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seitmai · 2 days ago

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“Don’t forget me when you become a hot shot pilot mister.” You said to him with tears in your eyes. He looked back at you with something that could only be described as melancholy and kissed your forehead, “I could never forget you tiny dancer.

🥹🥹🥹

You two kept up with each other for the first two years of your college time, but communication became scarce. He didn’t come home for the holidays, you couldn’t blame him though. He finally got out of there, he was doing what he always wanted to do. Communication between the two of you completely went away during your junior year. You’ve kept up with him through your parents and his, and to say you were proud was an understatement.

It's sad but I feel like very common at that age for the communication to fizzle out but I love it that she is still so proud of him 🥹

“We’re just happy to see you and we are hoping you have a great time tonight.” With the cryptic answer said, she walks away leaving you to sit there in your skepticism.

Very suspicious 👀🤔

You see a plane fly across the sky and you huff out a laugh, realizing you’re dreams of seeing Jake again, came true tonight.

That's so cute 🥰

“So-” “It was-” You both start trying to talk simultaneously and once you realize, you both start giggling. You nod your head to tell him he can go first, and with a shy smile he rubs the back of his neck and says, “It was nice to see you again sweetheart, I was really hoping you’d be here.” That warmth from earlier creeps back up your neck, and you smile softly at him. “I was hoping you’d be here too cowboy.” You both just sit there with smiles, and after a few beats of silence you add quietly, “I missed you.” What you could only call longing, flashes in his eyes, before he smiles at you, “I missed you too tiny dancer.”

🥹🥹🥹

“And what was that?” His face is a bit more hopeful now, or maybe you’re just going crazy. After a moment of just looking into his eyes, you turn to fidget with your sweater and finally speak. “They weren’t you Jake.” It came out softer than you thought it would. The silence surrounds you like a suffocating room, and panic starts to claw its way up your throat. You’re about to apologize profusely when Jake finally speaks. “That’s why I don’t have anyone waiting for me sweets. They weren’t you. The gorgeous girl I’ve known since diapers, who has always been so caring. Who put others before herself. The girl who knows me and my family, and still chooses to be around us.” You stare at him with wide eyes, trying to absorb everything that was just said. Softly, you reply, “I will always choose you, Jake. The boy who didn’t let me go to bed upset. The boy who constantly cheered me on in everything I did. The boy who set his sights on something and chased it. ” Your chest feels lighter, while your heart beats at a lightspeed rate.

Ahhh finally 🥰

“So can I take you out tomorrow sweetheart? I should’ve asked you that years ago.” He asks with a smirk across his lips. You mirror his smirk as you respond, “You sure can cowboy. We have a lot of time to make up for.” You both slowly lean in, and your lips meet in a short kiss that makes fireworks go off in your stomach. You both pull away, but that one kiss isn’t enough. The two of you share another short kiss, before breaking out into a long deep kiss. He dips you a bit with this one. Everything you’ve ever dreamed of has come true under the twinkling lights. You’ll have to make sure to send the Seresin women some cookies and flowers for planning this.

🥰🥰🥰

a long long time

jake ‘hangman’ seresin x reader

pictures from pinterest!!

word count: 2.8k

summary: childhood best friends, who always felt a bit more about each other, finally see each other after 12 years. will all their wishes come true at the Seresin holiday party?

warnings: childhood best friends to lovers! fluff!! cheesy goodness!! no use of y/n but reader does uses she/her pronouns! pet names: sweets, sweetheart, darlin, tiny dancer. no looks are given besides an outfit!

an: this is heavily inspired by ‘Its been a long long time’ by harry james! definitely recommend listening to it while reading! can you guys tell i love when people dance together as a form of intimacy? thank you to my friends who have no clue who jake is, who proofread this. & thank you guys for all the love on my other two fics! this is incredibly new to me so to see that people like the stories is really amazing. thank you. likes, comments, and reblogs are deeply appreciated!!

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Growing up, Jake Seresin was always by your side. Jake’s mom and your mom were best friends, meaning the two of you were destined to be in each other’s lives. Of course, you two went through the phases of disgust when one of you thought the other had cooties, but they never deterred your friendship. When you would fall off your bike and cry because you scraped your knee, Jake would immediately be by your side. Jake’s PeeWee football games never had a silent crowd, of course not. Little you would be right there next to his parents, screaming the loudest for him. A dance recital, nervous about your performances? Don’t worry, Jake would be right there in the front row next to both of your families, with a bouquet of your favorite flowers.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

High school hit, and Jake became the star football player who girls and guys alike pined after. You on the other hand were a quiet theater kid, dancing still, and leading the school newspaper. Despite running in different social circles, you two were still attached at the hip. The sharp stares you received from girls who wanted Jake would burn into your head, but you never let that affect your friendship. The free time you two had was spent with each other, taking long drives when you needed to clear your head, watching new episodes of TV shows you both enjoyed, and studying together. There has always been a hint of something more between you two, but out of fear of ruining things, you never made a move. Although, there was a time during your senior year when the possibility of being something more didn’t seem as distant. You two had just taken a long drive to a field in the middle of Texas to watch the sunset. It was then that you two shared your first kiss, and then it was over, and neither of you brought it back up. You knew you had feelings for him. That wasn’t even a question. But those feelings would not outweigh your friendship, you’d rather have him in this way, than in no way at all.

When Jake got into the Naval Academy, you were ecstatic for him. He had been dreaming about getting out of here since you were little tots, and now he had his out. You got into a school an hour away for Broadcast Journalism, and he was just as excited for you. When you told him, he picked you up and spun you around, both of you reminiscing on the days when he would play with his model planes and you would pretend to report every little thing that was happening around you two. Graduation day came and went, and soon you were getting ready to send Jake on his way to Maryland.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

It’s been 12 years since you last saw Jake Seresin. You would be lying if you said you didn’t think about him a lot of the time. After you graduated from UT at Austin, you moved back home and started to work at the local news station as an Anchor. Your free time is spent with friends, going out to bars, or just brunch together. They always hound you about finding a guy, “Come on!! You’re single, hot, and an amazing person!” “You can’t just sit here all night, come meet Tyler, I promise you’ll like him! Please?” You knew they had good intentions, with their bright smiles and kind words. So you tried. You would go out with who they wanted you to, but every time, it felt as though something was missing. You knew what was missing, you just didn’t want to admit it. Seasons change but you don’t think your feelings for those

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

The holiday season is always your favorite time of year. From October to January, you feel lighter. Walking around to see decorations everywhere, families laughing together, and hot apple cider to warm the now-cold Texas air. Work is busy, but you can’t complain, you love your job. Recently you covered a story about a baker and her husband who had just celebrated the 30th anniversary of their bakery by having the cutest reindeer cookies and a huge cake for everyone who may want a slice.

Tonight is the annual Seresin family Christmas party, and just like every other year, you hold on to hope that Jake will be there. You know it’s a stretch, but you can’t help but be hopeful.

You bought a new outfit just for tonight, a red cable knit sweater, a black mini-skirt with black transparent tights, and black leather boots that went up to your calves. After adding some touch-ups to your makeup, you decided you were ready to go, grabbed your purse, and headed towards the Seresin’s house. It was about a 5-minute walk from your new place, which is quite convenient, and you spent the entire walk with your head in the clouds, daydreaming about the pilot who stole your heart all those years ago.

Walking into the house you spent so much time at as a child, a sense of warmth feels you. The entire house smells like freshly baked cookies, Christmas lights twinkle along the hallway, and the sounds of laughter and soft Christmas music fills your ears. Mama Seresin sees you and you are immediately engulfed in a hug that could probably fix anybody who is on the receiving side of it. “Oh my goodness look at you!!! You get more beautiful each time I see you.” You felt your face heat up instantly, shying away a bit from her kind words. “Thank you mama Seresin. I’m happy to be here again, happy holidays.” She pulled back and had an incredulous look on her face.

