#and getting my husband his first passport | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

pboogerswbb · 2 months ago

Text

SO IT GOES - prologue

Paige Bueckers x oc Warnings: language, none Wordcount: 5.6K A/N: LILA IS BACK with a new series. this is the prologue, purely here to give people an insight to our oc Izara (who i already love btw), so not as much paige here, but she will make a much bigger entrance come first chapter of the series. again, ty so much for everyone who hyped this up based solely on the synopsis i wrote and ty for your support! i am so excited for this series you guys don't even know!! this one will be a looooong one so buckle up

Passport? Check. Silk pillowcase? Check. Laptop? Check.

The list seemed to go on and on, filling out three sheets of paper, both front and back. Some people called it excessive but to me it was necessary. It was better to be over prepared than leave things up to chance. I had been making lists all my life, I wasn’t about to stop now. They have worked for me so far.

Flipping through the maroon moleskine notepad in my hands, my green eyes skim over one page after another - grocery list, changes I must make to my skincare routine, presents to buy next Christmas, wedding registry. There’s a sting in my chest as I stop, my french manicured hand brushing over the soft paper: Vitamix blender, Ginori 1735 cake plate, Baccarat candlestick set.

Inhale, exhale. The pain won’t relinquish. I bring my hand to the soft cotton of my turtleneck, rubbing soothing circles on my chest just like my mum used to when I was little.

“There you go Izara, don’t you feel better? It’s a magic trick, it takes the sadness away.”

The black suitcase is laid out on the floor in front of me, clothes folded neatly in their own nooks. I keep rubbing and rubbing but the sadness won’t go away. So I stop, my fingers carefully flipping a few pages forward.

Move to The US

Pros

Good career move?

New experiences

Cons

Leaving my family and friends

Boss talked about promotion for me in the next year

Leaving London

Visa hassle

Expenses

Wedding delayed off

Leaving Jasper (pro?)

My memories of the day resurface, the way I was locked in my car, dreading walking inside where my husband-to-be was expecting me. I had spent all day trying on wedding dresses near Soho, my mom and her sister fawning over Jasper the entire day. To everyone he was the perfect man, charming, nurturing and protective. But they didn’t know half of what I put up with. All day I wanted to scream, to throw a fit, tell everyone that they don’t know anything about my perfect fiancé. But instead I kept my mouth shut, and waited till I got into my car to cry. I didn’t like being vulnerable, for my relatives to see me weak. I had told no one about the conflicting feelings inside me, or the way I had applied for an open position to be a social media producer for the Dallas Wings. That very same morning the position had been offered to me.

So I sat in my car with my trusty lists, as usual. The moment I wasn’t sure whether to write leaving Jasper into the pros or the cons, I knew I had to go. It had been gnawing at my subconscious, making me sick to my stomach. Even according to the list this decision made absolutely no sense. But in my gut I knew had to go - desperately so.

“Izzie, are you done yet? We have to leave soon.”

My brother bursts into the room, watching the way I had undone all the packing that I had naturally finished a week prior. Clothes were all over my childhood bedroom, piles of them standing neatly. After calling off the wedding with Jasper I had decided to move back home, not wanting to stay with him and his temper under the same roof.

“What the hell have you done here?” He chuckles, shaking his head as I stand in the middle of the bedroom, notebook in hand, staring at the half empty suitcase.

“I think I’ve gone crazy Kiran,” I admit with a sigh. Two weeks ago when I accepted the job I had been so sure - now I wasn’t. This was insane, mad, completely, utterly unlike me. To get up and move, to disappoint my parents, to disappoint everyone. I just couldn’t stand it anymore, my life here. Every year I grew older I became more and more unsure. Now at 25 I felt like a complete fool, not knowing anything except this wasn’t the life I wanted. Something had to change - I had to change.

My younger brother walks over, wrapping a hand around my shoulder.

“Yes you have.”

I scoff and push him off. “That’s not helpful!”

He chuckles and begins to pack for me, just as neatly as I had done earlier. Guess being high-strung ran in the family.

“It is mad. But that doesn’t mean it’s not the right thing to do,” my brother mumbles, neatly folding my black cashmere sweater. “I think it’s good Iz, no matter what mum and dad are saying. Don’t mind them. They’ll come around.”

“I wasn’t raised not to mind them,” I chuckle, looking out the window, ours just one of many of the semi-detached houses extending along the road I grew up on. The cherry trees had just bloomed, pale pink blossoms covering the branches, decorating the pavement.

“Funny that, neither was I,” Kiran laughs and finally zips up my suitcase, picking it up and preparing to carry it to the car. “You got everything? Passport? Wallet? Documents?”

I nod with a smile. Even if we didn’t look almost exactly the same (though, we certainly did), it was impossible not to pick up on the family resemblance.

“I have everything.”

The drive to Heathrow Airport is quiet. Truthfully, I was far too nervous to speak. I could feel my stomach twisting uncomfortably, a nauseating weight on my chest. I watch as we pass the streets of London, the only streets I had ever known. We pass the red double-decker buses, the abandoned phone boxes, eventually making our way onto the highway.

London is cruel, relentless to its residents, yet simultaneously captivating and thrilling. I had travelled enough to know there was no place like it. Nowhere else I could hop on the Northern Line in the bohemian, eclectic Camden, switch tubes and step out to Canary Wharf, where skyscrapers stand tall above you and the streets are buzzing with men in suits, just in 40 minutes or so. The diversity of the city, the way it could feel like a large metropolis as much as a small charming town all at once, depending on where you were. I loved this city, I always would. But it was time for me to move on at least for now. I wasn’t getting what I wanted, not that I knew what that was in the first place.

“Can’t believe my sister’s gonna be working for the league,” Kiran interrupts the silence. “When you meet Bronny you must tell him hi.”

I let out a laugh, turning to look at him. “Yeah, I don’t think that’s happening anywhere else except your delusions.”

“Hey, you never know!” He scoffs as we pull up to terminal 3, the butterflies growing deep in my abdomen.

“You’re such a guy,” I roll my eyes. “I’m working for the WNBA and all you want is to say hi to Lebron James.”

“Well who else is there, Steph?”

In reality, my brother loved basketball, he was the sole reason I knew the first thing about the sport. But he loved pushing my buttons more - and nothing pushed my buttons further than women being underestimated by men.

“A’ja, Stewie, Sabrina, Jewell? Arike plays for the Wings!”

“Never heard of any of them.”

I smack him on the shoulder as he’s parking the car, making him yelp. He was joking of course, but I wasn’t in the mood. Some would argue I was rarely in the mood to joke around but it’s just how I am. High-strung, intense. It was just me, I couldn’t help it. You know how some people have that spark to them? The kind where they step in the room and the place just lights up? That wasn’t me, and I was okay with it. At least I got shit done.

“Okay sorry,” Kiran whines, rubbing his arm. Neither of us wanted to get out, to face the goodbye looming ahead. So we sit for a while.

“Paige Bueckers was drafted there though, right?” My brother asks, staring at the big sign for Terminal 3 above the sliding doors.

“Yeah, she was.”

“She’s tough,” he says and I nod in agreement. I had followed her college career quite a bit, saw her go through injury and rise to the top again. She wasn’t my favourite player, I preferred focusing on the league - but it was undeniable she was a generational talent.

“She’s also really fit,” my brother adds, making me snort.

“Kiran, I'm fairly sure she’s also really gay,” I laugh. My brother turns to me with shock written all over his face.

“You really think so?”

I roll my eyes, “I- well yes. It’s pretty obvious, don’t you think?”

“Damn,” he sighs, shaking his head. “Takes one to know one I guess.”

Another smack on his shoulder, another yelp spilling from his lips. One drunken night years ago I had come out to Kiran as bisexual and now it was his favourite joke in the world. I don’t think he realised I was serious, or that at points in my life I had dated girls as well. Honestly though, I hadn’t even thought about girls that way since I met Jasper. Not that I’d found any girl remotely attractive in the past years, perhaps it had just been a phase.

“You’re going to come back with some 6 '5 American basketball lesbian aren’t you?” He teases, making me roll my eyes.

“We need to head inside,” I laugh, climbing out of the car. I didn’t know much about what would happen, but I certainly wasn’t going to come back with anyone. The time I spend in Dallas would be time dedicated to me, to figuring out who I was, what I wanted. I had no time for love.

I pull the suitcase towards the doors, Kiran on my tail until we both come to a halt right inside. Quickly I check my purse again - passport, phone, wallet, charger, documents. All there. Just one thing left to do.

I turn to my brother and hug him. We had never spent more than a month apart since the day he was born. I had always been the annoying, bossy older sister, ordering him around since he could barely talk. But still, it had all been out of love. I wanted him to be safe and it was my job to protect him. He was my baby brother after all, even now at 23 as he stands 6’0 tall.

“Take care of yourself Izzie,” he whispers, squeezing me tight.

“You too, and of mum and dad please,” I tell him, holding my breath in as to not let any tears fall, though they’re already burning in the corners of my eyes.

We pull apart, and he smiles at me assuringly. “Call mum when you land, we don’t need her getting loopy.”

“I will,” I chuckle. There’s a few seconds of silence that stretches across us, our green eyes locked in each other’s gaze. We don’t need to say these things out loud, we both knew we loved each other.

“Well, have a safe flight and have fun in Dallas,” Kiran says and waves bye, turning around to walk away. “YEEHAW!” He turns around and yells before slipping out through the sliding doors. Laughing, I watch him, the ache in my chest growing exponentially. It was all becoming real. Me in Dallas, Texas.

A couple hours and a long security line later I’m sitting on the ascending plane, gazing out of the window. I stretch out my legs, glad to be short enough to fit in the seats comfortably. I’m holding a copy of War and Peace by Tolstoy in my hands, simply flipping through the pages, my mind too conflicted to focus as I watch the ground beneath me retreating further every second.

I could see Big Ben, The London Eye, Thames stretching across the length of the city, shrinking until we ascend through a thick layer of clouds, making it impossible to see anything. It’s only then I let myself cry, the first tears after ending my engagement only a couple weeks prior. I had no other plan, I needed this to work out desperately.

Jet lag was killing me, but I knew I could never allow it to show. It was the following day of arriving in Dallas. I spent all of yesterday sleeping, trying to let my body adjust to the time difference before my first day on the job.

Of course I had woken up three entire hours before my alarm went off. So when I get to the first media team meeting of the season, I have already had time to drink two coffees, go to the gym, shower, shave, do my jet black hair just to have a crisis and pin it up in a slicked back bun, do my makeup and send emails and make calls to the wedding venue to cancel it. I was on fire and wouldn’t let a little jetlag hold me down.

The maroon turtleneck and black slacks I was wearing had already been decided on the evening before as to avoid any clothing disaster. I wasn’t exactly sure how to dress for a job like this - but as I step into the tall building from the busy streets of Dallas I can tell I’m overdressed. Many of the people around my age are dressed much more laid back than I’m used to, wearing hoodies and jeans - and to my biggest shock of all, sneakers.

As I walk across the entryway the sound of my heels tapping on the tiles echo around the building, my cheeks turning bright red. I knew people were turning to stare, but instead of looking back and checking, I rush to the elevator, slipping in through the doors and facing my reflection. Maybe I was overdressed, but I look nice. The gold earrings decorating my ears contrast against my light brown skin and black hair, making them pop. I smooth over my belt, fixing the way the golden buckle of it was sitting on my slacks when a man around my age walks in just as the doors are about to close.

“Hey there!” He greets me, a charming smile on his face and brown eyes twinkling. His friendliness is so intense it nearly startles me.

“Oh, hey!” I reply, turning towards him. For a moment he looks at me, blinking, perhaps waiting for me to keep talking but when I don’t he’s quick to pick up my slack.

“I’m Trey, I do media stuff for the Wings. Basically a glorified cameraman,” he explains lightheartedly.

“I’m Zari, they just hired me to do social media actually,” I reply, shaking his hand firmly just like my dad always taught me to. There’s a sliver of recognition on Trey’s face as he takes in my words.

“Oh yeah! They said they hired someone new! Didn’t mention you were a Brit tho. Well shit we’re prolly gon’ be working together a lot then,” he says. It’s at that moment I decide that his enthusiasm isn’t fake even though it’s suspiciously intense. Maybe he’s just an energetic guy - maybe he’s just an American.

“I suppose yes!” I chuckle and look over the buttons of the lift. “So, perhaps you know which floor I need to go to then because I don’t?”

“Oh sure thing.”

Pressing on the number 10, the elevator finally begins to move upwards. I’m fiddling with the rings around my fingers, a nervous habit I had.

“You nervous?” Trey asks, picking up on my queues quickly. Guess I wasn’t as composed as I’d liked.

“A bit,” I admit.

Trey chuckles and wraps an arm around my shoulder comfortingly - or I suppose it’s meant to be comforting but I didn’t particularly find it so. “You’ll do good, everyone’s chill here. Except the boss but you get used to her. You can relax, Zari.” As much as the man’s enthusiasm and touchiness shocked me, I was glad to have someone show me where to go instead of wandering around the floors aimlessly.

In a corridor full of doors Trey picks the right one, opening it for me. Inside we find a team of 10 people or so sitting around a table, their discussion immediately coming to a halt when we step in, all eyes turning to me. I feel unease settle over me, but instead of panic I inhale and exhale. I knew I could do this, this was the only plan I had. I had never not had a plan B, a plan C before. This had to be it.

“You must be Izara,” a gravelling voice says as a red haired woman, likely in her 50s, stands up. She’s dressed much more corporate, a fitted blazer and a pencil skirt accentuating her curves. I immediately notice her brows, thin and sharp, appearing almost angry. I didn’t have to be told who this was, Trey’s description had been colourful enough for me to know she was my boss.

“Yes, well I go by Zari actually, if you don’t mind,” I say in a friendly tone, walking over in my black stilettos to shake her hand.

“You kids and your nicknames, oh well. Zari’s fine, but don’t complain if I forget,” she sighs, clearly already bothered. “I’m Linda Halford, the managing media director for the Dallas Wings. We spoke on the phone.”

Her eyes are blue and piercing, but there’s something about her straight forwardness that feels intriguing in contrast to the excessive friendliness of everyone else I’d met so far. Hell, even the cab driver tried to strike up a conversation after my flight. I wasn’t sure if I liked Linda or feared her - perhaps a bit of both.

“It’s nice to meet you in person,” I smile, sitting myself down on the chair Linda pulls out for me right next to her. All eyes were on me of course, the new girl. I just had to get through the first week and I’d be old news. Good old boring Izara. Just get through the week.

“I hope your travels went well,” Linda says distractedly, scrolling through a document on her laptop. As I open my mouth to answer, she keeps talking.

“Now, there are many big changes this year, and our media team has been… not up to par so to speak,” she glances up at Trey, and a couple of girls sitting next to him who I suppose I would be working with as well.

“Thanks to Bueckers, we’re about to have a lot more eyes on us. So I hired Izara-” Zari. Just call me Zari. I bite the inside of my cheek not to correct her, she didn’t seem like the type of woman you correct. “and she’s gonna help us. She’s here to innovate, to come up with ideas to boost online exposure and to boost clicks. We need to get active on Tiktok, and whatever the kids use. I need daily content. No more editing videos for weeks before posting them on Youtube, Trey.”

“My bad,” Trey says, making everyone chuckle, his eyes sparkling when they land on me.

Linda looks at him disapprovingly before continuing.

“We are sitting on a goldmine now guys. Paige Bueckers has over 2 million followers on Instagram. She is incredibly marketable, how do we use her best?” Linda asks, everyone going silent immediately, looking around, waiting for someone to bite. Fine, I will.

Clearing my throat I begin. “Well, I think it’s important that while we do use her to get clicks, we don’t make the Wings the “Paige Bueckers team” and repeat the same mistakes I personally think Indiana Fever did with CC,” My voice is steady, sure, even though deep inside I’m not quite certain about what I’m saying. I pause, composing myself - if there was one thing I was good at it was selling things with confidence. Even when I wasn’t.

“I think we use her for clicks, make loads of content with her but use that content to uplift other players and the whole team. Not just Bueckers, not just Arike, but everyone.”

Linda nods. “Yes, Izara. How do we do that?” Zari. Just say Zari.

I shrug. “A lot of Paige’s fans are young, I’m not sure if some of them even watch the sport at all. So we try to get them intrigued. Not posting purely basketball content, but including some fan service should help with that, incentivise the young girls to get involved with the sport. There needs to be a balance.”

To my shock, when I raise my eyes from the table, Linda is smiling. It’s not the warmest smile, but one nevertheless.

“And this is why we had to hire someone all the way from England, because you guys couldn’t figure this out in this hellhole,” Linda scolds my colleagues. The praise feels good, but I really didn’t want to come off as a show off or soon my only friend in all of Dallas, Texas would be Linda Halford.

“Good job Zari, welcome to the team,” the redhead says firmly before returning to her notes. “Okay tomorrow we are all having a little Dallas Wings get together. The coaches, players, everyone so be prepared to go out after work.”

As I write this down in my calendar I’m interrupted by Linda again. “Izara.”

“Yes?” I ask.

“By the end of tomorrow I’m expecting you to be friendly with Bueckers. You’re gonna be working together a lot, I need you on her good side.”

