#and he honestly looked so happy with his brunch

[7thcirclebaker]

I think we should make July 21st a challenge day, where you try and get a spritzer for Lunch as close to your office as possible without getting called into the office for work

[winxanity-ii]

FATHER, FORGIVE ME

ship: father charlie x fem!reader warnings: nsfw 🔞 ( oral sex/f. receiving; overstimulation; coercion/dub-con?; sacrilege, heavy religious imagery ) word count: 4.1k a/n: ahhh….I just want to say I'm so thrilled with all the love and support for the mini Devotion series! It means the world to me to see you guys enjoying it as much as I do. And a huge thank you to everyone who wished me a happy birthday! I got drunk asf, and here's the rough draft I made while tipsy, lolol. Hope you all enjoy~ 😈✨..

★·.·´ɢʀᴏᴛᴇsǫᴜᴇʀɪᴇ 🇲‌🇦‌🇸‌🇹‌🇪‌🇷‌🇱‌🇮‌🇸‌🇹‌`·.·★

You wouldn't say you were a bad person.

Selfish? Maybe. Impulsive? Absolutely. But "bad" seemed a bit of a stretch.

It's just that, when you saw something you wanted, you didn't hesitate to take it—and, honestly, you had no regrets. Not until now, at least.

Sitting here, surrounded by the smell of old hymn books and dusty incense, listening to some wrinkly old man in a white robe drone on about salvation.

The whole thing was your mother's doing. She had this recurring phase, like clockwork, where she'd get bitten by the "Bible bug."

For a few weeks every year, she was the most devoted Catholic you'd ever seen. She'd call, text, guilt-trip—anything to get her kids back on the straight and narrow, even if just for a Sunday morning.

For the last seven years, you'd managed to dodge it. Moved out at eighteen and never looked back, leaving the duty of church attendance to your three other siblings.

Usually, someone would take one for the team and tag along with Mom until her enthusiasm fizzled out again. But this time, it seemed your luck had run dry—your sister had finally roped you in, and here you were, seven-year streak shattered.

You sighed deeply, eyes half-lidded as they flicked across the stained glass windows—all those saints staring down at you in judgment.

You couldn't help but think of all the things you could be doing right now. Sleeping, for one. Your bed sounded like heaven compared to the hard pew beneath you.

Or brunch with your friends—mimosas and laughter, not these monotone chants and the faint smell of mothballs.

Hell, you could've called Kevin over and gotten dicked down instead of dealing with this—

Your thoughts screeched to a halt, slamming against an unexpected sight.

The old priest, the one whose croaky voice was practically white noise at this point, stepped away from the pulpit. In his place was someone else—someone younger, someone whose presence commanded attention.

A man, tall, dark hair neatly combed back, with a crisp black cassock that hugged his broad shoulders just right. He moved with a sense of ease, like he belonged up there.

And damn, was he handsome. Handsome enough to pull your focus completely, which was a feat in itself given the circumstances.

Your eyes tracked him as he approached the podium, his voice replacing the rasping chant of the old priest. It was smooth, warm, resonant. Nothing like the man you remembered from years ago.

He spoke about community, faith, redemption—but all you could think was how someone like him ended up in a place like this.

You found yourself leaning forward, just slightly, as if drawn in by some invisible force. Your irritation melted away, replaced by a strange curiosity.

Maybe… maybe this wouldn't be the worst way to spend a Sunday after all.

The priest stood quietly at the altar, his figure framed by the soft light filtering through the stained glass windows. A faint scar traced its way down the right side of his forehead, a mark that spoke of some unknown hardship or past misadventure.

He was youthful but with the stillness of someone who’d seen enough to understand patience and humility.

With each breath, the man seemed grounded in his presence, shoulders relaxed but broad, the fabric of his robe resting comfortably against his chest.

His appearance was almost angelic, yet the subtle scar and the weight in his eyes hinted at something more complex beneath the surface—a man of God, perhaps, but one who had walked through fire to find his faith.

"Oh?" You raised an eyebrow in appreciation as you stared at the handsome man up there. You leaned over a bit to your mother, eyes never straying from his figure. "Ma, who's that? Is he new?" you whispered to your mother.

She looked up from her phone, Candy Crush flashing on her screen. You silenced the snort that wanted to come out. Looked like she might retire from church early this year, you thought to yourself, seeing her early signs of disengaging.

She glanced up at the front, giving a quick look before going back to her game. "That's Father Charlie Mayhew. He was brought in about two or three years ago, I think," she murmured absently, barely paying attention.

Father Charlie.

You watched as he spoke, his voice strong yet gentle, his eyes sweeping over the congregation with a genuine warmth. He wasn't like the old priest—this one seemed to genuinely care, as if each word held weight.

You wondered if that scar came from something dramatic, some story worth knowing. Your gaze lingered, taking in the slope of his shoulders, the way his lips moved with each word. Something about him felt... magnetic.

You found yourself sitting up straighter when the two of you made eye contact—he blinked, his words stumbling just slightly, a brief hitch in his otherwise smooth delivery. "I, uh... I apologize," he stuttered, looking off to the side, the tips of his ears turning pink.

You caught the way his eyes shifted nervously, almost as if he was trying to regain his footing. It was subtle, but you could see it—the way he tried to pull himself back together, to get through the rest of the sermon without any more disruptions.

He cleared his throat to continue, "As I was saying... uh, the importance of faith in our lives cannot be overstated. We must always strive to, um, to do what is right, even when it's difficult..." His voice trailed off slightly, but he managed to steady himself, his eyes avoiding yours as he focused on the rest of the congregation.

It made something stir in you, a mix of curiosity and amusement.

You bit down gently on your lower glossed lip, eyes trailing over his form, taking in every subtle detail. The way his hands gripped the edge of the podium, the faint flush creeping up his neck—it was all so telling.

He seemed innocent, reactive.

You smiled to yourself, letting your gaze linger as he continued, noting the way he seemed to avoid looking in your direction now, as if afraid that another glance might trip him up again.

Maybe you should pay a visit to Father Charlie—see if you could break that serene composure of his.

You could already imagine it—the way he might tense up under your touch, the way his voice might crack if you whispered something just a bit too forward.

The thought alone made your heart race, anticipation bubbling up inside you, like something in you just knew—he'd be fun to unravel.

You leaned back in your seat, a slow, satisfied smile playing on your lips. Oh, this was going to be fun.

The sermon ended with a quiet murmur of 'Amen' from the congregation, followed by the gentle shuffle of people rising from the pews.

You glanced around, watching as people slowly made their way to the exits, some stopping to chat while others lingered near the back of the church.

The old priest was nowhere to be seen, but Father Charlie remained, standing at the front as he spoke softly to a small group of parishioners.

Your mother, of course, made a beeline for him. You heard her voice carrying over the hushed conversations, gushing about how moving today’s sermon was.

You rolled your eyes, unable to help yourself, and slowly rose to your feet, making your way over with an almost lazy stride.

As you approached, you could see your mother perk up, her eyes lighting up as she turned to you. "Oh, there she is! Father Charlie, this is my youngest, ____." She gestured towards you, her hand lightly resting on your arm to pull you closer. "You've met my other children over the years."

You could see the change in Father Charlie almost instantly. His posture shifted, his back straightening just a little more, his eyes rounding as they landed on you. He seemed almost like an eager puppy, his gaze bright and attentive.

He quickly pulled his eyes away, turning back to your mother with a polite smile as he nodded. "Yes, I remember," he said, his voice a touch softer. Then he turned to you, his eyes meeting yours as he gave you a gentle smile. "It's nice to finally meet you. I don't think I've seen you here before... ?"

Your mother gave a sort of laughing scoff, waving him off as she caught his attention again. She chuckled, shaking her head. "Oh, Father, the day she willingly comes to church without an incentive is the day the devil is welcomed back into Heaven's gates."

You kept your eyes on Father Charlie, a small smile tugging at your lips as you tilted your head slightly. "Maybe I just hadn't found a good enough reason to come before," you said, your gaze locked on his, your voice light but carrying a hint of something more.

His eyes widened just a little, and you watched as a faint blush spread across his cheeks, his lips parting slightly as he blinked, clearly caught off guard.

Before he could say anything, your mother’s name was called from behind. It was one of her church friends, and in an instant, she was off, waving a quick goodbye and leaving you standing there in front of Father Charlie.

You didn't waste a second, taking a daring step forward, your eyes fixed on him. "So..." you said, letting your gaze roam over him before meeting his eyes again. "You seem awfully young to be running a church like this. I have to say, I'm impressed."

He looked bashful, glancing down for a moment before looking back up at you. "Oh, well, thank you. I just... I do my best," he said, his voice soft, the pink on his cheeks deepening.

You smiled, tilting your head just slightly. "Do you do one-on-one sessions, like other churches do?" you asked, your voice carrying a hint of mischief.

He blinked, clearly confused for a moment, before his eyes widened in realization. "Oh, you mean confessionals?" He nodded quickly, his expression shifting back to something more serious. "Yes, I do. In fact, I was planning on doing confessionals later today, after the services. Not many people take me up on it, but I think it's important to always offer the option."

"Oh, really?" you said, letting your voice drop just a bit, your head tilting to the side as you watched him. You let a small smile curve your lips, your gaze never leaving his. "Well, you wouldn't mind if I came to see you and... confessed, would you, Father?"

He stuttered, his blush deepening as he quickly nodded. "N-No, of course not. You're more than welcome to come by, anytime," he said, his voice a bit shaky.

You smirked, giving him a nod. "Perfect," you said, your voice smooth, before turning on your heel and walking away, back towards where your mother was waiting.

You could feel his gaze on you the entire time, the weight of his eyes almost burning into your back. And you loved it.

This really was going to be fun.

The church grew quieter as the service officially ended, people slowly trickling out while you lingered, waiting for your moment.

Eventually, you made your way to the confessional booth, the small wooden space feeling cramped as you settled in. The air was close, the scent of polished wood and incense hanging heavy.

You could hear Father Charlie shuffling on the other side, the sound of the door closing behind him, the rustle of fabric as he got seated.

You took a breath, letting the silence stretch for a moment before you began. "Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned..." you said, your voice soft, but there was an edge to it that you couldn't quite hide.

There was a pause before you heard him clear his throat, his voice coming through the small screen that separated you. "The Lord is always ready to forgive. Please, tell me your sins, my child."

You sighed, leaning back slightly, your fingers brushing against the hem of your dress. "I fear I desire a man that is just out of my reach," you said, your voice carrying a hint of frustration. "It's wrong for me to want him... but I can't seem to help myself."

There was a moment of silence, and you could almost picture the look on his face—concerned, earnest, wanting to help. His voice was gentle as he responded. "Desire can be difficult to control, but it is not inherently sinful. It is what we choose to do with that desire that matters. You must pray for guidance, ask for strength... and remember that God understands our struggles."

You hummed softly, your eyes half-lidded as you listened to him, but your mind was drifting. His voice was soothing, and you found yourself imagining what it would be like if things were different.

If there wasn't a screen between you.

If you could reach out, touch him, feel that innocence melt away under your fingers.

Your hand trailed down your side, your fingers brushing over your thigh as you let out a soft sigh.

His voice cut through your thoughts, sounding a bit uncertain. "Sister ____... are you alright? Do you hear me?"

You smiled to yourself, your mind made up. You leaned closer to the screen, your voice dropping to a near whisper. "Father," you began, your tone coy, "I must confess... I find it difficult to focus when you're speaking. You have such a... soothing voice."

His breath caught audibly, and you could almost hear the way he was struggling to gather himself. "W-What do you mean, sister?" he asked, his voice trembling slightly, laced with confusion.

"It makes me think... sinful thoughts."

You could hear the slight hitch in his breath, the rustle of fabric as he shifted. "S-sister," he stammered, clearly taken aback. "This... this is not appropriate."

You ignored his protest, your voice growing softer, more intimate. "You know, Father, I've always heard that confession is good for the soul. And right now... I think there's only one thing that could truly absolve me of these desires." You let the words hang in the air, knowing exactly what you were implying.

"Sister, this... this isn't..." His voice was shaky now, the uncertainty clear. "I don't think—"

"Come get me, Father," you whispered, your tone daring, challenging him. "You wouldn't leave me like this, would you?"

There was silence for a long moment, and then you heard it—the slow shuffling as he moved. The sound of his door opening, the soft creak of the confessional booth as he stepped out.

You pushed your own door open, stepping out into the dimly lit church. Father Charlie was standing there, his head downcast, his face flushed a deep red. He looked like he wanted to say something, but no words came out, his eyes flickering up to meet yours before darting away again.

You took a step towards him, your movements slow, deliberate—like a predator closing in on its prey. His breath hitched as you approached, his shoulders tensing. He cleared his throat, his voice barely above a whisper. "Sister, I... this isn't right. We shouldn't—"

You reached out, your fingers brushing against the front of his chest, feeling the rapid rise and fall of his breath beneath your touch. You let your hand slide down, your voice a low purr. "Father," you purred, your eyes locking onto his, "I want you to take me somewhere... push me to a higher calling, yeah?"

His eyes widened, the pupils dilating as he stared at you, his lips parting in shock. For a moment, he seemed frozen, and then, almost as if the word was pulled from him, he whispered, "Okay..."

His hand was trembling slightly as he reached for yours, and you let him lead you out of the main church area, his eyes flicking nervously around to make sure no one was watching. He led you down a dim hallway, stopping at a small door that opened into a cramped janitor's closet.

The second the door clicked shut behind you, you were on him.

You pushed him back against the wall, your lips crashing against his. He gasped, and you took advantage, licking into his mouth, tasting the hint of mint on his tongue as a low groan rumbled from your throat. His hands hesitated for a moment before resting on your waist, his touch light, unsure.

You deepened the kiss, feeling the way he shivered beneath your touch, your hands pushing up under his cassock, fingers skimming over the hard lines of his abdomen. His muscles tensed under your fingertips, a shudder running through him as he let out a shaky breath.

You pulled back, just enough to see his face in the low light, and he chased your lips, leaning forward as if he couldn't stand the sudden loss of contact.

You let out a dark chuckle, your hands coming up to cup his flushed cheeks, squeezing gently. His face was a deep shade of red, his eyes half-lidded, his breath coming in short, uneven pants. He looked almost dazed, completely overwhelmed, and it only made your smile widen.

Your thumb grazed over his plump bottom lip, pressing gently before dipping just inside his mouth. His eyes fluttered, his tongue flicking out hesitantly to brush against your thumb before retreating. You let out a soft sigh, a hint of a teasing smile tugging at your lips. "Oh?" you murmured, raising an eyebrow, your gaze fixed on him.

Charlie swallowed hard, his eyes locked onto yours, his breathing ragged. You stepped closer, rising onto your tiptoes, your lips just barely grazing his as you spoke. "You did so well during the sermon, Father," you whispered, your voice low and dripping with suggestion. "It makes me wonder... what could such a blessed mouth do somewhere else?"

His breath hitched, his eyes widening slightly, but he didn’t pull away. You gripped his shoulder, your fingers digging in just enough to make him shiver, and tugged him downwards. "On your knees," you said, your tone commanding, leaving no room for hesitation.

Slowly, almost as if in a trance, Charlie sank to his knees, his eyes never leaving yours. His gaze was filled with a mix of confusion, desire, and something almost like reverence, and it sent a thrill through you.

You watched as he knelt before you, his lips parted, his chest rising and falling with each shaky breath. You could see the conflict in his eyes, the part of him that knew this was wrong, that wanted to resist—but the desire was stronger, and he couldn't bring himself to stop.

You smiled, running your fingers through his hair, your touch surprisingly gentle. "That's it," you murmured, your voice softening just a fraction. "Such a good Father... doing exactly what you're told."

You took a step back, your eyes never leaving his as you moved to the nearest wall, leaning against it comfortably.

With slow, deliberate movements, your hands reached down, unzipping your mini skirt and letting it slide down your legs, pooling around your ankles. You made a show of it, your fingers tracing along your thighs, sliding over your hips, and letting out a soft sigh as you watched him.

Charlie's eyes widened, his gaze following every movement, his lips parted, his breath catching in his throat. The flush on his face deepened, his eyes locked onto you with something like awe, mingled with pure, unfiltered desire.

You smirked, lifting one hand and curling your fingers in a come-hither motion. He hesitated only for a moment before slowly beginning to crawl towards you, his eyes never breaking away from yours.

The sight sent a thrill through you, a shiver of excitement running up your spine. He reached you, his hands carefully coming up to rest on your legs, his touch light, almost reverent.

His fingers traced along your calves, moving upwards with a hesitant slowness that made you release a shaky sigh, your back arching slightly as his touch grew bolder.

His hands were trembling as they reached your hips, his fingers brushing against the edge of your underwear. He swallowed hard, his gaze flicking up to meet yours as if silently asking for permission.

You gave a small nod, and he let out a shaky breath, his fingers hooking into the waistband and slowly slipping your underwear down, his eyes fixed on you the entire time.

Once they were off, he shifted closer, his breath ghosting over your bare skin. He surprised you by gently lifting one of your legs, settling it over his shoulder as he pulled you closer, his face inches away from your most intimate parts.

He let out a deep, almost pornographic groan as he leaned in, taking a slow, deep breath, as if breathing you in. The sound sent a jolt through you, your fingers tightening in his hair.

Charlie looked up at you one more time, his eyes searching, as if asking for final permission.

You smiled, your fingers sliding through his hair before giving a gentle but firm scratch along his scalp, your silent approval. He closed his eyes, letting out a shaky sigh before leaning in.

At first, his movements were hesitant, his tongue slipping out to give an experimental swipe. He was sloppy, uncoordinated, his lack of experience clear, but there was a determination in the way he moved, as if desperate to please.

You let out a soft hum, the sound encouraging him, and he grew a little more confident, his tongue pressing more firmly. He licked a long stripe up, his tongue swirling at the top, and you couldn't help the small smile that tugged at your lips.

"That's it, Father," you murmured, your voice a soft purr. "You're doing such a good job."

The praise seemed to light something in him, a low groan vibrating against you as he pushed in closer. The sound made you gasp, your back arching slightly as the vibrations sent a rush of pleasure through you, your fingers tightening in his hair.

He grew bolder, his tongue delving deeper, slipping inside you as he began to eat you out like a man starved. He was messy, the wet sounds filling the small space, his lips and tongue moving with increasing fervor, as if the more he tasted, the more he craved.

He bullied his tongue into you, his nose brushing against you as he lost himself in the act, his hands gripping your hips tightly, holding you against him as he worked.

You bit down on your lower lip, trying to keep quiet, but the soft, wet sounds filled the small space, making it impossible to ignore.

Your hand moved up, your teeth sinking into the back of it as you stifled a moan, your thighs trembling as he continued. His tongue moved with determination, pressing deeper, swirling before retreating, then focusing on your most sensitive spot.

When his lips closed around your clit, giving a particularly hard suck, your vision blurred, and stars burst behind your eyelids. Your back arched, your body pressing against his face as the waves of pleasure rolled over you, your breath coming in ragged gasps.

Your thighs shook as you slowly came down, your body relaxing slightly against the wall. You let out a shaky breath, your fingers still tangled in his hair, tugging gently. You gave Charlie a small shove, pushing him back just enough.

He hesitated, his tongue giving one last languid lick, followed by a reluctant suck before he finally pulled away, his lips glistening, his breath coming in low, heavy pants. His bottom face was a mess, his eyes half-lidded, dazed as he looked up at you.

You leaned down, your fingers cupping the bottom of his face, your thumb brushing over his flushed cheek as you gave him a swift peck on the corner of his lips. He blinked, his eyes widening slightly, a blush deepening across his face.

Straightening up, you reached down, picking up your discarded thong, folding it neatly before slipping it into the pocket of his cassock. He stared at you, his lips parted, his breathing still uneven.

"Thank you, Father~" you purred, your voice dripping with satisfaction. You watched as his blush deepened even more, his eyes darting away from yours. "You know," you continued, your tone teasing, "I might just have to come back for confession more often."

He swallowed hard, his eyes flicking back up to meet yours, a mix of confusion and something darker swirling in them. You smiled, giving him a wink before turning on your heel, striding out of the closet, leaving him kneeling there, his breath still shaky, his face still flushed.

As you walked away, a satisfied smile playing on your lips, you couldn't help but think that maybe church wasn't going to be so bad after all.

A/N: hehehe, dont mind me, just wanted to see charlie's and y/n relationship in reversal...

[novacorpsrecruit]

It’s lonely at the top

Part 1 | part 2 | here / final part

Read on Ao3

wc 1,698 | Steddie | angst with a happy ending!

“You need to give him some space,” Robin said over the phone. Eddie frowned. It’s been three days. He missed Steve. He nearly leaped over the couch to answer the phone, assuming it was him. Robin was the next best, he guessed. “You really hurt him.”

“I know,” Eddie said. “And I’m sorry. I really am. Will you tell him I’m done with the parties? Done with Trick? He means more to me than being liked.”

“Yeah,” Robin huffed. “You sure showed him that.”

“I mean it,” Eddie said honestly. “I do. I’m done with it all.”

“I think you need to tell him that yourself,” Robin said.

“How can I?” Eddie asked. “You won’t let me talk to him.”

“He doesn’t want to talk to you,” Robin corrected. “You need to let him be ready to accept you.”

Eddie sighed, pressing his forehead against the cabinet where the phone hung. He wished there was a way to tell Steve how sorry he was. As much as Eddie wanted to take the Green line to Robin’s dorm and talk to Steve, he can’t cross that boundary. But he needed a way to pour out his emotions, to let Steve know that he’s loved. That Eddie’s sorry. “Can I — Can I send him a letter? That way when he’s ready, he knows I’m there for him?”

There was silence on the other line as Robin thought it over. “Yeah, okay,” she said. “Just address it to me. He’s not …”

“Supposed to be there,” Eddie nodded. “Yeah. I figured. Thank you, for being there for him.”

“Yeah. Look,” Robin huffed. “If he does let you back in again, and you fuck up again. It’s your balls, Munson.”

“Understood,” Eddie said. “I promise. Never again.”

Robin hung up with a click. Eddie sighed, running his hands over his face. He fucked up. Bad.

He guessed there was no time to start writing like the present.

💌💌💌💌

“Steve, someone at table 13 requested you personally,” Jenny, the hostess said. “He’s — uh — a little scary. So if you have issues, get Rod.”

“Thanks, Jenny,” Steve said, pulling his order book from his apron. He wasn’t sure who would request him at 3 pm. Most of his early birds on Saturdays stop by the diner for brunch and he barely saw a soul until 5.

When they first moved out to Chicago, Steve had no clue what he was going to do for work. He was attending Harold Washington College to get his associates in early education, and then potentially apply to UIC. Then one day, he got off a stop too early and saw the help wanted sign. It was easy for him to pick up, he made decent tips, and it worked with his schedule well. Plus, he was able to take home food at the end of his shift.

Robin’s been enjoying the pancakes lately.

Plus, Steve loved when it was slow and Eddie would —

He closed his eyes, letting the thought disappear. He missed Eddie. His heart ached any time he thought about him. But he was afraid that Eddie didn’t miss him in the same way.

He took a deep breath and plastered on a fake smile as he greeted his table.

“Hi, welcome in. I’m Steve. I’ll be taking care —“ Steve stopped as he looked at the patron. He felt his lips turn into a frown. “Trick?”

“Patrick’s fine,” Trick winked. “I mean, we’re in your court, aren’t we?”

“Yeah, sure,” Steve nodded. He pressed his lips together, feeling like he couldn’t stop staring at the black and blue circles under his eyes. “What happened to your — uh —“ he gestured to his own face. He winced. Trick didn’t like him in the first place. He wouldn’t give Steve the time of day. Why would he bother to tell him about an injury like that. “Sorry — shouldn’t have asked that. What can I get started for you?”

“Your boyfriend, actually,” Trick smirked. It was like ice water was dumped over Steve as the words washed over him. Trick’s smirk dropped. He leaned over the table. His voice dropped to a whisper. “Hey — hey, sorry. I didn’t mean — It’s cool. It’s — Eddie and you — are cool, I mean.”

Steve wasn’t sure if he felt any better or worse. All he could say was, “Oh.”

“Yeah, uh —“ Trick ran his fingers over his buzzed hair and exhaled. “Half of our friends are gay or lesbian or queer. It’s — that’s fine. Promise.”

“Oh,” Steve repeated. He sat on the other side of the booth, across from Trick. “Okay.”

“I just —“ Trick looked up to the ceiling before turning his attention back to Steve. “We shouldn’t have judged you. We saw you and immediate thought you were gonna be some straight jackass like we’ve dealt with our whole lives. We built this community of accepting outcasts, and outcasted you while doing so.”

Oh.

Steve wasn’t sure what to think.

When Eddie and him started to date, the Corroded Coffin boys treated him similarly. But Eddie called them out on that before it got bad.

Before it got like this.

“I guess what I wanted to say was sorry,” Trick said. “For pushing you out. And name calling.”

Steve furrowed his brow. “I don’t recall any name calling?”

“Yeah, you weren’t around for that,” Trick winced, gesturing to his nose. “Eddie made sure I knew that was wrong.”

“Eddie,” Steve breathed. “My Eddie?”

“Yep,” Trick said. “I hope he gave you a big apology for everything. So, tell me. What do you got that’s good to eat here?”

Steve took Trick’s order — one strawberry milkshake and an order of fruit loaded French toast — sent it to the kitchen, then went into the bathroom. He shut the door behind him and pulled out Eddie’s letter from his apron pocket. The first letter arrived last Monday. And he received a letter every day that he’s stayed with Robin.

With a shaky breath, Steve opened the letter.

💌💌💌💌

Dear Steve, there’s nothing in the world that I can do to make this up to you. But I will try every day to make sure that you don’t ever forgotten again. You are the stars that light my way home, the sun that brings warmth into my light, and the moon that shines love over me. To experience your love is something truly unreal. And to think I put you on the back burner for a taste of popularity? It was like the Ring of Power overtook my mind. I got lost in the feeling of being admired by many, I forgot what it’s like to be loved by one. I’d travel to Mordor and back for you. Through the Gap of Rohan and through the Mines of Mora.

In a world where everyone could know my name, I’d only want to know yours.

My apologies will never be enough. Love, Eddie

💌💌💌💌

I hope you are well. I hope your classes are going good and that you’re excelling. I know you are. You’re so fucking smart, you blow me away with every new piece of knowledge you brought home. I hope that basketball at the YMCA is going good. I’m sorry I missed your last couple of games. There is no excuse. I hope one day you’d allow me to be by your side again, cheering you on.

You deserve the world, baby. Nothing will stop me from showing you that. Everything from the water in the rivers to the trees in the forest. From the canyons in Arizona to the mountains in Colorado. It’s yours. It’s all yours. You deserve everything. You deserve the best. And I promise that I will prove that.

Forever in love, Eddie

💌💌💌💌

I’d move heaven and hell

Just to see you smile again

Or remember how it felt

To have you in my arms

When I begged God for mercy

In the depth of hells

It was nothing compared

To begging for the mercy of you

To hear you laugh, to see you smile

To counting the stars across your skin

To pick up where we left off

To start all over again

I’d move heaven and hell for you

💌💌💌💌

Steve folded the letters, slipping them back into the envelope and set them on his nightstand.

He laid back down, turning to his side. Eddie’s side of the bed was empty. Like it has been for four days.

After Steve read the first letter, he found his way back to their apartment. Eddie was hope and nearly wrapped his arms around Steve, stopping as if there was an invisible barrier in between them. Eddie stopped, respecting that boundary at the threshold.

It was Steve to crack.

Steve who took that step over the threshold and fell into Eddie’s arms, burying his face into Eddie’s neck. Eddie wrapped his arms around Steve, holding him tight. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” was all Eddie could say.

They agreed they needed to slowly integrate back into each others’ lives. Communicate when they’re feeling alone and listen when one’s feeling distressed. Nightmares seemed easier to deal with, but they were going to work it through.

Eddie said he would sleep on the couch until Steve was ready for him. “No matter how long it takes, sweetheart,” Eddie said, pressing a kiss against Steve’s knuckles. “When you’re ready for me, I’m here.”

And Eddie truly meant that. They could go back to just friends and Eddie would accept it. He would be heartbroken, but to have Steve in his life again?

That’s worth everything to Eddie.

Eddie was jostled awake, feeling the couch cushion shift underneath him. The blanket on his body lifted up and a familiar weight settle on his chest. He felt at home again. Eddie tugged the blanket back over the both of them, one hand around Steve’s waist and the other tangled in his hair as Steve laid his head on Eddie’s chest. Eddie pressed a kiss to Steve’s temple, taking a silent vow to never lose him again.

