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j4ystar · 2 years ago

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90s LOVE — park jay

➞ bf!jay x f!reader

➞ hockey!au, inspired by the 90s love by nct u mv !!!

➞ synopsis : jay plays against your ex's hockey team

➞ fluff????

➞ word count : 1.6k

➞ tw : jay kicking ass semi-violent fight moment, swearing, just an itty bitty mention of blood

ᓚᘏᗢ aj — LOLLL took me so long to acc publish anything on here. if she sucks lets just pretend she doesn’t. smth short for tonight bc this is all i’ve been thinking of recently. enforcer refers to a player that deters and respond to violent play by the opposing team by starting fights w them. ALSO HAHAH I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT HOCKEY.

jay’s vision blurs momentarily as he gets shoved into the side panels of the rink. he regains his balance quickly though, and he brushes off the aching pain in his shoulders. he looks up hoping to get a glimpse of the jersey number that had just body checked him. he stomps on the ice, breezing past his teammates and the opposing team alike. he scans the ice for the puck and finds an open spot, and he watches his team fall back into a defensive position when they fail to shoot the puck into the opposing team's net.

that stupid number 10 was getting on jay’s nerve. he wore his jersey proudly as he strutted the ice with such toxicity. he was a bad player. he had been playing dirty, and the refs weren’t calling any of it. they turned a blind eye to it. he was known as one of the enforcers for the opposing team. now, jay was in no way the enforcer of his team; that was left for his other teammates. jay was the center of his team. jay was warned about number 10. not by his teammates nor his coach, but by his girlfriend.

"jay whatever he says or does during the game. just ignore him."

jay wanted to ignore him so bad. jay could tolerate the rough play on the ice; the shoving was all part of the game, and that game, jay could play. but the comments were much worse to tolerate. not when they included you. number 10 was your ex, jang jiwook. the stories you had a hard time opening up to jay about made jay hate his guts, despite not knowing the guy at all. upon hearing about the things he had done to you, jay just had to know what he looked like to at least keep an eye out for you when in public. throughout the entirety of the first half of the game, jiwook had been throwing comments left and right to jay about you, his beloved girlfriend. the misogynistic name-calling was enough to get steam blowing out of jay’s ears as if he were an animated character. while jay was good at keeping his temper in check, he couldn’t keep ignoring what jiwook was saying about you. jay wanted to listen to you so bad. he didn’t want to upset you first and foremost.

jiwook skates past jay again, briskly brushing past his shoulder. jay manages to skate into an open spot where he steals the puck away from the current holder and is able to turn the game around from there. upon rounding to the blue line nearest to the opposing team's net. jay looks to his right, finding jiwook coming in with such speed that he is sure he is about to come in and bulldoze jay. and so he passes the puck to another teammate, hoping they will be able to finish the play and score for their team. his teammate is able to make the score, which leads to a chorus of cheers from their school crowd.

jiwook skates up past jay with a smirk playing on his lips. jay’s irritation begins to grow.

"i heard you were with yn? have fun with my leftovers." and with that, he skates away. jay can hear him chuckling under his breath. jay breathes out for a moment. the cold arena makes his hot breath come out as a white fog. eyes averted to the clock and then back to the game. jay’s eyes watch carefully as his teammates skate with such vigour; he can hear the calls from left and right, yet as sunghoon calls out for jay to pass to, before he can even receive the puck in the bill of his stick, a body comes smashing into his side, sending jay toppling over.

the audience falls into a frenzy, some cheering, some complaining. jay’s teammates turn their heads in concern for his condition. jay feels jiwook’s heavy weight lift off him, and jiwooks teammates are hitting their sticks against the boards of the rink. despite the heavy hit to his head, jay can still see straight, and all he wants to go for is the big blue jersey with the numbers 10 stamped in white letters plastered on the back.

sunghoon approaches jay; he asks him if he’s okay. but his words just sounded slurred to jay, who begins catching up to jiwook. sunghoon looks towards the student section of the audience in search of you. fully knowing what’s about to happen next.

jay can hear the shouts of his teammates in the players box, and he is sure his coach is mixed in there yelling about not following the play. but he simply shakes his white gloves off and rips his helmet off his head, proceeding to toss it to the side. his right arm comes to tap jiwooks shoulder, who spins around on his skates only to be met with jay’s cold fist to his face. the crowd's roars intensify after the first hit.

the first hit is enough to get the helmet twisted partially off jiwook’s head. but the second left hook knocks the helmet clean off. leaving a defenceless jiwook to jay’s assault. jiwooks arms come to either side of jay’s bulky arms, and he quickly rips his gloves off in an attempt to retaliate for the violence. jay is full of rage; he is already burning up under all the equipment layered on his body.

"don’t fucking talk about yn like that," jay tells him. hair disheveled. jiwook struggles against jay who throws the last punch before the refs tear the two boys apart. jay comes back to his senses upon being scolded by the referee as he gets ushered to the penalty box. jiwook is skating with crimson blood slowly dripping from his nose, it drips onto his chin and onto the neck cut of his jersey.

jay refuses to look at jiwook from the penalty box, but when he cranes his neck to look at the spot where you reside among the other watchers in the arena, he fails to find you. but he knows you are probably upset at him for acting out. despite your warnings for jay, he never promised you that he wouldn’t hurt jang jiwook.

after five minutes in the box, he returns to the players box, where his teammates cheer him on and praise him for being able to square up to an enforcer despite being a center. fighting wasn’t jay’s job, at least not on the ice. but fighting for you? it was his job, and he takes his job very seriously. his teammates send him to the locker room, and jay wholeheartedly expects his coach to be in the locker room, where he would get scolded and lectured for not waiting on an enforcer on his team to take the damage for him. that wasn’t what entirely plagued his mind though.

upon reaching the changing rooms, he pushes them open and expects to face his rugged and scary coach. but as he prepares to feel his coach’s wrath rain down on him, he finds you instead. your purse dangling by your side while you stand with your arms crossed. you wear jay’s jersey with pride, regardless of his new reputation on the ice and the several stares people gave you when you began to make your way to the change rooms to talk to jay.

"look, i’m sorry—"

"you fucked him up good, you know." you told him, and jay lets out a breath of relief. you weren’t that mad. at least if you were, it wasn’t really showing. "he was saying shit about you. what did you expect me to do?" jay asks you, crossing his arms over his chest to mimic you.

"didn’t i tell you to ignore him?"

"how ‘bout you try ignoring my ex when she calls me her leftovers?" jay argues, huffing out in annoyance. jay sits on one of the benches, exhausted and with his head still spinning. you stop your movements. "he called me his leftovers?" your expression morphs to that of amusement. "well now i’m glad that you kicked his ass." you say. maneuvering past the other benches and duffle bags scattered over the floor. you take jay’s head into your arms and stand between his legs. he lays his head on your chest automatically. jay’s arms come around your torso, hugging you closer to him. a hand rests on one of his shoulders while the other tangles in jay’s hair.

"and to be clear, if your ex said anything bad about you, i would fight her too." you laugh softly. you can hear jay’s muffled chuckles. "i think i've got to go before your coach actually comes and scolds you." you tell him softly. he lets out a whine, his arms circling around you tighter, refusing to let you go.

"you still have a game to play, jay." you tell him sweetly, hands coming to his shoulders. he parts from you. looking up at you with such a yearning gaze. his eyes are soft. contrasting the way his eyes sharpened when he looked at jiwook with such fervour during the game. you bend down to press a kiss onto the corner of jay’s lip. when you pull away, jay follows your lips. his eyes fluttered closed and not realizing what he was doing. a small smirk appears on his lips as he looks away from you and refocuses his gaze onto a different corner of the room out of a sudden burst of timidness. jay would do anything for you, even if that meant getting benched for the rest of the season because your loser dickhead ex boyfriend is salty you found a better man.

