#bagels hit the post button

[drunkardbagels]

Y’all imagine if Roger knew the “Everyone knows that” lost media song because he heard it a lot back in the 80s

When he finds Hayley and Steve both exhausted at the dinner table because they’ve been up for the past two nights trying to figure out where this lost song came from he just causally drops “oh right i know that song i have it on a mixtape lol”

[obvious-captain-rogers]

It seems like @human-that-exists sent me this prompt about a million years ago for Spideydevil, and I had it finished for a while on my computer, but I forgot to post it until now. So here it is!

“5:30 AM, 5:30 AM,” The alarm chirped neutrally from the bedside table.

Peter groaned and buried his face between Matt’s shoulder blades, as if that would help change the fact of time as well as how ridiculously early that his husband got up every morning.

Husband.

The word hit Peter like a bolt of lightning. Because that was what Matt was now. Matt was his husband.

Peter felt himself smile a little even as Matt fumbled slightly to turn off the alarm. Matt finally pressed the button to silence it and a warm quiet blanketed the bedroom again as Peter gently scrubbed his face against Matt’s sleep-warm skin.

“First day of school,” Matt murmured and gently rubbed at Peter’s arm where it was draped around Matt’s waist. When Peter just hummed, still not thrilled at the rude awakening, Matt turned around in Peter’s grip so that he could brush a kiss to Peter’s forehead. “And you’ve got an early lecture this morning.”

“Who let me agree to an 8 AM?” Peter grumbled and tipped his face up for a kiss. Matt obliged him though he kept it pointedly chaste since neither of them had brushed their teeth yet. “Who even wants to take an 8 AM?”

“No one.” Matt snorted and he started to slip out of bed but Peter just clung on tighter, trying to keep him in place. But Matt was stronger than him and Peter was still too groggy to put much effort into it so Matt got out of bed, leaving Peter sprawled halfway across the warm spot that Matt had left behind. “Come on, sweetheart,” Matt said and he skimmed his hand down Peter’s back. When he only got a muffled grunt in response, he figured it was time to resort to more desperate measures. “If you get up, I’ll blow you in the shower.”

“Really?” Peter asked and lifted his head with interest.

“And if you go on a run with me?” Matt asked, just to see how far Peter was willing to let him go with this.

“Don’t push it,” Peter said flatly.

“C’mon, up. We’ll go to that awful place on the corner for a breakfast sandwich on the way in and everything,” Matt persuaded. He was probably laying it on a touch thick, but Peter was not know for his punctuality.

“You must really not want me to be late,” Peter teased as he pushed the covers back so he could get out of bed. “Blowjobs and slightly questionable breakfast sandwiches. This whole marriage thing is going to spoil me.” Matt just laughed as he padded out of their bedroom and towards the bathroom to go and let the water heat up.

…..

“You really do love me,” Peter sighed wistfully as he clutched onto his grease-stained paper bag that held what Matt fondly- read: with full and unmitigated disdain- referred to as the Monster Trashcan Bagel from Hell. It was a sourdough, everything bagel stuffed with a tomato, spinach, green pepper, and onion egg scramble; bacon; hot sauce that probably expired before Peter was born; and an obscene amount of cheddar cheese.

Peter had tried to get Matt to take a bite once in the early days of dating, but it had never happened and likely never would. Matt had far too sensitive of a nose to ever let it pass his lips.

“That I do,” Matt said and ducked in to brush a quick kiss against Peter’s jaw. “Have a ring and everything to prove it.”

They were early enough onto campus that they could stop at the usually crammed-full coffee shop in the middle of everything without worry about being late to their offices to do their final preps for class- while 8 AM was a new concept for Peter, Matt had been doing early classes practically his whole teaching career.

“Want me to walk you over?” Peter asked even as he let his arm slip from Matt’s shoulders. The law building was a fair distance from the science quarter.

“Nah, it’ll just be me shuffling my notes around. Go each your breakfast and nearly give Miles a heart attack when you lose track of time,” Matt teased. They both liked Peter’s TA, but Peter was significantly less organized than the grad student only a handful of years younger than him.

“Hilarious,” Peter muttered and leaned in for a kiss.

“Good luck, Dr. Murdock,” Matt said as Peter pulled away.

“You too, Dr. Murdock.” Matt could practically hear Peter winking as he started towards the science quarter. Matt just shook his head fondly before making his own way towards the law building.

…..

“Alright then,” Peter clapped his hands together as he pulled himself up to sit on his desk cross-legged. It was his trademark move to try and be more approachable since most of the time it seemed his comparative youth made him more intimidating rather than less. “Let’s just dive into the syllabus.” Peter waved at the stacks by his sneaker so Miles would stop ogling the blond in the front row and get to it. “With the term only being eight weeks, I try to give you a broad spectrum of the various topics that a more specialized class will go further into so you’ll be prepared to pick which future courses will serve your discipline.” Peter picked up his own copy of the syllabus and flipped over the first page that was his contact information and the course outline. He glanced back up and saw a handful of students frowning at their syllabi and then furtively looking around the room in confusion. “I see some confused faces, what’s up?” Peter asked and tipped his head slightly.

There was a boy closer to the back that piped up. “Uh, you’re Dr. Murdock right?”

“That’s what the plaque outside the classroom says,” Peter joked and when the furrow between his brows only deepened, Peter sobered. “Yes, I am Dr. Murdock.”

“But this isn’t Intro to Legal Ethics.”

“No, no it isn’t. This is Intro to Biomedical Engineering.” Peter’s face creased into a frown for a moment and then he cracked the smallest smile as he realized what had happened. “There are two Dr. Murdocks. Does your schedule say M. Murdock or P. Murdock?” Peter asked and swung himself down from the desk so he could walk over to the girl in the front row that had been confused and had fished out her schedule. “Yup, that’s what it is. Wrong Dr. Murdock, you’re looking for Matt.” Peter would have to talk to the office that printed the schedules about attaching lecture hall numbers to professor names.

There was a chorus of awkward laughter from both the students who were meant to be in his class and those that had gotten mixed up as books were hastily put into bags. “Don’t even worry about it, just make sure to check in with the TA if there is one for attendance since most of the scholarships check that sort of thing!” Peter called after the students that were filtering out his door.

When the door swung shut, Peter faced the rest of his class with a small smile. “Well, now that that’s sorted out why don’t we-?” Before he could say anything else, there was a light knock on the door and then some sheepish students were poking their heads around the doorframe.

“Is this Dr. P. Murdock’s class?” A boy with blond hair and bright blue tips asked, shifting his grip on the strap of his bag.

Peter gave them a nod. “Mix-up with which Dr. Murdock?” Peter asked sympathetically. The small gaggle of kids nodded. “Come on in and find a seat, we were just about to start going over the syllabus.” Peter nudged Mile’s foot with his own so that his TA would pass out the remaining syllabi to the students that had just gotten into the room.

…..

“We didn’t think this through,” Peter said in lieu of a greeting when he tossed himself down onto the loveseat in Matt’s office. It was the only casual thing in Matt’s meticulously kept office. Part of it, Peter knew, was from necessity, but the other part was just Matt.

Peter only had the one Intro class that day, so the rest of his students had had him in previous courses and could recognize him even with the name change. Most of them had even known about the fact that Dr. Parker was going to be Dr. Murdock by the time they came back to campus. He was guilty of maybe talking about his personal life a little too much in class, but he’d been stupidly in love with Matt from their third date so he could hardly be blamed for mentioning the fact that they were getting married.

Matt snorted and put his lecture notes to the side before raising a brow at Peter. “Speak for yourself. I thought about this when we talked about changing our names at all.”

Peter squawked indignantly. “And you didn’t think to mention it to me!”

Matt laughed. “I didn’t think I had to! I assumed you’d already thought of it yourself.”

Peter grumbled and sunk down further into the couch.

“Not to add insult to injury, but I think some of your mail came to my mailbox.” Matt skimmed his hand over the desk before he grabbed an envelope and held it out to Peter. “No Braille, so.”

Peter took it and Matt was right, it was addressed to Dr. P. Murdock. “I’m sorry, baby,” Peter muttered and scrubbed a hand over his face. “This is gonna be such a pain in the ass for the next couple of days.” It was going to be students in the wrong classes and mixed up mail and probably wrong emails and mislabeled assignments and-

Matt just laughed, an easy smile on his face. “Hey, it’s alright. Comes with the gig right,” Matt said and held up the hand where his wedding ring sat, flexing his ring finger pointedly.

“Yeah, yeah, I remember,” Peter muttered but there was more humor in it, none of the pall that had lingered over his head for a moment. That was the incredible thing about Matt that Peter loved. He could pull Peter out of his weird headspaces and the spirals he nearly worked himself into. All with a few words or a small smile. “Foggy’s gonna think this is hilarious,” Peter said and rolled his eyes good-naturedly.

Matt broke out into a lopsided smile. “Yeah, he probably will. And Karen will think it’s precious.” Matt wrinkled his nose slightly and that made Peter smile to himself.

Peter glanced at his watch and then sighed. “I better go before my next class,” Peter levered himself off of Matt’s sofa before he crossed over so he could bend over the desk and give Matt a proper kiss. “See you at six, right?” Peter asked, knowing full well that that was when Matt’s office hours were over.

“Lookin’ forward to it,” Matt said and brushed his mouth against Peter’s one last time.

Peter grinned to himself as he ducked into the strap of his bag, settling it on his shoulder with practiced ease, and then stuffed his hands into his pockets as he made his way towards his own office. He had some time to kill before his next class and he was going to take full advantage of it to coordinate with his lab co-teacher, answer the emails that were already starting to come in, as well as probably just take a short nap. Without him realizing it, a smile had tugged at the corners of his mouth and Peter was surprised to feel how content and happy he was. It certainly hadn’t been something he was expecting- Matt had come as a surprise after they’d been set up by some well-meaning friends who knew each other- but he was happy with how his life had turned out. He had a job he loved, he had his research, and he had Matt.

What more could anyone ask for?

[callsignfate]

Strawberry Cream Cheese Bagel.

Laswell x Wife Fluff written for all of Laswells wives who need some soft Fluff! This was written for fun, so it's a small little blurb again. I have more to post, though, so don't worry! There is tons of content for today!

Tw: None, just some soft fluff.

Masterlist/ More like this/ Request

♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡

Your tired eyes flittering open and closed slowly as you waited patiently at the counter in front of the toaster with the butter knife in your hand. You leaned over the counter using your elbow to prop yourself up while you waited.

You always set your alarm for this shockingly early of an hour so you could do your 'normal'. So you could listen to the soft morning rain, snow, or fog, depending on the day. You always woke up on the first loud chime of the alarm and shut it off quickly, looking over to see Kate still sleeping soundly, as always.

You snuck out of the room carefully, grabbing the set of pre-picked out clothes by the door so you wouldn't make any more unneeded noise that would wake her up.

You always used the bathroom next to the kitchen, usually deemed the guest bathroom, so the lights and doors being opened and closed wouldn't wake your wife. You had learned the hard way over the years that using the bathroom attached to your bedroom always woke her up.

Next you started the coffee maker, putting in her normal coffee pod, filling it with water, and putting her favorite cup you washed moments before in the sink, under the spout of the coffee maker and hitting the same small worn out button, no text to tell you what it did, but it didn't matter.

You then cut the bagles you always bought, the same ones for the past five years. Grabbing the cream cheese from the fridge, also the same. One you had tried and liked once, strawberry. The flavor always tasting like strawberry candy on top of the same sweet bagel.

You always cut two, always pushing down the both sides of the toaster at the same time, the same level. Not that the small dials or buttons had their numbers on them, they worn off over the years of use. It was a ritual you adored. You never would explain why, not to anyone.

The bagels finally popped up, tearing you away from your thoughts. You slathered the bagels quickly in the strawberry cream cheese before moving to sit at the end of the table that was closest to the hallway, your wife's coffee already in her cup waiting for her next to your plate of untouched warm bagels.

Kate finally came rushing in, still throwing on her jacket and adjusting her belt as she mumbled a quick 'good morning' with the morning groggyness and a slight hint of urgency in her tone. She grabbed her cup, twisting on the lid and giving you a quick kiss on your temple.

Her hand moved to grab the bagel off of your plate, the same bagel you always made, taking a bite and trying to get the same departing words she always said with her mouth full of bagel.

"Love you, I'll be home soon, call me if you need me."

Her mouth was full, but you already knew them well enough to know what she had said. The silence washed over the house as you picked up he bagel and took a bite, chewing slowly as you smiled. You hated strawberry cream cheese. When you first bought it to try, Kate took the first bite and said it was delicious, like strawberry cake her mother made when she was a kid.

The taste for you over the years became repetitive, but you refused to change it to try to find a new flavor. You considered many times to replace it, looking at different flavors every time you'd go to buy the same one. Contemplating even going back to the bland flavor of normal cream cheese, you knew that you wouldn't get the same memory every time you bit into one, every morning.

The soft smile as she took a bite, the surprise and joy as she told you about the flavor reminding her of her birthdays and childhood because she swore it tasted exactly like the cake her mother made. Watching her eyes light up as she would talk about the frosting decorations, the intricate designs her mother would put on just for her.

It was the first time she had talked much about her mother, her childhood, and you refused to let it go, you refused to change the cream cheese even if it meant driving to different stores out of the way to find it.

Her eyes light up the same way every time she would 'steal' a bagel off of your plate, not knowing you made one for her. Knowing otherwise, she wouldn't eat, knowing she would say she didn't have the time.

So every morning, you make sure you're there in the same spot with her bagel and coffee so she can sleep in and get as much sleep as she can. You make sure to get the same exact brand of cream cheese so she can enjoy the memory, the feeling one more time, so you can witness her bite into bagel and get that same soft smile.

♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡

Masterlist/ More like this/ Request

[magicalqueennightmare]

Sins & Amends Chapter 46

Billy Russo x Female Reader (60 part story)

This follows pre- the punisher into the storyline of daredevil, punisher season 1 and beyond

This is NOT Canon Billy. This is decent human being Billy left with bad options over worse decisions

This was also posted to A03 under: WaywardGaPeach. That account and this one is the only place you'll see me post this. If you see it on any other platform/account know it's not me.

Chapter Summary/Warnings: Billy meets his babygirl

You woke up to the sound of Adi calling you across the baby monitor "Mommy" you cracked a smile and hit the button to talk back to her "I'm coming babygirl. Sit tight"

You threw the blanket off your legs and headed for her room. Your stomach flipped when you thought about what day it was. Good or bad Billy would know about Adi before another night fell. Not to mention that the mere thought of seeing him after two years made your skin feel like it was on fire.

When you walked into her room she grinned up at you from where she stood at the side of the crib "Mommy! I'm hungry" you laughed and held your hands out "Well let's see what we can do about that" 

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

A little while later you had Adi dressed and sitting in her highchair. She was munching on Cheerios and pieces of banana while you sat across from her drinking a cup of coffee and picking at a bagel. 

Your appetite hadn't been the best the last few days but you knew it was simply nerves so you forced the bagel down and smiled when Adi held out a Cheerio "eat mommy" you smiled and showed her your empty plate "Mommy did eat now it's time for Adi to eat"

Your phone chimed from the counter so you after you washed your plate and grabbed another cup of coffee you checked to see it was Karen telling you what time she'd be over to pick up Adi. "That was Aunt Karen. She's excited to spend the day with you!" You told Adi who grinned at the mention of Karen and once again you were struck with just how much of Billy showed in her because that was his smile. 

You shook your head to clear your thoughts about Billy and what was to come. You were going to focus on Adi and housework until time came for Karen to pick her up then you could have a nuclear meltdown before he actually arrived. Right on cue Adi held up her bowl "Mommy done!" 

In a couple hours time you managed to get all of yours and Adi's laundry done and put away, played with her stuffed animals and rewatched the lion king for the thousandth time.

Adi was playing in her room so you walked out her room and turned the lion king off then picked up her discarded toys and put them away. You still had a little while before Karen would be there to get her. 

You were cleaning up the kitchen when you heard a knock at the door and checked the time. Karen was a little early but then again it seemed everyone in your life suddenly got more punctual when time with Adi was offered. "ONE SECOND!" you hollered and walked around the corner to the door.

When you opened the door your heart nearly stopped. It wasn't Karen standing on the other side but a very nervous looking Billy.

His hair had grown out a lot since the last time you saw him and he'd put his weight back on and filled out again. The green sweater he wore looked soft to the touch and hugged his shoulders perfectly. Mixed with the black jeans and boots he almost looked like he used to. 

Billy walked out the gate of the prison and stopped when he felt the sun on his face. After everything he'd done he never dreamed of being a free man again. His memories were still fuzzy at times, a puzzle that still had to be shoved together but after months worth of testing and evaluations he'd been deemed stable to be released under the deal Murdock and Nelson had made with Homeland.

Murdock was an entire new mystery. Billy remembered things involving him and you he'd rather forget but he wasn't the type to look a gift horse in the mouth either.

