#and i’m visiting home this weekend and i was excited to see my other friend who was in europe this summer | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

pbaz7 · 11 days ago

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CROSSING THE LINE — PART ONE ♡

paige x azzi

trope: ‘player’ p to ‘lover’ p

word count: 7.7k

A/N: This is another Pazzi series but in this one they don’t know each other well prior to Uconn. This story is also based off of the 23-24 roster so Nika and Aaliyah will be in it. Let me know what you think about the first chapter if you can!

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June 2023

The air in Storrs was thick with early summer humidity as Azzi Fudd stood outside her new dorm suite, taking in the moment. The sunlight reflected off the glass windows of the building, casting sharp shadows on the sidewalk, and a slight breeze brushed through the trees. It was time for the summer session, and though she was excited, a nervous edge clung to her as she stared at the door in front of her.

It was one thing to have visited campus on her official trip, a whirlwind tour that had felt like a dream. But this—this was different. This was real. She was officially here now, transferring from the University of Maryland, a school much closer to her home state of Virginia. And everything felt... uncertain.

Azzi glanced back at her parents, Katie and Tim, who were busy unloading boxes from the trunk of the family car. Her mom smiled warmly, but Azzi could see the pride and slight sadness behind her eyes. They’d spent so many years together, traveling from court to court, celebrating wins and comforting losses together. Azzi knew that this moment wasn’t just a transition for her, but for them too.

“Everything okay?” her mom called out, noticing the hesitation in Azzi’s stance. “You good?”

Azzi nodded quickly, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Yeah, Mom. Just thinking.”

“Thinking about what?” Tim asked, as he hefted a large duffel bag onto his shoulder. His voice, deep and steady, was always a source of comfort, even now, when he was trying to hide the slight lump in his throat.

Azzi let out a breath and smiled. “Just... everything, I guess. Feels different now. I’m really here, you know?”

Tim chuckled softly, giving her a quick side hug. “You’ve been ready for this since you were six years old, Azzi.”

“Yeah,” she said, a little louder this time, trying to shake off the butterflies in her stomach. “I guess so.”

Just as Azzi was about to walk inside, she heard voices from inside the suite. She unlocks the door to the common area and she sees two figures on the couch.

It was Ice Brady and KK Arnold, two familiar faces from the team. Ice had been at UConn for a year now, and KK, like Azzi, was a newcomer. They’d both greeted Azzi warmly during her official visit, but this was different. Now, they were teammates, and the real journey was about to begin.

“Yo, Azzi!” Ice’s voice was full of energy as she spotted her standing there. She exchanged a quick glance with KK before both girls shot up from the couch in the living room.

“Hey!” KK added, giving Azzi a huge smile. “We thought you were coming in tomorrow!”

Azzi returned the smile, shrugging a little as she closed the car door behind her. “Yeah, I was supposed to. But I figured I’d come today so my parents could be at Jose’s game tomorrow.”

“Oh that’s nice,” Ice said with a nod. “How’s he doing, by the way?”

Azzi’s heart softened at the mention of her brother. “He’s good. Really excited. His team has this big AAU tournament this weekend so he’s been talking about it nonstop.

“That’s awesome,” KK said. “I’m sure he’ll be great.”

Azzi agreed. "Yeah. are you guys who I'm rooming with?"

Ice gave her a playful smile. "No, the suite is going to be you, me and Paige. My room is the one right across from yours.”

Azzi’s eyebrows lifted slightly at the mention of Paige. She already knew her from the USA U16 team, though they hadn’t spent much time together there, barely even spoke in fact. But she’d heard a lot about Paige from her best friend Caroline Ducharme who had filled Azzi in on some of the colorful details of Paige’s reputation on campus. On one hand, Caroline had talked about how great of a leader Paige was on the court, how she was the best teammate and friend anyone could ask for. On the other, Caroline had shared some of the more... interesting sides of Paige's social life. The way she seemed to move effortlessly from girl to girl, never sticking around too long with anyone, always leaving an impression, but rarely giving anything more than that.

Azzi blinked, her surprise not just from the name but from the mixed impression she’d formed of Paige. She wasn’t sure what to make of it yet, but there was no denying the complexity of the person she’d be sharing a suite with and Azzi was always one to try to understand people.

“Paige?” Azzi repeated, trying to mask the hint of curiosity in her voice.

“Yeah,” KK said with a nod. “She’s not here right now, but I’m sure she’ll be back soon.”

Azzi nodded, still processing. “I hope she doesn’t mind me taking up all the space with my stuff,” she joked, looking down at the suitcase, bags, and boxes stacked beside her.

“Nah,” Ice said, laughing as she led the way inside. “We’ve got plenty of room, trust me. Besides, Paige prolly has more shoes and clothes than me and you combined.”

As the three of them carried Azzi’s things into the suite, the easy camaraderie between them put her at ease. They chatted about the upcoming summer practices, the team’s expectations for the season, and the plans for team bonding over the next few weeks.

"Everyone’s cool," Ice said as she dropped Azzi’s bag next to the door. “Caroline’s been telling us about you so you’ll fit right in.”

KK agreed. “Yeah, I think you’re gonna love it here. I already do.”

Azzi smiled, feeling a little more comfortable with each passing minute. The transition wasn’t going to be easy—nothing ever was. Leaving Maryland, her home state of Virginia, and her family was tough, but UConn felt like the right place for her. The team, the tradition, the opportunity to grow—it was all right there in front of her.

After a few more minutes of chatting, and once everything was settled in her room Azzi turned to her parents, who were standing by the door with proud but reluctant expressions.

“You good?” Tim asked again, his eyes scanning the room, making sure all the boxes and bags were there.

“Yeah,” Azzi said softly, her smile genuine but a little sad. “I’m good.”

Katie pulled her into a tight hug, whispering into her ear, “We’re so proud of you. This is your time now. Just remember, we’re always here.”

Azzi squeezed her mom back, and then pulled away to face her dad, who nodded with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“I’ll call you tonight,” Azzi promised, blinking back any trace of emotion. It wasn’t goodbye—it was just a see you later.

With one final glance around the suite, she gave her parents one last hug and waved them off. Watching their car drive away from the curb, Azzi felt a weight settle into her chest, but she didn’t let it break her. This was the next chapter. She was here. She was a Husky now.

As Ice and KK returned to their spots on the couch, Azzi took a deep breath and sat down beside them. The nerves were still there, but the excitement was starting to overshadow them.

…

It had been a busy, chaotic afternoon for Azzi, but the mood in the suite was starting to shift. The moving boxes were scattered across the floor, and though not everything was in its place, Azzi felt a little more settled. Ice had been a huge help—her energy contagious as she bounced from one task to the next, organizing, unpacking, and offering friendly banter that made Azzi feel like part of the team already.

Now, with a little bit of space to breathe, Azzi found herself in the kitchen, sorting through a few snacks she’d brought from home. Ice was at the counter, casually chatting with Azzi about everything from her childhood in Virginia to the UConn program, and how Ice had felt when she first stepped onto campus.

“I swear, when I first got here, it was like everyone already knew everyone,” Ice said, tossing a bag of chips into the pantry. “I felt like I was in high school again, trying to make new friends, but, you know, in a D1 college locker room where everyone’s the best.”

Azzi laughed, thinking about her own transition. “Yeah, I can’t imagine. It was weird enough transferring from Maryland. Different atmosphere. Different vibe.”

Ice gave her a sympathetic look. “You’ll get used to it. You’re a Husky now. Everyone has your back.”

Just as Azzi was about to reply, the door swung open, and in walked Paige. Azzi wasn’t sure what she expected, but it certainly wasn’t this: Paige, striding into the kitchen with her arm slung casually over the shoulder of a girl Azzi didn’t recognize. Paige’s eyes widened the moment she saw Azzi.

“Oh shit, you’re here already?” Paige said, surprised. “I thought you weren’t coming until tomorrow.”

Azzi didn’t miss a beat, still calm and laid-back as she looked over at her. “Yeah I was supposed to,” she replied, shrugging. “But we figured it’d be easier to settle in today so my parents can go to my brother’s game tomorrow.”

Paige smiled, her tone lightening. “Ah, right. Family stuff. I get it.” Then she sauntered over to Azzi, giving her a quick, casual hug. Azzi, surprised slightly by the physicality returned it with an easy smile.

“I should’ve been here to help you get settled. Let me know if you need anything else. Seriously. I can help.”

“It’s fine, really. Ice and KK helped a lot already so I’m good for now, just getting organized.”

The girl Paige had walked in with stood awkwardly by the door, waiting for her attention as she cleared her throat.

Paige blinked and glanced at the girl, momentarily forgetting her presence, trying to be a helpful teammate and all. She smiled at the girl and gave a little wave. “Right, right. Sorry about that. One second.” She turned to Azzi and Ice. “Let me just take care of this real quick.”

Azzi watched with mild curiosity as Paige turned back to the girl, her tone shifting. “Hey, I’m sorry I didn’t know my roommate was moving in but don’t worry. I’ll call you later, alright?”

The girl crossed her arms. “You promise?”

Paige grinned, though she hesitated for just a moment. “Uh, yeah. I swear. I’ll call you.”

The girl wasn’t convinced. “How are you going to call me when you don’t even have my number?”

Azzi, looking on with mild amusement, couldn’t help but chuckle under her breath. Ice, who had clearly seen this routine a million times before, let out a snicker. Azzi found it just a little funny seeing this first hand.

Paige shot Ice a brief glare before reaching for a random piece of paper, scribbling a number on it, and passing it over with a grin. “Here, I got you covered. Call me later.”

The girl took the paper, looked it over for a second, then gave Paige a satisfied nod and walked out, closing the door behind her with a soft click.

Once the door was shut, Ice laughed and shook her head. “You didn’t even give her your real number, did you?”

Paige looked at Ice, looking completely unbothered as she grabbed a snack from the counter. “Nah. Why would I?

Azzi leaned back, still amused. “That’s... bold.”

Ice snorted from across the room. “Bold? Nah, it’s fine and dandy until you hear her overdramatic ass crying on a random Tuesday night knocking on the door. You know, ‘I can’t believe you don’t answer my texts, Paige!’” Ice mimicked in a high-pitched voice, rolling her eyes dramatically.

Paige shot her an unimpressed look. “I’m not that bad.”

Ice just snorted again, walking over to the counter with a teasing grin. “Yeah, right. You’d be better off giving out your real number to the next girl so I can actually get some sleep for once.

Azzi chuckled, clearly entertained. “I feel like that’s something I’m going to hear a lot around here.”

Paige raised an eyebrow, half-amused, half-accusing. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Azzi shrugged with an easy grin, her tone still relaxed. “Just... a feeling. You don’t seem like the ‘long-term’ type.”

Paige smirked, leaning back against the counter. “I’m not. You’re quick.”

Azzi smiled back casually. “I’ve got my ways.”

…

Later that night, Azzi was standing in her room, staring at the drill in her hands, an increasingly frustrated frown spreading across her face. She had tried several times to drill a screw into the wall, but it wasn’t going well. The screw wouldn’t go in, and she couldn’t quite get the angle right. The half-hung poster she was attempting to place was starting to look like it might end up in a mess on the floor if she didn’t figure it out soon.

After a few more failed attempts, Azzi huffed and placed the drill down on her desk. She let out a deep sigh and then, with a resigned look, walked across the hall to Ice’s room.

Ice was stretched out on her bed, propped up on one elbow, scrolling through her phone. She seemed to notice Azzi’s presence as she looked up from her phone. “What’s up?”

Azzi stood at the door for a second, considering. “Do you know how to work a drill?” she asked, her voice a mix of curiosity and frustration.

Ice snorted without even thinking. “Nope. But Paige’s your girl for that, she hung up and put together literally everything in here” she said, as if the thought of using a drill had never crossed her mind.

Azzi shot Ice a look, not really surprised but not quite ready to give up just yet. “Alright, thanks.” She turned on her heel and walked back down the hall, stopping in front of Paige’s door.

She hesitated for a moment not knocking if the girl was asleep before knocking lightly on the door. “Paige?” she called.

From inside, Paige’s voice floated through the door. “Come in.”

Azzi opened the door slowly and walked inside. Paige was lounging on her bed, gaming controller in hand, completely immersed in whatever game she was playing. The sound of a loud explosion from the TV made Azzi pause, unsure if she should interrupt.

Paige didn’t notice Azzi standing there at first, so Azzi spoke up, half-joking, “Never mind, I didn’t want to bother you…”

Paige immediately hit the pause button on the game, her focus shifting toward Azzi as she leaned forward. “Nah, wassup? You need something?”

Azzi couldn’t help but laugh at how quick Paige was to drop her game. “Yeah, actually. Can you help me with something in my room? I can’t get the damn screw in the wall.”

Paige raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at her lips. “Sure thing, no problem.” She stood up, tossing the controller aside. “Let’s see what we’re working with.”

The two of them made their way down the hall to Azzi’s room. Azzi moved aside so Paige could have space to look at the wall, where a lone screw still stubbornly jutted out, barely halfway drilled in.

Paige couldn’t help but laugh as she inspected the job Azzi had done so far. “Okay, no offense, but this is probably the worst drill job I’ve ever seen,” she teased, her eyes dancing with amusement.

Azzi raised an eyebrow and grinned, folding her arms across her chest. “Shut up, Paige. It’s not that bad.”

Paige chuckled again but didn’t say anything more as she grabbed the drill from the desk and started to work. She quickly fixed the screw, tightening it into the wall with ease. The sound of the drill whirring made Azzi relax as Paige went about the task with no problem at all.

“So, how’d the move-in go?” Paige asked casually, her tone more laid-back now that she was drilling screws into the wall.

Azzi leaned against her desk, watching Paige work. “It was alright. A little chaotic, but Ice and KK helped me get most of the stuff in. This place is a lot bigger than I thought tho. Not what I expected when I saw it on the tours.”

Paige nodded, glancing over at her briefly. “Yeah, I get that. I had the same reaction when I first moved in. It’s like... huge, but at the same time, it feels like home. You’ll get used to it.”

Azzi smiled. “I think I already am, actually. Everyone’s been so chill.”

Paige finished drilling the last screw into the wall and stepped back, inspecting her work. “There we go. Nice and sturdy,” she said, wiping her hands on her pajama pants. “You’re all set.”

Azzi stepped over to the wall and lightly tested the screws. “I’m impressed,” she said, grinning.

Paige shrugged nonchalantly, a smile tugging at her lips. “I’ve done it a few times.” Then her expression softened as she glanced at Azzi. “But seriously, anytime you need help, don’t hesitate. I’m here.”

Azzi returned her smile, genuinely appreciating the offer. “Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.”

The two of them stood there for a moment, looking at the poster now hanging neatly and safely on the wall. Azzi stretched and yawned. “You probably saved my life. I’m pretty sure if I did it we would’ve been in the emergency room in the middle of the night.”

Paige just grinned as she laughed lightly. “It’s all part of the job. Just don’t make me do everything in your room like Ice did okay?”

Azzi chuckled. “I’m not making any promises. But thanks again Paige. Goodnight.”

Paige gave a small wave, then turned to head out the door. “Goodnight.”

Azzi watched her go, feeling that familiar sense of quiet satisfaction after a day of transitions. She took a moment to look around her room again, now that the poster was securely on the wall and a few of her things were more organized. It felt more like home already.

With a quiet sigh, Azzi grabbed her phone, checking the time, then turned off the lights, closed her door and slid under the covers.

Through her closed door she could hear a faint “Goodnight Paigey” from Ice across the hall, followed by a low laugh.

Azzi smiled to herself, feeling a bit more at ease than she had earlier in the day. It was the first night, but she already felt like this could be her place. She closed her eyes, letting the day’s chaos finally fade away, as the soft hum of the dorm drifted into the quiet of the night.

The first few weeks of the summer session had flown by for Azzi. At first, the pace had been overwhelming—everything from the practices to getting used to the new schedule—but after about the fourth day, she settled into a nice rhythm. The hustle and bustle of UConn life started to feel less like a challenge and more like second nature.

She was quickly getting to know her teammates and Caroline had made sure to introduce Azzi to everyone. The familiar faces were starting to feel like family, and it was easy to see who she’d click with.

Paige and Ice were definitely among the first she’d bonded with. The three of them had been roommates since the start of the summer, and they’d already established a little routine. Ice was always bouncing around, full of energy, and Paige was—well, Paige. Confident. Unapologetically confident, Azzi quickly learned. But it was more than that. Paige had this magnetic, charming way about her that made it hard to not like her, and Azzi found herself laughing along with her obnoxious jokes more often than not.

Their banter was effortless—teasing, joking, the kind of friendship where they didn’t have to work at it at all. Azzi had quickly grown fond of their inside jokes, especially as Paige continued to narrate her escapades with her "friends." Azzi didn’t mind. In fact, she found it hilarious hearing all the excuses Paige came up with.

Azzi had only been woken up by random girls being a little too loud a few times —which, all things considered, wasn’t that bad. Ice had painted a very different picture, so Azzi was feeling pretty lucky. She figured if that was the worst of it, she could deal. Still, it was always interesting to see the fallout the next day especially with how unapologetic she was about it.

Though one night Azzi had a test for one of her summer classes early the next morning and the noise coming from Paige’s room had reached a new level of obnoxious. So Azzi started with a text:

Azzi: Please tell her it can’t be that good. Big test tomorrow.

When no response came after some time, Azzi groaned knowing she would have to get up. She padded over to Paige’s door and knocked. The noise stopped, and after a beat, the door cracked open.

Paige appeared, shirtless, wearing only a sports bra that revealed her toned stomach that was slightly glistening. Her athletic shorts hung low on her hips as she leaned casually against the doorframe. Azzi felt her breath catch for half a second, her eyes involuntarily sweeping over Paige before snapping back up.

“Like what you see?” Paige asked, her grin widening as amusement sparkled in her blue eyes.

Azzi rolled her eyes, though her cheeks warmed. “Shut up,” she shot back, unable to stop the laugh that slipped out. “Please tell her it can’t be that good. Some of us do like to sleep around here.”

Paige snorted, tilting her head as if considering. “Trust me, it definitely is,” she said, her smirk returning.

Azzi groaned, her exasperation melting into amusement. “Oh my god you’re so full of yourself,” she said, shaking her head before crossing her arms. “But seriously I have a test in the morning. Can you find a way to make her less–you know?”

“Say no more,” Paige said, already stepping back into the room. “Give me two seconds.”

Before Azzi could respond, Paige turned and strode into her room. A moment later, Azzi watched, equal parts amused and stunned, as a girl—clearly embarrassed and trying to straighten her shirt—was ushered out of the suite. Paige reappeared moments later, leaning against the doorframe again like nothing had happened.

“All set,” Paige said, grinning. “Now get some sleep so you can ace that test.”

Azzi blinked, her lips twitching into a reluctant smile. “You’re awful.”

“You’re welcome,” Paige quipped, shooting her a wink before closing the door.

Shaking her head, Azzi walked back to her room, equal parts exasperated and charmed.

…

Today was Saturday, and Azzi was sprawled out on the couch in the common area of the suite, waiting for Caroline so they could grab some food. It was quiet, unusually so, and Azzi had almost forgotten what it felt like to have some peace.

That peace, of course, was short-lived.

The door to Paige’s room creaked open, and out strolled Paige, looking like she’d just rolled out of bed. Her hair was messy, and she was wearing a hoodie with the sleeves rolled up, but she was walking down the hallway like she owned the place, much like she always did. And she wasn’t alone.

Azzi looked up, already knowing what was bound to happen. Paige was walking with some random girl, chatting casually with her, but Azzi could tell the vibe already. It wasn’t unusual—Paige was… well, Paige and they hung onto every word she said. She was definitely one of those girls who lived in the moment, and the moment often involved a lot of moments with other girls.

They exchanged a glance—Azzi’s eyebrow lifting slightly, Paige’s lips curling into a small grin. Both of them silently acknowledged the situation without saying a word.

Paige was clearly trying to move things along and get the girl out of the suite without making it awkward.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay?” the girl asked, voice sweet, almost hopeful. She didn’t seem to want to leave.

Paige, flashed the girl a smile. “I really appreciate the offer, but I’ve got a busy day ahead,” she said smoothly, despite the fact that the team was off today.

Azzi couldn’t help but react to that, silently amused by the lie. But Paige said it with such conviction that it almost sounded believable.

The girl, however, wasn’t so easily deterred. She tilted her head, her smile faltering. “Oh, come on. You sure? I can hang out for a bit longer.”

Paige held her ground, gently guiding the girl toward the door. “Really. I’ve got a ton of things to do. A busy day ahead. But I had a great time last night, Kelly.”

The girl froze for a second, the name clearly not sitting right with her. “It’s Kelsy, not Kelly,” she corrected, voice suddenly sharp.

Azzi, who had been sipping her water on the couch, didn’t manage to swallow in time. She choked, water spluttering out of her mouth as she tried desperately not to laugh.

The girl shot her a glare, clearly annoyed by the interruption. Azzi, trying to regain composure, quickly cleared her throat. “Sorry,” she said, though it was clear she was doing everything she could to hold back a laugh. “I just—uh, you know water went down the wrong way”

Paige, without missing a beat, gave a shrug, offering the girl a small, unbothered smile. “Yeah, right. My bad, Kelsy,” she said, waving her off with exaggerated sincerity.

The girl, not buying it, huffed, clearly upset, before storming out of the suite. The door slammed behind her with an almost dramatic finality.

Azzi stood there for a moment, her mouth hanging open in disbelief, before she finally let out a full laugh, shaking her head. “I didn’t think it could get worse than the Tiffany thing, but wow. That was a level of awkward I didn’t even expect from you.”

Paige, who had been casually leaning against the door frame, just gave a small laugh herself. “What can I say? People get confused. It happens.”

Azzi raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, I’m sure that’s exactly what happened.”

Paige smirked, clearly amused by her own antics. “Well, what do you expect? I’m a very popular girl.”

Azzi chuckled, shaking her head. “You’re something else.”

Paige grinned, crossing her arms. “Yeah, I know.”

Before Azzi could say anything else, the door to the suite opened again, and Caroline appeared, looking like she’d seen the fallout of the chaos that just ensued inside the suite.

“I have no idea what just happened but you ready to eat Azzi, I’m starving?” Caroline asked .

Azzi, still grinning, grabbed her bag. “I think I’m ready for food. The whole situation that unfolded was enough for me.”

Paige gave her a wink. “You’re welcome for the entertainment.”

Azzi followed Caroline out the door, still smiling to herself as they walked down the hallway. Behind them, Paige went back into her room.

…

Later that evening, after hours of texting back and forth in the group chat, the team decided to gather in Nika, KK, and Aubrey’s room. The campus was eerily quiet, and the rain that had started around noon was still pouring, giving everyone the perfect excuse to stay indoors and hang out.

When Azzi arrived with Caroline and Jana, the atmosphere in Nika’s room was already buzzing with energy. The team was always a little chaotic when they came together, and tonight was no exception.

Caroline and Jana waved as they entered, heading straight for Ayanna, who was sitting cross-legged on the floor, scrolling through her phone. They quickly fell into an easy conversation as the three of them always did.