“Thank God!” I groan to myself, kicking off my black stilettos the second I step into my new home. The league had provided me with an apartment until the end of the season. It was modern, nice, sleek but so incredibly impersonal it pained me. It didn’t feel like me at all, the blank white walls, the dull grey furniture. It wasn’t home.

I crash into the couch face first, mixture of jet lag and stress of the first day on the job taking over. Not only was I the new girl, but I was also the English girl. All day I’d been asked if we really eat beans on toast, and if I’d ever seen the Queen - mind you she passed in 2022.

With too much left to do, I only let myself rest for a few minutes before getting up reluctantly, tiptoeing to my bedroom to start undressing. Throwing on a matching set of knitted cream coloured sweater and pants, I let my hair down, finally feeling comfortable.

Suddenly I hear a loud crash from the hallway, followed by even louder giggles and muffled yelps echoing around the building. Too curious about my neighbours, I step into my slippers and carefully open the door to see what’s going on.

“Bro, it’s not that heavy,” an accented voice groans probably a floor below me. Heavy steps on the stairs are closing in. Two people, I think.

“Lou, you’re kidding right?” Another girl complains, her voice bright.

“You’re too weak, just give it to me,” the other person argues, steps approaching me.

“Ha, no way, you’re just gon’ break my new plates. Ion trust you.”

“Next time you’re getting an at-home deliver- oh hey!”

A brunette girl with her hair down, only in basketball shorts and a sports bra sees me as she turns the corner, meeting my gaze as I peek through my door. She’s holding a cardboard box, full of pans and pots, hair sticking to her forehead from the humidity.

Suddenly the other girl appears, blonde, hair in a bun but other than that pretty much wearing the exact same thing.

“Who you talkin to- oh,” the blonde notices me, her blue eyes so intense my knees nearly buckle.

“Sorry, we’re being really loud, we’re gonna try and keep quiet,” the brunette apologises. The blonde is still watching me, never breaking eye-contact. Feeling uneasy, my eyes flicker to the brunette and I smile politely.

“That’s fine, I was just checking if you were okay?” I ask. The blonde walks past my door, my eyes lingering for a millisecond on the way her biceps flex as she carries a large and apparently heavy box of plates towards the next flight of the stairs.

“We’re good, sorry ‘bout that,” the blonde answers, her voice now much quieter, less lively than before when it echoes around the halls.

“Okay well, maybe next time you should get at-home-delivery?” I suggest, watching as the girls struggle slowly up the stairs before retreating back into my apartment.

“That’s what I SAID!” The brunette complains loudly. I can still hear them bickering when I close the door, a smile spreading to my face. The first time I’ve genuinely laughed since I landed.

It’s as if I knew those girls from somewhere, but couldn’t quite place it. Something about them was so familiar. It’s not till I hear them jogging back down for the next batch of boxes to carry upstairs, their voices loud enough to echo into my apartment, when I realise.

“Paige I’m about to call Bob Bueckers to come help us soon, I’m dead serious.”

“You don’t got my dad’s number.”

“Pretty sure I do!”

Oh. Peeking out through the peephole my suspicions are confirmed. Walking past my door it indeed is Paige and Lou, bringing more kitchenware upstairs. And I didn’t even recognise them. I look down at my knitted set with a deep sigh. So much about being professional huh? I better make a good impression tomorrow.

taglist: @wbbgetsmewetter @thaatdigitaldiary @sierrale8ne @lupinqs @lovegalor333 @d3arapril @avvwritesstufff @rosemariiaa @bueckers22 @taylynbueckers44 @unadulteratedcyclepaper @rizzlerbuckets @bueckersfive @wosolipa @bridgetloveswomen @paiges-1vur @slut4uconnwbb @xxloveralways14 @bueckersbitch

#paige bueckers #lilas writing #so it goes #paige bueckers x oc #paige bueckers fanfic #paige bueckers fic #paige bueckers smut #paige bueckers x female oc #wnba x oc

249 notes · View notes

bitterrfruit · 5 months ago

Text

houndtooth [1]

[masterlist]

Ghost x f!Reader - tags: slow burn, enemies to lovers, abduction, bodyguard, forced cooperation, smut 18+ mdni - cw: below the cut - 2.2k words

you're the pampered wife of a russian warlord. ghost hunts you down and finds a use for you.

Hello loves, a brief intermission from me (quick I promise) - I thought it would be fun to cross-post my Ao3 fic Houndtooth on tumblr. It is still in progress!

Needless to say, this fic comes with some content warnings: implied SA (not by Ghost), drug addiction, waterboarding, and heavy physical violence.

Reader insert goes by her alias, Mia, a name she invented to protect herself in her previous profession.

If I cannot be feared, I must be loved.

There’s something special about you.

Something sickly.

Your body, your lips, your eyes. Bait like dripping entrails in a loose twine net; dragging bloody along the wooded, overgrown path of your life, and luring ravenous carnivores to your trail around every bend.

It’s something you’ve grown accustomed to, expectant of – that lecherous scrutiny, from any man you have ever met, or ever might. Used to the huffing snouts that suck in the vapour of your beguiling skin, tonguing it like they might ever get to take a bite.

Offering mouthfuls of yourself is the only way you have been able to keep them at bay. Appeasing when necessary. Rebuffing only when you can be certain that your extermination will not be the consequence.

Sometimes they gnaw at you anyway. Sometimes their canines sink rapaciously into your soft flesh, popping through your skin like it’s the velvety hide of a peach. They drink the sweet pink syrup until you’re bled dry, careful to spit out the cyanide core once they've finished.

Until that poisonous pit, coated in the stringy viscera that those teeth had missed, was all that was left of you.

So, when your husband found you, dressed as the hound-bait character you played along the redlight strip, you were allured by the promise that he might plant you again. Maybe, with his exorbitant riches and clandestine occupation, he might water you and fertilise your soil, he might let your pit sprout into a sapling. Maybe, your branches might blossom again.

When he expatriated you to Russia, his snow-blown motherland, you imagined yourself a Tsarina; jejunely clinging to his arm like you might fly away with him, carried to an undefiled paradise as though he were your archangel and you his rapture.

That was the last time you loved him.

One step off that jet, the first leap with your exuberant paw; there was no paradise, no utopia waiting for you. Landing hard on icy cement, your husband was quick to stifle your lament. Offered you oxycodone like pebbles of dogfood in the palm of his hand, swearing you an unending supply – his remuneration for your services, whose nature you were not yet privy to.

But those opioids were your wage.

They were your shackles, too.

Even if you managed to outrun your paralysing addiction to them, it didn’t take you long to be tackled and smothered by your intemperate dependence on your husband himself.

On his status, on his money, on his reputation.

Without, you would have been long used and discarded, tossed hollow and floppy like freshly flayed doeskin; exsanguinated by the very men he colludes with, the very creatures that slither into your home, that sit at your table and speak puzzles in their Cyrillic tongues.

The very beasts who your husband endeavours to entertain and indulge with your presence at his side – a glittering trophy, or a ripe fruit, juicy and plump. He holds you in greedy hands and brandishes the shine of your skin, he polishes you with a firm palm on your ass, he boasts his possession of you with a hot tongue on your cheek.

The prize they can never win, that’s what you are. The meal they can never devour. Only his teeth have the privilege of gorging on your supple flesh.

With your English passport long stolen from you, you are left with no option but to be grateful for that fact – that your husband does not whore you out to his compatriots, does not sell your body for some other man to graze on or to pick at, like you used to do yourself.

That is one of the few reprieves he offers you.

Protection.

Maybe, if you had never met him, you would have eventually crawled out of the chasm that your previous life had sunk to. If you had never met him, you might have found a way to break free from your dependence on those poppies. If you had never met him, you might have found worth for yourself beyond the coins hungry men would offer you in exchange for a taste of you.

But any hope you may have had in those days is a distant, futile memory. A bittersweet daydream you sometimes venture to.

Frozen in your sordid reality, you’ve no option but to indulge him.

To oblige him, whatever he wants from you, you play the role he carved out just for you to fill. You massage his neck after a long day. You listen to his broken English as he does his best to explain what had happened at work, in as little detail as possible, in an effort to shield you from the truth of his profession. You swallow his cock when he asks you to. You pretend to let him satiate you all the same, a professional actor you are – you sing those moans for him, when he licks you, when he fucks you, when he pledges to impregnate you.

He doesn’t know you’ve got a copper coil in your womb. You tell him there’s something wrong with his come, he doesn’t believe you. He sends you a doctor, and with his money, you pay them to lie.

That’s the other perquisite, one you can’t belittle.

His money.

His mountains, mountains, mountains of money.

None of it tangible, no real cash, no paper stacks tucked away in places any brave burglars might be able to find it. All of it digital, little numbers, binary code hidden behind so many layers of encryption it’s a wonder it can be counted at all.

But there’s never a need to count it. All you know is that it is unending.

He lets you spend it how you like, and there’s no amount of expenditure that could ever put a dent in his wealth large enough for him to notice.

Still, the prince, he imprisons you in his castle. You can throw invisible money at whatever your bored and inebriated heart might desire, any priceless art, any extortionate car, any lavish designer shoes – and it means nothing. It fills no void. There’s nobody to show it off to.

It appeased you, at first, after your stint of homelessness, then your weeks living in a dim red brothel, until he found you. When he offered you such a nauseating amount of money as payment for your salacious dance, that you felt your knees buckle beneath you at the sight of it. When he took you shopping and bought new lingerie to decorate you with, when he carted you giddy to his private jet.

All too good to be true.

And it was.

Too late now, anyway. This is the hand you’ve been dealt; you play your cards as best you can. Close to your chest. Who knows when you’ll fold.

You lean over the marble vanity, the harsh, downward lighting of the gaudy ensuite carves out the divots and lumps of your face that are typically imperceptible.

You used to think you were beautiful. That’s what everyone told you.

But watching your husband’s cold semen trickle down your décolletage, saturating and staining the invaluable lace and silk chiffon of your rosy babydoll, drying flaky on your skin – you can only see lipstick on a pig. An ugly little creature, destined for the slaughter. Your belly waiting to be made into crackling, your ass into bacon. It won’t be long now.

You sense that you are beginning to overstay your welcome. What had once been pliancy had now turned stiff and sharp. Any sweetness you once felt for the man who swept you off your feet has since coagulated into bitter milk, too lumpy to swallow, so instead, you spit.

The contempt inside your husband has been bubbling, fermenting. You can see it, and feel it, and taste it. He made it known to you especially tonight, fucking you with the brutality of a rabid animal, clutching and clawing, tugging and throwing, biting and beating. Painting you with his come to humiliate you, to degrade you, to remind you what you are, and always will be. He got some of it in your eye.

There’s a bruise on your collarbone. It’s not the first he’s given you. It won’t be the last.

You wipe away the crusting fluid with an opulent towel, dampened with warm water; lush white cotton turning creamy and black as it cleans away the come and mascara. You use it to dab clean your negligee. It’s your favourite one.

Clink.

Your ears perk.

Clash.

Frozen on your feet, your head darts to face the door to the ensuite - heavy and ornate, it sits ajar. Last you checked, your husband was asleep, snoring like a fucking engine. The silence that follows the peculiar noise is what unsettles you most.

Maybe it was him reaching for the pills on his nightstand, or readjusting the eiderdown duvet he sleeps under. But you’d expect a grunt, at least, some huffs of complaint as he was forced to do something for himself for once.

Instead, quiet.

You know that your husband keeps guns around the estate. Both figuratively, in the forms of armed and well-paid sentries that roam the grounds and stand guard by the doors. And, literally. A pistol in the kitchen, a shotgun in his cupboard, an assault rifle under the coffee table.

And, you remember, a Beretta under the sink.

With quivering and cautious fingers, you reach for the brass handle of the drawer.

“Милый?” Sweetie?

You utter it softly, hesitantly, sweetly. He once told you your accent sounds native when you pamper him with pet names. English is your first language, Russian now your second. He doesn’t know how much of it you can understand. More than he believes.

But there is no answer from him. Not a word, nor a groan, nor a snore.

“Все ли в порядке?” Is everything alright?

Your careful fingertips dive into the drawer, momentarily peeking down to find the black metal. A pant of relief jumps from your throat when your fingers find it, that cold handle; you take it in the palm of your hand, it moulds to your grip like it was made for you.

He showed you once how to load it.

You remember.

You clutch the slide with a harsh grip, tugging it back, click-snap.

The safety is off. You’re not that stupid.

“Дорогой?” Sweetheart?

Calls turn to pleas.

You know vaguely the line of work in which your husband is a kingpin. You know it most likely involves bloodshed.

And, so, you guess it involves fucking people over. That it incites vengeance. That it creates martyrs.

Normally, the guards help you sleep, their thudding boots and murmuring chatter keeping the retribution at bay.

Why is it so quiet?

Thud.

Creak.

Now you resent yourself for calling for him. You’ve made your position obvious. You’ve handed yourself on a platter.

Perhaps you can sneak to the hallway.

Or, perhaps you can simply check to see if it’s your husband, skulking around your bedroom and choosing to silently ignore you out of spite.

So on your bare toes, you glide along the glossy tiled floor, pit pat, pit pat. Feline fingers clutch the edge of the door. You gently draw it open, ever so slowly, the golden hinges moaning quietly at their awakening.

You hold your weapon by your side. You keep your finger off the trigger. God knows what you’d do if you shot your husband by accident. You might be better off just turning the gun on yourself, in that case, rather than be left to the dogs. You know what their teeth would do to you.

The bedroom is dark.

The silvery glow of the moon is the only source of light, bar the dim orange now emerging from the open ensuite door. Your kittenish shadow stretches out before you onto the velvety carpeted floor, your shape carved out even through the sheer fabric of your negligée.

“Не двигайся, черт возьми.” Don’t fucking move.

Your breath lodges in your throat, wedged in your trachea like you had swallowed a jagged rock.

Not your husband.

No, that voice is far too deep, too grumbling, too threatening.

So who?

“Кто ты, черт возьми?” Who the fuck are you?

You hiss it, a growl, though only the kind a snarling little chihuahua might spit out when touched by an overbearing hand.

Hidden from the moonlight, the figure prowls through the shadow. Towering, imperious, that silhouette renders you frigid - you swallow as much oxygen as your stiff diaphragm will allow you. Not much.

Four red beads of light stretch in a line where his eyes should be, reminiscent of a hunting spider; high enough off the ground that it might be crawling up the walls, hanging from its silk, ready to ensnare you. No, that’s just how tall the beast is as it stalks you.

The glint of the moon reflects off the glistening barrel of his gun. Gun feels like an understatement. It’s immense, black. Machine more fitting. Pointed at you. Coaxing. Warning. He gives it a shake.

“Брось этот крошечный пистолет, шлюха.” Drop that little gun of yours, slut.

The more he talks, the more you doubt. His accent is weak. Not a Russian.

“Чего ты хочешь, мудак? Деньги?” What do you want, asshole? Money?

He scoffs. Arrogant. Scornful.

“I don’t want your fuckin’ blood money, you evil little bitch.”

English.

Explains the accent.

But, you’re left with more questions. One, what the fuck?

“Drop the gun. Or I might get your blood on that pretty dress.”

You hesitate. He pounces.

“Сейчас!” Now!

#call of duty fanfic #cod fanfic #simon riley x reader #ghost x reader #cod smut #cod mw2 #simon ghost riley x reader #ghost x female reader #ghost cod #bitterfruit fics #bitten-fruit

204 notes · View notes

pedge-page · 7 months ago

Note

I’m absolutely IN. LOVE. with ur Joel/baby Sarah/wife!Reader masterlist and all their wacky adventures 😍🤪! When u have the time and if u feel drawn to the suggestion, I hope to see reader and Joel have a cute hubby & wifey moment (either before or after Sarah, ur pick) and not just Joel having high blood pressure all the time 🤣. Have an awesome weekend!!! 😘

Joel Dealing with Preggo Wife: My Wife, My Love, My Life

notes: thank you for the request! Decided to make this one after Sarah is born but the focus towards the end is Joel and Reader.

Warnings: Oral m!receiving, blowjob, facial, very brief unprotective penetration

18+ ONLY

- - - -

You didn’t ever think this day would come. Not now, not so soon at least, but certainly you had hoped it would never come.

Yet as you packed your suitcase, your eyes welled with tears. Your bedroom, the one you’d shared with your husband for years for every single night you two were together, was about to be foreign. No longer sharing his warm embrace, his caresses and morning kisses.

You were leaving him behind.

Memoriese placate your mind, routines and dents of the bed were about to be disrupted for the first time, and your heart ached at the idea.

Worst yet, you were leaving your own daughter, your sweet little angel who was not even one year old. She’s too young, should you even be separated from her at this age? How badly would this scar her? How much would she remember her own mother, who showed nothing but love and care and smiles for her entire existence, how much would that penetrate her memory of you as you abandon your family—

“Are you crying’ again?” Joel asks from the doorway. “It’s only a week!”

You sniffle and toss your blazer into your bag, avoiding him. “I don’t wanna go.”