“Goodnight, sweetheart.”

[pucksandpower]

Blow Out the Candles

Charles Leclerc x birthday girl!Reader

Summary: the many ways that you and Charles celebrate your birthday throughout the years

Warnings: vague depictions of childbirth and labor

It’s my birthday today so this is my gift to you 🫶

You let out a long sigh as you lean back against the cold concrete wall of the holding cell. This is not exactly how you pictured spending your birthday weekend.

The heavy steel door clangs shut behind you, the sound echoing in the cramped space. Looking around, you take in the sparse furnishings — a bench along one wall, a grimy leaking sink in the corner, and a single window so dirty that it barely lets in any light.

Charming.

You hear voices and footsteps approaching. Keys jangle and the door swings open again. A police officer steps aside and another person stumbles into the cell.

He looks to be about your age or a little older, with messy brown hair and a bewildered expression. The officer mumbles something about “sorting this out shortly” before slamming the door closed once more.

The new arrival blinks in confusion before noticing you sitting on the bench. “Oh! Sorry, I didn’t see you there,” he says with an accent you can’t quite place. French, maybe? He runs a hand through his tousled hair sheepishly.

You give a wry smile. “Don’t worry about it. I take it you’re joining me for the complimentary holding cell experience?”

He chuckles, leaning back against the wall across from you. “Yeah, something like that. I’m Charles.”

“Y/N,” you reply. “Nice to meet you, cellmate.”

Charles grins, and you can’t help but notice how his nose crinkles up when he smiles. It’s kind of adorable. “The pleasure is mine,” he says gallantly, giving a theatrical little bow that makes you laugh.

“So Charles, what terrible crime did you commit to land yourself in this lovely establishment?” You ask with mock seriousness.

He smirks. “Would you believe me if I said jaywalking?”

You raise an eyebrow. “Seriously?”

“Seriously,” he confirms. “I was trying to get to the bakery before they sold out of croissants. I may have darted across the street … outside of the crosswalk.” He shakes his head ruefully. “The things I do for pastries.”

You have to laugh. “A real menace to society, you are.”

He grins again. “What about you? Don’t tell me you’re in for armed robbery or something.”

“Me? No way,” you scoff. “I was taking the metro downtown and I may have … accidentally used an expired metro card. The transit cops dragged me off at the next stop. I tried to explain it was an honest mistake but they weren’t having it.”

“Ah, a hardened criminal!” Charles exclaims in mock horror, eyes twinkling with amusement.

“Clearly. Us lawbreakers need to stick together,” you joke.

You both erupt into laughter, the sound ringing brightly in the dreary holding cell.

As your laughter subsides, Charles regards you curiously. “So do you make a habit of riding the metro with expired cards, Y/N?”

You make a face. “No, I just grabbed the wrong card in my wallet this morning. I was rushing to get downtown and didn’t even think to check.”

“Why were you in such a hurry?”

You hesitate. The real reason seems kind of silly now that you’re stuck in a jail cell. “It’s my birthday today,” you explain with a self-conscious shrug. ���I was meeting some friends for brunch downtown to celebrate. Guess I’m going to be late for that.”

“It’s your birthday?” Charles’ eyes widen. “Well, happy birthday!”

You crack a smile. “Thanks.”

“I’m sorry you got stuck in here for your birthday,” he says sympathetically. “That really sucks.”

You give another shrug. “Honestly, this will make for a pretty funny story later. Not exactly how I wanted to spend today, but what can you do?”

Charles nods thoughtfully. A moment later his face lights up. “I know what we can do! Since we’re stuck in this lovely cell, we should have our own little birthday celebration. I can sing for you!”

You raise your eyebrows, surprised but charmed by the offer. “Really? You don’t have to do that.”

“It’s your birthday, of course I do!” He insists.

Clearing his throat theatrically, he launches into an enthusiastic, if not exactly tuneful, rendition of “Happy Birthday.”

His voice echoes off the concrete walls as he gesticulates dramatically, getting really into it by the second verse. You can’t help giggling as he puts his whole heart into hitting the high notes.

By the time he finishes with a flourish, you’re both laughing again.

“That was amazing, thank you,” you tell him, still chuckling.

He gives an exaggerated bow. “My pleasure, birthday girl. Sorry I don’t have a cake to go with the song.”

You grin. “That’s okay. 10 out of 10 performance.”

Charles smiles, looking adorably pleased with himself.

You regard him thoughtfully. “You know, you really didn’t have to do that. Singing for a total stranger in a holding cell.”

He shrugs. “I wanted to. You seemed like you could use a pick-me-up.”

“Well, it worked. I definitely feel better.” You study him for a moment. “You’re pretty strange, Charles.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” he laughs.

You shake your head amusedly. You have to admit, you’re really enjoying his company. For someone you just met under bizarre circumstances, he’s remarkably easy to talk to.

Charles checks his watch. “I hope they let us out of here soon. Those croissants are calling my name.”

“And I’ve got mimosas waiting for me,” you add.

As if on cue, footsteps sound outside. You both look up expectantly as keys rattle in the lock.

The door swings open and the officer from before steps in. “Alright you two, come with me. We got it all sorted out, you’re free to go.”

You share a relieved look with Charles as you both follow the officer out. After a quick stop to collect your belongings, you step outside into the sunshine.

Charles turns to you with a smile. “Well, it was very nice to meet you, Y/N. Happy birthday again!”

“Thanks, Charles.” You smile warmly at your strange but lovely cellmate. “This turned out to be a pretty memorable birthday after all.”

He looks pleased. “I’m glad I could help make it special. Enjoy the rest of your day!”

With a little wave he heads off down the street, presumably in search of those croissants. You watch him go, struck by an impulse.

“Charles, wait up!” You call out, jogging to catch up with him.

He turns, looking at you curiously.

“I just wanted to say thanks again for making a crappy situation fun,” you tell him sincerely. “And, if you want, you’re welcome to come join me and my friends for brunch.”

His eyes light up in surprise. “Really?”

You nod. “It’s the least I can do after you serenaded me in jail,” you joke. “Plus, I’m sure the restaurant will have croissants.”

Charles smiles broadly. “Well in that case, I would love to.”

“Great!” You beam, linking your arm through his. “Let’s get out of here.”

***

You sink back into the plush leather seat, gazing out the jet’s window at the twinkling stars dotting the endless expanse of sky. This is definitely a step up from last year’s jail cell birthday celebration.

“Champagne, ma’am?”

You smile up at the flight attendant as she offers you a crystal flute. “Yes please!”

Charles grins at you from across the cabin. “And please keep it coming, my girlfriend deserves to be spoiled on her birthday.”

You still get butterflies every time he calls you his girlfriend. This past year with Charles has been amazing. After that fateful day, he easily slotted himself into your life. What started as an impromptu brunch turned into real dates, which turned into a real relationship. You’ve never clicked with someone so quickly or felt so comfortable so soon.

Now here you are, celebrating your birthday at 11,000 meters aboard a private jet chartered from one of Ferrari’s sponsors. You had balked at the extravagance at first, but Charles insisted. “It’s your special day, we have to do something incredible!”

You take a sip of crisp champagne, the bubbles tickling your nose. “So where exactly are we headed?”

Charles has kept your destination a surprise. “You’ll see soon, birthday girl,” he says with a wink.

You pretend to pout. “Fine, keep your secrets.”

He just laughs. “Trust me, it’s going to be an amazing trip.”

You don’t doubt it. Charles has a knack for making every day feel special and fun. Even just being cooped up in this plane with him feels like an adventure.

As the flight continues, you enjoy a decadent five course dinner complete with even more champagne and chocolate-dipped strawberries. Charles keeps you laughing with silly stories and jokes. By the time you finish eating you have to stifle a yawn behind your hand.

“Someone’s getting sleepy,” Charles teases.

“It’s been a long exciting day!” You say through another yawn.

Charles grins and hits the call button. A flight attendant appears instantly. “Yes sir?”

“I think it’s time to get the birthday girl to bed,” Charles says.

The attendant nods and pulls back a partition, revealing a plush bedroom suite.

Your eyes widen in delighted surprise. “Wha … we can sleep in an actual bed on the plane?”

“Only the best for you,” Charles says, planting a kiss on your forehead.

You happily snuggle under the covers in the sumptuous bed, sighing contentedly. “Okay, this is an amazing birthday present.”

Charles chuckles, sliding in beside you and pulling you close. “The fun is only beginning, mon cœur.”

Within minutes you’re sound asleep curled up in his arms.

Sometime later you stir slowly awake, momentarily confused. The bedroom is dark and Charles is shaking your shoulder gently.

“Wake up, chérie. It’s almost midnight!” He says excitedly.

You rub your eyes and peer blearily at the clock. 11:58 pm. “Why, what happens at midnight?”

“Your birthday starts again!”

You look at him blankly, still not fully awake.

He grins. “We just crossed into a new time zone. Which means ...” He pauses for dramatic effect. “I get to be the first to wish you happy birthday again!”

As it clicks you start laughing. Only Charles would come up with something so adorable. You watch the clock count down the last seconds to midnight as he bounces giddily on the bed.

“Happy birthday!” Charles exclaims right on cue, tackling you in a hug.

You hug him back, still laughing. “You’re crazy, but thank you.”

He beams down at you. “I have so much planned, it’s going to take more than one time zone to celebrate properly.”

Over the next few hours, you dip in and out of sleep as Charles wakes you at each new midnight. Every time he sings and wishes you happy birthday again with infectious enthusiasm. By the fifth round you’re both delirious and silly from lack of sleep, belting out drunk duets of “Happy Birthday” and collapsing into giggles.

Finally he lets you sleep through until morning. When you emerge from the bedroom, blinking in the bright daylight, you gasp. Out the window is an ocean of clouds and in the distance, a tiny island just coming into view.

You turn to Charles with wide eyes. “Are we … is that ...”

He grins and wraps his arms around you. “Welcome to St. Barts! I wanted your birthday to be paradise.”

“Every day with you is paradise.” You kiss him soundly. “Thank you, this is the most magical birthday I could’ve imagined.”

Charles trails his fingers over your cheek. “You deserve magic every single day. I’m just doing my part to make sure you get it.”

***

You stir awake to soft kisses trailing down your neck. Opening your eyes, you find Charles gazing down at you, his brown hair endearingly rumpled.

“Happy birthday, mon ange,” he whispers before capturing your lips in a sweet kiss.

You hum contentedly, running your fingers through his messy locks. “Mmm, now this is a nice way to wake up.”

Charles gives you his signature crinkly-nosed grin. “I have so much planned for your special day.”

Your heart flutters happily. After two amazing years with Charles, the connection between the two of you feels more intense than ever. You can’t wait to celebrate.

But his smile turns apologetic. “Well, so much planned for after the car launch.”

You nod in understanding. Charles has commitments. And today the new Scuderia Ferrari car is being unveiled in a highly anticipated event.

Charles kisses your pouting lip. “I’m so sorry, ma belle. I wish I could get out of it but-”

“Shh, it’s okay,” you assure him, silencing his worries with a kiss. “I know how important the launch is for the team. I’ll just miss you today.”

“I’ll miss you too. But I promise, as soon as it’s over I’m all yours.”

You spend a blissful morning lazing in bed, laughing over crepes Charles attempts to make for your birthday breakfast. Flour ends up more on him than in the pan, but you happily eat the lumpy results.

Too soon it’s time for Charles to leave for the launch. At the door he pulls you into his arms. “I love you. This evening will be perfect, I swear.”

You smile up at him. “Love you too. Go show off that new car.”

After one more lingering kiss he’s off. You distract yourself by meeting local friends for birthday lunch. But your mind keeps drifting to Charles. You hope the event is going well for him.

By mid afternoon you’re back in Charles’ Maranello apartment, curled up on the couch watching silly movies. You’ve just bitten into a slice of birthday cake when your phone rings.

It’s Charles FaceTiming you, his handsome face filling the screen. “Hi, mon amour!”

You grin at your adorable fiancé. “Hey you! How’s the launch going?”

“It’s good!” His eyes drop to your plate. “Are you eating cake without me?” He gasps in mock outrage.

You giggle. “Only a tiny cheat slice. Don’t worry, there’s plenty left for when you’re home.”

Voices sound faintly behind Charles and he glances over his shoulder. “Ah, the program is starting again soon. I just wanted to see your beautiful face.”

You blow him a kiss. “Knock ‘em dead, baby.”

“I love you!” He says before the call ends.

Snuggling back into the couch, you focus on the movie again. But a notification keeps pinging on your phone. You glance over to see texts flooding in from Charles.

Can you watch the livestream?

The link is all over social media

It’s starting again soon 😘

You go on Instagram and click the link curiously. The livestream shows an auditorium packed with press, Ferrari team members, fans, and VIPs. Cameras flash as Charles takes the stage along with his teammate and team principal. They talk about the new car but you mostly just stare lovingly at Charles’ dimples on the big screen.

After the speeches, they unveil the sleek new car. Your heart swells with pride for Charles. But you can’t wait for all the events and obligations to be over. You miss him.

The hosts invite Charles to say a few words. He steps up to the microphone, smiling. “Thank you all for being here today. I’m so excited to get behind the wheel of this beautiful SF-26 ...”

He continues talking passionately about the team and the season ahead. But then his eyes flick to the camera broadcasting the feed. “Oh, I also have a very special announcement.”

You sit up, intrigued. Charles winks at the camera. “As some of you may know, today is my wonderful girlfriend Y/N’s birthday.”

Your eyes widen. You have no idea what he’s doing but it makes your heart flutter.

“So to celebrate this amazing woman, I thought we could all join together to wish her a very happy birthday.”

Charles starts singing “Happy Birthday,” looking straight at the camera with so much love. The crowd joins in, the whole auditorium singing to you. You stare in overwhelmed wonder as Charles blows you a kiss.

When the song ends, the audience claps wildly. Charles grins. “I hope you enjoyed your serenade, mon cœur. I can’t wait to celebrate you properly tonight. Happy birthday, I love you!”

The livestream switches off and you sit staring at your phone in shock. Trust Charles to orchestrate something so thoughtful and adorable. Only he could turn a huge unrelated event into a birthday present.

A few hours later, the front door finally bursts open. Charles rushes in and sweeps you into his arms.

“Surprise!” He laughs, spinning you in a circle.

You hug him tightly. “Charles, that was the sweetest thing ever!”

He beams. “I wanted you to feel special today even though I couldn’t be with you. Did you like it?”

“Like it? I loved it!” You punctuate each word with a smacking kiss.

Charles looks immensely pleased. “Good, because the celebrations are just beginning. Now, I believe I was promised cake?”

You spend the evening feeding each other cake and laughing over champagne. Charles serenades you again, because one impromptu singalong just wasn’t enough for him.

As you sway together, slow dancing in the kitchen, you whisper, “Best birthday ever.”

Charles smiles and pulls you closer. “We’ll make every birthday together your best one yet. I love you, Y/N. So much.”

Your heart swells with joy. No matter where life takes you both, with Charles every birthday is celebrated to the fullest.

***

A salty ocean breeze ruffles your hair as you gaze out over the glittering turquoise water. The sun is sinking low, painting the sky in dazzling pinks and oranges.

You sigh contentedly, snuggling back against Charles’ chest. His arms tighten around you as you sway together on the yacht’s deck.

“Happy birthday, mon ange,” he murmurs, dropping a kiss to your shoulder.

You tilt your head back to smile up at him. “I know I say this every year, but this is the best birthday ever.”

Charles grins, his nose crinkling adorably. “Well you deserve the perfect birthday getaway.”

You hum in agreement, perfectly relaxed and blissful here in his arms. Charles always plans the most romantic adventures for your birthdays. But after three amazing years together, just being with your favorite person is celebration enough.

As the sun continues to set you chat and trade soft kisses. The conversation lulls eventually into comfortable silence.

Charles shifts behind you. “Y/N, can you turn around? There’s something I want to ask you.”

You swivel in his arms to face him, curious at his suddenly serious tone. But a radiant smile lights up his face.

Slowly, Charles sinks down to one knee before you. Your breath catches as he takes your hands in his.

“Mon amour, these past three years with you have been the happiest of my life. You are my best friend, my heart, my home. I want to laugh with you, explore the world with you, and grow old with you.” His eyes shine with emotion as he gazes up at you.

“So Y/N, will you make me the luckiest man alive by marrying me?”

Joyful tears fill your eyes. “Yes! Of course I’ll marry you!”

Charles’ face splits into the most delighted grin. He moves to stand but wobbles slightly, the boat swaying beneath the two of you.

You reach out to steady him. “Careful!”

“Sorry, just excited,” he laughs breathlessly. With exaggerated care he pulls a ring box from his pocket and opens it to reveal a dazzling diamond ring.

Your smile widens impossibly further. The sunset lights the gems ablaze from within.

Charles takes your left hand gingerly, his own hands trembling. “I hope you lik-”

But his unsteady fingers fumble and the ring slips from his grasp. You both gasp, hands shooting out too late to catch it. The diamonds glint once in the dying sunlight before plopping into the blue water.

“No!” Charles cries in horror. In a flash he’s scrambling to rip off his shoes and shirt. Before you can react, he’s diving in after the lost ring.

“Charles!” You rush to the railing, scanning the rippling surface for him. Bubbles appear where he dove down. The seconds stretch nerve-wrackingly until finally he surfaces, gasping for breath. In his clutched fist, the ring gleams triumphantly.

Relief crashes over you as Charles swims to the ladder. He clambers back aboard the boat, soaked and panting but grinning ear to ear.

“I got it!” He crows, holding up the retrieved ring.

A delighted laugh bursts from you. Only Charles would dive headfirst off a yacht to save an engagement ring. You throw your arms around his dripping shoulders, not caring that you’re getting drenched too.

“My hero,” you kiss him soundly.

Charles wraps you in a soggy hug. “Couldn’t let this ring get away when I still have a very important question to ask you … again.”

He sinks down once more to his knee, water pooling around him. With his hair plastered to his forehead and clothes soaked through, he looks adorably bedraggled but still so breathtakingly handsome.

Grasping your hand again, he asks earnestly, “Y/N, will you marry me and make me the happiest man in the world?”

“Yes!” You don’t think you’ve ever smiled so wide. “Yes, Charles, yes!”

Charles whoops triumphantly, surging up to kiss you passionately. This time his hands are steady as he finally successfully slips the ring onto your finger.

Admiring the shimmering diamonds you joke, “This ring might need a free cleaning after that swim.”

Charles laughs, pulling you close again. “I’ll get you a new one if you want. Anything for my future wife.”

Wife.

The word sends a thrill through you. You cup Charles’ face in your hands. “This is the only ring I’ll ever want. Because it’s from you.”

His eyes soften. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too.” You lean in for another searing kiss as the last light fades behind the horizon.

When you finally draw back Charles wrinkles his nose. “As romantic as this is, I should probably get into some dry clothes.”

You laugh, plucking at his soaked shirt. “Good call. Then we can continue this celebration in proper style!”

Charles grins and sweeps you up into his arms. “I like the way you think, Future Madame Leclerc.”

***

“One more push, you’re almost there!”

You squeeze Charles’ hand with all your might, face scrunched in exertion, as you bear down to bring your baby into the world.

This is not exactly how you envisioned spending your birthday this year. But as you give one final push and hear your daughter’s first cries, you know this is already the best birthday of your life.

“She’s here! You did amazing, mon amour!” Charles says through joyful tears, kissing your sweat-damp forehead.

The doctor holds up the squalling, wriggling newborn. “Congratulations, it’s a girl!”

Charles cuts the umbilical cord with shaky hands before the nurses whisk your daughter away to be cleaned and checked. He turns back to you, eyes shining. “I’m so proud of you, Y/N. She’s perfect.”

You beam tiredly back at him. The child you created together, your little family, is finally here. After long months of waiting, your birthday wish has come true.

Soon the nurse returns, swaddling your baby girl in a soft pink blanket. “Say hello to your daughter,” she says gently, placing the tiny bundle in your arms.

You gaze down at your daughter, tears of joy and wonder sliding down your cheeks. Ten tiny fingers and ten tiny toes — she’s absolute perfection.

“Hello Juliette,” you whisper. “Happy birthday, my beautiful girl.”

Charles perches gingerly on the edge of the bed, staring at you both like you hung the moon and stars. He reaches out a tentative finger to stroke Juliette’s downy head.

“She’s so small,” he marvels. “And so perfect. I can’t believe we made this little human.”

His voice cracks on the last word. Your tough Formula 1 driver melts into a puddle of emotion in the presence of his daughter.

You glance up at Charles, your husband, your soulmate, and now the father of your child. The utter love and joy shining from his eyes in this moment eclipses every birthday and every milestone you’ve shared before.

“I used to think so many birthdays were the best day of my life,” you say softly. “But now … this is it. The real best day.”

Charles smiles through his tears and leans in to kiss you tenderly. “This is just the start of so many best days together.”

You both gaze back down at the baby nestled between you. Juliette blinks up at you tiredly and the sight of her green eyes looking back at you takes your breath away.

Charles lets out an awed little laugh. “She has my eyes.”

He holds out a hand and Juliette instinctively grasps his finger. Charles completely melts.

“Hello, ma petite princesse,” he coos. “I’m your papa. And I’m going to love you forever.”

Juliette seems to study his face intently before giving a big yawn that makes you both chuckle. Your heart feels fit to burst watching Charles bond instantly with your daughter.

The next hours pass in a blissful blur of feeding, diaper changes, and stealing each moment possible to just gaze at the miracle you’ve created. You almost forget it’s even your birthday until Charles speaks up.

“You know, I had something else planned to celebrate today but Juliette decided she simply couldn’t wait,” he laughs.

You just smile. “This is the greatest gift I could have asked for.”

He leans down to brush a feather-light kiss to Juliette’s forehead, then yours.

“I guess we’ll just have to plan an extra special party when you’re both home,” he says with a smile. “Our little princess deserves the biggest birthday bash for entering the world on such a special day.”

You grin up at him. “I have a feeling her daddy will go all out.”

“Only the best for my girls.” Charles winks.

Juliette stirs in your arms, letting out the tiniest of baby sighs that melts you both instantly.

As Juliette drifts to sleep cradled between you, her little fingers curled around yours, you know this birthday marks the start of your greatest adventure yet and many more amazing birthdays still to come.

[spookwriter-xo]

Coppélia

Chapter 5 - The Deep Dive

Chapter Summary - Y/N discusses the terms of the contract with the owners of ATZ Corp, where Hongjoong surprises her.

warnings: slight hints at sex work - poor descriptions of a house and room

Series Masterlist

The upper-class part of town was full of colorful people. You have the rich side, where the fashionistas and businessmen collide to indulge in brunches and auctions. And then there was the side involved in more illegal activities to keep their power and status.

It didn't seem far-fetched that ATZ Corp was involved in such activities. My own father was too, as it was common in old-money families.

The car ride was silent, not even the radio was on. I felt a sense of unease settle in my belly as we neared the restaurant, I knew this area, my dad's company building was close by maybe 2 blocks away. I stared out the window at the people walking up and down the street in their expensive suits and designer clothes.

A part of me missed that life. Being able to have everything I could ever want in the palm of my hand. I remembered my parents' house, my room was bigger than my apartment now, with the plush mattress and walk-in wardrobe. If I agreed to the contract, would I get that back?

The other half was happy with the life I had created, and the independence I'd gained. Though the progress was slow, I was making a name for myself.

"Miss?" The driver called out, I hadn't even realized he was holding the back seat door open for me.

"Sorry... Thank you." I say quickly collecting myself before stepping onto the pavement in front of the restaurant. I was met by another man, dressed in all black with sunglasses and a mask covering his face. He gestured for me to follow him, and surprisingly I did.

The man led me through the restaurant, a few heads turning as we walked. I tried to keep my breath steady, feeling the heat of embarrassment rise on my cheeks. He led me down a hallway and towards a sliding door that was firmly shut. He bowed to me before knocking twice.

A muffled voice answers and the man slides the door open. I stand there in the doorway for a moment. The only people in there were 8 men. I recognized Seonghwa close to the head of the table, and Mingi who sat closest to the door. Mingi gave me a saddened look, did I disappoint him by showing up?

"You're here." The man at the head of the table said. That must be Hongjoong.

I nod before stepping inside, thanking my escort before going to sit at the empty seat next to Mingi and in front of another, rather broad-shouldered, man.

"Are you hungry?" Seonghwa asks, his eyes staring into mine. I shift slightly under his gaze.

"Not really," I answered dismissively. Seonghwa grins, amused, before nodding to the man by the door, who then leaves.

I glance around at all of them, taking in their appearances. They were handsome, I'd give them that. Maybe I was lucky to have caught Seonghwa's attention.

"Y/N." Hongjoong says. "Let's discuss the terms of the contract, yes?" He says the smirk on his face made my blood still for just a moment.

"Well," I start "I don't like the implication that I'm to be used as an outlet for your sexual frustrations." I send a glare his way for good measure.

Seonghwa raises an eyebrow and sips his drink. "Do you now?" Hongjoong chuckles, and I glare at him again. Was he seriously laughing right now? Maybe coming here was a bad idea, the only one who I might have a chance at taking me seriously is Mingi, and honestly, I wasn't so sure of his defensive abilities aside from physical.

"If you're going to laugh, then maybe I shouldn't have come," I say, moving to stand up, biting back a grin as Hongjoong's expression falters for a moment. If they're going to play games, I'll play too.

"There's no need for that." Another man says quickly. I glance at him for a moment, his eyes cat-like as he watched, no, studied me. I slowly sit back down, glancing up at Mingi who was giving me that same boba-eyed expression from last night. I guess it was kinda cute.

"If you didn't want something from us, you wouldn't have come," Seonghwa states. "So what is it that you want, Doll?"

I think for a moment. What did I want? I wasn't in this for money, I couldn't care less about that no matter how much I missed luxury. I'd never been eager to be involved in a polyamorous relationship before either. Why was I even here?

Maybe it was the security aspect? Knowing that I'd have people to fall back on if my career went sideways? A place to live where I'd actually be able to lock the door at night. 8 men to protect me didn't sound so bad either, I suppose.

Knowing that there was someone aside from Mia who supported and loved my art enough to come to every show. Knowing that someone liked me enough to warn me despite probably being told not to about the dangerous side of their lives.

My mind drifted back to the girl Mingi briefly mentioned. I had so many questions about her, what was her name? What happened to her?

"Y/N?" The man with the broad shoulders calls out from across the table. "Are you alright?"

I nod. "I want to be involved in the making of this contract. It doesn't seem fair that I'm expected to blindly sign it without having my own input." I say, looking at Hongjoong. His smile had fallen, his eyes watching me carefully.

"I want this to be more than what you wrote on that paper. I'm happy you're letting me continue my time at the society, but I can't control how long I'm practicing for. So you'll just have to suck it up." I state. The man with the cat eyes lets out a snort of amusement, covering it up with a cough.

"Go on." Hongjoong urges, leaning forward on his elbows.

"I want to take this slow. This whole thing is new to me and I don't want to overwhelm myself, especially when I'm in the middle of shows."

Hongjoong tilts his head and nods in understanding.

"How about we forget about the contract," Hongjjong says, leaning back in his seat. "It seems pointless and outdated if you ask me."

I blink in surprise, even the others look at him with bewildered looks.

"I'm sure you already know of what we do, thanks to big mouth over there," Hongjoong says, sending a look to Mingi who lowers his head. "So there's no point in keeping you out of the loop, and the contract does state that you don't ask questions."

"So, no contract?" I question.

"No contract, sweetheart." Hongjoong chuckles. "However I will need you to make a decision tonight. If word gets out that you're involved with one of us, and it will, we'll need to have you somewhere safer than your apartment." He says, right as the door opens again. Waiters enter with various trays of food, setting them down gracefully in the center of the table before leaving without a word.

I furrow my eyebrows as the boys begin to start eating immediately, chatting like I wasn't there. Mingi places a plate in front of me with a slight smile before continuing on with his conversation. I listened to their conversations, learning their names bit by bit. The man across from me, San, offered countless times to retrieve food for me so I didn't have to reach for anything.

I felt a pang in my stomach. Seonghwas love letters, Mingi holding doors open for me, and now San offering to retrieve food. Were they all such gentlemen?

"I accept." I blurt out before I can even stop myself. They all paused their conversations, and the sound of cutlery screeching to a halt caused my lips to quirk up slightly in amusement. Their heads slowly turn to me, genuinely surprised by my answer.

