say you have to try it on. You can’t disappoint the bride.” 

You sighed and went into the fitting room, feeling utterly out of place in your second hand Levis and vintage top you’d picked up on a shopping trip a few weeks back that felt much more your speed. 

But the dress - outside of the length - looked like it had been made for you. The silk hugged your every curve, the neckline dipping just low enough to display just enough cleavage to be sexy but not so much that it would be scandalous. It was simple, no embellishments beyond the structure of the dress and the deep emerald green of the fabric. Normally you’d have scoffed at something so basic fetching such a high price but, now that it was on your body, you understood it. It was like you’d put on a work of art and, in doing so, become art yourself. 

“OK you can’t laugh,” you said. “But I’m coming out.” 

Sarah was waiting patiently in the little show room attached to your fitting room and you had to hold up the hem of the dress to not trip but she gasped all the same. 

“Oh Mom,” her hand went to her mouth, her eyes wide. “You look incredible.” 

“Yeah?” You asked, turning in the mirrors to look at yourself from every angle. “I don’t look like I’m playing dress up?” 

“Not at all,” she spoke with almost a sense of reverence, looking you up and down. “You’re getting that dress. I’ll buy it for you if you won’t…” 

“No, Sarah,” you protested but she pulled out her phone and snapped a picture before you had a chance to really realize what she was doing. “What was that for?” 

“I’m sending this to Dad…” her voice trailed off and she took a sip of champagne just as her phone rang. She smirked and answered, putting it on speaker phone. “Speak of the devil. Hey old man, your wife is trying to tell me this dress costs too much.” 

“I don’t care if that dress costs $200,000 she’s bringing it home,” Joel said. “She hear me?” 

“Yes,” Sarah smiled, a shit eating grin if there ever was one. 

“Good,” he said. “Baby, you look so damn amazing I’m about to jump in the truck and drive over there just to see you in that thing in person sooner. Save me a trip, bring it home, alright?” 

“Alright,” you sighed. 

“Didn’t quite hear that,” Joel said. 

“I said alright you dork,” you said a little, grinning in spite of yourself. 

“That’s my girl.” 

You bought the dress. And a bag that Sarah insisted you needed for work because she was tired of seeing you haul around a canvas tote. And shoes for the dress. 

When you passed the jeweler window, you were on the way to the car after spending so much money you were surprised you hadn’t fainted. You stopped, the hanger with the garment bag for the dress hooked in your fingers over your shoulder, and looked at the watch sitting in the window. 

It was large and silver but not too ornate, no diamonds or anything like that. The face of the watch was black with elegant white roman numerals on the face. 

“What?” Sarah asked, stopping next to you. 

“Do you think your dad would like that?” You asked, head cocked a little, still looking at the timepiece through the glass. 

“Yeah,” Sarah said after a moment. “Seems like a him watch, if he were going to wear a nice watch, anyway.” 

Joel did already have a watch. A simple one with a green strap and silver colored case and a black face. You and Sarah had picked it out together for his birthday one year. She’d been giddy about it, you had to all but beg her to keep it a secret for a few days until it came time to give it to him. He loved the thing, wore it every day, even more than a decade later. 

But your career wasn’t the only one that had advanced. Joel was no longer doing the manual labor of a contractor every day. More often than not, he was going to meet with clients and arrange contracts and make plans. For a lot of those meetings, he wore a suit and, for a lot of those meetings, you saw him stick his watch in his pocket before leaving the house instead of putting it on. 

“Hard sometimes,” he said when you’d asked him about it. “Fittin’ in with these clients.” 

“Let me just…” you doubled back to the entrance to the store and went inside. 

The watch was more than you thought it would be. A lot more. So, so much more. You watched as the sale’s person’s eyes went from encouraging and hopeful to let down when you reacted to the price. 

“One second,” you smiled sheepishly and pulled out your phone, going into your banking app. Even after spending an arm and a leg on yourself that day, the number in your personal checking account seemed obscenely high. More money than you’d ever had at once until very, very recently. You could afford the watch. You looked at the sales person and smiled. 

“I’ll take it.” 

You had several very strong cocktails when out to dinner with Sarah that night to make yourself feel a little better about spending thousands of dollars on things like clothes and a watch and she just smiled. 

“See, Mom? You spent some money on yourself and the apocalypse did not happen, I think you can actually buy yourself things from time to time.” 

“And things for your dad,” you said. “Because he needs nice things, too.” 

When you got home, Joel insisted that you model the dress for him. 

“It needs to be tailored,” you tried to protest. 

“Not for me to take it off you it doesn’t,” he smiled from his spot on the couch, beer in hand. 

“Fine,” you said. “But only if you let me model everything I bought and you can’t return any of it.” 

“Deal.” 

You went to your bedroom and put on the dress and the shoes and took the watch out of the bag, the face almost comically large on your wrist, before going back to the living room, hem of the dress in hand. 

“Jesus Christ Baby,” he looked at you, his eyes wide. “You look… fuck me.” 

“That is the idea,” you winked. “You like it?” 

“Like is a fuckin’ understatement,” he said, getting up and walking around you slowly, his eyes going up and down your body. “You know, Evie’s at a friend’s for two more hours…” 

“So you’re not going to make me return anything I have on?” You asked. 

“Fuck no.” 

“Not this dress?” You started unzipping the side before sliding the straps down your arms. 

“Dress stays,” he said, gently tugging it down and exposing your chest, kissing the swell of your breasts. 

“What about the shoes?” You asked, putting a sandaled foot out from below the hem. He glanced down, eyes ranging over the straps. 

“Those stay, too,” he said, going back to kissing your chest. “Everything you’ve got on stays, already agreed to that.” 

“Good,” you said as he made it to your neck. “Even this?” 

You held up your wrist, the watch sliding down your arm. 

He frowned, looking at it. 

“Don’t look like you’re style,” he said. “But if it makes you happy, Baby, keep it.” 

“Never said it was for me, Joel,” you smiled a little. You watched him piece it together, taking a moment for him to dawn on him. 

“No,” he shook his head, looking from your arm to your face. “No, you were supposed to get stuff for yourself for a change not…” 

“I did get stuff for me,” you said. “And I got this for you. Because you’re wearing suits more now and I wanted you to have the watch for that. So really, it is for me.” 

He took your wrist gently in one hand, elbow in the other, tilting your arm this way and that to look at the watch in different lights. 

“Baby, this…” he shook his head again. “This is too much, this is…” 

“Not for you,” you cut him off. “Not after everything you’ve given me. This is not enough. But it’s a start. Besides, you said I got to keep everything I was wearing. You already agreed to it, Miller.” 

“Baby,” he sighed. 

“Joel,” you smiled a little. “You’re my husband. Let me give you something nice. Please.” 

He brought the inside of your wrist to his lips and kissed you there, making your pulse flutter against his mouth. 

“Already gave me the best thing there is,” he said. “Anything more feels like I’m stealin’ it.” 

“Steal whatever you want, Miller,” you teased. “But you’re keeping the watch.” 

Joel ended up wearing the watch often. Not as much as the Sarah watch - and he stuck with the Sarah watch for her wedding - but at least once a week for meetings where he needed to dress up for. Every time you gave him a little knowing smile and every time he rolled his eyes a little before kissing you goodbye. But you had yet to get him to accept anything like it in the years since, Joel trying to dodge everything every time you spent money on him. 

So when his birthday was around the corner, you were bound and determined to get him something good. 

“Anything you want for your birthday?” You asked as you, Joel and Ellie wandered around a street fair, meandering towards the car show. “Anything you want to do?” 

“S’not like it’s a big one,” he shrugged. “Just 56. Would love to see all my girls, of course. Could use some new tongs for the grill.” 

“Tongs?” Ellie said, brows raised. “Seriously? Old people are so WEIRD.” 

“You know what kiddo?” Joel smiled a little, faking exasperation. “We’ll see how you’re doin’ when you’re pushin’ 60.” 

“Ew,” she crinkled her nose and wandered to the first car in the row of vehicles on display. You laughed, strolling along with Joel until he stopped at a beautiful old convertible, giving a low whistle. 

“What?” You asked. 

“Just a pretty fuckin’ car,” he said, his hands in his pockets as he walked slowly around it. “Always wanted one of these when I was a kid.” 

“Yeah?” You asked, getting an idea. 

“Neighbor had one,” he nodded. “Let me ride in the back once. Coolest fuckin’ car.” 

He looked over every inch of the thing and Ellie caught up with you while he did, pouting a little as she leaned on the door of the car, her chin propped on her folded arms. 

“I’m starving,” she groaned. “Can I go get some fries at least?” 

“Sure,” you laughed a little, pulling some cash out of your pocket. “Grab me a lemonade, too?” 

You watched as she went to the food stands and you and Joel moved on, walking slowly down the row of cars when Ellie caught up with you again, passing you the lemonade. Joel stole a fry from her cup. 

“Hey!” She protested. “Go get your own!” 

“Might have to,” he said, giving her a wink. “Back in a sec.” 

You waited until he was out of earshot before you grabbed Ellie. 

“Do me a favor,” you said. “That car we were looking at? The blue one? Can you go talk to the owner and find out what make, model and year it is?” 

“I guess,” she frowned. “Why?” 

“Because,” you said. “I found something your dad wants besides tongs.” 

You went and stood in line with Joel, keeping him distracted while Ellie did recon. She took some pictures of the car and texted you all the information which you texted to Andrew as Joel drove home from the fair. 

“Can you help me find this car?” You asked him. “One that’s for sale?”

“Becoming a collector?” He texted back. 

“Joel’s birthday,” you added a smilie face emoji. 

“Excellent,” he replied. “I’ll find you something, don’t worry.” 

It took a few weeks but Andrew found the car. A blue 1967 Mustang Convertible that was being sold down in San Antonio. He went down with you to help you test drive it - you didn’t know a damn thing about cars - and you bought it on the spot. 

“He’s going to freak the fuck out,” Andrew said, driving it home since you couldn’t drive stick. “Seriously, you might give the man a heart attack…” 

You rolled your eyes but laughed all the same. 

“I really hope he loves it,” you said, running your fingers over the dash. 

“I’ll take it off your hands if he doesn’t,” Andrew smiled. “Just don’t tell Jess.” 

Tommy agreed to store the car in his garage until Joel’s party at his house in two weeks and you were giddy as you drove home, feeling like a kid at Christmas as you tried to keep the car a secret. 

By the time the party rolled around, even Ellie was excited and having a hard time holding it together. 

“It’s really just a cookout at Tommy’s,” Joel said as the three of you piled in the car to head over. “Not sure why you two are actin’ like we’re going to fuckin’ Six Flags…” 

“Tommy’s cooler than you,” Ellie said. “Nice to spend time with someone who isn’t a total dinosaur…” 

“Alright, in the car kiddo,” Joel smiled and shook his head a little. “Can’t take you anywhere ’til seatbelts are on, let’s go!” 

You texted Tommy that you were on the way and he responded with a picture of the car, shiny in his driveway with a big, red bow on the hood. 

“He’s going to lose his mind, Kid,” he texted back. “Please tell Maria I want this same treatment when I’m old.” 

“Better put in some work to deserve it, Miller,” you replied, smiling a little. 

Joel parked on the street, frowning at the car in Tommy’s driveway. 

“When the hell’d Tommy get a Mustang?” He got out, his frown deepening. You almost laughed. 

“He didn’t,” you smiled, so big it was like your face was going to crack. 

Joel looked confused for half a moment before his mouth dropped open in shock. 

“No,” he shook his head. Ellie leaned between the front seats, grinning hugely, “No, no that’s… Baby. No.” 

“Suck it up, old man,” Ellie smirked as Sarah and Brandon came out of the house, little Carson making a beeline for the car. Sarah and Brandon waved as Tommy and Maria joined them in the yard. Ellie pulled the keys out of her pocket and dangled them between you and Joel. He took them, staring at them in his hand for a second.

“Should take it before I do,” Tommy hollered and you laughed as you got out of the car and followed an almost dazed Joel toward the Mustang. 

He walked, in awe, around the car twice. 

“I…” he said but stopped, staring at the convertible for a moment. “I don’t….” 

“Do you like it?” You asked, coming up beside him and wrapping your arms around his waist. 

“Fuckin’ love it,” he said, immediately looking at you. “But Baby, this is too much, way too much, I can’t…” 

“Yes you can,” you smiled up at him. He looked down at you, the awed expression still on his face. “After everything you’ve done for me? For us? Everything you’ve sacrificed, all the ways you take care of me and our girls? The life you gave me? Still not enough, Joel. Not for you.” 

He pulled you tight to him and kissed the top of your head. 

“I love you,” he said, his voice wet. “So goddamn much, Baby.” 

Tommy set up chairs and a table in the front yard so everyone could sit near the car while celebrating Joel. He kept looking over at it in disbelief before looking at you with eyes filled with gratitude and wonder. You couldn’t remember the last time your heart felt quite so full. 

You drove Ellie home, following slowly behind Joel in the new convertible. 

“OK I know what this shit means,” Ellie said, gesturing between you and Joel after you got home, your husband clutching you to his side. “Try to keep it down and not be gross about it because ugh.” 

“Was actually going to see if you wanted to take the car for a spin,” you smiled up at Joel. “Just you and me. Assuming Ellie will behave herself and actually go to bed at a reasonable time.” 

“Anything to get away from whatever that is,” Ellie said, smiling a little as she went to her room. You laughed. 

“So,” you said, once she closed the door to her room. You looked up at Joel, smiling. “Care to take me for a ride, Mr. Miller?” 

He grinned.

“Whatever you say, Mrs. Miller.” 

He took you through town slowly, down quiet side streets filled with sleeping people and past businesses that had closed for the night, until the two of you ended up at a large park on the edge of town where things were a little darker and you could see some of the stars. 

“I can’t believe you got me a car, Baby,” he said, his hands running over the steering wheel. His smile was so big you could see it even in the dim light of the moon. “It’s really…” 

“If you say it’s too much again, Joel, I will go and buy you a second one on principle.” 

He laughed at that. 

“I was gonna say it was the best gift I’ve ever gotten,” he said, turning to look at you. “Besides you and the girls of course.” 

“Oh, of course,” you smiled. 

He leaned in and kissed you gently. 

“Not sure what I did to deserve you,” he said. “But I sure am grateful for it.” 

Your kiss shifted and you started climbing over the center console, Joel taking a second to move his seat all the way back. You bunched your skirt around your hips and settled over him, kissing him harder, more eager. 

“I’m pretty damn grateful for you,” you whispered against his mouth, his hands going to your hips. You ground down on him and he moaned, pressing his hard length up against you through his jeans. “And I think the birthday boy should get laid in his dream car.” 

“Dream car,” he said, kissing you. “Dream woman.” He kissed you again. “Perfect fuckin’ birthday.” 

You unzipped his fly as you kissed him and tucked your panties to the side, notching his cock against your entrance. He moaned as you sank slowly down onto him, taking all of him inside of you, savoring how he filled you. 

You started slowly, just grinding him deeper into you as you kissed him, his tongue licking into your mouth. 

“You feel fuckin’ amazing Baby,” he moaned, kissing down your throat until he reached your breasts, cleavage bared in your v-neck top. “Always feel so damn good…” 

He was thrusting up into you, trying to set his own pace, and you decided to allow that, matching him stroke for stroke as he groaned below you. His hands ranged up your back, pawing at your shirt until be was able to raise it enough to slide below it and get at your skin with a satisfied moan. He clutched you close, so close that you could hardly move over him anymore. Instead, he fucked up into you, making you whimper and your channel tighten around him. 

“C’mon Baby,” he grunted, voice strained. “Want you to come for me. All I want now is you to come for me, come all over me, fuck Baby…” 

You bit down on his shoulder to keep quiet, the sounds of crickets and cicadas on the air as you came, your sex throbbed around him. You whimpered against him as you came down from your high and he kept working you, his grip on you tightening. 

“Fuck Baby,” he gasped. “Feel too good, I’m gonna… fuck… I’m…” 

He cut himself off with a groan, thrusting deep and filling you, his grip on you relaxing enough that you could sit up a little. You looked at him in the moonlight his eyes closed, a blissed out look on his face. You smiled a little, brushing his more unruly curls back from his forehead. 

“I love you so much, Baby,” he smiled a little, eyes still closed. 

“So I did alright for your birthday?” You teased lightly, his softening cock still buried inside you. 

He laughed. 

“Did perfect,” he tugged you close enough that he could kiss you again, careful to not push you back against the horn. “Perfect fuckin’ birthday, perfect fuckin’ woman, perfect fuckin’ wife.” 

“Good,” you smiled, kissing him. “You deserve it, Joel. You deserve the world.” 

[buzzyb33]

I’ve been so obsessed with sidemen recently it’s so bad😭 specifically Tobi if I’m honest, hes literally so sweet I love him sm

anywayss I was hoping for a friends with benefits type fic w tobi, where him and reader kinda just will do whatever they feel like with eachother, whether that be cuddling, being each others plus ones to events, doing other fun things (😳). they’re basically dating at this point but neither of them have the guts to flat out say anything about it.

maybe tobi is talking with the other sidemen and casually mentions that he’s shared a couple kisses with reader (or more idk🤭) and they all encourage him to just ask her out on a real date

just wanted to send something in bc I’ve been obsessed with this man for a while now😭 you don’t have to write this if you don’t feel like it! thank you!!

ps: love your work, your writing style is so amazing and perfect 🩷

TOBI? OF COURSEEEE

Prompt: since Tobi used one of his passes to be Y/ns plus one to a wedding the boys have been suspicious. Though she was already a friend of them then two seem closer than ever

Warnings: suggestive content,

Tobi sighs as he gets to the set, he hasn’t seen the boys in roughly a week as he went out with Y/n to a wedding as her plus one, his mind was full of her still.

The two were close, she held him when his mental health declined and he was feeling down, in the comfort of their little relationship.

He also held her when she was getting trolled on the internet, which was massively getting her down.

And when Tobi got a little tipsy at the sidemen 10 year party you two got frisky in a corner- ending in you going back to his hotel room with him which ended in expected sex.

When you got nominated and won an award for the female content creator of the year along with Eleanore Neale he buried his head between your thighs to congratulate you.

Also when he scored the sixth goal in the sidemen charity match- to congratulate him he got back to his hotel room when you came to speak to him, he shut the door and you instantly sunk to your knees before him.

“Well done tobi.. my way of saying well done? I’m not good with my words..” you peered up at him as you worked on his jeans.

But as he stood before you during one of your old school friends wedding in your blue thigh high dress, your beautiful smile accompanying that.

Sighing, he walked into the house for the recording and was met with a cheer.

“Tobjzl! What do we owe the pleasure!?” Ethan calls with a grin on his face.

Rolling his eyes in response and sitting down on the settee next to josh and Harry.

“Where was you last week?” JJ questions with a surprising amount of genuine confusion in his voice.

“I was at a wedding.” He replied.

“Who got married?”

“My friends friend.”

“JJ he was with Y/n the whole weekend.” Simon interjects with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

Tobi's response is a simple eye roll but as JJ laughs and Simon seems to be waiting for a confirmation or even a denial he reluctantly speaks up: "she asked me to be her plus one- Simon just called me when we was talking."

"She your girl?" Josh grins with a nudge to Tobis side.

“No.”

He wants her to be.

During the recording he checked his phone briefly and seen a message from no other than the girl he was infatuated with reading out an innocent “will you come over later?”

-

Meeting Josh for lunch the next day after having a night with Y/n, his mind a nice set of bliss.

The way her lips moved with his- her hands on his shoulders in a desperate way, how she whispered how much she missed h-

“Tobi, are you listening?”

“Tobi?” Josh’s voice sounds through his clouded mind.

“Yeah- sorry mate- what?”

“I was just saying how lannan was flying down soon- tobi, are you alright?” Josh’s voice masks concern.

“Yeah- I’m just a bit distracted..”

“With what?”

“… y/n.”

Josh smiles slightly. “What? Have you got a date?”

“That’s the thing- we’ve you know- but I don’t know if it’s just.. physical or she wants something- I do, I’m ready to commit but-“ he sighs.

“Have you shagged?” He urges.

“Well- yeah.”

Josh nodded slowly.

“Tobi- she initiates conversation just as you from what you say so just- ask her but make sure it’s clear of your intentions,”

“Okay- yeah, okay..”

Tobi forced the thought of you to the back of his mind as he spoke to Josh over food, nice conversations flowing.

-

I get a knock at my door and flat out my grey vest.

I open the door and see Tobi, a surprising factor as he normally messages me.

“Tobi! Did you leave something here or?..” I ask with a smile.

“No, no, uh can I come in?” He questions with a nervous smile, both hands behind his back.

“Yeah- course.”

I step out of the way and he exhale deeply, pulling his hands from behind his back and handing me a beautiful bouquet of light blue and pink lilies.

“Will- do you wanna go out? Properly? On a real date?” He taps his foot lightly as I look in awe at the flowers.

“Tobi- of course I will… You got me flowers?” I whisper as I feel my water line fill with tears.

“Great! And yeah I got you flowers- do you not like them?” A smile adorns his lips as he speaks, nervousness still swimming in his dark eyes.

“I- love them.. I’ve never got flower’s before..” I reply with a hint of emotion.

“A beautiful girl like you should get flowers every waking minute.” He grins softly as I hurry into my kitchen to put them in a vase.

I feel his eyes on me and as I cut the tips I turn to face him, hugging him tightly.

“You- wanna get serious? Not just.. what we do?” I ask as he squeezes me back.