Azzi, however, was drawn to the couch where Paige and Nika were lounging. The two of them were in the middle of a low-key conversation, but when Azzi walked in, Paige grinned and gave her an exaggerated wave. “Oh wow look who finally made it!”

Azzi smirked as she plopped down beside Paige, nudging her with her shoulder as she did. “Things were just so boring without me huh?”

Paige rolled her eyes, leaning into Azzi’s side. “Yeah, well, we were thinking about getting a game started anyway, but we’re so glad you graced us with your presence”

Nika looked over at the two of them, her voice light but teasing. “You two are honestly the worst at acting like you’re not attached at the hip already.”

Azzi and Paige shared a glance, both of them laughing before Paige nudged Azzi again. “What can I say? I’m her favorite person.”

Azzi gave her a knowing look. “I was gonna say ‘I’m yours,’ but we’ll keep it PG.”

Paige snorted. “Please, you can’t even hide it. It’s ok to admit it.”

KK, who was pacing around the room like a ball of energy, jumped in. “I’m so bored! Somebody needs to come up with something fun. Right now. I can’t handle another second of just sitting here.”

Aubrey, who had been quietly observing the back-and-forth, laughed. “You can’t sit still for five minutes without going stir-crazy. We do need a game for the drinks, though.”

“How about something that makes us talk?” Caroline suggested from the corner of the room, already leaning in toward the group. “Like Two Truths and a Lie or something.”

“Or Truth or Drink?” Paige suggested, raising an eyebrow at the rest of the group. “You know, if you’re not feeling brave enough for truth, you just take a shot. Keeps things interesting.”

KK immediately jumped on that idea. “I love it. I’m in.”

Azzi added in, “No one gets to make up anything too wild. Yes I’m looking at you Paige.”

Paige grinned and leaned back against the couch. “You know I’m just here for the drama, all my business is out there.”

Eventually Nika grabbed a bottle of tequila from her dresser and set it on the table. Everyone shifted in their seats, eager for the game to start. They hadn’t even taken a sip yet, but the excitement was already buzzing.

“Alright,” Nika said, giving a cheeky grin, “Truth or Drink time. No backing out, no chicken-out answers. If we ask for more details you have to answer. If you can’t answer honestly, you drink.”

Caroline picked up a drink, already eyeing it. “You all know I’m going to answer everything honestly. I'm basically an open book.”

Paige rolled her eyes at Caroline’s proclamation. “Don’t get too cocky. I’m pretty sure I can handle anything you throw at me.”

Everyone laughed as the game began casually, with people picking easy questions to warm up. It was now maybe the second round and Ayanna was up.

“Okay, Azzi,” she said with a mischievous smile, “who was your first crush?”

Azzi’s eyes widened a little. She wasn’t exactly ready to dive deep yet, especially with her knowing the answer. “Uh, I’m gonna have to pass on that one. Drink it is.”

She grabbed a shot and took it without hesitation, laughing it off. “Some things are just better left a secret.”

“Alright, alright,” Nika said, playfully waving her hand. “We’ll keep it light for now, but I’m coming for the good stuff later.”

They moved around the circle, everyone keeping it easy until the questions started getting a little more personal. That’s when Nika’s turn came up.

“Okay, Nika,” KK asked, leaning in with a grin, “tell us about the boy you’ve been talking to from the basketball team.”

The room fell silent, all eyes turning to Nika, who instantly blushed.

She raised her hands in mock surrender. “Oh no, I’m not answering that. I’ll just drink.”

Without missing a beat, Nika poured herself a shot and knocked it back, looking like she regretted the decision immediately. The group burst out laughing, KK throwing her hands up.

“That’s what I thought!” KK said with a bright smile. “Girl boo you not fooling anyone.”

The game continued with increasing energy, the shots flowing and the questions getting juicier. Paige had successfully dodged every question so far, but she couldn’t dodge forever.

Nika said, smirking as she looked at Paige. “Okay, who was your last kiss?”

Paige didn’t hesitate for a second. “Kelsy.”

Azzi’s eyes widened for a second, then she burst out laughing as she caught the memory from earlier in the day.

Paige shot Azzi a look. “You don’t get to bring that up again. That was a one-time thing,” she said, rolling her eyes.

Azzi just chuckled harder. “It definitely wasn’t but whatever you say,” she grinned.

“Anyway,” Paige said, raising her cup, “it’s not like it’s a big deal.” She took a sip, clearly proud of herself for answering that one without flinching.

“Alright, alright,” Ayanna said with a laugh. “You earned that one. But here’s a harder one—How many people have you slept with?”

Paige shrugged, genuinely indifferent. “Honestly? I don’t know. It’s a little too much to keep track of.”

There was a brief pause. Everyone exchanged looks, a mix of shock and amusement. KK adding in, “What does that even mean? You lost count?!”

Paige just raised an eyebrow, looking unfazed. “I wouldn’t say lost count. More so like I never started.”

“Okay, okay,” Nika said, shaking her head in mock disapproval. “Here’s a real question—Have you ever actually fallen for someone?”

The room went quiet, the group waiting for Paige’s answer. She glanced around the room then shrugged. “Nope,” she said flatly, taking a sip of her drink anyway.

Azzi blinked. “Never? Not even a little? Not once?”

“Nope,” Paige repeated with a grin. “It’s all just... whatever.

“Alright, I’m curious about this one. What made you start sleeping around?” KK asked, raising an eyebrow.

Paige let out a small laugh. “Honestly? It was easy. And I don’t like getting too attached to people. It’s not complicated.”

Everyone nodded, though there were a few knowing looks exchanged, especially between Azzi and Nika, the two of them knowing Paige the best.

“I feel like I’m getting to know you a little too well,” Azzi said, teasing her friend.

“I’ve got nothing to hide,” Paige replied with a grin, pouring herself another shot.

Nika was next, clearly prepared to ask a question. She knew exactly how to get Paige to squirm.

“Alright, Paige,” Nika said, her grin wicked. “Who in this room would you sleep with if you had the chance?”

The room went dead silent. Everyone leaned in, waiting for the answer, expecting Paige to dodge.

Without missing a beat, Paige smirked. “Azzi.”

The room erupted into fake cheers and exaggerated reactions. KK threw her arms up like she’d just won a championship. “Now see that’s positive attention!”

Azzi blinked, caught off guard. “Wait, what?” she asked, her voice a mix of surprise and amusement.

“I knew there was tension there,” Nika said, grinning knowingly as she pointed between the two.

“Nah, no tension,” Paige said with a wave of her hand, leaning back casually. “Azzi couldn’t handle me.”

Azzi raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a small, knowing smile. “Oh, is that right?” she shot back. “You’re lucky I’m too classy to argue with you about this in front of everyone.”

The room howled with laughter, KK practically falling over.

“Y’all are killing me,” Ice said, pretending to wipe a tear. “But for real, Paige, I’m offended. Not even a second thought for your other roommate? What am I, invisible?”

“Sorry, Ice,” Paige said with a teasing grin. “But we all know you’d fall in love with me.”

Ice gasped dramatically. “Excuse you, I’m not a simp.”

Nika shook her head, still laughing. “Alright, that’s it for me. I can’t keep drinking when Paige just steamrolls through everything. I’m done.”

“Agreed,” Ice said, standing and stretching. “This was fun until I got my feelings hurt.”

As the group began to disband, KK teased, “P boogers, you better sleep with one eye open. Ice coming for you.”

Paige laughs as she and Azzi stand up as well, exchanging a quick look. Azzi grabs her phone, checking the time. “You heading to bed too?”

Paige shrugs. “Yeah, it’s been a long day. You ready?”

Azzi nods, her hand already on the door handle. “Yeah, let’s go.”

Before they leave, they glance over at Ice, who’s sitting with KK, who was pulling out her laptop.

“Hey, Ice, you coming?” Azzi calls out.

Ice looks up from KK’s laptop, giving them a thumbs-up. “I’ll be there later, after I help KK with something. Don’t wait for me.”

They head out of Nika's room, walking down the hallway side by side. The sound of the rain is a steady backdrop to their conversation, the soft rhythm adding to the relaxed vibe between them.

After some time Paige glances over at Azzi, a bit curious.

"So, back in U16," Paige begins, looking over at her with a slight grin, "why didn’t you ever talk to me? I could’ve been harassing you for years by now."

Azzi laughs lightly and stops walking for a moment, thinking, before glancing at Paige. "Well, it wasn’t that I didn’t want to talk to you. You just... kind of gave off a vibe."

Paige raises an eyebrow, incredulous. "A vibe? What kind of vibe?"

Azzi hesitates, trying to use the right words. "You seemed kind of distant. Like, you weren’t exactly there to make friends. You had this... I don’t know... serious energy. Like you were always focused on something else. It felt like you were... in your own world so I just let you be."

Paige shrugs, not offended but now more curious. "I was honestly dealing with some things at the time so I wasn’t as friendly as I usually am so I can see that."

Azzi nods, taking it in. "Yeah, I get that. It didn’t help that you looked... intimidating, too."

Paige’s eyebrows shoot up. "Intimidating? Me?"

Azzi chuckles softly. "Yeah, you. You never smiled, and your eyes were always sharp, like you were constantly analyzing everything around you. I don’t know, you just... didn’t seem like someone I could approach easily and be like, Hey I’m Azzi.”

Paige laughs, a little embarrassed now. "I had no idea I came off that way. I was probably just lost in my head all the time. Sorry if I freaked you out."

Azzi grins. "Nah, don’t apologize. Honestly, it was kind of intriguing. I spent the whole time trying to figure out what was going on in your head. You were like a puzzle I didn’t know how to solve."

Paige smirks, amused by the whole thing. "Well, if I was a puzzle, I definitely wasn't making it easy."

Azzi shrugs, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "True. But hey, the mystery was kind of cool. It was like you had your own world, and I didn’t want to disturb it."

Paige hums thoughtfully, looking sideways at Azzi. "Well, that was probably true. I wasn't the best at making people feel included. But... I’m not exactly the best at making the first move either."

Azzi’s grin widens. "You know, I had a little crush on you back then. That’s why I didn’t answer back in Nika’s room.”

Paige stops in her tracks, her eyes widening in surprise. "Wait, what? You liked me?"

Azzi laughs, shaking her head. "I didn’t say I liked you, I said I had a slight crush. Big difference. I just thought you were attractive."

Paige bursts out laughing, incredulity in her voice. "Me? I was scrawny as hell back then."

Azzi grins, slightly blushing now. "Yeah, but it was that... vibe you had. You know, the whole ‘don’t smile or talk to anyone’ thing? It was... kind of hot."

Paige smirks, raising an eyebrow. "Ah, so you’re saying I must be way more attractive now, huh?"

Azzi pushes her lightly, rolling her eyes. "Don’t flatter yourself, Paige."

“Yeah, yeah. I know you like what you see.” But then Paige stops for a moment, looking at Azzi in slight shock. "Wait hold on, you're gay?"

Azzi hesitates, then shrugs casually. "Eh."

Paige looks at her, clearly confused. "What the hell does ‘eh’ mean?"

Azzi chuckles. "It means I’ve never been with a girl. But, yeah, I’ve been attracted to them before. Just never really... explored it, I guess."

Paige hums thoughtfully, processing what Azzi’s just said. She shrugs, her tone casual as they reach the door to their room. "Huh. Interesting. Guess I never would’ve pegged you for that."

Azzi laughs softly, her eyes meeting Paige’s for a second before she opens the door. "Well, I don’t exactly go around talking about it. It’s just... a thing. But it’s not really something I’ve acted on."

Paige gives her a sidelong glance, a hint of a smile on her lips. "Hey, whatever works for you."

Azzi laughs again, pushing the door open to their suite.

The two of them walk in, with Azzi dropping onto the couch and Paige tossing her bag aside before sitting down next to her. They’re both comfortable here, the casual vibe making it easy to just exist together.

Azzi stretches her legs out on the couch, leaning back. “You know, I was thinking about something earlier... You said you’ve never fallen for anyone. Ever.”

Paige looks at her, raising an eyebrow. “Yeah, I said that. Why?”

Azzi hesitates for a second, watching her. “I don’t know... I just— I guess I was surprised. I thought maybe... I don’t know. You’d had some kind of experience that made you feel different about people.”

Paige chuckles, leaning her head back. “Nope. You know me. Always avoiding anything that smells like feelings.”

Azzi raises an eyebrow. “Yeah I know that, but like, why though? I mean, even after all this time?”

Paige’s expression softens, and she pauses for a moment, clearly thinking about her words. Then she shrugs slightly, turning her head to meet Azzi’s gaze. “I guess... when my parents divorced, my mom left when I was really young. I don’t know. After that it kinda just changed my view and I just didn’t see the point. I figured, why get close to anyone when they’re probably just going to leave eventually? I mean, people don’t stick around forever.”

Azzi’s breath catches in her throat at the honesty in Paige’s voice. She had no idea that was part of Paige’s story. There’s a brief silence before Azzi speaks, her voice softer. “I didn’t know that.”

Paige just nods, her gaze distant for a second. “Yeah, well... it’s just the way it is, you know? No one really sticks around. So why bother?”

Azzi, still processing what Paige’s said, doesn’t want to make things awkward. It’s one of those moments where they don’t need to say much, but it means something—something shared. She shifts a bit, her voice a little quieter but still filled with warmth. “I get it. But, you know... not everyone’s like that. People stick around if they want to.”

Paige gives a small, rueful smile. “Maybe. But it’s easier to just keep things light. No strings. Doesn’t really give them the chance to decide for me.”

Azzi nods, a little thoughtfully, but then shifts the mood back to a lighter tone. “Fair enough. Well, your rules definitely make it clear that you’re not looking for a relationship. But I gotta ask...” She raises an eyebrow mischievously. “You’re always talking about rules but what are your actual rules when it comes to... sleeping with people? How have you made it work?

Paige looks at her for a moment, a teasing smirk playing on her lips. “Why? You finally ready to admit you’re interested?” she says, raising an eyebrow.

Azzi snorts and grabs a pillow, tossing it at Paige hard enough that it lands squarely on her face. Paige laughs, throwing the pillow back, but Azzi ducks it and grins.

“Paigeee, what are your rules?” Azzi demands, still laughing.

Paige throws her hands up in mock surrender. “Alright, alright! I’ll answer. But don’t get any ideas.” She shifts on the couch, getting more serious for a moment. “I don’t sleep with the same person twice. That’s rule number one. I don’t want anything complicated. And I try to make it clear to people that I’m not looking for anything serious. No feelings involved. And rule number two? No athletes. I see them way too often in the Pavilion. It’s just... weird, you know?”

Azzi raises her eyebrows, impressed. “Wow, no athletes? So you’re telling me, if I wasn’t your teammate, I’d be on the table?”

Paige smirks, then glances over at Azzi, her eyes glinting. “Don’t flatter yourself. I’ve seen you and you’re too much of a tease you’d probably want me to chase you.”

Azzi laughs again, shaking her head. “Wow, you really know how to sweep a woman off her feet.”

“I try,” Paige says, her voice filled with easy humor, the tension of the earlier conversation fading into their usual rhythm.

Azzi looks over at Paige, her smile softening. “You know, for what it’s worth, I think you’re full of surprises. I think you just need someone who’s not... afraid of sticking around, you know?”

Paige’s gaze softens at Azzi’s words, and she offers a small, genuine smile. “Maybe. But I’m good. I’ve got it all figured out for now.”

Azzi gives her a knowing look, but says nothing more. They both fall into a quiet, comfortable silence, the night outside slowly quieting down, just the sound of rain lightly tapping at the window as they relax together.

Azzi glanced at the time on her phone and stretched her arms overhead, stifling a yawn. “I guess we should probably get some sleep, huh?”

Paige stood up, stretching also. “Yeah, it’s been a long day. You ready for bed?”

Azzi smiled, pushing herself off the couch. “Yeah. I think I’m done trying to figure you out for tonight,” she teased lightly.

Paige grinned, a twinkle in her eye. “Good. Let me know when you’re ready to start again tomorrow.”

Azzi shook her head with a laugh as she made her way to her door. “Night, Paige. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

Paige smirked, opening her door. “No promises.”

“Of course not,” Azzi said with a grin, stepping into her room. “See you in the morning.”

“Goodnight,” Paige called after her, before stepping back into her own room.

The doors clicked softly behind them, the quiet of the night settling once again.

#pazzi #paige x azzi #pazzi fics

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alsofoundinpeas · 9 days ago

Text

A Gift of Belonging

Summary: Y/N often avoids family holidays due to her strained relationship with her family, who favors her brother. When Spencer Reid invites her to spend Christmas in New York with him and his mother, she discovers a new sense of warmth and belonging, making it the best holiday she’s ever had.

Requested fic!! 🥳: I was wondering if I could ask for a Spence and Y/N in which Christmas is approaching and Y/N usually spends it alone because she has a complicated relationship with her family that always favors her brother.

Maybe he has plans to go spend it with his mom and because they are in early times in their relationship he didn’t think to invite her, but once he finds out she’s alone, he takes her to meet his mom and they all have a really good time!

I was thinking something angsty, fluffy, and maybe smutty in the end? I don’t know, you’re the mastermind behind these beautiful creations, so whatever makes you feel inspired haha

CONTENT WARNINGS: 18+ MDNI!! This fic is intended for adult audiences. Very brief mention of alcohol. Strained relationship with family (repetitive I know). Oral (m!receiving), unprotected PinV sex (birth control is discussed beforehand but said conversation isn't actually in it), creampie (I wince every single time I type that). Fluffy holiday smut!!

Pairing: Spencer Reid x fem!reader/afab!reader

A/N: Reupload because I'm a bingus head and accidentally deleted when editing FORGIVE ME PLS!! I loved writing this request!! Huge thank you to @dalamjisung for the request. I hope you like it :') The song mentioned in the fic is December by Ariana Grande btw, but it's only mentioned because reader listens to it, it isn't mandatory for the fic. I have a few more requests lined up after this one, so as for right now my requests are closed until all of them get posted. As always, please tell me what you think! :) If you enjoy it, please like, reblog, and share it with your friends! <3 Thank you and I love you all!!! :) <3

Y/N sighed as she stared down at the text from her mom, re-reading it a few times before tossing her phone to the end of her bed with a frustrated groan.

Mom: Hey sweetie! Are you planning to come home for Christmas this weekend? If not, I completely understand. Honestly, I’m just happy your brother will at least be here. I think he’s bringing his new girlfriend, too, so that’s exciting! He’s always so good about making time for family. But again, no pressure if you’re too busy. I know you have a lot going on!

Her excuses were starting to wear thin, seeing as she had played the flu card for last year’s Christmas party and faked a work emergency to skip Thanksgiving. But the thought of attending her family’s Christmas only to spend the night listening to her brother's achievements, followed by the inevitable barrage of condescending questions about her life, was unbearable. Call her a Grinch or a Scrooge, but the holidays had become her least favorite time of year for this very reason.

Unfortunately, it didn’t even matter if it was a holiday or not. It never changed. Her family had always favored her brother, even when they were kids. She had a never-ending list of chores and rules, while he breezed through life with no curfew and no accountability. Any mistake he made seemed to fall on her, and heaven forbid she stayed out five minutes later than she was supposed to with her friends.

Despite their constant claims that there were 'no favorites,' it was painfully obvious who the real favorite was.

Y/N lay staring at the ceiling, weighing the pros and cons of skipping Christmas this year. On one hand, it would be nice to see her grandmother—the one person who had actually kept her promise of no favorites. But she could always visit her grandmother separately and avoid the hassle of sneaking away just to have a real conversation. On the other hand, her family was already used to being disappointed in her. What was one more excuse? She could always make it up next year.

After what felt like an agonizing eternity of indecision (though it was really only five minutes), she finally decided to skip Christmas again this year and stay home. Her family mostly gave money as gifts now that they were all adults, so she wouldn't be missing much—just a meal (takeout had never let her down) and some forced small talk with extended family (who never really seemed interested in her life anyway).

Y/N: Hey, mom! I’m really sorry, but I’m going to have to miss this year too. There’s a bug going around at work and I’m worried I caught it :(

Her mom’s answer was immediate, and the guilt lifted from her shoulders as she rolled her eyes at the response.

Mom: Poor thing! You just have the worst luck when it comes to holidays huh? Your brother must have taken all the good immune system genes or something LOL!! That’s okay, dad and I will mail your gift and I’ll send you lots of pics. Hope you feel better soon!

After firing off a quick 'Thanks, love you!' Y/N rose from the bed, let out a sigh, and wandered to the kitchen for a bottle of wine.

She’d tried to convince herself that her parents' indifference no longer hurt, but what had dulled into a constant ache over the years flared into a sharp sting during the holidays. No one wanted to be alone at Christmas, but she knew she had to prioritize her peace of mind—and that meant avoiding an entire day spent deflecting passive-aggressive jabs while her brother soaked up all the attention.

The one person who could make her feel better was across the country, tied up with a case. She wasn’t upset with him—far from it. Y/N admired the work he did and the way he dedicated himself to saving people without ever getting the recognition he deserved. Still, it had been over a week since she’d last seen Spencer, and all she wanted was to curl up in his arms and hear him tell her that everything would be okay.

As if the universe had picked up on her tension, a knock at the door startled her, causing her to jump with a racing heart. She froze, eyes darting to the door, considering whether she should quietly move toward the knife block in case a dangerous stranger stood outside. It was barely 8:30, and she hadn’t been expecting anyone.

After a second round of knocks, relief washed over her as a familiar voice called "Y/N? Sweetheart?" She rushed to the door, unlocking it as quickly as she could and flinging it open to find an exhausted-looking Spencer standing on the other side.

“Spence!” Y/N cooed excitedly, wrapping her arms around him tightly before pulling him inside. “When did you get back? I thought you guys wouldn’t be back until tomorrow night?”

Not that she was complaining at all. She loved any time she could spend with Spencer. They’d only been dating for a little over two months, but she’d already fallen hopelessly in love with the sweet genius that she met when he accidentally stumbled into her while in line at their favorite coffee shop (she later found out it was no accident and that Morgan intentionally shoved him into her because Spencer was too afraid to make the first move).

“Technically we weren’t supposed to be, but we ended up getting a confession so it took way less time than we anticipated to finish the case. And with Christmas coming up this weekend, Gideon figured the sooner we got home the better,” Spencer explained with a small, tired grin as he slipped off his shoes and sat his satchel down. “I hope you don’t mind that I showed up, I just really missed you. I tried to call beforehand, but I thought maybe your phone was dead or something...” His eyes caught sight of the wine bottle on the island and paused, arching a brow before glancing back down at her. “Rough night?”

Y/N blew out an exasperated huff of air, nodding as they made their way over to her couch. She cuddled into his side immediately, relishing in the feeling of finally being able to do so. Spencer had been hesitant when they first started dating with physical touch, but once he pushed past the initial discomfort, he couldn’t get enough of her affection.

“Yeahhh. I had to tell my mom that I’m not making it home for Christmas again this year and it just… stressed me out a bit.”

Spencer’s face scrunched in confusion, looking down at her worriedly. “Oh, I’m sorry sweetheart. Are you not feeling good? Or what’s stopping you from going?”

