#and spring only lasted a week and slipped right through my fingers

[peachesofteal]

Through Me (The Flood) - secret baby fic Simon Riley / female reader - request: angst 1/3 - mama pov

"It's going to be fine."

Simon's forehead touches yours, and you take the opportunity to breathe him in, fingers knotted in his sweatshirt. "I know."

"I know you're nervous, but you don't have to be." You sway together in the silence, his lips moving your temple. "It won't be too long, and when I get back, we'll start packing to move."

"I can pack when you're not here." You mumble, still clinging onto him. You've grown too dependent, too reliant. You should have been livid about the house, about how he was arranging things in secret, behind your back, but you couldn't find it in yourself to hold a grudge. How could you? After everything he's been through, his life compared to yours, how could take a sense of safety, security away from him?

Love is sacrifice, you think. You're not sure, but you're still learning.

And in this moment, these last minutes before he leaves, love feels like a death march.

"I don't want you pushing yourself. You're balancing work and the baby now, don't stress about packing. We'll take care of it together, when I'm home." A tear slips over your cheek, and he swipes it away.

"Will you have your phone?" You ask, hopefully.

"I will. Probably won't be able to turn it on as much as I did last time, but I'll see what I can do, okay?" The house smells like lavender, chamomile, candles and tea an effort to soothe your nerves, help Orion sleep.

It worked for the baby, but not so much for you.

"Hey, look at me." He tips your chin, delivers a slow, sweet kiss to your lips before pulling away. "It will go by really quick." You gulp.

"O-okay." There's something sad in the way he looks at you, a regretful sliver of doubt, filling you with guilt until it runs over. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry I'm not good at this, I just can't stop thinking about all the bad things, all the things that could go wrong." The lump in the back of your throat gives way to a sob, its weight choking through your lips.

"Shhh." Simon cradles the back of your head tucks you into his chest, arms wrapped so tight across your shoulders he blocks out the light. "You don't have to be good at this, mama. I'd be a little concerned if you were. I don't want you to get yourself worked up and worry, I want you to focus on taking care of yourself and Orion, okay? I'll be home before you know it, I swear."

"Promise?" The plea is high pitched, weak. A trembling ray of hope against the anxiety and fear churning in your heart. He kisses your forehead.

"I promise."



Your phone rings for the first time three weeks later.

You roll off the bed in an attempt to reach it, still fumbling with the lockscreen when you land on your ass. "Hello?"

"Hey, mama."

"Simon oh my god." Tears spring freely at the sound of his voice. "I'm so happy you called."

"'m sorry, wish I could've called sooner, but-"

"No, no that's okay. I... I understand. Are you... okay?"

"I'm okay, we've been busy, but we're safe." He's nearly whispering, vow low but still soothing, and you close your eyes.

"We miss you."

"I miss you too. Both of you. Little man looks like he's grown two sizes since I left." He sounds sad, and your stomach pitches.

"I know, but you'll be home soon right? You won't be missing too much." There's a long, regretful sigh on the other end, and the two of you lapse into silence until he clears his throat.

"You doin' okay?"

"Yeah, we're okay. I'm okay. Cami has been over a few times, and we've been going to the park and stuff. Gettin' out of the flat."

"Good, that's good." He takes a deep breath. "Listen, sweetheart. We're goin' be a bit longer than expected."

"How long?"

"'m not sure." You try to breathe, sucking in a deep breath, but the air feels sparse now.

“Okay, well. Okay.”

“I’m sorry mama.” Your lower lip quivers.

“It’s okay. I uh… I understand.” You try to endorse your voice with confident, but it only wavers.

“Don’t cry.” He says softly. “Please don’t cry, I’m sorry.”

“I’m fine. It’s okay. Just… be safe okay? Come home in one piece.” He sighs.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

[cameronsprincess]

— summary: kook princess. kook prince. perfect match, right? wrong. you hated rafe cameron and everything he stood for. and he hated you. so when your fathers spring it on the two of you that they’d arranged for the two of you to be married, both of your worlds are flipped upside down.

— CW: 18+ only! strong language, slightly aggressive!rafe, heated kissing, fingering, rafe is honestly super sweet n cute in this.

— note: it’s getting sexy in here😏

prev parts: one, two, three

series masterlist ⤑ taglist form

Y/N

I wake the next morning, my head throbbing and the smell of coffee filtering in through my bedroom door. I yawn, going to stretch my limbs but the feel of a strong set of arms draped across my waist has me stilling, my mind racing a hundred miles a minute.

What the fuck….?

I glance to the right of my bed, the sound of slow and steady breathing I hadn’t heard at first now hitting my ears. Oh fuck. Rafe. What is he doing in my bed? What the hell happened last night?

The last thing I remembered was him kissing me after our parents announced the engagement, and then he lead me into the kitchen where we both indulged in the copious amounts of alcohol my parents had provided for the night. I remembered the two us of finding his friends, Topper and Kelce, talking to them for a while before we had wandered off somewhere else within the house.

We’d gotten along fairly well last night. We weren’t fighting, or acting like we’d hated each other, but that didn’t mean anything… Right? Nothing happened between Rafe and I. It couldn’t have..

I softly lift his arm up and off my waist, letting it fall onto the bed before I lifted the covers, taking an inventory of my clothes. I still had my dress on, my underwear and bra hadn’t been removed… I felt fine. So why is Rafe in my bed? From what I’ve been told, — and just from what I’ve seen — Rafe didn’t sleep in bed with a girl unless he was fucking her.. But then again, he also never publicly showed affection towards any female, and last night he’d kissed me in front of a large crowd.

Swinging my legs over the side of my bed, I plant my feet on the ground, slowly and quietly trying to slip out the bed. I make it out of the bed, tiptoeing to my bathroom, but when my hand hits the knob, Rafe’s voice has my body tensing up.

“Trying to sneak out on me, huh?”

Fuck, he sounds sexy in the morning. His voice is low and raspy and thick with sleep. I release the door knob, slowly turning to face him. He’s laid on his side, his right elbow propped up on the bed with his right hand holding his face as he stares back at me. I rub my thighs together, trying to shake away the throb that’d formed between my legs from just looking at him.

I clear my throat, “Uh, no. I just.. I just need to brush.. Just need to brush my teeth.”

Fuck, I sound like a fucking idiot. Stumbling over my words like a fucking high school girl with a crush… Why is he making me feel things like this? I’ve always hated him, but now… Now I’m seeing him in a slightly different light, and I can’t shake the feelings that are digging their way up.

He smirks at me, breathing out a small laugh before he turns and lets his head fall back into my pillows. I watch as he makes himself comfortable in my bed, my eyebrows shooting up to my hairline in confusion and shock. Rafe Cameron in my bed? If you would have told me this would be happening just a week ago, I’d laugh in your fucking face and say “Only in his dreams.”

Rafe turns his head to the side, bright blue eyes scanning the length of my body before he says, “Go brush your teeth and change into something more comfortable, then come back in here. We should talk.”

I open my mouth to respond, tell him that he can’t tell me what to do. But nothing comes out. I just clamp my mouth shut and turn, opening the bathroom door and quickly shutting myself inside.

My back hits the door, sliding down until my ass hits the cool tiled floors. I run my hands through my hair, something scraping against my scalp when as I do. I pull my left hand down, holding it out in front of my face. My eyes go wide when I notice the large diamond that sat on my finger. Holy shit? This wasn’t here last night… Is this? Of course it is, how could I not think that there’d be a ring? We’re getting married for Christ’s sake.

I begin sucking in large gasps of air, trying to mentally calm myself. It’s happening. He’s not so bad, is he? When the fuck did he put this ring on my finger? Why the fuck is this my life? What does he want to talk about? All the annoying, but valid thoughts run rampant in my mind. I shake my head, trying to shove all the incessant thoughts away as I will my shaky legs to stand again.

Quickly brushing my teeth and taking three ibuprofen, I push open my bathroom door and make my way back into my bedroom. Rafe still lays on my bed, but he’s on his phone now. He slowly turns his head, his icy blue gaze slowly moving from my feet and up to my face.

My face heats up under his intense stare. “What?” I ask, my voice slightly shaking. Damnit.

He locks his phone, placing it on the nightstand and sitting himself up in my bed, his back rested up against the headboard.

“You gonna change? That dress cannot be comfortable.”

I glance down at the tight fitted white dress my mom had chosen for me to wear last night. “Uh.. Yeah.”

I slowly make my way to my dresser, opening it and pulling out a pair of pink silk shorts and a white tank top. I slowly inch toward the bathroom again, but Rafe clears his throat, stopping me in my tracks.

“You don’t have to be shy around me. I’m gonna be your husband after all.”

My brows pinch together in confusion. “What do you want from me? You went from hating me to… not hating me… so fast. So what’s the catch?”

Rafe chuckles. “Who said I didn’t still hate you? You’re stuck up. You have this ‘I’m better than you’ complex. You don’t like fun,” He pauses, his blue eyes searching my face. “Honestly, you’re not my first choice for a wife. To be honest, I’m not sure I ever wanted to be married. But here we are. I guess you can say I’ve just accepted the situation we’ve found ourselves in.”

My entire body heats up. Of course he still hates me, I didn’t expect a week to change anything. But what does he want from me? “You don’t have to be shy around me.” What the fuck does that even mean? Does he think that just because we’re supposed to be married in three weeks that I’ll just throw all my morals away and let him have his way with me? Fuck that, he’ll have to work for me, even if all I want to do is bare myself to him and let him touch me.

I nod my head once. “Understood. So tell me then, Rafe. What is it you want from me? You want me to strip for you? You want me to just give myself to you because you’re set to be my husband? I’ve gone twenty-one years without letting a man see me or touch me, and believe me when I say, I can go another twenty-one. I won’t give into you so easily, I’m not one of your many girls that will just drop to her knees when you ask. So if you don’t mind, I’m going to change, and I’d like it if you’re gone by the time I come back out.”

I turn and grasp the doorknob, pushing open the bathroom door but Rafe’s hand gripping the back of my neck has my clothes falling to the floor, a sharp gasp pulled from my chest.

He spins me around, keeping a firm hold on my neck as his cold, blue eyes stare down at me.

“Princess, you will give into me. You will drop to your knees when I ask. And you will love every second of it, because I can promise you one thing, of all the men that could be your first, you’re lucky it’ll be me.”

I yank myself free from his grasp. My right hand lands a sharp slap across his cheek before I can process what I was doing. Oh shit. Did I just do that? Fuck fuck fuck. He’s definitely going to make me pay for that, and although I’m not necessarily afraid of Rafe Cameron, I can’t help but fear what he might do to me for such a stupid mistake.

His wild blue eyes stare down at me. I can’t quite read the expression on his face, but I can see the fire blazing behind those cool blue eyes, and it’s frightening. I open my mouth to apologize, but Rafe’s right hand grips the back of my neck tightly again, his lips crushing mine in a searing kiss.

I try and fight him off of me, but to no avail. He’s much stronger than me, and his grip on the back of my neck is bruising this time. He kisses me with so much force and passion it has my knees going weak and my heart thrumming wildly in my chest.

Rafe’s tongue flicks my upper lip, and I absentmindedly part my lips for him, allowing him to shove the pink muscle into my mouth. His left hand runs up my side, squeezing at my hip tightly before it continues its way up and around to the zipper on the back of my dress.

He breaks the kiss, his darkened over eyes staring down into mine. Slowly, he tugs the zipper down, the straps of my dress falling loosely down my shoulders as he does. He never takes his eyes off mine as he pushes the dress down my body, leaving me in nothing but the silky white bra and panties I’d chose to wear last night.

Releasing the grip on my neck, he steps back, planting both hands on my hips as his eyes take in my body. My heart picks up in my chest, beating wildly now, I don’t think I breathe as he continues staring down at me.

“Rafe… What’re you-”

He dips his head down, claiming my lips with his again as his hands run down my hips and to my ass. He grips the flesh in his hands, a small gasp escaping me at the unknown feeling. The spot between my legs is throbbing, my thighs rubbing together to try and ease the ache I felt.

Rafe breaks the kiss once more. “You’re very beautiful. Why do you hide? Why have you never let a man touch you?”

My cheeks burn from his question. It’s not that I’ve never wanted to be touched, and it’s not like I haven’t had the opportunity, I just didn’t like any of the men who threw themselves at me. I didn’t want to be just another notch in someone’s belt, and that’s exactly what I would’ve been to any man on this island.

“Y/N? You okay?”

Rafe’s soft but firm voice pulls me out of my own head, and I raise my eyes to meet his. Deep blue pools stare down at me, and something in my heart swells. I don’t know when I’d started feeling for Rafe within the last week, but I wasn’t sure how I felt about it…

“I- I’m fine..”

His brow pinches together, a look of confusion etched into his beautiful face. He thankfully didn’t push the subject though.

His hands roam the expanse of my body, a trail of goosebumps left in the wake of his fingers. He digs his fingertips into the waistband of my panties, his eyes meeting mine once more. “Can I?”

My hands shake, and a large knot has formed in my throat. I knew I shouldn’t give in, I told myself not to give in, but something inside me had my head nodding a silent ‘yes’ to him.

His fingers dip down and into the silky material before the pushed down, letting the soft material fall around my ankles. My hands fell, instinctively covering myself from his eyes, but his large hands come down and slowly grip my wrists, pulling them away.

“Rafe..”

“Shhh, just let me make you feel good, alright?”

I slowly nodded my head, averting my eyes to the ground. He takes my right hand in his, pulling us toward my bed. He sits down first, still clad in his dress slacks but no shirt, pulling me down next and situating me between his thighs.

His left hand pushes my legs further apart, and every muscle in my body tenses. My nerves were on high alert, was I really about to let Rafe Cameron touch me? Yes. Was I nervous about what this meant after? Yes and no. He was going to be my husband after all, may as well get used to him now, right?

His fingers slowly run down my thigh, sending a shiver down my spine at the soft touch. He slowly inches down, down, down until his fingers reach the most sensitive part of my body. I gasp as his index finger lightly brushes against my clit, the sensitive bud throbbing with need.

Rafe’s lips kiss softly on my shoulder and up to my neck, the heat of his breath on my skin making my body tingle. “‘M gonna insert a finger now, okay? Tell me if it’s too much.”

My eyes squeeze shut, my lower lip trapped between my teeth as I nod my head once more. He slowly pushes his index finger inside me, groaning once he’s knuckle deep. “Shit, you’re so wet, princess.”

Slow and steady pushes of his finger has my breath catching in my throat, this felt unreal, like nothing I’d ever been able to do for myself. His lips left soft, wet kisses on the skin of my neck and shoulder as he continued to push his thick finger in and out of my arousal slick core, our uneven breaths mixing together in the air.

“Gonna add another, okay?” Rafe warned before his ring finger slowly pushed its way inside as well.

The feeling, the stretch, it felt amazing. Tears welled in the back of my eyes as he slowly thrusted his fingers inside of me, his thumb pressing firmly against my clit, slow torturous circles being rubbed against it.

A tight feeling brewed in my lower belly as his fingers picked up pace, his thumb still slowly rubbing against my sensitive bundle of nerves.

“Rafe… Oh, God.. I-”

My brain was fuzzy, this unfamiliar feeling growing inside me, white hot pleasure threatening to rush through me.

“You’re close,” Rafe whispered against my neck, “I can feel you clenching around my fingers. You can let go, baby. Make a mess on my hand.”

Strangled “mmphs” and “ahhh’s” fell from my lips, the pressure building up more and more until it exploded. Pure euphoria rushed through my entire body from my head to the tips of my toes, my body shaking and small, quiet whimpers escaping me.

Rafe didn’t let up, he continued to finger me through my high, his teeth nipping at my shoulder, earlobe and neck as he did. My body fell limp in his arms, his fingers finally slowing in pace before he removed them completely. I turned my head to face him, his eyes on mine as he shoved the two arousal soaked fingers into his mouth, sucking them clean.

“I… Thank you..” I said softly, trying to ignore the slight awkward tension that now crowded my room.

Rafe smiled, a real, genuine smile for once. “You’re welcome. I just believe we should get used to being around one another, I mean.. We’re getting married right? And I’ve always found you beautiful, I was just too stuck in my ways of hating you that I would never admit that shit out loud.”

His hard dick pressed into my ass, serving as a reminder that he’d just taken care of me, and I should probably return the favor.

“Do you… Uh.. Do you want me to, help you…” I asked awkwardly, my eyes darting from his face down to his lower region.

He chuckled. “Nah. Another day, sweet girl. We have a lot to do today.”

Oh shit. That’s right, today was food and cake tasting for the wedding, Rafe and I had to pick what entrées, appetizers, cake, et cetera we wanted to have for the wedding. I quickly jumped off my bed, grabbing my phone and checking the time. Shit. It’s ten-thirty. I had an hour and a half to shower and get ready to go.

“I’m uh.. I’m gonna shower.. You gonna be here when I get out?”

“Nah, I’m gonna head home and get ready myself, but I’ll be back here in an hour to pick you up. Please be ready?”

I roll my eyes. “Yeah yeah, I’ll be ready. Um.. Thanks, again.”

He nods his head once, grabbing his shirt off my floor and tossing it on. I watch as he makes his way out of my room before I kick it into high gear and begin getting ready. I tried to shake the feelings I felt from my mind, but nothing worked. As much as I hated to admit it, I was falling for Rafe and his charm. The next hour, hell even the weeks to come, my mind was plagued with thoughts of the one person I never in a million years thought I could tolerate. Rafe Cameron.

RAFE TAGLIST: @drewstarkeyslut @princessslutt @thatsthewaythechrissycrumbles @rafesthroatbaby @sturnioloshacker @starkeysprincess @rafescurtainbangz @atorturedpoetx @redhead1180 @jjsmarijuana @romaescapes @kisses4angel @lovelysturnioloos @maybankslover @bellbottombaby @simars3 @rafesgiirl @urbimom @heartsforrafecameron @antagonize-me-motherfucker @araminsstufff @chaneydoll @bi-zowee @uraesthete @rafemotherfuckingcameron @gibbsgirl7 @queenvane @anobsessedwoman @sunny1616 @princesssuki21

[msmk11]

Best Friend's Mom Part Two

MILF!Wanda Maximoff x college age!fem!reader (Billy and Tommy's best friend)

Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four

Word count: 5.6k

CW: Age gap (legal), best friends' mom, MILF!Wanda, fluff, consumption of alcohol, mentions of food, mentions of absent parent, hints of angst, light smut in the middle, full smut at the end

Summary: You and Wanda had just slept together. You had just slept with your best friends' mom. But what happens after? Will the best night of your life be a one-time thing?

A/n: GUYS. Thank you SO MUCH for all the love on part 1. I was so anxious to post it because I had never written for Wanda before, and I thought it was lowkey crap. But you guys have been so kind, and loving, and supportive, and it made my week. I was feeling a little bit of pressure to write this next part because part one did so well, but I'm happy with the finished product. I've also decided to have a part 3 and 4 to finish up this story because I want it to span the whole week of reader's spring break. I hope that you all enjoy it and if you want to be added to the tag list for this series just lmk.

Seriously all my love, MK <3

There is something hot blowing on your neck when you first wake up, and your sleepy brain is a little more than confused. Through your bleary eyes you look for the source, and that’s when everything from the night before comes rushing back.

Wanda.

You and Wanda.

Sleeping together.

Not only are you currently sharing a bed with your two best friends’ mom, you slept with her.

What makes it worse? It was fucking amazing. And you want do it again.

You know you’re going to hell. You’d just crossed so many boundaries, and you aren’t sure Billy and Tommy will ever forgive you if they find out.

When they find out.

“Detka,”

Your racing thoughts, and also heart, comes to a halt at the soft whisper of Wanda’s own personal nickname for you- one that sounded so different less than 12 hours ago as you made her hoarse with pleasure.

Cautiously, you roll on your side to meet Wanda face-to-face. Even in the morning she looks so incredibly beautiful, with her red waves sprawled out on her pillow, her green eyes soft and warm, and her pink lips just a little swollen from the night before.

“What’s that pretty little mind of yours thinking about so early,” she asks quietly, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind your ear.

You lean into her touch and close your eyes, “You. Us. Last night.”

Her hand pulls away and you open your eyes, “Do you regret it, Detka?”

“No Wanda, of course not. I don’t. It’s just, this-“

“Makes things complicated?”

You sigh and nod. You chew on your lip anxiously as all the racing thoughts come back.

“Honey, stop,” Wanda says, placing her thumb on your bottom lip, “you’ll hurt yourself.”

She pulls you into her arms and places the softest, sweetest kiss against your lips. You melt into her embrace and decide to ignore all your problems for just a little longer. Anyways, how could anything really be wrong when Wanda holds you as if nothing could hurt you?

“We’ll figure it all out in time, baby. But for now, just lay with me for a while, yeah?”

You press a gentle kiss to her neck, an action that speaks far louder than any words, and snuggle closer into her. With her fingers running gently through your hair, and the rhythmic sound of her heartbeat against your ear, you are lulled back into a dreamless sleep.

When you wake up a little while later, the spot next to you is cold, and you know that at some point Wanda slipped out while you were sleeping to avoid suspicion. You know she did the right thing, and that it’s for the best, but the secrecy of it all is just a little painful.

You shrug it off, however, and crawl out of bed. Until you can assess the state of your skin- Wanda’s mouth had been all over- you throw on sweats and a hoodie. As you traipse down the hall you’re met with the smell of pancakes and quiet chatter. Before you step into the kitchen, you admire the pretty picture before you- Wanda sat between her two boys at the table as they all eat pancakes and reminisce about the past. You almost feel bad ruining it.

Almost.

But your hunger wins out.

“She finally decides to join us,” Tommy teases as you step into the kitchen.

You stick your tongue out at him as you sit down to his right and begin to pile pancakes onto your plate.

“I was starting to worry that you were dead,” Billy adds, and you roll your eyes.

“I must’ve just been worn out,” you reply, briefly glancing at Wanda before looking down and shoveling food into your mouth.

“Did you not sleep okay, honey?”

You look up at Wanda again and notice a glint of mischief in her green eyes, “Just always a little restless sleeping in a new bed, but I fell asleep eventually.”

“You just let me know if I can do anything to help,” she says sweetly. And then, she winks.

You choke on your pancake a little and Tommy starts patting your back. When you finally get a little air back in your lungs you cough out, “okay, thanks, Wanda.”

She’s gonna be the death of you.

*****

The boys decide that the four of you will head into the beach town today to look around the shops and restaurants. You’re more than grateful for this, especially with the alternative being that you’d have to see Wanda in a bikini yet again.

You’re dressed simple in cutoff blue jeans and a plain white tank top, and you’ve tucked your hair under a white baseball cap. Wanda, it seems, is still trying to tease you, wearing the cutest flowy, white skirt with a maroon tank top. It’s maddening and you almost scoff at her audacity. If her boys weren’t with you, you’d probably drag her off to a bathroom right now and take her right then and there. Alas, they are, and so you have to practice self-control. It’s still easier than maintaining self-control around her in a swimsuit, so you feel grateful to walk around with your friends and fawn over little trinkets you absolutely do not need. You plan to do your very best to forget that Wanda’s even there, but she has other plans.

Wanda’s hands are all. over. you. all. day.

Mind you, all of her touches are subtle enough that Billy and Tommy would never suspect a thing. But they’re not subtle to you. You feel every touch tenfold, and it leaves you a little dazed after each interaction.

When you get to the first shop, a mini boutique, Billy, ever the gentleman, holds the door open for you and Wanda. The redhead doesn’t just motion for you to go inside first. No. Instead, she places her hand on the small of your back and guides you into the store, letting her hand linger a little near your ass until Billy and Tommy step inside.

At the book store, you find a copy of the romance novel you’ve been dying to read but couldn’t find anywhere. Unfortunately, it’s up on a high shelf that you can’t quite reach. Just as you turn to look for one of the twins, Wanda saddles up behind you touching your shoulder, “I got it, honey.”

She uses you as a balance as she stands on her tip toes and grabs you the book. It’s in your trembling hands the next moment and then she’s disappeared to another aisle.