“Yeah, I do, if you’re okay with that.” He murmured softly into my hair as he sways with me in his arms.

“I’m great with that.”

A/n:

JAMES MARRIOTT IS UP NEXT!!

Anyway I really hope you like this I’m sorry it’s short I was struggling a bit feel free to request some more!!

Requests are open

Masterlist!

[nicoline1998enilocin]

Little bubbles

PAIRING | Steve Rogers x Female!Reader

WORD COUNT | 5.1K

SUMMARY | You're getting married to the love of your life, and find out you're expecting not too long after. The journey to finally hold your little baby in your arms isn't quite the way the two of you had hoped, but all three of you get out stronger on the other side.

WARNING(S) | This is your official trigger warning. Do not proceed if any of these topics upset you. Smut [ unprotected sex (both parties have been tested beforehand and are safe), fingering, a little bit of nipple play, oral (m&f receiving), dirty talk, daddy kink, a little bit of aftercare ], planned pregnancy, difficulties during labor, panic attack.

A/N | I am fully aware that fanfics including marriage, pregnancy, and/or kids aren't everyone's cup of tea, so if that is the case I politely ask you to skip this one. You won't hurt my feelings if you do so, I just like writing about my fantasies and share it with those who are willing to read them. 🖤

Likes and reblogs will be very much appreciated 💜

Main Masterlist | Steve Rogers Masterlist

''Are you ready to become Mrs. Rogers?'' your dad asked, right before he would walk you down the aisle to get married. ''I've been ready for as long as I can remember, let's just hurry up!'' you say with a huge smile on your face, which was the proudest accessory on your wedding day today. You are finally getting married to the love of your life after being together for nearly 10 years. Last year Steve retired from the Avengers to live a normal life with you, and today would be the start of the rest of your lives together.

At the beginning of your relationship, you discussed getting married to each other. You were pretty serious right off the bat, and the love only grew between the two of you from there. The plan always was to get married after Steve would retire from the Avengers, so you could focus on starting a family and building the rest of your lives together without the added pressure of Steve being gone all the time. Even though you weren't an Avenger yourself, all of the Avengers still love you deeply, and have the utmost respect for you. This respect was not just because you were together with Steve, but because you earned their respect by your actions over the years.

Being a surgeon came in pretty handy when you met Steve all those years ago because more than once he and all the other Avengers came back with pretty bad injuries. All of them have been treated by you multiple times, and you were pretty much the only one they trusted enough to let you do whatever you thought would be necessary. After 5 years together with Steve, he lobbied for you to get a job in the Avengers Compound as a surgeon, and you got appointed the head of surgery there shortly after. Steve wasn't doing badly himself, and he loved his job as Captain America, but he loved doing you even more.

''Let's go bubbles, it's time for you to get married to the man who's gonna take you away from me!'' your dad said in a dramatic voice, clinging to his chest to show his fake hurting. He almost loved Steve more than you did, and that was saying something. Not only did you and Steve have the best relationship you could imagine, but he also got along well with your dad, who is the other most important person in your life. ''Oh stop it, Dad, it's not like I won't see you again...'' you said with an eye roll and laughed at your comment. Before you knew it, the music started playing and your dad guided you down the aisle, towards the man you love so deeply.

You look at Steve and see he is trying to hold back tears, and you have to do the same thing. The both of you have been looking forward to this day for years, dreaming about your dream wedding, and it was finally coming true. All your best friends by your side, the people closest to both of you sharing this beautiful day with both of you. Bucky is Steve's best man, and Natasha is your maid of honor. ''Congratulations Steve, I wish you both the best,'' your dad said, and he gave you away to your soon-to-be husband, who couldn't keep it together if he wanted to, tears of joy streaming down his face and sniffling sounds that slowly die down when you both stand at the altar.

''We are gathered here today, to witness these two beautiful individuals come together as one.'' Tony started. ''To be honest, I didn't think he had it in him, but he somehow managed to find the most perfect girl on earth, and she said yes to marrying him. I'm proud of you man.'' he said and everyone started laughing. ''Right now, it is time for your vows.'' and with that, you both told each other your vows. How you would love each other no matter what, and you can't wait to spend the rest of your lives together. You shared your private vows before the ceremony, but now you would tell everyone about your undying love for each other. After all, you can't let everyone know what you plan to do to each other on your wedding night, right? ''Now, it is time for the ring exchange. Steve, repeat after me,''.

''With this ring, I, Steve, ask you to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish you, for time and all eternity.''

''What is your answer to this, Y/N?'' Tony asked. ''I do.'' ''Now, Y/N, repeat after me,'';

''With this ring, I, Y/N, ask you to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish you, for time and all eternity.''

''What is your answer to this, Steve?'' ''I do.''

The kiss that followed the ring exchange was the seal at the beginning of the rest of your lives together. A soft, loving kiss that took both your breaths away. It was passionate, so full of love and promises, and it felt amazing to feel your husband's lips on yours. This is the beginning of the rest of your life, and you couldn't wait to live it all with the man you can now call your husband. ''I love you, Capsicle.'' you giggle when you part the kiss. ''I love you too, bubbles.'' with one last small kiss, you turn to the wedding guests with your arms held high as a start to celebrate with everyone. Bucky and Natasha were both crying and you hugged both of them first, knowing how much it means to them that they got to share this with you.

The reception afterward was one big party, and the cake was gone before you even had a chance to properly sit down and eat some. The dinner was simple but tasteful, and the party was one to never forget. You both chose to put disposable camera's at each table so the guests could take photos, and you couldn't wait to see what you would see when you were done. But right now, it was time to go to your honeymoon suite and have sex with your husband for the very first time. ''I can't believe I can finally call you my wife!'' Steve said when he picked you up bridal style and walked the both of you through the door. You didn't even take the time to look around the room before you were smashing your lips together and undressing one another.

''Fuck babe, you look so sexy in this wedding lingerie, too bad I won't be able to enjoy it for long,'' Steve said, and you loved the fact that he had such a dirty mind during sex. It was the complete opposite of who he was in your daily life, and it made you extremely wet when he swears like that. ''I need you, Steve, I need you to put a baby in me,'' you said and you couldn't wait for his reaction. He stopped for a little bit to let it sink in. ''Are you sure?'' he asked. ''Well, yeah? We didn't get tested for nothing, right? Now you can finally fuck me without a condom like we've always wanted to.'' you said to him. Since you didn't want any unplanned pregnancies, you were on the pill and always used condoms during sex, but after some talking you decided that after your wedding, you would stop using both.

The two of you were ready to have children, and there is no better night than tonight to start making some. ''You're right baby,'' Steve said as he unhooked your bra, your nipples immediately peaking from the slight breeze in the room. His mouth went to one of your nipples and sucked on it a little between nipping on it with his teeth, which sent your brain into overdrive already, moaning softly. ''I bet you're already soaked for me, aren't you?'' Steve said with a mischievous grin on his face, and he slowly stroked his way down your waist to your wet panties. ''Hm, so fucking wet, and all for me baby, I can't wait to taste how sweet you are for me,'' he said and he played a little more with your nipples until you couldn't take it anymore.

''Steve, please-'' is all you could get out before he stopped immediately. ''No, that's not what I want you to call me. You know better than that,'' he said in a deep voice, and you immediately caught on to what he was saying. ''Daddy, please, I need you so bad,'' you said and he slowly pushed you down on your back, so he could taste you. His fingers hooked around the edge of your underwear and he ripped them off, too impatient to take them off. His face went straight to your soaked cunt, and he licked a stripe from your entrance to your clit, leaving you a moaning and whimpering mess. ''Daddy, fuck yes!'' you moaned and he took this as a sign to start sucking your clit, alternating with softly licking to tease you. Your hands found their way into his hair and you pulled a little, to show him where you needed him most. ''Daddy, need to cum!'' you moaned, and he listened to you by slowly putting two fingers into your entrance.

When he picked up the speed after stretching you out a little bit, your moans became louder and closer together, and Steve could feel you clench around his fingers as he kept sucking and licking. ''Oh fuck baby, cum for me! I want you to fucking soak me!'' Steve said as he picked up the pace even more, making you orgasm in a matter of seconds afterward. He kept going until you rode out your high and then put his fingers in his mouth to show you how good you tasted, and he went in for a kiss afterward. You explore each other's mouths at a slow, loving pace and you can taste yourself on his tongue, making you soaking wet all over again, whilst your hands are exploring each other's bodies. When you reach his boxers you hook your fingers behind the band, and when he is distracted a little bit by that, you flip him on his back so you're on top.

''It's my time to taste you now daddy, can't wait to feel your cock in my throat again, it feels so fucking good when you fuck my mouth..'' you say, making Steve impossibly hard. ''Fuck baby, I can't wait to cum so fucking deep in that beautiful throat of yours, I want you to swallow it all'' he said in a low grunt and it went straight to your core, making you moan. You quickly pull his boxers down and wrap your hands around his thick, leaking cock while licking up the pre-cum that slowly makes its way down his shaft. This earns you a deep groan and he bucks his hips up at the feeling, getting impatient. ''You have to be patient Daddy, I'll make it worth your while..'' you say in a sensual voice with a grin on your face, having way too much fun teasing him. ''Wanna feel you, baby, wanna feel your mouth on daddy's cock,'' and with that, you slowly take the tip into your mouth.

''Oh baby, you feel so fucking good-'' he says before you take him almost entirely in your mouth all at once. If there is one thing Steve loved about you, is the fact that you barely have a gag reflex, and he can fuck your mouth as much as he wants to. You move your head quickly up and down while hollowing your cheeks and Steve grabs a hold of your hair, finally snapping and setting his own pace now. ''Oh fuck baby, that's it, suck daddy's dick till I cum!'' he grunts out and his head rolls back while fucking you deep into your throat. All you can do is let out muffled moans and your fingers go to your clit, the fact that Steve is fucking your throat is enough to let you cum all over again. ''Hm baby, cum for me while I fuck you down your tight little throat,'' he says and his pace is becoming more and more frantic, and you know he's getting close to his orgasm.

You look up at him so you can look him in his eyes while you grab his balls and softly tug on them, hollowing your cheeks and sucking hard once more which sends him right over the edge. ''OH F-FUCK...'' is all he could scream when he came violently down your throat, he keeps shooting more and more white ropes down your throat and you swallow every last drop of it. ''You taste so fucking good Daddy, I wanna taste your cum every day..'' and you kiss him passionately, letting him taste his cum in your mouth. Steve needs a few minutes to go again, so you decide to use this to your advantage and lazily make out with each other for a little while, which was always your favorite thing to do while having sex. As much as you both love fucking each other senselessly, there is nothing better than exploring each other's mouths, playing with each other's hair, and touching each other's bodies wherever you can reach.

''Ready to go again, Daddy? Because I have a soaking wet pussy that needs to be stretched with that dick of yours,'' you get off of Steve, settling down on your hands and knees. ''Hm, you know I am baby, can't wait to bury this cock so deep in your soaking cunt that I can feel myself in your belly,'' he said, lining himself up with your entrance. Without any further warning, he thrusts himself deep into your cunt, and he bottoms out immediately, making you scream his name as you feel the burn from him stretching you and taking you over. His hands find their place on your shoulders as he waits for you to move, so he knows he can finally start thrusting in you, and paint your walls with more ropes of his thick, white cum. ''Feels good baby, wanna be inside you all the time,'' he groans and you clench around him at the thought, and you start to move. Because Steve is holding you at your shoulders he can set a relentless pace, fucking you so hard the headboard is making holes into the wall, but neither of you cares.

''Oh-, Daddy PLEASE! Gonna cum-'' You manage to get out before your third orgasm quickly washes over you, and you clench around Steve so hard he can't possibly move any faster in and out of you. ''That's it, baby, cum around this thick cock, gonna make me cum inside you baby, gonna put a baby in you tonight!'' he says between pants and grunts, and not much later, he cums too. He screams your name and when he comes he pulls you up so your back is against his chest, holding you close while finally feeling his cum squirt deep inside your cunt. ''Fuck daddy, feel so good..'' is the last thing you manage to say before your body goes limp and all you can do is smile up at Steve. ''I love you so much baby, I love you so fucking much and I'm the luckiest man in the universe to spend the rest of my life with you,'' he says, and he slowly pulls out. You whine a little at the loss of his cock inside you, but Steve soothes you. ''It's okay baby, just gonna clean you up and then we can take a bath together, okay?'' and you agree, but while he went to grab a washcloth, you fell asleep.

''Baby, you need to wake up for now, I need to clean you up, you can sleep when we're in the bath together, okay?'' and you wake up just enough to let Steve clean you up. You're still very sensitive, but he always takes such good care of you. Steve picks you up and takes you to the bath he just ran, making sure the water is nice and warm before he gets in with you in his arms. ''Here you go bubbles, just enjoy your bath so your muscles can relax. I love you so much, and you're doing good for me now,'' when you both sit down and enjoy the nice warm water together. You sleep for a little while and Steve slowly washes your body, making sure not to wake you, and when he's done he dries you off before putting one of his shirts on you. The two of you get into bed and have the best night's sleep you have had for a long time.

~ 6 months later ~

''Wow, bubbles, you're glowing right now! Pregnancy is looking good on you.'' Bucky said, and he couldn't be happier for you and Steve. All he wanted was to see his best friend happy, and he is the happiest he has ever been. ''It's been what... 6 months now?'' and you nod, putting your hands on your belly. ''They have been kicking like crazy, it constantly keeps me up at night, but besides that, we're loving it. Steve is such a gentleman, he is even running to the store right now to get me some more pickles since we ran out yesterday...'' you say and can't help but laugh at your cravings. ''Today is the big reveal too, right? We're finally finding out if you're having a 'small bubbles' or a 'small captain'?'' and you nod, blushing a little at the thought.

''Hey bubbles, I have your pickles! Now we can finally start the reveal!'' Steve panted as he ran into the room with multiple jars of pickles. ''Oh my god, thank you so so SO much!'' you say and plant a firm kiss on his lips, no longer waiting to soothe your craving and grabbing a jar of pickles. ''Hm, I missed you so much...'' you say to the pickles, and Steve is a little jealous now, seeing you missed the pickles more than him, but he laughs it off, knowing how you can get when your cravings aren't satisfied. ''Gender reveal time!'' Steve said and then turned around towards the big box that Natasha had prepared, beside you and Steve, she is the only other person who knows the gender already, and you're eternally grateful she didn't tell anyone. ''I can't believe it, you're growing a little human inside you,'' she said with tears when you told her that you were pregnant. And now, here you are announcing to everyone what the little one will be.

''Baby, can you put the pickles down for now? I don't want pickle jars in the photos!'' Steve said with a big smile, and you reluctantly agreed and went to the front of the room where the box is. It is a blue and pink box with glitter on it, saying ''Boy or girl?'' on the front. As cheesy as you thought this was, you still loved every moment of it, because you got to wear the new pink bodycon dress that you bought just for the occasion. Some people assumed it was a sign that you were having a girl, but you insisted that wasn't the case, even though you knew damn well that's exactly why you did it. ''3... 2... 1...!'' everyone counted down, and when you both lifted the box, 5 bright pink balloons floated up, showing everyone you will have a little girl in a few months, and everyone is extremely happy for the both of you.

''OH MY GOD YES, I KNEW IT WOULD BE A GIRL!'' Sam exclaimed, and he was the first to hug you and congratulate you. ''You know, Sam is a great name for a girl too, right?!'' he asked with a wink, teasing you a bit. ''Not in a million years, Sam.'' you joked and chuckled. After lots of hugs and congratulations from everyone, you had to sit down and that is when Natasha came up to you. ''I know this is technically your day, but can I tell you something in private?'' she asked, and you happily agreed, as long as you could stay on the couch. ''We don't want everyone to know yet, but Bruce proposed to me a few days ago, and I just couldn't wait any longer to tell you!'' she said and you squealed, everyone suddenly looking at you. ''Sorry, she's kicking again! No worries!'' but not everyone was convinced. However, they didn't mention it, too happy celebrating the fact that there would be a little Y/N running around in 3 months.

~ 3 months later ~

The pregnancy went by relatively easily, aside from some bad nights when the little girl was kicking, there wasn't much to it, and you hoped the delivery would be no different. However, the universe had different plans for the delivery, and it would not go anywhere along the lines the two of you had hoped it would. Just to be on the safe side, you had decided to have your little girl in the hospital in case everything went wrong and you needed immediate help. In the end, the two of you were eternally grateful for this decision, otherwise, you would not have made it through the birth of your little girl.

The contractions started pretty easy, they were just a bit like heavy period cramps, but nothing you couldn't handle. The fact that they started just as you started to fall asleep that night, was something neither of you was very happy about. You didn't have a say in when it would happen obviously, but you wished your body had chosen a better time for the labor the start. ''Steve, I think my water just broke,'' you tell him when it feels like you just peed yourself in the bed. You knew that couldn't be it, since you just went to the toilet, so this was the only logical option. ''Oh shit, really?'' he asked in an immediate state of panic. ''So much for being calm...'' you muttered to yourself when your usually calm husband was flying around your apartment to get the last things ready to go to the hospital.

Your hospital bag was packed already, and you were thankful it was a nice day outside today, so you could just wear one of Steve's big shirts and not pants, not that you fit in any of them right now. The contractions start getting closer to each other, becoming more and more painful, and only 5 minutes apart now. ''Oh FFUUUUUUCKK'' you screamed through the entire compound, not caring who could hear you, just wishing the pain would go away fast. Steve shot a quick text in the group chat that you were in labor and the two of you were going to the hospital and that the two of you were very sorry for any unwanted screaming. They all just said they wanted to be updated, so they could visit you in the hospital later. ''Steve, please, get me to the hospital, NOW!'' you sobbed when the pain was almost unbearable and you couldn't walk, so your knees gave out and you sank to the floor right then and there.

''IT HURTS SO BAD STEVE, PLEASE GET ME THERE NOW!'' you screamed at him with tears streaming down your face, squeezing him so hard bruises are forming in the form of your fingers, but that was the least of his concerns, all he wanted was to get you to the hospital. He was thankful it was almost midnight, so the traffic wasn't as bad and you got to the hospital in a short 10-minute drive. When you arrived Steve quickly helped you out of the car and got you checked in, you were immediately taken to the labor and delivery ward of the hospital. ''FUUUUCK, WHY ME?!'' you scream, it feels like you're being ripped apart from the inside out now, but you also feel your consciousness slowly slipping due to all the pain, your body couldn't take anymore and completely shut down. ''Steve, help-'' is the last thing you said before completely blacking out.

The nurses and doctor quickly rushed to you, because you were losing a lot of blood, despite not even pushing yet. ''She needs to be taken to the ICU now, and I'm sorry but you can't be there. We have to treat her and the only way to do that is without distractions.'' the doctor said firmly, Steve was nailed to the floor when he heard that. ''Please, make sure they both get out safe on the other side...'' he pleaded in a soft voice, tears streaming down his face now. When you got taken away, Steve punched a hole in the wall out of anger, you didn't deserve this at all. Not his bubbles. He decided to call Bucky, the only other person he wanted with him right now. ''Buck, she-, she's not okay..'' is all he could croak out before bursting out into long, hard sobs again. Bucky promised to be there as soon as possible, and not long after he was there for his best friend.

''Steve, look at me. Bubbles is going to be fine, I know it. She is strong, and your little girl is going to make it too. This is the reason you decided to go here when she started labor, and it is a good thing you did. You're having a panic attack, so please breathe for me Steve, mimic by breaths, okay?'' he said and he slowly breathed in through his nose and out through his mouth, and Steve did the same, his heart rate slowly coming down to a normal pace now. ''I can't believe this is happening to her, I can't lose her...'' Steve said and tears fell across his face again, his face bright red from the state he was in. ''I get it, but they will be fine. Soon, you will hold your little girl in your arms, and Y/N will be back with you, I promise.'' Bucky said, and slowly Steve started to believe him, even though it was extremely hard.

It had taken a few hours in the operating room to get you back to your old state, but both you and your little girl made it safely to the other side, albeit with a few more scars than you started with. It turns out that your placenta ruptured causing heavy bleeding, and on top of that, the umbilical cord got wrapped around your daughter's neck, causing her to lose oxygen for a little bit. Luckily they were there to fix it on time and it was unlikely she would have any lasting effects from that. When she was born she cried with a healthy set of lungs, and everything was perfect. You weren't awake when they did the c-section, but both of you needed to survive. After you woke up in the ICU, you finally got to see your little daughter.

''Hi little bubbles, I'm so happy to meet you. I'm your mom!'' you said in a soft yet excited voice, you fell instantly in love with her. You noticed she had the same facial features as Steve, she was already a carbon copy of him, and it was the cutest thing ever. It was everything you could wish for and more, now all you needed was to see your husband. ''Hi bubbles, I'm so glad you're okay! I thought you wouldn't make it for a couple of hours..'' Steve said, the effect of his crying and panic still visible on his face. ''Come here babe, we're going to be perfectly fine. And besides, I have someone I want you to meet!'' you said in the same soft voice you've used to talk to her this whole time. ''She looks exactly like you!'' you said and laughed, causing the little girl to wake up. ''But she has your eyes though, she is the perfect combination of both of us!'' Steve said, this time having tears of joy on his face.

