#but I'm working from home tomorrow because of the storm which means I'll have to go in Friday

[gabekidd]

So it's been about a year since my last haircut (which I did myself), and I'm in bad need of one. I really want one before the show on Saturday, and I'm trying to decide if I want to try to book an appointment for Friday or just follow Brad Mondo's butterfly cut (and maybe curtain bangs) tutorial again.

[casuallyawkardd]

In His Vice

Pairing: Dark!Miguel O'Hara x Wife!Reader

Summary: Something seems different this time when Miguel comes home late

Warnings: non-con in terms of pretending to be someone else, lowkey gaslighting, me attempting to write suspense, not fluent in Spanish so correct me if I mess up

A/N: I made the executive decision to write this fic in a first person perspective because I feel like that adds to the horror aspect so don't come for me. If you enjoy, be sure to join the taglist! Dividers by cafekitsune

I could hear the wind outside, whistling as it shook the trees and bushes. When the weather woman had said there would be a storm tonight, I hadn't expected it to be this bad. Lightning could be seen in the distance, the sound of thunder following after. It took a second more this time, hopefully meaning the storm was going to pass quickly. The television had become background noise, my attention focused on the window as I watched the rain streak down the glass.

Today had been one of those days, the kind where I couldn't wait for it to be over. I had woken up on the wrong side of the bed, a recurring nightmare waking me at three in the morning; its contents making it difficult to fall back asleep, so I inevitably decided to start the day early. Coffee and an aspirin did little to help the headache I'd been developing over the last few days, deadlines at work materializing the throbbing just behind my eyes.

Miguel had seemed to take notice of my struggles, taking over breakfast duty and getting Gabriela ready for school. The feeling of his kiss still lingered on my temple, my fingers now massaging the spot absentmindedly.

"I'm gonna be a little late tonight," he told me, gently prying the emptied mug from my hands and taking it to the sink with the other dishes.

"But what about Gaby's soccer game?" I asked, the look of remorse on his face telling me he had forgotten. "Honey, this is the one that determines if they qualify for the championship. It's a big deal for her."

"I know, mi corazón," he soothed, but I pulled away from his touch. Quiet fell over the kitchen then, Gaby's happy giggles heard from the room over. "Y/N, look at me," he said and I reluctantly turned. Soft brown eyes looked back at me, the hand rubbing my back reassuring. "You know work's been hell lately, my boss really wants me to finish this project. After that, I promise I'll make it up to you and Gaby." That's what he always said. "I know things have been.. tense between us lately, but-"

"Let's not talk about this right now," I interrupted him, hiding the pang in my chest when a look of defeat crossed his features. I had every right to be mad at him. This wasn't the first time he had forgotten. It wasn't just about this soccer game, it was about every forgotten soccer game, birthday party and date night before. Was I happy my husband had gotten the promotion he rightly deserved? Of course, but had I known just how much his job would take away from our family, I would have suggested he negotiate terms.

Which was why I held my tongue as he and Gaby left the house. In hindsight, I could've been kinder to Miguel. Could have turned my head as he leaned in for a kiss, said 'I love you' when he whispered the same phrase in my ear. With no way to turn back time, I figured I could redeem myself tomorrow. He was always quick to forgive.

The rest of the day was as mundane as any, the stress from the deadline had seeped into my very being, becoming familiar as I submitted my final drafts. Then I was left with nothing, returning to the start of the vicious cycle that came with the job. At least I got to clock out early, meaning I had time to spend with Gaby.

She was a bundle of excitement, squealing when she saw I had come to pick her up early from preschool. Relatives always told me she'd grow up fast; I found that to be true. Expected to start kindergarten next year and she was already being mistaken for a second grader. Her father's doing most likely, maybe she'd end up being as tall as him someday. Sharp as a whip too, but that trait I always said came from me.

We decided on a mommy-daughter date at a nearby cafe, one I knew Gaby would like. The owner's cat loved to brush against her legs, mewling until I told her it was alright to give him a dollop of whipped cream. Keep her happy until she saw her papi wasn't at her game. She was disappointed, the bounce in her step fading when she came up to me afterwards, frowning in confusion.

"Papi?"

"Not today, sweetheart," I offered her a sympathetic smile, "work needed his help very badly. You understand, yeah?"

Gaby nodded, but I knew my daughter well enough to know she was still bothered, "I wanted to show Papi that I used the move he showed me."

"Well you can show him after dinner, right?" The idea seemed to help perk her up, the two of us walking hand in hand back to the car to head home.

Only Miguel didn't make it home for dinner. Odd but not uncommon, unfortunately. It wasn't until it neared Gabriela's bedtime that I felt something was wrong. He's always home in time to put her to bed. A nagging feeling started in the back of my mind. He wasn't answering his cell either, going to voicemail instantly. After promising Gaby that I'd send him in to kiss her goodnight later, she finally settled and I took my post on the couch. Which is where I've been up until now.

A quick glance at my phone told me it was nearing one in the morning, that nagging feeling became something more. Something that dug into my gut and constricted my chest. The amount of missed calls he had was probably bordering on the edge of warranted worry and psychotic spouse. The thought of calling the police made my fingers itch, but I abstained. Miguel's a big guy, he can take care of himself...right? I winced as my teeth bit into the skin around my fingernails, pulling my hand away to assess the damage. It was a nervous habit I couldn't seem to shake, the cuticles an ugly red from irritation.

Then came the sound of a click, followed by the ominous crash of thunder. It was quiet, I almost didn't notice, but it was a new sound compared to the rain, thunder and static of the TV. My heart lurched forward, taking me with it as I rushed to the entry hallway. In the dark, I could make out a figure. Large and imposing, it hunched in front of the main door of the house, grunting as it shifted about in the black of the hall. I had become so paranoid that the sight left me momentarily speechless, throat suddenly dried when I tried speaking.

"Miguel?" was what I managed to get out.

The movements stopped, tension rising around me as the figure stood to its full height. I almost back pedaled as it approached, step by agonizing step coming closer and closer to me. The air around me felt thick, hard to breathe until the glow of the TV revealed this intruder.

"It's you," Miguel's voice rattled my eardrum, reminding me to breathe. "Why are you still up?"

"Where have you been?" I demanded, forcing my voice to remain at a reasonable volume. "Do you know how late it is?"

Miguel's expression hardened, not answering me right away and keeping me on the edge of my seat. I searched every inch of his face for a reason, a tell to let me know what had kept him, and yet I saw nothing. Why did I still feel so uneasy? "There were some complications at work," he explained, "It took some time to fix. I figured you'd be asleep by now, so I grabbed something to eat after everything was sorted."

"And that took you until one in the fucking morning?"

"Didn't know I had a curfew." He said it so bluntly, almost accusatory. The eyes that looked into mine were unyielding, wanting no question or fuss to his response. Not to push that which was unmovable. It wasn't an expression I was familiar with, at least from him, the glint of affection that lingered no matter how mad he got at me now snuffed.

"I..." I trailed off, unsure what to say next. The whirlwind of thoughts and emotions collected within me had me feeling unhinged. Was I being crazy? "I'm sorry, I was just worried about you," I settled on, swallowing thickly so my throat had lubrication.

"Where's Gaby?"

The question gave me pause, his evident impatience spouting words from my mouth. "Oh! Um... she's in bed," Miguel didn't seem impressed by my answer, "u-upstairs," I pointed in the direction mentioned.

"Mmm," was all he responded with, leaving me to shuffle out of the way as he beelined to the staircase. Then I was left alone once again, the suddenness of it making me wonder if I had just dreamed everything. The heavy footsteps above my head confirmed that our interaction was all too real, another crack of thunder giving my body the jumpstart it needed. All was well now right? That's what I told myself as I folded the blanket I had been using, shutting off the TV and making my way up to the second floor.

Miguel's home now, Gaby's in bed, everyone is safe and sound. I thought as I passed by my daughter's room, catching a glimpse of her father sitting beside her bed. I repeated it as I got myself ready for bed, brushing my teeth and washing my face of any leftover makeup. My pajamas were one of Miguel's t-shirts and I tucked my nose under the collar as I lay down, letting the smell of him ease my lingering nerves. There was nothing more to worry about, everything would go back to normal tomorrow.

The sun woke me up, bright rays peeking through the curtains. Blinking away the haze of sleep, I still felt restless. The nightmares again, most likely. A nuisance that was bold enough to show itself in the night, but cowardice in that I'd forget them in the morning. As I wiped my eyes, the clock on my nightstand became readable.

7:30 AM

Overslept. It was what I needed to get me out of bed, rushing as I did the bare minimum to look presentable. Cold water to wash my face, teeth brushed, hair pulled back and managed, some sweatpants and slip-ons for good measure. Thank God I worked from home.

Gaby was next on my radar, moving quickly down the hall and rapping on her door with my knuckles. Opening my mouth to tell say it was time to get up, the words left me when I saw she wasn't in bed. Come to think of it, Miguel hadn't been in bed either. Did he even come into the room last night? Shaking my head to clear the thought, the sound of dishes clattering drew me to the kitchen. As I descended, the smell of pancakes was clear, the sound of quiet chatter and little giggles following after.

"Papi, quiero voltear el siguiente." Papi, I want to flip the next one.

The baritone of Miguel's laugh followed after, "Lo sé chiquita, pero debes tener cuidado." I know little one, but you have to be careful.

The sight of my husband and daughter making a mess of the kitchen was touching, last night's events feeling like a distant memory. Almost. To think those cold, hard eyes that had pierced through my very being, were now looking down with such warmth and tenderness.

"Mommy!" Gaby spotted me in the doorway, squeezing between Miguel and the counter to come greet me.

"Well, good morning to you too," I cooed, bending forward so we were eye level. Her arms wrapped around my neck in an embrace, my lips finding purchase on her cheek before returning the gesture with one arm. "What do you have going on here?" I asked once we had parted, smoothing down her curls.

Gaby shrugged, "I wanted pancakes," was her simple response. "You were sleeping, so Papi said he could make them."

I looked up at the man in question, who seemed more occupied with what was cooking on the stove than what we were discussing. "And they haven't burnt?" I teased, approaching him from behind. My hand touched the small of his back, thumb rubbing small circles into the muscle as I looked over his shoulder to analyze the aforementioned pancakes.

"I know how to make pancakes," Miguel quipped back, his tone suggesting I might have struck a nerve.

"Of course you do. It's just that last time-"

"I said I got it."

"Okay," was all I could really say, kissing his shoulder apologetically. "You're tense, Mig. You should take a warm bath," I commented, pulling away so as not to disturb him further. Gaby had taken a seat at the kitchen counter, nibbling on a small plate of fruit. Miguel had most likely prepared it so she didn't get impatient.

"Well, breakfast will have to be quick today," I announced, grabbing a grape for myself, "We still have to get you dressed for preschool and then-"

"I called the preschool," Miguel interjected and I turned to him, "she's not going today."

A small frown graced my features, "Well, I wanted to get a head start on my next article."

"Called your work too. Told them you weren't feeling well." Before I could protest, Miguel continued, "I took the day off as well, figured we could have a day together. As a family."

"Oh," is all I had left to say, "Are you sure? I mean that sounds great, but you said your boss was really strict about time off."

Miguel huffed, smiling wryly at my comment, maybe even condescending. "Yeah, well if he has a problem with it, he can kiss my ass."

My eyes widened at his sudden crassness, "Miguel!"

"Papi, that's a bad word," Gaby chimed in, nose scrunched in determination as she scolded her father.

Miguel's smile shifted to a genuine one, rounding the kitchen island to reach the little girl. "You're right, mi vida, I'm sorry," he said, kissing her temple and she squirmed at the contact. I watched as Miguel pulled away, combing his long fingers through her hair. Did she always look so small next to him? "Come on, help me plate the pancakes. The sooner you eat your breakfast, the sooner we can figure out something to do."

Gabriela nodded eagerly, jumping out of her seat and following Miguel to resume their work. I figured I'd let them enjoy each other's company, preparing coffee for Miguel and myself. As I had hoped, everything seemed to be as it always was once more, if not better. Usually it was hectic in the morning, Miguel sleeping in until the last possible second before getting dressed and walking out the door for work, Gabriela in tow. So having a moment like this was a rare treat, one usually reserved for the weekend.

And yet, there was still something that felt so entirely wrong. Something that made my stomach churn and the hair stand up on the back of my neck. Call it intuition, but as to what it was cluing me into, I had yet to understand. I racked my brain as to what could be causing this feeling to linger inside me. Chewing the inside of my cheek as I poured the coffee into two mugs. To one, I added milk and a spoonful of honey. The other simply got milk, each getting a thorough stir. I took both cups, sipping from the one with honey and offering the other to Miguel.

He took it without even looking at me, focused on making sure Gaby didn't hurt herself as she flipped a pancake. I thought nothing of it as I went to go sit down, maybe scroll on my phone now that I had time, but Miguel's disgruntled murmur had me turning to face him. "I don't want anything in my coffee."

"Oh, sorry I didn't know."

"It's fine, can you just remake it?" Miguel asked in a dismissive tone, holding out the mug to me to take. I set my drink down, taking his in both my hands and going to discard the contents in the sink.

When did he start taking his coffee black?

Tags: @lazy-idate @lilly5799 @yougavemeyourheartyouknow

[so-long-soldier-writes]

Gorgeous

kai parker x reader (both 18+!) (shy!virgin!kai)

summary: troubled by his own body, kai's afraid to go all the way with you. that is, until you confess you love him regardless of the way he looks, giving him just the confidence he's needed all along.

tags: friends to lovers, kissing, minor fingering, shy!kai, mentions of child abuse / physical abuse [I can't just write a normal fic, can I?], implied s3lf h4rm, emotional hurt / comfort, confessions, making out, blow jobs, virgin!kai, top / bottom switching, reader is a little freaky, nipple sucking, pet names, aftercare, cuddling

word count: 5.5k

a/n: sooooo... this has been sitting in my wips for over a year. for some reason, i just never posted it. but unfortunately, i have work tomorrow, so i'll be dead as a doornail that evening, and the work i wanted to post isn't done yet, so i'll post this in the meantime. that being said, i think i'm finally starting to get back in the swing of things. i'm still working on requests as well as other stuff, but i'm coming back slowly!

also, if this idea is totally unusual, that's probably why it sat in my drafts for a year. it's a year old fluffy smut with a strange premise. bare with me. 😅

The minute you get back from work, you collapse onto the nearest chair and groan.

“You okay there?”

Looking up, you see Jo and her boyfriend on the couch watching a movie. Oops.

“Sorry. Yeah. Long day. Where is everyone?”

“Our dads went to the flooding company people to try and get that situation covered, and our moms took the kids to the park.”

“My brother too?”

“Your brother, but not mine.”

“Cool,” you give the girl a thumbs up. “Hey Cody.”

Jo’s boyfriend looks over at you, “hey, Y/N.”

“Alright, I’m gonna go shower.”

“Okay!”

You make your way up the stairs slowly, wondering where Kai is. Poking your head in his room, you see he’s not in there, but you don’t hear him anywhere else. Oh well. You’ll find him after your shower, because you really, really need that shower. 

In your room - also the Parker’s guest room - you grab a new set of clothes and your hairbrush, before going into the guest bathroom in the hallway. See, you and the Parkers are neighbors and have become close family friends. Though one night after a really bad storm, your basement flooded, as did several other houses nearby. This is a problem Mr. Parker could easily fix with magic, but considering the electric and flooding companies know your house was one of the ones affected, he can’t do anything without revealing his coven. Instead, your family temporarily moved in with his until the county could fix the issue.

It’s been two weeks, no progress. But you’re not complaining; you get to spend more time with Kai - your best friend who you’ve recently started dating in secret. 

As you’re busy undressing and getting the water ready, you don’t hear Kai come in from outside. The boy stands in the kitchen, staring at nothing in particular.

“Is everyone still out?” He hesitantly asks Jo.

“Yeah. But Y/N came home.”

“Oh. Where is she?”

“Mhm, went upstairs.” Then she snaps her fingers, “oh wait! She said she’s taking a shower. So don’t bother her. Just go to your room and wait for her to come out. Don’t be weird.”

Kai scrunches his nose. As if he’d ever make you uncomfortable on purpose. “Okay, thanks.”

Quietly, he makes his way upstairs. When he hears the water running, he bites his lip. Don’t be weird, Jo had just said. But she doesn’t know how close you two actually are. Swallowing hard, he slowly turns the knob to the bathroom door, trying not to alert Jo to which door he’s opening. Inside, the hot water steams up the mirrors, making it hard to see, but he can vaguely point out your figure through the glass. 

“Y/N?”

You hear him and pop your head out of the door, “Kai! Hi. Come in,” you gesture for him to enter all the way.

He does, then shuts the door just as quietly. “I don’t mean to bug you, I just wanted to make sure you were here. Jo said you were, but…” he shrugs.

“You’re not bugging. Come on, join me.”

“What?”

“In here.”

“But… I’m wearing jeans.”

“Well then take them off, you goof.”

“I-I… um.”

Deciding to give him privacy, you stick your head back in the shower and rinse out the shampoo. The whole time you’re finishing your shower routine, you assume Kai’s going to join you at any time. You haven’t gone that far in your relationship yet, but he is a teenage boy, and he does love kissing you every chance he gets.

You two have done more than kissing, of course, but just haven’t gone all the way. And there’s plenty of reasons for that: too many people in this damn house, someone might walk in, someone might overhear, etc. etc. etc. But aside from the obvious reasons, you can’t help but feel like there’s also reasons that Kai isn’t sharing. 

He likes to spend a lot of your time together practically worshipping your body. His lips and fingers have touched nearly every part of you, but he isn’t too keen on letting you do the same. 

Kai holds you in place with a hand on your neck. His lips are attached right below, sucking hard enough to leave a mark. His other hand’s busy farther down - two fingers pumping in and out of you quickly. You bite your lip hard to not moan as you cum on his hands. He continues to finger fuck you through your orgasm, not letting up until your body stills. Then, he tastes one finger before putting the second in your mouth. You suck on it, eyes trained on him the whole time. 

“My turn. Let me make you feel good, Kai.”

“You are. I like watching you like this.”

“No, I know. But I want to taste you, too. Let me blow you.”

Kai bites his lip as if he’s having an internal debate. “Isn’t this so much better, though?” Before you can say anything else, he kisses you, feeling his hands up and down the sides of your body as he does. “Now let me cuddle you, m’kay? Let me take care of you.”

You’re too overwhelmed in pleasure to fight, and succumb to his open arms. Minutes later, you’re both asleep. 

You don’t pry if he tells you ‘no’ the first time, but of course, you can’t help but wonder why he’s never let you even see his body. 

“Take your shirt off, why am I the only one exposed?” You joke, pulling at the hem.

“Hmph, no, baby, I’m too focused on you,” he says. 

Every time. He won’t even take his bracelets off, let alone any of his clothes. Again, you don’t push him - he’ll take that step when he’s ready - but you really want to pleasure him the same way he does you. And besides, he just has to be hot under there; his face is insanely attractive, arms are strong, and figure is lean. You’re dying to know. 

“Y/N?” His voice snaps you from your thoughts.

“Mhm?”

“I, um, actually nevermind.”

“You okay, angel?”

“Yeah, just…”

Done with your shower, you turn off the water and grab your towel. You would just go out nude despite him there, but you know the air will be cold, so you wrap the blue cloth around your body. “Well now I’m done.” Carefully, you open the door and step off the slippery floor.

In front of you, Kai is standing awkwardly. His jeans are still on, but his shirt is off and folded neatly on the bathroom counter. You gulp the minute you see his body for the first time. As you expected, he’s lean and rather well-toned for someone not allowed out of his house much. His arms have some muscle to them, and you can see several prominent veins close to the surface of his skin. What catches your eye most, however, is the sharp v-line shaping his hips, leading to somewhere still hidden from your sight. “Fuck,” you mutter under your breath.

Kai swallows hard. His eyes are red. You don’t notice the signs of discomfort, though, until a small sigh escapes his lips. 