Why everyone was helping him and not just leaving him to rot was beyond him. "Billy?" He glanced up to see Sam Stein standing beside a black suv parked directly across from the prison. His last memory of Sam was stopping one of the men he'd been working with from putting a bullet in his brain yet the man smiled when he saw him "Curtis had an emergency pop up so he asked if I could pick you up and bring you back to the city" "Sounds good to me" Billy replied with a tense smile and walked across to the passenger side of the suv.

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

The closer he got back to the city the more nervous Billy felt. Every sin he ever committed was waiting for him. He had to face Frank, his part in the deaths of Maria, Lisa and Frank Jr and everything he'd done to you. 

He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the seat thinking about the last time he saw you. The tears in your eyes as you kissed him one last time and told him you'd never stop loving him. Seeing you walk out the door while he waited for Sergeant Mahoney to take him in. 

After the pain he'd caused you still loved him. He'd broke out that hospital with no other destination but you in sight. He knew you'd give him answers and you had. You'd held him when you both cried then the moment you'd kissed him he hadn't wanted to leave when you so willingly let him touch you, hadn't turned away from him but instead made love to him one last time he had never deserved you. That was why he'd blocked you at every turn. He'd sent one letter by Curtis telling you to move on. 

When Frank started coming with Curtis to visit he'd ask about you and something about the way they both would act told him there was more to the story than they let on but you were healthy and happy. That's what counted. By some miracle you told Curtis that you would see him when he got out but now that it was just a few miles and a little over an hour away he still wasn't sure what to say to you.

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

"Billy?" He woke with a start to Sam tapping his shoulder. "Sorry man but we're back" Billy sat up straighter in his seat and realized Sam had brought him to your apartment instead of Curtis'. "I thought I was gonna meet up with Curt first" he felt a twinge of panic from the thought of showing up at your door unannounced.

Sam smiled "I called him. He's on his way. I can wait with you until he gets here if you want?" Stein was a decent enough guy but he didn't feel like being babysat at the moment. "No I'll head in. Maybe the people in the lobby won't call the law on me" he meant it as a joke but it still was a worry of his even after all this time. "You got your ID don't ya?" Sam asked and Billy nodded "It's in my hip pocket" "Then you're fine. I know she wants to see you" 

"Your mouth to God's ears" Billy muttered before thanking Sam for the ride then climbing out the suv. Either this would go really well or really bad. Either way he'd get to see you.

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

He was glad you'd never moved. Out of everyone you'd planted your roots years ago and through everything you'd stayed.

A few people glanced his way as he walked to the elevator but no one flinched which surprised him to a certain degree. Then again it was New York. Considering aliens had come down and wrecked half of Manhattan he wasn't anything too terrifying.

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

When the elevator opened on your floor his feet felt a lot heavier than they had moments before but he forced them to move. If you could be willing to see him he could be man enough to face you.

He stopped in front of your door and took a deep breath before knocking. "ONE SECOND!" You hollered and he felt his heart speed up just hearing your voice.

A moment later the door opened and there you were. Your eyes widened when you realized it was him. "Billy" just hearing his name on your lips made a smile slip onto his face "Hey Y/N" 

Your hair was shorter than the last time he saw you and he was fairly certain that was one of Frank's old shirts you were wearing over jeans that had long since seen better days but he'd never seen anything more beautiful. You blinked a few times then stepped to the side "Come on in" 

He could tell how nervous you were. Hell he knew you better than he knew himself even after all this time. "How have you been?" He asked wanting to kick himself for such a stupid question. Before you could answer "Mommy!" rang through the air.

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

Both of your heads whipped towards your spare bedroom and he could see the guilt in your eyes when you said "God this isn't how I wanted you to find out" you disappeared into the bedroom and he felt his entire world shift.

You were a mother..god you had moved on and had a baby with someone. He'd always dreamt of having a family with you now because of decisions he'd made everything had slipped through his fingers. Who was her father? 

He glanced around and started to notice the photos lining the walls. He didn't get close enough to see the child's face but there were photos of you and her, her with Frank, Curtis, Karen and god there was one that was obviously a birthday with her covered in pink icing and everyone around her. There standing next to you was Murdock. Jesus you'd had a baby with his lawyer, the very man that he'd driven you into the arms of.

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

You walked back out the room with your daughter in your arms and her head laid over on your shoulder. You were rubbing her back and speaking soothingly to her. His heart ached at seeing the small smile on your face. You were a mother. It suited you well. You were happy.

"I'm gonna go" he needed to get out of here. He needed room to breathe. God he never should've came here. When he spoke your daughter turned to face him and his heart stopped. She had your nose but everything else was his. The dark brown eyes that looked nearly black, the carved cheekbones, even her smile looked exactly like his.

She looked back at you with an excited grin "Daddy?" You nodded and he saw tears prickling your eyes and felt his own threatening to spill out. "Yeah baby that's daddy" you finally said your eyes never leaving his.

When she held her arms out to him he took her without a second thought. "Daddy!" She giggled burying her little face in his neck as she hugged him tight. 

He'd never felt anything like the emotions running through him in that moment. She was his. You and him had a daughter. You'd gotten pregnant that night and despite every reason not to you'd kept her and was now letting him meet her. God he loved her instantly and didn't even know her name. 

You felt your heart threatening to beat out your chest at seeing Billy and Adi together. You finally took a breath and said "Baby why don't you go grab Coco to show daddy?" she nodded "Ok" and wiggled down out of his arms. He watched her toddle off then looked back at you "What's her name?" 

"Addison Elizabeth Russo..we all call her Adi" you met his eyes with a watery smile. "Were you ever going to tell me we have a daughter?" His voice was barely above a whisper and you had to swallow twice before you could answer "Billy you straight out refused to see me. You didn't even want to talk on the phone. How was I supposed to tell you? Through Curtis or Foggy?"

"I didn't want you tied up with me the rest of your life but this..her..Adi..our daughter changes everything. If I would've known. God she's what fourteen months old?" Seeing Billy of all people fighting to keep from crying was twisting your heart in a vice. You'd known this would be an emotional day but god you hadn't wanted him to find out like this.

"Yeah. I found out when at ten weeks. Billy I'm sorry. I wanted to talk to you before you met her. Ease you into it. I just didn't want to put any more guilt on you for leaving a child without a father then when the deal came up I didn't want you hearing it from anyone but me" 

He looked towards her room then shook his head "No, dammit. Don't don't apologize to me. It's my fault I missed it. After everything I've done. I don't deserve an apology. I just have no idea how something so innocent came from me"

"I need to apologize. I'm the reason Curt and Frank and hell even the Homeland agents never said a word about her. I asked them not to. We all hid her from you" it felt like a weight was lifted saying the words.

He shook his head again and you briefly wondered if this was too much on him but when his eyes met yours again he shrugged one shoulder "I can't blame any of you. I cut you off and told you not to come or write. As for Frank and Curt they were protecting you which I'd never fault them for even if it was from me"

"Billy I know you'd never hurt me or Adi. I never said I needed to be protected from you" you felt a bit defensive and was once again wishing Karen had showed up earlier. "But apparently you felt like the two of you needed to be protected from me because every time I spoke to them the word pregnant never once came up"

He had his hands curled up at his side not so much in fists but like he was trying to keep them from shaking. You knew because you had crossed your arms to stop your hands from shaking "You let me go. When I tried to still have some sort of bridge between us you lit the match!" 

It was a fight to keep your voice down for both of you. He dropped his head "Because I thought the rest of my life would be behind bars. I never would've dreamed this deal would happen" you crossed the couple feet to stand directly in front of him before saying "Like I knew this deal would happen? Believe me this isn't how I thought my life would turn out. When I dreamed of a future with you, of kids it wasn't under these circumstances yet here we are. I made sure from the moment she was old enough she knew who you were and that you loved her. Billy this isn't how we planned it but we have a baby girl that was formed from love and if you want to be a part of her life I'm offering the chance"

You felt the tears sliding down your cheeks and saw any fight leave Billy "Sweetheart I am so sorry" before anything else could be said Adi was running between the two of you grabbing Billy's hand shoving Coco into it. You turned your head to the side so she couldn't see you'd been crying then said "Baby why don't you show Daddy your room" 

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

The moment the two of them were out of sight you leaned over on the counter and buried your face in your hands to try to stow the tears.

You heard your phone and started to ignore it until you realized it was Curtis' ringtone so you grabbed it. "Curt why didn't you call?" You asked a lot harsher than you meant and heard him draw a breath "Y/N I'm so sorry. Signals got crossed and Sam ended up picking Billy up. I'm judging by your voice it didn't go well?" 

"It's still going. Karen hadn't picked her up so he got shoved head first into fatherhood" he cursed under his breath then said "Do I need to come over?" "No. Not right now anyways. I'll call if you do" another beat passed before he said "At least the bandaid is off" "Yeah that's a plus" 

You hung up with him about the time an alert came through from Karen saying she was getting off the elevator and you laughed at the irony. 

You walked to the door and opened it to wait.

Karen walked off the elevator smiling but it fell the moment she saw your face "What's wrong?" "Oh Sam picked him up instead of Curt so he's currently being given a tour of Adi's room"

"Oh honey. I'm so sorry I wasn't earlier! I can still take her? Let the two of you talk without little ears?" She offered and while you wanted a chance to talk to him alone it felt wrong ripping the two apart when they'd just met. You shook your head "She doesn't have long before her nap. We can talk then"

She smiled and pulled you into a hug "It'll be ok. Call if you need me or Curtis. We're close by" you nodded with a watery laugh "I don't know what I'd do without you Page" she winked and said "You'll never have to find out. Now I'm gonna go wrangle Frank for lunch. I want updates ok?" 

You nodded "of course" and watched until she got to the elevator. She winked at you once more than stepped on. 

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

You shut the door behind yourself and heard Adi's footsteps headed back your way and braced yourself. She came around the corner pulling Billy. He looked exactly how you felt but you both plastered smiles on for her "Mommy Lions?" You laughed "Sure baby" she pulled Billy to the couch and sat him down then came back after you.

She slid between the two of you and giggled when the movie started. She barely made it twenty minutes in before she was out. You glanced over at Billy and he was already watching you "Let me put her down" you whispered and he nodded.

When you stood to pick her up your hand brushed his arm and you felt him stiffen slightly then relax before you moved your hand away. You laid her on your shoulder and half smiled "Be right back" 

You laid Adi in her bed and left Coco in the corner close enough she could find her then grabbed the monitors and walked back into the living room. 

Billy was walking around looking at your collection of photos that lined the wall "You kept photos of me" he all but whispered so you nodded "Why wouldn't I? You're her father"

He turned towards you and ran a hand over his head "This is a lot. I mean I remember hurting you so much through everything with Rawlins but there's still blanks. I came here because honestly I wanted to see if you moved on. Not a day went by I didn't think about you. My therapist in there, Doctor Michael Victors...he wanted me to call you. Said if you were still so present in the mess that is my brain you should be involved"

"Why didn't you?" You asked quietly and he blinked a few times and shrugged "I wanted you to have a chance at a normal life. I never would've thought you got pregnant that night" 

"Neither did I" you were trying to joke but it came out in nearly a sigh.

He ran a hand over his face again before finally asking "Elizabeth after Maria?" You nodded. You wanted to ask more about his TBI and treatment so far but didn't want to push so you waited on him to talk. The next question threw you off when it was "Why are you letting me see her? You could've thrown me out"

"She's your daughter Billy. You deserve to see her. She deserves to know you" you tried to figure out what he was feeling but he had so many emotions playing across his face it was hard to pin point one. "No I don't deserve to see her. What I've done. Y/N if you're gonna change your mind I need to know now. She's perfect and I never knew I could love someone this much this fast. I need to know if you're gonna realize I don't deserve her and cut me out before I can know her"

You took a deep breath and tentatively grabbed his hand and saw him relax slightly. You knew enough about anxiety to know in some people touch helped to ground them and to a certain degree on some things especially like this Billy's TBI would cause anxiety. 

Once his attention was fully on you and he was back mostly calm you said "Billy I'm not going to change my mind. I know what you've done. Didn't change how I feel. She never would've been here if it did. None of us can change the past but Adi? She's the future and that little girl deserves everyone who loves her in her life. You're doing better. The doctors and Homeland wouldn't have agreed to this deal if you weren't and Frank damn sure wouldn't have if he didn't see a big change. Now what's been broken won't fix over night but I always heard anything worth having is worth the effort"

For the first time since he came to your door Billy gave you that patent Russo smile that Adi had just so happened to have inherited and said "I'll do anything to prove myself to you" you squeezed his hand you were still holding and said "Healing takes time but I feel like maybe we're all getting a second chance in a way" 

He nodded and dropped your hand "Frank still barely looks at me. I can't blame him especially now but Y/N I promise you I'm gonna try to be the father Adi deserves" "That's all I ask of you" you said with a small smile and heard your phone ringing "That's Curt" 

Billy arched an eyebrow and that movement was so familiar it made your heart flip. "He checking up on me or you?" "Both probably" you answered before grabbing the phone. 

"Hey Curt" "Hey Y/N I'm headed up. Is it ok?" You glanced back at Billy who was looking over the photos from Adi's first birthday you'd hung up and said "Yeah c'mon. The door's unlocked"

You knew this was the first of many rough days with Billy being out. You weren't even close to thinking about the two of you in any terms outside of being Adi's parents but you did still love him.  He had a long road ahead. He had to prove himself to Homeland, keep up his therapy, try to rebuild a friendship with Frank and Curtis and now had to learn about being a father. It was a lot to handle and you hoped he could make good on his promise and maybe one day things might be better for all of you.

You hung up with Curtis and walked over to where he was looking at the photo of Adi covered in pink icing "You can take that one if you" he turned around and looked a little surprised "Are you sure?" You laughed and motioned around the room "I've got plenty of her. You need one for your place" you took the photo off the wall and held it out to him. He took it gingerly and smiled "Thank you Y/N" "You're welcome" you replied then heard a knock on the door right before it opened and Curtis walked in. 

He looked from you to Billy then finally said "So you met her?" Billy slowly pulled his eyes away from you then smiled "She's amazing Curt" Curtis grinned "That she is brother. And she should be yet another reason to keep on the straight and narrow" Billy glanced back at you then said "Oh believe me Curt. I plan to do everything right this time"

@intothesoul

@weallhaveadestiny

[monriatitans]

Ta-Da! List: Friday, June 14th

The image was made in Canva; check it out at the [referral] link here!

I share my “Ta-Da! List” every day so everyone gets a daily update and I have a reminder of what I’ve accomplished.

To learn more about “Ta-Da! Lists”, and other ADHD life hacks, check out @adhdjesse’s book Extra Focus: The Quick Start Guide to Adult ADHD.

Abbreviations

- O&T: Opinions & Truth Blog - WGS: The Weekend Game Show - ASO: Artist Shout-Out - IG: Instagram - BMAC: Buy Me a Coffee - TDL: Ta-Da! List

Ta-Da! List

✧ June 13th: - on the office setup: Social Media: linked the O&T IG to the O&T Pinterest ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ✧ throughout the day: - kept emails manageable - loaded the dishwasher - filled out today’s TDL - used Patreon rewards to make desktop wallpapers for PERSONAL use ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ✧ on the bedroom setup: - Movies: watched “The Nightmare Before Christmas” - WGS Ko-fi: removed the old IG link from the “About” section and replaced it with O&T’s - O&T: shared today’s TDL to various social media ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ✧ on the office setup: - Gaming: played “Final Fantasy XIV” - YouTube: watched and/or listened to: 1. Jim Sterling (The Jimquisition)’s videos “Naughty Microsoft Bought Smelly Bethesda”, “Allegations, Exploitation, And The CEO Who Dreamed Of A Porsche”, “Who Gets The Right To Live Stream Games?”, “Konami’s Silent Hill 2 Bloober Reel”, “Silent Hill: Ascension Is F*cking Disgusting”, “How An Ex-Bayonetta Actor Torpedoed Her Reputation In Record Time”, “Stray Souls: A Bad Game Made By Bad People”, “Vexed Generation”, “Microsoft Bought Activision And That’s Terrible”, “Golden Axed: Prototypes & Parasites”, “Why It’s Morally Okay To Pirate All Of Sony’s Games”, “That Time Warner Bros. Beat Up A Queer Character For Pride”, and “The Most Important Starfield Video Ever” 2. Lindsey Stirling’s videos “Survive (feat. Walk Off The Earth) [Official Music Video]”, “Lindsey Stirling — Evil Twin (Official Music Video)”, and “Inner Gold (feat. Royal & the Serpent) [Official Music Video]” 3. ContraPoints’ videos “‘Transtrenders’”, “Tiffany Tumbles”, “The Aesthetic”, “Decrypting the Alt-Right: How to Recognize a F@scist”, “What’s Wrong with Capitalism (Part 1)”/”(Part 2)”, and “Cringe” 4. Robert Reich’s video “Do the Rich Work Harder than Everyone Else? I 10 Economic Myths Debunked #3” 5. Prophet of Zod’s video “Christians Can’t Explain Away Bible Contradictions” 6. Philosophy Tube’s videos “Intro to Anarchy: Power & Violence” and “White Supremacist Propaganda Vs Truth” 7. Kupo’s short “It’s YOUR life, No one elses!” - WGS: prepared the ASO for tomorrow, June 15th ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ✧ chores and miscellaneous: - Food: had coffee and water for breakfast; finished the leftover Everything Bagel Chicken Tenders Salad and hamburgers for lunch; had leftover Chunky Cheeseburger Soup for dinner - Chores: checked the mail; took out the trash

—

Well, these are all the updates I had for today! Thank you for reading!