The local thrift store in town is packed full of clutter. Realistically, only one person can walk down a row at a time because of how narrow they are. Wanda, of course, ignores this unsaid rule entirely, at least when it comes to you. As you sift through the racks upon racks of clothes, Wanda wonders over and begins to make small talk about your thrift finds. Then, without warning she says, “excuse me, honey,” and grabs your waist, shifting you so that she can pass by. Her tits rub up against your back when she does it, and you shiver.

The four of you have lunch at a cute cafe, and sit at a circle table on the outdoor patio. Unsurprisingly, you end up sitting next to Wanda, and her hand magically finds its way to your thigh. You desperately try to keep your cool throughout lunch and hope that your face isn’t too flushed. Near the end of the meal, her hand begins moving up and down your thigh, creeping a little closer to where you want her. You cough and stand abruptly, getting startled looks from your friends.

“I’m gonna run to the bathroom real quick.”

You rush inside and splash water on your face.

Throughout the day, even when Wanda isn’t touching you, she somehow always manages to drive you crazy. At the tourist shop, Wanda decides to try on a sweatshirt. When she’s taking it off, her shirt rides up a little and you see a little patch of her soft, beautiful skin. When you grab a treat from the ice cream shop, you nearly lose your mind as she licks whipped cream off her fingertip to “sample it.”

Wanda’s teasing is nonstop and relentless all afternoon. By the time you get back for dinner you’re a complete and utter mess. But you’re not guaranteed any relief because Billy and Tommy drag you away to swim. Even though you shoot Wanda a desperate glance, she only winks and gets back to cooking.

*****

The evening had been spent by the pool, getting out occasionally to eat a little, and then jumping back in. You competed in races with Tommy, dove for pool sticks, and convinced Wanda to join you three for Marco Polo. As night settles in, the air cools down and the pool becomes much too chilly to bear. Not wanting to go inside just yet, you move to the hot tub. As you sink into the bubbling, hot water you sigh loudly. Your tense muscles ease and you begin to regain some feeling in your chilled fingers and toes.

You rest your head against the edge of the tub as you call out goodnight to Billy and Tommy. Wanda goes in with them, taking the dishes to the kitchen, and you have to admit that you’re a little disappointed she doesn’t stay outside.

The door shuts with a resounding thud, and you are left alone with your thoughts. It’s quiet, and the only thing you can hear are the crickets chirping and the bubbling water in which you sit. You’re blanketed in darkness, even the moon asleep for the night, save for the stars that sprinkle the navy sky.

The peaceful evening soothes you, and you close your eyes. You hear the wooden door open and close again, and soft, padded footsteps across the deck. You’re too scared to open your eyes and see who it is- for fear of disappointment. This time, you’re not disappointed.

Eyes still closed, you feel soft lips capture yours and you gasp softly. When Wanda pulls away your eyes flutter open and you find hers staring back at you fondly. She hasn’t yet joined you in the hot tub, but is rather standing at its edge, leaning over to kiss you from upside down.

You smile softly at her, “Hey, Wanda.”

“Hi Detka. I missed you,” she whispers against your lips.

“You were with me all day.”

“Not in the way that I wanted to be.”

“Well you sure got your fair share of teasing in,” you fake scold, “did that satisfy you enough?”

She slowly shakes her and rasps, “no.”

“We’ll have to fix that then.”

Wanda walks around the hot tub to the stairs and wades into the water. She slowly, tantalizingly, makes her way towards you. You sigh out her name impatiently and then finally, finally, your lips connect. You grab her waist gently and pull her closer to you.

Wanda’s hands find a home in your hair as she tugs on it a little and you moan.

“God, I’ve been dying to touch you all day,” she murmurs.

“I could tell,” you pant, “such a fucking tease, grabbing my hips, touching my shoulders, rubbing my thigh. It’s too bad Billy and Tommy were there, or I would’ve had my way with you.”

“Not very nice to say about your best friends.”

“Hard to care about them when you’re in front of me,” you admit, “all beautiful, and interesting, and alluring.”

You press a final kiss to her lips and then pull away, kissing her cheek, then her jaw, then behind her ear, her neck, her collarbone, and then right between her tits.

You keep your mouth there, hoping to leave a mark behind that will be just out of sight when she wears a tank top or a revealing dress. She grabs your head and pushes it forward, burying it deeper in her chest. Her soft moans and sighs make you grip her waist harder, and you pull her onto your lap where you’re sitting in the hot tub. When you nip slightly at her skin she whimpers and you moan against her.

“You sound so pretty Wanda,” you tell her, voice muffled.

You place kisses back up her chest as your hands move downwards to squeeze her ass. She squeals a little and you press another kiss to her lips to silence her.

“Wanna see you, baby,” Wanda tells you.

Her hands creep around your back and slowly untie your swimsuit. Your top falls away revealing your tits to her. It’s too dark for her to see much, but she still whispers, “so beautiful, Detka.”

She leans forward and presses a kiss to each before reaching out and groping them. You throw your head back and sigh. It’s a relief, finally having her hands on you again after all the teasing. She slowly massages each of your tits and you pant, gripping her waist so tightly you’re surprised she hasn’t yelped in pain. When her thumb runs over your sensitive nipples, your hips buck up into hers.

“Wanda, I-“

“I know, baby.”

Just as she is leaning down to take you into her mouth the door to the house squeals open. You jump apart, a string of curses leaving your mouth as you cover yourself and sink lower into the water.

Tommy peaks his head out, “Guys, come watch a movie with us. We’ve got it queued up.”

You quietly groan.

Thankfully, Wanda responds for you both.

“Okay, moya lubov. We’ll dry off and be in.”

Tommy closes the door, and you groan much louder now, letting your head fall back against the hot tub in defeat.

Wanda chuckles lowly, “we’ll finish this another time, baby. Promise.”

You sigh and nod.

“Here, let me help you put this back on,” Wanda says kindly, picking up your discarded top.

You turn away from Wanda, and she wraps it back around you. She breathes on your neck as she ties it back in place, and her fingers just ghost over your back. You hold your breath, savoring every moment.

When she’s done, she places a kiss to your neck and pats your ass, “there, all done. Now let’s go watch this movie.”

*******

The rest of your evening had been 2 hours and 12 minutes of torture, and then bedtime. You’d sat in an armchair cuddled up to Tommy while Billy and Wanda had laid on the couch together. You don’t recall a single second of the movie because you had been too busy watching Wanda the whole time.

You adored the way her nose crinkled when she laughed, how her frown during sad scenes was a little crooked, and the way her brows furrowed together when a character was being particularly ridiculous. No matter what face she was making, she was beautiful. And you couldn’t understand how anyone could have been interested in watching a movie when the picture of grace herself had sat before you.

It was mind-numbing, the way Wanda seemed to consume every waking and sleeping second of your mind. There was nothing you could do to ease her from your thoughts, and she was so clearly not keen on helping you out either. You desperately wondered if you’d ever get another moment alone before you headed back to college in four days. If you didn’t, you weren’t sure what you’d do.

Was death by longing even a thing?

Your bed had been cold that night, and you weren’t sure how you’d ever slept without Wanda by your side. Her warmth eased your tense body, her arms kept you safe, her tender kisses reminded you you were alive, and her sweet words whispered into your ears filled your heart to the brim. You knew you were totally fucked, but in a state of denial, you hoped that just one more good fuck would get it out of your system.

The next morning is calm and peaceful, the late night before having kept everyone confined to their beds until a much later hour. You opt out of breakfast and instead lay sprawl out on your bed, fan blowing cool air on you and the windows cracked to hear the waves. You decide to finally start the new book you got in town, and you cozy up in your comforter excitedly.

You open the paperback and crack the spine a little with a resounding pop. This and the smell of fresh pages sends a shiver up your spine and you kick your feet happily. Your eyes eagerly scan the first few pages as you take in the plot, setting and characters. You can feel yourself slowly sinking into the magical fictional world before you and you feel triumphant. Finally, finally, you’ve found something that distracts you from Wanda.

And it does. For a little while. But about twenty pages in a flash of red hair crosses your mind. You shake it off and read another page. Green eyes pierce your vision. You blink it away rapidly. Her perfume seems to waft into your nose, and you stuff your face into your shirt. You try to persevere, but when you realize that you’ve read the same line about ten times now and have yet to process it, you know it’s hopeless. You’re never one to treat a book unkindly, but you’re so frustrated that you toss it across the room and bury yourself under your covers.

Since your brain seems so keen on it, you let yourself indulge in a fictional scene of your own- one of domestic bliss between you and Wanda.

It’d be a hot summer day, just like this one, and you and Wanda would be at your shared cottage home in the countryside. The fan would be humming softly above you while birds and bugs chirped and buzzed through the screened back door. You and Wanda would be on your long, white couch with colorful throws, bare legs tangled. It’d be too hot be fully dressed, so you’d each just be in a pair of underwear and the other’s shirt. Maybe Wanda had made you two some ice-cold lemonade that you sipped on slowly as you casually drew patterns on her leg. Wanda, on the other end, would have a book propped open. She’d be reading it to you, in that soft, sweet voice that makes you melt. When you’d get lost in her eyes instead of listening to her read, she’d playfully scold you.

You could almost hear her now saying, “Detka, Detka. Are you paying attention?”

It’s when an arm touches your shoulder that you realize the real Wanda is actually before you, talking to you.

You jolt and inhale quickly, “huh? What? Sorry I was daydreaming.”

She chuckles and you notice that she’s sitting on the edge of your bed as she smoothes out the wrinkled corners, “I just came to tell you that we’re going out for a nice dinner tonight and that our reservation is at 6:00. Do you have something to wear?”

You do, luckily, and you thank past you for thinking ahead, “yes, I have a few options to choose from. What time should I be ready by?”

Wanda thinks for a moment, “5:00 probably. I want to get some pictures of everyone dressed up too before we head out. And you know how my boys are about photos, always so particular.”

You snort out an understanding giggle, recalling the many times you've taken ‘unsatisfactory’ photos for your friends, and then having to redo them all.

Wanda stands then and smiles sweetly at you, “well, that’s all I had to say, but I’ll leave you to your daydreaming now.”

And when she’s sure no one is coming down the hall, she presses a few hurried kisses to your lips and then leaves the room and you, yearning for more.

*****

You decide to doll yourself up extra nice for the occasion and try to convince yourself it’s all for you and not… others.

You’re wearing flowy blue pants made of a silky material and a white tank top with a scoop neck and wide straps. A dainty gold necklace sits prettily against your collarbone and one or two gold bands rest on your fingers. Strappy white sandals are your shoe of choice, and you make sure to paint your toes a blue color similar to your pants. You keep your makeup simple, only a few swipes of mascara and a quick brush of your brows.

You head out into the living room and whistle lowly, “what a group we are.”

Tommy and Billy have dressed up rather nicely. The former is wearing a nice, short sleeve white shirt and khaki pants. Billy has on a nice red polo and black slacks.

Instead of rustling the boys’ hair like you usually would, you pat their cheeks like a fond grandmother, “look at you two, my boys. All handsome and grown up.”

You wipe away a fake tear and they roll their eyes at you, exasperated.

“I’m just glad you were able to dress up nice,” Tommy retorts, “instead of your usual sewer rat look.”

You scoff, more than offended, and this time do go to ruffle his hair, “did your mother never teach you manners?”

“She taught us to respect those who earned it. You haven’t yet,” Billy deadpans.

You smack his arm rather hard, and you don’t miss the way he winces and rubs the sore spot a little.

“Would it really kill you to tell me I look nice?” you ask, hands on your hips.

Billy dramatically groans, “fine, fine. You look… nice.”

You look at Tommy with a raised eyebrow.

“You know you look beautiful,” he replies, “do I need to say it?”

You sit on the arm of the couch next to him and wrap your arms around his shoulders, “just feels nice to be appreciated sometimes.”

Tommy scoffs playfully, “as if we don’t spoil you rotten with attention.”

You wave him off dismissively and reach out to grab Billy’s hand, giving him a kind squeeze.

It’s in this warm embrace that Wanda finds you all when she emerges from her room. She looks absolutely breathtaking. Of course, she always does, but this. Wow.

Wanda has pulled her hair back into a slick bun and is wearing a slim-fitting, long green dress. It’s an emerald green that looks so nice against her pale skin, and the red lipstick on her lips makes them look even more kissable than usual. She has dangly silver earrings in, a chunky silver necklace, and a small chain bracelet for jewelry. You’re literally speechless, your mouth opening and closing like a fish.

“Well, how do I look?” She asks with a little spin.

Tommy stands and gives her a side hug, “beautiful as always, Mama.”

“The prettiest lady ever,” Billy agrees, joining his family on his mom’s other side. She presses tender kisses to the sides of each of their heads, a big beaming smile on her face.

“Honey, could you get a picture of us?” She asks you sweetly.

You simply nod, too dumb to talk, and take Tommy’s phone. They stand together, arms around each other, and they look like a perfect little family. Wanda is clearly so proud of her sons, and them so devoted and loving to their mother. It makes your heart ache, not only because of fondness but also regret.

Billy and Tommy have opened up to you about how hard it was for Wanda to put their lives and family back together after their dad left. And now, seeing them together, so happy and complete, you feel like an intruder. Out of place. And when you think about Wanda, you want her so badly. But you wonder if you want her enough to risk tearing down everything she’s worked so hard to build.

“There, that should be good,” you say quietly.

Wanda steps forward, “here let me get some pictures of you three.”

When she takes the phone from you, your fingers brush, and you jolt away a little. You try to play it off coolly and go stand in Wanda’s place between the two boys. You smile widely, your arms wrapped around each brother, but the ache is still a little present in your throat.

“Okay, I’ve got some,” the redhead tells you, “but I want a few with you too, honey,” she says, looking at you.

“But why, mom?” Billy asks.

“Well I have to document the best Chicken duo this world has ever seen,” she says with a teasing voice.

The boys groan simultaneously and roll their eyes.

“No need to rub it in, mom.”

She smirks a little as she goes to stand next to you.

“They’re just jealous,” she says, with a stage whisper.

And then, when they’re not paying attention, she actually whispers, “and stop worrying, Detka. Everything is going to be okay.”

“How did you-?”

She briefly glances at your lips and you realize that you’re chewing on them yet again. You stop immediately and she squeezes your side reassuringly. You face the camera and wrap your arm loosely around Wanda’s shoulders. This time, your smile is much more genuine.

*****

Dinner had been amazing. Red sauce pasta with a delightful layer of cheese, and rolls that seemed to be coming out as soon as a basket was emptied. You all had indulged in a little red wine too, and you felt perfectly relaxed and full. The night had been near perfect. But something was missing. Dessert.

You don’t have to go looking far, because it presents itself in the form of Wanda Maximoff, sitting there at dinner looking so delectable in her emerald green dress, teasing you with her sneaky looks and seductive red lips. It feels like ages since you’d last really touched Wanda, and you don’t think you can hold off much longer. You hope your eyes tell her so as the four of you sit around the living room coffee table playing various card games. Eventually, you feign a yawn, and proclaim that you are calling it a night- wine always making you a little sleepy.

But that couldn’t be further from the truth. You are wide awake and alert. You waltz off down the hall, but you don’t go into your room. Instead, you take a turn into Wanda’s and quickly shut the door behind you. You wait for her on the soft, bouncy mattress.

It seems as if you’re waiting for Wanda for ages. But you suppose impatience on your end and her need to prevent suspicion only makes it seem so. Finally, you hear the faint creak of the floorboards coming closer and closer to the door. It cracks open and there she is in all her glory. She shuts it softly behind her and you both share a giddy smile like scheming little kids. She uses the door handle as a balance as she slips her heels off and tosses them to the side. Then, she reaches to her hair and pulls out all the clips and hair ties holding the bun together, and her long red waves cascade down her shoulders mesmerizingly. She slowly slinks towards you, drawing you in with her seductress powers. She slots herself between your legs at the edge of the bed and bends down to kiss you deeply.

You inhale sharply against her lips and hold her jaw with your hand. After a few deep kisses she breaks away and whispers, “take that shirt off for me pretty girl. I want to see you.”

To her surprise, and maybe even a little to yours, you say, “no.”

She raises her eyebrows in shock and then they furrow into worry, “do you not want this? I’m sorry if I misread the room I-“

You place a finger to her lips gently, “No, Wanda. You didn’t read anything wrong. I do want this. I want you. But I don’t want you to do anything. I just wanna take care of you. Is that okay? A woman like you should be worshiped.”

Her features soften into what you’d almost coin adoration, but you don’t get your hopes up.

She moves around the side of the bed and lays down up against her pillows, “okay baby, you take charge. Do whatever you want.”

You groan at how soft, and vulnerable, and open she is to you.

God, there are so many things you want to do to Wanda right about now. But what you need most is to taste her. You crawl up to Wanda and place yourself between her legs. You place your hands gently on the back of her neck and lean in for a tender kiss. It’s slow and deep and Wanda just sighs softly. Her hands find a home on your back as you continue to kiss her, slowly adding in tongue. As your hands begin to travel from her neck and down to her sides, just barely grazing her breasts, the kisses get a little more passionate and your breathing heavier. Like last night, you begin to trail kisses down her body. But this time, you don’t stop at her chest. You keep going, pressing kisses to her clothed stomach. When you get to her legs, you teasingly slide your hands up under her dress, fingers dancing around her ankles.

“I need you higher,” she rasps, and you smirk smugly just a little.

“Anything for you, gorgeous.”

You slowly push the hem of her soft, green dress upwards, revealing more and more skin as you go. You push it all the way up, letting the dress pool around her waist. You start at her ankles again, this time pressing soft kisses up her legs until your hot breath is on her thighs. She nearly whines at you being so close to touching her, and you giggle, “be patient, sweetheart. I’m almost there.”

And then with one or two more gentle kisses to her inner thighs, you place the softest, teasing kiss on her clothed center. That alone causes Wanda to moan, her hips bucking up into your face a little.

“Detka, please,” she sighs.

You grab the top of her underwear and pull it down her legs, tossing it across the room somewhere.

“Such a beautiful pussy, Wanda,” you sigh.

You lean forward and press another kiss to her, this time, bare cunt. You know she likes it because her legs squeeze your head encouragingly. You lick one strip up the middle and she moans so prettily you squeeze your own legs together. After you’ve gotten one taste, you’re ravenous. You immediately dive in headfirst, licking and sucking at her soft, pink pussy.

She continuously lets out sighs and moans of your name, honey, or Detka. You hold onto her thighs as you continue to eat her out and squeeze them gently, letting her know how good she’s doing. You can tell when Wanda starts to get close because she only gets wetter and wetter. She reaches down and grabs your hair roughly, shoving your face further into her pussy. She lets out a whine and her back arches, her eyes rolling into the back of her head.

“F-feels so g-good,” she stutters out.

You hum against her and you know it feels good because she lets out yet another moan. To get Wanda to her orgasm, you decide to double the stimulation. Your face moves downwards, sending your tongue in and out of her wet hole. Then, you add a finger to the mix, rubbing small tight circles on her clit quickly. Her back arches again at the newfound pleasure, and the grip she has on your hair is almost painful. But you don’t stop. You continue to thrust in and out while pinching and rubbing her clit. Her moans are so consistent and fairly loud that you’re a little worried her boys will hear. But you’re so lost in her pussy, and she in her pleasure, that you don’t care. With one final hard thrust of your tongue, Wanda plummets over the edge. Her thighs squeeze tightly around your head and your hair is wrapped around her fingers in a coil. Her back arches off the bed significantly and her body shakes in waves of pleasure. The pretty little whines and moans she lets out as she comes makes you want to instantly go for round two. But you don’t, letting her come back down from her high. When she does, she looks a little dazed.

“Well?” You ask slyly.

“Detka,” she sighs, and then she pulls you upward by the shirt and passionately kisses you. When she tastes herself on your lips, she moans again.

You and Wanda are all over each other for quite awhile, and you’re both left feeling pretty fucked out and spacey. Everything with her felt and feels so good. And you know you’re ruined for anyone else. You lay on her bare chest, legs intertwined, and she strokes your back softly. Your eyes flutter shut at her featherlight touches and you’re sure you could fall asleep right then and there. Paired with her slow, quiet breathing, you are in bliss.

“You’re so perfect and beautiful, Detka,” she whispers into your ear.

It tickles and you shiver a little. You place an affirming kiss on her bare chest and snuggle in closer to her side. And as she holds you, as you begin to fall asleep in her arms yet again, you know for sure now that you are fucked. You know then that you are not just attracted to Wanda. You have feelings for her. And the once pleasurable, fluttering butterflies in your stomach are replaced by a big, solid rock.

______________________________________________________________

tag list: @xenaizogie @alexawynters @eclipse727 @idkwhatever580 @opp-jumpscare @starynn @alessiaswifey @noturlondonboy

[iamnotoriginalphil]

Roommates? (Melissa Schemmenti x f!Reader)

Synopsis: You move into Mel's spare room

Words: 3.6k

Warnings: praise kink if you squint, swearing, mentions of alcohol

AN: Written after 3x07.

You groaned as you dropped into your seat in the break room, not hungry for the lunch you’d packed for yourself. Burying your head in your hands, you did your best to try not to think about the email you’d just received. It was hard when your stress was becoming all encompassing after weeks of it.

“What going on with you?”

You groaned again, even when you felt the brush of an arm against yours. The floral scent you’d grown accustomed to over the last few years wafted towards you. Melissa. Your closest friend at the school, and the person you’d been pining after for so long you’d lost any self respect you might have had.

“That place I was going to move into fell through,” you said, “I feel like I’ve seen every spare room in this city and there is no where to live.”

You peeked at her from between your fingers, hating to sound so whiny but knowing that your stress levels had reached breaking point. She was looking at you with a raised eyebrow and an incredulous look. You sighed, sitting up properly under her watchful gaze.

“You know Jacob’s looking for a place too,” Gregory said from the other table.

“I know,” you groaned, “he suggested we look for a place together and I can’t commit to living and working with that man. He once tried to rap at me about the Martin Luther King Jr and I can’t have that in my home.”

“I get that,” Gregory replied, “why are you even looking for a new place to live? Your place is nice.”

“My roommate keeps watching me when I sleep. Sometimes I wake up and she’s standing at the end of my bed just staring at me. It freaks me out.”

“Well hey, I’m thinking of renting out my spare room. Would you be interested, hon?”

You hadn’t expected Melissa to say that.

“Really?”

She gave you one of those small smiles that you’d never seen her give another person. Your heart fluttered and you found your cheeks heating up.

“Really,” she said, “you can pay rent, right?”

“Yeah, of course,” you replied.

“You can move in this weekend,” she said.

Come Saturday, your things were in boxes and bags, and you had a spring in your step. You were humming to yourself as you packed up your car, your entire life filling the seats and the trunk. You took one last look at the building, sighed, then got in your car and drove to the next chapter of your life.

It wasn’t until you were standing in front of the door that the reality of what you were about to do crashed into you. Living with Melissa. Being in her space all the time. Existing in close proximity. She was going to see you first thing in the morning. You were going to see her late at night.

Your crush was going to either get so much worse or dissipate when you saw all of her annoying habits.

The door opened before you could knock, revealing the red head who starred in so many of your dreams. You blinked, rearing back, not having expected her to suddenly appear. Her lips quirked up, hand snapping out to grasp you around the elbow before you could fall backwards.

“Were you planning on knocking or do you wanna live on my front step?” she asked.

“ I was… just about to… can you help with my boxes?” you asked instead, switching tracks without having to explain yourself.

“Sure, hon,” she chuckled, slipping past you.

Watching her lift your heavy boxes set off something primal in you. You followed behind her, your own arms full of your stuff. She led you up the stairs and into her spare bedroom, placing the boxes down on the made up bed.

“Well, here you are. Bed, dresser, the bathroom is down the hall. You can have a a shelf in the fridge. Your key is just there. Let me know if you need anything else,” she said.

“Thanks.”

“Do you need help with the rest of your stuff?” she asked.

“Only if you want to. I can do it myself. It’s no bother.” You had no idea why you were saying no. You felt flustered. You always felt a bit flustered around her.

“Come on, hon,” she said, giving you an indulgent smile, “the sooner we start the sooner we’ll be done.”

