#and I really don’t want to work a dining hall but if they pay me I guess a job is a job

[formalfiasco]

job hunting sucks so bad

[kisses4kaia]

mdni. 18+ content. another installment of this au.

college!luke castellan doesn’t care about hickies.

of course, his frat brothers tease them relentlessly, but he does nothing to rebate the suggestions from most that they were from you. it wasn’t any secret that you and him had been fucking—casually, of course, he didn’t have time for relationships—for some time now, but it always left you a little jarred when he would be so open to the display of red bites left splayed on his neck.

“won’t they see?” you ask a bit dumbly after luke asks you to mark him through passionate kisses. rudely—your friends thought—he’d pulled you away from the dining hall with no explanation other than ‘needing you��.

“what?” he says, slightly breathless from kissing. the question had taken him aback because, had he not made it clear by now?

“won’t your friends see the… you know?” the sheepish tone in your voice elicits a deep chuckle from luke before he presses his lips against your neck, not hard enough to create hickies just yet, but not exactly gently either. “you want the truth, princess?” your eyebrows furrow a little dumbly but you nod with curiosity. “i think you love seeing ‘em on me, and you love when people know they’re from you,” he says. “and you know i don’t care if anyone sees. i know you know me better than that, don’t you, baby?” luke’s timbre is so low, so arousing and you can hardly keep the needy whimper in.

you just nod, no more doubt within you as you trail kisses down his scar, to his jaw, down to his neck and collarbone. the satisfied groans you elicit from him as you find that spot on his throat sends you in a daze almost immediately. his lips catch yours again before he flips the both of you over, settling on his knees in front of you.

luke’s mouth is everywhere, nibbing at the surface of your skin, laving his tongue over the fresh ache. his strong hands pulling your shorts and panties down in one go. “gonna mark you here,” he says, catching the plush flesh of your inner thigh between his teeth, sucking on the area and conjuring a livid stain on your skin.

he forges more and more red marks onto your skin before he finally puts his mouth on your neediest place. luke’s suctions his lips around your clit, forcing a choked gasp from you and a hand flying down onto his head. he groans against you as your back arches and your fingers tangle in his hair, tightening and tugging. he works hard, like he’s being paid to eat you out, but really, he knows he would pay to die between your thighs.

just as luke’s tongue pushes it’s way into your sopping hole, you feel that blissfully hot, white, sensation swim over and past you. your thighs are most likely suffocating luke, but he doesn’t seem to mind, or even notice really.

his tongue fucks you through your orgasm, and upon coming down from your high, luke’s head rises from your middle.

“we’re still casual, though?”

[cranberryjuice-posts]

Hi!!!!!

I need some more protective Clarisse kind of angst in my life. Maybe something when it’s not an established relationship, but it’s obvious Clarisse wants R. But since Clarisse isn’t doing anything about it R just goes on oblivious. Until one of Clarisses brothers starts hitting on R doing the bonfire. Clarisse comes up angrily and stills R away but then reader is mad. Anger confession core pls. Feel free to make it your own. I love your writing!

- my flower -

Pairings - Clarisse La Rue x Fem! Reader

An - im struggling so fucking much writing fics rn 😭😭 my recent works haven’t really been the best and I’m sorry abt that I’m just having major writers block rn

Beauty was an important thing at camp. Being beautiful brought all sorts of things, from an extra s’more at the bonfire to having charmed guys around camp to do your bidding.

Charming guys wasn’t just the limit however: which is how clarisse found herself in your cabin watching you model different cut up camp shirts.

“What do You think of this one?” You asked wearing a shirt you had cut into a halter top. Posing yourself in-front of a mirror you hadn’t realized the daughter of ares over looking your curves and chest in the top.

“I think it looks just as fine as all the other shirts you showed me” she rolled her eyes leaning back on your bunk. You shot her a dirty look while mumbling something under your breath.

Taking the shirt off you tossed it in clarisses general direction. “You are the worst person to ask for clothing advice I swear” 

“First of all I know a lot about clothing”

“You wear camo military pants”

After a moment clarisse threw your shirt back at you causing you to laugh. Rummaging around through a pile of cut up shirts you eventually grabbed one that was off the shoulders.

Throwing it on and looking at it critically you just shrugged your shoulders. “This is Fine i guess”

“Thank god” Clarisse complained (much to your dismay) standing up, placing a hand around your waist she gestured her hand to the door. “Now can we please go to dinner”

You shook your head following her out. Breaking free from clarisse once you arrived to the dining hall, she kept her eyes on you.

Everyone knew she liked you, everyone also knew she wouldn’t do shit to ask you out but would beat down anyone else who tried to.

——

“Clarisse” silena tilted her head while rolling her fingers on the table beside the curly haired girl. Receiving a harsh stare the daughter of Aphrodite just smiled.

Sitting down beside clarisse , she took a moment to observe how the ares kids behaved. Half the table was arguing while the other half was debating up coming camp events and how to win them, though Henry a newer member to the cabin was over at your table. Sitting beside you and well to put it bluntly, flirting with you.

Silena looked back at clarisse. Having to resist laughing as she gave a hateful glare to her brother. “Who the hell does he think he is” she muttered under her breath. “I mean honestly how does he think he even stands a chance with her” sitting up straighter clarisse scoffed.

“Maybe he’s just trying to find a relationship here at camp” silena softly teased.

“He should already know that she’s off limits though”

“Is she though? You’re not dating her”

Silena had a point. You weren’t dating but still she didn’t want anyone else to be with you. As much as clarisse wanted to love you she couldn’t, take a look at her. She was known as the camp bully, arrogant and with the amount of pressure she received from her father clarisse knew she couldn’t contain her anger well and would ultimately lash out on.. clarisse didn’t want to think about that.

“I don’t need your smart ass mouth silena” pushing her plate forwards clarisse quickly mad her way out of the table.

——

It made her sick how causally you flirted with Henry. Crossing her arms she didn’t even bother paying attention to the bonfire, rather clarisse was more focused on you.

Your laugh, your hair, you. All things she knew Henry didn’t or couldn’t appreciate like her.

Once she saw him leading you away towards the woods most likely to make out. That was her final straw.

Making her way over to where you were clarisse grabbed Henry by his shoulder and shoved him back. “For fucks sake clarisse— what’s wrong with you”

“I could ask you the same question who do you think you are flirting with my girl”

“Your Girl? Pfft as if clarisse you wish she was yours”

Quickly stepping between the siblings you tried to deescalate the situation. Placing a hand on clarisses chest with the other on Henry’s arm you were starting to tell that the woman before you wasn’t going to back down anytime soon.

The two continued their argument, throwing petty insults at eachother. You let out an aggravated sigh before grabbing clarisses Hand dragging her away.

—

Quickly finding the ares cabin, you threw the door open before forcing clarisse in. Taking a moment to collect yourself you let out a deep breath.

Finally facing clarisse you held your hand up before she could speak. “What.. the fuck is wrong with you”

“Henry was being a creep”

“Not every guy I go off with is a perv!”

“Yeah but if their from my cabin they sure as hell are!”

The argument continued to grow louder and louder. Clarisse was determined to prove she was right and you the same.

“Why do You Care if I want to make out with someone? Every time I show Interest in someone you are always on my ass”

“Because nobody actually deserves someone like you!” She moved some your way. She tried to make her stance show that she was innocent, that she was right, and it pissed you off even more

“What is that even supposed to mean” scoffing you shook your head looking away. “And why in what situation did you think it was ok to call me your girl?! We’re not dating clarisse”

“But we could be!” She shouted back. The room went quiet.

You furrowed your eyebrows confused, now realizing how close both you and clarisse were it flustered you. “Clarisse do you like me” you mumbled.

She just nodded, huffing you wrapped your arms around her. Hugging her tight you spoke into her neck. “You’re the stupidest person at the camp I swear”

Pulling back and placing a hand over her mouth to keep her from responding; you tilted your head up softly kissing your hand. “I’m going back to my cabin. And tomorrow morning I expect you to be at the door ready to ask me out got it”

She nodded her head once again. “Good” you pulled your hand back but not before patting her cheek. Leaving the ares cabin clarisse walked to her bunk in shock, with how fast everything had moved it didn’t click in her mind that she now had a girlfriend.

———

Clarisse - so do You want to go out with me

YN - no

Clarisse - oh.. I Just thoug—

Yn - yes Dummy I want to go out with you 😭😭

[effloradox]

Means To An End

pairings: hitachiin twins x gn!reader, ohshc x gn!reader

summary: tensions are running high in the host club when the twins start to fight over a comment made by Haruhi. as their best friend, everyone expects you to have the answers but when you failed to notice any tension between the two of them, you’re left wondering if you don’t know them as well as you thought.

notes: set during episode 1.05 (the twins fight), works in the same verse as We Want You Here but is fine as a stand-alone fic too

word count: 2.2k

There’s trouble in the air. You’d say you can smell it, but with all the rose bouquets scattered around Music Room 3 it’s hard to get away from the floral smells that all your friends, hosts or otherwise, are perpetually laced with. Yesterday had been normal as far as you could tell, even if you had left school early for an appointment, but when the twins’ car had arrived at your home to pick you up to take you to school you’d been surprised to see them sporting new hair colours.

“Should I be worried about that?” The two of them raised an eyebrow in unison before your eyes drifted up to their hair. You couldn’t deny that the blue and the pink suited them really well but they’d never expressed an interest in dyeing their hair before. Not to mention how much their mother loves their natural hair colour. To dye it on a whim with no deeper purpose would be seen as a crime in her eyes. Yuzuha Hitachiin is not a woman to cross, you don’t want to think about the arguments had over this new development in the twin’s appearance. They exchange one more glance between themselves before Kaoru finally answers your question.

“It’s a means to an end.” You take a few moments to mull over the vagueness of his words, staring hard at the blue, before replying.

“Am I going to be dragged into the middle of it?”

“We’d prefer it if you didn’t.” At Hikaru’s words, the tension in the car seems to evaporate and you finally relax into your seat. You drop your bag onto the seat next to you, smoothing a crease in your uniform.

“Suits me just fine.” The rest of the journey is filled with small talk and petty gossip, just the way you like to spend your morning journey to Ouran. By the time the three of you have arrived at school you’re almost used to their new looks.

It takes until your lunch period for you to actually find out the reason for the twins’ weird behaviour. Your involvement in various clubs and extracurriculars had kept you busy and away from your friends aside from shared classes where you’d been too busy studying for upcoming exams to pay attention to your idiotic best friends. You finally had a moment of peace on your way to the dining hall when a commotion drew your attention. The pink and blue hair makes it incredibly easy to identify the twins and you can only watch in mild horror at the food fight that has broken out between the two of them. You’d been more than content to turn on your heel and head back where you came from when a foreign pair of arms grab you, pulling you down a corridor not far from the dining hall.

“I demand you tell me what’s going on with those shady twins!” It takes you a few beats to realise that it’s Tamaki that pulled you away. You’re more than used to being manhandled by the twins but Tamaki doesn’t seem like the type to do so unprompted to anyone but Haruhi. When Kyoya appears in front of you as well, you begin to suspect maybe he put the Host Club King up to the mild kidnapping he’s just committed.

"I have no idea Tamaki-Senpai.” Your words send the blonde into a predictable fit of despair and it becomes clear to both you and Kyoya that he will no longer be an active part of this conversation. The two of you are more than used to tuning out Tamaki’s breakdowns so it’s easy to pick up the conversation without his involvement.

“It’s in your best interest to tell us everything you know (Y/N).”

“They told me not to get involved. I’ve learned to trust them when they say that.” You can tell your answer hasn’t pleased the megane but you can’t really find it in yourself to care much. If the twins told you not to get involved, you’re more than happy to let whatever this is blow over without it affecting you as well. Since you’re not a host and whatever they’re doing doesn’t affect your classes together you’re more than happy to watch from the sidelines. If it truly is just a means to an end like Kaoru said it was, you can’t imagine whatever they’re doing will last longer than a day or two. “I’ll see you both at the club after class for my usual appointment.”

It’s only when you’ve started to walk away that Kyoya responds to your statement in a monotone voice that somehow feels more calculated than usual. “If things continue the way they have been, we might be unable to fulfil your usual appointment. We’re down a pair of loving brothers you see.” You stop walking at his final words, turning on your heel to face him.

“What do you mean?” Your question, plus the blank look that appears on your face, instantly brings Tamaki out of his fit as he looks at you with an expression you can’t quite read. You place it somewhere between bewildered and perplexed but there’s another part of it that you find yourself disliking.

“Haven’t you heard? Hikaru and Kaoru are fighting.” It almost feels like the world stops spinning for a few moments as you process Tamaki’s words. The problem is that the world starts spinning again and you can almost feel the system error taking place in your mind as you wait for the blonde to tell you he’s joking. When Tamaki doesn’t rescind his sentence you feel the first prickle of anxiety starting in the back of your mind.

“They don’t fight.” Tamaki merely blinks at you owlishly.

“They’ve been fighting since yesterday. It started at the club.”

"If they were fighting, I would know."

“Is it possible that you don’t know them as well as you thought?” Part of you knows that Kyoya doesn’t mean his question to sound as harsh as it does but it still stings somewhere deep inside you.

The twins might not have fully opened up to the host club yet but you know them. There’s no way they could be fighting; there’s no way you could’ve misread the car journey that badly to miss some sign that there was disharmony between them. They’re never fought in all the years you’ve known them.

“I’ll guess we’ll find out after classes are over.” Your tone sounds more defeated than you’d care to acknowledge and you’re quick to turn away from the two hosts before you spot any kind of pity growing in their expressions.

It’s almost a relief when your free period starts and you can spend your time as you wish. Normally you’d seek the twins out, or vice versa, but something about your earlier conversation with Tamaki and Kyoya is replaying in your mind and the idea of sitting and stewing in a crowded library sounds like the worst thing on earth. You find yourself walking through the grounds of the academy, hoping some fresh air and sunlight will do something to improve your mood. It almost works until you hear a loud shout from behind you.

“Hey! (Y/N) wait!” You start to quicken your pace when you hear two sets of footsteps coming up behind you but it’s not long before Hikaru and Kaoru catch up to you. They come to a stop a few paces behind you, waiting for you to turn around and face them. The bright colours of their hair make you feel sick.

“What gives?”

“Yeah, why’d you ditch us?”

“I don’t know what you’re doing, but you need to wrap it up soon.” It’s clear your comment isn’t what the twins were expecting from you when they flinch back at your tone.

“What're you talking about?" You narrow your eyes at them.

“Your means to an end. Whatever the end is, I hope it’s worth it.” The way the two of them look at each other when you speak sends a wave of irritation over you that you rarely feel towards your best friends. It feels like they're in on some joke that you've been left behind on and you don't enjoy the feeling.

"Don't be like that."

"Yeah, it's not a big deal." Hikaru's blasé tone does nothing to soothe your irritation.

"Kyoya seems to think it is. He also seems to think I don't know you well enough to notice that you're fighting." Your words get the first serious reaction from the twins as they look at you with an unreadable expression on their faces.

"When did Kyoya say that?" Hikaru's tone is cold and you can't tell whether that's directed towards you or Kyoya. Or both. Maybe both.

"During your little display at lunch. Him and Tamaki pulled me out of the dining hall to try and work out what the fuck is going on."

"He had no right to involve you."

"Yeah, it's none of their business."

"Actually it's entirely their business if it directly affects the host club. Which it seems like it has since Kyoya’s cancelling appointments.”

“It’ll be over soon, we told you.”

"I don't know why you're pretending to fight, but I want no part of it. You told me you didn't want me involved and I was fine with that but now I am involved and I want out."

"We didn't mean for this to happen to you."

"I know."

“We’re sorry.”

“…I know.” Kaoru is the first to approach you, waiting for your reaction. When you don't take a step back, he approaches and pulls you into a hug. His brother is quick to follow and the three of you spend the next few moments entwined in silence. You listen for their breaths and even your breathing so that you're all in sync.

Their synchronicity is an ability that is as innate to them as breathing and it always feels special when they let you in for moments like this. It's only when your breathing is completely in line with theirs that you begin to untangle yourself from their arms. The events of the day feel like they’ve hit you with full effect and you’re left feeling weary.

"I'm going to go home. I'll see you tomorrow." The twins let you go without protest, the weight of their gaze heavy on you as you walk towards the main building of Ouran. After muttering some excuse about feeling unwell, it’s not long before you’re in your car on the way back home and it’s all you can do to put the events of the day behind you.

When you wake up the day after, you’re honestly not sure what to expect when one of your maids tells you that the twins' car has pulled up to take you to school. It’s nothing out of the ordinary, in fact it'd be more unusual if they didn’t, so it’s not hard to see that your maids are confused by your hesitancy to go to school. You climb into the car and sit in your usual seat, barely looking up at your companions as you grab your seatbelt and secure it. It’s only when you look away from the seatbelt that something odd about the energy in the car hits you.

It takes you a few seconds to realise why something feels off. They’ve switched colours. The weight of their eyes on you makes you shift in your seat and the seatbelt suddenly feels far too restrictive.