May every decision you make be *in the spirit of fairness* and may the rest of your day *NOT go to $#!7*!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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[inherstars]

Personal weirdness.

Weird week. Had my annual "well woman" exam, with a description of issues that the doctor seemed to find concerning, or at least worthy of interest, so now I'm being plugged full of hormones to try and set things right. Looking forward to being absolutely bugshit insane for the next couple weeks. *thumbs up emoji*

Also got scheduled for one of those awful ultrasounds where they blow you up like a water balloon. So that's fun. 2024 is really my year so far.

My Mom has been hitting the gabapentin hard, going back and forth between being completely incoherent, angry, and sweet and contrite, and I never know which version of her I'm going to get until she starts sending me texts.

Her complaining that "my phone isn't working" / "The TV is broken" are the two biggest indicators that she's high as a fucking kite, because she sits there and mashes the buttons, having no idea what she's doing, and fucks things up. Yesterday, somehow, she swapped the remotes from the living room and the bedroom, and was using the wrong one in the living room, which was causing both TVs to get completely fucked up.

She was also a bit more lucid yesterday, but still managed to drop an entire pizza on the floor (after trying to serve it on a decorative charger plate, which... I still don't understand), and was trying to convince me there was something wrong with her phone, and THAT was why all the texts she sent me were complete gibberish.

She complained that she hasn't been right since she was in the hospital, overlooking the fact that she's been self-medicating again since being released.

I am tired.

The cats have also had various levels of stomach upset for about a week now, which has been upsetting. Link -- previously healthy -- lost 2 lbs at his most recent exam, so he's in a "feed him a bit more and see what happens" period before we bring him back for another weigh-in. His bloodwork came back, like, 99.9% clean, so the next step would be an ultrasound.

We're a little past the one-year anniversary from vomit-gate 2023, in which all of the cats got mysteriously sick over a period of like 3 weeks, and then gradually recovered. We still have no idea what caused that.

But bellies seem to be back in order. Stinky poops have diminished to at least normal stink levels, and everyone is eating down to the bottoms of their bowls again.

In more positive news, we got the apple trees moved into a new "temporary" greenhouse last week, during a brief break in the weather, and I've been hand-pollinating the blossoms as they open. We're still probably a week or two from more of them opening appreciably, but it's nice to see things moving along.

The contractor finished fixing the walls in the pantry (yay!) which means that this weekend's primary focus is going to be priming and painting the walls, then replacing everything where it needs to go. Next week (assuming it didn't break in transit), he'll be replacing the solid pantry door with a half-light door, which should allow sunlight to enter through the back door and shine into the kitchen. I'm really excited to see how that looks, which is also why I want to pick a nice color for the pantry walls; it's a kind of "throw-away" room, but it will reflect a lot of light and color.

Since we'll have the paint supplies out already, my hope is to tape up the 2nd floor bathroom and finally get that painted, as well.

I'm knocking around ideas of what to bake and cook but, to be honest, with as much work as we'll be doing I'm probably going to be too knackered to do anything too fancy. But once the kitchen is cleaned and back and order, I've got plenty of time to put bread or bagels on in the morning.

I've also spent most of this week either writing or plotting, which has been really nice. I started outlining what was going to be a quick follow-up to the fairy thing I posted earlier, but it got longer and more involved, and now I want to stitch the two parts together. The first part is going to require some additional work to fill it out, which is fine.

Finishing the outline and starting on the actual writing is on my to-do list for the day.

Time to get on that.

EDIT: No sooner did I hit 'post' then she sent me a text complaining that her TV remote isn't working.

EDIT: Five minutes later and she called me in a panic, asking if her surgery is today. Whoo boy. Don't do drugs, kids.

[returntosaturn271995]

Monday, September 11th, 2023: Life, love, and lasers.

So we're a little over a year into me regularly posting on this Tumblr that has become a touchstone in me getting healthier. So today I'm just going to do a goals update.

Reading: The Rachel Incident

Writing: Today I thought of the phrase, "She was always right, she was always wronged". The phrase "I can see it from here" as a response to anything.

Cooking: Cream Cheese Bagel with Lox, homemade coffee. Also tried eating Pear and Blue cheese ice cream from Salt and Straw and I am truly disgusted. It was like bad breath in cream form. Makenna doesn't feel bad for me because the advertising was in the name. She has a point.

Political Awareness:  On Tuesday, the administration will face its largest test yet when the Department of Justice will launch a case designed to act as a check on Google’s dominance in online search, in what some experts are calling “the most significant monopoly case in a generation."

If I want to learn more about this, is it too ironic to Google it?

Loving Relationships: Chatted with Mom today, hung out on the couch with Makenna while Blue and Lumos stared each other down, and a lovely laser technician named Grace zapped my butt with a laser.

Getting outside/Cardio: Ran in the ran today for 25 minutes. I'm over 25 K for the month so far. The little droplets hit my skin and I felt the way my arms sliced through the air. I felt powerful as I listened to my Rom-Com playlist, particularly at "There She Goes Again".

Dressing Well: Today was a truly inspired outfit. White button-down cardigan, cream trousers, large boho pendant necklace, white slides.

Cleaning: Deep cleaned the chair Lumos peed on with the green machine. It was like tending to my own zen garden...if it smelled like cat piss. Basically a frontierswoman at this point. I'm my own husband and wife.

Work: Edited a Creative Brief, contracted 35K of media spend, created a list of "Loopy" Influencers, and emailed my little heart out at Palmy's today.

Yoga: Need to get back on that and download daily yoga (or potentially a better app).

Meditation: A true sense of self-esteem comes from actions. When we show ourselves who we are. Self-talk is a lot, but it's not everything. Also I feel like I've been showing myself a good person lately.

General health: Sober September-ing for the win! Life is improving as a direct result. Pretty awkward to admit.

Things I want to improve on: grocery shopping more, and ordering food less. Learning more about money, as in what to do with it when you have it.

Funny Text of the day, Zero Context:

"Like fuck off Lindsay. I got invited to a British country home. I ain’t saying no to that. Whether I fall in love or get seriously haunted by a ghost I am going. It’s not my fault geopolitical borders are fucked and the post office moves at a snail's pace"

[estrellami-1]

Preferably with me 🙈 anyways how’s your day going 💜

Any day with you ❤️

Ngl I was 100% stalking my own notifs waiting for your ask 🙈 I love chatting with you, what can I say! 😂

My day’s good! I mean I got out of bed a little over an hour and a half ago lol, I had a plain bagel w strawberry cream cheese and some coffee, and I’m about to work on my latest project, an amigurumi dog for my sister.

This is what it’s supposed to look like… we’ll see if it turns out like that! 😂 I couldn’t find any eyes so I’m using brown yarn (same as the nose) but I have everything but the body done so as soon as I finish the body and attach the head & tail (the arms & legs are attached in the making of the body) (and do the damn eyes) I’ll be done!!

Ngl this was supposed to be done like 2 weeks ago bc she was hospitalized but I SEVERELY underestimated how long it would take 😩 and how big it would be! I think it’s gonna be like 18”? Maybe 2’? But hopefully she loves it 😂

Anyways my day’s been good so far, rather uneventful lol, and I’m hoping to practice the drums later. (My dad said I’m naturally more talented than my brothers so I want to play lol, plus chick drummers ROCK so y’know. That’s a plus 😂)

How’s your day been, lovely? ❤️

Fuck I didn’t mean to do that 😩 I hit the wrong button and idk how to delete it. Feel free to ignore the poll lmao

[regenderate-fic]

When I Run Away (You're Who I Run To): Chapter 7

main post read on ao3

Word Count (Chapter): 3,416

The rest of the week passed without incident, insofar as you could say any week was without incident with Penny involved. By now, Yaz and Rose were both going over to the bakery every morning— Penny was there most days, but sometimes it was Donna up front, and oftentimes they were joined by Ace, now she was hired and training, or else Graham, who seemed nice enough. Of course, the trip was always much more entertaining if Penny was there, and doubly so if she was working with Ace, who kept trying to explain her new explosives to Yaz and Rose. Yaz was amazed she hadn’t blown up the shop yet. 

Finally, they came by on Friday morning to find there was no one behind the counter. When Penny came out, it was with Ace just behind her, both of them carrying trays of croissants.

“Hiya,” Yaz said 

“Hi!” Penny slid her tray into the display case and gestured for Ace to do the same. “Guess what!”

Yaz raised her eyebrows. “What?”

Penny gestured at Ace. “I’m showing Ace how to bake! She’s a natural, honestly.” She glanced at Ace. “Told you. It’s just making things explode really really slowly.” 

“I still think it’s more interesting when it’s fast,” Ace said. “Maybe my teachers were right when they said I struggled with patience.”

“Aw, but when it’s fast it’s just—” Penny made a sound clearly meant to mimic an explosion, letting her hands burst out in demonstration. “If you blink, you miss it! And then you’re all out of your gelignite, or whatever it is you’re using—”

“Nitro-9,” Ace interjected.

“Right, Nitro-9. And you’ve got to go make more, which means finding all the stuff you need for it, and no one ever wants to give any of it to you, for some reason, even if you promise this time you won’t blow up anything of your mum’s—” Penny cut off, shaking her head. “Point is, baking’s a lot easier to get away with.”

“When’s the last time you blew anything up, Penny?” Rose asked, the picture of innocent curiosity.

“Oh, years ago now.” Penny waved a hand. “Told you. I learned to bake instead.”

“Well, I’m not giving up my Nitro-9 for anything,” Ace said. “Even if I become the best baker in the world.”

“Didn’t say you had to,” Penny said. “Just said—”

“I know,” Ace interrupted. “Easier to get away with.” She glanced at Rose and Yaz. “At the very least, I like learning.”

“Oh!” Penny said. “And! I’ve got to show you two.” She stepped back, gesturing at the coffee machine. “Ace figured out how to fix the coffee machine!” There was now a strap that looked suspiciously like Penny’s yellow braces running around it, putting pressure on the spout and casing. “Still a bit finicky, but it’s better than nothing.”

“Looks good,” Rose said.

“I can show you,” Penny said, already halfway to the to-go cups. “I assume you’ll be wanting coffee?” 

“When aren’t we?” Yaz joked. 

“True enough.” Penny slid a cup under the spout of the coffee machine. “Right. Watch this.” She hit a button on the machine and stepped back, her hands in the air. Sure enough, the coffee trickled out of the machine, filling the cup, before stopping just shy of the brim. Penny snapped a cap on the top of the cup and handed it to Yaz.

“Nice,” Yaz said, nodding appreciatively. She raised the cup. “Thanks.” 

“‘Course.” Penny was already halfway through preparing Rose’s. Over her shoulder, she added, “We still on for tonight? Thought I might make pizza.” She grinned, tossing her bangs out of her face. “‘Cause that way we can all pick our toppings, and you won’t be subjected to my taste buds or anything.”

“Sounds good,” Rose said. 

Ace had disappeared into the kitchen again, and now she came out, carrying a tray of Penny’s homemade custard creams. She slid them into the display case and turned to Penny. “I think that’s it until the bagels are done, Professor.” 

Professor? Yaz mouthed to Penny, who gave them a shrug.

“Told you, it’s just Penny,” she said to Ace.

Ace grinned. “If you say so, Professor.”

Penny shook her head. “Right. D’you want to try checking them out?”

“Sure.” Ace stepped up to the cash register. “Is that all you’re getting?”

“Think so,” Yaz said. She glanced at Rose. “Rose?”

“I’ll add a croissant,” Rose decided. “Y’know. Since you’ve gone to the trouble of making them, and all.” She pulled out her wallet and handed Ace a card. In a flash, Penny had the croissant in a bag to hand to Yaz, and a moment later Ace was handing the card back to Rose. 

“See you tonight?” Penny asked as they turned to leave.

“‘Course,” Yaz said. 

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Rose agreed.

The day passed by sluggishly, as Fridays so often did— but it passed, and at six in the evening, Yaz and Rose were at the top of the stairs to Penny’s flat, Rose holding a bottle of wine.

“I’m trusting you that that’s any good,” Yaz said, eyeing the label. 

“I wouldn’t go giving my friends bad wine,” Rose said. “You know me better than that.” She flashed Yaz a grin, the tip of her tongue peeking out between her teeth, and Yaz smiled back. She raised her fist and gave the door three sharp knocks: she was barely finished with the third before the door swung open, revealing a very disheveled Penny, wearing an apron and covered in flour just like always.

“Hi!” she said, breathless. “Sorry for—” She gestured at herself. “I was trying to have it all ready before you got here. Sort of had to sacrifice my dignity.”

“It’s all right, Penny,” Yaz said. “We know your secret.”

Penny scrunched up her face. “My secret?” 

Yaz grinned. “You never had any dignity to begin with.”

Rose laughed. 

“Oi, I can be proper dignified if I want to!” Penny protested. 

“I'll believe it when I see it,” Rose said. She peered past Penny into the flat. “You going to let us in?”

“Oh! Right.” Penny backed up, making room for Yaz and Rose to pass her. “Careful in the kitchen. I might’ve spilled some olive oil on the floor earlier. Tried to clean it up, but you never know.”

“Thanks for the heads-up,” Yaz said, stepping carefully into the space. It did look sort of like a bomb had gone off: there was flour everywhere, and what Yaz hoped was tomato sauce splattering the walls, and herbs littering the countertop. A giant lump of dough sat in a bowl.

“Bet they loved you in culinary school,” Rose said, looking around with a raised eyebrow.

“Oi, I was brilliant at culinary school,” Penny replied. “Everyone did love me.” She gave Rose a look. “Anyway, are you here to make fun of me, or are you here to have pizza?”

“ Definitely to make fun of you,” Yaz said.

Penny stuck out her tongue at her. Yaz couldn’t hold back her grin. 

Ten minutes later, they had three small pizzas, laid out with plenty of toppings. Penny had gone a bit overboard preparing, and her own pizza was, although cheeseless, covered in turkey sausage, two different types of olive, three different herbs, pineapple, and, horrifyingly, mini marshmallows. The only thing she hadn’t used was the mushrooms, which she wrinkled her nose at, saying she had only gotten them to be polite to anyone who thought mushrooms belonged on pizza. When Yaz pointed out that she thought marshmallows belonged on pizza, she shrugged it off and said, “They’re good when they’re all melty, aren’t they?” 

For her part, Yaz had used the mushrooms, alongside sausage and basil, but she denied the offer of marshmallows. Rose’s pizza was sausage, pineapple, and black olives. Yaz would’ve started their traditional pineapple-on-pizza argument if it hadn’t felt so pointless next to Penny’s marshmallows. 

“Right,” Penny said. “Get these in the oven, and then we can light some candles, yeah?” 

They went through roughly the same routine as the previous week, although this time Penny was the only one who knew all the words to the blessings: she’d also gotten actual grape juice this time, which she poured into Yaz’s cup with inordinate but endearing pride. The oven beeped just as Penny was finishing the last blessing, and she barely took a breath before darting into the kitchen. Yaz tried to follow, but Penny waved her back to the table, and so she and Rose waited until Penny came back out, balancing three large plates piled with pizza slices. The plates barely fit on the table with the loaf of challah already set out, but with a little rearranging they managed to make it work.

“Good thing Donna’s not here,” Penny said. “We never would’ve fit all the food on the table.”

“Where is Donna?” Rose asked. 

Penny waved a hand. “One of her biological cousins is getting married in Spain. She’ll be back Monday.” She took a huge bite of her pizza, dramatically chewing and swallowing before adding, “I told you the marshmallows would be good!”

Yaz shook her head. “Honestly, Penny, I’m not convinced you have taste buds.”

“I have plenty of taste buds,” Penny said, wrinkling her nose. “More than you, probably.”

“I don’t think that’s how it works,” Rose said. 

“Yeah, and she pierces tongues for a living,” Yaz added. “She’d know.”

Penny laughed. “Oh, they teach taste buds in piercing school?”

“Only if you do the extra credit.” Rose grinned.

“Overachiever,” Yaz joked. 

Rose tossed her hair. “Yeah? What if I am?”

Yaz rolled her eyes. 

All arguments aside, the pizza was delicious— and Yaz found herself growing increasingly comfortable as the night wore on. There was something about Penny that made it easy to relax, or maybe it was just that her flat felt so much like a home. Eventually, Penny brought out a deck of cards, and they all sat on the floor and played convoluted games Yaz could’ve sworn Penny was making up the rules for on the spot. 