Right. They hadn’t had the whole “I love my family from a distance because they act like brother is Saint Michael himself” talk yet. Y/N nibbled at her lower lip, fidgeting with her hands before sighing.

“I… um, it’s complicated. I just prefer not to see my family around the holidays because they’ve always had this weird favoritism for my brother and as I got older I just decided it wasn’t worth sacrificing my peace for.”

Spencer frowned, nodding in understanding before his face lit up with realization.

“Well, if you’d like, you could join me and my mom for Christmas? If you don’t want to be alone, that is. Not that I’m trying to pressure you into meeting her! I just planned to check her out of the sanitarium this weekend and bring her to New York City since she’s been doing better on her medication. I’m sure she’d love to meet you, and I, of course, love any time I get to spend with you—“ Spencer began, his words tumbling out nervously as his face flushed and his voice pitched higher.

Y/N’s heart skipped at the invitation, her face lighting up into a wide grin as she gently cupped his face, halting his nervous rambling. He met her gaze, and she smiled softly. "Spencer, I’d love to join you and your mom for Christmas—only if you’re really sure you’re okay with it."

Spencer had first mentioned his mother's illness on their third date, explaining himself after abruptly excusing himself to take a call from her nurse. It was also the night of their first kiss—he had started panicking, flustered and trying to explain his sudden exit, and Y/N thought he might cry. So, she kissed him to calm his nerves. Once he’d settled down, she reassured him that it was completely fine, that she understood how important his mother was to him, and that she’d love to learn more when he was ready to share.

That night, Spencer realized, without a doubt, that he was falling in love with her.

"It’s settled then," Spencer said with a grin, leaning forward to kiss her quickly. "I’m so excited to spend Christmas with my two favorite people. I was actually thinking we could get tickets to see The Nutcracker at Lincoln Center—"

Y/N listened intently, her heart swelling as she gazed at him with stars in her eyes, enchanted by his excitement as he shared the plans he’d made for the weekend. Although a little nervous, she couldn’t wait to share Christmas with him and his mom. They continued to plan the weekend, finalizing details between sleepy kisses and small yawns until they finally caved to their exhaustion and went to sleep.

The weekend arrived faster than she expected, and nervous excitement washed over Y/N as she waited for Spencer to pick her up from her apartment. She was packed and ready, excited to meet his mom and see New York City sparkling with Christmas decorations. For the first time in years, she felt something other than dread for the holiday, and she couldn’t be more grateful for her sweet boyfriend because of it.

Spencer had picked up his mom the day before, carefully explaining the plan to her during the drive home and making sure she felt well enough to go ahead with it. Diana was overjoyed at the idea of Y/N joining them for Christmas, assuring him she was feeling fine and could hardly wait to meet her.

For the first time in ages, Spencer felt like he had his mom back, her treatment progressing far better than he'd hoped. All it did was make him even more excited for the weekend ahead, his anxiety easing with each hour spent in the car on the way back to his apartment. It was comforting to open up to her about Y/N and to share what had been happening in his life beyond the letters he wasn’t sure she even remembered receiving.

The weekend turned out even better than Spencer had hoped. Diana and Y/N hit it off so well that Spencer found himself mostly on the sidelines of their conversations, but he didn’t mind in the slightest. It filled him with happiness to see his mom and the woman he was now certain was the love of his life getting along so effortlessly.

They had packed in every Christmas activity they could think of: admiring the lights, sipping hot cocoa, watching The Nutcracker... anything that felt festive was crossed off the list. By the end of the weekend, Diana was almost pleading with Spencer to make Y/N her daughter-in-law on the drive back to the sanitarium. Spencer could only laugh nervously, promising to do his best to make it happen.

Once Y/N got home, she knew she had to find a way to thank Spencer—not only for giving her the best Christmas of her life but also for being the most amazing boyfriend she could ever have hoped for. He was going to come back to her place tomorrow so they could exchange their gifts for each other, so whatever she did, she had to do it then before he inevitably got called in for another case. The real question was: how could she possibly show him just how grateful she was?

With a sigh, Y/N turned on her playlist and settled onto the couch, trying to brainstorm ideas. It felt like the harder she thought, the less her brain worked. After agonizing over ideas for nearly fifteen minutes, Y/N was at her wit's end, ready to settle for a card and a lengthy essay to express her gratitude, when the lyrics of the song playing suddenly grabbed her attention.

Merry Christmas, here I am, boy

I'm the present and you know it, here I am, boy

She sat up suddenly, a victorious grin spreading across her face as the perfect idea popped into her head. She and Spencer had yet to make it past second base, not for lack of desire, but because the opportunity never seemed to align—each time they got close, his phone would ring or something would interrupt, stopping them in their tracks. Tomorrow would be the perfect opportunity to finally take that next step and for her to show her appreciation for the sweet genius.

There was a perfect dark red satin lingerie set at a nearby boutique that would bring her vision to life, but it closed in just thirty minutes. Y/N threw on some clothes, making sure she looked presentable, then grabbed her keys and purse and rushed out of the apartment.

The cashier shot her a glare as she approached the counter, and Y/N internally groaned. She already felt like an asshole for being there so late, but she did still have fourteen minutes to spare before they actually closed. The guilt vanished when she met the cashier’s icy stare, and she grabbed her purchase with a mumbled thanks before she hurried out of the store. Sue her for wanting to look sexy for her boyfriend on Christmas.

The next day seemed to drag on, with Y/N anticipating the surprise she had planned for Spencer.

She cleaned the apartment until it was spotless, setting the perfect mood with scattered scented candles and dimming the lights. The room was softly illuminated by her Christmas tree—one she had convinced Spencer to help decorate at the start of the month—and a few strands of lights she had strung up. All of the presents were ready and waiting to be unwrapped.

Now all she was waiting on was Spencer himself.

Three firm knocks echoed at the door, marking his arrival—right on the dot at 5:00. As punctual as ever. Y/N opened the door with a thrilled smile, eagerly tugging him inside.

"Woah, hey! Hello to you too, sweetheart," Spencer chuckles loudly, wrapping his arms around her and pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

“I’ve been looking forward to this all day, so excuse my enthusiasm,” Y/N said with a soft laugh. “Dinner’s ready if you’re hungry. We can do presents first and then eat, or eat and then unwrap them—whatever you prefer. I honestly could do either, it doesn't matter to me and of course, you're the guest so—”

Spencer grinned as she nervously rambled, her hands gesturing wildly as she listed off options. It was oddly comforting to him that she got just as nervous around him as he did around her. Even though she had quickly become the person he felt most at ease with, a part of him still felt those nerves—after all, she was the most incredible woman he’d ever met, and the thought of messing things up and losing her terrified him.

“How about we eat first and then open presents? Is that okay with you?” Spencer suggested, offering a small smile.

The tension in Y/N's body eased as she returned the smile, nodding in agreement. "That sounds perfect."

Dinner passed with casual conversation, both Y/N and Spencer chatting between bites about everything from the new book she was reading to the latest research paper Spencer had discovered and found fascinating. They ate more quickly than usual, both eager to exchange the gifts they had carefully picked out for each other. It wasn’t long before they were done, clearing the table and loading the dishes into the sink before heading into the living room.

The two of them sat together in front of the tree, feeling as giddy as a couple of kids as they finally began to exchange presents.

Spencer slowly unwrapped his first gift, his eyes softening as he revealed the delicate, intricately designed watch she'd chosen for him—a gift that held both practical value and deep sentimental meaning. He glanced up at her, a shy but sincere smile spreading across his face, and she felt the warmth in his gaze. “This is… perfect, Y/N,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "Thank you. I’ll wear it every day, I promise."

“Always, Spence. I’m so glad you love it,” Y/N murmured, her eyes filled with affection as she watched him. She recalled how devastated he’d been when his previous watch had broken a few weeks ago. Though hers wasn’t as extravagant as his old one, it meant far more to him—because it came from her.

Y/N cherished every gift he gave her: a whimsical coffee mug to add to her collection, a journal with a playful inscription from him that made her laugh—promising she'd have a place to rant about her family when he wasn’t around to listen, a couple of books from her wishlist, and, lastly, her absolute favorite: a delicate locket on a thin chain, holding the first picture they’d ever taken together.

Once all the gifts were unwrapped, Y/N smiled and stood up, holding her hand out to Spencer. He looked at her in confusion but took her hand without hesitation, allowing her to lead him to the couch.

“Keep your eyes closed and stay right here. Your final gift is in my room,” Y/N instructed, a mischievous smile curling at her lips. As soon as his eyes were shut, she darted down the hallway to her room, stifling a soft giggle at the surprise she was about to unveil.

When she came back, she positioned herself between his legs, leaning in close to whisper in his ear, “Alright, Spence… you can open your eyes now.”

Spencer opened his eyes, nearly choking as he took in the sight in front of him. Y/N was standing there in a beautiful lingerie set, the bra designed so that it was a bow that he could untie to reveal her... Just like a present.

“Holly shit,” Spencer breathed, and Y/N couldn’t help but laugh at the rare curse slipping from his lips. Spencer hardly ever swore, so hearing it from him spoke volumes about how much he liked what he saw.

"So I take it you like it?" Y/N arched a brow, resting her arms on his shoulders.

“Wh-what are you doing?” Spencer stammered, looking up with wide eyes as Y/N climbed into his lap.

Y/N settled into his lap with a coy grin, reveling in the feeling of his hands coming up to grip her waist. She leaned in, brushing her nose lightly against his before softly grazing her lips across his.

"I wanted to show you my appreciation..." Y/N whispered, placing a brief but tender kiss on his lips before trailing kisses along his jawline. "...for giving me the best Christmas ever."

Spencer blinked hazily, her words taking a second to process in his mind as the sensation of her lips now sucking a mark into his skin became the center of his focus. His grip on her waist tightened imperceptibly as his fingers flexed against her warm skin. He swallowed hard before finally mustering up an answer.

"Y-you don't have to thank me, baby. All I ever want to do is make you the happiest you've ever been—"

Spencer's words came out as a squeak as she rocked her hips once against the erection now straining in his slacks. His head fell back onto the couch with a soft thump, a quiet whimper slipping from his lips at the friction. The scent of her perfume enveloped him, a fragrant haze that clouded his thoughts and left him feeling lightheaded, as if he were drowning in its sweetness.

The intensity in his gaze sent a shiver down her spine, the sight of his dilated pupils stirring more in her than she was willing to admit. Y/N smirked, repeating the motion to hear the soft noise fall from his lips once more. She lifted a finger to his lips, shushing him before she moved to kneel between his legs.

"I want to, Spence. Please?"

Spencer nodded so vigorously it almost looked painful, his wide eyes locked on hers in stunned disbelief. He couldn't believe this was real... that he not only had her to begin with but that she was on her knees begging to make him feel good. The breath rushed from his body as her fingers trailed up his thighs to the button of his slacks, popping it open while she kept her hungry gaze on his.

His body trembled in anticipation as Y/N dragged the fabric down his legs, tugging them off once they reached his feet and casting them off to the side. He whined as she leaned forward to mouth over his aching cock through the thin fabric of his boxers, his fingers twitching from where they rested beside himself. His breath hitched in his throat as she dragged her nails down the inside of his thighs, a smug grin on her face as she watched him dig his nails into his palms.

Y/N decided she'd teased him enough, placing a kiss on his hipbone before swiftly removing his boxers. Spencer's hips lifted from the couch, jerking toward her mouth instinctively as she wasted no time in leaning forward to lick a thick stripe up the side of him before taking his swollen head between her lips.

"Oh—" Spencer gasped, his eyes struggling to stay open as he watched her begin to swallow his length. "Oh my God, Y/N—"

Y/N smirked around her mouthful, taking him as far into her throat as she could before wrapping a hand around what couldn't fit. She began to bob her head slowly, easing him into the sensation. The feeling of him—hot and hard and filling her mouth so perfectly—had her squeezing her thighs together as she began to move more vigorously.

Spencer writhed beneath her as her mouth and hand began to work in tandem, his eyes fluttering shut despite his efforts to watch her every move so he could burn the sight into his memory for later use. His hips bucked up when she took him into the back of her throat, a guttural groan falling from his open mouth at the gag that emitted from her from the motion. His eyes shot open as he began spewing out apologies, but his words died in his throat as she pulled off of him to shake her head vehemently.

"Do it again," Y/N croaked, taking him back into her mouth and reaching up to guide his hands to her head.

Spencer whimpered pitifully, exhaling sharply before tentatively repeating the motion. His heart nearly fell out of his ass when Y/N moaned around him, encouraging him to keep going. His hips thrust rapidly into her mouth, his eyes squeezed shut now as moan after moan spilled from his lips.

"I-I'm close— sweetheart, please," Spencer groaned, lights flashing behind his eyes as she all but sucked the soul from his body. "Can I— Can I fuck you? Please? Wanna make you feel good, too."

Y/N moaned loudly around him at that, pulling off of him with a slick 'pop' before nodding vigorously. She was drenched, the sounds Spencer made having turned her on more than most men had in the past with their entire bodies. She hurriedly climbed into his lap, not even bothering to take her panties off and instead pulling the fabric to the side as she lined him up at her entrance.

They'd previously agreed that since they were both clean and she was on birth control they'd skip using a condom. They just never had the chance to actually get on with it... until now, anyway.

The sight of her swollen lips and watery eyes had Spencer captivated as his hands automatically found their home on her thighs, rubbing gently as she eased herself down onto him. If someone had told him six months ago that he'd ever be lucky enough to experience this—having the most beautiful woman he'd ever met as his, riding his cock like she was made for it—he would have laughed in their face. But now, all he could do was sit back and watch her in awe as she took every last inch of him into her core, speechless as he marveled at the sight. His brows pinched together as her walls enveloped him, his mouth gaping open as she bottomed out with a loud moan.

Y/N's head tipped back as a moan wrenched its way from her throat, her hips moving in small circles as she adjusted to the stretch of him inside of her pussy. She had never felt so desperate for someone before, but she wasn't surprised. It was Spencer—the man she admired more than anyone. The man who treated her like she was everything, simply for being herself. The man who reminded her every day that she was worth more than she’d ever believed.

Neither one of them was going to last long, a realization they both came to as she lifted her hips and dropped them down into his lap as she began to ride his cock. But that was okay. They had all night to make each other feel good.

“How does that feel, sweet boy? Hm?” Y/N panted, falling forward to rest her face in the crook of his neck as she rocked against him with frantic, needy movements.

All Spencer could do was whine loudly as he clung to her, planting his feet on the ground and moving his hands to cradle her back as he began to rut up into her. He was borderline delirious with pleasure, the feeling of her walls clenching around him driving him mad with the need to make her fall apart in his arms. The movement served to drive him repeatedly into her G-spot, the both of them crying out and latching to each other as Y/N trembled above him.

"So good," Spencer finally grunted, moving his hands up to hastily unwrap the bow restricting his access to her breasts. His lips latched onto her right nipple, sucking and nibbling as his hand came up to pinch her neglected bud. "You're so fucking perfect, sweetheart." He mumbled against her skin, laving over the pert bud and groaning.

Y/N cried out, her hands tangling into his hair as she rode him harder. It was almost feral the way they moved together, needing each other in a way words couldn't describe. The couch creaked beneath their movements, but she couldn't care less. She only cared about making the man underneath her feel the best he ever had.

Her walls began to clench around him as she whimpered into his shoulder, signaling her impending climax. Spencer slid a hand down from her breast to instead rub at her clit, lifting his head to capture her lips in a passionate kiss. It only took a few circles of his skilled fingers before Y/N was chanting his name into his mouth like a prayer, her eyes squeezed shut as she came hard around him. Spencer's orgasm was almost simultaneous with hers, the sensation of her walls squeezing his cock triggering his climax almost violently as he pumped into her with soft sobs.

Their chests heaved as they slumped against each other, caressing each other with gentle touches as they caught their breath. Once Y/N could sit up, she lifted off of his softening cock with trembling legs, a giggle spilling from her lips as he whined in discontent. She placed a lingering kiss on his lips, effectively shushing him before she stood from the couch to go get a rag.

When she came back, Spencer reached for her with needy hands, wanting to feel her against him once more. They tended to each other with soft murmurs of praise and gentle kisses, their love unspoken but evident in every touch and gesture. Once they were cleaned (and Spencer had all but shoved her toward the bathroom so she could pee to avoid getting a UTI), they stumbled into her bedroom and into her bed.

It was in Spencer's arms, as he drifted off to sleep, that Y/N finally understood just how special the holidays could be—made all the more meaningful by the sweet genius she was fortunate enough to call hers.

REMINDER: I do NOT give permission for my work to be re-uploaded to any other platforms (c.ai, Tiktok, ao3, etc.) under any circumstances. If you'd like to translate my work, then please ask me before doing so. I know it sounds whiny, but I (as well as many other fanfic writers) spend so much time on these and it's genuinely not okay to take credit for work that isn't yours. It's insulting and completely unnecessary. If I do see my work uploaded anywhere without explicit permission, I WILL say something.

#Spencer Reid smut #Spencer Reid fanfiction #Spencer Reid fluff #Spencer Reid x reader #Spencer Reid x y/n #Spencer reid x fem!reader #Spencer Reid x self insert #Spencer Reid x you #criminal minds smut

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flwrkid14 · 17 days ago

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A Love That Hurts: Tim and Danny’s Toxic Tango

It didn’t start like this.

In the beginning, their love had been easy. They found comfort in each other—a soft place to land when the rest of the world felt too sharp. Tim loved Danny’s laugh, the way it lit up a room even when everything else felt dark. Danny adored Tim’s quiet strength, the way he always seemed to know how to pick up the pieces.

For a while, they were each other’s saving grace. Tim helped Danny feel grounded, giving him the stability he hadn’t known since Amity Park became more battlefield than home. Danny made Tim feel alive, like he wasn’t just another cog in the Bat-machine—like he was someone worth loving.

But that kind of love is hard to hold onto when you don’t know how to nurture it.

------------------------

The cracks started small: an offhand comment here, a tense silence there. They chalked it up to stress, but the arguments began to escalate, unraveling the love they’d built. Neither of them knew how to fix it, so they didn’t try.

One fight bled into another. Danny’s voice was sharp. “They’re my friends, Tim. Something you’d know about if you still talked to yours. When was the last time you even answered Cassie or Steph? You’re too busy trying to fix things that don’t need fixing.”

Tim didn’t hesitate. “And when was the last time Val actually came through for you? She’s got her own problems—why does she need to patrol with you? Are you just keeping her around for the nostalgia? Or are you afraid of letting her go?”

Danny’s lips curled into a bitter smile. “Right, because you’re the expert on letting go. How many of Kon’s clones are you going to try to ‘save’ before you realize it’s never going to bring him back?”

Tim flinched, his voice low and venomous. “At least I don’t run back to my exes when I feel like I’m losing control. What’s next, Danny? You calling Sam and Tucker to bail you out?”

Danny laughed, hollow and sharp. “You really think I need them? I’m here, Tim. With you. Maybe if you spent less time in your spreadsheets, you’d see that.”

The fights always ended the same: one of them storming off, slamming doors, followed by hours of silence. When they apologized, it wasn’t about fixing anything—just avoiding another explosion.

Neither could admit the truth: they weren’t protecting each other—they were just too afraid to let go

------------------------

Danny didn’t just distance Tim from his friends; he actively cut them out. He deleted Cassie’s texts before Tim could see them, until eventually, she stopped trying. When Tim noticed, Danny shrugged. “She’s probably busy,” he said casually, though his tone left no room for argument.

Tim didn’t push. After all, he wasn’t innocent. When Val invited Danny to patrol with her, Tim was quick to sow doubt. “You really think Amity Park can’t survive one night without you? Or is it just about her? Seems like you don’t trust me to be enough.”

Danny hesitated, his frustration visible, but he stayed. Over time, Val’s invitations stopped, and Danny didn’t ask why.

------------------------

Sam and Tucker’s visit to Gotham was no different. Danny had been excited to see them, but when the weekend came, Tim hit a low point.

“Do you really need to see them right now?” Tim asked, his voice soft but pointed. “It’s been rough lately. I thought you’d want to focus on us.”

Danny faltered, guilt creeping in. “They already planned the trip…”

“And what about me?” Tim pressed, his voice taking on an edge. “Am I supposed to just sit here and wait while you run back to them? Is that what this is?”

Danny canceled the plans. He didn’t explain, just sent Sam a curt text: Can’t make it. Something came up. He ignored the flood of concerned messages that followed, shoving his phone into a drawer.

When Tim noticed the tension, he didn’t comment. Instead, he doubled down. “You’re better off without them. They don’t understand this life. Not like I do.”

Danny nodded, even as the distance from Sam and Tucker grew into something he didn't know how to bridge.

Tim wasn’t immune to Danny’s tactics either. Bruce invited Tim to family dinner, but Danny’s reaction was immediate. “You’re seriously going to leave me here? After everything?” he asked, his tone more accusation than question.

“It’s just dinner,” Tim said weakly, but Danny’s narrowed eyes stopped him.

“Right. And how long before you’re ‘just’ staying overnight at the Manor? Before Bruce drags you back into his plans? You think they care about you? They care about what you can do for them.”

Tim stayed, sending Bruce a quick excuse. When Dick called the next day, Tim brushed him off with a clipped, “Busy.” Danny noticed the tension but said nothing, a smug satisfaction flickering in his eyes when Tim didn’t bring up the family again.

When Damian later referred to Tim as “too busy playing house,” Danny felt a pang of guilt that he quickly buried under pride. At least Tim was his, now.

------------------------

They were each other’s shields against the world, but it came at a cost.

Danny missed Sam and Tucker fiercely but couldn’t bring himself to reach out, not when Tim would undoubtedly notice. Tim felt the growing distance from the Bats like a weight he couldn’t shake, but he didn’t try to repair it—not when Danny so clearly needed him more.

The truth was simple and ugly: they weren’t protecting each other. They were controlling each other.

Danny missed the Tim who made him feel safe. Tim missed the Danny who didn’t flinch at “I love you.” But neither of them could stop. Because if Sam and Tucker weren’t there for Danny, and the Bats weren’t there for Tim, they only had each other.

And maybe that was the point.

#tim drake #danny phantom #danny fenton #dead tired #brain dead #dc x dp #tw #toxic relationship #my previous posts really had me thinking about tim and danny in a toxic relationship #I just think they'd both be really insecure of losing each other to someone who is ultimately 'better'#they cling to what their relationship used to be when they were in love because of how it had affected them positively #so the current love they have for each other seeps into an unhealthy obsession of wanting to keep that person with them at all costs #even if that means distancing them from people who can ultimately take them away #because they're both desperate to feel the way they did when they first felt loved and cared for by each other #I have nearly 10 drafts of this concept alone because I didn't like any of the previous writings I did

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intimidating-fettuccine · 7 months ago

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Yandere diaries. || Toby x reader. A new (possible) series I got the idea to do of the creeps doing diaries showing them gradually becoming yandere.

3k words. CW: Yandere, adult content (mentions of arousal and references to masturbation), descriptions of violence and gore, unhealthy relationships, severe abuse, delusions, Toby slipping into insanity and also being an unhonest/unreliable narrator with how awful he’s being.