You’re just traveling for a brief work trip just for the week then you’ll be back this time next Sunday, but STILL. All of those things hold true(ish), and it still hurts to have to say goodbye—

“Would you relax, honey. Christ.”

Even if your husband doesn’t care, you know Sarah will feel the pain of her own Momma leaving her behind with no reason she can possibly come to understand—

“You are so clingy and needy—“

JOEL WOULDYOUSHUTTHEFUCKUP I'MHAVINGAMOMENT, DAMNIT.

You sigh heavily and zip up the bag before lugging it to the ground. He raises his eyebrow as you storm by, his arms folded with a bemused smirk.

“Oh it’s funny to you? Guess you do want me gone—“

“It’s a week,” he reminds you firmly, his hands rubbing along bothy your arms. “It’s gonna be like a vacation for you!”

His words of encouragement suck ass because your ideal vacation is with your family. No, this was more like hell.

And Joel seemed to be loving every minute of it.

“Don’t forget ya moisturizer, oh and I packed ya some snacks for the plane. Plus some pepper spray, which you gotta put in your checked bag cuz they ain’t gonna let ya through security. Your passport is in your purse already…”

He was practically ushering you straight out the door. Running around the house like road runner, athering everything ahead of time, getting your little carry on and security tag and even breakfast quickly made for you to ‘make you not worry about a thing’.

No. The fucker was getting rid of you for sure, and glad of it—

“Stop sitting there with that face,” he says.

You sit down and shove your eggs in your mouth. “What face?” You snap.

“The ‘he’s intentionally trying to get rid of you’ one you got on right now. Just want ya to be prepared is all.”

You quickly wipe your expression but scowl at him when he has his back turned.

After breakfast, you kissed your baby goodbye. She was still sleeping soundly in her crib. Joel supervised you from the hall to make sure you didn’t try to sneak her into your purse so you could take her with you.

“Ok you have enough milk in the freezer and some already thawed in the fridge when she wakes up. You have teething rings, you know how to heat her bottle, you have her burp blanket—“ you list each one on your fingers as he backing you up to the car.

“Yes,yes,yes,yes! Honey, I got it all—“

“I bought groceries already for the week —“

“And if ya missed anything, I can go grab it myself. I can cook, you know that. Got ya in bed with my food before so—“

“Joel I’m serious.” You stop him. but as you think it over, you know he’s right. He’s like a pro at taking care of you and Sarah. You’re just trying to avoid the feeling that she’s gonna miss you gone.

Maybe she won’t even notice you're gone…

Joel catches your eyes faltering, lips trembling as water shines in your eyes.

“Nonono! It’s gonna be okay.” He hugs you, his soft hands securely stroking your back until he can feel you breathe slowly again.

“I know I know. I’m just. I’m gonna miss you both.”

“The sooner you go, the sooner you’ll be back,” he hums reassuringly.

You pull away and frown. “Definitely looking forward to getting rid of me—“ you seethe under your breath.

“OH GET IN THE DAMN CAR.”

Joel just got the text from you that you on time and safely boarded onto the flight. He knows you’ll be out of contact with cell service for the majority of the week since you were going to be out of the states, so he’s glad you were able to message him this last time.

And while no he was NOT glad you were leaving, he wasn’t complaining either. You needed some alone time. You were preggo monster for 9 months and now non stop mom ever since. He could tell from the bags under your eyes and short temper that you needed a little vacation. It didn’t matter if you realized it or not. This conference was a blessing in disguise. There would only be a few hours a day of work stuff, then you could go to the pool, the gym, get a massage, anything you wanted was included.

And he’d get some fantastic quiet time without your nagging just for a little. A mini vacation for him too for the first time in…well, ever.

A win-win for you both.

Sarah was just rousing from her sleep, stretching her arms wide with a big yawn and wiggly toes. He sends a quick pic of her with her hazy eyes before scooping her up.

“Ready for some food, girlie?” He nuzzles his face into her chest, and she giggles happily.

It takes probably 5 minutes of Sarah sucking down her bottle in her high chair on her own before she’s looking around the strangely vacant house.

“Mum-ma?” She asks curiously, just as Joel returns to dump some cereal on her tray.

“Mommy’s left to go go on a trip. Just you and me this week, kid.” He rubs her head affectionately.

Joel really didn’t expect Sarah to fully grasp anything he says, but evidently she did understand “mommy” and “left” and that was it.

Her face scrunches up and she immediately launches into the loudest cries known to man.

Joel was prepared for this. “Okay, okay Sarah, I know, you miss Momma,” he grabs a host of items: her pacifer, her bunny stuffed animal, her favorite chocolate that you told Joel she couldn’t have but he whips out for energencies like this. Even with his smiling face level with her pained one, wiggling each item excitedly, nothing seemed to be doing the trick. If anything, she wailed longer and harsher, kicking the table and slamming her bottle down until it rattled to the floor.

He eventually picks her up and tries rocking and bouncing, but she just shakes her head furiously. Her face is all red, fat tears dampening her little cotton onesie, with one hand scrunching his shirt and pushing him off. “You get this drama queen shit from your mom,” he tuts.

He sets her down on the floor, and Sarah immediately starts crawling towards the garage door, pointing to Joel to open it.

“She ain’t there, baby. She’ll be back—“

She screams harder, aggressively patting the door and looking back at him like she’s pleading.

He scoops her up again and takes her to the living room. He’s running out of ideas to get her to settle. Checked her diaper just in case, rejected any food, all toys were no hope. He was gonna lose his hearing at this rate.

Joel thought it would take at least the rest of the day before she would notice but this shit might be harder than he thought. If she kept huffing and puffing to keep taking a scream, or shed any more waterfall of tears, he’d have to take her to the hospital for dehydration and shortness of breath.

Sarah crawls over to the couch and yanks on the dangling blanket, pulling down pillows all over top her. He chuckles as she disappears into the mound, but can see her little form navigating from the top. Finally, the sandworm baby stops moving, and he notices her crying desist.

“Oh shit. I already killed her.”

He gently pulls pillows away until he finds Sarah with her face down, diaper bum up and her nose buried in your favorite blanket. She was smelling your scent, and that seemed to calm her almost immediately. Joel sits down and pulls the blanket free, and Sarah panics, reaching out for it desperately. He hands it back to her, and she grips it tightly, pushing her face into the soft coziness. It was still slightly warm with your body heat. Since you use it every time you’re in the living room, it smelled exactly like you.

Sarah takes a deep breath, clearing her cries. She crawls into Joel’s lap and tugs as much of it as she can along with her, sitting down between his thighs and cuddling the blanket around her.

Joel grabs the other end and smells it, and your scent floods his brain with endorphins. “I miss her too, bubba.” He leans and plants a kiss on her head, giving her the pinky back into her now accepting mouth.

She continued to play with her toys on the floor, blanket right next to her everywhere she went. Sometimes, she would just pause and nuzzle her face into it, sighing deeply and then continuing. Even Spoon was feeling the effects. Curled up by the door, whining occasionally, but otherwise just guarding the entrance, waiting for your return. Joel even pitied the big girl and allowed her on the bed so she could curl up into your spot.

Sarah was on her best behavior as much as she could be. She only cried when she was hungry or needed changing. She understood there’s no humor in bullying Joel unless you were here to punish him.

Things were going great so far for him.

And Joel felt pretty relaxed too. He could catch up on some programs, get some work done, go to bed when he needed it. It was peaceful.

But it wasn’t until a few nights in that he noticed life wasn’t as dandy. And it wasn’t Sarah that was making it evident.

It was him.

As you board your flight back home, nothing brings you more peace of mind than imagining walking back into your house.

Joel was right, this was somewhat of a mini vacation. And while it was nice, the bed wasn’t right. Didn’t matter how much money they spent on the king sized memory foam body conforming mattress with silk sheets and pressure release pillows. It just wasn’t the same as the 10 year old spring queen sized mattress that you and Joel had been cramming your asses on since you moved in together and the flat-no shape pillow that you had since you were in college. No amount of Michelin star chef prepared meals could match Joel’s empanadas and rice.

There wasn’t even anything to compare to being curled up with Joel and Sarah on the couch, watching tv until you both fell asleep in his strong, secure arms.

So in the end, you were right (as always). And damned be Joel, but you wouldn’t be listening to him ever again. If you have to go on a trip again, you’ll just bring them along or quit your job. Easy peasy.

Part of you wonders if he was still having a superb time away from you. Doing all kinds of work around the house without you nagging or asking for dinner, or having him fetch a billion snacks for you because you’re too lazy to get up, or rub your feet or your back or your calves or your clit, or getting a blanket or turning on the fan…damn you were annoying as well. And he does it all. He’s probably gonna see you walk in and sigh disappointingly, joking that he wished it lasted longer. You wonder if he and Sarah now morphed into best of pals, and she no longer considered you her #1.

Oh fuck, I’m gonna start crying on the damn plane.

By the time you landed, you couldn’t get in touch with Joel. you had received a text selfie image of him and Sarah smiling with the caption “Can’t wait to see you!”. You smile to yourself. God, you’ll risk getting a ticket just to speed home right now.

1.5 hours after you drive home, you open the familiar door. The aroma of home surrounds you, and you couldn’t be happier.

As does a squealing baby being carried by your big ass husband, who both immediately attack you out of thin hair with warm hugs. Spoon wags excitedly beneath you.

You nuzzle yourself into Joel’s neck just as Sarah nuzzles herself into your chest. The four of you stand there for moment, eyes closed and silently grateful.

And wafting.

Joel and Sarah’s noses and Spoon's especially were twitching and sucking in air against your skin and clothes, more so than hugging you.

“Oh are we…we are smelling me…” you say matter-of-factly but a little confused. Shit do I smell that bad??

He’s about to say something when you snatch Sarah and begin talking to her. She comfortably hands on your hip as you two chat (well, more like you chat and she babbles excitedly but you return the audience). It was late, and as you rocked her to sleep in your arms, you set her down in her crib, rubbing her belly softly as she soothed to sleep.

You close the door behind you when another hand gently clasps yours.

Joel doesn’t say anything, which surprises you. He’s more stoic than usual. He takes you down the hall and into your bathroom and turns on the tub.

He starts shucking off your clothing without a word. Shirt over head, then bra clasp, pants unzipped and dragged down. you can’t even stop him, he’s so gentle yet determined. and truthfully, you didnt have it in you to give him return home sex he’d probably been missing.

“Joel,” you say softly, and he shivers. “Um, I’m a little tired, but I promise tomorrow I will—“

“Tub,” he commands.

You tilt your head in confusion but step into the basin, now stark naked. The water is just perfect. You sink in until it’s level with your chest. Joel mixes in some suds and pulls his mini stool next to the edge, and begins massaging your shoulders.

“Oh honey you don’t need to do that,” you insist. “I got a massage when I was there…”

He doesn’t say anything but keeps going. And it’s not until he really finds your sensitive areas that you realize you do, in fact, need this. You sigh contently as he works the particularly troublesome knots in your shoulders, then gently over your neck. His hands, god you miss those hands, feel like heaven. After a few moments of you letting out soft moans, he lathers your expensive ‘for rare occasion’ shampoo and begins slathering it in your hair. With exceptional care, he works his fingers in circles, and you can feel your eyes going cross eyed with the thorough job he’s spoiling you with. Your whole body feels relaxed like a warm sheet of butter folding into a decadent pastry. You simmer and sink down even lower, indicating you’re incredibly tranquil.

He still remains silent. You can’t see him as you face the opposite end of the bathroom. Just the two of your breathing falling in sync.

Once finished, he pats you dry with fresh and warm towels, carries you bridal style to your bed.

You think now maybe he’s gotten you ready and pliant so he can rail your back out of place, but instead, he lays you on your side of the bed and tucks you into the sheets.

He tosses his socks and plows into the bed on his side, crawling up to you and putting himself face down into your chest and neck. He takes the biggest, longest breath possible through his nose before letting it out with a satisfied hum. Closing his eyes, Joel allows himself to relax, surrounding himself with you, his hand protectively over your stomach and absent-mindedly swishing back and forth with his thumb.

You giggle, smelling his sweet brown curls and rolling his hair through your fingers. “Did my clingy needy husband miss me?” You tease.

He’s already snoring and drooling into your breasts.

Joel’s having an out of body experience right now, and he can’t tell if he’s dreaming. There’s a fantastic, tingling, pleasurable feeling dancing along his entire body. He stirs slightly, letting out an audible groan. Something is warm against him, wet and moving, and it feels like a massage from heaven. He can’t exactly piece together what it is, still floating through his subconscious trying to rouse him awake, but still so blissfully relaxed he can’t quite fully awaken yet. He was out so deep last night in your embrace. Surrounded by your presence, your smell, your touch and breath and love and body.

His lashes flutter open, and the ceiling blur takes shape before him. He’s lying on his back in the bed, with something heavy against his lower half. sounds make their way to his ear, his own rugged gasps getting louder as the sensations more clearly are identified, sending signals of euphoria to his brain. He rasps out, eyes widening, and groggily tilts his chin down to see you; your mouth sloppily taking his hardened cock over and over, slurping the saliva and coating him with your talented tongue. You suck on his tip before working down his massive length, your other hand expertly jerking in rhythm what you can’t fit.

He chokes, still unsure if what he’s seeing and feeling is a dream. He hopes it’s not a dream.

The sounds from his throat cause you to peer up. A slight warm, loving grin tugging at your lips to make eye contact with him as you give him the morning blow job of his life.

And that does it for him. He yelps, stomach tightening before hot ropes of his seed shoot out of his tip like a canon. You bare down and suction your lips to his pulsing dick, feeling each throb deposit his sticky hot cum into your mouth. You gulp and gulp over and over, not nearly quick enough as his cream overwhelms you and bulges out of your cheeks. Even after you’ve coughed, his cock doesn’t stop, splashing all over your face in ribbons, one after the other, as he lets out drawn out moans, eyes rolled back and head arched into the pillow. He’s seeing stars, ruining your face like a mud mask of his spent. By the time he’s finished, he looks back down to see your slightly shocked expression, mouth agape with cum pouring down your forehead and eyelids, cheeks and chin, back onto his stomach.

He’s struggling to return from cloud nine. Brain hasn’t been this foggy even when high and drunk. He feels like sinking into the mattress and retiring from life.

You finally chuckle at his current state. “You didn’t get off all week did you?” He shakes his head side to side, eyes closed. You crawl up next to him, using his bedside tissues to wipe your face clean.

“I hope you liked it, I couldn’t wait for you to wake up—“

“Quit your job,” he says quietly.

He opens his eyes and rolls over to kiss your forehead and lie on top of you, his body conforming to yours. You feel his face nudged into your neck again as his back relaxes. You give him a confused look.

“I’ll take on extra projects,” he continues plainly. “Work extended nights. Just don’t leave us like that again.”

You cup his face in your hands to look at you. He’s sincere, kissing your palms and rubbing his cheek into your touch like a puppy.

You can’t help but smile.

“You missed me that much? Thought it was a mini vacation!”

He shakes his head. “It sucked,” he pouts like a child, hugging you tighter.

It was by the 4th night in that Joel realized it.

He prepared his solo meal quietly, served Sarah her mushy food quietly, and sat down at the table quietly. With only her little happy coos here and there, and him blowing on his own meal, he never realized just how quiet everything is without you.

Your chair was empty. Your side of the bed was cold. The house was so vacant without one person that it almost just feels like a building rather than a home. He realized he just gets up, feeds and talks to Sarah and spends time with her, then as soon as she’s in bed, he’s just. Existing. There. With nothing to do. He loved taking care Sarah, but she was pretty self sustaining. She was doing a hell of a lot better than he was. He tried busying himself with housework or TV or construction projects he had been wanting to do, but it all just felt like work. Like everything he did for himself was a chore.

He didn’t want to do anything if you weren’t there to see him by the end of the day.

He remembers when he used to thrive when he was living by himself. But he also realized… he hasn’t lived by himself in years. Since before he met you.

“You know I can’t quit my job, right?”

He grumbles but nods into your breasts.

“And I don’t want you taking on extra projects. I want to see you at the end of the day too. Tell you this: if I get another conference, either my family comes, or I don’t go. Deal?”

“Deal.” He kisses your chest before shimmying his way up your body until he’s fully over top you. “Otherwise I’ll tear your boss a new asshol—“

“Joel.”

“I’m just saying. Everyone wants to keep ya from me—“

“Joel.”

“N’ as your husband and baby daddy, I have a right to say where you put that ass every night and it should be right up against my di—“

“Just kiss me already.”

“Yes Ma’am.” He captures your lips with his hungrily. You feel his knees nudging yours apart, slotting himself perfectly between your bodies. The freshly hardened tip of his cock breaches your entrance, but Joel doesnt even let you gasp. His lips remain sealed on yours.

He wasn’t going to let you get away that easily again. Not even for a second.