''Here, you can hold her, that way I can get in a bit more of a comfortable position for now,'' you say and Steve gently picks her out of your arms, softly stroking her cheek with his thumb. ''You're even more perfect than I thought you would be, little bubbles...'' he said and he couldn't help but smile at the sight of his daughter. ''Oh, Buck is here too, is it okay if I show her to him? He really couldn't wait to meet his little niece.'' and you agreed, that way you had some privacy to go to the bathroom. ''Hey Buck, I have someone I want you to meet!'' Steve said and he walked into the hallway where he was waiting, not being allowed inside the room. ''Isn't she gorgeous?'' Steve asked, and Bucky couldn't do anything other than agree. ''It is so weird how she looks exactly like you!'' he said laughing. ''I know, but you know what the best part is? She has Y/N's eyes. She is the perfect combination of us.'' Bucky could see the love in his eyes for both his girls. ''Congratulations man, I wished your parents could have been here to see her too,'' he said.

After a week, you were finally allowed to go back to the compound, and everyone was very excited to meet their little niece. The entire living room was decked out in pink decorations, and some presents for the little girl. ''Wow, she really-'' ''We know!'' you and Steve both said in unison, having heard the fact that she looks exactly like Steve way too many times now. ''She's perfect,'' you said and you rested your head against Steve's chest, he wrapped his arms around the both of you protectively. ''All that is left now is to reveal her name, right Capsicle?'' you chuckled at the nickname, knowing he still didn't like you calling him that. ''Right, Bubbles,'' he said with a bit of side-eye. You have decided to name her after both your mothers since they both weren't able to see their little granddaughter. This way their legacy would live on forever.

''Her name is Lily Sarah Rogers.''

[matttgirlies]

Matt & Me🎀

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

a story heavily based on Priscilla Presley’s Book “Elvis & Me” based in the 1950’s - 1970’s.

fem! reader x singer! matt

disclaimer!! - in no way am i saying matt would ever support or do these kind of things, for the sake of the book certain unethical things do happen at times.

warnings - semi smut (not really)

y/nn = your nickname for any confusion🩷

Chapter 18

My attitude toward the usual wedding formalities was naive and unsophisticated. If it had not been for my good friend Amber Doe, I can’t imagine what I would have done. Amber was great that way. She was raised in Missouri, where her mother was somewhat involved with political events and ventures. Amber knew all the social graces along with proper etiquette.

Before the wedding there had never been an occasion for formalities—the same people came around for years and were always included when there was a special party such as New Year’s at a local club or fireworks wars in back of Graceland.

She reminded me to order my own personalized stationery for later thank-yous and a guest book for later memories. She registered our name with the city’s finest silver and crystal dealers for the convenience of family and friends buying wedding presents.

I had never attended a wedding as large as ours—nothing even close. I was nervous. The bounty from the wedding showers took me by surprise. Graceland had always seemed to have everything anyone could want. We were content with what was there, plus little things I’d bought over the years, such as simple dishes and plain glasses (in case of breakage).

“What’s wrong with those?” I wondered. I was raised to be practical and it was showing. Amber introduced me to dining luxury, the top names in silver, crystal, china—Baccarat, Lenox, Steuben.

The wedding ceremony itself took place on May 1, 1967. Colonel William handled the arrangements. His plan was for Matt and me to drive from L.A. to our rented house in Palm Springs the day before the wedding, so that any inquisitive reporters who got wind of the event would think it was going to take place there.

In fact, we planned to rise before dawn on our wedding day and fly from Palm Springs to Las Vegas, where we were scheduled to arrive at the city clerk’s office at 7 a.m. to get our marriage license. From there, the plan was to rush over to the Aladdin Hotel, dress, have a small ceremony in the private suite of the hotel’s owner, and then—we hoped—slip out of town before anyone noticed.

Time was of the essence. We knew that once we applied for a marriage license, the news would flash around the world. It actually was only a few hours after we got our license that Rona Barrett’s office began calling to ask if rumors about the marriage were true.

Matt and I followed the Colonel’s plan, but as we raced through the day we both thought that if we had it to do over again, we would have given ourselves more time. We were particularly upset at the way our friends and relatives ended up being shuffled around. The Colonel even told some of the boys that the room was too small to hold most of them and their wives, and that there wasn’t time to change to a bigger room. Unfortunately, by the time Matt found out, it was too late for him to do anything about it.

Now I sometimes look back at all the commotion of that week and wonder how things could have gotten so out of hand. I wish I’d had the strength then to say, “Wait a minute, this is our wedding, fans or no fans, press or no press. Let us invite whomever we want, and have it wherever we want!”

It seemed that as soon as the ceremony began, it was over. Our vows were taken. We were now husband and wife. I remember flashbulbs popping, my father’s congratulations, my mother’s tears of happiness.

I would have given anything for one moment alone with my husband. But we were immediately rushed out for a photo session, then a nationwide press conference, and finally a reception, with more photographers.

Mrs. Matt Sturniolo. It had a different ring, a nicer sound than previous labels such as “constant companion,” “teen heartthrob,” “live-in Lolita,” “lover.” For the first time, I felt accepted by my peers and the majority of the public. There were exceptions, of coursethose who had that little hope that they might be the one to finally catch Matt. I didn’t understand that at the time. I was in love and just hoped they would be happy for us.

When I read in the newspapers that I was the best-kept secret in Hollywood, I felt very proud; it was good to be acknowledged. The years of doubt and insecurity of where and if I belonged were over.

I was both exhausted and relieved when we finally returned to Palm Springs aboard Frank Sinatra’s Learjet, the Christina. There were more photographers and reporters waiting for us as we stepped off the plane, and others were parked outside our home.

I was surprised that Matt was holding up so well, considering how nervous he’d been about this ultimate commitment. Yet he was charming with the press and dealt easily with endlessly clicking cameras and flashbulbs, all of which he could usually tolerate only for short periods of time. On top of everything else, we hadn’t slept for nearly forty-eight hours.

In his own way, Matt was determined that our wedding day would be special for us. He joked with Nate Doe, asking, “Is this the way it’s done?”

He carried me across the threshold of our house singing “The Hawaiian Wedding Song.” He stopped and gave me a long, loving kiss, then proceeded to carry me up the stairs to our bedroom, the whole crowd teasing and applauding.

It was still daylight and the sun shone brightly through our bedroom windows as Matt carefully placed me in the middle of our king-size bed.

I don’t think he really knew what to do with me. After all, Matt had protected me and saved me for so long. He was now understandably hesitant about fulfilling all his promises about how very good this moment was going to be.

I have to laugh at how nervous we both were. One would have thought that it was the first time we had ever been together under intimate circumstances.

Gently, his lips touched mine. Then he looked deeply into my eyes. “My wife,” he said softly, as he drew me close. “I love you, y/nn,” he murmured, covering my body with his.

The intensity of emotion I was experiencing was electrifying. The desire and lust that had built up in me throughout the years exploded in a frenzy of passion.

Could he have known how it would be for me? Had he planned this all along? I’ll never know. But I do know that as I went from child to woman, the long, romantic, yet frustrating adventure that Matt and I had shared all seemed worthwhile. As old-fashioned as it might sound, we were now one. It was special. He made it special, like he did with anything he took pride in.

Within a few days we were in Boston, where Angela Sturniolo held a small wedding shower for me. At the end of May we threw a big reception at Graceland for all our friends and relatives—and some fans. Matt and I wore our wedding clothes, greeted everyone, sipped champagne, and shared cake just as if the party were taking place after the wedding ceremony. It was much more comfortable and relaxed than Las Vegas.

Laughing and somewhat high from the champagne, we could really have a good time. There were no photographers or strangers watching our every move.

It was fun seeing James get loose.

“Dad, you want some more champagne?” Matt asked, his eyes twinkling.

“Don’t mind if I do, Son. That’s pretty good stuff.”

“Yeah. Well, don’t drink too much. I don’t want my dad gettin’ in trouble. I see that blonde you’ve been eyein’.”

James stole a glance at the girl and, with the same twinkle replied, “She ain’t too bad, is she? Think I’ll go see if she needs anything.”

Matt turned to me and said, “I like seein’ Dad happy. He hasn’t had too much of it lately, poor ol’ guy.” He watched James make his way through the crowd.

The reception at Graceland was our way of trying to make everyone happy—those who hadn’t known about the wedding ceremony, those who knew but couldn’t attend, and those who knew but weren’t invited. It was a way of including everyone, of making up to anyone whose feelings might have been hurt during the rushed hours in Vegas.

One person who had been very upset was Red West. He had not been invited to the wedding ceremony in the suite, only to the reception afterward. I believe the reason Red was so hurt was because Matt did not demand that he be present, did not take a stand over Colonel William’s decision that only the immediate family and best man attend. I also believe that Red wanted to be best man. After all, he’d known Matt the longest, since their days at Humes High. When Red found out he could not watch the ceremony, he refused to come at all.

Matt was aware of Red’s decision but was determined not to let anything mar the wedding. I understood that but was never able to figure out how Marty Lacker made it to the ceremony. In a last-minute decision Matt had included him as best man along with Nate Doe.

It took a long time for Red to come around again without showing his displeasure. This bothered Matt and he discussed it with many of us, justifying himself and blaming Colonel for putting him in an awkward position.

“You didn’t make the decision—I did,” Colonel reportedly stated. “No matter who you picked, there was gonna be someone left mad. You got too many as it is. You oughta listen to me and let go of some of ’em, then these things won’t come up.”

There’s an old Southern belief that holds that a woman goes into a marriage thinking she can change her man, while a man wants his woman to stay the same as when he married her. I didn’t want to change Matt, but I did have the romantic delusion that once we were married, I could change our life-style.

For the first few days after the wedding, I thought my dream had come true. We divided our time between Graceland and the ranch, where Matt and I had taken up residence in a large, three-bedroom trailer.

It was typical of Matt to choose the trailer over the quaint little house. He had never lived in a trailer before and it intrigued him. The place was completely furnished, including a washer, a dryer, and a modern kitchen. It turned out to be very romantic.

I loved playing house. I personally washed all his clothes, along with the towels and sheets, and took pride in ironing his shirts and rolling up his socks the way my mother had taught me. Here was an opportunity to take care of him myself. No maids or housekeepers to pamper us. No large rooms to embrace the regular entourage.

I got up early, put on a pot of coffee, and started his breakfast with a pound of bacon and three eggs, proudly presented it to him the moment he woke up.

“You see, if we were ever stranded somewhere alone, you know I can take care of you.”

It must have been difficult for him to eat the instant he opened his eyes—but he wasn’t going to disappoint his new bride.

Although the rest of the group traveled with us, they respected our privacy as newlyweds and, for the most part, left us alone.

I understood Matt’s need for the camaraderie the entourage provided, and I didn’t want to take him away from the people he loved, especially now that we were married. He had always criticized wives who tried to change the status quo. He told me about one wife, saying, “She doesn’t like him to be around the boys so much. She’s going to cause problems in the group.” The last thing I wanted was for Matt to think I’d be the kind of wife who’d come between her man and his friends.

I decided one evening to show off my cooking skills for everyone by making one of Matt’s favorite dishes, lasagna. I invited the regulars, bragging to one and all about how well I prepared this Italian specialty. Despite my outward confidence, I must have made ten longdistance calls to my mother in New Jersey, checking and rechecking on quantities and measurements. It was important for me to prove myself a success. Nate Doe, our only Italian and a “gourmet chef,” kidded me all week about how he bet that my lasagna wouldn’t be as good as his. All that ribbing only made me more nervous. I kept thinking, What do I know about pasta? I’m not even Italian.

Finally, the night of the dinner came. Everyone was seated at the table, watching me expectantly. I tried to appear cool and confident as I brought out the fancily prepared platter and started cutting individual squares for my guests. I did notice that when I started slicing the lasagna, it felt a little tough, but thinking I was holding a dull knife, I continued dishing it out.

I sat down, smiled anxiously, and said, “Please start.” We all took a bite and—crunch. There was a look of shock on everyone’s face. I looked at my plate and was mortified when I realized I had forgotten to boil the pasta.

Matt began laughing, but when he saw I was about to cry he turned to his plate and began eating, uncooked noodles and all. Taking their lead from him, everyone followed suit.

Nate Doe still laughs about it, frequently saying, “y/nn? How about some lasagna?”

Excerpt from: "Elvis and Me" by Priscilla Beaulieu Presley. Scribd. This material may be protected by copyright.

a/n - married!! 🎀

[doctorcanon]

I cant sleep so modern!linked universe hc time.

- Rusl buys Twilight a dna/ancestry thing for his 20th birthday.

- having been adopted into the Ordon family since the age of 15, the gift doesn't go over well at first.

-However after some deep conversations, Rusl explains that he promised Twilight birth parents that he'd do this if anything happened to them.

- Still Twilight procrastinates and after some cajoling from midna, finally does it a year later for his 21st birthday.

- at his party, a small family dinner at the Ordon home with Zelda, Illia and Midna in attendance, he lays the envelope on the table and says "before I open this, I want you all to know that what ever I find in here that you are all my family and I love you all."

- the first thing in the envelope is his genetic information, some basic stuff he already knows, some stuff he doesn't and somethings Zelda remarks he should see a doctor about. Apparently he's actually 65% Karariko as Renado predicted.

- the second thing is copies of his mother and father's Service Papers. Both served in the military; one as a murse and other as an officer. Both died of burns and smoke inhalation after rescuing several of their fellow tenants when the apartment above theirs caught fire.

- the third thing is a list of public records. His father was originally from Hateno and an only child save for a half brother who died a few years later. His mother, from kakariko, had two much younger siblings. Sheik and Link.

- while there are some records of a custody battle Shiek and Link were separated in the system after the death of their mother. There is an obituary written by Twilights mother with a picture of her and her three children. There's no further information about Link or Sheik.

- Until one last little page slips out, A wedding announcement from 10 years ago. Announcing the joyful union of Malon Lon and Link Kokiri. He's seen this before.

- in fact, Twilight sees this exact newspaper clipping framed in his old boss's office. He visits at least twice a month. He even jokes with him the it was the only proof the guy could actually smile.

- The Lon Lon Family owns their aptly named Lon Lon ranch but he reports to Malon's husband directly when it came to the horses. Especially Epona. He just saw the man last week, for crying out loud!

- He has an uncle. And he's already known the man for 5 years now. They thought it was just a funny coincidence that they had the same name.

- Illia says its fate. Zelda assures him that this can't be an accident. Midna presses his cell phone into his hands. Rusl tells him that its his decision and that they'll respect whatever that may be.

- He calls first, of course. He only works at the ranch on weekends these days anyway. It would be weird to just show up to his shift and just go "hey, do you know im your nephew?"

- he asks if Mr Kokiri would like to talk some time under the guise of needing some advice. Under all the grump and sarcasm, Kokiri really is a saint and easily says yes, asking if Twilight is okay since he sounds stressed.

- the next day, Twilight stumbles into his boss's office with all the papers in his hands.

- "if you need advice about school, you've come to the wrong place, kid."

"No...uh sir this ain't about school. Yet. But uh...do you recognize this picture?"

- he sets down the obituary with its photo of his mother, grandmother, Sheik and Link somewhere in Karariko. Kokiri studies it but otherwise seems clueless. "No, sorry, I dont."

- "Well according to these papers," Twilight sets them on the desk and spreads them out so he can see. "This is my mom. And this is you. Her brother. I think...I think you're my uncle."

[sjsmith56]

The Flame Burns From Within, Part 6 - Justice

Summary: After the rescue of Lady Arden, Lord Barnes’ forces continue their pursuit of Lord Pierce’s forces, determined to bring the man to justice.

Length: 6.8 K

Characters: Lord Barnes, Lady Arden, Lady Natasha, Father Bruce, John Walker, Ser Scott Lang, Lord Pierce, Ser Brock Rumlow.

Warnings: Minors DNI - Contains sexual content which may be unsuitable for readers under the age of 18. Description of graphic violence resulting in injury and/or death, angst.

Author notes: This is the final part of this story. Although most things are period appropriate there are some changes from normal practices of the times. Bathing was not a regular habit. Men were not permitted in the birthing rooms, except for royal courtiers to confirm the birth happened as reported. Boots were not yet invented as footwear was softer in nature and confined to covering just the feet, although there could be wrappings extending up the leg. Women were not given sovereignty in their marriage for centuries. Muslims living in a Catholic country would be forced to recant their faith and become Christian. Even then, they could expect to be persecuted (as would those born Jewish). The term braies refers to a linen undergarment with a drawstring waist worn by men. They could be long - extending down to the calf, shorter - extending to the knee, a shorter boxer length, or in a stylish version referred to as Italian braies, looking very much like a minimal brief. Source - http://www.cloakedanddaggered.com/related-search/15th-century/#:~:text=Menswear%20at%20it's%20simplest%20consisted,was%20to%20be%20improperly%20dressed. The image above was created by the author using Microsoft Copilot app (because I have no artistic skills to make my own). Divider by vecteezy.com.

<<Part 5

Part 6 - Justice

Lady Arden

When I saw James' tracker in the forest, Natasha had already spotted him and left our hiding place to sneak up on him, giving me no opportunity to tell her that he was friendly. Her skills as she crept through the greenery were impressive. As I wondered how a maidservant could have acquired such abilities that allowed her to take a seasoned soldier as her prisoner, she acknowledged James, releasing his man immediately. I suddenly understood that she was the spy who had spent the past year in Pierce's domain. Obviously, her story was not a simple one, for women in our time were not given free reign to become adept at the art of subterfuge. Then I was called out of hiding and approached James, our passionate embrace taking over my thoughts. With the restoration of my wedding ring to my hand, our marriage was no longer secret. From this day forward I would be known to all as the Lady of the House Barnes.

James offered us the option of staying behind with Father Bruce, who had accompanied him, but once we saw into each other's eyes, Natasha and I knew that we wished to continue on with my husband. Soon, we were on the road, moving at a brisk pace to catch up with the rest of James' force. When they came into view, he sent a rider to bid them stop for a moment so that we could catch up. My uncle came forth, welcoming me with gladness and affection, reconfirming that in our hearts we were of the same family.

After enlightening the others of Walker's plan to intercept us, James gave the order to proceed, and we started again in the direction of the port. After only a short time of riding James' scouts returned with the news that Walker was waiting openly around the next bend, with about 20 of his own men and 10 sell swords. All of them were prepared for battle, by what the scouts could tell from where they hid, unseen by the other party. James had almost 100 men with him, so he instructed half of them to remain back for a short time while he and the others approached Walker's position.

"My Lady, Lady Natasha, please remain back with the rest of my men. I expect to begin a battle shortly after our arrival."

As much as we wished to witness the capture of Walker, we both knew it was better to allow James and his men to focus on their objective without worrying about our safety. We stayed back with those extra men, my uncle and Father Bruce, who approached Lady Natasha.

"I took the liberty of searching for a crucifix on the soldier, Riley," he said gently. "I thought you would want it, as well as what was attached to it. I believed he meant for you to have it."

She said nothing until he reached into his pocket and withdrew the necklace that Riley wore. On it was a small gold crucifix and a ring. Natasha's lip trembled when she read the inscription written on the inside of the ring, then she smiled sadly at the priest.

"Thank you, Father," she answered, with some difficulty. "I will cherish both forever."

Within an hour James and his men returned, with John Walker tied to his horse, his face, and clothes bloody. He glared at me and shook his head in disbelief.

"They said you and the traitorous maidservant disappeared into the forest, taken by demons in the fog. They found your accomplice though, leaving him to his death." He spat onto the road, then looked towards James, whose face remained impassive.

"My father will not stand for this," stated Walker, still defiant. "He will demand my release from the King."

"Your father has already been arrested," said James. "Your association with Lord Pierce and Ser Brock sealed your fates and the fate of his estate. As far as the King is concerned, your father is just as much a traitor as you are, since several of his men, wearing Walker insignia, were at the church, helping to set it on fire. If you are fortunate enough to be allowed to live it will be in a dungeon where you will never see the light of day again. Otherwise, you can expect to be hung, drawn, and quartered as you deserve."

"Then kill me now," he muttered. "I will not be caged."

Natasha rode to him and raised her dagger, ready to plunge it into his chest. He offered no resistance, so she sliced his cheek open instead, in the same manner I had slashed Lord Pierce's cheek. She sheathed the dagger then spat upon his face and returned to my side. Lord Barnes silently acknowledged her self-restraint.

"Barton, assign three men to take him to the nearest allied house." He thought for a moment. "Ser Scott of House Lang would be the nearest, no more than half an hour's ride, and request they imprison Walker there until our return. They can catch up to us later."

Three men were chosen and tethered Walker's horse to theirs, further adding to his humiliation. As for us, we turned to follow the road, intent on reaching the others as quickly as possible. We rode with haste but did not push the horses too hard. Another discarded wagon was passed, along with several disgruntled servants who were left behind. With their years of service to the House of Pierce no longer valued enough to continue with him, they had no loyalty left to his house. They confirmed after a brief conversation that the main host was less than half an hour ahead of us and headed to Sag Harbor where several ships from his overseas allies waited to transport him to safety.

James' force picked up the pace and we passed several other abandoned wagons with servants seated despondently around them. My husband's face grew darker with each encounter, as it signified a total abandonment of the responsibilities of Lord Pierce. As a nobleman, elevated to his position in service of the king, he would have promised in front of witnesses, to be the head not just of his house, but to bear an obligation to the wellbeing of every farm worker, servant, soldier, and tradesperson who lived on his lands. It was obvious he felt no such obligation to them at all, as shown by the ones he left behind on his lands, and the ones he abandoned on the way. His very actions, from the first attack on my family, the more recent attack on the king, to the invasion of the church, my kidnapping, and now this sorry spectacle revealed him to be a man completely devoid of honour.