She left you alone after pttling the last of the boxes into your room, leaving you to unpack and settle in. Sorting your clothes into colours helped to ease your thoughts, the mindless work turning your head empty. It calmed you, getting your life in order so you could get your thoughts in order.

It wasn’t going to be so bad living with Melissa. She was being nice to you which was more than Jacob or Janine had been able to say after their cooking lesson with her. Accommodating was the word. She was almost going out of her way to be nice.

And most importantly you could keep your crush to yourself without ruining it all.

That night, she made dinner, offering you some and then curled up on the couch with a glass of wine. You were hesitant about joining her, hovering until she rolled her eyes and tugged you to sit beside her.

But it was easy to fall into a routine with her. Surprisingly easy. So easy that you didn’t even notice until a few weeks in.

Sitting at the table on a Wednesday night, doing the puzzle you’d started over the weekend, you listened to her hum in the kitchen. Something was bubbling on the stove top, the smell mouth watering. You looked up as fingers pushed a piece towards you.

“Thanks,” you said, looking up at her.

She was already smiling at you and you couldn’t help but smile back. It was an instinctual response. You couldn’t help it when it came to Mel.

“You hungry?” she asked.

“Always,” you replied, knowing it was the answer she wanted.

“C’mon then, hon, make some room. Can’t have you starving before you finish that patch of sky,” she said.

“You’re teasing but I saw you get excited when you finished the boat,” you said, clearing your pieces away from one end of the table.

Sitting across from her, the lights soft and warm, there was always something a little romantic to the feeling. Of course, you were sure it was all in your head but you couldn’t help but enjoy it, just a little, more than you should. She would look at you, those twinkling green eyes making you flush, and her smile had butterflies erupting in your stomach.

Still, every night felt like domestic bliss. Coming home with her, in the bubble of her house, the quiet night pressing in on the window, it was the kind of life you hadn’t known you’d been missing.

“You’re a goddess in the kitchen,” you said.

She’d waited for you to try her food, just as she always did before beginning to eat her own meal. Her foot brushed against yours under the table, making you jump. She chuckled, doing it again and you felt your cheeks heat and your heart stumble over itself.

Some days it almost felt like she was flirting with you.

“You’re sweet, hon,” she said.

You found your foot brushing against hers again, emboldened by her bashful response. Those green eyes flicked up to you, something twinkling in their depths. You weren’t sure how you looked but you were worried you’d shown your hand to her.

Dropping your foot back to the floor, you averted your gaze down to the plate of pasta she’d laid down in front of you. Her foot nudged yours before resting against it, length to length, the warmth of her skin seeping into yours.

She kept silent the rest of the meal, following your lead. You weren’t sure you could say anything, not with her foot against yours. Certainly not if she was watching you.

You remained silent as you cleared the table once she was done. Standing shoulder to shoulder at the sink, you did the washing up together, working in companionable tandem. You were so in tune with one another after living together for those few weeks, working together came without flaws.

“Are you gonna be watching our show tonight?” she asked into the silence.

You didn’t say no.

Sitting beside her on the sofa had always been trouble for you. Shoulder to shoulder, lit by nothing but the flickering screen, sharing a bowl of popcorn until your hands brushed together, it had always been a specific type of torture for you. The air always felt electric to you, and you knew it didn’t for her.

Except this night her head fell to your shoulder and her body curled towards yours. You froze until she admonished you, doing your best to relax your muscles. And there you stayed until she went to bed, feeling as if you had entered some kind of parallel universe.

Thursday night you’d put the entire odd experience behind you. She hadn’t mentioned it over breakfast or on the car ride over to school. On the ride back home she’d sung along to the radio, keeping her hands and feet to herself. You’d thought it was done. You thought you wouldn’t be tortured anymore.

But after you’d changed out of your school clothes and into something more comfortable, a knock sounded on your door. Opening the door, you found her in the hall, wet hair clinging to the skin of her neck, a towel wrapped around her body. You stumbled back a step, blinking at the vision before you.

“Um…” was all you managed to say.

“Have you seen my Eagles hoodie?” she asked.

“No,” you replied faintly, doing your best to not let your eyes wander further south than her chin.

“You sure? Because I can’t find it,” she said.

“Did you check in the washing?” you asked, hoping that would send her away.

“I thought you mighta borrowed it,” she said, lips tipping up into a small smirk, “you always seem to like it when I wear it. Can’t keep your hands off me.”

You felt your cheeks heat even further, deeper, almost uncomfortably. You looked down at your feet, terrified to be caught staring at her. You didn’t need to come across as a creep to her, ruining your friendship completely and irrevocably.

“I’m just teasing, hon,” she said, shoving your shoulder, “it’s probably in the wash.”

You were left staring at her retreating back as she left you be with your swirling thoughts and thundering heart, breathless from the image of all that skin on display. You were slow to close your door, leaning back against it as you breathed out a long sigh. Pressing a hand to your chest, you could feel the beating of your heart against your skin, practically bursting from your body.

The after image of her in the towel stayed in your mind until you could bring yourself to venture downstairs.

She was standing at the hob, stirring something on the stove, dressed in the familiar grey hoodie she’d been looking for. You blinked then stepped further in. She turned, smiling at you over her shoulder.

“Wanna help me out here?” she asked, seeming not bothered by the interaction upstairs.

“Sure,” you said, wanting to move past it too. Clearly, it hadn’t effected her the way it had effected you.

“Can you keep stirring this for me? I gotta start on the chopping,” she said.

“Sure,” you said again.

Your fingers brushed over hers as you took the wooden spoon from her. She paused a moment, eyes roving over your face. You held your breath, frozen, waiting, wondering what she was thinking.

“Keep stirring, hon,” she whispered, hand guiding yours, the skin of her palm warm against yours.

Slipping away, you kept your eyes on the pot, not wanting her to see the way you were beginning to come undone. One day you could brush off as weird, two made you wonder what was going on.

A warm hand landed on your hip, practically burning through the fabric of your leggings. A soft chin rested on your shoulder, looking over you as you continued stirring. You didn’t know what to do but keep stirring. If you focused on the warmth and the soft body brushing against your back you might melt into a puddle of goo.

“Good job, hon,” she murmured, lips brushing your earlobe.

A small squeak came from your parted lips and her throaty chuckle only made you feel as if you were crumbling in her arms. Those hands on your hips gently pushed you out of the way, fingers plucking the spoon from your hand.

“Go on, go finish that patch of sky. I can finish up here,” she said, sounding as if she had no idea the turmoil she was causing you.

You simply nodded and wandered back to the dining table. You sat, staring at the pieces, trying to reel your thoughts back in. A finger absently ran along the sides of the puzzle, feeling the gaps for the missing pieces. It wasn’t that Melissa wasn’t tactile, sometimes she could be, but this whole thing was something more. A step further.

A little closer to the kind of relationship you wanted with her.

That night she curled up against you again, cheek resting on your shoulder in the flickering light of the tv, hand resting on the thigh hers was resting against. You spent the entire time holding your breath until she slipped away to her room.

Friday left you on tenterhooks. Once again she was normal right up until your return home after a day at school. You were considering retreating into your room and not emerging for the rest of the night. It felt as if she was playing a game with you and you hadn’t been informed of the rules.

And yet you kind of revelled in the attention, if only because it might be your only chance to pretend she wanted you the way you wanted her.

You weren’t given the chance to make the choice for yourself.

A knock on the sounded on your bedroom door once again. You flung on a shirt, covering up as best you could while in the middle of changing out of your work clothes. Pulling open the door, you looked down, finding yourself in one of the lacy camisoles you’d been trying on last weekend when going out with friends for a drink. You squeezed your eyes shut for a moment, trying to contain the groan you wanted to release. When you opened your eyes it was to find a smirk and sparkling green eyes turned in your direction.

“I was coming to offer you a glass of wine but it looks like you might be going out,” she said.

Her eyes swept down your body and if you were a betting person, you thought her gaze might have lingered on the cleavage on display. You found your back arching, just a moment, until her eyes swept back to yours and her smirk only deepened.

“Come on down, hon. You ain’t going anywhere in those sweat pants,” she said.

“I’ll take that wine,” you said, needing to drown your embarrassment in something.

You trailed behind her down the stairs into the kitchen. It truly was the heart of the home in Melissa’s house. You hoisted yourself onto a bench as she poured the wine. As she’d pointed out, there was no chance you were about to head out in the sweats you were wearing, even if the lacy cami on the top was more dressed up than was normal for slouching around the house on a Friday night.

When she turned back around, her eyes seemed to light up. She sauntered towards you, both hands holding glasses of red wine. Offering you one, she drew closer. You took a deep drink, needing it more and more as she took another step closer to you. Her thumb came up, running along your lower lip, wiping away a drop of wine before she sucked it into her mouth, maintaining eye contact with you.

“Mel.” You felt as if you’d woken up into a dream, breathless and unsure of what you could do.

“Yes, hon?” Her voice had turned so husky you weren’t sure you were existing in real life anymore.

When you didn’t reply she took one last step forward, right between your thighs. One hand ran up your leg making fire lick through your veins and your cheeks heat under her gaze. Her lips ticked up into a smirk again, seeming to enjoy the trouble you were having at forming a sentence.

“What are you doing?” you finally managed to get out in a whisper.

“Aren’t you enjoying it?” she asked.

“I don’t…” It came out strangled, “Mel, please.”

“I’m trying to seduce you, hon,” she said, “is it working?”

You nodded, not sure you were capable of forming words. Just the thought she was trying to seduce was enough to send you into a coma. You hadn’t thought she would ever look at you the way you looked at her.

“C’mon, hon. You can do better than that. Say it.”

“It’s working,” you whispered, not sure you could deny her anything in this moment.

“Good girl.”

She drew ever closer, breath ghosting over your lips. You froze, eyes fluttering shut, waiting to see what she was going to do. A brush of lips, a soft sigh, fingers clenching around your thigh. You barely had the chance to enjoy it before she was stepping back from you. The whimper that came from you was embarrassing but the look on her face when you opened your eyes was smug.

“Mel,” you said again, not sure there were any words other than her anymore.

“Do you know the hell you’ve put me through since moving in? You’re so fucking hot and I don’t think you even know it. You’re the exact woman my Nonna warned my cousin Vinny about,” she said, almost groaning.

“I haven’t been doing anything,” you said, addressing the only thing you could.

“Parading around in your tight leggings and these little tops and those fucking shorts in the morning. And when you’re thinking about something your tongue pokes out and then all I can think about is reaching over and kissing you. Also did you know you hum to yourself when you think no one’s around. Fuck, when I see you in the kitchen humming and dancing I just want to pin you to the closest surface and fuck you until you can’t do anything but say my name.”

You weren’t sure you had a good response.

“Yeah but you wear tight trousers pretty much every day at work,” was your only come back.

“But you weren’t looking at me in them and thinking what it would feel like to have my legs wrapped around you,” she replied as if it was the most natural answer in the world.

“I fucking was,” you snapped, at the end of your rope. She’d been playing with you long enough, “christ sake, Mel. I’ve been thinking about you since the first time we met. You’re literally the most gorgeous person I’ve ever seen. I didn’t think you were interested.”

“Hon, I let you move into my house. What part of that says I’m not interested?” she demanded.

“I don’t know,” you said, sounding angrier than you expected, “you might have just been trying to be a good friend.”

“Then let me be very clear.” She took a step back between your legs again, “I am very interested in you.”

You legs tightened around her hips, holding her in place as you lent forward. Your lips ghosted over hers and you were surprised by the noise that came from her. It was whiny and needy and she was straining towards you. You chuckled, drawing back.

“If you plan on seducing me, I expect to be wined and dined,” you said, “no more fooling around until you put some effort in and prove I’m worth it.”

“You fucking brat,” she laughed, a hand curling around the back of your neck to pull you closer.

She kissed you deeply, tongue licking into your mouth, sending your thoughts spiralling away from you. Your knees tightened on her hips, your hands cupping her cheeks, indulging her for long enough to let her think she’d gotten her way. You nipped at her lower lip before drawing away.

“Wining and dining, Mel. I’m not some common whore,” you said, “I deserve romance.”

“There’s your wine,” she said, shoving the glass back into your hands, “I’ll make a start on dinner.”

You bit down on your lip, watching her slam down a knife on the cutting board, grumbling under her breath, trying to hold in a grin. The glare she gave you broke the flood gates as giggles tumbled from your lips.

“You keep on like this and I’ll stop seducing you,” she threatened.

“You stop and I’ll wear those shorts you like all weekend,” you retaliated.

You caught her arm, drawing her in for another kiss, just enough to remind her what was waiting. She softened, gently squeezing your leg before going back to cooking. You watched her, finding yourself falling more and more for her, the anticipation delicious, the woman beautiful.

And maybe moving into her home was the best thing to ever happen to you.

[mysmuttyself]

My care for you

Pairing: Dean Winchester x Reader

Rating: 18+

Summary: When Y/n's baking session is interrupted by the magnetic presence of Dean Winchester, their encounter in the kitchen heats up far beyond the oven's temperature.

Tags: Smut, p in v, kitchen sex, pure filth, improper use of pie, possessive Dean, dirty talk, established relationship,

Word count: 809

A/N: This is basically just me pining for Dean freacking Winchester. I baked i pie last week and i got inspired. Please be nice English is not my first language. Enjoy ;)

Everything was ready. The dough had been stored in the fridge to chill. Y/n expertly sliced the apples, the knife gliding through the fruit with practiced ease, she then drizzled them with lemon juice, before pouring the slices in a pan to simmer with sugar and cinnamon.

She was just adding the last touch, a sprinkle of nutmeg, when she felt two strong, calloused hands surround her just below the waist. His scent enveloped her, a combination of musk and amber, strong enough to weaken her knees.

"De" said Y/n in a plaintive tone. She had leaned his head against his solid, muscular chest. "Would you like me to finish this pie for you?"

Dean's lips curved into a playful smile against her neck. He continued to stroke the skin around her ribcage.

"I know baby, it's that you look so damn hot when you cook for me my favourite plate, so caring and sweet, good enough to eat."

He peppered kisses along her neck, and she melted in his arms.

As Dean continued to trail kisses down Y/n's neck, his hands moved lower, slipping under the hem of her shirt to caress the soft skin of her stomach. Y/n's breath hitched, a shiver of anticipation running through her as she leaned back into his touch.

"Dean," she moaned, her voice barely above a whisper, "what about the pie? I could burn the filling"

Dean's smirk only widened as he murmured huskily, "Screw the pie, sweetheart. Right now, all I want to do is fill you up"

She just had the time to turn off the stove before he spun her around, pressing her against the kitchen counter with a hungry urgency. His lips crashed against hers in a heated kiss, tongues tangling as desire surged between them. Y/n moaned into his mouth, her fingers tangling in his hair as she surrendered completely to him.

Dean's hands roamed eagerly over her body, pulling the fabric of her skirt up.

“Look at the mess you made baby, is this all for me?” He asked moving the dampening panties to the side to reveal her wet core. Y/n arched into his touch unable to answer, aching for more as he started to tease her, rocking his till clothed shaft against her wet folds.

"Dean," she gasped, her voice thick with need, "please..."

Her plea hung in the air like a silent prayer, her heart pounding in her chest as she waited for his response. Dean's darkened gaze met hers, a flicker of primal hunger flashing in his eyes as he leaned in close, his lips grazing her earlobe with a tantalizing whisper.

“Tell me what you need sweetheart” he breathed, his sultry low voice sent shivers down her spine.

“I need you, I need your cock” Y/n begged him. A primal growl rumbled from deep within Dean's chest. His desire for her burned hot and fierce, matching the intensity of her own need.

"Then you shall have me" Dean husked, in one swift motion, he freed himself from his clothing, his throbbing length springing eagerly into view. Y/n's breath caught in her throat at the sight. He was beautifully thick, if a cock could have been defined pretty, it was Dean’s.

Without a word, Dean positioned himself between her trembling thighs, his hands gripping her hips possessively as he guided himself to her slick entrance.

“Are gonna be a good girl? Take me nice and deep?” He asked her in a so very low tone.

“Yes, yes, Dean please” With a slow, torturous push, he entered her, the sensation of their bodies joining sending waves of pleasure coursing through them both

Y/n gasped as Dean filled her completely, every inch of him stretching and filling her in the most delicious way imaginable. She clung to him desperately, nails digging into his back as he began to move with a rhythm that was both primal and intoxicating.

With each thrust, Dean drove Y/n to the brink of ecstasy, his name falling from her lips in a breathless mantra of desire.

“Tell me that you are mine” His words, laden with desire and command.

"I'm yours, Dean," she gasped, her voice trembling with need. "All yours."

With each thrust, Dean claimed her as his own, their bodies moving in perfect synchrony. When Dean's calloused hand reached to stimulate her clit, it was too much for Y/n.

She exploded in a climax of lust, and Dean reached his own orgasm a couple of thrusts later, moaning her name.

They looked at each other for what seemed like endless seconds. Then he finally smiled and said, “Looks like we worked up an appetite” murmuring as he reached for the nearby apple pie filling. He sucked on his finger and then fed it to her.

[cowboykento]

cw: weed (edibles)

splitting an edible with cowboy!kento while you sit out on his porch in the cool spring evening.

you sit next to him on the swinging bench while you wait for it to kick in, your legs tucked against you and your pinky finger wrapped around kento's. you tell him about your day at work, and he replies with his own questions and comments as you go.

you can feel it behind your eyes and floating in your head first, in the middle of kento's question, and you wonder if he notices the way your eyes have slowly started to squint.

he can, but only because he's so aware of the tingling in his cheeks and the floating sensation in his head. he looks at you like you're a vision, his own eyes falling almost shut just like yours.

"'m sorry, what did you say?" you ask, too distracted by the sensation overtaking you to really have heard him.

"asked ya how that project ya started last week was goin'," he smiles widely at you, a kind of goofy grin pulling his lips in a way you don't think you've ever seen before. "y'gettin' distracted?"

you giggle at him, scooting in closer to him so that you're neatly tucked into his side, your head resting on his shoulder and your fingers intertwining with his.

"little bit," you reply. "hard not to with the way you were looking at me."

he nuzzles his cheek on the top of your head, "and how was i lookin' at ya, darlin'?"

you think about how much thicker his accent is already now that he's starting to really feel his high. you want to tease him about it, but the thought slips out of your mind as easily as it comes. it's easy to get distracted feeling kento so close next to you.

"like you're stupid in looove," you poke at his side, teasing him. "biggest grin on your pretty face, ken. mmm, you're so handsome."

he tilts his head and presses a kiss on your cheek, "i am stupid in love with ya, sweetheart. you already knew that though, don'tcha?"

you smile just as widely as him, turning and facing him so you can kiss his lips. you bring your hand up to cup his jaw, your fingers pressing against his skin gently, lovingly.

he kisses you back enthusiastically, letting himself melt into you, fully indulging in the feeling and taste of your lips on his. his head may feel like it's in the clouds, but your lips are what tethers him to earth, and he thinks that it's just perfect.

"i do," you pull away, taking a quick, smiling breath. "i do know that. you're the most perfect man in the world. can't even imagine not loving you."

he pulls your lips back against his before replying, "oh, darlin', i love ya more than anythin'," he kisses you again, pulling you onto his lap. "more than anythin'. it's so easy lovin' you, my perfect angel, oh i love you."

you giggle against his lips, your heart warm as you wrap your arms around his neck. kento's always loving, but you can't get enough of his affection right now.

his hands come up to hold your face tenderly, his love pouring out through his lips, his hands, and his heart all the same.

cowboy!kento masterlist || sfw masterlist

[musings-of-a-rose]

I Never Stopped Loving You

I Never Stopped Loving You

Pairing: Joel Miller x OFC “Catie”

Word Count: 7700+

Rating: Mature - 18+ ONLY!

Warnings: Just like ao3, “creator chooses not to use warnings.” If you click Keep Reading, that means you agree that you’re the age to handle mature themes. Also by clicking Keep Reading, you understand warnings may not be complete in order to avoid spoilers for the story. 

Notes:  @theewokingdead is such an enabler and I love her for it! This is 100% her idea (I’ll post it at the end). I’m just doing the words!

And yes, this is my first OFC character! 

**If you want to be added to the taglist, join here or let me know!

Main Masterlist

Joel Miller Masterlist

I Never Stopped Loving You Part 2>>

September 26th, 2013

2 pink lines.

2 little pink lines that will change the entire course of my life from here on out. Not just my life, but his life too.

Joel.

It’s not like we just started dating. It’s been a couple of years, but we hadn’t really brought up the idea of adding another child alongside his Sarah. And yet, here I am, staring down in disbelief at these 2 little pink lines, memories of the night that caused this from a couple weeks ago flashing before my eyes briefly before my brain starts to spiral.

Would he be happy? Mad? Leave me? Feel obligated to marry me? How will Sarah feel?

Before I can spiral more, my phone springs to life, it’s ring loud in my tiny bathroom as it vibrates across the counter. I knew from the ring it was him, but what I didn’t expect was Joel to sound so tired and frustrated.

“Hey baby.”

“Hey, sweetheart.”

“Is that contractor being a dick again?”

He chuckles, low and deep. “How’d you guess?”

“He’s been giving you shit for weeks. I don’t know how you deal with it.”

“Because I need the money. But I’m starting to think it may not be worth it to keep my mouth shut.”

He launches into a story about his day from hell, how the contractor is making everything take 10 times as long as it should. When he finishes, he takes a deep sigh before speaking again.

“You able to check on Sarah?”

“Yeah. She’s doing fine. Ordered a pizza. Sorry I couldn’t hang with her.”

“It’s alright. You feelin’ any better, sweetheart?”

I could tell him now, tell him that my secret suspicion of my nausea over the last several days has been confirmed, but I don’t want to tell him like this. Not over the phone, not when he’s exhausted and frustrated. I’ll tell him when I see him next.

“A little.”

A beep sounds and Joel pauses. “That’s Tommy. I’ll call him back later.”

“No, no. It’s ok, answer it. Just go home and get some sleep.”

“You sure?”

“Positive. See you tomorrow?”

“Definitely, sweetheart. Feel better.”

I feel guilty for not telling him right away, but the timing just isn’t right. Besides, this gives me some time to wrap my own head around it and figure out exactly how to tell him.

—----

Waiting was not a great idea.

I had fallen asleep at some point, but I was woken up by…is that screaming? Something is happening outside and it doesn’t sound good. 

Creeping up to the window, I pull the curtains back just enough to peek outside. People are moving about the street, but something isn’t right. They’re all running from Mr. Stevens, my neighbor from several houses down. He’s running after them, but it’s not normal. No…not human. He leaps forward, jumping onto the nearest person and…shit!

I run back to my nightstand and grab my phone. The first few times I try to get a call out, it’s a busy signal. Whether the lines are cut or busy is beyond me, but I have to keep trying. My fingers tremble as I use speed dial to try to get Joel. The phone slips from my hand and clatters to the floor.

“Shit!”

I bend down and pick it up, hitting the green call button and miraculously, the call goes through. My breathing speeds up, I feel like my heart is about to pound out of my chest. I’ve never needed a call to go through more than now-

“Catie?”

“Joel?”

“Thank God. Listen, somethin’ is happening. Something with the people-”

“I know. I saw the neighbor-”

“Stay away from them-.....not right-....Sarah and I-.....”

“Joel?” The line keeps breaking up, static cutting out more than half of whatever he was trying to tell me.

“....just stay put….no lights….there soon…”

“I- ok. I’ll stay here.”

“Love you, sweethea-”

The phone cuts off and the connection dies with it. I pull the phone away from my ear and look down at the screen. My phone still has battery but over the service bars is an X. Guess they either cut the service or something happened at a tower. Either way, it’s not good. 

I stay there a moment longer until more screams and glass breaking from across the street somewhere bring me harshly back to reality. I click my lamp off and head into my closet, finding the new hiking backpack I’d bought a couple weeks ago with Joel, who planned to take Sarah and I hiking soon. Be smart, Catie. It’s just like camping. What do I need realistically?