"park, you’re supposed to be attacking the net, not the opposing players." you and jay jump at the voice of jay’s coach booming through the locker room.

THE END WAHOOOOOOO

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idontplaytrack · 7 months ago

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HEY GIRLIE MMWAAH 🥹🧚🏽‍♀️💗

Can I request a fluff Aj x fem reader where they decided to go on a hike and they were being playful so they raced to a certain point and reader falls down and gets injured then Aj takes care of reader🥹🥹🥹and attends to her wounds and Aj just prevents reader from getting up or doing anything around the house🥹🥹🥹🥹

✧ Into the future

AJ Campos x fem! reader(married au)

Warnings: fluff, coarse language, falling/injury, slight mentions of blood, implied smut/tiny make-out at the very end

In which a usual morning hike takes a painful turn, leaving you unable to do much of anything at all afterwards. But only because AJ wouldn’t let you

“Hey.” AJ nudges you softly.

You cast your glance on her, “Yeah?”

“Should we go for a hike? It’s so early, maybe we could catch the sunset on the way.” She suggested.

“Good idea. Neither of us can sleep, so might as well get out of bed and get moving.” You laugh, pulling the blanket of yourself and stepping out of bed. AJ follows suit.

Living near the hills, it was a rather short drive to the trail. Once there, you and AJ started walking uphill, along with a small handful of other hikers who you both greeted politely along the way. But also for safety— so they recognised you if, knock on wood, anything were to happen.

You and AJ moved from New York to Los Angeles recently and were still in the midst of getting used to everything here. The neighbours, the neighbourhoods, the stores, the restaurants, the people. Just…overall trying to build a whole new life in this whole new city.

“I’m glad we moved here.” You said, walking beside her.

“Me too, baby.” AJ glances at you and smiles, “It’s quite nice, having the space. And ‘breathing room’ in general compared to y’know, New York. We lived away from the city but were close enough to be there often, so you know what I mean?”

“Totally.” You nodded, looking around. “I mean, expenses wise I’m not seeing too much of a difference but maybe that’s just a me problem.”

She chuckles, “We’ll work it out. But so far, we’re pretty comfortable.”

“I know we are. And it’s still so crazy to think about— like what do you mean I am an actress now?”

“Hey, if it helps pay the bills and is something you like doing? That’s amazing.” AJ grabs your arm and linked hers with yours, leaning onto your shoulder briefly.

“Barely.” You laugh, “I’m unemployed. Again.”

“Hey. I’m working too, you know?” She jokes, “We’ll be fine.”

“I know, I know.” You sigh softly, stopping in your tracks to turn and look at the scenery— the city beneath your feet. “It’s just sometimes…I worry, maybe a little too much.”

“Well, and I’ll be right here no matter what.” She swings your hands slightly, “We’re doing just fine, I promise you.” Pressing a kiss to the back of your hand, she brushes her thumb over your knuckles.

You give her hand a squeeze in response.

“You want some water?” She asks. “No, I’m good. Not yet.” You say. “Okay.” AJ replies then took the water bottle out from the backpack to take a sip.

After that, the hike resumes— walking and stopping every so often to take in the peacefulness and the sounds of the city waking up, and the gentle breeze in your hair. Somehow or other, you ended up a little ways ahead of AJ since right now, she’s decided to stop a little bit more to take some photos. With the knowledge that AJ was just several feet behind you, you continued walking ahead. But what you didn’t know what that there’d be joggers and runners— not at 5a.m. Well, it wasn’t always like this back home, at least. Some guy accidentally bumped into you. He apologised, and went on his way. You steadied yourself and then walked barely a couple of feet before someone else brushed past you, making you trip over the uneven ground and you fell. Awkwardly. Breaking the momentum of those joggers and runners.

Hearing the commotion, AJ rushed over but you’d already did a face plant. The second guy helps you up, apologising profusely, “I’m so sorry. I should’ve been more alert of my surroundings.”

“It was an accident—” You said while trying to put weight on both feet again but your right ankle hurt like a bitch. AJ caught you before you fell on your ass.

“Sit down, let me take a look at that.” He says. AJ looked at him a little confused. “I’m a nurse.” He answered.

“Oh.” AJ nodded and helped you sit down on an elevated surface nearby.

Embarrassed, you avoided eye contact with either of them.

“Are you able to move your foot?” He asks and you tried. “A little bit.”

“Well…your ankle isn’t directed in a weird angle— you’re not feeling numbness or tingling?”

“No.”

“Then, I’m certain it’s a sprain.” He assured, “Keep your movements within the pain-free zone. Watch it for the next few days, if anything seems worrisome, go get it checked out.”

“Okay, thanks.” You heaved a sigh of relief. AJ squeezed your shoulders, “Thanks…uh, what’s your name?”

“Isaiah.” He introduced himself, shaking your hand and AJ’s.

“Isaiah. Thanks, for checking her over.” AJ smiled softly.

“No problem, I’m really sorry about this.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m just clumsy.” You laughed a little, “We’ll be going. You have a good rest of your day.”

“You guys, too. See you.”

You pushed yourself off the little ledge you were sat on and AJ stops you, as though horrified that you’d injure yourself again. “I’m fine.”

“Not really. I’m gonna give you a piggyback ride. Get on.” She stated.

You squint at her, sulking. “AJ…”

“It’s just till we get to the car, baby.” She cracks a smile, “C’mon, we have to go downhill. I’m not taking that risk now of you possibly falling again and getting a broken bone before the sun even fully rises. You already skinned your knee pretty bad, too.”

“Alright, alright.” You gave in. She picks you up onto her back easily and walked back down to her car, talking to you the whole way knowing that it would distract you from the pain.

Once she got to her car, you grabbed her keys from her pocket and unlocked the car doors. She pulls it open singlehandedly and helped you onto the seat smoothly. “Okay, all good?” She watched you while you buckled your seatbelt.

“Yup.” You gave her a nod. She shuts the door and got in the driver’s seat.

You dozed off for a bit, the fatigue of staying up all night finally getting to you. AJ parks in the garage, silently debating whether or not to wake you. She doesn’t, but carries you into the house and just let you sleep. You did however, nearly wake up when she was walking up the stairs. “It’s alright, honey. Just sleep- you’re tired.” She whispers, “I’m gonna get you in bed and clean up your knee for you, alright?”

You mumbled, arms hooking around her neck as she continued making her way up the stairs. She tries to put you down on the mattress but you refused to let her go. “Baby…” She laughs lightly, “C’mon, I’ll give you cuddles after I’m done.”

You let go. Biting back a smile, AJ went to get the first aid kit to clean the wound on your kneecap. She was glad you fell asleep because then you probably wouldn’t feel as much pain then if you were wide awake. AJ’d helped you wash off most of the bits of dirt and gravel on the wound at the trail. But it still had to be properly disinfected and dressed.

“Ow!” The second the gauze hit your broken skin, and soaked up some of the blood, you seethed, teeth gritted while your eyes screwed shut. Well, you still felt it after all. “Sorry.” She mutters, working as quickly as she could. You flinched a little while she cleaned it up, but nothing too bad. “Okay, I’m done. I’m gonna wrap a bandage around your ankle now then go grab an ice pack for it.”

You didn’t want her to touch your leg anymore because it’ll hurt, but she definitely wanted to get it done. So you just laid there and took it, hoping that by not looking at it, things will be more tolerable. Was that the case? Not exactly.