You narrow your eyes when you hear him. “What's wrong, pumpkin?” Hurrying towards him, you cup the sides of his face. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

“I hate it.”

“Hate what?”

“Hate my body.”

“What do you mean? You’re gorgeous, Kai.”

“All the ew, all the stupid… everything.”

“What are you talking about? I don’t see anything ‘ew’.”

“Look closer.”

“Are you sure? If you’re uncomfortable, I won’t.”

“Just do it.”

Nervous, you step back to look at him closer. “Oh,” you mutter, suddenly saddened. Discolored skin in shades of green, yellow, and purple. Bruises, new and old. Handprints, whip marks, slaps from an open palm, all fading from red. Then there are the cuts, up and down his arms, some on his stomach, some on his shoulders. Clearly self-inflicted, though the bruises were all clearly marks of abuse. 

“Now you see how ugly I really am.”

“No, no, Kai…” Gently, you run a finger across a row of evidential abuse. He flinches a little and you can’t help the tear that falls from your eyes. “You’re still gorgeous, baby.”

“Hm,” he mutters, shaking his head ‘no’.

“Shh, shh, you’re okay. I promise. You are still beautiful to me. And I still want you, I still want every inch of your body. You don’t have to hide from me. Hey, I have some, too.”

You peel the towel away a bit to expose several cuts along your upper arm. 

He sniffs, “those weren’t there the other day.”

“I know, baby. But yesterday was really hard with my dad, and this was the only way I could think of to cope.”

Kai remembers yesterday. Your dad had forced you to go out with him to visit different universities in the area. By the time you both got back, he was fuming and you were holding back tears. 

“He got pissed at me when I said I didn’t want to go to college. He asked me why I was the family failure, and why I couldn’t be more like him.”

“I’m sorry, Y/N.”

“It’s okay. I’m okay, now that I’m back beside you.”

“He’s a dick. Your brother’s a dick.”

“My point is, Kai, that we have a lot of the same scars. You don’t think I’m any less beautiful because of them, so why should you think that about yourself?”

“Because I also have bruises from my fucking dad.”

“That’s not your fault, baby. Your dad is an even bigger dick than mine. And just because you have wounds on your body from his hand doesn’t mean I don’t love you or your body any less.”

Kai freezes, “you love me?”

You then freeze, too. “I, um…” Then you realize that that confession may be exactly what he needs to hear. “Yes. I do love you, Kai.”

Tears that were welling in his eyes are now falling, “why?”

“Why? Why not? Because on top of being absolutely gorgeous, you’re an amazing friend and boyfriend. You’re sweet and gentle and trying your best despite the awful circumstances you’ve been given. You’re always there through the good and bad, and I could never get tired of being with you.”

“Can I admit that I love you, too?”

You smile and nod happily before leaning in quickly to kiss him. Amidst your excitement, your towel falls from your body, and your breasts rub up against his bare chest. Kai lets out a moan at the contact, but then separates from the kiss to cover his mouth with his hand. You just raise your eyebrows at him. 

“Feel good?”

Instead of answering, his hands find your breasts and feel them. His eyes roll back in his head. “So soft,” he mutters.

“Kai?”

“Hm?”

“Does this mean I can see you now?”

“Um, I, n- uh-” he stutters over every word. 

“You know what? It’s okay. Later?”

“Okay.”

“Sounds good. And I hate to say it, but we have to stop,” you pause to pull on your panties and jeans, “because Jo will start getting suspicious soon,” you have to ignore Kai’s pouting face as you put on your bra, “and she doesn’t need to see us like this, because she’ll tell your dad.” Your shirt is on next, “and then my dad. And then you’ll get hurt.” He watches you pull your hair out from under your shirt and flip it to curl around your face, “and you’re not getting hurt on my watch. Okay?”

Kai nods, “I love you.”

“I love you, too, pumpkin.” You two share another kiss before leaving the bathroom. Kai grabs his shirt on the way out, fumbling to put it on, along with his multiple bracelets. “Downstairs? I need some water.”

“Sure.”

The minute you reach the last step, Jo calls out to you, “did Kai find you?”

“Yeah, he’s here.”

“Okay. He came in a little bit after you went up. I told him you were in the shower, but not to bother you. He listened to me, right?”

“He didn’t bother me at all. Was very gentlemanly and waited in his room for me to come out.” You wink at Kai as you lie straight to Jo’s turned face. Luckily, she’s fixated on the movie. 

“Okay, good.”

“I’m just going to get a drink and then we’ll be out of your hair shortly.”

◇◇◇◇

“Y/N, are you sure you don’t want to come with us? It’s a huge festival, it’s a lot of fun,” Mr. Parker asks one more time as he’s halfway out the door. 

You take another glance at the amount of people crowding the doorway: your brother and parents, plus Kai’s parents and all his siblings. Minus him, of course. “I’m sure. I’m not too big on crowds, and I’m kinda tired. Might just see if Kai wants to watch a movie.”

“Okay, but be careful.” Then, Mr. Parker leans closer to whisper in your ear. The gray hairs of his beard lightly touch your skin, making you shiver in fear. “And don’t get too close to him.”

“Noted.”

“We should be back around three-ish, more or less,” your Dad adds. 

“Okay.”

“Don’t leave the house, and certainly don’t let him sneak out,” Mr. Parker piggy-backs off your dad’s comment. Jeez, it’s like they’re long-lost irritating brothers.

“I won’t. He’ll stay here with me.”

“But not too close, becau-”

“I heard it the first time, Dad. I trust Kai enough that we’ll be fine for a couple of hours. Go have fun, okay?” You had to downplay your friendship to make them think you only trusted him a little. If they knew the truth - that you’d trust him with your life - they’d definitely stage an intervention and never let you see each other again. 

“Okay, just making sure. See you later, Y/N.”

“Bye.”

Finally, they leave. It takes ten minutes for nine kids to assemble between two cars, between the Parkers’ van and your parents’ SUV, but they eventually make it work. You can literally hear two kids crying over “having to sit in the back again”, but then you hear your Dad’s voice, “ride with me, if it’s okay with your Dad.” The crying ceases at last, and the cars pull out of the gate. 

“Are they gone yet?” Kai comes downstairs about a minute after they left.

“Just pulled out. What were you doing?”

He swallows, “um.” While struggling to answer, you give him a look. “I’m used to hiding during the van-packing process.”

“Okay,” you answer, not entirely convinced. 

He bites his lip, “okay, that part is true. I do hide when they do that because sometimes someone storms back in to grab something to appease the ones stuck in the back, like a snack or whatever. But, um, what I was actually doing was… trying to,” he pauses, and you let him find the words, “build up the courage to, um… can I just kiss you?”

You’re confused, but you’ll never deny him a kiss. Smile forming on your lips, you close the three foot gap between you two, hands tracing his jawline, capturing his face, while kissing him softly. His hands find your waist, gripping your hips. There’s something different about this kiss than your usual ones. Something more hungry… willing, maybe. Whatever it is, you let him take charge. 

As soon as the shift in control changes, he spins the both of you around so that you’re pressed into the counter, rather than himself, while he kisses you deeper. His lips leave your mouth to trail down your jaw, to your neck, but then he suddenly stops to look up at you. 

“Everything okay?”

“Can we go upstairs?”

“Of course.” You joke, “afraid someone’s gonna walk in?”

He misses your teasing tone and replies bluntly, “no, I wanna fuck you.”

You nearly trip up the first stair, causing you to grab a tight hold of his hand. “What’d you say?”

“Is that okay?”

“I-uh-um- yes, just caught me off guard. What brought it on?”

“You said you loved me. And that you liked my body even with all the scars. And that if I can love yours with scars, you can love mine.”

“I did say that. I meant every word.”

“And so now we’re here alone, and I’m going to act on something I’ve wanted to do a long time ago.” 

You reach the top of the stairs. He has an arm around your back to prevent you from falling, just in case, as he stares into your eyes for hesitancy. You give none. “Then do it.”

Instantly, your back collides with the hallway wall and he kisses you with the same tenacity he did downstairs. Out of habit, your hands find his hair; his, your waist, but he’s a lot more confident now. Slowly, he inches the both of you towards his door. His hand fumbles with the knob, making him frustrated.

“Wish I could just open the stupid thing with magic.”

“If I had magic, I’d let you take it whenever,” you answer, again, with no hesitancy. 

He stops to stare at you. “You would?”

“Mhm. I mean it, Kai, I love you.”

“But the siphoning hurts.”

You shrug, “can’t hurt that bad. I imagine it’d probably actually feel good. At least for me, maybe not other people. Send little tingles all the way down to my-”

He cuts you off with an open mouthed kiss. “Now I really wish you had magic.”

“-and then a part of me would kinda be in your blood, too, right?” You finish the second part of what you wanted to say. 

“Holy fuck, you’re turning me on.”

“Open the door, Kai,” you urge. 

He finally does, but in the second you take to catch a breath, he’s back on you. He takes advantage of your state and slips his tongue in your mouth, no regard for anything but his and your pleasures. You go weak in his arms and let him explore, enjoying the feeling much more than you probably should. Then, he taps on your hips signaling for you to jump. You do, wrapping your legs around his waist. He carries you to the bed, finally, and throws you down rather roughly.

Immediately, panic takes over his face. “Shit, that was way harder than I meant to! You okay?”

You, on the other hand, can’t get a word out because you’re giggling too hard. 

“Y/N, are you okay?” He tries again.

“You’re so hot when you’re all dominant. Well, you’re always hot, but-” and then you continue to giggle. 

Kai relaxes, realizing he didn’t hurt you. “Oh you little-” he climbs on top of you until he’s hovering over your face. Legs tangle together, bodies close but not close enough… You buck your hips. There, now they’re close enough. “You’ve been wanting this,” he observes, fighting back a moan at the contact. 

“Yes, but also, your comfort is my number one priority. It’s much better now, with you enjoying it too, than if we were to try when you weren’t ready.”

“Thank you, princess,” he kisses your nose sweetly. 

“Thank you for trusting me. One thing though.”

“Mhm?”

“Do you trust me right now?”

“Of course.”

“Good.” Without further warning, you grab his wrists and flip him over so that his back is pressed into the bed. It’s the first time you’ve ever been on top of him, and the power makes you giddy. 

“I thought you liked me being dominant?”

“Oh, I do. But I also want to see you writhe under me,” you wink at him. 

Kai gives you a look, and you know he’s going to start fighting any minute now. It’s in his eyes, and you can feel his muscles under you tensing to build up the strength. In the last second before you think he’s going to try and take charge, your hand goes down to the outline forming in his jeans. All fight is immediately gone as soon as you start to feel him. He can’t even fight the moan he’s been holding back since you started making out downstairs. The sound spurs you on and you rub him harder.

“More, princess. Please.”

You move your legs to straddle him, hands going to his belt. “This okay?”

“Mhm.”

“Words, please.”

“What am I, five?”

You cock your head at him. “Words, or no further touching.”

“Princess,” he tries to buck his hips like you did, but you’re holding him down.

“Come on, Malachai.”

“Don’t use that name.”

“Mala-”

“Fine! Yes, please. It’s okay. Please.” You smirk, not expecting the begging, but loving it. “You little sadist.”

That only makes you love it more. Not wasting another second, your hands are undoing his belt. As much as you want to take it slowly, you’re both too excited to drag it out any longer. Besides, just by looking at him, you can see how hard he is, and you know you’re almost soaking your panties with wetness. 

“Wait,” he pants. 

You stop immediately. “You okay?”

“I need… I need. C’mere,” he beckons you forward, and you listen. “Need this off,” he pulls off your shirt. “And this,” next is your bra. The minute it’s off, he loses control and grabs your tits like he did in the bathroom a couple days earlier. Before you know it, he’s fondling one while the other’s in his mouth. 

“If mine is, this is coming off, too.” You make a grab for his shirt. He pauses, tongue still around your nipple. “Is that okay?”

“Yes,” he seems to decide in that instant. 

In order for you to pull the fabric over his head, he has to disconnect his mouth from your breast. But when it’s off, he swallows hard and doesn’t reach for them again.

“Kai… c’mon, pumpkin.” You take his hand to put it back on your body, trying to return that sense of comfort, but he doesn’t grasp your breast again. Sighing, you take it as a moment to get a closer look at his body. The bruises, the scars, everything. A tear escapes your eye, and you lean down to press a kiss to one of the purplish wounds. Then, you start to do that with all of them. From his neck to his hips, you kiss every mark made on his body, whether by his dad’s hand or his own. On the fresher ones, your lips are more gentle, barely there, not wanting to cause him more pain. But on the older ones, you leave multiple kisses, or even lick them with your tongue before kissing. “I meant it, Kai. You’re gorgeous. These marks don’t stop me from loving you.”

Slowly, he makes eye contact with you again. His hands reach out to your face, and when he gets a hold of you, he pulls you in for another deep kiss on his lips. “What did I do to deserve you?” He asks with a tear emerging.

“You don’t have to deserve love, baby.” You kiss his collarbone. 

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Your lips travel to his chest. Giving him a taste of his own medicine, you swirl your tongue around one of his nipples. He moans loudly, arching his back.

“Holy shit, I didn’t know that would feel that good.”

“Can I continue to make you feel things like that?”

“Yes, please. I need it, I need you. Wait, but let me-” he suddenly sticks two fingers into your wet heat, hovering over his own body, and pops them in his mouth. “You taste so good.”

“Are you gonna let me taste you now?”

“Sure. Yes. I meant yes.”

Your eyes warm and you continue to kiss him further down - this time, trailing his v-line. You had noticed the prominent indents the other day, but are now getting to see it up close. He moans again, enticing you more. 

“Princess.”

“I’m working on it.” Finally, you shrug his jeans down and off his body. You can tell he’s fighting the urge to hide his now-bare legs, but you opt to not pay attention to them anyway. Your gaze goes straight to the bulge in his boxers that looks even thicker without his jeans in the way. Mouth watering, you touch him first, enjoying the feeling. 

“Y/N, please. It’s uncomfortable. Too tight.”

Succumbing to his wishes, you tap his hips for him to lift them, then peel back the final confinement. His cock springs out, slapping his stomach in the process. You’re quick to lean forward and lick a stripe from the base to the tip. Kai sinks his head into the pillow, groaning huskily. After pulling his boxers all the way off, you refocus your attention back to the length in front of you. 

“Fuck, you’re gorgeous,” you mutter. The praise makes him twitch, and you immediately reach out to grasp him between two of your fingers. “Need to taste.” And then you finally do. You start at the tip, rolling your tongue over the slit counter clockwise, stimulating precum in the process. Some of it leaks into your mouth, straight down your throat, but most of it drips down the side of cock. It doesn’t get far, though, before you move your head to catch it, licking your way from the base to the tip, again. 

A shiver runs through his body. “Feels so good.” Barely audible, but you hear him. 

Positioning your head over him, you prepare to take him fully. To you, it’s a five second break of deep breaths, but to Kai, overwhelmed in pleasure, there’s almost no warning. As soon as you’re ready, you sink your mouth down on him until you get about halfway and your gag reflex kicks in. Cock hitting the back of your throat, you gag around him.

“Y/N, you okay?” He sits up on his elbows, worried he’d accidentally hurt you.

Slowly, you lift your head back up, “I’m good, baby. Just training my throat to take you.”

He swallows so hard that you see his Adam’s apple bob. “Oh, um…” He doesn’t lay back down, opting to watch you instead. 

You don’t mind as you go down for a second time, getting further now. You do it several times, taking more and more of him each time. Your tongue swirls around his length and traces his veins. In fact, there’s one vein in particular that especially makes Kai moan every time you hit it. It’s on the underside of his cock, and you start to pay special attention to it. The rest of his length sits against your face as you focus on it.

Kai doesn’t know if the sight or the feeling is affecting him more. Either way, he feels himself getting close to release. Your mouth is around him, head bobbing up and down rapidly, when he twitches. He whines, resisting the urge to hold your head where he wants. Suddenly, though, you stop and remove your mouth completely. 

“Fuck, wait, I’m about to…”

“I know, pumpkin. Can’t let you do that yet.”

He’s about to ask why, but then sees his answer. In one quick motion, you’re removing your own pants and lining your bodies together. “Ready?”

“Mhm. Yes.”

You smile, grab his cock to hold it upright, then sink your heat down onto him. Kai collapses, elbows no longer supporting him, as pleasure consumes him.

“You okay?”

“Yes, oh- oh god.”

“Can I move? I’ll start slow.”

“Please.”

As promised, you slowly begin to ride his length. Your hands rest on either side of his body and lips are pressed to his chest, leaving hot kisses all over his skin. 

“Let me know if you want to try and take over.”

“Okay.”

When Kai starts to relax, you pick up the pace. Not too fast, but little by little. Soon, his hands find your hips and he helps guide you. His fingers have a tight grip on you, but it only makes you wetter. 

“I think, I wanna… wanna try…”

“Want to be on top, angel?”

“Mhm.”

“Okay. You can just flip us or I can move, what are you feeling?” But the hungry look in his eyes already gives you your answer.

As soon as you nod and grab onto his shoulders, he flips the both of you so that you’re now pressed into the bed. With his usual role re-established, so does his dominance. You open your legs wider to give him more access, and he immediately takes advantage of it. With a lick of his lips, he pushes his cock into you, not stopping until he’s run out of length. 

“Oh my god,” you mutter. 

“Is it too much?”

“No, you’re perfect. Move when you’re ready, mmkay?”

He nods, then copies the way you rode him when he begins to move: arms on your side, head ducked into your chest. His lips attach to your nipples, sucking, and pulling them between his teeth. When he gets a hold of his balance, you feel pressure on your clit, too. 

“Fuck, Kai. You’re so good.”

His body jolts, “say it again.”

“What?”

“Name. Say it again.”

“Kai,” you pant as he quickens pace.

“No one else is home baby, say it louder.”

You had forgotten this fact, actually, but the minute he reminds you, you let yourself go. “Fuck,” you moan, rather loudly, “feels so good, Kai! Fuck. Harder.”

He spreads your legs wider and thrusts harder upon request. Obscene sounds fill the room, mixed with your moans and whimpers.

“Kai,” you pant, “need to hear you, too.”

“I’d rather hear you, Princess.”

“Aw, come on, gorgeous. Nothing turns me on more than men moaning,” you admit. “Need to hear you.”

Previously held-back grunts and groans tumble from his mouth at your confession. When his lips return to your nipple, he makes sure to keep up with your request, sending vibrations throughout your body. 

“I’m close, Kai. So close, so close… don’t stop what you’re doing.”

“I’m getting there, too,” he twitches again. “Come for me, Princess.”

As soon as he asks, your orgasm rips through your body. Loud moans follow, and your eyes roll back in your head. Kai rides you through yours, before pulling out and immediately releasing all over your face and chest. Some drips off your shoulders, down to the bedsheets.

The minute he catches his breath, a worried expression takes over his face, “I’m sorry! I knew I shouldn’t do it inside you, but wasn’t sure where else to. I aimed for your chest and misfired.”

You make direct eye contact with him, then swipe a bunch off your cheek with your finger before sucking it off. “Oh, I’ll never complain about a facial.” You dart your tongue out to the side to gather more. “And don’t worry, I kinda like the taste. How the hell were you a virgin, Kai?! You were amazing the whole way through!”

He blushes, “um, thank you.”

You can’t help but giggle. Only Kai would be sweet enough to thank you for complimenting his sexual ability. Your ex-boyfriend, to whom you had lost your virginity, threw you an, “I know,” when you told him he was good. This little fact just made you love Kai even more. 

Then, as if he couldn’t get more perfect, his next words are, “can I clean you up now, Princess? And then we can cuddle and nap?”

“Of course. Give me a kiss first.”

Kai leans forward and kisses you sweetly. His tongue sweeps over your bottom lip, wetting it gently. 

“Blood,” he comments.

“Hm?”

“There’s blood on your lip.”

You run your own tongue along it, “must’ve bit it in pleasure.”

“I’ll be right back, okay?” He pulls on a loose pair of sweatpants from his drawer, giving you a wink. 