"My Lord, a rider approaches," said Barton and we paused, awaiting the arrival of one of the scouts.

He saluted James and Barton. "Lord Pierce's force is but minutes away. He is aware of your position and has ordered his men to attack you from several locations. Rumlow's men have taken a side route, but my partner believes he plans to double back and flank you from this direction."

"Why does he believe that?" Barton posed the question. "Is it possible Rumlow goes on to secure the harbour for their departure?"

The man grinned. "Nay, the tide isn't favourable for a departure. It will be morning before they can leave. His wife and daughter have been sent on with his younger son and two men to get them out of the field of battle, but they are the only ones who departed separately in the direction of the port."

James turned to Barton. "Prepare the men for battle."

His eyes met mine with a mixture of regret and determination. Dismounting, he handed his reins to Barton, pulled a package out of his saddlebag then came to me, helping me slide off the horse. Taking me aside, he touched the side of my face, then smoothed my hair which had become unruly from all that I had been subjected to since the abduction.

"You wish me to stay here," I said, anticipating his words. "I am able to fight as well as any man. I am not afraid."

"I know," he replied, smiling fondly at me, then he placed his hand on my front just below the waist. "But if you are truly with child then you carry the future of not just my house, but the House of Rogers within you. Please, stay as far away from the battle as you can. If I fall, Barton or his designate will come for you and take you to the House of Lang. Ser Scott will make sure you return safely to the Citadel."

His attention was diverted by the sounds of swords being unsheathed and bows being strung. He placed the package in my hand.

"I took the liberty of picking this up from your bedchambers. It is the blue dress you wore when I first met you in the library. That is when I first felt the stirrings of love as you declared your wish for sovereignty in a marriage. If I do not return from this battle, you will be the head of the House of Barnes. My last will and testament declares that you are to be regarded as a woman independent of the power of a husband, father, brother, or uncle."

"I would rather have you with me," I answered, touched as I was by his gesture. "I never knew love until I knew you."

"My flame," he whispered, before kissing me tenderly. "My love for you will burn within me forever.”

His eyes were glassy, as were mine, then he strode back to his horse and mounted it, leaving me, Lady Natasha, and Father Bruce, who was given the task of staying with us. The order to proceed was given, and the entire force rode out. I returned to my horse, placed the package in the saddlebag and mounted. Then we found a path into an area where we could see the road but were well hidden from view and began our wait.

Lord Barnes

As we rode into what was certain to be an ambush, I prayed for the safety of Arden first and foremost. Although I desperately wanted to return to her side, I also knew that the years I wasted drinking, carousing, and whoring had made it likely that payment was due for those sins. No quarter would be given to me by Pierce or Rumlow as I felt sure I would face one or both men at some point in the battle to come. Then again, I fully intended to give them no quarter either, although they would be given the opportunity to die as men. Walker was allowed to live after his capture because he was too shallow a man to contribute to the devious plan that Pierce had spent years developing. Rumlow, his own ambitions spurring him, had also personally performed many of the atrocities committed by their men. They were the two architects of their own demise, and I had no intention of allowing either man to live.

An arrow whizzed by my head just moments after this thought and I looked up in time to see one of my bowmen take the man out. As other men on horseback streamed out of their hiding places I used my sword, furiously swinging and hacking at anyone who came within my reach. My horse, Soldier, was magnificent, as if he knew exactly what was expected of him, as he sidestepped, reared, or backed up whenever the need was there. A young man, who I recognized as William Pierce, the eldest son, approached me with raised sword and we fought on horseback for some time. He was good at it. I will give him that, but he wasn't committed to the task, not in the way he should have been. At some point our swords were pressed against each other and we struck each other with our gloved fists about the head and shoulders.

"Your father has betrayed you," I uttered to him. "You have no lands to return to but if you give up now, I will allow you to join your mother, sister, and brother in exile."

I received two more sharp blows to my head as an answer, threatening to stun me. Sliding my hand to my boot I slid out my dagger and plunged it into his side, his cry of pain heard loudly. When I withdrew the dagger the blood that came out was dark and ominous in its volume. His free hand went from pummelling me to attempting to staunch the life force that was pouring out of him. As our horses separated, he looked at me with fear, then hunched over and fell from his horse.

"Barnes!" I turned to see Pierce almost upon me with a furious look upon his face. He glanced at his son, realizing that his heir was gone. "You have killed my son!"

"You were warned it would come to this," I said. "I gave him the chance to withdraw but he would not. His death is on you and your actions."

"Damn you!"

He swung his sword at me, surprising me with the strength behind it. If his son had fought with as much purpose, he would have still been alive, but now my own life was in peril at the hands of this man, who I had once called friend. His own horse, well tested in battle, seemed to be using his own tactics against Soldier, attempting to make him stumble so that I would fall. Afraid for his safety I launched myself at Pierce, tackling him from his saddle so we both fell heavily to the ground. Winded for a moment, we both hesitated before grasping our swords again and began fighting against each other as the battle raged around us. We traded blow for blow and once again I wondered how a man his age had the stamina to fight me, for he was at least 25 or 30 years older than me and fully clothed in chain mail. Then an errant arrow grazed his leg as his sword was raised to strike and he stumbled. I hit his hand with the flat side of my blade hard enough for him to drop his own sword then kicked him backwards onto his back, with the tip of my sword at his throat.

"Yield," I ordered. "Surrender and your men can go into exile with your wife, daughter, and younger son."

"Never," he gasped. "Just end it. I would if you were in my place."

As much as I wanted him dead, I didn't want to do it this way, with him at my total mercy. So, I stepped back and pushed his sword over to him with my foot.

"Pick it up. Die as a soldier."

Breathing heavily, he sat up, grasped the grip of his weapon, and wearily pulled himself up. Then the sounds of an arriving force reached our ears, and he looked at me with a knowing smile.

"Your mercy will be your undoing. That is Rumlow and he has flanked your force. Perhaps, I'll have him finish you off. He has wanted your head for a long time."

I looked past him and saw it was Rumlow, except he was tied to his saddle and his horse tethered to two soldiers wearing the insignia of the House Lang. The force who had him was led by Ser Scott. He rode towards me, keeping well away from Lord Pierce's reach.

"Lord Barnes, I am sorely vexed that you didn't call for my help sooner," he said. "I would have gladly accompanied you to arrest these two. When your men arrived with Walker, I summoned most of my men at once, hoping we wouldn't miss the encounter." He looked around to where his men now encircled the entire scene of the battle. "Lord Pierce, I would suggest that you surrender."

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Arden, Lady Natasha and Father Bruce arrive.

"No surrender," shouted Lady Natasha, dismounting. "He doesn't deserve to live!"

Pierce rolled his eyes as she approached. "What did I ever do to you, girl? I gave you a place in my household, food to eat, a place to sleep, and protection. Then you betrayed me by helping Lady Arden escape."

She strode to him, her face resolute. "You really don't remember, do you? My father was Ser Ivan, of the House Romanoff. Eight years ago, you attacked the estate on Lord Dreykov's word that I was the lost heir of Arthur and Guinevere. I was 14 years old, and I only survived because the son of the garrison commander spirited me away."

"So, I was wrong," muttered Pierce, dismissively. "You were of no consequence to me as I learned when Dreykov asked if I killed his nephew like he intended when he gave me that information, knowing of my search for the heir."

"I was of no consequence? My parents and sister slaughtered like cattle because Dreykov lied to you? Then you killed Riley, my one and only love. Well, you might as well kill me, then. Finish what you started."

"Lady Natasha, no, don't put yourself in jeopardy for him," I interrupted. "He's not worth it."

"No, but my family are," she declared, turning to look at me.

At that moment, Pierce raised his sword to strike her down, but she moved so quickly that his sword fell on air as her hand thrust a dagger into his throat. He dropped his sword, looked at her, then at the dagger before he uttered his last word.

"How?"

"Seven years spent learning the arts of subterfuge under the tutelage of a woman master of the discipline. Another woman you wronged when you killed those who were precious to her." She looked at Arden. "Are you satisfied, my Lady?"

Arden nodded, then looked at me with questions in her eyes, questions that I knew she needed answers to. Pierce fell over, dead, his eyes still open. Lady Natasha spat on him, then approached me.

"His death was always my intention," she said. She looked at a ring on her ring finger. "I leave now to seek out a convent. Your wife is a brave and capable woman. She told me of how you promised her sovereignty in your marriage. Honour that promise, My Lord. I know that Riley held you in the highest regard, as do I."

I bowed my head towards her, respecting her right to justice and her right to determine her own path. She stopped beside Father Bruce's horse and waited while he prayed for her, then made the sign of the cross. Continuing towards her horse, she mounted it, then looked once more at me before riding back in the direction we came from.

Many of Pierce and Rumlow's men were dead, and the sell swords escaped when they could, seeing the writing on the wall. Remembering what many of them looked like, I knew we would be able to hunt them down at our own pace. As for the remainder of their men they were herded together in front of me. I mounted my horse so all could hear my words.

"You have a choice," I said. "We can take you into custody and offer you to the magistrates for justice or you can choose exile to Brittania. If you ever attempt to return you will be considered criminals and hunted down, then dealt with on the spot. How say you? Arrest?" None raised their hands. "Exile?" They all raised their hands. "So be it. Barton, please assemble a force to escort these men to the coast. Ser Samuel, I trust you to deliver the news to Lady Pierce and her family of the death of Lord Pierce and his eldest son. Advise her that exile is her only course and that a return will never be possible for any of them."

Before they left Ser Scott invited us all to rest at his estate for as long as we needed. It had been a long journey in a short time, and I knew that Arden needed rest and nourishment. I also wanted the chance to speak with her in private about her true heritage, not to mention have time alone with my wife. His offer was accepted, and we rode the short distance to his home. His garrison made room for my combined force, while Ser Brock was escorted to a cell in the foundations of the castle, where John Walker already was. The rest of us were assigned to guest chambers and I requested a bath be prepared for both of us. As soon as I closed the door and bolted it, Arden wrapped her arms around my neck, and we kissed deeply until I gently pried her arms away.

"We must speak frankly," I insisted. "I tried to tell you in the church, but Lord Pierce was not in a mood to give me more time."

She looked down at her hands then took mine and pulled me over to a padded bench. Before we sat, I unbuckled my scabbard and removed my chain mail, eager to remove the weight I had carried for several days. She sat demurely, which drew a smile from me, as it was not a true representation of her fiery nature.

"You heard what Lady Natasha said about the attack on her family and why it was perpetrated against them," I said. "She is but a year older than you and like you, one of a few noble women who have the same hair colouring. Like you, she was known for her fiery temper and her mother was a foster sister of your mother, a fact that Lord Dreykov used to convince Lord Pierce of her heritage."

I took her hand in my own, and touched her mother's wedding ring. Then I told her how the true history of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere was kept secret, shared only when needed between trusted individuals. She was a descendant of the daughter of those mythical individuals, who was raised by her godparents after her birth in the convent where Guinevere remained. On their daughter's marriage, a love match, she was told the truth, and she wore her mother's wedding ring. It had been passed from mother to daughter over the many years since, as the bloodline delivered only girl children, no boys by means that were unknown.

"I'm a descendant," stated Arden, accepting the truth. "Why was I not told sooner?"

"You would have known if the marriage negotiations had progressed normally, but Lord Pierce found out your identity and made his move, several times. Ser Anthony tried to protect you and even though we were betrothed from the time you were a babe in your mother's arms, he didn't trust me for some time, especially when Pierce befriended me. That in itself showed Pierce to be false as he only befriended me to weaken me in an attempt to take my lands after my father's death."

"You said on our wedding night that our child would secure your House. If it is a girl, how can that be possible according to the laws of our realm?"

I smiled. "Because she will marry the son of Steven and his wife Margaret. It had been foretold already that our daughter would wed the son of the heir to the throne. When Steven's father and brother were killed, he became the heir. The bloodline of Arthur and Guinevere was passed through daughters, keeping it hidden until the time was right. The legend stated there was never to be a son, at least not until a daughter married into a royal house, which our daughter will. I am not a man who needs a son to validate my existence as I see no difference in the value of a man versus the value of a woman. Our daughters and granddaughters will always be House Barnes. When the Duke becomes King, he will begin to change our realm so that women are no longer property, and that marriage is no longer a transaction to cement treaties or alliances. His son, as King and our daughter, as his Queen, will continue the process of strengthening the position of women in this kingdom, using the bloodline of Arthur and Guinevere to make it happen. Their son, our grandson, will continue as will generations of sons and daughters after, but it will come to pass."

She smiled then, and squeezed my hand which still held hers. Then she stood and turned her back to me.

"Undo my laces," she said. "I wish to bathe." She looked back at me. "You're welcome to join me."

I untied the laces which bound her, gently touching her figure as she dropped the outer portion of the stiff bodice. Her dress was undone, and she slipped it from her shoulders, revealing the silk chemise she wore underneath. Grasping her shoulders I lowered my lips to her fair skin and kissed it. Already, I could feel my manhood harden at the softness of her body in my hands. She sat, to remove her boots then her stockings, but I kneeled before her and reached for the ribbons that held her stockings in place, undoing them with a single pull. Rolling them off, I kissed along the inside of her thighs, then took her feet in my hands while I gently massaged them, watching as she visibly relaxed.

As she undid the ties of my tunic, opening it to my bare chest, she leaned forward, kissing the spot where it joined with my neck, before nuzzling up further towards my ear. Her soft breath went straight to my cock, stiffening it so much that it pressed on my braies, making them uncomfortable. Removing my tunic with her help, I removed my boots, then my hose and peeled them off so that I was only wearing my linen braies, which were straining under the fullness of my loins.

"You must miss me," she said, gently playing with the tie that would release that garment from constraining my desire for her.

"Seems like forever," I answered, noticing how the curves of her body were pressing against the chemise she wore. "Can we take this off?"

I undid the front tie of her chemise, opening it to reveal the sight of her breasts, burying my face in them. Her garment fell further down her arms, as I touched and tasted her soft skin. Grasping my hair with her hands, she twisted it in her fingers as she directed me down her body towards her womanhood. Smiling at her efforts I placed my hands on her rounded bottom cheeks, kneading them as I used my body to spread her legs apart. She raised herself so I could slip the chemise off entirely then I buried my face in her sex, taking in that which I had sorely missed in the last few days. With her legs resting on my shoulders and her own hands on her breasts, I was spurred on to make her come in a joyous fashion. When she did, with many cries of ecstasy as the pulses flowed through her, I almost came myself. But that would have been a waste of my seed. Pulling her forward so she had to wrap her legs around my waist I lifted her and carried her to the bed, laying her on it, while I undid the tie of my braies, finally releasing my swollen manhood, almost painful in its need to find its home.

"Do you want me, Arden?" I asked, as I laid between her wet thighs and kissed her neck and shoulders. "Do you want me in you?"

"I want you, James," she gasped.

With her consent I plunged into her, groaning at how well her body accepted mine in our union. Our joining blazed in its intensity as we matched fevered touch with fevered touch, burning kiss with burning kiss, and spoke breathless words of passion between us. During the apex of our bliss our heated skin released the fire that burned within us, making it too warm to burrow into the bedclothes after. Instead, we lay intertwined on top, our nakedness visible in the late afternoon sunlight that still streamed in through the windows. We were physically spent. It was only moments later, in the quiet of our chambers that we heard the sounds of fighting outside our door. Without delay I left Arden on the bed and went for my sword, not even stopping to cover my body. A loud strike destroyed the lock, and the door burst open, revealing Ser Brock armed with a blade and a look of wild fury on his face. He looked from me to Arden and sneered.

"Perfect timing. Once I have dispatched you, I will take my prize."

I was never going to let that happen and I advanced on him, swinging away at all the vulnerable parts of his body, his forearm, legs, and head. Samuel and Ser Scott arrived at the door, taking in the scene of me fighting a battle without armour, without clothes, armed only with a single sword. Yelling at them not to intervene, they watched helplessly as I fended off Rumlow's efforts while Arden covered herself in a sheet and tried to skirt her way around the perimeter of the room towards them. I tried my best to direct him away from her path, then she stopped at her own boot and withdrew a long dagger, sliding it along the floor to me before running for the door and into the security of Ser Samuel's arms. With her safety assured I focused solely on the man in front of me. His scarred face was filled with a hatred that became a madness directed at me. Several times I attempted to get to the dagger on the floor and each time he prevented me from acquiring it. Seeing the package containing Arden's blue dress partially out of the saddle bag I lunged for it, tossing it in Rumlow's face. He swung at it, cutting into the leather but it distracted him long enough for me to pick up the dagger. As he advanced on me, I lured him in closer then swung my sword harder than I had ever done before, staggering him to his knees. With all I had left I thrust the dagger into the side of his neck. His strangled cry was short as he attempted to pull it out and I hacked into the other side of his neck ending his life as he keeled over. Gasping for breath, I stood over him, with my sword in my hand. Then I felt a hand on my shoulder and my tunic being offered to me by Ser Scott.

"He killed the guard in the cell, freed Walker then began fighting his way up here." I slipped the tunic on and faced my host, who answered my unspoken question. "Ser Samuel dispatched that sorry excuse for a man." He looked at the blood that now seeped into the wooden floor. "Come. Bring your lady to another chamber. Servants will bring your possessions. My good wife can lend Lady Barnes some clothes as I can lend you some of mine. These men chose their path, and we all knew it would lead to their deaths."

Truer words were never spoken. We were shown instead to a bathing room, then left to clean ourselves and comfort each other. A maidservant waited for Arden to emerge from the wooden tub, wrapped her in a drying cloth, and in an attached dressing room helped her don a borrowed gown of soft green hues. She gently brushed and arranged Arden's hair. I was assisted in the bathing room by a manservant who brought with him a fine outfit of a brown shade. Thanking him for his assistance, I entered the new bed chamber, where Arden sat before the fire, gazing into the flames. She rose upon my entry and paced towards me. Offering her my hands, she placed hers in them and I raised them to my lips, kissing every fingertip.

"I was afraid," she murmured. "Never have I heard of a man in your position being able to defend himself against such an adversary so well, then being successful in the battle. How did you do it?"

"With your love," I answered. "The moment he threatened you I felt the heat of battle rise within me. Your safety was everything. My love for you is like an eternal flame that burns from within. It can never be extinguished, not even by death."

"Then I burn with you," she replied, "forever and always, my husband, my love, and my protector."

"My wife, my dearest love and the reason for my existence."

We kissed, then I offered Arden my arm, and together we began the openly known portion of our life as Lord and Lady Barnes. Descending down the stairs we were greeted at the bottom by Ser Scott and his Lady Hope, Ser Anthony, Ser Samuel, and Father Bruce. Following our host into the dining hall, we felt comforted by the warmth of their hospitality. Despite the blood that had been shed in his home, Ser Scott was gracious and complementary to us both, a far cry from the behaviour shown to us by those who considered themselves superior to all others. It boded well for the kingdom in the years to come.

Epilogue, as told by Lord Barnes

In the time since the events that led to the deaths of Lord Alexander Pierce, Ser Brock Rumlow and John Walker, much had happened in the kingdom. All three traitors were buried in a potter's field, with no marker of any kind. Pierce's family stayed in Brittania, dependent on the goodwill of friends there. They never attempted a return to our shores. Riley, the soldier from my garrison who died while he defended my wife and Lady Natasha from recapture, was buried in a prominent spot in a churchyard near the estate of Ser Scott Lang. A large stone was erected with his name and the inscription Vixit et mortuus est iuste; Latin for "He lived and died righteously." A nun was spied at the gravesite the day after the stone was erected but she disappeared quickly when the priest called out to her. We never saw nor heard of Lady Natasha Romanoff again.

Our arrival at the Citadel, and subsequent formal marriage in a cathedral ceremony performed by the Bishop, was welcomed by my mother and sister, who loved Arden from the moment she arrived. The sentiment was returned by my wife, who was indeed carrying our child, conceived on our wedding night. Soon after our return to the Citadel she felt the first pangs of the morning sickness. It didn't last for long and she soon resumed her daily ride, often at my side. Her presence in my life was a gift and I vowed never to take her for granted.

A month after our return a rider from Crown Prince Steven announced the birth of his son, James Samuel Joseph. It was a great honor for both Samuel and I to be his namesake godfathers. At his christening, the Bishop looked slightly askance at the Moor who arrived at the cathedral for the Christian ceremony, and solemnly promised to make sure that the child walked the straight and narrow path. Father Bruce vouched for his character as a good man and the Bishop took the priest at his word. The friendship between the two was strong and they spent much time together speaking of many things for Father Bruce was a very learned man, even before he became a priest. When Samuel fell in love with a noble born woman he requested that Father Bruce and I act as his negotiators for her hand. Their marriage was performed by Father Bruce who learned an Arabic blessing, May Allah bless you, and shower His blessings upon you, and join you together in goodness, saying it in Samuel's first language at the conclusion of the Christian ceremony. Samuel and Father Bruce became trusted advisors of Steven before and after he ascended to the throne, while I became his Right Hand.

On the day my daughter was born, I was several miles away from the estate, intervening in a dispute between a tradesman and the inn keeper who contracted for the replacement of his privy buildings. As I listened to each man lay out their case a rider from my garrison arrived to tell me that Arden was in labour. With apologies to the two men, I mounted my horse and pressed Soldier to run like the wind. My mother and sister were already with her, as was the midwife. Determined to be there when our child was born, a condition I insisted upon when the midwife was first retained, I entered and was immediately chastened by the scene in front of me. Arden, wearing a short chemise was covered in sweat, her hair hanging heavily over her shoulders. Her glistening cheeks were red from the exertion of childbirth. My mother and sister sat with her, but upon my arrival my sister motioned for me to take her place. After washing my hands, on the order of the midwife, I removed my boots and sat with my wife, holding her right hand as she underwent another round of contractions. The midwife, well versed in her trade, both soothed and encouraged Arden to find more strength to get through the process.