Since you’d been up for nearly a full day at this point, you were easily drifting in and out of sleep. But only because of whatever AJ was doing with your ankle. You could not actually fall asleep until it stopped getting moved around and the pain stops. Whining pitifully as she wraps the bandage around your ankle, she looks at you for a bit, heart aching seeing you in pain. You both knew you were accident prone, which was why she was the athlete and you were the writer(now an actress, but her point still stands). But when accidents do happen, she hates seeing you all uncomfortable and in pain. “Okay, baby. All done, I’m sorry. Go to sleep.” She leaned forward to press a kiss to your forehead before leaving. Your ankle was elevated on a pillow with an ice pack on it to help with the swelling. Once AJ got rid of the trash she returns to the room to stay with you, knowing that you’d like her company. Also, she wanted to get some sleep before she got up again to make breakfast and get started with the day.

————

You woke up right when AJ did, only she was already out of bed and all freshened up. “I don’t want you putting weight on your affected foot all the time. Try not to walk around too much.”

“Well, I wanna move around once in awhile, y’know?” You glanced at her, carefully moving your legs off the bed, “It’s not good to just sit for hours and hours. I’ll just end up with more problems.”

“I’ll get you the old crutches from the basement.” She answered.

“Alright.” You agreed, “What’s for breakfast?”

“Waffles?”

Smiling, you nodded your head in agreement. “Yum.”

“Do you want coffee or tea?” She asks, now fully focused on you after she was done doing her hair.

You chuckled, “You.”

She snorted, “Cute. But absolutely not.”

“Aw.” You sulked.

“You just have to try not to put weight on your ankle for 48 hours then once the swelling and pain starts to get better, you can walk a little bit as per usual. Without the crutches then.”

“Okay.” You answered, pouting.

“You’ll be okay, cutie.” She flashes you a sweet smile then bent down to press a kiss to your cheek.

A tiny smile tugs at the corners of your lips.

“I’ll be right back.” She says, disappearing to go retrieve the crutches.

She was right and you knew it, going down two flights of stairs? You definitely needed the crutches to help you unless you wanted to feel the damn pain in your ankle every time you took a step. You were lucky it wasn’t broken or worse, fractured.

After using the bathroom, you made your way downstairs— at last. "I'll handle breakfast. You just focus on relaxing."

"I know, I know." You said back, making your way over to the couch. Plopping down onto it, you grabbed the remote and surfed the channels to see what was on. "Nothing?" "Nothing good." You guffawed, tossing the remote aside, you were then staring into space. After awhile, you said, "I'm just gonna watch you cook."

"If that makes you happy, please do." She giggles, looking over her shoulder. So...that's what you did. You watched your wife make breakfast: waffles, fruit and tea. Then, she was right by your side again to enjoy the meal with you. She was always really efficient in the kitchen— it truly never took her over thirty minutes to prepare anything unless absolutely necessary. "Thank you~" You smiled, mouth stuffed with the waffles. "Not a problem, my love." AJ mirrors your smile, "How's the pain?"

"Eh, it's better."

"Would you want Tylenol? Otherwise we have the gel thing."

"Maybe a little later."

"Okay." AJ nodded, grabbing her mug, "Oh, right. Do you want milk with your tea? I didn't put any for you because you usually don't take it that way." "No, I'm good."

AJ turns the TV back on after a couple minutes and settled on a random channel airing old movies. The one currently on was a comedy, which was great because you sure as hell needed some laughter. Soon enough, it becomes background noise when you started a conversation. "Hey, babe?"

She hums, putting down her fork, "Hm?"

"Have you...ever thought about where we'd be like say, five years into the future?"

"Huh." AJ swallows her last mouthful of food and says, "Yeah, actually. Sometimes. And when I think about it, I see...us, with a pet— a dog, or maybe a cat. And we'd be a family of three. Just maybe, it's not a must for us to get a cat or a dog, or have a kid, but...yeah."

You pondered over her words, mind going back to high school— junior year. When you and AJ first started dating. It was absolutely crazy to see how much your lives seemed to have changed, yet some things still stayed the same. Like your dear friends from high school? You guys are all still friends. Did you all still live in the same town? Nope. Jobs? Most of them are different. Goals? They've changed. The future made you nervous sometimes…

"Yeah." You snapped out of your thoughts, "I think we're on the same page about that. A hundred percent."

But you had AJ, with you through it all. AJ's face lit up with a smile again, and it just made you feel so happy. Her smile was contagious, as was her laugh. She never fails you brighten up your days and made you feel like you were the only girl in the world. So safe, so loved, so wanted.

Leaning over, she presses a kiss to your lips. You licked your lips, chuckling, "I can taste the syrup."

She smirks, "You're lucky I'm not kissing you all over the face." Getting up, she collects your plate and hers then washed them in the kitchen. Once again, you found yourself just watching, no— admiring her.

"AJ?"

"Yeah?" She asks, not bothering to look back.

"I know you said no earlier, but can we find a way? What if I dunno, I just sit?"

She laughs, turning the tap off, "Baby, you're in quite a bit of pain right now. Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure." You answered straightforwardly.

"Then, okay. If you're down, I'm down." She agreed easier than you thought she would. "Just give me a minute. Almost done, baby."

"Mhm. Oh, and could we have pasta for dinner tonight?"

"Dinner?" She glances at you, "I mean, sure."

"Sorry, I'm just...craving it. I don't know why."

"I think I do." AJ teases.

"Well, then." You sulked jokingly.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding." She says to you while drying off her hands then walking back to you. With a playful glint in her eyes. You knew exactly what that look meant. She wanted you just as bad as you wanted her. Grinning as she leaned in, she cups your cheek while very carefully straddling you. "Hi, cutie." She broke away from the kiss to look at you.

"Hi." You smiled, "Just kiss me already." "Horny." She teased before reconnecting your lips.

You rolled your eyes while leaning back in, "Got a problem?"

"Mm-mm, no."

————

🏷️ Tag list:

@ashecampos @auliisflower @cheesysoup-arlo @frogs00 @reneeswif3 @ludoesartnstuffs @pda128

#auli’i cravalho #aj campos #aj campos x reader #female reader #x reader #reader insert #crush(2022)#hulu crush #wlw fluff #wlw fanfic #lgbtqia #queer #queer fiction #nature hikes #hurt/comfort

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swan-of-sunrise · 8 months ago

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Hawkeye (Part IV)

Summary: Christmas Day arrives and while (Y/N) and Steve enjoy a quiet day with their daughter, a familiar face pays them an unexpected but ultimately welcomed visit.

Pairing: Steve Rogers X Fem!Reader

Word Count: 3.8k

Warnings/Disclaimers: None

A/N: Hi guys! We've finally made it to the last chapter of this little mini-series and trust me, there's no content warnings but you'll for sure wanna read this with a box of tissues nearby lol thank you for reading, I hope you all enjoy!

Hawkeye (Part IV) December 25th, 2024 The Home of (Y/N) (Y/L/N) and Steve Rogers, Brooklyn (Previous Chapter)

Christmas Day had finally arrived, and the Rogers-(Y/L/N) family spent their morning amidst a flurry of shredded wrapping paper, discarded ribbons and cast-off decorative bows, their home overflowing with holiday cheer. The television was turned on to a broadcast of the Yule Log and while Christmas music played faintly in the background, the scent of (Y/N)’s famous hot coca and Steve’s homemade cinnamon rolls combined with the smell of fresh pine emanating from their sizable tree to create a warm, heavenly aroma. Outside, snow leisurely came down from the cloudy sky, dusting their lawn and the near-deserted street and creating a tranquil landscape that (Y/N) couldn’t help but admire each time she glanced out their windows.

