#ben barnes fanfiction

[the-midnightpoet]

He found love

Summary: Aleksander finally understands what true love is.

Warnings: None I think, just tooth-rotting fluff

A/N: I know I disappeared for a long time, but there's a lot going on. I'm trying to make all the request. I love all❤️

Aleksander and the sun summoner -Alina- were the most loved couple in Ravka. Everyone talked about how cute and strong their love is.

It was until Aleksander met you. You; the dragon queen. You were able to communicate, tame and control the dragons all over the known world.

The first time Aleks saw you, you were training with your dragon. He was absolutely enchanted from then on.

When most people meet someone they are instantly attracted to, their heart races and their palms sweat and their brain turns to mush.

But not the Darkling.

He noticed all of these things and more, but kept his demeanor calm and unruffled. His face was a mask of composure, his breathing slow and steady.

Only one part didn't follow suit, one part that the Darkling's powers and will could not control. His heart was beating so loud he was afraid everyone could hear it, despite the fact that he stood perfectly still.

"Ohh Good afternoon General" you beamed like a sunshine. He couldn't wrap his brain around how someone so powerful could be so kind and pure at the same time. He thought already met the sun, but it wasn't like that all. No, you weren't like that. You were like the brightest star he has ever seen. Full of light on the night sky.

"Hello" he said, as if he could say anything other than that, not taking his eyes off your face for a second.

The way you talked was so genuine, there was nothing artificial, nothing put on. Your voice was like music to his ears, and seeing a smile cross your face was like seeing the sun rise after a cold, dark night.

He could already feel his control slipping, and yet something made him want to hold on, even if only for a moment.

"How are you today?" you asked, smiling.

"I am well" he said, his voice soft and gentle, "What brings you here?"

There was something different about how he spoke with you, something he wasn't even aware of himself. Normally he spoke with such authority and command, like a general issuing orders. But with you his voice was... softer. You saw something flicker in his eyes as he looked at you, some inner struggle that he was fighting. It was almost as if he wasn't as sure of himself, as he always was.

"Ohh just training with Firefly" you pointed at the young dragon which was jumping around the field like the baby he was.

"He needs to learn a bit" you explained.

He felt a smile spread across his face as he watched the dragon. It was a warm, genuine smile, which faded just as quickly as it arrived. He cleared his throat, trying to keep his composure, as he asked.

"Do you need any assistance?"

Suddenly a thought crossed his mind. He could help train your dragon. A simple task, but one he felt he could do. Maybe then you would smile that warm, genuine smile again.

"Well if you want to?" you shrugged. "It'd be good to have company" with a smile, you turned back to Firefly. He could feel his face heat up, and yet for some reason he felt the need to accept your invitation.

"Yes, I would love to join you" his voice was still soft and gentle, and he watched you with a curious expression on his face as he went to your side.

"Good" you grinned. "Here.." you handed him a fish. "I know it's gross, but I'll show you what to do with it" you explained.

You grabbed an other fish from the whistled to Firefly.

"Okay...Firefly! Sit!" you commanded to the dragon. Your voice and the way you told the creature what to do made Aleks's heart race.

He was already in awe of you for being able to command an entire dragon, but the way you did it was like magic. The dragon seemed to listen to you instinctively without any resistance at all.

Once you gave the command he watched as the dragon sat down with a low grumble. And yet you seemed completely unfazed by the dragons size and potential danger. To you it was just... a dragon. Seeing you command a dragon like that made his admiration for you grow even more, if that was even possible.

"Now give him the fish as a reward" you smiled at Aleks. He took the fish from your hand, and the dragon looked up at him instantly. Even if it was just a dragon to you, to him it was still a large, powerful beast. Yet it almost seemed to show some signs of shyness as it looked at him.

As he held the fish out the dragon came closer and began eating it, almost like a dog. He felt a smile spread across his face as he watched, there was something about this moment that made him feel... happy.

"How was it? Isn't it amazing?" you asked excitedly.

"It's incredible," he said as the dragon finished the fish, "To be able to control such a beast, I have never seen anything like it."

He looked at you with a feeling of wonder and amazement, his admiration for your powers growing even more.

However, even as he watched the magic you wielded, something else was catching his eyes. How you looked at the dragon and spoke to it almost like it was a human, with love and compassion. This was something else entirely. It moved something within him.

He knew deep down that he was still with Alina and he loved her. He loved her until that moment with you. When you talked so passionatly about the things you loved he felt like he fell more and more in love with you. Aleks forget about Alina and their relationship. All he knew was you.

He hadn't even noticed that he had moved closer to you, until your arms brushed against each other and your voices grew softer.

He felt the hair stand up on the back of his neck, and his breath caught in his throat.

The feeling of being near you was like a drug, intoxicating him, and suddenly he didn't even remember what he was doing or why he was here. He was so focused on you.

You were his entire focus now.

"Hi" you smiled when he got so close to you that your chest touched. It felt like time moved in slow motion as your chests touched, and suddenly everything stopped.

He felt so many emotions in that moment, fear, joy, confusion, arousal. His heart raced, and yet for some reason he didn't pull away, not now, not ever. He finally said with a voice so soft you could barely hear it,

"Hi, Angel" when his lips gently brushed yours, you made a confident move and pressed your lips hard to his.

And that was the moment he knew; He found true love. He found you.

[dreamcatcher92]

Chapter 1: Man in the Window

Summary: Reader falls head over heels in love with her neighbor after a bad break-up. Will he also turn out to be her knight in shining armor as well?

Warnings: smut, language, sex, alcohol use. 18+ only!

The sun was finally shining bright after several dreary days. You decided that this would be the best day to start working on your tiny balcony oasis. You had moved into your new fourth floor apartment in New York City about six and a half months ago. After months of saving, you were able to finally buy the cute decor items that you had your eye on for so long.

Your new three-piece cushioned black wicker patio set had just arrived. You had gone to some of the small local shops and found some fake plants and ceramic jars that varied in sizes and shapes. To accent the entire scene that you had envisioned was a large navy blue and white mosaic outdoor rug.

After carrying everything out of the sliding glass door and onto the terrace, you took a step back and leaned against the railing to picture where you would put everything.  Finally, after about an hour of moving things around, you had finished. 

“Phew!” you exclaimed as you sat down in one of your new chairs and wiped the sweat from your forehead.

As you sat, you watched the sun go down behind all the tall buildings. The city lights were getting brighter as the sky darkened, and you looked around to take everything in. You had only been outside three or four times because of the cold weather so this was the first time that you had been able to actually enjoy an evening outside. You were noticing things that you hadn’t yet and it intrigued you.

Your red brick apartment building has five floors and is in the shape of a big U. So as neighbors were opening curtains, or turning on lights, you would glance in their direction just to be nosey and see what was going on and who lived where.  On the second floor, you could see an older woman watering her plants in her kitchen window. A middle aged man lived on the third floor in a corner apartment. He was in his living room watching football. The lights suddenly turned on in the apartment across from yours. You quickly glanced to watch and see what would appear. 

“Holy shit.” You said aloud to yourself when you saw the man walk up to his glass door and peer out. 

You couldn’t stop staring at him. He was gorgeous. Tall, slender built, and dark brown hair that was styled back neatly. He had a black suit and tie on. He loosened his tie as he stood looking out into the distance. 

He stood still for a few minutes, then turned and walked out of view. You took a deep breath in and decided that you’d go inside for the night. You walked into the kitchen and poured yourself a glass of Chardonnay. Then, you went into the living room and plopped yourself down on the couch. 

A few hours and three glasses of wine later, you had fallen asleep on your couch while watching Grey’s Anatomy. Around 3:30 in the morning, You were jolted awake from the nightmare that you were having.

“It was just a dream! It was just a dream!” you kept saying to yourself over and over as you sat up trying to calm down.

You felt like your heart was going to pound out of your chest. As you stood up, you turned off the television and walked your glass into the kitchen where you placed it in the sink. You looked over to the glass door and saw that you hadn’t shut the curtains yet. You walked over to pull the curtains, but when you looked out and over to the windows across from you, you saw the man from earlier now just in black boxers staring straight at you. 

You let out a gasp and hurried to pull the curtains closed. Shit! Did he see me earlier? How long has he been standing there looking in my windows? These thoughts were racing through your head as you hurriedly made your way to your bedroom. 

As you laid down in bed, you kept thinking of him. His gorgeous hair, those dark eyes, and that undeniably sexy body. You started to feel a bit of a tingling sensation, but snapped out of your thoughts quickly. You literally just got out of a relationship! Granted it was awful, but still! Plus, you don’t even know this guy!

The next morning, you woke up and got ready for the day. You grabbed your computer bag, and headed out the door to the little coffee shop on the corner. You love this tiny cafe and do your work there every day as you eat and drink your usual duo. A lemon blueberry scone and an iced caramel macchiato with cold foam.

You have become one of the regulars, so every morning when you walk in, the barista has your meal ready for you. Then, you sit in the same back corner booth and begin work. You work for a marketing firm out of California, so your job is completely virtual, which you absolutely love. You don’t like going out in public very often, and when you do, you try to go when you see that there aren’t many people. However, living in New York City made that a bit more challenging, but you're adjusting. 

“Need a refill?” one of the waitresses and now your friend, Johanna says with a big smile on her freckled face.

You looked up at Johanna and smiled as you replied, “Absolutely! I think today is going to be a long one.”

“You got it!” Johanna said as she spun around and twisted her curly red hair up into a bun on the top of her head.

The bell rang and someone new walked in. Not many people frequent this small establishment, so when the high pitched noise rang out through the air, you looked up curiously to see who it was that came inside. Your heart felt like it skipped a beat. It was him. The man from the window. 

You sat back quickly and tried to hide in the booth, but it didn’t work very well. He spotted you and gave you a smile. Then, he ordered his coffee and left. A huge sigh of relief left you when he walked out. You had no idea what you would say to him if he approached you. You were a hot mess when it came to talking to guys. 

Over the past few months, you had tried to meet someone. You thought it would help you move on from your ex-boyfriend Spencer faster. You quickly learned just how awkward you are and how awful you are at conversations. You had been on three dates so far and every one of them ghosted you after the first night. It was only a dinner date, and yet somehow you had managed to run them off every time. 

��OH. MY. GOD! Girl, did you see how hot that guy was?!” Johanna said as she handed you your new drink.

You stared at her for a moment and then giggled, “yes, I saw him.”

Johanna sat down across from you and started talking so fast, “I could barely even speak! Ugh! Could you imagine being with someone like him?!”

“Yeah, it definitely would be interesting!” You laughingly replied and then let out a long sigh, “I should probably get going. I’ve finished my work for the day. It wasn’t as bad as I thought after all.” You started packing up everything and slid out of the booth.

“Okay! Will I see you tomorrow?” Johanna replied as you stood.

“Maybe!” You said in a high tone as you made your way to the door, “See you later!”

You made it home and flopped down onto the couch. You couldn’t stop thinking of the guy across from you, but then all of those thoughts were interrupted when your phone dinged from a notification. You grabbed your phone from your pocket and opened up the screen. It was a Facebook notification about memories that you had from two years ago. 

You immediately felt sick to your stomach. You knew that all of your past memories included Spencer. You decided to swipe the notification away without opening it and laid your phone facedown on the coffee table. Those memories were a thing of the past and that’s where they needed to stay. You were tired of anything and everything dredging up things and reminding you of the life you used to live. It’s time to move on.

[littlelordfuckler0y]

Ben barnes x fem!actress reader Instagram au

context: reader is good friends w Freddie

yourinstagram Freddie’s cooler friends from s&b🤭

@Jessie_mei_li Said the coolest person in town

@Yourinstagram I LOVE YOU

@Y/nfan1 THIS IS SO CUTE I CANNOT

@Y/nfan2 Y/n cameo in shadow and bone when??

@Amitasuman When do we get to see you again😣

@Yourinstagram soon I hope :/

@Jackwolfe Funny because we know you as Freddie’s cool acting school friend

@Fabienfrankel *coughs in cool friend from the dragon show*

benbarnes Sadly I did not get any spoilers for house of the dragon 💔

tagged yourinstagram

@Kittheyounger That is after 92 attempts and a blank NDA contract

@Benbarnes We all have our vices don’t we

@Yourinstagram I cannot be HBO’s weakest link I’m sorry😔😔

@benfan1 HES SO UNSERIOUS LMAO

@Y/nfan1 fan behaviour like he should YASSSS

@Freddiecarter Y/n would fold over a chocolate bar just saying

@Yourinstagram no I would not????

@Oliviacooke y/n!!!! Our strongest soldier when it comes to spoilers! (She would in fact fold over a chocolate bar)

@Freddiecarter See @Yourinstagram

yourusername said he knew a spot

@Jessie_mei_li is it really worth 4 extra miles?

@yourusrname I mean😭😭

@Freddiecarter Great! I can barely feel my legs now!

@benfan1 THEYRE SO CUTE OML

@Benbarnes Why thank you :)

@Benfan2 Are they dating??

@Y/nfan1 the photos seem from a camping trip Freddie posted about but who knows

@Benfan2 they’d look so good together tho

@Jackwolfe what a day!

daniellegalligan_ dumb and dumber

tagged: yourusername benbarnes

@Amitasuman are we surprised

@Y/nfan1 THEYRE SO FRICKING CUTE

@benfan1 DANIELLE FEEDING US CRUMBS YES

@yourusrname the caption…can’t even do goodwill these days 😔

@Freddiecarter could’ve just walked across mother teresa

@Benbarnes in her defence we didn’t know there was a door there

@Callahan.skogman @benbarnes how else do you think people would get in the place…at all?

@Kittheyounger dumb and dumber indeed

[padfootagain]

Silly Love

Hello!!! Here we go with a request from an anon for my Comeback Event!! Thank you so much for your request anon! It was such a delight to write!

Here is the request: “AAAAH i'm so excited for this event!!!! I wanted to request Ben Barnes with the Idiots In love trope!! like maybe they do interview together or we spot them publicly and they're so blushing and happy together that they forget to stay low in the public eye !! thank you so much Carole for giving us some fan content i love and appreciate your work so much ❤️”

This is so adorable, honestly…

****

Pairing: Ben Barnes x reader

Warnings: so much fluff your teeth will rot

Summary: you and Ben are giving a series of interviews for a project you’ve filmed together. But as the day goes by, it’s harder and harder for the two of you to remain serious and not act like the two fools in love that you are…

Word count: 3447

There was something in the way you spoke that always felt so reassuring to him.

Ben wasn’t certain of what it was exactly. The sound, the tone, the octave, the rhythm… He didn’t know what it was about your voice that simply… soothed him. He merely had to listen to you, close his eyes, and everything else would disappear.

He remembered the first time he heard it. It was through his TV screen. It didn’t feel the same then. It lacked the gentle imperfections your voice carried in real life. Still, he remembered watching the whole show you were playing in simply to listen to your voice.

One of these magic tricks of yours.

He should have been paying attention to what you were saying, to what the journalist was asking too. But as he stared at you, he simply forgot about anything else in the room but you. He stared at your eyelashes as they moved with each of your small blinking movements. He studied the curve of your nose, the line of your jaw, the colour of your lips. He knew how soft they felt against his. He fought against the sudden urge to simply cradle your neck, turn your head towards him, and kiss you until none of you could breathe…

You turned to him, and he fell into your eyes. Impossible to look away. Impossible to breathe at all. It felt like drowning, but in a wonderful way. Like falling forever and never wanting to hit the ground.

He didn’t even notice the way a dreamy smile formed on his lips. He was resting his chin in his palm, his elbow resting on the wooden armrest of his chair, set right next to yours.

He saw you tilting your head slightly, frowning a little…

He recognized those signs. It meant that you were waiting for an answer to something he had not been listening to…

“Ben? What do you think?” you repeated.

He shook himself, straightening up again, and blushing terribly.

“I… I am terribly sorry. I did not listen to the question,” he apologised, letting out an embarrassed laugh.

You soon joined him, chuckling while the interviewer repeated her question. You hid your embarrassment behind your hands…

You knew perfectly well why Ben had not been listening. He wasn’t paying attention.

You could hear his excuse, he gave it to you every time he wasn’t listening to you.

It’s not my fault if you’re too gorgeous to look at for me to focus on anything else.

And sometimes, you wondered if he truly meant that. Of course, you took it as a charming and flirty excuse. But there were moments when he would just stare at you the way he just did… maybe he was merely gawking at you, for real.

“Well, I was very happy to work with Y/N,” he answered, and you realized that, this time, you had been the one who wasn’t paying attention to the journalist sitting before you. “I had been admiring her work for a while so… huh… I was very curious to learn how she built her character’s presence, how she approached her roles. And it… it turns out that she is also an amazing human being so… I am a very happy man, indeed.”

You struggled to refrain a smile at his words. You knew perfectly well that you made him a happy man because of your blossoming relationship, not because of your talents as an actor.

You noticed the smirk that appeared on his lips, and knew that you were not doing a great job at hiding your emotions. A mix of satisfaction and embarrassment and shyness…

He adored it. He was so proud of himself for making you look like this. You were so adorable then…

You had not made your relationship official. Ben and you were both adamant in keeping your private lives private. Besides, you had met while working on this movie, and you didn’t want your relationship in your real lives to become a tool to promote the film. So, you were both determined to keep your relationship secret, for now.

You had to admit though that sitting next to Ben all day long, in a rather dark room, made it very difficult for you to act like the two of you were mere friends.

“What did you take home with you from set at the end of filming?” the interviewer asked, apparently oblivious of your inner battles.

“I took home some… small things that were on set… I don’t think I should tell you in details,” Ben laughed. “But I have one of my suits. Let’s… let’s say that.”

“What about you, Y/N?”

You thought for a second, but couldn’t stop yourself from answering as honestly as you could.

“Wonderful people.”

Ben and you exchanged a tender smile.

You were both resting your arms on the armrests of your chairs, and Ben used your proximity to brush his pinky finger against yours, ever so slightly, so no one in the room would notice.

The gesture was there though, tender and intimate, and you grinned at each other. Ben was blushing fiercely again.

“How nice!” commented the journalist.

“See? Told you. She’s amazing,” Ben nodded, making you roll your eyes.

“You have such an amazing chemistry on screen. I think it’s one of the biggest charms about this film, to be honest. And it must be hard to navigate through a love story between two characters. How did you manage that? How did you establish this connection?”

Ben cleared his throat and you saw him looking up at the ceiling, looking for a lie.

After all, he couldn’t answer with the truth. He couldn’t answer with: well, we both genuinely fell in love with each other off-screen, so it wasn’t hard to pretend to be madly in love on-screen. No, that couldn’t work…

You wanted to help him, find your own answer, but you were quite taken aback by the question as well. You were thinking about all these long evenings spent together in his apartment, drinking tea, or sometimes whiskey, and talking for hours and hours; failing to notice that the night was flying by. All those mornings laughing with him in make-up. Listening to his sweet voice as he sang on his piano during the weekend. The long walks on Sunday afternoons. And this feeling that kept on growing and growing, but you couldn’t possibly imagine that he felt the same…

And then, the comments of your friends about the two of you. The fact that you had become so close so quickly, that you wanted to spend so much time with him, that you didn’t think about dating anymore. The realization that struck you like a punch in the stomach that you were not having a mere crush, but were falling desperately, hopelessly, irrevocably in love with your co-star. The doubts, the long days spent thinking that he could never feel the same.

Until that Sunday afternoon when he sang this bloody song he had written, and you sat next to him while he played on his piano and… you just couldn’t stop yourself.

Your first kiss. It tasted like sunlight, tea and soft music.

You were brought back to the real world when Ben finally spoke.

“We talked a lot about the most intimate scenes, and the most emotional scenes too. Huh… we… we really wanted to be on the same page, and to be sure that we were both comfortable and able to express in the best way what our characters were feeling. And I think that level of understanding was very important. And… you know just… trusting each other. Huh… and then we simply became very good friends so it made everything pretty easy.”

