#and when asked by passing aunts and uncles if I wanted the movie turned off

[quillyfied]

I was a big girl and only cried three or four times during the Beauty and the Beast 30th Anniversary event. And I didn’t hide behind the couch once.

[justagirlwholikesadam]

The American: Visiting the Dursley

Remus Lupin x American! Fem! Reader

Summary: Sirius slips out a name that Harry has never heard of before. He wants to get to the bottom of it and wants to know who is this so called, Yankee.

A/n: I had comments on people telling me to continue this story. Here's chapter 2. I want to start off saying, I haven't read the books. I have seen the movies and I'm doing a bit of searching here and there but I'm making stuff up as we go so my plot can work. With that being said, don't come for me. Not sure how many chapters I'll be doing, really depends on the feedback. please read the tags before reading. Enjoy -L

Warning: mention of rape, breaking and entering, ANGST, MAJOR ANGST, weapon, reader has it rough, threats being made, mention of killing bad people, drunk Sirius, sad childhood, mention of child abuse, reader has a temper and bad childhood, NSFW, smut is here duhh we are with Remus

WORD COUNT: 10.7k

Chapter 2: Visiting the Dursleys

Stepping out of the grimmauld place, you walked beside Harry, down the steps asking him what kind of food he likes. Harry felt dumb for getting excited over a simple question. When was the last time someone asked him a simple question, he can’t recall. A question that didn’t have to do anything with the war or with magic. He hears Remus and Sirius behind him, shutting the front door. He was excited, he was going to spend time with his aunt and uncles. He was going to spend time with his family. 

“I have a place in mind.” You told him with a smile as you stood by him waiting for Remus and Sirius. 

“It’s a bit far so I’ll do the apparition.” You told the three of them. Remus held your hand as you grabbed a hold of Harry’s hand. Sirius held Remus and Harry’s hand, forming a circle. Harry watched as you closed your eyes and took a deep breath. Your magic was something he could feel, it vibrated off of you. 

In a flash, Harry dropped your hand and turned to see you had apparated them in the middle of an alley. 

“Come on, Harry.” You said signaling him to follow you. 

Sirius smiled to himself as he saw Harry’s eyes grow wide when they walked out of the alley to the busy street. Harry took in the crowds of people and the different colored signs around the streets. He had never seen this street before, the air was different as well. It looked too busy to be the streets of London. He passed by a hot dog stand and noticed people using  flip phones while waiting to cross the street. Harry looked ahead to see Remus and you holding hands walking, Harry grinned when he saw you speaking with Remus who looked over at you with a smile. He hasn’t seen his ex professor smile so much before. Remus' eyes were lit up and a wide toothy smile was on his face.

Crossing the streets, Harry feels Sirius nudge his shoulder and points at a mime standing by the corner doing tricks. Harry hears you call for him and he quickly walks up to you. Remus walks ahead of you and opens the door of a restaurant. Harry looks up the red neon sign on top of the glass door, Lucky’s Joint. The atmosphere was cool and reserved. There were a few people drinking while watching a game on the TV above the bar. Others were smoking in the corner while others were enjoying their drinks and food.

Harry looked ahead when someone called out your name. He saw you smile as you opened your arms for an elderly man who welcomed you. You hugged the old man, patting his back. 

“Oh my! Remus!” The older man walked towards Remus giving him a hug. Remus patted him on the back as well. 

“It’s nice to see you, Mr. Lincoln.” Remus said as he pulled away. 

“It’s been far too long.” Lincoln told Remus and you, grabbing Remus’ hand and yours. Harry can see both of you meant something to Lincoln. The older man had white short hair and was shorter than Harry. He had a plump frame and wore dark dress pants with a blue button down shirt. 

“I want you to meet my brother, Sirius.” You said looking over at Sirius who was curious about this old man. Sirius shook hands with Lincoln, who raised his white bushy eyebrows in surprise. 

“And this is, my nephew, Harry.” You look over at him. Harry tried his best to blink the tears away. You called him, your nephew.

“Brother? Nephew?” Lincoln asked in a shock tone. 

“Yes. They live out of the country. They came to visit.” Remus said, looking over at Sirius and Harry, giving them a wink to play along. 

“Just here for a bit. Vacationing with my son.” Sirius told Lincoln, placing a hand on Harry’s shoulder. 

“That’s fantastic. Enjoy your vacation. Now come. I’ll show you to your usual booth.” The booth was all the way in the back, giving them some privacy. 

“He has no idea?” Sirius asked and Remus shook his head while a waitress came and dropped some menus  on the table before walking away. 

“He’s a kind hearted muggle. Yank and I have been coming here for years.” Remus said while removing his coat before sitting by the wall. 

Harry sat down across from you next to Sirius. Harry froze when he saw you taking your coat off and saw a hostler attached to your hip. Sitting down, Remus passed a menu to you. Looking up to see Harry, he quickly glanced away from you. 

“What’s wrong?” You asked and Harry shyly looked at you. 

“You have a gun.” Harry whispered and you just smiled at his reaction. “I do. Every auror who does special missions in the states carries one.” You answered him. 

“You shoot Death Eaters with it?” You nodded. Harry looked a bit nervous so you took your gun out and took the magazine of the gun out. Pulling a bullet out you showed it to Harry. 

“This gun is just like any other gun. The difference is the bullets. The bullets contain a spell.” Harry's eyes widen as you hold it out in front of him. 

“This gun contains immobulus in each bullet. We use the gun when we don’t have our wand. The gun is our last resort and yes, to answer your question. I have used it. It saved my life many times before.” 

Harry grabs the bullet from your hand and looks at it. He stared at the bullet, the silver bullet shines and he sees the word of the spell engraved on the bullet. He holds it to Sirius who was equally curious about it as well. 

“What if it kills them?” Harry asked. “If you shoot them in the head or the heart then yes. It will kill them. We were taught to shoot them in the non-vital parts of their body until the authorities come and get them.” 

“But sometimes you have to shoot them down.” Your voice gets low and Harry notices the look on Remus' face. 

“Why am I not surprised that our Yankee has a gun.” Sirius said, making you chuckle as he passed the bullet to Harry. 

“I was just as surprised as you when they introduced me to it but it’s America, what do you expect? They love their guns.” You said as Harry gave you the bullet back. 

“You knew about this?” Remus nods at Sirius as you put the gun away. 

“Well, of course. I’m her husband. She taught me how to shoot the damn thing.” Sirius’ mouth dropped, not believing that shy and quiet Remus knows how to shoot a gun. 

“Nearly fell back when I shot it but I got the hang of it.” Remus said, looking over at you. 

“We have lots of catching up to do.” Sirius said, making you nod. 

“That we do. Harry, let me just say you look like James but your eyes are your mothers.” Harry smiled at you. 

“You really do.” Remus said as he grabbed your hand under the table while Sirius told Harry about James going on and on about Lily’s eyes when they were in school. 

Ordering the food and the drinks, Harry’s face hurt from all the smiling and laughter he was doing. You were a breath of fresh air to him. He thinks it’s because you treated him like an adult. You didn’t sugar coat things when Harry asked about Voldemort and stories about his parents. Harry listened attentively to every word you said during dinner. He can see the admiration in Remus’ eyes when you spoke about your job in the states. 

“You said only aurors who do special missions have a gun?” You nod at Harry’s question. 

“What kind?” You wiped your fingers with a napkin before answering. 

“Many missions that required protecting items or people. Sometimes very rich muggles, sometimes wizards or sometimes creatures. Others and I sometimes go out to look out for Death Eaters who have escaped the first war. That’s how we found out that he had been planning on using mind control on the muggles.” 

“He’s been planning other things, Harry.” You said softly.  “He thinks he will win this time around. He has already started making plans once he defeats us, not to take over London but to rule over everything.” 

“He won’t win.” Remus’ voice was firm and strong. 

“He won’t.” You agreed with your husband. 

“That’s right.” Sirius commented before looking over at his godson. “We are here with you, Harry. You are not alone anymore. We are going to stop him once and for all.” 

Harry bites the inside of his cheek to not cry. Harry had Ron and Hermione with him, but it wasn’t the same thing being with Remus, Sirius and you. Ron and Hermione were teens just like him. The three of them had no experience with dealing with war. You reach out your hand across the table to touch Harry’s hand when he doesn't respond right away to Sirius. Harry’s hand is so soft compared to yours and you hope he didn’t reject you. You were relieved when Harry grabbed a hold of it. His eyes looked down at your hand, to him your hands were like Sirius and Moody. You had light scars over your knuckles and he rubbed his thumb over the golden wedding band on your ring finger. You frown when Harry’s eyes begin to fill up with tears when you feel him rub a scar on your knuckles. Harry lets out a whimper when he remembers Cedric’ having a familiar scar like yours on his hand. He remembers because he was holding on to Cedric’s hand for dear life when bringing his dead body back home. 

“I just don’t want any of you to end up like Cedric because of me.” Harry whispered and Sirius was quick to pull him next to him. Sirius wrapped his arm around his shoulders and pulled him close. 

“No need to cry, my dear boy.” Sirius told him softly as Remus grabbed a few napkins from the table sliding them over to Sirius. Harry still held your hand as you moved his plate away giving you space. 

“Harry.” Remus calls for him over the table. Remus’ heart breaks when Harry looks over at him with teary eyes. He swore that he saw Lily for a second but shook his head to continue. 

“You do know, Cedric’s death was not on you.” Harry was quick to shake his head. 

“Listen to me.” Remus said. “It was not your fault. No one knew he was going to be there. No one knew that he was coming back at that moment. Cedric knew the risk when entering the tournament as well. Peter was the one that killed him. Not you. Peter.” 

“He’s right, my sweet boy.” You said to Harry. You gave him a gentle squeeze on his hand. 

“What happened to Cedric was horrible. You shouldn’t have to experience that but Remus is right. This was not on you. I don’t want to lie to you, Harry. Yes, we may die, we may die tomorrow, in two days, in a year or we may die during the war but I can say this about the three of us.” You looked at Sirius and Remus then back at Harry. 

“Risking our lives for the greater good and to protect you is worth losing our life. We will help you defeat him.” Harry sniffed as Sirius kissed the top of his head. 

“You are not alone. We are here now.” Sirius whispered to Harry as you grabbed Remus with your other hand, the table stood quiet for a few moments. 

“Do you remember when James and you showed me how to ride a broomstick?” You asked Sirius trying to lighten up the mood, Harry seemed to calm down when he heard your question. Sirius lets out a chuckle before Remus does the same. 

“Oh Merlin! We tried to convince your aunt to join the quidditch team.” Sirius said, looking at Harry before grinning at you. 

“What was the first thing you said?” Sirius asked, making you roll your eyes when you realize what you had just done. 

“Do we have to wear those witches hats to start the broom?!” Remus answered in a high pitched voice making you gasp as Sirius and he started to laugh. 

“I didn’t know, okay! I thought it activated the broom. Back home all the witches had those hats on when riding the broom.” You tried to speak over Remus and Sirius’ laughter. You shook your head and looked over at Harry who was smiling again. 

“Your mother yelled at your father for laughing at her and made him wear a witches hat for the entire lesson.” Remus told Harry before looking at Sirius. 

“Let’s just say I did not play Quidditch after that.” You said releasing your hand from Harry. 

“You didn’t like it?” Harry asked as you pushed his plate in front of him. 

“To be honest, flying around and throwing balls was not my cup of tea but watching Sirius and James fly was something out of this world. I’ll never forget the time I saw it, I kept thinking to myself that this was just a dream.” 

Sirius continues to lighten up the mood by telling Harry about a quidditch story from the old days. Remus and you just watched happily as Sirius talked with Harry. Harry needed this, needed time together with his godfather. Time with his family, Remus and you both knew Sirius needed this time with Harry as well. Both of you can see how Sirius looks at Harry, it was the same way he looked at James all those years. James was there at a time when Sirius had nobody, no money and no home. James and Lily’s death had broken Sirius into pieces. 

Remus squeezed your hand under the table before bringing it over his lap. 

You look over at Harry who was finishing with his burger and fries as Sirius spoke. You stared at the scar peeking behind the strands of his dark hair. You felt an overwhelming sensation as you stared at the kid across from you. You can see glimpses of James trying his first greasy burger. You bit the inside of your cheek when Harry laughed at a joke Sirius had just made. 

You saw flashes of Lily, laughing. Harry’s eyes sparkle the same way Lily's did. You look away when you feel Remus gives your hand another gentle squeeze. Looking at your husband, he gives you a look. No words had to be said, you knew what Remus was asking. He was asking if you were OK, you just nod. 

Remus started to rub your arm under the table, it made you feel at ease. You missed Remus so much. You only got to see him after weeks of doing missions. You missed his warmth, his presence and his touch. It was hard at first when you left after being together for so long. You felt like you didn’t know how to live the first few weeks away from him. Remus and you were like a team from the very beginning, you met him. You had brought him up from the lowest point in his life and he did the same with you. 

“Dream team.” He would say to you. He said those very words to you when you left. You left because you needed the money. After everything, Remus and you were all alone. Barely making it by. No one wanted to hire a werewolf and he had refused to let you work because he knew deep down that Fenrir Greyback was still alive. Remus was in tears when he begged you not to work in London.

 “I can feel him for some reason when I’m a werewolf. I know he’s alive. Sometimes during a full moon, I hear his howl and if he is still alive that means you know who can still be alive. They can still be looking for you.” 

“Okay. I won’t work here.” You told him before hugging him. Trying to console him because he was in tears. As much as Remus tried to forget about Greyback, there was no point because they were connected to each other. Grayback was the one who bit Remus making him into a werewolf. They will always be connected.

Dumbledore was kind enough to contact the Ministry of Magic in the states. They knew about you and oh how excited they were to have someone like you over there because who shall not be named had died causing a few Death Eaters escaping from their homes to reside in the states and of course they were causing havoc. 

The money was fine and it helped with restoring the cottage, Remus and you lived there. It helped Remus get by, not as much but bearable. He always felt bad taking money from you, his hard-working wife, who was risking her life every day. He has done a few muggle jobs here and there but he will always get fired at the end for missing work too much after the full moon. Most of the money went towards his Wolfbane potion, such an expensive thing it is. It was something that you told him at first when giving him money. Remus didn’t want to take it, saying it wasn’t right and fair but you simply shook your head at him before telling him. 

“The thought of you being alone, not in your right mind while I am across the world hurts me. I won’t always be there during a full moon to hold you and take care of you but knowing that you have taken your potion. I know you will be alright and it makes me happy.” 

The days when you came back to the cottage was everything to both you. Coming home to Remus after a long mission was what you needed to come back. Meaning, missions were always physically and mentally utterly exhausting. You have seen death and destruction during your missions and sometimes you were the one to cause it. You have lost coworkers and friends throughout the years. Remus would hold you until the next day, allowing you to cry and scream. He would wake you up from your nightmares. This went both ways, you were so happy when you came back home when a full moon was going to happen. You enjoyed taking care of him, healing him and providing for him. It reminded you of  the old days when both of you were at Hogwarts. 

You would wipe the blood from his cuts on his body when the boys would bring him back from a full moon. You would ease his pain and anger when a full moon would be near. Remus would cast a spell for you to stop your bleeding nose or hold you after you were bullied. He’s been with you after everything you had endured in Hogwarts and your home. 

You looked over at Harry again, you saw he was done with his food and was speaking with Remus and Sirius. Looking out the window you saw the sun was setting, taking a peek of your watch, you let out a tsk. “I should take Harry back. It’s almost curfew over there.” 

Harry looked sad at this and you were quick to grab his hand that was laid on the table. 

“This isn’t our last dinner, you know. We are finally together again, all of us. Not trying to be the overbearing aunt but you can send me letters. Use the floo to come over. Maybe spend the weekend at our place, perhaps invite your friends over as well. Remus has told me good things about them.” Harry nods at you with a bright smile. 

All his life, his real family didn’t want anything to do with him. Petunia had never once made him feel this wanted and loved. He felt like this was a dream and he was scared that he would wake up soon and all of this would be gone. 

“I’ll take him back, you boys stay here.” You said standing up grabbing your jacket from the hook outside of the booth. Remus stands up to kiss your cheek, telling you to be careful as Harry said his goodbye to Sirius. 

Waving bye at Remus and Sirius, you walked out of the restaurant. “Wait, I have-.” You stuff Harry’s money back into his pocket. 

“No need, my dear.” You said as you signal Harry to follow you.  “Thank you for dinner.” Harry said. 

“Let’s walk for a bit.” You told him as you walked down the block. 

“I didn’t mention anything about my time in Hogwarts in the restaurant but if you like, I can tell you a little bit as we walk. Maybe one day, I'll tell you all about it.”  Harry nods at you and he notices how tense you became while stuffing your hands in the pockets of your coat. 

“I really didn’t have a good time at first in Hogwarts. I came in pretty late. In the fifth year, I didn’t know much. To be honest, I didn’t know anything about magic. I was an outcast and I was bullied because I was a muggle-born. It did not help that I was in Slytherin, how they hated me at first until they saw the potential in my magic. Some students were kind to me while others were just plain cruel.” 

“Did your parents know about the bullying?” Harry asked you as both of you crossed the street to a small park. 

Harry saw your eyes closed for a minute before stopping at the corner. “Not really, home was even worse for me.” 

Harry frowns as he looks up at you. “My mom died when I was young and my father was an alcoholic who liked to hit.” 

“You said he was, does that mean he stopped drinking?” Harry asked and you shook your head. 

“He died a few years ago. My father would’ve never stopped. I’m sure if he could, he would be drinking in hell.” You noticed the look in Harry’s eyes. 

“No need to look sad.” Harry lets out a deep breath. 

“When Remus said you had a rough life, I didn’t think it would be that. I thought it was only my family but not yours.” Harry flinched when you got close to him. You stared at his eyes and he saw your nostrils flare. 

“The Dursleys?” You said. “What have they done to you?” Your eyes grew hard when he didn’t say anything.  

“Harry! Tell me?” You asked him. Harry shook his head at you but the look in his eyes told you something else. 

“It’s over now. They don’t do anything anymore.” He lied. You pulled Harry into a hug and kissed the top of his head. 

“I’m sorry, Harry.” He heard you whisper as he hugs you back. He shut his eyes tight as you held him, not caring that his glasses were pressed tight against you.  Harry looks up at you as you push his hair away from his face. You cup his face with your hands. 

“They will never touch you again. I swear it.” Harry just stares at you. You said it so nonchalantly that he almost believes you.

“People like us, we survive. We survive because we have endured it. We lived through that pain inflicted by others. Use that to your advantage, my dear.” 

“Don’t tell Sirius about it. I haven’t told anyone about it. I get enough pity and looks from people because I’m Harry Potter.” 

 “I know what you mean. Wanting to be normal, wanting to be like everyone else. The stares and the whispers.” Harry agrees with you with a nod. 

“They do it right in front of you so you can hear it.” Harry comments and it pained you that he had to deal with that.

Harry and you walked for a few blocks as you told him more about your time in Hogwarts. You told him how it was Dumbledore, who found you. Dumbledore was the one to take you away from your home and take you to Hogwarts. You told Harry that the whole experience felt out of this world. You were in your bedroom when you heard someone walk inside the apartment. Harry tried to cover his laughter when you told him you thought Dumbledore was a crackhead that let himself in and you had called the most powerful wizard an old man to his face. 

Checking your watch one more time, you told Harry it was really time to go back. Grabbing his hand, you apparated in front of Hogwarts by the gates. You walk up the hill with him, telling him about the first time you went to Diagon Alley. He smiled and he told you about his experience with Hagrid. Hagrid took him away from his family on his birthday. Standing in front of the castle, you hugged Harry one last time. You kissed his forehead as you said your goodbye. 

“You know I wasn’t lying about sending me letters and coming over. You can always spend the summer with me and Remus. I know for a fact Sirius wouldn’t mind if you stay with him. He said he was fixing the house for you to live with him.” Harry smiles. 

“Can I call you aunt or Yankee? Maybe aunt Yankee?” Harry asked and you answered with a yes. 

“Whatever you wish, my dear boy. I know Remus would love it if you called him uncle Remus or uncle Moony.” 

“Really?” Harry asked. “Yes, we may not be your blood family, Harry but Remus and I think of you as our own.” Harry remembers what Remus had told him about you fighting for him when he was a baby. 

“But, I must confess something to you, Harry. I need to say this because I don’t want to keep secrets from you.” You told him. 

“You can choose whether or not you still want to talk to me but I need to tell you that I have done things in my life that I am not proud of. I have killed and hurt people, bad people. The most despicable people that you can think of.” 

Harry watched as you looked over at Hogwarts with a sad look on your face. It was the same look Sirius had when he first saw Hogwarts again after 12 years. He saw tears rolling down your eyes as you looked at the castle. 

“I need you to understand I would never hurt you. I will kill myself before I ever hurt you. I needed you to know because there is a war coming and I will be something else when it comes. I have fought in battles over in the states, I have done things to survive, to ensure my safety and others. I don’t want you to think of me as different because of it.” 

Harry’s heart was pounding in his chest while you spoke. By the look on your face, he knew you were telling the truth. 

“I believe you. I believe you won’t hurt me, Yankee.” You smiled at him as you quickly wiped your tears away. 

“Go before you get into trouble.” You said waving goodbye at him. You were about to turn around when you heard him yell aunt. He gave you a last goodbye before walking inside. 

--

Remus and Sirius were still in the restaurant, they had ordered another round of beer when you walked back inside. 

“How did it go?” Remus asked you as the waiter came back with 3 pints of beer. 

“Good.” You answered them and thanked the waitress. 

There was a silence between the three of you and Sirius quickly rose up from his seat when he saw you started to cry. Remus made room for Sirius to sit down and tugged you close to him. Remus wrapped his arm around your torso, while you covered your face with your hands. Your shoulders shook while you sobbed. Sirius leaned his head against your shoulder. Dropping your hands from your face, you let out a deep breath. 

“I told him what I have done. Told him about the killing. He still called me his aunt afterwards. I thought I was going to lose him. I thought he was going to call me a murderer.” 

“You are NOT a murderer. You have done things to survive. For your team to survive. You have stopped people who have done terrible things. People who kill. People who raped the innocent. Harry is smart. He knows the difference.” Remus told you. 

“He’s right, Yankee. Harry knows. He has a good heart. He did a noble thing for Peter. Told me he didn’t think his father would have wanted his two best friends to be killers.” Sirius said softly and you felt Remus tense up. 

You look ahead and drag Sirius’ pint of beer in front of him. You gave thought to what Sirius told you. You shut your eyes when you remember James telling you something after your wedding. 

James had caught you watching Remus and Sirius dancing in the middle of the dance floor. You were leaning against the railing of his backyard porch. 

“How long have they been going at it?” You look over at James who was smiling at them. 

“For a while now, they are doing every song on the record of Queens.” You answered, making James laugh. He looks over at you. 

You raised an eyebrow at him when James kept looking at you. “You alright?” James nods and shoots a quick glance at Remus before looking back at you. 

“I’m just happy you guys are together.” You nudge your shoulders at James. “James, you are such a sap.” 

“I’m serious. I just know you’ll take care of him.” 

Looking over at James. His blue eyes shine with unshed tears. “You are the strongest person I know. I’m happy he has you. I was worried that after school is done he will be alone and have no one.” 

“I know he’s good to you. After everything I’m glad you are with Remus. He looks at you like you hung the moon and stars. I was just so worried, especially with everything that happened. I love him, he’s my brother. Just as I love you, Yankee. You’re the sister I always wish I had.” You glance over at Remus who was bending down, holding his stomach in laughter as Sirius tried to do the worm.  

“I’ll take care of Remus if you take care of Sirius.” James gives you a smile. 

“Lily and I are going to ask him to move in with us.” You grew happy at that idea, you had no doubt in your mind that Sirius would refuse. 

Remus' touch made you open your eyes and you were back at the diner. You looked down at your own cup taking another deep breath, watching the foam on the beer before looking ahead.  

‘Don't worry, brother. I’ll take care of them and Harry.’ You said to yourself as you grabbed the handle of the cup. 

“I’m gonna kill that fucking rat.” You told Sirius and Remus then brought the cup to your lips. Sirius and Remus shared a look behind you, they knew you meant Peter. 

“We know.”  Remus and Sirius said simultaneously. They took a sip from their drinks as well. The three of you could have sworn the ghost of Lily and James sat across from the booth. James had his arm around Lily’ shoulder as they laughed. Drowning the pint, Sirius ordered another round. The three of you kept talking and drinking until late. Sirius, Remus and you were reminiscing about the past. Talking about everyone, talking about the pranks Sirius and James used to pull. Before you knew it, you were helping Remus carry Sirius back home. 

“He hasn’t had a drink in 12 years and now he’s a lightweight.” You said as Remus opened the door of the house. 

“He’s always been a lightweight, love.” Sirius gasps loudly before laughing out loud making you snort as you and Remus help him up the stairs. 

“You’re gonna have one hell of a headache, Pads.” You said as Remus opened the door of his room. Sirius let out a giggle when saw his bed and threw himself on top of the covers ignoring Remus calling out for him. 

“You need to change.” Remus told him as you started to remove Sirius’ shoes while Remus walked to the dresser across the room. 

“Just like old times.” You told Remus who walked back to you and laid a pair of pajamas on the edge of the bed. You dropped one of Sirius’ shoes on the ground before working on the other.

“Thank god, he doesn’t throw up like James.” You commented, making Remus groan as he remembers cleaning James' throw up. You had taken them to a bar in New York and it was the first time James and Sirius had tequila. 

“Let me get him a glass of water and a bucket just in case.” Remus said leaving the room as you grab a blanket from the closet. You walked towards him and laid the blanket over him. Sirius calls your name softly as you tuck him in. He grabs your hand. 

“I’m glad you're here.” You smile at your drunk friend. 

“I’m glad to be here too.” You said while unbuttoning  the first top buttons of his dress shirt so he would be comfortable. 

“We should change your shirt at least. Can you move?” You asked him softly before adding that he would feel much better with a sleeping shirt on.  You smiled to yourself when Sirius agreed with you. 

You grabbed the shirt, Remus laid out as he started to remove his jacket and button down shirt. You froze at the amount of tattoos on his body. He looked fragile and you can see his rib cage. You bite down on your tongue to not cry. Sirius used to be buff back in the day, he was more fuller since he played quidditch. You helped him put  the shirt on and he dropped back down with a sigh. You folded his dress shirt and jacket, you looked over at him to see him staring at the ceiling. 

“Promise me you’ll take care of Harry if the ministry finds me to take me back to Azkaban.” 

“Sirius.” You gently said bringing the blanket up to his chest. He looks away from the ceiling at you. 

“If they try to take you away again. I’ll protect you. I’ll fight them.” Sirius takes your hand with his, bringing it up to his chest. You can feel his heartbeat. 

“I missed you guys so much. Remus has told me so much and - and I  don’t want us to break apart. Stay with me here, the both of you. Don’t- please don’t go back to the cottage. Remus can use the basement when there is a full moon.” Sirius rambles and his words become twisted with tears that were running down his face. 

“I’ll speak with Remus about it, okay? You need to sleep now, Si.” Sirius nods at you as you wipe the tears from his face with your fingers. 

You hear Remus behind you and he placed the glass of water on the nightstand, he puts the bucket by Sirius’ side. You give a look at Remus when he notices Sirius was crying. 

“I’m going to get changed. Goodnight, Si.” You said patting Sirius on the leg and walking out of the room to Remus’ room. You shut the door when you heard Sirius talking with Remus. 

You hear Sirius begin to cry. “Don’t leave me alone. Please Moony. I want both of you to stay here.” You slowly walk away from the door. 

After calming Sirius down and waiting for him to fall asleep Remus quietly shuts the door behind him and walks towards the guest bedroom. Remus starts to unbutton his cardigan as he walks inside, shutting the door. He hears the shower is on, looking over at the bathroom door. He smiles to himself, he’s smiling because you’re here. 

He was happy when he received your letter, telling him you will be returning home. Dumbledore contacted the Ministry of Magic in the states, requesting your help permanently. Remus was surprised when you sent another letter saying you will be arriving a week late due to work. Nevertheless, you were coming back. Remus lets out a sigh as he sits on the edge of the bed, removing his watch and shoes. He hears the shower turn off. A few minutes later, you walk out of the bathroom with a white towel around your body. 

“How is he?” You asked, walking towards him, Remus grabs your hand pulling you closer to him. You stood between his long legs. 

“Sleeping.” Remus answers as you wrap your arms around his shoulders. He can smell the body wash on your skin, your hair is damp and he watches the water droplets dribble down your arms. 

“I think we should stay for a while, love.” You nod at him, agreeing with him. 

“Yeah. We should. Seeing him crying like that hurts me.” Remus looks up at you. 

“It hurts me too. I feel stupid for not believing he was innocent. You were right all along.” Remus said, wrapping his arms around your waist pulling you closer to him, pressing his face against your body. You ran your fingers through his hair. 

“Do not feel stupid, Remus. At one point I thought he did it but it’s in the past now. Sirius is here with us now. Sirius is alive and we know who betrayed our friends. We know who the real culprit is.” You look down and held Remus’ face in your hands making him look up at you. Your chest tightens at the sight of his red eyes. He let out a soft sob as he shook his head. 

“He was all alone there. He looks so different now. So pale and skinny.” Remus’ voice cracks. 

“I know. I know but we will help him now. He won’t be alone anymore. We are here and Harry is with us. No more being alone.  No more. We are finally together, a family. “ Remus nods. 

“Together.” Remus said, you lean down to kiss him. You pull away to kiss his forehead then hug him again. 

“I missed you so much.” He tells you. “Me too, baby.” 

You feel Remus’ hand touch your bare legs. You truly missed him, it wasn’t the same. Your fingers, the toy you had wasn’t the same as him. He gently squeezed the back of your legs before making their way up to your hips under the towel. 

You wanted to tell him about Harry and what he told you about the Dursley. You wanted to do something about it. Remus kissed your arms that were over his shoulders. 

“What’s wrong?” Remus asks you in a worried tone. You weren’t surprised. Remus knew your body better than you. Plus it helped that both of you were bonded together. Remus kept looking at you and you grew anxious at your idea that you had. You just hope that he won't get mad at it. 

“Baby.” You smiled when he said that. You remember like it was yesterday when you first called him that when you started dating him. He had blushed at the word and asked you if that’s what girlfriends and boyfriends called each other in the states. 

“I have to tell you something.” You said in a shaky voice. 

--

The night was cold as you stood in front of Number 4, Privet Drive, Little Whinging. You drew your wand out as you stared at the white front door. The locks undid itself from the inside out and the door opens. 

Walking inside you looked around, you heard snoring coming from upstairs. Shutting the door behind you, you walked further inside. You were about to make your way into the kitchen when you came to a halt when you stood in front of the door of the cupboard under the stairs. Staring at the door, you felt something heavy on your chest. That feeling was there, the same feeling that has helped you throughout your missions. Facing the door, you looked at the small lock on it. Pointing the lock with your wand, it unlatches itself and the lock drops down onto the carpeted ground. Pulling the door open, the end of your wand lit up. Your eyes grew wide when you saw a pillow and a blanket on a thin and raggedy mattress. Looking around you saw drawings taped on the wall with Harry’s name written on the bottom corner of the papers, you took a deep breath as you continued to look around and stopped when you saw three little toys, soldiers to be exact. Dust has collected over them and you took a step away from the cupboard. The door shuts itself. 

You hoped it wasn’t true. Your hands shook and you let out a sigh before slamming your fist on the door hard. You pushed yourself away from the door and walked into the kitchen/living room. You walked in front of the fireplace in the living room. Your eyes loomed over the picture frames above the fireplace. You growled at the sight of Petunia with her husband and her kid. All the pictures were of three of them. There were no pictures of Harry. 

You let out a shout as you waved your wand at the massive amount of picture frames above the fireplace. The frames came crashing down making noise, you look over at the frames hanging on the wall. There was no Harry and another crash came down. 

Vernon woke up from the sound of it. Petunia quickly woke up as well and told him to go down. Vernon got up and began to walk down the steps to the living room with Petunia behind him. There was another crash and Vernon decided to shout for the intruder to stop. Vernon froze when he walked into the kitchen/living room. It was a complete mess, glass from the picture frames were everywhere. The dining table was flipped over and the couch was ripped open, the white stuffing was pulled out. 

“What is going on here!?” Vernon shouted as Petunia walked beside him. She let out a gasp not because of the state of the room but because of you. You were sitting in front of the fireplace, facing them while you sat on a dining chair. You had a leg over the other as you leaned back. Vernon's eyes grew wide when he saw you had a cigarette hanging from your lips. 

“Petunia. You haven’t changed a bit. You still look like shit.” You said looking at Lily’s older sister. She wore a nightgown and hair rollers on top of her head. Vernon had a gray shirt and plaid pants along with a dark blue robe. 

“What is the meaning of this?” Vernon shouted making his way to you but you pulled out your wand and pointed it at him making him freeze. 

“You are one of those freaks.” He shouts at you as you blow smoke out from your mouth. He gets more mad when the ashes fall on the ground. 

“What do you want?” Petunia asked harshly, eyeing you up and down.  

“I know something.” Lily’s sister frowns at you as you stare back at her. 

“It has come to my attention on how you have been treating Harry all these years.” The married couple looked at each then down to the ground. 

“Not even trying to deny it?” You asked. 

“You listen here, you bitch. Get out of my house.” Vernon snapped at you and you laughed while throwing the cigarette in the fireplace. 

“I’ll leave after I’m done with you.” They jumped when they saw you disappear in mid air. Vernon shouted when he felt you behind him, your wand pointing at his fat neck. He raised his hands up, in surrender. 

Petunia was going to jump at you when you pulled your gun out with your other hand and pointed it at her head. She lets out a gasp at the sight of the barrel aiming at her.  

“Don’t you fucking dare. Stand by the wall.” You hissed at her without removing your eyes at Vernon. She obey and leaned against the wall behind you. 

“I want to know everything.” You said tilting your head at Vernon. He winced when he felt a horrible sensation in his head. You stared at him as you read his mind. Your teeth grinded together as you watched how they treated Harry. Locking him up under the stairs for days ends, sometimes without water and food. You gave him a frown when you saw how poorly they treated Harry.

Petunia saw your body shake as Vernon shouted in pain. “Stop it! Stop it!” She shouted and Vernon fell down to the ground. Your hand holding the wand dropped down to your side. The grasp on your gun tightened as you turned around to look at her.  

“Your own nephew, your flesh and blood.” Petunia flinched under your gaze. She started to cry when you cocked the gun and walked closer to her. You were standing right in front of her. 

“You really are a heartless bitch. You are filled with hate because you were jealous of Lily. Do you know how many times I comforted her because of you? She just wanted her sister to love her.” Petunia sobbed when she felt the barrel of your gun under her chin. You let out a scoff at the sight of her and for a second her eyes looked over your shoulders.  

“Run!” Petunia shouted and you looked over to see Vernon had gotten up and was now running to the front door. Vernon managed to open it and froze when he saw a tall man with scars on his face standing by the entrance. 

“Mr. Dudley.” Vernon’ eyes were wide when he felt something touch his stomach. The man was holding a wand. 

“Get back inside. Right fucking now.” You gave Petunia a smile when you heard Remus. 

Remus slammed the door behind him as Vernon walked inside backwards into the living room.  Remus looks at you and you allow him to look inside your mind. Petunia shouted when Remus let out a growl and grabbed Vernon from the scruff of his neck and slammed him against the wall. His hand wrapped around Vernon’s neck as the images of Harry being abused ran through his mind. 

Vernon flinched at Remus’ low growl. 

“I’m not the only one that is angry. Petunia, I can feel and hear his thoughts. He wants to kill your husband.” You whispered to her. 

“What do you want?” Petunia cried as she looked over your shoulder at Vernon. 

“Are you going to do what I say?” She nodded frantically as tears ran down her face. 

“You swear?” You asked as you moved the gun to the crown of her forehead. 

“I swear!” She shouted with all her might. 

“Next time Harry comes here. You will treat him like a son. Do you understand me if he comes to this place for any fucking reason you better treat him right? You will not lock him up in his bedroom upstairs anymore. You’re so fucking lucky you switch rooms because if he was still sleeping under the fucking stairs I would have blow your husband brains out.” Petunia sobbed at you but nodded. 

“I promise. I promise.” 

“Petunia if you lie to me and keep treating Harry like that.” You grab her chin, making her look down at you. 

“I’m going to take your precious son away from you.” You pulled her closer and wrapped an arm around her. Petunia trembles against you as she sobbed. 

“You have no idea the extent I will go through to protect my loved ones.” You whispered in her ear. 

“Now, since we have that settled. I will know if you tell anyone about this and if you do tell anyone, even Harry. Your husband dies and your son gets taken away.” 

Remus looks over his shoulder as Petunia promises you. She’s sobbing and her cries started to get to him. His grip on Vernon tightened as Petunia cried out once more that she would keep promise. Remus glanced back at Vernon, his eyes hard and jaw clenched. 

“Let’s see how much you like it.” Vernon frowns at Remus’ words. You were about to leave the room when Remus forcibly pushed Vernon towards the stairs. The door of the cupboard opens by itself and Vernon is shouting as Remus pushes him inside. 

“I saw it was three days that you left Harry inside of here. Without food or water.” Remus said, placing his hands on the door after he shuts it close. Vernon’s shouting is muffled. 

Petunia cried as you walked away from her towards Remus. You saw him shut his eyes as the door locked itself, a golden line appeared around it surrounding the door. The line dissolved and he tried to open it. It was locked. 

Remus had always been good with charms. 

Remus felt your hand on his back and turned to you. Petunia is standing in horror as she watches the whole thing. She knew about Remus just as she did with you. Tall and lanky Remus was her sister’s best friend in Hogwarts. She remembers being so annoyed that she had to open the door of her home for him. Remus would visit Lily during breaks. She has never seen him look so angry, his eyes were filled with hate. The eyes of Remus Lupin practically glowed as he caught her staring at him. 

“After three days it will open.” Remus said before taking to your hand. 

“Say hello to Dudley for me.” You told her before walking out of the house with Remus. The front door shuts close by itself when both of you step out. Last thing you heard before leaving was Petunia banging on the door of the cupboard. 

Remus and you appear back at grimmauld, he opens the door for you and sees Kreacher standing on top of the stairs. He gives Remus and you a look of disgust before disappearing in mid air. 

“What an angel.” You said sarcastically while removing your coat, Remus doesn't say a word, he takes your coat and hangs it up along with his on the coat rack. 

You look over your shoulder to see Remus staring at the coat rack. His shoulders are tense and you hug him from behind, wrapping your arms around his torso as you lay your head against his back. You inhaled the scent of cigarette and laundry detergent on him. He was waiting outside the house in case someone had escaped. Remus was smoking as he watched you enter the home of the Dursley.  

“Thank you for coming with me.” You said as you felt him grab a hold of your hands. You were nervous he wouldn't come with you to deal with them. 

“I didn't want to believe it at first.” Remus’ voice crack. “When I saw his memories, I wanted to kill him. Kill him for treating Harry so badly.” 

“We could have raised him better.” You shut your eyes tightly letting him talk. Not being able to be Harry’s parent was heartbreaking for you but it broke Remus. The last connection he had of Lily and James was gone.

“We didn't have much but we would have done a better job than them.” Remus' body shook and you held him tighter. 

“We have him now. We have protected him from them. He has two years left until he can decide where to live. I think we scared the Dursley enough for two years.” Remus turns to face you. 

“Did you mean when you said that you would have killed him, you would kill the husband?” Remus asked and you looked up at him. You nodded at him. 

“I would have.” You said. “Seeing young Harry crying under the stairs-.” You shook your head trying to get rid of the thought. You were getting angry. 

“Watching him go hungry and that piece of shit taunting him.” Remus is silent and you can see he was thinking. 

“Are you afraid of me?” You asked him softly looking into his eyes, hoping not to see fear. You don’t think you will be able to handle it if Remus was afraid of you. Remus wasn’t kept in the dark from the missions you had done. He knew every person you killed and every person you prisoned. He was there in the states after a terrible mission went wrong years ago, he was told of the horrors you had endured. You were gone for four months before you were founded along your team. 

“No.” He told you, bringing his hands up to cup your face. Your hair was now dried and you wore an old sweater you took from him and a pair of dark jeans. 

“I can never be afraid of you.” Remus mumbled against your forehead then pressed a kiss against it.  His lips went down to kiss the side of your face, you shut your eyes as he rubbed your cheek with his thumbs as he continued to kiss you. He leans down to capture your lips. 

He drinks your moan as he deepened the kiss, slipping his tongue into your mouth. He pushed you gently against the wall, he had you pin up as he pulled away from your lips. With his forehead against yours, he’s breathing heavily. 

“I missed you so much.” He whispers and you wrap your arms around his neck to kiss him. Remus whines as you make out with him. He smirked against your lips when he felt your hands on his hips, fingers making their way to his belt. 

You pull away from his lips to catch your breath, you look at him with hooded eyes as you undo his belt and unzip his trousers. 

“I missed you too. So bad, I would-oh god. I would touch myself with your sweaters back in the states.” Remus lets out a pleased groan as his fingers work with the button of your jeans. 

“Did you cum on it?” Remus asks as your mouth drops open when he slips his hands inside your pants. He licks his lips when he feels your soft curls on your mound. The tip of his fingers are wet when he rubs against your clit. 

“Yes.” You whine as Remus kisses your neck as his fingers swirled around your clit, pressing hard against it. You grabbed his arms when he nibbled on your neck. 

He moans when he licks the healed bite mark on your neck as he fastens his strokes, you blush at the sound of your wet cunt. Remus growls when your underwear restricts him from going faster. He removes his hand and quickly takes you to the living room. 

You push him on to the dark green couch that stood in front of the fireplace, it was on. Kreacher must have started a fire to keep the old house warm. Remus watches as you tip your shoes off. He blinks and he sees you have used magic to remove your pants and underwear before he can do the same thing. You got on top of him, straddling him. 

Remus meets your lips as you wrap your arms around his neck. His hands rubbed your outer legs before pushing the sweater you had up, showing your bare chest. He groaned when he felt your bare chest, you didn’t put on a bra. The thought of you without wearing one made him grow harder. 

“Fuck.” You whispered, pulling away from his lips when he rubs your nipple with one hand. Remus licks his lips watching your pretty face. 

He feels your cunt against this groin, he’s biting his bottom lip when your hips swirled on him. It’s been too long, too long without you. Remus counted the days whenever you were to return back home. Days would be spent together, in bed and out of bed. Enjoying each other's bodies and minds. Remus felt like he was a teenager again when you removed his sweater and threw it over the couch. Remus’ mouth dropped when he saw your naked figure. He will always be amazed by it. 