“Okay, darling.”

Two minutes later, Kai returns with a warm rag and a water bottle. First, he cleans the small sore and any remaining blood off your lip, then hands you the bottle. “Drink,” he insists. As you do, he moves the rag over your face and down your neck and chest, cleaning off his drying cum. He rubs your lower body next, easing some of the soreness as well as wiping away your cum. “Anywhere else?”

“No, I’m okay. Do you need anything?”

“Just you,” he sappily replies. 

“Okay, come here then.” Arms wide open, you gather him up and pull him close. You take a hand away for a split-second to pull the blankets over you two, earning a whine before he realizes what you’re doing. As soon as your arm is back around him, he snuggles into your body. “I love you, Kai,” you whisper with your lips against his cheek.

“I love you, too, Princess. Thank you for making me feel like I’m worth something to someone.” 

As much as his words sadden you, they also make you feel warm inside. You’re the one that makes him feel that way, and that’s pretty fucking special. 

“Always, my sweetheart.” You give him a kiss to the cheek, keeping your lips there even afterwards. His heartbeat slows into a comfortable rhythm and breathing evens out, and soon, he’s fast asleep in your arms. 

[oliveisme533]

My dad’s neighbor is a dilf

Chapter 4

Joel Miller x You

Summery: You had decided to spend your summer in Austin with your dad. You used to spend almost every summer there, but hadn't spent a summer there since you were a teenager. Which means you hadn't seen a certain Joel Miller in years..

Warnings: abusive ex is back. Verbal abuse and physical violence (not against reader)

You roll over in your bed with a groan and stretch your arms. Grabbing your phone you check the time 10:03. Early for you. You decide to hop in the shower before your dad can ask you to help pick up fallen branches in the yard from last nights storm. You let the scolding water hit your body and you draw in a deep breath. Tomorrow was Monday which meant your dad would be back to work and you wouldn't have anyone to talk to or hang out with until 5 o'clock. Rinsing the soap from your face you contemplated just what to do with tomorrow, in fact you were beginning to wonder how to make use of your summer in general. The last couple weeks of doing nothing had been a much needed reprieve from your busy life, but you were starting to get a little stir crazy. You turned off the water, still deep in thought when you heard your phone buzzing. You tiptoed over to your bedside table and saw Joel's name lighting up the screen. "Why is he calling me?" You pick up the phone ...

Hello Hey sweetheart didn't wake ya did I? No no I've been up...for a few minutes (Joel chuckled) Well hey listen, one of my coworkers was looking for a sitter for tonight. He and the Misses are going out and their regular girl can't make it. Any interest in an easy job for the night? Oh yeah I can definitely do that. God know I've got nothing else going on. Okay I'll send you the info! Thanks darlin'

Obviously he wasn't calling just because he wanted to chat with you. It was a stupid thing to even hope for. The rest of the day went by relatively slowly, but when 6 o'clock rolled around you put some snacks in your back pack, a phone charger, and a book you had been trying to finish for several weeks now. The babysitting was easy. It was one kid, she was four years old and for the most part did whatever you asked. The parents told you they would be out late so when 11:45 rolled around you weren't surprised they hadn't come home yet. The house was quiet...too quiet. You never much liked this part of being a baby sitter. It was different when you did it for Sarah. The millers house was always warm and full of life. Those nights when Joel did get home a little later you felt safe curling up in on his couch with the TV on. Most of the times you would fall asleep like that and Joel would drive you home the next day after making you and Sarah breakfast. You smile at the memory. The sounds of the house settling are enough to snap you from this daydream down memory lane. "Fuck I really don't like this huge, quiet house. What if I call someone to keep me company. Dad will be asleep, so would mom and my sister. I bet Joel Miller is awake..." you stare at your phone and contemplate this next move. "Fuck it" you mutter and tape his name. The phone only rings a couple of times before you hear Joel's husky voice. A twinge of guilt shoots through you as you fear you've woken him up.

Hello? Everything okay? Hey, yeah I'm so sorry did I wake you? I was just restin' my eyes that's all. I ain't in bed yet. Well I just- I really don't like being in these houses all by myself. It sounds stupid but it's kinda scary I guess. 'S not stupid. You want someone to talk to-keep ya company? Yeah... and I figured you'd be awake still, but I guess I figured wrong You're all right honey, I really don't mind. I needed to get off this couch and sleep in my bed any how. But how 'bout you tell me about your day? My day was pretty boring honestly. I played with the cat, ate some ice cream and watched TV Wat'd ya watch? Love island What in the hell is that?

You laughed and proceeded to tell him all about the show. A little while passed and then you heard the lock click and knew the parents were home. You told Joel you had to go to which he responded "alright let me know when you get home safe. Can call me if you want." Back home you pondered whether or not you should call Joel. It was late and you were feeling tired, but you wanted to talk to him. After slipping into your pajamas you felt like you could hardly stay awake much longer, but you were determined to take advantage of this invitation from Joel to call him. So you tapped his name and watched the phone ring. You put it to your ear and your heart sank with each unanswered ring. When it went to voicemail you resolved that he had likely fallen asleep and you decided to do the same.

The next day you woke up early (ish) at 9:00. Your dad had already left for work. You roll over in your bed to check your phone and your heart pounds.

Missed call from Joel Miller 36m ago

You're hoping he's not at work yet and call him back quickly. "Hey sweetheart" he picks up within a few rings. "Sorry I missed your call last night. I ended up falling asleep and didn't hear the phone." It was so nice to hear his voice first thing in the morning. "Oh you don't need to apologize. I didn't really need anything, I just like talking to you" you could almost hear Joel grin as he said "well I like talkin' to you too sugar" you had walked down to your kitchen to put on a pot of coffee at this point when you say "hey why aren't you at work?" "Waitin for some parts to come in for this current job. Until they do there's nothin else I can really do. But the parts are supposed to be here by noon... so I'll get my ass to work in a couple hours" you notice a note taped to the fridge as Joel finishes saying all this. "I completely forget" you mutter to yourself, but apparently Joel hears. "What'd you forget?" "My dad left me a note reminding me that he's gone on a business trip and won't be back until Thursday." "Oh that's right. Your dad did mention that. Told me to keep an eye out for ya." "Did he really? "Yeah I mean you're going to be by yourself in that big house for almost 3 days" "I'm a grown ass woman though!" Joel chuckled. "No ones sayin you ain't, darlin. Dads worry and that don't change from when you're 5 or when you're 25" "I guess that's fair enough" you shrug. "I should get my day started here... might go on a run and catch up on laundry" "Well if you need anything the next couple of days just hollar" You hang up the phone with brief goodbyes and run your fingers through your tangled bed head. You groan as you massage your temple. "What the fuck am I doing?? I'm catching feelings for Joel fucking Miller. What's worse is that I'm flirting with him too"

Against your better judgement you decide to text Joel later in the day Hey what time you get off tonight? I should be wrapping up by 7...Why? You want to swing by for dinner? Nothing fancy. I'm just bored and I don't love being here alone in the evenings for long periods of time lol. Well I ain't gonna turn you down for some dinner. I'll see you at 7:30. Can I pick anything up at the store for ya on my way there? Well if you're offering... maybe some ice cream? And a bottle of rosè You got it

The rest of the day went by slowly. 7:30 couldn't get here fast enough. You were hoping for something to happen tonight with Joel, but you weren't sure what that would be. You hadn't decided if the lingering glances from him were just something you were imagining or actually happening. Around 6:30 you decide to hope in the shower and of course shave...because you never know right? After your shower you settle on wearing a simple, linen dress that's super comfortable and not all that fancy.  At exactly 7:30 you hear the doorbell ring. You jump off the sofa to answer it, your heart in your throat. But when you open the door, you're afraid you might be sick. It's not Joel Miller who stands there, but your toxic ex boyfriend ...Ben.

"What the fuck are you doing? You need to leave" Ben smirks. "Aren't you a delight. I just wanted to talk to you, and since you've block my number I had to take matters into my hands." Your heart was racing. Ben had never shown any physical violence against you, but you didn't know what he was capable and you didn't want to find out. "I thought I made myself really fucking clear that we are over" you said with a shaky voice. "Baby I just don't think you get to make that call. I mean I've done so much to make this relationship work. You can't just throw all that away. You know you're never going to find another guy who puts up with your shit." That was it. Something in you snapped. Something that had been brewing for literally years was about to come out. "No fuck you!" You shoved him in the chest with both palms and he stumbled back just a step, caught off guard by your motion. "Screw you! I don't need a guy to put up with anything about me, you asshole. You act like you're some fucking hero for tolerating the fact that I struggle with my mental health and stuff!" Ben was fuming now. You had never laid hands on him and you could tell the shove had lit something inside him too. "You have issues you know that?! You have fucking issues in your head!" He screamed at you getting up in your face and grabbing your arms tightly, pinning them to your sides. Out of the corner of your eye you saw Joel's truck coming down the street and pulling into your drive way. Ben was now shaking you and yelling "YOU'RE SUCH A BITCH.." he didn't get to finish his sentence because a firm hand grabbed him by the shoulder and yanked him backwards.

If looks could kill...you had never seen such an expression on Joel. He looked like he could tear Ben to pieces right then and there, yet he maintained a calm composure. "I suggest you get the fuck off this porch and don't come back, son" Joel said in a low voice. Ben scoffed. "Get out of here, old man. This ain't your business" Ben spat. "Son, we can do this the easy way or the hard way." Ben let his head fall back and let out a chuckle that sent a chill down your spine. "Is that so?" Without warning Ben threw a punch and Joel and narrowly missed "Ben!" You shrieked. Ben straightened up sent another punch. Joel grabbed his wrist, mid punch and yanked him in close. Joel towered over him. "Do not make me repeat myself again. I said get the fuck off this porch, or things will get ugly." At this Joel shoved Ben forcefully away, causing him to stumble backwards. Ben still looked angry, but now there was a hint of fear in his eyes too. He gave you one last glare and then jogged back to his car.

As soon as Ben's car sped off. Joel sun around. "Are you okay??" He asked, grabbing your face in his hands. "Um yeah" you managed to squeak. "I mean that fucking scared me tho." Joel looked like he might be sick. "I am so sorry wasn't here at 7:30. If I got here on time- " "Joel come on you don't need to do that. It's not like either of us had any idea Ben would show up here. I'm glad you came when you did though." Joel massaged the bridge of his nose. He looked stressed and was probably imaging what would have happened if he didn't show up at all. He shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut as if trying to rid himself of the notion. "Joel look at me I'm fine!" You said pulling his hand away from his face. Joel took your hand in his and stroked it with his thumb. "Okay" he said softly. "Did you get my ice cream?" You said trying to change the subject. A smile tugged at his mouth. "Yeah I did, baby"

You had made spaghetti for dinner, about one of the only dishes you were confident in preparing. You and Joel sat at the table in silence and you watched as he pushed his food around. "I'm sorry I'm not a chef...if you want we could just order a pizza?" You suggested. Joel looked up at you seemingly caught off guard. "No no no it's not that! The meal is delicious. I guess I just don't have an appetite. That's all." You pushed back from the table and the chair scraping against the hardwood made Joel jump slightly. "Baby I didn't mean to offend you it's just" you laughed as you reached for the shelf above the stove "Joel I'm not mad I'm just looking for something." Joel slowly walked towards where you were balancing on a stool trying to get the top door of the cabinet open. "Um...what's that?" You grunted as you finally got hold of what it was you were looking for. "My dad's red wine. It's gross too me, but he always says red wine gives you an appetite." You hopped off the stool and thrust the bottle into his chest. "Where's the wine you got me? I would like to get into that like asap." Before waiting for a response you went into the other room where the grocery bag still sat with the ice cream and wine and dug out the bottle. You hastily removed the top and began drinking. "Y/n...slow down what are you doing?" You removed the bottle from your lips and wiped your mouth. "What does it look like I'm doing?" Joel's face was laced with concern. "Okay that's enough. I'm calling your dad, you can stay at mine until he gets home. I'm sure he'll book the first flight back when he hears.." you didn't let Joel finish. He had tried to grab the bottle from your hands "no, fuck off I'm a grown woman. I don't need you calling me dad to tell on me or whatever." Joel placed both hands in his hair and squeezed his head "sweetheart you're clearly not okay! And for good reason... will you just let me help you? I'm worried about you. This shit wasn't in any of the parenting books I read before Sarah.." "you're not my dad!" "No no I'm not saying that I just" ... "is that all this is? You want to fill the void of not having your daughter at home this summer. So you come over here to parent me because my dad's not here? I don't fucking need that Joel I don't want you to see me that way."

...to be continued

[little-lucid-dreamer97]

A Late Night Stroll ( Continued from Picture Perfect Day) .

Dream Of The Endless X Witch F!Reader.

Reader works super late at the hospital and Dream decides to surprise her and walk her home and it starts to rain, labels are made. (More Fluff). (I'll get to the swim but this has me in a choke hold right now they are so cute).

The end of the day couldn't have come soon enough and you exhaled a sigh of relief as the automatic doors slid closed behind you with a swoosh. They had stuck you inside the clinic today and the patients just kept coming without end, each one with an illness worse then the other and each had the same things to say. they waited so long because they couldn't afford to see a doctor when the symptoms started, its despicable the hoops mortal must jump through just to have access to heal care. the night air hit your skin and soothed your acing joints and warm skin, the smell of night air washed over you and you could feel the energy in the air.

It was going to rain tonight, it was going to storm.

Just as the thought crosses your mind a bolt of lightning lights up the sky and parking lot your walking across. you car pulled with a coworker that day so you didn't have a car, no you were walking home tonight.

"Caw!" the Raven glided over head. you followed it with your eyes and watched it land at the feet of a figure draped in shadow. another bolt of lightning lit up the parking lot to reveal what you already new. Dream had traveled from the Dreaming to the waking world and was standing just ahead of you, with Mathew standing at his feet. a small smile graced his lips as he walked to meet you half way. "well hello there". you greet them both with a surprised tone. "what are you doing here?, we weren't supposed to meet till tomorrow night". you said in Surprise as you leaned up on your tippy toes to kiss Dreams cheek, he smelled of the night air and the rain that was on its way.

A small smile tugged at his lips as he looked down at you. There was something almost comical about the way he towers over you, but something intoxicating about the look in his eyes as he stares down into yours's.

"I may have sent Mathew to check on you and he saw that you were readying to leave and I thought perhaps". He paused a moment glancing around the empty, dark parking lot with some concern "That I could walk you home tonight while I have some occupied time".

You smiled and nodded. "That would be nice actually". you two began the walk back to your apartment silently at first. you walked side by side not touching but close enough to feel his movements and the energy he gave off. The night air was cool and damp, rain clouds covered the sky and hid the moon from view

After several blocks you decided to speak "for the record, I don't need to be protected, I can take care of myself". You said matter of factlly not looking at him. you may be young and soma what new at the magic thing but you know your way around things enough and were not entirely mortal.

"and for that I have no doubt". he said quietly. "My intensions are not for your safety but for your time, as I said I had a few moments and thought it right to give them to you". he took a deep breath and continued. "as it turns out Lucienne can manage a bit more in the dreaming then had thought which means I have a little extra time to myself these days and well.....". he side eyed you. "I guess I wanted to see you sooner then tomorrow night".

"I'm sorry, I wish I could come by more often I've just been so busy lately" you sigh heavily and run your fingers through your hair. "I guess we just met at a wired time". you shrug.

"I need no apologies, you have job in which you find joy". he says. "and from what I've seen in dreams that is a rare thing in deed these days".

"you don't enjoy you're job?" you ask. the wind was beginning to pick up and the smell of rain got stronger.

"it is less my job as it is my purpose and function, there is some joy I suppose". the tone of his voice made your heart hurt, there was sadness and loneliness hinted at the edge.

"you make you're own joy, my mom used to say that". you said. "and I'll take whatever time you have and I do enjoy my job thank you for understanding". thunder thudded from above and lightning cracked sending a wave of blazing white light across the world around you. you see that the sky was completely dark now and shiver.

"your understanding means a lot, I've been told in the past I've been neglectful in these circumstances, I would like to not make the same mistakes". rain began to fall in a light drizzle.

"circumstance?". you ask with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. there's no way he's going to be the first to say it. are you ready to have a label?. is he?. sure he's all you think about, all you've ever wanted in a partner and he's not even human which means you don't have to worry about hiding the down world part of your life. there was nothing you had to hide about you're life from Dream.

"relationships".

Your heart leaped into you're throat and you stopped in your tracks turning to him. he said it. you both stare at each other for what feels like forever before you open your mouth to speak but were cut off by rain turning from a drizzle to a down pour in seconds. words lots you stare into his ocean blue eyes now wide and filled with uncertainty and allow yourself to get lost in them. rain ran down his face and into your eyes as you both stood there getting wet.

"is- is that what you want?, your not just saying that? -".

He stepped closer all the uncertainty drifting from his gaze replaced now by desire and longing, he pulled you to him and without a word he leaned down and pushed his lips to yours. the kiss was salty and wet from the rain, soft and gentle at first but you melt into him and he wines his arms around you cupping your head with one hand making the kiss deeper and keeping you steady with the other. you reach up and wrap your arms around his neck. his hair stuck to it because of the rain and you let your fingers play with the ends.

your heart pounded and you felt the need for air. you pull away gasping and smiling. "I love you". it slipped out before you could stop it and you gasped in shock and horror. oh gods what the hell is wrong with you?. but to your surprise he smiled through the rain.

"I love you too, I have since the moment you sat down on that bench, since the first I heard your voice and saw your smile". he cupped your face with both hands and looked deeply into your eyes. his shined like stars in the night sky and reflected the love he proclaimed. "you are my joy, my love". he leaned in and kissed you again. there was a whooshing sound and suddenly the rain was gone and you were warm and everything was dry.

You pulled away and saw that you now stood in a bedroom, Dream's bedroom. there was a roaring fire in the grates and a tray with a steaming pot on the table in front of it. you were still soaked from the rain and shivered in his embrace. "I'll find you something dry to wear and then some tea and then". he pecked your lips again.

You glance over at the bed and bat your eyes innocently "I'm sure we can find SOMTHING to occupie the time we have left tonight".

"yes we shall" he traced your lips with his thumb chuckling softly.

************************************************************************

P1 https://www.tumblr.com/ladylokisarmy/725766407901577216/dream-x-f-witch-reader?source=share

I'm getting to the swim I promise I want the work up to be worth it!. I'm also working on the meeting part and a few other things. I decided to make this a series instead of a one off!. hope you all enjoy!.

[tacticalhimbo]

THE WEATHER CHANNEL: Category 5 headed to Florida. The National Hurricane Center has upgraded Milton to a Category 5 Hurricane.

Looking at the radar/projections, it's a Category 5 in the Gulf and might drop down to a Category 4 by the time it hits the state. This is unknown, though (and unlikely if you ask me; they rarely weaken over warm water).

Then it will drop to a Category 3 once inland/over eastern central Florida, and as of tonight/tomorrow, the coastal areas of Yucatán (Progreso, Sisal, Chicxulub, etc) are expected to feel the impact of the storm's bands.

I just hope everyone stays safe.

I'm on the eastern coast, so it will die down by the time it passes over me, but the west coast of Florida is still trying to account for the events of Helene.

And I'm going to nip things in the ass before they get put on this post:

No, not everyone in Florida is a KKKonservative MAGA cultist. Not everybody wanted DeSantis as our "leader". Saying that Florida "deserves" this is awful and you should feel awful for saying queer, BIPOC, and/or disabled folk (adults and children, btw; children are often overlooked in these circumstances by y'all but they do in fact exist) deserve to lose everything because your suburbanite ass sits on the high throne of privilege.