“Aren’t you worried about frying your hair if you keep changing it?” The smiles that appear on your friends' faces immediately settle your anxiety. If this was some test, you’ve definitely passed it.

“No one else noticed.” In a way, you’re unsurprised by that. The two of them pretend to be each other so frequently that you can only imagine their house staff have long since given up trying to work out who’s who.

“Don’t you think it’s a bit cruel to give people a way to tell you apart only to pull the rug from under them by changing it immediately?”

“We don’t want everyone to know who’s who.”

“Yeah, it takes away from our mystique.” It’s a fair comment, one you can’t refute, but there still seems to be a gaping hole in their logic.

“Some people will still know.” You gesture to yourself as an example, watching as their smiles seem to get a fraction wider.

“Yeah.”

“You'll know.”

“Looks like you do know us well enough after all.” Hikaru’s words take you by surprise. The three of you have never been the type to be overly doting on each other and you’re not sure if you’re reading the situation right.

“You did this for me?”

“Of course!”

“Can’t have Kyoya thinking he knows everything, can we?” Hikaru’s words touch you in a way you don’t think you’d be able to put into words, and as soon as the moment is with you, it’s passed; as is usually the case with the twins.

“So! You missed the craziest love confession after school yesterday…” As Kaoru goes into a tirade about some poor girl who tried to confess to Haruhi, it’s all you can do to bask in the moment of harmony with the two of them.

A/N: I’m kind of obsessed with the concept of the twins having this long suffering friend figure in their life, I think it’s such a fun avenue to go down with Ouran fics.

series masterlist

[rotthepoet]

More Bsf!theo

Pt 2 where he sneaks you into his common room too talk bcs your still friends but when you fall asleep on him and everyone questions it he's just very smug

Im a little bit obsessed with bsf!theo 🫣

Everyone knows to leave you and Theodore alone when you have common room gossip time. Theo is a sassy Italian man, and you are a sassy you, and together your side eyes could send a grown man to his grave<3

So lets say you’re not a Slytherin, not a problem. Theo’ll dress you up in his spare robes and pronounce you an honorary Slytherin for the night. And no one dares question him. The green robes help with the narcs(prefects) trying to do their jobs, but Theo will pay off anyone who tries getting in the way of the two of you hanging out.

If you are a Slytherin, no worries, but it’ll be harder to separate you two. Practically conjoined at the hip, in class together, in the dining hall, and its not even the littlest bit suspicious because you’re both in the same house! Duh! (Its really suspicious, rumors are spreading like wildfire)

Nevertheless, it’s really not uncommon to find you and Theo chatting on the couches in front of the fireplace, or even tucked away beside one of the stained glass mirrors looking into The Black Lake. You’ll sit there for hours on end running your mouths, playing chess, or even just sitting in comfortable silence as you both work on schoolwork. Theo’s friends may come by time to time, eyeing you suspiciously, glancing back and forth at your every micro-expression. Blaise and Lorenzo have a 10 galleon bet on whether or not you’re exclusive.

When the hangouts lead far into the night, when the fire burns until it’s nothing but embers, when the last prefect had been paid off to leave you alone, Theo feels adventurous. He gets handsy, his lips attached to your neck, warning you to keep still and quiet.

“Wouldn’t want us getting caught now, hm?”

He lets you squirm against his chest while he stuffs his hands into your robes, playing with you. He’ll whisper sweet nothings in your ear, humming about how obedient and sweet you are. He’ll talk you through orgasm after orgasm until you’re shaking and begging him to stop in a quiet, broken voice. He’ll lick his fingers clean of your cum, tracing his warm and wet hands under your shirt to rest on your stomach.

He just wants to hold you. To feel you. Theo craves skin-to-skin contact. Helps him to ground himself, to focus on shoving down and stomaching the feelings fluttering in his heart. It always comes back up, and he often bites his tongue to stop the word-vomit from falling from his mouth. To stop himself from ruining everything. To stop himself from losing you. You’re just a friend. A friend he sleeps with. A friend he wishes would hold his face and tell him he’s loved. The feelings never stay buried for long, and Theo’s learned to accept that.

So, while he forces each confession of love down, he traces soft circles into your skin, humming a song he remembers his mother used to sing when he couldn’t sleep. He doesn’t move when you do slip into peaceful slumber, and he won’t move until you wake up again. It would be unfair to stir such a lovely thing.

Naturally, as all good things must come to an end in Theodore Nott’s life, his jaw clenches when Mattheo walks into the common room, quite loudly I must add. He walks with a stupid smirk on his face, sitting down on a chair opposite of Theo.

“Really? Nothing going on here?”

“Not a thing.”

“That’s bullshit and you know it.”

Don’t get me wrong, Theo and Mattheo are like pb&j. Best friends since the beginning. Theodore knows everything about Mattheo. And Mattheo thought he knew everything about Theo. He doesn’t like this secret-keeping.

“I would tell you if there was something, Matt.”

“Really? So you don’t care that I overheard someone saying he was going to ask them out?”

Theo looks down at you, still sleeping in his arms, stomach still wet with the mixture of your own arousal and Theo’s saliva. In that moment, you were completely Theo’s, and no one could take you away from him. Not now. And nothing else matters right now. Not when you look so happy. Not when you look so comfortable. Not when he knows no one can bother you while you sleep in his arms.

“Nah, doesn’t bother me.”

[elizabethwritesmen]

The Devil Wears Lace

chapter 9 : November 3, 2024

pairing: simon “ghost” riley x reader

summary: it’s the next morning and simon shows you a new side of himself. you let out some secrets too, and it seems a happy ending is in store.

warnings: dirty dirty smut, unmasked simon, degradation and praise, choking, all the usual stuff, emotional vulnerability, size kink if you squint, oral f receiving, that should be all let me know if i missed any!

a/n: this is the final chapter. I want to thank all of you for reading and for any love you’ve shown my story!

series masterlist

November 3, 2024

The next morning, I woke up to an empty bed, face falling as I looked around the room for Simon. Had he left?

I stood up, padding my way to the doorway and out into the hall, searching every room and getting discouraged. That is, until the smell of something cooking hit my nose.

I frowned, heading for the kitchen and pausing dead in my tracks in the doorway, eyes going wide and jaw going slack.

“Simon?” I called, voice meek.

His back was to me as he was facing the stove, working away at whatever he was making. He was wearing new clothes, but that wasn’t what shocked me.

There, on the dining room table, laid his mask.

All I could see from where I stood was the back of his head, his dirty blonde hair disheveled and a little wet. I could smell him, the scent of pine soap filling the air. My breath caught in my throat as he began to turn around, and on instinct, I closed my eyes, squeezing them tight.

“What’re you doing?” he chuckled.

“Giving you privacy to put it back on,” I explained, slapping my hands over my face for extra emphasis.

“Do you want me to put it back on?”

“Don’t you want to? So I won’t see you?”

He sighed, and I could feel his footsteps approaching me. His big hands closed around my wrists, pulling my hands away from my face and leaving me with closed eyes.

“Do you really think I’d walk around your kitchen without it on if I cared about you seeing me?”

“Guess not,” I shrugged, opening one eye and then the other. He was staring down at me, and I gaped.

He was handsome, more so than I could’ve ever imagined and I was suddenly thankful he wore a mask everywhere because his face was positively sinful. He had a scar on his eyebrow and one by his eye, and his nose was a bit crooked. I could tell he had been through it but that only added to how beautiful he was. His eyes were even prettier this way, too, framed by his perfect features and boring into me, a bit pinched together from the stress of me seeing him for the first time. I smoothed those wrinkles out with my fingers, my eyes greedy for everything they could get.

“You’re not gonna say anything?” he asked me, rough as usual but with a note of something new. Fear.

“Sometimes, words just aren’t enough,” I responded, and he gasped slightly. “You’re perfect, if that’s what you wanna know.” I ran my hands through his hair, cupping the back of his neck. “And your secret is safe with me.”

He groaned, leaning down and kissing me once, twice, then three times, each one deeper than the last. I hummed into it, savoring the feeling of his face against mine. A second later, he pulled away, walking back over to the stove and continuing cooking. I walked with him, leaning up against the counter and watching him flip the bacon. There was a pan full of scrambled eggs on the back burner, and a plate of toast beside him. I frowned.

“Where’d you get all this stuff from?” I asked him, knowing for sure I did not have any of it the night before.

“I woke up early and went to base to grab some soap and a change of clothes. I stopped at the grocery store on the way back to get you some things, you didn’t have very much in here.”

“Simon,” I sighed, “You didn’t have to do that.”

“I wanted to,” he shrugged.

“I’ll pay you back.”

“No,” he adamantly shook his head, “You’re a waitress going to one of the most expensive colleges in the world. You’re not paying me back anything. I’ve got your groceries from now on, and whatever else you need.”

“No, I can’t let you-“

“The military pays well and I don’t spend it on anything. I want to spend it on you. Let me.”

I just stared at the intense look in his eyes for a second before nodding slowly, reluctantly agreeing to what he was asking. And I kept staring, eyes roaming his face as he finished up cooking. It didn’t take long for them to wander down the rest of him, lingering on the expanse of his shoulders and of his hips, his arms, his legs. He was so built, a wall of muscle standing right there in my kitchen making me breakfast. They made their way back to his face, wanting to soak it in some more and memorize it because I wasn’t sure if showing me was a one time thing or if he was gonna be unmasked every time we were alone. He had a smirk on his lips and I knew he could see what I was doing, mapping him out, but I didn’t care. I just kept going, focusing in on the sharp plane of his jaw and how it contracted with the soft brush of his hair. Fuck, he really was handsome like I’d said, and the more I looked at him the more I realized it was true. Just looking at him had me turned on and I wished there was an off button because I wasn’t sure he’d wanna go again.

“You’re staring,” he grunted as he turned the stove off and made two plates of food.

“Can’t help it,” my response was simple.

“Can’t help it, huh?” he set the food aside and walked over to me, arms on either side of me, trapping me between him and the counter as I gazed up at him.

“You look good,” I explained myself, shy and meek under him, unable to express exactly what I wanted but hoping he’d give into me.

He just looked at me for a second, eyes trailing down my face, then my neck and chest, and coming back up to rest on mine.

“You look good,” he repeated the words back to me and I giggled, easing up and winding my arms around his neck to press a kiss to his cheek. It felt nice, his stubble against me, warm and right.

He didn’t even let me pull back, turning and taking my lips in his own in the most all consuming kiss I’d ever had. I hummed into his mouth as he picked me up and set me on the counter, pulling me to the edge so I could wrap my legs around him. I held on tight to him as he kept going, and I felt like I was on an entirely new wave of arousal now that he was unmasked. Not that the mask wasn’t sexy in its own way, but this was the real Simon and he wanted me like I wanted him.

“Simon,” I broke away to speak, but he paid no attention, mouth moving from my cheek, to my jaw, to my neck and drawing a hum out of me before I came back to my senses, “Simon!” I repeated and he stopped, standing straight to look at me. “Does…” I couldn’t phrase it. Of course I couldn’t. Such a bumbling idiot. “You showed me your face and I - I was just wondering, does this - Well, what does it mean - I mean it doesn’t have to -“ He silenced me with one more kiss, cutting me off right there.

“It means you’re stuck with me.”

A smile broke out across my face, I couldn’t think of a better fate.

“You wanna be stuck with me, too?”

“Why’d you think I’m buying your groceries?”

I giggled one more time and he groaned, head falling back into the crook of my neck.

Between kisses, he mumbled “Y’so - fuckin’ - cute -“ and after that last word I felt a sharp bite and gasped, mewling as he used his tongue to soothe it over.

He tugged at the hem of my T shirt, pulling it over my head gently and tossing it aside, barely taking a second to look at me before dropping to his knees. He spread my legs wide in front of him, pulling my thong to the side to expose me. “You want me, baby? Want my mouth on this pretty little cunt?” I nodded, biting my lip to keep from moaning at his words and he chuckled darkly, “Use your words, princess.”

At that, I couldn’t stifle my moan, “Please, need your mouth Simon, need whatever you’ll give me.”

“Such a slut,” he mused.

“Just for you,” I hummed and that was all it took for him to dive in, tongue everywhere, lapping at my entrance while his exposed nose nudged at my clit. I couldn’t help but rut against him and he used one arm to keep my hips still, taking me to a whole new level of pleasure because he wouldn’t let me fight it. A loud moan ripped through me as he slipped one finger in, then added another one quickly, going a little slower than he had the night before and letting his tongue do most of the work.

“Gonna come apart for me already, baby?” he smirked. Cocky bastard. “Never takes you long, huh, always ready to cum all over me.”

I moaned again, staring down at him as my walls fluttered and I felt it building. He was right. I was gonna cum, and it was quick and I couldn’t even be embarrassed because I don’t think anyone could resist with him.

I was almost there, clenched tight around his fingers when he pulled out and pulled away, leaving me cold in his absence.

“What’re you doing? Please come back. Where are you going?”

“Relax,” he sighed, grabbing me and lifting me, giving me no choice but to wrap my legs around him. He carried me to the bedroom, laying me down on the bed and settling on top of me.

He leaned back, reaching for the bottom of his own shirt and began to tug, and my throat went dry. My body stopped working for a second, just waiting.

He ripped it off, tossing it aside and letting me take him in. “Am I gonna have to remind you to breathe every time we do this?” he chuckled and my eyes snapped to his, my cheeks turning red because he was right again.

“You might,” I sheepishly answered and he smiled.

He stood up off the bed and took his pants and boxers off, kicking them to the side as well and fuck if he wasn’t the most perfect person I’d ever seen. He had scars everywhere, like the ones on his face, but even they couldn’t manage to flaw him, everything about him was just too good. Too strong.

I whimpered as he climbed on top of me, lining himself up instantly, “Tell me what you want, princess,” he breathed out.

“Mm please Simon need you inside of me please fuck just-“ He full on laughed at my desperation and my feeble attempts to buck my hips into him, settling me down and pressing inside slowly, just like he had the night before. And this time, it took me just as long to adjust, but once I had he set a pace and I was fucked in more ways than one.

“You look perfect like this, taking my cock so good,” he groaned and I threw my head back into the pillows, exposing my throat for him to leave kisses and bites and whatever else he wanted. My hands fisted in his hair, pulling him to me and kissing him then just staring up in his eyes. He was pounding me for all it was worth, not giving me a second of reprieve but I didn’t want it. I couldn’t help but notice how gentle he was with me, though, even when he was fucking me into oblivion, and it made an even more dangerous thought creep into the back of my mind. I loved him. And I knew it beyond certainty. Maybe I had for a while. He had to know it too, why else would I have come all this way for him?

My eyes on his got watery as he leaned in and kissed me and I almost screamed as he hit the perfect spot in me, then absolutely screamed as he did it again and again.

“Shh, I’ve got you, baby,” he whispered in my ear, holding me close, the whole situation becoming even more intimate than it already was.

“Gonna cum, Simon,” I mumbled, hips thrusting up to match his and he groaned.

���Let it go for me baby, come on,” his hips lost their rhythm and I knew he was close. That thought was enough to send me straight over the edge, groaning and toes curling as I thrashed against the bed, him holding me steady the whole time. Once we were both satisfied and had come down, he pulled slowly out of me and got up, pulling me up with him and bringing me to the bathroom. He sat me on the counter and took his time helping me clean up, then gave me a sweet kiss on the lips. “Got you all marked up,” he hummed, admiring his handiwork for a second and I laughed.

“Yeah, ‘least you don’t have to worry about anyone else approaching me. You have ‘em at least ten reasons not to.”

“Wasn’t worried in the first place, you know who you wanna be with and it ain’t them.”

I gazed at him, going dumb for him yet again, and he smiled, giving me one more kiss.

“Simon,” I started, my voice taking on a more serious tone and that teary eyed feeling from before taking back over. There was a new level of vulnerability in my voice and he furrowed his brows, waiting patiently for what I had to say. “You ruined me.”

His eyes widened a bit and I grew more and more anxious with every second that passed, not knowing how he felt, or if he was okay with what I said. He probably didn’t. He probably didn’t even care. I felt like I was gonna hyperventilate by the time he finally responded.

“You ruined me, too.”

[exrellian]

Replaced MC AU

Three parts in one day! This part gets a lot more serious and where the drama really starts!

TW: Descriptions of pain/burning, the brothers being assholes to MC, manipulation.

Could things get any worse?

The rest of the day came and went, MC just stayed in his room, holding the tears from overflowing. MC didn’t sleep a wink that night, instead deciding to clean his room and organize all his things… just in case. Luckily for him, Amelia must have spent the night in someone else’s room so he didn’t have to worry about being suspicious or having Amelia find where his valuables were.

When it become morning MC made his way to Lucifers room. Raising his hand to knock on the door, he stopped, hearing voices from inside.

“Don’t worry Amelia. We will make sure he will never hurt you again.”

“Please don’t be mean to him! I don’t think he is a bad person, he might just be jealous! You and your brothers seem to like me more so I can see why he is bothered!”