“Thank me?? Sweetheart, you are welcome at this house any day, any time. Make yourself at home, tonight should be a wonderful night.” She winked at you and left you standing there in the entryway.

After making your rounds, you grabbed yourself a drink and sat on the couch watching “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” with one of Jake’s sisters. She kept looking over at you with a sly smirk on her face so you snapped, “What is going on with y’all tonight? First your mama winks at me, Elizabeth said she was ‘So excited’ for me tonight, and now you can’t stop looking at me like the cat who caught the canary! So what is going on?” With an exasperated look on your face, you fully turn to look at her. Charlotte just slides off the couch and smiles, “We’re just happy to see you and we are hoping you have a great time tonight.” With the cryptic answer said, she walks away leaving you to sit there in your skepticism.

After an hour or so, everyone has made it and dinner is about to be served. At least you thought everyone had made it, that is until you hear a knock on the door. Mama Seresin rushes to open it, and you lean over the arm of the couch to see who it is. You can’t tell if it's the winter air or who you see standing there, but a chill runs down your spine. In all his glory, Jake Seresin is standing there with several suitcases and a bright smile on his face. Taking him in, you notice he’s grown into himself in the last 12 years, His sandy blonde hair isn’t as long, he’s filling in the brown button-up shirt very nicely, and he’s grown at least 3 inches since you last saw him. He’s still got his cowboy boots on and a smile that could light up a room, so not everything has changed. Finally, you look back up to his face, and you lock eyes with the man who has never left your mind.

You stand, mouth agape, and the two of you finally make your way to each other. You meet in the middle of the entryway, and as soon as his arms are around you it’s like everybody and everything fades away. You stay there in the comfort of each other’s arms for a few more seconds and when you finally pull away, the sounds from the rest of the house fade back in. Looking at each other, you feel a warmth creeping up your neck, the chill from earlier has fully disappeared. “Hi,” you said with a shy smile as you fiddle with the cuff of his sleeve. “Hi sweetheart,” he replies with the kindest smile you’ve ever seen. The moment is broken when someone clears their throat behind you, “Dinner is ready.” You turn and see the Seresin women standing there with smirks across all of their faces. Looking back at Jake you realize he’s got a scowl on his face, and you just giggle a bit. At the sound of your giggle, he looks back at you, the scowl being replaced with a shy smile, “We can talk after dinner?” You nod your head and make your way toward the dining room.

Dinner is the most delicious thing, but you would never expect anything less from Mama Seresin. She always cooks things with love, which makes things 10,000 times better. Once you get turned away from helping with dishes, you make your way outside to get some air. It’s a bit chilly, the backyard is decorated with lights strung across the way, the music from inside the house carries softly across the yard although it’s muffled, and stars are shining so bright in the night sky. You see a plane fly across the sky and you huff out a laugh, realizing you’re dreams of seeing Jake again, came true tonight. At least you know why the family acted so odd tonight. You take a seat in one of the cushy chairs sat up in the backyard, and stare up at the sky.

Surely Jake didn’t know you were gonna be here tonight, Has he changed a lot? Did he miss you as much as you missed him? Was your pining so obvious to everyone that they sat this up? Your mind starts spiraling with thoughts, and a bit of nervous tension sets in as you sit out there. The music gets less muffled for a second, meaning someone has just opened the back door, but it’s quickly snuffed back out. You don’t bother to turn your head, your mind is busy with so many questions. In your peripheral, you see the man on your mind take a seat next to you. He looks up at the sky and you can feel the nervousness roll off of you both as you sit there.

You turn to look at him, right as he turns to look at you, and you both sit there taking each other in for a second. “So-” “It was-” You both start trying to talk simultaneously and once you realize, you both start giggling. You nod your head to tell him he can go first, and with a shy smile he rubs the back of his neck and says, “It was nice to see you again sweetheart, I was really hoping you’d be here.” That warmth from earlier creeps back up your neck, and you smile softly at him. “I was hoping you’d be here too cowboy.” You both just sit there with smiles, and after a few beats of silence you add quietly, “I missed you.” What you could only call longing, flashes in his eyes, before he smiles at you, “I missed you too tiny dancer.”

The two of you fall into easy conversation. He tells you all about the Naval Academy, and how he is the “best of the best,” which you don’t doubt. Once he sets his mind on something, he doesn’t give up. You learn he’s living out in San Diego, but he constantly misses the Texas skyline. You tell him all about your experience at UT at Austin, and how your job at the local news station is going. You both continue just telling each other what you’ve both missed out on.

At some point, the conversation shifts to relationships. You take a deep breath and ask, “So do you have anyone special waiting for you back in California?” He takes a minute to just look at you before responding, “No sweetheart, I don’t. Do you have anyone missing you tonight?” You let out your breath at the word “no,” and chuckle. “The only person missing me tonight is my fish, Mr. Speckle.” He throws back his head and barks out a laugh at that, before looking back at you with a wide smile. It shifts to a bit of an apprehensive smile before he asks, “Is there any reason? You’re a gorgeous girl who is amazing sweetheart, I’m sure guys are lining up for a date with you.”

You knew you could try and lie to him, but he knows you too well. He would immediately figure you out, so you shake your head and respond truthfully. “I’ve tried over the years. But every single time, it didn’t feel right. Something was always missing. It took me a while to realize what that was.”

You’re about to apologize profusely when Jake finally speaks. “That’s why I don’t have anyone waiting for me sweets. They weren’t you. The gorgeous girl I’ve known since diapers, who has always been so caring. Who put others before herself. The girl who knows me and my family, and still chooses to be around us.” You stare at him with wide eyes, trying to absorb everything that was just said. Softly, you reply, “I will always choose you, Jake. The boy who didn’t let me go to bed upset. The boy who constantly cheered me on in everything I did. The boy who set his sights on something and chased it. ” Your chest feels lighter, while your heart beats at a lightspeed rate.

Looking at Jake, he has a boyish grin on his face, rubbing the back of his neck again. In the blink of an eye, he is in front of you with his hand held out. You look at him like you’re considering your options for a second, just to make him sweat a bit, but ultimately you take his hand with an affectionate smile. He pulls you close and wraps his arms around your waist, your arms going around his neck, playing with the collar of his shirt. The two of you dance to the muffled music coming from inside, under the twinkling lights of the backyard you’ve spent so much time in over the years. You look up at him to find him already staring at you. He’s got a look of love in his eyes, and you’re sure he sees the same look in yours.

From inside the house, the Seresin family is silently cheering. They’ve watched both of you pine after each other for so long, they knew y’all just needed a bit of a push in the right direction.

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stilessflannel · 2 days ago

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idk if you write for luke but imagine sneaking into mr ds office and getting comfy because you like the idea of getting caught 👀

this has been going around my head ever since i received it and i finally did something about it 😗 also i got asked for a percy jackson smut and to do whatever i want with it (yk who you are sweet anon) so does this count? muah xx

sneaking into mr d’s office with luke castellan was something you thought you’d never do. but your boyfriend had a tendency to ignore or try break unspoken rules, and that led to luke interrupting your cabin’s lava wall training, promising them their counsellor would be back soon as he dragged you away.

“are you out of your mind?” you hiss at him, checking behind you every five seconds, “we’re going to get caught by mr d or chiron!”

luke only offered the signature grin all hermes kids owned and continued until he had locked the door behind you. there wasn't much to take in - big wooden desk, a map of half-blood hill on a wall, a dusty bookshelf, and the faint smell of diet coke. while you were taking in your surroundings, luke gained a keen interest in the desk with locked drawers down each side. it only took a few seconds before he had them unlocked and he pulled up a bag full of drachmas.

normally you'd never go around to the other side of the desk to try pry a drawer open for yourself. the idea wouldn't even cross your mind to stuff as many bags of gold into your pockets as you possibly could; but it was mr d and drachmas he wouldn't be spending anytime soon seeing as he was confined to the camps boundaries, anyone would do the same.

once you were finished luke's arms wrap around your waist and hoist you onto the surface of the desk, as warm lips attack your neck and big hands work their way up and under your orange shirt. a sigh escapes your lips and your fingers wrap into his raven hair. "hey there"

"hey" he mumbles back, muffled against your neck as he presses a last kiss behind your ear and pressing his forehead against yours. "twenty minutes 'till lunch."