Carina, after tearing through all the presents she’d gotten from her parents and her many aunts and uncles, was sitting content on the floor of the living room and playing with her brand-new Mega Bloks while Indy, whose fur had been lovingly decorated with bows by the enthusiastic fifteen-month-old, was curled up in his dog bed by the heat vent and munching on his new bone. (Y/N) and Steve took advantage of the peace and quiet to exchange gifts with one another; they initially agreed on giving something small and possibly handmade, but it quickly became apparent that they both went behind each other’s back and splurged on one another. (Y/N) beamed with joy when she opened her expertly wrapped package to reveal a handmade cassette mixtape, featuring various songs that had special meaning to the two of them and their relationship, and her jaw subsequently dropped when she withdrew a gorgeous antique pearl necklace. Steve laughed in delight when he pulled a custom Viewmaster out of his box, marveling at all the pictures of their life together she’d added to its many reels, and his azure eyes went wide when he saw the autographed 1941 Pee Wee Reese – one of his all-time favorite Brooklyn Dodgers players – baseball card tucked into a hard protective sleeve.

It was then that (Y/N) and Steve finally unsealed the envelope that Dr. Prince had prepared for them together, scanning their most recent sonogram and gasping in unison when they read ‘It’s A Girl!’ printed along the bottom. “We’re having another girl!” Steve exclaimed and (Y/N) laughed in delight as his hands came up to cradle her face and he captured her lips in an enthusiastic kiss; when they came up for air, he pulled her into a tight hug and murmured into her ear, “I told you so…”

(Y/N) playfully dug her fingers into his sides, smirking at his surprised yelp and leaning back to meet his mirthful gaze. “Come July, you and Indy are going to be outnumbered around here.”

Grinning, Steve trailed kisses along her jaw and towards her smiling, kiss-swollen lips. “We wouldn’t want it any other way, sunshine.”

Some time later, they FaceTimed their friends one by one to share their happy news with them. The Barton’s and Kate Bishop were thrilled, and (Y/N) was pleased to see how much the young archer was enjoying spending Christmas Day with her new partner and his family; the Wilson family was equally ecstatic, with AJ and Cass letting out a cheer at the news and Sarah immediately listing off various foods that would help with her lingering nausea, and they all burst into laughter when a disgruntled Sam reached into his wallet and handed a folded bill over to a smug-looking Bucky. Everyone else they contacted – Bruce, Scott, Rhodey, Pepper, Brunnhilde, Carol, Wong and the Guardians of the Galaxy – seemed to be enjoying a wonderful holiday season with their own families and they all eagerly congratulated them on their second pregnancy; none of them said anything, but (Y/N) could tell that they were relieved to see another signal that life was slowly but surely returning back to normal after Thanos and the Snap.

“Shouldn’t you put the ham in the oven soon?” (Y/N) asked, her arm outstretched to grab a wayward scrap of wrapping paper that somehow ended up underneath the armchair. When she finally succeeded in grabbing it, she sat up with a tired huff but frowned once she realized that her husband hadn’t answered her; glancing over her shoulder, she smiled to herself as she watched Steve and Carina stacking her new blocks together, both wearing near identical looks of concentration as they completed their task. Like father like daughter, she thought with an inward chuckle before pointedly clearing her throat. “Sweetheart? The ham?”

Steve’s head shot up and his brows rose in surprise as he craned his neck to look at the clock hanging over the entryway. “Time sure flies when you’re having fun, doesn’t it? I’ll be back in a minute, angel.” He kissed the top of the infant’s head and let her continue playing before standing up and walking over to where (Y/N) was kneeling, offering her a hand and helping her clamber to her feet. “What’s that look for, sunshine?”

“Do I need a specific reason to admire my handsome husband and his newfound appreciation for toddler architecture?” She countered with a teasing smile.

Chuckling, one of Steve’s hand rested on her waist while the other moved to cradle her cheek. “I suppose not, but I’m afraid it’ll cost you a kiss.” He leaned in and planted a swift kiss onto her forehead. “One more.” His lips brushed against the bridge of her nose and she giggled at the ticklish sensation. “Wait a sec, one more.”

“Steve!”

“Nope, that last one didn’t count.” Steve gave her cheek an over-exaggerated kiss, a devious smirk playing on his lips as she laughed. “One more, baby.”

“Steven Grant Rogers, I’m carrying your child and if I don’t eat something soon, I promise that you’re going to live to regret it.” Her half-hearted threat went unnoticed by her husband, who was preoccupied with peppering kisses along her jawline, so she was forced to place her hands on his chest and firmly push him away with a laugh. “Go!”

With a playful wink, Steve turned and sauntered into the kitchen to prepare their Christmas Day dinner, and (Y/N) looked over at Carina with an exasperated sigh. “Your Dada’s silly, isn’t he, lemon drop?” She chuckled when the infant giggled and clapped her chubby hands together, leaning down to ruffle her daughter’s (Y/H/C) hair and letting her continue stacking her blocks while she gathered up the rest of the wrapping paper; after she crammed the last of it into her brown recycling bag, she carried it into the kitchen and set it down by the back door to dispose of later. Steve was setting the oven’s timer when she sidled up beside him and leaned in to kiss his cheek, but the sound of their doorbell ringing throughout their otherwise quiet home interrupted her.

“We didn’t invite anyone over, did we?” Steve asked and when (Y/N) shook her head, the muscle in his jaw clenched as his brows furrowed in worry. “Guess we should’ve left Brienne activated after all…”

“I sincerely doubt that any of Kingpin’s lackeys would be dumb enough to announce their presence by ringing the doorbell,” She reasoned, but her own logic didn’t stop her from bringing a hand up to her lips and whistling Indy’s command to guard; they exchanged a look before leaving the kitchen and heading down the hallway to their front door, and she spared a brief glance into the living room to see their senior German Shepard standing alert beside an unaware Carina as she continued to play. They passed by their entryway table – stopping for a moment to retrieve several stun discs they’d stashed away in its hidden compartment for emergencies – and Steve wrapped a protective arm around her waist as she unlocked the door and cautiously pulled it open.

Standing on their porch was a young woman, with long blonde hair intricately braided over her shoulder, numerous silver ear piercings decorating her ears and dressed in a stylish emerald-green winter coat. She looked to be in her mid-twenties and while her pale green eyes were outlined with dark blue liner, the makeup couldn’t mask the uncertainty and the hint of fear in her gaze; her lips were pursed and her hands were shoved into her coat’s pockets as she looked between them both, and after a tense moment she finally spoke. “I’m so sorry for imposing on your Christmas, but I was in the city on a work trip and I couldn’t leave without stopping by. My name is-”

“Yelena,” (Y/N) interjected, her eyes widening in surprise; Natasha’s description of her little sister was spot-on, but it wasn’t until she heard her thick Russian accent that she fully realized who she was.

Steve, who was doing a far better job of hiding his shock, opened the door wider and gave the young woman a tight-lipped smile. “Please, come in.” Yelena hesitated for a moment but stepped through the doorway, her eyes carefully scanning their festively-decorated entryway as she slipped off her coat and black leather gloves. She allowed Steve to hang her coat on their coat-rack and followed them into the living room, and (Y/N) caught the blink-and-you-miss-it smile that formed when she spotted Carina and Indy. “Would you like something to drink, Yelena? Water, hot coca, hot coca with a splash of whiskey…?”

“I won’t lie, the third option sounds very good right about now,” The former Black Widow replied with a wry smirk, although it was still easy to see the apprehension that she was trying so hard to hide. “Thank you.”