Finally, though, Yaz looked at the clock and remembered that she and Rose were still supposed to work the next day. She nudged Rose and said, “We should go.” 

Rose sat back with a sigh. “Why are we open on Saturdays again?”

“Because people love spending their weekends getting needles stuck in them,” Yaz said. It was true: Saturday was their busiest day. 

“Yeah, all right.” Rose stood up, reaching out a hand to pull Yaz to her feet. Penny followed them to the door. She gave each of them a fierce hug in goodbye, sending Yaz a little off-kilter as she and Rose went back down the stairs to the street.

Yaz half-expected to see Penny pop up in their shop the next day— Graham was working the bakery, of course, given that it was Saturday, but taking a day off was the sort of thing that would only enable Penny to spend half the day in Yaz’s and Rose’s lobby, talking the ears off anyone who happened to be around. But she didn’t see Penny, and she didn’t think too much of it until, early Sunday morning, she was woken up by her too-cheery ringtone. Bleary, she groped for her phone on her nightstand, holding it over her face to see who was calling. The caller ID said it was Donna: Yaz and Rose had exchanged numbers with Donna and Penny a week or so ago, under the logic that if they were all going to be friends, it wouldn’t do for their only form of contact to be bursting into each other’s shops. In practice, of course, their only form of contact had been bursting into each other’s shops, and getting a call from Donna— at six in the morning, no less, and while Donna was supposed to be off in Spain at a wedding— was nothing short of baffling.

Yaz accepted the call, falling back on her bed with the phone pressed to her ear. “Hi?”

“Yaz?” Donna’s voice was muffled through the phone line. “Sorry to call so early. Promise I don’t do this normally.”

“That’s all right,” Yaz said, although her words were still blurring together a little bit. She yawned. “What’s going on?”

“I was just wondering if you could go and see if Penny’s all right?” Donna asked. “Ace called me, said she couldn’t get in for her shift, and Penny’s not answering calls from either of us.”

“Er— yeah.” Yaz was already sliding out of bed, fumbling around for trousers that weren’t her plaid pajama bottoms. “Is she— I mean— is there reason to be worried?”

“There hasn’t been recently,” Donna said. “But she’s got— oh, she’ll tell you herself if she has to. She’s just got a lot going on, sometimes. Needs people looking out for her.”

“Right.” Yaz changed her trousers with one hand, fumbling around until she found her keys and wallet. “Okay. I’m going to go wake up Rose. I’ll call you? Or I’ll make Penny call you, if I can manage it.”

“Sounds good. I’ll be back tomorrow, but if I’ve got to move the flight up—”

“No, have fun at your cousin’s wedding,” Yaz said. “We’ll see you tomorrow.” 

“Right. Thank you.”

“Anytime. Talk to you soon.” Yaz hung up the phone and dropped it into her pocket. She pushed open the door to her room and walked across the kitchen, leaving a few loud knocks on Rose’s door.

Rose appeared a second later, blinking, her hair a tangled cloud around her head. “What is it?”

“Donna called me,” Yaz said. “Said she and Ace couldn’t get hold of Penny. Wants us to check in.” 

Rose stared for a moment as the words sank in. She always needed an extra moment or two in the mornings to process: Yaz waited for her nod. 

“Right,” Rose said. “Give me a moment to deal with this?” She gestured at her hair.

“‘Course.” Yaz retreated back into the kitchen. She sat at the table, unable to relax fully into the chair. There was a hot fear in her stomach, impossible to get past: what if something awful had happened to Penny? Donna had said she “had a lot going on”— Yaz was no stranger to “a lot going on,” and it wasn’t exactly something she would wish on anyone else. But— if Penny had been alone, and something had happened— Yaz didn’t want to think about it.

Fortunately, it wasn’t long until Rose emerged from her room, wearing faded sweats and with her hair pushed into a ponytail. Yaz stood, and they made their way downstairs together.

Ace was standing in front of the bakery, looking lost in her big patched-up jacket. She’d been slumped over, but when she saw Yaz and Rose, she straightened up.

“Hiya, Ace,” Yaz said. 

“Did Donna call you?” Ace asked. 

“Yeah. She asked us to check in.” Yaz took a deep breath. “You all right?”

Ace nodded. “Just worried, really.”

“That’s all right,” Rose said. “We’re going to go upstairs and see if we can find her, and then one of us’ll come down and tell you what’s going on, all right?”

“Okay.” Ace faltered for a moment. “I hope she’s okay.”

“She’s probably just overslept,” Yaz said, trying to convince herself just the same as Ace.

Ace nodded. 

Yaz and Rose went together up the stairs— Yaz realized halfway up that they were holding hands. Her nerves were jumping all over the place, getting harder and harder to ignore as they got closer to the top— and then they were at the door to Penny’s flat, knocking on her door.

“Penny?” Yaz called. 

There was no response.

Yaz knocked again, pounding her fist against the wood.

“Maybe she’s asleep?” Rose said.

But before Yaz could respond, the door opened, and there stood Penny, wearing a rumpled hoodie and pajama bottoms with massive holes in the knees. Her hair was sticking up in every direction, and she stared at Yaz and Rose with blank eyes.

“Donna called,” Yaz blurted out. “Are you all right?”

“I—” Penny swayed. Yaz lunged forward, anticipating a fall that never came— Penny teetered for a second, then righted herself, and then slumped against Yaz. 

“Have you even slept?” Yaz asked.

“Couldn’t,” Penny mumbled. 

“Right,” Rose said. “I’m going to go tell Ace the bakery’s closed for the day.”

Penny lifted her head like she was about to protest, but Rose silenced her with a look.

“You are not working today,” she said. “Won’t be good for anybody if you fall asleep in the dough.” She disappeared through the door.

“C’mon,” Yaz said, wrapping an arm around Penny’s waist. “Let’s get you into bed.”

“Don’t want to,” Penny said into Yaz’s shoulder. Yaz could feel Penny’s shallow breaths against the skin of her neck. 

“At least lie down,” Yaz said. “You don’t have to sleep. C’mon.” She managed to get Penny through the kitchen and into the hallway, where she stared at three identical doors. “Which one of these is yours?”

Penny gestured to the right. Yaz pushed the door open.

Penny’s room, it turned out, was an absolute mess. Her bed was unmade, and lined with books and bits of paper; the floor was covered in clothes and boxes and even more books; an air conditioner sat in one corner, half-covered in a blanket, and in another corner was a huge pile of machinery, some that looked like it had come out of the kitchen, some that was just about unrecognizable. The bedside table featured more machinery, a couple bags of screws and nuts and bolts, bottles of various over-the-counter multivitamins, painkillers, and antacids, and at least three packs of store-bought custard creams— one of which was open and half-empty. Yaz managed to maneuver herself and Penny both across the floor to ease Penny onto the bed: Penny went down like a rag doll.

“Right,” Yaz said. She stood awkwardly in the space between the door and the bed, looking around for some kind of sign as to what to do next. “Do you want a cup of tea?”

Penny didn’t respond. She looked like little more than a pile of clothing and hair, the way she was curled in on herself. 

Just then, Rose’s voice came through the flat. “Yaz? Penny?”

“In here!” Yaz called back. 

Rose appeared a moment later. “Sent Ace home. Told her you were sick.” She considered Penny’s limp form for a moment. “Doesn’t seem far off from the truth, honestly. How long have you been like this?”

“I’m not sick,” Penny mumbled. 

“Penny,” Yaz said, keeping her tone carefully gentle. “Do we need to be worried?”

“No!” But the force with which Penny said it did absolutely nothing to convince Yaz not to worry. 

“What happened?” Rose asked. 

There was a long silence. “Look,” Penny said. “I just get like this sometimes. I’ll be fine in a couple days. Probably.”

“Donna said you’d been okay recently,” Yaz said. She shook her head. “Sorry. You don’t have to tell us. Just—”

“My mum called,” Penny said, so quiet it was almost a whisper. 

“Oh.” Yaz sat at the edge of the bed, still keeping a distance from Penny. Her mind was racing, trying to put together what little she knew about Penny into a picture that made sense. “You and her aren’t close, then.”

Penny scoffed. “No.”

“What did she say?” Rose asked.

“I don’t remember,” Penny said. “I don’t think I let her talk too much. Sort of—” She waved a hand. “Stopped existing. Yelled at her not to call me, I think. Hung up. Broke my phone. Didn’t sleep.”

“This was yesterday?” Yaz checked.

“Last night.” Penny let out a long breath. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to make anyone worry.”

“That’s all right,” Rose said. 

“Thanks for answering the door,” Yaz added.

Penny waved a halfhearted hand. “‘Course. Can’t refuse visitors.” She frowned. “Unless they’re my mum. But you two are all right.” 

“Do you want us to stay here?” Rose asked. 

“I don’t know if I should be alone right now,” Penny breathed. 

“We haven’t got anywhere else to be today,” Yaz said.

Penny shifted, curling even more in on herself. Her eyes slipped shut. “Okay.”

“Okay.” 

Rose joined Yaz at the edge of the bed, both of them sitting, quiet and present. Moments later, Penny was asleep.

[bagelbucket]

hey [insert blog name], because of your comment i have, consequently, seen that youve liked my previous post. i think it would be, in all cases and forms, mutually beneficial for you to hit that reblog button. for both our sakes, i will do the same

[drunkardbagels]

There needs to be a full episode where klaus is human or else im gonna go insane

Like I need my boy to be happy for once PLEASE AD WRITERS

[chai-ssi-latte]

paper rings 💞

Sebastian Stan

About: Sebastian was your celebrity crush when you accidentally slid into his DM���s. Few months later, you met him at an Awards Show. Let’s just say everything turned out well.

Masterlist | Prompt List | Masterlist (Taylor Swift Songfics)

Send a tip here :) | Donations/Tips are not required but is very much appreciated :> It will help me support myself in uni and my studies :)

Gif not mine :)

“I’m so drunk,” you said, plopping on the bed next to your best friend. 

“My vision is spinning,” she replied, laughing as she did so. “What the fuck.”

“Sleep, dumbass,” you slur. You grabbed your phone from the nightstand, surprised at how it unlocked even with your messy face. You and your friend decided to have an alcohol night. She recently broke up with her ex-boyfriend, and because of work, she could not “grieve” properly. You both promised to get as drunk as you could. Reaching the point where both of you will be stumbling on the staircase on your way to the bedroom. 

As you scrolled through your Instagram feed, still feeling a little woozy, you saw Sebastian Stan posted a selfie. Smiling, you tap on his profile icon, which brings you to his account. You hit the message button and typed,

You're sp hsdnsome. Fick yuo. Handsime humsn. I hatr you si mcuh for being so handsoMe and not knwing me

You suddenly grew annoyed at Sebastian, remembering the time when he ignored you during the comic con where you both attended as actors. Did he think I’m a crazy fangirl when I smiled at him? 

OH and FUCK YUU FOR IgnORInG ME AT CMMIC CON YOU AND YOUR HANDSOME STUUPID FACEE!

As your eyes get droopy, you locked your phone, placing it back to the nightstand, and letting your drunkenness put you to sleep.

You woke up at the loud whines of your best friend at the bathroom. “Y/BFF/N! Shut up!” You yelled out, feeling the sting of your dry throat. I should’ve drank water last night. Unfortunately, you best friend didn’t stop. The sound of her throwing up and whining woke up your soul. “You better be thankful I’m the best best friend out there!” 

You throw your legs over the bed, staggering a bit when you sat up. Shaking your head, you ignored the light-headed feeling and stood up. You list down a couple of breakfast meals you can cook for you and your best friend. You heard avocado toast is really good when you’re suffering a hangover, or maybe bagel is better.

You were frying eggs when your best friend decided to join you in the kitchen, looking like a mess; the same mess that she was in last night. “My head fucking hurts,” she groaned. Laughing, you put a plate in front of her, placing the freshly cooked sunny side up, sliced avocado, and a bagel. “Thanks, babe.”

You also slid an ibuprofen on the table before pulling out a water from your fridge. “You always have the worst hangover,” you snickered.

“At least I don’t do dumb shit,” She bit back.

“I didn’t do no shit last night,” You said proudly. “We got drunk, went to the bedroom, and sleep.” You elaborated what had happened last night.

Your best friend rose a brow, “Really? That’s new.”

Sticking your tongue out, you made yourself comfortable and sat down on the chair, joining your friend on the breakfast.

To say Sebastian was confused was an understatement. Not only he got an actress sliding on his Instagram DM’s, it also seems like they’re drunk messages. He just got back on his apartment, coming from a sleepover at his Mom’s place. 

His phone was completely ignored through the night, spending the family time with his Mom and some of his visiting cousins. They watched Marvel movies, skipping the ones that he was in. According to them, they had watched them many times because that’s how much they love him. Sebastian didn’t fight the idea, he’s not always that comfortable watching himself act anyway.

“Huh,” Sebastian muttered. “Fuck you for ignoring me at comic con. You and your handsome face.” he read out lout. He never read messages so mean yet so nice before. 

Sebastian sat on the couch, contemplating whether to reply or completely ignore the thread of texts from you. Did he really ignore you at comic con? Sebastian tried so hard to remember. 

“Some DCEU actors will be on the other side,” Anthony Mackie whispered on Sebastian’s ear. “Y/N included. You know the goddess I told you about?”

“Yes,” Sebastian rolled his eyes, “You’ve told me that for the thirtieth time now.”

“Just making sure you remember.” 

Sebastian heard a lot of cheers, he swore he even heard some voices cracked. Turning, he saw the actors from DCEU walked through the curtains. He specifically had his eyes focused on you as you conversed with your co-star Henry Cavill. Henry towers over you but not too much. You had your chin raised, and eyes looking up while talking to him, but not overboard. The black pumps you were sporting didn’t go unnoticed by Sebastian.

Your eyes met with Sebastian, your lips curling in a smile. Henry looked at the direction where you beamed.

Sebastian, however, froze in place. “Let’s go, let’s go!” Anthony took a hold of Sebastian’s arm. Turning away, he didn’t even notice he didn’t smile back at you.

“Fuck. I did.” Sebastian cursed. Well, kind of, but he didn’t mean to.

I hope you had fun at the party, if ever you attended one. I promise I won’t ignore you next time Y/N.

Sebastian clicked the send button, pleased at what he just replied.

You have gone MIA in all of your social media accounts. Not only for the secret movie project you’re working with, but also to try and forget your dumb drunk moment on Instagram a few months ago.

You can’t remember yourself opening up Instagram and DM’ing the one and only Sebastian Stan. Not only you were mortified by your messages, you also wanted to move to Mars when you saw Sebastian have seen it and even replied! You almost threw your phone over the balcony that day, screaming at your pillows, and beating yourself up for your humiliating act.

“Y/N,” your best friend tapped on your shoulder. She was your plus-one on the red carpet. “Do you know who’s going to share this table with us?”

You shrugged your shoulders, “I really don’t know. Henry was put with the guys so...” you trailed, diverting your eyes to Henry. He’s sharing a table with Ben, Jason, and Ezra earlier, now including Amy and Gal.

“Wouldn’t it be weird if it’s just the two of us?” she further asked.

“Well... I’m sure there’s someone out there who’s gonna be with us.” You assured. “Just you wait.”

It took a whole hour before the place was filled with all of the actors and actresses attending the event. You passed by Henry’s table, after your trip to the bathroom. He allowed you to sit on his seat as you catch up with Ben and the rest of your co-stars. When the bright lights started dimming, that was your queue to leave. “Thanks, Henry.” You said, standing up from your seat, giving him a cheek kiss.

“Welcome.” 

You made your way back to your designated table, seeing it occupied with people now, and your bestfriend having a chat with certain someone. When you got nearer, you noticed that it was Sebastian, Anthony Mackie, and Chris Evans. You never wanted to turn away so fast and just go back to your co-stars. However, your best friend was quick to catch you.

“There’s my best friend!” she pointed at you. “She’s my plus-one.” 

“Hi...” You greeted, holding out your hand. “I’m Y/N.”

“Hi Y/N. Anthony Mackie at your service.” he winked.

“Chris Evans.”

You shook both of their hands, giving your best to hide your nervous smile. “Took you a long time leaving Henry, eh?” Anthony teased. You chuckled, the rumor of you dating Henry seems to be popular among the celebrities as well.

Your best friend stood up before you can sit next to Chris. She took the seat, looking up at you with puppy eyes but a taunting smile on her face. Your lips curled but sat down next to Sebastian anyway. 

“Sebastian,” he introduced. “It’s nice to meet you. Finally.”

“Y/N.” you grab a hold of his hand. “Um... yeah.”

The awkward moments soon turned to a pleasant ones when Anthony started cracking jokes, Chris joining him in the process. You were sure that you guys’ table has to be the loudest one, but all of you didn’t mind. You would clap and cheer when someone wins, would share opinions on the films presented, etc. It was a great evening even if you shared it with actors you haven’t worked with yet.