Likewise, no, not everyone CAN evacuate. It shouldn't matter even if they don't WANT to. There are so many fucking reasons people don't/won't leave. I'll borrow from the post sincosma made during Helene:

You do not understand the immense challenges many people face when mandatory evacuations are called. People with disabilities, the elderly, unhoused individuals, people experiencing poverty, non-English speaking communities, and many other vulnerable populations cannot simply get up and go. Were there people who could’ve evacuated but didn’t because they were being stubborn or flippant? Absolutely. But that doesn’t mean these people suddenly lose their human rights because they made a mistake or froze up in fear or could not evacuate for a million different reasons. They still deserve help and understanding.

If you don’t live in hurricane-prone areas, you will never fully understand the scope of these impacts, the complacency some people get from repeated storms, the limitations of evacuation resources, and the thousands of obstacles people face when they need to evacuate. Sure, YOU think it would be EASY to pack up and go, but that’s often not a reality for many people who are living with disabilities, poverty, abusive situations, etc. The list goes on and on.

I’m honestly horrified by the levels of superiority and callousness with which some people are reacting to pictures and videos of the storm impacts. I usually see some of it every time a major storm occurs, but it seems especially prevalent this time around.

Keep your opinions about evacuations, and your judgment towards those who chose to stay, to yourself.

Note: sincosma is from the Tampa Bay area and works in a government position where they directly communicated and coordinated with the impacted community.

So yeah! Stay safe to everyone in Milton's path.

If you have the privilege, ability, and desire to evacuate, please do so.

If you don't, then make sure you do what you can to ensure you stay as safe as possible. Stock up while you can, make sure you have batteries. Charge everything that needs to be charged prior to power outages (even if you're not going to use it). If you live in a multi-story home, make sure you have an axe in case storm surges force you into the attic space.

And go fuck yourself if you're one of those spineless cowards who thinks you know every little thing/go out of your way to harass actual victims of these disasters.

[gplewis]

no profound need to communicate what feels like an emergency or a hibernation; no more gunning for recognition or being known; no more making facts of my having said something; no desire to be talked about tomorrow. a poetry of emptiness, of departure of...wanting to do this professionally, making a job of being a writer. i am choosing or being called to be a recluse instead, forgetting about having my voice heard; no desire to interact with anyone through writing; writing is not real communication--that is, unless it's a letter; nothing public makes sense anymore. perhaps that's a timeless line but the future never comes.

my anxiety isn't just about money; not even about love. i watched (binge-watched really, waking up on a day without work, did little but watch screens and eat snacks) Modern Love, an Amazon television series, and even the "successful" people were not happy; I mean to say, even living their life does not seem that happy. I remember ambition, flow, dissolving into the glory of presence; no, I don't mean to say this, I mean to say: even the successful life looks banal, as banal as mine (mine isn't; standing at the door of a bar which is my job currently, I am in full contact with my estrangement; ah, this is good journal, good diary, potent for a young reader to be impressed and gobsmacked by my endurance. luckily i'll forget i posted this; i post less these days; i get through the days, waiting i say for clarity, purpose, direction, a change, a new vision or story to pursue; Austin is a fine town, San Francisco is my hometown, New York is always a place to thrive if I know my hourly rate and what services I offer (my anxiety about not knowing this isn't so strong; I did meet a 48-year-old man at a bar the other night who wished, in his youth, he stayed a bum for longer, before becoming serious. "You can't go back from being serious," he said, and seemed to suggest it was always an option.

I haven't written anything in a while--maybe that's the beginning of poetry: rediscovering the blank, the eternity we all inherit with every heartbeat. My colleagues and customers aren't thinking about this stuff; it's 12:30am, they're storming the gates, stomping the police-closed streets drinking, talking, laughing, having a good time, I don't have a good time except in the pleasure of mopping, emptying trash, cranking out my duties--i don't wish i could be somewhere else, except home, doing just this: digesting avocado, watching the expanse of the clock given me before my next shift. oddly, this is the life that would work for me. this is a profession. a university professor is a profession if one can tolerate the red tape and politicking and the ceaseless capacity of middle-aged educated starlings to be self-interested and wryly defend their turf. i have judgments about certain professions; being an essayist would allow me to interview others and dispel my preconceived notions, if i wanted to live the life of the mind professionally - which i used to see myself as doing: rigorous, if not paid; athletic, if not recognized in title or remuneration. i write to discover what my anxiety really is, or i write to express love, admiration, gratitude; have i been an ingrate lately: perhaps. little emotion, no drama, accepting of the life which results from my choices. but i am aware, and i not only write but publish this, though it's been months since i was addicted and obsessed to the interchange of cognitive cogitations ~ expression is constant, and no statement will smother it; the news is reliable: companies, money, election cycles; Trump guilty on all charges, amusing and true, grand and probably inconsequential. See, I'm not a professional writer because I won't make this post right, won't revise, only dump like a child just wails and cries, no sense of recording or posterity, no sense of later. But I generate material, and perhaps it's genius to not try to make it into something it is not. You are listening to the dream, and you have your own dreams too; our inner monologues could meet, if the layers of pavement could be jackhammered through to the glowing orb of magma core.

[pastafossa]

Hi Pasta! How are you doing?

Oh god the week has been SO FUCKING LONGGGGGGGGG. Managed to get everything cleaned up and all non-essentials or non-staging packed away for the showing but then had to vacate for the showing this weekend, so just went to a hotel.

Dog was fine, but my oldest cat was an anxious, needy wreck being apart from the other cats (who were in another hotel room) and so I spent 85% of my time holding him or being meowed at by him or getting anxious demands for cuddles, so most attempts to write wound up like this:

In short it was stressful. Also there was no hot water for a portion because of a winter storm because for some reason the universe has decided that I needed a brief repeat of the reno incident of having no shower available.

BUT.

BUT.

BUT.

Not only am I now home, and not only did I manage to get a little writing done this week, meaning there WILL be a chapter tomorrow (thank the fandom gods), BUT...

There are not one, not two, not three, not four, but five offers for the house, with more expected before the close at midnight tonight. Which means tomorrow there should be a chosen buyer and I will be free to leave this tiny, miserable, joyless town forever.

i do not like this town they don't like geek things they're mean to dogs they are not friendly this town does not spark joy into the abyss with this place

So basically despite the fact that it has all been stressful af, there is a gigantic, glorious, bright light at the end of the tunnel.

So. *holds out hands* On one hand with all the stress some of my hair has probably turned white ha ha fuck you white hair see if you can shine beneath 50 tons of black-blue hair dye but on the other hand... hopefully things are going to work out nicely. I'll know tomorrow when the offers are looked at!

Also I passed 3k followers at some point this week which I'm having a little trouble comprehending???

In short, I'm on a fucking roller coaster, my friend, and I love all of you and your support. 💖

[spexialvixtimxunit]

From Behind

Day 3.) From Behind - Top!Stella Kidd

Warnings: Slight angst to mild NSFW, Top!Stella Kidd x Black!Afab!Female!Reader, angry sex,

Masterlist

*there are writing mistakes in my works, I don’t proofread!*

。　♡ 。　　♡。　　♡. 。　♡ 。　　♡。　　♡ 。

"And he had the nerve to tell me that I was less of him because he was a man and that my job wasn't harder than his because I'm supposed to stay in my place." She blustered at you, making sure you heard every word.

"I mean, what kind of person says that?" Stella paced with anger around the living room in your shared apartment, getting everything off of her chest from the shift before she came home.

She didn't even have a chance to change clothes, as she was still in her lieutenant's uniform which was surprisingly clean. She would usually come home with soot or dirt all over herself from a long day of nonstop calls.

"I am a lieutenant for god sake! I worked my ass off just for some chief to tell me that I don't deserve my spot because I'm a woman?" She growled. Her body was tense and you could tell she needed to calm down.

"Stella, maybe you should relax a bit. The shift is over and we can worry about this guy tomorrow." You said getting up from the couch and going towards Stella, trying to place your hands on her tense shoulders but she was quick to recoil.

"Stella, what-" You couldn't even finish before she stormed off into the bedroom, slamming the door behind her. You let out a sigh and tried opening the door but it was locked. "Stella, honey." You expressed while knocking on the door, but only to hear rustling from the other side.

"Open the door, okay? I can understand why you're so upset but baby you need to open the d-" The door swung open, with a disheveled Stella on the other side. She was quick to pull your body close to hers, engrossing you in a vigorous kiss.

Your attention was taken with force from the kiss she locked you in and it was a short but quick detail to notice something pressed against your inner thigh.

You let out a moan as she began to attack your neck, ravaging the skin. "Stel, what are you-" You said in between whimpers. "Just let me do this. Please." She held you close within her grasp, digging her face into your neck.

You now realized that the thing pressed against your inner thigh was a bulge from Stella's uniform pants. “I never wanted to fuck you more than I do now.” She said while pushing you onto the bed.

Stella hovered over your body, unzipping her uniform jeans to release the bulge from underneath, exposing the plastic strap. I guess that was why she locked the door on you. “I can’t wait to have you scream my name. Don't worry, I'll make sure you'll love it.” She growled while flipping you over and pulling your sweatpants and underwear off of your legs.

Stella leaned in forward and your breath hitched as she whispered in your ear, "Your safe word is butterfly." She was quick to pull your hips towards her waist as she trusted herself inside of you.

Her pace was fast and rough and you both were enjoying it. You could tell how tempered she was just by her thrust. Soft whimpers spilled out of Stella’s mouth, you could tell how desperate she was in wanting you to cum.

“Please, I want you to cum so hard on me. I’m going to make you cum really hard.” She whined pitifully while picking up her pace, digging her nails into your hips, making you moan out her name, laying your face into the pillow beneath you.

Looking back you could see a frustrated Stella with her braided bun now messy, coming undone with a few strands out. Her face was flushed and you could tell that she was close to getting off just by looking at you.

Your mind was distracted as you came all over her. “I love it when you moan my name.” She let out, her hips slowed down before completely stopping.

The storm was over and Stella realized how tight she was grabbing at your hips. "I'm sorry, did I hurt you?" She said slightly out of breath. You shook your head 'no'.

She pulled out and flipped you back over on your back. You were out of breath too. "Your hips are all red, I'm sorry. I guess I got too angry." You sighed as you gave her a soft smile.

“I really didn’t mean to hurt you, baby, I got ahead of myself.” She said while taking off the strap and all of her clothes, except her with a t-shirt on. She flopped down on the bed next to you.

You looked at her, admiring her beauty. She smiled as you straddled her lap, just to cuddle with her. “You know, I gotta admit that is was kinda hot that you were all hot and bothered, fucking me with your uniform on, lieutenant.” You teased.

Stella scoffed with a smirk. You smile and just embraced her warmth, looking out the window with the snow all over the ground.

。　♡ 。　　♡。　　♡. 。　♡ 。　　♡。　　♡ 。

[goldeneyedgirl]

Ficmas22: Day 9: Mad Girl's Love Song

Happy Day 9!

A quick note, I have unexpected travel to do tomorrow, and if I cannot make it home I may not be able to post tomorrow - I'll have my iPad, but I'm unsure if I can make it work. I'll be back with Day 11 if that happens, though <3

Today with have Mad Girl's Love Song, named for the Sylvia Plath poem I've been meaning to write a fic for since I was 13. I finally figured it out! This is a WIP, but I thought this is a pretty deent start.

I hope you enjoy it!!

mad girl’s love song

I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead.

I lift my lids and all is born again.

(I think I made you up inside my head.)

The rumours find him in one of the Dakotas, after he feeds from a reeking drunk who blinks at him and cries for someone. He wonders if it's a parent, a lover, or a child. That’s a dangerous tangent to follow, but he does it any way, the weight of grief and regret a steady drip down his spine. 

That’s how Eugene finds him. Wallowing in a sea of misery, wondering about forgotten little girls, forgotten women, worried mothers, with dried blood on his face and wrapped in a filthy, stolen coat. 

(Eugene is about six feet tall, skinny as a string bean, and rather sly looking. In another life, he’d be selling watches from a trench coat or asking ladies in furs to pick a card. In this life, he is mercurial as a tiny river fish, and slyer than an old street cat. Jasper nearly kills him twice before Eugene finds a perch and demands they use their words.)

It should be noted that the Dakotas haven’t had a coven since 1897, and anyone with their ear to the ground knows exactly what happened to Kosa and her coven, and no one has been foolish enough to claim the Dakotas since. Those states are transient areas, where people pass through for a time, and the only territory that can be claimed is that which you are standing on. The same in New York, in Louisiana (blame the Southern warlords), and oddly enough, Nevada. 

Eugene jabbers at him in nearly indecipherable ‘30s slang, sucking on a blood-stained cigarette that Jasper recognises as a desperate attempt to cling to his past, to himself. He longs for something to hold onto just the same, but he’s too old now. Nothing he carries with him is anything he had as a human. Hell, he’d be dead and buried by now, probably having lived out his life. But Eugene, Eugene would still be alive now, if not for a woman with red lips and eyes to match. Probably still doing card tricks, sleight of hand to part people with their money. 

Eugene half tags along with him, half hustles him across the Dakotas to introduce him to the current residents - Ilse, Bowie, Duncan, and Valerie. All solitary nomads, who range from almost welcoming of Jasper (Ilse), to clearly irritated (Valerie). 

That’s how Jasper, Major of the Monterrey Army, ends up sitting in a shit-covered alley in Bismarck and making some kind of friends. They aren’t Peter and Charlotte (he should have told them he was leaving, that he didn’t want to hang around them like a storm cloud of misery. They deserved the happiness that came with freedom), but they are … amicable. 

(He’s confused, later, that he was so… calm and accepting of so many strangers around him. Why it isn’t just one giant shit fight. Ilse laughs, and tells him, “that’s all Eugene. His thing. We all have one - Bowie’s got theories. But Eugene, his is creating friendship or piecing together people who fit together. We don’t know, and he’ll ignore you if you ask.”)

He doesn’t tell them much, and they don’t press, but Valerie doesn’t trust him. She watches him carefully, and he watches her back, mostly because he’s never seen the kind of scarring Valerie has over her left eye; the eye itself is clouded over and dead. Vampires are supposed to be able to heal from almost anything, and yet she stays at him, one blood red and one milky white eye. 

Ilse, Bowie, and Eugene egg each other on with outrageous stories, whilst Duncan adds sarcastic comments at random intervals. 

He and Valerie are mostly quiet.

“Whose the weirdest you’ve ever met, Eugene?” Ilse asks. She’s pretty, like all vampires, with long dark hair and eyes. He sees the necklace she wears, and holds back his questions. After all, she’s told them all she wishes to share, though he can infer what she means when she tells him she was dead either way. 

Eugene pulls the stub of his cigarette and looks thoughtful for a few minutes.

“Weirdest that I’ve met would be Delia-Rae,” he said. “Walks around California in her old wedding dress arguing with herself. Can’t get a straight word out of her. I think she was the one that got destroyed last summer, by the old Italian bastards. Harmless but totally crackers. Should’ve kept a closer eye on her.”

“I ran into her,” Duncan muttered, leaning against the brick work. “Sad lady.”

“Very,” Eugene agreed. “I hope I’m wrong, and she’s still arguing with the voices in her head, but…” They all sit in silence for a moment; sometimes it feels like the Volturi’s reach is too absolute, too unyielding to be truly just. 

“Like that case down in Biloxi,” Valerie finally speaks. “Can’t believe that gets to happen.”

Biloxi is too far down south for his comfort, and he looks away from her one-eyed gaze.

Ilse lights up at the possibility of another story, and leans forward. “Tell us!” she claps her hands. 

Valerie looks uncomfortable at being the centre of attention. “Old factory or something; big fire there years ago. Bit of a local legend, thought I’d go poking around - apparently it’s haunted and once you go in, you never come out again, according to the locals.”

They all look at her, waiting for the punchline, the discovery.

“And?” Bowie prompts, tapping his fingers against his knee. 

“You could smell the bodies when you got close, smell whoever is there,” Valerie turned back to stare at Jasper. “I left. Not getting involved with shit like that. The place stunk of crazy.”

“Wow,” Eugene looks curious but also thoughtful. “D’you see them?”

“No. Glad I didn’t,” Valerie scowled. “Didn’t even going inside. Should’ve set the place on fire.”

“I wonder why no one does anything,” Isle asks, leaning back to look at the stars and he wonders the very same thing. 

It’s a thought that lingers.

—

He expected the factory site to be swallowed up by the forest, a forgotten and haunted place swallowed up by moss and kudzu.

He’s very wrong.

It’s definitely a haunted place, he wasn’t wrong about that. 

The forest keeps well enough away from it, a fucking wound in the middle of nowhere. The iron and stone fence around the property have long since collapsed into the grass, like something great and terrible has given up the fight. The remains of the building jut out from the ground, ugly grey concrete and smashed windows. Most of it is devastated by the fire, crumpled and forgotten - the stains of smoke still blistered on the remains. But the entrance building is somehow, just barely, standing. 

Broken furniture, even rotting doors, are scattered in the long grass around the entrance like bones jutting out of earth. Whatever figure - a saint, an angel, a god - that once adorned the cracked fountain out the front of the entrance has been rendered to rubble and dust, leaving behind only a pair of barely-recognisable feet. 

Factories don’t usually have fountains. Or bars over the windows. 

He’s amazed it’s been left like this; that no human has come forward to rebuild, to tear down, to make anew. It’s odd and uncomfortable that it is left in such a way. 

The gardens are dead and the trees withered. The grass snaps and crunches under his feet, dry and brittle. There is no moss, no mould. Some dead vines have entwined themselves through windows and the pockmarked holes in the walls, but there is nothing alive here. This is not a place where things live and thrive, almost unreal in how … how angry this place is. 

It wants him gone. It wants to chase him away and simmer in its rage. 

But for some reason, he keeps moving, pushing through the rotting doors carefully. 

And it’s like the whole building takes a breathe.

—

The bodies aren’t hard to find. 

Not that there’s a smell; well, there’s a lingering smell, but that’s the blood that has pooled on the ground and dried, the top layer powdery and metallic. These bodies are old, a collection of bones inside rotting cloth that still smells like fat and sweat and piss and blood. But nothing fresh. They are scattered around, five of them, decomposing where they fell. A single bloody handprint rests on the wall, luminous against the soggy-looking grey wallpaper. 

It’s the same throughout the first floor - more than a dozen forgotten rooms, several of them laid with bodies. He finds bones snapped clean, ground to a dust, fractured and sharp. A bloody footprint, a discarded shoe. 

One of the rooms is covered in shelves of books that dissolve at his touch, let alone have decipherable titles. But the evidence appears in the rows and rows of filthy jars. He’s not foolish enough to open one, but several have exploded (or perhaps been smashed) and left a pulpy organic mess behind, rotting fantastically, discoloured and difficult to look at, even for a man who is intimate with most forms of dismemberment. He smears off the dust of those  jars somehow still intact and is unsurprised to see a human brain, a swollen heart, a curled over foetus.

It confirms his suspicions. Some kind of medical setting, most likely for women. The desk is little more than kindling and it feels odd that these have somehow survived, unmarked. That so much of this office is untouched. The dust is layered in such a way that he can tell someone has ventured in here, but not for a while. 

A file is scattered on the floor, and he stops to pick it up. Most of it is indecipherable from the elements, but a smudged photo of a woman - naked and haunted and emaciated and with enormous bruises overlapping has survived. Even in a cloudy photograph, her eyes bored into his. 

Some kind of medical facility, and not a kind one. 

— 

The basement is a place he doesn’t venture.

The doors hang limply from the frame, the glass broken and long gone. The cold air that blows up the rotting stairs smells fouler than anything else. He can’t see anything in the darkness, and something about it just makes him turn away. 

He’s not a superstitious man, even if some of the men he had soldiered with as a human were. Maria had her own beliefs and traditions, usually from hard-worn experiences. 

But this place, this fucking tomb… the anger that this place wraps itself in… it makes him wonder about a lot of things he would have dismissed in the harsh light of day.

Another room, more bodies. 

But younger, this time. Fresher. Newer than many of the others. 

That makes him pause. The clothes are a giveaway, how modern they are. The heads thrown back against the wall, limbs entangled, the dried blood stain blooming on the wallpaper behind them like some kind of demented halo. A plastic hair ornament clings to a clump of brittle hair, a bag open at their side and the items scattered around. 