“That is no excuse for him to attack you and hurt your beautiful face. He will not bother you any more.”

‘Did someone attack Amelia? Was it a demon?’ The door opened, interrupting MCs thoughts, he was now face to face with an injured Amelia and angry Lucifer

“Hey, sorry for eavesdropping but was Amelia attacked? Are you okay Amelia?” He asked, inspecting the wounds littering her face, it looked like a pretty bad attack

“Don’t play dumb MC. Are you trying to completely ruin the exchange program?” Lucifers voice was filled with a poorly restrained rage, as if he was about to unleash “All of my brothers have told me of how mean you’ve been to Amelia and it is unacceptable.” He continued, pushing Amelia behind him as if to protect her

“What? I’ve been nothing but kind to Amelia! She is a human and I know how dangerous the Devildom is!” MC tried to defend himself, unsure why he is being blamed for the attack on Amelia when he hadn’t left his room all night

“Stop talking. Your excuses will not work on me. Now Amelia insists on not sending you back to the human world like I had originally intended, so, we will be separating the two of you for her safety and you will be staying at Purgatory hall for the time being, at least until you have learned how to be a decent human being. I have already discussed this arrangement with my brothers and lord Diavolo and we all agree this is the best course of action. Be better, MC”

MC walked back to their room in deafening silence, what was happening? Why was everyone turning against him?

Amelia’s POV

“Thank you Lucifer! I actually wanted to ask you and the brothers something at breakfast, but MC can’t be there so let’s get going!” She giggled, dragging Lucifer to the dining hall, him following with a small smile, what an adorable human.

When the two got to the dining hall the other six were already eating

“Everyone, Amelia has something she would like to ask so pay attention.” Lucifer drew all eyes to him and Amelia

“Where is MC?” Satan asked, growing more concerned when a chorus of scoffs and groans came from his brothers “What happened!? Is he okay?”

“He will not be living here anymore. He has crossed the line by attacking Amelia and has been moved to Purgatory hall, he is up packing his belongings this moment.” Lucifer explained, rolling his eyes at his younger brother

“What!? He attacked Amelia? He would have no reason to do that though, they have been getting along well and MC is absolutely not the type of person to attack someone without reason.” At this point Satan had stood from his seat and completely disregarded his book. “Has MC not saved this family on multiple occasions? Has he not sacrificed everything for us? Why are all of you suddenly turning on him!?”

“Satan. Sit down. The decision about MC has been made.” Lucifer scolded, his demon form emerging

“Satan… I also have faith in MC! I was the one who convinced Lucifer not to fully kick him out of the exchange program! Please Satan, just listen to what I have to ask” Amelia spoke, not breaking eye contact with Satan. Satan sighed and sat down, attention still on Amelia “please, I want all of you to do me a favor, break your pacts with MC.”

MCs POV

As he was packing his belongings into his bags, MC felt a scorching pain flowing through his body, like someone had replaced his blood with molten lava. He screamed in pain before collapsing to the ground, seeing the pact mark on the back of his hand burn and fade away

“Why… why did Satans pact mark… burn off?”

He had no clue what was happening, he couldn’t even think due to the pain coursing through his veins. After a few minutes the pain dissipated, leaving him with just an ache through his whole body as he lay on the ground, curled into a ball beside his bed. With that, the boy lost consciousness.

When he awoke, the pain was only faint.

“Oh dear, why are you on the ground? Have you really stooped so low you would do anything for attention?” A slightly feminine voice spoke from above him, looking up he locked eyes with Asmodeus

“Asmo… why did my pacts burn away? What… what happened?”

“Is this really ok because we broke our pacts with you? You being this dramatic for something as minuscule as that? Foolish human.” He scoffed at the boy on the ground before leaving the room.

‘They broke their pacts with me? But why? What did I do wrong?’

His mind was racing, he knew he had to finish packing and get out as fast as he could. That task seemed to be easier than expected, seeing as his side of the room was suddenly stripped empty, none of his belongings anywhere to be found, even his DDD which was previously in his pocket was missing.

MC wasn’t stupid, he knew exactly what happened and that he had zero chance of getting any of it back. He had one more place to look, where he had previously hidden some spare change, just about 50 Grimm in case of emergency. He lifted his mattress of the bed frame and looked for the small tare in the fabric, finding the Grimm he had hidden… thank god they weren’t smart enough to check here.

He left the house in silence, noticing a note on the door that was addressed to him

“To; MC

I am extremely disappointed in your actions toward Amelia, it is shocking to see someone as kind as you give into your emotions so easily. I expected better from you. Due to the recent events you will be suspended from RAD for the time being, I will reach out when you can come back.

Sincerely;

Lord Diavolo”

MC didn’t even react to the letter, just shoved it in his pocket and left. Not going to Purgatory Hall, he couldn’t trust anyone anymore. He had no clue where he was going.

MC found himself in an alleyway, tired and hungry, unable to go buy himself food without wasting all of his emergency money. As if the world just wanted to make things worse, he felt a few drops of rain turn into a downpour. Could things get any worse?

[frankenstein-ate-my-left-shoe]

@steddiemas Day 13 -  Snow Day

uh...yeah.. this got way away from me but...here's day 13! (a day late and 4k words more than normal???)

pairing: steddie | word count: 5,201 | rated: T

The following Thursday finds Eddie and the entire Hellfire Club literally and metaphorically clamoring over each other and his large dining room table while their campaign (Eddie had helpfully told him) continues on.

Luckily, Robin had agreed to spend their night off work from the video store with him.

“So, when are you going to do something about your hopeless Eddie crush?”

“SSshh! Not so loud, Rob!”

She rolls her eyes at him, “Sorry to tell you this Dingus, but I don’t think he’s paying you a single modicum of attention.”

Steve looks over at the table from his spot on the couch; Robin’s right, of course, Eddie’s already halfway onto the tabletop, his arms stretched wide and the rest of him hunched low to the wood.

He’s deep into his story and his voice is dropped low, only the tone of it reaching Steve’s ears.

“He’s such a dork.” Steve sighs, shaking his head.

“Yeah, but you loooove him!” Robin teases, poking one foot that had been with her other on Steve’s lap into his side instead.

Steve rolls his eyes at her, “Hand me another slice of cheese.”

She reaches over to one of the leftover boxes of pizza on the coffee table and fishes out a slice for him, “So what are you gonna do about it?” She asks, handing it to him.

“About what?” he asks, taking down half the slice in one bite.

“Don’t play dumb Steve,”

He sighs, “I don’t know Rob; he hasn’t made a move either! He kissed me first, remember? Right over there!” Steve points to the offending doorway, “Because of you, by the way.” he snarfs down the other half of the slice two big bites.

“I remember.” She nods.

“I honestly don’t know what to do Bob, I want to corner him and kiss him all over his fuckin’ body but how’m I supposed to know if he’d be okay with that? Does he want that?”

“Oh he wants that, believe me.”

Steve narrows his eyes at her. She only quirked a brow at him in return. “What do you know, Buckley?”

Robin snorts out a laugh, “I would say to just go for it, but I feel like he’d freak if you did that out of the blue.”

“So, what, I just say ‘Hey, I really really like you, maybe already halfway love you, and I want to know if you’d like to kiss about it maybe?’?”

“Who’s Steve kissing?”

Steve jumps at Dustin’s voice, suddenly beside him. He knew his hearing was going on his left..Robin told him he was just imagining it.

“OOh, Steve’s kissing someone?” This time it was Lucas, his voice teasing as he passes behind Dustin through the door under the stairs with his arms full of pop cans.

“I’m not kissing anyone,”

“He just wants to.” 

Damn you, Robin. Steve glances quickly to the table, Eddie has his back turned to them.

“Who is it?”

“Uh, it’s…” Steve pauses for a half a second, “None of your business. You guys done for the night?”

“Yeah.. about that..”

Oh no–

“Can we stay the night here? We have to start planning out our characters for the next campaign!”

“You guys are done done?” “Not quite,” Steve turns his head to the right, the older kid Frank is standing in the other doorway from the living room to the hall closest to the front door. “We have one more session then I’m DM-ing the next campaign.”

Steve nods along with Robin (whose head is hanging backward over the arm of the couch closest to Frank). “So you…six? Seven? Want to stay the night?” He's already skimming through the house in his head to where the extra blankets and pillows are stashed. He should have enough.

“No, just us.” Mike confirms, plopping down onto the carpet between the coffee table and fireplace across from the couch. “Me, Lucas, Will, and Dustin.”

Dustin nods, adding “And Eddie was going to stay a little longer to plan his own character, since he’s gonna be able to play in the next one.”

Steve turns back to Frank and the other older kid…Jeff…?, who’s now leaning around the doorway too. “You guys aren’t staying?”

“Nah man, we don’t wanna impose, thanks for having us though.” Maybe Jeff said.

“Yeah, of course,” Steve lifts Robin’s legs off his lap and stands, moving to see the three older Hellfire members off at the door. The Harringtons are polite hosts first and foremost. “Thanks for coming, guys.” What was he thanking them for? It wasn’t like they were here for him.

Jeff’s polite smile seemed to echo Steve’s thoughts, “Of course man, thanks for having us over.” “And for the pizza.” the shortest of the three says to the agreement of the others.

Jeff shakes Steve’s hand, the shortest one (Garby? George? It was something with a ‘G’) smiles again after pulling on his coat before heading out to Frank’s truck.

One of Frank’s solid hands lands on Steve’s shoulder in a friendly pat, and it’s almost enough to miss Eddie slipping out the door behind him into the slow fall of fat snowflakes outside. He was surprised to see a swath of snow had blanketed his front yard since the boys had been here.

Steve almost says something, but hears the guys exchanging their own farewells through the cracked door, so he turns back to the steps. 

Will is already coming back down them, arms full of blankets and pillows, Lucas following behind him.

“I was about to go grab those myself–wait, did any of you dipshits call and ask your parents if you can stay? It’s a school night!” Steve follows the two into the living room.

The four of them immediately look cowed.

“OOohh you better get moving guys,” Robin teases.

“All of you up, you’re calling home.” Steve waves his arm as if to shove them all through the hall into the kitchen. “And no complaints, otherwise you’ll all be piling into the beemer before you can say demogorgon.”

Three of the four boys grumble their complaints as they pass him, “Hey, you’re lucky I’m even letting you stay. Seeing as how I’m the one that’s gonna have to drive you all to school in the morning.”

“You’ll already be driving Robin!” Mike complains

“Yeah but I have pretty privilege.” Robin calls from her spot on the couch.

Steve hears the door click closed, and looks over to see Eddie coming back in.

“Hey–” Eddie disappears down the hall and past the steps, only to reappear in the dining area through the other doorway under the steps. He immediately goes back to whatever papers he’s got on the table.

Steve looks down at Robin, who looks up at him at the same time, his confusion is reflected on her face.

He’s about to go talk to Eddie when Dustin calls for him from the kitchen.

-x-

“Steve! Mom wants to talk to you!”

Eddie hears Dustin call from the kitchen, and he stacks his pile of notes together, finally closing them up into his spiral notebook.

He pauses then. Just staring down at the disheveled wire binding. 

He should go. No need to torture himself further, the kids will understand right? He’ll just make up something about his Uncle needing him home right away tomorrow morning or something. 

Yeah. That should work, it’s not like anyone would call Wayn—

“So. You’re down in the dumps.”

Eddie’s shoulders crowd up against his ears at Robin’s arrival.

“I’m fine.”

“Uh huh.” She doesn’t believe him, of course.

He can hear the sound of Steve’s cheery voice from the kitchen, the tone he takes whenever he’s talking to one of the kids’ parents, and Eddie can feel his face screw up in pain.

“Ah hah!”

“Don’t.”

“I didn’t say anything.” “You didn’t have to,” he bites out, “It’s not like you’re the one having to listen to your crush wax poetic about some girl he wants to kiss stupid.”

He turns to look at her. Robin’s face is blank for a moment, then a barely-there smug smirk appears on her lips.

Eddie’s vision goes scarlet. “You don’t get to be a shithead about it, Buckley. This is all your fuckin’ fault.” he spits out in a low whisper.

“My fault?” she echoes in the same tone, the smile falling from her face. “What’s my fault??”

“You’re the one who made me think I had a chance, weren’t you? The one who put up that fuckin’ mistletoe? Your fault.” He pokes her shoulder accusingly. His volume was getting higher, so he adjusts before continuing. “I should have known there was no chance; he’s the one who said ‘Now we’re even.’ after he kissed me in Melvald’s!”

“He said tha—”

Eddie was practically hissing at this point, just a steady stream of steam escaping him like a cartoon character. “He just felt bad, Robin! He just felt like he owed me something, there’s no goddamn feelings there!”

“Eddi–”

“I gotta go.”

He scoops up his notebook in one hand and snatches up his bag with the other, slinging it over his shoulder.

“Eddie, don’t go–”

He stalks down the hall past the steps away from her voice. He’s almost to his escape when Dustin cuts off his path from the kitchen doorway closest to the front door.

“Eddie, you’re leaving?”

“Sorry kid, gotta go.” He steps around him, “I forgot Wayne needs me home right away tomorrow morning.”

“But you were going to–”

“I’ll help you later, Dustin.” it wasn’t supposed to come out like that.

“Don’t be an ass, Eddie.”

“You know what? Bite me, Mike.” He really shouldn’t be taking his feelings out on the goblins.

“Fuck you, man.”

“Hey! Hey, what is happening right now?” Steve comes out into the hall then, making eye contact with Eddie for a fraction of a second before Eddie focuses on lacing his boots onto his feet.

“Eddie’s leaving,”

“...Okay? And?”

Alright, ouch.

He yanks his laces even tighter.

“And he said he would help us, and now he’s leaving.”

“Oh come off it Dustin, you heard what he said.” Lucas says, an eyeroll in his voice.

“What’d he say?” Eddie’s head told him that Steve’s voice sounded hurt, but best not to believe his head right now. “He said,” Eddie cuts in, “That his uncle needs him home in the morning.”

Steve’s soft “Oh.” was barely audible over the other three arguing back at him.

He yanks the last lace tight to his calf and stands sharply.

“Yeah, so, thanks for having us over, Harrington, I’ll see ya around.” he purposely doesn’t look up at Steve’s face as he says this, focusing on his notebook and bag.

His hand just reaches the doorknob when Robin’s voice calls out from the living room. “Don’t think you’re going anywhere anytime soon, Eddie.”

Because his arm was already in motion when she started talking, the door opens in front of him just as she finishes. 

The slow fat flakes from only, what, 10 minutes earlier? are now flying harsh and sideways across the light escaping Steve’s front door. It’s piling up out there, and fast. Bessie has braved many a winter in Hawkins, but he knows he’d get snowed in by time they got across town to the park. 

Honestly though? Getting snowed in on the side of the road is seeming much more preferable than staying here after his little hissy fit.

“Eddie? Just stay here, man.” Steve sounds much closer than before, “I don’t want something to happen to you–” What Eddie can only assume is Steve’s hand falls to his shoulder, and he immediately turns away from it, closing the front door and letting his bag fall down his arm to the floor in the same motion as he turns into the kitchen without making eye contact with anyone.

The phone is still warm in his palm when he lifts it to his ear, punching Frank’s number into the buttons on the cradle. 

In the handful of rings it takes for him to pick up, Eddie can hear the others whispering to each other, no doubt things like “What’s Eddie’s problem?”, “Why’s he being mean to Steve?”, “Why can’t he control his big gay feelings for his obviously straight friend?”.

Okay, maybe that last one was a bit much for a bunch of sophomores.

“Hello?”

“Frank, you’re home?”

“Uh. Yeah. You called me at home.”

“Well it’s snowin’ like shit outside now, I wanted to make sure you guys got back safe.”

“Oh. Yeah, yeah, I just got in when I heard the phone. Everyone’s home safe.”

“Alright good, I’m gonna stay here at Harrington’s; talk to you later man, I gotta call Wayne.

“Okay Ed, see ya’.”

Eddie jabs his finger into the phone’s switch to end the call, then starts to dial the trailer. Wayne should be just about to leave for work.

“Y’ello?”

“Hey Wayne, it’s me.” Eddie says, turning his face away automatically when someone shuffles into the kitchen.

“Ed, where’ya at?”

“I’m still at Steve’s. It really started to come down so I don’t want to risk driving home tonight.”

“Good. You stay righ’ there, son.”

“Are you still going in?”

Wayne hums in agreement, “Got to.”

Eddie’s stomach sinks, “Wayne–”

“Now don’ you worry ‘bout me boy, I woke up early enough to get the chains on the truck.”

“Fine, fine. Be careful, old man.”

“You got it kid. I’ll see ya tomorrow.”

He hangs the phone back into it’s cradle on the wall feeling much looser now; he’d almost forgotten why he was so wound up, but seized up again as soon as he turned.

Steve was standing at the stove, stirring something that was obscured by his torso. “You want some hot chocolate too, Eds?” he asks, not turning from the stove.