"You're serious?" Wooyoung, the man with the cat eyes, says with a mouth full of food. These were supposed to be ruthless businessmen/gang leaders, yet at that moment I saw the opposite. I saw young men who were so open to showing me, a stranger, so much vulnerability I almost couldn't handle it.

"I'm serious," I say, my voice barely above a whisper. At that, the boys all snap their heads at Hongjoong, who is smiling once again.

"Excellent." He says, before taking a bite of his food. I glance at Mingi, noticing the conflicting emotions on his face. I had to stop myself from reaching out, a part of me wanted to apologize to him for my answer, knowing how much he hadn't wanted me to accept.

I stopped myself, however, turning back to my food. I'd gambled with my life with my answer. Was it really going to be hard if I wanted to leave? What if I ended up not liking these boys as much as I'd assumed I would?

I started to regret my decision, however my pride stopped me from retracting it. I sat in silence as the boys continued to talk amongst themselves, about work and other things.

When the time came to go, I was the last to stand. My legs felt shaky and my throat dry. Mingi stood behind my chair and waited for me to stand, pulling it back as I did so I had space to move away from the table.

"No need to return to your apartment tonight. We have a room for you already." Hongjoong tells me, resting a hand on my back which made my body jolt in surprise.

"Already?" I ask as he starts to lead me out of the room. Instead of heading towards the main restaurant, he leads us through to a back door.

"We had it set up in case you said yes." He explains, nodding to the men waiting outside. I blinked in surprise at the number of them. Were they standing out here the whole time? Hongjoong leads me to a car that Yunho had climbed into just a moment prior.

I climb in also, followed by Hongjoong before the door is shut. I'm sandwiched between them, looking up at Yunho who is staring straight ahead with a cold expression. I purse my lips and look away, clearly he wasn't interested in small talk.

The car began to move, the vehicle weaving into traffic and speeding off. I kept my knees tucked close together to stop myself from nudging against the two men on either side. Hongjoong was on his phone, a serious expression on his brows as he aggressively typed a message out. Yunho had a blank expression as he stared out the window. His left hand resting on his thigh, the fingers spread and slightly gripping the fabric of his pants.

I noticed the scars on his knuckles, light pink against his pale skin. I glance up at his face and flinch as my eyes meet his. I quickly turn to the front, hearing him let out a huff of amusement before returning to the window.

Hongjoong had sat his phone down now, relaxing in the car seat.

"Seonghwa tells me you're a talented ballerina," Hongjoong says, finally breaking the silence. "I should come watch a show of yours."

I give him a small smile. "I'm not that good, I've been dancing for years so it's all experience."

"Humble are we?" He chuckles, turning his head to face me.

"It's better than being cocky," I say. "Though you wouldn't know about that would you?"

He lets out a cackle, Yunho doesn't even flinch beside me.

"I see why Seonghwa was so eager to have you." He says, his voice laced with amusement.

"Is he always like that?" I ask, finding a strange comfort now that Hongjoong and I were actually talking one-on-one, despite the looming presence on my right. "Like romantic, heaps of gifts."

"Yes. You'll get used to it after a while, might even come to appreciate it." Hongjoong says. "He's always been a giver, I may be the leader but he runs the house as far as I'm concerned." He smiles fondly while talking about his friends.

"How long have you known each other?" I ask.

"Since we were teens, some longer than others. I met Yunho first." He gestures to the other man. "Met the others not long after." He states.

I turn to the front and realize we are no longer in the city, but instead on a long road, the only light coming from the headlights and the full moon overhead.

"I hope you like blue, I had our housekeeper decorate your room for you," Hongjoong says, sitting up a little straighter as we turn into a driveway. "And don't be intimidated by the size of the house, I'll have someone give you a tour tomorrow."

"How big-?" I cut myself off as the house came into view. I feel my jaw drop slightly at the size of it. I saw the fountain first, the statue in the center carved carefully from stone. The house itself was magnificent, maybe twice the size of the one I grew up in.

"24 bedrooms," Hongjoong says, his smile wide as he looks at me. The car slowly comes to a stop at the front of the house, the tires crunching on the basalt.

Hongjoong got out first, holding the door open as I followed behind him. I strained my neck to look at the house, noticing all the artistic details littered through the brick.

"Impressed is she?" I hear Wooyoung shout from down the driveway.

"Seems like it," Hongjoong says, offering his arm. I hesitate for a moment before taking it.

A man by the door opens the door for us, my heels clicking on the marble. The foyer was brighter than I expected, a chandelier hung low from the ceiling with a grand staircase curving up the wall. My eyes scanned the room, the marble floor a pristine white with black and gold patterns throughout, two plush armchairs positioned neatly underneath one of the stair railings.

Hongjoong started walking towards the staircase on the right, helping me so that my heels didn't catch on my dress. I glance down at the others as the stairs curve to the side. Some had dispersed into the house, others lingered by the door to maintain conversation. loosening their ties to provide some comfort.

Upstairs was a little darker, instead of a marble floor it was a dark polished wood. Hongjoong led me down the hall until he stopped at the fourth door towards the back of the house. He opened the door for me and stepped back, allowing me to enter without being followed.

A luxurious bedroom unfolds, centered around a grand canopy bed. The bed features carved posts of polished wood, supporting a cascading canopy of sheer, light blue fabric with subtle golden embroidery. The bedding mirrors the room’s opulence, with plush pillows and a comforter in light blue satin trimmed with gold.

A cozy seating area in one corner features a pair of tufted armchairs upholstered in blue velvet, accompanied by a small, round marble table with gold legs. The floors are polished wood, softened by a plush, cream-colored rug that complements the room's serene yet regal palette. A crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, casting a warm glow over the room. Tall windows line the back of the room, and light blue curtains are drawn to give some privacy.

"Do you like it?" Hongjoong says from the doorway.

"I love it," I say softly, turning to look at him. He had a soft expression on his face before he spoke.

"There's clothes in the wardrobe for you. I'll have someone go to your apartment sometime this week and collect some of your things." He says, going to shut the door and leave me be.

"Can I ask you something?" I say quickly, making him stop. "Why did you all agree to this? I mean, you don't even know me."

He examines me for a moment before answering, "Same reason as you, sweetheart." Before shutting the door. I hear his footsteps retreat back towards the staircase as I stand there, scared to touch anything and ruin the warm feeling of the room.

I slowly find my feet walking towards the walk-in wardrobe, a wide smile on my face as I notice that it's full. Someone really went out of their way to buy clothes from expensive clothing lines that somehow were exactly my size. I notice folded-up pajamas on the vanity towards the back of the room, my fingers touching the silky fabric before bundling them up in my arms. I walk out of the wardrobe, opening the next door to find a fully decked-out bathroom, equipped with everything I could need.

I got changed and wiped off my makeup before trudging back out into the main room. My eyes felt heavy, and I realized my social battery had gone down to almost empty since the day began. So much had happened, in just 3 hours and I couldn't help but feel completely exhausted.

I flopped onto the bed, the plush mattress beneath me a welcome feeling as I settled beneath the covers. I closed my eyes, somehow feeling at ease despite being in a strange environment. Something about the effort they put in, even if it was just a nice room, made me feel welcomed despite the silence I'd received from a few of them.

Jongho, Yeosang, and Yunho seemed to be a bit more standoffish than the rest. Maybe they weren't as eager as the others about a new person being invited into their home, no questions asked, and for that, I couldn't blame them.

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@pinuspot @astral-trashcan @ateezswonderland

[literaila]

the brunch

gojo satoru x fem!reader

summary: satoru does not get jealous, just so everyone knows

a/n: (that previous statement was a lie) the brainrot is real

last part | next part

year four.

it’s a bit unusual for the house to be this filled, especially this early in the morning. 

chatter echoes throughout the space, loud exclamations, and secret whispers, all making up a terrible-sounding symphony. 

megumi and tsumiki are playing some elaborate board game with onlookers on the coffee table, both of them smiling proudly. 

satoru is trying to tidy up the many different plates and cups everyone's left lying around, laughing when shoko rolls her eyes at something he's just said. 

and you're in the kitchen, talking with nanami like you haven't seen him in several years--it's been three weeks. 

it's very strange for the four of you. to let anyone--not to mention a dozen people--intrude on your carefully planned out saturday mornings. to invite others into your world of burnt breakfasts and uncombed bedhead. 

but here you all are, managing. 

and you’d reminded satoru probably seventeen times—too many times, he thinks, with far too many knowing glances—that hosting was not something to be taken lightly (and that you weren’t going to help him ((both of you know that you are)). 

but he doesn’t mind this. 

the crowded house, or the many different phone calls he had to make about getting this party (which he swore wasn’t one) set up. the loud sounds or the inevitable cleanup he'll try to swindle his way out of. 

it’s quite nice. actually, satoru is a little proud of his makeshift brunch, and the fact that everyone came, and everyone seems happy. he likes that he can barely hear his thoughts, that there's nothing important enough for him to think about anyway. 

and honestly, with all of it going on, satoru should not be this discontented with the fact that you’re smiling at someone else. 

he invited nanami because he knows that you miss him and that you’re too embarrassed to admit that. or too proud, maybe. too forgiving. and he knows that you wouldn’t have done it yourself, had he not gotten involved. 

but still. should satoru really have to sit back and watch as you fawn over a man who wore a suit to casual brunch? 

no, he should not, thank you. 

"what's wrong with your face?" shoko asks him after the silence has drawn on for too long, sounding very uninterested. 

satoru shakes his head, snapping out of his daze. "what?" 

"you've got a weird look." 

"no, i don't." 

"it's like that time that you chugged the entire carton of expired milk someone left in the fridge." 

"don't remind me," he says, trying to put on a theatrical wince, but he just ends up looking back at you, with a blank face. 

there is no time for joking, or flamboyancy, or caring about anything else in the world. 

shoko does the same, her eyes trailing where his are, watching as you tilt your head at nanami, laughing when he murmurs something. 

in typical nanami fashion, his lips only twitch a little bit, but it's enough to tell that he's amused by whatever conversation you're having. 

that he's got your full attention, and he gets to watch your eyes as they shift from one glance to another and--

shoko nods, looking back to satoru, who is trapped in his stare. chained down at the mere thought of you. "oh," she says, rolling her eyes. 

satoru doesn't look away, but grunts in the form of a question. 

"you're an idiot, you know that?" 

he frowns. "what?" 

her eyes are exasperated, and her smile is all-knowing. she has always alluded satoru, and his very short attention span. and he kind of hates her, at this moment, for distracting him. 

"seriously," she scoffs at his perturbed face, "after a whole year of living basically in the same room, i thought that the two of you would finally get over it." 

"who?" satoru asks, smiling confusedly. "get over what?" 

"you. get over yourself. honestly, only you and y/n would raise two kids together and pretend like there's no intimacy in it." 

"what?"' satoru repeats, dumbly. 

"and, by the way," shoko tells him, sipping on her drink. "jealousy is not cute." 

and then she walks away, like she's answered a single one of satoru's questions. 

and he frowns, thinking about it. 

because--no, there's no way she was talking about him--he shakes his head. where would she even have gotten that idea? there's--

no. 

and it’s—it’s not jealousy. he laughs off that thought.

satoru gojo is the strongest. he's the one everyone looks to. he doesn't have anything to be jealous about. 

and besides satoru knows that you don’t get enough time away from your discombobulated family. that your life revolves around them, and they around you. 

and the two of you have talked—at length—about the fact that you’re both young, and neither of you should live the lifestyle of some middle-aged parents, with no way to connect with the people in your age group. the people that would’ve been your family, in some alternate universe. 

satoru knows that you don’t carve out the things that you need without being asked to, that you get anxious about these types of occasions--he's watched it happen before, when you were forced into a corner at one exchange event the two of you shared, or when yaga took you all out to dinner, and you'd shrink yourself in your seat until someone noticed. 

he's seen you try to make yourself smaller at the convenience of others, and as he's grown (he almost winces at the thought) satoru has sworn to himself that he'd keep you from any situation where that might be necessary. 

so he shouldn’t--he doesn't--mind that you’re having a good time. he should be--is--happy with himself, for setting it up so you could, for planning it around you, and the kids. he should be preparing himself to gloat in your face about the fact that he thought of this, and he set it up all on his own. 

god. he doesn't have anything to be jealous about. 

but that doesn't change the fact that satoru can't really see beyond you, ten feet away from him, laughing at something that nanami said. 

and maybe it's not the fact that you're talking to him, or that you're smiling at him like satoru wants to be smiled at, he thinks, but more that you don't act that way with him. 

satoru is well aware of the grounds in your relationship, and he knows that you spend most of your days rolling your eyes at the obnoxious things that he says, trying to protect the children--and him--from the antics that you've all grown used to. 

he's not jealous, but maybe he's a little bit annoyed that he hasn't seen you this easy, and light since you were still in school. since you were still younger than him, and still someone he could look down upon. 

you cling to nanami like satoru clings to you, he realizes, sullenly. you smile and tease--if just the way your eyes crinkle means anything. 

you grin at nanami like you're trying to irritate him. like you're the reckless one between the two. 

and maybe it hurts satoru more just to know that you are the reckless one.

he'd lived with the two of you for three years. he'd experienced nanami's typical brooding--which, now, reminds him a lot of megumi, actually--and the way he'd think through everything. maybe a little bit too much, even. 

satoru was always there to watch you giggle alongside the austere man, pull him out of whatever thought process was darkening the mood, and remind him that none of it was all that serious. 

satoru knows--he knows--that you and him are similar. he knows that it's why he feels the way he does with you. that the way the two of you dance around your emotions, and say nothing that you truly mean is something to cherish, if also something to despise. 

he's not jealous, but maybe it hurts satoru because he knows that you've never been able to truly not care, with him. that he takes up all of the ignorance one household can get, even without meaning to.

or maybe it's just been a long time since he got the chance to watch you interact with anyone else. 

maybe he's just ridiculous, and he should go do something else before he thinks about this for too long. shoko is wrong, though, he thinks. he's definitely not jealous. 

he's satoru gojo. he doesn't have anything to be jealous about. 

but he's still watching when you shake your head at something nanami says, tapping him on the shoulder and excusing yourself while waving him on, still light and airy, eyes meeting satoru's with that same grin. 

it's probably worse to know that it doesn't quite belong to him. that he's not the sole benefactor of it all. 

"hey," you say, bumping into him on purpose when you come over, your hands wrapping around his forearm as you lean on him. "need help?" 

"nah, i've got it," he finally looks away. he doesn't want to watch this. 

but you're still grinning at him, trying to catch his eye--even with the sunglasses. "you're all alone over here," you coo, "i can help you clean up." 

satoru snorts. "i thought you weren't going to help with anything." 

"well, since i'm already here..." you drawl, beginning to pick up spare utensils, and napkins. all of the things he'd been too distracted to do. 

you're humming as you do it, completely content with everything. 

satoru tries not to grind his teeth at the fact that your mood is not because of him. 

"how's nanami?" he asks, unprecendented, after a moment. 

you shrug. "he's good. i guess the real world sucks too," you say it with a lilt, like there's an inside joke that satoru is missing. 

he shakes his head, trying to keep his words civil. "the real world?" 

"the corporate universe, and laws of reality, or whatever," you roll your eyes, and you sound exactly like him. "no curses or magic to liven things up." 

"no monsters, you mean." 

"or that," you smile at him, looking almost giddy. 

satoru hums. 

you put all of the trash you've collected on a serving dish, piling things up without a care in the world. and then you turn towards satoru, and he can feel your slight frown before he can see it. "you okay?" you ask him. 

satoru freezes. "what?" 

"is it getting to you? the brunch?" 

"what? no, i'm fine," he tries to look at you like you're ridiculous, but his face feels stiff, and wrong, and far too happy for you. 

"you look like your tongue is too big to fit in your mouth." 

he sticks his tongue out, almost on command. "does it look any different?" 

"hmm," you pretend to observe. "yeah. might want to see a doctor about it." 

"noted." 

"are you trying not to laugh at something? you can tell me if i have something on my face, you know." 

satoru's smile is a bit easier at that, but he shakes his head anyway. he kind of wants to run away to his room--something he's learned from raising two children. "no, i'm just thinking." 

you raise a brow. 

satoru scowls. "what? you didn't think it was possible?" 

"no, not really."  

he shakes his head. he tries to turn away, scoffing like it's a joke (it's not), but your hand reaches for his bicep before he can. 

"hey," you say to him. he turns back to you, and your smile, nose scrunched up as you lean in. "how are you?" 

"busy. i have to go make sure there's enough ice in that bucket." 

"i'll come with you," you say, even though you both know that he's lying. 

"no. i'm sure nanami has more he wants to talk with you about." 

"is that what this is about? nanami? are you mad at him, or something?" 

"why would i be mad at him?" 

"i don't know, satoru, your brain is a confusing thing," you tug on his hair just a little bit. "hey, c'mon. why're you upset?" 

"i'm not upset." 

satoru should be basking in your attention, but he can't quite bring himself to notice it. or that you spend every day with him--mostly without complaint--and never fail to laugh at something he says. 

no, his thoughts are not very organized, at the moment. 

"you've got your little angry pout on," you nudge his lips with a finger. "i think you've been spending too much time with megumi." 

he grabs your hand, trying not to squeeze. "i'm fine. go hang out. you're not supposed to be helping me." 

this time, you pout. "you don't want to spend time with me?" 

he groans, throwing his head back. "i'm trying to be nice," he tells you. "you know, like how you're always telling me to?" 

"ew," you say, giggling a little bit. "i don't like it." 

he rolls his eyes. 

"seriously, come hang out with me and the kids. we can beat them at charades, or something, again. you need a little pep in your step." 

"what are you, my mom?" he deadpans but feels his heart twitch a little bit because you're still holding onto him. 

"might as well be. take a break, satoru, i miss you." 

you say it so easily and nonchalantly that satoru wants to pick you up and lock you in a little box, just so you can never talk to anyone but him again.

he stares at you, blinking beneath his glasses, feeling like you're doing all of this just to mess with him. 

honestly, whiplash is a serious condition. 

you smile at him, fluttering your eyelashes unknowingly, pouting at him a little bit, even through the smile. 

and satoru's never been able to say no to you, so he lets you pull him with you, back to the kitchen, where you grab nanami too--to the dismay of satoru, of course. he tries not to glare. 

and satoru chooses to ignore the discerning look that nanami sends him, and the fact that his arm tightens around your waist as you drag the two men along. 

he's not jealous. god, it's just very loud in here. 

*

somewhere several minutes earlier, when the two of you were standing just a little bit too close to each other, both of you pouting, looking like two children fighting over a toy--you had a couple of spectators. 

shoko scoffs, shaking her head. "that's disgusting." 

you're on your tiptoes, head tilted as you purr something to satoru. they can't see his eyes from twenty feet away, but they can all tell that they're stuck on you. glued, never to be torn away. 

megumi looks at the woman, then follows her eyes to the two of you, blank-faced. 

tsumiki giggles. 

"we know," they both say, rolling their eyes. 

*

next part | series masterlist

[stellewriites]

Part 5 - John Price x reader

Series Masterlist

Summary: When John gets an unexpected invite to his ex-wife's wedding, he scrambles to find a suitable date to take with him to ward off old ghosts from his past.

Notes: trans John, fat reader, smut - fingering, oral (f!receiving), riding/frotting, John's genitals are referred to as cock.

You’d been screening John’s calls and leaving his texts unread for the last fortnight, feeling worse and worse for it and not knowing exactly why you were doing it.

Each notification had your heart pumping in excitement for the possibility of him still reaching out despite your silence, and then thumping too hard in immediate anxiety and guilt.

“Stop moping and text him,” Kate said to you finally. She’d been watching you check your phone routinely throughout brunch and had noticed how you were only half focused in their conversations and slow to engage. You’d laugh a second later than the others and had forgotten what you’d ordered when it had arrived at the table.

“I’m not ready for dating.” You shrugged her off, looking back down at your phone.

She huffed and sent you a disbelieving look. Your other two friends currently present, Cass and Paige, paused their conversation to look at you doubtfully too.

“I’ve not seen you as happy as you had been recently when you were hanging out with him,” Kate said and the other two agreed. “I know this isn’t a confidence thing either. He said he liked you, and you clearly liked him.”

“Katie,” you said warningly.

“She’s not wrong,” Paige said and took a sip of her drink.

“I mean, hell, if you’re really set on not dating, then don’t! That’s fine, but text the guy back for god’s sake and hang out again. Or put him out of his misery.” She bit a large chunk out of her avocado toast as you slumped in your chair.

“He’s still trying, right? That’s what you were worried about?” Cass said, hitting the nail on the head.

Guiltily you looked down at the unanswered messages under John’s contact. It stung to realise that maybe John had been genuine that night and you’d turned him down so bluntly.

You chewed on the inside of your cheek and typed up your reply, sending it before you could talk yourself out of it.

>> hi john sorry for the distance, i’ve been figuring some stuff out. make it up to you over coffee if you’re free later?

He didn’t leave you waiting anxiously for long, replying immediately with an affirmative.

“What did he say?” Paige asked.

“We’re meeting up later,” you said a little bashfully. “He said he’s looking forward to seeing me.”

Kate smiled knowingly. “Yeah, I bet.”

You elbowed her lightly and put your phone away. It was easier to settle back into the conversation with the group, easier to concentrate, with your chest not feeling so tight.

——

“Hey,” you greeted him softly inside the coffee shop later that day. He’d arrived early again.

You felt almost more awkward now than you had when meeting him for the first time.

“How have you been, Sunshine?” He asked as you took your seat.

“Good. Fine. Yeah.” You nodded before you shook it. “I wanted to apologise, John. For a lot of things but—“

“No need, Sunshine, honestly,” he waved you off gruffly, leaning forward in his seat as you shrank back in yours. “I’m just glad you’re happy to see me now.”

“I am,” you confirmed with a shy smile, sat opposite him and growing more relaxed at the pleased twitch of his moustache.

“So what’s been new?” He asked again.

You snorted. “It’s only been a couple of weeks since we last saw each other,” you said.

He blushed, the pink flush half hidden behind the beard he was growing back out.

“Guess I got used to all the updates throughout the day quicker than I’d realised.” He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly before looking to the counter and sitting up straighter. “Do you want anything? My treat.”

Your smile had dropped at the reminder of how you’d skipped out of his life so suddenly; even though you didn’t owe him anything, you had grown to be friends before the wedding and you know you’d have been hurt if it was the other way around.

“Yeah, just an iced latte please,” you said before stopping him from standing. “Hey, I said I was making it up to you. I should be paying.”

He huffed a laugh. “Not likely. You’re making it up to me by sticking around, Sunshine. You didn’t have to come at all.”

“John…”

“One iced latte coming up,” he said and stood. “God knows why, they taste more of sugar than coffee.”

“That’s exactly why,” you huffed a hesitant laugh as he headed to the counter. When he came back a minute later and sat down with the drinks you took a sip before speaking. “To answer your question, work has been the same old, but I’m thinking of maybe getting a pet? Tied between a cat and a rabbit at the moment. If it’s a rabbit, I’ll need to sort the garden though, it’s little bit overgrown right now.”

His eyebrows raised in surprise and he put his tea down. “You got the tools for it?”

“I think my neighbour has a lawnmower and my mum probably has a pair of shears I could borrow for the hedges,” you hummed. It had only been a half thought semi-recently, so you’d not put much planning into the idea yet, just the start of a pinterest board of cute ideas.

“I could help,” he offered, a touch too casual. “If you wanted. I’ve got a lawnmower I don’t get to use too often and some time off before I have to head back to work.”

“I’ll think about it,” you said with a gentle smile.

He nodded.

“What about you?” You asked.

“Same old,” he said vaguely, repeating your own words back at you. He shuffled uncomfortably in his seat. “I am having to go back to work properly soon though.”

You tilted your head, confused at his drab tone, certain as you were that you’d messaged once or twice when he was at work, stuck doing paperwork or in a meeting before the wedding.

“I’ll be heading overseas,” he clarified. “Might not be contactable for a few weeks at a time. Just didn’t want you to think…”

“That you were ignoring me to get back at me for the fact that I ghosted you?” You guessed when he trailed off. John nodded sheepishly.

“Fuck, I’m glad I’ve gotten to see you before I go,” he said quietly, just looking at you.

“Me too,” you agreed. Impulsively, you finished off your drink and made a quick decision. “Do you want to come back to mine for dinner? I’ll cook.”

John grinned brightly. “I’d love that.”

——

You busied yourself in the kitchen when you got back home with him, missing his chuffed smirk when he saw your door was still in working order with no sign of it dragging on the doorstep.

You didn’t miss his hum when he joined you in the kitchen a moment later.

“That shelf meant to be on a slant?” He asked, eyes shrewd as he looked at your collection of herbs and spices.

“Oh, no but I’ve just never found time to fix it. And it’s not fallen down yet, so it’s not even made an appearance on my Urgent List.” You shrugged.

He hummed again and headed back to the front door. “I’ve got my tool box with me, I’ll sort it now for you.”

“No, John, you don’t have to,” you called after him, but he was already out of the door. You didn’t know that he’d kept his toolbox in his truck ever since he was first here just in case you messaged again needing anything sorted, and now he was glad his foresight was paying off.

The shelf was sorted quicker than the kettle boiled and you swatted at him to go relax once he’d cleaned up after himself. He placatingly held his hands up in mock surrender and went to wash up in the bathroom while you rinsed some veg under the kitchen tap.

You were given ten minutes of peace before you started to wonder where he’d gone and left the pasta in the pan boiling and the sauce on a low heat to find him. You weren’t afraid to chew him out if he was snooping, but instead you found him hunched over the sink in the bathroom.

“Taps were finicky,” he said before you’d had chance to ask him what he was doing. When he’d had chance to grab his tools from the kitchen without you noticing you didn’t know, but you couldn’t help but snicker as he frowned down at the old taps.

“Don’t do well sitting still, do you, John?”

He shrugged. “Figured I might as well since I’m here,” he said instead.

You snorted. “Come help me with the sauce once you’re done here then.”

You stifled a laugh when you heard him swear through the open door before the sound of a running tap turned on and off a few times. He came back through to the kitchen a little later with a satisfied smile and you did your best to concentrate on cooking instead.

You smiled at him when he settled in next to you to take over stirring the sauce, leaving you free to set the table. You felt a pang of domesticity, it was all so easy with John.

You plated it up and sat down together. Eating dinner with him was just as easy, the awkwardness you’d felt walking into the cafe forgotten about completely as conversation flowed naturally between the two of you. Though you did have to fend the man off from planning to go out in the morning to get the wood to build you either a hutch for a potential rabbit or put up climbing shelves if you decided on a cat instead; he’d figured you’d be able to decide by time you’d finished the pasta.

“Best meal I’ve had in a while,” he sighed happily when he finished off the pasta. “Stunning.”

“Thanks, John,” you said bashfully. When you stood to take the dishes he moved quicker and grabbed the plate from your hands. You didn’t bother complaining, knowing how stubborn the man was already; instead you joined him and put the dishes away once he’d cleaned them, smiling to yourself as the pair of you worked in comfortable silence.

When all was put away and your kitchen was back to normal - now with a sturdier shelf - he smiled and headed for the door reluctantly with his toolbox in hand.

“Thanks for today, Sunshine,” he said softly and, after a brief moment of deliberation, he leant in to kiss your cheek. “Talk to you later?”

You nodded happily and closed the door behind him.

When you laid in bed later that night you couldn’t stop thinking about the gentle, chaste kiss. The only real one you’d shared so far.

——

You only got a week with John before he disappeared. He’d made you promise to keep him updated like you would normally so he could catch up when he got back again, but you tried not to overwhelm his notifications; sticking to a couple of texts every few days instead of the daily messages you’d quickly fallen back into.

If he wanted more you were sure he’d let you know and if he only skim read the mountain of messages and photos you’d still managed to send then you’d ease up next time.

He said he would be gone a month, tops, but you didn’t hear from him for two. You tried not to worry, his job wasn’t an exact science, but that fact could make you more anxious depending on the day.

It was a random Wednesday evening when you got a knock on your front door and your heart suddenly plummeted.

You walked to the door with shaking hands. The repercussions of John’s work had never fully occurred to you until this moment, or at least you’d done your best not to linger on it for too long. But now visions of the person on the other side of your door being someone in an official uniform, waiting to let you know weeks too late that John had—

John had shown up to your house unexpectedly.

“Sunshine.” He smiled.

Clearly tired, he stood on your doorstep with his hair damp and curling at the ends, his beard overgrown and his work gear still on, though a big bag was hooked over his shoulder. His smile never wavered, relieved when you answered the door.