When our red-haired daughter was born, I kissed Arden's head and murmured my love to her, to the surprise of the midwife. Her experience with most nobility had always been that they expected a boy child, but my elation at the birth of our daughter was unexpected. After cleaning the babe and wrapping her in swaddling cloths, she was laid in Arden's arms and immediately began looking to suckle at her breast. Although most women of nobility chose to have a wet nurse, Arden was emphatic that she wished to feed our child herself and I was inclined to support her. As my mother and sister watched Arden, I announced our daughter's name as Ember Lark, for the colour of her hair and for the bird that sings when the morning sun's rays break over the horizon. It was an unusual name, but it felt right to us. Briefly, I left to send a rider to Steven, informing him of my daughter's birth. When the time was right, we would formalize her betrothal to Steven's son, but it would always be her choice to proceed with it, just as Arden was given the choice to proceed with our marriage, and the Duchess Margaret was given the choice to proceed with her marriage to Steven. At the least, she would grow up with the young prince and know him well by the time they were old enough to marry.

When I first saw Arden, in her uncle's library, I was taken by the colour of her hair, and her forthrightness. She was an unusual woman for our times, different from many of the women suggested as a suitable consort. I thought that a flame burned from within her, that illuminated her in ways that made other women seem dim by comparison. In reality, she ignited the flame within me. Although I had left behind many of the hedonistic habits of my youth, I was still consumed with the need to satisfy my physical desires for female company by employing the skills of courtesans. Trained in the arts of seduction and pleasure for the use of men of my status I was satisfied with their attention and skills in the bedchamber, until I met Arden. Once that encounter happened, everything within me burned for her, only for her. There was no judgment on those other women, for they did serve a need, but with Arden I finally found what I really wanted all along; a companion for my heart, mind, body, and soul. Until the end of our time together on this earthly plane, she will be the flame of my heart, burning eternally for her.

The End

Short Fiction Masterlist

Please support the author by comments or reblogging.

[jaeeyaaasworld]

Sister's Best Friend - LN4

Featuring: Lando Norris x older!Y/n

Warnings: mention of sex, shitty best friend, cheating husband, Lando has an older sister

Requested: Yes/No

Lando was 14 when his older sister brought home her best friend, Y/n. he was 14 and Y/n was 20. she was one of the most beautiful woman that he had ever seen, he still thought that up to this day, after ten years that they knew each other and he had been crushing on her.

it's been 10 years since they met the first time. at that time she didn't even spare him a glance, as she should, since she was 20 and he was 14. but as time passed Lando kept thinking about her, he was getting older and he was only waiting for her to give him a chance.

his heart broke in a million pieces when Y/n got a boyfriend, he couldn't believe that the love of his life was interested in another man, how could she do that to him. the only thing that he wasn't thinking about is the fact that she didn't even know he had a crush on her, and the fact that he was still 18 and she was 24.

Lando's already shuttered heart cracked a bit more when Y/n announced to their family that she was getting married with her boyfriend, Theo0, and they were all invited. it was in 2019, he was 20, she was 26, and he was determined to get ready and be absolutely stunning at their wedding.

at the wedding

Lando was standing in a corner, his drink in hand, as he watched Y/n dance with Theo in the middle of the dance floor, everyone present at the wedding making a circle around them, but for some reason he could watch them have their happy moment so clearly, it was like the universe was making fun of him.

"why so sad, kiddo?"

Noah, Y/n's younger brother asked him, hooking an arm around his shoulder.

"come on, I'm just 3 years younger than you"

Lando bit back, taking a long sip from his drink as he rolled his eyes.

"hey, 3 years are a lot"

Noah said, making Lando nervous. if 3 years were a lot, 6 were too many.

"anyway, why do you look so sad, huh?"

he asked again. in that exact moment Lando decided that he was gonna let everything out.

"listen, I like your sister, since I was 14, since the first time that I saw her. I believe she's the love of my life, but here I am, at her wedding with another man"

Lando finally said, making the other man take a little step back, unhooking his arm from the driver's shoulder and staring at him with wide eyes.

"damn, man. are you fine?"

the older genuelly asked, as Lando let out a big sigh, going back to staring at the happy couple in the center of the dance floor.

"I'm not fucking fine. but she looks so happy"

the driver replied sincerely, staring at the love of his life smiling up to another man. he was okay with seeing her happy for now, he was only gonna wait for her to realize that he was waiting for her.

to the present

it was after one of his practices, he came back to his apartment, impatient to get ready and go to his sister house. she was throwing a little party there, they would have dinner all together and Y/n was gonna be there, without her husband.

he got the keys in the door lock, twisting them around and entering his apartment casually. his eyes met Y/n's puffy eyes, as she was sitting on his couch in his living room, almost making him let out a scream. he forgot that he gave her the spare key to his apartment in case of anything happening.

Y/n was there, seated in his apartment. her make-up was leaving long black strikes on her cheeks as she cried, a cute dress hugging her curves in a way that got him weak in his knees and a pair of high heels on her feet.

Lando slowly made his way towards the woman, crouching down in front of her to make her look at him in the eyes.

"what's going on, sweetheart?"

he asked, used to using that nickname with her, as she always used it with him, since the first time they met. Lando earned that nickname since he was always in his best behavior when Y/n was around.

when the driver didn't get any reply, he placed his hand on the side of Y/n's cheek, softly trying to clean the make-up smeared all over her cheek, having no success.

"could you tell me what's happening, please?"

he pleaded gently, slowly making the woman look up towards him.

"Theo"

she whispered. Lando knitted his eyebrows, his jaw clenching without him even noticing.

"what did he do?"

the seriousness in his voice couldn't be masked or go unnoticed, but he still tried to not make her see it.

"he's cheating"

her voice cracked, her hand came up to her face, as she covered her mouth so that she wouldn't make any sound. Lando's fingers wrapped around Y/n's wrist, pulling her hand away from her face and wrapping his arms around her figure.

"oh, sweetheart"

he whispered, rage was pumping through his veins; this asshole was dating the woman of his dreams, a figure that turned heads, a face like a doll and the best personality ever, and he dares to cheat on her? what the fuck?

Lando forced himself to just be sweet and console Y/n that was crying on his shoulder, trying his best to not feel happy about them probably divorcing.

his hand reached for her cheek again, pulling away reluctantly as he wiped the tears away from her cheek.

"he doesn't deserve you, okay? you deserve someone to worship you and love you like it's the end of the world, Y/n"

Lando whispered, both his hands on her cheeks now, his thumbs caressing her skin softly. he wasn't getting any reply, so he just kept going.

"listen, we will get you cleaned, this beautiful face can't get ruined like this. then we will get into my car, drive around a bit since we have so much time left before Selene's dinner and then you will have a calm dinner and be fine, alright?"

he explained his little plan to Y/n, getting a little nod in return as she was finally about to stop crying, a few sobs still showing up a few times.

"can I pick you up?"

Lando softly asked, as Y/n nodded her head hesitantly. the driver placed one arm behind her back and one behind her knees, picking her up in bridal style, making Y/n wrap her arms around his neck.

he made his way towards his bedroom, walking into his bathroom and softly placing Y/n onto the bathroom sink. she sat there with her hands placed onto the sink beside her thighs, her shoulders raising from the pressure.

"I'll get make-up remover and some pads"

Y/n nodded at his statement, not even questioning why he got make-up remover and pads in his apartment when he lives alone. Y/n was kind of assuming that he had a lot of girls over, when in reality Lando was only waiting for this to happen, for her to realize that he was waiting for her and showing up to his house unannounced.

he placed everything on the sink next to her, taking one of the pads and getting some make-up remover onto it.

"can I do it?"

Lando asked, concerned that he would mess things up between them, but he got a nod in return. he gently placed the pad over her cheek and started wiping the pad around, careful not to ruin her actual make-up who surprisingly was still intact. Y/n closed her eyes, enjoying every touch of his fingers on her face as she finally felt cared for after a year.

the driver wiped the make-up from her other cheek too, finally seeing her face clean after all that undeserved crying. the woman opened her eyes, eventually realizing the proximinity of their faces, but she still didn't back off.

their faces kept getting closer with time passing, making Y/n gulp and realize something: she was about to kiss her best friend's younger brother, she couldn't go on, the guilt would have eaten her up from the inside. so she backed off abruptly.

"I'm sorry, but we can't... you're sister is my best friend"

she whispered, her eyes looking anywhere but him.

"no, no- I know, I'm so sorry"

Lando replied, his hands fidgeting with his clothes as he looked down to the floor, not daring to look her in the eyes.

"do you... still wanna drive around a bit?"

he hesitantly asked, his eyes slowly searching for hers, still not knowing if she would be cool about what just happened.

"uhm, yeah- I mean, we had a plan, right?"

she replied, it was almost a whisper. with that sentence only she got him smiling like an idiot from ear to ear.

"yeah"

he practically beamed.

at the dinner

the dinner was over, everyone was slowly going home but Y/n and Lando. Y/n was gonna stay at Selene's house for a little sleep over, since Y/n's husband wasn't there at the moment and Selene's husband was out in a business trip.

Y/n was leaning on the balcony railings with her elbows, enjoying the nice view, when Lando got in the balcony and leaned on the railing next to her.

"hey"

he whispered softly, the look on Y/n's face was giving it all away, he could see in her eyes that she had something to talk about with someone and he promised himself that if Y/n needed someone to hear her out he would be there. so he just asked.

"do you have something you have to talk about?"

Lando asked gently, tiptoeing around the subject and the situation to get her to talk about what was going on.

"you know- I'm just... frustrated"

she replied, without even looking him in the eyes and passing an hand through her silky hair, bringing them back.

"for five months, he didn't want anything to do with me, and now I understand why?"

Y/n finally left out, leaving Lando a little bit confused about the situation.

"anything to do with you? but he was always around when you were here or at mine"

he said, trying to understand whatever she was explaining to him, only to get a small sigh in return from the older woman.

"intimacy, Lando"

she explained fully, as he finally understood what she was trying to say and nodded his head. he placed his hands on the railing as he distanced himself from it.

"ooh- just so you know, Y/n, there's someone out there that is willing to die to fuck you"

Lando finished, leaving a long kiss on Y/'s cheek and turning around to walk out the door and drive back to his place, hoping in his heart that Y/n would ditch his sister to go to him.

after a while, at Selene's house

Selene and Y/n were doing their night routine, putting on creams and everything that their skin needed to keep being healthy, as Y/n was explaining what was happening with her husband to her best friend.

"oh- baby, I knew he was sketchy from the moment that I saw his car parked in front of that nasty motel"

Y/n stopped all her movements, her jaw dropping open at what she heard her best friend say.

"so you knew?"

she asked shocked.

"I mean- yeah, I knew he was cheating but I don't know with who"

Selene kept going, only making Y/n more shocked than she had ever been.

"this was when?"

Y/n asked again, trying to understand the time zone of all of this.

"like... a year ago, maybe?"

the woman said, unsure about the answer.

"you knew for a year and you never thought of telling me?"

Y/n was dumbfounded, she couldn't even grasp the fact that her best friend didn't tell her anything about something so important.

"you know, every wife says that they would prefer to know, but in reality they really don't"

Selene explained, as Y/n's hands flew to her hips to make herself look serious.

"Selene, you're my best friend"

she finally shouted.

"yeah and you're... one of mine"

Selene finished, making Y/n pick up all of her things and run out of the apartment and to a taxi.

at Lando's house

the doorbell rang, as Lando was playing a game in his gaming room. he got up from his chair, a little confused by who it could be that is ringing is doorbell in the middle of the night.

his hand reached for the doorknob, but before he could open the door he stopped; it couldn't be Y/n, right? it has been at least two hours since he came back from Selene's house, she would've come earlier.

with a shrug he opened the door, finding Y/n in front of his house, still in that cute dress that she was wearing at the dinner.

"hey, what are you doing here?"

Lando asked, leaning on the doorframe and trying his hardest to sound as casual as ever.

"aren't you supposed to be at Selene's?"

he kept asking, wanting to understand what was going on with Y/n.

"yeah, I don't want to talk about it, but..."

Y/n started, her sweet voice lowering softly as she searched the right words.

"do you still wanna fuck?"

she finally asked, leaving Lando wide-eyed as he stood straight from the doorframe.

"hell yeah"

he replied honestly, making Y/n come into the apartment and leave all her things on the ground, right in front of the closed front door.

"good"

she finished. her hands reached for his face, pulling him down to her level to place her lips on his eagarly, as his hands placed themselves on her waist firmly. her fingers were passing through his messy hair.

he reluctantly pulled away from her, as his hand reached for his glasses, that were resting on his nose, and tossed them onto the couch to not be in the way. his lips went immediately back to hers, as her hands started working on the buttons of his dress shirt, slowly undoing them all and pulling the shirt off of his body.

Lando's placed his hands under her thighs, patting softly for her to jump into his arms as he carried her to his bedroom. he gently let her fall back onto the mattress, his body pressing firmly onto hers.

he put his weight on his hands and lifed himself off of the girl, taking in every inch of her body under his.

"I waited all my life to worship this body of yours, you will let me do it properly, yeah?"

[thatgirlstrawberry]

Sick Surprise pt. 13 - Something Old and New pt. 1

I’m which it’s the days before the wedding!

Warnings: fluff! Drunk Y/N, mentions of smut, cursing, lmk if I missed anything!

Spencer Reid x fem!reader

The Bachelorette Party

Y/N squealed as Penelope came around with another round of cotton candy shots. “Okay! Let’s bring out the presents!” The bubbly blonde squeaked.

The woman gasped. “No way! You guys didn’t have to get me presents!” JJ and Emily sat on the opposite sides of her with four bags in their hands each. Penelope sat in the chair in front of her with about five in hers and a two of Y/N’s work friends sat in the surrounding chairs.

She smiled after picking up a little shot glass and down the sour liquid. “Yes we did! You’re getting married, and in two of these bags are for your honeymoon.” Emily winked. Y/N’s body heated and she giggled.

“Whatever! I’m gonna go with the least risky bag.” She looked at JJ and held her hand out. “Bag me, sexy.” The drinks must have really been getting to her.

JJ handed her a bag and she excitedly tapped her heels on the ground. She reached inside and felt something silky and smooth. She furrowed her brows and pulled it out.

It was a white robe all wrapped up neat and pretty with a blue bow. “Awww, JJ! This so so cute!” She gasped. On the back of the robe it said Mrs. Reid and their wedding date.

“I thought it would be cute to wear for photos and on the honeymoon.” She shrugged with a smile. Y/N leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Okay open my next one!”

Y/N grabbed the bag that was shoved I to her hands and reached inside. She rolled her eyes with a smile when’s he felt the lace on her fingers. She pulled it out and widened her eyes at the white lacy set with REID sewn on the front over the crotch.

“Are you guys trying to get him to break my vagina?” She asked, giggling and showing everyone the garment.

The women hollered and squealed as a song they all recognized came on. “Okay!” Y/N hopped up from her chair. “We’ll resume this after we dance!”

.•.•.•.•.•.•.

The Bachelor Party

Spencer begged the guys not to take him to a strip club or anywhere where he could see some other girl’s… body parts. He didn’t want that on his conscience when he said I Do in 48 hours.

So, they ended up in Rossi’s backyard with beers and a ping pong table. Hotch was currently beating Rossi’s ass at the game and Morgan and Spencer were watching.

“So… have you asked her yet?” Derek asked after a sip of beer.

Spencer sighed and shook his head. “N-no.”

Derek tilted his head. “Why not?”

The man took a sip of his beer and cleared his throat. “I just—“ He sighed and shook his head. “I’m scared she’ll say no.”

The other man chuckled. “Well, you don’t know if you don’t ask.” He shrugged.

Spencer rolled his eyes. “I just— we only been together for a year and 10 months. I have no idea if she’s ready to let me adopt Eloise.”

He hummed and clicked his tongue. “Didn’t you tell me that she said you were great with her? And thy she told you that you don’t need to ask her permission to let Eloisey do things. And you accidentally called her your daughter and… Y/N didn’t even flinch.”

Spencer nodded. “You’re right. I’m totally just over thinking it.”

“Reid!” Rossi called. He snapped out of his conversation with Derek and looked at the smiling man. “Get over here and have some fun or I’m taking you to get drunk!”

Spencer looked at Derek with a smile before he rolled his eyes and got up from his chair.

The Bachelorette Party

In total, Y/N had received 15 sets of lingerie. She was thankful but also a little worried for her body. She also got a blue pendant necklace that all of the BAU girls pitched in for her ‘something blue’.

After all of the presents, the party was over. Emily and JJ were trying to keep Y/N upright while walking to the can and Penelope was holding all of the presents.

It was a good idea to schedule the party two days before the wedding because there was no doubt that she’d wake up with a massive hangover.

“Where’s m’kid?” She slurred. Emily groaned when Y/N almost slipped in a puddle of water on the sidewalk.

“She’s with Hotch’s babysitter.” She nodded. “Remember? With Jack and Henry.”

“Ooooooohhhhhh.” Y/N nodded with a giggle. She leaned into Emily. “Can I tell you a secret?” She asked loudly, thinking that she was whispering.

“Sure…?” Emily gave a look to JJ.

Y/N laughed. “Eloisey’s got a crush on JJ’s kid!” She doubled over and stomped her foot.

Penelope sighed. “It’s gonna be hilarious to see Reid trying to deal with his drunk Mrs!” She laughed.

Y/N almost spun around completely. “Shhh! He won’t know I’m drunk, ‘nelope! So don’t say any words, m’kay!?”

The bubbly blonde nodded. “Oh… of course not!”

.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.

Spencer and the guys had ended up going to a bar because Derek believed that a bachelor party should be more fun than it was.

So, they all loaded up in cars and went to the nearest one. Spencer had one drink and wanted to leave because he knew that Y/N would be getting home soon from her party.

He asked Rossi to drive him home and he waited for her to get home. When she did get home, he didn’t expect her to be as absolutely wasted as she was.

The door flew open and Emily groaned when Y/N ripped her arms out of her and JJ’s hands. She stumbled inside the apartment, her eyes landing on Spencer who was reading a book. “Spencer!” She gasped. “Oh my gosh! What are you doing here!?”

Spencer stood up, glancing at Emily, JJ, and then Garcia. “I live here, baby.” He chuckled, walking towards her. “How much did you drink?” He asked, mainly talking to Emily and the other girls.

JJ sighed. “Eight shots of vodka and four ‘zombies’.” She snorted.

Spencer furrowed his brows as he walked forward to take his fiancé from them. “What’s a zombie?” He asked.

Y/N giggled. “It’s a loooooooot of alcohol.” She nodded, wrapping her arms around his neck and going limp in his arms. “Where’s my other baby?” She asked, nuzzling into his chest.

He reached down, grunting and grabbing her ankle to take off her high heels. “She— jeez— she’s with Jack and Henry and then your mom is going to pick her up from Hotch’s house.”

Y/N whimpered a bit. “But I wanna…” She paused and sighed. “I wanna see her…”

Spencer nodded as he struggled to take her other heel off. “I know baby. You’ll see her tomorrow!” He smiled, kissing her cheek.

“Are you okay here, Reid?” Garcia asked, hearing the woman sing horribly into his chest as he took off her heel.

He tossed her shoe behind him onto the couch. “Yeah, we’re okay! Thank you for taking care of her.” He smiled.

Garcia took all of the bags and walked towards the coat closet. “You don’t get to look in these bags, Mister. Understand?” She opened the door and shoved them inside.

Y/N nodded against him. “Yeah, Mr. Vagina wizard! No looking!” She patted his chest and slurred her giggles.

“Okay, I won’t look.” He blushed madly at her drunken words as he ignored the laughs coming from his coworkers.

The girls said their goodbyes to the drunk woman and Spencer and left. Y/N was mumbling nonsense to Spencer and he sat her down on the couch and left to the kitchen to get her a glass of water.

“How was y- your parrrrtyyy?” She asked, her head rolling backwards onto the back of the couch.

Spencer chuckled and walked back into the living room. “It was good. Not as good as your though, apparently.”

Y/N shook her head and then frowned all of the sudden. “Did you… did y’see any… boobs?” She asked, opening her eyes just a bit.

The man shook his head and sat down next to her. “No. I didn’t see any.”

“Any butts?”

“Nope.”

“Mr. Chocolate didn’t take you to see any strippers?” She asked, sitting up and grabbing his shoulders.

Spencer shook his head. “No strippers.” She smiled at this and laid her head into his chest. “You gotta get to bed, okay?” He patted her back twice and then leaned her upright.

“Whyyyyyyy?” She whined, trying to poke his face. He moved away once but saw that she was persistent so let her do what she was trying to do.

Spencer smiled. “Because tomorrow you have Eloisey pick up, your nail appointment, your dress pick up, your eyebrow appointment, and then something else but you won’t tell me what it is.”

She giggled and bit her lip. “I’m getting a Brazilian wax!” She pretty much slapped his chest in excitement.

He rolled his eyes with a smile and stood up, bringing her with him. “Then, we have our rehearsal and dinner with everyone. Will you go to bed, please?” He chuckled.

“Can I have a kiss, please?” She asked, closing her eyes and puckering her lips.