You looked like a painting to him. Years working as an auror was shown on your body, there were few scars over your shoulders and arms. Some were on your legs and thighs. Scars from your childhood, is a reminder to Remus how strong you are, how you survived. Remus knows how many you have, he has kissed each of them. Just as you did to him. His heart fills up with warmth when he remembers the days after a full moon. You would kiss his fresh scars, kiss his lips and remind him how much you loved him. 

Remus watches you place your hands on his chest when you move your hips. Your wet pussy is soaking the crotch of his trousers. 

Remus grabs you by the hips and pushes you to rise up. He’s breathing heavily as he pushes his trousers and boxers further down. His cock springs out and he’s looking up at you as he teases your slicked lips with the head of his cock. You gasped when you felt his fat head rub against your clit. 

“Please.” Remus begs and you slowly lower yourself down on his cock. He helps you when you cry out when you slide down on his girthy shaft. He groans when your tight cunt clenches around him. His hands grips your hips, he breathes through his mouth, trying to calm himself, to not lose control and start thrusting upwards. 

“Oh baby - is so big.” You tell him with a high pitched whine. Remus groaned when you began to roll your hips, his hands on your hips started to help you to move up and down. He was getting impatient, he had to feel you cum in his dick. It’s been so long since he felt your cunt cumming on him. 

Moaning his name, you look down at Remus. He brings a hand to your face, pulling you down to lay your forehead against his. His eyes were wide as he stared at you while riding him. Your nails were digging on the shirt he wore. You imagined him naked, oh fuck Remus was still in clothes but you couldn’t stop. How could you stop when his cock is hitting you on your sweet spot. It made your toes curl up,  Remus started to speak in Welsh. His voice is low and deep, you clenched around him once more. 

You knew a few words here and there but hearing him speak in his mother tongue made your pussy drool. You rode him harder, the couch under him creaked. 

“That’s it. That’s it, yes.” Remus praised you as he kissed your neck. You cry out when you feel his teeth on your neck, throwing your head back when he grabbed your hips with both hands and pulled you all the down to his lap. 

A growl escapes from his lips and he begins to thrust his hips upwards. He struggles with his trouser now and you swore you can hear it rip. You wrap your arms around his shoulders, holding on for dear life. 

“Remus.” You cry out when he starts pounding you from underneath. Your clit is rubbing against his happy trail. You feel him deep inside of you when you cum. Remus is cupping your ass, squeezing it as you cum on him. Remus groans as he squishes his face against your chest. His mouth finds your nipple and he starts to suck on it while you twitch on his cock. 

Remus feels you gush in his lap and it makes him release his load deep inside of you. You feel his nails digging into your skin, you drop your weight on him and he welcomes it. Wraps his arms around your torso and pulls you close as he leans back on the couch. 

It’s quiet for a few moments, Remus is breathing heavily as he holds you. He hears your heart beating so loudly as he is still pressed against your chest. Your arms around his shoulder move up to his neck. He looks up when he feels you push his hair away from his face. 

“Fy nghariad.” (My love.) You whispered to him in welsh. 

---

Sirius wakes up with a massive headache. He sat up as he pushed his messy curls out of his face. Rubbing his eyes with his hands, he groans when he starts to remember last night. He was crying, Remus was in tears, Harry cried and you cried. Fuck, everyone was crying. 

But even with all the crying and the sad feelings. Sirius smiled as he remembered your words, back together as a family. 

He remembered Remus’ words before he fell asleep. His dear friend had grabbed his hands and assured him that they would be staying with him. Sirius' smile didn’t falter, he rose up from his bed and grabbed his wand from the night stand. He had no doubt, it was Remus who placed it knowing he was going to need it. 

Sirius opened the door of his bedroom and walked out. Looking down the hall all the way at the end. He sees the guest bedroom door is closed, he keeps walking to the staircase. 

‘I’ll let them rest.’ Sirius tells himself. Sirius knew that Remus and you would want to sleep in. He makes his way into the living room when he almost slips. He shouts loudly but catches himself in time. With his hand on the wall, he looks down to see a sweater. 

It couldn’t be his because he has never worn a sweater that wasn’t his quidditch sweater. Plus it was dark green, green isn’t his color. He looks around the living room to see other pieces of clothing around the living room.

“Ridiculous, this is. That werewolf and mudblood are messy and leave their disgusting clothes everywhere.” Sirius rolled his eyes and was about to walk into the kitchen when he noticed a pink underwear by the edge of the rug. 

His cheeks flared up in a blush and he’s about to continue on to the kitchen when the doorbell rang. He yells at Kreacher to answer it as he walks into the kitchen. He gives a silent thanks to that old grouchy elf when he sees the kettle was on. He grabs a cup and a plate from the wall and Kreacher pops near him. 

“Master Black. Someone strange is here for the mudblood.” Sirius’ eyes darkened once Kreacher repeated that foul name again. He had to stopped it, if you going to stay here. He pointed a finger at Kreacher. 

“Stop saying that. I mean it.” Kreacher just bows and Sirius walks out of the kitchen to the living room. At first Sirius believes he’s still sleeping. There’s a man, a cowboy. A tall man with blue jeans along with a sliver large buckle belt and light beige color suit jacket, he has a brown cowboy hat on top of his head and it matches with his brown boots. 

“Howdy, there sir. The name is Miles and I’m lookin’ for Mrs. Lupin.” 

Before Miles, the cowboy can speak again. Sirius just yells loudly as he stares at the man in front of him. 

“YANNNNNNKEEEEEEEEE!!” 

Chapter 1 Chapter 3

[backtothefanfiction]

One Last Date For Christmas | PART ONE: An Arrangement At The Christmas Party

Summary: Another year, The same Christmas party and holiday hook up... or is it?

Warnings: 18+ Only, Smut (oral M & F receiving, p in v, mild dirty talk with Christmas references), Mentions of Cancer/Death, Fake Dating, Fuck Buddies to Lovers, this is basically Hallmark/Netflix Christmas movie vibes

Word Count: 5.9K+

A/N: Okay, so I've been feeling crumby lately and really need a boost, so although we took a poll and it was decided this whole story would go up as one piece at the same time, I need the motivation and have had a crumby week mentally and need a boost. So here is part 1. If you do enjoy PLEASE LEAVE ME FEEDBACK!!! I am like Tinkerbell, if I don't get attention I will die haha. But seriously my mental health needs the kind words for energy so please take a moment to share some if you like this part and not just like it. Anyway... ENJOY!!!

Another year, another fancy corporate business party Peter was obliged to attend due to his job. It had become such a regular routine over these last 7 years J. Jonah Jameson didn’t even bother asking if he was available to come anymore, just automatically emailed over the details so he could attend. 

Peter couldn’t completely complain. He got free drinks and fancy food for the night. I mean in reality he got to act just like any other guest, despite the camera he had around his neck for the night. And instead of paying to be there, he was instead getting paid to be there. Sure it was only an extra couple hundred bucks, but at this time of year it really did make all the difference.

Being a freelance photographer only made him so much a year, especially when the rest of his time was spent moonlighting as the local superhero which didn’t pay a thing. Not that he couldn’t have made some money as a public figure. A couple grand here to endorse a few products. A donation of thanks or two from business owners or generous members of the community there. All of which had been options that he had turned down. That wasn’t who Spider-Man was and definitely not who he wanted Spider-Man to be. And so at almost 40 years old, this was Peter’s life.

No wife. No kids. Not even a pet, because he couldn’t commit to spending enough time at home in his tiny run down box of a studio apartment, to look after it. He sometimes brought girls home, he did have needs after all, but no matter how interested they had been in him, he’d never let himself get attached. After Gwen he would never get attached again.

The only one to ever even come close was you. He had met you 5 years ago now at this very event. Just like him, you always felt like a fish out of water at these parties, despite always being on the guest list. Your Father was one of the big business benefactors of the party and ever since the divorce you had become his regular plus one. 

Just like Peter you were a chronic singleton, always too busy traveling for work to be able to sustain an actual relationship, despite your Mother trying her best every time you were home to set you up with some poor soul. She just didn’t get it. You didn’t believe in marriage anymore as most of them ended in divorce, your parents marriage and even two of your Uncle’s marriages prime examples alone; and as for children? You had decided at the age of 13 you wouldn’t have kids and no matter how many times your Mother, Grandmother or Aunt Sarah told you, you would change your mind, you hadn’t. If anything the birth of your brother’s kids had only cemented things more. 

It wasn’t that you didn’t like your niece and nephew, you were just always glad you could pass them back off to your brother and his wife after a few hours of their shrieking play and demands for cookies and ice cream, while fighting over what to watch on the telly. No, you had never wanted kids and you never would. You had however always wanted to get a cat, but until you changed jobs or just simply didn’t have to travel for work anymore, that would just remain a lovely little dream for the future.

Peter always arrived to the party early. After all, he was getting paid by the hour, so the longer he was there taking photos, the more money he could claim from the Daily Bugle finance department on Monday. He aimlessly wandered around taking photos of the venue and the table settings and the odd entering guest as people arrived. He helped himself to horderves off of shiny platters and the odd glass of champagne as he worked, seamlessly floating through the crowd, formally stopping people every now and again for more posed group shots, other times just taking candid photos of people mingling. He took the occasional booming order from J. Jonah Jameson, “Hey Parker! Make sure you get a shot of me with the Mayor. Parker! Come here and take a photo of me and Mrs Perez! Parker! Take a picture of me and my wife!”

“Yes, sir.” Peter would respond with a smile. Usually you were here by now to laugh at the way he followed the head of the Daily Bugle around like his lap dog, but as of yet you still hadn’t arrived. Then a horrible thought crossed Peter’s mind, ‘what if you weren’t coming this year.’ He had seen your Father walking about, had even taken a couple of photos of him with various business partners and city officials, but as of yet there had been no sign of you.

Peter checked his watch again hoping you were just running late, but the closer it got to 8.30pm and the start of the meal portion of the night, he started to give up hope. He knew you were busy, always flying between Tokyo, Milan, London and Paris for work; but you were always usually back home for the holidays. He was just about to check his watch again when you came through the door like a whirlwind in red.

He watched you like a Spider sizing up his prey as you made a beeline for your Father. You gave him a rushed greeting and an apologetic kiss to the cheek, before you followed him and the rest of his group to their table, placed closer to the small makeshift stage that had been erected at one end of the long window lined room. He kept his focus on you as you took your seat, your father pushing your chair in for you as you turned to greet one of the other women at the table a couple seats away from you. That was, until J. Jonah Jameson’s booming voice called him away again.

“Parker! You’re over here with us!” He barked as he ushered Peter over to a table on the other side of the room. He was just able to lock eyes with you and give you a friendly smile before he took his seat. “I’ve sat you on this side so you can get the wife’s good side.” Jameson continued to say.

There was a couple of speeches and awards before the food was served. Peter was pleased to find that he was in fact in a good vantage point in which he could take pictures of the stage this year without having to move. He also had a clear sightline to you too, his lens unconsciously moving in your direction every few shots then back again.

Peter had chosen the steak and hasselback potatoes for his dinner with a rich chocolate pudding for dessert. When he finished his meal, he dismissed himself from the table, as he traditionally did, to go around the tables and take a few more candid shots of people before taking a break at the bar. 

“I’ll take an old fashioned, please.” Your familiar voice suddenly came from beside him. “I’m sorry I was late.” you said as you leaned into him as if conspiratorially. “My flight got delayed.”

“Where were you coming from this time?” Peter asked as he took a sip from his own drink.

“Boston.” You said with a sigh. It definitely hadn’t been the answer he was expecting and his quizzical look at you said as much. “I was visiting my Mother. Her and her new partner Brad moved there a few months back to be closer to his grandchildren.” You explained.

“I’m guessing that means you got away with not being set up on a blind date this visit.” Peter fished, knowing your Mother’s habits and routines well after these last 5 years of annual hookups.

“You’d think so.” You said as you took a sip of your stiff drink, just to emphasize the drama of it all. “Turns out Maggie’s teacher is single and available.” you say with mock enthusiasm.

“Maggie?” Peter questions.

“One of Brad’s grandchildren.” you fill in with another sigh and eyebrow raise. “I wish she’d just give it a rest, you know?” You pause as you take another sip of your drink before you tell him, “I’m thinking of coming up with a fake boyfriend just to get her off my back. But then I know she’ll be all like ‘when do I get to meet him?’” you say doing an exaggerated impersonation of your Mother’s voice.

“Yeah, I think about doing the same thing with Aunt May sometimes, but I’d hate lying to her.” Peter confided.

“How is your Aunt?” you ask. The one blessing of only seeing each other once a year meant there were always things for you both to talk about and catch up on.

You watch as his face falls, his eyes turning sad as he looks into his drink. “Umm, they’re not good actually. We found out this year she has stage 4 breast cancer. The doctor said this is probably gonna be her last Christmas.” He struggles to look at you.

“Peter, I’m so sorry.” you say, mustering up as much empathy as you can as your hand instinctively comes to rub at his back. “Is there nothing they can do?”

“They said they could try a few different treatments but it wasn’t guaranteed to work and May ultimately decided that… Well she said that she’s lived to a good age and if this is how she is meant to go, this is how she is meant to go.” He paused, blinking hard as he continued to stare at the liquid in his glass. “She said I was a grown man and didn’t need her anymore.” He let out a small unsatisfied chuckle that wreaked of denial, before he finally looked at you again. “I just… I just feel guilty, you know?”

“What for?” You asked him.

“It’s just. I know she was always holding onto this hope that I’d meet someone. That I’d end up finding someone and settling down. Live a life like her and Ben did.”

“But that’s not what you want from your life?” you question him now unsure, as you finally sit yourself on the bar stool next to him. “I mean, if you wanted that, isn’t that what you would have done? Gone out, met a girl. Settled down. You can’t be someone you’re not just to please others.”

“But it was what I wanted.” he suddenly confides. “And that’s why I feel guilty because she knows that. When I first introduced her to Gwen, I said, ‘that’s the girl I’m going to marry Aunt May.’” he says with gusto, like he’s saying it exactly how he had said it to her, before his body deflates again.

“But things change. People change. We’re allowed to change Peter.”

“I know, but… she just, I know she never gave up hope.”

“You know what they say about hope?” You say.

“It breeds eternal misery,” he bristles.

“No.” You chastise. “It’s like the sun, if you only believe in it when you can see it, you’ll never make it through the night.”

Peter’s brow furrows as his head turns back to you. “Did you just quote Star Wars to me?”

“Princess Leia.” you smile.

“God I love you.” he says casually with a smile.

“I know.” you continue to beam back before you raise your glass towards him. “For Aunt May?”

“For Aunt May.” he agrees before clinking your glass with his own.

You both creep away a little before midnight, catching a cab back to your apartment. You always went back to your apartment. Peter said it was because he wanted you to be comfortable and said it was more homelier than his place, but the truth was, Peter was ashamed to take you back to his own apartment. It looked like a dingy run down squat or some really dodgy student housing in comparison to your place. 

He didn’t want to kid himself, he knew he was definitely punching above his weight a little when it came to you, not because he necessarily thought he was ugly, but more simply because you had more money than him. You’d never made him feel inferior for it. In fact you’d always wanted to help him by offering to put him in contact with some galleries so he could get more of his work out there. Maybe make some extra cash by selling some of his photos as art for the rich and wealthy, not just to a local paper, but Peter had never had the guts to take you up on the offer. It would make him feel indebted to you and throw the balance of your relationship off even more than it somewhat already was.

“Did you choose red because it’s my favourite color or just for the festivities?” He nibbled on your ear as his fingers ran across the velvet skirt of the dress, dragging it up to your thigh as he pressed himself against your back.

You hadn’t bothered turning on any other lights than the Christmas tree, before you stopped to take a moment to look out your window at the city. Christmas in New York was your favorite time of year. Every year to mark the occasion, you would go down to Rockefeller Plaza, grab a hot chocolate and watch as they turned on the lights. As kids you would go ice skating there. Less so now you were adults, your brother and his own kids had their own tradition of skating in Central Park on Christmas Eve, but some years you would still partake.

“I chose it for the season.” You sighed, your body relaxing back into him, head resting on his shoulder as he kissed his way down your neck.

“My festive little elf.” He teased as his fingers continued to work up the hem of your dress until they could reach your panties, which you had in fact bought new and chosen with Peter in mind.

“I even brought presents.” You plaid along teasingly.

Your breathing hitched slightly as the pads of his fingers dragged over your lace covered clit.

“Really? For me?” You could feel him smiling into the exposed skin of your collarbone.

“Mhmm.” You hum. “Maybe, you should unwrap me.” You tease back.

“Mmm.” He hums back deeply in delight as he turns you around to face him. The hand that was just ghosting at your centre, now wraps firmly around the back of your neck, as he smashes your rouge stained lips into his. 

His other hand begins pawing at the velvety fabric of your dress again before he’s pulling his face away from you, his grin growing too big and you can’t help but give a satisfying smile back as you notice how your lipstick has transferred from your lips to his, marking him as yours for the evening. Your hand reaches for his and you begin taking steps backwards, pulling him in the direction of your bedroom and awaiting bed.

Your room is a slight mess from your hasty packing before you left for Boston and your equally hasty unpacking upon your return. You’d just had enough time to get home and get changed, rushing your make up and hair, before you left to go to the party. Your suitcase lay open on the floor, some of the contents lay spilling out from where you had hunted around for your makeup bag. The little pink bag from Victoria Secret sat upside down on the floor beside it. Peter spies it the moment he enters the room.

He feigns shock, “Did you buy this for me?” He teases as he picks up the bag.

“Don’t get too excited Parker, they were having a sale.”

“I don’t care.” He says with a boyish grin, despite his 39 years of age. “Come here and let me see.”

You smile at him as you begin to step closer to him before calling out into the room, “Alexa, turn on mood lighting.”

His eyebrows raise as a lamp in the corner of the room turns on, illuminating your bedroom in a magenta hue. “Mood lighting huh?”

“Do you wanna be able to see your Christmas gift or not?” You sass back with a hand on your hip.

“I mean, I’ve always thought of you as my Christmas present, regardless of what you wear.” He says as his fingers begin to grab for you again and pull you into him.

“Next year I won’t bother then.”

“Oh no, you’ve made it a thing now. I’m gonna expect this, every- single- year- from now on.” He says between kisses across your cheek and down your neck and upper chest. You begin to giggle and shriek in delight as his lips gently nibble at your skin. “Mmm.  Come on then. Let’s see what you got for me.” He says ripping himself away from you so you have the space to reach behind you for the zipper to your dress. 

The dress begins to relax its hold on your body, slowly exposing the black strapless lace bra to Peter before you slide the dress down the rest of your body to show off the matching lacey bikini briefs. You carefully step out of the puddle that now is the red velvet dress on your floor, your ankles only wobbling slightly as you still stand in your heels for him to take in the full sight.

He pauses for a moment silently taking you in before he gives a small nod. “Yes. Yes, this will do. Excuse me a moment while I go and write my thank you letter to San-“

“Peter.” You whine.

“Oh come on, don’t be bratty with me now.” He says jokingly as he steps closer and wraps you in his arms again.

“I thought you liked it when I was bratty.” You joke back as your arms wrap around his neck.

“Nope. You become completely intolerable and insufferable and…” You roll your eyes as he continues to list words, but nonetheless, begin to snake your arms from around his neck, trailing them down his chest as you begin to get down on your knees before him.

You begin to work open the button of his jeans, freeing his semi hard cock from its confines. He only stops his fake monologue about you acting like a brat when you take his length into your mouth and his hand involuntarily reaches out for the side of your head as he sighs. 

The only sounds that fill the room now are his small gasps and moans and your saliva slick lips around his cock. One of your hands braces itself on his thigh, whilst the other works the rest of his shaft your mouth won’t reach.

You pull off him with a sloppy pop of your lips and Peter groans before you begin to circle the tip of his cock with your tongue and he jumps away from you with sensitivity, suddenly worried he’d blow his load too soon if you continue like that. It makes you giggle.

His fingers reach around the flesh of your bicep and he pulls you up off the floor before pulling you into him, his head nuzzling into your neck, lips and teeth nibbling and teasing at your skin and driving you crazy. He’d worked out that you liked that on the second Christmas you had slept together. He loved the way it made you sigh but also giggle and shriek when the sensation grew too much.

“Ahhh Peter.” you cried out with a high pitched moan. 

He reluctantly broke himself away from you and the intoxicating smell of your favorite perfume so you could latch your mouth onto his, a satisfied smile struggling to be contained on your lips. He can’t help but smile back.

“Peter!” you shriek and giggle as he reaches around to pick you up and drop you back onto the covers of your bed.

Your hands get lost in his hair as he begins kissing his way down your chest. Your stomach involuntarily twitches as his lips move across it and the way his hands reach for your hips to forcefully hold you in place sends you reeling, a wave of arousal soaking your panties. His lips skip over your underwear, instead kissing at the inside of your thigh as his hands begin to relax on your hips, his fingers curling under the waistband of your underwear, ready to pull them down.

As he removes you of your underwear, he also takes the opportunity to rid himself of the flattering black long sleeved top he’d been wearing all evening. The removal of his shirt reveals a silver necklace that had been hiding beneath the shirt and the way the chain hangs off his neck has you biting your lip. It is so rare to see a man wear jewelry so you never realized the effect the sight had on you before, but there's something about the connotations and hidden meaning to it, his choice and confidence to wear it, makes you want to rub your thighs together in want. 

His fingers are suddenly teasing at your entrance though and its almost enough to take the edge off, or it would be if his finger hadn’t stopped at the first knuckle of his middle finger. You realize he’s only done it so he can spread the arousal that was already leaking out of your cunt around between your folds and across your clit so he can then go in and lick it all off. Your head falls back into the pillows of your bed as you sigh out his name in relief.

You can feel the focus he has radiating off of him without even looking as he begins to expertly lick up from your entrance, swirl his tongue around your clit and then back down again as he draws moans, ever increasing in volume, from your lips. You found out very early on in your yearly dalliances that he was an expert with that tongue, making you cum not once, not twice, but three times just from his tongue alone, when you told him no one had ever actually gotten you off that way before.

You could feel your first climax of the night building low within you, your muscles growing tight, clit growing extra sensitive as your fingers tangled themselves into his hair, encouraging him and guiding him and not allowing him to pull away until you finished. The pressure of his tongue grew firmer and you ground your clit down against it until that tight thread within you snapped, your hips stuttering as pleasure rippled through you. He held tightly onto you, lapping up everything you gave him and helping you ride it out until you were actively pushing him away from you. He gave your bare thighs a small satisfactory slap as he gave you his smug tight lipped  smile that seemed to say ‘another happy customer’ and you couldn’t help but let out a little giggle before turning your head and trying to hide the ear to ear smile that was on your face.

You were able to compose yourself as he shifted from the bed to shuck himself fully off the rest of his clothes, his jeans joining your red dress in a puddle on the floor, before he carefully lifted the necklace off over his head and placed it on your bedside table. You shifted yourself over on the bed as he came down to rest beside you, his hand reaching out to pull your face to him as he gave you a kiss before he encouraged you to climb up on top of him.  Your lips didn’t part from his as you straddled his waist, your cunt involuntarily rubbing itself along his hard length as your tongues intermingled with one another.

His fingers reached round to grab a hold of your ass cheeks, squeezing the flesh as he encouraged you to grind down harder. You moaned and gasped against his lips at the drag of your clit across his skin. Your open mouth before him allowed him to reach out for your lower lip, sucking it into his mouth making you moan louder, before he began to trail kisses down your chin and neck. You closed your eyes, getting lost in the feeling and the sounds of your own voice. It sent a new flood of arousal between your legs and you could feel Peter grinning against your skin as you worked your slick over his length.

You paused only long enough to reach over to your chest of drawers, pulling a box of condoms out of the second drawer. The position allowed Peter to attach his mouth over your breasts, his teeth biting at them over the lace bra. You reached behind you to unclasp it and take it off as you sat upright, Peter’s hands resting patiently on the tops of your thighs as he waited for you to then open the condom. You held out the torn open packet for him to take the condom and start rolling it down onto his length as you reached back over the side of the bed to drop the wrapper in the bin. 

You shifted your legs back slightly as you recentred yourself, one hand balancing on the bed, the other on his bare chest as he lined himself up with your entrance. He glided the tip of his cock against your folds, covering the tip of his cock with your slick before he began to encourage you back onto it. The slow fill of his cock inside you had you letting out a long sigh of satisfaction, your eyes falling closed, head tilting back as you savored the feeling.

It had been a slow year. Despite a brief hook up with a guy over the summer after a night out with friends and a quick tinder hookup in your hotel in Rome (where the guy spoke barely a lick of English), your only companion had been your old reliable rabbit toy. You’d be lying if you hadn’t been counting down the days to tonight the whole time you had been visiting your Mother. When your flight had been delayed, it was the thought of missing out on your one good and guaranteed fuck of the year that had stressed you out. Now it all seemed worth it.

Peter started slowly, his hips pushing up into you at an agonizing pace as he guided you down and your hips back with every thrust, the contours of his cock dragging agonizingly slowly across every sensitive spot inside you, working you up gradually to another earth shattering climax. Your body bowed over him as you let out small gasps of praise into his forehead, your fingers gripping tightly into the sheets either side of his head. You felt one of his hands run soothingly up your back and it sent shivers down your spine that only added to the sensation building in between your legs.

“Peter.” you sighed against him, as you pressed your forehead into his, your eyes closed in concentration as you chased that feeling inside you.

“What is it? What do you need?” his voice gently calls to you as he moves the hand that was caressing your back round behind your neck, pulling your lips down to his for a kiss.

“More. I need more.” you say equally as gently back into his lips. 

You feel his head give a small nod in acknowledgment before he seals the deal with a kiss, as his thrusts begin to grow quicker and firmer in pace. It makes him hit something deep inside you that has you crying out. Your eyes fly open, desperate to lock onto his. He looks up at you with such beauty and gratitude. It makes you want to kiss him again and you do, your tongue licking deeply and slowly into his mouth in rhythm with his thrusts.

Your thighs shudder slightly as the sensation between your legs changes and you know your cumming again but the feeling of his cock moving between your legs doesn’t stop. It works you through the high and he still doesn’t stop. Instead his thrusts grow fast as he searches for his own release. You brace yourself, holding yourself over him as he just takes what he wants. If he holds out long enough you think you can get out one more orgasm of your own.

You balance yourself on one arm as your other hand reaches between your legs, swirling rapidly at your clit as you push yourself against his length, feeling every sensation of his rapid thrust. Peter grunts in response at the sensation of your fluttering cunt and it forces him to find one final push, his hips sputtering only slightly before he increases his angle and speed one last time, then he’s embracing you.

His arms wrap tightly around you as your final climax soaks his cock. Your head is buried into his neck as you try to shut out the overstimulation for just a few more strokes of his cock before he stills, his length pulsating as he finishes, only adding to the sensitivity between your legs making you squirm. He’s quick to push you off him as you do, his own sensitivity unable to take the feeling.

You both pause breathing deeply as you come down before he gives you a small tap and you flop onto your side on the bed. He quickly gets up, kicking his legs out to disperse the blood around them as his cock softens. You close your eyes to revel in the last dregs of your orgasm as he goes to your adjoining ensuite to sort himself out.

He takes a little longer than usual and you begin to frown, but then you hear the flush of the toilet and the door opening and you settle. You quickly get up, flashing him a smile as you hobble to your bathroom with legs like a newborn calf. Usual he’d let out a proud little chuffing laugh but this year he doesn’t.

When you return to see him sat on the side of the bed in his underwear, his fingers reaching to fix the necklace he had taken off back over his head and around his neck, you realize he looks distracted. “What is it? What’s wrong?” you ask him as you climb over the bed to your rightful side and slip between the covers.

His head turns, eyebrows raising as if he’s only just noticed you’re back in the room. “Huh?” he says. “Oh, nothing.”

“Really?” you say as he shuffles himself round to face you, put he doesn’t get under the covers. Peter doesn’t sleep over. He stays for a debrief and a chat for maybe another hour, some years two, but always leaves to return to his own apartment and bed.

“It’s just,” he says as he places an arm under his head as he gets himself comfortable, “I was just thinking about what you said earlier.”

“What did I say earlier?” you reply as you shift into a similar position to his, facing him. You look like two kids at a slumber party who have moved so close to each other so you can whisper really quietly and not disturb the others who are sleeping.

“About pretending to have a boyfriend to get your Mom off your case.”

You frown at him, “Yeah, but it’d never work because she’d want to meet him.”

“Okay, yeah.” he says, but his tone isn’t one of defeat, it instead says ‘wait, hear me out’. “But what if you had someone to take home and pretend to be said boyfriend?”

You’re still confused. “What are you trying to get at here Parker?” You suddenly sit up, placing distance between the two of you as a realization hits you. “Wait, this isn’t you asking me out or trying to be my boyfriend is it? You know I don’t really do the whole dating thing. We have our arrangement and that's-”

“No. NO. Would you just hear me out.” he speaks over you and cuts you off as he too sits up defensively. “Look, I just thought we could come to some sort of arrangement.” You’re silent as he pauses and takes a deep breath and you wait for him to continue. “Okay.” he says, his hands folding in his lap, “This is probably gonna be my Aunt May’s last Christmas.” he says and the implication of his words make you bristle. He struggles to look at you, but your eyes remain fixed on him so he know that you are listening and paying attention, even if his words are starting to make you uncomfortable. “I don’t want her to die thinking I’m gonna spend the rest of my life alone, you know? I mean,” he sighs, collecting his thoughts before he continues, “I don’t want her to die without hope.”

“Okay.” you acknowledge quietly as you follow his words.

“So I was thinking, what if- just for this christmas,” he emphasizes, “what if we pretend to you know, actually date. Come the New Year we go our separate ways as normal, no strings attached, but you know, just to get our families off our backs so we can live our chosenly single lives.” He screws up his face a little at the word chosenly, which he’s all but sure he’s made up but figures he’s gotten his point across.

“So, we pretend to date for the holidays to get our parents off our backs?” you frown, checking you’ve got his proposal right.

“Yeah. You’d come for Christmas Eve dinner with my Aunt and I’ll…” his voice trails off as he wracks his brain for an equal solution for you.

“You’ll come to Boston with me for my Mother’s New Years party.” You fill in for him.

He hesitates a second realizing he’d actually need to travel and stay with you and your family to make things even on your side of things, but the thought of letting May die thinking he’s going to be lonely forever, has his stomach turning more so he hastily agrees. “Fine, but-” he interjects, knowing a single day with his Aunt for a supposedly 2-3 day trip with your family isn’t a fair exchange, “if my Aunt is still with us in February, you have to stop by on Valentines day.”

“I thought you just said we go our separate ways come January.” You respond.

“Yes, but one meal with my Aunt in comparison to a multi day trip to Boston is hardly an equal-”

“Fine. Fine.” You concede with your hands raised.

He relaxes slightly as you come to an agreement. “You wanna shake hands on it or something?” he offers. You roll your eyes, your fingers reaching for the pillow you’d pulled into your lap to nervously fiddle with instead, picking it up and throwing it at him. “Hey.” he jokingly exclaims as he holds his hands up to catch the pillow before it hits him in the face. “Is that any way to treat your new boyfriend?” he deadpans.

“Uuuhhgg.” you scoff back with another eye roll but you can’t help the tiny smirk that creeps into the corner of your mouth.

I'm going to upload the other parts of this mini series on the dates that match up with the story (Christmas Eve, New Years Eve), if you want to be added to the list below, please put it in writing. All current tags have been taken from likes, reblogs or comments from other posts about this series, if you wish to be removed, just let me know. (I had a few more names who liked posts but it wouldn't let me tag you, apologies, I'm not sure how to fix that but I hope this finds you anyway.) Once again if you did like this, please don't just like it, respond with some words of your own to give me a boost.

@sincericida @tarzinnia @raindropsandteaandtears @xenasolos @dil3mma @ms-wild-card-56 @shivani1902

[keenzinemugstudent]

Smallville Clark Kent x black reader warning agst so get some tissues! Clark finds out that you are dying from cancer

it was on a Monday when he noticed something off about Y/N, you were quiet usually you'd talk his ear off about this new comic idea or new cake recipe for him to try and give to his parents back him but you were silent the whole day he tries to ask what was wrong but you just smiled and said "It's nothing I just didn't get that much sleep last night don't worry!" He didn't believe you but didn't want to overstep any boundaries

Than it was Tuesday you'd come over to help him study or have a movie night but you didn't show up he called your place but there was no answer he was worried so he speed over fast when he got to your house he could hear small crying coming from inside so he rushed in to see you holding a picture frame of your parents who died in a car crash all he could do was sit next too you on the floor and hug you he hates seeing you cry

Wednesday wasn't any better you had fainted Chole was there when it happened they were talking about something than the next thing Chole knew was that you were falling over laying on the ground not responding to anyone, Clark dropped everything to see if you were okay he stayed by your side the whole day at the nurses office and he took you home

Thursday it was okay he was at your house looking at a movie until you had asked him "Who would you rather spend your last days on earth with Clark?" That surprised him what even brought this along you just shrugged your shoulders leaning on his shoulder he said he'd spend it with you because you were the only one besides his parents who knew him the best that made you smile

Friday he went to your house to see if you wanted to help him find the perfect gift for Lana's birthday but he could hear crying when he turned the corner he saw your aunt crying into your uncles arms it was an ambulance taking someone away he nearly passed out could see you on a stretcher people carrying you away he didn't hesitate to rush over to see what was going on he tried to asking your aunt and uncle what had happened but they didn't know because they had just came home from the store and saw you on the floor unconscious blood dripping down your nose. Clark rode with your aunt and uncle to the hospital he didn't know what was going on

Saturday....He stayed by your side the whole day and night he called Chole to tell her what happened she along with Lois and his parents came to give their support his mother hugged him telling him that you were going to be okay his dad put a hand on his shoulder he didn't know how to feel about all this you were once happy smiling and healthy as a horse but this whole week you've been acting weird and this is the second time you've fainted your family knew something but didn't want to tell him because they didn't feel like it was their place to say anything at first he was angry that they were keeping secrets from him but immediately calm down when he remembered this was hurting them as much as it was hurting him he just wanted to know why...why was this happening? They all say and waited the doctor came out saying that you were awake your uncle had said that Clark could go see you first he immediately walked in closing the door behind him only to see you laying in the bed with a needle in your arm and a tube in your nose when you turned a smile graced your lips he immediately rushed over to sit and grab your hand in his giving a small smile back everything about you made his life worth living for you were his sun

"Clark...I have to tell you something please don't be upset..."

"Whatever you have to tell me can wait when you leave the hospital. We'll have movie night and talk about comics or play with the farm animals like we always do okay?"

But you just shook your head giving him a tired and sad smile he didn't understand why you were giving him that look giving his hand a tight squeeze eye's watering.

"Clark...i'm really sick...things won't be the same so when I tell you this you have to promise me...whatever happens you'll always remember me in the good light okay?"

He didn't understand or more like he didn't want too but he just gave a small nod saying that he promised.

"Clark...I...I have cancer..." It was like time itself had stop the only word he could stay focused on was the word cancer went in school he always hurt a lot of people losing their loved ones to cancer he had a classmate who had lost his mom to cancer the poor kids stop showing up to school the next day couldn't handle it he couldn't imagine ever losing his mom to such a thing but you having it just made him feel powerless and weak.. cancer for how long and when did you even get it he try to think back to all the times that they had spent together not once did he did it shows any signs that you were sick or maybe he just didn't notice he was always busy protecting people and trying to win over Lana's affection has he really been that oblivious to you being sick?

"How long have you known?"

"For a couple of months...doctors say I could have a couple of weeks or maybe days left."

"Why didn't you ever tell me?!" He got up from his chair he was angry he couldn't believe that you'd keep something this important from him something that involved your health.

"I tried... I wanted so badly to tell you but I just didn't have the heart to say anything." You started to cry Clark couldn't do it he just couldn't look at you he ran out your room ignoring his parents and friends telling him to come back he just had to get out of there he can watch to see you like that the only thing he wanted to think of was you smiling and laughing telling him that he was a great amazing friend and anyone would be lucky to have you as a partner talking about your favorite comics, come over to his house everyday to give him the best food that you always make always laughing and joking around his parents staying up late talking about the future but now that will never happen all because you have cancer he ran in the middle of the woods screaming and crying punching whatever that goes next to him until he fell to his knee screaming at the sky in agony.

Later he came back after taking a breather his parents looked at him, his mother who's face was red eyes wet and his father who just looked lost and just as heartbroken as his mother he asked where your aunt and uncle were they had left to go talk to the doctors about your condition Chloe had went to the bathroom to cry after finding out the news Lois went with her to comfort her but also to cry it was like a domino effect you held a special place in everyone's heart knowing that you were going to be gone just didn't feel right he didn't want to believe it no one did but this was reality this was life you were going to be kind in no one knew or when you were going to be gone that it might happen today tomorrow or the next day or day before then he went in the room only to see you asleep he sat next to you grabbing your hand that woke you up Clark smiled giving your hand a kiss

"Clark? I'm so sorry I didn't mean for you to get up."

"No it's my fault you asked me not to get upset and I did I left you when you need me the most Y/n I'm sorry I just...i just can't imagine what you must have been going through keeping this a secret I wish you'd said something...but don't worry cause I'm not going to leave you side

"But Clark what about Lana?"

"I...i don't think I can imagine a life with Lana I love you.. I'm so sorry I never realized how I felt until now I'm so sorry."

"Clark?" He looked at you with tears in his eyes you smiled a hand on his cheek

"Can we kiss now please?" He laughed at your bluntness but could tell it took all your will power to ask him that and he gently leaned down to kiss your lips they were soft and it was your first kiss he wanted to make the best of it.

He didn't want to think about it the cancer wasn't going to stop him from being with you yes he will always care about Lana but you held a special place in his heart and he was going to spend every last moment with you until the very end.....

Ayo i kind of was tearing up while writing this like why did I have to do myself like this😭

[petri808]

Just a quick ficlet for kyoru week 2023 cause I wanted to write something.

8/22 home movies @kyoruweekofficial

It’s more of a kyoru family story. Idk the idea is cute to me lol

“Hey mom, watcha doin’?” The six-year-old questions.

The woman stops wiping the shelf. “Oh, just tidying up.”

“What’s those?” The child points to a set of DVD jackets. “Movies?”

“Sort of, they’re home movies. You know, like when we record videos on our camera? These are of events we like to keep.”

“Can we watch one?”

“Sure. Why don’t you pick?” The child picks a random disc and hands it to their mom. “Oh, this is of my graduation,” the woman reminisces as she pops it into the Blue-Ray player.

They curl up on the couch as the video rolls with mom narrating for the little girl. The video was taken when she graduated from high school and her parents held a big party at the Sohma compound. Many were there, like uncle Mutsuki and his parents uncle Yuki and aunt Machi, uncle Hatsu and aunt Rin with daughters Sora and Riku, even uncle Shiki came considering he wasn’t fond of parties. Of course, aunty Akito and uncle Shigure had to attend as the heads of the clan, but it was nice to see them since they rarely left the compound anymore. She names off the relatives as they appear on camera, often pausing to answer questions because the little girl has never met many of the older generations that have passed on.

“Who’s that next to you and papa Hajime,” the child points at the elderly couple who are standing next to her grandfather.

“That’s grandpa’s parents. They’re your great-grandparents, grandma Tohru and grandpa Kyo.”

“Oh, they look so old, but so cute still holding hands.”

The woman chuckles, “well, they are in their 80s.” She sighs, “I wish you could’ve met them. You look a little like grandma Tohru when she was a young girl.” A bit of moisture clouds her vision as she reminisces. “Lets’ see, grandma passed away about 8 years after this, and your grandpa followed a year later. My parents believed with his heart gone, grandpa didn’t have the will to keep living.”

“That’s impossible,” the child looks up at her mom with concern, “how can a heart just disappear from,” she points to her chest.

“No, not like that.” The woman laughs. “They’re talking about your great-grandmother. Grandma Tohru was his heart. Great-grandpa loved her more than anything else in this world because she saved him from the Sohma monster.”

The child turns to look at her mom again, this time with an indignant glare. “Mom,” she crosses her arms. “A monster, seriously? Monster’s aren’t real so that makes no sense.”

Before responding, the woman pauses the video and pulls her daughter onto her lap. “Have I ever told you the story of the zodiac?” The child shakes her head no. “Do you want to hear it?”

“Yes!” The little girl bounces in excitement.

The mom moves her back to the couch, gets up and goes to another room. She comes back in a couple minutes holding an old wooden box and sits back down next to her daughter. She then opens the lid to show the child the little animal figurines inside, worn with age, but still discernible for what they represent. But there was one odd piece in the box.

“Mom, why’s there a wooden rice ball with a bunch of animals?”

“I’m glad you asked,” the mom talks as she pulls out the figurines of the rice ball and an orange cat, placing it in the little girls cupped hands. “These represent your grandma Tohru,” she points to the rice ball, “and grandpa Kyo,” she points to the cat. “The rest of the animals make up the zodiac.”

The child gives her a mom a confused look which gains a chuckle from her mother.

“Don’t worry, it’ll be explained in the story.” The woman takes the figurines from her daughter, puts them back in the box, and puts the box aside. “Now where should I begin?” She thinks for a moment. “A very long time ago, there was a god…”

[cecexwrites]

28, phone sex / sexting?

I'm so not good at sexting material lmaoooooo but here we go

Also yes Sam is OOC but most of my fandoms don't exist in a world of texting.

Sam: I miss you : (

Liv: I miss you too

Liv glanced up from her phone, so far Thanksgiving had been a total bust. She and Emma had come all the way to their parents house just to find out they had to get a hotel. Their parents had turned Liv's childhood bedroom into a craft room for Rose and Emma's was now a guest room that was being occupied by Rusty's parents.

And of course the only place where they could get a room on such short notice was a dinky little motel that felt like the backdrop to a horror movie.

The turkey was dry, the stuffing was made with some weird sausage and Emma hadn't touched a single bite because the forks were all in a cup that everyone was reaching into. When Liv suggested Emma just… wash the fork she wanted to us, Emma shot a look at Rose and said it was okay, she wasn't hungry anyway.

The only light in the nightmare that was this day had been the texts from Sam.

“So, Olivia, when are you going to introduce us to this man your parents have told us about?” Liv quirked an eyebrow at Uncle Joe and looked at her parents, who were across the room walking to Aunt Lisa.

“Um- Not this year.” She shook her head. Her eyes scanning the room until she saw Emma, who was within ear shot. She could see the guilty gleam in her sister's eyes and that told her right there who spilled the beans to their parents about her relationship.

Liv had learned from a young age that the best way to deal with her parents was to just- not deal with them. She told them nothing about her and her life and in return they didn't ask. The moment Liv turned 18 and didn't have to worry about them dragging her back to live with them, she stopped calling. They didn't seem bothered.