You couldn’t refrain your tender smile as you stared at him while he spoke. You drank every word. You studied his dark hair you loved messing up with your fingers so much, his short beard you adored against your skin, the angle of his jaw, the corner of these lips you wanted to kiss all the damn time…

You shook yourself, trying to pay attention to the interview again.

“Alright a few fun questions now,” the interviewer said, a smile on her lips. “I’ll ask you some questions and you have to answer with the first thing that comes to your minds, at the same time, on the count of three. Sounds good for you?”

“Sure, sounds fun,” you answered, smiling as well.

“Alright. Tea or coffee? One, two, three…”

“Tea.”

“Coffee.”

You rolled your eyes at Ben’s answer, and he did the same because of you.

“That bloody, tasteless hot water,” you complained.

“I love coffee too.”

“But you prefer tea.”

“I do prefer tea.”

“Very cliché for a Brit.”

“True… I’m not going to try to deny that.”

The two of you exchanged a teasing smile, before focusing on the journalist again, waiting for her next question.

“Your favourite thing about each other. One, two, three…”

“His kindness.”

“Her kindness.”

You both gasped at your matching answers.

“You are extremely kind, like… too kind, honestly. Very patient as well,” you nodded, and Ben was grinning at your words.

It was the kind of radiant smiles that were almost blinding.

“You are way too sweet. And just so… so genuinely nice. In the best way,” Ben added, his grin turning into something softer as he stared at you. “You’re always trying to make sure everyone around you is happy and well. You have a very generous soul. I love that about you.”

“Aww…” you couldn’t help it when you reached for his hand and gave it a tender squeeze.

“Now, what is the thing you dislike the most about each other?” the journalist asked once you were looking at her again. “One, two, three…”

“Nothing.”

“He’s so distracting.”

Ben looked at you in shock while you and the interviewer were laughing so much.

“Wow… I was not expecting that one,” Ben admitted. “I was being so nice to you, I said ‘nothing’! Did you hear that?” he added, turning to the interviewer. “I can’t believe it...”

“You really are so distracting though.”

“I’m very focused when I work,” he argued.

“You have the whole shouting-to-get-into-character thing,” you started, counting on your fingers.

“Oh… yeah… that’s right. I see how that can be quite distracting…” he admitted, and you saw him starting to blush again.

“You’re always in people’s face, or touching me, or hugging me…”

“That’s nice though!”

“It’s nice, but still distracting.”

You raised a third finger.

“And you’re very handsome. It doesn’t help.”

His smile turned tender again, the tips of his ears turning red.

“Thank you, that’s nice.”

“Do you want to change your answer?” the journalist asked Ben with humour.

“I think I’ll say that she’s too honest sometimes.”

You all laughed.

“You never think before speaking,” Ben went on, still laughing. “It’s hilarious.”

“I am hilarious.”

“You truly are. But it gets you into so much trouble sometimes. Do you remember when we were at this restaurant and you thought the couple at the table next to ours were father and daughter?”

You doubled with laughter, hiding your face in your hands.

“That was so embarrassing.”

“You’re so loud…”

“I was tipsy!”

“Drunk. You were full-on drunk.”

“No, I wasn’t! I was very tipsy but I was not drunk.”

“Anyway, you said this so loudly and the look they sent us!”

You were both laughing so much, both of you forgetting all about the interview.

“I just wanted to disappear.”

“You really get us into so much trouble sometimes…”

“But you like it. You would be bored otherwise.”

“Just like I bet you love it when I distract you.”

“That’s quite true.”

You and Ben intertwined your fingers together, holding hands, and Ben brushed tenderly the back of your hand with his thumb. You didn’t think about what the gesture could mean for the rest of the world. You were too busy getting lost in his dark eyes.

The journalist interrupted your thoughts though as she spoke again. You separated your two hands, movements made slow by reluctance.

“What’s the last emoji you sent to the other? One, two, three.”

“Laughing face.”

“Kiss emoji.”

You frowned hard at Ben.

“Your last emoji was a heart, not a laughing f…”

But you saw the look in his eyes and stopped talking.

He was lying on purpose… shoot…

“Yes, you’re right, it was a laughing face,” you lied, but you were pretty certain that you were not convincing.

Ben tried to keep a straight face, but it was difficult.

The interview was (thankfully) over though, so the journalist left, and you bid her a good day with a handshake and a warm smile.

Ben asked for a two-minutes break before welcoming the next interviewer, pretexting that he needed to go to the bathroom, and you followed his lead.

Actually, you found refuge in the deserted staircase of the building, and both exploded with laughter in the empty space, your laughs amplified by their echoes.

“We really need to be more careful, my love,” Ben argued, trying to be more serious again.

“You’re right,” you nodded, letting him wrap his arms around you to draw you closer to him. “I’m sorry.”

“I am not fully innocent either…”

“But that emoji… and I said I sent you a kissing face!”

You buried your face in your hands and rested your forehead against his shoulder. Ben merely laughed.

“I don’t think that was enough to start a rumour about us being together, though,” he reassured you. “But I was right. You really need to learn to think before speaking…”

You swatted him playfully on his upper arm, and he doubled with laughter.

“Now, we should go back. We still have many interviews to give. And no more hand-touching, mister!” you scolded him.

“I can’t help it,” he complained. “Besides, before we go back, I really need to do something first. Something I’ve been dying to do ever since we entered this room, because… you are so beautiful like this, love…”

You gave him a flirtatious smile, knowing perfectly where this conversation was heading.

“And what could that be, honey?”

“This.”

He leaned down to kiss you tenderly on the lips, a hand climbing up your body to rest gently against your cheek, cupping your jaw to guide your face towards his again when you tried to break the kiss. You lost your fingers in his hair, messing with the dark locks, but none of you cared.

Kissing him felt too amazing for you to care about anything but his lips.

“Honey? What are you doing? Hurry up, I want to watch the movie!”

You wore your most annoyed tone, but heard Ben chuckling from the corridor anyway. You couldn’t refrain a smile at the sound, even if you were trying to act like you were annoyed. It was too warm, too reassuring for you to feel anything but happy whenever you heard his laughter.

You rearranged the covers of Ben’s bed, waiting patiently for him to finally join you so you could start watching a cute romantic comedy you had found on Netflix. But he seemed to be taking forever…

He finally appeared, wearing nothing but a pair of dark boxers, and you couldn’t help it when you let your gaze roam the length of his body. His hair was dishevelled from the shower he had taken after dinner, and you loved it. He was staring at his phone as he walked in the room, but looked up to catch the sight of you lying there, cosy and warm in his bed.

Best sight on Earth, he reckoned…

He slipped in the bed with you, and you greeted him with a grin and a peck on the lips. But you frowned as he focused on his phone again.

“Is everything alright?” you asked, snuggling in his side as he raised his arm for you to settle in his embrace.

“Yeah, just… was checking on some comments on a couple of interviews we did together the other day, you remember?”

“When it was just the two of us?”

Ben nodded, eyes still fixed on his screen.

His hand was drawing mindless patterns across the small of your back. It was comforting, soothing… it reminded you that he truly was there, by your side.

It had been a few weeks now since you had recorded these interviews, but of course you remembered. It had been proper torture to seat next to Ben all day without being able to touch him, to speak your mind, to remind him that you loved him…

“Sure, what about them?” you asked dropping a kiss on his chest, and you smirked at the sight of the smile that formed on his lips under your touch.

“Well… a couple of friends have warned me that some comments are… quite… accurate…”

You frowned hard, leaning closer to look at his phone, and he turned the screen in your direction so you could read the comments too.

Your eyes grew round.

I bet Ben and Y/N are more than friends… have you seen that chemistry?

The way Ben just gawked at Y/N for two full minutes, not listening to anything she or the interviewer said, is a big mood. Also, they’re in love.

Lol, when they held hands at 6:30, I’m dead, thx!

Not the type to start rumours but… are these two together? Like… irl?! Because they seem like a real couple trying their absolute best to hide how infatuated they are with each other… and failing.

Ben and you exchanged a glance.

“Oh…” you breathed.

“I think we… have blown our cover, love,” Ben joked.

You were afraid he would be mad, but he seemed amused by the situation, more than anything else…

“You’re not panicking? Or annoyed? Or angry?” you carefully asked.

He noticed your wary tone, and looked down at you, before dropping a kiss in your hair.

“No, I don’t care, to be honest.”

“I thought we had decided to keep all this a secret.”

“Yes, well… I don’t mind. I love you, that’s all that matters.”

You tightened your hold on him, making him chuckle.

“I love you too,” you whispered against the skin of his neck, closing your eyes as you deeply breathed in the sugary scents of his soap and shampoo.

“Do you mind terribly that everyone is figuring things out about us?” he asked, and this time he was the one wearing a cautious tone.

“Not really, actually. I thought it would stress me out, but I don’t really care.”

You exchanged a loving smile, and he brushed his nose and his cheek against your forehead, making you heave a content sigh.

“By the way… I want to watch these two full minutes where you are… how did they say that? Oh, yes… gawking at me,” you teased him, a cheeky grin on your lips, while he exploded with laughter.

“I’ve watched it,” he confessed, his eyes tightly closed and his head thrown back in embarrassment, trying to hide from you, but you could still see that he was fiercely blushing. “I’ve watched it and I can’t believe I’ve stared at you like that in public…”

“Is it that bad?”

“Yes, it is.”

“You’re so sweet… so cheesy…”

“Oh, shut up!” he grumbled, making you laugh.

“I want to watch it, give me your phone.”

“Absolutely not!” he protested, extending his arm so the device would remain out of reach.

“Ben! Give it to me!”

“No!”

“I can also just use my own phone…”

“No… no…”

He grabbed you by the waist when you reached for your phone on your bedside table, pulling you towards him and making you both fall on the mattress.

You were both laughing so much by now.

“No! Don’t watch it!”

“If you start tickling me, I swear to God, you will soon be a dead man…”

“I’ll find another way to distract you, that’s alright…”

“Stop kissing me like that…”

“Really? You want me to stop?”

“No… not really…”

“Hmmm… thought so… Y/N!”

“I got the phone! When is it? WHEN IS IT?”

“NOOOO!”

Ben kept on attacking you with waves of kisses and tickles, but you held his phone in hostage, and he ended up losing the war, as you watched the full video together. He expected you to laugh at him, but you didn’t. You simply kissed him hard and tender on the lips, and snuggled into his arms.

It was a happy evening, in a life full of love…

[captain-fantasy]

PLEASEEEE CONTINUE A CHAPTER OF MINE WITH BEN BARNESSS PLEASEEEEEEEEEEE IM BEGGING YOUUUUU

Surrender - Billy Russo x f!reader

Sequel to Mine which you can read here

Warnings: semi-public sex, unprotected sex, no review

author's note: giving the people what they want

The walk back home from the party was tense. You couldn’t shake off the weight of the words that had come out from Billy. The revelation of his feelings for you had affected you in ways you hadn’t expected. 

When you reached your apartment, neither of you said a word. Instead, you opened the door and shrugged off your coat, handing it to Billy so he could hang it on one of the hooks on the wall. Still in silence, you crossed the room and opened the doors to the balcony, stepping outside and letting the soothing night breeze brush against your skin, momentarily relieving the heat that had built up inside you throughout the night. Lost in your thoughts, you failed to notice when Billy approached you, his voice being the first to break the silence. 

“Mind if I join you?” he asked, his voice light. 

Startled, you turn to face him, momentarily at a loss for words. He wore an unreadable expression, his features concealed by the shadows of the night. 

“Of course,” you whispered, unsure if your voice was strong enough to speak normally. 

The two of you sat silently for a moment, the faint sounds of cars driving below and dull city noise from outside. 

“I think we need to figure out what we want,” Billy started.

Time seemed to stand still at that moment, the air heavy with tension. Billy’s intense gaze bore into your eyes, his black eyes reflecting a dark storm. There was a fire within him, a volatile mixture of emotions threatening to consume both of you. But behind that facade, you saw a vulnerability you’d never noticed. 

You reached out and placed a hand on his, the connection sparking an electric current that pulsed between you. “I agree,” you whispered, your voice filled with apprehension, “We can’t ignore what’s between us anymore.”

Billy’s gaze softened, the storm within his eyes receding to reveal a glimmer of hope. Slowly, he closed the distance between you, his hand caressing your cheek with a tenderness you hadn’t expected. The touch sent shivers down your spine, igniting a fire deep within your core. 

“I don’t know what came over me tonight, y/n. I think- Seeing you with Matt I-, It drove me crazy. I wanted you all to myself. I’m drawn to you; I have been since we met. Every night we’re together, I can’t get enough.”

Your heart swelled at his words, his vulnerability taking your breath away. At that moment, you realized the depth of his emotions, the intensity of his desire. It was a revelation that left you trembling, yearning for more. 

“Billy,” you whispered, your voice barely audible, “I feel the same way. Every minute without you feels like a part of me is missing. You complete me, Bill. Your hands, your eyes, your touch. I’m in love with every part of you.”

He leaned closer, his lips brushing against yours in a featherlight kiss that ignited a fire within you. It was an act of surrender, a melody of two souls finally finding harmony. The world faded away, and you were consumed by the intensity of your shared connection.

At that moment, time ceased to exist. Your bodies intertwined, moving with a rhythm that defied words. It was a language only you two understood, a symphony of desire and passion that painted the night with the colors of ecstasy.

Billy’s kiss got more insistent, needier. His hands had begun to slip underneath the hem of your skirt, tracing dangerously close to the wet spot in your underwear that had reappeared when he started touching you. Your skin felt like it was on fire, your breaths were short, and Billy’s beard left a slight burn while he bit at the skin on your neck. Your breathing quickened, and your head turned to reveal a nearly empty street. Suddenly, you were aware that you were still technically in public, and anyone who looked at your building would receive an eyeful from you and Billy. 

“Bill-hey, maybe we shouldn’t do this here-”

“Tell me to stop,” he murmured against your skin. His lips had begun to travel down your body, leaving fresh marks on your chest and neck. He pushed the material around your thighs as he met your waist, letting it bunch above your hips, allowing better access to where he wanted. He could see the effect he had on you for the first time. The wet spot on your underwear had gradually grown, making Billy smirk at how easily he could mold you into putty whenever he touched you. 

“Please, Billy,” you whined. Your fingers brushed through Billy’s hair, trying to pull him where you wanted him the most. Your neediness made him chuckle, his eyes staring up at you while he placed a soft kiss and licked your clothed clit. 

His nails scratched your skin as he pulled your almost entirely soaked-through panties down your legs. Billy gathered some of the wetness that had begun to drip onto your thighs with his index finger, pushing it into you and grazing over your clit. Your head fell back as he slid his tongue into your entrance, spreading it flat before dragging it up, driving you crazy. 

The moans he was letting out vibrated through your entire body, focusing on your clit as he sucked it between his teeth, using one hand to expertly curl his fingers into your sopping entrance while the other held onto your thigh to keep you still. 

Your whines became short and breathy as you tried to muffle them, hands tightly gripping the railing to keep yourself from falling over. You finally felt a sweet release as it poured out of you, allowing Billy to drink it. You were sure that if you let go of the railing, your legs would completely give out underneath you, so you decided it was best to keep your grip on it. 

Once Billy decided he had sufficiently cleaned you up, he stood up, towering over you, his eyes black and hooded, full of lust. He kissed you again, this time tenderly, sweetly. You could taste yourself on him when he slipped his tongue into your mouth, delicately exploring yours as if it were new terrain for him. You could feel his bulge through his pants. Deciding to be bold, you slipped your hand under his waistband, smiling when you heard him make a strained moan. He was painfully hard as he stared at you, silently begging you for more. 

You slipped his pants down just enough to pull his length out, your soft palm massaging the precum out of his cock. You released your grip on the balcony railing, moving it to rest on his shoulder, pulling him close to you. His hands were stationed on your waist, his sight focused on the dirty image of his cock diving into you. Your moans synchronized when he was entirely inside you, allowing you to feel every vein and twitch of his cock, a luxury you weren’t awarded earlier in the night when he roughly pounded into you in a stranger’s bedroom. 

This was different, something you hadn’t experienced with him. It was full of love. Every touch, kiss, and heavy breath showed you there was more to Billy than you thought. 

These thoughts faded when you felt yourself on the brink of orgasm again. Billy’s sloppy thrusts and tight grip on you showed you he was close too but insisted on holding off until you came first. Relief wasn’t far, though, as you came almost instantly when his cock touched your g-spot perfectly, causing every hair on your body to stand up and warmth to wash over you like warm water. He finished soon after you, his hips slightly stuttering before fully pushing himself in you, tight ropes of cum filling your belly. 

As your breathing regulated, you looked up at him, your chests becoming in sync. His eyes, once filled with the intensity of passion, now held a new warmth, a tenderness that wasn’t there mere minutes ago. The streets were hushed, the echoes of your shared ecstasy slowly dissipating. 

You traced a finger along his jawline, marveling at the subtle changes in his expression. The rugged exterior he often wore was gone. Instead, it was as if the layers of his past were shed, revealing a man desperate for connection. 

“I never expected this,” he whispered, his voice laced with awe. “To feel this connected to another person again.”

You smiled, your heart brimming with affection. You couldn’t find any words that would describe your love, but you figured you would have time to show him. 

As you sat there, bodies still intertwined, you knew that this moment was the beginning of a new chapter. You nestled closer to Billy, your bodies finding comfort in each other’s embrace. In the serenity of that shared embrace, you knew that whatever lay ahead, you would be doing together. 

buy me a ko-fi?

[moonstruck-poet]

Let's Have One

Pairing - Ben Barnes x reader!

Summary - Seeing you play and bond with his sister's baby sparked a new feeling of want and love in Ben.

Warnings - none!

This one is a thank you for a hundred followers!! I love all of you sm <33

"You ready, love?" His soft voice addressed you as you finished applying some light compact powder, thus finishing your simple and elegant look.

"Yeah just done," you gave yourself a scan and smoothed down the simple blood red dress. And even with the three cups of caffeine that you had downed in the past two hours, a yawn still managed to escape.

"God I'm hopeless," you chuckled lightly, fighting the urge to rub your eyes so as to not ruin the eyeliner.

"I'm sorry," he whispered and pulled you closer by the waist. "I can see how tired you are and I can't do anything at all".

"Hey it's fine," you kissed his cheek, lingering for a while and nuzzling into his neck. "It was my fault for staying up late on that case".

"You sure you're feeling okay? No headaches or anything?"

"I'm fine," you smiled at his worried expression before grabbing his hand and leading him out of the door. "And besides it's Sarah's birthday party, I wouldn't miss it for the world, you know?"

"I know," he replied and followed you without a doubt, opening the car door like an absolute gentleman before getting in himself.

"I should've done that since I'm driving," you laughed when he shook his head.

"You open the doors for me at restaurants and I do it for cars. I think it's only fair".

The drive to the party was spent in silence, with the radio and Ben's humming being the only source of sound.

"You need to have a small holiday," he interrupted the quiet and took your free hand in his. "You're working too hard".

"I'll get one as soon as I finish this, I promise. This one's a lot more complicated than we expected so naturally it is taking more time".

"I find you absolutely cool have I ever mentioned that?" He asked with a teasing smirked on his face.

You couldn't help but laugh and smile yourself, "I think you have, indeed! For the past week or so".

"Seriously though, I still can't believe that I'm married to a crime branch officer. Who could've thought?"

"And it's beyond my understanding how I managed to snatch for myself a literal Disney prince for the record," you retorted and he grinned proudly.

You two had arrived at the destination and the car was parked quickly by your efficient hands.

As usual, he got out first and opened your door, offering a charming smile and his hand as if you were a queen.

You accepted it without a moment of hesitation and placed your palm on his cheek to give him a rather unexpected kiss, one that he immediately reciprocated.

"Goodness," he whispered to himself after you pulled away, leaving him rather breathless and following with a wink.

Ben just felt himself fall a little more in love.

As soon as you opened the doors, you were swarmed by his family members. Eveybody coming closer to greet you with enthusiasm while your husband watched from the sideline, a fond and adoring smile on his face.