You and your best friend were waiting on the parking lot for the car that your manager has called for the night. “There it is.” 

When your best friend got in the car, you were stopped by a voice calling out to you. “Y/N!” Sebastian was panting when he arrived in front of you. “Hang on,” he said catching his breath. “Just a minute.”

You hold out your hand at the driver, who nodded at you, then rolling up the car window. “Are you okay?” You were concerned at how heavy Sebastian’s breathe were.

“Yeah.” then he looked up. He gave you a smile, “I forgot to ask for your number.”

“My- what?”

“Phone number.” Sebastian clarified. “Well, you mentioned earlier you’re single and not dating Henry,” he added. “You also said he has a girlfriend?” it was more of a question than a statement.

“Um...”

“I know it was awkward talking about the drunk texts and all in front of Anthony and Chris...” Sebastian trailed, “Maybe you can tell me about it on a date? Just maybe?”

You tried your best not to smile. You hold out your hand, “Phone.”

Sebastian quickly pulled out his phone from his pocket. “I’ll make sure to text you right away, Y/N.” he said when you returned his mobile to him. You gave Seb a hug goodbye. Sebastian sneaked a kiss on the temple before you pulled away.

“What was that?” your friend asked when you got inside the car.

“What was what?” you quizzed, hiding the blush on your cheeks. “To my apartment, Will.” you said to the driver.

Before your best friend can grill you with questions, your phone vibrated. 

Hey Y/N, it’s Seb. Take care and sleep well. 

It read. You grinned, and replied.

Thanks Seb. You too. Please drive safely.

Within seconds you received another reply.

No worries, your ‘celebrity crush’ is a great driver.

Your brows furrowed at the text. How did he-? You let out a sigh and looked at your best friend, who’s unsurprisingly snooping and reading the text on your phone already. 

“What? It’s true.” was all she said.

Just when I thought I’m done embarrassing myself...

You hit send.

You’re my celebrity crush too, ever since comic con.  Good night Y/N. Driving means no texting.

You swear your heart has never pounded this hard before. I’d marry this man in a heartbeat, even with a paper ring.

Let’s be friends <3

Instagram

[jessikahathaway]

Baby Talk - Part IV

Holy wow did it take me a minute to get here. I apologize for such a delay in posting this.

But thank you to @knjsnoona (Amelia) for doing the banner again, it turned out so perfect I love it! Thank you so much!

And thank you to Ryn @queenofthedamnit who puts up with me on the daily. Love you bbs!

Pairing: Jikook X Reader (Jimin X Reader X Jungkook)

Genre: Surrogacy!AU, Polyamorous!AU, Romance. (Future Smut)

Warnings: Profanity, smoking *cigarettes*, kidnapping, a doctor being a lil boob, threatening a pregnant woman (If I forgot any please let me know).

Words: 8k

Prev - Next

You’d hit the 16 week mark and the boys were begging for you to get another ultrasound so they could see the babies better. And by the boys, you mean Jungkook.

“Please Y/N! I want to see them, they’re so small here. I know they’re getting bigger, look at you!” Jungkook cooed, palming your stomach gently. You huffed before nodding slowly.

“Alright alright, make the appointment and I’ll go,” you sighed, rubbing your face in exhaustion. You hadn’t been sleeping well recently, cramps and insomnia running rampant through your body.

Jimin came over with some food for you, placing a gentle hand on your shoulder.

“Here you are, Y/N, bagel with cream cheese and mustard,” he smiled brightly.

“You’re so sweet, thank you,” you smiled.

“I’m sweet too! Why don’t you compliment me?” Jungkook pouted. You rolled your eyes and laughed.

“Kook, honestly,” you laughed. However, you froze in panic as you realized Jimin’s nickname for his partner slipped out of your lips.

Ohfuckohfuckohfuck

“You are sweet kookie, but, I win currently because I’m the most recent bringer of food, I get extra points,” Jimin smirked.

Your heart eased at the fact Jimin brushed over the blatant use of Jungkook’s pet name. But, there was still a thrumming in your veins. Panic thickening in your throat.

“I demand a recount,” Jungkook frowned. Jimin just smiled and rubbed his fingers over Jungkook’s face to soothe him.

Your fingers itched to do the same…

Ever since Jimin’s episode, you’ve felt so much closer to the two of them. The vulnerability and affection was getting harder to hide on your part. You were even starting to see something from them as well.

Or was it you wanting to see it, and making it appear?

You sighed and looked at your phone, a message coming across the screen.

UNKNOWN: you better watch your back you ungrateful bitch.

Ice cold fear trickled down your spine at the harsh words.

W-Who was this?

“Y/N? Honey, are you okay? You just lost all the color in your face,” Jungkook said, coming to your side.

“Do you want to go to the doctor now? I’m sure if we called we could get in,” Jimin said, picking up his phone.

“I-I’m okay, just, wave of nausea,” you waved them off. They didn’t need to worry about this.

“I’m still gonna call, get you an appointment for later this week,” Jimin said, heading towards the living room. You nodded and watched him leave, Jungkook coming over to your side shortly after.

“You sure you’re feeling alright?” he asked, placing his chin on his hand as he gazed at you.

Your heart stammered at his features, bright eyes that lingered over your face. Sharp jaw that made you just want to weep. His cute button nose and petal pink lips that were simply calling your name...

But, you swallowed your thoughts and gave him a tired smile.

“Just sleepy, babies aren’t getting any smaller,” you joked.

“They most certainly are not,” he smiled, looking down at your swelling tummy. You blushed lightly, before Jimin came back into the room with an easy grin on his face.

“They got you in for today. Sorry, I can’t help but worry,” Jimin said, biting his lip.

You sighed but nodded regardless.

“Today is fine, I just need to take a shower before we go. When is it?” you asked.

“About three hours,” he said, checking his phone again.

“Okay, I’m gonna go get cleaned up then,” you said, pushing yourself to your feet and holding your belly protectively. You didn’t catch the adoring eyes of both men as they watched you hobble to the bathroom.

You were feeling a little faint before getting in the shower, you weren’t going to lie. But, you didn’t eat the food Jimin made for you, so you were probably struggling with the blood sugar drop. You’d eat after you got out of the shower, you reasoned.

Carefully, you stepped into the shower and turned on the water. Waiting for it to warm up, you looked down at your stomach. Your heart clenched as you put your hands on your belly with a delicate hand. You knew these kids weren’t going to be yours legally, but they were your biologically.

Would they take them away from you right at birth?

Or would you get to hold them?

Would Jimin and Jungkook be there for the birth? Would they help you?

Jimin and Jungkook had mentioned something about a birth plan and they wanted you to tell them what you needed, but you weren’t really sure. You’d never been pregnant before, you didn’t know what to expect.

Fear slid down your throat and settled in your chest uncomfortably. You tried not to panic, but it was becoming harder. The walls of the shower were closing in and everything felt too real, too much, it was overwhelming you.

You quickly finished your shower and shakily climbed out, wrapping a towel around yourself and leaning heavily against the counter.

The lights were so bright, and the mirror seemed to be warping and bulging.

You tried to splash some water on your face, to shock you and bring you back down but it only proved to agitate you further.

Suddenly, nausea ripped through you, causing you to double over the toilet in misery. It’d been a while since you’d gotten sick, you hoped it wouldn’t result in an episode of dry heaving. That was the worst.

You threw up whatever was left in your stomach and leaned your head back against the wall. You whimpered in discomfort, back straining slightly.

“Y/N? Are you in here?” Jimin’s voice echoed through your room.

“M-Min,” you said, unable to get his full name out of your dry throat.

“Sweetie?” Jimin’s voice carried.

“H-Here,” you croaked, turning your head to look at the door.

Slowly, it opened and Jimin walked inside. His features changed from confusion to worry in a matter of seconds.

“Y/N, what happened?” he asked, coming forward and kneeling down next to you. You just sniveled into his shoulder.

“Jimin? Y/N?”

Jungkook walked in a moment later, seeing you on the floor and immediately fussing.

“What are you doing down there sweet girl? Are you not feeling well?” Jungkook asked, reaching over Jimin and placing a gentle hand on your sweaty forehead.

“I’ll call the doctor and tell them we’re coming in now,” Jimin said, standing up.

“Yeah, that’s probably for the best,” Jungkook said, taking his spot and wrapping his arm around your shoulder.

“Jungkook, can you make sure she can get dressed and I’ll call the doctor and get the car,” Jimin said, heading out the door.

“Come on, Y/N, let’s get you dressed,” Jungkook said, helping you to your feet. Your knees felt wobbly but you could lean on Jungkook if you felt too unsteady. Hands on your elbows he led you out into your bedroom, helping you sit down on the bed before turning towards your closet.

You tried to keep yourself from feeling too embarrassed but, you couldn’t help the blush that rose to your cheeks. Jungkook pulled a few pieces of clothing out and placed them on the bed for you.

“Can you get dressed yourself? Or do you want me to help?” he asked.

“I can do it,” you said, pulling on the outfit carefully.

You managed to do most of the work, only needing Jungkook to help you with the shoes. Slowly, the two of you made it out of your room. Jimin was waiting with the car keys.

“Come on sweetheart, let’s get you and the babies checked out, huh?” Jimin’s caring voice came through your ears.

You let the pair of them lead you to the car, where you rode in silence for most of the way. Jungkook and Jimin were in the front, holding each other’s hands as they drove. Jimin behind the wheel today.

Jungkook was simply scrolling through his phone mindlessly, but you knew it was a nervous habit of his. He wasn’t good with people so when he was uncomfortable he’d pick up his phone to avoid unnecessary conversation.

But you knew he was a phenomenal listener, he was always attentive when you or Jimin was talking. Giving you his full attention, even if you didn’t think what you were talking about was important. It was important to him because you were saying it.

Eventually, you made it to the doctor’s office.

Jimin held the door open for you as Jungkook took your hands to help you down.

You walked into the clinic and did all your paperwork, answering the questionnaires and signing on the dotted line as it were.

And sooner, rather than later, you were back in the examination room.

Dr. Heinz came in, nodding to both men before looking you over quickly.

“Hello Mr. Jeon, Mr. Park. Hope you two are doing well. Miss Y/N, what brings you in today? My nurse said you were having some troubling symptoms,” Dr. Heinz said, sitting down.

Shifting in your seat on the table you bit your lip. You didn’t want to make the boys worry, but your pregnancy was seeming to be a little more difficult than necessary.

“Well, I’ve been having dizzy spells, insomnia, some cramping and nausea,” you listed, looking at your knees.

“I see, and does the nausea ever lead to vomiting?” Dr. Heinz asked.

“Yes,” you answered, fiddling with your thumbs.

Jimin could tell you were nervous. You were fidgeting so bad, you really only did that when you were upset or uncomfortable. Jimin didn’t like that you were so troubled. He looked at Jungkook and they shared a similar look of worry.

“And the cramping, where is it occurring? And give me a level of 1-10 how painful it is, 10 being excruciating and 1 being hardly noticeable” he said, grabbing some gloves from the drawer.

“I-I’d say probably a 6?” you said, sounding unsure.

“A 6 huh?” the doctor said, pulling his gloves on and walking towards you.

“Yeah,” you mumbled.

“Alright Miss Y/N, I’m gonna put this pillow down and you can rest back on it okay? Just gonna do a brief examination okay? If anything hurts or is uncomfortable please say so right away,” he soothed. You nodded and laid down when he put the pillow in place.

He simply started with gentle pressure on your stomach, nothing too painful but a little uncomfortable. You winced when he pushed on your side, making him glance up at your face.

“Does that hurt?” he asked, removing his hand respectfully.

“I-It’s sore,” you murmured.

“Alright,” he said, moving your hips slightly to ease the ache.

After a few more minutes of examining you he sighed and took his gloves off.

“Is she okay?” Jimin asked, holding Jungkook’s hand tightly.

“I need to do a pelvic examination, Miss Y/N do you wish for them to leave the room?” he asked.

“A-Ah, that’s alright, they can stay if they want,” you flushed.

In all honesty, you didn’t want to be alone for this. It was scary enough already.

“It’ll be alright. Pelvic exams are very common early in the pregnancy. I’m surprised you haven’t gotten one yet at 16 weeks. I’ll do my best to make it quick,” Dr. Heinz comforted.

“Okay,” you said, frowning.

“Do you want me to hold your hand?” Jungkook asked, standing up. On instinct you reached out for him.

“Ye-”

“Oh that’s not necessary Mr. Jeon, it’ll be just a few moments,” Dr. Heinz said, preparing the exam table, not looking up at you.

You swallowed hard and put your hand back, biting into your lower lip with frustration. Jungkook cleared his throat and sat down again, giving the doctor an unreadable expression.

The doctor had you remove your undergarments, having you place them on the counter. You got back up on the table and situated yourself before the doctor came back with all the materials he’d need to perform the exam.

“Okay Miss Y/N, I’m going to perform a pelvic exam now. If something hurts or is uncomfortable please let me know okay? I’m just going to prep you with some lubricant, alright?” he said, opening the tube and placing a generous amount on his fingers before pushing them forward into you.

The stretch was sharp and you breathed in quickly at the intrusion.

“Just take some deep breaths for me, Miss Y/N,” Dr. Heinz said.

“T-That hurts a bit,” you winced, trying not to be a pain but it really was more uncomfortable than you thought necessary.

“Alright one moment,” the doctor said, adding more lubricant and continuing with the examination.

He felt around for a few more moments before pulling back and wiping his hand clean.

“Alright, everything feels normal to me. Now I just need to take a look,” he said, discarding his old gloves and grabbing new ones.

Your breathing was shaky and your hands were sweating. Both men recognized your distress and wanted to jump at the doctor in fury. Jimin’s knuckles were white on the arm rest of the chair and Jungkook’s eyes were swimming with fire.

He was hurting you.

He was making you uncomfortable and upset.

They were livid.

Just as the doctor was about to push the speculum in, Jungkook stood from his seat and took your hand in his. Dr. Heinz raised a brow in confusion.

“Mr. Jeon, this will take a few moments. I don’t think you need to hold her hand, she’s an adult,” the doctor said.

“She’s also in pain, but you’re the doctor aren’t you? You’re supposed to know when your patient is hurting and distressed. Although it seems that you are neglecting that fact right now. There is nothing wrong with me supporting her during this, she’s carrying children for Jimin and myself. I think the least I can do is hold her hand during a pelvic exam,” Jungkook growled.

Dr. Heinz seemed stunned into silence for a moment. You rubbed your thumb over Jungkook’s knuckles and brought his hand under your chin for a moment.

“Kook I’m alright,” you promised.

“Don’t feel like you have to suffer quietly, if something hurts you need to say something,” he pleaded.

“Yeah, Y/N, you can speak up when something hurts or is uncomfortable. We want you to say it,” Jimin said, standing up and taking Jungkook’s free hand.

“Well, I’m ready to proceed when you are Miss Y/N,” Dr. Heinz said. You squeezed Jungkook’s hand and he nodded.

“I’m ready,” you said.

The rest of the exam went rather well. Dr. Heinz was patient, a little standoffish with the boys but for the most part he was cordial and tried to keep you as comfortable as possible.

Soon you were getting dressed and heading for the ultrasound.

The tech was different than last time but is no less kind. She smiles brightly at you and the two men behind you.

“We ready to see the babies?” she asked excitedly.

“Yes!” Jimin and Jungkook squeak.

“Alright, come on up here Miss Y/N,” the tech said, patting the table. You noticed it was a little taller than you, making it hard for you to get your butt up there. Jimin spotted you struggling and came over quickly.

“Here sweetie, I’ve got you,” he said, lifting you by the hips and setting you on the table carefully.

“Alright, get comfortable and we’re going to start!” she beamed.

Your phone pinged in the corner and Jungkook handed it to you without looking. You thanked him before unlocking the screen and noticing the text.

UNKNOWN: your days are fucking numbered slut.

Your heart launched into your throat. Who the fuck was this? Who would have access to your personal phone number?

You jolted as the gel touched your stomach, the tech gave you a gentle smile. “Sorry, a little cold. It’ll warm up here in just a second.”

Nodding you swallowed hard. Jungkook and Jimin’s eyes were focused on the screen as the tech tried to get a spot on your twins.

Y/N: Who is this?

Carefully you locked your phone and put it face down on the table. You felt it vibrate again, but you chose to ignore it. Looking at the sweet faces of the boys as they looked at your ultrasound patiently.

“Ah, there they are!” She said, pointing to the screen.

“Oh my God,” Jimin whispered, holding onto Jungkook tightly.

“They’re getting so big,” Jungkook whimpered.

“Yes they are! Looking healthy too! Mom’s doing a great job!” the tech praised. You smiled weakly, trying to keep your heart from beating out of your chest.

“How soon until we can find out the gender?” Jungkook asked.

“We could find out now if you wanted? It’s a little tricky to tell right now, so sometimes we wait until 18 weeks to confirm,” she answered, moving the device around on your belly.