I’m no stranger to traveling, so I roll all my clothes, putting on a 3rd pair of jeans and a shirt, making sure to pack and wear thicker socks that will last longer. I also toss in a bar of soap, my waterproof matches and firestarter, some salves I had just finished making last week, and some other random items. The pack isn’t too heavy, which I’m grateful for. I grab one of Joel’s flannels and throw it on over my clothes before hoisting the backpack over one shoulder. 

Quietly, I creep downstairs, ears straining to hear anything out of place. I hear nothing - well, nothing aside from the ominous noises from outside. I’m so glad that I have curtains all around my house, never wanting people to see in, especially at night. I fill my canteen with water and grab a bunch of high protein, portable snacks, tossing them in my bag and strapping the water to the side. I make up another canteen to add to the other side to balance the weight. Plus, having extra water wasn’t a bad thing. Right?

I kept my phone on me in case Joel managed to get through again. I pull it out to see if anything had changed, but nothing. It’s been at least 20 minutes since I spoke to him, but even if he had left his home right at that moment, it would still be another 5 or so minutes before he’d get here. And I’m sure he’s running into obstacles outside. 

When it hits the hour mark, I become officially worried. 

I know he told me to stay put, but the screams outside are lessening, which can only mean one thing. I’m not waiting around for it to be my turn.

Grabbing a pen, I scribble a quick note telling Joel to meet me at the cabin, my parent’s cabin that they had given me to use with Joel and Sarah. It’s out in the middle of nowhere but it’s self sustainable and the perfect place to hideout from…whatever is happening. 

I leave the note in a conspicuous place, hoping that he’ll be able to see it. I check the knives I stored in my boot and one in a leg strap on my thigh. Initially a gag gift from my brother when I started hiking more, I learned how to use them a little, just in case. Otherwise, I have my bow-my bow!

Quickly, I head into my office closet and grab my bow and quiver of arrows, making sure I have the proper attachments for attaching them to my backpack. I pick up my keys, fingers trembling and I nearly drop them. 

Then my sliding door crashes open, glass shattering everywhere, inhuman noises coming from whatever fell through it.

I don’t even bother to look, throwing open the front door and slamming it behind me, eyes scanning the yard for any threats. Thank God I have a keyless entry, the car unlocking for me and I throw my bag and bow in as I slide in the seat of my suv, slamming the door shut behind me. I fumble with the keys, trying to jam them in the ignition when I hear my front door slam against the ground. I manage to jam the key in and the engine turns over. I backup quickly out of my driveway and peel off down the street as Mr. Stevens comes out of my house, moving towards my car but quickly giving up as I drive away. 

I make it about 10 blocks when I see her. My neighborhood friend Lucia, running for her life from…something who used to be a someone. No hesitation, I turn my suv, slamming into the something and sending it flying. Lucia turns and sees me, eyes wide with fear as she runs towards me as I beckon her to get in. She throws open the passenger door and screams at me to go before she even closes it behind her. I do, speeding off down the road and somehow managing to get out of the nieghborhood without road blocks or hitting anything else.

For now, I’m ignoring what I see and focusing on getting us out. 

Lucia says nothing, eyes scanning the road and looking behind us to make sure everything is clear. By the grace of a higher power, we manage to make it to the back highway that will eventually bring us to my parent’s cabin. Or my cabin now, I guess. 

“Luce, are you ok?”

Lucia is breathing heavy but she nods, turning her head towards me as she starts to relax slightly. “Thank you for stopping. I..I wouldn’t have made it otherwise.”

“I’m just glad I could help.”

A few moments of silence pass between us before I speak again.

“Are you hurt or..or bit? I don’t..I don’t know what-”

“No. I don’t know how but no.”

“What are they?”

Lucia takes a shaking breath and I can hear her trying to hold back tears. “I..I don’t know. They aren’t…they were people but now?”

“Yeah that’s pretty much all I saw too…oh is there anywhere I need to go or drive by for you?”

She looks away from me quickly. “I uh…no.”

“Where’s your brother?”

She was quiet for a moment. “He left on his business trip a day ago.”

Right. Japan or something.

I reach over and squeeze her hand, feeling us both shaking. “I’m sure he’s fine.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.”

More silence.

“What about Joel? And Sarah?”

“I uh…I was waiting for them but… I left a note telling them where to meet me.”

“Oh. I’m sure they’re fine.”

We drive for a little bit longer, Lucia messing with the radio to try and find anything that was playing. It was all just static. I take the exit I need and clear my throat.

“I’m pregnant.”

Lucia’s head snaps towards me. “You’re what?”

I let out a sarcastic laugh. “Great timing, huh?”

“Does Joel know?”

A sob jumps out of my throat, one I didn’t know I had. “No. I..he had a hard day at work and I figured I’d tell him tomorrow…”

“Oh, Cat. It’s ok. He…he’ll find you for sure. I know it. Buuut…until then, you have me! Wait, did you pick me up just because I’m a midwife?” I can hear the smile in her words, but she’s still not 100% certain.

“I picked you up because you needed help. And you didn’t look injured.” She laughs at my admission. 

“I love your honesty, Cat.”

We chat about the pregnancy the entire way, only quieting when we reach the long, hidden drive to my cabin. We do a quick perimeter check, inside and out. Nothing and no one. The closest neighbors we have are literally miles away. We have more chances of seeing a bear than another person. 

Lucia helps me unload the few things I have in the car and heads inside. We take a quick stock of all pantry items and I’m thankful that Sarah and I did so much canning the last time we were here. She had gotten slightly obsessed with the idea and was looking forward to eating it when they were ready. Water wouldn’t be an issue either as we have our own private well, no need for electricity. Which is good because that doesn’t work without the generator and we are not turning that on. It’s too noisy and would attract trouble.

Lucia and I have a low key dinner of beef sticks and some dried vegetables, chatting with each other to try and lighten the dark cloud that has crept over the world. She heads off to one of the bedrooms and I head off to mine, the one I share with Joel. Once I’m finally able to collapse in the bed, I allow myself a moment to cry, worrying about Joel and Sarah and the baby that’s currently growing inside of me. I still have hope they’ll make their way here. I have to or I’ll crumble into bits and float away on the wind.

—----

20 years later…

Lucia and I stayed in the cabin for nearly 10 years. She helped me safely bring my daughter Penelope, or “Poppy”, earthside. We raised her in the cabin, teaching her everything she needed to know about survival and life, despite her young age. This is how life is now. She’s still allowed to have kid time of course, which is why there are murals painted on nearly every corner of the cabin. 

About 10 years in, Lucia, who had never given up on finding someone or a transmission on either the radio or the ham radio, finally found one talking about a settlement in Jackson, Wyoming. It would take us nearly a month to get there, let alone the danger we’d be in. The suv would never make it, having given out years ago, but luckily we had managed to make a small farm for us and that included a few horses and a couple that could pull a wagon or 2. After gathering up all the information we could on Jackson, we determined it must be a real place and put it to a vote with all of us. After the winter snows melted, we left for Jackson, packing up our entire lives, or what we could anyway, and plotting out the safest route possible. It would take us about a month, especially with the detours we were taking, but they were necessary to avoid the areas that would most likely have bandits. Or worse.

The last thing I did before I closed the door was to write a letter to Joel and Sarah, telling them where we were going. Even 10 years later, I had not given up on them.

—----

A month later, we arrived in Jackson, a few more scrapes and bruises to our name, but luckily, we hadn’t run into too much trouble.

Lucia got work right away, considering her background as an official midwife. I was hired to help with the gardening because of my immensely green thumb and knowledge of herbs, and Poppy was allowed to help with the livestock we brought, after school was done for the day. Poppy was beside herself with the idea of going to actual school, even though she knew most of what they were teaching anyway. 

We all settled nicely, Lucia falling in love with a nice man on the other side of town, eventually moving in with him and starting a family of their own. Poppy made a ton of friends, finally allowed the freedom to be a kid for more than a couple of hours. 

As for me? 

I never really dated anyone, my heart given to Joel a long time ago. I know the likelihood of seeing him again is extremely slim, but I still have a tiny sliver of hope that he’s around. And maybe he’s heard about Jackson and will head this way. Which didn’t impact my decision to come here. Nope. Not at all. 

But the biggest surprise that Jackson held for us was Tommy, Joel’s brother. He was married to Maria, the woman who started this community with her father, and lived on the farm where they kept the horses. Poppy and he got along right away, her begging for more stories about her dad and he would pretend to be annoyed but would give in every single time. She continued this ritual as she grew, eventually bringing her boyfriends with her, searching for Tommy’s approval, just like a father.

One beautiful fall day, I’m walking through the market, trading for new produce and supplies when I hear some people gossiping over lemonade at the small eatery in town. I tend to ignore gossip, never having been one for it, until the phrase “Tommy Miller’s brother” reaches my ear. I freeze, listening intently on their words, but I’m only able to make out that he was here in town. 

Joel was here. In Jackson.  Joel. 

I turn, marching towards the small group of people that were doing the gossiping when I heart the alert - bandits were attempting to attack the dam. Growling out in frustration, I turn to run towards that side of town, slinging the rifle from around my back once I assumed my nearly hidden position on the wall. We make quick work of the bandits, especially since we are heavily fortified and secured. That doesn’t stop them from trying, though. 

Once the attack is over, I search the throngs of people for Tommy, just spotting him getting on his horse and heading home. Cursing, I turn, heading towards Tommy’s house on foot, my mind now completely on Joel since the bandit attack was over. Was he still in town? Does he know I’m here? Does he know he has a daughter?

I arrive at the farm and immediately head for the barn, knowing Tommy would still be tending to his horse. Sure enough, he had just finished putting her away, locking the gate behind him.

“Tommy!”

He sighs and doesn’t look at me right away. Which tells me he knows exactly why I’m here.

“Hey, Catie.”

“Is he here?” I’m standing just a couple feet from him, arms crossed and my foot tapping slightly with nerves.

“Who?”

“Fuck you, Tommy. You know who.”

“I-”

“Tell me the truth.”

He meets my gaze for a moment before nodding. “He was.”

He was here. Joel was here, in Jackson, alive and I didn’t- wait. Did he say was?

I swallow hard, willing my tears to just wait until I’m by myself. “Is he ok?”

“Yeah. Well, I mean as much ok as we all are.”

I let out a breath of relief. He was ok. Probably a little worse for wear but he was ok.

“Did…did you tell him I’m here?”

Tommy studies me for several moments, his dark eyes bouncing between mine, as if he’s debating with himself. “I…did.”

He knows I’m here. Joel knows I’m here, alive and well and he just-

Oh. 

Of course. It’s been nearly 20 years and it would be ridiculous to think the man still loved me after all this time. He didn’t even know I was still alive. He’d never even met his daughter. If he no longer cared about me, fine. But why wouldn’t he want to meet his daughter? Unless…

“Did you tell him about Poppy?”

Tommy’s entire stance is apologetic and I know his reply before his lips even part. “No.”

“What the fuck, Tommy?”

He puts his hands up in a calming manner. “It shouldn’t come from me.”

“Fuck you, Tommy! He doesn’t even know he has another daughter. He deserves to know-”

“You’re right, he does. But not from me-”

“I can’t fucking believe this. It’s been 20 years, Tommy. 20 years and he didn’t even stop to say hi? Maybe if you’d have told him about Poppy, he’d at least stayed long enough to see her.”

I poke him in the chest as hard as I can. “It’s your fault he left!”

Tommy grabs my wrist and pulls me closer, his voice lowering to just above a whisper. “He had other things to take care of.”

“What could be more important than family?”

“All of humanity.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

“He had a girl with him. Maybe…14? 15?”

My heart sinks. Did he have another daughter after the clickers came? As if he could read my mind, Tommy shakes his head.

“Not his. Her name is Ellie and she’s….special.”

“That’s disgusting, Tommy.”

He gives me a look. “She was bit.”

“Bit? And you let her into Jackson?”

“And she hadn’t turned.”

I could feel my eyes grow wide. Bit? Without turning? That’s impossible.

“How do you -”

“Saw the bite myself. I’ve seen enough of ‘em to know what they look like. It’s legit.”

“Fuck,” I whisper. This is huge. Definitely bigger than me.

“Yeah… anyway, he was takin’ Ellie to the Fireflies because they can supposedly make a cure out of her blood. Or that’s the hope anyway.”

“A cure?”

“Yup. This whole mess could be put behind us.”

This…this is life changing. World changing. My 20 year long devotion to a man I was deeply in love with paled in comparison to a cure for the clickers. Tommy told me Joel still had a long way to go, but if anyone could make it, he could. 

“ ‘m sorry, Cat. I wish he could’ve stayed to say hi.”

“Did…did he say anything about me?” I hate how needy I sound.

“Honestly, we didn’t really talk about you other than me mentioning you were here. The focus was Ellie.”

I nod. The focus was on the right thing.

“Do you think he’ll come back?”

He rubs the back of his neck. “I doubt it. It’s a long trek and pretty dangerous. He’d be smart to just stay put, especially to take care of Ellie.”

I left the barn and headed straight home. Poppy was out with her boyfriend so I had the whole place to myself. Which gave me plenty of alone time to cry and, for the first time in 20 years, try to move on from the dream I had about starting a little family with a man I never stopped loving.

—----

Spring in Jackson is always beautiful. The colors come alive, blooming from every surface they can for miles in greeting the season change. It’s also the perfect time to start planting certain crops so they’ll be ready when it comes harvest season. 

I’ve finished planting in the community garden, dirt crusted under my fingernails despite my scrubbing at the garden sink. I’ll be able to use a brush at home, but for now, I smile at the grime on my clothes. It means Jackson will have food and enough to last through winter. 

Taking off my apron, I toss it into the laundry basket to be cleaned and head towards the home I share with Poppy. She doesn’t spend as much time there these days, but I can hardly blame her. She is 20 and in a pretty serious relationship. I would not be surprised if the boy popped the question any day now. 

I turn onto Main Street and Mrs. NoseyPants stops me. I know it’s not her real name but it fits her better.

“Catie! How are the crops going? Jackson going to survive?”

“Mmhhmm. We should be great.” I try to step around her, but she blocks my path.

“How’s that daughter of yours? Still getting on with the Miller boy?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I hope he makes an honest woman of her before something happens.”

“Something happens?”

She looks around, as if she expects anyone to actually give a fuck about what we’re saying. “Yes. Like an out of wedlock child.”

I plaster on a fake smile. “Oh yeah. That would be terrible, wouldn’t it?”

“I don’t like your tone, Catie.”

I open my mouth to offer some sarcastic retort about not really giving a rat’s ass what she thought of my tone, but my gaze moves over her shoulder and the crowd parts just enough for me to see him.

Joel. 

Unmistakably him, despite what the last 20 years has put on his shoulders. His back is to me, but his head is turned to the side, looking at all of the houses and buildings that line Main Street. Fuck he’s still handsome.

“Are you listening to me, Catie?”

I blink but don’t take my eyes off Joel, afraid he’d disappear if I did. “Full offense Mrs. Bennett, but I don’t have time to listen to your outdated and hateful words. Have a nice day.”

I know her jaw has dropped as I scoot around her, and I know I’ll probably pay for that later, but I couldn’t care less. My eyes are fixed on him as he walks slowly, eyes still moving from house to to house, taking it all in. I’m only several feet away before someone literally walks into him, dropping the giant stack of boxes they had been carrying.

“I am so sorry sir!”

The young man stoops to try and gather up the boxes and Joel turns to face him, bending to help him gather them up and reassemble them in his arms. “Don’t worry about it.”

The boy nods and takes off. Joel’s eyes follow him, making sure he doesn’t drop them again when his gaze meets mine. Those dark eyes move right into recognition and shock, blowing wide as it finally sets in who he’s looking at. 

I hesitate only a moment before I move towards him, nearly running and shoving a few people out of my way. And suddenly, I’m standing in front of him, all 5’11 and broad shouldered, just as he had been 20 years ago. More lines adorn his face, and several scars, his hair is speckled and streaked with greys, but somehow it makes him all the more attractive. My breath catches in my throat and I find myself speechless in front of the man I would’ve given anything to speak to for 20 years.

“Catie?” He chokes out my name, eyes scanning mine as if he was waiting for me to say he was mistaken. That I wasn’t who he thought I was.

A quick sob escapes me as I nod frantically. “It’s me.”

His hand, large and warm just as it always has been, comes up to cup my face, his thumb tracing my cheek, as if touching me was proving to him that I was real. And then he pulls me into his chest, hugging on to me tight, like I would disappear from his grip if he didn’t. I hug him back, crying into his broad chest, unable to believe that I was finally, finally, holding onto him. 

He pushes me back slightly, only to look at my face. “You’re…you’re alive.”

I chuckle through my tears. “And so are you. I thought Tommy told you I was here?”

He nods, his dark eyes still on my face. “I thought he was makin’ shit up to try and keep me here.”

“Well that does sound like Tommy.”

Joel chuckles deeply and it sends a jolt through my body. God how I missed that sound. 

“He told me you lived down this way.”

I cock my head to the side. “Were..were you looking for me?”

Pink blooms across his cheeks as if he’s been caught doing something he shouldn’t. “I had to see if he was full of shit.”

“Fair point.”

We stand there, in the middle of the street just staring at each other for several minutes before I blink back to reality.

“Are you hungry? I was heading home to make something to eat and shower. I…if you want to join me?”

His eyes darken briefly and I realize too late what I said. 

“I’d love to. But…”

He’s struggling with words.

“..but… what?”

He clears his throat, looking away from me for the first time. “Wouldn’t your uh…husband or boy friend or whatever be upset?”

Smiling up at him, I shake my head. “I don’t have either of those.”

His shoulder seem to slacken in relief. “Oh. ‘m sorry.”

“I’m not.”

The corners of his mouth tick upwards in a small grin and I feel like my insides are melting through my skin. How can this man still get me going after 20 years?

“Lead the way.”

I gesture down the street in the direction we’d have to go to get to my place. We don’t say much, Joel still taking in Jackson but always having one eye on me. I know we’re about to have a difficult conversation. How will he feel about Poppy? About how our life turned out? Or his? Tommy had told me about Sarah when I first came to Jackson. The hardness behind his eyes shows that he’s still dealing with the grief and I imagine he always will. It’s no easy thing to lose a child. 

We arrive at my house and I unlock the door, heading inside and flipping on a light.

“You have power?” He asks.

“Mmhmm. Tommy was able to hook up a generator of sorts to the power grid. It’s heavily guarded and taken care of so no one has messed with it. He’s been talking about trying to use water or wind energy, but we need someone who knows that.”

I kick off my boots and Joel copies me, setting his down next to mine. 

“Poppy? You home?” I call out, not wanting her to walk in the middle of whatever was about to take place. When I receive no reply after a few calls of her name, I shrug my shoulders in a ‘guess she’s not home’ way.

“Who’s Poppy?”

“You thirsty?” I head towards the kitchen and Joel follows, watching as I take out a pitcher of lemonade. “I also have beer. It’s…not the greatest but it’s something.”

“You make the best lemonade. I’ve been dreaming of it for years.”

I smile, turning to grab 2 glasses and putting some ice in each of them before adding the lemonade. I hand Joel his glass and his fingers briefly brush against mine. They’re rougher than before but not by much, and the jolt this light touch sends through is just as strong as it was 20 years ago.

I head back to the living area and sit on the couch, taking a sip while I motion for him to sit as well. He does, taking his own sip and I catch a nearly imperceivable moan at the back of his throat when he tastes the lemonade. I quickly shove my legs together, hoping he doesn’t notice. I try to cover by setting my glass on the coffee table and he copies me, wiping his hand on his jeans as he settles back, his body slightly shifted towards mine. 

“Is Poppy your uh…girlfriend?”

I laugh this time, not at the idea of me having a girlfriend but at the look on his face while saying it. “No. No she’s-” time to tell him what you should have all those years ago “- my daughter.”

Joel nods, his eyes looking down at his hands and his shoulder slump slightly as if sad. “You- you said you didn’t have anyone.”

“I don’t.”

A knowing look passes over his eyes. “Oh. ‘m sorry for your loss.”

My eyebrows furrow in confusion. “My loss? No, Joel. Poppy is 20.”

“20…what?”

“20 years old.”

It’s his turn to look confused, as if math was passing over his vision. “She’s…20?”

“Yes.”

“So…that…that would mean when…you…” He shifts nervously in his spot on the couch, another swipe of his palms across his jean clad legs.

“Is…is she…”

“Do you remember that night? You had called me, telling me about that pain in the ass contractor you had to work with?”

Joel nods, his eyes glazed over in memory. “Yeah. I called to check on you because you couldn’t stop throwing…up…” His eyes snap to mine, and to my surprise, they were full of hope.

“I told myself it wasn’t the right time to tell you. But how the fuck would I have known that the world would end?” I chuckle nervously, fumbling as I reach got my glass to try and cover my nerves.

He lets out a puff of air. “So I have a daughter?”

My face feels warm under his intense gaze. “Yes.”

He lets out a half sob half laugh of joy, tears welling in his eyes before he tries to wipe them away with the back of his hand. “All these years I had a kid and I didn’t know. I didn’t know, Catie. I-” Another half sob half laugh escapes him and he takes a moment to compose himself, his body not used to such displays of emotion. Not anymore.

“Why didn’t you just tell me that night?”

Why didn’t I? “You sounded so stressed and worried and I didn’t want to add onto that. I was going to tell you the next time I saw you but…” but indeed. 

“How long had you known?”

“That day. I had suspected for a couple of days but I had to wait until I was sure I had missed my period to test and I didn’t want to tell you and be wrong.”

“You should’ve told me, sweetheart. We could’ve done the test together.”

I chuckle darkly. “Yeah I probably should’ve done that.”

“Tommy never told me.”

“What?”

“When I was here before. He told me you were here but not that I…that I have…why the fuck wouldn’t he tell me?” Joel pushes himself up from the couch in anger, pacing back and forth across the hardwood floor. “He should’ve told me!”

“Joel, he did what he thought was right.”

He looks at me, anger flashing in his eyes. “He had no right to keep that from me. If I had known, I would’ve-”

“Not brought Ellie to the Fireflies for a chance to save humanity?”

He stops pacing, turning towards me with shock on his face. “He told you about Ellie?”

I nod, sighing. “He did.”

“And he didn’t tell me I had-have a fucking daughter? And that she was here?”

“In all fairness to Tommy, he only told me after I got pissed he didn’t mention her to you.”

Joel scoffs. “What an asshole.”

“I…I thought maybe if you knew, you would’ve…maybe you would’ve at least stayed to meet her.”

Anger leaves his body and he sits next to me on the couch, hesitantly placing his hand on my thigh. “I definitely would’ve. When he told me you were here…I was intent on seeing you. Or seeing if he was pulling shit out of his ass. But he reminded me how important my cause was and since it was time sensitive, I couldn’t.”

“You couldn’t at least have simply said hi?”

“Sweetheart, there is no ‘simply’ between us. If I’d have seen you, I wouldn’t have been able to leave.”

Tears fall from my eyes and I wipe at them furiously. “Did it work out at least?”

“Did what work out?”

“Ellie. And the Fireflies.”

Joel grows quiet for several moments. “Turns out they didn’t need her after all. Found others and couldn’t use the blood.”

He’s lying. I know he’s lying but now’s not the time to press him for more information.

“She come here with you?”

Joel nods. “I wasn’t just gonna leave her there.”

“No, no. I think that’s great. There’s a good community here. I’m sure she’ll fit right in.”

“She was already makin’ friends the moment we walked in the gate.”

A long pause passes between us, but it’s not uncomfortable. It’s a processing silence, both of us trying to categorize and file the information we both learned from the other. When I look at him, I can tell he’s far off, thinking and brooding on things, which isn’t always a good thing.

“I wish you’d have told me that night.”

Ah.

“It wouldn’t have changed anything.”

“It would’ve changed everything! I would’ve grabbed Sarah and headed straight over to your place, bringing you…I don’t know, ginger ale and crackers? Whatever you wanted. We’d have stayed with you, started our family. Sarah so wanted a sibling. Especially a sister. Shit, she’d be so happy right now if she were….”

His voice tapers off but I know what he was going to say.

If she were alive.

I place my hand on his and squeeze it. “Tommy told me. I know nothing I say can make up for it, but I am so sorry Joel. I miss her terribly. I can’t imagine how it is for you.”