"yeah... wanna go back to mine?" you offer your cabin, playing with the beads on his camp necklace. an unsure hum from him makes you look up at him. you can see the lightbulb light up behind his blue irises. he picks you up so your legs wrap around his hips and sits back into the padded desk chair

"i think we'll be just fine here, yeah?" he said, pressing a kiss into the side of your mouth and working his way back down your neck to make the marks he left earlier brighter. you try your hardest to focus on luke and the heavenly way his mouth feels on your skin, but your mind kept jumping to mr d and chiron finding their two best counsellors in this state. the thought of either of them terrified you to your wits end, but also sent a surge of thrill through your veins.

luke brings you back by digging his teeth into your collarbone and eliciting a groan from you, effectively shutting off your care for who could catch you. you grab his jaw and force him to look at you and you fold - his lovesick face with pupils blown wide from lust makes you crash your lips against his. its messy and rough and perfect for you two as hands explore each others bodies. you pull away to tug your shirt off your head and he follows suit, then you're back on each other again.

the sound fills with small moans, sighs, and gasps from both of you. you're too far gone to hear the footsteps approach the door, too caught up in the feeling of grinding against luke and hearing his faint groans to notice the voices behind the door and the rattling of the handle being twisted. it isn't until the door squeaks on its hinges that you turn to look over your shoulder and see mr d, his face as red as the wine he invented.

you could argue the two weeks wash up duty was worth it.

taglist: @izzieluvsdelusion @azure-drag0ness @vivi-anasan @percyssunlithope @amandareids @raysmayhem-72 // join the taglist here

#chiarawritesabout.lukecastellan #luke castellan smut #percy jackson smut #luke castellan #luke castellan fic #luke castellan x reader #luke castellan x you #percy jackson fic #luke castellan hcs #luke castellan headcannons

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ladysomething · 2 days ago

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a girl dad max fic you say 👀👀

girl dad max! there is a tag so you can see previous asks about it :)

“Céline, come make your pizza,” Max calls out, sliding one of the trays over in front of Charles.

He turns to the fridge, pulling out bowls of prepared toppings, balancing them in his arms. Charles is quick to take the most precarious from him, then helps him get the rest out onto the counter. Céline still hasn’t come over by the time everything is set out, glued to the T.V. where some Dutch children’s program is playing.

“Céline, if you don’t come over, then I will just have to make your pizza for you,” Max says, some weird mix between sweet and threatening. “You remember what happened last time.”

She still doesn’t answer. Charles is wildly curious to know what happened last time.

“Okay, I guess your pizza will have tomatoes and olives and anchovies—”

Céline slips off the lounge, running into the kitchen, cheeks red and brows furrowed, speaking rapid Dutch.

“I called you two times,” Max tells her, reaching down to pick her up and sit her on his hip. “You can’t be mad at me for almost putting tomatoes on when you were ignoring me.”

“I hate tomatoes,” Céline says primly, one arm hooked around the back of Max’s neck as she peruses the selection.

“I know, lieverd,” Max says, clearly indulgently. He sits her on the edge of the counter, handing over the bowl of passata. “Careful, okay?”

“Yes, daddy,” she says seriously.

Carefully, she puts the bowl down on the counter, then takes out a huge scoop of the passata. It spatters everywhere when she puts it on her dough, but Max just wipes it from her legs with his thumb without saying anything.

Charles watches on quietly as Céline picks out all the toppings she wants. Max doesn’t do it for her, but he always hands over the bowl, letting her do it herself unless she gets something wrong. When she’s done, he picks her up to put her back on the ground, and she runs off quickly, sitting down on the lounge to keep watching her show.

Max is quick to put Céline’s pizza in the oven, then turns back to Charles.

“Margherita, right?”

He can’t believe Max remembers that. It’s so stupid, but it’s like Charles’ breath is punched from his chest.

Fuck. How did he ever think he’d moved on from Max? He hasn’t. He really, really hasn’t. He’s just as in love now as he has been since he was twenty.

Thirteen years of his life in love, and thirteen more so devoted to his rivalry with Max that it might as well have been love.

“Max,” he says helplessly, breath hitching. “Max, I—”

Max softens, glancing over at Céline—still watching her show, paying them no attention—and then putting his spoon down on the counter carefully.

Gently, Max slides one hand over Charles’ waist, the other cupping the side of his face. Charles can’t help but turn his face into it slightly, eagerly and desperately searching for the comfort of Max’s touch.

“I know,” Max whispers. “Me too.”

Charles reaches out for him, too, one hand on his hip, the other laying over his chest, fingers spread wide.

#anon ask #girl dad max fic

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fanaticsnail · 2 days ago

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OMG Snail!!!! I just got an amazing Kidd idea to fuel Sapsorrow's stagnant creative juices 👀

What if Kid is actively looking for a Sapsorrow ring, knowing that they give power, status, etc. and through Law he discovers the true curse of the rings but he doesn't care.

He also knows he can't steal Law's or some other Warlord's ring because the curse is already tied to them and it won't work. He have to earn it somehow and then finally discovers Reader's and that the curse isn't active in them so he can technically earn it, or convince Reader to consider him worthy of it's power.

Maybe to tie all the stories, he appears at some point in them during his investigation of how he could earn one of the rings.

Maybe that's how he loose an arm to certain co-Captain for crashing a wedding he wasn't invite to and trying to steal the Redhead's ring. Of course, Shank's new wife give them a stern reprimand for shoot the poor baby and tell him the story of Sapsorrow while nursing him.

Something something.... that's everything brain could come up with today 🤭

SCREAMING.

V I T A

The way I want Eustass Kid to have a worthiness arc filled with twists and turns to get him the power he so desperately wants. I need him to chase and claim and express his desires while pleading with the reader to activate it just for him - truly unaware of what he's really asking for.

Law won't touch the Sapsorrow ring around his neck with a ten foot pole regarding the terms behind it. That was Rosinante's ring, and his story did not have an ending surrounded by happiness. Kid asking reader to curse him to give him the life he's always wanted, not knowing that he is inadvertently granting himself a haunt is so intriguing.

Imagine if the terms surround not just him, not just his first mate, not just the other two commanders, but tying it to the ship itself. I just AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. That's all. Thank you, Vita. I'm going to scream.

#ask snail #snail answers #sapsorrow #sapsorrow au #storyteller au #fairytale au #one piece #x reader #eustass kid fairytale series

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thosewickedlovelies · 2 days ago

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Crossroads: the second meeting | Joel Miller x Reader

Summary: The second of your and Joel’s promised three meetings. And third, and fourth, and…?

Tags: we’ve got INTRIGUE, we’ve got ~demonic temptation~ (consensually), we’ve got getting caught in the rain 👀; it’s all happening. demon!Joel; not an age gap fic. Reader has their period in one scene, but honestly aside from that we’re still a GN!Reader.

Words: 6,717

Note: We are IN IT now babes okay I promise, if you thought the first meeting was boring just forget about it and read this one 😌🙏🏼

Crossroads | Moodboard | Masterlist

No matter how you angled, jiggled, or cajoled it, your front door key remained firmly stuck in its lock. With a deep sigh, you rested your forehead against the painted wood, and you thought of Joel. Right now your greatest desire was to be inside your house; you wondered what price he would demand to grant your wish.

“You rang?”

Gasping, you spun around. Your heart slammed in your chest. “Jesus! Joel! What the fuck!”