"It's so good to see you sweetheart!" His mother cupped your cheeks and surveyed your face in the most motherly way possible. "You're resting well aren't you? Eating properly and getting enough sleep? He's taking care of you isn't he?" She pointed towards her son and playfully narrowed her eyes as if threatening him.

"Don't worry, Mum. He's always taking care of me," you laughed at his nervous and scared face.

"He better be," Thomas, his father patted him on the shoulder sternly before chuckling and pulling his boy in a hug.

You finally managed to extract yourself from his loving family and he joined your side a second later, straightening his blazer.

"I honestly think they love you more".

"Well, I know they love me more".

He rolled his eyes at your smirk and extended his arm which you took, placing your palm on his bicep.

"You look beautiful by the way," he muttered in you ear as you searched for an empty table. "Like breathtakingly gorgeous".

"Thank you," was all you managed to utter because the way he was looking at you made you feel all sorts of things.

"All these years and I can still make you blush huh?" He grinned knowingly while you poked and slapped his abdomen.

"Let's sit here," he pointed to one with two empty seats and you followed, settling down at last and letting out a sigh as you slipped your heels off.

His hands found their way to yours, as though it was second nature to do so. His fingers fiddled with yours, occupying his attention till the party began.

And it started soon enough with everyone standing up as the birthday girl cut her cake and both her husband and son placed a kiss on her cheeks.

"Awh," you said to yourself, a smile forming on your face at what you saw a perfect family. You wanted that too. You already had a loving husband, the only thing left now was an adorable little one.

You lips were pressed together as you looked at your man, letting your eyes rest on his sharp but smooth features.

How beautiful would it be to have a little baby, a perfect combination of yourself and someone whom you held so dear. Maybe they'd inherit his dark eyes and hair or yours, it would be beautiful either way.

How lovely would it be to see this small, tiny human being blossom into a fully mature adult with their own unique personality while also sharing some common traits.

Your heart felt heavy with love at the thought and Ben could certainly feel you planting holes in his face and he looked at you quizzically, though a smile was still there.

You shook your head, suddenly overcome with emotions as you rested your head on his shoulder, wanting to be close.

He didn't say anything and merely pulled you closer, if that was even possible while pressing a kiss to your hairline.

The celebrations were in full swing and all of the couples were currently on the dancefloor, swaying to the romantic rhythm which soon changed into an energetic beat.

"Goddamn," a breath escaped your lips as you pushed your sweaty hair out of your face. "You're quite the dancer, Barnes".

"Care for another one, my love?"

"Unfortunately though I have to decline your offer, darling. I'm quite tired," you laughed lightly and he guided you to sit on a chair.

He knelt down on the floor and touched your feet making your eyes widen as you instantly grabbed his hands.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Shh just relax and trust me," he whispered and you watched as he undid the buckles of your heels and removed your sore feet from their tortuous clutches.

He then went forward to gently rubbing the top and sides and then moving towards the sole. The slight pressure helped immensely and you had to literally push him to get the man to stop.

"Thank you," you said into his ear once he settled down next to you, his chair close.

"Always," he murmured back and leaned down, capturing your lips in his and savouring the moment before it was broken by the party host.

Drinks and food were served once again, probably to energize the crowd for another round of crazy dancing. And Ben too had been dragged away by his many relatives, you laughing at his face that screamed 'save me from these hooligans'.

The sound was getting too loud for your rather sensitive ears so you decided to go to the more quieter areas but suddenly a loud crying stopped you in your tracks.

Pinpointing the source was easy enough and your heart dropped in your chest on seeing a toddler sitting on the grass all alone.

"Christ," you almost sprinted to the baby, recognizing him to be Louis, Ben's nephew. You sat down on your knees, offering him a smile and slowly moving closer.

"Hey Lou," you whispered, the smile still intact as you held out your palm. "You remember me, love?"

Fortunately the one-year-old had stopped crying though tears still stained his cheeks. He looked at you through wide set of eyes, his mind racing as he tried to identify.

After some time of silence you concluded that he didn't recognise you, which was fair considering you had only ever seen him twice in his life.

"Come here," you beckoned, now sitting on your heels and grinning as he raised his arms, allowing you to pick him up.

"Now what might you be doing here all alone, hmm?" You spoke softly, tucking him close to your body and finding a secluded spot in the party which didn't invite a lot of noise.

A sudden giggle was heard from him and you looked, surprised and laughing upon finding the cause. His tiny fingers had found your small butterfly necklace.

Sitting down on a chair you placed him on your lap, facing you. "Yeah that's a butterfly!" You smiled and gently wiped his moist cheeks.

"Fieee!" He grinned, his voice melting you immediately. He was an adorable boy, with blond hair and sea blue eyes.

"You wanna play a game? Let's play a game," saying so you kept him engaged for quite a long time and were entertained yourself.

"More!" He said happily, swinging his little feet as you tickled his sides making him squirm away but also lean in.

There was a tissue box kept on the table and you folded one to create a boat, an aeroplane and some simple shapes much to his excitement.

"Boat," he pointed towards the craft kept on the left and you clapped.

"Good job!" You chuckled and kissed the top of his head with every ounce of love. A wave of pride filling your chest at his correct answer.

Your shenanigans went on for another thirty minutes before Louis started yawning and rubbing his eyes.

"Someone's getting sleepy," you adjusted his position so that his face was resting comfortably on your chest and your palm was patting his back.

Ben's blazer that had been resting on your shoulders for almost the entire night was now shielding his nephew from the cold. You draped the black coat on him and it fit like a warm blanket.

"Goodnight sweetheart," you murmured and kissed his forehead before resting your cheek gently on his head.

"Nigh Nigh," he replied, eyes closed completely and one of his fist grasping on your necklace.

Looking at him sleeping so peacefully made your tired body feel dizzy as well and before you knew it, you were knocked out.

Ben Barnes on the other hand was roaming around the hall for the past ten minutes, trying to locate you amongst the crowd. He was getting agitated and couldn't help but release a sigh of relief upon seeing you.

Walking closer a small noise of surprise left him as he saw you fast asleep with his nephew resting on your chest. His heart took up its pace as he gazed at the domestic scene, his brain already creating various scenarios which depicted you and a tiny one nestled in your arms.

He swallowed, sitting down in the empty share and pulling out his phone to click a picture, knowing it would last longer.

His eyes surveyed every inch of you in that beautiful moment.

Moving from your creaseless eyelids to the small movement of your lips while you were asleep, then to the protective but gentle hold you had on the baby who was snuggling closer to your cozy figure under his own blazer making his smile widen.

"God I adore you," he said with a small chuckle, getting up to press his lips to the top of your head.

"Oh thank goodness," his sister Sarah's voice was heard from behind as she panted a little.

"What's wrong?" He stood up straight, concerned upon seeing her frazzled state.

"I left Lou with an uncle of ours and I saw the said person drunk some time ago and freaked out," she took deep breath, glad that her son was safe and sound.

He scoffed is disbelief at the carelessnes shown before turning back to you as you were rubbing you eyes and blinking rapidly, trying to move before remembering the child that was alseep too.

Ben and Sarah watched with a smile as you adjusted the coat, tucking it carefully and brushing the small strands of hair from his face.

"Oh hey," you greeted when your eyes fell upon the pair and you stood up, "He fell asleep as we were playing," you explained and handed him to his mother.

She took her son in one arm and pulled you in a warm embrace, "Thank you. I was worried sick after not seeing him," she said, shuddering slightly and you offered her a comforting smile.

"Its okay I can understand, glad to say he was in good hands," you said softly and they nodded while laughing.

"See you around then, visit soon, Ben," she hugged her cousin and bid goodbye.

"You slept well?" Your husband asked and brought you close to him while you arms went around his neck.

"Mhmm, needed that power nap".

"I've been thinking.." He began slowly making you pull away to look at his face, noticing the slightly nervous expression.

"Go on," you encouraged him, leaning ahead.

"We've been married for almost four years noe, yeah? And have been together for ever longer," he said and you nodded. "How about- How about we have a child now?"

Your eyes widened and you stilled in his arms, your heartbeat increasing with both nervousness and excitement at his declaration, "Y- You sure?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" He questioned and gently swayed you two together. "I want a future with you, my love. Have been dreaming about it for ages".

"Me too," you admitted, a small smile forming against your lips. "Seeing Lou again just increased that feeling tenfold".

"I second that. And honestly? I really want to take the next step now. I think we're ready. What'd you say?"

"I think I'm ready too".

"Well then, I supoose we should start practicing soon," he said, now a teasing smirk on his face making you blush.

"Indeed," you replied and the two of you laughed, placing your foreheads against each other and simply staring into each other's eyes, making a whole new world of promises by sharing looks.

===============================

[s1riuslyy]

Hey darling! Can I request wrong a fic with Ben wherein he's in a very lowkey relationship with the reader and the reader attended one of his shows and Ben just couldn't take his eyes off of her and some fans noticed the way Ben looked at her and they all made their theory on TikTok and Ben and Reader just laughed when they saw the theories?

A Love Song to You

A/N: Hello Love, thank you for this request! I am so happy to write this after seeing him life, so enjoy!! I hope you like it! pls keep in mind my first language isn't English! pairing: Ben Barnes x reader warnings: not proofread (if I should add any, hit me up) word count: 441 words (its a short one, but I still have to find my way into writing again)

(picture does not belong to me)

Ben fidgets with his necklace. A sign of nervousness. But how could he not be? Today is his first show in London which also means that his European Tour starts. He already had two shows in the US, but being here in his home country, with family and friends there, is different.

But that's not the only thing why's he excited. Today is also the first time you, his wonderful girlfriend, finally sees him in concert, not being able to come to the first two.

You were at least equally as excited. You have always adored your boyfriend's voice and finally being able to hear him play live and see him happy means so much to you.

"Ben, stop it! You're making me nervous, too!", you said to Ben from your place of the couch, while he is pacing through the room in the backstage area.

"I am sorry, love. I just cannot believe I am finally doing it. I always thought my Rockstar career lasted for just three minutes!", he turns around and looks at you.

You stand up from your place on the couch and make your way to stand in front of him. Ben immediately takes you into his arms and you can feel how he relaxes.

"You can do it, darling! I am incredibly proud of you!", you tell him. Ben squeezes you harder in his arms and you just enjoy his company before the big moment.

Ben was exhausted. The concert was amazing, but he's happy to just be home with you. Tomorrow would already be night two in London, so he takes any rest he can.

The couple of you lays on the couch with Ben just enjoying his cuddles and you scrolling through your social media and viewing some videos of Ben's performance the fans have already posted.

"You really couldn't keep your eyes off of me", you joked and showed Ben some of the videos where his gaze stayed on you the whole time.

Ben always tried to keep as much of his life private and safe for the private life, so no one really knew much of his relationships. For that reason you find all of the things the fans have to say hilarious.

"Look what some of the people write! 'Is that this mysterious Lady who stole our man's heart?' or 'Ben Barnes being a lovesick puppy for his girlfriend' oh my god I love this"

"Oh no, was I really that obvious?", Ben asked while laughing because you showed him some videos on TikTok.

"You were, my love. But I loved it." you said and gave him a little kiss.

[sergeantbuckybarnes]

two weeks ago // ben barnes

Summary: You and Ben broke up two weeks ago; you’re still not over it, but your friend convinces you to go to a party, and everything goes down when you see Ben there with a new girl.

Pairing: Ben Barnes x Reader

Word count: 4.2k

Warnings: alcohol consumption, drunken reader, heartbreak, angst, but a happy ending

A/N: As always, remember English is not my first language. This isn’t proofread, so I apologize for any grammatical errors this may have

main masterlist  |  ben barnes masterlist

You were well aware that it was a terrible decision.

Attending a party just a fortnight after parting ways with your boyfriend, knowing fully well that he would be there as well? Utterly foolish.

However, your friend Kiernan possessed a remarkable talent for persuasion, and against your better judgment, you succumbed to her coaxing.

Little did you know that this ill-fated night would soon become one of the most wretched experiences of your life, second only to the heart-wrenching night of your breakup with Ben. 

As you found yourself broken and tearful in the shadows, there he stood, radiant and resplendent, looking more magnificent than ever, with an enchanting blonde by his side, her arm intertwined with his.

The audacity of this man!

How dare he?

You swiftly exited the room before he could see you. The last thing you wanted was to grant him the satisfaction of witnessing your tears once more.

Kiernan was hot on your heels. “Y/N, wait! I'm sorry,” she said when she finally caught you. “I had no idea he would bring someone along.”

You offered a small, understanding nod. “Don't blame yourself, Kiki. It's not your fault. I just wanna go home.”

The memory of that fateful night reverberated relentlessly in your mind. The origin of the chaos remained a blur, a hazy recollection lost in the depths of your consciousness. However, there came a moment when tears streamed down your face while Ben struggled to hold back the tears that were brimming in his eyes. Despite the emotional turmoil, his voice remained resolute and unwavering. And within moments, he was walking out the door—not just out of your apartment but out of your life as well.

Maybe it was your fault.

Maybe you should have fought tooth and nail.

Maybe you shouldn't have given up on the slightest problem.

Maybe… Maybe you should have told him you loved him.

Oh, how desperately you wish you could go back to that night and change your mind.

But alas, it was too late now.

He had moved on.

It took him two weeks.

Two fucking weeks.

Maybe you were a fool.

Maybe you weren't as significant to him as you thought.

Maybe you fell harder than he did.

Maybe he didn't even fall.

Maybe he never felt a thing for you.

If he loved you, he would have spoken up, wouldn't he?

If he loved you, he wouldn't have walked away.

The first thing you did when you walked into your apartment was go straight for a bottle of vodka that you and Kiernan had been saving for special occasions. The pain in your heart begged for some kind of relief, and though you were aware that alcohol was merely a temporary and unwise solution, you consumed it without hesitation. The burning sensation as it slid down your throat was a harsh reminder of your desperation, yet you continued to drink until Kiernan swiftly took the bottle from your grasp.

“This isn't the answer, Y/N,” she said, her voice heavy with concern.

“I don't care,” you retorted defiantly, snatching the bottle back and taking another swig. "I’ve lost him forever."

Kiernan's face displayed a mixture of sadness and understanding. She knew all too well the depth of your feelings for Ben.

“Two weeks, Kiki. Just two goddamn weeks.” You slammed the bottle down on the counter, the weight of your emotions crashing down on you. The tears threatened to spill once more as the haunting images invaded your thoughts.

“He's a complete idiot, Y/N. You deserve better.” Your friend's words were meant to console you, but they only fueled the fire of longing within you.

“He's not. He's… he's perfect.”

There it was.

The first tear fell, followed by an unstoppable cascade.

“I want him back.”

Your friend stared at you, baffled. “What the hell, Y/N? Look at yourself. You're crying over him! He hurt you, and now you want him back?”

The irony wasn't lost on you.

You reached out, your trembling hand desperate to reclaim the bottle, but Kiernan swiftly evaded your grasp, maintaining a firm hold. The throbbing ache in your head intensified, a relentless reminder of the pain that consumed you. Was it the incessant crying or the potent alcohol that caused this torment? You couldn't be certain.

“It was a stupid fight,” you mumbled, the words barely escaping your quivering lips. In your heart, you knew that you had let your pride get the best of you, allowing him to slip away without a fight.

Yet, he too had succumbed to his own pride, refusing to stay and resolve the turmoil that had driven you apart. 

It was a tragic dance between two souls too stubborn to admit their mistakes.

“He was with someone else, remember?”

Of course, you remembered. The image was etched into your mind, an indelible mark that you were certain would haunt your dreams tonight.

Overwhelmed by a deluge of emotions, you felt like you were drowning in a sea of despair. Each wave crashing against your fragile spirit, threatening to consume you entirely.

Desperation surged through your veins as you pleaded with Kiernan, “Give me the bottle.” Your outstretched hand reached for the refuge that lay within its glass confines, a temporary escape from the anguish that engulfed you. But Kiernan, ever the vigilant guardian of your well-being, took a step back, denying you that solace for the time being.

“No,” she said firmly, her voice laced with determination. “If you truly want to find solace, then confront him and seek the closure you crave. But resorting to this,” she added, gesturing towards the bottle, “won't resolve your troubles.”

As Kiernan's words sank in, you swiftly reached for your purse, retrieving your phone with purpose.

“What are you doing?”

“I'm gonna call him,” you simply said, unlocking your phone and dialing Ben's number.

Kiernan's eyes widened in alarm, but she was unable to snatch the phone from your grip in time. “No! You're drunk. You'll regret this come morning.”

You hushed her and patiently waited for Ben to answer on the other end. However, instead of hearing his voice, you were directed to his voicemail.

Sadness and longing turned into anger so quickly.

Guess he was too busy with his supermodel to pick up the phone.

So, when the beep signaled that you could finally record your message, you unleashed a torrent of emotions.

“It’s me… How are you doing, darling? I’m sure you’re having the time of your life at the party, but guess what? I'm not there. I'm here, drowning in my own misery. And it’s all your fault! You left me here, all alone, to pick up the shattered pieces of my heart.” 

Your voice trembled with a mix of pain, anger, and raw vulnerability as you poured your heart out. The words spilled forth like a river in spate, uncensored and uninhibited. 

“Two weeks! Two fucking weeks! And you’re already parading around some bimbo! But heaven forbid you from being that public with me! I hope she's everything you ever dreamed of. I hope she's the best thing that ever happened to you because you sure as hell are the worst thing that ever happened to me!” The words rolled off your tongue, laced with venom. Kiernan stood there, stunned and taken aback by the unexpected eruption. Silence lingered for a moment, like a thick fog enveloping the room, before you found your voice again.

“You couldn't even pick up the goddamn phone. You were too busy flaunting your new conquest, leaving me here to drown in my own tears. So, congratulations, my love. You broke me. You pushed me to the edge, and now I'm teetering, unsure if I can ever find my way back. But one thing is for certain: I love you, you know? You’re an asshole, but I’m fucking in love with you! And I hate that I can't hate you. Not even now.” 

The fury that consumed your being gradually transformed into anguish, as vulnerability seeped into your voice. “Why wasn't I good enough, huh? Why wasn't I enough? Why did you make me fall madly in love with you, only to walk away? What was cheap to you, to me was all I had… You’re everything I want.” 

By now, tears have cascaded down your face, as if a floodgate had been opened. Kiernan approached you with a gentle caution, reaching out to retrieve the phone from your trembling hand, putting an end to the distressing call.

That was enough for tonight.

Sun rays found their way through the gaps in the blinds, piercing through the darkness and aiming directly at your face. Despite your eyes being tightly shut, the persistent light managed to infiltrate, causing a wave of annoyance to wash over you. Letting out a low groan, you buried your face even deeper into the softness of the pillow. Your head was pounding, pulsating with each heartbeat as if a thousand tiny drums were beating inside your skull. Flashes from last night hit you hard, like a haunting slideshow, further deterring any desire to abandon the safety and comfort of your bed.

“Rise and shine, sunshine.”

Interrupting your struggle, Kiernan's cheerful voice broke through the fog of your discomfort, causing you to emit yet another groan.

“I don’t wanna get up,” you mumbled, your voice muffled by the pillow.

“Well, lucky for you, I'm a thoughtful friend, and I'm not going to let you wallow in sadness, basking in your heartbreak,” she declared, pulling back the curtains to flood the room with light. “Come on, I made breakfast.” She clasped her hands together, urging you to leave the bed.

Reluctantly, you complied. You threw on your robe, realizing that you had been too intoxicated the night before to change into your pajamas. Glancing at yourself in the mirror, you noticed the smeared makeup and disheveled hair.

Truly, you were a sight to behold.

“Here,” Kiernan said, extending a glass of water and painkillers as you entered the kitchen.

“Thank you,” you mumbled, accepting the offering.

“How are you feeling?”

“Like shit,” you retorted, taking a bite of the avocado toast to soothe your queasy stomach.

“Do you remember anything from last night?” She probed gently.

“You mean, do I remember witnessing Ben proudly flaunting his new trophy? Yes, I do, Kiernan.”