He’s not foolish enough to write off all the bodies he has seen as victims of a fire. But these ones… they make him wonder. This is not the practice of someone who wants a long life. This is a huge mess, one the Volturi will be forced to clean up. 

They’ll have to come soon. There are just too many bodies. 

—

He looks back once and nearly trips over as he spins back around to regard the older building. 

A split second of a face, pale and bloody, appears at a window. Fast enough that even with his senses, he wonders if he really saw it. 

Them. 

Her.  

He watches a while longer before he turns to leave the hospital behind to its rage, the glimpse of her face. 

He tries to pretend he’s not planning on coming back. 

Who are you?

—

She watches him leave from the shadows, behind a filthy window. 

(He wasn’t supposed to leave.)

Her head starts to ache again, and that means the pictures will return soon and it’s very, very bad if she’s out of the dark when that happens. 

And she folds herself back down into the dark of the basement, hair stiff with rotting blood and dotted with maggots, black eyes wide and barely seeing as her fingers guide her back down to safety. 

She’s glad he’s gone. 

(But he wasn’t supposed to leave. That’s not how it happens.)

[sirthisisa-wendys]

Punica granatum: Toji Fushiguro x Fem!Reader

synopsis: a short snippet of a story you all know and love.

wc: 1.6k

tw: none

masterlist

"Are you hungry?"

"No." You cast an angry glance at the monster who is holding you captive. "Leave me alone."

"Perhaps you're thirsty?"

"No." A protective covering of shrubs shields you away from the stench of oakmoss and belladonna emitting from the entity across from you. "Go away." His green eyes shift from your hunched-over figure to the stone-cold floor in front of him.

"I..." His words falter, but you look away from him, focusing on some point in the distance. The hulking god across from you stands suddenly, storming off in the face of your resistance as you call out,

"I'd rather die than live here with you."

But that wasn't all true. Death is so final, so permanent. And you could never bring yourself to do the unthinkable and commit yourself to such an act. However, you did not want your captor to feel any reassurance from your presence.

Discomfort.

You want him to avoid looking at you, avoid talking to you, avoid you completely. Maybe then he would let you go back home to your goddess mother and your life as a humble farmer to the eternal beings of this world.

Maybe then he'd see you were of no value to him among the various others he could have stolen that day.

But Toji Fushiguro is a patient god, you learn, and your hunger strike withers in the face of his persistence.

"You must be hungry," he murmurs, leaning over the couch you're perched on and looking at you curiously. "I have fruit if you want it. And it's fresh."

Fresh fruit. Your stomach grumbles furiously at the offering, but you mask your hunger with a look of disinterest.

"No, thank you." You place your book in front of your face again, the words blurring together as Toji moves around to sit next to you, his black sweatshirt pulled taut over his chest.

"Not even some juice, huh?" You don't reply, still pretending to read the book, when he finally sighs. "Well, I'm going to go to a meeting. I'll be back shortly but in the meantime, my... friend... will be watching over you. In case you try to escape." Again, you offer him no response, and Toji leaves you alone on the couch; the invisible "friend" no doubt just the cameras placed around the property.

You've scoped them out and know where you can hide should you need a place to do something secretive. Three blind spots. That's all you had to do what you had wanted to do for some time now.

You walk into the kitchen and pour yourself a glass of water before looking over the offerings in the fruit bowl. Bananas, oranges, apples... a pomegranate.

Perfect.

You pluck the ripe fruit from the bowl with ease and retrieve a metal spoon from a drawer. All the knifes had been replaced with notes like "thought you could use one of those, huh" and "not in my house". Little shithead.

You open the fruit and scrape the seeds from inside while you stand between the pantry and the laundry room, right in the blind spot of two cameras. You devour the fruit in record timing, then dispose of it as quickly as you can before downing the cup of water you poured earlier, placing it in the sink, and in full view of a camera.

"I knew you were hungry."

The voice behind you makes your skin crawl, and you turn to face Toji again, eyes wide.

"How did you--"

"Does it matter?" he wonders, taking his hands out of his sweatpants pockets and rubbing them together briefly. "Between the fruit and the books, you're easy to predict. You haven't considered I've planted everything here for you so you'll be more inclined to--"

"You tricked me."

"And?" Your stomach lurches, and you grip the sink edge behind you, vision blurring.

"What the hell have you done to me?" Toji gives you a toothy grin, approaching you slowly and placing both hands on either side of your body. His head dips, the scar on his lips separating as he speaks gently, deliberately.

"You consumed my property. You ate one of the many fruits I grow in the fields of my domain, little goddess. You're mine... at least until I say you're not." Your knees buckle slightly, but you still manage to keep yourself upright, clutching the sink for all it's worth. "Six sections of the pomegranate. Six months out of the year. That's what you owe me."

"Fucking asshole--"

"Careful, y/n," Toji touches your chin, but you snap your teeth at him with the little strength you have left. "It's a shame you didn't eat the orange. But I bet you wish you would've eaten the banana instead..."

His voice fades to black as you slump forward, your body giving out and no longer supporting you.

_____________________________________________________________

You awake in your bed, like most mornings, staring out at the barren landscape of your new home.

"There's no life here," you whisper to no one, eyes blinking slowly. "There's nothing here."

Toji takes his respite in his own room, choosing to remain away from you, especially because you cry. You cry every single day. And when you're not crying, you're laying somewhere, sniffling into your sleeves as you dig deeper into the despair and sorrow of your predicament.

The first time you cried, he didn't know what to do. Toji started with trying to get you to eat something - which was rebuffed with a nasty retort - and ended up watching you sob into your hands, unsure of what he could do to make it better.

"You could let me go," you huffed, but he recoiled, frowning at you as if you had just requested the world stop spinning.

"You ate the fruit," he said, crossing his arms over his chest and squinting his emerald eyes. "I'm sorry, but them's the rules."

"You're not sorry."

"No, I'm actually not."

And from that day on, you vowed to see less and less of him until finally, you remained in your room, huddled under the comforter and staring out of the window from dawn until dusk. You don't know how many days had passed like this, but it doesn't matter.

There would be a time when you would be allowed to go home.

You don't want to be here.

Or so you think.

_____________________________________________________________

The first day you're coaxed out of bed is entirely by accident.

A barking noise draws you out of your trance, and you almost fall out of bed at the sound of something other than another person in the house.

You throw open the door and rush toward the yipping, finding Toji sitting in the living room on all fours and staring down at the little white dog. The tiny thing is staring back at him with wide blue eyes, wholly focused.

"Speak."

The dog barks twice, then a treat is produced from Toji's hand and deposited in front of the canine. When Toji sees you staring from around the corner, brows furrowed, he offers you a look of recognition. The white dog walks up to Toji and licks his face, then sits and waits patiently.

"Throw hands," Toji commands the dog, and it backs up on its back legs, raising its front paws before jumping toward Toji. "I taught it a few tricks." You approach the two carefully, the dog facing you with a wide smile and a wagging tail.

"Hey, little buddy..." you whisper, picking it up carefully.

"His name is Six Eyes."

You and Six Eyes become fast friends, running around the house and terrorizing Toji on occasion. But the best days are spent with Six Eyes in your room, both of you laying out on the bed with a book or something to take your mind off of the punishment you must endure.

Toji rarely bothers you, and you the same. Unless, of course, Six Eyes needs to pee and he can't take him out due to "work", or you need Toji to get his dog food.

But in taking care of the little dog - who is much smarter than he would have anyone believe - you find a softness in Toji you hadn't seen before. Countless times, you find him and Six Eyes napping on the couch or playing "soccer" (which is just fetch with a tennis ball), or sitting together and watching some science fiction show. Your hatred of him doesn't quite wane, but you allow yourself to see him in a different light. One that isn't so bad.

_____________________________________________________________

"Tomorrow," Toji announces while you're sitting with Six Eyes and watching a telenovela. "You're going home tomorrow."

"Wait, really?" He notices the lift in your tone, the way you straighten up and your eyes regain the hint of the familiar glow they had before he stripped it away from you. In his heart, there is deep envy, a deep desire to know what it's like to be thought of as desirable. But he ignores that part of himself, stuffing it down as you hold Six Eyes in your arms and watch him carefully.

"Yeah," he answers, tossing the pieces of junk mail into the trash in the kitchen. "For six months."

"Can I take him with me?" You hold up the dog and the animal stares at him with that stupid "head empty, stomach full" look. Toji clicks his tongue against his teeth and turns away, shrugging.

"Whatever." You respond by placing a few kisses on the dog's head, returning back to the telenovela with a cheerfulness you can't quite contain. And Toji notices it, growing ever so distant with each hour that passes, until he's fully retreated into his room and sulking while reading the volume you had first picked up when you arrived, trying to find a deeper meaning within the words he had never read before.

[eurynome827]

HBC Week of Love for @the-ss-horniest-book-club with Barista!Bucky and Boss Lady in...

First Sleepover

My blogs are 18+ spaces always. This story contains: some angst regarding past injuries, big emotions, soft (and vague, nearly non-existent) smut.

Week of Love - Barista!Bucky Masterlist

It was months before Bucky visited your apartment, and you had still not seen where he lived.

"It's just some walls and some furniture, doll," he would say, with a smile but there was a distant look in his eyes that would appear when topics like this came up. His past service, his injury, where he lived - which you knew was a place the VA helped him find - "You have this beautiful place, in this great neighborhood, with a doorman! I like knowing my best girl is safe."

You didn't press him for details. On anything.

Bucky would come over and he would cook with you in your kitchen, snuggle on the couch watching tv, maybe get a little heated making out like teenagers without the prying eyes of the buddies at Howlie's. But he never went too far, and you didn't push him. It had been a long time for both of you.

He would always go home promptly at 10 PM, whether he was taking you in a cab back to your place from Howlie's or leaving your apartment. "Work at 4:30, babe." He always said it with an apologetic smile, and you always kissed him softly in return.

You started to adjust to his schedule in subtle ways. Instead of staying up after he left, you would get ready for bed and wait until his good night text popped up when he had arrived home. Your body would wake you up right before his good morning text, and you would answer him with a smile. Instead of staying up late catching up on work, you would do it in the morning as the sun came up, trading texts with Bucky until the coffeehouse opened and then it was just a matter of time before you were there too, picking up your coffee.

This routine was becoming so comfortable that when Bucky mentioned he had the weekend off, it almost confused you.

"Really? But, how? Who will work?"

"I'm not the only employee," he laughed, his nose scrunching as you looked on, still puzzled. "I have enough time saved up to take three days in a row. I never really bothered with time off before, because I didn't have a reason to take it."

You looked down at his thumb rubbing your knuckles before you met his eyes with a grin. "Wanna stay over tomorrow?"

That look was in his eyes for a moment, but then you saw him swallow hard, and nod. "Yeah."

"Hey," you made your voice quiet and reassuring. "You don't have to, there's no rush."

"No, I want to," he assured you, "but there's some things you should know. I, uh, don't always sleep very well."

"Okay," you nodded, squeezing his hand in yours, "that's okay. I'll stay up with you."

"You don't have to, doll, we'll figure it out, I just wanted you to know. That's all," he smiled, putting his other hand on top of yours.

"You said 'things', is there something else you want to tell me?"

"Uh..." Bucky lifted his hand and ran it through his hair. "Maybe. I'll tell you, if it comes up."

You took a deep breath, and gave him an encouraging smile. "Of course. I'll be ready to hear it. Whatever it is."

☕

It was a night like any other, except for the bag he had put in your bedroom when he arrived. Even so, it was easy to forget about it as the clock numbers switched over from 9:59 to 10:00, and you straightened up on the couch to accept your good night kiss.

"Doll?" He looked over at you, quizzical grin on his face.

"Oh, right!" You giggled, shaking your head as you settled back under his arm, resting your head on his chest. "I forgot."

"We are creatures of habit now, aren't we," he agreed, speaking softly as he rubbed your back.

You hummed in return, cuddling a little closer. "I usually get ready for bed when you leave, so I may get sleepy soon."

"Well we can go, do that, and lie down, if you want."

His heartbeat was speeding up under your cheek and you weren't sure if he was nervous or excited or maybe both. Feeling a bit of the same, you made sure your face was neutral as you looked up at him. "Only if you're ready. I meant what I said, Bucky. I'll stay up with you, we don't even have to go in the room if you don't want to -"

Bucky cut you off with a kiss, and you melted into him. "Hey. I'm okay."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Then let's get ready for bed."

Bucky used the bathroom while you pulled pajamas out of your dresser drawer, heart really pounding now. Of course you wanted something to happen, did you ever want something to happen, but his well-being was the most important thing to you. It would be enough to just be here with him and have him here in the morning when you woke up.

His hands on your shoulders interrupted your internal monologue and you turned to smile up at him, leaning up to kiss his cheek. "I'll go get ready, and then we can get tucked in?"

"You bet, doll," his voice sounded calm, his eyes looked clear, and you smiled in return, leaving the room to get ready. When you crawled up next to him on the bed a few minutes later, he was already under the comforter and holding it up for you to scoot under next to him. He arranged the ends of the blanket over you and you sighed happily, the flannel of his pajama pants rubbing against your legs, bare from your shorts. Looking at each other with your heads on separate pillows, you giggled.

"This is nice."

"It is," he agreed, waiting a moment before moving a little closer to kiss you softly. "Good night, babydoll."

Your eyes fluttered open, and seeing him still so close to you in the low light of your bedroom made your breath catch. "Good night," you whispered, taking another shaky breath, before he moved in closer again and you met him halfway, your lips meeting his in a fevered kiss as your hands held him tight. You opened up to him, and his tongue stroked yours softly before he settled more firmly over you with a low growl from his throat that made you ache where you desperately needed him.

"Bucky," you breathed out, pulling on his shoulders and widening you legs to make room for him to get closer - you needed him closer, much closer. The kisses grew more passionate until you rolled your hips against his and he suddenly stopped, pulling back to sit up.

You blinked, trying to clear your head of the fog of lust. "I'm sorry," you blurted out, "I didn't mean to push -"

"No, baby, no," he stopped you, hands moving to rub your legs gently. "I want this, I want you, I just need a minute." Instead of the distance in his eyes this time there was a storm, and you sat up, taking his face in your hands, holding his gaze.

"I'll give you all the time you need. I love you, Bucky."

He drew in a shaky breath. "No one's seen..." His voice trailed off, his eyes glancing almost unconsciously to his left side. Immediately you knew. His injury. You cupped his cheek, your other hand pushing his hair back from his face.

"I love you, Bucky. All of you. No matter what."

His shining eyes searched out yours, and when he leaned forward you let him lead the kiss, your hands running down over his chest and feeling the muscles underneath and him trembling under your touch. You fingered the hem of his t-shirt and let him draw back, waiting for the permission in his eyes before you pulled it up and over his head.

His left shoulder and part of his arm was a tapestry of scarring, a part of his trauma carried forward that he lived with daily. His eyes fell a little as you looked, as you saw him for the first time, but you moved forward to trace the angry lines with your fingers before pressing soft kisses along the meanest looking places. Bucky's breath was coming fast now, his heart pounding under your palm, and the darkness of lust had filled his eyes when you looked up.

"I need you." His hands moved you back gently, making quick work of your pajamas as you watched.

"Yes," you urged him on, watching as his own pants were cast aside. "You're beautiful, Bucky."

He settled in close to you, kissing you again as you drew him in. "I love all of you," he repeated your words back to you, sinking inside slowly as you whimpered.

"I love all of you," you promised.

☕

In the morning, you expected the bed to be empty, since he had warned you about being awake most of the night, but Bucky was there wrapped around you under the blankets. His warm breath tickled your skin, deep and even and peaceful. After a few moments, he woke and pulled you impossibly closer, gifting you with a sleepy chuckle in your ear and a "good morning" - in person instead of by text.

You rolled to face him, brushing his hair back like you loved to do. "Good morning," you smiled but asked the question, "are you okay?"

Bucky kissed you, soft and sweet. "I haven't slept through the night in a long time."

[tinyboxxtink]

"Black Magic" *Part 6*

Part 5

Part 7

Okay so this one's a bit shorter, but like I said I want to try and keep it a "day" a chapter. Also, I don't think you want this day to be ANY longer.

....I'm so sorry.

Also also---- I'm going out now. I'M SO SORRY.

I'll post another chapter tonight....be strong my babies!

Side note how perfect is the gif with the angry barba and the smirking Olivia....I mean.... what?

Tag List:

@bookishfanfic

@stars-in-the-skies-world

@omgsuperstarg

@chasingeverybreakingwave

@gibbs274

@milkshqke

@wanniiieeee

@word-scribbless

@objection-argumentative

@aprildecker-blog

@lolliepopsicle

@madamsnape921

@stars-trash-18

-------

You arrived at the door of Rafael's office early once again, knocking this time. You looked like a million bucks. You had taken at least an hour to get ready, your outfit, your hair, your makeup. You were ready to make a move. You knocked again. There was no answer. He should be there, maybe he didn’t hear you. You knocked a little louder. Where could he be? You decided to take a peek and peer open his door to see the most horrifying sight:

Rafael and Olivia, making out on his desk. They both snapped back when they heard the door open.

“Y/N!!” He yelled angrily. “Don't you knock?”

“Oh.. oh my God I'm so sorry sir I'm really sorry. I just brought your morning coffee sir,” You were upset, embarrassed , confused , distraught unable to speak, unable to think.

“Well you should learn not to peep on other people Y/N,” Olivia gave you an evil smirk. “I should get going anyway baby,” she rubbed the lipstick off Rafael's lips. “I have a long day.”

“Oh but I'll miss you carino,” Rafael whined while rubbing his nose against hers in a disgusting fashion.

“I know baby, but maybe we'll have lunch?” She messed with his collar.

“You can count on it,” Rafael growled seductively, smacking her butt as she walked towards the door. “Two can play at your game,” she whispered at you as she walked out

Oh my god. Oh my God oh my god!! How did she know? How was it possible? So many things went through your head at that moment.

“I um, I left something at my desk,” You lied quickly as you headed out the door.

“Olivia!” You called after her angrily suddenly overwhelmed with courage. She stopped and turned and stared at you

“Really? Got some balls on you now do you?”

“What did you do?” You demanded.

“I didn't do anything to him.” She acted innocent. “He just realized that his feelings for me were there all along,” she batted her eyes mockingly. “Isn't that what you did?”

“It's not real!” You barked. “You know it's not real. It'll wear off by tomorrow,”

“Oh I really don't think it will” She held up a water bottle in her purse and it was filled with a….purple liquid? Yep it was purple. Why was it purple? Did she make it stronger? Oh God how strong did she make it?

“Olivia you can't do this to him. I stopped and realized if it wasn't real, I didn't want it.”

“Oh that's bullshit.” She rolled her eyes. “You just brought him his morning coffee. You and I both know that it has that stuff in it. You just needed to refill him but I got there first.”

“No that's not true! You yelled, tears stinging your eyes now. “And he loves me. I know he does.”

“Oh my God you are delusional,” she laughed.” Look I'm happy you had a fun day yesterday but you’re out of your league here, sweetie. He's mine and he always will be? Got it?” She smirked again, then turned and stomped away in her heels leaving you there speechless.

----

You were furious, you were confused, you were upset and then you realized that you had to still continue this day as if nothing was different. Nothing was wrong. You wondered how strong Olivia's stuff was. You wondered what the rules were. Did it block out his feelings for you completely and only focus on her? Did it wipe any memory of you and him at all? Could you break it? You had so many questions you needed to call Chloe but you know you couldn't until your break so you sucked it up and walked back into Rafael's office.

“I'm really sorry about that so earlier,” You did your best to keep from crying. He looked at you with an almost look of disdain.

“Yeah well you really need to be more professional, Y/N.” He scoffed.

"Now you really need to get me copies of these prepositions by noon so that I can go to lunch with my beloved and then go to court.”

“Your beloved?” You spat unintentionally, wanting to gag.

“Excuse you?” He gave you an angry look.