In the hallway behind you, Joel came to a stop. He put his hands up, a chuckle rolling out of him. “Sorry, sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you. Could sense you wishin’ for my company, that’s all.”

“I wasn’t wishing for your company.” Lingering adrenaline sharpened your tongue, and the words sliced from it before you could consider who you were talking to. “I was wishing for your powers, so they could give me a damn working door.”

In the dim hall, It was hard to read the glimmer in his golden eyes. “Whatever you say, kitten.” Joel nodded toward the door, and it swung inward.

You scrambled after it, but the key remained firmly stuck in the lock.

You sent him a disbelieving look.

Joel shrugged innocently. “What? You didn’t say permanently working. You gotta be specific with these things.”

You took a deep breath, very deliberately focusing all of your attention on easing the key free. Once it was, though, there was nothing to distract you from the reality: Joel was at your house. Finding you in town was one thing, but appearing outside your home…

You smothered your nervousness. “Do I need to invite you in like a vampire, or..?”

Joel shot you a dark look. “Funny.”

And then he was stepping over the threshold, and you were shutting the door behind him.

Your building had originally been a two-story house, but it had been modified so that the first and second floors were now two separate apartments. Some might call it small, but you preferred to think of it as cozy. It was the perfect size for your one person.

Joel’s wide shoulders seemed to fill the room.

He turned in a slow circle, observing everything. The extensive spice rack hanging over the pantry door. The lantern string lights stretching around the living room. The plant with long green arms splaying crazily out of its pot on the windowsill.

All the things that made you you. He ran those otherworldly eyes over all of it, taking it in- taking you in. His glance flickered toward the half-open door at the back- your bedroom- before returning.

The silence gnawed at you. “So what are you doing here?”

“What do you mean, what am I doin’? We have a deal, remember? Three meetings?”

He didn’t use the word date this time.

“I mean…why are you at my house?”

“Didn’t know you were home.” Joel smirked. “I pop up wherever you are. Wouldn’ta known where you lived otherwise.”

You sighed.

“Nice little place you got here…Kitten.”

The way he purred Ruby’s nickname sent goosebumps racing down your neck. You whipped your head toward him, glaring uncertainly.

Joel chuckled. “Been meanin’ to ask about that. Plain forgot by the end of our last meeting.”

You set your jaw. “By the end of our last date, you mean?” you said sweetly.

His mouth flattened. He held your gaze until you looked away.

“It’s not that exciting of a story.” You moved around as you spoke, setting your things in their usual places. “Um, do you want a drink or anything? I don’t have any whiskey, but I have other stuff, water, uh..”

“I’m-”

Joel cut off mid-sentence. You turned, and your brow furrowed. He’d gone rigid, his eyes wide and focused intensely on nothing, as if listening to a distant sound.

“...Joel?”

He blinked rapidly. “I gotta go. But I’ll be back.” His yellow eyes flashed to you with renewed clarity, and he pointed a warning finger. “This meeting ain’t over until I hear that story.”

Your vision warped strangely, like the affect of a heat shimmer, but magnified a hundred times. When you could see clearly again, Joel was gone. The bitter scent of scorched earth hung in the air.

“What the fuck?”

Three days had passed since Joel’s disappearance. Your bed was as welcoming on the third day as it had been on the previous two, but its comfort did little to alleviate your confusion. The house’s every little creak and sigh made you jump, thinking that it might be Joel appearing. You wondered, yet again, what on earth had pulled him away so abruptly before, and if he’d meant what he said- that when he came back, it would still be your second meeting, not your third.

A new book managed to quell your restless thoughts. You read until slightly too late- it couldn’t be helped- and yawned as you turned off your lamp. Sleep tugged you down…

Something thumped to the floor of the room. A heavy something. Your eyes flew open. Fear spiked through you at the shadow in the doorway- the large, human-shaped shadow.

But was the shape…familiar? A smoky scent tickled your nose. It couldn’t be. With a trembling hand, you reached for the lamp.

It was. Like a great, shadowy tree had suddenly sprouted in your room, Joel stood blinking in the light.

You sucked in air, ready to berate him for scaring the shit out of you- appearing in your bedroom in the middle of the night!- but something stopped you.

His eyes were bleary, their amber glint dull. Heavy, bruise-colored bags hung beneath them. His clothes looked unkempt, and his normally neat swoops of hair were disheveled and drooping.

You swung your feet to the floor. “Joel?”

It took visible effort for him to focus. “Kitten,” he murmured. His gaze slid around the room like mercury in a glass, seeing but not really registering anything. The only thing that finally seemed to snag his attention was the beanbag chair beside your desk. It was adult-sized and teardrop-shaped, sitting upright in a mellow shade of teal. Joel swayed a step forward.

“What are you…are you okay?” You stood, though you were unsure how you’d be able to help if he did something like collapse.

“Sure I am. Just need to rest a second.” His words were heavy and blurred together. He made his way toward the beanbag with an exaggeratedly slow, squinty-eyed focus. He folded himself to the floor, the cushion ballooning beneath his weight. His head lolled against the upright back.

Your mouth hung open. “You can’t…sleep here..?”

Joel scrubbed a hand over his face. “But if I’m here, I’m working.” The end of his sentence was split by an enormous yawn. “Won’t be bothered if I’m workin’,” he muttered. His whole body seemed to deflate.

A heartbeat later, a muffled snore rose from the beanbag.

You stared in utter bewilderment at the unconscious demon on your floor. His body looked comically large spilling out of the beanbag chair; his legs stretched nearly halfway across the room. What the fuck were you supposed to do now? Sleep, while a representative of the devil sat not six feet from you?

You hesitated. Joel hadn’t given any indication that he wanted to harm you. It would be against his best interests, even, since then he definitely wouldn’t get a bargain at the end of your meetings.

Even asleep, the furrows on his forehead haven’t relaxed. You laid back down, resolving to just…keep your eyes open…

You woke with a gasp.

Your lamp was still on, your body was intact, and Joel…

Joel was asleep in your beanbag chair.

In the daylight he looked even worse. His clothes dusty and wrinkled, the lines on his face carved deeper than normal. He looked tired even while sleeping.

And he was in your room.

The soft click of the lamp’s switch made you cringe. You didn’t dare make any greater noise or movement- there was no telling how he’d react to being woken suddenly in a strange place.

Damn, you kind of had to pee, though. Surely you could tiptoe in and out of the room for that without waking him..?

Twin golden slits appeared- Joel’s eyes opened.

He sat straight up, his gaze darting all around. It found you, which seemed to dredge up the relevant memories, because after a tense moment of staring, he slumped back into beanbag. The alarm faded from his features.

“Good morning,” you said cautiously.

Joel grunted. “Kitten.” His voice was a gravelly rasp.

“Do you…remember coming here last night?”

His gaze flickered as he sifted through his memory. “Sorta.”

Words failed you. You wanted to ask him what the fuck happened, and also if he was okay or injured or anything, but you also didn’t want to provoke him. You didn’t know what his deal was- one-night stand etiquette hardly applied to this.

Joel pushed himself to his feet with a stiff slowness, like a toy without enough moving joints. “Well, I’ll get outta your hair. Thanks for lettin’ me crash here.”

“Wait!” You stood hastily. “Um- like, are you okay? Do you..need anything, like- breakfast, or…”

He listened to your stuttering half-turned for the door. When you trailed off, Joel faced you again. His eyes were low candle flames, wavering as they dipped to your pajama shorts, but his face didn’t lose its suspicion. “What kind of breakfast?”

As soon as you said ‘coffee’, Joel had lit up.

Turned out he liked coffee almost as much as whiskey. But it was “harder to come by”, apparently. He hadn’t elaborated on that. Joel still looked kind of foggy, like all that was propelling him was the promise of breakfast food (or maybe the coffee), but you were betting on him perking up once he had some fuel in him.