His mouth sets in a line, his jaw clenching, hand squeezing a little tighter on my thigh as if he’s trying to prevent himself from losing it. 

“Maybe if I had known you were pregnant, and we came over, she’d still be alive.”

“Oh, Joel, no. You can’t think like that-”

“I failed her.”

He spoke so quietly I almost didn’t hear him. The guilt in his words, however, was loud enough to hear from space. I bring my other hand to the side of his face, cupping his cheek, his patchy greyish stubble poking at my fingers, and gently turn his face upwards to mine. 

“You are a great man, Joel. And a hell of a father. There is no way that Sarah would ever think that you failed her in any way. She loved you so much and idolized you.”

The tears come this time, unable to hold them back any longer. I pull him to me and hug him, cradling the back of his head as he cries into my shoulder, mourning the loss of his daughter anew as he attempts to put aside the intense load of guilt he’s carried around for the last 2 decades. We stay like this for a while, my own tears mixing with his, as the light from the setting sun streaks through the curtains. 

Eventually, Joel pulls back, wiping at his face with the back of his hand before he finally looks at me, his beautiful eyes puffy from tears. I’m sure mine don’t look any better.

“Sorry about that.”

“Sorry for what? Being human?”

He smiles and the room lights up with it. “You were always so good at that.”

“At what?”

“Letting me feel things. And makin’ me feel like I wasn’t a complete fuck up.”

“That’s because you aren’t.”

He scoffs, smirking at me in disbelief. “I’ve had to do some shady shit to survive, sweetheart.”

“Who hasn’t?”

“You got me there. I’m still a fuck up though. Don’t know how you didn’t see it.”

“Hhmm…” I put my finger to my chin in mock thinking. “It’s probably because I’m in love with you then.”

Joel cocks his head slightly to the side, questioning my statement. I’m not sure why, as my love for him is no secret to me. 

“In love? Not was in love?”

Oh.

“I-”

The front door opens and Poppy walks in. I nearly jump out of my skin, having been completely absorbed in our conversation. Or was it more of a confession?

“Hey Mom! I’m only home to grab some clothes. Then I’m heading to Lyra’s. There’s this new girl in town, Ellie? She’s only 15 but she’s pretty cool. Oh.” Poppy had walked into the living room, her eyes, exactly like her father’s, shifting from me to Joel. I stand and Joel copies me, staying put while I walk around the couch towards Poppy.

“Mom..I didn’t know you had company. You never have company.” She thinks she’s speaking quietly but it’s not quiet enough. 

“Poppy-”

“I mean, I think it’s great, but….but…” Her eyes fully take in Joel, landing on his face as she stares, her eyes slowly widening in realization. She had only seen him in the photos I was able to share with her, a few printed ones and then some on the cell phone I had refused to toss away, carting it across the country along with a charger in hopes of finding power to charge it. 

“Dad?” Poppy whispers in disbelief.

Joel looks nervous, his weight shifting from foot to foot. This man has faced countless clickers, bandits, and worse, but meeting his 20 year old daughter is the thing that does him in?

God I love this man.

His hand comes up and does a little wave as he stares back at her, clearing his throat. “Hi. I’m uh… I’m Joel.”

“Dad!” Poppy drops her bag and runs, launching herself over the couch and straight into his arms, wrapping herself around him as she cries. It takes Joel a moment to recover from the intense reaction, but he wraps his arms around her and holds her, hugging her just as tight. Tears obstruct my vision and I blink quickly, trying to wipe them away so I don’t miss a moment of this meeting. 

Her feet back on the floor, Poppy pulls back, her eyes raking over Joel’s face. “Was I too much?”

Joel laughs, smiling down at his daughter. “Not enough.”

She laughs and he brings his hand to her face, wiping away her tears. “I’m sorry, Poppy.”

“For what?”

“I didn’t…I didn’t know-”

She waves her hand. “Mom told me everything. You never knew I existed and then the world went to shit. It’s ok. You’re here now and that’s what matters! Wait - you are staying right?”

Joel’s eyes shift from Poppy’s to mine and I look back at him waiting for an answer myself. I want him to stay, desperately need him to stay, but I understand if he wants to leave. I never asked if he had someone waiting for him somewhere.

“I don’t wanna step on you or your mom’s toes-”

Poppy blows a raspberry. “Step away! I know mom is thrilled you’re here. And I want to get to know my dad….dad… I can finally say that! ‘Hey, this is my dad!’ ‘Have you met my dad?’ I just…I can’t believe you’re here and not….not here.”

Clever way of saying dead.

“Me too, Poppy.”

“Mom, I know I said I would meet my friends, but-” she glances back at me and then smiles, giving me a knowing wink “-but I..will be going…to meet up with…Benny. Yeah, he’s uh probably waiting. For me. So I’ll just…grab my things and leave you two…alone…”

She is so not slick, but I love her so much. 

She gives me another wink before fully turning to Joel. “We can hangout and talk more?”

“I look forward to it.”

She squeals and gives him one more hug before bounding across the hall to her room and reemerging only a handful of minutes later with a backpack. 

“Poppy?”

“Mom?”

“Stay for dinner at least. Then you can meet up with your friends.”

“Ugh, mom. You’re smothering me.” She has a smile while she says it, casually tossing her bag down before sitting next to Joel. 

I make dinner while they talk, Poppy telling him about her life and asking him a zillion questions about his. He seems to be able to talk about Sarah now, at least a little before Poppy tactfully changes the topic. They talk throughout dinner, laughing and joking, sounds I never thought I’d hear together. Eventually, Poppy leaves to hang out with her friends, excited to tell them about her dad. As soon as the door closes, Joel turns to me.

“Who’s Benny?”

Protective dad mode activated I see. Smiling, I tell him about Benny and how he’s a good guy and about he and Poppy. He seems more relaxed after but still in protective dad mode.

“I’ll have to meet him.”

“I’m sure you won’t have the choice not to.”

Dishes cleaned up, I offer Joel a glass of whiskey and he takes it, tasting a sip before setting it down on the coffee table as he relaxes back into the couch again.

“You and Ellie have a place to stay?”

“Yeah. Tommy and Maria gave us a house. Actually, it’s not too far from here I don’t think.”

“That’s great. I’m sure Ellie will be happy to have a more permanent place to live.”

“And her own room that she can slam the door to.”

We chat for a few minutes about parenting teenage daughters and the challenges it can bring. He takes another sip of his whiskey after telling me a bit about Ellie, or what he learned about her on their long trek anyway. It’s quiet between us again, but this time, I’m warmed by the whiskey and given a slight bit of confidence.

“In love.”

“What?” Joel asks, setting his glass down.

“From before. In love. Not was.”

He turns to me fully, his eyes raking across my face trying to detect a lie and finding none. 

“It’s been 20 years, sweetheart. I don’t expect anythin’-”

“It’s always been you, Joel.”

His large hand cups the back of my head and pulls me to him, his lips crashing against mine and it’s like no time has passed, my lips immediately parting for him like they were created for just this purpose. His other hand comes up to cradle the other side of my head as my fingers cling to his shirt, trying to find purchase on literally anything. I feel like I’m falling but in the most glorious way possible. While I never gave up hope that he was alive, having him here, now, 20 years later, how we both defied odds to just end up in the same community, after the world had been torn apart…

He pulls back, his nose brushing against mine. “I never stopped loving you either, sweetheart.”

My hands slide up his chest and around his neck, gripping the curls at the back of his neck and feeling him groan as he slips his tongue in my mouth again, kissing me harder than before. I feel his fingers gently brush against the exposed skin at my hips, his hands having settled there and I can’t help the moan that escapes me. Joel’s touch has always sent electricity through me, but not having had it for 20 years is a whole new level. 

“I don’t mean to be presumptuous, sweetheart, but-”

“My bedroom is down the hall, second door on the right.”

He smiles against my lips, chuckling darkly. “We have a lot of lost time to make up for.”

—----

>>I Never Stopped Living You Part 2>>

❤If you enjoy the fic, please consider giving me a warm beverage! (It is not required in any way!)

Original Idea from @theewokingdead:

"I have had this idea for a long-lost love refound fic with Joel Miller swimming around in my head for a while, but I don't think I'll ever get in the headspace to write it. So enjoy what I wish I could write and hope someone will steal. Warning: mention of pregnancy in the beginning.

Imagine it's September 26, 2013. You've been dating Joel for a while and, oops, you're pregnant. You're a flurry of emotions and have no idea how or when you're going to tell him. He calls you late that night, on his way home from a hellish day at the jobsite, telling you about the prick of a contractor he's been dealing with and can't risk losing his job. When he asks if you've checked in on Sarah you tell him that she's fine and you're sorry you were feeling too ill to stay with her today. When he inquires further about your illness, you opt not to say anything, not like this, not when he's had a shit day, and instead feign that everything is okay and you'll be fine. The call is interrupted by Tommy, and you insist Joel answer his call. He offers to call you back, but you tell him to go home and get some rest, that you'll hopefully see him tomorrow.

Of course, several hours later, all hell breaks loose. You manage to get a call through to Joel, telling you to stay put, that he'll come for you, then you lose connection. Joel never finds you, but you never lose hope.

Two decades later, you're living in Jackson, having crossed paths with Tommy a year earlier when he returned to Texas, where you never strayed far from. You overhear the talk - that Tommy Miller's brother is in town - but bandits attack before you can find the source of the rumor. Later, you find Tommy as he puts a horse away in the stable, and you question if it's true, that Joel is here, and he reluctantly tells you he was. You ask if he told Joel that you're here and he says that he did. Your heart sinks - of course he wouldn't still love you after all these years, but why wouldn't he at least want to see you before he left? You ask if he told Joel about your daughter - his daughter - and Tommy says no, that it shouldn't come from his mouth. You're furious, thinking maybe Joel would've stayed in town if he had known that he has a daughter. You let Tommy have it, and eventually he tells you why Joel was in town and why he left, about Ellie and the hope to find a cure. Finally, you come to your senses, realizing there are far more important matters, and try to move on from dreaming about having a little family with a man you never stopped loving.

Months later, you're walking around town when you run into Joel. There are a million different ways the reunion could go. How would you tell him about your shared daughter? How would he feel? Would he be pissed at Tommy for knowing and not telling him when he first came to Jackson? Would he be angry you didn't tell him that night when he called, before the Outbreak? Would he have done anything differently that night had he known - things that could've changed the trajectory of his entire life? Would he wonder if it would have kept you guys together as a family? Would he wonder if it would have even kept Sarah from suffering the fate she suffered? Would he blame you for it? I just imagine it would be one big emotional reunion. How would it end? I don't know. I just love a good re-found love fic - be it happy or sad. I love angst. I love an emotional Joel. It could be fun. But I'll never get around to writing it so let's just pretend I did 😭"

General Taglist:

@frankie-catfish-morales @chaoticgeminate @janebby @astoryisaloveaffair @balekanemohafe @greeneyedblondie44 @hoeforthefictional @marvelousmermaid @Hauntedmama @giuliarogers-blog @icanbeyourjedi @diaryofkali @sunnshineeexoxo @livingmydreams13 @adventures-of-a-noodle @sara-alonso @theewokingdead @punkerthanpascal @giggly-otter @f0rever15elf @phandoz @dirtytissuebox @jadore-andor @gallowsjoker @lovesbiggerthanpride @sarahmilesbendrix @booksarekindaneat @mrsudontknowme @swol-bear @charlispersonallyhell @xoxabs88xox @amneris21 @gooddaykate @alindeluce @avengers-fixation @paintballkid711 @harriedandharassed   @ladykatakuri @marrianena  @practicalghost @withakindheartx @batdarkladyvampir @justanotherkpopstanlol   @mermaidxatxheart @alexxavicry @ichigodjarin 

[minnielvrr]

Warned you

Lee: Seungmin Ler: Changbin Word Count: 1k

A/N: Wrote this in an hour😋🤭Got the idea from a random Skz funny moment video🤗💞

“Is this you? Celebrity!” Changbin exclaimed, waving his phone around. Seungmin giggled at his silliness, playing along when the older asked for his autograph.

“Sign my back!” Changbin handed him a black marker and leaned forward, baring his sensitive back.

The playful puppy drew a light squiggly line over the dwaekki’s back with the still uncapped marker, laughing out loud when it had the older yelping and flinching away.

“Yah!” Binnie scratched over the spots, trying to erase the ticklish path the pup had drawn. Continuing his fanboying over Seungmin as the puppy massaged his shoulders.

“Don’t test me Minnie.” He hissed at the younger, smiling when he turned back to face the camera. Seungmin just snickered at him, raising his hands in surrender.

“Look a celebrity!” He told the camera, relaxing in the pup’s hold. Seungmin smirked at his oblivious hyung, using the fact that his guard was down to scribble over the same spot with fervor.

Changbin let out a loud ‘AH’, arching his back away and springing out of his chair. Seungmin giggled, scampering away, not expecting Binnie to follow him.

“W-whahait! Hyung I was jushust johoking!” He lied, breaking out into aa run when he saw that Binnie was quickly catching up to him.

Seungmin made it to the practice room, slamming the door shut only for a shoe to be jammed through the doorway at the last second.

“NO!” He tried to push the foot away with his own as an increasing pressure on the door pushed him back, inch by inch.

And then Changbin slipped in, locking the door behind him. “I warned you puppy. Are you ready for some revenge?”

Binnie’s wiggling fingers had him stumbling back, nervous giggles leaving his lips as he was backed into the wall. “Hyung! Hyung really I can explain!”

“Oh really? What exactly is there to explain Seungminie?” Cue more nervous (and anticipatory) laughter. Seungmin knew what was coming.

“I—I was just…just trying to…”

“Go on.” Binnie had a challenging but slightly amused expression on his face.

“It’s not my fault you’re so ticklish! I used the marker so lightly and it still tickled you hyung! How is that my fault.”

Changbin’s face was flushed, the smug expression wiped off his face completely, replaced by a flustered one.

He sputtered and when words failed, actions always come through. So he tackled the thrashing puppy onto the floor and squeezed at his sides.

Seungmin barked out a laugh, cackles following soon when Binnie kept up the rhythmic motions of his hands.

“Nahahahaha it tihihickles! Changbin hyungahahaha!” The dwaekki was way stronger and no matter how hard Seungmin tugged at those torturous hands, he was left helpless.

He twisted left and right, laughter rising in pitch when Binnie went for his ribs to get a better grip.

Seungmin’s shoes squeaked on the shiny floor as he kicked out, head shaking and hands tapping on the ground.

“Aww who’s the ticklish one now Seungminie? Is this too much for the baby?” Changbin teased him, drilling into each rib as he counted them out loud, feeling giddy when Minnie’s squeals dissolved into frantic yet happy laughs.

“FAHAHAAHAACK!! Move spots! Mohohove spohohots please!” He begged when Binnie stayed on his ribs for what felt like forever.

“Oh? Change spots? Not stop? If you wanted to be tickled so bad, you could’ve just said so puppy~”

Graciously Changbin shoved his hands in Seungmin’s underarms, leaning down to press ticklish kisses to his neck as the puppy giggled and squirmed under his weight.

“Youhohous jeheherk! You’re the one thahahat wants to behe tickled!” The back talk only earned him more tickles and Seungmin couldn’t say he was entirely opposed to this.

The stressed look had been wiped clear from his hyung’s face and the tiredness he’d been carrying all week from their hectic schedules had finally morphed into giddiness pooling in his belly.

After exploring how ticklish Seungmin was on his torso, Binnie curiously scooted down until he was seated on the pup’s calves.

“Wh-what are you doing?” Seungmin was buzzing with eager anticipation. “How bad are your thighs, Minnie?”

The puppy squeaked at the question, opening and closing his mouth but unable to get anything out….until, ”Not as bad as yours.”

“Still being a brat hm? I guess I’ll have to change that.” He gave the pup’s slender thighs a testing squeeze, smirking when just that got him a resounding squawk.

“Cute! Do that again~” All hell broke loose. Changbin’s hands latched onto Minnie’s legs, kneading and squeezing and scribbling the ticklish skin.

As he did, Binnie learnt that Seungmin’s inner thighs were worse than his sides and of course he had to have some fun with that knowledge.

Whines mixed with cackles and peals of laughter as the puppy was thrown into hysterics.

His hands couldn’t reach far enough to defend himself so he clutched at the hem of his shirt as he flailed and giggled.

“SHIT! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HYUNG NOHOHO! PLEASE!! BREAK! I NEHEHED A BREHEHEAK!!”

Binnie laughed at his reaction, letting up and rubbing at the spot. Seungmin gasped for breath, enjoying the short minute he had before the torture would inevitably continue.

“Ready for the finale puppy?” Changbin threw the pup’s shirt up, taking a deep breath before attaching his lips to Minnie’s belly.

Seungmin squeaked and begged but the assault of raspberried that followed made him forget how to even speak.

He threw his head back, hands pushing and slapping lightly over Binnie’s shoulders as bursts of laughter escaped him.

He arched his back, kicked his feet and even tried to conjure up proper words but nothing seemed to work.

It was only when Binnie’s hands now began massaging the sides of his tummy so ticklishly as he continued to blow raspberries that his brain began to function.

“PLEHEHEASE STAHAHAP IHICAHANTTAKEITANYMOHOHORE!!” Seungmin’s words were incoherent, his loud desperate laughter drowning them out in seconds before going completely silent.

Tears streaked his red face and the prettiest of smiles adorned his handsome face.

Seungmin’s usually impeccable hair was an absolute train wreck and Binnie couldn’t help but coo at the cute sight, stopping after a few moments.

“Learned your lesson pup?” Binnie asked smugly, pulling the tired boy into his lap and gently rocking him side to side as he gulped down breath after breath greedily.

“Mm not a baby,” he retorted, giving in easily when a warning poke to his side reminded him otherwise.

And just like the pampered little puppy that he was, he demanded to be carried back by his loving Binnie hyung as he quietly plotted his revenge.

[ishkabibblethings]

March 23rd

A fluffy Suits ficlet | Marvey (established) | Rated G "I had your secretary clear your afternoon. It's time we hit up that spa again, especially after the last few weeks." Harvey declares distractedly as he flips through their mail. Mike is still working on his breakfast at the kitchen counter and only mumbles an agreement. A real vacation is out of the question while they're so occupied at the firm, but an afternoon off together still sounds beautiful.

"I'll make us something nice tonight," Mike offers.

"Let's go all in, I'll find us a table somewhere good," Harvey replies and Mike can't find a reason to disagree. Mike secretly suspects that their time at the spa is more for Harvey than he'll admit but he's got no complaints.

"That sounds wonderful. It's been, what, like a year since we had a day like this? Good idea, dude." Mike moves around to the sink to drop off his dishes and pecks Harvey on the cheek as he passes by. "I'll just be a few minutes and we can head out."

"Don't call me dude, puppy," Harvey responds with a grin and watches Mike disappear into their bedroom.

Mike is in the bathroom wondering what it was that made Harvey plan another spa trip. Was his personal grooming slipping? They've been living together long enough but he's heard no complaints. He thinks back to their last trip, and the one before that, just when they'd started dating. It's a rare indulgence, and now that Mike thinks about it, it's always happened in the early spring.

Wait, now that he really considers it, picturing his work calendars, it has happened on this date each time. March 23rd. A knot starts to form in Mike's stomach. Fuck. Some sort of anniversary, it has to be something important for Harvey to move work around for it. Mike searches his brain, picturing every calendar he and Harvey kept, trying to remember similarities and differences, the reasoning behind the repeated treat day.

He must have taken longer than he realizes because Harvey comes to check and see if Mike's ready to go.

"You okay?"

"Uh yeah I'm good," Mike responds and checks the mirror again. He slips on his shoes and grabs his messenger bag.

In the car, Mike checks Harvey over for signs of emotions tucked away - disappointment, grief, frustration - notices nothing alarming and finds himself relaxing just a bit. Nothing he's done wrong, at least. Time to test his hypothesis.

"You know what, Harvey I forgot I've got a thing with Katrina this afternoon. Let's move the spa appointment to the weekend?"

"What thing with Katrina? Your secretary said she could move everything."

"I don't know if it ever made it in the books, she needs help with an in house thing for Louis." Mike bluffs.

"Well I'll encourage her to let you reschedule. It was hard to get these appointments today and you deserve a break." Harvey reaches for Mike's hand between them and laces their fingers together.

"Harvey, what's special about today?" Mike tries to keep his tone neutral.

"Aside from my stunning good looks and charm?" Harvey hams, and Mike actually scoffs.

"That's the same every day and you know it. Really Harvey, what's today?"

"I just want to give you a treat today, can't I do that as your loving boyfriend?"

Harvey's gone playful, so Mike knows he hasn't messed anything up. Harvey is also still avoiding the question so Mike knows he's on the right path.

"Of course you can. And I accept. But when my loving boyfriend happens to want to take me to a spa and dinner yearly on the same day without context, one is driven to wonder."

Harvey chuckles, knowing he's been caught.

"You really thought I wouldn't notice. Me, of all people? Twice is a coincidence, three is a pattern."

"Oh really, smart ass? Think back further." Harvey challenges.

"We weren't dating bef-"

"No we weren't together before that. Think back anyway."

Mike's eye focus on nothing in particular, and Harvey trusts he'll find it.

"The ties. You gifted me ties." Mike's head tilts a little in confusion and it's all Harvey can do to hold back a laugh.

"And lunch too," Harvey offers, feeling generous.

"I don't get it. Harvey, tell me. What's today? Why today?"

"So it started as a stupid joke, but you never caught on so I just kept going with it to see if you ever would." Harvey shrugs like he's almost embarrassed it's become a thing. Mike just watches him expectantly.

Harvey leans until his breath and lips are just close enough to make Mike's ear and neck tingle. Harvey's voice is private and Mike can hear his fond smile. "Happy National Puppy Day, Mike."

[theewokingdead]

The Best One - Benny Miller x f!Reader

Pairing: Benny Miller x f!Reader Summary: You and Benny are best friends, but one night together changed everything. Protecting your own heart, you decided it's best to forget. Problem is, Benny doesn't want to - and truthfully, neither do you. Word Count: 3.5k Rating: Explicit Content: Language, Santi is an asshole, idiots in love, friends to lovers, PiV sex, public sex A/N: I listen to "Best Ones" by Garrett Hedlund way too much, sparking this idea. I present...my first Benny Miller smut. Enjoy!

Masterlist

“Then she took my dick in both her hands and sucked the soul out of my body.”

Benny rolls his eyes and shifts in the booth, arms crossed stubbornly over his chest. He cannot bear to look at Santi, but he is stuck here, listening to his nonstop blabbering about his recent sexcapade. His eyes drift upwards to the light fixtures in the ceiling as he desperately tries to focus on anything other than Santi and his stories. But one thought springs into Benny's mind before he can push it away: her…down on her knees. It's a memory he had vowed to bury and never uncover again, but that hasn't stopped him from thinking about it - especially now.

She broke their hungry kiss by pushing against his chest. He tried to pull her back, but she shook her head and slowly dropped to her knees, keeping her gaze locked on his. She was too impatient to do more than tug his jeans down far enough to get what she wanted. His cock sprung free and she wrapped her delicate hands around the base before rubbing the head across her luscious lips. Fuck, she looked so beautiful. When she opened her mouth and took him in, he groaned with pleasure, her cheeks hollowing as she hungrily sucked him. He threaded his fingers through her hair and fucked her greedy little mouth, her name the only thing on his lips as he-

“What about you, Ben?”

Benny is pulled from his memory by the sound of his name. He looks to Santi, realizing he was asked a question.

“What about me?” he asks, feigning ignorance, not really in the mood to satisfy his curiosity.

“You gotten laid lately?” Santi asks.

“Well, no… I mean, yes. I mean, I’ve gotten some,” he stutters, his face going red as the words escape his mouth. He realizes he sounds like a teenager lying to his friends about having had sex.

“Oh, really?” the older man questions, his brows raising in surprise. “When’s the last time you got laid?”

“A few weeks ago, I guess,” Benny says, shrugging his shoulders.             