“Well, I guess we can wait two more weeks,” Jungkook pouted slightly.

“I always like to ask the mom what they think. Woman’s intuition is usually spot on, it’s actually scary,” the tech smiled.

“Yeah, Y/N, what do you think?” Jimin asked, gazing into your eyes with too much of... something... what is that look?

Stomach clenching slightly you look at your babies on the screen and you just feel it. You know.

“One boy and one girl,” you say softly.

“One of each? Ooh! We’ll see in a few weeks,” she said with a smile. “Do you want pictures?”

The boys nodded quickly, each wanting a set.

The tech handed them over and Jungkook’s immediately went into his wallet. You gave a tight smile at the two of them as the tech cleaned up your stomach. Jimin seemed to notice your discomfort first, frowning at you as he clutched the picture of his children.

“What’s wrong, Y/N? You look upset,” Jimin asked, brushing the hair out of your face with a gentle hand.

“Nothing, I’m alright,” you said, voice wavering slightly as your phone buzzed at your hip again. Fear gripped your throat tight, making you want to cry, but you held your face firm.

“You’re sure?” the tech asked, looking at the monitor. “Your heart is beating quite fast, maybe take some calming breaths?”

You did as she asked, but all you could think about are the messages. Who was it? Who would be so mad at you that they’d threaten you like this? You really didn’t know a lot of people in the city, you mainly kept to yourself. Your mind was reeling in confusion and fear.

“Momma you need to calm down a little bit, you’ll start hyperventilating if you keep it up. Your heart rate is up to 132,” the tech informed.

“Hey, hey,” Jungkook soothed, wrapping you up in his arms. “It’s alright. What’s wrong pretty? What’s going on, huh?” he asked, petting your head. Your chest lurched at the pet name Jungkook used. He thought you were pretty?

“Y/N, you’re clearly upset, can you tell us what’s wrong?” Jimin pleaded, rubbing your knee with his hand.

“Stress isn’t good for you or the babies,” Jungkook said softly. “Just tell us what’s wrong, we’ll help you. Breathe with me, in through your nose, out through your mouth. Watch me,” he said, taking a measured breath in. You followed him, trying to focus on that one task.

“Heart rate is down to 105 bpm, that’s better momma,” the tech stated.

“That’s our girl, just breathe pretty. That’s right,” Jungkook eased.

You swallowed hard. Why were they acting like this? Were they doing this because they just wanted you to calm down for the kids? Or did-did they really mean it?

“Just panicked a little bit, I’m okay. Sometimes I get anxious for no reason,” you explained away.

“If you ever want to talk about it, I’m legally certified to give you advice,” Jimin smiled.

“I couldn’t afford your advice,” you laughed softly.

“For you sweetie, it’s free,” Jimin winked. The tension in the room dissipated, but the constricting in your chest did not.

The tech and Jungkook helped you down, careful to ease you onto your feet so you didn’t strain anything. Jungkook rubbed your lower back gently, helping you steady yourself while you pulled your shoes on. You all bid the tech goodbye as she watched you all leave the room. Little did she know, your heart was pounding in your chest as you walked down the hallways of the clinic.

--

Your phone was eerily silent in your pocket on the way home.

The messages were always vague, but no less threatening. It made your stomach feel queasy with the added stress. Jimin sat in the backseat with you, trying to get you to talk to explain what was wrong. But you urged that you were fine. That nothing was wrong-you were just a little anxious, which as a pregnant woman, was normal.

“Y/N, you don’t need to hide anything from us. We’re here to help you, provide for you. If there’s something wrong then you need to tell us,” Jimin said, trying to reach out for you.

You grabbed his wrist and placed his hand back on the seat of the car. Jimin’s heart sank at your cold demeanor. You wouldn’t even let him touch you?

“Jimin, please. If something really is wrong, then I swear I will tell you okay? But for now, I just want some peace, please,” you said, leaning your head against the window.

“I-If that’s what you want,” he agreed, folding his hands in his lap and biting his lip.

Jimin knew something was wrong. He didn’t exactly know how he knew, but it was like a sixth sense or something. You had been in their home for so long and had become about their dynamic he feared of you pulling back now. Especially when they wanted to take such a big step forward with you.

He and Jungkook needed to talk, without you there.

“Do you want a night to yourself?” Jimin asked, raising a brow.

You thought for a minute.

If they were gone, maybe you could track down this person who was threatening you. Call them or something without the boys worrying too much.

“Yeah, that’d be great actually. I’ll run a bath and everything,” you said, giving a small smile to reassure them.

“We can go out for dinner and bring you something back maybe?” Jungkook suggested from the front.

“Yeah! That sounds great,” you agreed, clutching your knee out of anxiety.

“Of course we won’t go far, in case you need something,” Jimin fretted, turning to you and looking at your beautiful face.

You really were glowing in his eyes. Carrying his babies and looking so fucking attractive while doing it should honestly be a crime. But, that’s not the point currently.

“No I know, you guys are always there when I need you. I trust you,” you said, speaking honestly.

You really did trust them, with everything. Even if this was an arrangement and you were getting paid to do it, they didn’t have to do all of this stuff for you. Didn’t have to take you in, didn’t have to make you happy... Didn’t have to... to care so much.

Your heart dropped in your stomach as you thought about it all over again.

The thing you’d been struggling with for a while.

The damned... feelings...

You were really trying not to get overwhelmed with everything that was happening but, just thinking about the boys and the future you got teary eyed.

“Oh sweetie, why are you crying? What’s wrong?” Jimin asked, hand moving towards you again, when he stopped himself.

“J-Just thinking about you guys and how kind you’ve been. No-No one’s ever been like this for me. Not even my own family,” you whimpered.

“It’s okay pretty, we wouldn’t want anyone but you. We don’t want anyone else to carry our kids,” Jungkook said from the front.

Your heart skipped again at the nickname. ‘Pretty’. The way he said it with such assurance made you want to scream. What was going on in your head? What was going on in theirs? Are they just being kind? Or is there something more to this? Is this worth what could happen if they’re not interested?

“It’s alright Y/N, we’re happy you’re here with us,” Jimin encouraged.

“Thanks,” you said softly, trying to keep yourself from going too far.

When they came back from dinner you’d ask.

You had to know.

You had to know if this was worth it, if there was the buildings of a relationship. Because you wanted it so badly. These kids, the thought of giving them up now was so hard. Especially since you saw them on the screen of the ultrasound.

Jungkook pulled into the parking garage and you startled out of your thoughts.

“Come on sweetie, let's get you upstairs and settled in,” Jimin said, getting out. You nodded and Jungkook opened your door, offering you a hand. You took it gingerly and your heart was beating so hard in your chest.

His hand was so big and warm in yours... It felt right, d-did they feel it too?

You saw Jimin’s face darken when he saw the two of you holding hands. You frowned and reached for his hand as well, pouting as you struggled to reach him. Jimin looked at you for a moment, before a bright smile took over his features and he grabbed your hand as well.

You all made it to the apartment and the boys decided to get changed before they went to dinner. You nodded and acted like you were getting your stuff ready for a bath. It was quiet for a few minutes, the boys in their room and you in yours.

But, you felt so distant at the same time...

Just as you were about to call for them, you turned to see them both standing near the doorway looking at you with affectionate eyes.

“H-How long have you been standing there?” you asked, clutching your towel tight.

“Not long, but we wanted to let you know we were leaving. What do you want for dinner?” Jimin asked.

“Maybe some barbeque? Like, beef and fried veggies?” you asked, pulling on the strands of your hair slowly.

“Okay, do you want rice?” Jungkook asked.

“Yeah, just white rice though,” you said with a nod.

“We can do that, we’ve got stuff to drink here but we can pick you up some juice or something like that on the way back if you want?” Jugnkook offered.

“No, there’s plenty here. I’ll be alright,” you smiled.

“Okay, if you’re sure. But if you change your mind just text us, okay?” Jimin said.

“I will,” you nodded.

“Okay pretty, we’re gonna go. But, if you need anything, please just give us a call. We’re going to Auntie Kim’s down on 3rd street,” Jungkook said.

“Sounds good, I like their food,” you nodded.

“Alright, see you later sweetheart,” Jimin said, walking up and giving your hand a gentle kiss. Your mind whirled with want and fear. What is he doing?

“Hey I said I was gonna do that,” Jungkook pouted.

“I got her first,” Jimin smirked.

“Jungkook, I have two hands,” you smiled. Jungkook’s eyes sparkled as he came forward, pressing a sweet kiss to the back of your hand.

“We’ll be back, we want to talk to you when we get home, okay?” Jimin said vaguely.

“What about?” your heart picked up, was something wrong?

“Don’t worry, pretty. You’ll find out,” Jungkook grinned.

“Okay okay, you should go before it gets too busy,” you said, pushing them out towards the door. Both boys nodded and walked out, stealing glances back at you.

You sighed, sitting down on your bed. Your phone was eerily silent next to you, screen down in your sheets. You couldn’t help yourself, you had to know who it was. Who was the person harassing you?

Turning the phone over you were about to press the call button when a knock came to the door.

One of the boys must’ve forgotten something. You swear they were as forgetful as you, at least you could blame the pregnancy brain.

“I’m guessing Jimin! Did you forget to put on your cologne?” you asked, opening the door.

Hand shot out and gripped you tight, shoving a cloth to your face. You struggled for a little bit before everything started to spin and you were crumpling in the strangers arms.

“I always get my money you bitch.”

--

“I’ll have the steak please, side of roasted vegetables with the house merlot,” Jungkook said, handing the menu back to the waitress who was doing a very poor job of hiding her attraction.

Unfortunately for her, these boys had eyes for one girl, and each other of course.

“I’ll get these right in for you both, if you need anything in the meantime don’t hesitate to call for me,” she said, scurrying away from the table.

“So,” Jimin started, leaning forward on his arms. “What is the plan when we get home?”

“Well, I thought instead of the necklace and bracelets, we could make it a little more official,” Jungkook said, pulling three boxes out of his pocket and placing them on the table. Jimin’s eyes widened.

“C-Couple rings? Are you sure?” he asked, eyes watering.

“Of course I’m sure, I know you’re meant for me. A-And I know she is too, she’s so precious to both of us I couldn’t be more certain of anything,” Jungkook smiled.

Jimin opened one and noticed that they were engraved with everyone’s initials and the moon, sun and stars all together. The older man couldn’t help the tears that stung his eyes.

“Kook, you’re always so well thought. I love you,” Jimin said, reaching over the table to give the man a kiss. Jungkook smiled into the embrace and pecked his boyfriend a few times before putting the rings away.

“We’ll put them on each other when she says yes,” Jungkook beamed.

Jimin’s smile faltered.

“We don’t know if she’ll say yes, Kook. She could just be in this for the money and nothing else... I-It’s possible,” Jimin said weakly, trying not to let his insecurity show but was failing miserably.

“You didn’t see what I saw, Jimin,” Jungkook started. “When I came home after your panic attack, she was there cradling you. Holding you like you were something precious. I can only hope we look like that together. Because it was one of the most beautiful things I’d ever seen. And she wouldn’t rest until she knew I had you.”

“S-She’s a caring person,” Jimin deflected.

“Why are you so afraid?” Jungkook asked.

“If she says no, then what are we going to do knowing our moon is gone? What do we do if she doesn’t want to be the mother of our children?” Jimin panicked lightly, gripping Jungkook’s hand across the table.

“But what if she does?” Jungkook challenged. “She hasn’t taken that pendant off since we gave it to her. She’s our moon, always watching over us and we care for her don’t we? Isn’t the joy worth the risk? If we are all together we can be a family with beautiful children, don’t you want that?”

“I-I do, but if my parents find out that these kids are mine, what are we gonna do? They’re going to try and come back. You know that Jungkook and they’ve never approved of us. What are they going to say if they find out I’m with you and her as well, what if-”

“Jimin,” Jungkook soothed, running his fingers over his boyfriend’s tight knuckles. “It’ll be okay. Everything will be alright.”

“Alright I’ve got a steak and a-oh,” the waitress’ voice came over head. The disappointment in her features was apparent, but she gave a gentle smile regardless. “I’ve got a steak and chicken dish roasted veggies for both and the house merlot. Is there anything else I can get for the two of you?”

“No, we’re fine for right now thank you,” Jungkook urged. The waitress nodded before taking off in the opposite direction.

“So we’re doing this?” Jimin asked, looking at Jungkook with so much fear but excitement at the same time.

“We’re doing this.”

--

Jungkook and Jimin could hardly contain their excitement as they got back towards the apartment.

“We should move too, I don’t want the babies growing up in a high rise apartment. I want them to have their own rooms and we can all have a huge master bedroom and-why is the door open?” Jimin asked, staring at the cracked open door to the apartment.

The men approached the door and noticed your necklace, laying on the ground.

Jimin’s heart shattered.

“S-She left?” he asked, looking at Jungkook with a broken heart.

“I-I... This doesn’t make sense. Y/N! Y/N! Where are you pretty!?” He asked, barging into the apartment.

Both men’s stomachs curled in on themselves when they saw the state of the place. Curtains were ripped, plates and cutlery were thrown around the kitchen. Sheets from the beds and clothes all strewn about the place. The furniture was even moved.

Jungkook’s mind went into overdrive. “There’s no way she could’ve done this. Someone else is involved,” Jungkook said, biting his lip hard.

“Who? Jungkook, she's barely interacted with anyone but us for months!”

“D-Do you think your parents already know about her? Could they have something to do with this?” Jungkook asked.

“They wouldn’t do something this outright illegal. They might blackmail her or me but... They wouldn’t kidnap her,” Jimin whispered.

“Look for her, just look for her while I call someone,” Jungkook said. Jimin nodded and headed off into the trashed apartment in search of you.

The dial tone had never sounded so irritating to Jungkook before, when his friend finally picked up.

“Yah, you punk it’s about ten o’clock what makes you think you can disrupt my sleep schedule?” an older voice rang over the phone.

That’s when Jungkook broke.

“Yoongi,” he cried.

Some shuffling from the other end.

“Jungkook, where are you? What happened? Are you hurt?” Yoongi asked.

“S-She’s gone, we don’t know where she is,” he hiccuped.

“Who? Your surrogate? Y/N?” the older male asked.

“Yes, she’s not here. The apartment was open when we got here and the place was ransacked.”

More shuffling.

“I’m heading over right now. I’ll bring the cops with me, try not to panic right now. Call her friends if she has any in the area. Try calling her,” Yoongi said.

“Jungkook, I found her phone and there’s messages on here... They-Someone’s been threatening her,” Jimin whimpered, walking out and placing the phone on the table.

“Holy shit,” Jungkook sighed, rubbing his face.

“Call her friends then, see if they’ve heard from her or seen her. At the very least you have a robbery to report, but let’s not hope there’s a missing person,” Yoongi said.

“Jimin, call Namjoon and Jin, see if they’ve seen her. Heard from her? Anything,” Jungkook said.

“Okay, I’ll do that,” Jimin answered, pulling his phone from his pocket and getting to work.

“What can we do now?” Jungkook said.

“Wait for me to get there, and then we get to work.”

--

Your head was spinning.

Images and bright lights flashed past your vision. You couldn’t make out where you were even if you tried, your head felt light yet heavy at the same time and your throat was aching.

Instinctively your hand went to your stomach. You looked down and there wasn’t anything concerning at the moment. But you worried for the babies in your stomach, the stress no doubt not aiding in your pregnancy in any way.

“Ah she’s awake,” a sinister voice echoed through the room.

Your mind began to sway and the world whorled into darkness yet again.

—

Jungkook and Jimin sat in their trashed apartment while the police walked around, looking through every inch of their life.

The couple rings weighed heavily in Jungkook’s pocket.

“So the last time you saw her was a few hours ago?” A nameless woman said, sitting in front of them.

Where was Yoongi?

“That’s enough Natalia, I’ll take it from here,” a husky voice said, walking into the apartment.

“Yoongi,” Jungkook said, standing and walking over to him.

“Hey kid,” Yoongi said, wrapping Jungkook in an unexpected embrace. “You worried me on the phone. What’s going on?”

“Look at our home… Someone came in here, someone came here and-and,” Jimin choked up.

“Baby, we’ll find her. The police, Yoongi here, I’ll rip this whole town apart to find her myself, I know you’d do the same,” Jungkook said, taking Jimin’s hands and kissing them gently.

“I’m sorry, I know. We’ll find her,” Jimin said, wiping a stray tear from his eye and taking Jungkook’s hand in his.

Yoongi stood watching the couple, sighing and lighting a cigarette.

Jungkook frowned and waved at the smoke but did nothing to stop the older male. Jimin stayed at Jungkook’s side, keeping himself from correcting what he saw as poor behavior.

“So, you two are having kids?” Yoongi asked.

“Yes, but our surrogate… Y/N, she’s gone,” Jimin whispered.

“I know Mr. Park, I’m a detective with the state department. I’ve already been looking into your surrogate on my way here,” Yoongi said, pulling out a tablet and holding it in front of them.