“John?” You stepped to the side to let him in without a second thought and he trailed a heavy hand appreciatively down your arm.

“Cleaned up a little at base, but I haven’t stopped driving home since. I’ve had you on my mind as soon as we were wheels down,” he admitted with soft eyes.

You didn’t question his use of the term ‘home’ when referring to driving to yours after spending months in another country and you certainly weren’t going to think about how it made you feel.

“You should’ve gone back to yours to sleep, or at least dropped off your things,” you berated him half-heartedly. “We could’ve caught up when you weren’t running on— what? Four hours of sleep?”

“Knew you’d be my first stop.” He’d dropped his bag by the front door, his daft hat dropped on top, and was slumping onto your couch with a heavy sigh. “Should’ve left my shit at base maybe. Just didn’t want to have to drive back tomorrow.”

“Have you eaten?” At his slight shake of the head, you moved to the kitchen and started pulling something together, leaving him to relax. You knew he must be tired by how he wasn’t following after you, and your suspicions were confirmed when you came back with a thick sandwich, the last slice of a quiche you’d made earlier in the week and some picky bits from your fridge to find him asleep. You cringed at the lacklustre dinner, but you hadn’t been expecting guests and you were going grocery shopping tomorrow, so you placed it on the coffee table and sat down carefully next to him so he didn’t wake.

Turning down the volume on the TV, you let him nap as you watched a few episodes of your latest favourite. You couldn’t help but let your eyes dart over to him every so often to check on him, giggling when you noticed his mouth had dropped open during his well deserved catnap.

You paused your show when he grumbled and wiped a slow hand over his face a few hours later.

“Hello, sleepyhead. Hungry?”

“Starving,” he groaned croakily.

“Best I could do on short notice,” you said and handed him the plate. You watched like a big cat documentarian as he tore through the food with an unholy passion, finished in minutes. You silently handed him your water and he chugged it back with a loud ‘ahh’ after.

“Lovely as ever,” he said sleepily before nodding back off. You stifled a laugh and stood to grab him an extra pillow and blanket. It was clear he wouldn’t be driving home tonight, so you thought you might as well let him get comfy and crash on the couch for the night.

A brief thought crossed your mind of waking John and letting him share your bed; you’d done it for the wedding after all, and it wouldn’t have to mean anything.

You shook your head and draped the blanket over him. You knew it would mean something and you weren’t ready to make that step yet as much as you wanted it.

——

You woke in the morning to John using your shower and you smiled at him with raised ‘brows when he came back out dressed in more familiar civ clothes. You looked for the bag at the front door but couldn’t see it.

“Staying for breakfast or heading home?”

“Heading home, sadly. But I’ll call you later, yeah? I want to catch up properly,” he said. “Thanks for letting me stay, Sunshine.”

“Of course,” you said genuinely and in between bites of your cereal. “It was a nice surprise.”

He hummed and leant in to kiss your temple with a warm hand cradling the back of your neck. You tried desperately not to push into him and to ignore the thoughts of how he smelt like you out of your head; how if anyone tried to flirt with him on his way home they’d smell your strawberry shampoo and very berry body wash. How your spring air scented febreeze spray had sunk into his jacket from the couch through the night.

Your subtle mark was all over him and neither of you seemed to mind.

“Call me when you get home, John.”

He hummed, lingered for a moment more, then headed out with his bag in tow.

——

The bar was loud and your friends were still wide awake and partying strong, celebrating the news of Paige’s well earned promotion. You, however, were flagging.

It was late, and the prospect of staying out any later was making holding back a yawn nigh impossible. You’d never been a big drinker so you’d not been keeping pace with the others, a possible mistake since you seemed to lack the same energy as them, found firmly in their second wind. The last thing you wanted to do was bail but you didn’t want to bring the mood just down hanging around either.

Your phone buzzed and you smiled when you saw it was john.

>> Still awake?

<< for once yeah :p

>> What show has you gripped to binge watch late into the night this time?

You snorted.

<< out celebrating with friends, paige got promoted!!!

>> Tell her congratulations from me

>> What time does the party end?

<< idk but i’m ready for bed already 😪

<< taxi isn’t booked for another couple of hours tho :(

John’s speech bubble appeared and disappeared a few times and you watched the screen avidly.

>> Do you want me to come meet you to walk you home?

<< really??

<< would you mind? it’s late and a little cold so you don’t have to!

>> Send me the address and I’ll set off now

<< thanks john ❤️

Either John lived close or he’d ran there, as you’d only just finished telling your friends that you were leaving early when John turned up.

“You shouldn’t leave on your own, walking home at this time of night is dangerous,” Cass said worriedly, her words slurring slightly.

“I’m not, John’s meeting me to walk me home,” you said and flushed when they all cheered and whistled at the mention of his name; their catcalls gained volume and enthusiasm when John walked through the bar door a second later, head on a swivel as he looked for you in the crowd.

“Fuck off,” you hissed at your friends playfully and hugged them all goodbye before you headed over to John. He was grinning and waved happily over to your friends, nudging you when he saw the embarrassed scrunch of your shoulders.

“Good night?” He asked once you were on the path outside.

“Yeah.” You smiled. “She deserved the raise like three years ago, but at least they’re finally recognising all the work she does.”

John nodded along. He cursed a moment later when he felt a few raindrops. You both looked up at the gentle patter and gasped when it quickly turned torrential.

Your walk turned into a run as John grabbed your hand tightly and led you a little shop alcove near by, shoving you under and crowding in after you.

“Shit, I should’ve driven,” he blamed himself, looking at your soggy jacket and the rain that had splattered your round cheeks.

“Don’t worry about it, John,” you waved it off. “Bit of rain never hurt anyone.”

The pair of you were pressed close, his broad shoulders and your wide hips taking up the space in the doorway enough that you were both holding your breath in each other’s space.

“Just my luck really,” you said.

“It’s just British weather,” John corrected. “Don’t know why I wasn’t expecting it to rain in the middle of summer,” he joked.

You laughed and felt butterflies flutter at his mirrored rumble, focused on where your stomach pressed against his. You no longer felt tired stood with him.

It went quiet, with just the soft rain and the sound of the odd car passing by the only things heard for a moment as you both held your breath, eyes locked.

You leant forward those last few inches and pressed your lips against his. Your noses bumped and you automatically lifted a hand to tilt his chin slightly to adjust, pressing your lips a little firmer when he followed your guiding hold. His hands on your hips were reverent as he let you lead.

You delighted in the scratch of his beard for a split second before suddenly flinching back, your hand becoming firm against his shoulder to keep him from following.

“Fuck,” you swore shakily. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t apologise,” he huffed with a confused smile.

“I shouldn’t have done that,” you insisted. You felt him lean towards you and firmed the stretch of your arm to keep him in place as best you could in the small space. “It’s mixed messages. It’s not fair to you.”

“I’m still waiting,” he admitted. “I’ll wait however long y’need, Sunshine.”

You ducked your head.

“I feel guilty,” you whispered. You swallowed thickly as the reasons were finally voiced even as you avoided his eyes. “I feel like it’s Charlotte all over again for you; I’m stringing you along when you could be finding someone else. I’m— it’s not fair,” you repeated.

He leant back in shock, a frown pulling at his brows and his mouth moving silently for a moment. John looked down at you from his tucked in chin and considered your comparison, knowing the quick denial on the tip of his tongue wouldn’t soothe you.

“Have you decided that then? You don’t want to be with me?” He asked finally.

You hesitated, unable to lie and say no, and he latched onto that with a fierce hold.

You thought back to what your friends had said, the fun you’d been having with him again, how natural it all was.

“Sunshine…”

“We could take it slow?” You asked.

“Of course,” he agreed readily, pushing those few inches closer to you in eagerness. “Slow and steady, whatever you need.”

“Ok.” You nodded.

“Ok?”

“I like you, John,” you admitted almost shyly, smiling up at him. “I want to try.”

In the next breath he ducked close to kiss you again.

You were pressed against the damp, grainy wall of the little alcove as he greedily slipped a hand beneath your shirt and hungrily kissed you, not stopping for a breath or a gasp now that you’d given the go ahead.

“W-what— happened t-to,” you gasped as he filled your space and every thought. The patter of the rain going unheard as his shaky breaths filled your ears and echoed torturously. “Take— taking it s-slow?”

He sucked on your lip before pulling back and panting, swapping breaths with you. “I’m not down on one knee, am I?” He asked as though you were being obtuse.

You snorted, eyes wide in disbelief. But you didn’t push him away, instead your grip kept him close.

He dipped in for another peck and you cupped his bearded cheeks.

“My house isn’t far from here,” you suggested softly. Testing the waters.

In a flash John was dragging you out of the alcove and down the street with you laughing as you splashed through the puddles to keep up with his determined pace.

“Wrong way, John,” you laughed and tugged at his arm, directing him the to follow you and head the other way towards your house. He crowded against your back, slightly off to the side, and you felt butterflies erupt at the sound of his low chuckle as your steps overlapped and you tripped each other in eagerness.

——

Once you were safely inside your home, it didn’t take long for you to get naked and climb on the bed. You dragged John along with you, clad still in his boxers.

He hovered over you as you laid back flat, his broad palms running from your ribs to your flank soothingly as he settled between your thick thighs.

His eyes were all black, the usual greyblue just a thin strip around the edges as he took you in in all your glory.

The need to make you keen and cream on his fingers was obvious by his hungry expression and the flexing of his hold on your softest parts.

“Been wanting this for too long, Sunshine,” he whispered. “Longer than you know.”

“Think I can guess,” you gasped as he lowered himself down and kissed your stomach, making sure to cover each curve and roll as he journeyed up, keeping his warm palms cupped and dragging up your sides as he kissed between your breasts. Your knees squeezed him at the ribs when he palmed one of your tits, using the light hold to lick a broad stripe over the sensitive nipple. He went back to kissing higher, trailing up along your stretched neck and biting teasingly at your earlobe before coming face to face.

“Any preferences?” Fingers, tongue, toys.

“I’d prefer to cum sooner than later,” you said cheekily, basking in his eye roll.

“Yes, ma’am,” he huffed good naturedly. “I’ll do my best.”

He leant down and kissed you, plunging and messy, not like the dry brush of lips in the rain or the rushed eager swaps of spit and squished smiles on the way home and into your bedroom. You brushed your hands over his furry chest and trembled pleasantly, raking your fingers through and sighing at the strength usually hidden beneath layers of baggy and comfortable clothing.

“John,” you sighed and he shuffled his way down back between your legs.

“Just lay back and relax,” he ordered before trailing his nose through your bush, huffing in an opened-mouthed breath with a pleased hum.

“Need a map?” You joked breathily, breath hitching when he huffed an amused breath at your opening, pressing a light kiss there afterwards. His thumb gently spread your vulva and he gave a gentle kitten lick. Using the building wetness he found he trailed his thumb lower to your arsehole and kept it there with little pressure.

“Nah, this is your clit, right?” he asked teasingly. You snorted, but felt your pussy clench and your muscles tense when he added a bit of pressure.

“John—“

“Relax,” he said again. He moved his attention and his hand back up. “Don’t need a guided tour, though I appreciate the offer; wouldn’t mind watching you show me what you like another day. But I know what I’m doing, love.”

He licked a stripe up your centre and your eyes fluttered, your hips pushing up into his hands when he puckered his wet lips around your clit and gently suckled. “Yeah, you do,” you whimpered.

He slipped his middle finger inside fluidly, no resistance, and you let out a soft sigh, your hips subtly raising to get him as deep as you could. He changed the angle of his mouth so his strong nose nudged at your bundle of nerves and he could mouth at your plush wet opening instead. He licked around his finger, adding to the sticky mess as you practically sucked him in.

He could tell by the flutters of your cunt that you were enjoying yourself, the pinch of your brow only adding to his confirmation when he looked up, but you were so quiet.

“Y’can be loud for me, Sunshine,” he said, curling his finger and grinning cheshire-cat-wide when your jaw dropped at the feeling. “Don’t be shy.”

“Give me reason to,” you said with a cut off gasp. “W-work for it.”

He felt heat rush to his core, fattening his already throbbing cock.

As you wish.

He hooked one trembling thigh over his meaty shoulder and focused back on the heat between your legs; like sticky syrup, slippery between the pads of his fingers as he dipped a second finger in beside the first.

He gave you a moment to clench around the thicker intrusion with closed eyes before setting a quicker, less forgiving pace than before. You let out a surprised grunt, your hand flying down to grip his hair as he sealed his lips to your clit with a wagging tongue.

“Fuck.”

His left hand moved to keep your hips still, strapped across your soft tummy like a seatbelt, his palm a firm pressure in the soft pudge below your bellybutton.

He broke the seal of his mouth to heave in a panting breath and nibbled at the soft skin of your thigh beside his head to catch his breath while his fingers continued to pull sweet noises from you.

You whimpered softly, dropping your hands to the mattress and clinging tight to the sheets and felt your cheeks heat up when John chuckled.

“Can’t tell what I prefer hearing,” he said and paused his fingers deep inside of you, spreading them to get a little look at the desperate cling of you around his long digits. Your creamy arousal slid down the back of his hairy knuckles and he revelled in the light squelch as you wriggled in his hold, urging his fingers deeper inside. “Your sweet cunt or your careful moans.”

“Please, John,” you asked. Pleaded. “I’m close.”

He slipped his fingers free of your tight clutch and shushed you with a smile when you whined. Licking his pruny fingers clean, he groaned at the taste.

“I’ll get you there, Sunshine, don’t worry.”

He left a wet smack of a kiss on your thigh before ducking back down and licking deep and insatiable into your needy cunt, his fingers focused on your sensitive clit instead, rubbing almost too hard and too fast as your hips pushed your cunt further into his mouth. His arm kept you locked close and unable to shift away, not that you wanted it to end, but the sudden onslaught of hyper-focused attention was a lot after his teasing and after so long without a partner. Your hand had made its way to the back of his head once more, cupping gently, but urging him forward with a steel determination. He wasn’t allowed back up for air until you’d cum.

He pinched your clit and you shrieked at the nip of pain beneath the pleasure, feeling yourself tumble over the edge as he huffed and grunted into your pussy like a man starved.

John held you close by the thighs with both hands as you arched and clenched on his tongue; slobbering and groaning against your tender vulva as you cried out. He gave your thigh one light but sharp slap as you flooded his senses; sweaty and salty, the taste and scent of you.

You collapsed back with a breathy little, hnngh, and let your fingers scratch lazily through his hair where he’d rested his face in the groove of your groin.

He hummed and dragged himself further up your body before slumping over you, kissing the taste of you into the back of your mouth, ingraining it into your tongue, gums and teeth as you whined and writhed beneath him.

“Jesus fucking christ,” you laughed tiredly into his mouth. “Gimme a chance.”

He smiled and ground himself against your hip. “Can’t help it, y’make me feel like a teenager.”

Your nose scrunched and he huffed a laugh. “A’right, won’t make that comparison again.”

You pecked his lips in thanks and slipped your hand down between you, gathering a glob of your own arousal between your fingers. Thoroughly lubed, you pushed your hand under the band of his boxers and rubbed the collected juices over his cock and watched his brow pinch in pleasure.

It was your turn to tease.

You leant up and kissed him open mouthed and slow, the tease of tongue against his lips as he humped against your hand, moans mingling in breaths shared.

You moved your hand lower, went to slip in a finger but he gripped your wrist tightly. You looked up with wide eyes, hand falling loose in his grip where it had stopped you in your tracks.

“No, not like that. I don’t— I don’t like—“

“That’s ok,” you interrupted his stuttering explanation, watching walls build up before your eyes that you were determined not to let solidify. He didn’t need them around you. “We can just keep doing it like before,” you offered easily with a smile and lingering kiss to his fuzzy cheek. “Whatever you want.”

John guided your hand back up hesitantly, watching you as though waiting for the other shoe to drop. He kept your fingers hovering over his cock once more and you pushed forward to rub from tip to root and back up again.

“Yeah?” You asked and watched as his shoulders relaxed again. He moved his arm to lean back on his elbow by your head and you smiled, satisfied with the show of trust. “Yeah, ok.”

You pushed against the spot just below the head of his cock, trapping it against his pubic mound and were gratified as he groaned low, like the sound was forcibly pulled out of him as he thrusted roughly against your fingers. John ducked his head and kissed you, missing the mark in his desperation and licking against the corner of your mouth instead.

You nudged your face up slightly and let him moan against your lips, quickly falling into the distraction of getting him dripping and close; pulling out all your tricks and feeling yourself get worked up in return whenever you felt him throb and pulse in your hand, his thick, hairy thighs shifting either side of yours.

He pulled back and you paused your ministrations immediately, worried you’d done something wrong again, but John hurriedly tugged his boxers down and off, kicking them away from the bed and diving back towards you with a ravenous kiss.

Rolling onto his back, John tugged you into his lap so you were straddling him and for the first time in his presence a burst of hesitance connected to your weight bloomed in your chest.

You lifted up on your knees slightly to relieve some of your weight from his hips.

“Oh, John I don’t know—“

“Come ‘ere, Sunshine,” he pulled your hips back down and urged you to ride him, moving with his own frotting hips as your vulva spread to soak around his cock.

With each grind, the head nudged slightly from its foreskin and kissed your clit perfect as you tilted back. You huffed a weak moan as he slipped through your folds and the schlickschlickschlick sounds of your combined arousal mingling and frothing between your thighs had you panting and moving quicker.

Once you found your pace, one hand balanced back on his hairy thigh and the other rubbing at your clit furiously, he lifted his hands from the fat of your hips and stomach up to thumb at your nipples.

You noticed how he moaned and tensed when you slipped heavily over his sensitive tip and grinned a little meanly as you focused a careful swivel of your hips to catch your slick centre on it. You clenched and gushed over his throbbing tip as he whined, gripping you tightly to try and pull you lower.

“Close?” You asked with a breathy giggle, feeling your own legs shake with the oncoming orgasm.

You traced gentle fingers over his faded top scars beneath his thick thatch of chest hair as he groaned and leant down to kiss him. It didn’t take much longer for you both to cum, both worked up and the constant, teasing brushes at your cores were enough to gradually tip you over the edge.

His hand in your hair kept your mouths attached as you panted hot and wet, and when you broke free to the side his beard was scratchy against your nose and cheek as you shuddered on top of him.

“John, fuck.”

“Just like that, just like that,” he thrusted up in jerky little motions before stilling.

You flopped to the side a moment later, less conscious of your weight but wanting to be comfortable, and he gathered you close immediately. He tucked you under his chin with a grunt, slipping a leg over yours.

“I’m not letting you out of this bed for a week,” he groaned sleepily. You hummed happily, exhausted. He let you drift off before whispering in your ear. “Sorry this isn’t slow, Sunshine, but I won’t be going back to being friends now.”

You grinned and nuzzled closer.

“I think we should go visit my home town next, only fair you meet my crazy family too, yeah?”

John closed his eyes happily and nodded. “Looking forward to it,” he said. “Though my rates are a little higher than £100.”

You pinched his thigh and laughed when he tried to squirm away with a hiss.

You kissed his neck chastely and tightened your arm around his waist, nodding off as you felt him trail a hand back and forth over your naked back.

[sakachichi]

Sunday Meal

You and Satoru have known each other ever since you were kids, your families were very close which obviously meant hanging out every Sunday night for dinner — seeing Satoru every weekend was a routine even in adulthood.

But why even still attend? You're an adult now and can make your own choices, but you never fail to be at every Sunday dinner — why? It’s because of him. On the outside it’s friendly, a nice hug, maybe a kiss on the cheek, nice and short conversations, holding the door for you, and even engaging in gossip.

But in secret, god your such a cock drunk slut just for him, meeting up with each other secretly in the bathroom of his or your parents homes just to get fucked silly by him. You honestly don’t know why you both are so secretive about this, your parents would be so happy to hear about you two being in a relationship.

So why keep it a secret?

Now, it’s Sunday 8th, the day after Satoru’s birthday. Both families gathered for a nice brunch to celebrate Satoru, everything was decorated really nicely and most importantly the food looked so delicious.

When you arrived you made sure to greet everyone in attendance, taking a few moments for small talk with a few people before taking a seat next to your parents. “Sweetie, have you seen Gojo?” Your mother asks quietly.

“Mmm no? I was wondering where he was” you replied in her same quiet tone, looking around the room for him, “he hasn’t arrived?” Your mother shook her head.

Honestly you would love to be concerned but you're not, he’ll eventually show up so you really don’t care. The party continues with sweet mellow music in the background, slightly muffling people’s conversations, drinks kept coming out and appetizers as everyone continued to wait on Satoru.

After an hour of waiting for Satoru Gojo himself, he finally decided to show up, looking almost disheveled — his suit was messily buttoned and his hair was a slight mess, still looking tipsy from last night's party. But at least he made it!

“Oh god” your mother said, covering her mouth, you couldn’t help but let out a scoff.

“Everyone, Gojo is here!” His father announced as he wrapped an arm around Satoru’s shoulders, regardless of his appearance his smile made up for it. Satoru’s mom did fix his suit though.

After a few minutes of greeting everyone, the food is now being served, the spread looked extremely delicious, your eyes glazing over at the sight of the hot steamy food in front of you. It’s been almost 2 hours since you’ve been waiting to eat, plus all the time you took to get ready, you're extremely famished. As you reached your hand to grab one of those tiny tea sandwiches, Satoru’s long fingers beat you to it, you looked at him through your lashes.

“It’s my birthday, I go first” he flashed a cunning smile before popping the entire entire sandwich in his mouth, “by the way…you haven’t wished me a happy birthday” you rolled your eyes as you grabbed a sandwich,

“Happy birthday Satoru” you said to which he smñiled,

“Thank you!”

After brunch, you sat around with your cousins, gossiping about anything. Everyone was so engrossed in the conversation you didn’t notice Satoru standing tall behind you, as you sipped your drink everyone in your circle slowly got quiet, leaving you confused. “What happened?” You asked as you covered your mouth.

“I’m behind you silly” Satoru's voice rang through your ears, “ohh, hi” you replied as you turned to face him, god he looked so good. The way he was looking down at you with the most prettiest smile, his snowy hair glowing frothe sun, you couldn’t help but flash him a sweet smile back.

“Do you have a minute?” He asked as he motioned towards the door with his head, “uh yes” you cleared your throat before standing up, “I’ll be back” you said as you took your leave.

You followed behind Satoru, your pretty heels clacking on the marbled floor. The grasp of his big hands is slightly painful as he drags you into an empty room, as soon as the door shuts it is absolutely quiet — only the sound of his footsteps making their way towards you rang. You watched as a smile crept into his lips, the sunlight beautifully shining down on him giving him a soft glow.

“I didn’t see you last night..” he nearly whispered, creeping towards you, analyzing as you sat down on the couch immediately crossing your legs after.

“I told you I couldn’t make it” you simply replied, looking at your nails as you tried to avoid eye contact with him, he was dangerously close — his growing bulge nearly yelling out in desperation. Satoru could scoff, “and no gift with your name on it… did I make you mad or something?”

You shook your head as you leaned back, now you're making eye contact, it’s so intense as a few seconds of silence go by. But of course he made you mad, he’s been planning his party for the past two months and sent you the invitation not even a week in advance. And it’s not like he mistakenly forgot, you had to ask him for the invitation. Oh maybe he’s busy, yea maybe but after many years of saying you’re his number one girl surely you would’ve been the first to be invited.

“Say yes, you’re mad at me. I know you are” Satoru added as he slowly began to kneel before you, his hands snaking their way under your pretty silk skirt, his cold skin colliding with your warm thighs. A sweet hum followed as he tilted his head to the side, and you could only stare. There’s no need to afirm, he already knows.

Lazily Satoru rested his head on one of your thighs, his hands still rubbing your thighs, the feeling so sweet and tender. His eyes were soft as they silently pleaded with you, biting your lip as you hesitated to speak. “Ok fine yes, I’m a little mad” you rolled your eyes and Satoru pouted, his fingers so dangerously close to your pussy as they fidgeted the delicate lace of your panties.

“But it’s in the past so whatever” you continue, crossing your arms around your chest — ignoring the fact that your cunt is fluttering around nothing. Satoru just kept looking into your eyes, “yea? You forgive me?” His tone so lewd as it made its way into your ears, and you couldn’t help but smile and nod — you fold so easily for him it’s embarrassing. Who can blame you though?

And now his fingers were making their way inside your panties, curiously exploring your supple skin before gently dipping into your sticky pussy — and oh wow was the feeling so good, making you sigh from just a simple touch. Relishing the delicious feeling of his fingers as they slowly began to rub tight circles around your clit, biting your bottom lip stifling your moans in the process.

“I wanna hear you” Satoru demands, pulling up your thin silky skirt to reveal your see-through lace panties gasping at the sight of them. Just the way that they ever so slightly conceal his fingers rubbing against you, and that sweet dark spot of your arousal peeking through. And it’s all just for him. You let go of your bottom lips with a sigh, rolling your head back and letting out pretty sighs. Your fingers twitch as you struggle to figure out where to put your hands.

God it’s so mesmerizing how wet you got just from his fingers, nastily squelching around his fingers, coating them in your shiny essence. His middle finger abusing your sensitive clit, your body on fire from the pleasure as you arch your back and curl your toes. The sweet melody of your moans serenading him as he keeps fingering you sooo good, enjoying the soft whispers of profanity coming from your sweet lips — drunk off your arousal you grind on his fingers creating a dizzying rhythm.

“Fuck, look at you” Satoru practically moans, you looked so hot, making his poor cock cry out sticky drops of pre-cum. Aching for any type of attention, so hot and bothered from your pretty sight.

Your hands finally get a mind of their own and lift your shirt up, revealing your bare chest, nipples hardened from the pleasure — wasting no time in flicking the sensitive perky buds with your nimble fingers. Gradually getting louder as you slowly reach your highly anticipated orgasm, Satoru moans as he observes your every move.

Stars started to sprinkle your vision as you came onto his fingers, coating them in your silky essence. A guttural groan coming from Satoru as he rides out your high, “I don’t even have to try hard with you, one touch and you’re gone” his words almost taunting you as he smiled before bringing his fingers up to ur plump lips, “open” he asks and you obey, his slim fingers finding solace in your warm mouth — your tongue swirls around tasting the bitter sweetness of your cum.

“What are we gonna do about my gift?” He asks with his fingers still your mouth, tauntingly cocking his head to the side as he watches you suck his fingers. Slightly opening his mouth to let out soft groans, he’s so hard it hurts, the way your tongue licks in between his digits isn’t helping. Satoru starts to retract his fingers from your mouth, a glittery web of saliva keeping you two somewhat connected before he stands up — unbuckling his pants before pulling them down along with his boxers, letting his raging cock get a breath of fresh air.

“Suck it, hm?” He sweetly asks as he bunches up your hair in his hand, and you wasted no time in wrapping your mouth around his achy cock. The taste of pre-cum hitting your taste buds as you swirl your tongue around, the nasty sound of saliva squelching and slurps filled the room harmoniously with his pretty boy moans.

Satoru placed his hand on his hip as he started to buck his hips into your mouth, the tip of his dick threatening to hit the back of your throat, slightly gagging you in the process. The grip on your head getting tighter as he continues to lose himself in ecstasy, the pain masking itself as pleasure, making your poor pussy droll.

And he could only roll his head back as he kept going further down your tight throat, “yesss, take my dick. F-fuckk”.

Your nails digging into your palms as you tried so hard to breathe, tears rolling down your face nonstop as you coughed and gagged around him. Oh and he was so loud, moaning and whimpering so sluttily. And when you couldn’t take any more you pushed your head back, desperately coughing for air, thin glittery strands of saliva keeping you two connected once again. Your legs trembling as you take such shallow gasps, a crazy smile found a way onto his pretty lips as he watches you — so amused by the sight before him.

“Fuck Sato, are you trying to kill me” you gripe throwing your head back, feeling dizzy. Satoru pouts as he caresses your chin, “aww baby I’m sorry”. Was he though?

Gently he raises you back up, your eyes falling upon his fist slowly fucking his fuming cock, fingers slightly shiny from your leftover saliva. “Open your mouth for” he adds, his thumb helping you open wide, “yeaaa, just like that” he groans out just before he starts to fuck his fist faster, creating such nasty squelching sounds.

You whimper as you watch his face contort so effortlessly, his mouth forming a nice ‘o’ shape as he races to his orgasm. And you decide to help him a little as one of your hands goes up to play with his sensitive swollen balls, and he gets even louder as he feels your cold fingers on his warm skin.