Eddie gives him a short “No.” and goes back out into the hall to unlace his boots once again.

He wanders back into the living room with his bag and plops down in the recliner, pulling out his monster manual and his smaller, less pulverized notebook, the one with the basics of his next character fleshed out in it.

A tiefling bard, one he had imagined as having such thick skin on him that no matter what snide remarks, insults, and bashes to his character were thrown at him, he’d only shrug them off. Something real Eddie’d love to do. A charming, charismatic bard that got all who heard his songs to overlook his hellish appearance.

Wouldn’t that be something.

While he’s mulling over what name to give his bard (he’s waffling between Zarlech and Erron), Robin appears, settling in on the corner seat of the couch beside him.

He tenses up again, thinking she’s going to try talking to him about the too-good-for-this-world man in the yellow sweater in the next room, but she doesn’t. She only sits down and starts back in on the thick Vogue magazine she’d been swiping though since he and his troupe arrived.

Steve comes in with two mugs of cocoa not long after, walking to Eddie first with a soft smile.

“I told you I didn’t want any.”

He regrets his tone as soon as the words pass his lips; Steve looks stunned, the boys’ idle chatter from the coffee table dies off immediately.

Eddie’s face burns in embarrassment, but before he can even open his mouth, Robin says “I’ll take his,” and reaches for the steaming pale yellow mug. 

He passes it over, and stands there for a moment with the other mug before turning and handing it over to Will, the closest to him of the four on the floor.

Steve pinches the bridge of his nose briefly, then turns out of the room. Robin’s up and out of the room not a moment later, saying, “I’ll go help him with you threes’.”

There’s a beat of silence, then: “What. In the actual fuck. Is your problem, man?”

Eddie turns to face the voice; all four teens are staring at him, each one with a different level of incredulousness on their faces. Mike’s is the worst, looking at Eddie like he just killed his dog.  And he’s about to get revenge for it.

“Who do you think you are to talk to him like that, huh?” Mike seethes at him, “This is his fucking house, and you’re gonna sit here and be rude as all hell just because he doesn’t like you back?”

What the fuck?

“What the fuck?” Eddie hears his voice echo his thoughts. “How do you—”

“Steve puts up with enough shit from us as it is, he doesn’t need it from you too.”

There’s surprise on the other threes’ faces, but Eddie’s got an inkling it’s surprise at this coming from Mike and not from the content of the outburst.

“Uh..”

“Mike’s right, Eddie. You’re our friend, but Steve’s our…” Lucas trails off.

“He’s our Steve.” Will says resolutely. 

“He’s our Steve.” Lucas agrees, “And we won’t hesitate to drop you like a dead fish over him.”

Eddie turns his gaze to Dustin, not looking forward to what he might see in his closest butthead’s expression.

Dustin’s face is set in determined lines, and he meets Eddie’s gaze solidly. “I love you both as brothers, man. Don’t make me choose between you two…Though I will choose Steve.”

Robin returns before Eddie can formulate any sort of response to..all that.., pressing a steaming mug of cocoa into each of the boys’ waiting hands.

She came in with four though, and brings the last one to Eddie. “Leave him be for a minute. I’m sure he will be fine, but he’s upset.” He takes the mug from her and she squashes back down into her abandoned seat with a sigh. “Which usually means he’s going to be doing laundry until I make him go to sleep.” 

Eddie spends the next 25 minutes trying to think about what he’s going to say to Steve, what he’s going to tell him was the reason for his bullshit attitude.

For a solid three, he seriously thinks about telling Steve the truth, that he got all pissy at the thought of him sucking face with whoever it is he’s got a crush on, but that’s really not fair to Steve..or to this mystery girl.

At 30, Robin nudges his arm with her bony elbow, so he leaves his book and still-unnamed character on the chair and goes to find Steve.

He follows the sound of music coming from off the kitchen, stopping just outside the door when the low sound of Steve singing along to ‘The First Nöel’ playing softly through the radio.

It had to be that damn song, didn’t it?

…Okay, maybe it’s not so bad if Steve’s the one singing it..

He steps into the narrow room once the radio host comes back on. It’s small, but there’s more than enough room for the machine’s doors to open and to manuver a basket around in here, and there’s a side door out to the yard at the end of the room; there’s neat-ish piles of clothes in front of the washer and overflowing a basket under the dryer door, a few loose dust bunnies and used dryer sheets litter the corners.

Steve’s standing at the dryer, pawing through a seemingly freshly cleaned pile of towels on its top.

He glances up at him briefly when he enters, going back to the pile immediately, “Eddie, hey, sorry for sulking off like that. I just..got into my head a bit.” Even Steve sounded like he didn’t believe what he was saying. “I’ll be back out in a minute, just gotta take care of this load..”

“Hey, it’s alright man. It’s not all on you, you know.” Steve’s hands stop when he looks over, dropping themselves and a half-folded towel back onto the pile. “Look, I’m sorry Steve. My brain is weird sometimes too; I had some of my own shit pop back up for no fuckin’ reason at all and it just..really threw me. I didn’t mean to take it out on you like that, I swear.” 

The truth. For the most part at least. He really didn’t mean to snap at Steve like that over fuckin’ hot chocolate.

“Really, it’s okay Eddie. You did say that you didn’t want any.”

“Yeah, well, that doesn’t give me the right to be an ass to you.” Eddie ducks his head in embarrassment.

“Thank you,” Steve finally says. “I appreciate it, Eds.”

Relief floods through him at the nickname, he meets Steve’s gaze again. “Do you uhm, need help or anything?”

Steve smiles softly, “No, I really do just need to take care of this last load and I’ll be back out there.”

A low howl of wind from outside the side door cuts him off before he can reply.

Eddie groans, “Well that sounds like it’ll be fun…”

All in all, it was fun.

After going back to the living room and confirming with the others that he did, in fact, apologize to their Steve, Eddie sat back down with his notebook and got back to work.

He was slowly absorbed into the boys’ huddle and by time Steve comes back in, all five of them are heavily debating what alignment Zardok the bard should be.

Not 30 minutes later, the lights flicker off above them.

“Aw hell.” Steve mutters from the sofa.

“I’ll start running the tub.” Eddie sighs, pushing himself off the floor and waving his arms in front of him so he doesn’t run into any walls on his way.

“Why would you run the tub?” Dustin asks, incredulous.

“You fill the tub with water in case the pipes freeze while the power’s out. That way you still have water to flush the toilets and get clean and stuff.”

“Thank you Will, exactly.” Eddie says. Smart kid. 

Damn. Why doesn’t he carry a mini flashlight again?

“That’s a thing?” Robin asks, then clicks on a flashlight. Where in the hell’d she get that?

“You don’t need to do that, Eds. The place is plenty well insulated.” Steve assures, stopping him from leaving, “The pipes won’t freeze, I promise.”

“....Lucky bastard.”

Dustin goes to the opposite end of Robin’s couch and fishes another light from between the cushions.

He and the other three make quick work of arranging their blankets and pillows there in the living room, Dustin’s light only going so far as to help continue their brainstorming.

Steve and Robin leave them to it, and lead Eddie upstairs with their light. 

One round of fighting off nightmares later, he’s dragged into wakefulness with the smell of cinnamon.

He re-cinches Steve’s lended sweats around his hips and trudges down the stairs.

There are snores still reverberating from the living room, and Steve is standing in front of the stove flipping something.

A square glass pan with an inch of some sort of mixture in it was sitting on the island across from him along with an open bag of bread and half a dozen eggs still in their carton.

The floor under his feet squeaks when he stops in the doorway, alerting Steve to his presence.

He glances over his shoulder at him, then goes back to the stove to flip something again. “Hey Eds, just makin’ some breakfast, you want something?” He turns to him fully then, leaning his elbows onto a clear patch of the island countertop.

Steve must take his sleepy silence as confusion.

“Oh! The power came back on last night. Well, er..” he looks back at the stove’s clock, blinking 5:08 out at them, “Early this morning, actually.”

Huh. Guess it was confusion.

“Anyway, you want some french toast?” That explains the cinnamon. “Or I can whip you up some eggs…?”

“No, no, french toast is great.” his voice comes out scratchy with disuse. “Thanks Stevie.”

Steve smiles and turns back to the stove, “The coffee machine is on, if you want a cup; I’ll have a plate ready for you in just a couple minutes.”

Eddie wakes up slowly with his coffee, watching as Steve resets the clock on the oven to his watch.

“It’s 8:30 already? Shouldn’t we get the kids up for school?” Holy shit. Who knew Eddie Munson would ever sound so much like a mom.

“Nah,” Steve waves him off, “I was up with my alarm to get them up and ready, but when I got down here, Claudia called. The school called a snow day.”

Steve passes him a plate of toast, already smothered with syrup. “You want powdered sugar?”

“Ooh fancy, fancy,” Eddie laughs, adding a haughty accent to his next words, “Bring me my powdered confectionary Steeves, I wish to dust it upon my imported french breakfast.”

Steve rolls his eyes at him, but passes over a short ceramic container of the stuff.

Lucas is the one up next, going to the coffee machine before acknowledging either of them.

He sips on his cup without adding anything to it, the heathen. Eddie’s own cup was nearly drowned out with milk and sugar.

Slowly but surely, the rest of the house wakes up and wanders to the kitchen, each getting a plate stacked high with sweet cinnamon-y goodness.

Dustin, Mike, and Will are sitting at the little breakfast nook table in the kitchen’s front window, getting steadily louder about their plans for the near eight inches of snow that’s blanketed across Steve’s front yard.

“You’re going to help me shovel it out so I can get you free-loaders home as soon as possible. That’s what you’re going to do.” Steve insists, pushing a plate of toast in front of Robin, the last to get up.

So that’s what originally got them all outside, but two shovels can only get two of them so far with the driveway before any of the other five start fucking around.

The first blow comes from Mike, a well thrown snowball hitting dead center on the back of Will’s head.

Then Lucas lobbed one aimed for Dustin but hit Mike right on the nose.

Will’s shovel was abandoned, teams were made, and Steve was left shoveling alone when the snowballs really started flying.

Robin, Lucas, and Will booked it for the bushes on one side of the yard, immediately packing snow up between them and into gaps in the branches to protect them from the flurry.

And of course, the only other good cover on the other end of the yard from them was Steve’s beemer, so Eddie, Mike, and Dustin dove behind the newly uncovered tires, frantically packing snowballs from the untouched drift under Steve’s car.

“Really?” The three of them look up at the sound of Steve’s voice.

Fuck, he looks so adorable all bundled up like this. Nose and cheeks bitten red with the cold and with the exertion of shoveling, scarf tucked around his neck and into his jacket, the dark blue mittens, one on his hip and one over the handle of the shovel, the matching knit cap—even as he glares disapprovingly at them.

“So you’re not gonna help me, and also subject my baby to enemy fire? Not cool, guys.”

Mike lobs a ball across the yard.

“Join us then! Help us defeat those heathens and we’ll help you with the driveway.”

A snowball smacks into the back passenger side window of the car

“No.”, Steve says with finality and goes back to shoveling.

Another ball soars over the roof of the car and splats across the cleared-ish pavement behind them.

“Awe, you’re no fun Stevie.” Eddie complains, though he’s definitely not complaining about the view he’s got right now.

Dustin sends one back, mumbling out a “Damn! So close..” soon after.

“Bite me.”

Not 10 seconds later, a blast of snow smacks the back of Steve’s head.

Everyone freezes.

-x-

He turns slowly back around to face the three snow-covered idiots crouched behind his car.

All three stare wide-eyed at him, faces flushed with cold.

Mike and Dustin's hands raise at the exact same time, both pointing at Eddie.

He can tell from Dustin’s face that it was definitely him that threw the thing at his head, but the panicked, adorable, wide-eyed look Eddie has at the accusation is worth playing along for.

“What?! You traitors!” He scrambles up and back, glancing over and managing to duck a snowball aimed for his head by Robin, “Stevie, sweetheart, darling, you know I wouldn’t do that to you.”

“Do I?” He growls out playfully, advancing on the doe-eyed menace.

“Yes! You know I love you, Steve, I would never betray you like that.” 

The words, even said teasingly as they are, make Steve’s stomach swoop heavily. He’s lucky his face was already red from the wind.

“I don’t know, Eds,” He holds out one mittened hand to Mike as he passes between the two boys. He drops one into his palm. “Sounds like something you would do.”

He raises the snowball and yells out, chasing Eddie around the front of his car to the hoots and hollers of the others jeering him on.

Eddie is not a good runner, and his Reeboks slip and slide as they try to carve a path through the fresh snow in the yard.

He’s quick though, and doges out of Steve’s reach when he almost catches the back of his borrowed puffer coat, launching off toward the side of the house instead.

Oh no.

“Wait, Eddie! There’s a—” Eddie’s dark head of curls disappears under his feet as he slips off over the side of the hill. “Hill—shit!”

Steve spoke too soon even for himself, unable to stop his momentum before he slips down the hill too.

Snow pushes itself under the back of his jacket down the first half of his slide, then one of his feet gets stuck up under him and he tumbles ass-over-tea kettle the rest of the way.

“OOF—” he lands on something much more solid than snow at the bottom.

Eddie’s cackling laughter bursts out from under him, his chest heaving with it under Steve’s own.

“Eddie, you okay, man?”

Steve pushes up on his hands, one on either side of Eddie’s torso, to look down at him properly.

He lost the red hat he’d grabbed when they came outside earlier, gone to the snow somewhere, and his hair is fanned in an almost perfect halo around his head.

The red spots on his face show off the flakes that fall onto them briefly before they melt under the heat of his skin, his mouth open wide and his eyes crinkled shut in laughter.

Steve was already head over fuckin’ heels for this man, but…oh.

Oh.

Eddie has laugh lines.

They’re so deep already, crinkled up at the corners of his eyes, but for a split second, Steve can’t help but wonder how much more they’d be in 10, 15, 20 years in the future. 

And he realizes in that instant that wants so badly to be there to watch them grow longer.

look out, it's noelle coming in hot with the Oh. Oh. moment!

other parts! Pt. 1 (Day 1) | Pt. 2 (Day 2) | Pt. 3 (Day 5) | Pt. 4 (Day 6) | Pt. 5 (Day 7) | Pt. 6 (Day 11) | Pt. 7 (Day 13) [YOU ARE HERE] | Pt. 8 (Day 18) | Pt. 9 (Day 21) | Pt. 10 (Day 25) also on AO3! this year

[lillaydee]

Matchmade Part 6

Millionaire! Joel Miller / Reader

Having experienced traumatic, life altering events, a freshly divorced Joel worked to repay his debt to the person he owed his life to.

WARNINGS:

Good Parent Joel (The Last of Us), Soft Joel (The Last of Us), Joel Needs a Hug (The Last of Us), Joel Lives (The Last of Us), Protective Joel (The Last of Us), Alternate Universe - No Cordyceps Outbreak (The Last of Us), Character Death, Fluff, Angst, Eventual Smut.

SERIES MASTER LIST

Part 5

---

You blinked several times at her.

“How’s your mom, Tanya? Is she well?”

“Ugh, just like you to ask about her. She’s fine. Still alive. Come on, is your boss single? Hey, little girl, do you have a mommy?”

Sarah blinked at her, an obvious distaste in her look.

“Hey, when someone speaks to you, you answer,” she said, raising her voice slightly.

Sarah let go of her fork and climbed onto your lap, hiding her face in your blouse.

“God, I don’t know how you can stand kids. I was just asking a question. Sheesh. Spoiled much?”

You asked her nicely to please leave you alone, didn’t she have a conference to attend?

“Not until you give me his number.”

You just stared at her. The gall of this woman. Did she really think you would just give away his number like that?

“Oh my God,” she said, clasping her hand on her mouth, a shocked look on her face. “You want him for yourself, don’t you? You actually think you have a shot with him? You?”

She gave you a pitying look. “Look, Addie, I get it. You’re in a rut. Maybe someone like that can pull you out of it, but you need to look at yourself in the mirror first, okay? He’s way out of your league. I mean, regardless of what he does for a living, he’s here at this conference, and you are someone he pays to nanny for him. Look, maybe if you’re in your early twenties, you have a shot, you know? The cliched dad falls for nanny thing, but you’re 30 babes. Be real.”

She got up and left.

You realized then that you had your hands clasped over Sarah’s ears, the way you did with Allie when she was little, not wanting her to hear the venomous arrows Tanya had been firing at you since you were little.

It’s nothing new. She had always done this. And you didn’t always take it lying down. But as you two became adults, she was more… subtle and clever with her digs. She made sure you were in positions where you couldn’t fire back. A child in your arms, for example. Or a threat to your sister, or your job.

You had enough of her digs at your supposed failure. You had no idea why she hated you so much. The two of you used to be such good friends. And now, she seemed to have made it her life mission to make you as miserable as possible.

You made sure Sarah finished her meal and took her out to the Kiddy Zone the resort had put out sitting next to the play area watching her play or helping her with whatever activities she wanted to do. She made one or two friends and had a few snacks. Towards the afternoon, she was captivated by the face painting lady. She chose a butterfly motif and begged you to get her a pair of butterfly wings and antennae headband that was sold at one of the vendors.