“What about the phone call?” She asked cautiously, her voice tinged with trepidation.

Confusion furrowed your brow. “What phone call?”

“You don’t remember?” Kiernan's voice betrayed a mixture of surprise and worry.

Clearly, the memory eluded you.

Shaking your head, you implored, “What are you talking about?”

“When we came back from the party, you started drinking and… You were angry and sad… And I swear I tried to stop you, but… ” Kiernan's voice trailed off, her guilt evident.

“Get to the point, Kiernan!”

“You called Ben.”

Your body froze as your friend uttered those words.

Oh, no.

Oh, no…

“He didn’t pick up, though,” she quickly added.

Oh, thank goodness.

“So you left him a voicemail,” she concluded, and suddenly, your entire world collapsed.

“What exactly did I say?” You managed to ask, unsure if you truly wanted to hear the response.

“Well, you called him out for moving on so quickly; you told him that he was the worst thing that had happened to you… And you told him that you loved him.”

You buried your face in your hands, desperately wishing for the ground to open up and swallow you whole. After months of holding back those three words in your relationship, it was beyond frustrating that the first time you uttered them was in a drunken voice message, two weeks after the breakup.

“I can't believe this is happening to me...”

“Maybe he doesn't think anything of it,” Kiernan offered, trying to be helpful, but her attempt fell flat.

Despite the brevity of your relationship, you knew Ben inside and out. There was no way he would overlook that voicemail.

What a way to humiliate yourself... Thank goodness you at least didn't remember it.

It was clear that luck was clearly not on your side, and it became even more apparent when the doorbell suddenly chimed. Glancing at the kitchen clock, you realized it was half past nine in the morning. It was Sunday, and neither you nor Kiernan were expecting any visitors. 

“It’s him,” you said.

Kiernan raised an eyebrow, clearly puzzled. “How can you be so sure?”

“Who else would it be?” you replied, the weariness of the situation evident in your voice.

“Do you think he cares enough to show up here at this ungodly hour on a Sunday?” Kiernan questioned skeptically.

You shrugged. “He’s full of surprises.”

Which was true. Ben never stopped surprising you, both for better and for worse.

“Do you want me to open?” Kiernan asked.

Did you want her to open the door? It was a valid question, one that left you pondering your own conflicted feelings.

The doorbell rang once more, the sound becoming increasingly irritating.

Resigned, you let out a weary sigh. “Let him in.”

Kiernan approached the door, her hand reaching for the knob. And you were right. It was him. And he kept looking as radiant as the night before, only this time the smile was missing from his face.

“Hey, Kiernan,” he greeted your friend, his voice filled with a mix of familiarity and uncertainty. “Is Y/N home?”

The protective instinct within Kiernan surged forward. “Why do you want to see her?”

“I need to talk to her.”

Reluctantly, Kiernan swung the door open wider, allowing Ben to enter. You avoided eye contact with him; your gaze focused on your friend. At that moment, a silent conversation unfolded between you, the unspoken question, “Are you okay?” hanging in the air. With a simple nod, you reassured your friend, and Kiernan understood your wordless response. She bid her farewell and departed from the apartment.

Once you were alone, silence took over the room. Neither of you uttered a word. You could sense his penetrating gaze fixated on you, yet you stubbornly avoided making eye contact, choosing instead to focus on the coffee that had long since turned cold.

Ben cleared his throat. “Are you not going to say anything?”

With a nonchalant demeanor, you retorted, “You’re the one who came here. I have nothing to say.”

“You seemed to have a lot to say last night.”

Low blow.

You shrugged. “I was drunk.”

A hint of disappointment colored Ben's voice as he replied, “That much I could tell.”

“Then why are you here?” You questioned as your gaze finally met his. 

“There’s nothing between Alexia and me,” he said. “We are just friends.”

Oh, so that���s her name…

You scoffed, your eyes rolling in disbelief. “Yeah, right,” you replied sarcastically. “I don't give a damn. Do whatever the hell you want.”

“You sounded like you really cared in your message.”

“I don’t remember what I said; I was drunk… People do stupid shit when they’re drunk. Calling their exes is one of them.”

“You know, it’s not fair that you blame our breakup solely on me.”

“I'm not blaming you,” you sighed, feeling the weight of your throbbing headache and aching heart. “Nobody is.”

“Yes, you did. You said it was all my fault.”

You let out a groan, the pain in your head intensifying. This conversation was the last thing you needed right now.

“Why do you even care about what I said? You've moved on, haven't you? Go spend your day with your new girl!”

“Alexia and I are just friends,” he insisted once again.

“Well, if that’s how you act with your friends, I’m glad we are no longer together.”

His face contorted into a frown, clearly stung by your words. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“She clearly fits your type. I see you have no problem flaunting her around town,” you calmly stated, though your words dripped with underlying resentment. “I suppose your privacy isn't a priority anymore.”

“I don’t like what you are insinuating, Y/N,” he retorted, his voice heavy with displeasure.

“I am not insinuating anything; I am simply stating the facts. How many times have you gone out of your way to avoid being seen with me by the paparazzi? How many times have you refused to hold my hand in public?” Your frustration grew as you spoke the unadulterated truth, while he attempted to invalidate your feelings. “I guess you don't care about being seen with her and rumors circulating. So, it's evident that the problem lies with me. I’m sorry for not being good enough for you, for being beneath you in every aspect.”

“Is that what you think of me?” he inquired, his voice tinged with a hint of sorrow. “That’s the kind of guy you think I am?”

“It's the image you're portraying,” you responded, resolute in your stance.

“I was trying to protect you!”

“How considerate you are… Well, thank you very much for your protection… Look where we are because of it.”

“Stop blaming me!”

“It is your fault!” You finally raised your voice. “You're the one flaunting your new fling just two weeks after we called it quits… It’s wonderful to see how much our relationship meant to you.”

For a moment, a flicker of regret glinted in Ben's eyes. “I never wanted it to end this way.” His admission was soft, almost defeated. 

The words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of what could have been. You felt the anger still coursing through your body, but you knew that engaging in another pointless argument with him would only lead to more pain.

"It's too late now," you replied calmly. 

What’s done is done. And no matter how much you wanted to go back to that dreadful night and change your mind. The urge to rush into his arms, seeking the solace that had always been exclusive to his embrace had to be dismissed.

It didn’t matter, because he didn’t want you back.

“Is it?” he asked, his voice tinged with a glimmer of hope.

What?

He approached the kitchen counter, where you remained steadfast, having not budged from that spot since he had stepped foot into the apartment.

You furrowed your brow, trying to make sense of his words. His statement didn't quite match up with the situation.

“Is it too late, Y/N?” he asked again. 

“Of course, it’s too late. You’re with someone new,” you replied, your voice laced with a tinge of bitterness.

Ben let out a frustrated sigh, his eyes searching yours for understanding. “For the last time, I’m not dating Alexia.”

Your retort was on the tip of your tongue, ready to be unleashed, but before you could utter a word, he spoke again.

“We both got cast in a movie together, and they wanted us to go to that party as a pair.”

“You got the part?” You asked, momentarily forgetting about the situation at hand.

For weeks, Ben had been eagerly awaiting that phone call. Even during moments of doubt, you had been there to reassure him that he had done an amazing job during his audition, and it was only a matter of time before he received the call.

And you had been right. They called, and he got the role. However, you had not been there to celebrate with him as you had promised.

A small smile formed on his lips. Though subtle, it still made your stomach flip inside you. It held a certain charm that made it impossible to resist. 

“Yeah, I did.”

“Told you, you would,” you said. “I didn't peg you for someone who would pull a PR stunt, though.”

“I didn’t have a say in it.”

Silence hung in the air. While you were unfamiliar with the inner workings of the industry, you understood that actors often had no option but to partake in such stunts to capture public and media attention. You couldn't hold him responsible for succumbing to the pressure.

“She’s really pretty.” Your focus returned to your coffee, unable to meet his gaze, not when you were feeling this vulnerable and tears were welling up in your eyes.

“Yeah, she is… But she’s not you,” he replied softly, his words infused with genuine sincerity. “You’re everything I’ve ever wanted, Y/N, and I wish I could go back to that night; I really do.” 

His confession compelled you to lift your head, locking eyes with him once more. At that moment, you realized he too was battling his own tears, his gaze reflecting nothing but honesty and vulnerability.

“I wish I could take it all back, take back the hurt I've caused you,” he continued, a hint of remorse in his voice. “And I wish I had told you I loved you.”

A lump seized your throat when you heard him pronounce those three words. Those three words that you had left in his voicemail—a message you had no memory of recording.

“Did you mean it?” he asked cautiously.

You nodded, not trusting your voice right now.

How could you not love him? It was as if a magnetic force had brought you together from the very first glance. A connection so strong, it awakened emotions you never knew existed. He had a way of making you feel special. Every second spent by his side was filled with joy, comfort, and a deep sense of belonging. It was impossible not to be drawn to his kind soul. Yes, of course you loved him, because he brought out the best in you and made you believe in love.

With a gentle touch, his hand extended to brush away a tear trickling down your cheek. The warmth of his hand against your skin sent shivers down your spine.

Oh, how badly you had missed his touch…

“I love you,” you finally whispered. “I love you so much, and I’m sorry I didn’t say it sooner.”

As the words escaped your lips, a wave of relief washed over you. The weight on your chest began to lift, replaced by a glimmer of hope.

Ben's eyes softened, a mixture of surprise and joy dancing within them. A tender smile tugged at the corners of his lips, as he leaned in closer, his forehead gently resting against yours.

Those three words, so delicately uttered, felt like a dream to him. They held a different meaning than the drunken voicemail he had listened to. They felt real and genuine. It was as if the alcohol had merely blurred the edges of your emotions, while now, in this vulnerable moment, they shone with clarity and truth.

The walls between you crumbled, and all that remained was the rawness of your emotions. You found solace in each other's vulnerability, knowing that you were both willing to mend what had been broken.

“I don't want to lose you. I want to make things right; give us another chance.”

There they were. The words you had longed to hear for two weeks, and which you thought you'd only hear in your dreams.

He wanted you back.

And you wanted him back.

Yet, a sense of hesitation crept over you.

“I don’t want to lose you either, but we can’t just ignore what happened.”

He gripped your hand tightly as if he feared you’d slip away again. “I understand, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes. I want us to grow stronger from this.”

You traced the lines on his palm, feeling the warmth and stability that had been missing for these agonizing weeks. “It still hurts. How can you guarantee it won’t happen again?”

“I can't guarantee anything, but I can promise to be more mindful of your feelings. To communicate openly and honestly, rather than burying things under layers of bitterness and silence. I never want to hurt you again.”

You looked into his eyes, sensing the honesty that radiated from within, and you realized that the love you felt for him was stronger than the hurt that had led to your breakup. His vulnerability and his willingness to confront his own mistakes and grow from them spoke volumes about the person he was and the depth of his love for you.

“Let’s give it another chance.”

Ben's eyes filled with a sense of relief, and he released a deep breath he had been holding onto for far too long. With a tender motion, he closed the tiny gap between your mouths. 

Oh, how badly you have craved his soft lips… You almost forgot how good they felt against yours.

Your lips molded against each other with a perfect fit. The taste of familiarity and warmth danced on your tongue, blending with the electric pulse coursing through your veins. 

As you reluctantly pulled apart, you instinctively enveloped him in your arms. Your face nestled into the crook of his neck, taking in the comforting scent that was uniquely his. In response, he reciprocated the gesture, encircling you tightly in his embrace, drawing you even closer... 

“I’ve missed you,” you mumbled against his skin.

Oh, how good it felt to be back in his arms…

Ben let out a satisfied sigh, his embrace growing tighter as he murmured softly, “I’ve missed you, too.”

You held onto him tightly, savoring the moment. The past two weeks behind you, no longer relevant to the future that lies ahead of you.

[reg-arcturus-black]

The Room is on Fire, Invisible Smoke

Soft!Billy Russo x Female reader

Part 1/2

Warnings: fire, mentions of gun, hints of SA

Part 2 here

"Bill - Bills, I - I need you... your help. The room is spinning and there's smoke every where... I can't breathe... I am stuck Bills... "

You could hear a door close behind him on the phone - an assurance that he was on his way to you. You put your phone down and coughed into your pillow, burying your face into it to protect your eyes from the smoke.

It felt like you were going to pass out. You knew the room was on fire and that you needed to run but you could not bring yourself to stand up straight. It was too much. You could not breathe. It was as if your lungs had no clean oxygen left. Your eyes were watering from all the smoke. Your vision was blurry. It felt like you had nothing to hold on to and life was slipping away.

That is when you heard your door knob rattling.

"Y/N the door is locked... You need to come open it for me," he shouted through the door.

You sniffled and wiped your tears. You could hardly see the door in the heavy smoke. You wanted to reach out to him but didn't know how. Your legs had refused to work and you laid there helpless.

"Y/N, please. Help me help you..."

You could see how important it was for you to get up but you could not bring yourself to. What would be the point anyway? The doorknob would be too hot to even touch. You did not want to burn yourself. A little voice in your head told you that this was it. You turned your head back into the pillow and sobbed. You would not live to see your 27th birthday, or meet your nephew or finally show your colleagues how good you were at your job or tell Billy that -

There was a loud noise followed by a big thud. "Y/N?"You heard Billy call out.

You felt a dip in your bed and a pair of strong arms helping you sit up straight. The same person cupped your face gently, making you look at him - into his pitch black eyes that could pierce into your soul.

"Look at me Y/N," he said as softly as he could, afraid that even loud noises would be enough to break you at the moment.

Your eyes were red from tears and could barely look into his. He looked at you with so much love, so much gentleness, it was impossible not to melt. But you still could not breathe. Air was not reaching your lungs.

"I need you to focus on 5 things that you can see, baby. You don't have to say them out loud, just find them."

His eyes, his hands that were now holding your arms, his grey sweatshirt that you adored, the way his nose crooked a little bit in the middle and the ring on his last finger.

You gave him a nod, letting him know that you had five things in mind.

"You're safe, okay? I promise. Now focus on 4 things that you can taste."

You looked around desperately, but nothing seemed to come in focus. There was too much smoke. You could not find anything.

You shook your head, tears flowing down. "There's too much smoke, Billy. I - I can't"

"Y/N, I promise you're safe - "

You put your face into his chest, sobbing. "I don't wanna die, Bills..."

Sighing, he put his arms around you, trying to figure out a way to help you. "Do you want to leave this place?" He asked.

You had barely nodded into his chest when you felt his strong arms lifting you up and carrying you out. You did not turn away from him until you heard your bedroom door close and he sat you down on your living room couch.

You gave yourself a minute to look around, your French windows letting the sunlight in and falling on your brown marble floors was proof enough that you were safe. You could feel your lungs being cleared up as he kept a glass of water in front of you.

You did not look at him for the next two minutes. You did not know what to say or how to thank him. You knew there was no real fire or smoke in your bedroom and he knew that, too. He still made the efforts to come rescue you from the invisible smoke.

Wordlessly, you got up and put your arms around him, a gesture he reciprocated but not in the same manner. He was the first one to leave the embrace and walked out the door. Your well being was all that mattered to him.

You did not blame him. You remembered the fight as clear as day. He had asked you, pleaded you, requested you, ordered you, begged you, not to go with the random guy you had befriended at the bar 2 months ago. But you didn't care. If he was not willing to confess how he felt, then you weren't going to wait for him anymore either.

"Are you telling me that you are going to go away for the entire goddamn weekend with a guy you barely know? You met him at a bar, for fuck's sake, Y/N! Are you not thinking clearly?" He had screamed, his hands in his hair, pacing in your living room while you packed.

"Guess what, Billy?" You had answered just as harshly. "That's how people get to know each other! I am a big girl and I can take care of myself!"

You had huffed and zipped up your bag. "Is there anything else?" You had asked, hoping that he would ask you to stay. Not because he was concerned about your safety but because he wanted to be with you.

You had grabbed your keys and mobile phone on the way out without another glance at him. "Lock up behind you," you had said and left him standing there.

If he was being honest with himself, he regretted not stopping you or asking you out right then and there. But he had realised it was too late when he heard his car run out the drive way.

Sighing to himself, he had pulled out his phone to call you. Sure, he wanted to be with you but your safety was just as important. He did not trust the guy even one bit. The guy kept screaming 'danger' to him. If the situation would not have involved you, it would have been an intuition which he would have tracked down. But with you, he had to be careful.

That is when his eyes fell on your TV.

"Curtis," he had said dialling him. "You have a friend who works at the NYPD, right? I have a plate number. I need to see who this guy is."

The camera in the building's drive way had given him a very clear view. He had paced in your living room, waiting for Curtis to call him back. He fidgeted with your vases, the polaroids on your fridge until his eyes had landed on the one with him.

It was a simple picture. Nothing special. Just the two of you sitting together, beer bottles in hand, cheeks red, laughibg over something that would have been way too stupid. He had smiled fondly at the memory. It was a karoake night with Frank and Maria. Beer had made everyone think that Billy could actually sing but you... you were truly exceptional. There was not a note that you'd miss. You were beautiful... and he remembered undressing you with his eyes that night. Frank had to shake him to break him out his trance and remind him that you were in public.

He picked up his phone the second it rang, already out of your kitchen. "What is it, Curt?"

"It belongs to some Dr. Trent Ross. No previous records of any crime. Not even a parking ticket."

Billy finally relaxed a little. You had never mentioned his last name or what he did but that was because he had never bothered to ask.

"But this car was reported missing a month ago, Bills."

He had raced out of your house into his car and called one of his men to track your number. Wherever you were going, it wouldn't have been very safe with that guy.

He tried calling you but it went straight to voicemail. "Y/N, Hi. Billy here. You need to be - I am sorry, okay? Call me back please. It's urgent."

He could not have said anything that would make him suspicious. So he had to come after you himself. After almost an hour of driving, he still hadn't caught up to you and you were still going. He had cursed himself when he had to stop for gas but had closed the distance soon enough. Until your signal went out.

"No, no, no," he had muttered. He decided to reach the place where he could last see your location. He had never felt more helpless. He drove for a while until reaching a crossroad. No idea where you were.

Until he saw smoke rising. He was farther away from the city and could barely see. The only lights he had were his car's headlights. He drove as fast as he could, his heart beating faster with every moment.

He had to drive for 25 more minutes before he finally reached the cabin you two were staying at. It was a pretty large one with the fire confined to one side of it.

Silently thanking whoever was listening, he dashed out of the car, in through the wooden door. The fire had not spread yet but the smoke had. He called your name again and again. But no response came.

For a second, he had thought you and the guy had managed to escape but he heard someone coughing in a distant. His eyes burning and watering, he made his way upstairs.

And there you were. Cowering near the window, too afraid to even move.

"Y/N?" Billy had called out.

Your eyes fell on him and you had leaped into his arms.

"I am so sorry, Bills," you had sobbed into his shoulder as he lifted you up easily, tightening his grip around you. "I - I should have listened to you. I am so sorry. He accidentally heard your voice mail and got all weird and started asking me about you and then got really angry... and - and - I am so sorry, Bills," you were pretty sure you were ruining his favourite t-shirt with mascara and tears but you couldn't help it.

Seeing Billy was a breath of fresh air, quite literally, too. He was your silver lining, your rainbow and flowers after a thunderstorm and your bestfriend. He had started meaning something more but he refused to acknowledge that there was something between you. However, you could feel it. You could feel it in the way he always tucked you in when you would pass out drunk, the way he would never let anyone else get your drink, the way he would always drop and pick you up from the airport. You could feel it in the way he was holding you right then.

He had gently shook his head and made his way downstairs, still not letting go of you. Afraid that the fire in the other room would engulf you the moment your feet would touch the floor.

He was about to walk out the door with you when he had felt someone sneak up behind him. He dropped in his tracks and put you down. You did not want to let go of him but one look and you knew it was important.

"Go to my car and lock it from the inside," he had practically ordered after handing you his keys.

You nodded and sprinted out.

No sooner had you stepped out that Billy felt a gun at the nape of his neck.