“Sh-shit babe” he whines out, his legs trembling as he reaches his high, balls and dick twitching in anticipation as he cums hard. The hot sticky substance squirting all up on your face and mouth, you giggle as you stick out your tongue to catch his precious seed. Everything you do makes him moan, watching you act so filthy for his cum.

You close your mouth to swallow his cum, then shortly after opening to reveal your sweet clean mouth and tongue. Satoru can only smile in triumph, so proud of you, so proud of how filthy you are. His hand roughly cups your face, painfully squeezing your cheeks together as he leans in for a passionate wet kiss. His tongue is so mean as he practically thrusts it down your throat, cleaning his cum up from your face. You taste the bitter lingering taste of alcohol, almost getting you drunk from the strong flavor.

This was all too much for your poor brain, sooo delirious, basically melting for him, forgetting about anything and everything. Focusing on your sopping throbbing cunt, your makeup disintegrating as we speak. How can you go back to the party looking like this, your fucked expression will do nothing helping you look normal.

But oh my god you couldn’t care less, all you wanted right now is him soooo deep in you, literally crying for him and his delicious dick. The salty tears and cum fill his taste buds as he continues to lick and kiss you, and all you could do is sit there, mouth slightly open with your tongue sitting nicely on your lips.

“Hmmh, Sato~ please please fuck me, pleease” you cry to him, your hands squeezing his biceps as you look up at him with so much need. All he could do is smile stupidly at you, this is what he wanted, he wanted you so vulnerable and needy all for him. “Is this my gift?” His tone is so cocky, you pathetically nod your head, eyes still pleading him.

“Yea? Say it, tell me that you’re my gift” his fingers softly run through your luscious hair, his hands touching your face as you gather the courage to respond. “Yesyes, I’m your gift, I’m all yours”, god were you a whining mess, so dick hungry.

Content Satoru lays you down on the couch before placing a pillow under your hips, sliding his tip all over your drenched cunt — coating it with your sweet juices. Teasingly he dips his tip earning a whine from your lips, and he does it again and again, “Sato please” you plead, your hands latching onto his shoulders.

“Oh? Sorry?” He annoyingly replied, you let out a frustrated sigh, defeated as he ignored your pleas. He continues to tease your poor entrance, rolling your hips at the slight touch of his mushroom tip. Finally, after signaling him with so many frustrated sighs, he dips himself into your slippery pussy. You arch your back as his thick girthy cock stretches so deliciously, letting out a loud moan as he bottoms himself out, warm swollen balls gently resting on you.

You let out a soft ‘yes’, enjoying the feeling of his heavy dick buried in you. Your gummy walls flutter around him as you get used to his girth. “Relax yourself baby, breathe with me” his calloused hands gently rub your sides as he guides your breathing, releasing your tight grip on him. You both nod at each other before he slowly starts to buck his hips, rolling them so nicely, making the slight arch of his dick hit so good inside you.

“Yeaaa just like that” he groans, rapidly thrust faster and harder into you leaving speechless, your jaw slacked as strained groans flow from your throat. He’s fucking you so silly, his nails digging so painfully into the supple skin of your hips, your toes nearly cramping as you curl them sooo tight. Your eyes threatening to roll so far back it kind of hurts, breathing is so staggered as he’s literally balls deep in you.

And he’s enjoying this so much, rolling his hips so deep in you, he could literally laugh out in happiness. This feels too good for you both, making you two go insanely feral. If he could stay like forever he would, loving his pussy drunk state so much. Meanwhile you are on the verge of losing your mind, his speed is too much, feeling it all in your hips and stomach as he bullies your cunt. Your body going limp after so many attempts to get yourself together, your fingers grip onto his disheveled blazer to keep yourself from slipping off the couch.

“Mm’Sato ‘m gonna cum, oh my god” you whine, bringing your hands up to his face, wiping away his sweat. “F-fuck me too” Satoru admits, but it doesn’t slow him, no way, he continues his speed grunting with each thrust. He greedily lifts both of your legs onto your shoulders, letting go even deeper hitting your sweet spot so right, making you cry out in pleasure.

Taking advantage of your already sensitive state, his fingers find their way to your perky nipples, kneading them in between his fingers, sending you so far over the edge. He’s insane, literally. Your mind is so mind blown, turning into mush.

“Yesyesyesyes!” You chant, smiling as you feel your orgasm creeping, Satoru moans as he feels your walls grip around his length so good, watching as he continues to lose you to ecstasy. And there it was, your juices gushing all over his pelvis, coating him with your glistening essence. You sigh satisfied with yourself, “oooh fuck, you just fucking squirted” he said amazed, reaching one of his hands to feel your sweet essence.

You smile as you watch him amazed, as if this is the first time you’ve ever squirted. Meanwhile you roll your hips against him as he lets your legs fall free, wrapping them around his hips, slowly and gently fucking him back. And he lets you take full control, watching you sluttily move your hips against him. “Fuck keep doing that, yesss” he moans out.

Shortly after he cums, filling you up, deep in your pussy as he moans embarrassingly loud. Both of your seeds mix together, leaving you swollen cunt in such a messy state. “Oh my g-god Sato… did you?” you gasp, pushing him away, dipping your fingers into your pussy before bringing your cum coated digits into view.

“Oopsies!”

AAAAAAH I’m so shy rn it’s not even funny 😫🙏 buuuut I hope u guys like this frrr!! My first post in a million years guys omggg 😳

[fuck1ng-queen]

Just Pretend

Noah Sebastian x Reader

Words: 2.2k

Warnings: fake dating, best friends to lovers

Author comments: hi, besties! happy valentine’s day! this is the last one shot of this special week, closing with our bestfriend!noah. i hope you all like it! 💕

The sweet scent of melted chocolate and fresh flowers were almost literally everywhere. The city seemed to be bewitched by Valentine's Day, with decorated windows in pink and red tones and paper hearts in every corner. You always thought all of that a little exaggerated, but deep down it was difficult not to feel a little jealous when you saw the happy couples holding hands, laughing and sharing moments.

That morning, you woke up with your mind divided between two emotions: relief for not having to be worried about gifts or commitments and a bit of loneliness that insisted to appear that time of the year. While you were finishing your breakfast while scrolling your social media filled with romantic posts, your facetime called.

“What are you doing today?” You picked up and a face appeared on the screen. “If your answer is nothing, get ready, I’ll be right there.”

And then, in less than an hour, Noah, your best friend since forever, was at your door, with that carefree smile you knew so well.

“Are you really going to spend Valentine’s Day home alone watching movies?” he asked, leaning against the doorframe, holding two cups of coffee which he had obviously stopped to buy on the way.

“I don’t see a problem in it.” You answered, arching an eyebrow while you got your coffee from his hand. “Some of us don't have a romantic date to celebrate.”

He laugh, nodding.

“Me neither for your information. But that’s why I had a great idea.”

“Hm, this is always dangerous…” You joked, crossing your arms.

“Let’s pretend we’re a couple!” he announced, as if he had just found the cure of a rare disease.

You blinked in confusion.

“What?”

“Think with me: several stores and restaurants are giving discounts and good conditions for couples today. We could turn this into a funny adventure. Who needs a real date when you can break the system with your best friend?”

You straightened your eyes to him, trying to figure out if he was joking or not.

“This is the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard in my life.”

“Ridiculously brilliant!” he corrected, with that mischievous smile that always succeeded to disarm you. “I mean, come on, this is going to be fun! Besides, you were really thinking about spending Valentine's alone, weren't you?”

Sighing, you realised he had a point. Spending Valentine’s Day with Noah seemed to be such a better option than spending the day home alone, mourning your luck in love, or more precisely, the lack of it. And, truth be told, the idea of pretending to be a couple with him had something intriguing you didn’t want to admit to yourself.

“Okay, I’m in” you said, trying to look indifferent. “But just because I want to see where this is going.”

“That’s my girl!” he exclaimed, taking you by the hand and pulling you out the couch. “First of all, you have to at least pretend you’re going on a date. Can you change your clothes and brush your hair? Second, we’re getting that 50% off brunch for couples.”

You laughed, disbelieved in what you just had heard. Noah was your best friend for so long that it hasn’t any filter between you anymore. He could say with any problem how messy your hair was. And honestly, you used to love that.

You ran up the stairs while he waited in the living room thinking about what to wear to match what he was wearing, and to be honest, that wasn’t that difficult, once both of you basically wore black almost every day. Without overthinking you got undressed, throwing off your clothes on the bedroom floor. While you were looking through the mess of your wardrobe you lightly wiped out some gunk from your eyes and applied deodorant. A dress wasn’t your first choice everyday, but it seemed to be a comfortable and good looking option. You dressed it up quickly, not caring too much about how the bra strap was showing behind the straps of your dress, they were the same color, anyway.

The black fabric went all the way down to your feet, but the slit in both legs made everything less formal. You rushed to put your hair up in a ponytail, put on some lipstick and mascara, sprayed your everyday perfume and took a pair of socks inside the drawer, heading down the stairs as quickly as you could.

“Wow, now you look like a girlfriend!” Noah commented as he saw you coming down the stairs, even barefoot, trying to look as indifferent as possible, when deep down something told him he had never repaired how beautiful you were with such attention. You couldn’t help but giggle at his comment. That was Noah. “Shall we?” He suggested as he saw you had finished putting your army boots on.

The sensation of going on a date with Noah was funny, strange even, but you were willing to enjoy the day. Something told you the day was going to be way more interesting than if you had stayed home alone taking roots on the couch.

The coffee you stopped first was small and cozy, with a well done decoration for Valentine’s Day. Felt hearts hung from the ceiling, and the tables were decorated with candles and small bouquets of flowers. You were quickly settled in by an employee who, when she heard you were a couple, gave you a warm smile and wished you a “happy Valentine’s Day”.

You felt your cheeks warming up by noticing the way Noah bent himself in your direction, putting his arm on the chair back as if it was the most normal thing ever.

“Just to keep up appearances” he whispered with a smile, blinking at you.

Besides your initial embarrassment, you soon got in the mood. During brunch, Noah made a point to exaggerate on his part, holding your hand on the table and even offering food in your mouth. You laughed so much you began to forget that all of that was just pretend. However, there were moments - little things - that his gaze seemed to linger a few more than usual, or the touch of his long fingers seemed to be warmer than it should.

You have always had a complicity between you, coming from years of friendship. You remembered the day he appeared in your house with soup and blankets last winter, for you to get extra cozy while facing a terrible flu, even after a whole day of work. Or when he spent hours helping you to paint your living room and he ended up with more paint on his face than on the wall. There was also the night he caught you in the middle of the night during a party because you weren't feeling well, without asking anything, just carrying you home and staying by your side until you’re finally asleep. Little memories like these were the foundation of what you used to share, and made it all incredibly natural.

After the brunch at the cafe, you went to a chocolate store, who was offering a special price for couples. The employee has insisted for you to take a picture together so you could enter a prize draw, and, before you could say anything, Noah pulled you closer, involving his fully tattooed arms around you from behind and leaning his cheek on your head. The proximity between the two of you made your heart race, but you forced a smile to the camera, trying to ignore the weird, but familiar, sensation growing from the bottom of your chest.

Between activities, Noah made a point to make the mood light, always making you a joke or having a fun story to tell. However, you couldn’t help but let the little moments steal your attention: the way he threw his head back when he laughed about something you told, or how he ran his hand through his hair in a distracted way. Those details, such ordinary ones, now it seemed to catch your attention in a new way.

You ended up going to a fun fair that offered double tickets for couples. You pretended to complain when he insisted on getting a teddy bear for you at the shooting game, but the silly smile on his face when he noticed he had won took you by surprise. He gave it to you making the most exaggerated movements he could, bending as if he was a medieval knight.

When the day turned into night, you decided to watch a movie in a local cinema that used to exhibit the classic ones. Only romances today. Sitting side by side in the dark room, you could feel his presence like it was something tangible - his body heat, the light sound of his breath, the occasional touch between your hands when the both of you accidentally grab popcorn at the same time. There was something incredible intimate about sharing that space with him, even though none of you were saying a single word.

It was just when the day was coming to the end you figured out how much he meant to you. You were sitting on a bench at the park, observing the couples passing through you, when Noah broke the silence.

“Hey, thank you for doing this today. I really appreciate it.” He smiled, but it was something else, something in his eyes you couldn’t make out.

“No, I should thank you. It was way better than spending the day alone.” You smiled back, trying to hide how anxious you were.

There was a silence moment before Noah got to start talking again, his voice a little low and deep this time.

“You know… It doesn’t need to be just pretend, right?”

You felt your chest trembling, your heart just raced, and you turned to face him, looking for anything that could show he was joking with you. But he wasn’t. His eyes were fixed on yours, sincere and vulnerable in a way you have never seen before.

“What?” You asked, your voice sounding more like a whisper.

“What I’m saying is… maybe I wasn’t pretending the way I said I was.” He gave a nervous little laugh, scratching the back of his head. “Look, I know it may seem like something out of nothing, but I think it’s already time to tell you. I like you. More than just a friend.”

The world seemed to stop for a second while you were absorbing his words. Your heart was beating so fast you almost could hear it in your ears. Vou tried to say something, anything, but the words seemed stuck in your throat. Noah took your silence like hesitation and started to move away slightly, looking away.

“It’s okay, I understand if you won’t feel the same,” he said, his voice a little trembling. “I just thought I had to be honest…”

“Noah.” You finally found your voice, interrupting him. He stared at you, surprised. “You’re such an idiot.”

His almond eyes widened, but before you could say anything, you continued, a shy smile appearing on your face.

“How do you think I wasn’t going to notice? I was just trying to convince myself it wasn’t true.” You gave a little anxious laugh, just like he did moments before, looking away before finding his eyes again. “I like you too. For a while, actually.”

He stayed in silence for a moment, like he was trying to understand what was happening. And then, the large smile that appeared on his face was so genuine and full of relief that it made your heart melt.

“Really?” he asked, as if he needed the confirmation of all of that.

You nodded, and before you could say anything, he bent himself forwards and pulled you for a tight hug. His body heat was cozy, and you felt exactly where you needed to be.

When he moved away just enough to look into your eyes, Noah whispered:

“I think this makes the day even more perfect.”

You laugh, feeling the happiness overflowing in a way you couldn’t help.

“Maybe the best Valentine’s ever.” You agreed, and he smiled before laying his forehead on yours.

“What about we become this official?” he suggested, his voice low and fulfilled with expectation.

“Now we know we have both been pretending, I think it’s about time” you just answered.

And then he leaned in, pausing for a moment as if he was asking permission before touching you, before brushing his lips against yours. The kiss was soft, but full of feelings that seemed to have been hidden for so long. You closed your eyes, allowing yourself to dive into that moment, while everything around seemed to stop.

When you parted, just enough for him to look into your eyes again, Noah smiled in that carefree way, Noah’s way. But now something was different, it has a special sparkle.

“Definitely the best Valentine’s ever” he murmured, and you couldn’t help but give a little giggle, feeling your heart light and full of joy.

The night seemed a little brighter now, and, while you walked back home, holding hands for real, and not pretending, you knew that was the start of something even more beautiful.

.

Masterlist | Valentine's One Shots

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Safest with You (Ch. 20 - The Way to Get Over Someone, Part 1)

8.6K / Modern AU Retired Mob Enforcer!Din Djarin x fem!reader

Summary: Five months pass as you and Din try to forget one another.

Warnings: 18+ Content to be safe (MDNI please). Angst! (like a lot) Yearning, pining, mourning. People are hard on themselves in this one, folks. Nicknames (Din still thinks of you as Pretty Bird even though you're no longer his Pretty Bird; you're still Lil' Lady to Paz). And there is mild violence (of the Rory variety).

A/N: Thank you to everyone for being so patient with me! It's been a month since Ch. 19 and I guess this word count reflects that 😅😂 It could have been a little shorter but this ask convinced me to include the final scene instead of leaving it for the next chapter 🫣🤷🏻‍♀️ For that final scene, please imagine the suit/look from the Variety Hollywood issue shoot. The vibes of this and the next chapter is this scene in Twilight New Moon (cue 🎶it's a possibilityyyyyy🎶):

Dividers by @saradika-graphics / Series Masterlist

The week following that night at Din’s, you’re a shell of a person.  You cry for entire days but not much else - going on auto pilot taking care of Al but not yourself.  You don’t go to brunch that weekend, saying you feel disgusting, which honestly isn’t too far from the truth.  You’ve never been cheated on so you hardly know what it is you feel, only that an unyielding and tempestuous monsoon of emotions swirls inside you at all hours of the day.  You oscillate wildly between barely restrained hysteria, self-effacing shame, and sadness in an endless cycle.

To only your dog, you sometimes burst out half crying, half laughing at the absurdity of what you stumbled upon at Din’s apartment – how was it even possible?  Din, who you had loved with your whole heart, had pledged himself to you as you had him.  He had been your match in every way, and it was a tenant of his devotion that he only ever wanted to take care of you, make your life better.  How could the same man, without any warning, betray you in such an unfeeling and vulgar manner?  It simply could not be possible - it had to have been some type of cruel joke, you sob to Al. 

Then in an instant, you’ll turn your ire unto yourself: How could you have allowed this to happen?  Because it certainly did.  You stupidly let yourself be so blinded by love and desire that you didn’t see Din for what he was.  He wasn’t some honourable and noble protector; he was just some asshole who did and said what he needed to get his dick wet – and like an idiot you had fallen for it.  You were supposed to smarter than that, but it turns out you were just susceptible to a handsome face and a fat cock as anyone else.  The Din you had fallen for had been a total fabrication, and the dumbest part is that you had let him lie to you: you had blindly accepted that there were things in his life that he could never be fully honest with you about - that there were things that he just had to keep secret from you for your “own protection.”  You had accepted dishonesty as part of your so-called relationship right off the bat, it was no wonder that none of it had been real.  Stupid, stupid. 

Though you know now that it had all been lie, you still have moments, usually in the dead of night when sleepiness strips you of your ability to reason and overthink, where you simply just mourn.  Mourn the loss of what you had thought, no - felt in the very depth of your heart was a true, deep love.  It didn’t matter that it had all been an invention of your mind – the love you felt had been genuine for you, and you had cherished and held it dear.  The tears you shed during these periods of grieving are for the loss of your own false happiness and for the man that you had believed it.  It didn’t matter that they were never real to begin with, you had lost them all the same.

Your fog extends into the work week and you do something you haven’t done in ages: you take it off citing illness – you sleep, cry and try not to think of the crushing backlog you’ll face when you eventually return to work.  Near the end of the week, you make a phone call that you’ve been dreading but know is necessary.  Lala comes over the same day on her lunch hour – she thought you were just sick, having taken your excuse for missing the last brunch at face value, but when you burst into tears upon seeing her, she immediately knows that something is terribly, terribly wrong.

Taking you straight to her clinic, she slots you in with a fellow nurse right away so you can get what you’ve been dreading over with.  During the self-blame episodes of your emotion spiral, the weight of Din’s cheating and its possible consequences aside from the shattering of your heart have started to press down on you.  You definitely don’t need one more anxiety to occupy your thoughts, and this particular problem you could do something about.  You need to do something and accordingly you find yourself sitting in the clean but impersonal examination room answering the very kind nurse’s survey questions to determine what tests you need.

“Is there any particular reason you need a screening or is this routine?”

“My boyfriend cheated on me,” you say this flat, factually.

“Oh.  I’m sorry.   How long was your relationship?” her response is similarly dispassionate.

“Nearly a year.”

“During that time, how many sexual partners did you have?”

“Just the one.”

“Had you been tested prior to engaging in sexual activities with your partner?”

“Yes, all clean.”

“Was you partner tested?”

“He said he was clean.”  You can only answer what Din told you, with no confidence in whether or not it was the truth.

“Do you know how many other partners your partner had while you were together?”

“… no.”  Tears start to line your lower lash line.

“How long was he engaging in sexual activities with other partners?”

“… I really don’t know.”  Oh no, oh no, you’re going to cry.  Because you really don’t know any of it.  It's awful enough imaging that Din had been messing around with Vanessa the whole time that you and him had been together – if he was capable of that, who’s to say there weren’t others?

“Ok.  To identify the tests you need, I just need to ask about your sexual activities with your partner over the last year.  Is that okay?”

“Yes.”

“Did you kiss on the mouth?”

“Yes.”

“Did you engage in vaginal fingering?”

“Yes.”

“Anal fingering? Receiving, giving?”

“Yes. No.”

“Did you engage in oral sex? Receiving, giving?”

“Yes and yes.”

“Did you engage in penetrative vaginal sex?”

“Yes.”

“With protection? Or without?”

“Without.”  This is the only question you answer with shame.  Yes, everything had been consensual, but this – the decision to not use condoms was one made based on a mutual trust; a trust you gave openly and willingly to someone who hadn’t deserved it.  You had been careless in this respect – caught up in your feelings and your mistaken instinct that had told you Din was worth trusting.

“Did you engage in penetrative anal se-“

And so on, and so forth.  To the best of your ability, you answer clinically and without feeling, trying not to let the white hot flames of shame and anger simmering in your stomach boil up and over.  You had trusted Din, with your heart yes, but also your body.  One of the things you had loved about Din was how he always seemed to prioritized both your emotional and physical comfort and safety during your sexual activities, but for possibly the entirety of your relationship, he had actually been putting you in danger – taking a risk for you that you hadn’t consent to.  You don’t know how many other partners he was with when he was with you or if he had been safe with them – his cavalier approach to your health makes you sick. 

This feels good. It feels good to be angry instead of sad.

You wait patiently for the nurse to return with the swabs and containers and other equipment you need to self administer the tests.  Silently and alone, you follow the instructions while hot tears cascade over your cheeks.  It had felt good to be angry at Din for a moment, but it took more energy than you had to sustain it; the anger burned out quickly, leaving behind only sadness and embarrassment for having allowed yourself to be put in this position at all.

After leaving the samples where directed, you redress and meet Lala back in the waiting room and she takes you home.  You tell her that it’s okay if she tells the rest of the girls what happened, but you don’t know if you can deal with talking about it just yet and she nods understandingly.  You know your friends will be supportive (and possibly violent), but the strength required to feel your feelings and simultaneously express and explain them out loud doesn’t sound like something you have right now.  Not for the first time, you’re grateful that your friends are unflinchingly kind and understanding of you.

By the time the next Sunday brunch rolls around, your internal reservoir levels for self pity and destructive thoughts have lowered considerably.  You’re mainly just sad for what you thought was and what will never be, wallowing in the loss of what you had imagined would be a happy future with Din.

The girls are not quite that far along in their emotional journeys, but you’re better equipped now to answer their questions and receive their outbursts and reactions.  They all have choice words for Din ranging from lying cheating bastard to dickless waste of DNA.  Threats of violence to his personal (and commercial) property, as well as his physical being are put forth, predictably by Rory and less predictably from Katie.  Bea and Jen focus on drilling into you that you’re in no way at fault and that you hadn’t been wrong or stupid to trust and love Din the way you did.  Lala, being the only one to have seen you when you were in your darkest place, just holds your hand firmly, giving it a reassuring squeeze every so often.  You cry into your eggs and your friends shower you with comfort and support until you feel a little more like a human who is loved again.

One month ATN (After That Night)

Oof - you’re hungry.  It’s been a long morning of straight through meetings with no breaks until only now.  Well past lunch, it’s later than you would usually come, but you hope that your favourite sandwich shop still has some good options left – you’re starving. 

Walking in, the shop isn’t busy (which honestly makes sense as it’s nearing 2:00 pm) and the take away fridge is fairly bare, but with some satisfaction, you see your favourite sandwich sitting all by its lonesome on the top shelf.  Hand already out as you approach the refrigerated display, you reach up on your toes, just to have a big hand dart in ahead of your smaller one and snatch the sandwich out of your reach.

Falling back on the flats of your feat, you’re comically upset – this sandwich was your reward for your overly hectic morning and your disappointment is being further fueled by rising levels of hangry.  Maybe this nice man will offer you back the sandwich if you ask kindly; ready to give this sandwich stealer the sweetest most saccharine smile you can muster, you turn to face him and…

“Paz?”

“Lil’ Lady?”

This could be awkward.  You had loved Paz too.  Part of the great sense of loss you felt when you and Din broke up was from also suddenly losing the friendships you had made through him.  The Mandos, Poe and Lisa, Cass and even Boba had made up what had become a little family to you; the sense of belonging and love you had felt when they welcomed you into their fold and treated you as one of their own was one that you had treasured – their trust in you was not something you took lightly and you had kept their secrets with pride.  You had loved them all as well. 

Of course, like a knife to the heart, you’ve since come to the hurtful realization that those friendships were not as true or deep as you had thought either.  In all likelihood, Din’s friends were probably well aware of his cheating, or at the very least that his feelings for you didn’t run as deep as yours did him.  Though it saddened you, you couldn’t exactly be mad – their loyalty was to Din, not you.  At one time you may have felt some bitterness at this, but right now, seeing Paz for the first time after so long… you feel only happiness at seeing an old friend.

There’s a beat of silence and then it seems you both reach for a hug - it’s quick but warm.

“How have you been?” you ask, simultaneously; chuckling with you, Paz gestures for you to go first.

“Oh,” you don’t really know how to answer; Paz will surely know what transpired between you and Din.  Devastated?  Crushed?  Facing a crisis of self-confidence?  You opt for a watered-down version of the truth, “I’m as good as expected.  Busy at work.”

“Same.  With work, that is,” Paz smiles warmly at you; he’s missed you too.

“You down here for work today?” Suddenly recalling that Din had been downtown for Mando work the first time you met, you try not to let the pain of the memory show on your face.

“Yup.  Work.” Paz won’t tell you that he’s on a security detail, even though its not yours (you're under the careful watch of Koska and Iggy today).

You’re not going to ask about Din.  You’re not going to ask about Din, “How is… everyone?”

Paz assumes you must mean Din but he doesn’t know how to answer your question.  A shell of a man?  A man possessed when it came to the investigation into the threat made against you?  Depressed as all hell?  Paz can only parrot back your earlier response, “Uh, as well as can be expected.  Things have been tense, there’s a lot of stuff going on.”

You obviously don’t ask for details – it’s not your place anymore, and in truth, you feel like it never really was but you try to smile anyways, “Well, you can have the sandwich then.”

Paz looks down at the sandwich he’s still holding in his hand and laughs, “Are you sure?”

Nodding happily, it feels good to joke around with Paz again, “Definitely.  I’m here everyday.  I can have it anytime.”

“Ok, only if you let me buy you your sandwich, Lil' Lady.”

Beaming, you acquiesce, “Deal.”

Grabbing another sandwich from the fridge, you join Paz in line; the two of you standing together in comfortable silence.  You don’t know how it happens but a question that’s been silently buzzing in your mind slips out without permission, “Paz – can I ask you?  Are Din and Vanessa still together?”

You regret it the second the words leave your mouth, tears springing to your eyes.  Looking up at Paz, wide-eyed and embarrassed, you cover your mouth with your hands as if trying to magically stuff the words back in, “Omigod!! Paz!  I’m sorry!  That was... oh gosh... just really, really inappropriate of me.  Please don’t answer.  I never should have asked that.  Seriously.  Don’t answer please.  Besides, I don’t think either answer would make me very happy.”

Paz gives you a warm side hug and a sad look before he says reassuringly, “It’s okay, Lil’ Lady.  Don’t worry about it.”  He insists on buying you a cookie when you get up to the counter and you accept gratefully – you need all the comfort you can get right now.

The two of you say your quiet, but friendly goodbyes on the sidewalk outside of the sandwich shop; each genuinely hoping you’ll see the other again, but knowing that you likely won’t.

---

Paz is hovering.  Din can feel it, but he doesn’t look up from his seat on the ringside bench where he’s checking through an equipment list on his clipboard.

Paz continues to shuffle around until Din sighs and gives in to what his friend so obviously wants; looking up and tilting his head as his way of saying 'What?'

“Saw the Lil' Lady today.”

Immediately, Din’s heart leaps into his throat and his now empty chest constricts painfully; forcing himself to look back down at his paperwork, Din only grunts to acknowledge that he heard Paz.  Clearly Paz has something to say and in all the time they’ve been friends, Din has never been able to get Paz to keep his thoughts to himself, so he just waits.

“Ran into her at a sandwich shop near her office.  She looks good.”

Silence.

“She gave me her sandwich.”

Din closes his eyes, “Was it the egg salad?”

“Yeah.  How did you know?” Paz can’t hide the surprise in his voice.

“It’s her favourite,” Din says simply. 