Of course Emma, who still cared about what they thought, told Rose just about everything in their daily calls. Liv should have known that eventually the subject would turn to her and Emma would not hesitate to mention the fact that Olivia had a boyfriend, and no that boyfriend was not a red head.

Liv felt her pocket vibrate and she reached in, her hand wrapping around her phone. She excused herself from the conversation and walked away, going to the table of food. Liv herself had never had a problem with germs in the way that Emma did, but something about having a full buffet out while people and a dog milled about, talking and grabbing with bare hands- suddenly she understood it more than she ever had before.

Sam: When do you come back?

Liv: Not until Saturday. I'm going to try and talk Em into leaving tomorrow but no promises.

Sam: : ( and you're for sure staying in that creepy ass motel?

The moment they got to the motel and saw the state it was in, Emma ran back to their parents house for cleaning supplies- their room was now the cleanest room in the entire motel, and Liv had taken pictures to send to Sam, that way if they didn't come back, he had a detailed look at where she spent her last miserable hours.

Liv: Yeah, the only other option is my parents livingroom floor and I don't really wanna share with Kevin.

Sam: WHO THE HELL IS KEVIN?

Liv laughed, walking away from the food and hunting down Kevin. She took a picture of the dog who was happily licking leftover gravy from a discarded plate and sent it to Sam.

Sam: Oh- well I wouldn't mind that too much.

Liv: He stinks. I'll pass.

Sam: I wish you could be here with us.

Sam was doing Thanksgiving with his family. His parents had recently managed to get back on their feet and were renting a place. Sam was still helping out with rent but he was doing it with paychecks from jobs where he didn't have to take his clothes off.

Liv: Me too, Tell Stacey I said her dress is adorable.

Sam had sent her a picture of the whole family together, and of course they were coordinating.

Sam: I will. Hey if you can talk Emma into bringing you home tomorrow- my parents are taking Stevie and Stacey to see our grandparents, they should be gone all night

Liv: Oh yeah? But what would we do with all that alone time? I suppose it would be long enough for a game of Monopoly.

Sam: Only if it's strip Monopoly.

Liv laughed again- this time loud enough to alarm Kevin who scrambled away from the plate. She wandered back into the living room where everyone was chatting and plopped down on the ottoman, crossing her legs.

Liv: Oh Please Mr. Monopoly, I don't have any money, however can I pay you back for landing on your hotel square?

Sam: And that is when the stripping starts… wait that might hit too close to home.

Liv: Yeeeeeeah bit of a mood killer huh?

Sam: Wait- no I didn't say that. Definitely nothing killed over here.

Liv: Samuel, it is Thanksgiving.

Sam: And I am thankful for long sweaters and that video you sent me last week, since I can't have the real thing.

Liv: Oh? And what exactly do you plan on doing with it?

She pressed her lips together to hide her smile, her eyes darting around the room to make sure no one was paying attention to her. When she had told him she was going to be going to see her parents and would be gone for most of the weekend, she'd made a little video of her... taking care of herself.

Liv: In detail.

Sam: I'm going to go up to my room, lock my door and fuck my hand while I watch your video over and over.

Liv blushed, quickly looking around, as if someone might be able to tell what was happening based on that alone.

"Liv Honey-"

"Excuse me." Liv jumped up and hurried past her mom, running up the stairs. She shut herself into the bathroom, making sure to lock it behind her.

Liv: I'll talk Emma into going home tomorrow.

Sam: Yeah? And you'll come here?

Liv: Yes, I miss you. All of you.

Sam: Are you alone right now?

Liv glanced back and forth as if someone might have snuck into the bathroom with her.

Liv: Yes, I'm alone

She sat on the edge of the tub, pressing her knees together.

Sam: Are you wet for me, Liv?

Liv knew her entire face was bright red as she answered.

Liv: Might be for you, might be because of the memory of making myself cum.

Sam: Oh yeah? Hmmm I can't wait until you get here. I'll remind you who really leaves you soaked. It's not those tiny little fingers doing it, babe.

Liv: My tiny little fingers do just fine thank you.

Sam: Oh yeah? So does that mean you'll take care of yourself tomorrow? you don't need my cock.

Liv: Well- I might want it.

Sam: Is that so, you want my cock baby? I want you to say it.

Liv: Sam

Sam: If you want it, Liv, you have to say it.

Liv: I want your cock.

Sam: That's my girl. I'll see you tomorrow babe, have fun spending the rest of Thanksgiving with that soaked pussy.

Liv huffed, adjusting as she realized he was right, and she was going to have to wait until tomorrow to do anything about it. Lord knows she wasn't about to do anything to relive her need in a motel bed in a room with her sister.

Thanksgiving sucked.

[maddieautobot273]

Silk & Cologne (59)

A Miguel O'hara x OC fanfiction series - link to AO3 (X)

Chapter 59: Seoul - previous chapter (X)

Pairing: Miguel O'hara x Female! Spidersona OC

Words: 5.5K+ words

Warning: PG mentions of past trauma

Summary: Lisa and Miguel arrive in Seoul and meet her step-family.

******

The flight was long, but the various amenities the plane provided helped pass the time. An expansive movie and TV selection, cocktail bar, dinner, dessert, and breakfast, it was like a dream. But my favourite moments were when Miguel and I talked. Our bed was folded out in our cabin, we had changed into our complimentary and very cozy pajamas and while snuggled under the blanket we just talked. 

“Tell me about your family in Korea.” Miguel encouraged me with a gentle smile, his hand reaching across the bed and taking my hand, his thumb brushing my skin. “Anything at all.”

So I did. I told him all about my step-father’s family, rambling on about distant cousins, aunts and uncles, but mostly my grandparents. I was nervous, not wanting to overwhelm him with this gigantic info dump on my family’s story, but Miguel squeezed my hand as he listened to every single bit, and even asked questions. 

“My harabeoji, my grandfather served and worked in Korea’s military after studying law and business in university. After his service, he started a business with some friends and he got really lucky and they ended up selling it and became millionaires overnight. But he didn’t let the money change him, and that’s probably what I admire about him most. Instead of retiring, he helped organize and run various charities in Korea and across Asia and that’s how he met my grandma, halmeoni. 

“She was a school teacher while writing her thesis to improve the school system for disabled students. Nobody gave her the time of day, but grandpa heard about her from a friend and reached out to her. He approved her research and helped her raise funds, and they ended up opening a new school, with smaller class sizes and more one-on-one time with each student to figure out their needs to succeed. The rest was history.”

“They sound wonderful.” Miguel smiled softly, turning over on his side to look at me properly, his body blocking the view and what little light that came from the small window on the side of our cabin. 

I nodded in agreement. “Grandma taught me a lot about looking out and standing up for others, self meditation. . . she also knows how to make a mean kimchi.” I chuckle softly with a wink. 

“I’d love to try it.” Miguel grinned, one of his fangs poking out. 

We stared at each other in silence for a while, content in each other's presence. My mind began to wander, and my gaze quickly followed as I looked over to the side, not exactly staring at anything in particular. 

Miguel caught on right away as his grip on my hand tightened ever so slightly, squeezing my fingers. “What is it?”

I shake my head. “It’s nothing. It’s kind of stupid, actually.”

“Nothing you have to say is stupid.” Miguel reassured me, dragging my hand across the mattress to his chin as he leaned down and kissed my knuckles. “Talk to me, Lisa.”

“It’s just. . .” My gaze trailed off, avoiding his gaze for a second before I willed myself to look at him. “If he had such great parents. . . what went wrong?”

“Mona. . .” Miguel called softly, his expression falling into a soft frown. 

“Why would he act in a way that’s the complete opposite of what they stood for?” I spoke, coming out as asking Miguel, but really I was asking myself.

I had been for a while. 

“Hey.” Miguel reached for me and gently pulled me closer, the heat of his body engulfing me as he held me against this chest. His hand ran up and combed through my hair in a soothing gesture as he looked into my eyes. “We’ll figure it out. Okay?”

My eyes turned soft as I looked at him. “Okay. . .”

Miguel’s face inched closer and I met him half way. We kissed until I fell asleep in his arms. 

********

“Thank you for flying with us! Enjoy your stay!”

Miguel and I got off the plane and navigated our way through the terminal to baggage claim and the arrival gate. I didn’t remember it being so busy, nearly shoulder to shoulder with one another as we walked through small halls and tight corners. It seemed everyone had somewhere to be today. But Miguel kept me close, and in the event we did get separated, albeit briefly, Miguel was the tallest guy around, so it was easy to spot him.

Some passersby even noticed and took a moment to simply stare in awe. One kid even dropped his candy bar. He couldn't look away. He called Miguel a giant and his mothers quickly scooped him up in his arms, apologizing profusely. Miguel reassured that there was no harm done, and the mother was even more surprised when he responded in Korean. Miguel asked for directions to baggage claim and the kind woman pointed us in the right direction. 

“You never told me you knew Korean.” I smirked up at him, taking his hand in mine as we passed through the doors. 

“When you’re CEO of a multi-trillion dollar company, it doesn’t hurt to pick up a language or two.” Miguel smirked back with a knowing look. 

It was almost strange looking at Miguel and picturing him as a CEO. Suit and tie, sitting at a desk in an office, attending board room meetings, riding fancy cars, and going to all these special events. Okay, maybe I can with the car, and he does look good in a suit. Exhibit A) Our first date. 

We found baggage claim and picked up our suitcases, dragging them along as we passed through the arrival gate and were greeted by a sea of people waiting behind the metal railing. Some had their phones out, holding up signs and posters. One moment, everyone was quietly murmuring, and then the next, people started cheering. 

“What’s going on?” Miguel asked as he recovered from flinching, his shoulders hunched as the screaming started. “They don’t greet everyone like this do they?”

I placed a steady hand on his back as I glanced over to see a group of guys walk out after us, all clad in black and wearing face masks to cover their face. But that didn’t stop all these people from waving and cheering them on as one fan aggressively waved their poster that said “WELCOME HOME!”

“Aaah, now I remember. A lot of fans like to camp out at the arrival gate to welcome back their favourite idols coming back from a tour.” I smiled a little at the memories of some of my old dancer partners sharing stories of their own experiences back at boot camp. “I think that group is. . . oh, wow ATEEZ. I didn’t even know they were on tour.”

I wasn’t too familiar with their songs, but I was a fan of their track ‘Wonderland’. I was more of a Stray Kids and BTS kind of girl. As for the girl groups themselves, I think when you look at the black and pink aesthetic of my spider suit, I think it’s rather obvious. 

“They literally sit there and wait for them to show up?” Miguel asked, a mixture of intrigue and discomfort on his face as we walked away from the scene. 

“For hours at a time. Snacks and drinks to boot too.” I patted his back gently once we were far enough away from the bulk of the crowd and pulled away. 

“So how are we getting to your family’s house?” Miguel glanced down at me. “Want me to rent us a car?”

“Nah, it’s fine, I can get us an Uber, I have some extra credit on me.” I sighed as I pulled out my phone and opened the app. “I do not want to wait in another long line.”

I was typing in their address when I heard another scream. I ignored it, initially thinking it was another crazed fan that got there late to try and greet the band. But then I heard them stammering, as if they were running and when I listened more closely, the voice didn’t sound like a young girl, but like an older woman. I tilted my head up, looking out in the crowd and noticed a pair of balloons floating above the heads of the busy bodies, going in a zig zag as if someone was trying to navigate around them. 

“Something wrong?” Miguel could sense immediately my shift in behavior when I stopped suddenly and he came to a halt, reaching for me as if ready to pull me to his side at the first sign of trouble.

That’s when I saw her. 

Springing out from a cluster of people was an elderly woman in her late 60’s, early 70’s, but judging by the way she was running and now jumping for joy, you would have thought she was acting someone in their prime. Her black-gray bob cut bounced as she ran, and she nearly dropped her burgundy hat as she approached us in a over the knee length black and white striped cotton dress with black birkenstock sandals and a fanny pack over her shoulder.

“Lisa-Lisa!” My grandmother cheered. 

Tears swelled in my eyes after hearing my name fall from her lips and I dropped my bag on the floor as she closed in on me. “Halmeoni!” I wrapped my arms around her, my head buried into her hair as she was a few inches shorter than me. 

“Oh we’re so happy to see you! Come now, let me look at you!” She beamed as she pulled back, hands on my face. Grandma looked me over top to bottom, a happy expression and proud smile on her face as she did so. “How was your flight? Did you get enough to eat on the plane?  Aya, those inflight meals are always so small!”

“Don’t crowd her, you’re making her nervous.” Another voice, an elderly man called out to her. The man stepped out of the crowd, carrying the strings of the balloons in his hand as he approached us. He offered me a kind smile with the tilt of his head. “Annyeong, Lisa.” - Hello 

“Annyeong harabeoji.” I greeted warmly as my grandma stepped back. - Hello grandpa 

“You must be Miguel!” My grandmother beamed with excitement as she offered her hand and Miguel gently took and offered a nice, firm handshake. “Janet told us much about you from her visit to New York.”

“Pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Miguel smiled back, offering her a polite smile. 

“Not that we’re not happy to see you, what are you two doing here?” I asked them as I picked my bag back up from the floor. “We could have taken an Uber.”

“Oh we wanted to surprise you, Tokki!” My grandma smiled brightly. “We’re here to drive you to the family house.” - bunny 

I could see the teasing side glance Miguel was giving me at the corner of my eye, along with the one sided grin. “Tokki?” 

“What about it?” I playfully glared back at him. 

“Oh, it’s a wonderful pet name, isn’t it?” Grandma’s smile was infectious despite my best efforts to not mimic it.

“Does it have something to do with you not staying still?” Miguel gave me a knowing look, his eyes roaming over me to try and get a rise out of me. 

My cheeks flushed and I nearly snapped, about to call him out that my grandparents were right there. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to smack him or kiss him. Maybe both for good measure. 

“You are a smart one, Miguel!” Grandma gasped in awe, even doing a little clap. “At first I thought Janet was exaggerating a little, but you are every bit as phenomenal as she said you were!” 

Miguel chuckled softly as he sauntered closer to my side, wrapping an arm around me. “I aim to please, Miss–?”

“Oh, you can call me Grandma Park.” Grandma politely reintroduced herself.

“The car is outside. Traffic is always awful around this time, so we should get going while we can.” Grandpa handed me the balloons with a kind smile and even reached for my suitcase.

“Oh, thank you grandpa, but I can carry that.” I insisted softly as I reached to ask for it back. “What about your arthritis?”

“Nonsense my dear, I want you to relax. I’m sure you’ve had a long flight.” He spoke nonchalantly as we walked through the terminal. “I want to make this journey as simple as possible for you.”

“That’s what I’ve been telling her.” Miguel’s hand gently squeezed my shoulder as I turned to look up at him, and we shared a playful glimmer in each other's eyes. 

“I’m not aware of your living situation back home, but I’ve had a guest room prepared for you, Miguel.” Grandma Park explained as she looked Miguel over, fully taking him in. “Although now that I can get a good look at you, I’m worried the bed may be too small for you.” 

“It’s quite alright, Grandma Park, I’ll make do. No need to trouble yourself.” Miguel reassured her gently. “But I appreciate the concern.”

“I understand that sometimes certain things are done differently in the Americas, but forgive me if we’re a more. . . traditional household.” She added as we passed through the exit gates and stepped out into the cool spring breeze. 

‘Is she implying what I think she’s implying?’ Miguel’s voice fluttered into my head through the physic-spider bond.

I held back a smirk as I responded. ‘Yes. Unless we’re married, no sleeping together in the same room.’ 

‘Aww, are you sure? I’d be more than willing to prove my self control. Your grandma can stitch up the bedsheets around me so I can’t cuddle you.’ Miguel’s hand carefully fell from my shoulder and delicately draped down my spine to rest on the small of my back. ‘Or touch you.’ 

My cheeks blushed a bright red as I went to elbow Miguel but missed. I nearly stumbled in my steps, gasping as a hand went up to my mouth. My grandparents turned towards me and my cheeks flushed darker. 

“Lisa, are you alright?” Grandpa asked. 

“Oh, I’m fine!” I coughed into my hand, clearing my throat as Miguel stood there and pretended he didn’t just take advantage of our physic bond and made it his mission to absolutely fluster me in front of my grandparents and make a fool out of myself. “Just caught a sneeze.”

Grandpa hummed deeply as he looked around. “There has been an uptick in pollen allergies this spring.”

“Here Tokki, I brought an extra mask.” Grandma park dug around in her fanny pack and pulled out the disposable mask and handed it to me. “Wear it just in case until we get to the house, I’ll make you some tea when we get there.”

With a defeated smile I accepted the mask from her. “Thank you, grandma.”

“Where is– Ah! There’s the car.” Grandpa pointed out in a direction further down the arrival gate parking lane and led the way down. 

I tore through the packaging and slipped the mask over my face. Once it was on, I made sure grandma and grandpa weren’t looking before I reached up and pinched Miguel’s arm. I could see his pupils go wide, eyebrows rising as he shot me a look. 

My eyes spoke volumes as the mask hid my face, and I spoke through the bond. ‘Behave, Miguel~’ 

‘I’m always on my best behavior.’ he replied with a roll of his eyes. His gaze softened quickly after. ‘Are you alright, though? Was that. . . too much?’ 

I thought about it, and my mind immediately reeled back to the conversation we had during dinner with my mom before my Marvel Day show. There’s been a spare intimate touch here and there, and we have been just sleeping together, but other than that, we haven’t really gone any further than sweet little make out sessions. Even during that, Miguel kept things respectful and never tried to push or pressure me. 

That interaction just now. . . It was risque, yes, but somehow. . . it felt normal. 

‘It was okay. I’m okay.’ I reassured him as we approached my grandparents car. 

It was only then did I notice that they had a personal driver?!

There was a man maybe 20 years younger than my grandparents wearing a black trench coat and paperboy cap as he opened the car door, a Mercedes Benz truck and prepared our luggage for the trunk. 

“Do you have a personal driver now?” I gawked in surprise. 

What exactly happened the last 2 years I was gone?!

“Jin would often help and drive us around when we need him, but since he started going through therapy and his exercises, and your harabeoji’s arthritis is acting up again, we encouraged him to take a break so we hired our own driver.” Grandma Park explained before introducing the driver to us. “This is Ha Joon.”

“Nice to meet you.” Ha Joon greeted us with a curt bow of his head. “If you ever require my services, I’d be happy to help.”

“Thank you, we’ll certainly keep that in mind.” Miguel offered him a polite smile and bowed his head towards him in turn. 

I was relieved Miguel seemed to be taking all of this rather well. I was worried he’d be a nervous wreck during the whole trip as soon as we got off the plane, but other than the slight scare of screaming fans at the arrival gate, he seemed to be handling himself well. Unless he’s somehow masking it insanely better than I can try to hide my emotions around him and he’s holding it all in for my sake. 

“Remember now, Lisa, it will be a long drive from here to Gangnam. Do you and Miguel need anything before we go?” Grandma Park asked as she looked between us. 

My eyes met Miguel, and he too seemed to ask a silent question in his eyes. Are you ready to go see him? 

Taking a deep breath, I met my grandmother’s gaze and shook my head. “No, I think we’re ready to go!” 

“Splendid!” Grandma Park applauded us. “Let’s not waste time now.”

We all climbed into the truck, grandpa sitting up front with their driver Ha Joon while grandma sat in the back row and Miguel and I took the middle seats. This was a lot different than the last car I recalled them owning. It almost reminded me of a more domestic version of Miguel’s Ferrari, the interior alone screamed sleek and chic. 

The car ride from the airport to my grandparent’s home was almost 2 hours, and over the course of the journey we all made small talk, and due to the heat, Ha Joon pulled over into a popular dessert cafe and grandpa got us all ice cream to cool off. Miguel would occasionally glance at his gizmo, and I had assumed he was exchanging messages with Lyla, Peter B., and Jessica to make sure things were going smoothly back in his dimension. Miguel asked my grandma about the Gangnam district and how long they had lived there, his curiosity getting the better of him. 

“Oh we bought this house and moved in just after Jin and Janet married. We got lucky and managed to snag it for $2.4 million!” Grandma Park answered him with a proud smile.

“Only?” He looked at her in surprise, I couldn’t tell if he was faking it for her sake or being genuine. 

“Yes! We’re very blessed to have it and I don’t take it for granted every day, and when Lisa finally came over and visited us for the first time that one Christmas I was over the moon!”

Gangnam may not be Hannam-Dong, the most rich and elite and also gated community neighborhood in the country, but owning a home in Gangnam was nothing to scoff at. Gangnam was considered one of, if not the most upscale and modern districts in Seoul. They had everything from nightclubs, high end restaurants, cafes, bistros, and gleaming skyscrapers. My grandma’s favourite thing about living there was the boutiques and shopping malls. 

“I can admit it, I may have developed a little shopping habit after we moved here, but they have everything!” Grandma Park laughs sweetly. “I loved taking Lisa there and spoiling her there.”

“If we have time, I’d love to see everything.” Miguel smiled at her, a friendly gleam in his eyes. 

“Of course, I’d love to show you around, Miguel! We can all go later today and get you some clothes to go with dinner tomorrow night!” She beamed. 

“Are we not having the family dinner at the house?” I asked her, appearing confused. 

I was still getting comfortable with the idea of even sitting at a table with my step-father again for the first time in so long. What would the seating arrangements look like? Would I have to sit next to him? If we’re eating out, it might help ease my nerves a little. But what if he said something that would upset me? Would I risk causing a scene and leaving everyone at the restaurant?

“Oh we are, but knowing your grandmother she likes to make these events extra special.” Grandpa smiled as he casted his wife a knowing look. 

“Well of course it’s a big deal! Lisa is back after being away for so long.” Grandma Park cooed as she looked at me with a soft expression. “We missed you terribly, Tokki.”

“I missed you too.” I smiled softly before my expression fell in a small frown. “I’m. . . I’m sorry for not really contacting you all after, well, everything. . .”

“Oh, Lisa, we understand. You were going through so much.” Grandma Park reassured me softly as she set her ice cream cup aside and gently took her hands in mine. “We had thought on countless occasions to reach out to you but after talking with Janet we didn’t want to make you feel as if we were pressuring you. You needed time to heal. Truth be told. . . we all did.”

I glanced over at Miguel who stayed silent through the whole thing, watching us all as he gave me a comforting smile, encouraging me to go on. I looked back at my grandmother. “Still, I cut contact with you due to mere association. That. . . that was a little harsh of me to do.”

“You were protecting yourself, Tokki. You had no way of knowing if we knew about his behavior and how it affected you.” Grandma Park squeezed my hand tightly, her eyes pouring into mine. “Gwaenchanh-a.” - It’s alright. 

My gaze softened as I listened to her and suddenly my vision went blurry. I raised a hand to gently wipe the tears from my eyes and I heard movement as I opened my eyes to see not just Miguel, but my grandma as well offered me napkins to dry my tears. We all looked at each other before my grandma erupted with laughter and then Miguel and I followed quickly after, all the while my grandpa watched on with a soft smile. 

Before I even knew it, we arrived at the Park Estate in Gangnam. There’s an iron gate that opens up after detecting the car’s presence before going up a long private driveway before parking across from the garage. The house was on a long narrow stretch of well trimmed grass with faded cobblestone steps meshed into the ground leading to the main stairwell. The house itself looked like a few giant white building blocks smushed together, with giant windows allowing plenty of natural light in. There were two main floors, plus the basement level, but if I learned anything from Doctor Who and the Tardis, what looks small on the outside, is actually quite larger on the inside. 

Upon entering through the main door, the door bell chimes a cute little tune, announcing our arrival. As Miguel and I set our bags down, high pitched yapping catches my ear as I look over and see a white fluffy cloud with paws come barreling towards us. 

“Oh, I almost forgot to tell you!” Grandma Park laughed as she scooped up the furball in her hands and brought the snow white pomeranian closer towards me. “This is Pom Pom, the newest addition to our family.”

“She’s so cute!” I smiled brightly as I gently scratched her behind the ears. 

“Jin’s therapist suggested it last year, to try and uplift his spirits and help him reintroduce the concept of taking care of another living thing under his care in a positive environment. I’d say it’s helped him quite well.” She explained. 

“He’s been taking care of her?” I asked curiously. 

If it wasn’t for the gap between the events of what happened, I’d wouldn’t know exactly how to feel about my step-father caring for another living creature after what he put me through. 

“Oh yes, they’re nearly inseparable.” She insisted before gently putting the dog down, and Pom Pom immediately scampered over to Miguel, smelling his feet. 

“Uh, nice– Pom Pom?” Miguel tensed up, trying not to move as he looked down at the door. 

“It’s alright, she is just curious. She’s very friendly once she’s warmed up to new people.” Grandma Park reassured him before glancing over towards Grandpa. “Show them to their rooms and I’ll get started on the tea.”

Grandpa nodded as we all watched Grandma Park hurry along, Pom Pom following her at the heel. “Do you remember the layout, Lisa?”

“It’s been a while, but everything is starting to come back to me.” I answer honestly as I take in the interior of my once second home. 

The walls were a bright monochrome white with wooden shelving. Although I don’t remember it being so blinding to my eyes. Grandpa led the way as Miguel and I took our bags upstairs. Grandpa showed Miguel his room, and I couldn’t help but chuckle a little at seeing the bed and realizing what grandma said was right. It was a tad small for Miguel. Just looking at it I could tell his feet, and parts of his legs would be dangling from the edge of the mattress. 

“You’re sure you can make do with that?” I asked him with a soft smirk. 

“I’ve slept on much worse, don’t patronize me.” He scoffed back with a grin. 

I raised my hands in defeat. “Alright tough guy.”

I let Miguel get settled in and unpack his stuff as grandpa led me down the hall to a familiar door at the end and opened it. My old room. It was just how I left it after leaving that summer. Grandma and grandpa let me stay with them for a few days to recover after the surgery and as soon as I was well enough to walk on my own and manage lifting things without intense pain, I packed my things and flew back to Toronto. 

Only difference now, most of the K-Pop posters and ads for the company I went to the boot camp for were torn down from the walls. All except my posters of BLACK PINK. I smiled a little at that.

“Your grandma took the posters down, worried they might be considered a trigger.” Grandpa explained with a nervous rub of his neck. “But I convinced her to keep these ones up. We knew this group was your favourite growing up.”

“They still are. Thank you grandpa.” I smiled warmly at him. 

“I’ll let you have a moment to unpack and settle. We’ll call you down when the tea is ready.” Grandpa nodded back at me with a kind smile as he reached for the door. As he was leaving, he stopped, the door creaking as he peeked around the corner and offered me the kindest smile I’d ever seen him show. “We really are happy to have you here with us. We missed you, Lisa.” 

“I missed you too, grandpa.” My smile brightened a little more. “I’m happy to be here.”

Now to just convince myself that it truly was 100% the truth. 

Grandpa gave me one more nod before shutting the door behind him, his footsteps fading as he walked away.  I took a moment to breathe and sat on top of my suitcase and looked around. I just sat there and looked at my room, perfectly clean, no dust.

They really did want me to come back. 

I felt a tear race down my cheek as I suddenly got goosebumps along my arms, and a chill up my spine. Like I got the feeling I was being watched somehow. I took a breath, convincing myself it was my nerves talking. I stood up and pulled my suitcase up to my bed and had barely started to unpack when there was a knock at my door. 

So much for the nerves. 

“Come in.” I spoke up, my heart fluttering nervously. 

The door creaked open and I withheld a sigh of relief when Miguel walked in. “Your grandma really pulled out all of the stops.”

“What did she do?” I asked him curiously as I organized my clothes. 

“She had a bathrobe custom tailored to my size. It’s softer than the pajamas we got on the plane!” He exclaimed in surprise, sitting at the edge of my bed. 

“She likes to spoil.” I commented with a faint smirk, recalling old memories as I started putting away my clothes in my old dresser. 

I could feel Miguel’s gaze on me and the urge to talk to me, to ask me over a dozen questions that must be fluttering around in that big brain of his. He stood up, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he looked around. 

“So this was your room, eh?” A soft smile was on his face as he glanced over, eyeing one of my posters. 

“Whenever I wasn’t working overtime at camp, my grandparents invited me to stay here with them on weekends. It. . . was kind of a sanctuary.” I admitted softly as I glanced his way. 

“I can imagine.” Miguel nodded with a knowing look, and it didn’t take me long to realize he was thinking about our past conversation on the balcony at Spider Society HQ. The talk where I admitted all the hardships I– that Jin put me through. 

“I don’t recall you having this many posters of them back in New York.” Miguel teased as he motioned his head over to one of my BLACK PINK posters. “They really are a favourite of yours?”

“Only the greatest girl group I’ve ever heard.” I smirked confidently as I stepped away from the bed and came to Miguel’s side. 

“What are their names?” He asked. “You’ve never mentioned it to me before.”

I raised a curious brow towards Miguel. Why now of all times would he ask me that? Was it to distract me? To keep me calm? Not that I was complaining per say. I’d love to share one of my interests with him if he wanted to. 

“There’s Jisoo, Rosé, Jennie, and Lisa.” I pointed them all out with a big smile. 

“I take it Lisa is your favourite?” Miguel asked me with a knowing smirk, an arm wrapped around my waist. “Sorry, bias I believe is the term?”

“You’re learning!” My eyes lit up in surprise as I applauded Miguel. “Yes, she is. Nicely done.”

“Is it because you share the same name?” He teased softly, looking down at me. 

I laughed at his teasing, shaking my head. “The most obvious reason, sure, but it’s more to it than that. She’s–”

My gaze wandered as I started to ramble before I stopped suddenly. My gaze fell upon the window, peering through the glass and landing on a figure in the backyard garden of the estate. 

“Lisa?” Miguel’s voice called out to me, and I found myself moving free from his hold. “Something wrong?”

I walked over to the window and looked out fully into the garden and that’s when I saw him. 

Jin Park sat on a stone bench in the garden, wearing a traditional robe and drinking what looked like green tea from a cup. Pom Pom came running outside towards him, her yapping loud but slightly muffled from my place on the second floor. There was a smile on his face as he knelt down from the bench, his tea cup in one hand as he lowered the other to pet Pom Pom’s head. 

His gaze flickered up and we locked eyes. 

My heart skipped a beat and I found myself to be as frozen as a statue. Sensing my shift, Miguel stepped over to my side. 

“What is it?” His gaze followed mine through the window and that’s when he saw him. “Is that him?”

“Step-father. . .” I uttered. 

Miguel’s hand returned to my waist, squeezing it tightly and through the bond I could sense his cold, near bombastic glare towards Jin.

He waved at me, but in that moment, I found myself unable to move, let alone wave back.

******

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[crimsonblackrose]

Went and saw the Barbie movie with my cousins. My little cousin was supposed to go with us but he’s been getting anxiety about doing things he really wants to do and getting sick from it so we had to turn around and take him home. Which was a bummer because he was so excited, he had come running down the stairs asking if his outfit was good for the Barbie movie, if it was pink enough. My older cousin bought us all drinks and I got this frozen slushie with cotton candy because it was their Barbie themed drink. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a movie with them and couldn’t tell honestly if my cousin was enjoying it because every once in a while she’d whisper “stop it”. I learned later that that was from pure joy. 🤣 Both my cousins ended up crying several times through the film. I was so pleasantly surprised by the amount of people wearing pink. The person who checked our tickets and directed us when we arrived looked like they stepped off a red carpet, all of the staff was wearing pink from pink shirts to pink cowboy hats, and so were the guests. Most popular pink item? Pink heart shaped sunglasses. I even spotted a goth on my way out who’d incorporated pink into their black ensemble. It was just fun. I baked the cupcakes that I’ve been avoiding baking. I just couldn’t bring myself to bake them. We went to visit my dad twice around my birthday before he passed, the weekend before and the weekend after and my step mom gave me this lemon cake mix and icing and said “Your dad wanted to celebrate but he’s not doing well so you can take this home and make it” and then...he didn’t make it to that next weekend so it’s just been sitting on a shelf for well over a year as I tried to determine when felt like a good enough time to make it. I put too much on this baking mix, arguably this last and only birthday gift from my dad. And I decided to bring it with me because this side of my family didn’t get to say goodbye. So I baked the mix into cupcakes and iced them and brought them out to my aunt and uncle’s house and made them promise not to eat all of them until my other cousin got to try it. My uncle ate a whole container. 🤣 Which is fine. My baby cousins also descended upon the cupcakes. The youngest of the group that was at the house looked up at me and held up a cupcake and asked me to eat all the icing off of it because he didn’t like icing, so I showed him the way I’d set up the cupcakes so that people who didn’t like icing wouldn’t have to eat any but so that the cupcakes wouldn’t dry out. The youngest ended up spending the night and I slept out in the refurbished chicken coop for the first time and as I was heading out my baby cousin was just sitting by himself in the living room in front of the TV playing with the flash light I needed to traverse the pitch black yard. He politely asked me to turn off the other lights, gave me the flashlight and I asked him if he needed anything from before I left and he said no. I have no clue if he got any sleep because he napped the entire next day. It was one of those moments where I realized how quickly children change. Because last time I was home which wasn’t even a year ago he was running and screaming through the house getting into everything and wanted all the lights left on and held very tightly to my hand. This time he was just like totally fine. Meanwhile I asked my aunt if there was anything I needed to know about sleeping in the coop and she told me nope. Only to find out the St. Bernard is a total terror when it comes to the coop. My aunt has a no dogs inside policy and my cousin told me the coop had just been professionally cleaned so I assumed that meant the dog was not allowed into the coop. So I made my way through the garden and across the yard to the coop taking in the stars and the moon and the bizarre sounds of the neighbors carrying over the fields, got in, figured out what light switches were to what, settled in and then there was a knock on the door. Mind you my aunt was passed out on the couch in the living room, my uncle had gone to bed, and my baby cousin is mildly scared of the dark. I’m surrounded by corn fields and in the boonies. No one should be knocking on the door to this chicken coop. But I left the outer door open and it had creaked in the wind, a nice little whine, and for a moment I wonder if something did happen and my baby cousin was spooked or had tried to come out and get me. But there’s no yelling my name ’s just this like scratching at the door and then a loud thump and I look out the window and there’s the St. Bernard looking at me barking and whining and pawing at the window. I hadn’t seen her on my trek out, so I’d assumed she’d gone to bed somewhere, maybe in one of the barns with the sheep and donkeys on a nice pile of hay or under the weeping tree she likes. I looked at her through the window and told her to stop and say no. Because again I think of my aunts no animal inside policy and she keeps barking and whining and then she takes off through the garden around the coop and tries a different window and it’s like I’m under siege and my brain is running through horror movie scenarios. Because how on earth had she knocked? Eventually she goes away and I try to sleep. There’s no bathroom in the coop and I eventually grab my flashlight and go back towards the house only for her to come bounding after me from the darkness. Which because I’m still spooked turns into a fun game of chase for her and me running towards the house like nope, we’re not doing this. I debated just staying inside and not returning to the coop but then thought, no, everyone literally raves about sleeping there. And generally my aunt and uncle sleep there all summer because it’s air conditioned and the AC in the house is either only on the first floor or only in the haunted spots so really what are my options? see if my little cousin is willing to let me share the giant caterpillar pillow to sleep on? So I go back, try to outrun the dog back to the coop but she knows now. She knows that I’m sleeping in there and unbeknownst to me that means she also gets to sleep in there. And I’m like okay, I can get that door open but I gotta shut that second door too because otherwise she will scratch at the door and it will creak something awful in the wind and as I’m trying to quickly get all these doors shut she barrels in and flops down on the floor and starts like rolling around in pure delight and I try and tell her to go but she’s a beast of a dog and I give up after like a good five minutes and go to bed deciding I’ll apologize to my aunt in the morning. And for over five hours I just sort of listen to her rolling around and making weird st. bernard slobbery sounds before at 5 am I hear her get up and approach the bed because it’s morning for her and it’s time for her to go so I get up and let her out and finally get some sleep making a mental note to tell my cousin that her st. bernard is a terror only in the single case of the coop. We waited until my cousin got back from meeting a friend to go to the pool and my aunt hunted desperately for something that wasn’t Bluey to watch. So I picked the second karate kid film which had my cousin staring at me in shock “There’s more than one?” to which I replied, there’s four and for a mildly hilarious conversation with my aunt who was shocked that I 1. enjoyed the karate kid. 2. That ralph macchio was the age he was in it. 3. That I’m not the only girl on the planet who likes the karate kid movies. 🤣 At the pool the babiest of baby cousins dove off the diving board for the first time. Which was like so fun because she’s got all these learn-to-swim floaties on and she was having a grand time jumping into her mom’s arms. And her older sister is also learning how to swim so I floated around in the deep end playing life guard while she dove to find these toys at the bottom of the pool. Which more or less meant that whenever she popped back up she panicked a little so I’d hold out a hand to her to grab onto until she caught her breath before she’d dive back down. I slept in the coop again last night, after watching a bunch of movies with my uncle and since my cousin and her family (st. bernard included) went home it was nice and quiet.

[httpknjoon]

lie detector test | ksj

plot | During promotions of his new movie, Jin was set in a lie detector test. Surprise, surprise! He was asked about you.

words | 2.1k+

genres | humor/crack, fluff, actors!au

pairing | actor!jin x famous!reader

disclaimer | usernames used in the fic are all fictional.

note | for my first post this month, here is another drabble for my favorite rumored couple *wink*. This one was set for 2021.

main masterlist | drabble series

Jin Takes a Lie Detector Test | Vanity Fair

13,826,003 views January 14, 2021 Jin takes Vanity Fair’s infamous lie detector test. Has he ever lied during a casting audition? Does he really have a bias between dogs and cats? Is he a secretly good singer? Was he the one who gifted Y/N Francheskat?

Still Alive is out on Netflix on January 15, 2021.

“Okay, this will go around your chest. This one’s around your waist. Then, the last one is here in your arm.”

Jin sat stiff as the polygraph examiner put on the device on his body. He waited for the man, who recalled the name as Barry, to sit back in front of the polygraph. Jin tapped his fingertips on the wooden table while he looked at the interviewer. He strangely feels nervous about how serious around him feel. Even though this is just a Vanity Fair video as part of his promotions for his new Netflix film.

The interviewer began, “Is your full name Kim Seokjin?”

“Yes.” he nods with a wink straight to the camera, an unconscious habit of his every time he introduces himself.

“Were you born on December 4, 1992?” she asked once again.

“Yes.”

For a split second, Jin honestly thought of lying. Just to test if the machine really works. But decided to just do it later. Plus, his nerves are still kind of tense.

“Are you about to take a lie detector test?”

“I am.” Jin smiled.

The interviewer continued, “Are you nervous?”

“No…” his voice trailed off as he turned his head to Bob, who was sitting on the side.

Bob looked up with a serious expression, “He’s lying.”

Jin laughed, “Okay! Maybe I am. This is weirdly nerve-wracking.”

The video cuts to a plain white background with capitalized letters: JIN TELLS THE TRUTH. The video proceeded with Jin sitting more relaxed on the chair.

“The first category is… your life.”

A brown folder slid on the table. Jin, feeling more comfortable, wanted to laugh at how serious everything is. He watched this kind of video before and he didn’t expect it to be a bit intimidating. Especially Barry, who was friendly before they shoot.

“Is it true that you used Jin as your mononym to avoid connections with your family?” 

“Yes.” Jin nods. He didn’t even bother to hesitate.

He came from a family that already had a place in the entertainment industry. Both in the production and performing departments. His parents were both actors who earned their fame sometime in the mid-80s while his uncle from his father’s side is a renowned filmmaker and producer who received critical acclaim for every work he does. Another aunt from his father is a successful broadway theatre actress. And when his parents divorced and his mom remarried when he was five, he have a stepfather who is also an actor. 

“You are an alumnus of Juilliard.“

Jin nodded quietly, urging her to continue with her question.

“You said in an interview before that you took a degree for acting because you want to be confident with yourself when auditioning for roles in the future. Do you think you will be as self-assured as you are now if you went straight to Hollywood?”

“Nope.” he shook his head. “I learned so much from Juilliard and if I went straight to acting instead of studying, I don’t think that I’ll be able to pass auditions.”

“Speaking of auditions, is it true that you changed your surname in your early casting calls?”

“Yes, I did.” Jin giggled.

“Why?”

“I want to pass it because of my skills. I want them to be honest with me if my acting was good or bad.” Jin replied. “I just don’t want to be labeled as something because I am naturally related to someone. I wanted to prove to myself and others that I am also working toward my goals. It’s not like I have my mouth open to be spoonfed with offers.”

The interviewer nodded respectfully with his answer. Jin tried to say that as calmly and kindly as possible. He is aware that sometimes he gets called a nepotism baby because of his family history in Hollywood and he is grateful if he gets projects because of it. But he always avoided getting things the easy way. He wants to go through the same process as his other colleagues. 

The interviewer continued, “Your mom once said in an interview with Conan O’Brien that you were interested in pursuing music when you were younger. Is that true?”

“Yes. I used to play instruments before.” he shared. He knows how to play guitar, ukulele, piano, and a little bit of violin. He learned the last one just because his dad asked him to learn it when he was a kid.

The interviewer was quick to ask a follow-up question, “She also said that you sing a lot. Some said that you have a really good singing voice. Do you agree with that?”

Jin shifted on his seat as he squints his eyes, thinking about his reply, “I… don’t know.”

“Seems unsure,” Barry mumbled on the side.

The interviewer eyes Jin, waiting for him to explain which he did, “I don’t really know. Sometimes I feel good, so I sing at home. Most times I don’t so I just don’t sing.”

“Is that why we never heard you sing?”

“No.” Jin laughed. “I just don’t want to sing in public. But I do sing… for a few people.”

“For a few people?” the interviewer repeated.

Jin nods with a smile, “Yup.”

Another folder was placed on the table.

“Let’s talk about relationships.”

Jin was never public with his past relationships. He is always a private person except when his drunk and he accidentally posts shit on his social media accounts. But other than that, he is very private. So, he wondered what relationship thing could be asked about him.

“Is it true that you prefer dogs over cats?”

He almost laughed with that question. So this is the relationship they are talking about…

“Yes. Dogs are more friendly!” he exclaimed. “Like they jump around and wiggle their tails when they see their humans. It’s so cute! While cats… they are so… aggressive.”

“So you don’t like cats?”

“Yeah. I mean, I respect cats. But I don’t think I’ll ever be friends with one.” Jin clarified.

The interviewer continues, “Is that so?”

She placed a picture on the table. Jin laughed hard. It was a picture of him and Francheskat, your grey Persian cat. He was carrying your cat on his shoulder, who was looking peacefully asleep like a baby. It was taken by a fan during the production of Lonely People in New York, where you begged your director to let Francheskat have a cameo in one of the scenes.