"Finally," he heard a man say. "I had been waiting for this opportunity."

"What do you want from me?" He had replied calmly, without turning back. He knew that any and all quick movies could affect your safety.

"You are the reason my brother his dead," the man seethed. "Clain Stelk, remember?"

Billy's eyes widened in realisation. "Stelk was a trafficer who had it coming."

He remembered as vivid as day when you had come to his apartment running, half scared, half angry. A man had recently moved into the flat opposite yours and you knew something fishy was going on. People would come and go at weird times from his house. You had managed to click a picture of him on your phone. You had thought that he spotted you so you had rushed to Billy's place, confident that he would be able to figure it out. Or would know someone who could.

"He was my brother!" The man yelled into Billy's ears, snapping him out of his thoughts and pressed the gun further into his neck.

"I didn't realise you were an arsonist, too," he said, stalling enough to figure out a plan of action.

"I would have made better use of my time. But the bitch refused so I needed her to realise her mistake."

Billy hadn't take a second to turn around and punch him right in the guts. He knew why he was after him but you didn't deserve that. His heart ached for the way this guy must have treated you. And no body could ever disrespect you and your wishes and survive.

Before he could get up, Billy had pulled the curtains from the rod and wrapped it around him, making sure he didnt have access to his gun anymore. Carrying him out on his shoulders, he threw Stelk into the trunk of his car and locked it from outside. He would call the cops on the way back to the city. For now, your safety was more important.

When he turned around, you were already out of the car, watching his actions carefully. He had made his way slowly to you and pulled you in, breathing in your familiar scent.

You allowed yourself to be comforted by him. You were safe. For now.

-----------

Let me know if you wanna be notified for part 2! It'll be a lot more angsty.

[don-daygamerz]

Ben Barnes x reader who's in her 20s and Ben likes her one day he couldn't control himself and says it like "I know I'm older but I still love you" idk something like this?!?

Hi sorry for the delay, I'm on break from taking requests but I'm not going to abandon your request. So here's a taste of the dynamic between Ben and (Name) as I figure out what to put together. Just some headcanons whilst I work on your story.

- (Name) being a Young millennial/Millennial Z.

- I can imagine reader being an Actress and a singer herself rising through the ranks due to her unique talent.

- Ben and (Name) first met through mutual friends.

- In fact, they met at the Troubadour where Ben was actually performing that night.

- (Name) was also invited to perform as well.

- My girl did Rock music. And did she have some serious pipes.

- Ben could not look away from her performance. He thought she looked so ethereal but at the same time so enticing under the blue and dim lighting of the stage.

- The way she strummed her guitar to impossible notes made her look like a Metal Goddess.

- When the show was over Ben had the chance to introduce himself through a friend of his who conveniently knew her as well.

- He felt shy to approach such an intimidating but captivating young woman.

- He found her to be very attractive and quite adorable actually. With her highlighted hair, smokey eyeshadow with glitter, dressed in a black sheer lace top with a dark bra underneath and a pair of dark jeans and laced doc marten boots.

- Immediately fast friends when they started exchanging dirty jokes (Ben can be a hound dog for sure).

- Ben enjoys to cook and share with his friends and after getting to know (Name), he's insistent that she joins him for dinner (with some friends, of course...it wasn't a date...not yet).

- When she first came to dinner she brought over some special dessert from her culture (Whatever ethnic background she is; I'd imagine it being Flan/Basbousa/Avocado ice cream/Ube cake...etc. could be any)

- Ben loved her dessert. Made it official that she introduces more ethnic desserts to his colonizer palate.

- Ben saw something unique in (Name): she was so funny, eccentric, talented, free spirited, and crazy but in a good way.

- It wasn't long before they'd coincidentally worked together staring in the Marvel series 'The Punisher'.

- I'd imagine (Name)'s character being the sister to Frank Castle and there is some sort of chemistry between her and Billy Russo.

- (Name) doesn't know this but Ben has actually watched her films and series.

- After meeting her for the first time, he grew curious about her work and explored her films and music, and immediately became enamored by her method of acting and her lyrics.

- Her first time to explore London, Ben is there as well and offers to show her around.

- When he took her to the Harry Potter store (Name) couldn't help but mention how he would've been perfect for a Harry Potter film:

"Ha ha not you too."

"Yes, me too. I've seen your old pictures and you would've been the perfect Sirius Black. Ugh what a wasted opportunity but too late, you're...oooold." She'd exaggeratingly say the last bit in a grim voice.

"I am not old you just happened to be born really late."

"That's what an old person would say."

- His contact name on her phone would be 'Shadow Daddy' (She just had to since his character, General Kirigan, was trending like crazy)

- It was a slow start between the two. Starting off as friends but then things between the two became serious.

-Serious how?

Having dinner together with just each other.

Visiting each other's designated trailers.

Going to London's famous bookstores and exploring great literature.

Ben and (Name) would even do a music sesh or duet some songs together.

She even got to meet his family.

He met her family as well.

- I can imagine (Name) being well versed in technology.

- Young Millennial Zs are just good to adapting to new technologies and constructing their own system units. So it's only natural that she's good at it as well.

- She's also a pro at video games. Like really good that she makes misogynistic, fascist pigs cry like little bitches.

- Like the chick has her own customized mug/tumbler that reads 'FASCIST TEARS'.

- A total badass in Call of Duty (Warzone), Overwatch, Dead by Daylight, Dying Light, Friday the 13th, League of Legends, etc. Don't mess with her.

- Ben one time heard her lay down some serious trash talk and come backs at a bunch of sexist, misogynistic 'men'. (He had spare keys to her place and found her preoccupied in her gaming room)

"Woah! Are you a gamer girl?! Send me some titty pics, bitch"

"You can't handle my melons, bitch. If you're looking for some titty action go back to sucking your mama's. Annoying ass brat."

"This game ain't for girrrllls! Go back to the kitchen and make me a fucking sandwich!"

*Soon after he said that (Name) would constantly headshot his lame ass character barely even touching her or landing a shot at her*

"What the fuck?!Nah Nah, fucking bitch is cheating!"

"Ha ha ha! You fucking suck man. I don't think this game is for you so how 'bout you go to the kitchen and make my fucking sandwich."

- Oh yeah, (Name) is a major savage when ripping into those assholes.

- She was surprised Ben found her like that and felt embarrassed. She was worried he would find it appalling with spoke... Ben was such a composed fella and her... she was basically the devil incarnate ready to erupt and drink the blood of her enemies.

- But her worries went away when Ben chuckled at the scene he had witnessed and asked if she was okay (in a nice way) She'd later explained about how she was being insulted online and it made Ben worried.

- She told him not to worry and that she handled well by kicking their ass.

- Ben's not a gamer (I think) but he was really impressed with how she put down those sexist assholes.

- He found it kind of hot.

"Well that was an...interesting reaction, ha ha ha!"

"Stop laughing! I feel so embarassed that you had to see me that way!"

"I have to admit I found it quite cute how you swore at the screen. Ha ha, you looked like an angry chihuahua. Ha ha ha!"

"Ha Ha very funny"

"Alright, I'm just teasing you. I just hope you won't get into trouble"

"Nonsense. Besides...they only try and get my account reported for 'cheating'. It's not my fault they deliberately suck at playing."

"You are really good... It almost feels unfair."

"You say that because you've never beaten me at Mario Kart to this day."

"I've been practicing whilst I was away filming. So I'd like to think now I'm close to beating you."

"Ooh ho ho. Big talk eh. I'd like to see you try. Prepare to lose...again!"

- The two also enjoyed teasing one another that it gave everyone the impression that they were couple. Heck even their parents thought there was something more between the two.

- Ben laughed it off when his parents told him and he denied saying that he was too old for her. But they thought differently.

- (Name)'s mom was rooting for them (aww bless her) and her dad well...He didn't mind Ben but that was his sweet baby girl. To him, Ben was corrupting his sweet, innocent, little 'angel' baby (Ahahaha he can't see it clearly that his daughter is basically the devil who thrives on Cyberbullying fascist gamers... Yeaahh, an 'angel' for sure but there's nothing wrong with putting down toxic gamers. The girl is basically considered a saint in the gamer girl community)

- Sure there was a bit of a large age gap between the two but his parents had no qualms against whom he dated as long they treated him well. And they believed (Name) was the right fit for him.

- Ben would also invite her to one of his recording sessions and let her listen to him sing and play his piano.

- She would also invite to him to her recording studio to witness her play and come up with new songs.

- She'd be in awe of his talent and it would not go unnoticed by Ben which just bolstered his ego and made him flustered at the same time.

"Enjoy the show?"

"You were amazing! I mean... You all were amazing." She included the rest of the musicians who played by his side.

"Thanks, I'm happy to hear that."

"I heard that you're putting a lot of focus into your music since you didn't have the time to do so?"

"Yeah. I've put it off for a while since I wasn't so sure at the time but..."

"You're doing great and I'm not just saying that as a friend. It may seem late but you've put in a lot of work and creativity into it. I'd say all these years you just had some pent up creativity storming through that head of yours."

"Thanks that means a lot. I appreciate it."

"Happy to help. Ooh now that you're a rising musician does that mean I can be one of your groupies?!"

"Ha ha ha you can be so ridiculous!"

"That's what you love about me."

"You have no idea."

- Ben doesn't understand it yet but he always looked forward to (Name)'s words of encouragement and unwavering support as he trekked through the world of music.

- Despite the age difference the two shared their worlds and experience with one another and it brought them closer and closer.

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

[pinchofhoney]

Hi! Could I request a Ben Barnes x reader story where they have been secretly dating for a long time and their relationship only gets publically found out when Ben accidentally does an interview with a lipstick mark on his face/neck 💋

white lies

@/pinchofhoney, i'm the author of this poorly made edit (autocomplete interview with ben is something we all need)

i combined this request with another one, because they are meant to be together: (...) if you could write a one shot where Ben and the reader are in a really private relationship, and when I mean private like literally just them, like their close friends are the only one who knows they're together but one time they got spotted and it went trending and the reader thought they would receive backlash but turns out the people have always been rooting for them? (...)

ben barnes x fem!reader

word count: 2.9k

warning: nothing but fluff, everyone loves fluff<33

summary: The saying goes that a lie has no legs, and this rings especially true when it is caught on camera.

a/n: hello, and thank you for your request!!<33 i know how long you waited for me to write it, so i hope you will be satisfied with the result:(( let me know, please! thank you for your patience<3

every like and reblog is very much appreciated. don't let if flop!!

pages that may interest you: masterlist ♡ taglist ♡ who i write for

taglist: @wolfmoonmusic @myladydarkling @alexxavicry @danelhi @lonelywitchv2

“Hey there, I’m Ben Barnes and today I’m doing WIRED Autocomplete Interview,” Ben introduces himself with a bright smile on his lips and his eyes fixed directly on the camera, so everyone in front of the screen could feel as he was speaking specific to them.

When one of the people off-camera handed him the first question board, Ben quickly thanked them before taking a moment to look on the very well-known by internauts object. With a confident smile, he uncovered the first question and responded without hesitation. “Is Ben Barnes British? Yes, absolutely. I was born in London, England and I am 100% British, even though I spend a lot of time in the States,” he replied with a hint of amusement in his tone. “Although, I thought my accent would give it away,” he added with a chuckle before tearing off another piece of paper to reveal the next question.

“Is Ben Barnes an only child?” as he read question, he shook his hand in front of him to remove a piece of paper that had stuck to his fingers. The paper eventually fluttered to the ground, and Ben's attention returned to the camera with a grin on his face. “No, I actually have a younger brother named Jack,” he said, his eyes sparkling with joy as he recalled his sibling. “He's absolutely lovely, I miss him,” he added, nodding his head slightly.

Upon reading the next question, Ben furrowed his eyebrows, a hint of confusion flickering across his face. “Is Ben Barnes Spanish?” he raised his head to look at the camera and chuckled. “I don’t think we need to answer this question,” he said genuinely amused by the search. Without skipping a beat, he quickly moved on to the next question, and when he read it, his face lit up with a warm smile again. “Is Ben Barnes in the T-Mobile commercial? Yes!” he declared, his voice brimming with pride. He sent the camera a charming grin and added, “I, in fact, am this charming British actor,” winking at the camera and playfully imitating a line spoken in the commercial.

The quiet giggles of the women working in production behind the camera made you burst out laughing. Even though you couldn't see them, you could picture the adorable grins on their faces. Ben always knew how to work his charm, and sometimes you found yourself resenting him for it, especially when he used it against you. Both of you knew you couldn't resist his charismatic plays.

You sit on the couch, absorbed in the latest interview with Ben, which had just been posted online. You could be his girlfriend, his confidante, his partner in crime, but he never shared any behind-the-scenes secrets with you. He loved seeing your genuine reactions to his work, no matter what they were. It was just one of the many things that made him so endearing to you.

As the interview continued to play on your phone, you heard the familiar sound of Ben's footsteps entering the living room. You looked up to see him walking towards you, a mischievous glint in his eyes. He knew what you were watching and he couldn't resist the opportunity to tease you. He leaned over the back of the couch, his face hovering just inches from yours.

“What are you watching, love?” he asked, his voice full of amusement.

You rolled your eyes at his playful tone, but couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corners of your lips. “Just the latest interview with my favorite actor,” you replied, pretending to be unimpressed.

Ben grinned and leaned in closer, his breath tickling your cheek. “Oh, really? And who might that be?” he asked, his voice dripping with mock curiosity.

You shook your head, trying to hide your smile. “I don't know, some Benjamin? He reminds me of my favorite character from Disney animation,” you teased back.

Ben chuckled and pressed a quick kiss to your temple before settling onto the couch next to you. You leaned into him, enjoying his familiar scent and the feeling of his arm draped around your shoulder. The interview continued to play, but you found yourself more distracted by Ben's presence than the questions being asked. You couldn't help but steal glances at him, admiring the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled and the way his hair looked even messier than always. You could hardly believe that the charming and witty actor was your boyfriend.

“Wait,” he suddenly spoke up, snapping you out of your thoughts about him. He shifted his curious gaze to you after he stopped the video, his eyes a warm shade of brown that you could get lost in for hours. “Which character?” he asked, his voice filled with interest.

You furrowed your eyebrows completely off guard. It took you a moment to realize that he was referring to the words spoken as a joke. “Oh,” you said, your eyebrows raising slightly as your brain processed his question. “Eugene Fitzherbert.”

“Eugene?” Ben repeated, looking even more confused than you were a seconds earlier.

“Oh my goodness,” you muttered pretending to be annoyed. “Flynn Rider, does that tell you anything? Girl with magic hair? An evil stepmother keeping her in a tower?” you shifted away from him, settling into a cross-legged position as you faced him. “I've got a dream, I've got a dream. I just wanna see the floating lanterns gleam,” you sang, earning a chuckle from Ben.

“Okay, Rapunzel. Right,” he said, still laughing as he watched you. “I should have known. You’ve watched that movie, what, a hundred times?”

You rolled your eyes playfully, but couldn't help the fond smile that crept onto your face. "Only a hundred? I thought you knew me better than that," you teased, leaning back into his side.

Ben shook his head, still grinning from ear to ear at your playful banter. He reached for your phone and resumed the interview with a smile. You watched him intently as he answered all this questions, his passion for storytelling evident in every word he said. But suddenly your attention was diverted by something you hadn't noticed before – something that could potentially create a stir online.

Your hand flew to your mouth in surprise. “Oh no,” you gasped. “Is this what I'm thinking about?”

Without a second thought, you took the phone out of Ben's hands and held it up to your face, squinting to make sure you weren't mistaken.

Ben chuckled at your sudden change in behavior. “What are you looking at? I know I'm devilishly handsome, but you can look at me in person, you know?” he joked, but as he noticed your furrowed brow and lack of response, his expression turned serious.

“What is that?”

You turned your head, shifting your gaze to Ben, all the while holding your hand to your mouth with eyes wide open. “The reddish mark on your neck.”

Hearing your words, Ben's eyes widened and he almost snatched the phone from your hands to get a better look. At the same moment, a question about whether Ben had a partner appeared on the white board, to which he firmly denied and quickly moved on to the next topic. Hearing this coincidence, you burst out laughing uncontrollably, but Ben didn't find it as amusing since you had managed to keep your relationship a secret for over a year. Only your closest friends and family knew about it, and no one else. You had made the mutual decision to keep your relationship under wraps. It had started as a way to avoid unwanted attention and speculation from the media and fans, but as time went on, it had become a way to protect your relationship and keep it sacred. It had been a source of stress and anxiety at times, but it had also brought you closer together, sharing this special secret that only the two of you knew.

The situation was too ironic, and you couldn't stop laughing. The timing of the question about Ben's relationship status coming up at the same moment you noticed the mark on his neck was too much of a coincidence to ignore. Finally getting a hold of yourself, you asked, “What do we do now?” Noticing the look on Ben's face, you could tell he was worried.

He tried to reassure himself by saying, “This mark is barely noticeable. No one should be able to spot it, right?”

But you couldn't offer him any comfort, and you just helplessly shrugged your shoulders. You had to be honest with yourself, the idea of it being exposed was kind of terrifying. You knew that if you made it public, it would change everything. People would start scrutinizing every little detail of your lives, and the media could potentially spin it in a negative light. Being a regular person, you valued your privacy and didn't want to deal with the hassle of being in the public eye. Besides, what if his fans didn't like you? The thought of reading negative comments about yourself on all your social media profiles was daunting. You knew what kind of venom some users were capable of spewing, and you didn't want to expose yourself to that kind of negativity.

You quickly navigated to the comments section below the interview, frantically searching through the fan reactions, praying that no one had caught a glimpse of the conspicuous reddish mark on Ben's neck that you had left there before he went to work. Why the makeup artists had failed to conceal the mark before filming? They should have noticed it.

As you scrolled through the fan reactions in the comments section, you couldn't help but groan when you came across the first comment that mentioned the hint of your lipstick with an exact time reference. “03:31 BENJABIN THOMAS BARNES WHAT IS THAT MARK ON YOUR NECK?” you read aloud, and looked uncertainly at Ben, who was also staring at the phone screen. Your fears had come true.

As you continued to read, you noticed that there were other comments that also mentioned the mark. Ben pointed his finger at one of them too, confirming your suspicions. The situation was getting out of hand.

But amidst all the serious comments, there were a few that made you chuckle. “Someone wrote all men do is lie,” you laughed, trying to lighten the mood.

“I don’t lie,” he rolled his eyes, biting his lower lip to keep himself from laughing along with you.

“You do and this video is the proof of that,” when you said these words, you suddenly realized something. You straightened up, opening your mouth in surprise, and looked at Ben with feigned indignation. “Are you the one who ate the last cookies in the package? Don’t lie to me,” you said clearly, pointing an accusing finger at him with a serious face, wandering your eyes over his face.

“I-” Ben began in a defensive tone, and you watched the amusement that started painting on his face. “Okay, fine, it was me,” he admitted, laughing and defusing the tension. “But let’s not start a cookie war right now.”

As you both sat there in silence, you reached over to lock the screen of the phone, effectively ending the interview. With the device now resting on the table in front of you, the weight of what had just occurred began to sink in.

After a few moments, you tentatively broke the silence with a suggestion. “Why don't we just pretend that nothing happened?” you offered, hoping that Ben would agree. It was clear to both of you that publicly announcing your relationship was not an option, and this seemed like the best way to handle the situation.

Ben looked relieved at your suggestion and nodded in agreement. “Yeah, that's probably for the best,” he said, his voice sounding a little strained. You could tell that he was still processing everything that had just happened.

You sat in silence for a few more minutes, both lost in your thoughts. Finally, you decided to break the tension with a joke. “Well, at least now we know that your fans are Sherlock-level detectives,” you quipped, trying to lighten the mood.

Ben chuckled, a small smile playing on his lips. “Yeah, I guess I underestimated their sleuthing skills,” he replied, his voice sounding a little more relaxed now.