4/26/22 -

I met someone new today! We bumped into each other at a park I like to go to on Earth. They were so kind to me. We ended up getting ice cream together and exchanging numbers. I hope I can see them again soon.

5/11/22 -

I’ve been able to see them a couple more times. We’ve been messaging regularly, and have also called a couple of times. I’ve never felt so connected to someone so quickly before. We have a lot in common, and they don’t even mind any of my tics or odd quirks. We have a plan to meet up this weekend and go to the movies together, I’m really looking forward to it. I hope we continue to be friends with each other for a long time!

5/14/22 -

I just got home. We had such a fun time at the movies! We saw one of the more recent horror films together. They got scared partway through and clung onto me to feel better, and it made me feel really happy and protective over them. I wouldn’t mind seeing more horror movies with them in the future if it means that they’d do that again. We haven’t known each other very long, but I feel so connected and interested in them, I feel sparks every time they touch me. Is this what falling in love feels like?

6/21/22 -

I haven’t been able to see them for a few weeks because of our schedule differences. I feel like I’ve been excessively sad because of that. I just feel like my life is so much dimmer without them. I wanna go to the park with them again, eat ice cream, and curl up under a tree with them. I wish I could be with them every day.

7/29/22 -

We haven’t known each other for a very long time, but I’m certain they’re the person I’m meant to be with for the rest of my life. They make me the happiest I’ve ever felt, they understand me like nobody has ever understood me before, I just feel so carefree and excited in their presence. I think they might feel the same way about me too. I need to try my best to build up some courage and ask them to be my partner before someone else can.

8/11/22 -

I asked them on a date and they said yes!! I’ve never felt more excited than I am right now!! We’re going on our first date in a few days. I need to make sure I have a nice outfit to wear because I want to take them somewhere nice to eat, and then we’re gonna go for a walk together and stargaze. My life truly feels so complete and wonderful right now, I feel like I’m finally on a path to keep getting better with them in my life!

11/24/22 -

I haven’t been dating them very long, but I convinced Slender to allow me to invite them to Thanksgiving dinner. Normally we have to date our partners for a year, but I just know our relationship is going to work out, so I don’t feel the need to wait that long. They had so much fun meeting everyone, and they were happy the whole time. I felt a bit jealous that they didn’t pay as much attention to me, but that’s okay because there were so many new people they had to meet. I’m sure next time I invite them over they won’t pay anyone else any attention. I’m looking forward to having them over here more often!

12/14/22 -

I got into an argument with Jeff today. I had them over to visit me, and I stepped away for a minute to get us some snacks and Jeff so rudely decided to try and steal their attention from me. It isn’t fair! He was trying to make them laugh and hang out with him instead of me!! I got really angry and I started yelling at him, and he yelled back at me, claiming he wasn’t doing anything wrong. He’s not allowed to just walk up to them and act like they’re buddy-buddy. They’re my partner, and they’re here for me. Nobody else has the right to their attention but me.

12/25/22 -

I got to celebrate my first Christmas with them today. We spent a little bit of time downstairs with the others, but then I wanted to bring them upstairs to my room so we could be together alone. I gave them a bracelet with our names on it so that everyone would know they belonged to someone, and they seemed to like it. However, I got a bit upset at them. They said they had to go home so they could celebrate with their friends and family too, but aren’t I good enough? Aren’t I their family now? It doesn’t make any sense to me why they couldn’t just stay at the mansion, but I let them go. I’ll have a talk with them about this later.

1/24/23 -

We had another argument again. They have this friend that keeps overstepping his boundaries and I don’t appreciate it. He’s been hogging their attention recently and hanging out with them more and it’s seriously fucking pissing me off. They wouldn’t stop talking to him so I had to lie to them about him to finally get them to back off from him a bit. I wouldn’t normally want to do that, but it’s for their own good. Nobody should be hogging them away from me that much. Their friends are lucky I even allow them to talk with my dove at all. I think that’s what I’ll start calling them, now that I think about it. My sweet, soaring Dove.

2/17/23 -

I ended up getting into a fight with one of Dove’s friends. I was trying to make sure I could spend Valentine’s with Dove, but this friend wanted to be able to see them that day since he’s going on a trip soon or some other stupid excuse. It pissed me off. IM their boyfriend, that day is for US. I confronted him to get him to back off but he had the nerve to stand his ground. I had to beat the shit out of him to get him to understand his place. It’s been three days, and apparently, he hasn’t contacted them since. Good. One less pest I have to worry about. Dove was a little suspicious when I came home with torn-up knuckles that day, but I just told them it happened during training and they believed me. They even took the time and care to bandage me up. They really are so special to me. Nobody else can have them.

3/18/23 -

I’ve never really thought much about blood before. When it’s on myself or my victims, I’ve never really cared about it, I’ve actually usually thought it was gross, but it was different today. Dove got this gash when we were out on a hike from tripping and slicing their arm on a sharp rock. Normally the blood wouldn’t have bothered me, but it was just so pretty. The red spreading across their skin was just so alluring. Of course, I got them cleaned off and patched up as soon as I could, but my heart is racing just remembering it. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I hope they get cut again soon. I have to confirm if this feeling inside me is real or just a one-off.

3/28/23 -

It wasn’t a one-off. We were cooking, and they were using one of our sharper knives. My curiosity got the better of me, and I “accidentally” bumped into them from behind. They ended up cutting themself, and their blood was just as alluring today, flowing freely out of their finger. I ended up putting their finger in my mouth to suck the blood off, and I’ve never tasted something so intoxicating before. They were a bit confused, but I just played it off and they let it go. Holy shit. I feel like I have to taste it again. I have to. The red on their skin, the metallic lingering taste in my mouth. It’s so addicting. It honestly made me a bit excited, I had to take a moment to myself so they wouldn’t notice.

4/16/23 -

I bit them. We were making out, and I just felt myself getting so worked up. I pinned them down on my mattress, and I started kissing down Dove’s neck. I couldn’t help it, my heart was beating so fast and I felt myself getting dizzy, and I bit them really hard. Their skin was so soft in my mouth, and blood started oozing out, running against my teeth and my tongue, and my lips, it was so warm and exciting, it felt like I was getting drunk. Dove didn’t like it though. They screamed and cried and begged me to stop, and I didn’t want to, but I did. I bandaged them up and apologized and feigned innocence. They said they wanted to go home early, so I took them to not get on their bad side anymore. I was so worked up though. I had to take care of myself when I got home, I was just so turned on. I have to do it again somehow. They won’t like it, but I have to. Nothing has ever felt so pleasing before.

4/29/23 -

I tried to bite them again, and they realized it wasn’t an accident this time. They yelled at me and hit me to get me off of them, and I hit them back much harder. They looked so broken and upset while they cried, but their tears and screams got me just as turned on as their blood did. The bruise that formed on their cheek was so beautiful. I held them close and apologized a whole bunch because I don’t want them to hate me. I cried a lot and I meant it. I promised I wouldn’t do it again, which I guess I didn’t mean. However, they can’t just disobey me like that. I need to try and be on my best behavior so they can be more relaxed around me. I can’t have them fighting back every time I want to do something to them.

5/09/23 -

I think my Dove needs to be caged. They’ve gotten so used to flying free that they need to be grounded and brought back to reality. I keep trying to limit their interactions with others because they keep poisoning my Dove against me, and Dove tried to fight me today. We got in a big yelling match, but I was able to calm myself down in the nick of time so that I didn’t make things worse. I got them to calm down, and we’re gonna have some space between us for a few weeks. I think I’m going to take this opportunity to my advantage.

5/30/23 -

While we haven’t been spending time together, I’ve been working hard. I found an old house in the Underworld for cheap, and I’ve been rebuilding it and fixing it up. I altered it to be able to hold Dove in without their escape, and I’m so excited about it. I’ve got a bedroom I’m setting up for them, and a nice kitchen because they’ve always liked cooking with me. I know Dove is going to love it so much when I bring them here in a few weeks. It’s going to be the best thing for us. Dove is too innocent about the world around them, and I have to be able to protect them. Nobody else can do a better job than I can.

6/08/23 -

[Parts of the entry have been torn. Words are smudged or crossed out and it is not completely legible, but some of it remains visible. *Full translation will be added at the end for those that use translators/text to speech.]

I CAN'T FU—— BELI— TH—!! DOVE WAS TRY— TO MOVE!! THEY W— TRYING TO LE—E ME!! THAT STU— BASTARD [Redacted] TRIED TO TA— THEM F—M ME! WHEN ALL IVE ———— IS PROTECT TH— AND THIS IS —— REPAY ME?!? I'VE NEVER BE— SO ANGRY!!!

Dove is FUCKING LU—Y I had the home re—y! If not, I wo—d’ve just thrown th— in the fucki— basement!!! [Redacted] got wh— they deser—. I be— the- so bad you —— —king recognize —. I’ll du— the bo— som—ere else.

7/06/23 -

Dove hasn’t been making things any easier. Since they last tried to move away things have been such a fucking pain in the ass. They were so scared when I locked them in here. I wanted it to be a warm welcome, where I’d bring them here voluntarily, but they had to go and ruin it because of [Redacted] sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong. They tried to run away a few days ago, and I went to write about it but I was so fucking pissed I ripped the page to shreds. I had to break their ankles so that they wouldn’t be able to run again, least not for a long while. I’ve also been keeping them tied up more, but it’s easier now that they can’t walk. The bruises on their legs are just so beautiful. I think I might keep them like this, even though they cry every day from the pain and the circumstances, but their tears are beautiful as well. I have to get more painkillers soon for them.

10/18/23 -

It’s been a while since I’ve updated. Things have been going smoother lately. Every time Dove’s ankles start to heal, I’ve been breaking them again. I just can’t trust them because they tried to escape again. I’ve been enjoying myself a lot more. I can bite them and cut them and hit them whenever I want to. I can taste their blood and chew their skin and bruise their beautiful body however I like. Of course, sometimes it makes me sad when Dove gets so upset about it. I don’t know what to do. It gets me so turned on and riled up like nothing ever has before, but I also want them to love me. They haven’t been fighting back anymore, so I think they’re getting used to it. We’ll see.

12/25/23 -

It’s our second Christmas together. I got Dove a bunch of things they asked for since they’ve been so good. They seem to have given up hope of resisting me, and it’s made me so happy. They even made me a cake for Christmas, and it was so delicious. I’m so happy we can be together again like this, just a happy couple with no interruptions. It’s truly the best gift I could have received this year.

2/16/24 -

I’ve been letting Dove’s ankles and legs fully heal. They truly haven’t been trying anything, and they’ve been so devoted to being a good partner for me, I don’t think I need to break them anymore to teach them a lesson. They can nearly stand on their own now, and they seem so happy. They said it’s because they can hug me while standing, and that made me so happy to hear. We’ve started cooking together again. We’re becoming a happy family, and I’m so glad I was right that Dove is the one for me. They even let me bite them as much as I wanted today, and they let me scratch them too, they didn’t even cry out today. I could tell they were trying really hard, so it made me very happy.

4/25/24 -

Things have still been going well. Their legs have healed up perfectly. It’s been five months since I last broke them, and I think they’re so grateful for it. They don’t disobey me, they do everything I ask, they’re so affectionate and loving with me. It makes me so happy to know that they’re truly settling into life with me. I don’t think they mind how much I hurt them anymore. They don’t complain as much, but they still cry those same beautiful tears for me. I think they’re starting to enjoy it.

5/26/24 -

I have to go on an extended trip for a week soon because of work and I’m nervous. They said they’ll wait happily for me, but I’m still so, so nervous. However, earlier this month I was gone for a few days and they didn’t go anywhere. Dove actually welcomed me back happily. I think we’ll be okay. I think this is it, the true test. I know they’ll pass, but still, I can’t quiet the anxiety in my heart. I’ll have to spend as much time as possible with them and get out all my excitement before I have to leave. I’m going to miss the feeling of their skin beneath my fingers and teeth.

6/11/24 -

[This page has also been smeared and torn in anger. *Another fully corrected version will be at the bottom.]

I — FUCKING BE—VE THEY DI- TH— AG—!!! THEY R— AW—!! THE- STOL- SO MU— —IT FRO- ME!! THEY TO— THE MO—Y I HA- HIDDEN!!!! THE- TOOK FO— AN- CLO—— AN- LEFT!! I- SO FUCK—- ANGRY!!! I'LL K— THEM!!! I JUS- MIGH- FUCK— KIL- THEM!!! AT TH- VER- LEA— THEY— NEVE- WAL- AGAIN! WHEN I ———— NEVER ES— AGAIN! LOCKS, CA—S, CHA—S!! WHAT—— IT TAKES!!!!!!

Dove, you’d better pray to —y FUCKING DIETY in EXIST—— THAT I DON- FIN- —U!!! When I d-, you’re goin- to su——— much for do— th— to me.

6/08/23 -

I CANT FUCKING BELIEVE THIS!! DOVE WAS TRYING TO MOVE!! THEY WERE TRYING TO LEAVE ME!! THAT STUPID BASTARD [Redacted] TRIED TO TAKE THEM FROM ME! WHEN ALL IVE FUCKING DONE HERE IS PROTECT THEM AND THIS IS HOW THEY REPAY ME?!? I'VE NEVER BEEN SO ANGRY!!!

Dove is FUCKING LUCKY I had the home ready! If not, I would’ve just thrown them in the fucking basement!!! [Redacted] got what they deserved. I beat them so bad you can't even fucking recognize them. I’ll dump the body somewhere else.

6/11/24 -

I CAN'T FUCKING BELIEVE THEY DID THIS AGAIN!!! THEY RAN AWAY!! THEY STOLE SO MUCH SHIT FROM ME!! THEY TOOK THE MONEY I HAD HIDDEN!!!! THEY TOOK FOOD AND CLOTHES AND LEFT!! IM SO FUCKING ANGRY!!! I'LL KILL THEM!!! I JUST MIGHT FUCKING KILL THEM!!! AT THE VERY LEAST THEY'LL NEVER WALK AGAIN! WHEN I CATCH UP THEY WILL NEVER ESCAPE AGAIN! LOCKS, CAGES, CHAINS!! WHATEVER IT TAKES!!!!!!

Dove, you’d better pray to every FUCKING DIETY in EXISTENCE THAT I DON'T FIND YOU!!! When I do, you’re going to suffer so much for doing this to me.

#yandere #creepypasta yandere #yandere ticci toby #semi-spicy #creepypasta semi-spicy #ticci toby #ticci toby headcanons #ticci toby headcanon #ticci toby x reader #ticci toby semi-spicy

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sooniebby · 2 years ago

Note

Could you do a sugawara x male reader where y/n doesnt play volleyball but comes to the games for suga and after one goes home with y/n because he got turned on from watching him play so suga teases him before y/n gives him a bj and suga plowing him after

ఌ 𝐒𝐔𝐆𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐀 𝐊𝐎𝐒𝐇𝐈

꧁ 𝙆𝙤𝙨𝙝𝙞 𝙭 𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧 ꧂

Word count › 1.7k

Rating › NSFT

Warnings ›

Kinks › creampie

╭┈─────── ೄྀ࿐ ˊˎ-

╰┈─➤ ＢＥＧＩＮＮＩＮＧ

“(L.Name)-San…?”

Hinata asked as he watched (Name) flinch from his hiding spot.

“Were you watching us from the window…?”

“No.”

“Then why are you by the window?”

“…..” (Name) giggled and put on a forced grin as he tried to think of an excuse. He wasn’t in the Volleyball club. Or any sports club for that matter so he wasn’t supposed to be here. He was in the cooking club and he should’ve been there right now but he wanted to visit Sugawara.

Mainly because they were dating but the others didn’t know that.

“(L.Name)-San?”

“I wanted… uh, I wanted to… Hm—uh, awkward…”

“Huh?”

“I wanted to see Daichi. Obviously.”

“You guys are friends?”

(Name) nodded stiffly. Yeah, he shouldn’t just texted Sugawara to make sure he was at the gym already. But it seemed that it didn’t bother Hinata as a smile appeared on his lips.

“Oh cool! Sorry but we’re practicing for a mock game we’re doing with Nekoma this weekend. He’s busy right now but I’ll tell him you came to visit.”

“Mock game? Is it going to be here?”

“Yeah! You should come! I’m sure the others won’t mind. Besides,” Hinata puffed out his chest as he smirked confidently, “you’ll get to see my brand new move with Kageyama. We’ll win, obviously.”

(Name) laughed. “Ah, okay. I’ll come. See you.”

“Bye!”

Once Hinata went back inside the gym, a laugh startled (Name) he quickly turned around to see Sugawara behind him.

“Suga!”

“What the hell was that? Your acting sucks.” He said, holding a bag of snacks in his hand. (Name) sighed to himself. Of course, as vice captain, he’d be the one to get the others snacks while they still practiced.

“Shut it.” (Name) muttered, a frown on his face.

“You didn’t think to text me?”

“You might’ve been busy…. But I also wanted to surprise you.”

Sugawara smirked as he moved in closer to (Name), causing him to back up into the wall behind him. The window to the gym was right beside him, wide open. If anyone as so much as looked out for a quick second, they’d see (Name) and Sugawara awfully close together.

“Cute, what did you want to surprise me with?” Sugawara glanced over (Name)’s body before a devious grin formed on his lips. “Kisses? Hugs?…your body?”

“Pervert!”

Sugawara simply laughed before pulling away. “So are you going to come to the mock game? You get to see the new freshmen in action.”

“Do they mainly play now?”

“Mostly yeah. I still play sometimes.” Sugawara shrugged. “You don’t have to come though if you don’t want to. I am mainly benched for the most part.”

“That’s fine. I can watch you look pretty.” (Name) grinned.

“Hm, I’ll be sure to look my best.” Sugawara glanced around before pulling (Name) in for a quick kiss. The two pulled away with childish grins before (Name) left to go to his club meeting.

ꕥ

By the time (Name) came to the game, it was on the last set. Nekoma was winning but it didn’t seem like Karasuno was angry about it. Much to (Name)’s surprise, they looked determined to go out with as much flare as possible.

(Name) stayed in the shadows, not wanting anyone to notice him. Kiyoko had noticed him but didn’t say anything. She had an idea of what his relationship with one of the players could be but she just wasn’t sure who.

It was a break as the players huddled over to speak on about any new strategy they had to possibly win. (Name) couldn’t hear much of what they were saying but he could see that Sugawara was excited for some reason.

Once they got back into game, instead of Yamaguchi, Sugawara went in to set. (Name) felt himself beam with pride on seeing his boyfriend set for such an important moment. He couldn’t see what expression Sugawara was making but he hoped it was of confidence.

He watched in awe as Sugawara started the game off with a strong set, catching one of the players off guard. It was almost win had that tall lanky dude didn’t catch it in time. The rest of the game was intense with neither making any score for almost the entirety of it.

But in the end, Nekoma won. The two teams hugged it out as they began to take down the nets. (Name) quickly left the spot he was hiding in and waited outside near Suga’s bike with a grin on his face.

He couldn’t lie. It was a bit… hot? Maybe it was just seeing his boyfriend in his element or the sight of him being so strong. He subtly pulled at his pants and coughed to himself, trying to think about something to stop his boner.

“Hey! I thought you didn’t come,” Sugawara grinned at the sight of (Name) as he walked over to him.

“And miss your big game?”

Sugawara rolled his eyes as he wiped at the sweat on his forehead. “Let’s leave. I wanna shower.”

“You didn’t shower?”

“Why do you think I’m still in my uniform?” He said, vaguely showing off his sweaty volleyball uniform. (Name) nodded and followed Sugawara as he began to walk to his house. It was silent for the most part, being as Suga kept complaining about feeling too tired to walk.

(Name) only hummed before smirking to himself. “Y’know… you looked pretty sexy when playing. Got a boner.” He said, before walking ahead of a flabbergasted Suga.

“Huh?! Sexy?! You got horny from that?”

“Yeah. When we get home,” (Name) looked back and vaguely gestured a hand job. “Suck you off as a reward, yeah?”

Well, no way in hell could he say no to that!

ꕥ

“Still, I don’t understand how it was sexy to you.” Suga muttered, tangling his fingers in (Name)’s hair, enjoying the sight of him on his knees. (Name) simply hummed, unable to speak with a mouth filled with Suga’s cock.

“I wonder, do you get horny from volleyball in general? Or was it the players?” He gripped (Name)’s hair tightly and pulled him off his cock, enjoying the whimper that left his boyfriend’s mouth.

(Name) pouted. “Only you.”

“Good. I wouldn’t allow you to see anymore games if that wasn’t the case,” Suga grinned.

He had some weird tendencies to act a bit possessive in strange ways but (Name) didn’t really care. It was only adding onto his sexiness.

“Do I have to get you ready?”

“No…” (Name) pulled away from Sugawara and stood up, pulling down his pants and turning away to slightly bend his back. Sugawara leaned back a bit on his bed as he got a good look at (Name)’s ass.

As well as the butt plug inside.

“Oh, look at you… So scandalous,” he laughed. “It didn’t feel weird to walk around with this in there?” He reached over and gently tugged at the plug, enjoying the whimper it stole from (Name).

“A bit… but I, ah, got used to it..”

“Really?” Suga hummed. “Then you must’ve done this before.” He said, slowly dragging the plug out until to shove it back inside. (Name) moaned at the feeling, his knees trembling. He wasn’t sure if he could stay in this position for long.

Sugawara continued to use the plug as if it was his own cock, thrusting it in and out with an inconsistent flow. It was one of his little quirks on always keeping (Name) on his toes.

“Hey… can I use your first name?”

(Name) blinked, tears prickling his eyes from the constant pleasure he was receiving from the plug. “Yeah… Koshi.”

Koshi grinned. “My name sounds good on your lips. Ready to scream it?” He quickly pulled out the plug, earning a cry from (Name). Koshi maneuvered you to lay down on his bed with him on top, a cute grin on his lips.

It felt vastly different than what he was doing and saying to (Name) earlier but he simply smiled at him.

“Condom?”

“Not this time.” (Name) wrapped his arms around Koshi’s neck, pulling him down for a kiss. Koshi easily returned the kiss as his lined his cock up with (Name)’s hole. He was able to easily slide inside, due to the lube and butt plug that (Name) used earlier.

Koshi kept a light and steady pace, occasionally leaning down to bite at (Name)’s skin, earning soft whimpers from him. He bit across his chest before biting his nipple—testing out the reaction (Name) would give him.

(Name) shrieked in shock, staring down at his boyfriend. It was the first time he had ever done that and he wasn’t sure how he felt towards it.

Koshi simply hummed before sucking on it, occasionally biting to earn gasps from (Name). His thrusts began to pick up with speed.

This time honestly felt different than any other sex they had together. The feeling of (Name)’s warm walls directly on his cock without the barrier of a condom was something he could get addicted to.

He wasn’t sure if he could go back to it after today. But he’d worry about convincing (Name) another time.

Right now, he wanted to cum. (Name) himself was also enjoying the feeling. He continuously tightened around Koshi’s cock in random moments, enjoying the grunts he earned from that.

(Name) wrapped his legs around Koshi’s hips, effectively holding him closer to him. The two were close. Koshi felt himself gain a sudden burst of energy as he started to slam harshly inside of (Name) enjoying the squeaks he got from him.