“Do you have any explanation for this photo?” the interviewer is obviously teasing him.

“The first question was a trap!” Jin giggled for a few seconds. When he calmed down, he continued, “Okay, Francheskat is a little fluff of sweetness. She is an exception.”

“Because?”

“Because it’s Francheskat.” Jin simply answered.

The interviewer did not bother to ask him for more elaboration on his answer. She read her cards again, “According to Y/N, Francheskat is a cat from an animal shelter in London. She said it was given to her as a gift by a friend back in 2017…”

Based on the buildup of the question, Jin already knows where this one leads. He had already read and heard tweets and articles about the upcoming question  He tried to hide a smirk forming on his face.

“Are you the friend she was talking about?” the interviewer asked.

Without any missed second, Jin replied with a single shake of his head, “No, I’m not,” 

As if the interviewer was expecting a response from Barry, she looked at the polygraph examiner. Jin did the same thing, carefully moving his eyes to the side. There was a five-second silence before Barry looked up again.

“He is telling the truth.”

Jin rolled his eyes and looked at the interviewer with a sassy ‘I told you so’ look and nod. The interviewer cleared her throat. 

“For our last question–” 

“Do you promise?” Jin cuts her off.

Confused, the interviewer said, “I’m sorry, what?”

“Do you promise it’s the final one?”

“Yes, of course,” she replied, still confused about why the actor asked that. “Proceeding. Was there any point that you lied in this interview and we did not catch you?”

“No.” he winked, causing more puzzlement. Even Barry was confused.

“Oh, what’s with the wink?” the interviewer asked as soon as she saw that.

“Not answering that one. You said the last question is your last one.” Jin mocked.

“Touché.”

The interviewer said. The clip ended with Jin smiling in a teasing way.

The new content was another reason for Jin to be talked about on Twitter. Fans of both Jin’s and yours– and even Francheskat’s– posted their thoughts after the video was uploaded. Your cat’s name trended as it was one of the most talked about and even replayed part of the said clip. 

@/ACTORJINNN: jin baby blink twice if you’re scared of barry

@/bluemoon04: I still stand by the facts that support my theory. KIM SEOKJIN WAS THE ONE WHO GAVE FRANCHESKAT TO Y/N

replying to @/bluemoon04

– @/favecatmomy/n: the audience wants to know more about ur theory

—- @/bluemoon04: will be posting a thread soon bestie 🥰

@/francheskat_update: Francheskat was mentioned in Vanity Fair’s Jin Takes a Lie Detector Test video on YouTube. [insert YouTube link and screenshots]

@/y/nbestactress: jin talking about cats: 👹👺🤬💣🧨🔪 VS jin talking about francheskat: 🌸🌞🌈🥰💗🎀

@/elynextdoor: Just watched Jin’s lie detector test. Loved how he tricked the interviewer with his wink at the end 🤣🤣

@/seokjindrama: Not Jin denying that he can sing 🤡 as if we never heard him sing before

replying to @/seokjindrama

– @/alpacajin: omg where did u see him sing

—- @/jinnnstwt: donny posted on his ig stories years ago a snippet of jin’s singing when they were hanging out

A few days after the video was posted on YouTube, Jin is having a whole day of press junkets with his co-stars. It was absolutely exhausting as almost every interviewer asks the same question. Some are even overboard and personal. The cup of coffee in his right hand is the only one that keeps him going throughout this hectic day. He had a five-minute break before another interviewer comes in when his phone was handed to him by Daisy, his new assistant.

“Someone’s calling you,” she whispered.

Jin, who’s physically and mentally tired to talk with anyone, asked with a sigh, “Who is it?”

Daisy looks skeptical at reading the name at first, slightly scratching her head. She looked back and forth from him to his phone screen a couple of times. Finally, she read it, still unsure,

“Some weird… cat… person… Some weird cat person,” she repeated.

Jin tried to hide a smile forming on his face as he took a sip of his coffee. He thanked his assistant and answered the phone call. Luckily, everyone around him is too busy taking their own quick breaks to notice him taking a call.

“Hello?” 

“I just watched that lie detector test video!” Your excited and happy voice was heard on the other line after Jin’s hello. “How was it? Was it scripted? Did the machine really work? Tell me about it!”

He smiled with your childish enthusiasm. You always expressed that you want to try such an interview ever since Vanity Fair began doing that. You never experienced being in a polygraph test before and you are really curious about it. Jin was ready to tell stories when he heard someone in the crew saying they have a few seconds left before an interviewer goes in again. He emptied his cup before speaking to you,

“I’m in the middle of a junket. How about I’ll call you later, bub?”

He heard you gasp, “Oh my god! I’m so sorry. I forgot about that. I just woke up before watching your video. I’m sorry!”

Given that you are in your LA home and currently on a month-long break, Jin understands that you forgot about the time difference between your two. He’s in New York. 

“It’s fine. I’ll call you later,” he assured you. Daisy was already waiting for him to hand his phone back.

“Okay, okay. By the way, Francheskat told me she misses you.”

He smiled before replying, “Yeah, tell her I miss her too.”

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[justabigassnerd]

Horror movies

Pairing - TASM!Peter Parker x sister!reader

Word count - 1,139

Warnings - n/a, just fluff

Summary - Peter and his younger sister watch horror movies

A/N - It's another TASM fic y'allllll! I'm always happy to write for my beloved Spidey because I love him so much and he deserves nothing but the best. Also, consider this a reminder that I'm now writing for Rooster from Top Gun Maverick! Anyways I'll stop rambling so as per y'all, please send in requests, feedback and enjoy!!

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It was a rare night in the Parker household for both Parker siblings to be in the house and able to hang out with each other. Peter was usually so busy with being Spider-Man and you were usually busy with school work so the two of you hadn’t been able to hang out in a while and you missed each other’s company.

“Hey, wanna have a movie night?” Peter asks as he opens the room to your door, ignoring your groan of protest at his lack of knocking and smiling expectantly at you.

“Okay, but I pick the movie.” You agree, sitting up from where you were lying on your bed as Peter nods.

“I pick the snacks then.” Peter replies, the two of you reaching an agreement and heading downstairs to see what you could find. Since Aunt May was working a night shift at the hospital, the two of you had the freedom to do whatever you wanted. When you get downstairs, you head into the living room to find something to watch and as you did that, Peter searched the kitchen for snacks.

“Hey y/n/n, there’s nothing in terms of snacks in the kitchen so I’m going to make a snack run. Do you want anything in particular?” Peter says, appearing in the doorway behind you, making you jump slightly and turn around to face him as he laughs.

“I thought you were picking the snacks?” You tease as Peter rolls his eyes.

“I figured I’d be nice and get you something. So, what do you want?” Peter asks again, folding his arms across his chest and looking at you expectantly.

“Either popcorn or chocolate I’m not fussed. Surprise me.” You say with a smile before turning your attention back to the tv while Peter grabs his keys and leaves the house, leaving you to find a movie to watch.

After about half an hour passed you heard keys jangling in the lock of the door signalling Peter’s return. You greeted him as he entered the house, the rustling of bags telling you that Peter’s snack run was successful and that he had more than enough snacks for the night.

“I got the snacks!” Peter says gleefully, holding the bags up in triumph as he plants himself next to you on the sofa, emptying the bags on the coffee table. Once he’s emptied the bags, he looks up to the tv screen, freezing momentarily before an amused smile covers his face.

“A horror movie? Are you serious?” He laughs as you roll your eyes.

“Yeah. Worried you’ll get scared?” You tease, nudging him with your shoulder as he scoffs.

“I think I’ve seen so much as Spider-Man; nothing bothers me anymore. It’s you I’m worried about.” Peter says, leaning back against the sofa cushions after opening the pack of sour gummy worms and chucking one in his mouth.

“You have nothing to worry about Pete. I’m not a kid you know.” You scoff, grabbing the bag of sour gummy worms and taking one.

“I know you’re not. But you were also the kid who needed Uncle Ben to scare away the monsters in your closet every night.” Peter teases as you groan, grabbing the controller and pressing play on the movie, determined to prove Peter wrong.

As the movie progressed, Peter could hear your heartbeat picking up and your breath hitching with the intensity of each scene. He could tell when you tensed up at each jump scare but you were fighting to keep your cool because you wanted to prove that you could watch a horror movie without being scared.

“y/n/n, it’s okay if this is too scary for you. We can put something else on.” Peter says gently, not missing the way you jumped at the sound of his voice.

“No, I can do it. I’m fi-” You’re cut off by a large jump scare, causing a scream to slip past your lips and making you hide your face behind the first cushion you could grab. Peter then grabbed the controller and turned the movie off before turning the main lights back on and gently grabbing the cushion and removing it from your face.

“Let’s not have you accidentally suffocating, huh?” He says quietly as he places the cushion by his side and pulls you into a hug, allowing you to bury your face in his chest.

“It was scary, Pete.” You admit defeatedly, shoulders sagging in disappointment that you couldn’t make it through one scary movie.

“It was, wasn’t it?” Peter agrees, grabbing the blanket from the sofa arm behind him and draping it around your shoulders. He grabs the controller again and finds one of your favourite movies to play in the background. Upon hearing the familiar opening to the movie you detach yourself from his grip and focus on the movie instead to try and take your mind off the movie you had just watched.

“Hey, want a hot chocolate?” Peter asks gently, not speaking too loudly in case he made you jump.

“Yes please.” You reply quietly and Peter gets up and heads to the kitchen to make both him and you a hot chocolate. Once he filled the two mugs with the steaming liquid, he put some whipped cream and marshmallows on top and brings the two mugs into the living room.

“Did someone order a hot chocolate?” Peter says with a smile as he enters the room, handing one mug to you which you take with a small smile, immediately taking a sip which was instantly regretted when the liquid burnt your tongue.

“That’s hot.” You wince, placing the mug down on the coffee table.

“Clues in the name.” Peter laughs as you groan, shoving him lightly so he didn’t spill any of his drink. Peter then placed his drink down too and poked you in the side, laughing as you squirm and shuffle away, trying to stifle your laughs. After you both calm down you turn your attention back to the movie and watch it, only occasionally making passing comments about what was happening on screen.

When the movie finished, the two of you put all the snacks that were uneaten away and washed up your mugs and returned them to the cupboards before heading up to your rooms. You climb into your bed and scroll through your phone for a bit before noticing Peter in the doorway, leaning against the frame.

“You going to be, okay?” He asks, watching as you nod with a smile.

“Yeah, I think I’ll be okay.” You reply, watching as he nods grabs the door handle and begins to close the door before a thought crossed his mind.

“If you need someone to check for monsters I’m down.”

His spider-sense wasn’t ready for the pillow that came launching at his head.

[ynscrazylife]

PLEASE MAMA NAT <3

where its just a day in the life of being the adopted daughter of the BLACK WIDOW her picking us up and training us, trying to bonb with us

love your stories ♥️

Being Natasha’s Adopted Daughter Would Include . . .

Request to be on a taglist (or multiple) here! (Taglists are at the end of the fic)

MCU Masterlist #1 | MCU Masterlist #2 |  Main Masterlist

PSA: Do NOT copy, steal, translate, plagiarize, republish, etc any of my works on Tumblr or any other platform. Also, do NOT claim any of my works as your own. All of these works are either requests I’ve gotten that people have wanted me to write or original ideas I’ve had for works. If you happen to take inspiration from anything I’ve written and want to write something inspired by that, please a) ask me first and b) IF I say yes, credit me as inspo in your post by tagging me and link whatever work of mine that inspired you. Thanks.

header c @/piratanjo

Natasha met you post-Black Widow. She was helping out Yelena with freeing the Widows’ when she came across you.

You were a teen at the time - but still brainwashed. Thankfully because of your age you hadn’t been brainwashed into doing anything too bad yet, but you were almost finished with your training.

Something struck Natasha when she saw you. Looking back on it, she assumes it was the fact that like her and Yelena, you had been put into the Red Room at a young age, and you were the first teen they saw while on these various missions.

While she was okay with fighting the other Widows’, it was hard for Natasha to fight you. At the time, she brushed it off as not wanting to hurt a kid, but she knew that she was taking a liking to you.

Which was why, when Yelena managed to free you, and you told them that you had nowhere to go, Natasha felt the need to do something about it. Unlike the other Widows’ who were adults, you couldn’t go out into the world alone and, after talking with Yelena, Natasha decided to take you along with her.

It wasn’t adoption per say, at least at first, but it was close enough.

You jumped at the opportunity to tag along with Natasha and while Yelena continued the Widows’ mission, Natasha took you back to Melina’s house., where you met Melina and Alexei.

You were wary around them at first, clinging to Natasha, but you warmed up.

However, it wasn’t long before Natasha had to go on the run again. She offered you the chance to stay there with Melina and Alexei but you had grown very close to Natasha and wanted to come with her.

So, you did.

It was difficult, escaping authority and having to constantly be moving, but it in a way it strengthened yours and Natasha’s bond. You guys got closer and learned to work together — as fighting partners as well as mother/daughter.

Which was why, not having known your biological parents or where they were, the word ‘mom’ easily fell off her lips.

It happened when you guys were eating take-out in your latest house. Natasha had passed you the water pitcher and “thanks, mom” just came so naturally.

For a second, you didn’t realize what you had said, until you looked up to see Natasha staring at you with wide eyes.

Then, it hit you. Holy shit my god. Had you just said that?? What just happened?

You got scared that Natasha would react badly, but it was the opposite. A huge grin broke out on her face and even happy tears of pure joy.

When you asked her what was going on, she said: “I’ve never been a mother.”

That’s when you smiled and hugged her and you officially agreed on becoming mother and daughter.

Natasha was worried on being a mother at first, scared that she messed it up, but after reassurance from Melina via a phone call, she fell into the role naturally.

She became much more protective.

Not that you minded.

This went on until the Avengers called upon Natasha to fight Thanos.

She brought you along with her and the team was thoroughly stunned.

“wHO ArE yOU???”

“NATASHAAAA”

Yeah, it was chaotic.

You weren’t fazed though and quickly befriended Wanda and attempted to befriend Vision.

Steve and Sam also became like uncles.

Tony was a bit more difficult because you initially blamed him for you and Natasha on the run, so you were distant at first.

You were also kinda disappointed that Clint wasn’t there. You had wanted to meet him (and Natasha wanted you to meet him) after the stories you heard.

Nonetheless, you went to Wakanda and that’s where you met Bucky. It wasn’t long before he became another uncle.

You absolutely loved fighting alongside Okoye and meeting Shuri. You were fascinated by her technology.

You also kicked ass on the battlefield.

But then . . . You lost.

You watched Bucky disappear and even though you hadn’t known him for nearly as long as Natasha and Steve did, you still felt great pain.

Then you learned to that Sam and Wanda had gotten snapped and it got worse.

The days leading after were some of the most difficult days ever.

It was the first time you had to be strong for your mom, seeing as she had lost her friends too, and you panicked at first.

But you had been her daughter for awhile now and you knew what to do. You hugged Natasha and was there for her.

In the months coming, you helped the reminding heroes rebuild the world and you eventually joined the Avengers under your mother’s lead.

You also met Clint but it wasn’t a happy meeting, really, since he had lost his family.

You continued on as an Avenger with Natasha by your side. You met Carol and she was like an aunt and was amazing.

Things started to turn on the bright side when one day Natasha walked in with a genuine smile and held papers.

You could only guess what they were for at first, but quickly was shown and freaked out (a happy freak out) after.

Adoption papers.

You jumped and yelled and screamed and cheered, unbelievably happy that this was becoming official official.

You were Natasha’s daughter.

While the past few years had been difficult, this made it all worth it. You didn’t know where you’d be without Natasha and she was always with you.

Eventually, the team had a plan to defeat Thanos.

Which felt liked a miracle.

Natasha lives because I say so.

You and her got to tag-team Thanos’ enemies.

Literally the best team since Clint and Nat.

(Clint was jealous)

Then, you got everyone back!

You were SO happy to see Bucky, Sam, and Wanda again, and so was Natasha.

After you all reunited and the world went back to semi-normal, you and Natasha visited Yelena, Alexei, and Melina who were beyond happy to see you both.

Things started to turn up again and you were so grateful to have Nat at your side.

She was the best mom EVER.

Always looking out for you and protecting you

If any of the other Avengers made the slightest of snide comments, she was on them like a bloodhound

She always reminded you to hydrate and was always asking you how you were doing

It was hard to believe that she hadn’t had any experience with children before

Well, she had, with Clint’s kids, but still

Speaking of Clint’s kids, they all looked to you like an older cousin

But getting back to Natasha

She insisted that only she would train with you, not trusting the team to not injure you (besides, she knew you best)

You loved training with Natasha too

She always made it fun, putting on music and stuff

It helped you had similar music tastes

She also would always gush to anyone but really Clint, Sam, or Bucky on how cute and adorable you were

And they definitely agreed

One time during movie night you fell asleep with your head on Nat’s shoulder

She was so happy

Made Bucky take a picture

But she did feel a little bad because you must be tired

So she carried you to your room and put you to bed, kissing you goodnight

You had missed out on a childhood so it was nice for your mom to bring you to bed

All in all Natasha was the best thing to happen to you

Despite it being tough, you were thankful for every second of it

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[hellotherekenobi]

───a down to the wire promise.

summary: robert’s secretary needs him to bring a plus one to the company gala. it just so happens, on a spur of the moment, he says your name.

cw: fake dating! fake dating! fake dating! this does not follow the events of the movie, so you don’t have to watch it to read this. fem!reader.

ONESHOT. ⟶ 8,918 WORDS.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

The phones hadn’t stopped ringing since Monday, and it was Wednesday afternoon. Robert stepped into his office to find three more sympathy cards and flowers, all of which were lined up on the side table in the room. He didn’t bother to read the notes, he never did. They were all the same, anyhow. I’m so sorry for your loss. You’re in our thoughts. He was an inspiring man. A good businessman, yes, but a terrible father. Yet, all Robert could do, all he’s ever done, is love his father with his whole heart, even after he’s gone.

He can see his secretary running around like there was fire on her heels, back and forth from the door to her desk. She was a nice woman, around the same age as uncle Peter, with soft eyes and a voice that could scream bloody murder if you got on her wrong side. She was pushy like a mother and as caring as an aunt, which is why he let her pick at him until he crumbled like a sandcastle. In this office, it was just her and uncle Peter that he trusts.

She barrels into the room when his head is deep in another business proposal, leftover from prior arrangements his father had made, all written anxiously to hear a reply. Looking up, he notices the teacup in her hand, clattering against the saucer, which she brings to his desk and places down as carefully as she can so as not to spill anything. He thanks her quietly, but doesn’t reach for the cup, going back to reading the paper laid out in front of him.

“There were some messages left here for you this morning,” she starts, a voice rushed as she places down the message cards on the desk. “Andrew called again, but I told him to bugger off for the week.”

The words have Robert letting out a huff through his nose, glancing up at the woman as she reads down the dot-points of her mental to-do list.

“The board will need an answer by next Tuesday regarding the solar plans, and don’t forget to fill out the form I left on your desk last week about transferring the funds.” she raises a finger when Robert opens his mouth to speak. “Don’t tell me you have, because you haven’t. I’m not stupid enough to send them off without looking at them first.”

“Well, that’s an invasion of company privacy,” Robert says, lips pursed as he sits back in his chair.

“Don’t start with me.”

He chuckles, genuinely this time, happy to feel like a person instead of the heir to a business shoved onto his shoulders. It’s been piles of paperwork since his father passed. Those cards and flowers beside the door mean nothing. No one really cares about him, they care about whether he can keep the business running on his own.

“Is that all?” he asks, bringing down his own mood.

The woman nods, turning around quickly and then turning back to face him just as fast. “Oh, no. I still need a name for the gala.”

Robert shakes his head, suddenly gaining more interest in the paper in front of him. “I’ve told you, I don’t want to go.”

“I know you don’t, and why would you? It’ll be filled with directors and CEOs with sticks up their asses, but—” she presses two hands down on the desk, meeting Robert at eye-level. “That’s exactly why you need to attend. You know how important those stupid parties are. Now more than ever.”

He shakes his head, wanting to rip his hair out from all the fuss. He’s always hated the company functions, ever since he was a boy, and now he doesn’t have a manager to hide behind. Now he’s the manager. “I don’t have anyone to come with me.”

“Rubbish. Of course, you do.”

“Really? And who did you have in mind?”

“That pretty girl,” she snaps her fingers trying to remember the name. “The one you see so often.”

It’s almost impossible to hold back the faint smile on his lips at the mention of you, but he manages to hide it from his secretary, saying your name to have her pointing a finger at him happily. “I don’t think company functions are to her liking.”

“Well, that’s something the two of you have in common.” she lets out a sigh when Robert doesn’t say another word. “Won’t it be nice to have a friendly face with you? I hear so many good things about her.”

Robert only just picks up on the smirk playing on her face, too late to stop her when she smiles regardless of the finger he holds up. “Now, hold on—”

“What is it, then? Hmm? Secretly dating since you were teenagers? Maybe friends for cut?”

“No! No, nothing like that.”

“Then what’s the problem? You like her, she tolerates you. It’s just one night of smiling at terrible jokes and drinking champagne.”

“It’s just,” he sighs, leaning back against the chair again after almost jumping out of it from her implications. “I don’t like involving her with my work. I prefer to keep my private life separate.”

His secretary chews the inside of her cheek, eyes squinted at him. “Okay. I respect that. But Robert,” she never liked addressing him by surname. “Someone needs to go with you.”

“I have too much on my mind right now,” he shakes his head, looking back down at the paper and trying to read the words. “I’ll think about it later.”

“Like I haven’t heard that before.” she stands straight, adjusting the sleeves of her shirt. She watches him flick through documents, then search for a pen to scribble his signature. All excuses, all distractions. “I think it’s good you have someone in your life, someone who treats you kindly. Goodness knows you deserve that much.”

“Thank you,” he says, honestly, but still too caught up in his work to look her in the eye. “She does help me when I’m stressed. As if I don’t have enough stress in my life as is. With the proposal on my mind and what that’ll mean for the future, it’s a lot to process.”

It’s quiet. A little too quiet, and when Robert is about to ask if everything is alright, his head snaps up at her sudden thunderous shriek of delight. Her hands are waving in front of her, with a smile stretched so far across her face it’s a miracle her lips don’t fall off.

“I knew it! I knew it!” she cries happily, snatching a pen off of his desk and scribbling down something on her hand. “No need to tell me her surname. It’ll change soon, anyway. I’ll find her.”

“What do you mean?” Robert is about ready to call a medic with the way his secretary is buzzing on whatever serotonin he unintentionally just gave her, confused on why she’s so excited.

“Oh, Robert, you don’t know how happy this is making me.”

Yeah, that’s the problem.

“I can’t believe you kept it a secret from me.” she spins on her heel, heading toward the door. “If you didn’t buy her the biggest, ugliest diamond ring I know you can afford, I’m going to be fuming.”

Then she shuts the door and the sound of it jump-starts Robert wide awake, springing out of his seat. “We’re not—!”

What even was the point now, with the door closed? Most likely his secretary is searching for you on the computer, trying to find a way to contact you and send you an invitation. Knowing her track record, she’s already got your address and social security number, and he won’t be able to stop her once she’s set on something. What a mess. He meant the business proposal.

Robert Fischer sinks back in his chair, groaning like a child, knowing he’s got a lot of explaining to do when news reaches you, which probably won’t be long. After all, he did just mistakenly tell his secretary that he proposed to you.

─────── ⋯ ───────

The corner of the paper creases under his fingers when he answers the phone, already dreading what’s about to greet him. If it was laughter or shouting that he imagined, well, that’s not what he gets.

“So, I got an invitation sent to my email,” comes your voice, steady and calm. No hint of confusion or hilarity. It puts Robert into panic mode, more than he already was in. “For a company gala, as your plus one.”

He waits and you keep him hanging on a thread. He’s going to combust, he is. This stretch of time is eating him through, biting down hard enough to leave a mark. The paper bends when he moves his fingers, and he’s picking at it like a hole-puncher.

“There was also a message from your secretary, congratulating me on my engagement... to you.”

“Alright,” Robert speaks, having waited too long that he fears he’s going to melt with how much he’s sweating. “I can explain that.”

“I sure hope so, because it’s the whole reason why I’m calling you.”

He winces, though you can’t see him. “I need to bring someone with me to the function. It’s an annual thing, and before I always had dad with me but—” he cuts his sentence short, throat suddenly dry. He can hear you shift on the line, knowing that you’re giving him those puppy dog eyes that comforts him so much. “Well, obviously I had to look for someone else. My secretary, she... gets overexcited easily. She misinterpreted what I told her, so now she thinks we’re—”

“Engaged. Right.” your voice is still steady, still calm. He’s thankful for that, at least. “You don’t have anyone else to go with you?”

“No, I wasn’t really asking around, and there’d be no one available this late. I kept putting it off.”

The gala was this Saturday night, and if everyone else in the business game were half as busy as Robert, there’s no way anyone would say yes. With sheer coincidence and awkward timing, you happen to be the perfect fit for his plus one. But he’s too scared about how it happened to even think about truly asking you to go with him.

He hears you sigh on the line, but it finishes with a chuckle that has his heart beating back to a normal rhythm. “Okay, smarty-pants. I’ll go with you.”

His heart stops again. “Are you sure? I mean, they’ll all think you’re my... well, my fiancée.”

“It’s only for one night, and no one has met me before. I’m assuming there’ll be free food?”

“Well, yes, but—”

“Then I’m in. There’s no way I’m missing this shindig. Goodness, Robert, you’ve never invited me once to a company function.”

He’s at a loss for words. Yes, the two of you are close, about as close as he’s ever been with anyone after his mother passed away and his dad decided to shut him out, but even this seems like too big of an ask. Why on earth would you ever subject yourself to the role of his partner? It’s not just the title, it’s so much more than that. It’s the pretending to be in love, the intimate touches that need to look natural, the acting that Robert isn’t even sure really is an act. He cares about you more than anyone else, even uncle Peter, but just the thought of calling you his for one night only could have him fainting on the spot.

“Robert,” your voice speaks over his thoughts, bringing him back to the phone call. “If it’s too much, I understand. I wouldn’t ever do anything to make you uncomfortable. I just thought I’d help.”

“No, um,” he clears his throat, adjusting his necktie that suddenly feels too tight. “It’s fine. I’m thinking about you, not me.”

He can already see your smile before hearing it in your voice. “Always putting others before yourself. That must be why I love you so much.” he’s heard you tell him that before, but now it feels like it means something completely different. “You just tell me the dress code and I’ll be waiting for your knock at the door.”

His mind is spinning at the thought of it all. Not just the pretending now, no, because it really wasn’t pretending. The fact that you’re so willing to help has a tiny shred of hope screaming inside his chest, but he knows it doesn’t mean anything. This is just a friend helping another friend. Nothing more. No matter how badly he wishes it could be more.

By the time he arrives at your place on Saturday night, his palms are sweaty. He was fiddling with his hands the entire drive here, requesting the partition to be put up so that his driver didn’t have to see him squirming nervously against the leather seats. He hears his heart pounding in time with his knocks on the door, and if you don’t answer within the next five seconds then he’s sure it’s going to explode right on the doormat. But you’re answering it in three, a big smile on your face as his eyes meet yours.

“It’s pretty cold, huh?” you’re half covered by the door, mainly just your head peeking through the gap. He can make out the strap of your dress and that’s it. “Let me get my coat.”

He waits on your doorstep, giving himself a mental pep talk to pull himself together and stop acting like he was picking up his date for prom. When you’re back at the door, now covered in a long coat, you step forward enough to place a kiss on his cheek and then slide your house key in the lock. It’s not surprising being greeted this way, you’ve done it more than once before, but even just that alone got his cheeks burning in the way they shouldn’t from someone who’s just a friend.

“Do you need me to carry anything?” he asks, expecting a purse at your side.

“Oh no, I came prepared.” you pat your sides. “It’s got pockets.”

He chuckles at that, instantly calming down a fraction. It was the one thing that always worked to calm his nerves, the fact that you were so normal around him. No handshakes, no surnames. You’ve always seen him as Robert, not Robert Fischer. There weren’t enough stars in the sky to count how lucky he is to have you in his life.

The worries that were practically tattooed on his skin started to dissolve on the drive to the function, with you sitting beside him and filling him in on the events in your life that he hasn’t heard about yet. You were so casual, so natural. Either you haven’t realized what exactly you’ve gotten yourself into, or you’ve done this before. Robert hopes it’s neither of those, especially the latter. There was a measure of singularity about you helping him like this that makes him feel special. Unlike nearly every moment of his life after the age of eleven, he’s never felt special, not really, unless he was with you.

By the time the limousine slows to a stop right outside the building, Robert’s nervousness was almost completely non-existent, having been shooed away by your voice. Yet, it instantly returns the moment he steps out of the backseat to see all the people outside, some of familiar face and others he doesn’t recognize, and the nerves hit him full force, ringing in his ears and muffling the sounds of everything around him. Here are all the people to catch on, to point a finger at him and call him out for his lie. Faces and voices that convey the very stupid decision racking on his mind. Then your hand on his shoulder makes the ringing fade away, and he’s managing the softest smile as you look at him.

“You okay?” your voice is so sweet, so gentle.

He breathes out, offering his arm to you. “I’m okay. Let’s hope the night goes by quick.”

Your hand straightens his tie, smoothing the shoulders of his black coat. “It’ll be fine. I promise I’ll stick by you the whole night.”

“Thank you.” he pats your hand on his arm, then when his legs feel less like jelly and more like limbs, he leads you up the outside steps toward the main entrance, large and inviting, but taunting him to turn back, you idiot!

Whatever conscience he had is long gone when you both make it inside, being directed over to the side to have your outer coats taken. He’s too busy fiddling with the cufflinks on his sleeve to notice you waiting for him, but when he does he swears he gets knocked back right down the steps at the sight of you, standing there with your coat now off of your shoulders.

“You look beautiful,” he can’t help himself from saying, the words leaking out of his lips quicker than he can think to stop himself.

He’s seen you in dresses before, many times, but this one was unlike the others. So elegant, so perfectly fit for you. You’re standing there in front of him, glowing with regality, and he doesn’t think you even realize how stunning you look, not when all you do is give him a smile, thanking him lightly, and turning on your heel to make your way inside the venue.

“Wait,” he calls, swallowing thickly, and reaching into the pocket of his pants to fish out something he should have given you back in the limousine. “We can hardly be engaged without this.”

He holds out the ring for you to see, taking your hand in his and gently placing the band on your finger, an act so intimate that he feels like a sham for even doing it, but he’s admiring the moment, no matter how small. Your hand is so soft, he could hold it for hours.

“Robert,” you speak quietly, for the two of you. “Where did you get this?”

He shakes his head, rubbing his finger over the ring. “Something I had on me. Don’t worry, I didn’t buy anything expensive.”

“But it’s... well, it’s beautiful, Robert, but—”

“Then it’s perfect since it suits you.”

Goodness, where did that come from? He’s been running on nerves like an injection in his bloodstream, and then he suddenly comes out with that. He won’t lie to himself, he’s always secretly wanted to act like this around you, to call you beautiful and hold your hand whenever he needed, but he was too afraid of scaring you off, of you running away from him like everyone else has. It was safer to pine in quiet, but with the stakes so high tonight, he’s not sure how long that silence will last.

“Aren’t you the charmer?” you smile at him, linking your arm with his again, your face looking forward.

Whether it was his imagination or his hopes, he swears your smile was there to hide your blush, visible or not. It’s enough of a confidence boost to have him looking back to normal, or the closest thing to normal, at least. Even if this all goes up in flames, he knows he’s going to think back to the feeling of your arm wrapped around his for a long, long time, and the beauty of you in that dress.

He just needs to get through tonight first.

“This place is gorgeous,” you say beside him, head titled toward his shoulder. “Look at that chandelier!”

He has to lower your pointed finger with a friendly smile, the kind of politeness a parent gives their child when they’re being too loud, earning a bashful smile from you in return.

“Sorry,” you slightly laugh. “It’s exciting, is all.”

“Not when you’ve been here every year since you were a kid,” he mutters. “Trust me, it’s not all that great.”

“Well, you just never had me with you before.”

It was a joke, he can tell by the tone of your voice, but how true your words are. He would be sauntering into the building and grabbing the first glass of champagne his eyes would land on, downing it and looking for another, if you weren’t here with him. Now, with you, it’s not so bad. But he knows not to speak too soon, especially when a familiar face makes their way over to where the two of you stand.

He can feel the pressure tightening in his chest. “Uncle Peter,” he says as soon as the man in question is close enough to hear him.

“Robert, good to see you here so early.” he grins, then looks over at you. “You must be Robert’s girl who I hear so much about.”

Robert manages to hold himself back before he can say she’s my friend. Tonight, you were more than a friend. It’s hard to break out of routine, despite his regular daydreams.

“Lovely to finally meet you,” you say, offering your hand to shake. “It’s good to put a face to the name.”

“I can say the same. I’ve been nagging Robert to introduce me to you for months.”

“This is the first I’m hearing it,” you look over at Robert, who’s got his gaze directed on the opposite wall. “Better late than never.”

“Yes, and how nice to have you here with us.”

She’s here for the food, Robert wants to say but knows better than to make that kind of joke in front of his uncle. He’s not been the most humorous of people as of late, and though he knows you’re here to help, there is a tinge of possibility that you really are only here for the food. You did mention it over the phone.

“Come, I have some people I would like you to meet.” uncle Peter says to Robert, but smiles at you as well.

He’s sure you can feel the stiffness of his body, the way he’s standing still like a tree planted so deep in its roots that it can’t be moved, but you’re tugging at his arm gently enough to get him stepping in the direction his uncle just went, seeing a group of people in a circle with glasses in their hands and the very obvious sound of fake laughter. He hates this place so much.

When they reach the circle, uncle Peter introduces everyone by name and explains their role in the industry, as well as why they’re so important. Or more rather, why they’re so important to the company. Robert knows this gala was for business agreements and negotiations alone, not to meet others or simply enjoy a night of conversation. It was all calculated, all planned. Meet this person because of their worth, talk to this person because of their connections. Smile here, laugh there, flirt if it’s going to get you a deal. It was all fake, all for show or self-benefit.

“Now, don’t be rude, Robert.” says one woman, a smile playing on red lipstick. “Introduce us.”

It’s when she waves a finger between herself and you beside him does he understand what she means, almost believing her a mind reader. “Oh, yes. Um,” his throat suddenly feels dry, on the tip of telling the first lie out of what will most likely be hundreds tonight. The one honesty is your name, and when that’s spoken, his throat feels less tight. “She’s my fiancée.”

It was almost impossible to ignore the way uncle Peter reacts, almost causing a tornado at how quickly he spins to look at Robert. A chuckle comes from you when you shake the woman’s hand, obviously noting his uncle’s reaction as well.

“Recently?” the woman asks.

“Yes,” Robert says, so stiffly.

You manage to take hold of the reigns, thankfully, as he couldn’t speak another word. “It hasn’t been more than a month, but it feels like only yesterday. I get so happy every time I think of it.”

Robert’s going to drown himself with the next champagne glass he sees, especially when the woman is beckoning you forward to show them the ring, all remarking on its beauty, with the exception of uncle Peter who is burning holes through his head.

“A very lucky woman, you are,” says one man. “You’ll have no trouble in life, being a Fischer.”

Now it’s your turn to go stiff, Robert can feel it instantly with your arm still looped around his. Your smile stays showing on your lips, though he can tell it was forced. He knows you well enough to realize when you’re upset by something, but even now he can tell it was more than just a simple irritation, especially when you suddenly straighten your posture.

He quickly talks over you before you can say anything offensive, not wanting a repeat of the time some random lady had gotten angry at him for no reason and you had gone in for the kill, explaining that the two of you should make your rounds with the other people in attendance before it gets too late in the night, despite it only just starting. Uncle Peter tries to grab his arm before he can turn away, but he shakes his head and tells him that they’ll speak later, leading you away from everyone.

“I was going to rip him a new one for assuming I’m marrying you for your wealth,” you say angrily, but quietly enough that it doesn’t attract unwanted attention. “Who does he think I am? The person matters more than the name.”

“You remember that we’re not actually engaged, don’t you?” Robert says, unable to hold back a grin.

You stutter for a moment, pushing out your bottom lip in the cutest pout he has ever seen. A server passes you both by, and you reach out to grab a glass before they get too far. “I’m acting.”

“Rather well,” Robert nods, accepting the last glass before the server walks away. “I’m starting to think you actually love me.”

You push a hand against his shoulder playfully, but as a warning as well. “Of course, I love you. That’s what makes it so easy, but don’t let it get to that big head of yours.”

“Big head?” he smiles, looking you over the glass he brings to his lips for a slow sip.

You make a face, nudging the bottom of the glass just enough to have him catch the movement before the champagne can spill. He looks at you with an open mouth, something he swears he hasn’t done since he was young, and it has you laughing. Robert can’t hold himself back from pressing a finger exactly where he knows your ticklish spot is, making you squeal and hit his chest playfully with a smile as bright as his.

Unfortunately, this gains some unwanted attention, as suddenly he’s getting a slap on his arm from his secretary. “First you keep the engagement a secret and now you’re hiding her from me. I expected you to see me as soon as you stepped through that door.”

He forces an apology out of his laughter-filled mouth, trying to compose himself again. He’s not sure of the last time he’s felt this carefree, not even sure of the last time he’s genuinely laughed. You make him feel like a kid again, unbroken.

“You know, he really told me nothing,” she says, her attention on you. “But I got the truth out of him.”

“Yes,” you smile, beaming at him for a moment before you look back at her. “I heard he accidentally let it slip.”

“The nerve!” she slaps his arm again. “I ought to quit because of that, you know.”

You laugh, rubbing a hand on his arm that’s gotten quite the beating tonight. “It’s my fault. I asked him not to say anything.”

He looks at you instantly, wondering how you’re running with this so casually—carrying the conversation from before and now this, too. Was it really an act, or were you secretly enjoying this? He takes a gulp of his champagne before he can let the yearning sit too comfortably in his chest.

“Well, that I can forgive. Living in the moment and all that.” his secretary nods, taking a sip from her glass. “How did he propose, anyway?”

Damn it. He hadn’t even thought about that or even considered running through some kind of story with you in advance. How could he have overlooked it? Is he dumb? It was the most important detail he’s missed, the one thing he should’ve realized everyone would be asking about tonight. Think, Robert. Think!

“It’s a funny story,” he starts, licking his lips and trying to form a convincing sentence in his head to use, but he’s drawing a blank.

Your hand squeezes his arm, the smile never leaving your lips. Save me, his eyes are telling you. I am, your eyes say back. “What he means is, there’s not much to say. I think he surprised even himself.”

His secretary laughs. “That sounds like Robert.”

“It was over the phone,”

“Oh, Robert!” another slap to his arm. “I mean, goodness, that really does sound like you, but really?”

You chuckle, easing his anxiety like a fan to flames. “No, it was sweet. He was so charming about it, telling me how much he loves me. Right, sweetie?”

The pet name alone knocks him back a few ranks of whatever ladder you put him on, choking lightly on the champagne he was trying to drink. Your hand pats his back, rubbing against his coat in circular motions.

“He gets embarrassed easily.” the words are so ready, but even if it was for the sake of the lie, it really wasn’t false. You make him so flustered sometimes.

Your eyebrows raise at him and he’s giving you a look, pleading, to say, please don’t make me do this, but you pat his back a little rougher and he caves. “Yes... darling.”

His secretary shakes her head, smiling like a proud grandmother. “I’ve been wanting him hitched for years. You don’t know how happy I am about this.”

There’s that smile again from you, the one that sits on your lips just for show because you’re mulling over something in your head that doesn’t sit right with you, just like before when the businessman made a comment on Robert’s own family wealth. But this time, the smile on your lips is sadder. He wonders what changed. You were only smirking at him a moment before.

“So,” his secretary practically bounces on her heels. “Do you have plans?”

“Plans?” you ask, fingers coming back to life against his back.

“We haven’t considered the details yet,” Robert says, seeing that he has to take the wheel while you’re still deep in whatever thought you’re in.

“Of course. You only get one wedding. Well, you should, anyway.” it’s a glare sent to him, warning him not to break your heart, but when her gaze lands on you, it’s firmer. “I mean long term. Kids.”

“Oh,” it’s practically a gasp, the words seeing to finally pull you out of your mind with that kind of shocking statement that has Robert speechless. “Well, I... we haven’t thought that far.”

“Robert!” comes an all too familiar voice, a hand slapped down on his shoulder as uncle Peter steps into view, thankfully. “Sorry, ladies, I need to borrow him for a little business.”

“Can’t you enjoy these parties just once?” says Robert’s secretary, rolling her eyes and sipping from her drink again.

“Sorry,” Robert says, not even sure why he’s the one to say it when it’s uncle Peter who’s dragging him away. He turns to you, a hand placed on the small of your back. “I won’t be long.”

And then, without even thinking, he leans forward and presses a quick kiss on your lips, something almost instinctual, turning on his heel and leaving with his uncle before he can even register what he’s just done. By the time the realization hits him, he’s already being pulled into a separate room for the meeting, not even being able to turn back and look at you. He just kissed you, something he’s only ever dreamed about doing, and he has no idea how you reacted. The only thing that’s keeping him from running back to you is the fact that you didn’t push him away.

Meetings go for so long, but this one seems longer. He’s standing there, shifting from leg to leg with his arms crossed, then at his sides, then crossed again. He’s barely paying attention to what’s being said but has enough sense left in him to not agree to anything unless it’s written down. He’s glad when it’s over, with everyone filing out of the room. He’d be the first one out the door if it weren’t for his uncle grabbing him firmly by the shoulder and asking—well, more like demanding—for him to stay.

“This girl,” his uncle says, closing the door when the last person has left. Robert speaks your name and his uncle repeats it, shaking his head. “You really like her, don’t you?”

“We are engaged, uncle Peter.” it’s a monotone statement, but spoken quickly.

“It seems a bit sudden.” when Robert remains silent, his uncle sighs. “You gave her your mother’s ring.”

Robert swallows thickly, nodding so shortly that he can hardly feel his head move. He could agree with his uncle, say it was sudden since that wouldn’t be a lie at all. He could tell him that he remembered last minute that this lie would hold only if he had a ring, and he didn’t have enough time to buy something from the jeweler’s, so he gave you his mother’s ring instead. But that would also be far from the truth because deep down he’s always dreamt of giving you a ring, his mother’s ring, and if he could see you wearing it if only for one night, then maybe he could convince himself that dreams can come true.