- - - -

Taglist: @harriedandharassed @lola8888673 @its-nebuleuse @zliteraturehoe @merz-8 @joeldjarin @pascalscoffin @pedroshotwifey @ghostslillady @innerpersonunknown @missladym1981 @mrsoharaxx @survivingandenduring @milla-frenchy @cockykookiee @fairytale07 @daddy-din @pedropascalsbbg @spookyxsam @somehopeatlast @millercontracting @pedrostories @mishala005 @theoraekenslover @animez96 @not-a-unique-snowflake-blog @puduvallee @cassiecasluciluce @loohoop @himboelover @callsignwidow

#joel miller fan fiction #joel miller x reader #pedro pascal smut #joel miller x you #joel miller fanfiction #joel miller fic #joel miller smut #the last of us fanfiction #last of us smut #last of us fanfiction #joel miller fan fic #the last of us fic #last of us fic #tlou smut #the last of us smut #tlou fanfiction #tlou fic #joel dealing with preggo wife

253 notes · View notes

futureplayboibunnie · 1 year ago

Text

i rewatched the godfather and listened to the entirety of honeymoon by lana del rey so here’s another mafia Miguel O’Hara drabble

Objectively, there were so many things wrong in the lifestyle that was gifted to you, but you didn’t feel any kind of way about it. You weren’t the type to fill the silence with empty words.

In this line of business, talking could get you killed.

Your husband wasn’t a good man and he often treated you well. He was the most powerful out of all the 5 families that ruled the underworld and he so happened to have a liking to you. You did love him once, that space where your love for him filled is now blank, a white space etched with a question mark. You didn’t know how to feel about all of it since you were his best kept secret, his secret weapon.

He used you to gain intel on his enemies, being a woman was one thing but being as cunning as you was another. You’d go undercover for him, he’d create an alias, a new passport, a new birth cerificate, a new drivers liscense. Your husband was nothing but thorough. And he needed to be thorough when the O’Hara brothers showed up out of nowhere.

The O'Hara brothers were very successful hitmen, but their business ventures were quiet, they moved in brooding silence in an effort to not draw public attention. Gabriel was more about the tech and was often out of town. Miguel, on the other hand, was dark, moody, he was the brawn, the muscle, the one that had to make all the hard choices all his life.

He couldn’t make heads or tales of who they were and how they so quickly got accepted into all of this and how the 5 families didn’t notice them on their radar. You had never seen your husband this anxious when it came to them, so he needed you to scope.

You were his crown jewel, he knew you could handle yourself. So he created a new alias: you were his new suit tailor. It was supposed to be a two month operation but Miguel took longer than expected to try and get close to you. Probably because you forgot to take off your wedding ring and now you had to make that part of your story. A stupid mistake on your half and now you’re reaping the consequences.

But here you were now.

Waiting for him at dinner at the most regal restraunt you have ever been in, you felt a little intimidated that there were a few security gaurds looming over you slightly as you sat and waited. Jesus, they cleared the whole floor out just for the two of you.

This is the type of intel your husband wanted. Intimate.

Miguel saw you through the window before he walked in, there you were sitting so prettily, waiting for him. Pretty silk dress, showing off your legs with those heels that he was surprised you could even walk in.

You were married. He noticed the massive rock on your finger while you pressed down on the lapels of his suit when you first started

Miguel knew you were married and it took a lot of time to prented he cared about it, but he didn’t. Not one bit. He always wanted what he couldn’t have.

He watched as your eyes shot up to see his figure walking towards you, a twinge of nervousness struck at your chest and your fingers started twitching as you felt his gaze simmer into yours. He was wearing the all black suit you made him last week. The sight made your legs buckle but you immediately dismissed the action.

“Salir.” (Leave) Miguel waved his hand and dismissed the guards so that you could both be alone together, the thing he’s wanted to do since he first saw you but you were so…unreadable. So polite and nonchalant, it was galling.

He waited long enough for you, now he wanted to see what your mind held.

“I apologize for being late. Business as usual.” He said coolly as he pulled out his chair to sit down.

Oh? Business?

“Such as? Nothing too serious I hope.” Your replied simply, expertly not giving away that you were digging.

Miguel contemplated your purpose, you were sat there so graceful and poised, so…fucking polite. He almost hated it. “An arms deal, a few of my guns went missing.” He stated huskily, trying to get past this conversation.

You let out an appreciative hum, letting a beat of silence cover you as you retained that knowledge “My husband doesn’t like me playing with guns, we argue about it.” You find yourself explaining your real life issues before your brain could even check it. “I told him men have endless distractions…while we ladies only have shopping and tailoring.” You chuckly dryly, giving him a shy crooked half smile, playing into whatever role of femininity you needed: this time, traditionalist. You wanted to roll your eyes back into your skull. “At least it keeps me at home.”

Miguel couldn’t help but squint his eyes and keep himself locked on you. He thought you were so sweet…and definitely unhappy at home with your husband. He sat quietly for a moment, the tension already laying thick into the atmosphere.

“I hope I didn’t interrupt anything when I called today.”

“Oh…my husband’s away on a trip. So his friends came over to keep me company. More like keep an eye on me. Your call was the perfect excuse to leave.” You say whistfully, not giving too much away.

Fuck, that was just your knack. You never gave anything away, you were so….puzzling. Miguel traced his fingers over his lips as his stared at you.

Hm.

“Is that right?” He muttered but it definitely wasn’t a question.

“Mhm. It’s a beautiful night tonight, I didn’t want to be surrounded by men who don’t care but a glass of wine would be nice right about now.”

You and Miguel ate and talked into the night, the soft piano playing in the background only added to the tension Miguel could barely touch his food, all he could do was stare at you across the candlelit table, urging you, contemplating you. He hadn’t wanted a woman in so long, it was like you were placed in front of him by God himself.

You sipped at your wine as a slightly concerned and defeat look spread across your face. You told him that your husband is a broker with a fraying temper and you were surprised he believed you.

“He asked me about kids. A daughter. He’d always wanted a daughter.” Although you were playing into your character, you couldn’t stop yourself from telling him the issues that were plaguing you in your real life. You disguised it well but it just fell so naturally.

Miguel frowned when he heard the mention of children.

“And?” He tilted his head urging you to continue as he took a sip of his whiskey.

“Well,” You sighed. “With all due respect, she’d be his daughter. And that affords her a certain amount of protection I don’t enjoy.” You pursed your lips as the words strained heavily, seriousness etching at your features. “He’d never hurt a hair on her head. I can’t say the same thing for myself. I won’t leave her alone in the world with him.”

Now this really was getting intimate.

Miguel felt a surge of protectiveness wash over him, he really didn’t like the way you were describing the way he acts and talks to you. He would beat him bloody for the way he treats you. He shook the thought out of his head, he needed to get a grip.

“In my work, moral codes rarely exist but I have one. I don’t hurt women or children, they are absolutely off limits and my men know this and it’s one or the only rules I expect to be firmly stood by.” He said calmly, trying to calm his temper at what you just told him.

Now this is intel. The mental list was getting bigger and bigger.

You smiled shyly as you placed your elbows on the table, looking as whistful as ever. “I sometimes think I’d rather do things on my own. The things I like don’t interest him.” You hated the fact you were telling the truth.

Miguel watched you, his eyes scorching and heated yet cold and steely. A paradox of a man as he listened intently, his ears pricked up.

“What do you like?” His voice was as rich as blue velvet.

Your eyes shot up and blinked for a moment, stilling as you finally registered the words, Miguel felt you swallow thickly. “I like the movies.” You gave him a crooked smile. “He doesn’t go with me so I go by myself. He and his friends only talk business.” You chuckled lightly.

“I don’t like movies either.” Miguel replied gruffly as he downed the rest of his drink. The look on your face spread into contempt, he caught a glimpse of you under all that politeness. And then you snapped it back on like second instinct as you smiled.

“Mr O’Hara you’re too busy to go to the movies. Even this dinner took you about 3 months to schedule. Movies are for people who have far too much time on their hands.” You teased.

Damn.

Miguel just kept staring.

“No its not that….It’s too dark. I’m not a fan of too much darkness.”

Oh?

He doesn’t like the dark?

Your lips parted as a palpable silence settled between you, Miguel was eager to dismiss the situation.

“Would you like another drink?” He grabbed the wine bottle to top you up.

“To keep you company. Alcohol…” You tisked. “Such trivial things…” You muttered quitely.

“If you play close attention to it enough, nothing is too trivial.” Miguel was laser focused on you and all you could do was give him a blank and slightly rattled look.

It was making you feel….things. You can’t feel it, you’re not allowed to feel it.

Miguel watched you as you raised the glass to your lips and took a sip, his eyes travlled to the lipstick stain on the rim as you set it down.

Fuck. Blushed red, a little glossy.

You rotated your head around to still be surprised that no one was actually here.

“Cleared out huh?” You questioned knowingly.

“I value my privacy. And it’s a nice place to talk so no one disturbs us.” He replied back as sauve as ever and you hated the feeling swinging in your chest as they fell from his lips.

The gaze you shared felt like it could last a lifetime, you were both practically eyefucking each other, neither of you blinked until he spoke.

“Your husband works a great deal, eh?” Now he was the one that was prying.

“At what I have no idea. He won’t tell me. I’ve always said that having a man is fine as long as he’s far away from home, right?” You raised an eyebrow, a cunning look filled with hubris and quiet flirtation.

It was like you weren’t even trying to be this sensual.

Miguel’s lips parted as his mouth tugged upwards a little. “Your husband is a broker, yeah?” He wanted to know more about you, about your life.

“If you wanted to know more about him, I’ll bring him along next time. You men always have something to say to each other.”

Miguel hated the idea. Absolutely not. He stayed quiet

“But with women you just make small talk.” You breathed and it halted him in his tracks, the small smirk, the look in your eyes- he wanted what he couldn’t have.

The silences that surrounded you was beating with tension that you thought you once forgot.

You swallowed.

“Small talk like this to me….is a rare treat.”

The night went on. Talking. Slight flirting. An ache started to form between your legs and your cunning was also turning into a mix of that and attraction. Your fingers grazed your arm slowly, your lips were getting wettet and your eyelashes seemed to flutter as you watched Miguel talk.

“The men I work with are high ranking officials and lowlives. But they all have the same look in their eyes.”

Yes. This is exactly what you needed to hear.

“And what is that?” You reply simply.

“Fear.”

“Of course.”

“But you’re different, aren’t you? You’re not afraid.” Miguel couldn’t help but comment on you, in this business a woman as polite as you should be on the chopping block but no, there was something about you.

“How about you?” You shot back and as always you disarmed him immediately but he didn’t like to give anyone that sort of power.

No one can catch him off guard.

“You’re smart but not smart enough to know how to catch me out.” Miguel smiled wickedly as he reached for his pack of smokes and pulled out a tab.

Your lips parted as you scanned his face up and down as he put it inbetween his lips. He noticed your mindless yet intent gawk and raised his eyebrows, he took another one out and extended his arm out as his fingers brushed your skin. You stilled and blinked up at him dumbly as his thumb brushed your lips and opened your mouth wider for him to put the cigarette.

His touch was like liquid fire.

You finally caught it and then he took his lighter and lit his and yours up, watching the way your lipstick stained the butt. When you fingers held it, he caught a full view of your wedding ring, it was massive diamond rock held together by golden pearls. His face grew embittered by the sight, his frustration fanned into anger and now his sentiments remained the same.

He always wanted what he couldn’t have.

#spiderman 2099 #miguel ohara #miguel o’hara angst #miguel o’hara smut #atsv miguel #miguel o’hara #miguel o’hara fluff #miguel o’hara x reader #across the spiderverse #miguel o'hara

740 notes · View notes

the-ace-with-spades · 11 months ago

Text

I need a fic where Ghost and Soap are on the run but like, framed and on the run.

They're on an assignment, just the two of them, to co-lead a team for the prevention of assassination for some big-name politician (dunno, I like to think this would happen either in usa or in the uk...) and it's all done and they're about to pack their shit and go back to base when Soap gets an encrypted call from Price to tell him that a video of Ghost killing the same big-name politician is on the telly

It's not Ghost, obviously, but it's someone of Ghost's posture, in Ghost's gear and Ghost's mask.

Also obviously, Soap doesn't believe it.

They get surrounded pretty fast by the local SWAT-like team and Soap makes Ghost use him as a hostage so they can escape with a minimal amount of maiming -- Soap is pretty sure Ghost could escape on his own, but it'd be a bloody mess that would follow him after he was proven to be framed.

Of course, Ghost tries to get Soap to leave once they're out of the danger zone. He does not.

Cue Ghost and Soap on the run while Price, Gaz and Lasewell try to find out who is framing him.

Simon's existence was erased so much that there are no pictures of him anywhere so instead, his APB has a sketch and a description. Problem is, the scars on his face were included, and way too characteristic to miss them (whether it's the glasgow smile or other scars, dunno, but you get my point). At first, it's really hard to move around because scars/mask + Simon being like 6'4 and built like a tank scream 'notice me'. Simon grows out a beard - it's red-ish blond colour so he ends up dying his hair red too. He absolutely doesn't care but Soap mourns because he's barely started being able to see Simon's face and hair and now it's all changed up.

Soap doesn't have an APB at first, but after a couple of days he is named as complicit (because he's seen helping Ghost run) and his photo is out. He has to shave the mohawk because it's too eye-catching (he's fucking bald and he hates it). He has to rein in his accent because he is described as glasgowian scottish. He can't call his maw so he sends her a random postcard he picked up a few towns ago and sends a short and cryptic message, hoping she believes he's not a terrorist.

Soap also finds out Ghost knows way too many shady people and knows way too easily where to look for even more shady people if he needs something the former people don't have. They steal shit out of necessity, often clothes and food, but sometimes they pickpocket cards and wallets. Some days they sleep in the car, some days they stop at questionable motels or hostels, and some days they don't sleep at all. They have burner phones but don't contact Price at all.

There would be a mandatory 'taking care of each others' wounds' scene (no bandages, please, you rarely use bandages in healthcare nowadays) after a dangerous run-in, a mandatory 'pretend to be a couple to lose the trail' and after that, an awkward 'there was only one bed' scene where things happen for the first time and they have a sloppy handjob or two.

They're probably trying to escape the country but can't do it via air because of the APBs and have to make their way to some shady port and even shadier ferry or cargo ship that won't run their fake passports in the system if they pay well enough.

Ghost is surprising Soap once again with an off-shore bank account and a knowledge of whichever country they're in's language. They move somewhere less crowded but not small enough that two Brits would be weird. Some people refer to Ghost as Soap's husband.

Weeks or months go by.

"What if they can't prove I didn't do it?"

"You faked your death once, love, I think you can do it twice."

#ghostsoap #ghoap #cod #simon ghost riley #john soap mactavish #q

241 notes · View notes

midnight--sadness · 6 days ago

Note

my found family headcanons!! ---

gayeong and cheol still collect & trade pokemon cards til this day. their older siblings find out and get hit with a wave of nostalgia, like woah kids still play these??

daeho grew up with sisters, and has sisters once more :') THEREFORE he always looks out if any of them has lipstick on their teeth or if their eyeliner look uneven on one eye (give him a cosmetic bud and an angled brush he'll fix it in no time). he also knows how to thread eyebrows

junhee is starting to get into sports lately. she is becoming... A FUTBOL ENTHUSIAST ⚽️ it all started with a clip of diego maradona on her insta fyp and she went down into the rabbit hole. after many hours of practicing, she can juggle the football for a long time!

saebyeok is bob the builder of this family. she can assemble ikea furniture with no issues. the air conditioner is not working? give her the right tools and it will be running normally in seconds. oh and all the girls at her uni have the biggest crush on her, their home mailbox often full of loveletters for her~

whenever gihun is at a store, he'll always buy something that's not on the shopping list only bc it reminded him of his kids or his husband. "ooh, i think gayeong will love this new flavor of juice!" or "this small statue of a grumpy cartoon wolf looks like inho... i should get this one for him!"

inho absolutely is an airport dad. they arrive on time thanks to him, all the passports and papers are always with him, he does headcount every 30 minutes, makes sure his wife and kids are comfortable. first class seats to somewhere sunny~ 🌅🏖️🌊⛱️

minsu knows how to crochet things. thanos got curious about it and now he knows how to crochet too after being taught. better use of time than staying out late vaping! thanos decided the first things he would make are a pair of socks for gihun and a scarf for inho. BUT NOBODY NEEDS TO KNOW THIS, OR THANOS' STREET CRED IS ON THE LINE.

i love your idea of semi being a gamer! 🎮 she does has a significant audience on a streaming platform as her personality is cute, her sense of humor is fun, her looks are sooo pretty <3 also whenever gihun appears in the background to place folded clothes on her bed or some snacks during the livestream the entire chat goes wild. "HI MAMA 🫶" "OMG MOM ❤️" "MAMA!!". and when they see inho it's only deep respect and admiration "hello boss 🫡" "mr. hwang sir 🫡" "big man in the buildinggg 🫡"

THESE ARE ALL AMAZING 💖💖💖💖💖 AND SO MUCH BETTER THAN MINEE 😭😭😭

junhee practicing football actually gave me the idea that maybe daeho could join the baseball team? jungbae was a player and he is daeho's favorite uncle so it makes sense if daeho joins as well 💖

i love that semi's audience all love gihun 🥺

#found family au #squid game #asks #yapping 4ever #seong gi-hun #hwang in-ho #inhun #457 #ginho #kang dae-ho #kang sae-byeok #kang cheol #seong ga-yeong #kim jun-hee #se-mi #thanos (squid game)#choi su-bong #park min-su

34 notes · View notes

russellsppttemplates · 1 year ago

Text

Time off the track (Lance Stroll)

Lance and Y/N enjoy having a long weekend off

Note: english is not my first language. I get all fluttery when I write these pieces! Had some trouble finding friends names (they're very private, and I respect that) so I just made up my own.