The bed creaked underneath them as Koshi continued his harsh thrusts with his own release in mind. (Name) arched his back, enjoying the feeling as he could feel himself close.

“Out or in?” Koshi grunted, ready to cum.

(Name) only hummed. Too far gone to understand his boyfriend. Koshi simply took that as he could do whatever. And so he did. His last thrusts caused the bed to slam into the wall as he pushed in as deep as possible, earning a scream from (Name) as he came first.

Koshi was next, emptying inside of (Name)’s ass. When he pulled out, a slow trail of cum began to leak out. Koshi felt himself gulp at the sight. Yeah, no way in well was he going back to condoms.

“Enjoyed yourself?” Koshi asked.

“Hm. Tired.” Was all (Name) said before opening his arms for a hug. Koshi chuckled before laying down with him, cuddling him close.

A knock on his bedroom door shook the two as they paled in fear.

“Koshi…? Uh, we’re back from our trip… we have some food for you…. Uh,” Koshi’s mother paused. “And food for your boyfriend… we’re downstairs…”

Fuck.

╭┈─────── ೄྀ࿐ ˊˎ-

╰┈─➤ ＥＮＤ

Im back. I lived 🤭 hope you liked the fic!

I’ll be back on track with the requests next week!

#bottom male reader #haikyuu x male reader

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sunflowersatori · 1 year ago

Text

kiss it better - pt. 2

sukuna x nurse!reader

contents: modern au, f!reader, sukuna is just a guy™️, it's your weekend off but ofc he's gonna bother you, some swearing, innuendos

word count: 2.5K

a/n: people seemed to like the first one so here's part two (which was supposed to be about the same length but I definitely let get away from me), i know i made him ooc at the end there but i really just wanted him to be so whipped its not even funny ((also i apologize for the un-aestheticness of my posts i will try harder in the future 💀))

You were laying on the couch relaxing when your phone began to ring, the number for your building's intercom system on the screen. It was odd, you weren’t expecting any company until later today, but you shrugged it off and picked up anyway. Maybe it was a package you had forgotten about.

You should have known better.

“Hello?”

“Hey sweetheart.”

You immediately frowned as Sukuna’s voice came through the speaker, “What do you want?”

“Well I found myself in need of a little TLC and I was nearby, so…think you can patch me up?”

“Why me??” You rubbed your temples to quell the headache you knew was coming, “Can’t you go bother some other nurse?”

“Aww but you’re my favourite.”

There weren’t many options. You knew that if you hung up now he’d just call his twin brother to be let in and still come bother you. Yuji lived a few floors below you with his boyfriend Megumi, coincidentally another nurse. You’d run into Sukuna coming to visit when you were arriving home from a day shift, which unfortunately meant he’d found out where you lived.

You let out a deep sigh, “Fine.”

His reply was cut off by you buzzing him in, effectively dropping the call.

Soon enough there was a knock on the door, and you went over to open it, letting Sukuna smugly saunter into your apartment.

“You do know it’s my weekend off right?”

“Why do you think I’m here and not at the clinic?” he asked, eyes flashing knowingly.

You knew that he knew. Your coworker had texted you last night telling you that the “big sexy broody man with the tattoos” had come in asking for you, and she’d told him you had the weekend off from work. This also meant that he had gotten in a fight last night, and this morning.

“Is it like a sexual thing? Are you a masochist or something?” You wondered aloud as you went over to grab your first aid kit.

You could nearly hear the smirk in Sukuna’s voice when he replied, “I’m not, but if you’re asking after my sexual preferences I’d be happy to give you a few demonstrations.”

“Stop that. I’m just trying to figure out why you’re willingly going out and getting beaten up like every night,” You said, and brought your supplies over to the kitchen counter.

“That’s hurtful,” he came over to lean against the counter next to you, “you think I’m not winning all these fights?”

“Need I remind you that just a month ago I was relocating your shoulder?”

“Just took a hit at the wrong angle sweetheart, besides, like I told you back then, the other guy looked worse than me.”

You shook your head, “Just show me where you’re hurt so I can kick you out and go back to relaxing.”

Sukuna held out his hands for you, which you could see had blood on them - not a rare occurrence - and a few knuckles looked to be split.

“I told you I needed some TLC, so where’s that tender loving?” he crooned with a grin.

You took his hands and examined them, “Right now you’re lucky that I’m even giving you care.”

The injuries were surface level, so you didn’t have to worry about setting any breaks or sprains, and just got straight to cleaning him up.

“So, what does such a pretty nurse do on her weekend off?”

“I have some friends coming over later. We’re all going to get ready and go out to a bar,” you replied as you carefully wiped the dried blood off his hands.

“You don’t sound very excited. Need me to come along and make things more fun for you?”

You could practically hear the leer in his voice, but you chose to ignore it.

“No,” you frowned,” I’m excited…I am. I’m just tired, and going out isn’t really my thing…but we haven’t gone out together in a while because I’m always on night shift, and they really wanted to go…”

Sukuna was staring at you when you looked up at him. You couldn’t pin the expression on his face, but the scrutiny made you blush a bit so you quickly looked back down to his hands. Normally it would have taken a lot less time for you to bandage his injured knuckles, but you needed to make sure that when you were done you didn’t still have a blush on your face.

If he noticed that you were a bit slow today, he either didn’t care or didn’t comment. Knowing Sukuna, it very well could have been both. The man was probably enjoying the extra attention.

“You’re all done,” you said, stepping back once everything was clean and wrapped.

He stood, taking a look at the work and giving you a lazy grin.

“What a good job, see this is why you’re my favourite.”

He suddenly stepped closer, trapping you against the opposite counter. As had become the norm since he’d dislocated his shoulder, he gently took your chin and tilted it up so you were looking at him and leaned in close.

“Thanks sweetheart.”

It still made your heart race every time he did it, but you tried your hardest to compose yourself and slipped out of his reach.

“Alright, alright, now go,” you started pushing him toward the door, “I have a hot date with a couch in about two minutes.”

“Any chance I could get in on that?”

You closed the door in his face, but you could still hear him laughing as he walked away from your apartment.

As you threw yourself on the couch you noticed how warm you felt, and you couldn’t help but think about how nice that broad chest of his would be to lay against.

You groaned and shoved your face into a pillow.

Hours later, you’d luckily shaken off your flustered thoughts, but sadly for you, your mind had other things to worry about.

You clenched a glass of water in your hand as you looked out at the crowd, knowing your friends were somewhere on the dance floor. The outing had been fine at first, but now you were too hot and it was too loud, and there were too many people around.

You needed some space.

There was a small porch in front of the bar, so you decided to step out onto it, hoping the cool night air would do you some good.

Just as you had taken a calming breath, a body slammed into yours and you lost your balance, causing you to tumble to the sidewalk hard.

You were vaguely aware of two men fighting right next to you, but your brain was still more concerned about the initial sting of hitting concrete.

“Hey knock it off!” You heard a familiar voice shout, bringing things back into focus.

“Can’t you see there’s other people around that might get caught in your shit?! Look what you did to this girl.”

When you looked up, it was to see Sukuna standing between you and the two guys fighting, who had paused to size him up.

“Why the fuck do you think we care?”

Sukuna's only reply was a solid punch to the man’s jaw. The guy went flying to the ground, and the other one figured it was probably best for his health if he left, so he made himself scarce.

“Hey,” you heard Sukuna’s voice, much softer this time.

You looked back over to find him crouching next to you, a hint of concern in his eyes.

“You okay?”

You nodded, and winced when you tried to shakily stand. Your knee was skinned, and some bits of rock and gravel had dug into your palm and forearm, but other than that you were alright. Nevertheless, Sukuna took your good arm and pulled you up.

“Want me to take you home?”

You nodded and he led you to his car. You managed to remember that you should probably let your friends know where you went, so you sent a text telling them you weren’t feeling well and that you were heading back to your apartment.

Sukuna was quiet on the drive, hands clenching and unclenching on the steering wheel and occasionally glancing over at you. Something was bothering him, that much you could tell, but what it was, you weren’t sure. It didn’t take long to get back to your building, and then Sukuna was walking you up to your unit, keeping a hand close to your back to support you if you needed it.

You turned to him once you reached your door, “Thanks for getting me home, and helping me back there.”

“It was nothing sweetheart, I’m glad nothing else happened.”

“Yeah, anyway I should..probably..” you motioned to your door and moved to push it open.

“You’re not gonna let me come in?”

You froze, “What, why?”

“Because you’re hurt,” he said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

You gave him a dry look, “I am a nurse you know, I think I can take care of myself.”

“But you shouldn’t have to.”

His words caught you off guard. The sincerity, and the way he shoved his hands in his pockets and looked the slightest bit embarrassed.

“You’re always taking care of people…let someone take care of you this time.”

You couldn’t help but stand there in silence for a moment, weighing his words, but something tugged at your heart, and you pushed the door wider so he could come in too.

“Okay. You can come in…I’m just gonna shower first, and wash up. I’ll be out soon,” you said, and headed off to your bathroom.

You let the hot water sink into your skin as you thought about what Sukuna had said, wondering what it was he was thinking. Once you were out and changed into more comfortable clothes you returned to the kitchen. Sukuna was rummaging around the cabinets and mumbling soft curses, somehow having managed to change into sweats and a t-shirt.

“First aid kit is top left…where did you get those clothes?”

“I ran down to Yuji’s while you were in the shower,” he said over his shoulder, “Being a twin has its perks.”

He found the first aid kit and pulled it down, turning to give you a smirk.

“Come sit sweetheart,” he patted the counter in front of him.

You padded over and pushed yourself up to sit on the counter and face him. He seemed to be digging through the contents of your first aid kit.

“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”

He shook his head and tsked at you, “I bring you home and offer to take care of you and this is how you thank me? I’ve been watching you do this for a while now, I think I have some idea of what to do.”

After pulling out what he needed, he took the arm with the scrapes on it and wiped it, being careful not to press too hard. He wrapped it in gauze, which wasn’t totally necessary as the scrapes weren’t too serious, but you simply let him continue without a word otherwise.

He cleaned the gash on your knee as well, this time picking out a bandaid and gently smoothing it over the spot.

“Almost done,” He said, getting down on his knees in front of you. He was tenderly holding your leg. Ankle in one hand and calf in the other.

“What are you doing?”

“Proving a point” he said softly, and leaned in to press his lips against the bandaid on your knee.

“Maybe you should kiss it better.”

“Why would I do that?”

“A kiss always makes it feel better.”

He looked up at you, “Better?”

You nodded and he rose, standing between your legs and leaning into your space with his hands on either side of you.

“Does it hurt anywhere else?”

His voice was low and gentle, and he was looking at you like you were the most precious thing in the world.

You took a deep breath and pointed to your face.

Then you were being kissed, soft and sweet, and Sukuna’s hands were cupping your face as if you might break into a thousand pieces if he laid one finger wrong.

Your hands gripped his shirt, tugging him closer and he obliged. His hands slid from your face and down your back until he had them under your thighs and he was tugging you closer.

“Hold onto me,” he whispered against your lips, and after you wrapped your arms around his neck he picked you up easily and walked over to your couch.

You leaned into another kiss, letting him sit down on the couch with you in his lap as you gently threaded your hands in his hair. He kept you close, kissing you tenderly until you were both out of breath and had to pull away.

Neither of you went far, not wanting to let the moment die by putting distance between you.

“So…” he murmured after a moment, “you gonna kick me out sweetheart?” His hands were on your waist, thumbs lightly stroking your ribs.

You shook your head as you traced your fingers over his cheekbones, then followed his tattoos down the line of his jaw and to where they were just barely peeking out from the neckline of his shirt. Your eyes blinked slowly, and you began to realize how tired you were.

“Hey,” Sukuna took your chin in his hand and tilted your face to look at him, “you falling asleep on me?”

“No,” you pouted, but of course your body decided that that was the perfect time to yawn.

Sukuna snorted, “Sure. C’mon, it’s bedtime.”

He easily lifted you again, and after prompting you for directions he managed to get you to your bedroom and tuck you in.

“Alright sweetheart, I’ll be on the couch if you need me,” he said, brushing your hair away from your forehead so he could place a kiss there.

Before he could move away your hand reached out and grasped his shirt.

“Stay here.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to-”

“Noo…don’t go…” You whined and tugged his shirt more, interrupting him.

He sighed and took your hand, pressing a kiss to your palm, “Okay sweetheart, okay. Just let me shower real quick and then I’ll come back, promise.”

You nodded, and he tucked you back in before going off to shower. Even though you were teetering on the edge of sleep, you desperately wanted to stay awake long enough for him to come back.

A few minutes later, he was walking back into the bedroom, turning off the light as he did. He came around to the opposite side of the bed, and you felt it dipping behind you as he got in. A strong, tattooed arm wrapped around your waist and pulled you back against his chest.

Sukuna sighed as you settled in, “You have no idea the things I’d do for you, do you sweetheart?”

He was stroking your cheek, but you were already asleep in his arms, so he simply pressed a kiss to your head, and settled in to sleep himself.

#jujutsu kaisen x reader #jjk x reader #ryomen sukuna #sukuna x reader #sukuna x you

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solstices-dreams · 2 months ago

Text

𝐚 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐠 𝐝𝐫.

𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭. 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐝𝐫. ᝰ.ᐟ

— 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝟏𝟎.

Usually I wake up around 8 am. My neighbor Noah is usually out in his backyard by then practicing with his sword. I’ll head over for a bit and sit with him and talk. He’ll occasionally force me to practice with him, no matter how much I refuse. Afterwards I have breakfast with my family. My sister, Mabel, collects eggs from the chickens and my twin brother, Asher, milks the cow. After breakfast I usually go out and water the plants. We have a few flower pots for decor and then raised garden beds that have genuine crops in them. If it’s the weekend I’ll then go over to Noah’s house and we’ll go to the lake. Sometimes he brings his siblings, sometimes I bring mine or we bring our friends/old schoolmates.

If it’s a weekday my father and I take patients from across d-10 and occasionally d-11. Usually we don’t take money as payment but if people offer food or material items we accept. If it’s a Thursday we go into the town and visit patients as well as stock up on groceries.

After seeing patients we return home and I usually sit down to do some of my hobbies which can be crocheting, embroidery, jewelry making, or pottery. A lot of the stuff around my house is homemade and I also sell some of my stuff at the market.

Next I have dinner which is important to my dad and he dubs it a “family thing.” So Asher’s cutting up vegetables and Mabel’s setting the table as Dad cooks or something. Usually my dad or I cook cuz Mabel’s scared of the stove and Asher can’t be trusted around fire in the house.

Then after dinner I gossip with my sister and brother about their days, about Mabel’s crush or Asher’s latest escapade. (he’s a trouble maker.) After I send my letters to my friends in the other districts, journal, or read from my books. I’m excited to see what Panem literature is like and look in my history books! Sometimes I’m packing after dinner because I travel the districts (with the capitol’s permission) to see Finn or Haymitch. Then I get to curl up with my cat and got to sleep!

— 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐟𝐟 𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝟏𝟎.

Sometimes I visit my extended family which live in the ranching sector and nowhere near the victor’s village. When we visit we tend to visit for a while, typically around the harvest !! We have a massive family (i will make a post, trust.) and we’re very big on family so we have massive dinners together with all the extended family.

My different cousins drag me around and show me new stuff around the houses. And talk my ear off about everything happening with them. It occasionally gets isolating in the victor village.

On some occasions I visit my mentor Brie. We usually have tea and discuss whatever’s on our minds or what’s going on with the other districts. She also has a kid and a wife so we all interact.

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bqstqnbruin · 1 year ago

Text

The Party's Over, Go Home

Hello hello here I am with my fic for @wyattjohnston's winter fic exchange!

I had the pleasure of writing for @sc0tters I hope you like it!

Shoutout to @kat-hearts @matthewtkachuk and @raysofcrosby for reading through this and getting mad at me :)

This is inspired by Intrusive Thoughts by Natalie Jane, Deserve by Jake Clark, and the Gilmore Girl's episode from season 5 called The Party's Over

Warnings: swearing, alcohol, family financial issues, this is angst, the spacebar on my computer is starting to break so typos (I tried)

WC: 11k

__________________________________

“We should do something tonight.”

“I was going to go to bed early, actually.”

“You do that every night.”

“What, are you stalking me now?”

“No,” Kendyl draws out. “You stop texting me by like, 8:30 every night. Your phone is on do not disturb half an hour later. Either you’re asleep early, or you’re ignoring everyone by then.”

Ellie narrows her eyes at her coworker. They still weren’t close enough that she felt she could comfortably hang out with the people she worked with outside of the workday. She had only been at her new job for a month, still getting the hang of things, trying to get to know people and figure everything out. Spending time outside her apartment with people who were practically strangers when she could be in her warm bed with her flannel sheets that she loved more than anything on this planet? “I don’t like that you picked up on that.”

“Well, too bad,” Kendyl says, sitting down on Ellie’s desk. “A bunch of us are going out tonight, so why not?” Ellie hesitates to answer. “If it sucks, you can go home at ten. You’ll be in bed by 10:30, two hours later than normal. And it’s Friday, we don’t have work tomorrow for you to use that as an excuse as to why you have to get up early, and you already told me that the only thing you planned on doing this weekend was laundry and cleaning.”

Ellie let out a long sigh. Maybe Kendyl did know her well enough to be able to call her out on her shit already. “God.”

“I don’t know if you’re religious or not to know if that’s a yes.”

“Fine,” she says, shuddering at Kendyl’s squeal of excitement. “But you’re buying at least one round and I get to leave at 9:30 if I want to.”

“Deal.”

Ellie’s day was full of dread, from spending the rest of work distracted about having to go out with seemingly everyone at her job, so the stress involved with getting ready and trying to look like someone who was actually 24, not the ‘1980’s power boss bitch without the hair and shoulder pads’ as Kendyl had described her multiple times, even down to walking to the bar that Kendyl had picked that felt way too conveniently down the street from her apartment.

“I’m surprised you even had someone convince you to go out,” her younger brother, Alex, says on the other end of their phone call. As soon as he saw Ellie leaving her apartment on Find My Friends, he called her panicked that something was wrong. “You never went out in college. I had to beg you to go to that one party the time I visited you.”

“That’s because you were still seventeen and Mom would have killed me if she found out you went.”

“She knew I was going to try anyway.”

“I’m going out because I was promised free drinks and the prospect of going home early if I want to. It’s not like I’m being forced to go out against my will.”

“I promised you free drinks.”

“Alexander.”

“Eleanor. Just be safe, ok? Let me know when you get home.”

“You sound like Mom.”

“If I were Mom, I would be yelling at you for not wearing a jacket.”

“How do you know I’m not wearing a jacket?”

“You never wear a jacket. Mom has been yelling at you about that since you were five.”

Ellie lets out a laugh, a sudden chill coursing through her when she realizes she can see her breath. “How is Mom, have you checked in on her?’

“Yes, Ellie.”

“In person?”

“Yes, Ellie. She’s good. At least, she says she is.”

The two of them stay on the phone in silence for a moment, knowing what he really means. Ellie and Alex hated the topic of how their mom was doing, but if they didn’t talk about it with each other, who else did they have? Their mom and Alex still live in the same area even if Alex was away at college and living in a dorm rather than with her. Ellie was on the other side of the continent now, for a job that she barely had any friends at, in a city she still barely knew, surrounded by things she wasn’t used to.

“Hey, I’m outside the bar now, I’ll talk to you later?” she ends the call, taking in one last deep breath before heading into what she was sure was going to be

“You came!” Kendyl yells once Ellie finally manages to get into the bar. “Here’s the first drink.”

Before Ellie could even tell Kendyl she wasn’t ready yet to start drinking, the drink was pressed to her chest and nearly spilled down the front of her. Despite it being early enough in the night that no one should be drunk by now, Kendyl and the rest of her coworkers seemed to be well on their way with Ellie needing more drinks than she could count to catch up.

The night goes by slowly, the drinks going away fast, and Ellie sitting in the corner while her coworkers, who are obviously close, talk about a bunch of inside jokes from before she was hired that Ellie was unable to participate in.

“Remember when he ordered the wrong cake?” Wesley slurs, punching Doug in the shoulder.

“I swear she told me to say, ‘Happy Retirement,’” Douglas defends himself.

“It was my 28th birthday, not my retirement?” Hazel says, everyone except Ellie bursting into a fit of laughter.

“What about when Sammy dialed 911 during the meeting?” Kendyl adds through wheezes, the remains of her drink nearly spilling on Ellie’s shirt, again.

“It fell out of my pocket and bounced weird!”

“How does a bouncing phone dial 911?”

“That’s the set up to a bad pick up line.”

“More like the setup to a story that makes no sense,” Ellie mutters, thankful that her coworker's howling laughter was too loud to hear her.

She gets up from the table, draining her drink on her way to the bar. It was only 9:15. She promised Kendyl 15 more minutes. The least she could do was down another drink in that time before pulling her classic Irish exit to go home and get in bed.

“Rum and coke?” she asks once she gets up to the bar, the sticky wooden counter acting as anything but inviting for her to lean on.

“Me, too, and put it on my tab,” someone says behind her, Ellie’s face immediately turning sour at the thought of some guy buying her a drink to probably get her to hook up with him.

“My friend is paying for it, actually,” she turns to him, surprised to find a seemingly innocent-looking guy around her age and not the middle-aged gross man she thought he would be. Anything was possible, and looks can be deceiving.

“Which friend, the one who almost spilled her drink on you or the one of the ones who have been ignoring you the entire night and letting you sit in silence while they have a good time around you?”

“I already don’t like you.”

“My friends pointed you out and said you were me when they drag me out to bars.”

“So you’re the friend who they barely know and who they only invited out of pity?”

“That’s dark. But also, kinda hot,” he says, the pink rushing to his cheeks as he turns away out of embarrassment. “Sorry, um. I’m going to go sit down now.”

“You haven’t gotten your drink yet,” Ellie points out, his sudden bashfulness making Ellie soften for him. “I just moved here. I don’t really know any of them too well.”

“I know what that’s like,” he tells her, leaning against the bar.

“You’re not from here, either?”

He shakes his head. “Born in Orlando, moved to Boston, then moved to Toronto, and kept going from there.”

“That sounds unstable,” she says, passing one of the newly appeared glasses of alcohol to the guy in front of her.

He shrugs, lifting the drink to his lips. “Well, they say you are a product of your environment.”

Ellie lets out a laugh, the first one that she had let out all night. “That’s dark. But also, kinda hot,” she repeats, the pink returning to his cheeks again.

“I’m never gonna live that down, am I?”

“Depends on how long we keep talking.”

“Hopefully it lasts past tonight.”

“It can’t if you don’t tell me your name. I’m Ellie.”

“I’m Quinn.”

Ellie loses count of how many drinks Quinn gets her, how long they’re talking, and when all of her coworkers leave the bar, not even telling her that they were leaving without her.

She could feel the warmth of the alcohol coursing through her body, the bar getting busier the longer she and Quinn stood there. Someone shoves in between Ellie and whoever is behind her, pushing her into Quinn’s arms without her being able to catch her balance. His hand falls to the small of her back, spreading out to hold her steady. They stood there in silence, the rest of the bar a world away from them.