“I know you’re a private man, Robert,” his uncle continues. “And that you don’t have to tell me everything. You know how much I empathize with you. I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”

Robert looks at him fully, after having had his gaze elsewhere in the room just in case his uncle could tell what he’d done. Now it’s set on his eyes. “What are you trying to tell me, uncle Peter? That she’ll leave me? Divorce me when she’s got her hands on my inheritance, is that it?”

“I’m only trying to look out for you,” his uncle reaches for his shoulder again, but Robert pushes back his arm. “I care about you, and until tonight I’ve never met her.”

“She’s not a stranger.”

“I know that. I’m just saying—”

“I don’t want to hear it.”

“Robert, please.”

But he’s holding up a hand to stop his uncle in the middle of his sentence, making his way to the door and swinging it open, ready to storm out. Then he pauses and looks right back at him, letting out a truth with enough confidence to slay his uncle’s doubts. “I love her, uncle Peter.”

His uncle nods, looking down at his shoes. “Then I trust you.”

Robert doesn’t spend another minute in the room, walking out and leaving the door open for his uncle to follow after. He couldn’t hold himself back from getting so upset about what his uncle had suggested. You, steal from him? That’s the very last thing he would ever expect you to do, and his uncle should feel the same way. Robert’s spoken about you ever since the first meeting and had been teased by his uncle more than once before that he was getting rather attached to you. So what was his issue tonight? The only thing Robert can bring himself to understanding is the ring. It’ll never leave the box, that’s what Robert had said after his mother passed. Not unless I fall in love.

He had fallen, ridiculously. You were the one person who made him feel safe, helped him to feel important enough to care about. When he had rough days, you were there to console him. When he hadn’t been taking care of himself like he should’ve, you were there with packed lunches and a joke to tell. Honestly, he hadn’t realized at first that he had fallen for you. His mind has always been focused on the business, and especially his father as of late. One look at you in that dress, and the way the ring fit perfectly on your finger, made Robert know for sure.

Now the night he so desperately wanted to fly by, he now doesn’t want to end. Especially when he sees you standing off to the side, eyes looking around the room until they settle on him and crinkle with your smile. The warmth rises in his chest again, and he’s making his way to you, noticing the band setting up and people beginning to make their way to the center of the room in couples.

When he reaches you, your hand goes to his coat, smoothing out the flap along his chest, once again settling his heart. He could melt under your touch. “Would you like to dance?”

You nod without a hint of hesitation, humming in agreement, and when Robert’s hand holds yours, he swears he could float across the room. Instead, he leads you there, never taking his eyes off of you, and when you both reach the middle he pulls you close to him, his heart beating loudly in his chest. It only beats louder when he moves one arm to wrap around you like he was giving you a hug, so that he can pull you in closer still with tender eyes, just enough so that the temple of his head gently rests against yours. He feels your feather-like breath on his neck, a squeeze of his hand when the music begins to play and he sways you in his arms. A gentle dance, steps taken together, hovering on music notes.

“I had practically the whole room congratulate me while you were gone,” you say, hand on his shoulder. “Word travels fast here.”

“It always does with businesses,” Robert states, growing to hate the company life all over again after it meant little to nothing while he was dancing with you.

When you nod, he can feel the fringes of your hair against his skin. “So, how was the meeting?”

“Like they always are,” he sighs. “Unexciting.”

“Are they trying to change things again?”

Yes, they were. A day after his father died, they’ve been trying to change the company. Robert doesn’t understand how they can’t see how insensitive it is, how heartless it was to keep trying. He shakes his head, holding you a fraction tighter. “Could we not talk business? I like dancing with you.”

Your hand on his shoulder gives him an encouraging squeeze, moving close enough that your chest brushes on his with every two steps, as if your heart was reaching out to lie against his, exchanging heartbeats. Calming him down again, that was the magic of you.

“I’m glad, you know.” the words murmur from you, quiet and close enough for him to hear.

“Glad about what?” he asks, his fingers moving against their place on your back.

“That I’m here.” your head turns an inch, and he feels your lips brush against his jaw. “That this happened in the first place.”

His heart skips a beat, drumming inside of him. “You’re glad that you’re pretending to be my fiancée for one night?”

He makes sure to end it in a chuckle, something light, still too scared to be anything more than cautious with you, still tiptoeing in case you change your mind and leave him. The worries grow when you don’t say anything. Robert considers pulling back from you first, not wanting to feel you slip out of his arms.

Then you say, “Does it have to be for one night?” you do pull away from him, but not in the way he feared. You pull back just enough to look him in the eyes, your hand that rested on his shoulder slowly creeping up the back of his neck to twirl fingers in his hair, ever so gently. “You kissed me.”

“I wasn’t thinking straight,” he rushes to say, his tongue feeling heavy in his mouth and the drums in his chest growing louder.

“You shouldn’t think straight more often.” comes your whispered reply, inching close enough that your nose brushes against his.

He’s jittery, opening his mouth to say words that fizzle into the air between you two—air that’s slim, so close that you’re breathing in his empty words like you can understand them. He wants to kiss you again, but he’s scared. No matter what you tell him, or how you touch him, Robert can’t begin to accept that you could care for him in the way that he loves you. Could he, if he lets himself, completely fall, this time with no parachute, no soft landing? Could he rely on you to catch him, if he lets himself fall without the protection of a safety net?

“Yes,” he whispers, answering his question out loud. He trusts you, he loves you. Even the heartbreak would be worth it, just to let himself love you with nothing to hold him back. “I’m glad too.”

The fingers in his hair twitter, a comforting sensation that makes his eyes close as he leans, his forehead resting against yours. The swaying feels more like rocking, now with his eyes closed, like a boat on open water being carried by the gentle waves. In this room it’s just the two of you, the others aren’t here, not for this moment. It’s you and him, and he begins to believe that it will be you and him for a long time. A wish on stars, a promise from a dream, all are possible while he holds you.

Robert finds that his earlier wish, of the night to go by fast, does indeed come true. After the dance, he brought you around to meet other board members, seeing as he still had many people to talk to. His uncle left the two of you unbothered, though his secretary would appear out of thin air every now and then to ask more questions and get to know you better, saying that it was important being Robert’s secretary. You never groaned, never told someone to go away or complained. You answered every question put to you with the best of your ability, and whenever you looked at him, you smiled.

When the night truly ends, with everyone walking down the outside steps and leaving in their expensive vehicles, uncle Peter catches you both before you can get away. Robert is expecting another warning from his uncle, maybe even something directed at you, or perhaps that he has one final meeting to attend before he can go home and relax, but it’s none of those. Instead, uncle Peter walks right up to you and pulls you in for a hug, one that startles even yourself, maybe more than Robert, with your eyes blown wide.

“You look after him,” uncle Peter says, slightly muffled with his chin against your coat. “You take care of him. Promise me that.”

“I promise,” your voice speaks over his shoulder, patting him on the back with the genuinity of your words, giving Robert relief as well.

“You make him happy. You might never grasp the full extent of how grateful I am of that.”

The same sad smile Robert had seen twice inside tonight settles back on your lips as you hug his uncle a little tighter before he pulls away. He turns to face Robert, patting his arm and stating that he picked a good one, an honest one, he emphasizes. It shatters his heart to hear the words from his uncle, a man so important in his life who doesn’t know the truth of what you two are doing, or what you two have done. He notices the same guilt written on your face, a sign you try to erase with the shake of your head as you quickly duck down to sit inside the limousine. Robert follows on the other side, after saying goodbye to his uncle, telling his driver your address, and the vehicle kicks to life.

The two of you sit in the backseat in silence, not wanting to pierce the veil of the story you had made up. Tonight Robert had let himself love you, but it was time to go back to his real life. This was the pumpkin and it was about to strike midnight. It’s close to it by the time your house comes into view from the window, and your hand reaches for his with your gaze still pointed outside. The touch was there to tell Robert what he was already thinking, that if you both try then maybe you can keep ahold of this lie for a little longer, stretching out the minutes before a new day comes and washes away anything that could have been more between the two of you.

Robert helps you out of the backseat and walks you to your doorstep, still silent as you slide your key into the lock and shove open the door. Yet, you stand there, not making a move to walk forward. Your eyes are set on the floor, blinking back what was most likely a hundred thoughts in your head on the precipice of gushing out. He’s prepared to say goodnight but then you come back to life, looking at him.

“Would you like to come inside?” the offer doesn’t feel dangerous, or suggestive. It’s a question put to him with the hopes that he can read your mind for the answer you want to hear. “For a moment.”

He nods his head, sliding his hand along the door to keep it propped open for you to walk inside first, flicking on the light from the switch by the door. He waves to his driver, who knows to stay put, and walks inside after you, quietly closing the door, watching as you step toward the staircase that’s right across from the entryway and sit down on the fourth step up, patting a hand on the carpet to usher him next to you. Robert answers your silent call by sitting down on the step below the one you’re on, giving you a smile when you take your shoes off and move them to the side.

“I had a really good time.” it’s a mask on top of the truth, a sheet covering why you were invited in the first place.

“So did I.” Robert agrees, admitting himself of that, at least. He turns a fraction to rest an arm on his leg, leaning closer to you. “I think that’s the first time I’ve enjoyed going there.”

“Because I was with you,” the sentence is a tease, but Robert nods his head, agreeing wholeheartedly.

A silence settles again, but this time it’s welcoming. It puts a pause on the night, stilling the clocks. A job well done is what he should be telling you, though he can’t find it within himself to say. He had convinced himself that loving you for one night would conquer the heartbreak of it ending, but he was wrong. Robert’s sitting on the step with his heart in his hands, fractured beyond the repair he knows is out of reach. He let himself hope, let himself love, and now his time is up.

“Your secretary was so nice and your uncle, too. They really supported us being engaged.” it’s obvious in your voice that you’re sad, with the exception of the tears welling in your eyes. “I thought it would be easier to lie to them but it wasn’t.”

Robert places a hand on your arm, warm against the cold of your coat. “You were trying to help me.”

“Didn’t really help, though, did I? You’ll be a single man again by morning, and they’ll all have to find out.”

“I know,” he admits, adding to the fire, smoke covering what was left to add to what he said.

The next words you speak come out in a whisper, a tear running down your cheek. “I promised your uncle.”

Now his hand reaches for your face, cupping it, and when you lean into his touch a piece of his heart mends. The other hand wipes away your tear. “You aren’t breaking it. You take care of me, you always have. A ring off of your finger won’t change that.”

He almost tore his heart again by the mere mention of his mother’s ring, still on your finger, having grown to be there. It suits you so perfectly that he can’t see anyone else wearing it. That ring belongs to you now, whether you realize it or not, and it truly won’t ever leave the box this time because Robert could never love anyone like he loves you.

“You’ll be wanting it back,” you say softly, glancing down at the ring on your finger.

“Yes,” he whispers, the single word he had once spoken to admit he was willing to let himself fall now being the word to put up a barrier. The ground feels harder at the impact than he thought it would be.

His hand moves to hold your own, lifting it up to admire how perfect this picture looks. He frames it in his mind, knowing it’ll hang there for as long as he lives, like a photo in a wallet. Your skin still is soft, he doesn’t want to let go. He wants to hold your hand because he can, because you’ll let him. But he only wants to hold it if the ring stays on, which he knows isn’t possible. With a hitched breath, he brushes his fingers along to grasp the ring, a second away from pulling it off and whatever promise came with it.

He hesitates, and you speak. “You could leave it there.”

When his eyes meet yours, he feels himself knocked back by the strength of your words reflected in your gaze, a statement truthful and honest and too stubborn to move. He doesn’t know if this is real, if he’s only dreaming. If he kept the ring on your finger, let it sit there tomorrow and the day after that and all the days that you wanted it to stay, would that mean that you wanted him to stay, too? The lie built up tonight is what you’re offering to become real, and Robert is frozen on the spot on the stairs.

“Will you?” again a whisper, this time sounding like the worries he had, scared to be turned away.

Complete in both its honesty and its longing is your assurance to Robert that you love him too. A smile breaks out on his face, the salty taste on his tongue when he feels himself on the brink of crying, possibly more than you had. But it’s a pure reaction because a weight is lifted off of him with your question, with the words that affirm to Robert that his hopes weren’t for nothing. They were exactly where they’re supposed to be, with you. He knows you’ll keep them safe. He knows that more than anything.

“Did you just propose to me?” he asks, a chuckle adding another bandaid to his heart.

It adds one more when you bite your lip, smiling like you had to hold the giddiness back from bursting out of you. “I believe I did.”

The happiness he feels is nothing compared to anything else, especially against what happiness he has felt in the last few months, even years. It’s a fact that only you can make him feel this way, like he’s lighter than air but strong at the same time. You give him the smiles, the laughter, the resilience to get through each day, and now you’ve given him love. Though you’ve given it before, this time it was firm and unmoveable. This time it was planted in his heart to build a home. You fixed it. You fixed his heart.

Robert almost moves too quickly when he pushes himself up one more step, his hand still settled on your cheek. The sudden movement has you chuckling, nestling your fingers in his hair like you had when the two of you had danced. It urges him to move in closer still until his nose bumps yours and has you both smiling like fools. He’d tell a thousand more lies if it meant you were his, though he was yours as well. He always has been.

His lips wait anxiously but he doesn’t want to rush this moment. He takes a breath, leans forward, and brushes his lips against yours, then whispers against them, “I say yes, by the way.”

“I figured,” you laugh, pulling him toward you and meeting his kiss.

It wouldn’t be the last, not for a long time. And his mother’s ring never goes back inside the box. It stays on your finger, always.

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[falcqns]

Hii i have this request in mind like Chris Evans x Actress! Singer! Reader like the reader and chris dated for 3y idk but they broke up but the reader always visit chris’ family bc she treated them like family aswell specialy when the reader’s parents died so she spend Christmas there or any occasions bc chris’ family invite her and when chris got a new gf the reader is kinda hurt bc she still love chris but she try to look like she doesn’t care but then she released her new song its called deja vu (by olivia rodrigo) and she release it to her bday so when the song is released the fans knew its abt chris bc of the new gf (chris’ fam doesn’t like the new gf and the fans kinda didn’t support them bc of the girl’s attitude) and chris’ family invites her over bc they want to show the reader something and when the reader got there they surprise her for her bday and congratulate her and turns out chris is there too with his new gf🤨and the reader knew chris’ new gf hated her bc of her look and scott called you all to the living room and watch the mv of the reader’s new song and when the mv ends scott and the fam congratuleted the reader and chris’ gf is giving the reader looks again and chris is noticing it and when the reader is in the kitchen alone getting something chris talk to her and congratulate her and chris’ new gf wrapped her arms around chris and chris tried to stop her to make a scene but she started a scene and scream at the reader but the reader cut her off and embarrassing her and the reader prove the new gf shes first not her (idk if that make sense lol) and the new gf leave(idk you can make her a random name so its not only “new gf”) and the reader and chris talk and they got back together, you can do wha you want at the end this is just so random bc i was listening to deja vu and advance thank you if you do my request! Stay safe! ❤️ and im so sorry if this is so long

Deja Vu

pairing: Chris Evans x singer!reader

warnings: parents death, major angst, fluff. 

a/n: thank you for the request! Hope you enjoy!

You had known Chris since college, when you had met him in your communications class. You two had grown close quickly, and became best friends. 

He brought you home every Christmas Eve, before you would go home to your parents house on Christmas Day. You had always felt like a part of the family, so when your parents passed a way, you turned to him. 

You and your parents were driving home from a Christmas Day church service, when you were hit by a semi truck. It had completely totalled the car, and your parents had died on impact. You had been sitting in the back, and only had a broken leg from where your moms seat had been pushed back into it roughly. 

You had been pulled from the car and sat in a second ambulance, while your parents were transported in another. You knew you'd never forget watching that ambulance door close and drive away, knowing that was the last time you'd ever see them. 

When the police officers asked if there was anyone you could call, you didn't know what to do. Your parents were both only children, so you had no aunts, uncles or cousins. You were an only child too, so you had no siblings, and your grandparents had passed when you were little, your other ones passing before you were born. 

So when the officer asked you, you told him the Evans’ phone number. Lisa picked up on the second ring, and you tearfully explained what had happened as the shock wore off. She immediately said she’d meet you at the hospital, and not to worry, that she and Bob would take care of you. 

You were taken to the hospital and treated for your broken leg. Less than an hour after you arrived, Lisa arrived at the hospital with Chris in tow. They comforted you, and took you home with them. You stayed in Chris’s room for the first few days, and when you were given your own room, you still had a hard time sleeping alone, so Chris ended up in your bed with you most nights, not that he minded. 

You never went back to college, and instead turned to singing as a release from all the pain you were feeling. You started out posting covers on YouTube, and gradually progressed to getting a record deal with Interscope Records, which didn't surprise anyone who knew you. You had immense talent, and your parents used to tell you that they were counting down the days before you were a celebrity. 

When Chris graduated college and told you he was moving to Los Angeles, he convinced you to come with him. Prices were high in LA, and he didn't want to be separated from you for too long, so you joined him. He got to be an actor, and you got to be a singer, which is what you both had wanted since you were younger. 

You went to every one of Chris’s movie premieres, and he attended as many of your live shows as he could. You supported him through all his relationships and his breakups, and played the middle man whenever he and Jenny would fight, up until the very end. You told yourself you did that because you just wanted what's best for him, but you both kind of knew that wasn't the reason at all. 

Throughout your time living together, you friendship grew, as did your feelings for each other. You'd be lying if you didn't have a small crush on him in college, and those feelings only grew as time went on, especially since the two of you decided to only get a one bedroom apartment. Mainly because it was cheap, but also because Chris made a decision a week after your parents death to never allow you to sleep alone because of the nightmares that would occur if he wasn't there.

So, when you won your first award for your first album, named ‘hand in hand’, he kissed you the second you came off the stage with your award in hand. It blew your mind that he felt the same, but you were happy nonetheless. You two began dating that night, and everything was perfect. 

Until, you were invited by 5 Seconds of Summer to be their opening act on their newest tour. You had agreed, and Chris let you go. You two had been dating for over 3 years, and you thought your relationship would be fine. 

You quickly realized however that that wasn't the case, when the two of you started fighting less than two weeks into the tour. The fights weren't anything major, more petty things like ‘did you change the Netflix password’ or ‘why did you take this piece of clothing, that was mine and it was my favourite.’ All around stupid fights. 

You had turned to Calum, who you were closest with, and he consoled you as much as you could. You realized however, that you couldn't be with Chris anymore when he drunk called you in the middle of the night while you were in the UK and got angry with you when you answered and told him to call you back in the morning when he was sober, to which he proceeded to brag that he slept with his co star at the time, Jessica Alba, you freaked out and ended things. 

You got a message from Jessica on instagram the next day letting you know that they did not sleep together, and that she was sorry he even said it. You assured her it was fine, and felt relief.

Relief because you got to the bottom of the situation, but also relief from your relationship. You didn't know what happened in those few weeks, but you knew the relationship was turning toxic, and you wanted to stop it before that happened. Neither you or Chris needed that. You told him you’d find a new place to live, and by the time tour ended, you bought yourself a house in Beverly Hills, and moved out of the apartment.

Chris moved out not long after, and bought his own house. He had tried to stay friends with you, but you didn't want that at that point in time. You were still hurting, and needed time to heal. 

Once you felt ready to date again, you were asked to be Calum’s date to the Peoples Choice Awards, you accepted. You knew Chris would be there, and you were hoping to talk to him, and maybe work it out. He had told you during the break up that he would always wait for you to come back, and that he still loved you, and always would. 

But you knew that wasn't the case when he showed up on the red carpet, with a new actress named Myra Woodfield. You had smiled at him, while trying not to break down inside, but he gave you a dirty look and rolled his eyes at you when Calum wrapped his arm around your waist for a picture. You furrowed your eye brows and took a good look at Myra. 

She looked almost exactly like you. Same build, same hair colour, same eye colour. The only difference is that she was slightly taller than you. You didn't know why he was replacing you, but it hurt. You pushed it out of your head however, and enjoyed the night with your best friend. 

It was a few months later when you were awoken by the constant dinging of your phone. You unlocked it, and saw you had a lot of unread messages from Luke, Ashton, Michael, Calum, and your other best friend Ashe about Chris’s new movie trailer, you sighed. 

You watched the trailer, and sighed when it looked like a recreation of a bunch of moments in your relationship with him, only Myra was in your place. 

Your fans and some of Chris’s had commented on it, and Myra immediately became aggressive with them, and insulted them. She told them that you were a nobody who could make Chris happy, which she was glad about because she made him happy how. 

Within minutes of this happening the hashtag #cancelmyrawoodfield was trending on twitter. You shamelessly went through the tweets and like and retweeted a couple. Then an idea popped in your head.

With a quick google search, you had a plan. 

You had written a new song called Deja Vu after the peoples choice awards, and it was had been recorded a few weeks ago, and you just had to decide on a date to release it, and make a decision on the music video. Her birthday was in about 3 months, which gave you enough time to get everything in place to drop on her birthday. 

Was it evil? Yes. Did you care? Not really. Besides, you inherited your pettiness from your mother and you knew she’d be proud of you. You called your manager and label, and got it planned out. 

When the new music video had been announced, Lisa called you and invited you home to watch it premiere with the family. You accepted, knowing Chris and Myra would be there, and that her birthday would get overshadowed by the release of your music video.

So, three weeks later, you were sitting with Lisa, Bob, Carly, Shanna, Scott, Chris and Myra in Lisa’s living room, waiting for the video to premiere.

Scott had picked you up at the airport earlier in the morning along with Carly and Shanna, and the four of you had a laugh about the face that no one acknowledged Myra’s birthday, not even Chris. It was mean, but no one liked her. 

Lisa absolutely hated her, but didn't want to upset Chris, so you got a call shortly after the PCA’s from her and the two of you ranted about her for a good two hours. 

You watched as the timer counted down from 10, and then the screen turned black. You took a deep breath and watched Chris out of the corner of your eye. 

You had searched for a while for a guy who looked similar to Chris, and you stumbled on Andrew Siwicki. He didn't look exactly like Chris, but it was close enough that everyone would know who the song was about if they didn't already. Andrew was a fan of Chris and hated Myra too, so he was more than glad to help you out. 

The music began to play, and you watched as the black screen faded in on two people walking along the beach, holding hands. 

“Car rides to Malibu Strawberry ice cream One spoon for two And trading jackets Laughing 'bout how small it looks on you,”

The next scene was a recreation of yours and Chris’s first date where you two had a picnic on the beach, and ended up splashing each other with the ocean water. Towards the end, everyone watched as Andrew picked you up and threw you into the water the same way Chris always did. 

You glanced at him, and could have burst into laughter at how uncomfortable Chris looked, but more importantly how angry Myra looked. 

“Watching reruns of Glee Being annoying Singing in harmony I bet she's bragging To all her friends, saying you're so unique, hmm,”

The next scene was you and Andrew (who was dressed as Ransom) on what appeared to be a recreation of the Knives Out set, running around with a dog that looked like Dodger chasing after you, the two of you laughing. The next shot was the two of you kissing behind a trailer, seemingly hiding from production. 

“So when you gonna tell her That we did that too? She thinks it's special But it's all reused That was our place, I found it first I made the jokes you tell to her when she's with you,”

The next scene was the two of you driving through Southern California, in a car that was almost identical to Chris’s. You two were laughing and singing along to the song, your hair whipping around you.

You took a deep breath, knowing this next scene would piss him right off.

“Do you get déjà vu when she's with you? Do you get déjà vu? (Ah), hmm Do you get déjà vu, huh?”

This scene was you, along with the rest of Chris’s family sitting around a living room that looked like the one you were in now, a Christmas tree full of presents in the corner. The camera panned across everyone as everyone was talking and settled on you and Andrew and the two of you recreated the scene where Chris whispered in your ear how much he loved you, and couldn't wait to start a family with you. 

“Do you call her Almost say my name? 'Cause let's be honest We kinda do sound the same,”

The screen showed you and Andrew saying goodbye at the airport, with 5 Seconds of Summer standing behind you. They weren't actually there when you left for tour, but Luke suggested it to piss Chris off, and you had agreed. 

Then there was a small montage of clips from tour, including a shot of Michael elbow dropping Ashton into a pool, which made everyone laugh, except Chris and Myra. The montage was followed up by you sitting on the floor of a dressing room and crying as you sent a text that said “I’m done.”

“Another actress I hate to think that I was just your type,”

Now you were on the red carpet, with Calum right beside you. You both were wearing the same clothes you wore on that night, you hair and makeup recreated perfectly. The camera unfocused on you as you turned and looked at Andrew and an actress named Alexa Morrison, who looked a lot like Myra, and they were recreating Chris and Myra’s actions perfectly. The camera swivelled around and came to rest pointing towards your face, as you looked in shock, and a single tear fell down your face. 

“I'll bet that she knows Billy Joel 'Cause you played her Uptown Girl You're singing it together,”

You were shown watching a movie trailer with Ashe sitting next to you, while you sobbed at what Alexa and Andrew were doing. You looked at the camera and began singing the song, while Ashe and everything else around you was frozen.

“Now I bet you even tell her How you love her In between the chorus and the verse (ooh) (I love you),”

You were sat on the bed in Chris’s red flannel that you had stolen before leaving for tour, and you were writing in the notebook aggressively with tears rolling down your face and singing.

“So when you gonna tell her That we did that too? She thinks it's special But it's all reused That was the show we talked about Played you the song she's singing now when she's with you,”

You were now being shown sitting on the couch, and watching Andrew run across the TV screen dressed as Captain America, an ice cream tub in your hand. You were wearing sweats and a t shirt, your hair in a messy bun.

“Do you get déjà vu when she's with you? Do you get déjà vu? Oh Do you get déjà vu?”

The camera circled around you before transitioning to the next scene. 

“Strawberry ice cream in Malibu Don't act like we didn't do that shit too You're trading jackets like we used to do (Yeah, everything is all reused),”

You were shown laying down in bed, and your eyes closing before an image of you and Andrew danced, dressed as Steve and Peggy in endgame, a scene Chris always told you the two of you would recreate one day. You had called Hayley and asked if it was okay, and she immediately said yes, and even came and watched you do the scene.

“Play her piano, but she doesn't know (oh, oh) That I was the one who taught you Billy Joel (oh) A different girl now, but there's nothing new (I know you get déjà vu),”

When your eyes opened, you were sitting at your piano, and playing while singing along. 

“I know you get déjà vu I know you get déjà vu,”

Suddenly, the piano disappeared, and you were left standing in an empty living room as the screen faded to black. 

The entire room burst into cheers as the video ended, except for Myra, who looked like she was going to murder you, and Chris who just clapped with a tight lipped smile. 

Later that night after all the kids had gone to bed and Lisa was driving Bob home,  Scott had pulled you into the kitchen under the pretences of ‘helping him fix a drink’, which ended up just being the two of you gossiping about Chris and Myra, and the music video.

Suddenly, Chris walked in, and nodded for Scott to leave. You cleared your throat and ignored him.

“That was a good song, and an amazing music video.” He said. “I can see you're just getting more and more talented as time-” He began, as you rolled your eyes, and looked at him. 

“What do you want?” You asked bluntly. 

“I just wanted to congratulate you.” He said, and you were about to open your mouth, when Myra came slinking in the room with an evil look on her face. 

“Nice job, Y/N. I’m glad I could inspire your music video.” She said sarcastically, and you could tell Chris was about to defend you, but you opened your mouth first. 

“Well, I’m glad I had such a snake like bitch to draw inspiration from,” You said, and heard Scott, his siblings burst into laughter in the living room. Myra’s jaw dropped and she turned to look at him. You looked up at Chris, who was leaning up against the counter, and biting back a smile.

“You’re just going to let her talk to me like that?” She asked, and Chris sighed.

“Myra, don't start. Not now.” He said, she scoffed. 

“I knew you still loved her. Only a pathetic loser could love someone as ugly and untalented as her.” She spat, and Chris growled. You felt tears welling up in your eyes, and you ran out of the room, your drink abandoned on the counter. 

You ran into your bedroom, where you shut the door, and fell onto the bed in tears. 

Back in the kitchen, Chris had gotten in Myra’s face, and was yelling.

“DON’T YOU DARE TALK TO HER LIKE THAT! SHE’S BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH SHIT IN HER LIFE, AND I WON’T ALLOW YOU TO ADD TO THAT!” He screamed, as Scott, Carly, and Shanna ran to the door, unsure of what to do. “SHE IS SO TALENTED, WAY MORE TALENTED THAN YOU! YOU’RE THE REASON PRODUCTION TOOK SO DAMN LONG, IT TOOK FOREVER TO GET A PERFORMANCE OUT OF YOU! YOU OPENLY INSULTED HER AND HER FANS HOURS AFTER YOU WERE ANNOUNCED TO BE IN THIS MOVIE, AND THEN HAD THE AUDACITY TO COME TO ME CRYING BECAUSE YOUR LITTLE FEELINGS GOT HURT!” He screamed, and Shanna ran and backed Chris away from her. 

“YOU’RE MY BOYFRIEND! AND ITS MY BIRTHDAY, YET HERE YOU ARE, CONGRATULATING HER FOR A SHITTY MUSIC VIDEO!” Myra screamed, and it was Scott’s turn to get in her face. 

“You need to leave. If you don't we’re going to call the cops.” He stated, and Myra rolled her eyes before storming out of the house. 

Scott turned back to Chris, and was shocked when he saw him in tears. 

“You need to work shit out with Y/N. It’s clear the two of you are still in love, and you need to figure it out as adults,” Scott said, his sisters nodding. Chris took a deep breath, and looked at your closed bedroom door.

Chris walked up to your bedroom door, and took a deep breath before entering the room where he used to sleep in every night.

He opened the door, and saw you curled up in a ball on the bed, your body still shaking. He smiled sadly, and walked into the room, closing the door behind him. He sat on the bed behind you, and rubbed your back gently. 

“I’m sorry. Not just for what Myra said, but for everything. For breaking your heart, and for causing you so much pain. I didn't realize how much I was missing you too until we watched that music video and I saw how truly broken you were. I never noticed that before now. And I’m sorry I didn't. If I’d have, I could have fixed this sooner, and we could be together right now.” He said.

You furrowed your brows at his last sentence and sat up.

“W-What?” You asked, and Chris moved closer. He wrapped his arms around you and pulled you into a hug. 

“I still love you. So so much.” He smiled, and a tear rolled down his face. “You're my entire world, and not having you here is slowly breaking me apart. I didn't know just how much until today, but I can't live another day without you.” He said. “I’m so sorry I hurt you baby.” He sobbed, and his head buried itself into your hair. Your body shook with sobs too, and you turned around to face him.

“I love you too.” You sobbed out. “I never should have ended things, but-” You said, but were cut off by Chris’s lips on yours, and you felt yourself melting into it.

He pulled away a few seconds later. “Don't. It was my fault, not yours. I am so sorry, and I am going to spend the rest of my life making up for it, I promise.” He said, as he stood the two of you up and led you out of the room, and to his.

“Where are we going?” You asked, and Chris pressed a kiss to your cheek.

“I have to grab something.” He said. He opened his closet, and grabbed something out of the top corner before turning to you. 

“I said I planned on spending the rest of my life making it up to you, and I plan on keeping that promise.” He said, as he got down on one knee. You gasped, as he opened the box and your dream engagement ring was inside. “I want you for the rest of my life, and the next. Will you marry me?” he asked, tears pouring down his face, just like yours.

You nodded enthusiastically, and Chris stood up. He placed the ring on your ring finger and scooped you up. “I love you,” You choked out, and Chris sobbed harder into you. 

“I love you too, and I’m never letting you go.”

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[fweasleyswhore]

Special To Me: Fred Weasley

requested by @fantastic-fans​

a/n is it obvious I have a special spot for goblet of fire fred/george aka long hair times, uh yes. would i want it any other way? uh, no. sorry to my cedric stannies out there - but i think the transition from the fourth to fifth movie where their hair had been chopped off hurt more than cedrics death. 

Pairing: Fred x fem!reader / Potter!reader

Summary: Reader struggles to feel significant compared to her twin brother (Harry Potter). These feelings make it hard for her to deal with her growing crush on Fred.

Word Count: 14.9K (i said i liked the idea and yes i did)

Warnings: a tad of angst and self deprecating thoughts (if you are struggling feel free to dm me and talk)

“But…” My eyes looked across the Great Hall table at Harry. His eyes were as wide as mine, shock was evident on his features much as my own. Had the situation been less serious we would have been teased about it, but this was anything but a laughable situation. 

I felt Hermione’s hand on mine and she squeezed gently. I could see her looking at me through the corner of my eye but my eyes did not leave my twins. Again? He was constantly being pushed around, things being thrown at him but this year but we figured, this year would be ok. 

“Blimey Harry, mind telling us how you didn’t grow a beard but put your name in?” George joked. I barely processed it and before I could punch him Dumbledore spoke again. 

“Harry Potter, would you please come up here?” Harry looked at me, then to Ron and Hermione. 

“I didn’t put my name in.” He rushed out. His voice was shaky and his eyes began to gloss over. “I didn’t. I swear I didn’t.” 

I couldn’t respond. I was still just shocked. 

“It’s ok Harry, we know. Go up there.” Hermione urged. She squeezed my hand again which grounded me. I hadn’t noticed that she hadn’t let go until she did that. My hand squeezed back. Not faltering but squeezing harder as I watched Harry walk up to Dumbledore, he tripped a few times but caught himself. My gaze didn’t leave him even after he went through the door at the edge of the Great Hall with the other champions. I sat there frozen. 

“Love? Did you know he put his name in the cup?” Fred’s voice took me out of my trance. I stopped peering over Hermione’s head and turned to my side. His hand came up and held my shoulder, rubbing gently. 

“No, I didn’t,” I spoke. My mind was racing a million minutes a second. I couldn’t stop thinking of our first night back at Hogwarts. Harry and I sat on the floor of the common room, a comfortable silence between us. We had both agreed that this year was going to be good. We both agreed that we were going to have a relaxed year, not push ourselves but enjoy the time at home before we went back to Uncle Vernon. He promised to stop worrying me, of course, I knew that it wasn’t his fault but it still made me feel some sort of peace. “He said he didn’t.” I could feel my eyes tear up. I’m not sure if it was the anger, the confusion, or the fear that set in that was causing it. “Oh don’t cry…” Fred pleaded. His hand that was rubbing my shoulder moved and he pulled me into his chest. I dropped Hermione’s hand and balled my hands around his sweater. He squeezed me tighter to his chest and rubbed my back as I came undone in his hands. I pulled back so my head was no longer pressed against him. 

“Why is it always him?!” I nearly shouted. Friends who weren’t watching me come undone before definitely were now. Ron scoffed at my remark and rolled his eyes. 

“My thoughts exactly.” He spoke snarkily before grabbing his things and leaving. My teary eyes watched him walk away. I looked at Hermione hoping maybe she understood but she held the same confusion as me. She sent me a sympathetic look before collecting her own things, squeezing my shoulder, and running after Ron. 

“Foul git…” George mumbled. He brought his hand around Fred to give my shoulder a squeeze and send me a sympathetic gaze. I returned it and rested my head back on Fred’s chest. His arms were still holding me and that I was thankful for, he brought me in closer and sighed. 

“Do you think they are going to make him play? People die in this competition...” I whispered to him. 

He rested his head on top of mine and whispered back. “I’m not sure. It’s always something with you Potters isn’t it.” I couldn’t stop myself from laughing, he was right, sadly it was always us. 

I brought my head up to look at him. If he wasn’t holding me I would’ve collapsed, his face was much closer than I thought and our noses almost touched. My face was flushing, I could feel it but I continued. 

“Talk a lot yourself, Weasley. I could argue that you have more going on than us.” His smile was intoxicating, I couldn’t refrain from smiling back. Just like that my mood lightened. This was one of the many reasons I loved being around Fred Weasley, he just brings so much happiness into the world. In the worst situations I couldn’t help but find myself smiling because of him. 

“Oh, you could? Because...” He leaned in after trailing off, my breath hitched. I was frozen as he leaned in so his lips ghosted over my ear.  “You, are all I got going on.” He whispered, my face flushed and I could feel him smirking at me, confident in his ability to make me flush at the smallest things. I pushed my face into his chest again. 

“I just want one quiet year,” I spoke into his chest. His arms tightened around me as he began to rub small circles into my back. 

“I know. I know.” He spoke into my head. I could feel the vibrations of him talking in his chest. And even though there was hell all around us, I felt safe. I felt safe with him holding me. I tried to push down the bubbling in my stomach. This was our thing, we flirt, we joke but we are friends. He’s comforting a friend, that’s all. I pushed the thoughts aside, getting overwhelmed again wasn’t going to help my already anxious mood. 

“We should, erm, go back to the common room.” George’s voice took me out of my trance. Untangling myself from Fred I looked around. Almost everyone had left the Great Hall. A few people stayed finishing up their meals or conversations. Looking around I saw Cedric’s friend group waiting for him.

“Come on, Harry can meet us in the common room,” Fred said standing. He and George outstretched their hands. I rubbed my eyes and rolled them at them before standing and wrapping my arms around theirs. ��Attagirl.” Fred said after I linked our arms, earning a laugh from George and jab in the side from me. 

Sitting in front of the fire I let my mind wander. Hermione could be heard in the dorms arguing with Ron and I didn’t really want to get in the middle of it. Behind me, Fred and George were talking about a prank they were planning. All around the common room, there was chatter, everyone was doing something, talking to someone, but I couldn’t bring myself to join. 

Harry’s name was picked from the cup. 

I tried to think back on the day. I was with him practically the whole time, the times I wasn’t Hermione and Ron were. None of us saw him put his name in the cup yet his name got picked. People died in the game. “This challenge isn’t for the weary of the heart, mind you, be absolutely sure you want this before entering your name. The rules have been altered but in the past champions have died. I do not expect any of us will be saying goodbye to our friends but I would not take this lightly.” 

“Too bad they have the age limit, Harry you would win that thing so easily.” Ron piped in between bites. 

“I think I have enough things trying to kill me in challenges I didn’t sign up for. Don’t think I would enter even if I could.” Harry shot back. He smiled at me from across the table and I remembered our promise, I smiled back. 

“Penny for your thoughts?” Hermione asked softly, sitting down beside me. Her voice brought me back to the present as her knees hit my legs that I was hugging to my chest. I sighed and leaned back onto the couch where Fred and George were sitting, bumping Fred’s legs slightly. 

“We agreed to have a quiet year,” I spoke slowly, a stark contrast to the thoughts inside my head that seemed to be swimming at 100 mph. “Quiet and good. And I understand this isn’t his fault. He didn’t put his name in but he is so tired ‘Mione. I don’t know how much of this he can take.” My voice began to break and tears welled up in my eyes for the second time that night. I was so tired of watching him get broken down to nothing and then being expected to piece himself together again. After last year where we met Sirius, we had hoped that we would be able to run off with him, live with him maybe. But the ministry is still doing everything in their power to capture him, so Harry and I had to go back to Uncle Vernon. Sirius sends us letters and communicates when he can but it still hurts not having him around. It especially hurt Harry. He had this whole life in the countryside dreamt up where we lived with Sirius and after Peter got away he was shattered. That summer I made sure to take more blows from Dudley. Usually, I got away with it being a “lady”, Aunt Petunia made sure to teach her son not to hurt girls, Dudley never saw me as a girl though, I don’t think Aunt Petunia did either but I wasn’t going to argue with it. 

“Hey, don’t cry. Listen, tiring yourself isn’t going to help him. If you want a quiet year come hell or high water I will do everything in my power to make sure you get that.” She smiled and looked into my eyes, her eyes held a sense of security I longed for. 

“Oh ‘Mione,” I wrapped myself around her in a tight embrace. I knew she wasn’t expecting it but she hugged me back slowly. “Thank you.” I whispered. She nodded into my shoulder. 

A few hours passed and I calmed my swimming mind with the work I had been putting off over the summer that was going to be due at the end of the week. Small introductory papers going over what we learned last year. Not difficult but time consuming. 

“I think I am going to head to bed.” Hermione spoke. I looked up, it was just us two. George was gone and Fred was sprawled out on the couch behind me, snoring slightly. I giggled at the sight of him, his long legs trying to stay on the couch. 

“All right ‘Mione. I think I’m gonna stay and finish this. Wait for Harry to get in.” She nodded and rubbed my shoulder as she stood. 

“Wake me up if anything happens or you need to talk.” I nodded and she set off up the stairs. I stood too. Stretching after being curled inward onto myself my joints began to hurt. I walked around the common room blowing out stray candles and tidying up slightly. I went back to my position in front of the couch to finish my potions essay on the new ingredients we learned last year highlighting their properties and effects. 

“This is rubbish.” I laughed to myself reading the first few paragraphs. I honestly didn’t remember much from last year. I suppose that's what happens when you meet your criminal godfather and your friend's rat turns out to be one of Voldemort's henchmen. 

While making notes on the margins of my essay I heard the portrait hole open. I turned to see Harry walk in, Fred turned slightly but didn’t wake. He didn’t register my eyes on him and he walked wearily towards the boys dorm entrance. 

“Harry?” I whispered. He turned around, his pained face made a small smile when he recognized me. 

“Oh Y/N!” He rushed over to me and collapsed in my arms. His body wrinkled my papers but I didn’t mind. I was just as fast to grab him back and hold him tightly. Soon I felt my neck grow wet as he heaved in my arms. I rubbed circles into his back and held him tighter. 

He pulled back. “Erm, sorry.” He sniffled and rubbed at his face. 

“You never have to apologize to me.” I sent him a comforting smile. “They’re making you play?” Although it was a question it sounded more like a statement. Deep down I already knew but I didn’t want to admit it. 

“Yeah, so much for a quiet year I guess.” He let out a forced laugh, it sent a wave of pain to see him so broken. He stared at his hands in his lap and sniffled a few times. I looked back at the fire. 

“I wish we were the chosen one’s.” I said quietly. “Just to take some of the burden off of-” “Do not ever say that.” He cut me off. I turned to him, his red eyes were wide and his face was full of grief. “Never.” “But Harry-” I tried but to no avail he cut me off again. 

“No. I mean it. Half of the time the one thing that keeps me going is knowing that you are ok. Y/N if you had to fight this battle too I think I would break. I want to keep you safe.” He spoke slowly. His voice was lower and I could tell he genuinely felt this way. He grabbed my hands and I nodded.

“It’s not fair, it's always you.” I countered. I knew he was right but I didn’t want to stand idly by while he risked his life for me. “I understand you want to protect me, so you have to understand that I want to do the same. Harry this isn’t just your fight. We will fight with you, you just got roped in as our leader. I will do everything in my power to take even a miniscule amount of that burden off of you.” He was quiet. I looked into his eyes but his eyes were staring at our hands. His eyes were swirling much like how I imagined his head to be right then. 