“Yes.” He leaned down and kissed her shortly. He pulled away.

“That was not a very good kiss, mister.” She shook her head.

Spencer rubbed across her cheeks bone with his thumb. “I’ll give you a better one when you wake up, okay?” She smiled and nodded.

“Will you go to bed with me? I wanna cuddle you.” She whispered.

“Of course, baby.”

It took five whole minutes to get to the bedroom, Y/N was hard to control. She kept trying to slow dance with him in the middle of the floor. At one point he did because she started crying saying, “it’s rehearsal for our first dance! You have two left feet!”

Once he got her into bed, he stripped her of her dress and put some pajama pants and one of his shirts on her. He tied her hair back and away from her face because he knew how much she hated her hair getting in her way while she was sleeping.

She was very happy when he finally laid down next to her after changing from his clothes because that meant she could practically lay on top of him. “Missed you, Spence.” She whispered after hiding her face in the crook of his neck.

He rubbed her head before running his hand down her back. “I missed you too, baby.”

“Hey guess what, Spence,”

“What?”

“You’re really hot.”

He just laughed and shushed her.

.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.

The next morning, Y/N woke up to a bottle of water and a few advil on her bedside table. She groaned and rolled over expecting to see her fiancé there looking angelic as always when he was sleeping.

But he wasn’t there.

She furrowed her eyebrows and felt the dull aching of her head become stronger. “Ohhhhhhhhh fuck.” She sighed, groaning loudly.

She sat up and let her head fall into her hands. She stilled for a moment before realizing that her room was a bit too lit up.

She looked over at the clock on her table.

10:30 am

She was supposed to pick Eloise up from her mother’s at 9:00.

“Shit!” She stumbled out of bed and raced out of her bedroom.

She almost ran to the front door but paused when she saw Spencer cooking something in the kitchen and Eloise was dancing around the living room.

Spencer looked up from the frying pan. “Good morning— I uh… didn’t expect you to be up yet.” He said, ducking down to look at the clock on the stove.

“Morning mommy!” Eloise squealed.

She smiled down and squinted at her daughter. “Morning, baby!” She said quietly. “Did you…” She looked up at Spencer.

He nodded. “I didn’t want to wake you so I just went to get her and now I’m making you guys breakfast.”

Y/N crossed her arms and smiled as she walked towards him. “You’re the best. And I love you.” She mumbled.

He grinned, holding his arms out. She walked into them and squeezed him so tight. “How drunk was I?” She asked.

“Verrry drunk.” He kissed her head. “You forced me to slow dance with you.” He chuckled.

Y/N giggled and inhaled his familiar scent. Coffee, and cologne. “Thank you.”

“For what?” He asked, rubbing her back.

“For being you.” She answered after a short pause.

Spencer smiled. “Well, I’ll always be me. But, you’ve got to eat and then get ready for all of your appointments today.”

“Spenther! Is bweakfast weady!?” Eloise asked from the living room. “I’m a very hungry girl, otay?”

Spencer chuckled. “Yes, it’s ready. Do you wanna come and sit in your chair?”

Eloise pattered into the kitchen. “Duh, Spenther.” She rolled her eyes and climbed up on the pink chair.

Y/N smiled and shook her head. “Are you excited to have a girls day with mommy?” She asked, sitting in the chair next to her as Spencer began plating the food.

“Yeth! I so excited to get my nails done wif you!” She nodded, eyes lighting up. She paused. “Wait. I dotta go wash m’hands!” She scurried out of the kitchen to the bathroom.

Spencer leaned over his fiancé’s shoulder. “So, what’s she gonna do when you’re getting your… Brazilian?” He whispered. She could feel his smirk against her ear.

She turned to him, lips centimeters apart. “How did you know about that!?” She asked, watching him set a plate down in front of her.

He kissed her, leaving her head a bit dizzy. “Let’s just say, you like to overshare when you drink.” He whispered against her lips. She chased after his lips as he pulled away but he got too far and she pouted, turning around and picking up her fork.

Eloise rushed back into the kitchen and sat in her pink chair, excited to eat.

Y/N cleared her throat. “She will be with Penelope, for your information.”

Spencer smiled and sat across from her. “Oh, in that case, can I come watch?”

She furrowed her brows. “I really don’t think you wanna see hair getting ripped off my va-jay-jay.” She shook her head and Spencer laugh loudly, almost startling Eloise.

.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.

The day went absolutely perfect. Eloise and Y/N had gotten their nails painted, Eloise played with another little girl while her mother was getting her eyebrows done, Penelope picked up Eloise and took her for ice cream while Y/N was getting her soul snatched with hot wax and now, the mother and daughter pair were on their way to pick up their dresses. They got them and then she and Eloise went out to lunch. She wanted to explain what was going to change around the house and who she would be staying with after the wedding.

She watched her daughter with a smile as she munched on her chicken strips. “So, Eloisey…” She started. The girl looked up. “Remember when I told you what getting married was?” She asked.

Eloise nodded and her eyes out up. “It means that I get to wear a pretty dwess and frow fwowers at people.”

Y/N’s head titled to the side. “Yeah, somethin’ like that.” She giggled. “Spencer and I are going to go on a little trip. Just for a couple of days.”

Eloise looked up. “Where we goin’?” She asked, almost biting her finger in the process of eating.

The mother sighed and reached across the table. “Baby, you… you aren’t going.” She shook her head. She couldn’t find any nicer words. “I’m sorry, baby. You’ll get to stay with grandma and grandpa.” Her shoulders tensed.

Eloisey face screwed up into anger. “I wan’ go, mommy!” She shouted.

“Eloise, you can’t go.” Y/N said quietly after shushing her. The girl sat back, crossing her arms. “It’s for three days, baby. I promise I’ll call you every single day we’re gone and I’ll even bring you back a present!”

The girl’s face lit up. “I wike pwesents, mommy.” She nodded.

Y/N smiled. “I know you do, baby.”

——————————————————

Yayyyyyyy

I live this chapter and I’m sooooooo excited for the next chapter which will be the wedding! I decided to break it up into 2 parts

Thank y’all for reading and I love ya bunches❤️❤️❤️

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[raytorosaurus]

i've been so curious about this 'unofficial therapist' that thursday had???? which member is he? how did they find him?? could he always play an instrument or did they ask him to learn so they could keep him around? did he actually help that much? how did it change thursday's writing? i don't expect you to have the answer to all of these things but you seem to know a lot about them and if nothing else i need to know who their therapist is and what 'unofficial' means in this case if you can help at all!

oh lol haha unofficial in the very literal sense so my guy andrew everding of the "no one ever expects it" chest hair fame from my chemical romance in the studio 2002 (@3:10) is like...the y/n of thursday.

he's just a nice dude who hangs around and everyone likes, good friend of the guys in thursday, and then his house burns down and he has nowhere to stay so thursday were like yo just come tour with us and he did. because he's also a very talented (multi?-)instrumentalist and, as it turns out, a great composer too. also at some stage he lived with geoff's mom? it is unclear if this is before or after the fire and/or joining thursday as a touring member. he also photographed their first west coast tour in 2002?

so like anyway by 2003 he's playing keys for the watt tour which is like.....I'd say the darkest point of thursday's history but that would be a fucking lie lol. let's say the darkest point of thursday's history so far. the guys are super stressed, super overworked, super depressed, and under loads of pressure from their label who's saying they're underperforming the expectations they had for them. geoff in particular is copping a lottt of criticism for his singing which he really internalised, and basically everyone in the band is miserable. they were also. not fucking talking to each other. like at all. they would just all constantly bitch about each other behind everyone's back and never say shit to their face. andrew, as a touring member but not official member, and as a Nice Guy, ends up becoming like...the intermediary to whom everyone in the band went to vent. so he's like trying to fix their shit and be positive and he puts his foot down and is like guys you NEED to learn to COMMUNICATE. (spoilers they didn't) but anyway the band after a particularly nasty and conflict-laden tour of australia in 2004 are like fuck this we're breaking up! but then as soon as they agreed to breaking up they were like wait. so much of the pressure is gone now. actually we're good we just need a break :) but media has kind of already picked up on the story of them breakup up so it was all dreadfully will they/won't they. this is also right as three cheers is blowing the fuck up btw 😭😭 #we'retwosidesofthesamecoin #he'smyvillain.

oh shit and then they go on warped 04 as what would have been kinda their last thing but they're like hey look at this we're sorta starting to work on our problems! oh and then at the vegas date 24yo geoff gets shotgun married to a woman he'd been dating for two years with mcr, tbs, and the bouncing souls as the wedding party 😭😭😭😭😭.

ANYWAY. they end up not breaking up but take a break from touring and then all move in together for a while? i think bc they were a little scattered at that point and geoff might have been living in sydney (his wife was australian) at the time idk so when he came over to do thursday shit they just like lived together apparently. and they write city by the light divided (so titled bc the band, naturally, was totally divided on how they wanted the album to sound lol). anyway the main difference now is this time round they've invited andrew to join as an official member!! :DDD

...unfortunately for andrew, this is also the time thursday stops being even slightly commercially viable lol so he's like technically im earning less money now than i had been on a tour salary lolz. anyway he becomes a big part of the writing process, especially for that album and no devolucion, the instrumentals if which were apparently driven pretty heavily by him!

then in 2008 onwards thursday were all broke as fuck and needed to get day jobs to pay rent. most of them went into like...food service or painting houses, but tucker drummed for mcr for a bit and andrew worked as.....a guitar tech? for patd????? (also after the break up, tucker was in boy band the wanted for a while as their touring drummer. he loved it lol <3)

anyway tragically, andrew hasn't appeared at any of the reunion shows 😔. he's private so no details but he was dealing with some health issues towards the end of thursday that contributed to the band deciding to break up and has a baby and shit now. but he did continue touring as a musician a bit, like with neil finn in 2014!!!!!! playing some wacky fancy midi/synth electronic instrument iirc? epic collision of my childhood fave and new-adulthood fave.

anyway lol this is all typed out in bed on my phone off the top of my head so there might be some chronology errors in there, but a lot of this is from their documentary, kill the house lights! it's a comedy. dark comedy.

#andrewnation <3

[ladykailitha]

All My Roads Lead Back to You Epilogue

Here it is, the final part. I’m sad that’s it over. It has been such a lovely story and such lovely people that have supported me through. Those that were there from the start. Those that joined at anytime during the ride. Even the ones joined in with the last chapter. Thank you. All of you. You are all amazing.

The wedding.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18

***

The Munson-Harrington wedding was the must have invite of the year. It didn’t even matter that their marriage would only be recognized in a handful of states. All that mattered was that they were getting the chance to tie the knot and throw a huge party for all their friends.

Dateline had done an hour long piece of the Hawkins Witch Hunt as they were calling what happened to Eddie. It opened a whole can of worms regarding the Hawkins Police Department and other things that they may have sanctioned.

That lovely little news piece also bagged Kenny a girlfriend. He took one look at Lily Byers when she arrived for school that autumn and fell head over heels in love with her.

She even joined the band as rhythm guitar to newly named Children of the Knights of Hell’s Fire. They had found their style at last. It was little bit metal and whole lot of rock.

While their kids were in their senior year, Jeff, Gareth, Eddie, and Steve were all in Eddie’s studio working on an album. Apparently not only could Steve play, but the man had the pipes of a god damned angel.

Eddie had been tempted to put him as lead vocalist, but Gareth wisely pointed out that fans are going to at least expect to hear Eddie at some point.

So Steve was harmonies and backup vocals as well as bassist. Eddie was writing away and coming up with new stuff, remixing old stuff and he was finally able to properly grieve Jay by writing the song “Two Loves: Not Better, Just Different”.

The original Corroded Coffin boys loved it, Children of the Knights of Hell’s Fire loved it, and of course Steve loved it. It was unanimously decided that it should be the first single.

Everyone came to the wedding. The other Byers/Wheeler clan arrived with twin baby girls that they recently adopted. Beautifully named Elinor and Jeanette.

Dustin and Suzie’s baby boy was named Percival or Percy after his other favorite literary hero when Suzie wouldn’t let him name their child D’Artangan. He was also spoiled rotten.

Max and Lucas were the next to arrive with three very tall red-headed, dark skinned boys. The eldest Anthony was sixteen, the middle boy, Reggie was twelve, and their youngest Sean was eight.

Erica and her husband, David brought their two boys, Nico and Nemo aged ten. When their firsts were twins that was enough for them.

The parents started arriving as well. Joyce and Jim came. Claudia, too. The Sinclairs were there of course. Wayne had showed up weeks ago to help with all the planning.

Jane came last. She never married, she became a children’s advocate for neglected and abused orphans. She was the one they brought in when things got bad because she always had a ‘knack’ for knowing what the child was thinking. She had thrown herself into the work and found it rewarding.

Steve’s house was teaming with children of all ages and he loved it. Eddie came up to him at the rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding.

“It’s not quite the six nuggets you were hoping for,” he murmured into Steve’s ear, his arm gently wrapping around his waist. “But I think you’ve got your wish about lots of kids, sweetheart.”

Steve blushed. “I didn’t know anyone had heard that.”

Eddie nibbled on his ear. “My only regret is pushing you toward Nancy. That wasn’t fair to any of the parties involved.”

Steve nodded. “I was so desperate to be loved by someone, I would have fallen for anyone. It’s not your fault.”

Eddie’s chuckle rumbled through Steve, they were that close. “Ah, but you see that’s my regret. Had I known that I would have pushed my case so fucking hard, babe.”

Steve burst out laughing. “I’ll bet you would have! Throwing that vest in my face so hard I had to take a step back just because Nancy and I had an in-joke.”

“Guilty as charged.”

Max came up to them and hit Steve with her crutches. “About time you two got your heads out of your collective asses.”

Eddie gave her a hug. “I missed you too, Red.”

“Just make one of the stops on your tour Boston and we’ll call it even,” she said.

“Deal,” Steve and Eddie said together.

She laughed. “God, how does Harri and Edie put up with you two? You’re such saps!”

“Auntie Max!” Edie called. “Come meet Mandy Lawrence, she skates, too!”

Max laughed. “I’m coming. Hold your horses.”

*

The backyard was beautifully decorated in blue and yellow flowers. Eddie’s groomsmen were in blue and Steve’s bridesmaids were in bright, sunny yellow. Dustin was Eddie’s best man and Robin was Steve’s maid of honor. On Steve’s side of the aisle was Nancy, Edie, Lily, and Max. On Eddie’s was Wayne, Harri, Jeff, and Gareth.

It was a quiet affair despite everyone who knew anyone wanted to be invited.

There was no procession. Steve and Eddie were already at the alter waiting for their guests to file in. They stood together, both hands clasped in the other’s.

Hopper was officiating, having become a justice of the peace after leaving the police force. They had already done the marriage part in a quiet courthouse in a small Massachusetts town. This was for their friends and family to witness.

“Today we bring together two people,” Hopper began, “who despite all appearances of being complete opposites couldn’t be more perfect for each other than if God himself had planned it.”

Steve and Eddie both blushed.

“Eddie,” Steve murmured, “You are the best part of me. I wandered lost and though I was never quite alone, having friends and beautiful daughter by my side, I looked for love in all the wrong places, because that place was always home, with you. I started us on the path by saying things I didn’t mean because I frightened of the change you have always brought to my life.” Steve released Eddie’s hand for a moment to wipe away a tear.

“But I should have realized that you brought me joy in those changes and not run away from you. So I promise to come to you when I’m feeling down or bad about myself. I promise to love you even if loving myself is hard. I promise to care for you always and cherish each moment of every day that I get with you. I never thought I’d get a single day, and getting a chance of a life time with you is a dream come true.”

He brought Eddie’s hands to lips to kiss his knuckles.

Eddie smiled. “Steve, I believed I used up my second chance when you rescued me all those years ago. Bleeding and broken, I thought my second chance at a new life was when me and my boys got our record deal, but now I see that my real second chance was here, with you. Jay made me happy for the time we had together, and I truly believe he prepared my heart to be receptive to yours.”

Steve mouthed, ‘I love you.’

“I promise to love on the days that are hard. To cherish on the days that are easy. And worship you all of my days. You had a life time of believing yourself to be unlovable, and I promise to spend the next forty years–”

“At least!” Dustin called out.

Eddie laughed. “At the very least. I promise to spend the rest of ours lives proving how wrong you are. That you are loved, adored, worshiped, and admired by me. I love you, sweetheart.”

Hopper cleared his throat and blinked back tears. “And now the rings.”

Eddie took the black box from Dustin. He pulled out a gold band that had a sun and a moon with a diamond in the sun setting and a grey garnet in the moon setting. “With this ring, I thee wed.” He slipped it on Steve’s ring finger.

Steve looked at it in wonder, eyes filling with joyous tears. He took the white box from Robin and pulled out a black wrought iron ring with the same setting, only in the sun spot was a red garnet and in the moon’s was the diamond. “With this ring, I thee wed.” He slid it onto Eddie’s finger.

“By the authority vested in me,” Hopper concluded, “I pronounce you both husbands in the eyes of this congregation and God, husbands as long as you both shall live. You may now kiss the groom.”

Eddie grabbed Steve’s face in his hands and kissed him fiercely as Steve held on.

They broke off to laughter and tears. They walked back down the aisle to everyone throwing white rose petals over them as they past. Eddie and Steve laughed, skipping and giggling like children as their bridesmaids and groomsmen followed close behind.

*

The reception was the grand affair. All of Steve’s friends were there and all of Eddie’s connections in the music industry was there. Harri was almost one hundred percent sure he saw James Hetfield talking to famed baseball player Derek Jetter, but then someone past in front of him and they were both gone by the time Harri could see around the person again.

Harri walked up to Edie and bumped their shoulders together. “Who would have thought that over a year ago when you told me that you needed a new guitarist for your band, that it would lead to the wedding of the decade, between our two dads.”

She looked over at her dad who was trying to catch marshmallows with his mouth thrown by Dustin, Jane, and Eddie. He had come so far now that he was with the right therapist. Edie had started listening to her own more now too and was forced to admit she didn’t need to look after her dad because he could look after himself just fine.

“Best decision ever,” she agreed.

“Just two small town boys from each from different worlds clawing their way to make their own place in the world,” a warm voice said behind them.

Edie and Harri turned to see Wayne Munson standing there in a nice grey suit having changed for the reception, hands in his pockets.

“Grandpa Wayne!” Harri cried and threw his arms around him. “It’s been so great having you around these last couple of weeks.”

Wayne reached out with one arm for Edie who promptly snuggled up too.

“Does this mean you’re my grandpa now, too?” she whispered.

Wayne kissed the top of her head. “Of course it does. Steve was always mine married to Eddie or not. Even if we hadn’t spoken in decades, Stevie was always mine.”

“You’re going to make me cry for the tenth time,” Steve said coming up to them, hand in hand with Eddie, “if you keep saying things like that.”

Wayne waved his hands. “Come on, I still arms enough for you two.”

Steve and Eddie joined the Wayne hug and sighed happily.

“Hey!” Jonathan said, “Picture?”

They all lined up, Wayne in the middle flanked by Eddie and Steve his side while Edie and Harri stood next to their dads.

Jonathan snapped the photo.

Steve came up and gave him a hug. “Thanks for agreeing to do the photos for us.”

Jonathan hugged back fiercely. “Not a problem, man. Saves me from having to buy you a toaster.”

Steve laughed. “Where’s your beautiful wife?”

Jonathan looked around and pointed to the punch bowl. “There she is. Bitching out Barbara Walters.”

Eddie laughed. “Sounds about right.”

Harri looked over at her and cocked his head. “Hey, Dad. She looks a lot like you.”

Jonathan and Eddie shared a panicked expression.

“Well, you see...” Eddie said as Steve threw his head back and laughed.

***

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[nerdyvocals]

Hello again! To be honest, @look-at-those-niceass-rocks and I weren't originally sure if we were going to watch Rise of Red or not, but I saw some. Interesting things on tiktok, and we decided this would be a fun excuse to get tipsy on a Saturday night (we even made themed cocktails!), and that we would have a lot of unhinged things to say. Previously, we've also watched and kept a running commentary of the first three films and the Royal Wedding short film.

That said, I know opinions on this film have been very divided, and if you're looking for high praise, you will not find it here. The movie was cute, and we had fun, but we did not have a lot of compliments, and we're still messaging each other with criticisms a week later. If you're looking for two dumbasses who give tipsy critiques (please drink responsibly) about children's movies, please, proceed under the cut!

First, an honorable mention from a few days before the watch party: Bee (after we mentioned that we both, despite not originally planning on watching Rise of Red, had avoided spoilers just in case we changed our minds): Why do I care about spoilers for an unasked-for fourth movie in a franchise I only just became interested in?

Me (reading the description): Okay, so it looks like it's Back to the Future but Disney Bee: Great! Me: Was this needed? I feel like the trilogy wrapped things up nicely

Uma: This is Auradon, the kingdom where all your favorite fairytales are true. It was formed 30 years ago when- Me: PAUSE, okay so of the few things I've seen on tiktok,

Uma: Guess who they left in charge while they're gone? Me: That seems like a bad plan Bee: I was about to say

Me: So the biggest complaint I've seen so far has been about this, where Uma says that Auradon was founded 30 years ago Bee: Right Me: I've seen people call it a plot hole because in the first movie, Mal says the kingdom was founded 20 years ago, and I don't think they ever say exactly how much time passes between any of the movies, but the reality is, and I'm gonna touch your hand when I say this, Bee: *cackling* Me: The first movie came out in 2015. It is now 2024. The first movie came out almost 10 years ago, and in fact, when you add 10 to 20, ya get 30. Bee: *still wheezing* Me: Now, I don't know if the complaints are coming from new, younger fans who just recently binged the original trilogy in preparation for this and didn't realize when the first one came out, or if they're from older fans who have lost track of time and don't want to face the math- Bee: Fuck math, man!