You took a picture of her with her face paint and her butterfly wings and sent it to Joel. He immediately replied with some hearts and smiley hearts. She was so happy, she began talking about make up designs, and these other butterfly wings she saw at the vendor, and the next thing you knew, you were waiting for the family at the dining hall for lunch with a very excited Sarah in your arms while she was smoothing out a smudge on your face paint and straightening your wings and antennae on your headband.

The first thing the family saw when they got to their table was a very giggly Sarah, and a very dour you, your mouth in an unamused pout, your body in a surrendering posture. The shit you do for cute kids, huh? Tommy and Maria laughed supportively at you, patting you on the shoulder, and cooed at Sarah. Tess was trying so hard not to laugh at your sour face, she had to hug you to hide her face.

From afar, you saw a very smug looking Tanya stare at you, shaking her head at your face painting, wings and headband. She made a point to go to you while you were getting Sarah food, telling you that she could not believe you would go so low, dressing like a child in a room full of businesspeople just to impress a child. Only a shameless attention seeker would do that, and you obviously had not changed. Still seeking for attention wherever you go.

Joel had joined the family when you got back, and he looked at you with an impressed smile, while you walk defeatedly to the table and served Sarah her food. He laughed a little, took your antennae headband and put it on his head, placed Sarah on his lap and took a selfie, making sure that you were in the frame too. Sarah giggled uncontrollably every time the antennae wobbled on his head, a sound he clearly enjoyed hearing, as he kept wobbling his head on purpose while helping his daughter eat.

When you went to get more drinks, Tanya called you shameless, whoring yourself like that for your boss, taking selfies and acting all child-like for him. You lost it.

“What is your problem, Tanya? So I am a nanny. So I let some lady paint my face, it’s all part of the job. So what? How does that affect you in any way? Why are you so hellbent on calling me this and that? I haven’t bothered you, at all. You being here is a sign of your success. And I’m nannying, as you keep reminding me. I have nothing to lord over you, and you have everything. So why are you still hounding me?”

Her smug, sneering face snapped shut. Anger clearly taking over.

“Is everything alright, here?” Joel asked, taking you by the shoulder to his side.

Tanya immediately put on a sickly-sweet smile, “Just catching up with an old friend, that’s all,” she said.

The older man you saw him talking to that morning came up, taking Tanya by the waist. She looked disappointed, and hesitantly let him do so.

“Miller, glad to see you again. Could we have a drink this evening after your keynote? Would love to continue our discussion from this morning,” he said.

Tanya’s expression changed, she looked downright impressed, eyeing him up and down, suddenly impressed with an adult wearing an antennae headband. “You’re Joel Miller? Oh, I heard what happened to you. So happy to see you are doing well! Aren’t we, Georgie?” she cooed at him, reaching over and rubbing his arm. Joel pulled you closer to him and took a step away, going nearer the older man.

‘Georgie’ cleared his throat, and Joel told him they will talk later, he’s going to have lunch with his family now. The man nodded and shook his hand. Joel helped you get more drinks, asking you if you were alright. You just nodded, annoyed at Tanya’s brazenness. You saw from the corners of your eyes the man taking her by the hand to talk to her, while she grumpily followed, her eyes rolling in annoyance.

Sarah was falling asleep as she was finishing her lunch, so you told everyone you will see them at dinner, that you would be taking Sarah to the small amusement park later. They all gave Sarah a kiss and told her to have a good nap, Joel waiting until she was in your arms to kiss her. He put the headband back on your head and told you he will see you at dinner.

You spent Sarah’s nap time watching TV, but not really. You tried to relax, but for some reason, seeing Tanya and hearing her venomous words put you at an unease. You had a feeling that wasn’t the last you’d hear from her. She had always found ways to make your life difficult.  Your biggest worry was that she would get her poison on Joel, somehow, and your job at the daycare would be in jeopardy. You couldn’t afford to lose that job. You needed to get your life in line again, having lost everything that mattered to you. You were starting from almost zero. You had a plan. Get a job, check. Get a place to stay, pending. Save some money, pending. Go back to school, pending, and right now, oh so far away, almost beyond your reach, it felt like. No matter. One day at a time. And hopefully, after this weekend, you won’t see Tanya again.

**********

Joel sat between Tommy and Tess during the conference, unable to focus on anything. He kept seeing that woman who was talking to you turn around to look at his table, trying to get his attention. She gave him the creeps. A very… ‘Liz’ vibe seem to emanate from her. He didn’t like it. And the man she was with, George, some higher up in one of the government departments, kept asking him for an ‘in’ on his business, wanting to ‘invest’. He entertained the man out of politeness but got a weird vibe off him too. He asked Tess to look into him, see if everything about him was legit.

The one thing he noticed straightaway was the fact that the man was wearing a wedding ring, and she was not. He’s not one to presume, but he wouldn’t be surprised if he had a wife waiting for him somewhere.

And her, he didn’t like the way she seemed to be treating you. Even from afar, she seemed to sneer at you a lot, and you, with Sarah around, never seemed to respond. So when he saw you did at the buffet during lunch, he made himself known, not wanting you to have worries this weekend. You deserve a break, even if you were technically working. He also didn’t want you mentally affected by this woman; your body language didn’t seem welcoming to her. He didn’t want that to affect Sarah too.

So far, from what he had heard from Sarah and Tess, you seemed like a great person. And what he had seen these two days, you were great with Sarah, and seemingly good natured around his cuckoo collection of a family. They all seemed to like you. He’s thankful for that.

He promised Allie he would find you, make sure you were alright. Thing was, he didn’t actually find you. More like, luckily stumbled into you. Did that count as keeping his promise? Maybe not. So, he should focus on making sure you were alright.

Two problems though.

One, he didn’t actually know you all that well. To make sure you were alright, he had to make sure you were a good person, a reliable person. What if you turned out to be a murdering psychopath? Okay, that’s not likely, seeing as you had managed to help keep his daughter alive for a month. And she loved you so much ‘Miss Addie’ might as well become a mantra. But you didn’t seem to be the kind of person who would accept help. When you told him you hadn’t decided where to inter Allie, he had a sneaking suspicion that there was more to the story, but he didn’t want to overstep. He didn’t want to throw money at you. He had a feeling you would be offended by that. He needed to get to know you better in order to help you. And this weekend, he had the chance to get to know you a bit better, and he intended to.

Two, and this might be the biggest problem of all. The problem that he couldn’t tell anyone about. The problem that might cloud his judgement of you. One that could affect how he might decide to make sure you were okay.

He couldn’t stop thinking about you.

But that’s impossible, right? Since he had met you that first time at the hospital all those months ago, he had met you only a few times. Sixteen times, in fact, not that he was counting or anything. All he knew was he looked forward to hearing about you when he got home, and hoped you weren’t too busy to chat a while when he dropped Sarah off or picked her up. That he would find himself unable to stop smiling whenever he talked to you. That he felt at ease with you.

Last night, when Sarah asked you to stay for him to read a story, his heart was pounding so hard he thought you might be able to see his shirt move. He had never had that experience – lying in bed with Sarah and a woman. Liz had never been interested to join in bedtime routine. It was always him alone. Over time, he found that he enjoyed them. His special time with his BabyGirl. He wouldn’t even let his Mama join the bedtime stories with her, and Sarah had never asked anyone to join in either. And last night, he found out he didn’t mind having you join in. He stayed a while after the two of you fell asleep, watching you breathe, his daughter snuggled up in your arms. Another something he had never seen Liz do. His heart did that thing again, making him feel warm all over. He watched you for so long, he fell asleep, Sarah between the two of you, his first uninterrupted sleep since the incident, until the sound of the door closing woke him up.

And today, he saw his little girl so happy spending time with you, and you… you just looked adorable with the face painting. He had to fight the urge to kiss you on the pink and red nose the painter had put on you. He could tell you were a bit embarrassed, so he took your headband and placed it on his head instead. It paid off, Sarah giggled so much his heart felt so full it could burst.

He placed his phone under the table and opened the latest photo he had taken. Him and Sarah, matching headbands on, and you, with a reluctant smile, sitting right next to him. He smiled to himself, zooming in on the picture a bit, taking in your candid face, for stock, until he could see you again in a bit.

A sharp nudge to his arm broke his smile, his eyes meeting Tess’s smirking face, her eyes on his phone, which he quickly hid in his suit pocket, meeting Tommy’s smirking face on his other side as he did so. His face actually felt hot. He put on his most annoyed face and pretended to pay attention to the speaker, seeing Tess and Tommy’s shoulders move from trying not to laugh. Maria turned, distracted by her husband’s shaking. Tommy whispered something in her ear.

And now there were three of them smirking at him. 

Damn it.

**********

You and Sarah were not in the room when he went up to change before dinner. He found himself extremely disappointed at his discovery. He video called you, and you answered, a huge smile on your face, Sarah’s giggling face came into view. She was driving one of those cars that ran on a track, having the time of her life. Look Daddy! I drive! Good job BabyGirl! She was making vroom-vroom noises, and honking so much, showing off to him, he wanted to run to the amusement park to join in on the fun with the two of you. You ended the call when it was time to get off the ride, promising to meet him at the dining hall for dinner.

Dinner was spent with everyone checking in with Joel about his keynote speech that night, and Sarah showing everyone all the videos you had taken of her on the different rides she went on. So much ooh-ing and aah-ing was going on, you were really touched at how much all of them loved Sarah. She had so much fun, she was nodding off before you could finish your dinner. You got up to take her upstairs, Joel joining you, not wanting to miss bedtime. He saw Tanya watch the three of you go up, a disapproving look on her face. He chose to ignore it, taking Sarah from you, while you carried the backpack you had brought with you to the amusement park.

Bedtime consisted of placing her in bed after a slight tantrum over having to change into her PJs, so Joel had some time to kill before his keynote speech. He waited for you to shower, aware that you didn’t finish your dinner. He told you to order room service, he didn’t want you to go to bed hungry. You nodded and thanked him, earnestly wishing him luck for his big speech. He said thank you, touched that you would say that to him.

As he got back into the elevator, his thoughts were on your good luck wish. He’d been to these conferences before, and Liz had always spent her times at the spa, leaving Sarah with Mrs Adler completely, and sometimes, didn’t even come back to the room. Never once did she wish him luck for his speeches, or his pitches, he doubted she even noticed, so long as the credit card worked.

The speech was a success, and he was surrounded by so many people wanting to talk to him after. He went to the lounge for the drink he had promised George and listened patiently as the man talked. He couldn’t shake the weird vibe he was getting from this man, the vibe that got stronger as Tanya joined them, having changed into a dress that was far too revealing for a business meeting. George’s phone rang, and he excused himself to answer it.

Tanya immediately pounced, sitting herself so close to Joel she might as well be on his lap. Joel immediately moved to the next chair, placing his jacket on the chair he was on. Tanya seemed to get the hint, albeit with annoyance.

“So, how long has Addie been nannying for you? Your daughter is so cute by the way. What’s her name?”

Joel took a sip of his drink, asking her how long she had known you.

“Oh, we go way back. She used to live next door to me. We grew up together,” she said, downing her drink, and snapping at the bartender for another. “Surprised to see she’s nannying now, to be honest. Everyone on the street thought so highly of her.”

There was an annoyance to her tone. Joel didn’t like it but decided to hear her out anyway.

“So, you knew Allie?”

“Tsk, annoying little brat. You know your nanny raised her since she was two? Classic spoiled kid. So rude. Said whatever came to mind. Trust me, you don’t want your kid growing up like Allie.”

Joel kept staring at her, taking another sip of his drink.

Tanya was suddenly aware how angry and annoyed she sounded and put on a simpering nostalgic face as if reminiscing fondly at the thought of Allie, “So sad, what happened to her,” she said, shaking her head.

Joel didn’t react. He took another sip and kept listening.

She shuffled her chair closer to him. He put his foot on the chair next to him when she tried to move it. She leaned in instead, whispering conspiratorially at him.

“But see, that’s why I was so shocked you hired her. She’s not exactly trustworthy, Addison. She got fired from her last job for slacking at work, you know. She would just leave… just like that, in the middle of a workday - and came back whenever convenient. And the amount of complaints on her record, sheesh. I’m surprised she lasted that long at that job. And of course, after Allie died she spiralled. Drank herself to sleep every night. She lost her house you know? She claimed it was because of Allie’s medical bills, but who knows? She’s a great liar. Last I heard, she’s homeless now, living in her car like a bum.”

Joel placed his glass on the table, clearly reacting to this news.

“She’s living in her car?”

Tanya smiled a victorious smile. That got his attention. She put on a faux innocent, concerned face and nodded.

“Sadly, yes. You know what these people are like, I mean, what if she takes advantage of you and your money and hurt your daughter? What if she was drunk when taking care of her?”

She took his jacket off the chair between them, and sidled in next to him, her hand on his arm and thigh. He followed her touches with his eyes.

“Really, Mr Miller, trust me. I’m only thinking of your daughter. You don’t want to trust someone like Addison with your child.”

---

Part 7

@peelieblue @feenoire @vickie5446

[sturnlover21390]

Truth or dare pt.1

Your failing all of your classes, and Matt offers to tutor, you have no idea how this little action, will change everything.

no use of y/n, no smut (yet)

As I’m walking down the hall I see my English teacher, Mr.Jhonson, walk towards me. He’s always on my ass trying to figure out when I’m going to turn in my assignments, when we both know it’ll never happen.

“Ellie , this is unacceptable” he says in an stern voice. “You have a D in most of your classes, and the semester is comming to a end. Get it together before you fail the year.”

“I’m trying my hardest” I lie.

“Try harder” he says before walking away

See, I don’t understand how professors are aloud to just walk away and students aren’t, but that’s a secret the whole world would never get a anwser to.

“Hey, I heard you and Mr. Johnson’s conversation back there and I was thinking I could help?” I hear Matt say, hesitantly.

I had no idea why he was talking to me. He always had his head dug into a book in the library, or focused on studying his notes for the next test.

“So” I start “you were eavesdropping?”

Instantly his checks start to form a bright red “noo, see I- I was just walking by and - I would never.” he says in a defensive manner.

“Calm down Matt, I’m just teasing” I say with a giggle, “and what do you mean by help?”

“I was thinking maybe I could tutor you a bit? I wouldn’t want you to fail” he finishes, looking away.

“Uh .. yeah. Yeah, sure, do I have to pay you?”

“No!” Matt says a bit too loud for both of our comfort “I mean, no you don’t ..collage is already expensive enough right?”

“Okay sure, I can give you my address? I live off campus”I suggest.

And it was a plan

At 3pm I was going to see him. I have no idea why I was so excited to see somebody I’ve barley said 3 words to, but nonetheless, here I am. When I get home I change into sweatpants and a crop top. I put my hair up into a bun, then started my makeup. I don’t know why I put in more effort than usual, I mean it’s not like this is a date. But for some reason I wanted to look good for him. Look good for Matt.

A few knocks on the door grabbed my attention. I put some of my makeup away before heading to the door.

“Hey” I say, with a soft smile on my face.

“Hey, can I come in” he says back, with a edge in his voice.

“Sure” i open the door a bit wider, as he walks in. I point to the dining table as we both make our way there. “Hey, you good?” I question. He seemed a little bit different from earlier today. Like he now had an attitude or something was bothering him.

“Yeah, everything’s fine, just my brother kinda gave me shit before I got here. That dosent matter though, let’s get started”

He takes out his computer , while starting to talk about economics or something, honestly I hardly was paying attention. I couldn’t stop looking at him, how confident he was in the work he was showing me, how it seemed like this naturally came to him. 

“Do you understand that?” He says, and I get pulled out of my thoughts.

“Um, yea, sure. Anyways what happned earlier with your brother? Was it Chris or Nick?”

“You know them?” He questions

“Obviously, it’s not everyday I see triplets, everybody sorta knows you guys”

“Yeah I guess it hard to miss us” he says, with a soft smile displayed on his face.”it’s nothing that serious though they just they keep trying to convince me to go to this party later tonight and-“

“Wait Brittney’s party?” I say happily “You should defeintly go , you can even come with me, promise it’ll be fun.”

“I’m not really a party kind of person, , it’s so loud and I don’t feel like dancing with a bunch of sweaty people”

“Come on Matt, it’ll be so much fun, plus aren’t party’s part of the “amazing collage experience” I say sarcastically.

“Um.. I guess , you know what okay I’ll go with you, if you promise to at least try to pass your classes” he says blushing.

I wasent going to go to Britney’s party, but for some reason I really wanted to go with him. Spend time with him. I don’t get why I’m so drawn to him, but I don’t mind it.