As the weeks passed after the incident during the interview, you and Ben did your best to keep your relationship under wraps. You avoided going out in public together, and when you did, you made sure to keep a low profile. But on this particular day, you decided to grab lunch at a small café near the neighborhood he lived in. You were enjoying your meal and chatting with Ben when a fan spotted him and shyly approached your table.

“Excuse me, are you Ben Barnes?” the fan asked excited, holding out their phone for a photo.

Ben smiled politely and put his coffee down on the table before agreeing to take a photo with her. She handed you her phone, her hands shaking with excitement, and asked if you could take the picture for her. You accepted with a soft smile and positioned yourself to take a few shots while Ben stood up to pose with the fan.

After the photos were taken, she couldn’t contain her happiness and gushed, “I’m such a big fan! I loved you in The Punisher.”

Ben chuckled and responded with a grateful tone, “Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

The fan asked him a few more questions about his upcoming projects and music, and you observed with admiration as Ben responded with a smile and listened intently to her every word. He never gave the impression that he was bothered or uninterested, even if the topic wasn't something he was particularly fond of. You thought how much his fans meant to him and how he treated each of them with respect and kindness, making them feel important and appreciated.

As the fan walked away from your table, beaming with excitement, you couldn't help but feel a tinge of jealousy at her experience. It was amazing to see how Ben handled his fans with such kindness and charm, making each and every one of them feel special, and you were sure that the girl would cherish this encounter for a long time. Despite having witnessed this before, you were still impressed every time by his sincere connection with his fans.

When Ben sat back down, you could tell that he was still in a good mood. “She was sweet,” he said, taking a sip of his coffee. “It's always nice to meet fans, you know?”

You smiled at him, feeling warm in your heart. “You're amazing with your fans, Ben. I don't know how you do it.”

He shrugged, looking down at his coffee cup. “I don't know, I just try to make them feel appreciated. They're the reason I get to do what I love, after all.”

The two of you continued chatting for a while longer, discussing the least important things, enjoying each other's presence and having lunch together. But as you were about to leave the café, you noticed something strange happening on your phone.

“What's going on?” Ben asked, noticing the look of concern on your face.

You showed him your Twitter feed, where several notifications were popping up, all of them about the photo you had just taken of Ben with the fan, praising Ben's good looks and speculating about your identity. “Looks like we're trending on Twitter,” you said not sure how to react.

You glanced at your phone's screen once again and read the tweet that had caught your attention. “JUST SAW BEN BARNES OUT FOR LUNCH WITH HIS MYSTERY GIRLFRIEND! I have no idea who she is but THEY LOOK SO CUTE TOGETHER! Screaming crying throwing up #thatshouldbeme”.

Ben let out a small laugh as he read the tweet on his phone. "Well, I guess the cat's out of the bag," he said, glancing up at you.

The tweet had already been retweeted hundreds of times and you could feel your anxiety rising as you thought about what this might mean for you. For your relationship.

“What do we do now?” you asked him, your voice trembling slightly.

Ben took a moment to think before responding. “I think we should just embrace it,” he said, his voice calm and reassuring. “We can't change the fact that people know now, so there's no point in trying to hide it. And honestly, I’ve been thinking about it. I don't want to have to pretend that I'm not dating the most amazing person in the world,” he added, reaching across the table to take your hand and give it a reassuring squeeze.

Despite the less-than-ideal situation, his unwavering support and affection provided you with a sense of comfort, as though everything would be alright.

As you and Ben exited the café, you couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched, even though it seemed like everyone was just minding their own business. Some pedestrians recognized Ben and pointed discreetly, while others tried to catch a glimpse of you, the mysterious girlfriend. The paparazzi were nowhere in sight, but you knew it was only a matter of time before they caught on. You wondered how you would handle the inevitable intrusion into your private life, but for now, you were content to hold Ben's hand and enjoy the moment.

As you walked down the street, Ben leaned in close to whisper in your ear. “Don't worry, we'll figure this out together,” he said, his breath warm against your skin. You turned to him and smiled, feeling grateful to have him by your side.

[the-midnightpoet]

The bunny and the wolf

Summary: Aleksander hates everyone except you. You could stay forever.

Warnings: I guess none, just fluff

A/N: it was inspired by this pic

Aleksander was always like a big, bad wolf. Snurling and growling at people who wanted to get close. He pushed everyone away and never let anyone near.

But when he attemped to scare away you, you just beamed at him like a literal sunshine and he immediatly fell in love.

You were like the innocent little Bunny and he was the big, bad wolf. You softened his heart and since then he was soft and gentle with you, hars and cold with everyone else. You were his Bunny and the sight of you made him melt.

Aleksander had been quite cold and stoic when you first met him. He always kept everyone at an arm's length distance, never really letting anyone close.

But it was you who finally broke that cold armour he had around himself. He soon became like a big, protective bear towards you. You were the light that brought out his softer side and made him melt.

No one else had ever seen him that way, they all feared him and his stern demeanour. But to you, he was like a gentle lamb, willing to do anything for you.

"Hi baby" you stepped into his office and hugged him from behind. You wrapped your arms around him and hugged him tightly. He set his pen down on the desk and put his glass aside. He turned in your hold and wraps his arms around you, pulling you closer.

"Hello, my Bunny" Aleks whispered.

"How's it going? You seemed stressed this moring when you left our bed" you nuzzled closer and he literally saw you as a little Bunny feeling comfortable.

"I'm better now" he said with a smile as he leanes down and whispers into your ear, "My Bunny is here with me."

He nuzzled your ear with his lips and ran his hands through your hair. "You have no idea how much I missed you today."

"I missed you too lovely"

Lovely. You called him lovely, when he was anything but lovely. His heart skipped a beat. He was so used to being feared and respected, he had never been called something so sweet yet intimate before, but it just felt right.

"I have some good news for you, Bunny" he whispers softly.

"Yeaahh? Tell me" you whispered sweetly. He didn't understand how someone so precious like you could be with someone cursed and bad like him. But you were there and he didn't plan on letting you go.

"I want to hold you in my arms forever" he says softly as he ran his fingers through your hair. He pulled you close, bringing his lips to your ear. "I want to spend my life with you, my Bunny. I will be yours, my love" he said in a passionate whisper.

He stared deeply into your eyes as he held your face in his hands, "I would die for you."

"I love you Aleks" you beamed at him. Your softness made an effect on him like nothing else. You didn't guite catch on that he was proposing to you, but he was willing to try again.

He smiled warmly as he held you close. "I love you too, my Bunny."

He looked you deeply in the eyes as he cupped your face in his hands. He stared at you for a long moment before he whispered softly, "I want to marry you. Will you be my wife?"

Aleks was the type of person everyone feared, but with you he was soft and gentle. You have tamed the big, bad wolf.

You froze a bit then your knees buckled a little and started crying in joy.

"Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes" you hugged him closer and started kissing his face everywhere you could reach.

He kissed you passionately as he held you tightly in his arms. He was never the type of person to show much emotion, but with you, he was like a completely different person.

"I love you so much. You're the person I want to spend my life with. I knew you were the one right from the first moment we met"

He nuzzles at your neck with his lips again, "I can't wait to be with you forever"

[dreamcatcher92]

Chapter 3: The Date

Summary: Reader falls head over heels in love with her neighbor after a bad break-up. Will he also turn out to be her knight in shining armor as well?

Warnings: smut, language, sex, alcohol use. 18+ only!

You keep checking to see what time it is, but time seems to be moving at a snail's pace right now. It is making you frustrated because you are so anxious to go out with Billy tonight. Things are racing through your mind about how this will go.

Should you eat a little something before, so you don’t look like a pig when you eat? No, because what if it upsets your stomach? Should you bring up the relationship you just got out of? No, just no!

You have about an hour left to finish getting ready. You’ve shaved literally everywhere that was needed, brushed your teeth twice for good measure, and put just a dab of makeup on. You settled on wearing a dark red quarter sleeve tunic top, paired with black leggings, and chestnut brown knee high boots. Fall was drawing near, so you wanted to dress a bit warmer just in case. 

            Now, at quarter till seven, you sit on your couch anxiously waiting for Billy.

*Ding*

            Your phone goes off with a new text message. It’s Billy! Your heart skips a beat, and you quickly open the message. 

“On my way, see you soon.”

            AAHHHH!!! Now your heart is really pounding. You do your best to calm down so that you don’t act like an absolute idiot in front of Billy. You already really like him, and you’ve only just truly met. 

            A few minutes tick by and there is a knock at your door. You squeal like a little girl and jump to your feet. You run to the door, pause to take a deep breath and fluff your hair, then open the door. 

“Hi!” you say excitedly.

Billy chuckles and smiles at you, “Ready to go?”

Smiling from ear to ear, you turn to grab your sweater and purse then turn back to face the tall, dark haired, sexy man in your doorway, “I’m ready.”

          Billy takes your hand as you two make your way down the hall to the elevator. You have so many butterflies in your stomach. You just want things to go smoothly this evening. 

          Billy takes you to a nice restaurant and lets you choose a bottle of wine to share. Nobody has ever treated you like this before. You really didn’t know how to act, but you stayed calm and did your best. 

As you two eat your meals, you engage in a conversation about several different things. You laugh at all his jokes, and he smiles as he gazes deep into your eyes. Everything is going great. 

“You really have never been on a rollercoaster before?!” you ask as you giggle and take a sip of wine.

Billy shakes his head and laughs, “No! Never really wanted too either.”

“I guess I just assumed everyone has ridden one before at some point in their lives.” you laughingly say, but the laugh was cut short when out of the corner of your eye you see a familiar face and you suddenly feel sick.

The man is staring right at you and smiles a menacing grin at you. He takes a drink from his glass and then sits it on the table. After laying some cash onto the table, he gets up and starts walking towards your table. 

You feel a huge lump in your throat and start to freak out inside. What the fuck is he doing here?! Please dear God do not come over here! The man continues toward you but passes by without saying a word. You look and feel a small sense of relief. 

Billy sees the abrupt change of expressions on your face, “Something wrong?”

You snap back to reality, “What?! Uh, y-yeah! Everything is fine!”

Billy let it go for now, but he definitely was not going to let that go. Billy is a very protective person and does not like to be lied to. He learned from a young age that he needed to know everything and be in absolute control.

Billy motions to the waiter for the check, “How about we get outta here? My place for another drink?”

Your heart flutters and you smile, “Sounds great.”

The two of you arrive at Billy’s apartment and he begins fixing you both a drink. You’re over by the window looking out at the city skyline and staring up at the stars. You try to forget about who you saw back at the restaurant but are quickly reminded about it moments later as Billy walks over with drinks in his hands.

“So, you gonna tell me who you saw back there or am I gonna have to do my own investigating?” he says with a bit of sass in his voice as he hands you your cocktail.

You take a shaky breath in and decide to be open and honest with Billy, “It was my ex’s best friend Jake.”

“I’m assuming by the look on your face that wasn’t a good thing.”

“I don’t really know honestly. I don’t even know why he would have been there.”

 “He not from here?”

“New York, yes. The city, no.”

“So why are you worried? You think he’ll do something?”

“I don’t know. My ex is, well, not a good person.”

“How so?”

You hesitate to answer because you don’t want to ruin things with Billy. Tonight was amazing and you don’t want to fuck things up by bringing up your abusive and manipulative ex-boyfriend. However, you can tell Billy is not going to stop until he gets it out of you. So, you give. 

Taking a deep breath in, you begin, “Spencer, my ex, was very abusive in every aspect of the word. He controlled everything that I did and if I did something he didn’t like, he would hit me over and over. I loved him, but I couldn’t stay anymore. The day before I left him, he beat me so badly that I thought I was going to die. Both of my eyes were black, my lip was busted, and he cracked three of my ribs. I stayed with a friend until I saved up enough money for my own place and got a restraining order against Spencer. He was arrested but made bail days later. Nothing was ever done to him because they gave him two years of probation and called it a day. I’m so sorry that I come with so much baggage, and if you never want to see or talk to me again, I will completely understand. I know it’s a lot.”

You were crying at this point and felt so ashamed. You wanted to go hide and not come out. You’ve probably just ruined every chance of being with Billy after this.

Billy looks at you for a moment, then takes your drink and sets it on the coffee table. He turns back and wraps you in his arms. You wrap your arms around his waist and look up at him with tear filled eyes. He looks back at you, then without hesitation, he presses his soft lips against yours. His tongue massages yours and you hum with delight. After a few moments, he pulls away to look at you once more. 

“I’m not going anywhere sweetheart.”

[bi-bard]

Taylor Swift Songs That Would Describe a Relationship with General Kirigan - General Kirigan Imagine [Shadow & Bone]

Title: Taylor Swift Songs That Would Describe a Relationship with General Kirigan

Pairing: General Kirigan X Reader

Word Count: 1,921 words

Warning(s): manipulation, mention of death

Author's Note: I need it known that I am writing this will all the self-awareness in the world.

**Not intentionally written in chronological order**

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illicit affairs

Look at this idiotic fool that you made me You taught me a secret language I can't speak with anyone else And you know damn well For you I would ruin myself ...a million little times

At some point, being with Kirigan made me feel like I was invincible to the sick stomach and troubling thoughts that I had faced for years before him.

There was something about having him want me that brought me some peace. He offered me something that I had convinced myself that I was never going to experience. I felt like I owed him everything. My trust, my love... everything. I needed to hold onto that. No matter how hidden I was, how much time I spent keeping myself quiet... I needed him. I needed to be loved by him.

And then, Alina arrived at the Little Palace.

She was more than a beautiful girl.

She was a miracle. A walking gift from the saints. The sun summoner. The one that was destined to save everyone from the impact of the fold.

I should be thankful that she was found at all.

But I couldn't help the gross feeling that stabbed at my heart. Anger or sadness or something else entirely. I couldn't put a name to it. Not at the time.

The more I watched Aleksander with her, the more that the answer seemed to present itself.

I never wanted to express that feeling to her. It was truly no business of hers.

I never truly wanted to express it to Aleksander either. I would have been much happier to never disclose those feelings to them. They came with shame and guilt that were enough to seal my mouth shut.

Instead, that feeling manifested in different ways. Avoidance, misplaced anger... all things that I would go without noticing until later.

Aleksander didn't seem to have much to say for a while. I assumed that he was too focused on his saint to pay me any mind.

Until he confronted me.

I took a deep breath as I walked into his room.

"You asked to see me," I said as the doors closed behind me.

Aleksander stood on the other side of the large table. He looked at me with his annoyingly charming grin and his hands behind my back. His chin was raised slightly.

He believed he was royalty.

"I did," he confirmed.

I almost scoffed. "Please, share the reason for this meeting whenever you would like."

He raised an eyebrow at me as if I had proved his point before he had said it. "You're upset with me."

"Brilliant, truly."

He walked around the table, slowly walking over to me. "I assume that this has to do with Alina."

"Never assume that you know my feelings."

"Darling-"

"Please, don't use sweet names to distract me," I cut him off. "I... I have spent years listening to you soothe me with those names that are beginning to mean nothing to me."

Aleksander didn't have a response at first.

"I have no interest in being a secret or hidden property. Some little gemstone you place in a little box until you find value in me. You either see me as more than that or go hide away with your little saint and leave me be."

I looked away from him as the age-old guilt and sadness ate at my stomach.

He stepped even closer. His hand reached up and cupped my cheek, guiding me to look at him again. His eyes were always more intense than they deserved to be. Dark enough to blend into his pupil, giving me the feeling that my attention would be pulled to him. Fighting to pull my eyes from his would be like fighting the pull of the planet holding me to the ground.

"I never intended to keep you hidden," he said softly. "I have neglected you. That is not fair, but it was never my intention. I am so sorry, my love. Please... allow me to do better."

I took another deep breath.

"Please."

I wanted to believe him. I didn't want to pull myself away from the man that actually loved me. I just... couldn't let that go.

I reached my hand up and touched his. His grin only grew.

"I have every intention to hold you to your promise," I mumbled.

A chuckle escaped him. "I would hope so."

And all it took for him to keep me perfectly in place was to lean in and press his lips to mine.

I would have taken unhealthy love over no love at all.

it's time to go

I gave it my all, he gave me nothing at all Then wondered why I left Now he sits on his throne in his palace of bones Praying to his greed He's got my past frozen behind glass But I've got me

I don't know when my embarrassing jealousy of Alina began to turn into this strange sense of sympathy and worry.

I could see the look on her face. One that I had seen in the mirror for years upon years.

This softness that so carefully masked the feeling of longing and yearning that Aleksander seemed to so easily command. The same feeling that had become all-consuming and ate at the very walls of m heart.

I wish I had learned to discern longing from anxiety. My fearful tuition from lovesick butterflies. Maybe I would have saved myself from some pain.

All I could do now was try to save Alina in the way that I should have been saved years ago.

Her escape path crossed right by me.

I could have stopped her. Tried to fight her. Yelled for Kirigan. Yelled for anyone.

But I didn't.

I would never be able to bring myself to do that.

"Go," I said simply.

Alina stopped, furrowing her eyebrows at me. That was the first time that I wonder how she saw me. I wondered if I had seemed so tied to the general's side that the idea of me turning my back on him seemed impossible. Like I was a pet.

"I will never get back the parts of my past that Aleksander holds," I explained. "But I will not let him take another ounce of my future. Or anyone else's. Go. Please."

She paused for a moment longer before stepping forward to hug me.

Every selfish, jealous thought that had crossed my mind while I had known her felt so heartless now. She was so much more than I could ever truly accept.

"Thank you," she whispered before stepping back and taking off down the path.

I knew that the chances were that I would not live long beyond the moment I let Alina go. I would never give Aleksander the answers he wanted. I was not going to be useful enough to warrant keeping.

And I was okay with that.

I would rather die by my own choice than live following the choices he made for me.

This was my end.

And I was happy to see it.

The Archer

I've been the archer I've been the prey Who could ever leave me darling... But who could stay?

I never realized how far I had run. I had no interest in knowing.

All I knew was that I was panting when I finally stopped. I looked around for a moment. I had found myself next to a fountain with intricate art carved into the base. The story of the Black Heretic. I was familiar with it. There were plants beginning to grow over the rest of the fountain.

I took a deep breath as I let myself fall. I sat with my back against the fountain's base, letting my head rest against the stone. I closed my eyes, taking even breaths for the first time in what felt like hours.

"What are you doing out here?"

I jumped at the sound of a voice. I looked over to see General Kirigan standing nearby.

"I didn't mean to frighten you," he held his hands up for me to see his palms clearly.

"No, no, I was simply in my mind," I replied as I stood up quickly. "Distracted."

He nodded, taking a few steps closer to me. "May I ask what you have on your mind?"

"It is ridiculous, really," I tried to wave it all off.

I thought that it was best to hold onto whatever strength and composure I had. At the time, I only knew him as General Kirigan. He was powerful. So powerful that he was on a different level than the other Grisha.

"If you made your way all the way out here, then I have doubts about that," he said.

I took a deep breath. "Next week will be the anniversary of my coming to the Little Palace."

He furrowed his eyebrows.

"I am grateful for all that I've been offered here," I explained, hoping to not upset him too much. "However, my mom was the one who offered me to the Grisha so they could test me. She was... all too prepared to get rid of me. I... have trouble not feeling somewhat..."

"Abandoned?" Kirigan suggested.

I nodded. "Yes."

"Surely in all your time here, you have made some connections," he said, continuing to walk forward until he stood next to me by the fountain.

I shrugged. "Not truly. Many seemed to turn their noses up at me. Even those I did connect with would eventually walk away. I assume boredom."

"I'm sorry."

"Not really your fault, is it?"

He looked down for a moment. "It is the fault of my bloodline. The very reason the Fold exists. The reason that you were tested at all."

"I don't blame you. Not at all."

He raised an eyebrow at me.

"Being blamed for our ancestor's mistakes does nothing but cause pain."

He nodded. "I could still hope to offer some comfort. Community to help make up for the lost time."

I scoffed. "And when you get bored of me?"

"I can't imagine that happening."

I didn't have a response. Not because of his statement, but because of his eyes. It was like they stopped me in my tracks. I wanted to say it looked sincere, but there was something more to it. Something just below the surface that I was unable to name, but I could see.