Steve’s azure eyes briefly met (Y/N)’s before he turned and headed into the kitchen, whistling the command for Indy to join him, and (Y/N) scooped Carina up before sitting on the opposite end of the couch from Yelena; the infant squirmed on her lap, seemingly displeased to have been taken away from her Mega Bloks, but she was quickly distracted by the stuffed Hulk – a Christmas gift from her Uncle Bruce – that (Y/N) wriggled in front of her. “If it wasn’t for this little gumball,” She patted the side of her baby bump with her free hand. “I’d have a spiked hot coca the same as you.”

Yelena smiled politely. “Congratulations. Do you know whether it’s a boy or a girl yet?”

“We actually just found out this morning; it’s a girl, and we’ve already decided on her name.” (Y/N) took a steadying breath before continuing. “Natalia Austen Rogers-(Y/L/N).” When they were initially brainstorming various baby names, she and Steve came to the agreement that they would find a way to name their little boy or girl after Natasha and Tony; Natalia, being the spy’s birth name, and Austen, being the long-lasting nickname that the billionaire bestowed upon her the very first time they met.

The younger woman’s green eyes misted over, but she was quick to duck her head to hide her emotional reaction. “That’s…um, that’s a wonderful name. Natasha would like that.” She anxiously began to twirl one of her many rings around her finger. “I’ve been working up the courage to speak with you for quite some time. I came close earlier this week, at the pizza parlor in Greenwich Village, but I…” Trailing off, Yelena’s eyes flicked up to meet (Y/N)’s, carefully reading her before continuing on. “Judging by the overwhelming tension that is emanating from you and your husband, it would be safe to assume that you’ve been in recent contact with Clint Barton.” When (Y/N) mutely nodded, Yelena sighed to herself and threaded her fingers together in her lap. “Firstly, I would like to assure you that you and your family are not in any danger. I was hired to remove an obstacle and while it was an assignment that I was admittedly eager to complete, I ultimately decided against completing it; Barton was not responsible for my sister’s death, and I couldn’t see that until it was almost too late.”

“But you did see it, and that’s what really matters,” (Y/N) reassured her as she gently smoothed out her daughter’s hair, smiling when the infant waved at the former Black Widow and babbled away in excitement when she waved back. “And if it makes you feel any better, Clint’s not really the type to hold a grudge…well, except for that one time when Nat bit him during a fight. He still likes to bring that up from time to time.”

The corner of Yelena’s lips briefly twitched upwards before she sobered. “Secondly, I would like to thank you for helping my parents arrange for Natasha’s memorial. Ohio was…it was the first place where she was truly happy, and I’m glad that there is something there to honor her memory and her sacrifice.”

Swallowing the lump in her throat, (Y/N) adjusted her hold on Carina and cast her eyes downward. “It was the least I could do. Nat told me a little about her past after she went on the run and helped take down the Red Room, but she opened up more in the years after you Vanished.” She glanced up and met Yelena’s gaze with a sad smile. “She was so proud of you, Yelena, for traveling around the world and making it your mission to give all those Widows their freedom. Everything she did to help us reverse the Snap she did because she loved you, and she never once gave up trying to get you back.”

Yelena, overcome with emotion, nodded in thanks as she wiped a wayward tear from her cheek. A moment later, Steve walked back into the living room with a full mug of hot coca cradled in his hands and Natasha’s old knapsack slung over his shoulder; the former Black Widow murmured her thanks when she accepted the mug and while she took a cautious sip, Steve shrugged the knapsack off and leaned on the arm of the couch beside (Y/N). “I’m so sorry for your loss, Yelena. Your sister wasn’t just one of a kind, but she was a hero.” One of his hands moved to rest on (Y/N)’s shoulder and she briefly brushed her lips against his knuckles in comfort as he continued. “As I’m sure your parents already told you, Nat left you a message before she died; we��ve kept it safe since then, along with a few of her things that survived the Battle of Earth.”

After another sip of hot coca, Yelena set her mug down onto the coffee table and gingerly accepted the knapsack, her expression unreadable as she examined the faded name patch sewn onto the sturdy canvas. “Can I…?” She cleared her throat and looked up at them, her green eyes tinged with red. “Would you mind if I listen to it now?”

“Of course not,” (Y/N) assured her with a tight smile, allowing her husband to help her stand and positioning Carina to sit against her hip. “We’ll, um…we’ll just be in the kitchen, if you need anything.”

Yelena nodded and while she tentatively reached into her sister’s knapsack, the Rogers-(Y/L/N) family made their way to the kitchen to give the younger woman some much-needed privacy to finally face her grief head-on.

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

“So, what’s Yelena like?” (Y/N) asked, reaching into her satchel for another apple and offering it to the massive rhino behind the wooden fence; the Border Tribe had been gracious enough to allow both the visiting members of Wakanda’s new outreach program and the fugitive Avengers to visit their impressive herd of rhinoceros and since (Y/N) hadn’t seen the spy since she’d gone on the run after Siberia, she invited Nat to join her at the enclosures.

“She’s strong, much stronger than she realizes. She’s funny, smart as hell and although she can be a little bit of a pain in the ass, she’s the kind of person who’ll have your back no matter what.” Natasha’s sincere smile turned playful as she arched an appraising brow at her. “Come to think of it, she sort of reminds me of another person I know…”

(Y/N) sighed in exaggerated exasperation. “You better not let Sam hear you saying that, ‘cause his ego’s inflated enough as it is.”

Rolling her eyes, Natasha lightly shoved her shoulder as she burst into giggles. “You know damn well that I was talking about you, hot-shot, and I meant every word of it.” Both women shared a look of understanding and while her heart burst with affection for the spy, (Y/N) patted the rhino’s neck and fed her another apple. “She likes music almost as much as you do, you know, and lately, she’s turned into a bit of a fashionista. Hopefully, you’ll get a chance to meet her someday; you guys would totally get along.”

“I think so, too. We can talk about music, clothes and all the best ways to annoy the hell out of you,” (Y/N) chuckled as Natasha shook her head in disbelief, giving the rhino one last pat before looping her around hers and smiling brightly, “C’mon, we should head back to Bucky’s farm and make sure he hasn’t fed Birdbrain to his goats.”

(Y/N) smiled to herself as she recalled her conversation with Natasha so long ago and leaned down to kiss the top of Carina’s head. It had been nearly a quarter of an hour since they’d left Yelena alone in their living room with Natasha’s final message for her, and they were trying to distract themselves from the emotionally-fraught situation with their daughter and their dog; Steve was crouched on the kitchen floor and scratching a pleased Indy behind the ears while (Y/N) entertained Carina by singing various Christmas songs, beaming with pride as their daughter sat on the kitchen island in front of her and happily babbled along with her.

“At this rate, she’s gonna be singing her ABC’s before she even turns two,” Steve remarked with a proud grin, standing up and watching Indy stroll over to his water bowl for a moment before leaning against the kitchen island and jiggling her stuffed Hulk in front of her. “Aren’t you, angel? You’re so smart, just like Mama.”

“Mama smart!” Carina exclaimed and clapped her chubby hands together in glee.

“Yep, but so’s Dada! He’s very, very smart, lemon drop, just like you.” The infant giggled when (Y/N) gently booped her nose with her index finger, and she glanced over at her husband and smirked when she saw the bemused expression on his face. “Don’t sell yourself short, sweetheart; your intelligence is one of the many, many things that I love about you.”

Steve’s brow playfully arched and he hummed in interest as his arm not-so-subtly moved to wrap around her waist. “Is that so? Mind tellin’ me what the rest of ‘em are, or is that classified intel?”

“Not necessarily, but it is the sort of intel that comes with a hefty price-tag.”

“I’ve got a pint of A Hunka-Hulka Burning Fudge and two Three Musketeer bars stashed in the downstairs freezer-”

“Sold!”