"Look I know that you have some kind of crazy crush on me, but you need to learn that what me and my girlfriend have is something you can't get between so you really need to either control yourself or I will relieve you of your services.” He glared at you.

You couldn't breathe, you felt your heart beating in your chest and your ears. Your palms were sweating, you were having a panic attack. What the hell did she put in her concoction? How did she make him turn so harshly against you?

“I... Yes sir, sorry sir, right away sir,” You whispered grabbing the papers from him running out of the office.

Finally after you got Rafael his copies and he stormed out of his office to go meet his “beloved”, you took the break to call Chloe in tears.

-----

“Oh My God, what happened honey?” She asked, immediately hearing your sobs over the phone.

“She did it,” You sobbed.

“Who did what now?”

“She found the spell! Or some spell. I don't know what she did. I don't know how she could have-- I don't know what she did!!!” You kept sobbing uncontrollably not being able to form coherent thoughts.

“Okay, I'm going to need you to slow down,” Chloe said in a calming manner. “Breathe honey. Use your words. Now explain to me exactly what happened,”

You took several deep breaths trying to compose yourself so that you could explain what was happening to her.

“I went into Rafael's office this morning, and he was making out with that vile woman,” You sniffled.

“What vile woman?”

“Olivia, his ‘beloved’,” you rolled your eyes through your tears.

“His beloved?”

“It's some woman that he works with, and apparently has been in love with him forever. She somehow, I don't know how, figured out what we did to him and she somehow found her own spell. Which I'm pretty sure is not the same one, because it was a purple liquid. AND she not only created feelings for her, she made him hate me!!” You continued to sob.

“...Oh,” Was all Chloe could say.

“OH…?!” You scoffed. “I thought you said that magic laws frowned upon spells like that, controlling people's free will!”

“It does! Good magic anyway,” She sighed.

“What the hell does that mean?” You yelled angrily.

“Well I mean you know there's good witches and bad witches,”

“Oh my God, what in the Wizard Of Oz fuckery--”

“I don't know what to tell you honey. That's how it is. There's good magic and there's black magic. Black magic is all selfish and self-indulgent and instant gratification. She must have gone to somebody who deals in that,”

“Who could it be?”

“I don't know! It's not like they're listed in the yellow pages! WAIT-- Oh my God I think I might have an idea,” Chloe suddenly paused. “...But you're not going to believe me,”

“Oh my God what does that mean?” you asked wearily.

“Well.. you've seen all the movies right? You know like Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White,”

“Oh God. Are you seriously going to tell me that true love's kiss can break the spell?”

“Well.. you really don't have any other options right now, do you?”

“CHLOE those are Disney movies for fuck’s sake!!”

“Hey, remember Once Upon A Time? THAT was the ‘real world’, and true love’s kiss brought magic to our world!” Chloe pointed out.

“THAT’S A TV SHOW!!!!!”

“I don't know what else you want me to say here babe. But you should do it. Unless you want to lose him forever to this “Olivia” person. You said that she had a lot of it, right? She could keep this up for as long as she wants. AND the more she gives him the stronger it's going to be and the harder it is going to be to break. I mean he might end up really hating you and firing you, and then your whole life will be ruined. You not only need to break this spell for you to be happy, but before it impacts your entire life,” Chloe warned.

“Oh my God, oh my god…” You whimpered. “I should have never done this.”

“Hey chin up this will work out I'm sure of it!” She said in a chipper tone.

“Okay Jiminy,” You rolled your eyes as you hung up and went back to your office. You did your best to continue with the rest of the day, trying to stay out of Rafael’s way. Which wasn't hard, considering that he was in court most of the day. Around four he texted you and told you that he was no longer in need of your services for the day so you could go home early. Oh also he just HAD to add that he was going to go out with Liv. You wanted to vomit. You headed home and went to brainstorm with Chloe.

-----

“Okay so I've been researching black magic. Chloe had papers sprawled out all over her bed when you came home. “She must have used a combination of love and hate spells.”

“Wait, so you mean actual love spells? Like actually creating fictitious love? Not just magnifying what he felt for her?”

“Correct” she nodded. “I don't think he ever had real feelings for her.”

“Well he said that she and him had a thing, and that he thought about her like that when they first met. So maybe it was going off of that,” You shrugged sadly.

“Another thing we need to figure out is how to get the rest of the potion from her somehow,”

“And just HOW do you expect me to do that?!”

“I don’t...I don’t know,” She shrugged, sifting through her research.

“Chloe, give me something you DO know,” You rubbed your temples; this was giving you a migraine.

“Okay… well, maybe if I talk to my other friends they can figure out a way to counteract the effects even just a little, if you're not willing to or unable to get true love's kiss,”

“Oh God--”

“Hey, I'm just saying”

“Whatever.” You sighed. “My head hurts, my heart hurts, everywhere hurts Chloe,” You whined. “I just want this to be over,”

“Okay honey just-- just go get some sleep, I’ll figure out a game plan for you to use tomorrow,”

“Okay...thank you,” You gave her a small hug and went to your room.

You went to bed with a deep feeling of dread.

[wendystales]

Memories - lrh (Chapter Eighteen)

Memories (also on Wattpad)

Chapter Seventeen ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ Chapter Nineteen

I remember the first time I really wanted to see New York. I must have been about 12 years old and was watching a random episode of Friends that was on TV. I saw those flashes of the city between one scene and another, and I thought it was amazing, the great stone jungle.

When I turned 16, my dad gifted me with a trip to New York, not because it was my favorite place in the world, but because it was on sale. There were 10 days where the only time I stopped to rest was bedtime. We went to almost every tourist spot, took thousands of photos and it was definitely one of the best trips I've ever been on.

Now, the city that I once wanted to know and live in, like the characters in Friends, felt like a prison. I wasn't there of my own free will or for a truly irrefutable proposal. I was there out of fear and passion, the most dangerous mixture.

I believe that at some point, a few months from now, I'm going to start loving New York, but right now, I can only feel contempt.

I pass through the arrivals gate, looking at those millions of unfamiliar faces, waiting for someone. I'm looking for a sign with my name or the logo of the Hastings Agency.

I find my name in the hands of a boy a little taller than me. Dark hair and fair skin, he needs sun. In an impeccable suit, but fumbling with his cell phone and notepad.

I approach slowly, able to hear his voice, replaying a million things. He said something about waiting for me to arrive and taking me to the hotel. Something about treating me kindly and not asking questions. I stop in front of him with a sympathetic smile, watching him widen his eyes and quickly turn off his cell phone.

“Miss McGonagall, welcome to New York.” he takes my hand, squeezing it and shaking it quickly. “I'm Edward. I will be responsible for your schedule.” I can't control the smile, noticing him nervousness. In other words, he was my Noah.

“Hi! Yeah, you can call me Marnie, that's fine. I prefer, actually.”

“Oh! Of course.” his cheeks turn pink. “Well, I'll drop you off at the hotel to rest and tomorrow at 8:00 am you should be at Valentino's studio for the rehearsal of the new bag collection. At 2:45 pm you should already be at Chanel's studio, they want to take your measurements and do some color and fabric tests for the fashion show at the end of the month. Then, at 5:00 pm, you will participate in the E! podcast, and I believe that after that you will be free for the rest of the day.” he passes it on to me as we head out of the airport.

“OK!” that's all I have to say.

“Sorry if I'm being nosy, but were you the one who required a lot of work for the next two months? I mean, you have a really busy schedule. If you don't want something, I can try to help.” he flips through the calendar while we wait for a car.

“No! It's OK. I was the one who asked. I was down for a while and I need to get back to work.” I give a slight smile, debating. "Hm, was the doctor I asked for by any chance be marked?"

“Yes! Wednesday at 3pm.” he smiles proudly, making me smile too. Edward seems like a nice guy.

We got into a silver car and went to the hotel. Along the way, Edward answers a few calls, closing in on his tasks. I seize the moment and close myself in my own world. I get my cell phone, turning it on and seeing that tsunami of people looking for me. Missed calls, messages, dm on twitter and instagram, everyone looking for me, but not him.

I lock my cell phone, trying to focus my mind on the new beginning I sought for myself. I admire the city through the car window, trying to find a piece of home there. I feel the phone vibrate in my lap with Kyleen's name, but I just decline the call. In seconds, the screen lights up again and several messages come in, I believe they are hers, but I don't even bother to look. I have no courage.

The car stops in front of the Intercontinental, and just like that, Edward jumps out of the car.

“Your loft, unfortunately, is not ready yet. So you're going to have to stay here for a few days.” he explains, heading towards the reception desk.

I stand behind him, taking in the details of the hotel. Before long, I'm entering a room on the 14th floor, with a beautiful view of the city. The bags are left in the small room before the bedroom.

I smile at my new “Noah” showing that everything is perfect.

“Good! I'll let you rest for tomorrow. Anything, these are my phones.” he gives me a card. "And you can call me at any time. I live near here, I will come in a few minutes.”

“Thank you so much, Edward. You are very kind." Again, your cheeks turn pink.

As he heads for the door, I start rummaging through my bags for pajamas.

“Hm, sorry if I'm not being professional right now, but since I believe we'll be working together in the next few months, I imagine a good relationship is essential, so you can call me Eddie.”

I open an even bigger smile, seeing that Eddie was willing to make a friendship, which is perhaps the thing I need most at the moment.

“Thanks, Eddie!” he smiles and this time he walks away, leaving me alone again.

I go back to looking for a more comfortable outfit, ignoring my cell phone blinking on the table as I muted it. I grab my clothes, heading to a shower and stay there for a long time, letting the water take everything.

When I get out of the shower, I pick up the bedroom phone, dialing my mother's number, I don't want to take the risk of answering any of my cell phone calls.

"Hello?" her lost tone makes me smile weakly.

“Hi Mom!”

“Hi, my love. How are you? Marnie, what's going on? Leah came here to say you left without saying goodbye. I called Luke, but he did not answer me and Noah said something about you being to move to New York, you told me it would be just a month.” I cover the phone, not wanting her to hear my cry, letting the tears fall. "Marnie?"

“I'm sorry, Mom.” I can't control my voice and pretend it's okay.

“Honey, what's going on? You can tell me. Mom will help you.” I realize she wants to cry too, and that hurts me more.

“I needed to do this, needed to get away from him.” the revelation comes out before I can see it.

"He who? Luke? Why? I thought everything was fine.” her desperate tone returns.

“I'm sorry I can't talk.” I close my throat, holding back tears. “I just want to let you know that I arrived well and that everything is fine.”

“Fine? Marnie, just look at your voice, your condition. I saw what you did to the apartment. Honey, things aren't fine.” now she was angry.

“Mom, please just trust me. I know what I'm doing.” Do I? I clear my throat, holding back the emotion. “I just wanted to call to say I got okay. Later we'll talk.” I hang up the phone before she asks anything else.

I head to the bathroom, drying my hair. I notice that yesterday's anger is still in me as I can't face my image in the mirror, refusing to look deep into my eyes.

With dry hair, I go back to my room, thinking about taking a nap, since I haven't slept all night and even less on the flight. I close my eyes, trying to focus my thoughts on something else. I think about that taxi I saw earlier, trying to park. Or people crossing the street without looking at the sign. At the cookie shop I want to see.

I manage to evade Luke's, my mother's, John's, and Noah's voices, giving myself more and more to the sleep that finally came. Far away, I hear someone knocking hard on the door, but I ignore it, as I had the same thoughts yesterday morning. But I wake up when the pounding comes back stronger and Leah's voice enters the room.

“Marnie Elizabeth McGonagall, open this shit now before I drop it and you know I'm capable of it.” I leap out of bed, running to the door.

She can’t be here.

I open the door, revealing Leah with perhaps the worst expression I've ever seen in the world. She was furious, if not more so. As she storms into my room without waiting for an invitation, I quickly look down the hall, seeing a couple look at me startled. I smile awkwardly, closing the door.

“What are you doing here?” I question, still not understanding.

"What are you doing here? And without warning anyone. Fading in the morning. Breaking up with Luke. What the fuck was that?” she screams.

For a second, I see that my amnesia was an issue with my plan. By not remembering my friendship with everyone, I really believed that I just left and everything would be fine. I didn't imagine anyone would cross the country for me, to understand what was going on.

And if Leah did it, it's a matter of hours before someone else does. They weren't going to leave me alone, they weren't going to forget me, and they weren't going to let this story pass. I need to push them away, but I don't know how.

"Go on, Marnie. What the fuck is going on? And if you tell me it's a job offer, I swear I'll fly at you without pity or mercy, and I'll slap the truth out.” she cross her arms.

I consider the last option a lot because I know she can do it. But I won't tell her the truth, that's not an alternative. I want to believe that if I don't back off, she'll see I'm not lying and won't attack me. And even if she tries, I just run away, I'm closer to the door and there's an armchair between us.

"But it is what it is!" I shrug.

“Stop it!” she screams. “Stop lying, Marnie. Everyone. Everyone knows you're lying, so why don't you tell the truth?” she waves her hands through the air.

“Because there's no other truth, Leah. Will I have to draw it for you?” I make the same moves she does.

“Be my guest!” she sits on the couch. I sigh wearily. I haven't slept for hours, I'm angry with myself and the world and now that I thought the situation was resolved and I just had to go on with my life, she comes and messes everything up.

“Why are you here?” I stay upright.

“I do not know! It must be cause you went crazy and disappeared without saying anything. Didn't answer my calls, no one had any answers about what was going on. So I took my father's jet and came to resolve this situation and I don't leave here without an answer at least.”

In the same way I laugh at Noah, I laugh at her, thinking it will fix everything. Leah carries the same expression as her brother, neutral, mocking.

“Why did you break up with Luke?” she asks quietly.

The mention of his name makes me shiver. I notice how my stomach turns and try to ignore it. I wonder if I can subtly extract some information from his state, but I don't want her to think I still care about him.

"Cause I wasn't in the mood anymore." I shrug, walking through space.

“My God, you've actually lied better.” I glare at her. “You know you're in trouble here, I know you better than anyone. I know you are lying and that you are going through some difficult situation. I even have my theories. So you're going to have to work a lot harder to trick me or get me out of here.” she cracks a smile, feeling victorious.

"Oh do you have? What are your theories?” I mock her.

“The first is that you really freaked out with amnesia and you can't handle it. The second is that you can't handle your feelings about Luke, it happened once before. And the third is that someone put some shit in your head and made you believe that everything would be better if you were out of the way.” I feel her gaze burning into me, looking for any reaction.

I let out a laugh, not forced, nervous that she got it right. Leah raises an eyebrow.

“You really traveled on your theories. Sorry, none are right.”

As if by magic, the answer appears to me. The only way I was going to get rid of everyone and go through with the plan without a hitch was to make her hate me. Make everyone hate me, just like I did Luke.

Just considering their hate for me makes my heart ache. But I need to do this. For Luke. For the boys. It's for their success.

“You know, a few months ago you were asked to be in a movie and you didn't take it cause you said you were a terrible actress. Isn't that right?” she gets up again. “Noah told me you said you were doing this for Luke, because you loved him. Marnie, what are you trying to hide?” she comes closer.

I feel dirty because of the attitude I'm going to take. It's low, very low, but I need her to hate me.

"Look who talks about hiding." I give a cynical laugh. Leah looks at me confused. "Don't you have anything to tell too?" she still doesn't understand. “You and Kyleen?”

Hastings freezes. The bitter taste of my act starts to fill my mouth. I’m sorry, Leah. I’m so sorry.

“How do you know?” she takes a step back.

"Who do you think closed the bathroom door on Ash's birthday?" I raise my eyebrows.

“Is not the same thing.”

“It isn’t? Aren't you hiding something from all of us?” I force a smile like hers a few minutes ago.

“No! Cause I'm not pushing everyone away, I'm not telling lies. And if you asked me, I would tell you the truth. Deep down, you know why I didn't say anything. You know my dad hasn't accepted Noah yet, that this is a problem in our family, and you know he wouldn't accept me either. You know that deep down I'm trying to protect both of us.”

“Oh! Do I?” I debauchery more. Right now, I feel horrible when I see your eyes water. I'm so, so sorry.

“I know what you're trying to do and I'm not going to stage it.” she walks past me to the door.

"Didn't you want to talk? I am talking.” Leah turns to me, straining the knife I carried in my chest, letting me see her crying face.

“You're trying to make me hate you.” now I'm the one who freezes. She laughs. “See how I know you? You are very predictable, Marnie. And as much as I know of your intention, I will not allow you to reach your goal. I hope that one day, not too far away, you realize what a big shit you're doing.” she opens the door, going. “Oh, and before I forget, since it's meant to hurt. Congrats, since your little chat with Luke, he's been locked in his room, needing Michael to keep an eye on him.” so Leah slams the door and strikes the final blow.

I bite the inside of my mouth, letting the tears fall. Honestly, I didn't even have the strength to hold back anymore. The rage burning inside me gives way to pain. I imagine Luke locked in his room, lying on the bed, hating me. Hating what we had and what we thought we had.

I walk over to my suitcase, pulling out a package, with the photos I'd taken from the box and the little white box he'd given me. I open it, holding the necklace with his name on it, the one he gave me.

Even knowing what I had to do, I wouldn't get rid of this necklace, I don't have the courage. It was easier to buy an equal one and put it in his hand. What he did to me would be kept with me forever.

““Closed eyes.” he fights.

"I have my eyes closed." I rebate. “Lucas…” I chide him, when I feel his lips on the back of my neck.

“Sorry, I got distracted.” I hold back the urge to laugh. “Closed eyes.”

"If you say it one more time, you'll get hit." I threat.

"How, if you can't see me?" right now, the urge to hit him is so strong that I follow the sound of his voice, trying to kick him. “Hey! No rudeness, otherwise you'll be left without a gift.” the false authoritative tone makes me angrier. “Good girl!”

“Go!” I kicked.

I'm startled by the icy touch against my neck. It's a necklace. Eagerly, I touch the pendant, recognizing the shape. He didn't do it.

“You can open it.” his hands move to my hips, hugging me.

With my eyes open, I run my vision to my neck, finding there a necklace just like his but blue.

“Happy Birthday!” he drops a kiss on my cheek.

I hold the blue quartz, seeing Luke's name engraved on the back. I let a stupid smile spread across my face, glaring at my boyfriend with the same.

"Want to explain why we're wearing practically identical necklaces?"

“It's a little obvious. Couples wear rings and I know what a problem you have with rings.”

“It’s not a problem.” I try to defend myself.

“It's just Alzheimer's. You know, in some people, it starts before they're 70 years old.” I hit him, and he laughs, before he hugs me. "Like I was saying, I know you're not into wearing a ring, so since I already had my necklace, I thought you'd have yours. That way we'll always be close to each other's hearts.” I rest my hands on his shoulders, standing on tiptoes.

"Have I told you I love you today?" I whisper, moving closer.

“Not after 5 pm.” he pouted, looking at the clock on the wall.

I don't know how I managed to kiss him with such a stupid smile on my face.

“Why do I like you, huh?” I question, stealing a little kiss.

“Because I'm cheesy and romantic. And even if you deny it, I know you get attached to it.” he opens a victorious smile.

"Don't ever say 'get attached' again." I beg laughing.

"What is it, bae? That was awesome.” he laughs.

“No!” I scream, laughing.

"What is it, babe girl? Don't you stick to my way of get in?” he keeps teasing me.

I place my lips on yours, determined to shut your mouth and thank you that it works. My mental reminder of “we're late for dinner” evaporates when his hands reach under my shirt. I scratch the back of his neck, pulling him closer.

“We're late for dinner.” he says against my mouth as I start to unbutton his shirt.

“Just say the traffic was like hell.” I suggest kissing his neck.

Luke accepts the idea, picking me up and walking me back to the bedroom."

It's not hard to know that we were late for dinner that day. But I didn't care, I had been given a necklace with his name on it, a necklace that showed how our relationship was getting more and more serious.

I also realize that the two times I got this necklace, at least once I ended up in bed with him. In fact, in both, but only one made it to the end.

“I hate myself.” I say tiredly, going to the minibar to get anything containing alcohol that makes me forget everything.