Kirigan seemed as transfixed as I was. His eyes jumped around to every detail of my face. He moved a little closer.

"May I," he asked.

I didn't know what he was asking, but I still nodded at him.

His hand cupped my face. I felt frozen. Entranced by the mere sight of him.

He leaned in slowly, carefully. As if he were waiting for me to run away from him.

When I didn't, that seemed to comfort him. It gave him enough of a push to press his lips to mine. I took in a sharp breath through my nose. I kissed him back, trying to follow his movements.

It was a short moment. One that I would have been content with playing over and over in my mind.

When Kirigan pulled away, I watched a grin slowly grow along his face. I grinned back at him.

I would later consider that my point of no return.

But at the time, I couldn't think of anything wrong with what had happened.

Being wanted was enough for me.

For the time being, at least.

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Navigation Guide

What I Write For

Some Original Characters

[padfootagain]

Something Good (XXVIII)

Chapter 28 : Curtains Close

Alright, this is our last chapter! Thank you all for reading, I’m quite sad to finish this fic… Hard to say goodbye to those two…

I hope you like this last chapter!

****

Pairing: Ben Barnes x Reader

Warnings: Fluff angst, Slow burn, professor AU.!

Summary: Coming out of a divorce and trying to get used to being a single mom, while teaching your classes at University, you thought your life could not get more complicated than it already is. But when you are asked to take care of the theatre club with the colleague that you really can’t get along with, you realize that everything can still get ten times more complicated in your life. And when you start actually liking Professor Barnes, the troubles only grow exponentially…

Word Count: 2124

Masterlist for the series – Ben Barnes’ Masterlist – Main Masterlist

“Alright, alright, Giselle… look at me…”

“I can’t do it… I can’t sing…”

“Of course, you can sing. You’ve done it dozens of times this year, you can do it.”

“But what if…”

“No “what if”! You’re gonna get out there, and you’re gonna blow their minds away! Come on! Kick all of their asses out there, girl!”

You offered the girl your palm for a high-five, and even though she was still nervous, she still giggled and gave you a high-five.

“Come on, let’s go!”

You heaved a discreet sigh…

… crisis 57 averted.

“Y/N!”

And there came crisis 58…

“The guy playing the piano in the orchestra is sick!” Nathaniel told you, running towards you with panic all over his features. “What do we do?! We can’t perform without a piano!”

You were backstage with the whole group of your students, as well as the university orchestra that were playing the music for the show. Or well, were supposed to…

Your mind was racing a thousand miles a minute as you stared with a blank expression into Nathaniel’s eyes.

“Ben will play,” you answered him. “He plays piano very well, and he knows all the songs.”

“But then who’s helping with the costumes?”

“I am.”

“You’re already helping with the props!”

“I’m a woman, multitasking is my specialty.”

“But…”

“Go get ready for your first scene, we’ll be just fine.”

Nathaniel nodded, fully trusting you.

Oh… what a mistake he was making…

You frantically looked around, looking for help.

“Ben!”

The man you loved turned around, hair a little messy and his glasses slightly lopsided on his nose. He too seemed on the verge of a mental breakdown, and yet he seemed calmer than you were. Although, you reckoned it wasn’t that difficult of a task…

“You’re alright?” he asked, seeing the worry obvious on your face.

“The pianist is sick. You need to play.”

“Me?” he asked, his eyes growing a little round.

“Do you have a better idea? You know of a pianist who would come and play a show that starts in less than thirty minutes?”

“No…”

“Then… you have to do it.”

“Okay…”

He nodded, taking a couple of deep breaths.

“I can do it.”

“Of course, you can! You’re amazing!”

He chuckled at that, his cheeks turning a bright shade of pink, but he quickly grew serious again.

“Someone has to take care of the costumes.”

“I’ll have to do it…”

“You can’t, you’re already helping for…”

“… the props, I know… but there’s nobody else. We’re literally the only adults here!”

“Technically, the students are adults too.”

Right at that moment, you heard something falling down and breaking, it was coming from one of the dressing rooms.

“Okay, we’re the only real adults,” Ben confirmed. “We need an extra pair of hands though, you can’t be taking care of everything that is going on backstage at once.”

But you shrugged, silently telling him that there was no one else in this theatre who could help…

The realisation struck both of you at the same time.

“MILES!”

“I’ll go find him in the audience! You make sure nobody died in there,” Ben told you, nodding towards the dressing rooms, and you let him go find his friend.

Ben spent a couple of minutes looking around, desperately looking for the old man… he was ready to give up and ring him when he heard the loud voice he knew so well ring through the theatre.

“Ben! What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to gather the troops before the show?”

“Miles! Wonderful! I was looking for you! Hi George! Thanks for coming!”

“Ha, it’s a pleasure to see the work of our favourite lovebirds,” George laughed, shaking Ben’s hand, who merely blushed in response.

“Miles, I need your help. You have to help us with the costumes…”

“Ha, no! I’m here to watch the show, not participate…”

“Someone in the orchestra is sick, which means that I’ve been promoted to pianist, and Y/N can’t handle everything backstage on her own. We need two people to organize everything. She’ll tell you what to do, but we need an extra pair of hands. Please, Miles…”

The old man heaved a sigh, straightened his Hawaiian shirt, but nodded anyway.

“I see. I’ll help then.”

“Thank you!”

Ben gave him a hug, sighing with relief, making his old friend chuckle.

“You’ll owe me a good bottle of whiskey.”

“At this point, anything you want.”

“A double-date between George and I and you and Y/N?”

Ben blushed fiercely at his friend’s teasing, but nodded anyway.

“Yeah… yeah… whatever…”

“Wonderful!”

Miles followed Ben backstage, and you couldn’t stop yourself from hugging the retired man, who merely chuckled as he hugged you too.

“Alright, tell me what to do, boss,” he told you with a mischievous wink, and you let out a relieved chuckle.

“Thanks for helping…”

“Ben told me. It’s my pleasure.”

“Alright, I’ve just avoided another catastrophe as David broke a lamp, and almost destroyed his costume, but it’s fine…” you babbled away. “Erm… would you mind checking the lights, we’re supposed to open with red lights, but they weren’t set yet fifteen minutes ago…”

“I’ll go take a look,” Miles nodded.

He disappeared down the corridor, leaving you and Ben alone. You could hear the buzzing of the theatre being filled with spectators. Your heart was pounding, your head was spinning.

Your phone buzzed to reveal the name of your ex-husband, and for a minute you thought about the million things that could have gone wrong with Sally… and you didn’t need that now.

But instead of announcing a sickness, tears or a trip to the hospital… you found a nice message from Liam.

Good luck for tonight. I know that we haven’t always been on the same page you and I, but I will always be here for you if you need me.

I know that sometimes I act like a selfish prick. But I’m proud of you.

Good luck to you and Ben.

It was followed by a picture of Sally wearing her cutest toothy grin and Liam, both of them holding up a piece of paper covered with pink glitter, saying in a messy handwriting Good luck mommy.

You brushed a tear away.

“Babe? You’re okay? What’s wrong, darling?”

You looked up at Ben’s worried expression, and merely showed him your phone. His expression softened, and he smiled at the cute picture.

“Wow… coming from Liam that’s…”

“Surprisingly mature?”

“I would have said nice, but… yeah,” Ben nodded.

“Who knows… perhaps he’s really trying to be better this time around.”

“I hope so.”

You exchanged a tender smile, but then Ben looked around at the empty space filling the corridor. There was no one around, only the distant sound of the spectators waiting for the show to being and the shushed sounds of the students getting ready.

“Well, now that I am performing… do I get a good luck kiss?” Ben asked, wiggling his eyebrows and making you laugh.

He still took a step closer, and the smirk he shot you was definitely dangerous, almost lethal…

“Hmmm… Ben, we’re working…” you protested, looking away.

But he took another step closer, and you didn’t walk away.

“You say that like you don’t kiss me every day in either my or your office.”

“Shh!”

“Love, we’re both consenting adults. Relax. We’re not breaking any rules. Besides, it’s almost 8:30pm… we’re way past office hours.”

You laughed at that silly argument, but when Ben wrapped his arm around your back, when he cradled your cheek in his large palm, you didn’t move away. On the contrary, you wrapped your arms around his neck and leaned into his touch.

“Good luck for tonight,” he whispered, his mouth inches away from yours.

“Good luck.”

Before he could say anything, you were leaning up to press your lips to his. And like every time you kissed him, everything else in the world vanished…

… until you were interrupted by loud cheers.

You both pulled away in a hurry, but broke into laughter as you turned to the students you had grown very much fond of along the year.

“Wow! Love birds!” Nathaniel cried, clapping.

Ben rolled his eyes.

“Alright, alright, that’s enough…”

Laughs lingered for a minute, but then everyone was gathered in the empty space behind the stage. The light was low, it was almost time, only five minutes left.

You took Ben’s hand in yours, and he smiled.

“Well, good luck everyone for tonight,” Ben spoke, his voice firm and yet made a little hoarse with emotions. “I think I can say that I speak for both Y/N and I when I say that… it’s been a real pleasure to work with all of you this year. In fact, it’s been an honour. I’m very proud of the work we’ve done, and I’m very much proud of all of you.”

You saw a couple of students brushing tears away, and you struggled to hide how emotional you were yourself.

“Tonight’s the big night. Let’s show everyone how hard we’ve been working. But most importantly… have fun! Enjoy tonight, you deserve it. And I’m expecting an awful lot of cheers by the end of the show. So… come on!”

You both placed your hand before you, and soon everyone was gathering in a circle, hands upon hands.

You cheered.

And then it was time for the show to begin.

The show was a brilliant success.

Everything went smoothly, but then again, you had rehearsed relentlessly the previous weeks. It was paying off now, as you were bowing before the cheering crowd before you, holding Ben’s hand in yours.

As you walked backstage again, your body buzzing with adrenaline, there was a mix of sadness and excitement pulling at your heart. On one hand the excitement of the performance and the applause, on the other hand the sadness of knowing that it was over.

There was a pregnant pause, the sound of conversations and people gathering their stuff loud now that people were about to leave. There was some food and drinks at the ready, but you were unwilling to go take care of that part of the evening now. Instead, you all remained standing, your students still in their costumes, looking at each other in silence.

And then Giselle was hugging David, and Nathaniel turned to you, and everybody was hugging, an emotional mess as you struggled not to cry.

“Congratulations, everyone!” you said, your throat tight. “You did so good tonight! We all did so good!”

“It was by far the best performance we’ve ever done,” Ben nodded.

“But now, the important question arises,” Nathaniel said, turning to both you and Ben. “What musical do we do next year?”

You both let out a laugh, surprised by his reaction, and believing in a joke, but your students were already lost in conversation.

“Hamilton!”

“No, we could do West Side Story!”

“Or Les Mis!”

“You’re short enough to play Gavroche, for sure!”

A wave of laughter.

“Alright, alright, that’s enough, kids! Go get changed, we have some celebration to do!”

You were soon alone again, just you and Ben. You exchanged a smile, tender and emotional, and you were about to rush into his arms when you heard the familiar voice of Jasmine, along with Mary, your head of department.

“Congratulations!” Jasmine ran into your arms, making you laugh. “God! That was AMAZING!”

“Thanks!”

“It was…  pretty good,” Mary congratulated you both, which, coming from her, was the best you would ever have.

“So… we can keep the club open for next year?” Ben asked, and he sounded relaxed, almost playful, but you weren’t fooled. You noticed the way the muscle of his jaw jumped.

Mary merely laughed.

“Yeah, I reckon we can keep it running for another year! And who knows… perhaps we can find a new colleague to assist you next year, Ben.”

You both frowned at that.

“What? Why?”

“Well… you weren’t happy about it in September, I assumed…”

But Ben shook his head, laughing, and slowly took your hand in his.

“Let’s say that we have reached an agreement,” he grinned, and there was something cocky in his gesture, a proud glitter in his dark eyes.

It was Mary’s turn to laugh.

“I see. Well… congratulations for that too, I guess! Can’t wait to see what you will plan for next year!”

You turned to Ben, staring into his dark brown eyes, the tenderness held in his gaze almost too much. You gave his hand a squeeze.

Yes, indeed… the future offered many suns and surprises…

“Oh, I’m sure we’ll find something amazing for… many years to come…”

[thesmokingguns]

Picking Peach Chapter One

Warning: Minors DNI 18+ does have a small oral sex scene, talks of age gap, mental health, cheating

Word Count: 6470

A/N: Sorry this is so long. Part one is here and I plan on writing more of this this weekend. I hope you all like it <3

July 16, 2021

Ben POV

Peach? Who was this Peach everyone was posting pictures of and wishing a happy birthday to? All these pictures of a pretty blonde with a smile on her face that could solve all the problems of the world. She was gorgeous and that was putting it lightly. She seemed to know everyone but why didn’t I know her?

There were pictures of her out, never a drink in hand but always in some shade of pink like she was a young Anna Nicole Smith. She seemed younger than 27, but that was what everyone was wishing her. A happy 27th. 13 years younger than me. Lucky 13. Her arms around Instagram models and her arms around rockstars. And her lips on…Nikki SIxx? Well… that didn’t seem to fit.

A quick follow on Instagram before some  more web sleuthing and it turns out she had been with him for nearly a decade. The age difference of thirty six years made me blow out a breath. Even in Gold Diggers the age difference hadn’t been that big. This was a lifetime. 

But the way she looked up at him and how he looked at her…he knew that he had something in her. Lucky old man. 

Still…

‘Happy Birthday “Peach”. Surely that can’t be your real name?’ 

I sent the Instagram DM, looking around the airport like someone would know I had flirted with someone else's girlfriend. Was I flirting? Maybe.

My heart leapt when I saw that she added me back, a quick red heart from liking my message showed up and my pulse quickened as I waited, watching her type and then ‘Thank you. Haha. Nikki called me Peach years ago and it just stuck.’

No name. Nothing and for some reason I hated the idea of calling her Peach. I needed to know her real name.

‘But if you promise not to tell a soul…Sasha Jade.’

I smirked at this, licking his lips as he tasted the smile on my face. My  fingers typing out a new message to her. I just needed more, this magnet pulling me towards her for some reason as I waited for my flight back to LA

‘I’ll take it to the grave. Happy Birthday, Sasha Jade.’

She didn’t respond, just liked the message but it was enough for me now.

Peach POV

My real name. What a curious thing to ask for. I sat back, smirking at the idea of someone in the world knowing me by my name and not a nickname that Nikki had given to me years ago and I had got stuck with. How curious Ben Barnes was. This handsome British actor I vaguely knew about. Very handsome. Very good looking. Not young young but young enough that Peach was interested.

“You’re smiling at your phone, birthday girl.” Nikki’s hands were on my shoulders as he leaned in kissing my cheek. My hands went over his hand as I closed my phone not needing him to squint over my shoulder at what I was doing.

I was so tired lately.

“Mhh, Sami was texting me about LA being too crowded. She is buying a house in Colorado so she can survive the zombie apocalypse she is sure is coming any day now.” he laughed into my ear and i forgot all about that man sliding into my DM, turning to wrap my arms around Nikki, feeling his lips on mine as he kissed me. 

It was nice being home. 

The pandemic last year had been a difference in our lives. Before the pandemic we would travel and get to see the world together. But being forced to stay still as the world went to hell changed us. Nikki was looking for things to do and my anxiety got out of hand. I was so nervous doom scrolling the news that I had to go to a new therapist and NIkki insisted that I do an inpatient at a private hospital for a week until I calmed down. 

It wasn't the first time Nikki had guided me like this. Sometimes my feelings were too much and he needed me to take a break. But sometimes it made me afraid thinking when I would feel too much again. 

“I might go lay down for a bit.” Nikki was pulling away, frowning at me as I said this and I wondered what I had said that was wrong

“Really, Peach?” I blinked, confused as I saw the way his face darkened, “You know I’ve been working on my book. I took today off for your birthday and you just want to sleep?” he scoffed as I stood up, wrapping my arms around myself as I watched him walk away from me, having to chase after him. 

It was always me running after him.

“Nikki, please. What do you want to-”

“I’m going to write Peach. Enjoy your nap.” his office door shut as I frowned, pressing my hands to my eyes as I thought about screaming. 

Everyone thought I got everything I wanted but all I got was locked doors and the taste of my own tears. It was nine years with Nikki this coming September and yet instead of being solid I felt shakier than ever. 

He would be touring again and I felt sick at the thought; when I was 21 Nikki toured in 2015. I was finishing up school and couldn’t come with him but it was when Instagram was big, so I saw the pictures of him cheating on me online. It was the first time my emotions got too big for Nikki and he found me a pretty little place to stay in Malibu where they kept me calm and I talked about how I could be better. 

I forgave him. Of course I did. He had taken care of me and I was young, and thought it was my fault for not being there. I took the blame for his faults. 

But now…thinking of the tour he was going on again…I was sick. 

Pulling the blanket over my head I breathed in and out, pulling out my phone and feeling my cheeks pink as I reached for my airpods, pressing them in as I started scrolling through Instagram. 

Why had Ben Barnes DM’d me?

Mutual people we followed. Posts he might have seen. And- Oh…a like on a picture from 2015. What a finger slip. I smirked as I slid back to my DM’s, glad he was looking at my pictures so I didn’t make this awkward.

‘Deep Diving, I see. Anything you’re looking for?’

Ben POV

Fucking bloody hell. 

I had been jostled on the plane and my damned finger hit a photo, liking it. And not even ten seconds later there was a message from Sasha showing up to show that this was not going unnoticed and she knew I was looking at all her photos.

‘I am thoroughly embarrassed. And to be caught so soon… Aren’t you celebrating your birthday?’ 

Downside was that I looked like a crazy person liking old posts but the plus side was that she was talking to me. 

‘To overshare I’m having a Lesley Gore sort of birthday.’

My frown settled on my face. That wasn’t a very good birthday. I looked around, thankful for the privacy of first class as I held up my phone, singing into it. She deserved a Happy Birthday song sung to her. I wasn’t going to overthink it, just sing ‘Happy Birthday to Sasha’ and sending the voice memo.

This was overstepping a line. But she looked gorgeous in her pictures and I was curious as to why this beautiful girl was with an old man…

Shit.

Shit. What happens if he is with her and hears me singing happy birthday to his girl? What was I thinking? Why can’t I resist a pretty face why could I-

‘You’re an angel, Ben Barnes.’

An angel.

I smirked, tasting the smile on my lips again as I eased back in my seat and started sending more messages to her, wanting to hear all about her. I could only learn so much from pictures. What I hadn’t expected was the flight from New York to LA to be filled with learning about her, sharing stories as fast as our fingers could type.  We exchanged selfies, mine on the plane, pillow around my neck and her in bed, an oversized hoodie on and just pretty eyes poking out for me to see. 

She should be dancing for her birthday, enjoying the day and seeing her alone in bed as she deflected saying that she didn’t want to go out made me think there was a lot I didn’t know, a lot to learn about Sasha. 

But I felt like we were friends now, so that was a huge step in a short time. I just had a feeling we were destined to be more than that.

Especially when she gave me her number and the invitation to let her know when I got home safe.

Nikki POV

Looking up I realized my office was bathed in darkness. My neck heart from typing and I pulled off my glasses, rubbing the bridge of  my nose, realizing that I had spent the better part of the day holed up in here writing. I had gotten a ton done but I was shocked that Peach hadn’t snuck in, looking for attention. Especially since it was her birthday.

Her birthday which she had chosen to spend alone.

Peach had been sad lately. The type of sad that sometimes called for trips to the doctors to make her feel better. Poor Peach. My sweet broken girl who needed help putting a smile on her face.

I hadn’t even given her the gifts I had gotten for her. 

Pushing up from the chair I stretched, feeling the kinks in my back as I moved my body, stretching as I grabbed the bags from the closet, shuffling upstairs. I expected to hear quiet but instead I heard soft laughter and the sound of the TV on. My eyebrows furrowed together as I saw Peach, smiling as she watched something on TV, her phone to her ear as she laughed again, a smile on her face that I had forgotten she had. 