Just as a chuckling Steve leaned in for a kiss, Yelena hesitantly entered the kitchen and cleared her throat, giving them an awkward sort of smile when they both looked over at her; her pale green eyes were puffy from crying, but (Y/N) could see that for the first time since entering their home, the younger woman’s features were free of any anxiety and trepidation. I hope that Nat’s final message helped her find some closure, she thought to herself as she watched Yelena gently place the empty mug onto the counter before finally speaking. “I want to thank you both, for the delicious hot coca and for inviting me into your home so that I could accept my sister’s personal items.” She hugged the knapsack close to her chest and gave them a tiny smile, and (Y/N) could’ve sworn she spotted a hint of longing in her steely gaze as she continued. “I’ve taken up enough of your time, so I should leave you to enjoy the rest of your holiday.”

Steve and (Y/N) exchanged a look as the former Black Widow turned to leave, an unspoken agreement passing between them before Steve spoke up. “Yelena?” She turned back around to face them and Steve gathered Carina up into his arms, his trademark smile of sincerity spreading across his face as they walked around the kitchen island to stand before her. “I know that you’ve only just met us and that there’s probably other ways you’d rather be spending your Christmas Day, but we’d be honored if you joined us for dinner.”

Yelena froze, seemingly unsure of how to respond to their invitation. “I…that’s very cool of you to ask, but I-I wouldn’t want to intrude…”

“You wouldn’t be intruding at all,” (Y/N) promised as a smile of her own began to form. “It’ll be great, so long as you don’t mind listening to a fifteen-month old incoherently sing along to Christmas songs and fending off an adorable German Shepard as he begs for some of your dinner.”

As she looked between them both, Yelena’s pale green eyes softened and a softer, more genuine smile slowly illuminated her features. “Well, I do like your American Christmas songs and adorable dogs…”

At the start of the holiday season, (Y/N) planned on spending her picture-perfect Christmas with her beloved Steve and Carina, and she assumed that the biggest surprise in store for them would be finally learning the sex of their new baby. But after over ten years of living the life of a superhero, it should’ve come to no surprise that even the best-laid plans could change in the blink of an eye; in a week where she’d watched a Broadway musical loosely and hilariously adapt her husband’s entire life, helped her favorite archer and his biggest fan take on one of New York City’s most notorious criminal organizations and finally met her deceased best friend’s mysterious little sister after she nearly killed their friend, it just made sense that they’d add another place setting to their dining room table and enjoy their Christmas Day dinner alongside a talkative and overall happy Yelena Belova.

Neither (Y/N) nor Steve dared ask Yelena about Natasha’s final message to her, both unwilling to dampen the younger woman’s cheerful mood, but if her sparkling eyes and joyful laughter was anything to go off of, then (Y/N) knew that the message succeeded in helping Yelena finally find some closure. Yelena, being the sort of person that was quick to open up once she felt at home, was a delightful guest; while they enjoyed their dinner, she regaled them with stories of hers and Natasha’s childhood in Ohio and her journey of self-discovery since being freed of the Red Room’s chemical subjugation and in turn, (Y/N) and Steve shared their happiest memories of Natasha with her. If this is any indication of what the future Rogers-(Y/L/N)’s Family Christmases will be like then I’m all in, (Y/N) thought to herself with a smile as Steve and Yelena laughed at her story and Carina nodded off in her highchair, stroking a hand over her growing bump and basking in the cozy holiday cheer that occupied their home.

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

A/N: And there you have it, a little Christmas fluff for ya'll in April! Thank you all so much for reading and commenting! I’ve created a Spotify playlist inspired by this series, and I’ll be updating it every time I upload a new chapter. Enjoy!

Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3ziGMhEsAw833GQ9eV44nR?si=6dfead09c76848d5

Stumblin’ In Book VII: “Superhero Snapshots” Masterlist

Tagging: @mrs-obrien @lahoete @awkward117 @cminr @natdrunk @momc95 @savedbystyle @miraculouscloud @awkwardnesshabitat @marinettepotterandplagg @mangosandmimosas @supersouthy @benakenalove @brooke0297 @hufflepeople @becausewelie @outoftheregular @junipermurdock @ladydmalfoy @mads-weasley @username23345@crist1216 @capswife @lilmschild @avngrsinitiative @crowleysqueenofhell @y-napotat @mary1raven @groovyqueer @ljej95 @innersublimefury @prettysbliss

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subroutine-fic · 11 months ago

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IMPORTANT NOTE: "Subroutine" and Archive of Our Own

Subroutine and all its related stories are no longer available on Archive of Our Own. I will not passively or actively support the website's Zionist leanings on top of denying the active genocide (by calling those declarations an "antisemitic trope") going on in occupied Palestine.

I'd say that was a tough choice, but honestly?

I'm glad to be away from that cesspool.

I urge anyone to withhold monetary or publication support from the OTW/AO3. Name and shame them, because they've already done a bang up job of suppressing their actions, and uncritical AO3 supporters are complicit in helping them do that.

Remember to:

Listen to and amplify the voices of Palestinians on the ground (wizard_bisan1, motaz_azaiza, ismail.jood) or in the diaspora (iamsbeih, anat_international, byplestia).

Read about the history and culture of Palestine.

Support LGBT+ Palestinian voices pushing against US and Zionist peddling of Pinkwashing, Islamophobia, and anti-Arab stereotypes (of pre/post-9/11 xenophobia that allowed them to invade the Middle East and destroy millions of lives)

Boycott, Divest, and Sanction all parties and actors (lit., actors) involved with the genocide of Palestine, it's people, land, history, and culture. Yes, that means local, non-profits, or non-corps offering sympathy or monetary support of the Zionist movement and all forms of military or government bodies here in the states or abroad.

Do your research: visit the Palestine Archive, Palestine Academy, Decolonize Palestine.

Support organizations like Jewish Voices For Peace and Students for Justice for Palestine.

Call your representatives and demand they vote no on the numerous anti-Arab/Palestine bills or resolutions Zionist organizations such as the ADL and AIPAC are trying to push through. Keep calling them, make yourself a nuisance to these people.

Look into projects like Open Secrets, Olive Grove, Vote Socialist 2024, and in general, become more involved in your community and general elections. Look into what unions like United Auto Workers (UAW) and [Iowa City] Starbucks Workers United (SWU) are doing with regards to Palestine.

Look into supporting Unions working toward a General Strike.

Support anti-Zionist Jewish voices (sexualityscholar). They're gonna be your best source on why you shouldn't support a white nationalist movement that's, in part, responsible for the spikes in Islamophobia and antisemitism across the world.

Support Pro-Palestine content creators (realgodivagoddess, jupiterbaal, blacademics) trying to raise awareness about the genocide going on right now, but avoid grifters like Shaun King (aka, Talcum X/Yasser Arafraud).

Support news publications like Aljazeera or Jewish Currents who are covering the ongoing genocide and pushing back against disinformation and misinformation peddled by ADL and AIPAC.

Avoid Zionist websites like Facts for Peace and Jewbelong (dot org). - Honestly, start using adblockers to avoid being blasted by Zionist ads on YouTube, and etc.

Download the No Thanks app, and use bdnaash to avoid Pro-Zionist brands.

Be wary of/avoid Washington Post/Times, LA Times, BBC, Sky News, the Guardian, ABC News, WBAL CH11, JZ13, CNN, Fox News (srsly), or any other legacy news org. They are actively aiding in the misinformation and disinformation campaign against the Palestinians, and have fired news anchors or journalists questioning the Zionist agenda.

Watch Israelism, Tantura, and Palestinian cinema/films (GQME, PC).