[sebsallowapologist]

Some headcanons or drabbles for Sebastian with an MC that gets progressively more distant as time goes on? Like, the detachment is mutual after the end of the game, but they (Sebastian and ominis) still notice something’s up with their former friend. first it’s ominis, who’s paying more attention (since Sebastian avoids MC, and ominis avoids Sebastian). The Gaunt is starting to realize that MC is taking more and more trips out into the forest and school grounds, with little human interaction. Both Seb and Ominis soon realize that they really don’t know anything about their friend. Not their past, not their home life. not even their blood status. Sure, they’re mostly rumored to be halfblood, but have they ever confirmed?just them realizing that they might not know their friend at all. And that their friend is slowly slipping away, mentally and emotionally. Either an angsty or fluffy ending, your choice :)

Oh I love this! And thank you so much for giving me a distraction at work- Monday was getting to be a little too much. (and since I wrote it at work, it's unedited)

word count: 1.4k

warnings: cursing, cannon level violence, mention of death, depression, and a bit of hope.

at the end of fifth year- when MC didn’t turn Sebastian in, there had been enough death and loss and hurt. But so much hurt that it was hard to be around each other, everyone just drifted. There was a vague understanding between the trio that no one would say anything, but it came with tension that could cut a knife- how could they still be friends when no one could look each other in the eye?

Ominis thought that he and MC would somewhat get over it. If anything he thought he’d have someone to talk to about the whole ordeal but MC was barely more than a ghost. The only sign that she attended the school was that she would show up in class- and that was only sometimes. When she did show up she was always the last one in the door and the first one out. 

He’d asked Poppy, Natty- for Merlin’s sake he even spoke to Leander about it, but the most he got was Natty knowing she was going into the forbidden forest. She was also worried for their mutual friend, but assured Ominis that MC knew how to handle herself. 

Sebastian had been avoiding MC AND had been abiding by Ominis’ rule that he didn’t want to be friends anymore, but at least he had been around. Ominis had heard him in the common room, dining hall, speaking to some of their other roommates. He sounded different, his voice softer, deeper, like everything he said was under his breath. But at least he was there. 

Three months into the term - and after a full week of MC missing classes- Ominis finally works himself up by speaking to Sebastian about it, grabbing his arm as they leave the charms classroom and corralling him in the hallway after class. 

“Have you seen her?” Ominis asks. 

Sebastian blinks a few times at his former best friend- shock painting his features. “Seen who?”

“MC you prick.” 

Sebastian's tone lowers, sadness coating his throat. “Ominis I haven’t spoken to her- she hasn’t looked at me in months.” 

“You haven’t looked at her either.” Ominous argues. 

“You don’t know that- you’re blind.” 

“Thank you for reminding me, prat. I know I’m blind. But I’m not stupid I know how you are.” Ominis scoffs. He wasn’t wrong, Sebastian avoided the girl he cared so much for like the plague. She’d already done him the kindness of not turning him in to waste his life away in Azkaban, he wasn’t going to make her life any harder than that. 

“Something’s wrong. She’s not talking to me, or Poppy. Or anyone. Leander said it’s like she can’t even hear him in Divination.” 

“To be fair I would understand if she was avoiding that git too.” 

“Sebastian be serious, she’s coming back hurt.” 

Sebastian knew that she’d come back from the forest in the middle of the night with cuts and bruises. Knew that she show’d up to class with dark circles under her eyes. Her hair and skin looked dull, her clothes were always wrinkled. Sebastian also knew that it was his fault that she looked like that- felt like that. He carried the guilt with him every day.

“And what am I supposed to do about it? Show up and remind her why she feels like that? I’d make it worse, Ominis.”  

“What if it’s not about you- bloody narcissist. What about her ancient magic- Or about Fig’s death. What if it’s her family?”

“Her parents are- muggles? Right?” Sebastian blushes, muggles were never too upsetting. He actually didn’t know much about her family, another reason to feel guilty. She knew every part of his family's issues and he didn’t even know the name of her parents- or if they were wizards. 

“Do you know where her ancient magic comes from?” Sebastian says, taking Ominis’s elbow to lead him out of the hallway crowded with students. “No- you always knew more about that than me.” 

Sebastian blushed. He only ever cared to know what could help Anne. He can’t remember asking her about how she came about it. 

The hunt of MC actually brought Sebastian and Ominis closer than either one of them thought was possible. They went back to their dormitories and started writing down everything they new about MC- which was frighteningly little. Sebastian wasn’t the only one feeling ashamed about how little time he took to get to know someone who’s saved his life. 

They head out that night, after talking to Natty again about what she knew about MC’s trips to the forest, she didn’t know exactly where she was going, but it was always north of the castle, but west of Hogsmeade. 

They spend three nights, back to back combing the forest for their friend, but it’s impossible and the deeper they went the more dangerous it all felt. 

Eventually- after they spent over a week looking for her she just showed back up in the middle of dinner, walked in, grabbed a few rolls off the end of the table and turned right back out the door. Sebastian tells Ominis quickly where he’s going and follows her out the door.

Last week he might have been more timid, he might have worried about speaking to her. But now, she thinks she can disappear off of the face of the earth for two weeks and just waltz back in like nothing ever happened? Who does she think she is?

He rounds a corner and finds they’re alone in the hallway. “HEY!” Sebastian yells and she turns around. Immediately her face hardens. “OH! I’m worth speaking to!”

Sebastian just ignores her. “What the fuck are you doing?”

“Dinner you arse.” 

“No! What do you think you’re doing just bloody disappearing like that! You had us worried SICK!” Sebastian yells, throwing his arms up in the air.

“Excuse me?” MC asks, livid. “I’m sorry since when the fuck do you care about me at all. I’m useless to you now, Sallow. Leave me the fuck alone.” 

“Do you think THAT’S what this is?” Sebastian asks, walking closer to her, the black eye and cut on her nose coming into view. “What else?” She scoffs, taking a bite of her bread. “What can I help you with?” 

“You can tell me what the hell you’ve been up to.”

“Why do you care all of a sudden?” She scoffs and Sebastian just explodes, Ominis walks into the hallway as Sebastian unleashes on their friend. 

“I’ve always bloody cared! I’m sorry if I didn’t always show you the way I should, but for fucks sake you can’t be so daft you think I don’t care at all.” 

Tears well in MC’s eyes, but she’s just as furious as Sebastian is. “I know you don’t care. You haven’t spoken to me once this term. I’m nothing to you now- nothing to the both of you.” 

“That is not true.” Ominis mumbles. 

“Oh yeah? Then where were you, Gaunt? All summer I couldn’t WAIT to get back here- to talk to someone who GOT it, who understands what we went through and I’m- I was left with NOTHING. NO ONE!” She yells, throwing her dinner rolls, one at Sebastian and one at Ominis.

It’s dead silent for a moment.

Sebastian breathes, “You’re right.” 

“What?” 

“We- I avoided you. Ignored you. Didn’t look after you like I should. Like you looked after me. And I’m so sorry- I thought you’d want nothing to do with me? How could you after-”

“Don’t make this about you. I c-I can’t handle that right now.”

“You’re right.” He says, walking closer to MC with his palms open, facing her. “I’m just sorry, and I want to start the year over and I want to start everything over. Ask you all the questions I should have. I was too caught up in my shit to be a good friend, but I can be a good friend now. Right Ominis? We can be good friends now?”

“I have always-”

“Ominis” Sebastian bites. Ominis couldn’t see just how badly MC was shaking, but Sebastian knew she was on the edge. 

“I can be a better friend.” Ominis promises.  

Slowly Sebastian wraps his arms around MC in a hug, bringing her tightly into his chest. He gives her the lightest kiss on the top of her head and tucks her under his chin. 

“You’re both so up your own arse.” She mumbles into Sebastian’s chest, squeezing him tightly. Ominis comes up and wraps his arms around the both of us. “You’re half right.”

[somethingqueerisgoingonhere]

A snippet from a very long wip im working on, hope you enjoy!

-

“Are you sure this will work?” Geralt says nervously.

“Of course not,” Yen drawls, “if he rejects you, he rejects you.”

“Thanks for the pep talk,” he growls as they step through the portal Yen had made and into a strange room filled with obscurities. 

The room is filled with every color imaginable, shining and blinding in every corner.

“What is this place?” He asks Yen.

“You’ll see,” Yennerfer says, coming up to the front desk and ringing a bell that had been sitting unassuming on the counter.

Immediately a small man, about up to Geralt’s hips, comes walking in, so you can only see the top of his balding head, and hikes himself up into the chair, “what can I do for you?”

“We’re looking for a dagger,” Yennerfer says, “handmade.”

“That will take sometime,”

“As quick as you can, we’ll pay,”

“What kind of dagger?”

Yennerfer looks at Geralt expectantly, “broad, short, practical.”

“How romantic.” Yennerfer says snarkily, she turns to the man, “the hilt will need to be decorated quite lavishly with carvings and stones.” she turns back to Geralt, “have you picked a stone?” 

Geralt remembers the small book Yen had passed him and the many worn pages of their significance and meanings, it felt overwhelming. He’d looked endlessly through the blue stones, wanting one the particular shade of Jaskier’s eyes but also with the right intent. There was one that made him think of nothing but Jaskier’s dancing eyes.

“Hotez,” Geralt says firmly.

“For his eyes, really?” Yen drawls.

The mans hums thoughtfully, “quite a meaningful gem, many cultures use it for love or honesty and I believe the elven meaning is ‘I can’t live without you’ or rather ‘our love is eternal’.”

Geralt can feel his face warming at Yennefer’s intense stare. “Well,” she says, “I’m glad you at least gave it some thought rather than picking a random one.”

“I wouldn’t do that,” he growls.

“Wouldn’t you?”

The man cuts in, “Along the hilt? Would you like engravings as well?”

“Yes,” Geralt answers sure of himself, the engravings were the part he knew exactly what he wanted, “A wolf and a…” he looks at Yennerfer who arches an eyebrow at him, “a lark,” he finishes lamely.

She actually laughs, “Oh Geralt you’re simple but you’re sweet.”

“Is that supposed to be a complement?”

“That’s as close as you’ll get with me I’m afraid.”

-

Yennerfer pulls Geralt to the side while Jaskier and Ciri enter the dining hall. 

“What?” he hisses.

She gives him a look that says don’t ever take that tone with me again and he listens, his tone is much more subdued when he asks “what’s the matter?”

“The dagger, it’s arrived, you can do this after all. Tonight. Come with me.”

“Yen,” Geralt calls after her figure leaving down the hall, “Yen!” He has no choice but to follow.

She brings him to her room and balks at the interior, “really? You used magic here? To make your room nicer?"

"What they had just wasn’t cutting it," she says shrugging.

"You know the point of the simplicity is to be humbled."

"Well I’m not exactly the humbled type."

He she tosses a paper wrapped package at him that he manages to catch, he frowns at her.

“Don’t look at me like that, go on, look at it, do you know what I had to pay to have this specially ordered and on a deadline and you just had to have one of the rarest stones-”

“Okay i get it,” Geralt says annoyed, “I’ll pay you back.”

“Please, like I need your money, besides I’ve seen what your salary looks like, I’d be dead before you could ever pay me back."

“Yen,” he says annoyed."

“Consider it a gift, for good will towards your love,” she waves him off but he feels a warmth pooling in his stomach.

He carefully unwraps the dagger, the paper rustling, as he reveals the blade of it, it’s broad like he’d asked and smooth. It shines brilliantly in the candle light, flashing as he turns it this way and that.

“The hilt,” Yen says, telling him to hurry up.

He unwraps the hit, met immediately with that striking blue that drew him in and he feels embarrassment crawl up his neck as he thinks of the stone’s meaning. “Do you think he’ll know what it means?”

“Someone as romantic and poetic as Jaskier? He’ll know what it means.”

Geralt runs a hand over the bumps of the crystal blue stones, shaped so their sides flash brilliantly and that’s when he turns it over and sees it, the carving of a wolf arched towards a bird, a lark.

“Well?” Yennerfer says.

“It’s beautiful. Thank you.”

“Really what has he gone and done to you, you’re never this courteous."

“I really mean it Yen, for helping me with this, even if he says no, I know how much you and Ciri have put into this, it means a lot.”

“My gods he’s good for you, don’t you ever let him go if he says yes.”

“Don’t plan on it.” 

“I’m serious."

“So am I,” he doesn’t buckle under her piercing gaze and when she’s satisfied she turns her attention back to the matter at hand.

Do you need to practice what you’re going to say? He makes a face at the thought of telling Yen what he’s been repeating in his head for days, “No.”

“Very well she says, and you remember what to do?”

He nods.

“Okay then here’s the last piece,” she waves a hand at her bed where there’s something draped on it, as he draws closer he can see it’s fine clothing, clothing that makes him want to die on his own sword to be seen in but finely made clothing of high grade silk and carefully embroidered, something Jaskier would love. “you weren’t really planning on going in your usual clothes?”

“Isn’t this a bit too dressed up for such a place?”

“You think he won’t be dressed up?" She’s right, gods he’s been saying that too often these days. “Besides Ciri and I will be dressed up also so you won’t feel alone."

-

Geralt feels the dagger burn against his skin through the pocket of his pants. Jaskier has just finished a set and walks over to him.

“Jaskier,” he draws Jaskier’s attention, those blue eyes turning to burn into his. He’s a little sweaty from all the movement but it’s not unpleasant, his hair a little mussed.

“Well aren’t you well dressed,” Jaskier says, an easy smile gracing his lips, “you must absolutely hate it,” he laughs, eyes creasing with his delight.

Geralt feels mirth rumbling up from his chest. This is Jaskier, he steadies Geralt even without meaning to do so. 

“I bet Yen had to hold you down while she squeezed you into that. It must have been quite the sight,” there’s teasing to his voice and a glint in his eyes that holds Geralt captive.

Geralt’s voice is quiet to even his own ears, “Jaskier.”

“Yes?” Jaskier says, smile faltering.

“These two weeks have been amazing,” Jaskier stares at him with pure confusion, “I feel that I’ve grown to know you better than I ever have. And the more I’ve grown to know you, the more I’ve grown to appreciate your friendship.”

“You’re awfully talkative tonight,” Jaskier says, trying for another laugh to break the serious tone.

Geralt stares at him with a determination that rivals anything he’s ever felt in his life, “I have thought long and hard about my intentions towards you. There’s nothing that frightens me more than losing your friendship or your respect.”

“Geralt?” Jaskier looks scared now.

Geralt brings his fingers to his side, he watches how his fingers tremble as he unsheathes the silver dagger, the stone encrusted hilt flashes in the low candle light. 

He draws it out before turning it in his hand, grasping the delicate blade and pointing the hilt towards Jaskier. He finally brings himself to look at Jaskier who’s staring down at the hilt offered up to him, eyes wide and glassy, mouth opened in shock. Geralt knows he’s completely caught him off guard.

The seconds stretch by painfully, drawing them both apart with each moment that passes. And then there’s blessed movement as Jaskier brings a hand up to grasp the hilt, and Geralt moves without thinking, pressing his palm into the sharp edge of the blade and pulling back quickly. The sting of blade biting into flesh barely phases him, only knows he’s done it because he can smell the copper in the air.

Jaskier’s eyes flick up to him, swimming with fear and trepidation, he looks so lost. Geralt wants nothing more than to rush forward, to embrace him. Geralt grits his teeth not because of the lowly stinging of his palm. He opens his fingers revealing the two slice marks welling with scarlet blood, it represents the seriousness of his proposition. Jaskier’s eyes drink in the cuts eagerly like he’s starving for the sight of it.

Geralt takes this as a good sign and drops his hand back to his side. It’s now time for Jaskier to make a decision. He must place the dagger back into the sheath on Geralt’s side and either leave it there in rejection and Geralt must not approach him again or unbuckle the sheath from his side and wear it himself. A sign that he’s being courted and not to be approached by any other suitors.

Geralt can feel the blood slicking his fingers and imagines it must’ve begun dripping to the floor. 

Jaskier’s movements are stuttered as he brings the dagger to Geralt’s side, his hand grasped determinedly around the hilt. Feeling, Geralt imagines, the stones and their intent digging into his palm. 

Geralt closes his eyes for a moment, listening painedly to the whispering of the blade against leather as it slides into the sheath. He opens them, staring into those cornflower blue eyes. The most beautiful color Geralt’s ever seen. He watches as Jaskier’s hand moves and prepares for him to draw it back to his side, for him to step back away. He hears it, not sees it, when Jaskier’s fingers pull at the buckle, metal tinkling in the air and the rushing of leather pulling free as it whisks through the buckle. And like that the firm pressure of the band around him slides away, held firmly in Jaskier’s delicate hands as he pulls it back to himself into Geralt’s eyeline. Geralt feels like it can’t be real, watches in a daze as Jaskier pulls the band around his hips, the sheath coming to rest against his side and shaky fingers bringing the buckle to meet the notched band before sliding it through and firmly buckling it. Geralt can see his fingers shaking, but Geralt can do nothing but stare as the downcast eyes flick up to his own, watching, waiting.

Jaskier gives him a hesitant smile, “did you really think I’d reject you? I don’t think there’s a world where that happens.”