For some reason, this takes all of the wind out of Paz’s sails and he lays a gentle hand on his friend’s shoulder.  “She asked how everyone was, but it’s clear she was thinking of you.  Why don’t you call her, brother?”

Even if the whole point of what he had done to you wasn’t so you would stay as far away from him as possible, Din can’t imagine a world where you would want to talk to him, “She hates me.  I fucked up, and I hurt her.  She doesn’t think about me.”

Paz doesn’t want to bring up your question about Vanessa, but he can’t help but think it must mean something that you asked at all, “Maybe she’ll forgive you.”

Din is done with this conversation; he gets up and starts to head towards his office, “I don’t deserve her forgiveness.  I don’t deserve her.”

Two Months ATN

Din never allows himself to see you.  You’re a creature of habit and for the most part, your life after him has reverted to normal; it would be so easy for him to catch a glimpse of you whenever he needed to see for himself that you’re alright.  If he was lucky, he might even catch one of your many soft and sweet expressions that he misses so much and be able to pretend for a moment that it was for him.

But he doesn’t allow it.  Part of it is a means of self punishment – Din chastises himself endlessly for hurting you; he doesn’t deserve to look upon your face, he doesn’t deserve any comfort.  But ultimately, it really comes down to his own lack of self control. 

Din makes the mistake of checking in with your daytime security detail in person only once, a couple of weeks after your breakup.  Din is chatting with Mayfeld through the latter’s rolled down car window, when, as if he senses your very presence, he looks up to see you exiting your office building looking positively elated at being able to leave work at a decent hour (for you) – your quick and graceful steps towards the subway easily hold Din’s gaze through no effort of your own and his body starts to move towards you of his own accord.  He may have very well walked right into oncoming traffic trying to get to you if Miggs didn’t have a firm grip on the back of his shirt.

No, he has absolutely no self control when it came to you.  Every part of Din yearns for every part of you.  Your smile, your laugh, the sweetness of your very being and the steadfast comfort of your company.  He wishes for nothing more than to make you happy again, to be there for you to lighten your load, to make you laugh so hard you snort, the way he used to pride himself on being able to do; what he wouldn’t give to hear you coo sweetly to Al, to swim in the melodic lilt of your voice when you recall a funny story from work or your friends, or to drink in your heady moans and cries while he gave you every pleasure you deserved. 

Din knows that if he allowed himself to be in your presence for even a moment, he would throw himself at your feet and beg for forgiveness.  Plead and grovel until you took him back and then everything, the very reason for all this misery, would be for naught.  He would do anything to see you, hear you, have you again, except risk your safety.  So, he leaves the protocol for your security to others, and he never lets himself go where he knows you might be – he exercises what control he has, so that he never loses control where it counts the most.

But his dreams he cannot control.  And Din dreams of you constantly.

He comes to both look forward to and dread these dreams.  In his dreams you don’t hate him, and they almost always start off with you looking at him like you used to, with love and admiration.  Sometimes the two of you are in a memory, maybe a special date or occasion, or even better, doing something beautifully mundane like walking Al – something the two of you did a million times without thought, just a routine part of the life you had started to build together.  But more often than not, the two of you are in bed.  Sometimes his, sometimes yours, but always just looking, talking, touching.  Din could live in these quiet moments of devotion forever. 

But the dreams never end well.  He discovered that once you left the bed in the dream, you would disappear.  Getting up to find you, Din would find the apartment empty and quiet and no matter where he goes in the dream afterwards, you would be nowhere to be found.  After this happened a few times, he would try to keep you in bed or at the very least, not let you out of Dream Din’s sight, but it never works.  No matter what he does, by the end of the dream you’re not his anymore. 

A horrifying recurrence as of late is that he follows Dream You into your kitchen to find Vanessa sitting at the island while you, crying, start to cook breakfast at the stove for him and her.  He recognizes the look you give him whenever he reaches this part of the dream, it’s the same one you gave him on that last night on his apartment landing – the look of devastation, betrayal, shock.  Your unspoken How could you?  You were supposed to love me above all else, haunts him even after he wakes with a start.  Every time Din has this dream, he relives what he did to you and he feels sick.

Even when it’s not this particular iteration, Din wakes from every nightmare of losing you again sweating and regretting everything.  In these moments, alone in a bed that’s remained cold and uninviting since you last graced it with your soft body, Din tears into himself.  What the fuck was his problem anyways?  He had made his proverbial bed and now he has to lie in it.  What would have been the fucking point of putting you through all this if he was just going to be a weak ass piece of shit and run back to you because it killed him to be apart from you?  Put you through hell and then put you in danger?  No, he can't run from it anymore: this is the price he has to pay for being who he is, for having done the things he had – he doesn't deserve good things.  He doesn't deserve you. 

What he does deserve is this cruelest of ironies: that the only way he's still allowed to love you is to take care of you by keeping you as far away from him as possible.

Four Months ATN

Oy!  Din Djarin!!

Startled by the loud and sharp toned voice that carries over the noise of traffic, Din stops in his tracks; turning towards the sound of the bark, he recognizes your friend Rory barreling towards him.  For a moment, he’s terrified that she might get hit by a car crossing the street to get at him, but the cars somehow seem to understand the determination of her gait and the ferocity in her facial expression and all roll to a stop at her outstretched hand.  You always said that Rory was a force.

Din waits dumbly in the middle of the sidewalk, ready to take the inevitably beating, verbal or otherwise – certain he could not escape her wrath even if he wanted to.  Perhaps he would be tempted to try if he didn’t wholeheartedly believe that he deserves whatever is about to come his way.

As soon as Rory steps up onto the curb, two balled up fists of rage ram right into Din’s chest, the force of which, if he had not been braced for it, might have sent this former boxing champ flying backwards.

You!!! 

An accusatory finger is now poking him incessantly, over and over, pushing right into his sternum.

Din holds his two hands up, as if to surrender, but doesn’t do anything to stop her oncoming assault.  It’s starting to hurt a little, but he knows he deserves it and more.

Liar!

Cheater!

Pathetic!

Asshole.

Garbage human.

Piece of shit.

How you could do that to her?!

She did nothing but love you. 

She’s the sweetest, kindest, most loving person you will ever fucking be with, and this is how you treat her?

You ungrateful worm.

You’ll never find anyone better than her.

You never fucking deserved her, you twat.

Din takes every angry word spat at him with a resigned expression and downcast eyes.  Every word is true and he knows it.  He welcomes this even.  No one has been angry with him, except save himself.  Not Paz, or any of the Mandos, not even Boba.  No one has yelled at him or hurled insults at him, or called him out for the despicable person he is to have hurt you the way he did.  His sweet, pretty bird.  No, not his anymore.  He swallows every single one of Rory’s admonishments willingly and his head might even slightly nod in agreement.

Don’t you have anything to say for yourself, you fucking coward?

Arms dropping to his side in defeat, Din hangs his head and asks the only thing he wants to know, even though he's sure he isn’t allowed, “How is she?”

How is she?! What the fuck do you mean ‘how is she’? How the fuck do you think she is??

“What I mean is… I’m not still hurting her, am I?”

Silence.

“She’s okay now, right?  She hates me, but I don’t matter anymore?  She doesn’t think of me enough to still hurt her?”

Rory stops and evaluates the man standing in front of her.  He looks… broken.  She’s been throwing all her weight into every push, poke, smack she’s laid on Din and he’s taken it all.  Absorbed it along with every harsh word out of her mouth; he hasn’t fought back or even flinched - almost as if he wants her to hit him.  To scream at him.  And now, with the only words he’s spoken, he’s asking to confirm, with what almost sounds like hope, that you’ve forgotten him.  Din’s choice of words strike Rory as odd.  He wants to make sure he’s not “still hurting” you?? 

Suddenly, her mouth drops open as she retracts her hands, “… you didn’t do it.”

Din looks shocked and almost terrified.  He opens and closes his mouth several times but nothing comes out.  No denial or refute of what Rory now realizes has been completely obvious.

“You didn’t cheat on her.  You never cheated on her,” Rory’s tone is softer now, but determined and confident.  She’s leaving no room for argument, not letting Din worm his way out of the truth.

With a sigh, Din has no choice but to confess, “How could I?  Why would I ever want anyone but her?  The most perfect creature to ever exist.”  If he had seemed defeated before, Din is now positively deflating right before Rory’s eyes.

“You love her.”  Again, not a question.

“Always.  Forever.”

“Why w-”

“Rory, please.  You must never tell her.  She has to go on hating me and wanting nothing to do with me,” fear is catching up with Din now.  If Rory tells you the truth, this plan to keep you safe will unravel.

Rory’s eyes widen in disbelief, “You have to be joking.  Do you know what you put her through?  And it’s not even true??”

Quietly, Din asks, “How much has she told you and your friends about what I do?”

“That you own a gym?” Rory crosses her arms and gives Din an incredulous look.

“What else I do.  What my old job was.  Who I worked for.  Who I’m connected with,” he has to be able to make her understand.

Rory lets these words hang in the air for a moment.  No – you were always pretty tight lipped about what Din might be involved in outside of athletics.  It did seem that in the months leading up to your breakup, you would often stress over Din’s work and wellbeing, and though your friends never asked you to expand on it, it wouldn’t make sense for the responsibilities a gym owner to give you that kind of anxiety.

“You got a knife wound once.  Lala told us,” Rory recalls.

Din nods, “And that was nothing.  That’s the least of what the people who might come after me would be capable of.  She’s in danger just by being with me.”

“You wouldn’t protect her?”

“Of course, I would.  With my life.  But why should she be in danger at all?  She didn’t choose this life.”

“She chose you.”

“She shouldn’t have.”        

“You don’t get to decide that for her?!!”

Din knows that.  He shouldn’t have chosen for you.  But he made the decision that he thought would keep you safe and now you both have to live with his mistake, “I know, Rory… I know, but it’s done now.”

“Undo it, asshole.”

Like he hasn’t thought about it a million times.  Like he doesn’t wake up and his first thought when he opens his eyes in the morning isn’t to find you and crawl on his hands and knees and admit that he had fucked up in how he handled everything and beg your forgiveness.  Sometimes Din’s halfway out the door before one of two things stop him.  The first is the very real possibility that you would tell him to go to hell – you had loved him better than anyone ever had, better than he deserved, and he had callously thrown away the greatest gift ever bestowed upon him.  The second, is the very real fear from the threat made against you; Din hasn’t eliminated it and what if, just what if, what he’s doing is actually working and removing you as a worthy target?  Yes, he shouldn’t have gone about things this way, but… what if it was keeping you safe for now?

“Someone threatened her, Rory.”

This stops Rory as she’s about to open her mouth to say something else.  Closing her mouth, she studies Din and her shoulders drop, “Who?”

“I don’t know.  I haven’t been able to find out who’s behind it but I will.  Until then, I have to try and make her less of a target.  Please.  Rory.  Please.  Make sure she stays away from me.  You can’t tell her any of this.”

“But… she doesn’t know?”

“No. I don’t want her to be scared.  And she is being protected - all the time, I promise.  But the safest thing for her is to stay the hell away from me.  If whoever wants to hurt me doesn’t think they can do it through her, then she’ll be safe.  Please, Rory.”

Din is begging her now.  His eyes imploring Rory to understand and decide as he once did, that your well being has to come above all, including loyalty and love.  He sees it in her eyes as she relents, much the same way his must have once upon a time, and she nods, “Okay. I won’t tell her.  And you promise she’s safe right now?”

“I promise.  I… wouldn’t be able to live like this if I couldn’t at least do that for her.”  Is it worth it?  Yes, your life, your safety is worth anything and everything to him.

“You think you can get them?  The people behind the threat?”

Din nods, “I’m sure of it.  I’ll make sure of it.  I’ll take care of it.  That’s a promise I won’t break.”

“Okay.  You should tell her afterwards though.”

“Maybe.”

“She deserves the truth, Din,” Rory gives him one last exasperated look.

“She deserves the world, Rory.”

The two of them give one another a silent nod of mutual understanding before parting ways.  They might not see eye to eye on everything, but Din trusts that your friend will put your wellbeing and safety first; she loves you just as much as he does.  Rory leaves Din behind feeling conflicted in a way she hadn’t thought possible when she confronted him earlier – the last thing she expected was to sympathize with him, but it’s become clear to her: the only person who’s been hurting more from your breakup than you, is Din.

Five Months ATN

“I want to go out with Mark.”

Four heads look up from their brunch with lighting speed to stare at you, shocked by your sudden announcement.

Feeling a bit awkward at this reception, you go on, “… I mean if he’s even still available.  And if he’s not, is there someone else at your firm that might be, Jen?”

Jen looks at you curious and hesitantly excited, “I can check, but I don’t think he’s in a relationship?  He broke up with someone a couple of months ago.  You really want me to set you up?”

You don’t catch the looks that Rory and Lala exchange before Rory cautiously asks, “Do you even like Mark?”

“Hey!” Jen looks scandalized.

You’re slightly bewildered watching your two friends seemingly stare daggers at each other, “I don’t even know Mark? I just…” 

You sigh. 

“… I just have to do something.  Try something new.  Babes, it’s been months and… I’m still not over him.”  Your friends know that the “him” in question is not Mark.

It’s been five months and you’re still in a state of melancholy and heartbreak that you can’t quite articulate.  The days where you’d cycle through extreme emotion, be it intense sadness, justifiable anger, or self-pitying shame, have long since passed.  You burned those emotional candles to their proverbial wicks and for the time that they were lit within you, they served their purpose.  You’ve processed those emotions and laid them to rest.

What remains is a type of grief, a longing from your soul that you struggle to contain on a day-to-day basis.

The best way you can think of describing it is Hiraeth – the Welsh word that conveys the feeling of “a longing for a time, place, or person that feels like home but may no longer exist or that never existed at all”; when you miss Din, it feels like a type of homesickness.  And though far from being lonely in your life, your heart nevertheless maintains an empty chamber that you are dearly afraid may be forever reserved for Din.  Your Din.  The one you had loved and thought loved you.

You miss it all - everything that had never been real: the closeness, the intimacy, the safety of Din’s embrace.  You miss the way he looked at you and made you feel like the only person in the world who mattered; you missed his adoring touch and the way that he would be soft and gentle with you when you knew he harnessed such strength and power within those same hands.  He had made you feel cherished and special, appreciated and exalted.  Yes, it had all been a lie, but you heart had believed in it and the memory of what you’ve irretrievably lost haunts you every day still.

You’ve never been one to believe the adage that to get over someone, you had to get “under” someone else and you’re certainly not looking to replace what you thought you had or even date for the sake of dating.  You’re just simply out of ideas.  You need… a distraction.  A real-life person to think about, instead of one that only ever existed in your head.

“Don’t push yourself if you’re not ready, babe,” Lala says, gently.

“I don’t want to ‘get back out there.’ I just need…”

“A rebound?” Rory’s assessment is unfortunately, spot on.

You look sheepish, “That sounds terrible.  But something like a distraction.”

Jen is hardly bothered, “It’s okay.  I won’t tell Mark but I don’t think he would mind even if he knew.  Men are weird as hell.”

Everyone laughs and you go back to your breakfast, half listening as Jen chirps some of Mark’s merits and tells you that she’s going to try and set something up for the upcoming Friday.  You don’t notice the worried and pinched looks that Lala and Rory continue to give one another for the remainder of brunch.

It’s absolutely pouring today.  The phrase ‘raining cats and dogs’ must have been inspired by a similar rainfall, you’re sure.  You hold your umbrella as close to your head as you can while deftly trying to keep your shoes dry by doing little and big hops to avoid puddles.  It’s a relief when you finally make it to the overhang in front of your office building and can shake out your umbrella before stepping inside.  Wiping your feet on the already soaked through mats that building maintenance has put down, you wonder if the weather will clear up before your date with Mark tomorrow.

You’re slipping your still dripping wet umbrella into a plastic sleeve when you hear a commotion by the security check desk.  Gabriel, the head of security is arguing with someone who by the looks of it is soaking wet and trying to get through the security turnstiles.  As you approach with your own access card already in hand, the voices get louder:

“Dude.  Come ON!”

“Miss, like I said, you have to have security access in order to move past this point.”

“I’m not going to go anywhere in the building, I promise!  I just need to get to the subway.”

“I heard you already, miss.  You’ll have to use one of the other two subway entrances.  This one is for people who have access to this building only.”

“It’s pouring!! Can’t you see?  The other two entrances are both over a block away and I’m already soaked!  I just want to get home!”

“I won’t ask again, miss.  Please leave.  There are people who need to get through.”

You’re shocked.  You’ve never heard Gabriel get frustrated or raise his voice before.  But that’s not why you’re shocked.  It’s the girl’s voice.  You know it. 

It’s Vanessa.

In some other universe you might hail this as karma, but in truth, you only have sympathy for the girl you see before you.  It really is miserable out and you’re sure that Vanessa isn’t some corporate espionage spy – she really is just asking for a little help to get out of the rain and home before she gets sick.  Without overthinking it, you come up behind her and give Gabriel a reassuring smile, “It’s okay, Gabriel, I can take her to the subway.”

Vanessa turns and looks at you with a wide-eyed, almost scared expression on her face.  You can’t help but feel bad for her.  Obviously because she’s soaking wet and shivering, but you think she must not have been met with much kindness in her young life.

“Ma’am, that’s not really protocol…”

Your reassuring smile is now extended to Vanessa as well.  You want her to know you’re here to help her, truly, “Gabriel, it’s fine.  I know her.  And, even if I didn’t, I could never let you send a woman out into that downpour when we could so easily help her get to where she needs to go, okay?”

Gabriel nods as you swipe your access card against the reader and you gesture for Vanessa to go through before you follow.

The two of you walk silently towards the subway for a few moments.

“You don’t have to…”

You wave off Vanessa’s concern, “I think Gabriel’s watching, so I’ll just walk you all the way to the subway entrance so he doesn’t give you anymore trouble, okay?”

She nods and the two of you continue on.

“You don’t have to be so nice to me.”

Your answer is genuine, “I really don’t know any other way to be towards you.”  It’s true.  Yes, Din had cheated on you with her, but you hadn’t been dating Vanessa, you had been dating Din.  He had wronged you, not her (even if she had probably been a bit smug about it).

Vanessa nods again, the expression on her face seems to relax into some kind of revelation that you don’t quite understand.  When you get to the subway entrance, the two of you pause awkwardly before she finally speaks, “Thank you.”

Again, you try to smile as kindly as you can, “It’s okay.  I meant what I said to Gabriel – I didn’t like that he was trying to send you back out in the rain.  Here.” You hold out your umbrella, still in its plastic sleeve.

Vanessa doesn’t take it, even as you continue to extend it in her direction, “I don’t know how far you have to go once you reach your stop – the rain may not have let up by then.  Really, take it.  It’s my firm’s – I have a bunch more upstairs.”

This time she does open her hands and when she grasps the umbrella’s handle to take it from you, she blurts out, “I never slept with him!”

Silence hangs between the two of you at her statement.  You don’t know what she means at all, so you just say, “I’m sorry?”

Vanessa is looking down at the umbrella in her hands, words just spilling out, “That night.  The night you ‘caught’ me and Din – you didn’t walk in on anything.  I don’t know how, but he said he knew you were coming over and he asked me if I could make it look like he and I had been sleeping together when you showed up.  We didn’t do anything.  I played on my phone on the couch until we heard you knock.  I- don’t know why I did it… actually… no, that’s a lie.  I do.”  She finally looks up at you.

“Din was so in love with you.  Like seriously, so stupid in love with you.  He hadn’t been with anyone for a while before he met you, and those of us who… had gone out with him once or twice just got used to it, I guess.  Like we wanted him but he didn’t want anyone and that was fine.  Then he met you and all of a sudden, he was the doting boyfriend, head over heals in love, showing you off to all his friends, taking you to meet Boba.  And then it was so clear: it wasn’t that he wasn’t the boyfriend type, it was you.  He only wanted you.  I guess… I was jealous.” Vanessa shrugs, ashamed, “So when the chance came up to hurt you... I jumped at it.  I’m sorry.”

To say you’re shocked would be an understatement.  There is so much to process.  You’re not sure what Vanessa is asking from you, but you do appreciate her honesty, “I mean, I guess I get why you did it.  But why did Din?”

Vanessa shrugs again, “I really don’t know, I didn’t ask.  It didn’t matter to me, I guess.  I’m sorry.  But after you left, I… propositioned him?  Thought I would shoot my shot since we were both basically half undressed.  He turned me down and practically kicked me out.  All he cared about was making sure you got home safe.  You’re all he cared about.  Always.  It was only ever you.”

“I- ” you’re speechless.  Actually speechless, “Thank you for telling me, Vanessa.  I- still don’t understand any of it, but I always appreciate honesty.  Truly.”

And with that, Vanessa gives you a little wave of the umbrella you gave her as a final thanks before she disappears down the stairs into the subway station, leaving you dumbfounded and shellshocked.

It had been a lie.

Din hadn’t cheated on you.  Not with Vanessa.  Not that night, or according to her, any other night.  You had been his one and only.  The way you had always thought.  The way he had always made you feel.

Every spiraling assumption and devastating conclusion you’ve drawn about your relationship over the past five months is now being called into question: that he never loved you, that he wasn’t the man you believed him to be, that the devotion in your relationship had been one sided.  Had it all been real?  Was your Din real?

But he had lied. 

He had made up an elaborate lie to get away from you.  To hurt you.  This revelation gives rise to feelings that you thought you had long worked through and put to bed: betrayal, hurt, disbelief, anger.  On top of this fast rising tide of emotions that you’re afraid might drown you rides a question you've never felt like you wanted the answer to when it was simply that Din was a cheater: Why?

The date is going okay, you think.  Actually, it’s going exactly how you knew it would – you’re not into it.  Mark is honestly nice enough, funny enough, charming enough – you can see why Jen was always trying to get you to go out with him.  But he’s not Din.

You haven’t told anyone about your run in with Vanessa because you still don’t know what to make of it all; you have pieces of a puzzle that you didn’t even know existed, new questions, even fewer answers, and a whole new host of confused feelings.  Unsure of your own heart, you hadn’t known what to say to Jen to cancel this date that she lovingly setup for you at your request, so here you are.

Even if your overthinking brain wasn’t in overdrive analyzing and reanalyzing everything you learned yesterday, your heart, which is still working out your feelings towards Din, has unequivocally softened.  The Din of your memories, the one for whom your heart still beats deep down had been real, and he had never betrayed you in the manner you believed for the past few months.  The love you had felt with him had been true and the affection and devotion that had been cornerstones of your relationship have started making their way back into your chest.

You feel sort of bad about Mark.  Yes, you had been very clear with Jen and yourself that this date didn’t mark any great interest of yours to start dating again, but you know you could be putting in more of an effort on this date.  You try.  You really do.

After the pre-dinner drinks are finished and the waiter’s taken your dinner order, you excuse yourself to use the restroom, hoping for a few minutes alone to gather your thoughts.  Heading towards the bathrooms, you walk down a hall that opens to the restaurant’s private party rooms on one side.  All the doors are opened and you peek in to see that most of the rooms are empty, one of them being cleared from a large party that must have just left; when you get to the last doorway, you’re stopped dead in your tracks when you see who's inside.

It's Din.

He’s leaning back in a chair that’s been placed further back and away from the dining table that must centre the room; part of the meeting but not an active participant – a perimeter guard.  His handsome profile is as striking as you remember; his strong aquiline nose and cut jawline that’s currently flexing as he swallows hold your attention by their very existence - how is he here just when all your thoughts happen to be of him?  Din’s chocolate brown eyes are fixed on someone or something in the room, but he must feel your gaze because he turns and sees you – keeping his expression neutral, as if he doesn’t want anyone else in the room to notice you, you still see his eyes soften as they lock with yours and your heartbeat picks up a little.

Hi, you mouth shyly.

Hi, Din's lips curve up slightly at your sweet expression as he mouths back, you look nice.

You do too, because he does.  He’s in a black suit with a crisp white shirt and jet-black tie; the monochromatic look works for him.  Din’s slicked back hair is different – you’re so much more used to seeing his curls loose and tousled, but the change isn’t unwelcomed.  He looks professional.  Devastating.

Work?  Your head tilts a little so you can see a little further in the room and Din knows you see Paz sitting in front of him wearing a nearly identical outfit.  He nods, You?

Date.

Din nods slightly, eyes unreadable, Be safe.

I will. Not sure how much more you can communicate this way or even what you want to say, you give Din a little wave before continuing down the hall to the restroom.

---

Din cannot sit still.

Date? You were on a date?

But that’s not even the most jarring thing about seeing you unexpectedly tonight at the same restaurant where Boba’s holding a family meeting.  What’s really turning Din’s world upside down is that you didn’t look upset to see him.  Your expression was soft, kind and inviting.  As if you didn’t hate him. 

You’re over him.  That has to be it.  You were over him, wholly and completely; much too sweet to hold onto any malice towards him, you had treated him politely, like an old acquaintance.  He wants to be glad – happy that you’re no longer hurting and that his transgressions against you didn’t leave a permanent mark on your beautiful soul.  But his heart feels like it’s made of lead; dropping from his chest into his stomach when he thinks of you being on a date.  Din gets up and takes a walk towards the main dining room of the restaurant, looking to satisfy his morbid curiosity.

He sees you right away.  Your back is to him, but he knows its you.  You sit across from a perfectly respectable looking man dressed in a sharp suit – the both of you clearly having come straight from work.  The man probably has some smart corporate job like you, like a lawyer or someone who underwrites space rockets or something cool.  The man is making you laugh; Din can tell by the way your shoulders shake.  He imagines your smile and the way that your eyes crinkle when you think something is super funny but you don’t want to let loose one of those melodic laughs of yours where you throw back your head and the resulting song carries over the crowd.  Din watches as you swirl your wine glass the way he always thought was super adorable, with two of your fingers pressed against the base of the glass stem, before you lift those same fingers to make a gesture with your hand that indicates you’re adding to your date’s story with some witty comment of your own.  Your date’s face lights up and his look of admiration and joy from the pleasure of your company is one that Din knows well. 

He decides can’t watch anymore and slinks back down the hallway; heart ripped to pieces, leaving you to your pleasant evening.

Thanks so much for being patient with me - these chapters are emotionally hard to write and even harder to edit 😅 Since I'm once again yeeting this into universe on a random day instead of my usual posting date, adding a few tags for those who have expressed an interest in the story (omigod if you don't want to be tagged, please tell me!):

@tuquoquebrute @furiousmushroom @cheekychaos28 @72scsuze @nerdieforpedro

@toobsessedsstuff @whirlwindrider29 @inept-the-magnificent @mellymbee @that1nerd-20

@hipabbster23 @bitccchmood @bigbutchenergee @rainbowcat164 @the-strawberrythief

@johnssherlock221 @misstokyo7love @vivian-pascal @florxdexcerezo @fanficlover1414

@rarachelchel @heartbrokenlilbitch-nef @jeewrites @sunnytuliptime @kulekehe

@bebsjo

[child0feden]

FUNNEL OF LOVE

nico rosberg x wife! reader x ( platonic! ) oc daughter

♡ general headcanons for a valentine’s day with nico!

୨୧ my man my man my man! love him so much… i know valentine’s day has very much passed but just let me live <3 this takes place before little ladybug is born

♡ related smau available here, related hc available here and here | view my formula 1 masterlist here

reading music recommendations: funnel of love by wanda jackson - i wanna be loved by you by helen kane

♡ you and nico send rosie to her grandparents house the night before valentine’s day!

୨୧ as much as you both absolutely adore your little rabbit, rosie has been with you guys every valentine’s day since she was born…

♡ so for this one, you decided to spend it with just the two of you at home <3

୨୧ luckily you didn’t even have to try and convince her to go to her grandparents house for two days, she absolutely loves them and spending nights at their house

♡ it was honestly harder for nico to stop asking her if she has everything she needs, say bye and get back in the car after dropping her off… he hates saying bye to his little rabbit, even if he’s literally picking her up in the morning of the day after valentine’s day…

୨୧ you don’t think you guys have any plans, you’re probably just going to let your life flow with the day! oh boy, you’re wrong!