Her eyes landed on me and I watched it crumble. Her hand going to the remote to pause the show, some Game of Thrones looking thing. 

“I..I’m sorry I have to go. Thank you for calling and letting me know you were safe. And thank you for the Happy Birthday…it was…thank you. Bye-Bye.” she hung up, tucking her phone under her as she looked at me, all big eyes and pretty pout as she crawled over the bed, making that oversized hoodie she was wearing look more like lingerie than anything else. “I gave you lots of time to work on your book. Are you happy with me, daddy?” I groaned as I set her presents on the bed, taking Peach in my arms and kissing her deeply. 

She roped her arms around me, pulling me against her as I laid her down on the bed, wanting to make up for ignoring her. I Wanted her to know that I was sorry. Wanting to-

“Can I open my presents?” she was biting her lip, giving me that spoiled little smirk of hers and I knew I couldn’t say now. She was delighted as she dove in. tearing packaging off designer packages and clapping her hands with delight. 

I loved watching Peach be spoiled.

“Nikki!” She threw herself in my arms kissing me all over as I held her. Breathing her in, “Thank you.” Her voice was muffled against my chest, her eyes on me sparkling as I sighed, hands tangling with her hair, drawing her in and kissing her forehead.

My sweet Peach.

This book had be remembering moments of my life that I had wanted to forget, putting me in a state of constant go, trying to move away from the bad. Poor Peach was getting caught up in the running, reaching out to me as I swatted her away. 

But I am here with her now.

“Let me take you out, Peach. For your birthday, please?” We could still have dinner. I could save this. I could make this better. She looked at me, nodding her head. A sigh of relief leaving my lips as she scared away to her closet and I plopped down on the bed. 

Her work cell phone came out from under her pillow and my eyebrows furrowed. Peach’s main cell phone was on my plan and she barely ever used her ‘LA phone’ as she called it. My eyes glanced at the closet where I could hear her bustling around and licking the corner of my lips as I picked it up. Shocked when I saw that it was locked. 

“Peach? Were you working?” I heard the stillness as she poked her head out of the closet, looking at me with a smirk on her face.

“I’m always working.” she teased. “Give me five minutes and I should be done.” she was ducking back inside her closet as I locked at the locked phone again, feeling like something wasn’t quite right with all of this. 

Would Peach lie to me?

“We’re still going to LA in October for your book launch?” she asked a moment later stepping out of the closet. It took Peach less than five minutes and she looked like a goddess, making me forget all the curiosity as I lost myself in her beauty.

She was in a pink dress, see through on her stomach with feathers over her breasts, it was short with her legs shimmering with freshly applied lotion I wanted to  kiss off and high heels. Her blonde hair was down as she tilted her head putting in crystal big earrings. She had managed to do her makeup, simple but showing off my beautiful girl.

Sometimes it felt like beauty and the beast with her.

“Yeah, did you still want to come?” I asked as she made her way over to me, sitting down on my knee as she pulled at the lapels of my blazer, that smirk of hers driving me crazy as I breathed in the thickness of her perfume.

“I want to go everywhere with you, daddy.” She teased, leaving pink lipstick against my lips as she kissed me, slow and sensual. So unlike the hot and heavy kisses Peach and I usually shared as she slowed things down.

My hands rub her, wanting her as she smirks against my lips pulling away as I groan, reaching for her and pulling her back to me. She wasn’t going anywhere and she knew that. 

I needed her and when I needed Peach that’s all I could think of.

…..

September 2021

Peach laughed as she looked at Ben. He threw his hands up at her, joining in with her laughter as she tucked a strand behind her ear. They had started in DM’s around Peach’s birthday, switching to text shortly after, then phone calls and now were in the Facetime era or their friendship. Some (Ben) would declare they were best friends and tease her about how he would get bracelets made for them. BUt it was true. They would Facetime for hours each day as the other just existed. Sharing space with each other, wanting to just be in the presence of each other.

Like now.

Ben was driving to the grocery store, a mundane task, and singing along to whatever was on the radio. His latest rendition of Single ladies having her laughing as she sat outside, knowing Nikki wouldn’t hear her since he was recording his audiobook in the cabin on the other side of the property. It was too loud in the kitchen since renovations were being made after Peach had accidently set it on fire the week before.

As she tucked her hair Ben caught sight of the bandages and remembered the frantic call she had given him. She was crying, unsure what to do. He had walked her through putting out the fire, trying to get her to stop crying before asking where Nikki was. It was the first time he had said the man's name out loud and it hurt worse when he had to tell Peach to go to him because he was sure she had gotten hurt enough that she needed to go to the hospital to treat her burns.

“Are you okay?” he asked her and she nodded her head, feeling stupid for what happened the week prior. No one was mad at her but she had managed to scare everyone with her carelessness. “Are you still coming to LA next month?” She nodded her head, reaching for her water to take a long drink. 

She was trying to ignore this conversation but he wasn’t going to allow her to pretend like this couldn’t change their lives. Ben was no fool and very aware that he wanted to meet her in person.

But he knew it would change everything, just like Peach did.

“We can’t meet. You know that and please don’t make me say why.” Ben wanted to hear her say why. Wanted to know that he wasn’t crazy and that she was feeling it too. That this could happen if she opened up about it, “Plus Nikki’s keeping me on a short leash. He wants me to go on the whole tour and I just don’t want to be traveling like that.” Ben was surprised she was talking about Nikki in a negative way.

Sometimes she would let out tidbits of her unhappiness but to say she was on a short leash and give him more clarity shocked him. 

“You get motion sick. Not a great thing in a tour bus.” Peach blinked, surprised that he remembered that and grateful that when she spoke someone listened to her. “Maybe you need to break the leash. Stay in your condo. Oh, about that. I went over and checked the place for you. I picked up the keys. You said you were just changing the locks but I wanted to be thorough.” Two people other than Peach knew about the condo she had in LA. Her best friend Sammie and now Ben. 

She had always kept it separate not wanting NIkki to get ideas about her real estate and try to take over. Since her and Nikki did keep some finances separate she never thought of it as a lie. 

“Thank you for doing that, you’re the best Ben Barnes.” He smiled at her, posing so she would laugh again, “Are you going to Trader Joes? That’s no fair!” He knew she always craved things from the store and planned to stock her condo for when she came to LA in a couple weeks. He wanted her to be able to use this trip to realize that she didn’t have to stay in Wyoming, like a princess stuck in a tower. 

Sasha had options.

“Just move to LA and you can come shopping with me. I’ll even let you push the trolley.” She laughed at him and he knew he had used a word wrong, “What? What did i-”

“Are you on the phone with Sammie?” Peach ripped out the headphones, Ben watching the color drain from her face as she hung up with him, “On your work phone? What’s wrong with your regular phone? Did you smash the screen in a tantrum again?” He was teasing her and Peach had to put on her good girl face.

“You have time for me now, Daddy?” Her hands were out, pulling Nikki down on the couch, running her fingers through his hair as he made a soft hmm sound of content with her arms around him. 

Peach softened at this, some of her doubts melting away as she felt him. Nikki was exhausted and she felt bad knowing he was trying to use the rest of his life to make all his dreams come true, to leave a legacy. BUt sometimes she felt like there wasn’t enough room for his dreams and to love her. 

“Nik?” he made a hmm sound in response, “Do you love me?” He chuckled at this, turning to look up at her, his eyes on Peach who he could see was spiraling lately. Peach who got trapped in her head and made things worse than what they were. His sweet Peach girl looked at him and seemed so desperate as she asked him if he loved her and she meant it, she looked like she didn’t know. 

“Peach, you’re my everything.” He said with a sigh, pulling up her shirt and kissing her stomach, “You’re the love that makes it all worth it.” he was closing his eyes as he kissed her soft stomach again.

She was laying on the couch, worried that it wasn’t enough.

October 2021 

October came and Nikki looked at Peach with her several suitcases she was wheeling like this wasn’t an insane amount of shit to bring for a week trip to LA. He wanted to make a comment about how she was over packing but Peach had been in a weird mood for months and claimed it was work related. 

She was working more. Nikki couldn’t deny that. Her work phone forever in her hands as she typed away. She was doing more brand deals too and he knew she had several projects she was working on when they were in LA. It was one of the first trips that they were going on that had them both planning different things. On one hand Nikki was thankful he wouldn’t have to deal with his pouty princess but on the other hand he was worried that she was overworking herself and would have a breakdown.

“Peach, it’s like you’re moving out.” She looked up at him, a flash of emotion that made his stomach knot on her face before it was masked over and she laughed at him, leaning in to kiss him.

“With the tour coming up I want to make sure I have enough stuff to pack since we’re leaving from LA. Plus cleaning out my closet at home means you can buy me new pretty things.” she teased him.

But Peach had already planned to have six of the bags delivered to her condo in LA that she kept separate from Nikki. She had been using it as additional income as a rental but her tenant had left at the end of August and Peach planned to fix it up a bit. Things weren’t going right and she believed in having an escape plan in all situations. 

Nikki treated Peach like a spoiled child but at the end of the day she was worth a few million and had a steady income from her online involvement along with her counseling work she did at a law firm. Which she was going to extend while in LA to see if she could build her worth in case she needed to have more cash on hand. Peach wasn’t stuck in Neverland, the Peter Pan fantasy that she was sure that Nikki had managed to get stuck in at one point. She was growing up and out of being Peach, especially with Nikki not having the time or patience with her anymore. 

Peach had a rough life and she never wanted to be as unprepared as she was as a teenager. She harbored a lot of fear of having everything go to hell like it had then and promised herself that she would always land on her feet.

And there was also the Ben situation. Ben who claimed to be her best friend and knew more about her than Nikki did at this point. Ben who left her voice messages of songs he was working on that made her shiver. Ben who had laughed when she told him it was 11:11 to make a wish and yet texted her every 11:11 he was awake for, letting her know he was making wishes. Ben who made Peach feel like herself and not something Nikki had created.

They had managed to stay friends. Just friends because they had never met but now Peach was on a flight to LA and her heart was in her throat as she thought about Ben who she had told more than she should have about Nikki. Ben who had told her she would need to make a decision one day and he would support her either way. Ben who had just left her a voice message as she sat next to Nikki on the plane.

‘Sasha, your fact of the day is about the Horned lizard. The scientific name is Phrynosoma, which I used google to learn how to say . The Horned lizard can shoot blood out of its eyes, up to three feet away. This rather disgusting act is used as a defense and to confuse predators away. Ta-ta now darling. Safe travels.’ 

Peach kept her face straight, glancing over at Nikki who was typing out messages to people he would visit in LA, getting all the time in with friends he had made along the way. There would be dinners she would need to sit through and places she would smile and get her picture taken at. Nikki claimed he hated LA, talked about what a rat race it was but at the same time when he was there he lived a life he was excited about and Peach could always feel the difference in his moods. 

His hand landed on her thigh and she looked at his fingers, worn and tattooed. No ring on his finger. Peach sighed, her hand going over his as she laid her head against Nikki’s shoulder, loving when he remembered she was there and wishing she wasn’t always so desperate to have his attention.

“I have some surprises for you in LA, Peaches and cream. You’ve been such a good girl about being patient with this whole process. I couldn’t have done it without you. And it’s overdue that you get a little spoiled, right?” he teased her gently as she turned her head, burying herself in Nikki’s chest. 

Peach felt guilty. Guilty that she had a friend who made her smile, who she turned to because he always had time for her. Made sure of that. And yet he wasn’t next to her right now. No, she was with Nikki. The love of her life and Peach hated worrying about if that was true. Was he the love of her life? Because she often felt like she wasn’t his. 

Horned lizards shoot blood out of their eyes but Peach’s just cry.

NIKKI POV

It had been crazier than I had expected in LA. Peach had been less of a pouty brat than I expected and more of a shadow of a person. But I could see it on her face tonight that she was ready to rumble.

“We have two nights left in LA, Nik. And I haven’t seen you at all. Not one dinner. Not one date. Nothing and…what is that?” her head tilted to the side as she looked at the envelope I had in my hand, waving at her in a teasing manner. “Nikki! What is it?” She was dancing around me, her silk robe fanning out as I held it over my head, watching her smile as she wrapped her arms around me, kissing me on the chin to soften me.

“It’s a surprise. We’re going to a show tonight that's more jazz sort of lounge music. And I’m taking you out for dinner to have some one on one time with you.” I leaned in, kissing her as she squealed delighted as she pulled me in, long kisses as I let my hands roam despite knowing we didn’t have the time. I could make time for this. “Show daddy how happy you are with him, Peach.”

She looked at me, trying to hide her shock with a smile as she pressed down into the floor of our bedroom. Hands coming up to undo my jeans as her eyes glanced down at my cock, stroking me as I reached out, hand tangling with her hair. The way she gasped, my tip pushing into her lips catching her off guard.

Perfect.

Peach sucked me, hard as she stroked my shaft, using her lips as she moaned around me letting her tongue roll around my cock as she whimpered around me. She was Pulling off me with a pop, eyes up as she looked at me, stroking me with her lips still plump.

“Lay down, daddy. I want to sit on your face while I suck your cock.” Of course she wanted me to please her too.

I held her thighs, pushing her apart as my tongue slid into her, feeling her moans around my shaft as she choked sliding down me a little further. It had been too long since she had wanted to climb on my face like this and I realized just how starved I was for it. My fingers pressing into her weeping hole as she cried out. 

I knew Peach’s body like no other. I could do things to her that she had only experienced with me. I loved how she trembled on me, throwing herself into swallowing the spit and precum as she tried to go deeper and deeper around me. So needy.

“Daddy,” she gagged around me as she shook out, swallowing loads of cum i was depositing into her mouth. Her own body propped up by my hands as she came against my tongue, giving herself up to me. 

Peach crawled over, laying against my chest as she had her eyes half closed, ready to take her nap after exhausting herself.

“Tonight is a date night, Peach. No work phone.” she tensed in my arms for a second before nodding her head, pushing off the bed as she stood up, picking up her phone, hesitating for a second before turning it off and putting it in the bedside drawer.

“I’m all yours, NIk. Come shower with me.” her hands were held out and her pout was welcoming me in. 

My sweet Peach. I was going to make sure I took time for moments like this more. I hadn’t been the man my girl needed and I needed to fix that.

One surprise ata  time.

Peach POV

Ben was staring at me. That sneaky British fucker who looked so good in a suit that my mouth watered like I was hungry. His eyes were locked on mine as he sipped his scotch and he didn’t have the grace to look away. Nikki was on my arm, holding a bottle of water as I held my purse with two hands to keep them busy, wondering why out of all the shows Nikki wanted to go to we ended up here.

He was walking towards us? Eyes eating me up as I wished he didn’t look at me like that. Giving me knots in my stomach as I thought of how I should have never started talking to him.

“Great show man.” Ben smirked at Nikki, taking his eyes off of me as I melted in place, wishing Nikki had not insisted on coming backstage. “I’m Nikki. This is my girl P-”

“Sasha Jade.” I looked up, wide eyed as I heard my name spoken for what seemed like the first time in a decade. He smirked at me, leaning in and kissing my cheek, the bristle of his beard as we breathed each other in. Ben shifted to kiss my other cheek, so close that his lips just brushed over mine as he turned his head and I caught his eyes knowing it was done on purpose.

My head reached out for his bicep to steady myself as I thought about how incredibly small this room was and how I was ready to faint.

Nikki was there though and I let go of Ben as he pulled up, eyes giving me all the emotion I needed to see to know that this was a situation I didn’t need to be in with Nikki. He was already looking at Ben, trying to make sense of what he had just called me and how he knew me. 

“I followed Sasha on Instagram a whole or so ago. I didn’t think Peach was her real name.” He looked from me up to Nikki and I wanted to leave. Very badly. The guilt I felt for Dming with him for the past few months was bubbling in my stomach and I felt like I was going to puke. 

Nikki was pushing him into conversation, telling him a story about how he had played the Troubadour a million times and talking all about the 80’s and his glory days. Because of course that’s what he talked about when my feet ached in the heels and I was dying of thirst.

Ben kept eye contact with Nikki as he stepped toward the bar, grabbing a water and a barstool, pulling them back and handing me a drink as he nodded, keeping conversation with Nikki still. He held out a hand as he steadied the stool with his leg and helped me up on it, eyes still on Nikki as he listened to the story he was being told.

“Thank you.” I said softly, sipping my water as I finally rested my feet. I was exhausted, emotionally drained and wanted to scream.

“Did you already eat? I was headed back to my place soon and-“

“We ate already.” Nikki was short with him as Ben nodded his head, shaking Nikki’s hand and smiling at him. He knew that the time between them was done and anything extra would let him know to much. 

Was there too much?

“Thanks for coming to the show.” Ben was so short with him and then he turned to me, eyes sparkling as I felt myself want to shake my head. But he was smart, “Goodnight, Sasha.” I only could wave a few fingers as he walked away.

What. The. Fuck.

“Everyone follows you, Peach. It was strange hearing him use your name.” Nikki was oblivious to the puddle I was in and I was thankful for that small miracle. Finally willing myself to stand up, grabbing Nikki’s arm.

“I’m exhausted, Nik. And I have an early shoot time.” He nodded, at least understanding that I had to work. 

I wasn’t going to talk to Ben again. I needed to stop this because seeing him in person made my crush that much worse. But as I laid in bed listening to Nikki snore beside me I felt myself reaching for my phone, wishing to see a message from Ben, disappointed when I didn’t. 

And that disappointment scared me.

Ben POV

The show had left me on a high where I couldn’t sleep. Even after staying until the venue had kicked us all out I had managed to push through and stay up until the twilight hours. Maybe I couldn’t sleep because I was thinking about Sasha, wishing she would text me first so I didn’t come off as too pushy.

She had looked…phh..

Exquisite.

I couldn’t stop thinking of her. The sheer black gloves, that silk dress hugging her body. All black like a midnight sky and she was the moon, lighting up the room. I had caught sight of her when I was singing, eyes meeting hers as I sang 11:11 for the person it was written for, watching her painted red mouth gasp and oh what a dream come true it had been, until I realized the nightmare that was beside her.

She had told me about him, careful words but when we video chatted her eyes would drift to the side, sad and sullen before she wanted to change the subject. There was something about him that gave off dirty old man vibes and I wondered why she was with him.But she loved him and I think part of her knew she always would. Sasha was growing, learning and I hoped she would soon realize that you can hold onto a love story even after it ends. 

We were friends but today, touching her and breathing her in. The way we looked at each other made it very, very clear what a terrible ruse this friendship was. This was a friendship where we pined for each other but I wouldn’t push her. No, if I pushed she would pull away.

‘You’re amazing. I don’t tell you that enough. You amazing, talented, handsome man. XXOO SJ’

Smiling at my phone like a fool. I wondered if she was in bed with him and my mood darkened as I put my phone down, turned away as i undid the button on my shirt and poured myself a drink. Looking out at LA I thought about the girl I knew I was going to fall in love with, very aware that she wasn’t ready for it. 

I closed my eyes, head tilting back as I pinched the bridge of my nose and thought about what I was going to do. I didn’t want to be just her friend but if that was all I could get would it be torture or could I make it enough? Was I not understanding her side of the situation as much?

I couldn’t quit her cold turkey and knowing how unhappy she was, how could I let her sit there, waiting for me to respond and get nothing back. I had to put my feelings aside and think of her. Someone had to think of her.

‘You’re exquisite. Getting to sing to you in a crowd of people, it was my dream come true. Sleep well, darling XX BB’

I hope as she read that she knew that she was my dream and that I was never going to stop chasing her.

It was a new day, the sunlight was rising over LA as I pulled my phone from my pocket holding it up to my mouth to leave her a voice message. 

‘The fact of the day, darling, is you’re the most ravishing girl I have ever seen. So blinded by your glow that I can’t close my eyes without seeing twinkling stars in your smile. I hope you’re sleeping, Sasha. I hope you only have swirls of good dreams dancing through your head. And if you wake up to this, Good morning and what a wonderful day I wish for you’