Thank you so much to everyone who likes and reblogs, your feedback is appreciated 🤍 and I'm taking requests so if you have any ideas or concepts you want to share, feel free to do so as I'll try to get to them the best I can!

my masterlist

Tw: mentions pregnancy

Tag list: @myloverjk-blog

"Sweetheart", Lance called from his spot on the sofa once he heard you arrive back home from work. "In a minute, just need to take these things off my feet", he heard you chuckle before the small creek from the cabinet where you stored your shoes.

"I'm here!", you walked inside, Lance's eyes doing his overall check-up. He didn't notice he was doing it until Henry pointed it out for him in the last race weekend you went to, but apparently the minute you showed up after being somewhere out of his sight, your husband's eyes checked you out from head to toe, looking for any signs of discomfort and then focusing on your babybump, usually bringing a smile to his lips.

"Sit here, I want a cuddle while I tell you my suggestion", he opened his arms, letting you wiggle around and into a comfortable position.

"Oh, what suggestion?", you wondered after you pecked his lips.

"The guys want to have spend the next weekend doing something fun together. It's a long weekend and it would nice spending time together", he explained, hand coming up to your bump and rubbing the skin under the cotton fabric of your shirt.

"That sounds good, actually. A weekend away that doesn't involve racing", you mumbled.

"There's actually a race, still. They want to go to Texas and watch", Lance offered, not wanting to keep you in the dark.

"What I meant was you wouldn't be racing, so we will be travelling all together and I have you to myself still", you wiggled your eyebrows, "and Texas is a really good idea, me and baby have been craving BBQ", you smirked.

"Other than seeing the race, we can just explore the area a bit, see what comes up and what people recommend we do", Lance added, "it will be good to take a few days off".

"Yes, enjoy the sun, good food, good company. Sounds good to me", you smiled sweetly, kissing his cheek and carrying on talking about each of your days.

The group consisted of you, Lance, Anna and her partner Michael, Mark and his wife Evie, Benjamin and Theo, arriving on time like scheduled to the airport, "how are we all feeling on this fine early morning?", Benjamin was the first to speak once you found yourselves by the gate.

"Could've done with a little bit more sleep, if I'm honest", Evie groaned into her husband's shoulder, "but otherwise very excited".

"Me too! Can't wait to feel some sun in my face", you smiled, taking off your jacket since you were feeling hot and giving everyone a show of your baby bump.

"Oh, it's so cute, Y/N! You look great!", Anna gasped, hands in front of her mouth as she got closer to you, "you're glowing!".

"And I also have these sexy things", you lifted your pants to show the compression socks the doctor recommended you wear whenever you boarded flights. You always travelled in comfy clothes, having learned over the years that any other way was simply not the way to go, so you had on a loungewear tracksuit, the flowy pants matching the equally roomy sweater.

"Doctor's orders?", she wondered and you nodded, "I already have issues as it is before getting pregnant, so it wasn't like I didn't expect it. You get used to them after a while", you said, checking to see if everyone was ready to walk to the plane once they checked your passports.

"Would you like something to drink before we take off?", the flight attendant wondered, taking orders from everyone, "could you please get us a bottle of water?", Lance asked, knowing you would forget about it.

"I was going to drink it", you teased, accepting the cup and drinking its content, "I remember what the doctor said", you smiled.

By the time you had been flying for a quarter of the expected time for the whole flight, you got up, walking along the small corridor while rubbing your bump.

"Is this a runway competition? Because we don't stand a chance when you look like that", Theo hyped you up, making you giggle as you exaggerated your walk for a few seconds before feeling your daughter kick.

"Doctor said to keep moving, since the socks can only do so much, and she's been kicking like crazy", you added, tapping the spot over your bellybutton where she seemed to kick harder.

"Hey! If she's kicking, I get privileges!", Lance called, making you stop in front of him as he places his palm where your hand was.

"Do you guys want to go get ready for the pool? I don't feel like doing much else today", Anna suggested, earning nods from everyone before you split into your rooms.

"Lance!", you called, seeing your husband come back from the balcony, "I think I need help taking these off, I can't bend properly", you blushed, not feeling strong enough to pull the socks away from your legs.

Chuckling, he bent down, kneeling on the floor so he could help you, massaging the skin and kissing your calves, "do they feel good?", he asked.

"Thank you", you groaned, wiggling your toes, "yes, it's a nice feeling, I might actually take these up after little one joins us, but they're a pain to get out", you offered, kissing his forehead and helping him get up, "let's go and enjoy the sunny day!", you cheered.

After getting ready, you met the rest of the group by the pool, the guys already in the water while the girls preferred to stay in the sun.

"Are you going us or joining them?", Michael wondered, "I'm going in the water, I've had enough of cold, gloomy days", you said, finding the steps so you could ease into the water. Taking off the cover up and throwing it to your chair, everyone's eyes travelled to your uncovered bump.

"Come here", Lance stretched his arms and beckoned you to approach him, chest and hair dripping wet since he had jumped in. Wrapping your arm around his waist, his right hand went to your bump immediately, "does he ever unlatch from your bump? Or is he always keeping his girls within arm reach distance?", Benjamin chuckled. It was all friendly banter and he was genuinely happy for his friends.

"A good mix of both", you confessed, "It's all new territory and we're going through all of this together. Besides, I've been feeling very clingy and wanting to start nesting, so I'm probably the one attached to him", you blushed.

"I want to float for a bit, your sister said that the best thing she did for her back pain when she was pregnant was relieve the pressure by being in the water", you held your husband's hand, getting ready to let yourself fall on your back.

"We're standing by here just in case you start sinking down like a nail", Mark noted with a giggle, making the boys do a circle around you and Lance as you kicked your legs up.

After a few moments of finding your balance, gravity and all things physics worked as your bump and chest rose up, poking out of the water while you floated, "Y/N! This is such a cute pick! Little one with all her uncles protecting you both!", Evie exclaimed, getting her phone and snapping a few pictures at the moment.

"Now move away, I want to snap a few of just Y/N, she looks glorious", she complimented as the boys swam away, "gorgeous, mama, absolutely gorgeous".

"It feels good", you moaned, "I feel so light weight, like, feather-light", you smiled when you saw Lance look back at you, "we can look into it when we go back home, anything to make you more comfortable, sweetheart", he said, kissing your lips before he held your ankles, moving your body as you giggled, not noticing Evie recording the video she claimed was "for when the little princess grows up and wants to know what love is". Her parents would be the best example and this one of the many moments to show it.

When you got back to the lounging chairs, carefully rubbing sun protection cream on before laying down, the boys started playing Padel in the court the house you rented had, shouts and groans heard while you and the girls got some colour on your skin.

"They're just little boys sometimes, aren't they?", Anna noted, seeing Lance and her boyfriend bicker about a foul.

"In some ways, I guess, but it's good they have eachother to spend time with, Goodness knows I won't play that", Evie sneered, "would you, Y/N?".

"What? Play Padel?", they nodded, "I've played with Lance before, with the other drivers and their partners. I'm not that great, but I'm not nearly as competitive as them, so I just play for the fun of it. Lance was kind enough to invite me out of it when he Charles were fighting for the first place in their Driver's Padel Championship", you chuckled.

"I love these dresses on you", Lance complimented, his hand grabbing yours and twirling you around, smiling when you faced him again and kissing your forehead.

"Thank you, my love", you added, seeing Michael return with the passes for the race, "we're all set guys, c'mon!", he nudged, handing everyone their pass before you walked to the entrance, a couple of photographers taking pictures and a group of fans asking Lance for autographs.

"That's where we will be", you pointed to the hospitality, walking in and choosing somewhere to sit. While you, Evie and Anna enjoyed this racing series, you were planning to stay on sofas while the boys were standing against the balcony railing so they could watch the race.

Throughout the weekend, you couldn't help but notice how Lance had been having so much fun with the boys, making a mental note to do these things more often when you had the opportunity.

He said something and loudly laughed, bringing your attention to him before your daughter made herself known, "it's daddy, I know", you smiled, rubbing your bump.

"She always kicks when he laughs?", Evie cooed, "My goodness, if you two don't stop being so cute, I'm next", she let out a groan.

"Yes, or when he speaks to the bump very closely. The books say she's able to recognise his voice, and it's very cute", you smiled, "although the bigger she gets, she'll soon start kicking my bladder".

"Wooo-ooh!", Lance said as you assumed the race was going well, looking back to check on you and blowing you a kiss.

The vineyard was truly stunning and, despite not taking part in the wine tasting for obvious reasons, you were having a great time.

"Are you also having lunch here? Our chef has done an excellent tasting menu", the young woman offered.

"We already have BBQ booked", Lance stated, "since my wife can't drink right now, we're giving her one of her pregnancy cravings. Maybe next time we visit", he nodded.

When you arrived at the restaurant, you were guided to the table, placing your things down and looking at the menu.

"Can you order for me, please? I really have to go to the bathroom", you wondered as Evie said she was going with you.

When the waiter came back, to the table, he started taking everyone's order, tapping on the iPad as they went along the table, "Can you just make sure the meat is cooked through, please? My wife is pregnant", Lance told the waiter, "absolutely, sir", before he left.

"You really get a kick out of it everytime you say she's pregnant, don't you?", his friend teased, "don't get me wrong, I think it's cute actually", Mark smiled.

"Of course I do, the woman I love is having our baby", Lance cooed, seeing you walk to the table back from the bathroom.

"And she looks incredibly gorgeous while she does it!", Anna said, "she's glowing, really. You guys are going to be such great parents, can't wait to meet the little princess".

"Neither can we, but soon enough", you smiled, accepting Lance's hand and holding it in yours, "soon enough".

#lance stroll imagine #lance stroll fanfic #lance stroll x reader #f1 x reader #f1 imagine #f1 fanfic #f1 fluff #lance stroll fluff

300 notes · View notes

nattinatalia · 2 years ago

Text

JACK HARLOW X READER : ANNIVERSARIES & SIXTY-NINES

A/N : This is a second collaboration with my buttercup @harlowcomehome 💚 if you haven’t read our very first collab, here’s where you can find it, part 1 2 & 3 always fun and an honor working with you babes. Ilyyyyy for life 💚🤞🏼

“But, wait. Listen to me, you’re not listening to me” Jack was shouting, something he rarely ever did especially so early in the morning.

“Can’t you back out? They can’t find another opener? It’s not about the money. I don’t care, I want to make sure I’m here.” He was sitting on the couch, his elbows pressed against his thighs.

You walked out of the bedroom, keeping your eyes on him. It was clear that he was very upset. You had only made out a few words in the conversation.

“Fuck it. Okay,” he said, throwing his phone to the side as he prematurely hung up on whoever he was talking to.

“Everything okay?” You walked over to him, rubbing his back as he tried to regain his composure.

He shakes his head, “I- Chris booked me for a last-minute festival.”

“Okay?” You don’t know what’s the issue with that since Jack loves to perform every chance he gets. “And you’re upset?”

He turns to look at you, “Babe, it’s this weekend.”

“Oh,” You realize what that meant immediately. “Baby, I knew our schedules would eventually clash with important dates. It’s okay.” You reassure him, pushing back his curls.

“No, it’s not, it’s our first wedding anniversary and I’m supposed to be here with you. We’re supposed to celebrate together. I had things planned for us and now they’re ruined.”

“We can always celebrate when you get back, I promise you I’m not going to hold it against you.”

“Baby, when we got married I made you a promise that I would never miss important moments involving our relationship. I promised you that I would be here.” He leans back on the couch, his hands covering his eyes.

“Jack.” You quickly straddle him, both of your legs on each side of him and you pull his hands away from his face. “Please listen to me.”

He stares at you, you can see his eyes getting watery, signs that he’s annoyed and upset. “You have nothing to worry about. I know you wouldn’t miss celebrating our anniversary on purpose. You’re an amazing husband, who always goes above and beyond. Don’t beat yourself up about it. I’m sure you’ll be here on time and if you’re not, I can always fly out to you baby.”

You rocked back and forth in his lap, he covered his face again with his hands. You heard sniffling coming from underneath them.

“Jack, my love, don’t cry” You lean forward to hug him, his head resting on your shoulder.

“I’m just frustrated,” he whimpered. “ I feel like a bad husband. Chris assured me I’d be back the night before but it just feels like I’m cutting it too close” he was still talking from behind his hands.

You pried his fingers away from his face, “ I love you, let’s make the most out of today. When do you leave?”

“Tomorrow morning” he mumbled as he wiped his face. It broke your heart to see him cry.

“Let’s make the most of today then? I don’t have anything planned” You smiled and he nodded.

The next day Jack had to leave early in the morning to catch his flight, granted he was flying in the private jet but he just wanted to get the weekend over with.

You woke up to drawers being slammed and grunts coming from Jack. “Baby?”

“Shit, sorry I woke you up.” He’s throwing clothes into his suitcase, not even bothering to fold them, which is weird to you since he’s such a control freak about that.

“I was going to wake up soon anyway.” The alarm you had set last night goes off and you quickly stop it.

“Where’s my passport?” He asks, looking around the room.

You quickly get off the bed and head to him. “It’s in your hands baby.” You reach out for it. “I need you to relax, papi.”

“I’m sorry.” He lets out a deep sigh “I just can’t believe I’m missing out on our anniversary.”

“Hey, no more of that. Let me help you pack” You start taking everything out. “Then we can have breakfast so I can drop you off at the airport.”

He shakes his head “I think it’s best you stay here, I’ll have Urban pick me up.”

You stop folding his clothes, “Wait, why?”

“I’m already having a hard time with this, you dropping me off will make me not want to go at all.”

“Bubs, I need you to be okay. I don’t want to be worried when you’re gone. I need you to be one hundred percent fine. You’ll get there and it’ll go by quickly and then you’ll come back home to me.”

“I know.” He nods, “I know I’m overreacting but I just wanted this weekend to be perfect.”

You smile at that. “And it will be.” You close up his suitcase. “Now come on, let's have breakfast and cuddle on the couch before it’s time for you to leave.”

You made Jack breakfast, rubbing his shoulders as you made sure he ate. He was always grumpy when he didn’t, and he had a long flight. You wanted to spare the others.

When he was done eating the two of you cuddled on the couch like you asked, you could tell his spirit was still sad.

“Baby, you’ll be back in time and we will have a nice dinner, and then maybe…” you giggled which peaked his attention.

“And what?” His brown furrowed, and before you could answer you heard a honk outside.

“Looks like Urb is here” You stood up to give him a hug and kiss goodbye.

“Baby” he whined followed by a chuckle. “That’s not fair.”

“Have a safe flight!! Don’t keep Urban waiting” you giggled before slapping his butt as he left out of the door.

The next two days dragged for both of you but mainly for Jack. He didn’t leave you second-guessing for a bit, and he let you know how much he missed you as often as he could.

He even sent you over your daily flower arrangement and that would always make you smile.

After his festival performance, he made sure he was ready to go so all he had to do was head to the airport and board the jet. His friends understood why he was in such a hurry, so they just followed behind him without saying a word.

“Dude come on we’ve been waiting for the pilot for thirty minutes.” Jack is tapping on his knee desperately, impatient as ever.

“Relax Jack, we’ll get there on time.” Neelam tries to get him to calm down, but she knows it’s a failed attempt.

“The dinner reservation I made is in two hours, I should’ve been back home by now. Fucking Chris needs to stop booking things without coming to me first.” Before the show started, he was informed that he had a few radio interviews he had to do, this caused him to be late to the show and he was now running late to go back home.

After waiting thirsty more minutes the pilot finally arrived and they were up in the air in no time. He was texting you back and forth, making sure you were awake and ready to go. All he had to do was take a quick shower and you’d be out the door.

Once he landed back in Louisville, his driver was already waiting for him there so he made it home in no time.

He noticed the lights were off which confused him. “Y/N?” He yelled out as soon as he walked in.

“Hi, baby.” You walk out of the kitchen, heading to him.

“Why aren’t you ready? I’ll just shower real fast and then we can head out to the restaurant.”

“Hmm about that.” You place your hands on his waist. “I canceled the reservation.”

“What?”

“Okay let me rephrase that.” You chuckle lightly. “I rescheduled for tomorrow.”

“Why?”

“Papi, I knew you’d be tired. I can tell you’ve barely slept and I need you to eat something.” You get on your tippy toes and give him a few kisses on his neck.

“I had things planned, baby.”

“I know, I spoke to Neelam and I made sure that everything you had planned for tonight, you could do tomorrow. Tonight is all about you.”

“We’re supposed to be celebrating us ” he reminded you.

“We are, and we will tomorrow. Right now I need you to undress and get into the tub, I have a bath ready for you, then we’ll eat and who knows, I’ll probably spoil you with a massage and some baby-making.” You wink at him.

“Baby making, did you say baby making?” He chuckles as he starts to undress right there in the living room, dropping his bags to the side.