Joel seemed pleased by your choice of diner and its familiar, timeless fare. Waffles and pancakes, eggs and bacon…and most importantly, unlimited coffee. Holding a mug beneath his nose, he inhaled deeply; then sighed it out, looking more serene than you had ever seen him.

Amused, you sipped your own coffee. It wasn’t anything to write home about- for that, you’d have taken him to Blackhammer, your favorite cafe- but you’d figured the food and atmosphere here would be more pertinent today.

You waited until he’d inhaled half of his ‘Hungry Man Special’ to bring it up. “So…can I ask what happened?”

Joel froze mid-chew. He swallowed, then cleared his throat. “When I was last here, I got…called into the office, so to speak. There was some big ruckus, needed all hands on deck. That’s why I couldn’t come back for a few days. I got away by saying I had a deal in the works, couldn’t let it disappear. Probably shouldn’t have,” he muttered, his face darkening. “Could come back to bite me in the ass.” He shoveled more sunny-side-up eggs and sausage into his mouth.

“But why did you look so…you fell asleep on my floor, Joel.”

He shrugged. “Life of a demon.” His smile was as bitter as the diner’s black coffee. He’d pulled some magic trick in your bathroom before leaving, so he looked physically refreshed- unwrinkled clothes, gray hair tidied- but exhaustion lurked in the lines around his eyes.

“Did you mean it when you said that our meeting wasn’t over? This is still our second meeting?”

“I’m a demon of my word- this meeting ain’t over ‘til I get that story, Kitten.” Joel’s spark seemed to have returned; he waggled his brows at you suggestively, his eyes flashing gold.

Your mouth twitched. You opened it to speak-

Joel cut you off. “But not now. I’m too tired to be able appreciate it.”

He kept his head bent to his plate. It took a moment for his meaning to land- but when Joel looked back up, you nodded.

Joel appeared fully back to his old self the next time you saw him, which was at the grocery store. It was utterly surreal to be grocery shopping with some kind of supernatural being by your side, but Joel strolled alongside your cart without any compunction, peering at the shelves and watching what you selected with avid interest.

It was an insightful experience. You watched Joel ‘accidentally’ bump into one of the elementary school teachers in front of the strawberries and flirt until you thought the woman’s striped dress would melt right off her; he then followed you down the cereal aisle and made faces at a baby behind the father’s back. He shook his head at your selected brand of chili seasoning, examined every side of your container of matcha, and wrinkled his face in fascinated disgust at the range of Oreo flavors.

All of it made you wonder. Joel never answered your question about how long he’d been a demon. He enjoyed Oreos, but didn’t know there were golden ones. He’d never seen an iPod Shuffle, but didn’t seem overly baffled by the capabilities of your smartphone. His speech sounded more or less modern.

How old was Joel really? What would he think of your theory- that he’d become a demon like this because he’d sold his own soul?

The library’s busy hush was blissful. Peaceful yet thrumming with life and purpose, you always got your best work done here. Steam curled from the opening in your coffee cup, drifting past your laptop screen, barely registering in front of the lines of text rapidly appearing.

Somebody plunked a book down at the table space beside you. Your attention flickered. You’d be annoyed by the person in a minute, given the number of empty tables they could have chosen to sit at, but for now you typed on, determined to finish your train of thought.

You were about to glance over when someone’s mouth grazed your ear. “Working hard, kitten?”

You clapped a hand over your mouth to keep from yelping.

“Would you stop sneaking up on me every time you appear!” You snapped your head around to hiss the words, but that just put you inches away from a pair of familiar golden eyes, and your head reared back on instinct.

Joel straightened up, shrugging archly. “Not my fault you’re unobservant.”

You scoffed. “I’m not unobservant, I’m working. I can’t play with you today, I have a deadline.”

His eyes gleamed as he spotted your coffee cup. “What’s this? ‘Blackhammer’.” Joel picked it up to read the label. Before you could stop him, he stole a sip.

His face contorted in disgust. “Jesus, what the hell’d you do to this? Can’t even taste the coffee.”

Stifling laughter, you carefully took the cup back from him. “That’s because it’s a hazelnut latte, not regular coffee.”

Joel smacked his mouth exaggeratedly, giving the cup a suspicious look. “I’m not sure I trust this place after tasting that.”

“They do have nice coffee roasts, they just also have basic bitch drinks.”

“Basic- what?” Joel looked mildly appalled, your choice of vocabulary finally pulling his attention from the coffee.

Your amusement warred with your annoyance. The ubiquity of memes and the breadth and variety of new, ever-evolving slang was one of things Joel had approximately zero knowledge of, as you discovered at the grocery store, after he asked if an advertisement was using ‘slay’ as a reference to ‘that vampire slayer chick’. Normally you were happy to explain things, but today you were busy.

“It’s just a descriptor, it’s not really an insult…anymore.”

Joel didn’t look like he believed you. “You’re in a library; go look it up.” You gestured to the bank of computers. His mouth crinkled dubiously.

You sighed. “Look, give me like, 30 minutes. You can brush up on Urban Dictionary, and then I’ll take you to Blackhammer.”

Joel straightened, adopting a unaffected expression. “Naw, don’t worry about it. You can take me tomorrow, when you’re not workin’. Later, kitten.”

It was a twenty minute walk from your house to Blackhammer, but despite Joel’s declaration that the rain would hold off, you definitely just felt a drop hit your nose.

The clouds were dark and the breeze mischievous- not unlike the conditions of your first meeting. A sideways glance caught Joel’s yellow eyes glimmering back at you, confirming that he was remembering it, too.

He stuck his hands in the pockets of his jeans as he strolled. “Did you make your deadline yesterday?”

Keeping one eye on the sky, you told him a little about your work. Ten minutes later, undeniable dark spots started to speckle the sidewalk. Joel scoffed- but when the speckles started to become patches, he was right behind you as you scurried under the nearest awning.

The skies opened. Rain poured down like someone had opened a tap over a colander. Thunder rumbled, though half-heartedly, as if to say that it could be a storm, if it wanted to, but it didn’t feel like it today.

Joel lifted his hands to ward off your pointed look. “Now, listen-”

“You insisted-!”

But you were laughing, and his grumbling was good-natured, and you waited companionably under the awning. Several people more prepared than you walked past holding umbrellas.

After another ten minutes or so, the rain lightened- but not so much that it couldn’t still be called a downpour. The wind had fallen still, and the clouds gave the impression of settling in for a good long soak.

You glanced at Joel. “I don’t suppose you could magic us up an umbrella.”

Joel smirked. “I can do better than that.”

To your astonishment, he walked right out into the downpour. Your mouth opened to protest, but when he turned around, it closed- he was as dry as the sidewalk had been twenty minutes ago. There were no speckles on his shirt, no droplets beading on his hair. He spread his hands, looking smug.

“How did you do that?”

“I wanted to stay dry. Granted my own wish.”

He hadn’t mentioned he could do that during your conversation at lunch. “Huh.”

Joel beckoned. “Come on. Your turn.”

After a moment’s hesitation, you stepped out into the rain.

And promptly got soaked. Cold and wet splashed you as suddenly as if you'd been hit by a couple of water balloons. You leaped back under the awning, swiping water from your face. “What the fuck, Joel!”

The bastard was laughing. Joel was bent at the waist, clutching his middle, crowing at his own little prank.

He straightened, wiping his eyes. “You shoulda seen your face,” he hooted.

It was difficult to stay mad when he was suddenly, startlingly pretty, this man- this demon- with the lines on his face creased in laughter and humor sparkling in his sulfur-yellow eyes.

You gave it a try nonetheless. “You said you wanted us to stay dry!”

Joel’s grin didn’t fully fade. “I said I wanted to stay dry. Never said anything about you.” His eyes, still shimmering, glance down your body, dripping like rain over the clinging patches on your shoulders and chest.