(Continuing from the previous conversation, after discussing character ages and determining that Uma is likely between 26-28 at this point) Bee: That's too young to be headmaster, she's a baby Me: Bee, that's fairly close to 30, that's not unreasonable. I feel ya though, I'm not an adult, I'm a baby with a drinking permit. Bee: I think I've finally surpassed baby with a drinking permit, I'm more like. Adult, reluctantly

Fairy Godmother: The queen of Hearts refused to join Auradon when we united Me: Yeah, because you would've imprisoned her???

Blonde Wonderland Guard: *appears* Me: Lucius Malfoy??? Bee: Wig Me: Starkid's A Very Potter Sequel Lucius Malfoy???

Me: Does she (Red) have a nose ring??? Bee: Oh shit, she does! Me: We finally get some edginess to character design and it's when nose rings are no longer edgy

Honorable mention: Us spending Multiple Minutes trying to figure out if Maddox was supposed to be The Mad Hatter or the son of the Mad Hatter. We ended with no answers

(About Paolo!Charming) Bee: Oh, he has only gotten hotter Me: Correct! Why does he have blue in his hair Bee: Because he's hot

Me: Imagine being this in love still after raising Chad

Cindy: We wouldn't have been able to make this great family Bee: And Chad

Cindy: *presents Chloe with the Most Hideous Shoes I have Ever Seen* Me: *chugs what's left of my drink*

Cindy: We can visit Chad at college another time Me: Chad got into college??? Bee: Nepo baby

Bee: Does anyone in this movie understand "show don't tell?" Movie: *Insert Love Ain't It, aka Exposition: the Song* Me: Nope!

Cindy and the Queen of Hearts: *share a look* Me: Ex-lovers Red and Chloe: *share a look* Me: Future lovers?

Me: JABBERWOCKY MENTION! Bee: Drink!

Me: Is that supposed to be Jasmine and Aladdin? Bee: I think so? Me: Why does Jasmine have a fuck-ass bob? What is it with Descendants and fuck-ass bobs???

Me: I'm going to get so drunk over this Bee: I think that's safet Me: ...Safet???

Me: Where are Harry and Gil? Bee: On their honeymoon

(During the What's My Name? reprise) Bee: ...I need to take another drink Me: Same Bee: My drink is almost gone, I'm so sad Me: Do what I did, make another Bee: I will after this dork-ass song

Uma: Do you mind? Queen: I think I do Me: *pausing* Do you want to make a second drink real quick before things get cringier? Bee: ...I think that's a good idea

Me: I think I don't hate the silhouette of the Queen of Hearts' look, but it's way too monochromatic Bee: Drink! You're right though, there's no dimension

*Wand Breaks* Me: OH SHIT Bee: You could do that this whole time???

Cindy: Stop it, Bridget, you're better than this! Me: Is she? Bee: I don't think she is

Aladdin: Look at her, she's enjoying this! Me: Yeah, she's a teenager experiencing parental affection for the first time. Y'all really learned nothing, huh? Bee: You'd think after ten years they'd get their shit together

(As Cinderella is being led away) Bee: I love her poofs Me: God, me too, I love puff sleeves Bee: We are both just Anne Shirley

Fairy Godmother: *is young* Me. She looks so much like Jane Bee: For a second there, I thought that just straight up was Jane Me: Brilliant casting

Me: Why are their clothes so modern if this is supposed to be over thirty years ago

Me: This princess insult doesn't work if you're both princesses

Red and Chloe: *forehead touch* Me: Gay Bee: Kiss

(After Fight of Our Lives) Bee: I feel like this didn't need to be a song Me: We could've just had a homoerotic sword fight à la The Princess Bride

Me: Ahhh, that's why everyone is dressed so modern, so they can blend in without a costume change! That's so lazy!

Bee: He (Merlin) pulls a lit Molotov cocktail from his bag

(Alchemy Class) Bee: ...The hap is fuckening

Red: *eats a cupcake* Bee: These falsies are really gonna help me do alchemy!!!

Bridget: It's Jasmine and Aladdin! J&A: Call us Jaladdin! Me: I will not be doing that Bee: *choking* WHAT THE FUCK

Morgie: Son of Morgana! Me: See, Morgana has a kid already, but gee, why wouldn't Disney want children Googling Mordred? Bee: Hehehe

Uliana: TELL BRIDGET I WILL DESTROY HER Me: See, girl, she did warn you Bee: Why are Jaladdin going with?

Ella: Will you go to castlecoming with me? Me: OH Bee: GAY Me: So it wasn't a prank that turned her evil, it was that her girlfriend ditched her for a boy, Us, simultaneously: IT'S GIVING GOOD LUCK BABE

(In the Tremaine Manor) Me: Oooh, this kid is about to learn what parental abuse is

Bee: I need them to try and fix it and then have to go back again because they accidentally turn Cinderella evil Me: That's what the fifth movie is about, actually

Uliana's Hideout: *emerging from the water* Me: WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT Bee: "Can-I-Have-A-Cigarette" lookin' ass Me: *WHEEZE*

(During Perfect Revenge) Bee: Kenny Ortega, I'm sorry I didn't appreciate you when I had you

(It was at this point, when Uliana was hanging by her tentacles, that Bee's husband entered to check on us) [Husband]: ...What in the Doc Ock

Me: Ooooh, that last sip hit, I think I've made it to drunk Bee: Oh boy! Me: I'm so glad I don;t have to be anywhere tomorrow Bee: Drink some water Me: Water is for weaklings! Bee: I don't get hangovers anymore because I hydrate while I drink Me: I don't get hangovers because I'm 22 Bee: Suck my dick, Levi Me: I don't think [Husband] would appreciate that Bee: [HUSBAND], CAN LEVI SUCK MY DICK?! [Husband], distantly: I don't know how to respond to that??? Me: *falling off the couch crying laughing*

Bridget: *talking about her Shuffle of Love dance* Me: If not going on date, why worried about love, I am drunk Bee: No, you're correct

Bridget: If I was your mom, I'd love to have a daughter that thinks for herself Me: BOY WOW I WAS NOT EXPECTING TO GET HIT IN THE MOMMY ISSUES

Bee: Oh, pretty boy (Paolo!Charming) is back! Also I stood up and I too am now drunk

(After some line about valiant knights being always good) Me: Have you heard of Lancelot? Bee: I was about to say

(During the Hands Dirty sequence) Me: This is a song from a better movie Bee: Not again

Bee: I simply do not believe that Cinderella would let her daughter grow up that dumb as hell. I do, however, believe that Prince Charming would let his daughter grow up that dumb as hell Me: have you met Chad? Bee: That's fair, actually. Chad's adopted Me: Who's goddamn white baby is that? Bee: Who's goddamn white baby is that!

Me: Pause! So here, funnily enough, is a perfect example of what my mentor calls "Disney Patches:"

Bee: Drink! Me: So what they're trying to do here is show that Ella has to wear her clothes to the bone and patches them herself. When you add patches to garments to make them look like they've been repaired, you need to make sure the placement makes sense, as in think about where clothes would likely wear to holes: for pants, that's gonna be mainly knees and inner thigh. Disney has a habit of just putting patches wherever in places they just wouldn't be, like here. Why does she have patches in random places on her leg? Bee: Ohhh Me: In some cases in can be a stylistic choice, but I would argue that Ella wouldn't be the type to waste that much fabric for no reason. I can forgive the pockets though, I've had pants that got holes in the pockets, and sometimes it's easier to replace them than to patch

(A shot of Headmaster Merlin's Door) Bee: Hmmm, Merlin Me: ...Headmaster Merlin Bee: hmmmmmmmm, Merlin

Bee, completely deadpan: Hoot hoot, motherfuckers

Me: The Night Falls scene fell flat on its face so this scene could feebly crawl

Me: It has only just occurred to me that Chloe's shoes were supposed to be glass this whole time, I thought they were just fucky Doc Martens Bee: Yeah! Put the uh. The ug. Put the ugly in uggs Me: I think you need to drink more water Bee: I think you're right

Me: They're red and blue gays Bee: They're red and blue gays!

Me: Fuck whatever this movie is supposed to be about, I need them to kiss

Bee: Obsessed with his (Merlin's) coat, costume department popped the fuck off with that Me: That's my line Bee: Drink bitch!

Me: Wait, is that the end? Bee: It can't be, there's no way that worked Me: There's only ten minutes left???

Uma: You didn't think that was the end of the story, did you? Me: FUCK OFF

Bee: I am deadass on Reddit Me: *dying* Bee: Trying to figure out what the fuck

Bee: Where was the climax??? Was it supposed to be that thing in Merlin's office? Me: It can't have been Bee: If it was it fell so flat. I feel like I've sobered up watching that

[14buddy22]

Slipping Through My Fingers

Aaron Hotchner x Daughter!reader

WC: 5.2K

A/n: This is from Aaron’s perspective on his daughter’s wedding day! This was inspired by Slipping Through My Fingers from the Mamma Mia movie. Feel free to listen to it while reading. (See the bottom for song :))

Masterlist

“Slipping through my fingers all the time. I try to capture every minute.”

Getting dressed for a wedding vs. getting dressed for a funeral is almost the same thing. Two important events. One event where everyone wants to attend, the other… well not so much. Getting in similar dress-like clothing (except for the bride and groom), the only difference is that two people are celebrating the start of their lives together and another has to live in sorrow for the rest of their life. The other difference is the emotion of people.

Weddings usually make people happy, maybe except for the father of the bride. That’s what I am today. My daughter’s getting married. I had been the one at the funeral, having to live the rest of my life without Haley, but my daughter and my future son-in-law were going to be starting the rest of their lives together.

My day started off hectic. I got called into the BAU. That was not something I wanted to happen on the day of my daughter’s wedding. I’m sick and tired of work and my home life clashing. It’s clashed for the past 25 years. I’ve missed out on moments from Y/n and Jack’s life. The two most important people to me and I lost out on time with them. I lost Haley because of my job. She was my rock when we first got married and my job ruined our marriage. She died because of me. It’s a guilt that I carry around every single day, and even today, more than ever.

After quickly resolving what needed to be resolved at the BAU, I came home, went for a run, showered, and began to make breakfast and clean up from last night. My living room looked like a frat party was thrown. I guess that’s what I get for letting my two children have people over the night before my daughter’s wedding.

Cleaning up the mess, I came across a photo album. Just looking at it, I knew exactly what it was. It was Haley and I’s wedding photo album. I’d been so busy with everything in my life, I guess I didn’t have time to sit down and think about what my daughter must be feeling about her wedding.

I picked up the book, only to find another photo album underneath. One was an album of my daughter and I. She made me so proud to be her father. I was the lucky one to have her in my life.

I began to flip through the pictures of the moment I found out I was going to be a father. On the first page of the book, there was a polaroid of Haley holding up the pregnancy test with myself kissing her. It made me think back to that moment, and how sentimental it was.

Exhausted. Yep, that’s what I was feeling, but that’s okay, because now I’m going home to see my beautiful wife, cook her dinner, and spend an evening with the woman I love, maybe work on making a baby.

When my key hit the front door, it made me stop and think, what’s my life going to be like in 5 years? 10 years? 15 years? Will I have 6 kids running around the house and they’ll be running to the front door when I walk inside? Will my kids be playing sports or in the marching band? Instead of coming home to see the kids, I have to split up and watch soccer games, cheerleading, baseball, band, and theater. It excited me.

I shuddered at the memory I had. I did that to myself. I chose work over the family I could have had with Haley. My two children are perfect but had I been more invested as a husband, and as a father, I could have had more. I only had myself to blame.

I walked into the kitchen to find Haley in the kitchen. She had made dinner, even though I was supposed to. I was lucky to have her, to marry my high school sweetheart, my best friend.

“So, you know how I haven’t been feeling good honey?”

“Yeah. I wanted you to rest while I was at work today.”

I paused when she put her hands on my waist to hold me still. To stop me in whatever pilot mode I was in. She was bringing me back to reality and not just going through the motions of what I did every time I got home.

“Honey, you know how we’ve been trying for a little Hotchner?”

“Haley, I told you, if we can’t have a baby, we can’t have a baby. It’s okay, we can adopt a couple of kids or we can have none. I’m sure there will be BAU babies in the future.”

“Aaron. Honey, we did it. We’re having a baby.”

She pulled out a positive pregnancy test and held it in front of my face. Tears streamed down both of our faces. We were going to become parents. At that moment, I learned I was going to be a father. We wouldn’t find out until 7 months later that we’d have a baby girl. That baby girl was the best thing to happen to Haley and me.

I flipped through the picture book, reminiscing on the days when my daughter was a baby, toddler, child, not the beautiful, young woman she’d turned into. I saw the photo of me and my two kids in the hospital bed. Y/n was only 2 years old when Jack was born, she was so excited to be a big sister and I knew their bond would be like no other.

I was slowly tearing up, going through memory lane, thinking about how fast my kids grew up and I wasn’t there for it, it killed me. I have many regrets in life, not leaving the BAU when I had the chance is my biggest one. While the work I did saved thousands of people, those moments with my kids and any chance I had with Haley, I’ll never get back.

Before I could have a full-blown crying moment, I heard my daughter speak up from her bedroom.

“Dad, can you help me get ready?”

I wasn’t new to helping her get ready. Without Haley in Y/n and Jack’s life, I had to become Dad and mom.

If you had asked me 21 years ago if I’d be the one helping my daughter get ready on her wedding day, I would have said no, that was Haley’s job, but 15 years ago, I knew that would change, when I was helping my 6-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son get ready for their mom’s funeral.

Over 15 years, I learned how to braid her hair, learned the correct hair and makeup products that she needed. I never envisioned I’d have to do that when I held my baby girl in my arms for the first time. I thought Haley would do that and I would just give her my debit card and she’d go. It’s funny how the times have changed.

Walking into the room that she’d grown up in made me think back to all the memories we had together. I just paused for a moment. The flashbacks of me coming home to her playing princesses in her room with her stuffed animals and then being so happy to see me. Or her putting on her music, begging me to dance with her. Her begging me to read her a bedtime story or asking to sleep in her bed because of the thunder.

Being there for my kids taught me a lot. I learned a lot more about my kids in the last 15 years than I did in the first 4 to 6 years of their life when Haley was alive. Granted, that was my fault, but they taught me much about life.

When I saw her looking at me, I quickly snapped out of whatever trance I was in. For someone who was getting married in 2 hours, she was not ready one bit, but that was the good thing about my daughter. She was good about not getting stressed, so if she was, I couldn’t tell. But I also refuse to profile my children.

Well actually, as a father, you have to read your kids. I just can’t turn it off sometimes when it comes to my kids, especially my daughter, that’s my little girl. She was opening up to me. She’d always done that, so there was never a reason to profile much. My daughter was nervous. I mean, I was when I married Haley, I don’t blame her for being nervous. There’s so much that could go wrong on the big day, that if you don’t have a support system, you’ll get lost in trying to make sure everything is perfect.

“Honey, I thought Anna and Shelby were supposed to be helping you get ready?”

“Dad, I just needed some time to be alone. I also think Anna and Jack are hooking up.”

I snickered watching my daughter gag at the thought of her best friend and younger brother hooking up. Anna and Shelby were Y/n’s childhood best friends and Jack fit into their friend group as they got older.

“Honey, Go get showered, I’ll help you with your hair. How do you want it? Curled? Braided?”

“Dad, I don’t have a lot of time, I can’t be late for my wedding.”

“We have time, we have time.”

She walked over and hugged me. It made me very happy to hold her in my arms one last time before she was getting married. I wasn’t ready to let go, but my little girl was a strong, independent woman.

In just a few short hours, I was going to be giving her away. Giving her away to a man who loved my daughter with everything he had, they had the kind of love that Haley and I had in college, the kind of love that was there when we found out we were going to be parents.

“You know Dad, I’m getting Mamma Mia vibes from this moment.”

“Except you know who your father is and he’s walking you down the aisle.”

I watched her roll her eyes and she made her way to the bathroom. I went to grab her some food and caught Jack walking out of his room, praying that he wasn’t hooking up with Anna, Y/n’s childhood bestfriend.

“Jack, your sister’s getting married and you’re fooling around with her bridesmaid.”

“Dad, come on. We’re here for a good time, not a long time.”

He patted my shoulder and walked by to grab some food. I couldn’t believe this is how my kids turned out. My daughter, marrying an amazing guy while my son on the other hand is screwing around with my daughter's bridesmaid.

“When are you getting ready? The wedding is in two hours, you still need to shower, shave, Anna needs to get to her house to get ready. Jack, I’m serious, stop laughing.”

“Hey old man, relax. It’s going to be okay. Anna and I are having a snack, she’s leaving to go get ready at her own house. I’m going to shower. See ya, daddio.”

Watching my son walk back to the room that I used to tuck him in with and build forts in seemed crazy to me. In my eyes, he was the little four year old boy that would fall asleep on the couch trying to stay up for me when I got home for work.

Both my children were growing up and I wasn’t ready. From what I saw, they were still my babies, both of them. I’m not ready for them to never need me again. Once Y/n get’s married, she’s going to have her husband, and then they’ll have kids because that’s what she’s always wanted, and then she’s going to have her own family, not her dad, and that scared me.

You can prepare all you want, but I was never prepared to become a single father to two young children, wasn’t prepared to have my daughter date, or prepared enough to have her move out of the house. From what I’ve learned, there’s no amount of preparation for that feeling of what it’ll be like when your children, your babies, grow up.

I walked back into Y/n’s room with her and Jack’s favorite food, dino chicken nuggets. No matter how old they got, they never grew out of their dino chicken nugget phase. Both of them would tell me over and over that dino chicken nuggets were elite, they basically told me that dino chicken nuggets were the Aaron Hotchner of the BAU and it somehow clicked in my mind. They were comparing me to chicken nuggets, making me feel like a hero, when in fact, I shouldn’t be their hero.

I chuckled thinking back to that conversation that they had with me. We were sitting at the kitchen table, I had got back from a case early in the afternoon and picked them up from school. They were so happy to see me, so when we went grocery shopping, I had mindlessly picked up regular chicken nuggets. Oh, was that a big mistake. Both children yelled, “NO! Not those!”

I smiled laughing at the fear that took over me in that moment. My two children, 10 and 8 years old, were telling me not to buy chicken nuggets. Jack had said that Dino chicken nuggets were the best and that he’ll eat them forever. After I explained that just the shapes were different, my daughter spoke up, saying that dino chicken nuggets were like the Aaron Hotchner of the BAU, the best of the best. Her exact words were, “Dino nuggets are the hero of chicken nuggets, just like you’re my hero.”

I didn’t want to cry. I was on the verge of tears earlier, I still had to hold it together for my daughter. I didn’t need her to come out and see me crying because I know she’d cry. She didn’t need that stress on her big day.

“Ugh! Dad.”

My daughter came into her room with one of my ¼ zips and her favorite pair of running shorts. Those were her comfort clothes. That ¼ zip was 21 years old. When I was away on cases, Haley would wear it when feeding her, and as Y/n got older, it’s the one ¼ zip she always gravitated too. While it was big on her when she was a child, she still slept in it, wore it when I wasn’t home, it was her sense of safety when I couldn’t be there. Because of me, she was attached to a piece of clothing because I couldn’t protect her. What father puts their children through that?

“What’s wrong honey?”

“Dad, I was shaving and I cut my leg.”

“Come here, sit down. I have a band-aid.”

She sat down on the bed and I grabbed a band-aid from my pocket. One thing that Haley told me from our wedding day was to always have enough band-aids. I made a promise that whenever our children got married, I’d be the one to carry the band-aids. Turns out she was right, we did need the band-aids after all.

She grabbed the dino nuggets after I put the band-aid on and she sat down on the bed. I moved to sit with my back against her head board and I was looking at her. I thought I’d see the beautiful woman she had turned into, but all I could see was my Y/n. My little girl who’d want to play basketball with me or try to show me the newest soccer move. My little girl who was just in a red dress and pigtails. Yeah, that was the little girl I saw.

“Dad, did you hear what I said?”

“What?”

“I started talking but you didn’t answer me. Are you okay?”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I was just thinking. What did you say?”

“Can you believe I’m marrying A.J.?”

Her fiance was the perfect man for her. He was sweet, kind, just overall in love with her. The kind of love that Haley and I once had. He was everything I could have ever imagined for my little girl.

“No, I can’t believe the day has finally come. 1 year of prepping for a wedding flew by.”

“Thank you for everything, dad.”

My daughter leaned into me and put her head on my shoulder. When I looked at her TV, Mamma Mia was on. When did she put that on? This had to have been her way of trying to soak on as much time as she could before she was getting married. Maybe it was her way of getting me to come to realize that my little girl wasn’t my little girl.

As she ate her dino nuggets, I held onto her a little longer, not wanting her to get married. I know she had to, everyone has to grow up, but I just wasn’t ready. I’m finally ready to admit that. Before I could say something, Jack entered the room with two plates of dino nuggets.

“Jack, you’re supposed to be in the shower.”

“Dad, Y/n’s moving out of the house officially tonight, this is the last time we’re all going to be living together, under one roof. We’ve spent the past 19 years living together. Well, 19 years living with me, 21 for you two, but if I’m being honest, I’m not ready to let that go.”