“Mhm,” you smile as he grabs your hand and leads you to the bathroom. “Join me?”

“I can’t, I need to make sure I get the food out of the oven but I’ll sit there with you.” You pointed to the tub that was full of stress-relief eucalyptus bubbles.

“Smells good” he sniffed the air before getting into the warm water. “This feels good,” he breathed out.

“I put some bath salts in there for body aching, I know how you feel after a show.”

“Baby you’re spoiling me.”

“You deserve it” You grabbed a headband off the bathroom counter, putting it underneath his curls to make sure they were out of his face.

You pulled up a bar stool next to the tub, making sure you had a good angle. You started to massage his shoulder blades.

“Mmmm baby, that feels good” he sighed, leaning back in the tub.

You continue to rub at his shoulders and give him little kisses here and there where his freckles are at. “Damn, have you been working out babe?”

“I hit the gym over the weekend, needed to clear my mind”

“My grumpy baby.” You give him a last squeeze and stand up.

He groans “Where are you going?” He reached for you, tugging at the ends of your little lavender silk pajama dress.

“I have to check on dinner, you finish up here and meet me in the kitchen.”

He stands up. “I’m done, I just want to spend time with you.”

“Hmm.” You can’t help but stare below his waist.

“Y/N.” Jack chuckles.

“Sorry, umm yeah meet me in the kitchen.” You quickly head out of the bathroom and make your way to the kitchen to check on the food.

You take out the pan with food and place it on the counter and start setting up the table. You light up some candles and spread some rose petals around the little setup you have.

“What is all this?” You look up and see him smiling with a little tint of red on his cheeks, signs of him blushing.

“Just a little dinner for us.” You light up the last candle. “Come, sit baby so I can fix your plate.”

“Are we having wine or champagne?”

“Since when do you drink?” You chuckle, as you’re putting the food on two separate plates.

“Tonight’s a special night, so why not?” He shrugs, unscrewing the bottle and pouring it into some champagne flutes.

You two are finally seated and eating, you cooked a steak alongside mashed potatoes and some green beans. For dessert, you had made a tres leches cake that you were now sharing.

“Mhmm, this is by far my favorite cake that you’ve baked.” He moans after taking a bite of the cake.

“You say that to all the cakes I make.”

He nods, “Yeah because they’re that good.”

“Do you want more whipped cream?” You got up from your chair and went to the refrigerator to grab the whipped cream.

“Yes please.” As soon as you hand it to him, he quickly pulls you to his lap.

“JACK!” You giggle, placing your palm on his chest.

He pushes back your hair and smears some whipped cream on your neck. “JACKMAN.”

He quickly goes to lick it off you, sucking on your neck as he goes. “Hmm, bab-baby” you squirm on his lap. “That’s going to be sticky.”

“You’re going to be sticky either way.” He stands up, and you’re still very much wrapped up around his body. “You took care of me enough tonight, it’s my turn now.”

He continued to suck and kiss your neck, his hand slowly migrating between your legs.

You stood up as you felt the core of your stomach grow tighter. “I need you in that bedroom, now.”

“Bossy hmm? I like it” he picked you up, carrying you to the bedroom bridal style. He plopped you down on the bed and before he could start to kiss you, you stopped him.

“Baby, you had such a long day, let me take care of you first” the two of you got undressed. You watched as his dick sprung free. You got in a position for him to eat you out while you sucked him off.

“We’re doing this tonight?” He smirked, he gripped your thighs with both hands, ready to position you over his mouth.

“Let’s see who cums first” you challenged, you massage his balls as you took him into your mouth.

He pulled you down to him, his mouth sloppily licking and sucking at your folds, he took your clit into his mouth and started to hum, a trick he knew always worked.

Your legs started to tremble, and you felt close, you decided to focus on the tip, knowing that usually drove him to orgasm too.

“Baby, baby, babe” his voice was panicked underneath you. “I’m going to- I need to” and he did.

You felt him release against your tongue, and that was enough to make you orgasm on his face, not that he was complaining.

You got off of him, bringing him a wet towel to wipe his face and other body parts down with.

“That was amazing” he rasped, as you waddled to the bathroom. He hadn’t even been inside you yet and you were tingly all over.

You went to the bathroom to wipe yourself clean, when you walked out of the bathroom you found your husband still naked and asleep in bed, loud snores coming from him.

You shake your head, chuckling to yourself. “I knew he was tired,” You say to yourself.

You walk toward him and cover him with the blankets, turn off the lights, and get into bed next to him.

You can’t help but stare at him while he sleeps for a bit. The room was dark but you could still make out his face. You knew he was stressed and tired, so it was a matter of time before he fell asleep.

After a few more glances at him, you lay your head on his chest and try to sleep. His snoring never kept you awake, if anything it calmed you.

You finally fell asleep after about ten minutes of repositioning, and before you knew it you were being woken up by kisses going up and down your neck and his beard scratching you as he continued.

“Mmhmm, baby?” You rasp out.

“Sorry baby” he paused to kiss you “I fell asleep on you.” He placed another kiss on your temple “But now the real celebration starts.”

He was quick to remove the blankets and you knew he had been awake for a while before he started to kiss you, he never woke up with this much energy.

“What did you have in mind?” You yawned as you sat up to get a better view of him. You realized he had never got dressed.

“Well, it is our anniversary so what if we practice making a baby” he wiggled his eyebrow before bending down to kiss you.

“I’d like that” you smiled “happy anniversary baby.”

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

TAG LIST

@heavyhitterheaux @harlowsbby @arination99 @cmalass @jackharloww @minkookie95 @deannaard @jacksmoviestar @harlowcomehome @fdl305 @httpkoylinnn @xoxokiaraaxoxo @hoodharlow @automaticpeachsong @amethyst09 @aliciacat20 @allyson15 @gabbylovesreading @stefansalvatoresgf @violetdreamsworld @carma-fanficaddict @jasminxts @itsaaliyah2 @itsyagirljaz @harrycanyonmoonn @neon-lights-and-glitter @awhore4moree

#jack harlow #fic collab #harlowcomehome #jack harlow x yn #jack harlow x oc #jack harlow x reader #jack harlow x y/n #jack harlow x you #jack harlow fanfic #jack harlow smut #jack harlow fanfiction #jackman thomas harlow

828 notes · View notes

lulublack90 · 8 months ago

Text

Prompt 3 - Enchant

@jegulus-microfic June 3, Word count 708

Previous part First part

Lunch had been excellent. Some silly bugger had tried to talk with his mouth full and choked at the table next to them and Remus had rushed over and given the man the Heimlich manoeuvre. They’d been given free puddings for Remus’s heroics.

James leaned against the check-in desk. He hadn’t had to wait long to be served and the man behind the desk had a smile plastered on his face unlike the one in Remus’s queue.

“There you go, Mr Potter, you’re all checked in. Is there anything else I can do for you today?” He said as he handed over James’s boarding pass and passport.

“Well actually,” He peered at the name tag pinned to the man’s shirt. “Frank. Do you see that man over there? He saved somebody’s life at lunch. Is there any way you could bump him up to first class?” He did his best to enchant young Frank, giving him his best smiles and gentle eyes. Poor Frank couldn’t take his eyes off James’s smile. “Frank?” Frank shook his head.

“I’ll see what I can do, Mr Potter. Do you happen to know his name?” James’s smile got wider.

“Champagne, Dr Lupin,” The steward asked sweetly.

“Erm, please, thank you,” Remus stammered as he accepted the flute. He turned to James once she was gone. “OMG! First class is amazing! You’ve totally ruined flying for me!” They both laughed as they clinked their glasses together and took a sip.

“Just relax and enjoy yourself, Remus,” James said, giving him a cheeky wink.

They got off the plane, fully relaxed and their carry-ons stuffed with goodies from the stewards.

“I just need to go to the desk, I won’t be a second,” Remus told James after they’d collected their bags.

“James, sweetheart are you coming home tonight?” Effie spoke softly as she and Monty, pushing one of the luggage trollies, came up behind him.

“I’m going to surprise Regulus. Sirius is picking up Remus, but Reg doesn’t know we were on the same flight. So, Sirius is going to take me back to theirs as well.” He knew his face was alight with mischief because his father’s face mirrored it.

“Have fun,” Monty chuckled as he wrapped his son in a hug. “Make sure you text your mother in the morning so she knows you’re not dead,” He whispered in James’s ear, so Effie couldn’t hear him. James didn’t understand how, after all these years, his dad still didn’t remember that Euphemia Potter knew all.

“Fleamont, stop being ridiculous. Regulus is a fine young man, as is Sirius. Plus Remus will be there, and he’s a doctor,” Effie scolded.

“Exactly, my love. He knows how to get the kidneys out.” Effie batted her husband away.

“Daft man. Remus dear,” Effie cooed when Remus came back over to the group, rolling a second suitcase. “You’re not going to butcher my son and sell his organs on the black market are you?” Remus didn’t know how to respond to that, his mouth opening and closing with no words coming out.

“Muuuuum!” James hung his head into his palm. “Please stop tormenting my friend.”

“Yes, love,” She kissed James on the cheek and then did the same to Remus, patting his cheek. “I’m only teasing, darling. I know you’re a good boy,” Remus blushed, deep red and blinked furiously until Effie let him go. She and Monty wandered out of the airport, hand in hand as they pushed their trolly out of the glass doors.

James watched his parents with love and silently prayed that one day he’d have the kind of relationship his parents had. He tore his eyes away from them and looked down at the familiar suitcase Remus had brought back from the desk.

“Is that Regulus’s?” Remus looked down.

“Oh, yeah. Sirius asked me to get it. They didn’t put it on their flight,” Remus told him.

“I bet Reg is going spare,” James chuckled as he thought about the way Regulus’s face would have widened in outrage when he found out about his suitcase. “Come on let’s go cheer him up.” He took Regulus’s suitcase out of Remus’s hand and walked out into the arrivals section where Sirius should be waiting.

Next part

70 notes · View notes

etirabys · 2 years ago

Text

The only China-related blog I read posted something that deviates from its usual "just translate the top posts on Weibo" post format. It's about the position of women in China:

https://weibo.substack.com/p/feminism-and-the-position-of-women

It and the (extremely fucking dark) post it links to in its second paragraph have been on my mind for several days. I've kept the browser tabs open despite having finished reading & having no desire to reread them.

I found the feminism post illuminating – things I'd 80% understood about the CCP's "strategy" wrt gender snapped into place, and I feel foolish for not having clearly seen that angle before:

The problem, of course, is that the gender ratio in China has been off for a very long time now. Inevitably, there are going to be a lot of men who will never find a wife. And inevitably, those men are going to be precisely the most unstable elements of society—the poorest, working the most menial of jobs, with the least hopes of ever getting promoted, with the least education. Under these circumstances, relying on market forces is not an option. Women would never willingly marry those people when they have perfectly good careers of their own. So the first step, then, is to fuck women out of careers. ...

China is in an equilibrium that it cannot coordinate to get out of: if you have a daughter, you don't want to invest in her when the norms are that her husband will provide for her / that she won't have a career after marriage. If you have a son, you need to to invest in him, because his marital/reproductive prospects aren't great unless he has a job, a car, and an internal passport that lets him live/work in a city, where he can have a future.

It might be a little unbelievable to you, that a country can just sacrifice half its population to stabilise the other half. ... China doesn’t pass laws or enforce laws to protect women for the same reason they don’t pass or enforce laws to protect sweat shop workers. China is competitive on the international stage precisely because it is willing to look the other way while you make a sweat shop of people work unpaid overtime 80 hours a week while you pay them a quarter of minimum wage and don’t give health insurance or retirement benefits. China is competitive on the international stage because it’s willing to look the other way while you dump industrial waste right into the ocean.

#rambl #// china

296 notes · View notes

olivia-bensan · 1 month ago

Text

I was only 22 years old when I got married but!

I got married when I was 22 years old. My husband was 33. In the beginning, everything was perfect between us. No matter how much we argued during the day, by night, we'd forget everything and feel close again.

At first, I didn't want to marry him because of the age difference, but my family insisted, and I agreed.

With time, things began to change. I was young and full of energy. I enjoyed talking and laughing with my friends, but my mother-in-law didn't like this. She said, "You are newly married, and you should respect your father-in-law and brother-in-law."

I didn't change my habits, which made her dislike me more, but I didn't care.

The Turning Point

A year after our marriage, my husband had to go abroad for work. I told him I wanted to go with him, but he refused, saying it was only for two months and that his parents and unwell brother needed me at home.

We argued. I told him, "I married you, not your family." He finally said, "Fine, get your passport made."

When my passport was ready, he got upset and said, "You only do what you want." I replied, "Yes, I don't need anyone's opinion to make my decisions."

This escalated, and my mother-in-law also begged me to stay, saying it was just two months. I agreed to stay but only if I could live at my parents' house during that time.

When my husband returned, he didn't come to pick me up. Over the phone, he said, "Marriage is about cooperation, but you only think about yourself. This relationship can't work anymore."

The End of the Marriage

He sent divorce papers. My family tried to convince me to patch things up, but I valued my self-respect. At 23, I was divorced.

Life After Divorce

By the time I turned 25, I decided to remarry. But I only met men who were much older, widowed, or divorced. I felt judged because of the stigma of second marriages.

Now I'm 30 and still unmarried. When I reflect, I sometimes think that insisting on going abroad with my husband might have been a mistake. If I hadn't argued, maybe things would've been different.

A Message for Women

Divorce is not as simple as it seems. Movies and TV shows make it look easy, but the reality is harsh. Life becomes much harder afterward.

No matter how strong or capable we women are, there's always a fear of being alone. Having a partner often eases that fear, even if we don't admit it because of our ego.

To all young girls, I say this:

Don't take decisions like divorce lightly. Small issues can be resolved with patience. Once you break a marriage, life becomes even more difficult.

If my story hurt anyone, I'm sorry. My only intention is to share my experience and help others. If you found value in my story, let me know.

#life #quotes #life quotes #motivation #love #aeathetic

14 notes · View notes

hatchetfield-omegaverse · 2 days ago

Text

Hail Petey, Full of Grace Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Wedding at Cana

AO3 LINK

Chapter 3 Link

A/N: And we're back! Welcome to the Spankoffski-Lauter wedding, the first and only wedding to be held at Camp Idontwannabang! Please enjoy yourselves!

Parents weekend was always a big deal at Camp Idontwannabang: the campers, having spent weeks away from home, would be ecstatic to see their parents again and teach them everything they learned. The Jerries, feeling generous, would throw a large BBQ complete with smores, and end the night with a giant concert dedicated to Christ. Oh yes, Parents weekend was always a big deal, and this year was set to be no different.

Every camper was filled with anticipation from the moment cars started up at the camp signs, waiting to see the one that belonged to their family. Pete, of course, was no different. If anything he was jumpier than all the other campers combined. If you asked him though, Pete had good reasons to be anxious.

Firstly, it was his wedding day, so pre wedding jitters were to be expected.

The second reason was one Lorraine Mega.

“I don't get why it's such a big deal that she's coming to the wedding.” Steph said when Pete jumped at the sound of a car engine for the umpteenth time. “She's just your grandma, and I thought you said she'd be supportive.”

“It's not that, Steph. My grandma is just a lot. It's just hard to explain.”

“Then what is it? Does she not get the trans thing?”

“No, she's great with my name and pronouns and all that. It's just-”

“Can you two quit the family talk and focus on keeping this ladder steady?” Grace called down to them. “I don't want the garland to be crooked.”

Pete snorts and turns his attention back to the ladder. He's not sure how exactly hot got roped into helping set up for the wedding, but it was too late to really question it. Besides, this was the last garland. He'd be free soon enough.

Eventually, after taking her sweet time making sure the garland looked just right, Grace climbs down the ladder. “Okay, I'll handle the rest of the decorating. You two go get ready. And remember: the bride can't-”

“-can't see the groom before the wedding.” Pete finishes the sentence. It was probably the hundredth time Grace said the mantra today. “We know Grace. Don't worry.”

Assured that they wouldn't try to sneak a peak of each other, Grace sends them off with instructions to get ready for the wedding. Instructions that they immediately ignore of course, choosing instead to walk by the lake in some effort to spend a little more time together before their families arrive.

“So,” Steph says once they're sufficiently away from the rest of camp, “Why exactly is your grandma coming to the wedding a big deal?”

Pete sighs at the question. How was he supposed to explain Lorraine Mega? The Lorraine Mega who smuggled Jews out of Germany, who raised her son alone after the disappearance of her husband. The Lorraine Mega who didn't realize her son was gay until the mid 60s but immediately became one of the biggest allies he knew. The Lorraine Mega who could defuse a bomb and fake passports like a pro, but refused to use language harder than ‘damn’.

Where on earth would he begin trying to explain Grandma Lorie?

“Okay, the first thing you need to know is that Grandma Lorie is Jewish, and a devout Jew at that. And we're getting married at a Christian abstinence camp.”

“Oh.” Steph winced. “Does she not like that you were raised agnostic then?”

“She's fine with that. According to her, belief should come from the heart, not from family tradition. She'll just make sure we come for all the high holidays. But she's going to hate the fear mongering Christianity.”

“I mean I hate the fear mongering Christianity.”