You couldn't look away from him. The rain hissed down around you, a silvery curtain preserving the moment, blurring out the rest of the world.

Joel’s eyes were as warm as sunlight in the distance. He held out his hand. “Alright, come on. I owe you now. My payment’ll be keeping you dry this time.”

You stepped up to the border of wet and dry on the sidewalk. Your arm stretched over the line…and stayed dry.

You placed your hand in Joel’s. He tugged you out into the rain, and though he released your hand, not a drop touched you.

Coffee culture, you suspected, had not been as advanced the last time Joel had been in a cafe. Luckily, the other reason Blackhammer was your favorite palace was the baristas- they were patient, not pretentious, and cheerfully explained the various brewing options to Joel until he was satisfied with his choice. Now he sat and watched his single-origin pour-over brew with forced patience, glancing over disdainfully as you added several brown sugar cubes to your own mug.

As soon as the last drop fell from the filter, Joel was on it. One sip, and his face transformed- he lit from within, chuckling in pure disbelief. He admitted without any arm-twisting that it was worth the wait.

“Can I ask you something?” You didn’t want to to ruin the comfortable atmosphere, but your theory couldn’t wait any longer.

Joel lowered his mug. “Meeting number two’s big question, huh? Fire away.” He looked resigned, but not annoyed, which you took as encouragement.

“Three dates, three questions,” you reminded him cheekily.

Rolling his eyes, Joel gestured impatiently.

“When I asked you before, about how long you’ve been a demon…you didn’t answer.” You snuck a look at him, but he sat stone-faced. “Will you answer it now?”

Joel took a deep, slow breath. “I’ve been a demon…for somewhere around twenty years.”

He didn’t volunteer many details, and you didn’t ask for them. He made a deal to save his family, and, he said, he’d do it again. His brimstone eyes flashed.

“I was too scared to try and pull anything clever,” he admitted. “But I’ve learned a trick or two since then.”

“So, who…owns your soul?”

The furrow in Joel’s brow deepened. “The demon who made the deal with me, I suppose. I’d have to check the contract,” he said sardonically.

You phrased your next question very carefully. “If he didn’t own your soul anymore, what would happen to you?”

The full weight of Joel’s attention fell on you, his face a mix of serious and suspicious. “Depends on what he did with it. He could toss it with the rest, and I’d die like everyone else. He could give it to another demon, and I’d stay the same. I guess, theoretically…” You hardly dared to breathe.

“He could give it back to me. Then…well, I dunno really. It’s not exactly common practice.” Another eye roll. “But theoretically, that could mean I’d be a normal human again.”

“Can a normal human own another human’s soul?” You spoke casually, easily, hoping Joel would think you were just musing aloud as the thoughts occurred to you.

“I think that’s generally a no-no, unless they have access to some powerful magic.”

His golden gaze was scorching, his unspoken questions louder than your unconvincing casualness.

But you said nothing more on the subject.

“If you’ve only been a demon for twenty years, then is this your actual age?” You nodded toward his appearance, letting your mouth curve and your eyes sparkle with implication.

Blinking, Joel glanced down at himself. “Thereabouts. I haven’t changed the way I look since I was, uh. Recruited.” His gaze strayed into the distance, clearly still distracted.

“Could you?” you ask curiously.

“Some do.” Joel pushed his mug away abruptly. “I gotta go. Thanks for the coffee.” Shoulders hunched pensively, Joel walked all the way out of the cafe before vanishing.

You still hadn’t explained the ‘kitten’ thing, and it was driving you a little bit crazy.

It’s not that you wanted to end your meetings. It’s just that it felt like unfinished business; like it was keeping you on uncertain ground. Every time Joel used the nickname, it jolted you- was this the moment when he wanted you to explain it? Was he hinting that he wanted the meetings to end?

And the way he used it. He’s made it his own, really. Or at least, you hoped he saw it that way. Joel certainly didn’t use the same inflection as Ruby when he said it.

“Kitten.” You heard it in his teasing voice, low and rough as a lion’s purr, and you shivered. Only when he said it did it sound like you were in a novel of a certain genre…

Oh, no.

Oh, no, this was not a romance novel. You couldn’t be having a crush on a demon.

…But he wasn’t just a demon. He was Joel.

You didn’t even know if it was possible for the two of you to have a future. Particularly given that, as Joel said, another demon owned his soul. Come to think of it, who would own your soul if you sold it? It should be Joel, you reasoned, because he would be the one making the deal. Now there was something to consider…

Joel coalesced, and the moment he saw the plant on the windowsill, he smiled.

The smile vanished, however, at what he saw next: your body prone on the sofa, your face pale and taut.

You groaned, curling in on yourself. “You know how I enjoy your company, Joel, but I’m not really up for making deals today. Come back tomorrow, or later tonight if it’s really urgent.”

It should bother him that you’re so unmoved by his presence. That you’re so comfortable blithely shooing away a demon with power like his, so sure that your artless dismissal will result in his disappearance.

Joel felt not a whisper of annoyance. Instead, as your face contorted in a clear grimace of pain, he felt…anxiety.

“What…what’s wrong?”

“What?” You opened your eyes, seeming confused that he was still there. “Nothing, just period pains. It’s normal.” Your legs shifted restlessly. “You could pass me that bottle of painkillers before you go, though, if you’re feeling generous.” You nodded past him, toward the kitchen table.

Joel didn’t move. “Or, I could…make it go away.” He didn’t shift, didn’t fidget. Didn’t make any expression at all as the offer left his mouth.

“Uh-huh. At what price?” You laughed weakly. “It’s fine, Joel. Happens every month.”

“No price. A gift, freely given.” Joel was kneeling beside you before he was even aware of moving.

You drew a startled breath. The motion pulled at the aching muscles in your abdomen, and your face tightened again.

A ferocious need snarled to life inside Joel. He hadn’t felt anything with this strength in years. It burned through him, demanding his attention, forging pathways he’d thought long-atrophied. It brought everything into sizzling clarity, like- like-

Like having a soul again.

Joel’s hand hovered over your belly, so close to touching you could feel the warmth of him. “Say yes,” he said.

There was something fierce in his tawny eyes, in the set of his mouth- something you didn’t dare interpret. You nodded.

Joel rested his hand on your abdomen- and the pain faded away.

“Ohhhh.” Your whole body relaxed, and you released a great sigh. You gripped Joel’s wrist without thinking, keeping that sensation there. It was like a warmth, but also something else- not just the absence of pain, but the presence of pleasure, a sweet, honeyed glow emanating through your lower belly and into the rest of your body.

Joel’s pinkie finger rested on a sliver of skin exposed by your top. The pleasure seemed sweetest there, the richest feeling originating from that tiny length of skin-to-skin contact. As the pain receded and your presence of mind returned, the concept of Joel’s skin on yours became all the more remarkable.

“Joel.” You looked up, intending to say more, but the look on his face stopped you. It was hard but satisfied, the ferocity of earlier gentled. His eyes were the same color, though- tawny-amber, like a mountain cat’s.

You swallowed. “Thank you.”

Joel nodded. He gently extracted his hand from your grip, and the loss of that feeling left a cold hollow. You made a tiny, involuntary sound.

Joel stood, wincing as his knees cracked. Maybe he hadn’t altered his outer or inner workings, like he’d said at Blackhammer. Knowing that his beauty was all-natural was strangely dizzying, overwhelming, and not something you needed to be fixating on right now…

“Get some rest, honey. This meeting ain’t over.”

Your mouth quirked even as your eyelids drooped. As you fell asleep in his presence for the second time, Joel allowed himself a small smile, and then vanished.

“I told you this farmer’s market was good.” Your door unlocked without the slightest struggle; pleased, you made your way inside.

Joel closed the door behind him, satisfaction flickering across his face. He followed you to the kitchen table, watching you unload your purchases. “It was good, I just thought the Sunday one was better, is all.”