“When I lost you at the World Cup there was a split second I thought you died.” He hung his head even more if that was possible. “I couldn’t bear it Y/N and I knew if it happened it would've been my fault and-” This time I cut him off. I hugged him again and I felt him shake in my arms. I was mentally cursing the world for putting its weight on his shoulders. It wasn’t fair to him. 

I pulled back enough so he could see my face. “Never in a million years blame yourself. It’s not and never will be your fault ok. Besides that only proves my point, this isn’t your fight alone.” I gestured to the sleeping form on the couch behind us. 

That night rang through my head as I did so. I had linked arms with Hermione and Harry. The twins and Ginny were behind us. We were all trying desperately to find cover and we got pulled in different directions. Hermione’s arm became unlinked with mine and she trailed off with Ron and I got pushed down with Harry. 

Scrambling to get up I looked around and Harry was gone. I began to scream his name but too many people were running and my yells were drowned out in the screams. Immediately I felt my body tense up and shake as panic set in. I figured my best shot was to go in the direction we were headed before I got split up from everyone. Trying to push through the crowd was hard, I was shoved around and soon I was sure my shoulders were bruised from the sheer amount of times I got shoved backwards by someone. 

A loud scream echoed in the space. I looked around trying to find its origin when a couple tall men ran right into me. They didn’t even register it as they ran right on top of me. Digging their heels into my skin and kicking me. I tried to move when one of them kicked me directly in the head. I crawled into myself, cradling my head and waiting for the group to pass. The burning sensation in my shoulders now spread to my neck and I could feel the blood on my hands as I held my head. 

I stood up shakily, nearly falling again as a wave of dizziness swarmed me. My vision was spinning but I tried my best to trudge forward in the direction I thought was the right way. 

“Y/N.” I blinked, I know I just heard my name but I can’t see anyone around. “Y/N!”

My head injury must be getting to me. I looked at my feet which were having a hard time moving forward when I heard it again. I tried to turn around but something caught me. 

Right then my feet were hoisted off the ground and my abdomen was squeezed. I yelled out and elbowed towards my back trying to fight off my attacker. I was set down and before I could run away strong hands were spinning me around. Immediately recognizing him I jumped into Fred’s arms and he lifted me up. I instinctively wrapped my legs around his waist. The pain I was feeling faded to the back of my mind as he held me. 

“I thought we lost you.” He whispered in my ear. “Never do that again.” “I didn’t try to.” I whispered back. He laughed shallowly. 

“I know, just, I don’t want to lose you.” He whispered. His grip on me tightened. The familiar feeling of butterflies erupted in my stomach, something I always felt when he was near. Even though he had been running around he still smelled like cinnamon and fireworks. 

“You didn’t lose me Freddie. Never have, never will.” I whispered back. My grip equally tightened trying to communicate the feelings I have felt for a while. 

He squeezed me again then set me down. I stood on my shaky legs trying to remain balanced. “Let’s go.” he whispered. Keeping up with him on a normal day was hard; this was damn near impossible. 

Fred was tugging at my wrist, he had linked our hands together so I wouldn’t get lost again. I followed him, tripping every now and then but he always caught me. After what felt like hours we managed to the woods where we met with Hermione, Ron, Ginny and George. Immediately Hermione hugged me. 

“I can’t breath.” I barely muttered to get out between pants. 

“I thought that you had been trampled or…” She trailed off and looked behind me. I turned around but only saw the forest. “Where’s Harry?” 

“I thought he was with you?” I looked around. Each Weasley held a similar look on their face of confusion as they looked between themselves then back to us. 

Ron walked up to us. “I’ll go find him.” He squeezed my shoulder and looked between me and Hermione. “I’m coming.” Hermione piped up. 

“Me too.” I said brushing myself off. They both looked at me like I was insane. “What?!”

“Y/N, you’re bleeding.” Fred said. I had forgotten he was still next to me. He gently grasped at my cheek to turn my head towards him as he inspected the cut on my forehead. 

“I bet you all are bleeding. So what? I’m fine, I'm coming.” I pulled out of his gentle touch, immediately feeling cold. 

“Your neck is bruised…” Hermione spoke. Again I could feel Fred’s hands on me. He trailed his fingers down the side of my neck, slightly pulling on the collar of my shirt as he inspected my injuries. I could hear him hiss while looking at them but I kept my eyes on Hermione. 

“Y/N you could barely keep up with me on our way here. Just stay, please?” Fred’s hand had continued its tour of my body and it brushed my arm as he reached down to grab my hand. I finally peeled my gaze toward his. He was beautiful, his eyes were pleading, his grip tightened slightly so I hung my head in defeat. 

“Please be safe.” I looked between Ron and Hermione. He nodded and she smiled before they ran out toward the direction of screams and fire. 

I watched them until they disappeared behind some trees. 

“Come sit love.” Fred said and he pulled me over to a tree trunk with a base to barely fit the two of us. Once I sat he began inspecting my face again, then my neck and shoulders. Occasionally I would flinch or gasp as he uncovered a new injury or an especially tender bruise, immediately mumbling a ‘sorry’ he would halt his actions before continuing. 

He slouched against the tree beside me. I could feel his gaze on me but I kept my eyes trained on the forest where Hermione and Ron had walked out of a few minutes ago. 

“You look horrible.” He said. I turned to him with a look of disbelief. 

“Gee thanks, only nearly got killed a little while ago.” I shot back. His eyes widened as he realized what he said. 

“No! No! Not like that. You’re beautiful I just mean-” I didn’t hear what else he said as I burst out laughing. He looked so panicked it was both heartwarming and hilarious. 

“I’m messing Freddie. I know what you mean.” I brought my hand up to ruffle his hair. He huffed and rolled his eyes but he was smiling. I finally looked around us. Across from us a few trees to my right Ginny and George were snoring and leaning on each other. I giggled at the sight and realized how tired I was at that moment. 

I yawned and tried to shift around to a comfortable position, something this tree was not allowing me to do. Fred watched me and snickered to himself. I looked up, catching him trying to stifle a laugh as I tried my third position, but gave up and turned so my back was against the tree again.

“Maybe I could get comfortable if your big butt wasn’t in the way.” I shot at him playfully. Looking towards him.

“I’ll have you know I have a tiny butt.” He said leaning down so we were eye level. 

“Your butt looks big from where I’m sitting.” I shoot back. He rolls his eyes and smirks at me. 

“If my enormous arse is taking up so much of your room why don’t you just sit on me then.” He patted his legs. “According to you I have enough butt to share so I figured I might as well.” He raised his brows at me and it hit me he wasn’t joking. My face warmed up and I prayed he couldn’t see it under the layer of dirt on my face. “Well?” He asked, smoothing out his trousers. 

I mustered up my courage and crawled on top of him. I sat on him sideways and rested my head in the crook of his neck. His arms wrapped around me immediately. I sighed into him. My pain and uncomfort drifted away as my eyes drifted shut. 

“Fred?” He moved his face so he could see me. I didn’t move my head, just brought my hand up to rest on his chest, he understood and rested his head back against the tree.. I could feel his heartbeat in his chest and it made me smile. He hummed in response. “Thank you. Not only for getting me tonight but all the times you just…” I trailed off. I didn’t think before I spoke but I knew what I was trying to say so I continued. “You always make me smile. Thank you.” 

His arms tightened around me, and he placed a kiss onto the top of my head. I could feel myself blush so I pushed my head farther into his neck. 

“Of course Y/N. Anything for you, love.” I smiled at the nickname. I felt safe as I drifted off. Even the distant screams didn’t disturb me, I focused on Fred’s heart beating under my hand and his hands rubbing small circles in my sides.

“Still haven’t properly thanked him for that.” Harry’s voice brought me back to the present and I smiled at him. That night was terrifying yes, but it's also something I think fondly about in retrospect. It showed how we all cared for each other, jumping up to protect one another, a lot of times I don’t feel like I fit in, that I’m the annoying sister who's included because she doesn’t have any friends. But after that night I realized I do have friends and they are all around me. 

“You really should. Poor bloke carried me while I slept and took care of my cuts.” I looked over my shoulder and smiled at Fred’s sleeping figure. 

Harry laughed and nodded. A comfortable silence fell between us as we stared at the fire. 

“It’s gonna be ok Harry.” I spoke, my voice sounded confident, more confident than I felt inside. 

“I know, just gotta get through it first I reckon.” He smiled at me. I nodded and smiled back. “I’m gonna head to bed, love you Y/N.” 

“Love you too.” As he walked away I gathered my papers and tried to get them to lay flat but to no avail they were crumpled. I groaned and threw them in my bag and began to walk upstairs. 

I ran down the stairs remembering Fred. He was still curled up on the couch snoring softly. I laughed to myself and gently woke him up. 

“Fred, love, you should go upstairs.” He groaned and turned to face me. His long hair was a mess and his face was peaceful, he looked amazing, even then. 

“Did Harry come in?” I nodded and he groaned again this time while standing, when he stretched his shirt rode up ever so slightly exposing his midriff. My cheeks burned as I looked at his toned torso and the small trail of ginger hair that stopped at his trousers. “Are you alright?” 

I looked up to him and swallowed. His eyes showed genuine concern and I mentally slapped myself for drooling over him right in front of him. Luckily though, he didn’t notice. 

I nodded. “Harry and I talked, we’re gonna push through.” 

“With my help of course.” He smiled down at me. 

I rolled my eyes but I couldn’t help but smile back. “I figured that was implied.” I said smugly, poking his chest. 

“It better be.” He whispered. His voice was deep and drowsy and it sent a wave through me that made me shiver. I swallowed and looked back up to him. 

“Goodnight Fred.” I leaned up on my toes to kiss his cheek. He looked at me stunned. I couldn’t tell if he was blushing from shock or embarrassment so I turned around and walked up the girls dormitory stairs. Why did I do that?

Barely audible I heard him yell after me. “G-Goodnight Y/N!” I smiled, falling asleep thinking of Fred. The weight of my conversation with Harry was gone, I felt dizzy like I was floating. All because of a certain redhead downstairs. 

-

“Dragons! You have got to be joking.” I yelled.

We were steadily approaching the first task. When Hermione wasn’t studying she was helping Harry and I figure out what the tasks were going to be. Hermione was trying to split her time between us and Ron, I was trying to split my time between them and the twins, to say I felt overwhelmed was an understatement. Classes began to pick up in workload and I could barely imagine the stress that Harry was feeling. 

“You could be a howler with a voice like that.” George quipped from his usual spot on the couch. I looked up at him and sent him a glare, he put his hands up defensively. “I’m right, it’s a compliment, look you would be much more effective than those damned things, that scared me!” 

I rolled my eyes. “Your poor mum has sent you so many howlers, your saying not once did they scare you?” George shrugged and I looked back to Harry in front of me. 

“He’s lying you know.” Fred whispered to me. I was sitting on the floor in between his legs where I usually sat. I turned my head to see him better. He glanced at George before leaning down to me again. “I once saw him cry after we got sent one. He was real torn up about it-” 

Suddenly George hopped on Fred. I moved away from the couch partially to get a better view of them fighting and partially to not get hit by the flying limbs.

“Ugh would you two stop it! We have a real issue here!” Hermione stood up and hit them both with the book in her hands. George rubbed the back of his head where she had hit him as he sat back down and Fred hissed as he cradled his leg. They both sat back down, George glaring daggers into Fred, occasionally muttering something about him being a ‘Lying git’. 

Hermione sat back down next to Harry.

“Is this what the brown dragon looked like?” She asked, pointing to a picture in the book. Harry examined it for a minute before speaking. 

“Sure looks a lot more like it than the other ones.” Scratching the back of his neck he looked at her but she was busy reading about the dragon. They started to argue on if Harry had seen scales or skin and I tuned out, looking back over to the twins. 

Fred caught my eye and he motioned for me to come back, sitting in my normal position again I smiled as he began to run his fingers through my hair. 

“Does it matter much if its scales or skin? I mean, it's a dragon, they have a list of traits they all share, why don’t we tackle that before anything specific.” I interrupted their argument. They both looked at me. Hermione looked like she had swallowed something sower and I laughed to myself at the expression she had. She was about to speak before Harry intervened. 

“Brilliant. What’s a common theme?” Hermione rolled her eyes and shut her book aggressively. She picked up spare parchment and a quill and started making a list. 

“Well the fiery breath is something to be concerned about.” Fred said. I nodded along with him. 

“And the massive talons that will rip you to shreds.” George added. Hermione glared at him and threw a pillow at him. “I’m not wrong!” He said removing the pillow from his face, everyone except Hermione laughed. 

“Distraction and Execution. That’s what you need to plan on. I’ve watched these idiots do the same things over and over again and it’s always worked.” I said lifting a hand to point at Fred and George. “Well mostly worked but that’s not the point.” I laughed, George leaned over and flicked my shoulder and Fred ruffled my hair. 

“Just use a strength of yours mate, what are you good at?” Fred asked. 

Harry looked down at the ground in front of him, muttering things to himself and moving his hands. “I think I’m a fair flyer.” 

My jaw dropped “Fair!?” He looked at me worriedly. 

“Harry you’re an amazing flyer. Fair barely sums it up.” Hermione said. He looked at us smiling but then his smile dropped. “I’m not allowed a broom.” He said running his hands through his long hair. I frowned. 

“You’re allowed a wand, use it.” Fred said. His hands now rested on my shoulders as he leaned in to talk to Harry. Not even thinking I brought my hand up to rest on his. I noticed when he squeezed my hand. I looked up and he smiled at me, I smiled back, relaxing my hand as his wrapped around mine. 

“Oh and I’m supposed to hop around with my wand between my legs and hope that makes me fly?” He said rather exacerbated. I knew it was getting to him but now I noticed it. The dark circles under his red eyes. His nails were unkempt, he was picking at them because he was stressed. 

“No mate, use a summoning spell.” Fred spoke again. He looked at Fred like he was insane. 

“There is a spell for that?” I laughed along with the twins, Harry didn’t believe him. 

“There is a spell for everything, uh here.” George lifted his wand while talking. “Accio quill.” Just then Hermione’s quill jumped from her hand and into George’s. Harry watched bewildered. “Here you go, sorry about that.” George said bending over to hand Hermione her quill back who was currently glaring at him. I laughed to myself, poor girl needs to loosen up. 

“So if I said ‘Accio Firebolt’ my broom would come to me?” Harry asked. George and Fred nodded and I laughed at his excitement. 

Our good banter went quiet as the portrait hole opened. We all turned toward the sound seeing Ron walk in. He looked at all of us avoiding Harry, I sent him a small smile and gestured to the empty space next to me. He stopped for a moment, looking torn, then he looked at Harry and scoffed and rushed up to his room. 

Harry focused back on the floor suddenly finding it really interesting. It must suck to have to room with someone so mean I thought. “Don’t worry, he’ll come around.” George spoke obviously trying to diffuse the tension.

“He better!” Hermione nearly yelled. We all looked to see her face turning red. “He’s acting like- like-” She looked around suddenly at a loss for words. “A huge baby!” She finally exclaimed. We all nodded, not trying to further poke the bear. 

“I’m going to go talk to him.” She huffed and ran up the dormitory stairs. Harry yelled after her, trying to tell her it wasn’t worth it but I don’t think she listened. Soon enough he had disappeared up the stairs too, leaving me with the twins. 

We sat in a comfortable silence for a minute before I felt Fred’s hand slip from mine. I tried to not act disappointed as I let my hand fall back into my lap. Suddenly I felt two hands firmly grasp my waist and I was being hoisted up onto the couch. I squirmed out of Fred’s grasp who was laughing at my red face. George was laughing too but I was focussed on Fred. 

“And what was that for?!” I yelled. 

“There’s space on the couch, figured you got tired of the floor.” He said in between chuckles. 

“Well you could have asked!” I smacked his arm playfully at his antics. I couldn’t even stay mad at him, his smile was too intoxicating.

“Besides we wanted to let you in on-” Fred started. 

‘A very special and-” George continued.

“Secret plan.” Fred finished. 

I looked between the two. The both held a very serious look on their face which I couldn’t help but giggle at, it was so out of character for them to be serious. 

“You two will be the death of me won’t you?” I asked. 

“Maybe.” They said in unison which made me laugh harder than before. 

- 

It was the day of the first task, I was seated in between Fred and Hermione in my usual seat at breakfast shoving food in my mouth as fast as possible. 

“Y/N, please slow down, you are starting to look like Ron.” Hermione said, obviously a little disgusted. Ron’s head whipped up from across the table where he was chewing down on his sausage. 

“What?!” He asked. Hermione rolled her eyes and I laughed in between bites. 

Once I was satisfied I looked at her. “Sorry, I’m trying to get down to the field as fast as possible to see Harry and also help these two.” I pointed behind me. Their very special secret plan was a portable gambling station to bet on the players. I told them that it was kinda messed up they were betting on our friends being put in life threatening situations, something they rolled their eyes at. After a few promises of chocolate frogs and butterbeer for ‘the next month’, I agreed happily. 

Hermione looked at the twins with a disapproving look that they didn’t catch. Her seriousness made me laugh. “See you out there?” I asked. She nodded and I stood up wrapping a scarf around my neck and dragging George away from his bacon and out to the field. 

I walked around the pitch, directing people to where Fred and George were collecting bets and finally found where the champions were. I poked my head into the tent and tried to find my twin. 

“Y/N?!” I heard a whisper. I whipped my head around and Harry was sulking in the corner of the tent. I motioned for him to come over, he glanced at the other champions who were too busy stretching or meditating to notice my presence before he walked over. As soon as he was in reach I engulfed him in a hug causing us both to stumble a bit. 

“You ok?” I searched his features while holding him at arm's length. He nodded and swallowed. 

“A bit nervous.” He scratched the back of his neck and looked at the floor. 

“You got this, out of all the people in this tent you definitely got this.” I whispered. Right then I saw Dumbledore walk in the tent. “I should go.” He nodded and I gave him one more swift hug before running back to the stands to find the twins. 

I stayed with them helping them count money and sharing candies I had stuffed in my pocket. More and more people began to fill the stands and I looked around for Hermione or Ron but saw neither. I brushed it off, they would come, they are probably just fighting. 

“Hey Y/N! Mind if I sit here?” I looked up to see Neville bundled up tightly. His overgrown hair was swaying slightly against his forehead but was mostly held down with his ear muffs. I smiled and nodded, shifting to make more room on the crowded bench. In doing so I sat flush against Fred with less than an inch of room between me and Neville. We both smiled at each other again before focusing on the arena, waiting for it to start any minute now. 

“Hey Neville?” I asked, turning toward him. He looked back at me quickly like I had caught him taking cookies out of the candy jar. “Did you happen to see Hermione on your way down here?” He instantly relaxed, probably thinking I was going to ask him to move. His eyes trailed away from mine as he recounted his steps. 

“Yeah I did, she wasn’t walking towards the stands though she was heading toward the field.” I nodded, glad that she was around but slightly upset she didn’t come sit with me like we agreed.

“And Ron?” I asked after a brief moment of silence. His face contorted the same way it had moments earlier as he thought back. “I saw him standing outside the entrance to the stands, he wasn’t moving though.” I rolled my eyes. 

“Thanks Neville.” I smiled again even though anger was burning up inside of me. Ron had continued to play this game long enough, he needed to get over himself and help out his friend. His constant bickering and absence was obviously getting to all of us, especially Harry. 

I turned to Fred. “Why does your brother have to be such a git?” I asked. George whipped his head around stunned and Fred laughed. 

“I don’t know, I guess I took all the good genes and George got stuck with the bad ones.” He said not even looking up from the tally sheet in his hand. 

I took his hat off his head and flicked his forehead. “I meant Ron you daft dingus.” This time he looked at me, more because of my actions instead of my words. From behind him I could see George relax and laugh out of relief. He held his signature smirk as he grabbed his hat from my hands and began straightening it out.

“Don’t know, but I don’t think you should worry about that right now.” He said coolly. 

“And what should I be worrying about Freddie?” I shot back. My anger began to reside as we fell back into our natural banter. 

“This!” He said while pulling his hat over my head. I tried to fight him off but his grip was much stronger than mine. Finally I dropped my hands and slumped in defeat. I could hear his muffled laughter as he began to pull his hands away. I began to pull the hat off when he stopped me halfway. 

“No, it looks better on you.” He held a genuine smile as he fixed the hat and smoothed down my hair. I could feel my cheeks warm up and I smiled back before turning my attention back to the field instead of him. My stomach began to stop doing flips as I looked around. Dumbledore was walking up to his box in the stand with the Minister. 

“Must be about to start.” I heard Neville say in my direction. I nodded not even sure if he was looking at me as I stared at the champion tent. Just as Dumbledore began to speak, a very angry Hermione pushed her way into the stands sitting on the seat in front of us. 

I maneuvered my way down to the stand below me and grabbed her shoulder. Her face was red and her breathing was rapid, I couldn’t tell if it was from the speed she was walking or whatever just happened. I looked at her silently asking about what happened. 

“That wench that works for the daily prophet made an accusation saying I was having a love affair with Harry. She saw us hugging and took a photo. Now it's going to be plastered in a Newspaper for the whole school, much less the  wizard parts of London to see.” I sent a frown her way. I knew immediately who she was talking about. Rita Skeeter was one of the Daily Prophets biggest reporters. Upon reading any of her articles it is clear that she doesn’t report she gossips and almost half of the things she publishes aren’t true. 

I squeezed her shoulder slightly. “You know the only people who read her column and believe it are old ladies who have nothing better to do.” Her eyes met mine again and I could see just how upset she really was. “What if Ron reads it, he’s going to think me and Harry have this secret relationship and he’s never going to forgive us.” Her eyes began to well up. I pulled her into a hug and she hugged me back. We both stayed like that until cheering brought our attention back to the field. Cedric had just walked out of the tent, all our heads turned as a giant Green dragon roared opposite him. Hermione grabbed my hand, squeezing it every time there was a loud noise or big gust of fire. 

“How is Harry going to do this?” She looked at me after Cedric had jumped down behind a rock, nearly missing the giant fireball the dragon sent his way. I sent her a reassuring smile and squeezed her hand. 

“He’s got this.” She turned back to the field. “He’s got this.” I repeated it again, and a few more times after that trying to convince myself that he would be ok. 

Sure enough he was. We were all in the common room, I was smiling up at Harry who had been hoisted up by Fred and George. They were going off about something but I wasn’t paying attention, too happy seeing Harry happy for the first time in the past month. He was smiling, really smiling. 

I didn’t notice the egg being passed around until it was back in Harry’s hands. 

“Do you want me to open it?” The common room roared. I myself cheered too, heavily anticipating whatever the next task could be. He twisted the top and a scream louder than the one the whole common room produced was let out. Harry fell off the twins shoulders as they backed up and plugged their ears. Harry scrambled on the floor and quickly shut it. The room filled with gasps of relief as we all unplugged our ears. I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up to see Fred. He looked at me worriedly and I just nodded, silently communicating that I’m ok. I mirrored his expression and he nodded too. I looked around and saw George standing on my other side and did the same. He nodded and rubbed at his neck. 

The room filled with chatter as everyone gave their guess as to what that noise was. A few votes rang for banshee and someone yelled out the cruciatus curse, the room erupted into argument at that. I stood there silently, slightly amused as Dean and Seamus started arguing. I leaned into Fred’s touch slightly which resulted in him slinging his arm around my shoulder. I smiled and looked up at him. His face was slightly pink, and he looked down at me too and flashed me his famous smile, stomach flipped when I looked at him. My cheeks burned up and I cast my gaze back down to the floor and leaned into him more. 

Suddenly the room went quiet. I looked around puzzled, following everyone's eyes I saw what caused the interruption. Ron stood in the doorway, he looked scared, kind of like he was about to puke but I came to know that as his nervous face. 

“All of you, uh, go back to your knitting. This is going to be awkward enough without you nosy sods listening in.” Fred shouted above the crowd. The only noise through the common room was footsteps as people began to make their way out. Fred began to walk pulling me with him. I turned my head around and sent Harry a thumbs up before falling back in step with Fred as we went up the steps, George and a few other people were behind us. I didn’t pay attention to our accent to our destination as we walked up the stairs. I tried to strain my ears to hear if the boys downstairs were fighting again or making up. 

I finally looked up when I was pushed down. I looked around, I was sitting on Fred’s bed, he was laying on his back next to me, George was shuffling some papers around on his desk and Lee Jordan, who I recognized from the Quidditch games, was sitting on his bed reading a book. The realization hit me and I turned to Fred. 

“You brought me to your dorm?” I asked. He lifted his arm from covering his eyes as he looked at me. He propped up on his elbows, smirking. 

“Do you not want to be here?” He asked, raising his brows. He cocked his head to the side causing his long hair to shake a little bit. I felt myself blush and get nervous again. I tried to push the feeling away so I could reply. 

“N-No I don’t mind.” Mentally cursing myself for stuttering in front of him I decide to try and cover it up. “Just surprised you managed to get me past the charm on the door is all.” He scoffed which caused me to smile smugly. “I’m going to assume a seventh year did that huh?” 

He rolled his eyes and smiled at me. I found myself smiling back before I even processed it was happening. “Actually,” He drew out the word as he brought himself into a sitting position. “You can thank Georgie over there for that.” My eyes nearly popped out of my head, as I whipped my face between Fred holding in his laughter and an unbothered unaware George, still moving papers around on his desk. 

“George Fabian Weasley!” I nearly shouted. His head snapped around as his wide eyes met my own. 

“How do you know my middle name?” He asked, narrowing his eyes. 

I ignored him and pressed on. “Who is she?” He looked between me and a snickering Fred, confusedly. “Who did you break the charm on the dorm door for.” I pressed. He rolled his eyes and went back to his papers. I looked at Fred who was laughing even harder now. 

“George! Tell me!” I tried with my best authoritative voice but he didn’t budge, he didn’t even show any sign he heard me at all. 

I looked at Fred pleadingly but he just continued to laugh. “‘She’,” Lee spoke, not looking up from his book. “Changes by the week.” My jaw, once again, dropped. Fred was now on the floor having fallen off the bed from laughter. “Hm, actually it changes more by the day.” Lee added. My head whipped around at him. His eyes met mine from over his book, he shrugged and looked back at the pages. My head was spinning. 

“My quiet little George…” I started. 

“Yeah he’s not very quiet.” Lee spoke again. This revelation earned him a swift kick from George. By now Fred had mostly calmed down, still laughing in between pants and pulling himself back onto the bed next to me. 

“You little minx!” I yelled at George. He looked up from his papers and swiveled in his chair so his body was facing me. 

“Oh I can assure you darling, I’m not little.” He winked and turned back in his chair. I swear I felt a small part of me die as Lee and Fred erupted into laughter. Fred returned to his position on the floor, laying on his side, howling with laughter as he grasped at his stomach. 

- 

The next few days passed by and things were going back to normal, mostly that is. I was now more aware of half of the student body ogling George, if that wasn’t revolting enough a few times I had caught him flirting with different girls. I always took him for a soft and caring type, but I could argue he had more confidence and outgoing personality than Fred and that was a tough thing to beat. I guess I never picked up on it due to our different class schedules, only seeing him at lunch and in between periods, but after seeing him in the act a few times it made sense, he was caring and flirty. More so than Fred, but he was good at hiding these interactions, probably an attribute that contributed to half the Gryffindor girls falling for him. The privacy he provided, partially, I assumed, to avoid teasing from us, made girls feel special. I understood, if he wasn’t one of my best friends and I wasn’t falling for his brother I probably would be after him too. 

All classes had been postponed today. It was a month until the next challenge so none of us really knew what was going on. I assumed that we were all going to be scolded for something as each house was instructed to meet in their tower at 12 for a ‘Special Presentation’ at breakfast. 

Walking up to the specified room in the tower with Hermione I asked her what she thought it was. She shrugged and huffed something about it being ridiculous they cancelled all of our classes. I laughed and shoved her slightly. 

“Loosen up woman.” I giggled as she glared at me. Before she could start her rant Ron and Harry walked up to us. Harry walked in step with me and Ron wiggled his way between me and Hermione.

“I don’t know what you and Y/N were talking about but she’s right, you do need to loosen up.” Harry and I laughed immediately knowing what was happening next. Hermione slapped Ron on the shoulder, scolding him and calling him Ronald. “Bloody Hermione, you’re only proving my point.” He said grabbing me and switching our places, I stumbled a bit but fell back in step with them. Hermione huffed and walked ahead of us, Ron followed shouting apologies that only made her walk faster. I laughed again, happy things were all back to normal. 

“So?” I turned to Harry. He mirrored my expression happily laughing to himself as he turned to face me. He raised his eyebrows at me, urging me to continue. “When do you think they will finally get together?” He began to laugh again so I jabbed in the ribs with my elbow. “I’m serious.” I whined. 

He stifled his laughter. “So am I, honestly Y/N, Ron is such a ditz he’s not gonna realize he likes her until after we graduate.” I hummed and turned my head so I was facing forward again. 

“I have more faith in him than that.” He just laughed at me again. Once we reached the rather large room I noticed McGonigal separating the boys and girls into different sides of the room. I left Harry and sat next to Hermione. Filch was busy trying to set up a record player, the occasional scratch was heard as his shaky hand tried to place the needle just right.  

I looked around and saw Fred and George whispering to themselves against a wall. George said something and Fred pushed him away and gave him a weird look. He turned back to face McGonigal when he made eye contact with me. He smiled at me, I sent him a smile back. I mouthed ‘do you know what's going on’ to which he shrugged. He opened his mouth to say something back when George pushed him, George had a look of disbelief on his face and I watched them bicker. It felt like watching a sitcom on mute and I laughed as the both waved their arms around while explaining their points. My attention snapped back to McGonigal as she cleared her throat, her shaky voice filled the expansive room as she explained that Hogwarts would host a ball on Christmas eve. 

Hermione looked at me, eyes wide with disbelief and my palms began to sweat. A ball? I had no clue how this was going to play out, or what it even really consisted of. All I knew in that moment was there was only one person I was interested in going with. I looked across the room to him, his brown eyes were already locked on me. My stomach backflipped. He was looking at me? His eyes looked immediately to the floor after catching mine. I could see George snicker from beside Fred but my eyes didn’t avert his. He was probably just scanning the room. My heart sank as I realized. I looked away but not before his head looked up and we caught eyes again. I felt like his eyes held the key to the universe. My face heated up and as my head screamed at me that this couldn’t possibly mean anything I tore my eyes away from him and focused on the speech McGonigal was giving. 

I barely heard anything she said, making out ‘well mannered frivolity’ I gave up and gave into my thoughts. Focusing on the words swimming through the sea of my brain instead of the ones coming out of her mouth. I was still staring at the floor when I felt a hand on my shoulder. 

“You ok Y/N?” Hermione asked. I looked up to see most of the students already gone and the last few shuffling out. I nodded. 

“Just thinking about what I could wear.” I lied coolly. She gave me an odd look before pulling me up and locking our arms together. She spoke excitedly about the ball all the way back to the dorm. I nodded and hummed, not registering a word she said. 

- 

“So…” I looked up to see Fred sit next to me at breakfast. He usually skipped breakfast or showed up at the last minute before class. Hermione and I had agreed to meet at breakfast an hour early and study for our potions exam. There were a few other people from all houses sitting about eating breakfast, the atmosphere was really quiet and calm, or it was until my favorite ginger showed up. 

“So?” I asked him, placing my quill down and shutting my book. He put his elbows on the table and rested his face in his hands, smiling. “It’s quite early for you isn’t it.” 

He held his lazy smile as he nodded. “I heard you were going to be down here, couldn’t pass up the chance to tease you.” He winked at me. I rolled my eyes at him trying desperately to kill each and every last butterfly flapping their wings in my stomach at that moment. 

“Tease me about what exactly?” I asked mirroring his position. 

“Who are you taking to the ball?” The question stopped me in my tracks. I froze. The ball was two weeks away and I didn’t have a date, much less a dress. Fred’s ‘teasing’ was scaring me, what were his motives, why was he interested in who I was taking, was he going to ask me? The questions filled my head and I forgot to answer. 

“Y/N?” His voice had brought me back to reality. Fred was staring at me with a concerned look. 

“At the moment, nobody. Why are you asking?” Fred’s concern dissipated as I answered. He smiled momentarily before shrugging. 

“Just wanted to take the piss out of him is all.” He looked away from me at the food and began stacking up his plate. 

“Why would you do that?” I asked, sitting a little straighter. He cleared his throat and continued to stack his plate. Without looking at me he spoke. 

“You deserve someone special is all, I know the guys in this school and not many of them can be coined special.” I was taken aback. Where were these words coming from. I couldn’t tell if this had a romantic protectiveness or a platonic one. I pushed farther. 

“Who are you taking to the ball?” I asked. This was it, this was the moment I was either going to be ecstatic or heart broken.  

He smiled at his plate and looked over to me. “I have someone in mind. Haven’t asked her yet though.” He returned to his food, shoving some toast in his mouth. 

“May I ask why?” He stopped chewing for a minute then hastily swallowed. 

“I really like her, and well, erm, I don’t want to muck it up.” He didn’t look at me, he was looking at his hands. I was shocked. We trusted each other but it was rare he was truly vulnerable, especially of his own accord. I slipped my hand into his and squeezed slightly. His eyes traveled up to mine. 

“I’m sure that whatever way you ask she will love it. You’re a special guy Freddie, you will think of something.” He smiled at me. I hope my hint didn’t fall on deaf ears and he understood what I was trying to communicate. “And a tip, you can never go wrong with a chocolate frog and some flowers.” He laughed and squeezed my hand before letting go. 

He ate while I continued to study and it was comfortable. I enjoyed his presence but mentally I was screaming. After the rereading the third paragraph for the fifth time I felt a shift beside me. Fred was standing up and collecting his things. He grabbed his bag and looked at me, I smiled and gave a little wave. 

He grabbed my shoulder, leaned down and pressed a kiss to my forehead. Leaning in, he whispered a thank you and took off down the Great Hall. I watched him disappear out the doors, completely stunned. Suddenly I was whipped around and faced with a shocked Hermione. 

“You better tell me what that was about.” She said sternly. 

As a smile crept onto my face I looked at her and let out an airy laugh. “Honestly ‘Mione, I don’t know.” 

That day had passed and some more, it was now the weekend before the ball. I was still dateless but I still held out hope as Fred was as well. Hermione had nagged me all week to tell her what was going on, once I finally confessed she screamed an ‘I knew it’. As much as her teasing got annoying it was quite nice being able to talk to someone about it and share the little moments I had with someone, we often spent our nights trying to decode what Fred had said to me and Ron to her. She told me about Krum and his incessant pestering, he had asked her three times before she said yes, giving up hope that Ron would ask. 

I tried to keep her spirits up, Krum was much more of a gentleman and he was kind. It was better than nothing. 

“Morning!” Ginny yelled bursting through the room. I shrieked and pulled my pants on faster, trying to cover up. “Sorry!” She yelled and covered her eyes. I laughed as she slowly moved her hand to make sure I was covered before fully looking at me. 

“It’s dress day!” She squealed. I smiled back, Ginny was attending the ball with Neville. Hermione and I knew she fancied Harry but just like Ron he never mustered up the courage to ask her so she went with a friend. 

Hermione knocked on the door before coming in. I walked over and nudged Ginny. “Did you see that? That’s what normal people do, knock.” She rolled her eyes and nudged me back making me laugh. Ginny was a dear friend of mine, her and I shared a similar sense of humor and she often told me secrets about the twins so I could torture them. She noticed my liking for Fred long before Hermione, Since her first year she’s been teasing me about it. I didn’t mind though, it was nice coming from her. She always ended a brutal joke by calling me her favorite sister. 

“Are you two ready? The train is going to leave soon.” Hermione pulled us out of our moment and we nodded, happily skipping down stairs. 

“And where are you three lovely ladies headed.” George spoke from behind us at the portrait hole. Fred ran up behind him pulling on his F sweater and trying to fix his hair as fast as possible. He looked up and I waved, he returned my gesture with a smile. 

“Probably the same as you.” Ginny said turning back around, she pulled me with her. Her speed and strength nearly made me fall down the stairs. 

“Mind if we join you?” I heard Fred ask. Immediately I got excited and nervous at the same time. 

I started to say yes when Ginny cut me off. 

“To buy dresses?” She snorted. I sent her a glare she didn’t see. Still being pulled down the stairs I couldn’t turn around and non-verbally answer without falling flat on my face. 

“Just to Hogsmeade in general.” George replied. 

I looked to Ginny pleadingly. We already had a similar conversation with Harry, then Ron, who we both turned down saying it was a ‘girls trip only’. She caught onto my stare and rolled her eyes. 

“On the train then you leave us, we won’t have your boyness ruining our girls day.” Finally we reached the bottom of the steps. I turned to see George rolling his eyes and Fred pouting. I managed to shoot them a thumbs up before Ginny grabbed my arm and pulled me forward again. 

The train ride was fun. The boys talked about their plan to stalk up on Zonko products and Honeydukes candies. I reminded them of their debt to me to which they reminded me of my ‘girls day’ so we agreed it would be paid on the next trip. Fred was uncharacteristically quiet. He spent most of the ride looking out the window and messing with his hands. I placed my hand on his bouncing knee looking up at him. His head whipped around to face me, eyes wide.

“You alright love?” I asked quietly, in case he wasn’t I wouldn’t be announcing it to the whole compartment. He nodded his face curling up in a sweet smile that my stomach tie itself in knots and my breathing faltered. 

“Never better love.” He replied. His hand came and softly wrapped itself around mine. I smiled looking at our intertwined hands. He continued to look out the window for the rest of the ride but he was no longer fidgeting or shaking his leg. 

Arriving at Hogsmeade we said our goodbyes and separated. I dramatically reached my arm out for the twins as Ginny and Hermione pulled me towards the dress shop. They laughed at my performance before turning around walking towards the many shops George said they would be visiting. Turning myself around I noticed both Ginny and Hermione staring at me. 

“What?!” I shared a glance between the two. 

“What were you and Fred whispering about on the train?” Hermione asked. 

“We all saw you holding hands by the way.” Ginny pretended to gag after she said this, making me laugh. 

I groaned. “Nothing really, he didn’t ask me if that’s what you are wondering.” I threw my face in my hands. Hermione gently peeled my hands away. 

“He will, don’t worry.” I tried to smile at her but I could barely muster one up. 

Ginny unlinked her arm with mine to open the door to the dress shop. Walking in I saw at least three levels, all lined with beautifully made gowns and skirts. I heard both Ginny and Hermione squeal as they lunged toward some rack up front. I laughed but squealed myself as I looked around. Everything looked so magical, as a witch this shouldn’t surprise me but I had never seen such beautifully made gowns before. 

I looked through the racks, not thinking much or really liking anything enough to try it on. Moving up the levels I continued my search until I found it. 

There was a mannequin in front of a display, every few seconds she would twirl or strike a pose, displaying her clothes. She was wearing a black corset. It stopped under the collarbone, the sleeves were made of a sheer fabric and had an intricate design sewn in them with lace, they covered the whole shoulder and puffed out a bit. The skirt was white. It had many layers, all the same length but with ribbon sewn across the semi sheer fabric so it looked tiered. I immediately knew this was the dress for me. I quickly scanned the racks trying to find my size in the skirt and corset. 

I tried it on and paid as soon as it was off. Hermione caught me coming out of her dressing room. She ran up to me.

“You got yours already?” I nodded and gestured towards the woman who was delicately wrapping it up to place it in a bag. Her eyes widened and fear set into my stomach, what if she hated it. 

“Oh Y/N! You are going to look so beautiful!” She wrapped me into a hug that I eagerly returned before slipping off into another isle. I walked back to the cashier and took my bag from her thanking her. 

“Would you mind telling those two I went to the Three Broomsticks.” The woman nodded and I smiled at her. 

I made my way back to the front of the shop. I was excited about my dress and the dance I had forgotten I didn’t have a date. Lost in thought I bumped into someone while leaving the shop. 

“My bad!” I said backing up to let them through. I recognized them as three Hufflepuffs’ a year above me. 

“No worries.” One of them said walking past. I let them pass before going back to the door to leave. As I did I caught part of their conversation.

“Did you see Fred ask Angelina out in Honeydukes?! It was the cutest!” 

“Oh I know! And how he spelt her name out with jellybeans, it was adorable.” 

I froze. My body felt cold and heavy all at the same time. Using the little strength I had left I turned around. 

“I’m sorry, did you say Fred? As in Fred Weasley?” The girls whipped around and nodded frantically. One of them went to say something but I cut her off already having heard too much. “Hm, cute.” 

The cold air hit my face as I walked away from the shop. It didn’t help the stinging in my eyes or pain in my lungs and I trudged forward. I made it to the Three Broomsticks and tucked myself in a booth in the corner. The room was empty except for a few Ravenclaws reading so I turned back around and stared at the wall as I felt myself push over the brink. Tears streamed down my cheeks with their own ferocity. I shook as silent sobs wracked through my body. I stayed there, crying and heaving for I don’t know how long. Eventually  I put my head down as my eyes dried, unable to form any more tears I stared at my shoes. 

How could I be so stupid to think that he liked me? My eyes welled up again, something I wasn’t even sure was possible and another sob wracked through my body. This one made noise so I quickly bit my tongue to stop myself for notifying anyone around me. The pain was overwhelming but I didn’t stop until I tasted iron on my tongue and my mouth felt more wet than usual. 

I sat there swallowing my blood and trying to breath normally. Eventually I felt a presence. I looked up to see Hermione and Ginny standing over me confused. 

“He asked Angelina. He never liked me.” They both looked at each other and then me. I relayed what happened to them and they comforted me. I sat with my head on Hermione’s shoulder sniffling and kicking my dress under the table. 

Not any good now. 

We sat there until the next scheduled train time. Only being there for a few hours we were one of the only ones to return that early. I trudged back to the common room where Ron and Harry sat on the couch. They watched us walk in, Harry immediately stood up after seeing me. I tried to walk past him but he caught me in his arms. I didn’t bother to hug him back. I just stood there, feeling uncomfortable and cold. He pulled off of me when he felt me not hug back, still holding onto me he looked between Ginny and Hermione. 

“What happened?” I stood there, cringing slightly as they went over what happened. Harry looked back at me and sent me a sympathetic smile. 

“Oi, since when did Y/N like Fred?!” Ron asked from the couch. I felt like I could fall over right then. Wanting nothing more than to disappear I moved my head and sent him a glare. 

“Are you really that thick Ronald? She’s liked him since they met and your idiotic brother just broke her heart. Honestly if you paid any attention to the people around you instead of the food on your plate you would notice these things. Maybe even notice when someone is interested in you!” Hermione huffed out. She turned red realizing what she had said and looked away from him. 

“Who fancies me?” Ron asked sitting up. Hermione huffed again and hugged her bag to her chest storming upstairs. 

“I’ll kill him.” Ginny said from behind me. 