“Are you ok?” Quinn whispers in her ear, his breath tickling her skin.

Ellie stammers for a second, trying to process what just happened. The alcohol was making everything foggy, and the room starting to spin slightly around her as if Quinn was rocking her back and forth. “Um, I, yes?”

His eyes flickered down to her lips, the distance between them closing with each additional person, he was so close to kissing her.

“I should go home,” Ellie says before he can, knowing that kissing him now would not be a good idea for either of them.

His grip on her doesn’t relax, the disappointment Ellie expected to show up on his face not there at all. “I’m walking you home,” he tells her, slipping his hand into hers before she can protest.

“You don’t have to do that.”

“I want to.”

The difference in temperature between the bar and outside hit Ellie faster than she could process it, her lack of jacket her brother had scolded her for earlier biting her in the ass harder than the cold was in the moment.

Ellie didn’t even process Quinn taking off his own coat, the one she didn’t even realize he had been wearing the entire time, and putting it around her shoulders before wrapping his arm around her and pulling her close.

She was on autopilot, unsure how she managed to navigate her way to her apartment when her mind was on Quinn’s body pressed against hers. She just met him. She didn’t know much about him. She didn’t even know what he did for work and only knew that he had two brothers who lived in New Jersey even though that wasn’t one of the places that he mentioned living before.

“Here,” Ellie barely gets out, surprised with herself for managing to get back to the right place.

“Do you want me to walk you to your door?” Quinn asks, shoving his hands in his pockets when he finally lets go of her.

“No, it’s fine.”

Ellie goes to take off the jacket and give it back to him, the warmth something her drunk self quickly realized she was going to miss. “No, keep it. It looks better on you anyway,” Quinn tells her, pulling his things out of his pockets before turning away to head off.

She stands there for a few seconds, trying to process what had happened that night.

“Wait, no,” Quinn says, appearing again in front of her. “I can’t leave without getting your number first.”

“I couldn’t even tell you what my number is right now,” she admits, handing him her phone instead.

Quinn laughs, putting his number in. “I want to see you again, Ellie.”

She smirks at him. “We’ll see, Quinn.”

___________________

“What do you mean you’re not bringing anyone?”

“No one said I had to bring anyone.”

“Everyone brings someone. You have to bring a date to the holiday party.”

“Then why was one of the options on the RSVP ‘no’ to the question ‘will a guest be accompanying you?’”

Kendyl whines, earning a cringy look from Ellie. “You have no one you can bring?”

Ellie rolls her eyes, leaning back in her desk chair. “Let’s see, I’ve been here for like, what, two months? I knew no one when I got here, I hate going out and don’t have anywhere to meet anyone, and somehow none of you here know anyone either. Who would I bring?”

“What about that guy you met at the bar that one time? I see his name popping up on your phone all the time.”

Ellie snatches her phone from her desk and holds it against her chest as Kendyl cranes her neck to see that her statement is actually fact, three messages from Quinn, a fourth appearing while they were talking. “You need to learn what a boundary is.”

“And you need to learn what the Focus feature is on your phone when you’re showing me things because his name always shows up.”

She couldn’t invite Quinn to the party. She barely knew him, she couldn’t throw him into the party with a bunch of her coworkers who she also barely knew, putting her phone back on the desk without thinking. “He’s probably busy.”

Kendyl rolls her eyes, snatching Ellie’s phone from her desk before she can protest, fiddling with it while Ellie tries to process what could possibly be happening in front of her. “He’s not.”

“What?”

“He’s not busy.”

“Ken, what did you do?” Kendyl hands Ellie back her phone, a quick conversation with Quinn on her screen, ‘Ellie’ asks him what he was doing the night of the holiday party and he immediately answers that he is free. “Why are you like this?”

Kendyl shrugs, slowly backing away from Ellie’s desk. “You had fun talking to him at the bar, enough fun that he responded to you within seconds of being asked if he was free.”

Ellie looks back at her phone as Kendyl finally leaves her alone. The whole idea of having to bring a date seemed archaic in a way that Ellie couldn’t quite put her finger on. Why did she have to bring someone she barely knew to a party with more people she barely knew?

But she really did know Quinn better than she was letting on. She still didn’t know what he did with his life, him weirdly making her promise not to look him up, which made Ellie immediately question if he was a serial killer. He wasn’t, allegedly, but that still didn’t make sense.

She knew that he was from the States, went to school there until he left early for whatever job he had. He has two younger brothers, and apparently is known amongst his friends for looking like he was having a nonstop existential crisis, while also being nicknamed ‘Huggy Bear.’ She also knew that he was sweet, and listened to her when she went off on a tangent about something, him following right along and matching the energy she had. She knew that she wanted to see him again every night since she had met him that first time, and that he wanted the same thing.

His name came up on her phone, a call from him. “Hi, sorry, it’s easier to talk than text right now.”

“Why are you out of breath?”

“Workout.” Must be nice to have a job where he can just go and work out in the middle of the day, Ellie thinks to herself. “So, the 18th?”

“Yeah,” Ellie lets out, suddenly nervous. It felt like she was asking him for something much more serious than just going with her to an office party. “It’s the holiday party for my company, and apparently everyone needs to bring a date.”

“And you want me to find you one?”

Ellie’s jaw drops at his comment. “No, idiot, I wanted to bring you.”

“Oh, thank god. I was running through my friends who would go and none of them are good enough for you.”

Ellie could feel the heat rushing to her cheeks at his comment. Did he consider this a date? Was it a date? Was it bad if she considered it a date and he didn’t? What if he didn’t? Why was her mind running at a mile a minute while Quinn was there on the other end of her phone waiting for her to say something else? “So that’s a yes?”

“Of course, it’s a yes. It’s one of the few nights I have off, I want to spend it with you.”

The next days went by in a blur, Ellie freaking out over everything from what she was going to wear, texting and calling Quinn even more, wishing that they could see each other sooner.

“It’s not obsessive, is it?” she asks Kendyl, staring at herself in the mirror. Kendyl insisted on coming over to Ellie’s place to get ready, telling her that her roommate had their partner over that night and the last thing she needed to do was try to use the bathroom to get rid when they had a habit of taking it over for more than a few hours.

“No, El, you just like him. I think it becomes obsessive when you start to stalk him and you show up to where he works unprovoked.”

“Why do you say that like you’ve either done that or you’ve had that happen to you?”

“I’ll let you decide which one is better. What time is Quinn coming?”

“He’s supposed to get here in ten minutes.”

“Just breathe, El. You’re going to have fun.” Kendyl left her to finish getting herself ready, her date already waiting outside to take her to the party. They could have all gone together, as pointed out by Kendyl, but it was better to not throw Quinn directly into the fire that was her closest coworker.

Ellie’s phone starts ringing, not checking but expecting it to be Quinn calling to tell her he was early. She pops out of her seat to head to the door, picking up the phone and answering with an excited “Hi!”

“Eleanor?”

Ellie stops in her tracks, her mom’s voice coming over her phone speaker. “Mom?”

“Sweetie, can you do me a favor?”

Ellie felt her heart drop to her stomach, already knowing what her mom was going to ask her. It was the same thing that her mom always asked since she first got a job when she was in high school, every time she answered the phone while she was getting her degree, no matter where Ellie was in her life, it was never a call that a mother should have to make to one of her children this often. “Mom,” she lets out, knowing that she couldn’t say no.

“Please, Eleanor. I need the money. I, I-”

“Mom, you promised,” Ellie cuts her off, not wanting to hear anymore even though she knew her mom would keep going.

“I thought I would get a raise before they sent the eviction notice this time.”

“Mom,” Ellie says, more exasperated this time. “You have to stop doing this. You do this to me every time.”

“Alexander can’t help this time.”

Ellie heard a knock at her door, not even processing the fact that she should be looking through the peephole to make sure it wasn’t a murderer, opening it, and letting whoever it was in. Thankfully, it was Quinn, waving him in and motioning to give her a moment.

“Alex is still in college, already struggling because you’re no help. He shouldn’t have to give you anything in the first place.”

Quinn stands there, clearly uneasy at listening to only Ellie’s end of the conversation but following Ellie into her room regardless. He stands in the doorway, leaning against the frame with his arms crossed while he watches Ellie continue to get ready.

“But you said last time that I couldn’t ask you again.”

“I didn’t mean for you to ask my little brother.”

“Eleanor, please. He’ll have nowhere to come home to. I’ll have nowhere to go home to.”

“What happened to everything you had last time I asked you?”

“It went towards all of the other bills, I promise. I’ll send you every confirmation for every bill I have.”

“You’re not lying to me this time?”

“I’m not, I swear!”

“How many months did Alex cover?”

“Only half of one month.”

“How many months are you behind?”

“I swear I used everything I had to pay-”

“Mom, how many months are you behind?” Ellie knew she was raising her voice, forgetting that Quinn was even behind her. She stopped putting her makeup on at this point, knowing that the tears that were about to fall were going to ruin what she had already on, anyway.

“Four.”

“Fuck, Mom.”

“Please?” her mom’s voice comes through, small and on the brink of breaking. “I know I’m still paying you back from last time. But what else am I supposed to do?’

“I’m sending it now,” she tells her, hanging up before her mother could say anything else. Ellie forgot Quinn was standing there in her doorway, putting her phone down on her vanity and putting her face in her hands. This couldn’t be happening again. Not again.

Quinn clears his throat, causing Ellie to jump. “Should I go?” he asks, creeping into her room.

Ellie wipes the tears from her cheeks, cursing herself mentally for now having to redo the makeup she already took too long to do the first time. “Uh,” she stammers, “No, no. I’ll be ready in a second.”

“Ellie,” Quinn kneels on the floor next to her, gently placing his hand on her thigh. “We don’t have to go to this.”

“No, it’s fine, I’m fine.”

“El.”

Ellie finally turned to him, the genuine concern on his face causing her to burst into tears. He reached up and pulled her close to him, his one hand on her back, the other holding her head on his shoulder, letting her cry on his white shirt. She hears him let out a quiet shushing noise, trying to comfort her in the way she had needed for so long. She cried for so long that she didn’t know how much time passed. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize,” he whispers when she finally stops crying, not moving from their position. “Do you want to talk about it?”

She never told anyone about the stuff with her mom. Ellie had been holding it in for years, going from friend to friend, place to place, never letting this out with anyone who wasn’t her younger brother, the one person who would understand and who she knew also understood what it was like.

But there was something about Quinn. She thought she could trust him, for whatever reason. She never told her ex-boyfriends in college or high school, despite the fact that this had been going on since then.

Ellie takes in a deep breath. “The only people who know this are me, my mom, and my brother, do you understand?” she asks him, watching him nod. “It started, I think, when my dad left. I was probably 10? Alex was 6, maybe? I don’t even remember, honestly. This probably started before Dad left, Alex and I think it’s why he left. But our mother is absolutely shit when it comes to money. Like, put us in debt every few months that then somehow fell to us as her children to bail her out.”

“God,” Quinn lets out, Ellie continuing over him.

“I think we realized it was getting bad when she told us we were moving somewhere smaller right before I was starting high school, out of the blue, when we had already moved to ‘somewhere smaller’ three times in four years. Normally she said she had been planning it because we, of course, needed somewhere to live, and she didn’t like where we were, but that was weird. I didn’t realize it was because we had been evicted every single time until I found the seven eviction notices my second year of high school from the last three times and a notice that we were getting evicted that year, too.”

“Ellie, I’m so sorry,” he tells her, pulling her back in for a hug.

She sighed, knowing that there was nothing more he could say. “At this point it’s normal, it’s just still frustrating when she tells me and Alex that she’s fine and that she has the money for everything, and then out of nowhere, tells us she hasn’t paid the rent for her current place in four months. Like, do you know what it’s like to have your mother owe you nearly a hundred thousand dollars because of how much she keeps needing?”

“I can’t even imagine.” The two of them sit in silence for a moment, neither of them sure what to do next.

“I’m glad you can’t. It fucking sucks,” she says, turning back to her vanity mirror. “God, I don’t even want to go to this stupid party anymore.”

“Hey, we don’t have to go if you don’t want to. We can stay here, we can go to my place, we can go somewhere else, we can do anything.”

“We?”

“I don’t want to leave you, Ellie. I came tonight because I wanted to spend time with you,” Quinn tells her, taking her hand in his. “If you’ll let me, I’ll take you wherever you want.”

“You don’t have to.”

“Ellie, I want to be with you.”

___________________

“Kendyl, I told you, I’m hanging out with Quinn and the rest of the guys tonight.”

“Can I please come?”

“Absolutely not.”

“But you’re dating the captain of the fucking Vancouver Canucks. You have to bring your best friend along with you.”

“Alexander can’t come tonight either.”

“Ok, rude.”

Ellie was already nervous about meeting Quinn's teammates. It had taken a while for her to wrap her head around that he was not only a hockey player, but a professional one, and the actual captain of the team. Honestly, she didn’t see it coming. She had heard so much about Elias and Brock that she felt like she knew them at this point. She hadn’t even met them. As close as she had gotten to Kendyl in the last six months she spent at her job, and as much time as they spent together outside of work when she wasn’t with Quinn, she didn’t need Kendyl mixed into the group.

“Let me meet them first, then we can talk about you meeting them, ok?” she tries to assure her, hearing a knock at her door. “I’ve gotta go, Quinn is here.”

She hangs up on Kendyl before she can protest, slightly worried that she would use the ‘Find my friends’ feature to just stalk the house they were going to and end up on the doorstep uninvited.

“Hi,” she opens the door, stopping for a second to take him in. God, she hated how hard she fell for him in a short amount of time. He was perfect to her at that moment.

He pulled her in for a kiss, one that made her wish they were staying in rather than heading to spend time with his friends. “Hi,” he whispers, kissing her again before pulling away. “You look amazing, as always.”

“I’m wearing jeans and a sweater,” she counters.

“And?” He could say anything to her with that stupid smile on his face and make her swoon. “Ready?”

They head out to his car, Ellie’s heart racing as they get closer and closer to Thatcher’s house. She wasn’t great with meeting large groups of people all at once, despite being in a new school nearly every year of her awkward teenage years and being forced to interact with new people every time.

“Hey,” Quinn says, resting his hand on her thigh as he drives down the highway, giving her a gentle squeeze to try to calm her down. “You’re going to like the guys. And they’re going to love you.”

“Yeah?” she says, her voice shaking slightly.

“How could they not?” he asks, taking her hand and bringing to his lips, his eyes glued to the road in front of them so he couldn’t see her melting at his words and his touch. “You’ll get along great with Elias.”

“He’s the one from Sweden?”

“Yeah,” Quinn tells her, pulling into the driveway of a house so massive Ellie wasn’t sure people could actually live in it. It was certainly bigger than anything she could have ever dreamed of being near, let alone being invited to. “He’s got kind of a dry humor. You’ll like him.”

Ellie takes in a deep breath, feeling incredibly inadequate just getting out of his car and standing on the pavement of a place like Thatcher’s house. Maybe she should have invited Kendyl.

Quinn takes her hand, pulling her along to the door when everything inside her was telling her to turn around and just run. There was no way she was good enough to be in this house, not with everything in her life, not when Quinn and his teammates had everything they could possibly want at the tips of their fingers.

He stops at the door, pulling her close to him, dropping her hand, and cupping her face to kiss her again, calming her immediately. “Hi,” he breathes when he pulls away.

“Hi again. What was that for?” she asked, his hands slipping down to her waist, sending a shiver through her entire body as he traced her sides.

“I’m going to want to do that so many times tonight, but I know the guys will tease us for it. I’ve gotta do what I can now.”

That shouldn’t have made her feel the way it did. He could say or do anything at this point and she would melt.

They go inside, the house loud and full of people despite Quinn telling her that it was just supposed to be a ‘small get-together.’ Everything in the house looked expensive, Ellie’s anxiety immediately spiking. She followed Quinn blindly through the house, all of his teammates talking to him and him introducing her to all of them while she stood there nearly mute over the sheer stimulus overload that was all around her. She barely noticed the drinks that found their way in hers and Quinn's hands, drinking once she saw Quinn drinking it, as well.

“Elias is right over here,” he whispers in her ear, his hand still in hers and giving her a reassuring squeeze as he leads her off into one of the side rooms. The room was quieter, the lights dimmer, and had a lot less people than any of the other rooms.

“You got here half an hour ago and you’re just making it in here?” one of the guys asks as she and Quinn sit next to each other on the couch. “Ellie, you have to get him to go faster through the greetings next time. I cannot be left alone with Brock for this long.”

She looks at Quinn, confused as to how they already know her name.

“You know I have to say hi to everyone, I’m captain.”

“As captain, you should be able to do one big greeting and let that be it so you can seclude yourself in a separate room where you don’t have to talk to everyone else,” one of the other guys said.

“Every time you talk, Brock, you add more to the long list of why you would make a horrible captain.”

“I would be a great captain.”

“Elias, Brock, jeez.”

“You know you can’t leave us alone for too long.”

Ellie gets lost in their conversation, not even being able to contribute to what they were saying because their verbal sparring is so fast and so specific to their history with each other, she wouldn’t even know where to begin. Quinn puts his arm around her, pulling her closer to him by her waist. He looks at her while Brock and Elias continue bickering, smiling at her and giving her a soft kiss on her forehead.

The guys interrupt them, jeering and teasing them to the point where Ellie has her face buried in Quinn’s shoulder, trying to hide from the embarrassment. “So, Ellie, what do you see in El Capitan here?” Brock asks, giving the most obnoxious facial expression possible.

“You do not have to answer that,” Elias tells her. “Brock has no idea how to interact with anyone, just ignore him.”

“That’s not true.”

“You thought a good pick up line to use on a girl was ‘you dropped something, my jaw,’ the other night and then were shocked when she just turned and walked away,” Elias says, earning a laugh from Ellie and Quinn.

“You have definitely taken a girl out on a date and then talked about yourself the entire time,” Quinn adds, Brock shrinking further into his seat.

“You look like the kind of guy that would go to a bookstore and pretend to look lost to see if a girl would talk to you,” Ellie adds, sending the guys into a frenzy.

“He wouldn’t have to pretend to be lost,” Elias says, poking a pouting Brock in the leg. “You should come around more, Ellie.”

“She’s spent too much time with Quinn already,” Brock whines, Quinn pulling her so she’s practically in his lap, kissing her cheek.

“I told you,” he whispers, just loud enough for only her to hear. “I need you to come around more, too.” Ellie turns to him, her cheeks burning before they both burst out laughing. “That sounded horrible.”

The four of them fall into an easy conversation, the three boys doing everything they can to make Ellie feel included, not shying away from teasing her like they were each other earlier. She felt comfortable.

Ellie eventually excused herself to go to the bathroom and get more drinks for her and Quinn, the alcohol finally hitting her. She barely finds her way back to the room the guys were in, Thatcher’s house seeming much bigger now that she wasn’t sober and much harder to navigate without Quinn taking her around.

She didn’t mean to listen to their conversation, standing on other side of the opening without them seeing her.

“Brock, I swear, if brains were dynamite, you wouldn’t be able to blow your fucking nose,” she hears Elias say, stiffling a laugh as Brock mumbles something about not meaning to spill his drink on Elias.

“Anyway,” Quinn grunts, sounding like he was getting off the floor.

“Ellie is awesome, by the way,” Elias says, Ellie sure she missed some sort of segue that could have led the conversation from Brock to Ellie.

“She’s snarky,” Brock adds, Ellie hearing a smack and Brock letting out a cough. “That’s not a bad thing.”

“I met her by accident but I cannot think about what it would be like without her now,” she hears Quinn say, Ellie trying to figure out if she actually heard him right. That sounded like he was much more serious about her than she thought he was.

“Woah, Quinn,” Elias says. “You met her a few months ago.”

“God, I know,” she hears Quinn let out. “But you know how you just know sometimes? You run into this person one day and they just make your life better?”

“You guys made my life worse since I met you,” Brock mutters. “I say goodnight to her every night and I can’t wait until I can say good morning to her the next day.”

“You’re a simp.”

“Can you blame me? She’s perfect.”

Ellie finally enters the room, trying her best to pretend that she didn’t just hear everything Quinn told his friends, the ones he told her he would trust with anything. It had to mean something that they already knew who she was before coming and that he could tell them those things unprovoked.

Quinn lights up at the sight of her, giving her another kiss and wrapping his arms around her when she sits down. “You took a bit,” he comments.

“This house is confusing,” she lies.

Elias and Brock continue to bicker while ignoring Ellie and Quinn. Ellie eventually finishes her drink, along with the third one that Brock had managed to hand off to her at some point, sinking down so her head was in Quinn’s lap.

“How often do you think about the future?”

“I mean, I’m normally thinking about what I’m making for my next meal once I finish the one I’m eating.”

Ellie groans, their hands intertwined and in constant movement, suddenly regretting how much they had both had to drink. She looks up at him, a smile on her face despite the look on his that told her he had absolutely no thoughts behind those eyes. “Like, us in the future. Our future.”

“Huh,” Quinn starts, “I don’t know. I like us right now where we are.”

Ellie nods, trying to hide the disappointment that she felt. Why could he tell Elias and Brock what he thought about her, but not tell her? He hadn’t even called her his girlfriend to her face, yet. Were they even boyfriend and girlfriend yet? Was it too early to even ask, or should she even ask at all?

They were staying over at Thatcher’s house at this point, neither of them in the position to drive, Elias and Brock electing to stay on the couches. Quinn pulls her up and kisses her, a yawn escaping her after he pulls away. “Want to head to bed? Thatch said we can snag one of the guest rooms.”

Ellie nodded, Quinns hand in hers as he lead her down the hallway. She should be nervous, the first night they were spending together completely unplanned and in one of his teammates house instead of somewhere special.

But it was with Quinn.

She was fine.

___________________

“When are you going to be ready?”

“When I am.”

“You’re taking way too long.”

“I am not taking too long, you got ready too quickly.”

“Kendyl, I took an hour to get ready to meet Quinn and his friends, and you started getting ready before I got here,” Ellie groans, lying down on Kendyl’s bed. The group chat Ellie had with Quinn and the guys was blowing up, asking where Ellie and Kendyl were. After meeting Kendyl a while back, Quinn was convinced she would be the person to set Brock straight. Ellie wasn’t convinced, but what was the harm of introducing them?

“I’m meeting a Canuck, tonight, El, I have to look good.”

Ellie sits up, looking at Kendyl in her mirror. She knew her friend was nervous. No matter what she could say, nothing would change. “I promise you, you could wear nothing more than a trash bag and Brock would be drooling over you.”

Kendyl took a deep breath. “Are you sure?”

“Ken, you’re beautiful. You’re funny. You can verbally spar with anyone to get what you want at any time. If you decide you want something to happen with Brock, there’s no way he wouldn’t agree to it.”

Kendyl nods, finally getting up and grabbing Ellie’s hand and her coat to drag her out the door.

“Are we sure we’re going to have fun?” Kendyl asks, the shaking in her voice something Ellie had never heard before.

“You sound like me now.” It was still winter in Vancouver, the below freezing temperatures combined with the warmest bar appropriate outfits they had not enough to actually keep them warm as they walked through the city to meet all of the guys.