“Well, yeah, the weekend ones are always bigger. The Wednesday one is calmer, though…”

Joel had to concede that. The town’s Sunday market had been bustling, with crowds so thick they funneled like molasses, in a slow-moving stream. Once he got used to the noise and the sensation of being gently buffeted about, though, he’d started to enjoy himself. All the smells in the air and the range of goods on offer. Today’s market, though slightly smaller, had a more local feel- the vendors could actually hear each other across their stands, and called greetings and inquiries about lives and jobs.

Several enormous peaches now sat in a basket in the center of the table. With an expression of relish, you plucked one out and went to the sink to wash it.

A question you asked several dates ago was turning slowly around and around in Joel’s mind. It had lodged in his thoughts the day you’d asked it, growing into a ponderous yet inescapable vortex that was now on the verge of sucking him in. He was usually reluctant to use his gift, but something had its teeth in him- something he didn’t care to examine too closely. You had asked for it…

Returning with your peach, you sent him a quizzical look. “You look like you’re thinking about something.”

“Do you remember at our first meetin’, at lunch, when you asked me if I could show you the…’tempting’ that I can do?”

The hand holding the peach paused halfway to your mouth. “...Yes.”

“I could show you now, if you want.”

Your arm lowered. “Okay,” you agreed.

Joel held out his hand. You stared at him, bemused, until he nodded toward your uneaten snack. Nerves fizzed in his fingertips as your hand neared, as the downy skin of the peach met his palm.

He held it up. The fruit was nearly as big as his fist, which was saying something. “You want this peach?”

“I did,” you replied, amused and intrigued.

Joel turned and made his way to the couch, sinking into one end. He waved the peach at you again. “How bad?”

Only slightly wary, you followed, sitting opposite him on the couch. “Not bad enough to fight you for it, if that’s what you mean.”

Joel shifted to face you. His attention burned, as unavoidable as a desert sun. Looking at you intently, he tilted his head. “What about now?”

All at once, the peach looked like the most delicious thing you’d ever seen. It seemed to glow in the afternoon light, a fragment of summer itself in Joel’s hand. The rosy flesh was near to bursting with syrupy juice; all you could think about was how dry your throat felt.

Joel brought the peach to his lips. You were transfixed by the sight of his teeth piercing the skin; the wet sound of the flesh as it parted; his mouth and throat working as he slurped at the juice.

Joel’s mouth glistened. “Do you want this peach?” He held it toward you, offering it like the precious gift it was.

You leaned forward, your knee touching Joel’s. The low rumble of his voice reverberated in your chest; your eyes darted back and forth between his face and the fruit. The peach’s fragrance, thick and floral, floated in the air. “Yes.”

“What would you trade for it?” Joel lifted the peach to his mouth again.

“Wait!” you cried. “Um-” You looked around wildly. In your frantic, clumsy haste to find something, you toppled forward.

You planted your hand on Joel’s chest to stop yourself. He sat unmovable, solid and warm. The woodsmoke scent of him threaded through the sweetness in the air. You lifted your eyes to his- his gorgeous eyes, golden like honey, like sunlight. His mouth was lush and wet as the fruit you’d all but forgotten about. Your interest in the peach was fleeting, a drop in the bucket compared to your desire for-

“Stop.”

The vitality of the moment faded. After a few fraught seconds, everything seemed slightly less…vibrant, somehow. Joel’s mouth was a flat line, his jaw tense. He didn’t move.

Slow and cautious, you sat back, your brow furrowed. You remembered everything that had just happened, but the thought process behind your actions was less clear.

You eyed the peach, wondering where its appeal had gone. “What did you…”

“I didn’t do anything. I asked if you wanted the peach. My powers did the rest.”

Joel’s powers. His aura of temptation, convincing you that what you wanted most in the world was perfectly within reach. Until…

Your face felt like it might burst into flames. “And then…”

“And then you got distracted,” Joel said shortly.

He set the peach on the coffee table and stood. “I’m late for something. I gotta go.” For once he left through the door, rather than vanishing in his uncanny way.

Your apartment felt strangely empty without him taking up so much space in it.

Your cheeks blazed with heat beneath your palms. What just happened?

Joel said you’d gotten distracted. But his powers didn’t create desires, only amplified existing ones. Which meant…

You stood suddenly, overcome with the strength of your realization.

And Joel knew.

The ground Joel trod was uneven rock, but his mind was nowhere near his feet. It was back in your apartment, frozen in the exact moment he felt your desire shift, its focus change.

To him.

It couldn’t be. But it was. He knew exactly what his powers could and couldn’t do, and they couldn’t put that fire in your eyes without a spark.

Joel’s hands shook and his blood raced, propelling him toward the meeting place fast enough that he would no longer be late. He’d give himself away, but it didn’t matter. Tess was waiting.

A small crowd was already waiting at the crossing. You fell in at the back, using the wait to dig in your bag for chapstick. When the crowd started forward, you looked up.

Joel was standing on the other side.

You froze. People flowed around either side of you. In your indecision, the crossing light changed from green to red again.

It’s been 48 hours since you’ve seen Joel. Since his powers lifted the veil on your desire for him, bringing it into the light for you both to feel.

Your eyes locked onto him. He stood as inscrutable as ever, hands in his pockets, his hair glinting silver in the light. He jerked his head in a summoning motion.

That was more like the irritating demon you knew. That familiar combination of annoyance and trepidation gave you the courage to cross the street.

Silently, he fell into step beside you. You walked slowly, both of you gathering your thoughts.

“That ice cream place you mentioned, when we went to lunch. Is it open now?”

It was so beyond anything you might have expected that you stopped, right in the middle of the sidewalk.

“What?”

Joel paused a few steps later, turning his head, and then the rest of his body, back toward you. “The ice cream place. Is it open right now?” he repeated.

The gears of your mind turned stickily, slow to catch up. “Um…I think so.”

“Can we go?” Joel looked at you expectantly.

“Right now?”

Joel huffed in exasperation. “Yes, kitten. Right now. You feelin’ okay?”

“Sure, yeah, um…” Your thoughts juddered into motion again. “Just, it’s this way.” You pointed back the way you’d come.

The line at the nearby ice cream place was long. You weren’t surprised. Neither was anyone else, it seemed. Families and couples waited without complaint, enjoying the balmy weather. You and Joel joined the end, still mostly silent. It wasn’t awkward, exactly. More…unsure.

“If I pay for this,” Joel finally said, “will you tell me the story behind your nickname?”

Oh. You didn’t answer for a long moment, your mind ticking. “Yes,” you said.

Joel nodded once, his face mostly stoic, and yet…not. You couldn’t put your finger on any specific emotion. Only that he didn't seem...satisfied, as if he wasn't quite convinced by his own course of action.

“Why do you even still have money?” you asked.

Joel rolled his eyes. “To buy my victims ice cream, of course.” He gave you a sidelong glance, before stepping forward to peer at the menu.

You shook your head, looking away to hide a smile.

You expected to feel sad. Disappointed, about the idea that Joel wanted to end your second meeting and start your third and final one.

But you just couldn’t.

You couldn’t feel sad when Joel was still cracking lame jokes and suppressing smiles at your grudging laughter. You couldn’t feel worried that you fucked everything up when he handed you your ice cream cone with easy care, letting your fingers brush for a prolonged moment. You couldn’t fear that he wanted to end things when he asked if you had any plans for the local holiday next weekend; as if he paid attention, as if he cared.

“Nah,” you answered. You didn’t notice Joel’s golden eyes flicker as you busily chased a trickle of melting ice cream with your tongue. “Well, I mean yes, but they’re the same as everyone else’s. Go out, get drunk, have a good time.”

“Where’s your favorite place?”

“What, to go out? The Chameleon, probably.” Your eyes closed to savor your ice cream.