My son was right. He was stronger than I was. He said what I had been afraid of saying this entire time. I took the plate of dino nuggets that he had reached out to give me. He sat on the bed with my daughter and I. Sharing the bed how they used to share the bed when they were just kids.

I watched my daughter begin to take pictures and videos and we got one of all of us smiling, eating our dino nuggets. Something so simple, yet so meaningful. The last time I’d ever have my children living under one roof all together. Yeah, Jack’s right, I wasn’t ready to let go, but I did, in less than an hour and 10 minutes.”

As we finished our dino nuggets, I had to begin to help with her hair, the movie playing in the background. Jack had stayed in the room to take pictures. Pictures that I would cherish for the rest of my life.

My daughter had put on “Slipping Through My Fingers”. The scene was coming up shortly in the movie but she put the song on her phone. She looked at me through the mirror and smiled. All I could think of was how much this song was so impactful in our life, and now it’s becoming a real story for our life.

Jack went to go get her dress and then went to go change, leaving Y/n and I for a minute that we both needed. With her hair braided the way she wanted, she turned around and looked at me. I handed her her dress and Jack walked into the room.

“You clean up nice, Jack.”

“Thanks sis. Dad? Do I look okay?”

My son was put together. In just a few short moments, I was going to have two children ready for a wedding. Two children who weren’t 4 and 6 anymore, but were 21 and 19. They were grown up.

“You look nice, call me when you’re ready Y/n. I’m going to change.”

I walked out of her room to give her a minute to get into her dress and walked into my room. I changed into my suit and fixed my hair. I finished tying my tie and walked back outside of Y/n’s room. I knocked on the door, getting the okay from Y/n to come in. As I made my way in, I looked at my daughter. She looked absolutely gorgeous. Just an hour ago, I was looking at the little girl in pigtails that I once saw. Now, I was staring at a beautiful, strong, young woman who had everything in the world going for her at that moment. She was my daughter and I was lucky to be her father.

Jack was sitting on the desk, giving me time to fix the little bits of hair that needed to be recurled on Y/n’s head. She was looking in the mirror, I knew she wanted to say something but I wasn’t going to pressure her. Until I heard her speak.

“Dad, am I letting you down?”

“Why would you think that?

“Because of what you’ve done, being the unit chief of the BAU, raising 2 children 2 years apart, being a single-father.”

“Honey, I didn’t have a choice. Your mother was taken from us because of what I did. I became a single father because you lost mom because of me.”

“Dad, stop. That’s not true.”

I was staring at my daughter, but that wasn’t her who said that, it was Jack. Jack was teary eyed, looking at me and Y/n. I shook my head slightly because Haley’s gone because of me and my job.

“Dad, please, you have to listen to Jack and I. It is not your fault. Foyet killed mom. You did everything you could to protect Jack and I. Dad, you could’ve been dead, too! He stabbed you 9 times. You raised us into the people we are today. We wouldn’t be half of the people we are if it weren’t for you. You’re our hero, dad. You always will be.”

I wrapped my arms around my daughter. She still saw me as a hero. My little girl. My little girl who was getting married in 45 minutes. I was her hero. There could be nothing more better than hearing her call me her hero.

“You will never let me down. No matter what. I am so proud to be your father.”

“I’m lucky to be your daughter. You’re my hero. No matter how old I get, I’m always going to need you in my life. Never forget that, Dad. Will you give me away?”

All day I had been holding up tears, guilting myself for letting Haley get killed but at this moment, all I could think about was what a blessing it was to be a father. A father who was loved by his kids. I was loved by my daughter and son, neither one of them ever angry with me for raising them as a single father, never blaming me for losing their mom. I was their hero. I was someone they trusted, they found comfort in. My kids were my saving grace. Y/n asking me to give her away, the floodgates had opened. I wiped the tear that had fallen onto her cheek and pulled her into my arms. I looked over at Jack, for one to never get emotional, he was wiping his tears as well.

As I pulled away from the hug, I kissed her forehead. She was ready to get married, I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready for her to get married, but that didn’t matter because all I wanted to do was make my daughter happy.

“I think we have to get to a wedding.”

My kids and I all took one last hug. The ending of Slipping Through My Fingers filled the room. All of us all quietly soaking in the moment, realizing all we had been put through as a family, but in the end, we had made it out.

As we got to the church, we watched everyone walk down the aisle and I held onto her arm. I looked down at her and she squeezed my arm.

“Are you ready, Dad?”

“No.”

She and I shared a laugh. She just wanted me to be honest. I knew that and that’s what she was waiting for.

“No, I’m not ready for you to finally be grown up. I know you’ve been grown up for a long time, but in my eyes, you’re still the little girl who barely fits into my ¼ zip. Now you’re getting married. But if there’s anyone who deserves it, it’s you. You deserve every ounce of happiness Y/n Hotchner.”

She kissed my cheek and whispered, “You deserve happiness, too, Dad. Don’t forget that. I love you.”

The church doors swung up and the pianist began to play “Slipping Through My Fingers”. My daughter and I looked at each other, let out a deep breath and began to smile, taking our steps down the aisle.

I wish someone would’ve told me that this was the shortest walk of my life. What felt like the longest, but the most important, was the shortest amount of time I’d have with my daughter when giving her away. I wanted to cherish every moment I could get with her before she married A.J. This was the last moment before she became a married woman. I kissed her cheek, then went to sit down next to my team. Rossi gave me a pat on leg. A small gesture that I didn’t know I needed until I felt the tension in my body relax.

I had given my daughter away, she was marrying the love of her life, that feeling that I’m losing her forever was kept in my body up until that point in time that I felt Rossi’s touch.

The ceremony was beautiful, as A.J. and Y/n shared a kiss, the audience began to clap. She began to walk down the aisle, hand in hand with her husband. She gave me a smile and a wave, a small gesture that I’d hold onto forever.

As the night began to wind down, it was a beautiful wedding and reception. There was still one more thing that I needed to do. The father-daughter dance. I still had no idea what the song was, I just knew that we were dancing to a slow song.

As the D.J. called my name to the floor, I met my daughter in the middle of the dance floor. Everyone had surrounded us. I grabbed my daughter and embraced her in a hug.

“Just wait for the song, Dad. You’ll love it.”

Just as she finished, “Slipping Through My Fingers” had begun to play throughout the reception hall. I saw Jack beginning to record and looked around at everyone. They were all wiping their tears and I began to spin my daughter around the dance floor.

I didn’t know what to say. I wanted to say everything that I could to her in the time the song began to play, but I could feel all tension leave her body as soon as she held me. She had been trying to make this wedding so perfect, and it was. There’s just something you’ll always know about your children, there’s something you’re always able to provide them. Being there to provide my daughter the comfort that I had tried to do all my life was big for her.

“I’m proud of you. I want you to know that.”

“Dad, you’ve told me that ever since I was a little girl.”

“I know I have, but it’s because it’s true and I want you to know that. Okay? You need to know that you’re important to me. I’m not ready for you to not be my little girl anymore. I’m not ready to wake up tomorrow morning and know that you and Jack won’t be trying to burn down my house making breakfast. I’m not ready to let go of the fact that you really have slipped through my fingers. I don’t know where the time has gone, I just know that it went way too fast, you were always growing and I tried to make it stop but I never could. You’re always going to me Y/n Hotchner to me, you’ll always be my little girl. Just know that I’m a phone call away. I’m a car ride away to watch mamma mia and eat ice cream with.”

I watched her smile and I wiped the tears from her face.

“Just please not chocolate ice cream, dad.”

“I know, never.”

“Sometimes I wish that I could freeze the picture.”

We began to laugh about the ice cream. At that moment, I really did wish I could freeze the picture because this song was ending, my little girlwas going to be grown up in 30 seconds, and I had to adjust to everyday life with her being a married woman. I was proud of her. She deserved every ounce of it, worked so hard to be who she is now.

As the music faded out, I spun her in a circle and hugged her. The audience of our friends and family began to clap. I held onto her a little too long, but it was something both of us needed. I felt Jack come hug us and we all whispered how much we love each other.

When we finally let go of one another, I quickly stepped out of the way to let everyone else join in on the dance floor. A.J. and Y/n began to dance to the music, and Jack was dancing with Anna. Everyone was smiling. It was a great wedding with family and friends.

As I got Jack home for the night and into his bed, placing Gatorade, water, and Motrin at his bedside, I walked into Y/n’s room. She didn’t come home. For the first night in a while, she wasn’t going to be home. It was something I was going to have to process, but it was okay. I knew she was happy. I knew that I was the father that was trying his best, the father who made a difference in her life.

Y/n slipped through my fingers, I focused too much on trying to capture every minute with her that I didn’t realize how fast she grew up in my eyes. My daughter was married. This day was hard and I didn’t think that there’d be crying on my wedding day like how we cried at Haley's funeral. The thing that was different was that we were crying for different reasons.

I wiped the tear that had fallen onto my cheek and turned out the lights in her room.

She grew up way too fast for me to realize it, but I’m glad I had every minute I did with her. I walked back into my room and got out of my suit. As I laid in bed, I changed my profile picture on social media to the picture of walking Y/n down the aisle.

I then posted another picture of her waving and smiling as she was walking down the aisle with her husband. The caption was perfect for the ending of this night. “She waved goodbye, with an absent-minded smile.”

[majaloveschris]

For some the “weddings” was what made them believe it was PR.🤣

Mostly because of the information that was coming in real-time when they were supposed to be happening from people that were supposed to have signed NDAs, around the same time projects for both of them were coming out I may have to mention, followed by all the articles promoting the ceremonies that keep happening even now almost every month like someone it's afraid we would forget. Which is kinda funny and desperate in my opinion because those articles are not always tied to them doing something like for example RDJ's wife mentioning how “he was mentoring during his wedding” after over 10 years of working with him. Like really? That's the best example you can think of. 🤣🤣🤣

Also, the mystery of where the first “ceremony” was supposed to happen that not even his “go-to” magazine seemed to know.

But I guess that helps to get people attention that seem to be the ultimate goal.

All of it is too sloppy to be just PR.

There doesn't seem to be much love or real need for privacy to be completely real so we are stuck in limbo until someone breaks…

Yeah, the super secret, super private, NDA-proved wedding wasn't that big of a secret after all. As you said, it's funny to think that the first article via Page 6 came out the day after the wedding. The "source" didn't wait a single minute. And the People article wave was even funnier. We got newer articles every single day for almost a week. Talking about the wedding, their relationship, and whatever they were able to come up with. What a low-key couple, right? My opinion is that those articles came from their teams, which leaves the question of why selling this whole "we are so happy and in love" thing is so important. It's a super secret, NDA-proved wedding, but Hemsworth was casually telling random people that they were there for Evan's wedding. RDJ's wife wasn't holding it back either, and it's so believeable that in the past 10+ years, RDJ hasn't "mentored" him for something else or even more important.

The whole location thing is a joke. Page 6 wrote, "The couple said “I do” Saturday in an intimate ceremony that took place in Massachusetts at their Boston-area home," and then People wrote (mentioning that "The New York Post's Page Six was first to report the news") that "The actor, 42, wed Alba Baptista during a ceremony at a private estate in Cape Cod, Mass., on Saturday, a source tells PEOPLE." Neither of those articles mentioned that the party and the ceremony were at two different locations, and both of those pages talk about the ceremony. So where was the ceremony then? Because the two outlets wrote about entirely two different locations, and the fact that People mentioned that Page Six was the first to report yet their "source" said a completely different thing is funny. I wouldn't assume the source didn't know where they were. Then People obviously tried to save what they could and published another article where they wrote, "Chris Evans and his new bride Alba Baptista partied at his Boston-area home to celebrate their marriage" and that "the wedding weekend also included a gathering at a private estate in Cape Cod, sources confirmed to PEOPLE." So what happened and where then? Because the story doesn't really make sense. Just like anything else in this whole thing. I guess their love is so strong that even the source(s) got high on it and couldn't tell where or what was happening.

To me, the sloppiness is one of the reasons why I think this is PR. There wouldn't be this many inconsistencies if this were a legit thing. They wouldn't need to prove anything, they wouldn't need to publish this many articles about the wedding or their relationship, and they wouldn't need to keep filling in the whole mess their sloppiness caused.

[double-hoe-seven]

How the AFC Richmond guys proposed Part II

Here’s part two of this because I’m finally back in the mood for this sweet stuff.

Here’s Part I

Jan Maas

Blunt bitch.

Nobody ever said Jan was subtle.

Or if they did, they were lying out their ass.

It wasn’t entirely romantic, but it was entirely Jan.

You were talking about the days you both had while you made dinner together.

“Will you get the olive oil out of the fridge?” You asked him.

“Sure. Will you marry me?” He asked in return.

At first you didn’t process it, you just thanked him for the oil.

You actually poured out what you needed and set the bottle down before it hit you

“I’m sorry, what did you just say?”

“I asked you to marry me.”

You had exactly zero words as you watched him take the little velvet box out of his pocket and get on one knee. Your brain was buffering.

“What do you say?” He asks with that damn goofy smile on his face.

“I say fuck yes!” You answer excitedly.

Thierry Zoreaux

Thierry knew he wanted to marry you after your first date together

By date number 5, he was already planning the wedding in his head

By date number 10, he was imaging your family and future together.

But he was having a hard time making any of it happen.

He couldn’t seem to find the perfect ring: whenever he found one, he’d always find another that was a little better. It got old and discouraging. It made him feel like he didn’t really know you.

When he did finally find a ring, he ran into trouble planning the thing.

He thought about doing something big, but he didn’t want you to feel pressured. He thought about doing something private, but that wasn’t his style.

What he ended up doing was totally by accident.

He was so used to venting things to you; he vented his frustration about not being able to figure out the right moment.

Thierry didn’t even acknowledge that he’d said it until you’d asked him what he’d said several times.

He kinda just gave a little huff. “I just want to marry you! Why is that so hard?”

“My answer is yes.” You tell him with a cheerful grin.

“Is it? Even if I don’t do some fancy proposal?”

“Obviously!”

Roy Kent

He pulls the romance out of his ass to make sure it’s a nice, memorable night.

He planned a pleasant picnic at Nelson Road the day before a big game against Manchester.

As the sun set and you shared a drink, you noticed he was quieter than usual.

“What’s wrong, love?”

“Nothing.”

“You’re being quiet...er than you always are.”

He gave you a look for that little joke.

Unfortunately, he used all of his romance points to plan the night for you both and when it came time to actually pop the question, his mind was blank.

“I’ve just been thinking about us a lot.” He says. “What about us?” “Just, you know, that maybe we should get married soon.”

How this man says that so casually is a mystery because you choked on your drink just hearing it.

You actually ask him toHow id co repeat it because surely you misheard?

"I want to fucking marry you.” He says with an almost coy smile as he pulls out a ring that can really only be described as minimalist.

“I wasn’t sure what kind of ring you’d like because you don’t wear them that often, so I thought something more practical would be better.” He explained as he slid it on your finger hesitantly. “I can return it and get something else if you don’t like it though.” “It’s perfect, Roy.” You promise. “I love it, and you.”

Moe Bumbercatch

First of all, he proposed on New Year's Eve.

Everyone was at Nelson Road for a party and fireworks and a good time.

Not wanting you to feel pressured by doing it in front of everyone, he found some excuse for you to come back to the locker room.

He made small talk to calm his nerves so you knew something was up immediately.

This man waited until your back was turned to do it too.

“You know how I want to start the new year?” He asked after a few minutes of gathering his courage. “How’s that, love?” “Engaged to you.”

Your head has never snapped to look at him so fast, but by the time you were looking at him, he was kneeling and holding the ring out.

In his shaking hands, he held a silver ring with a raw, uncut stone on top. He had the most nervous smile on his face when he asked asked the question: “Will you marry me?”

Colin Hughes

How did Colin propose?

Probably/definitely by accident.

He was showering after a game and you were hanging out in the locker room since everyone else had finished and left.

You’d had a date scheduled for after.

He asked you to hand him his shirt and when you did, what should fall out but a little velvet box?

You actually didn’t give much of a second thought as you handed the little box back to him.

“What’s this babe?” “Hm? Oh the ring I’m gonna pro...pose... with... tonight...” He said. His words slowing as his brain caught up with his mouth.

You kind of just stare at each other for a minute after that.

“Whoops.” Is all he says to break the silence before asking: “so... will you marry me?” “Yes, obviously, love.” You beam.

“When I ask at dinner, will you pretend to be surprised? The guys are gonna be there to take pictures of it.” He says with a goofy grin. “They’ll never know you blurted it out.” You promise happily.

Tag Team: @bdffkierenwalker​

[fuckyeahfightlock]

if you get this, answer with three random facts about yourself and send it to the last seven blogs in your notifs (if you want to🖤)! anon or not, doesn't matter, let's get to know the person behind the blog✨

Here's one fact about me right now:

I'm back on my bullshit playing The Sims. I have been faithful to The Sims 3 for a million years (I played The Sims when it came out, and The Sims 2, but The Sims 3 was my fave), but currently I'm playing The Sims 4 for the first time. I only play the base game (I don't like to spend real money on imaginary stuff) and currently I'm playing the scenarios.

I just finished Making Money (start with §0, end up with §1,000,000). I started with three young adult women, called the scenario "Roomies Get Rich" and because I'm a pure purist, they started with literally nothing. I put them on an empty lot with no house, so all they had were their cellphones. They got jobs, harvested local plants to create a garden (by the end of the scenario they were making about §40k every other day on their gardening side hustle), and showered/used the toilets at the gym. At first their empty lot had a toilet, a single bed, and a fridge just out there on the grass. By the end, they were in a 3 bedroom house.

Ember and Chandler married each other and Tia married three times just to get people to move in--and bring their money. Tia was not well liked and it was hard to convince anyone to date her! Eventually the couple divorced because Chandler cheated (not my fault! I did not even see this going on at a party they were having!) and Tia swooped right in to marry Ember (I stayed up past midnight on a school night to build a wedding venue). Chandler met and married another woman, a young adult named Alex who somehow had a son who was also a young adult??? (moved in with only §10k but she was an astronaut making like §1100/day at her job).

By then my original three were elders. The game started warning me it was time to get their affairs in order, and they only had about §650,000. I was (pure purist!) determined that at least one of my original three had to make it to the million, so I never bothered giving any of them children and I only put up with outsider Alex because of her high-paying career--she was NOT going to be the only one alive when they hit the mil! Tia drank a youth potion that killed her instantly (hot tip, don't try to turn yr very elderly elders' clocks back this way). Her widow, Ember, died a few days later, was brought back for a day, died again, came back for like an afternoon, then died for the final time. One thing I hate about the Sims 4 is when someone dies all you hear is crying in that house for three whole days. Someone is ALWAYS crying and it becomes annoying. Chandler and Alex HATED Ember, yet still they were constantly getting into bed to Cry It Out.

Ember was my Level 10 gardener, so after she died, the cowplant didn't get fed (Chandler was afraid of it) so it died. I wanted to leave its skull there in the garden for aesthetics, but you know I sold it for §250 because it was getting down to the wire and, as ever, every simolean counted. I sold all the art on the walls, I sold the microscope and crafting table (side hustle! Before Tia died she was banging out §377 wooden bathtubs every other day) and chess table. I sold an extra bed and an end table and all the extra decorations/awards Tia had earned in her Criminal career (very low paying and I didn't realise she would not be able to just go around stealing stuff from other houses or public lots! After she retired she freelanced in computer hacking stuff). When there was only about §50,000 to go I considered selling off literally everything in the house (the rugs, the wallpaper, the sinks and toilet and certainly the TV and computer), but that didn't seem purely pure even though it would technically have worked.

I think it was selling off a crop of flowers, veg, and fruit from the garden that finally put them over the top. The only thing I didn't have by the end was potatoes! I never got seeds for them and couldn't find them in the park in Willow Creek, where I was told they grew wild. There was the cowplant for a while, the Forbidden Fruit (if they eat it they become a PlantSim for five days), trashfruit, birds of paradise, dragonfruit, pomegranates. . .even mushrooms despite my phobia about fungus. Ember even got all the magic beans and grew the Mystical Plant Portal which is a really pretty, huge, pink-sparkly weeping willow style tree--so massive it barely fit on the tiny lot (did I mention I really had to cram planters and trees onto this tiny, tiny lot where the house took up like 95% of the space???)--which I wish you could just plant when you're building; I'd put them everywhere. It was so big it clipped through the wall of the third little bedroom/office, and you can't delete or move it.

So in the end, Chandler was the only one of the original Roomies who lived to Get Rich, but she made it! She also had her cute astronaut wife and several days left to live before the Grim Reaper came for her. I quit the scenario as soon as it ended; I was ready to play something else.

(All of this, and my actual favourite part of playing The Sims is building! I'm not great at it but I love building and decorating houses and other buildings. The Sims 4 has some quirks but so far it's the best interface for building and I have built some decent houses--or, in "Flip This House!" style, I'll buy one or take one from the gallery, use that motherlode money cheat a million times, and remodel the house completely--adding upper stories to make more rooms is my specialty. My kid saw me building one of my houses and asked me to build her one, so I did that for her on her laptop while she was at school one day--the whole second floor was a "teen hangout" sort of like a mini apartment, with the bedrooms and a big common area for TV, gaming, music, and art. My kid also does not mind spending [my] real money on imaginary stuff, so she has a million Sims 4 expansion packs and kits I do not have, like horses, and cats/dogs, and holidays, and I don't know what all.)

Anyway.

I'm back to playing The Sims.