“What are they like? I only know Quinn.”

Ellie has to stop and think for a moment. How did she even begin to describe them? “I think you just have to wait and see. Quinn is nothing like them.”

“Oh, my god, you hate your boyfriend's friends.”

“No, what?” Ellie asks, unable to hide her laughter. “I really like his friends. I’m getting closer with Elias and Brock is definitely good for a laugh when you need it.”

Kendyl nods, both of them shivering as they walk. Quinn had such a warm jacket, Ellie thought back to the night the two of them met. She wouldn’t have been able to see herlife with Quinn coming. She thought Kendyl was just an annoying coworker, Quinn would be just a hook up, and that she would end up having to move home because of her mom and Alex. She never thought it would be this.

They get to the bar after feeling like they were walking forever, Quinn making a beeline to Ellie as soon as they made eye contact. “God, I’m happy you’re here,” he slurs, planting a sloppy kiss on her cheek.

“Wow, you’re already drunk,” she points out, trying to push him away slightly. Quinn had told her they were going into a break in the season, so getting drunk was necessary. She had seen him a little drunk, more tipsy than anything, but never like this, and never in public. “Let’s get you some water, babe.”

Quinn lets out a giggle, slinging his arm around Ellie while she focuses on him instead of getting Kendyl over to Brock. She looks around the bar for her friend, or at least one of the guys to hopefully help her make sure he doesn’t go much farther than he already was with the alcohol.

“Ellie, right?” she hears from behind her as she sets Quinn down at the booth in the back where the rest of the guys were seated. She turns around, one of the new guys in the office standing behind her, glass of beer in hand.

“Uh, yeah, hey. Dylan, right?”

“Declan, actually,” he corrects her, a quick apology escaping her lips. “Sorry, I don’t mean to interrupt, I just saw Kendyl over by the bar and she mentioned you were here. I wanted to say hi.”

Even though it was darker in the bar, Ellie swears she saw him blushing, fidgeting and acting nervous in front of her. The guys didn’t seem to notice she was even standing there, but Declan seemed to be trying to take in everything about her.

“Are you here with anyone?” she asks, feeling Quinn pull her into his lap, Ellie falling without an ounce of grace down towards him. “Sorry, this is my boyfriend, Quinn, and some of his friends.”

“Uh, hi,” he says, Ellie feeling Quinns arms wrap tighter around her as Declan talks, “I’m here with my roommate, but I lost him about half an hour ago.”

“You should join us then,” Quinn says, moving him and Ellie further into the booth to make room for Declan. The tone in his voice told her he really didn’t want to do that.

Kendyl finally comes back with drinks, Quinn taking the beer that was meant for Ellie and downing it much faster than he should have. Brock was already captivated by Kendyl as soon as she sat down, Elias rolling his eyes as he was making a fool of himself, Kendyl finding it weirdly endearing.

“So, Deacon,” Quinn starts, much louder than he should have been. “How do you know my girlfriend?”

“Uh,” Declan says, as caught off guard by Quinn’s sudden shift in mood as Ellie is, “I work with her. Just started about a month ago.”

Quinn nods. “What did you do before this?”

“I was a nurse in the ICU at Vancouver General.”

“Couldn’t handle it, Derek?”

“Quinn, what?” Ellie scoffs.

Declan coughs, clearly getting uncomfortable fast. “It was a lot, so no. I liked helping people, but seeing traumatic thing after traumatic thing takes a toll on you really fast. So I went back to school and ended up with Ellie and Kendyl.”

“Ah, a college degree.”

“Quinn,” Ellie hissed. She didn’t like where this was going, Quinn holding on to Ellie like he was marking his territory.

“I actually don’t have my degree, yet.”

“Interesting thing to brag about?” Declan says, nervously sipping on his beer.

“Well, it’s hard to finish when you get called up to play with the Canucks, you know?”

Declan shrugs. “Is that the CFL team? I don’t follow sports.”

Ellie gets off Quinns lap, pushing Declan aside and dragging Quinn along with her. She didn’t need to hear what Quinn was going to say next. He was starting to act like a jackass and she didn’t want to see more.

The two of them end up outside, the cold hitting Ellie like a slap in face. “What is wrong with you? He wasn’t doing anything for you to act like that to him.”

“I don’t like him,” Quinn pouts.

“You just met him.”

“I don’t like people who are trying to take my girl.”

Ellie can’t help but scoff. “‘Take your girl?’ What, am I your property? Did you get a good dowry? How many sheep did you have to give my family in exchange for your hand?”

Quinn rolls his eyes. “Come on, Ellie.”

“No, Quinn, you come on. He wasn’t hitting on me. He doesn’t even know me to like me.”

“Of course he likes you, Ellie, look at you.” Quinn takes a step closer to her, suddenly getting softer towards her. “You’re so pretty. You’re so smart. You know what to do with everything.”

“If he likes me, that doesn’t matter,” Ellie snaps, still annoyed with him. “I don’t like him. I like you. I’m dating you. That should be enough for you to not act like an asshole towards him.”

Quinn hangs his head. “I’m sorry.”

“You should be saying that to him.”

The two of them stand there in the cold in silence, Ellie not wanting to budge and Quinn wanting her to go with him. “Come with me?”

Ellie bites her lip, her mood ruined because of him in just a short amount of time. “I think I’m going to go home. I’m tired, anyway.”

“Let me walk you?” Just like the night they met.

“No, it’s fine. I’ll let you know when I’m back.”

They stand there for another moment, Quinn making the first move to pull Ellie in for a kiss. “I love you, Ellie.”

Ellie hadn’t been thinking about love with him yet. She wasn’t there yet. “Goodnight, Quinn,” she told him, turning and walking away, leaving him there on the sidewalk.

___________________

“Have you ever loved anyone?”

“Uh, you.”

“Not that kind of love, idiot.”

“Oh, um. I was in love with Tess Virtue for a while there.”

“While I get that, I still don’t mean that kind of love, Alex.”

Alex laughs on the other end of the call, Ellie getting ready for work while he got ready for class. “El, you’re the older sister here, aren’t I supposed to be asking you this?”

Ellie and Quinn were in a weird place since Ellie left that night. She had hoped that Quinn was too drunk to remember that he had told her loved her and Ellie’s response was just to walk away. She didn’t know if she was in love with him. She knew she wanted to be with him. She didn’t know if she loved him.

“I mean,” Ellie starts, not sure where to go.

“Are you and Quinn ok?” Ellie tells her brother everything that happened, Alex staying silent for a few seconds after she finished. “Ellie, you did this last time.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Not to go psychology major on you,” Alex says, earning a groan from his sister, “But I think you’re more messed up from Dad leaving than you like to admit you are. You have what sounds like a solid relationship with this guy but you’re afraid that if you let him love you and you let yourself love him, that he’s going to leave just like Dad did. He left us with Mom and we never got that love back.”

Ellie takes a deep breath. “Jesus. At least I know your degree is worth it.”

“I could be wrong. I’m only six semesters into this degree, after all.”

“I hate you.”

“I love you, too, El.”

Everything goes back to her parents. There’s no reason she couldn’t love Quinn.

She was in a daze on her commute to the office. Does she love him? Regardless of Alex’s psychoanalysis, even if their dad leaving them with their mom made her think anyone who would love her would leave, is she able to love him?

She wanted to be with him, but she didn’t know what it was like to love him.

“You look horrible,” Kendyl says, Declan trying not to make eye contact with her at their little desk clump, probably trying to not agree.

“Thank you, for that,” Ellie huffs, dropping her bag on the floor before she falls into her chair. “I just had a weird morning. Don’t really want to talk about it.”

The morning passes by in a blur, the menial tasks of her job at least giving Ellie something to take her mind off Quinn. Anytime her mind would start to wander, anytime she thought about him in any way, she would just switch back to work mode and force herself to do whatever it is she needed to do.

“Hey,” Ellie thinks she hears from behind her, someone sounding just like Quinn. She ignored it, figuring it was just her imagination and her officially losing her mind over what was going on in her relationship. “Babe?”

Ellie jumps, thoroughly surprised that Quinn was actually standing behind her. “I thought you were leaving for Florida today.”

Quinn pulls her up, kissing her hello, a soft look on his face that told Ellie that everything was ok. “We leave in a few hours, so I wanted to come by and surprise you. Do you have a minute?”

Ellie nods, following Quinn down to the lobby of the building. She knew that if she went somewhere in the office, Kendyl would probably have her ear glued to the other side of the wall of whatever room they were in to try to listen to their conversation.

“So, you don’t love me,” Quinn lets out slowly, pausing a little between each word, breaking Ellie’s heart each time.

“God,” she lets out.

“It’s ok.” They stand in silence, what they had with each other when they first met already somehow dying off between them. “I’m ok.”

“I want to love you. You know I have other things going on that are messing with my mind. You know me.”

Quinn rolls his eyes, Ellie taking a step back. “What, the stuff with your mom?” Ellie gives him a small nod. “You can’t keep using that as an excuse, Ellie,” he snaps.

Ellie recoils at his words, the person in front of her not the same one who told her would always be there for her when she needed him, that he would help if she would let him and that he wanted to be there, for her and with her, for everything. This was someone who wouldn’t do any of that. “It’s not an excuse. It’s my life, Quinn. You grew up never having to worry about coming home from school and learning that the lights were turned off, or getting scared that the heat would get cut off in the middle of the winter, or that you were two days away from living in a car,” she nearly yells at him, catching him off guard. “I’m sorry that it messed me up and I’m trying to fix it and at least be honest with you about it because I want to be with you.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, you idiot. I want to be with you. But I don’t know what it’s like to be loved by someone who stays. I don’t know what it’s like to love someone who wants to stay. I think I love you, but I don’t think that my work is the place to figure it out.”

Quinn smiles at her, hugging her and holding her tight, every part of her relaxing as he does so. “That’s all I need. That’s all I want.”

___________________

“Ok, if we have to stay all night, then we’re ordering food.”

“I never agreed to staying all night.”

“Ellie, we have to get this done before we go home.”

“Yeah, but I have plans tonight. I’m not staying all night, extra pay or not.”

Declan groans, a stupid smile on his face. “Are you driving to these plans tonight?”

Ellie gets a bad feeling in her stomach, one that puts a smile on her face regardless. This project had forced them together much more often than Quinn probably would have liked if he found out. The client was demanding it be done three weeks faster than anticipated,which meant they had to get it done before Monday. “Nope. Why?” Declan gets up from the table the two of them and Kendyl are sitting at in the conference room to give them more space to spread out, running over to his desk and yanking one of the drawers open. “Dex, what are you doing?” Ellie calls.

The three of them had already been in the office much longer than everyone else, the rest of their colleagues having left early for the weekend while the three of them stayed behind.

Ellie had plans with Quinn that night for the first time in a while.

“Getting this,” Declan says, pulling her out of the spiraling thoughts she was having about her relationship.

He holds up three plastic red cups and a bottle of rum, the one alcohol that Ellie could stomach without any mixer, a sociopathic tendency as Kendyl would call it. “Why is that there?” Kendyl asks.

Declan shrugs, popping open the bottle with ease and pouring way more than a single shot into each of the cups. “One of the clients gave it to me as a thank you.”

“We never get alcohol as a thank you,” Ellie scoffs, Kendyl agreeing.

“Men,” Kendyl rolls her eyes.

Declan laughs, raising his cup to Ellie and clinking it against hers, downing it in a few seconds as he watches Ellie do the same. Both of them cough, the liquid burning down their throats much more than they were expecting, neither of them breaking eye contact with each other while forgetting Kendyl was there with them. “Alright, we work until we’re done. We refill when we need to.”

Ellie smiles at him, the warmth of the alcohol already coursing through her. Her phone starts buzzing, a call coming in from someone whose contact she can’t quite make out. “No phones.”

The three of them get to work, the sun setting without them realizing it as their phones keep buzzing over and over again. They weren’t even entirely sure what the project was that their boss was asking of them, but then again, when were they ever?

They had to have been working for at least two hours straight without moving, feeling like they hadn’t even made a dent in the amount of tasks they had for the project. “I need to go home,” Kendyl groans, rubbing her hands over her face.

“We need to finish this,” Ellie points out.

“We need more alcohol.” Declan gets up, already somehow emptying the bottle into their three cups. He winks at Ellie, yet again ignoring Kendyl and sending a chill down Ellie’s spine before heading back out of the conference room without another word.

Kendyl squeals once he’s out of earshot, shaking Ellie’s arm. “Oh, my god, he is so obsessed with you.”

“He is not,” Ellie insists, the heat running to her cheeks at the thought of her coworker liking her. She’s dating Quinn. Dating a coworker is out of the question. Dating Delcan isn’t even a thought.

“Ellie, I’m not even here when he’s around. You two are flirting so much.”

“I’m not sure you know what flirting is.”

“What about Quinn?”

Ellie’s stomach churned at his name. “Quinn and I are fine,” she tells Kendyl, trying to ignore how high her voice got involuntarily.

“El.”

“Ken.”

“You’re lying to me.” Ellie bites her lip, hating that Kendyl knew her well enough to tell. “What’s going on with you two? You were off last time I saw you together.”

Ellie sees Declan out of the corner of her eye shifting around the desks outside the conference room. “I have no idea.” Kendyl stays silent, Ellie feeling like she has to fill the space. “We see each other less and less now, part of it because of both our jobs right now.”

“Well, that makes sense, that happens.”

“But when we do spend time together, we don’t say anything. We barely talk anymore at all. It’s like we ran out of things to say.”

“Who has nothing to say?” Declan interrupts, plopping down in his chair with another bottle of rum.

“Ellie and Quinn. Why do you have another bottle?” Kendyl asks.

“I have many bottles. Who’s Quinn?”

“Ellie’s boyfriend.”

Declan just nods, giving Ellie an uneasy feeling as they both take a sip of their drinks again, the eye contact between them mixed with the alcohol making her mind spin. “We’re just going through a weird phase right now. We’ll get through it.”

Kendyl recaps what Ellie told her, unprompted, to Declan, who infuriatingly just sits there, the alcohol making him look way too attractive for Ellie’s liking. “You don’t want my opinion, do you?” he asks.

“Kendyl gives me hers all the time when I don’t want it, you might as well give yours.”

“You’re both busy. That happens.”

“See?” Ellie prods Kendyl.

“But,” Declan starts again, Kendyl sticking her tongue out at Ellie like a child, “Being busy could also mean not being willing to make time for each other.”

Ellie took in a deep breath, hating what he was saying. It wasn’t like he said that much, but he said enough. The room suddenly felt too small, the work too overwhelming, the alcohol hitting her all at once. “I’m going to go to the bathroom,” she says, practically running out of the room.

Are she and Quinn not making enough time for each other? Are they just ending their relationship without saying that it’s over? She didn’t think she wanted to break up with him, but at this point, what was staying with him doing for her?

Ellie looks at herself in the mirror. She didn’t know if it was the alcohol distorting her perception of herself or if it was the mirror that probably hadn’t been cleaned in a while, but she didn’t look like herself. She looked off. She had felt off for a while, but she had no idea why.

Was it because of Quinn? Ellie had heard that to be loved was to be changed, but what happens when you don’t like how you’ve changed? How much should she fight to get things back to the way there were when they first started seeing each other? What has to happen for her to just give up instead?

“Hey, sorry,” Declan startles Ellie, causing her to lose her balance and stumble against the sink. “I’m sorry that I upset you.”

“No, uh,” Ellie starts, wiping a tear from her cheek she didn’t even know had fallen, “You didn’t upset me.”

“Can I ask you something?” Declan’s voice is gentle as he takes a step closer to you, waiting for her to nod. “If you aren’t happy, why are you still with him?”

Ellie shrugs, not wanting to look at him. If she looks, she’ll fall apart. “I love him. I do. He knows me better than anyone. I’ve told him things I haven’t told anyone outside of my family, not even Kendyl. But sometimes,” she takes in a breath, her voice shaking. “Sometimes I wonder if it was all for nothing. We have no time for each other anymore. I see Kendyl more than I see him.”

“Ellie,” he says, his voice low as he steps closer to her. She was sure he could hear her heart racing.

She was dating Quinn.

Quinn.

“Oh, fuck,” Ellie practically yells. “What time is it?”

“Uh, 8:30.”

“Quinn was picking me up at 8:15.” Ellie runs from the bathroom, leaving Declan calling after her. She grabs her stuff from the conference room without saying a word to Kendyl.

She hears Declan in the background, calling after her as she runs down the stairs, dropping things in the stairwell that she doesn’t bother to pick up. She was rattled, Quinn already waiting for what had now become twenty minutes without her so much as texting him back the entire time.

Declan catches up to her, everything she’s dropped in his hands when she bursts through the front door of the building, Quinn’s car at the curb with him leaning against it scrolling on his phone. He looks up, his eyes going between his disheveled girlfriend and the one guy that she talked to that he was worried about, equally out of breath and carrying her things, both of them looking panicked.

He could tell Ellie was drunk. He knew she was drinking with him.

“What is this, Ellie?” he asks, trying to keep a calm tone in his voice as best as he can.

Ellie starts stammering, the alcohol not helping her at all. “We were doing that project I told you about, we lost track of time. I know I’m late but I wasn’t looking at my phone so we could finish as fast as possible.”

Quinn takes in a deep breath, looking up to the sky so he didn’t have to see her reaction to what he was about to say. “Ellie, I know he likes you. I told you likes you the night I met him. And, I know you like him, even if you don’t realize it yet. What am I doing here?”

Ellie steps toward him, her legs starting to shake as she tried to process what he was saying. “Quinn, you’re taking me out. You said we were meeting the guys tonight.”

“No, Ellie. I am. You’re gonna stay here.You’re gonna finish the project. You’re going to spend the night with Declan. You should be with someone who has time for you.”

“Quinn.”

“We’ve both been busy. We’ve both had way too many things going on to focus on each other. We deserve better. You deserve better.”

“Quinn,” she repeats, standing right in front of him. She reaches up to his cheek, him leaning into her touch as he finally looks at her. “What are you saying?”

“You know, Ellie.”

They stand there, forgetting Declan behind them and ignoring the world around them. Quinn cups her cheeks, kissing her like he did the very first time. “Bye, Eleanor.”

“Bye, Quinn,” Ellie whispers, not wanting to let go.

Everything happened so fast. Ellie stood on the curb, wanting to drop her things right on the sidewalk and chase after him as he got in his car and drove away. She didn’t move as Declan came up behind her, gently putting his arm around her to try to comfort her. She didn’t hear him say that he wanted to get her back inside so that Kendyl could be with her, so that she’d have someone she trusted to talk to after what just happened.

She just stood there.

___________________

Quinn was miserable. The guys were all with their partners, while Quinn sat in the middle with no one by his side. All he had was the beer in front of him that he didn’t even want to drink.

He should be happy. They were already having a great season. They had already secured a playoff spot. The team was playing to have fun and winning was coming because of it.

Brock comes up to him with Kendyl, the two of them still going strong. Quinn liked Kendyl, but seeing her still reminded him of Ellie, even if the two of them didn’t work together anymore.

“Come on, buck up. There are plenty of girls here that you could at least talk to,” Brock tries to encourage him.

Quinn just shrugs him off, slowly turning the glass of beer around on the table. He wasn’t in the mood to be there, but there was no way the guys would let him leave this early.

Brock leaves to get another round of drinks, Kendyl staying behind. “She’s doing ok, you know,” she says, barely above a whisper.

Quinn sighs. “I miss her.”

Kendyl puts her hand on his shoulder, giving him a sympathetic smile. “I know.”

They sit for a moment, both of them unsure what to say next. What do you say to someone who was still broken over something that should have never shattered in the first place?

“Hey, isn’t that that Dexter guy you work with?” Elias comes over and asks, pointing to the other side of the bar.

Quinn feels the air escape his lungs, Ellie and Declan together, Declan holding on to her as a guy moved past them, pressing their bodies against each other. She didn’t hesitate to take the opportunity to drape her arms on his shoulders, getting up on her toes to kiss him, their foreheads pressed together when they pull away while they looked at each other like they were the only people in the world.

“She’s happy,” Kendyl says.

“She’s happier,” Quinn corrects her, his heart breaking at the fact that he couldn’t do that for her.

#winter fic exchange 2024 #quinn hughes #quinn hughes one shot #quinn hughes fic #vancouver canucks #canucks

169 notes · View notes

octuscle · 11 months ago

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Hi support, I’m wondering if you can help me. I’m in my third year of uni so deadlines are coming up and my social life has taken a big back seat. I met my mates the other night and they keep saying apparently I’ve gotten boring. I never go out drinking with them and mostly stay in and read or write essays. It really annoyed me. I want them to see me as exciting again, as the fun one in the group always up for a laugh. Think you could help me out?

Hi support, I was wondering if you could help me. I'm in my third year at uni, so deadlines are looming and my social life has taken a very back seat. I met up with my friends the other day and they say that I seem to have become boring. I never go out drinking with them and mostly stay at home reading or writing essays. This has really annoyed me. I want them to see me as exciting again, as the joker in the group who is always up for a joke. Could you help me with that?

It's Friday night around 8pm. Every normal student is at least drunk by this time. You're still sitting in the library. Suddenly your screen goes dark and a window pops up: "Please connect the computer to a power source immediately to prevent data loss." Damn! You've forgotten your cable in the student hall of residence. And at this time of day, of course, there's no fellow student around whose charger you could borrow. You just manage to save your term paper. Then the screen goes black.

You don't really like working at home at the weekend. There's bound to be a party in someone's shared flat. And it's usually like forest fires: After a while, the small fires coalesce into an inferno. These are not the conditions under which you can finish your housework. Okay, soberly speaking, the deadline isn't until next Friday. You've already come a long way. The party will be over tomorrow morning. So it's best to go home now, maybe jog for another hour and then go to bed. Then you can be back in the library at 08:00 tomorrow morning, well-rested, freshly showered and with a fully charged computer.

As you expected, there are at least three parties going on in the dormitory. One of them in the shared flat next to yours. Never mind, you're calm. You connect your computer to the power supply, put on your jogging suit and running shoes, take another sip of water and are just about to start running when you run into a horde of chavs in the corridor. You somehow fit right in, you think with a grin. They're all wearing tracksuits and sneakers too. Enviously, however, you have to admit that the boys all look super sporty too. Not as if they go running once every three weeks like you do. Probably students from the sports college. You're walking towards the exit when someone grabs you by the hood. "Hey, dude, are you already so drunk that you're walking past the party?" one of the tracksuits slurs and pulls you through the door.

You've been living in this dorm for a year. You've never visited your neighbors. The party is in full swing. Someone hands you a bottle of beer and asks if you're a freshman. He's never seen you up on the sports campus before. You smile painedly and say that you are studying sinology and political science. Cool, says your counterpart and clinks glasses with you. He would never have thought that fit bros like you would study such nerdy stuff. Now you have to take a sip for the sake of politeness. Your conversation partner pulls a young man with an impressive upper body in a tight-fitting T-shirt towards you. "Dude, can you imagine that bro here is in the humanities?" The bodybuilder fistbumps you and replies that he doesn't care what people study as long as they spend every spare minute doing sports like you. You can bet your life on that, you reply. And he replies "Or a decent tequila! Shots for everyone!" Someone comes by with a tray full of shot glasses. The three of you clink glasses and empty them in one go. And then another one.