First, he had Santi’s curiosity. Now, he has his full attention. The man sits back in his seat, watching him with interest, as if he doesn't believe him. “Does she have a name?”

Of course, she has a name. Her name is the perfect complement to her delicate beauty, sweet and gentle. He wishes he could speak it aloud now - the sound of her name on anyone's lips is music, a beautiful melody that sends shivers down his spine.

But he can't.

Nobody at the table knows a thing about his secret encounter with her, and he promised himself that he wouldn’t tell anyone what happened between them. Not even Will. If anyone has their suspicions, Benny is oblivious to it. Besides, there’s nothing to talk about. It had been a single night of passion fueled by alcohol and desire that now belonged in the past, best left as it. She had made it clear that she wanted nothing more. In fact, it sounded like she regretted that anything even happened.

"I'm sorry, Benny. Just forget this ever happened."

Perhaps it would be easier that way; it’s already been several weeks, and it seem she has moved on. He realizes how much he had overestimated her feelings for him. She's always flirted with him, but maybe it was just innocent. That realization kills him. To him, she is everything, but to her, he's just a man – a friend.

Maybe it's best if he moves on and never speaks, never even thinks, of the night again.

But it's impossible - especially when she walks through the door right then.

You slip into the bar and look around, hoping to easily find the boys somewhere in the crowd. As expected, they’re sitting in their usual booth, beers in front of them as they seem to engage in some sort of conversation. A smile spreads across your face as you move toward them.

A warmth floods you when you notice Benny looking at you, his blue eyes shining even in the dim lighting of the bar. You bite your lip and push the memory of the night the two of you shared away. You can’t think of that right now. You can't think about that ever. You can’t think about the way his hands felt on your body, holding your wrists down…and you definitely can’t think about the way his lips felt against yours as his cock shoved every thought out of your head.

You break your gaze and push the thought out of your mind as you walk to the table, forcing yourself to remember that there will never be anything between the two of you, that you two are friends – that you’ll never be anything more than just friends.

“Hello boys,” you say, slipping into the booth next to Frankie, careful to avoid catching Benny’s eyes again. “What did I miss?”

“Benjamin here was just about to tell us about his latest encounter with some saucy señorita,” Santi informs you.

Your heart sinks as you think about Benny with another woman. All color drains from your face and your stomach twists. You know he doesn't have feelings for you, but did he really move on from that night with you that quickly?

“Oh,” you say, feigning interest, trying to keep your best poker face.

“Negative,” Benny replies harshly. “And I sure as hell ain’t about to allow this conversation go any further with a lady present.”

You furrow your brows in confusion. Sure, Benny isn't one to strut around like a peacock - that's more of Santi's thing - but he's also not one to keep tight-lipped.

Santi laughs. “A lady? Her mouth is just as filthy as yours, Ben. So, go on. Tell us more of your adventures. I’m sure she’d love to hear them."

Benny rises from his seat quicker than you’ve ever seen him move, not even in the ring, his face flushed and angry as he glares at Santi. “Back off or I swear-” he growls, tone hard and threatening

Will stands between the two men, looking at his younger brother, holding up a hand to stop him from advancing further towards the other man. “Don’t finish that sentence."

“Can we drop whatever this is, please?” you suggest. Things have been awkward enough lately. The last thing this group needs is strife between Benny and Pope too.

You watch Benny's chest rise and fall with every measured breath. You ache to reach out and touch him, to feel the warmth of his skin. He catches your eye and you quickly look away, feeling embarrassed and allowing your hands to sink into your lap.

“There's no story to tell,” he says, and you feel his glance on you before turning and walking away.

“Fuck,” Santi sighs, breaking the silence before raising the bottle in front of him and taking a sip. “He needs to save that shit for fight night.”

Frankie gives Santi a sharp whack on the back of his head, making the latter sputter out out his beer.

“Cabrón!" Frankie hisses. "No es obvio, o estás ciego?”

Fortunately, you don't catch the words. Otherwise, it would become obvious that everyone but Santi has picked up on the awkwardness between you and Benny. It really shouldn’t be a surprise that Will and Frankie suspect something happened between you two. You both have been quieter than usual lately, talk to and about each other less, and whenever your eyes meet, you both quickly look away, a telltale sign that something is amiss.

“Excuse me,” you utter before rising from the booth, moving to follow Benny outside. You open the door and search for him, spotting him making a beeline towards his car.

“What the hell was that?” you demand, trailing close behind him.

“Nothing that concerns you,” he replies harshly without losing stride.

“Really, Benny? How can that not be my concern?"

“It’s not your concern because it’s none of your business,” he snaps, whipping around to face you.

You're taken aback by his sudden hostility toward you. “How can you say that?” you question, stepping toward him. “You’re my friend, which means you're my business."

Benny rolls his eyes, which sets a fire in you.

"You’re my god damned business, Benny," you reiterate. "You always have been. I know you better than anyone, and I can tell when you’re upset. So, talk to me.”

His eyes are filled with a mixture of emotions, his face an expression that is a cross between exhaustion, hurt, anger. “I can’t talk to you about something that never happened. I mean, that’s what you want, right? To pretend it never happened?"

You freeze, his words striking you like a punch to the gut. The realization stings you, the reality of what he’s saying finally clicking in your mind. The reason he didn't want to talk about his last sexual encounter was because it was with you.

“I didn't mean it like that,” you reply, crossing your arms protectively.

“Then, can you tell me what you meant? Because clearly, I'm confused.”

You hesitate before speaking, unsure why you said the things you said the morning after. It’s clear that you can’t forget what happened, and you don't want to, but you also don't want to risk ruining your relationship with him and the others, even though it appears that you have already made a complete mess of things.

"Benny, our friendship means a lot to me and I don't want to-"

Benny snorts. “Friendship? Does this look like a friendship?" He's referring to the way things have been the last few weeks. "Our friendship changed the moment you kissed me...and it was destroyed when you ran away, my come still dripping from between your legs.”

Your mouth falls open, Benny’s harsh words hitting you like a slap across the face. You’re not sure if he’s ashamed of what happened, or upset that you’ve been denying it. Either way, you know he’s right: your friendship is fucked.

"I was scared," you confess, tears forming in your eyes. "Terrified that it would ruin us. I had to be the one to put a stop to it, to set boundaries for our friendship, because if you'd been the one to say we should just be friends, it would've broken me.” You take a breath, trying to maintain some control of your emotions. “I'm sorry, Ben. I know things will never be the same between us. If I could go back and change what happened, I would. Please. Can we at least try to move on from this?”

"No," Benny ultimately answers after a moment of silence. His voice is choked with emotion, the gravity of his words heavy in the air.

You look away from him, trying to hide your hurt, but it's too late - the tears streaming down your face speak for you.

"That night was…,” Benny begins. “It's been playing in my head every single day since then, like a movie I can't stop watching." His breathing is ragged as he continues, the intensity in his eyes growing with each passing seconds. "I know I should forget about it, and I know you want me to forget-"

"Ben, that's not-"

"But I’d kill to live that night just one more time," he speaks, his eyes wet and filled with emotion.

Your lips part in surprise as Benny's admission sinks in, and for a moment, all you can do is stare at him. The way he’s looking at you though makes you feel like the most wanted woman in the world. It's making it impossible for you to keep your walls up. You’ve wanted him for so long, it’s hard to tell how you could ever turn him away. But you were so afraid that he didn't feel the same way you do.

When you shared that one night together, you told yourself it was the alcohol, the adrenaline, the emotion of the night that pushed you into it. You told yourself a thousand different excuses for why he hooked up with you. You told yourself you both were just caught up in the moment. You told yourself it wasn’t real. You told yourself that Benny could have any woman that he wants - there was no reason for him to choose you. But now, standing before him, watching him stare at you, seeing the look in his eyes, hearing the tone of his voice, you wonder if you’ve been blind to the truth all along.

Despite all the fear and uncertainty between you two, there was something real that happened that night - something neither of you can ignore or deny any longer.

“What are you saying?” you whisper, needing to hear him speak his true feelings, plain and clear.

“I want you,” he tells you. “I’ve always wanted you. You’re beautiful and smart and funny…and you drive me fucking insane. I can’t be in the same room with you without feeling like I am seconds away from taking you right there. I can’t think about anyone else. You are it for me. You are my person…and it fucking kills me that I’m not yours.”

As you look at him, perplexed, it dawns on you that the two of you are both harboring strong feelings for one another, yet completely oblivious to that fact. Has it been this way the whole time? The flirting, the touching, the constant need to be near one another. All these years of friendship...

Laughter bubbles up within you in disbelief, spilling over and out into a fit of giggles.

“What’s so damn funny?” he questions, staring at you like you're crazy - and maybe you are.

“Don't you understand, Benny? You are mine,” you reveal, wiping your eyes in an attempt to compose yourself.

“Bullshit.”

“I’ve been in love with you for as long as I can remember,” you reveal. “Apparently we’re both too damn stupid to see what’s been right in front of us all along.”

Benny's eyes widen as he looks at you, processing your words. You can almost see the sense of relief wash over him, knowing that his feelings are reciprocated. A smile spreads across his face.

He takes a step forward, the softness in his eyes quickly turning dark. He’s standing mere inches in front of you, the heat from his body taking you by surprise as it washes over you. Your stomach whooshes, and you ache as you wait for him to kiss you, but no kiss comes.

“Say it,” he commands. "I need to hear it. Please."

You take a step closer to Benny, your eyes never leaving his. You grab hold of his button-up shirt, pulling him toward you. Meanwhile, his hands fall to your hips, as if by instinct.

“I love you.”

Benny pulls you closer to him, his lips finally meeting yours. A fire sparks inside of you and you open your mouth to meet his tongue. You’re positive that you only imagined the way his mouth felt on you before, but it can’t be anything like this. It’s like your lips remember him, yearning for him even though several weeks have passed. You moan against his mouth as you cling to him, your body desperate for his touch.

A low growl escapes Benny's lips as his mouth grazes your neck. You lean against his car, feeling intoxicated from the sensations in your body, as your hands explore his shoulders. You feel a giddy thrill, unlike anything you've ever experienced before. His kisses move from your neck to your shoulder, and his hands wander lower. But before things get too carried away, Benny pulls away suddenly and stares into your eyes. He then reaches behind him and opens the back door of his SUV.

“Get in.”

You smile, biting your lip as you slide into the back seat, Benny close behind. As soon as he closes the door, he pulls you onto his lap, and kiss you soft yet urgent. His hands journey down your body, lightly tracing down your arms, across your thighs, over your shirt. He doesn't unclothe you; instead, his palms rest on the curve of your ass as your hands push up against the fabric of his shirt, feeling the heat radiating from his skin. You grind against him, pressing yourself down onto his lap as you feel for his arousal. A groan escapes between his lips, and it turns more primal when he clasps your butt tighter. Your mouth moves hungrily against his for several bewitching seconds.

You take the initiative, starting to open his jeans. Your fingers fumble with the button and zipper before you pull down his boxer briefs and free his cock. Benny tilts his head back in pleasure as soon as a hand wraps around it, and he looks down for a moment to watch you stroke him before looking back up at you as your lips press against his. Benny whimpers into your kiss as he reaches out to find the center of your legs, caressing you through the fabric of your pants.

“Baby, please,” he begs.

You lift up and pull your pants down, just enough to expose yourself. Benny follows suit, pushing his jeans down until they are around his ankles. He wastes no time, running a finger through the folds between your legs before you can sink down on him.

“Benny!” you gasp, clutching onto his shirt.

“Now who’s the fucking tease?” he asks before sinking two fingers into you, eliciting a gasp from you. “Fuck, baby. You’re so wet.”

“Benny,” you plead, leaning your head forward until your forehead touches the top of his hat, the texture of its fabric rough against your skin.

“Tell me what you need.”

“Fuck me.”

He nods and grins. “Alright. I’m going to fuck you like you've never been fucked before."

His straightforwardness causes you to gasp. You can feel yourself dripping for him in anticipation. How could he possibly fuck you better than he did before?

"Then I’m taking you home. We'll spend the night together, make love until we pass out. When sunrise comes, I won't let you go. In fact, I plan on making love to you all over again. Got it?"

You nod vigorously, your mind whirling. Somehow, you manage a reply. “Okay.” It’s simple, but a promise that you'll never leave him again.

Benny pulls his fingers away then positions himself at your entrance. He eases himself into you, your eyes rolling back for a moment before finding his. His lips meet yours again as he slowly pushes deeper into you. You moan against his lips. His movements are smooth and slow, gentle but still raw and powerful.

Your movements match his, rising and falling, your breath in sync. You moan, Benny’s lips finding your neck. He buries his face against you, laying desperate kisses all along your skin as you ride him, faster and faster, letting the intensity build.

“You’re mine,” he rasps before nipping your ear.

“I’m yours.”

He slides a hand up your body, lifting your shirt and your bra with it, exposing your breasts. His mouth latches onto one of your nipples, his tongue swirling around the sensitive bud. You gasp, feeling your body tense. You feel that familiar tingling sensation start to consume you.

Benny unlatches then looks down at where your bodies join before looking back up at your face. "Look at you," Benny says, his voice low. "Look at you taking my cock. You're gorgeous."

You can't see yourself, but you don't have to. His gaze is burning into you, and it’s like he can see every inch of you. His eyes devour you with hunger, desire, and admiration. You feel beautiful in that moment; dirtier than anything you thought possible.

“I want to watch you come on my cock,” he tells you.

“I’m s-so close.”

Seeming to sense what you need, he moves a hand between your legs, his thumb finding the spot where you’re pulsing.

As you rock on top of him, his eyes never leave you, and the intensity of his gaze is nearly enough to send you over the edge. You can feel yourself getting closer, the anticipation building up inside you until it explodes in a shuddering climax that almost makes you forget who you are or where you are. You cry out, your breath coming in pants.

Benny presses his lips against yours as he slows his movements, and draws out your pleasure until you collapse against him, utterly spent.

You feel the heat of his body, pressed against yours, and the pleasant sense of fullness with his cock still buried inside of you. The air is filled with the smell of sex and sweat as the two of you stay there together in blissful silence for several moments before Benny speaks.

"Fuck, that was amazing," he says softly. “You're incredible. You’re perfect. We just…we have to work on our communication a bit. if we want this to work.”

You chuckle, snuggling against his chest with a contented sigh. This is what happiness feels like - warm and comforting, completely enveloping the two of you in its embrace.

As Benny's breathing begins to settle, he tightens his grip around your body slightly and whispers into your hair:

“In case it wasn’t clear… I love you too.”

[apraxvalith]

charon/you is very intriguing purely bc i am an absolute slut for him good lord that tall ghoul 🥵

Alrighty, THIS is one smut fic I'm not sure I'll ever finish so I'll throw a longer excerpt out. Better than letting it rot in my Google Drive in perpetuity, at least!

Jist of the draft is that the reader and Charon find themselves at Reilly's compound after a long trek around DC, doing her geo-mapping repeatable quest. They take some much needed R&R, which is code for having We-Gotta-Be-Quiet sex in a small bunker with people sleeping nearby 😛

Excerpt [Explicit, Implied/Referenced Rough Sex:

---

Charon's stretched out on your cot, armor piled in a corner and a dusty magazine in his lap. You've been at Reilly's compound for the better part of the day, long enough to see the stiff, combat-ready side of him settle. He's relaxed - or as relaxed as he can be. His baseline never slips below moderately on-edge, but this is one of the few places he’s deemed safe enough to let his guard down. It’s always been your home away from home, after all, and that comfort’s finally started to rub off on him.

"Hey," you murmur. 

He grunts a wordless greeting. He doesn't look up at first, but when you put your back to him, you sense his eyes on you. It's a familiar feeling, by now. Most of the time, he's watching you like a hawk - always protective, always bracing for some ever-present danger you can't see. 

This is different. Right now, the way he's looking at you has got fuck-all to do with guarding your life. You catch his reflection in a broken slab of mirror propped against the wall, and when you bend over, his eyes drop to your ass, tracing the inside of your thighs as you fish something from your pack. 

"...Enjoying the view?" you say.

You throw him a smirk, and he looks away, his guarded expression pinching with the barest hint of a scowl.

"Don't pretend you weren't staring. We've been at this way too long for that shit. If you want to fuck me, you can just say so." 

Charon frowns at his magazine again, a dog-eared copy of Guns and Ammo he’s abused for weeks. He stares through it for a moment, chews his tongue, then sighs. 

"...That would be a terrible idea," he announces, at last. 

"Why?" 

"Someone will hear." 

"Not if we're quiet." 

"You are rarely quiet." 

"That's not exactly my fault, is it?" 

His attention snaps back to you, and this time, he glowers. You know that look, by now: a silent warning, proof you should leave well enough alone.

You snicker and resume pawing your way through your pack. It's not long before Charon stirs. For someone so large, he's surprisingly quiet - aside from the soft creak of mattress springs, there's hardly a sound as he pads over to the door, scans the hallway, then yanks the tattered curtain shut.

"...Change your mind?" you ask.

Yet again, you’re met with silence, but the slow creep of his looming shadow tells you all you need to know. You suppress a shiver. His hand finds your shoulder, the tightening of his grip your only warning before he shoves you face-first against the wall. Your palms fly up, and his weight crushes down. He mouths your ear, nips your neck, then pulls your hips back, sending a stab of heat straight to your groin. 

“S... See-" You choke down a whimper. “This is what I'm talking about. If you weren't so rough, then maybe I'd be quieter..." 

"You want me to be rough." He clenches his hands around your waist, fingers pressing hard enough to bruise. "Am I wrong?"

"N-no," you gasp. "No, you're not..."

[ebonyslasher]

A Natural Heat

Series: Inuyasha

Topic: Masturbation

Pairing: OC x Various

Summary: Yejide has had a rough time without having her special session(s) at her beloved hot springs. Thankfully, she now has the opportunity to relieve herself again. But maybe, in her haste, she should have paid attention to her surroundings...

18+ under the cut

It's been a rough fucking day. First, Yejide slipped on the dirtiest rock in existence and landed face first into a pile of mud. Ruining her shoes and messing up her pretty face. It rained all day, which messed with her carefully laid out hairstyle. Constant arguing with Inuyasha on where they needed to go next. By Kami, Yejide was ready to kill someone in the next few minutes.

Turns out the one day was actually a week of rain. They couldn't travel much because of it. In total, the group probably trekked two miles from where they started. It was torture for everyone involved. Even Miroku stopped trying to touch on Sango! Yejide prayed to Kami everyday that the rain would stop so they could travel and relax! She was extremely pent up without her hot springs . Especially her 'personal' sessions.

It's been a while since she's had a fun time. Or even time to relax. Finding a hot spring would be amazing. But...since she argued so much with Inuyasha, there was no way he was going to find one for her. And with the horrible weather, Yejide wouldn't feel comfortable going. She was just going to have to stick this one out. It's only one day anyway.

****

Thankfully after the seventh day of Earth's sorrow, happiness shined through the clouds and blessed the people of Japan. Especially Yejide, who could finally have her special session at last.

"Inuyasha, where's the nearest spring???"

"Keh.....I'll go find one. Wait here."

"Awesome! I'm heading over. Sango, you coming?"

After a few minutes, Inuyasha bounced back and said the best news he's ever given in his mean ass life. There was a hot spring not too far from here.

"Of course!"

******

"Ahhhhhhhh.....this hits the spot." Yejide said, sliding down into the water.

"Yeahhh, a thousand times over..." Sango agreed .

She was alone.

Yejide and Sango sat lounged against the rocks that surrounded the spring. The warmth filled up their bodies, dispersing the essence of relaxation into the water.

They were so relaxed that they didn't speak a word after their initial comments. All they did was lay there, simply existing.

Some time later, Sango sits up and looks up at the sky. It was starting to get dark.

"Yejide, maybe it's time to go back. My hands are getting pruny." Ugh, she hated when this happens.

Yejide, still in a relaxation trance, turns her head to look at Sango. This was her chance. Her chance to be alone.

"Yeah...but I want to stay here just a few minutes longer. I'm so relaxed I can't move. You go ahead, I'll be right behind you."

"Yejide, you sure? I think we should go back together."

"Yeah yeah I'm sure! I've been training remember? If anyone approaches me, I'll purify their ass! Anyway, I can put up a masking barrier."

Sango looked at Yejide apprehensively. She had gotten much better with her powers. But with a year of being used to protecting her, it was hard for Sango to walk away. However, giving Yejide a little space wouldn't be too risky. Besides, Yejide really had a rough week.

"Alright. But if you're not back at camp in 10 minutes, I'm coming back with Kirara."

******

Finally.

Starting to rub herself, she moans. Yejide tries to stifle it out of reflex. But then thankfully remembers the sound barrier she put up earlier.

Yejide continues and starts melting- as evidenced by the pull of clear, viscous fluid that trailed with her fingers. It felt so good to finally touch herself. She gives her vagina a slow slide, starting from her clit down to her lovely hole The tip of her two fingers probes her moist opening. Backing out, they part. Then she quickly caresses back up the sides of her labia. Coming together at the top to hit at her impatient jewel. She brings her fingers down a little more to include her lonely urethral opening; giving her another bump of bliss. Yejide spreads her juices everywhere, making her skin glisten. Closing her legs slightly, she could even feel it between her ass cheeks.

She kept going at it, starting to abuse her engorged clit. As she kept up her ferocious beating, she was nearing her finale. Yejide unconsciously lifted her lower body from the blanket as she got closer. Closer. CLOSER.

Until...

Inuyasha

'Y-Yejide!!"

Inuyasha, as ungraceful as can be, trips over himself when he catches her in the act. "Inuyasha, what the hell are you doing here?!"

He turned around, face as red as his outfit. He was embarrassed, horny, and flabbergasted. The latter at her asking that dumb ass question.

"Wha- you can't just stay here by yourself without protection. Especially doing something like that!"

That in question was having a pretty pussy, pretty body, and such a pretty face. She'd be his prey if he wasn't there to protect her.

Sesshoumaru

As white as he was, Yejide did not notice him in up in the tree. Which was two trees away from her area of pleasure. He smelt her essence the moment she pattered into the forest. Sesshoumaru was aware of her affinity to hot springs. Yet, here she was dipping into a different type of heat.

He had no intention of revealing himself. And he did not want to think about why he wanted to watch. There was something about how wet she was that caught his attention. The shine from your wetness popped out her beautiful skin color more. It almost made him growl in pleasure. He wanted to stay until her gorgeous release. Then he would make a decision. Reveal himself or come get you later?

Koga

He watched the scene, transfixed, for about 2 minutes before saying something. Those two minutes featured him processing that this absolute dream in front of him was real. It was really Yejide being sinfully sexy. Her healthy legs spread open, beautiful fingers rubbing dark brown lips he wished to kiss. His dick stood out and peaked out of his lower pelt.

"Yejide..."

Startled, she started to try to explain but could get anything out. Her speech was a jumbled mess. Koga dropped to his knees once he stood in front of her. Head firmly planted on the ground.

" Yejide allow me to show you how a real man pleases his mate. You will never want for anyone else ever again."

He bring his face up to her legs, respreading them. The first lick he gave made her howl.

Miroku

Miroku is a perverted but pensive monk. However, he is also not one to waste time. Not when she looked like that. "Well well, lady Yejide, I never took you as the type to do this"

"Miroku, you perv!" She tried to throw her bag at him but he expertly dodges it.

Yejide. Cute and sexy Yejide. The one he wanted his hands on for a long time. He was going to take the opportunity that lay pent up in front of him seriously.

"It would be unbecoming of a monk to not help those in need. Desperate need." The monks' sultry voice hit Yejide right inside her. He takes his staff and rubs it on her labia. Yejide jerks, torn between being disgusted but turned on. Miroku disrobes, showing a chiseled physique and an equally hard dick. "Let me help you. Allow me."

Sango

Initially worried for her best friend, now she stood surprised. Although they talked about sex, she never thought she would see her dear friend pleasuring herself. Alone. Vulnerable. She was worried and definitely wanted to talk with her about the importance of safety, horny brain be damned. But the sight was starting to affect her too. Her vagina tingled and a familiar phantom pressure was felt at her opening.