“Do you know where she is?” Jungkook asked rashly.

“If I did, do you think I’d come here, dummy? You’re still as impatient as you were when we were kids,” he sighed, rubbing his face.

“Kids?” Jimin inquired.

“Yoongi’s been a friend since I was young, we lost touch for a while but we’ve always been in contact in some way,” Jungkook explained.

Jimin nodded in acknowledgment.

“Now, your surrogate. How much do you know about her past?” Yoongi asked.

“We know little,” Jimin said.

“She was private about it, she wanted to live in the moment with us,” Jungkook said quietly.

“It’s understandable why she was so quiet about it. She came from a family dynamic of a professor and a stay at home dad,” Yoongi started.

“No wonder she’s so smart, but doesn’t say anything,” Jungkook sighed.

“Shh kid, not until I get to the good stuff,” Yoongi said, smacking Jungkook on the head lightly.

“Ow,” he pouted, rubbing the spot.

“Anyways. At the age of six she was in a horrific car accident that killed both of her parents, almost her as well. She survived and was given to a great aunt to be raised. At the age of seventeen she had herself emancipated and came to the city. She’s worked odd jobs here and there, barely making enough to scrape by,” Yoongi explained.

Jimin and Jungkook were shocked.

“S-She has no family?” Jimin asked for confirmation.

“She has the great aunt, but her parents were both only children and any other relatives that could’ve come forward at the time didn’t so, the great aunt is all we have,” Yoongi stated.

“She’s been by herself? This whole time?” Jungkook asked.

“Honestly? From what it sounds like, the girl is a loner. Not really a people person, but is kind, does honest work. The only trouble she ever got in was owing her last landlord over six thousand dollars in unpaid rent,” Yoongi said.

“But we paid that off,” Jimin said, looking towards Jungkook for confirmation.

“I thought you paid for it?” Jungkook said.

Both men paled and looked back at Yoongi.

“So it still hasn’t been paid?”

“Apparently not,” Jimin said.

“There’s our motive. Who’s her old landlord?” Yoongi asked.

“We don’t know, but when she went for one of her appointments he assaulted her outside the apartment building. And he harassed the people we sent to gather her things from the old unit,” Jungkook said.

“Cedar Creek Apartments correct?” Yoongi said.

“Yes,” Jimin confirmed.

“Tim Cerkaniks,” Yoongi said, pulling up a profile on his tablet, looking and scrolling through, his face turned quickly into a grimace.

“What’s wrong?” Jimin asked.

“This man has been affiliated with gang activity, drug trafficking and domestic abuse,” Yoongi cleared his throat as the two younger males paled even more.

“Gang activity? Which gang?” Jungkook asked.

“The Hunters?”

“Oh fuck me,” Jungkook growled, running his hands through his hair.

“What’s wrong?” Jimin asked, placing a hand on Jungkook’s shoulder.

“Remember about a year ago? When they wanted to give me personal security because I took down one of the Hunters’ leaders in a court case? This-This motherfucker is tied to them,” Jungkook said.

“Babe, it’s not your fault,” Jimin whispered, placing a gentle kiss on his cheek, leaning his forehead into his boyfriend’s head.

“Another motive, looks like everything aligned just right for him to pick her, the question is… why does the apartment look like a wreck?”

“Sir you can’t enter here! This is a crime scene!”

“Like fuck you’re not letting me in here,” Namjoon’s voice echoed through the room.

“You know him?” Yoongi asked.

“He’s Y/N’s best friend. I called him and told him what’s going on, well… As best as I could,” Jimin said.

“Let him in, Scotty,” Yoongi said, gesturing to Namjoon.

Namjoon walked in and gripped Jimin’s shoulders harshly, hauling him up to his feet.

“Hey hey!” Jungkook yelled.

“You fucking idiots! I told you to protect her! I told you to keep her safe! I told you! And this fucking happens, you don’t deserve her!” Namjoon cried.

“Namjoon stop!” Jungkook said, pulling Namjoon off of Jimin.

“No, he’s well within his right Jungkook. He loves her as his friend and we-we did fail her,” Jimin sighed, running his hand through his hair in a stressed motion.

“They had no idea this would happen,” Yoongi said, putting his cigarette out.

“We should’ve tried harder to keep her safe,” Jungkook said.

“You had no idea someone would try to come after her,” Yoongi soothed, patting Jungkook’s back.

“Who are you?” Namjoon asked, looking at Yoongi in confusion.

“Min Yoongi, Detective for the state department. Friend of Jungkook and the only chance you have at finding Y/N before something truly bad happens to her,” Yoongi said.

Namjoon swallowed hard.

“I understand,” Namjoon said, placing his hands in his pockets.

“Listen, it’s late. We’ll get you a hotel-”

“That won’t be necessary, they can stay with Jin and I,” Namjoon said.

“And we aren’t sleeping until we have news on Y/N,” Jimin said.

“Listen, I’ve got half of my department working on this case right now. But if there’s nothing else you can do to help with the case,” Yoongi said. “I will need to speak with you however.”

Yoongi gestured to Namjoon and he nodded.

“Of course, whatever you need,” Namjoon said, rubbing his hands nervously.

“Please, let us help,” Jimin said.

“There’s really nothing-”

“Boss they didn’t take her phone from her!” A woman at the back yelled.

Yoongi’s face turned at that.

“Why wouldn’t they-”

Jimin’s phone started to ring.

“It’s Y/N! What do I do?”

Yoongi thought for a moment.

“Pick it up, but put it on speaker,”

Jimin did as he was told.

“Hello?” He asked, waiting for a response.

“J-Jimin,” your voice hiccuped from the other end.

“Y/N? Sweetheart, where are you?” Jungkook asked, gripping the couch tightly.

“Y-You have f-five hours to deposit money-” the line cut out for a moment. “-that I will tell you s-shortly,” you whimpered.

“Y/N is someone there with you?”

“If I defer from the words that I’m being told I-I’ll be shot,” you cried, the whole room tensed up.

“What are the demands?”

Yoongi’s voice was cold.

“Jimin who is-”

“Only warning you bitch!”

“I-I’m sorry. The demands are as follows. Bring five million dollars to storage units on the outskirts of the city. Right off of Night Boulevard... I-If the money isn’t delivered to-”

“Y/N, pretty, please just tell us where you are,” Jungkook said.

“Here’s a warning for you pretty boy. If you interrupt her or she stops I’m gonna blow her head off. Now Miss Y/N, please continue,” the sinister tone continued

“If the money isn’t delivered to storage unit 52 H by the end of this five hours... Y-You’ll find my body,” you hiccuped and sobs started to come out of your mouth.

Jungkook and Jimin clung to each other, hearts pounding in fear for you.

“D-Do you agree to these terms?” Your voice said, watery.

Namjoon covered his mouth to keep from crying.

Yoongi spoke up.

“Storage unit 52 H, we understand the conditions. Where can we find Y/N after the money is delivered?”

“Y-You can find me using my phone’s GPS. Which has been turned off during the duration of this call.”

“Y/N, we’ll pay. We’ll come get you, don’t worry sweetie we’ll come get you. Just hang in there,” Jimin said.

“Pretty we’ll be coming for you. Just hold on and wait for us,” Jungkook said.

The phone line went dead and Yoongi went right towards the woman with the computer.

“Where did that call come from? Did you track the phone?” he asked, hanging over the woman.

“No, the GPS was blocked. Just like Miss Y/N said over the phone,” she reminded.

“Can’t you go through the IP the phone uses when it hooks up to the wifi? Maybe she’s being held somewhere that has internet. Something to go on, I just need something,” Yoongi said, rubbing his forehead.

“What about the money? Can’t we just pay the ransom?” Jimin asked.

“If we just pay the ransom, what's to stop them from taking her again? What’s to stop them from taking one of the kids when they’re born? We can’t let them push us around,” Jungkook said.

“But Jungkook, it's Y/N, it’s our children. What else do we do? We have five hours,” Jimin reminded.

“Time’s a concept anyways,” Yoongi waved off. “If I were the criminal, where would I take her?”

“Jungkook, is she going to die?” Namjoon whispered, looking down at the floor.

“I won’t let that happen,” Jimin said, low.

“Neither will I,” Jungkook said. “I’ll give them every cent I have to keep her alive if it comes down to it. I won’t let them hurt her or our children.”

Namjoon moved and wiped his eyes with the back of his wrist, keeping his eyes lower for a moment.

“I have an idea,” Namjoon said.

“What is it?” Yoongi asked.

“I-I think she’s at the storage unit now,” Namjoon said.

“How do you know that?” Jimin asked.

“If you listened to the audio, it sounded echoy-if that’s a word-”

“It isn’t,” Yoongi helped.

Namjoon shot him a look before continuing. “She’s somewhere where there’s a lot of open space. But it’s enclosed. So, I think she could be in the storage units somewhere,” Namjoon explained.

“It makes sense. Plus, her phone cut out at the beginning. The signal might have been weak,” Yoongi reasoned.

“Do you think they’re at the same storage unit?” Jimin asked.

“It’s a possibility, the one off of Night Boulevard is in Hunter territory, so it would make sense to take her there. They’d have back up if they needed it,” Yoongi said.

“Then let’s go,” Namjoon said.

“We can’t just pick up and go-”

“I’ll use that five million dollars they wanted to fund your department for the next 10 years if we go now, please. Please just give it a shot, I’ll write the check,” Jungkook said.

Yoongi sighed.

“If we’re wrong we’re wasting time,” Yoongi warned.

“And if we’re right?” Jimin said.

“You’ll have her in your arms in the matter of an hour,” Yoongi said.

“Then let’s go,” Jimin said.

Taglist:

@kittkat44, @giadalin, @kookachuwu, @honeyandcakess, @lolalee24, @mariana-mmtz, @theravengoddess, @tsunami7, @artsxpe, @alanit18, @lilbabymoonie, @jeonartemis, @brokencrownqueen, @ellareads7, @chimchoom, @kimahnjung98, @aburridx, @lilbabymoonie, @itsdingdong, @effielumiere, @hoodalmighty, @heyjiminnie, @namnomnamujoon, @jojo-suga, @outropjmm, @yazanii, @ephyra1230, @sissi990829, @sukitaeee, @veehahaha, @bapbaptothetop

[cevaannss]

Just Friends (Reader x Chris Evans)

Pairing: Reader x Chris Evans

Prompt: “you say we are just friends, but friends don’t know the way you taste” but with a happy ending? - Anon

Warnings: R rating, Some sexual content/Smut, Minors DNI. Brief mentions of/allusions to anxiety.

Authors Notes: This is my first prompt fill on here in years, so I might be a little rusty any feedback is appreciated, please let me know if there’s anything I missed warning or tagging. I also didn’t intend for this to be so long but I got a little carried away with it.

When you and Chris first met, you had been young, wide eyed, fresh faced kids. He was barely 20, filming at your old high school, and you a member of the local theatre group were recruited as an extra. You had graduated a year prior and were coming to the end of your gap year, you would be going to college in a few short months. After seeing each other in passing on set, you and Chris had your first conversation in the kraft services trailer, both leaning in to grab the last remaining bagel. After a back and forth of “you take it” “no you” “seriously its okay” you agreed to split it and thus began your friendship.

It was weird, from that first day you had a connection like neither of you had experienced with anyone else. You talked daily, would be each other’s dates to your friends weddings, hung out with each other’s families without the other around. You were mistaken for boyfriend and girlfriend many times throughout your years of friendship but that was never what it was about. You’d both dated plenty, often times ending relationships because the person you were seeing couldn’t deal with your closeness to each other. But for you both that was just how it was, and if they couldn’t accept it then they weren’t worth your time. Maybe they were right, you had always had a crush on Chris, and you had a feeling it was reciprocated but you’d always had an understanding, a common ground that you were friends and that’s all you’d ever needed to be.

The first time you had edged into more than friends territory was on Chris’ 37th birthday. You had thrown him a party at his house and he had been a little, okay a lot drunk and while you weren’t far behind him you were still sober enough to take care of his messy ass. After everyone had left you had attempted to clean up a bit, collecting garbage and wiping down the kitchen, the whole time Chris was passed out on his couch. You had managed to wake him enough to get him up and into his bedroom, out of his jeans and shoes and into his bed. You bought him a glass of water and two Advil placing them on his beside table, him grabbing your wrist as you placed the water down, pulling you on top of him into a half hug as he tended to do when he was drunk. He’d always been touchy when he was drunk, letting his hands linger on you longer than normal but it had always been innocent. He mumbled something into your ear, something he’d said a million times, and you replied the same response you had given a million more. But what he said next had changed it all.

“No, not like that”

It stopped you in your tracks because what did he mean not like that. It had to be like that. It had always been like that. This wasn’t how this went. Not for the two of you. You weren’t “those” friends.

“Then like what” you had whispered, panic setting in, soberness hitting you like a Mack truck as you looked back at him. But of course he had fallen asleep again, dead to the world, arm wrapped around your waist as you perched on the edge of his bed. Silence filling the air except for the light snoring he was emitting.

The next morning you had been awoken by clattering coming from the kitchen. Stumbling out of the guest room you walked in to Chris attempting to make breakfast, standing in the door way you watched him, his eyes squinted and slow moving, lingering proof of his previous inebriation. He was making blueberry pancakes, it was a post birthday tradition, but you were usually the one who made them for him on the day after his birthday.

Seeing him standing there sliding another half burnt pancake onto the stack he had started made you smile, he tried bless him, but he was never great in the kitchen. The conversation from last night soon flooded your memory and you couldn’t stop yourself.

“What did you mean”

Chris looked up from pouring more batter into the pan, finally noticing your presence.

“Morning” he mumbled, clearly not fully awake yet “What do you mean, what did I mean?”

“Last night, in your room, you said you loved me...”

“I always say I love you?” He let out a low chuckle but looked confused, you weren’t sure if he really didn’t remember or if he was just pleading ignorance, usually you were quick to spot if he was lying but this time your radar couldn’t pin it. He turned his attention back to flipping the pancake in the pan.

“Yeah but when I said I love you too bestie... you said ‘No, not like that’ what did you mean?”

His head snapped up, redness filling his cheeks, and it was in that moment that you had known things were changing whether you had wanted them to or not.

“Oh” you said, your breath escaping you, as the realization hit.

“Yeah” he said eyes focused on the pancake burning in the pan.

“Chris...”

He pulled the pan off the stove dumping the last pancake on the plate before placing the pan in the sink letting the cold water run over it before turning back to face you.

“I don’t...what do you want me to say” He started, raising his voice slightly, obviously flustered. “You want me to say I was drunk and didn’t know what I was saying? Because I cant okay, I can’t say that. Would I have said it if I were sober? No, probably not...in fact definitely not. But I did and I can’t take it back or just pretend I didn’t because I do love you, I’ve always loved you”

“I’ve always loved you too Chris” you looked up, your eyes connecting with his blue ones.

“Yeah, but not in the same way” he stepped around the counter standing in front of you now, his frame towering over yours.

“Said who”

“What”

“Who said I don’t love you in the same way?”

Chris lunged forward, one hand grasping your waist, the other coming up to cup your face as he leant down, his lips pressing against yours gently. It took you a second to realize what was happening before your hands found their way around his neck pulling him down to you, deepening the kiss.

From that day onward you became the friends who make out occasionally, it wasn’t the right time for you to try and be anything more, yes you loved each other, more deeply than you first understood but your lives were all over the place, you were rarely in the same city for more than a few weeks at a time and Chris’ career was exploding more than ever. It wasn’t the right time. So you’d both take what you could get when you could get it and that was enough for either of you.

It wasn’t until Chris’ 38th birthday a year later that you let things go any further. He had wanted a small celebration, so you had gone to dinner with a few friends, had a few drinks and then headed back to his place to watch a movie. You had been cuddled up on the couch, passing a beer back and forth between you when he placed it down on the coffee table, his hand sliding down your thigh, before pulling you into his lap. You had placed your knees on either side of his thighs, your hands on his shoulders while his trailed down your sides and over your hips before slowly moving to cup your ass. You leant down to place a soft kiss on his lips, him reattaching them as soon as you pulled away, biting your lower lip roughly.

There was something different in the way he was kissing you, the way he was touching you, more heat, more passion. Your hands were running down his chest as his grip on your ass tightened, holding you close to him, the intensity taking over. Before you knew it your shirt was on the floor and his hands were sliding up your back as your lips found their way to his neck. There was a tenacity in every movement, every touch, every kiss. His hands finding the clasp of your bra, undoing it with ease and discarding it with your shirt on the floor. He pulled away slightly, his eyes raking over your body perched on top of him, eyes filled with need and want, pushing up to connect your lips once again as you could feel the hard length of his cock pressing against you through his jeans. His large hands sliding to your thighs before standing you both up, your legs wrapping around his waist, hands in his hair.