I call the front desk for two bottles of champagne and the biggest snack they have. I pick up the small whiskey bottles, turning one after the other, as if they were shot. I shake my head, wanting the effect to start faster.

“I hate myself. Leah hates me. Kiki must hate me now too. Just like Noah and everyone else there. Everybody hates me.” I turn the last one over, shaking my head once more. “Luke hates me. Hates me too much.” I comment, hugging the pillow.

I pick up a Polaroid of ours, staring at our happiness marked there. What am I doing?

I throw my head in my hands, lost. I wonder what might happen if I crawl into bed and don't go out for the rest of the month. Probably more people will hate me, but who doesn't hate me now? I mean, just get in line.

Awakened from the thought, when someone knocks on the door. For a second, I wonder who it was, then remember I ordered room service. I walk to the door, feeling the weight of the six small bottles.

My stomach churns and I feel an overwhelming urge to vomit as I land my eyes on the redhead in front of me. Red-haired?

"Bethany?"

[imagines-by-a-typical-fangirl]

Californian Dream (Pt. 06 of 11)

Pairing: Billy Hargrove X Reader

Word count: 2.9 K

Summary: Being part of one of the richest families of California doesn't mean you're happy. Your life is boring, and you're surrounded by meaningless people and their meaningless talk. Even during Summer, with the break you have from college, there's nothing good going on. Nothing but the new pool guy, Billy, the most handsome man you ever saw. You were successfully avoiding him, not wanting to act like an idiot in front of the guy until Billy accepts to be your date for a fancy gala you're forced to attend. The night was going well, even better when he sneaked you out to go to the beach. But a gang of criminals breaks into the party, kidnapping the heirs to the wealthiest families, which includes you. So, for your safety, your parents want you to stay with Billy, living in his apartment until the criminals are caught. And that could take weeks, maybe even months.

Warnings: Light violence

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Intimacy

In the last few days, you have been accompanying Billy on his job. Nobody made any questions yet, so you're good so far. You're trying not to think about the beach incident too much, and since your days are now occupied with something else than the news channel, you're succeeding. But today, there's this party Billy told you about. He briefly mentioned it, and since the subject never came up again, you concluded that he doesn't want you to go. But you won't let it go that easily.

So you've been trying to convince Billy to take you to this harmless party for the last two hours, and he just surrendered after you reminded him that he said he'd take you to one of his parties one day. And the day came, even though the circumstances aren't the ideal.

But it doesn't matter now, because you're already in his car, nodding your head at the beat of the song playing, breathing in the night air. You shiver a little since the thin straps shirt you decided to wear doesn't provide any protection against the cold wind.

“Should've taken a jacket,” Billy says, glancing at you.

“I'll warm up when I start dancing.”

“So you'll dance.” He chuckles, his free hand half covering his mouth. “That's something I'd like to see.”

“Well, if someone takes me out to dance, I might.” Shrugging your shoulders, you look away from him, secretly hoping he'll do exactly that.

It takes another ten minutes until he stops, the music already banging. Billy guides you around a small house until the back yard, which is crowded already. People are dancing, eating pizza, and playing cards, all laughing and shouting. It's so different from anything you've ever been to. Those formal meetings were always silent and dull, with everything following a schedule. But this... This is just people having fun, doing whatever they want.

“So? What do you think?” Billy asks, coming closer so he can make himself heard above the music.

“It's loud!” Your answer. “I love it.”

“Come. I'll introduce you to some friends.” He makes his way through the people to a plastic table on the back of the yard. All the five people in it smile to see him, happily waving. “What's up, guys? This is...” His voice fades and he stares at you. It hits you suddenly that you can't just say your name. It would be dangerous, but it only got to you now.

“Lily!” You think fast, reaching out your hand shaking theirs. “I'm Lily.”

“Hi, Lily.” They mutter, shouting above the music. The only one who didn't seem very interested, seated further away, keeps staring at you, but you pretend not to notice.

“Is she your girl?” The guy asks, and you immediately shake your head no.

“No–”

“No.” Billy says at the same time you do, and you both exchange a glance, your cheeks burning.

“I'm Chad.” The guy finally speaks, standing up from his seat and walking over to you. “A pleasure to meet you.”

You're not that innocent. It's obvious he's interested, and now that he knows you're not ‘Billy's girl’, he thinks he can make a move. “Yeah. It's nice to meet you too.” Stepping away, you glance at Billy, who has a weird expression on his face. He engages in a conversation with the others, and you try to keep up. Chad stands by your side, moving closer as if you weren't noticing.

Then, Beat It starts playing, and a smile immediately comes to your lips, and you can't help but move your shoulders and head to the beat. “I love this song.” You exclaim, and some of the guys nod.

“Come dance with me then.” Chad invites, already taking your hand and pulling you.

“No, thanks.” You tell him, standing your ground. But Chad doesn't let go of your hand, his grip tightening to the point you have no choice but to move forward.

“Alright. Let go of her.” Billy violently pushes Chad away, so suddenly it startles you. “Isn't it clear she doesn't want to go with you? Are you deaf or something?”

“What? If she's not your girl I can have my chance.” Chad raises his hands in defeat, tilting his head towards you.

“Fine. Then she is my girl.” Billy's storm voice is easily heard above the music, and when you give a glance at the table, everybody is up, looking very... Surprised. Your friends said Billy can get violent sometimes, so why do they look so... Perplexed?

“Alright. Just give me her phone when you're done running her pretty little–”

You don't even have time to react to his disgusting tone, because Billy is shoving him back, making him swallow his words and placing a hard punch on his jaw, and when he's stumbling back, Billy pulls him by the collar of his shirt, bringing his knee to his stomach. Chad jerks forward, a groan escaping his lips, before falling to the ground. Some people around are staring, the dancing long forgotten.

“If you'll get anywhere near her, I'll break your damn nose.” A kick on Chad's side, making him turn around, starting to crawl away. Billy finds you again, coming closer. “Are you alright?”

Why did he do that? You can defend yourself, even though you've never been in a situation like that. But... It makes you feel funny. Your whole body is hot, and you're trying to catch your breath. “Yeah.” Pushing the words out, you lock eyes with Billy. “...Thanks.”

“Don't bother.” He gives Chad one last look, but he's already far, limping away.

“No, I... That was really nice of you, Billy.” He always does that, as if the things he does aren't important. But this was very, very important to you. “Thank you.”

“Alright.” He nods, a hand on the small of your back, guiding you away from the table. “So, now that your my girl for the night, wanna dance?”

“Well, I do love this song.” Following Billy to the middle of the yard, you stop among the others, already dancing. But when you see how the others are moving, you notice it way too far from what you're used to. “Uhm... I don't think I can do that.” You tell him, tiptoeing to get closer to him an ear.

“I thought you knew how.”

“I can slow dance. I took classes but this... I've never been to any parties where people move like that.” Everyone is way too close to their dancing partner and you're very happy you didn't even consider trying to dance with Chad.

“Just feel the music.” He moves closer, a hand around your waist. “Is this ok?”

“Yeah.” Of course, it is. Billy pulls your closer and starts to move, and you soon follow. It doesn't take long until you're singing along too.

And when it really starts kicking in, you start moving by yourself. And it means you get closer and closer to Billy, spinning around, having his arms around you all the time. You never felt so wild, carelessly moving around, your body colliding with his way too many times, but he doesn't seem to care. And neither do you. You like it, and there's nobody else you'd like to dance with.

When Billy Jean starts banging, you turn to face him, arms around his neck as you follow the beat. Billy's grip on your hips is strong, keeping you there, close to his body. “I'll teach you how to slow dance.” You tell him when you're close to his ear. Billy makes a funny face, turning you around and pushing your back against his chest.

“I don't think that's really my thing.” He says, and you shiver to feel his hot breath on your neck.

Elbowing him lightly, you spin around, holding on to the collar of his jacket. “This was not my thing either but look at me now. I'm... Trying.” Shrugging your shoulders, you bump into Billy when a couple passes by, hitting your back. “Sorry.”

“You're not trying, you're great.” He smiles, and the proximity sends ideas through your mind. If you kissed him here... It would make sense. It'd feel right. Your eyes fall to his lips, and you want to know how they feel like so bad... Maybe it would turn you into another of his girls... But you want to try it... Maybe it's the music, or how you've been dancing together, or how amazing this crazy party is... Everything is pushing you to him, and you don't wanna fight it.

“Thank you.” You mutter, and you feel his hand on your face, fingers softly caressing your cheek. Billy never did that. Maybe he's intoxicated by the moment too. And moments pass. Soon enough they're in the past, and you don't want this to the just a moment. So you step down, putting some distance.

“What?” He asks, using his index finger to raise your face to meet his eyes again. “Everything alright?”

“Yes.” You smile, and for the first time, you notice you wish this could be a thing. Something real, solid... “I'm alright.”

“We should go home. Gotta work tomorrow.”

“Yeah...”

Billy says goodbye to his friends, and you silently make your way to the car. The ride home is also quiet, as you watch the night lights. There's this feeling, this sensation in your heart. Something you never felt before. Being around Billy has become one of your favorite things, and today, you realized just how close you wanna be. But still, you can't let this feeling grow. You're living together, and this will mess things up. Billy wouldn't fall for you, some rich kid, spoiled, stupid... The best thing to do is let it go, and hope it'll disappear with time.

“It's your turn on the bed.” He says when you're home already, in pajamas, the air-conditioning making you a little cold as you pour yourself some water.

“I know.”

“Did I do something wrong?” He asks, standing up from the couch. “You've been unusually quiet since we left the party. If I did anything you weren't comfortable with I–”

“No!” You exclaim, putting the empty glass in the sink. “That's not it. Today was amazing, I really enjoyed it.” Smiling, you look down at your feet. You never wanted him to feel bad about anything. “It was way better than the formal events I had to attempt... Maybe... Maybe you could take me to some parties, you know... When you're not with a girl.”

“I'm not seeing anyone, so... Guess you'll be my date for parties for a while.”

Biting your lip, you try to suppress the smile, but it escapes anyway. You're tired, eyes heavy, and you know how dangerous it is, how sleep pushes the words out. But right now, you don't care. You feel comfortable around Billy, even to admit the things you don't like talking about. “That's nice. Uhm... About that Chad guy. Thanks, again. Nobody ever did that for me and... I've already had to deal with guys flirting like that but nobody cared enough to stand up for me.”

“None of your boyfriends ever stood up for you?” Billy comes to the table, leaning against the it, right before you. “A pretty girl like you probably had many.”

A giggle escapes your lips, but a yawn covers it up. “Well... No. You know the options I have, so...” Shrugging your shoulders, you look into his ocean blue eyes, the kitchen light illuminating his handsome features. “I'll tell you something, but you have to promise not to laugh.”

“You know I can't promise that.” He chuckles, and you smile.

“Yeah, I know...”

“But go ahead.”

“I...” Putting a strand of hair away from your face, you lean against the countertop. “I never really kissed anyone. Well, there was this guy in my Freshman year in High School, but it was just a peck on the lips, not a real thing...” Squinting your eyes, you expect him to laugh, but a small, kind smile is everything you see.

“Why?” It doesn't sound like he's mocking you, but like he actually wanna know.

“I always thought that a kiss is something very... Intimate. I know it's silly and you probably think I'm some kind of prude.” Nervously, you pace around the kitchen, wondering why exactly you're telling him this. You never spoke of this to anyone, not even Amelia. “But to me it's something special, to be shared with someone special, and in my life, I never wanted to do that with anyone... Until now.” The last part just rolls out your tongue, and you immediately freeze, a hand running through your hair. “A-and you know, the guys I'm surrounded by are just jerks and the very thought of kissing any of them is disgusting.” You can feel his eyes on your back, as you pretend to fix the dishcloth, just to have something to do. “I'd rather die alone.”

“Until now?” Billy inquires, his voice a little darker now, stronger, deeper, echoing through your mind.

“Yeah, I just mean–”

“No.” Billy comes closer, touching your arm and taking the dishcloth from your hand, placing it on the table, away from your reach. “Tell me what you really mean. Don't dissimulate.”

Taking a deep breath, you step back, trying to put some distance between you and him, but your back hits the wall. “I just...” Avoiding his gaze, you run a hand through your hair. “From all the guys I ever met, you're the only one I ever... I ever considered kissing or... Maybe even dating, but that's just–that's just...” Shit. It took five seconds for you to admit everything you've been trying to keep hidden. How does Billy do that? How does he open your heart so easily? “I–I'm sorry. I gotta go.” You move, trying to reach the hall, eager for the comfort of the bedroom, where you will be alone with your thoughts for a while.

But you don't go far. Billy holds your arm, like Chad did, yet so differently. It's gentle, and you don't even try to resist it. You just stop, your eyes meeting his. “Don't go, just...”

“Forget I said anything. I told you, I get a little too brave when I'm sleepy and–”

You don't have the chance to finish, because his lips come crashing down on yours, so suddenly, yet so soft. One of his hands caresses your cheek, and the other finds its way around your waist, but instead of pulling you close, as he did while you were dancing, this time it just rests there, delicately. And you, who never kissed anyone, knows exactly what to do. Following his pace, slow and sweet, you move closer, your arms wrapping around his neck. When he puts some more pressure, deepening the kiss, you allow him in, your chest collapsing against his.

But the damn phone rings, so damn loud it makes you jump, stepping away from Billy, a hand on your lips.

He looks down at you for a while before rolling his eyes and moving to answer the phone. “Who's this?” He sounds annoyed, a little angry even. “Alright.” He turns at you. “Your father.”

“Oh.” Snapping out of the stupor, you go to the phone, giving Billy a small smile. “Hey, dad.”

The conversation goes on the same way it always does. How you're doing. If Billy is taking care of you, that the investigators are doing their best so you'll be able to go back home soon. But you're not sure if you wanna go back, to the huge bedroom you turned into a small apartment so you'd had a place to hide for days if needed. You're way better here, even though you don't know how things will be now.

When you hang up, you know how it'll be. Billy is used to kissing many, many girls, and that was just a kiss. At least your first real kiss was with someone you enjoy being with, and not one of those idiots. “I'll get some sleep.” You tell him, blushed cheeks as you give a little wave before closing yourself in the bedroom.

The night is restless, and every time you close your eyes you're kissing him again, over and over, until you can't think about else than his taste. And when you wake up, you know the day won't be any better. Billy went to Gisele's house today, and you couldn't go since everyone there knows you very well. And you didn't want to, because the memories you have there are many. So the day goes by pretty much the same way it always does, but this time you made yourself something for lunch.

When the evening is coming, you're just checking the news, to see if something else was found, or if the police are any closer, before starting off dinner.

You jump from your seat when the woman announces they released Alice, two days after the payment of five million dollars was made. She was found in an alley, across the state, unconscious... But that's not what shocks you, what makes you fall back into the couch, tears rolling down furiously and your whole body shaking. It's not the bruises on her face, the tiny cuts and scratches... What makes terror overcome you is that Alice wasn't set free in one piece.

You're frozen, eyes on the TV, but not really listening, the images just an indistinguishable blur. But when you hear the door opening, you set in motion, going straight into Billy's arms, sobbing, hiding your head on his chest.

“Hey.” He says, but you barely hear him above your cry. “(Y/N), what happened? You're scaring me.”

“They cut off her fingers.” You push out, trying not to stutter through the words. “They let Alice go but they cut off her fingers.”

×

@multific @dontxfearxthereaper @nope-thanks @nikkixostan @shinydixon @clockworkballerina @infinitelycharmed23

[itsadamcole]

i might fall apart

fem!reader x finn balor

Finn gets injured during a match, and he is being forced to relinquish his nxt title, and reader tries to do everything she can to help him, including giving him his Christmas present a little bit early ... "if you don't hug me right now then i might fall apart"

word count: 5.4k+

warnings: sad!finn, a scene where reader gets unintentionally hurt by finn, crying, angst, fluff, smut

— meant to get this out yesterday but oh well. i was busy with classes and my birthday dinner so here this is —

masterlist || request an imagine here

~ 18+ content below - read at your own risk ~

You sit in the backstage area by the medical area. You are praying that the injury that Finn sustained in his match isn't as terrible as it looked.

Finn was in an NXT match with Karrion Kross, and Kross powerbombed Finn onto the apron. As soon as Finn landed on the ground, he grabbed at his previously injured shoulder. The shoulder that was injured against Seth Rollins at Summerslam 2016 for the Universal Championship. He looked like he was in actual pain, not just kayfabe. You've gotten good at realizing what was real and what wasn't.

This seemed extremely real.

The door to the medical area opens and you see Finn come out. His arm is in a sling and he looks upset.

You run over to Finn and you say, "Hey, what did they tell you?"

Finn looks at you and says, "The same thing happened tonight that happened at Summerslam against Seth. I dislocated my shoulder, which I knew because of the pain. They told me I tore my labrum again, and I need surgery again, and I have to give up my damn title again."

He's angry and he's upset, you can hear it in his voice. You say, "You've worked through it once. You can do it again, and I'm right here to help you, Finn."

"I didn't get my title back last time," Finn says. "I might as well say goodbye to this one forever too." He takes his NXT title and throws the belt across the room. It bounces off a wall and lands on the floor. The noise of the belt hitting the wall makes you flinch.

You stare up at Finn and say, "They didn't know how to book you on Raw, Finn. They know how to use you here in NXT. You'll get your title back."

Finn looks down at you and you can see tears forming in his blue eyes.

"This is the second title I have to relinquish in WWE," Finn says, voice cracking. "This is the second time I've had to deal with his injury. Y/N, what if I can't do it again?"

His words break your heart and you take the hand that's not in the sling. You look into Finn's eyes and say, "You can. I'm here to help you. I'm here to make you feel better when you're feeling down."

You try to give him a reassuring smile. Finn says, "If ya don't hug me right now then I might fall apart. All I want is a hug from ya right now."

Careful not to hit his injured arm, you wrap your arms around Finn's neck. He wraps his free arm around your waist and buries his face in your neck.

Finn sobs, just once, into your neck. The sound alone is enough to make you tear up.

He's hurting, mentally and physically, and you have no idea how to help. You hate that Finn's feeling like this. He just got the NXT title back in September, and here he is four months later. He's relinquishing when he had so much planned for his reign. He had a goal of beating Adam Cole's 403 day reign.

All of that is gone now because of his injury.

"Finn!" you hear Karrion Kross say behind you. Finn looks up, his cheeks wet. "Oh, no. Finn, I'm so sorry. I added too much power. I didn't mean to. I'm so sorry that this is happening to you again. It's my fault."

You look up at Finn and he says, "It's not your fault at all, Kross. Ya executed the move perfectly. My arm was just a little too high and I dislocated my shoulder. I shoulda learned from last time. Don't blame yourself. It's not your fault."

Scarlett walks over and looks at me. "Is he okay?" she asks, referring to Finn.

"Dislocated shoulder and torn labrum," you say. "He needs surgery."

She looks sad as she says, "I'm so sorry, Finn."

Finn shrugs with his good shoulder and says, "It's fine. I'll be fine. Make sure Kross carries that title with pride because we all know who will become the fourth two-time NXT champion."

All of you give a little laugh before Finn walks over and picks up his title. He looks at the belt and looks at you. You watch and wait to see what he does.

Finn walks away from you, Karrion, and Scarlett. You look at Karrion and Scarlett in confusion before following Finn.

You find him knocking on William Regal's office door. You keep your distance as the door opens. "Mr. Regal," Finn says. "This doesn't belong to me anymore."

Regal looks at the title that Finn is holding out to him before he says, "You have to relinquish, don't you?"

Finn nods as he says, "Dislocated shoulder and torn labrum, which needs surgery. I'll be out for a while." Regal takes the title from Finn's hands.

A soft tsk comes from Regal and he says, "Such a shame. You've been a good champion, Finn. I can talk with Hunter and we can work something out for when you come back. Maybe work you into a storyline where the title is involved."

You listen to the conversation as Finn nods. "That sounds good," he says. "Thank you, Mr. Regal."