♡ when the morning of valentine’s day rolls around, you wake up ( much later than usual ) to the absence of nico’s arms holding you like they usually are…

୨୧ slightly peeved, you slide out of bed and make the short journey downstairs, looking for your husband

♡ you find him in the kitchen, cooking pancakes for you and they smell amazing

୨୧ when he notices you in the doorway, he gives you a beaming smile and comes over to give you a peck on the lips before telling you to go relax in the living room

“ good morning, miene liebe! you look beautiful this morning, as always, go watch some tv hm? breakfast, or i suppose brunch, will be done soon ” ( you’ll never understand how he’s such a morning person )

♡ while sitting in the living room, you can faintly hear him humming to himself and mumbling though you can’t make out what he’s saying

୨୧ when the pancakes are done, nico comes sauntering in to the living room, bending down to give you another kiss before giving you your plate and sitting down next to you with his, gesturing for you to lean into his side as you always do

♡ while eating, you notice nico is suspiciously smiley and giddy… but alas, you don’t say anything, figuring he’s just enjoying the peace of the morning without your crazy little rabbit running around and making a mess ( you should’ve known that wasn’t the reason, seeing his girl run around and make a mess does make nico happy because she’s happy )

୨୧ eventually after breakfast, nico asks you if you’d like to go into the local village with him, telling you he has to pick something up

♡ you’re even more confused now… pick something up? he hasn’t told you about him ordering anything and he doesn’t explain

୨୧ your curiosity is too strong and you agree, both of you heading upstairs to change into some day clothes

♡ nico could never get tired of watching you get ready, he thinks you’re the most beautiful person he’d ever seen and after giving him a child his love only grew stronger

୨୧ on the drive, his free hand rests on your leg, holding your hand under his, gently squeezing it every now and then… eventually, you ask what it is he’s picking up

“ it’s a surprise, meine liebe, you’ll know soon enough… ”

♡ when you drive into the village, the car pulls up outside of the cutest little flower store and nico asks you to wait in the car, giving you a kiss on the cheek before getting out

୨୧ you watch him enter the shop through the car windows, wondering what exactly he has planned…

♡ less than five minutes of him entering the shop, you see the door open and out he walks wearing a big grin and holding a gorgeous bouquet of assorted pink flowers in his right hand

୨୧ when he gets back in the car, you’re immediately leaning over the console and smothering him in kisses, thanking him as he goes to hand you the bouquet

“ you’re welcome, miene liebe, only the best for my beauty ”

♡ you’re beaming for the whole drive home, admiring the flowers as nico’s eyes drift over to you every once and a while, looking at you with a certain gleam in his eyes… oh, he’s not done

୨୧ when you arrive home, he’s helping you get out of the car ( opening the door for you and offering his hand, treating you like a princess getting out of a horse pulled carriage ) whilst you chuckle

♡ as you’re putting the flowers away in a vase, marvelling at them as they sit on the kitchen table, nico tells you to relax as he’s going to run a bath for the two of you

୨୧ and you do, by the time he calls you upstairs and you wander into the bathroom, the bath is full with a small layer of bubbles and petals on top… lit candles scattered throughout the bathroom which causes a smell of roses to enter your nose <3

♡ as you get in, you sit back against his chest, one of his hands stroking the side of your cheek whilst the other rests on your hip under the warm water

୨୧ the steam rising from the water makes you sigh, leaning your head back against his neck and gently kissing it as he looks down at you with nothing but love swirling around in his eyes

“ you’re so beautiful, miene liebe, i feel like i don’t tell you that enough, you know? ” ( he absolutely does, he tells you at least ten times a day )

♡ you guys must spend an hour in the bath, just giggling between yourselves as you place bubbles on each other’s face

୨୧ eventually, you both get out, the water having gone extremely lukewarm and nico tells you to get dressed up however you’d like as he has a reservation booked for dinner ( yet another thing you had no idea about but were very pleasantly surprised by )

♡ it’s quite a drive into the city where the restaurant is so it makes sense, by the time you get there it’ll be around dinner time

୨୧ when you’re getting ready, nico is again admiring you all whilst getting himself dressed up at the same time, buttoning up his shirt wrong as he was too hypnotised by you…

♡ you giggle as you point it out to him, reaching over to fix them for him as he chuckles

“ well, can you blame me? i was just too focused on the living art piece that stands before me ” ( god, he’s such a sap… but you’d be lying if you said you didn’t love it )

୨୧ you two look amazing as you prepare to leave, making sure your hair is fine and spraying on some perfume before you take nico’s awaiting arm and walk out the door

♡ on the lengthy drive to the restaurant, nico hums to whatever is playing on the radio as you admire him from the side… he notices and sends you a wink before beginning to talk about his little rabbit

“ i really am so proud of our little rabbit, miene liebe… she’s getting so big, so smart, so beautiful… just like her mother ” ( he has that proud dad smile on his face as he thinks about his little rabbit )

୨୧ when you reach the restaurant, nico again helps you exit the car, holding your bag for you and taking your hand

♡ the restaurant is beautiful, of course it is! nico wouldn’t settle for anything less for his beauty

୨୧ as you’re seated, nico takes your hand over the table, gently stroking over your fingers whilst you browse the menu

♡ dinner is unsurprisingly amazing, you and nico having giving each other taste tests of your food, jokingly trying to decide who has the best taste in food

୨୧ as you pay the bill and leave, both of you have the most lovesick smiles on your face, anyone passing you two would be able to tell how much you adore each other just by the look on your faces

♡ by the time you get home, nico is covered in lipstick kiss prints due to how many times you kissed him thank you for the amazing day on the way home ( i mean, really, you attacked him with kisses at every red light )

୨୧ as you enter the house, nico suddenly gasps and shouts at you to stay put in the living room, absolutely do NOT come to the bedroom!

♡ you’re laughing as he speed walks away and up the stairs, wondering what his final surprise of the day is…

୨୧ after a couple of minutes, he calls you up though when you reach the bedroom door it’s closed and nico is standing against it

♡ he takes your hand in his and suddenly goes on a huge ramble about how much he loves you, how happy you and your little rabbit make him, how he wishes he could give you the world… and how he hopes today brought you some happiness

୨୧ by the time it’s over, he’s almost out of breath and you’re nearly in tears, softly smacking him on the shoulder and telling him of course today made you happy, every day with him makes you happy, you could sit and watching paint dry with him but you’d still be so over the moon because you’re with him

♡ you’re both softly making out in the hallway after your shared confessions of love towards each other and he quietly gasps into your mouth, realising oh my god, you’re making out in the hallway like teenagers whilst the bedroom is right behind you!

୨୧ you share a laugh at his realisation before finally opening the bedroom door and you’re greeted by a dimly lit room, some lit candles spread around and flower petals laying atop your bed… so that’s what he was doing up here!

♡ you immediately turn to look at him and he gives a soft smile

“ wanted to give you one last surprise, you deserve so many, miene liebe… ”

୨୧ you smash your mouth against his, pushing him over to the bed as his hands wander your body, stripping each other of your clothes, the following two hours ( yes, two hours! listen, it’s been a while since you’ve really been able to get down and dirty since you’re had rosie ) are filled with sounds of pleasure filling the room, open mouth kisses being shared between you both as you make love on rose scented sheets

♡ oh yeah, this is the best valentine’s day you’ve had in a long time…

ynln: happy valentine’s day, i had the pleasure of begin treated like a princess by my own prince! ladies, don’t settle for anyone less than nico 🌸 🫧 🦢

nicoynforever: when will i find someone that treats me how nico treats yn? 💔

nicorosberg ✔️: only the best for you, miene liebe ❤️

loveyounico: where’s little rabbit?

> nicoynforever: in all of their past valentine’s day posts she’s been there so this must be their first without her 🥹

oldf1lover: that 6th picture… god, they look so good

[mothdruid]

Happy birthday!! Can I please get "you’re freezing, come here.” With Hangman?

Fast like Rain

pairing: Jake 'Hangman' Seresin x gn!reader

word count: 1k

summary: Your childhood best friend, Jake, is home from deployment. The two of you spend the day together and it ends with a cold but sweet treat.

a/n: sorry this took so long to write! my blurbs keep end up being longer than just blurbs lmao. i hope you enjoy!!

The day had started out great. Jake was home on leave for a little bit, meaning that you finally got to see your best friend after months of his deployment. He had promised you one full day of hanging out when he had left. So, it was time for him to honor that promise.

The day had started with brunch from his favorite local diner, to which he ordered his classic sunny side up eggs with crispy bacon and toast. You ordered your own favorite meal, earning teasing when you ordered your classic cup of orange juice. Jake never let you live that down, always joking that you were never going to fully grow up.

The two of you spent the next few hours doing whatever. It was so refreshing to finally have Jake home. He was your best friend no matter what, even if you happened to have a little bit more than just platonic feelings for him. It was hard not to like him. He had that Texan charm you had grown up dreaming about.

Charm with a bit of asshole to him, and it honestly made your heart sing. Maybe that's because he didn't intimidated you, instead it pushed you to be an asshole right back at him. Which Jake himself loved about you. Every time you ever swore at him and yelled at him, he would later that night think about it in bed, wondering if you would speak that way if you were underneath him.

The two of you were currently in some random field outside of town. Jake had decided to drive the old beater truck he had during high school while he was in town. So the tailgate was currently down, the both of you sitting on it with your legs dangling. The soft yet dry tall grass was brushing against your ankles.

"Are you serious?" You laughed after asking.

"Come on, of course, how could you not believe me?" Jake retorted.

"You weren't a track star in school, that's why!"

"I played football," Jake reminded you.

"As a QB, not a running back!" You could help the laughter that came from you.

"Fine," Jake hoped off the tailgate, "let's race."

The laughter immediately stopped when you heard him. You both had been too caught up in each other to have noticed the darker clouds starting to consume the sky. You gave Jake a serious look, tiling your head as if to question his seriousness.

"Hey, I'm being serious here," Jake threw his hands up in defense.

"One hundred percent?" You questioned.

He took his right index finger and drew a cross over his heart. You hoped down off the tailgate and stood face to face with him. You crossed your arms, signaling that you meant business.

"What's in it for me?"

"I'll buy you ice cream," Jake said.

"Fence line?"

Jake shook his head yes, that stupid smirk on his face. Without a second thought you took off running. You heard Jake yell from behind you about how he never said start. All you did was throw a middle finger back at him. Jake chased you all the way to the fence line, huffing once he finally caught up to you. You had been waiting for only a few seconds since reaching it. Your own breath was heavy, lungs struggling to keep up.

"Guess you aren't that fast," you chuckled while trying to steady your breathing. You looked over at Jake and then leaned again the fence post next to you.

"I don't know if that counts," Jake joked. He moved near you, putting a hands on the same post you were leaning on.

The two of you were close, only a few inches separating your bodies. Smiles adorned both of your faces while you stared at each other. You could never get tried of staring at him. Yeah, he looked like a generic jock, but he was your generic jock. Those green eyes never left yours, and a part of was starting to wonder if the two of you were moving closer towards one another.

Suddenly there was a loud rumble through the sky. It was only then that both of you noticed the dark sky. You examined the sky, a small drop of water hit your skin. Jake felt one too, looking at you quickly. It was seconds before a complete down pour started. You howled in laughter and shock as Jake just started laughing. After a few more seconds of taking the rain in, you ran back towards the truck. Jake was right behind you, stopping to lift the tailgate back up while you climbed into the cab.

"Holy shit," the words were breathy from your laughter.

"That was a surprise," Jake said.

The both of you were practically soaked. His t-shirt was practically a different color now. Yours was about the same though. Little goosebumps were starting to prick up along your skin. Jake noticed this when you wrapped your arms around yourself. He reached out hesitantly, brushing his knuckles against your skin.

"You're freezing," he whispered, "come here."

Jake opened his arms and gestured for you to move closer to him. You hesitated for a minute, eventually moving into his arms. Jake's arm were so warm, they were like one of his old sweatshirts that you had stolen forever ago. The sound of rain filled the silence between the two of you.

"I missed you."

The words came out of your mouth before you could stop them. You sat up a little and looked at Jake. There was worry weaved through your expression as if you had done something wrong. Jake moved a hand to your jaw, cupping it then leaning in.

Neither of you fought it, leaning into the kiss and your emotions. For so long the both of you had fought them, telling yourselves that this couldn't be real. But it was.

Jake pulled back and just stared at you, a small smile on his lips. He rubbed his thumb against your cheek, marveling internally at how soft your skin was.

"I missed you too."

[picklebunbun]

⌗ ★ |・:🪃〃➜ cw ; it's just a sfw alphabet with dazai and male reader ,

𐃘 osamu dazai x male ! reader, this is romantic, reader implied AMAB, masculine pronouns

{ pickles’ notes 🥒 ; I usually write these readers in mind that they're AMAB because I am AMAB , this reader is implied to be assigned male at birth but it's just one part dw, the header is not mine it's on pinterest }

lıllılı.ıllı.ılılıılıı.lllııılı.

Now Playing [pearl diver]

0:26 ———♡——— 3:50

◁◁ ▐ ▌ ▷▷

,, SFW ALPHABET !! ;

Activities - What do they like to do with their s/o? How do they spend their free time with them?

he values his alone time with you, if you work with him, his favorite pass time is to have lunch with, just some one on one time -- even if you don't work in the ADA, he'll ask you to join him at a café for brunch. Distractions make it difficult for him to concentrate on you, so his favorite thing to do with you is to talk, he loves hearing the sound of your voice, the sterness, the softness, he could just fall in love again. In his free time, he likes holding you close, you'll run away if he doesn't suffocate you with his cuddles ! ( ˟̥̥̥᷄⁔̑˟̥̥᷅ ू)

(⋈◍＞◡＜◍)。✧

Beauty - What do they admire about their s/o? What do they think is beautiful about them?

Dazai would find every part of you beautiful, anything you do makes him fawn over you, admiring your every move, he'll just always find a way to compliment you. Like I said, Dazai thinks you are the epitome of beauty but if he had to name his favorite part, it'd be your eyes, no matter how boring you think they are, how dead they look, he'd always pull your head in and just lovingly stare at them, always pointing out the little details in them₍₍ ( ๑॔˃̶◡˂̶๑॓)◞♡⁰

(⋈◍＞◡＜◍)。✧

Comfort - How would they help their s/o when they feel down/have a panic attack etc.?

I feel like a lot of people think that Dazai would be bad at comforting, but I honestly think he's the opposite. Dazai doesn't like talking about his feelings to his s/o, he's more focused on your safety, he prioritizes you over his work, so if he sees you upset or crying, he drops everything. Holding you close until you calm down, and ready to talk, giving you cold water to replenish yourself. He'd stay the whole day with you if it means that it'd make you happy (ू˃̣̣̣̣̣̣︿˂̣̣̣̣̣̣ ू)

(⋈◍＞◡＜◍)。✧

Dreams - How do they picture their future with their s/o?

since Japan has a law about/doesn't recognize same sex marriages, there's not much Dazai can do other than propose to you. Although, he often day dreams about a wedding, how ethereal you'd look on it, how it'll all he worth it to be with the man he'd sacrifice the world for. Which usually leads to Kunikida to yell at Dazai and force him to finish his work, his work notebook is filled with you in a wedding suit / dress. Dazai isn't that much of a fan for taking care of children, but he'd be willing to take care of a few kittens with you !! ₊·*◟(⌯ˇ- ˇ⌯)◜‧*･

(⋈◍＞◡＜◍)。✧

Equal - Are they the dominant one in the relationship, or rather passive?

not seen has dominant but more possessive, maybe he has power over you in the bedroom, but in a more general sense, he’s not really a dominant person. Usually in serious relationships like these, he likes acting this way towards you, dumb and carefree. It doesn’t matter what position he takes, he’d take it just to embrace you and be close to you , ♡(◍•ㅅ•◍)♡

(⋈◍＞◡＜◍)。✧

Fight - Would they be easy to forgive their s/o? How are they fighting?

he's a bit stubborn at first, but then apologizes profusely after you give him the cold shoulder, he has such bad abandonment issues that he can't stand the thought of loosing you because of a fight. First of all, the argument would probably be his fault, Dazai doesn't take it seriously at the start, making jokes in between which just fueled your anger, then gets very serious and it leads to a screaming match between you too. After this, Dazai would be the first to apologize which leads you guys to talk about your feelings. At this point, he'd hold you close, never letting go . ༼˵˃̶̀ɷ˂̶́˵༽ ෆ⃛

(⋈◍＞◡＜◍)。✧

Gratitude - How grateful are they in general? Are they aware of what their s/o is doing for them?

he's very grateful for you, you are the reason why he's still here, he tries to tell you his gratitude in every way he can. He'd try and buy you gifts, cook you a meal, clean the whole house for you, basically anything. He's aware on what you do for him, when you're willing to go great lengths for him, and you are ! He knows the difference between putting effort in the relationship and not doing so, when he knows that you're willing to sacrifice anything and everything for him, he'll give off the same energy too !!   ٩(๑•̀o•́๑)و 

(⋈◍＞◡＜◍)。✧

Honesty - Do they have secrets they hide from their s/o? Or do they share everything?

unfortunately, he does have secrets, but not in the way you think. He hides how he truly feels, when he looks at himself, it's like puzzle pieces were scattered, not even he knows how he feels at times. Dazai doesn't want to worry you, he carries so much emotional baggage that he feels that if he ever told you, you'd be under pressure trying to fix everything and leave him. He doesn't know how healthy relationships work, you were the first one he was serious about. It's fine, you wear him down so he's forced to express himself !! (ﾉ≧ڡ≦)｡

(⋈◍＞◡＜◍)。✧

Inspiration - Did their s/o change them somehow, or the other way around? Like trying out new things or helped them overcome personal problems?

he would change, if he's committed then he would change for you. I believe if it's for the better, he'd do it with no hesitation, if it's change for the worst reasons. Odasaku had such a influence on his life, just for showing the slightest bit of affection, so if his s/o comes into the picture, they would most definitely change him. He would be willing to try anything with you, as long as your by his side, he doesn't mind . °\>3</°

(⋈◍＞◡＜◍)。✧

Jealousy - Do they get jealous easily? How do they deal with it?

he'd be the one who'd make you jealous, he is the flirty type after all, he won't go too far though, so don't worry your pretty little head. He trusts you enough to know that you'd do the right thing, so unless he has a real reason to get worried, he doesn't get jealous that easily. If the person you're talking to keeps tinkering with you, Dazai would snake his arms around your waist, or get physicallly affectionate with you. When the person doesn't get the hint, he'd try to get you out of the conversation. Reassure him that you'll always be with him after the situation . (*｀д´)

(⋈◍＞◡＜◍)。✧

Kiss - Are they a good kisser? What was the first kiss like?

yes. Definitely. He has slept with multiple women { + a few men }, so he would most likely be a good kisser. The first kiss depends, if he's known you for like a year or more than that, he'd he a bit nervous, but if he hasn't, the kiss would be pretty passionate. He knows what he's doing, and he does it well . ＼(´ ∇`)ノ

(⋈◍＞◡＜◍)。✧

Love Confession - How would they confess to their s/o?

at first he'd be pretty jokey, tip toeing around the subject. Acting like he doesn't want to date you and it was just a hypothetical, " it'd be so crazy if we dated.. hehe.. " " are you asking me out, Dazai ? " " ... maybe..? what do you think .. ? ", s/o acquired ! it actually didn't take him that much courage, but it'd be very scary if you hesitated for even a second . ( ・・)つ

(⋈◍＞◡＜◍)。✧

Marriage - Do they want to get married? How do they propose? What would the marriage be like?

like I previously said, Japan doesn't recognize same sex marriage, but Dazai would still be proposing, it reassures you to know that he's committed and would marry you in a heartbeat. When it becomes legal, he wouldn't even care if he gets a wedding, he'll take an elopement, he wants to get married. When he propose, it'd definitely surprise you, he'd have the whole ADA on it too, as long as it's not during work hours, everyone would be excited for him. His wedding would be simple, unless you wanted it to be extravagant, to which you will have, you are a king and should be treated as such ! ≥∇≤

(⋈◍＞◡＜◍)。✧

Nicknames - What do they call their s/o?

immensely corny ones in comparison to yours, his; sweetiepie, my rose, my fresh breath of air, sweetheart, my cold brew coffee with 2 pumps of vanilla, baby boy, princess | yours; darling, dear, my love, cutie, 'samu { + anything else you want to add } ! ლ(◞‿◟ლ)

(⋈◍＞◡＜◍)。✧

On Cloud Nine - What are they like when they are in love? Is it obvious for others? How do they express their feelings?

when he's interested, he'll make it known to everyone. He's a hard flirt, buttering you up everytime, complimenting you every day. He LOVES being all over you, hugging you and clinging onto you. Unless you're SUPER oblivious or a massive himbo { not to be rude }, you should be able to guess that he likes you and his co-workers know that, strangers even confuse you two for a couple. if it won't be casual dating, he'd be more caring than flirting, y'know ? ( •᷄ - •᷅ )

(⋈◍＞◡＜◍)。✧

PDA - Are they upfront about their relationship? Do they brag with their s/o in front of others? Or are they rather shy to kiss etc. when others are watching?

he is not shy about going public, he loves talking about you to his co-workers. Whenever he talks to Atsushi, he sneaks in little brags about you here and there, mentioning you in snippets of his conversations. Since his main love language is physical affection, he basicslly strangles you with his love, he just can't help but ooze out his intimate feelings for you, you're just so perfect to him !  ಢ‸ಢ 

(⋈◍＞◡＜◍)。✧

Quirk - Some random ability they have that’s beneficial in a relationship.

Dazai has a terrifying ability to easily persuade someone and read them like an open book. He'd convince a cashier to give him a discount whenever he buys you something, he even did it to bye you an expensive watch, " my love, how'd you afford this ? ", " uhh.. just enjoy the gift ". When you feel upset, he can tell immediately, by your body language, the tone of your voice and just how you look { like if you have motivation to do your care routine }, he makes sure to keep track of your mood . ( ⁼̴̤̆◡̶͂⁼̴̤̆ )

(⋈◍＞◡＜◍)。✧

Romance - How romantic are they? What would they do to make their s/o happy? Cliché or rather creative?

He can be very romantic, but sometimes, he doesn't have the money, so he steals from Kunikida, as long as you don't focus on that fact then his gesture is lovely. Whenever he plans dates, he blows off work to focus on it, Dazai likes to keep it plain, so he'd give you chocolates, maybe a restaurant or a love hotel. Not so much as cliché but the way he talks about you is super cheesy . (ιº o º)!

(⋈◍＞◡＜◍)。✧

Support - Are they helping their s/o achieve their goals? Do they believe in them?

it depends what type of goals you have. He tries to keep you on the right track, kind of scolding you when you’re off task, and of course he would be proud of you. Dazai is going to be your biggest cheerleader, he believes his s/o can do anything !  •᷄ ρ•᷅ 

(⋈◍＞◡＜◍)。✧

Thrill - Do they need to try out new things to spice out your relationship? Or do they prefer a certain routine?

he's extremely adventurous, wonder how you keeo up with him without passing out. One time, you guys went skydiving, he managed to convince you even with your little protests. Long story short, you caught him ripping his parachute, but you guys still had a good time {both of you almost passed out}. Dazai thinks the same rountine can get insanely boring, everything is new with him . (ง°̀ﾛ°́)ง

(⋈◍＞◡＜◍)。✧

Understanding - How good do they know their partner? Are they empathetic?

Dazai definitely has ASPD and NPD, it grew much stronger in the port mafia, and it was hard for him to heal from that. He tries to he understanding, it's just a little difficult for him, sometimes he comes off as a little insensitive. He apologizes but it depends on the situation, like if he makes a mess whether at your place or at your shared home and you get upset, he tries to ignore that and move on from the subject. Something that he thinks is worth giving an apology for .  ( Ĭ ^ Ĭ ) 

(⋈◍＞◡＜◍)。✧

Value - How important is the relationship to them? What is it’s worth in comparison to other things in their life?

he holds so much value into it, you mean a lot to him. It's hard for Dazai to find a reason to keep on living, but when you came in the picture, Kunikida didn't receive late night phone calls from Dazai about his morality and the meaning of life. If we're comparing you to something, you could be worth more than the ADA, but that's only if you're actually serious about this relationship. Sometimes he asks himself the question " if I'm faced with the situation, would I sacrifice the world for [first name] ? ", he usually chooses you, in this hypothetical question . (❁´▽`❁)

(⋈◍＞◡＜◍)。✧

Wild Card - A random Fluff Headcanon.

he steals lipstick from one of his female co-workers to kiss your face with them. One time, he stole Yosano's makeup on your lunch break, and when she found out, she chased him around the office for 30 minutes. You can't take it off since it's waterproof, so you have to embarrassingly ask for makeup wipes. Almost everyone at the ADA tells him to stop, but he never does ! ~ ♪(*^ ・^)ノ⌒☆   

(⋈◍＞◡＜◍)。✧

 

XOXO - Are they very affectionate? Do they love to kiss and cuddle?

get ready to be tackled by this man. He ADORES the affection, he loves it more when you give, it makes him feel validated. Dazai's very public about it too, why shouldn't he make it known to everyone? Dazai is a " bear hug " man, he fully embraces you. He also likes it when you kiss his face, especially in front of everyone, he thinks it makes everybody jealous. Dazai wraps you with his arms in bed, you have to fight him under the covers because you feel too hot since he insists on being stuck to you like he's glued to you . (❁´▽`❁)

(⋈◍＞◡＜◍)。✧

Yearning - How will they cope when they’re missing their partner?

Dazai would try to manipulate his way back, but if you put your foot down and is set on your decision, he'll stop, he won't beg. his life shattered, it only fed his narrative about himself, " nothing good every stays ", Dazai thinks that he's not worthy of anything gold because it always leaves. Kunikida has to take care of him more, scolding him to eat more and to come into work, but he wouldn't have any motivation anymore. His friends would probably call you an " evil man " for a while, but you're an adult, you could make your own decisions, and they understand it. It's just hard to see Dazai's life revert back into the depressing one that he was trapped in, he didn't kniw what to do now that you were gone ...  ŏ̥̥̥̥םŏ̥̥̥̥ 

Zeal - Are they willing to go to great lenghts for the relationship? If so, what kind of?

he's willing to go far for you, he'd risk sudden death if you were in danger. It kind of makes him go berserk if you get hurt by someone, you're just really special. He'll sacrifice anything if it means hearing your soft snoring in the morning, or your disheveled hair from the pillow messing it up. To him, that view is priceless, and he'd do everything to keep it in his memory forever . (੭ ˃̣̣̥᷄⌓˂̣̣̥᷅ )੭⁾⁾

well dear reader! it seems we have to draw this story to a close ( •᷄ - •᷅ ) thank you for reading !!

[clarisse0o]

Camp Wiegman-Part 63

Lucy Bronze x Ona Batlle

Alternative Universe : Military School

Words : 5k

Masterlist

———————————————————————

Saturday, February 27th; 11:00 AM - Ingrid’s Apartment.

Our vacation is coming to an end, and you can feel it. A last-minute brunch was organized at Ingrid's before Mapi and Joan's departure in the early afternoon. Jenni and Alexia were, of course, invited along with us. It was an opportunity to spend the last few hours before wrapping up the holiday. I wished it would never end. I was already happy with my previous vacations, but this one far surpasses all the others I've had. The atmosphere was calm, with various topics of discussion on the table. It was a different mood compared to what we experienced just the night before. Lucy, sitting next to me, has had her hand on my thigh since we arrived. Since I told her about my late-night call, she hasn’t let go of me, in every sense of the word. We were both shaken. However, unlike me, Lucy is seriously considering the proposal I was offered. That’s not the case for me. Not at all. I couldn’t see myself moving away from her, from my loved ones, from this city. It caused tension between us, though we understand each other's arguments. I think our situation was noticed because our friends kept glancing at us, as if to ensure we weren’t about to explode in the middle of the gathering.

“Alright. Are we going to keep pretending everything’s fine, or are you finally going to talk?”

It’s Mapi who spoke. Of course, she’s the one who never holds back. I focus on my plate while Lucy tightens her grip on my thigh. A small sigh escapes her.

“Do you want to tell them?” 

I can feel her eyes on me. She’s leaving it up to me whether or not to share the news with them. I shrug and lean back against the chair. I have everyone’s attention, except for Joan, who’s still focused on his plate, undisturbed by the tension.

“The gallery called me back.”

“Really?” Mapi exclaims with excitement, then loses her enthusiasm. “Wait. They don’t want you, is that it? Is that why you look so upset? What a bunch of idiots! They have no idea what they’re missing out on if they refuse you!”

I smile despite myself at her mood swings. Honestly, she’ll always have my back, no matter the situation, even if she doesn’t know all the details.

“No, it’s not exactly that...”

“The manager offered her a job in Cardiff,” my girlfriend announces bluntly.

“What!?” Alexia reacts. “What’s going on? Why not here?”

“He’s opening a new gallery and putting together a team, and he sees me as a good fit for it.”