She started to rub herself through her clothes. Feeling herself getting wetter in the process. She watched Yejide open her big juicy lips wide and started massaging clit. Fuck that was a sexy sight. Sango couldn't take it anymore. She needed more.

"Yejide...may I join you again?"

************

I may write a more detailed version and post on AO3.

[scriptofdevilswan]

You’re my favorite person.

There’s no escapin’ your ghost of love

There ain't a drink strong enough

So I close my eyes and kiss you how I like 

I’ve been waitin’ for you. 

You’re my favorite person. 

The words slipped in a heat of a moment. A moment of vulnerability, a moment of longing. Of an intense gaze that always found itself on her. In a room of crowds of people. In a room filled with echoed screams, of music playing loudly the notes of Party in the U.S.A now zoning out. Steven felt the heat in the air; was it the room? Was it the sound of his rapid heart beats? Or was it his eyes meeting hers in a dark room. He knew he’d been longing for weeks. He knew he was the one that let her slip through his fingers once before. Last summer.. 

At yet another party. The memory of her lips still heavily on his mind. The taste of old wine, or the taste of beer on his lips; yet he remembered that froggy brian thoughts, the flips in his stomach. He never thought about the idea of her. For him it wasn’t because he didn’t find her attractive she was Taylor; gorgeous, she was smart, she was bold, but she was always just Belly’s best friend. The headache that invited herself over for late night pizza dinners, the annoy sound of her voice that echoed in his mind through the years. Except she wasn’t just Belly’s best friend; it was the excuse he used. To convince himself he didn’t think about her. Because how could he? She was forbidden at least he assumed that girl code crap or the sibling code. But obviously his sister never followed those rules considering the predicament. Belly found herself in not just last summer, but this summer as well. Steven was the guy who wanted to follow rules; he wanted to follow the code; but somehow between last summer, and to now he found himself restraining himself. He found himself falling for Taylor Jewel. It happened suddenly and all at once. He realized he was jealous each time she spoke about that singer; that boyfriend of hers Milo, it made me sick to my stomach to see her smiling at him. To see her use her finger to twirl the ends of her dirty blonde hair when her eyes were on him. Still Steven knew he didn’t want to open that can of words unless he felt it was real. He thought pushing down his feelings would force that ache of longing away. But fall turned, Winter, and then Spring and here the cycle came and he still felt that pull towards her. 

She wasn’t just Belly’s best friend anymore, she was the person I wanted to bicker with, the person I wanted to trade insults with. The person I thought about everyday. She held my heart and I was scared. Scared of making it awkward, of being seen as a jerk in her eyes. I cared about what she thought of me. Burying feelings always makes you implode in the end. 

And feelings; showing how I felt wasn’t a strong suit of mind, there were times where I wanted to say it; but the timing never felt right. The urges I felt to hold her hand; I forced the urge down, instead Steven had a way of noticing her likes, of noticing every detail about her. Her favorite food, the way she pushing a stray piece of hair back when she laughs, or her favorite songs. Hints why he learned each kick, each hip movement of that damn Party in the U.S.A song; did he like it? Not as much as his sister and Taylor did. But he showed he cared. The implode of his heart; his chest rapidly beating. 

In a crowd room he only saw her; echoed words traced through his mind. “ You win, the first person to admit they’ve caught feelings lose right..” He was willing to lose for her. He was willing to let his defenses down for her; for the chance to feel her lips against his own again. To feel whole with her. Hands touched her skin; cheeks in palms of his hands. Eyes traced over her features as he leaned close enough to feel her hitched breaths on his skin. Chills rolling down his skin; and for a second he thought he noticed the flicker of anticipation. And he was ready to take the plunge, to press his lips to hers; eyes closed until he heard it. Milo.. he was the one who ruined the moment. A moment Steven had waited for; for weeks. 

The memory of the fight; how he was prepared to go to bat for Taylor; he made a scene and looking back to an hour ago Steven was ashamed. He embarrassed not only himself but her. The last thing he wanted was to hurt her; but the move was hers now; she knew I cared, she knew she was my favorite person. 

Sitting in the darken lit room, back against the wall head leaned back a exhaled sigh escaped his lips. The male had closed his eyes listening to the upbeat music playing. The loud noises of rowdy noise goers probably high on the alcohol or they enjoyed jumping around like animals. Steven was exhausted; the house one last night; giving it a meaning and he was left here; eyes closed as he waited. 

Hopeful and waiting for her.

[sl-newsie]

Spelled (Carlos de Vil x Sanderson Daughter)- Ch. 9: Exciting Exhibits

Auradon Prep is… surprisingly easy to escape. No barriers, no guards, nothing. I could just walk out no problem and go home anytime I want! We follow a path through some trees until we come up to a giant stone building.

“So, here it is. The Museum of Cultural History. I’ve only seen a few exhibits because FG won’t let me go in there.”

“Why not?” Evies asks sympathetically.

I shrug. “Guess having magic powers means you’re basically on Auradon’s most-wanted list no matter how much you prove you’re a good witch.”

We walk up the stains through the giant pillars, and when we get to the door Mal starts asking Evie for directions. I notice she keeps looking at a hand mirror. A magic mirror, maybe?

“Remember: don’t get caught!”

I frown. “Couldn’t we just explain that we’re here for a night tour or something?”

Mal rolls her eyes. “What part of ‘evil gang’ don’t you get? We sneak, not waltz in asking for permission!” 

They keep walking as she goes scrolling through her spellbook while I wander over to a coat rack. There’s an unclaimed black cloak hung on it, which gives me an idea.

I pick it up and run my fingers over it.

“Transform this cloak to crystal-clear, make the wearer disappear.”

The cloak shimmers for a second, but nothing happens. Oh, come on! I just practiced this on my jacket last week! I slip the garment over my shoulders and flip the hood on.

Just then Carlos walks into the room. “Mal made the guard prick his finger and fall asleep. Where’d you go?”

“I’m right here,” I state obviously.

He jumps like he’s seen a ghost. “Jeez! Where the heck are you?”

“Wait- you can’t see me?”

Carlos wildly shakes his head. “No! Did you jinx yourself or something?”

I lift the hood off my head, and Carlos’ face turns white.

“Dear God! Your head’s floating in the air! Did you get beheaded?”

Now a smile spreads over my face. “Oh good! The spell worked!” I remove the cloak, and Carlos still looks shocked.

“That’s so cool! You gotta use that more often!”

“I just learned how last week. I didn’t think it would work-”

“Guys! Hurry up!” Jay hisses from the doorway.

“Coming!” I tuck the cloak under my arm and follow Carlos to where the other VKs are looking: the surveillance room. The guard’s asleep, but the door’s still locked. However Mal seems to find a spell to open it, just as Jay says he’s going to break it down.

“Make it easy, make it quick. Open up without a kick!” Mal chants quickly as Jay rushes towards the door. The lock springs open just as he goes to kick it down, sending Jay flying to the ground.

“Let’s go!” Mal orders as she and Evie march ahead.

Carlos goes to help Jay up but the brutish VK just pushes him off.

“Just trying to help!” Carlos shrugs as he looks at me with an annoyed face.

I shrug back as we catch up with the others. “Thy is as stubborn as an ox, and will not accept the help from thy friends. And yet will only lead to one’s downfall is the denial of alliance.”

Evie gives me a blanked-out look. “What?”

“Oh. Um- on the voyage of life, the best boat is a friendship.” I try to explain as we hurry down the hall.

“Stop talking in riddles and tell us!” Jay says impatiently from the staircase.

“Friends are more important than pride, Jay!” I roll my eyes.

Turning a corner, we see a sign pointing upstairs that says Gallery of Villains.

“Up up up up up! Almost there!” Evie whispers excitedly.

At the top, we search the first room and fail to find an exhibit featuring all of the original villains, all in terrifying poses. Maleficent, the Evil Queen, Jafar, and Cruella de Vil.

“I’ll never forget Mother’s Day again…” Carlos utters as he stares at his mother’s horrifying statue. 

I must admit, the villains gallery doesn’t cease to disappoint. I wonder if…? 

“Well… wand’s not here. Let’s bounce!” Jay says tightly as he starts heading out.

“Why are we looking for a wand?” I wonder out loud.

“It’s Fairy Godmother’s wand. We-” Mal stutters a bit. “We just wanted to see it because it’s such a famous artifact.”

Oh. I guess that’s normal?

I follow the others, but not before I take a quick glance behind to see Mal taking a longer look at Maleficent's statue. Guess I’m not the only one having family issues.

“Hey trixie! Ya coming or not?”

I groan and go running off towards Jay’s voice. “I’m going to kill you if you keep calling me that, Jay!”

“Good! Then you’ll be one your way to becoming more evil! C’mon guys, let’s keep looking.”

The others go on ahead to find the wand, while I keep looking for-

Oh. Found it.

After searching I turn a corner to check out the next room and find the terrible trio themselves: the Sanderson Sisters. Artifacts are placed around the room, such as Aunt Winnie’s broom, samples of all her different tonics, and a green brooch. The Sanderson exhibit is set to look like Salem in the 1600s with the infamous coven circled around a cauldron. Winifred, Mary, and-

“Mother?” I croak.

It is her. Sarah Sanderson. Tall, blonde, and beautiful, wearing her trademark pink corset, purple and red skirt, and deep violet cloak. It’s like looking in a mirror…

“There you are!”

I jump and turn around, clutching my chest. “Dear God, don’t sneak up on me like that, Evie!”

“She looks just like you!” Evie observes as she points at my mom’s statue. By now Jay and Carlos have joined us.

“Um, I guess-”

“No, she doesn’t.” Carlos shakes his head, then smiles. “She’s not nearly as pretty as you.”

Before I can deny his thoughtful compliment Jay walks up to the exhibit.

“So this is the supposedly dangerous Sanderson sisters? Look pretty harmless to me. Whacked, but harmless.”

“Try telling that to Binx,” I mutter.

“Hey, Magica! It’s your cat!” Evie points to a picture on the wall.

I nod. “Yes, that’s Binx. But he wasn’t always a cat. His name is Thackery Binx. He was human before Winifred cursed him to become a cat.”

“Is it true he can talk?”

“Yes, but he chooses not to sometimes. It’s not every day you meet a talking cat.”

Carlos shutters. “At least he’s not a dog and doesn’t rip you to shreds.”

Again with the dogs? “Carlos, are you-?”

“Um, where’s Mal?” Jay asks from up ahead.

“I’ll go find her!” Evie volunteers and goes off to fetch the purple-haired leader.

"Tell her I found the wand!" Jay goes sprinting ahead, leaving only me and Carlos.

I catch up and walk next to him. “Is your mother very strict?”

“Nah. She just likes to use me for chores and stuff. I still love her, but sometimes I wish she’d let me do what I want to do.”

“Oh. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t bother. At least I’m not an orphan, right? What’s it like to not know who your parents are?” He asks, a bit bashful I might add.

I bite my lip. “It’s… different. I try not to think about it too much. I don’t let my heritage define my future.” Not a complete lie.

“You know what?” Carlos puts a hand on my shoulder, which makes me tense a bit. “I like that. I think I’ll try to live by that.”

“Live by what?” Evie walks up with Mal.

“Magica says to not let your heritage define your future. I think that sounds nice.”

“Sounds like you’re betraying your mom,” Mal says with an unsure tone. “Keep focused guys! We’re here to find the wand!”

“And I found it!” Jay yells from down the hall.

We all rush over and join him in a large room full of numerous magical objects, and at the center resides the all-powerful wand of Fairy Godmother herself.

I get a closer look at the wand and see some magic flickering around it. “Wait a minute…”

Mal seems to get my drift and tries to warn Jay. “No Jay, don’t-!”

“It’s protected-!” I shout over her but it’s not in time to stop Jay from touching the barrier. He gets thrown back and a loud alarm begins to blare over the speakers.

“A forcefield and a siren?!” Carlos yells over the deafening noise.

“No doubt the guard’s awake!” Mal complains.

I scramble to the doorway and look to see the security guard already heading in our direction. “We have to go now!”

Quickly, we scurry in the opposite direction down another staircase. I can see the guard’s flashlight beam getting closer, so I slip on my invisible cloak. Carlos goes over towards a ringing phone and gives a made-up excuse for the triggered alarm.

“Say ‘hi’ to Mrs.!” He sets it down.

“Carlos!” Mal hisses.

He rolls his eyes. “You’re welcome!” 

When we make it outside and go to hide in some bushes I start ranting at Jay.

“What in the blazes did thy think thou was doing?! Fairy Godmother’s wand is a display, not a toy! One might think thou were trying to steal it!” The VKs all avoid my gaze and some fidget with their hands.

"Um, Magica? Where are you?" Jay asks out loud.

"Oh, right." I hastily rip off my cloak, only to give each VK a warning glare. “I won’t say anything this time, but if you try something like this again I’m going to have to report to Ben.”

Now Mal gives an annoyed sigh. “Really? Going to tattle to Ben, are we? I thought you were into pranks.”

“I’m into pranks, not stealing! There’s a fine line I draw, and I don’t cross it. So either try to do better, or suffer through an extra goodness class!” I pivot and start strutting back to the school, while the others follow from behind.

“Way to go, Jay! Now we have to go to school tomorrow!” Mal complains as we head back.

“It’s not so bad,” I try to sound positive. “Just avoid talking to anyone.”

“Says the one trying to uplift school,” Evie groans as she checks her mirror again.

“Hey, I just try to be good. That doesn’t mean I’m a saint.”

[1nksta1neddesk]

A Court of Readers and Dreamers

Chapter 21: End of Days

I couldn’t fall into my usual fitful sleep, the usual wine that subsides my anxiety gone. Hours had to have passed with me finding warmth in the wools and furs of blankets as I stared blankly into the dark. I missed the easy access to music that used to lull me to sleep, maybe I shouldn’t have cursed out Rhysand for his sending of music to me.

I heard the clicks of his shoes against the stone before he slipped into my cell, Rhysand slumping against the wall as he ran his hand through already tousled hair. His tunic was unbuttoned and ivory skin shone through as his chest heaved, sliding down to rest against the floor. I sat up, pulling blankets with me to open a free space on the bed. Still he stayed on the floor even with an offered seat next to me.

We sat in silence for painful minutes, well painful for me as he seemed to need the wide expanse of time to let the iron set of his shoulders fall. His head was tilted back against the stone now as he let out easy breaths, and I thought for a moment he had fallen asleep and was prepared to drape one of the blankets over him before he shifted, dropping his head into his hands to rub at the temples. 

“Damned bitch is running me ragged,” he groaned out as his knees fell apart from each other, “You hate me, but imagine how you’d feel if I made you serve in my bedroom. I’m High Lord of the Night Court—not her damned harlot.” Disgust boiled the simmering rage, I was so ready to tear her throat out if only I could get some sleep. 

“You won’t have to deal with her much longer.” I say quietly , “Tomorrow it will all be set right.” My head pangs with pain as I blink, my eyes having gone dry as I stared at him. My vision blurred for a moment and when I blinked back rising tears I saw him looking at me from below long lashes.

“This is all so fucked,” Rhysand says and I let out a huffing laugh, I think it was the first time I had heard him use such a human curse. “I’m here, in a cell, talking to our one hope for freedom or condemnation and she is the only one I can talk to without risking everything.” His voice goes wiry on the last word and I know he is thinking of Velaris, of his family he had trapped there for the past 50 years.

The silence returns and this time it is me who breaks it, “What are you going to do after she’s gone?” Tiredness was starting to fuzz my brain and I leaned back against the wall, still keeping the blankets close to my body. Maybe I should request a last meal, some pasta would be divine after the months of soups and bread and cold meat. Is this what criminals back home felt like on their execution day? The peaceful fear and roiling anger?

“How about we worry about that after? Hm?” He teased and I ran a tongue over my teeth, where I could still feel the reverberation of our mouths colliding. We, he had said, like we would both see the sun again. I smiled at the thought, exhaustion painting a picture of snow kissed autumn winds as he soared to the house of wind. I hoped he enjoyed flying again after this, that taking to the air would be the first freedom he would give himself.

“Do you think he would fight for me?” I say and I know he knows I mean Tamlin, the blond highlord that has done little more than look at me during trials and completely ignoring me otherwise. I would have considered him a friend, hours of both of our fingers bleeding on strings of instruments bonding us in some way. Really I had intended for him to pull me into that closet at the party tonight, not Lucien. I wanted to use the time to warn Tamlin of Hybern, of Ianthe, if only to spare the citizens of Spring and the borders of Summer that would be ravished by the armies. Now those papers sitting in my dresser drawer were rotting away, the weeks of preparation going with them if I didn’t tell Rhysand about them.

Rhysand didn’t answer my question, rather answered around it, “You should have felt how angry he was when we revealed our little bargain, it was near palpable that first night. Thought he was going to try and gut me for a long while after it as well.” 

I laugh fully at the ashen face he sends to me, like he had been deeply worried that Tam’s claws would be turned on him. “Luckily for you, all your powers should be fully yours come tomorrow. If I make it” I add the last part as an after thought, not even fully aware I had let it slip by my lips. Really no matter what happened between now and then my plan wouldn’t falter. Best case scenario had Feyre coming back to her body, worst case left no Feyre behind and instead left a human girl’s corpse with the fae to deal with. Either way I would be long gone from this world come the next night, the after didn’t really matter all that much.

“You need to make it, Feyre.” He says harshly. “You need to.” 

I shake my head, “We both know that even if I complete her tasks she’ll kill me. I knew I wasn’t going to get to leave the moment I set foot here, you knew it too, everyone did.” This time I am the one pressing my head against the stones, communication should not take this much effort.

But he is silent again and I take the silence to play my last card up my sleeve with him. “At home, in the cottage I was in with my sisters before all this mess, I wrote some things and put them in my drawer. After all of this go there, for me at least, and read the things I wrote.” I stare up at the wet stones, the fire light glinting off them like flickering comets. 

“Why?” The word hangs in the air, heavy like a shoe waiting to drop. 

“Maybe I want someone to remember me, but its my own way to help with what comes after.” That was my regret from my past life, there had been effectively nothing left of me there when I had- well that doesn’t really matter now does it?

“How will I know which drawer is yours?” 

“You’ll know.” Sleep was finally beaconing for me, tantalizing hands weighing down my eyelids. I heard Rhysand rise from his spot, felt in the shift in the air I was slowly learning accompanied his shadow travel. “Sleep well, Rhys.” I say with a yawn and am sliding down the cot to nestle into the blankets, dense and warm as I fall asleep. I am wrapped in the fog of sleep as I hear him murmur something in return. Then he is gone and I hadn’t noticed the warmth he had added as the room feels cold once again.

_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_

My trousers and tunic were returned to me in the early hours of morning, or what felt like morning, the ones that were taken by Nuala and Cerridwen that first night of parties. The other ones were filthy taters in the corner of my cell, rotting and stinking so much I had not touched them after the trial. It felt nice to be back in my clothes, to have boots cushion my feet against the stone as my guards brought me up to the throne room.

The doors open under the hands of two white eyed faeries, hair of deep inky blue spilling over their shoulders as the wood yielded under them. I had never noticed them before, the two of them silent sentinels that must have witnessed my drunk stumbling each night. But they were silent, just as the rest of the courtroom as the sound of grinding stones echoed through the chamber.

Everyone watched me, but not in the same wicked way of stands full of men betting on a race horse as they had in the previous trials. Not anymore, not when they were close to freedom and I was the one that could bestow it upon them. No flashes of gold passed hands in bets, in exchange many hands were brought to lips or chests as they prayed to nameless deities. The only gold that shown through the crowd was that of the masked spring court, their eyes especially piercing as they traced each breath I took. Many of the spring court fae brought fingers to their lips and extended them out to me, a fleeting sign of farewell to the dead.

The crowd parted before me and I felt holy as I was brought before the dais. It felt biblical, the twisted inversion of Moses and Aaron approaching the Pharaoh lest plagues rain down upon the land. I was here to rid the land of a plague though, of the blight. I stared up at Amarantha at the foot of her throne, and her hair was starting to look like blood the more I looked at it and I was more than prepared to make her blood spray. Her crown was still knotted in her hair, looking more like a bramble than anything regal. The fake Tamlin sat at her side now, and even if I did not know it was a fake the posture was too casual, the shoulders too relaxed and angled as the imitator grew accustomed to the empty baldric across their chest.

“Two trials lie behind you, though not without their mark.” Her eyes narrowed on the ink visible as I had rolled my sleeves to my elbows. Some red skin faeries, the soldiers from her putrid court, whistled out in joy. The hoops and hollers were obscene in the silence. “And only one more awaits. I wonder if it will be worse to fail now—when you are so close.”She pouts as she lets her court laugh, it felt like laughter at a funeral. My funeral I reminded myself as I dug my nails into my palms. No one laughed along with her men, even the autumn siblings that often taunted me from across the ballrooms were silent wherever they were in the crowd.

I plaster a grin on my face, dripping with that black anger I had been refining. “Good thing we won’t have to figure out, isn’t it?” Her pout turns sour and pride spreads my grin wider, poisonous. 

“You never figured out my riddle, did you?” I didn’t respond, and she smiled. “Pity. The answer is so lovely.” I really really wanted to kill her, now, but I staved off the wild thoughts and energy that itched my skin and tongue. Only a few more moments and her blood would be on my hands, ruby red to varnish my skin.

Her red dress was already such a pretty shade of red, darkening it wouldn’t ruin her image, instead would enhance the creamy expanse of her throat and arms. She clapped her hands twice and guards came from a side door, one for each prisoner with black canvas placed over their heads. When they settled in a row behind me the three of the guards broke off, returning back through the door they had come from. They all wore simple clothes, battered trousers and tunics for the two male figures and a molted blue dress on the female between them.Amarantha clapped her hands again and three servants approached, each holding a black velvet pillow presenting polished ash daggers embellished with iron. 

“Your final task, Feyre,” Amarantha drawled, gesturing to the kneeling faeries. “Stab each of these unfortunate souls in the heart.They’re innocent—not that it should matter to you, since it wasn’t a concern the day you killed Tamlin’s poor sentinel.” Andras, he deserved to have a name, rather than just a sacrificial sentinel that had fallen to a huntress’ hand. He was the first blood I had regretted having on my hands, and it was her fault.  She continues “And it wasn’t a concern for dear Jurian when he butchered my sister. But if it’s a problem … well, you can always refuse. Of course, I’ll take your life in exchange, but a bargain’s a bargain, is it not? If you ask me, though, given your history with murdering our kind, I do believe I’m offering you a gift.” 

I stay silent for a moment, not moving from where I glare down my nose at her despite the elevation distance between the two of us. “Well?” she was agitated as she snapped it out before she softened her face and presented her hand forward, letting Jurian’s wild eye settle on me. I resisted the shiver that demanded to run down my back, though the prickling of my skin was irrepressible. “I wouldn’t want you to miss this, old friend.”

This time I turn slowly, to face the intended victims of this trial. I stepped forward, in front of the first male figure. The servant pulled off the sack, revealing young skin and sharp features. I looked at the face of the young fae male in front of me and smiled down at him, sweet as a mother as I brushed a strand of fallen hair behind one of those arched ears. He was whimpering- begging to be spared as I reached for that wooden dagger. It was heavy, like it was made from true steel, and I twisted it in my hand. That handsome face of the fae tilted to look at me, at his death, and I stared back into those sky-blue eyes. The tears that streamed down his face did not suit such bright eyes and I whispered to him, low enough that Amarantha couldn’t hear, but the audience on the closest fringe could.

“Wish me luck” It was the only warning I gave before my grip on that dagger shifted, tightening as I twisted my body. I only took one step as I put my whole weight and years of training in those woods into the throw. The blade spun on its axis as it soared, and even her immortal reflexes could not dodge as it sunk into her, just above the hip. I didn’t wait for her shriek as I darted to grab the next blade, still next to the covered female fae. The servant who had been holding the pillow that displayed that dagger must have been too stunned to move as I grabbed the new dagger. My hand had grabbed the blade and it sliced into the flesh, red spilling forth before I readjusted to tightly grip it.