"Best of luck in your recovery, Finn," Regal says. "Please keep us updated on when you'll be back."

Finn says, "Of course. Have a good holiday, Mr. Regal. I'll see ya very soon."

Regal gives him a curt nod and walks back into the office with Finn's title. The door closes and Finn looks down.

He walks away, walking toward you. He has no idea that you're standing there. Well, until he looks up at you as he walks away from Regal's office. "How long have ya been standing there?" Finn asks, approaching you.

"I followed you when you walked away," you explain. "I wasn't being a stalker, I swear."

Finn looks upset as he says, "So ya heard the whole thing." It wasn't formed like a question.

You nod and say, "I saw you relinquish your title. I know how much that had to hurt but I'm proud of you."

He sighs and says, "This isn't the first time I've had to relinquish a title, Y/N. It hurts but not as bad as the first time I had to."

You've never had to give up a title because of injury so you can only imagine the pain Finn is in right now, either mentally or physically.

Then an idea pops into your head. You have a way to make Finn feel better. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, and you're planning on going out to attend the annual WWE Christmas party at the Performance Center with Finn. You can give him one of your presents a little earlier.

"I know," you say. "Why don't we go home and watch some movies? I can make whatever snack you'd like, like popcorn or cookie dough." You smile, trying to help him feel better.

Finn says, "I would love to but I'm beat and really just wanna sleep. Rain check?"

Your smile fades and you nod. "Yeah," you say. "Of course."

The car ride home is quiet and you can almost feel how upset Finn is. You drive and Finn sits in the passenger's seat. You steal a couple glances at him at red lights or stop signs and find him staring out the window.

You pull up to the house and watch as Finn walks inside, not saying a word to you. You sigh and walk inside behind him.

Finn lays on the couch and puts something on TV. You make your way upstairs to the bedroom.

Maybe you won't be able to help Finn. He's completely shut you out and you don't know what you can do to help since he won't talk to you or accept any help.

After you get changed into pajamas, you crawl into bed. You end up crying yourself to sleep, frustrated and slightly upset.

***

A noise in your bathroom wakes you up. Finn is cursing up a storm and you get up to investigate.

You stand in the doorway to see a soaking wet Finn Balor on the bathroom floor. A towel is around his waist. He's gripping his injured shoulder.

"Finn!" you say, running over to him. You kneel beside him and make sure he's okay. "What happened?"

He looks up at you and says, "I fucking slipped and fell, that's what happened. I fell and hit my shoulder on the ground." His voice is cracking and you can tell he's trying not to cry.

You wipe away some of the water droplets that are falling down his face and you say, "You're okay." He looks away from you. "Hey, look at me."

Finn takes a second before turning his attention back toward you. "Tell me what you need," you say. "I want to help."

"Can ya magically fix my shoulder so I can go get my title back?" Finn asks, accent getting thick with anger. "No? Then I don't want your help."

He pushes you off of him, puts his arm back in his sling, and walks into the bedroom. You fall back against the glass door of the shower, hitting your head on the door lightly. When you tried to brace yourself, you fell on your wrist awkwardly and now it hurts. You probably sprained it.

You sit on the ground and hold your wrist. You sigh, trying not to cry.

After holding back the tears and the sobs for a few minutes, you just give in. Finn's never pushed you away like he has. You're starting to doubt your relationship with him and wondering if you can survive this.

It's Christmas Eve and instead of spending time with the man you love, you're sitting in the bathroom crying because you don't know if your relationship will last to tomorrow.

After you don't emerge from the bathroom after a few minutes, Finn comes back to check on you. He finds you curled up in a ball, crying softly. Your knees have been brought up to your chest and your forehead rests on your knees. You hold your possibly sprained wrist.

"Y/N," Finn says softly. His voice startles you and you look up at him. Your eyes are red and puffy from crying. Finn's heart breaks at the sight. His moment of anger hurt you, emotionally and physically. He can tell by the way you're holding your wrist.

Slowly, he approaches you. He kneels in front of you and says, "Y/N, baby. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt ya."

He reaches out to touch your knee but you flinch away from him. You know what happened was an accident but you're terrified to let him touch you.

Finn drops his arm and looks down. "I'm so sorry that this happened," he says. "I really didn't mean to hurt ya. I would never intentionally hurt ya. I'm so sorry."

Tears continue to fall down your cheeks as you cry, "I just want to help you, Finn. I want to help you get through this and I want to help you feel better."

He says, "I know ya do. I acted in a moment of anger. I was frustrated and in pain. I know ya are trying your best and I'm not making it very easy for ya. I'm so sorry, Y/N."

Quickly, you crawl over to Finn and hug him, crying into his good shoulder. Finn wraps his free arm around your shoulders.

The two of you stay like that until your knees begin to hurt. When your knees begin to hurt, you stand up and look down at Finn. "If you don't want to go to the Christmas party then I understand," you say.

Finn gets up and says, "Let's get a brace on that wrist before we talk about any Christmas parties, okay?"

You nod in agreement before Finn grabs an old wrist brace out of the cabinet under the sink.

He leads you out to the bedroom and you sit on the bed. Finn undoes the brace so you can slide it on the injured wrist. It's a fully metal brace so the wrist is completely immobilized and you can't move it. You look up at Finn and say, "Thank you."

"Don't thank me," he says. "I caused this. I hurt ya."

You say, "Not intentionally. You didn't mean to do this, and it's my own fault for trying to brace myself."

Finn looks away from you and says, "I pushed ya. It's my own fault."

Shaking your head, you say, "Do not blame yourself, Finn. This was neither of our faults, okay? It just happened. I'm braced up and I'll heal in a few days."

He nods and stays quiet. You take his free hand and play with his fingers. Finn watches you as you play with his fingers.

After a second of silence, Finn says, "I'm gonna call the day after Christmas to get a surgery scheduled that way we can get that done with and I can start my physical therapy and I can get back in the ring sooner rather than later."

You nod and say, "I'll be right here if you need anything, Finn. You tell me what you want and I'll be willing to help you."

Finn intertwines his fingers with yours and says, "How about we spend the day together since it is Christmas Eve? We can bake cookies or watch Christmas movies. Or we can go to the Christmas party. Whatever ya want to do today since I was being difficult this morning."

"All I want is for us to spend the day together," you say. "Baking cookies sounds fun. We don't have to do to the Christmas party. I'd much rather stay in anyway."

Finn pulls you up and says, "Then let's go bake some cookies. I've never baked cookies so I'm excited."

You stand in front of Finn, looking up. "How have you never made cookies before?" you ask, surprised.

"I've been training to wrestle since I was young then I travelled the world," he says. "I never really got the chance to bake cookies."

Almost running out of the room, you say, "We're baking cookies. Right now. Let's go."

Finn lets out a soft laugh. It's a laugh that you've missed in the past 24 hours. You make your way into the kitchen. You're wearing a black crop top with red and black checkered pajama pants. Probably not the best thing to be wearing when baking cookies. Especially when things can get a little ... messy.

You rush to get all the ingredients out, putting them on the kitchen island counter. This counter is the biggest and gives both you and Finn some extra room to move around.

Finn walks into the kitchen as you get out the ingredients out. Eggs, flour, sugar, vanilla, baking soda, baking powder, chocolate chips, salt, brown sugar, and butter. You grab a bowl and a spoon to mix everything together. You grab measuring spoons and measuring cups.

"So," Finn says. "What do we have to do?"

You look at Finn and say, "I can measure out ingredients and you can put them in the bowl. You can mix if you'd like too. I'll hold the bowl."

A smile spreads across Finn's lips and he nods. He joins you at the counter.

You start with sugar. You measure it and hand the cup to Finn. He takes it and pours the dry ingredient into the bowl before handing it back to you.

This goes on until you get to the flour. You decide to be a little dirty and fake a sneeze, sending flour into the air. Finn says, "Y/N! This is my favorite shirt!"

You look at his black t-shirt and say, "You have tons of shirts that are black."

Finn says, "Yeah, but this one was my favorite."

Laughing, you brush the flour away. "Okay, crybaby," you say. "I'll make sure it's nice and clean."

While you clean up Finn's shirt, Finn takes a handful of flour and throws it at you. Your face and shirt is covered in flour. Finn lets out a chuckle.

Your jaw almost drops and you say, "Finn! I was being nice and cleaning up your shirt for you."

He smiles and says, "Oops. I'm sorry, Y/N."

You grab a handful of flour and throw it at Finn, dirtying his shirt again and now he has flour all over his face and in his hair.

"Oh," Finn says. "That's how ya wanna play, hm?"

You've realized what you've done as Finn takes another handful of flour. "Finn," you say. "Don't you dare. I swear to Go-" Before you can finish the sentence, flour flies at you. You're now basically covered in head to toe with flour. "Okay. I see what you wanna do."

You scoop flour up in both your hands before throwing it at Finn. You giggle and start to back away as Finn takes another handful of flour.

By this time, you're on the other side of the counter. He throws it at you and it makes it to you. You reach across and grab flour, throwing it at Finn before running out of the room.

"Come back here!" Finn calls. You giggle and hide behind the wall that separates the living room and the kitchen.

Footsteps lead from the kitchen into the dining room. "Y/N?" Finn says in a singsong voice. "Come here."

You cover your mouth to keep quiet.

Finn walks past you into the living room from the kitchen. He doesn't see you and that gives you the opportunity to sneak attack from behind. You wrap your arms around Finn's waist. You're met with flour. You laugh and look up at Finn.

"You're cleaning the flour up in the living room," you tell Finn.

Finn's taken off his sling at this point. You notice when he turns in your arms. He asks, "What if I don't?"

You smirk a bit and say, "Then you don't get your Christmas present later on tonight."

He smiles and says, "Oh really? Hm, then I might clean it up since I won't get my present if I don't."

"You better," you say, leaning up and pecking his lips. "Now let's go finish these cookies then we can go get cleaned up."

Finn smiles and walks back into the kitchen with you.

The two of you finish the cookies. You clean up the flour around the kitchen and Finn disappears into the living room while the cookies are in the oven.

Once they're done in the oven, you lay them out so they can cool down.

Footsteps enter the room and arms wrap around your waist from behind as you lay out the cookies on a cooking rack. "So," Finn says behind you. "What's my Christmas present since I cleaned up the living room?"

You giggle and say, "Patience, Finn. We still haven't talked about that Christmas party and if we wanted to go."

Finn says, "I'd rather stay in tonight. I really don't feel like putting a smile on my face when I don't mean it, especially for a whole night."

You turn in Finn's arms and says, "Whatever you want to do. Today's about you, Finn. If you wanna stay in then we'll stay in."

He smiles and says, "You're the best, Y/N. Thank you for trying to be here for me even though I know I'm probably not making it very easy."

"Injuries are never very easy to go through," you say. "I've had my fair share of knee injuries so I understand. I'm just trying to make it a little easier on you."

Finn brushes some flour filled strands of hair out of your face. "Ya are the best," he says. "I promise to be easier on ya and I won't take my frustrations or anger out on ya like earlier."

His hands move up to cup your face and you say, "Take whatever you want out on me. Anger, frustrations, or whatever it is."

Finn smiles and says, "So, Christmas present?"

You laugh and say, "Relax, Finn. We still have to get cleaned up. Showered and changed because I'm not eating a meal with you while you're covered in flour."

His hands leave your cheeks and he says, "Then let's go get showered and changed."

You smile and say, "I have to finish getting everything ready for dinner. I'll shower later."

Finn pouts and he says, "Come on, mo gra. Come shower with me." He smiles trying to convince you to come with him.

"Finn, I have to get dinner ready," you say. "If I don't make dinner now then it won't be ready before dinnertime. And I have things planned for later."

Your boyfriend sighs and says, "Dinner better be amazing since ya won't shower with me."

You giggle and say, "Dessert will be better. Now go get cleaned up."

"Fine," Finn whines, pouting as he walks off. You smile and get dinner started.

You make lasagna with a special meat sauce your mom always made. Finn takes about 45 minutes upstairs.

Dinner is in the oven and that's when you go get showered and cleaned up.

It takes a while to get the flour out of your hair. At least twenty minutes and three washes. Then you wash and shave the rest of your body.

Finn got a little dressed up for dinner so you decide to get into the dress you bought for the party tonight. It's a tight red dress. Long off the shoulder sleeves, and the skirt ends right past your butt.

You would usually wear a bra and panties with the dress, but because it's just you and Finn tonight, you decide to just go completely commando.

You dry your hair and you tie it up in a tight ponytail on the top of your hair. You smooth out the dress before walking downstairs. You go barefoot as you walk down the stairs.

Finn's setting up for dinner, his arm in his sling. He wears a white button up with black dress pants. He's wearing socks but not sneakers or any other shoe. He even put on cologne.

You smile and watch from the doorway of the dining room as he lights a few candles. That's the only light in the room, plus the light coming into the room from the kitchen and foyer.

The living room is lit up by the Christmas tree and the lights lining the fireplace. There is a fire going on the fireplace.

Finn finally looks up at you and he smiles when he sees the dress you're wearing. "Look at ya," he says, walking over to you. "Ya look stunning, Y/N."

You smile and say, "You don't look too bad yourself, Finn."

The oven starts to beep, signaling that the lasagna is done. You made meatballs to go with the lasagna and you cut up some Italian bread you bought at the store the other day. You serve the lasagna and the meatballs with the bread. You say, "Dinner is ready."

Finn sits at the table and helps himself to some lasagna. You smile and start to eat dinner.

After a few minutes, Finn says, "Ya look beautiful, Y/N. Seriously. Just seeing ya in that dress makes me feel better."

You giggle and say, "I'm glad you like it. I was going to wear it to the party tonight."

"Well I'm glad ya decided to wear it tonight," your boyfriend says. "It would have been a shame if I didn't get to see it on ya."

You smile and say, "Well now you get to see it on me."

Finn smiles and the two of you continue to eat the dinner.

After dinner, you wash the dishes. You hum quietly to yourself as you do. Finn stands behind you against the island counter in the kitchen.

As you finish up the last dish, Finn comes up behind you, putting his free hand on your waist. He squeezes gently, making you squeal a bit under his touch. "Finn!" you giggle. "Please. I'm doing the dishes."

Finn smiles behind you and says, "I can't help myself. Ya just look so good, mo gra."

You finish up and turn the water off. You turn in Finn’s arms and say, “I have a surprise for you, Finn.”

His eyes almost light up and he asks, “Christmas present?”

Giggling, you say, “I have to go get it. Wait for me in the living room.”

Finn nods and walks into the living room. You walk upstairs into your bedroom. You look through your closet for Finn’s surprise.

In a box is the surprise.

It’s a lingerie set. A sheer red top with a very low cut neck, revealing most of your cleavage. There are thin white straps on your shoulder and the neck is lined with a fluffy white fabric. The bottom of the sheer top is lined with white lace. There is a pair of almost sheer lace panties that go with the top. A thin black belt wraps around your body right under your breasts. You take the Santa hat that goes with it and put it on your head after you take your hair down out of the ponytail.

You smile and take the brace on your wrist off, throwing it by your bedside table.

Sighing, you walk downstairs. “Close your eyes Finn!” you call.

You hear him laugh and say, “They’re closed.”

After he says that, you walk into the living room. You see his eyes are closed so you stand in front of him.

Smiling, you say, “Okay. Open your eyes.”

Finn’s eyes open and his blue eyes are immediately on your body. He smiles and asks, “Is this my surprise?”

“It is,” you say, twirling around. “Do you like it?”

He gets up and he says, “I love it. Ya look beautiful. Ya can pull anything off.”

You giggle and look up at Finn. “I’m glad you like it,” you say.

Finn’s eyes are on your body and he says, “Ya always know exactly what I want for Christmas.”

“That’s because I know you very well, Finn,” you say, untucking his shirt. “And I know exactly where your mind is right now.”

He gives a little laugh and he says, “Then I assume ya know where I would rather be than right here.”

You take his hand and say, “Only if you promise to be careful and not overwork yourself.”

Finn nods and says, “I promise. Let’s go.” He walks off and you follow behind him. The two of you run upstairs and into your shared bedroom.

His lips are on yours as soon as you step over the threshold into the room. You pull off the hat and throw it to the floor.

Your fingers work at unbuttoning his shirt. He takes off the sling and you get his shirt unbuttoned.

Finn throws the sling to the floor and you pull off his shirt. You run your fingers over his abs and his fingers hook onto your straps. He pulls them off your shoulders and you pull your arms out of the sleeves.

He pulls the top down and it falls to your feet, leaving your upper body exposing to Finn. Finn’s lips attach to your neck and you sigh. “I love you,” you say.

Finn pulls back and makes eye contact with you. Your fingers have started unbuttoning his dress pants as he says, “And I love ya, mo gra.”

You kiss Finn, slowly and more passionately than the kiss you shared with him earlier. You get his pants unbuttoned as Finn slips his fingers into your panties, his fingers run through your folds. You gasp against his lips and sigh.

Gently, you push Finn onto the bed so he’s sitting on the mattress. You lean down and pull off Finn’s boxers. His semi erect member pops up against his stomach and you bite your lip as you get on your knees in front of him. You take his member in your hand and start to pump him.

Grunts and groans leave Finn’s lips as he gets harder in your hand. You soon replace your hand with your mouth. You bob your head up and down. Finn’s fingers are in your hair, grasping a bit as you move your head. You suck gently as you move, earning some groans from Finn. “That’s it, baby,” he moans. “Just like that.”

Finn’s praises motivate you and you moves faster and suck harder.

Right as Finn begins to twitch, signaling that he’s about to release, you pull back from Finn. He lets out an unintentional whine and you smirk. “Don’t worry, Finn,” you say, standing up. “I’ll take good care of you.”

You pull off your panties and Finn moves back on the bed. You crawl up to him and kiss him as you straddle his member. You slowly grind against Finn and sigh softly against the soft kiss.

Finn grips your hips and mumbles into the kiss, “If I’m not inside of ya in a few seconds, I will actually lose it.”

You giggle and push Finn onto his back. You leave kisses on his chest and you sit up. You position him at your entrance before lowering yourself onto Finn’s erect member. You sigh as he fills you up.

Once completely inside you, you begin to move your hips so he moves in and out of you.

The room slowly fills with the sounds moans coming from you and Finn. More from you than him. You throw your head back and close your eyes.

Finn’s hands are on your thighs as yours rest on his chest so you can keep your balance.

“God,” you moan loudly. Your breathing becomes labored and quick the faster you move. “Fuck, Finn.”

Finn helps you move your hips. “Fuck, baby,” he groans. “Ya move so well. Ya fuck me so good.”

His praises make you smile as you move faster. “You’re still my champion, Finn,” you gasp. “Always.”

A smile forms on Finn’s lips as you both climb higher and higher toward your orgasms.

Your walls begin to clench around him as you reach your high. “Finn!” you cry out. “I’m about to come.”

As soon as you say that, Finn moves so he’s on top of you. He’s holding himself up by one arm, his good arm, as he begins to thrust roughly into you. You moan and scream Finn’s name as he slams into your g-spot every time he moves.

It doesn’t take long for both of you to reach your climax. You come around Finn as he releases his seed into you. He falls over onto his good shoulder, pulling out of you. You smile and roll over, kissing Finn softly as you both catch your breath.

After messily making out for a few moments, you pull back and meet Finn’s eyes. You smile and ask, “Did you enjoy your present?”

Finn smiles and nods. “Always.”

“You can have your present anytime you until midnight tomorrow night,” you explain. “That’s the second part of your present. Whenever, wherever. It’s all up to you.”

Your boyfriend smiles and says, “I like that present. It’s my favorite present.”

You giggle and kiss his lips. “I hope you’re feeling better now,” you say. “About the whole relinquishing your title.”

Finn meets your eyes and says, “With ya by my side, I know I’ll get through this. I was upset about losing my title because of my injury but I realized that I never needed a title to be happy. I just need ya.”

You smile as Finn speaks. You lean in and kiss him, sparking the second round of sex that you’ll have over the next twenty four hours.