Read the Goldstone Report, IMEU article on broken ceasefires, amnesty internationals report of illegal settlements in Palestine

Look into ongoing genocides or destabilization efforts in Haiti (bertrhude, flowerboyserge), Sudan (bsonblast), Lebanon (meriam awada), Syria (AJ), the Democratic Republic of Congo (sincerelysparrow), Yemen (AJ), etc., going across the Global South. Look at who the common actors are, who benefits from this chaos.

Archive and save all information about this current genocide and cultural history of Palestine. Because they will be trying to rewrite the story, and are doing it as we speak.

There are some just a few of the things you can do to support Palestine and support your own liberation from systems that have brought most of to the brink of poverty, zero job security, lack of proper healthcare, the destruction of our education system, erosion of free speech, and houselessness.

Happy New Year.

#author's note #subroutine fic #tron 2.0 #fanfiction #archive of our own #tron legacy #tron 1982 #fandom: meta

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brainrattlers · 1 year ago

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Play It Cool - Tyson Jost (43/n)

Pairing: Tyson Jost x OFC (AJ)

Word Count: 2860

Warnings: A little bit of angst, but nothing bad, I promise. Probably language.

Need to start from the beginning? Here's where it all began! https://at.tumblr.com/brainrattlers/play-it-cool-tyson-jost-1n/p7no8u1hzuza

Want to catch up? Check out the Masterlist!

Author's Notes: I. Am. BACK!!! Short chapter, struggling a bit to find words, but I figured I'd get something posted, and then add some of the stuff brewing in the next few weeks than rush it all at once. It's been a wild few months, looking for a new job (I'm still employed, just looking to upgrade), but also adding a bunch of side gigs to my list of things I shouldn't be doing but here I am.

So what's going on with Tyson and AJ? Summer vacation has started, and these two have a few months to do whatever they want. Let the planning begin!

*****

While the season didn’t end quite as hoped by the Sabres, Tyson remained optimistic about things to come. His end-of-season exit interview went well, according to him, saying he wanted to be back with the team. Locker cleanout days are always a little emotional, but Tyson was in good spirits, all things considered.

AJ was trying to keep the same level of optimism, but her gut kept her guarded, knowing that a lot of what was to come was actually hinging on a few other players on the team. If Okie and Girgensons stay put, there was a good chance that there wouldn’t be a spot for Tyson. Not only that, but of course Tyson becomes a restricted free agent July 1st. And as is, Okie was signed to a single year contract. It now was falling on the fate of Girgensons.

So really, it was a game of “hurry up and wait.” AJ was starting to feel like that might just be how life was going to be from here on out with Tyson until a team realizes how much of a gem Tyson is. Granted, AJ is a little biased in her description of Tyson’s style of play and how much teams really could use a player like him…

“You know, we can go do whatever we want, right?” Tyson jostled AJ’s foot on his lap, noticing she was scrolling aimlessly on her phone. “I have some friends up in BC asking me to come out. You want to go on vacation? Grandma and Grandpa would love to see you again…”

“... really? Using Emily and Jim as bait to get me to up north? You play dirty, Tys.”

Tyson grinned, knowing AJ had a soft spot for his grandparents. She had lost hers years prior, and missed the grandparent vibe. You know the one, where you get spoiled, either with a favorite meal, or a $10 bill slid into your hand when mom wasn’t looking. It really isn’t even about the getting spoiled part either, there is something so special hearing all the stories from their past, learning bits and pieces about what made them the people they are today. It truly was something she missed with her own grandmothers since their passing. Emily and Jim definitely brought that vibe to her, and embraced her as their own grandchild.

AJ thought about it though, and Tyson could see the gears turning in her head. He waited patiently for her to say something more, because an idea was definitely brewing.

“What would you think about some summer shenanigans?” AJ squinted at Tyson, gauging his response to the vague proposition.

“What kind of shenanigans?”

To be honest, AJ was missing some of her old friends. The world can feel so small with the internet, bringing people together digitally, but it’s just not the same as in person. AJ missed seeing Jess. It’d been months since they were in the same space, meeting up back in February in St. Louis. She missed Nate. She missed some of the other friends she made in Denver during her brief time there.

“I was thinking maybe talking to Jess, and as soon as she could, maybe a couples’ trip with her and Nate? Like maybe they come up here, or we go out there, or… we meet up somewhere? I’m not sure yet. I hadn’t really asked her either, but I know she’d be down. The only hindrance at the moment is…” AJ got quiet, realizing what she was going to have to say, “Nate’s still in the playoffs.”

AJ cringed at having to say that, considering how last season went. Thankfully, Tyson’s work on himself last summer and this year with family and a sports psychologist really helped his mental game. He nodded in understanding, and didn’t even flinch. Buffalo made a good run at the playoffs, but just came up short. It was going to whole new level for the team next season, so right now, his feelings were not hurt by the statement.

This time, it was Tyson that got a little quiet, chewing on his lip for a minute before responding.

“I’m sorry I hadn’t brought it up sooner, but a few of the guys are talking about heading down to Hilton Head, kind of an end of season guys trip,” Tyson sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck, “We’d be leaving Monday.”

“It’s okay, you know I’ve got plenty going on here, besides, it’s not like my plan can happen quite yet anyway. But would you be interested, if they are?”

A smile broke out on Tyson’s face, followed by a nod. Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to AJ’s temple.

“Yeah, that sounds like a blast. You’re the best babe!”

AJ chuckled as Tyson skipped off to the bedroom. Looking around the living room, kind of lost in thought, she grabbed her phone.

AJ: Would you and Nate be up for some shenanigans this summer?

Not even a minute had passed before AJ’s phone was vibrating in her palm.

Jess: We’re in.

***

AJ got used to Tyson being away on roadies, and she always found things she could do that she enjoyed while he was gone. Eating food that he didn’t like (or shouldn’t eat, and likely, she probably shouldn’t eat either), sprawling out in bed, listening exclusively to her music, staying up late and watching cheesy movies… stuff like that. It was nice to have AJ time.

But truth be told, AJ missed Tyson while he was on the guys’ trip. He was checking in multiple times daily (and getting absolutely roasted for it), but it didn’t make up for the little things she was missing, like him wrapping his arms around her midsection as she’d chop vegetables for dinner, swaying to the music they had on in the kitchen. The random notes that would be written in the steam on the bathroom mirror. The way Tyson would pull AJ in as the little spoon, mumbling incoherently as he drifted off to sleep.

Even the kinda gross things, because, let’s face it, Tyson’s a guy, AJ missed. The way Tyson would burp after chugging a protein shake. How he’d stick his stinky sock feet in AJ’s face when they were laying opposite each other on the sofa together. The occasional facial hair clippings littering the sink in the bathroom. (Although that was just more irritating than gross.)

AJ was simply missing Tyson.

After cleaning the kitchen up from breakfast, AJ headed to the hobby room, and flopped on the sofa, where one of Tyson’s hoodies was thrown on. Rolling over, she reached up over her head and grabbed it, spying which one it was. It smelled faintly of his body wash as she inhaled, sighing into it. Although not really cold, AJ put it on and fell asleep in a somewhat warm embrace of his hoodie.

The buzzing of her watch urged AJ to open her eyes as a certain someone was wanting to FaceTime.

A very groggy looking AJ appeared on Tyson’s screen.

“Hey baby girl, I didn’t wake you up, did I? Is… that my hoodie?”

AJ rubbed her eyes and looked down, and back at her phone camera with a smile.

“I suppose it is. I was napping but I really shouldn’t be if I want to get to bed at a decent hour tonight. What are you guys up to today?”

Tyson told the tales of going golfing and hanging out at the beach with the guys. All the different restaurants they stopped at. But there was something a little off about how he was acting, but AJ couldn’t put her finger on it.