And like that Geralt crumbles apart at Jaskier’s feet, leaping forwards to grab Jaskier around the waist and hoist him up into the air, spinning him. Jaskier’s laugh is pure delight. He stops, dropping Jaskier against himself, arms crushing him in a hug. Jaskier returns it, laugh sweet in his ear. 

Then there’s Ciri’s shout, “he accepted!” And just like that they’re surrounded. The women of Alietza cooing over Jaskier, bustling him away from Geralt as they make him pull out the dagger so they may admire the jewels and intricate designs in the hilt, it’s then that Jaskier seems to notice the engravings, he runs his fingers over it admiringly just as Geralt had done hours earlier.

“Hotezes,” they gasp. “We hope your courting will prove fruitful.”

He feels like his legs are going to give out from under him from the way the adrenaline racing through him leaves him in a rush. And yet he feels more content than he’s ever felt in his life. 

“Congratulations,” comes a sly voice behind him, he turns to meet assessing lilac eyes, “you managed not to fuck it up.”

“Yen,” he says with a smile on his lips.

“You’re both going to be disgustingly romantic aren’t you?” Yen asks, a look of disgust on her face and Geralt’s laughing. He’s laughing so freely that Yen’s face morphs into one of shock.

He’s suddenly blindsided by an armful of Ciri, she hugs him tightly, her arms around his neck, her hair tickling his nose. She pulls back, flushed and delighted, “Congratulations!”

“He’s only accepted my request to court him,” Geralt tells her seriously.

She punches his arm, not lightly, “yeah but this was the hardest part! Now you get to shower him with affection.”

“For Geralt that is the hardest part,” Yen says into her glass of wine.

“I’m not worried,” Ciri says, and her eyes are filled with something loving and kind that shines in the candlelight and Geralt feels his heart ache with the love he feels for Ciri.

[whydoyouwantmyname]

So let me get this straight….

“Peter, this is a horrible idea.” You smiled as your best friend looked at you from across your dorm room, the empty bed of the roommate that never showed supported his tall frame as he looked at you, bewildered.

“It worked once, why wouldn’t it work a second time?”

“Well for starters…. You were both in high school, and high school girls are dumb. Secondly you are doing this to make the girl who did this with you the first time jealous, so don’t you think she will know your trick by now?”

“Yes, but…. This time is different.”

“And how is that?”

“Simple… you won’t make me just put my hand in your back pocket.” Peter smiled as he pulled out a notebook, “now we need clear guidelines.”

“So we are really doing this?” You asked, as he looked up from the chicken scratch he called writing.

“Yes, [Y/N], you are the most badass woman I have met while here, and if anyone can help me win Laura Jean back, it’s you. Now… rule number one, we both have to post each other on socials, since she follows both parties, also we have to comment on anything the other posts.”

“Can it be mean?” You asked, as he looked at you offended, “What, bullying you is my love language.”

“Fine, but I will make you cry with my insults so be ready.” He smiled that infectious smile that made the corners of your lips pull up, as you pulled your knees up to your chest, a gesture that you didn’t know made Peter’s heart slightly skip… a feeling he ignored because Lara Jean was the goal…. Right.

“The day that happens Kavinsky I will pay you $20… or I will buy all the pizza you can eat.” You smiled as he leaned back

“Rule number 2, we have to go to the diner, twice a week.”

“Why?” You asked, your eyebrow raising as he replied, “Because whenever I ask you, you say you don’t want to go.”

“Because you always ask me when I have exams.” You defended, as he shock his head, “No excuses.”

“Fine, but you have to come to go to the cafe in the art building with me 4 times a week, because you said they have the best coffee.”

“Well then you have to go to my lacrosse games.”

“I already do.” You replied, “I even wear the hoodie you gave me to show Stanford pride.”

“And… you have to go to 3 practices, and watch with the other girlfriends.”

“You do know they only do that to have sex under the bleachers right?”

“Oh yeah, and now you are one of them.”

“I need it in writing no sex under the bleachers…. Or in the library…. Or the maintenance closet in the dining hall.” You added, his eyebrow raising as he whispered, “But sex is on the table.”

“Do you want it to be? I mean that would be a bit weird seeing how this whole thing is to get back with your ex.”

“Right, sex off the table, kissing…. On the table.”

“On the cheek… or hand… or nose. The minute you touch my lips though I am telling her everything.” You replied as he raised his hands in defense.

“And the rest we will figure out along the way.” He added as you lowered your legs, planted your feet to the floor, and crossed the dorm room, hand extended.

“One last rule.” You stated

“I get to touch your boob.”

“No….” You sheepishly replied, “No matter the outcome, our friendship will never change.”

“Course not. You are like my best friend here.” He stated before extending a hand to you, which you forcefully took and shook.

That night you started it with the basics, all social medias were flood with news of the new relationship, status were changed, pictures were switched, or in your case, updated (since it was already a picture of you and Peter that Lara Jean took her last visit, when you and her attended Peter’s Lacrosse game and he leant you his hoodie). Initials were added the bios, and dates were plastered everywhere. Soon your wall was filled with comments of about time, and finally, and the ones from the locals in your home town, saying that you looked cute together, and complementing you, and then there was the occasional ones focused on Lara Jean, who up until that moment had failed to inform anyone other than her immediate circle that she shattered Peter’s heart.

The next day you started your new daily routine, and honestly, nothing felt like it had changed, other than the position of your hands, and the fact that at random times he would throw you off with a kiss on a random body part, since he had to avoid your lips, and soon you found yourself forgetting it was all pretend, and kissing him too. Your friend group, who had no idea this was fake, found it extremely believable and couldn’t help but comment about how natural you both looked together. Soon almost everyone had forgotten about Lara Jean… but not the two of you.

Now Peter didn’t tell you why Lara Jean and him split, you assumed since she ended it that she had been cheating on Peter with some city boy, since everyone knew NYU guys were 20% hotter than any small town superstars. You also were not one to pry, but you found it odd that 48 hours after, he was in your dorm room devising this plan. You also found it odd that Laura Jean still hadn’t unfriended either of you after two weeks of your daily updates, and constant flirting in socials. You took a selfie at every practice of your smiling face as the team practiced behind you, Peter visible in the background, he took pictures of your food, and coffees, you both posted the occasion cute message on the wall, or a picture of you two throughout the years of Stanford. But she never responded, never engaged, never even acknowledged that they existed.

Until… one day she did…..

He had posted a picture one of his teammates had taken of the two of you at a game, his back to the camera as he looked up to you on the bleachers, your torso bent over the railing as you were kissing his forehead, the caption read as follows…

No matter what, I will always choose us. #goodluckkiss #StanfordUniversity #BestBooEver #MyWorld #AlwaysandForever

And just like that, she commented, “I’m glad I was right.”

You saw that comment, after you had posted yours, “You make me the luckiest woman in the world, even if your forehead tasted like salty sweat.” A mild comment at best.

Your own eyebrow raised as you read it, and then saw the replies flood in from all the mutuals they had…

Jen: I told you he isnt worth it

Chris: You will find someone better, I promise. The world is your oyster!

Trevor: L G I am so sorry, if you need to talk let me know… and yes Chris is forcing me to write this bro.

Kitty: I can’t believe my matchmaker skills failed me.

As you watched them come in you grew more confused, I mean this is the first time she had engaged, and yet she was saying she was right? Right about what?

So you did the sensible thing…

“What does she mean she was right?” You turned the phone to Peter, who was sitting in your dorm, as he had the spare key they had for the roommate.

“What are you talking about?”

“On your latest Instagram post, Lara Jean replied saying she was right…. What was she right about?”

“I have no idea what you are talking about.”

“I want a new rule added to the contract.” You whispered, “No lying, complete honesty.”

“Fine.” His tone now serious as he looked to the ground, “Total honesty.”

“Okay, so… why did she say…”

“Why did you agree to do this?” He asked, cutting you off as you stared at him, dumbfounded.

“You answer first.”

“I can’t, you asked your question before we established the rule, and since I asked the first question after establishing, you now have to answer honestly.”

“Fine.” You exhaled, “I agreed because you are my friend and if it helps you be happy, then I will fake being with you, to help you obtain the thing that makes you happy.”

“So it’s not because some part of you is in love with me.”

“I don’t want to answer that.” You replied, as he smiled, “You just did.”

“Why was Lara Jean right?”

“She thought we were sleeping together behind her back.”

“You’re joking, she legit visited so many times, why all of a sudden, now, she thinks we are screwing?”

“Because I told her I wanted to end it, that I didn’t think I loved her the same. And she asked me if I was dumping her because of you. And I told her no…. And then roped you into being my pretend girlfriend to see if you liked me the way I liked you…. And I guess I was…”

“Right.” You cut him off, “You were right. She was right I guess.”

“So I was cheating on my girlfriend of years with you?”

“No.” You whispered, “but I like you, I mean why else would I agree to your silly plan? I just…. I thought you only wanted Lara Jean?”

“I did…. But you changed me.” He said, his hands reaching to take yours as he pulled you closer, “I fell in love with you like one does when they slip into a dream, slowly and then all at once they are swallowed by it. You are my dream.”

“That’s… insanely cheesy.” You smiled as he looked up at you, “You are worth all the cheesing though.”

“Already Kavinsky, so now what do we do?”

“You kiss me, and then we go to dinner, you pick.”

“I have to add something though, now that I assume I am your girlfriend.”

“Anything darling.”

“Sex is on the table now.” You joked, before he pulled you slowly down towards him, and your lips locked for the first of many times

[snowyaika]

Hi! Can i have prompt 21 from fluff/humor category? I have this idea about Grif being jealous of fem!RedTeam!reader friendship with Bitters. Like they get on very well and Bitters might even have some crush on reader, but Grif have unspoken feelings for her too and that is making him jealous and upset.

Gosh, I hope it doesnt sound weird.

Thanks for your works!!!

prompt: “are you jealous? want me all to yourself, do you?”

pairing: grif x redteam!reader, slight bitters x reader

summary: ever since you’ve been recruited into the new republic to save the rest of your team, you’ve gotten awfully close to bitters. grif doesn’t approve of the new friendship you two have made.

warnings: fem!reader, swearing, mutual pinning, tucker not being able to read the room, terrible communication skills!!!, all lowercase

word count: 1.2k (short but sweet!)

notes: thank you so much for the request!! it really means a lot <3 not my best work but i enjoyed making it nonetheless! let me know what you guys think :)

-

“simmons, i’m telling you, she’s basically in love with him! she hasn’t left his side since he treated her to the dining hall!”

“grif, the food is free here. he wasn’t paying for anything.”

“maybe she likes cheap guys! i’m cheap! i could take her to the dining hall and we’d have a great time!”

“i think we need to re-evaluate your idea of a good time with a woman…”

the sound of their conversation travels through the cave as they make their way to the training grounds, supposedly to give their ‘orders’ to the new team they had to look after.

tucker, caboose, and the other lieutenants are already there once they arrive.

you and bitters arrive shortly after, walking side by side. you’re laughing at something he’s saying, and grif’s scowl deepens.

“see simmons? in love.”

you see grif as you walk closer to the group and brighten instantly. “grif! god, do i have a story for you! you wouldn’t believe what bitters just told me!”

simmons cringes inwardly when he sees grif tense.

maybe this was a bigger issue than he thought.

-

“–and then wash came in! you should’ve seen his reaction!”

“uh huh.”

“god it was so funny!”

“i bet.”

“and then bitters–”

“yeah okay, i get it. he’s funny. is that all?”

you give him a confused smile. “uh..what?”

“i just don’t see why you have to talk about him all the time! it’s not like we see him every day!” you’re left shocked as he continues, “if he’s so funny, just go hang out with him instead!”

“grif wait-”

before you can even get another word in, he’s storming out of the building to god knows where.

probably the mess hall.

“…the fuck is his problem?”

-

“and then he just stormed out! can you believe it?” you’re seated on the floor of the training ground, having just finished an intense drill led by wash.

“what’s up with him?” bitter replies, seated next to you.

“i wonder if i did anything to make him mad? we’ve always been on good terms… what could’ve set him off?” you lean back on your hands, looking up at the ceiling, “i did eat some of his food at the mess hall a few days ago.. maybe that’s it?”

“could be,” he feeds, sounding uninterested in the topic.

“but we always share, that can’t be it!”

“does it really matter?”

you turn to him, a small frown on your face, “what do you mean? of course it matters!”

“i mean, do you really think he’s going to stay mad at you? he’s too lazy to hold a grudge.” bitters looks at you with a small smirk, “plus, you have me. isn’t that enough?” he sounds a bit nervous.

“yeah… i guess you’re right. hopefully he gets over whatever he’s mad at soon.”

-

“dude, what the fuck is his problem?” tucker is sitting next to simmons, watching grif stare daggers into the back of bitters head as you and him laugh at another table in the mess hall.

“he thinks she likes bitters. i’m trying to tell him he’s imagining things.” simmons sighs and takes another scoop of food. he's been dealing with this all weak, he needs a break.

“what? no way, she does not have the hots for bitters, of all people.”

grif perks up, looking at tucker, “why? did she say something?”

“what? no, it’s obvious. come on guys, it’s bitters. he’s lazy, boring, and never does anything he’s asked!”

“…”

“…”

“w-what? why are you guys staring at me like that? am i wrong?” all grif does is groan, turning his head to stare at you again.

“nice job, idiot.” simmons mutters.

“okay, not my fault,” tucker puts his hands up defensively, “but still, she totally doesn’t like him. i know when a chick likes a guy, trust me.”

“how can you even tell?”

tucker starts to list examples off on his hand, “if she likes him, she’ll spend all her time with him, find everything he says funny, and probably share intimate details about herself with him.” as he speaks, your laugh is heard again.

grif abruptly stands up, walking over to where you’re seated.

“…”

“…”

“i’m glad i’ve never had to ask you for any advice.”

“shut up.”

-

your gaze has secretly been set on grif the whole time, perking up when he stands and walks over to you. he stops on the opposite side of the table, a look of determination in his eyes.

“grif! what’s up? everything okay?”

“can we talk?” he pushes out, his fingers twitching slightly.

“uh yeah! of course!” when you make no move to get up, he narrows his eyes at bitters.

“alone.”

bitters lets out a small scoff, frowning. you’re confused as you stand up, following grif out of the mess hall, waving to tucker and simmons on the way out.

tucker gives a mock salute and simmons mouths ‘good luck’.

what’s their deal?

you follow grif out as he leads you to the side of the building, turning on his heel and facing you. it’s silent for a moment.

he takes a deep breath, before talking, “i’m sorry i’ve been… avoiding you lately. i’ve had a lot of stuff on my mind and i haven’t been the best… friend to you.”

you smile, just happy that he’s talking to you again. “it’s okay. did anything happen? i was worried i did something.”

he gulps before continuing, “seeing you hanging out with bitters all of the time, doing stuff we always do, made me a bit upset, i guess. i didn’t–don’t– like seeing you with him.”

your head tilts, not picking up on the cue he was giving you. you chuckle softly, “what, are you jealous? want me all to yourself, do you?”

“yes.”

“i–oh– what?” your tongue twists, you feel the tips of your ears burn.

“i’m saying i like you, and i hate seeing you with bitters. he’s trying to take you away from me.”

your mouth gapes open, completely shocked from the turn of events, “you… like me?”

“since the first time we convinced simmons his non-existent cat died.”

you’re left standing there speechless, your mouth twitching before it breaks out into a huge smile, “seriously?”

“look, if you like bitters, i won’t get mad. i just need to have a long talk with hi– oomph!” he’s cut off when your arms wrap tightly around his shoulders, crushing him in a hug.

“you have no idea how long i’ve been waiting to hear that!”

“i-what?” he’s the one left speechless now as you let go, staring deeply into his eyes.

“i like you too! i have for a while.”

grif freezes, staring at you in shock, “r-really? you aren’t messing with me?”

you give a confused smile, “messing with you? are you kidding? i was so scared that i was being too obvious around you! don’t even get me started on tucker’s advice–”

his lips smash against yours, hands coming up to rest on your jaw. your eyes widen, but you get over your shock quickly as you kiss him back slowly. it’s clumsy and awkward, teeth clashing and accidental nose bumping. it’s the best kiss you’ve ever had.

slowly, as if not wanting to, your lips part from each other. his eyes flutter to yours, a nervous smile stretching on his face.

“to make up for lost time… how about we skip training and head back to your room? i found out where these guys store their emergency rations.”

you press your lips against his, smiling through the kiss. you pull away, winking, “i’ll go distract kimball.”

[agirlwithbigdreamsforher]

THE PLANNING

THE NANNY: ONE SHOT

THE PLANNING

Pairing: Andy Barber x Annie Johnson (OFC)

Summary: The wedding is coming soon and Andy doesn’t seem very interested in the planning of the event.

Warnings: NONE. Some cursing words, that’s it.

A/N:  none.

Word count: 2008

Disclaimer: I do not give permission for any of my works to be copied, used, translated nor reposted anywhere else but here on this blog. Do not steal what you didn’t work for. Minors and ageless blank blogs don’t interact with me or my works. Reblogs and likes are always welcome. Thank you for reading this work of fiction.