“Not without me you aren’t.” Harry said. The two smiled at each other. 

“I’ll help, he can be bloody awful sometimes, still need to get him back from turning my hair green.” Ron said leaning back. 

I looked at him. “No offense Ron but are you completely unaware of anything that just happened or are you choosing to be a git?” His eyes widened and he raised his arms defensively. 

“Don’t take your anger out on me! I didn’t break your bloody heart.” As the words left his lips he muttered a small ‘oh’, realizing his actions weren’t helping the situation at all. He jumped off the couch and gave me a small awkward hug before stepping back and patting me on the head. Any  other day I would have been amused at his cluelessness but today I didn’t have the strength. 

Harry looked at him like he just strangled a puppy. He swiftly smacked him on the head. 

“I’m gonna, erm, go now.” I said. I gripped my bag tighter, the dress seemed to gain more weight the more I resented it. I walked over to the stairs when Harry called my name again. Turning around so I could see him he looked at me with the same intensity he did when we talked after his name was chosen. 

“I meant what I said. I’ll kill him.” I smiled before muttering a ‘whatever’ and waving them off. Too emotionally drained to say or do anything about his protectiveness. I felt like an idiot, I felt like I had climbed one of the biggest mountains only for it to cave in and swallow me whole and throwing me into the deepest and darkest part of the earth. I was now below ground at this point. 

I spent the next few days in my dorm. Hermione would bring me food and ask me to come hang out and enjoy the break but I always waved her off, I either had a book to read or an essay to do. She would give up and walk out of the room eventually. She knew why, I was too afraid of seeing Fred, knowing well Harry, Ron, and Ginny have told him everything by now. I couldn’t take the extra embarrassment, I hadn’t fully recovered from my last blow. The dress had been discarded under my bed. Still in its wrapping and the bag I just threw it out of sight. 

Taking a bite out of my toast I flipped through pride and prejudice. I envied Lizzy for having her affections returned. Getting lost in the book was one way I managed to escape. I snuck out late at night, surely when everyone was asleep to go sit in the common room for a change of scenery, a few times I walked up to the astronomy tower and looked at the stars. Besides being deathly cold it was peaceful. Learning from past mistakes I made sure to bring blankets or an extra jacket when I ventured out. I had a few goodies and pillows stuffed in an empty cabinet so I didn’t need to lug all my things out at once. The astronomy tower had become my space. I really enjoyed it there, it was quiet and peaceful and not once was I disturbed, that could have equally been due to the time I would go but no matter to me, it was my space. 

A knock at the door pulled me away from the world that had engulfed me in my book. I groaned, signaling to whoever was out there that they could come in. The door didn’t open, they just knocked again. I groaned, louder this time, nothing happened so I threw down my book and toast and walked to the door. I opened it expecting to see Hermione but Harry was there instead. 

“Harry?” He didn’t respond, he just engulfed me into a hug. Finally he pulled away and looked at me. I knew he was judging my appearance but I didn’t care much, I wasn’t leaving my room so there was no need to look good or try. I wore old clothes that barely fit, my eyes were red from my lack of sleep and there were definite bags under them. My hair was thrown up into a messy bun, the lack of effort evident as it barely held up. 

“Y/N…” He took me in. Not letting him eye me up and down I turned and returned to my scrunched position on my bed and picked up my book. Harry stood in the doorway awkwardly. Any other time I would have laughed at him for his lame social skills but I didn’t have the energy today. 

“So, what brings you here?” I asked, not looking up from my book. I wasn’t reading it. I just didn’t want to see the way he looked at me. His eyes were full of pity and I didn’t want that. I just wanted to sulk alone and he was throwing a wrench in my plans. 

“I haven’t seen you in days.” I hummed a response and picked up my toast. “Y/N you gotta get out of here.” I put my book down and looked at him. 

“Have you gone mad?” I was suddenly angry. How could he tell me to do that. Throw myself back out there and get destroyed again. “I am not leaving this room until classes pick back up.” I huffed. He walked over and sat at the end of the bed. 

“You and I are going to hang out with Ron and Hermione today. Ginny agreed to join. We are going to visit Hagrid and walk up to the Shrieking shack, we all miss you. I think Hermione is going mad not having you around and Ginny keeps complaining that her favorite sister is missing.” I smiled before the pain set back in. She only called me her sister because she knew I liked Fred. 

“Harry I’m sorry. I can’t. What if he’s there, I feel like a total idiot and…” He cut me off. “Y/N, I will drag you out of this bed if you do not get up and come with us. We miss you ok, if anything happens we will be there.” I groaned and threw my head in my hands. I knew this was going to happen. I was going to lose one of my friends because my feelings got in the way. Ginny kept asking me to stay with her at the burrow, I could never agree now. Fred hates me. Tears welled up in my eyes, it was a feeling I was very familiar with lately. 

I nodded giving in. I stood up and pushed through some drawers trying to find some appropriate clothes while holding in my tears. Watching me get up he walked toward the door. 

“Today will be brilliant, I promise.” 

My attempt to dodge the plans didn’t work. After Harry shut the door I showered, got dressed and tried my best to cover up the signs I was crying. I looked tired but if you didn’t look too closely I looked nice. I walked over to the door but ended up standing there. I was afraid to move, afraid to see him, afraid of him seeing me. I didn’t have the courage to ask if Harry spoke with him. He probably did, I didn’t want to hear my second hand rejection. After about ten minutes Harry opened the door. I looked at him furiously shaking my head no. 

“I thought this might happen.” Hope swelled up as I thought he would give in and leave me alone. “Ron! I need you!” 

“What?!” I yelled. He sent me a sympathetic look before turning back to the door. I looked at the doorway where Ron had just made his way up the steps. 

“Nice to see you Y/N.” He greeted as both Harry and him starting walking towards me. Realization struck at what they were planning on doing and I scrambled to get away. Ron and Harry picked up their pace and cornered me. I gave them both a pleading look, silently asking for them to leave me alone. “Sorry.” They both repeated the phrase as they locked their arms under mine and pulled me toward the door. I squirmed a bit and tried to fight but as we passed the door I figured it was no use. They were both much stronger than me. 

I made it to the bottom of the steps where Hermione and Ginny were whispering. Ron and Harry let go of me and stood in front of the entrance to the dorms like deranged bouncers. 

Hermione looked up and ran towards me, engulfing me in a tight hug. “I miss you.” I nodded and patted her back, just trying to get this day over with. 

Meeting with Hagrid was nice, his warm house always felt comforting and I stayed curled up in an armchair with Fang the majority of the time. I didn’t talk much unless someone had talked to me. When we left Hagrid patted my back gently and gave me a small smile. “I hope yer feel better Potter.” I smiled back and nodded. His gruff voice gave a hum and I jogged up to the group who were a little ways ahead of me. 

The way to the Shrieking Shack was filled with talk over the next task. Hermione and Harry talked about the egg. Ginny hung onto my arm as we navigated across the uneven ground stabling each other. Eventually after watching Ron fall for the third time I grabbed him and locked our arms. He smiled at me and I smiled back. It didn’t feel as forced this time. The heavy feeling on my shoulders lifted as we walked. Their company mending small parts of my soul in a comfortable silence. 

Standing outside the fence of the Shrieking Shack we all hesitated before we continued. We knew what it looked like but it was still slightly creepy. Hermione brought up a few times how it would be cool to explore the house. Ron disagreed immediately, Harry was indifferent but I was, or used to be, bloody excited. The closer we got the harder Ron’s grip became on my arm and the slower his movement became. 

“Merlin Ron, speed it up would you?” He looked at me swallowing, nodding he did as I asked. Looking forward Harry and Hermione had turned and were staring at me, I realized I hadn’t spoken since we were at Hagrid's. I just shrugged and urged them forward. 

“So, who is going in first.” Ginny asked as we all stopped outside the front door. 

“I’m bloody not.” Ron replied grumpily. We all shared a laugh at him and got quiet again. I felt like everyone was staring at me so I shrugged. 

“Move aside then.” Harry smiled as I pushed the door open. The house grumbled as I walked in. The familiar moving feeling set in as I took a few steps forward. Looking around I saw soft light filtering in through one of the rooms, I walked toward it. I walked into the living room, it was the only room that looked nice. The rest of the house was destroyed but this one had been fixed up. Small candles were floating in the air and the fireplace was roaring. The couch was stocked with a ton of blankets, the table in front of it had a shelf filled with a few books, games and a basket. On the top of the table were chocolate frogs and green daisies. I felt out of place. 

“I think we are interrupting someone’s date.” I called back, still admiring the room. When I turned around no one was there. 

“Y/N.” Turning back around I saw Fred walking towards me. I felt my breathing halt and my eyes tear up. I looked around the room, anywhere but him, expecting to see Angelina pop out of wherever he was. 

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to disrupt your d-date. I will be going now.” I turned around and tried to run to the door. Before I could even step away he grabbed my wrist and pulled me back to him. The sudden action caused me to become flush against him. He wrapped his arms around me like I was going to break, holding me gently but tightly against his chest. I was frozen in place, I didn’t breathe, I just waited for him to speak. 

“Y/N, I didn’t ask Angelina, George did.” The breath I was holding in suddenly released. I felt relief wash over me, then like a thousand bricks, guilt hit me. I pulled my head away to look at him and pulled my hands up to rest on his chest. 

“You didn’t?” My eyes were still teary and he was slightly blurry. One of his hands came up and cupped my cheek, his thumb brushed away a stray tear. 

“No, I-I wanted to ask you. Then you left and I thought you found out about it and left to avoid me, that was, until I got back and got tackled by Ginny and Harry.” I laughed at the thought of them tackling him. 

“You want to go with me?” I blurted out, realizing what he said. He smiled at me, the arm around my waist tightened. 

“If you will have me, yes. I understand if you don’t want to, after I made you cry.” He looked sadly at the floor, his smile gone. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him down into a tight hug. He reacted immediately, wrapping his arms around me tightly. 

“Of course I want to go with you Freddie.” I spoke into his neck. He squeezed me and lifted me up spinning. I squealed and held onto him tighter instinctively wrapping my legs around his waist. One of his hands trailed down under my thigh to help support me in the new position. He stopped spinning and I pulled away to see him. 

Some of his long hair had fallen into his face. I lifted a hand and brushed it away and tucked some behind his ear. His smile grew brighter and his face got a little warmer. I let my hand fall slightly, cradling his jaw. His eyes looked into mine and in that moment I felt complete. As we stared at each other I watched as his eyes would dart from my eyes to my lips. 

“May I?” He asked and leaned his head closer to mine. I didn’t answer verbally, I just closed the gap between us. Our lips moved against each other trying to find a rhythm and balance. Once we did it was perfect, our lips moved against each other in sync. He squeezed my thigh causing me to gasp, he used that to his advantage as he slid his tongue into my mouth and I let him, grabbing tighter onto his neck. I ran my fingers through his hair and tugged slightly at the hair at the bottom of his neck. The moment was perfect. 

For two seconds. 

Immediately we heard whooping and cheering along with a loud banging noise. Fred tightened his grip on me as we looked around. Turning we saw Ginny, Ron, and Hermione cheering. Harry was there banging on the window. Fred put me down and I laughed at them. Fred ushered them off which they did. Harry didn’t leave before glaring at Fred and mouthing a threatening ‘I’m watching you’. 

He turned back to me. “Should I be worried?” He asked. 

I shrugged. “No, I don’t think so, unless you break my heart.”

“Good thing I wasn’t planning on it.” I smiled up to him. Standing on my toes I pecked his cheek before pulling him to the couch. Fred had prepared a small station with books and games for us to pass the time as well as a whole meal tucked away in the basket. 

“This is beyond perfect Freddie, I don’t know how to thank you.” I said looking around. It was all just so amazing I was afraid I was dreaming. I looked back to the boy in front of me. He was looking at me, smiling. 

“You can... thank me by agreeing to my girlfriend.” He said scooting closer to me on the couch. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and I brought my hand up to his chest. 

“Did I not already?” I asked. He laughed but looked back at me expectantly. He wanted a real answer. “Yes!” I rolled my eyes at him but didn’t stop the smile spreading to my face. He smiled back and we kissed. This one lasted much longer not being interrupted and already having a rhythm down. When we pulled apart for air we were both panting slightly. 

“I wouldn’t mind doing that more often.” He said, smirking. I smacked him playfully and reached over to grab a chocolate frog. The rest of the day was spent eating and talking and enjoying each other's company. We didn’t pick up a book or game Fred had prepared, too infatuated with each other.

[reidingmelodies]

Dinos and Tigers and Donuts, Oh My!

Summary: Spencer wanted one thing this year: for your kids to plan his perfect Father’s Day Pairing: Spencer Reid x fem!Reader Includes: dad!Spencer, heavy mentions of Father’s Day, mentions and consumption of food Category: Fluff Word Count: 2.6k A/N: This isn’t my favorite, but it’s been sitting in my drafts for awhile all the same! Happy Sunday ♥️

 When Spencer was called away on cases your house seemed to lose a bit of its charm.  Mornings felt more tiring than ever before, the afternoon slumps dragged on for what seemed like years, and dinners, even with babbling five and seven-year-olds at your side, were a little too quiet.

This time around though, things were different.  You woke up to your five-year-old daughter sitting by your feet, her mind preoccupied by one of the search and find books Spencer had bought her the week prior.

The space next to you was empty, a piece of paper lying where your husband previously was, and you knew exactly what it was going to say before you even picked it up.

Good morning, love,

I got called on a case this morning, but it’s local and the team thinks we can wrap it up by tonight.  The kids both ate breakfast- and PSA that they were a little too excited I was going to be gone for the day.  I don’t know what they’re planning, but good luck.  I love you, and I’ll see you soon.

-Spencer

Unlike Spencer, you knew exactly what the kids were excited for, and it had everything to do with Father’s Day being tomorrow- you just hoped he would be home in time to celebrate like he predicted.

You folded the letter and placed it in your nightstand along with the others you’ve found gracing his pillow in years past when your bedroom door opened just the slightest amount.

In walked your seven-year-old son, comically exaggerating his tip toe motions as he stage whispered to his sister.  

“Is Mommy still sleeping?” He shifted his gaze in your direction, all effort to keep quiet out the window when he saw your eyes meet his.

“Mom! Guess what?” you opened your mouth to respond, but your daughter beat you to the punch.

“Daddy left for a work trip this morning!  So, we can make our plan today while he isn’t here!”

There was no denying that your kids loved their daddy, that was for sure.

“That’s so great!” you matched their enthusiasm with ease, getting ready for the day while they kept brainstorming in the background.  

Just last week, you had asked Spencer what he wanted to do for Father’s Day over dinner, and the children were as attentive as ever, eyes wide and lips pursed as they waited to hear the plans for the big day.

But, to their amusement, Spencer’s only plan was that they plan the entire day.  His reasoning was that they were the reason he was a dad so they should be the ones to decide what to do, but really you knew the truth was that he overheard their whispers about having the perfect plan for his day.

A plan you were finally going to be let in on, so it seemed.

The three of you made your way down to the kitchen where you settled down with your breakfast, eyebrows raised in enjoyment at your children.  They were sat across from you with a stash of markers and fresh index cards, and they had a few stacks of previously filled out index cards resting along the center of the table.

Ah- so that’s where they’re going with this.

It had become a bit of a family tradition to have a family scavenger hunt whenever you had a full weekend together.  You and Spencer were all too familiar with the concept of cherishing the time you have with your loved ones, and there were many a weekend where Spencer was called away, or you were busy with a million other plans ranging from extended family gatherings to birthday parties or weddings.

It was all the more reason to make the moments where it was just the four of you count even more- and thus, family scavenger hunts were born.

When they were toddlers, the scavenger hunts centered around finding certain shapes or colors, be it in the house or at the park.  Once every item was checked off you would have a family outing of their choice: the go to choice used to be another trip to the park (the one with the ‘fancier’ slides this time), but with the upgrade to slightly harder scavenger hunts centered on science and math they’ve upped their prize to ice cream.

What could you say? They were Spencer’s kids through and through.

“Wow!” you exclaimed, relishing in the beaming smiles on their faces, “do you guys want to make a scavenger hunt for daddy?”

Two enthusiastic faces nodded eagerly in your direction as your son grabbed one of the red markers.

“Yes! And we can have dino pancakes in the morning and get donuts after our scavenger hunt at the zoo- all of daddy’s favorite things!”

Dino pancakes were a Sunday morning staple in your home- you would use a cookie cutter to cut out a dinosaur shaped pancake, and the kids would eat those while you and Spencer would eat the ones with the dinosaur outline in them (and a few regular ones for good measure).  But donuts instead of ice cream?  That was new.

“That’s a great idea, I’m so proud of you guys for working together to plan this,” you praised, “but why donuts?”

Your daughter peered up from the index card she was drawing flowers on to answer your question, “because they’re daddy’s favorite and it’s daddy’s day!”

“And for our scavenger hunt we want all the animals to spell out ‘best dad ever’,” your son tacked on at the end, already beginning the task of writing numbers and circling them on the front of the card.

That was another newfound tradition for your family.  Now that the kids were learning to read, the two of you would try to have the first letter of each answer spell out a certain word or phrase.  Sometimes, it would be something like ‘I love you’ or ‘hello’, other times it would be the name of a special someone that would be joining you for ice cream afterwards (so far ‘Aunt Penny’ and ‘Uncle D’ were their favorite ones to come across).

You grinned once more, moving to grab your laptop and pulling the Smithsonian’s National Zoo site up to look at their list of animals.

“Alright, my loves- let’s do this”.

***

Three hours, eleven index cards, one snack break, and two very patient children later, your scavenger hunt was finished, index cards clipped and ready to go for the following morning.

Each index card had blank slots, the number of which corresponded to the name of the animal, on the front of the card with three fun facts written on the back.  In retrospect, Spencer wouldn’t even need the slots (or more than one fun fact, to be fair), but you knew he’d make a show of trying to think of each and every animal tomorrow afternoon.

Yet another reason you loved him.

The rest of the day passed by in a blur, all of your energy going into spending time with your kids. But once they went to bed, that energy was refocused into prepping for tomorrow to take your mind off the fact that it was nearing 10 PM and your husband wasn’t there.

You couldn’t bear to think of your kids disappointment if he didn’t make it home that night.

Outfits out and pancakes ready to be made, you made your way to the couch when the clock struck 11:30 PM, ready to settle in for a movie while you awaited his return but there was no need- as you walked into the room your husband made his way through the front door.  He looked as exhausted as ever, but the glimmer in his eyes proclaimed what you knew to be true.

He was happy to be home.

***

7 AM the next morning found you face to face with two wide eyed children gently shaking you awake, joy radiating from them as they saw that their father was fast asleep next to you.

With much persuasion in the form of puppy dog eyes, you made your way out of bed and into the kitchen to start the first task of the day: dino pancakes.  

Your little helpers set the table and brought Spencer’s gifts from the coat closet and into the dining room in the meantime, and as you placed the last pancake on a plate two arms wrapped around you and pulled you back tightly.

“Good morning, darling,” his raspy morning voice brought a soft smile to your face, and you leaned your head back to kiss his lips in greeting.

“Happy Father’s Day, Spence,” you laid another kiss against his lips, pulling back as the patter of little feet made their way into the kitchen.

“Daddy!  Happy Father’s Day!”

“Daddy!  Come see your gifts and eat pancakes!”

Two little voices fought for the spotlight, and Spencer kneeled to the ground to wrap the both of them in a hug.  You laughed at the scene, watching as they squeezed him just as hard before grabbing onto his arm and leading him to the dining room table.

“C’mon, Dad,” your son pulled his chair out and pushed his gifts closer to his seat, “let’s eat and open gifts!”

“Gifts?  You guys know I don’t want anything,” his brows furrowed as he looked at you, but you shrugged your eyes and took a bite of your pancakes in response.

“You always say that,” you rightly claimed, “and we always buy you gifts anyway- it’s practically tradition”.

You had a point, there.

Breakfast passed by in a blur of conversation, dad jokes, and present unwrapping.  And just like that, Spencer was the owner of new books to pass his time on the jet, a 5k puzzle you were sure he’d solve in an hour flat, and a homemade Father’s Day shirt with your children’s handprints decorating a globe, the words ’Best Dad in the WORLD!!!’ gracing the blank space.

His eyes sparkled when he saw the shirt, and you swore you’ve never been happier to call that man your husband and the father of your children.

Granted, that thought passed your mind no less than fifteen times a day, but still.

Within the hour, the four of you were out the door and on the way to the zoo, Spencer’s Father’s Day shirt proudly on display.

You drove with a grin, the radio turned off in favor of listening to your children explain today’s scavenger hunt to Spencer.  They were practically giving a word for word verbatim of what the two of you usually told them pre-scavenger hunt, all the more proof that your kids were sponges.

An equally exciting yet terrifying thought.

You were at the zoo within half an hour, your hand intertwined with your son’s while your daughter latched onto her father, everyone eager to start the scavenger hunt.

“Alright, guys,” Spencer began, “what’s our first clue?”

“Mommy can read it!” your daughter piped up and you nodded, grabbing the small pile from her hands before reading the first card of the day.

“Okay, so!  This animal has six letters in its name, and your three fun facts are: whiskers help this animal detect objects around them which helps them navigate the dark, they’re the largest rodents in North America, and when they’re in danger they slap their tail on the surface of the water” you finished your explanation and watched as Spencer’s eyes lit up in recognition, but just as you predicted he dragged the process out instead of guessing right away.

“Hm, it sounds like we should go to the rodent exhibit first!” He proclaimed, and your kids nodded, walking in a row like little ducklings to the exhibit.

The four of you took your time looking at each of the animals, until you came face to face with the animal in question.  “Aha! I think the animal we’re looking for is a beaver,” his answer was met with cheers from both of your children, and you wrote the answer in the blank slots before continuing with the hunt.

At the end of the hour you added an electric eel, sloth bear, tiger, dama gazelle, alpaca, and degu to the list.  Eight animals down, four to go.

Which was fantastic, considering that your kids were starting to get antsy for donuts.

“Okay, guys!  Are we ready for our next animal?” You were walking hand in hand with Spencer, your kids skipping directly in front of you and eagerly shouting in affirmation at your question.

The four of you stepped to the side, and you grabbed hold of the fourth to last index card before reciting the hints.

“Alright so!  This animal is two words, seven letters in the first word and seven in the second.  They have whiskers that look like mustaches, they’re native to the southwest Amazon Basin, and they have claws on each of their toes but the big one”.

“Hmm.. I don’t know guys, what do you think?” Spencer turned to your children, smiling wide when your son giggled in response.

“We can’t tell you, Dad! It’s a secret”.

Spencer laughed, sighing in defeat as your daughter gestured for him to come closer.  He did as asked, leaning down until she able to reach his ear, “I think we should go to the monkey exhibit!”

Her not so quiet whisper brought a smile to both yours and Spencer’s faces, and a grimace to your son’s but to the monkeys you went, where you came face to face with an Emperor Tamarin.

From there you crossed a Von der Decken’s Hornbill and an Eld’s Deer off your list until you had one animal left.

“Alright, my love- last one! This animal is two words, three letters in the first one and five in the second.  They mainly eat bamboo, their fur acts like a camouflage when they climb in trees, and they live in temperate forests in the Himalayas,” you finished your spiel with a quick eyebrow raise towards your children, both of which were not so discreetly pointing at the red panda exhibit just a few feet away.

“Is it a red panda?” Spencer asked, giving both your kids high fives when they jumped up and down in excitement.

“Yay Daddy, you got it! And guess what all of the first letters spell? Best dad ever!” your daughter jumped into his arms and Spencer chuckled, spinning her around and laying a gentle kiss on her head.

“Is that so?” he asked, “you three are too nice to me”.

Truthfully, you didn’t think it was possible to be too nice to Spencer.

“How about our last surprise for Daddy now, my loves?” your question was met with enthusiasm from your little family, and you were back in your car and on your way to Spencer’s favorite bakery in ten minutes flat.

As you pulled up to the bakery, two eager children and one extremely happy father made plans as to what donuts they were going to eat.

It was decided that Spencer would get a chocolate frosted donut with sprinkles, your son would get a glazed donut, and your daughter would get jelly.

And you? You had every intention to get your favorite too, but above all you were just happy that another amazing Father’s Day was in the books for Spencer.

The seventh of many.

***

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[titan-fodder]

Prima Vista Part VIII

[ previous ]

Rating: E (explicit; mdni) Pairing: Mike Zacharias x fem!reader wc: ~13.2k

Warnings: this one fucking hurts, pining, stupid decisions, miscommunications, explicit sexual content (it’s time for something we’ve been waiting for), yet another party, angst A/N: Read this, but before you murder me remember there’s one more after this. Also, this isn’t the big thing you’ve been waiting for, but I know it’s something a lot of people have wanted to see. Enjoy this ouchie. 

Mike doesn’t feel human when he wakes up. He’s nearly positive he no longer is—body taken over by some creature of the bog with toxic breath. Jesus, what the fuck happened last night?

 Blinking hurts. Shifting his leg hurts. His chest is fucking killing him, feels like he bruised his god damn sternum, and when he moves to sit up in a bed that is not his, overwhelming nausea has Mike groaning and covering his mouth with one hand. 

 “He has risen,” a vaguely familiar baritone voice rings through the air, loud enough to make Mike wave his other hand in an attempt to mute it. Erwin chuckles, paying him no attention apparently as he speaks again, “Good timing, too. I just came to drop this off.”

 Mike tries to focus his bleary eyes on the nightstand where his friend sets down a bottle of water, a bigger bottle of Gatorade, and several liquid gel pills. 

 “Chill here for as long as you need. I’m just watching the pledges clean downstairs. Want me to bring the trash can over?” Erwin’s concern can’t entirely hide the amusement in his voice. It’s irritating, but also… Mike needs that trash can.

 “Yeah,” he croaks through his palm. “Thanks.”

 Erwin nods and grabs the little plastic bin, setting it down next to the bed. Mike considers just picking it up and sitting with it in his lap, but he doesn’t know if he’ll be able to stay upright for long enough.

 “I’ll be downstairs. If you need anything, you’ll just have to yell because your phone is definitely sitting in a bag of rice in the kitchen right now.”

 “What?” Mike frowns. How even…

 “It got wet,” Erwin states, like that clarifies anything. “Probably in the shower.”

 “Why was I—”

 “We can talk about it when you’re less…” Erwin gestures to Mike’s face with one finger and grimaces as he finishes, “Green. You didn’t do anything too terrible, though, so you can rest easy.”

 He leaves, and Mike chokes down the pills and a few gulps of water before gently laying back down. He has to retrace metaphorical footsteps to get to the last thing he remembers from the night before, and it’s body shots off some blonde clone. His order of events goes: hanging out with Rhi, talking with you and Erwin, Zeke showing up, catching Eren mid-roofie attempt and throwing him out, getting mad at Nile, and then just a lot of drinking. Too much. Of different kinds. That had been dumb. 

 He thinks he spent a little while in the bathroom. Erwin was there. And, Nile came and went. He thinks he may have heard your voice a few times but can’t be sure, and honestly, trying to recall anything from the period of time his brain was literally incapable of processing new memories is a pretty big waste of time.

 Mike spends most of the day in Erwin’s room. He drifts in and out of restless sleep, waking up to drink his water and Gatorade. At some point, one of the kids, Jean, knocks on the door and drops a bowl of soup off, mumbles, “Erwin told me to bring this up here.” Mike hasn’t spent a ton of time around the current pledge class, but Erwin must like Jean if he trusted the kid enough to give him his room code. 

 The soup settles his stomach enough to move around a little more. His headache ebbs into a dull throb, and the sharp ache in his chest fades into that of a bruise. By around five o'clock, Mike is finally able to amble downstairs, give everyone a tired wave, mumble his thanks to Erwin, then drive himself to his apartment. 

 He's still trying to piece together what happened the night before, but he just ends up more confused than before, so he decides to put it behind him and move on. Everyone deserves a wild night every once in a while. 

 *

 Thanksgiving nears. Mike has already made plans to go home to his parents which means he has to turn down the Pike house Friendsgiving offer that Erwin extends to him. 

 He tells Mike that Nile and Hitch will be there, but Marie might show her face, "So, that will be interesting." 

 Some of the brothers who can't make it home will attend. Erwin is bringing Maddie who Mike hasn't heard about in several months, but he's pretty sure that's just to throw him off the scent of whatever Erwin has going on with you. You, who will also be in attendance because apparently your mom opted to go on a girls trip instead of face the family. Mike can't blame her. 

 He thinks maybe he should reach out to you, to ask about the night he blacked out because he has a feeling you can give him some details that others can't, but Erwin assures Mike that you were only in the bathroom with him for a short time. "Just long enough to see you rip your shirt which she seemed a little too happy about."

 Mike doesn't know what he'd say to you anyway. Even after learning that Zeke had blocked his number in your phone. He's still mad that you let the fucker get close enough to do that in the first place, that you had chosen him. It's a wound that just won't heal. Any time he sees you or hears your name, all Mike can think about is why he wasn't good enough. 

 So, he keeps distancing himself. It seems like the most appropriate thing he can do until he decides he'll be able to have a conversation with you without blowing up. 

 Mike's parents are happy to see him when he walks in the door. Scout jumps on him until he picks her up and holds her like the puppy she is not. He isn't surprised when his mom asks about you, if you and Mike sorted things out. The question hurts even if he was expecting it, seems like yesterday you were walking around the house like you'd always been a part of it. 

 Lying is the easiest path to take. He tells his parents that you had to go home for the break, that you couldn't split up your time between two families in just four days, and, of course, they buy it. 

 Thanksgiving day is nice enough. The family travels a couple cities over to Mike's aunt and uncle's house. It's much bigger, has room for the relatives that are able to make it. There are traditional Greek dishes as well as the usual turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, etc. A few pictures here and there, entertaining his younger cousins—it's a good time. 

 Until Mike checks his various social media apps and sees the pictures from Friendsgiving.

 They're tame, nothing wildly inappropriate, but they still make Mike scowl as he thumbs through them. 

 One of Nile cutting into the turkey, of Reiner ripping into a drumstick, Connie hoarding all of the cranberry sauce while his best friend, a girl named Sasha, does the same with the deviled eggs. Gelgar looks to be crying with a dot of potato salad in his hair. Marie is indeed there, glaring in the background of a photo where Nile and Hitch are tapping beer bottles together with silly smiles. She looks much happier in the shot of her and Maddie sitting together, laughing over glasses of wine. 

 Mike's heart stutters when he gets to a photo of you aiming to toss food into Reiner's mouth, then of you and Erwin both holding beers in one hand and pointing matching finger guns with the other.

 Thick as fucking thieves. Two peas in a god damn pod. Mike wants to throw his phone out the window of his dad's suburban. 

 There are several more pictures that Mike doesn't bother to look at. He'd like to have a good time with his parents for the remainder of his break, and there's no way he'll be able to do that if he's pissed off. 

 So, he distracts himself. He goes on walks with Scout and plays with her for hours, watches old movies with his mom and dad, calls a couple relatives from overseas to catch up. But, those pictures are seared into the back of his mind, surfacing whenever he has down time. 

 He doesn't have any desire to go back to campus, not if he's gonna see you and Erwin together. His friend can deny it all he wants, but Mike knows something is going on between the two of you, and as he drives back to the college, he finally has the realization that… you might just be a shitty person. 

 Yeah, you have issues, but so does everyone. It doesn't excuse you from—from fucking toying with people, from using them as puppets whenever you need to. Mike wishes he'd never even tempted you to sleep with him that last time. It had felt too good and too right, but apparently you don't feel the same way. You went right back to Zeke once you'd gotten what you wanted, and Mike should have seen that coming. He should have been prepared for it. On some level he knew that's what you'd do, but that never stopped him from hoping that maybe… maybe it would have opened your eyes. 

 Plus, it ruined the entire Jurassic Park franchise for him, so that sucks. 

 He picks up where he left off both in his classes and in his social life. He stays away from PKA as much as he can but still attends meetings when necessary. The lacrosse season is coming to an end, so he tries to make the most of it. Rhi ends up in his bed again, both of them taking what they can from each other. Erwin jokes that he's gonna fall in love with her— "You know what happened the last time you tried to keep it casual," —and Mike nearly decks him in the face. 

 You don't try to talk to him, no texts or calls. When you see each other on campus, you don't spare him more than a sad glance as you pass him. 

 Mike is fine with it. He isn't about to be the one to make the move to talk things out. Honestly, he doesn't know if there's anything to talk out. You dated Zeke, and now you're dating Mike's best friend and trying to hide it. 

 He's mad at both of you, but it's easier to channel that blistering anger toward you rather than Erwin who he has to see on a regular basis. Besides, Erwin has always gotten around. Mike isn't especially surprised that he'd try his hand with you especially after what happened at the ranch house, but fuck, couldn't he have waited until after he and Mike graduated or something? Just disrespectful. That's what it is. 

 *

 "Bro, I do not wanna go to another party," Mike's voice rises in frustration. "Consider me partied the fuck out, okay? I'm tired of 'em."

 "It's not even a party," Erwin tells him. "It's more like a gathering of… like-minded individuals."

 Mike snorts. "Yeah, okay." 

 "I'm not kidding! Like, twelve people at the most. All we're doing is hanging out at the ranch house."

 "Will there be drinking?" Mike questions, moving his head back and forth in a mocking way. 

 Erwin shrugs his shoulders where he sits. "Of course there'll be drinking, but you don't have to partake. I just want you there to chill. Come on, man."

 "Who's going?"

 The blond lists off some of the Friendsgiving group, but he doesn't get to finish because once Erwin utters your name, Mike cuts him off with a loud, "Nope!"

 "Duuuude," Erwin sounds like the frustrated one now, not that he has any right to be. 

 "Don't dude me! Why the fuck would you think I'd have any interest in watching you two giggle and cuddle n' shit."

 "Mike," Erwin groans, rubbing his forehead. "How many times do I have to tell you…"

 "You don't have to tell me anything. I already know what I need to know."

 Standing up, Erwin seems like he's at his wit's end when he barks, "You don't know shit! You're seeing what you want to see without asking either of us! She misses you, dude. I'm just the next best thing."

 "Nice to know your dick game isn't better than mine at least," Mike grumbles. 

 "Jesus Christ, you know what? I don't care. Come to the house, or don't come. Whatever."

 Erwin takes long strides to get to Mike's front door, obviously ready to get away from him. He slams it hard enough to make Mike flinch. 

 He doesn't care how annoyed Erwin is with him. It's partially his fault that Mike doesn't want to go to the gathering, and he should know that. He'll come to understand eventually, and that thought makes it easier for Mike to make his decision. He's not gonna go. He refuses. There's no way. He won't—

 Mike ends up going. 

 After powering through finals and visiting his parents for another few days. He has a mental debate the entire way to the ranch house, swearing to himself, going over the pros and cons. He comes close to turning around more than a few times, but after a couple hours, Mike finally pulls into the large circle drive right behind Levi's black Prius. 

 Erwin is extremely surprised to see him but keeps his mouth closed about it, just tells him, "Room upstairs on the far right is still open."

 Mike drops his stuff off then greets the others—Nile, Gelgar, Reiner, Jean, Marco, and Levi. 

 "Wasn't expecting to see you here," the last states, focused on burning the loose string of his hoodie with a lighter. "Erwin told me you guys had some bullshit argument."

 "Happens sometimes," Mike dismisses as he takes a place on the couch. 

 "I guess. This is why I don't have a lot of friends. Can't put up with stupid shit like that."

 "Oh, is that why?" Mike rolls his eyes. 

 Levi snickers, shaking his head. "Aw man, he was right. You are in a bad mood, aren't ya'? 

 "Man, fuck off."

 They sit in silence for a few minutes. Mike is bouncing his foot where it's thrown over his opposite leg—anxious or angry or some other negative emotion he needs to get rid of. 

 "Party's gonna be a fucking sausage fest," Levi mumbles. 

 Nile passes behind the couch just in time to hear and informs the smaller man, "Not entirely. Maddie, Marie, Hitch, and Mike's little heartbreaker should be getting here soon."

 Mike groans internally but speaks out loud, "This was a mistake. I can't fucking be here if you guys keep talking about her."

 "If you can't handle us talking about her, how're you gonna handle seeing her?" Levi scoffs. 

 Erwin has stocked the bar with craft beer and various wines. Mike considers going ahead and breaking a few bottles open, but he resists—doesn't want a repeat of the forgotten party. 

 They set up a horror video game upstairs and an animated adult series downstairs. Erwin wasn't lying about it being a more relaxed environment than usual, but that doesn't stop Mike's neck from prickling when you arrive with Hitch at around five. Maddie and Marie show up a couple hours later, and Mike can feel the tension that surrounds all four of you. Amusing as it can be, he really doesn't have the patience for cattiness tonight. 

 High quality Chinese food is provided courtesy of Erwin's father's credit card as well as dipped strawberries that Nile keeps feeding Hitch. It gets Marie very heated very quickly, and Maddie has to talk her down in another room. 

 It makes Mike wonder if you would ever let him feed you like that or if you would snort and bat his hand away. What the fuck do you think you're doing, Zacharias? That's couples shit.

 It makes him sigh and slouch on the couch, thankful you're upstairs watching Connie play the most recent Resident Evil. 

 He knows you're not a fan of horror, so the only reason you'd be up there is to avoid Mike. 

 Good. 

 Erwin is the first to open the wine. Maddie won't leave his side, stuck to him like a magnet. The fact that he has to get a drink only furthers Mike's theory that Erwin didn't invite her as a real date. 

 He spends a fair amount of time shooting the shit with Levi. It isn't necessarily the most enjoyable conversation considering Levi's constant smartass comments, but it's better than trudging up to the second floor. 

 Nile fucks Hitch in the bathroom for everyone to hear. Marie starts crying and runs to the porch. This gathering is about as insufferable as Mike assumed it would be. 

 Eventually, you journey downstairs. It was inevitable. You spare Mike a glance and sigh as you make your way to the kitchen to grab a beer—you don't even like beer, so why—

 "Hey, can you grab me one too?" Erwin calls out, and when you hand it to him, he gives you that hundred watt grin Mike knows brings girls to their knees, but while Maddie stares at him with that dreamy look in her eyes, you just snort and gently shove him. 

 "Don't fuckin' look at me like that, Smith."

 Ah, the last name card, the one that you pull to act like you're all aloof when really you're just reeling them in. 

 "Like what?" Erwin asks before taking a sip, still smiling around the rim of the bottle. 

 "You know what."

 Mike chooses then to go upstairs, knowing he steals your attention as he stomps like a toddler throwing a tantrum. 

 Why did he even come here? Was it just to give himself more reason to brood? Solidify that he's valid in being angry? 

 Connie is trembling as his character makes his way through a decrepit house. Jean laughs every few minutes, but he also startles at every jump scare, leaving Reiner to call both of them pussies as he bites into strawberry after strawberry, throwing the stems into a little bowl in his lap. Mike supposes the first years are entertaining enough. He can see why Erwin invited them here. 

 It's close to nine o'clock. Mike is bored out of his mind, can't help venturing back downstairs mostly because he's tired of watching the pledges swear and shout at the video game (including Reiner now) but also out of morbid curiosity. 

 Marie has returned and is sitting in the kitchen with Maddie, both of whom are glaring into the den where you, Erwin, Nile, and Hitch share the couch. Hitch may as well be in Nile's lap, but you're sitting on the back ridge, feet planted on the cushions as you hunch forward and nurse a beer. Your knee is against Erwin's arm, but that's the only point of contact. Still, whenever something funny is said on the TV show, he looks up at you, as if to check that you're laughing, taking it in. Mike can't blame him. You have one of the cutest laughs he's ever heard. 

 Levi and Gelgar are both on plush loveseats on opposite sides of the room, either scrolling or typing on their phones. 

 Again, Mike has to think about how laid back the party is—even if he's a mess. It's so different from the raucous scenes he's used to—blasting music and keg stands and dancing on tables. This would be infinitely preferable if it weren't for the open pit in Mike's stomach. 

 If he could just chill the fuck out, pay absolutely no attention to you and Erwin and the way his fingers slowly wrap around your ankle when you won't stop bouncing your leg. 

 Not together his ass. 

 When Mike gets a text from Rhi, he basically sighs in relief—the perfect opportunity to forget about you for a while. 

 He doesn't bother asking to make sure it's okay with the host, just messages back, what are you doing rn? and immediately asks her to come over, knowing she only lives about an hour away. 

 Naturally, she agrees. One of the only great things about Rhi is that she’s always, always down to fuck. Mike doesn’t know if it has something to do with his size or if she just has a high sex drive. Either way, he’s glad for it.. 

 He meets her on the porch after waiting for what feels like an eternity, just having to sit and watch you kick Erwin’s thigh whenever he says something dumb. He always retaliates by pulling on your little toes which makes you squeak and almost fall off the couch. It’s fucking maddening, makes Mike want to pull his hair out or throw something, just trash the fucking house because Erwin deserves it. 

 But, then Rhi arrives in all her Ugg boot glory, wearing the old, green hoodie that you had given back to Mike a few months ago.

 They walk in, Mike’s hands on her shoulders like he’s pushing her over the threshold. You look up, take the other girl in, then very quickly step off the couch and prance into the kitchen without saying a word.

 Erwin, however, makes up for your silence, wide eyed as he stares at Rhi and utters, “Fuck.”

* You didn’t want to be like Maddie and Marie, jogging to a private place to cry over a fucking boy, but god, you are definitely locked in the bathroom, hunched over the sink sobbing as quietly as you can. Your nose is running, and your eyes are burning, leaking god damn rivers

 It wouldn’t have been so bad if she was just in her normal winter sorority get-up. But the hoodie? The one you wore for months on end, the one Mike would sniff whenever he would lay his head on your stomach, mumbling something about, “Smells good. Might have to take it back.” He didn’t have to say it out loud, but you knew he always felt a little jolt of pride when you’d wear it, like you were advertising how close you were to him.

 So, to see another girl wearing it—to see Rhi wearing it—it fucking hurts. Your throat is sore from holding back those loud, pained cries. Your stomach is rolling like you ate something spoiled. Your fingers ache from digging into the fancy, granite sink. Everything hurts. 

 It makes you wonder if Mike felt like this when you first told him about Zeke, if he feels like this now that he thinks you’re with Erwin—stupid, stupid, stupid. You shouldn’t have waited so long to talk to him. You should have cleared things up right after the party. Now, it’s too late. 

 There’s a knock on the door that makes you sniff and wipe your nose, but you still tell whoever is on the other side (most likely Hitch or Erwin), “Go away.”

 “It’s me.” Erwin. "Let me in."

 "Literally what did I just say?" 

 "If you don't unlock the door, I'll kick it in. It's my house, so I won't get in trouble for it."

 "Oh my god," you grumble before turning the lock on the knob. "Spoiled fucking brat."