Magic slammed into me like a crashing wave, nearly driving me to my knees as I turned back to face the throne. Her red hair was whipping around her where she was standing and I did not have time to run as she came at me, manicured nails extended out as her own set claws. I felt one of the nails sink into my shoulder as she hurdled us over, and I was laughing, some insane part of me letting out cackles as we slammed into tile. And then she was on top of me, smashing her fists down onto my body as she shrieked curses and slurs. The magic that was roiling off of her kept me pinned to the ground, and I couldn’t move the arm that held that last dagger as the sickening crunch of my ribs breaking through my body filled my ears. 

Her blood was running into the bright red fabric, darkening it just as I had imagined it with every movement she made. Her blood splattered onto my shirt as she thrashed in her tantrum, speckling me like a robin's egg. Her hits cracked against bone each time and I would have been thankful for me not having to be around to deal with the healing process as I spat upon her.

My laughter enraged her enough to ignore the movement in the crowd that I watched from the corner of my eyes as I screamed curses back at her to keep her distracted even more so. She returned the slurs tenfold with each impact and drag of her nails. I watched the shadowed figure kneel next to Tamlin, reaching out for that last remaining dagger that had clattered to the floor as the last servants had ran. The blade was poised in his hand as I saw the flash of those wicked talons and wings as he launched himself at the red headed witch.

His dagger that had been poised for her throat was slammed back with him as she waved a hand at him, a white wall of power pulsing as it threw him. But the distraction was just enough for the magic pinning me to lessen for me to raise my arm, dagger still grasped in an iron grip.

I had raised it high enough to stab into her ribs, slitting the lacy bodice of her dress as it slid into the hilt, as a refreshed wave of that pulsing magic slammed me into the ground. I felt my head crack into the stone as pressure pulsed in my ears, and I bit down painfully on my tongue as she screamed in pain. She ripped the dagger out with a hand, looking aghast as a new river of blood flowed forth from her, going to meet the path of my first wound to her lap . Her blood was pouring down onto me as I smiled, toothy and stained with my blood. Another punch from those delicate hands and she grabbed my arms pinning them to the cold ground.

“I am going to rip you apart” The promise was dripping with her own blood as I couldn’t resist the accursed smile of a mad man that spread across my face as I spat back at her again, her and my blood mixing as it soaked into that ruby dress. It had turned to garnet and I felt pride swell at my art, my destruction of her after all these months-years I had devoted to bringing her to her knees.

“Filth- “another hit to my face “- putrid human filth.” Blood was filling my mouth as I wheezed “I knew the answer to your inane riddle this whole time, bitch.” It gave her enough pause that I laughed out “Love, the damned answer is love”. 

The rage of her scream shook the stone under me as I grinned up at her, blood splattering onto the red clay tiles as I coughed. I sent a last message down that reverberating chain linking my tattoo to him, an apology and an admonishment of all grief I have caused him with my foolishness. There was still resentment at him for the past month but more than that I do not think I could have held him to a fault for all of it, maybe not even any of it. It was much less words and more a pulse of that bleeding tightness of thorny vines wrapped around my heart. Then right after that pulse I send back warmth, the feeling of bones resting in a hot bath or basking in the sun in the summer as I feel nails dig into tender flesh at the base of my skull. I hoped he enjoyed a long life with his family.

“Rot in hell” I cursed her with a cackling laugh as she has wrapped her hands around my ears. In my last bit of defiance while staring down my nose at her I spit my rotting human blood into her face and she is twisting my neck until something in my spine- my neck- my head- broke irreparably.

_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_

The snap reverberated through me, the wet stickiness of blood disappearing from my skin as I was dunked into a deep ink. I was swimming- floating- whatever in that abyss. It was warm as it whispered sweet-nothings into my skin, letting me sink farther and farther under, swirling down like a snowflake, delicate and precious in a fluttering wind. But before I could nestle down in that eternity of comfort I was dragged to view my body, twisted and mangled, on the floor. 

The fae queen was still straddling me, ash dagger still embedded above those slim hips deepening that red gown, seeping out of her like black ichor. Her hands raised from the side of my head before Amarantha stood from my body, looking up at the crowd with pleading eyes as she opened up her mouth. 

“Please”, it was the only word she got before the room exploded with power. Living ink grabbed her body and slammed her against the wall as a flash to the side. A guttural roar sounded in the room before the pounding of claws and Tamlin was there at her throat as he shifted back to that male form I had grown used to. His mask had dropped in his run ,forsaken and forgotten after he had ripped from his bonds, as his claw tipped hand sunk into her stomach and ripped-

My vision changed in a blink, and I was above mountains, city lights just behind me. Their peaks disappeared in a heavy cloud cover as the sky illuminated with white lightning, a moment of quiet before the shaking clap of thunder shook my vision. Rain was pounding down, and I wanted to howl in joy as the cold air kissed at a face that wasn’t mine. I realized then , as the vision rolled to look into the rain streaked clouds and away from the stone below, I was in the air. It was cinematic as the vision tilted again and I was barreling down- down- down-

I had braced for the impact but it didn’t come, instead the dark shadows of the rough stone had become a balcony, smooth and polished as my eyes looked down at the city. I clutched onto that vision, hoping it was my link to home as I watched the glittering lights below. I longed to go back to the days where I was kept up by the noise of traffic rather than fear of nightmares of the creatures and actions I had been forced to endure. But the vision was ripped away from me like a children’s blanket and I was back under the mountain. 

Amaranth was pinned like a doll to the stone wall, cracks radiating from where a gold hilted sword was stabbed through her head. Her intestines hung from the cavity that stretched from her sternum to those delicate hips, torn out by Tamlin, who was now staggering back from the body. His front was drenched in blood before he turned. Rhysand’s eyes returned to my body then, and I felt nausea bubble up in my now non-existent stomach at the sight of the body twisted at horrible angles, blood pooling around me.

Lucien was there though, cradling my head. I was reminded of the way I held Andras in his final moments and I was ready for that smooth ink to sweep me back to my world or to no world at all, but whatever held me to Rhys’ vision would not loosen its tie. Then Tamlin was there, taking the limp body into those corded arms as I saw tears drip from his face. Lucien was not much better as he grabbed at a blood-smeared limp hand, bringing it to his forehead as he wept.

 His mask was still in place as a man who looked like an older brother of Lucien approached, he wasn’t part of the autumn brood that had watched me over the months. My borrowed eyes knew who he was and supplied me with the answer with no more than a second of delay. The High Lord of Autumn Court did not look at Lucien as he approached the body, held right to Tamlin’s chest. He opened his hand, tilting it to where that drop of glittering liquid fire dropped onto my chest. Then two more males, tall and handsome approached. Tarquin and Kallis tipped their hands in succession, pearlescent and crystalline drops soaking into the skin above Feyre’s heart. I coaxed, in the darkness that I could still feel my corporeal body floating, for her soul to slide in, that her body was ready for her. 

I felt no other stirring in that darkness as I watched Thesan approach, his drop glowing with the golden haze that had brought me home to the cottage thousands of times over the years. Helion approached and I felt the resemblance in his and Lucien’s power, enough that the rumors of him being Lucien’s father started to make sense, as that pure gold drop fell. 

I wanted to scream into the abyss for Feyre to come for her claim, wanting her to take over her place of High Lady that I had laid bare to her. I wanted to thrash about as the body I was in, Rhysand, walked forward to where my body was cooling in the arms of the High Lord of Spring.

“For what she gave,” Rhysand said, extending a clenched hand, “we’ll bestow what our predecessors have granted to few before.” He paused, just for a breath. “This makes us even,” I felt that cocky glow of humor spike through him as he opened that palm, the brightest drop of starlight dropping down to where the rest of those seeds had soaked into the body of a girl who was abhorrently silent in the void. 

Tamlin pulled an arm from under me as he gathered a drop of the glowing power that promised blossoming flowers and prosperity in a calloused palm. I saw the drop roll between his ring and middle finger, watched as it fell to skin, and as he pushed that palm into my chest and whispered into matted hair. I doubted that even if I had been in that body I would have heard it, but Rhysand’s fae ears picked up on it as though it was a chime of a bell. 

“Come back, please” 

I was thrown back into that warm ink as the words ended and I started searching for a glimmer of the soul that rightfully belonged in the body as a braided rope dropped in front of me. I grasped at it , wading the darkness as golden light shined from above. 

I was about to scream out for her , demanding that she take what she owned so that I could return to my own home, but a voice caressed the inside of my ears. It was an ancient voice, unending and primordial as it spoke right into my mind, past the walls I had built.

 Live, little one, you are more than a string in the tapestry of the world. Weave a new story for me. 

The voice was distinctly feminine as it disappeared, I whipped around in that space. My hand ran along that rope, and I felt the connection that had shown me the city, braided in with my death and those illuminated clouds. I pulled myself up, conscious to only grab at the strands that spoke of that stormy night sky and sparkling city as I went. If I denied the bargain that led me to Rhysand- to Prythian- maybe I could go home even against the Mother’s wishes. So I climbed, feet kicking at the emptiness below as I went towards the light that promised me my freedom.

I felt bubbles grab my under arms, pushing me up toward that brightness and as a bubble came to rest under my chin I -

I gulped in air as I turned out of someone's lap, planting my hands on the floor. It was cool underneath my fingers as I opened my eyes. My hair draped around me, a golden- brown curtain shielding me from the stares of the onlookers. Golden brown hair-I bought a hand with too-long fingers to grasp at the strands. A beat of silence then- 

I screamed into the tile as my hope was ripped away from me.

[kattramen]

BEFORE READING, KNOW THIS IS FIC IS DISCONTINUED.

I started working on this WIP for valentines day, but, if you hadn't seen- valentines day was almost a month ago. I might pick this back up next year, but I dunno yet. It's a little messy, but it would just rot away with the rest of my wips if i didn't post this. Anyway, please enjoy what I do have! :^>

Thank you @here-2suffer for giving me the inspiration to write as much as I did. Sorry I didn't end up finishing before writers block swallowed me whole.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

February is that weird transitional month between the harsh winter weather and the wet and warm spring. Not quite cold enough to warrant your heavy winter coat but not warm enough to ditch the hoodie. The chilly morning air fills your lungs with a new vitality, a new day, a new week. Let's hope this one is more promising than the last, working in the pizzaplex is beginning to weigh heavily on your shoulders. So many faces to remember, so many noises, so many messes… 

You sigh, punching your employee ID number into a kiosk to clock on.. glancing over the schedule plastered on the corkboard nearby you search endlessly through the list of faceless employees that keep the glorified mall running like clockwork. One of the downsides of being a float in the Plex is you never quite know where you're going to end up for the week. 

"Let's see, Betsy, Romello, Sara, Leo, Pete, Macky, Jillian, Robert, Mike, Vlad, Ah! Y/N, there we go." You trace your finger down the paper, stopping when you reach your name.

"Now where did they stick me- Oh!" A soft smile creeps across your face, "Daycare huh? It looks like it's gonna be a good week after all." You walk towards your locker, taking a simple black hairband from your wrist you tie your formally loose hair up into a pony, taking the time to slip your fazco branded cap into place. Brushing off the invisible dust on your uniform you look towards a mirror to straighten yourself out, taking the time to readjust your fringe and checking the cleanliness of your teeth. You could probably use a mint.. maybe some gum.. a quick pat of your pockets serves as a gentle reminder that you haven't been to the convenience store yet this week. Oh well, gum has been banned from the daycare ever since the bubble-blowing incident anyway. It took months before Sun stopped smelling like Hubba bubba. 

You chuckle fondly at the memory, shaking your head as you recall how long it took the daycare attendant to pick the rubbery pink substance from each crater in his faceplate. Sparing a quick glance at the clock you decide you've spent far too long stalling in the locker room. You turn, heading off through the endless underground tunnels toward the daycare. 

As the mechanical door rises and you step out onto the ground level, the heavy bustle of service bots zipping around the building and settling everything into its rightful place reaches your ears. You can also hear the faint chiming of the arcade on the floor above you, more than grateful you wouldn't be on ticket desk duty this week. Some of those kids are ruthless, and the adults aren't much better.. sure Mr. Hippo isn't the most popular animatronic from the franchise, but that surely doesn't warrant hurling those heavy-ass magnets at poor unsuspecting service workers' heads. 

As you approach the large wooden double doors, something becomes blatantly obvious... Neatly cut pink paper heart chains are hung carefully above the door. A peek at the exterior of the rest of the daycare reveals these aren't the only ones... Suddenly the reason for your 'peaceful' work week becomes all too clear. It's Valentine's week....fantastic. You contemplate turning back and locking yourself in one of the charging booths, but decide against it to save yourself from possible radiation poisoning.

Holidays in the daycare are always unbelievably hectic. Not only are the kids bouncing off the walls, but there's also a million and one things Sun likes to jam-pack into the week. The history of the holiday, crafts, sweets, face painting, themed games, stories, movies, and a dozen other activities he somehow manages to come up with. You're not sure if you wanna know just how long he plans these things out. But he's always so excited to enact said plans, and watching him find genuine enjoyment in his craft makes the next few weeks of pocket glitter worth the trouble. 

You grab hold of the door, trying to prepare yourself for the mess of red, pink, and white covering every inch of the daycare. The door opens with an agonizingly slow creak, you make a mental note to tell maintenance that the hinges need to be greased. What lies beyond the doorway exceeds your expectations, they outdid themselves this year.. paper hearts of several varieties and baby angels are strung up all around the daycare, chains similar to those on the exterior also stretch along the interior walls, bunches of paper bouquets adorn the crafting tables along with what seems to be all the materials to make cards, the security desk has been covered in pink paper and decorated with a billion tiny hand drawn hearts, and heart balloons of varying colors are scattered about the floor. 

In the center of it all, dressed in bright red overalls, a frilly white button-up, pair of angel wings, a halo, and what seems to be a bow and arrows. Is a rather ecstatic-looking Sun, he aims at you, sending an arrow hurtling at your head. It makes contact before you can even react. Too stunned to speak, you glance up at your forehead at what looks to be the aforementioned arrow suctioned in place. 

"Haha!! I got you Sunbeam!! You've been shot by cupid! Looks like sooooomeone's fated to find love today!" Sun cheers as he jogs over, plucking the arrow from your forehead and tossing it back into his sling.

You stare blankly at him, still trying to process what just occurred. "I'm gonna what?" 

"Find love! them's the rules after all!" He shakes an arrow at you, grinning cheekily as he taps his chin in thought. "Noooow, just who to set you up with.. hm… can't be any of the kids.. can't be second staff.. They have a boyfriend don't you know!" He strikes his palm, raising a finger up when the answer comes to him. "Ah-ha! That just leaves two eligible bachelors!!" 

You quirk a brow, “And just who might those gentlemen be?” Your voice holds a certain level of perspicacity, an incredulous look plastered across your features. Sun’s grin only seems to widen, he leans against the security desk, arms folded.

“Well I can tell you now, they’re swell guys! Very sweet, charming, some might even call them handsome.” He nods as he speaks, “Very crafty too, you wouldn’t believe what they can do with some scrap paper and a glue stick! Being resourceful is an extremely desirable trait, especially in this day and age! That recession is quickly approaching after all!” He turns, beginning to pace in a circle as he babbles, hands animating each sentence. “There is a bit of a catch.. It’s a two-in-one package, can’t have one without the other, buuuut that just means double the hugs, and you simply can’t beat a deal like that!” he quits his pacing, stopping to gauge your expression, despite the friendly face his anxiety seeps through the cracks of his carefully crafted confidence. Fidgeting with his clothes, thrumming his fingers, refusing to look at you longer than a few seconds at a time, the intensified whirring of fans attempting to regulate internal temperatures. He’s nervous, thats apparent. 

“Oh really? They sound like really great guys, but I sorta already had a valentine or two in mind. So you’ll have to let them down gently for me Sunny, I really didn’t take you for the matchmaker type. Do you set employees up regularly?” If he was going to be roundabout in asking, you were 100% going to play into it, and tease him a bit. It’s only fair, they take every opportunity to mess with you, might as well give them a taste of their own trickster ways. 

Sun visibly deflates, rays despite their inflexibility almost seem to sag. You can’t help but compare him to a withering flower, his grin twitches ever so slightly. “I.. I see.. Seems like you get out more than we thought Starlight! We didn’t even think you left the house for anything other than work, never would have imagined our little Star would be so.. Popular! Popular! Popular! Ha..” He slips effortlessly back into his role, pushing away any lingering anxiety and melancholy, sweeping the emotions under the rug to be addressed at a much later time, until eventually the pressure causes a fuse to go out, or a gasket to be blown. Even so, his voice holds a certain tightness, and his movements come across as choppier and tenser than normal. “We don't normally take too much interest in coworkers' love lives! But seeing as it’s the season, and how bright and special our Star is to us, we thought you might need a little help celebrating this year! That's all!” he lets out a small disconcerting laugh before growing quiet and stagnant, you’ve come to realize that in these moments of silence is when he and Moon converse freely. 

Which makes him an easy target. 

You wave a hand in front of his face, testing his awareness, when you’re still met with clouded eyes and a dazed expression you turn to the desk. Grabbing a washable marker and popping the cap off, you once again approach Sun weapon in hand. You only have a few more seconds to work, so you simply choose to write an 8-letter word across the expanse of what would be considered his forehead “Gullible”. Snickering, you step back from the bot, admiring your work. The idea is to drop as many hints as humanly possible, after all, you would be asking them to be your valentines before your shift ends, might as well have a bit of fun with the build-up. 

When Sun fronts he straightens, a new emotion hidden behind half-lidded eyes, envy. Whatever he and Moon discussed, you can already tell it's gonna get you into trouble. “So,” He starts, “Sunshine.” His voice is laced with an undertone of apathy, “Moon and I  have discussed it, why don’t you bring your date here? We could make it a night to remember.” The sharpness in his voice definitely promises a memorable evening, just not in a way that would get you a second date, hell, probably not even a full first one. A thin smile is taut against his face as he speaks again, “What are their names? How long have you known them? Do you think it’s love? Are they your friends? Did they ask you first? How did they do it? Did they get you flowers? Are you dating? Do you want to date them? Do they have a stable income? Do they make you smile? Have they made you cry?” Sun’s eyes almost feel as if they’re burning holes into yours, pelting you with an onslaught of questions, questions you didn’t have answers to. It doesn’t help that as he continues to speak his words almost become covetous and condescending towards your imaginary dates.

You hold up a hand, prompting Sun to stop speaking. He quiets with a small huff, breaking eye contact to fiddle with the ribbons around his wrists while he waits for answers to questions he doesn’t really want to be answered. After all, the more he knows, the more this situation becomes real, and the more he has to accept that you really are as unobtainable as he and Moon originally believed you to be. You probably shouldn't find this amusing, but their blatant interrogation is oddly endearing. With a deep inhale, you stuff down the urge to poke fun, choosing instead to pull an answer or thirteen out your ass. 

You chuckle, awkwardly scratching your cheek "Gonna be honest Sunny, I missed about half of those questions.." you make a face, scrunching it up as if you're trying to recall while you stall for a bit more time. "Their names are… Ray… and.. Mani.." You say less than smoothly, like you totally didn't just look at Sun's rays and pull some obscure name that means Moon out of no where. "I've known them.. funnily enough just about as long as I've been working here. I run into them on shift sometimes." Sun's eye twitches at that last bit, an invader, a thief, in his own home, how devastating. 

You continue, "I'd say we're really close, they're probably both some of my best friends. They haven't asked yet.. but I can tell they want to, I'm actually gonna ask them today." Sun's expression is beginning to morph into a Glower as he readjusts his skirt frills for the umpteenth time. "We're not dating, but, I wouldn't mind having them as partners.. they.. both have jobs.. but they don't get paid.." you hesitate a bit, goosebumps ghosting over your arms as you feel the iciness of the animatronic's utter disapproval. 

Oh boy, that was definitely not something Sun wanted to hear. How are they going to support you? How dare they make you the main breadwinner, you already work yourself too hard as it is. There's no way these two incompetent fools could ever treat you right.

"What kinda names are Ray and Mani anyway, they sound like losers." Moon's voice echoes through the headspace. 

"EXACTLY! Losers, bet they wouldn't even remember Dewdrop's favorite color." Sun claps back.

"The nerve" the lunar AI grunts.

"We absolutely have to do something, it's our right." Says Sun.

"As their best friends" Moon responds.

"AS THEIR BEST FRIENDS." They agree. 

And so, Operation: Prove that Ray and Mani are complete trash and get Starlight to fall madly in love with us. Was formed. How would they do so? Obviously they need to first convince you to take your dates here for valentines day, after a bit of passive-aggressive button pushing they'll get them to crack and show their true colors. Then, when they break your sweet, sweet, heart they'll be there to console you, effectively sweeping you off your feet and BANISHING the two from ever stepping foot in the daycare. It's the perfect plan, nothing, aside from the 62.81% chance of failure, could go wrong. But, Sun was never one for statistics, he preferred to believe that when something is meant to be, things will just work out swimmingly. So he wasn't worried. Moon on the other hand, was worried. Not enough to ditch the idea, but he could acknowledge that this isn't their brightest light bulb moment, and the odds aren't exactly in their favor. 

Regardless they both cross their fingers, and hope somehow this all works out.  

"Sun?" 

I mean, how hard could it be to convince you? It's clear they would be a far better valentines day date than these.. these..

"Sun!" 

Dirty stinkin' Starlight snatchers!! 

"SUN!!"

The animatronic jumps, startled back into reality, he leans forward head tilted towards you. 

"You good Sunshine?? Normally you respond quicker than that, you and Moon must be really getting into it in there. You're clutching the desk so hard the paper is ripping-" sure enough when Sun looks down at his hands the pink paper beneath his fingertips has been contorted. 

"Ha… how.. Did that happen? Must've been a bug.. Moon will have to take a look later..." He smooths the bunches out, opening a small compartment in his shoulder to dispense several strips of tape to fix his mistake. "Anyway, Starlight, I think I may have gotten distracted with Moon for a moment or two." He finishes the repair, closing the compartment with a whack of his fist. "Now. Where were we? Ah yes, your dates. Please. Continue." His words come out with a taste of venom, whether it was intentionally placed or not. You pause for a moment, unsure if continuing this joke is a good idea. But you've come this far, there's no turning back, you have to double down. 

"Well.. they make me smile.. even when they're not around, they're silly, clever, charismatic, understanding, loving.. I don't think I've ever been as happy as I am when they're near.. Mani has the most beautiful singing voice, and Ray is probably the most talented dancer I've ever had the pleasure of dancing with. They're both, just.. wow.. You should see them with kids, it's like a superpower, really." The fondness in your voice causes Sun to shiver, your face is so soft, eyes full of complete admiration.. He has to wonder, what it'd be like if you looked at him the same way.. With those pink cheeks and that shimmering gaze.. he watches as you bite your lip, pursing.  He reaches out unconsciously, cupping your cheek like it were made of porcelain, stroking it gently with his thumb. "S-sun..?" You call, a bit redder than you were seconds ago. 

"Oh!" He retracts his hand like your skin was hot to the touch, grasping it with his other as if he didn't entirely trust himself not to do it again. "I apologize Star.. I'm not sure where I went just now. I didn't hurt you did I?" Concern and what seems to be guilt is etched into his faceplate. 

You frantically shake your head "No no! Not at all. I'm perfect, just peachy, see, all smiles.." to make a point you exaggerate a smile doing your best to convince. Sun simply nods, clenching his hand experimentally. "Are you sure you're alright Sun..? Did you forget to charge last night? Maybe you should go upstairs and rest before the daycare opens.." You do your best not to sound too concerned, was this your fault..? Did you upset them? Ugh, of course you'd manage to over complicate something that was supposed to be straightforward. The weight of Sun's hand against your shoulder is enough to pull you from your less than kind thoughts. 

He smiles giving your shoulder a pat, "I'm alright Sunbeam, just a bit lost in thought. You'll have to forgive me for being so spacey this morning. Hehe~" Sun wiggles his brows, pleased with his crafty wordplay. 

"You did not." You stare blankly back at the animatronic in question. 

"Oh ho ho~ but I did." Sun grins smugly, there's an unspoken challenge behind that smirk. 

~~~~~~~~~~

Annnnnd thats all I have down. If you read this far, thank you! I really appreciate it! ^w^