GIF’s not mine, you can find the credits in it:) 

                                     ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

“Now what was his excuse?” Sharon said as she walked into de restaurant of the Hotel were the wedding was going to take place.

“Ammm, he is just busy.”

“Right,” Sharon rolled her eyes, “Just because he is a lawyer doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be helping you with the wedding. He is getting married too!”

That was this morning and now Annie was sitting in the dining room after dinner surrounded by a bunch of magazines, folders, ring binders, pictures, color samples, while Andy was scrolling through his phone.

“So, I was thinking maybe everything inside should be silver with light blue or maybe lilac.”

“Sure, honey.”

“And for the center pieces maybe we could use peonies.”

“Yeah, those are good.”

Annie lifted her gaze to see Andy was not paying attention at all.

“And then we could hire a clown to marry us.”

“That sounds perfect.”

“Yeah?” Andy nodded, “and I would only wear a red thong and no bra for our wedding and we will have Chinese for the guest.”

“You always have the best ideas, honey!

“How about if I made Laurie my maid of honor?”

“It’s an excellent idea.”

Annie grabbed one of the many binders she had on the table and slammed it hard making Andy to jump, his phone falling from his grip.

“What’s wrong?!”

“You are not paying attention to me!”

“Yes, I am.”

“Really? Repeat something I said?”

“Ammm well, you said, you wanted to have a band for the wedding?”

“I wasn’t even talking about music!!!!!! Andy the wedding is coming, I’m so stressed out and you are not helping me!”

“Honey, it’s not a big deal.”

“Not a big…fine! We are not getting married.”

“What?!”

“We will cancel the whole thing!”

“Why?!”

“You just said it, it’s not a big deal, so there will be no wedding!”

“Honey, that’s not what I meant!”

“Then, what is it?!”

“Well, I’ve already got married once.”

“You don’t care.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You don’t need to say it! You are not paying attention to me. This is important to me. I want our wedding to be perfect, I am marrying the man of my fucking dreams and you don’t care!”

“Honey,” Andy walked towards her and she took a step back and crossed her arms.

“No, I don’t wanna see you or talk to you right now. Excuse me.”

Andy saw Annie go upstairs, and then turned to see everything that was on the table. He sat down and took one of the binders. There were many pictures and all of them had little notes with Annie’s handwriting. No lemon cake, Andy hates it. Blue is Andy’s favorite color.  He saw a picture of some empty chairs with the pictures of love one who had passed away. Find a picture of Andy’s mom. Another one: Song for the first dance: ____________.  The line was empty, she hasn’t really thought in a song for them to dance.

He then took a yellow post-it: Cake taste appointment: Friday, at noon.

Yes, he got married once, but since Laurie and he were just out of college and expecting they only went to the town hall and did it. No ceremony, no party, no nothing.

Andy walked up the stairs and to their room. Annie was watching T.V, she didn’t seem angry.

“Honey?” no answer, “May I come in?”

“It’s your room too.”

“I do care.”

“No, you don’t, it’s fine. Don’t worry. I’ll do it, you just need to show up. That’s it if you don’t forget it.”

“I don’t forget things.”

“We had an appointment today to see the menu and you didn’t show up.” Andy remained silent, he didn’t know they had that appointment. “The food was good. I chose beef. I was told by the catering people most people choose chicken, but I know you like beef better.”

“You never told me we had to see that.”

“Yes, I did. I told you 3 times.” Andy was confused as hell, he couldn’t remember her saying anything about that.

“I’m sorry, I forgot.” Annie nodded and turned her gaze to the T.V. “I’m sorry you had to go by yourself.”

“I wasn’t alone. Sharon went with me.”

“I’m sorry, I…”

“Look, I’m not interested in your apologies. Just let me know if you wanna continue with the wedding or not. We still have time to cancel. I’m going to shower.”

Andy was left alone in the dimmed room, Annie was disappointed and that hurt him more than when she was angry or sad.

Andy took his phone and texted Sharon.

A: “Hi, so I have a question, and be honest with me.”

S: “Sure! What’s up?”

A: “How many wedding appointments have I missed?”

S: “Oh my god! You can’t be serious!”

A: “I am! Answer the damn question!”

S: “5, the appointment to choose a wedding planner, by the way she doesn’t have one, she’s doing everything on her own.  The appointment to choose the venue, the appointment for the flower arrangements, the appointment for the music and today was time to choose the menu.”

Andy look at the phone, he had fucked up big time.

S: “Oh! And she went to see some suits for Jake. No offense but Jake is your kid, even though she loves him as his own.”

A: “Thanks for the input.”  

He looked at the bathroom closed door, the water was still running. He went back downstairs and sat where Annie was before. He took a deep breath and grabbed one of the magazines.

He went through a few pages of the magazine when he saw another post-it: Still no dress. Better hurry.  And another one said:  Still waiting for a spot with Melissa Benedict.

“Who is Melissa Benedict?!” Andy ran his hand through his face. “I better make coffee.”

----------- (     ) ------------

Annie was walking towards the bakery for the cake taste. Andy wasn’t home when she woke up, and hasn’t texted her or called her. The bakery was full with people, another appointment without Andy. She let out a sigh, holding back her tears and walked into the bakery.

“Miss Johnson!” The teenager behind the counter smiled at her, “We are ready with your samples. If you follow me, please. This way.”

Andy was running down the street, he couldn’t be late, he couldn’t not show up. He pushed the door open and everyone turned to see him.

“Good day, sir. May I help you?”

“Yes, I’m the groom.”

The girl laughed a bit, “I’m sorry, but whose groom?”

“Annie’s.”

“Oh! You’re looking for Miss Johnson! Right, this way.”

Andy went through the door and to the back of the bakery, Annie was standing next to a woman as they looked to some pictures.

“I’ll bring the samples. Have a sit.”

“Hi, honey.”

“Andy?” He was standing there, his cheeks were a bit flushed and his tie was misplaced.

“Am I late?”

Annie shook her head and they sat down waiting for the cake to arrive. The baker came back with a single sample of each cake.

“Oh! We have company, who is this?” Annie was about to answer but Andy was faster.

“I’m the groom!” Full smile on display.

“The groom! What a wonderful surprise. Your fiancé was telling me you were busy at court.”

“Yeah, I cancel everything so I could be here.” Andy took Annie’s hand and squeezed it.

“Then I should bring your sample too.”

“No, we could share. Right honey?”

“Right…”

“Very well, we choose our most popular flavors for wedding cakes. So we have chocolate, I know is not the common but it’s been popular lately.” She put the sample on the table, “We have red velvet.” Another small cake was placed in front of them, “Vanilla, a classic! We also have carrot cake and last but not least, lemon. I leave you two to it, I’ll be back in a moment. Enjoy!” All the small cakes were decorated the same, cover with white frosting and golden bits on the edges.

The baker left them alone. None of them said a word. Until Andy spoke.

“These shoes are not made for running.”

“You ran?”

“I didn’t want to be late.” Annie nodded, “I’m sorry.”

“What for?”

“Missing all the other appointments. Not helping you with the planning.”

“It’s ok.”

“No, it’s not, honey.” He took a deep breath, “I care, I do. I want to marry you; and I’m sorry I wasn’t paying attention to you.”

“I understand you’re busy.”

“But I wasn’t busy, I was being an ass! You don’t deserve that.” Annie smiled.

“You were an ass.”

“Yes, I was. By the way. I think peonies are perfect for the center pieces. We should go with silver and lilac. Also,” Andy opened his jacket and took out a picture. “I like this picture of my mom.”

Annie smiled, “You went through my binders.”

“I had to.” Andy leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips, “I saw one of your notes, and you haven’t chosen a song for us to dance.” Annie shook her head, “Why not?”

“I just, none of the classic wedding songs seem to fit.”

“I have a song.”

“You do?”

“Yeap. Every time I listen to that song you just,” Andy made the sound of pop with his lips, “Right in my head, all smiley.”

“What song it is?”

“I want that to be a surprise.”

“You know I don’t like surprises, they…”

“Make you anxious, I know. Just trust me, ok? I promise I won’t forget about it and I know it’s the perfect song.”

“I trust you, Andy.” She gave him a peck on the lips.

“One more thing.”

“What?”

“I got you an appointment with Melissa Benedict for next week.”

“WHAT?! HOW?!!!!”

“I know some people, and when I finally could reach her, I told her I had fucked up and wanted to make it up to you, so she said yes.”

“Oh my god!” Annie hugged Andy tight, “Thank you!”

“Anything so my baby can have her dream wedding.”

“Our wedding.” Annie said smiling.

“Our dream wedding!” They kissed again, “Alright! Let’s tastes these cakes!” Andy reached for one, took a piece and shove it in his mouth.

“Andy, wait!”

Andy spit the cake in the napkin.

“Fucking lemon cake! Why is this even an option?!” Annie laughed, “Oh! You think this is funny?”

“Yes, maybe it was a bit of karma.”

“Fine, I deserve it.”

After tasting all of the samples the baker came back.

“So, which flavor do you want for your wedding?”

“Chocolate!” Andy said

“Vanilla” Annie said at the same time.

“Oh! Hehehe” the baker saw with amusement to each of the pair.

“Andy, we can’t have chocolate cake at our wedding.”

“Why not? It’s delicious!”

“Cuz it’s a wedding.”

“But, you love chocolate cake.”

“Well,” The baker said, “As I told you before it has been very popular these days, because people want something different for the event.”

“See, we should go with chocolate.”

“I think we should stick with vanilla.”

“I can make a cake with both flavors, half vanilla, half chocolate. You know a marble cake.” Andy and Annie looked at each other. “Be right back.”

The baker went to the front of the bakery and came back with a slice of cake, the bread was a mixture of chocolate and vanilla, with chocolate frosting and bronze sugar spheres on top of it.

“We can always change the decorations, ok? Just try it.”

They took their forks and cut a small piece of the slice and taste it.

“Oh my god,” Annie licked her lips, “this is it.”

“It’s perfect.” Andy said as he cut another piece of the cake.

“So, it’s settle. Marble cake for the Barbers.”

“The Barbers has a nice tune, don’t you think, honey?”

“It sounds good.”

“Yes, it does!” Andy leaned in and gave a small kiss.

“I love weddings!” The baker said and the couple laughed. “Sorry, I always get excited.”

[writtenontheport]

I Fell for You, Sorry It was on Your Garden

Lucy Carlyle x (gn) Reader

Warnings/Tags: Meet cute (do I ever do anything else really?), Mildly concerning situation (someone falls off the railings into a garden), Lucy is a bit silly in this one, Lucy is whipped and besotted, Reader’s pronouns are not mentioned, please tell me if I may have missed any, No suggestive or NSFW content, Feelings described as sensations that might not usually be pleasant (burning, drowning, etc.)

Notes: My repertoire so far is romcoms for Lockwood and co and that was incomplete without at least starting one for Lucy. I will probably write at least a part 2 for this one, but who knows!!

Summary: It’s not every night you meet someone who might change your life for the rest of it, but it’s also not every night you fall straight into someone else’s garden. Lucy’s having a strange time finding herself doing both.

Word Count: 1.3k+

When Lucy was preparing for the case of the day, she didn’t think it would end up with her in someone’s garden the wrong house over. She would have been fine; the source was contained and the house was still intact, but it had been a very close call as the ghost came centimetres from touching her. Before it could, she tumbled backwards off the railings (she had been on them just in case) to see it fade just as she fell, ever relieved but still buzzing off of adrenaline.

It would have ended at that, with another near-death experience to add to the long and winding list she had, but then…

“Hello?” She hears a voice call out, something cautious as you step from the backdoor of the house with a lamp in hand. She began to get up quickly, forcing herself not to wince at the ache in her shoulder. She was ready to apologize, offer to pay for the damages, or give you the agency’s number— anything that wasn’t what she did end up doing. Instead, she froze on the spot as you stepped out into the grass, barefoot.

“Are you alright?” You ask gently, still cautious enough to keep away. Your eyes drop to the rapier at her hip, and your sleepy expression turns horrified, “Are you going to rob my house?”

“No!” She says quickly, wincing at her volume. You flinch, but stay in place as she digs for a card somewhere in one of her pockets. “I— um. I’m part of the agency doing work in the house across the fence? I accidentally… fell into your garden just now. If there’s anything that needs repairing, or replacing, just call the agency and we could, um, get that sorted.”

She holds out a thin card, one of the many Lockwood had printed out for them recently, and you hesitate. Later, when she thinks about it, it’s weird that someone about her age seemed so unaware of her occupation. Right then, all she wanted was to ease your worries. Your eyes flit between her, the card, and the rapier, before you step closer.

It’s suddenly like she’s been winded, the air leaving her in one violent huff as your hands bump when you reach for the card. If you notice it, you don’t say anything, shooting her a wobbly smile that has her knees buckling before you quickly gleam the card. Behind her and from the other side of the fence, Lockwood starts calling for her, and she swears under her breath.

“Is that your name? Lucy?” You ask. It has Lucy’s head spinning hearing your pretty lips forming her name, and she can only give you a terse nod as she barely pulls herself together. “Sounds like you’re needed, maybe you should tell them you’re headed through the front door and to meet you on the opposite end?”

She balks at that, “You’d let me?”

“For someone with a sword, you haven’t tried mugging me yet,” You hum, smiling a little easier than before. sleepiness seeps into your movements, and she hurries to call over the fence for Lockwood.

After telling him what she’s doing and to quiet down, you lead her into your house. The place is cozy enough from what she can tell in the dark, a decently sized kitchen wrapping around the dining table. The stairs are in the main hall, much like the one at Portland Row, but the doors are all shut and on the floor there is one, bright carpet. She can tell you’re not used to being awake this late (or early, she can never really tell without a clock indoors); a sluggishness about you that seems more tired than just plain lazy. The house is dead quiet, and nobody else seems to have woken up.

“Do you live with anyone?” She asks curiously, but fumbles when she realises how creepy that must sound, “I mean— er, did I wake up anyone else stumbling into your backyard?”

“Everyone is dead asleep by now,” you whisper, seemingly unbothered, “Only thing that could wake them up is a firecracker or if I go poke at them. I’m more worried your friend woke up the whole neighbourhood.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time we have,” she mumbles grumpily, and her heart stutters at the amused smile you send her way.

“This is you,” you say, opening the front door.

Lucy peeks through the doorway, and in the distance she can see Lockwood strutting down the sidewalk to the house. He raises an arm to wave at her, and if she didn’t know any better she would have called him a prat for always walking around like his picture was about to be taken. She waves back, but turns to you and finds herself once again tongue-tied and breathless.

You’re holding the lamplight still, leaning against the doorway as you smile at her. There’s something comforting being there under the warmth of your gaze, as if the tides of emotion Lucy finds herself under rest just enough that she can look up to find the moon in the light of your eyes. She clears her throat and looks away, hoping you don’t see her flush.

“I, er— Thank you,” she says, and offers her hand out for a handshake. Really, she was in way over her head but she couldn’t even be mad about it. Your laughter, she finds, brings a comfort to her soul like gentle moonlight.

“I just hope you’re alright. Get yourself checked out at the clinic if you feel off; nasty fall you took after all.” Your smile lights the night up more than the lamp in your hands, and Lucy can’t help but feel like she’s burning in embarrassment.

“Yeah— er, thank you, again. I hope you have a good night..?”

You give her your name, and something unfurls in her chest like flooding lava. It sears at her throat and fills her lungs with something burning along the walls of it. Your name slips past her lips like lava, and she feels weak under your sleepy eyes. Maybe you’ve lit her on fire, maybe she’s burning to her core— but maybe this is what it feels like coming up for air when you’ve been drowning your whole life.

“Have a good night, um. Thank you, again.” She stalls at the last step of your house, turning back to you.

“If you need anything just, um—” she gestures to the card in your hand, “— call us? I might not be the one to pick up but if you just say I asked you to call, then, yeah.”

You look up from the card, worrying your lip under your teeth, and she swallows thickly when you draw your focus back on her. There’s something amused about the way you’re watching her, kind intrigue in the edges of it and seeped into the curves of your smile. It’s a comforting sight that makes the air feel cooler with every breath she takes.

“I’ll give you a call if I need anything.” You drop the lamplight somewhere off to the side, and rest yourself on the frame. “You should go meet up with your friend though, and check yourself for injuries. Nasty fall, after all.”

“Right, nasty fall,” She echoes, drawing back. You shut your door with one last wave, and she takes a shaking breath.

“Wow,” Lockwood says from beside her, startling her enough to grab at the hilt of her rapier. He holds up his hands in surrender, eyebrows raised.

“Not another word,” Lucy grumbles, taking one of the bags hung over his shoulder and another from his hand. She hopes the night hides her flushed cheeks.

“Alright, Luce.” He hums, and Lucy knows George and him will definitely be gossiping about this one for days to come. She just hopes you call.

A/N: I am a FIRM believer in that Lucy Carlyle can in fact be silly and SHOULD be. I am also a firm believer that Lucy Carlyle is absolutely amazing and I will not take criticisms on that fact 😤