The Chameleon was a place you’ve mentioned before. It was sort of a bar and a club stuck together, but the setup worked for everyone- especially the bar, whose patrons only needed to head into the back to ramp up their night out. You'd said the 'vibes' there were always good, which Joel thought sounded a bit retro, but which you assured him was currently modern slang again.

“Any good times planned?”

You sent Joel a curious glance. “Some, for sure, but they’re more open-ended plans.”

Joel looked away, across the lot full of picnic tables and families with their sweet treats, and concentrated on his cone. The height of his ice cream swirl steadily shrank, until finally it was level with the top of the cone. “So,” he said. “Kitten.”

You froze, a mouthful of ice cream half-melted on your tongue. You swallowed quickly, shivering as the cold caught in your throat. “Kitten,” you agreed.

The memory made you smile. Nostalgia tangled with a twinge of inevitable sadness as you finally told the story that had held the end at bay for so long.

“I was hired at Ruby’s right before Halloween. Normally Ruby meets all the new hires herself, but she was away that year for some reason. So I didn’t meet her until the day of Halloween. I was wearing a headband with little cat ears on it- employees were allowed to dress up, but I’d only just started, so I didn’t wanna do anything crazy- so the headband was my only ‘costume’, but Ruby comes in and she looks at me and goes ‘Well, who’s this little kitten?’”

Joel could hear it in Ruby’s exact tone. You laughed, shaking your head, and continued. “She just called me ‘kitten’ for the rest of the night- for the rest of the week. She did eventually learn my name, but it was too late by that point. Everyone else there started calling me 'kitten', too, and it just stuck

You shrugged, darting a glance at Joel. “I told you it wasn’t that exciting.”

“Maybe.” Waffle cone crunched between his teeth. “You mind that I use it?”

You looked up in surprise. “No.”

Joel’s eyes were bright, the yellow as defiant as dandelions. He popped the end of the cone in his mouth with relish and sucked the ice cream off his fingers. “Good,” he said. “Kitten.”

---

Thanks for reading! ❤️

Masterlist

#joel miller x reader #joel miller x you #tlou fic #the last of us fic #tlou hbo #tlou

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broadway-heere-i-come · 2 years ago

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Will Roland, Harrison Chad, and Ben Platt at Second Stage Theatre in 2016 (x)

#majorly obsessed with will's hoodie. extremely 2.0 VIMH energy.#(would not be surprised if it was the same hoodie tbh but i think jeremy's was darker)#also that scoop neck tee 👀#oh and the other two look nice as well i guess /j #dear evan hansen #the black suits #will roland #harrison chad #ben platt

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bunnyb34r · 3 months ago

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We went to the big garage sale yesterday and this one guy had an absolutely beautiful set of pink depression glass and I wanted it SO BAD but I kept looking at each item like... what would I even do with this? They're too pretty to use and where would I display them? Like here's my depression glass ice cream sundae/soda float glass (I was considering that one so bad) its next to my collection of barbies! Or my connection of Cherished Teddies sgdgdgdg like my mom has a small cabinet for knickknacks but it would still look so out of place 😩

Plus since it was an individual guy selling it and I had a bag full of shit to ring up at the front counter table, it felt weird sggddgd

But it was so pink and so pretty 😭 I wanted the whole set bc it looked so stunningly perfect as a set all together but god I dont have that kinda room for that sgdggdgdgd and again too nice to use 😥

#marquilla #i hope someone bought it though and that they enjoy it bc it was so pretty 😭#i got some knickknacks though and a cracker barrel ornament sggdgdgdgdgd i dont think i have that one but anyway it's kinda an #inside joke ab how we're like drawn to that place agdgdggdgd #i got lots of bear items which is funny and a penguin thing... idk what it is shhdhd and two beanie babies that looked so grungy #dirty that i was like 👀 i could fix him. a wash or two in the washing machine and he's good as new! his name is Frigid sgdgdgdgdg #and i got a beagle beanie baby for my mom sdggdgd idr it's name though probably Scout or something #also got some handkerchiefs bc i sweat so much at work sgdgdgd i need something to wipe my neck with 😭#oh and a quilt making kit?? idk i saw it and was like sure why not sgdgdg might be fun and i think it was like $1 #anyways now i gotta clean that shit dhhfhfhfh great

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mvncesa · 2 years ago

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@kurjaks

I, for one, could use a little more celebrating.

#hey bestie :))#I liked this like two weeks ago to rb for them because 👀#this is some shit decker would pull like come up from behind him and do the lil hug & nuzzle/kiss the back of kurjak’s neck ??

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cornbread33y2 · 4 months ago

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Banbaleena Redesign

Here she's is, the queen! (but not the literal Queen, but hey, Leena's a queen in my eyes :3)

I really like the idea of her being an art teacher instead of just... a teacher? (Is she a maths teacher or what? Does she just teach one subject, or is it just a cluster of different ones) So i jumped on that, made her really fluffy and bouncy to counter with BanBan's "spiky" fluffy. I also made her wider and more buffer than him since her model kinda looked it, at least in the arms.

i bet she could pick him up if she tried, and she has😏..

#my art #gobb designs #gobb #garten of banban #banbaleena #gobb redesigns #i think she came out rlly cute #head bow wasn't sitting with me sorry #instead she gets a cute little 'blouse' looking design with her neck fluff and bow #how tf has she not physically met banban yet in game #he apparently hugged her for aaages when they first met according to their case files👀#i wanna know the tea with these two👀

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yellowsubiesdance · 6 months ago

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my stage manager hugged me real good and told me i did a great job tonight 😏

#he like put his face on my neck n shit #AHHHH i like him so much #and i told some of my castmates about my crush on him and they’re so supportive #it was so cute #my really good friend was like ‘let’s make this happen’ and i’m like hell yes girl i need to recruit some teammates for this #bc he’s only gonna be with us this one weekend #i do need to ask him for specifics about what he’s working on our last two weeks of this show #i’m very curious about what he’s doing and if i’ll be able to see it 👀

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northernsiberiawinds · 10 months ago

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BABY FACE KIT 💌

Click on the gifs to see it without strange glitches or click on the link (by the way, there is some information about future releases 👀)!

LITTLE HEART SKINBLEND FULL BODY

5 texture options with 3 from light to dark tone overlay swatсhes;

Two faces, two versions of transparency and a body-only version.

for females, teenagers+.

LITTLE HEART SKINBLEND FACE MASK

5 texture options with 3 from light to dark tone overlay swatсhes;

Two faces, two versions of transparency and a free-eyelids version.

for females, teenagers+;

for children, boys and girls.

FEMALE EYES PRESETS N13 — N16

4 new forms;

my base default texture (in the preview I used the texture of the "little heart" skinblend);

for females, from teens to elders.

FEMALE EYES PRESETS N13 — N16 CHILD EDITION

4 new forms;

my base default texture (in the preview I used the texture of the "little heart" skinblend);

for children, boys and girls.

FEMALE NOSE PRESETS N34 — 42

9 new forms;

my base default texture (in the preview I used the texture of the "little heart" skinblend);

for females, from teens to elders.

FEMALE NOSE PRESETS N34 — 42 CHILD EDITION

9 new forms;

my base default texture (in the preview I used the texture of the "little heart" skinblend);

for children, boys and girls.

FEMALE MOUTH PRESETS N45 — N53

9 new forms;

edited EA default texture (in the preview I used the texture of the "little heart" skinblend);

for females, from teens to elders.

FEMALE MOUTH PRESETS N45 — N53 CHILD EDITION

9 new forms;

edited EA default texture (in the preview I used the texture of the "little heart" skinblend);

for children, boys and girls.

FRECKLES N3

3 types;

9 overlay options;

15 + ∞ colors (works with all sliders);

сan be found in skin details (4 categories);

for females and males, all ages.

BLUSH N8 FULL FACE