“Second thing, do not let the little old lady schtick fool you. She is always armed and she's got amazing aim.”

“No.” Steph laughs. “She's always armed? Isn't she like 100?”

“And she uses a walker.” Pete nods. “But that won't stop her.”

“Cool.” Steph says through laughter. “Maybe she'll shoot Boy Jerry for being a dick.”

“I wish. Okay the most important thing, Grandma Lorie is obsessed with two things: weddings and grandchildren. And we're giving her both.”

“Well that's good isn't it?” Steph looks at him. “She'll support us then.”

“She'll support us alright. And she’ll get way too into it.” Pete sighs.

“How into it?” She raises an eyebrow at him.

“Well let's put it this way. I won't be surprised if she asked us when we planned to try for a second.”

“But we don't even have one yet.”

Pete nods. “Exactly. And she's worse when it comes to weddings. She's taken out ads in the paper to get my cousin a partner. She's had wedding scrapbooks planned for all of her grandchildren from birth, hell I'm sure she's made one for Bean. Hell I'm half expecting her to offer to plan us a second wedding because this won't be up to her standards.”

Steph laughs. “Well, can you blame her?” She gestures back to camp, or more specifically to the giant cross that Grace thought would make the perfect altar at camp. While it normally hangs over the main stage where the Jerries perform, it had been specially moved to the beach where Grace had planned the wedding to take place. The cross itself was massive, at least 8 feet tall, and covered in faded white paint. According to Grace, the Jerries paid extra for the paint to look so worn. She said it was called shabby chic. Pete thought it made it look like they couldn't afford a new cross. Someone had tied ribbons to it in pastel green, pink, and purple. The decorations gave the whole thing a children's Easter party vibe. “Can you honestly say you thought your wedding would look like this?”

He can't, but the thought of insulting the work of campers who just wanted to help them feels too mean for Pete's liking. But he has to say something, so he eventually settles on, “I definitely pictured less Christianity involved. And maybe more booze.”

“Yeah, me too.” Steph agrees. Her eyes scan across the landscape in search of something, before turning back to him. “God there's no drinking, no good music, barely any junk food, and it's all at abstinence camp so hookups. Who knew our wedding would be the lamest party I've ever been to.”

Pete laughs at her assessment. “It's the only party I've ever been to. Maybe we should take my grandma up on a makeup wedding. At least that one will have booze.”

“It's a tempting offer.” Steph laughs in agreement. Then she pauses as the entirety of his sentence hits her. “What do you mean you've never been to a party?”

“I've never been to a party. Well, like a proper party. I don't think a movie night with Ruth and Richie counts.” Pete shrugs.

“But I throw parties all the time. My friends throw parties all the time. You've never gone to a single one? Ever?”

“I wasn't exactly first on the guest list, Steph.” And why would he be? He couldn't imagine why anyone would want to invite ‘Micro-Peter’ Spankoffski to a rager. Most teens wouldn't want to spend an evening with the school valedictorian and captain of the chess team.

Steph looks down the gears in her head turning. “Sure you weren't invited, but you never tried to sneak in?”

He shakes his head. “Max would have beat our asses if we were caught. And even if we made it in, that just meant being ignored by the same people who ignored us every day.”

“Okay, but that was before we got together. You never went to one after we started dating?” She's grasping at straws now, in search of some kind of proof that he wasn't the outcast he knows he is.

Telling Steph might break her heart, but Pete knows she needs to hear it.

“Steph, think about it. When did we get together?”

“Halloween.”

“Right. You were grounded from a party for failing a math test and I came over to tutor you.”

“I was going to sneak out but you were so much fun…”

“And there weren't any parties before Christmas were there?”

‘No I guess not.” She murmurs. “And we- you got pregnant during winter break, so of course we didn't go to any parties during the spring- oh my god, you've never been to a party.”

“Yeah. I told you when we started dating, I'm a Grade A nerd.”

“All this time I've been whining that I can't do any fun teenager things anymore. And you never got to them in the first place.”

“It's not that big of a deal. Can't miss what you've never had.” Pete meant it. He was already used to the nights in. Having Bean just meant he'd have new company now.

“It's a big deal to me.” She whines. Pete wants to comfort her but, before he can, Steph stands up straight with that look in her eyes that he knows means she's made up her mind. “I'm going to take you to some parties once we get out of here. All the good ones are thrown senior year anyway.”

“What about Bean?” He doubts that a newborn will be welcome at one of Stacy or Brenda's ragers.

“We'll get a sitter. Maybe we can ask Ted: he's always going on about you doing normal teen things. I swear Peter Spankoffski, you are going to go to parties, dances, football games. Everything you've missed out on before because of some stupid social hierarchy.”

Pete laughs at her statement. Part of him wants to remind her how hard that'll be once they're parents, but she's clearly made up her mind and there's no changing it. “Okay, I believe you.”

“Good.” She looks like she wants to say more, but whatever it is is interrupted by Annie, one of the girls in Pete's group, running over.

“Peter!” She calls as she runs towards them. She stops in front of him and rests her hand on her knees, catching her breath.

“Hey what's wrong?” Oh god. Is someone hurt? Did Jerry find out about their group? He can only imagine what was going on to send her running for him like that.

“B-blue!” She pants. “Blue Studebaker! Just like you!”

Pete's eyes widened at that. Because while no one is hurt or in trouble, a blue Studebaker is pulling into the entrance of Camp Idontwannabang, which can only mean one thing.

Ted, for the first time in his goddamn life, is early.

Ted's already gotten out of the car by the time Pete's made it back to the campgrounds proper and is struggling to get Lorie’s walker from the trunk. Paul and Emma stand next to him, the former doing his best impression of a chihuahua at the vet while the former tries to help Ted with the walker.

“Maybe if you turn it this way.” Emma suggests. Pete can't see how the walker is laying but he's sure that it's thoroughly stuck.

“I tried turning it that way already.” Ted barks back.

“Well I'm just trying to help you.” Emma retorts. Pete is sure there's going to be a fight, but then Grandma Lorie is getting out of the car and making her way to the trunk.

“Oh let me do it.” She says, batting them both away. “You have to be careful or else you'll bend it. Then I'll have to get a new one and that's such a hassle.”

Lorie reaches into the trunk and in one swift motion pulls the walker out. “Just like that.” She says as she hands it to Ted for him to open.

“Yeah Emma, just like that.” He parrots her. Pete, for his part, is happy to merely watch his family, but those plans are shattered when Lorie turns and sees him.

“Peter!” She yanks the walker from Ted and hobbles over to pull him into a bone crushing hug. Every time Pete is shocked how strong she is for such a little lady. “Oh look at you! You know every time I see you you look more like your grandfather. Did you get taller? I swear you've gotten taller. Who knows, maybe I'm shrinking.”

Pete isn't sure if she's shrunk or if he's grown, but his grandmother is just as much of a spitfire as she was the last time he saw her. Lorie is wearing a green church dress with flowers printed on it and matching green shoes. He can already hear the story of how she ‘got them at Ross for such a good deal’. Her silver hair is pinned into a bun and hidden under a green pillbox hat, and she's wearing the same coral lipstick she's had since the 50s. She's the same grandma he's always known and he loves her for it.

“Curt and Owen and Tati send their best wishes. They would have been here themselves but they're on vacation in Cuba. Isn't that fun! And Cynthia was going to go but she doesn't trust religious institutions, you know how she is. And of course she needs Susan's help with everything and he couldn’t leave her alone so it's just me. But aren't I lucky to be here!”

“It's good to see you too Grandma.” Pete says, finally able to get a word in edgewise. “I've missed you.”

“Oh I've missed you so much dear. You need to come down to Miami more often, it's getting hard for me to fly back up to Michigan to see you all. And with Howie in DC, ugh I swear our family is all over the place. But I'm so glad I can be here. And for such a wonderful occasion at that! I'm so glad I get to see one of my grandsons get married before I go.” She says pointedly.

“Hey!” Pete laughs at the offended cry Ted gives. “Why am I the only one getting called out? Howie isn't married either.”

Ted and Howie (as each other's only cousin for years) were constantly getting compared to each other. Ted would never admit it but he’d always been extremely jealous of his cousin Howard Goodman

“Because Howie isn't here Theodore.” Lorie states matter-of-factly. “I'm not getting any younger and I would like to see you get settled and have children.”

Ted groans. “I know Grandma. I know.” Pete can't help but watch as Emma and Paul both stare intently at the floor. Oh , he thinks, she doesn't know about them yet.

Part of him wants to laugh at the absurdity of it. Here was Ted getting scolded by their grandmother for not dating when he had two partners. Honestly.

“Well, at least I'll get to see Peter here give me a grandchild before I pass.” She says, cupping his cheeks. “And you know something Peter dear? I don't want you to feel ashamed about becoming a parent as a teenager. You're not the first member of this family to have children young and you probably won't be the last. So you just keep your chin up no matter what any judgemental jerks say about you and remember that I'm supporting you, ok?”

Pete nods at her words, tears welling in his eyes at her support. He hadn't realized how badly he'd needed to hear that until just now, but clearly he did. Maybe Boy Jerry's judgement of Pete had affected him more than he'd like to admit. “Thank you.” He whispers. “That means a lot.”

“Of course sweetheart.” She wipes away a tear from his eye and smiles reassuringly. Then something behind him catches Lorie’s gaze and she's moving past Pete at lighting speed. “Ohhh and is that the lucky lady? Come here. I need to meet my new granddaughter.”

Pete watches with relief as she pulls Stephs into a hug. He'd always known that she would accept his girlfriend, but actually seeing it happen was a huge weight off his chest. He turns back towards Ted who's watching him intently.

“What? No I've missed you hug?” Pete jokes. “I've been away for half the summer now.”

That's clearly all the encouragement Ted needed, because next thing he knows Pete is being pulled into a bear hug. “I'm glad you're okay. I've been worried about you since I dropped you off.” He whispers in Pete's ear.

“Careful. Or else I might think you missed me.” Pete laughs.

“Hey don't say it too loud. I have a reputation to maintain.” Ted fires back without missing a beat. “How are people supposed to know I'm a heartless bastard if you keep acting like have feelings and shit.”

“Guess you'll have to cope.” Pete shrugs before smiling. “I missed you too.”

“You better have.” Ted says as he releases him the hug. Paul and Emma are waiting to take his place.

“How are you feeling?” Emma asks.

“I'm okay. The acid reflux and morning sickness stopped a bit ago so that's nice.”

“Good. You better come home soon. I've missed having my least favorite customer visit.”

“Oh I'll be by soon enough. And I've got a crisp 20 waiting for your tip jar so you better sing.”

“If you tip 20 bucks I'll do the fucking cancan.”

“Close enough.” He looks over at Paul. “Good to see you again Mr.Matthews. Have you heard back from Richie yet?” Pete isn't sure why but he's never felt comfortable calling Richie’s uncle anything other than Mr. Matthews. He was sure that Paul would probably melt if he actually referred to him by his first name.

“I did. He's having a great time in Japan. I'm glad you're doing good too.”

“Yeah, I am.” Pete agrees. “It was bumpy at first but everyone's been nice so far.”

“I'm glad.” Ted sighs in relief. “I thought they'd try to make an example out of your or something like that.”

Pete winces. Ted has no clue how right he is. “About that. Could I talk to you? Privately?”

Ted nods and follows Pete over to a secluded area. He catches Steph’s eye as they pass and she shoots him the encouraging thumbs up from her seemingly never ending conversation with Lorie about wedding dresses.

“Alright what's going on?” Ted asks once they're far enough away. “Is it the rest of the campers? Are they bullying you? Jesus Christ, I thought I wouldn't have to deal with this anymore now that Max is with Ruth.”

“It's not the other campers.” Pete starts.

“Is it Jerry then?” Ted cuts him off. “That fucking bastard. I knew he'd try to humiliate you. I mean look at you! He gave you a uniform that doesn't even fit.”

“Ted.”

“I cannot believe he would stoop low enough to bully an actual child.”

“Ted.”

“Seriously I'm going to fucking deal with him. I can't believe I thought you'd be okay here.”

“TED!” Pete finally screams and it's enough to gain his brother's attention. “It's not like that. Sorta.”

Ted raises an eyebrow. “Explain.”

“Yeah, Boy Jerry did try to make an example out of me. But it backfired really badly and now I have a different problem.”

“What do you mean it backfired?” Ted asks. He crosses his arms and gives his parented ‘you better fucking answer’ look. “Well? I'm waiting.”

“Okay.” Pete finally starts. “On the first day Boy Jerry pulled me up in front of everyone and started asking me really personal questions about the baby. And it sucked.”

“I knew it!”

“Let me finish.” He deadpans. “But then he asked me to describe how I got pregnant for everyone and… I don't know everyone was watching and I just snapped.”

Ted runs a hand through his hair. “What did you say?”

“I might have said that it was an immaculate conception.”

Ted blinks. “I'm sorry, what?”

“I said it was an immaculate conception.” He repeats himself louder. “I don't know why I said it. I was just so done with all the questions and I thought it would make him stop.”

“Ok two things.” Ted sighs and closes his eyes. “Firstly, that was fucking stupid and you're lucky he didn't make your life hell for saying that. So maybe don't do it again.”

“Secondly?” Pete dares to ask.

“Secondly,” Ted takes a deep breath, “that sounds hilarious and I wish I would have been there to see the look on his face when you told him it was an immaculate conception.”

“Yeah.” He says sheepishly. “It would have been really funny too. Except Grace believed me.”

"What?” Ted asks, staring at Pete like this conversation has aged him 10 years. It'll probably age him another 20 by the time it's done.

“Yeah. It turns out Grace Chastity doesn't understand what sarcasm is so she actually believed me. And she convinced the entire camp to believe me.”

Ted pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs. “So all of abstinence camp believes that you're having Jesus 2.0?”

“Pretty much everyone except for the Jerries.”

“That's a cult, Pete.”

“I didn't mean to start a cult Ted!” Pete tries to defend himself. I was going to back down but then…”

“Then what?”

“Then Grace nearly committed mutiny against the Jerries because they put me in solitary as punishment and nearly got the whole camp to join her! And it was that week that it stormed for like 3 days and the storms didn't stop until literally second I was let out of solitary, so everything thinks that was God punishing the camp. Now the Jerries are too scared of another revolution to say anything, Grace is starting a whole religion about me, and the entire camp keeps asking me religious questions like I would know the answers!”

Pete pants as he finally comes to a stop. He hadn't realized how long all of this had been building up inside him, but the second he'd started to vent he couldn't stop. It felt good though. Finally getting to tell someone everything that had happened.

“I just want to have Bean in peace, but I don't think I'm going to be able to do that now because everyone is expecting a Messiah and not, y'know a baby!”

He waits for Ted to say something, anything to help Pete get out of this mess. But he doesn't. Instead Ted just stands for what feels like an eternity, eyes clamped shut and completely silent. Then, just when Pete thinks he's going to go mad from waiting, he opens his eyes.

“Here's what you're going to do. You're going to get married today. You're going to enjoy your wedding, got it? Then you're finishing out the rest of camp, there's only a couple weeks left and it's not worth dealing with Mayor Lauter to leave now. Do not tell anyone what you've told me, okay? Stick to your story no matter what. They say they'll forgive liars but I know Jerry, he was a vindictive asshole when we were teens and I'm sure as shit he's one now. Use your little cult to keep space between him and you. Then when you go into labor, I will come get you and take you home.”

“And after?” Pete asks. He doesn't know what he's supposed to tell everyone when he has a regular baby and not their savior.

“You just have one year left until college. If anyone asks you say that the baby hasn't grown into their godly abilities yet but you're keeping a low profile for now. After graduation you're home free.”

“Ok.” Pete nods. “OK. I can do that.”

“One more thing. Grace is not allowed to be alone with Bean ever.”

“What?” Pete asked. Grace had been nothing but supportive since the start of camp. She was fine to be around.

“Think about it Petey. She's clearly bananas and she thinks your child is Jesus. What if she puts them in danger trying to unlock their powers or something?”

Pete nods, his shoulder sagging. Ted did have a point. “I guess you're right.”

“I am.” Ted nods. “Now come on. We have a wedding to get to.”

Pete spots the familiar limo of Solomon Lauter in the camp parking lot when they come back. Mayor Lauter himself however, is nowhere to be found. He scans the crowd of parents for any sight of him but nothing. Instead he finds Ruth and Max, chilling in the shade of a tree with Steph.

“There you are!” She calls when she sees Pete, pulling him to sit next to her. “I was wondering when you'd be back.”

“Sorry. Was telling Ted everything that's been going on at camp.” He says, emphasizing the last part.

“Oh.” Steph says, eyes wide. “How'd he take it?”

“Later.” Pete whispers. He looks around; Lorie is gone, as are Paul and Emma.

“Your grandma wanted to set up some decorations and dragged Paul and Emma along to help.” Steph answers his unspoken question. “She's hilarious Pete. She told me she knew how to fake passports.”

“Oh she does. She used to smuggle refugees into the states during World War II.” Pete nods.

Her jaw drops at the fact. “I'm sorry, what? That's so fucking cool!”