Around 10 p.m., you throw up for the first time. This time you still hit the toilet keys. It's around 00:30 when someone has the idea of going to the new club. On the way there, you urgently need to piss. You piss in your own stairwell. No, you don't even live here… You live in the frat house. Then the first gaps appear in your memory. You can still remember the burger you and your mates ate at 03:00. And how you tried to pierce one of your buddies' ears with a beer glass and a nail. Fortunately, someone stopped you.

It's already dawn when you wake up at the bus stop. Damn it, the first bus out to the council housing estate where you live leaves at 06:15. Normally you last that long. But today it was really too much tequila. The thought really makes you feel sick. Thank God it's the weekend. The party continues tonight. And on Monday you call in sick if you need to. Nobody will miss you at work at the city cleaning service.

#male tf #muscle tf #reality change #chronivac #inked man #ai image #chav tf

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ladylooch · 2 years ago

Text

Green Devil with Nico Hischier

A/N: I’m feeling a lil angsty Nico RN. Like I love fluff, but I wanted a little bit of sass from him.

This is part of What My World Spins Around AU. Catch the rest on my masterlist here.

Word Count: 1.4k

Warning: Swearing, jealousy, lil angsty, hinting at smut cause it’s me.

Tonight, I’m living.

Someone bought my coffee in line at the drive thru this morning. Nico is home, and my best friend from high school, Connor, is in town for work. I’ve been dying for Nico and Connor to meet since we started dating, but the timing never seemed to work until Connor texted me last week that he had some time on his next trip. Once I saw Nico was in town, I jumped at the offer.

“I’m really excited for you to meet Connor!” I bubble to Nico as we walk down the sidewalk towards a trendy, Tapas bar.

“Me too.” Nico responds as he wraps an arm around my shoulder. I shiver, clutching his side to try and suck some of the warmth from his body. “Remember I need to leave by 9 though. If you want to stay later, that’s cool with me.” He grasps the handle of the door, opening it for me to walk in. He gives my ass a discreet slap as I go in front of him. I toss a suggestive look over my shoulder that he receives while biting his lip.

If I wasn’t so caught up in myself, I would have taken note of the immediate change in Nico when Connor and I rush to embrace each other. Connor wraps me in a tight hug that causes me to miss the irked expression on Nico’s face about how close his hands are to my ass.

“You look incredible.” Connor smiles widely, taking me in from head to toe. I pose for a second as a joke while he keeps his hands on my hips.

“Find a NHL captain and you too can be this happy.” I turn to Nico who has pasted a polite smile on his face that doesn’t quiet meet his eyes. “Babe, this is Connor. Connor, Nico.”

“Hey man, nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.” Nico extends a hand. They shake firmly. Connor breaks first.

“You too, man.” Connor juts his chin out in acknowledgment at Nico, then crosses his arms over his chest. “They’re just getting our table cleaned.”

“Oh, okay.” I nod. “So tell me all about Miami. I am dying to hear about your new condo.”

“Unreal views. You should come down next month. We can have a fun weekend together. Get wasted on expensive tequila like Cabo.”

“Oh my god, no.” I hide my face.

“She legally cannot step foot in that resort again.” Connor says to Nico, snickering.

“Long story.” I shake my head, red tinging my cheeks. I’ve never told Nico about it because it’s still so cringy and embarrassing. Connor motions like he’s spewing vomiting. I slap his bicep to give him a warning. “Stop. Seriously.”

Luckily, the host is ready to show us to our table. We spend the rest of the night chatting. Connor and I reminisce about our old high school friends we have lost touch with. We stalk their Facebook pages and Instagrams, laughing at how the more things change the more they stay the same in our hometown. Nico is quiet, but that’s normal with people he doesn’t know well. He seems to be content with fading into the background. At least I thought so.

“I think I’m going to head out.” Nico begins to put his jacket on as Connor and I look over the dessert drink menu. I turn to him, surprised. I check my Apple Watch, seeing it’s barely 8pm.

“Oh okay. Are you okay?” I ask, lowering my voice while I examining him for signs of distress. He seems fine. Maybe he’s just tired?

“Yep. Have a good night, baby.” He barely presses his lips to mine before he pulls away, leaving me with unsatisfied, puckered lips. He tells Connor it was great meeting him as he tosses a few hundred dollar bills on the table for the bill. When his body moves from beneath my fingers, I feel an uneasy chill from his absence. Something doesn’t feel right about this. Connor doesn’t notice and dives back into his persistence of me coming to visit him in Miami next month.

“Um…” I cut him off. “Sorry. I’ll be right back.” I say abruptly, grabbing my coat and purse before rushing to the front of the restaurant. The cold air blasts me, stealing my breath as I look to the left where Nico is about to turn into the parking lot.

“Nico.” I call after him, hustling to catch up with his long strides. “What is up with you?” I ask him breathlessly, reaching for his hand and pulling him to a stop. “And what was that kiss?” I wrinkle my nose in displeasure.

“I’m just tired. It’s been a long week.” His shoulders are rolled inwards as he talks to me, grimacing against the cold wind whipping down at us. I sigh, not liking the way he looks above my head.

“Neeks, you seem upset with me.”

“I’m not.” He shrugs, licking his lips and continuing to avoid eye contact. I cross my arms at his chilly attitude. A realization comes over me at the slight scowl on his face.

“Are you… jealous?” I ask with a small smile.

“No, just… have fun with your friend.” He scoffs, shoving his hands in his pockets. He looks away from me and down the street. I can see his jaw tense as he grits his teeth.

“Wow….” I trail off with a breezy laugh. I step closer, biting my bottom lip. “You look pretty green for red being your team’s color.” I set my hands on his hips, wrapping my arms around his back. I secure myself to him tightly, resting my chin on his chest so I’m looking up at his face. “Babe, look at me.” I soften my voice so he knows I’m done teasing. He licks his lips exasperatedly, then turns his sour, scrunched face to me. I raise my eyebrows, signaling I’m waiting.

“Fuck yeah I’m jealous.” He finally scoffs out. At least he wraps his hands around me, pushing me tighter to him.

“Why?” I can’t even begin to fathom why he feels that way. He’s the sweetest, handsomest, dreamiest man I have ever laid eyes on.

“I feel like he knows you better than me. And I hate that.” I snort, leaning forward to press my forehead to his chest. Nico silently watches me when I pull back.

“Every one of those jokes and stories are from before you.” I pause, waiting for him to soften. When he doesn’t, I continue. “He knows nothing about me anymore. You’re my life now. Not high school football games and Applebee’s late night happy hour.”

“But Miami?” He rolls his eyes.

“I won’t go. It’s obviously bothering you, so it’s not worth it. You’re my priority.”

We stare at each other until Nico finally sighs, looking away at the busy street behind me. I get closer, onto my tip toes, then tenderly pressing my lips on his throat. People pass around us, the world continuing on as we hold each other. I work my mouth up to the nook of his shoulder and neck. I open my mouth a little more, sucking his skin into my mouth. His shoulders relax, head meeting mine as his hands grip my back tighter. I pull away just before I mark him, pressing my nose to the wet spot. I run my hand across his shoulder to the back of his neck and cradle his head. A heavy exhale from him ends our hug.

“Okay.”

“Will you come back with me?”

“No, but you should stay. For real. Spend time with him… then come home to me.” His eyes darken with hunger as he brushes my hair behind my ear, holding my cheek. I watch as he closes his eyes, then leans down to capture our lips together. This is the kiss I needed from him earlier. He sucks my bottom lip into his mouth, running his tongue along the plumped skin. I’m intoxicated when we pull apart. I stare at the lapels of his jacket.

“Maybe… I wanna come home now.” He smirks at me as I pull my phone out and text Connor a quick lie. “I’m suddenly soooo sick.” Nico leans his head back to laugh towards the sky.

“Let’s go needy girl.”

#nico hischier #nico hischier blurb #nico hischier fic #hockey writing #my writing #nhl fan fiction #new jersey devils

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wordsmithwhumpsandfluff · 2 months ago

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Word I think you know my request before I'm even done typing it. Ofc its Aiden! I'm thinking, since Aiden and Spirit both like horror movies, they do a little spooky movie night where they get to binge on sweets and its all fine and what not, until the last (more gross) movie, that cause Aiden to be sick in the now empty candy bowl and Spirit is being v teasing saying he got sick bc of the movie, but nope, its because his silly ass ate ALL the candy

Anon: Hi can you have one of your ocs eating too much halloween candy? It can be any reason other context just to much candy.

Two requests for my sweet boi overstuffed on sweets!! Ask and you shall receive!!!!

(P.S. Surprise ending👀👀👀👀👀???????!!!)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“You’re going where?!”

“Hallo-scream at Bush Gardens, because your dad is a fully-grown 2-year-old,” Aiden’s mom said, and Aiden could almost hear her eye roll.

“So, you’re going all the way to Florida? Tonight?!” Aiden began to pace on the sidewalk outside of the college’s entrance.

“Yeah. And we were thinking about visiting your auntie there for a while, so we’ll be gone for the Trunk-or-treat this weekend.”

Aiden couldn’t help but pout. He loved Halloween, and so did his parents. Every year, they bought two giant boxes of candy: one for Halloween night, and one for the local Trunk-or-treat event in his hometown. And he was gonna drive home that very weekend for Trunk-or-treat.

“And you’re taking dad’s truck to the airport,” Aiden sighed, disappointed. “So, I can’t even do it on my own.”

“I’m sorry, Aiden,” his mom apologized. “I’ll tell you what though. We have this giant box of candy, and the airport we’re going to is near where you live, so I’ll bring you a grocery bag full of candy on our way there. You can share it with friends or something. Okay? I promise, we’ll be home for Halloween night.”

Aiden sighed, smiling a bit at the fact that his mom was clearly trying. “Yeah, it’s perfectly fine, mom. I’ll see you when you’re on your way. Love you.”

“I love you too.”

Aiden hung up. He knew he should be happier for his parents. Especially his dad since the guy could barely ever go out to enjoy himself anymore while paralyzed from the waist down. If his dad wanted to have fun, he shouldn’t stop the guy. And if he didn’t have school still, he honestly might’ve asked to go with them.

Suddenly, as if a lightbulb turned on in his head, Aiden grabbed his phone and sent a quick text to Spirit. He knew she wouldn’t see it till she got out of class for the day, but still. He sent a message saying ‘On a scale of yes to YESSSS, how much do you like candy??🍬🍭🍫‘, and then he made his way to class.

— — —

Aiden was in the middle of getting ready for his security shift at the mall when his phone started ringing with a call from his mom.

Putting on a smile, he made his way out of his apartment and downstairs to the parking lot where his dad’s truck was, window open, his mom driving and his dad smiling in the passenger seat. “Special delivery,” the smiling man said. “Did someone order a bag of candy and two parents he’s ashamed of?”

Aiden rolled his eyes, smiling as well as he made his way over to his mom’s open window. “Hey,” he said. “Excited for Florida?”

“For Bush Gardens?” his dad said. “Yes. For seeing my sister?” he pretended to shudder, and his wife rolled her eyes at him. “Rachel isn’t that bad.”

“Try being related to her, honey.”

Aiden chuckled. “When are you two coming back?” he asked.

“Two days before Halloween,” his mom stated, turning in her seat to reach for something in the backseat. When she turned around, she had a grocery bag full of candy.

“You’ll be pleased to know that your mother removed all the Tootsie rolls for you.”

Aiden smiled a bit wider. “Thanks,” he said, taking the bag as his mom handed it to him. “Shoot me a text as soon as you land, okay?”

“We will,” his mom assured him. “Love you, sweetie.”

“Love you, mom.” He looked at his dad. “Love you, dad.”

“Love ya too, kiddo. Enjoy the diabetic goodie bag— hEY!” he exclaimed as his wife slapped his arm. “Okay okay, love ya, Aiden. Bye.”

Aiden grinned as his mom shut the window, and he waved as his parents drove off.

With the bag of candy in one hand, he took out his phone with the other and checked his messages. Spirit had texted back, ‘On that scale, maybe a 8.5 out of “YESSS”, as you so eloquently put it. Why do you ask?’.

— — —

Spirit was a fucking sight.

Of course, she always was in Aiden’s eyes, but something about her outfit when he opened his door for her made his heart and stomach simultaneously leap.

Baggy black jeans with rips that sat a bit low on her hips, and he could see fishnets through the rips. The fishnets peeked out past the top of her pants, and stopped at her midriff, which was exposed because she was wearing a cropped green-and-black-stripped sweater. She has a few chains on her belt loops, a spiked choker, and her streaks had been touched up and were bright red again. Her hair was loose, and almost down to her waist.

Aiden had no idea he was staring, till Spirit gave him an embarrassed smile, wrapping her arms around her waist to hide her exposed stomach. “I don’t dress like this usually,” she said. “I get a bit carried away with outfits in October.”

Her cheeks were reddish with embarrassment, and Aiden sighed and smiled, leaning forward to plant a kiss on her forehead. “You’re so goddamn beautiful,” he told her, his own cheeks red from the sight of her.

Spirit’s cheeks only reddened more, but her smile became happier.

Spirit came inside and saw a notebook on the coffee table in the living room, as well as a humongous bowl filled with candy.

“Damn,” she chuckled. “Your parents gave you all of that?!”

“Yup.” Aiden grinned as he and Spirit sat on the couch together. “And this,” he picked up the notebook, “is our movie itinerary. You said you don’t have classes or work tomorrow, right? Cuz this will take us well into the hours of morning.”

Spirit shook her head, still smiling. “Free all day tomorrow,” she stated. “So, what movie’s first?”

“Well, I have a system,” Aiden said, sitting up straighter as he showed the list on the notebook. She almost laughed at how messy the page was, with bullet points, pros and cons, crossed out words, and even little doodles.

“How this works is that we start with a very non-scary movie, and slowly work our way to scarier and scarier movies until we get to the scariest movie I could find that wasn’t ‘The Exorcist’ since I know you’ve watched that five times. It’s called ‘Terrifier.’.

“Okay then,” Spirit grinned, looking at the list. Her smile faltered slightly at the forth movie. “Um, can we skip ‘The Reef’?”

“Oh,” Aiden said, grabbing a pen that was also on the coffee table. “Sure. Have you seen it? Is it bad?”

Spirit shook her head. “No, I’ve heard it’s a good movie. I just. . . I really hate shark movies. They’re terrifying in a not-fun way.”

Aiden did notice the way her voice deepened a little as she said that, but he chose not to say anything since he got the feeling Spirit wouldn’t want the mood to be ruined.

“Okay. I was debating between this one and ‘Unhinged’, so we can watch that instead.”

Aiden put on the first movie: ‘Hocus Pocus’. From the candy bowl, Spirit grabbed a blue FunDip and he grabbed a king-size Twix bar. He hadn’t had chocolate in a surprisingly long time, and was more than happy to enjoy it.

By the end of the first movie, Aiden had eaten two Twix bars and a bag of gummies. Spirit had her FunDip and a few caramel candies.

The next movie was ‘Gremlins’. Spirit had to pause the movie for ten minutes just to rant about the time Isaac had worn a Gizmo onesie for Halloween.

By the time they got to the third movie, ‘Coraline’, Aiden had a pile of empty wrappers by his side. Spirit, blissfully taking her time munching on a Caramello bar, was unaware of Aiden’s pile which was much larger than hers.

At around 1 in the morning is when they started ‘Unhinged’. It was the first movie that actually gave both of them some chills. He couldn’t help but wince and look away at some parts, and Spirit cringed at them but comforted Aiden by keeping her head on his shoulder.

“I never want to drive again,” Aiden said after that movie was over. “I’m now terrified of every idiot I’ve ever flipped off or honked at on the road.”

“Don’t be. Anything someone tries to do to you, I’ll do it unto them tenfold.” The way she said it so casually made Aiden feel that she literally would.

“Y’know, I’m both terrified and in awe of you.”

That made Spirit smirk. “As you should be. What’s next?”

The bowl was nearly empty by four in the morning, when they finally got to the last movie.

In all truth, Aiden had started feeling a little nauseous by the time they were halfway through ‘Unhinged’. Still, he ate habitually while watching movies—a habit—and he just couldn’t stop, ignoring the nausea as long as he could.

Spirit was only occasionally eating an M’n’M or two as their last movie began, whilst Aiden moved on to his seventh Twix bar of the night. He knew he should stop, but between his habit and the slight lingering disappointment about not getting to do Trunk-or-Treat, he just couldn’t stop.

Aiden reached into the bowl one last time, only to realize it was actually empty now. More than half that candy was in his stomach now, and without being able to distract himself by eating more, he could only feel the stuffed, sticky feeling in his body.

His mouth was flooding with saliva that he kept swallowing. Not to mention, watching TV so late was making his eyes and head hurt a bit.

He had no idea how Spirit looked just as awake and happy as she was when she got there. Witchcraft, he thought to himself jokingly.

But in all seriousness, he was actually feeling sick now, and the movie really wasn’t helping. It was gory and disturbing, and that was only making his nausea worse.

It was at a particularly horrific scene that Aiden felt his head spin and his stomach revolt. He sat up leaning forward slightly and forcing Spirit to sit up since she’d been leaning against his shoulder.

“Hey, you okay?” she asked as he just stared at the floor, swallowing the water filling his mouth.

He didn’t answer, and Spirit put a hand on his back. “Is it the movie? Too much?” There was a hint of amusement in her voice.

Aiden wanted to shake his head, but knew that doing so would only make him sicker.

“We can turn off the movie if you want to. If it’s too much, we can—”

Aiden interrupted her with a gag that came right after a loud jumpscare, and he fumbled for the empty candy bowl, barely managing to lean over it before disgustingly sweet puke poured into the bowl. He vomited harshly between gags, his stomach deciding to rid itself of all the sugar.

Spirit’s hand didn’t move from his back, and she cupped his forehead with her other hand to help him aim.

Aiden groaned, spit dangling from his lower lip. “S-srry,” he slurred. “T-too much—” he didn’t finish that sentence before gaging and puking again.

“It’s fine, I get it,” Spirit said, grabbing the remote and turning off the movie. “This really was a super intense horror movie. It’s fine if it’s too much for you.”

Aiden blushed. “N-not the movie,” he stated nauseously. “The c-candy made me sick. Too much candy.”

Spirit’s eyes widened, and she looked past Aiden and saw the pile of wrappers by his other side. “Oh, damn,” she sighed, the hand on his back reaching up to his nape, her fingers scratching the lower back of his head, making him let out a small, pleased groan.

He felt his stomach squeeze again, and he projectile vomited once again into the bowl, almost missing and trembling from the force. “This sucks,” he mumbled, spitting into the bowl. “I’m sorry I’m ruining the night.”

“It’s fine, honey,” she said without thinking, and Aiden’s eyes widened slightly, the nausea vanishing the moment he registered what he’d just been called.

He lifted his head from the bowl, looking at her. “‘Honey’?

Spirit must’ve not even noticed she’d called him that because she suddenly looked surprised, blushing furiously. “S-sorry. That just. . . came out for some reason.”

Aiden opened his mouth to say something, but Spirit interrupted him, asking, “Are you empty? Or still nauseous? Maybe you should lay down. I can clean up here.”

Aiden just looked at her and sighed with a small smile. “Still a little nauseous, but I think I’m empty. I feel way better. Less stuffed, y’know?” It wasn’t a lie at all. He really did feel better now that he wasn’t stuffed with sugar anymore.

“Okay,” Spirit said, taking the bowl from him. “I’ll clean up, and you should lay down. It’s really late anyway. Or, early, I guess.”

Aiden couldn’t say anything before she stood and walked away to the kitchen to clean out the bowl in the sink. With a heavy sigh, Aiden turned the TV off and stood making his way to his bedroom, first washing his face and brushing his teeth before crawling under his sheets, hugging his stomach since it was still churning a bit.

Spirit came to his room, hovering in the door. “You still feel sick at all?”

“Nah,” he said. He waited for her to come in, but she stayed where she was.

In the dark, he couldn’t see her blushing, but he could hear it in her voice as she said, “D-do you mind if I crash on your couch for the night? I just. . . I-I think it’s a bit late for me to be driving home, and—”

“Cuddle me,” he said, straight to the point.

He knew he must’ve caught Spirit off guard because she was speechless.

“You shouldn’t have to sleep on the couch while I’m in a bed,” he said. “You’re my girlfriend.” He paused for a second before sitting up slightly. “I-I mean, only if you’re comfortable with that,” he said quickly. “If you prefer the couch, then absolutely! I was just saying that if you want to cuddle and spend the night, then—”

Spirit came into the room and said, “Scoot.”

Aiden smiled widely, scooting over so she could climb in with him.

She didn’t touch him, and he didn’t touch her, both of them feeling hesitant.

Spirit took a deep breath. “W-want me to rub your stomach?”

Aiden let out a small sigh, smiling. “Yeah.” He turned onto his back, and Spirit moved closer. She pressed her forehead to his shoulder, and her hand rested on his stomach, over his shirt.

She started slowly rubbing, silent and still completely flushed.

“You called me ‘honey’.”

She almost combusted with embarrassment. “I don’t know why I said that. I’m sorry if it was weird or—”

“I like it.”

Spirit froze, looking at his face that she could see better with her eyes adjusted to the dark. He was looking at her as well, smiling. “I mean, we’re a couple now. Couples are supposed to have nicknames, right?” He smirked. “Right, babe?”

Spirit felt her whole body burn, and she just stared silently at him. His smirk faltered at her silence. “Spirit? Are you—” he didn’t finish, silenced as Spirit suddenly leaned forward and kissed him, her hands coming up to cup his face.

Forehead kisses were one thing, but this. . .

When Spirit pulled away, Aiden’s eyes took a moment to flutter open again. He stared at her, wondering if that had really just happened.

Spirit’s face twisted slightly when he didn’t say anything and she sat up, feeling her throat constrict and her eyes burn a bit. “S-sorry,” she said, trying not to sound all choked up. “I’m sorry, I don’t know why I did that.”

Aiden instantly came back to his senses and sat up as well. “Hey hey, it’s fine,” he said, but Spirit shook her head, curling up slightly.

“I-I should’ve asked. That was out of nowhere, and you probably weren’t ready for that, and I just—”

“Spirit, shhh,” he said, one arm circling her and his other cupping her cheek. “Don’t apologize. Really, it’s fine.”

“I just—”

“It’s fine.”

Spirit met his eyes, taking a deep breath. “You sure?”

He smiled, answering her question by kissing her this time. She kissed back, and Aiden felt his heart all but burst.

He loved this girl. And he wanted to make sure she would always remember that.

When they separated, Spirit hugged him, burying her face in his chest and sighing deeply. “Thank you.”

He smiled. “The only thing you have to thank me for is for brushing my teeth so I didn’t have puke breath for that kiss.”

Spirit laughed. “Yeah. Thanks for that, too.”

#thebrilliantidiots #spirit #aiden #FLUFFFFF #I literally SQUEALED while writing this!!!!!#I love these two so f-ing much!!

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