Finally when he stopped talking, AJ piped up.

“You good?”

Biting his lip, Tyson put his thoughts in order before opening his mouth.

“I mean, yeah, but, no. It was weird, last night we went clubbing, and the guys were pairing off with girls they met there, and there were two that wouldn’t leave me alone and…”

AJ’s heart was pounding hard, worried about what might be said next.

“... I had to just get out of there, I took a Lyft back to the house. I… just miss you.”

The breath AJ didn’t know she was holding came out in a gasp, and Tyson caught the tear coming down her cheek. It wasn’t her intention to get emotional, but it hit her hard. And seeing AJ tearing up, made him get teary-eyed as well, but he wasn’t sure why she was to begin with.

The dam broke.

“I miss you too babe, so much,” AJ just let the words fall out of her mouth without a filter, “It just hasn’t been the same here without you. You make my world better.”

Tyson was wiping his eyes, trying to act like he wasn’t crying at all when one of the guys came by him asking if he were about ready to head out.

A mumbled, “Yeah, uh, I’ll be just a minute, no, my allergies are acting up or something, I’m good,” was overheard, before he looked back at his phone. ��Hey, we’re heading out for another course, call you tonight before bed?”

“Of course. Go kick some ass on the green! Love you.”

“Love you too, talk tonight,” Tyson blew a kiss at his phone.

AJ “caught” it and smooshed it on her lips before ending the call.

Now wide awake from that unexpected conversation, AJ sat up and started thinking about what she could do to fill some time between now and this evening when Tyson would call. There was only so much cleaning she could do around the apartment to ease her racing mind, so she grabbed her tablet and started looking at vacation spots, texting Jess along the way.

AJ: Would you guys like to come up here? I know it isn’t fancy like Denver is, but there is so much cool stuff to see and do here, really!

Jess: Hmm… I’d be down, but I’m thinking we should get away from EVERYTHING. Mexico has been calling my name here lately, I miss it.

AJ: I’ve never been. I’m looking up some places though. Cancun looks fun, and there seemingly is a lot to do around there. Ooh, they have a big art museum nearby, that sounds good. And Chichen-Itza and Tulum aren’t terribly far either.

Jess: You’re forgetting margaritas and all the amazing food!

AJ: Yes, that too! lol

AJ could feel Jess rolling her eyes at the choices of things she wanted to see. That was the funny thing too, if Nate had heard what AJ was saying, she was pretty sure he too would be rolling his eyes in the same way. Those two really are perfect for each other.

As the afternoon and evening went on, texts were sent back and forth about potential places to stay. It was just going to be a game of figuring out WHEN, with Avs in the playoffs, and knowing Tyson, he probably already had a summer packed with things to do. AJ knew that he was planning on heading out to Edmonton, and had mentioned something about maybe working out with some trainers in Vancouver for a bit. Tyson was never one to really stop and relax somewhere for an extended amount of time, other than with his family whenever he could.

The planning texts were interrupted by a facetime with Tyson, who seemed far more chipper than he did previously.

“How was golfing? Your nose looks a little pink, shoulda worn more sunscreen,” AJ joked, knowing he always gave her shit as she was pasty white and burned within minutes in the sun.

“It was good, shot five over, not bad for a course I’d never played on. Yeah I got a bit of sun today. Thankfully we’re heading out tomorrow. You still picking me up from the airport? I get in around noon.”

AJ looked panicked, looking at her watch, then back at her phone screen, seeing Tyson’s face contort into concern.

“You are picking me up, right? I mean, I can get a ride with one of the guys, but…”

The giggles couldn’t be contained, and fell out of AJ’s mouth.

“Of course, goof, I wouldn’t miss it for the world. I haven’t seen you in like a week,” she grinned, “Besides, I found a new burger place I want to try, figured we could swing by on the way home.”

A wave of relief washed over Tyson, knowing he was going to get to see AJ as soon as he got out of the airport. AJ then saw Tyson squint a bit, and roll his eyes after his phone buzzed. Quirking her eyebrow, he could tell she was wondering what was going on just by the subtle movement.

“The rest of the guys went back clubbing again tonight. It’s just not as fun, not without you here. I just didn’t want a repeat of last night, it just felt… wrong. In fact, I just got called an old man for turning in early. I’m not going to feel like shit on the plane at least.”

The two chuckled, and continued talking for a bit, until it was evident Tyson really did get a bit of extra sun and he was pretty wore out, getting sleepier with each new topic that was brought up. After a few minutes of being disgustingly cute and sending kisses to each other, they finally ended the call.

Tyson laid in bed, still feeling awkward about the previous night, despite nothing actually happening. It did occur to him just how much he and AJ complemented each other. Dancing with random women in a bar no longer was exciting. He’d rather dance in the kitchen with AJ. Taking a woman back to his hotel was the furthest thing on his mind, unless that woman was AJ.

“Maybe I really am turning into an old man!” he thought to himself, as a smile crept up on his face as he drifted off to sleep.

AJ woke up late the next morning, relaxing in bed, completely sprawled out, for one last time before Tyson would be back. Spending an hour scrolling through Instagram, she finally got up, got a shower, and a quick breakfast before grabbing a small baggie from one of the cabinets in the kitchen and heading out the door. AJ and her black Soul hit the road, heading to the airport.

Once the car was parked, AJ headed inside, outside of the security area. Looking around, AJ saw her target… and it wasn’t Tyson. With a smile and a wave, she headed over to Karma, whose ears perked up when Ann waved back, asking if Karma knew who was coming.

“Hey Karma, who is a good girl? IT IS YOU!!!” AJ scratched Karma’s ears before giving her a treat from the bag. “Hey Ann, how is it going today?”

So who are Karma and Ann, you might ask? Karma is an adorable, frosty-faced Jack Russell Terrier/Beagle mix, and Ann is her owner. Together, they patrol the Buffalo Niagara International Airport as a therapy dog team. Most dogs you see in airports have patches on their harnesses saying “SERVICE DOG, DO NOT PET”... but Karma has a bandana on that says “PLEASE PET ME!” AJ met them earlier in the year during one of her trips to see Tyson on the road, and had since become friends with the human/canine duo. Ann always asked how Tyson was playing, and Karma always was up for a belly rub as the two would chat. Today, Ann was in for a treat, she’d never actually got to meet a professional athlete despite all her time at the airport.

Finally, coming out of the secure area, Tyson spied AJ sitting on the bench petting a dog.

"AJ found the only pettable dog in the whole place, that's so her!" Tyson thought to himself, smiling the whole way to her.

Putting his bag down, Tyson found AJ already clinging her arms around him for a tight hug.

“Hey Tys, this is Ann, and…”

Before she could even say anything else, Tyson was already leaning down petting Karma’s head.

“This must be Karma, I’ve heard so much about you already from AJ!” Tyson leaned up and shook Ann’s hand, “And you too, it’s nice to meet you!”

Ann was usually chatty as all get out, but she was in awe of the Buffalo Sabres player standing before her. Finally breaking her out of the spell, Ann finally was back to telling stories and giving advice on where to go get dinner for the night. After gabbing for a few more minutes, and a few more treats for Karma, AJ finally convinced Ann that there were probably more passengers and airport/airline staff that could use some Karma pets and kisses. Everyone parted ways, with AJ promising she’d be back soon to see them again.

Walking hand in hand to the parking lot, AJ posed a question to Tyson.

“So what would you think about going to Mexico?”

The gears were already turning in Tyson’s head.

#josty #play it cool #tyson jost #tyson jost x ofc #tysontuesday #buffalo sabres #colorado avalanche

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