He stumbled his way into his bedroom laying you down on his bed placing a soft kiss to your lips before hurriedly kissing down the side of your neck and chest, between your breasts and down to your belly button stopping at the waist of your jean shorts, fingers dancing over the button as he looked up at you, eyes questioning as if to get the go ahead, you nodded gently. He slid your shorts and underwear down your thighs, discarding them and grabbing at the hem of his shirt, pulling it over his head before sliding off his jeans and boxers. You let your eyes trail his body as he situated himself between your legs leaning down to kiss you again.

“Are we really gonna do this” he laughed as he tucked a stray piece of hair behind your ear.

“I think so” you blushed, eyes meeting his once again, yours filled with anticipation, his with desire.

When you woke up the next morning, your head on his chest, his fingers running through your hair, you didn’t know how to feel, but you knew things were moving into a far more complicated territory.

The two of you went on this way for a while, hanging out with friends and family as if nothing had changed, but when it was just the two of you it was different, intimate. When you were away from each other you facetimed daily, you shared everything, you always had but now it felt like everything you were used to but magnified. When he was gone you missed him, when you were together you felt complete. It was so familiar but so new at the same time. At this point you were dating without the title, which had been fine with you both, you liked what you had together it was easy, simple, no pressure.

In early August you had moved in, the apartment you rented was being sold and Chris insisted it would be helping him, and besides he had said, you were there whenever he was anyway. You had your own room but it was rarely used, most nights falling asleep together in Chris’ bed, both finding you slept better when you were together. It was one of those nights, curled up in his bed, Dodger at your feet, watching a rerun of some sitcom when Chris had asked you if you would go to Toronto with him the next month, his latest film Knives Out was premiering at the film festival there and he had been equal parts excited and nervous about it. You had been taken aback at first, sure you’d visited him on set before and attended a few premieres but this felt different.

“You want me to?” You sat up turning to face him.

“Obviously” he laughed “I’d take you everywhere with me if I could”

“Aww cute” you chuckled pinching his cheek as he kissed the tip of your nose.

“I have press a lot of the time, but you could hang out do some sight seeing, then come to the premiere with me?”

“With you...or with you?”

“Whichever one means I get to have you beside me on the red carpet”

“I don’t know Chris...you know that will start a shit storm” you knew how bad the rumours that had started when fans spotted you just attending the premiere for the last Avengers movie had been, and while it really didn’t bother you, you didn’t want it to have an affect on his career.

“Honestly? I don’t care.”

“Okay” you knew he wouldn’t say it but you could tell from his face that he was feeling anxious about it “I’ll come with you, but if you decide any time that you’d rather walk the carpet alone thats okay”

“I won’t” he reassured you, placing a kiss to your temple.

The day of the premiere came around quickly, Chris had been doing press for the past couple of days and you had spent most of your time exploring the cities sights. Chris held true to his word and didn’t change his mind about you walking the carpet with him. He had been a ball of nervous energy since you had woken up, you had left him eating breakfast to go take a shower and start getting ready for your day.

When you came out of the bathroom towel wrapped around you tightly, wet hair loose and ready to be dried you had found him pacing the hotel room in his underwear trying to keep himself busy, it was something that would put most people on edge but you had seen this so many times before with him, always getting in his head, always doubting himself and usually you were able to talk him down easily, but this time you had decided to try a different method.

Calling his name you let go of the grip you had on your towel letting it drop to the ground as he looked up having not previously noticed you had come back into the room, freezing instantly eyeing the curve of your body, a slight smirk across his face.

“What’s this for” he laughed as he closed the gap between you, hands finding your hips as you rested yours on his chest.

“You needed to get out of your head” you whispered as your lent up to kiss him, one hand sliding down his chest and finding its way into his boxers taking his length in your hand and stroking it slowly as you felt it harden beneath your grip. You pecked his lips before dropping to your knees on the plush hotel carpet pulling his boxers down with you. You pumped him a few more times with your hand before letting your tongue lick over his head tasting the saltiness of pre-cum. You took him halfway into your mouth, letting your warmth surround him before pulling off and sliding your tongue along the underside of his cock. Surrounding him with your mouth once more, this time dropping down deeper and with more intent, you hand finds its way to play with his balls, Chris letting out a breathy moan. You started to bob your head up and down as his hand found its way into your hair guiding you as his hips began to thrust, his tip hitting the back of your throat with each movement. It didn’t take long before he was warning you that he was about to cum, and cum he did, hard and fast right down your throat as you swallowed the taste of him before letting his cock slide out of your mouth. Chris pulled you up from the floor crashing his mouth into yours, tasting the remnants of himself on your tongue as he guided you back to the bed determined to make you cum just as hard as he had.

An hour later you found yourself in the shower for the second time that day, this time joined by Chris. You took your time, him massaging shower gel onto your back, while you reached up lathering and rinsing out the shampoo from his hair. You made sure to gently scrape your fingers along his scalp the way you knew, from many nights laying on the couch fingers curled in his hair as he fell asleep in your arms, relaxed him. Once you got out of the shower you realized Chris’ stylist and the hair and make up artist you had insisted on hiring yourself would be showing up any second.

By the time you were in the car waiting to pull up to the carpet Chris had seemingly relaxed, he held your hand the entire car ride over but you knew he was in a much better place mentally and that the second he got out he would turn on his charm and have everyone eating out of the palm of his hand the way he always did. When it was time to get out of the car Chris stepped out first leaning in to offer you his hand as you stepped out behind him, you could here the gasps of fans and media alike, all surprised that Hollywood’s most eligible bachelor had bought a date. Chris had pulled you into his side at the photo area, his hand on your hip as you placed yours on his chest posing for the cameras. You had been surprisingly pretty calm about the whole thing until that moment, cameras flashing in your face and paparazzi screaming from behind their barricade for you to look in twelve directions at once. It was overwhelming and something you don't think you could ever get fully used to.

“Just breathe” He whispered to you out of the side of his mouth, knowing that you had started to spiral.

After what felt like an hour but was probably ten minutes Chris’ team moved you along to the press portion of the carpet, you had expected to just stand back with the team while Chris answered questions from reporters from all of the different networks and publications but he had refused to let go of your hand as he approached the first reporter so you found yourself next to him through it all. Of course the first question was about you, and you just knew every headline tomorrow would mention it. It used to frustrate you, how the media would hone in on any female he was seen with, making the story about that and not the hard work he was doing, but you knew they were just trying to sell papers, page click and views.

“So who do you have here with you today” the reporter smiled tilting her head in your direction

“This is my best friend” Chris started before motioning for you to finish, that was one of the many things you had always loved about Chris, he never wanted you to feel like you were in his shadow, you had your own voice and you could use it. You introduced yourself to the reporter who asked a few questions about how you met and then switched to talking about the movie. After a few more interviews that went in a similar fashion you were escorted into the theatre for the screening, Chris took your hand as the two of you sat side by side in the theatre waiting for the film to start. You had enjoyed it a lot and really loved seeing this side of Chris’ acting ability. When the movie was done he joined some of the cast at the front of the theatre for a quick question and answer session for the attendees before you all headed to the after party.

Chris had introduced you to some of his cast mates, and reintroduced you to a few you had met previously during a quick visit to set one afternoon. You had downed a few glasses of champagne by the time you were ready to leave the party, tipsy but not quite drunk. The two of you found your way back to your hotel, and you laughed as you entered the elevator remembering something you had thought about mid interview earlier that day.

“What?” Chris laughed pushing the button for your floor and leaning against the back of the elevator, as you pulled off the heels that you hadn’t realized until that moment were killing your feet.

“Earlier...I almost made the worst comment in the middle of that E! Interview”

“....oh god what were you gonna say?” He chuckled, amused at your tipsy candour.

“Well you introduced me as your friend...”

“Yeah....” Chris laughed, looking at you as if to say that’s what we agreed on.

“Well, you say we are just friends, but friends...friends don’t know the way that you taste” you smirked at him pointedly, both remembering the activities of that morning.

Chris burst out laughing, his full belly laugh, hand coming up to his chest before reach across and pulling you into him, placing a kiss on your nose as the elevator doors opened on your floor.

“True” he mumbled before leading you down the hallway to your room, “that is true” he had one hand in yours the other holding your heels that he must have picked up on the way out of the elevator. “Well, how about next time I call you something else?” He started tone playful “This is my fuck buddy, no my slam piece, no thats too informal he laughed, girlfriend? No, hmm” He opened the hotel room door letting you slide in past him as he reached around to flip on the light switch closing the door behind him.

You stopped in the entry way a gasp leaving your lips. The room was filled with flowers. The pink and white Chrysanthemums filled every spare counter space, they had always been your favorite and Chris had sent you some for every birthday without fail. There were fairy lights lining the room and a small cart with a bottle of champagne on ice and chocolate covered strawberries by the window.

You turned back to Chris, your heart racing only he wasn’t where you expected....

“How about Wife?” Your eyes connected with his, where he was knelt on the floor behind you an open green velvet ring box in hand.

“What” was all you could get out.

“How about next time I call you my Wife. Marry Me?” Chris said, laughing at the shocked expression on your face “I’ve loved you for almost 20 years now, you’re the best thing in my life, and I never want to be without you...”

“Yes.” You said before you could even really think about it. “Yes!?!” You repeated realizing what was happening as Chris pulled the ring out of the box, sliding it onto your finger quickly before standing up to kiss you.

You’re not sure how long you stood there in the entry way making out, but when you pulled away you noticed that Chris’ eyes, like yours, were a little damp as you went to run your thumb across his cheek you caught a glimpse of the ring on your hand realizing you had barely even looked at it before it was on your hand. Chris pressed his lips into your hair holding you to his chest as you admired it. It was beautiful, delicate, subtle, it was just the kind of ring you would have chosen for yourself.

“Do you like it” Chris whispered into your hair

“I love it” you smiled up at him, lightly pressing your lips to his

“I love you” he smiled, not letting go of you.

“I love you too bestie” you giggled as he grabbed you around the waist lifting you over his shoulder and tapping your ass lightly as he took off towards the bedroom.

[janeykath318]

Bagel Guy and the Burglers: (Steve x Darcy)

For the Darcyland Trope Madness 22 (Baker! Darcy)

Darcy fumed from where she was currently crouched under one of the tables as the pair of robbers rummaged through her safe. They wouldn’t find much cash, given that she’d just done a deposit yesterday, but they were ruining her beautiful displays!

“My beautiful cupcakes!” she mourned, wincing as a whole tray of elaborately iced red velvet masterpieces hit the floor.

What was taking the police so long? She wondered, trying to subtly search for her taser. She’d hit her panic button at least fifteen minutes ago and it certainly felt like an hour.

At least there had only been one customer in the store, the super hot dude who always came in for a bagel and coffee at precisely 11:05. He was watching the activity with an intentness that reminded her of a tiger waiting to pounce on its prey. Oh, dear. That fantastic jawline was clenched pretty tightly. He’d probably try to play hero and get himself hurt or worse.

“Ma’am? Are you okay?” He whispered, while the robbers were noisily rummaging.

“So far, but you won’t be if you try to take them on. Did you see those guns?” She replied with a frantic gesture.

“I did,” was his calm reply. “I also saw they have no idea how to use them. They’re a couple of kids looking to score some quick cash.”

“Are you a cop?” she asked hopefully.

“No, but I’m trained to deal with similar situations. There’s been a bad accident a few blocks away, so that’s probably holding the police up. In the meantime, I’ve got a plan.”

Darcy looked at him, curious blue eyes meeting determined blue eyes, and instinctively knew he knew what he was talking about. Something about him seemed familiar.

“Alright, Mr. Bagel Fiend. Tell me the plan,” she finally agreed. “And I promise to bake you a free batch of goodies if you can get us out of this mess.”

“Salted dark chocolate peanut butter cookies,” he told her, eyes lighting up at the thought. Darcy couldn’t blame him. Those cookies were sinfully good and one of her best sellers.

“Deal.” She whispered with a grin. “Now,how do we do this?”

In the end, it wasn’t very complicated and the two robbers were no match for Bagel Guy, who speedily bereft them of their guns and had them subdued with amazing ease. Darcy was both scared and turned on, glad she hadn’t had to waste a taser charge on them. She’d had it out and ready, but Bagel Guy fought so fast, it wasn’t needed.

The police, along with Darcy’s favorite avenging friend Clint Barton arrived just after they’d finished duct taping the unconscious men and were sharing a Cupcake in triumph.

“Darcy! I came as soon as I could…” he started then stared at Bagel Guy and suddenly grinned widely. “Never mind. Captain America to the rescue, I see. Nice work, Steve.”

Darcy’s jaw dropped and she stared at Steve, who began to turn a vivid red.

“Ooooh. The Star Spangled Man With A Plan!” she exclaimed. “How did I not recognize you? You could have said something.”

Steve blushed even harder. He was too adorable, she thought.

“Well, your shop is one of the few places I can go and feel somewhat anonymous,” he explained. “Plus, your bagels are the best and I always enjoyed our little chats. Sorry for not coming clean. I got kinda caught up in the whole mystery thing.”

“I’m not mad. You saved my shop,” Darcy assured him, thinking how hard it would be to be annoyed with that ridiculously cute sheepish face.

“So our deal’s still on?” he asked hopefully.

“You betcha,” she smiled, already planning to throw in some bonus bagels. Super soldiers had tremendous appetites, after all.

When Steve’s cookies and bonus bagels were delivered to him the next day, they were accompanied with a little post-it note bearing Darcy’s number.

You’ll always be Bagel Guy to me. Thank You, Steve.

Steve’s smile was very bright as he added her to his contacts.

@thestanceyg

[monriatitans]

Ta-Da! List: Wednesday, June 12th

The image was made in Canva; check it out at the [referral] link here!

I share my “Ta-Da! List” every day so everyone gets a daily update and I have a reminder of what I’ve accomplished.

To learn more about “Ta-Da! Lists”, and other ADHD life hacks, check out @adhdjesse’s book Extra Focus: The Quick Start Guide to Adult ADHD.

Abbreviations

- WFI: WordPress Feature Image - O&T: Opinions & Truth Blog - LDS$: Let’s Discuss Some $#!7 - WGS: The Weekend Game Show - PMQ: Pride Month Quote - ASO: Artist Shout-Out - IG: Instagram - BMAC: Buy Me a Coffee - TDL: Ta-Da! List

Ta-Da! List

✧ June 9th: - ASO Ko-fi: removed the WGS and O&T IG links from the ASO Criteria post

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ✧ throughout the day: - made emails manageable - filled out today’s TDL - WGS: the 3 scheduled PMQs posted

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ✧ on the mobile phone: - WGS: shared the 3 PMQs and today’s LDS$ Video Announcement to Hive - YouTube: watched, listened to and/or began: 1. The Financial Diet’s short “Some thoughts on Venmo-request culture…” 2. Upper Echelon’s video “The Chaos of The Worlds Most Valuable Album — Martin Shkreli Vs. PleasrDAO” 3. began watching Roxane Lapa’s video “How to Use Nightshade Art Software”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ✧ on the bedroom setup: - WGS: shared the 3 PMQs on Bluesky; shared a LDS$ Video Announcement to The Titans’ Discord, IG, and other social media - YouTube: watched and/or listened to Jim Sterling (The Jimquisition)’s video “Gaming Disorder” - Branding: in Canva, updated the “LDS$ WFI_Thumbnail Template” - Movies: watched “The Nightmare Before Christmas” repeatedly - O&T: shared today’s TDL to various social media

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ✧ on the office setup: - WGS: shared the 3 PMQs on Pinterest; removed the WGS and O&T IG links from the ASO Criteria post/pages on BMAC, O&T, Tumblr, and the ASO Ko-fi About Section, then added the Medium link - O&T: recorded an LDS$ video, uploaded it to YouTube and Rumble, updated O&T’s YouTube widgets, then shared it on O&T, Tumblr, and other social media - Personal: used Patreon rewards to make desktop wallpapers for PERSONAL use - YouTube: watched and/or listened to: 1. TEDx Talks’ video “Why diverse creators are better for film | Aletha Shepherd | TEDxReigate” 2. Jim Sterling (The Jimquisition)’s videos “A Plague Of Pathetic PC Ports”, “Ninterror Tactics”, and “Live Services Are Being Sent To Die” 3. Leeja Miller’s video “Judges Are Out Of Control” 4. Philosophy Tube’s videos “What Was Liberalism? #1 Ideology & Violence”, “What Was Liberalism? #2 Capitalism & History”, “What Was Liberalism? #3 Neoliberalism”, “What Was Liberalism? #4 Three Problems with Liberalism”, and began watching “What Was Liberalism? #5 Your Comments”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ✧ chores and miscellaneous: - Food: had coffee for breakfast; had a bowl of cereal for lunch and leftover fries; partner cooked EatingWell’s “Everything Bagel Chicken Tenders Salad” for dinner; had milk and Oreos for dessert - Chores: did laundry; checked the mail

—

Well, these are all the updates I had for today! Thank you for reading!

May every decision you make be *in the spirit of fairness* and may the rest of your day *NOT go to $#!7*!

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