“And what’s next?” Mapi scoffs. “It’s a great way to trap you there! It’ll start with an apprenticeship, then a contract you won’t be able to refuse. We all know how this stor—Ouch!” she yells after being elbowed by Ingrid. “What’s your problem?”

“Stop talking so much. You’re not even letting them speak! And besides, this decision isn’t yours to make. If Ona wants to go, it’s her choice.”

“She doesn’t want to,” Lucy replies. “But I think she should. I mean, this is an incredible opportunity. This gallery is very prestigious, even here in Manchester. To be honest, she won’t find a better stepping stone at her current stage.”

“Oh, are you kidding me?” Mapi snaps. “Now that you two are together, are you trying to get rid of her or something? She trusts you! You have no right to say that!”

“Mapi!” Ingrid interrupts with a disapproving tone. “Lucy is supporting Ona. She’s right—it’s a unique opportunity if a top gallery wants to recruit her. It’s not something everyone gets.”

“You’re kidding, right? Ona freaks out when she’s far from her, and I’m not going to let this slide! She’s supposed to support you and your choices, Ona!” she says, looking me directly in the eyes.

That was the last straw for my girlfriend. She slams the table as she stands up.

“Just because I’m telling her to go to Cardiff doesn’t change anything for us,” Lucy says, surprising us all with her outburst. “There’s life beyond personal relationships, and that’s called a career. Sure, she’s happy with me, but she’d be even happier with a job that fulfills her.”

“Well, there are other solutions than moving miles away,” Mapi counters. “I don’t know, she could apply to other galleries in Manchester,” she adds, gesturing wildly. “Who cares about their influence!”

“Cardiff is just next door, you know,” Jenni chimes in for the first time. “Lucy isn’t wrong. A relationship like this is perfectly doable.”

“Next door?” Alexia scoffs. “It’s a three-hour drive! Sure, it could be worse, but that’s still a long trip to make every weekend. Plus, it’s a gallery. If they have exhibitions, some weekends are going to be off-limits. Ona, knowing you, I understand why you don’t want to go, and I support you.”

A heavy silence fills the room. Three against three, then. I thought their input would help us, but clearly not. We’re back to square one. I glance at Lucy, who sighs as she sits back down, running her hand over her face. This issue is far from over, and we all know it. The tension slowly fades, even as Mapi asks another question.

“When do you have to give them an answer?”

“In two weeks,” I reply. “The manager wants to meet me again. I’ll have to ask Wiegman for permission to leave.”

“She’ll grant it,” Lucy assures me, having already told me this information yesterday.

She even added that she’ll make sure to accompany me. I hope that’ll be the case. Since she’ll remain my supervisor until the end, there’s a good chance.

“Two weeks to think it over, huh... Ugh. No way are you leaving again when I plan to come here.”

“Well, you could just come back home,” Joan, who had been silent until now, suggests.

No one responds before we all laugh. He still seems hopeful for my return... Even though I talked to him this morning before coming here. He wasn’t too open, probably afraid to confide in me. With all this chaos, I haven’t had time to call my mom, but it’s still on my mind.

“Well, I’ve still got to finish packing,” Mapi finally says. “You girls coming to help?”

Having finished eating, Alexia and I get up to follow her to the bedroom. Lucy stops Joan, who wants to come with us, and encourages him to keep eating. He’s the only one who hadn’t finished yet, as he tends to take his time. I thank my girlfriend, who must have understood we needed some time alone to talk. It’s the first time I’ve set foot in Ingrid’s place. Her apartment is smaller than Lucy’s. For starters, it only has one bedroom, compared to Lucy’s three. However, I had the chance to see the bathroom, and for an apartment, it’s quite spacious. Of course, everything is quite modern. From the outside, the building doesn’t look old. She lives right in the center of Manchester. That was surprising. I imagined her living outside the city, like Lucy, but I guess I was wrong. Contrary to what you might think, you can’t hear anything from the outside world. It must be well insulated. When we arrive in the only bedroom, I notice it faces the back, overlooking a small courtyard. The place looks more peaceful here. I felt compelled to linger by the window, for whatever reason. Probably to delay the conversation. Mapi didn’t share that sentiment.

“No way! I can’t believe this!” she fumes.

I turn around to see her pacing back and forth while Alexia has flopped onto the bed like a rock. I don’t hesitate long before joining her. The conversation is going to be long, especially with Mapi in this state. She’s aggressively pulling clothes from the wardrobe, which I note is Ingrid’s. It seems we’re not the only ones moving forward in this new life. Yet, it’s quite contradictory to what she told me earlier.

“She seriously thinks this is what’s best for you!? Are you sure she knows you well, because that’s not the impression I’m getting!”

“Stop getting worked up like this.”

“I’ll get worked up if I want,” she says, throwing clothes into her suitcase one by one. “Honestly, I had a lot more respect for her before today.”

I sigh, casting a glance at Alexia. She doesn’t seem inclined to come to my rescue, judging by the way she shrugs. Clearly, those two are on the same page.

“She didn’t say anything wrong.”

“She wants you to go to Cardiff!”

“She’s only thinking about my professional well-being! She wants me to be fulfilled.”

- "And then what? Do you think you'll be away from everyone? Now that I've found something to build my life on here, you're leaving again! It's out of the question, I'm warning you!"

I laugh softly as I fall onto the bed. I stare at the white-painted ceiling. She's right. I can't just drop everything here when I've barely started forging a future. There are other galleries. I just need to apply. Anyway, I wasn't planning on accepting his offer impulsively. I already know a couple that broke up because of a career decision. I'm not going to make the same mistake.

- "What do you plan to do?" Ale. asks.

- "Negotiate at first. Then probably write some resumes. We need to talk about it more seriously with Lucy. She's not entirely wrong."

- "Did you two argue?" she continues.

- "No, not really. We didn’t raise our voices, even though we weren’t on the same page."

- "That's good. Anyway, the decision is yours to make."

I nod, though not very convincingly. I don't know where this is headed, but it doesn't feel good. I didn’t need any last-minute tensions to ruin the end of our vacation.

- "I think I would have preferred if he’d said no instead of making such an offer. To be honest, I expected this answer considering the kind of gallery it is."

I've had time to do some research since the interview. I didn’t know who I was dealing with before. If Lucy says it’s a golden opportunity, it’s because it's one of the most renowned galleries in Wales. they've established themselves in the big cities, and now they’re targeting smaller ones, according to him. Working there would be a great boost for my resume...

- "Oooh, I know that look," Mapi says, cutting through my thoughts. "Don’t even think about it. Have you forgotten what it was like being away from Lucy? Right now, you’re not thinking about it because you’re in your bubble, but wait until classes start again. You’ll remember what it feels like to have distance between you."

I bite my lip, thinking about her words. I hate to admit it, but she’s right. It’s unthinkable. Just look at my nightmares. Since I've been back in her arms, they've disappeared completely. I’d be curious to see if they come back when I return to school. If they do, I'd better keep it to myself. Wiegman might send me to see a therapist like she threatened before the holidays, and that's definitely not happening. But we’re not there yet. It’s not time to think about that. There’s more to it. I feel safe by her side, and being alone in an unknown city is definitely not a good plan. The idea of Lucy following me is simply impossible. She’ll be too busy with the renovation and opening of her gym. It’s truly a headache that I need to deal with.

- "Well," Mapi sighs, seeming to have finished packing. "I’m going to check the bathroom one more time to make sure I’ve got everything, and then we can head out."

The time is indeed approaching. Their flight is scheduled for early afternoon so they can arrive in Barcelona tonight. If it were up to Mapi, she probably would have flown tomorrow, but she agreed to change the date to accompany my little brother. It’s his first trip, and I have no doubt the time difference will affect him. I stand up, intending to head to the living room, but Alexia, who’s now sitting, stops me.

- "You know, I don't completely agree with Mapi's words, but she's got a point. I don’t know everything you’ve been through like she or probably Lucy does."

I part my lips to defend myself, but she continues before I can say anything.

- "But I’ve seen who you were before Lucy came into your life and who you are now. I’m not sure what to make of it, to be honest. Just don’t make any hasty decisions. You’re the only stable friend I’ve had lately, and I don’t want to lose you."

I smile at her heartfelt confession. I had always wondered if Alexia had any friends because she never talks about the people around her outside of school. I think I have my answer now. She probably never had the chance to get close to anyone because of her chaotic life, which is a real shame. She’s a fantastic person, and I don't regret meeting her at all.

- "How could you think I’d abandon you after school? You’ve managed to reach the same level as Mapi in my life, so even if I had to leave, we’d stay close. Now come here, you silly girl."

I open my arms, and she doesn't hesitate to accept my embrace. It’s actually the first time I’ve initiated it. She squeezes me so tightly I almost can’t breathe, but I say nothing. She must need this. She probably thought I didn’t care about her as much, but she’s wrong. She’s been a huge support to me this year, and I’m not going to forget that.

- "Thank you," she whispers.

After exchanging a smile, we head back to the living room. Our friends were deep in conversation, thankfully not about my job offer. As soon as I sit down, Lucy pulls me close and kisses my temple. I smile, leaning into her. No matter if we disagree, as long as love remains, I'm fine.

- "Are you okay?" she whispers.

I nod to reassure her. I’m not in the best shape, but she doesn’t need to know that right now. Knowing her, she probably suspects something anyway. Nothing is resolved, but now isn’t the time to discuss it. Time flies, and before long, we're cleaning up and preparing to leave. Everyone pitches in, and just before 12:30, we head out. Jenni and Alexia have already said goodbye to the apartment, preferring to go home rather than come with us. With just five of us left, Lucy took the initiative to drive us to the airport. The journey is long and silent, leaving me deep in thought. Why does something always have to spoil my happiness? It’s really unfortunate. I snap out of my reverie when Lucy places her hand on my thigh. Normally, I love that, but right now, it doesn’t lift my spirits. Instead, I look into the rearview mirror, where everything is just as quiet. Even my brother isn't saying a word. He must sense the tension; otherwise, I have no doubt she’d be chatting away the whole trip. Finally, we arrive at the airport. We accompany Joan and Mapi through all the necessary steps before boarding. It’s strange not to be the one traveling this time. I help my brother with each step; it’s definitely not something she can do alone.

- « Ona?" she calls out to me.

We’re alone at the baggage check-in, and it’s the first time he’s spoken. Mapi is at another counter while the others wait on the other side.

- "Hmm?"

- "You’re not going to break up with Lucy, are you?"

- "Why would you think that, huh?" I ask with a small smile.

- "Well, you both seem sad. I don’t want you two to break up. Even though she takes you away from me, she’s brought your smile back."

I blush slightly as the attendant chuckles, clearly having overheard. I try to ignore him to respond to my brother.

- "We’re not breaking up, Joan. We just have a disagreement. It’ll be sorted out soon."

- "I hope so. Because even though I pretended otherwise, I actually like her. As long as you both make your decisions with your hearts, everything will be fine."

His words make me smile. I ruffle his hair before we rejoin the others. Kids can be so perceptive when they want to be. He gave me the answer to my questions in a single sentence. We finally reach the boarding gate. The flight leaves in a few minutes. We’ve found seats, and Joan has taken advantage of the moment to sit on my lap. He snuggles against me, kicking his legs gently.

- "I don’t want to go," Mapi sighs.

- "It’s just three little months."

- "It’s going to be so long without you," she groans. "Next time, you guys are coming to me."

- "Mom wants us to come anyway, so we’ll visit one weekend."

- "You’ll come with them, right?" she asks her girlfriend.

- "Of course," she confirms, giving her a small kiss.

I smile sadly. It must be just as hard for Ingrid. You quickly get used to the good things. I’m glad Lucy and I weren’t already together when I used to go back home. It was hard enough then; I can’t imagine how I’d have felt if we’d been dating. It must not be easy for the girls either.

- "Are you okay, love?"

I look back at Lucy and nod. She smiles gently, running her hand through my hair, and I close my eyes for a moment, savoring the gesture. I definitely couldn’t part from her. I lean in to kiss her, and Joan, still sitting on me, groans in disgust, forcing me to pull away gently. Lucy laughs, looking at him.

- "Did you enjoy the vacation?"

- "Yes!" he replies, nodding enthusiastically. "Can I come back?"

- "Of course. We just need your mom’s approval," she answers.

- "And when are you guys coming back?"

- "Soon. One of the upcoming weekends," I tell him.

Lucy nods in agreement. We haven’t talked about it yet, but with my mom insisting and what’s going on with Joan, it would be a good idea to go as soon as possible. The intercom announces that the boarding gate is now open. The way Joan burrows into me tells me he’s been dreading this moment. I hug him tight before we stand to accompany them to the gate, ready to say our goodbyes. Mapi bids farewell to her girlfriend while I crouch down to remind my brother of a few final instructions.

- "You’ll behave, okay? And make sure you listen to Mapi during the flight."

- « Yes, Ona," he answers indifferently. "I’m going to miss you."

He catches me by surprise, wrapping one arm around my neck and the other around Lucy’s waist, who was standing next to me.

- "I’ll miss you too, sweetheart. We’ll see each other soon, I promise."

I kiss him cheek, giving him one last hug. Then he turns to Lucy to do the same. Meanwhile, I take the opportunity to hug Mapi.

- "Everything will be fine," I tell her.

- "Shouldn’t I be the one telling you that?" she giggles. "We’ll keep in touch, right?"

- "I promise. We’ll see each other soon anyway. And then you’ll come here, so there won’t be any more problems."

She gives me one last hug and then hugs my girlfriend before taking Joan’s hand.

- "Don’t worry, I’ll bring him back in one piece," she teases me.

- "I sure hope so," I chuckle.

- "Text us when you land," adds Ingrid.

- "I won’t forget."

She comes back to give her one last kiss before finally leaving. We stay in our spots until they pass the first flight attendants and the corridor. They turn around one last time, and we exchange a final wave before they disappear around the corner. That’s when we turn to leave.

- "Well, there you have it," Lucy comments. "Things will be calm again."

- "Oh yeah," Ingrid sighs. "It’s going to feel almost boring now."

- "No kidding," I giggle.

- "Do you have any plans for next weekend?" Lucy asks.

- "I don’t think so. Why?"

- "Well, I was thinking we could go visit. You want to go as soon as possible, right?" Lucy asks in return.

I nod. She wraps her arm around my shoulders. I smile softly, snuggling against her.

- "Well, I suppose we can do that, but I won’t be able to go every weekend," Ingrid warns us.

- "That’s not our plan, don’t worry," Lucy reassures her. "Alright, let’s go buy our tickets, and then we can head home."

Said and done. We head toward the ticket counters, taking our time. Then we make our way back, with a stop to drop Ingrid off. I let her sit in the front so they could chat. Once I’m alone again, silence returns. I avoid looking at Lucy, preferring to watch the world outside. Manchester is a very vibrant city if you pay attention.

- "Are you going to stay quiet for much longer?" she asks me.

- "Can’t I?"

- "No. Not when you’re thinking so much."

I look down at her hand, palm up, resting on my thigh. I get the message and take her hand in mine. She brings it to her lips and kisses it.

- "Talk to me. You know I don’t like it when you shut yourself off."

- "Was the answer you gave me last night from your heart?"

The question hangs in the air. I don’t dare look at her, afraid I’ll regret it. My sister managed to plant doubts in my mind. What if she was speaking from the heart? What if, as Mapi suggested earlier, she really wanted me far away from her? It’s hard to believe that of Lucy, but nothing is impossible. She sighs softly, squeezing my hand.

- "Cariño-"

- "Answer my question, Lucy," I interrupt. "It’s not a complicated one."

- "If this is about trust or-"

- "That’s not an answer," I groan, finally managing to look at her.

I don’t know why, but her evasion irritates me. As long as she doesn’t give me a clear answer, the doubts will remain. She’s not looking at me. Usually, she’d at least glance at me, but not this time.

- "No. Of course not," she finally answers. "If it was a choice made with my heart, I’d make sure to keep you by my side all the time."

- "Then why tell me to accept?"

- "It’s the reasonable answer, Ona. That will always be my first response. I thought you knew that by now."

- "So what? If we both have a problem talking openly from the heart, then we have a problem."

- "I just want what’s best for you."

- "I know, but that’s not what I expect from you. Well, it is, but not when it means pushing me away at the same time. Do you want to know how I’d feel if I accepted this offer? Imagine how I felt when you rejected me; it would feel just like that. Why do you think Mapi flipped out when she found out?! She knew exactly how I was feeling!"

My voice resonates in the car. I raised it on purpose. I want to provoke a reaction from her. I want her to hold me back. If she doesn’t, I honestly won’t know what to think anymore.

- "I—... Wait, let me park."

I realize we’ve arrived at her building from what she just said. She lets the silence linger as she parks the car, just as she said. As soon as the keys are out of the ignition, she turns toward me and grabs both of my hands again, holding them tightly and pulling them close. I force myself to look at her. She looks shaken.

- "That’s not my intention, baby. I’m really sorry if you took it that way. It’s just that, I was raised this way, you know? Making the reasonable choices, it’s what I do… I don’t want us to fight about this."

After everything she’s told me about her childhood, I can only understand. I don’t know much, but from what I’ve gathered, she was very focused on school. She probably didn’t have many friends, which is why she’s so close to Jenni. It always surprises me because, at my old high school, she would have been one of the popular girls. She probably would’ve been at hers too, but she turned down that role. After all, if she was bullied as a kid, I can understand her. Rejecting labels allowed her to make the best choices for her future, without having to worry about anyone. She never had to follow her heart because she wasn’t close to anyone but Jenni. She always seemed to follow her everywhere, so naturally, the reasonable always triumphed for her without question.

- "I love you, baby. If you want to stay here, I’m not going to push you away. It’s just that, I’m about to reach my goals soon. If I wanted you to accept this offer, it was so you could achieve yours with the best chances possible."

- "But there are other options, even if they’ll take more work. I’m ready to make sacrifices, Lucy."

- "I know, and we’ll talk about it. There’s no need to get so worked up. I’m not pushing you away, far from it," she teases gently, wiping away the tears I hadn’t even realized were falling.

- "We should never have involved others in this..."

- "No, we shouldn’t have," she smiles. "But it’s okay. What’s done is done. Besides, no matter what anyone else says, or even me, the final decision is yours, no matter what. I won’t be mad if you turn down the offer. Quite the opposite. Just don’t make any hasty decisions. Don’t focus only on me. As much as I don’t want it, we don’t know what tomorrow holds for us and many other things. You need to think it over carefully."

I nod, letting her gentle caresses on my cheeks soothe me. My doubts have finally eased. She’s not rejecting me. She just wants me to make the right decisions without regrets. I need to make this choice for myself, just as she has always made hers... Her words managed to plant some doubts.

- "Will you always put your goals before your relationship?" I ask curiously, opening my eyes.

- "No. It’s hard to explain, but I feel like you’re the person I’ve always been waiting for in my life... Since the day you agreed to be with me, you’ve become my priority. And anyway, as I said, my goals are being met right now, so I don’t think I’ll have any more for a long time, if everything works out."

- "Thank you," I reply, blushing. "Can I have some cuddles now?"

- "Of course," she laughs. "As many as you want, once we’re back in our apartment."

- "Our apartment?" I catch her slip.

- "Ours, yes..." she confirms with a hint of anxiety before continuing. "I’d like you to move into my apartment. For now, just on the weekends, but once school’s over, I want it to be permanent. I want you to stay here and live with me, my love."

My heart skips a beat. We had talked about me staying here after Camp Wiegman, but I didn’t expect her to make it an official request. I blink back the tears filling my eyes before throwing my arms around her neck, shouting "yes" over and over, making my girlfriend laugh as she catches me effortlessly.

[cheolaholic]

SNEAK PEEK 👀 RoL (12)

a/n; small little peek of the upcoming chapter !! read it now on my patreon, or you can wait til 18th Jan 2025 KST for it to be released here & ao3 ~ ヾ(•ω•`)o

You were on a video call with Aki as you told her your plans of visiting Japan during fall break. Her eyes lit up immediately you thought light would eventually shine through them. “Really!? You’re gonna be flying in?”

Aki always said she has a black cat personality. But, you’d like to think she’s more of a golden retriever. “Yeah, we’re thinking of flying in next week.”

“Whoa. We? Are your parents joining? Also, did you move places? Thank God, but please don’t tell me it’s in another shady neighbourhood.”

“Whoa, you,” you laughed, “One question at a time, girlie. I’m flying in with my friends. Yeah, I moved places and no, it’s not in a shady neighbourhood. I’m actually sharing a place with –”

“Whoa, there. You’re sharing a place with someone? Oh my God, is this a character development?”

A knock is heard at your door and it is pushed open, “Hey, pup, Mingyu is asking –”

His words die in his throat as he sees Aki on the screen of your laptop.

Aki blinks once, then twice.

“Is that… Is that Choi Seungcheol?”

Seungcheol snaps out of his frozen state a few seconds later, snorting when he approaches you. “Well, if it isn’t Kim Aki. I do not miss you one bit.”

Aki scoffs, rolling her eyes as she flips him off. “Likewise, you asshole. But, I do miss beating your ass. In fact, I might do that when I see you in the flesh!”

And thus, it was as if the years of Seungcheol’s absence never happened. The trio dynamic remained the same – Seungcheol and Aki bickering as usual, you being the diffuser. “Okay, enough of you two bickering,” you roll your eyes, “What is it about Gyu?”

“Ah, right. Gyu wants to know if you want to book a hotel room or an airbnb,” Seungcheol responds, handing you his phone to show you the multiple screenshots of hotels and airbnbs Mingyu had sent. “An airbnb would be cheaper since we’ll split the cost, but… I’m not sure you’d want to stay in a house with four men. Especially if they’re Wonwoo and Mingyu.”

“Wonwoo and Mingyu?” Aki pipes in, “You mean the famous streamer and model?”

“It’s a long story, honestly… I’ll tell you all about it when we meet. This is something we need to have brunch over.”

“Yeah, given their… hormonal nature, I don’t think you’d wanna hear them if we share a living space.”

“What about Vernon?”

“He sleeps like a log. Literally. There was one time we rented a homestay with a karaoke system, Wonwoo and Mingyu were singing to some Adele song; you know how high notes that woman can go and… super high notes ain’t really their thing. Bro slept through the entire thing.”

“So… if WonGyu were to have a threesome, an orgy… He just sleeps through it..?”

Aki snorts through the skin, “Oh, honey, there are people who can sleep through a lot of things. I dated this one guy who slept through an entire frat party!”

Seungcheol chuckles, shaking his head, “Sounds like something Vernon would do.”

“I don’t understand,” Aki says, cocking her head to the side, “Why can’t she stay with me? My parents are more than happy to have her over.”

Seungcheol narrows his eyes, wrapping an arm around your shoulder and pulls you close, “Listen here, you prick. You’ve had her for the past five or six years. Which I do appreciate that you’ve been there and looked out for her. But, this time, she’s mine to spend time with.”

A knowing smirk tugs at Aki’s lips when she hears the way he says ‘mine’. She raises her hands up in mock surrender, “Alright~ She’s all yours. My suggestion is those three boys can rent an airbnb together or yall can share two hotel rooms. ___ can have one room while you boys share one; or two considering that streamer model duo.”

“That doesn’t sound too bad…”

“Or, you can share a room with Seungcheol.”

You looked at Aki as though a pair of dog ears had grown out of her head. “Look, by all means I am not making this sound like you are at fault. But, considering the whole stalking and assault incident, I’d say rooming with Seungcheol would be the safer option.”

“But –”

“Look, I know everyone out there makes Japan out to be this country with a super low crime rate; which is true, but when crimes do happen, it goes from one to a hundred just like that.”

Aki snaps her fingers to emphasize her point. She also heaves out a sigh, “And, the stalking cases in Japan are crazy, too… I-I just want you to be safe, ___. Plus, that man beside you is a boxer; not professional but he’s a trained boxer!”

You turn to look up at Seungcheol who seems to catch on to your upcoming question, “I’m okay with it, pup. The question is, are you okay with that arrangement?”

You’re quiet for a few moments, weighing the pros and cons (although there aren’t many cons). “Yeah, I’m okay with it.”

[wannaeatramyeon]

HELLO!!! OMG I LOVE YOUR WORK SO MUCH ❤️✨. I WAIT FOR YOU EVERYDAY TO POST 💖 YOUR WRITING IS LIKE THE BEST THING IN THIS WORLD 🙇 CAN I PLS REQUEST LOOKISM MEN WITH A HOUSEWIFE READER. THANK YOU SO MUCH LOVE YOUR WORK 😍🥰

Hey anon, thanks for reading my brainrot and your request! You are adorable and I am loving the energy in this ask.

Gone for hc, but lemme know if you want a lil fic/drabble. I started to write a snippet for Jake and Goo and then realised I wanted to write for more of the boys but it gets a bit repetitive, yknow?

Lookism Boys with Housewife S/O headcanons

Jake Kim

After what feels like a lifetime of instant ramen and worrying about Big Deal, it's nice to have some homecooked meals and know that at least one part of his life is running smoothly.

Will always try to split the chores and errands evenly with you, because it's Jake. And if you wave him away and say no it's fine, he will follow you around anyway because spending time with you? Yes please.

Goo Kim

If you want to be a housewife, knock yourself out, honeybun. If you want to just sit around on your ass all day and do nothing, that's fine too. Goo will hire cleaners. Whatever makes you happy.

Actually loves doing shared chores with you though, and canonically he loves to cook. You do the prepping, he does the actual chef work. A little because it's a fun roleplay for him, and a lot because he does appreciate time together where he can just ramble on to you.

Gun Park

Housewife is.. fine. He can provide more than enough for the both of you. Honestly doesn't have any feelings about it one way or the other.

From a practical and pragmatic sense, it's nice to have someone he trusts look after your home. And then if/when there are kids coming along then it's also a lot easier if you are a stay-at-home parent too.

Samuel Seo

You're not so much a housewife, as a kept wife. Samuel has the vibes that if he can afford to so, and he absolutely can, then you are not lifting a finger.

Yes, he loves you but more because it's a matter of pride that he can provide for you in all areas of your life. You keeping the household running smoothly? Fine. But doing dishes? He has the ridiculous notion that it's below you.

Eugene

Yeah, you're also not going to be a housewife with Eugene. You can be in a power couple with him, but there is zero expectation to be a traditional housewife. You guys employ people for that.

Enjoy your shopping and brunches and being on the board of charities or whatever with other socialites.

DG/James Lee

This guy has enemies and unhinged fans coming out of his butthole, so for your safety and his peace of mind, housewife is great. Leaves pretty much most of the errands to you as his fame prevents him doing even the most simple things (but yet no one catches him beating up minors).

Extremely private with his personal life and with you. You're the only bit of normalcy in his insane life (lives?) and appreciates the sanctuary and home you have both built. Seeing you do the laundry, dust, cook, whatever? It's a sigh of relief for his soul.

Zack Lee/Vasco Tabasco

The two of them are pretty similar here.

Are you kidding? Absoutely loves that you are a housewife, there's something about the fact that you are looking after their wellbeing that they adore.

Has very traditional ideas of gender roles, much to the chagrin of you at times, so them being the financial provider, and the household being your domain sounds great to them. Any issues with that? Don't worry, just let them know and they will bend over backwards to make sure you're happy.

Xiaolong

Takes a long time to get used this, and even then you being a housewife and looking after the household and family never quite feels right.

Don't blame Xiaolong though, he has had a lifetime of servitude. Always feels a little guilty about not looking after you in all areas of your life. He never quite fully breaks out of this mindset but is forever grateful for you and all that you do.

Vin Jin

What housewife? You're on the road touring with him when he's an international platinum-selling rapper.

Johan Seong

Well a positive of you being a housewife is that the further away from danger you are, the better.

However, being the sole financial provider does stress him out. He's had to scrape so goddamn hard for his mother's surgery, and the thought that the he has to do that forever? It does freak him out a little.

Much much prefers an equal partnership.

Eli Jang

Loves the stability of having you being a housewife for Yenna.

He trusts you with his life, and more importantly with Yenna. Eli knows she is in a safe pair of hands with you so that is a massive weight off his mind.

Overall it does a lot for healing the shitty childhood he had. Experiencing the loving home you have cultivated means more to him than you will ever know.

Warren Chae

He is the best househusband, and no one can convince me otherwise. Being able to have a calm life, with a loving partner and his biggest concern are looking after the home and family? After worrying about Hostel? Sign him the fuck up.

Warren will wave you off to work with a smile, the most delicious home-cooked lunch ever and a little note for you to read and perk up your day.