“Oh yeah. She's got a bunch of stories from the war if you ask her.” He looks around once more then decides to broach the subject. “I saw your dad's car in the parking lot.”

Steph tenses at the mere mention of her father. Pete, immediately regretting his decision, is about to change the subject when she speaks. “Yeah. You know how he is. Showed up long enough to remind me not to fuck up his reputation then disappeared to take a phone call from a campaign back. He'll show back up in time for the wedding. Probably.”

“I'm sorry Steph.” Pete reaches out to squeeze her hand.

“It's fine. I'm used to it.” He wants to tell her that it's not fine. That she deserves a father who cares more about her than some stupid election, but Ruth pulls him into a hug before he can actually say those words.

She’s cloaked in Max’s letterman jacket despite it being almost 80 degrees out. She’d hardly taken it off since they started dating at the end of last semester. The owner of the letterman jacket isn’t far behind her.

“I can't believe you're getting married Pete!” She squeals into his ear. “I've missed you so much, the summer has been so boring without you and Richie here! I mean Max and I've been having a lot of fun and all, but I miss my best friends.”

Pete, choosing to ignore the mental images of her ‘having fun’ with Max, pulls Ruth into a hug. “I missed you too.”

Max smiles at him and offers a fist bump. “Good to see you again. When are you getting out of here so I can whip your ass at Mario Kart?”

“You wish, Jägerman.” Pete says with a shit eating grin. It had taken a while for him to trust Max after he'd decided that he wanted to be friends. What can he say, years of bullying don't go away overnight. Honestly, Pete thought they'd never actually get along. That is until they'd ended up playing Mario Kart together during a friendly game night. Max was shockingly good at the game and they'd formed a weekly meetup to play. “We both know I'm the champ.”

“You wish.” Max grins.

“I'm glad you're both here.”

Ruth smiles and hugs him once more. “I wouldn't miss it for the world. And the baby! You're getting huge.”

“Yeah, that's what happens when you're pregnant, Ruth.” He states matter-of-factly.

“Yeah but you're really huge! Are you sure it's not twins?” Pete shakes his head no, eliciting a sigh from her. “I swear you're so fucking lucky! You're the only one of us who has proof that they're not a virgin.”

Pete turns and stares at her. “Hey Ruth, I think you should go over that sentence again, because you just implied you want to be a teen mom.”

“Well maybe I do Peter.” She insists. “You know I'd make a sexy Mom. The milf of all milfs.”

“Did you just call yourself the one ring of milfs?” Pete laughs.

“Maybe I did.”

“Well,” Steph cuts in, “you might want to stop while you're ahead. Or else Max will stop wanting to have fun with you.”

“There you are!” Grace calls out, stopping whatever horrifying response Ruth was surely forming. He'd known Ruth for years and loved her like a sister, but sometimes Pete truly couldn't understand the way her mind worked. Grace runs over to the group. “Come on! You have to go get ready! The wedding is soon!”

“Already?” Pete asks. He can see Lorie coming back with Emma and Paul thank god. “I thought we had more time?”

“No!” Grace cries. “Which is why you need to hurry.”

“Okay.” Steph says helping Pete stand up. “I guess I'll head back to my cabin then. See you at the altar?”

“See you then. Love you.” Pete turns towards Ted. “Guess we should head to my cabin then.”

“Actually I'll catch up with you. I want to talk to Steph alone first.”

“You do?”

“Yeah. I won't be long.” Ted says before following Steph to her cabin.

“Come on Peter.” Lorie says. “I have a gift for you. And you can show me your private cabin.”

“Okay Grandma. It's not much though.” Pete says, guiding her towards the Gomorrah cabin. Only, when they've taken two steps towards his cabin, Grace steps in front of them both.

“No going to your cabin until after the wedding.” She says, voice full of authority.

“What?” Pete asks incredulously. “Grace, you literally just said I have to get ready.”

“No going to your cabin until after the ceremony. Girl Jeri's orders. Get ready in the big house.”

He sighs. “Really Grace?”

“Really. Now go get ready!” She says, shooing them in the opposite direction.

The walk to the big house is quick, even with Lorie’s walker, and soon enough they're in a private room of the big house getting ready. Well Pete was getting ready. Lorie sat in a chair drinking lemonade and giving him all the marital advice she can muster.

“Now remember Peter, you're going to argue at times, that's normal. Healthy even. It's not good to bottle all that stuff up. But what's important is that afterwards you both tell each other you love the other. Reaffirm your love even when you're upset.” She says between sips of lemonade.

Pete nods along. “I will.” He promises. “I want her to always know that I love her.”

“That's a good boy.” Lorie smiles. “Now come show me how handsome you look.”

Pete sighs and steps out from the changing room. His outfit was simple. A pair of white jeans, a white button up, and white suspenders. The all white had been Grace's idea, apparently it would emphasize their commitment to abstinence until marriage. Pete didn't really care about that of course, but he had to admit the all white suited him.

“Oh look at how handsome you are!” Lorie cooes upon seeing him. “Give me a little spin, come on.”

Pete does as he told, spinning around so she can get the full effect. She praises him more and even he can't keep the smile off his face that forms from hearing his grandma call him handsome.

“I look like a groom then?” He asks.

“The handsomest groom I ever saw. Other than your grandfather of course. Now get over here so I can give you your present.” Lorie says, patting the seat next to her. Pete is happy to oblige, sitting beside her as he fixes his hair.

“You didn't have to get me a gift.”

“Oh pish posh. Of course I'm going to get my grandson a present.” She says, handing him a small black velvet box. “Now this is from your Grandpa Curt and your Grandma Tati too, okay? So you remember to thank them the next time you see them.”

“I will, I promise.” Pete says as he opens the box. Inside are two silver wedding bands. He picks one up and sees PS engraved on the inside. The does the same for the other and sees SL. He recognizes them, they’re his grandparents rings“Grandma Lorie?” He asks in a whisper.

“We knew you would have any rings, with the wedding being so short notice, but we didn't want you to have to do without. They're from when Curt married Tati. Since they’re not using them anymore they thought you should have them. And your Grandpa Owen called in a favor with a friend to get them engraved. They have your initials on them, that way you'll always carry your love with you. There’s a letter in there from your grandpa.”

To say Pete’s family tree is complicated would be an understatement. Grandpa Curt and Grandpa Owen had been in love since the 1950s but for complicated reasons that Pete had never fully understood, Curt had married a Russian Immigrant and had and raised two girls with her. But when gay marriage was finally legalized a few years ago, Curt and Tati had gotten a divorce and Curt and Owen had finally gotten married.

Pete had been the ringbearer when Curt and Owen had gotten married and he’d never forget the absolute joy on their faces when they finally became husbands. He’s fiddling with the rings while he reads it

Pete,

Your brother told us the good news and I’m sorry we couldn’t make it. Though Ma will probably make you have another one (if you don’t want that just let me know I’ve been dodging wedding questions since your mother was a twinkle in your grandmother's eye) but I figured if I couldn’t be there for you I figured I could give you these.

When I married Tati we both knew that we’d never be able to be a proper husband and wife to each other but we did have a nice life together. Then I got to marry the love of my life and it was the best day of my life. I hope despite everything this is the best day of your life. We can’t wait to meet your wife at Thanksgiving.

Love from all of us

Curt, Owen, and Tati

“They're beautiful. Thank you.” He hugs her tightly when he finishes reading. “I love them. I know Steph will love them. It's too much.”

“Nonsense.” Lorie waves him off. “You two deserve it. Now how do you feel?”

“I feel…” Pete takes a deep breath. “I feel ready to get married.”

Half an hour later Pete is standing under the giant cross, Ted standing beside him. Boy Jerry is standing in front of him, wearing an expression that should only be reserved for stepping on Legos. Good , Pete thinks. Everyone is seated in front of him, all that's left is to wait for Steph to make her grand entrance. The group is mostly silent save for the occasional whisper that ripples through the crowd. Pete can't blame them for being curious though; after all, it is the only wedding to take place at Camp Idontwannabang. And the groom being pregnant probably only adds to the allure of it all.

He's sure he'd have his questions if he were in their shoes.

The first strums of the wedding march plays and the audience stands up for the bride. And that's really all Pete notices because then Stephanie is there, walking down the aisle to marry him and the rest of the world melts away.

The dress is made of delicate lace and clings to her form in a way that fills Pete with so many thoughts that not even all the wallets in the world could get rid of them all. The sleeves are long and sheer billowing out just under her elbows. Her hair is styled in loose curls, with a flower crown resting atop her head. She looks like a goddess and Pete feels underdressed in comparison.

Then his eyes trail to the figure next to her and his heart leaps. Pete had figured that Solomon would walk her down the aisle since that's traditional, or that she'd walk herself down the aisle if Solomon couldn't pull his head out of his own ass long enough to support his daughter. But no, escorting Steph down the aisle is his Grandma Lorie, beaming at anyone who looks at her. Their arms are intertwined and even Lorie's walker has been decorated with flowers. It's amazing.

Finally, she reaches the altar and stands in front of Pete. He gives his grandma a kiss on the cheek and before taking Steph's hands and pulling her as close as he was allowed to. The music stops and Boy Jerry gives a sermon that's probably full of his usual bullshit on the importance of abstinence, but Pete doesn't hear a word of it. All that matters is Steph is in front of him and they're about to be married. They'll be a family: him, Steph and their baby. Just like it was always meant to be.

He doesn't really pay attention until it's time to say their vows, and even then it takes Ted nudging him with his foot for Pete to tear his gaze away from Steph to look at the vows he'd written.

“Steph.” He reads, voice already thick with tears. “I know there's a mountain of reasons for why we shouldn't be here today: we're young, we've only been together for nine months, we're still in high school. And maybe that's all true. But so is this: you are the best thing to ever happen to me. My life has completely transformed in the short time that we've been together, and I owe that all to you. So maybe we are young and maybe this is too soon, but I love you and I love the family we've built together. And most importantly, I want to do whatever it takes so that we can make this work. So Stephanie Lauter, I vow this to you: I vow to be a better husband every day than I was the day before. I vow to be a team with you to be the best parents possible for our baby. I vow to love you always, even when I'm upset with you, and to always make sure you know it. I vow to treat you with the care you deserve and trust you'll do the same for me. I vow to support you through good times and bad. But most of all, I vow to grow with you until we become the best versions of ourselves together.”

Tears streamed freely down Steph's face as he spoke and Pete knew that they matched the tears on his own. He watched as Steph, with shaky hands, pulled out her own vows and began to read.

“Pete,

Before you came into my life I didn't believe in love. To me love was something that only existed in romance movies where the protagonists kiss in the rain. I believed that looking for love only left you vulnerable to being hurt, and I wanted to avoid that at all costs. When we met I wasn't looking for love, I wasn't even looking for a friend. But you slowly chipped away at my walls until you became both for me. And you taught me what love really is. Love isn't just grand gestures in romance movies. Love is practicing jokes that I think will make you laugh. Love is when you buy an extra coffee just to be nice. Love is wanting to dance with you even though I suck at it. Love is staying up late studying so I can make you proud. Love is knowing I can be vulnerable around you and you won't judge me for it. And I want to share that love forever, not only with you but with our baby. I want to learn what love is by your side every day.”

“The rings?” Jerry asks. Clearly he wasn't expecting Pete to actually have rings l, judging by the look on his face when he saw the box.

Pete takes out one of the rings and places it on Steph’s hand, delighting in the gasp she let out at the sight. He was definitely going to thank his grandparents for the gift. Steph does the same for him, sliding the ring on with a soft smile.

The rest of the ceremony passes by in a blur, Pete barely hears himself speak as he vows to be faithful, supportive, whatever else was asked of him. He could have vowed to open a goat farm with her for all he knew, and he didn't care. And, as they were pronounced husband and wife and he pulled Steph in for the allowed approved kiss at camp, only one thought rang through his mind.

I can't believe I'm lucky enough to marry Stephanie Lauter.

The reception is far better than Pete expected it to be shockingly enough: the music is decent even if it was all family friendly, there is lots of dancing, albeit very monitored dancing, the food is tasty, and the lack of alcohol isn't really a problem considering that he was pregnant.

It's towards the end of the night when the best surprise of the night happened though. The crowds had started to die down with the setting of the sun: Ruth and Max left early to ‘practice the opposite of abstinence’ (Ruth's own words), Solomon had barely stayed through dinner before leaving for an emergency meeting, and even Ted had left already, having driven Lorie back to her hotel so she could catch that evening's episode of Jeopardy.

It was just the two of them now, sat under their favorite tree together. The rest of the campers were off somewhere enjoying the festivities, but none of that really matters to Pete. All that matters is that he and Steph are officially married.

“Have I told you how beautiful you look?” He asks, a dopey grin plastered on his face.

“Once or twice.” Steph quips with a grin.

“So not not nearly enough then.” He says, twirling a strand of her hair around his finger.

“You're such a sap, Pete.”

“Hey!” He gasps in mock offense. “I'm pregnant and today is our wedding day. I've earned the right to be a sap.”

“I guess you're right.” She sighs dramatically and lays her head on his shoulder. “You look good too, you know.”

“Not nearly as good as you.”

“Doubtful. Although, I did miss the bow tie.”

“Ted's idea. I wear them all the time so he figured it would look more special without one. Besides, I thought the bowtie was dorky?”

“Well it is, but you're a nerd so it works.” Steph smiles. “And it might be growing on me.”

“I knew it.”

“It only works on you though.”

He laughs. “Glad I'm the exception then.”

Steph smiles and fiddles with her wedding band. “These are beautiful. How did you manage to get them that fast?”

“They were a gift from my grandparents.” Pete clarifies. “They were my grandma and grandpa's wedding bands.”

“And the engravings?” She raises an eyebrow.

“Another wedding gift. Grandpa Owen has a friend who does engravings. This way we always have our hearts with us.” He says, playing with his own ring.

“Wow, that's so sweet. I see who you get your sappiness from.”

“Hey!”

“I'm just teasing you.” She snorts.

Pete rolls his eyes, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “You're lucky I love you.”

“I know I am.” She responds earnestly.

He almost asks who the sap is now, but they're interrupted by the approaching of Girl Jeri. She smiles softly at them. “Would you come with me please?”

Steph groans. “What now? It's our wedding day!”

“Please come with me.” Jeri repeats herself. “There's a surprise for you.”

They share a moment of eye contact before nodding. Then they're up off the ground, following Jeri to wherever this mysterious surprise is.

They're about halfway there when Pete realizes exactly where they're heading.

“Wait…” Pete asks. “Are we really just heading back to my cabin?”

Seriously? All this ruckus just to take them back to his cabin? The cabin that she banned him from.

“The surprise is at your cabin now, come on.” Jeri replies, walking faster. The closer they get to Pete's cabin, the more pep she has in her step. Which is shocking for a person who's already that perky.

After about 5 minutes or so they finally reach the Gomorrah Cabin. Or well, they should have reached the Gomorrah Cabin. But where the sign above the cabin door once read Gomorrah in big blocky let's, it now says Bethlehem neat print. Pete turns and looks at Jeri in confusion.

“Tada! You are no longer the Gomorrah Cabin. Now you are the Bethlehem Cabin!” She smiles at them. Not one of her saccharine fake smiles, but a real genuine smile. It suits her. In fact, without the fake smile Pete thinks she almost looks kind.

This still doesn't change the fact that he has no clue what this name change means.

“You don't deserve to live in a cabin named after such an awful place So I decided to change it.” She admits when he gives her a confused look. “I thought Bethlehem was appropriate, seeing as you're carrying the Messiah.”

“Wow. Thank you Girl Jeri.” Pete says. Truth be told, he doesn't care what the name on the cabin says, but this clearly means a lot to her. Maybe this was her way of trying to apologize.

“Yeah.” Steph says from beside him clearly just as confused as he is. “That's really nice of you.”

“There's one more surprise.” Jeri says as she opens the door. Pete's jaw drops in shock because this morning the cabin had two twin beds that had been pushed together in preparation for tonight. But now they're gone and in their place is a single full size bed.

“Wow.” He says in shock.

He and Steph enter the cabin and sit on the bed. The mattress is soft, far softer than the other bunks. He can't believe Jeri would get this for them.

“You two are married now, and tonight is technically your honeymoon, so you deserve and appropriate bed for such an occasion.” Jeri says. “And since you're married I suppose it wouldn't matter if you were to say… consummate the marriage.”

He almost laughs at that. Of course she would call it consummating. It's probably the only term allowed in her church. And yet… She got them a new bed with her own money and gave them permission to have sex. She was clearly trying here.

“Thank you.” He whispers.

Jeri nods in response. “Just remember, not all of us are in it to control people. Some of us genuinely want to help people.” She says and then she's gone, the door shut tightly behind it.

And there, on this new bed with his wife in his arms and their baby in his belly, does Pete feel his cabin transform from a den of sin to a holy place.

A/N: Lorraine Mega and the rest of the saf gang will return in the eventual thanksgiving special. Yes, the spankoffski family tree is insane, don't question it. Special thanks to Pizza and Spoons my wonderful coauthors. As always, if you liked this, leave a comment!

Taglist:

@daisyybellls

@iamnotyoshi

@lady-loveluck

@forever-forgotten-angel

7 notes · View notes