 Erwin steps in and closes the door then takes a good look at your puffy face and red eyes. Sighing, he leans against the wall. "For the record, I didn't invite her. Mike must have—"

 "That doesn't make me feel any better," you say, grabbing some toilet paper to blow your nose. "Actually, it makes me feel even worse."

 "I just wanted to make sure you knew."

 "What, d'you want brownie points or something?" You ask sarcastically, making sure the toilet lid is down before sitting on it, bracing your arms on your knees and looking up at Erwin to find him frowning. "Sorry. I'm being a bitch, I know."

 He waves it off. "It's understandable. I'm not very happy with him either. The perpetual shitty mood is driving me crazy."

 You don't know much about that other than it being entirely your fault, so you apologize, "Yeah, sorry about that."

 "If you guys would have just talked it out like adults—"

 "Well, we didn't, Erwin. And, it seems like it's not even an option any more, so…" you hold your hands out in a clueless fashion, like you're at a loss. "I don't know what you want me to do."

 Your voice is thick, straining against the lump in your throat. Vision going blurry again, you shove your palms against your eyes, repeating, no more crying, no more crying, no more crying. 

 "I'm sorry he's doing this to you," Erwin says quietly. 

 You sniffle, almost laugh when you reply, "Not really different from what I did to him. Like," you have to blow your nose again so it doesn't start running, toss the toilet paper into the waste basket next to you. "I don't know if he's trying to get back at me or legitimately moving on, but I can't exactly hold it against him."

 "Still," Erwin takes a couple steps toward you. "Pulling this kind of shit is fucked up. He had to have known it would hurt you on some level."

 "You don't have to, like, take my side or whatever," you state. "I know we're friends and all, but you don't have to coddle me like this."

 "I'm not trying to coddle you. I'm sympathizing. There's a difference."

 "Whatever it is, it's unnecessary," you mumble.

 "Yeah?" Another step closer so that he's right in front of you. "So, you weren't planning on crying in here for the rest of the night?" 

 "No," you're quick to deny, but your lips quirk upward when you correct, "I was gonna go up to my room and cry in there for the rest of the night."

 Erwin shakes his head then pulls you into a strange embrace, pressing your face to his stomach with one hand while the other settles between your shoulder blades.

 Your first instinct is to shove him away, but his shirt is soft and smells like detergent, and his stomach is firm and grounding against your cheek, and the knuckles rubbing up and down the top of your spine are warm and soothing. 

 So, you stay in the slightly awkward position, shutting your eyes and trying to relax, but all you can think about is Mike walking in with his hands on Rhi and the way she looked in his hoodie. Is she cuter than you? Does she smell better than you? Does she treat him better than you did? 

 Tears well up in your eyes once again, dampening Erwin's shirt as they slip over your waterline, and before you know it, you're clutching the material covering the small of his back and crying against him. 

 And, he lets you—just keeps stroking between your shoulders and shushing you with a quiet, "I know, I know. It'll be okay." 

 Erwin is cocky and bold, takes things a little too far sometimes, but, just as you thought last year after he stole that kiss, he is good. Even if he's broken too many hearts to count and completely disregarded people's feelings, he's a good guy. At the very least, he's good to you, and that's what you need at the moment. 

 "What time is it?" You speak into his shirt. 

 "About eleven thirty."

 You hum and turn so that your forehead is resting just above his hips. It could be a suggestive position, but—

 But nothing. 

 You blink a few times, weighing the situation, everything that unfolded tonight—everything that's unfolded over the past semester and… it would make sense. It's not like you've never thought about it before. You're worked up and need to unwind, need to clear your head, and besides, Mike already believes there's something between you and Erwin, so why not take advantage of that?

 Sucking on your bottom lip, you go through a list of pros and cons. The biggest downside is that Mike will be upset with you. He already is, though, so there’s isn’t much to lose on that front. The upside is that you'll be able to forget about him for a while and possibly get an orgasm out of it. 

 "Hey, Erwin…" You're not entirely sure how to bring it up, but it turns out you don't have to. 

 "Don't fucking ask," he huffs. Perceptive bastard. 

 You push away from his stomach and look up at him. "Okay, why, though?"

 His head is hanging back, gaze trained on the ceiling as he admits, "Because if you ask, I won't say no, and it'll only make things worse."

 Something about that gives you butterflies. That's a good sign, means you might be invested enough to finally let your mind wander from Mike. 

 "Mike already thinks we're fucking, though, so unless you don't actually want to fuck me, I don't see why we shouldn't."

 Erwin walks backward until he hits the cabinets. His full lips are pressed into a tight line, and his blue eyes look like a warning. Don't push me. 

 "Do you honestly think you won't walk away from that feeling guilty?" He questions. "We know we aren't sleeping together, that we aren't actually doing anything wrong even if Mike doesn't believe it. But, to actually go through with it?" Erwin lets out a little chuckle and crosses his arms over his chest. "I probably won't feel bad 'cause I'm kind of an asshole, but you? You will feel awful."

 "I already feel awful," you remind him as you stand. "I already feel guilty. If you think I could feel any fucking worse than I already do, you might be overestimating my—my—I don't know—emotional capacity?"

 Moving forward, you nudge Erwin out of the way to get to the sink, splashing cold water on your face to clean it of dried tears. You cup a hand under the faucet, then toss some water into your mouth, swishing, and spitting, and turning back around. 

 Erwin's gaze is dark and not at all subtle when he eyes you up and down. 

 "I might hurt you, you know," he states in a voice that's considerably deeper than before. 

 You raise your eyebrows, unconvinced. "You don't have to worry about me catching feelings, Smith. Relax."

 Mouth tugging up on one side, Erwin smirks in a way that makes you squirm where you stand. 

 "That's not what I meant."

 It takes you a moment to decipher what he's trying to say, but you breathe an, "Oh," when you realize, then another as it truly sinks in. "Oh."

 That's okay, you want to tell him. I want to be hurt tonight. You only want it if it will hurt. If you confess to that desire, though, Erwin might back out—a disappointment considering the way you're starting to get a little excited. 

 "If I can handle Mike, I can handle you," you say, fully aware that he'll take it as a challenge. If there's one thing you know about men, it's that they thrive off competition. 

 Erwin is no different as he slides in front of you, hands finding your hips and pulling them to his. He's already half hard in his khakis, and you stand on your tip-toes, brushing against him as you do, to tilt your head back and hover just under his mouth as you tease, "Don't tell me you haven't thought about it before."

 "You have no idea how often I've thought about it—how often I think about it."

 You nip at his bottom lip, enjoying the way he licks it afterward. "Have you been holding back since we started hanging out—just the two of us?" 

 His fingers dig into your back, just above the curve of your ass, and you already know there will be small bruises left behind. 

 "Do you want me to paint a picture?" He rumbles, and you nod, pressing a kiss to his throat. "Any time I have you in my room I think about fucking you. On the bed. Over my desk. Up against a wall…" A little gasp makes its way out of him as you bite down on the skin you've been sucking on, and Erwin ruts against you a couple times before continuing, voice a little more strangled than before. 

 "Thought about fucking you downstairs on the couch for the whole frat to see, all spread out, moaning like a porn star. I know what you sound like," he whispers, catching you off guard when he suddenly lifts you to set you on the counter. "I've heard the way you scream for Mike." 

 There's a pang in your chest at the mention of him, but it's gone just as quickly. 

 "And, you'd like it, wouldn't you? Being watched." Erwin trails his lips from your temple to your ear, making you shiver when he speaks into it, "You can pretend all you want, but I know you liked it when I walked in on you and him. You liked being on display."

 He isn't wrong. You replay that instance in your head a little more than you probably should. 

 Hearing the fact stated now, though, right to your face has your body heating, arousal flooding you and making warmth pool between your legs. 

 "You can admit it, it's okay. I've known for a while now."

 One of his hands moves to the inside of your thigh then further up, fingers dancing over your covered pussy. It's your turn to gasp. You clutch his shoulders and spread your legs despite knowing there's no way you'll be satisfied with this, not when thick denim is separating you from his touch. 

 "Don't get too cocky, Smith." You try to sound confident, but it's hard to when your breath keeps hitching. 

 "Why?" He grazes his teeth over the sensitive space below your ear, and it makes you twitch in his grasp. "I have every reason to be."

 He goes on to list every other place he's thought about fucking you—apparently just about every setting you've ever been in with him. Each and every Pike party, the locker room before or after a lacrosse game, his Mustang, Mike's Wrangler.

 "That's fucked up," you somehow manage. 

 Erwin shrugs his shoulders, mumbles, "Can't help it," then slots his lips against yours for the first time (or, the first consensual time). 

 You're reminded of Zeke, the way all you did was compare him, only now with Erwin, you have two men who flash through your mind. He's softer than Zeke but just as bold as he cradles your head and slips his tongue into your mouth—tastes sweeter than Mike (probably from the strawberries), but it's not necessarily a good thing. It isn't bad either. It's just Erwin… Different. 

 His hair doesn't brush your cheeks like Mike's does. He doesn't have glasses to dig into your skin. Clean shaven, no coarse hairs to tickle against you, and he's smack in the middle in terms of height. You have to crane your neck more than you did with Zeke but less than you had to with Mike. 

 It's all a little jarring, but you feel this was always sort of an inevitability, at least once you started spending time with Erwin one on one. You never would have let this happen if you had stayed with Mike—if you had actually taken the next step with him—but that's why you started hanging out with Erwin in the first place. 

 You never noticed the way your back and forth was flirty, mostly just you giving him shit about one thing or another, but apparently others read further into it. And, you've had as good a time as you can. The heartache has put a damper on things, kept Erwin mostly off your radar save for the days you woke up frustrated and desperate, but that's what your vibrator is for. 

 Apparently, while you were busy making sure things stayed friendly between the two of you, Erwin's mind was getting away from him. Every god damn time you hung out, he told you, whether it was at the house or out to lunch, walking with you to classes or out to your car. 

 He did make it a habit of touching you, you can admit, but none of it was inappropriate—a nudge to knock you off balance that would result in you hitting him, a prod in the ribs that would result in you squeaking and hitting him. Sticking a foot out to trip you that would result in you…

 Dude obviously likes to be slapped around. 

 There's also the hugs. Up in his room when you feel extra gloomy, he'd wrap his arms around you and sway back and forth. Sometimes he'd sit and pull you with him, turn on a movie and keep a tight hold around your shoulders. There were afternoons you'd walk into his room while he was studying and just pass out in his bed, up too late the night before from worrying and obsessing, in need of a nap before your evening lecture. He'd set an alarm for you, stay up for a while longer before allowing himself to take a break and crawl under the blankets beside to—

 Oh, god, you've been dating Erwin Smith. 

 You have to break away from him to laugh, lightly hitting your head against his chest so that he chuckles and asks, "What?" 

 "I—" You look back up at him, shaking your head to yourself. "I can't believe I didn't fucking see it."

 "See what?" 

 "You and me—"

 "You and I," he corrects, and you shove him. 

 "You and I have just been doing what Mike and I were doing."

 "Uh, excuse me," he holds a finger up. "We have not been having endless sex, thank you."

 "That's not—" You roll your eyes. "I'm saying we've been dating without actually dating. Like, I get why everyone thinks we're a thing."

 "Oh," Erwin nods, sucking his teeth for a second then adding, "Yeah, I was wondering when you would figure that out."

 "Fucker. Did you do it on purpose? Like, just to prove you could?" 

 He frowns, looking genuinely offended. "Christ, what kind of person do you think I am?" 

 "Not twenty minutes ago you confessed to being an asshole."

 His face softens when he snickers. "Okay, true. But, no. I'm not trying to manipulate Mike or you for that matter. You've been upset, and you've put up with a lot of shit over the last few months, and I just figured you could use a friend."

 Staring up at him, you notice the way his face is turning a little red, and you hold your tongue between your teeth as you smile knowingly. 

 "You caaare about meee."

 He scoffs and looks away

 "Heartbreaker Smith cares about a girl," you tease. "How embarrassing."

 "Laugh it up. You would've been miserable without me."

 "I mean, yeah, but still. What's it like having a platonic girlfriend?" 

 He tilts his head to the side then reaches forward to squeeze your thighs. "Is it really platonic if we're about to have sex?" 

 "Absolutely. Hundred percent."

 "You're not even a little worried that it'll become a regular thing and you'll fall in love?" The arrogance is both astounding and amusing. 

 Cocking your head, you take a deep breath, expression one of false sympathy as you pat his stomach. "I'm positive. Unfortunately, my heart belongs to another."

 Erwin clicks his tongue before moving forward and sliding his hands between the counter and your ass. "I'm a little hurt, honestly. I'm used to fucking a girl and having to hide out for a while afterward—always so clingy."

 You squint, can't tell if he's being serious or overdramatizing to annoy you. 

 "You know what? Nevermind. I don't even want your little playboy ass anymore—"

 Naturally, he turns the charm back on right then, getting too close to your face, blue eyes flicking to your lips before he breathes, "Don't lie," and presses a tiny peck to them. "The tough girl act is only believable for so long."

 "Wow, fuck you."

 "That's the idea," he smirks. 

 "Har fucking har. You're so funny."

 Erwin pulls you closer to the edge of the counter and grinds his hips against yours then prompts, "Your room or mine?" 

 "Mine," you reply. "I'd rather you have to do the walk of shame later."

 "Probably a good idea since you won't be able to once I'm finished with you."

 You actually laugh out loud. It would have worked on you a few minutes ago, but all the joking has you a little giggly at this point. 

 Fuck, he is going to make a great distraction. 

 "Okay, calm down. Don't make promises you can't keep."

 "Sounds like a challenge to me."

 "Men," you sigh. "So predictable."

 After minutes more of unnecessary banter, Erwin finally coaxes you out of the bathroom you've both spent far too much time in. Your face has cleared up, the urge to cry subsiding, though your heart still drops in your chest when you pass behind Mike and Rhi on the couch, green eyes tracking you as you walk up the stairs in front of Erwin. 

 This is not the right way to solve a problem, but it'll probably be fun for a while. It's already fun as Erwin kicks the door closed and walks you back to the bed. He isn't even touching you, just watching you with a hazy blue gaze. He isn't smiling, looks like a predator, and honestly, it's ridiculously attractive. 

 "Stop making that face."

 "What face?" 

 "That—that—"

 You run into the bed, wave your arms to keep your balance, but Erwin presses his fingertips to your chest and just barely pushes to knock you back. 

 "What face, hm?" 

 The hair on your arms and neck is standing on end, anticipation bubbling in your gut as you try to crawl higher on the mattress only for Erwin to grab you by the ankle and tug you back down. 

 Damn. He's good at this. 

 "Stay," he commands, straightening up to take his shirt off. 

 He's tan and toned, light blonde hair sprinkled over his chest and above the waistband of his pants. 

 You're reminded of the very first Pike party you went to, the first time you slept with Mike (and can't remember), walking downstairs the following morning to find Erwin in the kitchen wearing sweats and drinking his coffee and smirking at you like he could tell the future. 

 Maddening. He's maddening. 

 You rid yourself of your own top then shimmy out of your jeans. Erwin eyes you hungrily, causing your whole body to tingle. It simultaneously makes you want to cover yourself and spread yourself open for him. 

 "I have been waiting way too fucking long for this," Erwin mumbles, raking fingernails down your torso so that you take in a shuddering breath. 

 "It's been, like, a y-year and a half." Your back arches on its own volition, hips bucking as Erwin scratches over the bones before catching your thong and pulling it down. He kneels at the end of the bed, a familiar scene save for the head of shiny, golden hair.

 "A year and a half of having to look but not touch."

 "Poor little—" you gasp when he parts your folds with his thumbs, staring at your pussy then blowing a stream of air over it. 

 "Do you know how many times I've jacked off to the thought of you? How many times I've slept with other girls while imagining it was you?" 

 You want to make another smartass comment, tease him about being a pervert or in his feelings or something, but you can't find your voice as he licks a long, slow stripe up your slit. You stare at the ceiling, not even blinking as too many signals fire in your brain all at once. 

 Erwin is good with his mouth. Like, stupid good. He has a teasing rhythm, flicks your clit with the tip of his tongue until your muscles are coiled then moves to trace the ring of your entrance, taking his time as you turn from human to puddle. 

 He’s better at this than Zeke who would purposely graze his teeth over your sensitive little bud a little too hard on purpose, would suck on it until it hurt. He liked when you whimpered for him, liked leaving raised welts on your ribs and back from where he’d scratched. The intermixed pain and pleasure never failed to make you come, but the climb up to that precipice was usually precarious for lack of a better term.

 Then, there’s Mike (because of course there is). His mood usually determined how he would take you, hard and fast before a game or slow and lazy as you both relaxed in his room. One thing always stayed the same no matter his disposition, and it’s that he fucking worshiped your pussy—even said it on multiple occasions. He would eat you out like a starving man, lapping at your juices like it would quench his thirst. Some days he would overstimulate you to the point of tears, neverending licks lavished over your clit as he pumped thick fingers in and out of your cunt. Other days he would go down on you like it was a fucking hobby—turn on a movie, spread you out on the foot of his bed, and eat you out while only halfway paying attention to the TV. He could pull multiple orgasms from you that way, letting you come around a finger or two before returning to your pulsing clit. Fuck, you used to make such a mess. He’d spend minutes trying to lick you clean, but you always ended up in the shower afterward.

 You shouldn’t be thinking of that right now, though. You should be thinking about Erwin’s clever tongue and the fingertips just barely brushing over sensitive skin. You want them inside of you, want something to clamp down on, but no matter how much you pull his hair or utter a breathy, “Please,” he keeps the same pace, only moving on when he feels like it.

 He’s doing it on purpose, trying to break you before even getting to the point of fucking you, and if you’re being honest, it just might work. He’s gonna make you lose your god damn mind tonight. Exactly like you want to.

 “Fuck, how much p-practice have you had with th-this?”

 Erwin laughs, stilling your wriggling by curling his arms around your thighs. “Too much, probably.”

 You whine when he continues, but when he starts softly sucking on your clit, you’re surprised at how close you suddenly feel, your legs naturally trying to spread further but remaining immobilized in Erwin’s grip. The threat of not being able to move only intensifies the building sensation in your gut, and soon you’re gasping his name, eyes rolling as you try in vain to buck further into his face. 

 You feel more than hear Erwin groan, a deep vibration that pours over your clit and makes you twitch. He gives you a few more long licks, then pulls back and stands, exposing the way his mouth and chin are covered in a glossy sheen. 

 “Feel better yet?” He smirks.

 You wave a lazy hand, don’t want to fluff his ego too much, so you allow him to witness your borderline stoned state while still jeering, “I’ll feel better when I have your cock inside me.”

 Erwin laughs to himself, mutters, “Eager,” then takes his pants off. 

 Pushing yourself up on your elbows, you give his cock a cursory glance and stop. “Hold on,” then slide off the bed and to your knees. 

 If you’re gonna fuck Erwin Smith, you’re at least gonna appreciate it. 

 He inhales sharply as you place your hands on his thighs, eyes traveling over his length. It’s pretty, above average in size, smooth, with a flared tip that’s currently flushing a dark pink. 

 “I really hate to admit this, but you could be, like, a dick model.”

 He chokes on some kind of snort, and you swear his entire chest turns red. “I—thank you?”

 “You’re welcome,” you tell him, promptly taking hold of his cock and guiding it into your mouth.

 “Oh, fuck, fuck—”

 His skin is soft against your tongue, warm as you take him deeper. His girth stretches your jaw, but you’re still pretty used to the feeling, had to get used to it with Mike because he’s a little bigger than—

 That’s not important. 

 Erwin breathes through his teeth as he places a hand on the top of your head, and when you look up at him through your eyelashes, he lets out a disbelieving little laugh. That confident fucking tease is nowhere to be found as you swipe your tongue over the tiny hole leaking pre then surge forward, almost pressing your nose to his pelvis as you run the muscle back and forth under the base of his cock.

 “Shit, let me—let me lean against the bed,” he says, pulling you off him and chuckling, “Gonna make my fucking knees buckle.”

 You turn where you’re kneeling, waiting for him to get better stabilized before resuming your efforts to ruin this annoying, charming frat boy who is always put together. You suck and slurp and trigger your gag reflex a couple times. Erwin’s fingers scratch against your scalp like he’s looking for purchase. He’s careful not to be too brutal as he pushes you down on his cock, raising his hips to meet your rhythm. His head is thrown back, thighs tensing under your hands as his chest rises and falls with short breaths. 

 You have to work up to it, but once you feel loose enough, you press forward and let Erwin slip further into your throat. His voice sounds like honey when he groans a low, “Hoooly fuck,” letting his head hang down as he attempts to stare at you with unfocused eyes. 

 “Okay, okay, okay,” he huffs. “Keep going and we won’t get to the main event.”

 You pull off of him with a lewd pop then raise to your feet. Your knees are a little sore, but it’s nothing some exercise won’t work out. 

 “Want me to wear a condom?”

 “I don’t care. I’m clean and on birth control,” you tell him. “What about you?”

 “Well, I’m clean, but I haven’t gotten my birth control prescription refilled in a wh—”

 You flick his chest, and Erwin laughs as he bats you away. 

 “Alright. Up on the bed with you then,” he motions to the mattress. “Lay on the edge.”

 You do as you're told, spreading your legs for Erwin to stand between, and you bite your lip when you feel him rub the head of his cock between your folds. You’re still wet with slick—probably dripped onto the carpet when you were giving him head—which makes the glide easier as he teases you. 

 “Ready?” He asks, wriggling thick eyebrows until you smile. He doesn’t wait for an actual answer before he starts pushing in, pressing your legs to your chest as he slowly seats himself in your cunt.

 You’re making that face—eyebrows moving toward your hairline as if you’re worried, jaw dropping open as air is pushed from your lungs. Erwin looks focused, licking his lips as he gazes down at the way your pussy stretches around him. 

 He thrusts in and out at a tortuous pace, apparently waiting for you to start trembling around him before he deems you ready to take more. Every one of his movements is measured, slowly pulling out only to push in all at once. The ridge of his cock drags over your g-spot, pressing firmly against it and making you claw at his shoulders. 

 He feels good, satisfying, but he’s not quite as good as Mike who used to hit all your spots without even thinking about it—somehow making you beg like a whore and sing like a little girl in Sunday school all at the same time. 

 Still, you don’t have to lie when Erwin quickens his pace and pants, “Feel good?” 

 “Fuck—yes, yes, Jesus Christ—”

 He’s pulling all manner of crude sounds from your pussy, wet and greedy as it sucks him back in with every rut of his hips. The angle is perfect—his height paired with the bed on stilts has him hitting your spot every time, and you feel the need to warn him, “If you keep—keep fucking me like this—god—m’gonna squirt.”

 “Fuck yes,” he praises, wetting a thumb in his mouth before bringing it down to massage your clit. He only speeds up as your voice rises, body confused like your muscles don’t know if they should be flexed or relaxed. 

 You feel that tell-tale burning, that urge that only gets stronger the more Erwin abuses your g-spot and presses against your clit.

 “Shit, shit, shit—”

 Erwin groans when fluid starts to trickle from you, pushes more and more out of you while quickly swiping two fingers over your clit. The sense of relief is mind-numbing. You can’t even be upset that your sheets are gonna be damp whenever you decide to sleep. 

 He doesn’t slow down, doesn’t lose his rhythm, just sticks his two wet fingers into his mouth and sucks them clean. 

 You see it now—the skill, the appeal, why the girls always come back to him. It makes sense. He’s devastatingly handsome, especially like this, all fucked out and flushed, hair out of place, lips red and swollen from biting them. 

 Yeah, Erwin is fucking hot.

 But, that doesn’t mean he’s your type. 

 Pulling out, he flips you onto your stomach, and you have to stand on your tip-toes as you lean over the bed. The burn in your calves disappears almost entirely when he slides into you from behind, pelvis pressing against your ass as he curls over you, cupping your tits and tweaking your hardened nipples as he gifts you with a series of shallow thrusts. It makes you whimper and teeter forward, unable to balance and squirm at the same time. Face suddenly buried in the mattress, your cries are muffled by the blankets. Erwin’s hands travel back to your hips, rocking you back and forth on his slick cock. He’s getting a little rougher, pressing into you as deeply as he can, and the fact that you’ll be sore from this tomorrow gives you a strange sense of satisfaction. 

 Only way to get over someone is to get on top of someone else, right? Or, underneath in your case. Being a little more in control wouldn’t be the worst thing, though, so…

 “Erwin, Erwin, fuck—Lemme ride you.”

 There is no hesitation. Erwin slips out of you and throws himself onto the bed, grinning crookedly as he watches you climb over him on unsteady limbs. His patience must have worn out some time ago, because he holds his cock with one hand, using the other to line you up with it, then guides you down his length. 

 You have to sit still for a second, or you would like to, but Erwin is still holding your hips, and he rocks you back and forth in his lap like he knows. He probably does. He’s probably fucked enough girls to notice exactly when their eyes pop open, when they shudder and break out in goosebumps because that pressure is hitting exactly where it needs to, and yeah, he knows. 

 Finding it in yourself to move again, you lean over Erwin, planting your hands on the pillows by his head, then start bouncing on his cock. He hisses in a dark, appreciative way, eyes and hands immediately drawn to your chest. He sits up enough to suck one of your nipples into his mouth, licking and pinching then doing the same to the other. 

 He’s so good—feels so good, knows just where to touch, the exact place to bite on your neck that makes you melt, but how—how does he know that? It’s like he has a sixth sense or—

 Or, he just paid attention to the bruises that Mike used to leave on the sides of your throat. That checks out. 

 Fuck, he used to mark you like he wanted everyone to see, especially that last night. It was almost animalistic, like he had been—marking his territory, Zeke’s voice plays in your head. It makes you frown, and you rid yourself of the thought only to replace it with the memory of Mike’s mouth on your skin, his calloused fingertips trailing down your torso, huge hands wrapping around your legs to pull you against him—

 You whine, glad it sounds like a sound of desperation rather than frustration. You just want to stop thinking about him. Just an hour—if you could go a single fucking hour—

 “Hey, look at me,” Erwin commands in a soft voice. 

 You open your eyes, still hovering over him, and expect him to say something, but instead he just reaches up to the back of your head and pulls you into a kiss. 

 He’s helping move you on top of him, forcing you to take his cock over and over, and like this, so close and breathing him in, you don’t even have the room to think about Mike. 

 Both of your bodies are damp with sweat, and Erwin’s hair is a mess, pushed from his flushed face. He bites down on your bottom lip and tugs, only letting go to ask, “Where do you want me?”

 “I don’t care,” you groan, legs and arms and pussy growing sore. You’re not surprised; you’ve been going at it for a while now. 

 Erwin licks your lower lip as if to soothe it after biting it, tells you, “Oh, don’t give me that option. You know where I’ll pick.”

 Smiling, you straighten up then move to fit your feet underneath you so you can bounce more freely. “You can come inside, dude. It feels good to me, too.”

 “I really don’t know how to respond to being called ‘dude’ when I’m balls deep in a girl.”

 You shrug, “Sorry not sorry,” then raise and drop yourself, feeling in charge for the first time tonight. 

 “Fuck—shit—”

 That feeling is short lived as Erwin goes right back to using you the way he wants. You think for about half a second that he’s finally, really losing himself, but the accuracy of his finger on your clit proves that is not the case. He’s clearly having a good time, but he isn’t at that feral stage that Mike falls into sometimes.

 Before you can dwell on it for too long, you hit your peak, moaning Erwin’s name, hips moving uncontrollably as you ride out your orgasm.

 He’s speaking, mumbling praise or pleas or curses, you aren’t so sure, but after about another minute of fucking into you relentlessly, Erwin comes, shooting line after line inside of you until he’s spent and twitching. 

 With your two previous partners, this is usually when you’d fall forward and cuddle, catch your breath and enjoy the feeling of being all plugged up.

 But, it’s Erwin, huffing and blinking up at the ceiling then finally stating, “That was a dumb idea.”

 It makes you laugh for some reason, probably because you agree. 

 The sex was great. There is a reason girls talk about him on campus, about his sexual prowess or whatever, and if you weren’t too busy suffocating in your little pit of heartbreak, thinking about your best friend nonstop, you wouldn’t mind fucking Erwin again. And, again and again.

 That’s not gonna happen, though. The heat of the moment is fading, every mental faculty returning to you, and despite the fact that you’re still seated on his cock, as you look down at him, you feel absolutely no spark.

 He’s ridiculously attractive, pretty fucking brilliant but with a dumb sense of humor, and you love him. You really do. He’s done a lot for you over the last semester, made it at least somewhat bearable, but… This shouldn’t have happened. 

 Hopefully, it quelled his curiosity, though.

 “I told you it would just make you feel shitty,” he mumbles, but he doesn’t look sad. Sympathetic more than anything, resigned that he’s probably going to have to pick up the pieces of another mess. 

 “Yeah,” you drawl. “You were right.” Your joints pop as you stand, towering over Erwin for once and leaking his fucking cum as you hop off the bed. 

 “It’s been known to happen from time to time,” he jokes absentmindedly, wiping a few drops of white off his stomach then reaching for the tissues on the nightstand. 

 You don’t feel awkward or out of place, but you have no idea what else to say. The only thing that comes to mind is, “I’m gonna take a shower,” as you walk toward the bathroom.

 Erwin moves on the bed, stretching a little before grabbing his pants and leaving you to your devices, but you pause before stepping onto the tile, turn back and pace over to him.

 “Hey,” you start, and Erwin glances up from the button of his khakis. “Thanks.”

 He rolls his eyes, a small smile playing at his lips, and once he’s all zipped and buttoned up, he pulls you into a hug. 

 “I would say any time, but we probably shouldn’t do this again.”

 “Yeah, probably not.”

 You breathe into the space under his collarbone, humming as he gently scratches you back, then break away. “Alright, actually gonna shower now.”

 Erwin nods, “You do that,” then slaps your ass as soon as you turn around. 

 You look at him over your shoulder with raised eyebrows, but he just winks and tells you, “I had to. Just once,” which is fair. 

 You run a hot shower, scrub the shit out of your skin, lather your hair with some fancy shampoo then rinse it off. Once you go through your full routine, you’re happy to change into pajamas and slip into the comfortable bed. You don’t even mind that the comforter is a little damp in various places.

* You don’t stir when the door opens and closes, but you do when the mattress dips. Shifting slightly, you assume it’s just Erwin, falling back into your usual routine by slipping under the covers with you.

 As soon as he lays behind you, though, you know it isn’t Erwin. You recognize that weight, that warmth, that smell, and you are very awake very quickly. 

 “M-Mike?”

 All he offers is a little, “Mm,” to confirm.

 You chew on the inside of your cheek, confused and clueless as to what you’re supposed to do. 

 “Are you drunk again?”

 “No. Little buzzed.”

 Why is he here, then? You want to ask—What is he doing? Why isn’t he with Rhi?

 You start to turn to face him but you're stopped when Mike sets a hand on your back. It's oddly firm, keeping you in place as he grunts, "No, don't."

 "What?" 

 "Don't turn around." His voice is hushed and choppy, like he's gritting out every syllable. 

 "Mike?"

 "I have shit I wanna say to you, and I won't be able to if you're lookin' at me."

 You have no idea how to respond to that, don't know if this is going to be a positive one-sided conversation where Mike confesses deep feelings while actually sober, or if he'll just unload all the baggage you've given him. Either way, you wish you could see his face. Something about having him laying behind you, close enough to feel his body heat, has you feeling very uneasy. 

 But, you nod, "Okay," trying to put on a brave face that he refuses to look at. 

 For a while, he just breathes. You assume it’s because he’s gathering his thoughts or maybe working up the courage to say something, but the suspense is making you shiver under your blankets. You have that terrible feeling in the pit of your stomach, the mix of anticipation and regret you get on the way up to the first drop of a rollercoaster. 

 “Why have you been lying to me?”

 And, there’s that drop. 

 You swallow. “I haven’t been.”

 “Bullshit.”

 “Mike, I haven’t been!” You try to turn again, but his large hand is still right in the middle of your back. 

 “Do you think I’m fucking stupid?” His fingers close around the material of your shirt. You feel it tighten at your chest, making it hard to breathe—harder to breathe. “How are you gonna tell me that right after sleeping with him?” 

 You open your mouth to argue, realize you can’t make a case for yourself, and when you snap your jaw shut again, the sound of your teeth clacking seems to echo in your head.

 Yesterday, you would have been able to talk to him about this and be honest when telling him you weren’t fucking his best friend. Now, though…

 God, that had been such a bad decision. Why hadn’t you just listened to Erwin? Why can’t you fucking listen to anyone?

 “Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Mike mutters. His grip loosens, but you can still feel a light tug at your shirt, the movement of fingers, and you think he might be rubbing over the material he’s still holding. “Pretty sure all of us could hear you guys goin’ at it, so… Thanks for that.”

 You take a deep breath in, squeezing your eyes shut because it sinks in that this is not going to be nice conversation. This isn’t going to result in the two of you apologizing and making love confessions to each other. 

 “I… I’m sorry.”

 Now, you’re grateful for not being able to see his face. You wouldn’t be able to stand looking at him right now, not when you know his expression will be grim—probably angry. 

 “I can’t really do anything with sorry,” Mike sighs. His hand drops from your back, but you make no move to turn over. 

 Your heart is like a hummingbird’s, beating frantically in your chest as that ache rises inside of you again, making your throat constrict and your eyes burn. 

 “Why’d you invite Rhi tonight?” You ask, hoping your sniffle isn’t too noticeable.

 “Why does it matter?”

 You suppose it doesn’t, but you still want to know, “Is it to get back at me, or is it because you’re actually into her?”

 Mike scoffs. “Not that it’s any of your business, but do you think I’d be in your room at three in the fucking morning if I was into her?”

 It’s probably the closest he’ll get to admitting it, but it’s all you need to hear. He’s been going out of his way to hurt you. At least any pain you’ve caused him wasn’t intentional. Until tonight, that is, and even then, you didn’t fuck Erwin to hurt him; you did it to help yourself. 

 Pressing your tongue to the roof of your mouth, you hold back tears and mumble a thick, “Just wanted to know.”

 “Want to make sure I’m still interested? That I’ll keep waiting for you to fucking realize—”

 “I have—” You turn over roughly, pinning Mike’s hand under your ribs as you glare at him, but he manages to put more distance between the two of you when he yanks his arm back and sits up.

 “I can’t do this anymore,” he tells you, and you think you hear his voice waver for a second.  

 The orange light pouring in from the bathroom is the only way you can tell his eyes are wide—worried—and it chills all the blood in your body.

 “Wh-what d’you mean?” 

 “I mean, I can’t fucking do this anymore,” he repeats a little louder, drawing it out like it’ll help you understand. “I cannot deal with you anymore. I can’t keep feeling this way, okay?”

 “Mike…”

 “No,” he stops you, acts like he has something else lined up but bites his tongue and sighs. He sits cross-legged on the bed now, hangs his head as he speaks calmly, “This semester has fucking sucked. I am angry all the time. I can’t focus in class, and I can’t play lacrosse without getting in trouble, and I can’t fuck anyone else without feeling bad—I can’t fucking do anything without thinking of you, and I’m—” he looks at the wall and shakes his head. “I’m exhausted.”

 “I am too,” you tell him, voice cracking as that lump in your throat grows and bubbles, pushing hot tears from your eyes that you quickly wipe away. “Mike, I am too, so can we just—”

 “No,” he cuts you off again. “Whatever it is you’re about to say—move on, pretend it didn’t happen, pick up where we left off, whatever… the answer is no.”

 He seems like he already has his mind made up, came into the room with a plan, and he isn’t gonna let you talk him out of it. 

 So, you stay as silent as you can, sniffing and swallowing and letting the comforter catch every teardrop. 

 “I have been… Right in front of you this whole time. I made myself completely available for a year—was at your beck and fucking call. I was—I mean—I was good to you, right?” He sounds incredulous, like he can barely believe he’s asking. 

 “Yeah,” you manage. “Yeah, you were.”

 “Then, why…? Zeke? And, now Erwin?”

 “Do you want me to try to explain, or do you just wanna rant for a while?”

 Mike glances at you, looks surprised that you’d give him the option. 

 “Honestly, I don’t really wanna hear it. You’ve more than proved your point.”

 Indignation swirls in your stomach alongside your nausea, and you press, “My point being?”

 “That I’m not good enough.”

 Oh, god. No, no, no. You could understand him being angry. You’re okay with him being angry, it’s fine. But, this—this feeling of inferiority? That is so much worse. It makes you sick. This is the last thing you’d ever want Mike to feel. It’s the last thing he should feel because it’s false. He has no reason—he’s too good and too kind and too warm. He’s like… He’s fucking sunshine. He can light up a room, and he doesn’t even know it.

 “Mike, n-no,” your voice breaks, making you sound like a wounded animal. “You are so, so good. You are more than enough, I promise.”

 He snorts in a self-deprecating manner. “Then, why—”

 “Because I’m not good enough. I fucked this up. This is my fault, and I can own that as long as you know that there is absolutely no—nothing wrong with you,” the last part comes out as a squeak as you try not to hyperventilate and cry the way your body is urging you to. Not yet. 

 Mike nods a few times. You can see his mouth moving from the side like he’s biting his lip or sucking his teeth until he agrees, “Yeah,” then adds a quiet, “Whatever you say, babe,” that makes you want to throw up.

 Mike scoots to the edge of the bed and stands. You assume he’s about to leave, let you be alone with your thoughts, so when he rounds the corner to get to your side, you sit up a little straighter. 

 Half of his face is illuminated, casting shadows under his eyes, highlighting the bruise on his neck that Rhi probably left, but your gaze is trained on his as he leans down to you. A finger hooks under your chin, and Mike tilts your face at an angle, kissing you so softly that it’s painful. 

 His lips are warm and familiar, everything you’ve been craving as they cover yours. There’s no tongue, no force, just light pressure as he inhales through his nose.

 You know what this is, what he’s doing, but you can’t prepare yourself because there’s still that tiny string of hope you’re grappling for. He just needs a break. You just need to give him space. That’s all—

 “I love you,” Mike murmurs. His voice is low and honest and slices you open. “I love you so fucking much it hurts, and I just—” He brushes a thumb over your lower lip as he pulls away, and it takes everything in you not to grab his hand and beg him to stay. “It’s like I hate you too.”

 You pull away to wipe your face with the blanket. There’s so much you want to say but have no idea how to articulate it, so all you can do is stare at Mike with wide, watery eyes. He… hates you. He hates you. 

 Straightening, Mike’s expression is suddenly nonchalant, like he just flipped a switch in his brain. “I’m not exactly the social butterfly I used to be, but I wanna have fun my last semester of undergrad—make up for the time I lost fucking brooding over you, so—”

 “I’ll stop going to the Pike house,” you tell him quietly. It’s easier to make the decision yourself rather than have to hear it from his mouth: Don’t come around anymore. I don’t want to see you. 

 “Cool. And, if you, like, see me on campus or anything—”

 You cough, maybe gag, you can’t really tell at this point because wow, this just keeps getting worse. 

 “I won’t bother you.”

 “Cool.” He bends to press another much more patronizing kiss to the crown of your head, then starts walking toward the door. “I’m just gonna try to move on, you know? Start fresh. And, you should do the same. Shouldn’t be too hard for you.” 

 You don’t watch him leave, just listen for the door to click shut behind him before you crawl out of bed, turn the lights on, and start packing your things. 

 You and Hitch drove together, but you have no doubt that she'll be able to get a ride with Nile, and with that thought, you’re out of the ranch house and on the road just as the first rays of the morning sun start shining over the horizon.

 *

 It’s surprisingly easy for Mike to slip back into his old, obnoxious persona, and the remainder of the school year is spent partying, fucking, and cramming for tests he should have studied for weeks in advance.

 But, life is short, and he’s done beating himself up over stupid shit.

 Most of his PKA brothers are happy to have him “back”, and the pledges get the chance to see this of him, but there are times when Mike catches Erwin or Nile shaking their heads at him. He doesn’t mind much. They can both go fuck themselves for all he cares. 

 True to your word, you don’t show your face around the house. There were a few weeks after the holiday get-together where Erwin would disappear for a few hours at a time and come back either tired or angry, sometimes a combination of the two. 

 He attempted to bring you up in a conversation a total of one time, right in the middle of a party where Mike had been eyeing up a sorority girl. He brushed his friend off, easily telling Erwin, “Don’t fuckin’ talk to me about her,” through the crooked grin he was flashing at the little blond across the room. 

 Erwin didn’t bother after that, obviously deeming Mike a lost cause. 

 Mike knows better, though. He isn’t lost anymore. In fact, he’s found himself all over again.

 Every once in a while, he’ll catch a glimpse of you on campus, but whenever that happens, he just turns around and takes a different route to wherever he’s going. He doesn’t want to give you any reason to think you can talk to him—doesn’t want to give you the chance.

 He’s spent too much of his time hung up on you, too much time pining and hurting, and that hasn’t disappeared entirely. Mike can still clearly remember the way you looked at him the last night the two of you spoke, the way your tears twinkled in the dim light. He remembers how strangled you sounded while speaking, remembers the way your shoulders shook as you fought your emotions, remembers the way your lips trembled against his. 

 It wasn’t very satisfying. Mike left the ranch house the following morning sporting a few bruises on the outside thanks to Rhi as well as a few bruises on the inside thanks to you. 

 That entire night had been a clusterfuck—between Maddie and Marie storming off to cry then the little stunt he pulled by inviting Rhi, it had been much too dramatic for a gathering of that size. Mike experienced a wide variety of emotions that night, but the one that stands out the most is the searing rage that threatened to burn him from the inside, the red the clouded his vision as soon as he heard you moan Erwin’s name through the wall. 

 Mike had already been toying with the idea of severing all ties with you, but that’s what pushed him over the edge, watching you put on your little show when Rhi walked in only to turn around and have a grand fucking time with his best friend. 

 It needed to happen. Mike needed to free himself of you. It feels good. Mostly. There are still some days he comes close to giving in, just picking up his phone and calling you, but he resists, and he’s better for it. 

 He gets through his classes, does well on his finals after actually putting in the time to prepare for them, and by the time Mike graduates, he’s already been accepted to the graduate program of his choice and has an internship lined up. The tension between him and Erwin has faded for the most part, which is great since he’s going to grad school in the same area up north. Things look… promising—something he didn’t think possible without you by his side, something he didn’t want to be possible without you by his side. 

 But, now, here he is, unpacking his new apartment with the help of Scout who insists on sniffing absolutely everything. He’s halfway across the country from his parents, away from all he’s ever known, and Mike couldn’t be more thrilled about it. 

 He can go full days without sparing you a thought now, and he hopes—he prays—that one day he’ll think of you for the last time in his life. 

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